Effect of Pre-Drying and Hydrocolloid Type on Colour and Textural Properties of Coated Fried Yam Chips

The effect of pre-drying and coating on colour and texture of yam chips were investigated. The colour parameters studied were lightness index (L*), hue angle (h) and browning index (BI). Peak force (PF) of  penetration was observed for texture. Coating pick-up (amount of coating adhering to the samples) prior to frying was determined and moisture content of fried samples was also determined. The type of hydrocolloids used in the coating formulation had significant (p < 0.05) effect on coating pick-up, initial moisture content and texture of the chips; while samples that were not pre-dried had higher pick-ups and moisture contents. Pre-dried samples were darker brown in colour and harder in texture than samples that were not pre-dried as evidenced by their higher browning index and peak force values, respectively, thus enhancing the colour and texture of the chips.Keywords: Hydrocolloids, pre-fry drying, frying, colour, texture

Utilization of maize (Zea mays) cob as an adsorbent for lead (II) removal from aqueous solutions and industrial effluents

Maize cob was used as an adsorbent in order to evaluate its potential for the removal of lead from aqueous solutions and effluents from battery and paint industries with Dowex (synthetic resin) as control. Experimental data were analyzed in terms of Freundlich isotherm model. Equilibrium was attained at 2 h and adsorption rate constants for maize cob and dowex were 7.26 x 10-2 and 7.58 x 10-2 min-1, respectively. Equilibrium pH value was 6; shaking at 150 rpm enhanced adsorption with maximum adsorption by both adsorbents in battery and paint effluents. Optimal weight at equilibrium for the adsorbents in Pb2+ solution was 16 mg/L of solution. Pb2+ removal by maize cob from battery effluent was 99.99% while it was 47.38% for Dowex. Corresponding values from paint effluents were 66.16 and 27.83%. The study concludes that maize cob has great potentials to remove Pb2+ from industrial effluents

Utilisation of biomaterials as adsorbents for heavy metals’ removal from aqueous matrices

Globally, the available amount of freshwater is unevenly distributed due to problems associated with climate change, inefficient water management and pollution. This has led to increased demand for water worldwide. Heavy metals, in particular are a group of pollutants (mostly from domestic, agricultural and industrial activities) of major concern in the aquatic environment due to their toxicity. Existing technologies for heavy metals’ removal from waters and wastewaters are often ineffective (especially at environmental levels), expensive and unavailable in developing countries. A higher percentage of these pollutants are therefore being released into aquatic ecosystems by manufacturing facilities in these nations. The need to find alternative inexpensive and effective methods for heavy metals abatement from waters becomes inevitable. Biosorption is an emerging field in this regard and has great potentials for application in developing economies. It involves the use of living or non-living biological materials for pollutants’ removal from aqueous solutions and industrial effluents. This paper therefore reviews developments in the use of biosorbents for the remediation of waters and wastewaters

Relationships between blood lead, blood pressure, serum cholesterol and body mass index of non-occupationally exposed males, residents of Abeokuta, Nigeria

Study examined the associations between blood – Pb, serum cholesterol, diastolic and, systolic blood pressures, hematocrit, body weight, age and body mass index in 528 study subjects comprising 50% cigarette smoking and 50% non-smoking male residents of Abeokuta, Nigeria, aged from 15 to 80 years. Blood Pb was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometer and the other variables were determined using standard procedures. Generally, interwoven relationships between all the parameters were established. Cigarette smoking appeared to be an additional source of Pb intake as the mean value for smokers (42 ± 12 μg/dl) exceeded that for non-smokers (34 ± 11 μg/dl) by approximately 24%. Blood Pb related positively to systolic blood pressure of non-smokers (r = + 0.138) and diastolic blood pressure for smokers (r = + 0.129) at

A comparison of toxicity profiles between the lower and standard dose capecitabine in breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE: Capecitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) bid × 14 days every 21 days (14/21) has been reported to have similar efficacy but more favorable toxicity profile than the approved dosage of 1,250 mg/m(2). However, a dose-toxicity relationship of capecitabine in breast cancer patients has not been fully elucidated. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare a safety profile between capecitabine starting dose of 1,000 and 1,250 mg/m(2) bid. METHODS: Studies were identified using PubMed, ASCO and San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium abstract databases through December 2015. Eligible trials included phase II/ III trials of capecitabine monotherapy at 1,000 or 1,250 mg/m(2) bid (14/21) for breast cancer patients that reported adequate safety data for all (Grade 1-4) or high (Grade 3-4) grade hand foot syndrome (HFS), diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or anemia, as well as dose reductions, treatment discontinuation or treatment-related deaths. The summary incidence was calculated using random- effects models. RESULTS: A total of 4,833 patients from 34 trials were included. 1,218 and 3,615 patients were treated with capecitabine 1,000 and 1,250 mg/m(2) bid, respectively. A significantly lower incidence of dose reduction (15.9 vs. 39.0%; P = 0.007), high-grade HFS (12.0 vs. 19.0%; P = 0.01), diarrhea (5.3 vs. 9.1%; P = 0.01), and neutropenia (1.8 vs. 7.3%; P < 0.01) and all-grade neutropenia (5.8 vs. 25.4%; P = 0.01) was seen in capecitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) compared to 1,250 mg/m(2). CONCLUSIONS: Capecitabine monotherapy at 1,000 mg/m(2) bid (14/21) has a clinically meaningful and significantly better toxicity profile compared to 1,250 mg/m(2) bid (14/21)

Building capacity for sustainable research programmes for cancer in Africa

Cancer research in Africa will have a pivotal role in cancer control planning in this continent. However, environments (such as those in academic or clinical settings) with limited research infrastructure (laboratories, biorespositories, databases) coupled with inadequate funding and other resources have hampered African scientists from carrying out rigorous research. In September 2012, over 100 scientists with expertise in cancer research in Africa met in London to discuss the challenges in performing high-quality research, and to formulate the next steps for building sustainable, comprehensive and multi-disciplinary programmes relevant to Africa. This was the first meeting among five major organizations: the African Organisation for Research and Training in Africa (AORTIC), the Africa Oxford Cancer Foundation (AfrOx), and the National Cancer Institutes (NCI) of Brazil, France and the USA. This article summarizes the discussions and recommendations of this meeting, including the next steps required to create sustainable and impactful research programmes that will enable evidenced-based cancer control approaches and planning at the local, regional and national levels

Maternal and neonatal outcomes after caesarean delivery in the African Surgical Outcomes Study: a 7-day prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal and neonatal mortality is high in Africa, but few large, prospective studies have been done to investigate the risk factors associated with these poor maternal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A 7-day, international, prospective, observational cohort study was done in patients having caesarean delivery in 183 hospitals across 22 countries in Africa. The inclusion criteria were all consecutive patients (aged ≥18 years) admitted to participating centres having elective and non-elective caesarean delivery during the 7-day study cohort period. To ensure a representative sample, each hospital had to provide data for 90% of the eligible patients during the recruitment week. The primary outcome was in-hospital maternal mortality and complications, which were assessed by local investigators. The study was registered on the South African National Health Research Database, number KZ_2015RP7_22, and on ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT03044899. FINDINGS: Between February, 2016, and May, 2016, 3792 patients were recruited from hospitals across Africa. 3685 were included in the postoperative complications analysis (107 missing data) and 3684 were included in the maternal mortality analysis (108 missing data). These hospitals had a combined number of specialist surgeons, obstetricians, and anaesthetists totalling 0·7 per 100 000 population (IQR 0·2-2·0). Maternal mortality was 20 (0·5%) of 3684 patients (95% CI 0·3-0·8). Complications occurred in 633 (17·4%) of 3636 mothers (16·2-18·6), which were predominantly severe intraoperative and postoperative bleeding (136 [3·8%] of 3612 mothers). Maternal mortality was independently associated with a preoperative presentation of placenta praevia, placental abruption, ruptured uterus, antepartum haemorrhage (odds ratio 4·47 [95% CI 1·46-13·65]), and perioperative severe obstetric haemorrhage (5·87 [1·99-17·34]) or anaesthesia complications (11·47 (1·20-109·20]). Neonatal mortality was 153 (4·4%) of 3506 infants (95% CI 3·7-5·0). INTERPRETATION: Maternal mortality after caesarean delivery in Africa is 50 times higher than that of high-income countries and is driven by peripartum haemorrhage and anaesthesia complications. Neonatal mortality is double the global average. Early identification and appropriate management of mothers at risk of peripartum haemorrhage might improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in Africa. FUNDING: Medical Research Council of South Africa.Medical Research Council of South Africa