Bacillus lehensis-an alkali-tolerant bacterium isolated from cassava starch wastewater: optimization of parameters for cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase production

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Monotonicity of zeros of Jacobi-Sobolev type orthogonal polynomials

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

L-orthogonal polynomials associated with related measures

A positive measure psi defined on [a, b] such that its moments mu(n) = integral(b)(a)t(n) d psi(t) exist for n = 0, +/-1, +/-2. can be called a strong positive measure on [a, b] When 0 <= a < b <= infinity the sequence of polynomials {Q(n)} defined by integral(b)(a) t(-n+s) Q(n)(t) d psi(t) = 0, s = 0, ., n - 1, exist and they are referred here as L-orthogonal polynomials We look at the connection between two sequences of L-orthogonal polynomials {Q(n)((1))} and {Q(n)((0))} associated with two closely related strong positive measures and th defined on [a, b]. To be precise, the measures are related to each other by (t - kappa) d psi(1)(t) = gamma d psi(0)(t). where (t - kappa)/gamma is positive when t is an element of (n, 6). As applications of our study. numerical generation of new L-orthogonal polynomials and monotonicity properties of the zeros of a certain class of L-orthogonal polynomials are looked at. (C) 2010 IMACS Published by Elsevier B V All rights reserved

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of Protac (R), a commercial protein C activator isolated from Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix venom

The protein C pathway plays an important role in the control and regulation of the blood coagulation cascade and prevents the propagation of the clotting process on the endothelium surface. In physiological systems, protein C activation is catalyzed by thrombin, which requires thrombomodulin as a cofactor. The protein C activator from Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix acts directly on the zymogen of protein C converting it into the active form, independently of thrombomodulin. Suitable crystals of the protein C activator from Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix were obtained from a solution containing 2 M ammonium sulfate as the precipitant and these crystals diffracted to 1.95 angstrom resolution at a synchrotron beamline. The crystalline array belongs to the monoclinic space group C2 with unit cell dimensions a=80.4, b = 63.3 and c = 48.2 angstrom, alpha = gamma = 90.0 degrees and beta = 90.8 degrees. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production of cyclodextrins by CGTase from Bacillus clausii using different starches as substrates

Cyclodextrins ( CDs) are cyclic oligasaccharides composed by D- glucose monomers joined by alpha- 1,4-D glicosidic linkages. The main types of CDs are alpha-,beta-and gamma-CDs consisting of cycles of six, seven, and eight glucose monomers, respectively. Their ability to form inclusion complexes is the most important characteristic, allowing their wide industrial application. The physical property of the CD-complexed compound can be altered to improve stability, volatility, solubility, or bio-availability. The cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase ( CGTase, EC 2.4.1.19) is an enzyme capable of converting starch into CD molecules. In this work, the CGTase produced by Bacillus clausii strain E16 was used to produce CD from maltodextrin and different starches ( commercial soluble starch, corn, cassava, sweet potato, and waxy corn starches) as substrates. It was observed that the substrate sources influence the kind of CD obtained and that this CGTase displays a beta- CGTase action, presenting a better conversion of soluble starch at 1.0%, of which 80% was converted in CDs. The ratio of total CD produced was 0: 0.89: 0.11 for alpha/beta/gamma. It was also observed that root and tuber starches were more accessible to CGTase action than seed starch under the studied conditions.

In vitro effects of calcium hydroxide and polymyxin B on endotoxins in root canals

Objectives. To evaluate the effects of intracanal medicaments on endotoxins in root canals.Methods. Seventy-five freshly extracted maxillary incisors were used in this study. The crowns of teeth were sectioned near the CEJ in order to standardize the root length to 14 mm. The root canals were instrumented to an apical size #50 file and irrigated with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution and sterilized with 60 Co gamma irradiation. Standardized suspension containing Escherichia coli endotoxin was inoculated into the 60 root canals. The specimens were randomly assigned to 5 groups (n=15), according to the intracanal medicament used: (G1) calcium hydroxide; (G2) polymyxin B; (0) combination neomycin-potymyxin B-hydrocortisone; (G4) positive control (no intracanal medicament); (G5) negative control (no endotoxin and no intracanal medicament). After 7 days, the detoxification of endotoxin was evaluated by Limulus lysate assay and antibody production in B-tymphocytes culture.Results. Groups 1, 2 and 5 presented the best results by Limulus lysate and were significantly different to groups 3 and 4 (p<0.05). Stimulation of antibodies production in cell culture by groups 1 and 6 was smaller and statistically different than groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 (p<0.05). Groups 2 and 5 induced a small increase in the antibodies production in relation to the groups 1 and 6. Groups 3 and 4 induced a significant increase of antibodies production (p<0.05).Conclusions. The calcium hydroxide and polymyxin B intracanal medicaments detoxified endotoxin in root canals and altered the properties of LPS to stimulate the antibody production by B-Lymphocytes. The combination neomycin-polymyxin B-hydrocortisone did not detoxified endotoxin. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On high Q(2) behavior of the pion form factor for transitions gamma*gamma -> pi(0) and gamma*gamma* -> pi(0) within the nonlocal quark-pion model

The behavior of the transition pion form factor for processes gamma (*)gamma --> pi(0) and gamma (*)gamma (*) --> pi(0) at large values of space-like photon momenta is estimated within the nonlocal covariant quark-pion model. It is shown that, in general, the coefficient of the leading asymptotic term depends dynamically on the ratio of the constituent quark mass and the average virtuality of quarks in the vacuum and kinematically on the ratio of photon virtualities. The kinematic dependence of the transition form factor allows us to obtain the relation between the pion light-cone distribution amplitude and the quark-pion vertex function. The dynamic dependence indicates that the transition form factor gamma (*)gamma -->, pi(0) at high momentum transfers is very sensitive to the nonlocality size of nonperturbative fluctuations in the QCD vacuum. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the shape of the boson rapidity distribution for p(p)over-bar -> Z/gamma(*)-> e(+)e(-)+X events produced at root s of 1.96 TeV

We present a measurement of the shape of the boson rapidity distribution for p (p) over bar -> Z/gamma(*)-> e(+)e(-)+X events at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The measurement is made for events with electron-positron mass 71 < M-ee < 111 GeV and uses 0.4 fb(-1) of data collected at the Fermilab Tevatron collider with the D0 detector. This measurement significantly reduces the uncertainties on the rapidity distribution in the forward region compared with previous measurements. Predictions of next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD are found to agree well with the data over the full rapidity range.

Z gamma production and limits on anomalous ZZ gamma and Z gamma gamma couplings in pp collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We present a study of eey and mu mu gamma events using 1109 (1009) pb-(1) of data in the electron (muon) channel, respectively. These data were collected with the DO detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp collider at Is = 1.96 TeV. Having observed 453 (515) candidates in the eey (jtAy) final state, we measure the Z gamma production cross section for a photon with transverse energy ET > 7 GeV, separation between the photon and leptons Delta Rey > 0.7, and invariant mass of the di-lepton pair Mee > 30 GeV/(2)(c), to be 4.96 0.30(stat. + syst.) zE 0.30(lumi.) pb, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction of 4.74 0.22 pb. This is the most precise Zy cross section measurement at a hadron collider. We set limits on anomalous trilinear Zyy and ZZy gauge boson couplings of -0.085 < h(30)(y) < 0.084, -0.0053 < h(40)(y) < 0.0054 and -0.083 < h(30)(Z) < 0.082, 30 40 30 -0.0053 < h(40)(Z) < 0.0054 at the 95% C.L. for the form-factor scale A = 1.2 TeV. 40 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Radiative Omega(-)->Xi(-)gamma decay and physics beyond the standard model

We investigate the impact of new physics beyond the Standard Model to the s --> d gamma process, which is responsible for the short-distance contribution to the radiative decay Omega-( )--> Xi(-) gamma. We study three representative extensions of the Standard Model, namely a one-family technicolor model, a two Higgs doublet model and a model containing scalar leptoquarks. When constraints arising from the observed b --> s gamma transition and the upper limit on D-0-(D) over bar(0) mixing are taken into account, we find no significant contributions of new physics to the s --> d gamma process.

Measurement of the pp(-)-> W gamma plus X cross section at root s=1.96 TeV and WW gamma anomalous coupling limits

The WW gamma triple gauge boson coupling parameters are studied using p (p) over bar -> l nu gamma + X(l = e, mu) events at root s = 1.96 TeV. The data were collected with the D0 detector from an integrated luminosity of 162 pb(-1) delivered by the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The cross section times branching fraction for p (p) over bar -> W(gamma) + X -> l nu gamma + X with E-T(gamma) > 8 GeV and Delta R-l gamma > 0.7 is 14.8 +/- 1.6(stat) +/- 1.0(syst) +/- 1.0(lum) pb. The one-dimensional 95% confidence level limits on anomalous couplings are -0.88 < Delta kappa(gamma) < 0.96 and -0.20 < lambda(gamma) < 0.20.

Study Z gamma events and limits on anomalous ZZ gamma and Z gamma gamma couplings in pp(-) collisions at root s=1.96 Tev

We present a measurement of the Z gamma production cross section and limits on anomalous ZZ gamma and Z gamma gamma couplings for form-factor scales of Lambda=750 and 1000 GeV. The measurement is based on 138 (152) candidates in the ee gamma (mu mu gamma) final state using 320(290) pb(-1) of p (p) over bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV. The 95% C.L. limits on real and imaginary parts of individual anomalous couplings are vertical bar h(10,30)(Z)vertical bar < 0.23, vertical bar h(20,40)(Z)vertical bar < 0.020, vertical bar h(10,30)(gamma)vertical bar < 0.23, and vertical bar h(20,40)(gamma)vertical bar < 0.019 for Lambda=1000 GeV.

Search for a scalar or vector particle decaying into Z gamma in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Measurement of Z/gamma* plus jet plus X angular distributions in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

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

Measurement of the ratios of the Z/gamma*+ >= n jet production cross sections to the total inclusive Z/gamma* cross section in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We present a study of events with Z bosons and associated jets produced at the Fermilab Tevatron collider in p p collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV The data sample consists of nearly 14000 Z/gamma* -> e(+)e(-) candidates corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.4 fb(-1) collected with the D circle divide detector. Ratios of the Z/gamma*+ >= n jet cross sections to the total inclusive Z/gamma* cross section have been measured for n = 1-4 jets, and found to be in good agreement with a next-to-leading order QCD calculation and with a tree-level QCD prediction with parton shower simulation and hadronization. Published by Elsevier B.V