From winery waste to bioactive compounds and new polymeric biocomposites: a contribution to the circular economy concept

The paper aims at optimising and validating possible routes toward the full valorisation of grape agrowaste to produce bioactive molecules and new materials. Starting from Merlot red pomace, phenol complex mixtures were successfully extracted by using two different approaches. Extracts obtained by solvent-based (SE) technique contained up to 46.9 gGAeq/kgDW of total phenols. Depending on the used solvent, the prevalence of compounds belonging to different phenol families was achieved. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) gave higher total phenol yields (up to 79 gGAeq/kgDW) but a lower range of extracted compounds. All liquid extracts exerted strong antioxidant properties. Moreover, both SE and PLE extraction solid residues were directly exploited (between 5 and 20% w/w) to prepare biocomposite materials by direct mixing via an eco-friendly approach with PHBV polymer. The final composites showed mechanical characteristics similar to PHVB matrix. The use of pomace residues in biocomposites could therefore bring both to the reduction of the cost of the final material, as a lower amount of costly PHBV is used. The present research demonstrated the full valorisation of grape pomace, an agrowaste produced every year in large amounts and having a significant environmental impact

Monomers, Materials and Energy from Coffee By-Products: A Review

open11siIn recent years, the circular economy and sustainability have gained attention in the food industry aimed at recycling food industrial waste and residues. For example, several plant-based materials are nowadays used in packaging and biofuel production. Among them, by-products and waste from coffee processing constitute a largely available, low cost, good quality resource. Coffee production includes many steps, in which by-products are generated including coffee pulp, coffee husks, silver skin and spent coffee. This review aims to analyze the reasons why coffee waste can be considered as a valuable source in recycling strategies for the sustainable production of bio-based chemicals, materials and fuels. It addresses the most recent advances in monomer, polymer and plastic filler productions and applications based on the development of viable biorefinery technologies. The exploration of strategies to unlock the potential of this biomass for fuel productions is also revised. Coffee by-products valorization is a clear example of waste biorefinery. Future applications in areas such as biomedicine, food packaging and material technology should be taken into consideration. However, further efforts in techno-economic analysis and the assessment of the feasibility of valorization processes on an industrial scale are needed.openSisti, Laura; Celli, Annamaria; Totaro, Grazia; Cinelli, Patrizia; Signori, Francesca; Lazzeri, Andrea; Bikaki, Maria; Corvini, Philippe; Ferri, Maura; Tassoni, Annalisa; Navarini, LucianoSisti, Laura; Celli, Annamaria; Totaro, Grazia; Cinelli, Patrizia; Signori, Francesca; Lazzeri, Andrea; Bikaki, Maria; Corvini, Philippe; Ferri, Maura; Tassoni, Annalisa; Navarini, Lucian

Integrated multidisciplinary ecological analysis from the Uluzzian settlement at the Uluzzo C Rock Shelter, south-eastern Italy

open20siThe Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition, between 50 000 and 40 000 years ago, is a period of important ecological and cultural changes. In this framework, the Rock Shelter of Uluzzo C (Apulia, southern Italy) represents an important site due to Late Mousterian and Uluzzian evidence preserved in its stratigraphic sequence. Here, we present the results of a multidisciplinary analysis performed on the materials collected between 2016 and 2018 from the Uluzzian stratigraphic units (SUs) 3, 15 and 17. The analysis involved lithic technology, use-wear, zooarchaeology, ancient DNA of sediments and palaeoproteomics, completed by quartz single-grain optically stimulated luminescence dating of the cave sediments. The lithic assemblage is characterized by a volumetric production and a debitage with no or little management of the convexities (by using the bipolar technique), with the objective to produce bladelets and flakelets. The zooarchaeological study found evidence of butchery activity and of the possible exploitation of marine resources, while drawing a picture of a patchy landscape, composed of open forests and dry open environments surrounding the shelter. Ancient mitochondrial DNA from two mammalian taxa were recovered from the sediments. Preliminary zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry results are consistent with ancient DNA and zooarchaeological taxonomic information, while further palaeoproteomics investigations are ongoing. Our new data from the re-discovery of the Uluzzo C Rock Shelter represent an important contribution to better understand the meaning of the Uluzzian in the context of the Middle/Upper Palaeolithic transition in south-eastern Italy.First published: 13 July 2021openSARA SILVESTRINI, MATTEO ROMANDINI, GIULIA MARCIANI, SIMONA ARRIGHI, LISA CARRERA, ANDREA FIORINI, JUAN MANUEL LÓPEZ-GARCÍA, FEDERICO LUGLI, FILOMENA RANALDO, VIVIANE SLON, LAURA TASSONI, OWEN ALEXANDER HIGGINS, EUGENIO BORTOLINI, ANTONIO CURCI, MATTHIAS MEYER, MICHAEL CHRISTIAN MEYER, GREGORIO OXILIA, ANDREA ZERBONI, STEFANO BENAZZI, SPINAPOLICE ENZA ELENASARA SILVESTRINI, MATTEO ROMANDINI, GIULIA MARCIANI, SIMONA ARRIGHI, LISA CARRERA, ANDREA FIORINI, JUAN MANUEL LÓPEZ-GARCÍA, FEDERICO LUGLI, FILOMENA RANALDO, VIVIANE SLON, LAURA TASSONI, OWEN ALEXANDER HIGGINS, EUGENIO BORTOLINI, ANTONIO CURCI, MATTHIAS MEYER, MICHAEL CHRISTIAN MEYER, GREGORIO OXILIA, ANDREA ZERBONI, STEFANO BENAZZI, SPINAPOLICE ENZA ELEN

Backdating systematic shell ornament making in Europe to 45,000 years ago.

Personal ornaments are commonly linked to the emergence of symbolic behavior. Although their presence in Africa dates back to the Middle Stone Age, evidence of ornament manufacturing in Eurasia are sporadically observed in Middle Palaeolithic contexts, and until now, large-scale diffusion has been well documented only since the Upper Palaeolithic. Nevertheless, little is known during the period between ca. 50,000 and 40,000 years ago (ka), when modern humans colonized Eurasia replacing existing hominin populations such as the Neandertals, and a variety of “transitional” and/or early Upper Palaeolithic cultures emerged. Here, we present shell ornaments from the Uluzzian site of Grotta del Cavallo in Italy, southern Europe. Our results show evidence of a local production of shell beads for ornamental purposes as well as a trend toward higher homogeneity in tusk bead shape and size over time. The temporal interval of the layers of interest (45–40 ka) makes Cavallo the earliest known shell ornament making context in Europe

A new assemblage of late Neanderthal remains from Cova Simanya (NE Iberia)

This study presents an exceptional collection of 54 Late Pleistocene human remains that correspond to at least three Neanderthal individuals from Simanya Gran, the main gallery of Cova Simanya, located in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. The collection comprised 53 unpublished remains that were unearthed during the 1970s and an additional tooth discovered during 2021 excavations. The specimens represent an adult with a small stature, a periadolescent aged approximately 11.5 years, and an immature individual aged approximately 7.7 years, thus offering a more complete demographic perspective. The collection encompasses diverse anatomical parts including upper and lower dentition, mandible, vertebrae, and limb bones from both the upper and lower extremities. Attempts to extract aDNA were unsuccessful. Renewed archaeological investigations at Cova Simanya have facilitated the reevaluation of the original stratigraphic context of these remains, leading to the discovery of the additional tooth, aligning with the periadolescent individual. This assemblage is currently the most extensive Neanderthal collection from the northeastern Mediterranean Iberia, offering invaluable insights into the morphology and evolutionary trajectory of Late Pleistocene hominins. Hence, Simanya Neanderthals will enhance our understanding of Neanderthal demographics and evolution, paving the way for an in-depth examination of the morphological diversity and evolutionary context of Iberian Neanderthals.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the projects PID2021-122356NB-I00 (MNCN-CSIC, AR), PID2020-113960GB-I00 (UB, JF), PID2021-124590NB-I00 (MCNB, CL-F), PID2019-103987GB-C31 (IPHES-CERCA), and PID2021-126004NB-100 (IBE-UPF-CSIC, TM-B); the AGAUR through the research groups 2021 SGR 01237 (IPHES-CERCA, EA), 2021 SGR 00337 (UB, JF), and 2021 SGR 00177 (IBE-UPF-CSIC, TM-B); the Culture Department of the Generalitat de Catalunya through the project ARQ001SOL-172-2022; and the Diputació de Barcelona and the Fundación Palarq. MS was funded by the UAM Tomás y Valiente Program, JR by the European Union-Next Generation EU, Ministry of Universities and UA (MARSALAS21-22), and DL by the Xunta de Galicia Grant ED481B-2022-048. ST and TM-B received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program (grant agreement no. 803147 RESOLUTION, https://site.unibo.it/resolution-erc/en (ST), and no. 864203 (TM-B)]. IPHES-CERCA received financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the “María de Maeztu” program for Units of Excellence (CEX 2019-000945-M)

SARS-COV-2 AND ARBOVIRUS INFECTIONS: PROTOCOL FOR A RAPID LIVING SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Context and objective: While cases of COVID-19 disease increase daily worldwide, outbreaks of arboviral infections have affected health systems of countries in tropical regions. The outcomes for patients and health systems of a possible syndemic are not clarified yet. Thus, we aim to systematically review the literature searching for evidence that describes the clinical presentation, severity and prognostic of SARS-CoV-2 and Arboviral coinfection. Design and setting: Protocol for a rapid living systematic review, that will follow the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews recommendations. We will include prospective and retrospective cohort, case-control studies and case series of patients with confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 and Arboviral infection. We will perform the search strategy with no language restrictions on Medline via PubMed, Embase via Elsevier, Cochrane Library - Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Portal Regional BVS - LILACS, Scopus and WebOfScience to identify published, ongoing, and unpublished studies. The selection and extraction will be performed by two authors. We will perform the critical appraisal of included studies with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the certainty of evidence will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE).   &nbsp

PROGNOSTIC FACTORS FOR CLINICAL COURSE OF PATIENTS WITH COVID-19: PROTOCOL FOR A RAPID LIVING SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Determining prognostic factors in a context of health crises such as the COVID-19 scenario may provide the best possible care for patients and optimize the management and the resource utilization of the health system. Thus, we aim to systematically review the prognostic factors for different outcomes of patients with COVID-19. DESIGN AND SETTING: Protocol for a rapid living systematic review methodology following the recommendations proposed by the Cochrane Handbook. METHODS: We will include cohorts and case‐control studies. We will search Medline via PubMed, Embase via Elsevier, Cochrane Library - Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Portal Regional BVS- LILACS, Scopus and WebofScience to identify studies. No language restrictions will be applied. We will perform the critical appraisal of included studies with the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool and the certainty of evidence will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE)

Pharmacological interventions for COVID-19: Protocol for a Rapid Living Systematic Review with network meta-analysis

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged in China in December 2019 and rapidly spread. Although extraordinary efforts have been made on research regarding pharmacological interventions, none have proven effective. This is the protocol for a rapid living systematic review that aims to compare the effectiveness and safety of different pharmacological interventions for the treatment of COVID-19. METHODS: rapid living systematic review methodology with Network Meta-Analysis following the recommendations of Cochrane Handbook. We will include randomized controlled trials (RCT) and quasi-RCTs that evaluate single and/or combined pharmacological interventions at any dose for the treatment of COVID-19. We will search Medline via PubMed, Embase via Elsevier, Cochrane Library - Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Portal Regional BVS - LILACS, Scopus and WebofScience to identify potentially eligible studies. No language restrictions will be used in the selection. We will perform the critical appraisal of included studies with the Risk of Bias tool and the certainty of evidence will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE)

Telehealth interventions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Protocol for a scoping review

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The current health crisis due to COVID-19 is forcing us to profoundly rethink our social organizations and practices in health. While there is no effective treatment for the virus, staying home and social isolation are the control measures recommended by health authorities. The aim of this study is to perform a scoping review in order to summarize the current evidence in telehealth for COVID-19. METHODS: This study is a protocol to describe the rationale, hypothesis and planned methods of our scoping review. We will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, qualitative studies, and/or case series that describe telehealth interventions applied or developed to respond to COVID-19. We will search Medline via PubMed, Embase via Elsevier, Cochrane Library - Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Portal Regional BVS - LILACS, and Scopus. We will include studies performed since December 2019 with no language restrictions. We will use the Risk of Bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to perform the critical appraisal of included studies. We will assess the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE)