Technology Prospecting on Enzymes for the Pulp and Paper Industry

The use of enzymes in the pulp and paper industry was introduced in the 1986. However, their use has been relatively minor. This prospective study aims at enhancing the understanding of the most important advances regarding the use of enzymes in this industry and to identify the future trends of this technology. Information gathered from the Web of Science shows a growing number of papers published on this topic indicating an increased interest in this issue. A study on patents also displayed a high number documents related to this technology. Cellulase, xylanase, laccase and lipase are the most important enzymes that can be used in the pulp and paper processes. Furthermore, the key objectives of enzymes development have been in the bleaching boosting with xylanases and fiber modification with cellulases. The current and future trends on the development of enzymes are focused on increasing their thermostability and their alkalinity strength

Produção de solvente a partir de hidrolisados de biomassa lignocelulósica

DepositadaÉ descrito um processo para a produção de solventes, mais especificamente acetona, butanol e etanol, pela fermentação com bactérias do gênero Clostridium de uma mistura de correntes de hidrolisado hemicelulósico (xilose) e celulósico (glicose) de uma biomassa lignocelulósica

Magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosing the pre-slip stage of the contralateral proximal femoral epiphysis in patients with unilateral epiphysiolysis

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a importância da ressonância magnética convencional e com mapa T2 na determinação do pré-escorregamento da epífise contralateral em pacientes com diagnóstico clínico e radiográfico de epifisiólise femoral proximal unilateral, tratadas inicialmente com fixação in situ. MÉTODOS: Estudo clínico prospectivo de 11 pacientes com epifisiólise unilateral entre fevereiro de 2009 e agosto de 2010, com ressonância magnética do quadril contralateral. RESULTADOS: Verificamos alterações na região fisária capital femoral proximal no lado contralateral à doença, com edema sob a placa de crescimento em 27% dos pacientes analisados. CONCLUSÃO: A ressonância magnética é um método sensível e precoce para detecção do pré-escorregamento epifisário femoral proximal.OBJECTIVE: To assess the importance of using conventional magnetic resonance imaging and T2 mapping to determine the pre-slip stage of the contralateral epiphysis in patients with a clinical and radiographic diagnosis of unilateral proximal femoral epiphysiolysis who were initially treated with in-situ fixation. METHODS: This prospective clinical study on 11 patients with unilateral epiphysiolysis was conducted between February 2009 and August 2010, using magnetic resonance imaging on the contralateral hip. RESULTS: We observed abnormalities in the proximal femoral capital physis of the contralateral unaffected hip, with edema under the growth plate in 27% of the patients assessed. CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance imaging is an early and sensitive method for detecting the pre-slip stage of the proximal femoral epiphysis

Technological prospection of second generation ethanol production processes: an overview through the analysis of patent applications.

Produzir etanol a partir de biomassas de composição lignocelulósica não é um conceito recente. Contudo, com o aumento da população e da atividade industrial no mundo a demanda energética e os impactos ambientais decorrentes trazem à tona a necessidade de novas fontes de energia. No início deste novo milênio, o etanol e as biomassas ganharam notoriedade como fontes capazes de complementar sustentavelmente a matriz energética e, também, de amenizar os impactos causados pelas fontes fósseis de energia. Existem diferentes maneiras de se produzir etanol a partir de biomassas, porém as tecnologias mais estudadas são aquelas realizadas através de rotas biotecnológicas. Tendo em vista os investimentos em desenvolvimento realizados ao longo dos anos, este artigo tem como objetivo analisar a geração de tecnologias nos principais elos da cadeia produtiva do etanol de segunda geração através dos pedidos de patentes com intuito de identificar as tendências que nortearão a indústria deste biocombustível

A influência da cultura na adoção de inovações tecnológicas por estudantes do ensino médio das escolas privadas de Florianópolis: um estudo de caso

Abstract The present study aims to identify the influence of culture in the adoption of technological innovations in students of the private education network in Florianópolis. A survey was carried out with the application of 250 questionnaires in students from the 1st to 3rd year of high school in a network of private schools in the city of Florianópolis. This study provides a quantitative approach with the frequency analysis of the responses and the use of the Analysis of Variance or ANOVA technique. As a result, students' tendency to individualism and the low power distance were perceived. In the dimension of adoption of technological innovation, the indices showed a high tendency of the students to adopt innovations. Key Words: Technologic Innovation. Dimensions of Culture. Educational Institution.O presente estudo visa identificar a influência da cultura na adoção de inovações tecnológicas nos estudantes da rede privada de Florianópolis. Foi realizada uma pesquisa com a aplicação de 250 questionários  em alunos  do 1º ao 3º ano do ensino médio de uma  grande rede de escolas privadas na cidade de Florianópolis. Este estudo traz uma abordagem quantitativa com a análise de frequência das respostas e o uso da técnica de Análise de Variância ou ANOVA.  Como resultados percebeu-se a tendência dos estudantes ao individualismo e a baixa distância do poder. Na dimensão de adoção de inovação tecnológica, os índices demonstraram uma alta tendência dos estudantes à adoção de inovações. Palavras-chaves: Inovação Tecnológica. Dimensões da Cultura. Instituição de Ensino

The influence of centrifugation on Zymomonas mobilis aggregation

Flocculent Zymomonas mobilis breaks down in smaller flocs and individual cells when centrifuged. The main consequence of it is an increase in the dispersion of the sample, suggesting that the influence of the centrifugal force on the aggregation of cells is worth to study. The experiments showed that the degree of dispersion varied between 30% and 100% when the centrifugal acceleration changed from 25 g to 2500 g. Observation under the electronic microscope showed that a slimy material covered the cells recovered by gentle gravitational settling and, that the centrifuged cells presented a bare cell wall

X-ray structure and molecular dynamics simulations of endoglucanase 3 from Trichoderma harzianum: structural organization and substrate recognition by endoglucanases that lack cellulose binding module

Plant biomass holds a promise for the production of second-generation ethanol via enzymatic hydrolysis, but its utilization as a biofuel resource is currently limited to a large extent by the cost and low efficiency of the cellulolytic enzymes. Considerable efforts have been dedicated to elucidate the mechanisms of the enzymatic process. It is well known that most cellulases possess a catalytic core domain and a carbohydrate binding module (CBM), without which the enzymatic activity can be drastically reduced. However, Cel12A members of the glycosyl hydrolases family 12 (GHF12) do not bear a CBM and yet are able to hydrolyze amorphous cellulose quite efficiently. Here, we use X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics simulations to unravel the molecular basis underlying the catalytic capability of endoglucanase 3 from Trichoderma harzianum (ThEG3), a member of the GHF12 enzymes that lacks a CBM. A comparative analysis with the Cellulomonas fimi CBM identifies important residues mediating interactions of EG3s with amorphous regions of the cellulose. For instance, three aromatic residues constitute a harboring wall of hydrophobic contacts with the substrate in both ThEG3 and CfCBM structures. Moreover, residues at the entrance of the active site cleft of ThEG3 are identified, which might hydrogen bond to the substrate. We advocate that the ThEG3 residues Asn152 and Glu201 interact with the substrate similarly to the corresponding CfCBM residues Asn81 and Arg75. Altogether, these results show that CBM motifs are incorporated within the ThEG3 catalytic domain and suggest that the enzymatic efficiency is associated with the length and position of the substrate chain, being higher when the substrate interact with the aromatic residues at the entrance of the cleft and the catalytic triad. Our results provide guidelines for rational protein engineering aiming to improve interactions of GHF12 enzymes with cellulosic substrates.FAPESP (08/56255-9, 09/54035-4, 10/08680-2)CNPq (490022/2009-0, 550985/2010-7

Extracellular expression, purification and bioreactor production of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) growth hormone in the yeast Komagataella phaffii (formerly Pichia pastoris)

ABSTRACT Due to its zootechnical importance, the gene encoding growth hormone (GH) from several fish species has been isolated and expressed in heterologous systems. In this study, we isolated the cDNA sequence of GH of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum), a species native to the Amazon basin and considered promising for Brazilian fish farming, and expressed it in the yeast Komagataella phaffii GS115. Heterologous expression was regulated by the AOX1 promoter and recombinant tambaqui GH (rtGH) secreted to the culture supernatant via the alpha factor of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The rtGH was successfully expressed in shaken flask and bioreactor systems and purified using affinity chromatography. In the bioreactor, the production reached 250 mg L-1. This is the first report of the heterologous expression, purification and production of rtGH in a bioreactor. Our results contribute to making tambaqui a target species for future biotechnological innovations based on the significant levels of rtGH obtained in the bioreactor and the future zootechnical applications of this protein, which can be exploited in aquaculture