Holomorphic germs on certain locally convex spaces

Summary We study the bounded sets in the space of holomorphic germs defined on compact subsets of non-metrizable locally convex spaces. We relate this problem to the problem of existence of uniform Cauchy estimates for the bounded subsets. We show that the space of holomorphic germs defined on a compact subset of a reflexive dual Fréchet space is regular if the bounded subsets of the space of holomorphic germs defined at the origin have uniform Cauchy estimates.     

Interaction of elemental mercury with selenium surfaces: model experiments for investigations of superheavy elements copernicium and flerovium

The adsorption behavior of ¹⁹⁷Hg and ^183–185Hg on red amorphous selenium (red a-Se) and trigonal selenium (t-Se) was investigated experimentally by off-line and on-line gas chromatographic methods, in preparation of a sensitive chemical separation and characterization of the transactinides copernicium (Cn, Z = 112) and flerovium (Fl, Z = 114). Monte-Carlo simulations of a diffusion controlled deposition were in good agreement with the experimental results, assuming as interaction limits ?ΔH _ads ^red a-Se (Hg) > 85 kJ/mol, and ?ΔH _ads ^t-Se (Hg) < 60 kJ/mol. Both Se allotropes can be used as stationary surfaces in comparative gas-chromatographic chemical investigations of Cn and Fl.     

Addition of Surfactants and Non-Hydrolytic Proteins and Their Influence on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Pretreated Sugarcane Bagasse

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG 4000) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated with the purpose of evaluating their influence on enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse. Effects of these supplements were assayed for different enzymatic cocktails (Trichoderma harzianum and Penicillium funiculosum) that acted on lignocellulosic material submitted to different pretreatment methods with varying solid (25 and 100 g/L) and protein (7.5 and 20 mg/g cellulose) loadings. The highest levels of glucose release were achieved using partially delignified cellulignin as substrate, along with the T. harzianum cocktail: increases of 14 and 18 % for 25 g/L solid loadings and of 33 and 43 % for 100 g/L solid loadings were reached for BSA and PEG supplementation, respectively. Addition of these supplements could maintain hydrolysis yield even for higher solid loadings, but for higher enzymatic cocktail protein loadings, increases in glucose release were not observed. Results indicate that synergism might occur among these additives and cellulase and xylanases. The use of these supplements, besides depending on factors such as pretreatment method of sugarcane bagasse, enzymatic cocktails composition, and solid and protein loadings, may not always lead to positive effects on the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material, making it necessary further statistical studies, according to process conditions.     

A method for calculating rheological and morphological properties of constant-volume polymer blend models in inhomogeneous shear fields

We show how to formulate two-point boundary-value problems in order to compute fully-developed laminar channel and tube flow profiles for viscoelastic fluid models. The formulation is applied to Couette and pressure-driven flows separately, or a combination of both. The application of this methodology is illustrated analytically for the Upper-Convected Maxwell Model, and it is applied computationally for the Phan-Thien/Tanner and Giesekus Models. Numerical solutions exist for the last two models [J.Y. Yoo, H.C. Choi, On the steady simple shear flows of the one-mode Giesekus fluid, Rheol. Acta 28 (1989) 13–24; P.J. Oliveira, F.T. Pinho, Analytical solution for fully developed channel and pipe flow of Phan-Thien–Tanner fluids, J. Fluid Mech. 387 (1999) 271–280; M.A. Alves, F.T. Pinho, P.J. Oliveira, Study of steady pipe and channel flows of a single-mode Phan-Thien–Tanner fluid, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 101 (2001) 55–76], allowing verification of the computational technique. Subsequently, the computational algorithm is applied to the constant-volume polymer blend models of Maffettone and Minale [P.L. Maffettone, M. Minale, Equation of change for ellipsoidal drops in viscous flow, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 84 (1999) 105–106 (Erratum), J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 78 (1998) 227–241] and Dressler and Edwards [M. Dressler, B.J. Edwards, The influence of matrix viscoelasticity on the rheology of polymer blends, Rheol. Acta 43 (2004) 257–282; M. Dressler, B.J. Edwards, Rheology of polymer blends with matrix-phase viscoelasticity and a narrow droplet size distribution, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 120 (2004) 189–205]. Rheological and morphological properties of the model blends are thus obtained as functions of the spatial position within the channel, applied pressure drop, and shear rate at the wall.     

Ligand-free Suzuki-Miyaura reactions in PEG 300

In this work, we present ligand-free Suzuki cross-coupling reactions in PEG 300 under thermal conditions at 55 °C with good yields of conversion; better results were obtained with low reaction time. In 1 hour, 1-iodo-4-nitrobenzene and phenylboronic acid reached 98% of the yield and 9700 of TON. Better results were obtained with Pd(0) sources. The reaction system was recycled up to three times with good activity.     

Nitric oxide-dependent pigment migration induced by ultraviolet radiation in retinal pigment cells of the crab Neohelice granulata

The purpose of this study was to verify the occurrence of pigment dispersion in retinal pigment cells exposed to UVA and UVB radiation, and to investigate the possible participation of a nitric oxide (NO) pathway. Retinal pigment cells from Neohelice granulata were obtained by cellular dissociation. Cells were analyzed for 30 min in the dark (control) and then exposed to 1.1 and 3.3 J cm⁻² UVA, 0.07 and 0.9 J cm⁻² UVB, 20 n m β-PDH (pigment dispersing hormone) or 10 μ m SIN-1 (NO donor). Histological analyses were performed to verify the UV effect in vivo . Cultured cells were exposed to 250 μ m L-NAME (NO synthase blocker) and afterwards were treated with UVA, UVB or β-PDH. The retinal cells in culture displayed significant pigment dispersion in response to UVA, UVB and β-PDH. The same responses to UVA and UVB were observed in vivo . SIN-1 did not induce pigment dispersion in the cell cultures. l-NAME significantly decreased the pigment dispersion induced by UVA and UVB but not by β-PDH. All retinal cells showed an immunopositive reaction against neuronal nitric oxide synthases. Therefore, UVA and UVB radiation are capable of inducing pigment dispersion in retinal pigment cells of Neohelice granulata and this dispersion may be nitric oxide synthase dependent.     

Immobilization of Anti-Galectin-3 onto Polysiloxane–Polyvinyl Alcohol Disks for Tumor Prostatic Diseases Diagnosis

This work aimed to immobilize the antibody anti-galectin-3 onto polysiloxane–polyvinyl alcohol (POS-PVA) support, to evaluate its capacity to capture the serum antigen galectin-3 and to quantify by ELISA the antigen levels in sera from patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma (PA) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and healthy individuals. Also, for comparative effect, the galectin-3 expression in the prostate tissue through immunohistochemistry was evaluated. The optical density (galectin-3 level) values established for the sera from PA and BPH patients were lower compared with those found for the healthy individuals. Galectin-3 immunohistochemically showed a significant increase and reduction of the cytoplasmatic protein expression in BPH and PA, respectively, compared with the normal prostate. These results showed that POS-PVA disks could be used as solid phase to immobilize serum galectins and in immunoassays procedures for the correspondent IgG anti-galectins detection in human sera.     

Chemical constituents of the bark of Dipteryx alata vogel, an active species against Bothrops jararacussu venom

The effect of four sub-extracts prepared from the lyophilized hydroalcoholic bark of Dipteryx alata (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae) dissolved in a methanol-water (80:20) mixture through a liquid-liquid partition procedure has been investigated against the neuromuscular blockade of the venom of the snake Bothrops jararacussu. The active CH?Cl? sub-extract has been extensively analyzed for its chemical constituents, resulting in the isolation of four lupane-type triterpenoids: lupeol, lupenone, 28-hydroxylup-20(29)-en-3-one, betulin, nine isoflavonoids: 8-O-methylretusin, 7-hydroxy-5,6,4'-trimethoxyisoflavone, afrormosin, 7-hydroxy-8,3',4'-trimethoxyisoflavone, 7,3'-dihydroxy-8,4'-dimethoxyisoflavone, odoratin, 7,8,3'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone, 7,8,3'-trihydroxy-6,4'-dimethoxyisoflavone, dipteryxin, one chalcone: isoliquiritigenin, one aurone: sulfuretin and three phenolic compounds: vanillic acid, vanillin, and protocatechuic acid. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including HRMS, 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques.     

Determination of amylose content in starch using Raman spectroscopy and multivariate calibration analysis

Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy and chemometric tools have been used for exploratory analysis of pure corn and cassava starch samples and mixtures of both starches, as well as for the quantification of amylose content in corn and cassava starch samples. The exploratory analysis using principal component analysis shows that two natural groups of similar samples can be obtained, according to the amylose content, and consequently the botanical origins. The Raman band at 480 cm^?1, assigned to the ring vibration of starches, has the major contribution to the separation of the corn and cassava starch samples. This region was used as a marker to identify the presence of starch in different samples, as well as to characterize amylose and amylopectin. Two calibration models were developed based on partial least squares regression involving pure corn and cassava, and a third model with both starch samples was also built; the results were compared with the results of the standard colorimetric method. The samples were separated into two groups of calibration and validation by employing the Kennard-Stone algorithm and the optimum number of latent variables was chosen by the root mean square error of cross-validation obtained from the calibration set by internal validation (leave one out). The performance of each model was evaluated by the root mean square errors of calibration and prediction, and the results obtained indicate that Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy can be used for rapid determination of apparent amylose in starch samples with prediction errors similar to those of the standard method.

Ensemble wavelet modelling for determination of wheat and gasoline properties by near and middle infrared spectroscopy

The wavelet transform has been shown to be a useful tool for multivariate calibration. However, the choice of wavelet transform settings (wavelet family, length and number of decomposition levels) for a given application is still an open problem. The present paper proposes an alternative approach, which consists of generating an ensemble model by combining individual models obtained with different wavelet transform settings. The advantages of the proposed method are demonstrated in two analytical problems, namely the determination of moisture and protein in wheat by near infrared spectroscopy and the determination of specific mass and three distillation temperatures (T10, T50, T90) in gasoline by middle infrared spectroscopy. In these problems, the results varied considerably among individual models, which underlines the risk associated to an inadequate choice of wavelet transform settings. In contrast, the ensemble model always provided adequate results in terms of prediction error and noise sensitivity. The proposed method can be seen as an advantageous alternative for multivariate calibration in the wavelet domain, as it frees the analyst from the need to choose a particular configuration for the wavelet transform.