INFLUENCE of ENCAPSULATING MATERIALS on WATER SORPTION ISOTHERMS of VACUUM-DRIED PERSIMMON PULP POWDER

Water sorption isotherms for vacuum-dried persimmon pulp (PP) powder were determined in the temperature range of 20-50C, and the effects of maltodextrin (MD) or gum arabic (GA) addition on the water sorption behavior of the dried powders were analyzed. Several models were evaluated to fit the experimental data and the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer model was selected as the most adequate to describe the observed behavior. Addition of encapsulants affected the isotherms: at the same water activity, PP powder with added GA (PP + GA) or MD (PP + MD) presented lower equilibrium water content than pure PP and were less affected by temperature variations. Samples of PP + MD presented lower equilibrium moisture content than those of PP + GA. The isosteric heats of sorption of pulp powders with encapsulants were higher (less negative) than those of PP, suggesting that there are more active polar sites in PP than in pulp powder containing encapsulants.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe choice of persimmon to carry out this work was due to the large persimmon production available in Brazil; moreover, persimmon pulp is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A and iron, as well as in phenolic compounds. Drying of fruit pulps with high sugar content presents technical difficulties because the hygroscopicity and thermoplasticity of the resulting powders when exposed to high temperature and relative humidity. For this reason, addition of high-molar-mass biopolymers, such as maltodextrin or gum arabic, is a strategy to aid drying and to improve storage stability. Knowledge of water sorption isotherms and net isosteric heats of sorption is important to various food processing operations, including drying, storage and packaging. They are useful in calculating time and energy consumptions during drying, modeling moisture changes during storage and predicting shelf life of food products.

From forests to cattail: how does the riparian zone influence stream fish?

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

Influence of the association between simvastatin and demineralized bovine bone matrix on bone repair in rats

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

Influence of consumption of probiotics on presence of enterobacteria in the oral cavity

Clinical benefits of probiotics have been clearly reported in different gastrointestinal disorders, many of them caused by enterobacteria. The oral cavity is a port of entry and can be an important reservoir of these microorganisms. This work evaluated whether consumption of probiotics was able to influence the presence of enterobacteria in the oral cavity and the specific secretory response against these microorganisms. Saliva samples of healthy individuals were collected and plated in Mac-Conkey agar. Carriers of Gram-negative, rod-shaped microorganisms in the oral cavity were selected and instructed to use the probiotic Yakult LB for 20 days. Saliva was then collected and enterobacteria species were identified using the API 20 E system and by ELISA using anti-enterobacteria IgA. The results showed reduction in the prevalence of enterobacteria, but no significant changes in enterobacterial counts (log CFU/mL; p = 0.3457). The species most frequently isolated were Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella oxytoca, both before and after probiotic consumption. No significant changes were observed in anti-enterobacteria IgA levels. In conclusion, probiotic consumption had some influence on enterobacterial presence in the oral cavity, but did not affect enterobacterial counts or the specific immune secretory response against them.

Influence of chronic alcoholism and oestrogen deficiency on the variation of stoichiometry of hydroxyapatite within alveolar bone crest of rats

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influence of TNF-alpha blockers on the oral prevalence of opportunistic microorganisms in ankylosing spondylitis patients

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

The Disk-Specimen Thickness Does Not Influence the Push-Out Bond Strength Results Between Fiber Post and Root Dentin

This study evaluated the effect of different thickness of disk-shaped specimens on the push-out bond strength test. Eighteen lower bovine teeth were sectioned (20mm) and prepared (15mm) with the same post system drill (Light Post (R) #1, Schaumburg, IL, Bisco, USA). The apical third of each specimen was embedded in a plastic matrix filled with an acrylic resin (Dencrilay (TM), Dencril, São Paulo, Brazil). The posts were cleaned with alcohol, silanated (ProSil (R), FGM, Joenville, SC, Brazil) and cemented with the RelyX (TM) U100 (3M ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA). Each specimen was sectioned into three pieces of differing thicknesses (1, 2, and 4 mm). These disk-samples were allocated into 3 groups (n=18) and subjected to push-out testing. One-way ANOVA showed no influence of the specimen thickness on the results (p=0.842). No correlation was observed between thickness and push-out bond strength (Pearson Correlation, r(2)=0.0688; P=0.6209). The push-out bond strength test was not affected by the thickness of the disk-specimens.

Influence of Methods of Application of Self-etching Adhesive Systems on Adhesive Bond Strength to Enamel

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

Influence of Hydrothermal Synthesis Conditions and Device Configuration on the Photoresponse of UV Sensors Based on ZnO Nanorods

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

Influence of rare earth doping on the structural and catalytic properties of nanostructured tin oxide

Nanoparticles of tin oxide, doped with Ce and Y, were prepared using the polymeric precursor method. The structural variations of the tin oxide nanoparticles were characterized by means of nitrogen physisorption, carbon dioxide chemisorption, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The synthesized samples, undoped and doped with the rare earths, were used to promote the ethanol steam reforming reaction. The SnO2-based nanoparticles were shown to be active catalysts for the ethanol steam reforming. The surface properties, such as surface area, basicity/base strength distribution, and catalytic activity/selectivity, were influenced by the rare earth doping of SnO2 and also by the annealing temperatures. Doping led to chemical and micro-structural variations at the surface of the SnO2 particles. Changes in the catalytic properties of the samples, such as selectivity toward ethylene, may be ascribed to different dopings and annealing temperatures.

