Effects of isoflavone on the learning and memory of women in menopause: a double-blind placebo-controlled study

Hormone decline is common to all women during aging and, associated with other factors, leads to cognitive impairment. Its replacement enhances cognitive performance, but not all women present a clinical and family or personal history that justifies its use, mainly women with a history of cancer. The aim of this study was to determine whether a daily oral dose of 80 mg of isoflavone extract for 4 months can produce benefits in women with low hormone levels, contributing to improvement in cognitive aspects. The sample comprised 50- to 65-year-old women whose menstruation had ceased at least 1 year before and who had not undergone hormone replacement. The volunteers were allocated to two groups of 19 individuals each, i.e., isoflavone and placebo. There was a weak correlation between menopause duration and low performance in the capacity to manipulate information (central executive). We observed an increase in the capacity to integrate information in the group treated with isoflavone, but no improvement in the capacity to form new memories. We did not observe differences between groups in terms of signs and symptoms suggestive of depression according to the Geriatric Depression Scale. Our results point to a possible beneficial effect of isoflavone on some abilities of the central executive. These effects could also contribute to minimizing the impact of memory impairment. Further research based on controlled clinical trials is necessary to reach consistent conclusions.

Electroretinography in dogs using a fiber electrode prototype

We compared two electroretinography (ERG) electrodes in dogs using ERG standards of the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV). Ten healthy Yorkshire terrier dogs (mean age, 2.80 ± 1.42 years; 6 females) weighing 5.20 ± 1.56 kg were evaluated using an ERG system for veterinary use. Dark- and light-adapted ERG responses were recorded using an ERG-Jet electrode and a fiber electrode prototype. The examinations were performed during 2 visits, 3 weeks apart. Both electrodes (ERG-Jet or fiber prototype) were used on each animal and the first eye to be recorded (OD × OS) was selected randomly. Three weeks later the examination was repeated on the same animal switching the type of electrode to be used that day and the first eye to be examined. The magnitude and waveform quality obtained with the two electrode types were similar for all ERG responses. ERG amplitudes and implicit times obtained from dogs using the fiber electrode prototype were comparable to those obtained with the ERG-Jet electrode for rod, maximal rod-cone summed, cone, and 30-Hz flicker responses. The fiber electrode prototype is a low-cost device, available as an alternative instrument for clinical veterinary ERG recording for retinal function assessment.

Effects of conventional vs high-dose rocuronium on the QTc interval during anesthesia induction and intubation in patients undergoing coronary artery surgery: a randomized, double-blind, parallel trial

Myocardial ischemia, as well as the induction agents used in anesthesia, may cause corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation. The objective of this randomized, double-blind trial was to determine the effects of high- vs conventional-dose bolus rocuronium on QTc duration and the incidence of dysrhythmias following anesthesia induction and intubation. Fifty patients about to undergo coronary artery surgery were randomly allocated to receive conventional-dose (0.6 mg/kg, group C, n=25) or high-dose (1.2 mg/kg, group H, n=25) rocuronium after induction with etomidate and fentanyl. QTc, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure were recorded before induction (T0), after induction (T1), after rocuronium (just before laryngoscopy; T2), 2 min after intubation (T3), and 5 min after intubation (T4). The occurrence of dysrhythmias was recorded. In both groups, QTc was significantly longer at T3 than at baseline [475 vs 429 ms in group C (P=0.001), and 459 vs 434 ms in group H (P=0.005)]. The incidence of dysrhythmias in group C (28%) and in group H (24%) was similar. The QTc after high-dose rocuronium was not significantly longer than after conventional-dose rocuronium in patients about to undergo coronary artery surgery who were induced with etomidate and fentanyl. In both groups, compared with baseline, QTc was most prolonged at 2 min after intubation, suggesting that QTc prolongation may be due to the nociceptive stimulus of intubation.

Oat hulls treated with alkaline hydrogen peroxide associated with extrusion as fiber source in cookies

Cookies were prepared with the replacement of 20% of wheat flour by chemically (alkaline hydrogen peroxide) and physically (extrusion) treated oat hulls, with the objective to investigate the possibility of use of this modified material. Cookies elaborated with the untreated hulls were used as control. Cookies were evaluated for their physical (spread ratio, specific volume and color) and sensory characteristics, and no difference was detected (p<0.05) among the cookies in relation to the physical properties. Triangule test, used to verify difference (p<0.05) among treated and untreated cookies, confirmed the efficiency of the treatment in sensory level. The acceptance level of cookies with treated fiber was evaluated by potential consumers of the product, obtaining 91% acceptance. The cookies presented 10.6 g of dietary fiber per 100 g of product.

Drying of sicilian lemon residue: influence of process variables on the evaluation of the dietary fiber produced

In this study, the effect of the process variables of the air-drying of Sicilian lemon residues on some technological properties of the fibers produced was studied. The determination and modeling of desorption isotherms were used to establish the equilibrium moisture content at 60, 75, and 90 °C using the static method with 8 saturated salt solutions. The best fit was obtained with BET and GAB models. The drying process was conducted in a vertical tray dryer and delineated according to a central composite experimental design (2²) using the following as factors: air velocity (0.5, 0.75 and 1 m/s) and temperature (60, 75, and 90 °C), and it presented a good fit to the exponential model (R² > 99.9%). The experimental design responses evaluated were the technological properties of the fibers: water-holding, oil-holding, and swelling capacity. Since these properties were present in high levels, the lemon residues could be used to increase content of fibers in foods resulting in the addition of nutritional benefits for the consumers.

Evaluation of the in vitro glycemic index of a fiber-rich extruded breakfast cereal produced with organic passion fruit fiber and corn flour

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of process parameters and Passion Fruit Fiber (PFF) addition on the Glycemic Index (GI) of an extruded breakfast cereal. A 2³ Central Composite Rotational Design (CCRD) was used, with the following independent variables: raw material moisture content (18-28%), 2nd and 3rd barrel zone temperatures (120-160 ºC), and PFF (0-30%). Raw materials (organic corn flour and organic PFF) were characterized as to their proximate composition, particle size, and in vitro GI. The extrudates were characterized as to their in vitro GI. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the results. Corn flour and PFF presented 8.55 and 7.63% protein, 2.61 and 0.60% fat, 0.52 and 6.17% ash, 78.77 and 78.86% carbohydrates (3 and 64% total dietary fiber), respectively. The corn flour particle size distribution was homogeneous, while PFF presented a heterogeneous particle size distribution. Corn flour and PFF presented values of GI of 48 and 45, respectively. When using RSM, no effect of the variables was observed in the GI of the extrudates (average value of 48.41), but PCA showed that the GI tended to be lower when processing at lower temperatures (<128 ºC) and at higher temperatures (>158 ºC). When compared to white bread, the extrudates showed a reduction of the GI of up to 50%, and could be considered an interesting alternative in weight and glycemia control diets.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Willd.) as a source of dietary fiber and other functional components

Four varieties of an Andean indigenous crop, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), were evaluated as a source of dietary fiber, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. The crops were processed by extrusion-cooking and the final products were analyzed to determine the dietary fiber, total polyphenols, radical scavenging activity, and in vitro digestibility of starch and protein. There were no significant differences in the contents of total dietary fiber between varieties of quinoa. In all cases, the contents of total and insoluble dietary fiber decreased during the extrusion process. At the same time, the content of soluble dietary fiber increased. The content of total phenolic compounds and the radical scavenging activity increased during the extrusion process in the case of all 4 varieties. There were significant differences between the varieties and the content of total polyphenols. The in vitro protein digestibility of quinoa varieties was between 76.3 and 80.5% and the in vitro starch digestibility was between 65.1 and 68.7%. Our study demonstrates that quinoa can be considered a good source of dietary fiber, polyphenols and other antioxidant compounds and that extrusion improves the nutritional value.

Chemical profile of sugarcane spirits produced by double distillation methodologies in rectifying still

The objective of this study was to determine the chemical profile of sugarcane spirits produced by different double distillation methodologies in rectifying still. Fermented sugarcane juice was distilled in rectifying still according to three double distillation methodologies: the methodology used for cognac production; the methodology used for whisky production; and the 10-80-10 percentage composition methodology, referring to the volumes of head, heart and tail of the distillate fractions from the second distillation. For comparison purposes, a simple distilled spirit was also produced. The distillates were analyzed for concentrations of ethanol, copper, volatile acidity, furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural, aldehydes, esters, methanol and higher alcohols. The spirits were also evaluated on the sensory attributes of aroma, taste and preference. Compared to simple distillation, double distillation improved the chemical quality of the spirits, since it has reduced the concentrations of acids, aldehydes, esters, methanol, higher alcohols and, consequently, their coefficient of congeners. Regardless of the methodology employed, the double distillation improved the sensory quality of the spirits since they obtained higher sensory acceptance in relation to spirits produced by simple distillation. Among double distilled spirits, the one produced according to whisky methodology obtained the best scores from appraisers on the aroma and flavor parameters and it was also the most preferred.

Some functional characteristics of extruded blends of fiber from sugarcane bagasse, whey protein concentrate, and corn starch

Blends of fiber from sugar cane bagasse, corn starch, and whey protein concentrate were extruded. A single screw extruder, equipped with a screw at a constant compression ratio of 1:1 and a die diameter of 3 mm, was used. The best processing conditions were determined according to a central composite rotatable design (α = 1.41) with 5 central points, which gives a total of 13 tests. During the extrusion process the content of insoluble fiber decreased and that of soluble fiber increased. An increase in the contents of fiber and in the barrel temperature resulted in a decrease in the expansion index values and an increase in the water absorption index values; whereas in blends with intermediate fiber contents the effects in these parameters were found to be the opposite. High fiber contents increased penetration force but decreased luminosity, water solubility index values and the adhesive force in gels. The extrusion process improved the functional properties of sugarcane fiber bagasse enabling its addition to diverse alimentary systems.

The use of cashew apple residue as source of fiber in low fat hamburgers

The main purpose of this study was to produce hamburgers with partial substitution of the meat with cashew apple residue powder. The powder residue was obtained after the extraction of the pulp and dehydration in stove with air circulation. Three formulations of hamburgers with increasing concentration of the residue as well as a control sample were prepared. The formulated products with cashew apple residue powder presented lower humidity and proteins and 35% lipid reduction. However, there was an increase in carbohydrates and pH with the addition of the powder from the cashew apple residue. Some formulations showed an improvement of the final product yield. The total dietary fiber value was between 0 and 7.66%, with higher content of insoluble dietary fiber. The addition of up to 10.70% of the residue did not cause significant sensory changes in the flavor of the samples. The production of hamburgers with a partial substitution of cow meat with the cashew apple residue could be a feasible option since it resulted in product with high nutritional quality that is rich or have high dietary fiber content and is low in fat.

Orange fiber as a novel fat replacer in lemon ice cream

Orange fiber was used as a novel fat replacer in light lemon ice cream. Nine ice cream formulations were compared: standard control ice cream (IC); ice cream with fiber (F1) from the peel, bagasse, and orange seed (ICA and ICB); ice cream with fiber (F2) from the orange peel alone (ICC and ICD); ice cream with fiber (F3) from the peel, bagasse, and orange seed pretreated with hydro-distillation (ICE and ICF); and ice cream with fiber (F4) from the orange peel pretreated with hydro-distillation (ICG and ICH).The orange fiber reduced the ice cream fat content (50 %) and the overrun ratio and increased the fiber content and the hardness, gumminess, and springiness values, but it did not affect the adhesiveness and odor of the samples. The samples with 1.0 % of orange fiber showed low melting rate values than those of the control ice cream. The overall acceptance of the ice cream with 1.0 % of pre-treated orange peel fiber did not differ from that of the control ice cream (80 %). The orange fiber proved a promising food ingredient since it can be used to decrease the fat content and increase bioactive compounds content, such as fiber and carotenoids.

Effect of the addition of wheat fiber and partial pork back fat on the chemical composition, texture and sensory property of low-fat bologna sausage containing inulin and oat fiber

The objective of this work was to study the effect of adding wheat fiber and partial pork back fat on the quality characteristics of bologna sausage. The compound central rotating design was used with treatments containing fixed levels of inulin (5%) and oat fiber (1%) and variable levels of wheat fiber (0-4%) and pork back fat (0-10%). The pH and protein were similar in all the treatments, the fat was lower than the control treatment and the moisture content was higher than the control treatment (CF) without fibers. The wheat fiber increased the hardness and reduced cohesiveness and scores were given for overall impression. We found that it was possible to prepare low-fat bologna sausage with the addition of 6.58% fiber (5% inulin, 1% oat fiber and 0.58% wheat fiber), whilst retaining good sensory acceptability, thus reducing the pork back fat levels by between 25 and 42.75%.

Effects of orange by-product fiber incorporation on the functional and technological properties of pasta

AbstractThe incorporation of fiber into products consumed every day by the general population is important and viable. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the impact of incorporating orange juice industry dietary fiber byproducts in fettuccini of fresh pasta. Three different fiber concentrations were added to fresh pastas (25 g/kg, 50 g/kg and 75 g/kg). The results showed a significant increase in solid loss content when the incorporation of orange fiber was greater than 50 g/kg. This difference did not occur regarding weight increase values and color parameters. The pasta with 75 g/kg orange fiber can be considered a “high fiber” product, with the total dietary fiber content of the pasta increasing by 99% compared to control pasta. The carotenoid and phenolic contents of pasta increased significantly with the incorporation of fiber at 75 g/kg, but only the pasta formulation with 25 g/kg of orange fiber did not differ from control pasta in relation to all of the sensory attributes and presented an acceptance greater than 75%. The addition of orange fiber byproducts to pastas is an interesting alternative because fiber has a high nutritional value and an abundance of antioxidants.

Automated static image analysis as a novel tool in describing the physical properties of dietary fiber

Abstract The growing interest in the usage of dietary fiber in food has caused the need to provide precise tools for describing its physical properties. This research examined two dietary fibers from oats and beets, respectively, in variable particle sizes. The application of automated static image analysis for describing the hydration properties and particle size distribution of dietary fiber was analyzed. Conventional tests for water holding capacity (WHC) were conducted. The particles were measured at two points: dry and after water soaking. The most significant water holding capacity (7.00 g water/g solid) was achieved by the smaller sized oat fiber. Conversely, the water holding capacity was highest (4.20 g water/g solid) in larger sized beet fiber. There was evidence for water absorption increasing with a decrease in particle size in regards to the same fiber source. Very strong correlations were drawn between particle shape parameters, such as fiber length, straightness, width and hydration properties measured conventionally. The regression analysis provided the opportunity to estimate whether the automated static image analysis method could be an efficient tool in describing the hydration properties of dietary fiber. The application of the method was validated using mathematical model which was verified in comparison to conventional WHC measurement results.

Effect of dietary fiber on the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds of mango, papaya and pineapple fruits by an in vitro digestion model

The presence of dietary fiber (DF) in the food matrix of some tropical fruits plays an important role in the release and absorption of its bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds (PCs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the DF fractions in mango cv. ‘Ataulfo’, papaya cv. ‘Maradol’ and pineapple cv. ‘Esmeralda’, on the bioaccessibility of their PCs and antioxidant capacity (AOXC) under an in vitro digestion model. The highest PCs content and AOXC was found in mango (274.30 mg GAE/100 g FW), followed by papaya (212 mg GAE//100 g FW), and pineapple (107.63 mg GAE/100 g FW), respectively. About 50% of the total PCs in all fruits was released at gastric phase, increasing closer to 60% at intestinal phase in mango and pineapple. However, the highest content of PCs associated to DF was found in mango (2.48 mg GAE/100 g FW) compared with papaya DF fractions (0.96 GAE/100 g FW) and pineapple (0.52 GAE/100 g FW). The presence of DF in mango, papaya and pineapple did not represent a major limitation on the bioaccessibility of its PCs according to the in vitro digestion model used in this study.