Strategy for the analysis of lignocellulosic biomass to select a viable transformation route in the Colombian context.

Lignocellulosic biomass is widely available in the world. However, a consensus has yet to be established to evaluate the biomass valorization alternatives. The chemical composition is the primary technical limitation in selecting a transformation route to obtain value-added products. In this paper, the bagasse from non-centrifuged sugar (NCS) production and Pinus patula (PP) wood chips were analyzed in terms of complete chemical composition to establish their potential for selecting the transformation routes. A strategy to select the best route based on the chemical composition was applied and a feedstock criteria model was proposed. Schemes were obtained and compared using a bioprocess selection strategy proposed in previous works. As a result, the preliminary biorefinery schemes were finally defined. The assessment of schemes derived from the outlined strategy included technical, economic, environmental, and social analyses. The environmental evaluation was complemented with a geolocation assessment, revealing a 0.75-ton CO2-eq/yr contribution to the carbon footprint for local distribution. The sustainability index for the PP biorefinery and the bagasse from NCS production was analyzed, resulting in indices of 44.8 and 60.9, respectively. These values were primarily derived from the economic and environmental analyses of both processes.

Assessing the feasibility and sustainability of a surfactin production process: a techno-economic and environmental analysis.

Biosurfactants have been profiled as a sustainable replacement for chemical-based surfactants since these bio-based molecules have higher biodegradability. Few research papers have focused on assessing biosurfactant production to elucidate potential bottlenecks. This research aims to assess the techno-economic and environmental performance of surfactin production in a potential scale of 65m3, considering different product yields and involving the European energy crisis of 2021-2022. The conceptual design, simulation, techno-economic, and environmental assessments were done by applying process engineering concepts and software tools such as Aspen Plus v.9.0 and SimaPro v.8.3.3. The results demonstrated the high economic potential of surfactin production since the higher values in the market offset the low fermentation yields, low recovery efficiency, and high capital investment. The sensitivity analysis of the economic assessment elucidated a minimum surfactin selling price between 29 and 31 USD/kg of surfactin, while a minimum processing scale for economic feasibility between 4 and 5 kg/h is needed to reach an equilibrium point. The environmental performance must be improved since the carbon footprint was 43 kg CO2eq/kg of surfactin. The downstream processing and energy demand are the main bottlenecks since these aspects contribute to 63 and 25% of the total emissions. The fermentation process and downstream process are key factors for future optimization and research.

Prefeasibility analysis of biomass gasification and electrolysis for hydrogen production.

Hydrogen is a key energy vector to accomplishing energy transition and decarbonization goals proposed in the transport and industrial sectors worldwide. In recent years, research has focused on analyzing, designing, and optimizing hydrogen production, searching to improve economic prefeasibility with minimal emissions of polluting gases. Therefore, the techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production by electrolytic and gasification processes becomes relevant since these processes could compete commercially with industrial technologies such as SMR - Steam methane reforming. This work aims to analyze hydrogen production in stand-alone processes and energy-driven biorefineries. The gasification and electrolysis technologies were evaluated experimentally, and the yields obtained were input data for scaling up the processes through simulation tools. Biomass gasification is more cost-effective than electrolytic schemes since the hydrogen production costs were 4.57 USD/kg and 8.30 USD/kg at an annual production rate of 491.6 tons and 38.96 tons, respectively. Instead, the electrolysis process feasibility is strongly influenced by the recycled water rate and the electricity cost. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the temperature, pressure, and current density variability on the hydrogen production rate. The increase in pressure and current density induces parasitic currents while the temperature increases hydrogen production. Although higher hydrogen production rates from gasification, the syngas composition decreases the possibility of being implemented in applications where purity is critical.

