Niacin (nicotinamide, nicotinic acid) interferes on homeostasis, DNA regulation, signaling and longevity. Nicotinic acid reduces synthesis of lipoproteins-apo-B and increases HDL. Its antilipemic action in liver produces: 1) inhibition of DGAT2, with decreased triacylglycerol synthesis, 2) downregulation of the b-chain of adenosine triphosphate synthase, leading to reduced HDL-apo-A-I catabolism. Nicotinic acid could increase redox potential in vascular endothelium. HM74A receptor activation in macrophages would be responsible for the release of prostaglandins, causing flushing in epidermis. HM74A agonists could assist in identifying antilipemic agents. Extended release niacin in combination with statin appears to protect cardiovascular system of patients with low HDL.

As alterações no perfil de compostos voláteis, após o aquecimento de óleo de soja refinado sem a adição de antioxidantes e tratado previamente com quercetina e ácido clorogênico (5-ACQ), foram investigadas através da CG/DIC, CG/EM e CG/SNIFFING. A temperatura de aquecimento do óleo foi de 20 °C no primeiro minuto e aumentada até 160 °C à taxa de 10 °C min-1. A temperatura final foi mantida por 10 minutos. Um total de 19 compostos voláteis foi identificado nas amostras aquecidas sem a adição de antioxidantes. As carbonilas de cadeia média predominaram na fração volátil. Cerca de 15 e 11 compostos voláteis foram detectados no óleo aquecido com adição prévia de quercetina e 5-ACQ, respectivamente. As amostras tratadas com quercetina mostraram uma menor proporção de carbonilas com esqueletos de carbono C6-C9. A composição estimada de compostos voláteis mostrou que amostras tratadas com quercetina tiveram valores significativamente (p < 0,05) menores para 1-pentanol, 2,4-heptadienal e 2,4-decadienal em comparação com as amostras sem antioxidantes adicionados e com as tratadas com 5-ACQ. A análise por meio de CG/SNIFFING revelou um número menor de odores em amostras tratadas com 5-ACQ em comparação àquelas sem tratamento algum. Nenhum odor foi percebido nas amostras aquecidas com adição prévia de quercetina. Estes resultados indicam uma maior efetividade da quercetina no retardamento do processo oxidativo em amostras de óleo de soja sujeitas a aquecimento a 160 °C ± 10 °C min-1 por 10 minutos . Aparentemente, os compostos fenólicos naturais usados neste trabalho mostraram boa estabilidade oxidativa, já que nenhum composto volátil novo foi detectado nas amostras aquecidas e tratadas com eles.

Changes in the profile of volatile compounds after the heating of refined soybean oil without adding antioxidants, and treated with quercetin and chlorogenic acid (5-CQA) were investigated by GC/FID, GC/MS, and GC/SNIFFING. The heating temperature of the oil sample was 20 °C for the first minute, and then it was increased up to 160 °C at the rate of 10 °C min-1. The final temperature was kept for 10 minutes. 19 volatiles were identified in the heated samples without antioxidants. Medium-chain carbonyls predominated in the volatile fraction, mainly 2-heptenal, 2,4-heptadienal and 2,4-decadienal. Around 11 to 15 volatile compounds were detected in the heated samples treated with 5-CQA and quercetin, respectively. 5-CQA was not very efficient in delaying the formation of oxidative volatile compounds. The samples quercetin presented lower proportion of carbonyls with C6-C9.. The GC peak area data were used as an approach to estimate the relative content of each volatile compound and indicate that the samples treated with quercetin (p < 0.05) had significantly lower values for, 1-pentanol, 2,4-heptadienal, and 2,4-decadienal compared with those without antioxidants and treated with 5-CQA. GC/SNIFFING analysis revealed a smaller odor perception in the samples treated with 5-CQA compared to those without antioxidants. No odor was perceived in the heated samples treated with quercetin. These results indicate greater effectiveness of quercetin in delaying the formation of oxidative volatile compounds in soybean oils subjected to mild heating conditions. Apparently, biopolyphenols used in the present work showed good oxidative stability since no new volatile compound was detected in the heated samples treated with them.

As aplicações sucessivas de fungicidas cúpricos em videiras podem aumentar o teor de cobre total do solo e modificar a sua distribuição e dessorção no perfil do solo. O trabalho objetivou determinar as formas de cobre e a sua dessorção em solos cultivados com videira e submetidos a sucessivas aplicações de fungicidas cúpricos. Amostras de um solo Neossolo Litólico e Cambissolo Húmico foram coletadas em 2006, nas camadas de 0-20 e 20-40 cm, em um vinhedo com 40 anos, em Bento Gonçalves (RS). Amostras de um solo Neossolo Litólico foram coletadas nas mesmas profundidades, em área de mata natural próxima do vinhedo, e os resultados de análise foram usados como referência. Os solos coletados foram conduzidos ao Laboratório de Química e Fertilidade de Solo da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, onde foram secos, moídos, passados em peneira de malha de 2 mm, e submetidos ao fracionamento químico do cobre pela metodologia de Tessier et al. (1979) e à cinética de dessorção de cobre com EDTA 0,05 mol L-1, em pH 6,0, conforme proposto por Fangueiro et al. (2005). Os resultados mostram que a aplicação de fungicidas cúpricos em videiras aumenta o teor total e das frações biodisponíveis de cobre do solo, inclusive na camada de 20-40 cm. A maior parte do cobre dos solos cultivados com a videira encontra-se retido na fração mineral, e do solo sob mata natural, na matéria orgânica principalmente. A maior quantidade do Cu, independentemente dos materiais adsorventes nos solos cultivados com videira, é facilmente dessorvível e pode ser considerada em equilíbrio rápido com o cobre da solução.

Successive applications of cupric fungicides to grapevine can increase total copper concentration in the soil and modify its desorption in the soil profile. This study was carried out in 2006 in the soil chemistry and fertility laboratory of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria to evaluate copper forms and desorption dynamics in Udorthent and Haplumbrept soils (in the layers 0-20 and 20-40 cm) under grapevine for 40 years and under successive applications of cupric fungicides. The soils were collected in the wine valley region of Bento Gonçalves, RS, in Southern Brazil. Udorthent samples were also collected (at 0-20 and 20-40 cm) in a forest near the vineyard and the data used as reference. Soil samples were dried, ground and sieved (2 mm), and copper was fractionated using the Tessier methodology (Tessier et al., 1979) and copper desorption with EDTA 0.05 mol L-1 pH 6.0, using the methodology of Fangueiro (Fangueiro et al., 2005). Results showed that the application of cupric fungicides to grapevine increases total copper and its available fractions, including in the 20-40 cm layer. The major part of copper of the soils cultivated with grapevine is retained in the mineral fraction, whereas under natural forest, organic matter is the main reservoir of the element. The greatest partion of copper, independent of the adsorbent material in the soils growing grapevine, is easily desorbable and can be considered of rapid equilibrium with the copper of the solution.

Os compostos voláteis da fração "Headspace" de méis de assa-peixe foram adsorvidos pela técnica de cromatografia de adsorção, eluídos com acetona e analisados através da CG/DIC e CG/EM usando coluna polar de sílica fundida. Os compostos voláteis de baixo e médio ponto de ebulição predominaram na fração "headspace". Foi achada uma grande proporção de 3-penten-2-ona (80,5 ± 13,9 µg.kg-1) e benzaldeído (25,9 ± 4,2 µg.kg-1), enquanto o 2-penten-1-ol, o hexanoato de 3-hexenila, o octadecano e o ácido hexanóico (<0,01 µg.kg-1) foram compostos minoritários. Um total de doze compostos voláteis foi identificado, sendo cinco descritos pela primeira vez no mel de assa-peixe. Destes cinco, a 3-penten-2-ona, o dodecano, o tridecano e o benzaldeído foram definitivamente identificados na fração "headspace" dos méis de assa-peixe brasileiro.

The volatile compounds were isolated from the headspace fraction of "assa-peixe" honeys by adsorptive column chromatography, eluted with acetone and analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Volatile compounds were separated using a polar phase column. Low- and medium-boiling point volatile compounds predominated in the headspace. A large proportion of 3-penten-2-one (80.5 ± 13.9 µg.kg-1) and benzaldehyde (25.9 ± 4.2 µg.kg-1) was found in the headspace fraction, while 2-penten-1-ol, 3-hexenyl butanoate, octadecane and hexanoic acid (<0.01 µg.kg-1) were by far the less abundant volatile compounds. A total of 12 volatile compounds were identified and, among them, 5 compounds were reported as "assa-peixe" honey constituents for the first time. Of the 5 new volatile compounds reported, 3-penten-2-one, dodecane, tridecane and benzaldehyde were definitively identified in the headspace fraction of Brazilian "assa-peixe" honeys.

This paper describes the analytical methods for determination of total chlorogenic acid (CGA) and their individual isomers. Spectrofotometric methods are adequate for total CGA analysis in green coffee but they can provide inflated results for coffee products. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with gel permeation column and ultraviolet (UV) monitoring is adequate for the simultaneous analysis of total CGA, alkaloids and sugars in coffee products. HPLC-UV-reversed phase is a simple, rapid and precise method for the determination of the individual isomers of CGA. Gas chromatography (GC) also is applied to the analysis of the individual isomers but phenolic acids need to be derivatized before analysis. Both HPLC- and GC-mass spectrometry provide an unequivocal identification of the individual isomers. The capillary electrophoresis method is simple, rapid and adequate to the simultaneous analysis of polyphenols and xanthines. Advantages and limitations of each method are discussed throughout the text.

A review about origin, composition and importance of volatile compounds in floral honeys is presented. Hydrocarbons, aromatic components, acids, diacids, terpenoids, ketones, aldehydes, esters and alcohols have been found in honey aroma of different botanical origin. Cis-rose oxide has been proposed as an indicator for Tilia cordata honey. Citrus honeys are known to contain methyl anthranilate, a compound which other honeys virtually lack. Linalool, phenylethylalcohol, phenylacetaldehyde, p-anisaldehyde and benzaldehyde are important contributors for the aroma of different unifloral honeys. Both isovaleric acid, gama-decalactone and benzoic acid appears to be important odourants for Anarcadium occidentale and Croton sp. honeys from Brazil. The furfurylmercaptan, benzyl alcohol, delta-octalactone, eugenol, phenylethylalcohol and guaiacol appear to be only relevant compounds for Anarcadium occidentale. The vanillin was considered an important odourant only for Croton sp..

A review about composition, origin and importance of carbohydrates in honey is presented. Fructose and glucose are the major carbohydrates, ranging from 65-85 % of the total soluble solids. Other minor carbohydrates, chiefly di- and trisaccharides, have been also identified. Fructose, glucose and sucrose are mainly originated from nectar. Oligosaccharides are mainly formed by trans-alpha-D-glucosylation reactions catalysed by honeybee alpha-D-glucosidase. The profile of carbohydrates can be useful for the identification of the brazilian region in which honey was produced and may also be useful for testing brazilian honey authenticity.

This review is about the aliphatic, alicyclic and aromatic compounds (non-heterocyclic compounds) that are present in the volatile fractions of roasted coffees. Herein, the contents, aroma precursors and the sensorial properties of volatile phenols, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, ethers, hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids, anhydrides, esters, lactones, amines and sulphur compounds are discussed. Special attention is given to the compounds of these groups that are actually important to the final aroma of roasted coffees.

A review of heterocyclic compounds in roasted coffee is presented. The contents, precursors and sensorial properties of furans, pyrroles, oxazoles, thiazoles, thiophenes, pyrazines and pyridines are discussed. The impact heterocyclic compounds of coffee aroma are described.