Microcalorimetric measurements of the metabolic activity by bacteria and fungi in some Brazilian soils amended with different organic matter

The effect of bacterial and fungal activities on organic matter degradation in Brazilian soils was studied by a microcalorimetric method. Bacteria and fungi isolated from tropical soils and added to: Rhodic eutrudox (R), Typic eutrudox (V) and Quartzipsamment (Q) soils amended separately with moisture (control) (A) and 25% of cattle manure (E), municipal refuse compost (L), earthworm casts (H) or 23 μg of trifluralin (T) were investigated. The number of colony forming units in soil suspension was quantified by microscopy and inoculated in respective soil. All processes were measured at intervals of 7 days over a period of 35 days. The exothermic thermal effect (μJ) per cm³ of bacteria or fungi per gram of dry soil, respectively, for each substrate was: [(9±1), (4±1)] RA; [(478±24), (105±5)] RE; [(121±6), (71±4)] RL; [(121±6), (71±4)] RH; [(8±1); (3±1)] RT; [(10±1), (9±1] VA; [(347±17), (261±13)] VE; [(71±4), (28±1)] VL; [(22±1), (33±2)] VH; [(7±1), (10±1)] VT; [(19±1), (12±1)] QA; [(1301±65), (46±2)] QE; [(89±4), (9±1)] QL; [(130±7), (11±1)] QH; [(32±2), (8±1)] QT. The calorimetric values are higher for bacteria than for fungi. In general, the results showed higher activities in the soil amended with cattle manure than with other additives.     

A constructive characterization of the split closure of a mixed integer linear program

Two independent proofs of the polyhedrality of the split closure of mixed integer linear program have been previously presented. Unfortunately neither of these proofs is constructive. In this paper, we present a constructive version of this proof. We also show that split cuts dominate a family of inequalities introduced by Köppe and Weismantel.     

Sample evaporation in conventional GC split/splitless injectors. Part 1: Some quantitative estimates concerning heat consumption during evaporation

During sample evaporation in conventional vaporizing injection, the supply of heat to the evaporating liquid is a problem, first because the amounts of heat consumed are relatively large and, secondly, because the heat must be transferred to the sample within a very short time. Times available for evaporation, required amounts of heat, possible sources of heat, and the time required to transfer the heat to the sample liquid are discussed. It is shown that mixing with carrier gas contributes little heat to the evaporation process, but also that packings with glass wool have too low a heat capacity to deliver the required amount of heat to the evaporating sample. Transfer of heat from the insert wall to the sample easily requires several seconds, even if cooling of the vaporizing zone by 20° is accepted. Thus “flash evaporation” is usually impossible and most liquids must be held in the vaporizing chamber to allow full evaporation.     

Removal of Mn(II) and Cd(II) from wastewaters by natural and modified clays

The adsorption capacities of commercial and Brazilian natural clays were evaluated to test their applications in wastewater control. We investigated the process of sorption of manganese(II) and cadmium(II) present in synthetic aqueous effluents, by calculating the adsorption isotherms at 298 K using batch experiments. The influence of temperature and pH on the adsorption process was also studied. Adsorption of metals was best described by a Langmuir isotherm, with values of Q ₀ parameter, which is related to the sorption capacity, corresponding to 6.3 mg g^{− 1} for K-10/Cd(II), 4.8 mg g^{− 1} for K-10/Mn(II), 11.2 mg g^{− 1} for NT-25/Cd(II) and 6.0 mg g^{− 1} for NT-25/Mn(II). We observed two distinct adsorption mechanisms that may influence adsorption. At the first 5 min of interaction, a cation exchange mechanism that takes place at exchange sites located on (001) basal planes is predominant. This process is inhibited by low pH values. After this first and fast step, a second sorption mechanism can be related to formation of inner-sphere surface complexes, which is formed at edges of the clay. The rate constants and the initial sorption rates correlate positively with temperature in all studied systems, denoting the predominance of a physisorption process. The addition of complexing agents that are incorporated within the K10 structure, enhance metal uptake by the adsorbent. The results have shown that both Cd(II) and Mn(II) were totally retained from a 50 mg L^{− 1} solution when K10 grafted with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) was used as adsorbent.     

On the structure of split Leibniz triple systems

We study the structure of arbitrary split Leibniz triple systems with a coherent 0-root space. By developing techniques of connections of roots for this kind of triple systems, under certain conditions, in the case of T being of maximal length, the simplicity of the Leibniz triple systems is characterized.     

Classical Food Quality Attributes and the Metabolic Profile of Cambuci,a Native Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest Fruit

The cambuci is a native Brazilian fruit from the Atlantic Forest biome. A soft and astringent pulp, a green color, and a sweet aroma are its main characteristics. Classical food quality attributes (fresh fruit mass, fruit height, diameters, total soluble solid, titratable acidity, and ratio) and the metabolic profile from ten accessions from three different locations were analyzed herein by analytical methods (refractometry and neutralization titration) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Concerning sugar content, sucrose was the predominant compound, with glucose and fructose alternating in second, depending on the accession. Citric acid was the most relevant acid, followed by shikimic and quinic acids in quite variable amounts. These three main acids vary in amounts for each accession. Ascorbic acid content emerges as an important quality attribute and makes this fruit nutritionally attractive, due to values comparable to those contained in citric fruits. The main amino acids identified in cambuci were glutamic acid individually or in comprising the tripeptide glutathione (glutamic acid, cysteine, glycine). The quality diversity of the evaluated accessions suggests the potentiality of cambuci use in future breeding programs.     

Molecular Insights into the Antistress Potentials of Brazilian Green Propolis Extract and Its Constituent Artepillin C

Propolis, also known as bee-glue, is a resinous substance produced by honeybees from materials collected from plants they visit. It contains mixtures of wax and bee enzymes and is used by bees as a building material in their hives and by humans for different purposes in traditional healthcare practices. Although the composition of propolis has been shown to depend on its geographic location, climatic zone, and local flora; two largely studied types of propolis: (i) New Zealand and (ii) Brazilian green propolis have been shown to possess Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) and Artepillin C (ARC) as the main bioactive constituents, respectively. We have earlier reported that CAPE and ARC possess anticancer activities, mediated by abrogation of mortalin-p53 complex and reactivation of p53 tumor suppressor function. Like CAPE, Artepillin C (ARC) and the supercritical extract of green propolis (GPSE) showed potent anticancer activity. In this study, we recruited low doses of GPSE and ARC (that did not affect either cancer cell proliferation or migration) to investigate their antistress potential using in vitro cell based assays. We report that both GPSE and ARC have the capability to disaggregate metal- and heat-induced aggregated proteins. Metal-induced aggregation of GFP was reduced by fourfold in GPSE- as well as ARC-treated cells. Similarly, whereas heat-induced misfolding of luciferase protein showed 80% loss of activity, the cells treated with either GPSE or ARC showed 60–80% recovery. Furthermore, we demonstrate their pro-hypoxia (marked by the upregulation of HIF-1α) and neuro-differentiation (marked by differentiation morphology and upregulation of expression of GFAP, β-tubulin III, and MAP2). Both GPSE and ARC also offered significant protection against oxidative stress and, hence, may be useful in the treatment of old age-related brain pathologies.     

N1取代基结构对菲并咪唑荧光色纯度的影响

以1,2-二苯基菲并咪唑(PPI)为模型化合物, 通过改变N1苯环上取代基结构制备了2类PPI衍生物, 并采用核磁共振谱对其化学结构进行了确认. 通过对PPI及其衍生物的单分子荧光光谱精细结构的分析, 比较了取代基位置和结构的变化对菲并咪唑类化合物荧光过程中发射主峰精细振动结构及所占比例的影响. 其中, N1链接苯环中R4位的取代基效应最显著, 当引入推电子或弱的吸电子取代基时, 菲并咪唑类衍生物的低能级发射比例降低, 荧光色纯度提高; 当引入强吸电子取代基时, 低能级发射比例增加, 光谱半峰宽加大. 本文结果为菲并咪唑基“蓝光”材料的设计提供了一定数据的支持与科学依据.     

中心直裂纹平台巴西圆盘复合型动态断裂实验研究

制作了中心直裂纹平台巴西圆盘（cracked straight through flattened Brazilian disc-CSTFBD）试样,利用分离式霍普金森压杆（split Hopkinson pressure bar-SHPB）加载,进行了岩石纯Ⅰ型和复合型（Ⅰ＋Ⅱ型）动态断裂实验。由于加载角（载荷方向与裂纹线的夹角）在制作试样时已经通过裂纹线与试样平台的位置关系确定,因此在实验中可以方便而准确地实施加栽。比较了纯Ⅰ型加载和复合型加载下压杆上记录的入射波、反射波和透射波的波形。采用实验与数值相结合的方法,将实验得到的动态载荷输入有限元程序,得到了纯Ⅰ型试样的动态断裂韧度和复合型试样的两种动态应力强度因子的时间历程。计算了加载角为15°的试样应力强度因子的复合比（KI（t）／KⅡ（t））,此计算值与文献结果吻合较好,验证了实验方法的有效性。     

围压与径向荷载共同作用下巴西盘裂纹应力强度因子的解析解

利用权函数法推导了围压和径向荷载共同作用下,考虑裂纹面摩擦的预制裂纹巴西盘应力强度因子计算公式,从理论上分析了围压、径向荷载和裂纹面摩擦对巴西盘应力强度因子的影响。结果表明,围压对I型应力强度因子有很大影响,I型应力强度因子随围压的增大而减小。当裂纹面闭合后围压和摩擦系数对II型应力强度因子同样具有显著影响,考虑裂纹面有效剪应力的权函数法理论解与有限元数值解相吻合,表明理论分析的正确性。