Impact of a daily legume-based meal on blood and anthropometric parameters in a group of omnivorous adults: A pilot study.

This pilot study aimed to assess the impact of substituting a traditional lunch for a vegetarian legume-based meal on blood and anthropometric parameters in a group of omnivorous adults. A one-group comparison, quasi-experimental dietary intervention was designed. A vegetarian legume-based meal was offered for 8 consecutive weeks (weekdays) to non-vegetarian individuals (n = 26), (28 years [P25 = 20.0, P75 = 35.5]; 21.9 kg/m2 [P25 = 21.3, P75 = 24.8]). Sociodemographic data, health status and lifestyle-related information were recorded. Three-day food records were used to collect food intake at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Anthropometric parameters were recorded and fasting blood analyses were performed following standard procedures. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for statistical comparisons. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Participants showed a median intake of 79.8 g of cooked legumes per meal, meaning 13 (50.0%) subjects met the Portuguese daily legume intake recommendations during the intervention days. There were no statistically significant differences in anthropometric parameters. Transferrin concentration increased after 8 weeks (+12.5 mg/dL; p = 0.001). Total cholesterol concentration reduced after 8 weeks (-6 mg/dL; p = 0.041), as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (-7 mg/dL; p = 0.003). Triglycerides (+9 mg/dL; p = 0.046), fasting glucose (+2 mg/dL; p = 0.037) and HbA1c (+0.1 mg/dL; p = 0.010) concentration increased after the 2-month legume-based trial. Results suggest a cholesterol-lowering potential of legume-rich diets. However, unfavourable results regarding the impact on glucose metabolism-related biomarkers and triglyceride levels were observed. The study's limitations in design and sample size emphasise the importance of conducting further research with larger cohorts to attain more conclusive findings.

Dietary Adequacy in Older Adult Nursing Home Residents of the Northern Iberian Peninsula.

According to the latest data, Spain (19.4%) and Portugal (21.8%) are the two European countries with the highest percentage of older adults. Concerns about diet quality are increasing, especially among institutionalized older people, who are at the greatest risk of malnutrition. To assess the adequacy of dietary intake of 186 older adults (>65 y) institutionalized in public nursing homes (NH) in Galicia (Northwest Spain) and the Porto district (Northern Portugal), a cross-sectional study has been carried out. The double-weighing method and a country-specific food composition database were employed for nutritional assessment. Nutritional adequacy was assessed based on the recommendations of the EFSA and WHO. Caloric intake in Spanish NHs was higher than in Portuguese facilities; 20.3% and 35.8% of Spanish and Portuguese residents, respectively, had a protein intake below the EFSA recommendation, and 46.2% and 44.9% of residents in Portugal and Spain, respectively, had lipid intakes below the reference intake range. Further, 45.5% of the residents in Portugal and 66.9% in Spain had a carbohydrate intake within the recommended range. Salt intake was higher than the recommendation for 67.0% and 32.3% of the residents in Spain and Portugal, respectively. This study supports the notion that institutionalized older adults are prone to significant nutritional inadequacies.

Development and characterization of films from Campomanesia xanthocarpa and commercial citrus pectins with different degrees of methyl-esterification.

In this study, pectins from commercial citrus and isolated from gabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa) fruits, were obtained with different degrees of methyl-esterification (DM) and applied in the films. The DM ranged from 0 % to 62.5 % and the gradual de-esterification process was confirmed by mono-dimensional analysis (1H NMR). In order to investigate the influence of DM values in pectin film properties, PCP (DM: 62.5 %); PCP-5 (DM: 37.4 %); PCP-15 (DM: 19.1 %), and a fully de-esterified sample PCP-35 (DM: 0 %) were selected. The functional properties of the films clearly showed that the DM and cross-linking process are necessary to obtain a material with water resistance. Furthermore, pectin isolated from the fruits of gabiroba was purified (GW-Na, DM: 51.9 %) and partially de-esterified (GW-Na-5, DM: 37.1 %). These pectins were used, for the first time, in development of films and the physical and mechanical properties were compared with films made with PCP and PCP-5 samples. GW-Na and GW-Na-5 films presented suitable properties, with reduced solubility reduced (57.1 and 26.2 %), high degree of swelling (2.14 and 2.26), low flexibility (18.05 and 6.11 MPa), respectively. High strength and rigidity (99.36 and 1040.9 MPa), for both films (GW-Na and GW-Na-5) were demonstrated, similar to that obtained by analyzed citrus pectin.

