Determination of the sodium monofluoroacetate in serum by gas chromatography

Sodium monofluoroacetate (NAFAc) has been widely used for vertebrate pest control, such as rabbits in Australia. However NAFAc is extremely toxic to all vertebrates and its use is restricted. Although this compound is stringently restricted, the occurrence of accidental and homicidal poisoning is no ever-present possibility.The method developed in this work shows the applicability of SPE with alumina cartridges for the extraction of NAFAc from serum samples. The method is efficient with recoveries of at least 96.8% from spiked serum. The samples were subsequently derivatized with dicyclohexylcabodiimide (DCC), using 2,4-dichloroaniline (DCA), to make the product volatile for GC analysis.

Root instrumentation with an erbium : yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser: Effect on the morphology of fibroblasts

Objective: the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser instrumentation of root surfaces on the morphology of fibroblasts from continuous lineage. Method and materials: Dentinal slices with 4 mm(2) of surface area were obtained from teeth extracted for severe periodontal involvement. Specimens were assigned to one of three treatment groups: group 1, application of the laser with an energy level of 250 mJ at 103 pulses per second; group 2, application of the laser with an energy level of 80 mJ at 166 pulses per second; and group 3, similar to group 2, but with concomitant water irrigation of the device. The specimens were incubated in multiwell plates containing cell culture media. After 24 hours, the specimens were submitted to routine preparation for scanning electron microscopy. Three independent and blind examiners used photomicrographs to evaluate the morphology of the fibroblasts: 0 = without cells; 1 = flat cells; 2 = round cells; and 3 = combination of round and flat cells. Results: Statistical analysis indicated that there were significant differences among treatment groups and that group 3 was significantly different from groups 1 and 2. Conclusion: There was no difference between groups 1 and 2 in the morphology of fibroblasts. Laser instrumentation with concomitant irrigation impaired the adhesion of fibroblasts to dentinal surfaces.

Doses de inoculante e nitrogênio na semeadura da soja em área de primeiro cultivo

The inoculation of soybean crop with Bradyrhizobium bacteria is a widespread practice, due to excellent results achieved in productivity, however, some doubt still arise in relation the need of application of mineral nitrogen at sowing. In that mean, this work aimed to evaluate the response of the doses at inoculant and mineral nitrogen in the sowing of crop soybean in area of first cultivation. The experiments were carried in the experimental field of the University of the Estate of Mato Grosso, Campus of Alta Floresta - MT, Brazil, in the growing seasons of 2006/2007 and 2007/2008. The experimental design was randomized blocks, in a factorial escheme 2 x 4, with four replications. The factors consisted in the inoculation of seeds with Bradyrhizobium japonicum *(3 e 6 mL kg(-1) of seeds), and nitrogen fertilizer at sowing *(0, 10, 20 e 40 kg ha(-1)). The following variables were evaluated: plant height, insertion height of first pod, number of pod per plant, number of grain per pod, mass of 100 grain and grain productivity. In the two growing seasons there was no significant difference for doses of inoculants applied in first year of cultivation with soybean. To nitrogen application at sowing of soybean crop there was quadratic effect to plant height and of insertion height of first pod and growing linear to number of pod per plant in the second year of cultivation, however, without significant increase the productivity.

The relationship between dairy cow hygiene and somatic cell count in milk

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Speciation of lead in seawater and river water by using Saccharomyces cerevisiae immobilized in agarose gel as a binding agent in the diffusive gradients in thin films technique

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cardiorespiratory and neuroendocrine changes induced by methadone in conscious and in isoflurane anaesthetised dogs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Geographic distribution and morphological variation in Mimon bennettii (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Photoluminescence property of Ba(Zr0.25Ti0.75)O-3 powders prepared by solid state reaction and polymeric precursor method

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

CLINICAL STUDY of NATURAL INFECTION BY Trypanosoma cruzi IN DOGS RESIDING IN A RURAL AREA IN MATO GROSSO do SUL STATE, BRAZIL

This study was carried out to describe the clinical characteristics of natural infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs that reside in a rural area of Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. Conventional and nonconventional diagnostic methods were used for screening T. cruzi infection in 75 dogs that lived in the area. Cardiovascular tests and biochemical examination of sera were also performed in four confirmed positive dogs. The following techniques were employed: indirect immunofluorescence test (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with T. cruzi epimastigote antigens (EAE-ELISA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with T. cruzi excreted-secreted trypomastigote antigens (TESA-ELISA) with antibodies detected in 45.33% (n = 34), 24.0% (n = 18) and 12.0% (n = 9) of the dogs, respectively. The current prevalence of the infection was confirmed as 10.7% (n = 8) by immunoblotting test with T. cruzi excreted-secreted antigens (TESA-blot). The test that showed the best concordance index (Kappa; 0.93), sensitivity (100%) and specificity (98.5%) was TESA-ELISA, that when associated with IFAT had the same results as those obtained by TESA-blot (10.7%). Three out of the four chagasic animals showed enlarged cardiac silhouette on X-ray and an increase of the P-wave duration and QRS complex in electrocardiogram. Two dogs presented conduction disturbances, right bundle branch block in one dog and first-degree atrioventricular block and sinus arrest in another. The ecodopplercardiography presented left-ventricular-wall thickness increased during diastole, decrease of the shortening fraction and inversion in the speed peaks of the E and A waves, indicating the presence of systolic and diastolic disorders. The four animals showed enzymatic activities of creatine kinase (221-404 U/L), MB fraction of creatine kinase (189-304 U/L), elevated total proteins (7.6-10.2 g/dL) and total globulins (4.6-7.7g/dL) and reduction of albumin/globulin ratio, which suggested a myocardial injury and continuous antigenic stimulus.

Crystal structure of the triclinic form of (2tbpo·H +)2tetrachlorocuprate(II){[(PhCH2) 3PO]2H}2CuCl4: The presence of extremely short O-H-O interactions

The structure of {[(PhCH2)3PO]2H} 2CuCl4 has been shown to contain four [(PhCH 2)3PO]2H+ cations with extremely short O-H-O distances of 2.295, 2.364, 2.394, and 2.404 Å, respectively.

Pore structure characterization of kaolin, metakaolin, and their acid-treated products using small-angle X-ray scattering

Pore structure of dealuminated kaolin and metakaolin was studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Both parent kaolin and metakaolin have about 10% of the total pore volume provided by globular pores with 105 Å mean pore size. Their surface area is about 14 m2/g. Acid dealumination of kaolin causes an increase of its globular pore volume without an appreciable change in the mean pore size, its surface area increasing up to about 90 m2/g. Acid dealumination of metakaolin enhances the globular pore volume, although there is generation of slit-shaped pores with a narrow thickness distribution whose mean value is 14 Å. This interlayer spacing causes an increase in surface area of about 190 m2/g by SAXS. © 1994.

Processo educativo: sociedade e natureza. As Geociencias como vetor no processo educativo

This paper presents methodological questions and new ideas related to the Geosciences concepts and its development in association to the Natural Sciences study for Elementary and Basic Schools. Special attention has been focused to the NIMEC', a project responsible for programs to the Natural Sciences progress and global information in the Environmental Education. The geologic environment relationships constitute the demarcator that includes some Environmental Education matter. Interdisciplinary focus seems to be the most adequate way to the necessary community participation. -English summary

Avaliação do triticale (X triticosecale wittimack) para silagem

Silages from three cultivars of triticale (X Triticosecale wittimack) were evaluated at the UNESP, Jaboticabal, Brazil. The cultivars FCA VJ-CB-01, FCA VJ-CB-02, and FCA VJ-CB-03 were harvested for silage in three growing stages of maturity; beginning of flowering, (S1), milk stage (S2), and dough stages (S3). Data were analyzed by randomized complete block with three replications. The DM (%) values increased while the CP (%DM) and buffering capacity (me HCl/100 g DM) decreased with plant development. Silages of plants harvested at S3 stage had higher pH and N-NH3 values compared to the S1 and S2 silages. The soluble carbohydrates contents (%DM) were higher at the S2 stage (16.9%) and were not different at the S1 (8.7%) and S3 (9.2%) stages. The crude energy contents (Kcal/kg MS) increased while the ADF, NDF, cellulose, and hemicellulose (DM%) decreased due to the presence of dough grains. This was not observed with the lignin contents. The IVDMD values were 66.3, 60.1 and 58.9%, for plants harvested at the S1, S2, and S3 stages, respectively. The results showed that there was no difference among for chemical composition, crude energy, and for IVDMD.

Conditional reasoning: A key to assessing computer-based knowledge-building communication processes

This article describes a methodological approach to conditional reasoning in online asynchronous learning environments such as Virtual-U VGroups, developed by SFU, BC, Canada, consistent with the notion of meaning implication: If part of a meaning C is embedded in B and a part of a meaning B is embedded in A, then A implies C in terms of meaning [Piaget 91]. A new transcript analysis technique was developed to assess the flows of conditional meaning implications and to identify the occurrence of hypotheses and connections among them in two human science graduate mixed-mode online courses offered in the summer/spring session of 1997 by SFU. Flows of conditional meaning implications were confronted with Virtual-U VGroups threads and results of the two courses were compared. Findings suggest that Virtual-U VGroups is a knowledge-building environment although the tree-like Virtual-U VGroups threads should be transformed into neuronal-like threads. Findings also suggest that formulating hypotheses together triggers a collaboratively problem-solving process that scaffolds knowledge-building in asynchronous learning environments: A pedagogical technique and an built-in tool for formulating hypotheses together are proposed. © Springer Pub. Co.