Medición y predicción de la radiación solar global ultravioleta (0.295-0.385 μm) en condiciones de cielos claros y sin nubes (ING)

Values of ultraviolet global solar radiation were measured with an ultraviolet radiometer and also predicted with an atmospheric spectral model. The values obtained with the atmospheric spectral model, which is physically based, were analyzed and compared with the experimental values measured in situ. The measurements were performed for different zenith angles under clear skies conditions in Heredia, Costa Rica. The necessary input data include latitude, altitude, surface albedo, Earth-Sun distance, as well as atmospheric characteristics: atmospheric turbidity, precipitable water and atmospheric ozone. The comparisons between the measured and predicted values gave satisfactory results.

Medición y predicción de la radiación solar global UV-B bajo cielos claros y sin nubes

Se presentan mediciones experimentales de la radiación solar ultravioleta en el rango B del espectro solar (UV-B) y la radiación ultravioleta en el rango total RUV (UV-A+UV-B) en días claros y sin nubes en Heredia, Costa Rica. Se utilizó una radiómetro UV-B, que mide la radiación solar en el rango espectral 280-315 nm, y un radiómetro RUV, que mide la radiación solar en el rango espectral 280-385 nm. La dependencia entre entre UV-B y RUV también fue investigada, y se encontró un excelente grado de asociación entre ambas. Además se detalló que UV-B representa solamente un 5,4% de RUV, a pesar de que UV-B es mil veces más potente que UV-A. Los valores de UV-B medidos in situ fueron comparados con los valores predichos por un modelo atmosférico espectral, el cual utiliza como datos de entrada: la hora del día, la latitud, la altitud, el albedo superficial, la distancia Tierra-Sol, la turbiedad atmosférica y el ozono atmosférico. La comparación entre los valores medidos y predichos dio resultados satisfactorios.

Antibacterial activity of the marine sponge Ircinia Campana collected at Punta Uva Limón against Staphylococcus Aureus

The sponges are simple multicellularorganisms; they inhabit in marine environments from the polar seas to the tropical waterswhere they are more abundant. These species are exposed to large populations of microbes, reason that explains their complex morphological and cellular defense mechanism, which are used by these organisms to fight against pathogens. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the marine sponge Ircinia campana, whichinhabits in the south of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica against  Sthapylococcus aureus gram-positive bacteria. Sampleswere collected in Punta Uva in Limónduring July of 2007. The active compounds were obtainedby extraction with acetone (crude extract); and subsequently, chromatographic extracts were obtained using fractions 1:4 hexane: ethyl acetate. The antibacterial activities of the different fractions, including the  crude extract were tested.Our results suggest a zone of inhibition of 14.60 ±0.25 mm for the crude extract and18.70±0.25mm for the most active fraction separated by chromatography. The metabolite responsible for the antibacterial activity was isolated by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)and preliminarily characterized through ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy.