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The majority of patients with Follicular Lymphoma (FL) experience subsequent phases of remission and relapse, making the disease "virtually" incurable. To predict the outcome of FL patients at diagnosis, various clinical-based prognostic scores have been proposed; nonetheless, they continue to fail for a subset of patients. Gene expression profiling has highlighted the pivotal role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in the FL prognosis; nevertheless, there is still a need to standardize the assessment of immune-infiltrating cells for the prognostic classification of patients with early or late progressing disease. We studied a retrospective cohort of 49 FL lymph node biopsies at the time of the initial diagnosis using pathologist-guided analysis on whole slide images, and we characterized the immune repertoire for both quantity and distribution (intrafollicular, IF and extrafollicular, EF) of cell subsets in relation to clinical outcome. We looked for the natural killer (CD56), T lymphocyte (CD8, CD4, PD1) and macrophage (CD68, CD163, MA4A4A)-associated markers. High CD163/CD8 EF ratios and high CD56/MS4A4A EF ratios, according to Kaplan-Meier estimates were linked with shorter EFS (event-free survival), with the former being the only one associated with POD24. In contrast to IF CD68+ cells, which represent a more homogeneous population, higher in non-progressing patients, EF CD68+ macrophages did not stratify according to survival. We also identify distinctive MS4A4A+CD163-macrophage populations with different prognostic weights. Enlarging the macrophage characterization and combining it with a lymphoid marker in the rituximab era, in our opinion, may enable prognostic stratification for low-/high-grade FL patients beyond POD24. These findings warrant validation across larger FL cohorts.

GreenFlexJET is an EU funded project that is developing a pre-commercial demonstration plant to produce sustainable aviation fuel from waste vegetable oil and organic solid waste biomass. The plant will demonstrate the integration of the SABR-TCR technology i.e., transesterification (TRANS), hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and hydrocracking/isomerisation (HC) and Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®) combined with hydrogen separation through pressure swing adsorption (PSA) to produce a fully equivalent jet fuel (compliant with ASTM D7566 Standards). The project plant installed close to waste sources and product off-takers at Gloucestershire Park of Science and Technology, Berkeley (UK) will produce 1,200 tonnes of jet fuel from around 3,600 tonnes of waste vegetable oil and 3,500 tonnes of dried organic waste per year. The demonstration plant will provide a real example of how sustainable aviation biofuels can be produced economically on a large scale, whilst simultaneously addressing social and environmental sustainability., Proceedings of the 30th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 9-12 May 2022, Online, pp. 902-905

The H2020 To-Syn-Fuel project aims to demonstrate a sustainable process able to transform waste biomass such as dried sewage sludge into renewable liquid fuels and hydrogen. The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming TCR® is implemented in a new process integrated with hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technologies to convert a wide range of residual biomass into three main products: H2-rich synthesis gas, biochar and a liquid bio-oil that can be upgraded to green fuels capable of being used directly in automotive internal combustion engines without modification, as they fulfil EN fuel standards. In this project, the operational capacity of TCR® is designed for up to 500 kg per hour of sewage sludge at a water content of 5-15 %,which yields up to 50 litres/hour of biofuel. The main purpose of this unit, a pilot plant built in MarktHohenburg, district of Amberg-Sulzbach (Germany), is the long-term operation of a pre-commercial demonstrator. By demonstrating all the essential process steps in an industrial operational environment, the project will advance the technology’s technical readiness to level 7 while achieving the main aim of the project. This is the final step of development before the technology reaches full commercial scale. The first testing campaigns with TCR® have shown very satisfying performance, with the biocrude oil quality being in line with expectations. Also, the business plan and the socio-environmental sustainability analysis for the process provide very positive outcomes., Proceedings of the 30th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 9-12 May 2022, Online, pp. 854-861

