Search

Because of its taste, texture, and aroma, chocolate is consumed as a way to generate pleasant sensations. Due to its high caloric density, moderate consumption is recommended. Seeking to offer the benefits of this product to a more selective public, the aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition and sensory properties of a sugar-free dark chocolate added with inulin and sweetened with stevia extract obtained by pressurized hot water, which was compared with a commercial dark chocolate and accompanied by a sensory analysis of the samples. A completely randomized statistical experimental design was used to compare the properties of the alternative and commercial chocolates. The treatments were carried out in triplicate and the results obtained were analyzed by descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance with 95 % confidence level. The results showed that the treatment of stevia leaves with hot pressurized water allowed an extraction of 41.51 g of steviol glycosides for rebaudioside A and 6.76 g for stevioside per 100 g of leaves subjected to processing. The chemical analysis of the alternative and commercial chocolates indicated that the fat and total dietary fiber contents showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the dark chocolates, unlike the other components. Moisture, ash, fat, and protein contents were slightly higher in the two types of chocolate, and carbohydrate content was 4.1 % lower than in the commercial chocolate. Both products had 0 % added sugars and high dietary fiber content (> 37 %), and there was a reduction of 100 kcal/100 g compared to the commercial brand. Consumer sensory evaluation showed a higher level of liking (p < 0.05) for the elaborated chocolate with respect to the commercial product in attributes such as appearance, color, and texture. These findings suggest the use of stevia extracts obtained by pressurized hot water as a non-caloric sweetener for healthy, alternative dark chocolates suitable for people with diabetes.

The pitahaya Selenicereus undatus is a fruit widely consumed in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and its cultivation is promising due to its adaptability to adverse climatic conditions, its nutritional quality, and its bioactive compounds. The objective of this work was to determine the physical parameters of the fresh fruit (weights and diameters) and chemical parameters of the pulp (stored at -18 ºC) of pitahaya grown in two locations in the state of Yucatán, as well as to estimate the yield of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) present in freeze-dried pulp and peel flour, using the solid/liquid extraction method. Six physicochemical and six proximal descriptors (in freeze-dried pulp and peel), which were statistically compared using the t-student test, were quantified. The fruits had an average weight of 534.81 and 520.36 g for the pitahaya grown in Kinchil and Yobain, respectively. The peel weight of the fruit from Kinchil was significantly (p < 0.05) higher. The pulp represented between 67 – 72 % of the weight of the fruits. The physicochemical analysis of the fruit pulp indicated that the average total soluble solids/titratable acidity (TSS/TA) ratio was 20.5, and the pH was 3.29. The proximal analysis expressed on a dry basis (% d.b.) showed average values for the pulp of 4.80 % ash, 0.47 % crude fat, 10.42 % crude fiber, and 6.92 % protein; while for the peel 14.20 % ash, 1.39 % crude fat, 22.22 % crude fiber, and 5.31 % protein. The values of crude fiber and total carbohydrates in the peel, as well as the crude fat content in the pulp, were different (p < 0.05) between the locations. The estimated extraction yield of FOS with water was 86.49 g/kg for the freeze-dried pulp and 17.64 g/kg for the freeze-dried peel flour. This fruit exhibited good nutritional properties, and the freeze-dried flour from its peel could be used as supplement rich in dietary fiber and, together with the freeze-dried pulp, could be added to products such as juices, yogurt, and jams, among others, with a potential prebiotic effect due to its fructooligosaccharides content.

Introducción. Las proteínas y polisacáridos con frecuencia son utilizados simultáneamente en la industria de alimentos. Las interacciones entre ambos biopolímeros juegan un papel importante en la estructura y estabilidad de muchos alimentos procesados ya que pueden resultar en un sistema con propiedades bioactivas diferentes como ocurre en el caso de las funcionales. Objetivo. Evaluar los cambios en la capacidad antioxidante de un sistema hidrocoloide mixto formado por un hidrolizado enzimático proteico de frijol endurecido (P. vulgaris) y goma modificada de flamboyán (Delonix regia) (SHM). Materiales y métodos. El estudio se hizo entre febrero-octubre, 2014, en Mérida, México. Se modificó enzimáticamente el concentrado proteico de P. vulgaris con Pepsina-Pancreatina® y la goma extraída del flamboyán mediante carboximetilación, preparando dispersiones al 1% de cada uno de los biopolímeros, determinado la fluorescencia intrínseca de Trp (FIT) como indicador de la interacción entre ambos biopolímeros y la actividad antioxidante y quelante del sistema resultante. Resultados. Se obtuvo un hidrolizado proteico extensivo con 28,8% de grado de hidrólisis y una goma de flamboyán con grado de sustitución de 0,91. La mayor interacción entre ambos biopolímeros, se obtuvo empleando una relación 5:1 del SHM a pH 4 de acuerdo con el valor de FIT. Conclusiones. Los sistemas hidrocoloides mixtos preparados con hidrolizado extensivo de las proteínas Phaseolus vulgaris y goma modificada de flamboyán presentaron un incremento en la actividad antioxidante, respecto del hidrolizado dependiendo del mecanismo de oxidación, así como de las condiciones de pH en que se encuentra el sistema y la interacción entre ambos componentes.

