The moderating effect of work-linked couple relationships and work–family integration on the spouse instrumental support-emotional exhaustion relationship.

Based on boundary theory and conservation of resources theory, we argue that employees with a spouse in the same occupation or workplace (referred to as work-linked couples) enhance the effectiveness of spousal instrumental support in reducing emotional exhaustion. In the first study of nurses (n = 103), we found that work-linked couples have more highly integrated work and family roles than participants whose spouses did not share an occupation or workplace. In a second study of working adults (n = 484), we found that work-linked couples have a stronger relationship between spouse instrumental support and the reduction of emotional exhaustion; this moderated relationship was mediated by their work–family integration. We discuss the implications of these findings for the study of work and family roles, social support, and emotional exhaustion, and provide suggestions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fluid dynamic performances of traditional and alternative jet fans in tunnel longitudinal ventilation systems

This paper presents the results of a numerical investigation carried out on an alternative jet fan, known in literature like Banana Jet®, and it compares its fluid dynamic performances to traditional axial ventilation systems. The alternative jet fan is equipped with inlet/outlet sections inclined at a fixed pitch angle (α) toward the tunnel floor. This approach establishes an alternative solution that is able to provide a safety level equivalent to the traditional solution, in different scenarios. Both systems are installed in an one-way tunnel and two different scenarios (without vehicles and with traffic jam) are considered, in event of fire. The fire was simulated setting heat flux on Heavy Good Vehicle (HGV) surface and comprehensive of radiative heat flux. Computational Fluid-Dynamic (CFD) are applied to simulate the ventilation in the unidirectional tunnel through k–ε model, including temperature fields. The results show, for both scenarios, the existence of an optimal pitch angle which offers advantages in comparison with the traditional system (α = 0°) in terms of plant and running costs. In the next paper, the influence of the radiative heat flux for the optimal pitch angle will be explicitly considered.     

The urban nature of agriculture: Bidirectional trends between city and countryside

The paper presents a wide range of images, contexts and issues related to contemporary forms of urban–rural interface. The urban and rural environments come in contact in various ways, generating patterns with hybrid identities which can be read both on a regional scale (in those cases where cities merge to form megapolitan conurbations), on an urban scale (suburbs of the cities), on a settlement scale (city quarters, farmyards and farmsteads), and even with regards to single buildings. This creates manifold diversified configurations of interface spaces, showing seemingly opposite trends. This work focuses on these bidirectional trends, which are discussed by means of a selection of different concepts, images, projects and experiences, within the international context. On the one hand, an increasing number of projects insert what is commonly associated with the idea of countryside into the cities: urban agriculture, mainly located in periurban open spaces, but in some cases even within the built system through various forms of integration with the building envelope, in line with a growing sensitivity about the need to conceive ways of virtuous relationship between food production, consumption and environment. On the other hand, town planning in many cases “ejects” the spaces for business and leisure, locating shopping malls, entertainment and (agri)tourism centres within the countryside. Moreover, typical rural spaces and activities (farms, farm holidays, wine farms, etc.) often refer to urban styles, due to poor design attention, or rather to marketing strategies aimed at enhancing the farm image. Thus, settlements located in rural areas show markedly increasing urban characteristics, with regards to their built environment, open spaces, and outdoor furniture. Whilst many scholars and designers have focused on reinterpreting the agricultural functions when these are inserted in urban architecture and built areas, further interdisciplinary work is needed to analyse how urban functions can be brought into the countryside and improve the quality of rural settlements.     

Disentangling protein-silica interactions

We present the results of modelling studies aimed at the understanding of the interaction of a 7 nm sized water droplet containing a negatively charged globular protein with flat silica surfaces. We show how the droplet interaction with the surface depends on the electrostatic surface charge, and that adhesion of the droplet occurs when the surface is negatively charged as well. The key role of water and of the charge-balancing counter ions in mediating the surface-protein adhesion is highlighted. The relevance of the present results with respect to the production of bioinorganic hybrids via encapsulation of proteins inside mesoporous silica materials is discussed.     

Intercellular carbon nanotube translocation assessed by flow cytometry imaging

The fate of carbon nanotubes in the organism is still controversial. Here, we propose a statistical high-throughput imaging method to localize and quantify functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes in cells. We give the first experimental evidence of an intercellular translocation of carbon nanotubes. This stress-induced longitudinal transfer of nanomaterials is mediated by cell-released microvesicles known as vectors for intercellular communication. This finding raises new critical issues for nanotoxicology, since carbon nanotubes could be disseminated by circulating extracellular cell-released vesicles and visiting several cells in the course of their passage into the organism.     

Numerical study of the optimization of the pitch angle of an alternative jet fan in a longitudinal tunnel ventilation system

This paper presents the results of a numerical investigation carried out on an alternative jet fan, noted in literature like Banana Jet Fan, equipped with inlet/outlet silencers inclined at a fixed pitch angle (α) inclined toward the tunnel floor.The aim of this paper is to optimize the pitch angle comparing the different ventilation performances, in terms of reduction of pressure losses and of energy saving, without vehicles and with traffic jam.The average velocity profile variation of the tunnel air jet around the outlet jet fan zone was evaluated with the numerical CFD analysis. This analysis showed that there exists an optimal pitch angle which minimizes the pressure losses, due to the flow attachment by varying the operative conditions (free tunnel and traffic jam).     

TPA Immobilization on Iron Oxide Nanocubes and Localized Magnetic Hyperthermia Accelerate Blood Clot Lysis

The low specificity and high risk of intracranial hemorrhage associated with currently approved thrombolytic therapies limit their efficacy in recanalizing occluded vessels. Here, a nanoscale thrombolytic agent is demonstrated by immobilizing tissue plasminogen activator molecules (tPA) over 20 nm clustered iron oxide nanocubes (NCs). The resulting nanoconstructs (tPA–NCs) are capable of dissolving clots via both direct interaction of tPA with the fibrin network (chemical lysis) and localized hyperthermia upon stimulation of superparamagnetic NCs with alternating magnetic fields (AMFs) (mechanical lysis). In vitro, as compared to free tPA, the proposed nanoconstructs demonstrate a ≈100‐fold increase in dissolution rate, possibly because of a more intimate interaction of tPA with the fibrin network. The clot dissolution rate is further enhanced (≈10‐fold) by mild, localized heating resulting from the exposure of tPA–NCs to AMF. Intravital microscopy experiments demonstrate blood vessel reperfusion within a few minutes post tail vein injection of tPA–NCs. The proposed nanoconstructs also exhibit high transverse relaxivity (>400 × 10^–3 m ^?1 s^?1) for magnetic resonance imaging. The multifunctional properties and the 3 orders of magnitude enhancement in clot dissolution make tPA–NCs a promising nano‐theranosis agent in thrombotic disease.     

Measurement of thermophysical properties of liquid metallic alloys in a ground- and microgravity based research programme — theThermoLab project

The ThermoLab project is concerned with the measurement of the thermophysical properties of industrial alloys in the liquid phase. The project combines long and short duration microgravity measurements based on containerless processing with an electromagnetic levitation device and a ground based experimental programme using conventional and containerless processing techniques. An overview of the project and representative results from the ground based experimental programme are given. Alloys investigated included Ni-based, Fe-based, a Cu-Sn-Mg alloy and a γ-TiAl alloy.