Estonian, Russian and Samizdat Identity: Arno Tsart and Elena Shvarts

The article explores a case of literary mystification by Elena Shvarts that occurred in samizdat during the eighties, featuring a fictitious Estonian poet. Aware of the relevance that translation played in the literary samizdat of Leningrad during the eighties, the investigation focuses on the similarities between the poetess’ hoax and the concept of pseudo-translation, analysing the reasons for and outcomes of her endeavour in terms of identity research. Engaging with Shvarts’ verses, Sergei Stratanovsky’s account of the episode and the position that Estonia played in the samizdat imagined world, the article explores the role of Shvarts/Tsart’s mystification in relation to the poetess and her readership

Use of Biochar as inexpensive lubricant filler in poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) biocomposites

This study focused on the development of a novel bio-composite material formed by a thermoplastic biodegradable polyester, poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA), and a carbonaceous filler as biochar (BC) derived by the pyrolysis of woody biomass waste. Composites with various BC contents (5, 10, 15, and 20 wt.%, PBSA5, PBSA10, PBSA15, and PBSA20, respectively) were obtained by melt extrusion and investigated in terms of their processability, thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties. BC lowered melt viscosity in all the composites, behaving as a lubricant, and enhancing composite extrudability and injection molding at high temperatures up to 20 wt.% of biochar. While the use of biochar did not significantly change composite thermal stability, it increased its stiffness (Young modulus). Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) revealed the presence of a second crystal phase induced by the filler addition. Furthermore, results suggest that biochar may form a particle network that hinders polymer chain disentanglement, reducing polymer flexibility. A biochar content of 10 weight % was selected as the best trade-off concentration to improve the composite processability and cost competitiveness without compromising excessively the tensile properties. The findings support the use of biochar as a sustainable renewable filler and pigment for PBSA. Biochar is a suitable candidate to replace more traditional carbon black pigments for agricultural applications

Absorption of n-butyl acetate from tannery air emissions by waste vegetable oil/water emulsions

Tanning industries emit a huge quantity of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), including hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvents. In this study, vegetable oil/water emulsions with 2 and 5 vol% of corn oil (O) or waste cooking oil (WCO) were prepared. Their potential as absorbents of n-butyl acetate (BA), in place of water, was investigated to increase the efficiency of tannery wet scrubbers. BA was selected as a representative component of hydrophobic VOC emissions derived from leather finishing processes. Static and dynamic absorption tests were performed with a BA concentration of 500 ppmv (2.6 g/m3 ) and a flowrate of 3.0 L/min to evaluate Henry’s law constant, absorption efficiency, absorption capacity, and saturation time of the various investigated absorbents. The feasibility of the absorbent regeneration was also studied by hot stripping with nitrogen. The results showed that Henry’s constant of BA in oil/surfactant/water or oil/water emulsions (5 vol% oil), regardless of the oil used, were significantly lower than those in water (3.6 versus 15.9 atm), and BA absorption capacity (0.84 g/L) was four times higher than the value in water. The presence of the surfactant (0.2–0.8 vol%) contributed to improving the oil/water emulsions stability without having a significant effect on BA absorption capacity. Almost complete BA desorption from the saturated emulsions was obtained by flowing hot N2 at 80◦C, demonstrating the absorbent regeneration’s feasibility followed by recovery and reuse. Therefore, the oil/water emulsions containing 5 vol% of WCO are efficient and sustainable absorbents of BA, with potential use in VOC emission treatment systems

Structural Features of Antitumor Titanium Agents and Related Compounds

Previous studies established some Ti compounds as having marked activity against tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and lack of side effects common to widely used cytostatic agents. We describe pertinent structural features of known antitumor Ti agents and other potentially active compounds. Particularly noteworthy features are that Ti-O bonds are short and Ti-O-Ti bond angles are large, demonstrating that in these compounds the O binding has high s-character approaching sp hybridization

Recycling of waste oils as rejuvenators for aged bitumen in RAP

The recycling of materials considered "waste" is an important goal for developing low environmental impact processes, even in pavement constructions. Therefore, the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is an important strategy in the preparation of new roads [1-2]. Anyway, the bituminous binder in RAP has been subjected to oxidative aging, that determines a physical hardening and limits its workability and performances like the cracking susceptibility. For this reason, quite expensive additives, acting as rejuvenators, must be used together with RAP to restore the binder original viscosity and properties, thus allowing an increase in the percentage of RAP in the new formulations. In this study the recyclability of a waste mineral oil (MO) from the automotive industry and a waste domestic cooking vegetable oil (VO) as rejuvenators for aged bitumen in RAP was tested (Figure 1). The oxidized bituminous binder in RAP was simulated using a 50/70 base bitumen that was artificially aged in laboratory. Several mixtures were prepared by adding different percentage of recycled oils to restore the desired properties. Waste oils were compared measuring compatibility, diffusivity, and rejuvenating efficiency. The domestic cooking vegetable oil resulted the best rejuvenating agent and about 4.0 wt.% of this additive is enough to restore binder viscosity and stiffness

Changes in inflammatory biomarkers in HCV-infected patients undergoing direct acting antiviral-containing regimens with or without interferon

Background and aims Increased levels of chemokine interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-inducible protein-10 (CXCL10), soluble CD163 (sCD163) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) have been reported in HCV infection. The aim of this study was to compare, sCD163 and sCD14 levels in HCV-infected patients undergoing direct acting antiviral (DAA)-containing regimens with or without interferon (IFN). Methods sCD163, sCD14 and CXCL10 were longitudinally measured by ELISA in 159 plasma samples from 25 HCV-infected patients undergoing IFN-based treatment plus telaprevir or boceprevir and 28 HCV infected subjects treated with DAA IFN-free regimens. Twenty-five healthy donors (HD) were included as controls. Results At baseline CXCL10, sCD163 and sCD14 levels were higher in HCV-infected patients than in HD. CXCL10 and sCD163 levels were significantly decreased in responder (R) patients who achieved sustained virological response (SVR), with both IFN-based and IFN-free regimens, while they were persistently elevated in non-responders (NR) patients who stopped IFN-based treatments because of failure or adverse events. Conversely, sCD14 levels were apparently unchanged during therapy, but at the end of treatment the levels reached normal ranges. Comparing the two regimens, the extent of CXCL10 reduction was more pronounced in patients undergoing DAA IFN-free therapies, whereas sCD163 and sCD14 reduction was similar in the two groups. Interestingly, only in IFN-based regimens baseline sCD163 levels were significantly higher in NR than in R patients, while in the IFN-free treatment group also patients with highsCD163 plasma levels obtained SVR. At the end of therapy, even if the biomarkers were largely decreased, their levels remained significantly higher compared to HD. Only in the early fibrosis stages, sCD163 values tended to normalize. Conclusions These results indicate that IFN-free regimens including newer DAA induce an early and marked decrease in circulating inflammatory biomarkers. However, the full normalization of biomarkers was not obtained, especially in patients with advanced fibrosis, thus underlying the need for a treatment in the early stages of HCV infection

Desgaste por empatía y síntomas de estrés postraumático en profesionales que trabajan en género y violencia de género

Compassion fatigue is a term to describe the emotional, physical and psychological consequences of helping others. It mainly appears in jobs related to humanitarian assistance. The main aim of this article is to investigate the specific effects of working with victims of gender violence in these professionals.Three different research lines have been established: the first one of how working in gender roles affects their private life (two study samples have been compared: the first one made up of 80 gender specialists and the other one of 80 women who carry out their jobs in other areas), the second one about vicarious trauma and the third one referred to the discomfort caused by precariousness in psychosocial intervention. The outcomes show the following conclusions: 1) Gender experts suffer more negative effects when they face situations in their private life related to gender problems compared with the general population. 2) The majority of the professional interviewed suffered secondary post-traumatic stress symptoms as a result of working in violence. Social workers show the highest rate of symptoms, followed by psychologists and educators, educational assistants and administratives.3) The 78,7% of the psychosocial professionals group think that there is a lack of economical reward for their activity.This article also analyzed the fact that the topic ´gender´ arises frequently in their daily life, making difficult to disconnect from work.El síndrome de desgaste por empatía aparece principalmente en profesiones basadas en la relación de ayuda y con carácter humanitario. El objetivo de este artículo es investigar sobre las repercusiones concretas que tiene para las profesionales el trabajo con mujeres víctimas de violencia de género. Se han establecido tres líneas de estudio diferenciadas: una sobre los efectos de trabajar en el ámbito de género e igualdad en la vida cotidiana (para lo que se compara una muestra formada por 80 especialistas en género y otra por 80 mujeres que desarrollan su actividad en cualquier otra área), otra relacionada con el trauma vicario y una tercera referente al malestar asociado a la precariedad laboral del ámbito psicosocial. Los resultados muestran las siguientes conclusiones: 1) Las expertas en género muestran una mayor afectación negativa ante situaciones de la vida cotidiana relacionadas con el género que la población general; 2) Los efectos derivados de trabajar en violencia son visibles atendiendo al número de síntomas de estrés postraumático secundario reportado por parte de las profesionales entrevistadas; las trabajadoras sociales muestran de media mayor sintomatología postraumática secundaria, seguidas por las psicólogas, educadoras, auxiliares educativas y por último administrativas; 3) Un 78,7% señala la falta de reconocimiento económico por su labor. Además, se pone de manifiesto el hecho de que el tema “género” surge recurrentemente en su vida diaria, dificultando hallar espacios de desconexión fuera del trabajo

Examining the Antioxidant and Superoxide Radical Scavenging Activity of Anise, (Pimpinella anisum L. Seeds), Esculetin, and 4-Methyl-Esculetin Using X-ray Diffraction, Hydrodynamic Voltammetry and DFT Methods

Pimpinella anisum L., or anise, is a plant that, besides its nutritional value, has been used in traditional medical practices and described in many cultures in the Mediterranean region. A possible reason for anise’s therapeutic value is that it contains coumarins, which are known to have many biomedical and antioxidant properties. HPLC analysis in our laboratory of the anise extract shows the presence of the coumarin esculetin. We used a hydrodynamic voltammetry rotating ring–disk electrode (RRDE) method to measure the superoxide scavenging abilities of anise seeds and esculetin, which has marked scavenging activity. A related coumarin, 4-methyl-esculetin, also showed strong antioxidant activity as measured by RRDE. Moreover, this study includes the X-ray crystal structure of esculetin and 4-methyl-esculetin, which reveal the H-bond and the stacking intermolecular interactions of the two coumarins. Coordinates of esculetin crystal structure were used to perform a DFT study to arrive at the mechanism of superoxide scavenging. Besides performing a H(hydroxyl) abstraction in esculetin position 6 by superoxide, the scavenging also includes the presence of a second superoxide radical in a π–π approach. Both rings of esculetin were explored for this attack, but only the pyrone ring was effective. As a result, one product of esculetin scavenging is H2O2 formation, while the second superoxide remains π–π trapped within the pyrone ring to form an esculetin-η-O2 complex. Comparison with other coumarins shows that subtle structural differences in the coumarin framework can imply marked differences in scavenging. For instance, when the catechol moiety of esculetin (position 6,7) is shifted to position 7,8 in 4-methyl-7,8-dihydroxy coumarin, that coumarin shows a superoxide dismutase action, which, beside H2O2 formation, includes the formation and elimination of a molecule of O2. This is in contrast with the products formed through esculetin superoxide scavenging, where a second added superoxide remains trapped, and forms an esculetin-η-O2 comple

The frequency of polidrug use in a driving population in Rome

In Italy the illicit substances routinely tested are cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines / methamphetamine, MDMA and similar but these substances are not the most use in our country. In particular, the consumption of ketamine represents an emerging problem. Ketamine is a anesthetic with hallucinogenic and dissociative effects and these are the ones sought for the voluptuary pur-pose, while the amnesic effect are exploited for drug facilitated sexual assault. Our study was car-ried out to assess the positivity for the illicit substances routinely tested and also for ketamine in a population of 182 patients arrived at the emergency room of the Hospital “San Camillo Forlanini” of Rome, for which have been required toxicological tests on the basis of Articles 186 and 187 of the New Highway Code. The choice of this kind of population allows to have an accurate and reliable epidemiological data about the real diffusion of voluptuary use of drugs. The study examines 182 samples subjected to routine toxicological investigations in the period be-tween October 2011 and August 2012. The Authors have researched the presence of ethanol, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and benzodiazepines with the use of “ADVIA Chemistry Systems ”, while the ketamine is tested by a single-phase tests on urine [Sure Screen Diagnostic (Di. Ra.Lab)] with a cut-off level of this method is 1000ng/ml. During this period we have considered 182 patients (males 78%, females 22%). The mean age was 34 years (standard deviation 13, minimum 15, maximum 80). Most of the admission were during the last days of the week (Thursday 17%, Friday 15%, Saturday 15% and Sunday 17%). With re-spect to the clinical needs of subjects admitted, 42% were admitted with a red code. Considering a single substance analysis, 46 subjects resulted positive to alcohol (25%), 38 to can-nabinoids (21%), 24 to opioids (13%), 20 to cocaine (11%), 19 to benzodiapezine (10%) and 7 to ketamine (4%). Among those who resulted positive to at least one substance (95, 52% of the sample) 55 subjects re-sulted positive to one substance (58%), 27 to two substances (28%) and 13 to three or more substances (13%). Poly-use was evaluated with an indicator previously proposed by Fabi et al in 2013. This resulted in a polydrug-use score equal to 2.93 (standard deviation 1.7, minimum 1.5, maximum 9.25)

Optimizing Moss and Lichen Transplants as Biomonitors of Airborne Anthropogenic Microfibers

Anthropogenic microfibers (mfs) are synthetic particles composed of cellulose (cotton, rayon, acetate, etc.) or petrochemical-based polymers (i.e., microplastics-MPs) that are less than 5 mm in length. The accumulation of mfs, including MPs, in the moss Hypnum cupressiforme and the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea was compared in a transplant experiment lasting 6 weeks. We also tested the effects of the bag used for transplants on the accumulation of mfs. Anthropogenic particles trapped by both biomonitors were mostly filamentous (99% mfs), and their number was overall higher in the moss (mean ± s.d. 102 ± 24) than in the lichen (mean ± s.d. 87 ± 17), at parity of sample weight. On average, mfs found in lichen were significantly longer than those found in moss bags, suggesting that lichens are less efficient at retaining smaller mfs. Exposure without the net yielded a higher mfs number accumulation in both species, indicating that "naked" transplants provide greater sensitivity. The calculation of daily fluxes evidenced a loss of mfs in the lichen, suggesting the presence of more stable bonds between moss and mfs. Raman microspectroscopy carried out on about 100 debris confirms the anthropogenic nature of mfs, of which 20% were MPs. Overall results indicate that moss is preferable to lichen in the biomonitoring of airborne mfs especially when exposed naked