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Related Concept Videos

Responses to Drought and Flooding02:41

Responses to Drought and Flooding

Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
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Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water. It depends on the quantity of solute that does not penetrate the membrane. Tonicity delimits the magnitude and direction of osmosis and results in three possible scenarios that alter the volume of a cell: hypertonicity, hypotonicity, and isotonicity. Due to differences in structure and physiology, tonicity of plant cells is different from that of animal cells in some scenarios.
Tonicity in Plants01:20

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Tonicity
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Tonicity describes the amount of solute in a solution. The measure of the tonicity of a solution, or the total amount of solutes dissolved in a specific amount of solution, is called its osmolarity. Three terms—hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic—are used to relate the osmolarity of a cell to the osmolarity of the extracellular fluid that contains the cells. In a hypotonic solution, such as tap water, the extracellular fluid has a lower concentration of solutes than the fluid inside the cell,...
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Water-absorbing balls: a "growing" problem.

Irving J Zamora1, Lan T Vu, Emily L Larimer

  • 1Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.

Pediatrics
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PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Superabsorbent polymer balls, which expand significantly, can cause complete bowel obstruction in infants. Timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing this serious foreign body ingestion risk in children.

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Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Toxicology
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Foreign body ingestion is a common pediatric concern, often with benign outcomes.
  • Superabsorbent polymers are widely used in consumer products, including toys.
  • The expanding nature of these polymers presents unique risks when ingested.

Observation:

  • An 8-month-old infant presented with complete bowel obstruction.
  • The obstruction was caused by the ingestion of a superabsorbent polymer ball.
  • The ball had the potential to expand up to 400 times its original size.

Findings:

  • Ingested superabsorbent polymer balls can cause progressive intestinal obstruction.
  • Unlike many other foreign bodies, these expanding objects do not pass easily.
  • This case highlights a specific risk associated with water-absorbing polymer technology.

Implications:

  • Increased awareness of superabsorbent polymer risks in pediatric foreign body ingestions is needed.
  • Healthcare providers should consider these materials in cases of intestinal obstruction.
  • Product safety regulations may need re-evaluation for water-absorbing toys.