Kinetic,thermodynamic parameters and in vitro digestion of tannase from Aspergillus tamarii URM 7115

Tannase is an enzyme used in various industries and produced by a large number of microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate tannase production to determine the biochemical, kinetic, and thermodynamic properties and to simulate tannase in vitro digestion. The tannase-producing fungal strain was isolated from “jamun” leaves and identified as Aspergillus tamarii. Temperature at 26°C for 67?h was the best combination for maximum tannase activity (6.35-fold; initial activity in Plackett–Burman design—15.53?U/mL and average final activity in Doehlert design—98.68?U/mL). The crude extract of tannase was optimally active at 40°C, pH 5.5 and 6.5. Moreover, tannase was stimulated by Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺. The half-life at 40°C lasted 247.55?min. The free energy of Gibbs, enthalpy, and entropy, at 40°C, was 81.47, 16.85, and ?0.21?kJ/mol?·?K, respectively. After total digestion, 123.95% of the original activity was retained. Results suggested that tannase from A. tamarii URM 7115 is an enzyme of interest for industrial applications, such as gallic acid production, additive for feed industry, and for beverage manufacturing, due to its catalytic and thermodynamic properties.     

Alumina-supported catalysts for propane oxidative dehydrogenation from mixed VXM(6−X)O19 (M=W, Mo) hexametalate precursors

γ-Al₂O₃ supported vanadium oxides were modified by tungsten and molybdenum oxides in order to improve dispersion and selectivity towards olefins in propane oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH). Both vanadium–tungsten and vanadium–molybdenum catalysts were obtained by adsorption of mixed isopolyanions (VW₅O₁₉⁵⁻, V₂W₄O₁₉⁴⁻, VMo₅O₁₉⁵⁻ and V₂Mo₄O₁₉⁴⁻) from aqueous solutions. The isopolyanion solutions were characterized by UV-Vis and ⁵¹V NMR spectroscopy. Vanadium, vanadium–tungsten and vanadium–molybdenum precursors and catalysts were also characterized by UV-Vis (diffuse reflectance) and solid state ⁵¹V NMR spectroscopy. An improved selectivity to propene in the presence of tungsten and molybdenum in VO_x/γ-Al₂O₃ was observed and attributed to dilution of vanadium by tungsten or molybdenum oxides on the γ-Al₂O₃ surface.     

Modified hippocampal long-term potentiation in PKC gamma-mutant mice

Calcium-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PKC) has long been suggested to play an important role in modulating synaptic efficacy. We have created a strain of mice that lacks the gamma subtype of PKC to evaluate the significance of this brain-specific PKC isozyme in synaptic plasticity. Mutant mice are viable, develop normally, and have synaptic transmission that is indistinguishable from wild-type mice. Long-term potentiation (LTP), however, is greatly diminished in mutant animals, while two other forms of synaptic plasticity, long-term depression and paired-pulse facilitation, are normal. Surprisingly, when tetanus to evoke LTP was preceded by a low frequency stimulation, mutant animals displayed apparently normal LTP. We propose that PKC gamma is not part of the molecular machinery that produces LTP but is a key regulatory component.     

Clarification of a wheat straw‐derived medium with ion‐exchange resins for xylitol crystallization

BACKGROUND: Xylitol bioproduction from lignocellulosic residues comprises hydrolysis of the hemicellulose, detoxification of the hydrolysate, bioconversion of the xylose, and recovery of xylitol from the fermented hydrolysate. There are relatively few reports on xylitol recovery from fermented media. In the present study, ion‐exchange resins were used to clarify a fermented wheat straw hemicellulosic hydrolysate, which was then vacuum‐concentrated and submitted to cooling in the presence of ethanol for xylitol crystallization. RESULTS: Sequential adsorption into two anion‐exchange resins (A‐860S and A‐500PS) promoted considerable reductions in the content of soluble by‐products (up to 97.5%) and in medium coloration (99.5%). Vacuum concentration led to a dark‐colored viscous solution that inhibited xylitol crystallization. This inhibition could be overcome by mixing the concentrated medium with a commercial xylitol solution. Such a strategy led to xylitol crystals with up to 95.9% purity. The crystallization yield (43.5%) was close to that observed when using commercial xylitol solution (51.4%). CONCLUSION: The experimental data demonstrate the feasibility of using ion‐exchange resins followed by cooling in the presence of ethanol as a strategy to promote the fast recovery and purification of xylitol from hemicellulose‐derived fermentation media. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Thermal-lens and photo-acoustic methods for the determination of SiC thermal properties

