Structures and properties of chicken myofibrillar protein gel induced by microwave heating

Structures and properties of myofibrillar protein gel prepared at different power (300–800 W) were evaluated. Amino acid analysis demonstrated that changes in microwave power did not alter primary structure of gel. However, an increase in microwave power could change higher structures of gel. As microwave power increased, α-helix content decreased and β-sheet content increased. Increased microwave power probably facilitated protein to unfold and expose the internal groups, causing surface hydrophobicity and the formation of disulphide bonds were enhanced, which indicated changes in tertiary and quaternary structures of protein. At 500 W, gel had the best ultrastructure where surface morphology, springiness and water holding capacity reached the optimum. Our findings suggested that microwave at an appropriate power (500 W) could change higher structures of myofibrillar protein gel to achieve desired processing and quality protein gel characteristics.     

Effects of malondialdehyde-induced protein oxidation on the structural characteristics of rice protein

Malondialdehyde (MDA) was selected to represent a secondary by-product of lipid peroxidation during rice ageing. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MDA modification on the structural characteristics of rice protein. The results showed that as MDA concentration increased, rice protein carbonyl and disulphide groups increased, but sulphydryl content decreased. The blue shift of maximum fluorescence peak, the decrease of rice protein intrinsic fluorescence intensity and the reduction of surface hydrophobicity indicated the formation of protein aggregates caused by MDA oxidative modification. The results of molecular weight distribution and particle size distribution showed that MDA modification resulted in the formation of soluble protein aggregates, and the decrease of rice protein solubility indicated that insoluble protein aggregates were formed. Results of protein electrophoresis showed that MDA modification contributed to rice protein aggregation via non-disulphide covalent bonds. The results showed that rice protein gradually aggregated with increasing MDA concentration.     

Effects of Al addition on the phase transformation and interfacial evolution in multilayer Ti-B4C composite

The fully-dense multilayer Ti-B₄C composite doped with 6 wt% Al was fabricated via tape-casting and hot-pressing sintering at 1800 °C and under a uniaxial pressure of 30 MPa for 60 min. The effects of Al addition on the phase composition, interfacial microstructure and fracture toughness of the laminate composite were investigated. Based on the results of WDS and EDS, Al addition was proved to be effective on accelerating atom diffusion between Ti and B₄C due to the melting pool around interface where liquid Al enriched, besides, it helps to transform the interfacial bonding method of physical to metallurgical. Finally, the improvement on toughness of Al doped composite can be attributed to the strong metallurgical bonding and hybrid fracture mode of interface. Our study may provide a potential method for producing high strength and toughness multilayer metal/ceramic composites.     

一种超亲水自清洁、智能控温的钨掺杂二氧化钒薄膜的制备及其性能表征

本实验采用一种简单、低成本有效的溶胶-凝胶法制备了热致变色钨掺杂二氧化钒薄膜。首先将乙酰丙酮氧钒和氯化钨置于甲醇溶液中反应制备出前驱体,然后将前驱物旋涂在衬底基材上。最后在氩气氛围中、600 ℃进行退火。同时,对所制备的二氧化钒薄膜进行了XRD、XPS、SEM、UV和WCA等表征和测试。结果表明,钨掺杂二氧化钒薄膜颗粒尺寸范围从30～150 nm,薄膜的表面展现出优异的亲水性,其静态水接触角为12°。根据光学测试,钨掺杂VO₂薄膜表现出优异的光学性能与可见光调节效率(T_lum,s = 80.75%,T_lum,m = 79.24%)和优良的太阳能调节效率(ΔT_sol = 9.10%,T_sol,s = 81.40%,T_sol,m= 72.30%)。VO₂薄膜相变表现出可适用的相变温度:在钨掺杂摩尔量为2%时,其相变温度为32 ℃。     

Ketjen black carbon supported CoO@Co−N−C nanochains as an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution

We demonstrate an extremely facile in-situ pyrolysis followed by the reduction of partial Co²⁺ route to synthesize novel Ketjen black carbon (KB) supported CoO@Co?N?C (denoted as CoO@Co?NC/KB) nanochains using KB, urea and cobalt (Ⅱ) acetate as co-precursors. The as-prepared CoO@Co-NC/KB displays higher electrocatalytic activity, smaller Tafel slope and better durability for the oxygen evolution reaction than those of the benchmark commercial RuO₂ catalyst in 1.0 M KOH solution, far outperforming the control groups (i.e. CoO@Co?g-C₃N₄/KB, Co?NC/KB, CoO?NC/KB, CoO@Co/KB, CoO@Co?NC and Co₃O₄?NC/KB). The remarkable electrocatalytic performance of CoO@Co?NC/KB is primarily credited to the synergistic effect between Co and CoO species with a core-shell structure, increased active sites and considerably enhanced electronic conductivity.     

