Fatos e tendências da biocatálise

Brazil is renowned for its biodiversity; however, its economy is based on exotic plants, extraction and unsustainable use of natural resources. This issue was addressed in a recent QN review entitled "Chemistry without Borders." In order to explore the potential of Brazilian biodiversity fully, sustainable development is required in key technological areas, such as biotechnology. This research field is consistent with the green chemistry and white technology principles. Therefore, biotechnology is a sustainable alternative to conventional technologies and is expected to account for 20% of global chemicals by 2020. Brazil is the second largest grower of biotech crops and biodiesel, but its main activities rely on the fermentative process. In order to stimulate the national biotechnology development, the Brazilian Federal Government launched a national policy for biotechnology in 2007 and the National Committee of Biotechnology was created. Among the outstanding biotechnological processes, biocatalysis is one of the most important alternatives to conventional processing, and this field has changed dramatically with the advent of recombinant DNA technology in the 1970s, when large quantities of enzymes were accessible. The direct evolution methodology in the 1990s was a breakthrough and allowed tailoring of enzymes possessing high stability and stereoselectivity. However, about 60 years after the first industrial enzymatic biotransformation of steroids, the full potential of biocatalysis is far from being achieved. Future challenges in this field concern the multienzyme cascade reactions associated with optimized chemoenzymatic processes, and some recent industrial application of biocatalysts are also highlighted in this perspective.

Medição e interpretação de valores do potencial redox (E H) em matrizes ambientais

Direct measurements of Redox Potential (ORP) have been used to infer the degree of electrons availability in waters, wastewaters, sediments and soils. Although the interpretation of the results obtained in direct measurements is not trivial, this parameter is part of a list of compulsory determinations required by many Environmental State Agencies as well as consulting companies. Nonetheless, the vast majority of E H reported values are not corrected to the reference electrode used, what makes most of the data incomparable with the literature, and not suitable for a correct environmental diagnostics.

Powdery mildew of ornamental species caused by Oidiopsis haplophylli in Brazil

Oidiopsis haplophylli (syn. Oidiopsis sicula) was identified as the causal agent of powdery mildew diseases occurring on five ornamental species in Brazil. This disease was observed in plastic house-grown lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum: Gentianaceae), in nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus: Tropaeolaceae) cultivated under open field conditions and in greenhouse-grown calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica: Araceae), impatiens (Impatiens balsamina: Balsaminaceae) and balloon plant (Asclepias physocarpa: Asclepiadaceae). Typical disease symptoms consisted of chlorotic areas on the upper leaf surface corresponding to a fungal colony in the abaxial surface. With the disease progression, these chlorotic areas eventually turned to necrotic (brown) lesions. Fungi morphology on all hosts was similar to that described for the imperfect stage of Leveillula taurica (O. haplophylli). The Koch's postulates were fulfilled by inoculating symptom-free plants via leaf-to-leaf contact with fungal colonies. Additional inoculations using an isolate of O. haplophylli from sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) demonstrated that it is pathogenic to all five species belonging to distinct botanical families, indicating lack of host specialization. This is the first formal report of a powdery mildew disease on lisianthus, calla lilly, impatiens and nasturtium in Brazil. It is, to our knowledge, the first report of O. haplophyllii infecting A. physocarpa, extending the host range of this atypical powdery mildew-inducing fungus. This disease might become important on these ornamental crops especially in protected cultivation and also under field conditions in hot and dry areas of Brazil.

Mycobiota evolution during storage of paddy, brown and milled rice in different genotypes

The rice grain is frequently infected by a series of pathogens (fungi) during its storage, producing damages to the economy and health of humans. The aim of this study was to identify the fungal genera present in different rice genotypes and to quantify their variation during storage. Paddy, brown and milled rice fractions of Nutriar, (N) H329-5(H329) and Don Ignacio genotypes were analyzed at 4, 8 and 12 months of storage. Fungi were identified based on their micromorphological characteristics and colonies. The observed genera according to their frequency were: Alternaria, Nigrospora, Epicoccum, Bipolaris, Curvularia, Cladosporium and Fusarium (field fungi) and Penicillium and Aspergillus (storage fungi). The mycobiota composition was different depending on the grain fraction and the period of storage: field fungi were located in the hulls and bran layers, while storage fungi were mainly in the endosperm. The different genotypes showed different susceptibility to contamination.

Sähkön ja lämmön yhteistuotanto haasteellisilla polttoaineilla

Maailman energian kulutuksen lisääntymisen ja ilmastonmuutoksen myötä energiantuotannossa joudutaan jatkuvasti sopeutumaan muuttuviin tilanteisiin ja haasteisiin. Polttoteknillisiä haasteita aiheuttavat pelto- ja kierrätyspolttoaineet ovat lisäämässä osuuttaan uusiutuvien polttoaineiden joukossa. Jotta kyseisiä haasteellisia polttoaineita pystytään hyödyntämään, täytyy niiden aiheuttamat ongelmat tuntea ja laitevalmistajien kehittää niiden hyödyntämiseen sopivaa tekniikkaa. Tässä diplomityössä käydään läpi tulevaisuudessa käytettävät polttoaineet, nykyiset päästörajat, kiinteiden polttoaineiden poltto- ja kaasutustekniikat sekä likaantumis-, kuonaantumis- ja korroosiomekanismit voimalaitoskattiloissa. Työssä tutkitaan, onko haasteellisten polttoaineiden käyttöön investoiminen järkevää ja mikä nykypäivän tekniikoista on kannattavin. Myös välitulistuksen, lauhdeperän ja apujäähdyttimen kannattavuuksia vertaillaan sähkön ja lämmön yhteistuotannossa. Tuloksiksi saatiin, että edullisten peltobiomassojen ja kierrätyspolttoaineiden käyttäminen, joko perinteisten polttoaineiden seassa tai pääpolttoaineena, on nykyhinnoilla perinteisiin polttoaineisiin verrattuna kannattavaa. Investoiminen kierrätyspolttoaineiden valmistuslaitteisiin maksimoi kierrätyspolttoaineista saatavaa hyötyä. Välitulistuksen todettiin soveltuvan huonosti vastapaineprosessiin, sillä siitä saatava sähköntuotannon lisäys on hyvin pieni. Lauhdeperän ja apujäähdyttimen vertailuissa huomattiin, että lauhdeperä on kannattava investointi, jos sähkön ja lämmön hintaero pysyy tarpeeksi suurena. Haasteellisilla polttoaineilla pystytään pienentämään kasvihuonepäästöjä ja korvaamaan fossiilisten polttoaineiden käyttöä.

Soil water potential during different phenological phases of coffee irrigated by center pivot

Irrigation management can be established, considering the soil water potential, as the limiting factor for plant growth, assuming the soil water content between the field capacity and the permanent wilting point as available water for crops. Thus, the aim of this study was to establish the soil water potential interval during four different phenological phases of coffee irrigated by center pivot. The experiment was set at the experimental area of the Engineering Department at the Federal University of Lavras, in Brazil. The coffee variety planted is designated as Rubi, planted 0.8 meters apart, with rows spaced 3.5 meters apart. The treatments corresponded to the water depths applied based on different percentages of Kc and reference evapotranspiration (ET0) values. Sensors were used to measure the soil water potential interval, installed 25 centimeters depth. In order to compare the results, it was considered as the best matric potential the one that was balanced with the soil water content that resulted in the largest coffee productivity. Based on the obtained results, we verified that in the phases of fruit expansion and ripening, the best results were obtained, before the irrigations, when the soil water potential values reached -35 and -38 kPa, respectively. And in the flowering, small green and fruit expansion phases, when the values reached -31 and -32 kPa, respectively.

Changes in water availability in the soil due to tractor traffic

Frequent traffic of tractors in agricultural soils, promotes soil compaction and affects the flow and water availability. The aim of this research was to study the effect of compaction induced by tractor traffic on water availability in the soil under different traffic intensities on the same path (0, 1, 3, 6 and 10 passages), to two tractors with 3.3 and 2.6 ton of weights, over three different surface conditions. The study was conducted in an Andisol, representative soil of the study area. It was determined the behavior of the water retention curve, obtaining the gravitational water, available water and hygroscopic water, to 10 and 30 cm of depth. The hygroscopic water is the most prevalent with values ​​of up to 80% of the total water present in the soil. The water retention curves showed increases in the values ​​of field capacity and wilting point and behaviors "flattened" indicating a high sensitivity to the applied treatments, representative of compacted soils, which give the surfaces studied characteristics do not suitable for normal crop development.

Characterization and treatment of sisal fiber residues for cement-based composite application

Sisal fiber is an important agricultural product used in the manufacture of ropes, rugs and also as a reinforcement of polymeric or cement-based composites. However, during the fiber production process a large amount of residues is generated which currently have a low potential for commercial use. The aim of this study is to characterize the agricultural residues by the production and improvement of sisal fiber, called field bush and refugo and verify the potentiality of their use in the reinforcement of cement-based composites. The residues were treated with wet-dry cycles and evaluated using tensile testing of fibers, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Compatibility with the cement-based matrix was evaluated through the fiber pull-out test and flexural test in composites reinforced with 2 % of sisal residues. The results indicate that the use of treated residue allows the production of composites with good mechanical properties that are superior to the traditional composites reinforced with natural sisal fibers.

Distribution pattern, surface tension and contact angle of herbicides associated to adjuvants on spraying and control of Ipomoea hederifolia under rainfall incidence

ABSTRACTScarlet Morning Glory is considered to be an infesting weed that affects several crops and causes serious damage. The application of chemical herbicides, which is the primary control method, requires a broad knowledge of the various characteristics of the solution and application technology for a more efficient phytosanitary treatment. Therefore this study aimed to characterize the effect of rainfall incidence on the control of Ipomoea hederifolia, considering droplet size, surface tension, contact angle of droplets formed by herbicides liquid on vegetal and artificial surfaces, associated to adjuvants and the volumetric distribution profile of the spray jet. The addition of the adjuvants to the herbicide spraying liquid improved the application quality, as it influenced the angle formed by the spray by broadening the deposition band of the spray nozzle and thus the possible distance between the nozzles on spray boom and due the changes at droplet size, which contribute to a safety application. The rainfall occurrence affected negatively the weed control with the different spraying liquids and also the dry matter weight, suggesting that the phytosanitary product applied was washed off.

The Finnish it industries in transition. Defining and Measuring the Finnish Software Product and IT Services Industries by Applying Theoretical Frameworks

The starting point of this study is that the prevailing way to consider the Finnish IT industries and industry information often results in a limited and even skewed picture of the sector. The purpose of the study is to contribute and increase knowledge and understanding of the status, structure and evolution of the Finnish IT industries as well as the Finnish IT vendor field and competition. The focus is on software product and IT services industries which form a crucial part of all ICT industries. This study examines the Finnish IT sector from production (supply) as well as market (demand) perspective. The study is based on empirical information from multiple sources. Three research questions were formulated for the study. The first concerns the status of the Finnish IT industries considered by applying theoretical frameworks. The second research question targets at the basis for the future evolution of the Finnish IT industries and, finally, the third at the ability of the available definitions and indicators to describe the Finnish IT industries and IT markets. Major structural changes like technological changes and related innovations, globalization and new business models are drivers of the evolution of the IT industries. The findings of this study emphasize the significant role of IT services in the Finnish IT sector and in connection to that the ability to combine IT service skills, competences and practices with high level software skills also in the future. According to the study the Finnish IT enterprises and their customers have become increasingly dependent on global ecosystems and platforms, applications and IT services provided by global vendors. As a result, more IT decisions are made outside Finland. In addition, IT companies are facing new competition from other than IT industries bringing into market new substitutes. To respond to the new competition, IT firms seek growth by expanding beyond their traditional markets.. The changing global division of labor accentuates the need for accurate information of the IT sector but, at the same time, also makes it increasingly challenging to acquire the information needed. One of the main contributions of this study is to provide frameworks for describing the Finnish IT sector and its evolution. These frameworks help combine empirical information from various sources and make it easier to concretize the structures, volumes, relationships and interaction of both, the production and market side of the Finnish IT industry. Some frameworks provide tools to analyze the vendor field, competition and the basis for the future evolution of the IT industries. The observations of the study support the argument that static industry definitions and related classifications do not serve the information needs in dynamic industries, such as the IT industries. One of the main messages of this study is to emphasize the importance of understanding the definitions and starting points of different information sources. Simultaneously, in the structure and evolution of Finnish IT industries the number of employees has become a more valid and reliable measure than the revenue based indicators.

Intellectual Property Protection in China in the Cases of Outsourcing and own Manufacturing

The intellectual property (IP) environment in China is still very immature. There are several problems in legal, political, economic, social-cultural, competitive and labor environment which have hindered IP legal enforcement. Under such circumstances, IP misappropriation is a major concern especially for foreign small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) doing business in China. These circumstances require foreign companies, no matter whether they are multinational corporations (MNCs) or SMEs and have own manufacturing in China or not, to take strong IP actions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to discuss how IP can be protected in China in the case of outsourcing and in the case of own manufacturing. The comparison will consider the process of outsourcing and own manufacturing consisting two stages: preparation stage and operation stage. In order to clarify the conceptual arguments, two illustrative case studies were studied. The case data bases on two semi-structured interviews of the managing directors, field notes and archival data. The findings propose that attention in IP protection should be given to following issues: integrating IP strategy into the company’s business strategy, protecting the most critical knowledge, regarding IP steps as a whole in the protection mechanism and making IP strategy as proactive as possible. The major difference between outsourcing and own manufacturing in IP protection is in the operation stage. Besides, the findings also provide managerial advice on IP protection, e.g. foreign managers should be prepared for IP risks in China, they should establish an own IP protection mechanism which matches the company’s situation and they should consider IP protection as an on-going process.

Disturbance and ecosystem functioning : the role of changes in benthic biological traits

Rapid changes in biodiversity are occurring globally, as a consequence of anthropogenic disturbance. This has raised concerns, since biodiversity is known to significantly contribute to ecosystem functions and services. Marine benthic communities participate in numerous functions provided by soft-sedimentary ecosystems. Eutrophication-induced oxygen deficiency is a growing threat against infaunal communities, both in open sea areas and in coastal zones. There is thus a need to understand how such disturbance affects benthic communities, and what is lost in terms of ecosystem functioning if benthic communities are harmed. In this thesis, the status of benthic biodiversity was assessed for the open Baltic Sea, a system severely affected by broad-scale hypoxia. Long-term monitoring data made it possible to establish quantitative biodiversity baselines against which change could be compared. The findings show that benthic biodiversity is currently severely impaired in large areas of the open Baltic Sea, from the Bornholm Basin to the Gulf of Finland. The observed reduction in biodiversity indicates that benthic communities are structurally and functionally impoverished in several of the sub-basins due to the hypoxic stress. A more detailed examination of disturbance impacts (through field studies and -experiments) on benthic communities in coastal areas showed that changes in benthic community structure and function took place well before species were lost from the system. The degradation of benthic community structure and function was directed by the type of disturbance, and its specific temporal and spatial characteristics. The observed shifts in benthic trait composition were primarily the result of reductions in species’ abundances, or of changes in demographic characteristics, such as the loss of large, adult bivalves. Reduction in community functions was expressed as declines in the benthic bioturbation potential and in secondary biomass production. The benthic communities and their degradation accounted for a substantial proportion of the changes observed in ecosystem multifunctionality. Individual ecosystem functions (i.e. measures of sediment ecosystem metabolism, elemental cycling, biomass production, organic matter transformation and physical structuring) were observed to differ in their response to increasing hypoxic disturbance. Interestingly, the results suggested that an impairment of ecosystem functioning could be detected at an earlier stage if multiple functions were considered. Importantly, the findings indicate that even small-scale hypoxic disturbance can reduce the buffering capacity of sedimentary ecosystem, and increase the susceptibility of the system towards further stress. Although the results of the individual papers are context-dependent, their combined outcome implies that healthy benthic communities are important for sustaining overall ecosystem functioning as well as ecosystem resilience in the Baltic Sea.

Evaluation of a PCR multiplex for detection and differentiation of Mycoplasma synoviae, M. gallisepticum, and M. gallisepticum strain F-vaccine

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) are the mycoplasma infections of most concern for commercial poultry industry. MG infection is commonly designated as chronic respiratory disease (CRD) of chickens and infections sinusitis of turkeys. MS causes sub clinical upper respiratory infection and tenosynovitis or bursitis in chickens and turkeys. The multiplex PCR was standardized to detect simultaneously the MS, MG field strains and MG F-vaccine strain specific. The generic PCR for detection of any species of Mollicutes Class was performed and compared to the multiplex PCR and to PCR using species-specific primers. A total of 129 avian tracheal swabs were collected from broiler-breeders, layer hens and broilers in seven different farms and were examined by multiplex PCR methods. The system (multiplex PCR) demonstrated to be very rapid, sensitive, and specific. Therefore, the results showed a high prevalence of MS in the flocks examined (27.9%), and indicate that the MS is a recurrent pathogen in Brazilian commercial poultry flocks.

Competitiveness of alexandergrass or Bengal dayflower with soybean

Weeds compete with field crops mainly for water, light and nutrients, and the degree of competition is affected by the weed density and the intrinsic competitive ability of each plant species in coexistence. The objective of this research was to compare the competitiveness of alexandergrass (Brachiaria plantaginea) or Bengal dayflower (Commelina benghalensis) in coexistence with soybean, cv. M-Soy 8045. A factorial experiment (2 x 5) with two weed species and five competition proportions was carried out in a completely randomized design with four replicates. Proportions were based on a replacement series competition design, always maintaining the total density of four plants per 10 L plastic pots, which corresponded to 60 plants m ². The weed-crop proportions were: 0:4; 1:3; 2:2; 3:1; 4:0; that corresponded to the proportion of 100, 75, 50, 25 and 0% of soybean plants and the opposite for weeds, B. plantaginea or C. benghalensis plants. Leaf area, shoot dry mass of the weeds and soybean and number of soybean trifoliate leaves were evaluated when the soybean reached the phenologic stage of full flowering. B. plantaginea was a better competitor than soybean plants. Otherwise, C. benghalensis revealed a similar competitive ability that of the soybean. In both cases, there were evidences that intraspecific competition was more important.

Weeds occurrence in areas submitted to distinct winter crops

In the Western Region of Brazil, it is usual to have two agricultural harvests in the same cropping season. Usually the first crop is soybean, followed by corn. In areas where corn is not planted due to a delayed harvest of soybean, farmers generally do not use winter crops. For these areas, the planting of winter oilseed crops aiming at the production of bio-fuels is one of the best alternatives; in addition, this would help in reducing the occurrence of weed species at the following summer crop. This study aimed to assessing the weed community in distinct winter crops post soybean crop, in terms of species composition, level of infestation and severity of occurrence. The following treatments were evaluated: agriculture under a no-till system with winter fallow, winter oilseed crops (crambe, radish, rapeseed) with no-till agriculture in the summer, and agriculture under a conventional tillage system with winter fallow. Phytosociological evaluations of all treatments were carried out 75 DAE of the oilseed crops, and the diversity indexes of Margalef, Menhinick, Simpson, and Shannon-Weiner were determined. Areas were also grouped by cluster analysis based on UPGMA applied at Jaccard's similarity matrix. Among the treatments with winter coverage, radish was the most efficient crop in suppressing the occurrence of weed species. The area with conventional tillage agriculture and winter fallow allowed for a higher occurrence of troublesome weeds. On the other hand, the area under fallow showed the highest absolute level of infestation. Overall, oilseed crops in the winter contribute to lower levels of infestation by weed species in these areas.