Produtividade de cultivares de cebola em função do número de mudas por célula de bandeja e espaçamento entre covas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Postharvest quality of twelve onion cultivars grown in the Southeast of Brazil

Onions (Allium cepa L.) are grown in different parts of the Brazilian territory and are considered the third most important vegetable crop cultivated in the country, only behind potatoes and tomatoes. The present work was carried out aiming to evaluate the postharvest quality of twelve different onion cultivars grown in the Southeast of Brazil. Onions of the cultivars; 'Adocicada', 'Branca', 'Picante' and 'Roxa' were harvested in commercial fields and the cultivars 'Princesa', 'Serrana', 'Bulbo duplo', 'Granex 33', 'XP 6803', 'XP 8418', 'RP 6010' and 'Superex' were obtained in experimental fields. After harvest, bulbs were taken to the postharvest laboratory and evaluated for total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and pungency (aliinase activity). For total soluble solids 'Superex' had the lowest sugar content (5.4 degrees Brix) whereas the cultivar named 'Picante' showed the highest Brix (11.0 degrees Brix) among the studied materials. For titratable acidity, it was verified that 'Serrana' had the lowest acid content (0.094 g piruvic acid.100 g(-1) FW) whereas 'Branca' showed the highest content of organic acids. When pungency was evaluated it was verified that aliinase activity varied from 1.37 pg piruvic acid.100 g(-1) FW for 'Adocicada' to 12.18 mu g piruvic acid.100 g(-1) FW for 'Roxa', which was considered to have hot pungency (high alliinase activity and low TSS/TA), whereas 'Bulbo duplo' was evaluated as pungent (high alliinase activity and TSS/TA). The combination of the studied characteristics indicated that an onion with high pungency must have high aliinase activity and titratable acidity, whereas sweet onions shall have high soluble solids contents and low aliinase activity. Based on this information, 'Branca' bulbs were considered acids (weak pungency and high acidity), whereas 'Adocicada', 'Princesa', and 'Serrana' bulbs are sweet, due to low alliinase activity and titratable acidity. 'Superex', 'XP 6803', 'Granex 33' and 'Picante' had a moderately pungent flavor (alliinase activity intermediate and low TSS/TA), but 'XP 8418' and 'RP 6010' flavor was evaluated as lightly pungent (low alliinase activity TSS/TA).

Qualidade dos bulbos de cebola 'Superex' armazenados sob refrigeração, quando expostos à condição ambiente

O armazenamento refrigerado da cebola tem sido recomendado como ideal, mas os produtores sempre questionam sobre a qualidade comercial e o consumo dos bulbos durante este período e depois de levados à condição ambiente. Avaliou-se a qualidade de bulbos de cebola ´Superex' acondicionados em sacos de rede de fibra plástica e armazenados a 10-12°C (68% UR) por até 91 dias, quando levados à condição ambiente. Após 1; 16; 31; 61 e 91 dias foram tomadas amostras, ao acaso, que eram levadas à condição ambiente (22°C, 59% UR). Estas cebolas foram avaliadas quanto à massa fresca, aparência e ocorrência de podridões, e quanto à coloração interna, luminosidade, ângulo de cor e cromaticidade, atividade da aliinase e teores de sólidos solúveis e de acidez titulável. Os bulbos, quando levados ao ambiente, perderam massa com maior intensidade do que quando armazenados sob refrigeração e mantiveram qualidade aceitável por até 38 dias. Somente os armazenados sob refrigeração por 91 dias tinham aparência ruim. Os bulbos analisados apresentaram tendência ao amarelecimento interno, sem alteração significativa nos teores de SS e de AT. Durante o período refrigerado a pungência dos mesmos aumentou, de pungente para picante, que se manteve estável durante o armazenamento ao ambiente.

Qualidade de cebola minimamente processada e armazenada sob refrigeração

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

Perfil dos consumidores de plantas medicinais e condimentares do município de Pato Branco (PR)

Diagnosticou-se o perfil dos consumidores de supermercados em Pato Branco (PR), com relação às suas preferências pelas plantas medicinais e condimentares, como subsídio à produção por pequenos produtores rurais. Os consumidores preferem produtos orgânicos, observam a aparência e o preço do produto, e vão ao mercado uma vez por semana, preferencialmente aos sábados. As dez plantas medicinais preferidas, em ordem decrescente, são camomila, anis, boldo, carqueja, guaco, malva, poejo, espinheira-santa, menta e sálvia. As dez plantas condimentares preferidas, em ordem decrescente, são cebola, cravo, canela, orégano, alho, nóz-moscada, pimentão, cebolinha, endro e salsinha.

Recuperação e purificação de quitosanases usando adsorção em leito expandido com streamline DEAE com modelagem e simulação usando redes neurais

Expanded Bed Adsorption (EBA) is an integrative process that combines concepts of chromatography and fluidization of solids. The many parameters involved and their synergistic effects complicate the optimization of the process. Fortunately, some mathematical tools have been developed in order to guide the investigation of the EBA system. In this work the application of experimental design, phenomenological modeling and artificial neural networks (ANN) in understanding chitosanases adsorption on ion exchange resin Streamline® DEAE have been investigated. The strain Paenibacillus ehimensis NRRL B-23118 was used for chitosanase production. EBA experiments were carried out using a column of 2.6 cm inner diameter with 30.0 cm in height that was coupled to a peristaltic pump. At the bottom of the column there was a distributor of glass beads having a height of 3.0 cm. Assays for residence time distribution (RTD) revelead a high degree of mixing, however, the Richardson-Zaki coefficients showed that the column was on the threshold of stability. Isotherm models fitted the adsorption equilibrium data in the presence of lyotropic salts. The results of experiment design indicated that the ionic strength and superficial velocity are important to the recovery and purity of chitosanases. The molecular mass of the two chitosanases were approximately 23 kDa and 52 kDa as estimated by SDS-PAGE. The phenomenological modeling was aimed to describe the operations in batch and column chromatography. The simulations were performed in Microsoft Visual Studio. The kinetic rate constant model set to kinetic curves efficiently under conditions of initial enzyme activity 0.232, 0.142 e 0.079 UA/mL. The simulated breakthrough curves showed some differences with experimental data, especially regarding the slope. Sensitivity tests of the model on the surface velocity, axial dispersion and initial concentration showed agreement with the literature. The neural network was constructed in MATLAB and Neural Network Toolbox. The cross-validation was used to improve the ability of generalization. The parameters of ANN were improved to obtain the settings 6-6 (enzyme activity) and 9-6 (total protein), as well as tansig transfer function and Levenberg-Marquardt training algorithm. The neural Carlos Eduardo de Araújo Padilha dezembro/2013 9 networks simulations, including all the steps of cycle, showed good agreement with experimental data, with a correlation coefficient of approximately 0.974. The effects of input variables on profiles of the stages of loading, washing and elution were consistent with the literature

Palma forrageira (Opuntia ficus indica e Nopalea cochenillifera) como matéria-prima para produção de etanol celulósico e enzimas celulolíticas

