Physicochemical analysis of Permian coprolites from Brazil.

In this paper we performed the study of two coprolites (fossilized feces) collected from the exposed levels of the Pedra de Fogo Formation, Parnaiba Sedimentary Basin, and Rio do Rasto Formation, Paraná Sedimentary Basin, both of the Palaeozoic era (Permian age). They were characterized using X-ray diffractometry, infrared, Raman and energy dispersive spectroscopy techniques in order to aid our understanding of the processes of fossilization and to discuss issues related to the feeding habits of the animals which generated those coprolites, probably cartilaginous fishes. The results obtained using a multitechnique approach showed that although these coprolites are from different geological formations, 3000km away from each other, they show the same major crystalline phases and elemental composition. The main phases found were hydroxyapatite, silica, calcite and hematite, which lead to infer that those coprolites were formed under similar conditions and produced by a similar group of carnivore or omnivore fishes.

Ambientes de ocorrência e flora acompanhante do gênero Himatanthus em Alcântara, Maranhão, Brasil / Occurrence environments and accompanying vegetation of genus Himatanthus in Alcântara, Maranhão, Brazil

A janaúba (Himatanthus spp.), ocorre em populações naturais em ecossistemas florestais e apresenta amplo espectro de usos na medicina popular que vai desde o tratamento de inflamações uterinas, gastrite, uso veterinário, complemento alimentar, até tratamento de câncer. O extrativismo de látex de janaúba em Alcântara vem adquirindo importância crescente como alternativa de renda. Sendo assim, o estabelecimento de estudos que viabilizem o manejo sustentado em seu ambiente natural é necessário. O objetivo deste trabalho foi de caracterizar os ambientes de ocorrência de Himatanthus no município de Alcântara, Maranhão, Brasil, e identificar a flora acompanhante. As amostragens foram definidas por indicação de informantes, e aparente frequência na comunidade vegetal; os ambientes foram descritos considerando as unidades de paisagem e histórico de uso. Como resultados, a maior área de ocorrência foi a terra firme seguida por várzeas de restinga; a principal tipologia vegetacional foi a mata secundária. O bacuri (Platonia insignis Mart.), tucum (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.) e a murta verdadeira (Myrcia selloi (Spreng.) N. Silveira, foram às principais espécies associadas.

The Frangipani (Himatanthus spp.) occur in natural populations in forest ecosystems and present a wide spectrum of uses. in folk medicine ranging from the treatment of uterine inflammation, gastritis, veterinary, food supplement to medicinal treatment of cancer. The extraction of latex Janaúba Alcantara has been gaining increasing importance as an alternative income. Therefore, the establishment of studies that enable sustainable management in their natural environment is necessary. The overall objective of this study was to characterize the occurrence of Himatanthus environments in the municipality of Alcântara, Maranhão, Brazil, and identify the accompanying vegetation. The samples were defined by word of informants, and apparent frequency in the plant community, the environments were described considering the landscape units and usage history. As a result, the largest area of occurrence was followed by the mainland salt marsh wetlands, the main vegetation type was the secondary forest. Bacuri (Platonia insignis Mart.), tucum (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.) e murta verdadeira (Myrcia selloi (Spreng.) N. Silveira, were the main species associated.

Evaluation of the effects of the parameters involved in the purification of clavulanic acid from fermentation broth by aqueous two-phase systems.

The purification of clavulanic acid (CA), which is an important beta-lactam antibiotic produced by submerged cultivation of Streptomyces clavuligerus, was studied through the use of phosphate and polyethylene glycol-based aqueous two-phase systems. The parameters' effect on the yield and purification was evaluated through an experimental design and the preliminary results showed that the polyethylene molecular mass and tie-line length and phase volume ratio exerted the strongest effect on the yield and distribution coefficient in the range tested. In addition, the response surface methodology was used to optimize the distribution coefficient, yield, and purification factor. The optimal conditions of yield and purification factor are in the regions where polyethylene has a low molecular mass, pH close to the isoelectric point, and lower top phase volume. A 100% yield and a 1.5-fold purification factor are obtained when extracting CA by maximizing the conditions of an aqueous two-phase system.

Optimization of extracellular lipase production by Geotrichum sp. using factorial design.

Response surface methodology was employed to study the effects of carbon source (soy oil, olive oil and glucose) and nitrogen source concentrations (corn steep liquor and NH(4)NO(3)) on the lipase production by Geotrichum sp. The experiment included a 2(4) central composite rotatable design (CCRD) and four others 2(3) CCRD. According to the responses from the experimental designs, the effects of each variable were calculated and the interactions between them were determined. The response surface methodology was applied for the optimization of the nutrient concentrations in the culture medium for the enzyme production, at 30 degrees C. The optimum medium composition for lipase production by Geotrichum sp. was ammonium nitrate 2.1-2.5%, corn steep liquor 13-15% and soy oil 0.6% as carbon source, which lead to a lipase activity of about 20 U/ml. Using olive oil as carbon source, the optimum composition was ammonium nitrate 0.8-1%, corn steep liquor 13-15% and olive oil 0.6%, leading to an activity of 17 U/ml.

Optimization of inulinase production by Kluyveromyces marxianus using factorial design.

Factorial design and response surface techniques were used to optimize the culture medium for the production of inulinase by Kluyveromyces marxianus. Sucrose was used as the carbon source instead of inulin. Initially, a fractional factorial design (2(5-1)) was used in order to determine the most relevant variables for enzyme production. Five parameters were studied (sucrose, peptone, yeast extract, pH, and K2HPO4), and all were shown to be significant. Sucrose concentration and pH had negative effects on inulinase production, whereas peptone, yeast extract, and K2HPO4 had positive ones. The pH was shown to be the most significant variable and should be preferentially maintained at 3.5. According to the results from the first factorial design, sucrose, peptone, and yeast extract concentrations were selected to be utilized in a full factorial design. The optimum conditions for a higher enzymatic activity were then determined: 14 g/L of sucrose, 10 g/L of yeast extract, 20 g/L of peptone, 1 g/L of K2HPO4. The enzymatic activity in the culture conditions was 127 U/mL, about six times higher than before the optimization.

Studies on lipase-affinity adsorption using response-surface analysis.

Lipases are widely distributed enzymes that can be obtained from animals, plants and micro-organisms. Coupling lipases with a wide range of substrates allows the opportunity for synthesis of optically pure pharmaceutical preparations, flavour compounds and other food additives. Affinity chromatography owes its power as a purification method to specific biological interactions. Response-surface analysis was chosen to study column efficiency. This method allows the understanding of interactions between variables with advantages over conventional methods, which involve changing one variable while fixing others at certain levels. The aim of this work was to study the influence of the ratio bed height/column diameter (L/D) and superficial velocity (V) on the column efficiency. The experimental design involved the two variables, L/D (2-10) and v (1-2 cm/min), at five levels. Lipase was obtained from Geotrichum sp. culture in a complex medium composed of 5% corn-steep liquor, 0.5% NH(4)NO(3) and 1% olive oil at 30 degrees C, with 1VVM (air volume/medium volume per min) aeration and 400 rev./min agitation. Maximum lipase activity was 19 units/ml after almost 9 h of fermentation. This lipase could potentially be used in esterification reactions to increase the content of gamma-linolenic acid and to produce bioaromas for food industries. The adsorption assays were carried out in a fixed-bed column with an affinity adsorbent, which was obtained by reaction of a gel with oleic acid as ligand. Breakthrough curves were obtained for all experiments. It has been shown that the lower the values of both L/D and v, the higher the column efficiency (maximum 65.43%). Also, it was observed from the response surface that the efficiency reached a minimum at an L/D of around 8.