Bioremediation and biovalorisation of olive-mill wastes

Olive-mill wastes are produced by the industry of olive oil production, which is a very important economic activity, particularly for Spain, Italy and Greece, leading to a large environmental problem of current concern in the Mediterranean basin. There is as yet no accepted treatment method for all the wastes generated during olive oil production, mainly due to technical and economical limitations but also the scattered nature of olive mills across the Mediterranean basin. The production of virgin olive oil is expanding worldwide, which will lead to even larger amounts of olive-mill waste, unless new treatment and valorisation technologies are devised. These are encouraged by the trend of current environmental policies, which favour protocols that include valorisation of the waste. This makes biological treatments of particular interest. Thus, research into different biodegradation options for olive-mill wastes and the development of new bioremediation technologies and/or strategies, as well as the valorisation of microbial biotechnology, are all currently needed. This review, whilst presenting a general overview, focus critically on the most significant recent advances in the various types of biological treatments, the bioremediation technology most commonly applied and the valorisation options, which together will form the pillar for future developments within this fiel

Analysis of Candida Albicans surface proteins in expoential and stationary phases of growth

Comunicaciones a congreso

Determinación de ácidos grasos volátiles por cromatografía gaseosa

Se ha estudiado un método de identificación y determinación de ácidos grasos volátiles, por destilación en corriente de vapor y cromatografía gaseosa. Son perfectamente diferenciables los ácidos de la serie normal, acético, propiónico, butírico, valeriánico y caproico, así como los derivados del butírico, isobutírico y crotónico. No se separan entre sí los iso-derivados del valeriánico, 2-metil-butírico e isovaleriánico, ni los insaturados derivados del mismo ácido: tíglico y etilacrílico. Tampoco se diferencian entre sí los derivados del ácido caproico: 2-metil-valeriánico y 4-metil-valeriánico

Inhibición de la ureasa por pesticidas

De todas las semillas ensayadas la que manifiesta mayor actividad ureásica es la semilla de Citrullus vulgaris (sandía). Los tantos por ciento de inhibición de la actividad ureásica producidos son: Sevin, 66,7 %; Thiram, 35,2 %; Diuron, 8,5 %; y Guanidina, 11,8 %. El tipo de inhibición, para los de mayor poder de inhlbición (Sevin y Thiram) es competitivo. Es posible utilizar este enzima para la medida de residuos de pesticidas del grupo de los carbamatos y mocarbamatos.The seed of Citrullus vulgaris is the one that shows a bigger urease activity of all seeds tested. The inhibition of the urease activity produced by the different como pounds tested, is given in %: Sevin, 66,7 %; Thiram, 35,2 %; Diuron, 8,5 %; and Guanidine, 11,8 %. For the compounds that show a bigger power of inhibition (Sevin and Thiram), the type of inhibition is competitive. It is possible to use this enzyme for the measure of pesticide residues from the groups of the carbamates and thiocarbamates.Trabajo subvencionado por la Comisión Asesora de Investigación Científica y Técnica

Nonadiabatic geometric phase induced by a counterpart of the Stark shift

We analyse the geometric phase due to the Stark shift in a system composed of a bosonic field, driven by time-dependent linear amplification, interacting dispersively with a two-level (fermionic) system. We show that a geometric phase factor in the joint state of the system, which depends on the fermionic state (resulting form the Stark shift), is introduced by the amplification process. A clear geometrical interpretation of this phenomenon is provided. We also show how to measure this effect in an interferometric experiment and to generate geometric "Schrodinger cat"-like states. Finally, considering the currently available technology, we discuss a feasible scheme to control and measure such geometric phases in the context of cavity quantum electrodynamics

Algunas consideraciones sobre la medida de la actividad colinesterasa eritrocitaria humana por la técnica del pH-START

It has been presented an intralaboratory quality control result to the determination of the human erytrocytes cholinesterase activity by the pH-stat technique. It indicated the necessity of carryng out these controls mainly when the cholinesterase activity is used as indicator of the organophosphorus plaguicides polution, what requires the continued analysis of a high samples number. It has similarly been studied the influence of measure time in the cholinesterase activity and the best concentration of substrate is confirmed.Se presenta el resultado de un control de calidad intralaboratorio aplicado a la determinación de la actividad colinesterasa eritrocitaria humana por la técnica del pH-stat. Se pone de manifiesto la necesidad de realizar este tipo de controles, sobre todo cuando se utiliza la actividad colinesterasa como indicador de contaminación por plaguicidas organofosforados, lo que requiere el análisis continuado de un elevado número de muestras. Igualmente se estudia la influencia del tiempo de medida en la actividad colinesterasa y se confirma la concentración óptima de sustrato

Quantum effects after decoherence in a quenched phase transition

We study a quantum mechanical toy model that mimics some features of a quenched phase transition. Both by virtue of a time-dependent Hamiltonian or by changing the temperature of the bath we are able to show that even after classicalization has been reached, the system may display quantum behaviour again. We explain this behaviour in terms of simple non-linear analysis and estimate relevant time scales that match the results of numerical simulations of the master-equation. This opens new possibilities both in the study of quantum effects in non-equilibrium phase transitions and in general time-dependent problems where quantum effects may be relevant even after decoherence has been completed.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, revtex, important revisions made. To be published in Phys. Rev.

Dry weight partitioning and hydraulic traits in young <i>Pinus taeda</i> trees fertilized with nitrogen and phosphorus in a subtropical area

Plants of Pinus taeda L. from each of four families were fertilized with N, P or N+P at planting. The H family had the highest growth in dry mass while the L family had the lowest growth. Measurements of plant hydraulic architecture traits were performed during the first year after planting. Stomatal conductance (gs), water potential at predawn (Ψpredawn) and at midday (Ψmidday), branch hydraulic conductivity (ks and kl) and shoot hydraulic conductance (K) were measured. One year after planting, dry weight partitioning of all aboveground organs was performed. P fertilization increased growth in all four families, while N fertilization had a negative effect on growth. L family plants were more negatively affected than H family plants. This negative effect was not due to limitations in N or P uptake because plants from all the families and treatments had the same N and P concentration in the needles. P fertilization changed some hydraulic parameters, but those changes did not affect growth. However, the negative effect of N can be explained by changes in hydraulic traits. L family plants had a high leaf dry weight per branch, which was increased by N fertilization. This change occurred together with a decrease in shoot conductance. Therefore, the reduction in gs was not enough to avoid the drop in Ψmidday. Consequently, stomatal closure and the deficient water status of the needles resulted in a reduction in growth. In H family plants, the increase in number of needles per branch due to N fertilization was counteracted by a reduction in gs and also by a reduction in tracheid lumen size and length. Because of these two changes, Ψmidday did not drop and water availability in the needles was adequate for sustained growth. In conclusion, fertilization affects the hydraulic architecture of plants, and different families develop different strategies. Some of the hydraulic changes can explain the negative effect of N fertilization on growth.Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal (INFIVE

Efecto de diferentes técnicas de hemolisis sobre la actividad acetilcolinesterasa

The effect of different erythrocyte breaking methods on acetylcholinesterase activity, using human, cattle and pig blood tissue, was studied. The procedures tested were: Deep-freezing, sonication and shaking in distilled water; the pH-stat system was used as the quantitative procedure to measure the enzymatic activity, with acetylcholine and butirylcholine as substrates at a concentration of 4'2 x 10-3 M. With all the techniques, a greater enzymatic value than that corresponding to intact erythrocytes was found, estimating sonication as the most adequate method.Se evalua el efecto de diferentes métodos de ruptura eritrocítica sobre la actividad acetilcolinesterasa, utilizando tejido sanguíneo humano, vacuno y porcino. Los procedimientos ensayados son: Congelación, sonificación y agitación con agua destilada; utilizándose el sistema pH-stat como técnica de medida cuantitativa de la actividad enzimática, con los sustratos acetilcolina y butirilcolina a una concentración de 4'2 x 10-3 M. En todos los casos obteneIl).os un valor enzimático mayor al de hematies intactos, estimando que la sonicación es la técnica más adecuada