Development of image analysis methods to evaluate barley / malt grain size

It is known that the barley / malt grain size is an important factor regarding the uniformity of malting process and hence the brewery process. For that purpose an image processing and analysis system was built for the evaluation of grain / malt size, on the ImageJ public domain platform. A programme was developed for the barley / malt images treatment and determination of several morphological parameters as well as the grain size distribution. The results showed that for the Prestige and Scarlett barley varieties good correlations could be obtained between the standard weight distribution and the proposed image analysis method. For the Esterel malt and barley as well as for the Nevada barley reasonable to good correlations were also obtained upon the introduction of a density correction factor

Integrable theories and loop spaces: fundamentals, applications and new developments

We review our proposal to generalize the standard two-dimensional flatness construction of Lax-Zakharov-Shabat to relativistic field theories in d+1 dimensions. The fundamentals from the theory of connections on loop spaces are presented and clarified. These ideas are exposed using mathematical tools familiar to physicists. We exhibit recent and new results that relate the locality of the loop space curvature to the diffeomorphism invariance of the loop space holonomy. These result are used to show that the holonomy is abelian if the holonomy is diffeomorphism invariant. These results justify in part and set the limitations of the local implementations of the approach which has been worked out in the last decade. We highlight very interesting applications like the construction and the solution of an integrable four dimensional field theory with Hopf solitons, and new integrability conditions which generalize BPS equations to systems such as Skyrme theories. Applications of these ideas leading to new constructions are implemented in theories that admit volume preserving diffeomorphisms of the target space as symmetries. Applications to physically relevant systems like Yang Mills theories are summarized. We also discuss other possibilities that have not yet been explored.Comment: 64 pages, 8 figure

Optimization of fed-batch fermentation processes with bio-inspired algorithms

The optimization of the feeding trajectories in fed-batch fermentation processes is a complex problem that has gained attention given its significant economical impact. A number of bio-inspired algorithms have approached this task with considerable success, but systematic and statistically significant comparisons of the different alternatives are still lacking. In this paper, the performance of different metaheuristics, such as Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs), Differential Evolution (DE) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is compared, resorting to several case studies taken from literature and conducting a thorough statistical validation of the results. DE obtains the best overall performance, showing a consistent ability to find good solutions and presenting a good convergence speed, with the DE/rand variants being the ones with the best performance. A freely available computational application, OptFerm, is described that provides an interface allowing users to apply the proposed methods to their own models and data.The work is partially funded by ERDF - European Regional Development Fund through the COMPETE Programme (operational programme for competitiveness) and by National Funds through the FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) within projects Ref. COMPETE FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-015079 and PEst-OE/ES/UI0752/2011

Parallel neural network recognition - a multi-agent system approach

This paper presents and discusses the design and the development of a pattern recognition agent based on neural networks. This agent is part of an intelligent navigation system, providing it with the necessary vision abilities so that it can be placed on a strange environment in order to explore and recognise its structures and specificities. Although similar, the properties of the recognised objects change through time and according to each specific environment. The flexibility required by such recognition process was implemented by several pattern recognition agents. Each agent is based on a neural network and can be trained on-line by a parallel training algorithm to allow an effective real time utilisation

Modeling and simulation of fructo-oligosaccharides production

It is foreseen that Systems Biology will have a great impact not only in Metabolic Engineering and Drug Discovery efforts, but also in Bioprocess development and optimization. In fact, the computational tools developed in this area made possible to simulate a biochemical process with a mathematical model comprising dynamical equations based on first principles as well as empirical kinetic equations and parameters that can be estimated from experimental data. Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) have become important as healthy food ingredients because of their beneficial characteristics to the health of human (Lee, 1999). They can be obtained biotechnologically using the enzyme Betafructofuranosidase, produced by some fungi. The main purpose of this work was to develop a mathematical model able to simulate the formation of FOS in a bioreactor, in order to perform a faster optimization of the FOS production process, allowing to identify which parameters can influence the final amount of FOS. An empirical model presented by Kow Jen Duan et al (1994) was used to obtain the first set of reactions. Several hydrolysis equations were added in order to achieve a general mathematical model of the occurring enzymatic reactions. After the reformulation of the Kow Jen Duan model, the kinetic parameters were determined from experimental data using the System Biology toolbox [2] with the Simulated Annealing method for curve fitting. Several experiments in bioreactors were performed with two different FOS producing fungi for that purpose. The time evolution of 7 state variables (Sucrose, Glucose, Fructose, 1-Kestose, Nystose, 1-Fructosyl Nystose and Biomass) was considered. After parameter fitting, several simulations were performed in MatLab and the simulation results were compared with experimental data, exhibiting a very satisfactory correlation for both fungal cultures. Correlation coefficients of 0.9980 - 0.9549 between simulated and experimental data were obtained. This model will be used to optimize the production process, using an optimization tool that has been developed in our research group

Optimization of a fructooligosaccharides purification method using activated charcoal

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) have gained large commercial interest due to its beneficial properties in the human health as prebiotics. FOS are produced industrially by fermentative processes. However, the result of such fermentations is a complex mixture containing salts and approximately 50% (w/w) of low molecular weight sugars that have to be eliminated. Among other techniques that have been studied, the adsorption onto activated carbon is still the most suitable one since activated carbon is cheap, has a large surface area and pore volume conducting to a good sorption capacity. Furthermore, this sorbent can be regenerated during desorption with ethanol. Based on the above discussion, in this work the adsorption and desorption characteristics of FOS on activated carbon, using a gradient of ethanol, were optimized. Initially, the activated carbon was loaded with fermentative broth. To remove the non adsorbed sugars, a washing step with pure water was included. Afterwards, the retained sugars were recovered by elution with a gradient of ethanol increased sequentially with specific volumes from 1 to 50% (v/v). Fractions collected at different time points were evaporated and subsequently freeze‐dried. This process was found to be very efficient in the demineralization of broth, and it was possible to recover 80% of the initial FOS loaded on the column with 89% of purity. Some of the fractions were found to contain 97% of pure FOS in total sugars. In summary, purification of FOS using an activated charcoal column is a very efficient process yielding high levels of purity from a fermentative broth

Purification of fructo-oligosaccharides by adsorption onto charcoal filters

Production of fructo-oligosaccharides has received particular attention recently due to its beneficial effects as prebiotics. Fermentative processes appear to be a good technique for large scale production of FOS. However, the result of such fermentations is a complex mixture containing salts and low molecular weight sugars that do not contribute to the beneficial properties of the higher molecular weight oligosaccharides, and so have to be eliminated. Among the several strategies being studied to solve this problem, the adorption onto activated carbon is a promising technique that still requires further development. Thus, the aim of this work was the purification of FOS from a fermentation broth using charcoal filters. Microfiltration membranes (0,20 micrometers) were successfully used to separate the biomass; nevertheless salts and other small sugars had to be eliminated using a charcoal filter. Hence, 200 mL of fermentative broth (without cells) was passed through the filter. Subsequently, the filter was washed with water removing the salts and small sugars present in the mixture. The oligosaccharides adsorbed onto the charcoal filter were recovered using a 44% ethanol solution. An increased purity, from 30% to 97% (w/w) in total sugars, was achieved using this downstream process, as compared to the initial mixture. The results gathered in this work suggest that charcoal filters are a promising technology for the purification of FOS from fermentation mixtures at an industrial scale, making clear the need for further work in order to optimize this process

Specific detection of dengue and Zika virus antibodies using envelope proteins with mutations in the conserved fusion loop

Detection of antibodies is widely used for the diagnosis of infections with arthropod-borne flaviviruses including dengue (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV). Due to the emergence of ZIKV in areas endemic for DENV, massive co-circulation is observed and methods to specifically diagnose these infections and differentiate them from each other are mandatory. However, serological assays for flaviviruses in general, and for DENV and ZIKV in particular, are compromised by the high degree of similarities in their proteins which can lead to cross-reacting antibodies and false-positive test results. Cross-reacting flavivirus antibodies mainly target the highly conserved fusion loop (FL) domain in the viral envelope (E-) protein, and we and others have shown previously that recombinant E-proteins bearing FL-mutations strongly reduce cross-reactivity. Here we investigate whether such mutant E-proteins can be used to specifically detect antibodies against DENV and ZIKV in an ELISA-format. IgM antibodies against DENV and ZIKV virus were detected with 100% and 94.2% specificity and 90.7% and 87.5% sensitivity, respectively. For IgG the mutant E-proteins showed cross-reactivity, which was overcome by pre-incubation of the sera with the heterologous antigen. This resulted in specificities of 97.1% and 97.9% and in sensitivities of 100% and 100% for the DENV and ZIKV antigens, respectively. Our results suggest that E-proteins bearing mutations in the FL-domain have a high potential for the development of serological DENV and ZIKV tests with high specificity

Resistivity study of the pseudogap phase for (Hg,Re) - 1223 superconductors

The pseudogap phase above the critical temperature of high $T_{c}$ superconductors (HTSC) presents different energy scales and it is currently a matter of intense study. The complexity of the HTSC normal state requires very accurate measurements with the purpose of distinguishing different types of phenomena. Here we have performed systematically studies through electrical resistivity ($\rho$) measurements by several different current densities in order to obtain an optimal current for each sample. This approach allows to determine reliable values of the pseudogap temperature $T^{*}(n)$, the layer coupling temperature between the superconductor layers $T_{LD}(n)$, the fluctuation temperature $T_{scf}(n)$ and the critical temperature $T_{c}(n)$ as function of the doping $n$. The interpretation of these different temperature scales allows to characterize possible scenarios for the (Hg,Re) - 1223 normal state. This method, described in detail here, and used to derive the (Hg,Re)-1223 phase diagram is general and can be applied to any HTSC.Comment: 31 pages, 12 figures, Latex; 25 pages, LaTeX; 11 figures; rewrited section II and III; added 18 reference; rewrited title, added discussion sectio

Determination of frutooligosaccharides adsorption parameters using ion-exchange resins

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are non-digestible sugars that beneficially affect the host by stimulating the growth of specific bacteria in the colon. In large scale, FOS can be produced from sucrose by fermentation. The fermentative broth obtained from this process is a complex mixture of salts and sugars. These sugar mixtures include FOS, namely kestose (GF2), nystose (GF3) and fructo-furanosylnystose (GF4), but also fructose, glucose and sucrose that must be separated. The major challenge when designing the downstream separation process is the choice of an efficient ion-exchange resin. Therefore, adsorption isotherms of the different compounds on a mixture are an important parameter to consider when selecting the resin. Moreover, salts and other sugars present in the mixture will influence the adsorption. In view of this, in the present work adsorption isotherms of FOS, both from fermentative broths and pure mixtures, were determined for several poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) commercial resins in the sodium and calcium forms. A static adsorption-desorption method was used to determine the equilibrium adsorptions. The adsorption isotherms for FOS were appropriately fitted using linear regression models. Since FOS separation is mainly based on size exclusion, GF2 was found to be the most adsorbed sugar in all resins, followed by GF3 and finally GF4. Results demonstrated that there are no significant differences between the adsorption of a pure mixture of FOS and a fermentative broth using the studied commercial calcium resins. However, this was not observed for the sodium form resin. In this later case, the sugars from the fermentative broths were found to be more adsorbed than from the pure mixtures. Results gathered in this study clearly demonstrated the importance of determining the adsorption parameters using real fermentative broths instead of pure mixtures, as the presence of other sugars and salts can influence in the adsorption