Partitioning of the glucoamylase activity at the cell surfaces in cultures of Saccharomyces

Glucoamylases have been used with alpha-amylases for the industrial conversion of starch into glucose. However, little is known about the properties of this glycosylated protein retained in the cell wall of Saccharomyces as well as its role in the saccharification and fermentation of amylaceous substrates, notably in high cell density processes. In most of the strains assayed, decreases in biomass formation were followed by increases in glucoamylase secretion (expressed as U/mg(biomass) in 1 ml of culture) when glucose was exchanged for starch as carbon source or the growth temperature was raised from 30 to 35 degrees C. Despite the losses in viability, significant increases in the activity of the wall fraction occurred when cultures of thermotolerant yeasts propagated at 30 degrees C or washed cells resuspended in buffer solution were heated to 60 degrees C for 60-80 min prior to amylolytic assays. Thus, intact cells of thermotolerant yeasts can be used as colloidal biocatalysts in starch degradation processes. (C) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Hydrophilization of PVC surfaces by argon plasma immersion ion implantation

Commercial polyvinylchloride (PVC) sheets were treated by plasma immersion ion implantation, PIII. Samples were immersed in argon glow discharges and biased with 25 kV negative pulses. Exposure time to the bombardment plasma changed from 900 to 10,800 s. Through contact angle measurements, the effect of the exposure time on the PVC wettability was investigated. Independent of t, all samples presented contact angles, theta, equal to zero after the treatment. However, in some cases, surface hydrophilization was not stable, as revealed by the temporal evolution of theta. Samples bombarded for shorter periods recovered partially or totally the hydrophobic character while the one exposed for the longest time stayed highly hydrophilic. These modifications are ascribed to the Cl loss and O incorporation as shown by XPS measurements. Furthermore, the mobility of surface polar groups and the variation in the cross-linking degree can also affect the PVC wettability.

Some superstring amplitude computations with the non-minimal pure spinor formalism

We use the non-minimal pure spinor formalism to compute in a super-Poincare covariant manner the four-point massless one and two-loop open superstring amplitudes, and the gauge anomaly of the six-point one-loop amplitude. All of these amplitudes are expressed as integrals of ten-dimensional superfields in a pure spinor superspace which involves five theta coordinates covariantly contracted with three pure spinors. The bosonic contribution to these amplitudes agrees with the standard results, and we demonstrate identities which show how the t(8) and epsilon(10) tensors naturally emerge from integrals over pure spinor superspace.

MNDO theoretical study of ethanol decomposition process on SnO2 surfaces

An MNDO study has been carried out to analyze the decomposition process of the ethanol molecule on a SnO2 surface. A (SnO2)(7) (110) model has been selected to represent the surface. The decomposition process has been monitored by selection of a hydrogen-alpha-carbon distance of the ethanol molecule as reaction coordinate, This minimum energy pro file shows a maximum of 186 kJ mol(-1), and in the transition state there is a transfer of hydrogen-alpha-carbon to the SnO2 surface. There is also the interaction between the alcohol hydroxyls and the two oxygens of the oxide.

Eventually minimal curves

A curve defined over a finite field is maximal or minimal according to whether the number of rational points attains the upper or the lower bound in Hasse-Weil's theorem, respectively. In the study of maximal curves a fundamental role is played by an invariant linear system introduced by Ruck and Stichtenoth in [6]. In this paper we define an analogous invariant system for minimal curves, and we compute its orders and its Weierstrass points. In the last section we treat the case of curves having genus three in characteristic two.

Effect of microwave sterilization and water storage on the Vickers hardness of acrylic resin denture teeth

