Energy Enhancement of Solid Recovered Fuel within Systems of Conventional Thermal Power Generation

Abstract The main objective of this article is to verify the feasibility, in terms of technical and economical issues, of a new refuse-derived fuel SRF (Solid Recovered Fuel) to be used as a new fuel in a thermal power station or in an incineration plants. By means of the innovative micronization technology it is possible to produce SRF suitable for the technical specifications of the plants which, taking into account appropriate modifications, could be reconverted and not decommissioned. The present energy supply scenario shows a partial contraction of the activities of power plant thermal generation despite an increase of the power demand and despite one of the highest energy cost in Europe. It is likely to surmise a gradual stall of such activities and finally the decommissioning due to the fact that plants will turn out to be not economically productive. On the other hand, it is now necessary to promote adequate policies for sustainable waste management. An opportunity in this sense is represented by the smart usage (made possible through innovative manufacturing processes) of the SRF as an energy source. The tests conducted on the innovative chemical-mechanical micronization technology showed an average energetic cost of 30 kWh/ton, and an average production cost of 15 €/ton for the 0.5 mm size. Combustion tests showed a good environmental and combustion performance. In this article, the refuse-derived fuel (which is governed according to the Decrees of the Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea) has been obtained through an innovative technology of chemical-mechanical micronization. We have also proceeded to verify the functional feasibility of the fuel production in order to feed incinerators and power plants in partial or total substitution of the conventional fuels (coal, fuel oil)

Assessment of Natural Resources Use for Sustainable Development - DPSIR Framework for Case Studies in Portsmouth and Thames Gateway, U.K.

This chapter reports on the uses of the DPSIR framework to assess the sustainability of the intertidal environments within the two UK case study areas, Portsmouth and Thames Gateway. It focuses on statutory conservation areas dominated by intertidal habitats. Two are located in Portsmouth (Portsmouth and Langstone Harbours) and four in the Thames Gateway (Benfleet Marshes, South Thames Estuary, Medway Estuary and the Swale in the Thames Gateway). Based on the reduction of a number of pressures and impacts observed in recent decades and the improvement of overall environmental quality, all six SSSIs are considered to be sustainable in the short and medium term. In the future, it is possible that the impacts of climate change, especially sea-level rise, might result in further reduction in the area and/or quality of intertidal habitats. Further integration between conservation and planning objectives (both for urban development and management of flood risk) at local level is needed to support the long-term sustainability of intertidal habitats

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on general surgery training program: An Italian experience

The outbreak of COVID-19 infection in Italy started in late February with a rapid and dramatic spread. The hospitals in the most hit regions of Northern Italy started modifying their working schedule and, on the March 9, 2020, the Government approved the lock-down of the whole Country in order to minimize the further spread of the infection and to optimize health-care resources. This drastic measure transformed all hospitals activities, including suspension of all non-urgent outpatient visits and postponable sur- geries. The aim of this paper is to evaluate how this new organiza- tion affected the role of residents in their last year of training at a General Surgery Department in a tertiary center of North-East Italy (Trieste)

Monitoring of the pre-equilibrium step in the alkyne hydration reaction catalyzed by au(Iii) complexes: A computational study based on experimental evidences

