Abstract Background: the aim of the present study was to compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Brazilian children aged 6-10 years using three different international criteria. Methods: systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, and insulin levels were measured in 290 schoolchildren, and the presence of metabolic syndrome was analyzed according to the criteria established by Cook, Boney, and Ferreira. Results: the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 2.27 % (Boney and Ferreira criteria) and 7.58 % (Cook criteria) for girls, and 3.8 % (Boney and Ferreira criteria) and 5.06 % (Cook criteria) for boys. Agreement in pairs showed a concordance of 57.5 % (Kappa = 0.57) between Boney and Cook criteria, and 65.2 % (Kappa = 0.65) between Cook and Ferreira. The greatest concordance found was 77 % (Kappa = 0.77) between Boney and Ferreira criteria, demonstrating a substantial agreement. Conclusion: prevalences according to Boney and Ferreira criteria was lower than according to Cook criteria. Therefore, we suggest the use of Cook criteria in clinical practice for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, since this criterion provided a wider diagnostic range, thereby reducing the risk of underdiagnosis.

Resumen Antecedentes: el objetivo del presente estudio fue comparar la prevalencia del síndrome metabólico en niños brasileños de 6 a 10 años de edad, usando tres diferentes criterios internacionales. Métodos: se midieron la presión arterial sistólica y diastólica, el colesterol de alta y baja densidad, los triglicéridos, la glucemia en ayunas y la insulinemia en 290 escolares, y se analizó la presencia del síndrome metabólico de acuerdo con los criterios de Cook, Boney y Ferreira. Resultados: la prevalencia del síndrome metabólico encontradas fueron del 2,27 % (criterios de Boney y Ferreira) y 7,58 % (criterios de Cook) para las niñas, y del 3,8 % (criterios de Boney y Ferreira) y 5,06 % (criterios de Cook) para los niños. La concordancia por pares fue del 57,5 % (Kappa = 0,57) entre los criterios de Boney y Cook, y del 65,2 % (Kappa = 0,65) entre los criterios de Cook y Ferreira. La mayor concordancia encontrada fue del 77 % (Kappa = 0,77) entre los criterios de Boney y Ferreira, demostrando una concordancia sustancial. Conclusiones: la prevalencia de acuerdo con los criterios de Boney y Ferreira fue inferior a la encontrada con los criterios de Cook. Por lo tanto, sugerimos el uso de los criterios de Cook en la práctica clínica para el diagnóstico del síndrome metabólico, ya que utilizando este criterio se obtiene un rango diagnóstico más amplio, reduciéndose así el riesgo del infradiagnóstico.

ABSTRACT Objective: to estimate the prevalence of TaqIA, -141C and rs6280 polymorphisms of the ANKK1, DRD2 and DRD3 genes and evaluate their association with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome in patients with refractory schizophrenia. Method: cross-sectional study conducted in the Extended Western Region of Minas Gerais, with refractory schizophrenic patients using the antipsychotic clozapine. Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, biochemical and genetic data were collected. Univariate analysis of the data was performed. Results: seventy-two patients participated in the study and the occurrence of Metabolic Syndrome was observed in 47.2% of them. There was no association between Metabolic Syndrome and the studied polymorphisms. There was a statistically significant difference in the low HDL parameter with homozygous genotype for the C allele of the -141C polymorphism of the DRD2 gene. Conclusion: a high prevalence of MS was evidenced. The -141C polymorphism was associated with low HDL. Genetic analysis and identification of metabolic alterations in this group of patients can guide drug treatment and provide a better quality of life.

RESUMEN Objetivo: estimar la prevalencia de los polimorfismos TaqIA, -141C y rs6280 de los genes ANKK1, DRD2 y DRD3 y evaluar su asociación con el síndrome metabólico en pacientes con esquizofrenia refractária. Método: estudio de delineamiento transversal, realizado en la Región Ampliada Oeste de Minas Gerais, que incluye pacientes con esquizofrenia refractária usando el antipsicótico clozapina. Fueron recogidos datos sociodemográficos, clínicos, antropométricos, bioquímicos y genéticos. Se realizó um análisis univariada de los datos. Resultados: participaron 72 pacientes y se observó el Síndrome Metabólico en 47,2%, no siendo encontrada una asociación del Síndrome Metabólico con los polimorfismos estudiados. Hubo diferencia estadísticamente significante con el parámetro del bajo HDL con genotipo homozigoto para alelo C del polimorfismo -141C del gen DRD2. Conclusión: se vio una prevalencia de SM elevada. El polimorfismo -141C se asoció al bajo HDL. El análisis genético y la identificación de alteraciones metabólicas, en este grupo de pacientes, pueden guiar al tratamiento medicamentoso y propiciar mejor calidad de vida.

RESUMO Objetivo: estimar a prevalência dos polimorfismos TaqIA, -141C e rs6280 dos genes ANKK1, DRD2 e DRD3 e avaliar sua associação com a ocorrência de síndrome metabólica em pacientes com esquizofrenia refratária. Método: estudo de delineamento transversal, realizado na Região Ampliada Oeste de Minas Gerais, que incluiu pacientes com esquizofrenia refratária em uso do antipsicótico clozapina. Foram coletados dados sociodemográficos, clínicos, antropométricos, bioquímicos e genéticos. Realizou-se análise univariada dos dados. Resultados: participaram 72 pacientes e observou-se a ocorrência de Síndrome Metabólica em 47,2%, não sendo encontrada associação da Síndrome Metabólica com os polimorfismos estudados. Houve diferença estatisticamente significante com o parâmetro do baixo HDL com genótipo homozigoto para alelo C do polimorfismo -141C do gene DRD2. Conclusão: evidenciou-se prevalência de SM elevada. O polimorfismo -141C associou-se ao baixo HDL. A análise genética e a identificação de alterações metabólicas, neste grupo de pacientes, podem nortear o tratamento medicamentoso e propiciar melhor qualidade de vida.

RESUMO Objetivo: estimar a prevalência dos polimorfismos TaqIA, -141C e rs6280 dos genes ANKK1, DRD2 e DRD3 e avaliar sua associação com a ocorrência de síndrome metabólica em pacientes com esquizofrenia refratária. Método: estudo de delineamento transversal, realizado na Região Ampliada Oeste de Minas Gerais, que incluiu pacientes com esquizofrenia refratária em uso do antipsicótico clozapina. Foram coletados dados sociodemográficos, clínicos, antropométricos, bioquímicos e genéticos. Realizou-se análise univariada dos dados. Resultados: participaram 72 pacientes e observou-se a ocorrência de Síndrome Metabólica em 47,2%, não sendo encontrada associação da Síndrome Metabólica com os polimorfismos estudados. Houve diferença estatisticamente significante com o parâmetro do baixo HDL com genótipo homozigoto para alelo C do polimorfismo -141C do gene DRD2. Conclusão: evidenciou-se prevalência de SM elevada. O polimorfismo -141C associou-se ao baixo HDL. A análise genética e a identificação de alterações metabólicas, neste grupo de pacientes, podem nortear o tratamento medicamentoso e propiciar melhor qualidade de vida.

ABSTRACT Objective: to estimate the prevalence of TaqIA, -141C and rs6280 polymorphisms of the ANKK1, DRD2 and DRD3 genes and evaluate their association with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome in patients with refractory schizophrenia. Method: cross-sectional study conducted in the Extended Western Region of Minas Gerais, with refractory schizophrenic patients using the antipsychotic clozapine. Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, biochemical and genetic data were collected. Univariate analysis of the data was performed. Results: seventy-two patients participated in the study and the occurrence of Metabolic Syndrome was observed in 47.2% of them. There was no association between Metabolic Syndrome and the studied polymorphisms. There was a statistically significant difference in the low HDL parameter with homozygous genotype for the C allele of the -141C polymorphism of the DRD2 gene. Conclusion: a high prevalence of MS was evidenced. The -141C polymorphism was associated with low HDL. Genetic analysis and identification of metabolic alterations in this group of patients can guide drug treatment and provide a better quality of life.

RESUMEN Objetivo: estimar la prevalencia de los polimorfismos TaqIA, -141C y rs6280 de los genes ANKK1, DRD2 y DRD3 y evaluar su asociación con el síndrome metabólico en pacientes con esquizofrenia refractária. Método: estudio de delineamiento transversal, realizado en la Región Ampliada Oeste de Minas Gerais, que incluye pacientes con esquizofrenia refractária usando el antipsicótico clozapina. Fueron recogidos datos sociodemográficos, clínicos, antropométricos, bioquímicos y genéticos. Se realizó um análisis univariada de los datos. Resultados: participaron 72 pacientes y se observó el Síndrome Metabólico en 47,2%, no siendo encontrada una asociación del Síndrome Metabólico con los polimorfismos estudiados. Hubo diferencia estadísticamente significante con el parámetro del bajo HDL con genotipo homozigoto para alelo C del polimorfismo -141C del gen DRD2. Conclusión: se vio una prevalencia de SM elevada. El polimorfismo -141C se asoció al bajo HDL. El análisis genético y la identificación de alteraciones metabólicas, en este grupo de pacientes, pueden guiar al tratamiento medicamentoso y propiciar mejor calidad de vida.

Abstract The Brazilian Cerrado presents a wide variety of natural products, including the Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense). The important factor that determines the dietary and nutritional ideality of protein is degestitibility. This work aims to evaluate the protein digestibility of Pequi seeds and the presence of anti-nutritional factors. The protein Pequi almonds were extracted, toasted and untoasted. Evaluation digestibility was structurally characterized by SDS-PAGE 15%, which can be used to analyze simulated gastric fluid (SFG) and digestion in intestinal fluid (SFI) in the presence of pepsin and trypsin/chymotrypsin. The extract from Pequi almonds showed inhibitory activity and was not detected hemagglutination. The intensity of the bands according to 2S albumins, after heat treatment, did not decrease in comparison to the condition native, significantly. In the crisp crude extract, which was incubated under SGF and SIF, the intensity of the corresponding bands at 8 and 3 kDa was resistant to SGF and indigestible after 4 hours under SIF. The characterization of Pequi almonds demonstrated that the product of the crude extract has anti-nutritional factors, which were confirmed by evaluating digestibility.

Abstract A novel trypsin inhibitor of protease (CqTI) was purified from Chenopodium quinoa seeds. The optimal extracting solvent was 0.1M NaCl pH 6.8 (p < 0.05). The extraction time of 5h and 90 °C was optimum for the recovery of the trypsin inhibitor from C. quinoa seeds. The purification occurred in gel-filtration and reverse phase chromatography. CqTI presented active against commercial bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin and had a specific activity of 5,033.00 (TIU/mg), which was purified to 333.5-fold. The extent of purification was determined by SDS-PAGE. CqTI had an apparent molecular weight of approximately 12KDa and two bands in reduced conditions as determined by Tricine-SDS-PAGE. MALDI-TOF showed two peaks in 4,246.5 and 7,908.18m/z. CqTI presented high levels of essential amino acids. N-terminal amino acid sequence of this protein did not show similarity to any known protease inhibitor. Its activity was stable over a pH range (2-12), temperatures range (20-100 °C) and reducing agents.

Abstract A novel lectin was isolated from the seeds of Chenopodium quinoa. To achieve this end, the crude extract from the quinoa was submitted to two purification steps, Sephadex G50 and Mono Q. The hemagglutinating activity showed that this lectin agglutinates human erythrocytes. Its activity is inhibited by glucose and mannose, and remained stable under a wide range of pH levels and temperatures. The quinoa lectin was found to be a heterodimeric lectin of approximately 60 kDa, consisting of two subunits of approximately 25 kDa and 35 kDa. This lectin had its antimicrobial activity tested against several bacteria strains and effectively inhibited three strains. These strains were all Gram-negative, making this lectin a promising antimicrobial tool.

Chenopodium quinoa seeds have high protein content. The nutritional value of quinoa is superior compared with traditional cereals. Its essential amino acid composition is considered next to the ideal, and its quality matches that of milk proteins. In this study, the seed storage proteins from Chenopodium quinoa were extracted, fractionated, partially purified, and characterized. The structural characterization was performed by Tricine-SDS-PAGE and two-dimensional electrophoresis, and it confirmed the presence of proteins of molecular weight of 30 and 7kDa, probably corresponding to lectins and trypsin inhibitors, respectively. The functional characterization of these proteins evidenced their activity as antinutritional factors due to their in vitro digestibility. Quinoa proteins have an excellent amino acid composition with many essential amino acids. In vitro digestibility evaluation indicated that heat-treated samples showed a more complete digestion than the native state samples. Quinoa seeds can be an important cereal in human diet after adequate heat treatment.