As a new stochastic optimizer, artificial electric field algorithm (AEFA) has been confirmed to be effective in tackling diverse real-world problems. Nevertheless, AEFA works with a simple search mechanism and a fixed attenuation factor, which makes it prone to stagnation and premature convergence when handling complex search tasks. In response to these issues, an elite exemplar learning-based AEFA (EL-AEFA) is proposed. More specifically, in EL-AEFA, elite individuals with distinct merits are stored in different exemplar pools. Then, an elite exemplar learning strategy is developed, which makes multiple individuals saved in the exemplar pool co-direct the entire population in each generation. Further, a time-varying parameter control scheme is designed to dynamically generate a more suitable attenuation factor. Numerical experiments are executed on 42 benchmark functions to assess the performance of EL-AEFA. Moreover, three chaotic time series prediction problems are employed to examine the effectiveness and versatility of EL-AEFA. Experimental results reveal that the presented EL-AEFA is superior to the original AEFA, four recently developed variants of AEFA, and 35 powerful algorithms. The source code of EL-AEFA is publicly available at https://github.com/lqhgxgl/EL-AEFA.
The replacement of traditional concrete with RC can effectively alleviate nonrenewable resource depletion, ecosystem damage, and environmental pollution caused by the large-scale use of concrete-filled steel tubes. However, the surface of construction waste aggregate is covered with old mortar. Its high water absorption and weak interfacial transition zone reduce the mechanical properties of RC and limit its application. In this study, the mechanical properties of RC were enhanced synergistically by using high-volume fly ash (FA) and fibers at both micro and macro levels. The physical filling and secondary hydration products of FA improved the interfacial bond between aggregate and cement matrix, and the three-dimensional anchoring effect of different fibers interwoven to form a mesh structure dispersed the internal stresses and retarded the plastic shrinkage. The mechanical property tests (single-factor and orthogonal tests) and multiple linear regression calculations showed that when the mass ratio of FA:polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVA):kapok fiber (KF):flax fiber (FF) was 1:0.01:0:0:0.02, the mechanical properties of FA and hybrid fiber-reinforced recycled concrete (FFRC) was the best; the compressive strength was 31.7 MPa and the flexural strength was 11.1 MPa. The predicted values of the multiple linear-regression (MLR) model from orthogonal tests were in good agreement with the experimental values, and the model has high prediction accuracy and minimum residual standard deviation. In order to verify the practical application effect of RC, FFRC with excellent mechanical performance from the orthogonal test was filled into steel tubes for bidirectional eccentric tensile tests, and the tensile capacity demonstrated a 16.8% improvement compared with that of ordinary concrete-filled steel tubes. While ensuring improved mechanical properties, the chloride-penetration depth of FFRC was only 0.85 cm and flexural strength loss after exposure to high temperature was only 4.6%. Therefore, the durability performance of FFRC is better than that of ordinary concrete. Calculations indicated that the maximum carbon emissions reduction could reach 26.5% through the utilization of construction waste and FA. Overall, this work provides a proven strategy for the application of RC.
Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a representative nonclimacteric fruit species characterized by highly active aerobic respiratory metabolism and rapid progression of senescence during postharvest storage. The efficacy of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) in delaying senescence and inhibiting pericarp browning of litchi fruit was evaluated during storage at 4 degrees C. The findings demonstrated that 1-MCP application persistently suppressed the browning index, anthocyanin degradation, and color loss (lightness and hue angle). Additionally, 1-MCP effectively inhibited the production or accumulation of H2O2 and O2-& centerdot; and lowered relative electric conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and protein carbonylation content. The low accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis stems from potentiated antioxidant defenses, marked by elevated total flavonoids, phenolics, and ROS-scavenging enzyme activities (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR)). Moreover, 1-MCP specifically upregulated the oxidative repair gene LcMsrB1 and suppressed key browning enzymes polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD). Correlation analysis further confirmed that browning index was positively correlated with ROS, membrane damage, and PPO/POD activity, and negatively correlated with antioxidants, LcMsrB1 expression, GR/SOD activity, and anthocyanin/phenol content. These findings indicate that 1-MCP delays senescence and browning by competitively binding to ethylene receptors to block ripening signals, modulating the expression of REDOX-related enzyme genes and ROS metabolism, enhancing antioxidant/repair systems, and preserving membrane/protein integrity.
In the context of the "dual-carbon" targets and the development of green building materials, lightweight mortar has attracted considerable attention, owing to its low density and excellent thermal insulation properties. However, lightweight aggregates, such as vitrified microspheres, while effectively reducing mortar density, exhibit high porosity and weak interfacial bonding, which compromise mechanical performance. To address this issue, this study introduces sugarcane bagasse fiber (SBF) as a reinforcing material, with contents of 0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, 1.2%, and 1.6%. The effects of SBF on physical properties (consistency, density, water absorption) and mechanical properties (compressive strength, flexural strength, and tensile bond strength) were systematically evaluated. Furthermore, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to analyze pore structure and interfacial transition zone (ITZ) characteristics at multiple scales. The results indicate that: (1) at low contents (0.4-0.8%), SBF was uniformly dispersed, improving matrix compactness; (2) compared with the control group, the 28-day compressive, flexural, and tensile bond strengths increased by 7.1%, 13.1%, and 25%, respectively; (3) NMR analysis revealed that the incorporation of SBF significantly increased the proportion of capillary pores, reduced total porosity, and enhanced mortar compactness, thereby improving mechanical strength; (4) fractal dimension analysis showed that contents of 0.4% and 0.8% increased structural complexity while reducing pore connectivity, leading to higher compressive strength; (5) SEM observations further demonstrated that the fibers provided bridging and anchoring effects within the ITZ, promoted the deposition of hydration products, and enhanced interfacial compactness.
The lack of suitable stabilizers and preparation methods has hindered the development of foamed emulsions with aqueous or oil continuous phase. To address this issue, a simple approach was proposed in this study, which involves whipping hybrid gels to generate foamed emulsions and adjusting the component proportions of the gels to regulate both the physical properties and types of foamed emulsions. Specifically, hybrid gels were prepared by homogenizing the candelilla wax-based oleogel and glycyrrhizic acid-based hydrogel, followed by whipping these hybrid gels to produce foamed emulsions. The influence of the oleogel-to-hydrogel ratios on the physical properties of hybrid gels and foamed emulsions was investigated. Results demonstrated that increasing the ratio from 3:7 to 7:3, and then to 8:2 resulted in a catastrophic phase inversion of hybrid gels, transitioning from O/W to bicontinuous, and finally to W/O type. Foamed emulsions with aqueous continuous phase were derived from O/W type hybrid gels, where partially coalesced oleogel droplets stabilized these bubbles. Moreover, the foamed emulsions with oil continuous phase were prepared by whipping the bicontinuous or W/O type hybrid gels wherein wax crystals anchored on the bubble surface. Small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) and large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) test results illustrated that foamed emulsions with aqueous continuous phase demonstrated superior mechanical strength and deformation resistance compared to their oil continuous phase counterparts, making them ideal ink for 3D printing. These findings enrich the formulation of foamed emulsions, enabling their use in developing low-fat, low-sugar foods as well as customized food processing.
