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The concrete slurry waste (CSW) produced by concrete mixing plants is a type of hazardous waste that is difficult to handle. To better recycle the CSW separated from the aggregates, this study uses a variety of wet-grinding processes to refine the solid in it, replaces some of the cement with the solid particles in wet grinding concrete slurry waste (WCSW), and investigates the properties of WCSW and its effect on the hydration and hardening properties of cement. The results show that a suitable wet-grinding process can ensure that the particle size in WCSW is less than 10 μm, the particle morphology is more flat, and the degree of hydration is higher. The WCSW particles can promote early cement hydration; after adding WCSW, the heat release peak of cement hydration appears earlier and more early hydration products are produced, and with the increase in the substitution amount, the promoting effect on early cement hydration will be more significant. The WCSW particles have a great effect on improving the strength of mortar, especially in the early stage. At 1 d, when the substitution amount is 7.5 wt.%, the compressive and flexural strength is increased by 43.67% and 45.04%; this is related to the filling of matrix pores and the improvement of the interface transition zone by micro- and nanoparticles. After the wet grinding of CSW, fine WCSW particles are obtained, which can improve the performance of cement-based materials by replacing cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the consumer's pursuit of safe, nontoxic and nutritious foods, edible and/or biodegradable materials have stood out in food packaging and preservation. In this context, the preparation and application of micro/nano encapsulated active ingredients (M/N-E-BAIs) represent a step toward reinforcing the properties of sustainable and controllable food packaging, particularly for the successful incorporation of new substances and functionalities into traditional edible films/coatings. This review, from the preparation of M/N-E-BAIs, the fabrication of edible film/coating containing M/N-E-BAIs to their characterization of multifunction and the application in food, makes a systematic summary and in-depth discussion. Food-grade polymers can encapsulate bioactive ingredients (BAIs) by chemical, physicochemical and mechanical methods, thereby forming M/N-E-BAIs with suitable sustained-release and unique biological activities. Furthermore, M/N-E-BAIs is incorporated into biopolymer substrates by solvent casting, 3D printing or electrostatic spinning to obtain novel edible films/coatings. This advanced packaging material exhibits superior physicochemical and functional properties over traditional food films/coatings. Besides, their applications in foods as active and intelligent packaging can improve food quality, prolong shelf life and monitor food corruption. Even so, there are still many challenges and limitations in formulation, preparation and application of this new packaging technology that need to be addressed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, edible films have been increasingly explored to solve muscle food spoilage during storage, especially through the incorporation of plant extracts to develop edible packaging materials. Natural polymers matrices with plant extracts are befitting for fabricating edible films by casting methods. In the films system, the structure and physicochemical properties were strengthened via chemical interactions between active molecules in plant extracts and the reactive groups in the polymer chain. The antibacterial and antioxidant properties were dramatically reinforced through both physical and chemical actions of the plant extracts. Additionally, edible films imbedded with color-rich plant extracts could be considered as potential sensitive indicators to monitor the spoilage degree of muscle foods in response to change in gas or temperature. Furthermore, these films could increase sensory acceptability, improve quality and prolong the shelf life of muscle foods. In this article, the types, preparation methods and reinforcing properties of the edible films with plant extracts were discussed. Also, the applications of these films were summarized on quality maintenance and shelf-life extension and intelligent monitoring in muscle foods. Finally, a novel technology for film preparation achieving high-stability and sustained release of active compounds will become an underlying trend for application in muscle food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofibrillar protein (MP) endows muscle foods with texture and important functional properties, such as water‐holding capacity (WHC) and emulsifying and gel‐forming abilities. However, thawing deteriorates the physicochemical and structural properties of MPs, significantly affecting the WHC, texture, flavor, and nutritional value of muscle foods. Thawing‐induced physicochemical and structural changes in MPs need further investigation and consideration in the scientific development of muscle foods. In this study, we reviewed the literature for the thawing effects on the physicochemical and structural characters of MPs to identify potential associations between MPs and the quality of muscle‐based foods. Physicochemical and structural changes of MPs in muscle foods occur because of physical changes during thawing and microenvironmental changes, including heat transfer and phase transformation, moisture activation and migration, microbial activation, and alterations in pH and ionic strength. These changes are not only essential inducements for changes in spatial conformation, surface hydrophobicity, solubility, Ca2+‐ATPase activity, intermolecular interaction, gel properties, and emulsifying properties of MPs but also factors causing MP oxidation, characterized by thiols, carbonyl compounds, free amino groups, dityrosine content, cross‐linking, and MP aggregates. Additionally, the WHC, texture, flavor, and nutritional value of muscle foods are closely related to MPs. This review encourages additional work to explore the potential of tempering techniques, as well as the synergistic effects of traditional and innovative thawing technologies, in reducing the oxidation and denaturation of MPs and maintaining the quality of muscle foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a combination of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality of jujube stored at 1 ± 0.5°C for 40 days. Jujube was treated with AEW + MAP, AEW, and MAP, respectively, to identify an appropriate preservation method based on the changes of quality indicators, activities of antioxidant enzymes and nonenzymatic antioxidant systems, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and cell membrane permeability. Results showed that the combined treatment maintained higher storage quality of jujube than the other three treatments. The combined treatment significantly suppressed softening, weight, and color loss and maintained total soluble solid and titratable acidity. Moreover, the combined treatment improved antioxidant capacity showing high levels of nonenzymatic antioxidant systems (ascorbic acid and 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity), and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase). These effects remarkably suppressed the increase of MDA level and cell membrane permeability, thereby inhibiting oxidative damage and alleviating quality deterioration. Furthermore, kinetic model indicated that AEW + MAP decreased rate constant of quality deterioration. Principal component analysis also showed that AEW + MAP treatment alleviated quality deterioration, with higher comprehensive score than other treatments. In summary, AEW + MAP was an effective preservation method to maintain storage quality and delay postharvest senescence of jujube. Practical Application: In this study, a combination of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been found to have effective preservation effects on jujube. AEW + MAP treatment improved quality of jujube during cold storage mainly by enhancing antioxidant capacity. The combined treatment may provide a new preservation technology for jujube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational design and synthesis of bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts with high activity and stability are key challenges in the development of rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs). In this paper, tungsten carbide (WC) and Co7Fe3 embedded in N,P co-doped hierarchical carbon (WC/Co7Fe3-NPHC) was prepared by using zeolite imidazolate frameworks as precursor. Density functional theory demonstrates that the mutual adjustment among the WC, Co7Fe3, and N,P co-doped carbon at the three-phase heterojunction interface makes the catalyst possess moderate adsorption strength, and greatly improves the conductivity and electron transfer rate of the catalyst. As a result, the WC/Co7Fe3-NPHC exhibits a low overall oxygen redox potential difference of 0.72 V, while the ZAB assembled by WC/Co7Fe3-NPHC as an air cathode exhibits ultra-long cycle stability of over 550 h. Futhermore, WC/Co7Fe3-NPHC can keep good charge and discharge stability at different bending angles when applied to flexible solid ZAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For years, various thawing technologies based on pressure, ultrasound, electromagnetic energy, and electric field energy have been actively investigated to minimize the amount of drip and reduce the quality deterioration of muscle foods during thawing. However, existing thawing technologies have limitations in practical applications due to their high costs and technical defects. Therefore, key factors of thawing technologies must be comprehensively analyzed, and their effects must be systematically evaluated by the quality indexes of muscle foods. In this review, the principles and key factors of thawing techniques are discussed, with an emphasis on combinations of thawing technologies. Furthermore, the application effects of thawing technologies in muscle foods are systematically evaluated from the viewpoints of eating quality and microbial and chemical stability. Finally, the disadvantages of the existing thawing technologies and the development prospects of tempering technologies are highlighted. This review can be highly instrumental in achieving more ideal thawing goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a cytotoxic byproduct of glycolysis, causes neuro oxidative damage and apoptosis, and plays key roles in diabetic encephalopathy (DE). The goal of this research was to evaluate the roles of lutein attenuated MGO‐induced damage in PC12 cells as well as the underlying mechanisms. The findings of this study showed that lutein has a significant impact on reducing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress in MGO‐induced PC12 cells, which may be attributed to the increased antioxidant enzymes activity and the decreased MDA levels. Moreover, treatment with lutein also alleviated cell apoptosis and mitochondrial damage. Real‐time PCR and western blot analysis showed that lutein enhanced the Bcl‐2:Bax ratio, inhibited the expression of caspase‐3 and caspase‐9, and increased the protein level of phosphorylated Akt. The network pharmacology and molecular docking prediction results suggested that the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway was a potential mechanism of lutein in DE treatment. Furthermore, LY294002, a specific PI3K inhibitor, partially abolished the protective effect of lutein. These results presented that lutein attenuated oxidative damage and apoptosis triggered by MGO in PC12 cells via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Practical applications: Lutein is a common carotenoid dispersed in fruits and vegetables. This article confirmed a protective effect of lutein on oxidative damage and apoptosis in PC12 cells after MGO damage. These results indicated that lutein could potentially be developed as a nutraceutical or functional food in the prevention of diabetic‐related neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rational design of highly efficient, robust, and low‐cost trifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR), and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is extremely urgent for seawater‐based renewable energy conversion and storage, including direct hydrazine fuel cells (DHzFC) and overall hydrazine splitting (OHzS). Herein, FeP/FeNi2P encapsulated in N, P co‐doped hierarchical carbon (FeNiP‐NPHC) in situ grown on nickel foam is fabricated via a hydrothermal‐pyrolysis‐phosphidation procedure. Benefiting from the strong coupling effect among FeP, FeNi2P, and N, P co‐doped carbon at the three‐phase heterojunction interface, as well as the unique 1D/3D hierarchical structure, the as‐prepared FeNiP‐NPHC shows superior ORR (E1/2 = 0.83 V), HzOR (E100 = 7 mV), and HER (E100 = ‐180 mV) performance in alkaline seawater. Density functional theory functions indicate that constructing three‐phase heterojunction interface of FeNiP‐NPHC can effectively adjust the d‐band center and electronic structure, which is conductive to balance and optimize the trifunctional electrocatalytic performance. As proof of concept, the self‐assembled DHzFC is utilized to power the OHzS in alkaline seawater successfully, verifying application potential of the FeNiP‐NPHC as trifunctional electrocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Fruits and vegetables (F&V) provide people with a variety of essential vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fibre, thus constituting integral components of human diet. With the surge of interest in F&V, their consumption ratio has kept increasing in recent years. Unfortunately, microorganisms and pesticide residues on the surfaces of F&V may be hazardous to humans. As an emerging technology, electrolysed water (EW) shows great application potential in reducing these hazards. EW treatment not only effectively removes microorganisms from F&V but also degrades pesticide residues on their surfaces. In addition, EW treatment affects the physiological metabolism of harvested F&V, which is conducive to maintain their sensory quality and nutritional value. This article reviews the principles of EW preparation, advantages and disadvantages, and the application of EW in F&V in the last decade, including disinfection of irrigation water, removal of pesticide residues, disinfection after harvest its effects on physicochemical parameters and enzyme activity of F&V, etc. Moreover, the combination of EW and other technology, including ozone, short‐time heat treatment, ultraviolet irradiation and ultrasound, to further improve the quality control effects of F&V is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]