Avaliação física e físico-química de 25 genótipos de maracujázeiro-azedo cultivados no Distrito Federal.

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho agronômico de 25 genótipos de maracujazeiro azedo no Distrito Federal, bem como estimar parâmetros genéticos para serem utilizados em programas de melhoramento genético dessa cultura

Palmitoylation of xanthan polysaccharide for self-assembly microcapsule formation and encapsulation of cells in physiological conditions

Hydrophobized polysaccharides have emerged as a promising strategy in the biomedical field due to the versatility to design functional structures through the spontaneous self-assembly in cell-friendly conditions. Based on this concept, xanthan, a bacterial extracellular polysaccharide with potential as encapsulating matrix, was conjugated with hydrophobic palmitoyl groups to obtain an amphiphilic system able to form capsules by self-assembly processes. The conjugation of xanthan was performed at different xanthan/palmitoyl chloride ratios and Fourier transformed infrared, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies, as well as wide angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry were performed to characterize the obtained conjugates. The results showed that the increase in the hydrophobic reactant promoted higher hydrophobic interaction and consequently higher molecular organization. At certain palmitoyl concentrations and through a proper balance between charge repulsion and hydrophobic interaction, the amphiphilic molecules self-assembled into stable capsular hollow structures in the presence of physiological ion concentration and pH. Poly-L-lysine coated microcapsules with an average diameter of 576.6 _ 74 mm and homogenous size distribution were obtained. The morphology revealed by scanning electron microscopy showed microcapsules with two distinct layers. The ability of palmitoyl-xanthan microcapsules to sustain viability and proliferation of encapsulated cells was confirmed by AlamarBlue and DNA assays. These findings suggest the application of palmitoyl-xanthan microcapsules as a potential material for cell encapsulation in cellbased therapies.This work was supported by the European Union funded project "Find and Bind" (NMP4-SL-2009-229292) under FP7. A. C. Mendes thanks the Portuguese Foundation for Science Technology for a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/42161/2007). We thank Emanuel Fernandes of the 3B's Research Group at the University of Minho for his assistance with DSC analysis

Structure, rheology, and copper-complexation of a hyaluronan-like exopolysaccharide from Vibrio

MO245 exopolysaccharide (EPS) was produced in laboratory conditions from Vibrio genus microorganism isolated from bacterial mats found in Moorea Island. Its structure consists of a linear tetrasaccharide repeating unit →4)-β-D-GlcpA-(1→4)-α-D-GalpNAc-(1→3)-β-D-GlcpNAc-(1→4)-β-D-GlcpA-(1→ containing covalently-linked 5% of glucose, galactose, and rhamnose, determined by methylation analyses and NMR spectroscopy. The molecular weight, radius of gyration (Rg) and intrinsic viscosity, [η], determined by gel permeation chromatography with light scattering and viscosity detection, were 513 ± 4 kDa (PDI, 1.42 ± 0.01), 6.7 ± 0.3 dl/g and 56 ± 0.3 nm respectively. The chelation of the EPS with copper divalent ions leads to the instantaneous formation of gels. The structural similitude proposed, based in an equal ratio of GlcA to N-acetylated sugars and in the same type of glyosidic linkages present in the repeating unit (alternated 1→3 and 1→4 linkages), is translated into analogous physicochemical properties: MO245 EPS is a flexible polyelectrolyte, with scaling exponents similar to that described for HA. This similitude opens opportunities in future drug delivery, tissue engineering, and cosmetic applications.publishe

Macrofauna edáfica como indicador de qualidade do solo em sistemas agroflorestais com palma de óleo.

A macrofauna edáfica, juntamente com a atividade e abundância das comunidades edáficas podem ser usadas como indicadores da qualidade e do funcionamento do solo. O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a macrofauna edáfica em sistemas agroflorestais com palma de óleo. Foram implantados nove pontos de amostragem em uma linha transecto com distância de 5m de cada ponto. Os tratamentos testados foram um monocultivo de palma de óleo, um sistema agroflorestal (SAF) de palma de óleo e uma capoeira. A partir dos dados obtidos foram calculados a riqueza e sua densidade, assim como os índices de diversidade. Através do programa STATISTICA (StatSoft, 2006) foi realizado o teste Tukey (P<0,05) para a comparação de médias entre os tratamentos e correlação de pearson para avaliar a relação entre os grupos da macrofauna juntamente às variáveis do solo. Com os resultados obtidos não foi possível detectar diferença significativa entre os tratamentos. Os tratamentos que apresentam maior quantidade de matéria orgânica tiveram maior número de indivíduos e maior diversidade

Dielectron widths of the S-, D-vector bottomonium states

The dielectron widths of $\Upsilon(nS) (n=1,...,7)$ and vector decay constants are calculated using the Relativistic String Hamiltonian with a universal interaction. For $\Upsilon(nS) (n=1,2,3)$ the dielectron widths and their ratios are obtained in full agreement with the latest CLEO data. For $\Upsilon(10580)$ and $\Upsilon(11020)$ a good agreement with experiment is reached only if the 4S--3D mixing (with a mixing angle $\theta=27^\circ\pm 4^\circ$) and 6S--5D mixing (with $\theta=40^\circ\pm 5^\circ$) are taken into account. The possibility to observe higher "mixed $D$-wave" resonances, $\tilde\Upsilon(n {}^3D_1)$ with $n=3,4,5$ is discussed. In particular, $\tilde\Upsilon(\approx 11120)$, originating from the pure $5 {}^3D_1$ state, can acquire a rather large dielectron width, $\sim 130$ eV, so that this resonance may become manifest in the $e^+e^-$ experiments. On the contrary, the widths of pure $D$-wave states are very small, $\Gamma_{ee}(n{}^3 D_1) \leq 2$ eV.Comment: 13 pages, no figure

In vitro digestibility and fermentability of fructo-oligosaccharides produced by Aspergillus ibericus

The bifidogenic potential of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) produced by a newly isolated strain Aspergillus ibericus was studied. Their activity was compared to FOS produced by Aureobasidium pullulans and to a non-microbial commercial FOS sample (Raftilose® P95). FOS fermentability by a number of probiotic bacteria and their hydrolytic resistance to the simulated harsh conditions of the digestive system was evaluated. Aspergillus ibericus FOS sample effectively promoted probiotic bacteria growth. Overall, microbial-derived FOS promoted greater cellular growth compared to the commercial sample. FOS fermentation was both substrate and strain specific. The FOS structural differences identified may explain their distinct assimilation by the probiotics. [Fru(26)Glc] (possibly blastose) and a reducing trisaccharide (possibly [Fru(26)Glc(12)Fru], neokestose) were only found in microbial-derived FOS samples, while Raftilose® P95 was richer in inulobiose/inulotriose. 1-Kestose and nystose were only slightly hydrolyzed in the presence of gastric and intestinal fluid. FOS synthesized by Aspergillus exhibited great potential as food ingredients with likely prebiotic features.Clarisse Nobre, Sérgio Sousa, Elisabete Coelho and Ana Pinheiro acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for their Post-Doc and Doc Grants (SFRH/BPD/87498/2012, SFRH/BD/105304/2014, SFRH/BPD/70589/2010, and SFRH/BPD/101181/2014, respectively). This study was supported by the FCT under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 – Programa Operacional Regional do Norte, also QOPNA research Unit (FCT UID/QUI/00062/2013) through national funds and where applicable co-financed by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement, project Essence (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-010887) for financial support of Post-Doc grant of Elisabete Coelho and, multi‐purpose strategies for broadband agro‐forest and fisheries by‐products valorisation: a step forward for a truly integrated biorefinery SAICTPAC/0040/2015 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016403), Biomass and Bioenergy Research Infrastructure (01/SAICT/2016), also CBQF research centre by National Funds from FCT through project UID/Multi/50016/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Caracterização do sistema hidráulico e da qualidade da água em granjas de suínos da Região Sul do Brasil nas fases creche, crescimento e terminação.

bitstream/item/58382/1/CUsersPiazzonDocuments247.pdfAcesso em: 13 jun. 2007

Hybridization in human evolution: Insights from other organisms

During the late Pleistocene, isolated lineages of hominins exchanged genes thus influencing genomic variation in humans in both the past and present. However, the dynamics of this genetic exchange and associated phenotypic consequences through time remain poorly understood. Gene exchange across divergent lineages can result in myriad outcomes arising from these dynamics and the environmental conditions under which it occurs. Here we draw from our collective research across various organisms, illustrating some of the ways in which gene exchange can structure genomic/phenotypic diversity within/among species. We present a range of examples relevant to questions about the evolution of hominins. These examples are not meant to be exhaustive, but rather illustrative of the diverse evolutionary causes/consequences of hybridization, highlighting potential drivers of human evolution in the context of hybridization including: influences on adaptive evolution, climate change, developmental systems, sex-differences in behavior, Haldane’s rule and the large X-effect, and transgressive phenotypic variation.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151330/1/evan21787.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151330/2/evan21787_am.pd