NaY zeolite catalysts with and without potassium salt modifications were studied with respect to dehydration of lactic acid to acrylic acid. The selectivity for acrylic acid could be dramatically enhanced by modification of the NaY catalysts with potassium salts. The KI-modified NaY catalyst exhibited the best catalytic performance for lactic acid dehydration, over which 97.6% conversion and 67.9% acrylic acid selectivity could be gained at 598 K. Characterizations with TGA, XRD, N2 adsorption, 27Al MAS NMR, XPS, NH3-TPD, CO2-TPD, and mechanism analysis revealed that the counteranions in potassium salts exerted a significant influence on the catalytic behaviors via an electronic effect.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) induced by obesity and high-fat diet is significantly associated with gut microbiota dysbacteriosis. Because the first line clinical medicine of metformin has several intestinal drawbacks, combination usage of metformin with a prebiotic of konjac mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) was conceived and implemented aiming to investigate whether there were some intestinal synergetic effects and how MOS would function. Composite treatment of metformin and MOS demonstrated synergistic effects on ameliorating insulin resistance and glucose tolerance, also on repairing islet and hepatic histology. In addition, MF+MOS altered the gut community composition and structure by decreasing the relative abundances of family Rikenellaceae and order Clostridiales while increasing an unnamed OTU05945 of family S24-7, Akkermansia muciniphila, and Bifidobacterium pseudolongum. The present study suggested that usage of MOS could augment the hypoglycemic effects of metformin in association with gut microbiota modulation, which could provide references for further medication.

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Application of a compound starter composed of traditional Daqu, high quality Fuqu developed previously in our lab, and alcohol-producing and aroma-producing yeasts in the brewing of Luzhou-flavor liquor was investigated. Compared with traditional Daqu, the compound starter demonstrated apparently higher starch utilization and alcohol productivity both in flasks and in pits. Flavor ingredient analyses showed that the flavor ingredient compositions of liquors produced with the compound starter were similar to those obtained with the traditional process. With appropriate after treatments, the compound starter may be applied in distilleries for elevating the productivity of traditional liquor or producing high quality new-style distilled liquor. As starch utilization can be increased significantly, using this compound starter in liquor brewing is especially meaningful for lessening environmental pollution. These findings may also be helpful for further understanding the mechanisms of Chinese liquor brewing.