The need for new sources of energy and the concern about the environment have pushed the search for renewable energy sources such as ethanol. The use of lignocellulosic biomass as substrate appears as an important alternative because of the abundance of this raw material and for it does not compete with food production. However, the process still meets difficulties of implementation, including the cost for production of enzymes that degrade cellulose to fermentable sugars. The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of the species of cactus pear Opuntia ficus indica and Nopalea cochenillifera, commonly found in northeastern Brazil, as raw materials for the production of: 1) cellulosic ethanol by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process, using two different strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (PE-2 and LNF CA-11), and 2) cellulolytic enzymes by semi-solid state fermentation (SSSF) using the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. Before alcoholic fermentation process, the material was conditioned and pretreated by three different strategies: alkaline hydrogen peroxide, alkaline using NaOH and acid using H2SO4 followed by alkaline delignification with NaOH. Analysis of composition, crystallinity and enzymatic digestibility were carried out with the material before and after pretreatment. In addition, scanning electron microscopy images were used to compare qualitatively the material and observe the effects of pretreatments. An experimental design 2² with triplicate at the central point was used to evaluate the influence of temperature (30, 40 and 45 °C) and the initial charge of substrate (3, 4 and 5% cellulose) in the SSF process using the material obtained through the best condition and testing both strains of S. cerevisiae, one of them flocculent (LNF CA-11). For cellulase production, the filamentous fungus P. chrysogenum was tested with N. cochenillifera in the raw condition (without pretreatment) and pretrated hydrothermically, varying the pH of the fermentative medium (3, 5 and 7). The characterization of cactus pear resulted in 31.55% cellulose, 17.12% hemicellulose and 10.25% lignin for N. cochenillifera and 34.86% cellulose, 19.97% hemicellulose and 15.72% lignin for O. ficus indica. It has also been determined, to N. cochenillifera and O. ficus indica, the content of pectin (5.44% and 5.55% of calcium pectate, respectively), extractives (26.90% and 9.69%, respectively) and ashes (5.40% and 5.95%). Pretreatment using alkaline hydrogen peroxide resulted in the best cellulose recovery results (86.16% for N. cochenillifera and 93.59% for O. ficus indica) and delignification (48.79% and 23.84% for N. cochenillifera and O. ficus indica, respectively). This pretreatment was also the only one which did not increase the crystallinity index of the samples, in the case of O. ficus indica. However, when analyzing the enzymatic digestibility of cellulose, alkali pretreatment was the one which showed the best yields and therefore it was chosen for the tests in SSF. The experiments showed higher yield of conversion of cellulose to ethanol by PE-2 strain using the pretreated N. cochenillifera (93.81%) at 40 °C using 4% initial charge of cellulose. N. cochenillifera gave better yields than O. ficus indica and PE-2 strain showed better performance than CA-11. N. cochenillifera proved to be a substrate that can be used in the SSSF for enzymes production, reaching values of 1.00 U/g of CMCase and 0.85 FPU/g. The pretreatment was not effective to increase the enzymatic activity values

Levantamento e avaliação de critérios para a ampliação de escala da produção de biossurfactantes utilizando melaço como substrato

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic molecules synthesized by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast or filamented fungi cultivated in various carbon sources among sucrose and hydrocarbons. These molecules are composed by a hydrophilic and hydrophobic part. They operate mostly at interfaces of fluids of different polarities. Because of this characteristic, they are potentially employed in numerous industries, such as the textile, medical, cosmetics, food and mainly in the petrochemical ones. Therefore industry has interest in developing new biosurfactant production processes in high scale, in order to become them economically competitive when compared to synthetic biosurfactants. This work aims to evaluate the biosurfactant production applying a non-conventional substrate sugar cane molasses proceeding from the sugar industry thus reducing the production costs. The strain identified as AP029/GLIIA, isolated from oil wells in Rio Grande do Norte state and used in these experiments belongs to the culture collection of Antibiotics Department of UFPE. The fermentation were carried out using different conditions according to a factorial planning 24 with duplicate at center point, in which the studied factors were molasse concentration, nitrate concentration, agitation and aeration ratio. The experiments were performed in a shaker at 38ºC of temperature. Samples were withdrawn in regular periods of time of up to 72 hours of fermentation in order to analyze substrate consumption, cellular concentration, superficial tension, critical micelle dilution (CMD-1 e CMD-2) as well as extracelullar protein production. The results showed a production of 3,480 g/L of biomass, a reduction of 41% on superficial tension, 67% of substrate consumption and 0,2805 g/L of extracellular protein

Occupational exposure of physical therapists to electric and magnetic fields and the efficacy of Faraday cages

Objective. Measure physical therapists' exposure to the electric and magnetic fields produced by 17 shortwave diathermy devices in physical therapy clinics in the city of Presidente Prudente, São Paulo State, Brazil. Compare the observed values with the exposure levels recommended by the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Observe the efficacy of Faraday cages as a means of protecting physical therapists from exposure to oscillating electric and magnetic fields.Methods. Electric and magnetic field measurements were taken at four points during actual physical therapy sessions: in proximity to the operator's pelvis and head, the devices' electrical cables, and the electrodes. The measuring equipment was a Wandel & Goltermann EMR-200.Results. The values obtained in proximity to the electrodes and cables were 10 to 30 times higher than ICNIRP's recommended occupational reference levels. In the shortwave diathermy treatment rooms with Faraday cages, the fields were even higher than in treatment rooms not so equipped-principally the magnetic field, where the values were more than 100 times higher than the ICNIRP exposure limit.Conclusions. The electric and magnetic field intensities obtained in this study are generally above the exposure levels recommend in ICNIRP standards. It was also observed that the Faraday cage offers physical therapists no protection, and instead, increases their level of exposure.

Caracterização molecular de estafilococos isolados de vacas com mastite subclínica e ordenhadores

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

Estoque doméstico e uso de medicamentos em uma população cadastrada na estratégia saúde da família no Brasil

Objective. To identify families served by the family health strategy (FHS) storing medicines at home, to evaluate storage conditions, and to investigate medicine use practices.Methods. The study was conducted in a municipality in the state of São Paulo with two FHS units serving 1 867 households. The sample was selected by means of stratified random sampling. Data collection was conducted through semistructured interviews from July to October 2008.Results. One resident was interviewed in each of the 280 households visited. Medicines were found in 255 households (91.1%). of 326 storage locations, 217 (75.8%) were inadequate (easily accessible to children or exposed to moisture, light). of the 2 578 medicines identified, 2 059 medicines (79.9%) in 236 (84.3%) households had safety or identification problems. of the 280 respondents, 179 (63.9%) used medications. of these, 24 were self-medicating, only one with an over-the-counter drug. Only 44 users had the prescription for their medication, and 21 did not follow the prescription in terms of dosage or had interrupted the treatment.Conclusions. Non-adherence to recommended treatment can lead to negative outcomes, such as inefficiency (using dosages lower than prescribed), poisoning (using dosages higher than prescribed), and other adverse reactions.

Susceptibilidade de Rhodnius neglectus, Rhodnius robustus e Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) à infecção por duas cepas de Trypanosoma cruzi (Kinetoplastidae, Trypanosomatidae) utilizando xenodiagnóstico artificial

A susceptibilidade de ninfas de 3º estádio de Rhodnius neglectus, R. robustus e Triatoma infestans às cepas Y e AMJM de Trypanosoma cruzi foi verificada utilizando xenodiagnóstico artificial. Para a leitura do xenodiagnóstico, as fezes dos triatomíneos foram examinadas a cada dois dias, a partir do 5º até o 31º dia pós infecção, pela técnica de compressão abdominal. Os resultados mostraram diferenças na susceptibilidade dos triatomíneos para as duas cepas estudadas e o período ótimo de leitura variou do 11º ao 19º dias para a cepa Y e do 11º ao 15º dias para a cepa AMJM. Também, pôde-se concluir que para a cepa Y, as três espécies de triatomíneos demonstraram boa susceptibilidade, enquanto para a cepa AMJM, a melhor susceptibilidade foi observada com R. neglectus, seguida pelo T. infestans e R. robustus.

Análise da genotoxicidade das águas da Lagoa da Extremoz - RN

The contamination of the waters resources for wastewater from industrial, agricultural, and domestic sources is a serious environment problem, compromising its use for human consumption and agriculture. The Extremoz-RN Lake is an important freshwater source for the supply of the city of Natal, supplying a population of approximately 160,000 habitants. This aquatic body is located near an industrial pole which can be a serious risk factor for quality of its waters. The objectives of this study were examined the genotoxicity of Extremoz Lake between September of 2006 and January of 2008, by a combination of the Allium micronucleus test, piscine micronucleus test and the comet assay in erythrocytes from peripheral blood of Oreochromis niloticus. Additionally, the level of eight different heavy metals was quantified through spectrometry of atomic absorption of flame. The Allium test did not detect increase in the frequencies of micronucleus in none of the analyzed periods, however a strong cytotoxic activity was demonstrated for decrease in mitotic index in the analyses carried in April and July of 2007. Negative results had been detected in the frequencies of micronucleus in O. niloticus. A statistic significant increase was observed in the levels of DNA damage in comet assay carried in July of 2007. The results of the chemical analysis had detected increase in the levels of cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc in different periods. These results demonstrated an alteration of the water s quality of the Extremoz Lake caused for the contamination for heavy metals and increase of DNA strand breaks. The use of biomonitoring program of the heavy metal and other pollutants with genotoxic potential combinated with genotoxicity assays is recommends.

Análise das mudanças no perfil protéico durante o estresse oxidativo in vivo e atuação da MutY-Glicosilase em respostas celulares

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior