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Unconventional polysaccharides as representative active substances from stems of Trollius chinensis Bunge (TC) were studied. Crude polysaccharides from the stems of TC (TCSP) and the petals of TC (TCPP) were extracted, and the moisture retention and antioxidation activities of both TCSP and TCPP in vitro were studied. The weight-average molar masses (Mw) of TCSP (6.07 × 105 Da) were lower than those of TCPP (9.72 × 105 Da). Glucuronic acid and xylose only existed in TCSP, and the molar ratio of galacturonic acid and mannose in TCSP was significantly higher than that in TCPP. No significant differences in moisture retention ability were found between TCSP and TCPP. The reducing capacity and dphenyl picryl hydrazinyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity of TCSP were slightly weaker than those of TCPP. The 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline–6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity of TCSP can be equivalent to that of TCPP. The moisture retention ability was not different between TCSP and TCPP, which are both highly homologous with traditional humectants. The antioxidation assays in vitro demonstrated that the antioxidant activity of TCSP is stronger compared to that of some plant-derived polysaccharides. The stems of TC can be a promising source of unconventional polysaccharides, which possess moisture retention and antioxidation capacities for the cosmetics industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the synergistic effect in moisturizing activity and antioxidant activity between the promising unconventional polysaccharide and flavonoids from stems of Trollius chinensis bunge (TCS) was investigated. The results showed that the mixture with the mass ratio (w/w) of 7:3 (flavonoids to polysaccharides) appeared better moisture retention (73.08 ± 2.4%) and scavenging effects on·OH radicals (85.46 ± 0.52%). Meanwhile, the mixture with the mass ratio (w/w) of 3:7 (flavonoids to polysaccharides) unveiled better scavenging effects on DPPH radicals (44.10 ± 0.81%) and reducing capacity. The results confirmed that the polysaccharides and flavonoids from TCS have good synergistic effects in moisturizing activity and antioxidant activity, and have the potential to be used in the food industry as edible films or edible packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to explore the non‐destructive detection of apple firmness based on portable acoustic signals for consumers. The acoustic eigenvalues processed by Time‐domain, Fourier Transform (FT), and Hilbert Huang Transform (HHT) are used to analyse the correlations with apple firmness. The apple firmness prediction models are established through Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The results proved that the acoustic eigenvalues of wave index form and total energy of 8–9 kHz correlated with apple firmness (P < 0.05), the significant acoustic eigenvalues of sound intensity, amplitude difference, max frame energy, maximum power spectral density, power spectral density characteristics and total energy of 0–1 kHz significantly correlated with apple firmness (P < 0.01). The average relative error of ANN model was significantly lower than that of MLR model (P < 0.05). Compared with Time‐FT, the acoustic eigenvalues processed by a combination of Time‐FT‐HHT possessed a superior effect on the prediction model established by ANN of apple firmness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grounded electrical source airborne transient electromagnetic (GREATEM) system is an important method for obtaining subsurface conductivity distribution as well as outstanding detection efficiency and easy flight control. However, there are the superposition of desired signals and various noises for the GREATEM signal. The baseline wander caused by the receiving coil motion always exists in the process of data acquisition and affects measurement results. The baseline wander is one of the main noise sources, which has its own characteristics such as being low frequency, large amplitude, non-periodic, and non-stationary and so on. Consequently, it is important to correct the GREATEM signal for an inversion explanation. In this paper, we propose improving the method of ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) by adaptive filtering (EEMD-AF) based on EEMD to suppress baseline wander. Firstly, the EEMD-AF method will decompose the electromagnetic signal into multi-stage intrinsic mode function (IMF) components. Subsequently, the adaptive filter will process higher-index IMF components containing the baseline wander. Lastly, the de-noised signal will be reconstructed. To examine the performance of our introduced method, we processed the simulated and field signal containing the baseline wander by different methods. Through the evaluation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and mean-square error (MSE), the result indicates that the signal using the EEMD-AF method can get a higher SNR and lower MSE. Comparing correctional data using the EEMD-AF and the wavelet-based method in the anomaly curve profile images of the response signal, it is proved that the EEMD-AF method is practical and effective for the suppression of the baseline wander in the GREATEM signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium‐rich brine in the Sichuan Basin has been much studied in recent years, but few studies have focused on the distribution and migration of salt basin and the differences of potassium formation mechanisms. This work examined the salt‐gathering and potassium formation of potassium‐rich brine during the Triassic in the Sichuan Basin using lithofacies palaeogeographic depiction and geochemical analyses. (1) The favorable sedimentary facies controlling the formation of potassium‐rich brine during the Triassic in the Sichuan Basin are evaporation platform and restricted platform, whereas the salt basin is one of the main factors controlling the poly‐salt center. (2) The distribution and migration of this salt basin were affected by certain factors. The salt basin of the Jialingjiang Formation was mainly distributed in the east and central Sichuan Basin, whereas that of the Leikoupo Formation was mainly distributed in the central and west Sichuan Basin. The sedimentary centers have gradually moved westward and become smaller. (3) Three main formation mechanisms were identified for the potassium‐rich brine during the Triassic in the Sichuan Basin, i.e., evaporation and concentration of seawater, surface fresh water leaching, and deep water‐rock reaction. Fresh water leaching was characterized by low anomaly δ18O and δ13C values. Water‐rock reaction was mainly related to temperature, and high temperature environment (caused by burial depth, overthrust and deep hydrothermal fluids) was beneficial to water‐rock reaction. The characteristics of water‐rock reaction do not correspond to the increase ratio of K•103/Cl and Br•103/Cl in brine, and the Rb+ content of the brine was high. (4) The formation mechanisms of potassium‐rich brine differed between different areas of the Sichuan Basin. In east Sichuan, the evaporation and concentration of seawater, together with meteoric fresh water leaching, was the main formation factor, whereas the evaporation and concentration of seawater and water–rock reaction predominated in west Sichuan. This study of the sedimentary environment and formation mechanisms is of significance to the exploration and exploitation of potassium‐rich brine in the Sichuan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]