Solar and biomass hybridization through hydrothermal carbonization

Hydrothermal carbonization process can transform wet bio-wastes into value-added products. This work aims to hybridize a concentrating solar technology and a biomass reactor for the continuous and sustainable valorization of biomass. The novel technology proposed integrates a linear beam-down solar field with a twin-screw reactor for continuous HTC process. The solar field consists of two reflections that concentrate linearly the sun energy on the ground, where the twin-screw reactor is placed. A mathematical model is proposed to solve both the heat transfer and HTC kinetics for a co-rotating twin-screw reactor. The incoming heat flux from the solar field (8-20 kW/m(2)), the reactor length (L/D = 30-60 where D is the diameter) and the rotating velocity of the screw (25-100 rpm) are the main variables used to process the biomass up to the desired severity factor. The simulation results of different lignocellulosic biomasses (loblolly pine, sugarcane bagasse, corn stover and rice husk) are validated against literature data. The developed model shows good agreement with experimental results shown in the literature. The proposed technology foresees hydrochar yields of 64-78% for severity factors of 4.2 and 5.3, respectively, in agreement to the experimental results of 63-70% shown in literature. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Genomic and Metabolomic Profile Associated to Clustering of Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors.

Background To identify metabolomic and genomic markers associated with the presence of clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) from a general population. Methods and Findings One thousand five hundred and two subjects, Caucasian, > 18 years, representative of the general population, were included. Blood pressure measurement, anthropometric parameters and metabolic markers were measured. Subjects were grouped according the number of CMRFs (Group 1: <2; Group 2: 2; Group 3: 3 or more CMRFs). Using SNPlex, 1251 SNPs potentially associated to clustering of three or more CMRFs were analyzed. Serum metabolomic profile was assessed by H-1 NMR spectra using a Brucker Advance DRX 600 spectrometer. From the total population, 1217 (mean age 54 +/- 19, 50.6% men) with high genotyping call rate were analysed. A differential metabolomic profile, which included products from mitochondrial metabolism, extra mitochondrial metabolism, branched amino acids and fatty acid signals were observed among the three groups. The comparison of metabolomic patterns between subjects of Groups 1 to 3 for each of the genotypes associated to those subjects with three or more CMRFs revealed two SNPs, the rs174577_AA of FADS2 gene and the rs3803_TT of GATA2 transcription factor gene, with minimal or no statistically significant differences. Subjects with and without three or more CMRFs who shared the same genotype and metabolomic profile differed in the pattern of CMRFS cluster. Subjects of Group 3 and the AA genotype of the rs174577 had a lower prevalence of hypertension compared to the CC and CT genotype. In contrast, subjects of Group 3 and the TT genotype of the rs3803 polymorphism had a lower prevalence of T2DM, although they were predominantly males and had higher values of plasma creatinine. Conclusions The results of the present study add information to the metabolomics profile and to the potential impact of genetic factors on the variants of clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors