Search Results (64)

Chenpi extracts (CPEs) are highly valued for their rich bioactive compounds and distinctive aromatic properties, but their environmental sensitivity poses stability challenges in food applications. In this study, CPE microcapsules were fabricated using corn peptide as the wall material, and the functional properties of spray-dried microcapsules (SDMCs) and freeze-dried microcapsules (FDMCs) were systematically characterized and compared. The results demonstrate that SDMCs exhibit superior characteristics compared to FDMCs, including reduced moisture content, lower hygroscopicity, enhanced solubility, smaller particle size, and a more uniform microstructure. Both FDMCs and SDMCs showed excellent thermal stability. The SDMCs of CPE encapsulated 93.45% of flavonoids, 90.35% of polyphenols, and 81.32% of sugars from the CPE, while also demonstrating exceptional retention of key terpene volatile compounds, particularly D-limonene (44.63%), γ-terpinene (45.18%), and β-myrcene (40.17%). In contrast, FDMCs exhibited stronger retention of alcohol-based volatile compounds. Furthermore, SDMCs displayed higher antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities, along with improved storage stability. In vitro digestion results reveal that SDMCs provide enhanced protection for CPE flavonoids and polyphenols, achieving bioaccessibility rates of 95.64% and 94.57%, respectively. These findings offer a theoretical basis for optimizing the drying processes in CPE microencapsulation, striking a balance between functional properties and flavor preservation for advanced food applications. Full article

The simulation of the transport properties of confined, low-dimensional fluids can be performed efficiently by means of multi-particle collision (MPC) dynamics with suitable thermal-wall boundary conditions. We illustrate the effectiveness of the method by studying the dimensionality effects and size-dependence of thermal conduction, since these properties are of crucial importance for understanding heat transfer at the micro–nanoscale. We provide a sound numerical evidence that the simple MPC fluid displays the features previously predicted from hydrodynamics of lattice systems: (1) in 1D, the thermal conductivity $\kappa$ diverges with the system size L as $\kappa \sim L^{1/3}$ and its total heat current autocorrelation function $C\left(t\right)$ decays with the time t as $C\left(t\right)\sim t^{-2/3}$; (2) in 2D, $\kappa$ diverges with L as $\kappa \sim \ln \left(L\right)$ and its $C\left(t\right)$ decays with t as $C\left(t\right)\sim t^{-1}$; (3) in 3D, its $\kappa$ is independent with L and its $C\left(t\right)$ decays with t as $C\left(t\right)\sim t^{-3/2}$. For weak interaction (the nearly integrable case) in 1D and 2D, there exists an intermediate regime of sizes where kinetic effects dominate and transport is diffusive before crossing over to the expected anomalous regime. The crossover can be studied by decomposing the heat current in two contributions, which allows for a very accurate test of the predictions. In addition, we also show that, upon increasing the aspect ratio of the system, there exists a dimensional crossover from 2D or 3D dimensional behavior to the 1D one. Finally, we show that an applied magnetic field renders the transport normal, indicating that pseudomomentum conservation is not sufficient for the anomalous heat conduction behavior to occur. Full article

Properly determining reservoir wettability is crucial for enhancing oil recovery and optimizing production strategies; this is particularly the case for tight oil reservoirs. The lower-fourth member of the Shahejie Formation (Es4x) in the Bonan Sag of the Bohai Bay Basin is a typical tight sandstone play, which is characterized by a low permeability and poor fluid mobility and quite variable daily production. Despite efforts in reservoir stimulation, the incremental production remains negligible. A detailed investigation of the reservoir wettability was carried out using four representative tight sandstone samples from Es4x to better understand the production behavior of the tight oil reservoir. We employed a suite of analytical methods, including Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, contact angle measurement, spontaneous imbibition, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, to comprehensively evaluate the wettability characteristics of the reservoir at different scales. Two samples, C1 and C2, exhibit oil-wet characteristics at both pore and macro scales, with Sample C1 showing weak oil-wet behavior and Sample C2 demonstrating strong oil-wet behavior. In contrast, the other samples, C3 and C4, display strong water-wet characteristics across different scales. The pore size threshold between water-wet and oil-wet conditions for samples C1 and C2 is 0.1 μm, while that for samples C3 and C4 is 1 μm. Grain-coating chlorite and grain-coating illite are the primary clay minerals contributing to the oil-wet pore walls of the reservoir, whereas dispersed sheet-like chlorite and rosette chlorite predominantly exhibit water-wet characteristics. The tight oil reservoir in Es4x exhibits pronounced wettability heterogeneities, with distinct regions displaying either oil-wet or water-wet characteristics, significantly impacting the mobility and producibility of the tight oil in this reservoir interval. Full article

The objective of this study is to develop a mathematical model capable of correctly displaying the dynamics of an individual’s cognitive activity under conditions of external information influence of different modalities. The adequacy of the model is verified by comparing the results of numerical analysis and experimental data. The mathematical basis of such a model is the apparatus of self-oscillating quantum mechanics. To describe algorithms for the processes of transmission, processing, and generation of information, the theory of information images/representations is used. Methods. This article provides a brief description of the proposed theory. The cognitive activity of an individual is represented mathematically as a one-dimensional potential hole with finite walls of different sizes. The internal potential barrier in this model can model the boundary between consciousness and subconsciousness. The authors developed a parameterization of the systems under study taking into account the proposed theory. Next, a mathematical model was developed based on the apparatus of self-oscillatory quantum mechanics. The authors formulated an equation that describes the function of the state of an information image in the process of human cognitive activity. Computer modeling of various variations of information impact was carried out. The authors also conducted a specially designed experiment. Conclusions. The authors have identified characteristic patterns of such processes and shown the oscillating nature of changes in the state function of information images and the appearance of characteristic threshold effects. A comparison of the obtained model and experimental data showed the adequacy of the developed tool (the coincidence of the general dynamics and characteristic patterns was shown). Full article

Using a commodity RGB-D sensor is a popular and cost-effective way to enable interaction at room scale, as such a device supports body tracking functionality at a reasonable price point. Even though the capabilities of such devices might be enough for applications like entertainment systems where a person plays in front of a television, this type of sensor is unfortunately sensitive to occlusions from objects or other people, who might be in the way in more sophisticated room-scale set-ups. One may use multiple RGB-D sensors and aggregate the collected data to address the occlusion problem, increase the tracking range, and improve accuracy. However, doing so requires the gathering of calibration information with regard to the sensors themselves and also regarding their relative placement on interactable surfaces. Another challenging consequence of relying on multiple sensors is the need to perform skeleton matching and merging based on their respective body tracking data (e.g., so that skeletons from different sensors but belonging to the same person are recognised as such). The present contribution focuses on approaches to tackling these issues. Ultimately, it contributes a working human interaction tracking system, leveraging multiple RGB-D sensors to provide unobtrusive and occlusion-resilient understanding capabilities. This constitutes a suitable basis for room-scale experiences such as those based on wall-sized displays. Full article

