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International audience; Purpose The prevalence of parental burnout, a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children, varies dramatically across countries and is highest in Western countries characterized by high individualism.Method In this study, we examined the mediators of the relationship between individualism measured at the country level and parental burnout measured at the individual level in 36 countries (16,059 parents). Results The results revealed three mediating mechanisms, that is, self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, high agency and self-directed socialization goals, and low parental task sharing, by which individualism leads to an increased risk of burnout among parents.Conclusion The results confirm that the three mediators under consideration are all involved, and that mediation was higher for self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, then parental task sharing, and lastly selfdirected socialization goals. The results provide some important indications of how to prevent parental burnout at the societal level in Western countries.

Maternity, a period of transition beginning with prenatal bodily changes and progressing through postnatal lactation, is experienced by up to 66% of working women. Over the past several decades, research on maternity in the workplace has grown exponentially to reveal salient maternity biases that plague women as they navigate their employee and motherhood identities. With the aim of providing information that aids scholars and practitioners in better understanding the experiences of working mothers, we conducted a systematic review of 239 papers on maternity bias (i.e., formal, interpersonal, and internalized). Our interdisciplinary review discusses these three forms of bias and how they might present across different career stages for working mothers. Additionally, we review the antecedents that may drive maternity bias and the outcomes that result for working mothers who perceive or anticipate bias at work. Finally, we discuss areas of previous research aimed at overcoming maternity bias from the perspective of working mothers, their colleagues, and their organization. We conclude by discussing the trends brought to light in our review, the collective strengths and weaknesses of commonly adopted theoretical perspectives of the research reviewed, implications for combating maternity bias for women and their organizations, and recommendations for future research. Our model of maternity bias comprehensively reviews past work to provide insights into the bias that working mothers endure at work but also provides a path forward, as better understanding these biases empower organizations, coworkers, and employees to remediate maternity bias.

PurposeAnecdotal and survey reports indicate that nurses are suffering increased stress and burnout due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, this study investigated two forms of passion, harmonious and obsessive passion, as resources that may indirectly predict two forms of burnout, disengagement and exhaustion, through the mediator of job stress.Design/methodology/approachThe authors tested their hypotheses in a mediation model using a sample of nurses surveyed at three timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsAs hypothesized, harmonious passion indirectly decreased disengagement and exhaustion by decreasing job stress. Contrary to authors’ hypotheses, obsessive passion also indirectly decreased (rather than increased, as hypothesized) both disengagement and exhaustion by decreasing job stress. Harmonious, but not obsessive, passion, was significantly negatively directly related to disengagement and exhaustion.Research limitations/implicationsData were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have impacted nurses’ work environments and their willingness to respond.Originality/valueThis study extends conservation of resources theory to conceptualize harmonious and obsessive passion as resources with differing outcomes based on their contrasting identity internalization, per the Dualistic Model of Passion. This study also operationalizes burnout more comprehensively by including cognitive and physical exhaustion along with emotional exhaustion, as well as disengagement. By collecting responses at three timepoints, this study provides a more robust test of causality than previous work examining passion and burnout.

Background Unemployment is known to involve various psychosocial challenges that can negatively impact mental health. However, the intricacies of how individuals experience these challenges and strive to cope within the context of varied sociocultural and individuating factors, remain comparatively understudied. The present qualitative study used an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of mental health and coping during unemployment. Methods Fifteen Australian adults who had recently experienced unemployment (for ≥3 months in the last 2 years), despite being available for and able to work, participated in semi-structured interviews from August to September 2021. Maximum variation sampling ensured participants represented diverse sociodemographic backgrounds. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis within NVivo12 software. Results Four major themes were identified: 1) disrupted identity and direction in life; 2) navigating conflicting views of contribution and progress; 3) knowing how to cope is not enough; and 4) unemployment as a catalyst for new understandings. Unemployment disrupted participants’ sense of purpose, identity and visions for the future. It signified a perceived failure to meet societal standards of value based upon the economic functions of work, which participants struggled to reconcile with their own priorities for work that satisfied psychosocial needs. Participants were aware of effective coping strategies, although these had mixed positive and negative effects on mental health, or were difficult to mobilise during unemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic, while normalising unemployment to some degree, exacerbated future uncertainty and prevented engagement with known coping strategies (e.g., social interaction). However, unemployment could also instigate growth through re-defining markers of achievement, re-aligning goals with one’s core values, and developing greater compassion. Conclusions Experiences of mental health and coping during unemployment share complex relationships both with each other and with broader personal and sociocultural contexts. Service providers may better meet the mental health needs of those experiencing unemployment by balancing the economic and psychosocial functions of work, understanding that coping is a wholistic issue that goes beyond knowledge of effective strategies, and being aware of the opportunities for self-development that unemployment can create.

