Tackling Food Insecurity in Cabo Verde Islands: The Nutritional, Agricultural and Environmental Values of the Legume Species.

Legume species are important food sources to reduce hunger and deal with malnutrition; they also play a crucial role in sustainable agriculture in the tropical dry islands of Cabo Verde. To improve the knowledge of the heritage of plant genetic resources in this Middle Income Country, this study had three main goals: (i) to provide a checklist of food legumes; (ii) to investigate which species are traded in local markets and, based on field surveys, to compare species for their chemical, phenolic, antioxidant, and nutritional composition; and (iii) to discuss the agronomic value and contribution to food security in this archipelago. Our results revealed that 15 species are used as food and 5 of them are locally traded (Cajanus cajan, Lablab purpureus, Phaseolus lunatus, Phaseolus vulgaris, and Vigna unguiculata). The role of these species as sources of important minerals, antioxidants, and nutritional components for food security is highlighted, and the native ones (Lablab purpureus and Vigna unguiculata) stand-out as particularly well-adapted to the climate of these islands, which are already experiencing the adverse effects of climate change. We conclude that the sustainable use of these genetic resources can contribute to the reduction of hunger and poverty, thus meeting some challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Issue of the Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is a state of hypercoagulability secondary to an autoimmune disorder. It is associated with thrombotic events in venous and arterial vessels, obstetric complications characterized by recurrent fetal losses, and increased perinatal morbidity. APS is classified as primary, when not associated with other pathologies; or secondary, when associated with an underlying autoimmune disease with, solid tumor, or hematological disorder. Clinical findings include livedo reticularis, thrombocytopenia or hemolytic anemia, maternal morbidity, and recurrent thrombotic episodes and others. Laboratory tests show circulating antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs); however, even in the presence of these antibodies, patients can be asymptomatic. Estimates predict that about 5% of the populations have circulating aPLs, but the incidence of APS is only five cases per 100,000 people, as diagnosis of this syndrome requires clinical and laboratory findings to be simultaneously present. In cases of secondary APS, or in acute cases with imminent risk of death (as in catastrophic APS), it may be necessary to reduce aPL serum levels using immunomodulators, immunosuppressants, or plasmapheresis, in order to treat the associated pathologies. In other situations, the use of immunotherapy is not indicated. In other patients heparin, aspirin or anticoagulants either alone or associated should be administered depending on each specific case.

Coronary Artery Thromboses, Stent Thrombosis and Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome: Case Report.

The antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is defined by a state of hypercoagulability secondary to an autoimmune disorder. There are evidences that approximately 2.8-5.5% of cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in young individuals are secondary to APS. In this case report, three coronary artery thromboses occurring within a short period are described. Initially, there was an ST-segment elevation (STEMI) in the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD), with the vessel being treated with stent implantation. Thereafter, a subacute stent thrombosis occurred (high thrombotic load in almost all coronary arteries), which was treated with implantation of two stents. Subsequently, there was a new infarction owing to a new thrombosis in the native coronary artery. The treatment of APS in patients who developed thrombotic events is full anticoagulation from the initial stages maintained throughout life. The standard anticoagulant therapy is administration of vitamin K antagonists, such as warfarin.

Resistance of Rice Varieties to the Stored-Product Insect, Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Four common Portuguese rice varieties--Thaibonnet, Gladio, Albatros, and Eurosis--were tested for their relative susceptibility to Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, a common pest of stored rice in Portugal and in tropical countries. Physical (moisture content, hardness, length, and width) and chemical (by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) properties of rice kernels were measured. Insect bioassays measured median developmental time, Dobie's index of susceptibility, percentage of damaged grains and weight loss, and progeny developed. This was done for paddy, brown rice, and polished rice for each variety. There were small, but significant, differences in insect resistance among the varieties. However, it was different for paddy and polished rice. In paddy, these differences were correlated with hull damage, and Eurosis was the most susceptible variety. In polished rice, resistance was correlated with hardness, and Thaibonnet was the most susceptible variety. In general, paddy rice was more resistant to insect attack, followed by polished rice and then brown rice. Paddy kernels selected with undamaged hull were completely resistant to attack. Implications for IPM and breeding for resistant varieties are discussed.

Association Between Ankle-Brachial Index and Coronary Lesions Assessed by Coronary Angiography.

BACKGROUND: The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a simple, non-invasive, and inexpensive method used in the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and can identify individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease in other arteries of the body, especially the coronary and carotid arteries. The primary objective of this study was to assess whether patients with an ABI < 0.9 have more severe coronary artery disease detected on coronary angiography compared to patients with a normal ABI. METHODS: This is a prospective, analytical, cross-sectional study that was performed from July 1, 2013 to June 31, 2014 that recruited 163 patients (101 men (62%) and 62 women (38%)) according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All patients underwent coronary angiography, and then ABI measurements were performed. Pearson's Chi-square and Student's t-tests were used to compare variables between groups. The Poisson regression model was used to evaluate whether ABI was an independent predictor of stenoses > 50%. RESULTS: The prevalence of ABI < 0.9 was 9.8%. Patients with an ABI < 0.9 had a higher prevalence of stenoses ≥ 50% in the left anterior descendant (LAD) (68.7% vs. 36%, P = 0.02) and left main (8.7% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.001) than those with a normal ABI. On multivariate Poisson regression, an ABI < 0.9 was an independent predictor of stenosis ≥ 50% in the LAD (odds ratio (OR): 2.05 (1.39 - 3.04), P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with an ABI < 0.9 had a higher prevalence of stenoses ≥ 50% in the LAD and left main than those with a normal ABI. An abnormal ABI was an independent predictor of lesions ≥ 50% in LAD.