Effects of Thickness Fraction Process on Physicochemical Properties, Cooking Qualities, and Sensory Characteristics of Long-Grain Rice Samples.

A process of removing thinner kernels of rough rice, i.e., thickness fraction process, has been suggested as a method for increasing milling yields in the rice industry. This study aimed at determining whether physicochemical properties, cooking qualities, and sensory characteristics of rice samples could be changed by the addition of a thickness fraction into the rice process stream. Each of four long-grain rice cultivar lots was assigned into two groups: unfractionated and thickness-fractionated. For the thickness-fractionated group, thin rice kernels (<1.9 mm) of rough rice were discarded from unfractionated rice samples. Unfractionated and thickness-fractionated rice samples were compared with respect to physicochemical properties, cooking qualities, and sensory characteristics. The results showed that the removal of such thin kernels decreased the breakage and chalkiness rates and increased head rice yields. Fractionated rice samples exhibited lower amylose contents and crude protein contents but higher gelatinization temperatures than unfractionated rice samples. While the optimum cooking duration and width-expansion ratios of thickness-fractionated rice samples were higher than those of unfractionated ones, there was a negligible impact of the thickness fraction process on sensory characteristics of long-grain rice samples. In conclusion, the thickness fraction process affects physicochemical properties and cooking qualities more than the sensory characteristics of rice samples.

Dry Pet Food Flavor Enhancers and Their Impact on Palatability: A Review.

Pet foods are a vital component of the global food industry. Pet food's success depends on its acceptance by both consumers (the pets) and purchasers (the pet owners). Palatability tests using panels of both trained and untrained pets are often used to measure the preference and acceptability of pet foods. Human perception of pet foods is usually determined by descriptive sensory analysis. Since dry pet foods (also known as kibbles), while being the most popular, are the least palatable, palatants as a flavor enhancer are generally added to dry pet foods to increase their acceptability to pets. Pet foods can also be prepared to be more appealing to pet owners if the chosen aromas and flavors are commonly associated with human food. With increasing demand, developing flavor enhancers to meet the needs of both pets and owners is becoming increasingly important. This review summarized the current state of flavor enhancers used in the pet food industry and their influence on food palatability from both animal and human standpoints.

Effect of Geographical Indication Information on Consumer Acceptability of Cooked Aromatic Rice.

Geographical indication (GI) labeling is used to represent information about specific geographical origins of target products. This study aimed at determining the impact of GI information on sensory perception and acceptance of cooked aromatic rice samples. Ninety-nine participants evaluated cooked rice samples prepared using each of three aromatic rice varieties both with and without being provided with GI information. Participants rated the acceptance and intensity of the cooked rice samples in terms of appearance, aroma, flavor, texture, and overall liking, and also reported how important the GI information was to them. The results showed that consumers rated the cooked rice samples higher in appearance and overall liking when provided with GI information. Interestingly, participants who valued "state-of-origin" information more highly exhibited increased hedonic ratings of cooked rice samples when provided with GI information, but not when no GI information was given. Participants provided with GI information rated flavor or sweetness intensities of cooked aromatic rice samples closer to just-about-right than those without such information. This study provides empirical evidence about how GI information modulates sensory perception and acceptance of cooked aromatic rice samples. The findings will help rice industry, farmers, and traders better employ GI labeling to increase consumer acceptability of their rice products.

Antimicrobial active edible coating of alginate and chitosan add ZnO nanoparticles applied in guavas (Psidium guajava L.).

Nanostructured coatings made with chitosan (100%Q), alginate (100%A) and blends of 50%Q-50%A; 90%Q-10%A and 90%A-10%Q, were added with (1%v/vgel) of nanoZnO and applied to guavas (Psidium guajava L.). After the coating application, fruits were stored for 15 days at 21 ±â€¯1 °C and 80 ±â€¯2% RH. To determine the effect on ripening process, fruits were submitted to water loss, texture, color, rot index, and physic-chemical assays. The results showed that coatings are able to prevent rot appearance in every sample, corroborating with the antibacterial action of nanoZnO. Coatings made with alginate and 90%A did not delay the maturation process, however, chitosan matrices (100%Q or 90%Q) protected fruits against excessive mass loss and retarded physic-chemical changes related to maturation. The experiment or study showed that it is possible to extend guava shelf life with ZnO nanostructured coatings with 100%Q or 90%Q-10%A for up to twenty days versus seven days of uncoated fruits.

Role of HLA-DR Alleles to Increase Genetic Susceptibility to Onychomycosis in Nail Psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with nail psoriasis have an increased risk of onychomycosis. Previous studies suggest it may be due to structural changes of the nails. However, a genetic predisposition seems to be also at play. OBJECTIVE: To determine a genetic susceptibility for onychomycosis in nails with changes of psoriasis. METHODS: This is a prospective case-control study of patients with suggestive changes of nail psoriasis with onychomycosis (cases) and without onychomycosis (controls) confirmed by mycological tests. HLA typing was performed in all of them by sequence-specific primers. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients and 20 controls with a mean age of 50 years (range 37-72 years) were studied. HLA-DRB1*08 was found in 12 cases (48%) and only 3 controls (15%) [p < 0.033, odds ratio (OR) = 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9-19]. HLA-DR1 was found in 9 cases (36%) and only 1 control (5%) (p < 0.023, OR = 8.5, 95% CI: 1-188). CONCLUSION: HLA-DR*08 and HLA-DR*01 probably increase the susceptibility to fungal infection in psoriasis-affected nails, but larger studies are required to confirm this observation.

Complete Remission in Metastatic Pheochromocytoma Treated with Extensive Surgery.

Pheochromocytomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors that arise from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. Malignant pheochromocytoma is defined as the presence of metastatic spread in tissues where chromaffin cells are not usually present. This case report describes the case of a relapsed malignant pheochromocytoma, spread to the right liver lobe, superior pole of the right kidney, posterior right hemidiaphragm, right hemidiaphragmatic pillar, inferior vena cava, and regional lymph nodes. After evaluation, an extensive surgery was performed, with resection of all the affected tissues and regional lymphadenectomy. No adjuvant treatment (radiotherapy or chemotherapy) was given. Complete clinical, biochemical, and radiological remission was achieved, with normalisation of metanephrine and normetanephrine. To date, six years after surgery, the patient remains asymptomatic and normotensive without taking any antihypertensive medication. We conclude that the therapeutic approach should be individualized in the case of metastatic pheochromocytoma. Extensive surgery can be considered as a treatment option, even in the case of multiple metastases, as it may be able to achieve complete remission of the disease, avoiding costly and potentially dangerous adjuvant therapies.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype 18 variants in patients with clinical manifestations of HPV related infections in Bilbao, Spain.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) variants differ in their biological and chemical properties, and therefore, may present differences in pathogenicity. Most authors classified variants based on the phylogenetic analysis of L1 region. Nevertheless, recombination in HPV samples is becoming a usual finding and thus, characterizing genetic variability in other regions should be essential. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to characterize the genetic variability of HPV 18 in 5 genomic regions: E6, E7, E4, L1 and the Upstream Regulatory Region (URR), working with both single infection and multiple HPV infection samples. Furthermore, we aimed to assess the prevalence of HPV 18 variants in our region and look for possible existence of recombination as well as analyze the relationship between these variants and the type of lesion. METHODS: From 2007 to 2010, Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control Department analyzed 44 samples which were positive for HPV 18. Genetic variability was determined in PCR products and variants were assigned to European, Asian-amerindian or African lineage. Recombination and association of variants with different types of lesion was studied. RESULTS: Genetic analysis of the regions revealed a total of 56 nucleotide variations. European, African and Asian-amerindian variants were found in 25/44 (56.8%), 10/44 (22.7%) and 5/44 (11.4%) samples, respectively. We detected the presence of recombinant variants in 2/44 (4.5%) cases. Samples taken from high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (H-SIL) only presented variants with specific-african substitutions. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple HPV infection, non-european HPV variants prevalence and existence of recombination are considered risk factors for HPV persistence and progression of intraepithelial abnormalities, and therefore, should be taken into consideration in order to help to design and optimize diagnostics protocols as well as improve epidemiologic studies.Our study is one of the few studies in Spain which analyses the genetic variability of HPV18 and we showed the importance of characterizing more than one genomic region in order to detect recombination and classify HPV variants properly.