What do I do now: suggestions for the frustrated mid-career professional

Librarians, like most professionals, may arrive at a stage in their careers when they start questioning themselves about their job satisfaction and importance. The reasons are many, from not being challenged by their work to abrupt changes in the workplace dictated by management and the economy. At this stage, professionals may begin to feel unappreciated by management and not in control of their work environment. In this piece, I offer some suggestions that could help mid-career librarians to re-energize themselves and survive in a workplace that is in constant flux. How you react to the anxiety of "job disconnect" will affect the rest of your career life. Should you become more proactive at your job, increasing your responsibility and value to your institution? What does your personality have to do with how you adjust to management changes? Does tenure fit into this equation? Should you even think about changing your job at this stage of your career? What other factors could "spice" up your career? Specific strategies and options for each of these questions will be discussed.     

Simultaneous Spark Plasma Synthesis and Densification of TiC–TiB2 Composites

The simultaneous synthesis and densification of dense TiC–TiB₂ composite has been investigated starting from Ti, B₄C, and C as reactants, and using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The optimal conditions for complete conversion of the reactants to the composite were determined for different applied DC current levels. A kinetic investigation performed allows us to conclude that solid-state diffusion is the mechanism governing the synthesis process. It is seen that TiC is the first phase formed, while TiB₂ formation occurs afterward. Two intermediate boride phases, i.e. TiB and Ti₃B₄, are also formed but, as the SPS holding time was augmented, they were gradually and completely converted to TiB₂. Moreover, it is found that in order to reach relatively high dense products, an electric current needs to be applied for time intervals longer than those required for obtaining complete conversion. A pure dense product (relative density ∼98%) was obtained when an electric pulsed current of 1100 A and a mechanical pressure of 20 MPa were applied for about 4 min.     

Mathematical modelling of the alcoholic fermentation of glucose by Zymomonas mobilis mobilis

The kinetics of alcoholic fermentation of a strain of Zymomonas mobilis, isolated from sugarcane juice, has been studied with the objective of determining the constansts of a non-structured mathematical model that represents the fermentation process. Assays in batch and in continuous culture have been carried out with different initial concentrations of glucose. The final concentrations of glucose, ethanol and biomass were determined. The following kinetic parameters were obtained: μ_max, 0·5 h^?1; K_s, 4·64 g dm^?3; P_max, 106 g dm^?3; Y_x/s, 0·0265 g g^?1; m, 1·4 g g^?1 h^?1; α, 17·38 g g^?1; β, 0·69 g g^?1 h^?1.     

The synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical P1/P1' cyclic ureas as HIV protease inhibitors

Cyclic urea SD146, a potent HIV protease inhibitor bearing a flat resistance profile, possessed poor solubility and bioavailability, which precluded further development of the compound. In an effort to improve upon the pharmacokinetic profile of the compound, several analogs modified at the P1/P1' residues were prepared and evaluated. Several of those compounds displayed significant improvement of physical properties.     

Breakfasts high in monoglyceride or triglyceride: no differential effect on appetite or energy intake

OBJECTIVE: To test whether isoenergetic isoenergetically-dense doses of dietary 1-monoglyceride or triglyceride differentially influence appetite and meal-to-meal energy intake in man. DESIGN: Six men and six women were each studied twice in a 2 d protocol. On day 1 (maintenance day) they were fed a medium fat (MF) maintenance diet (MF: 40% fat, 47% carbohydrate and 13% protein by energy) calculated at 1.6 x resting metabolic rate (RMR). On day 2 (manipulation day) at 08.30 h subjects consumed a high-fat breakfast designed to contain 80-85% of RMR, composition 10% protein, 56% fat and 34% carbohydrate by energy, with 65% of energy for fat derived as either 1-monoglyceride or triglyceride. Food and energy intake were monitored at lunch (given at 12.30pm) and throughout the remainder of the day. During this time subjects had ad libitum access to isoenergetic, isoenergetically dense MF (40:47:13) foods (550kJ/100g), until 22.30pm). Subjective hunger and satiety were tracked hourly, during waking hours. RESULTS: There was no significant effect of fat type on food or energy intake at lunch or during the ad libitum period. There was no diet effect on subjective hunger (F(1,10)0.00; P= 0.975) in the inter-meal periods of morning or afternoon, nor during the whole day. Subjects found both diets to be similarly pleasant (F(1,61)0.84;P= 0.364). Men and women responded similarly, except that men ate more on all occasions than women. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that when a large dose of l-monoglyceride or triglyceride is incorporated into a breakfast meal, it behaves in a manner that is very similar to triglyceride in terms of the effects on hunger, appetite or feeding behaviour.     

The impact of risk and protective factors on online teaching experience in high school Italian teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic

The lockdown due to COVID-19 in Italy resulted in the sudden closure of schools, with a shift from traditional teaching to the online one. Through an online questionnaire, this survey explores teachers' experience of online teaching, the level of risk factors (e.g., stress) and protective factors (e.g., locus of control) and their impact on satisfaction levels during the social distancing. One hundred seven high school teachers from Lombardy, an Italian region very affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, participated. Results show that depression and stress are the main predictors of satisfaction levels for online teaching. In addition, coping, locus of control and self-efficacy emerge as important protective factors. Finally, although there is great satisfaction with the online teaching experience, critical elements emerged. This study is relevant because it describes the critical elements of the online teaching experience, and identifies some protective factors and the main risk factors in teachers operating in an area strongly marked by social restrictions imposed by the pandemic. High school teachers emerge as a sub-group of the general population with specific psychological reactions. Considering the results, it is possible to suggest providing high-quality educational support and crisis-psychological oriented services to teachers, and help to maintain the psychological well-being.