Effects of non-thermal plasma treating wheat kernel on the physicochemical properties of wheat flour and the quality of fresh wet noodles

The effects of non-thermal plasma (NTP) on the physicochemical properties of wheat flour and the quality of fresh wet noodles ( FWN) were investigated. The results showed that NTP effectively decreased the total plate count (TPC), yeast and mould count (YMC) and Bacillus spp. in wheat flour. Wet gluten contents and the stability time reached the maximum when treated for 20 s. The viscosity of starch increased significantly after treatment due to the increased of damaged starch. The contents of secondary structure were altered to some extent, which was because that the ordered network structure of gluten protein broken. Furthermore, compared with the control, texture properties of FWN were enhanced significantly at 20 s, and the darkening rate of FWN was greatly inhibited due to the low polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Consequently, the most suitable treatment was 500 W for 20 s, providing a basis for the application of NTP in flour products.     

半煤岩巷道联合支护方案与应用

以寺河矿南区回风大巷为工程背景,在分析巷道地质条件的基础上,通过理论计算分析了锚杆及锚索的主要支护参数,并确定了锚杆及锚索的型号;结合以往的生产实践经验,确定了巷道联合支护方案.实践表明,巷道支护方案合理,可以满足安全生产要求.     

Enhanced thermal conductivity and stability of boron nitride/phenyl silicone rubber composites via surface modification and grain alignment

Journal of Materials Science - With the extensive use of high-power electronic appliances, polymer-based thermal insulation composites with excellent thermal properties are utilized in the field of...     

Enhanced electromagnetic microwave absorption of Fe/C/SiCN composite ceramics targeting in integrated structure and function

The Fe/C/SiCN composite ceramics were synthesized by polymer-derived method to obtain the integration of structure and functions. The electromagnetic waves (EMW) absorption properties at X and Ku bands were investigated. The addition of nano-sized Fe particles improved the magnetic loss and impedance matching, and the carbon nanotubes generated by the iron in-situ catalysis increased the internal relaxation polarization and interfacial polarization, which together improved the EMW absorption properties significantly. In particular, the Fe/C/SiCN-9 showed the optimum reflection loss (RL) of ?31.06 dB at 10.03 GHz with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL < ?10 dB) of 3.03 GHz at 2.51 mm, indicating the excellent EMW absorption properties of Fe/C/SiCN composite ceramics.     

Preparation and flocculation properties of biodegradable konjac glucomannan-grafted poly(trimethyl allyl ammonium chloride)

Polymer Bulletin - Preparation of konjac glucomannan-grafted poly(trimethyl allyl ammonium chloride) (KGM-g-PTMAAC) was carried out using KGM as polysaccharide matrix and TMAAC as cationic...     

Hydrogen Production from Catalytic Steam Reforming of Bio-Oils: A Critical Review

In the future, hydrogen will be an important energy carrier and industrial raw material. Catalytic steam reforming of bio-oils is a promising and economically viable technology for hydrogen production. However, during the reforming process, the catalysts are rapidly deactivated due to coke formation and sintering. Thus, maintaining the activity and stability of catalysts is the key issue in this process. Optimized operation conditions could extend the catalyst lifetime by affecting the coke morphology or promoting coke gasification. This article summarizes the recent developments in the field of catalytic steam reforming of bio-oils, focusing on the operation conditions, the properties of the catalysts, and the effects of the catalyst supports. The expected insights into the catalytic steam reforming of bio-oils will provide further guidance for hydrogen production from bio-oils.     

Viscoplastic behavior of AA7075 aluminum alloy at high strain rate

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - The flow stress increases with the increase in strain rate. This phenomenon is the strain rate effect of plastic deformation. Hopkinson experiment...     

Epidemic contact tracing with smartphone sensors

ABSTRACT

Contact tracing is widely considered as an effective procedure in the fight against epidemic diseases. However, one of the challenges for technology based contact tracing is the high number of false positives, questioning its trust-worthiness and efficiency amongst the wider population for mass adoption. To this end, this paper proposes a novel, yet practical smartphone-based contact tracing approach, employing WiFi and acoustic sound for relative distance estimate, in addition to the air pressure and the magnetic field for ambient environment matching. We present a model combining six smartphone sensors, prioritising some of them when certain conditions are met. We empirically verified our approach in various realistic environments to demonstrate an achievement of up to 95% fewer false positives, and 62% more accurate than Bluetooth-only system. To the best of our knowledge, this paper was one of the first work to propose a combination of smartphone sensors for contact tracing.     

The Role of Cell Cycle Regulators in Cell Survival—Dual Functions of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 20 and p21Cip1/Waf1

The mammalian cell cycle is important in controlling normal cell proliferation and the development of various diseases. Cell cycle checkpoints are well regulated by both activators and inhibitors to avoid cell growth disorder and cancerogenesis. Cyclin dependent kinase 20 (CDK20) and p21^Cip1/Waf1 are widely recognized as key regulators of cell cycle checkpoints controlling cell proliferation/growth and involving in developing multiple cancers. Emerging evidence demonstrates that these two cell cycle regulators also play an essential role in promoting cell survival independent of the cell cycle, particularly in those cells with a limited capability of proliferation, such as cardiomyocytes. These findings bring new insights into understanding cytoprotection in these tissues. Here, we summarize the new progress of the studies on these two molecules in regulating cell cycle/growth, and their new roles in cell survival by inhibiting various cell death mechanisms. We also outline their potential implications in cancerogenesis and protection in heart diseases. This information renews the knowledge in molecular natures and cellular functions of these regulators, leading to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the associated diseases and the discovery of new therapeutic strategies.