Effect of dietary fiber-rich fractions on texture, thermal, water distribution, and gluten properties of frozen dough during storage.

The effect of dietary fiber-rich fractions on the texture, thermal, water distribution, and gluten properties of frozen dough during storage was investigated. These fractions could greatly improve retention of the texture properties, which was mainly related to water loss, and changes in freezable water proportion (FW) and gluten secondary structure. Kinetic studies showed that the fractions could change the nucleation type and ice crystal growth rate, with konjac flour significantly decreasing the ice growth rate from 0.0177 to 0.0048. These fractions could decrease FW by 15%-27% and restrict water mobility during storage. Moreover, gluten ß-sheets shifted toward ß-turns, while the ß-sheet values of potato and okara flours showed no significant change during storage. SEM confirmed that okara flour could suppress the deterioration of gluten. Generally, the potato, okara, and konjac flours represent excellent fortification materials that could improve the texture, reduce water mobility, and suppress deterioration of frozen dough during storage.

Community-based stroke system of care improves patient outcomes in Chinese rural areas.

BACKGROUND: Building effective and efficient stroke care systems is a key step in improving prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this stroke system of care on stroke management during a 2-year follow-up. METHODS: A stroke system of care was developed from November 2009 to November 2010 in three townships in Ganyu County. Additional three matched townships were invited as controls. We first investigated the stroke incidence of these populations. Subsequently, this stroke system of care and an educational campaign in the three intervention townships were implemented and the effectiveness of the system was evaluated in the next 2 years. RESULTS: At postintervention, more patients in the intervention communities obtained stroke knowledge and then the proportion of patients with stroke who were admitted within 3 hours of onset markedly increased in 2012 (12.0% vs 8.1%, p=0.044) and in 2013 (15.2% vs 9.7%, p=0.008) compared with those in the control communities. In the intervention communities, this proportion of patients with acute ischaemic stroke who received thrombolytic treatment was markedly raised from 2.1% in 2012 to 3.0% in 2013. More importantly, the fatality rate substantially decreased in 2013 in the intervention communities compared with that in the control communities (6.1% vs 9.7%, p=0.032). Similarly, the disability rate significantly decreased in 2013 (45.3% vs 51.5%, p=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: The community-based stroke system of care was effective and practical for optimising stroke treatments and improving patient outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR-RCH-13003408, Post-results.

Community-based stroke system of care for Chinese rural areas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke system of care plays key roles both in providing effective therapies and in improving the overall outcome of patients with stroke. Our purpose was to develop and evaluate the system in Chinese rural areas. METHODS: A stroke system of care was developed from November 2009 to November 2010 in 3 townships in Ganyu County. An additional 3 matched townships were invited as controls. We first investigated stroke management in these townships and then implemented stroke system of care and an education campaign in the 3 intervention townships. The effectiveness of the system was then evaluated. RESULTS: There were 1036 patients with new stroke among 344 345 subjects in the 6 rural communities. The incidence of stroke in the rural areas was 301/100 000, and the mortality rate was 55/100 000. The proportions significantly increased in the intervention communities after the implementation of the stroke system of care and education campaign when compared with the control communities, including patients presenting at rural hospitals within 3 hours of symptom onset (13.6% versus 8.7%; P=0.017), diagnosed by computed tomographic scanning within 24 hours of admission (65.3% versus 58.5%; P=0.034), and received thrombolytic treatment (3.9% versus 1.7%; P=0.038). During the 1-year follow-up, 32 (6.5%) patients with stroke in the intervention communities and 48 (10.1%) in the control communities died. The disability rate of stroke was significantly reduced in the intervention communities at postintervention (38.4% versus 48.1%; P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A stroke system of care would be reliable and practical in Chinese rural areas. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL: http://www.chictr.org. Unique identifier: ChiCTR-RCH-13003408.