Statement of problem. Acrylic resin denture teeth soften upon immersion in water, and the heating generated during microwave sterilization may enhance this process.Purpose. Six brands of acrylic resin denture teeth were investigated with respect to the effect of microwave sterilization and water immersion on Vickers hardness (VHN).Material and Methods. The acrylic resin denture teeth (Dentron [D], Vipi Dent Plus [V], Postaris [P], Biolux [B], Trilux [T], and Artiplus [A]) were embedded in heat-polymerized acrylic resin within polyvinylchloride tubes. For each brand, the occlusal surfaces of 32 identical acrylic resin denture posterior teeth were ground flat with 1500-grit silicon carbide paper and polished on a wet polishing wheel with a slurry of tin oxide. Hardness tests were performed after polishing (control group, C) after polishing followed by 2 cycles of microwave sterilization at 650 W for 6 minutes (MwS group), after polishing followed by 90-day immersion in water (90-day Wim group), and after polishing followed by 90-day storage in water and 2 cycles of microwave sterilization (90-day Wim + MwS group). For each specimen, 8 hardness measurements were made and the mean was calculated. Data were analyzed with a 2-way analysis of variance followed by the Bonferroni procedure to determine any significance between pairs of mean values (alpha=.01).Results: Mircrowave sterilization of specimens significantly decreased (P <.001) the hardness of the acrylic resin denture tooth specimens P (17.8 to 16.6 VHN, V (18.3 to 15.8 VHN), T (17.4 to 15.3 VHN), B (16.8 to 15.7 VHN), and A (17.3 to 15.7 VHN). For all acrylic resin denture teeth, no significant differences in hardness were found between the groups Mws, 90-day Wim, and 90-day Wim + MwS, with the exception of the 90-day Wim + MwS tooth A specimens (14.4 VHN), which demonstrated significant lower mean values (P <.001) than the 90-day Wim (15.8 VHN) and MwS (15.7 VHN) specimens.Conclusions. For specimens immersed in water for 90 days, 2 cycles of microwave sterilization had no effect on the hardness of most of the acrylic resin denture teeth.

Composite occlusal surfaces for acrylic resin denture teeth

Acrylic resin denture teeth often exhibit rapid occlusal wear, which may lead to a loss of chewing efficiency and a loss of vertical dimension of occlusion. The use of metal occlusal surfaces on the acrylic resin denture teeth will minimize occlusal wear. Several articles have described methods to construct metal occlusal surfaces; however, these methods are time-consuming, costly, and sometimes considered to be unesthetic. These methods also require that the patient be without the prosthesis for the time necessary to perform the laboratory procedures. This article presents a quick, simple, and relatively inexpensive procedure for construction of composite occlusal surfaces on complete and partial dentures.

Embedded crack elements with non-uniform discontinuity modes

The consequences of the use of embedded crack finite elements with uniform discontinuity modes (opening and sliding) to simulate crack propagation in concrete are investigated. It is shown the circumstances in which the consideration of uniform discontinuity modes is not suitable to accurately model the kinematics induced by the crack and must be avoided. It is also proposed a technique to embed cracks with non-uniform discontinuity modes into standard displacement-based finite elements to overcome the shortcomings of the uniform discontinuity modes approach.

Electronic and structural properties of the (10(1)over-bar0) and (11(2)over-bar0) ZnO surfaces

The structural and electronic properties of ZnO (10 (1) over bar0) and (11 (2) over bar0) surfaces were investigated by means of density functional theory applied to periodic calculations at B3LYP level. The stability and relaxation effects for both surfaces were analyzed. The electronic and energy band properties were discussed on the basis of band structure as well as density of states. There is a significant relaxation in the (10 (1) over bar0) as compared to the (11 (2) over bar0) terminated surfaces. The calculated direct gap is 3.09, 2.85, and 3.09 eV for bulk, (10 (1) over bar0), and (11 (2) over bar0) surfaces, respectively. The band structures for both surfaces are very similar.

Composite Resin to Yttria Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal Bonding: Comparison of Repair Methods

Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate different approaches for bonding composite to the surface of yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) ceramics.Methods: One hundred Y-TZP blocks were embedded in acrylic resin, had the free surface polished, and were randomly divided into 10 groups (n=10). The tested repair approaches included four surface treatments: tribochemical silica coating (TBS), methacryloxydecyldihidrogenphosphate (MDP)-containing primer/silane, sandblasting, and metal/zirconia primer. Alcohol cleaning was used as a "no treatment" control. Surface treatment was followed by the application (or lack thereof) of an MDP-containing resin cement liner. Subsequently, a composite resin was applied to the ceramic surface using a cylindrical mold (4-mm diameter). After aging for 60 days in water storage, including 6000 thermal cycles, the specimens were submitted to a shear test. Analysis of variance and the Tukey test were used for statistical analyses (alpha=0.05).Results: Surface treatment was a statistically significant factor (F=85.42; p<0.0001). The application of the MDP-containing liner had no effect on bond strength (p=0.1017). TBS was the only treatment that had a significantly positive effect on bond strength after aging.Conclusion: Considering the evaluated approaches, TBS seems to be the best surface treatment for Y-TZP composite repairs. The use of an MDP-containing liner between the composite and Y-TZP surfaces is not effective.