Histología testicular y morfología de la vejiga natatoria del pez neotropical Plagioscion magdalenae (Acanthuriformes: Sciaenidae): implicaciones en su taxonomía y distribución / Testicular histology and morphology of the swim bladder of the neotropical fish Plagioscion magdalenae (Acanthuriformes: Sciaenidae): implications in taxonomy and distribution

Introducción: La Pácora (Plagioscion magdalenae) es una especie nativa de Colombia y en categoría de casi amenazada a nivel del país, de la que poco se conoce acerca de las estructuras con aporte etológico en su historia de vida. Objetivo: Analizar el desarrollo gonadal relacionado con la espermatogénesis de P. magdalenae y las implicaciones taxonómicas a partir de la vejiga natatoria. Métodos: Realizamos siete muestreos en dos periodos climáticos: el primero en octubre de 2019 a febrero de 2020 de recolectas bimensuales y la segunda de octubre 2020 a enero 2021 de recolectas mensuales; con el fin de abarcar cada momento del pulso de inundación de la cuenca baja del Magdalena. Describimos la histomorfología testicular y las características macroscópicas de la vejiga natatoria de la especie. Además, analizamos aspectos como relaciones morfométricas, clases de tallas por sexos, la proporción sexual y la época de madurez sexual. Resultados: Analizamos 142 ejemplares y 4 intervalos de tallas fueron establecidos (entre 145 y 575 mm LE), 66 fueron machos y 73 hembras con una proporción sexual global 1.1:0.9 (hembra-macho) sin diferencias. Los machos tienen testículos de tipo tubular, protegidos por el peritoneo que se encuentra recubierto por la musculatura sónica de la vejiga natatoria, la cual posee forma de ''zanahoria'' sin apéndices, con dos bandas laterales de músculos intrínsecos (promedio entre 6.75 cm de largo y 1.48 cm de ancho) unidos por una aponeurosis y que solo se encuentran en machos sexualmente maduros. Conclusión: Los testículos poseen una organización de tipo lobular irrestricto y la espermatogénesis se da en lóbulos seminíferos. La vejiga natatoria de la Pácora es simple y no tiene estructuras accesorias. La distribución geográfica de P. magdalenae se restringe a la cuenca del río Magdalena en Colombia.

Introduction: The Pácora (Plagioscion magdalenae) is a species native to Colombia and in near-threatened category at the country level, of which little is known about the structures with ethological contribution in its life history. Objective: To analyze the gonadal development related to spermatogenesis of P. magdalenae and the taxonomic implications from the swim bladder. Methods: We collected seven samples in two climatic periods: the first from October 2019 to February 2020 of bimonthly collections, and the second from October 2020 to January 2021 of monthly collections; to cover every moment of the flood pulse of the lower Magdalena basin. We described the testicular histomorphology and macroscopic characteristics of the swim bladder of the species. In addition, we analyzed aspects such as morphometric relationships, size classes by sex, sex ratio and time of sexual maturity. Results: We analyzed 142 specimens and established 4 size intervals (between 145 and 575 mm SL), 66 were males and 73 females with an overall sex ratio of 1.1:0.9 (female-male) with no differences. Males have tubular testes protected by the peritoneum covered by the sonic musculature of the swim bladder, which has a ''carrot'' shape without appendages, with two lateral bands of intrinsic muscles (average between 6.75 cm long and 1.48 cm wide) connected by an aponeurosis and found only in sexually mature males. Conclusion: The testes have an unrestricted lobular organization and spermatogenesis occurs in the seminiferous lobes. The swim bladder of the Pácora is simple and has no accessory structures. The geographic distribution of P. magdalenae is restricted to the Magdalena River basin in Colombia.

Adverse events during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador: high frequency of healthcare-associated infections and increasing hospital stay and costs.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic generated high workloads given the high volume of seriously ill patients; conditions that could increase the risk of adverse events (AE). This study analyzed the frequency of AE in patients with COVID-19 and their effect on mortality, hospital stay and costs. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included in-patients with COVID-19 at a single hospital between March 2020-June 2021. Exposure was the occurrence of at least one AE. Hospital stay, costs and death were considered outcomes. Clinical information and direct costs were obtained from medical and billing records. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the association measures. Results: 405 patients were included, 55.8% (n=226) men, median age 56 years (IQR: 41.0-70.0) and with a history of hypertension (26.2%; n=106), diabetes mellitus (13.8%; n=56) and obesity (13.8%; n=56). The incidence of AE was 13.3% (n=54), 29 patients presented more than one AE, for a total of 70 events. Most events (74.3%; n=52) were preventable and the most frequent were healthcare-associated infections (50%; n=35), phlebitis (14.3%; n=10) and pressure ulcers (12.9%; n=9). AE prolonged hospital stay (change rate: 1.57; 95%CI: 1.26-1.95; P=0.001) and increased direct healthcare costs (change rate: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.03-1.39, P=0.019). Likewise, the risk of death was 56% higher in patients with AE. Conclusion: Pandemics are unexpected events that present challenges to safe healthcare. Improving quality policies, monitoring compliance with protocols and providing ongoing education are strategies to prevent AE such as healthcare-associated infections, which increase hospital costs and stay.

Coffee Pulp Gasification for Syngas Obtention and Methane Production Simulation Using Ni Catalysts Supported on Al2O3 and ZrO2 in a Packed Bed Reactor.

The methanation of CO2 is of great interest in power-to-gas systems and contributes to the mitigation of climate change through carbon dioxide capture and the subsequent production of high-added-value products. This study investigated CO2 methanation with three Ni catalysts supported on Al2O3 and ZrO2, which were simulated using a mathematical model of a packed bed reactor designed based on their chemical kinetics reported in the literature. The simulated reactive system was fed with syngas obtained from residual coffee pulp obtained after a solvent phytochemical extraction process under several gasification conditions. The results reflect a high degree of influence of the catalyst support, preparation method, and syngas composition on CO2 and H2 conversions and CH4 selectivity. For all the syngas compositions, the Ni/ZrO2 catalysts showed the best values for CO2 conversion and H2 conversion for the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst except in gasification at 700 °C and using the Ni/ZrO2p catalyst.

Comparative Analysis of Trifluoracetic Acid Pretreatment for Lignocellulosic Materials.

Lignocellulosic materials are usually processed toward C5 and C6 corresponding sugars. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is a pretreatment method to solubilize hemicellulose to sugars such xylose without degrading cellulose. However, this pretreatment has not been compared to other processes. Thus, this paper focuses on the techno-economic comparison of the C5-C6 production of C5-C6 as raw materials platforms using non-centrifuged sugarcane bagasse (NCSB) and Pinus patula wood chips (PP). Hydrolysates using TFA 2.5 M as an acid were characterized through HPLC regarding arabinose, galactose glucose, xylose, and mannose sugars. Then, simulations of the processes according to the experimental results were done. The economic assessment was performed, and compared with some common pretreatments. The mass and energy balances of the simulations indicate that the process can be compared with other pretreatments. From the economic perspective, the main operating expenditures (OpEx) are related to raw materials and capital depreciation due to the cost of TFA corrosion issues. The processes showed a CapEx and OpEx of 0.99 MUSD and 6.59 M-USD/year for NCSB, and 0.97 MUSD and 4.37 MUSD/year for PP, considering a small-scale base (1 ton/h). TFA pretreatment is innovative and promising from a techno-economic perspective.

Valorization Alternatives of Tropical Forest Fruits Based on the Açai (Euterpe oleracea) Processing in Small Communities.

Many plant species characterize tropical forests, and a small fraction has been studied to favor small communities in the food and medicinal fields. The high biodiversity of these regions allows for the proposed alternatives for the valorization of exotic fruits due to their rich content of value-added compounds that benefit human health. This work focuses on improving the nutritional characteristics of the açai production chain by mixing it with noni and araza. As a main result, it was possible to enhance the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the fruits after freeze-drying. Then, the seeds and peels of the fruits were valorized by the extraction of bioactive compounds with conventional methods and biogas production by anaerobic digestion. The best compositions of antioxidant capacity and total phenolic compounds were obtained for the extracts based on the araza peel, with values of 116.4 µmol and 276.6 mg of gallic acid per 100 g of raw material, respectively. Regarding biogas production, the anaerobic digestion performance was influenced by the C/N ratio. The experimental results were used as input to simulate small-scale processes. From a technical point of view, the scheme of açai, noni, and araza mixture (Sc. 4) showed the highest mass yields (0.84 kg products/kg RM) and energy requirement (2.54 kW/kg RM). On the other hand, the processing of single açai (Sc. 1) presented the lowest capital costs (1.37 M-USD) and operating costs (0.89 M-USD/year). However, all scenarios showed techno-economic feasibility and demonstrated the potential of these fruits to valorize the açai market.

Analysis of Single-Step Pretreatments for Lignocellulosic Platform Isolation as the Basis of Biorefinery Design.

Biorefinery feasibility is highly influenced by the early design of the best feedstock transformation pathway to obtain value-added products. Pretreatment has been identified as the critical stage in biorefinery design since proper pretreatment influences subsequent reaction, separation, and purification processes. However, many pretreatment analyses have focused on preserving and valorizing six-carbon sugars for future use in bioconversion processes, leaving aside fractions such as hemicellulose and lignin. To date, there has been no pretreatment systematization for the removal of lignocellulosic fractions. This work defines pretreatment efficacy through operational, economic, environmental, and social indicators. Thus, using the data reported in the literature, as well as the results of the simulation schemes, a multi-criteria weighting of the best-performing schemes for the isolation or removal of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin was carried out. As a main result, it was concluded that dilute acid is the most effective for cellulose isolation and hemicellulose removal for producing platform products based on six- and five-carbon sugars, respectively. Additionally, the kraft process is the best methodology for lignin removal and its future use in biorefineries. The results of this work help to elucidate a methodological systematization of the pretreatment efficacy in the design of biorefineries as an early feasibility stage considering sustainability aspects.

Phylogenomics of trans-Andean tetras of the genus Hyphessobrycon Durbin 1908 (Stethaprioninae: Characidae) and colonization patterns of Middle America.

Hyphessobrycon is one of the most species rich and widely distributed genera in the family Characidae, with more than 160 species ranging from Veracruz, Mexico to Mar Chiquita Lagoon in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The majority of Hyphessobrycon diversity shows a cis-Andean distribution; only nine species are trans-Andean including H. compressus (Meek 1908). It is well established that Hyphessobrycon is not monophyletic but it has been suggested that natural groups can be identified within the larger Hyphessobrycon species group. In this study, we tested the monophyly of trans-Andean species of Hyphessobrycon and investigated the placement of H. compressus. We inferred the first phylogenomic hypothesis of trans-Andean Hyphessobrycon that includes nearly complete taxonomic sampling (eight of nine valid species) using ultraconserved elements (UCEs). We analyzed 75% (1682 UCEs), 90% (1258 UCEs), and 95% (838 UCEs) complete data matrices, and inferred phylogenomic hypotheses under concatenation and coalescent approaches. In all cases, we recovered the monophyly of trans-Andean Hyphessobrycon inclusive of H. compressus, strong support for three species groups, and evidence of cryptic diversity within the widespread H. compressus and H. condotensis. We used our phylogenomic hypothesis to investigate the biogeographic history of Hyphessobrycon in Middle America. Our ancestral range estimation analysis suggests a single event of cis- to trans-Andean colonization followed by stepwise colonization from the Pacific slope of northwestern South America (Chocó block) to northern Middle America (Maya block). Our work supports the recognition of the trans-Andean species as Hyphessobrycon sensu stricto and provides an evolutionary template to examine morphological characters that will allow us to better understand the diversity of Hyphessobrycon in Middle America.

Environmental life cycle assessment (E-LCA) and social impact assessment (SIA) of small-scale biorefineries implemented in rural zones: the avocado (Persea Americana var. Americana) case in Colombia.

The objective of this study is to compare the environmental and social performance of two small-scale avocado biorefineries implanted in a rural zone in the North of Colombia. Two small-scale biorefineries were proposed. Small-B1 addressed to produce avocado oil and animal feed, and Small-B2 focused on the guacamole production. The environmental analysis was done by applying the life cycle assessment methodology. Then, agronomic information and process simulation were required to complete the analysis. Moreover, the water footprint of the avocado crops was estimated. Both biorefineries were compared with the direct avocados production and commercialization. The social assessment was achieved by the estimation of quantitative indicators related to wages, jobs, and working hours. The agricultural carbon and water footprints of the creole avocado crop were 0.59 kg CO2-eq/kg and 2.13 m3/kg. In the same way, Small-B1 and Small-B2 obtained a carbon and water footprints of 8.99 kg CO2-eq/kg and 6.63 m3/kg and 0.72 kg CO2-eq/kg and 1.38 m3/kg, respectively. The hotspots of the creole avocado crop are related to the use of fertilizers and fungicides. Then, new strategies should be implemented to reduce the farmer's dependency. The social analysis exhibit a high resilience of the Small-B1 biorefinery since a salary increase to worker about 50% can be proposed. In addition, the installation of this biorefinery can create more than ten jobs. A disjunction was found between the economic, environmental, and social analyses. Thus, the need to establish a multidimensional strategy to design sustainable biorefineries is presented.

Intraocular pressure values during the water drinking test in a Colombian population / Comportamiento de la presión intraocular durante la prueba de sobrecarga hídrica en población colombiana

Background: Intraocular pressure (IOP) peaks are key factors on the onset and progression of glaucoma. The water drinking test (WDT) detects IOP fluctuations and estimates the maximum IOP. Objective: To assess the IOP variations during the WDT in patients diagnosed or suspected of glaucoma treated at an ophthalmology clinic. Methods: This is an observational, descriptive, and retrospective study, using clinical records of patients whom underwent the WDT between January 2017 and August 2019. Results: The study included 300 eyes. The WDT was positive in 23.3% of the eyes. Basal IOP at 15, 30, and 45 min, as well as the maximum pressure, presented a similar mean, median, and mode, as well as a varying coefficient without much variability. The negative test group had a maximum IOP of 18.9 mmHg, compared with 20.3 mmHg in the positive test group. Conclusion: In a Colombian cohort of patients with diagnosed or suspected glaucoma whom underwent a WDT, 23.3% had positive result. 90% of the tests were positive at the 30-min interval. This test is a complementary tool in the follow-up of patients with glaucoma.

Introducción: Los picos de presión intraocular son factores importantes para la aparición y progresión del glaucoma. La prueba de sobrecarga hídrica permite detectar fluctuaciones de presión intraocular y estimar la presión máxima. Objetivo: Evaluar las variaciones en la presión intraocular durante la prueba de sobrecarga hídrica en pacientes de una clínica oftalmológica. Métodos: Estudio observacional, descriptivo, retrospectivo de revisión de historias clínicas de pacientes sometidos a la prueba de sobrecarga hídrica entre enero de 2017 y agosto de 2019. Resultados: Se incluyeron 300 ojos. La prueba de sobrecarga hídrica fue positiva en el 23,3% de los ojos. La presión intraocular basal, a los 15, 30 y 45 min, al igual que la presión máxima, tuvieron una media, mediana y moda similares, con un coeficiente de variación sin mucha variabilidad. El grupo con resultados negativos tuvo una presión intraocular máxima de 18,9 mmHg comparado con 20,3 mmHg del grupo con resultados positivos. Conclusión: En una cohorte colombiana de pacientes con diagnóstico o sospecha de glaucoma quienes se les realizó la prueba de sobrecarga hídrica, el 23,3% tuvo resultados positivos. El 90% de las pruebas fueron positivas en el intervalo de 30 min. Esta prueba es una herramienta complementaria en el seguimiento de pacientes con glaucoma.

Lesiones y muertes no intencionales en el departamento de Antioquia, Colombia. Estudio observacional descriptivo, 2016 y 2017 / Unintentional injuries and deaths in the department of Antioquia, Colombia. An observational descriptive study, 2016 - 2017

Introducción: la Organización Mundial de la Salud considera a las lesiones accidentales o lesiones no intencionales (LNI) como un problema de salud pública por su efecto sobre la discapacidad y mortalidad en la población general. Objetivo: presentar y analizar los datos de LNI y muertes accidentales registrados por el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses en el departamento de Antioquia, durante los años 2016 y 2017. Métodos: estudio descriptivo basado en la información recolectada por el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses. Se calcula ron las tasas de lesionados y muertes por 100.000 habitantes/año y el análisis estadístico se realizó con el paquete estadístico SPSS® versión 24.0. Resultados: durante 2016 y 2017 se registró una tasa de morbilidad de LNI de 7,86 y 7,21 casos por 100.000 habitantes, respectivamente, similar a la del promedio nacional. Fue mayor el número de casos en hombres que en mujeres, principalmente entre los 18 y los 34 años. La tasa de mortalidad reportada fue de 10,10 y 11,05 por cada 100.000 habitantes para el mismo periodo. Las LNI fueron más frecuentes en personas con bajo nivel educativo, del área urbana, y el mecanismo traumático más frecuente fue el contundente. Conclusiones: este estudio evidencia disminución en las tasas de LNI y aumento de la mortalidad accidental en Antioquia, comparada con años anteriores. Dicho comportamiento es diferente a lo reportado por la literatura internacional. Se requieren investigaciones que analicen otras fuentes generadoras de información acerca de las LNI, con la finalidad de estimar con mayor precisión la ocurrencia del fenómeno y sus variables asociadas.

Background: The World Health Organization con siders unintentional injuries (UI) as an international public health problem, due to their effect on disability and mortality in the general population. Objective: To present and analyze the data on UI and accidental death collected by the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia, between 2016 and 2017. Methods: Descriptive study based on the information collected by the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences. The rates of injuries and deaths per 100,000 inhabitants / year were calculated, and the statistical analysis was made using SPSS® version 24.0. Results: In the years 2016 and 2017, there was a morbidity rate of UI of 7.86 and 7.21 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively, similar to the national average. The number of cases was greater in men than in women, mainly between 18 and 34 years of age. The reported accidental mortality rate was 10.10 and 11.05 per 100,000 inhabitants for the years 2016 and 2017, respectively. The UI were more frequent in people with low educational level, from the urban area, and the most frequent traumatic mechanism was the blunt one. Conclusions: This study shows a reduction in the rates of UI and an increase of the rates of accidental death in Antioquia compared to the previous years. This trend is different to the previously reported on international literature. More studies analyzing other sources of information on variables like UI are needed in this field, in order to precisely estimate the occurrence of this event and its associated variables.

Situación del suicidio en Antioquia-Colombia durante los años 2016 y 2017: Resultados de los datos de vigilancia epidemiológica

Introducción: la vigilancia epidemiológica del suicidio en una región permite identificar los patrones, la distribución y las características con que ocurre y sentar las bases de intervenciones para prevenirlo. Objetivo: describir la situación del suicidio en Antioquia para el periodo 2016-2017. Métodos: estudio descriptivo basado en datos del Sistema de Vigilancia Epidemiológica de Lesiones de Causa Externa del Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias forenses. Se calcularon las tasas de suicidio y los años de vida potencialmente perdidos (AVPP) y se describieron las circunstancias del evento. Resultados: hubo 425 suicidios en 2016 y 419 en el 2017, con una tasa de suicidio de 6,50 y 6,34 por 100.000 habitantes/año respectivamente, y 16.446,8 AVPP para 2016 y 16.019,94 para 2017. La mayor parte de los suicidios se presentó en el sexo masculino, en los grupos de edad jóvenes, residentes en área urbana y estado civil soltero. Con respecto a las características del suicidio, el mecanismo más frecuentemente utilizado fue la asfixia mecánica seguido por el envenenamiento, en cerca del 40% de los casos se estableció un evento vital desencadenante como los conflictos de pareja, y se presentaron con mayor frecuencia los días domingo y lunes y en la noche y madrugada. Conclusión: las tasas de suicidio en Antioquia se han incrementado en 2016 y 2017 con respecto a años anteriores. Es más frecuente en hombres y en edades económicamente productivas, lo que explica los altos AVPP. La descripción de las características del suicidio podría facilitar la discusión de intervenciones preventivas.

Summary Background: Identifying the patterns, distribution, and characteristics of suicide in a region is possible with epidemiological surveillance which may lay the foundations for suicide prevention. Objective: To describe the situation of suicide in Antioquia during the period 2016-2017. Methods: Descriptive study based on data from the Epidemiological Surveillance System for External Cause Injuries of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences. Suicides rates and Years of Life Lost (YLL) were calculated and the circumstances of the event were described. Results: There were 425 suicides in 2016 and 419 in 2017, with a suicides rate of 6.50 and 6.34 per 100,000 inhabitants/year respectively, and 16,446.8 YLL for 2016 and 16,019.94 YLL for 2017. Most of the suicides occurred in males, in young age groups, urban residents and single marital status. Regarding the characteristics of suicide, the most frequently used mechanism was mechanical asphyxia followed by poisoning, in about 40% of cases a triggering life event was established, such as partner conflicts, and were more frequent on Sunday and Monday and at night and early morning. Conclusion: The incidence of suicide in Antioquia increased in 2016 and 2017 compared to previous years. It was more frequent in economically productive ages, which explains the high YLL. The description of the characteristics of suicide may facilitate the discussion of preventive interventions.

Analysis of the routes for biomass processing towards sustainable development in the conceptual design step: Strategy based on the compendium of bioprocesses portfolio.

Process sustainability has been one of the most challenging issues faced by process designers. Conceptual designed processes do not overcome this stage because aspects such as context and technological readiness level are left aside. This paper proposes a strategy to consider different processing routes for biomass (compendium of existing routes) towards sustainable development. The strategy comprises five stages where a supported bioprocesses selection is made by considering the chemical composition of the raw material and the context where biomass is produced and processed. This strategy aims to give decision tools to designers to filter and reduce the number of options to be considered when proposing an alternative biomass use. The proposed strategy was applied to upgrade orange peel waste and sugarcane bagasse to demonstrate how it can be applied. In conclusion, selecting of bioprocesses and considering the proposed strategycould improve the biorefineries design. Even so, more bioprocesses must be included.

Influence of products portfolio and process contextualization on the economic performance of small- and large-scale avocado biorefineries.

This research paper seeks to evaluate the influence of the context, processing scale, and portfolio of products on the economic performance of different avocado-based biorefineries. For this, two scenarios in small and large-scale biorefineries were compared. The case of scenario 1 (avocado oil, animal feed, and electricity production) was the best small-scale alternative to be implemented in rural zones than scenario 2 (guacamole and electricity production). The minimum Processing Scale for Economic Feasibility was 0.85 and 1.1 ton/day for scenarios 1 and 2. Compared to lactic acid and xylitol production, the large-scale process addressed to produce levulinic acid, furfural, and lignin (scenario 1) was the best option (scenario 2). In scenario 1, the minimum Processing Scale for Economic Feasibility was 15.50 ton/day compared with scenario 2 of 41.95 ton/day. Based on these values, scenario 1 has the highest feasibility of being implemented in countries such as Colombia.

Biorefineries as the base for accomplishing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the transition to bioeconomy: Technical aspects, challenges and perspectives.

Sustainable development goals (SDGs) are guidelines to improve the socio-economic and environmental worldwide situation caused by excessive fossil fuel use. These goals must be accomplished before 2030 by implementing a national sustainable development framework in all UN country members. Instead, biorefineries are the seed towards a more sustainable world since biomass upgrading into a series of value-added products and energy vectors can reduce current issues related to waste generation and climate change. Besides, biorefineries are the first step on the way to implement a bioeconomy. This review paper aims to elucidate the existing relation between biorefineries, bioeconomy, and the SDGs through a comprehensive analysis of the technical requirements, challenges, and perspectives of biomass upgrading processes. In this way, this review paper includes a discussion about the biorefinery, bioeconomy, sustainable development, and sustainability concepts. Moreover, this paper elucidates how the implementation of biorefineries is linked to the SDGs accomplishment.

An autonomous debating system.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is defined as the ability of machines to perform tasks that are usually associated with intelligent beings. Argument and debate are fundamental capabilities of human intelligence, essential for a wide range of human activities, and common to all human societies. The development of computational argumentation technologies is therefore an important emerging discipline in AI research1. Here we present Project Debater, an autonomous debating system that can engage in a competitive debate with humans. We provide a complete description of the system's architecture, a thorough and systematic evaluation of its operation across a wide range of debate topics, and a detailed account of the system's performance in its public debut against three expert human debaters. We also highlight the fundamental differences between debating with humans as opposed to challenging humans in game competitions, the latter being the focus of classical 'grand challenges' pursued by the AI research community over the past few decades. We suggest that such challenges lie in the 'comfort zone' of AI, whereas debating with humans lies in a different territory, in which humans still prevail, and for which novel paradigms are required to make substantial progress.

A comprehensive approach for biorefineries design based on experimental data, conceptual and optimization methodologies: The orange peel waste case.

The aim of this work was to propose a comprehensive methodological approach integrating two of the most applied approaches to design biorefineries based on experimental data: conceptual design and optimization. The proposed methodology involves three critical aspects i) experimental procedures, ii) simulation approach, and iii) optimization tools. The proposed approach was applied to a specific case as an example. The orange peel waste (OPW) was studied as raw material to feed the biorefinery with the purpose of valorizing the residues produced by the orange juice factories in the Colombian context. After implementing the methodology, the results show how essential oil and biogas were the most profitable and reliable products to be obtained through the processing of OPW.In this case, it is demonstrated also, that the understanding of the biorefinery possibilities is higher when this design methodology is applied.

Cocaine degradation using a rotating biological disc reactor: Techno-economic and environmental analysis using experimental data.

A bacterial mixed culture that utilizes cocaine as the sole carbon and energy sources was isolated and used in a Rotary Disc Reactor as an alternative method for the final disposal of seized cocaine. This study aimed to compare the performances of cocaine incineration (oven) and biodegradation (Rotary Disc Reactor), considering economic and environmental aspects. There was a 99.4% cocaine removal efficiency when bacterial C1T consortium was grown in a Rotary Disc Reactor for 42 h. The economic analysis allowed determining the high potential of the biotechnological cocaine degradation to be evaluated at higher scales. Indeed, the unit disposition price of the biotechnological degradation pathway was 58% higher than the calculated value for the incineration process considering an initial cocaine concentration of 30 g/L. Moreover, the economic sensitivity analysis demonstrated a price reduction of 20% in the unit disposition price of the biotechnological degradation using a rotary disc reactor. Further, cocaine degradation using a rotary disc reactor system presented a better environmental performance than the incineration process considering atmospheric and toxicological impact categories because of the low release of hazardous materials to the atmosphere.