In developed countries, the largest share of food is wasted at the household level. Household food waste results from a complex interaction between economic factors, well-established routines, and social norms. To explain this interaction, we propose a simple model of waste behavior where the individual and social economic costs generated by wasting are counterbalanced by the security and status generated through acquiring excess food, thus causing a social dilemma. This trade-off is mediated by social capital, which measures the intensity with which each individual within a community evaluates the negative effects of waste. We test this model's hypotheses using a 2016 dataset of food behaviors and opinions of Italian households, which we merge with variables known to elicit the local level of social capital. We find individual food waste levels to be negatively related with social capital. Contrastingly, status concerns with respect to food and the lack of organizational abilities are both more prevalent in low social capital areas, and are related to increased food waste. This relationship is mediated by income.

The H2020 To-Syn-Fuel project aims to demonstrate a sustainable process able to transform waste biomass such as dried sewage sludge into renewable liquid fuels and hydrogen. The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming TCR® is implemented in a new process integrated with hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technologies to convert a wide range of residual biomass into three main products: H2-rich synthesis gas, biochar and a liquid bio-oil that can be upgraded to green fuels capable of being used directly in automotive internal combustion engines without modification, as they fulfil EN fuel standards. In this project, the operational capacity of TCR® is designed for up to 500 kg per hour of sewage sludge at a water content of 5-15 %. The main purpose of this unit is the long-term operation of a pre-commercial demonstrator. This is the final step of development before the technology reaches full commercial scale. This integrated unit is ready to operate from summer 2021 for up to 5,000 hours of operation and for the production of more than 200,000 liters of biocrude oil. By the end of the project the TCR®/PSA/HDO technology will have been validated at TRL-7 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment) and the business plan and environmental/social sustainability analysis for the technology will be complete.

The use of biofuels made from biomass provides a renewable alternative to fossil fuels in the European Union's transport sector. The RED II defines the GHG emissions criteria that bioliquids used in transport must comply with. For biofuel producers this implies that they need to calculate their CO2 equivalent emissions. This work aims to compare two calculation tools for lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) assessment of biofuels produced from municipal sewage sludge by an innovative integrative system plant (TCR®-PSA-HDO integrated system) as required by the Renewable Energy Directive. The compared tools are “BioGrace GHG calculation tool” recognised as a voluntary scheme by the European Commission and a conventional LCA tool such as “GaBi Software”. The greenhouse gas emission savings of biofuel produced by the TCR®-PSA-HDO integrated system is evaluated and compared with conventional fuel (diesel and gasoline). Results obtained through the two methodologies were entirely consistent among each other.

Recent randomized trials focused on gene expression-based determination of the cell of origin in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma could not show significant improvements by adding novel agents to standard chemoimmunotherapy. The aim of this study was the identification of a gene signature able to refine current prognostication algorithms and applicable to clinical practice. Here we used a targeted gene expression profiling panel combining the Lymph2Cx signature for cell of origin classification with additional targets including MYC, BCL-2 and NFKBIA, in 186 patients from 2 randomized trials (discovery cohort) (NCT00355199 and NCT00499018). Data were validated in 3 independent series (2 large public datasets and a real-life cohort). By integrating the cell of origin, MYC/BCL-2 double expressor status and NFKBIA expression, we defined a 3-gene signature combining MYC, BCL-2 and NFKBIA (MBN-signature), which outperformed the MYC/BCL-2 double expressor status in multivariate analysis, and allowed further risk stratification within the germinal center B-cell/unclassified subset. The high-risk (MBN Sig-high) subgroup identified the vast majority of double hit cases and a significant fraction of Activated B-Cell-derived diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. These results were validated in 3 independent series including a cohort from the REMoDL-B trial, where, in an exploratory ad hoc analysis, the addition of bortezomib in the MBN Sig-high subgroup provided a progression free survival advantage compared with standard chemoimmunotherapy. These data indicate that a simple 3-gene signature based on MYC, BCL-2 and NFKBIA could refine the prognostic stratification in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and might be the basis for future precision-therapy approaches.

