Polenta-based snack development: from maize flour to final product by assessing structural, mechanical and sensory properties.

The aim of this paper was to study, step by step, the effect of ingredients and storage conditions on several properties of both the maize-based dough and the final product, during the new polenta-based snack food developing. Two different maize flours were characterized through water activity determination, particle size analysis, scanning electronic microscopy; then, dough made with different ratio of these were evaluated for mechanical properties and microstructure. According to the preliminary physicochemical characterization of both flour and dough, the final formulation was chosen for the polenta-based snacks. Thus, mechanical and sensory analyses, as well as microstructure determination, were performed on the final product. Results showed that the two maize flours presented different particle size distribution and gelatinization enthalpy, and affected the mechanical properties of intermediate products. The storage conditions dramatically affected the characteristics of the final products. Sensory results demonstrated that breading improves the crispness of external part but keeping creamy the product inside. The chosen approach was useful for understanding that flour particle size and storage are the critical factors that should be considered for this type of snack. The best formulation was made by mixing coarse and fine maize flours and by adding a batter.

Detailed angiographic analysis of women with suspected ischemic chest pain (pilot phase data from the NHLBI-sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation [WISE] Study Angiographic Core Laboratory).

The purpose of this study is to provide a contemporary qualitative and quantitative analysis of coronary angiograms from a large series of women enrolled in the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study who had suspected ischemic chest pain. Previous studies have suggested that women with chest pain have a lower prevalence of significant coronary artery disease (CAD) compared with men. Detailed analyses of angiographic findings relative to risk factors and outcomes are not available. All coronary angiograms were reviewed in a central core laboratory. Quantitative measurement of percent stenosis was used to assess the presence and severity of disease. Of the 323 women enrolled in the pilot phase, 34% had no detectable, 23% had measurable but minimal, and 43% had significant ( > 50% diameter stenosis) CAD. Of those with significant CAD, most had multivessel disease. Features suggesting complex plaque were identified in < 10%. Age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, prior myocardial infarction (MI), current hormone replacement therapy, and unstable angina were all significant, independent predictors of presence of significant disease (p < 0.05). Subsequent hospitalization for a cardiac cause occurred more frequently in those women with minimal and significant disease compared with no disease (p = 0.001). The common findings of no and extensive CAD among symptomatic women at coronary angiography highlight the need for better clinical noninvasive evaluations for ischemia. Women with minimal CAD have intermediate rates of rehospitalization and cardiovascular events, and thus should not be considered low risk.

Accuracy of dipyridamole SPECT imaging in identifying individual coronary stenoses and multivessel disease in women versus men.

BACKGROUND: Older women frequently undergo dipyridamole perfusion imaging and can have advanced coronary artery disease, but little data exist on the accuracy of perfusion imaging in detecting disease in individual vascular territories and multivessel disease in women, compared with men. METHODS AND RESULTS: From a database of patients undergoing myocardial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion imaging, 107 unselected sequential patients (58 women, 49 men) who underwent sestamibi dipyridamole stress and cardiac catheterization within 6 months of each other were identified. Data were analyzed to compare sensitivities for detection of individual coronary stenoses and multivessel disease. The concordance between perfusion image results and cardiac catheterization for individual coronary territories for women was 75%, and for men, it was 65% (P = .09). In women, the presence of disease of the left anterior descending coronary artery was detected more frequently than it was in men, 84% versus 44% (P = .004). The detection of disease in the territories of the left circumflex and right coronary arteries was similar for both groups. For women, the accuracy of perfusion imaging in identifying the presence/absence of multivessel coronary disease was 64%, compared with 71 % for men (P = not significant). CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy of dipyridamole sestamibi SPECT imaging in detecting multivessel disease was similar for men and women. The sensitivity of dipyridamole sestamibi SPECT imaging in detecting disease of the left anterior descending artery was better in women.

A detailed angiographic analysis of patients with ambulatory electrocardiographic ischemia: results from the Asymptomatic Cardiac Ischemia Pilot (ACIP) study angiographic core laboratory.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this Asymptomatic Cardiac Ischemia Pilot (ACIP) data bank study was to characterize angiographic features of coronary pathology of patients enrolled in the ACIP study. BACKGROUND: Ischemia during ambulatory electrocardiographic (AECG) monitoring is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Reports relating AECG ischemia to severity or complexity of coronary artery disease are few in number and small in size and have produced conflicting results. METHODS: Coronary angiograms from patients with asymptomatic AECG ischemia enrolled in the ACIP study were reviewed at a central core laboratory. Quantitative measurement of percent stenosis and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grades were used to assess the severity of coronary artery disease. Lesions were also evaluated for the presence of intracoronary thrombus, ulceration and lumen contour as indicators of stenosis complexity. In addition, comparisons were made with 27 patients screened for the ACIP study, but who were found ineligible because they did not have AECG ischemia on 48-h Holter monitoring. RESULTS: A total of 329 (75%) of 439 patients with AECG ischemia had multivessel coronary artery disease. Proximal stenoses > or = 50% diameter reduction were common in patients with AECG ischemia (62.2%), as were proximal stenoses > or = 70% (38.7%). Features suggesting complex plaque were found in 50.1% of patients with AECG ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Multivessel coronary artery disease, severe proximal stenoses and features of complex plaque were observed frequently in patients who exhibited AECG ischemia. The presence of severe and complex coronary artery disease may explain, in part, the increased risk for adverse outcome associated with ischemia during activities of daily life.

Acute and chronic effects of nifedipine on plasma renin activity and plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline in controls and hypertensive patients.

1. Nifedipine, a calcium antagonist drug, was given sublingually (10 mg) to seven normal subjects and 19 patients with essential hypertension. In addition, 12 of the hypertensive subjects then received nifedipine (10 mg thrice daily) for 3 weeks. 2. Sublingual administration of nifedipine in hypertensive patients induced a prompt and sustained reduction of blood pressure, without a significant increase of heart rate; in normotensive subjects blood pressure did not change, and heart rate was significantly increased. After chronic treatment, blood pressure remained reduced and heart rate did not rise. 3. Plasma catecholamines and plasma renin activity increased significantly in normotensive subjects after acute administration. 4. After both acute and chronic administration, only plasma noradrenaline was significantly increased in hypertensive patients; in long-term treatment, it was increased in both the lying and standing positions. 5. Nifedipine is an active antihypertensive drug, which may induce some degree of sympathetic activation.

Evaluation of the effect of timolol alone and in combination with hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride in the treatment of mild to moderate arterial hypertension: a double-blind, controlled study.

1. The effects of timolol alone and in combination with a fixed dose of hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride have been studied in a double-blind, controlled study in fifty-four patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. 2. After a 4 weeks placebo period patients were randomly assigned to enter groups receiving timolol alone (group A), hydrochlorothiazide + amiloride (group B) or timolol + hydrochlorothiazide + amiloride (group C). Each treatment was carried out for 6 weeks. 3. The use of timolol (10 mg), hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg) and amiloride (2-5 mg) in a combination tablet given twice daily gave better control of blood pressure in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension than did equivalent dosages of timolol alone or of hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride. 4. Clinical and laboratory side effects were minimal.

[Comparison of the bronchodilator action of fenoterol and salbutamol by aerosol administration in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Confronto dell'attività broncodilatatrice del fenoterolo e del salbutamolo somministrati per aerosol in pazienti con asma bronchiale

A comparison was made between the bronchodilatatory activity of phenoterol (hydroxyphenylorciprenaline) and salbutamol in patients with bronchial asthma. The results showed that both drugs had marked activity at therapeutic doses, though phenoterol was more rapid (within 10 min of inhalation) and more longlasting (up to 6-7 hr). Its loss of therapeutic effect was also slower than that of hitherto experimented drugs.