The Q-D algorithm for transforming series expansions into a corresponding continued fraction: an extension to cope with zero coefficients

An algorithm for deriving a continued fraction that corresponds to two series expansions simultaneously, when there are zero coefficients in one or both series, is given. It is based on using the Q-D algorithm to derive the corresponding fraction for two related series, and then transforming it into the required continued fraction. Two examples are given. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Interaction Between N-Isopropylacrylamide-Acrylic Acid-Ethyl Methacrylate Thermosensitive Polymers and Cationic Surfactants

The interaction between cationic surfactants and isopropylacrylamide-acrylic acid-ethyl methacrylate (IPA:AA:EMA) terpolymers has been investigated using steady-state fluorescence and spectrophotometric measurements to assess the effect of the polymer composition on the aggregation process and terpolymers' thermosensitivities. Micropolarity studies using pyrene show that the interaction of cationic surfactants with IPA:AA:EMA terpolymers occurs at surfactant concentrations much smaller than that observed for the pure surfactant in aqueous solution. The critical aggregation concentration (CAC) values decrease with both the hydrocarbon length of the surfactant and the content of ethyl methacrylate. These results were interpreted as a manifestation of the increasing contribution of attractive hydrophobic and electrostatic forces between negatively charged polymer chains and positively charged surfactant molecules. The increase of ethyl methacrylate in the copolymers lowers the CAC due to the larger hydrophobic character of the polymer backbone. The cloud point determination reveals that the lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) depend strongly on the copolymer composition and surfactant nature. The binding of surfactants molecules to the polymer chain screens the electrostatic repulsion between the carboxylic groups inducing a conformational transition and the dehydration of the polymer chain.

Measurement of the production fraction times branching fraction f(b -> Lambda(b)) . B(Lambda(b) -> J/psi Lambda)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Scaling and branching in wet sonogels as a function of the volume fraction of the liquid phase

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

A thermoporometry and small-angle x-ray scattering study of wet silica sonogels as the pore volume fraction is varied

Silica sonogels with different porosities were prepared by acid sono-hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane. Wet sonogels were studied using small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC shows a broad thermal peak below the normal water melting point associated with the melting of confined ice nanocrystals, or nanoporosity. The nanopore size distribution was determined from the Gibbs-Thomson equation. As the porosity is increased, a second sharp DSC thermal peak with onset temperature at the water melting point is apparent, which was associated with the melting of ice macrocrystals, or macroporosity. The DSC result could be causing misinterpretation of the macroporosity because water may not be exactly confined in very feeble silica network regions in sonogels with high porosity. The structure of the wet gels can be described fairly well as mutually self-similar mass fractal structures with characteristic length. increasing from similar to 1.8 to similar to 5.4 nm and mass fractal dimension D diminishing discretely from similar to 2.6 to similar to 2.3 as the porosity increases in the range studied. More specifically, such a structure could be described using a two-parameter correlation function gamma(r) similar to r(D-3) exp(-r/xi), which is limited at larger scale by the cut-off distance xi but without a well-defined small scale cut-off distance, at least up to the maximum angular domain probed using SAXS in the present study.

Anticholinesterasic, Nematostatic and Anthelmintic Activities of Pyridinic and Pyrazinic Compounds

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

Asymmetric microbial reduction of ketones: absolute configuration of trans-4-ethyl-1-(1S-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexanol

A set of five fungal species, Botrytis cinerea, Trichoderma viride and Eutypa lata, and the endophytic fungi Colletotrichum crassipes and Xylaria sp., was used in screening for microbial biocatalysts to detect monooxygenase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities (for the stereoselective reduction of carbonyl compounds). 4-Ethylcyclohexanone and acetophenone were biotransformed by the fungal set. The main reaction pathways involved reduction and hydroxylations at several positions including tertiary carbons. B. cinerea was very effective in the bioreduction of both substrates leading to the chiral alcohol (S)-1-phenylethanol in up to 90% enantiomeric excess, and the cis-trans ratio for 4-ethylcyclohexanol was 0:100. trans-4-Ethyl-1-(1S-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexanol, obtained from biotransformation by means of an acyloin-type reaction, is reported here for the first time. The absolute configurations of the compounds trans-4-ethyl-1-(1S-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexanol and 4-(1S- and 4-(1R-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexanone were determined by NMR analysis of the corresponding Mosher's esters. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal behavior of cellulose acetate produced from homogeneous acetylation of bacterial cellulose

Cellulose acetate (CA) is one of the most important cellulose derivatives and its main applications are its use in membranes, films, fibers, plastics and filters. CAs are produced from cellulose sources such as: cotton, sugar cane bagasse, wood and others. One promissory source of cellulose is bacterial cellulose (BC). In this work, CA was produced from the homogeneous acetylation reaction of bacterial cellulose. Degree of substitution (DS) values can be controlled by the acetylation time. The characterization of CA samples showed the formation of a heterogeneous structure for CA samples submitted to a short acetylation time. A more homogeneous structure was produced for samples prepared with a long acetylation time. This fact changes the thermal behavior of the CA samples. Thermal characterization revealed that samples submitted to longer acetylation times display higher crystallinity and thermal stability than samples submitted to a short acetylation time. The observation of these characteristics is important for the production of cellulose acetate from this alternative source. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protease inhibition activity of extracts from Salicaceae species from Brazilian Cerrado and Atlantic Rain Forest and of an enriched fraction of clerodane diterpenes (casearins)

Considerando o uso popular de Casearia sylvestris Sw., Salicaceae, para o tratamento de problemas gástricos e resultados pré-clínicos que mostraram potencial atividade anti-ulcerogênica, foi realizado um screening farmacológico para avaliar a atividade biológica de outras espécies de Salicaceae. Para isso, foi utilizado um ensaio de inibição de proteases como um modelo farmacológico molecular para screening de extratos com atividade anti-ulcerogênica. Os extratos etanólico e aquoso dos galhos e folhas de C. gossypiosperma, C. decandra e C. rupestris mostraram inibição da atividade da pepsina em aproximadamente 50% com a concentração de 1 μg/mL. Curiosamente, C. obliquoa e Flacourtia ramontchi não apresentaram atividade sobre a pepsina, mas seus extratos mais apolares mostraram atividade inibitória sobre a subtilisina. A fração enriquecida de diterpenos clerodânicos mostrou atividade inibitória (42,75%) sobre a pepsina com a concentração de 1 μg/mL, mas não sobre a subtilisina (23,76%). Os resultados obtidos com os extratos e folhas das espécies testadas mostraram um padrão de atividade diferente sobre os dois tipos de proteases, a pepsina e a subtilisina, as quais estão relacionadas com diferentes tipos de atividades biológicas. Ainda mais, os resultados com a fração enriquecida de diterpenos clerodânicos sugerem que estas substâncias podem estar relacionadas com a atividade do extrato bruto de C. sylvestris.

Applications of the hexanic fraction of Agave sisalana Perrine ex Engelm (Asparagaceae): control of inflammation and pain screening

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

Eficácia de imazethapyr e chlorimuron-ethyl em aplicações de pré-semeadura da cultura da soja

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a ação dos herbicidas imazethapyr e chlorimuron-ethyl em aplicações de pré-semeadura da cultura da soja, visando o controle das plantas daninhas presentes antes da semeadura e a redução na emergência de plantas daninhas durante o ciclo da cultura. O experimento foi conduzido a campo, em área de produção de soja em sistema de plantio direto. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições, em esquema fatorial (4 x 4 + 1), sendo quatro tratamentos herbicidas [glyphosate (1,62 kg ha-1); glyphosate (1,62 kg ha-1) + imazethapyr (100 g ha-1); glyphosate (1,62 kg ha-1) + chlorimuron-ethyl (10 g ha-1); glyphosate (1,62 kg ha-1) + chlorimuron-ethyl (20 g ha-1)] e quatro intervalos entre a aplicação dos herbicidas e a semeadura da soja (0, 1, 3 e 7 dias), mais uma testemunha não-dessecada. A adição dos herbicidas imazethapyr (100 g ha¹) e chlorimuron-ethyl (10 ou 20 g ha-1) junto ao glyphosate não melhorou o controle e também não diminuiu a rebrota posterior das plantas daninhas Digitaria insularis, Tridax procumbens e Leptochloa filiformis. Três dias antes da semeadura da soja foi o intervalo mínimo para que o controle dessas três espécies de plantas daninhas não fosse prejudicado pela operação de semeadura mecânica. Constatou-se que os tratamentos herbicidas não afetaram o número de plantas emergidas das espécies Sida santaremnensis, Digitaria insularis, Eleusine indica, Chamaesyce hirta, Bidens pilosa e Senna obtusifolia. Apenas para a espécie Althernantela tenella foi verificado que a adição de imazethapyr ou de chlorimuron-ethyl junto ao glyphosate reduziu a emergência dessa planta daninha na área, mostrando eficiência em pré-emergência. Todos os tratamentos herbicidas aplicados em pré-semeadura proporcionaram maior produtividade da cultura da soja em relação à testemunha não-dessecada, mas o incremento dos herbicidas imazethapyr e chlorimuron-ethyl ao glyphosate não resultou em aumento de produtividade da soja.

Mefenpyr-diethyl action on fenoxaprop-p-ethyl detoxification in wheat varieties

Protetores ou safeners protegem culturas contra a injúria de herbicidas. O propósito deste estudo foi investigar a suscetibilidade diferencial de cinco variedades de trigo (Triticum aestivum) ao herbicida fenoxaprop-p-ethyl e o efeito do protetor mefenpyr-diethyl na minimização da injúria do herbicida e sobre o conteúdo de lipídios. As variedades BRS 49, CD 104, CEP 24, IAPAR 78 e Rubi foram pulverizadas com fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (69 g ha-1), fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + mefenpyr‑diethyl (69 g + 18,75 g ha¹) ou mefenpyr-diethyl (18,75 g ha¹). A injúria das plantas foi avaliada visualmente aos 7 e 14 dias após o tratamento (DAT). A atividade da glutationa S-transferase (GST) foi analisada na parte aérea aos 7 DAT, e o conteúdo de lipídios, aos 14 DAT. As variedades CEP 24, IAPAR 78 e Rubi foram mais tolerantes ao fenoxaprop-p-ethyl do que a BRS 49, e a variedade CD 104 rapidamente se recuperou dos sintomas de intoxicação produzidos pelo herbicida. Mefenpyr-diethyl preveniu a injúria da cultura pelo herbicida. A atividade da GST não foi correlacionada diretamente com a desintoxicação do fenoxaprop-p-ethyl. Contudo, o conteúdo de lipídios esteve relacionado à suscetibilidade de trigo ao tratamento de fenoxaprop-p-ethyl.

Effect of cyproterone acetate on alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes in rat vas deferens

Gonadal hormones regulate the expression of alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes in several tissues. The present study was carried out to determine whether or not cyproterone acetate, an anti-androgenic agent, regulates the alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes that mediate contractions of the rat vas deferens in response to noradrenaline. The actions of subtype selective alpha1-antagonists were investigated in vas deferens from control and cyproterone acetate-treated rats (10 mg/day, sc, for 7 days). Prazosin (pA2 ~9.5), phentolamine (pA2 ~8.3) and yohimbine (pA2 ~6.7) presented competitive antagonism consistent with activation of alpha1-adrenoceptors in vas deferens from both control and treated rats. The pA2 values estimated for WB 4101 (~9.5), benoxathian (~9.7), 5-methylurapidil (~8.5), indoramin (~8.7) and BMY 7378 (~6.8) indicate that alpha1A-adrenoceptors are involved in the contractions of the vas deferens from control and cyproterone acetate-treated rats. Treatment of the vas deferens from control rats with the alpha1B/alpha1D-adrenoceptor alkylating agent chloroethylclonidine had no effect on noradrenaline contractions, supporting the involvement of the alpha1A-subtype. However, this agent partially inhibited the contractions of vas deferens from cyproterone acetate-treated rats, suggesting involvement of multiple receptor subtypes. To further investigate this, the actions of WB 4101 and chloroethylclonidine were reevaluated in the vas deferens from rats treated with cyproterone acetate for 14 days. In these organs WB 4101 presented complex antagonism characterized by a Schild plot with a slope different from unity (0.65 ± 0.05). After treatment with chloroethylclonidine, the complex antagonism presented by WB 4101 was converted into classical competitive antagonism, consistent with participation of alpha1A-adrenoceptors as well as alpha1B-adrenoceptors. These results suggest that cyproterone acetate induces plasticity in the alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes involved in the contractions of the vas deferens.

Antinociceptive effect on mice of the hydroalcoholic fraction and (-) epicatechin obtained from Combretum leprosum Mart & Eich

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)