Growth of alkali metal periodates from silica gel and their characterization

Single crystals (up to 1 cm size) of K, Rb and Cs periodates have been grown in silica gel. In general, good quality crystals were obtained in gel of specific gravity 1.04 and pH 4. The metal/iodine ratios were determined and compared with calculated values. Morphological studies were carried out using a bicircle optical goniometer. Other characterization methods include X-ray diffraction, optical absorption, differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. Microscopic examination of CsIO4 crystals in particular has revealed the existence of ferroelastic domains in the crystal. The structural basis for the occurence of ferroelasticity in this crystal is discussed and the high temperature space group is predicted.

Lacunary Fourier series and a qualitative uncertainty principle for compact Lie groups

We define lacunary Fourier series on a compact connected semisimple Lie group G. If f is an element of L-1 (G) has lacunary Fourier series and f vanishes on a non empty open subset of G, then we prove that f vanishes identically. This result can be viewed as a qualitative uncertainty principle.

Authors reply to "On uniqueness, transfer and combination of acoustic sources in one-dimensional systems"

The use of electroacoustic analogies suggests that a source of acoustical energy (such as an engine, compressor, blower, turbine, loudspeaker, etc.) can be characterized by an acoustic source pressure ps and internal source impedance Zs, analogous to the open-circuit voltage and internal impedance of an electrical source. The present paper shows analytically that the source characteristics evaluated by means of the indirect methods are independent of the loads selected; that is, the evaluated values of ps and Zs are unique, and that the results of the different methods (including the direct method) are identical. In addition, general relations have been derived here for the transfer of source characteristics from one station to another station across one or more acoustical elements, and also for combining several sources into a single equivalent source. Finally, all the conclusions are extended to the case of a uniformly moving medium, incorporating the convective as well as dissipative effects of the mean flow.

Reach task-associated excitatory overdrive of motor cortical neurons following infusion with ALS-CSF

Converging evidence from transgenic animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and human studies suggest alterations in excitability of the motor neurons in ALS. Specifically, in studies on human subjects with ALS the motor cortex was reported to be hyperexcitable. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that infusion of cerebrospinal fluid from patients with sporadic ALS (ALS-CSF) into the rat brain ventricle can induce hyperexcitability and structural changes in the motor cortex leading to motor dysfunction. A robust model of sporadic ALS was developed experimentally by infusing ALS-CSF into the rat ventricle. The effects of ALS-CSF at the single neuron level were examined by recording extracellular single unit activity from the motor cortex while rats were performing a reach to grasp task. We observed an increase in the firing rate of the neurons of the motor cortex in rats infused with ALS-CSF compared to control groups. This was associated with impairment in a specific component of reach with alterations in the morphological characteristics of the motor cortex. It is likely that the increased cortical excitability observed in the present study could be the result of changes in the intrinsic properties of motor cortical neurons, a dysfunctional inhibitory mechanism and/or an underlying structural change culminating in a behavioral deficit.

Os crimes no triângulo amoroso: uma discussão psicanalítica historicamente contextualizada a respeito do conceito de violenta emoção no Direito Penal Brasileiro

A presente tese tem o objetivo de promover uma análise sobre a norma penal brasileira que versa sobre a violenta emoção, com base no estudo teórico da ação criminal passional. Tem por objeto de estudos a discussão sobre a temporalidade psíquica da ação que sustenta as distinções no instituto jurídico da violenta emoção apresentada nos artigos 28; 65, III, c; 121 1 e 129 4 do Código Penal Brasileiro. A partir de uma construção genealógica, buscou-se os antecedentes históricos dessas leis, posteriormente, interpretadas à luz de conceitos psicanalíticos e de contribuições da antropologia social acerca do imaginário cultural que sustenta a eclosão e o julgamento de crimes na esfera amorosa. O método de trabalho consistiu em um estudo teórico de caráter dedutivo-construtivo baseado em fontes oriundas de diferentes campos teórico-práticos e também de consultas abertas feitas a juristas e estudiosos da criminologia. As transformações históricas nos julgamentos indicam uma transposição da antiga indulgência em relação aos criminosos ao atual apelo por recrudescimento das penas, demonstrando que justificar ou punir crimes sob a rubrica da violenta emoção ligados à esfera amorosa representa um sintoma atrelado ao contexto social. O conceito de "violenta emoção" está sujeito a reducionismos teóricos, devido à ênfase dada à dimensão da "culpabilidade consciente" no sistema jurídico, ao predomínio de interpretações ligadas aos aspectos psicofisiológicos do ímpeto, bem como à incipiente atenção dada às condições inconscientes culturalmente determinantes do ato criminal violento em casais. Desse modo, o texto dos referidos artigos pode servir indevidamente à diminuição da pena em crimes envolvendo casais, assim como a devida atenuação pode ser desconsiderada quando a/o ré/u sofre de privações sociais e psíquicas prolongadas constitutivas de um mal-estar passional por vezes dissociado do tempo da ação. Com as limitações apontadas, reconhece-se a importância da existência da referência à violenta emoção enquanto uma atenuante criminal genérica e critica-se a sua aplicação como "privilégio" de diminuição de pena em crimes de ímpeto em casais. O estudo psicanalítico historicizado do tema assevera a necessidade de realçar tanto a responsabilidade subjetiva ligada à atualização de um potencial psicopatológico, mas, também, a responsabilidade social em relação aos crimes passionais, enfatizando a importância de se criar alternativas à resposta penal, buscando promover uma leitura e interpretação cuidadosa dos artigos sobre a violenta emoção no sentido de propiciar melhor entendimento da temporalidade inconsciente inerente a esses crimes.

Avaliação da função endotelial em pacientes com hipertensão arterial resistente

A hipertensão arterial resistente (HAR) é definida pela persistência da pressão arterial (PA)≥140/90mmHg a despeito do uso de 3 anti-hipertensivos em doses plenas, incluindo diurético. Revisão recente da literatura mostra poucos estudos avaliando o perfil e o comportamento da função endotelial em pacientes com HAR. Objetiva avaliar a função endotelial em pacientes hipertensos resistentes. Estudo transversal com 60 pacientes que foram avaliados em uma visita (V3) de um estudo longitudinal, onde numa primeira fase todos pacientes tiveram padronização do tratamento anti-hipertensivo. Foram incluídos pacientes (V0) com PA>160/100mmHg e <220mmHg e todos receberam clortalidona 25mg/dia e enalapril 20mg 2x/dia ou losartana 50mg 2x/dia (intolerantes ao enalapril). Visita 1: se PA>140/90mmHg acrescentou-se anlodipino 5mg/dia, foi realizado avaliação laboratorial de rotina do hipertenso e monitorização ambulatorial da PA-24h (MAPA). Visita 2: se PA>140/90mmHganlodipino foi titulado para 10mg/dia. Visita 3: todos os pacientes receberam avaliação clínica, da pressão arterial por MAPA, laboratorial de rotina e da função endotelial. Formaram-se dois grupos: os que controlaram a PA, grupo hipertensão arterial controlada (HAC); e os que permaneceram com PA de consultório>140/90mmHg e PA na MAPA-24h>130/80mmHg, foram considerados resistentes. O grupo HAR recebeu aleatoriamente espironolactona ou clonidina por mais 12 semanas para tentar controlar a PA e o grupo HAC teve assistência farmacológica mantida no mesmo período. A PA foi avaliada por método oscilométrico com aparelho digital semi-automático Microlife modelo BP3AC1-1PC e MAPA por aparelho SpaceLabs 90207. A função endotelial avaliada através de tonometria arteriolar periférica (PAT) pelo Endo-PAT2000 e por biomarcadores (I-CAM-1, V-CAM-1, VEGF, MCP-1, IL-6, adiponectina) através da técnica LuminexTMxMAP. Dos 60 pacientes avaliados, 36 controlaram a PA, grupo HAC, e 24 permaneceram resistentes ao tratamento, grupo HAR, na visitaV3. Na avaliação da PA pela MAPA-24h observamos que no grupo HAC a PAS-24h foi de 121,1+1,7mmHg e no grupo HAR 147+3,3mmHg, enquanto a PAD-24h no grupo HAC foi de 76,64+1,5mmHg e no grupo HAR 88,58+2,4mmHg (p<0,0001). O descenso noturno, apesar de maior no grupo HAC, não apresentou significância estatística entre os dois grupos (p> 0,05). A função endotelial avaliada através do PAT mostrou índice de hiperemia reativa de 1,850,056 e 1,65+0,074 nos grupos HAC e HAR respectivamente (p= 0,036) e quando avaliada através dos biomarcadores observamos: ICAM-1 (HAC= 186,6+12,65 vs HAR= 240,9+23,76ng/ml, p= 0,038), VCAM-1 (HAC= 627,137,09vs HAR= 706,086,10ng/ml, p= 0,372),VEGF (HAC= 403,394,91 vs HAR= 612,788,27pg/ml, p= 0,123) e MCP-1 (HAC= 694,969,09 vs HAR= 787,052,80pg/ml, p= 0,315). Na avaliação dos biomarcadores inflamatórios, observamos IL-6 no grupo HAC= 1,8970,2165pg/mle no HAR= 9,7934,421pg/ml (p= 0,027) e adiponectina no grupo HAC= 105701516pg/ml e HAR= 84221295pg/ml (p=0,301). A razão de prevalência do comprometimento da função endotelial no grupo HAR foi de 54% (OR= 3,55; 95% IC 1,18- 10.67; p= 0,029). No presente trabalho, as análises das variáveis estudadas na visita V3, mostraram que os pacientes com HAR têm maior comprometimento da função endotelial que os pacientes com HAC.

Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopic and magnetic studies of R3Fe29-xVx (R = Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, and Dy)

Mossbauer spectra for Fe atoms in the series of R3Fe29-xVx (R = Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, and Dy) compounds were collected at 4.2 K. The ratio of 14.5 T/mu(B) between the average hyperfine field B-hf and the average Fe magnetic moment mu(Fe)(MS), obtained from our data, in Y3Fe29-xVx is in agreement with that deduced from the RxTy alloys by Gubbens et al. The average Fe magnetic moments mu(Fe)(MS) in these compounds at 4.2 K, deduced from our Mossbauer spectroscopic studies, are in accord with the results of magnetization measurement. The average hyperfine field of the Fe sites for R3Fe29-xVx at 4.2 K increases with increasing values of the rare earth effective spin (g(J) - 1) J, which indicates that there exists a transferred spin polarization induced by the neighboring rare earth atom.

Low-threshold diode-pumped CW passively mode-locked Nd:YVO4 lase

A low-threshold passively continuous-wave (CW) mode-locked Nd:YVO4 solid-state laser was demonstrated by use of a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). The threshold for continuous-wave mode-locked is relatively low, about 2.15 W. The maximum average output power was 2.12 W and the optical to optical conversion efficiency was about 32%. The pulse width was about 15 ps with the repetition rate of 105 MHz. (C) 2008 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopic and magnetic studies of R3Fe29-xVx (R = Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, and Dy)

Mossbauer spectra for Fe atoms in the series of R3Fe29-xVx (R = Y, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, and Dy) compounds were collected at 4.2 K. The ratio of 14.5 T/mu(B) between the average hyperfine field B-hf and the average Fe magnetic moment mu(Fe)(MS), obtained from our data, in Y3Fe29-xVx is in agreement with that deduced from the RxTy alloys by Gubbens et al. The average Fe magnetic moments mu(Fe)(MS) in these compounds at 4.2 K, deduced from our Mossbauer spectroscopic studies, are in accord with the results of magnetization measurement. The average hyperfine field of the Fe sites for R3Fe29-xVx at 4.2 K increases with increasing values of the rare earth effective spin (g(J) - 1) J, which indicates that there exists a transferred spin polarization induced by the neighboring rare earth atom.

Rapid electron propagation through molecular wire monolayers sandwiched between two gold electrodes

Conjugated bisthioester 1 was synthesized applying Sonogashira coupling reactions. Using self-assembly in combination with nanoparticles deposition techniques, we developed a novel method to fabricate a "gold electrode-molecular wire monolayers-gold nanoparticles" sandwich-like structure. Rapid electron propagation through this sandwich-like structure was observed by cyclic voltammetry and ac impedance measurements.

Mixed ion transfer analysis in redox processes of electroactive thin films

Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) technique was used to measure the ion transfer in redox processes in electroactive organic thin films, such as self-assembled monolayer (SAM) (4-pyridyl hydroquinone, abbr. 4PHQ), multilayer based on SAM and conducting polymer film (here poly-(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), abbr. PEDOT). A mechanism of mixed ion transfer is developed and presented. Analysis of mixed ion transfer during redox processes successfully elucidates the deviation of oscillation frequency of the quartz crystal from theoretical expectation.

Study of photochemical fluorescence enhancement of the terbium-lomefloxacin complex

Lomefloxacin (LMFX) and terbium ion can form a complex and the sensitized fluorescence of the terbium ion can be observed. It was found that the sensitized fluorescence intensity can be notably enhanced when the terbium complex is exposed to 365 nm ultraviolet light. By the fluorescence spectra, phosphorescence spectra, fluorescence quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime of the system, it was proved that irradiation of the complex made it undergo a photochemical reaction and a new terbium complex which is more favorable to intramolecular energy transfer was formed. This is why the sensitized fluorescence enhancement can be observed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.