Influence of spraying parameters on the electrochemical behaviour of HVOF thermally sprayed stainless steel coatings in 3.4% NaCl

Stainless steel coatings obtained by High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) were characterized using optical (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe micro-analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), open-circuit potential (E-OC) measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarisation tests. Differences among coated steels were mainly related with the gun-substrate distance parameter (310 nm for samples A and B and 260 min for C and D). The open-circuit potential values measured for all the samples after 18 h of immersion in aerated and unstirred 3.4% NaCl solution were: - 0.334, - 0.360, - 0.379 and - 0.412 V vs. Ag/AgCl,KClsat. for samples A to D, respectively. For EIS measurements, Nyquist plots showed higher capacitive semi-circle for samples sprayed at longer distance, indicating higher corrosion resistance in NaCl solution. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of HVOF parameters on the corrosion and wear resistance of WC-Co coatings sprayed on AA7050 T7

Thermal spray WC-based coatings are widely used in the aircraft industry mainly for their resistance to wear, reworking and rebuilding operations and repair of worn components on landing gear, hydraulic cylinders, actuators, propeller hub assemblies, gas turbine engines, and so on. The aircraft industry is also trying to use thermal spray technology to replace electroplating coatings such as hard chromium. In the present work, WC-Co coatings were built up on an AA 7050 aluminum alloy using high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) technology and a liquid nitrogen cooling prototype system. The influence of the spray parameters (standard conditions, W19S, increasing the oxygen flux, W19H, and also increasing the carrier gas flux, W19F) on corrosion, friction, and abrasive wear resistance were also studied. The coatings were characterized using optical (OM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The friction and abrasive wear resistance of the coatings were studied using Rubber Wheel and Ball on Disk tests. The electrochemical studies were conducted using open-circuit potential (E(oc)) measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Differences among coated samples were mainly related to the variation of the thermal spray parameters used during the spray process. No significant differences were observed in the wear resistance for the coatings studied, and all of them showed a wear rate around 10 times lower than that of the aluminum alloy. The results of mass loss and wear rate were interpreted considering different mechanisms. Comparing the different spray parameters, the oxygen flux (higher flame temperature) produced the sample which showed the highest corrosion resistance in aerated and unstirred 3.5% NaCl solution. Aluminum ions were detected on the surface almost immediately after the immersion of samples W19S and W19F in chloride solution, showing that the electrolyte reached the substrate and galvanic corrosion probably occurred. For sample W19H, aluminum ions were not detected even after 120 min of immersion in NaCl solution. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pd-based catalysts: Influence of the second metal on their stability and oxygen reduction activity

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

PM2.5 and PM10: The influence of sugarcane burning on potential cancer risk

In Brazil, sugarcane fields are often burned to facilitate manual harvesting, and this burning causes environmental pollution from the large amounts of soot released into the atmosphere. This material contains numerous organic compounds such as PAHs. In this study, the concentrations of PAHs in two particulate-matter fractions (PM2.5 and PM10) in the city of Araraquara (SE Brazil, with around 200,000 inhabitants and surrounded by sugarcane plantations) were determined during the sugarcane harvest (HV) and non-harvest (NHV) seasons in 2008 and 2009. The sampling strategy included four campaigns, with 60 samples in the NHV season and 220 samples in the HV season. The PM2.5 and PM10 fractions were collected using a dichotomous sampler (10 L min(-1), 24 h) with Teflon (TM) filters. The filter sets were extracted (ultrasonic bath with hexane/acetone (1:1 v/v)) and analyzed by HPLC/Fluorescence. The median concentration for total PAHs (PM2.5 in 2009) was 0.99 ng m(-3) (NHV) and 3.3 ng m(-3) (HV). In the HV season, the total concentration of carcinogenic PAHs (benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, and benzo(a)pyrene) was 5 times higher than in the NHV season. B(a)P median concentrations were 0.017 ng m(-3) and 0.12 ng m(-3) for the NHV and HV seasons, respectively. The potential cancer risk associated with exposure through inhalation of these compounds was estimated based on the benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalence (BaPeq), where the overall toxicity of a PAR mixture is defined by the concentration of each compound multiplied by its relative toxic equivalence factor (TEF). BaPeq median (2008 and 2009 years) ranged between 0.65 and 1.0 ng m(-3) and 1.2-1.4 ng m(-3) for the NHV and HV seasons, respectively. Considering that the maximum permissible BaPeq in ambient air is 1 ng m(-3), related to the increased carcinogenic risk, our data suggest that the level of human exposure to PAHs in cities surrounded by sugarcane crops where the burning process is used is cause for concern. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Influence of sugarcane burning on indoor/outdoor PAH air pollution in Brazil

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