Characterization of Plum Procyanidins by Thiolytic Depolymerization

The phenolic compounds of ?Green Gage? (GG) plums (Prunus domestica L.), ?Rainha Cla?udia Verde?, from a ?protected designation of origin? (PDO), in Portugal, were quantified in both flesh and skin tissues of plums collected in two different orchards (GG-V and GG-C). Analyzes of phenolic compounds were also performed on another GG European plum obtained in France (GG-F) and two other French plums, ?Mirabelle? (M) and ?Golden Japan? (GJ). Thiolysis was used for the first time in the analysis of plum phenolic compounds. This methodology showed that the flesh and skin contain a large proportion of flavan-3-ols, which account, respectively, for 92 and 85% in GJ, 61 and 44% in GG-V, 62 and 48% in GG-C, 54 and 27% in M, and 45 and 37% in GG-F. Terminal units of procyanidins observed in plums are mainly (+)-catechin (54?77% of all terminal units in flesh and 57?81% in skin). The GJ plums showed a phenolic composition different from all of the others, with a lower content of chlorogenic acid isomers and the presence of A-type procyanidins as dimers and terminal residues of polymerized forms. The average degree of polymerization (DPn) of plum procyanidins was higher in the flesh (5?9 units) than in the skin (4?6 units). Procyanidin B7 was observed in the flesh of all GG plums and in the skin of the Portuguese ones. Principal component analysis of the phenolic composition of the flesh and skin of these plums obtained after thiolysis allowed their distinction according to the variety and origin, opening the possibility of the use of phenolic composition for variety/origin identification

Response of FRP-glulam slab systems under five-point bending load

Full-scale slab strips were tested in order to analyze the flexural response of FRP-glulam slab systems under monotonic loading. The type of strengthening technique (externally bonded reinforcement – EBR and near-surface mounted – NSM) and the increase target in terms of ultimate load capacity (20% and 40%) were the main studied parameters. GFRP sheets were utilized in the EBR technique, while GFRP rods were applied in NSM technique. In this work the tests are described in detail, and the obtained results are presented and discussed

Bond behavior between glulam and GFRP’s using pullout bending tests

Com o objectivo de avaliar o comportamento da ligação entre lamelados colados e varões de GFRP, quando aplicados de acordo com a técnica NSM, foi realizado um programa experimental composto por ensaios de arrancamento por flexão. Neste programa experimental foram analisadas três variáveis: o tipo de GFRP (2 tipos), a localização do FRP/dimensão da ranhura (2 tipos) e o comprimento de amarração (Lb=30 mm, 60 mm, 120 mm e 180 mm). A instrumentação inclui a medição dos deslizamentos na zona solicitada e na extremidade livre, bem como a força de arranque. Vinte e nove provetes foram ensaiados sob controlo de deslocamento com recurso a um sistema servo-controlado. O presente trabalho descreve os ensaios e apresenta e discute os resultados obtidos.To evaluate the bond behavior between glulam and GFRP rods using the near-surface mounted (NSM) strengthening technique, an experimental program was carried out by means of pullout bending tests. In this experimental program three variables were analyzed: the GFRP type (2 types), the GFRP location/groove size (2 types) and the bond length (Lb=30 mm, 60 mm, 120 mm and 180 mm). The instrumentation includes the loaded and free end slips, as well as the pullout force. Twenty nine specimens were tested under displacement control using a servo controlled equipment. In this work the tests are described, and the obtained results are presented and discussed.Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) - Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors (COMPETE)Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PTDC/ECM/74337/200

M.S.W. bottom ash : mechanical characterization for road pavement purposes

Neste trabalho são estudadas as propriedades mecânicas, tais como a rigidez e a resistência, de escórias provenientes da incineração de resíduos sólidos urbanos na incineradora da Valorsul, S.A.. Pretende-se avaliar, sob o ponto de vista geotécnico, a viabilidade de utilização deste material alternativo nas camadas estruturais de pavimentos rodoviários. Neste sentido, são apresentados resultados provenientes dos seguintes ensaios laboratoriais: análise granulométrica; ensaios C.B.R. e ensaio triaxial estático consolidado não drenado com medição das pressões intersticiais. Este estudo pretende contribuir para a valorização das escórias, cuja produção em Portugal, para 2006, se estima em cerca de 293 000 toneladas por ano. Para além de permitir reduzir a quantidade de resíduos a encaminhar para deposição final, o estudo também implica a diminuição da exploração de agregados naturais.In this work the mechanical properties are studied, such as the stiffness and the strength, of bottom ashes from the incineration of municipal solid wastes in the Valorsul, S.A. incinerator. It is intended to evaluate, under the geotechnical point of view, the viability of using this alternative material in the structural layers of road pavements. In this direction, they are presented results proceeding from the following laboratory tests: grain sized analysis; C.B.R. test and undrained consolidated static triaxial test with measurement of the pore water pressures. This study intends to promote MSW bottom ashes, whose production for 2006, in Portugal, is estimated around 293 000 tons per year. Besides allowing reducing the amount of residues to final deposition, the study also implies the reduction of natural aggregate exploration

Plagioscion squamosissimus (Sciaenidae) and Parachromis managuensis (Cichlidae): A Threat to Native Fishes of the Doce River in Minas Gerais, Brazil

The middle section of the lake basin of the Doce River in Minas Gerais State, Brazil is plagued by grave environmental problems, including the introduction of non-native fish, which reduces the biodiversity of this region. This study reports the presence of two newly-detected non-native species in the Doce River Basin. Sampling efforts included gill nets with mesh size of 3 to 12 mm (measured diagonally) and trawling nets, both of which were used in independent field campaigns in 2002 and 2011. The two new invasive Perciform fishes, Plagioscion squamosissimus (Heckel 1840) and Parachromis managuensis (Günther 1867) were collected in Caratinga and Rio Doce municipalities. These records and other reports on non-native fishes suggest favorable environmental conditions for the establishment of invasive species in this drainage. These invasive species have behavior and diet observed in other wide distribution exotic fish of Rio Doce Basin representing a threat to the 77 native fishes of this region, 37 of which are endangered

Optimization of raw ewes’ milk high-pressure pre-treatment for improved production of raw milk cheese

Serra da Estrela protected designation of origin (PDO) cheese is manufactured with raw milk from Bordaleira and/or Churra Mondegueira da Serra da Estrela sheep breeds. Several socioenvironmental shortcomings have reduced production capacity; hence, treatments that may contribute to its efficient transformation into cheese are welcome. High-pressure processing (HPP) milk pre-treatment may contribute to a cheese yield increment, yet optimization of processing conditions is warranted. An initial wide-scope screening experiment allowed for pinpointing pressure intensity, holding time under pressure and time after HPP as the most important factors influencing curd yield. Based on this, a more targeted screening experiment allowed for selecting the range of experimental conditions to be used for an experimental design study that revealed an HPP treatment at 121 MPa for 30 min as the optimum for milk processing to improve curd yield (>9%) and effectively maintain the beneficial cheese microbiota; the optimum was validated in a final experimental framework.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Moradias de custo controlado em betão auto-compactável reforçado com fibras

No presente trabalho é desenvolvido um betão auto-compactável reforçado com fibras (BACRF) para a construção de habitações de custo controlado. As principais propriedades são apresentadas e utilizadas na análise e dimensionamento do modelo estrutural proposto

Comparación de estrategias MPC basado en índice de mínima varianza

Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a useful tool when controlling processes that handle a large number of input and output variables. This study presents a comparison of different MPC strategies when they are subjected to control process variables directly. The strategies studied are IMC, GPC, MPC-D, MPC-DR, and DMC. Evaluation of the performance of the controlled loop was performed with the filtering and correlation analysis algorithm (FCOR). The methodology proposed is validated in a Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor (CSTR) case study. Discrete predictive control demonstrated the best results in this study.El Control predictivo de modelos (MPC) es una herramienta útil para controlar procesos que manejan un gran número de variables de entrada y salida. Este estudio presenta una comparación de diferentes estrategias de MPC cuando son usadas para controlar directamente variables de proceso. Las estrategias estudiadas son IMC, GPC, MPC-D, MPC-DR y DMC. La evaluación del desempeño del lazo de control se realizó con el algoritmo de análisis de filtrado y correlación (FCOR). La metodología propuesta se valida en un caso de estudio tipo CSTR. El control predictivo discreto demostró los mejores resultados en este estudio

Characterization of the primary matabolome of Brachystegia boehmii and Colophospermum mopane under different fire regimes in Miombo and Mopane African woodlands

Original ResearchMiombo and Mopane are ecological and economic important woodlands from Africa, highly affected by a combination of climate change factors, and anthropogenic fires. Although most species of these ecosystems are fire tolerant, the mechanisms that lead to adaptive responses (metabolic reconfiguration) are unknown. In this context, the aim of this study was to characterize the primary metabolite composition of typical legume trees from these ecosystems, namely, Brachystegia boehmii (Miombo) and Colophospermum mopane (Mopane) subjected to different fire regimes. Fresh leaves from each species were collected in management units and landscapes across varied fire frequencies in the Niassa National Reserve (NNR) and Limpopo National Park (LNP) in Mozambique. Primary metabolites were extracted and analyzed with a well-established gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry metabolomics platform (GC-TOF-MS). In B. boehmii, 39 primary metabolites were identified from which seven amino acids, two organic acids and two sugars increased significantly, whereas in C. mopane, 41 primary metabolites were identified from which eight amino acids, one sugar and two organic acids significantly increased with increasing fire frequency. The observed changes in the pool of metabolites of C. mopane might be related to high glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) rate, which provided increased levels of amino acids and energy yield. In B. boehmii, the high levels of amino acids might be due to inhibition of protein biosynthesis. The osmoprotectant and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging properties of accumulated metabolites in parallel with a high-energy yield might support plants survival under fire stressinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio