Spectrophotometric determination of formaldehyde with chromotropic acid in phosphoric acid medium assisted by microwave oven

In the present study. a spectrophotometric method for the determination of formaldehyde by using chromotropic acid was devised. in which the use of potentially hazardous and corrosive concentrated sulfuric acid was eliminated and advantageously C replaced by a mixture of H, concentrated H3PO4 and H2O2. The reaction between formaldehyde and chromotropic acid (CA) in a cone phosphoric acid medium was accelerate by irradiating the mixture with microwave energy for 35 s (1100 W), producing a violetred compound (lambda(max)=570 nm). Beer's Law is obeyed in a concentration range of 0.8-4.8 mg 1(-1) of formaldehyde with a good correlation coefficient (r = 0.9968). The proposed method was applied in the analysis of formaldehyde in commercial disinfectants. Recoveries were within 98.0-100.4%, with standard deviations ranging from 0.03 to 0.13%. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

ANATOMICAL STUDY OF THE OPOSSUM (DIDELPHIS-ALBIVENTRIS) EXTRAOCULAR-MUSCLES

The anatomy of the extraocular muscles was studied in 10 adult opossums (Didelphis albiventris) of both sexes. Eight extraocular muscles were identified: 4 rectus muscles, 2 oblique muscles, the levator palpebrae superioris and the retractor ocular bulbi. The rectus muscles originate very close one to another between the orbital surfaces of the presphenoid and palatine bones. These muscles diverge on the way to their insertion which occurs at about 2 mm from the limbus. The levator palpebrae superioris originates with the dorsal rectus and is positioned dorsally in relation to it. The retractor ocular bulbi forms a cone which embraces the optic nerve and is located internally in relation to the rectus muscles. The dorsal oblique originates on the presphenoid bone and after a tendinous trajectory through a trochlea on the medial wall of the orbit, inserts into the ocular bulb. The only muscle arising from the anterior orbital floor is the ventral oblique. The main nerve supply for these muscles is the oculomotor, except for the dorsal oblique which is innervated by the trochlear nerve, and the lateral rectus which is innervated by the abducens nerve. The retractor ocular bulbi receives branches from the inferior division of the oculomotor nerve and some branches from the abducens nerve.

Mispatterning in the ommatidia of Apis mellifera pupae treated with a juvenile hormone analogue

To further understand the function of morphogenetic hormones in honeybee eye differentiation, the alterations in ommatidial patterning induced by pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone (JH) analogue, were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Prepupae of prospective honeybee workers were treated with pyriproxyfen and the effects on ommatidial differentiation were described at the end of the pupal development. The results show that the entire ommatidia, i.e., the dioptric as well as the receptor systems, were affected by the JH analogue. The wave of ommatidial differentiation, which progresses from the posterior to the anterior region of the pupal eyes, was arrested. In treated pupae, the rhabdomeres only differentiated at the apical axis of the retinula, the secondary and tertiary pigment cells did not develop their cytoplasm protrusions, and the cone cell quartet did not pattern correctly. Simultaneously, an intense vacuolization was observed in cells forming ommatidia. In a previous study we showed that pyriproxyfen exerts an inhibition on pupal ecdysteroid secretion. In this sense, the arrested ommatidial differentiation in pyriproxyfen-treated pupae could be due to a secondary effect resulting from an alteration in pupal ecdysteroid titers. J. Morphol. 249:89-99, 2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Root growth and cotton nutrition as affected by liming and soil compaction

Soil columns were produced by filling PVC tubes with a Dark Red Latosol (Acrortox, 22% of clay). A compacted layer was established at the depth of 15 cm in the columns. In the compacted layer, soil was packed to 1.13, 1.32, 1.48, and 1.82 Mg kg(-1), resulting in cone resistances of 0.18, 0.43, 1.20, and 2.50 MPa. Cotton was cropped for 30 days. Lime was applied to raise base saturation to 40, 52, and 67%. The highest base saturation caused a decrease in phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in the plants. A decrease in root dry matter, length and surface area was also observed. This could be a consequence of lime induced Zn deficiency. Root growth was decreased in the compacted layer, and complete inhibition was noticed at 2.50 MPa. Once the roots got through the compacted layer, there was a growth recovery in the bottom layer of the pots. The increase in base saturation up 52% was effective in preventing a decrease in cotton root length at soil resistances to 1.20 MPa. Where the roots were shorter, there was an increase in nutrient uptake per unit of root surface area, which kept the plants well nourished, except for P.

A NEW CONSTRAINTS SEPARATION FOR THE ORIGINAL D=10 MASSLESS SUPERPARTICLE

We study the problem of covariant separation between first and second class constraints for the D = 10 Brink-Schwarz superparticle. Opposite to the supersymmetric light-cone frame separation, we show here that there is a Lorentz covariant way to identify the second class constraints such that, however, supersymmetry is broken. Consequences for the D = 10 superstring are briefly discussed.

Causal propagators for algebraic gauges

Applying the principle of analytic extension for generalized functions we derive causal propagators for algebraic non-covariant gauges. The so-generated manifestly causal gluon propagator in the light-cone gauge is used to evaluate two one-loop Feynman integrals which appear in the computation of the three-gluon vertex correction. The result is in agreement with that obtained through the usual prescriptions.

Laser interferometric characterization of a vibrating speaker system

An experiment that combines opto-mechanical and electrical measurements for the characterization of a loudspeaker is presented. We describe a very simple laser vibrometer for evaluating the amplitude of the vibration (displacement) of the speaker cone. The setup is essentially a Michelson-type interferometer operated by an inexpensive semiconductor laser (diode laser). It is shown that the simultaneous measurements of three amplitudes (displacement, electrical current, and applied voltage), as functions of the frequency of vibration, allow us to characterize the speaker system. The experiment is easy to perform, and it demonstrates several useful concepts of optics, mechanics, and electricity, allowing, students to gain an intuitive physical insight into the relations between mathematical models and, an actual speaker system. (C) 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.

ASSESSMENT of POLYATOMIC INTERFERENCES ELIMINATION USING A COLLISION REACTION INTERFACE (CRI) FOR INORGANIC ANALYSIS of FUEL ETHANOL BY ICP-QMS

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

Longer wavelengths of light improve the growth, intake and feed efficiency of individually reared juvenile pikeperch Sander lucioperca (L.)

We tested the effects of monochromatic light on the specific growth rate (SGR), feed intake and feed efficiency (FE) of juvenile pikeperch, Sander lucioperca (L.). Pikeperch were reared individually for 42 days in aquaria covered with blue, green, yellow or red gelatin filters or white paper (control; n=5). Linear regression analysis indicated a significant positive effect of longer wavelengths of light on the condition factor (CF), FE and SGR. The final weight, SGR and CF were significantly higher in fish reared under red than under white light, and FE was better under green, yellow and red light than under white light (Dunnett's post hoc test, P < 0.05) while blue was comparable to white light in terms of the measured parameters. After the growth trial, the spectral sensitivity of photoreceptor cells in the retina was tested using microspectrophotometry, which revealed the presence of rods with lambda(max) at ca. 530 nm and two cone classes, absorbing maximally at ca. 535 and 603 nm, all containing a porphyropsin-based pigment. These results suggest that the presence of mid and long wavelength-sensitive cones enhances visual sensitivity under mid-wavelength and long-wavelength environments, and thus supports the finding that longer wavelengths of incoming light can improve FE and SGR of the cultivated pikeperch.

Structural and ultrastructural characterization of the embryonic development of Pseudoplatystoma spp. hybrids

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

Aplicacao do teste de qui-quadrado na verificacao da variacao de leituras densitometricas

The densitometrical interpretation is a technical resource that removes both the subjectivity of conventional interpretation and the high operational cost of automatic interpretation. Meanwhile, the densitometric lecture presents variability and this work has the objective of examinating, through Chi-square test, if there exists significative differences of cone overture of the densitometer as to the filter used. The results were the following: the variation that happened in this densitometric lecture, when different cone overture and filter were used, have not invalidated the values that were obtained; the extreme values variations have to be used with attention, so will not be overstep of values among the different elements of soil covering have to be used discerniment to classify this values; the study was in consonance with other authors. -from English summary

Scaling law for baryon coupling to its current and its possible applications

The baryon coupling to its current (λB), in conventional QCD sum rule calculations (QCDSR), is shown to scale as the cubic power of the baryon mass, MB. Some theoretical justification for it comes from a simple light-cone model and also general scaling arguments for QCD. But more importantly, taken as a phenomenological ansatz for the present, this may find very good use in current explorations of possible applications of QCDSR to baryon physics both at temperature T = 0, T ≠ 0 and/or density ρ = 0, ρ ≠ 0. © World Scientific Publishing Company.

Performance of low/correct pressure radial ply tires

Extensive field testes were conducted using the UCD single wheel tester employing three large radial ply tractor tires in two different soils, four different soil conditions, two axle load levels, and three levels of tire inflation pressures in order to quantify the benefits of using low/correct inflation pressures. During these tests slip, net traction, gross traction, and dynamic axle load were recorded. Furthermore, soil moisture content, cone index, and dry bulk density data were obtained at test locations. The results of the analysis showed a significant increase in net traction and traction efficiency when low/correct inflation was used. Benefits of using low/correct pressure was higher in tilled soil conditions.

Quantization of the superstring with manifest U(5) super-Poincaré invariance

The superstring is quantized in a manner which manifestly preserves a U(5) subgroup of the (Wick-rotated) ten-dimensional super-Poincaré invariance. This description of the superstring contains critical N = 2 worldsheet superconformal invariance and is a natural covariantization of the U(4)-invariant light-cone Green-Schwarz description. © 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Cohomology in the pure spinor formalism for the superstring

A manifestly super-Poincaré covariant formalism for the superstring has recently been constructed using a pure spinor variable. Unlike the covariant Green-Schwarz formalism, this new formalism is easily quantized with a BRST operator and tree-level scattering amplitudes have been evaluated in a manifestly covariant manner. In this paper, the cohomology of the BRST operator in the pure spinor formalism is shown to give the usual light-cone Green-Schwarz spectrum. Although the BRST operator does not directly involve the Virasoro constraint, this constraint emerges after expressing the pure spinor variable in terms of SO(8) variables.