DRYING BEHAVIOR OF CULTURED MUSHROOMS

In this study, the drying behavior of cultured mushrooms with an initial moisture content of 93% (drying basis [ d.b. ]) was investigated experimentally for different slice thicknesses and drying air temperatures, and the suitability of various drying models in defining the drying behavior of mushrooms was determined by statistical analysis. Drying operation was carried out at temperatures of 40, 45, 50 and 60C and at a fixed air velocity of 2 m/s. The slice thicknesses of mushrooms were taken as 2, 4 and 6 mm. The experimental results show that the drying temperature has a significant effect on the moisture removal from mushrooms. However, it is also observed that increasing the temperature above a certain value for large values of slice thickness does not have a considerable effect on the drying rate. It may also be concluded from the experimental results that the increase in the slice thickness slows down the drying rate significantly. Furthermore, the results of statistical analysis show that the most suitable model in defining the drying behavior of mushrooms is the diffusion approach model.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Mushrooms are soft textured and extremely perishable. They begin to deteriorate shortly after harvest. Because of their short shelf life under normal ambient conditions of temperature and humidity, their preservation has assumed importance. The most common species that is also grown on a large scale in Turkey is the cultivated mushroom, Agaricus bisporus . They are low in calorie and have a delicate, appealing flavor. They contain about 91% water. Drying is the most common preservation method, especially for mushrooms to be used as ingredients for special sauces and soups. Preservation of mushrooms through drying makes it possible to limit microbial growth or other reactions by reducing moisture content, and allows efficiency in transportation and storage.     

沪宁高速公路桥梁拼接施工与质量控制

概述了沪宁高速公路扩建工程中桥梁拼接施工的工程特点,介绍了桥梁拼接施工工艺及质量控制,具体阐述了原桥与新桥拼接施工方法和拼接的湿按缝混凝土浇筑施工工艺,为今后同类工程积累了重要的施工经验。     

A novel crystallization method for visualizing the membrane localization of potassium channels

The high permeability of K+ channels to monovalent thallium (Tl+) ions and the low solubility of thallium bromide salt were used to develop a simple yet very sensitive approach to the study of membrane localization of potassium channels. K+ channels (Kir1.1, Kir2.1, Kir2.3, Kv2.1), were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and loaded with Br ions by microinjection. Oocytes were then exposed to extracellular thallium. Under conditions favoring influx of Tl+ ions (negative membrane potential under voltage clamp, or high concentration of extracellular Tl+), crystals of TlBr, visible under low-power microscopy, formed under the membrane in places of high density of K+ channels. Crystals were not formed in uninjected oocytes, but were formed in oocytes expressing as little as 5 microS K+ conductance. The number of observed crystals was much lower than the estimated number of functional channels. Based on the pattern of crystal formation, K+ channels appear to be expressed mostly around the point of cRNA injection when injected either into the animal or vegetal hemisphere. In addition to this pseudopolarized distribution of K+ channels due to localized microinjection of cRNA, a naturally polarized (animal/vegetal side) distribution of K+ channels was also frequently observed when K+ channel cRNA was injected at the equator. A second novel "agarose-hemiclamp" technique was developed to permit direct measurements of K+ currents from different hemispheres of oocytes under two-microelectrode voltage clamp. This technique, together with direct patch-clamping of patches of membrane in regions of high crystal density, confirmed that the localization of TlBr crystals corresponded to the localization of functional K+ channels and suggested a clustered organization of functional channels. With appropriate permeant ion/counterion pairs, this approach may be applicable to the visualization of the membrane distribution of any functional ion channel.     

Effect of homocysteine on copper ion-catalyzed, azo compound-initiated, and mononuclear cell-mediated oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein

Homocysteine is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The mechanisms by which elevated plasma concentrations of homocysteine are related to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis are not fully understood. To examine whether homocysteine is implicated in atherogenesis through the modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL), the effect of homocysteine on the oxidation of LDL was studied by three different oxidation systems. Thus, LDL was subjected to Cu(2+)-catalyzed, azo compound-initiated, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell-mediated oxidative modification. The extent of modification was assessed by measuring the formation of conjugated dienes, lipid peroxides, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and the relative electrophoretic mobility. Homocysteine at a normal plasma concentration (6 microM) showed no effect, whereas a concentration corresponding to moderate hyperhomocysteinemia (25 microM) or to concentrations seen in homocystinuria patients (100, 250, and 500 microM) protected LDL from modification of the lipid as well as of the protein moiety. One exception was observed: when the oxidation was initiated by copper ions, homocysteine at concentrations 6 and 25 microM stimulated the lipid peroxidation of LDL to a small, but statistically significant extent. High concentrations of homocysteine showed antioxidative properties as long as the thiol groups were intact, thereby delaying the onset of the oxidation. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydracyl radical test demonstrated that homocysteine at concentrations > or = 50 microM possessed marked free radical scavenging capacity. Finally, LDL isolated from two patients with homozygous homocystinuria showed similar extent of Cu(2+)-catalyzed oxidation as LDL from a group of healthy control subjects. Taken together, our data suggest that low concentrations of homocysteine in the presence of copper ions may enhance the lipid peroxidation of LDL, whereas high concentrations of homocysteine may protect LDL against oxidative modification in the lipid as well as in the protein moiety. Thus, homocysteine-induced atherosclerosis may be explained by mechanisms other than oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein.     

基于小波域的深度残差网络图像超分辨率算法

单幅图像超分辨率（SISR）是指从一张低分辨率图像重建高分辨率图像.传统的神经网络方法通常在图像的空间域进行超分辨率重构，但这些方法常在重构过程中忽略重要的细节.鉴于小波变换能够将图像内容的"粗略"和"细节"特征进行分离，提出一种基于小波域的深度残差网络（DRWSR）.不同于其他传统的卷积神经网络直接推导高分辨率图像（HR），该方法采用多阶段学习策略，首先推理出高分辨率图像对应的小波系数，然后重建超分辨率图像（SR）.为了获取更多的信息，该方法采用一种残差嵌套残差的灵活可扩展的深度神经网络.此外，提出的神经网络模型采用结合图像空域与小波域的损失函数进行优化求解.所提出的方法在Set5、Set14、BSD100、Urban100等数据集上进行实验，实验结果表明，该方法的视觉效果和峰值信噪比（PSNR）均优于相关的图像超分辨率方法.