Understanding the effect of MPEG-PCE's microstructure on the adsorption and hydration of OPC

Polycarboxylic ethers or polycarboxylate (PCEs) are one of the most employed superplasticizers in construction. However, the understanding of their microstructure–property relationship is still incomplete. Recently, a theoretical model was proposed that relates the microstructure–conformation of the PCE to its effect on the adsorption onto cement particles and cement hydration time. In this work, the effects of a wide range of PCEs with different side chain lengths (P = 5, Group 1; P = 20, Group 2; and P = 45 and 113, Group 3) having flexible backbone worm conformation except one which has stretch backbone worm conformation (P = 113) were experimentally investigated for their effect on adsorption and cement hydration. It is found that PCEs from Group 1 show electrostatic repulsion as dispersing mechanism, unlike PCEs from Groups 2 and 3. Furthermore, the prediction of the theoretical model is also assessed for all the studied PCEs. Only Group 1 PCEs (shortest side chains) showed deviation from the theoretical predictions, and it was attributed to their different behaviors from the standard PCEs for which the theoretical model was developed.     

The sentiment of a virtual rock concert

Virtual Reality - We created a virtual reality version of a 1983 performance by Dire Straits, this being a highly complex scenario consisting of both the virtual band performance and the appearance...     

Introducing HyPeak: An international network on hydropeaking research,practice, and policy

An increase in the demand for renewable energy is driving hydropower development and its integration with variable renewable energy sources. When hydropower is produced flexibly from hydropower plants, it causes rapid and frequent artificial flow fluctuations in rivers, a phenomenon known as hydropeaking. Hydropeaking and associated hydrological alterations cause multiple impacts on riverine habitats with cascading effects on ecosystem functioning and structure. Given the significance of its ecological and socio-economic implications, mitigation of hydropeaking requires an inter- and transdisciplinary approach. An interdisciplinary network called HyPeak has been conceived to enrich international research initiatives and support hydropower planning and policy. HyPeak has been founded based on exchange and networking activities linking scientists from several countries where hydropeaking has been widespread for decades and numerous studies dedicated to the topic have been carried out. HyPeak aims to integrate members from other countries and continents in which hydropower production plays a relevant role, and grow to be a reference group that provides expert advice on the topic to policy-makers, as well as researchers, stakeholders, and practitioners in the field of hydropeaking.     

Low-Temperature Plasma Sintering of Inkjet-Printed Metal Salt Decomposition Inks on Flexible Substrates

Due to their complex formulation, conductive nanoparticle inks for inkjet printing are limited in terms of the types of metals and substrates that can be utilized. A new and simplified class of inks called metal salt decomposition (MSD) inks has the potential to introduce a multitude of metals, which can be printed directly onto a wide range of substrates. Here, the use of atmospheric oxygen plasma to develop polycrystalline Au and Pt films at processing temperatures near room temperature (≈33 °C) with excellent conductivities up to 10⁵ S m⁻¹ is demonstrated. The conformal nature of the ink allows metal films to be printed onto a broad range of temperature-sensitive substrates including polymers, papers, and fabric. The Au ink is then used to build a simple light-emitting diode circuit showing its flexibility, durability, and long-term stability as deposited thin metal films. Additionally, such inks cost less than one-third the price of similar nanoparticle inks highlighting their overall affordability and good stability.     

Nonbovine milk and its products as sources of probiotics delivery: An overview of its viability,functionality and product quality characteristics

Dairy products are the most predominant food carriers for probiotics, providing adequate therapeutic and functional benefits to the host when sufficient probiotics are maintained. Bovine milk currently dominates the global probiotic food market, but there is an increasing trend of applying nonbovine milk from other dairy animals as probiotic carrier food matrices as described in this review. Nonbovine dairy products can be considered suitable food matrices for probiotic delivery due to their excellent probiotic viability (mostly >log 7 cfu/mL or g) during shelf life, functional properties and product quality characteristics, being considered desirable and novel dairy products.     

Evaluation of the Degree of Starch Gelatinization by a New Enzymatic Method

In this work, a new enzymatic method is proposed to evaluate the degree of starch gelatinization in starchy food and feed. The procedure developed is based on the fact that the gelatinization process enhances the chemical reactivity of inert starch granules towards amylolytic enzymes. Aqueous suspensions of maize starch were treated at different temperatures to obtain different degrees of gelatinization, from 25 °C (control without gelatinization) until 95 °C. Heated samples were then incubated with a glucoamylase. The enzymatic activity was measured by the glucose released during the digestion time by using a standard glucose oxidase method. The initial velocity value of the enzymatic reaction (V_i) was selected as the parameter to quantify the degree of starch gelatinization (DG). Changes in granule morphology and the starch available for hydrolysis were evaluated by photomicrographs. The new method was standardized and compared with DSC and viscosity measurements in order to check its efficiency, considering the DG observed by photomicrographs. A good agreement was observed between the DG calculated by V_i and by DSC (correlation coefficient r = 0, 97), thus V_i reflect the degree of starch gelatinization as well as DSC. These results show that the developed enzymatic procedure is an effective method to evaluate the DG in starchy foods and feeds.