Effects of cultivars and fertilization levels on the quality of rice milling: A diagnosis using near-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy.

Cultivars and fertilization levels influence rice productivity and can be associated with grain quality. Thus, it is possible to make decisions regarding the choice of cultivars and application of fertilizer levels based on the type of milling, a necessary post-harvest process that may minimize the nutrient load in the grains and result in loss in quality. This study relates the physicochemical composition and morphological quality of brown and polished milled rice grains, cultivar types, and different levels of soil fertilization using near-infrared spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Statistical tools were used to test the various treatments and identify the relationship between factors and variables. A high fertilization level is related to increasing crude protein composition and starch for cultivar IRGA 431 CL associated with polished rice. However, the combination of cultivar IRGA 424 RI and brown rice demonstrated a higher grain resistance, and different percentages of whole, chalky, and damaged rice. The correlation between ash × crude protein and starch × crude fiber was found to be positive for brown rice and negative for the polished rice. Further, an increase in starch content was inversely proportional to the ash content, whereas an increase in crude protein was inversely proportional to the low-fat content in milled rice. The crystalline characteristics of rice starch were preserved at high fertilization levels associated with polished grains that demonstrated high starch content. Polished grains, however, showed more pores and cavities, and consequently greater permeabilities in the surface. It is recommended that batches of grains produced from cultivar IRGA 431 CL with high levels of fertilization be subjected to polished rice milling to achieve high protein and starch quality. However, grains from cultivar IRGA 424 RI with high levels of fertilization are recommended for brown rice milling owing to the high percentage of physical defects observed.

Adaptation of technological packaging for conservation of soybean seeds in storage units as an alternative to modified atmospheres.

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of seeds of RR and RR2 PRO soybean cultivars stored in ambient air with raffia packaging (ANER), ambient air with laminated packaging (ANEL), modified atmosphere with polyethylene packaging (AMEP), refrigerated atmosphere (1 to 3°C) with raffia packaging (ARER), refrigerated atmosphere (1 to 3°C) with laminated packaging (AREL), and modified (-14 PSI) and refrigerated (1 to 3°C) atmosphere with polyethylene packaging (AMREP), over 6 months of storage. Results showed that the seeds of cultivar RR2 were preserved with better physiological quality. Raffia and polyethylene packaging under natural storage conditions, in a refrigerated and modified atmosphere, did not preserve the seed quality over the storage period. The conditions of storage in ambient air with laminated packaging (ANEL) and in a refrigerated atmosphere with laminated packaging (AREL) reduced the environmental effects of temperature and relative humidity, leading to better results of physiological quality of the seeds. Storage time negatively influenced the physiological quality of seeds, except for AREL and ANEL, which maintained the quality close to that of the initial conditions, over the 6 months of storage. The best alternatives for soybean seeds storage over 6 months are the laminated packaging in a natural environment, matching the refrigerated conditions. The technological laminated packaging can be used as a new alternative for conserving soybean seeds in processing and storage units.

Reliability and viability of using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20 in patients with chronic coronary artery disease. / Confiabilidade e viabilidade de uso do Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory - 20 em pacientes com doença arterial coronariana crônica.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the reliability and viability estimates of using the translated and adapted version of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20 for use in Brazil in patients with chronic coronary artery disease. METHOD: A methodological study. The instrument was answered by the participants without the help of the researchers. Filling time was recorded, and facilities and difficulties were documented. The viability of use was analyzed through acceptability, practicality, ceiling and floor effects. Reliability was estimated by internal consistency. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 201 participants. The mean fatigue score was 51.9 + 14.0. There was a small rate of unanswered items (0.65%), although 30.3% of participants requested some clarification after reading the instructions; 37.3% reported that they had doubts when answering the items, especially number 19. The response time was 4.8 + 1.9 minutes. There were no ceiling or floor effects. The reliability estimate was adequate. CONCLUSION: The instrument needs adjustments to the wording of the instructions and some items, although it has good acceptability and reliability estimates.

Características da fadiga no pré e pós-operatórios de cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio / Characteristics of fatigue in the pre- and postoperative periods of coronary artery bypass grafting

