Structural and physical-chemical analyses of sulfated polysaccharidesfrom the sea lettuce Ulva lactuca and their effects on thrombin generation / Análises estrutural e físico-química de polissacarídeos sulfatados da alface do mar Ulva lactuca e seus efeitos sobre geração de trombina

Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyceae) has biotechnologically-important sulfated-polysaccharides (Ul-SPs), but their potentials on thrombin generation (TG) are unknown. This study analyzed the structural and physicalchemical features of the Ul-SPs as modulators of TG. Proteolytic digestion yielded (13.13%) extract containing sulfate (20.43%) and total sugars (65.72%), besides ulvan consisting of rhamnose, xylose, glucose, glucuronic acid and α-/β-types glycosidic linkages as characterized by one-/two-dimensions nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Fractionation of the Ul-SPs by DEAE-cellulose chromatography yielded Ul-SP1 and Ul-SP2 (0.50 and 0.75 M NaCl, respectively) showing sulfation (15.72-18.04%) and total sugars (59.73-60.58%) consistent with the charge density pattern by combination of agarose/polyacrylamide gel eletrophoresis using sequential staining with toluidine blue and stains-all, although with slight differences in their sizes (40 and >100 kDa, respectively). By both activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) tests, anticoagulation of the fractions was virtually detected by APTT (0.39 and 0.43 IU, respectively) against heparin (193 IU). Fractions acted differently on both intrinsic/extrinsic pathways in TG using 60-fold diluted human plasma, with 50% efficacies up to 8.3 μg, whereas at high concentrations suggested intrinsic hypercoagulability since heparin abolished both systems at low amounts. Ul-SPs block TG, but predicting thrombosis in increasing doses.

Clorofícea Ulva lactuca possui polissacarídeos sulfatados (Ul-PSs) importantes biotecnologicamente, porém são desconhecidos seus potenciais sobre geração de trombina (GT). Analisaram-se as características estruturais e físico-químicas dos Ul-PSs como moduladores de GT. Digestão proteolítica rendeu (13,13%) extrato contendo sulfato (20,43%) e açúcares totais (65,72%), além de ulvana, como caracterizada por experimentos de ressonância magnética nuclear uni-/bi-dimensionais, consistindo de ramnose, xilose, glucose, ácido glucurônico e ligações glicosídicas tipos-α/-β. Fracionamento dos Ul-PSs por cromatografia de DEAE-celulose rendeu Ul-PS1 e Ul-PS2 (0,50 e 0,75 M de NaCl, respectivamente) mostrando sulfatação (15,72-18,04%) e açúcares totais (59,73- 60,58%) consistentes com o grau de densidade de carga por combinação de eletroforese em gel de agarose/poliacrilamida usando coramento sequencial com azul de toluidina e "stains-all", embora com diferenças quanto aos seus tamanhos (40 e >100 kDa, respectivamente). Por ambos os testes do tempo de tromboplastina parcial ativada (TTPA) e do tempo de protrombina, anticoagulação das frações foi detectada virtualmente pelo TTPA (0,39 e 0,43 UI, respectivamente) frente heparina (193 UI). Frações atuaram diferentemente sobre ambas as vias intrínsica/extrínsica na GT usando plasma humano diluído 60 vezes, com eficácias de 50% até 8,3 μg, enquanto em concentrações maiores sugeriram hipercoagulabilidade intrínsica visto que heparina aboliu ambos os sistemas em quantidades baixas. Ul-PSs bloqueiam GT, porém prevendo trombose em doses crescentes.

Correlation between rheological properties and capillary fixation for modelling creams

The Brazilian male beauty market occupies the second place in world consumption of cosmetics. Among the numerous products consumed by such audience is the capillary fixation mask, which is mainly composed by fixatives. These additives act on stabilizing the cosmetic emulsion, protecting the hair against moisture and also increasing the intensity of hair fixation. In this work, three formulations for modelling creams were prepared by different concentrations of the fixatives StylezeTM W20 and PVP K90 and their properties characterized by physicochemical, rheological and sensory analysis. The capillary masks produced were stable oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions with uniform droplets of 2.05-2.82 µm sizes and pseudoplastic thixotropic behavior (0.19 < n < 0.26). It was possible to correlate the increased concentration of PVP K90 to a greater thixotropy and an improved yarn fixation, despite the worsening in the spreadability of the formulations. These results suggest properly conducted rheological measurements can contribute to the prediction of the emulsion's sensory properties, which can save time and funds on the development of new cosmetics

Caracterização analítica de sucos e néctares de laranja adoçados com sacarose e edulcorantes / Analytical characterization of orange juices and nectars sweetened with sucrose and sweet flavoring agents

Objetivo: Caracterizar físico-quimicamente, sucos não adoçados e néctares de laranja adoçados com sacarose ou edulcorantes, quanto ao seu pH, acidez titulável (AT) e teor de sólidos solúveis totais (SST) e avaliar a correlação desta última propriedade com as demais. Método: Analisaram-se alíquotas de três lotes de dois sucos de laranja e de dois néctares com adição de sacarose ou dois com edulcorantes. Água mineral foi empregada como controle. O teor de SST foi determinado em refratômetro de Abbé. O pH foi registrado em peagômetro digital, enquanto a AT foi quantificada titulando-se amostras das bebidas com NaOH 0,1 M até o alcance dos pHs 5,5 e 7,0. Os dados foram submetidos ao teste de correlação de Pearson, análise de regressão, análise de variância e teste de Tukey (alfa = 0,05). Resultados: Os teores de SST apresentaram forte correlação com a AT, sendo a relação entre elas do tipo quadrática. Embora os valores de pH não sejam dependentes da presença de sacarose ou edulcorantes, se as bebidas são isentas dos mesmos, significativamente maior quantidade de base foi necessária para que se atingissem os pHs 5,5 e 7,0. Conclusão: Sucos e néctares de laranja apresentaram valores semelhantes de pH, os quais não se correlacionaram com a presença de sacarose ou edulcorantes nas bebidas. A acidez titulável foi maior para o suco e menor para os néctares, independentemente do fato de possuírem sacarose ou edulcorantes em sua composição. A elevação do teor de sólidos solúveis totais não implicou em redução da acidez titulável das bebidas.

Objective: To characterize physically and chemically, non-sweetened orange juices and orange nectars sweetened with sucrose or sweet flavoring agents, with respect to their pH, titratable acidity (TA) and total soluble solids content (TSSC), as well as to evaluate the correlation of the latter property with the others. Method: Aliquots of three lots of two orange juices and two orange nectars containing sucrose and two containing sweet flavoring agents were evaluated. Mineral water was used as a control. The TSSC was determined using an Abbe refractometer. The pH was recorded using a digital pH meter, while TA was quantified by titrating samples of the beverages with 0.1 M NaOH until reaching pHs 5.5 and 7.0. Data were subjected to Pearson's correlation test, regression analysis, analysis of variance and Tukey's test (alpha=0.05). Results: TSSC values presented a strong correlation with TA, and these properties exhibited a quadratic relationship. Although the pH values were not dependent on the presence of sucrose or sweet flavoring agents, a significantly greater amount of base was necessary to reach pHs 5.5 and 7.0 in the beverages without sucrose or flavoring agents. Conclusion: Orange juices and nectars presented similar pH values, which was not associated with the presence of sucrose or sweet flavoring agents in the beverages. Higher TA values were obtained for the juice and lower for the nectars, regardless of containing sucrose or sweet flavoring agents. The increase of TSSC did not implicate in decrease of TA in the beverages.

Exploratory survey at the mexican marketplace on pork muscles characteristics from USA and Mexico

Trends in variation of physical, chemical and sensory traits due to country of origin (COO) were evaluated for samples from United States of America (U.S.A.) and Mexico of three pork muscles, Rectus femoris (RF, n = 20 from each COO), Vastus medialis (VM, n = 20 from each COO), and Longissimus dorsi (LD, n = 10 from each COO) in two separate, small-scale, exploratory surveys conducted at Mexico City. Compositional, physical and chemical properties and consumer acceptability traits of these Mexican and U.S.A. pork samples were quite similar, though Mexican pork samples generally were more variable. LD samples from U.S.A. had greater (P<0.05) water-holding and emulsifying capacities whereas both RF and LD from U.S.A. required lower shear force (P<0.05) compared to Mexican counterparts. Ratings from consumers did not indicate preference for pork from any of the countries. Because of the limited number of observations for the samples surveyed these results are preliminary and may not adequately characterize the populations of each country, but they did reveal important trends for selected traits of Mexican and U.S.A. pork currently available at the local market.

Se evaluaron tendencias en la variación de características físico-químicas y sensoriales debidas al país de origen (PDO), de muestras mexicanas y estadounidenses (EUA) de tres músculos del cerdo: Rectus femoris (RF, n = 20 por PDO), Vastus medialis (VM, n = 20 por PDO), and Longissimus dorsi (LD, n = 10 por PDO) mediante dos encuestas exploratorias separadas, a baja escala, conducidas en la Ciudad de México. Los resultados mostraron que músculos porcinos de los dos orígenes tienen propiedades físicas, químicas y sensoriales muy similares, aunque las muestras mexicanas mostraron mayor variabilidad. Las muestras de LD de EUA tuvieron mayor (P<0,05) capacidad de retención de agua y emulsificación, y al igual que las de RF, requirieron menos fuerza de corte que las mexicanas (P<0,05). Los consumidores no pudieron detectar diferencias entre muestras de diferente origen. Debido al limitado número de observaciones en las muestras encuestadas, los resultados deben considerarse preliminares y si bien no permiten caracterizar adecuadamente las poblaciones de cada país, las mismas revelan tendencias importantes para los rasgos seleccionados de la carne de cerdo procedente de México y EUA disponibles actualmente en el mercado local.