Developing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process for the production of valuable chemicals from abundant herbal biomass receives great attentions in recent years.Herein,taking advantage of the“lignin f...Developing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process for the production of valuable chemicals from abundant herbal biomass receives great attentions in recent years.Herein,taking advantage of the“lignin first”strategy,corn straw is converted to valuable chemicals including lignin monomers,furfural and 5-methoxymethylfurfural via a two steps process.The key of this research lies in the development of a green and low-cost catalytic process utilizing magnetic Raney Ni catalyst and high boiling point ethylene glycol.The utilization of neat ethylene glycol as the sole slovent under atmospheric conditions obviates the need for additional additives,thereby facilitating the entire process to be conducted in glass flasks and rendering it highly convenient for scaling up.In the initial step,depolymerization of corn straw lignin resulted in a monomer yield of 18.1 wt%.Subsequently,in a dimethyl carbonate system,the carbohydrate component underwent complete conversion in a one-pot process,yielding furfural and 5-methoxymethylfurfural as the primary products with an impressive yield of 47.7%.展开更多
Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a metabolic disease caused by a glycolipid metabolism disorder and isletβ-cell dysfunction.SCP-80-I is a biologically active water-soluble polysaccharide isolated from sweet corncob,a...Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a metabolic disease caused by a glycolipid metabolism disorder and isletβ-cell dysfunction.SCP-80-I is a biologically active water-soluble polysaccharide isolated from sweet corncob,an agricultural byproduct.The hypoglycemic effects of SCP-80-I on T2DM mice and its mechanisms were investigated in this study.SCP-80-I was found to significantly reduce blood glucose and lipid deposition levels in T2DM mice,as well as decrease serum leptin and increase adiponectin secretion.Interestingly,real time-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and Western blotting results revealed that SCP-80-I could regulate the expression of several glycolipid metabolisms and insulin secretion genes and proteins,including 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK),carnitine palmitoyltransferase I(CPTI),and acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase(ACC)in the liver and AMPK,sirtuin1(Sirtl),peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorycoactivator-1(PGC-1α),and uncoupling protein 2(UCP2)in the pancreas.To have a hypoglycemic effect,SCP-80-1 regulated glycolipid metabolism and islet cell function in the liver by regulating the AMPK/AC C/CPT1 signaling pathway and the AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1αand AMPK/Sirtl/UCP2 signaling pathways.These findings improve our understanding of polysaccharides derived from sweet corncob and the use of SCP-80-I in the production of hypoglycemic foods.展开更多
Objective To investigate the efficacy of raw corn starch(RCS)in clinical management of insulinoma-induced hypoglycemia.Methods We retrospectively collected clinical data of insulinoma patients who received RCS-supplem...Objective To investigate the efficacy of raw corn starch(RCS)in clinical management of insulinoma-induced hypoglycemia.Methods We retrospectively collected clinical data of insulinoma patients who received RCS-supplemented diet preoperatively,and analyzed the therapeutic effects of the RCS intervention on blood glucose control,weight change,and its adverse events.Results The study population consisted of 24 cases of insulinoma patients,7 males and 17 females,aged 46.08±14.15 years.Before RCS-supplemented diet,all patients had frequent hypoglycemic episodes(2.51±3.88 times/week),concurrent with neuroglycopenia(in 83.3% of patients)and autonomic manifestations(in 75.0% of patients),with the median fasting blood glucose(FBG)of 2.70(interquartile range[IQR]:2.50-2.90)mmol/L.The patients'weight increased by 0.38(IQR:0.05-0.65)kg per month,with 8(33.3%)cases developing overweight and 7(29.2%)cases developing obesity.All patients maintained the RCS-supplemented diet until they underwent tumor resection(23 cases)and transarterial chemoembolization for liver metastases(1 case).For 19 patients receiving RCS throughout the day,the median FBG within one week of nutritional management was 4.30(IQR:3.30-5.70)mmol/L,which was a significant increase compared to pre-nutritional level[2.25(IQR:1.60-2.90)mmol/L;P<0.001].Of them,10 patients receiving RCS throughout the day for over four weeks had sustained improvement in FBG compared to pre-treatment[3.20(IQR:2.60-3.95)mmol/L vs.2.15(IQR:1.83-2.33)mmol/L;P<0.001].Five patients who received RCS only at night also had a significant increase in FBG within one week of nutritional management[3.50(IQR:2.50-3.65)mmol/L vs.2.20(IQR:1.80-2.60)mmol/L;P<0.001],but only one patient who continued to receive RCS for over four weeks did not have a significant improvement in FBG.No improvement in weight gain was observed upon RCS supplementation.Mild diarrhea(2 cases)and flatulence(1 case)occurred,and were relieved by reduction of RCS dose.Conclusion The RCS-supplemented diet is effective in controlling insulinoma-induced hypoglycemia.展开更多
