Production of Cellulolytic Enzymes by Fungi Acrophialophora nainiana and Ceratocystis paradoxa Using Different Carbon Sources

Although a number of filamentous fungi, such as Trichoderma and Aspergillus, are well known as producers of cellulases, xylanases, and accessory cellulolytic enzymes, the search for new strains and new enzymes has become a priority with the increase in diversity of biomass sources. Moreover, according to the type of pretreatment applied, biomass of the same type may require different enzyme blends to be efficiently hydrolyzed. This study evaluated cellulases, xylanases, and β-glucosidases produced by two fungi, the thermotolerant Acrophialophora nainiana and Ceratocystis paradoxa. Cells were grown in submerged culture on three carbon sources: lactose, wheat bran, or steam-pretreated sugarcane bagasse, a commonly used cattle feed in Brazil. Xylanase and endo-1-4-β-glucanase (CMCase) highest production were found in A. nainiana growing on lactose and reached levels of 2,200 and 2,016 IU/L, respectively. C. paradoxa showed highest activity for xylanase when grown on wheat bran and for β-glucosidase when grown on steam-treated bagasse, at levels of 12,728 and 1,068 IU/mL, respectively.     

A new oxovanadium(IV)–cucurbit[6]uril complex: Properties and potential for confined heterogeneous catalytic oxidation reactions

This work presents a new oxovanadium(IV)–cucurbit[6]uril complex, which combines the catalytic properties of the metal ion with the size-excluding properties of the macrocycle cavity. In this coordination compound, the VO²⁺${\text{VO}}^{2+}$ ions are coordinated to the oxygen atoms located at the rim of the macrocycle in slightly distorted square-pyramidal configurations, which are in fact _C2v$C_{2v}$ symmetries. This combination results in a size-selective heterogeneous catalyst, which is able to oxidize linear alkanes like n-pentane at room temperature, but not styrene, cyclohexane or z-cyclooctene, which are too big to enter the cucurbit[6]uril cavity. The results presented here contribute to understanding the mechanism of alkane catalytic oxidation by oxovanadium(IV) complexes.     

Isolation of phenolic compounds from hop extracts using polyvinylpolypyrrolidone: Characterization by high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detection–electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

The aim of the present work was the development of a suitable methodology for the separation and determination of phenolic compounds in the hop plant. The developed methodology was based on the sample purification by adsorption of phenolic compounds from the matrix to polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) and subsequent desorption of the adsorbed polyphenols with acetone/water (70:30, v/v). At last, the extract was analyzed by HPLC–DAD and HPLC–ESI-MS/MS. The first phase of this work consisted of the study of the adsorption behavior of several classes of phenolic compounds (e.g. phenolic acids, flavonols, and flavanols) by PVPP in model solutions. It has been observed that the process of adsorption of the different phenolic compounds to PVPP (at low concentrations) is differentiated, depending on the structure of the compound (number of OH groups, aromatic rings, and stereochemistry hindrance). For example, within the phenolic acids class (benzoic, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic and gallic acids) the PVPP adsorption increases with the number of OH groups of the phenolic compound. On the other hand, the derivatization of OH groups (methylation and glycosylation) resulted in a greatly diminished binding. The use of PVPP revealed to be very efficient for adsorption of several phenolic compounds such as catechin, epicatechin, xanthohumol and quercetin, since high adsorption and recovery values were obtained. The methodology was further applied for the extraction and isolation of phenolic compounds from hops. With this methodology, it was possible to obtain high adsorption values (≥80%) and recovery yield values (≥70%) for the most important phenolic compounds from hops such as xanthohumol, catechin, epicatechin, quercetin and kaempferol glycosides, and in addition it allows the identification of about 30 phenolic compounds by HPLC–DAD and HPLC–ESI-MS/MS.     

基于LED的色度学实验研究

作为环保、节能、可智能控制的新型光源,发光二极管（LED）广泛应用于人们的现代生活、生产中,更有望替代传统的照明光源。以三基色LED为光源,制作了三路独立可调恒流电源,通过调节三基色光的不同配比实现加法混色,研究设计了加法混色的色度学实验,既可以直接观察混色后的实验现象,又能通过测量光谱数据得到色度参数。LED光源环保...     

TLD measurements and Monte Carlo simulations for glandular dose and scatter fraction assessment in mammography: A comparative study

The main purpose of this study was to validate and compare Mean Glandular Dose (MGD) values obtained using Monte Carlo simulations with experimental values obtained from Entrance Surface Dose (ESD) and depth dose measurements performed in a Hospital mammography unit. ESD and depth dose were measured using ThermoLuminescent Dosimeters (TLDs), and a tissue equivalent mammography phantom recommended by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Measurements and Monte Carlo simulations were also compared with the MGD calculated using the Automatic Exposure Control (AEC) system of the mammographic unit. In the simulations the Doppler energy broadening effect was also taken into account. The simulated ESD are about 5%–10% higher than the measured ESD values. The deviation between the measured and simulated MGD values in the phantom is of about 15%. The MGD evaluated using the AEC system is smaller both with respect to the Monte Carlo simulation and experimental result by a factor of about 15% and 25% respectively. Moreover the BackScatter Factor (BSF) estimated by Monte Carlo simulations was used for the MGD calculation according to the Wu’s method. Finally the inclusion of the energy broadening effect on MGD calculation produces negligible variations on the simulated results.     

Online stochastic UAV mission planning with time windows and time-sensitive targets

In this paper we simultaneously consider three extensions to the standard Orienteering Problem (OP) to model characteristics that are of practical relevance in planning reconnaissance missions of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). First, travel and recording times are uncertain. Secondly, the information about each target can only be obtained within a predefined time window. Due to the travel and recording time uncertainty, it is also uncertain whether a target can be reached before the end of its time window. Finally, we consider the appearance of new targets during the flight, so-called time-sensitive targets, which need to be visited immediately if possible. We tackle this online stochastic UAV mission planning problem with time windows and time-sensitive targets using a re-planning approach. To this end, we introduce the Maximum Coverage Stochastic Orienteering Problem with Time Windows (MCS-OPTW). It aims at constructing a tour with maximum expected profit of targets that were already known before the flight. Secondly, it directs the planned tour to predefined areas where time-sensitive targets are expected to appear. We have developed a fast heuristic that can be used to re-plan the tour, each time before leaving a target. In our computational experiments we illustrate the benefits of the MCS-OPTW planning approach with respect to balancing the two objectives: the expected profits of foreseen targets, and expected percentage of time-sensitive targets reached on time. We compare it to a deterministic planning approach and show how it deals with uncertainty in travel and recording times and the appearance of time-sensitive targets.     

Chiral N-phosphonyl imine chemistry:asymmetric additions of glycine enolate to diphenyl diamine-based phosphonyl imines

Diphenyl diamine-based phosphonyl imines attached by the N-isopropyl group in the auxiliary have been synthesized in good yields under convenient reaction conditions.These new chiral N-phosphonyl imines can react with glycine enolate smoothly to give chiral α-β diamino esters in good yields(72%-90%) and up to excellent diastereoselectivity(>99:1 dr).By treatment with HBr,the chiral auxiliary can be readily removed.The absolute structure has been unambiguously determined by converting a product to a known sa...     

pH-Dependent Excited-State Properties of N,N-di(2-phosphonoethyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide

Abstract— The effect of the protonation state of a novel aqueous soluble N,N'-di(2-phosphonoethyl)-l,4,5,8-naphthalene-diimide (DPN) on its spectroscopic properties is studied. In aqueous solution DPN depicts linear Lambert-Beer plots up to the solubility limits at pH 1.0, 7.1 and 10.1, in accordance with its solubilization as a monomer. A small increase in the extinction coefficients with pH is observed. Conversely a strong decrease in the fluorescence emission yields are observed with the increase in pH. These results are shown to originate from the distinct efficiencies of the intersystem crossing of DPN as a function of the net charge on the phosphono moieties. Accordingly, from the decrease in fluorescence emission, titration curves were obtained resulting in two pKa of –1.5 and 6.7 in agreement with the potentiometric analysis. In parallel monitoring the amount of heat deposited in the system shows an inverse pattern, that is, increase in the thermal tensing time-resolved signal with pH. Laser flash photolysis and thermal Iensing data in the absence and presence of oxygen show the interplay of an intersystem crossing process with the protonation state of the dye. The changes in protonation from neutral to two- and four-fold charged species are accompanied by an enhancing effect on the naphthalenediimide ring toward spin inversion (triplet formation) and consequently in different fluorescence yields     

Erratum to: Some Applications of the Hodge-de Rham Decomposition to Ricci solitons

The aim of this note is to clarify a minor mistake in the article: Some Applications of the Hodge-de Rham Decomposition to Ricci solitons.