Water absorbance and thermal properties of sulfated wheat gluten films

Wheat gluten films of various thicknesses formed at 30–70°C were treated with cold sulfuric acid to produce sulfated gluten films. Chemical, thermal, thermal stability, and water uptake properties were characterized for neat and sulfated films. The sulfated gluten films were able to absorb up to 30 times their weight in deionized water. However, this value dropped to 3.5 when the film was soaked in a 0.9% (w/w) NaCl solution. The films were also soaked 4 times in deionized water, and each soaking resulted in a reduced water uptake capacity. The temperature of film formation had no effect on the final water uptake properties. Also, thinner films had higher concentrations of sulfate groups than thicker films; this resulted in higher water uptake values. In addition, sulfated gluten films had comparable glass‐transition temperatures but lower thermal stabilities than the neat gluten films. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

An examination of racial/ethnic and gender bias on curriculum-based measurement of reading.

Examined racial/ethnic and gender bias on curriculum-based measurement (CBM) of reading with African American and Caucasian male and female students across grades 2–5. Simultaneous multiple regression analyses were conducted by grade to examine group differences on CBM as an estimate of reading comprehension. Regression equations were estimated with CBM, gender, race/ethnicity, and the interactions of gender and race/ethnicity with CBM. Results of this study indicated that CBM fails as an unbiased indicator of current reading comprehension. Although no evidence of bias was found at grades 2–3, intercept bias was found for racial/ethnic groups at grades 4–5, and intercept and slope bias were found for gender at grade 5. Implications of these results suggest that the meaning of CBM scores differs across race/ethnicity or gender, or both, at certain grade levels. The results also suggest that at grade 5, CBM performance overestimates the reading comprehension of girls and underestimates that of boys. Mean differences between genders were much greater at lower levels of CBM performance than at higher levels. These findings raise issues concerning the use of CBM as a screening measure and in determining eligibility for and termination of special education and related services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of diet type and supplementation of glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM on body composition, functional status, and markers of health in women with knee osteoarthritis initiating a resistance-based exercise and weight loss program

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine whether sedentary obese women with knee OA initiating an exercise and weight loss program may experience more beneficial changes in body composition, functional capacity, and/or markers of health following a higher protein diet compared to a higher carbohydrate diet with or without GCM supplementation.

Methods

Thirty sedentary women (54 ± 9 yrs, 163 ± 6 cm, 88.6 ± 13 kg, 46.1 ± 3% fat, 33.3 ± 5 kg/m²) with clinically diagnosed knee OA participated in a 14-week exercise and weight loss program. Participants followed an isoenergenic low fat higher carbohydrate (HC) or higher protein (HP) diet while participating in a supervised 30-minute circuit resistance-training program three times per week for 14-weeks. In a randomized and double blind manner, participants ingested supplements containing 1,500 mg/d of glucosamine (as d-glucosamine HCL), 1,200 mg/d of chondroitin sulfate (from chondroitin sulfate sodium), and 900 mg/d of methylsulfonylmethane or a placebo. At 0, 10, and 14-weeks, participants completed a battery of assessments. Data were analyzed by MANOVA with repeated measures.

Results

Participants in both groups experienced significant reductions in body mass (-2.4 ± 3%), fat mass (-6.0 ± 6%), and body fat (-3.5 ± 4%) with no significant changes in fat free mass or resting energy expenditure. Perception of knee pain (-49 ± 39%) and knee stiffness (-42 ± 37%) was decreased while maximal strength (12%), muscular endurance (20%), balance indices (7% to 20%), lipid levels (-8% to -12%), homeostasis model assessment for estimating insulin resistance (-17%), leptin (-30%), and measures of physical functioning (59%), vitality (120%), and social function (66%) were improved in both groups with no differences among groups. Functional aerobic capacity was increased to a greater degree for those in the HP and GCM groups while there were some trends suggesting that supplementation affected perceptions of knee pain (p < 0.08).

Conclusions

Circuit style resistance-training and weight loss improved functional capacity in women with knee OA. The type of diet and dietary supplementation of GCM provided marginal additive benefits.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01271218     

Group cognitive-behavioral therapy and group interpersonal psychotherapy for the nonpurging bulimic individual: A controlled comparison.

Evaluated the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) and group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for binge eating. 56 women with nonpurging bulimia were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: CBT, IPT, or a wait-list control (WLC). Treatment was administered in small groups that met for 16 weekly sessions. At posttreatment, both group CBT and group IPT treatment conditions showed significant improvement in reducing binge eating, whereas the WLC condition did not. Binge eating remained significantly below baseline levels for both treatment conditions at 6-mo and 1-yr follow-ups. These data support the central role of both eating behavior and interpersonal factors in the understanding and treatment of bulimia. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)