Alginate/PVA beads for levan production by Zymomonas mobilis

The levan is a biopolymer of great importance to the food industry since it is capable of defining and modifying the structure of one food, acting as stabilizer, thickener, gelling agent and being largely responsible for the texture of processed foods. The levan production by bacterial cell immobilization may potentialize the results of these studies, having advantages such as: high cell concentrations inside the reactor, increase the substrate absorption rate, improve the performance and reduce the risk of microbial contamination. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the levan production by immobilized Zymomonas mobilis in hybrid system of alginate/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) when submitted to different sucrose concentrations (5, 10, 25 and 30%), pH (5.7 and 7.0) and incubation temperature of 30C for 12, 18 and 24 h. The results showed that the best levan production rate was 18.66 g/L at 30% sucrose concentration, with productivity 1.55 g/L/h at pH 7.0.

Estudo do papel da proteína eIF5A na elongação da tradução em S. cerevisiae: análise da relação funcional com o trna de alanina e sua participação na síntese proteica geral da célula

Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia - IQ

Otimização do processo de soldagem por resistência elétrica em compósitos PEI/fibras contínuas para aplicações aeronáuticas

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Stability, purification, and applications of bromelain: a review

Bromelain is a cysteine protease found in pineapple tissue. Due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities, as well as its ability to induce apoptotic cell death, bromelain has proved useful in several therapeutic areas. The market for this protease is growing, and several studies exploring various properties of this molecule have been reported. This review aims to compile this data, and summarize the main findings on bromelain in the literature to date. The physicochemical properties and stability of bromelain under different conditions are discussed. Several studies on the purification of bromelain from crude extracts using a wide range of techniques such as liquid-liquid extractions by aqueous two-phase system, ultrafiltration, precipitation, and chromatography, have been reported. Finally, the various applications of bromelain are presented. This review therefore covers the main properties of bromelain, aiming to provide an up-to-date compilation of the data reported on this enzyme.

Preparação e caracterização óptica de filmes híbridos dopados com o azocorante Disperse Red 1

The Sol-gel process has facilitated the processing of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials with several scientific applications and technologies. The hybrid combine the advantages of the Sol-gel process with specific characteristics of organic polymers, allowing processing of thin films without fractures or fissures. The incorporation of azo dyes in polymer matrices has been widely used in the investigation of optical properties. The azo dye Disperse Red (DR1) presents optical alterations when exposed to visible or ultraviolet light. The alterations occur due to transitions of their isomers, trans and cis, caused by photoisomerization, due to electronic transitions of azo group (-N=N-), presenting photochromic and/or photorefractive effects. The hybrid system used in this work is the precursor 3- Glycidoxypropyl-Trimethoxi-silane (GPTS), the Tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and DR1 as a dopant. The characterizations were performed using absorption spectroscopy UV-Vis which allowed the identification of the absorption bands and its variations when the samples were treated thermally and/or illuminated by ultraviolet light

On the question of neutrino spin precession in a magnetic field

Using the Feynman procedure of ordered exponential operators we solve the evolution equations for a two-neutrino system considering arbitrarily varying matter density and magnetic field along the neutrino trajectory. We show that a large geometrical phase velocity suppresses νL→νR transitions unless some stationary trajectory is found along the neutrino path. Concerning the solar neutrino case, if we admit the standard solar model matter distribution, no such trajectory can be found.

O sistema político, partidário e eleitoral da República de Malta

This work is a study which deals with political, electoral and party features from the Republic of Malta. An interest that motivated the study is to understand how works the consolidated two-party system in the country, the cleavages which foster that features and the Maltese media groups alignment process to those prevailing political parties. Our goal is to identify the main factors which creates and maintain those features of a two-party model in Malta, and how much it overlaps the political and electoral models applied in the country. The analysis is mostly literature, also backing up data about the nation, on elections and political parties which allow enough stability for analysis and enables us an approach about the actual facts. The survey data and literature available is mainly in English, by the lack of academic papers on Malta in Brazilian Portuguese. Therefore, this work contributes as a small panorama of the Maltese political reality, which can serve as a point of comparison and reflection on other countries' realities, with a sharp bipolar political trend, strong social entrenchment of political parties, and media groups aligned to those

Aplicação da teoria fuzzy no controle de sistemas de geração de energias alternativas

