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SummaryBackground Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disease without an established optimal treatment. Aim To determine (i) the effect of acupuncture in relieving FD symptoms and improving life quality; (ii) the effect difference between acupoint and non-acupoint; and (iii) the effect difference among different acupoints. Methods A total of 712 eligible patients were included and randomly assigned to six groups (Group A: specific acupoints of the stomach meridian; Group B: non-specific acupoints of the stomach meridian; Group C: specific acupoints of alarm and transport points; Group D: specific acupoints of the gallbladder meridian; Group E: sham acupuncture of non-acupoints; and Group F: itopride). A treatment period of 4 weeks (continuous five sessions per week), and a follow-up period of 12 weeks were arranged. The outcomes were the (i) patients’ response, (ii) symptoms improvement measured using the Symptom Index of Dyspepsia and (iii) quality-of-life improvement based on Nepean Dyspepsia Index. Results All groups had an improvement in dyspepsia symptoms and the QoL at the end of treatment, and the improvement was sustained for 4 weeks and 12 weeks. The overall response rate was significantly higher in acupuncture group A (70.69%), and lower in sham acupuncture group (34.75%), compared with itopride and other acupuncture groups. Similarly, the difference in symptoms and QoL improvement was significant between group A and the other acupuncture groups. Conclusions Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of functional dyspepsia, and is superior to non-acupoint puncture. The benefit of acupuncture relies on acupoint specificity.

Starch granules found at the centre of fish crackers ('keropok') which contained from 0 to 10% fish did not gelatinize after 2 h steaming. This was because of water movement from the centre to the periphery during steaming. A fish protein network started to develop in dough with a 15% fish content and this entrapped water molecules. These water molecules helped to complete gelatinization. The viscoelastic properties of keropok' dough increased with an increasing fish to starch ratio and also because of the formation of a fish-protein network in the dough. Le keropok ou le cracker au poisson est un snack populaire en Malaisie et dans les regions du Sud Est de l'Asie. Le produit est fabrique en formant une pâte a partir d'un melange d'amidon, de chair de poisson pulverisee et d'eau. La pâte est formee, chauffee par vapeur d'eau pour gelatiniser l'amidon, coupee en tranches fines et sechee. Avant la consommation, les tranches sont frites dans de l'huile bouillante. Frequemment, des granules d'amidon dans le centre des crakers, qui contient de 0 a 10 % de poisson, ne gelatinisent pas apres 2h de traitement a la vapeur. C'est a cause du mouvement de l'eau du centre a la peripherie pendant cette etape. Cette etude evalue l'influence des proteines de poisson sur la gelatinisation de l'amidon dans le keropok. Les proprietes viscoelastiques du keropok augmentent quand la teneur en poisson est augmentee grâce a la formation d'un reseau de proteines de poisson dans la pâte.

Summary The use of pre-gelatinized tapioca starch for the manufacture of ‘keropok’ by drumdrying has been investigated. Processing variables were examined by using five different slurries of water: starch, with ratios of 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20, and 90:10 at four different temperatures: 120.2°C, 133.5°C, 143.6°C, and 151.8°C. Only ‘keropok’ made from a slurry with a water: starch ratio of 70:30 pre-gelatinized at 133.5°, 143.6°C and 151.8°C had linear expansion greater than the minimum acceptable value of 77%. ‘Keropok’ containing pre-gelatinized starch produced at 133.5°C was the most acceptable to a sensory panel.

Proteins from Oreochromis mossambicus, a freshwater fish, were hydrolysed, using alkalase 0.61, to produce a soluble, spray-dried hydrolysate. The hydrolysis was carried out at 50°C, using a ratio of one part water and one part fish mince, an enzyme:substrate ratio of 1:50 at pH 8.0. Reaction was terminated by heating to 90°C for 20min. After neutralization, the soluble fraction obtained after centrifugation was spray dried in a mini spray-drier, at an air inlet temperature of 170°C and a feed rate of 41−1. The spray-dried hydrolysate was incorporated into crackers which are fried before eating. Ten per cent hydrolysate was found to give maximum linear expansion. Sensory evaluation with 20 experienced assessors showed that in terms of appearance, crispiness and colour, crackers with hydrolysate had the highest scores, compared to crackers made with O. mossambicus and Sciaena sp. (Jewfish). There were no significant differences in overall acceptability in all three samples. Crackers with hydrolysate also had the highest nitrogen content.

‘Keropok’ production is an important cottage industry in Malaysia. However, production methods used are poor, resulting in inferior quality products which have uneven expansion characteristics, dark objectionable colours and varying shapes, sizes and thicknesses. This paper describes a method that can be used to upgrade ‘keropok’ production. Basically it is an adaptation from sausage production technology. Products from this method were superior in terms of appearance, shape and linear expansion and were more acceptable to taste panellists.

Investigation of processing of dry-salted fish is described. The use of a satisfactory ratio of salt to fish, optimization of salting time and the use of mechanical driers to reduce drying time, insect infestation and microbial spoilage were investigated. Results indicated that oven-dried fish salted at 10% and 20% levels were most acceptable. The corresponding sun-dried samples had an undesirable odour, flavour and texture due to their higher moisture contents. At the 30% and 40% salt levels for both processes, the differences were less pronounced, but the samples that were sun-dried were more acceptable mainly as a result of a better appearance.

