Biocatalysis in micellar systems

[Excert] Biocatalysis and biotransformations are environmentally friendly, and allow the development of sustainable production processes on a large scale. Thus, these processes are becoming important alternatives to conventional chemistry in the drug, biochemical, and emerging biorenewable energy industries. Biocatalysts are required to function under non-conventional conditions, such as in organic solvents, being competitive in terms of cost and efficiency. In fact, the technological utility of enzymes can be enhanced greatly by using them in the presence of organic solvents, rather than in their natural aqueous reaction media. Multiphase systems are more complex but offer a new field of possibilities. The presence of hydrophobic solvents in biocatalysis allows the conversion of poorly water soluble substrates more efficiently. The accessibility of hydrophobic substrates to enzymes or whole cells presents an interesting challenge for researchers and technologists. In this context, microemulsions are a promising tool in enzyme technology. This chapter presents an overview of the characterization of biphasic and microemulsion systems and their applications in biotransformation processes (...).

The economic crisis in Portugal and children’s rights to non-discrimination

The consequences that arose from the ‘global economy’ have been significant in Portuguese children’s lives and we believe it is fundamental to reflect on the ongoing structuring of childhood through this global culture/ideology and the concrete implications that they have. It is also important to understand how childhood is constructed and experienced, as well as to consider the impacts of political economic conditions on children’s lives and in childhood in general, taking into account the effects brought on by public policies. The aim of this paper is to reflect on the ways through which the economic crisis affecting the general Portuguese population has impacted children in particular and promoted discrimination and a lack of opportunities in childhood. We will focus on two dimensions: first, on general data about the ongoing policies that have been reducing social rights, increasing poverty rates and threatening basic rights such as educational and health rights, to show their impact on children´s lives. Second, we will discuss some data collected with children throughout different research projects in order to characterize the meanings and impacts of the crisis in their lives from their points of view