Iron and zinc retention in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) after home cooking

Background : According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iron, iodine, and Vitamin A deficiencies are the most common forms of malnutrition, leading to severe public health consequences. The importance of iron and zinc in human nutrition and the number of children found to be deficient in these nutrients make further studies on retention in cooked grains and cooked bean broth important. Objectives : This work aimed to evaluate iron and zinc retention in six common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars under the following conditions: raw beans, regular pot cooking, pressure cooking, with and without previous water soaking, and broth. Design : Determination of iron and zinc content in the raw, cooked bean grains and broth samples was carried out by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Optical Emission Spectrometry (Spectro Analytical Instrument – Spectroflame P). All experiments and analyses were carried out in triplicate. Results : Overall, regardless of the cooking method, with or without previous water soaking, the highest zinc concentration was found in the cooked bean grains. However, pressure cooking and previous water soaking diminished iron retention in the cooked grains, while increasing it in the bean broth. Conclusion : The common bean was confirmed to be an excellent source of iron and zinc for human consumption, and it was suggested that beans should be consumed in a combined form, i.e. grain with bean broth

Comparison of coronary angiography findings in diabetic and non-diabetic women with non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Compare hemodynamic and angiographic patterns, as well as atherosclerotic lesion morphology, in diabetic and non-diabetic females with unstable angina or non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI). METHODS: Two interventional cardiologists determined the presence of severe atherosclerotic lesion, defined as those > 70%; plaque morphology, according to the American Heart Association classification; collateral circulation; plus ventricular and aortic pressures. Ejection fraction was calculated by angiography or echocardiography. RESULTS: During eight and a half years, 645 coronary angiographies were performed in women with UA/NSTEMI. In the present study, 593 female patients were assessed (215 diabetic - 36%). This group differed from the non-diabetic in the following aspects: older age (61 ± 10.6 x 58.1 ± 11.4), higher prevalence of postmenopausal women and lower prevalence of the smoking habit. Severe three-vessel disease was significantly more frequent in diabetic patients (28% x 10%), as well as totally occluded vessels: 51 (23%) x 54 (14.3%), p 70%, a morfologia da placa, de acordo com a classificação da American Heart Association, a presença de circulação colateral e as pressões ventriculares e aórticas. A fração de ejeção foi calculada pela angiografia ou pelo ecocardiograma. RESULTADOS: Em oito anos e meio, foram realizados 645 coronariografias em mulheres com AI/IAMSS. Foram analisadas 593 pacientes (215 diabéticas - 36%). Este grupo diferiu das não-diabéticas nos seguintes aspectos: idade mais alta (61 ± 10,6 x 58,1 ± 11,4), prevalência maior de mulheres pós-menopausa e menor prevalência de tabagismo. Lesão grave em três vasos foi significativamente mais freqüente nas pacientes diabéticas (28% x 10%), assim como vasos totalmente ocluídos: 51 (23%) x 54 (14.3%), p < 0.005.Fração de ejeção < 50% foi mais comum nas diabéticas. CONCLUSÃO: Estes achados confirmam o acometimento difuso da doença aterosclerótica em pacientes diabéticas, assim como maior deterioração da função ventricular, que pode estar relacionada ao pior prognóstico dessa população em curto e em longo prazo.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Hospital Santa MarcelinaUNIFESPSciEL

Management Effect on Rainfall Use Efficiency and Growth Rate of Spineless Cactus \u3cem\u3ecv.\u3c/em\u3e Miúda in Northeast Brazil

Spineless cactus has a high rainfall use efficiency. Under water deficit, they open their stomata during the night to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide when the air temperature is lower and relative humidity higher (Taiz and Zeiger, 2009), losing less water to the atmosphere. The rainfall use efficiency (RUE) can be expressed as the amount of water used by the crop to produce dry matter (Han and Felker, 1997). The RUE showed by spineless cactus, a CAM plant, is three to five times greater than the one observed in C3 and C4 plants (Felker and Russel, 1988; Nobel, 1991). Therefore, spineless cacti (Nopaleae opuntia) are important forage resource in northeast Brazil. Management practices, however, can affect the RUE and growth of spineless cactus, especially organic and mineral fertilization. Thus, the objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of organic and nitrogen fertilization and harvest frequency on rainfall use efficiency and growth rate of spineless cactus cv. Miúda (Nopalea cochenillifera Salm Dyck)

Avaliação do estado nutricional de agroecossistemas de café orgânico no estado de Minas Gerais.

A produção de café orgânico vem se constituindo uma tendência necessária e irreversível do agronegócio brasileiro. Essa atividade tem-se destacado como uma alternativa de renda para alguns cafeicultores, devido à crescente demanda mundial por alimentos mais saudáveis. Entretanto, grande parte das técnicas propostas pela agricultura orgânica está sendo aplicada empiricamente no cultivo de café, principalmente no Estado de Minas Gerais, maior região produtora de café do Brasil. Levando-se em consideração a baixa fertilidade natural dos solos dessa região cafeeira, bem como a elevada extração de nutrientes pelo cafeeiro, objetivou-se neste trabalho identificar possíveis fatores limitantes para a produção orgânica do cafeeiro, relacionados à fertilidade do solo e ao estado nutricional das plantas. Foram realizadas avaliações da fertilidade do solo e análise das folhas em vinte e uma lavouras orgânicas representativas do Estado de Minas Gerais. As amostras de solo foram analisadas para determinação do pH, acidez potencial e dos teores de P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Al e matéria orgânica. As amostras foliares foram analisadas para determinação dos teores de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn. Com base nos padrões de interpretação para cafeeiros convencionais propostos pela literatura, estabeleceram-se as freqüências com que os caracteres analisados foram inferiores aos critérios de interpretação da fertilidade do solo e estado nutricional das plantas. A análise dos dados foi realizada por estatística descritiva. Novos trabalhos nessa nova área são necessários, visando a uma melhor interpretação da análise foliar e da fertilidade do solo, quando se trabalha com café orgânico

Avaliação de populações de milho de alta qualidade protéica

Twenty-three high quality protein maize populations, selected for hard-endosperm opaque-2 through modifiers of the opaque-2 gene, and two normal checks (BR 105 and AG 301), were evaluated at six Brazilian environments: Porto da Folha, SE (Summer), Porto da Folha, SE (Winter), Sete Lagoas, MG, Goiânia, GO, Nova Prata, RS and Cruz Alta, RS. The following traits were measured: ear weight (kg/ha), grain endosperm protein (%), tryptophan and lysine (% of endosperm protein). Opaque-2 white kernel high quality protein maize populations showed good adaptation to the different regions, high yields and tryptophan-lysine content similar to floury endosperm opaque-2 cultivars. A few yellow kernel populations showed good adaptation with high yields but need to be improved in tryptophan-lysine content.Vinte e três populações de milho de alta qualidade protéica, contendo o gene recessivo opaco-2 em homozigose, selecionadas para endosperma vítreo através de modificadores do gene opaco-2 e duas testemunhas de endosperma normal (BR 105 e AG 301), foram avaliadas em seis ambientes: Porto da Folha, SE (verão), Porto da Folha, SE (inverno), Sete Lagoas, MG, Goiânia, GO, Nova Prata, RS e Cruz Alta, RS. Os caracteres utilizados neste estudo foram: peso de espiga (kg/ha), proteína (%), triptofano, lisina (% na proteína do endosperma). Algumas populações opaco-2 brancas de endosperma vítreo adaptaram-se bem a diferentes regiões do País, apresentando alta produtividade e teores de lisina e triptofano na proteína do endosperma equivalente a tipos contendo o gene opaco-2 com endosperma farináceo. Algumas populações de cor de grãos amarelos mostraram boa produtividade, mas precisam ser melhoradas em seus teores de lisina e triptofano.

Characterization, evaluation and conservation of the Moxotó goat breed in Pernambuco, Brazil

This work aimed to characterize and evaluate the state of conservation of the goat breed in Pernambuco State, in the Northeast region of Brazil. The methodology used is based on phenotypic aspects, populational census and interviews with farmers so as to characterize the production system of these animals in this region. The means and standard deviations for morphometric measures included: body length (BL), hip height (HH), chest perimeter (CP) and adult body weight (AW) of females of the breed. These were respectively 77.30 ± 9.88 cm; 60.43 ± 7.31 cm; 63.13 ± 7.02 cm and 30.13 ± 8.43 kg. Of all animals studied, approximately 76% are Without Breed Pattern Defined (WBPD), a product of crossbreeding with native animals, especially Moxotó and Nambi with exotic breeds such as Bhuj, Saanen, Boer and Anglo-Nubian, with a predominance of the latter. Only 12% are native breeds, with a predominance of Moxotó. Some older farmers confirm that the numbers of animals of this breed are decreasing progressively in the last few years. This is confirmed where at present 76% of the herd in the region are of mixed breed, due to crossbreeding with exotic breeds