Feasibility and outcomes of early oral feeding after total gastrectomy for cancer

Background Little data are available supporting the feasibility and safety of early oral feeding in patients after total gastrectomy. The aim of this study was to analyze the potential applicability of early provision of oral diet in these settings. Methods Medical records of 353 patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 2006 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Early oral feeding was defined as clear liquid diet on postoperative day (POD) 1 followed by gradual introduction of solid diet on POD 2 to 3. Late oral feeding was defined as initiation of liquid diet from POD 4 to 6 and gradually advancing to solid diets. Results Early oral feeding was implemented in 185 of 353 (52 %) patients. Prompt provision of food did not increase the risk of anastomotic failure (odds ratio 0.924, 95 % confidence interval 0.609–1.402, P=0.709). The number of reoperations and inhospital mortality rates was unaffected by the timing of nutritional intervention. Early feeding tended to be associated with fewer surgical (15 vs 24 %, P=0.027) and general (8 vs 23 %, P<0.001) complications. However, subsequent multivariate regression models failed to confirm significant correlations between timing of oral meals and postoperative morbidity. Conclusion Our findings suggested that early oral feeding is feasible and safe after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. However, benefits of such early nutritional interventions require further studies

Myśl i polityka: księga pamiątkowa dedykowana profesorowi Jackowi Marii Majchrowskiemu T. 3

Publikacja jubileuszowa z okazji 40-lecia pracy naukowej profesora Jacka Majchrowskieg

Wykrzystanie modelu Pelega i Normanda w badaniach wpływu wielkości obciążenia i wilgotności ziarna pszenicy na wyniki relaksacji naprężeń

Wheat kernel is made up of structures of different apparent viscosities with varied ability to withstand stress and dissipate strain energy. Its complex mechanical behaviour determines technological susceptibility and is important for wheat quality assessment. The aim of the study was the examination of the Peleg and Normand model to characterize the overall stress relaxation behaviour of wheat kernel at varying loading conditions. The relaxation experiments were made with a help of a universal machine Zwick Z020 in compression at four distinct initial load levels, i.e., 20, 30, 40, and 50 N. The measurements were made for intact wheat kernels at seven levels of moisture content. Relaxation characteristics were approximated with the help of Peleg and Normand formula. An interactive influence of the load level and moisture on Peleg and Normand constants have been confirmed. The initial loading level had none or only slight effect on the model coefficients (Y(t), k1 and k2). The parameters of the Peleg and Normand model decreased with the increase of water content in kernels. For moist kernels, a higher amount of absorbed compression energy was relaxed, since less energy was necessary to keep the deformation at a constant level.Ziarniak pszenicy składa się ze struktur o różnych własnościach lepko-sprężystych, różnej wytrzymałości i zdolności do rozpraszania energii odkształcenia. Jego złożone zachowanie mechaniczne determinuje podatność technologiczną i jest ważne dla oceny jakości ziarna. Celem badań była analiza zmienności parametrów modelu Pelega i Normanda w różnych warunkach obciążenia początkowego. Pomiary przeprowadzono przy wykorzystaniu uniwersalnej maszyny Zwick Z020. Zastosowano test jednoosiowego ściskania pojedynczych ziarniaków dla czterech początkowych poziomów obciążenia, tj. 20, 30, 40 i 50 N. Badania wykonano dla siedmiu poziomów wilgotności. Charakterystyki relaksacyjne aproksymowano za pomocą równania Pelega i Normanda. Potwierdzono interaktywny wpływ poziomu obciążenia i wilgotności na stałe modelu. Początkowy poziom obciążenia nie miał żadnego lub wpływał tylko nieznacznie na współczynniki modelu (Y(t), k1 i k2). Parametry modelu Pelega i Normanda spadały wraz ze wzrostem zawartości wody w ziarniakach. W przypadku wilgotnych ziarniaków relaksacji podlegała istotnie większa wartość zaabsorbowanej energii, potrzeba było też mniej energii aby utrzymać odkształcenie na stałym poziomie

Toward New Value-Added Products Made from Anaerobic Digestate: Part 2—Effect of Loading Level on the Densification of Solid Digestate

A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms associated with the pelletization of an anaerobic digestate is necessary to optimize the pellet production process and achieve better and more sustainable management of the digestate. This work evaluated the digestate behavior during cyclic loading and unloading in a closed matrix. The results presented here are a continuation of those observed in previous work that evaluated the effect of moisture content on the behavior of the digestate under cyclic loading/unloading conditions in a closed matrix. The effect of moisture content on the distribution of permanent and elastic strain energy demonstrated in the previous study was verified in the present work under different loading conditions. A Zwick universal machine was used for the experiments. The samples were loaded with amplitudes of 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20 kN for 10 cycles. Two distinct moisture levels of the digestate—10% and 22%—were analyzed. The results of the present study confirmed that the elastic energy dissipated was independent of the moisture content of the digestate and remained relatively constant for a wide range of the applied loads. Higher values of elastic strain energy were observed for the digestate with higher moisture content only when higher loads were applied. In the range of the studied loads, characteristic differences were noted in loading/unloading curves regardless of the load magnitude. The increase in the applied load led to an increase in pellet strength, but only when the moisture content of the digestate was 10%. The results of the pellet strength reflect well the results of irreversible energy and the conclusions about the area enclosed between loading and unloading curves

Wpływ ciśnienia na parametry procesu zagęszczania słomy grochowej

This paper presents the results of pea straw compaction efficiency tests. The compliance of the tested material to pressure agglomeration was assessed depending on the compaction pressure used (45-113 MPa). The compaction was carried out using a Zwick testing machine, type Z020/TN2S, and a closed die pressing unit. It was found that, along with the pressure increase, the material density in the chamber increased (from 1.255 to 1.76 g·cm-3 ), as well as the agglomerate's density (from 0.739 to 1.05 g·cm-3 ) and the product's mechanical resistance (from 0.31 to 0.69 MPa). Increasing the compaction pressure in the analyzed range increased the unit value of compaction work, from 17.16 to 34.27 J·g-1.Przedstawiono wyniki badań efektywności zagęszczania słomy grochowej. Oceniono podatność badanego materiału na proces aglomerowania ciśnieniowego w zależności od stosowanego ci- śnienia zagęszczania (od 45 do 113 MPa). Zagęszczanie przeprowadzano przy wykorzystaniu maszyny wytrzymałościowej Zwick typ Z020/TN2S i zespołu prasującego z matrycą zamkniętą. Stwierdzono, że wraz ze wzrostem ciśnienia rosła gęstość materiału w komorze (w zakresie od 1,255 do 1,76 g·cm-3 ) i gęstość aglomeratu (w zakresie od 0,739 do 1,05 g·cm-3 ) oraz zwiększała się odporność mechaniczna produktu (w przedziale od 0,31 do 0,69 MPa). Zwiększanie ciśnienia zagęszczania w analizowanym przedziale powodowało wzrost wartości jednostkowej pracy zagęszczania w zakresie od 17,16 do 34,27 J·g-1

Influence of moisture content of material and piston pressure on compaction parameters and strength of agglomerate of Virginia mallow (Sida hermaphrodita)

W pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań wpływu wilgotności biomasy roślinnej (ślazowca pensylwańskiego) oraz nacisku jednostkowego tłoka na parametry brykietowania (zagęszczania), podatność surowca na zagęszczanie oraz jakość uzyskanych aglomeratów. Zagęszczanie surowca przeprowadzano przy wykorzystaniu maszyny wytrzymałościowej Zwick typ ZO2O/TN2S i zespołu prasującego z matrycą zamkniętą o średnicy komory 15 mm. Wilgotność materiału wynosiła od 10 do 18%. Zagęszczanie prowadzono dla trzech maksymalnych nacisków jednostkowych tłoka na materiał 57 MPa, 85 MPa i 113 MPa. Stwierdzono, że wraz ze wzrostem wilgotności rośnie gęstość materiału w komorze i rozprężenie aglomeratu, natomiast maleje gęstość aglomeratu oraz praca zagęszczania. Wzrost wilgotności polepsza podatność surowca na zagęszczanie oraz pogarsza jakość aglomeratów pod względem ich wytrzymałości. Wraz ze zwiększeniem nacisku tłoka rośnie gęstość aglomeratu, praca zagęszczania i odporność mechaniczna aglomeratu.The paper presents the results of a study on the influence of moisture content of plant biomass (Virginia mallow) and of unit piston pressure on the parameters of briquetting (compaction), on the compaction ability of raw material, and on the quality of obtained agglomerates. Compaction of the raw material was carried out using a Zwick testing machine type ZO2O/TN2S and a closed die compression assembly with a diameter of 15 mm. Material moisture varied from 8 to 18%. Compaction was performed for three maximum levels of unit pressure of the piston on the material – 57, 85 and 113 MPa. It was found that an increase in the moisture content caused an increase of the density of the material in the chamber and of the expansion of the agglomerate, while the agglomerate density and the work of compaction decreased. The increase in raw material moisture content improved the compaction ability and worsened the quality of the agglomerates in terms of their strength. With increasing piston pressure there was an increase of the density of the agglomerate, compaction work and mechanical strength of the agglomerate

Micronized Powder of Raspberry Pomace as a Source of Bioactive Compounds

Red raspberries, which contain a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals that are beneficial for human health, can be utilized as a raw material in the creation of several supplements. This research suggests micronized powder of raspberry pomace production. The molecular characteristics (FTIR), sugar, and biological potential (phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity) of micronized raspberry powders were investigated. FTIR spectroscopy results revealed spectral changes in the ranges with maxima at ~1720, 1635, and 1326, as well as intensity changes in practically the entire spectral range analyzed. The discrepancies clearly indicate that the micronization of the raspberry byproduct samples cleaved the intramolecular hydrogen bonds in the polysaccharides present in the samples, thus increasing the respective content of simple saccharides. In comparison to the control powders, more glucose and fructose were recovered from the micronized samples of the raspberry powders. The study’s micronized powders were found to contain nine different types of phenolic compounds, including rutin, elagic acid derivatives, cyanidin-3-sophoroside, cyanidin-3-(2-glucosylrutinoside), cyanidin-3-rutinoside, pelargonidin-3-rutinoside, and elagic acid derivatives. Significantly higher concentrations of ellagic acid and ellagic acid derivatives and rutin were found in the micronized samples than in the control sample. The antioxidant potential assessed by ABTS and FRAP significantly increased following the micronization procedure

Wpływ wilgotności i prędkości bijaków na efektywność rozdrabniania nasion łubinu

The objective of the paper was to determine the impact of moisture and rotational speed of threshers on the process of crushing of lupine seeds. Raw material was led to four levels of moisture from 8 to 14% every 2%. The studies were carried out on the laboratory hammer mill with the use of variable speeds of mill hammers within 5500-7000 rot·min-1. The studies that were carried out proved significant relations (p<0.05) between the analysed process variables and energy consumption and susceptibility of seeds to crushing. It was stated that along with the increase of the rotational speed, a reduction in the drop of the average dimension of particles of mill takes place. Along with the increase of moisture of lupine from 8 to 14% a unit energy of crushing increases on average by approx. 83%. It was proved that the susceptibility ratio of seeds to crushing increases along with the increase of raw material moisture. Such relations were determined for all investigated rotational speeds of hammers.Celem pracy było określenie oddziaływania wilgotności i prędkości obrotowej bijaków na proces rozdrabniania nasion łubinu. Surowiec doprowadzano do czterech poziomów wilgotności od 8 do 14% co 2%. Badania przeprowadzono na laboratoryjnym rozdrabniaczu bijakowym, przy zastosowaniu zmiennych prędkość bijaków rozdrabniacza w przedziale 5500-7000 obr·min-1. Przeprowadzone badania wykazały, że występują istotne zależności (p<0.05) pomiędzy analizowanymi zmiennymi procesu a energochłonnością i podatnością nasion na rozdrabnianie

Interaction of Different Drying Methods and Storage on Appearance, Surface Structure, Energy, and Quality of <i>Berberis vulgaris</i> var. asperma

Seedless barberry fruit is native small fruit in Iran. To examine the impact of various drying methods and storage on the biochemical attributes (Vitamin C, Anthocyanin, Phenol, pH, TA), color index (a*, b*, L*, ab, and Chroma), drying time, and fruit microstructure (by SEM) of seedless barberry (Berberis vulgaris var. asperma), and effective moisture diffusivity coefficient (Deff), specific energy consumption (SEC), energy efficiency (EE) of the dryers, this experiment was performed. Drying treatments include microwave (100, 170, and 270 W), oven (60 and 70 °C), cabinet (50 and 70 °C), shade, sun, and fresh samples (control) and storage 6 months after drying (in polyethylene packaging and at a temperature of 5–10 °C). Results showed minimum and maximum drying times (50 min and 696 h), were related to microwave (270 W) and shade methods, respectively. The highest color values were observed in fruits treated with control, shade and sun treatments and the lowest values were observed in cabinet (70 °C) methods. According to the SEM results, microwave significantly affected surface structure of the dried sample compared to others. The findings indicated that the use of artificial drying methods than natural methods (sun and shade) cause a more significant reduction in color indexes, while vitamin C, soluble solids, and anthocyanin were significantly maintained at a high level. Storage reduced anthocyanin content of fruits almost 12%. Moreover, it was discovered EE and SEC values varied in the range of 1.16–25.26% and 12.20–1182 MJ/kg, respectively. Deff values were higher in microwave 270 W