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The fast development of supercapacitors inspires a growing interest in inexpensive super-capacitive electrode material with high performance. Herein, we develop a Rone step method for preparing Cu3P nanocrystals by direct low-temperature phosphorization treatment of commercial copper powder. As a super-capacitive electrode material, for the first time, Cu3P nanocrystals exhibit outstanding electrochemical rate performance (318.5 F g−1 at 400 mV s−1; 169.2 F g−1 at 50 A g−1) and excellent cycling stability with no loss of specific capacitance at 10 A g−1 for 10,000 cycles. The presented synthesis method opens up a facile and large-scale approach to explore high-performance and low-cost Cu3P electrodes for supercapacitors.

ZnFe2O4-graphene aerogels (ZnFe2O4/GAs) composites are prepared by two-step method (hydrothermal-calcination). Highly-purified ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles are dispersed uniformly on three-dimensional (3D) GAs substrate. The mass loading of ZnFe2O4 in ZnFe2O4/GAs composites is 89.3%. Compared with pure ZnFe2O4 sample, the ZnFe2O4/GAs composites exhibit much higher irreversible capacity of 1449.4 mAh g−1 and enhanced cycling stability (1049 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 after 100 cycles). The improved electrochemical performance of the ZnFe2O4/GAs composites could be attributed from the synergetic effect between 3D conductive GAs and nanostructured ZnFe2O4.

Three-dimensional fabricated Fe3O4 quantum dots/graphene aerogel materials (Fe3O4 QDs/GA) were obtained from a facile hydrothermal strategy, followed by a subsequently heat treatment process. The Fe3O4 QDs (2–5 nm) are anchored tightly and dispersed uniformly on the surface of three-dimensional GA. The as-prepared anode materials exhibit a high reversible capacity of 1078 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 after 70 cycles in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) system. Moreover, the rate capacity still remains 536 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1. The enhanced electrochemical performance is attributed to that the GA not only acts as a three-dimensional electronic conductive matrix for the fast transportation of Li+ and electrons, but also provides with double protection against the aggregation and pulverization of Fe3O4 QDs during cycling. Apparently, the synergistic effects of the three-dimensional GA and the quantum dots are fully utilized. Therefore, the Fe3O4 QDs/GA composites are promising materials as advanced anode materials for LIBs.

A three-dimensional SnO2 quantum dots/graphene aerogel (SnO2 QDs/GA) composite was prepared using a facile and scalable strategy without adding any surfactant and reducing agent .This as-prepared nanocomposite, with zero-dimensional SnO2 QDs (2–5 nm) anchoring and dispersing on the surface of three-dimensional graphene aerogel, exhibits better properties as anode material for sodium ion batteries than bare SnO2 for its higher reversible capacity (319 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 after 50 cycles) and stability (rate capacity still remains 150 mAh g−1 at 800 mA g−1). Such three-dimensional graphene aerogel could not only act as an electronic conductive matrix for the fast transportation of sodium ion and electrons, but also provide double protection against the aggregation and volume changes of SnO2 QDs during cycling.

In this work, a scalable approach of preparing Co3O4/Co@N–C composite derived from metal organic frameworks (MOFs) is developed. After consecutive carbonization and oxidation of MOFs at different calcination temperatures, a series of nanocomposite consisting of Co3O4, conductive Co nanoparticles, and Nitrogen doped (N-doped) mesoporous carbon are obtained via in-situ polymerization strategy. When employed as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the Crystalline-Co3O4/Co@N–C-700 (Cry-Co3O4/Co@N–C-700) electrode has shown high reversible specific capacity of 896.5 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, excellent rate capability of 376.2 mAh g−1 at a large current density of 2 A g−1, and robust long-term capacity retention rate of 96.0% at 0.2 A g−1 after 50 cycles. Such superior lithium storage performance could be attributed to the unique porous structure which composed of well-dispersed Co3O4 and conductive Co nanoparticles together with N-doped carbon skeleton. The unique structure can effectively improve the conductivity and act as a buffer medium to alleviate the volume change, which shows potential application for new energy storage materials.

Traditional metal selenide was used as sodium ion battery anode on account of its high specific capacity and large layer spacing. Here, ZnSe/rGO composites are synthesized through a facile one-step hydrothermal method using relatively environmentally friendly raw materials. The obtained ZnSe nanoparticles with a diameter of about 50 nm, which evenly distributed on the three-dimensional graphene sheet. Electrochemical test results show improved performance, under a current density of 100 mA g−1, the capacity can still remain 276.6 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles. For rate performance, when the current density are under 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5 and 10 A g−1, the capacity can remain 411.6, 385.9, 340.1, 293.9, 239.4, 179.2 and 119.4 mA h g−1, respectively. Furthermore, under a large current density of 500 mA g−1, it can remain a reversible capacity of 119.4 mA h g−1. In addition, the calculation of pseudocapacitance shows that it is helpful to achieve pleasing rate capability and long cyclic stability. As a result of its high specific surface area and enhanced electronic conductivity, an improved performance can be obtain, furthermore can well alleviate the volume expansion of the composite.