The coordination ability of the [(ppy)Au(IPr)]2+ fragment [ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-di-isopropylphenyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene] towards different anionic and neutral X ligands (X = Cl 12, BF4 12, OTf 12, H2 O, 2-butyne, 3-hexyne) commonly involved in the crucial pre-equilibrium step of the alkyne hydration reaction is computationally investigated to shed light on unexpected experimental observations on its catalytic activity. Experiment reveals that BF4 12 and OTf 12 have very similar coordination ability towards [(ppy)Au(IPr)]2+ and slightly less than water, whereas the alkyne complex could not be observed in solution at least at the NMR sensitivity. Due to the steric hindrance/dispersion interaction balance between X and IPr, the [(ppy)Au(IPr)]2+ fragment is computationally found to be much less selective than a model [(ppy)Au(NHC)]2+ (NHC = 1,3-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene) fragment towards the different ligands, in particular OTf 12 and BF4 12, in agreement with experiment. Effect of the ancillary ligand substitution demonstrates that the coordination ability of Au(III) is quantitatively strongly affected by the nature of the ligands (even more than the net charge of the complex) and that all the investigated gold fragments coordinate to alkynes more strongly than H2 O. Remarkably, a stabilization of the water-coordinating species with respect to the alkyne-coordinating one can only be achieved within a microsolvation model, which reconciles theory with experiment. All the results reported here suggest that both the Au(III) fragment coordination ability and its proper computational modelling in the experimental conditions are fundamental issues for the design of efficient catalysts

Biological surface properties in extracellular vesicles and their effect on cargo proteins

Ultracentrifugationon sucrose density gradientappears to be the best purification protocol for extracellular vesicle (EVs) purification. After this step, to reduce disulfide bridges linking exogenous proteins to the vesicles, the collected samples are routinely washed and treated with dithiothreitol (DTT). Such incubations are performed at temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 95\u2009\ub0C, with either Tris or PBS as buffers. We re-investigated these steps on both exosomes and microvesicles purified from blood (serum) and urine by electrophoretic separation, silver staining and western blots analysis. Data confirm that an extra centrifugation on a sucrose cushion can effectively eliminate contaminants. Tris buffer (50 Mm) and \u3b2-mercaptoethanol as a reducing agent at room temperature dramatically improved either sample cleaning. By contrast, especially for exosomes PBS buffer and DTT, above 37\u2009\ub0C, caused massive protein aggregations, yielding blurred SDS-PAGE gels in both samples. Immuno-blot analyses demonstrated that in PBS-DTT contamination with albumin (in serum) or with uromodulin (in urine) occurs. DTT, likely due to its two-SH groups, might form scrambled SS-bonds promoting EVs interaction with environmental macromolecules via disulphide bridges. Therefore, to obtain maximum vesicle purity for biomarker investigations and to maximize both presence of EVs proteins and their accessibility, use of DTT is not recommended

Increased cancer risk in patients undergoing dialysis: a population-based cohort study in North-Eastern Italy

