A case of intestinal trichobezoar

Report is made of a case of an unusual localization of a trichobezoar in a 12 year-old girl, who presented vomiting and abdominal pain as chief complaints. She was found to have an 18 X 5 cm palpable abdominal mass, which upon surgery was localized in terminal ileum and in the pathology report was found to be a trichobezoar. The interest of this case is the unusual localization of a single bezoar and the fact that a resection of 25 cm. of small bowel had to be done, as it was found necrotic at the time of surgery.     

Effects of different levels of fat on rheological changes and microstructure of meat batters during heat processing

Summary The effect of differences in fat content (5.3% and 20.8%) on the rheological characteristics and microstructure of meat batters in the course of heating was studied. Rheological properties were assessed using nondestructive measurements (thermal scanning rigidity monitor) and structural failure (penetration test) analyses. Microstructure was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The influence of fat content on the modulus of rigidity (G) only became evident as gel structures began to form, giving higher G values for meat batters the higher the fat content of the sample. As the temperature was raised in the product (between 40 and 70° C), penetration stress and elasticity increased. The work of penetration, on the other hand, increased between 40 and 60° C, remaining steady at higher temperatures. Analysis of the results on the basis of different treatments indicates that an increase in fat content significantly raises penetration stress, elasticity and work of penetration. Increased temperature causes the formation of a matrix structure typical of heat-induced protein gels, which became compact and determine the formation of stronger, more elastic structures. Differences in microstructure caused by fat content were more evident at low temperature (40° C).

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Auswirkungen verschiedener Fettgehalte auf die rheologischen Veränderungen und Mikrostruktur von Fleischmischungen während des Erwärmungsprozesses

Zusammenfassung Es wurde die Wirkung verschiedener Fettgehalte (5,3% und 20,8%) auf die rheologischen Eigenschaften und Mikrostruktur von Fleischbräten während des Erwärmungsprozesses untersucht. Die rheologischen Eigenschaften wurden mittels nicht zerstörender Messungen (thermal scanning rigidity monitor, TSRM) und Penetrationstests bewertet. Die Untersuchungen der MikroStruktur wurde durch Raster-Elektronenmikroskopie (REM) durchgeführt. Der Einfluß des Fettgehalts auf den Festigkeitsgleitmodul (G) wird im gleichen Ausmaß ersichtlich, in welchem die Gelstrukturen beginnen, sich zu bilden. Je höher der Fettgehalt des Bräts ist, desto größer werden die G-Werte in den Bräten. Je mehr die Temperatur des Erzeugnisses gesteigert wurde (zwischen 40 °C und 70 °C), um so mehr stiegen Penetrationdruck und Elastizität an. Obwohl sich die Penetration zwischen 40 °C und 60 °C erhöhte, blieb diese bei höheren Temperaturen konstant. Die Analyse der Ergebnisse aufgrund der Behandlungen zeigt, daß ein größerer Fettgehalt den Penetrationdruck, die Elastizität und Eindringungseffekt bedeutend erhöhen. Die Erhöhung der Temperatur verursacht die Bildung von Matrix-Strukturen, die typisch für die durch Hitze herbeigeführten Proteingele sind, deren stärkere Verdichtung die Bildung von stärkeren und elastischeren Strukturen bedeutet. Die durch die Einwirkung des Fettgehalts in der Mikrostruktur entstandenen Unterschiede scheinen bei niedriger Temperatur (40 °C) klarer hervorzutreten.

     

Cytomegalovirus colitis mimicking a colonic neoplasm or ischemic colitis 4 years after heart transplantation

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) seems to be a realistic option for eradication of minimal residual squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC), although uptake levels of radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in tumour tissue vary strongly. The aim of this study was to obtain greater insight into the factors influencing the accumulation of MAbs in HNSCC. Twenty-seven HNSCC patients were injected with radiolabelled MAb E48 or U36 and underwent surgery 2 days after injection. Radioactivity was measured in tumour biopsies taken from the surgical specimen. Uptake levels were correlated with various patient, tumour and MAb characteristics, including age, sex, site, TNM stage, volume as assesssed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, degree of differentiation, antigen expression of the tumour, the particular MAb that had been injected and the MAb dose. A stepwise regression multivariate analysis showed that tumour volume is the most significant prognostic factor (P=0. 01) for MAb uptake. In conclusion, a significantly higher MAb uptake is found in small tumours as compared to larger tumours. Therefore, RIT may be particularly effective in head and neck cancer patients when used in an adjuvant setting.     

Rheological changes during thermal processing of low-fat meat emulsions formulated with different texture-modifying ingredients

The rheological behaviour of high-fat (22%) and low-fat (8%) meat emulsions during thermal processing in the presence (3%) of various texture-modifying non-meat ingredients, namely maltodextrin, starch, wheat flour, egg white and apple fibre, was analysed. Rheological properties of emulsions were assessed using non-destructive measurements (thermal scanning rigidity monitor, TSRM). The lower the fat content, the lower were the rigidity values of meat emulsions throughout the temperature range studied. Emulsions made with maltodextrin proved less rigid. Addition of starch and egg white favoured the formation of more rigid structures in low-fat meat emulsions at temperatures over 55 °C. Low-fat meat batters containing wheat flour and apple fibre exhibited the highest rigidity values over the given temperature range. The presence of wheat flour caused variations in the modulus of rigidity at all stages of the thermal gelation process, very similar to those observed in high-fat emulsions.     

Rice water with and without electrolytes in diarrhea with a high stool output

The objective of the study was to determine the efficacy and safety of two rice-based oral rehydration solutions, with and without added electrolyte in children presenting acute diarrheal dehydration with high stool output (> 10 mL/kg/h) during a two-hour rehydration period. Twenty-two patients of one to 18 months old were recruited and randomly distributed into two groups: group A received the rice-based solution without electrolytes, and group B received the rice-based solution with electrolytes. A stool output diminishing was observed in both groups and rehydration was achieved in 4.0 +/- 0.9 hours in 21 patients from group A and in 4.6 +/- 0.9 hours in 13 patients group group B. There was not a statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the laboratory results. The rice-based oral rehydration solution without added electrolytes was useful for rehydration of children presenting high stool output, after administering the WHO/ORS recommended formula during a two-hour period.     

The Determination of Low-Level Water in Transdermal Dosage Forms as Tyvek Laminates with an Evaporator Oven

An assay of water in adhesive monolithic transdermal drug dosage forms ('patches'), using lamination to Tyvek, and gaseous extraction in an evaporator oven into a Karl Fischer titrator, is described. The method is simple, linear, accurate, specific and more sensitive than alternatives.     

Industrial trials on coadjuvants for olive oil extraction

Industrial scale experiments were performed in an olive oil production factory to assess the effect of different physical acting coadjuvants on oil extraction and oil quality. Up to 120,000 kg olives were processed. Talc and calcium carbonate, with different particle sizes, were assayed at concentrations ranging from 0.3% to 1% by weight. Both coadjuvant types are food grade and are recognized as food additives by EU regulations (E-170 as calcium carbonate and E-553b as talc). Industrial trials were performed at room temperature with no added water, thus avoiding volatile compound loss and hydrosoluble compound content decrease. As a consequence, the obtained oils were more aromatic and their positive attributes more intense, in comparison to other olive oils produced in different operational conditions. In addition, energy requirements were decreased (releasing a lesser amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere) and water uptake was kept to a minimum.     

Supramolecular solvent-based microextraction of Sudan dyes in chilli-containing foodstuffs prior to their liquid chromatography-photodiode array determination

A supramolecular solvent made up of reverse micelles of decanoic acid was proposed for the simple and rapid extraction of Sudan I, II, III and IV from chilli-containing foodstuffs. The procedure involved the extraction of minute quantities (0.5–1 g) of homogenised food sample with an aqueous solution containing 10% THF and 200 mg of decanoic acid, conditions under which the supramolecular solvent (around 330 μL) formed in situ and instantaneously. The overall sample treatment took about 30 min and several samples could be simultaneously treated using conventional lab equipment. No clean-up or solvent evaporation were required before determination of Sudan dyes by liquid chromatography and photometric detection. Extractions were independent of salt addition (up to 1 M), the temperature (up to 60 °C) and the pH (below 4) rendering the method robust. The detection limits of the method were 4.2, 2.7, 6.5 and 7.4 μg kg⁻¹ for Sudan I, II, III and IV, respectively. Recoveries obtained by applying this approach to the analysis of six chilli-containing sauces fortified with Sudan dyes at the μg kg⁻¹ level were in the interval 86–108% with relative standard deviations between 2% and 7%.