Emulsifying Capacity of Cowpea Protein Isolates. Effect of Thermal and Hydrolytic Treatment.

In this work, modifications due to the effect of thermal treatments (TT 70 and 90 °C) and partial hydrolysis by digestion with alcalase (LH) on the emulsifying properties of cowpea protein isolates (CPIs) extracted at pH 8 and 10 were analyzed. In addition, the influence of protein concentration [0.1 and 1% (w/v)] was evaluated. Emulsions (O:W) were prepared and particle size, stability, interfacial composition, and microstructure were studied. Fresh emulsions formulated with TT CPIs presented lower values of volume-weighted mean droplet size (D4.3), with the increase in temperature and treatment time, compared to the untreated CPIs. After seven days of storage, D4.3 and the indexes of flocculation (FI) and coalescence (CI) increased, mainly at 90 °C. On the other hand, the emulsions with LH CPIs presented lower D4.3 values compared to all the conditions tested, remaining unchanged during the storage time. The destabilization process in the TT CPIs emulsions revealed coalescence at 0.1% (w/v) and cremated-flocculation at 1% (w/v). The presence of polypeptides of low molecular mass (MM) at the interface would be responsible for the better stability found in emulsions with LH CPIs, compared to those formulated with untreated and TT CPIs. Increasing the protein concentration resulted in a significant improvement of all emulsifying properties.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Gram Stains for Early Bacterial Identification in Pneumonia: Should They Stay or Should They Go?

OBJECTIVES: The primary endpoint was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the bronchoalveolar lavage Gram stain in predicting culture results. Secondary endpoints included determining the proportion of Gram stains from bronchoalveolar lavages that accurately identify culture isolates and the duration of antibiotic treatment before bronchoalveolar lavage collection. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational study. SETTING: Four ICUs at a single academic medical center. SUBJECTS: Patients at least 18 years old admitted to an ICU with a diagnosis of pneumonia, collection of a bronchoalveolar lavage sample, and receipt of antibiotics. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Two-hundred five isolates were included. Gram stains for Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates showed high specificity, 97.3% and 100%, respectively, but lower sensitivity at 61.9% and 54.2%, respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 77.2% and 95.7% for Gram-positive isolates and 100% and 84.4% for Gram-negative isolates, respectively. Gram stains correctly identified isolates on the bronchoalveolar lavage culture in 61.9% of Gram-positive organisms and in 54.2% of Gram-negative organisms. CONCLUSIONS: Gram stains accurately identified causative organisms in a limited number of patients making the utility of the Gram stain an uncertain modality for predicting causative respiratory pathogens from bronchoalveolar lavage samples.

Urgent operation improves weakness in cauda equina syndrome due to lumbar disc herniation.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the effect of surgical timing on the sphincter function and improvement of motor function in patients with cauda equine syndrome (CES) due to lumbar disc herniation (LDH). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2005 and December 2013, a total of 33 patients (18 males, 15 females; mean age 48.6±2.2 years, range, 24 to 73 years) who underwent lumbar spinal surgery and were diagnosed with CES due to LDH were retrospectively analyzed. Data including demographics, muscle weakness, sensory deficit, sphincter control, LDH level, time from the initiation of symptoms to admission, and time to surgery were documented. The latest muscle weakness, sensory deficits, and sphincter control were also recorded. The patients were divided into two groups according to the rate of muscle strength improvement and data including age, sex, and operation time were compared. RESULTS: The weakness remained unchanged in 11 (33.3%), improved in 13 (39.4%), and returned to normal in nine (27.3%) patients. Sphincter control resolved in five patients. Sensory loss resolved in two patients. While admission duration was shorter in the group with improved muscle strength (p=0.02), there was no significant difference in the time to surgery (p=0.63). Logistic regression analyses revealed that only the admission within 0 to 24 hours was significant for the muscle strength improvement (regression coeeficient [B]=2.83, standard error [SE]=0.86, p=0.006). CONCLUSION: A significant improvement in the motor strength can be achieved in patients with CES who are operated within 24 hours. On the other hand, patients with CES should be received surgery immediately when first seen, regardless of the time, since the muscle strength is slightly improved.

Altitudinal variation in morphometric and molecular characteristics of Phlebotomus papatasi populations.

Four populations of the phlebotomine sandfly Phlebotomus (Phlebotomus) papatasi (Scopoli) (Diptera: Psychodidae), in different ecoregions at altitudes between 368 and 1117 m in the Sanliurfa Province of Turkey, were compared using morphometric and isoenzyme analyses. A similarity phenogram obtained from allozyme data showed that heterozygosity was extremely low, particularly for the alleles which were found to be completely fixed in populations at Hamdun (HMD) and Alitas (ALT). Populations at Akcakale (AKL) and ALT branched as a separate group from populations at Hayatiharrani (HHR) and HMD. The ALT population at the highest altitude (1117 m), and the HHR population (488 m) were clustered distinctly when linear measurements of 46 morphological characteristics were examined. A UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages) phenogram also showed that ALT and HHR clustered separately, whereas AKL and HMD formed another group.

Nuevos métodos de diagnóstico en Periodoncia. Métodos bioquímicos / New methods in periodontol diagnostic. Biochemical methods

Los métodos de diagnóstico tradicionales no son suficientemente fiables y solo nos permiten un diagnóstico retrospectivo sobre la pérdida del nivel de inserción. Luego, con el objetivo de aumentar su fiabilidad han sido desarrollados métodos complementarios de diagnóstico y alternativos para detectar la actividad de la enfermedad periodontal. En realidad existen un conjunto de nuevos métodos de diagnóstico, basados en la respuesta inmunológica que nos ayudan a hacer un diagnóstico más preciso y eficaz. Es pues, necesario conocer sus ventajas y desventajas y su aplicabilidad clínica. Fue hecha una revisión de artículos de los últimos dos años del Journal Clinical of Periodontology y en Journal of Periodontol (AU)

The Tradicional Methods of Diagnosis aren't enought predictible, and they only give us na retrospective diagnosis about the attachement level. So, with the objective of improving the predictibility of our diagnosis, new methods are desenvolved to detecting the progression of periodontal disease, based on inmunological response. Nowadays the clinicians have to know this new methods, to understand when they are realy useful. It has been done un bibliographic revision of the 2 last years in the Journal Clinical of Periodontology y en Journal of Periodontol (AU)

[The value of throat and nasopharyngeal cultures in acute bacterial otitis media in childhood]. / Cocukluk çagi bakteriyel kökenli akut otitis media enfeksiyonlarinda bogaz ve nazofarinks kültürlerinin degeri.

One hundred children suffering from acute bacterial otitis media in Hacettepe Children's Hospital were investigated in two groups. Simultaneous throat and nasopharyngeal cultures were taken from 75 children of the first group, showing hyperaemic and hypertrophic tympanic membrane in one or both sides. In 42 of 75 throat cultures, same bacteria were grown as in nasopharyngeal cultures. From the second group, showing perforated tympanic membrane in the first 6 weeks, cultures were also taken. Same bacteria were grown again in the cultures of throat and ear discharges in 19 of 25 children. This high percentages denote the necessity and usefulness of taking also simultaneous throat cultures in acute otitis media cases.