Flow injection system with gas diffusion for the sequential determination of total nitrogen and phosphorus in vegetables

 A flow injection system was developed for the sequential determination of total nitrogen and phosphorus in digests of vegetables using potentiometric and spectrophotometric detection systems, respectively. A tubular ammonium selective electrode with a sensor system composed of nonactin/monactin in tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate was used. The selectivity limitations of this electrode were overcome by the inclusion of a gas-diffusion unit in the system that separated ammonium from the rest of the sample matrix and allowed the determination of total nitrogen and phosphorus by the partition of the sample plug between two streams. The results obtained with the developed FIA system were in good agreement with those of the reference methods. Sampling rates from 40 to 60 samples per hour and relative standard deviations below 3.5% were achieved. Received: 17 October 1996/Revised: 21 November 1996/Accepted: 27 November 1996     

α-contractions and attractors for dissipative semilinear hyperbolic equations and systems

Summary In this paper we discuss the existence of compact attractor for the abstract semilinear evolution equation u=Au+f(t, u); the results are applied to damped partial differential equations of hyperbolic type. Our approach is a combination of Liapunov method with the theory of -eontractions.     

A comparison of cellactose with two ad hoc processed lactose-cellulose blends as direct compression excipients

Three processed lactose-cellulose blends of similar composition, particle size and true density were compared as direct compression excipients: one was prepared by dry granulation, one by extrusion-spheronization, and the commercial product Cellactose. Differences among their flow properties depended solely on their different sphericities. Unlike those of the other blends, Cellactose particles exhibited numerous macropores. The mean yield pressures of all three blends were similar to those of direct compression lactoses. Cellactose tablets prepared at a punch pressure that largely eliminated macropores (pores >1 microm) had better mechanical properties but much poorer disintegration than tablets of the other blends prepared at the same punch pressure. However, the tensile strength and disintegration time of Cellactose tablets both fell rapidly as macropore volume was increased by reducing punch pressure, while the enthalpy of wetting/dissolution rose. The strength and water-resistance of well-compacted Cellactose tablets is attributed to the spatial distribution of lactose and cellulose in Cellactose particles, rather than to beta-lactose content or extra-particular structural features.     

Stability and forced oscillations

In this paper we derive a differential-difference equation for a circuit involving a lossless transmission line and we give conditions for global asymptotic stability of an equilibrium point, existence and stability of forced oscillations. Some of such problems have been investigated for an equation obtained by R. K. Brayton [Quart. J. Appl. Math.24 (1967), 289–301; O. Lopes, SIAM J. Appl. Math., to appear; M. Slemrod, J. Math. Anal. Appl.36 (1971), 22–40] but, for ours (which governs the same physical problem), better results can be proved. By using suitable Liapunov functionals, we reduce the problem of stability and uniform ultimate boundedness to a scalar ordinary differential inequality.     

Molecular dynamics and quantum chemical approaches in the study of the hydration of protonated cyclohexyldiamines

Explicit hydration of the neutral and charged cyclohexylamine and of the cyclohexyldiamine isomers in their mono- or diprotonated forms is investigated through classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in aqueous solutions combined with DFT calculations in amine–water complexes. The MD studies performed in the monoamines reveal that the structure of the hydration shell around the neutral amino group (NH₂) is quite distinct from that around the charged one (NH₃⁺). On average, the number of water molecules surrounding the two groups is calculated to be ～2 and 3–4, respectively. The variation of the hydration structure prompted by the groups’ proximity is discussed based on the data found for the mono- and diprotonated diamines. To have a more detailed picture of the water molecules’ arrangement around the amino groups and of the amine–water hydrogen bonds, geometry optimisations in hydrates with up to six water molecules are carried out at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ level. Complexation energies are also computed. The main findings emerging from these calculations are found to be very helpful to rationalise the mutual influence of the amino groups and therefore to better elucidate the MD findings. The complementary nature of the two research methods is emphasised as an excellent tool in order to closely examine the hydration of polyamines, as exemplified for the cyclohexyldiamines.     

Chiral HPLC Separation of Rosiglitazone and its Main Metabolites and Studies on Their Racemization

Rosiglitazone (RSG) is marketed as a racemic mixture although the antidiabetic activity is essentially related to the (S)-enantiomer. The chiral center has an adjacent carbonyl group; therefore, the (R)-enantiomer could be transformed to the (S)-enantiomer or vice versa by keto-enolic tautomerism. The literature indicates that this racemization is slow enough to allow the evaluation of the properties of the isolated enantiomers. However, there is no information about the enantioselective kinetic disposition and metabolism of RSG. Additionally, there are no studies on the racemization of its metabolites. Considering these facts, a chiral HPLC method was developed and used for the first time to study the racemization of RSG and its main metabolites. Different conditions, including those used to evaluate the in vitro enantioselective metabolism, were employed. The simultaneous chiral separation of RSG and metabolites was achieved on a Chiralcel OJ-H column by employing methanol/ethanol (90:10, v/v) as mobile phase. The racemization studies showed that the half-life of RSG decreased more than 30 times when the temperature increased from 4 to 37 °C. It was also observed that the half-life of RSG changed from approximately 20 h at pH 3.5 to approximately 2 h at pH 7.4. The same profile was observed for its metabolites. Organic solvents and UV light did not present influence on the racemization process. In addition, a Complete Factorial Design was conducted to evaluate the influence of some parameters that can be changed during an in vitro metabolism study. The results obtained showed that the racemization occurs under in vitro metabolism conditions.

     

Pigment Production by Filamentous Fungi on Agro-Industrial Byproducts: an Eco-Friendly Alternative

The search for new sources of natural pigments has increased, mainly because of the toxic effects caused by synthetic dyes used in food, pharmaceutical, textile, and cosmetic industries. Fungi provide a readily available alternative source of natural pigments. In this context, the fungi Penicillium chrysogenum IFL1 and IFL2, Fusarium graminearum IFL3, Monascus purpureus NRRL 1992, and Penicillium vasconiae IFL4 were selected as pigments producers. The fungal identification was performed using ITS and part of the β-tubulin gene sequencing. Almost all fungi were able to grow and produce water-soluble pigments on agro-industrial residues, with the exception of P. vasconiae that produced pigments only on potato dextrose broth. The production of yellow pigments was predominant and the two strains of P. chrysogenum were the largest producers. In addition, the production of pigments and mycotoxins were evaluated in potato dextrose agar using TOF-MS and TOF-MS/MS. Metabolites as roquefortine C, chrysogine were found in both extracts of P. chrysogenum, as well fusarenone X, diacetoxyscirpenol, and neosolaniol in F. graminearum extract. In the M. purpureus extract, the pigments monascorubrin, rubropunctatin, and the mycotoxin citrinin were found. The crude filtrates have potential to be used in the textile industry; nevertheless, additional pigment purification is required for food and pharmaceutical applications.     

Optimized Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by Factorial Design with Application for the Determination of Melamine in Milk

A colorimetric method based on silver nanoparticles was developed for the determination of melamine in milk. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized without any stabilizer, using sodium borohydride as the reducing agent. Optimization of the variables for the formation of the nanoparticles was performed by factorial design, resulting in stable colloidal silver nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 14.0?±?2.7?nm. Spectrophotometric measurements performed at 475?nm showed a linear range from 0.033 to 1.50?mg?L^?1 of melamine with limits of detection and quantification of 0.009 and 0.031?mg?L^?1, respectively. The method provided highly sensitive determination of melamine in milk.     

A numerical analysis of a class of generalized Boussinesq‐type equations using continuous/discontinuous FEM

An improved class of Boussinesq systems of an arbitrary order using a wave surface elevation and velocity potential formulation is derived. Dissipative effects and wave generation due to a time‐dependent varying seabed are included. Thus, high‐order source functions are considered. For the reduction of the system order and maintenance of some dispersive characteristics of the higher‐order models, an extra O(μ²ⁿ⁺²) term (n ∈ ?) is included in the velocity potential expansion. We introduce a nonlocal continuous/discontinuous Galerkin FEM with inner penalty terms to calculate the numerical solutions of the improved fourth‐order models. The discretization of the spatial variables is made using continuous P₂ Lagrange elements. A predictor‐corrector scheme with an initialization given by an explicit Runge–Kutta method is also used for the time‐variable integration. Moreover, a CFL‐type condition is deduced for the linear problem with a constant bathymetry. To demonstrate the applicability of the model, we considered several test cases. Improved stability is achieved. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.