Production of fructo-oligosaccharides by Aspergillus ibericus and their chemical characterization

A great demand for prebiotics is driving the search for new sources of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) producers and for FOS with differentiated functionalities. In the present work, FOS production by a new isolated strain of Aspergillus ibericus was evaluated. The temperature of fermentation and initial pH were optimized in shaken flask to yield a maximal FOS production, through a central composite experimental design. FOS were produced in a one-step bioprocess using the whole cells of the microorganism. The model (R2 = 0.918) predicted a yield of 0.56, experimentally 0.53 ± 0.03 gFOS.ginitial sucrose1 was obtained (37.0 °C and a pH of 6.2). A yield of 0.64 ± 0.02 gFOS.ginitial sucrose1 was obtained in the bioreactor, at 38 h, with a content of 118 ± 4 g.L1 in FOS and a purity of 56 ± 3%. The chemical structure of the FOS produced by A. ibericus was determined by HPLC and NMR. FOS were identified as 1-kestose, nystose, and 1F-fructofuranosylnystose. In conclusion, A. ibericus was found to be a good alternative FOS producer.Clarisse Nobre acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation forScience and Technology (FCT) for her Post-Doc Grant [ref. SFRH/BPD/87498/ 2012] and the project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124FEDER-027462), the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684), BioTecNorte operation(NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) and the project MultiBiorefinery (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016403) funded by European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

The collision efficiency of small particles with spherical air bubbles

Trajectories are calculated for particles in the path of a spherical bubble rising in an infinite pool of liquid. From grazing trajectories, collision efficiences are calculated corresponding to values of a particle inertia parameter K down to 0·001 and a particle gravity parameter G up to 0·3 for both Stokes and potential flow fields around the bubble. Limiting values of collision efficiency corresponding to K → 0 are derived and are shown to be the same for both potential and Stokes solutions. The solutions of the equations of motion are verified experimentally and the existence of an optimum bubble size for recovering an ore particle by flotation is demonstrated. From a simplified description of a bubble assemblage, it is shown that the collision efficiency of particles with bubbles in a swarm can be several times as large as those calculated from a single sphere model even at large bubble separations

Imazethapyr persistence in sandy loam detected using white mustard bioassay

Field experiments were conducted during two years at Srem region to investigate the influence of meteorological conditions, time and rate of application on soil persistence of imazethapyr in sandy loam type of soil. Imazethapyr was applied PRE- and POST-EM and in both cases in three application rates: 80, 120 and 160g a.i./ha. Soil samples were collected from the day of herbicide application in predetermined intervals up to one year after application and residual concentrations were determined with a white mustard root bioassay. Imazetapyr persistence was significantly influenced by meteorological conditions with average half-life being 6days longer in season with lower precipitation level. Time of application induced slower imazethapyr dissipation resulting in higher average t(1/2) (seven and nine days in first and second year of examination, respectively). Application rates had no consistent effect on imazethapyr persistence. Imazethapyr residue level one year after application caused no visible injuries on white mustard shoots, while root growth reduction ranged from 4.6 to 27.7%. Obtained residue levels were further compared with known data on crop sensitivity in order to assess possibility of crop injuries one year after imazethapyr application

Método para determinação de distribuição de tamanho de microbolhas (DTMB) em sistemas flotação (FAD) para tratamento de águas utilizando a análise de imagem digital Method for measuring bubbles sizes distribution (BSD) in drinking water treatment flotation (DAF) systems by using digital image analysis

O artigo apresenta um método proposto para determinação de tamanho de microbolhas de ar (DTMB) em sistemas de tratamento de água por flotação por ar dissolvido (FAD), utilizando a análise de imagem digital. Adicionalmente, é apresentado um estudo de caso com emprego de unidade em escala piloto. A aquisição das imagens foi realizada com uma câmera digital de 5.1MPixel, acoplada a conjunto de lentes. As imagens de microbolhas foram adquiridas em sistema com escoamento contínuo para eliminar as interferências causadas pela captura de amostras. O tratamento e obtenção das feições foram realizadas com o programa (freeware) "ImageTool". Os resultados apresentaram coerência com os valores reportados na literatura utilizando métodos tradicionais. O sistema mostrou-se eficaz e o método desenvolvido pode constituir ferramenta útil para estudos em outras subáreas de conhecimento.<br>An image analysis method proposed for assessing bubble size distribution applied to dissolved air flotation (DAF) systems for drinking water treatment is presented. Further, a pilot plant investigation is presented. A digital camera together with a group of lens was used. In order to eliminate samples interferences the images were captured in a continuous flow system working in steady state. The freeware ImageTool was applied for treating and obtaining size distribution. Results were presented in good relationship with traditional methods. The role image system showed to be efficient for image capturing and the proposed method may be an useful tool to other researches areas

Intoxicação de eucalipto submetido à deriva simulada de diferentes herbicidas Intoxication of eucalyptus submitted to different herbicide drift

Além do glyphosate, amplamente usado, outros herbicidas, como o triclopyr e o carfentrazone-ethyl, apresentam potencial de uso na eucaliptocultura. Entretanto, a nãoseletividade destes herbicidas ao eucalipto pode levar à intoxicação da cultura, caso haja contato das folhas com a calda aplicada. Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos da deriva de alguns herbicidas em plantas de Eucalyptus urophylla, simulada por meio de subdoses: 0, 43,2, 86,4 e 172,8 g ha-1 de glyphosate; 14,4, 28,8 e 57,6 g ha-1 de triclopyr; 0,84, 1,68 e 3,36 g ha-1 de carfentrazone-ethyl; e das misturas: 43,2 g ha-1 de glyphosate + 14,4 g ha-1 de triclopyr; 86,4 g ha¹ de glyphosate + 28,6 g ha-1 de triclopyr; 43,2 g ha-1 de glyphosate + 1,68 g ha-1 de carfentrazone-ethyl; 86,4 g ha-1 de glyphosate + 3,36 g ha-1 de carfentrazone-ethyl. As mudas de eucalipto com aproximadamente 50 cm de altura receberam a aplicação dos herbicidas de modo a não atingir o terço superior das plantas, 45 dias após o transplantio. Entre os tratamentos, a deriva de glyphosate mostrou-se mais danosa ao eucalipto, seguida de carfentrazone-ethyl e triclopyr. Plantas de eucalipto expostas à subdose de 172,8 g ha-1 de glyphosate e às misturas glyphosate + carfentrazone-ethyl tiveram maior porcentagem de intoxicação e menor crescimento aos 15, 30 e 45 dias após aplicação (DAA). Houve recuperação das plantas expostas à deriva do triclopyr, que apresentaram 56,25 e 15,10% de intoxicação aos 15 e 30 DAA, respectivamente, indicando menor risco da deriva do triclopyr em comparação aos demais herbicidas e misturas estudados.<br>Besides glyphosate, which is widely utilized, other herbicides such as triclopyr and carfentrazone-ethyl, have a potential use in eucalypt plantations. However, the non-selective nature of these herbicides may lead to plant intoxication due to leaf contact during application. This work aims to evaluate the effects of some herbicides drift on Eucalyptus urophylla, simulated by applying the following subdoses: 0, 43.2, 86.4 and 172.8 g ha-1 of glyphosate; 14.4, 28.8 and 57.6 g ha-1 of triclopyr; 0.84, 1.68 and 3.36 g ha-1 of carfentrazone-ethyl; and the following mixtures: 43.2 g ha-1 of glyphosate + 14.4 g ha-1 of triclopyr; 86.4 g ha-1 of glyphosate + 28.6 g ha¹ of triclopyr; 43.2 g ha-1 of glyphosate + 1.68 g ha-1 of carfentrazone-ethyl; and 86.4 g ha¹ of glyphosate + 3.36 g ha-1 of carfentrazone-ethyl. The seedlings, about 50 cm high, were applied the herbicides in such a way that their superior third was not reached 45 days after transference. Glyphosate drift caused the most damage to the plant, followed by carfentrazone-ethyl and triclopyr, respectively. Eucalypt plants exposed to a subdose of 172.8 g ha-1 of glyphosate and to glyphosate + carfentrazone-ethyl mixtures, had the highest percentage of intoxication and the lowest growth during the evaluation periods. The plants exposed to triclopyr drift presenting 56.25 and 15.10% of intoxication at 15 and 30 days after application, respectively, were recovered, indicating a lesser triclopyr drift risk, compared with the other herbicides and mixtures studied