Chloride intracellular channels (CLICs) are conserved proteins for which the cellular and molecular functions remain mysterious. An important insight into CLIC function came from the discovery that Caenorhabditis elegans EXC-4/CLIC regulates morphogenesis of the excretory canal (ExCa) cell, a single-cell tube. Subsequent work showed that mammalian CLICs regulate vascular development and angiogenesis, and human CLIC1 can rescue exc-4 mutants, suggesting conserved function in biological tube formation (tubulogenesis) and maintenance. However, the cell behaviors and signaling pathways regulated by EXC-4/CLICs during tubulogenesis in vivo remain largely unknown. We report a new exc-4 mutation, affecting a C-terminal residue conserved in virtually all metazoan CLICs, that reveals a specific role for EXC-4 in ExCa outgrowth. Cell culture studies suggest a function for CLICs in heterotrimeric G protein (Gα/β/γ)-Rho/Rac signaling, and Rho-family GTPases are common regulators of cell outgrowth. Using our new exc-4 mutant, we describe a previously unknown function for Gα-encoding genes (gpa-12/Gα12/13, gpa-7/Gαi, egl-30/Gαq and gsa-1/Gαs), ced-10/Rac and mig-2/RhoG in EXC-4-mediated ExCa outgrowth. Our results demonstrate that EXC-4/CLICs are primordial players in Gα-Rho/Rac-signaling, a pathway that is crucial for tubulogenesis in C. elegans and in vascular development.

IntroductionThe majority of people who die by suicide have never seen a mental health professional or been diagnosed with a mental illness. To date, this majority group has largely been ignored, with most existing research focusing on predictors of suicide such as past suicide attempts. Identifying the characteristics of people who die by suicide without receiving services, often with a fatal first attempt, is crucial to reduce suicide rates through guiding improvements to service pathways and “just in time” interventions.MethodsIn this systematic review, PsycInfo, PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched for peer-reviewed articles published from 1980 to 1st March 2021. Included studies examined predictors of non-receipt of formal mental health services among people who died by suicide. Data were extracted from published reports and the quality of included studies was assessed using a modified version of the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Analytical Cross Sectional Studies. This review was registered with PROSPERO, CRD 42021226543.ResultsSixty-seven studies met inclusion criteria, with sample sizes ranging from 39 to 193,152 individuals. Male sex, younger or older age, and rural location were consistently associated with non-receipt of mental health services. People not receiving mental health services were also less likely to have a psychiatric diagnosis, past suicidal behavior or contact with general health services, and more likely to use violent means of suicide. There was some evidence that minority ethnicity and psychosocial stressors were associated with service non-receipt.ConclusionPeople who die by suicide without receiving mental health services are likely to have diverse profiles, indicating the need for multifaceted approaches to effectively support people at risk of suicide. Identifying the needs and preferences of individuals who are at risk of suicide is crucial in developing new support pathways and services, and improving the quality of existing services.Systematic Review Registrationhttp://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42021226543.

Background The durability of immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in cancer patients remains to be elucidated. We prospectively evaluated the immunogenicity of the vaccine in triggering both the humoral and the cell-mediated immune response in cancer patients treated with anti PD-1/PD-L1 with or without chemotherapy six months after BNT162b2 vaccine. Patients and methods In the previous study, 88 patients were enrolled, while the analyses below refer to the 60 patients still on immunotherapy at the time of the follow up. According to previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure, patients were classified in SARS-CoV-2 naïve (without previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure) and SARS-CoV-2 experienced (with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection). Neutralizing antibody (NT Abs) titer against B.1.1 strain and total anti-Spike IgG concentration were quantified in serum samples. ELISpot assay was used for quantification of anti-Spike interferon gamma (IFNγ) producing cells/106 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Fifty patients (83.0%) were on immunotherapy alone, while ten patients (7%) were on chemo-immunotherapy. We analyzed separately patients on immunotherapy and patients on chemo-immunotherapy. Results Median T-cell response at six months was significantly lower than that measured at three weeks after vaccination (50 interquartile range (IQR) 20-118.8 vs 175IQR 67.5-371.3 IFNγ producing cells/106 PBMC;p

The majority of people who die by suicide are unknown to formal mental health services. The current review identified predictors of non-receipt of mental health services among individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviours. Such data provides insight into the needs and preferences of these individuals and inform improvements to existing services.PsycInfo, PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, and Web of Science were systematically searched from 1st January 1980 up to 20th September 2021. Included studies examined predictors of not receiving formal mental health services among people at risk of suicide. Study quality was assessed by adapting the Joanna-Briggs Institute Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. Findings were presented with narrative synthesis. PROSPERO registration: CRD42021256795.Included studies (n = 35, sample range = 46-19,243) were predominately conducted in the United States. Non-receipt of services in nationally representative studies was varied (25.7-91.8%). Results indicate that non-receipt of mental health services among people with suicidality is associated with minority ethnicity, better perceived general health, lower psychological distress, lower severity of suicidality, no mental health diagnosis, lower perceived need for treatment and lower use of medical services.Limitations included few studies conducted in low-middle income countries, limited literature on key predictors of interest, and exclusion of informal sources of support.Individuals with suicidality who are unknown to mental health services have diverse attributes. For some, non-use of services may result from low suicidal distress and perceived need for treatment. Further research is needed to understand why these predictors are associated with service non-use.

Very few cancer patients were enrolled in coronavirus disease-2019 vaccine studies. In order to address this gap of knowledge, real-world studies are mandatory. The aim of this study was to assess both humoral and cellular response after a messenger RNA vaccination schedule.Eighty-eight consecutive cancer patients treated with programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitors were enrolled from the beginning of the vaccination campaign for frail patients. Blood samples for humoral and cell-mediated immune response evaluation were obtained before vaccination (T0), before the second administration (T1) and 21 days after the second dose (T2). The primary endpoint was the evaluation of the percentage of participants showing a significant increase in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific T cells, measured by an enzyme-linked immunospot assay, after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine. The proportion of patients who reached the primary endpoint is computed together with its exact binomial 95% confidence interval.In SARS-CoV-2-naïve subjects, spike-specific T-cell response was almost undetectable at T0 [median 0.0 interferon-γ (IFN-γ) spot forming units (SFU)/million peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) interquartile range (IQR) 0-7.5] and significantly increased at T1 and T2 (median 15.0 IFN-γ SFU/million PBMC, 25th-75th 0-40 versus 90 IFN-γ SFU/million PBMC, 25th-75th 32.5-224, respectively) (P0.001). Focusing on naïve and experienced SARS-CoV-2 subjects, no differences were reported both in terms of CD4- and CD8-specific T-cell response, suggesting that BNT162b2 is able to elicit both adaptive responses after complete vaccination schedule, regardless of previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure. The level of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies was low at T1 in SARS-CoV-2-naïve subjects [median 1 : 5 (IQR 1 : 5-1 : 20)] but reached a significantly higher median of 1 : 80 (25th-75th 1 : 20-1 : 160) at T2 (P0.0001). Moreover, no COVID-19 cases were documented throughout the period of study.Our data have demonstrated that the administration of a full course of BNT162b2 vaccine elicited a sustained immune response against SARS-CoV-2 regardless of the type of cancer and/or the type of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The experiences of pregnant employees in the American workforce is a central topic of conversation in current sociopolitical discourse. While previous research focuses more on how pregnant employees can shape others’ impressions of themselves, we shift the lens to explore the intrapersonal experiences of pregnant employees. Using a weekly survey methodology, we examined the extent to which utilizing different coping strategies (active coping and denial) shapes perceptions of both time-based pregnancy-to-work (PWC) and work-to-pregnancy conflict (WPC) over a period of four weeks. The results suggest that using denial as a coping strategy led to increased PWC the following week. Additionally, we found evidence that conflict felt during pregnancy spilled over to predict lower positive affect six months postpartum. We provide some of the first data on the influence of the intrapersonal experiences of pregnant employees not only during their time at work, but also when returning to work postpartum.

Highlights There is no clear definition of orphan symptoms. There is a group of symptoms that are seldom evaluated in most symptom assessment tools which can be considered as orphan symptoms.1 These are generally prevalent symptoms that are unaddressed in clinical practice, yet often not reported by the patients or by healthcare professionals.2 Orphan symptoms may be defined as symptoms not regularly assessed in clinical practice, and consequently little studied and not properly treated. No epidemiological or clinical studies generally exist to gauge the prevalence of the symptoms chosen; nevertheless, these symptoms are distressing for patients and their families. Orphan symptoms remain unaddressed in clinical practice if not highlighted by the patient or specifically sought by the healthcare professional. These symptoms may have a significant impact on the remaining quality of life (QoL). In these guidelines, only selected orphan symptoms are discussed. Among the most frequent orphan symptoms in patients with cancer that are related to the tumour or the antitumour treatment are muscle cramps, myoclonus, taste alterations, xerostomia, cough, hiccup, rectal tenesmus and restless legs syndrome (RLS). No epidemiological or clinical study exists regarding the prevalence of most orphan symptoms in patients with cancer. These symptoms are really distressing for patients and their families. Several case series and case reports, but very few prospective trials, have been published until now. For this reason, the levels of evidence (LoEs) and grades of recommendation (GoRs) are generally low. These European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Clinical Practice Guidelines on management of orphan symptoms are the first …

Although a full course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine is effective in cancer patients, the duration of the protection and the efficacy of a booster dose against the new variants remain unknown. We prospectively evaluated the immunogenicity of the third dose of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine in cancer patients undergoing active treatment.Patients with solid cancer, vaccinated with a booster dose during active treatment, were enrolled in this study. Patients were classified into SARS-CoV-2 naïve (without previous COVID-19 infection) and SARS-CoV-2 experienced (with previous COVID-19 infection). Neutralizing antibody (NT Ab) titer and total anti-Spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration were quantified in serum. Heparinized whole blood samples were used for SARS-CoV-2 Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA). The primary endpoint was to assess the increase of IgG antibody level between baseline and 3 weeks after the booster.One hundred and forty-two consecutive patients were recruited. In SARS-CoV-2-naïve subjects, the median level of IgG was 157 BAU/ml [interquartile range (IQR) 62-423 BAU/ml] at T0 and reached a median of 2080 BAU/ml (IQR 2080-2080 BAU/ml) at 3 weeks after booster administration (T1; P0.0001). A median 16-fold increase of SARS-CoV-2 NT Ab titer (IQR 4-32) was observed in naïve subjects (from median 20, IQR 10-40, to median 640, IQR 160-640; P0.0001). Median interferon-γ level at T1 was significantly higher than that measured at T0 in SARS-CoV-2-naïve subjects (P = 0.0049) but not in SARS-CoV-2-experienced patients. The median level of SARS-CoV-2 NT Abs was 32-fold lower against Omicron compared to the wild-type strain (P = 0.0004) and 12-fold lower compared to the Delta strain (P = 0.0110).The third dose is able to trigger both the humoral and the cell-mediated immune response in cancer patients on active treatment. Our preliminary data about the neutralization of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine against variants of concern seem to confirm the lower vaccine activity.

Despite a recent push toward understanding and advocating for LGB employees in the workplace, the unique experiences of bisexual individuals have received little attention in scholarly and organizational contexts. In this manuscript, we attempt to address this by providing novel empirical data from two studies that assess the experience of disclosing bisexuality in a workplace context from multiple perspectives –bisexual employees themselves, as well as non-bisexual (i.e., heterosexual, gay, lesbian) individuals. Taken together, we found evidence suggesting bisexual employees are less likely to disclose their sexual orientation at work as compared to gay and lesbian employees. In addition, our findings indicate that heterosexual, gay, and lesbian individuals hold negative views about bisexuality, which we argue may in part explain bisexual employees' stronger hesitation to disclose their identities at work as compared to gay and lesbian employees. Finally, we found in a vignette-based study that bisexual applicants who disclosed their sexual identities in a job application incurred substantial job-related penalties as compared to gay applicants. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings and provide insight into several promising directions for future research.

Decisions to reveal one's sexual orientation are assumed to be a volitional choice. Prior research has shown, however, that people often learn about the lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) identities of others through indirect means, such as gossip and stereotypical cues (Ambady, Hallahan, & Conner, 1999; Colgan, Creegan, McKearney, & Wright, 2007 ). We conduct two studies to determine the effects of these forms of prior identity-related knowledge on disclosure outcomes. First, a pre-test of study assumptions demonstrates that recipients of minority sexual orientation disclosures often have prior knowledge of those identities. Second, a survey study examining the target's perspective finds that LGB people often suspect when others have prior knowledge of their identities, and this expected prior knowledge moderates the relationship between identity-management and subsequent experiences of discrimination. Lastly, a lab experiment manipulating the level of prior identity-related knowledge establishes that this information directly influences interpersonal workplace outcomes of disclosures through perceptions of awkwardness but not through liking. Together, these studies demonstrate support for our model of prior identity-related knowledge and highlight the importance of examining both prior identity-related knowledge as well as identity management strategies in predicting LGB workplace experiences.

Due to rising pressure to appear egalitarian, subtle discrimination pervades today's workplace. Although its ambiguous nature may make it seem innocuous on the surface, an abundance of empirical evidence suggests subtle discrimination undermines employee and organizational functioning, perhaps even more so than its overt counterpart. In the following article, we argue for a multidimensional and continuous, rather than categorical, framework for discrimination. In doing so, we propose that there exist several related but distinct continuums on which instances of discrimination vary, including subtlety, formality, and intentionality. Next, we argue for organizational scholarship to migrate toward a more developmental, dynamic perspective of subtle discrimination in order to build a more comprehensive understanding of its antecedents, underlying mechanisms, and outcomes. We further contend that everyone plays a part in the process of subtle discrimination at work and, as a result, bears some responsibility in addressing and remediating it. We conclude with a brief overview of research on subtle discrimination in the workplace from each of four stakeholder perspectives—targets, perpetrators, bystanders, and allies—and review promising strategies that can be implemented by each of these stakeholders to remediate subtle discrimination in the workplace.

Management research is considered an early paradigm field. In line with this assessment, many research streams focused on both micro and macro topics have produced a history of mixed and inconsiste...

Over the last 15 years, research on identity management, the strategic choices employees make to manage others’ impressions of their association with a stigmatized identity(ies) (Roberts, 2005), ha...

This work is committed to ascertain the feasibility of hydrogenation processes under simulated industrial conditions for the advanced syn-fuels production, aiming to establish the effect of the catalytic formulation on catalytic performance. Namely, a series of catalytic formulations based on compositions of metal oxides (i.e. Zn, Ce, Zr, Cu etc.) have been proved and compared in thesynthesis of green fuels via hydrotreating processes.

Commercial CoMo/?-Al2O3 catalysts were characterized and tested in the o-xylene hydrogenation processes, aiming to evaluate the influence of catalyst acidity on the catalytic pathway in the model reaction under study. Namely, a clear relationship between the number and strength of Lewis acid sites and the catalytic performance of the materials was established. Moreover, acid-modified catalysts provided a good compromise between activity and stability.

As modern workplace environments are becoming increasingly diverse, the experiences of disenfranchised employees have become a topic of great interest to scholars and business professionals alike. While the experiences of individuals with singular stigmatized identities have been well-established, a dearth of research has assessed how intersectionality, i.e., holding multiple stigmatized identities, combine and intertwine to shape workplace experiences. We contribute to a growing literature on intersectionality by assessing the extent to which employees identifying with multiple stigmatized identities may constitute a risk factor for the experience of job insecurity, a prevalent and potent economic stressor. Additionally, we propose that job insecurity will partially mediate the relationship between intersectionality and a variety of adverse workplace outcomes associated with increased job insecurity perceptions. In order to test these hypotheses, we collected survey data from 449 employed individuals within the United States over two timepoints. Results of the tests of our direct and indirect hypotheses revealed that individuals with more stigmatized identities reported greater perceptions of job insecurity, and intersectionality indirectly affected workplace outcomes via this heightened job insecurity. Our results highlight a new antecedent of job insecurity for consideration and is meant to motivate others to approach diversity-related research questions with multiple identities in mind, in an effort to encapsulate the full spectrum of one&rsquo, s experience based on their identity makeup.

Since many decades, the oxidative conversion of carbon monoxide is one of the most common "model" reactions in Catalysis, with also great environmental and technological concerns due to high toxicity of CO, also boosting the formation of ozone in metropolitan areas, and the fact that CO behaves as a poison in some important catalytic technologies (e.g., Ammonia, Fuel Cells, etc.). Although supported noble metals currently dominate the catalyst market for environmental applications, including total and preferential CO oxidation in hydrogen streams (PROX), an incessant research interest is devoted to transition metal oxide (TMO) systems, for obvious economic reasons and a performance at low-medium temperature (

The effects of formulation on the physical-chemical properties and CO oxidation activity of Ce/MnOx nano-composite materials have been assessed. The study of the interaction pattern of the Ce/MnOx nano-composite with reagent and product molecules shows easy reactivity to CO (e.g., catalyst reduction), low mobility of lattice oxygen, and weak surface affinity to CO2. All these evidences signal an extrafacial redox path, triggered by oxygen ions in the neighboring of surface active MnIV sites and driven by adsorbed O2 species. A Langmuir-Hinshelwood-type mechanism that explains the empiric kinetics, fully predicting the CO oxidation performance of the Ce/MnOx catalyst in the range of 293-533K.

The composition and chemical structure of toxic heavy metals in spent zeolite, chosen as model system, have been assessed, qualitatively and quantitatively, via a novel characterization procedure, which concerns different X-ray techniques. The developed protocol of analysis can provide an effective tool for the definitive assessment of the level of toxicity and riskiness of exhausted automotive catalysts.

The purification and the reuse of industrial wastewaters is a very critical environmental issue due to a global freshwater shortage, a continuing water resources depletion and increasing pollutants release in the environment. This is evident taking into account that currently ca. 90% of the global freshwater availability is destined to industrial and agricultural consumptions, while 1 billion people globally lack access to safe water supplies and more than 2 billion are without access to basic sanitation (WHO and the UNICEF, 2017). The improvement of the quality of drinking water and the reduction of water contamination are very challenging issues, worthy of a global market of hundreds of billions of euro, growing at about 6% of rate (Royan, 2016). Moreover, increased industrial output in emerging markets are expected to drive global water market growth, while the investments in technologies to improve efficiency and to facilitate reuse will continue to increase. Furthermore, the transformation of linear economy in circular economy, wherein wastage is minimal and resources are reused, will change the nature of technologies and solutions used in water and wastewater management (Royan, 2016). Recently, a new class of cerium manganate nano-composite materials has been synthesized through an innovative preparation method [1] and proved in the catalytic depollution of air contaminants and noxious industrial wastewater [1-5], providing new technological solutions especially for the industrial water management based on Reduction, Reuse and Recycle [1-5]. The high red-ox activity, surface amphoteric behaviour and good chemical stability render these new advanced materials more performing with respect to supported noble-metals catalysts [1-5]. The new synthesis technique leads to cerium manganate nanocomposite materials with improved mesoporous texture and quasi-molecular dispersion of the oxide phases, enhancing the oxidation activity in comparison to the conventional co-precipitation route [1-5]. The method is eco-friendly, easily and economically feasible on small and large scale, ensuring high reproducibility and control of the catalyst structure and texture. The technique has been exploited to obtain bulk and promoted systems very active in the water electro-oxidation, CO oxidation reactions [1-5], soot oxidative abatement, NO decomposition and low temperature NOx selective reduction and in particular the conversion (adsorption) and the mineralization (total oxidation) of different classes of polluting substrates, including aromatic compounds (i.e., phenols), low molecular weight (C1-C3) carboxylic acids, and Cl- and N- containing organic pollutants. Therefore, the effectiveness and efficiency of a new technological approach based on catalytic wet oxidation processes for the detoxification of very polluted industrial wastewaters been assessed, toward different classes of polluting substrates incompatible with biological treatments.

The effectiveness and efficiency of a new technological approach based on catalytic wet oxidation processes for the detoxification of very polluted wastewaters originated from marine harbour activities have been assessed. A multi-stages demonstration plant, with a net capacity of 1.0 m3/day, which combine different wastewater treatment technologies has been realized and validated in the industrial relevant environment of Augusta's harbour (Noé & Co. shipyard, Italy), achieving a water purification grade of the tap water.

The growing interest toward climate changes and the always increasing emissions of CO2 from industrial plants, have prompted new seeks in the field of technologies for CO2 capture and utilization. In particular, the use of CO2 as source for the synthesis of "eco friendly" energy vectors, through the conversion into fuels, appears one of the most sustainable routes to mitigate the emissions and to cope with the growing energy demand. Therefore, this work is aimed to present a systematic evaluation of the catalytic and photocatalytic conversion processes of CO2 into hydrocarbons, by comparing the performance of three different families of Cu-based materials (i.e. CuZn/Al2O3, FeCu/ Al2O3 and Cu/TiO2). The chemical formulation and the process conditions affect the performance in the synthesis of fuels, determining productivity and products distribution. The energy balance of the three different processes clearly shows that the CO2 photosynthesis is energetically more efficient than catalytic hydrogenation; on the other hand, the catalytic hydrogenation is at the moment most performing choose in term of energy yield and the most suitable route for the industrial exploitation of CO2 as sustainable energy vector.

Due to increased environmental concern, the European Union introduced the "zero-sulphur" legislation which limits the sulphur content in gasoline and diesel less than 10 mg/kg, thus requiring the development of new process technologies and improved HDS catalysts for ULSD applications. Commercial hydrotreating catalysts, however, are affected by several drawbacks that limit their performance. In particular, the acidic properties of catalyst can promote undesired side reactions, leading to catalyst deactivation by coke formation. Despite intensive efforts devoted to study deactivation phenomena, the nature of acid sites and their role in deactivation by coking is still unclear . On this account, the present study aims to ascertain the influence of the acidity of HDS catalysts on the catalytic pathway in the o-xylene hydrogenation process, as model reaction, and to examine the kinetic mechanism of coking phenomena, aiming also to disclose the key factors governing the catalyst deactivation and to identify new route for catalyst protection.

Concerns about the environment pollution and energy shortage have promoted academics to exploit fossil fuel alternatives, such as biomass. In particular, crude bio-oils derived from the pyrolysis of biomasses, can represent one of the most suitable and renewable energy sources for the bio-fuel production. However, crude bio-oil upgrading is required before utilization as transportation fuels. In fact, the high content of oxygenated molecules is responsible for several deleterious properties of these crudes as high viscosity, low volatility, corrosiveness, thermal instability and tendency to polymerize. Moreover, although ethers are one of the primary products of pyrolysis oil, the HDO of these molecules has not been fully investigated. On this address, this work is aimed at highlighting the feasibility of the bio-oil upgrading process under simulated industrial conditions. Namely, a systematic study in the HDO of MTBE as model compound has been carried out by using alumina supported NiMo based catalysts, timely activated with different procedures, shedding light on the correlations between structure and reactivity. Preliminary tests show an almost complete conversion of the MTBE, with the formation of methanol as main reaction product, while the presence of methane is due to the occurrence of cracking side reaction.

The slow delayed rectifier K+ current (IKs) determines the length of each human heartbeat because it activates after myocytes are excited and depolarize. This sensitivity to voltage, as well as dynamic regulation by hormones and second messengers, underlies the essential role of IKs in determining the duration and rhythm of cardiac action potentials. Here, we demonstrate the unexpected mechanism that establishes the voltage-dependent operation of IKs channels: SUMOylation. When native IKs channels are resident in the plasma membranes of neonatal mouse ventricular myocytes, or human channels are reconstituted in CHO cells, each of the four KCNQ1 pore-forming subunits is subject to monoSUMOylation in a manner that depends on KCNE1 accessory subunits, leading to stepwise depolarizing shifts in the activation voltage.

In recent years, promoting diversity by creating a diversity climate for inclusivity is a common strategy that has been implemented in many organizations (Bartels, Nadler, Kufahl, & Pyatt, 2013). I...

The reactivity pattern of Al2O3 (CuZnAl), CeO2 (CuZnCe) and ZrO2 (CuZnZr) supported Cu–ZnO systems in the synthesis of methanol via CO2 hydrogenation in the range of 453–513 K at 3.0–5.0 MPa has been addressed. The CuZnCe system shows superior surface methanol productivity, though textural and chemical effects of zirconia carrier account for the better performance of CuZnZr catalyst. Characterization data of “steady-state” catalysts show significant surface coverage by CO2 irrespective of metal surface area (MSA). Direct relationships among activity, CO2 uptake and oxides surface area (OSA) point out a dual-site Langmuir–Hinshelwood reaction mechanism, involving hydrogenation and CO2 adsorption sites at the surface of both metal and oxide phases. The influence of space–velocity on selectivity signals the occurrence of a parallel-consecutive path leading to methanol and CO, while higher reaction rate and methanol selectivity with lowering contact time signal a negative influence of water formation on the catalyst performance.