Response surface methodology for studying the effect of processing conditions on some nutritional and textural properties of bambara groundnuts (Voandzei subterranea) during canning

The response surface methodology and central composite rotatable design for K=3 was used to study the combined effect of blanching, soaking and sodium hexametaphosphate salt concentration on moisture, ash, leached solids, phytates, tannins and hardness of bambara groundnut during canning. Regression models were developed to predict the effects of the processing parameters on the studied indices. Significant interactions were observed between all the factors with high regression coefficients (64.4–82.6%). Blanching and soaking of the seeds prior to canning led to increases in moisture content and leached solids, while significant decreases were observed for phytates, tannins and hardness of the canned bambara groundnuts. Increasing the concentration of sodium salt added during soaking caused significant (P≤0.05) decreases in phytates, tannins and the hardness of the seeds, suggesting that pre-canning treatments of blanching, soaking and sodium hexametaphosphate salt addition can be used to effectively reduce the phytates, tannin levels with minimal mineral (ash) loss and enhanced textural integrity of the canned bambara groundnuts.     

Family Networks of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Rural Appalachia

The prevalence of obesity and diabetes has been studied in adolescent and adult populations in poor, medically underserved rural Appalachia of West Virginia. A web‐based questionnaire about obesity and diabetes was obtained in 989 family members of 210 Community Based Clinical Research (CBPR) trained adolescent members of a network of 18 science clubs, incorporating 142 families. After age‐correction in < 20 years old, 50% of both adolescents and adults were obese. The frequency distribution of obesity was trimodal. In the overall population 10.4% had type 2 diabetes, while 24% of adult, obese subjects had type 2 diabetes. A new metric, the family diabetes risk potential, identified a trimodal distribution of risk potential. In the lowest most common distribution 43% of families had a diabetic family member. In the intermediate distribution, 69% had a diabetic family member, and in the distribution with highest scores all the families had a diabetic member. In conclusion, the poorest counties of rural Appalachia are at crisis level with the prevalence of obesity and diabetes. The distribution of age‐corrected obesity and family diabetes risk potential are not normally distributed. We suggest that targeting individual family units at greatest risk offers the most efficient strategy for ameliorating this epidemic.     

Team Building: Electronic Management‐Clinical Translational Research (eM‐CTR) Systems

Classical drug exposure: response studies in clinical pharmacology represent the quintessential prototype for Bench to Bedside‐Clinical Translational Research. A fundamental premise of this approach is for a multidisciplinary team of researchers to design and execute complex, in‐depth mechanistic studies conducted in relatively small groups of subjects. The infrastructure support for this genre of clinical research is not well‐handled by scaling down of infrastructure used for large Phase III clinical trials. We describe a novel, integrated strategy, whose focus is to support and manage a study using an Information Hub, Communication Hub, and Data Hub design. This design is illustrated by an application to a series of varied projects sponsored by Special Clinical Centers of Research in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the University of Pittsburgh. In contrast to classical informatics support, it is readily scalable to large studies. Our experience suggests the culture consequences of research group self‐empowerment is not only economically efficient but transformative to the research process.     

Analysis of risk and protective factors for psychosocial distress among in-school adolescents in Tanzania

Introduction

Psychosocial distress has emerged as one of the world’s major public health problems, especially among adolescents in both low- and middle-income countries. This study used data from the 2015 version of the Global School-Based Health Survey to determine the risk and protective factors for psychosocial distress among in-school adolescents in Tanzania.

Materials and methods

Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the magnitude of associations. A total of 2936 students participated in the study, of which 52.3% were female.

Results

Psychosocial distress was found in 16.9% of the students at similar rates for both males and females. The risk factors associated with psychosocial distress were hunger (OR?=?1.57, p?<?0.001), being bullied (OR?=?1.92, p?<?0.001), being attacked (OR?=?1.31, p?<?0.05), engaging in physical activity (OR?=?1.33, p?<?0.05), truancy (OR?=?1.28, p?<?0.05) and tobacco use (OR?=?2.40, p?<?0.01). However, the protective factors were grade (OR?=?0.55, p?<?0.01) and having one or two (OR?=?0.56, p?<?0.01) and three or more close friends (OR?=?0.57, p?<?0.01).

Conclusions

The prevalence of psychosocial distress among adolescents in Tanzania is relatively high and appears to be common among both sexes. To reduce psychosocial distress among in-school adolescents, more attention needs to be paid to the risk factors whiles encouraging healthy relationships among adolescents and their close friends.

     

Response surface methodology for studying the effect of processing conditions on some nutritional and textural properties of bambara groundnuts (Voandzei subterranea) during canning

The response surface methodology and central composite rotatable design for K=3 was used to study the combined effect of blanching, soaking and sodium hexametaphosphate salt concentration on moisture, ash, leached solids, phytates, tannins and hardness of bambara groundnut during canning. Regression models were developed to predict the effects of the processing parameters on the studied indices. Significant interactions were observed between all the factors with high regression coefficients (64.4-82.6%). Blanching and soaking of the seeds prior to canning led to increases in moisture content and leached solids, while significant decreases were observed for phytates, tannins and hardness of the canned bambara groundnuts. Increasing the concentration of sodium salt added during soaking caused significant (P相似文献   

Does the diagnosis of trachoma adequately identify ocular chlamydial infection in trachoma-endemic areas?

We evaluated the validity of clinically determined active trachoma as a surrogate for chlamydial eye infection in 1059 children from the Egyptian arm of the Azithromycin in the Control of Trachoma study. Participants were determined to be "clinically active" if they had >or=5 follicles or intense inflammatory infiltration on the tarsal conjunctiva. Conjunctival swabs were tested using ligase chain reaction (LCR) to detect chlamydial DNA. Of clinically active children aged 1-10 years, 31% did not have infection, as determined by LCR. Conversely, 31% of infected children were not clinically active; 78% of clinically active children aged 1-5 years were infected, versus 17% of those aged 11-15 years. The proportion of clinically active children who were infected decreased from 67% before treatment to 10% 14 months after mass azithromycin treatment. Clinically active trachoma is not always a reliable marker of infection, particularly in teenagers and after treatment.     

High prevalence of diabetes and other comorbidities in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Delhi,India, and their association with outcomes

Background and aimsTo study the prevalence and impact of diabetes mellitus and other comorbidities among hospitalized patients with COVID-19.MethodsIn a prospective, observational study including consecutive adults hospitalized with COVID-19, clinical outcomes and inflammatory markers were compared in those with and without diabetes. Participants were classified as having mild or severe COVID-19 disease using the WHO ordinal scale.Results401 patients (125 females) with median age of 54 years (range 19–92) were evaluated. Of them 189 (47.1%) had pre-existing diabetes and21 (5.2%) had new-onset hyperglycaemia. Overall, 344 (85.8%) and 57 (14.2%) cases had mild and severe COVID-19 disease respectively. The group with diabetes had a higher proportion of severe cases (20.1% vs 9%, p-0.002), mortality (6.3 vs 1.4%, p-0.015), ICU admission (24.3 vs 12.3%, p-0.002), and oxygen requirement (53.4 vs 28.3%, p < 0.001). Baseline Hba1c (n = 331) correlated significantly with outcome severity scores (r 0.136, p-0.013) and 12/15 (80%) of those who succumbed had diabetes. Hypertension, coronary artery disease, and chronic kidney disease were present in 164 (40.9%), 35 (8.7%) and 12 (2.99%) patients respectively. Hypertension was associated with a higher proportion of severe cases, mortality, ICU admission and oxygen administration.ConclusionsWe report a high prevalence of diabetes in a hospitalized COVID-19 population. Patients with diabetes or hypertension had more severe disease and greater mortality.