Semblança molecular: representació n-dimensional d'un conjunt de molècules

Es presenta una sèrie de conceptes de semblança molecular quàtica i uns procediments associats de càlcul i representació gràfica dels resultats. Donada una sèrie de molècules es poden obtenir diversos tipus de gràfics que mostren les relacions entre elles. Com a exemple d'aplicació d'aquest procés s'estudia una família de drogues antitumorals

Line extension influence on brand image: a study on the alcoholic beverage market in Brazil

The present study has the objective of understanding the influence of line extensions on the image of vodka brands. The research was performed by organizing various focus groups with vodka consumers in São Paulo. These focus groups allowed exploring and analyzing how the last line extensions of vodka brands have modified the image the consumers had of the brand. Three hypotheses were distinguished as an outcome of the research: (1) The influence of a line extension on brand image depends heavily on the initial image the consumers have of the brand. For a vodka brand with an average or bad image, launching a line extension with a perceived average or bad quality does not modify the brand image. On the contrary, for a vodka brand with a positive initial brand image, launching a line extension with perceived high quality led to a positive change in the brand image. (2) For vodka brands, a vertical line extension recognized as having high authenticity provokes a transfer of attributes from the extended product to the brand. (3) Among Keller’s (1993) dimensions of brand image, non-product related attributes and especially packaging are the one that are the most influenced by line extensions of vodka brands.

Agricultura familiar: uma perspectiva da qualidade de vida do produtor rural orgânico da Paraíba

Knowledge of quality of life is a very complex and rich in cultural and subjective dimensions, understood in a broad sense and multivariate theme. Considering the rural areas from agriculture, it is observed that the production standard defines significant changes in the environmental context and the quality of life of rural workers. To explain the relationship between quality of life and Family Organic Agriculture, we sought to analyze the quality of life of the organic family farmer, after change in agricultural management. The research, based on a procedure exploratory study supported the articulation theoretically constructed, showed their relevance and allowed to delimit with greater security, the central question of work. The WHOQOL - 100 treated the instrument of research on quality of life that directed the field study with organic farmers from the town of Lagoa Seca / PB. Farmers and family members are from rural regions Almeida, Alvinho, Lagoa de Barro, Lagoa Gravatá, Oiti and Pau Ferro. The average time is 39 years farming and organic family farm is 16 years. In the analysis work was found that the process of production of vegetables and fruits is divided into 08 steps and with respect to workloads observations showed the presence of: physical loads, mechanical stresses, psychological burden and ergonomic factors. Most farmers reported symptoms were fatigue and cramps in the legs . Regarding the quality of life was noticed that the Psychological Domain contributed positively to the quality of life with mean and standard deviation (17.83 ± 12.78) and Domain Environment negatively contributing to the quality of life of this group (9.00 ± 6.82). We conclude that the practice of Family Organic Agriculture should be seen as an effective strategy in promoting quality of life and social values in between, since it presents environmental sustainability with regard to life and socio-cultural diversity of populations

Evolução geodinâmica e condicionamento estrutural dos terrenos Piancó-Alto Brígida e Alto Pajeú, domínio da zona transversal, NE do Brasil

