Physiochemical, sensorial, and rheological characteristics of sauce developed from Kashmiri apples: Influence of cultivars and storage conditions

The present investigation was undertaken to develop sauce from different cultivars of apples. Apple sauce of 5 cultivars was developed and effect of the storage conditions on the pH, acidity, TSS, total sugar, color, sensory, and rheological behavior of different apple sauce cultivars was studied. Analytical determinations were made after 0, 15, 30, and 45 days at both refrigerated and ambient conditions. The observed range of TSS was 30 to 30.14˚brix for refrigerated and 27.4 to 30.7˚brix for sauces stored at ambient storage conditions.. The pH decreased during the overall storage period from 4.07 to 3.96 in refrigerated samples, while as pH decreased from 4.06 to 3.92 in ambient stored samples. Rheological properties of sauces were evaluated using a parallel plate rheometer that showed the storage modulus, Gʹ higher than the loss modulus, G″ for all the sauce samples indicating the dominance of the elastic behavior. The viscosity decreased with an increase in the shear rate for both, refrigerated and ambient stored sauce samples at the end of the storage period. Organoleptic characteristics (taste, color, aroma, and appearance) were examined by a semi‐trained panelist using 5 point hedonic scale. The sauce samples from Mollies Delicious and Chamure apple cultivars showed the highest acceptance.

Assessment of metabolic response to pre-operative treatment of rectal cancer

In the era of targeted therapy and high precision radiotherapy for patients with cancer, tailoring and individualization of treatment is needed more and more. In part to avoid ineffective administration of a toxic treatment to a patient that unlikely to get any benefit of it. And also to decrease the expenses of treatment and saving the drugs and resources to patients that deserve. Many predictive factors and markers are searched and well-known in many malignancies, but still rectal cancer lacks such predictors. As the pre-operative chemoradiotherapy is becoming the standard of care of treating patients with locally advanced rectal carcinoma, a predictive factor, or at least an early indicator, of patient's response to treatment is needed. First, it may help to modulate the pre-operative treatment by employing another chemotherapeutic or targeted agent e.g. oxaloplatin or cetuximab instead of the standard fluorouracil compounds. It may also help to avoid continuation of unnecessary protracted course of radiotherapy for 5-6 weeks for a patient who is unlikely to achieve a satisfactory response. This will help to avoid the definite toxicity of pelvic irradiation and avoid wasting time before going to surgery. Here comes the role of imaging techniques in predicting the metabolic response such as functional computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron-emission tomography (PET) scan. In this review we will go through the principles, indications and benefits of employing such techniques in the assessment of response to pre-operative chemoradiotherapy of rectal cancer.

Case report of long term survivor of metastatic cloacogenic carcinoma of the anal canal with chemotherapy

A fifty-two years old Egyptian lady, case of cloacogenic carcinoma of anal canal with extensive liver metastasis showed complete remission with 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) and Cis-Dichlorodiammineplatinum(CDDP) chemotherapy only and remains disease free five & haf years after therapy.

Tumours associated with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST): A case report

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Background: Much progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of GIST but the rarity of second neoplasms in association with gastro intestinal tumours (GIST) have rarely been reported. Methods: We present three case reports of breast cancer, Hodgkin's disease and thyroid cancer associated with GIST Results: The first pt, aged 50 underwent left lumpectomy and axillary clearance for infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Estrogen and Progesterone receptors were positive. Adjuvant chemotherapy , radiotherapy and tamoxifen was administered .Three years later patent was operated for a sub mucous nodule in the stomach which was reported as GIST, CD117+ve,CD34 positive and the patient was followed up. The second pt, male aged 50 was operated for a large intrabdominal GIST tumour (16x16cm) arising from the stomach and later on referral found to have a Rt Supraclavicular node with a nodule in the thyroid. He under went total thyroidectomy with functional node dissection for papillary carcinoma. This was followed Radioactive iodine ablation and eltroxin. Three months later he presented with thoraco abdominal metastasis and treatment with Imatnib was begun, but he soon progressed and succumbed to his disease. The third pt, female, with a history of Hodgkin's disease treated with chemotherapy on follow up. Twelve years later the pt was subjected to extensive debulking for pelvic GIST (16cmx15cm).CD117 positve.She was kept on follow up. A ct chest abdomen and pelvis eight months following surgery was unremarkable. Conclusions: Very few cases have been reported in literature regarding association of second tumours with GIST .And no correlation can be made to generate a hypothesis regarding these associations.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Measurement of serum N-acetyl beta glucosaminidase activity in patients with breast cancer

N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity measured in sera from 129 breast cancer patients was elevated (mean 18.2 units/l) compared with that in sera from 28 healthy women (11.6 units/l) (p=0.001). There was a weak correlation between NAG activity and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA-153, but no relationship to age, menopausal status, node status, stage, histology of tumour or to steroid receptors. NAG, CEA and CA-153 were measured in periodic follow-up samples taken after surgery (up to 26 months) from 17 patients. NAG activity fluctuated within a narrow range, unlike CEA and CA-153. In 70% of cases the pattern was similar to at least one of the other markers, and was generally maintained at a higher level in patients who suffered relapse compared with those who remained disease-free up to the last follow-up, but was not significantly altered before relapse. The measurement of NAG activity is unlikely to be of value in predicting time or occurrence of relapse or of clinical utility in post-surgical therapy. Increased appearance in serum may aid metastasis by degrading the extracellular matrix and it may be better investigated as a predictor of progression from in situ to invasive and metastatic cancer.