Liderazgo, equidad y participación son conceptos centrales si queremos conseguir centros educativos más justos. La mentoría a directivos puede ser un buen instrumento de mejora si se pretende avanzar en los tres aspectos. El presente estudio muestra los resultados preliminares y cualitativos de la puesta en práctica del Programa de Liderazgo para la Educación Integral (Programa LEI) en ocho colegios e institutos españoles en entornos muy vulnerables en los que se utilizó la mentoría como forma de acompañamiento a los directivos en la implantación de planes de mejora. Se describe el proceso de mentoría, la recogida de información y la evaluación inicial del proceso. Los resultados muestran los beneficios de la mentoría para la mejora de los centros educativos en dos aspectos concretos que se han analizado: equidad y participación.

RESUMEN. Las proteínas de los granos de leguminosas son fuente potencial de nutrientes valiosos, por lo cual son objeto de estudios para lograr su mejor aprovechamiento. Esto se hace más importante para aquellas proteínas provenientes de especies subexplotadas, por lo cual es necesario un conocimiento básico, previo a su utilización como ingrediente. El propósito de este trabajo consistió en determinar varias características estructurales y nutrimentales de las fracciones proteínicas de Phaseolus lunatus, separadas por solubilidad en diferentes agentes. La cantidad relativa de albúminas (ALB), globulinas (GLB), prolaminas (PRL) y glutelinas (GLT) fue 62,3, 34,8, 1,4 y 1,5%, respectivamente. En el perfil electroforético SDS-PAGE de las ALB y GLB se encontró siete bandas comunes en un intervalo de 10 a 95 kDa y 14 a 99 kDa, respectivamente. El perfil de aminoácidos mostró que la fracción rica en aminoácidos azufrados fue la de PRL (11,5 g/100 g proteína), encontrando el contenido de lisina, en la fracción de ALB, menor al esperado. El requerimiento de la FAO fue cubierto en las fracciones de GLB y GLT. En general el mejor balance de aminoácidos así como de digestibilidad (80%) lo presentó la fracción de GLB; sin embargo, tuvo una relación de eficiencia proteínica calculada (REP-C) de 0,11, menor que el de las ALB (0,97). El análisis calorimétrico, enseñó temperaturas de desnaturalización alrededor de 90(0)C para las fracciones ALB, GLB, GLU. La fracción de PRL no presentó transición térmica probablemente porque las proteínas se encontraban desnaturalizadas debido a las condiciones de extracción.SUMMARY. Legume proteins as a potential source of valuable nutrients, are the object of several studies in order to obtain the best use. A basic knowledge becomes more important for those proteins from species not wholly utilized, before using them as food ingredients. The objective of this work was to determine several structural and nutritional characteristics of the protein fractions from Phaseolus lunatus, separated in different solvents. The relative amount of extraction for the albumins (ALB), globulins (GLB), prolamines (PRL), and glutelins (GLT) was 62,3, 34,8, 1,4 and 1,5%, respectively. The SDS-PAGE electrophoretic profile of both ALB and GLB, showed seven common bands in intervals from 10 to 95 kDa, and 14 to 99 kDa, respectively; the amino acids profile showed that PRL was the rich fraction in sulfurated amino acids (11,5 g/100 g protein); the content of lysine in the fraction of ALB was smaller than expected but the requirement of the FAO in the fractions of GLB and GLT was covered. In general, the fraction of GLB had the best balance of amino acids and digestibility (80%); however, it had a relationship of calculated protein efficiency ratio (C-PER) of 0,11, smaller than the ratio in ALB (0,97). The calorimetric analysis showed denatured temperatures around 90(0)C for the ALB, GLB, and GLU fractions. The PRL fraction probably did not present a thermal transition because the proteins were denaturalized by the extraction conditions.

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Its presentation is variable and its course and prognosis are unpredictable. Approximately 85% of individuals present a relapsing-remitting form of the disease, but some patients may evolve into a progressive course, accumulating irreversible neurological disability, defining its secondary progressive phase. Despite all the advances that had been reached in terms of diagnosis, many decisions are still taken based only on pure clinical skills. We present the case of a patient that, after being diagnosed with a clinically isolated syndrome many years ago, seemed to be entering in a secondary progressive course, developing a clinical picture dominated by a progressive gait disturbance. Nevertheless, multiple sclerosis heterogeneity asks for some clinical expertise, in order to exclude all other possible causes for patients’ complaints. Here we present an important red flag in the differential diagnosis of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Keywords: Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive; Meningioma.