Protective effects of yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) intake on experimental colon carcinogenesis.

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), a tuberous root native to the Andean region of South America, contains high concentration of fructans with potential for colon cancer prevention. This study investigated the potential beneficial of yacon intake on colon carcinogenesis induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in male Wistar rats. After 4 weeks of DMH-initiation, groups were fed basal diet (G1 and G6) or basal diet containing dried extract of yacon root at 0.5% (G2), 1.0% (G3 and G5) or a synbiotic formulation (G4) (1.0% yacon plus Lactobacillus casei at 2.5 × 10(10)CFU per g diet) for 13 weeks. At week 20, a significant reduction in number and multiplicity of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and in number of invasive adenocarcinomas was observed in the groups orally treated with 1.0% yacon (G3) or the synbiotic formulation (G4) (0.05

Estudo energético da produção de biocombustível a partir do milho / Energetic study of ethanol production from the corn crops

Objetivou-se analisar energeticamente a produção de etanol a partir do milho (Zea mays L.). As pesquisas de campo foram realizadas na região paulista do Médio Paranapanema, São Paulo (SP), no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2007. Avaliou-se o consumo energético referente às fases de produção e processamento industrial do grão. O custo energético total da produção agrícola correspondeu a 15.633,7MJ ha-1, e o item mais oneroso foi o de "insumos" (77,5 por cento). Nas etapas industriais, o consumo energético foi equivalente a 3.882,2MJ t-1. As operações de "hidrólise, sacarificação e tratamento do caldo" representaram 50,2 por cento do dispêndio energético total. O custo energético do milho foi de 7,9MJ L-1 nas operações agronômicas de produção e 11,8MJ L-1 nas etapas de processamento industrial. O balanço energético do cultivo e da industrialização foi de 1,2MJ.

This research analyzed the energetic consumption of etanol from the corn crops (Zea mays L.). The field surveys were carried out in the Midle Paranapanema River Region, São Paulo state, Brazil, in the period from January to December 2007. The energy consumption on stage of production and industrial processing of grain were evaluated. It was verified that the total energetic cost of the crop production corresponded to 15,633.7MJ ha-1, and the most onerous item was the "inputs" (77.5 percent). In the industrial step, the energetic consumption was equivalent to 3,882.2MJ t-1. The operations of "hydrolysis, saccharification and treatment of the broth" represented 50.2 percent of the total energetic expenditure. It was also observed an energetic cost of 7.9MJ L-1 in relation to the etanol produced in the main crop production operations, and 11.8MJ L-1 in the industrial processing. The energy balance of crop production and industrialization was of 1.2MJ.

Avaliação energética da produção de etanol utilizando como matéria-prima a cana-de-açúcar / Energy evaluation of the etanol production using as raw-material the sugar cane

Analisou-se energeticamente a produção de etanol originária da cana-de-açúcar. As pesquisas de campo foram realizadas na região paulista do Médio Paranapanema, no período de janeiro a dezembro de 2007, avaliando-se o consumo energético referente às fases de produção e processamento industrial. Verificou-se que o custo energético total da produção agrícola correspondeu a 14.370,9MJ ha-1, e o item mais oneroso foi o de "insumos" (50,4 por cento). Nas etapas industriais, o consumo energético foi equivalente a 1.641,6MJ t-1. As operações de "hidrólise, sacarificação e tratamento do caldo" representaram 71,7 por cento do dispêndio energético total. Na cana-de-açúcar, observou-se um custo energético de 2,0MJ L-1 em relação ao etanol produzido nas principais operações agronômicas de produção e 19,4MJ L-1 nas etapas de processamento industrial. A eficiência energética no cultivo e na industrialização foi de 1,1.

This research analyzed the energetic consumption of the etanol, using as raw-material sugar cane. The searches were carried out from the field in the Midle Paranapanema River Region, Sao Paulo state, in the period from January to December 2007. The referring energy consumption from the crop production phase and industrial processing were evaluated. It was verified that the total energetic cost of the crop production corresponded to 14370.9MJ ha-1, and the most onerous item was the "inputs" (50.4 percent). In the industrial step, the energetic consumption was equivalent to 1,641.56MJ t-1. The 'hydrolysis, saccharification and broth treatment operations' represented 71.72 percent of the total energetic expenditure. It was also observed an energetic cost of 2.0MJ L-1 in relation to the etanol produced in the main crop production operations, and 19.4MJ L-1 in the industrial processing. The energy efficiency observed in the crop production and industrialization were of 1.1.

The co-catalytic effect of chlorpromazine on peroxidase-mediated oxidation of melatonin: enhanced production of N1-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine.

Accumulating evidence points to relationships between increased production of reactive oxygen or decreased antioxidant protection in schizophrenic patients. Chlorpromazine (CPZ), which remains a benchmark treatment for people with schizophrenia, has been described as a pro-oxidant compound. Because the antioxidant compound melatonin exerts protective effects against CPZ-induced liver disease in rats, in this investigation, our main objective was to study the effect of CPZ as a co-catalyst of peroxidase-mediated oxidation of melatonin. We found that melatonin was an excellent reductor agent of preformed CPZ cation radical (CPZ(*+)). The addition of CPZ during the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed oxidation of melatonin provoked a significant increase in the rate of oxidation and production of N(1)-acetyl-N(2)-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK). Similar results were obtained using myeloperoxidase. The effect of CPZ on melatonin oxidation was rather higher at alkaline pH. At pH 9.0, the efficiency of oxidation of melatonin was 15 times higher and the production of AFMK was 30 times higher as compared with the assays in the absence of CPZ. We suggest that CPZ is able to exacerbate the rate of oxidation of melatonin by an electron transfer mechanism where CPZ(*+), generated during the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation, is able to efficiently oxidize melatonin.

Fermentação alcoólica de substrato amiláceo e hidrolisado enriquecido com melaço de cana / Alcoholic fermentation of starchy hidrolisated substrate with sugar cane residue

A farinha constitui um dos principais produtos da mandioca, e seu uso é muito difundido em todo o País. Durante o processamento da mandioca para a obtenção da farinha é gerado um resíduo sólido proveniente da decantação da manipueira, o qual é composto essencialmente por amido. Diante da importância do aproveitamento de resíduos agroindústrias para a geração de energia e como fonte de renda para as empresas, com este trabalho objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da adição de melaço (resíduo da produção de açúcar de cana) no preparo de soluções de amido para hidrólise enzimática e fermentação alcoólica. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a adição de melaço no resíduo amiláceo inicial em doses a partir de 10 por cento levou a um aumento no teor de açúcares no mosto promovendo um aumento de 112 por cento na produção de etanol, em relação ao substrato sem aditivo. Contudo, a seleção de leveduras adaptadas ao substrato faz-se necessária para um melhor rendimento em etanol.

The cassava flour is a one of most important commercial product of cassava industries. During the cassava flour processing is obtained a solid residue from 'manipueira' decantation, which is characterized by high level of starch. Due the importance of the residue usage as energy source and income product for industries this work had as purpose to evaluate the addition of sugarcane residue (melaço) as supplementary raw material in hydrolysis and fermentation process of cassava starch solution for ethanol production. The results showed that the increase of sugarcane residue percentage in initial solution (> 10 percent) caused the increase of sugar concentration in must and high ethanol yield (increase of 112 percent when compared with substrate the without sugarcane residue). The yeast selection and substrate adaptation is necessary for increase of ethanol production from cassava starch residue.