Impact of a daily legume-based meal on dietary and nutritional intake in a group of omnivorous adults.

Adopting eco-friendly diets will demand the consumption of more plant-based protein food sources such as legumes. However, assessing the impact of such a dietary shift on the dietary and nutritional intake of traditionally omnivorous populations is needed. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of substituting a traditional omnivorous-based lunch for a vegetarian, legume-based meal on the daily dietary and nutritional intake in a group of omnivorous adults in the city of Porto, Portugal. Nineteen, non-vegetarian, healthy young adults consumed a vegetarian, legume-based meal from Monday to Friday, for 8 consecutive weeks. Socio-demographic data, health status, lifestyle-related information and anthropometric parameters were recorded. Three-day food records were used to collect food intake at baseline and week 8. European Food Safety Authority and World Health Organization reference values were used to assess nutritional inadequacies. Variables were described as medians (P25 and P75 ). Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical comparisons. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Participants consumed 38.0 (P25 = 35.0; P75 = 40.0) meals, resulting in an intake of 84.5 g (P25 = 74.9; P75 = 98.4) of cooked legumes per meal, meaning 11 subjects (57.9%) met the Portuguese guidelines for legume consumption (≥80 g/day of legumes). The current dietary intervention did not seem to aggravate the prevalence of nutritional inadequacies for the macro- and micronutrients tested, except for the case of vitamin B12 (52.6% [95% CI: 28.9-75.6] vs. 78.9% [95% CI: 54.4-94.0]). This could be linked to the reduction of dietary sources of this vitamin which is an expected consequence of vegetarian meals. Dietary changes towards grain legume-based diets are desirable yet need to be carefully implemented to prevent exacerbating potential nutrient inadequacies, especially of vitamin B12 .

Seminal quality comparison of first and second cryopreserved ejaculates of Alpine kid goats by flow cytometry.

Discarding the first ejaculate is recommended as an alternative for improving seminal quality after long sexual resting, especially when semen should be used for cryopreservation. However, when the males are not in sexual resting the necessity to discarding the first ejaculate is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to compare by flow cytometry the quality of the first and second ejaculates. Ten kids and uniform goats between 5 and 6 months of age were used in a completely randomized design. Semen collection was carried out every 4 days, until a total of five ejaculates per animal in each treatment was completed. The fresh and frozen semen collected were processed and analyzed using macroscopic and microscopic parameters, resistance test, hypo-osmotic medium test, and flow cytometry (FC). The FC parameters were production of reactive oxygen species, plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity, and lipid peroxidation of the plasma membrane. The ejaculates did not differ for the resistance test, the reactivity in the hypo-osmotic medium and for the macroscopic and microscopic seminal parameters, except for sperm volume and concentration. The first ejaculate had a higher percentage of minor and total defects. None of the FC parameters analyzed differed between the first and second ejaculates. The first and second ejaculates demonstrated similar seminal qualities, so for Alpine kid goats without a sexual resting period, discarding the first ejaculate it is not recommended.

Glycoside hydrolase subfamily GH5_57 features a highly redesigned catalytic interface to process complex hetero-ß-mannans.

Glycoside hydrolase family 5 (GH5) harbors diverse substrate specificities and modes of action, exhibiting notable molecular adaptations to cope with the stereochemical complexity imposed by glycosides and carbohydrates such as cellulose, xyloglucan, mixed-linkage ß-glucan, laminarin, (hetero)xylan, (hetero)mannan, galactan, chitosan, N-glycan, rutin and hesperidin. GH5 has been divided into subfamilies, many with higher functional specificity, several of which have not been characterized to date and some that have yet to be discovered with the exploration of sequence/taxonomic diversity. In this work, the current GH5 subfamily inventory is expanded with the discovery of the GH5_57 subfamily by describing an endo-ß-mannanase (CapGH5_57) from an uncultured Bacteroidales bacterium recovered from the capybara gut microbiota. Biochemical characterization showed that CapGH5_57 is active on glucomannan, releasing oligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization from 2 to 6, indicating it to be an endo-ß-mannanase. The crystal structure, which was solved using single-wavelength anomalous diffraction, revealed a massively redesigned catalytic interface compared with GH5 mannanases. The typical aromatic platforms and the characteristic α-helix-containing ß6-α6 loop in the positive-subsite region of GH5_7 mannanases are absent in CapGH5_57, generating a large and open catalytic interface that might favor the binding of branched substrates. Supporting this, CapGH5_57 contains a tryptophan residue adjacent and perpendicular to the cleavage site, indicative of an anchoring site for a substrate with a substitution at the -1 glycosyl moiety. Taken together, these results suggest that despite presenting endo activity on glucomannan, CapGH5_57 may have a new type of substituted heteromannan as its natural substrate. This work demonstrates the still great potential for discoveries regarding the mechanistic and functional diversity of this large and polyspecific GH family by unveiling a novel catalytic interface sculpted to recognize complex heteromannans, which led to the establishment of the GH5_57 subfamily.