We report two cases of gestational choriocarcinoma, following term pregnancies initially presented with feto-maternal hemorrhage. In both cases, the diagnosis was not made until the patients presented with complications postpartum. Presentations of reported gestational choriocarcinoma cases associated with feto-maternal hemorrhage were reviewed. We conclude that massive feto-maternal hemorrhage merits a high index of suspicion for such a diagnosis.

2Faculty of Applied Sciences Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 Shah Alam Selangor, Malaysia The effect of pressure cooking on microstructure of wheat and tapioca starch in keropok gel and expansion of fried keropok slices were studied. The morphology of the starch granules in the keropok gel at different steaming temperature was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Linear expansion of keropok made with wheat starch increased with increasing steaming temperature, but that of keropok made with tapioca starch decreased with increasing steaming temperature. The linear expansion results correlate with the sensory evaluation of the products. La microstructure de l'amidon de manioc et de ble dans le keropok gel soumis a une cuisson sous pression est etudiee. La morphologie des granules d'amidon a differentes temperatures est observee. L'expansion lineaire est meilleure pour les keropok a base d'amidon de ble quand la temperature augmente que pour les keropok a base d'amidon de manioc.

The effect of steaming time on ‘keropok’ was studied. The morphology of the starch granules in keropok gel at different steaming times was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). There was an optimum time for the steaming of keropok which gave the best linear expansion and hardest texture of steamed gel. This occurred when the starch granules were expanded to their largest sizes and before fragmentation of the granules. A steaming time of 20–30 min is sufficient to cook the keropok gel. Excessive steaming time will result in a poor-quality product as well as extra production costs. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry

Light microscopy studies on the fish cracker gel and expanded product ('keropok') emphasised the role of fish proteins in the starch expansion process. The addition of salt (20 g kg-1) in the 'keropok' helped to distribute evenly the starch in the fish protein. Formation of thin fish muscle bundles assisted the expansion of 'keropok'. At 700-900 g kg-1 fish content, the fish muscle bundles formed a continuous network that caused a drop in the 'keropok' expansion. From the scanning electron microscopy study, ridges were found in samples (containing 600-900 g kg-1 fish content) with 20 g kg-1 salt at high magnification.

— Fatigue strengths of Sic whisker or Sic particulate reinforced 6061-T6 aluminum matrix composite (SiCw/Al or SiCp/Al), fabricated by a high pressure infiltration method, were obtained in laboratory air, ion exchanged water and a 3 pct NaCl aqueous solution. A comparison was made with the properties of the matrix aluminum alloy 6061-T6. The SiCw/Al composite maintained a higher fatigue resistance than the SiCp/Al composite or the monolithic 6061 Al, even in a 3 pct NaCl solution. Good correlation was observed between a deterioration in the fatigue strength and the value of the corrosive potential and current, when changing the environment from laboratory air or ion-exchanged water to a 3 pct NaCl aqueous solution.

The effects of starvation on daily growth and increment formation in the otolith were examined using a double oxytetracycline-labelling method on larval milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forsskal), reared under different feeding regimes. The results indicated that the differences in body and otolith growth between the larvae fed once and three times a day were not significant, and that the otolith growth increment was deposited daily in both groups of fed larvae. In contrast, the starved larvae grew at a slower rate than fed larvae in body length and otolith dimensions, and the otolith growth increment in the starved larvae was not deposited on a daily basis. After undergoing starvation, the larvae were unable to recover their normal growth either in otolith increment deposition or in body and otolith growth even though they were fed. Therefore, the application of ageing techniques based on counting otolith growth increments seems to be inaccurate for starved larvae.

Five hundred sixty-four nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC), mostly of undifferentiated histologic type, were studied for survival, distant metastasis, and local recurrence. All had computerized tomography of the nasopharynx and skull base (CT-NP) and fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy for evaluation of the primary tumor. Regional disease was assessed by palpation. A computer data base was formed on presentation, containing all information required for staging according to Ho's, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), and the American Joint Committee (AJC) classifications. The three were compared for their efficacy in predicting prognosis. Ho's classification was superior to the other two because its overall stages differed from one another more significantly in the actuarial survival (ASR), disease-free survival (DFS), and freedom from distant metastasis (FDM) rates, and its N staging was more accurate in predicting FDM. Stages T1 and T2 of UICC/AJC were similar in the freedom from local recurrence rate (FLR) and should be grouped together, equivalent to Ho's T1. A more even patients number distribution among the stages also favored the use of Ho's classification.

The formation of daily growth increments of otoliths was studied in the reared larvae of milkfish. The first growth increment was formed during the yolk–sac reabsorption period c.2 days after hatching, and increment formation continued on a daily schedule regardless of growth rate. The initial incremental zone was of amorphous structure, and the subsequent incremental zone was of needle–shaped crystalline structure; the former structure was formed in the yolk–sac reabsorption period of the larva and the latter in the exogenous feeding period. Accordingly, ageing of milkfish larvae is possible by counting growth increments, and timings within the developmental stage of the larvae can be understood by examining the otolith microstructure.