The Ideal Structure of Semigroups of Linear Transformations with Upper Bounds on Their Nullity or Defect

Suppose V is a vector space with dim V = p ≥ q ≥ ?₀, and let T(V) denote the semigroup (under composition) of all linear transformations of V. For α ∈ T (V), let ker α and ran α denote the “kernel” and the “range” of α, and write n(α) = dim ker α and d(α) = codim ran α. In this article, we study the semigroups AM(p, q) = {α ∈ T(V):n(α) < q} and AE(p, q) = {α ∈ T(V):d(α) < q}. First, we determine whether they belong to the class of all semigroups whose sets of bi-ideals and quasi-ideals coincide. Then, for each semigroup, we describe its maximal regular subsemigroup, and we characterise its Green's relations and (two-sided) ideals. As a precursor to further work in this area,, we also determine all the maximal right simple subsemigroups of AM(p, q).     

Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines: Some Insights into Supramolecular Self-Assembly,Microencapsulation, and Imaging Microscopy

The molecular interactions of anionic tetrasulfonate phenyl porphyrin (TPPS) with poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers of generation 2.0 and 4.0 (G2 and G4, respectively) forming H- or J-aggregates, as well as with human and bovine serum albumin proteins (HSA and BSA), were reviewed in the context of self-assembly molecular complementarity. The spectroscopic studies were extended to the association of aluminum phthtalocyanine (AlPCS₄) detected with a PAMAM G4 dendrimer with fluorescence studies in both steady state and dynamic state, as well as due to the fluorescence quenching associated to electron-transfer with a distribution of lifetimes. The functionalization of TPPS with peripheral substituents enables the assignment of spontaneous pH-induced aggregates with different and well-defined morphologies. Other work reported in the literature, in particular with soft self-assembly materials, fall in the same area with particular interest for the environment. The microencapsulation of TPPS studies into polyelectrolyte capsules was developed quite recently and aroused much interest, which is well supported and complemented by the extensive data reported on the Imaging Microscopy section of the Luminescence of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines included in the present review.     

Thallus structure and isidium development in two Parmeliaceae species (lichenized Ascomycota)

(Thallus structure and isidium development in two Parmeliaceae species (lichenized Ascomycota)). Conventional techniques for structural studies under light microscope and scanning electron microscope were employed to describe and compare the histology of thallus and isidia development in Parmotrema tinctorum and Parmelinopsis minarum. Although presenting layers typical of the heteromerous structure of Parmeliaceae lichens, the studied species have very distinct anatomical details including: the type of upper cortex, medulla thickness, hyphal orientation pattern and distinct strata in this layer, variations of crystal shape, color, location and degree of association with medullary hyphae, rhizines thickness and covering by a cortical layer. Isidium formation starts with cortical cell proliferation, which results in a small protuberance on the thallus surface, followed by the photobiont cell proliferation. Medullary hyphal intrusions occur only after the formation of this protuberance. In this stage medullary hyphae grow, ramifying or not inside the protuberance. In a posterior stage, the isidium base becomes constricted, which facilitates its detachment from the thallus.     

(−)-epi-Presilphiperfolan-1-ol, a new triquinane sesquiterpene from the essential oil of Anemia tomentosa var. anthriscifolia (Pteridophyta)

(−)-epi-Presilphiperfolan-1-ol, (1), a new triquinane sesquiterpene, was isolated from the essential oil of Anemia tomentosa var. anthriscifolia by column chromatography. Its structure elucidation was accomplished by extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR analyses, as well as by GC-MS, chiral bidimensional GC, dehydration reactions, and a comparative (GIAO/DFT) theoretical study of the ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of 1 and its known isomers (presilphiperfolan-1-ol (1a), presilphiperfolan-8-ol (3), and presilphiperfolan-9-ol (4)).     

Chromatographic descriptors in QSAR study of barbiturates

Barbiturate derivatives were evaluated for their parameters of biological activity by applying linear regression and two multivariate methods (Cluster analysis and Principal component analysis). The lipophilicity of the studied barbiturates was determined on the modified carriers C18 in mixtures of water and four organic modifiers separately (methanol, n-propanol, acetone and tetrahydrofuran) by performing reversed phase thin layer chromatography and by applying relevant software packages. Chromatographic and computational lipophilicity of the examined barbiturates was correlated with the selected pharmacokinetic and toxicological predictors and good relationships were obtained. More concrete results were obtained by multivariate methods which showed that the polarity of the substituent has the greatest influence, and its electronic effects to a lesser extent on the tested parameters of the barbiturate derivatives. Results obtained by multivariate methods also suggest that the chromatographic retention constant, R_M⁰, shows a greater resemblance to the parameters of lipophilicity. The chromatographic parameter m, exhibits better agreement with the toxicity parameters.     

Viability of Using Glycerin as a Co-substrate in Anaerobic Digestion of Sugarcane Stillage (Vinasse): Effect of Diversified Operational Strategies

Vinasse, from sugar and ethanol production, stands out as one of the most problematic agroindustry wastes due to its high chemical oxygen demand, large production volume, and recalcitrant compounds. Therefore, the viability of using glycerin as a co-substrate in vinasse anaerobic digestion was tested, to increase process efficiency and biogas productivity. The effect of feeding strategy, influent concentration, cycle length, and temperature were assessed to optimize methane production. Glycerin (1.53% v/v) proved to be a good co-substrate since it increased the overall methane production in co-digestion assays. CH₄ productivity enhanced exponentially as influent concentration increased, but when temperature was increased to 35 °C, biogas production was impaired. The highest methane productivity and yield were achieved using fed-batch mode, at 30 °C and at an organic loading rate of 10.1 kg COD m⁻³ day⁻¹: 139.32 mol CH₄ m⁻³ day⁻¹, 13.86 mol CH₄ kg COD_applied, and 15.30 mol CH₄ kg COD_removed. Methane was predominantly produced through the hydrogenotrophic route. In order to treat all the vinasse produced by a mid-size sugar and ethanol plant, nine reactors with 7263.4 m³ each would be needed. The energy generated by burning the biogas in boilers would reach approximately 92,000 MW h per season and could save up to US$ 240,000.00 per month in diesel oil demand.

     

Performance of anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor submitted to different influent volume feeds and cycle time periods maintaining organic loading

The stability and efficiency of an anaerobic reactor containing biomass immobilized on polyurethane foam were assessed. The reactor with mechanical stirring of 500 rpm and maintained at 30+/-1 degrees C treated synthetic wastewater with a concentration of approx 500 mg of chemical oxygen demand/L and was fed with different influent volumes and cycle times maintaining organic load. Operation was in batch mode with renewal of only part of the volume of wastewater to be treated; that is reactor discharge was not complete, but partial. The main operational characteristic investigated was the ratio of the volume of wastewater fed per cycle (VA) to the volume of wastewater in the reactor (VA) maintaining the same volumetric organic load. This way, operating flexibility could be verified in relation to the volume of treated wastewater at each cycle and the cycle time for the same organic load. The results indicated that the reactor was able to operate with different VA/Vu ratios with no significant loss in performance, thus allowing increased operational flexibility. For conditions in which VA was >or=50% of VA, removal efficiencies of filtered and nonfiltered organic matter were about 84 and 79%, respectively, whereas at conditions of higher initial influent dilution, these efficiencies were slightly lower, about 80 and 74%, respectively. At higher initial influent dilutions, it became difficult to maintain a constant reactor medium volume, owing to a high formation rate of viscous polymer-like material, likely of microbiologic origin.     

A multiscale wavelet data treatment for reliable localization of inflection points for analytical purposes

Instrumental analysis techniques that employ measurements based on inflection points may have their accuracy compromised due to the need for signal differentiation, which is very sensitive to instrumental noise. This paper presents a strategy for localizing inflection points that exploits the multiscale processing capability of the Wavelet Transform and avoids the need for explicit signal differentiation. The strategy is illustrated in simulated examples and also in a real analytical problem involving the determination of Pb and Cd by potentiometric stripping analysis. In this application, the results were in good agreement with the expected values and were slightly better than those obtained from the first derivative of the curves after smoothing by a Windowed Fourier Transform.