Antioxidant activity of Caryocar brasiliense (pequi) and characterization of components by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The Caryocar brasiliense known commonly as pequi is a tropical fruit of Brazilian Cerrado and is considered an important option of income and food for the populations living in this biome. Our previous study indicated that C. brasiliense had high total phenol content (209 g as gallic acid equivalent kg⁻¹) and excellent scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (IC₅₀ of 9.44 μg ml⁻¹). In this study, we evaluated the highly efficient antioxidant activity of C. brasiliense using the biological relevant method of chemically induced lipid peroxidation. The half inhibition concentration did not exceed 0.8 μg ml⁻¹. In addition, polar components of pequi ethanolic extract were investigated by direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The technique revealed the presence of important bioactive components widely reported as potent antioxidants such as gallic acid, quinic acid, quercetin, and quercetin 3-O-arabinose possibly explaining its higher antioxidant activity. This is the first report on the composition by ESI-MS of pequi extract demonstrating excellent antioxidant activity.     

Comparative examination and validation of ELISA test systems for Salmonella typhimurium diagnosis of slaughtering pigs

The most frequently isolated Salmonella serotype from pork in Germany is S. typhimurium, especially phagetype DT 104. The monitoring programs on Salmonella in swine are based on enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) detecting antibodies in serum or meat juice. These serological results are used to classify swine herds in three categories to assess the hygienic status of farm regarding Salmonella infection in pigs. The object of this study was the comparative evaluation of four indirect Salmonella ELISA tests approved in Germany to detect Salmonella typhimurium infection of swine. Three tests (A–C) are based on LPS-antigen and directed against specific IgG-antibodies. The fourth test (D) bases on a whole-cell-lysate antigen and discriminates between Salmonella specific IgA-, IgM- and IgG-antibodies. In a longitudinal study sixteen 6 weeks old weaning pigs were orally infected with S. typhimurium DT 104. During an observation period of 138d clinical and bacteriological parameters were monitored and serum samples obtained at regular intervals as well as meat juice samples taken at slaughter were examined by the respective ELISA systems. Study results reveal that all tested ELISA systems are able to detect S. typhimurium infection in pigs in both sample matrices, blood serum and meat juice whereas test D showed the highest sensitivity to detect Salmonella antibodies in pigs. The sensitivity to detect Salmonella antibodies varied between tests A and C according to the used cut-off (test specific cut-off vs. recommended surveillance cut-off) resulting in a change of seroprevalence and hence may influence the Salmonella status of the farm.     

Benchmark studies of induced radioactivity produced in LHC materials, Part II: Remanent dose rates

A new method to estimate remanent dose rates, to be used with the Monte Carlo code FLUKA, was benchmarked against measurements from an experiment that was performed at the CERN-EU high-energy reference field facility. An extensive collection of samples of different materials were placed downstream of, and laterally to, a copper target, intercepting a positively charged mixed hadron beam with a momentum of 120 GeV c(-1). Emphasis was put on the reduction of uncertainties by taking measures such as careful monitoring of the irradiation parameters, using different instruments to measure dose rates, adopting detailed elemental analyses of the irradiated materials and making detailed simulations of the irradiation experiment. The measured and calculated dose rates are in good agreement.     

Experience using Web-based shotgun measures for large-systemcharacterization and improvement

This article discusses our experience in using a World Wide Web-based shotgun measurement approach for mining and characterizing large software systems. The approach recognizes that measurement information is essentially management information, that different levels and functions of the organizational hierarchy require different information to make decisions, and that a measurement program is typically a discovery process about an organization's current modes of operations. What we found was the usefulness of a measurement program that also allows managers to dynamically formulate new goals and get answers to questions not specifically related to original goals but raised nonetheless by metric data. We describe three specific cases of decisions that were made using this approach and data collected from one large system and accessed using the company's intranet over the past two years     

Sensitivity of Electrical Appliances to Harmonics and Fractional Harmonics of the Power SYSTEM's Voltage. Part I: Transformers and Induction Machines

The work described in Part I deals with analytical as well as experimental investigations of the effects of harmonics on singleand three-phase transformers including singleand three-phase induction machines as they occur in electrical appliances. The systematic treatment shows that single-phase and three-phase induction machines are more prone to temperature rises due to voltage harmonics than transformers. The work described has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.     

High spectral resolution lidar to measure optical scattering properties of atmospheric aerosols. 1: theory and instrumentation

A high spectral resolution lidar technique to measure optical scattering properties of atmospheric aerosols is described. Light backscattered by the atmosphere from a narrowband optically pumped oscillator-amplifier dye laser is separated into its Doppler broadened molecular and elastically scattered aerosol components by a two-channel Fabry-Perot polyetalon interferometer. Aerosol optical properties, such as the backscatter ratio, optical depth, extinction cross section, scattering cross section, and the backscatter phase function, are derived from the two-channel measurements.     

One-dimensional temperature profile prediction in multi-layered rigid pavement systems using a separation of variables method

This paper presents an analytical solution for prediction of the one-dimensional (1D) time-dependent temperature profile in a multi-layered rigid pavement system. Temperature at any depth in a rigid pavement system can be estimated by using the proposed solution with limited input data, such as pavement layer thicknesses, material thermal properties, measured air temperatures and solar radiation intensities. This temperature prediction problem is modelled as a boundary value problem governed by the classic heat conduction equations, and the air temperatures and solar radiation intensities are considered in the surface boundary condition. Interpolatory trigonometric polynomials, based on the discrete least squares approximation method, are used to fit the measured air temperatures and solar radiation intensities during the time period of interest. The solution technique employs the complex variable approach along with the separation of variables method. A FORTRAN program was coded to implement the proposed 1D analytical solution. Field model validation demonstrates that the proposed solution generates reasonable temperature profile in the concrete slab for a four-layered rigid pavement system during two different time periods of the year.     

Failure Analysis of the Wire Fixation Bolts of an Ilizarov External Fixator

The Ilizarov method is a treatment used to recover the functionality of the upper and lower limbs of patients who have lost bone tissues due to fractures or/and infections caused by accidents or congenital problems. This technique consists of assembling a device on the patient’s limb through which the bone is manipulated gradually. The device consists of external rings connected to each other by threaded rods and fixed to the bone by small diameter steel wires. These wires fasten the bone in an axial cross through a central axis perpendicular to the plane of the bone end and they are tightened to the rings by fixation bolts to provide assembly stability. The proper operation of the device depends mainly on the wire tension, which, in turn, depends on the torque applied to the bolts that hold the wires in place. The failure of these wire fixation bolts may compromise the Ilizarov frame function. In this study, four slotted bolts from a series of slotted bolts fractured during the assembly of Ilizarov fixator in clinical practice were analyzed and the upper limit for tightening these bolts was investigated. The results show that the failures occurred through a combination of mechanical and microstructural factors, including stress concentrators at the upper region of the screw, a high level of microstructural inclusions, and poor surface finish. The mechanical behavior of the bolts under loads was analyzed using the finite element method with the purpose of correlating it with the failure of the bolts.