Food Particles Research Articles

Kinematics of lateral tongue-pushing movement in coordination with masticatory jaw movement: An anteroposterior projection videofluorographic study

ObjectiveDuring the mastication of solid food, the tongue pushes the bolus laterally to place it onto occlusal surfaces as the jaw is opened. This movement is referred to as tongue-pushing (TP). TP has an important role in efficient chewing, but its kinematic mechanisms remain unclear. The present study quantified the kinematics of TP and its coordination with masticatory jaw movements. MethodsVideofluorography (VFG) in anteroposterior projection was recorded while 14 healthy young adults ate 6 g each of cookies and meat. Small lead markers were glued to the tongue surface (left, right, and anterior) and buccal tooth surfaces (upper molars and lower canines). The position of the tongue and lower canine markers relative to the upper occlusal plane was quantified with Cartesian coordinates, using the right upper molar as the origin. Jaw motion during chewing was divided into TP and Non-TP cycles, based on the lateral movement of the food and tongue markers. The side of the jaw that compressed food particles was defined as the working side, while the other side was termed the balancing side. Horizontal and vertical displacements of tongue and jaw markers were compared between TP and Non-TP cycles, as well as between food types. ResultsThe mediolateral displacement of all tongue markers was significantly larger in TP than in Non-TP cycles. Vertical displacement was also significantly greater in TP than in Non-TP cycles for the anterior and working side tongue markers. TP cycles occurred more frequently with meat-chewing than with cookie-chewing. ConclusionTP is accomplished by rotation and lateral movements of the tongue surface on the working side and the anterior tongue blade, along with medial movement on the balancing side. These movements produce lateral shift and rotation of the tongue surface toward the working side in concert with jaw opening. Designing exercises to improve the strength of the lateral motion and rotation of the tongue body may be useful for individuals with impaired tongue function for eating and swallowing.

Functional Diarrhea in Children.

Functional diarrhea in children is a disease that has been focused on by both general pediatricians as well as pediatric gastroenterologists across the world. Although it is seen across the pediatric age group from late infancy to adolescence, most still believe that functional diarrhea only occurs in younger children. Recent epidemiological studies have shown that functional diarrhea is prevalent in all subcontinents. The classic clinical features include chronic loose stools with undigested food particles without growth faltering. Although known for long years, pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic options are not well explored, and the existing literature is outdated. In this article, authors review the available literature on functional diarrhea, with a reminder that a fresh look is needed to broaden the horizons of understanding of this disease.

Urbanization causes shifts in the functional traits and foraging activity, and alters food particle size preference and biomass removal of urban-dwelling ants

Urbanization may lead to changes in assemblage and result in shifts in trait distribution from natural habitats to highly urbanized habitats. The shift in functional traits can affect ecosystem functions in urban areas. This study explored the foraging period of ants over 72 h and determined the relationship between the behavioral, morphological, and physiological traits of local foragers ants and environmental conditions in urban and forest sites. In addition, this study examined the ants’ ecosystem functions and compared it with that of their forest counterparts. Our results revealed that the foraging period of ants (i.e., Cardiocondyla sp.1, Monomorium chinense, Paratrechina longicornis, Pheidole megacephala, and Solenopsis sp.1) in urban areas peaked between 0900 and 1500 and that of some ants (i.e., Carebara diversa, P. megacephala, Pheidole fervens, Plagiolepis longwang, and Nylanderia sp.1) in forest areas was constant over time. For urban ants, a weak correlation was observed between foraging period and body size traits (i.e., Weber’s length and head width). This finding indicates that the major factor underlying the change in the foraging period might not be related to body size. Rather, the change may be attributed to synchronization between food availability and human activity (waste disposal; i.e., between 0900 and 1800). The shift in the functional traits of ants affects ecosystem functions in urban areas. In urban areas, although only one predatory ant species (P. megacephala) was sampled, its activity density was high. Most of these individuals were active during the daytime, indicating that the predatory behavior of ants in the novel urban environment has decreased temporally and is limited to the daytime. Urban ants tended to choose smaller food particles, whereas forest ants preferred larger food particles and had a twofold higher food removal rate.

Niche differentiation among facultative filter feeders: Insights from invasive Ponto-Caspian mysids.

The degree of dietary specialization has a fundamental impact on the ecological function and interactions of suspension feeders. While niche differentiation by food particle size is common among obligate suspension feeders, its role is not evident in facultative ones. In this study, we aimed at providing new insights on the matter by focusing on sympatric mysid species. As mysids use different mechanisms for raptorial and filter-feeding, they represent a more adequate model system than for example, the more extensively studied copepods. We made morphological measurements on the 4 coexisting invasive Ponto-Caspian mysid species to determine the areas and mesh sizes of their filters. We also quantified their clearance rates on the microalga Cryptomonas sp. in a laboratory experiment to reveal how morphological differences manifest in their overall filtering capacity. We found relatively small but consistent differences in the primary filter area among the species, indicating that morphological constraints due to the enclosed position of the setae might limit the possibility for differentiation. The primary filter mesh sizes were small in all 4 species (0.69-2.73 μm) with moderate but consistent intraspecific differences, suggesting that the benefit of being able to capture small particles might outweigh the pressure for differentiation. The observed clearance rates were in accordance with the morphological characteristics of the species, highlighting that auxiliary filters (present in one of the species, Limnomysis benedeni) are needed to increase filtering capacity considerably. Our study confirmed that food particle size can contribute to the niche differentiation of facultative filter feeders, but also indicated that they can tolerate a higher overlap than obligate ones. The observed differences were related to the habitat preferences and predatory potentials of the species, suggesting that complementarity among the different niche axes might further facilitate their coexistence.

Integral effect of a non-centralized biosystem parts interaction with the example of major hydroplasma flow formation in the shoots of colonial hydroid <i>Dynamena pumila</i> (L., 1758)

The emergence of the main hydroplasmic flows (HFs) in the shoot of colonial hydroids (Hydrozoa), flowing from it into the stolon and capable of transporting food particles along stolons to the opposite end of the non-centralized organism, is described. We developed a simple method for minute-by-minute visual registration of the direction of particles movement in hydroplasm in each shoot shaft module for 1.5 hours. The HFs entering the shoot are shown to be rhythmic (15.1 ± 5.0 min), but if the outgoing HFs are usually filled with food particles, the returning HFs, as a rule, contain few particles. There is more chaos in the pulsations of hydrants on the shoot than in the stem of the shoot, i.e. the period of receipt of HF from hydrants to the stem of the shoot varies significantly. Previously, it has been assumed that outgoing HFs are formed only under the influence of incoming ones, as a response to coenosarc stretching when hydroplasma enters the shoot (under the pressure of other pulsators in the colonial organism). However, it turned out that from the appearance of the incoming to the beginning of the outgoing HF, 5 minutes elapsed as an average. During this time, hydroplasma fills not only the stem of the shoot, but also the hydrants, which contract in response, although not simultaneously. The hydrants squeeze out the hydroplasma during compression into the stem of the shoot, after which the coenosarc of the shoot begins to shrink. It turned out that when taking into account the pulsations of hydrants for 3 minutes, a clear periodicity is registered, coinciding with the periodicity of HF emanating from the shoot, resulting from compression of the coenosarc of the stem. At the same time, hydroplasma cannot enter the hydrants until the end of the long phase of their compression. Otherwise, the movements of the hydroplasma would be limited only by the escape space. Thus, in a non-centralized system such as colonial hydroids organism, the coordination of pulsations of hydrants and coenosarc occurs with significant backlash. In the coenosarc, as a whole, the pulsations are rhythmic with minor fluctuations, while the hydrants are sources of many little rhythmic pulsations (with large variations in the period).Therefore, the contribution of hydrants to the formation of the main HF does not appear at once, but for several minutes in the interval between the incoming and outgoing flows.

A Case Report On Sepsis With Brain Stem Encephalitis In A Patient With Quadriplegia

Introduction : Every year, 1 in 10,000 people develop encephalitis, which frequently has grave neurologic repercussions. Identifying the cause and establishing the prognosis are difficult aspects of managing encephalitis patients. Presentation of case : A 20-year- Female came to a rural tertiary care hospital with the chief complaint of Fever, abnormal jerky movements of limbs and body, vomiting, and loose stools last 3 days. The patient was apparently alright 3 days ago when she developed a fever that was insidious in onset and progressive in nature not associated with chills or rigors, remitting with antipyretic medication. She also experienced abnormal jerky movements of all four limbs along with stiffness, associated with jaw lock, tongue bite, and frothing from the mouth, there was post ictal drowsiness along with it, with no involuntary bowels or bladder evacuation. History of loose stools 2 episodes, watery in nature, non-blood or mucus stained. She also complained of 2 episodes of vomiting which was projectile in nature and associated with nausea containing food particles and water. The patient had a history of 70 days PNC and delivered normally vaginally full-term delivery, without any complications. Management : Patient was intubated and was taken on a mechanical ventilator on volume control mode. Started treatment Inj meropenem 500mg iv for 7 days, INJ clindamycin 600mg iv for 5 days, injection vancomycin 500mg iv for 3 days, injection linezolid 600mg iv for 5 days, injection acyclovir 500mg iv for 14 days, injection doxy 100mg iv bd for days, injection ciprofloxacin 400mg iv for 7 days, injection colistin for 14 days, injection MPs 250mg IV od for days, injection Emset 4mg iv /sos, injection lomoh 0.6ml/od for 31 days, injection mannitol 150mg iv for 14 days, injection pan 40mg iv for 7 days, injection Emset 4mg iv for 5 days, injection levipil 500mg iv for 5 days. oral suctioning 2 hourly, physiotherapy. The patient’s general condition was stable. Conclusion : BE is a disease that advances quickly and has incapacitating effects. Significant gains were visible after receiving extensive supportive and rehabilitative therapy.

Effect of suspended sediment concentration on the clearance and biodeposition rates of an Australian freshwater mussel (Hyriidae: Alathyria jacksoni)

Abstract Freshwater mussels are an ancient group of molluscs that are considered ecosystem engineers because of the many important functions they perform, including biofiltration and biodeposition. Associations between mussel declines and increased sedimentation are well documented, but the direct effects of suspended sediment (SS) concentrations on mussel functioning are poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of SS concentrations on the clearance and biodeposition rates of the Australian hyriid river mussel Alathyria jacksoni. Clearance rates of algae and sediment and biodeposition rates were measured in aquaria containing 3 L of aerated water for 1 hr, with six different concentrations of SS (bentonite clay: 0, 1, 10, 40, 100 and 300 mg/L). Clearance rates were estimated using flow cytometry and chlorophyll‐a with both methods giving similar results. Biodeposition rates were estimated by weighing the mussel biodeposits at the end of each trial. We found that SS concentrations did not have a significant effect on the clearance rates of algae, which ranged from 0.033 to 0.438 L mussel−1 hr−1, with an overall median of 0.118 L mussel−1 hr−1. By contrast, increasing SS concentrations had a significant effect on the clearance of sediment from the water column, with clearance rates peaking at 10 mg/L and declining thereafter. Clearance rates of suspended sediment ranged from 0.046 to 0.512 L mussel−1 hr−1, with an overall median of 0.182 L mussel−1 hr−1. We further detected a significant effect of SS concentration on the production of biodeposits, with inorganic and organic content in the biodeposits increasing as sediment concentrations increased. These results indicated that as SS concentrations increase, A. jacksoni rejects more inorganic and organic material in the form of pseudofaeces. This added maintenance work may result in an energetic cost to the mussel, and have potential consequences for growth, reproduction, and survival. Finally, population estimates of A. jacksoni in the lower Ovens River, Australia were combined with the clearance rates observed in the experiment, to estimate the potential impact mussel populations have in the clearance of total suspended matter from the open water of an unregulated south‐eastern Australian lowland river. A. jacksoni occurred patchily throughout the 35‐km section of the river surveyed, with an average overall mean and maximum density of 0.68, and 35 individuals/m, respectively. We estimate that under scenarios of 1 and 300 mg/L SS, the lower Ovens River mussel population can potentially clear up to 2–4 ML water/day, which equates to c. 1–2% of the average daily discharge in late summer, while transferring around 5.4–15.6 kg/day dry weight of organic material to the river bed. Increased SS concentrations negatively affect freshwater mussels around the world and many respond by reducing their clearance rates, but this was not the case for A. jacksoni. Instead, A. jacksoni increased production of inorganic and organic biodeposits rejecting more food particles in the form of pseudofaeces. For A. jacksoni and other species showing this response, the added energetic cost has the potential to impact growth rates, reproduction, and population dynamics.

Heavy Metal Content of Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) in Green Mussels (Perna viridis) and Sediments of Sawojajar Waters, Brebes

Green mussel (Perna viridis) is one of the spesies in Bivalve class which filter the food particles from their surroundings. As filter feeder, it captured anything including plankton, detritus, and even heavy metals. Heavy metals content in green mussels could become dangerous due to the bioaccumulation process. This research aimed to determine the levels of heavy metals Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) not only in the tissues of green mussels but also in the sediments of Sawojajar waters, Brebes; current study also determined the feasibility of green mussels for consumption in the perspective of food safety. The method used in this research was a field survey method which conducted in June 2022. The analysis method used AAS refers to the American Public Health Association (APHA) with laboratory tests conducted at the Productivity and Aquatic Environment Laboratory of IPB. The results showed that the content of heavy metal Cd in green mussel samples was at 0.19 mg.kg-1 which was meet the threshold concentration. Whereas, the heavy metal Cr in green mussels’ tissue exceeded the threshold of chromium concentration at 0.21 mg.kg-1. In addition, the heavy metal content of Cd and Cr in sediment were still meet the threshold concentration at 3.2 mg.kg-1 and 0.13 mg.kg-1 respectively. In terms of food safety, the EDI (Estiate Daily Intake) value based on the results of heavy metals Cd and Cr concentrations was 0.11 and 0.13 µg.kg-1.day-1 respectively. The result indicated that these heavy metals concentration had low risk in causing health issue. In the same way, the target hazard value (THQ) of Cd and Cr were not exceeded the RfD (Reference Dose) at 0.109 and 0.036 respectively. These value of THQ for both Cd and Cr indicated low risk in causing cancer and the green mussels are meet the food safety standard

Microbiological Assessment and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Bacterial Isolates from Exposed Toothpicks in Selected Eateries

Toothpick is mainly used to remove food particles, fishbone and meat stuck between the teeth after a meal. Poor handling and exposure of toothpicks on dinner tables in many eateries could pose a public health risk. In this study, a total of one hundred (100) wooden toothpicks were randomly sampled from twenty (20) eateries in five (5) locations in Benin City. A packet of toothpick purchased from a shop served as control. Microbiological analysis and antibiotic sensitivity tests involved the use of standard methods and disc agar diffusion method, respectively. The percentage occurrence of bacterial isolates from the samples include Bacillus sp. (25 %), Staphylococcus sp. (20 %), Streptococcus sp. (20 %), Proteus sp. (15 %), Salmonella sp. (10 %), Escherichia coli (5 %) and Klebsiella sp. (5 %) while the fungal isolates include Saccharomyces cerevisiae (80 %), Penicillium sp. (10 %) and Mucor sp. (10 %). The bacterial isolates were resistant to many antibiotics used in the study with the exception of gentamicin and ofloxacin. In order to prevent microbial contamination of toothpicks in the eateries which could lead to disease transmission, toothpicks should be rinsed with potable water before using it. Toothpicks should not be exposed on dinner tables. Instead, automatic toothpick dispenser should be provided in eateries.

Best Practices in Oral Care.

Best Practices in Oral Care.

Feasibility analysis of a newly developed multifunctional mastication simulator

Food oral mastication is a highly complicated dynamic process which involves multiple sequential or simultaneous operations. Ethical complication and technical difficulties for oral access make in situ studies of food oral processing highly challenging and, therefore, feasible instrumental techniques are highly desirable in order to be able to conduct food oral processing research in vitro instead. In this work, a newly developed mastication simulator equipped with 3D printed teeth, controlling units, and various probes have been developed. The device is capable of simulating chewing actions by using two step motors controlling transverse and longitudinal movements. The mastication units sits inside an airtight and properly temperature controlled chamber made of aluminum alloy. The chamber has various small ports to allow the addition of artificial saliva and access of probes monitoring of the temperature, conductivity and pH of the collected saliva. Fractured food particles can be collected for size distribution analysis and to quantify the kinetics of food mastication. Conductivity and pH of the collected fluid (artificial saliva + food juice) can be measured as a function of mastication time or chewing cycles. Air inside the chamber can be collected regularly for composition analysis so that the kinetics of aroma release of a food can be monitored during mastication. Nuts and food gels have been used for feasibility tests of the device. Results demonstrate that the current design provides a feasible tool for in vitro oral mastication analysis during food oral processing.

