Finite groups with small centralizers of word-values

Given a positive integer m and a group-word w, we consider a finite group G such that $$w(G) \ne 1$$ and all centralizers of non-trivial w-values have order at most m. We prove that if $$w=v(x_1^{q_1},\dots ,x_k^{q_k})$$, where v is a multilinear commutator word and $$q_1, \dots , q_k$$ are p-powers for some prime p, then the order of G is bounded in terms of w and m only. Similar results hold when w is the nth Engel word or the word $$w=[x^n, y_1, \dots ,y_k]$$ with $$k \ge 1$$.     

On profinite groups with word values covered by nilpotent subgroups

Let N stand for the class of nilpotent groups or one of its well-known generalizations. For a multilinear commutator word w and a profinite group G we show that w(G) is finite-by-N if and only if the set of wvalues in G is covered by countably many finite-by-N subgroups. Earlier this was known only in the case where w = x or w = [x, y].     

Screening for pharmaco‐toxicologically relevant compounds in biosamples using high‐resolution mass spectrometry: a ‘metabolomic’ approach to the discrimination between isomers

High‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) enables the identification of a chemical formula of small molecules through the accurate measurement of mass and isotopic pattern. However, the identification of an unknown compound starting from the chemical formula requires additional tools: (1) a database associating chemical formulas to compound names and (2) a way to discriminate between isomers. The aim of this present study is to evaluate the ability of a novel ‘metabolomic’ approach to reduce the list of candidates with identical chemical formula. Urine/blood/hair samples collected from real positive cases were submitted to a screening procedure using ESI‐MS‐TOF (positive‐ion mode) combined with either capillary electrophoresis or reversed phase liquid chromatography (LC). Detected peaks were searched against a Pharmaco/Toxicologically Relevant Compounds database (ca 50 500 compounds and phase I and phase II metabolites) consisting of a subset of PubChem compounds and a list of candidates was retrieved. Then, starting from the mass of unknown, mass shifts corresponding to pre‐defined biotransformations (e.g. demethylation, glucuronidation, etc.) were calculated and corresponding mass chromatograms were extracted from the total ion current (TIC) in order to search for metabolite peaks. For each candidate, the number of different functional groups in the molecule was automatically calculated using E‐Dragon software (Talete srl, Milan, Italy). Then, the presence of metabolites in the TIC was matched with functional groups data in order to exclude candidates with structures not compatible with observed biotransformations (e.g. loss of methyl from a structure not bearing methyls). The procedure was tested on 108 pharmaco‐toxicologically relevant compounds (PTRC) and their phase I metabolites were detected in real positive samples. The mean list length (MLL) of candidates retrieved from the database was 7.01 ± 4.77 (median, 7; range, 1–28) before the application of the ‘metabolomic’ approach, and after the application it was reduced to 4.08 ± 3.11 (median 3, range 1–17). HRMS allows a much broader screening for PTRC than other screening approaches (e.g. library search on mass spectra databases). The ‘metabolomic’ approach enables the reduction of the list of candidate isomers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Myrcia multiflora and Eugenia florida Essential Oils

The essential oils of three specimens of Myrcia multiflora (A, B and C) and Eugenia florida were extracted by hydrodistillation, and the chemical compositions from the essential oils were identified by gas chromatography and flame ionization detection (CG/MS and CG-FID). The fungicide potential of the EOs against five fungicide yeasts was assessed: Candida albicans INCQS-40175, C. tropicalis ATCC 6258, C. famata ATCC 62894, C. krusei ATCC 13803 and C. auris IEC-01. The essential oil of the specimen Myrcia multiflora (A) was characterized by the major compounds: α-bulnesene (26.79%), pogostol (21.27%) and δ-amorphene (6.76%). The essential oil of the specimen M. multiflora (B) was rich in (E)-nerolidol (44.4%), (E)-γ-bisabolene (10.64%) and (E,E)-α-farnesene (8.19%), while (E)-nerolidol (92.21%) was the majority of the specimen M. multiflora (C). The sesquiterpenes seline-3,11-dien-6-α-ol (12.93%), eremoligenol (11%) and γ-elemene (10.70%) characterized the chemical profile of the EOs of E. florida. The fungal species were sensitive to the essential oil of M. multiflora (B) (9–11 mm), and the lowest inhibitory concentration (0.07%) was observed in the essential oil of M. multiflora (A) against the yeasts of C. famata. Fungicidal action was observed in the essential oils of M. multiflora (A) against C. famata, with an MIC of 0.78 µL/mL and 3.12 µL/mL; C. albicans, with an MFC of 50 µL/mL and M. multiflora (C) against C. albicans; and C. krusei, with a MFC of 50 µL/mL.     

Oxidative polymerization of aromatic hydrocarbons: A study of kinetics and mechanism

Aromatic hydrocarbons were homopolymerized by means of an oxidative polymerization reaction with the use of the catalyst system anhydrous aluminum chloride–cupric chloride. The kinetics of the benzene homopolymerization carried out under different experimental conditions was followed by the determination of the amounts of cuprous ion and polymeric product formed in the reaction. Cuprous ion was spectrophotometrically titrated in the form of its complex with 2,2′-biquinolyl (cuproine). The experimental results do not agree with cationic mechanism for this reaction previously proposed in the literature. Ethylbenzene was kinetically studied under the same experimental conditions. In view of the experimental evidences obtained in this work and on some literature data, a mechanism based on formation of cation-radicals is proposed for the oxidative polymerization reaction when carried out under the studied conditions.     

Natural Polymer Characterization

Summary : A review about the characterization of natural polymers is given, describing the polymers found in Nature, methods to distinguish natural from syntheticpolymers, and what modern Polymer Science can learn from Nature     

Bounding the exponent of a verbal subgroup

We deal with the following conjecture. If \(w\) is a group word and \(G\) is a finite group in which any nilpotent subgroup generated by \(w\) -values has exponent dividing \(e\) , then the exponent of the verbal subgroup \(w(G)\) is bounded in terms of \(e\) and \(w\) only. We show that this is true in the case where \(w\) is either the \(n\text{ th }\) Engel word or the word \([x^n,y_1,y_2,\ldots ,y_k]\) (Theorem A). Further, we show that for any positive integer \(e\) there exists a number \(k=k(e)\) such that if \(w\) is a word and \(G\) is a finite group in which any nilpotent subgroup generated by products of \(k\) values of the word \(w\) has exponent dividing \(e\) , then the exponent of the verbal subgroup \(w(G)\) is bounded in terms of \(e\) and \(w\) only (Theorem B).     

Commutators and pronilpotent subgroups in profinite groups

Let \(G\) be a profinite group in which all pronilpotent subgroups generated by commutators are periodic. We prove that \(G^{\prime }\) is locally finite.     

How Climatic Seasons of the Amazon Biome Affect the Aromatic and Bioactive Profiles of Fermented and Dried Cocoa Beans?

In addition to the vast diversity of fauna and flora, the Brazilian Amazon has different climatic periods characterized by periods with greater and lesser rainfall. The main objective of this research was to verify the influence of climatic seasons in the Brazilian Amazon (northeast of Pará state) concerning the aromatic and bioactive profiles of fermented and dried cocoa seeds. About 200 kg of seeds was fermented using specific protocols of local producers. Physicochemical analyzes (total titratable acidity, pH, total phenolic compounds, quantification of monomeric phenolics and methylxanthines) and volatile compounds by GC-MS were carried out. We observed that: in the summer, the highest levels of aldehydes were identified, such as benzaldehyde (6.34%) and phenylacetaldehyde (36.73%), related to the fermented cocoa and honey aromas, respectively; and a total of 27.89% of this same class was identified during winter. There were significant differences (p ≤ 0.05, Tukey test) in the profile of bioactive compounds (catechin, epicatechin, caffeine, and theobromine), being higher in fermented almonds in winter. This study indicates that the climatic seasons in the Amazon affect the aromatic and bioactive profiles and could produce a new identity standard (summer and winter Amazon) for the cocoa almonds and their products.     

Si-based erbium-doped light-emitting devices

We report on the fabrication and performance of Si-based light sources. The devices consist of MOS structures with erbium (Er)-doped silicon rich oxide (SRO) film as gate dielectric. The devices exhibit electroluminescence (EL) at 1.54 μm at room temperature with a 0.2% external quantum efficiency. These devices show a high stability due to the silicon excess in the film. The Er-doped SRO films have been introduced in a Si/SiO₂ Fabry-Perot Microcavity in order to increase the spontaneous emission rate, the extraction efficiency and the spectral purity at the resonant wavelength. The active medium in the cavity has been electrically pumped and the conduction mechanisms have been analyzed. The EL spectra have also been acquired and compared with photoluminescence (PL) ones for the same resonant cavity light-emitting device (RCLED). The EL and PL peak intensities of the on-axis emission at the resonant wavelength are over 20 times above that of the similar Er-doped SRO film without a cavity. The Si-based RCLEDs exhibit different quality factors, ranging from 60 to 170. The spectra shape and intensity have been correlated with the quality factor. A high directionality of the emitted light, due to the presence of the resonant cavity, has also been observed: the overall luminescence is confined within 10° cone from the sample normal.