Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia

The products formed by glycosylation of food proteins with carbohydrates via the Maillard reaction, also known as conjugates, are agents capable of changing and improving techno-functional characteristics of proteins. The Maillard reaction uses the covalent bond between a group of a reducing carbohydrates and an amino group of a protein. This reaction does not require additional chemicals as it occurs naturally under controlled conditions of temperature, time, pH, and moisture. Moreover, there is growing interest in modifying proteins for industrial food applications. This review analyses the current state of art of the Maillard reaction on food protein functionalities. It also discusses the influence of the Maillard reaction on the conditions and formulation of reagents that improve desirable techno-functional characteristics of food protein.

The physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of starch-chitosan films incorporated with oregano essential oil (OEO) have been investigated. The antimicrobial effects of starch-chitosan-OEO films against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, and Staphylococcus aureus were determined by the disk inhibition zone method. The film mechanical properties, water vapor permeability (WVP), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), and thermograms (TGA) were also determined. Films added with OEO effectively inhibited the four microorganisms tested and demonstrated improved barrier properties. The presence of OEO in starch-chitosan films led to the formation of more flexible films. Chitosan was not effective against the tested organisms, but it decreased film rigidity and WVP. TGA analysis demonstrated that the addition of chitosan and OEO did not affect the thermal stability of the films.

Ensembles of distributed, heterogeneous resources, also known as computational grids, have emerged as critical platforms for high-performance and resource-intensive applications. Such platforms provide the potential for applications to aggregate enormous bandwidth, computational power, memory, secondary storage, and other resources during a single execution. However, achieving this performance potential in dynamic, heterogeneous environments is challenging. Recent experience with distributed applications indicates that adaptivity is fundamental to achieving application performance in dynamic grid environments. The AppLeS (Application Level Scheduling) project provides a methodology, application software, and software environments for adaptively scheduling and deploying applications in heterogeneous, multiuser grid environments. We discuss the AppLeS project and outline our findings.

El Brazil es considerado un de los principales países productores de zumos de frutos, ocupando en concreto la tercera posición respecto a esto. La diversidad de frutos en el mercado es cada vez mayor, introduciéndose diariamente nuevos frutos tropicales cuyas propiedades y actividades no están aún totalmente determinadas. El gobierno brasileño apoya el comercio exterior de frutos, invirtiendo fondos en exposiciones que promueven y sitúan a los nuevos productos en los países de la Unión Europea, tal como la "Brazilian Fruit Festival" que promociona frutos in natura, pulpas congeladas y zumos procesados. Se publican cada vez en mayor número nuevas investigaciones que asocian el consumo de frutas con efectos beneficiosos para la salud humana. Este trabajo tiene por objeto la determinación del índice de fenoles totales (FT), antocianos totales (AT) y la capacidad antioxidante de las pulpas de frutos comerciales congelados, aplicando los métodos espectrofotométrico químicos mas en boga para la determinación de la actividad antioxidante (ABTS, DPPH y DMPD). Se ha determinado la capacidad antioxidante de las pulpas de los frutos tropicales de mayor consumo en el mercado del sur de Brazil (mora, uva, açaí, guayaba, fresa, acerola, piña, mango, graviola, cupuaçu y maracuyá) aplicando el método ABTS con medidas a dos tiempos (1 y 7 minutos), DPPH (30 y 60 minutos) y DMPD (10 minutos). Los valores TEAC (capacidad antioxidante equivalente al Trolox) obtenidos de las pulpas oscilan entre mínimos y máximos de 2,0 y 67,2 µmol/g aplicando el ensayo ABTS, 1,02 y 67,0 µmol/g aplicando DPPH y 4,2 y 46,6 µmol/g aplicando DMPD. La capacidad antioxidante obtenida por los métodos ABTS y DPPH se encuentra correlacionada con el contenido de compuestos fenólicos y antocianos.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress contribute to motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recent reports indicate that astrocytes expressing the mutations of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) may contribute to motor neuron injury in ALS. Here, we provide evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction in SOD1(G93A) rat astrocytes causes astrocytes to induce apoptosis of motor neurons. Mitochondria from SOD1(G93A) rat astrocytes displayed a defective respiratory function, including decreased oxygen consumption, lack of ADP-dependent respiratory control, and decreased membrane potential. Protein 3-nitrotyrosine was detected immunochemically in mitochondrial proteins from SOD1(G93A) astrocytes, suggesting that mitochondrial defects were associated with nitroxidative damage. Furthermore, superoxide radical formation in mitochondria was increased in SOD1(G93A) astrocytes. Similar defects were found in mitochondria isolated from the spinal cord of SOD1(G93A) rats, and pretreatment of animals with the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide restored mitochondrial function, forming adducts with mitochondrial proteins in vivo. As shown previously, SOD1(G93A) astrocytes induced death of motor neurons in cocultures, compared with nontransgenic ones. This behavior was recapitulated when nontransgenic astrocytes were treated with mitochondrial inhibitors. Remarkably, motor neuron loss was prevented by preincubation of SOD1(G93A) astrocytes with antioxidants and nitric oxide synthase inhibitors. In particular, low concentrations (approximately 10 nm) of two mitochondrial-targeted antioxidants, ubiquinone and carboxy-proxyl nitroxide, each covalently coupled to a triphenylphosphonium cation (Mito-Q and Mito-CP, respectively), prevented mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced superoxide production in SOD1(G93A) astrocytes, and restored motor neuron survival. Together, our results indicate that mitochondrial dysfunction in astrocytes critically influences motor neuron survival and support the potential pharmacological utility of mitochondrial-targeted antioxidants in ALS treatment.

Anthocyanins belong to a large group of secondary plant metabolites collectively known as flavonoids, a subclass of the polyphenol family. They are a group of very efficient bioactive compounds that are widely distributed in plant food. Anthocyanins occur in all plant tissues, including leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits. Research on phenolic compounds through the last century, from the chemical, biochemical, and biological points of view, has focused mainly on the anthocyanins. Anthocyanins have structures consisting of two aromatic rings linked by three carbons in an oxygenated heterocycle (i.e., a chromane ring bearing a second aromatic ring in position 2). The basic chromophore of anthocyanins is the 7-hydroxyflavilyum ion. Anthocyanin pigments consist of two or three chemical units: an aglycon base or flavylium ring (anthocyanidin), sugars, and possibly acylating groups. Only six of the different anthocyanidins found in nature occur frequently and are of dietary importance: cyanidin, delphinidin, petunidin, peonidin, pelargonidin, and malvidin. Each aglycon may be glycosilated or acylated by different sugars and aromatic or aliphatic acids, yielding over 600 different anthocyanins reported from plants. The sugar moiety is typically attached at the 3-position on the C-ring or the 5-position on the A-ring. The chromophore of eight conjugate double bonds carrying a positive charge on the heterocyclic oxygen ring is responsible for the intensive red-orange to blue-violet color produced by anthocyanins under acidic conditions. Anthocyanins occur in solution as a mixture of different secondary structures: flavylium ion, a quinoidal base, a carbinol base, and a chalcone pseudobase. Self-association, intermolecular, and intramolecular co-pigmentation of anthocyanins leads to the formation of tertiary structures through varying stabilization mechanisms. Anthocyanin composition has been used as a botanical tool for taxonomic classification of plants. In addition, anthocyanin profiles of fruits and vegetables allow detecting adulteration of anthocyanin-based products and are indicators of product quality. Anthocyanins are common components of the human diet, as they are present in many foods, fruits, and vegetables, especially in berries. Moreover, anthocyanins have an antioxidant activity, depending to a large extent upon their chemical structure. Many epidemiological studies have shown the benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables to human health, and for the prevention of various diseases associated with oxidative stress, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Anthocyanin-rich extracts are increasingly attractive to the food industry as natural alternatives to synthetic FD&C dyes and lakes, because of their coloring properties. Anthocyanins are also one of the nine European Union-designated natural color classes. Various adverse effects on health have frequently been attributed to synthetic antioxidants. For these reasons, currently, there is a trend towards relying on antioxidants derived from natural products. Anthocyanins act as antioxidants both in the foodstuffs in which they are found and in the organism after intake of these foods. This review, like the first one of the series, intends to reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the research that is currently carried out in this prolific area.

Spotted-fever-caused Rickettsia rickettsii infection is in Brazil the major tick-borne zoonotic disease. Recently, a second and milder human rickettsiosis caused by an agent genetically related to R. parkeri was discovered in the country (Atlantic rainforest strain). Both diseases clearly have an ecological background linked to a few tick species and their environment. Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and Amblyomma cajennense ticks in urban and rural areas close to water sources are the main and long-known epidemiological feature behind R. rickettsii-caused spotted-fever. Unfortunately, this ecological background seems to be increasing in the country and disease spreading may be foreseen. Metropolitan area of São Paulo, the most populous of the country, is embedded in Atlantic rainforest that harbors another important R. rickettsii vector, the tick Amblyomma aureolatum. Thus, at the city-forest interface, dogs carry infected ticks to human dwellings and human infection occurs. A role for R. rickettsii vectoring to humans of a third tick species, Rhipicephalus sanguineus in Brazil, has not been proven; however, there is circumstantial evidence for that. A R. parkeri-like strain was found in A. ovale ticks from Atlantic rainforest and was shown to be responsible for a milder febrile human disease. Rickettsia-infected A. ovale ticks are known to be spread over large areas along the Atlantic coast of the country, and diagnosis of human infection is increasing with awareness and proper diagnostic tools. In this review, ecological features of the tick species mentioned, and that are important for Rickettsia transmission to humans, are updated and discussed. Specific knowledge gaps in the epidemiology of such diseases are highlighted to guide forthcoming research.

ABSTRACT A procedure for isolating and purifying polyphenoloxidase from banana pulp is described. Maximum activity was obtained from the inner portion of the pulp by extraction with 0.2M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, containing 1% insoluble PVP and 0.25% Triton X‐100. The enzyme was purified 38.8‐fold after acetone precipitation, re‐extraction of the precipitate with phosphate buffer containing Triton X‐100, storage in the freezer for 7 days (‐40°C), chromatography on Sephadex G‐100 and electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. The purified enzyme (four isozymes) gave a poly‐peptide molecular weight (SDS‐gel) of 31,000 ± 1,000 and molecular weight on sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation of 62,000 ± 2,000. The isoelectric point, determined by isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gel, was 5.2. The enzyme was stable at 55°C for 30 min; it lost mole than 90% of the activity after 5 min at 85°C and was completely inactivated at 95°C for the same time. The absorption spectrum of the purified enzyme showed a maximum at 278 nm and a shoulder at 340‐350 nm. This preparation, when submitted to paper chromatography revealed the presence of a fluorescent compound with R f = 0.57, which was identical with chlorogenic acid.

CubeSats have become an interesting innovation in the space sector. Such platforms are being used for several space applications, such as education, Earth remote sensing, science, and defense. As of May 31st, 2018, 855 CubeSats had been launched. Remote sensing application is the main sector in which CubeSats are being used, corresponding to about 45% of all applications. This fact indicates the commercial potential of such a platform. Fifty eight countries have already been involved with developing CubeSats. The most used CubeSat configuration is 3U (about 64%), followed by 1U (18%), while 6U platforms account for about 4%. In this paper, we present an analysis of the current situation regarding CubeSats worldwide, through the use of a dataset built to encompass information about these satellites. The overall success rate of the CubeSat missions is increasing over time. Moreover, considering CubeSat missions as a Bernoulli experiment, and excluding launch failures, the current success rate was estimated, as a parameter of a binomial distribution, to be about 75%. By using a logistic model and considering that the launchings keep following the current tendency, one can expect that one thousand CubeSats will be launched in 2021, within 95% certainty.

Iron oxide is a polymorphous crystalline mineral, including hematite, a-Fe2O3, magnetite, Fe3O4 and maghemite, g-Fe2O3. In the area of solid propulsion, nanoparticulate materials such, hematite and maghemite, exhibit high performance on thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP).The best catalytic effect of metallic iron oxide nanoparticles was attributed to its small particle size, more active sites and high surface area, which prove most gas adsorption of released products during the thermal reactions of oxidizer. Nowadays, metallic iron nanoparticles can be synthesized via many methods, by co-precipitation, sol-gel, microemulsion, or thermal decomposition. Although there are data on these synthetic methods in the literature, there is a lack of details in nanoparticulate oxides and on the characterization techniques used. In this context, this short review presents methods for obtaining nanoparticulate iron oxides and characteristics of the different characterization techniques and decomposition of these nanomaterials. The morphologies and structures can be characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and FT- IR spectroscopy and the textural properties by physical adsorption.

Abstract Between 1 September and 4 October 2014, a combined airborne and ground-based measurement campaign was conducted to study tropical deep convective clouds over the Brazilian Amazon rain forest. The new German research aircraft, High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft (HALO), a modified Gulfstream G550, and extensive ground-based instrumentation were deployed in and near Manaus (State of Amazonas). The campaign was part of the German–Brazilian Aerosol, Cloud, Precipitation, and Radiation Interactions and Dynamics of Convective Cloud Systems–Cloud Processes of the Main Precipitation Systems in Brazil: A Contribution to Cloud Resolving Modeling and to the GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) (ACRIDICON– CHUVA) venture to quantify aerosol–cloud–precipitation interactions and their thermodynamic, dynamic, and radiative effects by in situ and remote sensing measurements over Amazonia. The ACRIDICON–CHUVA field observations were carried out in cooperation with the second intensive operating period of Green Ocean Amazon 2014/15 (GoAmazon2014/5). In this paper we focus on the airborne data measured on HALO, which was equipped with about 30 in situ and remote sensing instruments for meteorological, trace gas, aerosol, cloud, precipitation, and spectral solar radiation measurements. Fourteen research flights with a total duration of 96 flight hours were performed. Five scientific topics were pursued: 1) cloud vertical evolution and life cycle (cloud profiling), 2) cloud processing of aerosol particles and trace gases (inflow and outflow), 3) satellite and radar validation (cloud products), 4) vertical transport and mixing (tracer experiment), and 5) cloud formation over forested/deforested areas. Data were collected in near-pristine atmospheric conditions and in environments polluted by biomass burning and urban emissions. The paper presents a general introduction of the ACRIDICON– CHUVA campaign (motivation and addressed research topics) and of HALO with its extensive instrument package, as well as a presentation of a few selected measurement results acquired during the flights for some selected scientific topics.

Considering the demand for highly sensitive and selective electrochemical sensors, MOF-derived materials and their composites have demonstrated relevant advances in electrochemical sensing, as summarized in this review article.

Thalamocortical neurons innervating the barrel cortex in neonatal rodents transiently store serotonin (5-HT) in synaptic vesicles by expressing the plasma membrane serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2). 5-HTT knock-out (ko) mice reveal a nearly complete absence of 5-HT in the cerebral cortex by immunohistochemistry, and of barrels, both at P7 and adulthood. Quantitative electron microscopy reveals that 5-HTT ko affects neither the density of synapses nor the length of synaptic contacts in layer IV. VMAT2 ko mice, completely lacking activity-dependent vesicular release of monoamines including 5-HT, also show a complete lack of 5-HT in the cortex but display largely normal barrel fields, despite sometimes markedly reduced postnatal growth. Transient 5-HTT expression is thus required for barrel pattern formation, whereas activity-dependent vesicular 5-HT release is not.

This study investigated rickettsial infection in animals, humans, ticks, and fleas collected in five areas of the state of São Paulo. Eight flea species (Adoratopsylla antiquorum antiquorum, Ctenocephalides felis felis, Polygenis atopus, Polygenis rimatus, Polygenis roberti roberti, Polygenis tripus, Rhopalopsyllus lugubris, and Rhopalopsyllus lutzi lutzi), and five tick species (Amblyomma aureolatum, Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma dubitatum, Ixodes loricatus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus) were collected from dogs, cats, and opossums. Rickettsia felis was the only rickettsia found infecting fleas, whereas Rickettsia bellii was the only agent infecting ticks, but no animal or human blood was shown to contain rickettsial DNA. Testing animal and human sera by indirect immunofluorescence assay against four rickettsia antigens (R. rickettsii, R. parkeri, R. felis, and R. bellii), some opossum, dog, horse, and human sera reacted to R. rickettsii with titers at least four-fold higher than to the other three rickettsial antigens. These sera were considered to have a predominant antibody response to R. rickettsii. Using the same criteria, opossum, dog, and horse sera showed predominant antibody response to R. parkeri or a very closely related genotype. Our serological results suggest that both R. rickettsii and R. parkeri infected animals and/or humans in the studied areas.

ABSTRACT: Industrial shrimp waste is a good source of protein, chitin, and carotenoids. In general, this waste is discarded with no attempt to use it, thus contributing to environmental pollution. This study was aimed at recovering the 3 main components of industrial shrimp waste, protein, chitin, and astaxanthin, using enzymatic treatment with Alcalase and pancreatin. An increase in the degree of hydrolysis (DH) from 6% to 12% resulted in 26% to 28% protein recovery. Alcalase was more efficient than pancreatin, increasing the recovery of protein from 57.5% to 64.6% and of astaxanthin from 4.7 to 5.7 mg astaxanthin/100 g of dry waste, at a DH of 12%. The enzymatic hydrolysis of the industrial waste from Xiphopenaeus kroyeri shrimp using Alcalase allowed for 65% protein recovery in the form of hydrolysates, in addition to providing suitable conditions for the recovery of astaxanthin and chitin.

Abstract The present status of large reservoir fisheries and their management in large reservoirs in South America are reviewed. There is a brief discussion about reservoir typology, and how most of it is inappropriate to fish. Fish in reservoirs and their introduction from other habitats are described, together with comparative yields. The main impacts due to damming are described, including social aspects. Four case studies are presented for the largest reservoirs in South America: Sobradinho, Tucuruí and Itaipu in Brazil, and El Guri in Venezuela.

Coffee is one of the most valuable agricultural commodities and ranks second on international trade exchanges. The genus Coffea belongs to the Rubiaceae family which includes other important plants. The genus contains about 100 species but commercial production is based only on two species, Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora that represent about 70 % and 30 % of the total coffee market, respectively. The Brazilian Coffee Genome Project was designed with the objective of making modern genomics resources available to the coffee scientific community, working on different aspects of the coffee production chain. We have single-pass sequenced a total of 214,964 randomly picked clones from 37 cDNA libraries of C. arabica, C. canephora and C. racemosa, representing specific stages of cells and plant development that after trimming resulted in 130,792, 12,381 and 10,566 sequences for each species, respectively. The ESTs clustered into 17,982 clusters and 32,155 singletons. Blast analysis of these sequences revealed that 22 % had no significant matches to sequences in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database (of known or unknown function). The generated coffee EST database resulted in the identification of close to 33,000 different unigenes. Annotated sequencing results have been stored in an online database at <A HREF="http://www.lge.ibi.unicamp.br/cafe">http://www.lge.ibi.unicamp.br/cafe</A>. Resources developed in this project provide genetic and genomic tools that may hold the key to the sustainability, competitiveness and future viability of the coffee industry in local and international markets.

Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is characterized by permanent growth arrest and the acquisition of a secretory, pro-inflammatory state. Increasingly, OIS is viewed as an important barrier to tumorgenesis. Surprisingly, relatively little is known about the metabolic changes that accompany and therefore may contribute to OIS. Here, we have performed a metabolomic and bioenergetic analysis of Ras-induced senescence. Profiling approximately 300 different intracellular metabolites reveals that cells that have undergone OIS develop a unique metabolic signature that differs markedly from cells undergoing replicative senescence. A number of lipid metabolites appear uniquely increased in OIS cells, including a marked increase in the level of certain intracellular long chain fatty acids. Functional studies reveal that this alteration in the metabolome reflects substantial changes in overall lipid metabolism. In particular, Ras-induced senescent cells manifest a decline in lipid synthesis and a significant increase in fatty acid oxidation. Increased fatty acid oxidation results in an unexpectedly high rate of basal oxygen consumption in cells that have undergone OIS. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, the rate-limiting step in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, restores a pre-senescent metabolic rate and, surprisingly, selectively inhibits the secretory, pro-inflammatory state that accompanies OIS. Thus, Ras-induced senescent cells demonstrate profound alterations in their metabolic and bioenergetic profiles, particularly with regards to the levels, synthesis and oxidation of free fatty acids. Furthermore, the inflammatory phenotype that accompanies OIS appears to be related to these underlying changes in cellular metabolism.

SUMMARY 1. We examined whether a large stock of tilapia (>750 kg ha −1 , in littoral areas >1300 kg ha −1 ), mostly Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and Tilapia rendalli (Boulenger), could contribute to the eutrophication of a tropical reservoir (Lago Paranoá, Brasília, Brazil) by enhancing P‐loading. 2. We took advantage of an extensive fish kill (>150 tons removed) during May–August 1997 in a hypereutrophic branch of the reservoir to compare water quality characteristics 1 year before and after this event by means of BACI statistics. We also measured P‐excretion rates in laboratory trials to assess the P‐loading of the reservoir by the tilapia relative to tributary inputs and loading from a sewage treatment plant. 3. Concentrations of chlorophyll a (decline from 84 to 56 μg L −1 , P =0.018) and total P (decline from 100 to 66 μg L −1 , P < 0.001) decreased significantly in the branch of the reservoir affected by the fish kill, compared with a similar but unaffected branch that served as a control. Because P‐loading by both a sewage treatment plant and tributaries remained high after the incidence, the fish kill was likely to contribute to the observed water quality improvement. 4. Removing 150 tons of dead tilapia corresponded to 20 days of external total phosphorus load (TP‐load) to the branch, and resulted in a reduction of 5.1 kg P day −1 in internal recycling via tilapia excretion, which is equivalent to 12% of the external TP‐load. 5. Implementing professional tilapia cast‐net fisheries could be an efficient biomanipulation approach to improve water quality and limit the occurrence of cyanobacteria blooms and fish kills in hypereutrophic branches of Lago Paranoá and similar tropical lakes.

A total of 1037 individuals living in five different sociogeographic regions of Brazil were studied in relation to 12 short tandem repeat polymorphisms. The objective was to assess the degree of European, African, and Amerindian contributions to their gene pools. Although most of the genetic variability was found within regions, significant differences were also observed between regions. The estimated relative proportions of the above-indicated continental contributions showed intermediate values between those obtained with uniparental (mtDNA, Y-chromosome) data, and a higher percentage of European heritage as compared to previous autosome results. A north-south trend of increasing European contribution was also found, in agreement with the history of the Brazilian population.