Technological quality of dough and breads from commercial algarroba-wheat flour blends.

Algarroba flour is used to supplement lysine-limiting systems such as wheat flour due to its amino acidic composition. The effects of adding up to 30% of this flour to wheat flour (W-A30) on dough characteristics and breadmaking performance were studied. Dough rheology was tested by farinograph, oscillatory rheometry and texture profile analyses. Molecular mobility was evaluated by nuclear magnetic resonance, and thermal properties were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and viscoamylograph studies. Besides, different bread quality parameters were evaluated. Incorporation of algarroba flour resulted into increase in water absorption, development time and degree of softening, and decrease in stability of wheat flour, leading to softer, less adhesive and elastic dough, although at intermediate replacement levels cohesiveness improved. At the molecular level, a reduction of water activity and limited proton motion were observed in W-A30 samples, suggesting that protons were highly bound to the dough matrix. Dough samples with algarroba flour showed lower G' and G″ values than the control, although with the formation of a more elastic structure for W-A30. In addition, algarroba flour produced a protective effect on starch granule disruption and interfered with amylose-amylose association during cooling. The specific volume of breads decreased with the increase in algarroba level, W-A30 reaching the highest decrease (15%). Bread crumbs with algarroba flour exhibited higher values of hardness and resilience. The use of algarroba flour resulted in lower quality when compared to the control. However, algarroba flour at 20% level can be added to wheat flour to obtain bakery products of similar technological quality and with improved nutritional components.

[Perinatal mortality]. / Muerte perinatal.

Eighty six cases of perinatal mortality at Hospital de Ginecoobstetricia, Garza García, N.L. Subsecretaría Estatal, from january, 1992 to December, 1993, were reviewed. Perinatal mortality was 12.0 by one thousand births, less than in other reports. The highest incidence was in young patients, 20 to 29 years old, with 47.7% and with parity of 1 to 3, 80.2%; highest frequency in term pregnancies, 37 to 42 weeks, 39.6%; 35% of the products with weight over 2,500 g; and 65% with lesser weight; fetal death occurred most frequently during pre-partum, 55.8%, and less during intra-partum, 19.8%. Most frequent causes of peri-natal death were placental failure, 27.9% and fetal immaturity, with 24.4%. It is concluded that an adequate pre-natal control and delivery surveillance produce a diminution in fetal mortality.

PIP: A prospective study was conducted of the 86 perinatal deaths occurring at a woman's hospital in Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon, between January 1992 and December 1993. The objective was to determine the frequency, causes, and patient groups at greatest risk of perinatal death. The perinatal mortality rate was 12.0/1000 live births. 47.7% of the mothers were aged 20-29; 24.4% each were 15-19 and 30-39 years old, and 3.5% were 40-42. 80.2% had 1-3 live births. The gestational age was 20-28 weeks and 29-36 weeks in 30.2% of cases each, and 37-42 weeks in 39.6%. 40.7% of the infants weighed 1000-2499 g, 27.9% weighed 2500-3999, and 24.4% weighed 500-999 g. 7.0% weighed over 4000 g. Birth weights ranged from 525 to 5000 g. 34 deliveries were eutocic, 31 were dystocic, and 21 were cesarean. 48 deaths were prepartum, 17 were intrapartum, and 21 were postpartum. 52 of the mothers had fewer than five prenatal visits and 34 had more than five. The cause of death was placental insufficiency in 24 cases, fetal immaturity in 21, umbilical problems in 15, and congenital malformations in 11. It was concluded that adequate prenatal care and monitoring of labor and delivery would result in a decreased perinatal mortality rate.

[Analysis of the use of the Salinas forceps at the Gynecologic-Obstetric Hospital of Garza García, N.L. (Nuevo León)]. / Análisis de aplicación de Fórceps Salinas, en el Hospital de Ginecoobstetricia de Garza García, N.L.

Six hundred and thirteen cases of Salinas forceps application at Hospital de Ginecoobstetricia de Garza García, N.L. from November 1992 to April, 1993, were reviewed. The largest patients group, 20 to 29 years of age with 54.5%; primiparae were predominant with 55.9%, the largest amount of applications in term products, 80.8%; elective forceps with 72.5%; low application with 83.0%; medium 2.5%; episiotomy, medium, right lateral in all the cases; epidural block anesthesia in all the patients, and only one complication 0.1%; most frequent position variety OIA with 50%; and the smaller OIP with 2.6%; 96.3% of products weighted more than 2,500 g; and 87.1% with Apgar 8-9 at one minute. Maternal morbidity, 30.1%; fetal morbidity, 6.1%, with one case with facial paralysis (0.1%) by medium forceps. There were no maternal deaths; 3 antepartum fetal deaths; none postpartum.

Immunolocalization of NK-1 receptor and Substance P in human normal placenta.

A role for Substance P (SP) in human placenta is not known, although is possible that regulates placental physiology through the Neurokinin (NK)-1 receptor. Ten human normal placenta tissues were studied by immunohistochemistry to demonstrate the localization of NK-1 receptor and SP. An immunostaining pattern for NK-1 receptor and SP was observed in the endothelium and myocytes of fetal blood vessels, decidua and trophoblast. The SP is located in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus whereas NK-1 receptor in cytoplasmic. These findings reported here for the fist time, suggest a role for the SP and NK-1 receptor in the placental physiology.