The Tetrahedron approach is a new environmental tool adapted to assess the sustainability of anthropogenic processes. This tool is based on a four-step methodology that includes (a) the identification of critical parameters, (b) evaluation through the Tetrahedron Parameter Global Evaluator, (c) construction of a tetrahedron diagram based on the final scores and (d) quantitative estimation of the global sustainability. The Tetrahedron incorporates various aspects of sustainability, including economic, social and environmental factors, and provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating the impact of human activities. This article presents the methodology and application of the Tetrahedron in determining the sustainability of five case studies: CO₂ capture, unconventional methanol production, the Solvay process, CO₂-alcoholic fermentation process strategy and the CO₂-Rumen fermentation process strategy. The results demonstrate the Tetrahedron as an effective and reliable tool to quantify the sustainability of anthropogenic processes and to promote sustainable practices across various industries and sectors. The Tetrahedron offers several advantages over other environmental assessment tools, including holistic approach, simplicity and flexibility.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a major oncological challenge due to its high recurrence rates, biological heterogeneity, and poor long-term survival outcomes. Despite advances in surgery and radiotherapy, chemotherapeutic options are limited. Cisplatin (CDDP) remains the mainstay, while small molecule inhibitors, such as the selective PI3K3CA; inhibitor Alpelisib, are still under clinical evaluation. However, systemic side effects and suboptimal tumor specificity hamper the clinical utility of both standard and novel specific therapies. In this study, we developed passive- and active-targeting liposomes encapsulating Cisplatin (CDDP) and Alpelisib. To achieve active targeting, the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody Cetuximab was conjugated to the liposome surface. All formulations were characterized based on size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, and drug release profiles. In vitro assays demonstrated that liposomal encapsulation preserved the cytotoxic effects of both CDDP and Alpelisib in HNSCC cell lines, with CDDP showing adequate encapsulation efficiency for in vivo evaluation. In vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging demonstrated that active-targeting liposomes achieved greater tumor accumulation and a better tumor-to-spleen ratio compared to passive formulations. Tumor growth by CDDP-loaded active-targeting liposomes was comparable to that of the free drug, likely due to the hydrophilic nature and rapid release of CDDP from liposomes in physiological conditions. Importantly, blood chemistry analysis indicated a favorable toxicity profile for the targeted liposomal formulation. These findings highlight the potential of liposome-based targeted strategies to improve therapeutic outcomes in HNSCC and underscore the value of nanotechnology in the development of next-generation oncological therapies.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a major oncological challenge due to its high recurrence rates, biological heterogeneity, and poor long-term survival outcomes. Despite advances in surgery and radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapeutic options are limited. Cisplatin (CDDP) remains the mainstay, while small molecule inhibitors, such as the selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase alpha (PI3Kα) inhibitor alpelisib, are still under clinical evaluation. However, systemic side effects and suboptimal tumor specificity hamper the clinical utility of both standard and novel specific therapies.In this study, we developed passive- and active-targeting liposomes encapsulating CDDP and alpelisib. To achieve active targeting, the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody cetuximab was conjugated to the liposome surface. All formulations were characterized based on size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, and drug release profiles. In vitro assays demonstrated that liposomal encapsulation preserved the cytotoxic effects of both CDDP and alpelisib in HNSCC cell lines, with CDDP showing adequate encapsulation efficiency for further in vivo evaluation.In vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging demonstrated that active-targeting liposomes achieved greater tumor accumulation and a better tumor-to-spleen ratio compared to passive formulations. Tumor growth inhibition by CDDP-loaded active-targeting liposomes was comparable to that of the free drug, likely due to the hydrophilic nature and rapid release of CDDP from liposomes in physiological conditions. Importantly, blood chemistry analysis indicated a favorable toxicity profile for the targeted liposomal formulation.These findings highlight the potential of liposome-based targeted strategies to improve therapeutic outcomes in HNSCC and underscore the value of nanotechnology in the development of next-generation oncological therapies.

The 3D architecture of battery electrodes plays a critical role in governing electrolyte transport and, ultimately, electrochemical performance. In this work, FIB-SEM characterization combined with advanced 3D image analysis is employed to quantitatively investigate the microstructural changes of 3D-printed LiCoO₂ (LCO)-based electrodes before and after thermal sintering. A comprehensive particle-scale analysis has been performed to characterize the evolution in particle morphology, size distribution, 3D aspect ratio, and spatial orientation induced by the extrusion fabrication process and subsequent densification. The results reveal that Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) extrusion generates a pronounced anisotropic texture in the 3D-printed electrodes, as plate-like particles — conditioned by ball milling prior to feedstock preparation — preferentially aligned within the deposition plane and partially oriented along the toolpath direction. Significant retention of the original alignment is observed despite particle coalescence and morphological homogenization upon sintering, which suggests that the as-printed particle arrangement acts as a structural template throughout thermal treatment, hence dictating the final pore network and anisotropic tortuosity. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations performed on the reconstructed microstructure indicate that electrolyte transport is strongly direction-dependent: the toolpath direction is the preferred path as it exhibits the lowest pressure drop, lowest tortuosity, and highest permeability, whereas transport along the 3D-printing build direction (perpendicular to the deposition plane) is substantially hindered by the aligned plate-like morphology of the LCO particles. Additionally, it has been experimentally demonstrated that adjusting the printing orientation allows leveraging these inherent deposition-induced anisotropy in favor of fluid flow, increasing the drained volume by approximately 40% in upright-printed 800-μm-thick LCO electrodes compared to their flat-printed counterparts. These findings establish a direct relationship between extrusion-based additive manufacturing, microstructural evolution during the fabrication of ceramic electrodes, and their transport properties, providing quantitative design guidelines for engineering 3D-printed ceramic battery electrodes with optimized electrolyte accessibility.