Introdução: Fadiga é um fenômeno complexo e multifatorial que foi aceito como um diagnóstico de enfermagem pela NANDA-Internacional em 1988. Pouco se conhece acerca das características da fadiga em pacientes com DAC crônica no pré e pós-operatórios de cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio(RM). Futuramente, esse conhecimento poderá contribuir para guiar o enfermeiro no delineamento e na implementação de intervenções, com vistas ao alcance de resultados positivos na saúde dessas pessoas. Objetivo: Analisar as características da fadiga em pacientes com DAC crônica no pré e no pós-operatórios de cirurgia de RM. Método: Estudo longitudinal, prospectivo e analítico realizado em hospital de referência em cardiologia em São Paulo, entre maio e dezembro de 2016. Foram incluídos inicialmente 159 pacientes e excluídos 22, na avaliação pré-operatória. Em relação à avaliação pós-operatória foram excluídos dois pacientes e houve perda de seguimento de 15. A coleta de dados foi realizada no pré-operatório e pós-operatório. A fadiga foi avaliada pela Dutch Fatigue Scale (DUFS) e a fadiga ao esforço pela Dutch Exertion Fatigue Scale (DEFS). Para verificar a prevalência/incidência de fadiga e de fadiga ao esforço, utilizou-se teste diagnóstico e o ponto de corte daquelas escalas foi estabelecido por meio da curva Receiver Operator Characteristics (ROC). Depressão, dor, dispneia e qualidade e eficiência do sono foram avaliadas por instrumentos validados. A consistência interna dos instrumentos foi verificada por meio do coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. Para verificar a associação da fadiga e da fadiga ao esforço com as variáveis pré e pós-operatórias foram utilizados os testes t de student, análise de variância (ANOVA), coeficiente de correlação de Pearson e coeficiente de correlação tau de Kendall e o modelo de regressão linear. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. Resultados: Foram incluídos 137 participantes em pré-operatório de cirurgia de RM (75,9%, sexo masculino; 62,4 ± 8,3 anos). Os pontos de corte estabelecidos para a fadiga e fadiga ao esforço foram, respectivamente, 18,5 (DUFS) e 17,5 (DEFS). A prevalência de fadiga e fadiga ao esforço no pré-operatório foi de 67,2% e a incidência de fadiga no pós-operatório foi de 21,7%. O escore médio da DUFS foi 23,3 ± 8,4 no pré-operatório e 23,0 ± 8,4 no pós- operatório; e da DEFS foi 23,8 ± 9,8 no pré-operatório. A análise de regressão linear mostrou que os fatores preditivos de fadiga (DUFS) avaliada no pré-operatório foram depressão e qualidade do sono; para a fadiga ao esforço (DEFS) foram depressão, qualidade do sono e sedentarismo. O fator pré-operatório preditivo de fadiga (DUFS) avaliada no pós-operatório foi a depressão. Os fatores pós-operatórios, que permaneceram no modelo de regressão, associados à fadiga (DUFS) avaliada no pós-operatório foram dor e dispneia. Conclusão: Pacientes com DAC apresentam relevante fadiga e fadiga ao esforço no pré e pós-operatórios de cirurgia de RM. Depressão é um fator preditivo de fadiga no pré e pós-operatórios de cirurgia de RM. Qualidade do sono e sedentarismo são fatores preditivos de fadiga ao esforço no pré-operatório. Por sua vez, dor e dispneia se associaram com a intensidade de fadiga no pós-operatório.

Introduction: Fatigue is a complex, multifactorial phenomenon that it was accepted as a diagnosis by NANDA-International in 1988. Little is known about the characteristics of fatigue in patients with chronic CAD in the pre and postoperative periods of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In the future, this knowledge may contribute to guide the nurse in the design and implementation of interventions, in order to achieve positive results in the health of these people. Aim: To analyze the characteristics of fatigue in patients with chronic CAD in the pre- and postoperative periods of CABG. Methods: A longitudinal, prospective and analytical study performed at a Cardiology hospital in São Paulo, from May to December 2016. Initially, 159 patients were included and 22 were excluded in the preoperative evaluation. Regarding the postoperative evaluation, two patients were excluded and there was a loss of follow-up of 15. Data collection was performed preoperatively and postoperatively. Fatigue was assessed by the Dutch Fatigue Scale (DUFS) and exertion fatigue, by the Dutch Exertion Fatigue Scale (DEFS). In order to evaluate the prevalence/incidence of fatigue and exertion fatigue, a diagnostic test was used and the cutoff point of those scales was established using the Receiver Operator Characteristics (ROC) curve. Depression, pain, dyspnea, and sleep quality and efficiency were evaluated by validated instruments. The internal consistency of the instruments was evaluated using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In order to evaluate the association of fatigue and fatigue with pre- and post-operative variables, Student's t tests, analysis of variance ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, Kendall's tau correlation coefficient and linear regression model were used. The level of significance was 5%. Results: 137 preoperative CABG participants were included (75.9% male, 62.4 ± 8.3 years). The established cutoff point for fatigue and exertion fatigue was 18.5 (DUFS) and 17.5 (DEFS), respectively. The preoperative prevalence of fatigue and exertion fatigue was 67.2% and the incidence of fatigue in the postoperative period was 21.7%. The mean DUFS score was 23.3 ± 8.4 in the preoperative period and 23.0 ± 8.4 in the postoperative period; the mean DEFS was 23.8 ± 9.8 preoperatively. The linear regression analysis showed that the predictive preoperative factors of fatigue (DUFS) were depression and sleep quality. The predictive preoperative factors of exertion fatigue (DEFS) were depression, sleep quality, and sedentary lifestyle. The only predictive preoperative factor of postoperative fatigue (DUFS) was depression. The postoperative factors that remained in the regression model associated with postoperative fatigue (DUFS) were pain and dyspnea. Conclusion: Patients with CAD have clinically relevant fatigue and exertion fatigue in the pre- and postoperative periods of CABG. Depression is a predictive factor of fatigue in the pre- and postoperative period of CABG. Sleep quality and sedentary lifestyle are predictive factors of preoperative exertion fatigue. In turn, pain and dyspnea were associated with the postoperative fatigue.