Optimisation of solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry based methodology to establish the global volatile signature in pulp and skin of Vitis vinifera L. grape varieties

The volatiles (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) responsible for aroma are mainly present in skin of grape varieties. Thus, the present investigation is directed towards the optimisation of a solvent free methodology based on headspace-solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography–quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–qMS) in order to establish the global volatile composition in pulp and skin of Bual and Bastardo Vitis vinifera L. varieties. A deep study on the extraction-influencing parameters was performed, and the best results, expressed as GC peak area, number of identified compounds and reproducibility, were obtained using 4 g of sample homogenised in 5 mL of ultra-pure Milli-Q water in a 20 mL glass vial with addition of 2 g of sodium chloride (NaCl). A divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fibre was selected for extraction at 60 °C for 45 min under continuous stirring at 800 rpm. More than 100 VOCs and SVOCs, including 27 monoterpenoids, 27 sesquiterpenoids, 21 carbonyl compounds, 17 alcohols (from which 2 aromatics), 10 C13 norisoprenoids and 5 acids were identified. The results showed that, for both grape varieties, the levels and number of volatiles in skin were considerably higher than those observed in pulp. According to the data obtained by principal component analysis (PCA), the establishment of the global volatile signature of grape and the relationship between different part of grapes—pulp and skin, may be an useful tool to winemaker decision to define the vinification procedures that improves the organoleptic characteristics of the corresponding wines and consequently contributed to an economic valorization and consumer acceptance.

Evaluation of solid residues removed from a mangrove swamp in the Sao Vicente Estuary, SP, Brazil

Mangrove swamps are found in estuaries along the coastal plains of tropical regions and have be subjected to heavy occupation and use pressure due to their privileged locations and abundance of biological resources. The present work evaluated the ecological characteristics and solid wastes accumulated in eight areas along the Santos - Sao Vicente Estuary Complex. The superficially deposited residues at each sampling site were collected and subsequently washed, drained, counted, weighed and separated into classes according to their composition and predominant use. The predominant litter type in terms of density was plastic (62.81%) and, by weight, wood (55.53%). The greatest deposition of residues was associated with areas that were less inclined and that had low plant density levels, indicating that the presence of obstacles was not critical for retaining floating residues in mangrove areas. The presence of the most frequently encountered types of solid waste residues could be explained by local activities. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Digestive and functional properties of a partially hydrolyzed cassava solid waste with high insoluble fiber concentration

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

EFFECT of DIFFERENT SOLID AMOUNTS IN THE PHYSICAL and MICROSCOPICAL PROPERTIES of SiC POROUS CERAMICS

The presence of pores in ceramics is directly related to the chosen forming process. So, in the starch consolidation method, the ceramics show, after burning, pores with morphology similar to that presented by this organic material. on the other hand, the increase in solid load leads up to alterations in dispersion viscosity, increasing the thermal stresses during drying and sintering processes. In order to verify the solid percentage influence in ceramic final properties, samples were prepared with silicon carbide in different compositions using or not starch as binder agent and pore forming element. The characterization of the ceramic pieces was performed by superficial roughness measurements, porosity besides by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed ceramics with SiC and starch presented physical and microscopic properties slightly higher in relation to those with only ceramic powder in their composition. The presence of organic material, agglomerated and foam during the forming were essential for the final properties of the studied samples.

Investigation of microwave dielectric relaxation solid state process in the antiferroelectric phase of NaNbO3 ceramics

This letter reports microwave dielectric measurements performed in the antiferroelectric phase of NaNbO3 ceramics from 100 to 450 K. Remarkable dielectric relaxation was found within the antiferroelectric phase and in the vicinity of the ferroelectric-antiferroelectric phase transition. Such dielectric relaxation process was associated with relaxations of polar nanoregions with strong relaxor-like characteristic. In addition, the microwave dielectric measurements also revealed an unexpected and unusual anomaly in the relaxation strength, which was related to a disruption of the antiferroelectric order induced by a possible AFE-AFE phase transition. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparative solid state C-13 NMR and thermal study of CO2 capture by amidines PMDBD and DBN

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

Electrochemical characterization of the paste carbon modified electrode with KSr2Ni0.75Nb4.25O15-delta solid in catalytic oxidation of the dipyrone

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

Thermal characterization of solid lipid nanoparticles containing praziquantel

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), loaded and unloaded with praziquantel (PRZ-load SLN and PRZ-unload SLN) were prepared by two different procedures: (a) oil-in-water hot microemulsion method, obtaining at 70 degrees C an optically transparent blend composed of surfactant, co-surfactant, and water; and (b) oil-in-water microemulsion method, dissolving the lipid in an immiscible organic solvent, emulsified in water containing surfactants and co-surfactant, and then evaporated under reduced pressure at 50 degrees C. The mean diameter, polydispersity index (PdI), and zeta potential were 187 to 665 nm, 0.300 to 0.655, and -25 to -28 mV respectively, depending on the preparation method. The components, binary mixture, SLNs loaded and unloaded with PRZ, and physical mixture were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). The non-isothermal isoconversional Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method was used to determine the kinetic parameters associated with the thermal decomposition of the samples. The experimental data indicated a linear relationship between the apparent activation energy E and the pre-exponential factor A, also called the kinetic compensation effect (KCE), allowing us to determine the stability with respect to the preparation method. Loading with PRZ increased the thermal stability of the SLNs.

Solid dispersions with hydrogenated castor oil increase solubility, dissolution rate and intestinal absorption of praziquantel

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The effect of phosphoethanolamine intake on mortality and macrophage activity in mice with solid ehrlich tumors

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

O enigmático problema das gigantes ricas em Lítio e as perspectivas com o satélite Kepler

Lithium (Li) is a chemical element with atomic number 3 and it is among the lightest known elements in the universe. In general, the Lithium is found in the nature under the form of two stable isotopes, the 6Li and 7Li. This last one is the most dominant and responds for about 93% of the Li found in the Universe. Due to its fragileness this element is largely used in the astrophysics, especially in what refers to the understanding of the physical process that has occurred since the Big Bang going through the evolution of the galaxies and stars. In the primordial nucleosynthesis in the Big Bang moment (BBN), the theoretical calculation forecasts a Li production along with all the light elements such as Deuterium and Beryllium. To the Li the BNB theory reviews a primordial abundance of Log log ǫ(Li) =2.72 dex in a logarithmic scale related to the H. The abundance of Li found on the poor metal stars, or pop II stars type, is called as being the abundance of Li primordial and is the measure as being log ǫ(Li) =2.27 dex. In the ISM (Interstellar medium), that reflects the current value, the abundance of Lithium is log ǫ(Li) = 3.2 dex. This value has great importance for our comprehension on the chemical evolution of the galaxy. The process responsible for the increasing of the primordial value present in the Li is not clearly understood until nowadays. In fact there is a real contribution of Li from the giant stars of little mass and this contribution needs to be well streamed if we want to understand our galaxy. The main objection in this logical sequence is the appearing of some giant stars with little mass of G and K spectral types which atmosphere is highly enriched with Li. Such elevated values are exactly the opposite of what could happen with the typical abundance of giant low mass stars, where convective envelops pass through a mass deepening in which all the Li should be diluted and present abundances around log ǫ(Li) ∼1.4 dex following the model of stellar evolution. In the Literature three suggestions are found that try to reconcile the values of the abundance of Li theoretical and observed in these rich in Li giants, but any of them bring conclusive answers. In the present work, we propose a qualitative study of the evolutionary state of the rich in Li stars in the literature along with the recent discovery of the first star rich in Li observed by the Kepler Satellite. The main objective of this work is to promote a solid discussion about the evolutionary state based on the characteristic obtained from the seismic analysis of the object observed by Kepler. We used evolutionary traces and simulation done with the population synthesis code TRILEGAL intending to evaluate as precisely as possible the evolutionary state of the internal structure of these groups of stars. The results indicate a very short characteristic time when compared to the evolutionary scale related to the enrichment of these stars

Modulation of macrophage cytokine profiles during solid tumor progression: susceptibility to Candida albicans infection

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

Synthesis and Characterization of Ruteno-Cuprates by Solid State Reactions

A new class of hybrid ruteno-cuprates - such as Ru-1212 and Ru-1222 - was discovered in 1995 by Bauerfeind and collaborators. These materials present superconducting and magnetic states at low temperatures, an atypical duality in other superconductors. The superconductivity is more easily observed in Ru-1222, while Ru-1212 is a more problematic case, due to the strong effects of the preparation details in its superconducting properties, becoming the material superconductor or not. Ru-1212 presents a critical temperature that can vary between 0 and 46 K, depending on the preparation conditions, and a temperature of magnetic transition of around 132 K. The samples were prepared through solid state reactions, by using a mixture of high purity powders, followed by calcination and sinterization in the nitrogen and oxygen atmospheres. This paper shows the preparation process of Ru-1212 samples, followed by their structural and magnetic characterization.

Solid-liquid transition in Nb powder determined by third harmonic susceptibility

Measurements of the third harmonic of the AC-susceptibility were employed to determine the boundaries of the linear regime of the magnetic response of Nb powder. Non-linear contributions to the magnetic response reveal the occurrence of a structured phase, disappearing as the vortex lattice melts to the liquid state. A systematic study of the third harmonic was conducted to determine how its onset temperature depends on experimental parameters, such as the frequency and amplitude of the excitation field. The melting line (ML) has been extracted from the onset temperature measured at low-frequencies and low-excitation fields in the presence of DC magnetic fields. The study indicates that the ML can be described by a 3D vortex-glass model, except at lower fields, where the system experiences a depinning crossover, and the best description of the experimental data is provided by a 3D Bose-glass model. (c) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Anelastic Relaxation Measurements in Nb-46wt%Ti Alloys with Interstitial Solutes in Solid Solution

Anelastic relaxation measurements were performed in a Nb-46wt%Ti alloy, in the temperature range of 300 to 700 K, using a torsion pendulum operating at an oscillating frequency near 2.0 Hz. The samples were measured in different conditions: cold worked, annealed in ultra-high vacuum and doped with several quantities of nitrogen. The relaxation spectra obtained were resolved into their component peaks, corresponding to the different kinds of interaction of the interstitial solutes with the metallic matrix. The relaxation parameters of each process were calculated using Debye's elementary peaks.