Rheological Behavior of Pectin Gels Obtained from Araçá (Psidium cattleianum Sabine) Fruits: Influence of DM, Pectin and Calcium Concentrations.

In this work, purified pectins from Araçá fruits (Psidium cattleianum Sabine) were obtained and characterized after partial demethylation. On each prepared sample, the carboxylic yield was obtained by titration, the degree of methylation (DM) by 1H-NMR, and the molecular weight distribution by steric exclusion chromatography (SEC). Then, the gelation ability in the presence of calcium counterions was investigated and related to DM (59-0%); the pectin concentration (2-10 g L-1); and the CaCl2 concentration (0.1-1 mol L-1) used for dialysis. The critical pectin concentration for homogeneous gelation was above 2 g L-1 when formed against 1 mol L-1 CaCl2. The elastic modulus (G') increased with pectin concentration following the relationship G'~C2.8 in agreement with rigid physical gel network predictions. The purified samples APP and APP-A with DM ≥ 40% in the same conditions released heterogeneous systems formed of large aggregates. Gels formed against lower concentrations of CaCl2 down to 0.1 mol L-1 had a higher degree of swelling, indicating electrostatic repulsions between charged chains, thus, counterbalancing the Ca2+ cross-linkage. Compression/traction experiments demonstrated that an irreversible change in the gel structure occurred during small compression with an enhancement of the G' modulus.

Isolation, NMR characterization and bioactivity of a (4-O-methyl-α-D-glucurono)-ß-D-xylan from Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg fruits.

Hemicellulose-type polysaccharides were isolated from Campomanesia xanthocarpa fruits by alkaline extraction and submitted to fractionation processes giving rise to eluted (GE-300) and retained (GR-300) fractions. GE-300 presented a mixture of galactoglucomannans (GGM) and glucuronoxylans (MGX), while the GR-300 fraction is composed only of MGX. In this way, the chemical structure of MGX, investigated by 1D 1H, 13C and 2D 1H-13C HSQC, 1H-1H COSY and 1H-13C HMBC NMR spectroscopy, revealed that the chemical structure of polysaccharide is a (4-O-methyl-α-D-glucurono)-D-xylan. Deep and precise NMR chemical shift determination of clean and specific 1H NMR glycosyl units were developed by 1D TOCSY and 1D NOESY analysis. This approach demonstrated unequivocally that 4-O-methyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid group is linked to O-2 of a (1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-xylan in the main chain. Furthermore, MGX scavenged DPPH radical (0.5 to 1.0 mg mL-1) and was not cytotoxic to human dermal fibroblasts at concentrations up to 1.0 mg mL-1, as demonstrated by neutral red and crystal violet assays, evidencing in vitro biocompatibility. The structure elucidation of GR-300 together with its bioactivity assessment contributed to better understand the chemical characteristics of C. xanthocarpa hemicelluloses and may provide structural basis for future structure-property studies.

Prevalence of Nutritional Risk at Admission in Internal Medicine Wards in Portugal: The Multicentre Cross-Sectional ANUMEDI Study.

INTRODUCTION: Disease-related undernutrition is highly prevalent and requires timely intervention. However, identifying undernutrition often relies on physician judgment. As Internal Medicine wards are the backbone of the hospital setting, insight into the prevalence of nutritional risk in this population is essential. We aimed to determine the prevalence of nutritional risk in Internal Medicine wards, to identify its correlates, and to assess the agreement between the physicians' impression of nutritional risk and evaluation by Nutritional Risk Screening 2002. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional multicentre study was performed in Internal Medicine wards of 24 Portuguese hospitals during 2017. Data on demographics, previous hospital admissions, primary diagnosis, and Charlson comorbidity index score were collected. Nutritional risk at admission was assessed using Nutritional Risk Screening 2002. Agreement between physicians' impression of nutritional risk and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 was tested by Cohen's kappa. RESULTS: The study included 729 participants (mean age 74 ± 14.6 years, 51% male). The main reason for admission was respiratory disease. Mean Charlson comorbidity index score was 5.8 ± 2.8. Prevalence of nutritional risk was 51%. Nutritional risk was associated with admission during the previous year (odds ratio = 1.65, 95% confidence interval: 1.22 - 2.24), solid tumour with metastasis (odds ratio = 4.73, 95% confidence interval: 2.06 - 10.87), any tumour without metastasis (odds ratio = 2.04, 95% confidence interval:1.24 - 3.34), kidney disease (odds ratio = 1.83, 95% confidence interval: 1.21 - 2.75), peptic ulcer (odds ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval: 1.10 - 4.25), heart failure (odds ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval: 1.11 - 2.04), dementia (odds ratio = 3.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.96 - 4.64), and cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio = 1.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.12 - 2.35). Agreement between physicians' evaluation of nutritional status and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 was weak (Cohen's kappa = 0.415, p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Prevalence of nutritional risk in the Internal Medicine population is very high. Admission during the previous year and multiple comorbidities increase the odds of being at-risk. Subjective physician evaluation is not appropriate for nutritional screening. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of at-risk patients and poor subjective physician evaluation suggest the need to implement mandatory nutritional screening.

Introdução: A subnutrição associada à doença apresenta grande morbimortalidade e necessita de intervenção precoce. Contudo, a sua identificação assenta frequentemente no julgamento médico. Adicionalmente, sendo a enfermaria de Medicina Interna o pilar do hospital, é essencial maior conhecimento sobre o estado nutricional desta população. Os objetivos consistiram em determinar a prevalência de risco nutricional na enfermaria de Medicina Interna, identificar fatores relacionados e avaliar a concordância entre a avaliação do risco nutricional baseada no julgamento médico e no Nutritional Risk Screening 2002. Material e Métodos: Estudo transversal multicêntrico realizado nas enfermarias de Medicina Interna de 24 hospitais portugueses durante 2017. Foram avaliadas características demográficas, internamentos prévios, diagnósticos principais, índice de comorbilidades de Charlson e habilitações literárias. O risco nutricional à admissão foi avaliado usando o Nutritional Risk Screening 2002. A concordância entre o julgamento médico e o Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 foi testado usando o teste kappa de Cohen (k). Resultados: Foram incluídos 729 participantes (idade média 74 ± 14,6 anos, 51% do sexo masculino). A principal causa de admissão foi doença respiratória. O índice de comorbilidades de Charlson médio foi 5,8 ± 2,8. A prevalência de risco nutricional foi 51%. O risco nutricional associou-se a internamento recente (odds ratio = 1,65, 95% intervalo de confiança: 1,22 - 2,24), neoplasia sólida metastizada (odds ratio = 4,73, 95% intervalo de confiança: 2,06 - 10,87), neoplasia não metastizada (odds ratio = 2,04, 95% intervalo de confiança: 1,24 - 3,34), doença renal (odds ratio = 1,83, 95% intervalo de confiança: 1,21 - 2,75), úlcera péptica (odds ratio = 2,17, 95% intervalo de confiança: 1,10 - 4,25), insuficiência cardíaca (odds ratio = 1,51, 95% intervalo de confiança: 1,11 - 2,04), demência (odds ratio = 3,02, 95% intervalo de confiança: 1,96 - 4,64) e doença cerebrovascular (odds ratio = 1,62, 95% intervalo de confiança: 1,12 - 2,35). A concordância entre julgamento médico e Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 foi fraca (kappa de Cohen = 0,415, p < 0,001). Discussão: A prevalência de risco nutricional na enfermaria de Medicina Interna é muito elevada. Admissão recente e múltiplas comorbilidades aumentam a probabilidade de risco nutricional. A avaliação subjetiva do médico não é apropriada para o rastreio nutricional. Conclusão: A elevada prevalência de doentes em risco e baixa precisão da avaliação subjetiva médica sugerem a necessidade de implementar rastreio nutricional obrigatório a nível nacional.

Effect of antinutrients on heat-set gelation of soy, pea, and rice protein isolates.

Plant-derived protein can present antinutrients (ANs) in its composition. The ANs can interact with the protein, affecting its solubility and functional properties, such as gelation. This work evaluated the effect of three ANs, namely phytic acid (PA), tannic acid (TA), and Quillaja bark saponin (QBS), on the gelation and solubility of soy (SPI), pea (PPI), and rice protein isolate (RPI). The ANs altered the protein isolates gelation and solubility. PA decreased the solubility and gelation of the three protein isolates at pH 3.0. The TA was the AN that most decreased the solubility and gelation characteristics of SPI and PPI at both pHs analyzed. QBS increased the gelation of SPI at pH 3.0 but decreased the final gel strength of RPI at the same pH. These results show that the knowledge of the presence of ANs in the protein isolates is of fundamental relevance for the processing of vegetable proteins.

Modulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Release by Biopolymer-Coated Liposomes.

This work describes the development of polysaccharide-coated liposomes to modulate the delivery of epidermal growth factor (EGF), with the aim to produce different EGF release profiles depending on the milieu of infected wounds. For this purpose, cationic liposomes were coated with one layer of sodium alginate (ALG) followed by one layer of chitosan (CHI) using the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. The coated liposomes exhibited apparent hydrodynamic diameters of 278 ± 36 and 216 ± 96 nm for Lip-ALG and Lip-ALG-CHI, respectively. Thus, it appears that adding the CHI layer compacted the Lip-ALG one. The incorporation efficiency of EGF was a maximum of 55% for liposomes with a polymeric coating. In vitro release experiments showed that Lip-ALG-CHI exhibits a higher release rate constant under acidic pH conditions, resembling those of infected tissue. Using an ex vivo model of EGF release in porcine ear skin, these liposomes were found to accumulate in the epidermis. Thus, coated liposomes could represent a local EGF delivery mechanism to promote healing.

High prevalence of malnutrition in Internal Medicine wards - a multicentre ANUMEDI study.

BACKGROUND: Disease-related malnutrition is a significant problem in hospitalized patients, with high prevalence rates depending on the studied population. Internal Medicine wards are the backbone of the hospital setting. However, prevalence and determinants of malnutrition in these patients remain unclear. We aimed to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in Internal Medicine wards and to identify and characterize malnourished patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational multicentre study was performed in Internal Medicine wards of 24 Portuguese hospitals during 2017. Demographics, hospital admissions during the previous year, type of admission, primary diagnosis, Charlson comorbidity index, and education level were registered. Malnutrition at admission was assessed using Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Demographic characteristics were compared between well-nourished and malnourished patients. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinants of malnutrition. RESULTS: 729 participants were included (mean age 74 years, 51% male). Main reason for admission was respiratory disease (32%). Mean Charlson comorbidity index was 5.8 ±â€¯2.8. Prevalence of malnutrition was 73% (56% moderate/suspected malnutrition and 17% severe malnutrition), and 54% had a critical need for multidisciplinary intervention (PG-SGA score ≥9). No education (odds ratio [OR] 1.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-3.04), hospital admissions during previous year (OR 1.53, 95%CI: 1.05-2.26), and multiple comorbidities (OR 1.22, 95%CI: 1.14-1.32) significantly increased the odds of being malnourished. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of malnutrition in the Internal Medicine population is very high, with the majority of patients having critical need for multidisciplinary intervention. Low education level, admissions during previous year, and multiple comorbidities increase the odds of being malnourished.

Effects of pressurized hot water extraction on the yield and chemical characterization of pectins from Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg fruits.

Pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), known as a "green" extraction technique, was used to obtain polysaccharide from the pulp of gabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg) fruits. The effects of pressure, temperature, and flow rate on pectin yields were analyzed through a full factorial design experiment 23. The optimal extraction conditions to achieve maximum pectin yield (5.70 wt%) were pressure of 150 bar, temperature of 120 °C, and flow rate of 1.5 mL min-1. The high pressure (100 bar) promoted an increase in galacturonic acid content (36.0%) compared to conventional hot water extraction (CEGP) with 25.7%. Differences in the proportion of homogalacturonan (HG) and rhamnogalacturonan (RG-I) domains ranging from 16.3 to 35.4% and 61.7 to 80.1%, respectively, were observed for each pectin sample according to the extraction conditions. The mono-dimensional (13C-NMR) and bi-dimensional (1H/13C HSQC-NMR) analyses confirmed the presence of HG and RG-I regions and indicated the presence of arabinogalactans type I (AG-I) and arabinogalactans type II (AG-II) in the PHWE pectin samples, which was not found for pectins from gabiroba pulp obtained by CEGP. The results showed that PHWE proved to be a promising method for extracting pectins from gabiroba fruits.

Cytotoxic effect of crude and purified pectins from Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg on human glioblastoma cells.

A new source of pectin with a cytotoxic effect on glioblastoma cells is presented. A homogeneous GWP-FP-S fraction (Mw of 29,170 g mol-1) was obtained by fractionating the crude pectin extract (GW) from Campomanesia xanthocarpa pulp. According to the monosaccharide composition, the GWP-FP-S was composed of galacturonic acid (58.8%), arabinose (28.5%), galactose (11.3%) and rhamnose (1.1%), comprising 57.7% of homogalacturonans (HG) and 42.0% of type I rhamnogalacturonans (RG-I). These structures were characterized by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods; GW and GWP-FP-S fractions were evaluated by MTT and crystal violet assays for their cytotoxic effects. Both fractions induced cytotoxicity (15.55-37.65%) with concomitant increase in the cellular ROS levels in human glioblastoma cells at 25-400 µg mL-1, after 48 h of treatment, whereas no cytotoxicity was observed for normal NIH 3T3 cells. This is the first report of in vitro bioactivity and the first investigation of the antitumor potential of gabiroba pectins.

Pectins from the pulp of gabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg): Structural characterization and rheological behavior.

The pulp of gabiroba fruits was submitted to a hot water extraction, giving rise to a crude pectin named GW. GW was shown to be composed mainly of arabinose (54.5%), galacturonic acid (33.5%), galactose (7.6%), and rhamnose (1.6%). GW was characterized by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods indicating the presence of homogalacturonans (HG) with a degree of methyl-esterification (DM) of 60% and rhamnogalacturonans I (RG-I). HG domain represents 31.9% and RG-I domain 65.3%. Furthermore, GW was submitted to sequential fractionation methods, giving rise to GWP-TEP fraction, structurally characterized by the predominance of HG regions, and confirmed by NMR analysis. The rheological behavior of GW was analyzed at 1%, 3%, and 5% (w/v) concentration with 0.1 mol L-1 NaCl. All samples showed shear thinning behavior. In the oscillatory measurements, the 1% GW showed a liquid-like behavior, while the 3% presented a concentrated solution behavior and the 5% GW a gel behavior.

Pulp and Jam of Gabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg): Characterization and Rheological Properties.

This study evaluated the physicochemical characterization and rheological behavior of gabiroba pulp, and a gabiroba jam formulation. Gabiroba pulp presented a heterogeneous ultrastructure with a denser area formed by a compact mesh and a porous interface containing fibers. The fibers' presence promoted a slip effect when the gabiroba pulp was subjected to shear. Gabiroba pulp showed a gel behavior with thermal stability. Gabiroba jam, developed using pulp as the raw material, had shear thinning behavior exhibiting yield stress described by the Herschel-Bulkley model. The dynamic oscillatory analysis showed that gabiroba jam typically behaved like a gel, i.e., G' values higher than the G″ in all frequency ranges evaluated. The results showed that gabiroba pulp is suitable for use as a raw material in the development of food products such as jam, encouraging the preservation of this native Brazilian species.

Extraction, purification and structural characterization of a galactoglucomannan from the gabiroba fruit (Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg), Myrtaceae family.

In this study, we isolated and structurally characterized, for the first time, a galactoglucomannan (GGM) from the pulp of gabiroba, a Myrtaceae family species. The HPSEC-MALLS-RI analysis showed a homogeneous polysaccharide with molar mass of 25,340gmol-1. The monosaccharide composition showed that the GGM consisted of Man:Glc:Gal in a molar ratio of 1:1:0.6. Methylation and 1D and 2D NMR analyses suggested that the main chain of the GGM consisted of ß-d-Glcp and ß-d-Manp units (1→4)-linked. The α-d-Galp substitutions occur mainly at O-6 position of ß-d-Manp units. The glycosidic linkages of the GGM were evident by the presence of the characteristic signals of 4-O-substituted residues at δ 78.6/3.69 for both ß-d-Glcp and ß-d-Manp. Furthermore, the O-6 substitutions for both ß-d-Glcp and ß-d-Manp units were confirmed by signals at δ 67.1/4.00 and 3.93. The interglycosidic correlations, obtained through the analysis of the HMBC spectrum, further confirm the structure.

