Dietary and physical activity patterns of 8- to 10-year-old urban schoolchildren in Manila,Philippines

This report is the second part of a study on the nutrition of urban schoolchildren in the city of Manila; the first part was on nutritional status. The primary purpose of the study was to gather data that will assist authorities in planning and implementing nutrition education programs focused on the growing problem of obesity and overweight in children. The study included 1,208 children 8 to 10 years of age, who were randomly selected from all public and private schools in the city of Manila. Data on the children's dietary and physical activity patterns, together with information on nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and preferences of the children and their parents, were gathered by interviews and self-administered questionnaires. There were distinct differences in dietary and physical activity patterns between the two groups of children. Children from private schools, who are generally of higher socioeconomic status than those from public schools, tended to consume more total food, more animal foods, fats, and oils, and more beverages, resulting in higher intakes of calories, protein, iron, and vitamin A than public schoolchildren. Moreover, children from private schools were apparently less physically active, were more likely to be driven to school instead of walking, and were more likely to prefer television and computer games over outdoor games. These differences agree with an earlier report on the nutritional status of the children as determined by anthropometry, which showed a higher proportion of overnutrition and a lower proportion of undernutrition among private schoolchildren than among public schoolchildren. Although the emphasis in public schools should be on prevention and control of undernutrition in children, private schools should begin to look at the emerging problem of overnutrition and the role of physical activity programs in the health of children. The information on the knowledge, attitudes, and preferences of the children and their parents showed that parents or guardians, teachers, and television influence the nutritional practices of schoolchildren. These groups should therefore be the major targets for nutrition education programs meant to improve the nutrition and health of schoolchildren.     

Pasta with Unripe Banana Flour: Physical, Texture, and Preference Study

ABSTRACT:  Banana is a starchy food that contains a high proportion of undigestible compounds such as resistant starch and nonstarch polysaccharides. Products with low glycemic response such as pasta are considered favorable to health. The objective of this study was to use unripe banana flour to make spaghetti with low-carbohydrates digestibility and evaluate its physical and texture characteristics, as well as consumer preference. Formulations with 100% durum wheat semolina (control) and formulations with 3 semolina: banana flour ratios (85: 15, 70: 30, and 55: 45) were prepared for spaghetti processing. The use of banana flour decreased the lightness and diameter of cooked spaghetti, and increased the water absorption of the product. Hardness and elasticity of spaghetti were not affected by banana flour, but adhesiveness and chewiness increased as the banana flour level in the blend rose. Spaghettis prepared in the laboratory (control and those with banana flour) did not show differences in preference by consumers. In general, the preference of spaghettis with different banana flour level was similar. The addition of a source of undigestible carbohydrates (banana flour) to spaghetti is possible without affecting the consumer preference.     

Modelling the effect of gamma irradiation on the inactivation and growth kinetics of psychrotrophic bacteria in squid rings during refrigerated storage. Shelf-life predictions

Psychrotrophic bacteria behaviour, when gamma irradiation is applied with shelf-life extension purposes to a fresh squid product, was modelled. In this regard, the effect of gamma irradiation at 0, 1.8, 3.3 and 5.8 kGy on psychrotrophic microorganisms in vacuum-packed squid (Illex argentinus) rings was analysed during storage at 4–5 °C. First-order kinetics satisfactorily described the radio-induced inactivation of the initial psychrotrophs population. The growth of surviving bacteria during storage was fitted to two empirical models: modified Gompertz model and a polynomial expression dependent on irradiation dose and storage time. In turn, the influence of irradiation dose on kinetic parameters of Gompertz model was described by second order polynomials. Both proposed models satisfactorily described the behaviour of psychrotrophs as affected by gamma irradiation, allowing accurate shelf-life predictions for doses up to 5.3 kGy. Considering the predictions accuracy, complete Gompertz model was preferred and model validation was done for irradiation at 4.8 kGy.     

Evaluation of hydrogen metabolism by Escherichia coli strains possessing only a single hydrogenase in the genome

The four hydrogenase isozymes; hydrogenase 1 (Hyd-1), hydrogenase 2 (Hyd-2), hydrogenase 3 (Hyd-3) and hydrogenase 4 (Hyd-4) of Escherichia coli have been reported for their crucial functions in the hydrogen metabolism; however, their distinctive roles could not be completely understood. In this study, four ideal hydrogenase operon mutants, Δhyb hyc hyf, Δhya hyc hyf, Δhya hyb hyf, and Δhya hyb hyc, in which only a single hydrogenase is intact in the genome, were constructed as well as one quadruple mutant (Δhya hyb hyc hyf) that all four hydrogenase operons were deleted. First, single operon mutants and single-gene mutants for each hydrogenase showed different hydrogen productivity and growth in the anaerobic fermentation, indicating that bacterial phenotype regarding the hydrogen metabolism via the deletion of each operon is different with that of each single gene. Then, 4 triple hydrogenase operon mutants and one quadruple mutant were investigated to evaluate the hydrogen metabolism (hydrogen production and uptake) using glucose or glycerol as a substrate of hydrogen fermentation. With both the carbon sources, only Hyd-2 and Hyd-3 were able to produce hydrogen. Furthermore, all the hydrogenases showed hydrogen uptake activity. In addition, no hydrogen production and hydrogen uptake were detected in the quadruple mutant which does not have all 4 hydrogenases. Hydrogen production from Hyd-2 and Hyd-3 was further confirmed by complementing their operons in the cloning vector pBR322.     

Nanocrystalline TiO2 photosensitized with natural polymers with enhanced efficiency from 400 to 600 nm

TiO₂ sensitization for solar applications requires not only efficient but also stable and inexpensive sensitizers. Different condensed tannins extracted from bark wastes of tropical wood trees were studied as possible sensitizers of TiO₂. These natural polymers adhere strongly to the TiO₂ even from aqueous solutions. Absorption spectra are presented for 1 mM aqueous sensitizing solutions prepared with lyophilized condensed tannins which absorb light in the visible range. Spectral photocurrent measurements and I–V characterization show that no bias is required for electron injection to the TiO₂ from all studied condensed tannins. Incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) analysis indicates that surface complexation originates absorption bands with different electron injection efficiencies. These play a dominant role in determining IPCE spectral shape. We propose that surface modification by the sensitizer changes the surface trap density, thereby decreasing recombination losses.     

Effect of flow field design on performances of high temperature PEM fuel cells: Experimental analysis

Among all types of fuel cells, attention is being drawn lately on high temperature Polybenzimidazole (PBI) PEM because their operative temperature range (120-180 °C) increases the tolerance to carbon monoxide. This feature allows working with low quality hydrogen produced by hydrocarbon reformation. Most of the literature on PBI PEM deals with membrane and MEA related issues, however, cell efficiency and specially, commercial feasibility are conditioned by other fuel cell components as bipolar plates. In the present study the focus is on the effect of the flow field geometry of high temperature PBI PEM composite bipolar plates on the overall performance of the cell. For this purpose, three different channel geometries are studied: two serpentine flow fields and parallel channels flow field. Results show that serpentine geometry yields higher performance though it introduces higher pressure drop along the cell as well.     

Analogs of sex pheromone of processionary moth,Thaumetopoea pityocampa: Synthesis and biological activity

The synthesis and biological activity of some analogs of (Z)-13-hexadecen-11-ynyl acetate1, the major component of the sex pheromone of the processionary mothThaumetopoea pityocampa is described. The analogs have been formally derived by structural modification of the enyne and acetate functions of the parent compound1. In field tests, trifluoroacetate ester16 and the analog,11, with fluorine substitution at the olefin site, decreased the pheromone action, whereas epoxy derivative,10, from epoxidation of the olefin moiety in1, and propionate ester15 gave synergistic activity. The formate14 had a variable effect according to the composition of the lure. Formal reduction of the enyne to give the acetylene2 was found to retain activity. Alcohols12 and13, resulting from hydrolysis of the enyne1 and acetylene2, respectively, inhibited the action of their parent compounds.Lepidoptera, Thaumetopoeidae.