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Large-scale molecular profiling studies in recent years have shown that central nervous system (CNS) tumors display a much greater heterogeneity in terms of molecularly distinct entities, cellular origins and genetic drivers than anticipated from histological assessment. DNA methylation profiling has emerged as a useful tool for robust tumor classification, providing new insights into these heterogeneous molecular classes. This is particularly true for rare CNS tumors with a broad morphological spectrum, which are not possible to assign as separate entities based on histological similarity alone. Here, we describe a molecularly distinct subset of predominantly pediatric CNS neoplasms (n = 60) that harbor PATZ1 fusions. The original histological diagnoses of these tumors covered a wide spectrum of tumor types and malignancy grades. While the single most common diagnosis was glioblastoma (GBM), clinical data of the PATZ1-fused tumors showed a better prognosis than typical GBM, despite frequent relapses. RNA sequencing revealed recurrent MN1:PATZ1 or EWSR1:PATZ1 fusions related to (often extensive) copy number variations on chromosome 22, where PATZ1 and the two fusion partners are located. These fusions have individually been reported in a number of glial/glioneuronal tumors, as well as extracranial sarcomas. We show here that they are more common than previously acknowledged, and together define a biologically distinct CNS tumor type with high expression of neural development markers such as PAX2, GATA2 and IGF2. Drug screening performed on the MN1:PATZ1 fusion-bearing KS-1 brain tumor cell line revealed preliminary candidates for further study. In summary, PATZ1 fusions define a molecular class of histologically polyphenotypic neuroepithelial tumors, which show an intermediate prognosis under current treatment regimens. © 2021, The Author(s).

Objectives: To investigate the prediction of 1-year survival (1-YS) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer with use of a systematic comparative analysis of quantitative imaging biomarkers (QIBs) based on the geometric and radiomics analysis of whole liver tumor burden (WLTB) in comparison to predictions based on the tumor burden score (TBS), WLTB volume alone, and a clinical model. Methods: A total of 103 patients (mean age: 61.0 ± 11.2 years) with colorectal liver metastases were analyzed in this retrospective study. Automatic segmentations of WLTB from baseline contrast-enhanced CT images were used. Established biomarkers as well as a standard radiomics model building were used to derive 3 prognostic models. The benefits of a geometric metastatic spread (GMS) model, the Aerts radiomics prior model of the WLTB, and the performance of TBS and WLTB volume alone were assessed. All models were analyzed in both statistical and predictive machine learning settings in terms of AUC. Results: TBS showed the best discriminative performance in a statistical setting to discriminate 1-YS (AUC = 0.70, CI: [0.56, 0.90]). For the machine learning-based prediction for unseen patients, both a model of the GMS of WLTB (0.73, CI: [0.60, 0.84]) and the Aerts radiomics prior model (0.76, CI: [0.65, 0.86]) applied on the WLTB showed a numerically higher predictive performance than TBS (0.68, CI: [0.54, 0.79]), radiomics (0.65, CI: [0.55, 0.78]), WLTB volume alone (0.53, CI: [0.40. 0.66]), or the clinical model (0.56, CI: [0.43, 0.67]). Conclusions: The imaging-based GMS model may be a first step towards a more fine-grained machine learning extension of the TBS concept for risk stratification in mCRC patients without the vulnerability to technical variance of radiomics.

Biomass plants for a combined heat and power generation are in fierce competition with one another but also with non-biomass-based plants. In order to be able to survive in the markets of the future, this paper shows how a plant was developed and put into operation with the help of the future trends of biological transformation, interlaced process components and digitization: The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®) process of bio-residues and wastes offers compared to the state of the art a product spectrum of significant higher quality. With the TCR technology hydrogen rich gas and storable high-grade liquid fuels are produced from solid residue biomass, which can be directly used for the production of power. An industrial plant was designed for a throughput of 300kg/h and an electrical output of 250 kW. The quality and purity of the products is an important factor for the successful long-term operation of the attached CHP-system., Proceedings of the 26th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 14-17 May 2018, Copenhagen, Denmark, pp. 1-6

This work is focused on the experimental investigation of the exhaust emissions and brake specific fuel consumption of a novel renewable gasoline according the requirements of the European fuel standard EN 228. The gasoline was generated from waste biomass (municipal sewage sludge) via Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®); producing crude TCR® bio-oil for catalytic hydrotreatment and refining to gasoline (EN 228) and diesel (EN 590). This advanced renewable gasoline was blended with 85% fossil gasoline (EN 228) and 5% bioethanol creating a gasoline with 15% renewable share. The Blend was tested on a turbocharged direct injection spark ignition automobile engine at different load points. The results were compared to fossil standard gasoline (EN 228) with 5% bioethanol. The exhaust emissions of CO2, CO, NOx, HC, PM, PN, SO2, and the brake specific fuel consumption will were compared and revealed similar values for both fuels., Proceedings of the 26th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 14-17 May 2018, Copenhagen, Denmark, pp. 1124-1126

The German-Chilean research project ‘Semi-Mobile Bioenergy from Agricultural and Forest Residues in Chile and Beyond’ aims at developing feasible concepts for regional bioenergy chains. One part of the project is to use mobile Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®) units to convert biogenic residues into high quality fuels directly at the facility where the residues occur. The TCR® is an intermediate pyrolysis combined with a unique integrated catalytic reforming step. Within the scope of the project, a TCR® plant with a capacity of 2 kg/h will be containerized and connected with a CHP to utilize gas and oil. Within this framework, several preliminary trials with feedstocks from Chile were carried out at the Fraunhofer UMSICHT facility. Various biogenic and industrial residues like forestry and agriculture residues were successfully tested. The products carbonisates, gas, and oil were characterized and the high quality has been proved in several downstream and upstream processes such as CHP, gasifier, and HDO treatments to produce transport fuels. Straw and wood pellets were processed at different parameters to optimize the product yields and qualities for the CHP operation. Through this innovative process, it will be possible to increase local value creation and reduce Chile’s dependency on energy imports., Proceedings of the 26th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 14-17 May 2018, Copenhagen, Denmark, pp. 635-638

The research focuses on the development of a new thermochemical process to convert biogenic carbon based residues into valuable storable products to contribute present energy, environmental and resource challenges. The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®) is an intermediate pyrolysis combined with a unique integrated catalytic reforming step. The aim is to enable a harmonious coexistence of food and energy production with direct contribution to value creation at a domestic level. With these objectives, various biogenic and industrial residues like digestate, sewage sludge, municipal solid waste or sieve residues, and also blends thereof were tested and characterized in a TCR®-plant to produce high quality storable fuels like syngas, oil, and carbonizates. These products can be utilized by proven technologies like gasifiers or combustion engines. The research at Fraunhofer UMSICHT focuses on the integration of the TCR® technology with these technologies to enable a sustainable transition from the fossil fuel age to meet the political targets for 2020 and beyond., Proceedings of the 24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-9 June 2016, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 990-992