Screening of supports for the immobilization of pectinmethylesterase from acerola (Malpighia glabra L)

A partially purified extract of pectinmethylesterase (PME) from acerola fruit was immobilized on various supports: glass, celite, chrysotile, agarose, concanavalin A Sepharose 4B, egg shell, polyacrylamide and gelatin. In addition, reticulation with glutaraldehyde was assessed, as well as the use of gelatin in the presence of celite, glass and silica. The highest immobilization yields were obtained when the pectinmethylesterase was immobilized in concanavalin A Sepharose 4B (81.7%) and in gelatin‐water (78.0%). Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Properties of paper coated with kaolin: The influence of the rheological modifier

The first part of this paper analyses the influence of the molecular weight and concentration of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and of kaolin concentration on rheology of the coating colours and on paper properties coated with ultra lightweight coatings (ULWC). In the second part, relationships between the rheological characteristics of the coating colour formulations and coated paper surface quality was also studied.New indexes on paper roughness at micro-scale are presented (RZI and SRI). In general, they show good correlation with sheet gloss. A new gloss index (SGI) is presented, accounting for the contribution of gloss from machine direction (MD) and cross direction (CD). Porosimetry was used to access microstructural characteristics in order to correlate them with light scattering and gloss properties. The former property is closely related to Hg intrusion volume of the coated layer while gloss is related to surface porosity with pore diameters in the range of 7–15 μm as measured by Hg intrusion volume.     

Uniform Polarization Scattering With Fiber-Coil-Based Polarization Controllers

A detailed study of fiber-coil-based polarization controllers (PCs) is performed. First, a method to deterministically calculate the PC configuration in order to transform between any two states of polarization is presented. In a second stage, the case in which the configuration angles are randomly changed is studied. The cases of a single PC and of the system obtained with the concatenation of several PCs are analyzed. For both cases, a general expression for the variance of the Stokes parameters is obtained. Using this expression, it is demonstrated that it is possible to achieve uniform polarization scattering using a concatenation of fiber-coil-based PCs. Finally, it is shown that fiber-coil-based PCs can be used to emulate both first- and second-order polarization-mode dispersions     

Morphologic and morphometric analysis of testis of Pseudis limellum (Cope, 1862) (Anura, Hylidae) during the reproductive cycle in the Pantanal, Brazil

The spermatogenesis of Pseudis limellum, from the Southern Pantanal, Brazil, was studied from July 1995 to May 1996, through histological sections of the testis. The cells could be differentiated as: primary spermatogonia, large cells, generally with bilobed nucleus; secondary spermatogonia, smaller cells, with darker cytoplasm, chromatin of radial form; primary and secondary spermatocytes, differentiated according to the different stages of the nucleus during the successive cells divisions. Furthermore, we observed cells in process of morphologic differentiation: rounded spermatids much smaller, with nucleus containing chromatin in compacting process and cytoplasm reduction; elongated spermatids, generally parallel organized in well defined bundles, with the anterior region directed toward the periphery of the seminiferous tubule and the tail directed toward the lumen. Spermatozoa are free in the lumen of the seminiferous tubule. All the cells are organized as cysts, which are supported by a large amount of Sertoli cells. The spermatogenesis in P. limellum is very similar to that of other anurans, but peculiarities were observed regarding the organization of the germ cells, the great amount of free Sertoli cells in the lumen of testis collected in May, and the long cytoplasmatic extensions of the cells bearing pigments and involving the seminiferous tubule. The diameter of the seminiferous tubule (SD) exhibited an annual mean of 251.79 +/- 37.57 microm. Spermatozoa number by seminiferous tubule (SN) exhibited an annual mean of 306.66 +/- 39.83, also with higher and lower values at each month. Variations in SD and SN were not significantly correlated with climatic variables. In this species, reproduction occurs throughout the year in ponds and flooded areas, despite the seasonal climate of the Pantanal. Although males varied in their annual reproductive activity, they were considered potentially reproductive in all months throughout the year.     

Multi-step transformation in numerical renormalization group

We compute the temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility of the single-impurity, two-channel Anderson model with an alternative multi-step numerical renormalization-group transformation, previously applied only to the two-impurity single-channel Kondo model. Compared with the traditional transformation, the new procedure requires substantially less memory and computational time, and opens therefore perspectives for the application of the numerical renormalization-group procedure to more complex Hamiltonians.     

A SVET investigation on the modification of zinc dust reactivity

Weldable primers are thin zinc-rich organic coatings that are weldable due to the electrical conductivity provided by the zinc dust. They are used in the automotive industry to provide corrosion protection in regions of difficult access. The zinc particles are highly susceptible to corrosion attack and, due to the small thickness, the protection conferred by these systems is limited.     

Physicochemical and Sensory Evaluation of 'Rocha' Pear Following Controlled Atmosphere Storage

ABSTRACT: The effects of several processing factors (storage time, time in the open air at room temperature, and overhead concentrations of O₂ and CO₂) on color, firmness, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, and sensory attributes of pears (cv. Rocha) grown in 2 locations were studied using a multiple linear regression model. Backward elimination (F ≥ 0.005) was used to assess the significant factors. Extended storage time, long‐time exposure at room temperature, and high O₂ concentration played major roles on color changes assessed instrumentally and further confirmed by a sensory panel. Firmness was strongly affected by storage time and by time in the open air at room temperature. Finally, PPO activity was dependent on the growing location.     

A planar integrated RCD snubber/voltage clamp

In order to reduce the cost, size, and weight of power electronic systems, it has become necessary to integrate electromagnetic structures, which until now have been constructed with discrete components. This approach not only reduces the component count, but also gives much greater control over parasitic elements. In this article, the authors describe an electromagnetically integrated resistor-capacitor-diode (RCD) snubber/voltage clamp that uses a planar construction technique. The design and construction are described and the performance is verified experimentally. Some advantages of the integrated component over its discrete counterpart are also given