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Biorefinery is a promising concept that can contribute overcoming the petrol-era, especially with respect to sustainable fine chemical production, addressing at the same time several problems: the depletion of petroleum resources (with the associated consequences), human sustainability, waste management and political concerns 1,2. Production and separation of valuable products from biomass have indeed been successfully achieved and implemented at full scale3. However, the lack of cost-effective downstream processes is largely preventing biorefinery products to become economically competitive, and membranes are one of the fundamental technologies for separation of fermentation products such as succinic acid4 (SA). Therefore, key factors such as pH, pressure, steric effect etc. in downstream processes must be identified for a technological breakthrough. Data collection about different feedstocks, fermentation and downstream techniques for bio-SA production will highlight the most relevant for large-scale application. These, will be then study trough a techno-economical analysis, which will be focused on membrane separation techniques. Thus, a computer-aided framework will be used to assess and rank the critical parameters in downstream technologies, which will be subsequently tested trough an experimental validation of bio-SA production. The interest for bio-SA production have been constantly increasing3,5, since more than 30 commercially valuable products can be currently synthetized from it, including solvents and lubricants, synthetic resins and biodegradable polymers such as PBS and polyamides, cosmetics, food and pharmaceuticals 3,5. Finally, a defined and interactive operation range for each studied variable is intended to be provided, which can be virtually extrapolated to other similar separation processes. The feasibility of potential alternatives will be evaluated experimentally on other similar processes. 1

Bio-butanol production based on ABE (acetone-butanol-ethanol) fermentation is facing increasing interest as a transport fuel, since it offers significant advantages to other bio-fuels. However, to ensure an economic operation two bottlenecks has to be overcome: (1) high cost of the fermentation substrate, and (2) high energy demand for butanol purification via distillation due to low solvent concentration in fermentation broth. While first bottleneck might be overcome by the use of alternative feedstock like lignocelluloses or agro-food-wastes, the latter can be targeted by introducing hybrid purification concepts, combining in-situ removal techniques with distillation. Experimental and literature data based on lab-scale size experiments operated with synthetical fermentation broth are used to parameterize an Aspen Plus® simulation to predict the energy demand for biobutanol purification for three in-situ removal techniques coupled with distillation and to compare to a standalone distillation sequence: gas stripping, pervaporation and adsorption/desorption. Depending on the initial solvent content of fermentation broth, with 23.2 - 31.2 MJ/kg butanol the heat demand of the standalone distillation sequence is slightly below the energy content of butanol of about 36 MJ/kg. Applying gas-stripping and pervaporation before purification via distillation reduces the heat demand by 50 % to 13.6 - 16.8 MJ/kg and 12.0 - 14.5 MJ/kg butanol, respectively. Best result is shown by combining adsorption and distillation with an energy demand of 5.0 – 5.7 MJ/kg butanol. However, the advantageous low overall energy demand results from low efforts in the distillation step, only considering separation of butanol and water, but neglecting purification of acetone and ethanol obtained in ABE fermentation. ; European Union's Horizon 2020

23 páginas, 9 figuras, 2 tablas.-- The final publication is available at www.springerlink.com ; Scatter search is a population-based method that has recently been shown to yield promising outcomes for solving combinatorial and nonlinear optimization problems. Based on formulations originally proposed in 1960s for combining decision rules and problem constraints such as the surrogate constraint method, scatter search uses strategies for combining solution vectors that have proved effective in a variety of problem settings. In this paper, we develop a general purpose heuristic for a class of nonlinear optimization problems. The procedure is based on the scatter search methodology and treats the objective function evaluation as a black box, making the search algorithm context-independent. Most optimization problems in the chemical and bio-chemical industries are highly nonlinear in either the objective function or the constraints. Moreover, they usually present differential-algebraic systems of constraints. In this type of problem, the evaluation of a solution or even the feasibility test of a set of values for the decision variables is a time-consuming operation. In this context, the solution method is limited to a reduced number of solution examinations. We have implemented a scatter search procedure in Matlab (Mathworks, 2004) for this special class of difficult optimization problems. Our development goes beyond a simple exercise of applying scatter search to this class of problems, but presents innovativemechanisms to obtain a good balance between intensification and diversification in a short-term search horizon. Computational comparisons with other recent methods over a set of benchmark problems favor the proposed procedure. ; The team at CSIC acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Government (MEC AGL2004-05206-C02-01/ALI) and Xunta de Galicia (PGIDIT05PXIC40201PN). Research by Rafael Martí and Jose A. Egea is partially supported by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (TIN2006-02696 and FPU fellowship). ; Peer reviewed

Abstract Socio-political and economic health care decisions are often made on the basis of disease statistics alone. However, due to the changing panorama of diseases taking place in our century, especially healthcare of chronically diseased persons, it is often associated with impairing and cost-intensive, life-long concomitant personal and insurance-straining sequelae such as rehabilitation, psycho-social assistance, sick-benefits, invalidity pension or long-term care. These impacts must be considered simultaneously for appropriate decisions. In social welfare states, legislature is increasingly following the Bio-Psycho-Social Disease Model instead of the Bio-Medical Disease Model alone, aiming to achieve an inclusive society and putting into effect the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Therefore, the time has come to harmonize or merge the two underlying WHO classifications, ICD and ICF. This move to enrich the instrument box of public health statistics for political decision makers is overdue.

The production and upgrading of bio-oil from lignocellulosic biomass has been addressed in this PhD Thesis, a topic of considerable importance given the world's energy needs and the common aim of seeking for renewable sources. Particularly this case is driven by the legally binding target of 10% renewable energy in the transport sector mandated by the European Union, in which bio-fuels are considered essential for the energy mix of the EU28. Here, a three-pronged thermal + catalytic process, namely ex-situ catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) and subsequent deoxygenation is integrated -in one reactor with two fixed catalytic beds- to produce bio-oil suitable for transportation. The catalytic systems used for such operations are tailored zeolite-based materials. More particularly ZrO2 supported on ZSM-5 catalyst is used for CFP, and alkali (K) metal-grafted USY catalyst is used for subsequent upgrading, both shaped with the use of attapulgite as clay binder. The study of their origin of deactivation during reaction and the effect of regeneration conditions for their recycling, are the main objectives of study alongside the Thesis. Indeed, this fundamental understanding is essential to devise strategies for efficient reversal and ultimately enhance catalyst lifetime, ensuring also the economic sustainability of the process. The tailored catalyst materials have been tested at lab-scale, bench-scale as well as pilot plant facilities, corresponding to the three parts in which this PhD Thesis is divided. The analytical toolbox used for answering these research questions is mainly based on (micro)spectroscopic methods. At the lab scale, model reactions carried out under operando as well as in-situ conditions -mainly Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance (DRS) spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry (MS)- to provide insight into the mechanism and substrate-catalyst interactions under relevant reaction conditions. While at bench and pilot scales a broad range of bulk and spatially ...

Front Cover -- Contents -- Preface -- Chapter 1: Biologically Inspired Nanomaterials and Nanobiomagnetism: A Synergy among New Emerging Concepts in Regenerative Medicine -- Chapter 2: Biomimetic Nanostructured Platforms for Biologically Inspired Medicine -- Chapter 3: Nano-Apatites with Designed Chemistry and Crystallinity for Bone Regeneration and Nanomedical Applications -- Chapter 4: New Biomimetic Strategies for Regeneration of Load-Bearing Bones -- Chapter 5: New Bio-Inspired Processes for Synthesis and Surface Treatments of Biomaterials

In the endeavour of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) mainly due to human activities, reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and maintaining global mean temperatures below political targets, new and efficient solutions are needed. Bio-based energy, or bioenergy, plays an important role in a world where the majority of GHG emissions are from energy. Bioenergy technologies convert biomass to energy. Using biomass as residues from human activities or organic fraction of waste to produce bioenergy has several advantages: i) providing solutions to waste management, ii) promoting material recirculation toward bio-based energy, iii) supplying fossil energy demand, and avoiding for example land use changes of using crops for energy. Bioenergy technologies will contribute to a non-fossil and more sustainable society by transforming bioresources into energy. There are a wide range of challenges associated with this transition such as availability of bioresources, spatial distribution of bioresources, and various conversion technologies. The selection of the environmentally most appropriate technologies to valorise the specific bioresources is also a challenge. Bioresource properties, conversion yields, outputs and rejects, as well as process performance for the bioresources in question need to be systematically evaluated and addressed by assessing the environmental impacts. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a standardised method for assessing the environmental performance of technologies and systems. There is a need to expand and improve the modelling of bioenergy technologies, beyond black-box process models in conventional LCA modelling tools. Black-box models typically ignore the links between feedstock characteristics and process outputs. For example, adapting the inventory of a technology to reproduce another one. As such, these models do not reflect changes of operational conditions or conversion efficiencies in a process pathway. Thereby, the reproducibility of a technology and adaptability of the model to specific case studies are limited. The consequence is lack of transparency and limited flexibility from a modelling perspective. The main goal of this PhD project was to provide a process-oriented LCA modelling framework and apply this to a range of selected bioenergy technologies (e.g. anaerobic digestion, gasification, and upgrading units) and systems of technologies. The framework allowed quantitative and parametrized physical chemical input-output relationships. The generalised principles for processoriented LCA modelling were developed and implemented into the modelling framework, EASETECH+, as an extension to the existing LCA model, EASETECH. A range of illustrative examples was used to explain and highlight key features and LCA modelling approaches associated with the framework. The feasibility of the process-oriented modelling approach was demonstrated upon implementation of technology models within the LCA model EASETECH, including use of all novel operators and functions for model definition in EASETECH+. The new process-oriented framework facilitates LCA modelling of a wide range of conversion processes relevant for bioenergy technologies, including material recirculation, multiple outputs, conditional sequence flows, linear and non-linear responses in conversion pathways. Based on the PhD, a range of novel process-oriented technology models were implemented into EASETECH as ready-to-use technology templates for newcase-studies, including: i) biorefinery, ii) anaerobic digestion, iii) thermal gasification; iv) bio-based methane upgrading. The consequences of subdividing a technology into unit-processes was givenby a second generation biorefinery, managing bioresources with high cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content. Pretreatment, hydrolysis, fermentation and distillation, and recovery were the four unit processes identified. Input -output relationships with parameters (e.g. conversion efficiency) were included in each unit-process. Changes of parameters within unit-processes had changes on the mass, substance, energy balance, thus on the intermediate outputs (e.g. simple sugars), final outputs (e.g. ethanol), and environmental performance. For example, increasing the conversion efficiency of cellulose increased the production of sugars and ethanol causing more global warming savings. A systematic approach accommodating the process-oriented modelling principles was developed and applied on a regional case for bio-based methane supply in the French region of Occitania. This allowed finding environmentallyefficient import/export strategies to supply the gas demand of a region considering: i) availability and properties of bioresources on the region, ii) biological and thermochemical degradation of bioresources, through anaerobic digestion and gasification (both with upgrading), iii) environmental performance of conversion pathways and impacts (induced and avoided) by the current management of the involved bioresources. This can support practical actions toward local bioeconomy and climate goals.

The paper focuses thematically on one of the essential issues of human existence, a complex and a mysterious phenomenon of ageing. The old people with their biological and psychological features, with their social position and other aspects, are the inexhaustible source of professional research of doctors and sociologists. As opposed to the usual pessimistic attitude of ageing and the old age, the paper points, within the humanist and social work frame, to man's awareness of overcoming the transience of human existence by cultivating a sense and a beauty of life. By elaborating on the concept of ageing, the authors stress the length and the quality of life, which could be advanced by the interaction of three groups of factors: social engagement and participation, the reduction of illness and the improvement of the high level of psychological and mental functions.

Intro -- BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES ON INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE -- BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES ON INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- PART ONE: AQUAINTANCE AND STRANGER VIOLENCE -- A) PERSONAL VARIABLES -- Chapter 1 AGGRESSION, RISK-TAKING, AND ALTERNATIVE LIFE HISTORY STRATEGIES: THE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE -- ABSTRACT -- THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE -- THE HYDRAULIC AND STRATEGIC MODELS OF AGGRESSIVE MOTIVATION -- THE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY OF RISK -- THE RELATIVE TIMING OF EXPECTED COSTS AND BENEFITS -- A NATURAL HISTORY OF RISK-TAKING -- INTRODUCTION TO LIFE HISTORY THEORY -- LIFE HISTORY, SOCIAL DEVIANCE, AND RISK-TAKING -- THE K-FACTOR AND MENTAL ABILITIES -- RISK-TAKING AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS -- EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, RULE GOVERNANCE AND BEHAVIORAL REGULATION -- CONVERGENT AND DIVERGENT INTEREST SOCIAL STRATEGIES -- THE PROXIMATE AND ULTIMATE RELATIONS BETWEEN HARM TO SELF AND HARM TO OTHERS -- CONCLUSIONS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 2 EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS, ATTENTION AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS -- ATTENTION -- EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR -- ATTENTION AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR -- METHOD -- Participants -- Instruments -- The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) -- Shifting Criteria StroopTest (SCST) -- Continuous Performance Test -- Procedure -- Data Analysis -- RESULTS -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 3 A STUDY OF PERSONALITY TRAITS IN UNDERGRADUATES: ALEXITHYMIA AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE PSYCHOPATHIC DEVIATE -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- ALEXITHYMIA: CONCEPT, MEASUREMENT AND EXPLANATORY MODELS -- DEFINITION OF PSYCHOPATHY -- STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALEXITHYMIA AND PSYCHOPATHY -- OBJECTIVES AND HYPOTHESIS -- METHOD -- Participants -- Instruments -- Alexithymia -- Psychopathic Deviation -- Depression -- Data Analysis -- RESULTS.

Disaster risk results from the interaction between hazards and vulnerabilities, but there are considerable variations in how vulnerability and its three dimensions (exposure, fragility, and resilience) are conceptualized and measured. This study demonstrates how certain bio-indicators allow an objective, direct, and efficient measurement of a population's social fragility. Using data available for 159 countries, we selected two bio-indicators, Low Birth Weight (LBW) and Life Expectancy at Birth (LEB), and developed the Social Fragility Index (SFI). We then analysed their effect on existing vulnerability indices: the Susceptibility Index (SI) and the Prevalent Vulnerability Index (PVI). Results showed that the selected bio-indicators and particularly the proposed index are efficient in measuring the fragility of a community before a disaster, and that they could also be used to measure the social impact caused by an extreme natural event, technological disasters, population displacement/migration, armed unrest, conflict, changes in political regimes, and economic crises.