Effect of spontaneous fermentation and amylase-rich flour on the nutritive value,functional and viscoelastic properties of cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize

Abstract

Studies were conducted to evaluate the combined effects of spontaneous fermentation and amylase-rich flours (ARF) on some nutritive value, functional and viscoelastic properties of cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize. A 2 × 3 × 3 factorial design, with fermentation medium, fermentation time and ARF level, was performed. The blends were fermented for the specific times and analysed for their titratable acidity, pH, water absorption capacity, viscoelastic properties, texture, protein and mineral content. Fermentation and ARF addition influenced titratable acidity, pH, water absorption, viscoelastic properties and texture of the cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize. Addition of ARF decreased the viscoelastic properties, texture and pH of all the blends with a corresponding increase in acidity. Slight increases in protein and ash contents were noted with products fermented in coconut water, but ARF addition had only a marginal effect. Thus, fermentation and ARF addition could be applied to cowpea-fortified nixtamalized maize to enhance the functionalities with reduced viscosity and texture suitable for weaning food formulations.     

婴儿换乳期食物添加困难与气质特征的相关研究

【目的】探讨婴儿气质特征与换乳期食物添加困难之间的关系，以便更好地指导家长有针对性地进行干预。【方法】对93名婴儿的气质和换乳期食物的添加情况．分别采用中国婴儿气质量表（CITS）和换乳期食物添加困难评定量表进行评定；对21例存在换乳期食物添加困难的婴儿进行干预。并与对照组16例进行对比分析。【结果】麻烦型、中间偏麻烦型和发动缓慢型气质婴儿较易发生换乳期食物添加困难，添加困难的发生与心境、适应性、持久性、注意分散和反应阈等维度明显相关。对实验组进行干预后取得明显效果。【结论】婴儿的气质特征在换乳期食物添加困难的发生原因中具有重要的作用；对存在换乳期食物添加困难的婴儿，根据其不同的气质特征，指导家长采取更具有针对性的喂养方法，效果明显。     

早期饲料构成对大鼠甲状腺素及肉碱棕榈酰转移酶-ⅠmRNA表达的影响

目的:研究早期饲料构成对高脂膳食大鼠体重、体脂含量、血糖、甲状腺素FT4及肝脏肉碱棕榈酰转移酶-Ⅰ(CPT-Ⅰ)mRNA水平的影响。方法:新生Wistar雄性大鼠24d断乳,按体重随机分为A、B、C、D四组,分别给予高碳水化合物构成的基础饲料、高蛋白质、高不饱和脂肪酸、与高饱和脂肪酸构成的饲料喂养3w后,基础饲料喂养2w。按体重将A组随机分为A1、A2两组。A1组喂饲基础饲料作为对照组,A2与B、C、D组给予高脂饲料喂养6w,结束实验;A2组为高碳水化合物对照组。每组32头大鼠,动态观察体重、体脂含量、血糖、甲状腺素(FT4)及肝脏CPT-ⅠmRNA水平。结果:实验末期,C组大鼠体重、体脂含量和血糖显著低于A2组(P<0.05)、甲状腺素FT4水平明显高于A2组(P<0.05);B组体重、体脂含量明显低于A2组(P<0.05),甲状腺素FT4水平明显高于A2组(P<0.05),但血糖水平高于A2组(P>0.05);D组大鼠体重明显低于A2组(P<0.05),血糖、体脂含量和甲状腺素FT4水平与A2无差异(P>0.05)。动态观察表明,实验中C组大鼠肝脏CPT-ⅠmRNA水平持续升高。结论:早期饲料构成可能通过影响甲状腺素水平、持续改变CPT-Ⅰ基因表达,影响高脂膳食大鼠的体重和体脂含量。     

Protein Intake during Weaning

ABSTRACT. Metabolic responses to different feeding regimens during the weaning period have not previously been studied. In this study 30 healthy infants aged 4–6 months were divided into three feeding regimens with 10 infants in each. The regimens were: Human milk (HM-group), formula F₁ with 1.9g protein/100 ml (F₁-group) or formula F² with 2.7 g protein/100 ml (F₂-group). All infants received the same supplementary food and were fed ad libitum. Concentrations of serum urea were significantly higher ( p <0.001) in the formula groups as compared to the breast-fed infants throughout the entire study period. Serum albumin concentrations were within normal limits in the breast-fed infants indicating adequate protein nutritional status. There were no differences in the concentrations of creatinine and total nitrogen in urine between the artificially fed and the breast-fed infants at the beginning of the study (4 months), but at 6 months these concentrations were significantly higher in the formula-fed infants ( p <0.001). The results suggest that formulas now in common use during weaning provide amounts of protein which produce metabolic manifestations implying excessive protein intakes.     

BREAST-FEEDING AND WEANING IN MEXICO AND THE US

In both Mexico and the US, reasons for terminating breast-feeding may conflict with established health doctrines.     

Breathing pattern variability: a weaning predictor in postoperative patients recovering from systemic inflammatory response syndrome

Objective To investigate whether breathing pattern variability can serve as a potential weaning predictor for postoperative patients recovering from systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).Design and setting A prospective measurement of retrospectively analyzed breathing pattern variability in a surgical intensive care unit.Patients Seventy-eight mechanically ventilated SIRS patients who had undergone abdominal surgery were included when they were ready for weaning. They were divided into success (n=57) and failure (n=21) groups based upon their weaning outcome.Measurements and results Before weaning, tidal volume, total breath duration, inspiratory time, expiratory time, and peak inspiratory flow were continuously monitored for 30 min, while patients received 5 cmH₂O pressure support weaning trial. After the patients successfully completed the trial, they were extubated. Successful weaning was defined as patients free from the ventilator for over 48 h, whereas a weaning failure was considered as reinstitution of mechanical ventilation within 48 h of extubation. The coefficient of variation and two values of standard deviation (SD₁ and SD₂; indicators of the dispersion of data points in the plot) obtained from the Poincaré plot of five respiratory parameters in the failure group were significantly lower than those in the success group. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of these variability indices was within the range of 0.73–0.80, indicating the accuracy of prediction.Conclusions Small breathing pattern variability is associated with a high incidence of weaning failure in postoperative patients recovering from SIRS, and this variability may potentially serve as a weaning predictor.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary Material is available in the online version of this article at Supported by grants NSC91-2320-B-010-046-M59 and NSC91-2314-B-075-067 from the National Science Council, Taiwan, grant VGH-91-095 from Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, and grant VTY92-P5-30     

Practical ventilator management

Mechanical ventilation is a common invasive intervention in intensive care units. While respiratory failure remains the most common indication for mechanical ventilation, the application and indications of this intervention are far more variable. Ventilation causes marked alteration to human physiology and is associated with complications and iatrogenic injuries. This article highlights practical aspects of patient management during invasive ventilation.     

老年重症肺部感染患者血清降钙素原表达水平及对机械通气撤机结局的预测价值

目的观察老年重症肺部感染患者血清降钙素原(PCT)表达水平,探讨其对机械通气撤机结局的预测价值。方法选取重症肺部感染老年患者50例为重症组,轻中重度肺部感染老年患者30例为非重症组,另选取同期体检健康患者30例为对照组。对比3组入院24 h内血清PCT、超敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)水平,以及重症组不同病原体感染患者上述指标差异。观察重症组48 h内的撤机结局,分析撤机前血清PCT、hs-CRP和白细胞计数(WBC)水平对撤机结局的预测价值。结果1重症组血清PCT显著高于非重症组和对照组(P0.05)。2重症组细菌性感染30例,病毒性感染13例,支原体感染7例,重症组细菌性感染患者血清PCT和WBC显著高于病毒性感染和支原体感染患者(P0.05),hs-CRP比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。3重症组撤机成功39例,撤机失败11例;撤机前血清PCT的ROC曲线下面积为0.812,最佳截点值为0.80 ng/m L,敏感度为82.0%,特异度为76.0%。结论血清PCT可以作为老年重症肺部感染患者的辅助诊断指标,且对患者撤机结局有一定的预测价值。     

ICU患者困难撤机的医源性因素分析

目的研究导致ICU患者困难撤机的医源性因素。方法比较2007年3月～2010年3月间我院ICU收治的接受机械通气治疗的患者,分析困难撤机组与成功脱机组患者临床资料。结果困难撤机组患者气管切开率、较细口径导管使用率、呼吸机相关性肺炎发生率、意外拔管率、撤机不当率等明显高于成功脱机组,具有显著统计学意义（P〈0.05）。结论人工气道建立方式、导管口径、院内感染、呼吸机管道的管理、撤机策略等是ICU患者困难撤机的医源性因素。     

The Prediction of Extubation Success of Postoperative Neurosurgical Patients Using Frequency–Tidal Volume Ratios

Background  The process of discontinuing neurological patients from mechanical ventilation is still controversial. The aim of this study was to report the outcome from extubating patients undergoing elective craniotomy and correlate the result with the measured f/V _t ratio. Materials and Methods  In a cohort prospective study, all consecutive patients who required mechanical ventilation for up to 6 h after elective craniotomy were eligible for inclusion in this study. Patients passing daily screening criteria automatically received a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT). Immediately previous to the extubation, the expired minute volume (VE), breathing frequency (f), and tidal volume (V _t) were measured and the breathing frequency-to-tidal volume ratio (f/V _t) was calculated; consciousness level based on Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was evaluated at the same time. The extubation was considered a failure when patients needed reintubation within 48 h. Results  Ninety-two patients were extubated and failure occurred in 16%. Despite 15 patients failed extubation just one of them presented the f/V _t score over 105. The best cutoff value for f/V _t observed was 62, but with low specificity (0.53) and negative predictive values (0.29). Area under the ROC curve for the f/V _t was 0.69 ± 0.07 (P = 0.02). Patients who failed the extubation process presented higher incidence of pneumonia (80%), higher need for tracheostomy (33%) and mortality rate of 40%. Conclusion  The f/V _t ratio does not predict extubation failure in patients who have undergone elective craniotomy. Patients who fail extubation present higher incidence of pneumonia, tracheostomy and higher mortality rate.