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Soil degradation in Europe is mostly represented by soil erosion that, as a sediment production mechanism, is the main environmental threat to many watersheds, including the Bovilla watershed (Tirana), useful for the supply of drinking water to the city, and therefore, the care of water quality is of particular interest. The soil erosion of the Bovilla watershed was monitored in a work set up in June 2017. Following this work, this research updates the previous data on soil loss at the Bovilla watershed in t/ha/year to September 2019 and focuses on the identification and monetary evaluation of the ecosystem services (ESs) linked to soil erosion (loss of carbon, loss of mineral elements, habitat quality, crop productivity, and sustainable tourism suitability). Then, we applied the replacement cost analysis to test the economic convenience and suggest the adoption of sustainable land management practices (e.g., reforestation) able to improve the quality water in this watershed. The study carried out demonstrates that the values of soil lost due to erosion vary depending on the type of land use (ranging from average values of 120.32 t/ha for bare land to values of 8.16 t/ha for wooded areas). Furthermore, from the application of monetary methods for the evaluation of some ecosystem services linked to erosion (loss of carbonaceous and mineral elements, habitat quality, productivity, suitability for sustainable tourism), it clearly emerges that the value of the productivity of agricultural crops varies from EUR 0 to 35,320.50/ha and that the service represents a more incisive service than the previous ones, so much so as to make the conversion of some agricultural land with high productivity values into wooded areas economically disadvantageous. The data from this study may help to develop Bovilla watershed management strategies for erosion and pollution control and sediment remediation mainly in agricultural lands. A program of measures can be effective for controlling soil erosion, but it must be implemented over long time frames, and it requires relevant investments from the public and private sectors, also with a view to increase the allocation of economic values of monetary compensation aimed at those who decide to start forestation projects on highly productive soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The profound transformations of traditional rural landscapes have heightened attention towards the recovery and valorisation of their buildings, often abandoned, to accommodate new landscape usage needs. This aligns with the principles of sustainable landscape management. However, knowledge of the rural real estate market remains largely unexplored. This research aims to define and examine the key features influencing the purchase of rural buildings, for shedding light on their market. The objective is to provide useful new insight to the property appraisers and real estate agents involved in the sale of traditional rural buildings, even if in conditions of degradation or abandonment and in traditional landscape contexts. Furthermore, these results could serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, enabling them to indirectly evaluate the impacts of urban and landscape policies on buyers' preferences regarding key features of rural properties. The research focused on the 'trulli', traditional buildings located in the Valle d'Itria (Puglia, Southern Italy). First, a detailed market analysis was carried out with the support of local real estate experts, to survey the transactions of trulli and identify the features influencing their purchase. Second, the obtained dataset was analysed through network analysis, which enabled us to explore the role and importance assigned by buyers to the identified features. The results highlighted that the quality of the landscape where trulli are located changed the buyers' viewpoint on the purchase features. In greater detail, price, area, potable water accessibility and level of maintenance of trulli were the most crucial features, particularly in high and medium landscape value zones, compatible with touristic and recreational activities. On the other hand, the annex agricultural surface covered a central function in low landscape value zone for possible agricultural uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to sustainable food systems and the achievement of SDGs 2 and 12 entails the adoption of sustainable consumption and production patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet and its impact on nutritional status and health have been the focus of recent research. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, BMI (kg/m2), and age of children. The geographical area is the Metropolitan City of Bari (Apulia region, southern Italy), which is involved in the development of an effective food policy aimed at ensuring a sustainable food transition. An online survey was filled out by parents or guardians responsible for the dietary patterns of children between 2 and 15 years of age to collect data about their Mediterranean diet adherence through the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) and sociodemographic features, food habits and lifestyles, and anthropometric variables. Descriptive statistics and k-means cluster analysis were applied for profiling children, contributing to identifying the main factors that might affect individual Mediterranean diet adherence. Four clusters were characterized, taking into account food habits and lifestyle index, socioeconomic index, children’s age, and body mass index (BMI). Results showed an association between low adherence to the Mediterranean diet and high prevalence of overweight and obesity in children. The factors positively associated with following an optimal Mediterranean diet adherence were the mother’s education level and level of income; skipping breakfast is linked to low adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Therefore, targeted strategies should be put in place to improve Mediterranean diet adherence among children, promoting healthy dietary habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission is directing efforts into triggering the storage of carbon in agricultural soils by encouraging the adoption of carbon farming practices under the European Green Deal and in other key EU policies. However, farmers that want to enter this production model urgently need to define the sustainable practices required for increasing soil organic carbon without overturning production systems and also need to adapt it for optimizing yields and improving carbon stocks. However, there is still a lack of tools that are easy to use and interpret for guiding farmers and stakeholders to find ways in which to increase soil organic carbon content. Therefore, this research aims to set up a novel bottom–up approach, in terms of the methodology and analysis process, for identifying tailored sustainable farming management strategies for the purpose of increasing soil carbon. We investigated 115 real food production cases that were carried out under homogeneous pedo-climatic conditions over a period of 20 years in the Apulia region (Southern Italy), which made it possible to create a dataset of 12 variables that were analyzed through a decision tree (created with the C4.5 algorithm). The overall results highlight that the treatment duration was the most crucial factor and affected the carbon stock both positively and negatively. This was followed by the use of cover crops alone and then those in combination with a type of irrigation system; hence, specific agricultural management strategies were successfully identified for obtaining effective carbon storage in the considered real food production cases. From a wider perspective, this research can serve as guidance to help EU private actors and public authorities to start carbon farming initiatives, pilot projects, or certification schemes at the local and/or regional levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anatase titanium dioxide is a common photocatalyst with limited application scope due to its wide band gap energy. Valence and conduction band doping have long been used to narrow TiO2 band gap energy. The effectiveness of the process is highly dependent on the procedure adopted, and its underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Importantly, optical changes caused by bulk doping are not always represented at the surface where the catalysis occurs. Therefore, methodologies sensitive to bulk and surface modifications are key for a holistic understanding of the doping mechanism and its effect on photocatalysis quantum yield. Herein, it is proposed the use of X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) with different probing depths to elucidate the chemical composition of bulk and surface. Soft XAS was employed to determine the chemical state of typical dopants (N and Cu) in TiO2 thin films. The XAS measurements at N K‐edge and Cu L2,3‐edge were performed in surface and bulk‐sensitive detection modes, providing direct insight into the surface‐bulk effects caused by the dopants. In the case of copper doping in the TiO2 conduction band, the data show the formation of Cu2+ in the bulk states. In contrast, the surface states are dominated by Cu+ components resulting from surface termination geometries. Moreover, X‐ray absorption spectra confirmed that the substitutional mechanism is the dominant process in Cu doping. The nitrogen doping was found to be interstitial, causing minor changes to the band structure but affecting the photoluminescence. The proposed methodology closes the gap in knowledge between materials design and photocatalytic performance by establishing atoms' disposition in bulk that affects electronic properties and on the surface that impacts the catalytic cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities have been increasingly involved in the development of food policies, becoming key points in achieving food security and fostering the transition to sustainable agri-food systems. The aim of this paper is to identify citizens' profiles by performing segmentation and profiling according to their socio-economic variables and perception of key factors affecting food security. This is to define appropriate strategies to guide policy makers in a more effective creation of urban food policies. An online survey was filled out by citizens of the Metropolitan City of Bari from July to November 2022. Descriptive analysis, principal component analysis and K-means cluster analysis were applied to the collected data. Four clusters of citizens were obtained and labelled based on socio-economic characteristics and key factors affecting food security perception. Specifically, the "Law-confident" (45% of citizens) and "Hedonist" (36%) clusters revealed the greatest trust in "governance" and "quality certification" aspects. The "Capitalist" (15%) and "Conservatory" (4%) clusters were relatively small groups, characterized respectively by a positive perception of the standardization of food production and governance power, with a focus on strategies regarding food policy implementation, reduction of food loss and waste (FLW) and improvement of food quality certifications systems. The proposed approach and results may support EU policy makers in identifying key macro-areas and matters toward which to direct public funding in order to improve food security in urban areas, and to put in place actions enhancing citizens' knowledge and awareness of key issues of food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, consumers have shown considerable attention to functional foods that can provide various benefits. At the same time, the awareness of the problem of waste generation from the agri-food supply chains has increased; thus, scholars and practitioners are devoting great attention to sustainable food waste management. Within the wine processing, the production phase generates by-products such as marc, grape seeds, stems, and wine lees. In most cases, these by-products are treated as waste rather than as a resource, creating environmental, economic, and social impacts related to their disposal. By contrast, the reuse of oenological by-products in food production can have several health benefits, since they are rich in functional molecules such as fibres, polyphenols, and vitamin E, and can also trigger a circular economy model. The aim of this research is to investigate the acceptance of consumers towards bread enriched with oenological by-products through the application of k-means clustering, providing insights on the characterisation of groups of consumers based on their specific features and declared attitudes. The results showed three different consumers' clusters, highlighting that the acceptance of this enriched bread is not influenced by the consumers' socio-economic features, but it is related to consumers' sensitivity. Therefore, target strategies should be put in place to inform consumers about the benefits associated with the consumption of bread enriched with oenological by-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meropenem is currently the most common carbapenem in clinical applications. Industrially, the final synthetic step is characterized by a heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation in batch mode with hydrogen and Pd/C. The required high-quality standard is very difficult to meet and specific conditions are required to remove both protecting groups [i.e., p-nitrobenzyl (pNB) and p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl (pNZ)] simultaneously. The three-phase gas–liquid–solid system makes this step difficult and unsafe. The introduction of new technologies for small-molecule synthesis in recent years has opened up new landscapes in process chemistry. In this context, we have investigated meropenem hydrogenolysis using microwave (MW)-assisted flow chemistry for use as a new technology with industrial prospects. The reaction parameters (catalyst amount, T, P, residence time, flow rate) in the move from the batch process to semi-continuous flow were investigated under mild conditions to determine their influence on the reaction rate. The optimization of the residence time (840 s) and the number of cycles (4) allowed us to develop a novel protocol that halves the reaction time compared to batch production (14 min vs. 30 min) while maintaining the same product quality. The increase in productivity using this semi-continuous flow technique compensates for the slightly lower yield (70% vs. 74%) obtained in batch mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous-flow chemistry has become a mainstream process and a notable trend among emerging technologies for drug synthesis. It is routinely used in academic and industrial laboratories to generate a wide variety of molecules and building blocks. The advantages it provides, in terms of safety, speed, cost efficiency and small-equipment footprint compared to analog batch processes, have been known for some time. What has become even more important in recent years is its compliance with the quality objectives that are required by drug-development protocols that integrate inline analysis and purification tools. There can be no doubt that worldwide government agencies have strongly encouraged the study and implementation of this innovative, sustainable and environmentally friendly technology. In this brief review, we list and evaluate the development and applications of continuous-flow processes for antibiotic synthesis. This work spans the period of 2012–2022 and highlights the main cases in which either active ingredients or their intermediates were produced under continuous flow. We hope that this manuscript will provide an overview of the field and a starting point for a deeper understanding of the impact of flow chemistry on the broad panorama of antibiotic synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address global food security, new strategies are required in view of the challenges represented by Climate Change, depletion of natural resources and the need to not further compromise the ecosystems' quality and biodiversity. Food losses and waste (FLW) affect food security and nutrition, as well as the sustainability of food systems. Quantification of the adverse effects of FLW is a complex and multidimensional challenge requiring a wide-ranging approach, regarding the quantification of FLW as well as the related economic, environmental and social aspects. The evaluation of suitable corrective actions for managing FLW along the food supply chain requires a system of sound and shared benchmarks that seem still undefined. This review aims to provide an overview of the environmental, economic and social issues of FLW, which may support policy measures for prevention, reduction and valorization of food wastes within the food supply chain. In fact, detection of the hotspots and critical points allows to develop tailored policy measures that may improve the efficiency of the food supply chain and its sustainability, with an integrated approach involving all the main actors and considering the several production contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylamide is an unsaturated amide that forms in heated, starchy food products. This study was conducted to (1) examine the ability of 38 LAB to remove acrylamide; (2) optimize acrylamide removal of selected LAB under various conditions (pH, temperature, time and salt) using the Box–Behnken design (BBD); (3) the behavior of the selected LAB under the simulated gastrointestinal conditions; and (4) investigate the mechanism of adsorption. Out of the 38 LAB, Enterococcus durans and Enterococcus faecalis had the highest results in removing acrylamide, with 33 and 30% removal, respectively. Those two LAB were further examined for their binding abilities under optimized conditions of pH (4.5–6.5), temperature (32°C - 42°C), time (14–22 h), and NaCl (0–3% w/v) using BBD. pH was the main factor influenced the acrylamide removal compared to other factors. E. durans and E. faecalis exhibited acrylamide removal of 44 and 53%, respectively, after the in vitro digestion. Zeta potential results indicated that the changes in the charges were not the main cause of acrylamide removal. Transmission electron microscopes (TEM) results indicated that the cell walls of the bacteria increased when cultured in media supplemented with acrylamide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inner areas are rural areas with low population density, distant from the main hotspots offering essential welfare services and endowed with significant environmental assets and cultural heritage. In Italy, their development is at the core of the national strategy for inner areas. Specific documents and program agreements were issued for each inner area and summarized the intervention themes and projects to implement. However, when the inner areas are considered within a regional territorial 'matrix', further collective policy actions have to be identified, through comparison and in-depth analysis of their features and influence on development. Therefore, this research aims to identify and analyse the development needs and potentialities of the inner areas, for strengthening the national strategy and improving their recovery and resilience through collective policy actions. The Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding (MCDA) method PROMETHEE II was applied as research methodology to four inner areas in Puglia region (southern Italy), using 43 indicators organized into seven thematic dimensions and setting specific parameters. The results enabled to delineate the overall development score of the four inner areas, and the profile of each inner area based on every indicator and dimension. By analysing this profile, key thematic dimensions where to direct collective policy actions were identified, related mainly to contrast with the depopulation by improving specific essential services (e.g., digitalization, health, education) and to foster the development of agriculture, tourism, and cultural heritage. This research can be considered a first step for future broader studies, to guide the process of policy making for the recovery and resilience of European and Italian inner areas with a multi-perspective approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cefonicid is a second-generation cephalosporin sold under the brand name Sintocef™. It is an injectable drug obtained via a freeze-drying process and is also available for oral preparations. The high-quality standard required is very challenging to satisfy, and current production protocols are characterized by steps that are lengthy and cumbersome, making the product unattractive for the international market. Industrial R&D is constantly working on the process optimization for API synthesis, with the aim of increasing productivity and decreasing production costs and waste. We herein report a new and efficient method for the synthesis of the cefonicid benzathine salt that provides a good yield and high product stability. The double-nucleophilic and lipophilic nature of N′,N″-dibenzylethylene diacetate enables the deformylation of the OH-protected group on the mandelic moiety and also enables product crystallization to occur. We demonstrate that the formyl group in the peculiar position has high reactivity, promoting an amidation reaction that deprotects a hydroxy group and generates a new C-N bond in the reaction by-product. Several amines and OH-protected groups have been studied, but none were able to replicate the excellent results of benzathine diacetate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of photocatalytic systems that have strong redox capability, effective charge separation, and large reactive surfaces is of great scientific and practical interest. Herein, an edge‐connected 2D/2D Z‐scheme system that combines the facet junction and the interfacial heterojunction to achieve effective long‐range charge separation and large reactive surface exposure is designed and fabricated. The heterostructure is realized by the selective growth of 2D‐layered MoS2 nanoflakes on the edge‐sites of thin TiO2 nanosheets via an Au‐promoted photodeposition method. Attributed to the synergetic coupling of the facet junction and the interfacial heterojunction that assures the effective charge separation, and the tremendous but physically separated reactive sites offered by layered MoS2 and highly‐exposed (001) facets of TiO2, respectively, the artificial Z‐scheme exhibits excellent photocatalytic performance in photodegradation tests. Moreover, the junctional plasmonic Au nanoclusters not only act as electron traps to promote the edge‐selective synthesis but also generate "hot electrons" to further boost photocatalytic performance. The Z‐scheme charge‐flow direction in the heterostructure and the roles of electrons and holes are comprehensively studied using in situ irradiated X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photodegradation tests. This work offers a new insight into designing high‐performance Z‐scheme photocatalytic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylamide is a toxic compound that is formed in cooked carbohydrate-rich food. Baking, roasting, frying, and grilling are cooking methods that cause its formation in the presence of reducing sugar and asparagine. To prevent acrylamide formation or to remove it after its formation, scientists have been trying to understand acrylamide formation pathways, and methods of prevention and removal. Therefore, this study aimed to: (1) screen newly isolated LAB for acrylamide removal, (2) optimize conditions (pH, temperature, time, salt) of the acrylamide removal for selected LAB isolates using Box-Behnken design (BBD), (3) investigate the acrylamide removal abilities of selected LAB isolates under the in vitro digestion conditions using INFO-GEST2.0 model, and (4) explore the mechanism of the acrylamide removal using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Forty strains were tested in MRS broth, where Streptococcus lutetiensis and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum had the highest capability of acrylamide removal by 39% and 26%, respectively. To enhance the binding ability, both strains were tested under controlled conditions of pH (4.5, 5.5 and 6.5), temperature (32 °C, 37 °C and 42 °C), time (14, 18 and 22 h), and NaCl (0%, 1.5% and 3% w/v) using Box-Behnken design (BBD). Both strains removed more acrylamide in the range of 35–46% for S. lutetiensis and 45–55% for L. plantarum. After testing the bacterial binding ability, both strains were exposed to a simulated gastrointestinal tract environment, removing more than 30% of acrylamide at the gastric stage and around 40% at the intestinal stage. To understand the mechanism of removal, LAB cells were characterized via scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Cell charges were characterized by zeta potential and functional groups analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results indicated that increasing cell wall thickness improved acrylamide adsorption capacity. Both FTIR and EDS indicated that functional groups C=O, C-O, and N-H were associated with acrylamide adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human–dog interactions have a positive effect on human sociality and health. The relationship with dogs helps humans to cope with stress during an emotionally challenging period, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, a growing global interest in pets has been registered, including the volunteering for shelter/stray dog protection. However, a considerable increase of human dysfunctional interventions toward dogs has been observed in Southern Italy. In this study, we investigated the psychological characteristics of humans volunteering at animal shelter or engaged in stray dog protection. The effect of psychological training and education about dog ethological needs on volunteers' helping behavior was also analyzed. We report that the intervention can improve volunteers' physiological features and, consequently, may enhance human management and dog welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic approach to the design of metal–dielectric multilayer coatings is proposed for energy‐efficient building glazing application. Thirty‐six coatings were modeled with alternating metal (Ag, Au, Cu) and dielectric (TiO2, Ta2O5, ITO, ZrO2, SiO2, Al2O3) thin films in three‐layer (3L) and five‐layer (5L) configurations. It is found that the optical performance is less affected by the bottom dielectric layer compared with the metal and middle/top dielectric layers. The 5L coatings offer a competitive modulation of optical properties, ensuring an optimal balance between luminous transmittance and infrared reflectance. 5L configuration ensures a higher visible transmittance in the whole visible region with peak values close to those of unfunctionalized glass (≈85%), i.e., 3–4% higher compared with the 3L configuration. The optical properties of the optimized multilayers are then used as inputs to building energy models of typical office buildings located in extreme cold and hot weather conditions. The 5L–Ag configurations achieve significant reductions in cooling loads under hot climate conditions (around 15%) without compromising access to daylight (important driver of occupants' comfort and wellbeing). However, under cold climate conditions, cooling energy savings are outweighed by unintended increases in heating loads, confirming the need for more climate‐driven glazing research efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of the noxious H2S from natural gas remains a challenging task in the oil and gas industry. Different H2S splitting technologies are proposed and investigated based on the techno‐economic analysis. Herein, the photocatalysis route for H2S splitting represents a potential technology that is not yet fully analyzed. The present study reports a techno‐economic analysis of hydrogen production from H2S via photocatalysis. Guided by the previous experimental result on H2S splitting, Aspen Plus software is used to design and simulate the proposed plant. An economic analysis is performed with CapCost software to estimate the plant capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) and the cost of hydrogen production. At 0.485 t H2 per h, the process CAPEX is about 105 M$, and OPEX is 143 M$ per year. At a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) production of 1860 $ per t H2, the proposed plant will be able to break even at the end of the plant life. Sensitivity analysis reveals that the process OPEX and price of hydrogen are strongly dependent on the cost of aqueous NaOH. These findings are potentially useful for oil and gas industries looking to incorporate an emerging technology like the presented one in refineries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soon after the publication of the first pioneering works on heterogeneous photocatalysis, the number of papers on this topic continuously increased. This intriguing field of research is very complex as it endows with an interdisciplinary overview that involves different aspects of chemistry, physics, material and environmental sciences. Even if photocatalytic applications in real processes are often difficult to be implemented and scaled-up, investigations at laboratory scale are easy to be performed, and in some cases they may give rise to misconceptions. For this reason, the present work aims to sum up most of the common experimental techniques and procedures generally used in heterogeneous photocatalysis and to highlight the guidelines and the rules that a rigorous analysis and study of a photocatalytic system must follow. The paper focuses on the importance of standardization of photocatalytic experiments with special attention on the possibility to compare results obtained under different experimental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perimidines are a particularly versatile family of heterocyclic compounds, whose properties are exploited in several applications ranging from industrial to medicinal chemistry. The molecular structure of perimidine incorporates a well-known efficient fluorophore, i.e.: 1,8-diaminonaphthalene. The high fluorescence quantum yield shared by most naphthalene derivatives, has enabled their use as stains for bio-imaging and biophysical characterizations. However, fluorescence is dramatically depressed in perimidine as well as in the few of its derivatives analysed so far to this respect. The use of perimidine-like molecules in life sciences might be notably fostered by enhancement of their fluorescence emission. Even more excitingly, the concomitance of both biologically active moieties and a fluorophore in the same molecular structure virtually discloses application of perimidines as drug compounds in state-of-art theranostics protocols. However, somewhat surprisingly, relatively few attempts were made until now in the direction of increasing the performances of perimidines as fluorescent dyes. In this work we present the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of four perimidine derivatives designed to this aim, two of which result to be endowed with fluorescence quantum yields comparable to 1,8-diaminonaphthalene. A rationalization for such improved behaviour has been attempted employing TD-DFT calculations, which have unravelled the interrelations among bond structure, lone pair conjugation, local electron density changes and fluorescence quantum yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X‐ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) provide a unique opportunity to probe both the highest occupied and the lowest unoccupied states in matter with bulk sensitivity. In this work, a combination of valence‐to‐core XES and pre‐edge XAS techniques are used to determine changes induced in the electronic structure of titanium dioxide doped with nitrogen atoms. Based on the experimental data it is shown that N‐doping leads to incorporation of the p‐states on the occupied electronic site. For the conduction band, a decrease in population of the lowest unoccupied d‐localized orbitals with respect to the d‐delocalized orbitals is observed. As confirmed by theoretical calculations, the N p‐states in TiO2 structure are characterized by higher binding energy than the O p‐states which gives a smaller value of the band‐gap energy for the doped material. The modification of the titanium dioxide valence band by insertion of N p‐states is observed with simultaneous dumping of unoccupied d‐orbitals of titanium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multiphase TiO2 was stably modified by vacuum treatment for a dramatic improvement in visible‐light absorption and photocatalytic reactivity. The samples were made of rutile‐brookite, bare or N doped, and were grown on reduced graphene oxide. The stable introduction of Ti3+ species and oxygen vacancies resulting in mitigated electron–hole recombination was identified as the main responsible factor, along with a change in surface charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, bullying is examined in light of the "prosocial security hypothesis"-- i.e., the hypothesis that insecure attachment, with temperamental dispositions such as sensation seeking, may foster individualistic, competitive value orientations and problem behaviors. A group of 375 Italian students (53% female; Mean age = 12.58, SD = 1.08) completed anonymous questionnaires regarding attachment security, social values, sensation seeking, and bullying behaviors. Path analysis showed that attachment to mother was negatively associated with bullying of others, both directly and through the mediating role of conservative socially oriented values, while attachment to father was directly associated with victimization. Sensation seeking predicted bullying of others and victimization both directly and through the mediating role of conservative socially oriented values. Adolescents' gender affected how attachment moderated the relationship between sensation seeking and problem behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospun tungsten oxide/nickel tungstate (WO/NiWO) composite nanofibers were tested for photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance under visible light irradiation under three voltages, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 V with reference to Ag/AgCl electrode in 0.5 M HSO. It was found that the photocurrent density of this novel nanostructure fiber is about 70% higher than the pristine electrospun WO fibers under similar conditions. WO/NiWO heterojunction was identified within the fiber through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging. The fibrous form is expected to provide greater exposure to the WO/NiWO heterojunctions for the photocatalytic reaction. This heterojunction within the fibrous form is expected to provide a higher photoanode performance due to a lower charge-transfer resistance than the pristine WO fibers as also confirmed through the electrochemical impedance spectra. Interestingly, calcination of these composite fibers at 800 °C instead at 550 °C increased the percentage of NiWO phase, yet with a contemporaneous increase in larger crystallites of metal tungstate. The latter was responsible for giving lower photocurrents which helped in understanding the PEC performance with respect to material structure for the composite fiber under the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study is to evaluate the presence of childhood trauma, psychoform, and somatoform dissociation in eating disorders (ED). Eighty-six ED outpatients participated in this study, 20 of them were diagnosed with restrictive anorexia (ANR), 10 of them with anorexia nervosa binge-purging subtypes (AN-B), 25 with bulimia nervosa (BN), and 31 with binge eating disorder (BED). They were matched by sex and age with a control group consisting of 86 healthy subjects (HC). Traumatic experiences were assessed by means of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), psychological, and somatoform dissociation, respectively, by means of the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES-II) and Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ-20), and binge eating symptoms by means of Binge Eating Scale (BES). ED subjects showed higher levels of childhood trauma, and both psychoform and somatoform dissociation compared to HC subjects. ED patients showed higher levels of childhood trauma compared to the HC group. No significant differences were shown between ED subgroups with respect to all forms of childhood trauma. BN and AN-B subgroups showed higher levels of both psychological and somatoform dissociation. Dissociation and childhood trauma predicted the severity of binge eating symptoms. Our results confirm previous studies in the same field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bis-dehydroxycurcumin tert-butyl ester (K2T23) is a derivative of the natural spice curcumin. Curcumin is widely studied for its multiple therapeutic properties, including photosensitized cytotoxicity. However, the full exploitation of curcumin phototoxic potential is hindered by the extreme instability of its excited state, caused by very efficient non radiative decay by means of transfer of the enolic proton to the nearby keto oxygen. K2T23 is designed to exhibit a tautomeric equilibrium shifted toward the diketo conformers with respect to natural curcumin. This property should endow K2T23 with superior excited-state stability when excited in the UVB band, i.e., in correspondence of the diketo conformers absorption peaks, making this compound an interesting candidate for topical photodynamic therapy of, e.g., skin tumors or oral infections. In this work, the tautomeric equilibrium of K2T23 between the keto-enolic and diketo conformers is assessed in the ground state in several organic solvents by UV-visible absorption and by nuclear magnetic resonance. The same tautomeric equilibrium is also probed in the excited-state in the same environments by means of steady-state fluorescence and time-correlated single-photon counting measurements. These techniques are also exploited to elucidate the excited state dynamics and excited-state deactivation pathways of K2T23, which are compared to those determined for several other curcuminoids characterized in previous works of ours. The ability of K2T23 in photosensitizing the production of singlet oxygen is compared with that of curcumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiliaCat Au, a nanoscale gold sol-gel hybrid material, was employed in the selective oxidation of alcohols under solvent-free conditions with oxygen as the primary oxidant. The catalyst is recyclable, and a thorough structural investigation, which included thermogravimetric analysis coupled to mass spectrometry, revealed structural details that will be useful in the development of new applications for this functional material to other areas of catalysis, analytical chemistry, bioimaging, and photonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the first multi-purpose antifouling and foul-release photocatalytic coating based on ORMOSIL thin films doped with nanoflower-like Bi2WO6 is described. Irradiation with visible light of the new films immersed in water produces significant amounts of H2O2 by photocatalytic oxidation of water, and allows the degradation of (bio)organic pollutants at the outer surface of the xerogel film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Several studies report a positive association between adverse life experiences and adult obesity. Despite the high comorbidity between binge eating disorder (BED) and obesity, few authors have studied the link between trauma and BED. In this review the association between exposure to adverse life experiences and a risk for the development of obesity and BED in adulthood is explored. Methods: Based on a scientific literature review in Medline, PubMed and PsycInfo databases, the results of 70 studies (N = 306,583 participants) were evaluated including 53 studies on relationship between adverse life experiences and obesity, 7 studies on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in relation to obesity, and 10 studies on the association between adverse life experiences and BED. In addition, mediating factors between the association of adverse life experiences, obesity and BED were examined. Results: The majority of studies (87%) report that adverse life experiences are a risk factor for developing obesity and BED. More precisely a positive association between traumatic experiences and obesity and PTSD and obesity were found, respectively, in 85% and 86% of studies. Finally, the great majority of studies (90%) between trauma and the development of BED in adulthood strongly support this association. Meanwhile, different factors mediating between the trauma and obesity link were identified. Discussion and conclusions: Although research data show a strong association between life adverse experiences and the development of obesity and BED, more research is needed to explain this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several arguments suggest that the Planck scale could be the characteristic scale of curvature of momentum space. As other recent studies, we assume that the metric of momentum space determines the condition of on-shellness while the momentum space affine connection governs the form of the law of composition of momenta. We show that the possible choices of laws of composition of momenta are more numerous than the possible choices of affine connection on a momentum space. This motivates us to propose a new prescription for associating an affine connection to momentum composition, which we compare to the one most used in the recent literature. We find that the two prescriptions lead to the same picture of the so-called -momentum space, with de Sitter (dS) metric and -Poincaré connection. We then show that in the case of 'proper dS momentum space', with the dS metric and its Levi-Civita connection, the two prescriptions are inequivalent. Our novel prescription leads to a picture of proper dS momentum space which is DSR-relativistic and is characterized by a commutative law of composition of momenta, a possibility for which no explicit curved momentum space picture had been previously found. This momentum space can serve as laboratory for the exploration of the properties of DSR-relativistic theories which are not connected to group-manifold momentum spaces and Hopf algebras, and is a natural test case for the study of momentum spaces with commutative, and yet deformed, laws of composition of momenta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is currently a significant increase in the use of glycerol as a renewable solvent for catalytic reactions. Glycerol has often been the solvent of choice in both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalyses, despite its high viscosity at ambient temperature and the low solubility of highly hydrophobic reagents found in glycerol. Its biodegradability and non-toxicity have led to reports of improved reaction performance and selectivity, as well as easier product separation and effective catalyst recycling. All relevant advances in this emerging field of 'green' catalysis are thoroughly reviewed below. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on characterization and photoactivity of nanostructured TiO2 samples, which have been permanently densified under high pressures, up to 2.1 GPa. Commercial Mirkat 211 anatase has been used as a benchmark sample, in order to investigate the effect of unidirectional high pressure on structural, optical and photocatalytic properties of TiO2. Vibrational Raman spectroscopy shows that the treatment does not cause transitions among the different crystalline phases of titanium dioxide. UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra reveal that increasing pressure gives rise to a shift of the absorption onset towards higher wavelength enhancing the photoactivity under visible radiation. Samples are also photo-electrochemically characterized and tested in the gas phase with partial oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde under visible irradiation. Compaction up to 0.8 GPa depresses both the alcohol conversion and the aldehyde yield, while samples treated under higher pressures show enhanced characteristics of conversion compared to the pristine material. Moreover, promising results in the reduction of CO2 are also obtained under UV-visible radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrodes functionalised with the organocatalyst 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy (TEMPO) moiety hold great potential for the development of waste-free industrial synthesis of valuable carbonyl compounds using electrons and alcohols as the only reactants. Since the inception of the first active electrode in 1988, a number of different electrodes have been developed to the recent fastest TEMPO-mediated alcohol oxidation process ever reported. In addition to good activity and broad applicability to different substrates, the electrode stability is the crucial factor that will guide the adoption of this eminently clean technology by the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn(II)-complexes are experiencing renewed interest as MRI contrast agents due to safety concerns related to the use of Gd(III)-chelates. While the preparation of oligomeric and polymeric Gd(III)-chelates is widely employed to multiply their efficiency, scarce examples of this strategy are reported for the corresponding Mn(II)-complexes. Two novel ditopic DO3A-based ligands were designed and synthesized and their Mn(II)- complexes evaluated in order to shed more light on the correlation of the paramagnetic properties of the resultant dinuclear complexes with their structural features. The stability of these complexes was assessed by potentiometric titration, while modelling was adopted to gain the structural features. A detailed relaxometric characterization provided a defined picture of the paramagnetic properties of these dinuclear chelates, paving the way for the design of Mn(II)-based multimeric MRI contrast agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]