Production of crystallized fruit from watermelon rind

El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo el aprovechamiento de las cascaras de sandía en la elaboración de productos cristalizados. Para esto fue eliminada la cutícula verde externa de la cascara, cortadas en forma de cubo de aproximadamente 7 mm de lado, escaldado con agua en su temperatura de ebullición utilizando 0, 5 ó 10 minutos y dejados inmersos en una solución de cloruro de sodio. Posteriormente fueron sometidas a concentraciones crecientes de soluciones de sacarosa (30 a 72 °Brix) y deshidratadas en un secador a diferentes temperaturas (40, 60 y 80 °C). Los diferentes tratamientos fueron evaluados por un panel sensorial. El diseño experimental empleado fue el de bloques completos aleatorios y los resultados del análisis sensorial fueron evaluados por la prueba de comparación de medias de Tukey. Fue constatado que el tratamiento con mayor aceptabilidad, por parte del panel sensorial, fue la que había sido sometida a un escaldado de 5 minutos y deshidratado a 60 °C, cuyos valores de intensidad para la apariencia, sabor y gomosidad estuvieron entre 6 y 7.The aim of this work was to produce crystallized fruit from watermelon rind. The following procedure was developed: the outer peel was removed; the material was sliced into 7 mm cubes, blanched for, 0, 5 and 10 minutes, and then treated with 10% sodium chloride solution. This product was treated with solutions of sucrose (30 to 72 °Brix), and dried in a hot air dryer at different temperatures (40, 60 and 80 °C). Products were then analyzed by a sensory panel. The experimental design used was randomized blocks and the results were analyzed by the Tukey's test. The best acceptance of the sensory panel was for the product obtained by 5 minutes blanching followed by drying at 60 °C, whose intensity values for appearance, flavor and gummosis were between 6 and 7

Total phallic construction techniques in transgender men: An updated narrative review

From 2012, the World Professional Association Transgender Health defined a structured therapeutic path and standards of care for transgender patients undergoing genital gender affirming surgery (GGAS). The main goal of GGAS in transgender males is to provide patients with an aesthetically appealing appearance of the neophallus that should allow standing micturition and enabling penetrative intercourse along with erogenous and tactile sensitivity. The optimal procedure should be safe, reproducible and performed in the fewest number of surgical stages. The ideal technique for total phallic construction (TPC) has not yet been demonstrated; TPC remains challenging and, from a functional point of view, it is also make more demanding as yet there are no perfect replacement materials for erectile and urethral tissues. Several procedures and different type of flaps (pedicled and free-flaps) have been proposed and investigated over time to address TPC with significant advances over the years especially after microsurgical procedures introduction. Due to its high complexity TPC is not free from complications. Local tissue ischaemic complications, complete and partial flap loss, donor site morbidity and urethral complications (fistulae and strictures) are reported. This narrative review aims to provide the readers with a contemporary overview of surgical procedures for TPC in transgender males focusing on key surgical steps, as well as surgical and functional outcomes

How to treat a patient with T1 high-grade disease and no tumour on repeat transurethral resection of the bladder?

A relatively young (64-yr old) long-term heavy smoker but otherwise very healthy man is diagnosed with a primary unifocal left-side tumour (urothelial, T1 high grade), but no lymphovascular invasion and no variant histology. We discuss whether treatment with intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine will be sufficient or early radical cystectomy is at least equally preferred regarding patient benefit, safety, and quality of life. Patient summary A patient with a single high-grade T1 bladder tumour without aggressive features (eg, lymphovascular invasion or variant tumour aspects) will be adequately treated with bacillus Calmette-Guérin intravesical therapy delivered into the bladder, followed by 3 yr of maintenance. However, all decisions should be taken with the patient in a shared decision-making process, including a discussion regarding removal of the bladder