Generalized differential quadrature analysis of MHD mixed convective motion of Casson fluids past an isothermal irregular slender geometry via Cattaneo–Christov's approach

Classical Fourier's theory is well-known in continuum physics and thermal sciences. However, the primary drawback of this law is that it contradicts the principle of causality. To explore the thermal relaxation time characteristic, Cattaneo–Christov's theory is adopted thermally. In this regard, the features of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) mixed convective flows of Casson fluids over an impermeable irregular sheet are revealed numerically. In addition, the resulting system of partial differential equations is altered via practical transformations into nonlinear ordinary differential equations. An advanced numerical algorithm is developed in this respect to get higher approximations for temperature and velocity fields, as well as their corresponding wall gradients. For validating our numerical code, the current outcomes are compared with the available literature results. Moreover, it is revealed that the velocity field is more prominent in the suction flow situation as compared with the injection flow case. It is also found that the Casson fluid is hastened in the case of lower yield stress. Larger values of thermal relaxation parameters create a lessening trend in the temperature distribution and its related boundary layer breadth.     

Initial and residual trapping of hydrogen and nitrogen in Fontainebleau sandstone using nuclear magnetic resonance core flooding

Hydrogen is among a few promising energy carriers of the future mainly due to its zero-emission combustion nature. It also plays an important role in the transition from fossil fuel to renewable. Hydrogen technology is relatively immature and serious knowledge gaps do exist in its production, transport, storage, and utilization. Although the economical generation of hydrogen to the scale required for such transition is still the biggest technical and environmental challenge, unlocking the large-scale but safe storage is similarly important. It is difficult to store hydrogen in solid and liquid states and storing it in the gaseous phase requires a huge volume which is just available in subsurface porous media. Sandstone is the most abundant and favourable medium for such storage as carbonate rock might not be suitable due to potential geochemical reactions.It is well established in the literature that interaction of the host rock-fluid and injected gas plays a crucial role in fluid flow, residual trapping, withdrawal, and more generally storing capacity. Such data for the hydrogen system is extremely rare and are generally limited to contact angle measurements, while being not representative of the reality of rock-brine-hydrogen interaction(s). Therefore, we have conducted, for the first time, a series of core flooding experiments using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to monitor hydrogen (H₂) and Nitrogen (N₂) gas saturations during the drainage and imbibition stages under pressure and temperature that represent shallow reservoirs. To avoid any geochemical reaction during the test, we selected a clean sandstone core plug of 99.8% quartz (Fontainebleau with a gas porosity of 9.7% and a permeability of 190 mD).Results show significantly low initial and residual H₂ saturations in comparison with N₂, regardless of whether the injection flow rate or capillary number were the same or not. For instance, when the same injection flow rate was used, H₂ saturation during primary drainage was 4% and it was <2% after imbibition. On other hand, N₂ saturation during the primary drainage was 26% and it was 17% after imbibition. However, when the same capillary number of H₂ was utilised for the N₂ experiment, the N₂ saturation values were ～15% for initial gas saturation and 8% for residual gas saturation. Our results promisingly support the idea of hydrogen underground storage; however, we should emphasise that more sandstone rocks of different clay mineralogy should be investigated before reaching a conclusive outcome.     

Effects of multiple freeze–thaw cycles on meat quality,nutrients, water distribution and microstructure in bovine rumen smooth muscle

This study investigated the effect of 5 freeze–thaw cycles (freezing at −18°C for 12 h and then thawing at 4°C for approximately 12 h) on the meat quality, proximate composition, water distribution and microstructure of bovine rumen smooth muscle (BSM). As the number of freeze–thaw cycles increased, BSM pH, shear force, water content and protein content decreased by 3.06%, 35.50%, 14.49% and 21.11%, respectively, whereas BSM thawing loss, cooking loss, pressing loss, total aerobic count (TAC), ash content and fat content increased by 108.12%, 47.75%, 78.33%, 90.99%, 105% and 35.20%, respectively. The freeze–thaw cycles resulted in greater protein and lipid oxidation, as evidenced by a 36.46% reduction in the sulfhydryl content and a 209.06% and 338.46% increase in the carbonyl and malondialdehyde contents, respectively. Ice crystal formation disrupted the structural integrity of the muscle tissue. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance results showed that the freeze–thaw cycles prolonged the relaxation times (T_2b, T₂₁ and T₂₂), indicating that immobile water shifted to free water, and consequently, free water mobility increased. After 3 freeze–thaw cycles, the decline in shear force slowed, the increase in thawing loss became accelerated, and the TAC approached the domain value (6 log colony-forming units/g). Therefore, the number of freeze–thaw cycles of smooth muscle during transport, storage and distribution should be controlled to 3 or fewer. The current results provide a theoretical basis and data support for the further utilisation and culinary processing of smooth muscle.     

Anchor plate bearing capacity in flexible mesh facings

This work addresses the problem of the loading capacity of an anchor plate coupled with a steel wire mesh in soil retaining applications. The interaction mechanism between the flexible mesh facing, the underlying soil layer and the plate is studied starting from the results of several laboratory punch tests involving both the plate and the mesh only, and the whole soil-mesh-plate system. The experimental tests have been reproduced by adopting a 3D discrete element model where also the wire mesh is discretized as an assembly of interconnected nodal particles. The interaction between these particles is ruled by elasto-plastic tensile force–displacement laws in which a distortion is introduced in a stochastic manner to account for the wires’ geometrical irregularities. The mesh model is then validated with reference to a set of punch tests in which the shape and size of the punching element as well as the nominal wire diameter were varied. Subsequently, the model is extended to a punch against soil test configuration permitting an insight into the nontrivial local mechanism between the mesh facing and the underlying granular layer. The good agreement between the numerical predictions and the experimental observations at the laboratory scale allowed us to extend the model towards more realistic field conditions for which the role of the mesh panel boundary conditions, the mesh mechanical properties, the soil mechanical properties and the anchor plate geometry is investigated.     

Magnetically Guidable Proteinaceous Adhesive Microbots for Targeted Locoregional Therapeutics Delivery in the Highly Dynamic Environment of the Esophagus

The esophagus is a tubular-shaped muscular organ where swallowed fluids and muscular contractions constitute a highly dynamic environment. The turbulent, coordinated processes that occur through the oropharyngeal conduit can often compromise targeted administration of therapeutic drugs to a lesion, significantly reducing therapeutic efficacy. Here, magnetically guidable drug vehicles capable of strongly adhering to target sites using a bioengineered mussel adhesive protein (MAP) to achieve localized delivery of therapeutic drugs against the hydrodynamic physiological conditions are proposed. A suite of highly uniform microparticles embedded with iron oxide (IO) nanoparticles (MAP@IO MPs) is microfluidically fabricated using the genipin-mediated covalent cross-linking of bioengineered MAP. The MAP@IO MPs are successfully targeted to a specific region and prolongedly retained in the tubular-structured passageway. In particular, orally administered MAP@IO MPs are effectively captured in the esophagus in vivo in a magnetically guidable manner. Moreover, doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded MAP@IO MPs exhibit a sustainable DOX release profile, effective anticancer therapeutic activity, and excellent biocompatibility. Thus, the magnetically guidable locomotion and robust underwater adhesive properties of the proteinaceous soft microbots can provide an intelligent modular approach for targeted locoregional therapeutics delivery to a specific lesion site in dynamic fluid-associated tubular organs such as the esophagus.     

Recent advances in rapid and nondestructive determination of fat content and fatty acids composition of muscle foods

Conventional methods for determining fat content and fatty acids (FAs) composition are generally based on the solvent extraction and gas chromatography techniques, respectively, which are time consuming, laborious, destructive to samples and require use of hazard solvents. These disadvantages make them impossible for large-scale detection or being applied to the production line of meat factories. In this context, the great necessity of developing rapid and nondestructive techniques for fat and FAs analyses has been highlighted. Measurement techniques based on near-infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and hyperspectral imaging have provided interesting and promising results for fat and FAs prediction in varieties of foods. Thus, the goal of this article is to give an overview of the current research progress in application of the four important techniques for fat and FAs analyses of muscle foods, which consist of pork, beef, lamb, chicken meat, fish and fish oil. The measurement techniques are described in terms of their working principles, features, and application advantages. Research advances for these techniques for specific food are summarized in detail and the factors influencing their modeling results are discussed. Perspectives on the current situation, future trends and challenges associated with the measurement techniques are also discussed.     

榨前微波处理对油茶粕活性成分及抗氧化性的影响

通过不同微波功率和时间辐射油茶籽,测定油茶粕中茶皂素、蛋白质、粗多糖、总酚、糠氨酸含量以及DPPH自由基清除能力的变化规律,研究榨前微波处理对油茶粕活性成分及抗氧化性的影响。结果表明:随微波加热时间延长,低功率(245、420 W)微波处理油茶籽后,油茶粕中茶皂素含量稍有上升,随后下降;较高功率(560、700 W)微波处理后,茶皂素含量呈上升趋势;微波处理对油茶粕中蛋白质含量影响不大;微波处理后油茶粕中粗多糖含量整体呈下降趋势,但420、560、700 W处理20、5、10 min后含量分别比初始升高66.9%、79.6%和116.0%;微波处理后油茶粕中总酚含量呈先降低后升高再降低的趋势,且微波功率越高,总酚含量越高;微波功率较低(245 W)时,糠氨酸含量先降低后略有升高,微波功率较高(420、560、700 W)时,糠氨酸含量先升高后降低。245 W和700 W微波功率处理时油茶粕对DPPH自由基清除率先升高后降低,560 W时呈整体上升趋势,420 W呈波动状态。     

葵花籽粕综合利用研究进展

葵花籽粕是葵花籽提油后的副产品。葵花籽粕蛋白品质优,各氨基酸组成平衡,此外葵花籽粕中还含有绿原酸、黄酮等多种活性物质,营养价值高,具有广阔的应用前景。从葵花籽粕作为原料提取有效成分及作为饲料用原料两方面对葵花籽粕资源的综合利用情况进行了阐述,以期为葵花籽粕的进一步开发利用提供参考。     

破碎方式对白鲢鱼糜凝胶结构的影响

与斩拌方式对比,研究搅拌方式对鱼糜制品凝胶特性的影响。结果表明,搅拌破碎使白鲢鱼糜的凝胶强度及持水力增加,提高了硬度、黏附性、胶黏性和咀嚼性,但是对白度无明显影响。在2%和3%盐添加量的条件下,搅拌破碎对鱼糜制品的质构改善效果显著,凝胶强度分别提高了70.2%,66.7%。根据鱼糜的盐溶蛋白、肌动球蛋白的活性巯基含量、化学作用力和浊度结果可知,搅拌破碎可以增加活性巯基含量,使得更多的巯基氧化成二硫键,提高疏水相互作用,促进蛋白分子间的聚集,浊度增加,三维凝胶网络结构更致密。