Residential electricity consumption in Portugal: Findings from top-down and bottom-up models

An econometric study of the Portuguese residential electricity consumption is presented, with a focus on the influence of dwelling characteristics on consumption. The relationship between the dwelling and household characteristics on per capita residential electricity consumption is estimated at two different scales, involving two distinct databases: the first includes data at the municipality level for 2001, the second is the most recent Portuguese consumer expenditure survey that was collected in 2005 and 2006. The results of the analysis at both scales are consistent and indicate that household and dwelling characteristics have a significant influence on residential electricity consumption. Our results show that in Portugal the direct effect of income on electricity consumption is low and becomes smaller when more relevant control variables are included in the analysis. Future demand of electricity in Portugal will be significantly influenced by trends in socioeconomic factors as well as changes in the building stock. These trends should be taken in consideration in the formulation of policy measures to reduce electricity consumption.     

Effects of Applied Process on the In Vitro Digestibility and Resistant Starch Content of Pasta Products

Resistant starch (RS) included in pasta can have auspicious health benefits and functional properties. The resistance of starch, however, can be greatly influenced by the applied food preparation process. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of two different resistant starches on the digestibility of pasta and to predict the impact of the conventional pasta processing (extrusion under standard conditions, 120 bars, 40°C; drying in an air-drying room at 35–40°C and cooking until the optimum cooking time) on the quality of different resistant starch included in products by using an in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis method. Results showed that the applied, conventional pasta extrusion step had only a small effect on the liberated glucose level and did not influence the RS content significantly. The cooking in contrast caused an increased digestibility and the lost of resistance of all pasta products. The digestibility was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the case of raw and dried samples compared to the cooked pastas. It can be concluded that the resistant starches used in the samples are heat sensitive and their properties change radically during the pasta preparation, mainly during cooking.     

Involvement of Anthocyanins and other Phenolic Compounds in Radical-Scavenging Activity of Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potato Cultivars

ABSTRACT: The 80% ethanol extracts of 5 purple-fleshed sweet potato cultivars were separated into 2 fractions, anthocyanins- and phenolic compounds-rich fractions, to clarify the contribution of these constituents to the radical-scavenging activity. The separation was accomplished with an ethyl acetate liquid/liquid extraction. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity in each fraction and the contributors varied according to the cultivars. The dominant DPPH radical-scavengers in "Ayamurasaki" and "Kyushu-132" were anthocyanins rather than phenolic compounds, while those in "Miyanou-36" and "Bise" were phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acid. Furthermore, the high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of anthocyanins showed that "Ayamurasaki" and "Kyushu-132" were rich in anthocyanins with peonidin aglycon, whereas "Miyanou-36,""Bise," and "Tanegashimamurasaki" contained cyanidin aglycon.     

Bisnaphthalimidopropyl Derivatives as Inhibitors of Leishmania SIR2 Related Protein 1

The NAD⁺‐dependent deacetylases, namely sirtuins, are involved in the regulation of a variety of biological processes such as gene silencing, DNA repair, longevity, metabolism, apoptosis, and development. An enzyme from the parasite Leishmania infantum that belongs to this family, LiSIR2RP1, is a NAD⁺‐dependent tubulin deacetylase and an ADP‐ribosyltransferase. This enzyme's involvement in L. infantum virulence and survival underscores its potential as a drug target. Our search for selective inhibitors of LiSIR2RP1 has led, for the first time, to the identification of the antiparasitic and anticancer bisnaphthalimidopropyl (BNIP) alkyl di‐ and triamines (IC₅₀ values in the single‐digit micromolar range for the most potent compounds). Structure–activity studies were conducted with 12 BNIP derivatives that differ in the length of the central alkyl chain, which links the two naphthalimidopropyl moieties. The most active and selective compound is the BNIP diaminononane (BNIPDanon), with IC₅₀ values of 5.7 and 97.4 μM against the parasite and human forms (SIRT1) of the enzyme, respectively. Furthermore, this compound is an NAD⁺‐competitive inhibitor that interacts differently with the parasite and human enzymes, as determined by docking analysis, which might explain its selectivity toward the parasitic enzyme.     

A Fluorometric Enzymatic Assay for Quantification of Steryl Glucosides in Biodiesel

Steryl glucosides (SG) are common contaminants in biodiesel that form precipitates, which form and cause problems due to fouling during transport and storage. Therefore, their quantification is necessary to assess the quality of this fuel. The methods currently available for SG analysis require expensive instrumentation, need a previous concentration step by solid‐phase extraction (SPE) or are of limited use for the quantitative assessment. We developed an enzymatic method for SG quantification in biodiesel samples based on the hydrolysis of the glucoside catalyzed by a broadly specific beta glucosidase and the subsequent determination of the glucose released by the reaction. The method is non‐expensive, sensitive and was adapted to 96‐well format fluorescence plate reader, making it useful for the parallel assay of multiple samples. The enzymatic assay presented here represent a valuable tool for both quality control and the development of improved biodiesel production and purification procedures.     

Disrupting the methionine biosynthetic pathway in Candida guilliermondii: characterization of the MET2 gene as counter‐selectable marker

Candida guilliermondii (teleomorph Meyerozyma guilliermondii) is an ascomycetous species belonging to the fungal CTG clade. This yeast remains actively studied as a result of its moderate clinical importance and most of all for its potential uses in biotechnology. The aim of the present study was to establish a convenient transformation system for C. guilliermondii by developing both a methionine auxotroph recipient strain and a functional MET gene as selection marker. We first disrupted the MET2 and MET15 genes encoding homoserine‐O‐acetyltransferase and O‐acetylserine O‐acetylhomoserine sulphydrylase, respectively. The met2 mutant was shown to be a methionine auxotroph in contrast to met15 which was not. Interestingly, met2 and met15 mutants formed brown colonies when cultured on lead‐containing medium, contrary to the wild‐type strain, which develop as white colonies on this medium. The MET2 wild‐type allele was successfully used to transfer a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) gene‐expressing vector into the met2 recipient strain. In addition, we showed that the loss of the MET2‐containing YFP‐expressing plasmid can be easily observed on lead‐containing medium. The MET2 wild‐type allele, flanked by two short repeated sequences, was then used to disrupt the LYS2 gene (encoding the α‐aminoadipate reductase) in the C. guilliermondii met2 recipient strain. The resulting lys2 mutants displayed, as expected, auxotrophy for lysine. Unfortunately, all our attempts to pop‐out the MET2 marker (following the recombination of the bordering repeat sequences) from a target lys2 locus were unsuccessful using white/brown colony colour screening. Nevertheless, this MET2 transformation/disruption system represents a new versatile genetic tool for C. guilliermondii. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lipid Oxidation in Oil‐in‐Water Emulsions: Involvement of the Interfacial Layer

More polyunsaturated fats in processed foods and fewer additives are a huge demand of public health agencies and consumers. Consequently, although foods have an enhanced tendency to oxidize, the usage of antioxidants, especially synthetic antioxidants, is restrained. An alternate solution is to better control the localization of reactants inside the food matrix to limit oxidation. This review establishes the state‐of‐the‐art on lipid oxidation in oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions, with an emphasis on the role of the interfacial region, a critical area in the system in that respect. We first provide a summary on the essential basic knowledge regarding (i) the structure of O/W emulsions and interfaces and (ii) the general mechanisms of lipid oxidation. Then, we discuss the factors involved in the development of lipid oxidation in O/W emulsions with a special focus on the role played by the interfacial region. The multiple effects that can be attributed to emulsifiers according to their chemical structure and their location, and the interrelationships between the parameters that define the physicochemistry and structure of emulsions are highlighted. This work sheds new light on the interpretation of reported results that are sometimes ambiguous or contradictory.     

渗透脱水蓝莓流化床干燥工艺的研究

经渗透脱水处理的蓝莓在流化床中用5种不同的干燥温度(50、60、70、80、90℃)进行干燥,结果显示, 干燥温度影响物料的水分散失,水分散失率随温度的提高而增加。随着干燥处理的进行水分含量和水分活度都呈下降趋势,且温度越高,两者下降越多。根据费克第二不稳定扩散法则,计算出不同温度下的有效水分扩散率 (D_(eff))分别为(0．753 2～3．673 7)×10~(-10)m~2/s。在干燥脱水处理过程中 D_(eff)随处理温度升高而增加。