Consequences of magnetic aging for iron losses in electrical steels

Electrical steels, when submitted to operation, present continuous decrease of their magnetic properties, depending on the carbon content. This effect is attributed to the increase of the size of carbides, a process also known as coarsening or Ostwald Ripening. Loss separation can offer a better understanding of this phenomenon. Experimental results show that all effect of aging is inside the hysteresis loss component, with the excess losses unaffected. The carbon content in electrical steels should be less than 25 ppm to avoid magnetic aging.     

Scanning electron microscopy of Ancylostoma spp. dog infective larvae captured and destroyed by the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans

The interaction between the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans (isolate CG768) against Ancylostoma spp. dog infective larvae (L₃) was evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy. Adhesive network trap formation was observed 6 h after the beginning of the interaction, and the capture of Ancylostoma spp. L₃ was observed 8 h after the inoculation these larvae on the cellulose membranes colonized by the fungus. Scanning electron micrographs were taken at 0, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h, where 0 is the time when Ancylostoma spp. L₃ was first captured by the fungus. Details of the capture structure formed by the fungus were described. Nematophagous Fungus Helper Bacteria (NHB) were found at interactions points between the D. flagrans and Ancylostoma spp. L₃. The cuticle penetration by the differentiated fungal hyphae with the exit of nematode internal contents was observed 36 h after the capture. Ancylostoma spp. L₃ were completely destroyed after 48 h of interaction with the fungus. The scanning electron microscopy technique was efficient on the study of this interaction, showing that the nematode-trapping fungus D. flagrans (isolate CG768) is a potential exterminator of Ancylostoma spp. L₃.     

A Validated RP–LC Method for Simultaneous Determination of Losartan Potassium and Amlodipine Besilate in Pharmaceutical Preparations

A simple RP–LC method for simultaneous quantification of losartan and amlodipine and separation of their degradation products has been developed. For this purpose we tested appropriated mobile phase pH range, flow rate, temperature and different columns. The method was validated with an ODS column. A gradient of acetonitrile and phosphate pH 3.0 buffer was utilized as mobile phase. The linearity was determined at 50–150% level. Individual recoveries at 70–130% level ranged from 98.8 to 100.5% for losartan and 96.4–101.2% for amlodipine. The robustness was also evaluated. Although losartan has much higher quantities than amlodipine in commercial tablets, this method allowed simultaneous quantification for both drugs.     

Effects of alkyl chain lengths of gallates upon their distribution and reactivity towards diphenylpicryl hydracil radicals in Triton X‐100 micellar solutions

The reactivity of ethyl‐, propyl‐ and octylgallate towards diphenylpicryl hydracil radicals has been measured in homogeneous solution (ethanol) and in Triton X‐100 micellar solutions. Similar reactivities were measured in homogeneous solutions, indicating that the length of the alkyl chain does not influence the reactivity of the phenolic groups. On the other hand, different reactivities were measured in micellar solutions, particularly at low (5 mM) surfactant concentrations. Data obtained at different surfactant concentrations allow estimation of partitioning of the gallates and their intramicellar bimolecular rate constant. The values obtained indicate that all the observed differences in reactivity are attributable to differences in substrate partitioning between the micellar and aqueous pseudophases. In fact, similar values of the intramicellar rate constants were obtained, suggesting that the average location of the reactive groups inside the micelles is independent of the solute alkyl chain length. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel cacalolide from Psacalium decompositum

A new cacalolide sesquiterpenoid, named as Romo-A, was isolated from the roots of Psacalium decompositum, Asteraceae, a Mexican medicinal shrub with antidiabetic properties. Its structure was elucidated by NMR, MS, IR, UV, and confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies.     

Natural product based inhibitors of the thioredoxin-thioredoxin reductase system

Spiroketal naphthodecalins are readily assembled by Barton's base mediated Ullmann binaphthyl ether coupling, Dakin reactions and hypervalent iodine spirocyclization. The core structures can be further diversified by enone addition and Stille coupling reactions. Nanomolar inhibitors for the Trx/TrxR redox control system were prepared by this approach and compared to series of natural product isolates. Cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cell assays ranged from an IC50 of 1.6 to >100 microM.     

On the acoustic modes in a cylindrical duct with an arbitrary wall impedance distribution

The present paper considers the propagation of sound in a cylindrical duct, with a wall section of finite length covered by an acoustic liner whose impedance is an arbitrary function of position. The cases of (i) uniform wall impedance, and wall impedance varying along the (ii) circumference or (iii) axis of the duct, or (iv) both simultaneously, are explicitly considered. It is shown that a nonuniform wall impedance couples modes with distinct azimuthal l or axial m wave numbers, so that their radial wave numbers k can no longer be calculated separately for each pair (m,l). The radial wave numbers are the roots of an infinite determinant, in the case when the wall impedance varies either (i) circumferentially or (ii) radially. If the wall impedance varies (iv) both radially and circumferentially, then the radial wave numbers are the roots of a doubly infinite determinant, i.e., an infinite determinant in which each term is an infinite determinant. The infinite determinants specifying the radial wave numbers are written explicitly for sound in a cylindrical nozzle with a uniform axial flow, in which case the radial eigenfunctions are Bessel functions; the method of calculation of the radial wave numbers applies equally well to a cylindrical nozzle with shear flow and/or swirling flows, with the Bessel functions replaced by other eigenfunctions. The radial wave numbers are calculated by truncation of the infinite determinants, for several values of the aspect ratio, defined as the ratio of length to diameter. It is shown that a nonuniform wall impedance will give rise to additional modes compared with a uniform wall impedance. The radial wave numbers specify the eigenfrequencies for the acoustic modes in the duct; the imaginary parts of the eigenfrequencies specify the decay of the sound field with time, and thus the effectiveness of the acoustic liner.     

Determination of trace levels of calcium in steels by carbon-furnace atomic-absorption and atomic-emission spectrometry

Methods are described for the determination of trace levels of calcium in steels by atomic-absorption and atomic-emission spectrometry with a carbon furnace for atomization and excitation. In both cases, a commercial electrothermal atomic-absorption instrument was used. Samples were analysed after dissolution in a mixture of nitric, hydrochloric, and hydrofluoric acids.     

Heuristic Procedures for the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

In this paper we present two new heuristic procedures for the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP). The first one solves the problem from scratch, while the second one uses the information provided by a strong linear relaxation of the original problem. This second algorithm is designed to be used in a branch and cut approach to solve to optimality CVRP instances. In both heuristics, the initial solution is improved using tabu search techniques. Computational results over a set of known instances, most of them with a proved optimal solution, are given.     

Biosurfactants production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa FR using palm oil

Biosurfactants production by a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa using palm oil as a sole carbon source was investigated. The experiments were carried out in 500-mL conical flasks containing 100 mL of mineral media supplemented with palm oil as the sole carbon source. The P. aeruginosa FR strain was able to reduce surface tension of three tested inorganic media. Rotation velocities from 100 to 150 rpm provided free-cell fermented media with the lowest surface tension of approx 33 mN/m. Emulsification index results of even 100% were achieved when diesel was used as oil phase. Eight surface-active compounds produced by the bacterium were identified by mass spectrometry.