Extrusion and characterization of thermoplastic starch sheets from "macho" banana.

UNLABELLED: Starch isolated from macho banana was oxidized by using 2.5% and 3.5% (w/w) of sodium hypochlorite. Native and oxidized starches with glycerol were processed using a conical twin screw extruder to obtain thermoplastic laminates or sheets, which were partially characterized. Oxidized banana starches presented higher moisture and total starch but lower ash, protein, lipids, and apparent amylose content than the native starch. Micrographs of sheets from oxidized starches showed wrinkles and cavities presumably caused by the plasticizer, but with less free glycerol and unplasticized starch granules than those from native starch. Sheets from oxidized starch showed a notorious increase in all thermal parameters (To, Tp, and ΔH), mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, and elasticity), and solubility. Banana starch X-ray diffraction patterns corresponded to a mixture of the A- and B-type polymorphs, with apparently slightly higher crystallinity in oxidized specimens than in native starch. A similar trend was observed in the corresponding sheets. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Due to the pollution problem caused by the conventional plastics, there has been a renewed interest in biodegradable sheets, because they may have the potential to replace conventional packaging materials. Banana starch might be an interesting raw material to be used as edible sheet, coating or in food packaging, and preservation, because it is biodegradable, cheap, innocuous, and abundant.

[Prognosis factors associated with the progression of preeclampsia to eclampsia]. / Factores pronósticos asociados a la progresión de preeclampsia a eclampsia.

This study was undertaken to determine the prognosis value of laboratory and clinical findings in the progression of preeclampsia to eclampsia. Nausea and vomiting and glucose level > 105 mg/dL, serum creatinine level > 1.0 mg/dL, aspartate aminotransferase level > 35 IU/L, alanine aminotransferase level > 40 IU/L and lactate deshiydrogenase level > 450 IU/L can be used to estimate the risk for the advancement to eclampsia. This information could be helpful to the clinician for management purposes.

[Vulvar angiomyofibroblastoma. Report of a case and review of the literature]. / Angiomiofibroblastoma vulvar. Informe de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

Angiomyofibroblastoma is a rare mesenchymal tumor predominantly of vulvar location. It is characterized being of superficial and slow-growth, low propensity for local recurrence and often misdiagnosed as a Bartholin's gland cyst, hydrocele of the canal of Nuck and aggressive angiomyxoma. A case of vulvar angiomyofibroblastoma in a 56 year-old woman is presented. The specimen was processed by structural and immunohistochemical analysis. It's important to suspect the diagnosis and to distinguish it of aggressive angiomyxoma.