In this paper we report the use of photothermal techniques such as Thermal lens (TL) spectrometry, Photoacoustic and heat capacity, ρc_p, to determine the thermo-optical parameters, such as thermal conductivity (K), thermal diffusivity (D), specific heat (c_p) and the optical path dependence with temperature (ds/dT), of an undoped polycrystalline 3C-SiC. To our knowledge, this is the first time that Thermal lens technique is used for wide band-gap systems. Results obtained for the polycrystalline sample with TL technique indicates that ds/dT is negative at room temperature. Moreover, the obtained values of thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity are in good agreement with that found in the literature, indicating that the phototermal techniques can be used to obtain the referred parameters in circumstances where other techniques cannot be used, for example, in harsh environments.     

Probing the thermal decomposition process of layered double hydroxides through in situ <Superscript>57</Superscript>Fe Mössbauer and in situ X-ray diffraction experiments

The thermal decomposition properties of Mg–Fe hydrotalcites were studied through in situ ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and in situ X-ray diffraction. Abrupt changes in the quadrupolar splitting measured in the Mössbauer spectra revealed a phase transition from the starting lamellar structure to a new crystalline arrangement. By analyzing the Mössbauer parameters we show that the material is highly disordered in the 300–400 °C temperature range. This hypothesis is confirmed by the X-ray results whose diffractograms indicated the collapse of the lamellar structure and the formation of a solid solution.     

The effect of home storage conditions and packaging materials on the quality of frozen green beans

Home storage is the final step of the frozen foods distribution chain, and little is known on how it affects the products quality. The present research describes frozen green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) quality retention profile during the recommended ‘star marking’ system dates, at the storage temperatures of +5, −6, −12 and −18 °C (along 1, 4, 14 and 60 days, respectively).

The quality profile was assessed by a simulation system. Simulations were set by a response surface methodology to access the effect of different packaging materials (thermal conductivities and thickness), surface heat transfer coefficient, and refrigerator dynamics (effect of refrigeration cycles at the different storage temperatures) on the average retentions of Ascorbic Acid, total vitamin C, colour and flavour.

Green beans quality losses along frozen storage are significantly influenced by temperature, refrigerator dynamics and kinetic properties. Quality is also highly dependent on packaging materials thermal insulation (e.g. at temperatures above the melting point). Temperature cycles inside frozen chambers have a long term effect, and at the higher storage temperatures (e.g. T>−6 °C) are detrimental to frozen green beans quality after shorter periods.     

Specific attenuation and depolarisation in rain from 2-dimensional video disdrometer data

Data from 2-dimensional video disdrometers (2DVD) taken in different locations are used to derive the specific attenuation for horizontal and vertical polarisations at 20 GHz. The data include both drop-size distribution and their axis ratio distributions. T-matrix calculations using data over 1 min integration time show a power-law dependence on rain rate. The best-fit coefficients are compared with those given in the ITU-R Recommendation P. 838, both versions 2 and 3. Closest agreement is seen for vertical polarisation for version 2 and the largest discrepancies are seen for horizontal polarisation for version 3. The discrepancies are attributed to the different assumptions in the drop-size distributions, as well as the upper limit of integration for deriving the specific attenuation. The variation of the crosspolar discrimination (XPD) against copolar attenuation (CPA) is also examined. The 2DVD data are used to simulate a beacon experimental scenario at 20 GHz, the actual locations of the two instruments being different but climatically similar. Good agreement is seen with one year of beacon measurements, but the latter shows more spread in the variation, partly attributed to drop oscillations. Calculations also show that XPD-CPA variation is sensitive to the assumed drop shapes     

Sliding mode direct control of matrix converters

The direct control problem of matrix converters with input inductive capacitive (LC) filter using a new approach based on the sliding mode control technique is solved. This approach allows the design of the controller considering the converter and the dynamics of its associated LC filter. Together with the space vector representation technique, sliding mode allows the precise determination of switching times between the bi-directional switches, thus being appropriate to the nonlinear ON/OFF behaviour of the matrix converter power semiconductors. As the switching occurs just in time, this technique guarantees fast response times and precise control actions, ensuring that the output voltages and the input currents track their references and making input power factor regulation independent of the input filter parameters. This feature has special interest in applications requiring unity input power factor, when feeding AC drives, or applications needing variable and accurate input power factor regulation, usually related to power quality enhancement. The designed sliding mode controllers are tested and the obtained simulation and experimental results show that they ensure the direct control of matrix converters over a wide range of output frequencies, guaranteeing a leading or lagging input power factor regulation