A Platform to Quantify Phenotypic Responses to Root-Root Interactions Among Kin and Non-kin Common Beans

Background: Tempeh, a product of Indonesian origin based on fermented soybeans, is present in naturalistic diets and has been gaining popularity in other cultures and diets due to the convenience for food preparation and use, aside from the nutritional and functional quality. Methods: In this work, tempehs were produced from common bean, carioca grain type (CBT) aged and peeled, and in combination with yellow soybean (CBST: 50:50). Products were characterized based on nutritional quality (proximate composition, fiber, mineral, vitamin B12, energetic value), physical-chemical properties (pH, acidity, moisture, water activity), functional characteristics (antioxidant capacity), sensorial aspects (texture and color) and antinutrient content. Data from beanbased tempehs and the commercially purchased traditional soybean tempeh (ST) were statistically evaluated and the means compared by Tukey test. Results: Although CBT was found nutritionally inferior to ST, its contribution on protein intake was noteworthy and, unlike ST, it presented high fiber content and low caloric value. P, K, Mg, Cu and Mo levels meet daily requirements for adults. CBT showed higher antioxidant capacity by DPPH method and was significantly more soft and elastic and less sticky and gummy when compared to ST, and L, a* and b* CBT color parameters were more pronounced than ST. Conclusion: It can thus be concluded that tempeh based on carioca common beans can be an interesting alternative for stored grains, with good sensorial and functional properties and making an important nutritional contribution to the diet.

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PD-1/SHP-2 negatively regulate Tc1/Th1 phenotypic responses and activation of T cells in the tumor microenvironment

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer ◽

10.1186/2051-1426-2-s3-p221 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (S3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jing Li ◽

Robert L Ferris

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Tumor Microenvironment ◽

Phenotypic Responses

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Disclosing the Nutritional Quality Diversity of Portuguese Common Beans—The Missing Link for Their Effective Use in Protein Quality Breeding Programs

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11020221 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 221

Author(s):

Elsa Mecha ◽

Sofia Natalello ◽

Bruna Carbas ◽

Andreia Bento da Silva ◽

Susana T. Leitão ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Amino Acid ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Protein Quality ◽

Trypsin Inhibitor Activity ◽

Environment Interaction ◽

Individual Amino Acid ◽

Common Beans ◽

Breeding Programs

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) represents a sustainable and affordable source of protein, namely, to populations with vegetarian dietary habits. Despite the national germplasm genetic diversity, little is known about the Portuguese accessions’ nutritional and protein quality, leading to their underuse in breeding programs. To fill this gap, a representative collection (106 accessions) was cropped under two contrasting environments (traditional versus heat stress) and evaluated in terms of nutritional quality by near-infrared spectroscopy. Protein quality was assessed, under the stressful environment, considering the individual amino acid contents and the activity of trypsin inhibitors through mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and spectrophotometry, respectively. On top of strong genotypic control, the nutritional composition (protein, fat, fiber, moisture and ash) was also highly influenced by the environment and by genotype × environment interaction, with a clear nutritional quality ranking change for the accessions in heat stress conditions. Classified into three clusters, the accessions from the cluster with the highest individual amino acid and protein contents also showed higher trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA). Since different levels of TIA had no translation into contrasting protein digestibility, breeders focusing on common beans’ protein quality improvement, especially under challenging warming climate conditions, may take advantage of this group of accessions.

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Maize intercropping in the milpa system. Diversity, extent and importance for nutritional security in the Western Highlands of Guatemala

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-82784-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Santiago Lopez-Ridaura ◽

Luis Barba-Escoto ◽

Cristian A. Reyna-Ramirez ◽

Carlos Sum ◽

Natalia Palacios-Rojas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Farm Households ◽

Small Scale ◽

Agricultural System ◽

Energy Yield ◽

Common Beans ◽

Nutritional Security ◽

Nutrient Adequacy ◽

Faba Beans ◽

Total Productivity

AbstractWe present an assessment of the extent, diversity, and nutritional contribution of the milpa through a quantitative analysis of data from a survey conducted in 989 small scale farm households in the Western Highlands of Guatemala (WHG). The milpa is a traditional agricultural system in which maize is intercropped with other species, such as common beans, faba beans, squashes or potatoes. Our study shows that more than two-thirds of the 1,205 plots recorded were under the milpa system, with a great diversity of crop combinations. As shown with the 357 plots for which specific yields were available, milpa systems present higher total productivity than monocropped maize, expressed as total energy yield of the harvested crops in the respective system, and were also better at providing the recommended daily allowances of fourteen essential nutrients, based on a Potential Nutrient Adequacy (PNA) indicator. Maize-bean-potato, maize-potato, and maize-bean-faba intercrops had the highest PNAs, and monocropped maize, the lowest. These results support the implementation of milpa systems tailored to different agro-ecologies in order to improve nutrition in the WHG and a variety of similar regions.

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Wild Zebrafish Sentinels: Biological Monitoring of Site Differences Using Behavior and Morphology

Toxics ◽

10.3390/toxics9070165 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 165

Author(s):

Jeffrey R. Kelly ◽

Sierra G. Shelton ◽

Danita K. Daniel ◽

Anuradha Bhat ◽

Rubina Mondal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Global Health ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Rapid Assessment ◽

Sexually Dimorphic ◽

Plastic Pollution ◽

Phenotypic Differences ◽

Hypoxic Conditions ◽

Body Shapes ◽

Detection Evaluation ◽

Phenotypic Responses

Environmental change poses a devastating risk to human and environmental health. Rapid assessment of water conditions is necessary for monitoring, evaluating, and addressing this global health danger. Sentinels or biological monitors can be deployed in the field using minimal resources to detect water quality changes in real time, quickly and cheaply. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are ideal sentinels for detecting environmental changes due to their biomedical tool kit, widespread geographic distribution, and well-characterized phenotypic responses to environmental disturbances. Here, we demonstrate the utility of zebrafish sentinels by characterizing phenotypic differences in wild zebrafish between two field sites in India. Site 1 was a rural environment with flowing water, low-hypoxic conditions, minimal human-made debris, and high iron and lead concentrations. Site 2 was an urban environment with still water, hypoxic conditions, plastic pollution, and high arsenic, iron, and chromium concentrations. We found that zebrafish from Site 2 were smaller, more cohesive, and less active than Site 1 fish. We also found sexually dimorphic body shapes within the Site 2, but not the Site 1, population. Advancing zebrafish sentinel research and development will enable rapid detection, evaluation, and response to emerging global health threats.

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