DNA microarraying on compact disc surfaces. Application to the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms in Plum pox virus

The potential of using compact discs as high throughput screening platforms for DNA microarraying is discussed and applied to discriminate genetic variations of Plum pox virus.     

Screening of Food Grade Lipases to be Used in Esterification and Interesterification Reactions of Industrial Interest

Seven food grade commercially available lipases were immobilized by covalent binding on polysiloxane–polyvinyl alcohol (POS-PVA) hybrid composite and screened to mediate reactions of industrial interest. The synthesis of butyl butyrate and the interesterification of tripalmitin with triolein were chosen as model reactions. The highest esterification activity (240.63 μM/g min) was achieved by Candida rugosa lipase, while the highest interesterification yield (31%, in 72 h) was achieved by lipase from Rhizopus oryzae, with the production of about 15 mM of the triglycerides C₅₀ and C₅₂. This lipase also showed a good performance in butyl butyrate synthesis, with an esterification activity of 171.14 μM/g min. The results demonstrated the feasibility of using lipases from C. rugosa for esterification and R. oryzae lipase for both esterification and interesterification reactions.     

A kinetic study of the thermal decomposition of mesoionic compounds within scope of its application in nonlinear optical devices

The mesoionic compounds are pentagonal heterocyclic betaines with their potential use mainly in the pharmacology field due to the diversity of their biological activities. Their exceptional electric properties lead the compounds to be investigated in the field such as the nonlinear optical devices. In this study, five mesoionic compounds of the 1,3-thiazole-5-thiolate system had been synthesized from amino acids derived from glycine through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition/cycloreversion reaction. The compounds were characterized by the use of infrared spectrometry, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry techniques. Thermal stability of each structure was determined and characterized by the kinetic study of the thermal decomposition by non-isothermal thermogravimetry. The DSC curves for MI-1, MI-2, MI-3, MI-4, and MI-5 demonstrated their fusion and subsequent decomposition with the exception of MI-3, which presented only decomposition stages. The kinetic models that better described the thermal decomposition mechanism of the mesoionic compounds achieved by the non-isothermal methods were R1, R2 and R3 (based on the geometric models).     

Thermal characterization of indinavir sulfate using TG,DSC and DSC-photovisual

The object of the present work is to study the thermal characteristics of indinavir sulfate and to evaluate the quality of the raw materials. Indinavir A, B, C and reference samples were obtained from different suppliers and submitted to TG, DSC and DSC-photovisual analyses. TG/DTG curves indicated a desolvation and dehydration processes and were confirmed by DSC. According to the DSC curves the fusion took place at about 141–142°C for indinavir C and Reference sample B and about 146–149°C for the others. DSC-photovisual showed insoluble raw materials for indinavir C at 160°C. Indinavir sulfate is highly hygroscopic drug which requires attention during storage and manufacture by pharmaceutical industry.     

Calcined sludge sintering evaluation by heating microscopy thermal analysis

Aiming the use of the sewage sludge produced in one of the largest Brazilian wastewater treatment stations as a raw material for the ceramic industry, the sintering process of the ashes produced from its calcination was evaluated by heating microscopy thermal analysis (HMTA). From the microprocessed images, a method was developed to obtain HMTA dimensional change curves as a function of temperature, equivalent to those usually obtained from dilatometers or by thermomechanical analysis (TMA). The final product after sintering at 1050°C, characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray dispersive energy, indicates the presence of a vitreous phase containing phosphorus, which explains the good sintering properties of the studied calcined sludge, as shown from its HMTA dimensional change curve.     

Assembly of γ-Fe2O3/polyaniline nanofilms with tuned dipolar interaction

The internal morphology and magnetic properties of layer-by-layer assembled nanofilms of polyaniline (PANI) and maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃—7.5-nm diameter) were probed with cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and magnetization measurements (magnetic hysteresis loops, magnetization using zero-field cooled/field-cooled protocols, and ac magnetic susceptibility). Additionally, simulations of the as-produced samples were performed to assess both the nanofilm’s morphology and the corresponding magnetic signatures using the cell dynamic system (CDS) approach and Monte Carlo (MC) through the standard Metropolis algorithm, respectively. Fine control of the film thickness and average maghemite particle–particle within this magnetic structure was accomplished by varying the number of bilayers (PANI/γ-Fe₂O₃) deposited onto silicon substrates or through changing the concentration of the maghemite particles suspended within the colloidal dispersion sample used for film fabrication. PANI/γ-Fe₂O₃ nanofilms comprising 5, 10, 25 and 50 deposited bilayers displayed, respectively, blocking temperatures (T _B) of 30, 35, 39 and 40 K and effective energy barriers (ΔE/k _B) of 1.0 × 10³, 2.3 × 10³, 2.8 × 10³ and 2.9 × 10³ K. Simulation of magnetic nanofilms using the CDS model provided the internal morphology to carry on MC simulation of the magnetic properties of the system taking into account the particle–particle dipolar interaction. The simulated (using CDS) surface–surface particle distance of 0.5, 2.5 and 4.5 nm was obtained for nanofilms with thicknesses of 36.0, 33.9 and 27.1 nm, respectively. The simulated (using MC) T _B values were 33.0, 30.2 and 29.5 K for nanofilms with thicknesses of 36.0, 33.9 and 27.1 nm, respectively. We found the experimental (TEM and magnetic measurements) and the simulated data (CDS and MC) in very good agreement, falling within the same range and displaying the same systematic trend. Our findings open up new perspectives for fabrication of magnetic nanofilms with pre-established (simulated) morphology and magnetic properties.     

Essential Oils as a Source of Ecofriendly Insecticides for Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and Their Potential Non-Target Effects

The spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is one of the main invasive pests of small fruits in the world. Thus, 19 essential oils (EOs) were selected to analyze the effects through toxicity and repellency on oviposition and D. suzukii adults. In addition, their lethal and sublethal effects on the pupal endoparasitoid Trichopria anastrephae were evaluated. The EOs of C. flexuosus and Mentha spp. had the highest toxicity observed in the topical application bioassay for D. suzukii. In contrast, the EOs of C. verum, C. citratus QT citratus, and C. winterianus showed the highest toxicity in the ingestion bioassay for D. suzukii. The dry residues of C. verum and C. citratus QT citratus reduced the oviposition of D. suzukii. In the repellency bioassays, the 19 EOs analyzed repelled ≅ 90% of the D. suzukii females. All EOs evaluated using the LC₉₀ values of the products provided mortality of less than 20% of T. anastrephae adults and did not cause a reduction in the parasitism of surviving T. anastrephae females. We conclude that the EOs evaluated have the potential to be used in the management of D. suzukii. They can also serve as selective active ingredients for the formulation and synthesis of new biopesticides.     

Rifampicin adsorbed onto magnetite nanoparticle: SERS study and insight on the molecular arrangement and light effect

In this study, the surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technique was used to asses key information regarding the surface adsorption of Rifampicin (RIF) onto magnetite nanoparticle previously dressed with a bilayer of lauric acid (LA). The effects of white light illumination on the physicochemical properties of the RIF molecule were also investigated. Transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta‐potential, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were also employed to characterize the investigated materials. Vibrational mode assignments for the SERS spectra and comparison between the data recorded from the free and adsorbed RIF provided insights for the adsorption of this biomolecule onto the LA‐bilayer dressed magnetite nanoparticle. The results suggested that the species binding to the outer carboxylate group of the LA‐bilayer is more likely the piperazine nitrogen adjacent to the imine nitrogen. The SERS data also revealed the enhancement of the RIF molecule stability to white light irradiation while adsorbed onto the magnetite nanoparticle. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.