Can the chemical composition of the whole body of a goat be estimated from parts of its body?

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

Floristic composition of the tree stratum of a semideciduous mesophytic forest in the municipality of Botucatu, São Paulo state

The floristic composition was studied in an area of semideciduous mesophytic forest, with 120 ha, in the municipality of Botucatu, SP, Brazil. This forest lies on the ascent of the Cuesta of Botucatu. Due to the heterogeneity of the relief, for the sampling process, the forest was divided in three regions: the upper one (comprising the strip of forest on the plateau), middle on (the forestal area lied on the ascent properly said) and the lower one (the strip of forest on the plain). The tree sampling regions showed some differences among them and this must be connected to the differences in the soil.

Influence of water level variation on biomass and chemical composition of the aquatic macrophyte Eichhornia azurea (Kunth) in an oxbow lake of the Rio Mogi-Guacu (São Paulo, Brazil)

The influence of water level variation (flood pulse) on the biomass and chemical composition of the aquatic macrophyte Eichhornia azurea, was investigated in a tropical oxbow lake of the Rio Mogi-Guacu, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The flood pulse causes an increase in total nitrogen content from 0.67 to 1.35 mg/L and total phosphorus content from 10.5 to 101.0 mu g/L of the water. This fertilization, associated with other factors, determines a typical seasonal variation in the biomass and chemical composition of the macrophyte.

Conjectures and theorems in the theory of entire functions

Motivated by the recent solution of Karlin's conjecture, properties of functions in the Laguerre-Polya class are investigated. The main result of this paper establishes new moment inequalities fur a class of entire functions represented by Fourier transforms. The paper concludes with several conjectures and open problems involving the Laguerre-Polya class and the Riemann xi -function.

Effect of iron on bovine enamel and on the composition of the dental biofilm formed in situ

Objectives: This study investigated in situ the effect of iron (Fe) on the reduction of demineralization of bovine enamel, as well as on the composition of dental biofilm.Design and methods: Twelve volunteers were included in this blind crossover study, which was conducted in two stages of 14 days each. For each stage, the volunteers received palatal appliances containing four blocks of bovine enamel (4 mm x 4 mm x 2.5 mm). Six volunteers dripped a solution of 15 mmol L-1 ferrous sulphate onto the fragments and the remaining six dripped deionized water (eight times per day). After five minutes, a fresh 20% (w/v) sucrose solution was dripped onto all enamel blocks. During the experimental period the volunteers brushed their teeth with non-fluoridated dentifrice. After each stage, the percentage of surface microhardness change (%SMHC) and area of mineral toss (Delta Z) were determined on enamel and the dental biofilm formed on the blocks was collected and analysed for F, P, Ca, Fe and alkali-soluble carbohydrates. The concentrations of F, Ca and Fe in enamel were also analysed after acid biopsies.Results: There was a statistically significant increase in the P and Fe concentrations in the biofilms treated with ferrous sulphate (p < 0.05), which was not observed for F, Ca and alkali-soluble carbohydrates. The group treated with ferrous sulphate had significantly lower %SMHC and Delta Z when compared to control (p < 0.05).Conclusions: These results showed that ferrous sulphate reduced the demineralization of enamel blocks and altered the ionic composition of the dental biofilm formed in situ. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition of flavonoids and styrylpyrones and the genetic variability of isozymes in natural populations of Cryptocarya mandioccana Meisner (Lauraceae)

The chemical composition of leaves of 57 trees of Cryptocarya mandioccana from three populations of southeastern Brazil was investigated through HPLC, assaying six flavonoids, seven styrylpyrones, and seven unidentified compounds. From 51 of the former trees, genotypes were obtained from 40 polymorphic loci of 19 isozymes. Cluster analyses of the phytochemical and genetical variation revealed that trees exhibited four chemotypes and five clusters from isozymes, respectively. Discriminant analyses from selected variables of the isozymic and chemical data sets were performed, respectively, in relation to the four chemotypes and the five isozyme clusters. The classification of individuals presented respective error estimates of 9.16% and 13.57%, indicating that the genetic data could explain the clusters from chernotypes and vice versa at acceptable error levels. Linear regressions with Dummy variable showed significant association of locus Skdh-2 with quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and cryptofolione, indicating that its alleles would be responsible for the chemotype variation between individuals. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Essential Oil Composition of Aloysia gratissima From Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Chemical Composition of Metapleural Gland Secretions of Fungus-Growing and Non-fungus-growing Ants

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

MINERAL COMPOSITION of RAW MATERIAL, SUBSTRATE and FRUITING BODIES of Pleurotus ostreatus IN CULTURE

In a culture of a Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) strain, macro and micronutrients of the raw material and the initial and spent substrates were evaluated. Substrates were formulated with sawdust from Simarouba amara Aubl. and Ochroma piramidale Cav. ex. Lam., crushed Bactris gasipaes Kunth and crushed Saccharum officinarum (sugar cane). Samples were solubilized by means of acid digestion (nitric-peridrol). Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, Na and K by atomic emission, and P by colorimetry. The mineral composition of the fruiting body varied with the substrates, which made possible the production of a fruiting body rich in K, P Mg and Fe. Potassium was the mineral with the highest content in the fruiting body in all substrates tested (36.83-42.18g.kg(-1)). There was an increase of protein and mineral content in the spent substrate in relation to the initial one.