In a world facing increasing environmental and energy challenges, anaerobic digestion of agrifood by-products and food waste could contribute to the production of green energy while reducing ...greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process capable of breaking down and stabilising organic matter in the absence of oxygen and converting it into a renewable source of energy, known as biogas. Biomethane production also enables the generation of electricity and produces digestate, a by-product of the digestion process that can be used as a soil conditioner or fertiliser. This review aims to highlight how substrate pretreatment, together with the optimisation of operating parameters, application of additives, recirculation of digestate and frequent feeding, can increase biogas production. An overview of the basics of the anaerobic digestion of agrifood by-products and food waste is provided, including feedstock characteristics (nutrient content, particle size and inhibitory compounds) and process parameters (process configuration, pH, temperature, total and volatile solids, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonium, chemical oxygen demand, carbon/nitrogen ratio, retention time, organic loading rate, etc.). In addition, recent studies in the field of processes, equipment and pretreatments that can significantly improve the anaerobic digestion process of agricultural and food wastes were classified and discussed. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of biogas production from the agrifood sector are addressed.
Abstract Peripheral neuroblastic tumours (PNTs), a family of tumours arising in the embryonal remnants of the sympathetic nervous system, account for 7-10% of all tumours in children. In two-thirds ...of cases, PNTs originate in the adrenal glands or the retroperitoneal ganglia. At least one third present metastases at onset, with bone and bone marrow being the most frequent metastatic sites. Disease extension, MYCN oncogene status and age are the most relevant prognostic factors, and their influence on outcome have been considered in the design of the recent treatment protocols. Consequently, the probability of cure has increased significantly in the last two decades. In children with localised operable disease, surgical resection alone is usually a sufficient treatment, with 3-year event-free survival (EFS) being greater than 85%. For locally advanced disease, primary chemotherapy followed by surgery and/or radiotherapy yields an EFS of around 75%. The greatest problem is posed by children with metastatic disease or amplified MYCN gene, who continue to do badly despite intensive treatments. Ongoing trials are exploring the efficacy of new drugs and novel immunological approaches in order to save a greater number of these patients.
Background
Few studies have been conducted on the relations between T1-weighted signal intensity changes in the pediatric brain following gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) exposure.
Objective
...The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of multiple administrations of a macrocyclic GBCA on signal intensity in the globus pallidus and dentate nucleus of the pediatric brain on unenhanced T1-weighted MR images.
Materials and methods
This retrospective study included 50 patients, mean age: 8 years (standard deviation: 4.8 years), with normal renal function exposed to ≥6 administrations of the same macrocyclic GBCA (gadoterate meglumine) and a control group of 59 age-matched GBCA-naïve patients. The globus pallidus-to-thalamus signal intensity ratio and dentate nucleus-to-pons signal intensity ratio were calculated from unenhanced T1-weighted images for both patients and controls. A mixed linear model was used to evaluate the effects on signal intensity ratios of the number of GBCA administrations, the time interval between administrations, age, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. T-test analyses were performed to compare signal intensity ratio differences between successive administrations and baseline MR signal intensity ratios in patients compared to controls.
P
-values were considered significant if <0.05.
Results
A significant effect of the number of GBCA administrations on relative signal intensities globus pallidus-to-thalamus (F8=3.09;
P
=0.002) and dentate nucleus-to-pons (F8=2.36;
P
=0.021) was found. The relative signal intensities were higher at last MR examination than at baseline (
P
<0.001).
Conclusion
Quantitative analysis evaluation of globus pallidus:thalamus and dentate nucleus:pons of the pediatric brain demonstrated an increase after serial administrations of macrocyclic GBCA. Further research is necessary to fully understand GBCA pharmacokinetic in children.
This study conducts a multi-level analysis on the impact of international human rights norms and pressures, criticizing the spiral model from the field of International Relations. Using an analytical ...framework beyond state-centric perspectives, we explored three critical dimensions: the social origins of human rights violations, the political-legal intermediation within civil society, and the internal bureaucratic features of international human rights organizations. While influential, the spiral model falls short in comprehensively addressing these dimensions. Thus, in this article, we introduced theoretical and analytical reflections partly drawn from Global South studies to address these limitations.
Resumo: Este estudo realiza uma análise multinível sobre o impacto das normas e pressões internacionais em matéria de direitos humanos e oferece uma crítica ao modelo espiral das Relações Internacionais. Por meio de um quadro analítico orientado para além das perspectivas centradas no Estado, exploramos três dimensões críticas: as origens sociais das violações dos direitos humanos, a intermediação político-jurídica dentro da sociedade civil e as facetas burocráticas internas das organizações internacionais de direitos humanos. Embora influente, o modelo espiral não consegue abordar de forma abrangente essas dimensões. Neste artigo, apresentamos reflexões teóricas e analíticas oriundas, em parte, da literatura do Sul global para abordar essas limitações.
