The operational conditions of β-galactosidase encapsulated in pectin-alginate hydrogel were investigated as well as its catalytic activity in the hydrolysis of lactose from whey and whole milk. β-Galactosidase encapsulated in pectin-alginate hydrogel showed the best results to yields and diffusional effect and pH range. Thermostability showed considerable income gain for half-life (1.7-fold), activation energy of denaturation (31.6-fold), activation of denaturation (217.3-fold at 40 ºC; 266.8-fold at 50 ºC; 345.6-fold at 60 ºC), and entropy of activation of denaturation (-42.0 J mol 1 K-1). Reusability of encapsulated β-galactosidase was observed in 8-cycles for the milk whey lactose hydrolysis (51.9%) and 7-cycles for whole milk (55.6%), and the lactose hydrolysis was observed in 13% in milk whey and 10.3% in whole milk after 10 cycles. These results revealed an industrial application potential of β-galactosidase encapsulated in pectin-alginate hydrogel for lactose hydrolysis of milk whey and whole milk processes.

RESUMO A cana-de-açúcar é uma gramínea que se destaca mundialmente na produção de etanol. O Brasil é o maior produtor mundial e líder na exportação, responsável por mais de 50% dos produtos derivados que são comercializados no mundo. Objetivou-se averiguar a influência de malhas fotosseletivas nas variáveis micrometeorológicas e na brotação de mudas pré-brotadas de cana-de-açúcar. A pesquisa foi realizada em ambiente protegido na Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. As mudas da cultivar RB92579 foram obtidas pela técnica de produção de mudas pré-brotadas. O ambiente protegido foi dividido em quatro módulos, correspondentes aos tratamentos: coberto com plástico polietileno de baixa densidade anti-UV + malha ultranet vermelha Solpack®, + malha branca Solpack®, + malha freshnet Solpack® e sem malha de sombreamento. Foram registrados os dados micrometeorológicos de temperatura do ar e temperatura do substrato em cada módulo. Foram calculadas a primeira contagem de emergência, o índice de velocidade de brotação e a porcentagem de brotação. Foi utilizada a análise multivariada de componentes principais para verificar a associação entre os módulos de cultivo e as variáveis micrometeorológicas e de brotação das mudas. A temperatura do ar no ambiente protegido foi 8.7% maior em relação ao ambiente externo. A malha branca proporcionou 78,93% de brotação. A temperatura do substrato acima de 30,4 °C favoreceu a brotação das mudas. Os módulos com malha branca e ultranet vermelha favoreceram a brotação das mudas.

ABSTRACT Sugarcane is a grass species that stands out worldwide in the production of ethanol. Brazil is the world’s largest producer and leader in exports, responsible for more than 50% of the products that are marketed worldwide. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of photo-selective nets on micrometeorological variables and on sprouting of pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings. The experiment was carried out in a protected environment at Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco - UFRPE, in a completely randomized design. Seedlings of cultivar RB92579 were obtained by the technique of production of pre-sprouted seedlings. The protected environment was divided into four modules corresponding to the treatments: covered with anti-UV low-density polyethylene plastic: + Solpack® red ultranet net, + Solpack® white net, + Solpack® freshnet net and without shade net. Micrometeorological data of air temperature and substrate temperature were recorded in each module. The first count of emergence, sprouting speed index and sprouting percentage were calculated. Principal component analysis was used to verify the association between the cultivation modules and the micrometeorological and sprouting variables of the seedlings. Air temperature in the protected environment was 8.7% higher than that in the external environment. The white net led to sprouting of 78.93%. The substrate temperature above 30.4 °C favored seedling sprouting. The modules with white net and red ultranet net favored seedling sprouting.

RESUMO O Brasil é o maior produtor mundial de cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum officinarum L.), e pesquisas voltadas à propagação têm proporcionado maior qualidade na produção. Objetivou-se averiguar o efeito da variação dos elementos micrometeorológicos na sobrevivência e qualidade de mudas pré-brotadas de cana-de-açúcar. A pesquisa foi realizada em ambiente protegido (UFRPE). As mudas da cultivar RB92579 foram obtidas pela técnica de produção de mudas pré-brotadas. Os ambientes protegidos foram divididos em quatro módulos cobertos com plástico polietileno de baixa densidade + malhas de sombreamento fotosseletivas e um módulo sem malha. Foram registrados os dados micrometeorológicos de radiação solar global e fotossinteticamente ativa, temperatura do ar e do substrato, umidade relativa do ar e o espectro de radiação solar em cada módulo. O experimento foi instalado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado e foi utilizada a análise de componentes principais para verificar a associação entre os módulos de cultivo, as variáveis micrometeorológicas e da cultura. O plástico de polietileno de baixa densidade antiUV + freshnet proporcionou menor transmitância da radiação solar global, maior porcentagem de radiação fotossinteticamente ativa e menor mortalidade de mudas. Temperatura do substrato acima de 30,2 °C ocasionou maior mortalidade de mudas. O maior espectro na faixa do vermelho proporcionou a produção de mudas de qualidade superior. O uso de malha freshnet promoveu condições adequadas para o cultivo de mudas de cana-de-açúcar, permitindo a obtenção de mudas de qualidade superior.

ABSTRACT Brazil is the world’s largest producer of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and research aimed at propagation has promoted higher quality in production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the variation of micrometeorological elements on the survival and quality of pre-sprouted sugarcane plantlets. The study was carried out in a protected environment (UFRPE). Plantlets of the cultivar RB92579 were obtained by the technique of production of pre-sprouted plantlets. The protected environments were divided into four modules covered with low-density polyethylene plastic + photo-selective shade nets and one module without shade net. Micrometeorological data of global and photosynthetically active solar radiation, air temperature, substrate temperature, relative humidity and the solar radiation spectrum were recorded in each module. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design and the principal component analysis was used to verify the association between the cultivation modules, micrometeorological variables and crop variables. Anti-UV low-density polyethylene plastic + freshnet led to lower transmittance of global solar radiation, higher percentage of photosynthetically active radiation and lower plantlet mortality. Substrate temperature above 30.2 °C resulted in higher plantlet mortality. Larger spectrum in the red range led to the production of better quality plantlet. The use of freshnet shade net promoted adequate conditions for the cultivation of sugarcane plantlets and allows obtaining better quality plantlets.

The objective of this study was to investigate some parameters of the space use by individuals in a population of the hystricognath rodent Thrichomys apereoides (Lund, 1839), using the spool-and-line tracking technique. This technique is useful for investigating characteristics of habitat use by individuals since it allows the mapping of the places where the individuals move. We evaluated three parameters of space use by 34 individuals of T. apereoides: 1) The daily home range (DHR) or the area used by individuals in their daily activities, 2) the distance moved on the leaf litter, and 3) the distance moved above ground using twigs, logs and rocks. The analysis of space use on such a small scale allows a better understanding of how individuals perceive and use the available space. The significant effect of age on DHR and the effect of the sex on the movements above ground were observed. Adult males had larger DHRs than adult females and subadults, and adult females showed the lowest displacement above ground. A statistically significant effect of the sex and seasonal period and the interaction between them was also observed on the size of DHRs of adults. During the dry season, females had lower DHRs than males and both females and males moved less on leaf litter in this season. There was no seasonal effect on the movement of males and females above ground, as well as no significant effect of age and sex on the movement of the individuals on leaf litter. We found that individuals responded differently to some aspects of the habitat structure and concluded that the pattern of movement is influenced by the sex and the age of the individuals and may vary according to ecological conditions.

Linhagens de fungos foram testadas em sistema automatizado Bioscreen para selecionar melhor fonte nutricional. Em seguida, foram estudadas culturas submersas em meios contendo uma única fonte de carbono e de nitrogênio. As linhagens contendo alta concentração de lipídeos tiveram melhor crescimento em meio contendo óleos de gergelim ou de dendê. Maior concentração de ácido γ-linolênico foi obtida com M. circinelloides nas culturas em óleo de gergelim.

The fungi strains were tested in Bioscreen automated system to select the best nutritional source. Following, shaking submserse cultures were studied in media containing sole carbon or nitrogen source. The growth of these strains improved in media containing vegetable oil, with high concentration of lipids. The high concentration of γ-linolenic acid was obtained with M. circinelloides in culture containing sesame oil.

We studied the antimicrobial resistance and the molecular epidemiology of 99 enterococcal surveillance isolates from two hospitals of Brasília, Brazil. Conventional biochemical tests were used to identify the enterococcal species and the disk diffusion method was used to determine their resistance profiles. Enterococcus faecalis (76%) and E. faecium (9%) were the most prevalent species. No enterococci showed the vanA or vanB vancomycin resistance phenotypes or genotypes. Only the intrinsically resistant species E. gallinarum (n=2) and E. casseliflavus (n=3) harbored the vancomycin-resistance genes vanC1 and vanC2/3, respectively. We found E. faecalis isolates with high-level resistance to gentamicin (22%) and streptomycin (8%) and both E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates with resistance to more than two antimicrobials (84% and 67%, respectively). Nine E. faecalis isolates (12%) were resistant to ampicillin; the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were 16µg/mL (n=6) and 32µg/mL (n=3). Among these ampicillin-resistant E. faecalis, seven were also resistant to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, rifampin, penicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and erythromycin. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis classified those isolates in three different genotypes, suggesting dissemination of genetically related ampicillin-resistant E. faecalis strains among different patients.