The levels of bioactive compounds found in raw and cooked Canadian pulses.

The effect of cooking on the levels of bioactive compounds (oligosaccharides, polyphenols and saponins, and vicine/convicine for faba bean only) were examined in a wide range of Canadian pulses. The total oligosaccharide concentrations were reduced ∼40% for chickpea, 11-81% for lentils, 41-43% for faba beans, 10-51% for beans, and 20-44% for peas. Individual oligosaccharides, raffinose, ciceritol, stachyose and verbascose, increased or decreased in the cooked samples depending on each pulse sample. Cooking reduced the total polyphenol content by 13-25% for chickpeas, 0-83% for lentils, 47-54% for faba beans, 47-54% for beans, and 48-70% for peas. And, the total saponin concentrations were reduced by 11-30% for chickpeas, 0-40% for lentils, 32-46% for beans, 14-30% for peas and increased by 8-26% in faba bean. The vicine and convicine levels in faba bean were reduced by 26-38% with cooking. The reduction in bioactive compounds after cooking depended on the specific compound and specific type of pulse. This large analyses of 20 different pulse samples allows for comparison between and within different types of pulses.

The Ile164 beta2-adrenergic receptor polymorphism adversely affects the outcome of congestive heart failure.

The beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR), an important modulator of cardiac inotropy and chronotropy, has significant genetic heterogeneity in the population. Because dysfunctional betaARs play a role in the pathogenesis of the failing ventricle, we tested the hypothesis that beta2AR polymorphisms alter the outcome of congestive heart failure. 259 patients with NYHA functional class II-IV heart failure due to ischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy were genotyped and prospectively followed, with the endpoint defined as death or cardiac transplantation. The allele frequencies between this group and those of 212 healthy controls also were compared and did not differ between the groups. However, those with the Ile164 polymorphism displayed a striking difference in survival with a relative risk of death or cardiac transplant of 4.81 (P < 0.001) compared with those with the wild-type Thr at this position. Age, race, gender, functional class, etiology, ejection fraction, and medication use did not differ between these individuals and those with the wild-type beta2AR, and thus the beta2AR genotype at position 164 was the only clear distinguishing feature between the two groups. The 1-yr survival for Ile164 patients was 42% compared with 76% for patients harboring wild-type beta2AR. In contrast, polymorphisms at amino acid positions 16 (Arg or Gly) or 27 (Gln or Glu), which also alter receptor phenotype, did not appear to have an influence on the course of heart failure. Taken together with cell-based and transgenic mouse results, this study establishes a paradigm whereby genetic variants of key signaling elements can have pathophysiologic consequences within the context of a disease. Furthermore, patients with the Ile164 polymorphism and heart failure may be candidates for earlier aggressive intervention or cardiac transplantation.

Health outcome assessment before and after lumbar laminectomy for radiculopathy.

STUDY DESIGN: Forty-one patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy for radiculopathy resulting from herniated discs assessed their health status using a generic health outcome instrument (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36) before surgery and at an average of 2 years after surgery. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether lumbar laminectomy for herniated nucleus pulposus is a useful intervention when patients evaluate their own perception of health. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 has been used in multiple studies assessing various medical conditions. It is brief, generic, and reliable. Although surgical treatment for radiculopathy by lumbar laminectomy has been shown to be successful using specific criteria for patient selection and an algorithmic approach, the authors are not aware of any study using a patient-based health outcome assessment to evaluate the results of this type of surgery. METHODS: Forty-one patients (82% completed follow-up evaluation; average follow-up period, 2.08 years) completed Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 before and after surgery. Scores from before and after surgery were compared. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements (P < 0.01) were seen in eight of the nine health scores comparing scores from before and after surgery at follow-up evaluation. These included physical function, social function, role function resulting from physical limitations, role function resulting from emotional limitations, mental health, vitality, pain, and perceived health change. No significant change was seen in the patients' health perception after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the patients' self-reported health outcomes after lumbar laminectomy correlate with the excellent results previously seen using physician-driven outcome measures in an appropriately selected population with radiculopathy. The excellent results shown here did not deteriorate with age (> 40 years compared with < 40 years) or with complications after surgery.