This study examines the microstructure and mechanical properties of 5356 aluminum alloy under low heat input conditions during arc additive manufacturing, focusing on the challenges posed by excessive heat input, which hinders specimen formation and affects dimensional accuracy. The study analyzes the characteristics of single-pass multilayer straight-walled specimens fabricated under varying low heat input conditions, along with evaluations of their mechanical properties, including their microstructure, microhardness, and tensile strength. This study demonstrates that as the heat input increases from 87.5 J/mm to 190.0 J/mm, the width of the vertical wall specimens increases significantly, whereas the change in single-layer height remains minimal. The specimen width increases from 5.22 mm to 8.87 mm, representing a change of 3.65 mm, while the single-layer height increases by only 0.16 mm. The microstructure primarily consists of the α(Al) matrix and the skeletal β(Al₃Mg₂) phase. As heat input increases, some of the β(Al₃Mg₂) phase dissolves, resulting in a decrease in its distribution density, a reduction in its quantity, and an increase in its size. The average hardness increases from 69.40 HV at 87.5 J/mm to 77.89 HV at 154.2 J/mm, before decreasing to 73.56 HV at 190.0 J/mm. As the heat input increases, the tensile strength and elongation of both horizontal and vertical specimens initially increase and then decrease. The tensile strength and elongation of the horizontal specimens are slightly greater than those of the vertical specimens. The microstructure and mechanical properties vary across different regions. In the upper region, the β(Al₃Mg₂) phase is uniformly distributed, with high density and small size. The fracture surface exhibits fine, uniform dimples, displaying the best microhardness and mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 245.88 MPa. In the middle region, the distribution density of the β phase decreases, the size increases, and the dimples become slightly coarser. Consequently, the microhardness and mechanical properties decline. At the bottom, due to the higher cooling rates, the β phase does not dissolve significantly. The distribution density is high, the dimples are large and uneven, and the microhardness and mechanical properties are the lowest, with a tensile strength of 236.00 MPa. Full article

Knowledge of the normal ultrasound anatomy in the donkey is essential to understand pathological changes and to reach an early diagnosis, considering the “dullness” and stoicism of these animals in pain manifestations. The aims of this study were to document which abdominal viscera could be identified using a transcutaneous ultrasonography technique under field conditions in unsedated, standing donkeys to determine where the different abdominal structures could be easily displayed and to describe any variation that occurred between different donkeys and horses. In this work, the manual technique for performing an ultrasound of the abdominal organs in a donkey is described, including acoustic windows. In addition, several measurements were performed and correlated with the age and weight of the animal to find possible variations. For several of the abdominal viscera, donkeys were found to have similarities with horses, but some differences were found, mostly related to kidney size and the technique for liver visualization. The wall thickness of the colon was confirmed as higher compared to horses, while other intestinal tracts were found to be comparable. A correlation between body weight and organ measurements was only found for the length of both kidneys. Full article

Storing hydrogen in solid metal hydrides provides a safe and efficient storage approach. However, the large volume expansion of metal hydrides during hydrogen absorption imposes substantial stresses on the wall of a hydrogen storage tank. In this study, volume expansion behavior of a V-based hydrogen storage alloy, V₆₁Cr₂₄Ti₁₂Ce₃, with body-centered-cubic, was investigated using a self-developed in situ expansion testing device. The lattice expansion of the V₆₁Cr₂₄Ti₁₂Ce₃ alloy after full hydrogenation was determined to be 37.85% using X-ray diffraction(XRD). The powder bed, composed of alloy powder with an average size of 3.35 mm in diameter, displays a large volume expansion ratio of 131% at the first hydrogen absorption cycle and 40–45% in the following four cycles. The stable compact bed, made of alloy powders, organic silicone gel, and graphite flakes, shows significantly smaller volume expansion ratio, which is 97% at the first cycle and 21% at the second cycle, and stabilizes at 13% in the following cycles. Also, the compact bed shows similar hydrogen absorption capacity, but faster absorption kinetics compared to the powder bed. Full article

Collaborative decision-making increasingly involves wall-sized displays (WSDs), allowing teams to view, analyse and discuss large amounts of data. To enhance workspace awareness for mixed-presence meetings, previous work proposes digital cues to share gestures, gaze, or entire postures. While several isolated cues were proposed and demonstrated useful in different workspaces, it is unknown whether results from previous studies can be transferred to a mixed-presence WSD context and to what extend such cues can be used in a combined way. In this paper, we report on the results from a user study with 24 participants (six groups of four participants), testing a mixed-presence collaboration scenario on two different setups of connected WSDs: audio-video link only vs. full setup with seven complementary cues. Our results show that the version with cues enhances workspace awareness, user experience, team orientation and coordination, and leads teams to take more correct decisions. Full article

Triply periodic minimal surface lattice structures are three-dimensional arrays of complex cells that can only be efficiently manufactured by 3D printing. The mechanical properties of these lattice structures depend on lattice parameters such as cell sizes along the X, Y, and Z axes, and wall thickness. Designing such lattice structures for soft polymers permits the manufacturing of polymer foams with controllable mechanical stiffnesses. The objective of this work is to design and 3D print polymeric foams made of lattice structures and evaluate the effect of lattice parameters on the resulting stiffness. Lattice parameters define the lattice geometry and stiffness. Ten specimens with different lattice parameters were designed and 3D printed using a low-cost desktop liquid crystal display 3D printer using ultra-violet-curable resin. Then, following ASTM D3574-17, these samples were subjected to compression tests. An experimental analysis was conducted to examine the deformation characteristics of these structures, focusing on parameters such as yield strain, initial stiffness, and the maximum force at 50% compression. Full article

Zn–air batteries (ZABs) are a promising technology; however, their commercialization is limited by challenges, including those occurring in the electrolyte, and thus, gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) and hydrogels have emerged as substitutes for traditional aqueous electrolytes. In this work, PVA/PAA membranes were synthesized by the solvent casting method and soaked in 6 M KOH to act as GPEs. The thickness of the membrane was modified (50, 100, and 150 μm), and after determining the best thickness, the membrane was modified with synthesized SiO₂ nanospheres and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). SEM micrographs revealed that the CNTs displayed lengths of tens of micrometers, having a narrow diameter (95 ± 7 nm). In addition, SEM revealed that the SiO₂ nanospheres had homogeneous shapes with sizes of 110 ± 10 nm. Physicochemical experiments revealed that SiO₂ incorporation at 5 wt.% increased the water uptake of the PVA/PAA membrane from 465% to 525% and the ionic conductivity to 170 mS cm⁻¹. The further addition of 0.5 wt.% CNTs did not impact the water uptake but it promoted a porous structure, increasing the power density and the stability, showing three-times-higher rechargeability than the ZAB operated with the PVA/PAA GPE. Full article

Malbranchea is a genus within the order Onygenales (phylum Ascomycota) that includes predominantly saprobic cosmopolitan species. Despite its ability to produce diverse secondary metabolites, no genomic data for Malbranchea spp. are currently available in databases. Therefore, in this study, we obtained, assembled, and annotated the genomic sequence of the ex-type strain of Malbranchea zuffiana (CBS 219.58). For the genomic sequencing, we employed both the Illumina and PacBio platforms, followed by hybrid assembly using MaSuRCA. Quality assessment of the assembly was performed using QUAST and BUSCO tools. Annotation was conducted using BRAKER2, and functional annotation was completed with InterProScan. The resulting genome was of high quality, with a size of 26.46 Mbp distributed across 38 contigs and a BUSCO completion rate of 95.7%, indicating excellent contiguity and assembly completeness. A total of 8248 protein-encoding genes were predicted, with functional annotations assigned to 73.9% of them. Moreover, 82 genes displayed homology with entries in the Pathogen Host Interactions (PHI) database, while 494 genes exhibited similarity to entries in the Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes) database. Furthermore, 30 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) were identified, suggesting significant potential for the biosynthesis of diverse secondary metabolites. Comparative functional analysis with closely related species unveiled a considerable abundance of domains linked to enzymes involved in keratin degradation, alongside a restricted number of domains associated with enzymes engaged in plant cell wall degradation in all studied species of the Onygenales. This genome-based elucidation not only enhances our comprehension of the biological characteristics of M. zuffiana but also furnishes valuable insights for subsequent investigations concerning Malbranchea species and the order Onygenales. Full article

Pectin is a natural polymer that is found in the cell walls of higher plants. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of pectin extracted from lemon in two different geographic regions (Peddie and Fort Beaufort) in two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) named PP 2023, PP 2024, FBP 2023, and FBP 2024. The dried lemon peels were ground into a powder, sifted to obtain particles of 500 μm, and then subjected to pectin extraction using a conventional method involving mixing lemon peel powder with distilled water, adjusting the pH level to 2.0 with HCl, heating the mixture at 70 °C for 45 min, filtering the acidic extract, and precipitating pectin with ethanol. The yield of these pectin samples was statistically significant, as FBP 2024 had a maximum yield of 12.2 ± 0.02%, PP 2024 had a maximum yield of 13.0 ± 0.02%, FBP 2023 had a maximum yield of 12.2 ± 0.03%, and PP 2023 had a maximum yield of 13.1 ± 0.03%, The variation in yield could be due to the differences in the growing conditions, such as the climate and soil, which could have affected the pectin content in the lemons. The physicochemical characterization of all samples proved that our pectin samples could be used in the pharmaceutical and food industries, with anhydrouronic acid content which was greater than 65%, as suggested by the FAO. The scanning electron microscope analysis of all extracted pectin was rough and jagged, while the commercial pectin displayed a smooth surface morphology with a consistent size. FTIR confirmed the functional groups which were present in our samples. Thermogravimetric analysis was employed to investigate the thermal behavior of the extracted pectin in comparison with commercial pectin. It was found that the extracted pectin had three-step degradation while the commercial pectin had four-step degradation. Additionally, pectin samples have been shown to have antioxidants, as the IC₅₀ of PP 2024, PP 2023, FBP 2023, FBP 2024, and Commercial P was 1062.5 ± 20.0, 1201.3 ± 22.0, 1304.6 ± 19.0, 1382.6 ± 29.9, and 1019.4 ± 17.1 mg/L, respectively. These findings indicate that lemon pectin has promising characteristics as a biopolymer for use in biomedical applications. Full article

This study aims to extract phenolic-enriched compounds, specifically oleuropein, luteoloside, and hydroxytyrosol, from olive leaves using ball milling-assisted extraction (BMAE). Response surface methodology (RSM) and the Box–Behnken design (BBD) were used to evaluate the effects of the temperature, solvent-to-solid ratio, and milling speed on extraction recovery. The contents of the extract were determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) and converted to recoveries to evaluate the extraction efficiency. The optimal extraction conditions for oleuropein, luteoloside, and hydroxytyrosol were identified. Oleuropein had a recovery of 79.0% ± 0.9% at a temperature of 56.4 °C, a solvent-to-solid ratio of 39.1 mL/g, and a milling speed of 429 rpm. Luteoloside’s recovery was 74.6% ± 1.2% at 58.4 °C, 31.3 mL/g, and 328 rpm. Hydroxytyrosol achieved 43.1% ± 1.3% recovery at 51.5 °C, 32.7 mL/g, and 317 rpm. The reason for the high recoveries might be that high energy ball milling could reduce the sample size further, breaking down the cell walls of olive leaves, to enhance the mass transfer of these components from the cell to solvent. BMAE is displayed to be an efficient approach to extracting oleuropein, luteoloside, and hydroxytyrosol from olive leaves, which is easy to extend to industrial production. Full article

The confinement effect in micro- and nanopores gives rise to distinct flow characteristics in fluids. Clarifying the fluid migration pattern in confined space is crucial for understanding and explaining the abnormal flow phenomena in unconventional reservoirs. In this study, flow characteristics of water and oil in alumina nanochannels were investigated with diameters ranging from 21 nm to 120 nm, and a heterogeneous viscosity flow model considering boundary fluid was proposed. Compared with the prediction of the HP equation, both types of fluids exhibit significant flow suppression in nanochannels. As the channel size decreases, the deviation degree increases. The fluid viscosity of the boundary region displays an upward trend as the channel size decreases and the influence of the interaction between the liquid and solid walls intensifies. The thickness of the boundary region gradually decreases with increasing pressure and eventually reaches a stable value, which is primarily determined by the strength of the interaction between the liquid and solid surfaces. Both the pore size and wettability are essential factors that affect the fluid flow. When the space scale is extremely small, the impact of wettability becomes more pronounced. Finally, the application of the heterogeneous flow model for permeability evaluation has yielded favorable fitting results. The model is of great significance for studying the fluid flow behavior in unconventional reservoirs. Full article