Ruthenium incorporation into hydrotalcites-derived mixed oxides for phenol hydrogenation: Role of Mg/Al molar ratio

In this work the catalytic behaviour of Ru supported on mixed oxides derived from non-commercial hydrotalcites in phenol hydrogenation was studied in a batch reactor working at 30 bar and 200 °C. To this end, a set of catalysts with 2 wt% Ru and a Mg/Al molar ratio of 1, 2, 3 and 4 was synthesized. The catalysts were tested in phenol hydrogenation to assess the influence of Mg/Al ratio on the catalytic performance in terms of conversion and selectivities to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone. Physicochemical characterization was performed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in scanning transmission electron microscopy (EDS-STEM), CO chemisorption at 35 °C, CO2 and NH3 thermoprogrammed desorption (TPD) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The Mg/Al molar ratio employed determined the catalytic response of the resulting catalysts, obtaining the best catalytic performance (95.9 % conversion and 47.4 % cyclohexanone selectivity) with the sample with the lowest Mg/Al ratio, RuMA1. XRD results showed that in RuMA1 catalyst the hydrotalcite structure was completely transformed into the corresponding mixed oxide after thermal treatment and was also the only one in which MgAl2O4 spinel was not formed. In addition, RuMA1 presented the highest specific surface area, the greatest Ru dispersion, as evidenced by CO-chemisorption and EDX-STEM analysis, as well as a good balance between basic and acid sites and a greater proportion of Bronsted acid sites that also explain it greater selectivity to cyclohexanol.This publication is part of the R&D project PID2021-126235OB-C32 funded by MCIN/ AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and FEDER funds. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBUA. IBM thanks University of Malaga for a postdoctoral grant

Ru supported on Mg/Al hydrotalcites for phenol hydrogenation.

Cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol are high value-added products widely used in polymer and chemical industry as organic solvents in oil paints or varnishes [1] or as intermediates in nylon, oxalic acid, caprolactam and adipic acid syntheses [2]. These compounds have been traditionally obtained from cyclohexane oxidation, a tedious and energy consuming process with low selectivity for the desired cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol. Thus, hydrogenation of phenol has emerged as a promising alternative to the former process with greater selectivity and, considering that phenol could be obtained from the degradation of lignin, which is a widespread, sustainable, carbon neutral precursor, this synthetic route has gained the attention of the scientific community. It has been reported that in phenol hydrogenation, hydrogen is added to the aromatic ring by a spill-over mechanism in which both phenol and hydrogen are adsorbed on metal sites, and that the adsorption configuration is strongly related to the number of acid and basic sites around metal sites [3]. In addition, it is known that supports with acid-base properties and moderate specific surface area improve both thermal stability and metallic phase dispersion. With respect to metallic sites, noble metals like Pd or Ru are benchmark hydrogenating agents [4]. In this work, catalysts containing 2 wt.% Ru supported on non-commercial hydrotalcites with different Mg/Al molar ratios were tested in the hydrogenation of phenol in a batch reactor with semiautomatic sample collection working at 200 ºC and 30 bar. The catalysts were fully characterized by means of XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption at -196 ºC, XPS and HR-TEM.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (PID2021-126235OB-C32) Fondos FEDE

Differences in job satisfaction and stress among self-employed people and employees

Recepción: 20 de mayo de 2016 | Revisión: 21 de mayo de 2016 | Aceptado: 30 de mayo de 2016Correspondencia: [email protected] esta investigación se ha pretendido buscar las posibles diferencias existentes en la satisfacción y el estrés laboral entre los trabajadores autónomos y los trabajadores por cuenta ajena. Para llevar esto a cabo se han utilizado dos cuestionarios a partir de los cuales se han obtenido los datos para su posterior análisis. A la vista de los resultados, se ha hallado una correlación negativa entre la satisfacción y el estrés laboral. Sin embargo, no se han encontrado evidencias de que los trabajadores autónomos tengan mayores niveles de satisfacción laboral y menores de estrés en el trabajo.The aim of this research study was to determine the possible existence of differences in job satisfaction and stress among self-employed people and employees. In order to do so two questionnaires were used from which we obtained all the data for the subsequent analysis. In the light of the results a negative correlation between the two aforementioned variables was found. However, no evidence was found concerning self-employed people having higher job satisfaction levels and lower levels of stress.Universidad de Granada. Departamento de Psicología Social. Proyecto de Innovación Docente ReiDoCre

Excess hydrocortisone hampers placental nutrient uptake disrupting cellular metabolism

Low birth weight increases neonatal morbidity and mortality, and surviving infants have increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disturbances later in life, as well as other neurological, psychiatric, and immune complications. A gestational excess of glucocorticoids (GCs) is a well-known cause for fetal growth retardation, but the biological basis for this association remains elusive. Placental growth is closely related to fetal growth. The placenta is the main regulator of nutrient transport to the fetus, resulting from the difference between placental nutrient uptake and the placenta’s own metabolism. The aim of this study was to analyze how excess hydrocortisone affects placental glucose and lipid metabolism. Human placenta explants from term physiological pregnancies were cultured for 18 hours under different hydrocortisone concentrations (2.75, 5.5, and 55mM; 1, 2, and 20mg/ml). Placental glucose and lipid uptake and the metabolic partitioning of fatty acids were quantified by isotopic techniques, and expression of specific glucose transporterGLUT1was quantified bywestern blot.Cell viabilitywas assessed byMTT, immunohistochemistry and caspase activity. We found that excess hydrocortisone impairs glucose uptake and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, coincident with a GC-dose dependent inhibition of fatty acid oxidation and esterification. None of the experimental conditions showed an increased cell death. In conclusion, our results show that GC overexposure exerts a dysfunctional effect on lipid transport and metabolism and glucose uptake in human placental explants. These findings could well be directly related to a reduced placental growth and possibly to a reduced supply of nutrients to the fetus and the consequent fetal growth retardation and metabolic programming

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Influencia de la actividad física en la embarazada sobre los resultados obstétricos y perinatales

En la actualidad se acepta ampliamente que unos niveles moderados de actividad física regular ofrecen beneficios para la salud y están asociados con un menor riesgo de enfermedad y muerte prematura. Como deducimos de la bibliografía y centrandonos en la gestación, observamos que la actividad física en el embarazo puede tener múltiples beneficios, reduciendo potenciales riesgos tanto maternos como fetales, sin embargo a la hora de medir la actividad física durante la gestación vemos que pocos estudios han validado cuestionarios de la actividad durante la misma, debido a que es una situación sometida a múltiples cambios. El objetivo es evaluar el nivel de actividad física de las embarazadas en nuestro medio a través de un cuestionario de actividad física estandarizado El nivel de actividad física en las embarazadas de nuestro medio puede medirse de forma objetiva con un cuestionario validado diseñado para tal efecto que distinga entre las diferentes facetas de actividad física posible: laboral, familiar, deportiva y de ocio, pudiendo evaluar qué activad/es son las principales en nuestro medio. El estudio se desarrollo utilizando la encuesta KASER para la actividad física, y con las mujeres del Servicio de Obstetricia y Ginecologia del Hospital Puerta del Mar. El nivel de actividad física en las embarazadas de nuestro medio puede medirse de forma objetiva con un cuestionario validado diseñado para tal efecto que distinga entre las diferentes facetas de actividad física posible: laboral, familiar, deportiva y de ocio, pudiendo evaluar qué actividad /es son las principales en nuestro medio. Los niveles de actividad física en las embarazadas de nuestro medio, evaluados mediante este método demuestran una actividad física que tiende al sedentarismo y que es inferior a la media, principalmente en el apartado de la actividad deportiva , siendo este el apartado en el que la puntuación de separa más del percentil 50. El nivel de actividad física en las gestantes no se relacionó de forma significativa con el resultado obstétrico y perinatal probablemente por la homogeneidad de la muestra. El porcentaje de embarazadas con actividad laboral que requieren baja por enfermedad en nuestro medio es elevado, siendo alrededor de un tercio de las mismas, y la duración de estas bajas es prolongada con una duración media de 14 semanas. No existe una relación significativa entre la presencia de baja durante la gestación y el resultado obstétrico y perinatal en el grupo de mujeres estudiados si bien se observa una disminución de ganancia ponderal en el inicio del embarazo y una tendencia a una recuperación de la misma mayor con posterioridad en aquellas con baja maternal

Catalizadores de Ru soportado sobre hidrotalcitas con diferente relación mg/al para la hidrogenación de fenol.

El ciclohexanol y la ciclohexanona son productos de alto valor añadido ya que son intermedios en la producción de compuestos como: ácido oxálico, nailon y caprolactama y que se emplean, también, como disolventes industriales. Concretamente la ciclohexanona puede obtenerse mediante hidrogenación de fenol. En la hidrogenación catalítica de fenol hay que tener en cuenta diferentes factores, como son las condiciones de reacción (presión y temperatura) y el tipo de catalizador. Por un lado, al aumentar la presión, aumenta la conversión de fenol, pero disminuye la selectividad hacia ciclohexanona al favorecerse la hidrogenación total. Por otro lado, la temperatura favorece la activación del catalizador y, por tanto, un aumento de la temperatura favorece la formación de ciclohexanona. Los catalizadores más empleados son los de metales nobles, concretamente los del grupo del platino, ya que presentan excelentes propiedades para adsorber hidrogeno y activarlo, además, estos metales son resistentes a la corrosión y no reaccionan con tras sustancias en el medio de reacción. Este trabajo se han sintetizado por impregnación a humedad incipiente una familia de catalizadores con un 2 % en peso de rutenio soportado sobre óxidos mixtos derivados de hidrotalcitas con diferente relación molar Mg/Al. Posteriormente, para la obtención de la fase activa, los catalizadores se han reducido a 450ºC durante 1h, con una rampa de 5ºC/min y se han denominado RuMA1, RuMA2, RuMA3 y RuMA4, correspondientes a las relaciones molares Mg/Al 1, 2, 3 y 4, respectivamente. Los catalizadores han sido caracterizados mediante diferentes técnicas de caracterización: difracción de Rayos X, adsorción-desorción de N2, espectroscopia de fotoelectrones de Rayos X y microscopía electrónica de transmisión. La reacción de hidrogenación de fenol se ha llevado a cabo en un reactor Batch a 200ºC, 30 bar de hidrógeno y 800 rpm.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Value of Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) And Eosinophilia During the Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Requiring Hospital Admission

The aim of this study was to analyze whether FeNO levels in acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) with hospital admission have better diagnostic value than eosinophilia in blood, and to evaluate its usefulness in predicting a better clinical response. An observational prospective study of patients with AECOPD was carried out. FeNO determinations were made on arrival at the emergency room (ER), at discharge and during stability 3-6 months after discharge. Co-morbidities, bronchodilators, inhaled (IGC) and systemic (SGC) glucocorticoids, eosinophils, systemic inflammation markers (procalcitonin, C-reactive protein), eosinophil cationic protein, and total IgE were collected. Fifty consecutive patients (92% men, mean age 75 ± 6 years) were included in this study. Phenotypes were 26% Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS), 42% chronic bronchitis (CB) and 32% emphysema. ACOS patients showed significantly higher levels of FeNO (73 ppb) and eosinophils (508 cells/mm3) than the rest (CB: 23 ppb, 184 cells/mm3, emphysema: 27 ppb, 159 cells/mm3; p < 0.05). A significant correlation between FeNO levels measured in ER and eosinophils was observed (r = 0.7; p < 0.001), but not at discharge or in stable phase. No significant association was found with parameters of systemic inflammation and mean stay. In conclusion, the determination of FeNO in AECOPD does not offer advantages over the evaluation of eosinophilia. These parameters rise at arrival in ER, descend at discharge, and remain unchanged in the stable phase. Both present similar diagnostic utility and are able to better identify the ACOS phenotype, which helps select a population that could benefit from a glucocorticoids therapy.Sin financiación2.503 JCR (2018) Q3, 37/63 Respiratory System1.034 SJR (2018) Q1, 526/2488 Medicine (miscellaneous)No data IDR 2018UE