This paper presents the application and use of a methodology based on fuzzy theory and simulates its use in intelligent control of a hybrid system for generating electricity, using solar energy, photovoltaic and wind. When using a fuzzy control system, it reached the point of maximum generation of energy, thus shifting all energy generated from the alternative sources-solar photovoltaic and wind, cargo and / or batteries when its use not immediately. The model uses three variables used for entry, which are: wind speed, solar radiation and loading the bank of batteries. For output variable has to choose which of the batteries of the battery bank is charged. For the simulations of this work is used MATLAB software. In this environment mathematical computational are analyzed and simulated all mathematical modeling, rules and other variables in the system described fuzzy. This model can be used in a system of control of hybrid systems for generating energy, providing the best use of energy sources, sun and wind, so we can extract the maximum energy possible these alternative sources without any prejudice to the environment.

Desempenho operacional de transplante manual e mecanizado da cultura da alface

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Development of enzymic time-temperature integrators with rapid detection for evaluation of continuous HTST pasteurization processes

The assessment of the thermal process impact in terms of food safety and quality is of great importance for process evaluation and design. This can be accomplished from the analysis of the residence time and temperature distributions coupled with the kinetics of thermal change, or from the use of a proper time-temperature integrator (TTI) as indicator of safety and quality. The objective of this work was to develop and test enzymic TTIs with rapid detection for the evaluation of continuous HTST pasteurization processes (70-85 degrees C, 10-60 s) of low-viscosity liquid foods, such as milk and juices. Enzymes peroxidase, lactoperoxidase and alkaline phosphatase in phosphate buffer were tested and activity was determined with commercial reflectometric strips. Discontinuous thermal treatments at various time-temperature combinations were performed in order to adjust a first order kinetic model of a two-component system. The measured time-temperature history was considered instead of assuming isothermal conditions. Experiments with slow heating and cooling were used to validate the adjusted model. Only the alkaline phosphatase TTI showed potential to be used for the evaluation of pasteurization processes. The choice was based on the obtained z-values of the thermostable and thermolabile fractions, on the cost and on the validation tests. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linking origin of the electric field-assisted beta-PbF2 crystallization in lead oxyfluoroborate glasses below T (g) to simultaneous cathode/anode-compensated electrochemical reactions

Full validation of the electrochemical mechanisms so far postulated as driving force of electric field-assisted non-spontaneous crystallization development in given glasses has suffered experimental restrictions. In this work, we looked into origin of this phenomenon in lead oxyfluoroborate glasses, resulting in beta-PbF2 growth even below the corresponding glass transition temperatures, through achieving a systematic study of not only Pt,Ag/Glass/Ag,Pt- but also Pt,Ag/Glass/YSZ:PbF2/Ag,Pt-type cells, where YSZ:PbF2 represents a two-phase system (formed by Y2O3-doped ZrO2 and PbF2). It is demonstrated that crystallization induction in these glasses involves Pb2+ ions reduction at the cathode, the phenomenon being, however, confirmed only when the F- ions were simultaneously also able to reach the anode for oxidation, after assuring either a direct glass-anode contact or percolation pathways for free fluoride migration across the YSZ:PbF2 mixtures. A further support of this account is that the electrochemically induced beta-PbF2 phase crystallizes showing ramified-like microstructure morphology that arises, accordingly, from development of electroconvective diffusion processes under electric field action.

In silico and in vivo analysis reveal a novel gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae trehalose metabolism

Abstract Background The ability to respond rapidly to fluctuations in environmental changes is decisive for cell survival. Under these conditions trehalose has an essential protective function and its concentration increases in response to enhanced expression of trehalose synthase genes, TPS1, TPS2, TPS3 and TSL1. Intriguingly, the NTH1 gene, which encodes neutral trehalase, is highly expressed at the same time. We have previously shown that trehalase remains in its inactive non-phosphorylated form by the action of an endogenous inhibitor. Recently, a comprehensive two-hybrid analysis revealed a 41-kDa protein encoded by the YLR270w ORF, which interacts with NTH1p. Results In this work we investigate the correlation of this Trehalase Associated Protein, in trehalase activity regulation. The neutral trehalase activity in the ylr270w mutant strain was about 4-fold higher than in the control strain. After in vitro activation by PKA the ylr270w mutant total trehalase activity increased 3-fold when compared to a control strain. The expression of the NTH1 gene promoter fused to the heterologous reporter lacZ gene was evaluated. The mutant strain lacking YLR270w exhibited a 2-fold increase in the NTH1-lacZ basal expression when compared to the wild type strain. Conclusions These results strongly indicate a central role for Ylr270p in inhibiting trehalase activity, as well as in the regulation of its expression preventing a wasteful futile cycle of synthesis-degradation of trehalose.

Records of migration in the exoplanet configurations

When compared to our Solar System, many exoplanet systems exhibit quite unusual planet configurations; some of these are hot Jupiters, which orbit their central stars with periods of a few days, others are resonant systems composed of two or more planets with commensurable orbital periods. It has been suggested that these configurations can be the result of a migration processes originated by tidal interactions of the planets with disks and central stars. The process known as planet migration occurs due to dissipative forces which affect the planetary semi-major axes and cause the planets to move towards to, or away from, the central star. In this talk, we present possible signatures of planet migration in the distribution of the hot Jupiters and resonant exoplanet pairs. For this task, we develop a semi-analytical model to describe the evolution of the migrating planetary pair, based on the fundamental concepts of conservative and dissipative dynamics of the three-body problem. Our approach is based on an analysis of the energy and the orbital angular momentum exchange between the two-planet system and an external medium; thus no specific kind of dissipative forces needs to be invoked. We show that, under assumption that dissipation is weak and slow, the evolutionary routes of the migrating planets are traced by the stationary solutions of the conservative problem (Birkhoff, Dynamical systems, 1966). The ultimate convergence and the evolution of the system along one of these modes of motion are determined uniquely by the condition that the dissipation rate is sufficiently smaller than the roper frequencies of the system. We show that it is possible to reassemble the starting configurations and migration history of the systems on the basis of their final states, and consequently to constrain the parameters of the physical processes involved.

An equilibrium approach to modelling social interaction

The aim of this work is to put forward a statistical mechanics theory of social interaction, generalizing econometric discrete choice models. After showing the formal equivalence linking econometric multinomial logit models to equilibrium statical mechanics, a multi- population generalization of the Curie-Weiss model for ferromagnets is considered as a starting point in developing a model capable of describing sudden shifts in aggregate human behaviour. Existence of the thermodynamic limit for the model is shown by an asymptotic sub-additivity method and factorization of correlation functions is proved almost everywhere. The exact solution for the model is provided in the thermodynamical limit by nding converging upper and lower bounds for the system's pressure, and the solution is used to prove an analytic result regarding the number of possible equilibrium states of a two-population system. The work stresses the importance of linking regimes predicted by the model to real phenomena, and to this end it proposes two possible procedures to estimate the model's parameters starting from micro-level data. These are applied to three case studies based on census type data: though these studies are found to be ultimately inconclusive on an empirical level, considerations are drawn that encourage further refinements of the chosen modelling approach, to be considered in future work.

Molekulardynamik-Simulationen zu Oberflächeneigenschaften von Siliziumdioxid-Schmelzen

Molekulardynamik-Simulationen zu OberflächeneigenschaftenvonSiliziumdioxid-Schmelzen In der vorliegenden Arbeit werdenMolekulardynamik-Computersimulationenzur Untersuchung der statischen und dynamischenOberflächeneigenschafteneiner Siliziumdioxid (SiO$_2$)-Schmelze durchgeführt.Als Modellpotential verwenden wirein in der Literatur als BKS-Potential bezeichnetesPaarpotential.Wir betrachten in dieser Arbeit zwei Systemgeometrien: zumeinenSysteme aus 432, 1536 und 4608 Atomen ohne periodischeRandbedingungen(Tropfen), zum anderen ein System aus 1152 Atomen mitperiodischen Randbedingungen in zwei Richtungen (dünnerFilm).Für beide Geometrien finden wir im Inneren der Systemekonstante Dichten.Direktan der Oberfläche halten sich ausschließlich Sauerstoffatomeauf.Die Strukturan der Oberfläche erscheint weniger ausgeprägt mit mehrDefekten, als im Inneren des Systems.Es erweist sich,daß viele Eigenschaften statischer Größen, die wir an derOberfläche im Vergleich zum Inneren finden, aufdas Vorhandensein von Zweierringen zurückzuführen sind.Bei der Betrachtung der dynamischen Größen finden wir eineerhöhteBeweglichkeit der Atome an der Oberfläche gegenüber demSysteminneren.