To describe treatment, clinical course, and survival of a cohort of Italian patients with neuroblastoma.
The study includes data from 2,216 children (age 0 to 14 years) diagnosed between 1979 and ...2005. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed by clinical and biologic features at presentation and periods of diagnosis: 1979 to 1984, 1985 to 1991, 1992 to 1998, and 1999 to 2005. The relative risk of second malignant neoplasm (SMN) was assessed by the standardized incidence ratio (SIR), with the Italian population selected as referent.
Yearly patient accrual increased over time from 58 to 102. Patients age 0 to 17 months represented 45.6% of the total population, and their incidence increased over time from 36.5% to 48.5%. The incidence of stage 1 patients increased over time from 5.8% to 23.2%. A total of 898 patients (40.5%) developed disease progression or relapse, 19 patients developed SMN, and two patients developed myelodysplasia. The cumulative risk of SMN at 20 years was 7.1%, for an SIR of 8.4 (95% CI, 5.1 to 13.2). A total of 858 patients (39%) died (779 of disease, 71 of toxicity, six of SMN, and two of tumor-unrelated surgical complications). Ten-year OS was 55.3% (95% CI, 53.0% to 57.6%) and increased over time from 34.9% to 65.0%; it was significantly better for females and patients age 0 to 17 months at diagnosis, with extra-abdominal primary, and stage 1 and 2 disease. OS improved significantly over time in stage 1 and 3 patients. In patients with stage 4 disease, the improvement occurred between the first and second time cohorts (6.7% v 23.5%), but not afterward.
The outcome of children with neuroblastoma has progressively improved. Long-term survivors bear a significant risk of SMN.
The aim of this article is to analyse how and why the norms of the Inter-American human rights system on transitional justice exerted an impact on the human rights trials in Peru. Based on the ...emerging theoretical approach according to which the effects of international human rights regimes are conditioned by domestic factors of the target-countries, our research seeks to unravel how domestic politics influences and mediates the potential impact of these international norms, highlighting the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local higher courts, since these actors are central both to the process of transitional justice and for the activation and enforcement of the Inter-American system's rules. In this sense, a qualitative research design based on semi-structured interviews with civil society actors and judges involved with the theme was adopted, in addition to the consultation of secondary sources and courts' rulings. Then, from the analysis of this material, we tested the hypothesis that the Inter-American system will have a domestic impact if and when NGOs and local judges are able to understand and use it as an effective mechanism for their own "empowerment". Having analyzed the data collected, we point out, firstly, that the human rights groups' profile was essential for the impact, since the expertise and continuous actions of these actors allowed them not only to attract the Inter-American system's attention, but also to act as agents that would propagate and legitimate its legal formulations. Secondly, in what concerns the responsiveness and openness of the judiciary, we also point out to the important presence of a group of more progressive and dissident judges in the main tribunals during the post-transitional period. In that critical juncture when the reconstruction and renovation of the judiciary was at stake, these magistrates used the Inter-American system's decisions as a mechanism for their own institutional strengthening, contributing therefore to the enforcement of such rules. Therefore, contrary to most studies that focus on Executive's actions to explain either the occurrence of human rights trials in the post-transitional period, or the impact of international human rights norms, our conclusions urge the research agendas on the human rights international regime and transitional justice to pay more attention to the role and profile of judicial actors and domestic litigants, since human rights trials frequently are anchored on the mobilization of international norms that cannot be understood separately from the agency of NGOs and magistrates.
This work aims to present a methodological proposal based on Life Cycle (LC) methodologies, and circularity performance indicators, to assess closed-loop pathways by providing comprehensive results ...on economic and environmental impacts generated by agri-food production systems. The methodological approach will be tested on olive oil production systems, one of the most important agri-food chains for Mediterranean countries, whose import and export significance is set to grow in light of the shrinking market supply of seed oils. Some insights for the co-products valorization are provided through the evaluation of the reuse of by-products as a possible resource capable to improve the sustainability of the olive oil farms. The integrated application of three different methodologies, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental Life Cycle Costing (ELCC) and Material Circularity Indicator (MCI), enabled comparative evaluation of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) production under a linear production model with production under a circular model. The circular scenario was better in most environmental impact categories, registering an improvement in Global Warming Potential (GWP) of nearly 30%. In economic terms, there was a lower production cost for the circular scenario and a lower environmental cost by reducing the use of synthetic products through the reuse of waste products. The circular scenario recorded a higher degree of circularity due to a reduction in virgin raw materials used in the production process and a reduction in non-recoverable waste. The implementation of circular strategies represents one of the possible trajectories to guide the ecological transition, and the proposed methodological framework can support the decisions of both producers and public decision-makers toward more sustainable and efficient production patterns.
The characterization of poplar wood assumes a strategic position to increase the competitiveness of the entire forest wood supply chain. From this aspect, the identification of wood quality ...represents a primary objective for researchers and private landowners. The quality of wood can be defined via traditional visual methods based on the experience of technicians or using traditional tools, such as incremental drills and sound hammers. The traditional properties of these traits, based only on visual characteristics, can outline a classification based on the macroscopic properties of wood with the aim of defining the volume of recoverable wood. However, this approach does not provide a good indicator of the physical or mechanical properties of wood. Mechanical tests of wood require the felling of trees with the correlated preparation of the specimens. A different solution to determine wood quality is based on the application of non-destructive technology (NDT). In this context, the aim of the present study was to determine the predictive accuracy of non-destructive analysis of the MOEd in standing trees and logs of a 22-year-old poplar clone and to examine the relationship with MOEs in sawn specimens. This relationship was also studied at three different stem heights. We non-destructively measured poplar trees and green logs using TreeSonic and Resonance Log Grader and compared the results with those obtained via a destructive method using a universal testing machine. The results showed that for clone I-214 poplar trees, the dynamic elastic moduli of standing trees and logs were validly correlated with the static elastic modulus. These results suggest that it is possible to evaluate the mechanical properties of poplar wood directly from standing trees using non-destructive techniques (NDT) and that this tool can be easily used to presort material in the forest.
Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é o de analisar a atuação da organização não governamental (ONG) mexicana Centro de Direitos Humanos das Mulheres (CEDEHM) no caso Alvarado contra o México, perante o ...sistema interamericano, a fim de revelar a importância da intermediação político-legal para os debates teóricos sobre a mobilização de normas internacionais de direitos humanos. O argumento central é de que o tipo de intermediação estabelecida pelas ONGs entre vítimas e esferas institucionais é central para determinar se a mobilização dos direitos humanos terá impacto contestatório ou conservador. No caso Alvarado, a intermediação desempenhada pelo CEDEHM concede uma posição central para as vítimas e familiares, contribuindo decisivamente para a formação da agência política desses atores e para a politização da própria linguagem dos direitos humanos.
Abstract This article aims to analyze the performance of the Mexican non-governmental organization (NGO) Center for Women’s Human Rights (CEDEHM) in the Alvarado case against Mexico within the Inter-American human rights system. With that, it seeks to reveal the importance of political-legal intermediation on theoretical debates about the mobilization of international human rights norms. The main argument is that the intermediation established by NGOs between victims and institutional spheres is central to determine whether human rights mobilization will have a disruptive or conservative impact. In the Alvarado case, the intermediation performed by CEDEHM assigns a central role to victims and their families, contributing to the formation of their political agency and to the politicization of the human rights language.
Abstract Purpose Increasing age has been an adverse risk factor in children with neuroblastoma (NB) since the 1970’s, with a 12-month age-at-diagnosis cut-off for treatment stratification. Over the ...last 30 years, treatment intensity for children >12 months with advanced-stage disease has increased; to investigate if this strategy has improved outcome and/or reduced the prognostic influence of age, we analysed the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group (INRG) database. Patients and methods Data from 11,037 children with NB (1974–2002) from Australia, Europe, Japan, North America. Cox modelling of event-free survival (EFS) tested if the era and prognostic significance of age-of-diagnosis, adjusted for bone marrow (BM) metastases and MYCN status, effects on outcome had changed. Results Outcome improved over time: 3-year EFS 46% (1974–1989) and 71% (1997–2002). The risk for those >18 months against ⩽12 decreased: hazard ratio (HR); 4.61 and 3.94. For age 13–18 months, EFS increased from 42% to 77%. Outcome was worse if: >18 months (HR 4.47); BM metastases (HR 4.00); and MYCN amplified (HR 3.97). For 1997–2002, the EFS for >18 months with BM involvement and MYCN amplification was 18%, but 89% for 0–12 months with neither BM involvement nor MYCN amplification. Conclusions There is clear evidence for improving outcomes for children with NB over calendar time. The adverse influence of increasing age-at-diagnosis has declined but it remains a powerful indicator of unfavourable prognosis. These results support the age-of-diagnosis cut-off of greater than 18 months as a risk criterion in the INRG classification system.
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