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Poor dispersibility of curcumin (cur) in aqueous medium and heat instability are common drawbacks preventing its efficiently practical use. Herein, the aim of this work was to reduce the size of cur crystals to the nanoscale through solid dispersion technique and subsequently stabilize them in an amorphous form. In this work, different ratios of pea protein (PP) to cur (6: 1, 12:1, 18:1 and 24:1, w/w) nano-supernatant (NS) in water were prepared via microfluidization. Results showed that particle size, Zeta potential (ZP) and cur concentration of cur in PP-cur NS in optimal conditions reached 357.45 nm, −33.43 mV and 81.68 mg/L, respectively. PP-cur NS showed excellent storage stability within one month and high heat stability of 52.32% at 90 °C after 180 min. Structural analysis including FT-IR, DSC and XRD indicated that cur entered into the hydrophobic pocket of PP by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds after microfluidization. This study indicated that PP exhibiting as an emulsifier and carrier might significantly reduce the surface tension of NS and in turns prolong their storability.

Comparison of hand-assisted laparoscopic radical gastrectomy and laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

High viscosity of starch greatly limit its application in some specific foods, in this work, a novel low-viscosity potato starch (PS) was developed via crosslinking between PS (3 %, w/v) and Ca

Apoptosis plays a critical role in sea cucumber autolysis. To investigate the ultraviolet (UV)-induced apoptosis, sea cucumbers with and without injection of BAPTA-AM (cytosolic calcium chelator) were exposed to UV (15 W/m2) for 30 min. The results showed that UV irradiation caused several changes in sea cucumber coelomocytes, including calcium imbalance, abnormal morphology of endoplasmic reticulum, upregulation of pro-apoptotic proteins CRT, CHOP, and caspases 9 and 3, and downregulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. A comparison between the two groups showed that injection of the calcium chelator into sea cucumbers helped maintain coelomocyte intracellular calcium homeostasis and suppressed other abnormal changes caused by ER stress, indicating apoptosis in sea cucumbers is mediated by calcium imbalance and follows the activation of the ER stress pathway. Therefore, this study broadens understanding of the apoptotic mechanism involved in sea cucumber autolysis, which is helpful in developing preservative agents for sea cucumbers.

Rheological properties of starch are affected by swelling of the granules that is in turn controlled by the degree of crosslinking. A previously developed model for swelling of starch granules was extended to account for electrostatic interactions. Maize starch was crosslinked with sodium trimetaphosphate. Granule swelling of 8% suspension of crosslinked maize starch when subjected to heating to 70,75,80,85 and 90 °C was more pronounced at higher temperatures eventually approaching equilibrium with the swelling ratio decreasing with increase in extent of crosslink. The number of crosslinks in the starch network was inferred from equilibrium swelling and related to peak viscosity and zeta potential. Chemical potential profile as well as the temperature profile within the granule at different times were predicted which were then employed to evaluate the evolution of granule size. The proposed model is able to describe the effect of crosslinking on swelling behavior.

The evolution of 8% suspension of waxy maize starch granule size distribution when subjected to heating to 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90 °C at a heating rate of 15 °C/min were measured. Granule swelling was more pronounced at higher temperatures with an increase in the average size from 13 μm to 25–28 μm, eventually approaching equilibrium. Cryo SEM images revealed porous structure of swollen granule. The proposed model for starch swelling accounts for entropy of mixing, enthalpy of water-starch interaction and elastic restoring force. The second virial coefficient of waxy maize in aqueous medium was characterized by static light scattering. Chemical potential profile as well as the temperature profile within the granule were predicted from the solution of unsteady state diffusion and heat conduction respectively. The granule size was then inferred from the chemical potential profile. The proposed model predicts the evolution of average granule size and granule size distribution accurately.

A one-dimensional (1D) apparent position (AP) numerical solution (APNS) method was previously proposed to predict the evolution of temperature at the slowest heating point (SHP) of canned food in any shaped container during retort processing. In this study, the APNS method was implemented in a two-dimensional (2D) computational domain in a conductive cylinder that provides a contour of AP for the SHP instead of a single AP in the existing 1D method, enabling the selection of the optimal AP that could substantially improve the prediction accuracy of the APNS method. The 2D method was implemented in a web-based software tool. This tool provided a perfect prediction of a simulated product temperature profile of a conductive canned food in a truncated cone-shaped container, and reasonably good predictions of experimentally measured product temperature profiles of canned food in different shaped containers subjected to natural convection or mixed convection/conduction at non-constant heating temperature.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and BSA-glucose conjugates (GBSAⅠ and GBSAⅠI) with different extent of glycation were complexed with curcumin (CUR). The formation mechanism of BSA/GBSA-CUR complexes and the effect of glycation on their physicochemical properties were investigated. Fluorescence quenching and FTIR analysis indicated that the BSA/GBSA-CUR nanocomplexes were formed mainly by hydrophobic interactions. XRD analysis demonstrated that CUR was present in an amorphous state in the nanocomplexes. BSA with a greater extent of glycation (BSA GBSAⅠGBSAⅠI) displayed a higher binding affinity for CUR. The highest CUR encapsulation efficiency (86.77%) and loading capacity (7.81 mg/g) were obtained in the GBSAⅠI-CUR nanocomplex. The zeta-potential varied from -17.45 to -27.65 mV, depending on the extent of glycation. Furthermore, the physicochemical stability of BSA/GBSA-CUR nanocomplexes increased with the increasing extent of glycation of BSA. Thus, the obtained GBSAⅠI have the potential to become new delivery carriers for encapsulating hydrophobic food components.

Granule size distribution of 8% w/w suspension of normal rice starch (NRS), waxy rice starch (WRS), modified potato starch (MPS), and normal potato starch (NPS) in water when subjected to heating at 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, and 85°C at different hold times (0–60 min) were characterized. The average starch granule diameter was larger at higher temperatures and hold times for NRS, WRS, and MPS indicating swelling, whereas for NPS it decreased indicating breakage. Swelling varied in the order: MPS > NRS > WRS. Earlier proposed pseudo first‐ and second‐order kinetic and Weibull models for swelling were evaluated. Swelling kinetics was also predicted using our previously developed mechanistic model (Desam et. al., 2018a Journal of Food Engineering 222:237–249) whose predictions agreed well with the experimental data of mean granule diameter and granule size distribution with time at different temperatures, and therefore can be employed to describe swelling at different processing conditions. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Starches are incorporated in food products for a variety of reasons such as stabilizing, thickening, binding, and gelling. Starch occurs as discrete granules. Upon exposure to water, starch granules swell when heated. This results in thickening of starch suspension (known as pasting) due to an increase in volume fraction of swollen granules. Starch pasting results in an increase in its viscosity. Therefore, the texture of a variety of food products such as sauces, puddings, soups, batter mixes, and so forth are influenced by pasting. The rheology and texture of starch paste obtained by cooking of starch granules are governed by its swelling. It is, therefore, necessary to quantify swelling in order to predict the rheology of starch paste as well as to develop new food formulations. We developed a mechanistic model which predicts the swelling kinetics of rice and potato starch suspensions.

Microfluidized corn bran is an excellent source of dietary fiber but has not been used to develop high-fiber bread. To develop such bread, it replaced 18, 20, and 22% of flour in the control white bread formula. At the standard water content, the amount of water required to develop a dough consistency of 500 Brabender Units in farinograph tests, the resulting bread had worse microstructure and textural properties, and much smaller loaf volume than the control bread. Instead of using existing physical, chemical and enzymatic methods to reduce the deteriorating effects of bran, we resolved the issue effectively by optimizing the water content in bread formulas. For the three levels of bran addition, when the water content was increased from its standard values of 38.3, 38.6, 38.8% to 40.8, 41.9, and 44.0%, respectively, the obtained loaves exhibited similar microstructure, specific loaf volume, and textural properties to the control bread.

Gastric cancer (GC) was one of the most common types of the digestive system. COL8A1 was reported to be associated with cancer progression. The present study showed COL8A1 was overexpressed and correlated to shorter overall survival (OS) time across human cancer types. Specially, our results showed COL8A1 was up-regulated in advanced stage GC compared to low stage GC samples. Higher expression of COL8A1 was significantly correlated to shorter OS time in patients with GC. Bioinformatics analysis revealed COL8A1 was involved in regulating cell proliferation and metastasis. Experimental validations of COL8A1 showed that silencing of COL8A1 could significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in GC. These results provided a potential target for the clinical prognosis and treatment of gastric cancer.

Potato starch (PS) was treated separately and combinedly with 3% (w/v) CaCl2 solution at 25 °C for 5 h and dry heat (DH) at 130 °C for 1, 2, and 4 h CaCl2 treatment alone significantly increased thermal transition parameters, dynamic moduli, and shear viscosity of PS. It substantially decreased the peak viscosity and breakdown of PS during pasting, but the final paste viscosity was comparable to the control due to a higher setback. Overall, DH treatment alone reduced the thermal transition parameters, paste viscosity, dynamic moduli, and shear viscosity of PS, and prolonged heating generally caused more considerable reductions. Dual treatment with CaCl2 and DH caused the most substantial decreases in examined properties of PS. It led to a complete loss of both double–helical and crystalline order of starch granules. Therefore, cooked suspensions of dual–treated PS exhibited very weak viscoelastic or non–viscoelastic behavior and extremely low shear viscosity.

During high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing, pressure can be applied in a single cycle of pressurization, pressure holding, and depressurization or multiple cycles. The latter is called oscillated HHP (OHHP) processing. In this study, it was hypothesized that the pressure gradient during HHP processing is positively related to the lethal rate, based on which a modified Weibull model was developed to describe the microbial inactivation rate as a function of pressure and pressure gradient. The model provided good fits to published survival data of Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli, and Listeria innocua, as indicated by small RMSE values being less than 0.33 log. Using the obtained parameters, the model showed good performance in predicting microbial survival ratios in independent tests, the absolute errors being less than 0.27 log, and both accuracy and bias factors being fairly close to 1. Based on the developed model, the pressurization rate must be higher than a critical value to make an OHHP process more efficient than a single-cycled one, and an optimal OHHP process should involve the highest pressurization and depressurization rates and no pressure holding time. Finally, a web-based software tool was developed to implement the modified Weibull model for design of OHHP processes.

The Weibull model is frequently used to describe non-linear microbial survival due to its simplicity and flexibility. An essential part of developing a predictive microbiological approach is to accurately estimate survival parameters. In this study, an explicit integral representation of the Weibull model was derived from its original differential form. Calculated microbial survival curves under the same conditions were identical when both forms of the equation were used. The integral equation was able to be simplified into an explicit algebraic equation under specific processing conditions that consisted of a come-up time (CUT) followed by a lethal agent having a constant magnitude. These conditions are found in microbial survival tests in which currently used methods ignore or incorporate CUT using an empirical approach to estimate microbial survival parameters. Using the proposed method, microbial survival parameters were accurately estimated by fitting the obtained explicit algebraic equation to microbial survival data, whereas the conventional method resulted in inaccurate parameter estimation.

The aims of this study were to evaluate and compare efficacies of Tc-99m-3PRGD2 integrin receptor imaging under variety of conditions for the diagnosis of breast lesions, in addition to comparison with mammography.Seventy-two female patients with established breast lesions were recruited. All patients were examined by Tc-99m-3PRGD2 integrin receptor imaging and mammography. Whole-body scan and SPECT/CT were acquired at dual time points of 2 and 4 h after injection using standard protocol. The processed images were evaluated by visual and semi-quantitative analysis. Mammography was performed using up and down and internal and external oblique views. The gold standard of diagnosis was based on histopathological findings.Sensitivity greater than 85.0% and accuracy greater than 80.0% were observed under any technical method. For dense mammary gland, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of Tc-99m-3PRGD2 SPECT/CT 4-h imaging and mammography were 95.2, 75.0, and 90.7%, and 71.4, 58.3, and 68.5% respectively. Combined two methods' sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for detection of breast cancer can reach 98.3, 86.7, and 96.0%.Tc-99m-3PRGD2-based molecular imaging is a sensitive method for the differential diagnosis of breast lesions. Particularly, Tc-99m-3PRGD2-SPECT/CT has better diagnostic value in dense mammary gland as compared with mammography. Combining two methods can significantly improve the diagnostic efficiency.

Corn bran was microfluidized through a 200-μm channel in the pressure range of 124.1–158.7 MPa for 1–5 passes following the central composite experimental design. Physicochemical properties and antioxidant properties of microfluidized bran samples were measured and fitted to the second order polynomial model. The response surface equations obtained showed that all the properties examined had a positive linear relationship with pressure and a negative quadratic relationship with number of passes except for ABTS radical scavenging activity which was quadratically related to both processing parameters. The number of passes generally had a more pronounced effect on the examined properties compared with pressure. Within the experimental range, the maximum values of swelling capacity, water-holding capacity, and oil-holding capacity were respectively 10.62 ml/g d.w. (at 158.7 MPa), 5.49 g water/g d.w. (at 158.7 MPa), and 4.61 g oil/g d.w. (at 124.1 MPa); the maximum values of surface reactive phenolic content, DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities were 148.80 mg/FAE g d.w. (at 158.7 MPa), 50.02 μmol TE/g d.w. (at 158.7 MPa), and 47.90 μmol TE/g d.w. (at 145.9 MPa), respectively. All maximum values of the properties occurred at 5 passes.

Soluble oat fiber (SOF) containing 70% oat β-glucan was incorporated into wheat bread by replacing 10, 12, and 14% of flour in wheat bread formulas. At each level of SOF, bread was made at the farinograph water content defined by the amount of water required to develop a dough consistency of 500 Brabender Units in farinograph tests, and 10 and 20% extra water above the farinograph water content. At the farinograph water content, bread formulated at each level of SOF exhibited lower specific volume and porosity, darker color, higher hardness, and lower springiness and cohesiveness than the control white bread. These negative effects were effectively counteracted by optimizing the water content in bread formulas. For the three levels of bran addition, when the water content was increased by 20% above the farinograph water content, the obtained loaves exhibited similar loaf volume, microstructure, textural properties, and crumb porosity to the control white bread. A serving (28 g) of the developed bread contained respectively 0.95, 1.12, and 1.28 g of β-glucan, which substantially exceed the minimum standard for approved health claims.

Juices are usually thermally pasteurized, but high temperatures negatively affect their nutritional and sensory qualities. For this reason, nonthermal pasteurization techniques with little or no heat applied have been developed to minimize the quality losses. Among them, high-intensity ultrasound has been considered as a promising technique for juice pasteurization. Despite the extensive studies, a long pasteurization time is needed to achieve the required 5-log microbial reduction when a liquid is ultrasonically processed in an existing typical ultrasonic reactor, while inactivating some bacteria with a high tolerance to ultrasound is still a challenge. This is because there exist passive zones in the reactor as revealed by numerical simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics. This problem was successfully resolved by developing a new batch ultrasonic reactor which delivered almost uniform high intensity ultrasound throughout the reactor during processing, and therefore, substantially shortened the pasteurization time. Using this reactor to inactivate Escherichia coli at 60 °C and Staphylococcus aureus at 62 °C in peptone water, a 5-log microbial reduction was achieved in 0.38 min and 0.55 min, respectively. This was the first reported study that reached a 5-log reduction of S. aureus using ultrasonic processing. SEM images illustrated that high intensity ultrasound imposed physical lethal damages to the cell structure, resulting in microbial inactivation. The substantially shortened pasteurization time can reduce processing costs and negative effects of ultrasound treatment on organoleptic and nutritional properties of juices.

Major depressive disorder (MDD), one of the most frequently encountered forms of mental illness and a leading cause of disability worldwide, poses a major challenge to genetic analysis. To date, no robustly replicated genetic loci have been identified, despite analysis of more than 9,000 cases. Here, using low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of 5,303 Chinese women with recurrent MDD selected to reduce phenotypic heterogeneity, and 5,337 controls screened to exclude MDD, we identified, and subsequently replicated in an independent sample, two loci contributing to risk of MDD on chromosome 10: one near the SIRT1 gene (P = 2.53 × 10(-10)), the other in an intron of the LHPP gene (P = 6.45 × 10(-12)). Analysis of 4,509 cases with a severe subtype of MDD, melancholia, yielded an increased genetic signal at the SIRT1 locus. We attribute our success to the recruitment of relatively homogeneous cases with severe illness.

To systematically assess the safety and efficacy of hand-assisted laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (HALG) versus open distal gastrectomy (ODG) for gastric cancer.Chinese or English literature regarding comparison of HALG and ODG were collected by searching in databases (such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang database) between January 1996 and September 2016. The data of operative time, incision length, blood loss, number of harvested lymph nodes, time to flatus, hospital stay, postoperative complication morbidity and long-term outcomes were compared between the two procedures. Then funnel plot was used to evaluate publication bias and sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the stability of the results. All these data analyses were performed using the Meta for or Meta package of R version 3.3.1.A total of 7 studies with 835 patients (323 cases in HALG group and 512 cases in ODG group) were included. Compared with ODG, HALG had a longer operative time (WMD=28.93 minutes, 95%CI=9.59 to 48.28, Z=2.93, P=0.000), a shorter incision length (WMD=-10.31 cm, 95%CI=-14.01 to -6.62, Z=-5.47, P=0.000), less blood loss (WMD=-140.08 ml, 95%CI=-215.07 to -65.09, Z=-3.66, P=0.000), faster gastrointestinal recovery (WMD=-1.23 days, 95%CI=-1.89 to -0.56, Z=-3.62, P=0.000), shorter postoperative hospital stay (WMD=-3.24 days, 95%CI=-5.47 to -1.02, Z=-2.85, P=0.000). In subgroup analysis, 3 studies published before 2013 vs. 4 studies published afterwards, the number of harvested lymph nodes (WMD=-0.78, 95%CI=-2.05 to 0.50, Z=-1.19, P=0.235) and postoperative complication morbidity (RR=1.02, 95%CI=0.43 to 2.44, Z=0.05, P=0.961) did not differ significantly between two groups. Compared with ODG, the RR(95%CI) of ileus of HALG was 0.43 (0.07 to 2.82), but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.383). One study reported the 5-year overall survival rates of HALG and ODG were 81.0% vs 67.5%, and the tumor recurrence rates were 7.1% vs 22%, respectively, but the differences were not statistically significant(all P0.05). Sensitivity analysis showed that the above results were stable. The funnel plots of the lymph nodes and postoperative complication morbidity did not present significant publication bias.HALG has the advantages of minimal invasiveness such as shorter incision length and quicker recovery. Furthermore, the short-term efficacy of HALG is similar to conventional open surgery. However, the long-term efficacy is lack of support from multicenter long-term follow-up results.

Whole cowpea flours from three cultivars were microfluidized through a 200 μm “Z” type interaction chamber at room temperature for two passes. The confocal micrographs showed the microfluidization process could effectively disintegrate the structure of both cotyledon and seed coat, two major components of a cowpea seed. Disruption of cotyledon released the embedded starch granules and proteins, whereas disruption of seed coat generated large amounts of fiber fragments with amorphous and fluffy microstructure. Depending on the cultivars of cowpea, these effects significantly decreased mean particle size by up to 92.3% and bulk density by up to 68.7%, and increased specific surface area by up to 286.4%, swelling capacity by up to 107.7%, water-holding capacity by up to 16.1%, oil-holding capacity by up to 162.1%, and total water extractable proteins of whole cowpea by up to 39.7%. Reduced intensity of protein bands in SDS-PAGE was also observed. This indicated high pressure and high shear stress during microfluidization induced fundamental structural changes of cowpea proteins. Under the present experimental conditions, the microfluidization process had no apparent effects on both particle size and structure of cowpea starch granules present in the flours.

Phenolic compounds present in native wheat bran are majorly bound to polysaccharides and entrapped in the fibre matrix. Recently, it was demonstrated that the microfluidization process could significantly improve physicochemical properties of wheat bran due to particle size reduction and microstructure modification. The current study provides further evidence that the process also significantly increased the contents of surface-reactive, alkaline and acid hydrolysable phenolics by 280%, 60% and 20%, respectively, after a total of 8 passes through the IC 200 and IC 87 chambers. Accordingly, the associated antioxidant capacity increased with increase in the extent of the treatment. However, there was a decrease in solvent extractable phenolic contents due to their dispersion in water and loss during the treatment. It is also worth noting that the residues after alkaline and acid hydrolysis still contained a high content of surface-reactive phenolics, which might indicate a significant underestimation of the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of wheat bran when using the conventional method based on solvent extraction and alkaline and/or acid hydrolysis.

Corn bran was treated by the microfluidization process and the resulting changes in its microstructure and physicochemical properties were examined. The results showed that the microfluidization process could effectively decrease particle size of corn bran and loosen microstructure of the bran matrix. This led to a significant decrease in bulk density and increases in specific surface area. The swelling capacity, water-holding capacity, oil-holding capacity, and cation-exchange capacity increased by 140%, 90%, 140%, and 90%, respectively, after a total of 8 passes through the IC200 and IC87 chambers. In addition, microscopic analysis revealed a gradual disintegration of original cell wall structure and the dissociation of different bran tissues as the extent of microfluidization treatment increased. Findings of this study highlighted the great potential of the microfluidization process in producing a high-quality fiber ingredient from corn bran.

Summary Reliable survival parameter estimation is an essential part of building predictive models for microbial survival. It has been demonstrated that these parameters can be accurately identified using a one-step regression approach that fits a survival model to multiple dynamic data sets at once. However, the existing methods are not quite user-friendly because their application requires relatively high computer skills. In this study, a recursive equation for the Weibull model was used to construct microbial survival curves under dynamic conditions. Based on this, a procedure was developed to estimate survival parameters by fitting the equation to dynamic survival data sets using the built-in functions and Solver of Microsoft Excel. The results showed that the method provided an easy and accurate way for estimating microbial survival parameters.

The aim of this study is to develop a copolymer-based single-photon emission computed tomography/magnetic resonance (SPECT/MR) dual-modality imaging agent that can be labeled with both technetium-99m ( 99m Tc) and gadolinium (Gd) and target asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) via galactose. Monomers of N - p -vinylbenzyl-6-(2-(4-dimethylamino)benzaldehydehydrazono) nicotinate (VNI) for labeling of 99m Tc, 5,8- bis (carboxymethyl)-3-oxo-11-(2-oxo-2-((4-vinylbenzyl)amino)ethyl)-1-(4-vinylphenzyl)-2,5,8,11-tetraazatridecan-13-oic acid (V 2 DTPA) for labeling of Gd, and vinylbenzyl- O -β- d -galactopyranosyl- d -gluconamide (VLA) for targeting ASGPR were synthesized, respectively. Then the copolymer P(VLA-co-VNI-co-V 2 DTPA) ( p VLND 2 ) was synthesized and characterized by gel permeation chromatography, dynamic light scattering, and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. After labeling with 99m Tc and Gd simultaneously, the radiochemical purity, toxicity, relaxivity (r 1 ), and in vivo SPECT/MR imaging in mice were evaluated. Single-photon emission computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging and biodistribution results showed that p VLND 2 could target ASGPR well. The significantly improved signal to noise ratio was observed in mice liver during MR imaging. All the results suggest that this novel kind of copolymer has the potential to be further developed as a functional SPECT/MR imaging agent.

Molecular imaging technique is an attractive tool to detect liver disease at early stage. This study aims to develop a simultaneous dual-isotope single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT imaging method to assist diagnosis of hepatic tumor and liver fibrosis. Animal models of liver fibrosis and orthotopic human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were established. The tracers of 131I-NGA and 99mTc-3P-RGD2 were selected to target asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) on the hepatocytes and integrin αvβ3 receptor in tumor or fibrotic liver, respectively. SPECT imaging and biodistribution study were carried out to verify the feasibility and superiority. As expected, 99mTc-3P-RGD2 had the ability to evaluate liver fibrosis and detect tumor lesions. 131I-NGA showed that it was effective in assessing the anatomy and function of the liver. In synchronized dual-isotope SPECT/CT imaging, clear fusion images can be got within 30 minutes for diagnosing liver fibrosis and liver cancer. This new developed imaging approach enables the acquisition of different physiological information for diagnosing liver fibrosis, liver cancer and evaluating residual functional liver volume simultaneously. So synchronized dual-isotope SPECT/CT imaging with 99mTc-3P-RGD2 and 131I-NGA is an effective approach to detect liver disease, especially liver fibrosis and liver cancer.

Wheat bran is a very important dietary fiber source which is widely used in the food industry in order to produce fiber enriched foods. Previous reports have demonstrated that physicochemical properties of insoluble dietary fibers determine their physiological effects when they are consumed, indicating modification of these properties may improve the fibers' physiological properties. In this study, the microfluidization process was used to treat wheat bran and its effects on the bran's physicochemical properties were examined. The results showed that microfluidization process could effectively decrease particle size and bulk density, and substantially increase specific surface area, water-holding capacity, swelling capacity, oil-holding capacity and cation-exchange capacity. Confocal micrographs showed that the process could also separate the structural components of wheat bran. These results suggested that microfluidization process would provide an effective method to modify physicochemical properties of wheat bran and probably other cereal brans.

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing is an emerging food preservation technology with minimal impact on the nutritional and sensory attributes of the food. Kinetic models that describe microbial inactivation under HHP are essential in establishing valid sterilization processes, while their applications rely on the predetermined survival parameters that define those models. In this study, an optimization algorithm was developed to estimate these parameters through finding the best fitting-curves to nonisobaric survival data. Published survival data on Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 was used to test the algorithm. The Weibull model was suitable for describing nonlinear E. coli survival curves and the new algorithm provided an accurate estimation of its survival parameters. The obtained survival parameters from either isobaric or nonisobaric data were substantially different, indicating that the accuracy of the parameters could be influenced by the accumulated microbial death during pressure come-up times. Although the algorithm was tested by using the Weibull model, it should be applicable to other inactivation kinetic models since a specific inactivation kinetics model does not need to be assumed.

The moisture transport and stress development mechanisms were elucidated for corn kernels using numerical solution of three-scale fluid transport equation. The 3D kernel structure was captured using micro-CT scanning and imported into finite elements package. The experimental drying profiles were predicted with reasonable accuracy (R2 = 0.88–0.99 and CV = 3.5–9.5%). During simulations, the region with highest moisture content was observed to be away from the geometric center covering parts of soft-endosperm and germ. The high moisture flux was observed under the pericarp, in soft-endosperm toward top and in region connecting soft-endosperm and germ. The germ due to its lower moisture diffusivity in comparison to hard and soft endosperms, retained higher moisture and exhibited lower moisture flux. These observations agreed with previous magnetic resonance imaging based studies. Intermittent drying simulations indicated that fan on/off strategies with suitable time step-size would be a viable option for drying corn with lower stress-cracking and additional energy savings.

There is growing evidence suggesting that inactivation of bacterial spores may follow the Weibullian model, of which the log linear relationship between survival ratio and time is just a special case. Where true, the time and not only the temperature dependence of the rate must be taken into account. Also, it is of interest to estimate spores survival not only at the coldest point but also throughout the whole container's volume. Numerical calculation on changing survival ratios was performed by combining the conductive heat transfer model with that of the nonlinear inactivation kinetics. Results are based on published linear and non linear inactivation parameters of Clostridium botulinum spores, typical thermal properties of solid foods and realistic thermal processing conditions. Results could be used to quantify the efficacy of thermal processes of solid products in terms of spores' residual survival ratio at the coldest point and in the container as a whole.

The objective of this study was to develop a method to characterize the diffusivity of different components of yellow-dent corn kernels. The equation D = D 0 ⅇ − C / T M n was proposed to describe the moisture diffusivity of yellow-dent corn kernel components. In the equation D (m2/s), T (K), and M (dry basis) are moisture diffusivity, temperature, and moisture content, respectively; whereas D0 (m2/s), C (K), and n are parameters for each component. In order to determine these parameters, each component was separated from the corn kernels and its drying curves were measured at controlled conditions using a Moisture Sorption Analyzer. The parameters were determined by an optimization algorithm that minimized the sum of squares of differences between the measured and calculated moisture contents. As moisture sorption data can provide typical drying curves obtained under well specified and controlled external conditions, the minimization algorithm involved the inversion of the typical drying equation governing the transfer of moisture through the corn kernel. Thus, Fick's second law of diffusion, solved using the COMSOL Multiphysics package, was used to describe moisture transfer in the drying samples. Information obtained in this study is needed to model moisture transfer within corn kernels during the drying process and minimize drying-induced stress cracks.

The viscous seed mucilage of flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a mixture of rhamnogalacturonan I and arabinoxylan with novel side group substitutions. The rhamnogalacturonan I has numerous single nonreducing terminal residues of the rare sugar l-galactose attached at the O-3 position of the rhamnosyl residues instead of the typical O-4 position. The arabinoxylan is highly branched, primarily with double branches of nonreducing terminal l-arabinosyl units at the O-2 and O-3 positions along the xylan backbone. While a portion of each polysaccharide can be purified by anion-exchange chromatography, the side group structures of both polysaccharides are modified further in about one-third of the mucilage to form composites with enhanced viscosity. Our finding of the unusual side group structures for two well-known cell wall polysaccharides supports a hypothesis that plants make a selected few ubiquitous backbone polymers onto which a broad spectrum of side group substitutions are added to engender many possible functions. To this end, modification of one polymer may be accompanied by complementary modifications of others to impart functions to heterocomposites not present in either polymer alone.

Two algorithms, the fixed point (FP) and the worst case (WC), were developed for correcting on-line process temperature deviations in continuous retort operations through the adjustment of the product residence time, which could be performed by changing either the conveyor speed in hydrostatic retorts or the rotation speed in rotary retorts. After a process temperature deviation occurs, the FP algorithm consists in the selection of a point, for convenience close to the retort steam chamber exit, where process sterility is calculated, so that the product residence time can be changed accordingly. Alternatively, the WC algorithm consists in identifying the worst case, i.e. the more affected, container, for determining a conservative product residence time. Computer simulations showed that both algorithms provided fast estimations of the effect of process deviations on the product temperature and process lethality. This shows the potential of these algorithms for thermal processing industrial applications that may require on line control.

The swelling of native starches and modified starches at moderate range of temperatures has a large effect on the rheological properties of starch suspensions and thus to their processing characteristics because the heating of these systems often involves non-isothermal regimes. The main objective of this work was to develop a model that is able to predict the swelling of modified starch granules under non-isothermal conditions using data collected from heating at isothermal conditions. Swelling of crosslinked corn starch granules suspended in distilled water was measured at several uniform temperatures between 50 and 70 °C. The results were fitted with the Weibull model log10 Y = −b (T)tn(T), where Y is defined as (De − Dt)/(De − D0), and Dt, D0 and De are the granules’ momentary, initial and equilibrium mean diameters, respectively, t is the time, and b(T) and n(T) are the two temperature dependent parameters of the model. Mathematical expressions were found to describe the temperature dependence of b(T) and n(T) and were used to construct a dynamic rate model able to predict the changing mean size of starch granules during non-isothermal heating. Comparisons of the predicted changes in granule size with those measured under a non-isothermal heating test were in good agreement. This demonstrated that isothermal swelling data could be used to predict swelling patterns under non-isothermal conditions. The findings of this research will have a broad impact on industrial applications because the model is able to predict starch granule swelling for heating conditions that are commonly encountered in industrial starch processes.