Physical and chemical characteristics of goldenberry fruit (Physalis peruviana L.).

Some physical and chemical characteristics of goldenberry fruit (Physalis peruviana L.) were investigated. These characteristics are necessary for the design of equipments for harvesting, processing, transportation, sorting, separating and packing. The fruit length, diameter, geometric and arithmetic mean diameters, sphericity, surface area, projected areas (vertical-horizontal) and aspect ratio of goldenberries were determined as 17.52 mm, 17.31 mm, 17.33 mm, 17.38 mm, 98.9 %, 0.949 cm(2), 388.67-387.85 mm(2) and 0.988, respectively. The mass of fruit, bulk density, fruit density, porosity and fruit hardness were 3.091 g, 997.3 kg/m(3), 462.3 kg/m(3), 53.61 % and 8.01 N, respectively. The highest static coefficient of friction was observed on rubber surface, followed by stainless steel sheet, aluminum sheet, and plywood materials. The dry matter, water soluble dry matter, ash, protein, oil, carbohydrate, titratable acidity, pH, total sugar, reducing sugar, antioxidant capacity were 18.67 %, 14.17 %, 2.98 %, 1.66 %, 0.18 %, 13.86 %, 1.26 %, 6.07, 63.90 g/kg, 31.99 g/kg and 57.67 %, respectively. The fresh fruits have 145.22 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g total phenol content and skin colour data represented as L*, a*, b*, Chroma (C) and Hue angle (α) were 49.92, 25.11, 50.23, 56.12 and 63.48, respectively.

Effect of surface properties on the electrorheological response of hematite/silicone oil dispersions.

In this work we present an investigation of the influence of particle surface characteristics on the electrorheological (ER) behavior of suspensions of either pure or modified hematite (α-Fe(2)O(3)) particles dispersed in silicone oil. The modification consisted of either dehydration or hydrophobization of the particles before preparing the suspensions. A comparison was performed between the electrorheological responses of suspensions with the same volume fraction of hematite particles having different surface properties. The effects of applied electric field strength on the viscosity, yield stress and dynamic moduli of these suspensions were examined. It was found that the usual positive ER response, that is, enhanced values of the yield stress and elastic modulus induced by the electric field were obtained for hematite and, to a lesser extent, for dried hematite suspensions. In contrast, a "negative ER effect", i.e., the reduction of yield stress and elastic modulus upon application of electric field was observed for hydrophobically modified (oleic acid coated) hematite. This means that the field produces destruction of structures rather than their build up, above a threshold electric field strength.

Fibrous dysplasia of bone associated with soft-tissue myxomas as well as an intra-osseous myxoma in a woman with Mazabraud's syndrome: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Mazabraud's syndrome is a rare but well-described disorder characterized by fibrous dysplasia in single or multiple bones associated with one or more soft-tissue myxomas. In this report, we describe what is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case involving an intra-osseous myxoma. This finding supports, and could provide new insight into, the pathological association between fibrous dysplasia and myxomas. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we describe the case of a 49-year-old Caucasian woman known for years to have fibrous dysplasia in the left femur and tibia who presented with progressive pain in her left leg and soft swelling in the left quadriceps region. After surgical intervention with excision of the soft-tissue mass, the diagnosis of Mazabraud's syndrome was confirmed. During follow-up, our patient presented with a painless mass located on the lateral side of the left knee, next to a second, intra-osseous lesion with the same characteristics in the left lateral tibial plateau. The histopathological examination was consistent with a soft-tissue intra-osseous myxoma. CONCLUSION: In the international literature, 67 cases of Mazabraud's syndrome have been described so far.To our knowledge, the present case report is the first to describe the combination of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia and intra-muscular as well as intra-osseous myxoma.

Clinical Results of 40 Consecutive Basal Thumb Prostheses and No CRPS Type I After Vitamin C Prophylaxis.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I may occur as complication after any type of surgery for basal joint arthritis of the thumb. We investigated prospectively in an ongoing study our results after a fully standardized treatment with a total joint prosthesis under vitamin C prophylaxis.Patients with trapeziometacarpal arthritis stage II or III according to Dell, and no benefit from conservative treatment, were selected to undergo joint replacement with a semi-constrained hydroxyapatite coated prosthesis.First web opening and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for pain, activities of daily living (ADL) and satisfaction were taken pre and postoperatively. Vitamin C 500 mg daily was started two days prior to surgery during 50 days as prevention for CRPS. Post-operative treatment was functional.We performed 40 implantations for trapeziometacarpal arthritis in 34 patients (mean age 60.8 years; 27 females, 7 males) with a mean follow-up of 44 months. Operations were performed in day care under regional (or general) anesthesia.First web opening increased with 15.4 degrees and there was a significant improvement for pain, ADL and satisfaction as well (p = 0.000). Patient satisfaction was strongly associated with the amount of pain reduction. According to the Veldman and IASP criteria, there were no cases of CRPS.The overall complication rate for this procedure is high. Literature reports 5 cases of CRPS after 38 operations with the same implant (13%). We advise vitamin C as prophylaxis against CRPS in trapeziometacarpal joint replacement.

Clinical outcome of cementless semi-constrained trapeziometacarpal arthroplasty, and possible effect of vitamin C on the occurrence of complex regional pain syndrome.

Patients with trapeziometacarpal joint arthritis stage II or III (according to Dell) and no benefit from non-operative therapy were selected to undergo joint arthroplasty. We performed 32 arthroplasties for first carpometacarpal arthritis in 27 patients using a cementless total trapeziometacarpal joint prosthesis. We undertook a prospective cohort study and evaluated the clinical results of total joint arthroplasty after an average of 39 months. Visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for pain, daily activities (ADL) and satisfaction were taken pre- and postoperatively, and the first web opening was measured. First web opening improved significantly as did pain, ADL and patient satisfaction. Surgery of arthritis of the first carpometacarpal joint can be complicated by complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type I. In all our patients Vitamin C 500 mg daily was started two days before surgery and continued during 50 days. There were no cases of CRPS under vitamin C prophylaxis. These results justify further investigation in a randomised clinical trial.

Electrorheological properties of PMMA-b-PSt copolymer suspensions.

In this study, a block copolymer of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene (St) synthesized by combined ultrasonic irradiation and reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) processes was used. PMMA-b-PSt was partially hydrolyzed and converted to a lithium salt, PMMA-b-PSt-Li, before the electrorheological (ER) measurements carried out. Average particle diameter of PMMA-b-PSt-Li polymeric salt was determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) as 22 mum. Suspensions of PMMA-b-PSt-Li polymeric salts were prepared in silicone oil. ER properties of PMMA-b-PSt-Li/silicone oil suspensions were studied as a function of electric field strength, dispersed phase concentration, shear rate, shear stress, temperature, frequency, and polar promoter. Further dielectric properties of PMMA-b-PSt-Li ionomer were also investigated.