Production of combustible fuels and carbon nanotubes from plastic wastes using an in-situ catalytic microwave pyrolysis process.

This study performed in-situ microwave pyrolysis of plastic waste into hydrogen, liquid fuel and carbon nanotubes in the presence of Zeolite Socony Mobil ZSM-5 catalyst. In the presented microwave pyrolysis of plastics, activated carbon was used as a heat susceptor. The microwave power of 1 kW was employed to decompose high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) wastes at moderate temperatures of 400-450 °C. The effect of plastic composition, catalyst loading and plastic type on liquid, gas and solid carbon products was quantified. This in-situ CMP reaction resulted in heavy hydrocarbons, hydrogen gas and carbon nanotubes as a solid residue. A relatively better hydrogen yield of 129.6 mmol/g as a green fuel was possible in this process. FTIR and gas chromatography analysis revealed that liquid product consisted of C13+ fraction hydrocarbons, such as alkanes, alkanes, and aromatics. TEM micrographs showed tubular-like structural morphology of the solid residue, which was identified as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) during X-ray diffraction analysis. The outer diameter of CNTs ranged from 30 to 93 nm from HDPE, 25-93 nm from PP and 30-54 nm for HDPE-PP mixure. The presented CMP process took just 2-4 min to completely pyrolyze the plastic feedstock into valuable products, leaving no polymeric residue.

Non-Thermal Plasma Reduction of Ag+ Ions into Silver Nanoparticles in Open Atmosphere under Statistically Optimized Conditions for Biological and Photocatalytic Applications.

An environmentally friendly non-thermal DC plasma reduction route was adopted to reduce Ag+ ions at the plasma−liquid interface into silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) under statistically optimized conditions for biological and photocatalytic applications. The efficiency and reactivity of AgNPs were improved by statistically optimizing the reaction parameters with a Box−Behnken Design (BBD). The size of the AgNPs was chosen as a statistical response parameter, while the concentration of the stabilizer, the concentration of the silver salt, and the plasma reaction time were chosen as independent factors. The optimized parameters for the plasma production of AgNPs were estimated using a response surface methodology and a significant model p < 0.05. The AgNPs, prepared under optimized conditions, were characterized and then tested for their antibacterial, antioxidant, and photocatalytic potentials. The optimal conditions for these three activities were 3 mM of stabilizing agent, 5 mM of AgNO3, and 30 min of reaction time. Having particles size of 19 to 37 nm under optimized conditions, the AgNPs revealed a 82.3% degradation of methyl orange dye under UV light irradiation. The antibacterial response of the optimized AgNPs against S. aureus and E. coli strains revealed inhabitation zones of 15 mm and 12 mm, respectively, which demonstrate an antioxidant activity of 81.2%.

The impact of the traditional male role norms on the posttraumatic stress disorder among Polish male firefighters.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore potential associations between compliance with the traditional male role norms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. METHODS: The study was conducted on 135 male Polish firefighters. The study used the Impact Event Scale-Revised, the Relations/Social Support Scale and the Male Role Norms Scale. RESULTS: The study revealed that the firefighters that suffered from probable PTSD (over 34% of all the respondents) seemed to comply with the male role norms more strictly than those without PTSD. The reverse was found to be true for the perceived social support. Social status norms and toughness norms understood as expectations that men should achieve high status by means of successful career, etc., and be tough and resilient at all costs to be perceived as "manly" were found to be positively associated with the development of PTSD, while in the case of perceived social support, a negative association was confirmed. The results might yield important clinical implications-traditional male role norms pertaining to toughness and social status might be associated with the increase in chances of developing PTSD after the exposure to potentially traumatic events. CONCLUSIONS: Firefighting as a stereotypically masculine occupation may be associated with the reinforcement of stereotypically masculine behaviors, which in turn is associated with a decreased ability to cope with potentially traumatic stimuli and favoring maladaptive behaviors. The results might suggest that addressing the beliefs about masculinity during psychological intervention in the case of PTSD might be beneficial especially among such masculinized groups as firefighters. The main limitations of the study are: participation of those more eager to participate and reveal personal information; the recall and report bias; the relatively small sample size; sociodemographic data omissions; the study group almost exclusively consisting of firefighters from large urban centers.

Teachers' mental health during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland.

BACKGROUND: Teaching work is stressful, moreover during the pandemic teachers' stress might have been intensified by distance education as well as by limited access to social support, which functions as a buffer in experiencing stress. The aim of the research was to investigate the relation between distance education and teachers' well-being, and their close relations and other social relations during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The research was conducted in two stages on 285 Polish primary and secondary school teachers who were recruited by means of the chain referral method. The following measures were used: The Depression Anxiety & Stress Scales-21, Berlin Social Support Scales, The Relationship Satisfaction Scale and The Injustice Experience Questionnaire. RESULTS: The teachers experienced at least mild levels of stress, anxiety and depression, both during the first as well as the second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. It has been confirmed that there is a negative relation between relationship quality change and social relations quality change, and stress, anxiety and depression. The variables taken into consideration in the research have provided the explanation for the variation of stress-from 6% in the first stage of the research to 47% in the second stage; for the variation of anxiety-from 21% to 31%; and for the variation of depression-from 12% to 46%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The research results show that due to distance work the distinction between professional work and family life might have been blurred, and as a consequence teachers' well-being could have been worsened. The isolation put on to stop the spreading of the virus might have contributed to changes in social relations, in close relations in particular, and at the same time negatively influenced teachers' abilities to effectively cope with the crisis situations.

Transsexualism or psychotic disorder? A case study. / Transseksualizm czy zaburzenia psychotyczne? Opis przypadku.

The aim of the paper is to analyze the case of a man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia who experiences delusions and hallucinations concerning gender change, and to present ashort overview of the literature. The data presented in the case study were collected during a clinical interview, in the six-month diagnostic process. The interview was partly structured; the battery of tests were also used: MMPI-2, SCID-I, SCID-II, IPP, MoCA, and WAIS-R. A case study of a person whose birth-assigned sex was male but who identifies as female. In the diagnostic process, it turned out that he had delusions and hallucinations, which seem to have a dominant impact on the gender incongruence. The results of the tests seem to confirm the hypothesis that the diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia was right. Taking into consideration the presented case study, it can be stated that, diagnosing transsexualism, it is vital to distinguish it from psychotic disorders.

Aryl H-phosphonates. 19. New anti-HIV pronucleotide phosphoramidate diesters containing amino- and hydroxypyridine auxiliaries.

We have designed a new type of AZT and ddU phosphoramidate diesters containing various combinations of 2-, 3-, 4-aminopyridine and 2-, 3-, 4-hydroxypyridine moieties attached to the phosphorus center, as potential anti-HIV pronucleotides. Depending on the pKa values of the aminopyridines and the hydroxypyridines used, alternative synthetic strategies based on H-phosphonate chemistry were developed for their preparation. Synthetic aspects of these transformations and the biological activity of the synthesized compounds are discussed.

Reaction of Boranephosphonate Diesters with Amines in the Presence of Iodine: The Case for the Intermediacy of H-Phosphonate Derivatives.

Mechanistic and stereochemical aspects of the reaction of boranephosphonate diesters with amines promoted by iodine were investigated. This is a complex, multistep reaction that ultimately produces the corresponding phosphoramidate diesters via a formal replacement of the borane group by an amine moiety. We found by a stereochemical correlation analysis that, contrary to a literature report, the whole transformation proceeded with total inversion of the configuration at the phosphorus center. Our study also showed that instead of the postulated nucleophilic substitution by iodide at the phosphorus center of the initially formed intermediate, the corresponding iodoboranephosphonate, the crucial step of the reaction involved intermediacy of H-phosphonate derivatives that reacted with iodine to afford ultimately phosphoramidate diesters. The reaction of the iodoboranephosphonate with the amine to produce an aminoboranephosphonate diester that rapidly dissociated into the corresponding H-phosphonate and the borane parts was apparently instrumental to the formation of an H-phosphonate diester intermediate.

Previously unknown class of metalorganic compounds revealed in meteorites.

The rich diversity and complexity of organic matter found in meteorites is rapidly expanding our knowledge and understanding of extreme environments from which the early solar system emerged and evolved. Here, we report the discovery of a hitherto unknown chemical class, dihydroxymagnesium carboxylates [(OH)2MgO2CR]-, in meteoritic soluble organic matter. High collision energies, which are required for fragmentation, suggest substantial thermal stability of these Mg-metalorganics (CHOMg compounds). This was corroborated by their higher abundance in thermally processed meteorites. CHOMg compounds were found to be present in a set of 61 meteorites of diverse petrological classes. The appearance of this CHOMg chemical class extends the previously investigated, diverse set of CHNOS molecules. A connection between the evolution of organic compounds and minerals is made, as Mg released from minerals gets trapped into organic compounds. These CHOMg metalorganic compounds and their relation to thermal processing in meteorites might shed new light on our understanding of carbon speciation at a molecular level in meteorite parent bodies.