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Dermal uptake of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) from skin contact with polystyrene microplastic particles.

2026-06-02T00:00:00Z

Title: Dermal uptake of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) from skin contact with polystyrene microplastic particles. Authors: Abafe, O; Harrad, S; Abdallah, M Abstract: Despite the listing of HBCDD in Annex A of the Stockholm Convention, the environmental contamination and human health impact of HBCDD is predicted to last for decades due to HBCDD remaining in global in-use products, the waste stream and various consumer products due to uncontrolled recycling e.g., expanded and extruded polystyrene building insulation materials, toys, utensils. Recent studies from different countries have confirmed the presence of polystyrene (PS) microplastics (MPs) in air and dust from various indoor microenvironments. However, the risk arising from dermal exposure to hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), which was widely used as additive flame retardant in expanded and extruded PS remains unknown. To address this gap, we experimentally determined the dermal bioavailability of HBCDDs upon skin contact with PS-MPs using a 3-dimensional human skin equivalent model. All three isomers measured, i.e., α-, β- and γ-HBCDD were dermally bioavailable. Whilst the fraction of HBCDDs that accumulated within the skin tissue after 24 h exposure ranged between 5 to ~ 8% of the dose of HBCDD in the exposed PS-MP, complete skin penetration to the bloodstream within 24 h was low for all isomers, evidenced by the dermal flux, J_ss and the apparent permeability coefficient, P_app. Observed differences among HBCDD isomers were driven mostly by their physicochemical properties e.g., Log K_OW and water solubility. Moreover, dermal uptake of HBCDD was greater under a sweaty skin condition. Overall, internal exposure to HBCDDs arising from skin contact with PS-MP was evident, albeit low. However, the possibility of increased risk due to prolonged exposure or higher concentrations of HBCDDs in PS-MPs is plausible and cannot be ignored. Description: Data availability: Data will be made available on request.; Supplementary materials are available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772416626002743#sec0023 .

BiasShield: An AI Browser Extension Against Online Misogyny

2026-05-25T00:00:00Z

Title: BiasShield: An AI Browser Extension Against Online Misogyny Authors: Chambel Vieira, F; Sengul, C Abstract: Online spaces frequently expose women to sexualised and objectifying content, with documented harms including body dissatisfaction, anxiety, and depression. Automated moderation algorithms compound this through gendered bias by disproportionately classifying benign images of women as sexualised. Deepfake technologies have intensified the harms, with the victims being predominantly women. To counter these developments, we present BiasShield, a browser extension that identifies, audits, and enables users to manage exposure to misogynistic and deepfake content. We report on the design of a multimodal classifier and evaluate its capacity to detect misogynistic content while reducing gender-based false positives. By making algorithmic bias visible and actionable through exposure analytics and protective measures- including optional blurring of offensive content—BiasShield turns content moderation on the web into informed, user-based control.

Spatially Correlated Analysis of Infectious Disease Outcomes Based on Bayesian Functional Hierarchical Models

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Spatially Correlated Analysis of Infectious Disease Outcomes Based on Bayesian Functional Hierarchical Models Authors: Ma, S; Yu, K; Pan, J; Tang, M-L; Härdle, WK; Tian, M Abstract: ... Description: ...

A BIM-Integrated Stage-Gated Framework for Mitigating Strategic Design Errors in Infrastructure Projects

2026-05-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A BIM-Integrated Stage-Gated Framework for Mitigating Strategic Design Errors in Infrastructure Projects Authors: Alisawi, AT; Alrubaye, RF; Collins, PEF Abstract: Design errors remain a persistent challenge in infrastructure delivery, particularly when strategic errors introduced during early design stages propagate into later project phases. This study develops a Building Information Modeling (BIM)-integrated stage-gated framework to mitigate strategic design errors across the infrastructure design lifecycle. The proposed approach embeds interdisciplinary coordination, iterative model federation, and structured verification checkpoints throughout conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design phases. The framework was implemented through a BIM workflow using Civil 3D, Revit, and Navisworks and applied to the Al Najaf Airport Road project in Iraq as a case study. A standards-based geometric and functional assessment was conducted to evaluate both the baseline design and the redesigned solution developed through the proposed framework. The analysis revealed that the baseline design satisfied only 39% of the evaluated design criteria, indicating significant geometric and operational deficiencies. After applying the BIM-integrated framework, the redesigned scheme achieved full compliance with the evaluated standards while eliminating previously undetected coordination conflicts. Model-based analyses also enabled targeted traffic and drainage assessments, helping identify and mitigate potential risks such as flooding susceptibility and unsafe junction configurations prior to construction. The findings demonstrate that early and continuous BIM integration can function as a proactive design assurance and risk management mechanism rather than a late-stage coordination tool. The proposed framework contributes a structured methodology for preventing strategic design errors and improving reliability in BIM-enabled infrastructure projects. Description: Data Availability Statement: The data presented in this study are contained within the article.