Recycling of organic fraction of municipal solid waste as an innovative precursor for the production of bio-based epoxy monomers

This paper reports the preparation of newly synthesized bio-epoxy monomers, suitable for replacing petrochemical-derived epoxy resins. An original green method able to produce epoxy monomers starting from neat carbohydrates, waste flours, and even from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), was here proposed. Hence, for the first time, the epoxidation of carbohydrates was attained only through the exposition to UV and ozone radiation, without using any organic solvent to carry out the reaction. Besides the innovation in the epoxidation method, this work explored the possibility of valorizing waste materials, by recycling carbohydrate scraps; in particular, the exposition of waste flours and municipal solid waste to UV and ozone and their consequent epoxidation allowed obtaining green precursors for the production of a bio-based epoxy resin. Applicability and suitability of the synthesized compounds for epoxy monomers were investigated by curing experiments with a selected amount of a model cycloaliphatic amine-type hardener, i.e. isophorodiamine (IPDA)

Optimizing Flame Retardancy and Durability in Melamine-Formaldehyde/Solid-Urban-Waste Composite Panels

In our previous study, an innovative method for sterilization, inertization, and valorization of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), to be recycled in the production of composite panels, was developed. In this follow-up work, the effects of fire retardants on fire performance, durability, and the mechanical properties of the composite panels based on OFMSW and melamine-formaldehyde resin were investigated. The performance of panels without fire retardants (control panels) was compared to panels containing either mono-ammonium phosphate (PFR) or aluminium trihydrate (ATH) at a mass fraction of 1% and 10% (modified panels). As shown by cone calorimetry, the total heat released was already low (about 31 MJ/m2 at 50 kW/m2) in the control panels, further decreased in the modified panels with the addition of fire retardants, and reached the lowest value (about 1.4 MJ/m2) with 10% mass fraction of PFR. Hence, the addition of fire retardants had a beneficial effect on the response to fire of the panels; however, it also reduced the mechanical properties of the panels as measured by flexural tests. The deterioration of the mechanical properties was particularly obvious in panels containing 10% mass fraction of fire retardants, and they were further degraded by artificial accelerated weathering, carried out by boiling tests. Ultimately, the panels containing PFR at a mass fraction of 1% offered the best balance of fire resistance, durability, and mechanical performance within the formulations investigated in this study

Gamma-ray observations of Cygnus X-1 above 100 MeV in the hard and soft states

We present the results of multi-year gamma-ray observations by the AGILE satellite of the black hole binary system Cygnus X-1. In a previous investigation we focused on gamma-ray observations of Cygnus X-1 in the hard state during the period mid-2007/2009. Here we present the results of the gamma-ray monitoring of Cygnus X-1 during the period 2010/mid-2012 carried out for which includes a remarkably prolonged `soft state' phase (June 2010 -- May 2011). Previous 1--10 MeV observations of Cyg X-1 in this state hinted at a possible existence of a non-thermal particle component with substantial modifications of the Comptonized emission from the inner accretion disk. Our AGILE data, averaged over the mid-2010/mid-2011 soft state of Cygnus X-1, provide a significant upper limit for gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV of F_soft < 20 x 10^{-8} ph/cm^2/s, excluding the existence of prominent non-thermal emission above 100 MeV during the soft state of Cygnus X-1. We discuss theoretical implications of our findings in the context of high-energy emission models of black hole accretion. We also discuss possible gamma-ray flares detected by AGILE. In addition to a previously reported episode observed by AGILE in October 2009 during the hard state, we report a weak but important candidate for enhanced emission which occurred at the end of June 2010 (2010-06-30 10:00 - 2010-07-02 10:00 UT) exactly in coincidence with a hard-to-soft state transition and before an anomalous radio flare. An appendix summarizes all previous high-energy observations and possible detections of Cygnus X-1 above 1 MeV.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Ap

The optical spectrum of PKS 1222+216 and its black hole mass

We investigate the optical spectral properties of the blazar PKS 1222+216 during a period of 3 years. While the continuum is highly variable the broad line emission is practically constant. This supports a scenario in which the broad line region is not affected by jet continuum variations. We thus infer the thermal component of the continuum from the line luminosity and we show that it is comparable with the continuum level observed during the phases of minimum optical activity. The mass of the black hole is estimated through the virial method from the FWHM of MgII, Hbeta, and Halpha broad lines and from the thermal continuum luminosity. This yields a consistent black hole mass value of 6x10^8 solar masses.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Multiwavelength Variations of 3C 454.3 during the November 2010 to January 2011 Outburst

We present multiwavelength data of the blazar 3C 454.3 obtained during an extremely bright outburst from November 2010 through January 2011. These include flux density measurements with the Herschel Space Observatory at five submillimeter-wave and far-infrared bands, the Fermi Large Area Telescope at gamma-ray energies, Swift at X-ray, ultraviolet (UV), and optical frequencies, and the Submillimeter Array at 1.3 mm. From this dataset, we form a series of 52 spectral energy distributions (SEDs) spanning nearly two months that are unprecedented in time coverage and breadth of frequency. Discrete correlation anlaysis of the millimeter, far-infrared, and gamma-ray light curves show that the variations were essentially simultaneous, indicative of co-spatiality of the emission, at these wavebands. In contrast, differences in short-term fluctuations at various wavelengths imply the presence of inhomegeneities in physical conditions across the source. We locate the site of the outburst in the parsec-scale core, whose flux density as measured on 7 mm Very Long Baseline Array images increased by 70 percent during the first five weeks of the outburst. Based on these considerations and guided by the SEDs, we propose a model in which turbulent plasma crosses a conical standing shock in the parsec-scale region of the jet. Here, the high-energy emission in the model is produced by inverse Compton scattering of seed photons supplied by either nonthermal radiation from a Mach disk, thermal emission from hot dust, or (for X-rays) synchrotron radiation from plasma that crosses the standing shock. For the two dates on which we fitted the model SED to the data, the model corresponds very well to the observations at all bands except at X-ray energies, where the spectrum is flatter than observed.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal. 82 pages, 13 figure

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Observations of Recent Gamma-ray Outbursts from 3C 454.3

The flat spectrum radio quasar 3C~454.3 underwent an extraordinary outburst in December 2009 when it became the brightest gamma-ray source in the sky for over one week. Its daily flux measured with the Fermi Large Area Telescope at photon energies E>100 MeV reached F = 22+/-1 x 10^-6 ph cm^-2 s^-1, representing the highest daily flux of any blazar ever recorded in high-energy gamma-rays. It again became the brightest source in the sky in 2010 April, triggering a pointed-mode observation by Fermi. The correlated gamma-ray temporal and spectral properties during these exceptional events are presented and discussed. The main results show flux variability over time scales less than 3 h and very mild spectral variability with an indication of gradual hardening preceding major flares. No consistent loop pattern emerged in the gamma-ray spectral index vs flux plane. A minimum Doppler factor of ~ 15 is derived, and the maximum energy of a photon from 3C 454.3 is ~ 20 GeV. The spectral break at a few GeV is inconsistent with Klein-Nishina softening from power-law electrons scattering Ly_alpha line radiation, and a break in the underlying electron spectrum in blazar leptonic models is implied.Comment: submitted to the Astrophysical Journa

Upadacitinib effectiveness and factors associated with minimal disease activity achievement in patients with psoriatic arthritis: preliminary data of a real-life multicenter study

Background: Upadacitinib (UPA) is a selective JAK inhibitor recently approved for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). In this post-approval study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of UPA over 24&nbsp;weeks and identify clinical predictors of response, in a multicentric cohort of patients affected by PsA. Methods: One hundred and twenty-six patients with PsA treated with UPA were enrolled in 10 Italian centres. UPA effectiveness outcomes, such as the proportion of patients with MDA status, DAPSA remission, and low disease activity, ASDAS-CRP inactive and low disease activity, and change from baseline in DAPSA and ASDAS-CRP scores, were evaluated every 12&nbsp;weeks until week 24. The proportion of DAPSA minor, moderate, and major improvement, and ASDAS clinically important improvement (CII) and major improvement (MI) were considered as well. All treatment-related adverse events were collected during the observation period. Clinical predictors of MDA response at week 24 were evaluated through multivariate analysis. Results: At baseline, 124/126 (98%) and 54/126 (43%) patients showed peripheral and axial involvement, respectively; 110 (87%) patients were intolerant or resistant to biologic DMARDs.&nbsp; At 24&nbsp;weeks, MDA status, DAPSA remission, and ASDAS-CRP inactive disease were achieved in 47%, 23%, and 48% of patients, respectively. Minor, moderate, and major DAPSA improvement was observed in 67%, 39%, and 23%, respectively; while 65% and 35% achieved ASDAS-CRP CII and MI, respectively. The mean change from baseline was 15.9 ± 13.5 (p &lt; 0.001) for DAPSA and 1.21 ± 0.97 (p &lt; 0.001) for ASDAS-CRP. Thirteen patients (10%) discontinued UPA due to a lack of efficacy or non-serious adverse events. No serious adverse events were observed. Male gender (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.03-6.25 p = 0.043), being naïve to biological DMARDs (OR 4.13, 95% CI 1.34-12.71, p = 0.013) and elevated baseline CRP (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.02-6.12, p = 0.046) were associated with MDA response at week 24. Conclusions: This is one of the first real-life studies supporting the effectiveness of UPA and its safety profile in PsA patients. Furthermore, the study identifies predictors of MDA response to UPA treatment at 6&nbsp;months

The brightest gamma-ray flaring blazar in the sky: AGILE and multi-wavelength observations of 3C 454.3 during November 2010

Since 2005, the blazar 3C 454.3 has shown remarkable flaring activity at all frequencies, and during the last four years it has exhibited more than one gamma-ray flare per year, becoming the most active gamma-ray blazar in the sky. We present for the first time the multi-wavelength AGILE, SWIFT, INTEGRAL, and GASP-WEBT data collected in order to explain the extraordinary gamma-ray flare of 3C 454.3 which occurred in November 2010. On 2010 November 20 (MJD 55520), 3C 454.3 reached a peak flux (E>100 MeV) of F_gamma(p) = (6.8+-1.0)E-5 ph/cm2/s on a time scale of about 12 hours, more than a factor of 6 higher than the flux of the brightest steady gamma-ray source, the Vela pulsar, and more than a factor of 3 brighter than its previous super-flare on 2009 December 2-3. The multi-wavelength data make a thorough study of the present event possible: the comparison with the previous outbursts indicates a close similarity to the one that occurred in 2009. By comparing the broadband emission before, during, and after the gamma-ray flare, we find that the radio, optical and X-ray emission varies within a factor 2-3, whereas the gamma-ray flux by a factor of 10. This remarkable behavior is modeled by an external Compton component driven by a substantial local enhancement of soft seed photons.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters. 18 Pages, 4 Figures, 1 Tabl

Multiwavelength observations of 3C 454.3 II. The AGILE 2007 December campaign

We report on the second AGILE multiwavelength campaign of the blazar 3C 454.3 during the first half of December 2007. This campaign involved AGILE, Spitzer, Swift,Suzaku,the WEBT consortium,the REM and MITSuME telescopes,offering a broad band coverage that allowed for a simultaneous sampling of the synchrotron and inverse Compton (IC) emissions.The 2-week AGILE monitoring was accompanied by radio to optical monitoring by WEBT and REM and by sparse observations in mid-Infrared and soft/hard X-ray energy bands performed by means of Target of Opportunity observations by Spitzer, Swift and Suzaku, respectively.The source was detected with an average flux of~250x10^{-8}ph cm^-2s^-1 above 100 MeV,typical of its flaring states.The simultaneous optical and gamma-ray monitoring allowed us to study the time-lag associated with the variability in the two energy bands, resulting in a possible ~1-day delay of the gamma-ray emission with respect to the optical one. From the simultaneous optical and gamma-ray fast flare detected on December 12, we can constrain the delay between the gamma-ray and optical emissions within 12 hours. Moreover, we obtain three Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) with simultaneous data for 2007 December 5, 13, 15, characterized by the widest multifrequency coverage. We found that a model with an external Compton on seed photons by a standard disk and reprocessed by the Broad Line Regions does not describe in a satisfactory way the SEDs of 2007 December 5, 13 and 15. An additional contribution, possibly from the hot corona with T=10^6 K surrounding the jet, is required to account simultaneously for the softness of the synchrotron and the hardness of the inverse Compton emissions during those epochs.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, Accepted for publication in Ap