For electrochemical CO_(2) reduction to HCOOH,an ongoing challenge is to design energy efficient electrocatalysts that can deliver a high HCOOH current density(JHCOOH)at a low overpotential.Indium oxide is good HCOOH ...For electrochemical CO_(2) reduction to HCOOH,an ongoing challenge is to design energy efficient electrocatalysts that can deliver a high HCOOH current density(JHCOOH)at a low overpotential.Indium oxide is good HCOOH production catalyst but with low con-ductivity.In this work,we report a unique corn design of In_(2)O_(3-x)@C nanocatalyst,wherein In_(2)O_(3-x)nanocube as the fine grains dispersed uniformly on the carbon nanorod cob,resulting in the enhanced conductivity.Excellent performance is achieved with 84%Faradaic efficiency(FE)and 11 mA cm^(−2)JHCOOH at a low potential of−0.4 V versus RHE.At the current density of 100 mA cm^(−2),the applied potential remained stable for more than 120 h with the FE above 90%.Density functional theory calculations reveal that the abundant oxygen vacancy in In_(2)O_(3-x) has exposed more In^(3+) sites with activated electroactivity,which facilitates the formation of HCOO*intermediate.Operando X-ray absorp-tion spectroscopy also confirms In^(3+) as the active site and the key intermediate of HCOO*during the process of CO_(2) reduction to HCOOH.展开更多
Active carbons(ACs) were prepared through chemical activation of biochar from whole corn stalk(WCS)and corn stalk pith(CSP) at varying temperatures using potassium hydroxide as the activating agent. ACs were character...Active carbons(ACs) were prepared through chemical activation of biochar from whole corn stalk(WCS)and corn stalk pith(CSP) at varying temperatures using potassium hydroxide as the activating agent. ACs were characterized via pore structural analysis and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). These adsorbents were then assessed for their adsorption capacity for butanol vapor. It was found that WCS activated at900 °C for 1 h(WCS-900) had optimal butanol adsorption characteristics. The BET surface area and total pore volume of the WCS-900 were 2330 m2/g and 1.29 cm3/g, respectively. The dynamic adsorption capacity of butanol vapor was 410.0 mg/g, a 185.1% increase compared to charcoal-based commercial AC(143.8 mg/g).展开更多
This paper investigates the relationship between China’s fuel ethanol promotion plan and food security based on the interactions between the crude oil market, the fuel ethanol market and the grain market. Based on th...This paper investigates the relationship between China’s fuel ethanol promotion plan and food security based on the interactions between the crude oil market, the fuel ethanol market and the grain market. Based on the US West Texas Intermediate(WTI) crude oil spot price and Chinese corn prices from January 2008 to May 2018, this paper applies Granger causality testing and a generalized impulse response function to explore the relationship between world crude oil prices and Chinese corn prices. The results show that crude oil prices are not the Granger cause of China’s corn prices, but changes in world crude oil prices will have a long-term positive impact on Chinese corn prices. Therefore, the Chinese government should pay attention to changes in crude oil prices when promoting fuel ethanol. Considering the conduction e ect between fuel ethanol and the food market, the government should also take some measures to ensure food security.展开更多
It is very difficult to directly spin the lignocellulose without pretreatment.Ionic liquids(ILs)are promising solvent to dissolve lignocellulose to prepare cellulose fiber.However,the degree of cellulose polymerizatio...It is very difficult to directly spin the lignocellulose without pretreatment.Ionic liquids(ILs)are promising solvent to dissolve lignocellulose to prepare cellulose fiber.However,the degree of cellulose polymerization(DP)is reduced when lignocellulose is dissolved in ILs,and the lignin removal rate is low.The elongation at break and tensile strength of the fibers obtained by spinning the lignocellulose dissolved in ILs are poor.In this paper,preparing cellulose fiber directly from lignocellulose based on dissolving corn stalk via[C4mim]Cl-L-arginine binary system is achieved.It shows that the removal rate of lignin can reach 92.35%and the purity of cellulose can reach 85.32%after corn stalk was dissolved at 150℃C for 11.5 h when the mass fraction of arginine is 2.5%.The elongation at break of fiber reached 10.12%and the tensile strength reached 420 MPa.It is mainly due to the fact that L-arginine not only inhibits the degradation of cellulose but also promotes the delignination.Without any pulping or pretreatment,preparing cellulose fibers via direct dissolution and extrusion may provide a simple and effective way to prepare many novel cellulose materials.展开更多
Whole grain has a wide range of phytochemicals exhibiting health benefits of lowering risk of chronic diseases.As commonly consumed grain product,corn has unique profiles of nutrients and phytochemicals when compared ...Whole grain has a wide range of phytochemicals exhibiting health benefits of lowering risk of chronic diseases.As commonly consumed grain product,corn has unique profiles of nutrients and phytochemicals when compared with other whole grains.Corn nutrients and phytochemicals include vitamins(A,B,E,and K),minerals(Mg,P,and K),phenolic acids(ferulic acid,coumaric acid,and syringic acid),carotenoids and flavonoids(anthocyanins),and dietary fiber.More and more scientific evidences have shown that regular consumption of whole grain corn lowers the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease,type 2 diabetes,and obesity and improves digestive health.Further studies on bioactive compounds of corn related to health are needed.展开更多
Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species.It frequently contaminates cereals used for foods or animal feeds,especially deposited in crude corn oil.Certain amounts of zearalenone can be removed during ref...Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species.It frequently contaminates cereals used for foods or animal feeds,especially deposited in crude corn oil.Certain amounts of zearalenone can be removed during refining processes.In this study,we studied the influence of activated carbon and six industial absorbents(zeolite,diatomite,attapulgite,perlite,montmorillonite and activated clay)on the elimination of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil and explored the absorption mechanism of activated carbon.Results showed that activated carbon had an excellent adsorption capacity of zearalenone compared with the other six industrial adsorbents.For activated carbon,a high removal rate of zearalenone(exceeding 83%)from heavily zearalenone-polluted corn oil was achieved and the removal rate of zearalenone was kept above 60%after five regeneration cycles.The research on the adsorption mechanism of activated carbon showed that Freundlich adsorption isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model could well described the adsorption process.The thermodynamic study demonstrated that adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy further revealed that activated carbon was effectively combined with zearalenone viaπ-πinteraction.Thus,activated carbon is an efficient and suitable adsorbent to control the levels of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil.This study not only proposed a systematic research scheme for the mechanism study of activated carbon for the elimination of zearalenone in corn oil,but also provided the scientific basis for developing effective methods to eliminate zearalenone in refined vegetable oils.展开更多
A steam explosion pretreatment, which is one of the best ways of pretreating plant stalk, is applied at various severities to corn stalk. It could effectively modify the super-molecular structure of corn stalk and def...A steam explosion pretreatment, which is one of the best ways of pretreating plant stalk, is applied at various severities to corn stalk. It could effectively modify the super-molecular structure of corn stalk and defibrating corn stalk into individual components. The relationship between yield of reducing sugar and the operating conditions, including temperature, pressure of steam explosion pretreatment and acidity, is also established. Experimental results prove that the steam explosion substantially increases the yield of reducing sugar, and the optimal condition for steam explosion is as follows: the pressure is 2.0 MPa, the pressure-retaining time 300 s, the initial acid concentration 1% and the acid treatment time 24 h.展开更多
Corn is a high starchy cereal crop with the highest production and provides over 85%of the starch produced worldwide.Various by-products,differentiated by technological process features such as steep liquor,corn germ,...Corn is a high starchy cereal crop with the highest production and provides over 85%of the starch produced worldwide.Various by-products,differentiated by technological process features such as steep liquor,corn germ,corn bran,gluten,are created largely during corn starch processing.They are inexpensive,nutrient-rich,and vary widely in chemical composition such as proteins,oils,carbohydrates,and minerals.In an increasingly resource-constrained modern world,the utilization approach of these by-products for non-starch industrial processing is attractive widely considering both nutritive value and economic aspects.In fact,at present,applications of these by-products can often be found in feed,fermentation,nutrient extraction and other industries.For example,protein-rich corn gluten can be used as a good animal feed,and corn germ can be used as a raw material for the high-quality edible oil industry.Undoubtedly,increasing utilization means that these by-products will no longer be treated as waste but will be transformed into high value-added products.In this work,the separation process and chemical composition of several main by-products of the corn starch industry is briefly described,and the application in many industrial fields of these by-products over the last ten years are discussed in particular.This review attempts to summarize all aspects of the application and research of these by-products.For the by-products of the corn starch industry,the most promising way is to be utilized in high value and used to produce high value-added products.According to the characteristics of their chemical composition,they have a better application prospect and research significance in the industries directly related to human beings,such as medicine,green food and health care products.In fact,in recent years,some researchers have recognized this and carried out the research.It is clear fromthese studies that the main issues to be faced nowand in the future are how to produce efficiently while maintaining the quality of the product and using it effectively.The retrospective discussions also provide some ideas for other grain and oilseed crops to be fully utilized.展开更多
To better understand the mass transfer process of moisture in the soy protein isolate-corn starch(SPI-CS)films during preparation and storage process,the drying kinetics model of SPI-CS films with different formation ...To better understand the mass transfer process of moisture in the soy protein isolate-corn starch(SPI-CS)films during preparation and storage process,the drying kinetics model of SPI-CS films with different formation conditions during the drying process and the moisture adsorption characteristics of the SPI-CS films under different humidity conditions were investigated.Within the range of experimental conditions,the moisture migration rule in the SPI-CS films during the drying preparation was combined with the Page model which was expressed as MR=exp(-kt^(n)).It was found that the adsorption equilibrium needed shorter time(about 3 h)when the SPI-CS films existed in the environment with lower humidity(RH<54%).Additionally,the secondorder adsorption kinetic equation was successful to describe the moisture adsorption characteristic of the SPICS films during storage under different humidity conditions.展开更多
Levulinate esters are versatile chemicals that have been used in various fields. Herein, the production of ethyl levulinate（EL） from corn stover was investigated under microwave irradiation. Several reaction paramet...Levulinate esters are versatile chemicals that have been used in various fields. Herein, the production of ethyl levulinate（EL） from corn stover was investigated under microwave irradiation. Several reaction parameters, including acid concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time, and liquid-to-solid mass ratio, were investigated to evaluate the reaction conditions. Response surface methodology（RSM） was employed to optimize the reaction conditions for the production of EL. A quadratic polynomial model was fitted to the data with an R2 value of 0.93. The model validation results reflected a good fit between the experimental and predicted values. A high conversion yield（58.1 mol%） was obtained at the optimum conditions of 190℃, 30.4 min, 2.84 wt% acid, and 15 g/g liquid-to-solid mass ratio. Compared with conventional heating, microwave irradiation facilitated the conversion of corn stover to EL by dramatically shortening the reaction time from several hours to ～30 min. Thus, microwave-assisted conversion of corn stover to EL is an efficient way of utilizing a renewable biomass resource.展开更多
Biochemical technique was used to separate three kinds of proteins (albumin, globulin and gliadin) in corn samples froin high selenium areas and normal areas in Erxi autonomous region of Hubei Province, China. The con...Biochemical technique was used to separate three kinds of proteins (albumin, globulin and gliadin) in corn samples froin high selenium areas and normal areas in Erxi autonomous region of Hubei Province, China. The contents of Se and other elements in these proteins were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The results show that Se is enriched in corn proteins at high selenium area, while Cu, Al, Mn, V and Cl are also enriched in varying degrees.展开更多
In order to study mechanical behaviors of corn stalk powder during the compaction, the yield criterion for corn stalk powder is proposed with a plasticity theory. From the stress-strain curves of uni-axial compaction ...In order to study mechanical behaviors of corn stalk powder during the compaction, the yield criterion for corn stalk powder is proposed with a plasticity theory. From the stress-strain curves of uni-axial compaction test for corn stalk powder, the constitutive model, in which the equations are modified by experiments on corn stalk powder, is adopted to describe plastic behaviors of powder, and is discussed based on the incremental theory and deformation theory. The numerical results agree well with the experimental ones.展开更多
世界领先的纺织工业用硅酮产品供应商Dow Corning（道康宁）公司将在3月28—30日在美国亚特兰大举办的北美Techtextil研讨会（Techtextil—Symposium North America）上介绍一种新开发的、已申请专利的抗冲击技术——Dow Coming主动防...世界领先的纺织工业用硅酮产品供应商Dow Corning（道康宁）公司将在3月28—30日在美国亚特兰大举办的北美Techtextil研讨会（Techtextil—Symposium North America）上介绍一种新开发的、已申请专利的抗冲击技术——Dow Coming主动防护系统。展开更多
Polysaccharide produced from medicinal endophytic fungus not only has applications in foods,but also exhibits multiple biological activities.In this work,an endophytic fungus Chaetomium globosum CGMCC 6882 could use c...Polysaccharide produced from medicinal endophytic fungus not only has applications in foods,but also exhibits multiple biological activities.In this work,an endophytic fungus Chaetomium globosum CGMCC 6882 could use corn stover to produce a polysaccharide(GCP-SC)by consolidated bioprocess and the titer of GCP-SC reached 3.2 g/L.The transcriptional levels of genes related to cellulose degradation(cbh,cdh,glu and egl)in C.globosum CGMCC 6882 were 4.38,3.85,3.13,and 2.17 folds compared to the control group when corn stover was used as the sole carbon source.Moreover,GCP-SC showed a time-and dose-dependent manner of inhibitory effect on A549 cells and the inhibitory rate reached 93.3%.This work provides meaningful data on agricultural residues utilization and facilitation of future relative resource conversion studies.展开更多
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(QNTD202302)National Natural Science Foundation of China(22378024)the Foreign expert program(G2022109001L).
文摘Developing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process for the production of valuable chemicals from abundant herbal biomass receives great attentions in recent years.Herein,taking advantage of the“lignin first”strategy,corn straw is converted to valuable chemicals including lignin monomers,furfural and 5-methoxymethylfurfural via a two steps process.The key of this research lies in the development of a green and low-cost catalytic process utilizing magnetic Raney Ni catalyst and high boiling point ethylene glycol.The utilization of neat ethylene glycol as the sole slovent under atmospheric conditions obviates the need for additional additives,thereby facilitating the entire process to be conducted in glass flasks and rendering it highly convenient for scaling up.In the initial step,depolymerization of corn straw lignin resulted in a monomer yield of 18.1 wt%.Subsequently,in a dimethyl carbonate system,the carbohydrate component underwent complete conversion in a one-pot process,yielding furfural and 5-methoxymethylfurfural as the primary products with an impressive yield of 47.7%.
基金financially supported by the Doctoral Scientific Research Start-up Foundation of the Harbin University of Commerce (2019DS098)the Young Innovation Talents Project from the Harbin University of Commerce (2019CX31)the Graduate Innovation Fund from the Harbin University of Commerce (YJSCX2019–615HSD)。
文摘Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a metabolic disease caused by a glycolipid metabolism disorder and isletβ-cell dysfunction.SCP-80-I is a biologically active water-soluble polysaccharide isolated from sweet corncob,an agricultural byproduct.The hypoglycemic effects of SCP-80-I on T2DM mice and its mechanisms were investigated in this study.SCP-80-I was found to significantly reduce blood glucose and lipid deposition levels in T2DM mice,as well as decrease serum leptin and increase adiponectin secretion.Interestingly,real time-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and Western blotting results revealed that SCP-80-I could regulate the expression of several glycolipid metabolisms and insulin secretion genes and proteins,including 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK),carnitine palmitoyltransferase I(CPTI),and acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase(ACC)in the liver and AMPK,sirtuin1(Sirtl),peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorycoactivator-1(PGC-1α),and uncoupling protein 2(UCP2)in the pancreas.To have a hypoglycemic effect,SCP-80-1 regulated glycolipid metabolism and islet cell function in the liver by regulating the AMPK/AC C/CPT1 signaling pathway and the AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1αand AMPK/Sirtl/UCP2 signaling pathways.These findings improve our understanding of polysaccharides derived from sweet corncob and the use of SCP-80-I in the production of hypoglycemic foods.
基金supported by the National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Fund(2022-PUMCH-A-146)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(72074222)the Na-tional Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFC2005005).
文摘Objective To investigate the efficacy of raw corn starch(RCS)in clinical management of insulinoma-induced hypoglycemia.Methods We retrospectively collected clinical data of insulinoma patients who received RCS-supplemented diet preoperatively,and analyzed the therapeutic effects of the RCS intervention on blood glucose control,weight change,and its adverse events.Results The study population consisted of 24 cases of insulinoma patients,7 males and 17 females,aged 46.08±14.15 years.Before RCS-supplemented diet,all patients had frequent hypoglycemic episodes(2.51±3.88 times/week),concurrent with neuroglycopenia(in 83.3% of patients)and autonomic manifestations(in 75.0% of patients),with the median fasting blood glucose(FBG)of 2.70(interquartile range[IQR]:2.50-2.90)mmol/L.The patients'weight increased by 0.38(IQR:0.05-0.65)kg per month,with 8(33.3%)cases developing overweight and 7(29.2%)cases developing obesity.All patients maintained the RCS-supplemented diet until they underwent tumor resection(23 cases)and transarterial chemoembolization for liver metastases(1 case).For 19 patients receiving RCS throughout the day,the median FBG within one week of nutritional management was 4.30(IQR:3.30-5.70)mmol/L,which was a significant increase compared to pre-nutritional level[2.25(IQR:1.60-2.90)mmol/L;P<0.001].Of them,10 patients receiving RCS throughout the day for over four weeks had sustained improvement in FBG compared to pre-treatment[3.20(IQR:2.60-3.95)mmol/L vs.2.15(IQR:1.83-2.33)mmol/L;P<0.001].Five patients who received RCS only at night also had a significant increase in FBG within one week of nutritional management[3.50(IQR:2.50-3.65)mmol/L vs.2.20(IQR:1.80-2.60)mmol/L;P<0.001],but only one patient who continued to receive RCS for over four weeks did not have a significant improvement in FBG.No improvement in weight gain was observed upon RCS supplementation.Mild diarrhea(2 cases)and flatulence(1 case)occurred,and were relieved by reduction of RCS dose.Conclusion The RCS-supplemented diet is effective in controlling insulinoma-induced hypoglycemia.
基金supported by Natural Science Foundation of China(21972006,U2001217,21771156)Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission(KCXFZ20201221173604012)+2 种基金Shenzhen Peacock Plan(KQTD2016053015544057)Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle United Research Project(SGLH20180622092406130)supported by the U.S.Department of Energy,Office of Science,Office of Basic Energy Sciences,under Contract No.DE-AC02-06CH11357.
文摘For electrochemical CO_(2) reduction to HCOOH,an ongoing challenge is to design energy efficient electrocatalysts that can deliver a high HCOOH current density(JHCOOH)at a low overpotential.Indium oxide is good HCOOH production catalyst but with low con-ductivity.In this work,we report a unique corn design of In_(2)O_(3-x)@C nanocatalyst,wherein In_(2)O_(3-x)nanocube as the fine grains dispersed uniformly on the carbon nanorod cob,resulting in the enhanced conductivity.Excellent performance is achieved with 84%Faradaic efficiency(FE)and 11 mA cm^(−2)JHCOOH at a low potential of−0.4 V versus RHE.At the current density of 100 mA cm^(−2),the applied potential remained stable for more than 120 h with the FE above 90%.Density functional theory calculations reveal that the abundant oxygen vacancy in In_(2)O_(3-x) has exposed more In^(3+) sites with activated electroactivity,which facilitates the formation of HCOO*intermediate.Operando X-ray absorp-tion spectroscopy also confirms In^(3+) as the active site and the key intermediate of HCOO*during the process of CO_(2) reduction to HCOOH.
基金supported by following projects:“Development of high value carbon based adsorbents from thermochemically produced biochar”USDA-NIFA2011-67009-20030 through the USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Sustainable Bioenergy Program which funded the Micropore analyzer and instruments for modifying AC+1 种基金NSF EPSCoR TrackⅡDakota Bio Con center(National Science Foundation/EPSCo R Award No.1330842)supported Mr.Cao Yuhe for his PhD study and GC–MS instrumentDOE Sun Grant Concept Project“Developing Gas Stripping-Adsorption/Desorption Separation Processes based on Porous Carbon Adsorbents for Biofuel Purification from Bioreactors”(North Central Sun Grant Award No.1300478)supported upgrading the Chemical Adsorption Analyzer
文摘Active carbons(ACs) were prepared through chemical activation of biochar from whole corn stalk(WCS)and corn stalk pith(CSP) at varying temperatures using potassium hydroxide as the activating agent. ACs were characterized via pore structural analysis and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). These adsorbents were then assessed for their adsorption capacity for butanol vapor. It was found that WCS activated at900 °C for 1 h(WCS-900) had optimal butanol adsorption characteristics. The BET surface area and total pore volume of the WCS-900 were 2330 m2/g and 1.29 cm3/g, respectively. The dynamic adsorption capacity of butanol vapor was 410.0 mg/g, a 185.1% increase compared to charcoal-based commercial AC(143.8 mg/g).
基金sponsored by MOE Project of Humanities and Social Sciences (Project No. 17YJC790107)sponsored by the National Social Science Foundation of China (Project No. 18BJY251)
文摘This paper investigates the relationship between China’s fuel ethanol promotion plan and food security based on the interactions between the crude oil market, the fuel ethanol market and the grain market. Based on the US West Texas Intermediate(WTI) crude oil spot price and Chinese corn prices from January 2008 to May 2018, this paper applies Granger causality testing and a generalized impulse response function to explore the relationship between world crude oil prices and Chinese corn prices. The results show that crude oil prices are not the Granger cause of China’s corn prices, but changes in world crude oil prices will have a long-term positive impact on Chinese corn prices. Therefore, the Chinese government should pay attention to changes in crude oil prices when promoting fuel ethanol. Considering the conduction e ect between fuel ethanol and the food market, the government should also take some measures to ensure food security.
基金This research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21878292,No.21606240,No.21878314)K.C.Wong Education Foundation(No.GJTD-2018-04)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Science(No.XDA21060300).
文摘It is very difficult to directly spin the lignocellulose without pretreatment.Ionic liquids(ILs)are promising solvent to dissolve lignocellulose to prepare cellulose fiber.However,the degree of cellulose polymerization(DP)is reduced when lignocellulose is dissolved in ILs,and the lignin removal rate is low.The elongation at break and tensile strength of the fibers obtained by spinning the lignocellulose dissolved in ILs are poor.In this paper,preparing cellulose fiber directly from lignocellulose based on dissolving corn stalk via[C4mim]Cl-L-arginine binary system is achieved.It shows that the removal rate of lignin can reach 92.35%and the purity of cellulose can reach 85.32%after corn stalk was dissolved at 150℃C for 11.5 h when the mass fraction of arginine is 2.5%.The elongation at break of fiber reached 10.12%and the tensile strength reached 420 MPa.It is mainly due to the fact that L-arginine not only inhibits the degradation of cellulose but also promotes the delignination.Without any pulping or pretreatment,preparing cellulose fibers via direct dissolution and extrusion may provide a simple and effective way to prepare many novel cellulose materials.
文摘Whole grain has a wide range of phytochemicals exhibiting health benefits of lowering risk of chronic diseases.As commonly consumed grain product,corn has unique profiles of nutrients and phytochemicals when compared with other whole grains.Corn nutrients and phytochemicals include vitamins(A,B,E,and K),minerals(Mg,P,and K),phenolic acids(ferulic acid,coumaric acid,and syringic acid),carotenoids and flavonoids(anthocyanins),and dietary fiber.More and more scientific evidences have shown that regular consumption of whole grain corn lowers the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease,type 2 diabetes,and obesity and improves digestive health.Further studies on bioactive compounds of corn related to health are needed.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31972110)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFD0401102).
文摘Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species.It frequently contaminates cereals used for foods or animal feeds,especially deposited in crude corn oil.Certain amounts of zearalenone can be removed during refining processes.In this study,we studied the influence of activated carbon and six industial absorbents(zeolite,diatomite,attapulgite,perlite,montmorillonite and activated clay)on the elimination of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil and explored the absorption mechanism of activated carbon.Results showed that activated carbon had an excellent adsorption capacity of zearalenone compared with the other six industrial adsorbents.For activated carbon,a high removal rate of zearalenone(exceeding 83%)from heavily zearalenone-polluted corn oil was achieved and the removal rate of zearalenone was kept above 60%after five regeneration cycles.The research on the adsorption mechanism of activated carbon showed that Freundlich adsorption isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model could well described the adsorption process.The thermodynamic study demonstrated that adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy further revealed that activated carbon was effectively combined with zearalenone viaπ-πinteraction.Thus,activated carbon is an efficient and suitable adsorbent to control the levels of zearalenone during bleaching process of corn oil.This study not only proposed a systematic research scheme for the mechanism study of activated carbon for the elimination of zearalenone in corn oil,but also provided the scientific basis for developing effective methods to eliminate zearalenone in refined vegetable oils.
文摘A steam explosion pretreatment, which is one of the best ways of pretreating plant stalk, is applied at various severities to corn stalk. It could effectively modify the super-molecular structure of corn stalk and defibrating corn stalk into individual components. The relationship between yield of reducing sugar and the operating conditions, including temperature, pressure of steam explosion pretreatment and acidity, is also established. Experimental results prove that the steam explosion substantially increases the yield of reducing sugar, and the optimal condition for steam explosion is as follows: the pressure is 2.0 MPa, the pressure-retaining time 300 s, the initial acid concentration 1% and the acid treatment time 24 h.
基金The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Doctor Research Fund of Henan University of Technology(2020BS009)Science,Technology and Innovation in the Soybean and its Alternative Crops Chain(SQ2019YFD100114).
文摘Corn is a high starchy cereal crop with the highest production and provides over 85%of the starch produced worldwide.Various by-products,differentiated by technological process features such as steep liquor,corn germ,corn bran,gluten,are created largely during corn starch processing.They are inexpensive,nutrient-rich,and vary widely in chemical composition such as proteins,oils,carbohydrates,and minerals.In an increasingly resource-constrained modern world,the utilization approach of these by-products for non-starch industrial processing is attractive widely considering both nutritive value and economic aspects.In fact,at present,applications of these by-products can often be found in feed,fermentation,nutrient extraction and other industries.For example,protein-rich corn gluten can be used as a good animal feed,and corn germ can be used as a raw material for the high-quality edible oil industry.Undoubtedly,increasing utilization means that these by-products will no longer be treated as waste but will be transformed into high value-added products.In this work,the separation process and chemical composition of several main by-products of the corn starch industry is briefly described,and the application in many industrial fields of these by-products over the last ten years are discussed in particular.This review attempts to summarize all aspects of the application and research of these by-products.For the by-products of the corn starch industry,the most promising way is to be utilized in high value and used to produce high value-added products.According to the characteristics of their chemical composition,they have a better application prospect and research significance in the industries directly related to human beings,such as medicine,green food and health care products.In fact,in recent years,some researchers have recognized this and carried out the research.It is clear fromthese studies that the main issues to be faced nowand in the future are how to produce efficiently while maintaining the quality of the product and using it effectively.The retrospective discussions also provide some ideas for other grain and oilseed crops to be fully utilized.
基金the Grain,Oil and Food Engineering Technology Research Center of the State Grain and Reserves Administration/Key Laboratory of Henan Province,Henan University of Technology(G0202205)the Key Scientific Research Projects of Colleges and Universities of Henan(23A550012)the Science Foundation of Henan University of Technology(2020BS013)。
文摘To better understand the mass transfer process of moisture in the soy protein isolate-corn starch(SPI-CS)films during preparation and storage process,the drying kinetics model of SPI-CS films with different formation conditions during the drying process and the moisture adsorption characteristics of the SPI-CS films under different humidity conditions were investigated.Within the range of experimental conditions,the moisture migration rule in the SPI-CS films during the drying preparation was combined with the Page model which was expressed as MR=exp(-kt^(n)).It was found that the adsorption equilibrium needed shorter time(about 3 h)when the SPI-CS films existed in the environment with lower humidity(RH<54%).Additionally,the secondorder adsorption kinetic equation was successful to describe the moisture adsorption characteristic of the SPICS films during storage under different humidity conditions.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(no.2016YFE0112800)National Natural Science Foundation of China(no.31671572)
文摘Levulinate esters are versatile chemicals that have been used in various fields. Herein, the production of ethyl levulinate（EL） from corn stover was investigated under microwave irradiation. Several reaction parameters, including acid concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time, and liquid-to-solid mass ratio, were investigated to evaluate the reaction conditions. Response surface methodology（RSM） was employed to optimize the reaction conditions for the production of EL. A quadratic polynomial model was fitted to the data with an R2 value of 0.93. The model validation results reflected a good fit between the experimental and predicted values. A high conversion yield（58.1 mol%） was obtained at the optimum conditions of 190℃, 30.4 min, 2.84 wt% acid, and 15 g/g liquid-to-solid mass ratio. Compared with conventional heating, microwave irradiation facilitated the conversion of corn stover to EL by dramatically shortening the reaction time from several hours to ～30 min. Thus, microwave-assisted conversion of corn stover to EL is an efficient way of utilizing a renewable biomass resource.
文摘Biochemical technique was used to separate three kinds of proteins (albumin, globulin and gliadin) in corn samples froin high selenium areas and normal areas in Erxi autonomous region of Hubei Province, China. The contents of Se and other elements in these proteins were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The results show that Se is enriched in corn proteins at high selenium area, while Cu, Al, Mn, V and Cl are also enriched in varying degrees.
基金Supported by the Fork Ying Tong Education Foundation (Grant No. 81029)
文摘In order to study mechanical behaviors of corn stalk powder during the compaction, the yield criterion for corn stalk powder is proposed with a plasticity theory. From the stress-strain curves of uni-axial compaction test for corn stalk powder, the constitutive model, in which the equations are modified by experiments on corn stalk powder, is adopted to describe plastic behaviors of powder, and is discussed based on the incremental theory and deformation theory. The numerical results agree well with the experimental ones.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Youth Support Plan of Henan University of Technology (2017QNJH10)High Level Research Fund for Qualified People of Henan University of Technology (2017BS011)the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province Education Department (19A180015)
文摘Polysaccharide produced from medicinal endophytic fungus not only has applications in foods,but also exhibits multiple biological activities.In this work,an endophytic fungus Chaetomium globosum CGMCC 6882 could use corn stover to produce a polysaccharide(GCP-SC)by consolidated bioprocess and the titer of GCP-SC reached 3.2 g/L.The transcriptional levels of genes related to cellulose degradation(cbh,cdh,glu and egl)in C.globosum CGMCC 6882 were 4.38,3.85,3.13,and 2.17 folds compared to the control group when corn stover was used as the sole carbon source.Moreover,GCP-SC showed a time-and dose-dependent manner of inhibitory effect on A549 cells and the inhibitory rate reached 93.3%.This work provides meaningful data on agricultural residues utilization and facilitation of future relative resource conversion studies.