Suspension feeding in Copepoda (Crustacea) - a numerical model of setae acting in concert.

Suspension feeding via setae collecting particles is common within Crustacea. Even though the mechanisms behind it and the structures themselves have been studied for decades, the interplay between the different setae types and the parameters contributing to their particle collecting capacities remain partly enigmatic. Here, we provide a numerical modeling approach to understand the relationship among the mechanical property gradients, the mechanical behavior and the adhesion of setae, and the feeding efficiency of the system. In this context, we set-up a simple dynamic numerical model that takes all of these parameters into account and describes the interaction with food particles and their delivery into the mouth opening. By altering the parameters, it was unraveled that the system performs best when the long and short setae have different mechanical properties and different degrees of adhesion since the long setae generate the feeding current and the short ones establish the contact with the particle. This protocol can be applied to any system in the future as the parameters (i.e., properties and arrangement of particles and setae) can be easily altered. This will shed light on the biomechanical adaptations of these structures to suspension feeding and provide inspiration for biomimetics in the field of filtration technologies.

Dynamical Numerical Model of the Molluscan Radula in its Interaction with the Substrate and Food Particles

AbstractThe radula, a chitinous membrane with teeth, is the molluscan autapomorphy for food gathering and processing. Even though this structure is studied for decades, the interplay between the structure and the particular food or/and the substrate remains mostly enigmatic. Here, we provide a numerical model approach to understand the relationship between structure, feeding efficiency, and partial work performed by the system. This first simple dynamic numerical radular model interacts with the food particles and the uneven substrate. This protocol can be applied to any system in the future, as the parameters (interaction between structures, adhesion, size of food particles, attachment angle of teeth to membrane, etc.) can be easily altered. This will shed light on the biomechanical adaptations of this feeding structure (e.g., wear and failure prevention) to the specific environment.

Mixed convection flow in a channel with a dimpled section and adiabatic cylindrical obstacle under the influence of magnetic and Joule effects

This study investigates the mixed convection flow in a channel with a dimpled section and an adiabatic cylindrical obstacle under the influence of a magnetic field. The channel has a heated dimpled portion, while the flat horizontal walls are adiabatic. The energy equation considers the Joule heating effect, and the resulting momentum and thermal transport equations are numerically solved using the Galerkin weighted residual finite element method. The study discusses the flow and heat transfer characteristics for different values of the Joule heating parameter, Reynolds, Hartman, and Rayleigh numbers. The results show that increasing Hartmann and Joule heating parameters reduce average heat transfer rates while increasing Prandtl, Reynolds, and Rayleigh numbers enhances it. This analysis's outcomes will help design Ohmic heating systems like magnetic fluid power actuators and thermal processing gadgets for particulate food products. The novel quantitative findings in this study include enhancement in heat transfer with increasing Prandtl, Reynolds, and Rayleigh numbers. Furthermore, the adiabatic cylindrical obstacle near the dimpled section significantly affects the heat transfer rates, resulting in complex flow patterns. The results of this study can be used in magnetic fluid power actuators, thermal processing gadgets for particulate food products, and heat exchangers.

