Diagnose foliar da gravioleira (Annona muricata L.): efeito da posição de ramos e folhas

A carência de informações na literatura sobre a amostragem de folhas da gravioleira, particularmente, a definição da posição da folha na copa das árvores e das folhas nos ramos ainda é um fator limitante para a diagnose foliar dessa cultura. Objetivando determinar a parte da planta indicada para a amostragem de folhas e a avaliação do estado nutricional da gravioleira conduziu-se um experimento no Campo Experimental da Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA) Agroindústria Tropical, em Pacajus (CE), no período de março a abril de 2003. Colheram-se folhas de três posições da copa (terço superior, terço médio e terço inferior) e três posições no ramo (folhas da parte apical, mediana e basal) e determinaram-se os teores de P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu, Zn e Mn. Os resultados permitem sugerir que os teores de minerais das folhas da parte mediana da copa das árvores e na posição mediana do ramo refletem melhor o estado nutricional da frutífera.

Vitamina K: metabolismo e nutrição

O objetivo desta revisão foi discutir aspectos que envolvem a compreensão do metabolismo da vitamina K e os recentes avanços quanto ao papel da vitamina na nutrição humana. São abordadas questões sobre as fontes da vitamina, sua absorção, distribuição e metabolismo, recomendações dietéticas, avaliação do estado nutricional relacionado à vitamina K e ainda fatores que afetam sua concentração plasmática. Diante das novas evidências sobre a participação da vitamina K no metabolismo ósseo, pesquisas adicionais são necessárias a fim de identificar as possíveis conseqüências à saúde, a longo prazo, de deficiência subclínica desta vitamina. Pesquisadores e comitês futuros encontram um desafio no que se refere a investigar novos requerimentos nutricionais da vitamina.

O uso da gastrostomia percutânea endoscópica

A gastrostomia percutânea endoscópica foi introduzida na prática clínica como via alternativa de alimentação enteral. É procedimento que não necessita de anestesia ou laparotomia, como a gastrostomia cirúrgica. A gastrostomia percutânea endoscópica tem como objetivos a manutenção do aporte nutricional e a melhoria da qualidade de vida e sobrevida dos pacientes. É indicada quando o paciente necessita de dieta enteral por período superior a um mês. A freqüência de complicações varia de 1,0% a 10,0% e a mortalidade de 0,3% a 1,0%. É propósito deste trabalho abordar aspectos relevantes desse método de alimentação enteral, aprimorar seu manejo, bem como facilitar o manejo pelos pacientes que dele se utilizam. Para isso, vamos comentar as indicações e contra-indicações da gastrostomia percutânea endoscópica, técnica de colocação, material das sondas, antibiótico profilático, início de utilização, custo do procedimento, além de suas complicações, aspectos legais e éticos.

The use of bioelectrical impedance to detect excess visceral and subcutaneous fat

objective: To analyze bioelectrical impedance performance in detecting the presence of excess visceral fat and overweight/obesity in young Brazilians and how its values are related with them.Methods: Study sample consisted of 811 adolescents of both genders (11 to 17 years of age). Nutritional status was determined based on triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), relative body fat (bioelectrical impedance), and excess visceral fat as determined by waist circumference. Statistical analysis was performed using means, standard deviations, linear correlation, Student's t test, and ROC curve.Results: Bioelectrical impedance achieved good performance in identifying excess visceral fat associated with overweight/obesity in both genders, and was found to be more specific (male 92.4% and female 93.8%) than sensitive (male 86.1% and female 71.8%).Conclusion: Our findings support the use of bioelectrical impedance to identify the presence of excess visceral and subcutaneous fat in adolescents.

Structural complexity of the nitrogen source and influence on yeast growth and fermentation

The structural complexity of the nitrogen source strongly affects both biomass and ethanol production by industrial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, during fermentation in media containing glucose or maltose, and supplemented with a nitrogen source varying from a single ammonium salt (ammonium sulfate) to free amino acids (casamino acids) and peptides (peptone). Diauxie was observed at low glucose and maltose concentrations independent of nitrogen supplementation. At high sugar concentrations diauxie was not easily observed. and growth and ethanol production depended on the nature of the nitrogen source. This was different for baking and brewing ale and lager yeast strains. Sugar concentration had a strong effect on the shift from oxido-fermentative to oxidative metabolism. At low sugar concentrations, biomass production was similar under both peptone and casamino acid supplementation. Under casamino acid supplementation, the time for metabolic shift increased with the glucose concentration, together with a decrease in the biomass production. This drastic effect on glucose fermentation resulted in the extinction of the second growth phase, probably due to the loss of cell viability. Ammonium salts always induced poor yeast performance. In general, supplementation with a nitrogen source in the peptide form (peptone) was more positive for yeast metabolism, inducing higher biomass and ethanol production, and preserving yeast viability, in both glucose and maltose media, for baking and brewing ale and lager yeast strains. Determination of amino acid utilization showed that most free and peptide amino acids present, in peptone and casamino acids, were utilized by the yeast, suggesting that the results described in this work were not due to a nutritional status induced by nitrogen limitation.

Establishing Standards for the Integrated Recommendation and Diagnosis System (DRIS) for Irrigated Bean Crops

This article addresses the establishment of integrated diagnostics and recommendation system (DRIS) standards for irrigated bean crops (Phaseolus vulgaris) and compares leaf concentrations and productivity in low- and high-productivity populations. The work was carried out in Santa Fe de Goias, Goias State, Brazil, in the agricultural years 1999/2000 and 2000/2001. For the nutritional diagnosis, leaf samples were collected, and leaf concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) were established in 100 commercial bean crops. A database was set up listing the leaf nutrient content and the respective productivities, subdivided into two subpopulations, high and low productivity, using a bean yield value of 3000 kg ha-1 to separate these subpopulations. Sufficiency values found in the high-productivity population matched only for the micronutrients B and Zn. The nutritional balance among the populations studied was coherent and was lower in the high-productivity population. The DRIS standards proposed for irrigated bean farming were efficient in evaluating the nutritional status of the crop areas studied. Calcium, Cu, and S were found to be the least available nutrients, indicating high response potential for the fertilizing using these nutrients.

Excessive iodine intake in schoolchildren

Inadequate iodine intake may result in iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Thus, for more than 50 years, policies for the regulation of salt fortification with iodine have existed in Brazil. In 2003, a study on 6-14-year-old schoolchildren from regions of the state of So Paulo showed a median urinary iodine concentration of 360 mu g/L. The objective of the present study was to assess the iodine nutrition status among schoolchildren.The study was conducted on 828 schoolchildren aged 4-13 years from eight schools in the interior of the state of So Paulo. A casual urine sample was collected from each volunteer for iodine determination by the adapted method of Sandell-Kalthoff.Only 1.9% (n = 16) of the children evaluated had low values of urinary iodine (< 100 mu g/L), while 24.6% had urinary iodine excretion values between 200 and 300 mu g/L, and 67.1% had values above > 300 mu g/L.The results show that the iodine nutritional status of the schoolchildren studied is characterized by a high urinary iodine excretion, which might reveal an increase in iodine consumption by this population.

Reproductive cycles in Bos indicus cattle

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Evidence of zinc deficiency in competitive swimmers

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional zinc (Zn) status of elite swimmers during different training periods.Methods: A longitudinal paired study was performed at the University of São Paulo in eight male swimmers 18 to 25 y old who had been swimming competitively at the state and national levels for at least 5 y. The swimmers were evaluated over a total period of 14 wk: before the basic and specific preparatory period (BSPP-baseline), at the end of the basic and specific preparatory period (post-BSPP), and at the end of the polishing period (PP). Levels of Zn were determined in the plasma, erythrocyte, urine, and saliva by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Anthropometric measurements and a 3-d food record were also evaluated.Results: The median plasma Zn concentration was below the reference value in all training periods (BSPP-baseline 59 mu g/dL, post-BSPP 55.9 mu g/dL, after PP 58.8 mu g/dL, P > 0.05), as were threshold values for erythrocytes (BSPP-baseline 36.5 mu g of Zn/g of hemoglobin, post-BSPP 42 mu g of Zn/g of hemoglobin, after PP 40.7 mu g of Zn/g of hemoglobin, P > 0.05), urinary Zn (BSPP-baseline 280 mu g/24 h, post-BSPP 337 mu g/24 h, after PP 284 mu g/24 h, P > 0.05), and salivary Zn (BSPP-baseline 66.1 mu g/L, post-BSPP 54.1 mu g/L, after PP 79.7 mu g/L, > 0.05). Salivary Zn did not correlate with plasma and erythrocyte Zn levels.Conclusion: The results suggest that the elite swimmers studied presented a possible Zn deficiency and that salivary Zn was not adequate to evaluate the Zn nutritional status. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anemia em crianças menores de dois anos atendidas nas unidades básicas de saúde no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

The present study sought to determine the prevalence of anemia in 2,992 children, aged between 6 and 23 months, who voluntarily attended 160 Basis Health Care Units, located in 63 cities of the 5 Regional Health Coordinating areas of the State of S. Paulo, Brazil. Blood samples were collected by venous puncture and hemoglobin was measured by the cianometahemoglobin method. The WHO criteria for the diagnosis of anemia (Hb < 11.0 g/dl) were used: 59.1% of the children were shown to be anemic, with prevalence varying from 47.8% to 68.7% in the 5 RHCs. RHC 1, which comprises the Greater S. Paulo Region, presented a prevalence of anemia significantly lower than the other 4 RHCs, which cover the rest of the State. Hemoglobin levels 9.5 g/dl were found in 25.1% of the children. Anemia was more frequent in male children in male children, in those born, with a weight of less than 3,000 gr, in those who were breastfed for less than 2 months and in those that who presented some degree of energy deficient proteic malnutrition, according to Gomez's criteria. This is the first of a series of 4 articles whose purpose is the determining the prevalence of anemia in the State of S. Paulo and of testing the intervention alternatives with a view to curtailing the incidence of this pathology which today is the most prevalent nutritional disturbance in the world.

Phosphorus foliar fertilization in guava trees

Currently there is very little information on the response of fruiting perennial plants to applied P. This is especially true for tropical production areas where soils have a high capacity of P fixation, and are poor in native phosphorus. An alternative to soil P fertilization, which is inefficient in fixing soils, is to apply phosphorus as a foliar spray. P is quickly absorbed by leaves, and is redistributed quite well through the plants because its phloem mobility, and foliar application may be a viable practice. The purpose of this present work, is to determine the effectiveness of foliar P application on the nutritional status and yield of guava. The experiment was done in a Typic Hapludox, for three consecutive agricultural years, in an adult orchard of 'Paluma' guava. Five treatments were tested: four rates leaf applications of P (0-0.5-1.0 and 2.0% of P2O5) and a control where P was applied to soil (200 g of P2O5/plant). Through the results it was verified that the foliar application of P altered the concentration of the nutrient in the soil (13 to 48 mg dm-3 P-resin), and in the guava leaves (1.2 to 1.8 g of P kg-1), but did not affect the production of fruits. In conclusion, in field conditions, it is viable to combine the phosphorus foliar fertilization with disease control, without increasing the operations and, consequently, the production cost.

Nutrients foliar content for high productivity cultivars of guava in Brazil

Commonly grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions, guava (Psidium guajava L.) is an important fruit crop of Brazil. It is cultivated on a large scale in São Paulo state, and covers about 6,500 hectares. As a result of the guava selection program developed at FCAV/UNESP, two new cultivars were created: 'Rica' and 'Paluma' with a high productivity, and also with higher nutritional requirement. Leaves analysis has become a powerful tool in mineral-nutrition research with fruit crops, not only to determine response to different nutrients, but also for diagnostic techniques in making fertilizer recommendations and assessing deficiency symptoms. Nutrient composition of the leaves varies depending on the leaf maturity, tree age, variety and nutrient supply. For the interpretation of analytical values, selection of the index tissue is important. The results of experiments conducted in the field during 1989-2000 were studied. The nutritional status was evaluated by annual leaf sampling, carried out at full bloom. Recent fully developed leaves, corresponding to the third pair (with the petiole) were collected, starting at the end of the branch, all around the tree, at a height of 1.5 m from the soil, with a total of 30 leaf pairs per sample. The yield was evaluated by weighing all the fruits in the useful area of each lot. Foliar chemical analysis showed excellent correlation with the fruit production. Through the results it was verified that the maximum yield was associated to the following levels: N = 22-26; P = 1.5-1.9; K = 17-20; Ca = 11-15; Mg = 2.5-3.5; S = 3.0-3.5 g kg -1; B = 20-25; Cu = 10-40; Fe = 50-150; Mn = 180-250; Zn = 25-35 mg kg-1 DW in the leaves of the 'Rica' guava and to N = 20-23; P = 1.4-1.8; K = 14-17; Ca = 7-11; Mg = 3.4-4.0; S = 2.5-3.5 g kg-1; B = 20-25; Cu = 20-40; Fe = 60-90; Mn = 40-80; Zn = 25-35 mg kg-1 DW in the leaves of the 'Paluma' guava.

The influence of sardine consumption on the omega-3 fatty acid content of mature human milk

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate what effect the ingestion of sardines, rich in omega-3 series polyunsaturated fatty acids, has on the composition of breastmilk. Methods: This was a prospective study of 31 nursing mothers under observation at the Hospital Guilherme Álvaro. Each was given 2 kg of fresh sardines twice with a 15-day interval. Milk was sampled and a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire was applied on days 0, 15 and 30. Milk was assayed for fatty acid content by gas chromatography. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using nonparametric tests with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The results demonstrate that the nutritional intake of the nursing mothers was adequate at all three sample points. With regard to the omega-3 series fatty acid content of the breastmilk, it was observed that regular consumption and shorter intervals between ingestion and milk collection resulted in higher concentrations of docosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid at 15 and 30 days into the study. Fatty acids from the omega-3 and omega-6 series exhibited a significant correlation, r 2 was 0.58 and 0.59 at 15 and 30 days, respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that incorporating fish into the diets of nursing mother during lactation, in the form of 100 g of sardines two or three times a week, contributes to an increase in omega-3 series fatty acids. Copyright © 2006 by Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria.

Manifestações sistêmicas na doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is progressive and is characterized by abnormal inflammation of the lungs in response to inhalation of noxious particles or toxic gases, especially cigarette smoke. Although this infirmity primarily affects the lungs, diverse extrapulmonary manifestations have been described. The likely mechanisms involved in the local and systemic inflammation seen in this disease include an increase in the number of inflammatory cells (resulting in abnormal production of inflammatory cytokines) and an imbalance between the formation of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant capacity (leading to oxidative stress). Weakened physical condition secondary to airflow limitation can also lead to the development of altered muscle function. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease presents diverse systemic effects including nutritional depletion and musculoskeletal dysfunction (causing a reduction in exercise tolerance), as well as other effects related to the comorbidities generally observed in these patients. These manifestations have been correlated with survival and overall health status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. In view of these facts, the aim of this review was to discuss findings in the literature related to the systemic manifestations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphasizing the role played by systemic inflammation and evaluating various therapeutic strategies.