Drying/encapsulation of red wine to produce ingredientes for healthy foods

Epidemiological evidence indicates that moderate consumption of red wine reducesthe incidence of coronary disease, atherosclerosis, and platelet aggregation. Wine is very rich in antioxidant compounds because of their phenolic components.However, many people for ethnic, social or religious reasons do not consume wine. Drying/encapsulation of red wine in the presence of adequate carbohydrates leads to water and more than 99% of alcohol removal; a glassy amorphous microstructure is obtained in which the wine's phenolic compounds are entrapped. The resulting product is a free flowing powder which could be used for the polyphenol enrichment of healthy foods and/or drink powders, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry. The wine industry may take advantage of the dried/encapsulated red wine using as a raw material red wines which have littlecommercial value for different reasons; i.e. poor quality due to raw material, unfavourable climatic conditions, or wines that suffered some alteration during the wine making process. Dry encapsulated wine may be a new alternative to red wines that cannot be sold as such for different reasons, and open new opportunities to diversify wine products.Fil: Alvarez Gaona, Izmari Jasel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; ArgentinaFil: Rocha Parra, Diego Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; ArgentinaFil: Zamora, María Clara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; ArgentinaFil: Chirife, Jorge. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; Argentin

Rotational symmetry and degeneracy: a cotangent-perturbed rigid rotator of unperturbed level multiplicity

We predict level degeneracy of the rotational type in diatomic molecules described by means of a cotangent-hindered rigid rotator. The problem is shown to be exactly solvable in terms of non-classical Romanovski polynomials. The energies of such a system are linear combinations of t(t+1) and 1/[t(t+1)+1/4] terms with the non-negative integer principal quantum number t=n+|/bar{m}| being the sum of the degree n of the polynomials and the absolute value, |/bar{m}|, of the square root of the separation constant between the polar and azimuthal motions. The latter obeys, with respect to t, the same branching rule, |/bar{m}|=0,1,..., t, as does the magnetic quantum number with respect to the angular momentum, l, and, in this fashion, the t quantum number presents itself indistinguishable from l. In effect, the spectrum of the hindered rotator has the same (2t+1)-fold level multiplicity as the unperturbed one. For small t values, the wave functions and excitation energies of the perturbed rotator differ from the ordinary spherical harmonics, and the l(l+1) law, respectively, while approaching them asymptotically with increasing t. In this fashion the breaking of the rotational symmetry at the level of the representation functions is opaqued by the level degeneracy. The model provides a tool for the description of rotational bands with anomalously large gaps between the ground state and its first excitation.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures; Molecular Physics 201

Genetic variability in populations of Utetheisa ornatrix (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)

Orientador: Vera Nisaka SolferiniDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de BiologiaResumo: A estrutura genética de uma espécie é determinada pelo balanço entre deriva genética, fluxo gênico e seleção natural, que são processos fortemente influenciados pela demografia e distribuição espacial das populações. Utetheisa ornatrix é uma mariposa da família Arctiidae muito conhecida por seus mecanismos de defesa e sistema de acasalamento, mas a estrutura genética de suas populações é pouco estudada. Este trabalho investigou a estrutura genética de Utetheisa ornatrix de populações coletadas no Estado de São Paulo com base em três locos de DNA de microssatélite. Foram analisados os genótipos de 203 indivíduos de 10 populações. Os resultados encontrados mostram populações com grande deficiência de heterozigotos, baixa estruturação genética e ausência de correlação entre distância geográfica e diferenças genéticas. Tais resultados indicam que mesmo sendo uma espécie cuja fêmea apresenta comportamento promíscuo, essa promiscuidade não reflete em diminuição da endogamia. Possivelmente a deficiência de heterozigotos se deve ao fato da fêmea não evitar acasalamento com machos aparentados, ser fecundada pelo esperma de poucos machos e haver forte seleção sexual na espécie, o que pode formar subgrupos dentro de uma população. A deficiência de heterozigotos também pode ser devido à dinâmica populacional da espécie: populações estão sujeitas à constantes diminuições de populações e fluxo gênico, o que pode resultar em populações formadas por subgrupos de indivíduos oriundos de diferentes manchas de plantas-hospedeiras, logo a freqüência de heterozigotos não corresponde as freqüências alélicas encontradas. A baixa estruturação genética e ausência de correlação entre distância geográfica e diferenças genéticas indicam que U. ornatrix é uma espécie com alta capacidade de dispersão, o que é conflitante com a elevada endogamia encontrada. Os resultados revelam questões que podem ser respondidas em 2 trabalhos posteriores que estudem a dinâmica populacional e a variabilidade genética de cada população ao longo do tempo. Outra questão levantada é se a espécie hospedeira de Crotalaria em que o indivíduo nasce influencia na escolha de parceiros para acasalamento, visto que duas das três populações que mais contribuíram para o nível de estrutura genética encontrado estavam em locais onde haviam espécies diferentes de planta hospedeira.Abstract: The genetic structure of a species is determined by the balance between genetic drift, gene flow and natural selection processes that are strongly influenced by demography and spatial distribution of population. Utetheisa ornatrix is a moth of the Arctiidae family well known for their defense mechanisms and mating system, but the genetic structure of their populations is little studied. This study investigated the genetic structure of Utetheisa ornatrix populations collected in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, based on three microsatellite loci. We analyzed the genotypes of 203 individuals from 10 populations. The results show populations with high inbreeding, low genetic structure and no correlation between geographic distance and genetic differences. These results indicate that even as a species whose female has promiscuous behavior, promiscuity does not reduce inbreeding. Possibly the heterozygote deficiency is due to the fact that females did not avoid mating with related males, are fertilized by sperm from few males, and sexual selection is very strong in this species, which can form subgroups within a population. The heterozygote deficiency may also be due to its population dynamics: populations are subject to constant reductions and gene flow, which can result in populations composed of subgroups of individuals from different patches of host plants, so the frequency of heterozygotes does not match the allele frequencies found. The low genetic structure and lack of correlation between geographic distance and genetic differences indicate that U. ornatrix is a species with high dispersal ability, which is conflicting with the high inbreeding found. The results show questions that can be answered in further studies to examine the population dynamics and genetic variability of each population over time. Another question is if the host species of Crotalaria in which the individual was born influences the choice of mating partners, because two of the three 4 populations that most contributed to the level of genetic structure were found in locals with presence of different species of host plant.MestradoEcologiaMestre em Ecologi

Modelo de rehabilitación ambiental para edificios terciarios: el caso del palacio de congresos Europa de Vitoria-Gasteiz

Este artículo presenta el desarrollo y resultados de la primera fase del asesoramiento ambiental que forma parte del proceso de rehabilitación y ampliación del Palacio de Congresos Europa (PEV-G) del Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz, en el marco de las actuaciones que esta ciudad ha decidido emprender como European Green Capital, a partir de haber obtenido este reconocimiento en 2012. Es un desarrollo de Green Building Council España (GBCe) en colaboración con Societat Orgànica (SO) que propone una metodología y unas acciones para abordar un proceso continuo de mejora ambiental para que el edificio, sus actividades y los actores directamente relacionados puedan alcanzar los máximos niveles posibles de sostenibilidad ambiental, atendiendo también a las dimensiones económica y social. A través de diferentes modelos se ha estudiado el edificio existente, así como las hipótesis de ampliación y rehabilitación determinadas por el ayuntamiento en su anteproyecto, empleando la metodología del análisis de ciclo de vida simplificado centrada en los vectores ambientales de energía, agua, materiales y residuos. Se han determinado diferentes opciones de mejora basadas en aspectos pasivos, activos y de gestión del edificio que han permitido establecer los objetivos ambientales a los cuales debe responder el proyecto, rehabilitación, ampliación y uso del PEV-G. Por último, se han redactado los requerimientos que forman parte de los pliegos de licitación del proceso que va del proyecto al edificio acabado, así como el protocolo ambiental a aplicar en las fases aun no ejecutadas. Los trabajos realizados incluyen el desarrollo inicial de una nueva herramienta de certificación de la calidad ambiental de los edificios Verde RH EQ Rehabilitación de Equipamientos, que se suma a las existentes. De la visión, objetivos, metodología y acciones de reducción de impactos ambientales aplicables al PEV-G se ha obtenido un protocolo de actuación válido para ser aplicado en otros equipamientos de Vitoria-Gasteiz, el País Vasco y el resto de España, a ser rehabilitados en el futuro próximo

