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Short bowel syndrome is the most common cause of intestinal failure (IF) in infants. We aimed to evaluate growth, nutrition intakes, and predictors of weaning from parenteral nutrition (PN) of infants with IF.Clinical parameters, nutrition intakes, body weight and length z-scores were compared monthly from the 1st to 12th and at 18 and 24 months among infants receiving PN and those weaned. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the predictors of weaning.We included 23 infants (10/23 weaned). Median [range: minimum; maximum] birth weight and gestational age were 1620 [590; 3490] g and 31 [24; 39] weeks, respectively. All infants showed growth retardation with similar median delta weight z-score from birth to discharge: -1.48 [-1.92; -0.94] in not-weaned and -1.18 [-2.70; 0.31] in weaned infants (P = 0.833) and a subsequent regain after the discharge: 0.20 [-3.47; 3.25] and 0.84 [-0.03; 2.58], respectively (P = 0.518). No differences in length z-score were found. After the sixth month, infants weaned from PN received lower PN energy and protein intakes compared with those not-weaned. Infants weaned from PN showed lower PN dependency index (PNDI%) from 5 months onward (45% for weaned and 113% for not-weaned infants at 5 months: P 0.001). The Belza score, a predictor of enteral autonomy computed at 6 months, is associated with being weaned from PN within 24 months (odds ratio: 1.906; P = 0.039).Infants weaned and not-weaned showed similar growth patterns. Our findings support the clinical relevance of Belza score and PNDI% as predictors of weaning from PN.

This paper proposes a method for localization of avalanche victims by multiple UAVs. The method consists of three main parts. First, assuming that the UAVs and the victim are equipped with ARTVA receivers and a transmitter, respectively, we introduce a mathematical model of the receiver, which is used to estimate the position of the victim. Second, we derive a closed-form expression indicating the performance of this estimator. In particular, we show that the victim's observability index is captured by the persistency of excitation of a function of the UAVs trajectories. Third, we design and implement a motion planning algorithm that uses the estimation and the estima-tor's performance function for the (near) real-time generation of trajectories that guarantee feasible, safe, and time-efficient localization of avalanche victims.

The recovery of valuable bioactive compounds from the main underutilised by-products of the food industry is one of the greatest challenges to be addressed in circular economy. Potato peels are the largest waste generated during potato processing. However, they could be a potential source of valuable bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, that can be reused as natural antioxidants. Currently, environmentally benign enabling technologies and new types of non-toxic organic solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds may dramatically improve the sustainability of these processes. This paper focuses on the potential inherent in the valorisation of violet potato peels (VPPs) by recovering antioxidants using natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) under ultrasound (US)- and microwave (MW)-assisted extraction. Both the enabling technologies provided performances that were superior to those of conventional extractions in terms of antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH· (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. In particular, the most promising approach using NaDES is proven to be the acoustic cavitation with a Trolox eq. of 1874.0 mmolTE/gExtr (40 °C, 500 W, 30 min), vs. the 510.1 mmolTE/gExtr of hydroalcoholic extraction (80 °C, 4 h). The shelf-life of both hydroalcoholic and NaDES-VPPs extracts have been assessed over a period of 24 months, and found that NaDES granted a 5.6-fold shelf-life extension. Finally, the antiproliferative activity of both hydroalcoholic and NaDES-VPPs extracts was evaluated in vitro using the MTS assay on human tumour Caco-2 cells and normal human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT). In particular, NaDES-VPPs extracts exhibited a significantly more pronounced antiproliferative activity compared to the ethanolic extracts without a noteworthy difference between effects on the two cell lines.

In this work, a continuous monitoring scenario where multiple unmanned aerial vehicles are tasked to monitor a dynamic target moving along a path with unknown speed profile is addressed. Optimal tr...

Ectopic lipid accumulation is a hallmark of metabolic diseases, linking obesity to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, insulin resistance and diabetes. The use of zebrafish as a model of obesity and diabetes is raising due to the conserved properties of fat metabolism between humans and zebrafish, the homologous genes regulating lipid uptake and transport, the implementation of the '3R's principle and their cost-effectiveness. To date, a method allowing the conservation of lipid droplets (LDs) and organs in zebrafish larvae to image ectopic lipids is not available. Our objectives were to develop a novel methodology to quantitatively evaluate organ-specific LDs, in skeletal muscle and liver, in response to a nutritional perturbation. We developed a novel embedding and cryosectioning protocol allowing the conservation of LDs and organs in zebrafish larvae. To establish the quantitative measures, we used a three-arm parallel nutritional intervention design. Zebrafish larvae were fed a control diet containing 14% of nutritional fat or two high fat diets (HFDs) containing 25 and 36% of dietary fats. In muscle and liver, LDs were characterized using immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. In liver, intrahepatocellular lipids were discriminated from intrasinusoid lipids. To complete liver characteristics, fibrosis was identified with Masson's Trichrome staining. Finally, to confirm the conservation and effect of HFD, molecular players of fat metabolism were evaluated by RT-qPCR. The cryosections obtained after setting up the embedding and cryopreservation method were of high quality, preserving tissue morphology and allowing the visualization of ectopic lipids. Both HFDs were obesogenic, without modifying larvae survival or development. Neutral lipid content increased with time and augmented dietary fat. Intramuscular LD volume density increased and was explained by an increase in LDs size but not in numbers. Intrahepatocellular LD volume density increased and was explained by an increased number of LDs, not by their increased size. Sinusoid area and lipid content were both increased. Hepatic fibrosis appeared with both HFDs. We observed alterations in the expression of genes associated with LD coating proteins, LD dynamics, lipogenesis, lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. In this study, we propose a reproducible and fast method to image zebrafish larvae without losing LD quality and organ morphology. We demonstrate the impact of HFD on LD characteristics in liver and skeletal muscle accompanied by alterations of key players of fat metabolism. Our observations confirm the evolutionarily conserved mechanisms in lipid metabolism and reveal organ specific adaptations. The methodological advancements proposed in this work open the doors to study organelle adaptations in obesity and diabetes related research such as lipotoxicity, organelle contacts and specific lipid depositions.

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-cep-10.1177_03331024231160519 for Switching anti-CGRP(R) monoclonal antibodies in multi-assessed non-responder patients and implications for ineffectiveness criteria: A retrospective cohort study by Luigi Francesco Iannone, Andrea Burgalassi, Giulia Vigani, Giorgio Tabasso, Francesco De Cesaris, Alberto Chiarugi and Pierangelo Geppetti in Cephalalgia

We study the diffusion of a true and a false message (the rumor) in a social network. Upon hearing a message, individuals may believe it, disbelieve it, or debunk it through costly verification. Whenever the truth survives in steady state, so does the rumor. Communication intensity in itself is irrelevant for relative rumor prevalence, and the effect of homophily depends on the exact verification process and equilibrium verification rates. Our model highlights that successful policies in the fight against rumors increase individuals’ incentives to verify. (JEL D83, D85, L82, Z13)

In this paper, the dominance of the physical effects of ultrasound (US) pretreatment in improving the delignification of wheat straw at a 1:20 solid/liquid (biomass/water) ratio is reported showing low-frequency/high power (25 kHz, 2 or 3 kW) as preferred conditions. The sonochemical pretreatment with alkali was identified as an optimal method to make the cellulose more susceptible to further enzymatic hydrolysis, thereby increasing the yield of soluble sugars. Previous bench-scale studies have shown that US pretreatment has a positive effect on delignification, nevertheless this has not yet been demonstrated on a larger scale. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of US pretreatment for wheat straw delignification from lab to semi-industrial scale (40 kg biomass) in terms of sugar yield and energy efficiency. A 59.2% of lignin removal was recorded after the cavitational treatment of wheat straw with a subsequent 68 ± 5.7% yield in terms of enzymatic hydrolysis (52.6% glucose, 42.9% xylose and 4.5% arabinose). It was demonstrated that the positive effect of US alkali pretreatment of wheat straw on sugar yield was due to a combination of factors, including (i) an easier accessibility of the biomass carbohydrate network to enzymes due to the increased wheat straw porosity, (ii) the partial removal of lignin, which increases the relative proportion of carbohydrates in the treated biomass, and (iii) the disordering (amorphization) of the cellulose structure, which promotes carbohydrate hydrolysis as well as saponification of the acetyl groups in the hemicellulose. With respect to the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Cost Benefit Analysis the US pretreatment process herein reported was compared to an alternative Steam Explosion pretreatment. The results of the LCA analysis showed, that for all five environmental categories (energy consumption, global warming potential, water and fossil depletion, and the land occupation) the US pretreatment has advantages in comparison with the standard industrial Steam Explosion pretreatment.

BackgroundHuman milk is a vehicle for bioactive compounds and beneficial bacteria which promote the establishment of a healthy gut microbiome of newborns, especially of preterm infants. Pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) is the second-best option when preterm mother’s own milk is unavailable. Since pasteurization affect the microbiological quality of donor milk, PDHM was inoculated with different preterm milk samples and then incubated, in order to evaluate the effect in terms of bacterial growth, human milk microbiome and proteolytic phenomena.MethodsIn an in-vitro study PDHM was inoculated at 10% v/v using ten preterm milk samples. Microbiological, metataxonomic and peptidomic analyses, on preterm milk samples at the baseline (T0), on PDHM and on inoculated milk (IM) samples at T0, after 2 h (T1) and 4 h (T2) of incubation at 37 °C, were conducted.ResultsIM samples at T2 showed a Total Bacterial Count not significantly different (p > 0.01) compared to preterm milk samples. At T2 lactic acid bacteria level was restored in all IM. After inoculation, metataxonomic analysis in IM samples showed that Proteobacteria remained the predominant phylum while Firmicutes moved from 3% at T1 to 9.4% at T2. Peptidomic profile of IM resembled that of PDHM, incubated for the same time, in terms of number and type of peptides.ConclusionThe study demonstrated that inoculation of PDHM with mother’s own milk could restore bacterial growth and personalize human milk microbiome in PDHM. This effect could be beneficial because of the presence of maternal probiotic bacteria which make PDHM more similar to mother’s own milk.

The biologically-derived polymers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and can be considered a valuable alternative to conventional fossil-based plastics. However, upstream and downstream processes for PHA production are characterized by high energy and chemical consumption and are not economically competitive with petroleum-based polymers. Aiming to improve both the environmental and economical sustainability of PHAs production, in this work, corn straw was used as raw material to obtain a mixture of fermentable sugars after microwave-assisted flash hydrolysis (2 min, 0.01 g/L, 50.7% yield). A mixed microbial culture enriched from dairy industry waste was used for fermentation in a shake flask, allowing us to achieve good poly(hydroxy-butyrate-co-hydroxy-valerate) yields (41.4%, after 72 h of fermentation). A scale-up in a stirred tank bioreactor (3 L) gave higher yields (76.3%, after 96 h), allowing in both cases to achieve a concentration of 0.42 g/L in the fermentation medium. The possibility of producing PHAs from agricultural waste using a mixed microbial culture from the food industry with enabling technologies could make the production of biopolymers more competitive.

In this work, we present a framework that enables a vehicle to autonomously localize a target based on noisy range measurements computed from RSSI data. To achieve the mission objectives, we develop a control scheme composed of two main parts: an estimator and a motion planner. At each time step, new estimates of the target's position are computed and used to generate and update distribution functions using Bernstein polynomials. A metric of the efficiency of the estimator is derived based on the Fisher Information Matrix. Finally, the motion planning problem is formulated to react in real time to new information about the target and improve the estimator's performance., 6 pages

Hexane is a solvent used extensively in the food industry for the extraction of various products such as vegetable oils, fats, flavours, fragrances, colour additives or other bioactive ingredients. As it is classified as a "processing aid", it does not have to be declared on the label under current legislation. Therefore, although traces of hexane may be found in final products, especially in processed products, its presence is not known to consumers. However, hexane, and in particular the n-hexane isomer, has been shown to be neurotoxic to humans and has even been listed as a cause of occupational diseases in several European countries since the 1970s. In order to support the European strategy for a toxic-free environment (and toxic-free food), it seemed important to collect scientific information on this substance by reviewing the available literature. This review contains valuable information on the nature and origin of the solvent hexane, its applications in the food industry, its toxicological evaluation and possible alternatives for the extraction of natural products. Numerous publications have investigated the toxicity of hexane, and several studies have demonstrated the presence of its toxic metabolite 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) in the urine of the general, non-occupationally exposed population. Surprisingly, a tolerable daily intake (TDI) has apparently never been established by any food safety authority. Since hexane residues are undoubtedly found in various foods, it seems more than necessary to clearly assess the risks associated with this hidden exposure. A clear indication on food packaging and better information on the toxicity of hexane could encourage industry to switch towards one of the numerous other alternative extraction methods already developed.

Hexane is a solvent used extensively in the food industry for the extraction of various products such as vegetable oils, fats, flavours, fragrances, colour additives or other bioactive ingredients. As it is classified as a "processing aid", it does not have to be declared on the label under current legislation. Therefore, although traces of hexane may be found in final products, especially in processed products, its presence is not known to consumers. However, hexane, and in particular the

Metabolic bone disease of prematurity (MBD) is a condition of reduced bone mineral content (BMC) compared to that expected for gestational age (GA). Preterm birth interrupts the physiological process of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) deposition that occurs mostly in the third trimester of pregnancy, leading to an inadequate bone mineralization during intrauterine life (IUL). After birth, an insufficient intake of Ca and P carries on this alteration, resulting in overt disease. If MBD is often a self-limited condition, in some cases it could hesitate the permanent alteration of bone structures with growth faltering and failure to wean off mechanical ventilation due to excessive chest wall compliance. Despite advances in neonatal intensive care, MBD is still frequent in preterm infants, with an incidence of 16–23% in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW, birth weight

Valorization of agri-food residues to produce bio-based platform chemicals will enhance the transition to the bio-economy era. To this end, a sustainable process has been developed for the overall valorization of grape stalks (GS) according to a circular approach, starting from the lignin fraction to further deal with the cellulose-rich residue. This non-conventional protocol fully adheres to green chemistry principles, exploiting the so-called enabling technologies—mainly ultrasound and microwaves—for energy-saving innovative processes. Firstly, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE, 40 kHz, 200 W) demonstrated to be an excellent technique for GS delignification combined with natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs). Delignification enables isolation of the pertinent lignin framework and the potential to obtain a polyphenol-rich liquid fraction, focusing on the valorization of GS as source of bioactive compounds (BACs). Among the NaDESs employed, the combination of choline chloride (ChCl) and levulinic acid (LevA) (ChLevA) presented noteworthy results, enabling a delignification higher than 70%. LevA is one of the top-value biobased platform chemicals. In this work, a flash microwave (MW)-assisted process was subsequently applied to the cellulose-rich fraction remained after delignification, yielding 85% LevA. The regeneration of this starting compound to produce ChLevA can lead to a further biomass delignification cycle, thus developing a new cascade protocol for a full valorization of GS.

Background A pharmacological class effect was initially proposed for monoclonal antibodies against the calcitonin gene related peptide pathway. However, preliminary evidence shows that switching patients who were non-responding to one monoclonal antibody to another could provide some benefit. Herein, we assess treatment response to an anti-calcitonin gene related peptide/receptor monoclonal antibody in patients who have failed to respond to anti-calcitonin gene related peptide/ligand monoclonal antibodies calcitonin gene related peptide/ligand monoclonal antibodies and vice versa. In addition, we select non-responders to the first anti- monoclonal antibody by three or five more stringent variables. Methods Retrospective cohort study including outpatients treated consecutively with two anti-calcitonin gene related peptide monoclonal antibodies. Ineffectiveness to the first monoclonal antibody was assessed using three (MIDAS score, monthly headache days, and analgesic monthly days) variables or five (monthly headache days, MIDAS score, analgesic monthly days, analgesic monthly number and HIT-6 score) variables in the same cohort of patients. The primary endpoints were the absolute change from baseline in monthly headache days, response rate, and persistence in medication overuse at three months of treatment with the second anti-CGRP mAb. Results In patients selected by three variables, a sustained reduction in monthly headache days, analgesic monthly days, MIDAS and HIT-6 scores was observed at month-3 of treatment with the second monoclonal antibody. Ten (45.4%) patients achieved at least a ≥30% response rate. No difference was reported switching anti-CGRP mAb against ligand or receptor. In the patient subgroup selected by five variables, only HIT-6 was reduced from baseline at month-3. However, a trend toward a reduction in monthly headache days, analgesic monthly days, and MIDAS score was observed at month-3. Conclusions Switching anti-calcitonin gene related peptide monoclonal antibodies in selected patients might be an option to achieve or improve clinical benefit. More studies are required to establish the effectiveness of switching these treatments.

This paper investigates the extent and determinants of business cycle synchronization among the US states during the period 2002–11. Phase synchronization is not measured based on one national reference series, but rather is assessed using pairwise synchronization indicators computed over the business cycles of all US state pairs. The analysis is based on a natural and intuitive measure of synchronization: the fraction of observations when the cyclical phase is the same for both states in each state pair. Synchronization indicators have a spatially correlated structure. The economic determinants of synchronization are studied using spatial econometric models. Business cycles are more synchronized between those states characterized by strong commercial links and a similar structure in terms of industrialization, labour market characteristics and openness.

This tutorial review focuses on the valorisation of biomass by sonochemical and mechanochemical activation. Although several of the examples reported herein rely on the use of model compounds rather than native feedstocks, the conversion of lignocellulosic fractions into valuable compounds is a great opportunity with which to more sustainably exploit natural resources, from environmental, economic and social points of view. The use of non-conventional technologies that generate high-energy microenvironments can improve biomass deconstruction and the accessibility of catalysts, granting higher conversion and selectivity. The critical parameters in sonochemical and mechanochemical conversions have been analysed together with the most common devices and reactors, and the potential of sonocatalysis and mechanocatalysis as emerging tools for both catalytic and biocatalytic biomass conversion will be discussed. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis will provide an overview of the effective feasibility of these approaches in a biorefinery context. Although these technologies offer indisputable advantages (mild reaction conditions, enhanced reaction rates and mass transfer), their mechanisms and the systematic adjustment of parameters to give optimal outcomes still require further investigation, which will pave the way for reproducible and scalable experiments. Indeed, process scale-up can be accomplished both in batch and flow mode. However, results are not particularly predictable, despite the accurate control of instrumental variables, because of the variability found in biomass sources and the complexity inherent in structures.

Despite its severe toxicity and negative environmental impact, hexane remain the solvent of choice for the extraction of vegetable oils. This is in contrast with the constantly growing demand for sustainable and green extraction processes. In recent years a variety of alternatives to hexane have been reported, among them 2-methyloxolane (2-MeOx), which has emerged as a promising bio-based alternative. This study evaluates the possibility of replacing hexane, in the extraction of olive pomace (OP), with 2-MeOx, both dry and saturated with water (4.5%), the latter of which is called 2-MeOx 95.5%. The three solvents have been compared in terms of extraction yield and quality, as well as the lipid and polyphenol profiles of the extracts. The work concluded that both dry 2-MeOx and 2-MeOx 95.5% can replace hexane in OP extraction, resulting in higher yields and extracts richer in phenolic compounds. This study should open the road to further semi-industrial scale investigations toward more sustainable production processes.

Lignin is a fascinating aromatic biopolymer with high valorization potentiality. Besides its extensive value in the biorefinery context, as a renewable source of aromatics lignin is currently under evaluation for its huge potential in biomedical applications. Besides the specific antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of lignin, that depend on its source and isolation procedure, remarkable progress has been made, over the last five years, in the isolation, functionalization and modification of lignin and lignin-derived compounds to use as carriers for biologically active substances. The aim of this review is to summarize the current state of the art in the field of lignin-based carrier systems, highlighting the most important results. Furthermore, the possibilities and constraints related to the physico–chemical properties of the lignin source will be reviewed herein as well as the modifications and processing required to make lignin suitable for the loading and release of active compounds.

Determining which cancer patients will be sensitive to a given therapy is essential for personalised medicine. Thus, it is important to develop new tools that will allow us to stratify patients according to their predicted response to treatment. The aim of work presented here was to use molecular imprinting for determining the sensitivity of lung cancer cell lines to ionising radiation based on cell surface proteomic differences. Molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) were formed in the presence of whole cells. Following trypsinolysis, protein epitopes protected by complexing with MIPs were eluted from the nanoparticles and analysed by LC-MS/MS. The analysis identified two membrane proteins, neutral amino acid transporter B (0) and 4F2 cell-surface antigen heavy chain, the abundance of which in the lung cancer cells could indicate resistance of these cells to radiotherapy. This proof-of-principle experiments shows that this technology can be used in the discovery of new biomarkers and in development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools for a personalised medicine approach to treating cancer.

As is widely recognized, walking is good for health and improves well-being, and in recent years, several studies have analyzed the phenomenon of walkability to assess its effectiveness and to understand the main factors influencing people's choice of walking. In this article, the main issues are taken up as regards the effectiveness of moving on foot as well as the elements of the environment that encourage this type of mobility. However, as we know, not all people are the same, and therefore, the choice of moving on foot is not taken according to the same principles by all categories of citizens. For this reason, this article focuses on a tool, developed in recent years by the authors, that aims to determine levels of walkability (walk index) that can be adapted according to the category of users considered.

Il lavoro cerca di offrire alcune riflessioni, da una prospettiva del tutto personale e basata sull'esperienza, sulla prassi della psicoterapia online. In apertura viene proposto un breve riassunto del dibattito italiano degli ultimi 17 anni sulla psicoterapia via internet. Due fattori vengono quindi enfatizzati quali binari di sviluppo della terapia online: l'impatto e l'influenza crescenti di internet nella vita di tutti, e l'importanza dell'alleanza e relazione terapeutiche rispetto ad altri fattori in psicoterapia. Infine, vengono descritte alcune indicazioni sulla cura del setting online, sia rispetto allo spazio analitico che alla dinamica della seduta. Tra queste, si trovano sia raccomandazioni di ordine pratico che inerenti alla tecnica. Viene in chiusura suggerita l'inclusione del tema della terapia a distanza nei programmi di training analitico.

Today, non-communicable disorders are widespread worldwide. Among them, cardiovascular diseases represent the main cause of death. At the origin of these diseases, exposure to challenges during developmental windows of vulnerability (peri-conception, in utero, and early infancy periods) have been incriminated. Among the challenges that have been described, endocrine disruptors are of high concern because of their omnipresence in the environment. Worrisomely, since birth, children are exposed to a significant number of endocrine disruptors. However, the role of such early exposure on long-term cardiac health is poorly described. In this context, based on a model of rats exposed postnatally and transiently to an estrogenic compound prototype (estradiol benzoate, EB), we aimed to delineate the effects on the adult heart of such transient early exposure to endocrine disruptors and identify the underlying mechanisms involved in the potential pathogenesis. We found that this transient post-natal exposure to EB induced cardiac hypertrophy in adulthood, with increased cardiomyocyte size. The evaluation of cardiac calcium signaling, through immunoblot approaches, highlighted decreased expression of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2 (SERCA2) and decreased Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells (NFAT3) phosphorylation as a potential underlying mechanism of cardiac hypertrophy. Furthermore, the treatment of cardiomyocytes with EB in vitro induced a decrease in SERCA2 protein levels. Overall, our study demonstrates that early transient exposure to EB induces permanent cardiac alterations. Together, our data highlight SERCA2 down-regulation as a potential mechanism involved in the cardiac pathogenesis induced by EB. These results suggest programming of adult heart dysfunctions such as arrhythmia and heart failures by early exposure to endocrine disruptors and could open new perspectives for treatment and prevention.

In the past, the use of mechanochemical methods in organic synthesis was reported as somewhat of a curiosity. However, perceptions have changed over the last two decades, and this technology is now being appreciated as a greener and more efficient synthetic method. The qualified “offer” of ball mills that make use of different set-ups, materials, and dimensions has allowed this technology to mature. Nevertheless, the intrinsic batch nature of mechanochemical methods hinders industrial scale-ups. New studies have found, in reactive extrusion, a powerful technique with which to activate chemical reactions with mechanical forces in a continuous flow. This new environmentally friendly mechanochemical synthetic method may be able to miniaturize production plants with outstanding process intensifications by removing organic solvents and working in a flow mode. Compared to conventional processes, reactive extrusions display high simplicity, safety, and cleanliness, which can be exploited in a variety of applications. This paper presents perspective examples in the better-known areas of reactive extrusions, including oxidation reactions, polymer processing, and biomass conversion. This work should stimulate further developments, as it highlights the versatility of reactive extrusion and the huge potential of solid-phase flow chemistry.

Nowadays, the increasing concern about the declining fossil fuel reserves and the environmental impact derived from their use has put considerable interest in lignocellulose exploitation as a renewable source of biofuels and biomaterials, according to the biorefinery concept. Several processes and technologies have been extensively studied in order to optimize biomass treatments aiming to enhance the recovery of its main products: cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Lignin is, in fact, considered a valid substitute to petroleum as a source of aromatics, thanks to its abundance in nature. However, its complex and highly resistant structure limits its further applications, therefore, lignin upgrading is considered extremely challenging: various processes have been developed in recent years, but their feasibility at industrial scale still represents a bottleneck. Recently, process intensification has gained considerable attention in the design of sustainable procedures for lignin valorization. In particular, non-conventional technologies such as Ball milling, Ultrasounds (US) and Microwaves (MW) have recently shown promising results in biomass exploitation, thanks to their ability in generating specific high-energy microenvironments which could enhance process efficiency: mechanochemical and US activation have been mostly applied to biomass pre-treatment, in order to separate its components and enhance lignin extraction yield, while MW have been exploited as a means for lignin depolymerization, achieving higher yields of aromatics in milder reaction conditions. However further efforts should be done to improve profitability through new processes, aiming to reduce the cost associated to bio-derived products. In the present review, recent approaches to lignin valorization are discussed, focusing on new alternative methodologies for process intensification, besides their challenges and feasibility at industrial scale.

We study the diffusion of a true and a false message when agents are (i) biased towards one of the messages and (ii) agents are able to inspect messages for veracity. Inspection of messages implies that a higher rumor prevalence may increase the prevalence of the truth. We employ this result to discuss how a planner may optimally choose information inspection rates of the population. We find that a planner who aims to maximize the prevalence of the truth may find it optimal to allow rumors to circulate.

Despite its severe toxicity and negative environmental impact, hexane remain the solvent of choice for the extraction of vegetable oils. This is in contrast with the constantly growing demand for sustainable and green extraction processes. In recent years a variety of alternatives to hexane have been reported, among them 2-methyloxolane (2-MeOx), which has emerged as a promising bio-based alternative. This study evaluates the possibility of replacing hexane, in the extraction of olive pomace (OP), with 2-MeOx, both dry and saturated with water (4.5%), the latter of which is called 2-MeOx 95.5%. The three solvents have been compared in terms of extraction yield and quality, as well as the lipid and polyphenol profiles of the extracts. The work concluded that both dry 2-MeOx and 2-MeOx 95.5% can replace hexane in OP extraction, resulting in higher yields and extracts richer in phenolic compounds. This study should open the road to further semi-industrial scale investigations toward more sustainable production processes.

Microwave (MW) -assisted levulinic acid (LA) hydrogenation has been performed over two gold catalysts (commercial 1 wt% Au/TiO2 by AUROlite™ and 2.5 wt% Au/ZrO2, prepared using deposition-precipitation). MW-assisted LA hydrogenation was carried out in water and in solvent-free conditions via (i) H-transfer and (ii) molecular H2. Au/TiO2 promoted complete LA conversion and the further reduction of the produced GVL to 1,4-pentanediol (1,4-PDO) in the presence of 50 bar H2 at 150 °C (4-hour reaction). Interestingly, selectivity to 1,4-PDO was complete at 200 °C. Extended characterisation highlighted the cooperative role played by the gold nanoparticles and the support, onto which activated hydrogen atoms spillover to react with LA. This results in the remarkable activity of Au/TiO2. Both catalysts showed structural and morphological stability under reaction conditions. It was possible to reactivate the Au/TiO2 catalyst by MW-assisted oxidation, paving the way for catalyst recycling directly inside the MW reactor.

Macroalgae are widespread on the coasts of all the globe and lead to a negative ecological impact, requiring expensive remediations. Therefore, the valorization of invasive seaweed as a renewable source of bioactive products could represent a valid solution. In this context, three algal biomasses, belonging to brown, green, and red families (Sargassum muticum, Ulva lactuca, Solieria filiformis), collected in the venetian Laguna, were investigated as a source of active compounds for the formulation of cosmeceutics. Microwave (MW) and ultrasound (US) were applied to enhance the algae extraction by means of a hydroalcoholic solution. According to total phenolic content (TPC) evaluation, MW demonstrated the best performing outcomes, resulting in 19.77, 22.02, and 16.94 mgGAE/gExtr (30 min at 90 °C) for brown, green, and red algae, respectively. Antioxidant activity was tested as well, showing comparable trends (49.19, 26.24, and 3.02 mmolTrolox eq./gExtr for brown, green, and red algae, respectively). Due to natural algae predisposition to absorb contaminants, the metal content analysis helped to screen the applicability of these extracts, identifying Ulva lactuca as the most suitable source of antioxidants for cosmetic formulations. This MW extract was then adopted to formulate two different preparations, namely a gel and an emulsion. Thermal and mechanical tests confirmed the stability of each formulation, together with neutral organoleptic characteristics. Finally, the actives release was investigated by means of a tape stripping essay, showing an efficient controlled release for gel formulation, even after 7 h of test. The produced cosmeceutics merged non-conventional extraction technologies with formulation expertise, offering a valuable alternative to solve the macroalgae disposal issue.

In the search for a more sustainable future, the biorefinery approach can help by replacing fossil feedstocks with renewable sources. When biorefineries meet circular economy, the production of new platform chemicals from residual lignocellulosic biomasses becomes the joint goal. In this frame, the hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) has gained increasing interest, with the aim of producing intermediates for the chemical industry. Enabling technologies, particularly microwaves, have proven to be an efficient tool for process intensification, as they can reduce the reaction time and the formation of byproducts. In this work, MW-assisted processes with heterogeneous Ru-based catalysts were exploited for the reduction of LA both with H2 and 2-PrOH as reductants. Different metal loadings and supports were considered, such as a commercial active carbon (Ru/AC) and titania (Ru/TiO2). Among the different hydrogen sources, molecular hydrogen led to milder reaction conditions, enabling the complete flash conversion of LA in only 2 min without any solvent. In terms of catalytic activity, AC showed slightly better performances as support. In addition, flow MW-assisted processes were tested using a multiphase reactor, reaching complete conversion in only 8 min in an open loop system for both the tested catalysts. Performance enhancement and material reuse support the suitability of flow approach, paving the way for a sustainable and scalable process.

Background Maternal dietary habits are contributors of maternal and fetal health; however, available data are heterogeneous and not conclusive. Methods Nutrient intake during pregnancy was assessed in 503 women with uncomplicated pregnancies, using the validated Food Frequency Questionnaire developed by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-FFQ). Results In all, 68% of women had a normal body mass index at the beginning of pregnancy, and 83% of newborns had an appropriate weight for gestational age. Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and placental weight were independently correlated with birth weight. GWG was not related to the pre-pregnancy BMI. EPIC-FFQ evaluation showed that 30% of women adhered to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ranges for macronutrient intake. In most pregnant women (98.1%), consumption of water was below recommendations. Comparing women with intakes within EFSA ranges for macronutrients with those who did not, no differences were found in BMI, GWG, and neonatal or placental weight. Neither maternal nor neonatal parameters were associated with the maternal dietary profiles. Conclusions In our population, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, GWG, and placental weight are determinants of birth weight percentile, while no association was found with maternal nutrition. Future studies should explore associations through all infancy. Impact Maternal anthropometrics and nutrition status may affect offspring birth weight. In 503 healthy women, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and placental weight were independently correlated to neonatal birth weight. GWG was not related to the pre-pregnancy BMI. In all, 30% of women respected the EFSA ranges for macronutrients. Neither maternal nor neonatal parameters were associated with maternal dietary profiles considered in this study. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, GWG, and placental weight are determinants of neonatal birth weight percentile, while a connection with maternal nutrition profiles was not found.

The nutritional management of preterm infants is a critical point of care, especially because of the increased risk of developing extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR), which is associated with worsened health outcomes. Energy requirements in preterm infants are simply estimated, so the measurement of resting energy expenditure (REE) should be a key point in the nutritional evaluation of preterm infants. Although predictive formulae are available, it is well known that they are imprecise. The aim of our study was the evaluation of REE and protein oxidation (Ox) in very low birth weight infants (VLBWI) and the association with the mode of feeding and with body composition at term corrected age. Methods: Indirect calorimetry and body composition were performed at term corrected age in stable very low birth weight infants. Urinary nitrogen was measured in spot urine samples to calculate Ox. Infants were categorized as prevalent human milk (HMF) or prevalent formula diet (PFF). Results: Fifty VLBWI (HMF: 23, PFF: 27) were evaluated at 36.48 ± 0.85 post-conceptional weeks. No significant differences were found in basic characteristics or nutritional intake in the groups at birth and at the assessment. No differences were found in the REE of HMF vs. PFF (59.69 ± 9.8 kcal/kg/day vs. 59.27 ± 13.15 kcal/kg/day, respectively). We found statistical differences in the protein-Ox of HMF vs. PFF (1.7 ± 0.92 g/kg/day vs. 2.8 ± 1.65 g/kg/day, respectively, p &lt, 0.01), and HMF infants had a higher fat-free mass (kg) than PFF infants (2.05 ± 0.26 kg vs. 1.82 ± 0.35 kg, respectively, p &lt, 0.01), measured with air displacement plethysmography. Conclusion: REE is similar in infants with a prevalent human milk diet and in infants fed with formula. The HMF infants showed a lower oxidation rate of proteins for energy purposes and a better quality of growth. A greater amount of protein in HMF is probably used for anabolism and fat-free mass deposition. Further studies are needed to confirm our hypothesis.

In line with the Green Supply Chain Management, Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Natural-Resource-Based Views (NRBV), the present study is as further step of a long range research program initiated in 2004. The project aims to demonstrate municipal bio-waste (MBW) as feedstock to produce bio based chemicals alternative to fossil sourced products. Previous work demonstrated MBW as source of polymeric biosurfactants (BPS) with multiple properties for use in chemical and agriculture sectors. The present paper reports now a new BPS feature, i.e. that BPS are efficient active principles for soil remediation. The study involves three BPS obtained by alkaline hydrolysis from different streams of an MBW treatment plant: the anaerobic digestate of food kitchen waste (FORSUD), the compost (CV) of gardening residues and the compost (CVDF) of a mix of gardening residues, digestate and sewage sludge. The BPS have 5 to over 750 kg/mol molecular weight, characterized by the presence of aliphatic C chains substituted by aromatic moieties and several different acid and basic functional groups. They were used at 0.1–100 g L−1 in aqueous solution to wash soil sampled from an Italian metal polluted site. Collected data statistical analysis was carried out by ANOVA. The recovered washing solutions were analyzed for Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Pb. The 50–100 g/L CVDF BPS solutions exhibited 98-81% extraction efficiency, compared to 70-60% for CV and FORSUD. Compared to conventional commercial extractants, CVDF BPS extraction efficiency ranked as CVDF = diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid > ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid > sodium dodecyl sulphate. A new two steps process was studied: (1) use of BPS solution for washing the polluted soil; (2) treating the recovered solution by acidification and membrane filtration to separate a pollutant concentrate from water for further use. Results indicate membrane filtration more efficient and/or sustainable. They confirm BPS as value added products upgrading MBW from societal cost to source of benefits.

We introduce two pieces of information, denoted memes, into a diffusion process in which memes are transmitted when individuals meet and forgotten at an exogenous rate. At most one meme can be transmitted at a meeting, which introduces opportunity costs in the process. Individuals differ according to which meme they find more interesting, and that is the one they transmit if they face a choice. We find that both memes survive under the same parameter values, and that relative interest is the main determinant in the number of people informed of a meme in the long run. We apply our framework to analyze the impact of segregation and find that segregation leads to polarization. Segregation also reduces the overall number of people informed in the long run. Our final set of results shows that agents are more likely to prefer segregation if their information preferences are more extreme, if they have few social contacts, or if they prefer a meme that is preferred by only a small fraction of the population.

We revisit the role of labour market institutions by showing how they affect the sharing of firm-specific rents between employers and employees. We look at an Italian wage indexation mechanism (‘Scala Mobile’) that compressed the distribution of wages, imposing real wage increases at the bottom of the distribution. After developing a simplified version of a search model with intra-firm bargaining and on-the-job search, we document that skilled workers received lower wage adjustments when employed at firms with many unskilled workers and they tended to move towards more skill-intensive firms. Moreover, the system drove the least skill-intensive firms out of the market.

Lignocellulosic waste material serves as a considerable renewable feedstock that could be used to replace oil refineries with biorefineries. Indeed, all biomass components can be converted into platform chemicals, bioenergy and materials. However, thermochemical and conventional catalytic conversions suffer from a number of drawbacks. Enabling technologies, such as microwave (MW) technology, can reduce process times and energy consumption, leading to improvements in product quality and yields. The remarkable advantages of MW over conventional heating, which originate from its direct dielectric interaction with biomass, are documented in this comprehensive survey. Moreover, the use of alternative solvents that interact strongly with MW in biphasic systems can circumvent the need for additional upgradation and separation steps. Finally, this review discusses some of the challenges that MW irradiation faces, including the poor dielectric properties of some substrates and issues related to its large-scale application in pyrolysis, hydrothermal conversion and catalytic routes to biofuels, materials and platform chemicals. Waste biomass may well be the benchmark feedstock for the development of a circular bioeconomic approach.

Residual biomass from agri-food production chain and forestry are available in huge amounts for further valorisation processes. Delignification is usually the crucial step in the production of biofuels by fermentation as well as in the conversion of cellulose into high added-value compounds. High-intensity ultrasound (US) and hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) have been widely exploited as effective pretreatment techniques for biomass conversion and in particular for cellulose recovery. Due to their peculiar mechanisms, cavitational treatments promote an effective lignocellulosic matrix dismantling with delignification at low temperature (35–50 °C). Cavitation also promotes cellulose decrystallization due to a partial depolymerization. The aim of this review is to highlight recent advances in US and HC-assisted delignification and further cellulose recovery and valorisation.

Background Human milk is a vehicle of bioactive compounds and beneficial bacteria which promote the establishment of a healthy gut microbiome of newborns, especially of preterm infants. Pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) is the second-best option when preterm mother’s own milk is unavailable. Since pasteurization affect the quality of donor milk, the effect on bacterial growth, human milk microbiota diversity and proteolytic phenomena in PDHM inoculated with different preterm milk samples, was evaluated. Methods Ten preterm milk samples was used to perform inoculation of PDHM at 10% v/v. Microbiological, metataxonomic and peptidomic analysis, on preterm milk samples at the baseline (T0) and PDHM and inoculated milk (IM) samples at T0, after 2h (T1) and 4h (T2) of incubation at 37°C, were conducted. Results IM samples at T2 showed a Total Bacterial Count not significantly different (p > 0.01) compared to preterm milk samples. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) level was restored in all IM at T2. After inoculation, metataxonomic analysis showed that Proteobacteria remained the predominant phylum while Firmicutes moved from 3% at T1 to 9.4% at T2 in IM samples. Peptidomic profile of IM resembled that of PDHM incubated for the same time in terms of number and type of peptides. Conclusion The study demonstrated that inoculation with fresh mother’s own milk could restore bacterial growth and personalize human milk microbiome in PDHM. This effect could be beneficial thanks to the presence of maternal probiotic bacteria which make PDHM more similar to mother’s own milk.