The functional and organoleptic characterization of a dairy-free dessert containing a novel probiotic food ingredient.

New eating habits and diversification of tastes of consumers have led to the scientific community and the food industry to expand the range of probiotic foods and novel probiotic ingredients. Scant information is available about the viability and functionality of probiotics during shelf life and its effect on the nutritional characteristics of dairy-free products. The aim of the study was to formulate a fermented dairy-free dessert using a novel food ingredient based on a pumpkin by-product and containing Lactobacillus casei (ATCC®393™) (NFI). The effect of NFI and the soluble solids (SS) of soy milk on the probiotic viability, physical stability, colour, and firmness of dairy-free dessert was studied using a response surface methodology. The different levels of SS and NFI significantly (p < 0.05) affected the response variables. Thereafter, two formulations were selected and the physico-chemical, nutritional and organoleptic characterization were evaluated. The L. casei count reached the desired therapeutic level (>107 UFC mL-1) after gastrointestinal digestion at 21 days of storage. In general, both the fermentation process and storage reduced (p < 0.05) the content of phytic acid, raffinose and stachyose, which implies a nutritional improvement of the final product. Scores above 5.0 on a 9-point scale were obtained for colour, odour, texture and overall acceptability in the consumer acceptance test. Therefore, a dairy-free dessert with good physical properties, suitable nutritional characteristics, and sensorial acceptability could be successfully formulated with the NFI.

Early hepatitis C virus changes and sustained response in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon alpha-2b and ribavirin.

BACKGROUND: Interferon-based therapy induces changes in viral dynamics in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess early hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA changes and evaluate its predictive value to achieve sustained viral response (SVR) in patients with CHC treated with peginterferon alpha-2b weekly plus ribavirin daily for 48 weeks. METHODS: HCV-RNA was measured at baseline, 48 h, 4, 12, 24 and 48 weeks of treatment and 24 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Eighteen HCV genotype 1 patients were included (13 male, five female) with a mean age of 44.4+/-11.9 years. Nine patients achieved SVR (50%). Viral decline occurred as early as 48 h; the magnitude of decline was statistically different between both groups (P<0.01). Responders had a > or =1 log(10) drop in HCV-RNA at 48 h (positive predictive value (PPV) of 89% to achieve SVR) that persisted at week 4. By week 12, serum HCV-RNA was undetectable (PPV 100%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin treatment produces significant changes in HCV dynamics that can be detected as early as 48 h after the first dose of peginterferon alpha-2b and that these changes are useful in predicting response to therapy in CHC patients.

[Endocardial ablation of substrate of postinfarction ventricular tachycardia during sinus rhythm]. / Ablación endocárdica del sustrato de taquicardia ventricular postinfarto durante ritmo sinusal.

OBJECTIVE: Radiofrequency ablation of ventricular tachycardia requires good tachycardia tolerance during mapping and entrainment, and this limits its application. We present our initial experience with ventricular tachycardia ablation during sinus rhythm in 7 patients with previous inferior myocardial infarction. METHODS: Seven men, 56-70 years old (mean +/- SD, 65 +/- 4.5) were included in the study. Ventricular tachycardia was unstable in 6 and in 1 it was induced non-sustained. The scar was localized by recording low-voltage, fragmented electrograms (< 2 mV). Ventricular tachycardia "exit" was localized by pace-mapping in sinus rhythm. Radiofrequency lines were made radially, point by point, from normal to scarred tissue. One of the lines crossed the exit area. The objective was to achieve non-inducibility. RESULTS: Sustained clinical ventricular tachycardia was induced in 6 and non-sustained in 1. Two-four lines were performed per patient with 11-28 (21 +/- 5.4) radio frequency applications. The procedure duration was of 130-280 min (230 +/- 61) and being 49-75 min (63 +/- 7.9) for fluoroscopy. There were no complications. Clinical ventricular tachycardia became non-inducible in 6, although in 4 a rapid (cycle < or = 250 ms), non-clinical ventricular tachycardia remained inducible. Defibrillators were implanted in the patient remaining inducible for clinical ventricular tachycardia and another with > 60 tachycardia episodes the previous week. During 3-22 months (13.8 +/- 5.9) of follow-up, 1 patient died of heart failure at 20 months and another received 3 defibrillator shocks for VT at 13 months. There were no other episodes of ventricular tachycardia, syncope or sudden death. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary experience suggests that radiofrequency ablation of post-infarction ventricular tachycardia substrate is possible during sinus rhythm, suggesting that radiofrequency ablation may be applicable in a large proportion of patients with post-infarction sustained ventricular tachycardia.