Is the ‘canine surrogacy approach’ (CSA) still valid for dogs and humans in market-oriented and subsistence-oriented communities in Brazil?

Based on the assumptions that human food is available for dogs and isotope diet–tissue differences are similar in dogs and humans, the ‘canine surrogacy approach’ (CSA) has been used to infer patterns of ancient populations. The goal of this study was to test the CSA in urban (Brasília and Piracicaba) and in rural (Ubatuba and Maraã) areas. The hair C and N isotope ratios of modern dogs were compared with those of human fingernails from different regions of Brazil. Our CSA results showed a correlation between dog and human isotopes values: in rural areas δ¹⁵N of humans and dogs was not statistically different; contrarily, in urban centres, δ¹⁵N of humans was approximately 1?‰ higher (p?<?0.01) than δ¹⁵N of dogs; humans had lower δ¹³C values (p?<?0.01) than dogs in Brasília, Piracicaba and Ubatuba. In Maraã, there was not any significant difference between dogs and humans. We concluded that CSA is still valid as a first approach in modern societies. However, isotopic differences found suggest that in modern societies processed dog food is increasingly disconnecting human and dog, jeopardising the use of CSA in the future if the trend of increasing processed dog food consumption continues to occur.     

Plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy of wurtzite GaMnN displaying ferromagnetism assessed by means of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism

We report on the optimization of the growth conditions of wurtzite GaMnN grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy in order to obtain intrinsic ferromagnetic behavior. By growing with a Ga/N ratio lower than unity and by introduction of periodic growth interruptions, we succeed in synthesizing single-phase GaMnN epilayers containing up to 6.3 at.% of Mn. The structural quality of the GaMnN epilayer and the absence of secondary phases are demonstrated by means of X-ray diffraction experiments and X-ray linear dichroism measurements performed at the Mn and Ga K-edges. The intrinsic ferromagnetism for 6.3 at.% of Mn in our GaMnN epilayer is demonstrated by means of magnetization measurements in a 5 T Quantum Design superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism investigations performed at the K-edge of Mn. The Curie temperature thus determined is equal to 8 K and a spontaneous magnetic moment of 2.4μ_B per Mn atom is found at 2 K.     

Low-energy coexisting band in 154Gd

A low-energy coexisting band Jpi (Ex keV) 0(+) (1182), 2(+) (1418), 4(+) (1701) is identified in the deformed nucleus, 154Gd. Detailed gamma-ray spectroscopy following the beta decays of 154Eu (J=3), (g,m(1),m(2))154Tb (J=0,3,7) is used to establish this structure. The structure is explained in terms of the pairing and deformation degrees of freedom, a "pairing isomer," which results from the nu[505] upward arrow Nilsson intruder orbital.     

Analysis of β‐blockers in groundwater using large‐volume injection coupled‐column reversed‐phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and liquid chromatography time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

Atenolol, nadolol, metoprolol, bisoprolol and betaxolol were simultaneously determined in groundwater samples by large‐volume injection coupled‐column reversed‐phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LVI‐LC‐LC‐FD) and liquid chromatography‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LC‐TOF‐MS). The LVI‐LC‐LC‐FD method combines analyte isolation, preconcentration and determination into a single step. Significant reductions in costs for sample pre‐treatment (solvent and solid phases for clean up) and method development times are also achieved. Using LC‐TOF‐MS, accurate mass measurements within 3 ppm error were obtained for all of the β‐blockers studied. Empirical formula information can be obtained by this method, allowing the unequivocal identification of the target compounds in the samples. To increase the sensitivity, a solid‐phase extraction step with Oasis MCX cartridge was carried out yielding recoveries of 79–114% (n=5) with RSD 2–7% for the LC‐TOF‐MS method. SPE gives a high purification of β‐blockers compared with the existing methods. A 100% methanol wash was allowed for these compounds with no loss of analytes. Limit of quantification was 1–7 ng/L for LVI‐LC‐LC‐FD and 0.25–5 ng/L for LC‐TOF‐MS. As a result of selective extraction and effective removal of coextractives, no matrix effect was observed in LVI‐LC‐LC‐FD and LC‐TOF‐MS analyses. The methods were applied to detect and quantify β‐blockers in groundwater samples of Almería (Spain).     

Science based calibration for the extraction of 'analyte-specific' HPLC-DAD chromatograms in environmental analysis

Multivariate science based calibration (SBC) has been applied to the resolution of overlapped peaks in liquid chromatography with diode array detection (LC-DAD). Complex river water samples spiked with 11 pharmaceutical substances resulted in poorly resolved chromatograms containing additional peaks from interfering matrix compounds and a change in the background absorbance due to the mobile phase gradient. Applying the present multivariate approach it was possible to resolve all 11 analytes from overlapping peaks, obtaining linear calibration lines (R² > 0.96). Recovery percentages on spiked samples ranged between 74.6 and 113.5%, which are quite satisfactory taking into account the low concentration ranges considered to 1-7 μg L⁻¹.     

Column-switching linked to large sample volumes to preconcentrate β-blockers at trace levels in environmental water

This paper describes about an automated on-line enrichment method for the simultaneous determination of seven β-blockers in river water using a short liquid chromatography column for preconcentration coupled with LC-DAD. The method performs the preconcentration of 30 mL of river water samples (5% organic modifier) using a 50 mm × 4.6 mm C18 column for enrichment and a 150 mm × 4.6 mm C18 column for separation, allowing the determination of β-blockers at trace levels in river water. The analytical procedure was developed by optimizing the breakthrough parameters (flow rate, time of preconcentration and percentage of organic modifier added to the sample) in order to achieve the maximum sensitivity, and by optimizing the mobile phase (composition and flow rate) to get adequate separation of the components in a reasonable analysis time. Under the optimized conditions, the method was validated with respect to linearity, precision, limits of detection, limits of quantification and accuracy. Detection and quantitation limits ranged between 0.1 and 3.1 and between 1.0 and 5.0 ng mL⁻¹, respectively, whereas the RSD on inter-day precision was below 8%.To cope with the matrix effect in the determination of these drugs in river water samples, the standard addition methodology was successfully applied. Recoveries ranging from 81 to 115% proved the accuracy of the methodology proposed in this work.     

Two-step hybrid conservative remapping for multimaterial arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian methods

We present a new hybrid conservative remapping algorithm for multimaterial Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) methods. The hybrid remapping is performed in two steps. In the first step, only nodes of the grid that lie inside subdomains occupied by single materials are moved. At this stage, computationally cheap swept-region remapping is used. In the second step, nodes that are vertices of mixed cells (cells containing several materials) and vertices of some cells in a buffer zone around mixed cells are moved. At this stage, intersection-based remapping is used. The hybrid algorithm results in computational expense that lies between swept-region and intersection-based remapping We demonstrate the performance of our new method for both structured and unstructured polygonal grids in two dimensions, as well as for cell-centered and staggered discretizations.     

Determination of benzoylureas in ground water samples by fully automated on-line pre-concentration and liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection

An on-line pre-concentration method for the analysis of five benzoylureas (diflubenzuron, triflumuron, hexaflumuron, lufenuron and flufenoxuron) in ground water samples was evaluated using two C(18) columns, and fluorescence detection after photochemical induced fluorescence (PIF) post-column derivatization. The trace enrichment was carried out with 35 mL of ground water modified with 15 mL of MeOH on a 50 mm x 4.6 mm I.D. first enrichment column (C-1) packed with 5 microm Hypersil Elite C(18). Retention properties of pesticides and humic acids usually contained in ground water were studied on C-1 at concentration levels ranging between 0.04 and 14.00 microg/L in water samples. The results obtained in this study show that the pesticides are pre-concentrated in the first short column while the humic acids contained in the ground water samples are eluted to waste. Pesticides recoveries ranged between 92.3 and 109.5%. The methodology proposed was used to determine benzoylureas in ground water samples at levels lower than 0.1 microg/L (maximum levels established by the European Union).