Sugarcane spirit extracts of oak and Brazilian woods: antioxidant capacity and activity

Sugarcane spirit extracts of six different Brazilian woods for potential use in manufacturing aging casks were compared with similar extracts of five oak samples from different geographic origin and heat treatment regarding: (1) content of phenolics and copper; (2) radical reducing capacity and reactivity toward 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH center dot); and (3) effect on the rate of oxygen depletion rate in a peroxidating lipid model system. Total phenolic contents of the Brazilian wood extracts ranged from 0.65 (canela-sassafras) to 6.4 (jatoba) mmol(GAE) L(-1) and from 1.39 to 2.87 mmol(GAE) L(-1) for oak extracts. Flavonoids ranged from 1.54 x 10(-4) (ipe) to 6.5 x 10(-2) (oak) mmol(rutin) L(-1), and tannins from below the detection limit to 0.22 (jatoba) mmol(tannic acid) L(-1). Correlation was observed for the antioxidant capacity versus phenolics/flavonoids/tannins content, where oak extracts exhibit the highest radical scavenging capacity compared to Brazilian woods. Rate constant for radical scavenging by the extracts ranged from 4.9 x 10(3) M(-1) s(-1)(canela-sassafras) to 9.7 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) (oak). The oxygen consumption index showed the Brazilian woods amendoim and jatoba to be more efficient inhibitors than the oak extracts for lipid autoxidation initiated by metmyoglobin, despite that the oak extracts seem to be more efficient to scavenge DPPH center dot. No simple correlation with phenolics or copper content could be established, and a prooxidative tendency was observed for the extracts of canela-sassafras, castanheira, and louro-canela.

Coumarins and phenolic fingerprints of oak and Brazilian woods extracted by sugarcane spirit

A total of 25 sugarcane spirit extracts of six different Brazilian woods and oak, commonly used by cooperage industries for aging cachaca, were analyzed for the presence of 14 phenolic compounds (ellagic acid, gallic acid, vanillin, syringaldehyde, synapaldehyde, coniferaldehyde, vanillic acid, syringic acid, quercetin, trans-resveratrol, catechin, epicatechin, eugenol, and myricetin) and two coumarins (scopoletin and coumarin) by HPLC-DAD-fluorescence and HPLC-ESI-MS(n). Furthermore, an HPLC-DAD chromatographic fingerprint was build-up using chemometric analysis based on the chromatographic elution profiles of the extracts monitored at 280 nm. Major components identified and quantified in Brazilian wood extracts were coumarin, ellagic acid, and catechin, whereas oak extracts shown a major contribution of catechin, vanillic acid, and syringaldehyde. The main difference observed among oak and Brazilian woods remains in the concentration of coumarin, catechin, syringaldehyde, and coniferaldehyde. The chemometric analysis of the quantitative profile of the 14 phenolic compounds and two coumarins in the wood extracts provides a differentiation between the Brazilian wood and oak extracts. The chromatographic fingerprint treated by multivariate analysis revealed significant differences among Brazilian woods themselves and oak, clearly defining six groups of wood extracts: (i) oak extracts, (ii) jatoba extracts, (iii) cabreuva-parda extracts, (iv) amendoim extracts, (v) canela-sassafras extracts and (vi) pequi extracts.

Formation of Dextran Deposits in Brazilian Sugar Cane Spirits

The formation of dextran deposits in sugared Brazilian cachaca was studied as a function of the time considering the effects of temperature, molecular weight (M(w)), visible light, pH, and the presence of Ca, Mg, Cu, and Fe ions in the concentrations at which they are usually present in this beverage. At 25 degrees C and pH 4.4, the experimental half-lives (t(1/2)) for precipitation are 73 and 124 days for dextrans with M(w) 5.9 x 10(6) and 2.1 x 10(6) Da, respectively. For dextrans with M(w) 5.0 x 10(5) and 4.0 x 10(4) Da, the experimental t(1/2) values are >180 days. For a dextran with M(w) 2.1 x 10(6) Da a change in pH from 4.4 to 5.5 at 25 degrees C resulted in a t(1/2) decrease from 124 to 25 days. At pH 4.4 the visible light and the presence of metal ions in average concentrations usually found in cachacas do not exhibit noticeable influence on the rate of dextran precipitation.

Molecular mass distribution of dextran in Brazilian sugar and insoluble deposits of cachaca

The dextran molecular mass distribution profile in 77 sugar samples from Brazil and twelve insoluble deposits (alcoholic flocks) samples from sugared cachacas (Brazilian sugar cane spirit) is described in terms of number-average molecular mass M,,, weight-average molecular mass M(w), Z-average molecular mass M,, and polydispersity. The analyses were performed by size-exclusion chromatography, using a refractive index detector. In most of the sugar samples, it was possible to identify two major groups of dextrans with Mw averages of 5 x 10(6) and 5 x 10(4) Da. Based on the evaluated parameters, the dextran distribution profile is about the same in samples analyzed over five seasons, and, therefore, it is likely that the Brazilian product pattern will not change very much over the years. In insoluble deposits from sugared cachacas, dextrans with Mw values in the order of the 10(5) Da were the most frequent ones, being present in 58% of the samples. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Democracy in the making : municipal reforms, civil society, and the Brazilian Workers' Party

Ch. 1. Introduction -- Ch. 2. Change and Continuity: Brazilian Municipal Reforms in Context -- Ch. 3. Itabuna -- Ch. 4. Sao Paulo -- Ch. 5. Porto Alegre -- Ch. 6. 'Genuine' Democracy: Civil Society, the Workers' Party and Beyond.

An empirical analysis of Australian and Portuguese consumers within the context of CSR and environmentalism

This cross country study examines the potential environmental predictors of consumers' green behaviour. It uses consumer’s self reported environmental behavioural intentions and examines its potential influence on corporate practice of social responsibility (CSR). A conceptual model was developed and was subjected to empirical verification using survey research design. It was hypothesised that CSR improves green behavioural purchase intension. PLS was used to estimate the measure of respondents’ overall perception of green products and their intention to purchase. It was found that in both countries, Australia and Portugal, CSR influenced purchase intentions. In both cases there was evidence of association between CSR and the consumers’ intention to purchase environmentally safe products.

Movement patterns of green turtles in Brazilian coastal waters described by satellite tracking and flipper tagging

The movements of 8 green turtles Chelonia mydas in Brazilian coastal waters were tracked using transmitters linked to the Argos system for periods of between 1 and 197 d. These were the first tracking data gathered on juveniles of this species in this important foraging ground. Information was integrated with that collected over a decade using traditional flipper-tagging methods at the same site. Both satellite telemetry and flipper tagging suggested that turtles undertook 1 of 3 general patterns of behaviour: pronounced long range movements (>100 km), moderate range movements (<100 km) or extended residence very close to the capture/release site. There seemed to be a general tendency for the turtles recaptured/tracked further afield to have been among the larger turtles captured. Satellite tracking of 5 turtles which moved from the release site showed that they moved through coastal waters; a factor which is likely to predispose migrating turtles to incidental capture as a result of the prevailing fishing methods in the region. The movements of the 3 turtles who travelled less than 100 km from the release site challenge previous ideas relating to home range in green turtles feeding in sea grass pastures. We hypothesise that there may be a fundamental difference in the pattern of habitat utilisation by larger green turtles depending on whether they are feeding on seagrass or macroalgae. Extended tracking of 2 small turtles which stayed near the release point showed that small juvenile turtles, whilst in residence in a particular feeding ground, can also exhibit high levels of site-fidelity with home ranges of the order of several square kilometers.

Age, class and race discrimination: their interactions and associations with mental health among Brazilian university students

Although research on discrimination and health has progressed significantly, it has tended to focus on racial discrimination and US populations. This study explored different types of discrimination, their interactions and associations with common mental disorders among Brazilian university students, in Rio de Janeiro in 2010. Associations between discrimination and common mental disorders were examined using multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for confounders. Interactions between discrimination and socio-demographics were tested. Discrimination attributed to age, class and skin color/race were the most frequently reported. In a fully adjusted model, discrimination attributed to skin color/race and class were both independently associated with increased odds of common mental disorders. The simultaneous reporting of skin color/race, class and age discrimination was associated with the highest odds ratio. No significant interactions were found. Skin color/race and class discrimination were important, but their simultaneous reporting, in conjunction with age discrimination, were associated with the highest occurrence of common mental disorders.

A Cross-Cultural Evaluation of the Personal Wellbeing Index – School Children in Samples of Australian and Portuguese Adolescents

The practice of comparing nations on subjective wellbeing (SWB) is becoming commonplace, with many countries ranked by economists and social scientists alike according to average levels of SWB based on survey responses. Such large, multi-national population surveys have the potential to generate insights into the causes and correlates of SWB within different cultural groups, as well as inform policy regarding how to improve the wellbeing of citizens. At the heart of these large-scale research endeavors are SWB measures that function equivalently between the various participating cultural groups. For this reason, it is concerning that their remains a paucity of research that supports measurement equivalence for many SWB instruments commonly employed. Thus, it remains unclear whether variations in SWB across cultures reflect true differences, or whether these differences reflect measurement biases (e.g., response bias inherent within a particular cultural group). The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric equivalence of the Personal Wellbeing Index–School Children (PWI-SC) in convenience samples of Australian and Portuguese adolescents using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis. Participants comprising the Australian sample were 1104 Victorian high-school students aged between 12 and 19 years (M = 14.42, SD = 1.63). Participants comprising the Portuguese sample were 573 high-school students living in Portugal aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.32, SD = 1.72). The results demonstrated strict factorial invariance between both versions of the PWI-SC, suggesting that this scale measures the same underlying construct in both samples. Moreover, these findings provide preliminary support for quantitative comparisons between Australian and Portuguese adolescents on the SWB variable as valid.