Comparative study of nutritional and functional characteristics of pearl millet, buckwheat, amaranth and unripe banana flours for gluten-free bakery products

Suburbanization and changes in societal habits have led to a paradigm shift towards products that are nutritionally rich and therapeutic. However, the indispensable wheat flour in the bakery industry is also a trigger for gluten-related disorders. The present research focused on the characterization of nutritional and functional properties of glutenfree cereals-pearl millet, buckwheat, amaranth and unripe banana flours in comparison with wheat flour. The data were evaluated using analysis of variance and the difference between specific pair of means was compared using Duncan’s multiple range test at a 95% confidence interval. Pearson correlation analysed the interaction amongst derived parameters. The results were significantly different (p<0.05) except for oil-absorbing capacity. The gluten-free flours reported higher protein (15.55% for amaranth), carbohydrates (82.69% for unripe banana) and energy content (384.72 kcal/g for pearl millet) compared to wheat flour whereas the moisture (6.26% for pearl millet) and fat content (0.98% for unripe banana) were lower. Amaranth had the highest water holding capacity and foam capacity (3.86 mL/g and 26.62% respectively) but the lowest foam stability (89.20%). Pearson correlation showed significant relations among functional properties and food components. Oil-absorbing capacity was found to be positively correlated to protein and negatively to carbohydrates and foam stability. The foam capacity was strongly correlated with different food components. The protein-rich and high energy gluten-free flours along with their functional properties can aid in the development of composite flour and fill the gap in the demand-supply of the therapeutic gluten-free diet.

Current updates in diagnosis and management of eosinophilic esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a relatively new, moderately-well understood disease. It is one of the leading causes of dysphagia in the pediatric population. Thought to be triggered by food ingestion, it is distinctly different from food allergies. Although endoscopy is required for diagnosis, this article will review warning signs and symptoms that aid with evaluation and diagnosis of this disease. Treatment modalities and management are evolving and more research is needed.

ADAM Proteases and Gastrointestinal Function

A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs) are a family of cell surface proteases that regulate diverse cellular functions, including cell adhesion, migration, cellular signaling, and proteolysis. Proteolytically active ADAMs are responsible for ectodomain shedding of membrane-associated proteins. ADAMs rapidly modulate key cell signaling pathways in response to changes in the extracellular environment (e.g., inflammation) and play a central role in coordinating intercellular communication within the local microenvironment. ADAM10 and ADAM17 are the most studied members of the ADAM family in the gastrointestinal tract. ADAMs regulate many cellular processes associated with intestinal development, cell fate specification, and the maintenance of intestinal stem cell/progenitor populations. Several signaling pathway molecules that undergo ectodomain shedding by ADAMs [e.g., ligands and receptors from epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/ErbB and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) receptor (TNFR) families] help drive and control intestinal inflammation and injury/repair responses. Dysregulation of these processes through aberrant ADAM expression or sustained ADAM activity is linked to chronic inflammation, inflammation-associated cancer, and tumorigenesis.

Depression, insomnia and sleep apnea in patients on maintenance hemodialysis

Depression and sleep disorders are more frequent in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) than the general population, and are associated with reduced quality of life and increased mortality risk. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression, sleep apnea, insomnia in patients on HD as well as depression in their primary caregiver and to correlate these with the demographic profile. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 69 patients on maintenance HD for more than 3 months. There was high p revalence of depression (47.8%), insomnia (60.9%), increased risk of sleep apnea (24.6%) and depression in caregiver (31.9%). Depression was significantly more in patients with low monthly income (P=0.03), those on dialysis for more than 1 year (P=0.001) and the unemployed (P=0.009). High-risk patients for sleep apnea tended to be males with low monthly income (P=0.02). Insomnia was significantly higher in patients who were on dialysis for more than 1 year (P=0.003).