Potassium Fluoride Promoted Reaction of 3-Acylsubsti-Tuted 2H-1-Benzopyran-2-Ones with Acid Anhydrides. An Improved Method for the Synthesis of 4-(2-Oxoalkyl)-2H-Chroman-2-Ones. Part III1

The reaction of 3-acylsubstituted 2H-1-benzo-pyran-2-ones 1, 5 and 11a-c with acid anhydrides in the presence of potassium fluoride (KF)/molecular sieves 4A gives the 4-(2-oxoalkyl)-2-oxochromans 2, 6 and 12a-c as the main products. Also the 3-carboxylic acid derivatives, such as esters and N,N-dialkylamides, of 2H-1-benzopyran-2-one (11d-g) react with isobutyric acid anhydride in the presence of KF/molecular sieves 4A to give the corresponding 2-oxochroman-4-acetic acid derivatives.     

Modelling losses and locating the tail with the Pareto Positive Stable distribution

This paper focuses on modelling the severity distribution. We directly model the small, moderate and large losses with the Pareto Positive Stable (PPS) distribution and thus it is not necessary to fix a threshold for the tail behaviour. Estimation with the method of moments is straightforward. Properties, graphical tests and expressions for value-at risk and tail value-at-risk are presented. Furthermore, we show that the PPS distribution can be used to construct a statistical test for the Pareto distribution and to determine the threshold for the Pareto shape if required. An application to loss data is presented. We conclude that the PPS distribution can perform better than commonly used distributions when modelling a single loss distribution for moderate and large losses. This approach avoids the pitfalls of cut-off selection and it is very simple to implement for quantitative risk analysis.     

ATR/FTIR characterization of Steinernema glaseri and Heterorhabditis indica

The use of Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection for characterizing entomopathogenic nematodes is evaluated for the first time. The resulting spectra of Steinernema glaseri and Heterorhabditis indica were compared with the spectrum of Caenorhabditis elegans. In the absorption spectra generated by the nematodes samples, the absorption bands were assigned to the molecular species and some important components were identified including triglycerides, trehalose, glycogen and collagen. Also, the use of star diagrams for the fingerprint section of nematode spectra for separating genera is discussed.     

Study of Blood Porphyrin Spectral Profile for Diagnosis of Chronic Renal Failure

The progression to end-stage renal failure is independent of the initial pathogenic mechanism. Metabolic acidosis is a common consequence of chronic renal failure that results from inadequate ammonium excretion and decreased tubular bicarbonate reabsorption. Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) is the immediate metabolic precursor of the heme molecule. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of erythrocytes protoporphyrin IX at an animal model during progressive renal disease. A total of 36 eight-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into six groups: Normal, 4 and 8 weeks after 5/6 nephrectomy (NX). Renal function was evaluated by creatinine clearance and plasma creatinine levels. The autofluorescence of erythrocytes porphyrin of healthy and NX rats was analyzed using fluorescence spectroscopy. Emission spectra were obtained by exciting the samples at 405 nm. Significant differences between normal and NX rats autofluorescence shape occurred in the 600–700 nm spectral region. A correlation was observed between emission band intensity at 635 nm and progression of renal disease.     

Thermal analysis of the combustion of charcoals from Eucalyptus dunnii obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures

DSC and TG/DTA were used to study charcoals obtained from eucalyptus wood at different pyrolysis temperatures, as well as the exchanged energy, and the transformations involved during the pyrolysis process. Charcoals DSC curves showed two exothermic peaks, at ~610 and ~750 K. The first peak was squashed for those charcoals obtained at higher final pyrolysis temperatures, and it disappeared in the charcoals obtained at 873 and 923 K. The second peak intensity increased and its location changed at the higher temperatures. Charcoal characterization showed a rise of heat values with the pyrolysis temperature.     

A comparative study of threshold effects in the energy loss moments of protons,electrons and positrons using dielectric models for band-gap materials

A comparative study of the energy loss, mean free path and straggling of protons, positrons and electrons in an electron gas is performed using three dielectric models which represent the case of metals (Lindhard model for a free electron gas) and the cases of semiconductors and insulators (Levine and Louie model and Brandt and Reinheimer model for systems with a band gap). The properties of individual and collective contributions according to each model and for each of the particles are analyzed. In particular, the effects produced by the band gap of the material and by the properties of the incident particle are analyzed in detail. Significant differences related to the mass and to the indistinguishability (in the case of electrons) are described. Analytical expressions for the high-energy limit are derived in a simple way using the plasmon-pole approximation.     

Unexpected Secondary Nucleation in Poly(Vinyl acetate) Nanoparticle Synthesis by Ab Initio Batch Emulsion Polymerization Using Poly(Vinyl alcohol) as Surfactant

Kinetic aspects of the vinyl acetate ab initio batch emulsion polymerization using poly(vinyl alcohol) to produce polymer nanoparticles are studied. The initial nucleation step is followed by limited coagulation and then by the generation of new particles. It seems that this is the first report of secondary nucleation phenomenon occurring in the system under study in batch mode. To explain this phenomenon, a mathematical model that allows to determine whether certain polymerization conditions and the presence/absence of a steric barrier, can lead or not to significant secondary nucleation is developed. It is deduced that the effect of such steric barrier on the free‐radical entry process plays a key role on the observed phenomenon.     

Mössbauer and magnetic studies of orthorhombic FeSiO3

Magnetic properties of orthoferrosilite FeSiO₃ have been examined using susceptibility, magnetization measurements and Mössbauer spectroscopy. From magnetic and Mössbauer measurements, one obtains close values of the magnetic ordering temperature, T_N=39±1 K and T_N=41±1 K, respectively. The magnetic order is characterized by strong ferromagnetic coupling of Fe²⁺ moments within the ribbons and a weak antiferromagnetic coupling of the moments between adjacent ribbons. The 4.2 K Mössbauer spectra can be fitted with two different hyperfine magnetic fields H_hf=68 kOe and H_hf=314 kOe which can be assigned to Fe²⁺ in the octahedrally coordinated M1 and M2 sites, respectively, of the FeSiO₃ structure.