Polysaccharidase and glycosidase production of avicel grown rumen fungus Orpinomyces sp. GMLF5

Extracellular and cell-associated enzyme preparations were obtained from ruminal anaerobic fungi Orpinomyces sp. GMLF5 grown in culture containing microcrystalline cellulose (avicel) as sole energy source and degradation capacities of the preparations towards several polysaccharides and glycosides were studied. Fungus showed substantial increases in xylanase, carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), lichenase, amylase, β-xylosidase, β-glucosidase and α-L-arabinofuranosidase activities between 72 and 168 hours. High amounts of cell associated β-xylosidase were noted in 4 and 5 days old cultures. Optimum temperature and pH of the polysaccharidases were found at 50 °C and 6.0–6.5, respectively. Xylanase was found to be virtually stable at 50°C, CMCase and lichenase were stable at 40 °C for 200 min, however amylase was found more sensitive to heat treatment. The fibrolytic enzymes of the isolate GMLF5 were observed to be capable of hydrolyze the avicel

Nanostructured Ti1-xCux thin films with tailored electrical and morphological anisotropy

Inclined, zigzag and spiral Ti1-xCux films were co-sputtered by the Glancing Angle Deposition technique. Two distinct titanium (Ti) and copper (Cu) targets were used and the films were grown with a particle flow incidence angle α of 80°. The thin films had Cu contents ranging from 36 to 76 ± 5 at. %. The effect of increasing Cu incorporation on the electrical anisotropy, as well as the effect of columnar architecture variations on the morphological, structural and electrical properties of the films was evaluated and correlated with the particular their architectures. Main results show well-defined and highly inclined columns (with an average column angle β = 45° ± 5°) for all sputtering conditions. Quasi-amorphous thin films were obtained with low Cu contents (36 at. %), while crystalline Cu (111) + Ti3Cu (114) bi-component structures were achieved at high Cu concentrations (76 at. %). No permanent oxidation of the films was detected after a two-cycle RT-200 °C-RT (RT – room temperature) annealing in air. The two-dimensional representation of the resistivity anisotropy of the columnar and 2 zigzags films is shaped as an elongated ellipse along the xx direction, with a variation of the effective anisotropy, Aeff, at 200 °C from 1.4 to 2.9. The samples prepared with 2 spirals and the same Cu content (36 at. %) exhibit an isotropic behavior, with an Aeff value at 200 °C of 1.1. The overall results demonstrate the possibility to tune the thin films' morphology and electrical characteristics in order to obtain a set of properties that are suitable for the development of high performance materials, such as the case of resistance temperature detectors.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UID/FIS/04650/2013 and project PTDC/EEI-SII/5582/2014. Armando Ferreira acknowledges the FCT for the SFRH/BPD/102402/2014 grant. Funding was also provided by the Region of Franche-Comte, the French RENATECH network and performed in cooperation with the Labex ACTION Program (contract ANR-11-LABX-01-01). Financial support from the Basque Government Industry Department under the ELKARTEK and HAZITEK programs is also acknowledged