Enhancing the selectivity for light olefins through catalytic cracking of n-hexane by phosphorus doping on lanthanum-modified ZSM-5.

Naphtha, as the primary raw material in the production of light olefins, could well accommodate their increasing demand through the energy-efficient process of catalytic cracking with ZSM-5. In the current work, different amounts of lanthanum and phosphorous were loaded on ZSM-5 using the wet impregnation method to tune the acidic properties of ZSM-5 for selective catalytic cracking of n-hexane to produce light olefins. Various characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), temperature-programmed desorption of NH3 (NH3-TPD), Py-Fourier transform infra-red (Py-FTIR), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy were adopted to investigate the modified zeolites. It was found that adding La to ZSM-5 (0.25 wt% to 1 wt%) improved the catalytic life and increased the n-hexane conversion (to 99.7%), while the further addition had a negative impact, reducing the conversion rate and deviating the product selectivity towards a substantial, undesired benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) fraction (33%). On the other hand, a 64% selectivity for light olefins was achieved on phosphorous-doped ZSM-5 (at a loading amount of 1 wt%) while reducing the BTX fraction (2.3%) and converting 69% of the n-hexane. A dual metal-modified ZSM-5 with optimal loading amount, 1P0.25LaZ5 (phosphorus 1 wt% and La 0.25 wt%), helped boost the light olefin selectivity to 62% in the tuned Lewis acid sites at an n-hexane conversion of about 77% while decreasing the undesired BTX selectivity to 3% by reducing the number of Brønsted sites. Thus, the current study reveals that tuning the acidic sites of ZMS-5 by dual metal augmentation with P.La is an effective way of controlling the amount of undesirable BTX produced at a stable n-hexane conversion rate and substantial olefin selectivity.

Water-soluble essential oil components of flowers of Paeonia × suffruticosa cultivars and in silico analysis with antidepressant targets.

The present study focused on water-soluble essential oil recovered from the hydrolate of ten Paeonia × suffruticosa cultivars. Thirty-seven components, mostly oxygenated compounds (94.6-99.6%), were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID). The geranic acid chemotype was discovered (in cultivar 'Lan BaoShi'). Eight key oxygenated components were analysed in silico with antidepressant targets sodium-dependent serotonin transporter (SERT), 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1 A (5-HT1A), and monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A). Geraniol, nerol, citronellol, and geranic acid presented superior docking properties. Phenylethyl alcohol and 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene were also well docked. These molecules were bound to the active sites successfully (with partial occupancy in SERT). They might increase serotonin level or mimic its effect in central nervous system. (Z)-3-Hexen-1-ol and 1-hexanol showed weak binding. The in silico analysis revealed for the first time that the key water-soluble essential oil components of P. × suffruticosa potentially targeted antidepressant targets.

Study on the Formation Mechanism of Cold-Rolled Sludge and the Biodiesel Production from Sludge.

Cold-rolled sludge (CRS) has become a challenge due to its large volumetric capacity and high toxicity and is difficult to be degraded under natural conditions. This article aims to explore the feasibility of the solvent extraction method for recovering oil and fat from CRS and utilizing it as a raw material to prepare biodiesel with the application of a homogeneous catalyst H2SO4 to mediate esterification and transesterification. The formation mechanism of CRS was proposed with its detailed analysis; hydroxylates were preferentially adsorbed on the metal surface by hydrogen bonds, and free fatty acids were hooked by carbon chains to form a second layer of adsorption. It revealed the reason for the residual oil content on the surface of the extracted solid phase. Experimental data represented an optimum biodiesel yield of 96.5% at a catalyst dosage of 25 wt %, a reaction time of 24 h, a methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 70:1, and a reaction temperature of 60 °C. The main properties of the biodiesel were tested and confirmed to meet ASTM D6751 standards.

Corrigendum: A randomized controlled trial of a coping-focused family resilience intervention program for breast cancer patients: study protocol.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.968154.].

Study on the treatment of sulfite wastewater by Desulfovibrio.

In the wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) process, SO2 is adsorbed by alkaline liquor to produce alkaline wastewater containing sulfate and sulfite. Although the traditional chemical treatment method can achieve a high removal rate, it consumes a large number of chemicals and yields a large number of low-value by-products. The biological treatment process is a greener and more environmentally friendly treatment method. The current work studies microbial flue gas desulfurization directly using sulfite as the electron acceptor in the reduction process. Desulfovibrio were obtained by isolation and purification, and their growth conditions in sulfite wastewater and desulfurization process conditions were investigated by intermittent and continuous experiments. The results of intermittent experiments indicated that the optimal growth conditions of Desulfovibrio were a temperature of 38 °C, a pH value of 8.0, a COD/SO32- of 2 and that the growth of bacteria would be inhibited at a pH above 9.0 or below 7.3. Furthermore, Desulfovibrio could grow in simulated wastewater with a high SO32- concentration of 8000 mg/L. The results of continuous experiments showed that the removal of sulfite and the recovery of elemental sulfur was realized by a micro-oxygen depletion process, and the removal rate of sulfite of 99%, the yield of elemental sulfur is more than 80% and can reach 90% under the condition of low influent concentration. The bacteria grew well at a temperature of 40 °C and a pH value of the influent water of 7.5. To ensure the treatment effect, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) should be more than doubled for each 1000 mg/L increase in the influent sulfite concentration under the same reflux ratio. When the influent sulfite concentration was 1000 mg/L, 2000 mg/L, 3000 mg/L, and 4000 mg/L, the corresponding HRT was 3.01 h, 6.94 h, 17.4 h, and 31.9 h, respectively. The dominant species in the reactor was Desulfovibrio bacteria at 63.9% abundance. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using sulfite as an electron acceptor for microbial desulfurization, which can optimize the initial process and provide the possibility of treating high-concentration sulfite wastewater.

A randomized controlled trial of a coping-focused family resilience intervention program for breast cancer patients: Study protocol.

Background: Breast cancer patients and their families are under various pressures in the process of disease diagnosis and treatment, which seriously threaten their physical and mental health. Findings from existing research suggest that good family resilience can help breast cancer families better adapt and cope with adversity and challenges. However, there are only a few intervention studies on family resilience and no intervention studies on resilience among the families of breast cancer patients. Therefore, this study aims to explore appropriate measures to improve the resilience level of breast cancer families and help them better cope with the disease. Objective: The purpose of this study protocol is to demonstrate a coping-focused family resilience intervention to increase the level of resilience in the families of breast cancer patients and help them better cope with adversity. Methods: The trial will recruit 80 breast cancer families and randomly assign them to experimental and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. The control group will receive routine care, and the intervention group will receive a 6-week one-on-one online family resilience intervention based on the control group. Two groups of subjects will be assessed at baseline and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after the intervention. The primary outcome is family resilience, and the secondary outcomes are coping style, social support, family disease burden, and levels of anxiety and depression. Expected results: We hypothesized that after the intervention, the intervention group would have significantly higher levels of family resilience than the preintervention and control groups. In the intervention group, other aspects related to family resilience, such as family disease burden and anxiety and depression levels of patients and their families, were significantly alleviated, and disease coping and social support levels were improved accordingly. Discussion: If the program works, it can help breast cancer families identify family strengths and resources to proactively address challenges so that families can successfully navigate the crisis and patient and family recovery can be facilitated. It can also provide a practical path for clinical workers to help breast cancer families adjust rationally. Clinical Trial Registration: This study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (Registration Number: http://www.chictr.org.cn/ChiCTR2100052108).

Characterization of the Mycovirome from the Plant-Pathogenic Fungus Cercospora beticola.

Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) caused by Cercospora beticola is a devastating foliar disease of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), resulting in high yield losses worldwide. Mycoviruses are widespread fungi viruses and can be used as a potential biocontrol agent for fugal disease management. To determine the presence of mycoviruses in C. beticola, high-throughput sequencing analysis was used to determine the diversity of mycoviruses in 139 C. beticola isolates collected from major sugar beet production areas in China. The high-throughput sequencing reads were assembled and searched against the NCBI database using BLASTn and BLASTx. The results showed that the obtained 93 contigs were derived from eight novel mycoviruses, which were grouped into 3 distinct lineages, belonging to the families Hypoviridae, Narnaviridae and Botourmiaviridae, as well as some unclassified (-)ssRNA viruses in the order Bunyavirales and Mononegavirales. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first identification of highly diverse mycoviruses in C. beticola. The novel mycoviruses explored in this study will provide new viral materials to biocontrol Cercospora diseases. Future studies of these mycoviruses will aim to assess the roles of each mycovirus in biological function of C. beticola in the future.

Family resilience, perceived social support, and individual resilience in cancer couples: Analysis using the actor-partner interdependence mediation model.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the impact of family resilience on the individual resilience of couples during cancer and explore the potential mediating role of perceived social support and the moderating role of sex in this association in cancer patient-spouse dyads. METHOD: The participants were 272 cancer patients and their spouses (N = 544) who completed the Family Resilience Assessment Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale and the Resilience Scale. We adopted the actor-partner interdependence mediation model to examine whether and how patients' and their spouses' family resilience was associated with their own and their partners' perceived social support and individual resilience. RESULTS: The results indicated that the patients' and their spouses' level of family resilience was positively associated with their own individual resilience directly and indirectly by increasing their own perceived social support. The family resilience of the spouses was associated with an increase in the patients' individual resilience only indirectly by increasing the patients' perceived social support. The spouse-actor effects between family resilience and individual resilience differed significantly by sex. CONCLUSION: Enhancing family resilience and perceived social support within the family can improve individual resilience. The findings regarding the sex differences serve as a rationale for gender-based approaches to improving individual resilience in the family context.