Produção de enzimas lignocelulósicas por fermentação em estado sólido por espécimes do gênero Trichoderma para sacarificação do bagaço de cana de açúcar tratado com micro-ondas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Obtenção e caracterização de nanocelulose a partir de fibras de Chorisia speciosa St. Hil

Natural fibers have been highlighted as a renewable material that can replace materials from oil and its derivatives. In this context, Brazil becomes the perfect setting because of the diversity of fibers found in its territory, such as sugarcane, sisal, rice, cotton, coconut, pineapple, among others. The paineiras (Chorisia speciosa St. Hil) are typically Brazilian trees, which produce paina as fruit. These fruits are still little studied as a source of lignocellulose by research groups. This project aimed obtaining and characterization of cellulose nanofibers from the fibers from the paina fibers. Obtaining nanocellulose is practically made through simplified chemical processes. First, was performed out pre-treatments to removal of waxes, lignin and hemicellulose. The first stage of pre-treatment was carried out by alkaline aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 5wt%, where the fibers were under constant agitation for 1h at 70°C. Through alkali treatment it was possible to remove most of the lignin, hemicellulose, waxes and extractives. After the alkaline treatment was done bleaching with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to 4wt% and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to 24wt% 1:1 during 2h with constant stirring to 50 °C. Through bleaching was possibe to remove residual lignin, and got cellulose with 72% of crystallinity. Nanocellulose of paina fibers was extracted using different conditions of acid hydrolysis with sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to 50wt%. After acid hydrolysis, the suspensions were centrifuged during 30 min and dialyzed in water to remove excess acid until neutral pH (6-7). Then the suspensions were passed by ultrasonification in an ultrasound 20 kHz during 1h in an ice bath. Untreated, alkalinized and bleached fibers as well as cellulose nanoparticles were characterized by the techniques of thermogravimetry ... (Complete abastract click electronic access below)

Influência do peróxido e do uso de diferentes substâncias de combate à dor na inflamação e na expressão de neuropeptídeos pró-inflamatórios após o tratamento clareador

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Sensibilização comportamental ao etanol e neuroadaptações envolvendo a proteína (DELTA)FOSB: efeitos do tratamento com N-Acetilcisteína em camundongos

Pharmacological treatments currently used in ethanol addiction are inefficient, requiring new drugs for this purpose. The pro-drug N-Acetylcysteine (N-Ac) has shown efficacy in the treatment of addiction to cocaine and nicotine in preclinical research and clinical pilot studies. When administered, N-Ac is subsequently converted to cysteine, and cystine, which has an action on the central nervous system. However, there are few data about the possible application of N-Ac in the ethanol addiction. Behavioral sensitization is the gradual increase of the psychostimulant effects induced by repeated administration of drugs of abuse, including ethanol, and its development has been linked to important neuroadaptations in addiction. These neuroadaptations occur in neural circuits that mediate the reinforcing properties of these drugs and may involve several proteins. The ΔFosB protein accumulates in neurons after repeated activation and mediates long lasting changes in response to drugs of abuse. These changes are manifested mainly in the nucleus accumbens (Acb) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) neurons. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of N-Ac treatment in the development of ethanol behavioral sensitization and in alterations in the ΔFosB protein in mice. Swiss male mice were exposed to a standardized behavioral sensitization protocol to the experimental conditions of the laboratory and treated with N-Ac. At the end of behavioral sensitization procedure, animals were euthanized and their brains removed for ΔFosB quantification by Western blotting. Two experiments of behavioral sensitization were performed to the standardization of the protocol. The first, although effective in demonstrating the development of behavioral sensitization, was not effective in allowing the evaluation of the expression of the behavioral sensitization. The age of the animals and the conditions of luminosity and color of locomotion apparatus were changed and a new...