open116noBACKGROUND: In southern Europe, the risk of cancer in patients with end-stage kidney disease receiving dialysis has not been well quantified. The aim of this study was to assess the overall pattern of risk for de novo malignancies (DNMs) among dialysis patients in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, north-eastern Italy. METHODS: A population-based cohort study among 3407 dialysis patients was conducted through a record linkage between local healthcare databases and the cancer registry (1998-2013). Person-years (PYs) were calculated from 30 days after the date of first dialysis to the date of DNM diagnosis, kidney transplant, death, last follow-up or December 31, 2013, whichever came first. The risk of DNM, as compared to the general population, was estimated using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: During 10,798 PYs, 357 DNMs were diagnosed in 330 dialysis patients. A higher than expected risk of 1.3-fold was found for all DNMs combined (95% CI: 1.15-1.43). The risk was particularly high in younger dialysis patients (SIR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.42-2.45 for age 40-59 years), and it decreased with age. Moreover, significantly increased DNM risks emerged during the first 3 years since dialysis initiation, especially within the first year (SIR = 8.52, 95% CI: 6.89-10.41). Elevated excess risks were observed for kidney (SIR = 3.18; 95% CI: 2.06-4.69), skin non-melanoma (SIR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.46-2.22), oral cavity (SIR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.36-4.00), and Kaposi's sarcoma (SIR = 10.29, 95% CI: 1.25-37.16). CONCLUSIONS: The elevated risk for DNM herein documented suggest the need to implement a targeted approach to cancer prevention and control in dialysis patients.openTaborelli, Martina; Toffolutti, Federica; Del Zotto, Stefania; Clagnan, Elena; Furian, Lucrezia; Piselli, Pierluca; Citterio, Franco; Zanier, Loris; Boscutti, Giuliano; Serraino, Diego for the Italian Transplant & Cancer Cohort Study; Sarah Shalaby, Raffaella Petrara, Patrizia Burra, Giacomo Zanus, Stefano Zanini,Paolo Rigotti; Maria Rendina, AlfredoDi Leo, Francesco Paolo Schena, Giuseppe Grandaliano, Marco Fiorentino, Augusto Lauro, Antonio Daniele Pinna, PaoloDi Gioia, Sara Pellegrini, Chiara Zanfi, Maria Piera Scolari, Sergio Stefoni, PaolaTodeschini, Laura Panicali, Chiara Valentini, Umberto Baccarani, Andrea Risaliti, Gian Luigi Adani, Dario Lorenzin, Giuseppe Maria Ettorre, Giovanni Vennarecci,Marco Colasanti, Manuela Coco, Fabrizio Ettorre, Roberto Santoro, LuciaMiglioresi, Francesco Nudo, Massimo Rossi,Gianluca Mennini, Luca Toti, GiuseppeTisone, Annachiara Casella, Laura Fazzolari, Daniele Sforza, Giuseppe Iaria,Carlo Gazia, Chiara Belardi, ClaudiaCimaglia, Alessandro Agresta, Gianpiero D’Offizi, Ubaldo Visco Comandini,Raffaella Lionetti, Marzia Montalbano, Chiara Taibi, Giovanni Fantola, Fausto Zamboni, Gian Benedetto Piredda,Maria Benigna Michittu, Maria Gavina Murgia, Bruno Onano, Lucia Fratino, Luigino Dal Maso, Paolo De Paoli, Diana Verdirosi,Emanuela Vaccher, Francesco Pisani, Antonio Famulari, Federica Delreno, Samuele Iesari, LindaDe Luca, Maurizio Iaria, Enzo Capocasale,Elena Cremaschi, Silvio Sandrini, Francesca Valerio,Valentina Mazzucotelli, Nicola Bossini, Gisella Setti, Massimiliano Veroux, Pierfrancesco Veroux, Giuseppe Giuffrida,Alessia Giaquinta, Domenico Zerbo, GhilBusnach, Laura Di Leo, Maria Luisa Perrino, Marialuisa Querques, ValerianaColombo, Maria Chiara Sghirlanzoni , Piergiorgio Messa, Antonio Leoni , Laura Galatioto, Salvatore Gruttadauria, Vito Sparacino, FlaviaCaputo, Barbara Buscemi ,Franco Cit-terio, Gionata Spagnoletti, Maria Paola Salerno, Evaldo Favi Giuseppe Paolo Segoloni, Luigi Biancone, AntonioLavacca, Maria Cristina Maresca, CarmeloCascone, Bice Virgilio, Donato Donati, Fiorella Dossi, Andrea Fontanella, Andrea Ambrosini, Marco Di CiccoTaborelli, Martina; Toffolutti, Federica; Del Zotto, Stefania; Clagnan, Elena; Furian, Lucrezia; Piselli, Pierluca; Citterio, Franco; Zanier, Loris; Boscutti, Giuliano; Serraino, Diego for the Italian Transplant & Cancer Cohort Study; Shalaby, Sarah; Petrara, MARIA RAFFAELLA; Burra, Patrizia; Zanus, Giacomo; Zanini, Stefano; Rigotti, Paolo; Maria, Rendina; Alfredodi, Leo; Francesco Paolo Schena, ; Giuseppe, Grandaliano; Marco, Fiorentino; Augusto, Lauro; Antonio Daniele Pinna, ; Paolodi, Gioia; Sara, Pellegrini; Chiara, Zanfi; Maria Piera Scolari, ; Sergio, Stefoni; Paolatodeschini, ; Laura, Panicali; Chiara, Valentini; Umberto, Baccarani; Andrea, Risaliti; Gian Luigi Adani, ; Dario, Lorenzin; Giuseppe Maria Ettorre, ; Giovanni, Vennarecci; Marco, Colasanti; Manuela, Coco; Fabrizio, Ettorre; Roberto, Santoro; Luciamiglioresi, ; Francesco, Nudo; Massimo, Rossi; Gianluca, Mennini; Luca, Toti; Giuseppetisone, ; Annachiara, Casella; Laura, Fazzolari; Daniele, Sforza; Giuseppe, Iaria; Carlo, Gazia; Chiara, Belardi; Claudiacimaglia, ; Alessandro, Agresta; Gianpiero, D’Offizi; Ubaldo Visco Comandini, ; Raffaella, Lionetti; Marzia, Montalbano; Chiara, Taibi; Giovanni, Fantola; Fausto, Zamboni; Gian Benedetto Piredda, ; Maria Benigna Michittu, ; Maria Gavina Murgia, ; Bruno, Onano; Lucia, Fratino; Luigino Dal Maso, ; Paolo De Paoli, ; Diana, Verdirosi; Emanuela, Vaccher; Francesco, Pisani; Antonio, Famulari; Federica, Delreno; Samuele, Iesari; Lindade, Luca; Maurizio, Iaria; Enzo, Capocasale; Elena, Cremaschi; Silvio, Sandrini; Francesca, Valerio; Valentina, Mazzucotelli; Nicola, Bossini; Gisella, Setti; Massimiliano, Veroux; Pierfrancesco, Veroux; Giuseppe, Giuffrida; Alessia, Giaquinta; Domenico, Zerbo; Ghilbusnach, ; Laura Di Leo, ; Maria Luisa Perrino, ; Marialuisa, Querques; Valerianacolombo, ; Maria Chiara Sghirlanzoni, ; Piergiorgio, Messa; Antonio, Leoni; Laura, Galatioto; Salvatore, Gruttadauria; Vito, Sparacino; Flaviacaputo, ; Barbara, Buscemi; Franco, Cit-terio; Gionata, Spagnoletti; Maria Paola Salerno, ; Evaldo Favi Giuseppe Paolo Segoloni, ; Luigi, Biancone; Antoniolavacca, ; Maria Cristina Maresca, ; Carmelocascone, ; Bice, Virgilio; Donato, Donati; Fiorella, Dossi; Andrea, Fontanella; Andrea, Ambrosini; Marco Di Cicco

Killer Ig-like receptors (kirs). their role in nk cell modulation and developments leading to their clinical exploitation

Natural killer (NK) cells contribute to the first line of defense against viruses and to the control of tumor growth and metastasis spread. The discovery of HLA class I specific inhibitory receptors, primarily of killer Ig-like receptors (KIRs), and of activating receptors has been fundamental to unravel NK cell function and the molecular mechanisms of tumor cell killing. Stemmed from the seminal discoveries in early ‘90s, in which Alessandro Moretta was the major actor, an extraordinary amount of research on KIR specificity, genetics, polymorphism, and repertoire has followed. These basic notions on NK cells and their receptors have been successfully translated to clinical applications, primarily to the haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to cure otherwise fatal leukemia in patients with no HLA compatible donors. The finding that NK cells may express the PD-1 inhibitory checkpoint, particularly in cancer patients, may allow understanding how anti-PD-1 therapy could function also in case of HLA class Ineg tumors, usually susceptible to NK-mediated killing. This, together with the synergy of therapeutic anti-checkpoint monoclonal antibodies, including those directed against NKG2A or KIRs, emerging in recent or ongoing studies, opened new solid perspectives in cancer therapy

Connective tissue anomalies in patients with spontaneous cervical artery dissection.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of connective tissue abnormalities in patients with spontaneous cervical artery dissections (sCeAD). METHODS: We systematically assessed clinically detectable signs of connective tissue aberration in a series of consecutive patients with sCeAD and of age- and sex-matched patients with ischemic stroke unrelated to CeAD (non-CeAD IS) by a standard examination protocol including 68 items, and performed extensive molecular investigation for hereditary connective tissue disorders in all patients with sCeAD. RESULTS: The study group included 84 patients with sCeAD (mean age, 44.5 ± 7.8 years; 66.7% men) and 84 patients with non-CeAD IS. None of the patients with sCeAD met clinical or molecular diagnostic criteria for established hereditary connective tissue disorder. Connective tissue abnormalities were detected more frequently in the group of patients with sCeAD than in the group of those with non-CeAD IS (mean number of pathologic findings, 4.5 ± 3.5 vs 1.9 ± 2.3; p < 0.001). Eighty-one patients (96.4%) in the sCeAD group had at least one detectable sign compared with 55 patients (66.7%) in the group with non-CeAD IS (p < 0.001). Skeletal, ocular, and skin abnormalities, as well as craniofacial dysmorphisms, were the clinical signs more strongly associated with sCeAD. Signs suggesting connective tissue abnormality were also more frequently represented in patients with sCeAD than in patients with traumatic CeAD (28.6%, p < 0.001; mean number of pathologic findings, 1.7 ± 3.7, p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Connective tissue abnormalities are frequent in patients with sCeAD. This reinforces the hypothesis that systemic aberrations of the connective tissue might be implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease

Antithrombotic medications and the etiology of intracerebral hemorrhage: MUCH-Italy.

23noOBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the effect of antithrombotic medications on the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) varies according to the location of the hematoma. METHODS: Consecutive patients with ICH were enrolled as part of the Multicenter Study on Cerebral Hemorrhage in Italy (MUCH-Italy). Multivariable logistic regression models served to examine whether risk factors for ICH and location of the hematoma (deep vs lobar) predict treatment-specific ICH subgroups (antiplatelets-related ICH and oral anticoagulants [OACs]-related ICH). RESULTS: A total of 870 (313 lobar ICH, 557 deep ICH) subjects were included. Of these, 223 (25.6%) were taking antiplatelets and 77 (8.8%) OACs at the time of stroke. The odds of antiplatelet-related ICH increased with aging (odds ratio [OR] 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.07) and hypertension (OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.22-2.85) but had no relation with the anatomical location of ICH. Conversely, lobar location of the hematoma was associated with the subgroup of OAC-related ICH (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.03-2.81) when compared to the subgroup of patients taking no antithrombotic medications. Within the subgroup of patients taking OACs, international normalized ratio (INR) values were higher in those with lobar ICH as compared to those with deep ICH (2.8 ± 1.1 vs 2.2 ± 0.8; p = 0.011). The proportion of patients with lobar hematoma increased with increasing intensity of anticoagulation, with a ∼2-fold increased odds of lobar compared to deep ICH (odds 2.17; p = 0.03) in those exposed to overanticoagulation (INR values >3.0). CONCLUSIONS: OACs, as opposed to antiplatelets, predispose to lobar location of brain hematomas according to a dose-response relationship.openopenPezzini, A; Grassi, M; Paciaroni, M; Zini, A; Silvestrelli, G; Del Zotto, E; Caso, V; Dell'Acqua, Ml; Giossi, A; Volonghi, I; Simone, Am; Lanari, A; Costa, P; Poli, L; Morotti, A; De Giuli, V; Pepe, D; Gamba, M; Ciccone, A; Ritelli, M; Colombi, M; Agnelli, G; Padovani, APezzini, Alessandro; Grassi, M; Paciaroni, M; Zini, A; Silvestrelli, G; Del Zotto, E; Caso, V; Dell'Acqua, Ml; Giossi, A; Volonghi, I; Simone, Am; Lanari, A; Costa, P; Poli, L; Morotti, A; De Giuli, V; Pepe, D; Gamba, M; Ciccone, A; Ritelli, M; Colombi, Marina; Agnelli, G; Padovani, Alessandr