The aim of this study was to extract mucilage from O. cochenillifera (L.) cacti and determine its functional and physicochemical properties. The best mucilage yield (31%) was obtained by nonthermal extraction with hydration. The mucilage has appreciable carbohydrate and protein contents. The phytochemical analysis shown the presence of alkaloids and terpenes/steroids. The Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectrum of the mucilage exhibits typical bands for carbohydrates as O–H, C–H, and –COO−. The mucilage demonstrated water- and oil-holding capacities of 2.78 g water/g dry mucilage and 1.80 g oil/g dry mucilage, respectively, these properties can have a positive effect on the texture of the products when used as a stabilizer. The mildly acidic pH (4.8–5) contributes to its emulsifying capacity. The presence of electrolytes in the mucilage can be of great value in flocculation processes. The mucilage forms low viscosity solutions in the same manner as gum Arabic. Finally, its potential for use as a textile dye remover was evaluated, achieving a 70% removal rate from aqueous solutions. The prepared mucilage exhibits properties that recommend it as a natural material that can be used as an additive in the chemical, food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries, as well as in decontamination processes.

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Upon mutation of Asn130 to aspartate, the catalytic activity of human arginase I was reduced to ∼ 17% of wild‐type activity, the Km value for arginine was increased ∼ 9‐fold, and the kcat/Km value was reduced ∼ 50‐fold. The kinetic properties were much less affected by replacement of Asn130 with glutamine. In contrast with the wild‐type and N130Q enzymes, the N130D variant was active not only on arginine but also on its decarboxylated derivative, agmatine. Moreover, it exhibited no preferential substrate specificity for arginine over agmatine (kcat/Km values of 2.48 × 103 m−1·s−1 and 2.14 × 103 m−1·s−1, respectively). After dialysis against EDTA and assay in the absence of added Mn2+, the N130D mutant enzyme was inactive, whereas about 50% full activity was expressed by the wild‐type and N130Q variants. Mutations were not accompanied by changes in the tryptophan fluorescence properties, thermal stability or chromatographic behavior of the enzyme. An active site conformational change is proposed as an explanation for the altered substrate specificity and low catalytic efficiency of the N130D variant.

The kraft pulping process was evaluated in this study as a pretreatment of Eucalyptus globulus for bioethanol production. Wood chips were pretreated under different pulping conditions (155°C and 165°C; 15 and 20 % alkali active AA, 15-60 min). A total of 12 pulps were obtained, with pulp yields ranging from 49 to 57%. Glucan remained in pulps were from 77% and 90%, while 50% of the hemicelluloses were solubilized. Lignin removal increased with increased severity of cooking (high active alkali charge, pretreatment time and temperature) reaching delignification over 78%. The enzymatic hydrolysis of kraft pulps with cellulase presented a rapid glucan conversion rate to glucose with values over 90%. Lignin, hemicellulose removal, as well as, cellulose polymerization degree showed an effect on the increment of enzymatic hydrolysis. The degree of crystallinity increased slightly between 1-5%, having no effect on the enzymatic hydrolysis. The simultaneous saccharification and fermentation was performed (SFS) at 10% substrate consistency with a production at 30-38 g ethanol/L. The maximum amount of ethanol that could be produced from E. globulus is 258 g ethanol/kg wood, assuming total glucose conversion into ethanol. The amounts of ethanol obtained from the different pulps varied between 168-202 g ethanol/kg wood. The ethanol yields obtained from kraft pulps varied between 65 and 78% (wood basis). The maximum ethanol yield was 78% at 155°C, 15% AA and 60 min reaction, while the yield was 74% at 165°C, 15% AA and 30 min of reaction time. Results showed that an efficient enzymatic hydrolysis at low enzyme loads could be obtained from kraft pulps employing less severe conditions than those used to produce bleachable -grade pulps.

This article shows the methodology and the main figures of the local and regional economic impact generated by cruise activity. This article is pioneering in combining different issues: estimating the impact of the cruise port activity, presenting these impacts disaggregated at a sectoral level, using a rigorous methodology and carrying out extensive fieldwork. It is demonstrated that all sectors, not just traditional tourism-related sectors, benefit from cruise tourism. In order to test and apply our methodology we focus the analysis in The Port of Barcelona, which has become the leading cruise port in the Mediterranean area.

Characterizing the chemical properties of forage is critical for the production of improved pastures and livestock development. Conventional analysis methods are very time-and material-consuming, whereas near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and chemometric analyses allow a fast simultaneous determination of various chemical or physical properties without the use of solvents or large sample amounts. The present research involved the development of models based on NIRS and partial least squares regression (PLS) to estimate the neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose, and crude protein (CP) contents in Brachiaria spp. forage samples. The models were constructed using spectral data in the range of 800 to 1850 nm. Different preprocessing methods were applied, such as standard normal variate and first-/second-derivative transformations. The obtained calibration models were internally cross-validated, displaying validation errors similar to those obtained for conventional methods. The predictive abilities of the developed models were evaluated for external set samples. NDF, ADF, cellulose, and CP contents were estimated with relative errors of prediction (REPs) of 1.8, 2.6, 4.1, and 8.5%, respectively. NIRS predictions are a useful and profitable tool for fast multi-sample chemical property analysis that is required for the assessment of forage quality. The obtained models are suitable for estimating the key chemical characteristics of forage quality. This research contributes a new approach to determining the quality of Brachiaria spp. forage and provides a new technological tool for the improvement of this crop.

Nephelium lappaceum and its by-products have great potential in the agricultural, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Some studies have shown that N. lappaceum by-products exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties. However, studies focused on identifying these compounds are rare. The availability of polyphenolic compounds can vary according to environmental conditions, soil, plant variety, and agronomic management. Therefore, in this study, the active compounds in extracts of the N. lappaceum peel were identified, and their antioxidant properties were evaluated using various extraction solvents and both ultrasonic and boiling extraction techniques. The chemical characterization of the N. lappaceum peel exhibited carbohydrate and reducing sugar contents of 12 and 2%, respectively. Phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of flavonoids, tannins, terpenes, and steroids. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents and total antioxidant capacity were the highest in the hydroethanolic extract obtained by ultrasound, with values of 340 mg gallic acid equivalents g−1, 76 mg quercetin equivalents g−1, and 2.9 mmol of Trolox equivalents g−1, respectively. Contrarily, the total anthocyanin content was higher in the acid extract obtained by ultrasound, with a value of 0.7 mg cyanidin-3-O-glucoside equivalents g−1. A total of 18 compounds—including hydroxybenzene, phenolic acid, flavonoids, fatty acids (saturated, unsaturated, and ester), vitamin, arenecarbaldehyde, and phthalate—were identified for the first time in the N. lappaceum peel using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The identified compounds have been previously isolated from other plants and reportedly exhibit anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. Thus, the N. lappaceum peel was shown to be a potential source of bioactive compounds of immense importance in the pharmacological and food industries.

The gene coding for F5H from Eucalyptus globulus was cloned and used to transform an f5h -mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana , which was complemented, thus verifying the identity of the cloned gene. Coniferaldehyde 5-hydroxylase (F5H; EC 1.14.13) is a cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase that catalyzes the 5-hydroxylation step required for the production of syringyl units in lignin biosynthesis. The Eucalyptus globulus enzyme was characterized in vitro, and results showed that the preferred substrates were coniferaldehyde and coniferyl alcohol. Complementation experiments demonstrated that both cDNA and genomic constructs derived from F5H from E. globulus under the control of the cinnamate 4-hydroxylase promoter from Arabidopsis thaliana, or a partial F5H promoter from E. globulus, can rescue the inability of the A. thaliana fah1-2 mutant to accumulate sinapate esters and syringyl lignin. E. globulus is a species widely used to obtain products that require lignin removal, and the results suggest that EglF5H is a good candidate for engineering efforts aimed at increasing the lignin syringyl unit content, either for kraft pulping or biofuel production.