ABSTRACT
Water resource degradation is one of mankind's greatest worries, as it causes direct and indirect damage to the associated biota. We initiated a water monitoring study in Pelotas Creek in 2003 in order to assess the mutagenic effect of the creek's waters. Allium cepa cells exposed to water samples and a chronically exposed macrophyte were analyzed, through evaluation of the mitotic index, mitotic anomalies, interphase anomalies, and total anomalies. Five points were chosen along the lower course of Pelotas Creek, from which water samples and floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, Apiaceae) were collected in 2006 and 2007. The enteric bacterium Escherichia coli was found at all sampling points; in the physical-chemical analysis, a few variables exceeded permitted limits, pH (from 6 to 9), chloride (250 mg/L), hardness (from 10 to 200 mg CaCO(3)/L), and conductivity (100 microOmega/cm). There was an increased number of cytogenetic anomalies in exposed A. cepa cells and in the pennywort in 2006 relative to 2007, which may be explained by the increased rainfall, which was three times greater in 2007 at some stations than in 2006.Omega/cm). There was an increased number of cytogenetic anomalies in exposed A. cepa cells and in the pennywort in 2006 relative to 2007, which may be explained by the increased rainfall, which was three times greater in 2007 at some stations than in 2006.
Subject(s)
Mutagens/toxicity , Rivers/chemistry , Water/chemistry , Brazil , Centella/cytology , Centella/drug effects , Geography , Interphase/drug effects , Mitosis/drug effects , Mitotic Index , Mutagenicity Tests , Onions/cytology , Onions/drug effectsSubject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology , Estrogens, Non-Steroidal , Isoflavones , Female , Humans , Phytoestrogens , Plant Preparations , Plants , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
The essential requirements of a scientific paper are described although each journal publishes its own specific 'Guidelines for Contributors' which may differ to some extent from those required by other journals. It is essential to follow such guidelines and to check and recheck your paper.
Subject(s)
Publishing , Writing , Abstracting and Indexing , Bibliographies as Topic , Guidelines as Topic , Humans , Periodicals as Topic , ScienceSubject(s)
Awards and Prizes , Dietetics , Dietetics/history , Germany, West , History, 20th Century , Scotland , SocietiesSubject(s)
Food Preferences , Food-Processing Industry , Animals , Consumer Behavior , Fishes , Food Preservation , Meat Products , Milk , United KingdomSubject(s)
Consumer Product Safety , Diet Fads , Food Handling , Food Technology , Nutritive Value , United KingdomSubject(s)
Public Health , Societies, Medical , History, 19th Century , Societies, Medical/history , United KingdomSubject(s)
Dietary Fiber/administration & dosage , Aged , Constipation/prevention & control , HumansSubject(s)
Body Weight , Diet, Reducing , Appetite Depressants , Diet Fads , Diet, Reducing/adverse effects , Energy Intake , HumansABSTRACT
A weaning food commonly used in Nigeria was simulated by mixing processed sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) with skim-milk powder (830: 170, w/w). Replacing 310 g/kg sorghum with processed cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) resulted in an increase in protein content from 96 to 113 g/kg and an increase in biological value of the protein from 0.74 to 0.87. The two mixtures were compared with an established commercial baby food by a panel of Nigerian mothers and all three foods were found to be equally acceptable. Processing the cowpeas by pressure cooking followed by roller-drying reduced the trypsin-inhibitor content to minimum levels. It is concluded that the protein and quality of the weaning mixture popularly used in Nigeria could be improved by partially replacing the sorghum with cowpeas.
