Comparative Study on the Influence of Various Drying Techniques on Drying Characteristics and Physicochemical Quality of Garlic Slices.

Effects of vacuum freeze drying (VFD), air impingement drying (AID), hot air drying based on temperature and humidity control (TH-HAD), pulsed vacuum drying (PVD), and medium- and short-wave infrared radiation drying (MSIRD) on the drying characteristics and physicochemical properties of garlic slices were investigated in the current work. Based on the experimental results, the Weibull model fitted the experimental results better ( > 0.99) than the Wang and Singh model.

Pulsed Vacuum Drying of Persimmon Slices: Drying Kinetics, Physicochemical Properties, Microstructure and Antioxidant Capacity.

In order to explore an alternative drying method to enhance the drying process and quality of persimmon slices, pulsed vacuum drying (PVD) was employed and the effects of different drying temperatures (60, 65, 70, and 75 °C) on drying kinetics, color, rehydration ratio (RR), microstructure, bioactive compounds, and the antioxidant capacity of sliced persimmons were investigated in the current work. Results showed that the rehydration ratio (RR) of the samples under PVD was significantly higher than that of the traditional hot air-dried ones. Compared to the fresh samples, the dried persimmon slices indicated a decrease in the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity.

The effect of high humidity hot air impingement blanching on the changes in cell wall polysaccharides and phytochemicals of okra pods.

Background: Okra pods contain heat-sensitive substances, such as phenolic compounds and other phytochemicals that can be degraded when okra pods are subjected to heat treatment. The understanding of the impact of high humidity hot air impingement blanching (HHAIB) on the changes in physicochemical properties of polysaccharides and phytochemicals of okra pods is of great importance because over-blanching may result in cell membrane disruption and changes in biologically active compounds under prolonged exposure to the thermal treatment. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of HHAIB on the changes in physicochemical properties of pectins and phytochemicals extracted from okra pods.

Effects of ripening stage on physicochemical properties, drying kinetics, pectin polysaccharides contents and nanostructure of apricots.

Effects of ripeness (four stages from the lowest to highest degree-I, II, III, and IV) on the physicochemical properties, pectin contents and nanostructure, and drying kinetics of apricots were investigated. The color values (L, a, and b) and total soluble solid content increased during ripening, while the titratable acidity content and hardness decreased. The water-soluble pectin content increased as ripening progressed, but the chelate- and sodium carbonate-soluble pectin contents gradually declined.

Sedimentary environment and depositional evolution of the Mesoproterozoic Bingmagou Formation on the southern margin of the North China Craton.

The Precambrian sedimentary strata on the southern margin of the North China Craton are well developed and widely exposed, making the region ideal for the study of depositional processes. However, because of the length of the depositional history and the lack of biogenic criteria, interpretations of the sedimentary environments of the Precambrian strata are often based on the tectonic background, geographical environment, rock type and sedimentary structures, resulting in controversies in the literature. In this study of the Bingmagou Formation in the Ruyang Group on the southern margin of the North China Craton, analysis of petrologic features, palaeocurrents and sedimentary facies is combined with regional correlation of relevant strata and the reconstruction of ancient landforms to explain the depositional environments and environmental transitions.

[Impact of Salinity on Leachate Treatment and N2O Releases from Semi-aerobic Aged-refuse Bioreactor].

Semi-aerobic Aged-refuse Bioreactor (SAARB) has a good effect on nitrogen removal in leachate, but a strong greenhouse gas (N2O) was generated during the nitrification and denitrification process. The effect of salinity (7-30 g x L(-1)) on the leachate treatment and the N2O production from SAARB system was investigated. Experimental results showed that salinity ranging from 7 to 30 g x L(-1) had no significant effect on COD removal, and the removal efficiency was always more than 85%.

[Analysis on Diversity of Denitrifying Microorganisms in Sequential Batch Bioreactor Landfill].

A denitrification functional microorganism gene clone library (amoA, nosZ) and the PCR-RFLP technology was constructed to investigate the microbial diversity of denitrifying microorganisms in the late period of stabilization of sequential batch bioreactor landfill. The results indicated that: the bacterial diversity of ammonia oxidizing bacteria in the aged refuse reactor was very high, and most of them were unknown groups, also, all bacteria were unculturable or had not been isolated. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that the dominant ammonia oxidizing bacteria were presumably Nitrosomonas of 6-Proteobacteria.

Association between RAD51 polymorphism and breast cancer susceptibility: a meta analysis.

Background: RAD51 interacting with BRCA1 and BRCA2 could modulate the penetrance of BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations, which may increase susceptibility for breast cancer by inhibiting DNA repair and genome stability. The purpose of this study was to provide refined statistical evidence for the association between RAD51 polymorphism and breast cancer risk.

Design And Results: We conducted a meta-analysis of 15 publications with a total of 11,766 cancer cases and 11,227 controls.

[Studies on hypoglycemic effect of extract of Balaophora polyandra in mice].

Objective: To study the hypoglycemic effect of the extract of B. polyandra (SHG).

Method: The diabetic mice were induced by alloxan in ICR mice.