Assessment of the sustainability performance of eco-engineering measures in the Mediterranean region

Eco-engineering has a crucial role in defining and achieving the sustainability credentials of a civil engineering project. Better eco-engineering practices would help better in reducing the adverse impacts on the environment and society, but also on the financial performance of the project. However, the assessment of the sustainability effects of eco-engineering strategies can be challenging, as the treatment of this topic has been neglected in the scientific literature. The challenges lie in balancing the project delivery objectives with the sustainable design that will ensure appropriate and satisfactory environmental and financial performance and deliver social benefits such as ecosystem services. In order to achieve better practice and advance the knowledge in the field, there is a need for broader analysis of completed eco-engineering projects applied at different spatio-temporal scales. The aim of this study was to critically analyse 23 eco-engineering case studies provided by the ECOMED project partners using a life cycle analysis through a single sustainability framework based on a relatively small set of key performance indicators (KPIs), which reflect the principles of sustainability, and which are not contextual for eco-engineering projects. The objectives of this study are twofold: (i) to highlight areas of best practice and potential enhancement in the application of eco-engineering strategies, and (ii) to propose refinement and enhancement of the existing framework with KPIs contextual to eco-engineering projects. The results of the study suggest that the feasibility, mobilisation, and the long-term stages of an eco-engineering project are the most sustainable project stages, while the award, construction, and monitoring stages could generally benefit from a range of enhancements including benefits stemming from double-loop learning and a common basis for the specification and quantification of the financial resources needed to apply eco-engineering strategies. The outcomes of this study will benefit decision makers and eco-engineering practitioners alike in terms of not only raising the sustainability profile of the projects they are involved in, but also in terms of more efficient and cost-effective application of eco-engineering strategies

Perstraction of intracellular pigments through submerged fermentation of Talaromyces spp. in a surfactant rich media: a novel approach for enhanced pigment recovery

A high percentage of the pigments produced by Talaromyces spp. remains inside the cell, which could lead to a high product concentration inhibition. To overcome this issue an extractive fermentation process, perstraction, was suggested, which involves the extraction of the intracellular products out of the cell by using a two-phase system during the fermentation. The present work studied the effect of various surfactants on secretion of intracellular pigments produced by Talaromyces spp. in submerged fermentation. Surfactants used were: non-ionic surfactants (Tween 80, Span 20 and Triton X-100) and a polyethylene glycerol polymer 8000, at different concentrations (5, 20, 35 g/L). The highest extracellular pigment yield (16 OD500nm) was reached using Triton X-100 (35 g/L), which was 44% higher than the control (no surfactant added). The effect of addition time of the selected surfactant was further studied. The highest extracellular pigment concentration (22 OD500nm) was achieved when the surfactant was added at 120 h of fermentation. Kinetics of extracellular and intracellular pigments were examined. Total pigment at the end of the fermentation using Triton X-100 was 27.7% higher than the control, confirming that the use of surfactants partially alleviated the product inhibition during the pigment production cultur

Selection of best conditions of inoculum preparation for optimum performance of the pigment production process by Talaromyces spp. using the Taguchi method

Process optimisation techniques increasingly need to be used early on in research and development of processes for new ingredients. There are different approaches and this article illustrates the main issues at stake with a method that is an industry best practice, the Taguchi method, suggesting a procedure to assess the potential impact of its drawbacks. The Taguchi method has been widely used in various industrial sectors because it minimises the experimental requirements to define an optimum region of operation, which is particularly relevant when minimising variability is a target. However, it also has drawbacks, especially the intricate confoundings generated by the experimental designs used. This work reports a process optimisation of the synthesis of red pigments by a fungal strain, Talaromyces spp. using the Taguchi methodology and proposes an approach to assess from validation trials whether the conclusions can be accepted with confidence. The work focused on optimising the inoculum characteristics, and the studied factors were spore age and concentration, agitation speed and incubation time. It was concluded that spore age was the most important factor for both responses, with optimum results at 5 days old, with the best other conditions being spores concentration, 100,000 (spores/mL); agitation, 200 rpm; and incubation time, 84 h. The interactive effects can be considered negligible and therefore this is an example where a simple experimental design approach was successful in speedily indicating conditions able to increase pigment production by 63% compared to an average choice of settings

Technology Challenges of SURROUND: A Constellation of Small Satellites Around the Sun for Tracking Solar Radio Bursts

The SURROUND mission proposes the operational monitoring and forecasting of space weather events using a constellation of five small satellites in orbit around the Sun. This unique mission concept would enable the localisation and tracking of solar events with unprecedented accuracy. The small payload combined with high launch requirements makes this an ideal candidate mission for a distributed constellation of small spacecraft and provides an opportunity for technical development in the areas of deep space communication, propulsion, and survivability. The baseline configuration for SURROUND proposes the deployment of spacecraft to Earth-Sun Lagrange points L1, L4, and L5, and two additional spacecraft in Earth leading (\u3c 1AU) and trailing (\u3e 1AU) orbits. However, the development and realisation of such a constellation in deep space presents a number of challenges, particularly when the use of small spacecraft is considered. This paper presents the conceptual design for the proposed SURROUND constellation, principally focusing on the key technical challenges of deploying the spacecraft into their desired locations around the Sun and subsequently communicating the collected data back to Earth. In addition to the key propulsion system and communications architecture trades, additional technological challenges of the mission are also considered, including attitude control, radiation hardening, and electromagnetic compatibility

Patient-Specific Prosthetic Fingers by Remote Collaboration - A Case Study

The concealment of amputation through prosthesis usage can shield an amputee from social stigma and help improve the emotional healing process especially at the early stages of hand or finger loss. However, the traditional techniques in prosthesis fabrication defy this as the patients need numerous visits to the clinics for measurements, fitting and follow-ups. This paper presents a method for constructing a prosthetic finger through online collaboration with the designer. The main input from the amputee comes from the Computer Tomography (CT) data in the region of the affected and the non-affected fingers. These data are sent over the internet and the prosthesis is constructed using visualization, computer-aided design and manufacturing tools. The finished product is then shipped to the patient. A case study with a single patient having an amputated ring finger at the proximal interphalangeal joint shows that the proposed method has a potential to address the patient's psychosocial concerns and minimize the exposure of the finger loss to the public.Comment: Open Access articl

Bridging the translational gap: what can synaptopathies tell us about autism?

Multiple molecular pathways and cellular processes have been implicated in the neurobiology of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. There is a current focus on synaptic gene conditions, or synaptopathies, which refer to clinical conditions associated with rare genetic variants disrupting genes involved in synaptic biology. Synaptopathies are commonly associated with autism and developmental delay and may be associated with a range of other neuropsychiatric outcomes. Altered synaptic biology is suggested by both preclinical and clinical studies in autism based on evidence of differences in early brain structural development and altered glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission potentially perturbing excitatory and inhibitory balance. This review focusses on the NRXN-NLGN-SHANK pathway, which is implicated in the synaptic assembly, trans-synaptic signalling, and synaptic functioning. We provide an overview of the insights from preclinical molecular studies of the pathway. Concentrating on NRXN1 deletion and SHANK3 mutations, we discuss emerging understanding of cellular processes and electrophysiology from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) models derived from individuals with synaptopathies, neuroimaging and behavioural findings in animal models of Nrxn1 and Shank3 synaptic gene conditions, and key findings regarding autism features, brain and behavioural phenotypes from human clinical studies of synaptopathies. The identification of molecular-based biomarkers from preclinical models aims to advance the development of targeted therapeutic treatments. However, it remains challenging to translate preclinical animal models and iPSC studies to interpret human brain development and autism features. We discuss the existing challenges in preclinical and clinical synaptopathy research, and potential solutions to align methodologies across preclinical and clinical research. Bridging the translational gap between preclinical and clinical studies will be necessary to understand biological mechanisms, to identify targeted therapies, and ultimately to progress towards personalised approaches for complex neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism

Delivery of hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: an European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA) cross-sectional survey

Background: The extent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting response has varied globally. The European and African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA), the premier representative body for practicing HPB surgeons in Europe and Africa, conducted this survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on HPB surgery. Methods: An online survey was disseminated to all E-AHPBA members to assess the effects of the pandemic on unit capacity, management of HPB cancers, use of COVID-19 screening and other aspects of service delivery. Results: Overall, 145 (25%) members responded. Most units, particularly in COVID-high countries (>100,000 cases) reported insufficient critical care capacity and reduced HPB operating sessions compared to COVID-low countries. Delayed access to cancer surgery necessitated alternatives including increased neoadjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer and colorectal liver metastases, and locoregional treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma. Other aspects of service delivery including COVID-19 screening and personal protective equipment varied between units and countries. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound adverse impact on the delivery of HPB cancer care across the continents of Europe and Africa. The findings illustrate the need for safe resumption of cancer surgery in a “new” normal world with screening of patients and staff for COVID-19