Targeted cell delivery to lesion sites via minimally invasive approach remains an unmet need in regenerative medicine to endow controlled cell distribution and minimized side-effects. Current cell modification approaches to improve cell delivery tend to have adverse effects on cellular phenotype and functionality. Here, we rationally developed a facile and mild cell modification and targeted delivery strategy leveraging endogenous tissue transglutaminase (TGase) expressed on the surface of MSCs (Mesenchymal Stem Cells) and inflammatory endothelial cells (ECs). Cell modification by functional peptides was accomplished simply via TGase catalyzed cross-linking with naturally-expressed MSCs membrane proteins (e.g. Annexin II), without detectable disturbance of cellular viability and functionality. The modified functional peptides could facilitate adhesion of MSCs to inflammatory ECs (with up-regulated TGase expression compared with normal ECs) in vitro, as demonstrated by a one-fold increase of the MSC-EC adhesion force measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and by targeted delivery of modified MSC to inflammatory ECs in a flow chamber assay. When transplanted in vivo, modified MSCs demonstrated a dramatic increase in targeted efficiency to inflammatory endothelium compared with non-modified MSCs in both mice ear inflammation and acute/chronic liver injury models. The cell membrane modification strategy and targeted cell delivery mechanism described here can be readily extended for empowering cell engineering and cell therapy with multifaceted functionalities to combat refractory diseases.

In this work, the effects of ginger pomace/water ratio, yeast strain selection, sugar and yeast addition, fermentation temperature on the physicochemical properties and sensory evaluation of ginger brandy and its base wine was investigated to optimize production technique. It was found that the pH and total acidity of ginger brandy base wine were mainly influenced by ginger pomace/water ratio, yeast strain, sugar and yeast addition, fermentation temperature. Gingerol content was mostly affected by ginger pomace/water ratio. The results of electronic nose analysis showed that main aroma components of ginger pomace brandy were mainly affected by ginger pomace/water ratio. In general, the optimized production technique was ginger pomace/water ratio at 1:3, 3# yeast strain, sugar and yeast addition (102 g/L and 0.40 g/L), fermentation temperature (18°C). Ginger brandy base wine made by above technique after second full distillation could produce ginger brandy with typical, strong and balanced ginger aroma, mellow and full-bodied taste, and long aftertaste.

Mesoporous MnCo2O4 microflowers constructed by sheets have been successfully synthesized via a solvothermal route using polymer polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP, K30) as a capping agent. Herein, we find concentration of PVP in the reaction mixture plays a key role for controllable structures and morphologies of mesoporous MnCo2O4 microflowers. When tested as anode materials for lithium ion batteries, the MnCo2O4 microflowers exhibit initial discharge and charge capacities of 1465.1 and 1001.2 mA h g−1 at the current density of 100 mA g−1. Moreover, the as-obtained MnCo2O4 microflowers show enhanced rate capability and good cycling stability.

The porous micro-/nanostructured Co3O4 microellipsoids are successfully fabricated through a urea-assisted solvothermal route using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the capping reagent followed by thermal treatment in air. The porous characterization has been performed to confirm that porous Co3O4 micro-/nanostructures are composed of numerous primary nanocrystallines. The specific surface area and pore size of the Co3O4 microellipsoids are around ⿼24.2 m2 g⿿1 and 13.5 nm, respectively. The obtained porous Co3O4 microellipsoids demonstrate the high initial discharge capacity of ⿼1314 mAh g⿿1 with a Columbic efficiency of 79.2% at a current density of 50 mA g⿿1 in the potential range of 0.01⿿3.0 V. More impressively, a significantly improved reversible capacity of ⿼1192 mAh g⿿1 is retained at 100 mA g⿿1 after 50 discharge-charge cycles. Excellent rate capabilities (⿼920 mAh g⿿1 at 200 mA g⿿1 and ⿼630 mAh g⿿1 at 600 mA g⿿1) are observed for the porous microellipsoid-like structure. It should be noted that the unique porous micro-/nanostructured microellipsoids play an important role in the enhanced electrochemical lithium storage performance. Therefore, the porous micro-/nanostructured Co3O4 microellipsoids should be suitable as an anode material for lithium ion batteries.

Transition metal selenide (TMS) is recognized as a prospective alternative anode material for the sodium ion battery application because of its high conductivity and high theoretical capacity. Herein, a simple hydrothermal method was used to prepare the ZIF-8 cubes and then followed by a selenization process to fabricate ZnSe nanoparticles decorated with hollow N-doped carbon (ZnSe/HNC) nanocubes. Our selenides exhibit good electrochemical sodium storage properties. It delivers a high initial discharge and charge capacities of 526.9 and 319.5 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1. The reversible capacity of as-prepared ZnSe/HNC nanocube electrode can be maintained at 335.7 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at the current density of 100 mA g−1. As for rate capacity, the high reversible capacities of ZnSe/HNC nanocube electrode are 323.6, 306.9, 290.2, 262.0, 202.4, 173.6 and 115.4 mAh g−1 at different current densities of 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 5000 mA g−1, respectively. In addition, the stability of the ZnSe/HNC nanocube electrode at high current density was also obtained. It can release a high and stable capacity of 251.1 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at a current density of 500 mA g−1. The electrochemical sodium storage process and the reaction mechanism of the ZnSe/HNC nanocube electrode were confirmed by Ex-situ XRD study. Meanwhile, kinetic analysis of the electrochemical Na+ storage characteristics of the ZnSe/HNC nanocube demonstrates that the behavior of the external pseudocapacitor significantly contributes to good rate performance and good long cycle life. The good sodium storage performance of our ZnSe/HNC nanocube anode material can be attributed to the confinement of charge and discharge products for as-prepared ZnSe/HNC nanocube electrode material and the alleviation of volume change effect for our electrode material during cyclic process. This method can be used to adjust other TMS morphologies and structures to develop a new kind of anode materials for sodium ion battery applications.

