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Three kinds of Langmuir monolayers formed by dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), arachidic acid (AA), and octadecylamine (ODA) were used as templates to study the initial stage of nucleation and crystallization of calcium phosphates. It was demonstrated that the combination of calcium ions (or phosphates) to the monolayer/subphase interface is a prerequisite for subsequent nucleation. It was found that calcium phosphate dihydrate (DPCD) formed at 25.0 degrees C for 12 h has a biphasic structure containing both amorphous and crystalline phases. These results showed that calcium phosphates were formed through a multistage assembly process, during which an initial amorphous phase DPCD was followed by a phase transformation into a crystalline phase and then the most stable hydroxyapatite (HAp). This provided new insights into the template-biomineral interaction and a mechanism for biomineralization.

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cHuman norovirus (NoV) is the most frequent causative agent of food-borne disease associated with shellfish consumption. In this study, the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on inactivation of NoV was determined. Genogroup I.1 (GI.1) or genogroup II.4 (GII.4) NoV was inoculated into oyster homogenates and treated at 300 to 600 MPa at 25, 6, and 1°C for 5 min. After HHP, samples were treated with RNase and viral particles were extracted with porcine gastric mucin (PGM)-conjugated magnetic beads (PGM-MBs). Viral RNA was then quantified by real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Since PGM contains histoblood group-like antigens, which can act as receptors for NoV, deficiency for binding to PGM is an indication of loss of infectivity of NoV. After binding to PGM-MBs, RT-PCR-detectable NoV RNA in oysters was reduced by 0.4 to >4 log 10 by HHP at 300 to 600 MPa. The GI.1 NoV was more resistant to HHP than the GII.4 NoV (P < 0.05). HHP at lower temperatures significantly enhanced the inactivation of NoV in oysters (P < 0.05). Pressure treatment was also conducted for clam homogenates. Treatment at 450 MPa at 1°C achieved a >4 log 10 reduction of GI.1 NoV in both oyster and clam homogenates. It is therefore concluded that HHP could be applied as a potential intervention for inactivating NoV in raw shellfish. The method of pretreatment of samples with RNase, extraction of viral particles using PGM-MB binding, and quantification of viral RNA using RT-PCR can be explored as a practical means of distinguishing between infectious and noninfectious NoV.

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