Effect of glycolysis on water holding capacity during postmortem aging of Jersey cattle-yak meat.

BACKGROUND: Postmortem muscle moisture loss leads to a decrease in carcass weight and can adversely impact overall meat quality. Therefore, it is critical to investigate water holding capacity (WHC) to enhance meat quality. Current research has primarily focused on examining the correlation between signaling molecules and meat quality in relation to the glycolysis effect on muscle WHC. But there exists a significant knowledge gap regarding the mechanism of WHC in Jersey cattle-yak meat. RESULTS: Jersey cattle-yak meat pH decreased and then increased during postmortem aging. Lactate content, cooking loss, pressing loss, drip loss and centrifuging loss of Jersey cattle-yak meat increased and then decreased during postmortem aging. The glycogen content of Jersey cattle-yak meat was significantly higher than that of yak meat at 6-120 h, being 8.40% higher than that of yak meat at 120 h. The activity of key glycolytic enzymes hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), phosphofructokinase (PFK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in Jersey cattle-yak meat was lower than that in yak meat. Correlation analysis showed that Jersey cattle-yak meat WHC was positively correlated with the activity of HK, PK, PFK and LDH. CONCLUSIONS: The WHC of Jersey cattle-yak meat was higher than that of Gannan yak meat, and it was significantly positively correlated with the activity of key enzymes of the glycolytic signaling pathway. Therefore, the glycolysis rate can be reduced by inhibiting enzyme activity to improve Jersey cattle-yak meat WHC and meat quality. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Efficient free-space to on-chip coupling of THz-bandwidth pulses for biomolecule fingerprint sensing.

Wide bandwidth THz pulses can be used to record the distinctive spectral fingerprints related to the vibrational or rotational modes of polycrystalline biomolecules, and can be used to resolve the time-dependent dynamics of such systems. Waveguides, owing to their tight spatial confinement of the electromagnetic fields and the longer interaction distance, are promising platforms with which to study small volumes of such systems. The efficient input of sub-ps THz pulses into waveguides is challenging owing to the wide bandwidth of the THz signal. Here, we propose a sensing chip comprised of a pair of back-to-back Vivaldi antennas feeding into, and out from, a 90° bent slotline waveguide to overcome this problem. The effective operating bandwidth of the sensing chip ranges from 0.2 to 1.15 THz, and the free-space to on-chip coupling efficiency is as high as 51% at 0.44 THz. Over the entire band, the THz signal is ∼42 dB above the noise level at room temperature, with a peak of ∼73 dB above the noise. In order to demonstrate the use of the chip, we have measured the characteristic fingerprint of α-lactose monohydrate, and its sharp absorption peak at ∼0.53 THz was successfully observed, demonstrating the promise of our technique. The chip has the merits of efficient in-plane coupling, ultra-wide bandwidth, ease-of-integration, and simple fabrication. It has the potential for large-scale manufacture, and can be a strong candidate for integration into other THz light-matter interaction platforms.

Activating a Multielectron Reaction of NASICON-Structured Cathodes toward High Energy Density for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

The increasing demand to efficiently store and utilize the electricity from renewable energy resources in a sustainable way has boosted the request for sodium-ion battery technology due to the high abundance of sodium sources worldwide. Na superionic conductor (NASICON) structured cathodes with a robust polyanionic framework have been intriguing because of their open 3D structure and superior thermal stability. The ever-increasing demand for higher energy densities with NASICON-structured cathodes motivates us to activate multielectron reactions, thus utilizing the third sodium ion toward higher voltage and larger capacity, both of which have been the bottlenecks for commercializing sodium-ion batteries. A doping strategy with Cr inspired by first-principles calculations enables the activation of multielectron redox reactions of the redox couples V2+/V3+, V3+/V4+, and V4+/V5+, resulting in remarkably improved energy density even in comparison to the layer structured oxides and Prussian blue analogues. This work also comprehensively clarifies the role of the Cr dopant during sodium storage and the valence electron transition process of both V and Cr. Our findings highlight the importance of a broadly applicable doping strategy for achieving multielectron reactions of NASICON-type cathodes with higher energy densities in sodium-ion batteries.

Epitaxial Nickel Ferrocyanide Stabilizes Jahn-Teller Distortions of Manganese Ferrocyanide for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Manganese-based Prussian Blue, Na2-δ Mn[Fe(CN)6 ] (MnPB), is a good candidate for sodium-ion battery cathode materials due to its high capacity. However, it suffers from severe capacity decay during battery cycling due to the destabilizing Jahn-Teller distortions it undergoes as Mn2+ is oxidized to Mn3+ . Herein, the structure is stabilized by a thin epitaxial surface layer of nickel-based Prussian Blue (Na2-δ Ni[Fe(CN)6 ]). The one-pot synthesis relies on a chelating agent with an unequal affinity for Mn2+ and Ni2+ ions, which prevents Ni2+ from reacting until the Mn2+ is consumed. This is a new and simpler synthesis of core-shell materials, which usually needs several steps. The material has an electrochemical capacity of 93 mA h g-1 , of which it retains 96 % after 500 charge-discharge cycles (vs. 37 % for MnPB). Its rate capability is also remarkable: at 4 A g-1 (ca. 55 C) it can reversibly store 70 mA h g-1 , which is also reflected in its diffusion coefficient of ca. 10-8  cm2 s-1 . The epitaxial outer layer appears to exert an anisotropic strain on the inner layer, preventing the Jahn-Teller distortions it normally undergoes during de-sodiation.

A Cation and Anion Dual Doping Strategy for the Elevation of Titanium Redox Potential for High-Power Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Titanium-based polyanions have been intensively investigated for sodium-ion batteries owing to their superior structural stability and thermal safety. However, their low working potential hindered further applications. Now, a cation and anion dual doping strategy is used to boost the redox potential of Ti-based cathodes of Na3 Ti0.5 V0.5 (PO3 )3 N as a new cathode material for sodium ion batteries. Both the Ti3+ /Ti4+ and V3+ /V4+ redox couples are reversibly accessed, leading to two distinctive voltage platforms at ca. 3.3 V and ca. 3.8 V, respectively. The remarkably improved cycling stability (86.3 %, 3000 cycles) can be ascribed to the near-zero volume strain in this unusual cubic symmetry, which has been demonstrated by in situ synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction. First-principles calculations reveal its well-interconnected 3D Na diffusion pathways with low energy barriers, and the two-sodium-extracted intermediate NaTi0.5 V0.5 (PO3 )3 N is also a stable phase according to formation energy calculations.

Bioinspired Thermoresponsive Photonic Polymers with Hierarchical Structures and Their Unique Properties.

Thermoresponsive photonic materials having hierarchical structures are created by combining a template of Morpho butterfly wings with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) through a chemical bonding and polymerization route. These materials show temperature-induced color tunability. Through reacting with both NIPAM monomers and the amino groups of chitosan in wing scales, glutaraldehyde workes as a bridge by creating chemical bonding between the biotemplate and the PNIPAM. The corresponding reflection peaks red-shift with increase in temperature-an opposite phenomenon to previous studies, demonstrating a thermoresponsive photonic property. This unique phenomenon is caused by the refractive index change due to the volume change of PNIPAM during the temperature rising. This work sets up an efficient strategy for the fabrication of stimuli-responsive photonic materials with hierarchical structures toward extensive applications in science and technology.

Identification of Genes Putatively Involved in Chitin Metabolism and Insecticide Detoxification in the Rice Leaf Folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) Larvae through Transcriptomic Analysis.

