Challenges and alternatives for the adequacy of hydrothermal carbonization of lignocellulosic biomass in cleaner production systems:a review

Abstract Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is considered an attractive and constantly expanding eco-friendly methodology for thermochemical processing of different types of biomass in energy, carbonaceous materials, structured hybrids, and other chemical products. However, some challenges for the technique to be adequate in clean production need to be overcome. In this way, a comprehensive review is presented regarding the process variables, fundamentals, properties, possible uses of the products obtained and the challenges for cleaner production. This paper stands out in relation to those available in the literature when gathering exclusive information on hydrothermal carbonization with a focus on lignocellulosic biomass, the possibility of reusing the wastewater from HTC in recirculation processes and the challenges of the technique aiming at the sustainability of the process. Initially, we discuss the general concepts and reactional mechanisms involved in the methodology and then it explored the physical-chemical properties and possible applications of hydrochar, the modification methodologies and activation processes to obtain activated carbon in an eco-friendly approach. Current knowledge gaps and the overcoming of challenges such as the recirculation of the aqueous phase of hydrothermal carbonization are also discussed together with new perspectives and alternatives for the technique based on a biorefinery system, in order to enable a wider exploration of hydrothermal carbonization of its great potential in a cleaner production concept

Obtenção de hydrochar a partir de carbonização hidrotérmica de cascas do fruto de Magonia pubescens A. St. Hil. Sapindaceae:caracterização e avaliação em processo de adsorção

Resumo A Carbonização hidrotermal (HTC) de cascas do fruto de Magonia pubescens A. St. Hil. Sapindaceae (Tingui do cerrado) é apresentada como uma proposta inédita na produção de hydrochars a partir de precursores de espécies do Cerrado Brasileiro, onde se verificou a influência da temperatura nas propriedades dos materiais obtidos. Os hyrochar obtidos foram caracterizados em termos de rendimento em peso, análise elementar e estimativa do poder calorífico superior (PCS), análise de espectroscopia na região do infravermelho (FT-IR), difratometria de raios-x (DRX) e avaliação da capacidade de adsorção. O aumento da temperatura afetou negativamente o rendimento do hydrochar, o qual variou entre 46,25 % e 27,42%, nas temperaturas de 170 e 190 °C, respectivamente. Hydrochars com maior teor de carbono (64,10%) foram obtidos em baixa temperatura (170 °C), o qual também apresentou maior poder calorífico superior (23,94 MJ kg⁻¹) e área superficial específica (44,0 m².g⁻¹). A evolução das razões atômicas H/C e O/C indicou processos de desidratação e descarboxilação durante a carbonização hidrotérmica. As isotermas de adsorção-dessorção de N₂ a -176 ºC, resultantes da análise das propriedades texturais e estruturais, demonstraram a presença de mesoporos na estrutura dos hydrochars. Na avaliação da capacidade de adsorção com azul de metileno, a isoterma de Langmuir foi a que melhor explicou o comportamento de adsorção, tendo os hydrochars obtidos a 170 e 180 °C as maiores capacidades de adsorção (139,38 e 202,40 mg g⁻¹, respectivamente). Os resultados indicaram a carbonização hidrotermal de cascas do fruto de tingui como uma nova estratégia para o desenvolvimento de hydrochars com alto rendimento, teor de carbono elevado e alta eficiência de adsorção, valores superiores a diversos trabalhos encontrados na literatura.Abstract Obtaining hydrochar via hydrothermal carbonization of Magonia pubescens A. St. Hil. Sapindaceae fruit bark : characterization and evaluation of its adsorptive properties The hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of bark of the fruit of Magonia pubescens A. St. Hil. Sapindaceae (Tingui do Cerrado) presents as an unprecedented proposal for the production of hydrochars from precursors of Brazilian Cerrado species, where the influence of temperature on the properties of the obtained materials is verified. The obtained hydrochar were characterized in terms of yield, elemental analysis, estimation of the higher calorific value, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and methylene blue adsorption. The temperature increases affected negatively hydrochar yield, which varied between 46,25% and 27,42%, at temperatures of 170 and 190 °C, respectively. Hydrochar with higher carbon content (64,10%), higher calorific value (23,94 MJ kg⁻¹) and specific surface area (44,0 m² g⁻¹) were obtained at 170 °C. The evolution of the atomic ratios H/C and O/C indicated processes of dehydration and decarboxylation during hydrothermal carbonization. The adsorption-desorption isotherms of N₂ at -176º C resulting from the analysis of the textural and structural properties demonstrated the presence of mesopores in the structure of the hydrochars. In the evaluation of the adsorption capacity with methylene blue, the adsorption data correlated well with the Langmuir isotherm. In this analysis, the hydrochars obtained at 170 and 180 °C demonstrated the highest adsorption capacity (Qmax = 139,38 and 202,40 mg g⁻¹, respectively). The results indicated the hydrothermal carbonization of the bark of the tingui fruit as a new strategy for the development of hydrochars with high yield, high carbon content and high adsorption efficiency, higher values than several papers found in the literature

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licenseBackground: Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide. Methods: A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study—a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·85 [95% CI 2·58–5·75]; p<0·0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63·0% vs 82·7%; OR 0·35 [0·23–0·53]; p<0·0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer. Interpretation: Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised. Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research

Global variation in postoperative mortality and complications after cancer surgery: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 82 countries

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licenseBackground: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods: This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03471494. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation: Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit

Pancreatic surgery outcomes: multicentre prospective snapshot study in 67 countries

Background: Pancreatic surgery remains associated with high morbidity rates. Although postoperative mortality appears to have improved with specialization, the outcomes reported in the literature reflect the activity of highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes following pancreatic surgery worldwide.Methods: This was an international, prospective, multicentre, cross-sectional snapshot study of consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic operations worldwide in a 3-month interval in 2021. The primary outcome was postoperative mortality within 90 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore relationships with Human Development Index (HDI) and other parameters.Results: A total of 4223 patients from 67 countries were analysed. A complication of any severity was detected in 68.7 percent of patients (2901 of 4223). Major complication rates (Clavien-Dindo grade at least IIIa) were 24, 18, and 27 percent, and mortality rates were 10, 5, and 5 per cent in low-to-middle-, high-, and very high-HDI countries respectively. The 90-day postoperative mortality rate was 5.4 per cent (229 of 4223) overall, but was significantly higher in the low-to-middle-HDI group (adjusted OR 2.88, 95 per cent c.i. 1.80 to 4.48). The overall failure-to-rescue rate was 21 percent; however, it was 41 per cent in low-to-middle-compared with 19 per cent in very high-HDI countries.Conclusion: Excess mortality in low-to-middle-HDI countries could be attributable to failure to rescue of patients from severe complications. The authors call for a collaborative response from international and regional associations of pancreatic surgeons to address management related to death from postoperative complications to tackle the global disparities in the outcomes of pancreatic surgery (NCT04652271; ISRCTN95140761)