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High pressure processing (HPP), as nonthermal processing technology, has the potential to increase the drying rate due to its improvement of heat and mass exchange in different processes. In this study, the moisture migration in shrimps during HPP-vacuum-freeze drying (HPP-VFD) processes has been monitored by using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and magnetic resonance image (MRI) in comparison with hot air-drying and VFD. Based on the T 2 relaxation spectra, three water fractions corresponding to bound water (hydrogen-bonded water), immobile water (water trapped by organization structure or cell member), and free water were observed. For group B, with increasing drying time (4 to 22 hr), the transverse relaxation times of T 21 , T 22 , and T 23 were significantly decreased (76.79%, 57.78%, and 40.9%) (P < 0.05). The content of immobile water (A 22 ) and free water (A 23 ) decreased (81.55% and 89.07%), whereas the bound water (A 21 ) increased (7.26%). In comparison with group B, the T 21 , T 22 , and T 23 of group C showed greater decrease (83.12%, 87.12%, and 89.57% for group C) so that HPP pretreatment could shorten the relaxation time. MRI analysis further proved that HPP-VFD drying has improved drying efficiency, and moisture migration was from the exterior to the interior part with increasing drying time. SEM analysis demonstrated that no significant damage of muscle fibers with narrower gaps was observed for groups B and C. Overall, HPP, as a pretreatment technology, could accelerate the moisture migration and improve the drying efficiency of VFD process for shrimp. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: High pressure processing (HPP) is now well known as a nonthermal processing technology and becoming increasingly acknowledged. However, there is limited information about its application in shrimp-drying process and the moisture dynamic of shrimp subjected to high pressure processing-assisted vacuum-freeze drying. This study could provide valuable information regarding the moisture status and migration in HPP-VFD shrimp monitored by LF-NMR and MRI methods. The results showed that HPP processing at 550 MPa for 10 min can be used as an interesting method for drying pretreatment, increasing its drying rate and consequently reducing its process time, and it demonstrated that the methods used in this study had good correlation coefficient with physicochemical properties of shrimp, which may be real-time and nondestructive monitoring methods for shrimp-drying process., (© 2020 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

The understanding of crystal stepwise transformation is very important to enclose the "black box" in the preparation of crystal materials. In this work, different structural intermediates were isolated prior to the formation of the final alkali earth coordination polymers (CPs) during the preparation of three pairs of alkali earth CPs through solvothermal method and convenient oil-bath reactions. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated the structural transformation from a 0 D to 1 D inorganic connectivity for the Ca-CPs and Sr-CPs, but a 1 D to 0 D inorganic connectivity for Ba-CPs, involving the breakage/formation of chemical bonds in the reaction solutions. Further analyses indicated that these two different structural transformation pathways are determined by the deprotonation of organic acid, competitive balance between the inorganic and organic connectivity, and the twist of the linker. FT-IR spectra, thermogravimetric and luminescence behaviors agree with their structural characteristics., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Background: High-voltage analog X-ray examination is a main tool for pneumoconiosis, which is challenged by digital radiography (DR). The tube voltage of DR chest films required for diagnosis and staging of pneumoconiosis is concerned technically. We investigated the influence of the tube voltage on chest X-ray DR image quality of patients exposed to occupational dust., Methods: DR images of the CDRAD2.0model, an anatomical chest phantom, and 136 exposed workers were analyzed at different tube voltages by threereaders. Image quality factors (IQF) were calculated and compared using the CDRAD2.0 model. DR images of ten anatomic positions were scored against those of the high-kilovolt chest films in anatomical phantom and clinical cases, and differences in scores were analyzed., Results: In the CDRAD2.0 model, all three readers had a minimal IQF at 120 kV (mean: 22.25 kV). The differences in the mean IQF of DR images at different tube voltages was significant (F = 13.78, P < 0.001). The IQF of DR imaging at 120 kV was similar to high kilovolt analog imaging (t = -0.58, P > 0.05). In the anatomic phantom and clinical cases, the DR images at 120 kV were closest in anatomical detail to the high kV analog images, and the means were similar (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Among different tube voltages, DR image quality is closest to the high kilovolt analog images at 120 kV in patients exposed to occupational dust.

Objective: To explore the image quality of different tube voltage on digital chest radiograph for contrast detail phantom (CDRAD2.0) and occupational exposed workers., Methods: The CDRAD2.0 phantom DR images of high KV and different tube voltages were analyzed by 3 readers, image quality figure (IQF) were calculated and compared; at the same time 136 exposed workers were examined with high-kV and DR chest radiograph of different tube voltages. Contrast to high-KV images, 10 anatomic sites were scored .The image differences were compared between DR and high-kV., Results: On CDRAD2.0 phantom, the IQF value of DR images in 3 readers were minimum in the condition of 120 kV, average value was 22.25. The analysis of variance in model with random effects, the mean IQF value of different tube voltage DR image had a significant difference (F = 13.775, P<0.01); By Dunnett t-tests analysis, the mean IQF value of DR image in 120 kV and high kilovoltage had no difference (t = -0.58, P = 0.979); On clinical cases, the DR image of 120 kV showed the closest anatomy to the high KV, the mean had no significant difference with 0 (P > 0.05) with single sample t test., Conclusion: On the CDRAD2.0 phantom or clinical exposed workers, the DR image quality of 120 kV tube voltage equals to high-KV basically.

Objective: To investigate the effect of different processing parameters of digital radiography (DR) on the image quality of digital chest radiograph in dust-exposed workers., Methods: One hundred and five dust-exposed workers underwent both high-KV radiography and DR to obtain chest radiographs; the image processing parameters were set by the conventional processing method for digital chest radiograph (method A) and the processing method based on the special requirements of occupational diseases (method B). With the high-KV chest radiograph as the reference, the image qualities at 10 anatomic sites of DR image were graded. The images acquired by DR and high-KV radiography were compared, and the DR images acquired by methods A and B were also compared., Results: For method A, the scores at the 10 anatomic sites of DR image were mostly 0 and +1, accounting for over 88%, and the mean score was 0.23 ∼ 0.65, there was a significant difference between the mean score of DR image and the score of high-KV image (P < 0.001). For method B, the scores at the 10 anatomic sites of DR image were mostly 0, accounting for over 65%, and the mean score was -0.01∼ +0.02 except at the pleura and chest wall; there was no significant difference between the mean score of DR image and the score of high-KV image (P > 0.05). There were significant differences in the scores at the 10 anatomic sites between the DR images acquired by methods A and B (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: The DR images acquired based on different processing parameters are different. The quality of DR image acquired by the processing method based on the special requirements of occupational diseases is similar to that of high-KV image at the anatomic sites.

Objective: To study formulation of self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) of mangiferin phospholipid complex and improve dissolution and bioavailability of mangiferin., Methods: Ternary phase diagram was applied to optimize the prescription of self-microemulsifying drug delivery system of mangiferin phospholipid complex, and the best recipe was selected by comprehensive evaluation of the speed of microemulsifying, microemulsion size and electric potential., Results: The optimum formulation of SMEDDS was composed of IPM-Cremphor EL35-labrasol = 2 : 4.8 : 3.2., Conclusion: Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system of mangiferin phospholipid complex can effectively improve the dissolution of Mangiferin.

The surveillance of malaria epidemic situation after malaria basically eliminated in Wujin District, Changzhou City showed that the incidence of malaria fluctuated between 0.001 per thousand and 0.015 per thousand from 1992 to 2009. The cases were dispersively distributed and most of them were input cases. The current emphasis of eliminating malaria should be the control of input cases, anti-malaria management of floating population, the training for clinical doctors and microscopists, and mass health education.

Objective: To assess the curative effects of different drugs on liver cell damage of rats induced by acute nickel carbonyl poisoning., Methods: In present study 220 SD rats were divided into control group (10 rats), carbonyl nickel group (10 rats), 20 mg/kg methylprednisolone group (40 rats), 100 mg/kg DDC group (40 rats), 10 µmol/kg sodium selenite group (40 rats), 0.25 ml shenfuhuiyangtang group (40 rats) and 20 mg/kg methylprednisolone with 100 mg/kg DDC group (40 rats). All rats except for control group inhaled passively 250 mg/m(3) carbonyl nickel for 30 minutes. At 4h and 30h after exposure, the drugs were given intraperitoneally to the rats. On the 3rd and 7th days after exposure, the liver samples were taken from 10 rats each group. The DNA damage of liver cells was detected using comet assay, the ultrastructure changes in liver cells were examined under an electronmicroscope., Results: Compared to carbonyl nickel group, the tail lengths of liver cells in 5 groups administrated at 4 h or 30 h and tested on the 3rd or 7th day after exposure decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the tail lengths of liver cells in sodium selenite and shenfuhuiyangtang groups administrated at 4h after exposure or sodium selenite, shenfuhuiyangtang and methylprednisolone with DDC groups administrated at 30h after exposure increased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), when tested on the 3rd day after exposure. Except from methylprednisolone sub-group administrated at 4h and tested on the 7th day after exposure, the tail lengths of liver cells in other groups administrated at 4 h or 30 h and tested on the 7th day after exposure increased significantly (P < 0.05). Compared to carbonyl nickel group, the Olive moment of liver cells in 5 groups administrated at 4 h or 30 h tested on the 3rd or 7th day after exposure decreased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Compared to the control group, the Olive moment of liver cells in following groups (selenite and shenfuhuiyangtang groups administrated at 4 h or 30 h and tested on the 3rd or 7th day after exposure, DDC group administrated at 4 h or 30 h and tested on the 7th day after exposure, DDC group administrated at 30h and tested on the 3rd day after exposure, and methylprednisolone with DDC group administrated at 30 h and tested on the 7th day after exposure) increased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). As compared with carbonyl nickel group, the ultrastructure observation indicated that the nucleus and other organelles of liver cells in methylprednisolone, DDC and methylprednisolone with DDC groups administrated at 4h and tested on the 3rd day were access to normal levels., Conclusion: The results of present study showed that methylprednisolone, DDC and methylprednisolone with DDC could improve obviously the repair of rat liver cell damage induced by acute carbonyl nickel poisoning, and the curative effects of early treatment were better than those of later treatment.

Objective: To study the effect of S100A4siRNA on tumor growth of xenografted human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell line EC1 in nude mice and explore its related molecular mechanism., Methods: The xenografted tumor model was established in nude mice, and S100A4siRNA chemically synthesized was used to transfect the xenografted nude mice. The tumor growth was observed. The mRNA and protein expressions of S100A4, MMP-2 and E-cadherin in tumor after transfection with S100A4siRNA were detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry., Results: The tumor volume of S100A4siRNA transfection group was lower than that of nonsense siRNA transfection group and blank control group (P < 0.05), and tumor inhibitive ratio of S100A4siRNA group was higher than that of nonsense siRNA transfection group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the mRNA and protein expressions of S100A4, MMP-2 in S100A4siRNA group were lower than those in nonsense siRNA group and control group (P < 0.05), the mRNA and protein expressions of E-cadherin in S100A4siRNA group were higher than those in nonsense siRNA group and control group (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: S100A4siRNA could effectively lead to growth inhibition of xenografted human esophageal tumor in nude mice, with down regulation of MMP-2 and up regulation of E-cadherin, which provides theoretical basis for molecular therapy of ESCC.

Ion association of solutions of lithium perchlorate in N,N-dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, acetone, methyl acetate and other organic solvents have been investigated by infrared and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The spectroscopically free ion, contact ion pair and dimer are fingerprint by the curve fitting of upsilon1 band of. The most stable geometries of contact ion pairs and dimmer, and the vibrational frequencies were optimized and calculated using the ab initio methods. The comparison between calculated and experimental data of band position was made. Effect of solvation mode and solvent molecule on the vibrational frequencies of ion pairs was also indicated.

Objective: To study the role of S100A4 in the carcinogenesis, development, invasion and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma., Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of S100A4, MMP-2 and E-cadherin proteins in 100 cases of surgically resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma specimens. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expressions of S100A4 mRNA and protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma line EC-1 and TE-1. Boyden-chamber model in vitro was utilized to detect the invasion ability of EC-1 and TE-1 cells., Results: The positivity rate of S100A4 protein was 52.0% was in esophageal carcinoma tissues, significantly higher than that in normal tissues (26.0%) (P<0.01). The expression of S100A4 was related to tumor grading, invasive depth and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). In esophageal carcinoma, the expression of S100A4 was positively correlated to MMP-2 expression (P<0.01), but inversely to E-cadherin expression (P<0.05). The expressions of S100A4 mRNA (0.894-/+0.021) and protein (0.897-/+0.053) in EC-1 cells were significantly higher than those in TE-1 (0.812-/+0.040 and 0.645-/+0.089, respectively, P<0.01), and the invasion ability of EC-1 cells was significantly higher than that of TE-1 cells (91.00-/+17.44 vs 61.80-/+11.10, P<0.01)., Conclusion: The overexpression of S100A4 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue and highly invasive EC-1 cells may contribute to the carcinogenesis, development, invasion and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

In this study, bimetallic Pd/Fe(0) particles were synthesized and employed to reduce chloroform in aqueous solution. The investigation emphasized on the effects of some key reaction parameters including Pd/Fe(0) dosage, pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and presence of anions on the reductive dechlorination reaction. The experimental results showed that high Pd/Fe(0) dosage, low initial pH and low ORP benefited the reductive dechlorination of chloroform. The ORP values in the aqueous chloroform solution bubbled with different gases of N(2), O(2) and air varied significantly and the efficiency of chloroform degradation under different atmospheres followed an order from high to low as N(2) > air > O(2). The experiments also demonstrated that SO(4)(2 -) and NO(3)(-) ions inhibited the dechlorination reaction significantly, while H(2)PO(4)(-) ion had no significant influence on the dechlorination.

Objective: To investigate the effect of KISS-1 expression on the potential of invasion and proliferation of esophageal squamous carcinoma cell EC-1., Methods: Protein and mRNA expressions of KISS-1 were evaluated by Western blot and RT-PCR in four esophageal carcinoma cell lines (EC-1, Eca109, EC9706 and TE-1). Using liposome-mediated transfection, an eukaryotic expression vector (pcDNA3.1-KISS-1) of KISS-1 gene was transfected into EC-1 cells. Boyden chamber model, MTT and clone formation assay were used to detect the potential of invasion and proliferation., Results: Western blot and RT-PCR showed a baseline low level of expression of KISS-1 protein (0.715 +/- 0.109) and mRNA (0.670 +/- 0.176) in EC-1 cells. pcDNA3.1-KISS-1 expression vector was successfully transfected into EC-1 cells. Western blot and RT-PCR showed that the expression of KISS-1 protein (1.143 +/- 0.218) and mRNA (0.877 +/- 0.162) in EC-1 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-KISS-1 were significantly higher than those transfected with the control vector pcDNA3.1 (0.745 +/- 0.130, 0.685 +/- 0.128; t = 3.850, 2.481, P < 0.05) and the control cells (0.855 +/- 0.184, 0.677 +/- 0.138; t = 2.275, 2.306, P < 0.05). Boyden chamber analysis showed that the invasiveness of the cells transfected with KISS-1 at 24 h (91.8 +/- 11.7), 48 h (117.8 +/- 11.1) and 72 h (139.2 +/- 11.8) were significantly reduced than that of the cells transfected with the control vector pcDNA3.1 (118.1 +/- 14.7, 141.7 +/- 13.2, 162.2 +/- 22.7; t = 3.153, 4.215, 3.569, P < 0.01) and the control cells (112.2 +/- 15.6, 138.1 +/- 13.0, 162.3 +/- 14.0; t = 4.154, 3.797, 2.702, P < 0.05). MTT showed that the proliferation potential of cells after transfection with KISS-1 at 48 h (0.517 +/- 0.127) and 72 h (0.394 +/- 0.137) were significantly reduced than that of cells transfected with the control vector pcDNA3.1 (0.636 +/- 0.186, 0.513 +/- 0.150; t = 2.054, 2.709, P < 0.05) and the control cells (0.646 +/- 0.135, 0.511 +/- 0.153; t = 2.276, 2.205, P < 0.05). Clone formation assay suggested that cells transfected with KISS-1 (157.2 +/- 36.4) showed significantly decreased clone formation than cells transfected with the control vector pcDNA3.1 (236.3 +/- 78.1; t = 3.441, P < 0.01) and the control cells (242.5 +/- 48.6; t = 2.250, P < 0.05)., Conclusion: KISS-1 gene inhibits the potential of invasion and proliferation of EC-1 cells.

The present paper reports the possible geometries and vibrational spectra of AsF6- anion and M+ AsF6- (M+ = Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+ and Cs+) contact ion pairs. It was shown that the tridentate C3v structure of M+ AsF- was preferred over the monodentate and bidentate geometry. In the tridentate structure, the symmetry of AsF6- in the coordination is lowered because of the presence of M+, and its structural parameters and vibrational modes largely differ from its original octahedral structure. The effect of Li+ on the structure of AsF6- was greater due to its larger charge/radius ratio. The calculated bands for AsF6- in M+ AsF6-, located in the range of 600-800 cm(-1), could be used to fingerprint what kind of ion pair was present in solutions.

In the title compound, [Co(C(7)H(5)O(3))(2)(C(14)H(12)N(2))], the Co(II) ion is five-coordinated by two N atoms from one 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmphen) ligand and three O atoms from two 2-hydroxy-benzoate anions in a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry. The carboxyl-ate group of one of the two 2-hydroxy-benzoate anions is monodentate with a normal Co-O distance [1.9804 (18) Å], while the other is bidentate with two longer Co-O bonds [2.1981 (18) and 2.1359 (19) Å]. The crystal structure is stabilized by aromatic π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid-centroid distances of 4.0380 (3) and 3.8216 (3) Å between dmphen/dmphen and benzene/dmphen rings, respectively] and C-H⋯π(benzene) inter-actions.

A reference in the paper by Xuan & Zhao [Acta Cryst. (2007), E63, m2678] is replaced.[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1107/S1600536807045941.].

In the centrosymmetric binuclear title complex, [Pb(2)(C(7)H(5)O(3))(4)(C(12)H(8)N(2))(2)(H(2)O)(2)]·H(2)O, each Pb atom is eight-coordinated in a PbO(6)N(2) environment by two N atoms from the 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligand, five carboxylate O atoms from four 3-hydroxy-benzoate anions and one O atom from the coordinated water mol-ecule in a distorted bicapped trigonal-prismatic geometry. The benzoate groups coordinate each Pb(II) atom in two different ways. Two benzoate ions behave as bidentate ligands to the Pb atom, and another benzoate ion bridges the Pb atoms, forming a binuclear structure. The dimeric units are packed via O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π-π inter-actions between the aromatic rings of neighboring mol-ecules, with centroid-centroid distances of 3.552 (2) and 3.641 (2) Å.

Aim: To investigate the intervenient effect of compound traditional Chinese medicine on dendritic cells (DCs) in peripheral blood in vitro., Methods: DCs in peripheral blood were cultured for five days with medium which had GM-CSF and IL-4. The compound traditional Chinese medicine were added into the medium and the cells were collected on the 5th day. Surface markers of CD83 and CD86 in DCs were analyzed by flow cytometry. The capability of DC to stimulate the proliferation of T lymphocytes was evaluated by allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. The content of IL-12 in cell culture supernatant was detected by ELISA., Results: The expression of CD83 and CD86 was increased significantly(P<0.001) after the addition of the compound traditional Chinese medicine. The capability of DC to stimulate the proliferation of T lymphocytes was increased evidently (P<0.05). However the production of IL-12 was decreased obviously(P<0.001)., Conclusion: The compound traditional Chinese medicine has immunoregulation of DC, It can enhance the presenting capability of antigen in DCs and inhibit the production of IL-12.

There has always been a great need for simple and accurate bioassays for evaluating nutrient limitation in aquatic ecosystems. Whereas organic carbon is usually considered to be the limiting nutrient for microbial growth in many aquatic ecosystems, there are, however, many water sources that are limited by phosphorus or nitrogen. A method named "nitrogen fixing bacterial growth potential" (NFBGP) test, which is based on pre-culturing of autochthonous (target) microorganisms was described. The method was applied to evaluate phosphorus or nitrogen nutrient limitation in lake and sewage water samples using an isolate of the nitrogen fixing bacterium, Azorhizobium sp. WS6. The results corresponded well to those from the traditional algal growth potential (AGP) test and the bacterial regrowth potential (BRP) test, suggesting that the NFBGP test is a useful supplementary method for evaluating the limiting nutrient, especially phosphorus, in an aquatic environment.

Ion solvation and ion association in solutions of NaBF4/DMF were studied by infrared and Raman spectroscopy and ab initio quantum chemistry. It was found that the sodium cation interacts on oxygen atom of C=O group in DMF molecules. The solvation number of Na+, four, was obtained according to the change analysis of CH3 rocking band. The splitting of the nu1 mode of BF4(-) anion indicates the presence of contact ion pairs. Ionic association degree increases with increasing molality of the salt. The solvated structure of Na+ and the geometry of Li+ BF4(-) ion pair were also suggested based on the ab initio calculations.