Interpretative Phenomenology of Grief following Reproductive Loss: A Narrative Review and Considerations on Improving Support.

The loss of pregnancy through miscarriage or stillbirth is typically an unexpected and highly distressing event for parents. While death in any form may be overwhelming to those bereaved, pregnancy and newborn loss are unique in several ways because they involve the added loss of parental identity and the idealized baby and family. In this study, the authors performed a narrative review of the literature regarding the phenomenon of grief following reproductive loss in bereaved parents, focusing on heteronormative mothers and fathers and on nontraditional families. One of the main highlighted aspects is the disenfranchisement of grief, which refers to a loss that is not or cannot be acknowledged, publicly mourned, or socially supported. This feeling is elicited by family, society, and healthcare providers. Although the literature has consistently documented the negative impact of this type of experience on parents and families, it is still largely unrecognized by healthcare providers. As most studies demonstrate, there are significant gaps in the psychosocial components of miscarriage and stillbirth care, including a lack of clarity in communication about the loss and subsequent steps, a lack of empathy, an invalidation of grief, and a failure to attend to emotional needs. Since healthcare providers are most often the first point of contact as they experience the loss, it is imperative to act so that patients' needs are more adequately met. To this purpose, the authors propose a set of measures aimed at improving the quality of care and support.

Disinfection of treated urban effluents for reuse by combination of coagulation/flocculation and Fenton processes.

In this study, a combination of coagulation/flocculation and Fenton processes was studied as tertiary treatment in order to generate treated water susceptible to reuse. The combination of both processes has never been applied in disinfection of real urban wastewater. The best removals of turbidity and enterobacteria were achieved when applying a coagulant (FeCl3) dosage of 120 mg/L and the natural pH of the effluent (7.14). The following Fenton reaction presented the maximal enterobacteria inactivation after 120 min at 25 °C, when using hydrogen peroxide and added iron concentrations of 100 mg/L and 7 mg/L, respectively. The abundance of antibiotic resistant (amoxicillin and sulfamethoxazole) enterobacteria and total enterobacteria, enterococci, and heterotrophs, and antibiotic resistance genes - ARG - (sul1, blaTEM and qnrS) was evaluated before and after each step of the treatment. Values below 10 CFU/100 mL were achieved for total and resistant cultivable enterobacteria immediately after treatment and after storage for 72 h, therefore meeting the strictest limit imposed for E. coli. Physico-chemical parameters also met the established limits for water reuse. Despite harbouring a rich and diverse bacterial community, the final stored disinfected wastewater contained high relative abundance of potentially hazardous bacteria. Such results point out the need of a deep microbiological characterization of treated wastewater to evaluate the risk of its reuse in irrigation.

Reuse of lime sludge from immediate one-step lime precipitation process as a coagulant (aid) in slaughterhouse wastewater treatment.

The circularity of wastewater treatment subproducts is on the worldwide agenda. In this way, this work aims to evaluate alternatives for the reuse of sludge from slaughterhouse wastewater treatment. Wetted sludges produced in the immediate one-step lime precipitation process were applied directly or first calcined, as a coagulant or coagulant aid, in the absence or presence of Ca(OH)2, to slaughterhouse wastewaters with different characteristics. For the best sludge reuse, successive reuses of the sludge were carried out and the characteristics of treated slaughterhouse wastewater were evaluated after each reuse. Results showed a great similarity between slaughterhouse and treated slaughterhouse wastewaters using wetted and calcined sludges as a coagulant for highly contaminated slaughterhouse wastewater. In addition, a great similarity was also observed between the calcined and the wetted sludges, both as a coagulant aid, for all the slaughterhouse wastewaters tested. However, the latter consumed more hydrated lime, more volume of sludge sedimented, and higher concentrations phosphorus and organic matter in the treated wastewater. Calcined sludge as a coagulant aid guaranteed the best slaughterhouse wastewater quality for almost of the tested paramenters (≥94% for absorbances at 254 nm and 410 nm, E. coli, turbidity, and phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand between 3 and 91%, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen between 3 and 62%) independently of the wastewater characteristics. Calcined sludge as a coagulant aid can be three times reused for the tested parameters and slaughterhouse wastewater characteristics without significantly decreasing the quality. The successive sludge reused saves the hydrated lime dose applied (up to 28.4%) and the sedimented sludge volume (up to 24.7%), and can be a solution to stabilize sludge due to the pH increase (sludge pH = 12).

Catalyst-free persulfate activation by UV/visible radiation for secondary urban wastewater disinfection.

This study focuses on the treatment of secondary urban wastewater (W) to improve the effluent quality aiming at the reduction of pathogenic microorganisms for the safe reuse of the treated wastewater (TW). Catalyst-free persulfate activation by radiation-based oxidation was applied as a treatment technology. A parametric study was carried out to select the best operating conditions. Total enterobacteria inactivation (quantified by the log reduction (CFU/100 mL)) was achieved when using [S2O82-] = 1 mM, pH = 8.5 (natural pH of W), T = 25 °C, and I = 500 W/m2. However, storing TW for 3 days promoted the regrowth of bacteria, risking its reutilization. Therefore, in this study, and for the first time, the potential beneficial role of inoculation of wastewater treated by the radiation-activated persulfate process with a diverse bacterial community was evaluated in order to control the regrowth of potentially harmful microorganisms through bacterial competition. For this, TW was diluted with river water (R) in the volume percentages of 5, 25, and 50 (percentages refer to R content), and enterobacteria and total heterotrophs were enumerated before and after storage for 72 h. The results showed total heterotrophs and enterobacteria regrowth for TW and R + TW diluted 5 and 25% after storage. However, for R + TW diluted 50%, only the total heterotrophs regrew. Hence, the treated wastewater generated by the oxidative process diluted with 50% river water complies with the legislated limits for reuse in urban uses or irrigation.

Degradation of p-Nitrophenol by activated persulfate with carbon-based materials.

The removal of p-nitrophenol (PNP) from wastewater was evaluated by the activated persulfate process using different materials - carbon xerogels (XG), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and activated carbon (AC) -, and also using such materials doped with nitrogen (XGM, CNTM and ACM). These carbon materials were impregnated with 2 wt.% of iron and tested in the oxidative process to assess the influence of their textural and surface chemical properties. The carbon-based materials' properties influence the efficiencies of the adsorption and oxidative processes; in adsorption, the materials with higher specific surface areas (SBET), i.e. AC (824 m2/g) and Fe/AC (807 m2/g), have shown to be the most promising (having achieved a PNP removal of about 20%); on the other hand, in the activated persulfate process the carbon or iron-containing carbon materials with the highest mesoporous areas (Smeso) were the preferential ones - XG and Fe/XG, respectively - reaching removals of 47.3% and 75.7% for PNP and 44.9 and 63.3% for TOC, respectively. Moreover, the presence of nitrogen groups on the samples' surface benefits both processes, being found that PNP degradation and mineralization increase with the nitrogen content. The stability of the best materials (XGM and Fe/XGM) was evaluated during four cycles, being noticed that while XGM lost catalytic activity, the Fe/XGM sample remained stable without leaching of iron. The quantification of intermediate compounds formed during persulfate oxidation was performed, and only oxalic acid was detected, in addition to PNP, being that their contribution to the TOC measured was higher than 99%. Experiments carried out in the presence of radical scavengers proved that only the sulfate radical is present under the acidic conditions used. Complete PNP oxidation and TOC removal of ∼96% were reached for the activated persulfate process, proving to be more attractive than the Fenton one.

Specific adsorbents for the treatment of OMW phenolic compounds by activation of bio-residues from the olive oil industry.

A series of adsorbents was developed by physical (CO2) and chemical (KOH) activation of two bio-residues: olive stones (OS) and wood from olive tree pruning (OTP). The physicochemical properties of such materials were determined and correlated with their adsorptive performance in the removal of phenolic compounds of olive mill wastewater (OMW). Adsorption isotherms and kinetics of single phenolic acids, as well as the kinetics for competitive multi-compound adsorption, were fitted by applying different models, though Langmuir and pseudo-second order models fitted better the experimental results, respectively. The intraparticle diffusion model pointed out that mesoporosity reduces the influence of phenolic compounds' restrictions in the external film diffusion of the adsorbent particle-solution interphase, but adsorption capacity linearly increases with the micropore volume accessible to N2 at -196 °C (and also with BET surface area), while diffusion into ultramicropores (<0.7 nm, determined by CO2-adsorption) is slow and presents minor influence on the total adsorption capacity. After saturation, thermal regeneration of spent adsorbents allows the removal of adsorbed products, enabling the reuse of samples whilst maintaining a significant performance.

Gaseous toluene abatement by the heterogeneous Fenton-like process using iron/carbon-coated monolith as catalyst: Proof of concept.

The degradation of toluene from a gas stream by the heterogeneous Fenton process was evaluated over a carbon-coated monolith impregnated or not with iron as catalyst in a bubble column reactor (BCR). The carbon-coated monolith support (CM) was prepared by chemical vapor deposition and the catalyst (CM impregnated with iron - herein called CM-Fe) by adsorption. In the screening of processes (absorption, adsorption and reaction), it was shown that the heterogeneous Fenton process catalyzed by CM-Fe presents the best efficiency (toluene transfer (η) = 10 × 10-3 mol, for 300 mL of liquid solution and 0.69 g of catalyst). Finally, the stability of CM and CM-Fe was evaluated, wherein ten consecutive runs were carried out, the results showing a considerable deactivation of CM during the first five cycles. In contrast, the CM-Fe sample only slightly decreases its activity from the 1st to 2nd cycle (due to a small amount of iron leached from the monolith, 0.7%), remaining stable after that, which is important for applying this technology at the industrial level. This work showed for the first time that the treatment of gaseous effluents containing organic compounds by the Fenton process (which takes place in the liquid phase) using a carbon-coated monolith impregnated with iron is plausible, so the proof of concept was successfully accomplished.

Insights into real industrial wastewater treatment by Fenton's oxidation in gas bubbling reactors.

In the present study, bubbling reactors (BRs) were chosen to design a new procedure for real industrial wastewater (WW) treatment by Fenton's oxidation. The process was carried out in BRs under batch mode for the treatment of a WW with a high organic load (chemical oxygen demand (COD) above 7000 mgO2/L), being the efficient mixing of the liquid phase ensured by the gas bubbling. The parameters that influenced the WW treatment (i.e., H2O2 and Fe2+ concentration, and initial pH) were optimized in a smaller BR (0.5 L volumetric capacity); the maximum oxidation efficiency (dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal = 52% and COD removal = 83% after 60 min) was reached under the following conditions: Qair = 1.0 L/min (measured at room temperature and atmospheric pressure), [H2O2] = 22.5 g/L, [Fe2+] = 0.75 g/L, and pH = 4.6 - original WW pH. It was not detected any significant effect in the process efficiency of the air flow rate and gas phase composition (i.e., N2, and air), but when the process was performed with continuous O2 bubbling an increase in the DOC removal (from 43% to 53%) was observed after 5 min of oxidation. Even so, the high costs discourage the use of pure oxygen streams in real WWTPs. To understand the dynamics of the process, the continuous air bubbling was compared to another mixing mode (mechanical stirring), and similar mineralization was achieved, proving the feasibility of Fenton's process in a BR. In addition, the gas bubbling proved to be more efficient in terms of heat dissipation during the treatment, decreasing temperature profiles along the oxidation of heavily charged real effluents. An effective scale-up with a bubble column reactor with a higher volumetric capacity by a factor of almost one order of magnitude was also proved, providing similar mineralization. The final effluent was non-toxic and more biodegradable.

The Uncanny of the Illness Experience: Can Phenomenology Help?

The illness experience encompasses not only several changes in bodily processes but also the very feeling of becoming ill. This seemingly non-scientific aspect of being sick is characterized by forms of uncanny body experiences and an unhomelike being-in-the-world. Both include disconcerting phenomena, feelings of fear, restlessness, and inexplicability. In this paper we discuss some contributions aiming to understand the illness experience, focusing on the concept of the uncanny. This life event brings changes in the familiarity of our world, revelation of what previously was and should have remained hidden, loss of control, and the certainty of mortality. The experience of uncanniness is here conceptualized as a psychopathological phenomenon that should be regarded as a general symptom of diseases and should be identified and approached. We discuss the impact of these considerations on medical practice, focusing on the role of physicians and ultimately on the purpose of medicine.

Treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater by acid precipitation (H2SO4, HCl and HNO3) and oxidation (Ca(ClO)2, H2O2 and CaO2).

The treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater was investigated by both acid precipitations and by oxidation processes. Precipitation tests were developed using three acids (H2SO4, HCl and HNO3) at different operating pH (1-6). A decrease of the precipitation pH led to an increase of the conductivity values of the supernatant. Precipitation processes allowed the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (41-97%), turbidity (56-99%) and total phosphorus (27-56%). Total phenols were removed (15-96%) from pH ≥ 2, depending on the precipitation process. Generally, precipitation processes decreased the hydroxide and bicarbonates species. Additionally, three different oxidation processes were tested at different concentrations (1-15 g L-1): Ca(ClO)2, H2O2 and CaO2. When Ca(ClO)2 and CaO2 were applied, an increase of the supernatant conductivity was achieved. COD removal ≥71% and turbidity elimination in the range of 85-100% were achieved by using oxidation processes. CaO2 was very effective to remove total phosphorus (81-96%). The increase of the oxidant concentration in H2O2 and Ca(ClO)2 oxidation processes led to a decrease in the removal of total phenols and bicarbonates species. Optical density of the microorganism cultures was efficiently eliminated (up to 100%) by oxidation processes. In addition, acid precipitation and oxidation allowed to remove total solids (TS), total volatile solids (TVS), total suspended solids (TSS), ammonia nitrogen, nitrates and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5). Acid precipitation and oxidation produced sludge rich in organic matter and nutrients (Ca, Mg, P, Cl, Na and K). Despite the high removal efficiencies, a post-treatment following the precipitation and oxidation processes can be required.

p-Nitrophenol degradation by Fenton's oxidation in a bubble column reactor.

This paper reports on a study of the oxidation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) in a bubble column reactor (BCR). The use of the air stream aimed to provide perfect mixing in the liquid phase, which was successfully achieved and checked experimentally; there were no concentration gradients along the column, even at the lowest air flow rate used (Q = 1 mL/min at room temperature and atmospheric pressure). The effect of the operating variables was assessed, and a total reduction of PNP was reached, as well as mineralization of 49.2%, oxidant consumption of 90.3%, and with an efficiency of use - ηH2O2 - of 0.09 mg C/mg H2O2, under the best operating conditions found - Q = 1 mL/min, [H2O2] = 1.6 g/L, [Fe2+] = 80 mg/L, pH = 3.0 and T = 22-24 °C - (after 120 min of reaction). Following this, various strategies were developed for improving the mineralization rate; it was found that the addition of H2O2 every 5 min and readjusting the pH after 30 min of reaction allow the attainment of a much higher TOC removal (75.1%) and efficiency of oxidant use (ηH2O2 = 0.17 mg C/mg H2O2) with less oxidant. A reaction mechanism was proposed, based on intermediates identified that include p-nitrocatechol - PNC, p-benzoquinone - PB, hydroquinone - HQ - and carboxylic acids (oxalic, maleic and fumaric). Since the performance achieved in the BCR was good, and very similar to that obtained in a conventional batch reactor, it was possible to verify the efficacy of carrying out the Fenton process in this reactor configuration, which in our future work will focus on the treatability of industrial effluents.

Basic Self-Disturbances beyond Schizophrenia: Discrepancies and Affinities in Panic Disorder - An Empirical Clinical Study.

BACKGROUND: Anomalous self-experiences (ASEs), presumably involving alterations in "core" or "minimal self," have been studied as manifest in schizophrenia and its spectrum, in contrast with mood disorder and personality disorder samples. This is the first study to examine ASEs in panic disorder (PD), beginning the exploration of these disturbances of subjectivity in anxiety disorders. We aimed to clarify what might, or might not, be specific to the schizophrenia spectrum domain - which, in turn, could be useful for developing pathogenetic models for various disorders. SAMPLING AND METHODS: 47 hospital outpatients with PD and no other medical and psychiatric comorbidity and 47 healthy control (HC) subjects were assessed with the Examination of Anomalous Self Experiences (EASE) and Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS). RESULTS: All our PD patients had overall ASE and EASE scores significantly higher than our HCs (mean ± SD 17.94 ± 11.88 vs. HC 1.00 ± 1.81), approaching levels found in previous schizophrenia spectrum samples. The distribution of particular EASE items and subitems in the PD sample was heterogeneous, varying from rare (<10%) or absent (termed "discrepancies" with schizophrenia spectrum: 29 items) to being present in >50% of subjects ("affinities" with schizophrenia spectrum: 7 items). EASE and CDS scores were highly correlated (r = 0.756, 95% CI 0.665-0.840). CONCLUSIONS: PD patients scored higher on items suggesting common forms of derealization and depersonalization, perhaps suggesting "secondary" and defensive psychological processes, while lacking indicators of more profound ipseity disturbance. Our study supports the basic-self-disturbance model of schizophrenia, while suggesting the possibility of transnosological "schizophrenia-like phenomena," which might require careful phenomenological exploration to be distinguished from those of true psychotic or schizophrenic conditions.

An initial investigation of abnormal bodily phenomena in subjects at ultra high risk for psychosis: Their prevalence and clinical implications.

BACKGROUND: Contemporary phenomenological research has considered abnormal bodily phenomena (ABP) to be a phenotypic trait of subjects with schizophrenia in their first psychotic episode. Yet the prevalence of ABP and their clinical significance in subjects at Ultra High Risk (UHR) of psychosis remain unidentified. This study is an exploratory investigation of ABP in UHR subjects and matched healthy controls (HCs) examining their relation to clinical features and basic self-disturbances. METHODS: A sample of 26 UHR and 14 HC subjects from three prodromal and early intervention clinics in South London, West London and Cambridge was assessed with the Abnormal Bodily Phenomena questionnaire (ABPq), Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS) and the Examination of Anomalous Self Experiences (EASE) checklist. RESULTS: In our sample ABP occurred in 73.1% of UHR subjects and prominent ABP (proABP) were referred in 53.8% of them. No HC subject reported ABP. The UHR group with proABP had lower CAARMS total score (t=-9.265, p=0.006). There were no differences in PANSS total score (t=-1.235, p=0.277), SOFAS score (H(2) 22.27, p=0.666) and EASE total scores (z=8.565, adjusted p=0.185) in the UHR subjects with prominent ABP versus those that did not. DISCUSSION: This initial investigation suggests that ABP could be a prevalent phenotypic feature of UHR subjects.

Coupling of acrylic dyeing wastewater treatment by heterogeneous Fenton oxidation in a continuous stirred tank reactor with biological degradation in a sequential batch reactor.

This work deals with the treatment of a recalcitrant effluent, from the dyeing stage of acrylic fibres, by combination of the heterogeneous Fenton's process in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with biological degradation in a sequential batch reactor (SBR). Three different catalysts (a commercial Fe/ZSM-5 zeolite and two distinct Fe-containing activated carbons - ACs - prepared by wet impregnation of iron acetate and iron nitrate) were employed on the Fenton's process, and afterwards a parametric study was carried out to determine the effect of the main operating conditions, namely the hydrogen peroxide feed concentration, temperature and contact time. Under the best operating conditions found, using the activated carbon impregnated with iron nitrate, 62.7% of discolouration and 39.9% of total organic carbon (TOC) reduction were achieved, at steady-state. Furthermore, a considerable increase in the effluent's biodegradability was attained (BOD5:COD ratio increased from <0.001 to 0.27 and SOUR - specific oxygen uptake rate - from <0.2 to 11.1 mg O2/(gVSS·h)), alongside a major decrease in its toxicity (from 92.1 to 94.0% of Vibrio fischeri inhibition down to 6.9-9.9%). This allowed the application of the subsequent biological degradation stage. The combination of the two processes provided a treated effluent that clearly complies with the legislated discharge limits. It was also found that the iron leaching from the three catalysts tested was very small in all runs, a crucial factor for the stability and long-term use of such materials.

Treatment of sugarcane vinasse by combination of coagulation/flocculation and Fenton's oxidation.

The efficiency of individual and integrated processes applied to organic matter reduction and biodegradability improvement of a biodigested sugarcane vinasse wastewater was assessed. Strategies considered were Fenton's oxidation (Strategy 1), coagulation/flocculation (Strategy 2) and the combination of both processes (coagulation/flocculation followed by Fenton's reaction) - Strategy 3. It was found that Fenton's oxidation per se allowed reducing the organic matter, increasing the wastewater biodegradability and a non-toxic effluent was generated; however the cost of treatment was very high (86.6 R$/m(3) - 21.2 €/m(3)). Under optimized conditions, coagulation/flocculation provided a slight increase in effluent's biodegradability, toxicity towards Vibrio fischeri was also eliminated and moderate removals of total organic carbon - TOC - (30.5%), biological oxygen demand - BOD5 - (27.9%) and chemical oxygen demand - COD - (43.6%) were achieved; however, the operating costs are much smaller. The use of dissolved iron resulting from coagulation/flocculation (270 mg/L) as catalyst in the second stage - Fenton's oxidation - was shown to be an innovative and economically attractive strategy. Under optimal conditions overall removals of 51.6% for TOC, 45.7% for BOD5 and 69.2% for COD were achieved, and a biodegradable (BOD5:COD ratio = 0.54) and non-toxic effluent was obtained. In order to increase the efficiency of the process but using less hydrogen peroxide, the Fenton's oxidation was performed by gradually adding the oxidant. This procedure allowed to obtain the highest organic matter removal efficiency (as compared with the addition of all hydrogen peroxide at the beginning of the reaction). This way it was possible to minimize the reagent consumption and, consequently, reduce the treatment cost.

Technical and economic feasibility of polyester dyeing wastewater treatment by coagulation/flocculation and Fenton's oxidation.

This study aims to investigate the efficiency of individual and integrated processes applied to organic matter abatement and biodegradability improvement of a polyester dyeing wastewater, namely coagulation/flocculation combined with Fenton's reagent (Approach 1), Fenton oxidation alone (Approach 2) and its integration with coagulation/flocculation (Approach 3). The effects of Fe2+ dose, initial concentration of the oxidant (H202) and temperature during Fenton's oxidation were evaluated in Approaches 1 and 2, whereas in Approach 3 the influence ofpH and flocculant dose was also assessed, during the coagulation/flocculation stage. Toxicity and biodegradability of the final effluent were also evaluated. After oxidation, a slight increase in the specific oxygen uptake rate of the effluent was observed (from 27.0 up to 28.5-30.0mg O2/(gVSSh)) and the inhibition to Vibrio fischeri was eliminated. An effluent that complies with discharge standards was obtained in all cases; however, Approach 3 revealed to be a promising solution for treating this effluent as it leads to smaller operating costs. Therefore, the use of dissolved iron resulting from Fenton's oxidation as coagulant in the second stage was shown to be an innovative, efficient and economically attractive strategy for treating these effluents.

The association between alterations in motor and cognitive dimensions of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: A systematic review.

Motor and cognitive alterations in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSD) share common neural underpinnings, highlighting the necessity for a thorough exploration of the connections between these areas. This relationship is crucial, as it holds potential significance in unraveling the underlying mechanisms of SSD pathophysiology, ultimately leading to advancements in clinical staging and treatment strategies. The purpose of this review was to characterize the relationship between different hyper and hypokinetic domains of motor alterations and cognition in SSD. We systematically searched the literature (PROSPERO protocol CRD42019145964) and selected 66 original scientific contributions for review, published between 1987 and 2022. A narrative synthesis of the results was conducted. Hyper and hypokinetic motor alterations showed weak to moderate negative correlations with cognitive function across different SSD stages, including before antipsychotic treatment. The literature to date shows a diverse set of methodologies and composite cognitive scores hampering a strong conclusion about which specific cognitive domains were more linked to each group of motor alterations. However, executive functions seemed the domain more consistently associated with parkinsonism with the results regarding dyskinesia being less clear. Akathisia and catatonia were scarcely discussed in the reviewed literature. The present review reinforces the intimate relationship between specific motor alterations and cognition. Identified gaps in the literature challenge the formulation of definitive conclusions. Nevertheless, a discussion of putative underlying mechanisms is included, prompting guidance for future research endeavors.

An overview of photocatalysis phenomena applied to NOx abatement.

This review provides a short introduction to photocatalysis technology in terms of the present environmental remediation paradigm and, in particular, NOx photoabatement. The fundamentals of photoelectrochemical devices and the photocatalysis phenomena are reviewed, highlighting the main reaction mechanisms. The critical historical developments on heterogeneous photocatalysis are briefly discussed, giving particular emphasis to the pioneer works in this field. The third part of this work focus mainly on NOx removal technology considering topics such as: TiO2 photochemistry; effect of the operating conditions on the photocatalysis process; Langmuir-Hinshelwood modeling; TiO2 photocatalytic immobilization approaches; and their applications. The last section of the paper presents the main conclusions and perspectives on the opportunities related to this technology.

Treatment of textile dye wastewaters using ferrous sulphate in a chemical coagulation/flocculation process.

The coagulation/flocculation treatment using FeSO4 x 7H2O as a coagulant is evaluated in this work for the removal of organic compounds and colour from synthetic effluents simulating the cotton, acrylic and polyester dyeing wastewaters. The coagulant dose, temperature, pH, stirring speed and stirring time that maximized the removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and colour for each effluent are determined for the coagulation process. The effect of the stirring speed, stirring time and the dose of flocculant (Magnafloc 155 or Superfloc C-573) on the flocculation stage is also evaluated for effluents pretreated by coagulation at the optimal conditions previously determined. The obtained results showed that the optimal operating conditions are different for each effluent, and the process (coagulation/flocculation) as a whole was efficient in terms of colour removal (-91% for cotton, -94% for acrylic effluents; polyester effluent is practically colourless). However, the DOC removal observed is not significant (33% for polyester, -45% for cotton and -28% for acrylic effluents). On the other hand, the remaining dissolved iron content is appropriate for further integrating the treatment with an iron-catalysed Fenton process, thus reducing the consumption of chemicals in the overall treatment.

Prepandemic psychotropic drug status in Portugal: a nationwide pharmacoepidemiological profile.

The prescription of psychotropic drugs has been rising in Europe over the last decade. This study provides a comprehensive profile of prepandemic consumption patterns of antidepressant, antipsychotic, and anxiolytic drugs in Portugal considering full nationwide psychotropic drug prescription and dispensing records (2016-2019) against several criteria, including active ingredient, sociodemographics, medical specialty, and incurred costs. An increase of 29.6% and 34.7% in the consumption of antipsychotics and antidepressants between 2016 and 2019 is highlighted, accompanied by an increase of 37M Eur in total expenditure (> 20M Eur in public copay) for these classes of drugs. Disparities in sociodemographic and geographical incidence are identified. Amongst other pivotal results, 64% of psychotropic drug prescriptions are undertaken by general practitioners, while only 21% undertaken by neurological and psychiatric specialties. Nationwide patterns of psychotropic drug prescription further reveal notable trends and determinants, establishing a reference point for cross-regional studies and being currently assessed at a national level to establish psychosocial initiatives and guidelines for medical practice and training.