Bimetallic selenide (ZnSe / CoSe) was embedded in N-doped carbon rhombic dodecahedron and used as a sodium ion battery (SIB) anode. Metal organic framework (MOF) precursors (ZIF-8 / 67) form hollow structures (denoted as ZnSe/CoSe@NPC)through in situ pyrolysis and selenization processes at specific temperatures. Our selenides have very good electrochemical sodium storage properties. After 200circulation, the capacity of the as-prepared ZnSe/CoSe@NPC nanocomposite electrode was maintained at 417.6 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. Regarding rate capacity, the capacities of ZnSe/CoSe@NPC nanocomposite electrode are of 460.8, 415.6, 359.9, 346.3, 318.0, 274.1 and 236.4 mAh g−1 at different current densities of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5 and 10 A g−1, respectively. The stability of the ZnSe/CoSe@NPC nanocomposite electrode at high current density is also obtained, and after 900 cycles at a high current density of 1 A g−1, the electrode can maintain a stable reversible capacity of 303.9 mAh g−1. Besides, kinetic analysis of the electrochemical Na+ storage behaviour of the ZnSe/CoSe@NPC nanocomposite shows that the external pseudocapacitor results in excellent rate performance and excellent long-cycle stability. This study proposes a new strategy for synthesizing multi-component hollow structures for the manufacture of intended energy storage devices.

Fiber supercapacitors (FSCs) are attractive energy storage devices for wearable and portable electronics. However, it still remains a great challenge to achieve high volumetric specific capacitance without sacrificing the rate capability of FSC. Here, we demonstrate a novel hierarchically nanostructured hybrid fiber with thin polyaniline (PANI) layer anchored on the highly-conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) hydrogel framework as electrodes for FSCs. The hybrid fiber was prepared via hydrothermal assembly of a commercial PEDOT:PSS dispersion followed by acid treatment and in-situ chemical polymerization of aniline. The incorporation of highly-electroactive PANI boosts the whole capacitance of hybrid fiber; the robust PEDOT hydrogel framework provides abundant ions diffusion channels and rapid electron transfer pathways, improving the utilization efficiency and the kinetics of pseudocapacitance reaction of PANI. Attributed to the synergistic effect, the PEDOT/PANI hybrid fiber in FSC exhibits high volumetric/areal specific capacitance (554.1 F cm−3 or 740.0 mF cm−2 at 5 A cm−3), excellent rate performance and good electrochemical stability. The flexible FSC device delivers a high volumetric energy density of 11.9 mWh cm−3 at 981.4 mW cm−3 and areal energy density of 15.8 μWh cm−2 at 1310.5 μW cm−2, outperforming most of the reported counterparts. The well-designed PEDOT/PANI hybrid fiber based FSC hold a great potential for powering the next-generation wearable and portable electronics.

Endopeptidase is the main enzyme in wheat malt. Besides, long chain proteins are broken down by endopeptidase into small protein molecules, or peptides, which can influence the beer quality. In this paper, enzymatic properties of endopeptidase in wheat malt were studied based on a more accurate method for the endopeptidase activity measurement. The activity of endopeptidase was determined by measuring the content of oligopeptides and polypeptides in the reaction system. It was found that the optimum temperature of wheat malt endopeptidase was 50°C. It was shown that endopeptidase was sensitive to temperature and the low temperature is more suitable for endopeptidase. Further increase of temperature to values higher than 50°C resulted in the decrease of enzyme activity. At 65°C, the enzyme activity was decreased to 7.47u±0.42, then the enzyme can be deactivated at temperatures higher than 70°C. The enzyme had optimal activity at pH 4.0. When the pH value was above 4, the enzyme activity cannot remain stable after incubation. The enzyme was inhibited by Ca2 +, Pb2 +, Zn2+, Cu2 +, EDTA.