Determination of heat-set gelation capacity of a quinoa protein isolate (Chenopodium quinoa) by dynamic oscillatory rheological analysis.

This work aimed to study the influence of pH (3.5 and 7.0) and CaCl2 and MgCl2 addition on heat-set gelation of a quinoa protein isolate at 10% and 15% (w/w). The protein isolate obtained was composed mainly of 11S globulin as was observed by electrophoresis and mass spectrometry analysis. Heat-set gelation occurred at both pH values studied. Nevertheless, the gels formed at pH 3.5 were more viscoelastic and denser than those formed at pH 7.0, that was coarser and presented syneresis. The CaCl2 and MgCl2 addition increased the gel strength during rheological analysis at pH 3.5, possibly due to the formation of fiber-like connections in the gel network. At pH 7.0, the divalent salts resulted in weaker gels formed by agglomerates, suggesting a neutralization of the protein surface charges. The differences in quinoa protein gelation were attributed to solubility, and the flexibility of proteins secondary structure at the pH studied.

Analysis of the Biotechnological Potential of a Lentinus crinitus Isolate in the Light of Its Secretome.

Analysis of fungal secretomes is a prospection tool for the discovery of new catalysts with biotechnological applications. Since enzyme secretion is strongly modulated by environmental factors, evaluation of growth conditions is of utmost importance to achieve optimal enzyme production. In this work, a nonsequenced wood-rotting fungus, Lentinus crinitus, was used for secretome analysis by enzymatic assays and a proteomics approach. Enzyme production was assessed after the fungus was cultured in seven different carbon sources and three nitrogen-containing compounds. The biomass yields and secreted protein arrays differed drastically among growing conditions. A mixture of secreted extracts derived from solid and liquid cultures was inspected by shotgun mass spectrometry and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) prior to analysis via LC-MS/MS. Proteins were identified using mass spectrometry (MS)-driven BLAST. The spectrum of secreted proteins comprised CAZymes, oxidase/reductases, proteases, and lipase/esterases. Although preseparation by 2-DE improved the number of identifications (162) compared with the shotgun approach (98 identifications), the two strategies revealed similar protein patterns. Culture media with reduced water content stimulated the expression of oxidases/reductases, while hydrolases were induced during submerged fermentation. The diversity of proteins observed within both the CAZyme and oxidoreductase groups revealed in this fungus a powerful arsenal of enzymes dedicated to the breakdown and consumption of lignocellulose.

Nanoemulsion as a carrier to improve the topical anti-inflammatory activity of stem bark extract of Rapanea ferruginea.

The aim of this study was to develop nanoemulsion containing soft extract of stem bark of Rapanea ferruginea to improve the topical delivery and anti-inflammatory activity. The extract of R. ferruginea stem bark was incorporated into the oily phase of the nanoemulsion by the method of phase inversion at low energy. The developed nanoemulsion had an average droplet size of 47.88±8.20 nm and a polydispersibility index of 0.228. Uniformity of size, spherical shape of droplet, and absence of clusters were confirmed by transmission electronic microscopy. The zeta potential was -34.7±1.15 mV. The nanoemulsion showed a moderate degree of skin irritation in the agarose overlay assay in vitro. The content of the extract markers, myrsinoic acids A and B, was 54.10±0.08 and 53.03 µg/g in the formulation, respectively. The formulation demonstrated pseudoplastic and thixotropic rheological behavior. In vitro release of chemical markers was controlled by diffusion mechanism. An extract-loaded nanoemulsion showed a topical anti-inflammatory activity in a croton oil-induced edema ear model, with a decrease in tumor necrosis factor release and myeloperoxidase activity. The nanoemulsion was 160% more efficient than the conventional cream containing 0.13% of the extract. The nanoemulsion showed suitable properties as a carrier for topical use of R. ferruginea extract and the approach for improving the topical anti-inflammatory activity.