Determination of wine aroma compounds by dehydration followed by GC/MS.

A new extraction method for the analysis of the volatile fraction of white and red wines has been developed and validated. A dehydration step with MgSO4 separated an aroma compounds-rich alcoholic-glycerine layer. Spiked samples showed good recoveries in the range between 75 and 120% with CVmax% of 17, except for 2-phenylethanol and y-butyrolactone for which recoveries in red wines were under 60%, and for monoethylsuccinate, where recoveries averaged 50 and 60% in white and red wines, respectively. Method repeatability and intermediate precision showed good CVmax% with minimum and maximum values between 7.7 and 24, and between 18.7 and 25.0, respectively. The average determination coefficients were greater than 0.99 with CVmax% of 13. The instrumental LOD and LOQ were, in all cases, under 0.05 mg/L, except for 2,3 butanediol (0.20 mg/L). Overall, the presence of wine matrix affected aroma compounds responses in GC/MS analysis. These observations indicate that the use of a matrix-matched calibration curve is mandatory to obtain reliable quantitative data.

[Association of biliary calculosis and portal cavernomatosis]. / Associazione tra calcolosi biliare e cavernomatosi portale.

This paper reports the case of a woman, who underwent surgery because of cholelithiasis, with intraoperative finding of prehepatic portal hypertension from portal vein thrombosis ("portal cavernoma") with healthy liver, later confirmed by angiographic studies. This rare pathologic association carries a higher risk of major operative complications; therefore the Authors agree with the general belief that, for these cases, biliary tract surgery should be as simple and safe as possible. In the case of preoperative diagnosis of biliary disease associated with portal cavernoma, should a surgical approach on the biliary tract be required, we agree on the advisability of performing a shunting procedure before any kind of biliary surgery. In case of variceal bleeding endoscopic sclerotherapy will be the first choice; surgical procedures (shunting) should be seen as a second choice in case of rebleeding after sclerotherapy.

[Prolapse of the vaginal vault complicated by ileal evisceration. Possible role of dacron mesh in emergencies. Technical notes]. / Prolasso della cupola vaginale complicato da eviscerazione ileale. Possibile ruolo della rete di Dacron in urgenza. Note di tecnica.

The prolapse of vaginal vault after hysterectomy is a rather common event, whereas ileal evisceration and intestinal occlusion following a complete rupture of an inverted vaginal vault is extremely rare. The Authors report a case successfully treated using a modified Feldman and Birnbaum colposacropexy. The technique, which takes into account pathophysiologic mechanisms of vaginal prolapse, is described in detail and involves the use of a Dacron mesh.