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.

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.

INTRODUÇÃO: O controle do perfil lipídico é uma das medidaschave para se reduzir a incidência de eventos cardíacos em coronariopatas. Objetivamos com este estudo determinar qual componente lipídico sérico tem maior influência no tamanho do ateroma por meio da análise de lesões coronarianas moderadas ao ultrassom intracoronariano. MÉTODO: Realizamos análise com ultrassom intracoronariano de 35 lesões moderadas em uma série consecutiva de 31 pacientes com indicação para o procedimento, realizando medidas das áreas da secção transversa (CSA) da membrana elástica externa (MEE), do lúmen, e da placa e média (P&M), e a carga de placa na área luminal mínima lesional (ALM). RESULTADOS: Os pacientes apresentavam média de idade de 64 ± 11 anos, sendo 75% homens e 22% diabéticos. Observamos associação inversa entre os níveis de colesterol de lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDLcolesterol) e área da P&M (r = -0,40, P = 0,02). Colesterol total, colesterol de lipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDLcolesterol) ou triglicerídeos não apresentaram associação significativa com nenhuma medida do ateroma. A regressão multivariada em etapas revelou que, entre todos os fatores de risco cardiovascular, função ventricular, perfil lipídico e medicações anti-isquêmicas, somente os níveis de HDL-colesterol (coeficiente = - 0,58; P = 0,001) e a fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo (coeficiente = - 0,40; P = 0,02) foram preditores independentes da carga de placa. Pacientes com HDL-colesterol > 50 mg/dl apresentaram menor área da P&M (4,9 ± 3,5 mm² vs. 8,84 ± 3,4 mm²; P = 0,03) e da MEE (9,4 ± 3,2 mm² vs. 13,9 ± 3,7 mm²; P = 0,01) quando comparados a pacientes com HDL-colesterol < 50 mg/dl. CONCLUSÃO: Neste estudo, o nível sérico de HDL-colesterol foi o único componente do perfil lipídico capaz de predizer o tamanho do ateroma na ALM em lesões angiograficamente moderadas avaliadas ao ultrassom intracoronariano.

OBJECTIVES: Lipid profile control is a key measure in order to reduce the incidence of future cardiac events in the setting of coronary artery disease. We aim to determine which lipid profile parameter has greater influence on atheroma size using intravascular ultrasound analysis of moderate lesions. METHODS: We performed intravascular ultrasound analysis in a consecutive series of 31 patients presenting 35 moderate lesions, measuring the cross-sectional area (CSA) of vessel, lumen, plaque & media (P&M) and plaque burden at the minimal lumen area. RESULTS: Mean age was 64 ± 11 years, with 75% men and 22% diabetics. An inverse relationship was observed between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) levels and P&M area (r = -0.40, P = 0.02). Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) or triglycerides were not related to atheroma size. Multivariate regression revealed that among cardiovascular risk factors, ejection fraction, lipid profile and anti-ischemic drugs, only HDL-cholesterol (Coefficient = -0.58; P = 0.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction (Coefficient = -0.40; P = 0.02) were independent predictors of plaque burden. Patients with HDL-cholesterol > 50 mg/dl presented smaller P&M area (4.9 ± 3.5 mm² vs. 8.84 ± 3.4 mm²; P = 0.03), and vessel area (9.4 ± 3.2 mm² vs. 13.9 ± 3.7 mm²; P = 0.01) when compared to patients with HDL-cholesterol < 50 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, serum HDL-cholesterol level was the single independent predictor of coronary plaque burden at minimal lumen area of moderate lesions evaluated by intravascular ultrasound.