The toughness of adipose tissue: measurements and physical basis.

The measured toughness J(C) of adipose and dermal porcine tissues are 4.1 and 17 kJ m(-2), respectively, via a trouser tear test. An assessment is made of the contribution to overall toughness from the microstructural elements. The analysis suggests that the toughness of adipose tissue is determined by the collagen network that surrounds the adipocytes. The volume fraction of the interlobular septa is sufficiently low for it to make a negligible contribution to the macroscopic toughness.

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning: treatment, prevention and management

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP) is the most frequently reported seafood-toxin illness in the world, and it causes substantial physical and functional impact. It produces a myriad of gastrointestinal, neurologic and/or cardiovascular symptoms which last days to weeks, or even months. Although there are reports of symptom amelioration with some interventions (e.g. IV mannitol), the appropriate treatment for CFP remains unclear to many physicians. We review the literature on the treatments for CFP, including randomized controlled studies and anecdotal reports. The article is intended to clarify treatment options, and provide information about management and prevention of CFP, for emergency room physicians, poison control information providers, other health care providers, and patients.

Physical, chemical, and biological characterization of water year types in the San Francisco Bay estuary [abstract]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Twenty-three years of physical, chemical, and biological data were used to characterize conditions associated with wet, normal, dry, and critical water year types in the upper San Francisco Bay estuary.

Limnological studies of a freshwater tropical impoundment : Powai Lake. 1: Morphometry and physical features

Powai Lake, an impoundment, came into existence in 1891 when the riverlet Dhanisar was dammed to conserve rainwater for drinking purpose. However, the water was found to be unpotable and the lake was leased out to the Angling Association, Bombay, exclusively for angling and sports. The lake is located about 27 km in the northeast of Bombay city at a height of 55m above MSL. It is rainfed with an average rainfall of 2,400 mm. The maximum waterspread area is 220 ha with a maximum capacity of 8.11 million m super(3) in the peak monsoon period when the water overflows the dam. There is no drawdown from the lake. Fluctuation in the water level is mainly due to evaporation and percolation. Transparency is low mainly due to suspended organic particles. There is hardly any difference in the water temperatures of surface and bottom, hence the annual heat budget is low at 2,818 cal m super(-2).

Studies on phenolase enzymes in prawns. Pt. 1. The distribution and physical properties of phenolases in Penaeid prawns

The distribution of phenolases in certain species of Penaeid prawns has been studied. Attempts were made to locate the regions of maximum enzyme activity in the prawns. The relative dopase activity has been examined in extracts from head, tail, shell with cuticles and muscle. The head juice and tail extracts were found to register very high order of enzyme activity. Metapenaeus affinis, Metapenaeus monoceros and Penaeus indicus record comparatively higher enzyme activity than Parapenaeopsis stylifera and Metapenaeus dobsoni, no definite relationship has been found between the relative activity of the enzyme and size grade at least in one species examined. Experiments were done to determine the pH optima of the enzyme and the influence of pH on its deactivation. Exposure to higher temperatures up to 55°c was shown to activate the crude enzyme considerably. The possible implications of the observations have been discussed.

Postmortem changes in hilsa fish. Pt. 2. Studies on physical and bacteriological changes in iced and frozen stored hilsa fish (Tenualosa ilisha Ham.)

Studies were conducted to evaluate the quality of hilsa fish during icing and freezing storage at -20°C by determining organoleptic and bacteriological aspects. The fishes stored in ice were organoleptically in acceptable condition 2 for 20 days. The bacterial load in muscles of 4 days ice stored fish was 2.5x10² CFU/g which gradually increased up to 1.8x10⁵ CFU/g after 20 days when the fishes were organoleptically in acceptable condition. The keeping qualities of different days of ice stored fishes were also evaluated during their subsequent frozen storage at -20°C. Both 4 and 7 days of ice stored fishes were organoleptically in acceptable condition up to 48 weeks but the highest degree of freshness was found for fish stored in ice for 4 days before freezing at -20°C. The result indicates that the longer is the duration of ice storage before freezing, the shorter is the shelf life of the fish. The initial bacterial load prior to freezing of the 4 and 7 days of ice stored samples were 2.5x10³ CFU/g and 3.8x10⁴ CFU/g, respectively which reduced to 2.21x10² CFU/g and 2.38x10² CFU/g, respectively at the end of the 24 weeks of frozen storage. However, after 40 weeks the bacterial load in the frozen stored sample fell below the detection level.