Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Università dell'Insubria
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A simple AI-driven process intensification protocol for active pharmaceutical ingredients synthesis
No full textThe synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) traditionally relies on batch reactors, which often exhibit challenges in terms of both selectivity and heat transfer control. This study investigated the Aza-Michael addition between methylamine and 2-vinylpyridine to synthetize betahistine, an analogue of histamine, converting a traditional batch process into a continuous flow reaction. The aim of the study was to define an intensification protocol capable of identifying optimized operating conditions to maximise betahistine production. A dedicated experimental setup was developed using a custom-built PTFE-based tubular microreactor which allowed for an optimal control of pressure, temperature, residence time, and reactants molar ratio. Analytical characterization was performed using both UHPLC and H-NMR. Process intensification was achieved using two different approaches: a traditional one, based on deterministic mathematical models to simulate the chemical reactions involved, and a modern approach based on Feedforward Neural Networks. The highest selectivity experimentally observed was approximately 82% at a 2:1 methylamine to 2-vinylpyridine ratio and 150°C, with a residence time of 4 minutes. Both optimizing approaches lead to the same results, confirming the advantages of using suitable intensification protocols for shifting to continuous flow batch processes, especially in pharmaceutical synthesis
Effects of music listening on anaerobic performance and motivation in healthy young adults
Get PDFIntroduction: The study aimed to investigate and confirm from a physiological and psychological perspective whether preferred music would influence anaerobic performance during the Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST).
Methods: A total of 18 (men, n = 12, women, n = 6) sub-élite track-and-field and football athletes (mean age 22.2 ± 2.1 years, mean height 175.3 ± 8.0 cm, mean weight 66.4 ± 10.6 kg, mean BMI 21.5 ± 2.2 kg/m2) were voluntarily recruited. The RAST procedure was performed by recording maximum power (Pmax), average power (Pmean), minimum power (Pmin), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and motivational level (visual analog scale) while listening to preferred or no music through headphones.
Results: Listening to music significantly increased motivation (p < 0.001, effect size = 1.31, very large) compared to no music. However, no significant differences were observed in other performance variables between the “with music” and “without music” conditions.
Conclusions: Overall, listening to preferred music during an anaerobic exercise improves motivation as confirmed by previous evidence. This could be helpful for athletes to strive for even higher goals by improving their current performance level
A comprehensive analysis of coffee silverskin bioconversion by Hermetia illucens larvae
No full textCoffee silverskin, the outer layer of the green coffee bean, represents a major by-product of the coffee industry derived from the roasting process. In recent years the development of sustainable and circular strategies to manage and valorise organic wastes and by-products has become increasingly relevant and the potential of coffee silverskin in food industry, cosmetics, and bioconversion applications is gaining attention. In the present work we addressed the valorisation of coffee silverskin through insect bioconversion using the larvae of the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens, one of the most promising bioconversion agents among insects. These larvae grow on a huge variety of organic substrates due to their outstanding adaptability, that is conferred by the plasticity of the midgut physiology and associated microbiota. Our results demonstrate that black soldier fly larvae were able to grow and develop on coffee silverskin. The larvae reduced this by-product by 25% and a high protein insect biomass (i.e. 56 g per 100 g of dry matter) was obtained. Interestingly, 25% of the hemicellulose fraction of coffee silverskin was degraded by the larvae. In addition, the larval gut microbiota, which plays a key role in larvae digestion adaptability and bioconversion, was shaped by growing the larvae on coffee silverskin and bacterial taxa involved in complex polysaccharide degradation were selected. In conclusion, black soldier fly larvae may represent (1) a valuable tool for the development of new and sustainable strategies for coffee silverskin bioconversion and valorisation, and (2) an effective bioincubator for the selection and isolation of microbial strains with peculiar degrading capacity
Spatial clustering in energy system modelling: application to the case study of District heating
No full textGiven the strong decentralization of renewables and the raising interest in energy networks (e.g. heat, gas, hydrogen, etc.), spatial detail has become an important feature that energy system models have to take into account. However, a trade-off is needed between systems representation quality and models computational burden, also considering the temporal and technological resolution. In this context, clustering is a useful tool that can help reducing the complexity of energy system models maintaining at the same time a high quality of systems representation. The objective of this paper is to delve into the decision-making process behind the selection of parameters for clustering algorithms applied to energy system model data. This involves analysing the requirements of the algorithms and linking and adapting the clustering parameters to the specific physical quantities of these models. Furthermore, it aims to assist modelers in reading and interpreting the results obtained. As a case study, the Density-Based Spatial Clustering Algorithm with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm is applied to six Italian Municipalities with the aim of aggregating the possible input data of an Energy System Optimization Model (ESOM). A parametric analysis is then performed to assess the behaviour of clustering under different conditions and to assess technical-economical characteristics of the resulting aggregations. Results show that relationships between input data and DBSCAN behaviour (such as the relationship between the average distance between elements and the value of the parameter ε that returns the maximum number of clusters) might subsist for spatial domains where the elements to aggregate are homogeneous. Since the optimal choice of the clustering parameters depends on the modelling requirements, the paper finally proposes four different cases a modeller could focus on, specifying the most suitable parameters for each case
Weaning from tracheostomy: Trend of decannulation rate over two decades in a respiratory rehabilitation centre
No full textGender Influence on Bimekizumab Response in Patients with Psoriasis: Results of a Real-World Multicenter Retrospective Study-IL PSO (Italian Landscape PSOriasis)
Get PDFIntroduction: Several studies have demonstrated that psoriasis severity is generally greater in male patients, but it is unclear whether this gender difference may affect short-term therapeutic response. Notably, no studies have specifically investigated bimekizumab, a humanized, full-length IgG1 monoclonal antibody that acts as a dual inhibitor of interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective, multicenter analysis. A cohort of 318 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, 229 male patients (median [IQR] age 35 [23-67] years) and 89 female patients (median [IQR] age 33 [20-68] years), were retrospectively evaluated for short-term response (16 weeks) to bimekizumab according to standard dosage (320 mg at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16, and every 8 weeks thereafter). Patients were assessed to evaluate whether gender differences in demographic and clinical characteristics can affect treatment response to standard dose of bimekizumab, during the first 16 weeks of treatment. Therapeutic outcomes were evaluated by analyzing Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores recorded in each patient at three consecutive time points: baseline (T0), after 4 weeks (T4), and after 16 weeks of treatment (T16). Results: Male patients showed more severe disease at baseline, compared to female patients (p = 0.01). A significant reduction in disease severity was observed in both male and female patients after 16 weeks of treatment, but male patients showed a faster decrease in PASI score between baseline and week 4 of treatment compared to female patients (p < 0.001). Nevertheless, by week 16, difference in PASI response and DLQI reduction between genders became less pronounced. Conclusion: Although male patients exhibit greater disease severity at baseline compared to female patients, this does not result in a differential response to bimekizumab over the short term. Both male and female patients had equal probability of achieving complete or near-complete disease remission within the first 4 weeks of treatment, and both maintain this response status through week 16. The therapeutic benefit of bimekizumab may be due to the rapid dual inhibition of IL-17A and IL-17F, which may lead to consistent and robust clinical response across genders, regardless of baseline disease severity. Our results suggest a "gender severity-invariant effect" of bimekizumab, highlighting the treatment as rapidly effective in both genders, despite initial differences in disease severity