Tetraspanins, Another Piece in the HIV-1 Replication Puzzle

Despite the great research effort placed during the last decades in HIV-1 study, still some aspects of its replication cycle remain unknown. All this powerful research has succeeded in developing different drugs for AIDS treatment, but none of them can completely remove the virus from infected patients, who require life-long medication. The classical approach was focused on the study of virus particles as the main target, but increasing evidence highlights the importance of host cell proteins in HIV-1 cycle. In this context, tetraspanins have emerged as critical players in different steps of the viral infection cycle. Through their association with other molecules, including membrane receptors, cytoskeletal proteins, and signaling molecules, tetraspanins organize specialized membrane microdomains called tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs). Within these microdomains, several tetraspanins have been described to regulate HIV-1 entry, assembly, and transfer between cells. Interestingly, the importance of tetraspanins CD81 and CD63 in the early steps of viral replication has been recently pointed out. Indeed, CD81 can control the turnover of the HIV-1 restriction factor SAMHD1. This deoxynucleoside triphosphate triphosphohydrolase counteracts HIV-1 reverse transcription (RT) in resting cells via its dual function as dNTPase, catalyzing deoxynucleotide triphosphates into deoxynucleosides and inorganic triphosphate, and as exonuclease able to degrade single-stranded RNAs. SAMHD1 has also been related with the detection of viral nucleic acids, regulating the innate immune response and would promote viral latency. New evidences demonstrating the ability of CD81 to control SAMHD1 expression, and as a consequence, HIV-1 RT activity, highlight the importance of TEMs for viral replication. Here, we will briefly review how tetraspanins modulate HIV-1 infection, focusing on the latest findings that link TEMs to viral replication.This work was supported by grants BFU2014-55478-R; BIO2017-86500-R; Fundacion Ramon Areces and RYC-2012-11025 to MY-M; and was co-funded by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). HS was supported by a FPI-UAM Fellowship.S

Límites internos del derecho a informar

La carta de presentación del sistema democrático de gobierno ha sido su idoneidad para garantizar el ejercicio de la libertad. A estos efectos, como elocuentemente expresa Christian Andersen, se ha valido de la protección de la prensa como una herramienta crucial, puesto que resulta imposible concebir una ciudadanía cabal en un sistema en el cual tanto la divulgación como el acceso a la información se encuentran restringidos

Cityscape and insecurity in the city of Barranquilla

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo realizar una radiografía del estado actual del paisaje urbano de la ciudad de Barranquilla. De igual manera, se plantea un recorrido por el desarrollo urbanístico de la ciudad que ha traído como consecuencia la inseguridad para los habitantes de la misma, y la posición de la población con el espacio público. Ese espacio es producto de la construcción social, donde se expresan y gestan la interrelación de la ciudadanía de acuerdo con la topografía, el clima, la identidad y la diferencia de clase, género, etnia y edad, y también se une con el entorno urbano.This article aims to make a snapshot of the current state of the urban landscape of the city of Barranquilla. Similarly, it raises a tour of the urban development of the city has resulted in insecurity in the inhabitant of the same and the position of the population with the public space. The space is a product of social construction, which are expressed and gestate the interrelationship of citizenship according to the topography, climate, identity and the difference of class, gender, ethnicity and age, and also meets the urban environment

Copper mesoporous materials as highly efficient recyclable catalysts for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol in aqueous media

