Neutron activation analysis for assessing chemical composition of dry dog foods

Brazil holds the second largest population of domestic dogs in the world, with 33 million dogs, only behind the United States. The annual consumption of dog food in the country is 1.75 million tons, corresponding to the World’s sixth in trade turnover. Dog food is supposed to be a complete and balanced diet, formulated with high quality ingredients. All nutrients and minerals required for an adequate nutrition of dogs are added to the formulation to ensure longevity and welfare. In this context, the present study aimed at assessing the chemical composition of dry dog foods commercialized in Brazil. Thirty-four samples were acquired in the local market of Piracicaba and analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to determine the elements As, Br, Ca, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, U, and Zn. In general, the concentrations of Ca, Fe, K, Na, and Zn complied with the values required by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). To evaluate the safety of dog food commercialized in Brazil, further investigation is necessary to better understand the presence of toxic elements found in this study, i.e. Sb and U. INAA was useful for the screening analysis of different types and brands of dry dog foods for the determination of both essential and toxic elements.     

Synthesis of Highly Substituted γ‐Butyrolactones by a Gold‐Catalyzed Cascade Reaction of Benzyl Esters

Easily accessible benzylic esters of 3‐butynoic acids in a gold‐catalyzed cyclization/rearrangement cascade reaction provided 3‐propargyl γ‐butyrolactones with the alkene and the carbonyl group not being conjugated. Crossover experiments showed that the formation of the new C?C bond is an intermolecular process. Initially propargylic–benzylic esters were used, but alkyl‐substituted benzylic esters worked equally well. In the case of the propargylic–benzylic products, a simple treatment of the products with aluminum oxide initiated a twofold tautomerization to the allenyl‐substituted γ‐butyrolactones with conjugation of the carbonyl group, the olefin, and the allene. The synthetic sequence can be conducted stepwise or as a one‐pot cascade reaction with similar yields. Even in the presence of the gold catalyst the new allene remains intact.     

Rigid Two-Dimensional Frameworks with Three Collinear Points

Let G = (V, E) be a graph and x, y, z ∈ V be three designated vertices. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a rigid two-dimensional framework (G, p), in which x, y, z are collinear. This result extends a classical result of Laman on the existence of a rigid framework on G. Our proof leads to an efficient algorithm which can test whether G satisfies the condition. Supported by the MTA-ELTE Egerváry Research Group on Combinatorial Optimization, and the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund grant no. F034930, T037547, and FKFP grant no. 0143/2001.     

Effect of the modifier ion on the properties of MgFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> and ZnFe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> pigments

Magnesium and zinc ferrites have been prepared by the polymeric precursor method. The organic material decomposition was studied by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The variation of crystalline phases and particle morphology with calcination temperature were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), respectively. The colors of the ferrites were evaluated using colorimetry. Magnesium ferrite crystallizes above 800°C, presenting a yellow- orange color with a reflectance peak at the 600–650 nm range, while zinc ferrite crystallizes at 600°C, with a reflectance peak between 650–700 nm, corresponding to the red-brick color.     

Photochemical and pharmacological aspects of nitric oxide release from some nitrosyl ruthenium complexes entrapped in sol–gel and silicone matrices

The entrapped [Ru(terpy)(L)NO](PF₆)₃, where terpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine and L = 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) and 3,4-diiminebenzoic acid (NH · NHq) complexes into sol–gel processed polysiloxane and silicone matrices, shows NO release characteristics when submitted to light irradiation at 355 and 532 nm, as judged by NO measurement using a NO-sensor electrode. The pharmacological properties of doped matrix showed vasodilator characteristics by visible light irradiation, which is of great interest because the target delivery system can avoid the occurrence of side effects possibly by the aquo ruthenium species. All matrices obtained showed to be amorphous materials. The scanning electron micrographs of the matrices showed irregularly shaped particles, with a broad size of 1000 μm for both matrices and homogeneous distribution.     

Effects of therapeutic pulsed ultrasound and dimethylsulfoxide phonophoresis on oxidative stress parameters after injury induced by eccentric exercise

Introduction

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of TPU together with DMSO on oxidative stress parameters after eccentric exercise.

Methods

Thirty and six animals were divided in control; eccentric exercise (EE); EE + saline gel 0.9%; EE + TPU 0.8 W/cm²; EE + DMSO gel; EE + TPU + DMSO gel and submitted to one 90-min downhill run (1.0 km h⁻¹). TPU was used 2, 12, 24, 46 h after exercise session and 48 h after the animals were killed and the gastrocnemius muscles were surgically removed. Production of superoxide anion, creatine kinase (CK) levels, lipoperoxidation, carbonylation, and antioxidants enzymes were analyzed.

Results

Showed that TPU and gel-DMSO improved muscle healing. Moreover, superoxide anion production, TBARS level and protein carbonyls levels, superoxide dismutase and catalase activity were all decreased in the group TPU plus gel-DMSO.

Discussion

Our results show that DMSO is effective in the reduction of the muscular lesion and in the oxidative stress after eccentric exercise only when used with TPU.     

Molecularly imprinted silica as a selective SPE sorbent for triazine herbicides

A molecularly imprinted organically modified silica was prepared through a simple sol‐gel procedure and evaluated as a specific sorbent for SPE of triazine herbicides. The material proved to be highly selective for the template molecule, atrazine, as well as for other structurally related species such as simazine and propazine. The performance of this material was shown to be comparable with commercial acrylate‐based molecularly imprinted polymers. The molecularly imprinted silica was applied for the determination of trace levels of the target triazine analytes in sugar cane juice (locally called “garapa”).     

Poly(methyloctylsiloxane) immobilized on silica as a sorbent for solid-phase extraction of some pesticides

A laboratory-made sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) was obtained by thermal immobilization of poly(methyloctylsiloxane) (PMOS) onto silica. Cartridges packed with the new sorbent were used for the simultaneous determination of imazethapyr, nicosulfuron, diuron, linuron and chlorimuron-ethyl in water. These pesticides were separated and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). The recoveries achieved with the laboratory-made PMOS cartridges were compared with those of some commercially available silica-based and polymer-based cartridges having C18, C8 and NH(2) pendant groups. Method validation using the laboratory-made sorbent was performed for the five pesticides at three fortifications levels (1x, 2x and 10x the limit of quantification of each pesticide). The laboratory-made PMOS cartridge has low cost preparation and showed good recoveries (72-111%) for all pesticides. Repeatability and intermediate precision were lower than 15%. Its performance was similar or even better, in some cases, than those of the commercial cartridges.