Caracterização e quantificação de marcadores químicos do extrato hidroetanólico das folhas de Kalanchoe brasiliensis Cambess

Kalanchoe brasiliensis Cambess (Crassulaceae), commonly known as saião , coirama branca , folha grossa , is originally from Brazil and commonly found in São Paulo to Bahia, mainly in the coastal zone. Regarding of biological activities, most preclinical studies were found in the literature, mainly about the anti-inflammatory activity of extracts obtained from leaves and / or aerial parts of K. brasiliensis. As regards the chemical constitution, it has been reported mainly the presence of flavonoids in the leaves of the species, but until this moment did not knows which are the active compounds. Although it is a species widely used in traditional medicine in Brazil, there is no monograph about the quality parameters of the plant drug. In this context, this study aims to characterize and quantify the chemical markers of hydroethanolic extract (HE) from the leaves of K. brasiliensis, which can be used in quality control of plant drug and derivatives obtained from this species. The methodology was divided into two parts: i. Phytochemical study: to fractionate, isolate and characterizate of the chemical (s) marker (s) of the HE from the leaves of K. brasiliensis; ii. To Developed validate of analytical method by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detector (DAD) to quantify the chemical (s) marker (s) of the EH. i. The EH 50% was prepared by turbo extraction method. It was then submitted to liquid-liquid partition, obtaining dichloromethane, n-butanol and ethyl acetate (AcOEt) fractions. The AcOEt fraction was selected to continue the fractionation process, because it has a chemical profile rich in flavonoids. The acOEt fraction was submitted to column chromatography using different systems for obtaining the compound Kb1. To identify this compound, it was submitted to UV analysis ii. For quantitative analysis, the EH was analyzed by HPLC, using different methods. After selecting the most appropriate method, which showed satisfactory resolution and symmetrical peaks, it was validated according to parameters in the RE 899/2003. As result, it was obtained from the AcOEt fraction the compound Kb1 (2.7 mg). Until this moment, the basic nucleus was characterized by UV analysis using shift reagents. The partial chemical structure of the compound Kb1 was identified as a flavonol, containing hydroxyls in 3 , 4 position (ring A), 5 and 7 free (ring B) and a replacement of the C3 hydroxyl by a sugar. As the analysis were performed in the HPLC coupled to a DAD, we observed that the UV spectrum of the major peaks of EH from K. brasiliensis shown similar UV spectrum. According to the literature, it has been reported the presence of patuletin glycosydes derivatives in the leaves of this species. Therefore, it is suggested that the compound Kb1 is glycosylated patuletin derivative. Probably the sugar (s) unit(s) are linked in the C3 in the C ring. . Regarding the development of HPLC analytical method, the system used consists of phase A: water: formic acid (99,7:0,3, v / v) and phase B: methanol: formic acid (99,7:0,3, v / v), elution gradient of 40% B - 58% B in 50 minutes, ccolumn (Hichrom ®) C18 (250x4, 0 mm, 5 μm), flow rate 0.8 mL / min, UV detection at 370 nm, temperature 25 ° C. In the analysis performed with the co-injection of thecompound Kb1 + HE of K. brasiliensis was observed that it is one of the major compounds with a retention time of 12.47 minutes and had a content of 15.3% in EH of leaves from K. brasiliensis. The method proved to be linear, precise, accurate and reproducible. According to these results, it was observed that compound Kb1 can be used as a chemical marker of EH from leaves of K. brasiliensis, to assist in quality control of drug plant and its derivatives

Análise e síntese de antenas e superfícies seletivas de frequência utilizando computação evolucionária e inteligência de enxames

The frequency selective surfaces, or FSS (Frequency Selective Surfaces), are structures consisting of periodic arrays of conductive elements, called patches, which are usually very thin and they are printed on dielectric layers, or by openings perforated on very thin metallic surfaces, for applications in bands of microwave and millimeter waves. These structures are often used in aircraft, missiles, satellites, radomes, antennae reflector, high gain antennas and microwave ovens, for example. The use of these structures has as main objective filter frequency bands that can be broadcast or rejection, depending on the specificity of the required application. In turn, the modern communication systems such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and WiMAX, whose services are highly demanded by society, have required the development of antennas having, as its main features, and low cost profile, and reduced dimensions and weight. In this context, the microstrip antenna is presented as an excellent choice for communications systems today, because (in addition to meeting the requirements mentioned intrinsically) planar structures are easy to manufacture and integration with other components in microwave circuits. Consequently, the analysis and synthesis of these devices mainly, due to the high possibility of shapes, size and frequency of its elements has been carried out by full-wave models, such as the finite element method, the method of moments and finite difference time domain. However, these methods require an accurate despite great computational effort. In this context, computational intelligence (CI) has been used successfully in the design and optimization of microwave planar structures, as an auxiliary tool and very appropriate, given the complexity of the geometry of the antennas and the FSS considered. The computational intelligence is inspired by natural phenomena such as learning, perception and decision, using techniques such as artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, fractal geometry and evolutionary computation. This work makes a study of application of computational intelligence using meta-heuristics such as genetic algorithms and swarm intelligence optimization of antennas and frequency selective surfaces. Genetic algorithms are computational search methods based on the theory of natural selection proposed by Darwin and genetics used to solve complex problems, eg, problems where the search space grows with the size of the problem. The particle swarm optimization characteristics including the use of intelligence collectively being applied to optimization problems in many areas of research. The main objective of this work is the use of computational intelligence, the analysis and synthesis of antennas and FSS. We considered the structures of a microstrip planar monopole, ring type, and a cross-dipole FSS. We developed algorithms and optimization results obtained for optimized geometries of antennas and FSS considered. To validate results were designed, constructed and measured several prototypes. The measured results showed excellent agreement with the simulated. Moreover, the results obtained in this study were compared to those simulated using a commercial software has been also observed an excellent agreement. Specifically, the efficiency of techniques used were CI evidenced by simulated and measured, aiming at optimizing the bandwidth of an antenna for wideband operation or UWB (Ultra Wideband), using a genetic algorithm and optimizing the bandwidth, by specifying the length of the air gap between two frequency selective surfaces, using an optimization algorithm particle swarm

Um estudo de metamaterial em antenas de microfita

Metamaterials have attracted a great attention in recent years mostly due to their electromagnetic properties not found in nature. Since metamaterials began to be synthesized by the insertion of artificially manufactured inclusions in a medium specified host , it provides the researcher a broad collection of independent parameters such as the electromagnetic properties of the material host. In this work was presents an investigation of the unique properties of Split Ring Resonators and compounds metamaterials was performed. We presents a theoretical and numerical analysis , using the full-wave formalism by applying the Transverse Transmission Line - LTT method for the radiation characteristics of a rectangular microstrip antenna using metamaterial substrate, as is successfully demonstrated the practical use of these structures in antennas. We experimentally confirmed that composite metamaterial can improved the performance of the structures considered in this thesis

Método dinâmico aplicado para antenas cilíndricas

Nowadays there has been a major breakthrough in the aerospace area, with regard to rocket launches to research, experiments, telemetry system, remote sensing, radar system (tracking and monitoring), satellite communications system and insertion of satellites in orbit. This work aims at the application of a circular cylindrical microstrip antenna, ring type, and other cylindrical rectangular in structure of a rocket or missile to obtain telemetry data, operating in the range of 2 to 4 GHz, in S-band. Throughout this was developed just the theoretical analysis of the Transverse transmission line method which is a method of rigorous analysis in spectral domain, for use in rockets and missiles. This analyzes the spread in the direction "ρ" , transverse to dielectric interfaces "z" and "φ", for cylindrical coordinates, thus taking the general equations of electromagnetic fields in function of e [1]. It is worth mentioning that in order to obtain results, simulations and analysis of the structure under study was used HFSS program (High Frequency Structural Simulator) that uses the finite element method. With the theory developed computational resources were used to obtain the numerical calculations, using Fortran Power Station, Scilab and Wolfram Mathematica ®. The prototype was built using, as a substrate, the ULTRALAM ® 3850, of Rogers Corporation, and an aluminum plate as a cylindrical structure used to support. The agreement between the measured and simulated results validate the established processes. Conclusions and suggestions are presented for continuing this work

Estudo da produção de biossurfactantes sintetizados por Pseudomonas aeruginosa AP029-GVIIA utilizando manipueira como fonte de carbono

This study evaluates the biosurfactants production from cassava wastewater, an agro industrial residue, to be used as carbon source. Using a factorial design 24-1 (half fraction), 10 tests were performed using Pseudomonas aeruginosa AP029/GVII-A in submerged batch cultivation in rotating incubator (shaker). The influence of factors (temperature, agitation, aeration ratio and concentration of cultivation medium) at two different levels for the synthesis of the biosurfactant. Samples were collected throughout the cultivation by 132 hours of fermentation were completed. The best outcome was intended by following production through substrate consumption, dry matter, reduction of surface tension (ring method) and emulsification index. The kinetics of microorganism was assessed for the carbon source used. The results showed that the cassava wastewater is a well assimilable substrate for the production of biotensoactive, reaching 91 % of consumption by the micro-organism under study. The growth temperature was found to be one of the leading factors in the synthesis of the metabolite, followed by aeration and also due to the agitation. The best results showed a 30 % reduction in surface tension (% RTS) for the environment, reaching values of 30 mN/m; 3.0 g /L of biomass and emulsifying index greater than 65 %. The metabolite synthesized still remained stable for different salt concentrations (1, 5 and 10 % w/ v) and alkaline pH (8-10).

Fractais e percolação na recuperação de Petróleo

The complex behavior of a wide variety of phenomena that are of interest to physicists, chemists, and engineers has been quantitatively characterized by using the ideas of fractal and multifractal distributions, which correspond in a unique way to the geometrical shape and dynamical properties of the systems under study. In this thesis we present the Space of Fractals and the methods of Hausdorff-Besicovitch, box-counting and Scaling to calculate the fractal dimension of a set. In this Thesis we investigate also percolation phenomena in multifractal objects that are built in a simple way. The central object of our analysis is a multifractal object that we call Qmf . In these objects the multifractality comes directly from the geometric tiling. We identify some differences between percolation in the proposed multifractals and in a regular lattice. There are basically two sources of these differences. The first is related to the coordination number, c, which changes along the multifractal. The second comes from the way the weight of each cell in the multifractal affects the percolation cluster. We use many samples of finite size lattices and draw the histogram of percolating lattices against site occupation probability p. Depending on a parameter, ρ, characterizing the multifractal and the lattice size, L, the histogram can have two peaks. We observe that the probability of occupation at the percolation threshold, pc, for the multifractal is lower than that for the square lattice. We compute the fractal dimension of the percolating cluster and the critical exponent β. Despite the topological differences, we find that the percolation in a multifractal support is in the same universality class as standard percolation. The area and the number of neighbors of the blocks of Qmf show a non-trivial behavior. A general view of the object Qmf shows an anisotropy. The value of pc is a function of ρ which is related to its anisotropy. We investigate the relation between pc and the average number of neighbors of the blocks as well as the anisotropy of Qmf. In this Thesis we study likewise the distribution of shortest paths in percolation systems at the percolation threshold in two dimensions (2D). We study paths from one given point to multiple other points. In oil recovery terminology, the given single point can be mapped to an injection well (injector) and the multiple other points to production wells (producers). In the previously standard case of one injection well and one production well separated by Euclidean distance r, the distribution of shortest paths l, P(l|r), shows a power-law behavior with exponent gl = 2.14 in 2D. Here we analyze the situation of one injector and an array A of producers. Symmetric arrays of producers lead to one peak in the distribution P(l|A), the probability that the shortest path between the injector and any of the producers is l, while the asymmetric configurations lead to several peaks in the distribution. We analyze configurations in which the injector is outside and inside the set of producers. The peak in P(l|A) for the symmetric arrays decays faster than for the standard case. For very long paths all the studied arrays exhibit a power-law behavior with exponent g ∼= gl.

Avaliação da genotoxicidade das águas do lençol freático sob a Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The groundwater represents the most important freshwater supply of planet. Dailly, in all world a great amount of toxic and genotoxic material reaches the aquatic systems, mainly the aquifers. The Barreiras aquifer through of five water wells is responsible for the supplying of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). All water wells are polluted with nitrate and some heavy metals, two of them were disabled. The genotoxicity of groundwater samples from Barreiras Aquifer in UFRN was assessed using the Allium cepa test, the Ames test and the Salmonella typhymurium microsuspension test (Kado test). For the Allium cepa test the influence of the groundwater samples collected on macroscopic (root length, colour and form) and microscopic (root tip mitotic index, chromosome aberrations and micronucleus) parameters was examined. All water samples caused a significant increase of the chromosome and mitotic aberration frequency and reduction on the rooth growth compared to negative control. Bridges and chromosome stickness were the most frequent kind of aberration in dividing cells. Furthermore, breaks were also observed. No significant increase in the number of micronuclei was found in relation to the negative controls. For Ames test were used the Salmonella typhymurium strains TA98 and TA100 without metabolic activation, applying the direct method. Prior to the Kado test, organic fractions from the water samples were obtained through XAD resin concentration. The mutagenicity organic extracts were evaluated by Kado test using TA98 and TA100 strains, in the absence and presence of S9 mix (metabolic activation). The concentrations of seven heavy metal ions were measured in water samples, but only Ni, Cu and Cr levels exceeded the permissible maximum concentration for the natural reservoirs. The results obtained for mutagenic activity using the Ames test were negative in all raw water samples analyzed. Positive results in XAD4 extracts of water samples were obtained for TA98 in the presence of S9 mix for two stations. Concentrations of heavy metals and nitrate can be correlated with the toxicity and genotoxicity of water analyzed. The mutagenic effect detected with TA98 strain suggested that organic compounds (after metabolization) are involved with the mutagenicity detected in the samples analyzed. The data set obtained in this work indicated the presence of at least two classes of mutagens: organic and inorganic compounds

Validação de metodologia para análise de aminas bioativas em camarão utilizando cromatografia de íons

In this study, we worked with the validation of a methodology for analysis of bioactive amines in shrimp, considering it to be one of the main products of the northriograndense trade balance, maintaining the state of Rio Grande do Norte topped the list of Brazilian exports of this product the last decade. The sector of the Brazilian shrimp works exclusively with gray shrimp Litopenaeus Vannamei since the late 1990s. This study used liquid chromatography with conductimetric detector, using as the mobile phase methylsulfonic 3 mM acid (MSA) with gradient and phase C18 column with reverse the development of methodology for the analysis of bioactive amines in shrimp. In the sample preparation was used as 5% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) extraction solution. Validation analysis of biotativas amines (putrescine - PUT, histamine - HIST, agmatine - AGM, spermidine - EPD and spermine - EPN) in shrimp, the linear working range was 0.1 to 2.0 mg L-1 to was sensitive, homoscedastic, in effect, selective, accurate and precise array. Thus, considered feasible for these determinations bioactive amines in this array. Determined the concentration of these amines in fresh shrimps (AGM = 0.61 ± 0.05 mg kg- 1 EPD = 2.57 ± 0.14 mg kg-1 and EPN = 1.79 ± 0.11 mg kg-1), and freezing weather predetermined in cooked shrimp (AGM = 6.28 ± 0.18 mg kg-1, EPD = 12.72 ± 0.02 mg kg- 1 and EPN = 22.30 ± 0.60 mg kg-1), the shrimp with twenty-four hour stay at room temperature (PUT = 879.52 ± 28.12 mg kg-1, AGM = 848.13 ± 19.40 mg kg-1, ESPD = 13.59 ± 0.97 mg kg-1 and ESPN = 18.47 + 1.57 mg kg-1). In shrimp subjected to freezing for a week, two weeks, three weeks and four weeks, the results showed that there is an increase in the content of agmatine (7.31 ± 0.21 mg kg-1) while in spermine ( 1.22 ± 0.14 mg kg-1) and spermidine (below limit of quantification) there was a decrease in the freeze time, while there is a decrease in the level of spermidine not reaching detectad. The putrescine was only found in shrimp that remained for 24 hours at room temperature and histamine was not found in any of the samples