The rice leaf roller (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis) is one of the most destructive agricultural pests. Due to its migratory behavior, it is difficult to control worldwide. To date, little is known about major genes of C. medinalis involved in chitin metabolism and insecticide detoxification. In order to obtain a comprehensive genome dataset of C. medinalis, we conducted de novo transcriptome sequencing which focused on the major feeding stage of fourth-instar larvae, and our work revealed useful information on chitin metabolism and insecticide detoxification and target genes of C. medinalis. We acquired 29,367,797 Illumina reads and assembled these reads into 63,174 unigenes with an average length of 753 bp. Among these unigenes, 31,810 were annotated against the National Center for Biotechnology Information non-redundant (NCBI nr) protein database, resulting in 24,246, 8669 and 18,176 assigned to Swiss-Prot, clusters of orthologous group (COG), and gene ontology (GO), respectively. We were able to map 10,043 unigenes into 285 pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway database (KEGG). Specifically, 16 genes, including five chitin deacetylases, two chitin synthases, five chitinases and four other related enzymes, were identified to be putatively involved in chitin biosynthesis and degradation, whereas 360 genes, including cytochrome P450s, glutathione S-transferases, esterases, and acetylcholinesterases, were found to be potentially involved in insecticide detoxification or as insecticide targets. The reliability of the transcriptome data was determined by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) for the selected genes. Our data serves as a new and valuable sequence resource for genomic studies on C. medinalis. The findings should improve our understanding of C. medinalis genetics and contribute to management of this important agricultural pest.

Omnidirectional light absorption of disordered nano-hole structure inspired from Papilio ulysses.

Butterflies routinely produce nanostructured surfaces with useful properties. Here, we report a disordered nano-hole structure with ridges inspired by Papilio ulysses that produce omnidirectional light absorption compared with the common ordered structure. The result shows that the omnidirectional light absorption is affected by polarization, the incident angle, and the wavelength. Using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, the stable omnidirectional light absorption is achieved in the structure inspired from the Papilio ulysses over a wide incident angle range and with various wavelengths. This explains some of the mysteries of the structure of the Papilio ulysses butterfly. These conclusions can guide the design of omnidirectional absorption materials.

Hot Deformation Behavior of Free-Al 2.43 wt.% Si Electrical Steel Strip Produced by Twin-Roll Strip Casting and Its Effect on Microstructure and Texture.

Twin-roll strip casting (TRSC) technology has unique advantages in the production of non-oriented electrical steel. However, the hot deformation behavior of high-grade electrical steel produced by TRSC has hardly been reported. This work systematically studied the hot deformation behavior of free-Al 2.43 wt.% Si electrical steel strip produced by twin-roll strip casting. During the simulated hot rolling test, deformation reduction was set as 30%, and the ranges of deformation temperature and strain rate were 750~950 °C and 0.01~5 s-1, respectively. The obtained true stress-strain curves show that the peak true stress decreased with an increase in the deformation temperature and with a decrease in the strain rate. Then, the effect of hot deformation parameters on microstructure and texture was analyzed using optical microstructure observation, X-ray diffraction, and electron backscattered diffraction examination. In addition, based on the obtained true stress-strain curves of the strip cast during hot deformation, the constitutive equation for the studied silicon steel strip was established, from which it can be found that the deformation activation energy of the studied steel strip is 83.367 kJ/mol. Finally, the kinetics model of dynamic recrystallization for predicting the recrystallization volume percent was established and was verified by a hot rolling experiment conducted on a rolling mill.

Investigation of Mold Flux Entrapment in Deep Oscillation Mark of Interstitial-Free Steel Shell Using Mold Simulator.

The slag entrapment defect has become a big issue for the IF steel casting process. In this study, the mechanism of mold flux entrapment in deep oscillation mark of an IF steel shell was studied by a high-temperature mold simulator. Results show that both temperature and heat flux in a copper mold become lower when mold flux B with lower melting and viscosity is used, compared with these when mold flux A with higher melting and viscosity is used. The average thickness of the slag film for mold fluxes A and B is 1.31 mm and 1.63 mm, and the consumption of them is 0.33 kg/m2 and 0.35 kg/m2, respectively. The shell for mold flux A exhibits sharper oscillation marks, while the shell for mold flux B has shallower oscillation marks. These deeper oscillation marks capture the mold flux by overflow of molten steel at the meniscus, which finally produces the slag entrapment defect in the shell.

Cowhide gelatin peptide as a source of antioxidants for inhibiting the deterioration of pudding quality during storage.

To investigate the effect of gelatin peptide on the inhibition of quality deterioration in stored pudding, gelatin peptide with antioxidant properties was added to pudding products. For this purpose, a pudding recipe containing gelatin peptides was created. The gelatin peptides were characterized based on their antioxidant activity and protein structure. It was found that gelatin peptides had better antioxidant properties, lower thermal stability and crystallinity, higher hydrophobic amino acid content, and greater surface hydrogen bond exposure than commercially available peptides. Properties such as the pH, colony growth, and sensory characteristics of the pudding were characterized at 4 °C and 25 °C. The results showed that the addition of 0.5-1.0 % gelatin peptide to pudding was capable of significantly (P< 0.05) slowing down the decline in pH and sensory scores of the pudding and significantly inhibiting colony growth. It could prolong its storage life by five days at 4 °C and three days at 25 °C.

An alumina phase induced composite transition shuttle to stabilize carbon capture cycles.

Limiting global warming to 1.5-2 °C requires a 50-90% reduction in CO2 emissions in 2050, depending on different scenarios, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage is a promising technology that can help reach this objective. Calcium oxide (CaO) carbon capture is an appealing choice because of its affordability, large potential capacity, and ability to withstand the high temperatures of flue gases. However, the structural instability and capacity fading challenge its large-scale industrial applications. Here, we design a reversible reaction shuttle in CaO-based sorbents to improve the structure stability by changing the initial alumina phases. Diverse alumina phases (x-Al2O3) are first synthesized and utilized as the aluminum source for creating CaO@x-Al2O3 composites. As expected, the CaO@δ-Al2O3 composite demonstrates a carbon capture capacity of 0.43 g-CO2/g-sorbent after 50 cycles, with an impressive capacity retention of 82.7%. Combined characterizations and calculations reveal that this stability improvement is attributed to a transition shuttle between Ca3Al2O6 and Ca5Al6O14, which can effectively restrain the complete decompositions of those structure-stabilized intermediate phases. An economic assessment further identifies the significance of heat transfer efficiency improvement upon cycles, and control of capital/operation cost, energy price and carbon tax for a future cost-effective commercialization of current strategy.

Hybrid Passive Cooling for Power Equipment Enabled by Metal-Organic Framework.

While providing electrical energy for human society, power equipment also consumes electricity and generate heat. Cooling equipment consumes a significant amount of electricity, further increasing energy consumption and load on the power grid. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop low-energy and sustainable cooling technologies for power equipment. In this study, a hybrid passive cooling composite designed to enhance heat dissipation for heavy-load power equipment is introduced. Specifically, the composite material achieves outstanding radiative cooling performance with an average solar reflectance of up to 0.98, while its excellent atmospheric water harvesting performance ensures high evaporation cooling power without the need for manual water replenishment. As a result, the composite effectively lowers the temperature of outdoor heavy-load power equipment (e.g., transformers) by 25.3 °C. The excellent heat dissipation properties of the composite make it a powerful tool in safeguarding electrical systems.

Overview of Multi-Scale Simulation Techniques for Three Typical Steel Manufacturing Processes.

Steel products typically undergo intricate manufacturing processes, commencing from the liquid phase, with casting, hot rolling, and laminar cooling being among the most crucial processes. In the background of carbon neutrality, thin-slab casting and direct rolling (TSCR) technology has attracted significant attention, which integrates the above three processes into a simpler and more energy-efficient sequence compared to conventional methods. Multi-scale computational modeling and simulation play a crucial role in steel design and optimization, enabling the prediction of properties and microstructure in final steel products. This approach significantly reduces the time and cost of production compared to traditional trial-and-error methodologies. This study provides a review of cross-scale simulations focusing on the casting, hot-rolling, and laminar cooling processes, aiming at presenting the key techniques for realizing cross-scale simulation of the TSCR process.

Limited Independent Follow-Up with Germline Testing of Variants Detected in BRCA1 and BRCA2 by Tumor-Only Sequencing.

Introduction: Genomic profiling is performed in patients with advanced or metastatic cancer, in order to direct cancer treatment, often sequencing tumor-only, without a matched germline comparator. However, because many of the genes analyzed on tumor profiling overlap with those known to be associated with hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes (HCPS), tumor-only profiling can unknowingly uncover germline pathogenic (P) and likely pathogenic variants (LPV). In this study, we evaluated the number of patients with P/LPVs identified in BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) via tumor-only profiling, then determined the germline testing outcomes for those patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify patients with BRCA1/2 variants on tumor-only genomic profiling, and whether they had germline testing. Results: This study found that of 2923 patients with 36 tumor types who underwent tumor-only testing, 554 had a variant in BRCA1/2 (19.0%); 119 of the 554 patients (21.5%) had a P/LP BRCA1/2 variant, representing 4.1% of the overall population who underwent genomic profiling. Seventy-three (61.3%) of 119 patients with BRCA1/2 P/LPV on tumor-only testing did not undergo germline testing, 34 (28.6%) had already had germline testing before tumor-only testing, and 12 (10.1%) underwent germline testing after tumor-only testing. Twenty-eight germline BRCA1/2 P/LPVs were detected, 24 in those who had prior germline testing, and 4 among the 12 patients who had germline testing after tumor-only testing. Conclusion: Tumor-only testing is likely to identify P/LPVs in BRCA1/2. Efforts to improve follow-up germline testing is needed to improve identification of germline BRCA1/2 alterations.

Large-visual-angle microstructure inspired from quantitative design of Morpho butterflies' lamellae deviation using the FDTD/PSO method.

The wide angular range of the treelike structure in Morpho butterfly scales was investigated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD)/particle-swarm-optimization (PSO) analysis. Using the FDTD method, different parameters in the Morpho butterflies' treelike structure were studied and their contributions to the angular dependence were analyzed. Then a wide angular range was realized by the PSO method from quantitatively designing the lamellae deviation (Δy), which was a crucial parameter with angular range. The field map of the wide-range reflection in a large area was given to confirm the wide angular range. The tristimulus values and corresponding color coordinates for various viewing directions were calculated to confirm the blue color in different observation angles. The wide angular range realized by the FDTD/PSO method will assist us in understanding the scientific principles involved and also in designing artificial optical materials.

Scalable, Color-Matched, Flexible Plasmonic Film for Visible-Infrared Compatible Camouflage.

The multispectral compatible infrared camouflage technology is implemented these days to counter the developing infrared detectors and detectors of other bands. However, the conflict between delicate optical structures and scalable procedures has significantly impeded the development and application of multispectral-compatible camouflage technology. Therefore, a semi-open Fabry-Perot structure is introduced, and the color and infrared emissivity by structural parameters for color-matched visible-infrared compatible camouflage are modulated. The prepared compatible camouflage film exhibits visible camouflage by the minimum color difference of 1.6 L*a*b* (under desert background) and infrared camouflage by low emission (ε3-5 µm ≈ 0.17 and ε8-14 µm ≈ 0.143). Due to its flexibility and scalability, the compatible camouflage film can be applied in practical applications and exhibits desirable visible and infrared camouflage performance in different battlefield backgrounds.

Modification and application of "zero-line" incision design in total endoscopic gasless unilateral axillary approach thyroidectomy: A preliminary report.

Introduction: Gasless unilateral trans-axillary approach (GUA) thyroidectomy has witnessed rapid development in technologies and applications. However, the existence of surgical retractors and limited space would increase the difficulty of guaranteeing the visual field and disturb safe surgical manipulation. We aimed to develop a novel zero-line method for incision design to access optimal surgical manipulation and outcomes. Methods: A total of 217 patients with thyroid cancer who underwent GUA were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly classified into two groups (classical incision and zero-line incision), and their operative data were collected and reviewed. Results: 216 enrolled patients underwent and completed GUA; among them, 111 patients were classified into the classical group, and 105 patients were classified into the zero-line group, respectively. Demographic data, including age, gender, and the primary tumor side, were similar between the two groups. The duration of surgery in the classical group was longer (2.66 ± 0.68 h) than in the zero-line group (1.40 ± 0.47 h) (p < 0.001). The counts of central compartment lymph node dissection were higher in the zero-line group (5.03 ± 3.02 nodes) than that in the classical group (3.05 ± 2.68 nodes) (p < 0.001). The score of postoperative neck pain was lower in the zero-line group (1.0 ± 0.36) than that in the classical group (3.3 ± 0.54) (p < 0.05). The difference in cosmetic achievement was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The "zero-line" method for GUA surgery incision design was simple but effective for GUA surgery manipulation and worth promoting.

Study on the Effect of Processing Parameters on Residual Stresses of Injection Molded Micro-Pillar Array.

As one of the main methods for fabricating microstructured surfaces, micro-injection molding has the advantages of short cycle time, high production efficiency, and the potential for batch manufacturing. However, non-negligible residual stresses inside the molded part could affect the replication quality, dimensions, and physical properties of the microstructure. Therefore, studying the effects of processing parameters on residual stresses is a necessary prerequisite to ensure the successful fabrication of microstructured parts. In this paper, an injection molding simulation model of micro-pillar arrays was developed using molecular dynamics software, and a series of injection molding experiments were conducted. It was found that increasing the mold temperature and melt temperature can reduce the thermal residual stresses and molecular orientation stresses, and effectively improve the uniformity of residual stress distribution. The increase in the packing pressure can make the shear field of flow more intense and increase the molecular orientation stresses, thus making the residual stresses more severe.

Virulence characteristics of Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici and its genetic diversity by EST-SSR analyses.

Wheat powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (an obligate biotrophic pathogen) is a worldwide threat to wheat production that occurs over a wide geographic area in China. For monitoring genetic variation and virulence structure of Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici in Liaoning, Heilongjiang, and Sichuan in 2015, 31 wheat lines with known Powdery mildew resistance genes and 2 EST-SSR markers were used to characterize the virulence and genetic diversity. Results indicated that 90% of all isolates were virulent on Pm3c, Pm3e, Pm3f, Pm4a, Pm5, Pm6 (Timgalen), Pm7, Pm16, Pm19, and Pm1 + 2 + 9 and 62.6% to 89.9% of isolates were virulent on Pm3a, Pm3b, Pm3d, Pm4b, Pm6 (Coker747), Pm8, Pm17, Pm20, Pm23, Pm30, Pm4 + 8, Pm5 + 6, Pm4b + mli, Pm2 + mld, Pm4 + 2X, Pm2 + 6. The Pm13 and PmXBD genes were effective against most collected isolates from Liaoning and Heilongjiang Provinces. Only Pm21 exhibited an immune infection response to all isolates. Furthermore, closely related isolates within each region were distinguished by cluster analyses using EST-SSR representing some gene exchanges and genetic relationships between the flora in Northeast China (Liaoning, Heilongjiang) and Sichuan. Only 45% of the isolates tested show a clear correlation between EST-SSR genetic polymorphisms and the frequency of virulence gene data. However, the EST-SSR polymorphism of isolated genes did not correspond to the virulence diversity of isolates in the single-gene lineage identification of hosts.