Determination of polyamines in organic extracts from roots of Canavalia ensiformis by capillary electrophoresis

A rapid, selective and specific capillary zone electrophoresis method to determine polyamines in organic extracts from roots of Canavalia ensiformis (Jack Beans) was developed using ultra violet (UV) detection. Canavalia ensiformis is relatively free from diseases and it is used as reference in allelopathy studies. Polyamines are widely distributed in plant and it could be involved in plant pathogen interactions. Optimal separation was achieved using 15 mmol.L-1formic acid (pH 3.0) + 4 mmol.L-1 imidazole as a background electrolyte. It was possible to identify and quantify the polyamines on herbal samples in the presence of other phytochemical substances and analyze them quickly (up to 6 min). The applicability of this method was evaluated in crude organic extracts from roots of Canavalia ensiformis.

Isoelectric Point Determination for Glossoscolex paulistus Extracellular Hemoglobin: Oligomeric Stability in Acidic pH and Relevance to Protein-Surfactant Interactions

The extracellular hemoglobin from Glossoscolex paulistus (HbGp) has a molecular mass of 3.6 M Da, It has a high oligomeric stability at pH 7.0 and low autoxidation rates, as compared to vertebrate hemoglobins. In this work, fluorescence and light scattering experiments were performed with the three oxidation forms of HbGp exposed to acidic pH. Our focus is on the HbGp stability at acidic pH and also on the determination of the isoelectric point (pI) of the protein. Our results show that the protein in the cyanomet form is more stable than in the other two forms, in the whole range. Our zeta-potential data are consistent with light scattering results. Average values apt obtained by different techniques were 5.6 +/- 0.5, 5.4 +/- 0.2 and 5.2 +/- 0.5 for the oxy, met, and cyanomet forms. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments have shown that, at pH 6.0, the aggregation (oligomeric) state of oxy-, met- and cyanomet-HbGp remains the same as that at 7.0. The interaction between the oxy-HbGp and ionic surfactants at pH 5.0 and 6.0 was also monitored in the present study. At pH 5,0, below the protein pI, the effects of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) are inverted when compared to pH 7.0. For CTAC, in acid pH 5.0, no precipitation is observed, while for SDS an intense light scattering appears due to a precipitation process. HbGp interacts strongly with the cationic surfactant at pH 7.0 and with the anionic one at pH 5.0. This effect is due to the predominance, in the protein surface, of residues presenting opposite charges to the surfactant headgroups. This information can be relevant for the development of extracellular hemoglobin-based artificial blood substitutes.

Paper dimensional stability in sheet-fed offset printing : Papperets dimensionsstabilitet i en arkoffsetpress

In offset printing, dampening solution is used to create a good balance in the process. If too much water is transferred to the paper, the sheet can change its size between the printing units, due to water absorption, and cause a problem with the colour register. This phenomenon is usually referred to as fanout. In this degree project, an investigation was made to see if the paper dimensions changed through its way in the sheet-fed printing process. The instrument Luchs Register Measuring Systems (Lynx) was used, and a method for measuring if the paper changed its dimensions with this instrument, was developed. Paper qualities with three different grammages were used, 90, 130 and 250 gsm. This investigation showed that all paper qualities changed their size with widening in the gripper edge in the range of 10 - 70 µm and in the trailing edge the increase was 10 - 130 µm. The elongations of the papers were in the range of 10- 300 µm. The papers with lowest grammage changed more than the heavier. To see if the print had been affected of the widening and elongation, print quality parameters like relative contrast, dot gain and mottle were correlated with the Lynx data from the sheets. The group of papers that gave correlations were in 130 gsm. The sheets had visual doubling and the combined standard deviation from the Lynx marks K3, K5 and K21 correlated with dot gain. When the variations increased so did the dot gain and this indicates that the doubling was due to the widening. There was also a correlation between the standard deviation from K3 and Mottle. The sheets widened with an average of 30 µm in the gripper edge and since there probably were doubling due to widening it also affected the Mottle values. What the widening depends on is hard to tell. Since widening was so small, it could be due to water absorption, papers being ironed out or maybe the sheets have been flattened out. It probably needs a more detailed investigation to find out what causes the widening. Further investigations about how print quality is affected by the register accuracy of a printing machine should include a print form with measuring areas close to the Lynx marks. The measuring areas should contain fine hairlines, negative text printed with at least two colours and some pictures to evaluate together with standard measuring should give a good knowledge about the subject.

Taylor principle and inflation stability in emerging market countriesw

The goal of this paper is to evaluate the validity of the Taylor principle for inflation control in 12 developing countries that use inflation targeting regimes: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Israel, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey. The test is based on a state-space model to determine when each country has followed the principle; then a threshold unit root test is used to verify if the stationarity of the deviation of the expected inflation from its target depends on compliance with the Taylor principle. The results show that such compliance leads to the stationarity of the deviation of the expected inflation from its target in all cases. Furthermore, in most cases, non-compliance with the Taylor principle leads to nonstationary deviation of the expected inflation.

Lead distribution in organic matter of loamy oxisol treated with manure and its effect on microbial biomass

This paper reports a study regarding the distribution of lead in the organic matter fractions of a loamy oxisol treated with stable manure, and its effect on the soil microbial biomass. The experimental design was a completely randomized factorial with three replicates. Treatments were four lead (Pb) rates (0, 200, 400, and 600 mg kg(-1) soil), two levels of manure (0 and 30 Mg ha(-1)) and two sampling times (30 and 60 days after lead application). Total and soil lead soluble in Mehlich 1 extractant, and Ph in the different fractions of the organic matter (fulvic acid, humic acid, and residual) were evaluated along with the soil microbial biomass. Data showed that lead, applied as PbCl2, was concentrated in the residual fraction. The application of manure at the rate of 30 Mg ha(-1) did not affect lead distribution in the fractions until 60 days after incorporation. Lead extracted by Mehlich 1 increased as function of the quantity applied. Manure stimulated the growth of the soil microbial biomass which was reduced by the 200 mg kg(-1) doses of lead, with manure application, increasing, however, with larger rates. Mehlich 1 extracted only part of the lead present in the residual fraction.

Soil microbial biomass in organic farming system

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Electrical characterization of poly(amide-imide) for application in organic field effect devices

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

The Growing Impact of Niobium in Organic Synthesis and Catalysis

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ethyl Carbamate Analysis in German Fruit Spirits and Brazilian Sugarcane Spirits (Cachaca): Improved Sample Cleanup with Automated Parallel Evaporation

The analysis of alcoholic beverages for the important carcinogenic contaminant ethyl carbamate is very time-consuming and expensive. Due to possible matrix interferences, sample cleanup using diatomaceous earth (Extrelut) column is required prior to gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric measurement. A limiting step in this process is the rotary evaporation of the eluate containing the analyte in organic solvents, which is currently conducted manually and requires approximately 20-30 min per sample. This paper introduces the use of a parallel evaporation device for ethyl carbamate analysis, which allows for the simultaneous evaporation of 12 samples to a specified residual volume without manual intervention. A more efficient and, less expensive analysis is therefore possible. The method validation showed no differences between the fully-automated parallel evaporation and the manual operation. The applicability was proven by analyzing authentic spirit samples from Germany, Canada and Brazil. It is interesting to note that Brazilian cachacas had a relatively high incidence for ethyl carbamate contamination (55% of all samples were above 0.15 mg/l), which may be of public health relevance and requires further evaluation.

Analytical procedure based on slurry sampling for determining selenium in organic vegetable samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

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

B-chromosome frequency stability in Prochilodus lineatus (Characiformes, Prochilodontidae)

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

Thermal decomposition and stability in a series of heterobimetallic carbonyl compounds of the type [Fe(CO)4(HgX)2] (X=Cl, Br, I)

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

Comparative procedures for the sample decomposition of rocks used in organic agriculture and the determination of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn by FAAS

The aim of this work was to develop an appropriate sample preparation procedure for the flame atomic absorption spectrometry determination of Cu, Fe, Mn, and, Zn in rocks used in organic agriculture as a source of macro- and micronutrients.Six different procedures were evaluated and are classified into three groups: (a) pressure digestion system with Teflon bombs, (b) conventional wet digestion in a digester heating block, and (c) closed microwave system with pressure and temperature control.Two standard reference materials and two commercial samples were analyzed. It was found that the closed microwave system required low reagent consumption, less time, and resulted in low contamination.

Cation-oxygen interaction and oxygen stability in CaCu3Ti4O12 and CdCu3Ti4O12 lattices

The cubic perovskite related material CaCu3Ti4O12 has attracted a great deal of attention due to the high values of the static dielectric constant, of order 104, approximately constant in the temperature range 100-600 K. The substitution of Ca by Cd results in a similar temperature dependence but a static dielectric constant more than one order of magnitude lower. A theoretical electronic structure study is performed on CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) and CdCu3Ti4O12 (CdCTO) using a tight binding with overlap method. Although the calculations are performed in a paramagnetic configuration, excellent agreement with experiment was found for the calculated band gap of CCTO. In spite of the fact that the band structures of both systems look practically the same, a significant difference is found in the calculated bond strength of Ca-O and Cd-O pairs, driven by the presence of Ti, with Ca-O interaction in CCTO loosened with respect to Cd-O interaction in the cadmium compound. It is suggested that O vacancies are more easily formed in CCTO, this being related to the lower electronegativity of Ca as compared to Cd. The formation of oxygen vacancies could be the origin of the difference in the static dielectric constant of the two compounds.