The importance of diffusing capacity as a complementary study to plethysmography in smokers

Rev Port Pneumol. 2007 Nov-Dec;13(6):763-74. [The importance of diffusing capacity as a complementary study to plethysmography in smokers] [Article in Portuguese] Paes Cardoso A, Reis Ferreira JM, Moreira da Silva A. Human Physiology, Porto University, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Santo António Hospital. Abstract This study comprised 194 male and female heavy smokers or ex-smokers (>or= 1 pack-year) aged between 20 and 82, whose symptoms varied. Cases were only selected from patients with normal whole-body plethysmography. Subjects with any significant pathology and occupational risk factors were excluded from the study. Varying degrees of symptoms were found and a range of results from normal plethysmography examination, with abnormal levels of alveolar-capillary transfer, determined by the single-breath method to analyse CO (TLCO and TLCO-VA) coefficients. Using the chi-square test for statistical analysis of the sample revealed a significant variation in sensitivity between both parameters (p=0.0001). Possible limitations of using the single-breath method, of were reduced in this study (ventilatory restriction with Vital Capacity <1.5 litres) by the routine plethysmography results seen. Likewise, the presence of alterations in ventilatory distribution was, in principle, minimised by the absence of TLCsb/TLCplet values below 0.85% CONCLUSIONS: Normal plethysmography results in heavy or ex-smokers are not enough to confirm normal respiratory function, as a large percentage of cases present abnormalities in the alveolar-capillary transfer factor for CO. Alveolar limitation was considered not only anatomically, but also from a functional perspective. PMID: 18183328 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

Influence of the moisture at harvest and drying process of the grains on the level of carotenoids in maize (Zea mays).

Maize is considered a source of carotenoids; however, these compounds are highly unstable, degraded by high temperatures, exposure to light and presence of oxygen. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the moisture and type of drying applied to grains on the level of carotenoids in yellow maize. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (2 × 4 factorial), two levels of initial moisture at the harvest (22 and 19%) and three types of drying (in the sun; in the shade and in a dryer) and control (no drying). The samples of grains after drying with 12% of final moisture were analyzed by concentration of total carotenoids, carotenes (?-carotene + ?-carotene), monohydroxilated carotenoids (?-cryptoxanthin), and xanthophylls (lutein + zeaxanthin). Initial moisture, type of drying and the interaction between moisture versus drying influence (p?0.05) the levels of carotenoids in grains. This is the first report about the drying conditions and harvest?s initial moisture as influence on the profile and content of carotenoids in maize grains. Based on the results, this work suggested that the harvest be carried out preferably when the grains present 22% humidity, with drying in a dryer or in shade for further use or storage

Color of corn grains and carotenoid profile of importance for human health.

This work aimed at studying the influence of the color of the grains in the profile of carotenoids in four different Brazilian genotypes

Adaptabilidade e estabilidade de carotenóides em cultivares de milho.

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