fac-[RuCl3(no)(dppb)] (I) and mer-[RuCl3(NO)(diop)] (II) complexes: Syntheses, characterization and x-ray structures

The fac-[RuCl3(NO)(dppb)] complex I has been prepared from solution of the correspondent mer isomer in refluxing methanol (dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane). The mer-[RuCl3(NO)(diop)] (II) has been obtained from the mer-[RuCl3(diop)(H2O)] by bubbling NO for 1 h in dichloromethane (diop = 2S,3S-O-isopropylidene-2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane). The complexes have been characterized by microanalysis, cyclic voltammetry (CV), IR and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopies. The crystal and molecular structures of these two compounds have been determined from X-ray studies. The mer-[RuCl3(NO)(dppb)] isomer III was characterized in solution by NMR spectra (31P{1H}, 1H{31P}, 31P-1H HETCORR, COSY 1H-1H, HMQC 1H-13C and HMBC 1H-13C). © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Schwinger-dyson equations and dynamical gluon mass generation

We discuss the solutions obtained for the gluon propagador in Landau gauge within two distinct approximations for the Schwinger-Dyson equations (SDE). The first, named Mandelstam's approximation, consist in neglecting all contributions that come from fermions and ghosts fields while in the second, the ghosts fields are taken into account leading to a coupled system of integral equations. In both cases we show that a dynamical mass for the gluon propagator can arise as a solution. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Feeding habits and habitat use in Bothrops pubescens (Viperidae, Crotalinae) from southern Brazil

Bothrops pubescens is a member of the neuwiedi complex that occurs in southern Brazil and Uruguay. We studied the ecology of B. pubescens from a field site (at Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil) and based on preserved specimens from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. In Santa Maria, individuals were collected during visual encounter surveys (VES), in pitfall traps with drift fences and during incidental encounters. Most snakes found in the field were on the ground, mainly on leaf litter, in mosaics of light and shadow or in completely shaded areas. In disturbed areas, snakes were usually associated with country houses and agricultural fields. Snakes were found much more frequently in forests and forest edges than in open habitats. The diet of B. pubescens comprised small mammals (56.2% of individual prey found), anurans (21.2%), lizards (7.5%), snakes (7.5%), birds (5.0%), and centipedes (2.5%). Prey predator mass ratios ranged from 0.002-0.627, and larger snakes tended to consume larger prey. Bothrops pubescens seems to be able to survive in disturbed areas, mainly those close to forests, and this ability may be facilitated by its generalized feeding habits. Copyright 2005 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on density and morphology of fibroblasts grown on root surfaces with or without conditioning with tetracycline or EDTA.

A study was conducted to evaluate in vitro the effect of root surface conditioning with basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) on morphology and proliferation of fibroblasts. Three experimental groups were used: non-treated, and treated with 50 microg or 125 microg b-FGF/ml. The dentin samples in each group were divided into subgroups according to the chemical treatment received before application of b-FGF: none, or conditioned with tetracycline-HCl or EDTA. After contact with b-FGF for 5 min, the samples were incubated for 24 h with 1 ml of culture medium containing 1 x 10(5) cells/ml plus 1 ml of culture medium alone. The samples were then subjected to routine preparation for SEM, and random fields were photographed. Three calibrated and blind examiners performed the assessment of morphology and density according to two index systems. Classification and regression trees indicated that the root surfaces treated with 125 microg b-FGF and previously conditioned with tetracycline-HCl or EDTA presented a morphology more suggestive of cellular adhesion and viability (P = 0.004). The density of fibroblasts on samples previously conditioned with EDTA, regardless of treatment with b-FGF, was significantly higher than in the other groups (P < 0.001). The present findings suggest that topical application of b-FGF has a positive influence on both the density and morphology of fibroblasts.

Charged Brownian particles: Kramers and Smoluchowski equations and the hydrothermodynamical picture

We consider a charged Brownian gas under the influence of external and non-uniform electric, magnetic and mechanical fields, immersed in a non-uniform bath temperature. With the collision time as an expansion parameter, we study the solution to the associated Kramers equation, including a linear reactive term. To the first order we obtain the asymptotic (overdamped) regime, governed by transport equations, namely: for the particle density, a Smoluchowski- reactive like equation; for the particle's momentum density, a generalized Ohm's-like equation; and for the particle's energy density, a MaxwellCattaneo-like equation. Defining a nonequilibrium temperature as the mean kinetic energy density, and introducing Boltzmann's entropy density via the one particle distribution function, we present a complete thermohydrodynamical picture for a charged Brownian gas. We probe the validity of the local equilibrium approximation, Onsager relations, variational principles associated to the entropy production, and apply our results to: carrier transport in semiconductors, hot carriers and Brownian motors. Finally, we outline a method to incorporate non-linear reactive kinetics and a mean field approach to interacting Brownian particles. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-voltage electrophoretic deposition of preferentially oriented films from multiferroic YMn2O5 nanopowders

Processing of the YMn2O5 powder is very challenging, since it decomposes to YMnO3 and Mn3O4 at temperatures close to 1180 °C, while samples consolidation commonly demands high temperatures. The main goal of this work is to investigate a possibility to prepare thick films of YMn2O5, since their deposition generally requires significantly lower temperatures. Multiferroic YMn 2O5 was synthesized by the hydrothermal method from Y(CH3COO)3·xH2O, Mn(CH 3COO)2·4H2O and KMnO4 precursors. XRD, FE-SEM and TEM analysis showed that the obtained powder was monophasic, with orthorhombic crystal structure and columnar particle shape with mean diameter and length of around 20 and 50 nm, respectively. The obtained powder was suspended in isopropyl alcohol with addition of appropriate binder and deflocculant. This suspension was used for electrophoretic deposition of YMn2O5 thick films under the high-voltage conditions and electric fields ranging from 250 to 2125 V/cm. The films obtained at 1000 V/cm and higher electric fields showed good adhesion, particle packing, homogeneity and very low porosity. It was shown that the deposition in extremely high electric fields (KC=2125 V/cm) can influence the crystal orientation of the films, resulting in formation of preferentially oriented films. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.

DBI equations and holographic dc conductivity

We provide a simple method for writing the Dirac-Born-Infeld equations of a Dp-brane in an arbitrary static background whose metric depends only on the holographic radial coordinate z. Using this method we revisit the Karch-O'Bannon procedure to calculate the dc conductivity in the presence of constant electric and magnetic fields for backgrounds where the boundary is four- or three-dimensional and satisfies homogeneity and isotropy. We find a frame-independent expression for the dc conductivity tensor. For particular backgrounds we recover previous results on holographic metals and strange metals. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Polimorfismo nos complexos de trietanolamina dos metais do quarto período

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Association of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor polymorphisms with chronic hepatitis C and responses to therapy in Brazil

ABSTRACT: Soroprevalence for Hepatitis C virus is reported as 2.12% in Northern Brazil, with about 50% of the patients exhibiting a sustained virological response (SVR). Aiming to associate polymorphisms in Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (KIR) with chronic hepatitis C and therapy responses we investigated 125 chronic patients and 345 controls. Additionally, 48 ancestry markers were genotyped to control for population stratification. The frequency of the KIR2DL2 and KIR2DL2+HLA-C^Asp80 gene and ligand was higher in chronic infected patients than in controls (p < 0.0009, OR = 3.4; p = 0.001, OR = 3.45). In fact, KIR2DL3 is a weaker inhibitor of NK activity than KIR2DL2, which could explain the association of KIR2DL2 with chronic infection. Moreover, KIR2DS2 and KIR2DS2+HLA-C^Asp80 (p < 0.0001, OR = 2.51; p = 0.0084, OR = 2.62) and KIR2DS3 (p < 0.0001; OR = 2.57) were associated with chronic infection, independently from KIR2DL2. No differences in ancestry composition were observed between control and patients, even with respect to therapy response groups. The allelic profile KIR2DL2/KIR2DS2/KIR2DS3 was associated with the chronic hepatitis C (p < 0.0001; OR = 3). Furthermore, the patients also showed a higher mean number of activating genes and a lower frequency of the homozygous AA profile, which is likely secondary to the association with non-AA and/or activating genes. In addition, the KIR2DS5 allele was associated with SVR (p = 0.0261; OR = 0.184).The ancestry analysis of samples ruled out any effects of population substructuring and did not evidence interethnic differences in therapy response, as suggested in previous studies.

Species composition and reproductive modes of anurans from a transitional Amazonian forest, Brazil

The aim of the present study was to describe the species composition and reproductive modes of an anuran community from a transition area between the Amazonia and Cerrado biomes. Data were collected in habitats exhibiting different degrees of anthropogenic degradation. The community (35 species) identified during the present study presented a larger number of reproductive modes when compared with those from Cerrado communities, but smaller than those of other sites in the Amazon. While all nine modes were recorded in the gallery forests of local rivers and streams, anthropogenic habitats (rubber tree orchards and soybean fields) were occupied only by species adapted to environments where humidity is low, typical of the Cerrado. Overall, the anuran fauna of the study area was characterized by species that depend on access to water bodies for their reproduction, with only a few specialized species able to reproduce in dry environments.

Synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of new pyrazolate-bridged dinuclear complexes of the type [Pd(mu-L)(N-3)(PPh3)](2) (PPh3 = triphenylphosphine; L = pyrazolates)

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

Luteinizing Hormone Receptor (LHR): basic concepts in cattle and other mammals. a review

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

Maize leaf phytotoxicity and grain yield are affected by nitrogen source and application method

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Preparation and characterization of a bacterial cellulose/silk fibroin sponge scaffold for tissue regeneration

Bacterial cellulose (BC) and silk fibroin (SF) are natural biopolymers successfully applied in tissue engineering and biomedical fields. In this work nanocomposites based on BC and SF were prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, the investigation of cytocompatibility was done by MTT, XTT and Trypan Blue dye technique. Cellular adhesion and proliferation were detected additionally. The evaluation of genotoxicity was realized by micronucleus assay. In vitro tests showed that the material is non-cytotoxic or genotoxic. SEM images revealed a greater number of cells attached at the BC/SF:50% scaffold surface than the pure BC one, suggesting that the presence of fibroin improved cell attachment. This could be related to the SF amino acid sequence that acts as cell receptors facilitating cell adhesion and growth. Consequently, BC/SF:50% scaffolds configured an excellent option in bioengineering depicting its potential for tissue regeneration and cultivation of cells on nanocomposites.

Metalosupramoléculas discretas e Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) baseados em íons lantanídeos: design, síntese, caracterização e propriedades

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)