Two mesoporous-based catalysts with different nominal copper loads (10 and 24% w/w) were prepared from impregnation of the MCM-41 support with copper acetylacetonate: Cu/MCM-41-10 and Cu/MCM-41-24, respectively. Samples with a metallic charge similar to the nominal content were obtained and the mesoporous structure was retained after the impregnation. X-ray diffractograms evidenced the presence of CuO in the catalyst with the higher metal loading. The catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in aqueous medium, with an excess of NaBH4, was chosen as a model reaction to evaluate the catalytic activity of the Cu/MCM-41-10 and Cu/MCM-41-24 catalysts. The 4-NP concentrations at prefixed intervals were monitored using UV–Vis spectroscopy. The Cu-based catalysts led to almost 100% reduction of 4-NP to 4-AP, with the reaction time of 30 and 50 s, for Cu/MCM-41-10 and Cu/MCM-41-24 respectively. The reaction follows a pseudo-first order law, with a rate constant of 0.374 and 0.109 s−1 for Cu/MCM-41-10 and Cu/MCM-41-24, respectively. Both catalysts were stable and could be reused up to ten times in consecutive runs without any treatment between the cycles. The catalytic activity was retained without loss of efficiency, indicating the high stability of the MCM-41 based catalysts under the reaction conditions.Fil: Schlichter, Sofia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química. Instituto de Química del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Rocha, Marian. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Peixoto, Andreia F.. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Pires, João. Universidade de Lisboa; PortugalFil: Freire, Cristina. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Alvarez, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Química del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Química. Instituto de Química del Sur; Argentin

An integrated approach of Six Sigma and QSAM methodologies for a pharmaceutical company: A shipment improvement process

This paper presents a shipment improvement project in a pharmaceutical company to reduce distribution costs of a set of products shipped to Germany. The project consisted in the diagnosis and improvement of the shipment process through the deployment of Quick Scan Audit Methodology (QSAM) as a precursor to Six Sigma implementation. The original sample-shipments process was analysed to improve it and achieve the targets based on optimised sub-processes. The results showed a set of non-value added activities in transportation, motion, waiting, defects and the sub-utilisation of people. Based on the application of quality tools such as VSM, CFD, VOC, CTQ-Three under the Six-Sigma approach, the improvements achieved a 26% reduction in cycle time, and no complaints from customers were reported since the implementation. A control plan was deployed to track shipments and maintain open and close communication with the customer. The resulting benefits had a significant impact on reducing distribution costs

Análise financeira da Natura & CO após aquisição da The Body Shop

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Sócio Econômico, Administração.A partir da década de 90, houve maior necessidade de aprimoramento da gestão interna dos recursos devido ao crescimento da competição acelerada em todos os mercados. Por isso, as fusões e aquisições (F&A) têm ganhado destaque como alternativa ao crescimento interno para a expansão das empresas. Devido a relevância das F&A no contexto empresarial atual, o presente trabalho estudou as variações dos indicadores financeiros antes e depois da aquisição, com o objetivo de determinar se a aquisição da The Body Shop pela Natura foi positiva em termos de resultados financeiros. Para tanto, buscou-se sobre as organizações antes e após a aquisição, incluindo as estratégias da Natura, assim como suas demonstrações financeiras e principais indicadores de liquidez, rentabilidade, endividamento e fundamentalistas. A partir dos dados foi realizada a análise do desempenho da Natura ao longo do período, através da análise horizontal e vertical e elaboração de diversos gráficos para melhor evidenciar as variações, inclusive dos indicadores. Com isso, foi identificado que no curto prazo a organização não apresentou melhora econômico-financeira, porém a alta gerência da Natura já esperava o ganho a longo prazo e a transação corrobora com os objetivos estratégicos que a companhia estabeleceu.Since the 1990s, there was a greater need to improve the internal management of resources due to the accelerated growth of competition in all markets. For this reason, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have gained prominence as an alternative to internal growth for the expansion of companies. Due to its relevance in the current business context, the present study show variations in financial indicators before and after the acquisition, in order to determine whether Natura's acquisition of The Body Shop was positive in terms of financial results or not. To this end, we searched for associations before and after the acquisition, including Natura's strategies, as well as its financial accounts and key indicators of liquidity, profitability, debt ratio, and fundamentalists. From the data, was developed an analysis of the company’s performance during transaction, through the horizontal and vertical analysis and the elaboration of several graphs to better evidence all variations. As a result, it was identified that in the short term the acquisition did not improve Natura’s economic and financial performance, but directors had already expected long-term gains instead and a transaction corroborates the strategic objectives defined by a company