Effects of feed composition,protein denaturation and storage of milk serum protein/lactose powders on lactosylation

During whey powder production, the feed is subjected to several heat treatments which can cause lactosylation of proteins. In this study, lactosylation of whey proteins was evaluated in spray-dried powders before and after storage by varying the native protein fraction as well as the serum protein/lactose ratio in the powders. The lactosylation of native α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin in the powders before storage was not affected to a large extent by the protein denaturation or if the feed had been heat treated in a high or low lactose environment. After storage (relative humidity of 23.5%, 30 °C, 25 days), the kinetic of lactosylation tended to increase with increasing native protein fraction and bulk protein content in the powders. An explanation could be that proteins dissolved in the lactose glassy structure might have a lower reactivity, while proteins present in the protein glassy structure with dissolved lactose may display higher lactosylation reactivity.     

Manufacturing‐induced surface contaminations

In the course of classical optics manufacturing glass components are in permanent direct contact with aqueous operating materials. Such contact leads to a certain absorption of water and hydrogenous compounds that may induce severe glass defects. In this contribution, absorption of hydrogen and other contaminants during grinding of glass was observed and qualitatively detected via laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy. It is shown that hydrogen, calcium, magnesium, and carbon are implanted into the glass surface where the contaminant concentration increases over grinding time or contact time of the glass surface with water and the grinding tool, respectively. The contaminants hydrogen, calcium, and magnesium can be attributed to the water used as lubricant. In contrast, carbon most likely originates from wear debris of the used silicon carbide grinding pads. Several possible mechanisms that lead to such surface contamination of glasses during grinding – diffusion, accumulation in micro cracks as well as the formation of hydrated silica – are finally introduced.     

Influences of chitosan on freeze–thaw stability of Arenga pinnata starch

This study aims to investigate chitosan (CS) with five different molecular weight (Mw) on freeze–thaw stability of Arenga pinnata starch (APS) gel subjected to five freeze–thaw cycles (FTC). The syneresis of APS gels was reduced by adding CS and the APS gel with high Mw CS had lower syneresis duo to a higher water holding capacity (P < 0.05). The addition of CS significantly decreased the hardness and molecular ordered structure of APS gel. In addition, CS could improve the microstructural stability. The results suggested that CS could effectively improve the freeze–thaw stability of APS gel, and CS with higher Mw might have more practical utility to improve stability of APS gel.     

水蒸气对煤焦油模化物裂解行为及析碳的影响

采用机械化学法制备Ni-Ce/Al₂O₃催化剂，在固定床反应器中考察了水蒸气气氛对煤焦油模型化合物甲苯＋芘催化裂解行为的影响。根据产物生成规律提出了芘向萘转化的裂解机理，并以D₂O对其进行了验证。通过XRD、TG-DTG和Raman等表征了析碳的类型与结构特征。结果表明：相较于纯氮气气氛，水的加入可明显提升重质组分芘的裂解率，且随水碳比（S/C）增加呈先增加后降低的趋势，在S/C=0.15时达到最大值98.93%，比S/C=0时增加32.09%。析碳率随S/C比增加一直呈下降趋势，由S/C=0时的10.04%降至S/C=0.26时的5.39%。析碳分析结果表明，S/C=0时，生成的积炭类型主要是β型碳及γ型碳，水蒸气存在时，活性较高的α型碳含量增加，说明水蒸气的持续消碳作用抑制了C_α向C_β与C_γ方向转化。     

超声提取-离子色谱法测定银精矿中水溶性氟

银精矿中水溶性氟会随雨水的冲刷进入生物圈,直接对土壤、水体、大气、人类健康产生危害。实验提出超声提取-离子色谱法测定银精矿中水溶性氟,为银精矿中水溶性氟的检测及后续环境影响评估提供重要的技术支撑。称取0.2g样品(过150目筛),加入30mL水,在40℃时超声提取20min后,使用阴离子交换柱进行分离,使用碳酸钠-碳酸氢钠混合溶液作为淋洗液进行淋洗,洗脱时间为25min,通过电导检测器进行F^-检测。F^-质量浓度在0.5~10mg/L范围内与对应的峰面积呈线性关系,校准曲线线性相关系数为0.9998;方法检出限为0.062mg/L,测定下限为0.21mg/L。按照实验方法测定两个银精矿中水溶性氟,测定结果的相对标准偏差(RSD,n=6)为3.8%和4.3%;加标回收率为92%~102%。     

Physicochemical Characterization of Polymer-Stabilized Coacervate Protocells

The bottom-up construction of cell mimics has produced a range of membrane-bound protocells that have been endowed with functionality and biochemical processes reminiscent of living systems. The contents of these compartments, however, experience semidilute conditions, whereas macromolecules in the cytosol exist in protein-rich, crowded environments that affect their physicochemical properties, such as diffusion and catalytic activity. Recently, complex coacervates have emerged as attractive protocellular models because their condensed interiors would be expected to mimic this crowding better. Here we explore some relevant physicochemical properties of a recently developed polymer-stabilized coacervate system, such as the diffusion of macromolecules in the condensed coacervate phase, relative to in dilute solutions, the buffering capacity of the core, the molecular organization of the polymer membrane, the permeability characteristics of this membrane towards a wide range of compounds, and the behavior of a simple enzymatic reaction. In addition, either the coacervate charge or the cargo charge is engineered to allow the selective loading of protein cargo into the coacervate protocells. Our in-depth characterization has revealed that these polymer-stabilized coacervate protocells have many desirable properties, thus making them attractive candidates for the investigation of biochemical processes in stable, controlled, tunable, and increasingly cell-like environments.     

Fabrication of high-purity HfSi2 powder via molten salt-assisted magnesium thermal reduction

In this work, high-purity HfSi₂ powders were successfully fabricated via a molten salt-assisted magnesium thermal reduction method using HfO₂ and Si as raw materials. The effects of reaction temperature and time on the formation of HfSi₂ were systemically investigated. The morphological and phase composition of as-prepared HfSi₂ powders were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and nitrogen/oxygen determinator. The results indicated that as-obtained HfSi₂ powders possess the orthorhombic structure with approximately 6.4 μm in size and the oxygen content as low as 0.20%. This work can provide a novel route to fabricate the high-purity transition metal silicides powders.