Background: Arabinoxylan (AX) is the main non-starch polysaccharide in wheat. Wheat malts are traditional raw materials for beer brewing. AX is divided into water-soluble arabinoxylan (WEAX) and waterinsoluble arabinoxylan (WUAX). In the mashing stage of beer production, WUAX in malt is degraded by arabinoxylanase to WEAX, which is further degraded to smaller molecules and retained in the final beer. The viscosity of WEAX is related to its molecular weight. WEAX with higher molecular weight and viscosity can increase viscosity and turbidity and reduce filtration speed of wort and beer; WEAX with moderate molecular weight and viscosity contributes to the foaming characteristics and foam stability, and promotes the taste and texture of a beer; WEAX with small molecular weight has the functions of anti-tumor and lowering blood pressure and is regarded as a prebiotic. Because WEAXs with different molecular weight and properties have different impacts on the beer brewing process and qualities of the final beer, it becomes more important to control the degradation of AX during the brewing process of a beer. Endo-1,4-β-xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) is the most important AX degrading enzyme, which cleaves the β -xylosidic bond between two d-xylopyranosyl residues linked in β-(1,4). The study of enzymatic properties of endo-1,4-β-xylanase from wheat malt is very important for the rational formulation of the content and molecular weight of WEAX in wort and beer during the mashing procedure when using wheat malt as the main raw materials. Objective: In this article, our motivation is to study the enzymatic properties (including optimum pH and temperature, pH and temperature stability, the effect of inhibitors) of wheat malt endo-1,4-β-xylanase. Methods: In this article, we prepared crude enzyme according to the method of Guo with minor modifications. The endo-1,4-β-xylanase activity was determined according to the method of Biely in the previous report with minor modifications. The 0.5 mL crude enzyme sample was mixed with 0.5 mL 1 mg/mL 4-O-methyl-dglucurono- d-xylan dyed with Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR-Xylan) solution, intensively mixed, and incubated at 40 °C for exactly 90 min. The reaction was stopped by precipitation using 2 mL absolute ethanol, and the reaction mixture was stirred acutely and placed at room temperature for 30 min. Then, the mixture was mixed again and centrifuged at 6000 g for 10 min. The supernatant was collected and the absorbance was measured at 590 nm. Absolute ethanol and RBBR-Xylan were added to the control tubes first, and after the reaction was completed, the crude enzyme sample was added. One unit of endo-1,4-β-xylanase was defined as at pH 5.5 and 40 °C liberate 1 μmol xylose equivalents in 1 min per g dry wheat malt. Results: The results showed that the optimal activity of endo-1,4-β-xylanase was achieved at pH 5.5-6.0, and the enzyme was extremely stable at pH 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5 after incubation for 30, 50 and 60 min, respectively. The optimal temperature was 40-45 °C and the deactivation temperature was 75 °C. Endo-1,4-β-xylanase was stable at 20 °C and 40 °C; the stability was slightly decreased at 50 °C and rapidly decreased at 55 °C. The enzyme activity was mildly inhibited by K+, Na+, and Pb2+, moderately inhibited by Ca2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+ and severely inhibited by Cu2+, Ag+ and EDTA. Conclusion: We have got the enzymatic properties of endo-1,4-β-xylanase from wheat malt, so during wort mashing, we could apply this research result to carry out the rational formulation of the content and molecular weight of WEAX in wort and beer during the mashing procedure when using wheat malt as the main raw materials. Expected to solve the technical problems such as high viscosity, slow filtration speed and so on, but also highlight the typical flavors of WEAX such as rich and persistent foam and mellow texture during the brewing process of a beer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Mounting evidence showed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play critical roles in human malignancy. However, the knowledge about circRNAs in GC is still unclear. In the current study, high throughput microarray assay showed that circRBMS3 was upregulated in GC tissues, which was further confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Correlation analysis revealed that high circRBMS3 expression was associated with advanced TNM stage, depth of invasion, and lymph-node metastasis. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that GC patients with high circRBMS3 expression have a poor overall survival (OS). Function assays showed that circRBMS3 silencing reduced GC cells proliferation and invasion in vitro, and inhibited the tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that miR-153 could act as a target of circRBMS3. Subsequently, we showed that circRBMS3 promoted snail family zinc finger 1 (SNAI1) expression via inhibiting miR-153 in GC cells. Collectively, these results suggested that circRBMS3 promoted GC cells proliferation and invasion via regulating miR-153/SNAI1 axis.

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Co-combustion with coal in coal-fired boilers has been developed rapidly as an effective treatment method for sewage sludge. Sometimes wet sludge is directly used for co-combustion. Harmful gas emission from the co-combustion was investigated in an isothermal tube furnace. Results showed that the CO, SO2, and NOx emissions from the co-combustion had no large increase compared with coal mono-combustion when the blending ratio of wet sludge was 10–50%. When the blending ratio of wet sludge was 30%, the gaseous emission was lowest and the conversion rates of S to SO2 and N to NOx were 1.6 and 1.1%, respectively.

The co-combustibility of coal and wet sludge (i.e., mechanically dewatered) was investigated through the thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that the combustion profiles of the blends with a low weight percentage of wet sludge were similar to that of coal alone. Increasing wet sludge in the blend decreased the ignition temperature, increased the burnout temperature, and reduced the average burning velocity. The kinetic analyses with the non-isothermal method indicates that the initial activation energy at a low conversion degree for the blended wet sludge and coal was lower than that for the coal, but the average activation energy depended on the moisture content in the blend. With 3 or 5 wt% of the wet sludge was added into the blend, the small amount of water derived from the wet sludge decreased the activation energy from 89.4 to 35.9 or 64.9 kJ/mol, respectively.

High-quality monodisperse multiporous hierarchical micro/nanostructured ZnCo2O4 microspheres have been fabricated by calcinating the Zn1/3Co2/3CO3 precursor prepared by urea-assisted solvothermal method. The as-prepared products are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurement to study the crystal phase and morphology. When tested as anode material for lithium ion batteries, the multiporous ZnCo2O4 microspheres exhibit an initial discharge capacity of 1,369 mAh g−1 (3,244.5 F cm−3) and retain stable capacity of 800 mAh g−1 (1,896 F cm−3) after 30 cycles. It should be noted that the good electrochemical performances can be attributed to the porous structure composed of interconnected nanoscale particles, which can promote electrolyte diffusion and reduce volume change during discharge/charge processes. More importantly, this ZnCo2O4 3D hierarchical structures provide a large number of active surface position for Li+ diffusion, which may contribute to the improved electrochemical performance towards lithium storage.

Arabinoxylans (AXs) from wheat malts potentially affect beer quality and production. β- d-Xylosidase is a key enzyme that degrades the main chains of AXs to produce xylose. This study performed a partial characterization of β- d-xylosidase from wheat malts. The optimal temperature was 70 °C and the enzyme exhibited excellent thermostability, that is, residual activities were 92.6% at 60 °C for 1 h. The enzyme was stable over a pH range of 3.0–6.0 and showed optimum activity at pH 3.5 and 4.5. Kinetic parameters Km and Vmax of wheat malt β- d-xylosidase against p-nitrophenyl-xyloside were 1.74 mmol L−1 and 0.76 m m min−1, respectively. The enzyme activity was severely inhibited by Cu2+, moderately inhibited by Mn2+, Mg2+, Al3+, Ca2+, Ba2+ and Na+ and mildly inhibited by Fe3+ and Fe2+. The partial enzymatic characterization achieved in this study can be used as a theoretical basis for purifying β- d-xylosidase from wheat malts. Copyright © 2015 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

The cooling rate after annealing treatment was proved to be important for the structure and electrochemical performances of the layered oxide 0.3Li2MnO3 · 0.7LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 material, which has been synthesized using a sol–gel method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nondestructive nano-computed tomography (nano-CT), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurement were used to characterize the structure and micromorphology of the material. It was demonstrated that the material quenched by liquid nitrogen (AN-material) showed less defects in structure and larger specific surface area than the material cooled naturally (AF-material). Electrochemical measurement showed that the AN-material exhibited better electrochemical performance as cathode candidate for lithium-ion batteries. The initial discharge capacity and coulombic efficiency reached 277.4 mAh g−1 and 84.1 % for AN-material, while 257.1 mAh g−1 and 78.4 % for AF-material. In addition, the AN-material also exhibited lower charge transfer resistance than AF-material.

To investigate the changes in protein in cloudy wheat beer (CWB) brewing, the molecular weight (Mw) of protein components in wort, fermenting wort, beer and beer foam were analysed by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography. It was found that the Mw of protein during brewing was mainly distributed between 100 and 0 kDa. From mash to the final beer, the most abundant protein component was the 7.6–2.1 kDa fraction, which occupied more than 40% of the total protein. The extraction of soluble protein from malts into wort mainly focused on the protein rest process, where the 100.0–32.1 and 7.6–2.1 kDa fractions increased significantly. In addition, the 100.0–13.2 kDa fraction was the predominant thermolabile protein that decreased during lautering and boiling. The dominant protein constituting the fine coagulum, the 100.0–13.2 kDa fraction, also decreased during fermentation and maturation. The CWB, defoamed CWB and CWB foam had similar protein Mw distributions, while the CWB foam concentrated much more protein and the 7.6–2.1 kDa fraction was the major protein in the CWB foam. Copyright © 2015 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

The monodisperse Co 3 O 4 mesoporous microdisks have been successfully prepared through a facile solvothermal synthesis method and subsequent heating treatment. The Co 3 O 4 microdisks are polycrystalline, and have an average diameter of around 2 μm with an thickness of 300 nm. The specific surface area of Co 3 O 4 mesoporous microdisks is about 108.9 m 2 g −1 with a narrow pore size distribution centered at round 9.68 nm. The as-prepared Co 3 O 4 mesoporous microdisks as anode material in lithium ion batteries exhibit a stable specific discharge–charge capacity of 765 and 749 mAh g −1 after 30 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g −1 . The good electrochemical properties could be attributed to the unique mesoporous structure of Co 3 O 4 materials.

In this work, graphene–polyaniline nanofiber (G/PANI-F) composite is prepared through a new and one-pot method that includes the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) by aniline and then followed by in-situ polymerization. Aniline plays the two roles in this method: as a chemical reducing agent to reduce GO to graphene and as a monomer to prepare polyaniline nanofiber (PANI-F). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy are employed to confirm that GO can be reduced by aniline and PANI-F can be deposited on the surface of graphene. The electrochemical properties of G/PANI-F composite electrode are measured by using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The G/PANI-F composite electrode exhibits enhanced specific capacitance of 965 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and the capacity retention is 90% after 2000 cycles.

In this study, the relationships between protein degradation, enzyme activities and quality of EBC (European Brewery Convention) wort were investigated. The Kolbach index of wheat malt at 37.6–42.7% was found to be suitable for acquiring higher enzyme activities. A globulin increase was the main factor that promoted the activities of the degradation enzymes. Strong synergistic activity was observed among the polysaccharide degradation activities of enzymes [α-amylase, β-amylase, β-glucanase, β-d-xylosidase and β-(1,4)-endoxylanase]. Increased protease production improved the Kolbach index of a wheat malt, that is, promoted the degradation of gliadins into albumins and globulins. Increased albumins and globulins resulted in increased enzyme activity for polysaccharide degradation. Increased enzyme activities demonstrated synergistic actions that ultimately promoted the quality indices of an EBC wort, including extract yield, α-amino nitrogen, acidity and chromaticity. Copyright © 2014 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

Polyaniline nanofiber-graphene oxide (PANIF-GO) hybrids were fabricated by oil–water interfacial polymerization. The structures of PANIF-GO hybrids, pure PANIF and GO were examined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. It was found that PANIFs were homogeneously inserted between the GO layers or absorbed on the surface of the GO. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that PANIFs effectively increased the interlayer distance of GO from 0.83 nm to 1.38 nm. Electrochemical properties for the hybrid electrode were tested by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy using a three-electrode system. The results indicated that a high specific capacitance of 564.7 F g−1 for the hybrids was measured at the current density of 0.5 A g−1 in a 1 M H2SO4 aqueous solution compared to 352.8 F g−1 for pure PANIF and 30.1 F g−1 for GO. Moreover, the PANIF-GO hybrids showed a very long cycle life with only 9.4% specific capacitance loss after 2000 cycles. The as-prepared hybrids are remarkable electrode materials for the supercapacitors.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a contemporary term incorporating the historic 'acute lung injury' and the colloquial term 'shock lung'. ARDS remains a serious and enigmatic human disease, causing significant mortality. The mechanisms involved at the alveolar cell/capillary endothelial interface have been explored but to date we lack clarity on the role of intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)]i) fluxes across this interface. To explore the mechanisms of Ca(2+) induced inflammatory reaction in epithelial cells and pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC) located at the two sides of blood-air barrier, lung epithelial A549 and HMVEC cells were treated with LPS. Our results demonstrated that LPS evoked the increase of [Ca(2+)]i, TNF-α and IL-8 in both cells types. The [Ca(2+)]i increases involved intracellular but not extracellular Ca(2+) sources in A549, but both intracellular and extracellular Ca(2+) sources in HMVEC cells. The effects of LPS on both cells types were completely inhibited by the combination of LPS and CaSR-targeted siRNA. Furthermore, LPS-inhibited cell proliferations were significantly reversed by the combined treatment. Therefore, LPS induced different mechanisms of [Ca(2+)]i increase during the activation of CaSR in A549 and HMVEC cells, which translates into functional outputs related to ARDS.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is the main additive in grape wine production and cannot be eliminated by simple distillation from the base wine, lees or fermented pomace. This research was conducted to confirm the effectiveness of calcium oxide, powdered activated charcoal and hydrogen peroxide on SO2 reduction in distilled grape spirits using a double distillation method. Three treatments were conducted on the first distillate. Each method was assessed for its effectiveness on SO2 reduction and its influence on the volatile compounds present, which were analysed both by GC and sensory evaluation. The total residual SO2 content in the second distillate, which had been treated with calcium oxide, was about 2.00 mg L−1. The value was below 1.00 mg L−1 for the activated charcoal and hydrogen peroxide treatments. The calcium oxide treatment was the most convenient method, when compared with the other two treatments, but it also caused the largest decrease in acids and esters. The activated charcoal-treated distillate had the highest sensory evaluation. However, there were some drawbacks, such as the loss of esters and a higher cost for temperature maintenance (70°C for ~12 h). The hydrogen peroxide treatment resulted in the lowest pH and most of the volatile compounds were retained, but the sensory evaluation was second to the activated charcoal treatment. Copyright © 2013 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

Reduced graphene oxide/CoFe 2 O 4 –Co (RGO/CFC) nanocomposite was first prepared by a facile hydrothermal strategy and subsequently in situ reduction process. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, and scanning electron microscopy are employed to characterize the structure and morphology of the as-prepared RGO/CFC nanocomposite. The electrochemical performances of the nanocomposite were evaluated in coin-type cells. It delivers high reversible capacity of 921.8 mA h g −1 at various rates from 100 to 1600 mA g −1 after 70 cycles. Even after 420 cycles at 9000 mA g −1 , the capacity still retains 907.3 mA h g −1 at 100 mA g −1 , indicating outstanding rate capability and cycle stability. The improved electrochemical performance is ascribed to the strong interfacial interaction between CFC nanoparticles (30 nm) and RGO nanosheets. The RGO/CFC nanocomposite with super long cycling life will be an ideal candidate of anode material for lithium ion batteries.

The CoFe 2 O 4 –Co rods with diameters in the range of 300–700 nm and length extending from 1 to 4 μm were synthesized successfully by a facile in situ method. A transmission electron microscopy image has shown that the as-formed CoFe 2 O 4 –Co rods are composed of smaller nanocrystallines. The CoFe 2 O 4 –Co rods as anode materials for lithium ion batteries indicate high reversible capacity of 574.3 mAh g −1 at 100 mA g −1 in the first cycle, and good rate capability at various current densities between 100 and 1600 mA g −1 . The improved electrochemical performance is ascribed to the presence of the metallic Cobalt and the well-designed rod structure.

In this study, graphene/Co 3 O 4 composites are prepared through a simple process under mild hydrothermal conditions. Sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) can produce many OH − and CO 3 2− ions after dissolution and hydrolysis in a water–isopropanol system, thereby making it applicable as both depositing agent and reducing agent in the synthesis of graphene/Co 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 composites. Remarkably, the galvanosta charge–discharge test shows that the specific capacitance value of the as-obtained composites reaches a high value of 443 F g −1 at a high current density of 5 A g −1 , which is significantly improved in relation to Co 3 O 4 , and the capacitance retains 54% of capacitance at 60 A g −1 . The fact that the specific capacitance remains 97.1% after 1000 continuous charge–discharge cycles at 10 A g −1 indicates that the as-prepared material has an excellent cycle life. The effect of the feeding ratios between Co 3 O 4 and graphite oxide on the electrochemical performance has also been studied.

The green and efficient synthesis of graphene using sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) as a chemical reducing agent was studied. Extensive characterization confirmed the formation of graphene from graphene oxide using a Na2CO3 solution. The C/O atomic ratio of the as-prepared graphene has increased from 2.48 to 8.15 after reduction as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The conductivity of as-prepared graphene sheets is as high as 10 S m−1. After electrochemical measurements, gravimetric capacitances of 228 and 166 F g−1 at current densities of 5 and 25 mA cm−2, respectively, were obtained with KOH electrolyte.

An easy and one-pot method for the preparation of sulfonated graphene–polyaniline nanofiber (SGEPA) composites by oil/water interfacial polymerization was studied in this work. Among the composites were obtained at different mass ratios of graphene and aniline. The chemical structure of the materials was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The morphology of the material was studied by scanning electron microscope and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The SGEPA composite electrodes with a mass ratio of 1:10 showed better electrochemical performance than pure polyaniline nanofiber and graphene. A high specific capacitance of 962 F/g was obtained at a potential scan rate of 2 mV/s and the specific capacitance value of SGEPA-110 retained about 78% after 1000 cycles. It also exhibited a high energy density of 68.86 Wh/kg at a power density of 102 W/kg. The extraordinary electrochemical properties of the composites were attributed to the well-designed structural advantages of binary nanocomposites and the good combination and synergistic effects between graphene and polyaniline.

Using potassium hydroxide as the reduction agent, a stable aqueous dispersion of graphene nanosheets was successfully prepared and characterized for its structural and electrochemical properties for supercapacitor application. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared material were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction pattern and high resolution transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The electrochemical supercapacitive properties of as-prepared material were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge methods and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The as-prepared material showed maximum specific capacitance of (200 F g −1 ) in 6.0 M aqueous KOH electrolyte at scan rate 5 mV s −1 . For comparison, we add the data of traditional chemical reduction agent-hydrazine.

We developed one-spot in situ synthesis method to fabricate CoO/reduced graphene oxide (CoO/RGO) nanocomposite by directly employing C4H6O4·Co·4H2O and hydrophilic graphite oxides as raw materials. The electrochemical performances of the as-prepared CoO/RGO nanocomposite were evaluated in coin-type cells. It delivers a high reversible capacity of 740.7 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1, and retains a capacity retention of 95% after 50 cycles. Even after 435 cycles at various rates from 100 to 4000 mA g−1, the capacity still retains 577.9 mAh g−1 when the current density is back to 100 mA g−1. The extraordinary performance is ascribed to the well-designed structure of the CoO/RGO nanocomposite. The small-sized, high crystalline and dense CoO nanoparticles uniformly disperse on conductive graphene substrates, supplying large number of accessible active sites for lithium-ion insertion, short diffusion length for lithium ions, good conductivity and strong interfacial interaction between CoO nanoparticles and RGO nanosheets, which are beneficial for high capacity and long cycling stability.

Fe 3 O 4 /reduced graphene oxide (Fe 3 O 4 /RGO) nanocomposite was prepared by a facile interface reaction and subsequent in situ reduction process. The electrochemical performances of the as-prepared Fe 3 O 4 /RGO nanocomposite were evaluated in coin-type cells. It delivers high reversible capacity of 1025 mAh g −1 at 100 mA g −1 after 50 cycles and outstanding cycle stability. Even after 800 cycles at various rates from 100 to 4000 mA g −1 , the capacity still retains 959.4 mAh g −1 at 100 mA g −1 . A transmission electron microscopy image has shown the flexible interleaved structure of nanocomposite, and the interface reaction is also benefit to ensure strong interfacial interaction between Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (50 nm) and RGO nanosheets. The designed structure plays key role in improving electrochemical performance. The Fe 3 O 4 /RGO nanocomposite with super long cycling life will be an ideal candidate of anode material for lithium ion batteries.

Characteristics of lipoxygenase (LOX) in wheat malt with various conditions, including optimum temperature, pH and thermostability, were studied. The results showed that the optimum temperature was 35 °C, the optimum pH value was 6.8 and the deactivation temperature was 70 °C. With increasing temperature, thermal stability was reduced. The LOX activity of dry wheat malt showed a significant positive correlation with filtration time (R = 0.979, p

In this study, the malting performance of six traditional Chinese wheat varieties was evaluated. The effects of protein content on wheat endosperm composition and the malt quality were studied. The β-glucan in the malt showed a positive correlation (r = 0.806, P

This paper examined self-assembly in a quasi-one-dimensional mesoscale system. The micro-sized β-Ga2O3 ribbons with rectangular cross-section can self-assembled into well-ordered arrays through the evaporation of solvent in the suspension. A mechanism called convective self-assembly, in which immersion lateral capillary forces between the microribbons and the convective flows are regarded as the driving force for the self-assembly, can be used to understand the self-assembly in our experiments. This method can be applied to other non-spherical micro/nanometer particles with high aspect ratio to form ordered and aligned structure.

Dispersive calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) particles were synthesized at 40 °C via the modified carbonation route developed in this paper. The influence of MgCl 2 on the dispersion behavior of the slaking slurry and the carbonation product were investigated using a laser particle size analyzer and a zeta potential analyzer, the corresponding changes of the morphology and the structure were identified by the field scanning electron microscopy (FSEM) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD), respectively. The experimental results indicated that the addition of MgCl 2 in the Ca(OH) 2 slurry converted the Ca(OH) 2 agglomerates to the dispersive Mg(OH) 2 particles, the carbonation of the slaking slurry containing Mg(OH) 2 and CaCl 2 led to the formation of the dispersive CaCO 3 (calcite) cubic particles with a particle size of 0.3–0.8 μm and a mean agglomerate size of 1.3 μm.

An advanced method has been developed to synthesis magnesium oxysulfate hydrate (5Mg(OH)2ċMgSO4ċ3H2O, abbreviated as 513MOS) whiskers via co-precipitation-hydrothermal reaction route, using MgSO4 and NaOH as the reactants. Mg(OH)2 slurry synthesized at room temperature was treated in MgSO4 hydrothermal solution. 513MOS whiskers co-existed with the sector-like whiskers were formed after hydrothermal treatment at 200°C for 2.0 h. The presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in hydrothermal treatment inhibited the formation of the sector-like whiskers, producing 513MOS whiskers with perfect morphology (50–80 μm in length and 0.2–0.6 μm in diameter). Thermodynamic calculation results indicated that the addition of EDTA was favorable for the dissolution of Mg(OH)2 and the homogeneous precipitation of 513MOS owing to the complex interaction between EDTA and Mg2+. XRD analysis showed that 513MOS whiskers belonged to the orthorhombic structure (a = 15.94 A, b = 3.11 A, c = 13.38 A) and b-axis was the predominant growth direction.

A novel hydrothermal coating process has been developed to deposit nickel compound over octahedral α-Fe 2 O 3 particles of narrow size distribution (0.2–0.3 μm) by treating aqueous dispersions of the preformed cores at elevated temperatures in Ni(NO 3 ) 2 /CH 3 COONa solutions. A study of the process parameters on the characteristics of the so prepared particles indicated that deposits containing 48.5–51.4 wt.% of nickel could be obtained at temperatures 140–200 °C and reactant concentrations (Ni(NO 3 ) 2 and CH 3 COONa) of 0.1–0.6 mol/l, yielding coatings composed of amorphous Ni(OH) 2 ·H 2 O. The nickel hydroxide films may be formed via the hydrolysis of CH 3 COO − ions followed with the further interaction of OH − and Ni 2+ ions.

Magnesium oxysulfate (5Mg(OH) 2 ·MgSO 4 ·3H 2 O) whiskers with a diameter of 0.2–1.0 μm and a length of 20–50 μm were synthesized via the hydrothermal treatment of the slurry formed by mixing the MgSO 4 and NaOH solutions at room temperature. The composition, morphology, structure and thermal behavior of the hydrothermal products were examined with X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and chemical analysis. The experimental results indicated that the process parameters, such as the concentration of the reactant, the dispersion of the Mg(OH) 2 slurry and the temperature in hydrothermal treatment should be controlled carefully to synthesis 5Mg(OH) 2 ·MgSO 4 ·3H 2 O whiskers and to avoid the formation of the sectorial or granular impurities. 5Mg(OH) 2 ·MgSO 4 ·3H 2 O whiskers were decomposed gradually and converted finally to MgO particles after being heated in air at temperature up to 1050 °C. Granular products formed if the heating temperature was above 320 °C.

Tribocarbonisation of a fully formulated synthetic engine oil, an API SJ/SAE 5W-30 containing an organic molybdenum friction modifier, was investigated in an Optimal SRV® tribotester, with a Mo-coated piston ring and a cast iron cylinder bore tribopair in lubricated sliding contact and under stepwise heating conditions. The friction characteristics were determined by the friction coefficient curve which showed that two local minimum values occurred as the temperature increased stepwise. The local minimum friction coefficient at the lower temperature of 290°C was the result of the formation of MoS2 and MoO3, tribochemically generated by MoDTC and ZDTP. For the other local minimum friction coefficient at the higher temperature of 400°C, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopic examinations of the worn tracks on the cylinder bore samples indicated that tribopyrolysis of the oil components and simultaneous polycondensation into carbonaceous species had occurred. Detailed Raman analyses showed that the carbonaceous species included a disordered phase and an ordered phase characterised, respectively, by the D-line (1370 cm−1) and G-line (1580 cm−1). The peak positions and sizes of the graphite crystallites involved varied according to temperature, and were related to the specific points on the friction coefficient versus temperature curve. Tribochemistry could enhance pyrolysis of the oil and facilitate the production of the carbonaceous species and growth of the graphite crystallites.

A modified carbonation method was developed to synthesize plate-like CaCO3 particles in dilute Ca(OH)2 suspension. The influence of the initial Ca(OH)2 concentration, CO2 and temperature on the morphology of the precipitated CaCO3 particles was discussed. The variation of pH and the electrical conductivity with the carbonation time was investigated. Both of the experimental results and the thermodynamic calculation indicated that a low [Ca2+]/[C]T value, corresponding to a pH or temperature condition, is favorable for the formation of plate-like CaCO3 particles.

Surface engineering techniques are routinely used for enhancing the performance of a diverse range of products. They are especially beneficial in tribological applications [1–2]. Mo-sprayed coating, nitrided coating and Cr-plated coating are three kinds of typical piston ring materials in IC engines and their tribological performances exert direct influences upon the power output, fuel economy and exhaust emission of the IC engines [3]. Many investigations have been conducted on the tribological behaviors for Mo-sprayed coating, nitrided coating and Cr-plated coating [4–8]. These investigations have characteristically involved (1) concentration on dry friction and wear behavior for these three coatings and few focus on their lubricated tribological performances; and (2) lower experimental temperatures generally than 200 ◦C though the real temperature for the piston ring can be as high as 320 ◦C. Thus it is of practical significance to study both friction and wear behavior for the Mo-sprayed coating, nitrided coating and Cr-plated coating lubricated with fully formulated engine crankcase oils at higher temperature. In the current study, the friction and wear behavior for the Mo-sprayed coating, nitrided coating and Cr-plated coating under lubricated and sliding contact conditions at a temperature of 320 ◦C were studied. In addition, chemical analyses were conducted on the wear tracks to understand the effect of the coating type on the tribochemical behavior of a friction modifier—molybdenum dialkyldithiocarbamate (MoDTC).

The content and the molecular weight distribution of wheat water-soluble proteins during malting were determined. Also, the relationships between wheat malt characteristics and water-soluble protein molecular weight distributions were studied. The water-soluble protein content was found to increase during malting and the increment was most significant on the first and second days. The molecular weight distribution of the wheat water-soluble protein was analysed by high-pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) and sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) methods. The HPSEC method showed that the content of all six molecular weight fractions (>24.4, 9.8–24.4, 3.9–9.8, 2.5–3.9, 0.4–2.5 and 24.4, 9.8–24.4 and 3.9–9.8 kDa fractions showed a declining trend during steeping but an increase during the first 2 days of germination. The content of the 9.8–24.4 kDa fraction increased during the process of kilning. Wheat had a high percentage of the >24.4 and 9.8–24.4 kDa fractions, while wheat malt had a high percentage of the 2.5–3.9 and 0.4–2.5 kDa fractions. The molecular weight fractions of the water-soluble protein had negative correlations with wheat malt viscosity and positive correlations with wheat malt extract. The SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the band of the 60 kDa water-soluble protein faded, while the bands of the 56, 44 and 12–15 kDa water-soluble proteins became darker during malting. Copyright © 2014 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling