Abstract The present work aimed to characterize and compare the catalytic properties of amylases from Cunninghamella echinulata and Rhizopus microsporus. The highest production of amylase by C. echinulata, 234.94 U g-1 of dry substrate (or 23.49 U mL-1), was obtained using wheat bran as a substrate, with 50–55% initial moisture and kept at 28 °C for 48 h. The highest production of amylases by R. microsporus, 224.85 U g-1 of dry substrate (or 22.48 U mL-1), was obtained cultivating wheat bran with 65% initial moisture at 45 °C for 24 h. The optimal activity of the amylases was observed at pH 5.0 at 60 °C for C. echinulata enzymes and at pH 4.5 at 65 °C for R. microsporus. The amylases produced by C. echinulata were stable at pH 4.0–8.0, while the R. microsporus enzymes were stable at pH 4.0–10.0. The amylases produced by C. echinulata remained stable for 1 h at 50 °C and the R. microsporus amylases maintained catalytic activity for 1 h at 55 °C. The enzymatic extracts of both fungi hydrolyzed starches from different plant sources and showed potential for liquefaction of starch, however the amylolytic complex of C. echinulata exhibited greater saccharifying potential.

Abstract Microbial β-glucosidases can be used in several industrial processes, including production of biofuels, functional foods, juices, and beverages. In the present work, production of β-glucosidase by solid state cultivation of the fungus Thermoascus crustaceus in a low-cost cultivation medium (comprising agroindustrial residues) was evaluated. The highest production of β-glucosidase, about 415.1 U/g substrate (or 41.51 U/mL), was obtained by cultivating the fungus in wheat bran with 70% humidity, during 96 h at 40°C. The enzymatic activity was optimum at pH 4.5 and 65°C. β-Glucosidase maintained its catalytic activity when incubated at a pH range of 4.0-8.0 and temperature of 30-55°C. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by glucose; even when the substrate and glucose concentrations were equal, the inhibition was not reversed, suggesting a non-competitive inhibition. In the presence of up to 10% ethanol, β-glucosidase maintained its catalytic activity. In addition to β-glucosidase, the enzymatic extract showed activity of 36 U/g for endoglucanase, 256.2 U/g for xylanase, and 18.2 U/g for β-xylosidase. The results allow to conclude that the fungus T. crustaceus has considerable potential for production of β-glucosidase and xylanase when cultivated in agroindustrial residues, thereby reducing the cost of these biocatalysts.

Resumo: O tema conhecimento didático do conteúdo (CDC) é campo de estudo que contribui para a formação de professores e a melhoria da qualidade educacional. Assim, objetivou-se caracterizar o CDC de professores de ciências da natureza e matemática quando estes fazem desenhos curriculares e propor critérios para formação docente que permitam desenvolver currículos mais desejáveis. Realizou-se uma pesquisa descritiva qualitativa, focalizada na análise de conteúdo, sobre unidades e/ou projetos didáticos construídos por dois grupos de professores em formação pós-gradual. A maioria dos desenhos analisados está centrada nos conhecimentos disciplinares, abordando pouco o conhecimento psicopedagógico e deixando de lado os conhecimentos metadisciplinares e contextuais. Portanto, é necessária uma formação docente voltada para a articulação dos saberes enunciados com a prática pedagógica.

Abstract: The pedagogical contentknowledge (PCK) is a field of study that contributes to teacher training and improving educational quality. In this sense, the objective was to characterize the natural science and mathematics teachers’ PCK when they make curricular designs and propose criteria for teacher training in order to develop more desirable curricula. We conducted a qualitative descriptive research, focused on content analysis on units and / or educational projects built by two groups of postgraduate teachers. Most of the analyzed curricular designs are focused on disciplinary knowledge, little addressing the psycho-pedagogical knowledge and leaving aside metadisciplinary and contextual knowledge. Therefore, a teacher’s training focused for the articulation of outlined knowledge with the pedagogical practice is required.

Resumen: El tema conocimiento didáctico del contenido (CDC) es un área de estudio que contribuye a la formación de profesores y a la mejoría de la calidad educativa. Así, se tiene como objetivo caracterizar el CDC de profesores de ciencias de la naturaleza y matemáticas cuando estos hacen diseños curriculares, y proponer criterios para la formación docente que permitan desarrollar currículos más apropiados. Se realizó una investigación descriptiva cualitativa, focalizada en el análisis de contenido, acerca de las unidades y/o proyectos didácticos elaborados por dos grupos de profesores en formación de posgrado. La mayoría de los diseños analizados está centrada en los conocimientos disciplinarios se abordó poco el conocimiento psicopedagógico y no se consideraron los conocimientos metadisciplinarios y contextuales. Por lo tanto, es necesaria una formación docente orientada hacia la articulación de los saberes enunciados con la práctica pedagógica.

Trabalho e depressão; como associar tais fenômenos? Se existe uma incidência elevada de casos de depressão na atualidade, ela se manifestará em diferentes graus nos contextos de trabalho, mesmo que autores reiterem a sua centralidade e importância para a construção da subjetividade. Estudos científicos demonstram a depressão como uma das causas mais expressivas de afastamento do trabalho. O artigo apresenta resultados de um estudo que, por meio da análise de documentos, identificou características de trabalhadores afastados por depressão em uma Universidade do Sul do Brasil. Foram analisados 36 casos identificados como de afastados do trabalho com diagnóstico de depressão e relacionados a motivos diversificados, no período de julho a dezembro de 2009. Os resultados confirmam outros estudos, como a predominância de mulheres, representados por 72% dos casos; e, em muitos casos, há ocorrências sucessivas de afastamentos, inicialmente por períodos curtos, e que foram ampliando o tempo de ausência no trabalho.

Work and depression, how to associate these phenomena? If there is a high incidence of cases of depression today, it will manifest in different degrees in the labor context, even if authors reiterate its centrality and importance to the construction of subjectivity. Scientific studies show depression as one of the most significant causes of absence from work. The paper presents results of a study which has identified characteristics of workers who were away from their work in a University of Southern Brazil due to depression. Thirty six cases were analyzed and identified as people away from work with a diagnosis of depression and related to varied reasons, from July to December 2009. The results confirm other studies such as the predominance of women, represented by 72% of cases, and present data from the historical view of illness, the absence from work and other singularities that permeate the history of the people surveyed.