•OFMSW compost is increasingly used in agriculture as a soil conditioner or fertilizer.•Regulations on compost quality show heterogeneity and blind spots in its characterization.•The need for ...standardized procedures to assess compost quality is highlighted.•The reliability of Italian regulation phytotoxicity parameter is evaluated.
Composting represents the most common option to recover material from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, due to the possibility to use compost as a fertilizer. To this end the assessment of compost quality needs to be adequately enforced in national regulations. This work aims at reviewing European regulations regarding compost quality, in order to identify the most common parameters used to define compost characteristics as fertilizer. It was found that the majority of European States requires the fulfilment of specific criteria, but a lack of uniformity in regulations and guidelines can be observed. In particular the approach to the evaluation of stability and maturity, which account for compost safe use on soils, shows great heterogeneity throughout Europe. As stability and maturity go hand in hand, the proper characterization of compost toxicity should rely on the determination of both parameters. The results of an annual monitoring of compost under the Italian regulation highlighted, indeed, that the evaluation of the germination index can provide only partial information on the product maturity but not reliable operating indication on compost inhibitory properties.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Chron's Disease is a chronic inflammatory intestinal disease, first described at the beginning of the last century. The disease is characterized by the alternation of periods of flares and remissions ...influenced by a complex pathogenesis in which inflammation plays a key role. Crohn's disease evolution is mediated by a complex alteration of the inflammatory response which is characterized by alterations of the innate immunity of the intestinal mucosa barrier together with a remodeling of the extracellular matrix through the expression of metalloproteins and increased adhesion molecules expression, such as MAcCAM-1. This reshaped microenvironment enhances leucocytes migration in the sites of inflammation, promoting a T
1 response, through the production of cytokines such as IL-12 and TNF-α. IL-12 itself and IL-23 have been targeted for the medical treatment of CD. Giving the limited success of medical therapies, the treatment of the disease is invariably surgical. This review will highlight the role of inflammation in CD and describe the surgical approaches for the prevention of the almost inevitable recurrence.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Protists, which are single-celled eukaryotes, critically influence the ecology and chemistry of marine ecosystems, but genome-based studies of these organisms have lagged behind those of other ...microorganisms. However, recent transcriptomic studies of cultured species, complemented by meta-omics analyses of natural communities, have increased the amount of genetic information available for poorly represented branches on the tree of eukaryotic life. This information is providing insights into the adaptations and interactions between protists and other microorganisms and macroorganisms, but many of the genes sequenced show no similarity to sequences currently available in public databases. A better understanding of these newly discovered genes will lead to a deeper appreciation of the functional diversity and metabolic processes in the ocean. In this Review, we summarize recent developments in our understanding of the ecology, physiology and evolution of protists, derived from transcriptomic studies of cultured strains and natural communities, and discuss how these novel large-scale genetic datasets will be used in the future.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
This paper studies the ability of the fuselage's lower lobe to absorb the energy during a crash landing, where the introduction of the composite materials can improve the crash survivability thanks ...to the crushing capability of structural parts to limit the effects of deceleration on the occupants. Providing a protective shell around the occupants and minimizing the risks of injuries during and immediately after the crash in the post-crash regime is a safety requirement.
This study consists of: (1) numerical and experimental investigations on small components to verify design concepts using high performance composite materials; (2) analyses of full scale crashes of fuselage lower lobes.
This paper outlines an approach for demonstrating the crashworthiness characteristics of the airframe performing a drop test at low velocity impact to validate a numerical model obtained by assembling structural components and materials' properties previously obtained by testing coupons and sub-elements.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Pazopanib is a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of patients with selective subtypes of advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) who have previously received standard ...chemotherapy including anthracyclines. Data on the efficacy in vascular sarcomas are limited. The main objective of this study was to investigate the activity of pazopanib in vascular sarcomas.
A retrospective study of patients with advanced vascular sarcomas, including angiosarcoma (AS), epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HE) and intimal sarcoma (IS) treated with pazopanib in real life practice at EORTC centers as well as patients treated within the EORTC phase II and III clinical trials (62043/62072) was performed. Patient and tumor characteristics were collected. Response was assessed according to RECIST 1.1. and survival analysis was performed.
Fifty-two patients were identified, 40 (76.9%), 10 (19.2%) and two (3.8%) with AS, HE and IS, respectively. The response rate was eight (20%), two (20%) and two (100%) in the AS, HE and IS subtypes, respectively. There was no significant difference in response rate between cutaneous and non-cutaneous AS and similarly between radiation-associated and non-radiation-associated AS. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and median overall survival (OS; from commencing pazopanib) were three months (95% CI 2.1-4.4) and 9.9 months (95% CI 6.5-11.3) in AS, respectively.
The activity of pazopanib in AS is comparable to its reported activity in other STS subtypes. In this study, the activity of pazopanib was similar in cutaneous/non-cutaneous and in radiation/non-radiation-associated AS. In addition, pazopanib showed promising activity in HE and IS, worthy of further evaluation.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In this article, a comprehensive overview of the global state-of-the-art in the development of aircraft passenger seat crashworthiness is presented. With the increasing use of aeroplanes as means of ...transport in everyday life, the probability of accidents and injuries has also increased. This trend makes the safety of human life a top priority for the airplane designers. Based on a large number of studies coming from different industrial branches, military organizations, and academic centers, this article presents a review of the crashworthiness of aircraft passenger seats from the aspect of research approaches, accident investigations, mechanism analysis of occupant injuries and aircraft damage, strategies of occupant protection, and crashworthy design (crash energy management design) and performance of aircraft structures during collision scenarios. Finally, the trends in scientific research regarding the improvement of aircraft seat structure design and material composition are summarized.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
In the present work, an experimental study is presented aimed at assessing the chronic toxicity of three imidazole-based ionic liquids, i.e. imidazole (IM), 1-methylimidazole (1MIM), ...1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride (1E3MIM), and 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride (1B3MIM), generally considered as environmentally friendly surrogates of traditional industrial solvents. In this study Daphnia magna was used as test organism due to its wide application in the ecotoxicological literature of ionic liquids, monitoring both the cumulative survival of exposed organisms, and their reproductive parameters. The intracellular oxidative stress of daphnids was also assessed through the determination of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Catalase activity (CAT). The chronic toxicity of their oxidized by-products (BPs), generated by advanced oxidation treatment with UV254/H2O2, was finally evaluated. Four generations of BPs were considered, each formed at reaction times higher than those required for the complete removal of the parent compounds. Results indicate that IM and 1MIM have a moderate chronic toxicity, which mainly affects reproductive parameters. On the contrary, 1E3MIM and 1B3MIM showed significantly higher chronic toxicity effects resulting in a significant increase in the mortality of exposed organisms compared to the controls. UV/H2O2 treatment of the compounds did not always reduce the observed effects, since the generated BPs have, in some cases, higher chronic toxicity than their corresponding parent compounds. Chronic toxic effects remained significant up to the fourth generation of BPs in the cases of 1E3MIM and 1B3MIM, whereas they were found to be negligible from the second generation of BPs in the case of IM and 1MIM. The results of oxidative stress measurements confirmed the previous findings, suggesting a potential risk for the aquatic ecosystem induced by the mentioned compounds and their BPs.
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•Ionic Liquids are Contaminants on Horizon with toxicity mechanism poorly understood UV-C/H2O2 are efficient treatment for their removal from aqueous matrices•Treated solutions showed residual toxicity due to the photo-generated byproducts.•Treated and untreated solutions affected survival and reproduction of Daphnia Magna.•Longer treatment times are required to reduce the chronic toxicity of the solutions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Degradation kinetics and mineralization of an urban wastewater treatment plant effluent contaminated with a mixture of pharmaceutical compounds composed of amoxicillin (10
mg L
−1), carbamazepine (5
...mg L
−1) and diclofenac (2.5
mg L
−1) by TiO
2 photocatalysis were investigated. The photocatalytic effect was investigated using both spiked distilled water and actual wastewater solutions. The process efficiency was evaluated through UV absorbance and TOC measurements. A set of bioassays (
Daphnia magna,
Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and
Lepidium sativum) was performed to evaluate the potential toxicity of the oxidation intermediates. A pseudo-first order kinetic model was found to fit well the experimental data. The mineralization rate (TOC) of the wastewater contaminated with the pharmaceuticals was found to be really slow (
t
1/2
=
86.6 min) compared to that of the same pharmaceuticals spiked in distilled water (
t
1/2
=
46.5
min). The results from the toxicity tests of single pharmaceuticals, their mixture and the wastewater matrix spiked with the pharmaceuticals displayed a general accordance between the responses of the freshwater aquatic species (
P. subscapitata
>
D. magna). In general the photocatalytic treatment did not completely reduce the toxicity under the investigated conditions (maximum catalyst loading and irradiation time 0.8
g TiO
2 L
−1 and 120
min respectively).
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The purpose of the present work is to provide a complete overview of possible direct/indirect implications on the quality of aquatic compartments due to the recent SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. With this aim, ...the environmental impacts are mainly related to i) the virus persistence in sewage and wastewaters, and ii) possible fate in aquatic compartments of drugs tested and administered to SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Because SARS-CoV-2 spread is very recent, and there is a lack of specific studies on this strain, the virus persistence in wastewaters, the parameters influencing the persistence, as well as the detection methodologies are referenced to the general coronaviruses group. However, the present detailed report of up-to-date knowledge on this topic can provide a useful source for further studies focusing on more deepened investigations of SARS-CoV-2 behaviour in the environment. Such a perspective is significant not only for the control of virus diffusion but also represents a crucial point for the identification of produced alteration to the environmental quality.
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•Current COVID-19 spread has important implications on the aquatic compartments.•Coronavirus persistence in wastewater can lead to further infection diffusion route.•Drugs for COVID-19 therapy in wastewater can cause negative environmental impact.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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