γ-Oryzanol, tocol and mineral compositions in different grain fractions of giant embryo rice mutants.

BACKGROUND: Rice embryo is concentrated with lipid, protein and some bioactive chemicals. Two rice mutants IR64-GE and TNG71-GE (M7 generation) were characterised by an enlarged embryo compared with their wild types. In the present study, distributions of protein, lipid, total phenolics, γ-oryzanol, tocols and some essential minerals in these two giant embryo mutants and their respective normal embryo wild types IR64 and TNG71 were compared. RESULTS: The embryo dry weights of giant embryo mutants IR64-GE and TNG71-GE were 0.92 and 1.32 mg per seed respectively. These values were higher than those of their respective normal embryo genotypes (0.50 and 0.62 mg per seed). Large variations in protein, lipid, phenolic, γ-oryzanol, tocol and minerals levels were found between mutant and wild-type pairs. The brown rice of TNG71-GE had higher total γ-oryzanol (average of 24% increase) and total tocol (average of 75% increase) levels than TNG71, IR64 and IR64-GE. CONCLUSION: The embryo and bran parts of giant embryo mutant TNG71-GE were found to be good sources of vitamin E and γ-oryzanol. Therefore it could be used to produce high-value by-products from milled embryo and bran parts and as a genetic resource for rice improvement programmes. TNG71-GE can also be used as a nutrient-fortified rice cultivar.

Comparisons of protein, lipid, phenolics, γ-oryzanol, vitamin E, and mineral contents in bran layer of sodium azide-induced red rice mutants.

BACKGROUND: The bran part of red rice grain is concentrated with many phytochemicals, including proanthocyanidins, oryzanol and vitamin E, that exert beneficial effects on human health, but it contains low levels of essential minerals such as Fe and Zn. In the present study, the protein, lipid, phytochemicals and mineral contents in bran samples were compared among red rice SA-586 and its NaN3-induced mutants. RESULTS: The plant heights of NaN3-induced mutants were decreased. The contents of protein, lipid, total phenolics, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins, total proanthocyanidins, total γ-oryzanol, total tocopherols and total tocotrienols also varied among the tested mutants. The brans of mutants M-18, M-56 and M-50 contained more proanthocyanidins, γ-oryzanol, vitamin E than that of SA-586, respectively. M-54 accumulated more Fe content (588.7 mg kg⁻¹ bran dry weight) than SA-586 (100.1 mg kg⁻¹ bran dry weight). CONCLUSIONS: The brans of M-18, M-50 and M-56 are good sources of proanthocyanidins, vitamin E and γ-oryzanol, respectively, while the bran of M-54 is rich in Fe. Thus these mutants could be used to produce high-value phytochemicals or Fe byproducts from bran during rice grain milling or as genetic resources for rice improvement programs.

Massive pulmonary embolism during orthopedic surgery.

A 90-year-old female patient undergoing surgery for knee and hip fractures under general anesthesia sustained cardiac arrest intraoperatively. The transesophageal echocardiography performed during resuscitation revealed massive pulmonary embolism with a 2 x 3 cm oval-shaped thrombus in the bifurcation of pulmonary artery. Anticoagulant therapy was administered immediately. Clinical symptoms were gradually improved, and transthoracic echocardiography performed 5 days later revealed no evidence of residual thromboemboli. Subsequently the patient developed liver and acute renal failures in consequence of hypoperfusion during the intraoperative resuscitation, and died of multiple organ failure 21 days after the procedure. We conclude that transesophageal echocardiography is a useful diagnostic instrument and should be utilized in high risk patient as early as possible, even before and during surgery.

Enema prior to labor: a controversial routine in Taiwan.

While taking an enema to induce labor is a controversial issue worldwide, in Taiwan it remains a routine procedure in many hospitals in preparation for birth. Episiotomy is also a prevalent procedure performed during the birthing process. Some physicians believe that enemas help reduce the risk of feces contamination of the episiotomy incision and, therefore, are justified as a routine procedure. This study compared the neonatal infection rates, times to appearance of fetal head, times to first post-labor bowel movement, and rates of episiotomy dehiscence of women receiving a pre-labor enema against those who did not. A total of 534 women classified with low-risk pregnancies were recruited from a medical center in central Taiwan and assigned randomly into one of two groups for a six-month period. The first group (264 subjects) received routine enema procedures prior to delivery in the first 6 months. The second group (270 subjects) did not receive enemas. Study results revealed no significant difference between enema and non-enema groups in terms of infection rates in mothers or infants or in terms of average time to fetal head appearance. While labor duration was the same for the two groups in the first and third stages of labor, the enema group experienced a relatively shorter second stage. No significant difference was observed in times to first post-labor bowel movement or episiotomy dehiscence rates. The results of this study indicate that the administration of enemas as a routine practice prior to labor is not substantiated by medical necessity. However, limitations of the research design suggest that a randomized clinical trial be adopted in the future to explore further the scientific validity of study results.