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Background: Evidence on the efficacy of minimally invasive (MI) segmental resection of splenic flexure cancer (SFC) is not available, mostly due to the rarity of this tumor. This study aimed to determine the survival outcomes of MI and open treatment, and to investigate whether MI is noninferior to open procedure regarding short-term outcomes. Methods: This nationwide retrospective cohort study included all consecutive SFC segmental resections performed in 30 referral centers between 2006 and 2016. The primary endpoint assessing efficacy was the overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints included cancer-specific mortality (CSM), recurrence rate (RR), short-term clinical outcomes (a composite of Clavien-Dindo > 2 complications and 30-day mortality), and pathological outcomes (a composite of lymph nodes removed ≧12, and proximal and distal free resection margins length ≧ 5 cm). For these composites, a 6% noninferiority margin was chosen based on clinical relevance estimate. Results : A total of 606 patients underwent either an open (208, 34.3%) or a MI (398, 65.7%) SFC segmental resection. At univariable analysis, OS and CSM were improved in the MI group (log-rank test p= 0.004 and Gray’s tests p= 0.004, respectively), while recurrences were comparable (Gray’s tests p= 0.434). Cox multivariable analysis did not support that OS and CSM were better in the MI group (p= 0.109 and p= 0.163, respectively). Successful pathological outcome, observed in 53.2% of open and 58.3% of MI resections, supported noninferiority (difference 5.1%; 1-sided 95%CI − 4.7% to ∞). Successful short-term clinical outcome was documented in 93.3% of Open and 93.0% of MI procedures, and supported noninferiority as well (difference − 0.3%; 1-sided 95%CI − 5.0% to ∞). Conclusions: Among patients with SFC, the minimally invasive approach met the criterion for noninferiority for postoperative complications and pathological outcomes, and was found to provide results of OS, CSM, and RR comparable to those of open resection.

Phenol is an important chemical commodity utilized for several applications (e.g., polycarbonate, epoxy–resins, phenolic resins, nylon). Its conventional production starts from benzene and propylene and is based on a series of reaction steps most of which are catalyzed by acid catalysts. Besides this technology other ones have been considered during the last decades, starting from other reactants and catalysts. Looking at the catalyst types both already in use or under evaluation, it is interesting to note that zeolites, as acidic catalysts or red-ox catalysts, were widely investigated. Therefore, the production of phenol represents a fascinating example of how zeolite catalysis contributes to improving the sustainability of these chemical processes by displacing the previous large use of corrosive and dangerous liquid acids and improving overall selectivity, which reduces the side production of wastes. Aromatic alkylation, transalkylation, and disproportionation, oxidations, rearrangements, oligomerization, and cracking are the reactions occurring in phenol production technologies, but also key unit operations in refineries and the chemical industry. A review of the zeolite catalysts utilized and proposed by major licensors and research groups in these technologies is provided as well as a discussion of key process differences and recent advances.

AbstractIn rabbits’ reproductive performance, litter size, birth weight, growth, and mortality rate are among the most important indicators to define the productive potential and they are associated with parity order. Birth weight and little size are valuable parameters as related to mortality and weaning weight. Thus, it is important to study individual newborn and intra-litter homogeneity parameters. This trial aimed to consider the litter homogeneity weight at birth, both within each litter and in the whole population, in order to suggest new proper within-litter homogenisation parameters. In this study, the 1st and 6th parity order had, respectively, the lowest and highest values in litter size (8.96 vs 12.39, n), born-alive (8.36 vs 12.22, n), litter weight (456.4 g vs 719.8, g), born-alive weight, and quartiles’ homogeneity. These parameters decreased in greater parity orders. No significant effects on still-born numbers and mortality rates were evidenced. All these litter homogeneity evaluation parameters appeared interesting in describing differences between parity orders. The results confirmed that does parity order influences litter size and born-alive weight, but also the intra- and inter-litter homogenisation. Litter homogenisation is crucial to ensure a proportionate share of milk, more equal growth, and better productive performances. Based on these results, we suggest for the commercial genetic centres to equalise the litters according to the birth weight, by dividing the population into quartiles and rearing kits with light birth weight in smaller litters and those with heavier birth weight in larger litters.HIGHLIGHTSDoes parity order influences litter size and born-alive weightKit’s quartiles distribution is a useful tool for equalisation practice

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The total conversion of the oil barrel to good quality fuels and distillates has been an overriding goal in the oil refinery industry. Today, it is even more important to improve the effective use of the energy fossil reserves. The actual technologies still produce variable amounts of low quality fractions (e.g.fuel oil, bunker oil) or by-products (e.g.coke). The evolution of the slurry hydrocracking technology can open the way to achieve the objective. This technology was originally developed in Germany in the first half of the last century and reconsidered by several research groups in the past decades. The catalyst used in the slurry process is still constituted by the same materials developed by German scientists in the last century, i.e.bulk, crystalline, nano-sized iron, molybdenum or tungsten sulfide. We have demonstrated now that it is possible to improve the catalytic performances by combining the excellent hydrogenation, hydrodesulfurization and hydrodemetallation properties of dispersed MoS2catalyst with those of a conventional cracking catalyst. This dual catalyst system demonstrates for the first time the ability of dispersed MoS2particles to protect the cracking catalyst against rapid decay due to coke accumulation and metal poisoning.

Several different technologies are available for H2S removal from the gas stream of medium capacity. Among them, the most widely used is Locat with more than 120 plants worldwide. In the last decade, many new processes, such as Sulfatreat‐DO, Crystasulf, Caltech, and UCSR, were proposed to overcome the drawbacks of the state‐of‐the‐art processes (low sulfur purity, chemical degradation, thiosulfate formation). We have developed a new H2S conversion method based on acid ferric nitrate solution, co‐catalyzed by a heteropolyacid. H2S was converted to pure sulfur (>99.9 %), with no traces of organic compounds. Due to the acid pH of the solution, no chelant or surfactant was needed and iron content in the solution could reach very high levels. Keggin heteropolyacid (H6PW9V3O40) catalyzed the reoxidation of reduced ferrous solution with air at mild temperature and at very high reaction rate. The undesired side reaction (NOxformation) could be avoided by simply increasing the oxygen partial pressure.