Simulação da produção de etanol como combustível

Trabalho de conclusão de curso (graduação)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Química, 2016.A crescente demanda por novas fontes energéticas, aliada às pressões socioambientais por uma cultura produtiva menos agressiva ao meio ambiente tem contribuído para o desenvolvimento e incentivo à busca de fontes renováveis. Nesse contexto, a produção de etanol hidratado como combustível, a partir da canadeaçúcar, se destaca por ser um processo bastante conhecido e estudado, uma alternativa ao uso de derivados do petróleo. Em razão da sua importância econômica no cenário brasileiro e mundial, nesse projeto de graduação, a partir da utilização do software de simulação ASPEN HYSYS ® , fezse a modelagem e simulação de um processo industrial voltado a produção de etanol hidratado a partir do caldo oriundo da cana, previamente tratado e livre de impurezas. Esse trabalho foi dividido em 4 áreas: etapa anterior à Fermentação, etapa de Fermentação, etapa posterior à Fermentação e etapa de Destilação. Em cada uma dessas etapas, deuse maior ênfase às operações unitárias mais importantes do processo. Além disso, alguns equipamentos foram destacados conforme a sua função para o processo como: o biorreator na etapa de Fermentação e a coluna de destilação convencional na etapa de Destilação. Para o primeiro, utilizouse os parâmetros mais usualmente encontrados na literatura, necessários para o projeto do reator do tipo mistura perfeita ou CSTR. Já para a coluna, foi realizado um estudo de otimização econômica buscando a melhor relação taxa de refluxo em função do número de pratos teóricos. A quantidade de pratos que possibilitou menor investimento total, considerando o recipiente torre, pulmão separador, caldeira, condensador e bomba de refluxo foi igual a 20. A configuração de 4 colunas de destilação: uma convencional de 20 pratos, duas extrativas com 15 e 27 pratos e uma para a recuperação do solvente etilenoglicol é a mais aceita atualmente nos processos industriais.Current demand for renewable sources of energy is associated to social and environmental concerns, aiming the reduction of massive pollutants production from different energetic resources derived from oil. In this context, the use of hydrous ethanol from sugarcane has been developed in diverse studies as a notorious alternative fuel supply. A propos to economic circumstances internationally and in Brazilian’s scenario, this undergraduate project refers to the use of modeling and simulation software ASPEN HYSYS ® to design an industrial process of hydrous ethanol from broth of sugarcane, previous preserved and deprived of impurities. The description of this project consists on emphasising unit operations with most relevant processes achievements in 4 different areas: prior stage Fermentation, Fermentation process, posterior stage Fermentation, and Distillation process. Additionally, the project draw attention to different functions of several equipment , for instance, the bioreactor in the Fermentation process, and the conventional column in the Distillation process. As regards to the first, most usual parameters in literature were considered as fundamental for the CSTR reactor design. Visàvis for the distillation column, an economic optimization study were realized correlating the reflux ratio and number of theoretical stages. The total amount of number of stages with most suitable cost reduction was equally to 20, including a tower recipient, buffer tank, boiler, condenser and a reflux pump. At the moment, it is widely known that the appropriate configuration comprises 4 distillation columns: one 20 stages conventional column, two extractives 15 to 27 stages column, in addition to one column to recover the ethylene glycol solvent

Quantitative Evaluation of Intraventricular Delivery of Therapeutic Neural Stem Cells to Orthotopic Glioma

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are inherently tumor-tropic, which allows them to migrate through normal tissue and selectively localize to invasive tumor sites in the brain. We have engineered a clonal, immortalized allogeneic NSC line (HB1.F3.CD21; CD-NSCs) that maintains its stem-like properties, a normal karyotype and is HLA Class II negative. It is genetically and functionally stable over time and multiple passages, and has demonstrated safety in phase I glioma trials. These properties enable the production of an “off-the-shelf” therapy that can be readily available for patient treatment. There are multiple factors contributing to stem cell tumor-tropism, and much remains to be elucidated. The route of NSC delivery and the distribution of NSCs at tumor sites are key factors in the development of effective cell-based therapies. Stem cells can be engineered to deliver and/or produce many different therapeutic agents, including prodrug activating enzymes (which locally convert systemically administered prodrugs to active chemotherapeutic agents); oncolytic viruses; tumor-targeted antibodies; therapeutic nanoparticles; and extracellular vesicles that contain therapeutic oligonucleotides. By targeting these therapeutics selectively to tumor foci, we aim to minimize toxicity to normal tissues and maximize therapeutic benefits. In this manuscript, we demonstrate that NSCs administered via intracerebral/ventricular (IVEN) routes can migrate efficiently toward single or multiple tumor foci. IVEN delivery will enable repeat administrations for patients through an Ommaya reservoir, potentially resulting in improved therapeutic outcomes. In our preclinical studies using various glioma lines, we have quantified NSC migration and distribution in mouse brains and have found robust migration of our clinically relevant HB1.F3.CD21 NSC line toward invasive tumor foci, irrespective of their origin. These results establish proof-of-concept and demonstrate the potential of developing a multitude of therapeutic options using modified NSCs

Gene and cell therapy for cystic fibrosis: From bench to bedside

Clinical trials in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients established proof-of-principle for transfer of the wild-type cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene to airway epithelial cells. However, the limited efficacy of gene transfer vectors as well as extra- and intracellular barriers have prevented the development of a gene therapy-based treatment for CF. Here, we review the use of new viral and nonviral gene therapy vectors, as well as human artificial chromosomes, to overcome barriers to successful CFTR expression. Pre-clinical studies will surely benefit from novel animal models, such as CF pigs and ferrets. Prenatal gene therapy is a potential alternative to gene transfer to fully developed lungs. However, unresolved issues, including the possibility of adverse effects on pre- and postnatal development, the risk of initiating oncogenic or degenerative processes and germ line transmission require further investigation. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of stem cells for CF lung disease. (C) 2011 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Deus

A relação entre a arte e a transcendência é imemorial. Uma sociedade interroga-se sobre a vida e a morte, desenvolve rituais e estabelece mediações através da oferta de objetos, de sacrifícios, de representações, de práticas funerárias, de comportamentos que não surgem da necessidade biológica, surgem da necessidade pensada, ou melhor, surgem do espírito. A questão estabelece-se entre o pensamento e as coisas. As coisas, o seu destino, o seu processo, o seu devir, têm regularidades, e irregularidades. Sobre as regularidades, como a quantidade, a permanência, a repetição, podemos estabelecer representações, ou relações de conhecimento. Sobre as irregularidades, percebidas como arbitrárias, que provocam incerteza, vida e morte, destinos indeterminados, podemos pensar uma determinação exterior, que nos transcende na duração e no conhecimento. Ao lançar “Deus” como tema deste número da revista Estúdio teve-se a perceção inteira da sua profundidade. A condição humana faz-se da representação da sua finitude, na mesma medida da grandeza do que a transcende. Assim foi, neste número, o tema do desafio lançado pela Estúdio. Adicionou-se este tema ao escopo que a revista Estúdio sempre tem apresentado, e que a distingue, ao solicitar aos artistas e criadores que apresentem as suas perspetivas sobre as obras de seus companheiros de profissão, colocando um ênfase no estudo de artistas que são menos conhecidos, e dando prioridade aos originários dos países abrangidos pelos idiomas da revista, português e espanhol. Este número 10 da Estúdio, dedicado ao tema Deus, é constituído por 19 artigos, selecionados a partir de 46 submissões, a que se adicionou um dossier editorial, perfazendo assim um total de 21 artigos e 1 entrevista.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Large scale multifactorial likelihood quantitative analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants: An ENIGMA resource to support clinical variant classification

The multifactorial likelihood analysis method has demonstrated utility for quantitative assessment of variant pathogenicity for multiple cancer syndrome genes. Independent data types currently incorporated in the model for assessing BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants include clinically calibrated prior probability of pathogenicity based on variant location and bioinformatic prediction of variant effect, co-segregation, family cancer history profile, co-occurrence with a pathogenic variant in the same gene, breast tumor pathology, and case-control information. Research and clinical data for multifactorial likelihood analysis were collated for 1,395 BRCA1/2 predominantly intronic and missense variants, enabling classification based on posterior probability of pathogenicity for 734 variants: 447 variants were classified as (likely) benign, and 94 as (likely) pathogenic; and 248 classifications were new or considerably altered relative to ClinVar submissions. Classifications were compared with information not yet included in the likelihood model, and evidence strengths aligned to those recommended for ACMG/AMP classification codes. Altered mRNA splicing or function relative to known nonpathogenic variant controls were moderately to strongly predictive of variant pathogenicity. Variant absence in population datasets provided supporting evidence for variant pathogenicity. These findings have direct relevance for BRCA1 and BRCA2 variant evaluation, and justify the need for gene-specific calibration of evidence types used for variant classification

The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning

This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies.Comment: 5th version as accepted to PASP; 31 pages, 18 figures; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1538-3873/acb29

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Rare variant analysis of 4241 pulmonary arterial hypertension cases from an international consortium implicates FBLN2, PDGFD, and rare de novo variants in PAH

Abstract: Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a lethal vasculopathy characterized by pathogenic remodeling of pulmonary arterioles leading to increased pulmonary pressures, right ventricular hypertrophy, and heart failure. PAH can be associated with other diseases (APAH: connective tissue diseases, congenital heart disease, and others) but often the etiology is idiopathic (IPAH). Mutations in bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) are the cause of most heritable cases but the vast majority of other cases are genetically undefined. Methods: To identify new risk genes, we utilized an international consortium of 4241 PAH cases with exome or genome sequencing data from the National Biological Sample and Data Repository for PAH, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and the UK NIHR BioResource – Rare Diseases Study. The strength of this combined cohort is a doubling of the number of IPAH cases compared to either national cohort alone. We identified protein-coding variants and performed rare variant association analyses in unrelated participants of European ancestry, including 1647 IPAH cases and 18,819 controls. We also analyzed de novo variants in 124 pediatric trios enriched for IPAH and APAH-CHD. Results: Seven genes with rare deleterious variants were associated with IPAH with false discovery rate smaller than 0.1: three known genes (BMPR2, GDF2, and TBX4), two recently identified candidate genes (SOX17, KDR), and two new candidate genes (fibulin 2, FBLN2; platelet-derived growth factor D, PDGFD). The new genes were identified based solely on rare deleterious missense variants, a variant type that could not be adequately assessed in either cohort alone. The candidate genes exhibit expression patterns in lung and heart similar to that of known PAH risk genes, and most variants occur in conserved protein domains. For pediatric PAH, predicted deleterious de novo variants exhibited a significant burden compared to the background mutation rate (2.45×, p = 2.5e−5). At least eight novel pediatric candidate genes carrying de novo variants have plausible roles in lung/heart development. Conclusions: Rare variant analysis of a large international consortium identified two new candidate genes—FBLN2 and PDGFD. The new genes have known functions in vasculogenesis and remodeling. Trio analysis predicted that ~ 15% of pediatric IPAH may be explained by de novo variants

Large scale multifactorial likelihood quantitative analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants: An ENIGMA resource to support clinical variant classification

Abstract The multifactorial likelihood analysis method has demonstrated utility for quantitative assessment of variant pathogenicity for multiple cancer syndrome genes. Independent data types currently incorporated in the model for assessing BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants include clinically calibrated prior probability of pathogenicity based on variant location and bioinformatic prediction of variant effect, co-segregation, family cancer history profile, co-occurrence with a pathogenic variant in the same gene, breast tumor pathology, and case-control information. Research and clinical data for multifactorial likelihood analysis were collated for 1395 BRCA1/2 predominantly intronic and missense variants, enabling classification based on posterior probability of pathogenicity for 734 variants: 447 variants were classified as (likely) benign, and 94 as (likely) pathogenic; 248 classifications were new or considerably altered relative to ClinVar submissions. Classifications were compared to information not yet included in the likelihood model, and evidence strengths aligned to those recommended for ACMG/AMP classification codes. Altered mRNA splicing or function relative to known non-pathogenic variant controls were moderately to strongly predictive of variant pathogenicity. Variant absence in population datasets provided supporting evidence for variant pathogenicity. These findings have direct relevance for BRCA1 and BRCA2 variant evaluation, and justify the need for gene-specific calibration of evidence types used for variant classification. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe