Identifying the challenges of implementing a European bioeconomy based on forest resources: Reality demands circularity

Jedna od najvažnijih smernica Evropske Unije je smanjivanje gasova koji su uzrok stvaranja efekta 'staklene bašte'. Istraživanje prirodnih zajednica i ekosistema zahteva primenu sistema cirkularne ekonomije u kome bi sirovine prirodnog porekla bile u konstantnoj cirkulaciji ka ponovnom korišćenju otpada. S tim u vezi postavlja se pitanje da li bioekonomija kao jedna od važnih grana realno vodi ka zaštit životne sredine. Pitanja koja dalje proistiću vezana su za to da li je put ka bioekonomiji, koji promoviše Evropska Unija zapravo održiv. Korišćenjem literature, prema Delfi metodi, iz dokumenata Evropske Unije i naučnih publikacija koje su proistekle iz istih, ukazujemo na značaj održivog upravljanja bioresursima, jer deluje da je samo ograničeno smanjenje emisija gasova sa efektom staklene bašte očekivane.Greenhouse gas emission reduction is strongly advocated within the European Union (EU). Biomass has emerged as a renewable energy source and as manufacturing raw material with ecological credentials to mitigate carbon imbalance. The EU has defined the bioeconomy encompassing these material sources as a basis for technological and economic development. Biocenology, describing the study of natural communities, however, additionally demands inclusion of a circular economy, in which it needs to be assumed that endless renewable products are kept in continuous circulation of use and reuse. Thus, there arises the question whether the bioeconomy route alone, promoted by the EU, is sustainable. Using research literature, based on the Delphi method, and EU documents, we discuss the importance of sustainable management of bioresources. Short term solutions may remain necessary to ensure economic stability but, without embracing the circular economy, only limited mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions can be expected

Identifying the challenges of implementing a European bioeconomy based on forest resources: Reality demands circularity

Jedna od najvažnijih smernica Evropske Unije je smanjivanje gasova koji su uzrok stvaranja efekta 'staklene bašte'. Istraživanje prirodnih zajednica i ekosistema zahteva primenu sistema cirkularne ekonomije u kome bi sirovine prirodnog porekla bile u konstantnoj cirkulaciji ka ponovnom korišćenju otpada. S tim u vezi postavlja se pitanje da li bioekonomija kao jedna od važnih grana realno vodi ka zaštit životne sredine. Pitanja koja dalje proistiću vezana su za to da li je put ka bioekonomiji, koji promoviše Evropska Unija zapravo održiv. Korišćenjem literature, prema Delfi metodi, iz dokumenata Evropske Unije i naučnih publikacija koje su proistekle iz istih, ukazujemo na značaj održivog upravljanja bioresursima, jer deluje da je samo ograničeno smanjenje emisija gasova sa efektom staklene bašte očekivane.Greenhouse gas emission reduction is strongly advocated within the European Union (EU). Biomass has emerged as a renewable energy source and as manufacturing raw material with ecological credentials to mitigate carbon imbalance. The EU has defined the bioeconomy encompassing these material sources as a basis for technological and economic development. Biocenology, describing the study of natural communities, however, additionally demands inclusion of a circular economy, in which it needs to be assumed that endless renewable products are kept in continuous circulation of use and reuse. Thus, there arises the question whether the bioeconomy route alone, promoted by the EU, is sustainable. Using research literature, based on the Delphi method, and EU documents, we discuss the importance of sustainable management of bioresources. Short term solutions may remain necessary to ensure economic stability but, without embracing the circular economy, only limited mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions can be expected

Effectiveness of Thrombectomy in Stroke According to Baseline Prognostic Factors: Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Analysis of a Population-Based Registry

Background and Purpose In real-world practice, the benefit of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is uncertain in stroke patients with very favorable or poor prognostic profiles at baseline. We studied the effectiveness of MT versus medical treatment stratifying by different baseline prognostic factors. Methods Retrospective analysis of 2,588 patients with an ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion nested in the population-based registry of stroke code activations in Catalonia from January 2017 to June 2019. The effect of MT on good functional outcome (modified Rankin Score 85 years, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] >25, time from onset >6 hours, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score 3), good (if NIHSS <6 or distal occlusion, in the absence of poor prognostic factors), or reference (not meeting other groups' criteria). Results Patients receiving MT (n=1,996, 77%) were younger, had less pre-stroke disability, and received systemic thrombolysis less frequently. These differences were balanced after the IPTW stratified by prognosis. MT was associated with good functional outcome in the reference (odds ratio [OR], 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0 to 4.4), and especially in the poor baseline prognostic stratum (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.6 to 5.9), but not in the good prognostic stratum. MT was associated with survival only in the poor prognostic stratum (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.0 to 3.3). Conclusions Despite their worse overall outcomes, the impact of thrombectomy over medical management was more substantial in patients with poorer baseline prognostic factors than patients with good prognostic factors

The Role of Bioeconomy in the Future Energy Scenario: A State-of-the-Art Review

Funding Information: Acknowledgments: The survey is partially supported by MESTD grants from the SAF€RA project RESMOD and contract 451-03-68/2020-14/200105 (subproject TR 35017). Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The bioeconomy aims at decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, preventing or reducing climate change, eliminating insecurity, and efficiently using resources; however, fierce controversy exists on conceivable pathways to accomplish these objectives. The transport sector alone, which encompasses all other industrial sectors, has grown with regard to its energy demand by 50% over the past 30 years. The aim of this paper is to promote a dialogue as to whether an economy based on biomass can be more sustainable than today’s existing economies, considering that the economy needs to expand and be boosted, while creating a cascading and recycling system. This semi-systematic review paper discusses four research questions based on findings from the last 20 years: (i) What are the crucial issues in the ongoing debate on the development of a sustainable bioeconomy concept? (ii) Where are the major conflicting points and focuses? (iii) How does the bioeconomy follow current urbanization and land-abandonment trends? (iv) How will the crisis linked to the COVID-19 pandemic change these previous scenarios? As it is not easy to currently predict which pathway will be the most effective, whether it be the one taken as of now or a specific novel pathway, this article recommends following a strategy that is diverse regarding its approaches to shaping the bioeconomy and further funding of renewable energy sources, along with the involvement of urban planning. In addition, conclusions are validated through a questionnaire completed by 51 experts in the field.Peer reviewe

Oxidation of atenolol, propranolol, carbamazepine and clofibric acid by a biological Fenton-like system mediated by the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor

Biological advanced oxidation of the pharmaceuticals clofibric acid (CA), carbamazepine (CBZP), atenolol (ATL) and propranolol (PPL) is reported for the first time. Extracellular oxidizing species were produced through a quinone redox cycling mechanism catalyzed by an intracellular quinone reductase and any of the ligninolytic enzymes of Trametes versicolor after addition of the lignin-derived quinone 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DBQ) and Fe3+-oxalate in the medium. Time-course experiments with approximately 10 mg L−1 of initial pharmaceutical concentration resulted in percent degradations above 80% after 6 h of incubation. Oxidation of pharmaceuticals was only observed under DBQ redox cycling conditions. A similar degradation pattern was observed when CBZP was added at the environmentally relevant concentration of 50 μg L−1. Depletion of DBQ due to the attack of oxidizing agents was assumed to be the main limiting factor of pharmaceutical degradation. The main degradation products, that resulted to be pharmaceutical hydroxylated derivatives, were structurally elucidated. The detected 4- and 7-hydroxycarbamazepine intermediates of CBZP degradation were not reported to date. Total disappearance of intermediates was observed in all the experiments at the end of the incubation period.Spanish MICINN (project CTM2007-60971/TECNO) and MMAMRM (project 010/PC08/3-04), the Department of Chemical Engineering of the UAB is the Unit of Biochemical Engineering of the XRB de la Generalitat de Catalunya, the Consolidated Research Group of Catalonia (2005SGR 00220)and the JAE Program (CSIC-European Social Funds).Peer reviewe

Regulatory Paradigm and Challenge for Blockchain Integration of Decentralized Systems: Example&mdash;Renewable Energy Grids

Nowadays, fossil fuels are used in a clearly unsustainable way that can bring potentially catastrophic consequences. Electricity is currently delivered to end users by generation and energy transmission companies. Previous research shows that the development of modern circular economy sets a need for the re-orientation of socio and economic development of decentralized systems, including energy basis. In addition to being ecological, the use of renewable energy sources also has economic significance by contributing to energy independence. Citizens, industries, local and national authorities become interconnected within emerging novel renewable energy sourcing communities, through which they establish trade of energy and, most importantly, models of investing and reshaping the distribution of renewable energy. The modern portfolio management of renewable energy networking is aiming toward decentralized systems of trade, where the consumer becomes a producer (prosumer) within the network, itself managed by users. Excess energy produced in the micro-grid nets within the over-arching national and transnational energy grid should be accounted for and managed with blockchain technology for financial and structural security. The decentralization of the energy market requires the establishment of strict norms that will regulate the market and taxation of profits arising. The extensive literature review on blockchain in the energy sector reflects a very pragmatic and narrow approach to the topic, although it is evident that the distribution of energy within the blockchain would enable economic development through reducing cost and ensuring more secure energy trade. Blockchain technology embeds the related digital codes, in which information will be visible to all, but also secured from hacking and duplicating. However, there are challenges to this paradigm, not least the energy consumption of the extensive nodal mesh required to perform the necessary protocols. This paper aims to provide an overview of the application of blockchain technology and the need for the development of the regulatory system and of potential solutions to the challenges posed. By undertaking an energy consumption analysis of blockchain implementation from first electronic principles, which has not been constructed before in the literature, this paper&rsquo;s conclusion stresses the future demand for reducing energy consumption and considers the latest findings in the quantum coupling of light signals as a potential for solving the enormous ledger duplication structure problem

Enzyme-linked immunofiltration assay used in the screening of solid supports and immunoreagents for the development of an azinphos-methyl flow immunosensor

Azinphos-methyl (AM), O,O-dimethyl S-[(4-oxo-1,2,3-benzotriazin-3(4H)-yl)methyl] phosphorodithioate, is a dithiophosphorous insecticide extensively used for the control of fruit culture pests. In this work the ELIFA system, initially developed and marketed to substitute conventional ELISA methods, was used for the screening of supports and immunoreagents in the development of a flow immunosensor to AM. The objective was to find the optimal antibody concentration, support quantity and enzymatic tracer concentration to develop a sensitive and reusable immunosensor. The influence of chitosan as protein stabilizing agent was also investigated. We observed that, on the basis of immunosorbent characterization, chitosan-modified silica with immobilized LIB-MFH14 monoclonal antibody (MAb) showed the best sensitivity, with a I50 value of 6 nM AM. All of the immobilized MAbs either in alkylaminated or chitosan-modified silica showed I50 values between 10 and 36 nM. Regarding the regeneration capability, the best desorption agent tested was 0.1 M glycine/HCl, pH 2.0, performing in most cases a 100% desorption after just one wash and maintaining the antibody activity even after 20 cycles of regeneration. The chitosan-modified silica seemed to be the best support for this purpose.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T2Y-44HWVKN-1/1/c9cc3be1ddfa14005d133d72353dd8e

Continuous treatment of clofibric acid by Trametes versicolor in a fluidized bed bioreactor: Identification of transformation products and toxicity assessment

The aerobic degradation of the blood lipid regulator clofibric acid (CLOF) was studied in a continuous bioreactor treatment using the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Experiments in Erlenmeyer flasks with the compound at 30μgL-1 showed that CLOF can be completely degraded at near environmentally relevant concentration after 4 days. The degradation process was scaled-up in an air-pulsed fluidized bioreactor operated in continuous mode with a hydraulic retention time of 4 days. The results show that 80% of the fed concentration (160μgL-1) was reduced at the steady state (from day 12 to the end). Here, CLOF removal rate was 12.5μgg-1 dry weight biomassd-1. The 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-(hydroxymethyl)propanoic acid (hydroxy-CLOF) was identified as major metabolite, confirming the degradation of CLOF, but its concentration remained constant in the medium. In addition, in a batch bioreactor treatment the undegradability of hydroxy-CLOF was demonstrated. Finally, acute toxicity tests (Microtox) performed with the bacterium Vibrio fischeri showed that the final culture broth in both batch (15min EC50 of 55%) and continuous (11%) experiments were more toxic than the beginning (61%). © 2013.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [projects CTQ2010-21776-C02-01 and Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Scarce CSD2009-00065]. It reflects the authors’ views only. The EU is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained in it. The Department of Chemical Engineering of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) is member of the Xarxa de Referència en Biotecnologia de la Generalitat de Catalunya. A. Jelić gratefully acknowledges the JAE Program (Junta para la Ampliación de Estudios –JAE Predoc), co-financed by CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas) and European Social Funds, for a predoctoral grant. C. Cruz-Morató acknowledges the predoctoral grant from UAB. S. Perez acknowledges the contract from the Ramón y Cajal Program of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Merck is acknowledged for the gift of LC columns. Prof. Barcelo acknowledges King Saud University (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) for his contract position as Visiting Profesor.Peer Reviewe

Biodegradable Cellulose/Polycaprolactone/Keratin/Calcium Carbonate Mulch Films Prepared in Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid

Ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [BMIM][Cl] was used to prepare cellulose (CELL), cellulose/polycaprolactone (CELL/PCL), cellulose/polycaprolactone/keratin (CELL/PCL/KER), and cellulose/polycaprolactone/keratin/ground calcium carbonate (CELL/PCL/KER/GCC) biodegradable mulch films. Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, optical microscopy, and Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) were used to verify the films’ surface chemistry and morphology. Mulch film made of only cellulose regenerated from ionic liquid solution exhibited the highest tensile strength (75.3 ± 2.1 MPa) and modulus of elasticity of 944.4 ± 2.0 MPa. Among samples containing PCL, CELL/PCL/KER/GCC is characterized by the highest tensile strength (15.8 ± 0.4 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (687.5 ± 16.6 MPa). The film’s breaking strain decreased for all samples containing PCL upon the addition of KER and KER/GCC. The melting temperature of pure PCL is 62.3 °C, whereas that of CELL/PCL film has a slight tendency for melting point depression (61.0 °C), which is a characteristic of partially miscible polymer blends. Furthermore, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed that the addition of KER or KER/GCC to CELL/PCL films resulted in an increment in melting temperature from 61.0 to 62.6 and 68.9 °C and an improvement in sample crystallinity by 2.2 and 3.0 times, respectively. The light transmittance of all studied samples was greater than 60%. The reported method for mulch film preparation is green and recyclable ([BMIM][Cl] can be recovered), and the inclusion of KER derived by extraction from waste chicken feathers enables conversion to organic biofertilizer. The findings of this study contribute to sustainable agriculture by providing nutrients that enhance the growth rate of plants, and hence food production, while reducing environmental pressure. The addition of GCC furthermore provides a source of Ca2+ for plant micronutrition and a supplementary control of soil pH