Impacts of char structure evolution and inherent alkali and alkaline earth metallic species catalysis on reactivity during the coal char gasification with CO2/H2O

In this work, we studied the effects of char structural evolution and alkali and alkaline earth metallic species (AAEMs) catalysis on the reactivity during the char gasification with CO₂, H₂O, and their mixture. The gasified chars with different carbon conversion levels were prepared, and their physicochemical structures were characterized via nitrogen adsorption and FT‐Raman techniques. The concentrations of AAEMs in different modes were obtained by the sequential chemical extraction method. The reactivities of the raw and gasified chars were analyzed by the thermogravimetric analysis. The gasification atmospheres had varied effects on the physicochemical structure of coal char. The gasified char obtained in the CO₂ atmosphere had a lower aromatic condensation degree compared with that obtained in the H₂O atmosphere, irrespective of the temperature. The impact of the atmospheres on the specific surface area of the char varied with the temperature because H₂O and CO₂ have different routes of development of pore structure with coal char. A large specific surface area facilitates the exposure and dispersion of more AAEMs on the surface of the channel, which is conducive to their contact with the gasification agent to play the catalytic role. Thus, the reactivity of the gasified char is well correlated with its specific surface area at different gasification temperatures. In the absence of AAEMs, the chemical structure of coal char becomes the dominant factor affecting the reactivity.     

Methylglyoxal: A newly detected and potentially harmful metabolite in the blood of ketotic dairy cows

Ketosis causes serious economic losses for the modern dairy industry because it is a highly prevalent metabolic disease among cows in high-producing herds during the transition period. Due to some striking similarities between diabetes in humans and ketosis in dairy cows, there is potential for the use of methylglyoxal (MGO)—commonly used in human diabetics—as a biomarker in dairy cattle. However, currently no data are available about the presence of MGO in the serum of dairy cattle or about the characteristics of its production or its potential contribution in the pathogenesis of ketosis. To determine the potential origin and pathway of formation of MGO, cows in different metabolic conditions [i.e., non-subclinically ketotic dairy cows in early lactation (n = 7), subclinically ketotic dairy cows in early lactation (n = 8), overconditioned dry cows (BCS >4.25, n = 6), and nonlactating heifers (n = 6)] were selected. Serum MGO concentrations were determined and correlated with indicators of the glucose and lipid metabolism and with haptoglobin (Hp) as an inflammatory marker. The serum MGO concentrations in subclinically ketotic cows (712.60 ± 278.77 nmol/L) were significantly greater than in nonlactating heifers (113.35 ± 38.90 nmol/L), overconditioned dry cows (259.71 ± 117.97 nmol/L), and non-subclinically ketotic cows (347.83 ± 63.56 nmol/L). In serum of lactating cows, concentrations of glucose and fructosamine were lower than in heifers and were negatively correlated with MGO concentrations. Even so, concentrations of metabolic and inflammatory markers such as dihydroxyacetone phosphate, nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, acetone, and Hp were remarkably higher in subclinically ketotic cows compared with nonlactating heifers; these metabolites were also positively correlated with MGO. In human diabetics elevated MGO concentrations are stated to originate from both hyperglycemia and the enhanced lipid metabolism, whereas higher MGO concentrations in subclinically ketotic cows were not associated with hyperglycemia. Therefore, our data suggest MGO in dairy cows to be a metabolite produced from the metabolization of acetone within the lipid metabolization pathway and from the metabolization of dihydroxyacetone phosphate. Furthermore, the highly positive correlation between MGO and Hp suggests that this reactive compound might be involved in the proinflammatory state of subclinical ketosis in dairy cows. However, more research is needed to determine the potential use of MGO as a biomarker for metabolic failure in dairy cows.     

新型阶梯式浅吃水单立柱浮式风机平台水动力分析

常规的单立柱式(Spar)风力发电机平台,在水深较浅区域工作时,结构本身受吃水限制,工作效果较差。常规Spar重心较低,具有良好的稳定性,但是由于它往往具有超过100 m的吃水,因此使其不能应用于中近海域(水深小于100 m)。可设计研究一种适用于中国东海不超过100 m水深的中近海域新型浮式风机平台以解决此问题。针对NREL 5MW风机能应用于100 m水深的情况,对50 m吃水的新型Spar(SJTU-S4)及其系泊系统进行了概念设计研究。利用商业软件建立水动力模型,进行数值仿真,同时设计缩比模型试验,在上海交通大学海洋工程国家重点实验室(SKLOE)进行水动力性能测试。结果表明,本文研究的新阶梯式浅吃水单立柱浮式风机平台在100 m水深、多种海洋波浪环境下,通过试验和仿真验证,能够具有良好的运动响应,为风机提供较好的工作条件。