Influences of superheated steaming and roasting on the quality and antioxidant activity of cooked sweet potatoes

Roasted sweet potato is a popular food because of the attractive aroma produced by the Maillard reaction. However, the roasting process may lead to charred skin. Cooking with superheated (saturated) steam provides a solution to this problem. As the results show, when comparing sweet potatoes cooked by superheated steam, and those roasted for 40 min, respectively, the degree of gelatinisation could reach as high as 95% with only 140 °C superheated steam, while roasting required temperatures up to 240 °C. Moreover, in appearance, the skins of the sweet potatoes cooked using superheated steam were not charred like the roasted ones. However, sweet potatoes roasted at 240 °C for 60 min had the highest overall sensory score. When comparing the antioxidant activity, the sweet potatoes cooked by superheated steam had the highest content of total phenol and flavonoids, the best scavenging ability of 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the highest ferric‐reducing ability of plasma (FRAP).     

Digital preservation of a Taiwanese historical settlement: Using 3D post-construction scan to develop an application framework and reference for Beipu Township

The purpose of this study is to build a post-construction 3D computer model of the historical settlement of Beipu Township in Taiwan as an application and reference framework. The cultural assets were digitally preserved in a post-construction and modified form as an attempt to fulfill the life-cycle management of data for culture workers, researchers and architects. The scan process was managed in four hierarchies: the whole region, the seven historical buildings, the four streets and the special features, in different scales. The final digital model integrates research results from all involved parties, integrates local practice needs, represents hypothesis in city development, enhances historical understanding and interpretation, and facilitates remote access.     

Sea urchin-like mesoporous carbon material grown with carbon nanotubes as a cathode catalyst support for fuel cells

A sea urchin-like carbon (UC) material with high surface area (416 m² g⁻¹), adequate electrical conductivity (59.6 S cm⁻¹) and good chemical stability was prepared by growing carbon nanotubes onto mesoporous carbon hollow spheres. A uniform dispersion of Pt nanoparticles was then anchored on the UC, where the Pt nanoparticles were prepared using benzylamine as the stabilizer. For this Pt loaded carbon, cyclic voltammogram measurements showed an exceptionally high electrochemically active surface area (EAS) (114.8 m² g⁻¹) compared to the commonly used commercial E-TEK catalyst (65.2 m² g⁻¹). The durability test demonstrates that the carbon used as a support exhibited minor loss in EAS of Pt. Compared to the E-TEK (20 wt%) cathode catalyst, this Pt loaded UC catalyst has greatly enhanced catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction, less cathode flooding and considerably improved performance, resulting in an enhancement of ca. 37% in power density compared with that of E-TEK. Based on the results obtained, the UC is an excellent support for Pt nanoparticles used as cathode catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.     

A self-constructing cascade classifier with AdaBoost and SVM for pedestriandetection

In this paper, we propose a cascade classifier combining AdaBoost and support vector machine, and applied this to pedestrian detection. The pedestrian detection involved using a window of fixed size to extract the candidate region from left to right and top to bottom of the image, and performing feature extractions on the candidate region. Finally, our proposed cascade classifier completed the classification of the candidate region. The cascade-AdaBoost classifier has been successfully used in pedestrian detection. We have improved the initial setting method for the weights of the training samples in the AdaBoost classifier, so that the selected weak classifier would be able to focus on a higher detection rate other than accuracy. The proposed cascade classifier can automatically select the AdaBoost classifier or SVM to construct a cascade classifier according to the training samples, so as to effectively improve classification performance and reduce training time. In order to verify our proposed method, we have used our extracted database of pedestrian training samples, PETs database, INRIA database and MIT database. This completed the pedestrian detection experiment whose result was compared to those of the cascade-AdaBoost classifier and support vector machine. The result of the experiment showed that in a simple environment involving campus experimental image and PETs database, both our cascade classifier and other classifiers can attain good results, while in a complicated environment involving INRA and MIT database experiments, our cascade classifier had better results than those of other classifiers.     

Fluid–structure interaction of FRP wind turbine blades under aerodynamic effect

Structural analysis of FRP wind turbine blades must take into account phenomena associated with aerodynamics as well as fluid–structure coupling, because aerodynamic loading causes blades to bend mostly in the flapwise direction, and simultaneously causes foil sections to rotate to create new fluid fields around the foils. This study developed an analytical process for calculating fluid–structure interaction, while considering the effects of aerodynamic pressure and finite element analysis in the design of wind turbine blades. In addition, we calculated turbine power efficiency to evaluate the results of fluid–structure interaction displaying approximately power capacity loss of 17% at a wind speed of 25 m/s, and proposed three feasible improvements to enhance the performance of wind turbines. The presented study provided a comprehensible means by which to interpret changes in the aeroelastic response of blades, and was helpful to modify the original wind turbine model.     

Fabrication,characterization and simulation of Ω-gate twin poly-Si FinFET nonvolatile memory

This study proposed the twin poly-Si fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) nonvolatile memory with a structure that is composed of Ω-gate nanowires (NWs). Experimental results show that the NW device has superior memory characteristics because its Ω-gate structure provides a large memory window and high program/erase efficiency. With respect to endurance and retention, the memory window can be maintained at 3.5 V after 10⁴ program and erase cycles, and after 10 years, the charge is 47.7% of its initial value. This investigation explores its feasibility in the future active matrix liquid crystal display system-on-panel and three-dimensional stacked flash memory applications.     

H<Subscript>2</Subscript>S nano-jetting through a p–n junction-like graphene/Au nano-injector: a molecular dynamics study

This paper uses fully atomistic molecular dynamics to outline the dynamics of H₂S nano-jetting through a p–n junction-like graphene/Au nano-injector. We examined the effects of nano-injector diameter (d), system temperature (T), and the extrusion velocity (v) of a graphite piston plate on the formation of H₂S nano-jets, system pressure, and the number of molecules (N _m) in the outflow. The combined effects of high critical pressure and small orifice resulted in a larger jet angle, which increased the number of H₂S molecules stuck to the graphene surface at the outlet. Moving the graphite piston plate toward the orifice of the nano-injector increased in the change in momentum and interactive forces between H₂S molecules, resulting in three phases of pressure establishment in the nano-injector: incubation (phase I), steep pressure increase (phase II), and high pressure (phase III). When operated at T ≥ 300 K and v < 27.912 m/s, the proposed nano-jet device is able to produce a well-dispersed spray of H₂S without H₂S molecules sticking to the graphene surface at the outlet. The p–n junction-like Au-doped graphene surface provides an additional energy barrier preventing the transport of electrons from H₂S molecule to the graphene. This inhibits the accumulation of H₂S molecules and subsequent blockages at the exit of the nano-injector. Simulation results demonstrate the potential of using chemiresistive sensing to monitor H₂S flow patterns during nano-jetting. The findings presented in this study could be transformative to the design of nano-injectors for other gases commonly used as biomarkers.     

Pectin recovery from apple pomace: physico-chemical and functional variation based on methyl-esterification

This study explored the valorisation of apple pomace by extracting pectin with both high and low degrees of esterification (DM). Two types of pectin were extracted with a DM of 43.29% being low methoxyl (LM) pectic polysaccharide and high methoxyl (HM) pectin with a DM of 65.88%. HM pectin was characterised by a WHC and OHC of 1.3 g g⁻¹ and 0.4 g g⁻¹, respectively, compared to 0.32 g g⁻¹ and 0.14 g g⁻¹, respectively, for LM pectic polysaccharide. HM pectin possessed greater purity indicated by 69.18% GalA, whereas LM pectic polysaccharide possessed 41.26% GalA. HM pectin revealed better functionality in terms of high emulsifying activity which was concentration-dependent, and emulsion stability than LM pectic polysaccharide. The solubility of HM pectin was 90.8%, which is preferable for various industrial applications. LM pectic polysaccharide was characterised by a higher % radical-scavenging activity in a concentration-dependent manner. XRD analysis revealed LM pectic polysaccharide to possess higher crystallinity (53%) and SEM analysis revealed its surface to be rough and coarse.     

Improved capacity and rate capability of Ru-doped and carbon-coated Li4Ti5O12 anode material

Pure Li₄Ti₅O₁₂, modified Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/C, Li₄Ru_0.01Ti_4.99O₁₂ and Li₄Ru_0.01Ti_4.99O₁₂/C were successfully prepared by a modified solid-state method and its electrochemical properties were investigated. From the XRD patterns, the added sugar or doped Ru did not affect the spinel structure. The results of electrochemical properties revealed that Li₄Ru_0.01Ti_4.99O₁₂/C showed 120 and 110 mAh/g at 5 and 10 C rate after 100 charge/discharge cycles. Li₄Ru_0.01Ti_4.99O₁₂/C exhibited the best rate capability and the highest capacity at 5 and 10 C charge/discharge rate owing to the increase of electronic conductivity and the reduction of interface resistance between particles of Li₄Ti₅O₁₂.It is expected that the Li₄Ru_0.01Ti_4.99O₁₂/C will be a promising anode material to be used in high-rate lithium ion battery.