Quality enhancement of the abundant under‐valued crustacean,lobster krill (Munida spp.), during its chilled storage

Lobster krill (Munida genus) represents an under‐valued crustacean frequently caught on European fishing banks. In this work, its sensory, microbiological and biochemical qualities were evaluated during chilled storage. Additionally, the effects of a prestorage antimelanosic treatment consisting of soaking in sodium metabisulphite (SMB) solutions at two different concentrations (0.25% and 0.75%) were also studied. SMB prestorage treatment provided lobster specimens that still exhibited acceptable sensory quality after 10 days of storage, while control specimens were unacceptable at that time. SMB treatment also resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of microbial growth, mainly of Enterobacteriaceae, psychrotrophes and proteolytic bacteria. Low lipid oxidation levels were observed for all batches; however, a significantly higher (P < 0.05) retention of polyunsaturated fatty acids was found in SMB‐treated lobster, especially in the 0.75% SMB batch. The results presented here open the way to the potential commercialisation of currently under‐utilised lobster krill as a chilled product.     

Molecular structure and granule morphology of native and heat‐moisture‐treated pinhão starch

Pinhão seed is an unconventional source of starch and the pines grow up in native forests of southern Latin America. In this study, pinhão starch was adjusted at 15, 20 and 25% moisture content and heated to 100, 110 and 120 °C for 1 h. A decrease in λ max (starch/iodine complex) was observed as a result of increase in temperature and moisture content of HMT. The ratio of crystalline to amorphous phase in pinhão starch was determined via Fourier transform infra red by taking 1045/1022 band ratio. A decrease in crystallinity occurred as a result of HMT. Polarised light microscopy indicated a loss of birefringence of starch granules under 120 °C at 25% moisture content. Granule size distribution was further confirmed via scanning electron microscopy which showed the HMT effects. These results increased the understanding on molecular and structural properties of HMT pinhão starch and broadened its food and nonfood industrial applications.     

Chemical-Shift Perturbations Reflect Bile Acid Binding to Norovirus Coat Protein: Recognition Comes in Different Flavors

Bile acids have been reported as important cofactors promoting human and murine norovirus (NoV) infections in cell culture. The underlying mechanisms are not resolved. Through the use of chemical shift perturbation (CSP) NMR experiments, we identified a low-affinity bile acid binding site of a human GII.4 NoV strain. Long-timescale MD simulations reveal the formation of a ligand-accessible binding pocket of flexible shape, allowing the formation of stable viral coat protein–bile acid complexes in agreement with experimental CSP data. CSP NMR experiments also show that this mode of bile acid binding has a minor influence on the binding of histo-blood group antigens and vice versa. STD NMR experiments probing the binding of bile acids to virus-like particles of seven different strains suggest that low-affinity bile acid binding is a common feature of human NoV and should therefore be important for understanding the role of bile acids as cofactors in NoV infection.     

PCR-based procedures in detection and DNA-fingerprinting of Salmonella from samples of animal origin

The usefulness of selected PCR-protocols for the detection of Salmonella in 117 samples of animal origin (17 raw minced meat, 27 raw chicken meat, 8 raw sausages, and 25 egg samples, as well as 18 poultry faecal, and caecal swabs samples) and DNA-fingerprinting typing is shown. To establish an accurate PCR-procedure for Salmonella detection the following parameters were evaluated: two pre-PCR concentration procedures, centrifugation and immunomagnetic separation (IMS) using Dynabeads anti- Salmonella; the specificity and sensitivity of 10 sets of primers; and different conditions of the amplification reaction. In light of the results obtained from the use of PCR-based procedures alone or in combination with conventional methods, the following findings can be underlined: First, IMS is more efficient than centrifugation in the recovery of Salmonella. Second, the selected IMS/PCR-detection protocol is less time-consuming (45 h) than the IMS/culture procedure (90 h), and a good concordance between them was found when the Kappa coefficient was calculated (0·87). Third, PCR-ribotyping technique showed a very low discrimination power, being able to differentiate only three profiles. Fourth, RAPD technique using specific primers supports previous works in which it was proposed as a simple and useful tool for discriminating isolates between and within serotypes. Fifth, The efficiency, rapidity, and flexibility of the PCR-protocols applied were high, and they can be performed using two PCR-programs and the same basic equipment.     

Bladder psoas hitch. Report of 11 cases

Bladder psoas hitch is an surgical technique which, in very complicated cases, like repeated failures of vesico-ureteral re-implants or undiversions, allow us to bridge the shortness of the ureter and obtain a good vesico-ureteral reimplant. The surgical maneuver is described and several of the 11 cases operated by this technique are commented. The results are presented.     

Acculturation, Familism, Parental Monitoring, and Knowledge as Predictors of Marijuana and Inhalant Use in Adolescents.

The authors investigated relationships between marijuana and inhalant use and several cultural and demographic factors in Anglo American and Hispanic American adolescents (N=1,094). Outcome measures assessed lifetime and 30-day marijuana and inhalant use. Predictors and covariates used in logistic regression analyses were region, grade, gender, knowledge, acculturation, familism, and parental monitoring. Hispanic Americans exhibited higher usage across all measures. In this group, high acculturation was associated with low marijuana, but high inhalant, use. Across all participants, positive family relations and parental monitoring were strongly associated with attenuated marijuana use hut only among those most knowledgeable about drugs. Familism and monitoring were not associated with diminished usage among the less knowledgeable. For inhalants, monitoring combined with high knowledge or high familism was associated with diminished usage. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental results of a solar assisted heat pump rice drying system

In the last rice harvest season, experimental results have been obtained on the efficiency and drying quality of a solar assisted heat pump drying prototype system. The system has been operated as a solar and heat pump system and drying curves for the different options have been obtained. The advantage of the low temperature and better control in the drier shows that the heat pump assisted solar drying system is an excellent alternative to traditional drying systems.     

Progressive scoliosis with vertebral rotation after lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in a 10-year-old girl

A case report of a 10-year old girl with a herniated disc is presented. The most significant symptoms were progressive scoliosis with a flat back and paravertebral muscle spasm. An absent H reflex on the left and an increased latency of the somatosensory-evoked potentials of the left posterior tibial nerve were found. The computed tomographic scan of the lumbar spine showed a large central left-sided disc protrusion at the L5-S1 level. Our case presents the youngest patient with documented intervertebral disc herniation and the only one with severe scoliosis and vertebral rotation. The curve was not structural because it improved with surgery and an orthosis was not necessary.     

Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus among food handlers from a metropolitan university in Chile

BACKGROUND: An important agent of food intoxication is Staphylococcus aureus, that is able to produce enterotoxins. AIM: To detect Staphylococcus aureus contamination in cafeteria food handlers of a Chilean University. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Nose, throat, hands and nail samples from 87 food handlers were obtained for microbiological examination. RESULTS: Fifty seven subjects (65.5%) were carriers of Staphylococcus aureus. Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus was found in 36 subjects (41%). The most frequently found enterotoxin was type B (18 samples) followed by type D (12 samples). Men bad a higher frequency of contamination than women (83 and 57% of positive samples respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of Staphylococcus aureus contamination among food handlers is high and should prompt personal and environmental hygienic measures.