The Glycemic Potential of White and Red Rice Affected by Oil Type and Time of Addition

Limited research exists on how different oil types and time of addition affect starch digestibility of rice. This study aimed to assess the starch digestibility of white and red rice prepared with 2 oil types: vegetable oil (unsaturated fat) and ghee (clarified butter, saturated fat) added at 3 different time points during the cooking process (“before”: frying raw rice in oil before boiling, “during”: adding oil during boiling, and “after”: stir‐frying cooked rice in oil). Red rice produced a slower digestion rate than white rice. White rice digestibility was not affected by oil type, but was affected by addition time of oil. Adding oil “after” (stir‐frying) to white or red rice resulted in higher slowly digestible starch. Red rice cooked using ghee showed the lowest amount of glucose release during in vitro digestion. The addition of ghee “during” (that is boiling with ghee) or “before” (that is frying rice raw with ghee then boiling) cooking showed potential for attenuating the postprandial glycemic response and increasing resistant starch content. This is the first report to show healthier ways of preparing rice. White rice with oil added “after” (stir‐fried) may provide a source of sustained glucose and stabilize blood glucose levels. Boiling red rice with ghee or cooking red rice with ghee pilaf‐style may provide beneficial effects on postprandial blood glucose and insulin concentrations, and improve colonic health. The encouraging results of the present study justify extending it to an in vivo investigation to conclusively determine the effect of time of addition of fat when rice is cooked on blood glucose homeostasis.     

Effect of estrous expression on timing and failure of ovulation of Holstein dairy cows using automated activity monitors

The aim of this study was to determine if estrous expression, as measured by an automated activity monitor (AAM), affects timing and failure of ovulation of lactating Holstein dairy cows. Cows were equipped with 2 AAM, 1 neck-mounted (AAM_C) and 1 leg-mounted (AAM_L), by 10 d postpartum and enrolled into the trial when their activity crossed the alert threshold on the AAM_C. A total of 850 episodes of estrus from 293 different cows were used for this study. When cows were enrolled, their ovaries were scanned by transrectal ultrasonography and gait and body condition scored. Ovaries of cows detected in estrus were scanned twice daily for a maximum of 3 d to determine the disappearance of the preovulatory follicle (ovulation) and the interval from estrus to ovulation was calculated. Physical activity data recorded from the AAM were used to determine estrus behavior using 2 traits: (1) peak activity and (2) duration. Peak activity was only available for the AAM_L. Peak activity was defined as the maximum activity during an estrus episode. Duration of estrus was defined as the time the activity of the cow exceeded threshold values set by the AAM software. The AAM_C correctly identified 87.8% of the estrus alerts, with 12.2% false positives. The average (±standard deviation) intervals from activity alert to ovulation were 25.8 ± 10.2 and 24.7 ± 9.3 h for the AAM_C and AAM_L, respectively. Changes in estrous expression were associated with differences in the interval from alert to ovulation. Cows with short intervals to ovulation were found to have less intense estrous expression than cows with medium and long length intervals to ovulation using the AAM_C, whereas using the AAM_L, cows with short intervals to ovulation exhibited less intense estrous expression than cows with medium but the same as those with long intervals to ovulation. Furthermore, irrespective of the AAM, estrus events with less estrous expression had increased odds of having a short interval to ovulation (below the median of 20 h) when compared with those having greater estrous expression (2.6 and 1.9 increased odds for the AAM_C and AAM_L, respectively). Ovulation failure was affected by estrous expression because estrus events with greater peak activity or longer duration had reduced ovulation failure compared with those with less estrous expression (AAM_C peak activity: 1.9 ± 1.4 vs. 9.5 ± 1.7%; AAM_L peak activity: 2.3 ± 1.4 vs. 6.2 ± 1.5%; AAM_C duration: 2.1 ± 1.4 vs. 8.9 ± 1.7%). In addition, cows with more estrous expression had greater pregnancy per artificial insemination than those with less estrous expression with both the AAM_C (42.3 ± 0.4 vs. 31.7 ± 0.4%) and the AAM_L (43.1 ± 0.4 vs. 36.3 ± 0.4%). Pregnancy per artificial insemination results were consistent even when removing cows that failed to ovulate. In conclusion, expression of estrus was highly associated with ovulation timing, ovulation failure, and fertility when using 2 different AAM. Cows with greater estrous expression have longer intervals from activity alert to ovulation, experience less ovulation failure, and have greater pregnancy per artificial insemination.     

Enhanced visible green and 1.5 μm radiative emission of Er~(3+) ions in Li_2O-PbO-Al_2O_3-B_2O_3 glasses for photonic applications

A series of Er~(3+) ions doped lithium lead alumino borate(LiPbAlB) glasses were synthesized via melt quench method and their structural,physical and optical properties were studied.Judd-Ofelt theory in correlation with the emission and absorption profiles was performed for the measurement of various radiative parameters for different transitions of Er~(3+) doped glasses.The as-prepared glasses show deep green(550 nm) as well as NIR(1532 nm) emission at 380 and 980 nm excitation wavelengths,respectively.The intensity of emission spectra increases with Er~(3+) ions concentration up to 1.5 mol% and beyond quenching is observed.The Dexter theory applied to the emission profiles reveals the interaction between Er~(3+)ions as dipole-dipole in nature.CIE color coordinates are found to fall in the green region of the visible spectrum.It is observed that 1.5 mol% of Er~(3+) ions concentration is optimum to exhibit the maximum quantum efficiency,branching ratios,gain bandwidth,emission cross-section,gain crosssection and aptly suitable for visible and NIR photonic applications.     

Effect of irrigation on the lipid composition of taramira seed

The effect of irrigation on the lipid composition in maturing taramira (Eruca sativa, Mill) seed was studied. Decreasing the number of irrigations had an adverse effect on oil setting. Restricted irrigations affected adversely the biosynthesis of erucic acid in the oil at initial stages, though at later stages of seed development, irrigation had no such effect.     

Effect of malting and roasting of chickpea on functional and nutritional qualities of its protein fractions

Chickpea is gaining importance as a sustainable plant-based protein source due to its high protein content and protein bioavailability. Malting and roasting, the traditional processing techniques, can be used to improve the protein quality of chickpea. The effect of two processing techniques on the water-soluble albumin fraction, salt-soluble globulin fraction, alcohol-soluble prolamin fraction, and alkali-soluble glutelin fraction was studied. Globulin content decreased from 45.85% to 37.08%, whereas the albumin fraction was found to increase from 4.16% to 7.08%, after 6 days of germination. It was observed that malting and roasting resulted in significant changes in the protein quality parameters and decrease in anti-nutritional factors. Tannin content reduced by 53.18% and 40.44%, and the trypsin inhibitor activity reduced by 14.91% and 34.59% after malting and roasting, respectively. The protein efficiency ratio, biological value, and nutritional index improved due to malting and roasting. The biological value of raw chickpea protein was found to be 74.97%, and it increased to 81.89% and 79.27% on malting and roasting, respectively, and protein digestibility values were also increased. Microstructural and diffraction patterns of chickpea flours were examined. Amino acid scores for infants and adults were calculated, and sulphur-containing amino acids were found to be the limiting amino acids in chickpea.     

Characterization of Thermal-Sprayed HAP and HAP/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Coatings for Biomedical Applications

In the present study, hydroxyapatite (HAP) coating along with HAP/TiO₂ coating has been deposited by high-velocity flame spray (HVFS) technique onto 316LSS. Titania was used as a bond coat and HAP as top coat in HAP/TiO₂ coating. The main aim of the study is to investigate the corrosion behavior of thermal spray coating of HAP and HAP/TiO₂ on steel. Electrochemical corrosion testing was carried out using potentiodynamic polarization test. The corrosion behavior of bare and as-sprayed specimens was analyzed in simulated body fluid known as Hank’s solution. As-sprayed specimens along with corroded specimens were further characterized by XRD, SEM/EDS, and x-ray mapping analysis. It was observed that the HAP/TiO₂ coating possessed higher microhardness (280 Hv) as compared to HAP coating (254 Hv). Surface roughness also got enhanced in case of HAP/TiO₂ coating (9.35 μm) as compared to pure HAP coating (7.37 μm). The porosity of the HAP coating was found to be higher than the bond coating. It was observed that the Ca/P ratio almost resembled that of the natural bone composition. The corrosion resistance of steel increased after the deposition of HAP and HAP/TiO₂ coatings. The maximum corrosion resistance was exhibited by HAP/TiO₂ coating.     

Effect of domestic processing on flatus producing factors in ricebean (Vigna umbellata)

The effect of various processing treatments viz., soaking, pressure cooking, open pan cooking, germination followed by pressure cooking and roasting of whole ricebean and pressure cooking, open pan cooking and fermentation and frying of fermented batter of dehulled ricebean flour was assessed for total sugars and oligosaccharide contents. Dehulling caused a significant reduction in the raffinose and stachyose contents. Pre-soaking of ricebean caused appreciable losses in the oligosaccharide content. Germination (48 h) followed by pressure cooking and fermentation (18 h) followed by frying caused the maximum losses in the raffinose and stachyose contents.     

Differential sensitivity of Desi (small‐seeded) and Kabuli (large‐seeded) chickpea genotypes to water stress during seed filling: effects on accumulation of seed reserves and yield

Water stress during the reproductive phase, especially during seed development, is considered detrimental for chickpea yield. In the present study, the relative sensitivity of Desi and Kabuli chickpea types to water stress during seed filling was assessed in terms of effects on quantitative and qualitative aspects of seed yield. Leaves of both types experienced stress injury (evaluated as electrolyte leakage) to the same extent and possessed almost similar values of water potential at the end of 14 days of water stress. The stressed plants of Kabuli type lost more chlorophyll and had less photosynthesis than Desi type. At maturity, Desi type showed more diminution of vegetative dry matter due to stress over control than Kabuli type. On the other hand, Kabuli type showed a proportionally greater reduction in seed weight per plant, average seed weight, average seed size, number of pods (single‐ and double‐seeded) and harvest index. The stressed seeds of Kabuli type showed 48 and 46% reduction over control in starch and protein content compared with 25 and 40%, respectively in Desi type. The accumulation of soluble sugars was relatively greater due to stress in Kabuli (47%) than Desi type (23%). Fat and fiber content declined by 39 and 35% over control in Desi seeds because of stress whereas Kabuli type showed 46 and 67% decreases, respectively. Protein fractions, namely albumins, globulins, glutelins and prolamins, decreased in stressed seeds of Kabuli by 32, 40, 16 and 15% over control relative to 40, 48, 30 and 28%, respectively, in Kabuli type. The activities of sucrose synthase, invertase and soluble starch synthase were inhibited to a higher extent in Kabuli seeds than Desi seeds under stress. Kabuli seeds showed significantly more reduction in the accumulation of amino acids such as phenylalanine + tyrosine, tryptophan, valine, alanine and histidine and minerals (Ca, P, Fe) due to stress compared with Desi type. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry