Medical papyri show the effects of the Santorini eruption heavily influenced the development of ancient medicine.

Exposure to ash from the catastrophic Santorini eruption radically changed Bronze Age medicine, triggering the development of new remedies, the wide dissemination of medical data, and the transfer of technologies. These developments were identified in medical papyri thanks to remedies for ailments linked to volcanic matter an oddity in Egypt, a country without volcanoes. The anomaly was traced back to the Santorini eruption, which through volcanic ash, acidified bodies of waters, and acid rain affected the whole eastern Mediterranean without sparing Egypt. Using available technology, doctors developed new remedies for severe irritation to eyes from ash and for burns on the skin, or imported foreign remedies as exemplified by paragraph 28 of the London Medical Papyrus (L28), thus resorting to technology transfer even if so crude. Furthermore, medical manuals rather than being guarded by families of physicians were now used to disseminate remedies as widely as possible. Finally, besides providing historical data, the medical reaction to the Santorini eruption could still be of use today. The remedies could be integrated in manuals for emergency situations for population left without adequate medical infrastructure at a time of exposure to heavy volcanic fallout or acidified rain.

Influence of various preservatives on the quality of minced beef under modified atmosphere at chilled storage.

The effect of preservatives on microbial quality, pH, drip-loss, roasting-loss, colour, and sensorial properties of modified atmosphere packaged (70% O(2) and 30% CO(2)) minced beef (M. semimembranosus) stored at (2±0.5°C) for 12days was investigated. Beef cubes (approx. 20×20×20mm size) were immersed in solutions of 2% and 5% lactic acid, 2% lactic acid combined with 0.5% sodium ascorbate, 20% potassium lactate and 20% potassium sorbate before mincing. Addition of lactic acid was associated with pH drop, which increased drip-loss and roasting-loss. Application of all additives inhibited aerobic micro-organisms (10(3)-10(4)CFUg(-1) on day 12) compared to reference sample (9×10(5)CFUg(-1) on day 12). Lactic acid discoloured samples, while sodium ascorbate seemed to improve colour stability. Despite good visual colour characteristics, potassium sorbate treated samples were organoleptically unacceptable with massive off-flavour.

Release of alpha-tocopherol from antioxidative low-density polyethylene film into fatty food simulant: influence of complexation in beta-cyclodextrin.

The release of alpha-tocopherol from two formulations (with and without complexation with beta-cyclodextrin) of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film was examined. Specific migration studies were performed at 7.0 +/- 0.5 degrees C using plastic bags filled with 95% ethanol as a fatty food simulant. The amount of complexed and free (non-complexed) alpha-tocopherol migrating into the food simulant was followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was concluded that complexation with beta-cyclodextrin had a significant effect on the release rate of the antioxidant. Using a mathematical model for the description of the migration, a decrease in diffusion coefficient (D) of one order of magnitude was calculated in the case of complexed alpha-tocopherol compared with the free form. Total migration of alpha-tocopherol from both films was observed, meaning that the partition coefficient of tocopherol was not influenced by incorporation with cyclodextrin. Thus, complexation might be the key to a long-lasting antioxidative effect of such kind of active packaging.

Did an epidemic of tularemia in Ancient Egypt affect the course of world history?

The dynamics of the spreading, and the identity of a virulent epidemic, similar to bubonic plague or typhus, which hit Ancient Egypt in the middle of the Bronze Age, are hereby presented. Documented in medical papyri as well as archaeological findings, and re-echoed in biblical texts, a plague entered Egypt's main harbor, Avaris, around 1715 BC. As a result, the country was severely weakened at a time when it was already facing serious sociopolitical issues: crumbling central government, immigration, foreign influence, and the rise in power of the army and of warlords. The Hebrews, one of the ethnic groups within the Avaris area, appeared immune amidst the devastation of the plague. This immunity was key to identify the etiological agent of the epidemic: Francisella tularensis, the Gram-negative bacterium passed by ticks, and that causes tularemia. The disease manifests itself as either an ulceroglandular or a typhoid syndrome, accounting for its similarity with bubonic plague and typhus. Cellular immunity provides the main defense against F. tularensis, and is achieved through continuous contact with avirulent strains of the bacterium. Urban dwellers of Avaris, who had a limited contact to animals, would have been defenseless against the virulent strains, unlike the Hebrews, who lived off sheep and other animals. Attempting to consolidate Egypt's central government in the aftermath of the tularemia epidemic, led among others to the internment of the Hebrews in labor camps. The repressive measures against the Hebrews left traces in the subsequent archaeological layer (stratum F) at Avaris. As a corollary, the enslavement would set the stage for the exodus of the Hebrew community from Egypt at a later time.

Influence of polymer matrix and adsorption onto silica materials on the migration of alpha-tocopherol into 95% ethanol from active packaging.

In this study, the effect of polymer materials with different polarity, namely low density polyethylene (LDPE) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), on the migration behaviour of alpha-tocopherol from active packaging was investigated. The antioxidant was also adsorbed onto silica materials, namely SBA-15 (Santa Barbara-15) and Syloblock, in order to protect the antioxidant during extrusion and to ensure a controlled and sufficient release during the shelf-life of the food product. Migration experiments were performed at 7.0 +/- 0.5 degrees C and 95% ethanol was used as fatty food simulant. All films contained a high concentration of alpha-tocopherol, approximately 2000 mg kg(-1), to obtain an active packaging. Polymer matrix had a small influence on the migration profile. The migration of 80% of total migrated amount of antioxidant was retarded for 2.4 days by using LDPE instead of EVA. When alpha-tocopherol was adsorbed onto both silica materials, the migration of 80% of total migrated amount of antioxidant was retarded for 3.4 days in comparison to pure alpha-tocopherol. No difference was seen between the migration profiles of alpha-tocopherol adsorbed onto both silica materials. In the case of pure alpha-tocopherol, 82% of the initial amount of alpha-tocopherol in the film migrated into the food simulant at a rather fast migration rate. In the case of adsorption on silica materials, a total migration was observed. These antioxidative films can have positive food applications.

[Systemic lupus erythematosus and pregnancy]. / Systemás lupus erythematosus és a terhesség.

The authors report on the successful outcome of pregnancy of a young woman with systemic lupus erythematosus. Her disease presented with severe renal involvement. The delivery was followed by lasting, complete remission. Even at the time of the report both the mother and her child are in a good health. On the occasion of this case-history the authors attempts, to summarize the present knowledge of pregnancy in systemic lupus erythematosus.