This thesis aims to advance in the geological knowledge of the region comprising the Piancó-Alto Brígida (TPAB) and Alto pajeú (TAP) terranes, in the Transversal Zone Domain (Borborema Province, NE Brazil), with the main objective of understanding the geodynamic evolution and the structural framework of these units. To reach this objective, and besides field work and interpretation of traditional aerial photographs, other tools were employed like of remote sensing products (Landsat 7 ETM+, aeroradiometrics, aeromagnetics and topographical images), lithogeochemical (whole rock) analyses and geochronological dating (U-Pb in zircon), besides integration with literature data. In the area, several precambrian geological units outcrop, represented in the TAP by the paleoproterozoic Serra Talhada and Afogados da Ingazeira complexes, Riacho Gravatá Complex (metavolcano-sedimentary sequence of Stenian-Tonian age) and Cariris Velhos orthogneisses (of Tonian age). The TPAB comprises the Santana do Garrote (lower unit) and Serra do Olho d'Água (upper unit) formations of the Cachoeirinha Group (Neoproterozoic III), besides the Piancó orthogneisses and Bom Jesus paragneisses; the latter correspond to an older (basement ?) block and a possible high grade equivalent of the Cachoeirinha Group (or Seridó Group ?), respectively. Several Brasiliano-age plutons occur in both terranes.The aeromagnetic data show the continuity, at depth, of the main shear zones mapped in the region. The Patos, Pernambuco, Boqueirão dos Cochos, Serra do Caboclo, Afogados da Ingazeira/Jabitacá and Congo-Cruzeiro do Nordeste shear zones reach depths greater than to 6-16 km. The aeromagnetic signature of other shear zones, like the Juru one, suggests that these structures correspond to shallower crustal features. The satellite images (Landsat 7 ETM+) and aerogamaspectrometric images discriminate different geological units, contributing to the mapping of the structural framework of the region. The Serra do Caboclo Shear Zone was characterized as the boundary/suture between the TPAB and TAP. This structure is an outstanding, pervasive feature that separates contrasting geological units, such as the Neoproterozoic III Cachoeirinha Group in the TPAB and the Riacho Gravatá Complex and the Cariris Velhos metaplutonics, of Stenian-Tonian age, in the TAP. Occupying different blocks, these units are not found in authoctonous relations, like unconformities and intrusive contacts. Concerning the Cariris Velhos (ca. 1,0 Ga old) event is recorded by radiometric ages of the Riacho Gravatá Complex metavolcanics and intrusive augen and orthogneisses, all of them displaying geochemical affinities of arc or collisional settings. A structural signature of this event was not recorded in the region, possibly due to its low grade/low strain style, obliterated by the overprinting of younger, higher grade/high strain Brasiliano-age fabrics.The first tectonic event (D1) observed in the Cariris Velhos lithotypes presents contractional kinematics with transport to the NW. Neoproterozoic III geochronologic dates, obtained in late-D1 granitoids, imply a Brasiliano age (ca. 610-600 Ma) for this deformation event. The second tectonic event (D2) characterized in the region corresponds to the Brasiliano transcurrent kinematics of the outstanding shear zones and associated granitoid plutons. The geochronological (U-Pb in zircon) data obtained during this thesis also confirms the occurrence of the Cariris Velhos magmatic suite in the TAP, as well as the Neoproterozoic III age to the Cachoeirinha Group in the TPAB. The TAP (Riacho Gravatá Complex, augen and orthogneisses) is interpreted as a continental arc possibly accreted to a microcontinent during the Cariris Velhos (Stenian-Tonian) event. Later on, this terrane collided with the TPAB at the beginning of the Brasiliano orogeny (D1 contractional deformation), and both domins were reworked by the transcurrent shear deformation of the D2 event

Reproductive behavior and seasonal occurrence of Psecas viridipurpureus (Salticidae, Araneae)

O comportamento reprodutivo e a ocorrência sazonal de Psecas viridipurpureus foram estudados na Estação Ecológica do Noroeste Paulista, uma pequena área de conservação na região noroeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil (49º22'50W e 20º48'36S). P. viridipurpureus ocorreu em gravatás, uma bromeliácea (Bromelia balansae, Bromeliaceae) que não acumula água de chuva. Durante a exibição de corte, o casal ocupou a região mediana das folhas de gravatás, com o macho sempre localizado em uma posição superior à da fêmea. Os machos de P. viridipurpureus apresentaram um comportamento de corte complexo, que incluiu cinco padrões motores. O comportamento de corte e a cópula ocorreram preponderantemente durante a estação chuvosa e o recrutamento de jovens entre dezembro e julho. O abrigo de P. viridipurpureus difere do padrão de Salticidae, pois as ootecas são recobertas por uma cobertura de seda plana e não são incluídas em casulos.

Efeito do uso de enzimas proteolíticas na maturação de queijo Prato com teor reduzido de gordura

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise funcional e estrutural comparativa da fastuosaina com papaína e bromelinas

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

Phylogenetic relationships of Malassezia species based on multilocus sequence analysis

Members of the genus Malassezia are lipophilic basidiomycetous yeasts, which are part of the normal cutaneous microbiota of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Currently, this genus consists of 14 species that have been characterized by phenetic and molecular methods. Although several molecular methods have been used to identify and/or differentiate Malassezia species, the sequencing of the rRNA genes and the chitin synthase-2 gene (CHS2) are the most widely employed. There is little information about the beta-tubulin gene in the genus Malassezia, a gene has been used for the analysis of complex species groups. The aim of the present study was to sequence a fragment of the beta-tubulin gene of Malassezia species and analyze their phylogenetic relationship using a multilocus sequence approach based on two rRNA genes (ITS including 5.8S rRNA and D1/D2 region of 26S rRNA) together with two protein encoding genes (CHS2 and beta-tubulin). The phylogenetic study of the partial beta-tubulin gene sequences indicated that this molecular marker can be used to assess diversity and identify new species. The multilocus sequence analysis of the four loci provides robust support to delineate species at the terminal nodes and could help to estimate divergence times for the origin and diversification of Malassezia species.

Queijo Prato com teor reduzido de gordura adicionado de enzima proteolítica: características físicas e sensoriais

The Prato cheese is the second most consumed cheese in Brazil. It is produced by milk enzymatic coagulation, and maturated for at least 25 days; it is classified as fatty cheese and of medium moisture. Due to the concern to health, the cheeses consumers have been seeking for products with low fat contents; however fat is essential for providing desirable sensory and physiologic characteristics, such as flavor, softness and texture to cheeses. Alterations on the technological processing of low fat cheeses have been made seeking for improved products, and the use of proteolytic enzymes has been a significant strategy. The meltability, color and sensory characteristics are fundamental quality indicators of the final products. This study reports the findings from the analyses on the physical and sensory characteristics of low fat Prato cheese with addition of proteolytic enzyme – fastuosain, that is extracted from unripe gravata fruit. The addition of fastuosain improved the quality of the product, as this additive neither affected the meltability, nor produced bitterness, which is a common unpleasant taste in low fat cheeses.

Variação do espectro das ondas de Rossby na região da frente Brasil-Malvinas

A média global da variação na quantidade de calor armazenado nos oceanos observada recentemente é positiva (Cabanes et al., 2001; Cazenave & Nerem, 2004), porém, sua distribuição espacial não é homogênea (Polito & Sato, 2008). O calor armazenado está associado, via expansão térmica, à altura da coluna d'água. Portanto, variações espaciais na tendência do calor armazenado tem como consequência mudanças na inclinação da superfície que, por sua vez, implicam em variações nas correntes geostróficas e portanto na energia cinética associada a fenômenos de meso e larga escala. Polito & Sato (2008) observaram tendências predominantemente positivas na amplitude de ondas de Rossby e vórtices de mesoescala nos últimos 13 anos, sugerindo que estes eventos estão, em uma média global, ficando mais energéticos. Estas tendências variam regionalmente e a variabilidade espacial é mais pronunciada próximo da extensão para leste das correntes de contorno oeste (CCO), sugerindo um aumento do cisalhamento da velocidade geostrófica. O afastamento das CCO da costa provoca, na região de sua ocorrência, intensa atividade vortical e meandramento, constituindo, do ponto de vista da anomalia da altura da superfície do mar (AASM), as áreas mais energéticas do planeta. O exemplo no Atlântico Sul é a separação da Corrente do Brasil (CB) em sua região de encontro com a Corrente das Malvinas (CM). A CB flui quase-meridionalmente para sul até aproximadamente 36°S, iniciando seu afastamento da costa até 38°S devido ao encontro de suas águas quentes e salinas com as águas de origem subpolar da CM, conforme Garzoli & Garrafo (1989). Essa região recebe o nome de Confluência Brasil-Malvinas (CBM).