103 Chew frequency and duration in horses consuming bermudagrass hay in slow feeders as compared to loose hay

Stabled horses are predisposed to gastrointestinal disorders related to hay consumption. Horses produce saliva when chewing which contains sodium bicarbonate to buffer stomach acid, lubricate a food bolus, and aid in digestion. Chewing hay over a prolonged period allows for buffering of stomach acid to aid in prevention of gastric ulcers. Additionally, increased chewing results in food particle size reduction and improves lubrication to potentially decrease the incidence of impaction colic. Hay nets have been promoted to slow the rate of hay consumption, with many styles of nets and slow feeders currently marketed for horses. No research has yet demonstrated whether hay nets cause the horse to increase their chewing frequency and chewing duration, or whether the slowing effect is simply due to restriction in the amount of forage they can ingest per bite. The objective of this study was to compare chew frequency (CF, total number of chews/kg consumed) and chew duration (CD, total minutes chewed/kg consumed) of horses eating bermudagrass hay in 3 styles of hay nets [large mesh (LM), small mesh (SM), bottom hole (BH)] as compared with a control of loose hay (CTL). Before initiating this project, trial data was collected from 2 horses over 4 d and demonstrated that horses acclimate quickly to hay nets. No differences were seen in CF from day one through d 4 (P = 0.49). Eight horses were then divided into 2 trials, with the4 horses in each trial rotating through treatments in a Latin square design.Each horse was given a 24-h acclimation period to a treatment, and then their chewing patterns were recorded for the following 24 h using an automated halter fit with a pressure-sensor noseband (EquiwatchTM, Liestal, Switzerland). Refused hay was weighed back, and CF and CD were calculated per kg of hay consumed. Data were analyzed using Minitab v.21 (State College, PA, USA) as a mixed model ANOVA with net type as the fixed effect and a post hoc Tukey's test to compare treatments. Data with P < 0.05 were considered statistically different. No treatment difference was noted in amount of hay consumed, with horses chewing an average of 6.8 ± 0.3 kg per treatment. Results indicate no difference between treatments in CF (P = 0.72). CD showed no overall treatment effect (P = 0.27), however, when individual treatments were compared, a statistical difference between SM and CTL was noted (262 vs 189 min respectively, P = 0.001). Results of this study indicate that slow feeders do not influence the number of chews a horse performs while masticating hay, but small mesh feeders do increase the amount of time spent chewing as compared with loose hay.

MODERN INNOVATIVE CLEANING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

This article is devoted to an overview of modern innovative cleaning technologies used in the food industry. The author reviews various methods of cleaning food products, including mechanical, thermal, and chemical methods. Particular attention is paid to the latest purification technologies, such as membrane technology and ion exchange chromatography technology. The author also explores the possibilities of using nanotechnology in the food industry. One of the innovative cleaning technologies in the food industry is membrane filtration. This technology allows cleaning liquids and solutions from impurities, including bacteria and microorganisms, using membranes with different porosity. Membranes can be made of various materials, such as polymers, ceramics, metals and others. Another technology is ultrasonic cleaning, which is used to clean liquids of dirt, including food particles and microorganisms. During the ultrasonic cleaning process, high-frequency sounds are created in the liquid, which results in the creation of waves that break dirt and microorganisms into small particles that can be easily removed. In addition, innovative cleaning methods such as electrophoresis and photocatalytic cleaning are used in the food industry. Electrophoresis uses an electric field to clean liquids and solutions from impurities. Photocatalytic cleaning uses light and catalysts to clean liquids and air of contaminants. In the modern food industry, innovative cleaning technologies make it possible to improve the quality and safety of food products, reduce cleaning costs and preserve the environment. Such technologies are becoming more and more popular in the food industry and allow to provide consumers The article examines the advantages and disadvantages of each cleaning method, as well as its application in various branches of the food industry. Cleaning processes for various products such as milk, crops and meat are described in detail.

Circulating Antibodies Specific for Dietary Fiber Glycans

Abstract The mammalian gut lumen contains an extremely diverse collection of microbial species and dietary constituents. Protein and carbohydrate antigens on commensal bacterial surfaces stimulate the production of specific antibodies, which can be secreted and bind their epitopes in the lumen. Despite the high abundance of plant polysaccharides (dietary fiber) in the intestine, it remains unclear whether these foreign carbohydrates stimulate the production of secreted anti-fiber antibodies. Here, we characterize antibody specificity in mice using a panel of artificial food particles composed of microscopic magnetic beads, each simultaneously tagged with a fluorescent barcode and coated with one of 64 different dietary or host glycan preparations. Using this approach, we detected secreted antibodies in the cecum and circulating antibodies in serum that selectively bind subsets of dietary glycans. Alteration of the host diet to include supplemental dietary fiber led to a significant increase in anti-fiber antibodies in serum. In contrast, cecal fiber-specific antibody reactivity was not increased after fiber feeding. Analysis of the gut microbiota revealed that relative abundances of Akkermansia muciniphila were significantly higher in mice fed supplemental fiber relative to mice fed a control diet. This work raises the possibility that taxa such as A. muciniphila are involved in the production of antibodies specific for dietary components. Supported by a grant from NIH (K01 DK124445)

Anuria in solitary kidney patient with gastroenteritis: A case report study

For better management of acute kidney injury (AKI) and prevention of progressive renal injury, it is extremely important to manage infections such as gastroenteritis. In addition, anuria is considered a risk factor for AKI and even causes death in patients. An 18-month-old boy with vomiting and diarrhea for three days and anuria for 24 hours was referred to Farsan hospital. The patient had bulky and watery diarrhea about 7-8 times a day and vomited 3-4 times a day which was containing food particles. He had a fever on the first and second days. Ultrasound findings revealed that the right kidney did not exist, and the left kidney was affected by compensatory hypertrophy. Disorders in the patient’s blood biochemical factors were also observed. Acidosis and other biochemical disorders were treated with bicarbonate drip, allopurinol, Lasix drip, and dopamine drip. After about 18 hours, anuria was treated.

A low-cost adapter for the rehydration of commercially available food and beverages for spaceflight

All current rehydratable food and drink items prepared for U.S. astronauts on missions to the International Space Station (ISS) must be compatible with the station's potable water dispenser, called the rehydration station. This highly validated system ensures that water is compartmentalized and safely transferred to custom-made food and beverage pouches to prevent free-floating food particles and water in microgravity. However, the food and beverages packaged in these single-purpose pouches require complex, time-consuming, and costly procedures before flight, which is not feasible for future commercial space stations seeking more affordable life-support systems. Furthermore, even though a vast number of rehydratable food and beverage items available at supermarkets have appropriate nutritional content and shelf life for spaceflight, their incompatible consumer packaging renders them unusable by astronauts. In this paper, we present a low-cost solution that draws on NASA technology to adapt these commercially developed food and drink items for spaceflight and makes them compatible with the water dispensing unit and consumption in a microgravity environment. The 3D-printed adapter is based on the NASA septum adapter with the addition of a piercing end and one-way barb that stabilizes the adapter inside the food pouch and ensures it is not released due to the force generated by the water when it is dispensed. The dimensions of the adapter are 20.00 (L) x 12.50 (W) x 37.24 (H) mm and the mass is approximately 1.5 g. The design is compatible with at least three types of packaging commonly used for commercially available rehydratable foods: kraft paper and polymer laminate (KP), polymer aluminum laminate (PA), and compostable polymer laminate (CP). Based on these three packages, we present a table of commercial items that could be available to astronauts if the adapter were to be used. To validate the adapter's use in the space environment, we also present data on the structural properties against loads experienced during launch and re-entry, as well as two functionality tests to determine piercing and rehydration effectiveness. The results show that the prototype of the adapter meets structural specifications for spaceflight and can effectively pierce KP and PA materials with minimal tear propagation. The rehydration test with KP showed that the adapter can effectively rehydrate a typical dehydrated food package. In summary, the adapter is an effective method to increase menu diversity while simultaneously eliminating costs associated with space food preparation and re-packaging.

A Sensory Study on the Effect of Different Thickeners in Texture-Modified Chicken Rendang

A sensory study was conducted to evaluate the acceptability of texture modified chicken rendang (TMCR) added with different thickeners (modified corn starch (MC), sago starch (S), tapioca starch (T), xanthan gum (XG) and carboxymethyl cellulose gum (CMC) among healthy elderly consumer. The sensory evaluation was rated using the hedonic test with visual 7-points Cued Facial Scale (CuFS) for ease of swallowing, overall appearance, and overall texture’s attributes. Meanwhile, a categorical scale (‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer) was used to evaluate purchase intention, liking on the flavour, residues left after swallowing, and sample’s aftertaste. Results showed that all samples were highly accepted for all attributes tested. The insignificant difference between all samples using Cued Facial Scale could be due to similar physical appearance as well as reduced sensory capability among the elderly panellists. Besides, all thickened samples were found to be free from any food residues after swallowing, due to higher cohesion between food particles contributed by the thickeners. In addition, the use of thickeners shown to prevent easy disintegration of food particles during oral consumption which involved tongue and palate shear in the presence of saliva. Even though 79% of the panellists in perceived a starchy taste for all thickened samples, this attribute did not affect the purchase intention and flavour acceptance of the developed products, as both received more than 79% and 85 % likings, respectively. The finding shows that the elderly panellists had a good impression on the developed TMCR, which indicates its promising prospect for product commercialisation.