Comparison of nonfried apple snacks with commercially available fried snacks.

The study was carried out to evaluate the selected quality attributes of a prototype nonfried apple snack produced by application of vacuum impregnation (VI) of maple syrup and vacuum drying. When maple syrup concentration was adjusted to 20-40% in the VI solution, vacuum-dried apple slices are resulted in the greatest textural attributes, whiteness index, and desirable moisture content and water activity. Comparison of the VI-treated, vacuum-dried apple slices with commercially fried apple and potato snacks revealed that the consumer acceptability was greater for the fried snack products due to their flavor and texture; however, in addition to higher oil content (>30%), commercial fried apple and potato snacks possessed lower antioxidant capacity than nonfried apple snacks. VI process enhanced the calcium content of the nonfried apple snack products.

Prompt visualization of the gallbladder with a rim sign--acute or subacute cholecystitis?

An immunosuppressed, neutropenic patient developed symptoms and signs of acute cholecystitis. Gallbladder ultrasound was consistent with acute cholecystitis. Technetium-99m-diisopropyl iminodiacetic acid (DISIDA) scan showed a rim sign, but with normal gallbladder visualization. On restudy 72 hr later when the patient's WBC count was recovering, the 99mTc-DISIDA scan again showed a persistent rim sign, but now there was no gallbladder visualization at 1 hr, a pattern strongly predictive for acute complicated cholecystitis. Biliary drainage was performed by percutaneous cholecystotomy with clinical improvement. Semielective cholecystectomy performed 8 wk later confirmed both acute and chronic cholecystitis. We describe the rim sign and its variants, mechanisms of causation, prognostic importance and correlate our report with a review of the literature.