Revealing the usefulness of aroma networks to explain wine aroma properties: A case study of Portuguese wines

Wine aroma is the result of complex interactions between volatile compounds and non-volatile ones and individual perception phenomenon. In this work, an aroma network approach, that links volatile composition (chromatographic data) with its corresponding aroma descriptors was used to explain the wine aroma properties. This concept was applied to six monovarietal wines from Bairrada Appellation (Portugal) and used as a case study. A comprehensive determination of the wines’ volatile composition was done (71 variables, i.e., volatile components), establishing a workflow that combines extraction techniques and gas chromatographic analysis. Then, a bipartite network-based approach consisting of two different nodes was built, one with 19 aroma descriptors, and the other with the corresponding volatile compound(s). To construct the aroma networks, the odor active values were calculated for each determined compound and combined with the bipartite network. Finally, the aroma network of each wine was compared with sensory descriptive analysis. The analysis of the specific aroma network of each wine revealed that Sauvignon Blanc and Arinto white wines present higher fruity (esters) and sweet notes (esters and C13 norisoprenoids) than Bical wine. Sauvignon Blanc also exhibits higher toasted aromas (thiols) while Arinto and Bical wines exhibit higher flowery (C13 norisoprenoids) and herbaceous notes (thiols), respectively. For red wines, sweet fruit aromas are the most abundant, especially for Touriga Nacional. Castelão and Touriga Nacional wines also present toasted aromas (thiols). Baga and Castelão wines also exhibit fusel/alcohol notes (alcohols). The proposed approach establishes a chemical aroma fingerprint (aroma ID) for each type of wine, which may be further used to estimate wine aroma characteristics by projection of the volatile composition on the aroma network

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

Anti-de Sitter curvature radius constrained by quasars in brane-world scenarios

This paper is intended to investigate the luminosity due to accretion of gas in supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in the center of quasars, using a brane-world scenario naturally endowed with extra dimensions, whereon theories formulated introduce corrections in the field equations at high energies. SMBHs possess the necessary highly energetic environment for the introduction of these corrections, which are shown to produce small deviations in all SMBH properties and, consequentely, corrections in the accretion theory that supports quasars radiative processes. The radiative flux observed from quasars indicates these deviations, from which the magnitude of the AdS$_5$ bulk curvature radius, and consequently the extra dimension compactification radius is estimated.Comment: 11 pages, RevTeX, Eq.(2) and (3) expanded, and comments thereon update

MEtop – a top FCNC event generator

In this work we present a new Monte Carlo generator for Direct top and Single top production via flavour-changing neutral currents (FCNC). This new tool calculates the cross section and generates events with Next-to-Leading order precision for the Direct top process and Leading-Order precision for all other FCNC single top processes. A set of independent dimension six FCNC operators has been implemented - including four-fermion operators - where at least one top-quark is present in the interaction.This work is partially supported by the Portuguese Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) under contracts CERN/FP/123619/2011 and PTDC/FIS/117951/2010. RS is also partially supported by an FP7 Reintegration Grant, number PERG08-GA-2010-277025 and by PEst-OE/FIS/UI0618/2011. RC is funded by FCT through the grant SFRH/BPD/45198/2008

A stable temperature may favour continuous reproduction by Theodoxus fluviatilis and explain its high densities in some karstic springs

Theodoxus fluviatilis is a common gastropod in many karstic springs in central Portugal. We investigated the possible reasons for the near-total restriction of this species to these springs. We first determined the spatial distribution of the species within a spring (Anços) and related the densities at sampling-patch scales to selected physical and chemical variables. We then determined the densities at several locations downstream from the spring and related these densities to selected physical and chemical variables. Finally, we assessed the population dynamics of the gastropod in the spring. In the spring, T. fluviatilis was more abundant in shallow areas with a rapid current and cobble-boulder substrates. In June-July 2006, the mean densities of T. fluviatilis in the spring varied from ~ 10 to ~ 9000 individuals m-2 but decreased to zero 3800 m downstream. The physical and chemical changes along the stretch studied were minor; no significant correlations (Spearman rank correlation; p > 0.05) were observed between the gastropod abundances and the measured environmental variables or the PCA axes. In the spring, juveniles and egg masses were observed year-round, suggesting continuous reproduction. The temperature at the spring was fairly constant, ranging from 15.3 to 16.6 ºC during the year (daily variation 0.05) entre la abundancia de T. fluviatilis y las variables ambientales o los ejes de Análisis de Componentes Principales. En el manantial, juveniles y masas de huevos fueron observadas durante todo el año y no se obsevaron cohortes, sugeriendo reproducción contínua. La temperatura en el manantial varió entre 15.3 y 16.6 ºC durante todo el año (variación diaria < 0.1 ºC). Novecientos metros río abajo las variaciones térmicas diarias llegaron a los 5 ºC. Proponemos pues que la elevada densidad de T. fluviatilis en el manantial kárstico de Anços se mantiene gracias a las temperaturas elevadas y constantes que favorecen su continua reproducción

Utilização da contagem de tosse e espirro como indicadores da ocorrência e severidade de pneumonias e rinite atrófica, respectivamente.

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Danos do percevejo barriga-verde Dichelops melacanthus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) em trigo.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a reação de dois cultivares de trigo aos danos causados por percevejos adultos de Dichelops melacanthus (Dallas), confinados sobre a cultura a partir do início do perfilhamento. Foram comparados os efeitos de diferentes níveis de infestação (0, 2, 4, 8 e 16 percevejos m-2) sobre o número de perfilhos m-2, número de espigas m-2, peso de mil sementes (g) e rendimento (kg ha-1) das cultivares ?BR 18' e ?BRS 193' de trigo, em Londrina, PR. O número de perfilhos m-2 cresceu linearmente para a cv. ?BR 18' e de forma quadrática para a cv. ?BRS 193' com o aumento do número de percevejos m-2; o número de espigas m-2, o peso de mil sementes, e o rendimento decresceram de forma linear com o aumento do nível de infestação para as duas cultivares. ?Acv.BRS 193' foi mais suscetível ao ataque de D. melacanthus, apresentando uma redução de 254,4kg para cada unidade de aumento no número de percevejos m-2