Analysis of phenolic compounds in Spanish Albrariño and Portuguese Alvarinho and Loureiro wines by capillary zone electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography

The concentration of different phenolic compounds was measured in Spanish Albari?o and Portuguese Alvarinho and Loureiro white wines by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), in order to characterize them. Although all samples presented the same qualitative pattern (characterized by tyrosol; (-)-epicatechin; syringic acid; ferulic acid; p-coumaric acid; caffeic acid, gallic acid; 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid; cis-coumaroyl tartaric acid (COUTA); trans-COUTA; trans-caffeoyl tartaric acid (CAFTA), and hydroxycinnamic esters), some quantitative differences were observed. When samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), in order to compare the results obtained by both techniques, no significant qualitative or quantitative differences were obtained. Nevertheless, CZE proved to be a more convenient technique for the routinary analyses of these wines, due to better separation of the different compounds, better peak shapes, and higher speed than HPLC.     

Shape Coexistence and the N=28 Shell Closure Far from Stability

A mass measurement experiment by a time of flight method with the SPEG spectrometer at GANIL has been performed to investigate the N=20 and N=28 shell closures far from stability. The masses of 31 neutron-rich nuclei in the range A=29–47 have been measured. The precision of 19 masses has been significantly improved and 12 masses were measured for the first time. The neutron-rich Cl, S and P isotopes are seen to exhibit a change in shell structure around N=28. Comparison with shell model and relativistic mean field calculations demonstrate that the observed effects arise from deformed prolate ground state configurations associated with shape coexistence. The evidence of an isomeric state in the ⁴³S and its interpretation by a shell model calculation confirm the analysis of the masses and constitutes the first evidence of the predicted shape coexistence around N=28. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

7‐Nitro‐1H‐indazole,an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase

The crystal structure of 7‐nitro‐1H‐indazole, C₇H₅N₃O₂, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, shows the existence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond between an O atom of the nitro group and the NH group of the indazole ring. The crystal packing consists of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and indazole?indazole interactions.     

Bi-objective optimisation with multiple decision-makers: a convex approach to attain majority solutions

An interactive approach for solving bi-objective optimisation problems with multiple decision-makers in a context where the decisions are made via the strict majority voting rule is proposed. An adequate use of projection and decomposition techniques leads to a hierarchical algorithm in which the upper level is represented by a relaxed version of the bi-objective problem in the objective space. The feasibility of the partial consensus obtained in the upper (decision) level by the strict majority voting rule is tested in the lower (analysis) level of the algorithm. Some properties of the relaxed bi-objective problem allow that different preference structures of the decision-makers can be represented by appropriate multiobjective methods. The paper includes numerical examples that illustrate the characteristics of the approach proposed.     

Microscopic evaluation of proliferative disorders in the gerbil female prostate: evidence of aging and the influence of multiple pregnancies

The gerbil female prostate is located paraurethrally and has all the histological components of the male prostate, like secretor epithelium and fibromuscular stroma. This gland, like the prostate in males, is targeted by testosterone action, which promotes morphofunctional development. Furthermore, estrogens are required to maintain the male and female prostate and this gland presents both estrogen receptors (ER-α and ER-β). In the present work the structural and morphometric-stereological and serological aspects, as well as the quantification of the incidence, multiplicity and percentage of acini affected by different lesions were analyzed. Animals were divided into four groups: five adult nuliparous (AN) gerbils; five adult multiparous (AM) gerbils; five senescent nulliparous (SN) gerbils; five senescent multiparous (SM) gerbils, and were weighed and sacrificed by CO(2) inhalation. The ventral prostate was dissected out, weighed and fixed to perform histological and morphometric-stereological analysis and quantification of prostate disorders. A high rate of lesions, mainly dysplasia, was identified in tissue from senescent multiparous and adult multiparous animals. Prostatitis was found mainly in SN animals, while dysplasia, hyperplasia, neoplasia, PIA and adenocarcinoma were common in SM ones. Although the proliferative lesion incidence was high in AN group, it was highest in the SM group. The hormonal events which occur due to the estrous cycle in female gerbils (after and before each pregnancy) may be responsible for the high number of lesions observed in our study and all the data presented herein lead us to assume that pregnancy promotes augmentations in both the incidence and the multiplicity of proliferative disorders in the gerbil female prostate since progesterone levels remain high during pregnancy.     

Phase equilibrium data and thermodynamic modelling of the system (propane + DMF + methanol) at high pressures

Reported in this work are phase equilibrium data at high pressures for the binary and ternary systems formed by {propane + N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) + methanol}. Phase equilibrium measurements were performed in a high-pressure, variable-volume view cell, following the static synthetic method for obtaining the experimental bubble and dew points transition data over the temperature range of (363 to 393) K, pressures up to 11.5 MPa and overall mole fraction of the lighter component varying from 0.1 to 0.995. For the systems investigated, vapour–liquid (VLE), liquid–liquid (LLE) and vapour–liquid–liquid (VLLE) phase transitions were visually recorded. Results show that the systems investigated present UCST (upper critical solution temperature) phase transition curves with an UCEP (upper critical end point) at a temperature higher than the propane critical temperature. The experimental data were modelled using the Peng–Robinson equation of state with the Wong–Sandler and the classical quadratic mixing rules, affording a satisfactory representation of the experimental data.     

Optimization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-Terpineol Production by the Biotransformation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>-(+)-Limonene and (−)-β-Pinene

The main objective of this work is to present the optimization of the biotransformation of R-(+)-limonene and (−)-β-pinene aiming at the production of α-terpineol by strains of fungal and yeasts previously isolated by our research group using the methodology of experimental design. New optimized experimental data on α-terpineol production by the biotransformation of R-(+)-limonene and (−)-β-pinene using newly isolated microorganisms are reported in this work. Conversion of about 1,700 mg/L was achieved when R-(+)-limonene was used as substrate and the newly isolated strain 05.01.35 as microorganism at the central point of the experimental design, corresponding to a substrate concentration of 1.75%, mass of inoculum of 2 g, and substrate to ethanol volume ratio of 1:1. The same experimental condition led to higher conversions when (−)-β-pinene was used as substrates and the strains coded as 04.05.08 and 01.04.03 as microorganism. Here, conversions of about 770 mg/L were achieved.     

(Oligo)thienyl-imidazo-benzocrown ether derivatives: synthesis, photophysical studies and evaluation of their chemosensory properties

A series of novel (oligo)thienyl-imidazo-benzocrown ethers were synthesised through a simple method and evaluated as fluorimetric chemosensors for transition metal cations. Interaction with Ni²⁺, Pd²⁺, and Hg²⁺ in ACN/DMSO solution (99:1) was studied by absorption and emission spectroscopy. Chemoselectivity studies in the presence of Na⁺ were also carried out and a fluorescence enhancement upon chelation (CHEF) effect was observed following Hg²⁺ complexation. Considering that most systems using fluorescence spectroscopy for detecting Hg²⁺ are based on the complexation enhancement of the fluorescence quenching (CHEQ) effect, the present work represents one of the few examples for sensing of Hg²⁺ based on a CHEF effect.     

Chemical characterization of "alcaparras" stoned table olives from northeast Portugal

Commercial stoned table olives named "alcaparras" from Trás-os-Montes (Portugal) were chemically characterized. During three consecutive years (2004-2006) 30 samples (10 per year) were examined for their nutritional value (moisture, crude protein, total fat, ash, carbohydrates, and energy), with a detailed report of the fatty acids and tocopherols composition. Water was the major constituent (72.5 ± 5.5%), followed by fat (14.6 ± 5.1%). The average amount of protein and ash were 1.1% and 3.4%, respectively, reporting unusual ash values for table olives, related to the technological process. One hundred grams of fresh stoned table olives presented an average energetic value of 156 kcal, lower than most table olives. The lipids are rich in oleic acid (average of 77.7 ± 2.0%), followed by palmitic acid and linoleic acid. Samples showed an average of total tocopherols of 1.2 mg/100 g of fresh weight, being α-tocopherol the most abundant. Table olives are important sources of MUFA, as olive oil, recognized as a preventive factor in diseases in which free radicals are implicated, complemented by the amounts of vitamin E, with both antioxidant and vitamin action.