Benchmarking for using an acoustic Doppler current profiler for bathymetric survey.

This research aims to improve data post-processing from an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) to obtain additional depth information with a high-quality bathymetric result. To validate the depth, dataset in a control area was used a scaled rod, the RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) positioning technique, and a single beam echo sounder (SBES). The developed post-processing and validation in the control area applied to a small region of a water supply reservoir in Brazil. A robust local regression method eliminated outliers from the raw data. Subsequently, a linear regression model was generated for the beams from the ADCP to adjust depths and improve the dataset. The statistical hypothesis test performed before and after the adjustment supported the validation of data processing. The resulting volumes calculated from the ADCP raw data showed a difference of 30% with SBES, which is usually the standard equipment used for bathymetric surveys. The proposed post-processing techniques declined to < 1% of the volume discrepancy. The raw dataset standard deviation was 0.15 m on average for Doppler beams, and after adjusts, this value dropped to 0.03 m. The results showed the necessity of a post-processing method to improve depth data quality from ADCP. Thus, the procedure described in this document can be used for bathymetric surveys using ADCP for analysis concerning the estimation of reservoir volume.

Production of (10E,12Z)-conjugated linoleic acid in yeast and tobacco seeds.

The polyenoic fatty acid isomerase from Propioniumbacterium acnes (PAI) was expressed in E. coli and biochemically characterized. PAI catalyzes the isomerization of a methylene-interrupted double bond system to a conjugated double bond system, creating (10E,12Z)-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). PAI accepted a wide range of free polyunsaturated fatty acids as substrates ranging from 18:2 fatty acids to 22:6, converting them to fatty acids with two or three conjugated double bonds. For expression of PAI in yeast the PAI-sequence encoding 20 N-terminal amino acid residues was altered for optimal codon usage, yielding codon optimized PAI (coPAI). The percentage of 10,12-CLA of total esterified fatty acids was 8 times higher in yeast transformed with coPAI than in cells transformed with PAI. CLA was detected in amounts up to 5.7% of total free fatty acids in yeast transformed with coPAI but none was detected in yeast transformed with PAI. PAI or coPAI under the control of the constitutive CaMV 35S promoter or the seed-specific USP promoter was transformed into tobacco plants. CLA was only detected in seeds in coPAI-transgenic plants. The amount of CLA detected in esterified fatty acids was up to 0.3%, in free fatty acids up to 15%.