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

Enhanced interferon regulatory factor 3 binding to the interleukin-23p19 promoter correlates with enhanced interleukin-23 expression in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) in the regulation of interleukin-23 (IL-23) production in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Bone marrow-derived macrophages were isolated from both wild-type and IRF3(-/-) C57BL/6 mice. These cells were stimulated with the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR-3) agonist poly(I-C), and IL-23p19 cytokine levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IRF-3 binding to the IL-23p19 gene promoter region in monocytes from patients with SLE and healthy control subjects was analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. Luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to identify key drivers of IL-23p19 promoter activity. TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK-1) protein levels were determined by Western blotting. RESULTS: ChIP assays demonstrated that IRF-3 was stably bound to the human IL-23p19 promoter in monocytes; this association increased following TLR-3 stimulation. Patients with SLE demonstrated increased levels of IRF-3 bound to the IL-23p19 promoter compared with control subjects, which correlated with enhanced IL-23p19 production in monocytes from patients with SLE. Investigations of the TLR-3-driven responses in monocytes from patients with SLE revealed that TBK-1, which is critical for regulating IRF-3 activity, was hyperactivated in both resting and TLR-3-stimulated cells. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate for the first time that patients with SLE display enhanced IL-23p19 expression as a result of hyperactivation of TBK-1, resulting in increased binding of IRF-3 to the promoter. These findings provide novel insights into the molecular pathogenesis of SLE and the potential role for TLR-3 in driving this response

Disease-Modifying Therapies and Coronavirus Disease 2019 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the impact of immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies on the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Methods: We retrospectively collected data of PwMS with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. All the patients had complete follow-up to death or recovery. Severe COVID-19 was defined by a 3-level variable: mild disease not requiring hospitalization versus pneumonia or hospitalization versus intensive care unit (ICU) admission or death. We evaluated baseline characteristics and MS therapies associated with severe COVID-19 by multivariate and propensity score (PS)-weighted ordinal logistic models. Sensitivity analyses were run to confirm the results. Results: Of 844 PwMS with suspected (n = 565) or confirmed (n = 279) COVID-19, 13 (1.54%) died; 11 of them were in a progressive MS phase, and 8 were without any therapy. Thirty-eight (4.5%) were admitted to an ICU; 99 (11.7%) had radiologically documented pneumonia; 96 (11.4%) were hospitalized. After adjusting for region, age, sex, progressive MS course, Expanded Disability Status Scale, disease duration, body mass index, comorbidities, and recent methylprednisolone use, therapy with an anti-CD20 agent (ocrelizumab or rituximab) was significantly associated (odds ratio [OR] = 2.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-4.74, p = 0.015) with increased risk of severe COVID-19. Recent use (<1 month) of methylprednisolone was also associated with a worse outcome (OR = 5.24, 95% CI = 2.20-12.53, p = 0.001). Results were confirmed by the PS-weighted analysis and by all the sensitivity analyses. Interpretation: This study showed an acceptable level of safety of therapies with a broad array of mechanisms of action. However, some specific elements of risk emerged. These will need to be considered while the COVID-19 pandemic persists

COVID-19 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis: Putting Data Into Context

Background and objectives: It is unclear how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the severity of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to compare COVID-19-related outcomes collected in an Italian cohort of patients with MS with the outcomes expected in the age- and sex-matched Italian population. Methods: Hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death after COVID-19 diagnosis of 1,362 patients with MS were compared with the age- and sex-matched Italian population in a retrospective observational case-cohort study with population-based control. The observed vs the expected events were compared in the whole MS cohort and in different subgroups (higher risk: Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score > 3 or at least 1 comorbidity, lower risk: EDSS score ≤ 3 and no comorbidities) by the χ2 test, and the risk excess was quantified by risk ratios (RRs). Results: The risk of severe events was about twice the risk in the age- and sex-matched Italian population: RR = 2.12 for hospitalization (p < 0.001), RR = 2.19 for ICU admission (p < 0.001), and RR = 2.43 for death (p < 0.001). The excess of risk was confined to the higher-risk group (n = 553). In lower-risk patients (n = 809), the rate of events was close to that of the Italian age- and sex-matched population (RR = 1.12 for hospitalization, RR = 1.52 for ICU admission, and RR = 1.19 for death). In the lower-risk group, an increased hospitalization risk was detected in patients on anti-CD20 (RR = 3.03, p = 0.005), whereas a decrease was detected in patients on interferon (0 observed vs 4 expected events, p = 0.04). Discussion: Overall, the MS cohort had a risk of severe events that is twice the risk than the age- and sex-matched Italian population. This excess of risk is mainly explained by the EDSS score and comorbidities, whereas a residual increase of hospitalization risk was observed in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and a decrease in people on interferon

DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.39–3.02, p < 0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.18–0.99, p = 0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

Percezione verbale nel rumore e beneficio soggettivo nell\u2019adulto ipoacusico candidato all\u2019utilizzo del sistema CROS o BiCROS wireless

I sistemi CROS e BiCROS wireless sono degli ausili protesici uditivi costituiti da un apparecchio acustico retroauricolare per via aerea (HA) di nuova generazione applicato ad un orecchio e da un piccolo dispositivo retrauricolare che funge da microfono-trasmettitore (CROS-Mic) posizionato nell\u2019orecchio opposto, collegati tra loro via radiofrequenza. Essi permettono ad un orecchio di ricevere tramite l\u2019HA i suoni che arrivano all\u2019orecchio controlaterale captati con il CROS-Mic, diminuendo sensibilmente l\u2019effetto di attenuazione del capo. Il sistema CROS pu\uf2 essere indicato nei soggetti affetti da ipoacusia monolaterale di entit\ue0 severa-profonda non protesizzabile, mentre i candidati all\u2019utilizzo del sistema BiCROS sono i soggetti con una ipoacusia neurosensoriale bilaterale asimmetrica in cui un orecchio sia gi\ue0 stato adeguatamente protesizzato con un HA e l\u2019altro non tragga sufficiente beneficio da una amplificazione acustica. Le differenze tra i due sistemi sono: - nel CROS, l\u2019HA \ue8 applicato all\u2019orecchio normoacusico ed essendo del tipo open-fit non occlude il condotto uditivo esterno, non alterando di per s\ue9 la percezione uditiva, e riceve l\u2019input acustico unicamente dal CROS-Mic, poich\ue9 il microfono dell\u2019apparecchio acustico (HA-Mic) \ue8 disattivo; - nel BiCROS, l\u2019HA \ue8 applicato all\u2019orecchio ipoacusico gi\ue0 adattato all\u2019amplificazione con un accoppiamento acustico mediante chiocciola auricolare occludente, e riceve l\u2019input acustico sia dal proprio microfono (HA-Mic) sia dal CROS-Mic posto controlateralmente. Lo studio riporta i risultati in termini di percezione verbale nel rumore e di beneficio soggettivo in due gruppi di 14 e 17 soggetti ipoacusici adulti candidati all\u2019utilizzo del dispositivo Phonak wireless CROS e BiCROS, rispettivamente, selezionati secondo i criteri audiologici descritti sopra, valutati senza e con il dispositivo a distanza di un mese di adattamento. Per valutare la percezione verbale, sono stati somministrati test standardizzati di riconoscimento di parole utilizzando come segnale (S) parole bisillabiche e frasi inviate in campo libero da tre altoparlanti pilotati da PC, posizionati di fronte (0\ub0), a destra (+90\ub0) e a sinistra (-90\ub0) rispetto al soggetto, alla intensit\ue0 di 70 dB SPL, e con rumore di competizione (N) di pari intensit\ue0, secondo cinque modalit\ue0 di invio: I) S e N da 0\ub0, II) S da 0\ub0 e N da +90\ub0, III) S da 0\ub0 e N da -90\ub0, IV) S da +90\ub0 e N da -90\ub0, V) S da -90\ub0 e N da +90\ub0. Come gruppo di controllo \ue8 stato utilizzato un campione di 10 soggetti adulti normoacusici (et\ue0 media 41aa). Per la valutazione del beneficio soggettivo sono stati utilizzati i questionari APHAB e SSQ in versione italiana. I risultati sono stati uniformati riportandoli in riferimento all\u2019orecchio con AA (Ebetter) e a quello con il CROS-Mic (Epoorer), e non a seconda del lato destro e sinistro. Si evidenzia che: - l'utilizzo del CROS determina il sensibile incremento dei punteggi medi di riconoscimento di parole bisillabiche e di parole in frasi quando S \ue8 inviato all\u2019Epoorer e N all\u2019Ebetter, rispettivamente dal 13.6% al 47.1% e dal 7.4% al 51.2%, ma \ue8 anche causa di un lieve peggioramento degli stessi punteggi di riconoscimento nella modalit\ue0 inversa di presentazione, cio\ue8 quando S \ue8 inviato all\u2019 Ebetter e N all\u2019Epoorer, con percentuali che calano rispettivamente dal 93.2% al 76.4% e dal 98.7% all\u201989.9%; nelle altre modalit\ue0 di presentazione del S/N, non si apprezzano variazioni significative. - il BiCROS, allo stesso modo del CROS, garantisce un miglioramento dal 6.5% al 27.3% e dall\u20191.9% al 17.6%, del riconoscimento di parole bisillabiche e di parole in frasi, rispettivamente, quando S \ue8 inviato all\u2019Epoorer e N all\u2019Ebetter, senza ulteriori significative variazioni in tutte le altre modalit\ue0 di test. I risultati dei questionari APHAB e SSQ hanno evidenziato nei due gruppi che l\u2019utilizzo del CROS e del BiCROS determina un miglioramento significativo dei punteggi medi

Short-Term Exposure to Benzo(a)Pyrene Causes Disruption of GnRH Network in Zebrafish Embryos

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is considered a common endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) with mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. In this work, we evaluated the effects of BaP on the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG) of zebrafish embryos. The embryos were treated with 5 and 50 nM BaP from 2.5 to 72 hours post-fertilization (hpf) and obtained data were compared with those from controls. We followed the entire development of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH3) neurons that start to proliferate from the olfactory region at 36 hpf, migrate at 48 hpf and then reach the pre-optic area and the hypothalamus at 72 hpf. Interestingly, we observed a compromised neuronal architecture of the GnRH3 network after the administration of 5 and 50 nM BaP. Given the toxicity of this compound, we evaluated the expression of genes involved in antioxidant activity, oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis and we found an upregulation of these pathways. Consequently, we performed a TUNEL assay and we confirmed an increment of cell death in brain of embryos treated with BaP. In conclusion our data reveal that short-term exposure of zebrafish embryos to BaP affects GnRH3 development likely through a neurotoxic mechanism

Ageing of PCCD aliphatic polyesters: Effect of stereochemistry and ionic chain terminals

A series of poly(1,4-cyclohexylenedimethylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) (PCCD) samples, charac-terized by different cis/trans ratio of the 1,4-cyclohexanedicarbonyl units, and a PCCD ionomer, containing3 mol% of ionic terminal groups, were exposed to accelerated UV in order to study the molecular modi-fications occurring during the ageing period and correlate them to the initial macromolecular structure.A relationship between stereochemistry and sensitivity towards oxidative degradation was found: withthe increment of the trans content in 1,4-cyclohexylene units of the samples, the materials proved moreresistant to oxidation processes. Moreover, some degradation mechanisms were determined: chain com-bination process prevails at short exposure times while chain scissions are predominant at long ageingtimes. It is worth noting that the presence of terminal ionic groups causes a sizable modification of thedegradation processes: only chain recombinations take place. This study aims at improving knowledgenecessary to design novel (co)polyesters characterized by well adapted physical, thermal and mechanicalproperties, and also, with well adapted durability to their application