The (CH3OH)-C-13 optically pumped far-infrared laser: New lines and frequency measurements

We report 18 new laser lines from (CH3OH)-C-13 generated in an optically pumped far-infrared laser; the laser lines are in the range of 54.2-420 mu m and are all characterized in wavelength, polarization relative to the pumping CO2 radiation, and pump offset relative to the CO2 center frequency, the frequencies of seven of these new lines along with 10 previously reported lines were measured by an accurate heterodyne technique, mixing them in a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) point contact diode, with another laser line of known frequency.

Evolutionary chromosomal differentiation among four species of Conoderus Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera, Elateridae, Agrypninae, Conoderini) detected by standard staining, C-banding, silver nitrate impregnation, and CMA(3)/DA/DAPI staining

The speciose Brazilian Elateridae fauna is characterized by high karyotypic diversity, including one species (Chalcolepidius zonatus Eschscholtz, 1829) with the lowest diploid number within any Coleoptera order. Cytogenetic analysis of Conoderus dimidiatus Germar, 1839, C. scalaris (Germar, 1824,) C. ternarius Germar, 1839, and C. stigmosus Germar, 1839 by standard and differential staining was performed with the aim of establishing mechanisms of karyotypic differentiation in these species. Conoderus dimidiatus, C. scalaris, and C. ternarius have diploid numbers of 2n(male) = 17 and 2n(female) = 18, and a X0/XX sex determination system, similar to that encountered in the majority of Conoderini species. The karyotype of C. stigmosus was characterized by a diploid number of 2n=16 and a neoXY/neoXX sex determination system that was highly differentiated from other species of the genus. Some features of the mitotic and meiotic chromosomes suggest an autosome/ancestral X chromosome fusion as the cause of the neoXY system origin in C. stigmosus. C-banding and silver impregnation techniques showed that the four Conoderus species possess similar chromosomal characteristics to those registered in most Polyphaga species, including pericentromeric C band and autosomal NORs. Triple staining techniques including CMA(3)/DA/DAPI also provided useful information for differentiating these Conoderus species. These techniques revealed unique GC-rich heterochromatin associated with NORs in C. scalaris and C. stigmosus and CMA(3)-heteromorphism in C. scalaris and C. ternarius.

Assignment and frequency measurement of rotational transitions of (CD3OH)-C-13 by intracavity laser Stark spectroscopy

We present the results of an intracavity Stark spectroscopy experiment on the fundamental state of (CD3OH)-C-13. We use an optically pumped hybrid waveguide FIR laser, CH2F2 as active molecule, and (CD3OH)-C-13 as absorbent molecule. No Brewster window is needed to separate the lasing gas from the absorbing deuterated methanol. An absorption line is assigned as E(l) symmetry (n, K, J): (1,4,18) --> (1,5,18) and its frequency is measured as 63.08631 cm(-1) with a precision of a few parts in 10(7); two more absorptions are reported and a tentative assignment for one of them.

Whole-body protein turnover in malnourished patients with child class B and C cirrhosis on diets low to high in protein energy

The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of whole-body protein turnover in moderately and severely alcoholic, malnourished, cirrhotic patients fed with different amounts of protein or energy. Six male patients (Child classes B and C) and four age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were studied for 18 d in fasting and feeding states; a single oral dose of [N-15]glycine was used as a tracer and urinary ammonia was the end product. The kinetic study showed that patients had higher protein catabolism while fasting (patients: 3.14 +/- 1.2 g of lean body mass/9 h; controls: 1.8 +/- 0.3 g of lean body mass/9 h: P<0.02). Although not statistically significant, protein catabolism (grams of lean body mass/9 h) was lower with the hyperproreic/hyperenergetic diet when compared with fasting. Nitrogen retention was consistent with the lower protein-catabolism rate; a statistically significant increase in nitrogen balance was observed when patients were fed with the hyperproteic/hyperenergetic diet compared with fasting 14.3 +/- 3.2 g of nitrogen/d and -2.2 +/- 1.9 g of nitrogen/d, respectively; P < 0.01). These data indicate that Child class B and C cirrhotic patients are hypercatabolic and that Long-term nutritional intervention with a hyperproteic/hyperenergetic diet is likely needed to improve their clinical and nutritional status. Nutrition 2001;17:239-242. (C) Elsevier B.V. 2001.

Clinical performance of a self-etching adhesive at 18 months

Purpose: To test the null hypothesis that beveling and/or etching enamel would not affect the 18-month clinical performance of the self-etching adhesive Clearfil SE Bond (CSEB) in noncarious cervical lesions (NCCL). Methods: With Institutional Review Board approval, 34 patients were enrolled in this study. A total of 120 NCCL was selected and assigned to four groups: (1) CSEB was applied without any cavity preparation; (2) CSEB was applied after beveling enamel; (3) CSEB was applied after etching enamel for 15 seconds with 35% phosphoric acid; (4) CSEB was applied after beveling and etching enamel. A microfilled composite resin was used for all restorations. Resuts: At 6 months after initial placement, 120 restorations (a 100% recall rate) were evaluated. At 18 months, 87 restorations (a 72.5% recall rate) were available for evaluation. A survival rate of 100% was measured for all groups at both 6 and 18 months. Sensitivity to air decreased significantly only for Group 3 (no bevel+acid etch) from baseline to 18 months without statistical changes from 6 months to 18 months. None of the other parameters resulted in significant differences for any of the four groups. However, when data were pooled, both the overall marginal discoloration and the overall marginal adaptation were significantly worse at 18 months than at baseline, while sensitivity to air decreased significantly from baseline to 18 months. The 18-month survival rate of the self-etching adhesive Clearfil SE Bond was not improved by enamel bevel or by enamel etching. Both overall marginal adaptation and overall marginal discoloration were worse at 18 months than at baseline.

Physiological responses of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, fed vitamin C- and lipid-supplemented diets and submitted to low-temperature stress

Water temperature alterations can determine harmful physiological modifications in fish, which should be prepared to cope with this, and nutrition strategies seem to be essential. This study evaluated the effects of different levels of vitamin C and lipids on physiological responses of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, submitted to temperature stress. There were two phases: Phase I - preparing fish to store vitamin C and lipid at appropriate temperature, and Phase II - evaluating the contributions these reserves make to fish physiology under low-temperature stress. The experiment used a 3 x 2 factorial design with three vitamin C levels (300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg diet) and two lipid levels (8.0 and 12.0%), plus absence of nutrient test and a diet of 6.0% lipids and 125.0 mg/kg vitamin C. In Phase I, 192 fish were kept at 26.0 +/- 1.0 C for 112 d, and in Phase II, 48 fish were kept at 18.0 +/- 0.5 C for 32 d and at 15.0 +/- 0.5 C for 11 d. Fish fed C0L0 diet showed lower erythrocytes values in both phases; higher vitamin C supplement determined higher red blood cell (RBC) number and higher hematocrit (Htc) (Phase II); Htc was significantly lower in Phase II; after temperature stress, fish fed C0L0 diet had higher mean corpuscular volume, lower hemoglobin corpuscular concentration, and significantly lower vitamin C concentration in the liver; and higher supplementation determined a higher concentration in the liver (Phases I and II). Higher plasmatic cortisol concentration was seen in fish fed C0L0 diet. In conclusion, our results show that the absence of vitamin C in diets impairs RBC formation and does not enable fish to cope with stress; excess vitamin C is efficient in mitigating stress and 600 mg/kg diet is economic and physiologically sufficient to prepare fish for coping with low-temperature stress. Lipid supplementation does not determine alterations in stress biochemical parameters.

Amperometric differential determination of ascorbic acid in beverages and vitamin C tablets using a flow cell containing an array of gold microelectrodes modified with palladium

A simple and attractive method for quantification of ascorbic acid (AA) in beers, soda, natural juices and commercial vitamin C tablets was achieved by combining Bow injection analysis and amperometric detection. An array of gold microelectrodes electrochemically modified by deposition of palladium was employed as working electrode which was almost unaffected by fouling effects. Ascorbic acid was quantified in beverages and vitamin tablets using amperometric differential measurements. This method is based on three steps involving the flow injection of: 1) the sample plus a standard addition of AA, 2) the pure sample, and 3) the enzymatically-treated sample. The enzymatic treatment was carried out with Cucumis sativus tissue, which is a rich source of ascorbate oxidase, at pH 7. The calibration plots for freshly prepared ascorbic acid standards were very linear in the concentration range of 0.18-1.8 mg L-1 with a relative standard deviation (RSD) < 1%, while for real samples the deviations were between 2.7% to 8.9%.

Xeractinol - A new flavanonol C-glucoside from Paepalanthus argenteus var. argenteus (Bongard) Hensold (Eriocaulaceae)

New compound isolated from methanolic extract from the leaves of Paepalanthus argenteus var. argenteus (Bongard) Hensold was characterized as xeractinol, a new dihydroflavonol C-glucoside. The structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis (1D and 2D NMR, MS, HREIMS, IR and UV). Ab initio electronic structure calculations support our proposal to the molecular structure. The dihydroflavonol herein isolated may serve as taxonomic marker of Paepalanthus subgenus Xeractis, because this flavonoid have not been reported in any other taxon of Eriocaulaceae.

Benzoic acid derivatives from piper species and their fungitoxic activity against Cladosporium cladosporioides and C-sphaerospermum

Piper crassinervium, P. aduncum, P. hostmannianum, and P. gaudichaudianum contain the new benzoic acid derivatives crassinervic acid (1), aduncumene (8), hostmaniane (18), and gaudichaudianic acid (20), respectively, as major secondary metabolites. Additionally, 19 known compounds such as benzoic acids, chromenes, and flavonoids were isolated and identified. The antifungal activity of these compounds was evaluated by bioautographic TLC assay against Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum.

Protective Effect of HLA-DRB1*11 and Predisposition of HLA-C*04 in the Development of Severe Liver Damage in Brazilian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

The objective of this study was to investigate human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes in patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to analyse the possible role of these genes in the progression of chronic hepatitis C. One hundred and forty-five (145) Brazilian patients infected only with HCV genotype 1 were evaluated. HLA class I (A*, B*, C*) and class II (DRB1*, DQA1*, DQB1*) typing were carried out by PCR-SSO, through Luminex technology. Associations were found with protection against development of liver damage by both DRB1*11 (5.0% versus 18.2%, P = 0.0016, OR = 0.23, CI 95% = 0.090.58; Pc=0.0208) and DRB1*11-DQA1*05-DQB1*03 haplotype (4.2% versus 15.3%, P = 0.0032; OR = 0.24, CI 95% = 0.08-0.64). Liver damage was associated with HLA-C*04 in patients with <20 years of infection (38.4% versus 9.1%, P = 0.002, OR = 6.25, CI 95% = 1.9719.7; Pc=0.0238). It is concluded that HLA alleles can influence the development of liver damage in HCV type-1 chronically infected Brazilian patients.