Performance and protein conformation of thermally treated silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and scallop (Argopecten irradians) blended gels.

BACKGROUND: The quality of surimi-based products can be improved by combining the flesh of different aquatic organisms. The present study investigated the effects of incorporating diverse ratios of unwashed silver carp (H) and scallop (A) and using various thermal treatments on the moisture, texture, microstructure, and conformation of the blended gels and myofibrillar protein of surimi. RESULTS: A mixture ratio of A:H = 1:3 yielded the highest gel strength, which was 60.4% higher than that of scallop gel. The cooking losses of high-pressure heating and water-bath microwaving were significantly higher than those of other methods (P < 0.05). Moreover, the two-step water bath and water-bath microwaving samples exhibited a more regular spatial network structure compared to other samples. The mixed samples exhibited a microstructure with a uniform and ordered spatial network, allowing more free water to be trapped by the internal structure, resulting in more favorable gel properties. The thermal treatments comprehensively modified the tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins in unwashed mixed gel promoted protein unfurling, provided more hydrophobic interactions, enhanced protein aggregation and improved the gel performance. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study improve our understanding of the interactions between proteins from different sources. We propose a new method for modifying surimi's gel properties, facilitating the development of mixed surimi products, as well as enhancing the efficient utilization of aquatic resources. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

IbNIEL-mediated degradation of IbNAC087 regulates jasmonic acid-dependent salt and drought tolerance in sweet potato.

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) is a crucial staple and bioenergy crop. Its abiotic stress tolerance holds significant importance in fully utilizing marginal lands. Transcriptional processes regulate abiotic stress responses, yet the molecular regulatory mechanisms in sweet potato remain unclear. In this study, a NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factor, IbNAC087, was identified, which is commonly upregulated in salt- and drought-tolerant germplasms. Overexpression of IbNAC087 increased salt and drought tolerance by increasing jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation and activating reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, whereas silencing this gene resulted in opposite phenotypes. JA-rich IbNAC087-OE (overexpression) plants exhibited more stomatal closure than wild-type (WT) and IbNAC087-Ri plants under NaCl, polyethylene glycol, and methyl jasmonate treatments. IbNAC087 functions as a nuclear transcriptional activator and directly activates the expression of the key JA biosynthesis-related genes lipoxygenase (IbLOX) and allene oxide synthase (IbAOS). Moreover, IbNAC087 physically interacted with a RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase NAC087-INTERACTING E3 LIGASE (IbNIEL), negatively regulating salt and drought tolerance in sweet potato. IbNIEL ubiquitinated IbNAC087 to promote 26S proteasome degradation, which weakened its activation on IbLOX and IbAOS. The findings provide insights into the mechanism underlying the IbNIEL-IbNAC087 module regulation of JA-dependent salt and drought response in sweet potato and provide candidate genes for improving abiotic stress tolerance in crops.

Embedded ultra-high stability flexible transparent conductive films based on exfoliated graphene-silver nanowires-colorless polyimide.

Transparent conductive films with high stability were prepared by embedding silver nanowires in colorless polyimide and adding a protective layer of exfoliated graphene. The films exhibit great light transmission and conductivity with a sheet resistance of 22 Ω sq-1at transmittance of 83%. Due to its special embedded structure, the conductive layer can withstand several peeling experiments without falling off. In addition, the most outstanding advantage is the ultra-high stability of the films, including high mechanical robustness, strong chemical corrosion resistance and high operating voltage capacity. The organic light-emitting diode devices prepared based on this transparent conductive electrode exhibit comparable efficiency to indium tin oxide (ITO) based devices, withC.E.max= 2.78 cd A-1,P-1.E.max= 1.89 lm W-1,EQEmax= 0.89%. Moreover, the efficiencies were even higher than that of ITO devices when the operating voltage of the device exceeds 5 V. The above performances show that the transparent conductive electrode based on this structure has high potential for application in organic electronic devices.

Highly transparent, low sheet resistance and stable Tannic acid modified-SWCNT/AgNW double-layer conductive network for organic light emitting diodes.

In this paper, we used tannic acid (TA) functionalized carbon nanotubes (TCNTs), and silver nanowires (AgNWs) to construct a new type of transparent conductive film (TCF) with a double-layered conductive network structure. The hybrid film exhibits excellent light transmittance, high electrical conductivity, ultra-flexibility, and strong adhesion. These outstanding performances benefit from the filling and adhesion of hydrophilic TCNT layers to the AgNW networks. Besides, we introduced the post-treatment process of mechanical pressing and covering polymer conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS, which obtained three layers of TCNT/AgNW/PEDOT hybrid film and greatly improved the comprehensive properties. The hybrid film can reach a sheet resistance of 9.2 Ω sq-1 with a transmittance of 83.4% at 550 nm wavelength, and a low root mean square (RMS) roughness (approximately 3.8 nm). After 10 000 bends and tape testing, the conductivity and transmittance of the hybrid film remain stable. The resistance of the film has no significant degradation after 14 d of exposure to high temperature of 85 °C and humidity of 85%, indicating excellent stability. The organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with TCNT/AgNW/PEDOT hybrid film as anode exhibit high current density and luminosity, confirming this process has considerable potential application in photovoltaic devices.

Hyperspectral remote sensing image retrieval system using spectral and texture features.

Although many content-based image retrieval systems have been developed, few studies have focused on hyperspectral remote sensing images. In this paper, a hyperspectral remote sensing image retrieval system based on spectral and texture features is proposed. The main contributions are fourfold: (1) considering the "mixed pixel" in the hyperspectral image, endmembers as spectral features are extracted by an improved automatic pixel purity index algorithm, then the texture features are extracted with the gray level co-occurrence matrix; (2) similarity measurement is designed for the hyperspectral remote sensing image retrieval system, in which the similarity of spectral features is measured with the spectral information divergence and spectral angle match mixed measurement and in which the similarity of textural features is measured with Euclidean distance; (3) considering the limited ability of the human visual system, the retrieval results are returned after synthesizing true color images based on the hyperspectral image characteristics; (4) the retrieval results are optimized by adjusting the feature weights of similarity measurements according to the user's relevance feedback. The experimental results on NASA data sets can show that our system can achieve comparable superior retrieval performance to existing hyperspectral analysis schemes.

Multiscale target extraction using a spectral saliency map for a hyperspectral image.

With the rapid growth of the capabilities for hyperspectral imagery acquisition, how to efficiently find the significant target in hyperspectral imagery has become a fundamental task for remote-sensing applications. Existing target extraction methods mainly separate targets from background with a threshold based on pixels and single-scale image information extraction. However, due to the high dimensional characteristics and the complex background of hyperspectral imagery, it is difficult to obtain good extraction results with existing methods. Saliency detection has been a promising topic because saliency features can quickly locate saliency regions from complex backgrounds. Considering the spatial and spectral characteristics of a hyperspectral image, a multiscale target extraction method using a spectral saliency map is proposed for a hyperspectral image, which includes: (1) a spectral saliency model is constructed for detecting spectral saliency map in a hyperspectral image; (2) focus of attention (FOA) as the seed point is competed in the spectral saliency map by the winner-take-all (WTA) network; (3) the multiscale image is segmented by region growing based on the minimum-heterogeneity rule after calculating the heterogeneity of the seed point with its surrounding pixels; (4) the salient target is detected and segmented under the constraint of the spectral saliency map. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of target extraction for hyperspectral images.

Cryoprotective Effects and Quality Maintenance of Antifreeze Proteins and Peptides on Aquatic Products: A Review.

Aquatic products are gaining popularity due to their delicacy and high nutrient value. However, they are perishable, with a short shelf-life. Frozen storage is associated with adverse effects, leading to protein oxidation and degradation, thereby altering the protein's structural integrity and subsequently influencing the palatability of protein-based food products. To address these challenges, novel antifreeze peptides have gained significant attention. Antifreeze peptides are a class of small molecular weight proteins or protein hydrolysates that offer protection to organisms in frozen or sub-frozen environments. They offer distinct advantages over conventional commercial antifreeze agents and natural antifreeze proteins. This review provides an overview of the current state of research on antifreeze agents, elucidates their characteristics and mechanisms, and examines their applications in aquatic products. Furthermore, the article offers insights into the prospective development and application prospects of antifreeze peptides.

Caffeic-Acid-Functionalized MWCNTs and PEDOT:PSS Formed Composite Flexible Films with "Reinforced Concrete" Structure for Electrical Heating and EMI Shielding.

Nowadays, flexible multifunctional composites are attracting much attention and are practically being used in various emerging electronic devices. However, most composites suffer from the disadvantages of high loadings of conductive fillers, complicated preparation processes, and low energy conversion efficiency. In this article, Caffeic acid-modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (C-MWCNTs)/poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonic acid (PEDOT:PSS)/polyimide (PI) composite films (CPFs) were prepared using a simple layer-by-layer deposition method. The "reinforced concrete" structure of the C-MWCNTs/PEDOT:PSS layer ensures high electrical conductivity of the film, while the PI layer provides excellent mechanical properties (72.69 MPa). The composite film exhibits excellent electrothermal response and thermal stability up to approximately 125 °C at 5 V. In addition, the good conductivity of the film provides its electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (32.69 dB). With these advantages, we expect that flexible CPFs will be widely utilized in wearable devices, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications, and thermal management of personal or electronic devices.

MXene and AgNW based flexible transparent conductive films with sandwich structure for high-performance EMI shielding and electrical heaters.

With the popularization of 5G technology and the development of science and technology, flexible and transparent conductive films (TCF) are increasingly used in the preparation of optoelectronic devices such as electromagnetic shielding devices, transparent flexible heaters, and solar cells. Silver nanowires (AgNW) are considered the best material for replacing indium tin oxide to prepare TCFs due to their excellent comprehensive properties. However, the loose overlap between AgNWs is a significant reason for the high resistance. This article investigates a sandwich structured conductive network composed of AgNW and Ti3C2Tx MXene for high-performance EMI shielding and transparent electrical heaters. Polyethylene pyrrolidone (PVP) solution was used to hydrophilic modify PET substrate, and then MXene, AgNW, and MXene were assembled layer by layer using spin coating method to form a TCF with a sandwich structure. One-dimensional AgNW is used to provide electron transfer channels and improve light penetration, while two-dimensional MXene nanosheets are used for welding AgNWs and adding additional conductive channels. The flexible TCF has excellent transmittance (85.1 % at 550 nm) and EMI shielding efficiency (27.1 dB). At the voltage of 5 V, the TCF used as a heater can reach 85.6 °C. This work offers an innovative approach to creating TCFs for the future generation.

Flexible Wearable Electronic Fabrics with Dual Functions of Efficient EMI Shielding and Electric Heating for Triboelectric Nanogenerators.

Traditional conductive fabrics are prepared by the synthesis of conductive polymers and the coating modification of metals or carbon black conductive materials. However, the conductive fabrics cause a significant decline in performance after washing or mechanical wear, which limits their application. Moreover, the single function of the traditional conductive fabric is also the reason that limits its wide application. In order to prepare a wearable, stable, high-performance, washable, multifunctional conductive fabric, we have carried out related research. In this work, polydopamine was used as a bonding layer, an adsorption reduction layer, and a protective layer to improve the bonding between silver nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the polyester fabric surface so as to prepare a multifunctional conductive fabric with a high-stability "sandwich" structure, in which a Ag-NPS@CNT structure acting as an intermediate conductive layer formed on the inner layer PDA@CNT by electroless silver plating and the outermost layer PDA@CNT coated on the surface of the intermediate conductive layer by the impregnation-drying method. The sheet resistance of an E-Fabric can reach 2.11 Ω/□ due to the uniform and dense conductive path formed by the special structure Ag-NPs@CNT. At a low voltage of 1.5 V, the E-Fabric can reach 117 °C in 50 s and remain stable. The electrical conductivity and current heating properties of the E-Fabric remain good even after multiple washing or bending tests. Due to its stable and outstanding electrical conductivity, the E-Fabric has an electromagnetic shielding efficiency (SET) of 35.3 dB in the X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz). In addition, E-Fabric-based spin-coated poly(methyl methacrylate) or polydimethylsiloxane electrodes exhibit excellent performance in nanogenerators. Through the low-frequency friction of the human body, transient voltages up to 4 V can be generated from a 2 cm × 2 cm electrode sample. The output power of a single generator can reach about 12 nW/cm2. Therefore, an E-Fabric is considered to have great potential in the fields of electric heating, electromagnetic shielding, and smart wearable devices.

Induced CO2 Electroreduction to Formic Acid on Metal-Organic Frameworks via Node Doping.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), combining the advantages of heterogeneous and homogeneous components, have been explored as catalytic materials for the CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2 ERR). However, the unmatched metal nodes result in MOFs having lower faradaic efficiencies (FEs) and limited current densities in CO2 ERR. Herein, we report a general strategy to promote activities of MOFs via node doping in CO2 ERR. With ion exchange, an active tin node was doped into zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) to facilitate the reduction kinetics of CO2 . The divalent Sn2+ node accelerates the formation of formic acid (HCOOH), resulting in the highest HCOOH FE of 74 % and total current density (Jtotal ) of 27 mA/cm2 at -1.1 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE) over 0.6 wt% Sn-doped ZIF-8 with stable catalytic performance after seven reuse cycles, which is clearly better compared to the catalytic properties of pristine ZIF-8 (FEHCOOH =0 %, Jtotal =13 mA/cm2 ). This work opens an avenue for promoting the CO2 ERR performance of MOFs by node doping.