Exploitation of a single interface flow system for on-line aqueous biphasic extraction

The exploitation of aqueous biphasic extraction is proposed for the first time in flow analysis This extraction strategy stands out for being environmentally attractive since it is based in the utilization of two immiscible phases that are intrinsically aqueous The organic solvents of the traditional liquid-liquid extractions ale no longer used, being replaced by non-toxic, non-flammable and non-volatile ones. A single interface flow analysis (SIFA) system was implemented to carry out the extraction process due to its favourable operational characteristics that include the high automation level and simplicity of operation, the establishment of a dynamic interface where the mass transfer occurred between the two immiscible aqueous phases, and the versatile control over the extraction process namely the extraction time The application selected to demonstrate the feasibility of SIFA to perform this aqueous biphasic extraction was the pre-concentration of lead. After extraction, lead reacted with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid and the resulting product was determined by a fluorimetric detector included in the flow manifold. Therefore, the SIFA single interface was used both as extraction (enrichment) and reaction interface. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Nutritional reserves of Vochysiaceae seeds: chemical diversity and potential economic uses

Contents of proteins, carbohydrates and oil of seeds of 57 individuals of Vochysiaceae, involving one species of Callisthene, six of Qualea, one of Salvertia and eight of Vochysia were determined. The main nutritional reserves of Vochysiaceae seeds are proteins (20% in average) and oils (21. 6%). Mean of carbohydrate contents was 5. 8%. Callisthene showed the lowest protein content (16. 9%), while Q. cordata was the species with the highest content (30% in average). The contents of ethanol soluble carbohydrates were much higher than those of water soluble carbohydrates. Oil contents lay above 20% for most species (30. 4% in V. pygmaea and V. pyramidalis seeds). The predominant fatty acids are lauric (Q. grandiflora), oleic (Qualea and Salvertia) or acids with longer carbon chains (Salvertia and a group of Vochysia species). The distribution of Vochysiaceae fatty acids suggests for seeds of some species an exploitation as food sources (predominance of oleic acid), for other species an alternative to cocoa butter (high contents or predominance of stearic acid) or the production of lubricants, surfactants, detergents, cosmetics and plastic (predominance of acids with C20 or C22 chains) or biodiesel (predominance of monounsaturated acids). The possibility of exploitation of Vochysiaceae products in a cultivation regimen and in extractive reserves is discussed.

Evidences of turbulent mixing in multi-pumping flow systems

Multi-pumping flow systems exploit pulsed flows delivered by Solenoid pumps. Their improved performance rely on the enhanced radial mass transport inherent to the pulsed flow, which is a consequence of the establishment of vortices thus a tendency towards turbulent mixing. This paper presents several evidences of turbulent mixing in relation to pulsed flows. such as recorded peak shape, establishment of fluidized beds, exploitation of flow reversal, implementation of relatively slow chemical reactions and/or heating of the reaction medium. In addition, Reynolds number associated with the GO period of a pulsed flow is estimated and photographic images of dispersing samples flowing under laminar regime and pulsed flow conditions are presented. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacities of 18 non-traditional tropical fruits from Brazil

The bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacities of polyphenolic extracts of 18 fresh and dry native non-traditional fruits from Brazil were determined using ABTS, DDPH, FRAP and beta-carotene bleaching methods. The study provides an adaptation of these methods, along with an evaluation of the compounds related to antioxidant potential. The results show promising perspectives for the exploitation of non-traditional tropical fruit species with considerable levels of nutrients and antioxidant capacity. Although evaluation methods and results reported have not yet been sufficiently standardised, making comparisons difficult, our data add valuable information to current knowledge of the nutritional properties of tropical fruits, such as the considerable antioxidant capacity found for acerola - Malpighia emarginata and camu-camu - Myrciaria dubia (ABTS, DPPH and FRAP) and for puca-preto - Mouriri pusa (all methods). (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical characterization, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity of jussara (Euterpe edulis) fruit from the Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil

Samples of fruit from the jussara palm plant (Euterpe edulis), collected in different regions of the state of Santa Catarina. Brazil, were analyzed for chemical composition. phenolic acids. anthocyanins, flavonoids and fatty acids profile. Results indicated that the jussara fruit has a high lipid content (18.45-44.08%), oleic acid (44.17-55.61%) and linoleic acid (18.19-25.36%) are the fatty acids found in the highest proportion, and other components were proteins (5.13-8.21%). ash (1.55-3.32%) and moisture (34.95-42.47%). Significant differences were found in the total phenolic, total monomeric anthocyanins and other flavonoids for the samples from the five cultivation regions. The fruit from region E harvested in summer, with high temperatures and medium altitudes, had the highest contents of total phenolics (2610.86 +/- 3.89 mg 100 g(-1) GAE) and monomeric anthocyanins (1080.54 +/- 2.33 mg 100g(-1) cy-3-glu). The phenolic compound included ferulic, gallic, hydroxybenzoic and p-coumaric acids, as well as catechin, epicatechin and quercetin. The results show promising perspectives for the exploitation of this tropical fruit with a chemical composition comprising considerable phenolic acids and flavonoids compounds and showing activity antioxidant. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Females of the weevil Zabrotes subfasciatus manipulate the size and number of eggs according to the host seed availability

In some insects, the finding of oviposition substrate triggers the uptake into oocytes of yolk proteins that are stored in the fat body during post-embryonic development. The main host of the bean weevil Zabrotes subfasciatus (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae; Bruchinae; Amblycerini), in which larval resources are the sole source for future egg maturation, is Phaseolus vulgaris. Despite not feeding as adults, females of this species are able to lay eggs after encountering host seeds but it is not known how females react to changes in the availability of bean seeds. In the present study, the behaviour of Z. subfasciatus facing two very different environments for oviposition is investigated, as well as how this influences offspring fitness. The results obtained show that females of Z. subfasciatus react to variations in the availability of seeds belonging to the same host species by adjusting egg size and number. Females on low bean seed density lay larger and fewer eggs than those on high bean seed density, demonstrating a trade-off between these reproductive traits. Moreover, females can adjust egg size to changing levels of host availability during the first 4 days of their oviposition period. Although no difference in offspring weight is found, those from small eggs (low competition environment) result in larger adults. No response to selection on these traits after rearing beetles on the same host for 40 generations is observed. This unresponsiveness may indicate that beetle populations behave according to their reaction norm that already allows rapid adaptation to a varying amount of host-seed availability and better exploitation of the environments of this widespread stored-seed pest.

A description of adaptive and maladaptive behaviour in children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome

Background Psychological tests can be useful to record adaptive and maladaptive behaviours of children with intellectual disability. The objective of this study was to describe the adaptive and maladaptive behaviour of children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome. Methods The sample consisted of 10 children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome (mean chronological age = 11.3 years, mean mental age = 18 months). The developmental quotient was calculated through the Psychoeducational Profile - Revised. An observational protocol was used to record adaptive and maladaptive behaviours. Results The number of maladaptive behaviours observed was different among participants. However, all of them had high rates of adaptive behaviours, such as rule-following. Conclusions These results, though preliminary, justify that we continue to think about the need for psychoeducational interventions aimed at stimulating the repertoire of adaptive behaviours, in people with Cri-du-chat syndrome.

New SMS mutation leads to a striking reduction in spermine synthase protein function and a severe form of Snyder-Robinson X-linked recessive mental retardation syndrome

We report the identification of a novel mutation at a highly conserved residue within the N-terminal region of spermine synthase (SMS) in a second family with Snyder-Robinson X-linked mental retardation syndrome ( OMIM 309583). This missense mutation, p.G56S, greatly reduces SMS activity and leads to severe epilepsy and cognitive impairment. Our findings contribute to a better delineation and expansion of the clinical spectrum of Snyder-Robinson syndrome, support the important role of the N-terminus in the function of the SMS protein, and provide further evidence for the importance of SMS activity in the development of intellectual processing and other aspects of human development.

Regional representativity of AERONET observation sites during the biomass burning season in South America determined by correlation studies with MODIS Aerosol Optical Depth

This paper presents an analysis of ground-based Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) observations by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) in South America from 2001 to 2007 in comparison with the satellite AOD product of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), aboard TERRA and AQUA satellites. Data of 12 observation sites were used with primary interest in AERONET sites located in or downwind of areas with high biomass burning activity and with measurements available for the full time range. Fires cause the predominant carbonaceous aerosol emission signal during the dry season in South America and are therefore a special focus of this study. Interannual and seasonal behavior of the observed AOD at different sites were investigated, showing clear differences between purely fire and urban influenced sites. An intercomparison of AERONET and MODIS AOD annual correlations revealed that neither an interannual long-term trend may be observed nor that correlations differ significantly owing to different overpass times of TERRA and AQUA. Individual anisotropic representativity areas for each AERONET site were derived by correlating daily AOD of each site for all years with available individual MODIS AOD pixels gridded to 1 degrees x 1 degrees. Results showed that for many sites a good AOD correlation (R(2) > 0.5) persists for large, often strongly anisotropic, areas. The climatological areas of common regional aerosol regimes often extend over several hundreds of kilometers, sometimes far across national boundaries. As a practical application, these strongly inhomogeneous and anisotropic areas of influence are being implemented in the tropospheric aerosol data assimilation system of the Coupled Chemistry-Aerosol-Tracer Transport Model coupled to the Brazilian Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (CCATT-BRAMS) at the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE). This new information promises an improved exploitation of local site sampling and, thus, chemical weather forecast.

Historical carbon budget of the brazilian ethanol program

This work models the carbon neutralization capacity of Brazil`s ethanol program since 1975. In addition to biofuel, we also assessed the mitigation potential of other energy products, such as, bioelectricity, and CO(2) emissions captured during fermentation of sugar cane`s juice. Finally, we projected the neutralization capacity of sugar cane`s bio-energy system over the next 32 years. The balance between several carbon stocks and flows was considered in the model, including the effects of land-use change. Our results show that the neutralization of the carbon released due to land-use change was attained only in 1992, and the maximum mitigation potential of the sugar cane sector was 128 tonnes Of CO(2) per ha in 2006. An ideal reconstitution of the deployment of the sugar cane sector, including the full exploitation of bio-electricity`s potential, plus the capture Of CO(2) released during fermentation, shows that the neutralization of land-use change emissions would have been achieved in 1988, and its mitigation potential would have been 390 tCO(2)/ha. Finally, forecasts of the sector up to 2039 shows that the mitigation potential in 2039 corresponds to 836 tCO(2)/ha, which corresponds to 5.51 kg Of CO(2) per liter of ethanol produced, or 55% above the negative emission level. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and analgesic profile of conformationally constrained N-acylhydrazone analogues: Discovery of novel N-arylideneamino quinazolin-4(3H)-one compounds derived from natural safrole

In this work we reported the synthesis and evaluation of the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and platelet anti-aggregating properties of new 3-(arylideneamino)-2-methyl-6,7-methylenedioxy-quinazolin-4 (3H)-one derivatives (3a-j), designed as conformationally constrained analogues of analgesic 1,3- benzodioxolyl-N- acylhydrazones (1) previously developed at LASSBio. Target compounds were synthesized in very good yields exploiting abundant Brazilian natural product safrole (2) as starting material. The pharmacological assays lead us to identify compounds LASSBio-1240 (3b) and LASSBio-1272 (3d) as new analgesic prototypes, presenting an antinociceptive pro. le more potent and effective than dipyrone and indomethacin used, respectively, as standards in AcOH-induced abdominal constrictions assay and in the formalin test. These results confirmed the success in the exploitation of conformation restriction strategy for identification of novel cyclic N-acylhydrazone analogues with optimized analgesic profile (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Major- and trace-element composition of olivine, perovskite, clinopyroxene, Cr-Fe-Ti oxides, phlogopite and host kamafugites and kimberlites, Alto Paranaiba, Brazil

An integrated whole-rock petrographic and geochemical study has been carried out on kamafugites and kimberlites of the Late Cretaceous Alto Paranaiba igneous province, in Brazil, and their main minerals, olivine, clinopyroxene, perovskite, phlogopite, spinels and ilmenite. Perovskite is by far the dominant repository for light lanthanides, Nb, Ta, Th and U, and occasionally other elements, reaching concentrations up to 3.4 x 10(4) chondrite values for light lanthanides and 105 chondrite for Th. A very strong fractionation between light and heavy lanthanides (chondrite-normalized La/Yb from similar to 175 to similar to 2000) is also observed. This is likely the first comprehensive dataset on natural perovskite. Clinopyroxene has variable trace-element contents. likely due to the different position of this phase in the crystallization sequence; Sc reaches values as high as 200 ppm whereas the lanthanides show very variable enrichment in light over heavy REE, and commonly show a negative Eu anomaly. The olivine, phlogopite (and tetra-ferriphlogopite), Cr-Ti oxide and ilmenite are substantially barren minerals for lanthanides and most other trace elements, with the exception of Ba, Cs and Rb in mica, and V, Nb and Ta in ilmenite. Estimated mineral/whole-rock partition coefficients for lanthanides in perovskite are similar to previous determinations, though much higher than those calculated in experiments with synthetic compositions, testifying once more to the complex behavior of these elements in a natural environment. The enormous potential for exploitation of lanthanides, Th, U and high-field-strength elements in the Brazilian kamafugites, kimberlites and related rocks is clearly shown.