Federal University of São Carlos

About: Federal University of São Carlos is a education organization based out in São Carlos, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Microstructure. The organization has 16471 authors who have published 34057 publications receiving 456654 citations. The organization is also known as: UFSCar & Federal University of São Carlos.

Developments in solid-state fermentation for the production of biomass-degrading enzymes for the bioenergy sector

Abstract: Solid-state fermentation (SSF) processes have enormous potential for many new applications using the bioconversion of agro-industrial residues into biofuels and other high value-added products. The agricultural sector is currently undergoing global expansion, especially in relation to crops used for energy production as a strategy to reduce dependence on petroleum and mitigate the effects of climate change. Consequently, a similar expansion is expected in the amounts of agricultural and forestry residues generated. The conversion of these lignocellulosic biomasses using enzymes is likely to be a key technology in future biorefineries. However, in order to make the enzymatic conversion of biomass commercially viable, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of (hemi)cellulolytic enzymes production and reduce the costs of the enzymatic cocktails employed. The focus of this review is on recent developments in SSF processes for enzymes production, and the application of such techniques in the bioenergy sector. An overview of the enzymes required for the conversion of biomass, important SSF process variables related to the production of (hemi)cellulolytic enzymes, the bioreactors that have been used for this purpose, and novel SSF configurations is provided. It is hoped that the information gathered together here will assist in the development of SSF processes that enable efficient future production of the enzymes required for the conversion of biomass.

Biogenic silver nanoparticles based on trichoderma harzianum : synthesis, characterization, toxicity evaluation and biological activity

Abstract: White mold is an agricultural disease caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which affects important crops. There are different ways of controlling this organism, but none provides inhibition of its resistance structures (sclerotia). Nanotechnology offers promising applications in agricultural area. Here, silver nanoparticles were biogenically synthesized using the fungus Trichoderma harzianum and characterized. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were evaluated, and the nanoparticles were initially tested against white mold sclerotia. Their effects on soybean were also investigated with no effects observed. The nanoparticles showed potential against S. sclerotiorum, inhibiting sclerotia germination and mycelial growth. Nanoparticle characterization data indicated spherical morphology, satisfactory polydispersity and size distribution. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assays showed that the nanoparticles caused both the effects, although, the most toxic concentrations were above those applied for white mold control. Given the potential of the nanoparticles against S. sclerotiorum, we conclude that this study presents a first step for a new alternative in white mold control.

Marking Time: On the Anthropology of the Contemporary

Abstract: A expressao Marking Time evoca diversos sentidos. Neste livro, Rabinow nos diz que procurara destacar tres possiveis: um intervalo entre acoes; um espaco performativo, tal como o entreato numa composicao; e a possibilidade de uma antropologia que conjugue os aspectos precedentes num inquerito das praticas e formas que caracterizam o mundo contemporâneo. Marking Time da continuidade aos livros Anthropos Today (2003) e A Machine to Make a Future (2005), nos quais o autor elaborou alguns dos conceitos que fundamentam sua proposta de uma antropologia da contemporaneidade. Marking Time resulta das pesquisas de Paul Rabinow durante os anos de 2003 a 2006, periodo no qual se ocupou, sobretudo, das mudancas nos dominios da biotecnologia numa era pos-genomica e da experimentacao de metodos alternativos ao inquerito e producao do conhecimento antropologico. Tendo em vista a miriade de temas e objetos de estudos forjados na seara estabelecida entre a antropologia e as ciencias biologicas, o desafio inicial foi o de compor uma agenda coletiva de pesquisa que foi levada adiante a partir da consolidacao do grupo “The Anthropology of the Contemporary Research Collaboratory”, sediado na Universidade da California (UCLA-Berkeley). Foi tambem neste periodo que Rabinow passou a trabalhar com Robert Brent, diretor do Instituto de Ciencias Moleculares de Berkeley (MSI), um centro de excelencia norte-americano em pesquisas de genoma e biologia computacional. Sua insercao no Instituto tem por objetivo o acompanhamento das iniciativas de Brent e sua equipe no que concerne ao tema da biosseguranca em torno do incipiente campo da biologia sintetica. Messias Basques Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Antropologia Social, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos, Brasil messias.basques@gmail.com