The H2020 To-Syn-Fuel project aims to demonstrate a sustainable process able to transform waste biomass such as sewage sludge into renewable liquid fuels and hydrogen. The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming TCR® will be implemented in a new process integrated with hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technologies to convert a wide range of residual biomass into three main products: H2-rich synthesis gas, biochar and a liquid bio-oil that can be upgraded to green fuels capable of being used directly in automotive internal combustion engines without modification, as they fulfil EN fuel standards. In this project, the operational capacity of TCR is designed for up to 500 kg per hour of sewage sludge at a water content of 5-15%. The main purpose of this unit is the long-term operation of a pre-commercial demonstrator. This is the final step of development before the technology is reaches full commercial scale. This integrated unit is going to be commissioned in 2020 and operated from 2021 for up to 5,000 hours of operation and for the production of more than 200,000 liters of biocrude oil.

Algae have been widely studied as a source of organic matter used by industrial technologies for the production of third generation biofuels, as well as for numerous other possible applications (e.g. human and animal food, environmental engineering solutions). In the energy field, the aim of using algae is to seek alternatives and sustainable energy solutions to fuels deriving from fossil fuels, but also from first- and second-generation biofuels. This paper describes results of a four-year experimental project for the development of a low-scale demonstration plant of an advanced energy system based on the massive cultivation of microalgae and their treatment. In particular, the article focuses on the results of the Life Cycle Assessment developed on the entire plant. The study compares the environmental impacts and the energy demand of different scenarios, analyzing their overall effects and evaluating alternative technological solutions, as well as further possible design alternatives. The system boundaries include algae cultivation, algae collection, lipids extraction, transesterification to produce bio-oil from lipids and anaerobic digestion of residual biomass. Results are be compared to those of conventional biodiesel from rape.

The H2020 To-Syn-Fuel project aims to demonstrate a sustainable process able to transform waste biomass such as dried sewage sludge into renewable liquid fuels and hydrogen. The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming TCR®is implemented in a new process integrated with hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technologies to convert a wide range of residual biomass into three main products: H2-rich synthesis gas, biochar and a liquid bio-oil that can be upgraded to green fuels capable of being used directly in automotive internal combustion engines without modification, as they fulfil EN fuel standards. In this project, the operational capacity of TCR® is designed for up to 500 kg per hour of sewage sludge at a water content of 5-15 %. The main purpose of this unit is the long-term operation of a pre-commercial demonstrator. This is the final step of development before the technology reaches full commercial scale. This integrated unit is ready to operate from summer 2021 for up to 5,000 hours of operation and for the production of more than 200,000 liters of biocrude oil. By the end of the project the TCR®/PSA/HDO technology will have been validated at TRL-7 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment) and the business plan and environmental/social sustainability analysis for the technology will be complete.

The use of biofuels made from biomass provides a renewable alternative to fossil fuels in the European Union's transport sector. The RED II defines the GHG emissions criteria that bioliquids used in transport must comply with. For biofuel producers this implies that they need to calculate their CO2 equivalent emissions. This work aims to compare two calculation tools for lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) assessment of biofuels produced from municipal sewage sludge by an innovative integrative system plant (TCR®-PSA-HDO integrated system) as required by the Renewable Energy Directive. The compared tools are "BioGrace GHG calculation tool" recognised as a voluntary scheme by the European Commission and a conventional LCA tool such as "GaBi Software". The greenhouse gas emission savings of biofuel produced by the TCR®-PSA-HDO integrated system is evaluated and compared with conventional fuel (diesel and gasoline). Results obtained through the two methodologies were entirely consistent among each other.

Food Waste is problem related to all the actors of the Food Value Chain: producers, retailers and consumers. In this context, retail sector plays an important role in tackling the food waste problem. Food waste at the retail level can be reduced through the adoption of food waste reducing innovations. The authors investigate the most relevant factors that promote the adoption of those innovations among retailers.

FlexJET project will build a pre-commercial demonstration plant for the production of advanced sustainable aviation biofuel (SAF) from waste vegetable oil and organic solid waste biomass, successfully demonstrating the “Sustainable Aviation through Biofuel Refining” (SABR) process for the refining biodiesel from organic waste oils combined with Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®) combined with hydrogen separation through pressure swing adsorption (PSA)) to produce SAF, a fully equivalent jet fuel blend (in compliant with ASTM D7566 Standards). This project will deliver respective environmental and social sustainability mapping of SAF production and it will validate its a comprehensive exploitation. The consortium brings together some of the most renowned scientific departments, applied research institutions, key industrial companies in the renewable energy sector, particularly in terms of bioenergy studies and the development of relevant projects in Europe. Partners are from 5 different European countries. From 2018 until 2022, this conjoined effort will make use of the precious assistance of respected industry experts to advise and guide the project.

Web users, even when not actively looking for a product, are continuously targeted by offers that potentially fit their interests. Does this kind of targeting always promote transactions with high social value? We consider a model in which a two-sided platform is visited by sellers seeking to promote their products and by users with state-contingent preferences about those products. Depending on its targeting ability, the platform could be able to target users by tailored advertising banners. We show that persuasion is stronger when targeting ability is maximal, fueling purchases that rational individuals may regret due to the persuasive nature of banners.

The H2020 To-Syn-Fuel project aims to demonstrate a sustainable process able to transform waste biomass such as sewage sludge into renewable liquid fuels and hydrogen. The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming TCR® will be implemented in a new process integrated with hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technologies to convert a wide range of residual biomass into three main products: H2-rich synthesis gas, biochar and a liquid bio-oil that can be upgraded to green fuels capable of being used directly in automotive internal combustion engines without modification, as they fulfil EN fuel standards. In this project, the operational capacity of TCR is designed for up to 500 kg per hour of sewage sludge at a water content of 5-15 %. The main purpose of this unit is the long-term operation of a pre-commercial demonstrator. This is the final step of development before the technology is reaches full commercial scale. This integrated unit is going to be commissioned in 2020 and operated from 2021 for up to 5,000 hours of operation and for the production of more than 200,000 liters of biocrude oil.

Polychaetes play a prominent role in marine systems, but little is known about their secondary metabolites compared with other benthic taxa. In the present study, we investigated the toxicity of hallachrome, an unusual 1-2 anthraquinone identified from the skin of some polychaetes, including the Mediterranean infaunal species Halla parthenopeia. Under stress conditions, this worm releases a harmful purple mucus, whose noxious compounds were still unknown. We hypothesized that hallachrome also occurs in the purple mucus, giving rise to its color and toxicity. Soon after the production of the purple exudate, H. parthenopeia also secretes a harmless, transparent mucus, which pushes away the toxic one, suggesting protective functions for the worm itself. LC-MS and 1H-NMR analyses confirmed the presence of the pigment hallachrome in the purple mucus. The average concentration of the pigment in the purple mucus was about 310 mg L-1. Ecotoxicological bioassays on representative species of bacteria, protozoans, rotifers, crustaceans (Artemia franciscana) and polychaetes (Dinophilus gyrociliatus) revealed its severe toxic effects: LC50/EC50 values ranged from 0.11-5.67 mg L-1. Hallachrome showed higher toxicity for A. franciscana than other naturally occurring anthraquinones. Tests on encapsulated embryos of D. gyrociliatus evidenced the ability of a mucus layer to limit hallachrome diffusion, confirming the protective role of the transparent mucus. Given the information available on polychaetes anti-predator strategies, hallachrome cannot be considered a consumer deterrent. However its toxicity and wide range of activity suggest chemical defensive functions against potential competitors, parasites and/or pathogens., Invertebrate Survival Journal, Vol 16 No 1 (2019)