Study and voltammetric determination of fipronil in bovine lactose-free milk by differential pulse voltammetry using a carbon paste electrode.

A novel voltammetric screening method has been developed for the rapid determination of fipronil (FPN) residues in lactose-free milk samples with the use of a carbon-paste electrode (CPE) by differential-pulse voltammetry (DPV). Cyclic voltammetry indicated the occurrence of an irreversible anodic process at approximately +0.700 V (vs. Ag|AgCl, 3.0 mol L-1 KCl) in a 0.100 mol L-1 NaOH supporting electrolyte prepared as a 30% (v/v) ethanol-water solution. Quantification of FPN was carried out by DPV and analytical curves were constructed. In the absence of a matrix, the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.568 mg L-1 and 1.89 mg L-1, respectively. In the presence of a lactose-free skim milk matrix, the values of LOD and LOQ were 0.331 mg L-1 and 1.10 mg L-1. The recovery percentages for three different concentrations of FPN in lactose-free skim milk samples ranged between 95.3% and 109%. All assays could be conducted with milk samples without any prior extraction steps or pre-concentration of FPN, making this novel method rapid, simple, and relatively cheap.

Determination of quinclorac by adsorptive stripping voltammetry in rice samples without sample pretreatment.

A novel voltammetric method with practically no sample pretreatment was developed for determination of Quinclorac (QNC) in rice samples by using a working Carbon Paste Electrode (CPE) modified with ionic liquid, with deposition potential (ED) of -1.43 V for 30 s in NaOH 0.01 mol L-1. The systematic influence of cations and anions of imidazole ionic liquids on the composition of CPE has evaluated. The best electrode composition was 65% (w/w) of graphite powder, 30% (w/w) of mineral oil and 5.0% (w/w) of C4min+BF4- ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate). The matrices analyzed were deionized water and extracts of upland rice: white, brown, peel and seed. The limits of quantification ranged between 0.954 mg kg-1 and 3.61 mg kg-1. The recovery percentages of QNC in rice samples ranged between 90% and 121%. The simplicity and good analytical frequency enable the proposed method to be used to obtain preliminary information on the presence of QNC, prior to the implementation of more detailed, costly and elaborate quantitative analyses. The technique can be applied in the study and evaluation of sorption mechanisms, metabolization of the herbicide in plants and its persistence and degradation in the environment.

A voltammetric screening method to determine ronidazole in bovine meat.

An original voltammetric screening method, employing glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with the differential-pulse voltammetry technique (DPV), has been developed to determine residues of the anti-parasitic agent Ronidazole (RNZ) in bovine meat. By using cyclic voltammetry (CV), it has been demonstrated that an irreversible cathodic process occurs at approximately -0.740 V (vs. Ag|AgCl, KCl 3 mol L-1) in a 0.100 mol L-1 phosphate buffer at pH 6.5 as supporting electrolyte. Furthermore, the behavior of RNZ in CV indicates the occurrence of a diffusion mass transfer process to the working electrode surface. The RNZ reduction mechanism was proposed as a 6-electron transfer, similar to Metronidazole under the same pH range. Quantification of RNZ and method validation were then carried out by DPV. The relative standard deviation (RSD) were 3.21% for intraday precision of 10 consecutive repetitions and 6.78% for interday precision after five analysis. Limits of detection and quantification were also obtained, and the values were 0.107 and 0.358 mg kg-1, respectively. The recovery percentage for three different concentrations of RNZ in the bovine meat matrix ranged between 98.1% and 100.3%. The method proved to be efficient for screening RNZ in bovine meat.

Determination of heart rate threshold from heart rate kinetics during maximal graded exercise in soccer players / Determinação do limiar da frequência cardíaca a partir da cinética da frequência cardíaca durante o exercício graduado máximo em jogadores de futebol

Abstract The main of the present study was to identify the heart rate threshold based on heart rate kinetics during graded maximal exercise in football players. Twenty-six male football players performed a maximal exercise test (Bruce protocol) on a motor-driven treadmill. Oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (HR) were monitored, recorded and resampled at 3.5Hz. The ventilatory threshold (VT), and respiratory compensation (RC), heart rate deflection points (HRDP1 and HRDP2) and heart rate kinetics threshold (HRT) were determined by computerized methods. The heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed in the frequency domain. The HRT averaged 89.9 ± 1.2 % of the VO2 peak. The HRT showed poor correlations and significant differences compared with HRDP1 (r = 0.46) and VT (r = 0.51), but was not different from, and highly correlated with, HRDP2 (0.98) and RC (0.90). Bland Altman plots showed all athletes into 95% of limits of agreement, and intraclass correlation coefficient showed good agreements between points obtained from HRT compared with HRDP2 (0.96) and RC (0.98). The HRT was highly correlated with HRDP2 and RC, suggesting it could be a marker for cardiorespiratory fatigue.

Resumo O objetivo do presente estudo foi identificar o limiar de frequência cardíaca baseado na cinética da frequência cardíaca durante o exercício máximo graduado em jogadores de futebol. Vinte e seis jogadores de futebol masculino realizaram um teste de exercício máximo (protocolo de Bruce) em uma esteira motorizada. O consumo de oxigênio (VO2) e a freqüência cardíaca (FC) foram monitorados, registrados e reamostrados a 3,5Hz. O limiar ventilatório (LV), a compensação respiratória (CR), os pontos de deflexões da frequência cardíaca (PDFC1 e PDFC2) e o limiar da cinética da frequência cardíaca (LCFC) foram determinados por métodos computadorizados. A variabilidade da frequência cardíaca (VFC) foi avaliada no domínio da frequência. A média do LCFC foi de 89,9 ± 1,2% do VO2 de pico. O LCFC demonstrou correlações e diferenças significativas em relação ao PDFC1 (r = 0,46) e ao LV (r = 0,51), mas não foi diferente e altamente correlacionado com PDFC2 (0,98) e CR (0,90). Os gráficos de Bland Altman mostraram todos os atletas em 95% dos limites de concordância, e o coeficiente de correlação intraclasse apresentou boas concordâncias entre os pontos obtidos com o LCFC em comparação com o PDFC2 (0,96) e CR (0,98). A LCFC foi altamente correlacionada com PDFC2 e CR, sugerindo que poderia ser um marcador de fadiga cardiorrespiratória.

Physical Exercise As Stabilizer For Alzheimer'S Disease Cognitive Decline: Current Status.

INTRODUCTION: Mental health decline is one of the main responsible factors for augments in health care costs, and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Some studies stated physical exercise is useful for reduction in cognitive decline and AD. Moreover, a recent review argued that evidence are scarce due to few studies published and lack of configuration information of exercise protocol, such as intensity and duration of exercise, number of sessions and other relevant data, to allow appropriate assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we discussed the possible confounders or factors responsible for these differences and possible neurophysiological mechanisms. RESULTS: Most studies revealed a possible positive association between physical exercise and cognitive assessments. There are inconsistencies in studies design responsible for varying use of cognitive assessments and different assessments of fitness. However, these studies do not fail to provide evidence about the benefits of exercise, but fail to make it possible because of the lack of dose-response information in AD patients. Physical exercise of moderate intensity should be considered as standard recommendation to reduce cognitive decline, probably due to the improvement in neurodegenerative mechanisms, and the increase in neuroplastic and neuroprotective neurotrophic factors. CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is suggested that physical exercise is an important neuroprotective modulator, bringing significant control of the disease and amplifying brain functions.

Retention of structure in microemulsion polymerization: formation of nanolatices.

Polymerization of styrene-in-water microemulsions by photoinitiation using the initiator 2,2'-dimethoxy-2-phenyl acetophenone (DMPA) produces small nanolatices of the same size as the parent microemulsion (radius = 24-31 angstroms). This behavior is distinct from previously applied methods where significant particle growth accompanies the polymerization reaction. NMR measurements confirmed that polymerization is complete in under an hour and small-angle neutron scattering established the microemulsion structure before and after polymerization. The approach may be of more general application where retention of structure is sought in microemulsion-based polymer templating procedures.

Micellization of economically viable surfactants in CO(2).

Stability and aggregation structures of various economically viable surfactants for CO(2) are reported. The compounds are either commercially available octylphenol nonionics (Triton X-100, X-100 reduced, and X-45) or custom-made analogues of aerosol-OT (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123 (2001) 988). These were selected to reveal the influence of chain terminal group structure, namely highly methylated t-butyl units, on solubility and aggregation in CO(2). In addition the mean ethylene oxide block length is varied for the Triton surfactants (X-100 approximately EO(10), X-45 approximately EO(8)). High-pressure small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments revealed the presence of aggregates, consistent with spheroidal reverse micelles. The nonionics show a temperature and pressure dependence on solubility. These results confirm the special affinity of highly methyl-branched tails for CO(2). However, none of these systems were able to disperse significant amounts of water or brine; therefore hydrated reversed micelles or microemulsion droplets were not stabilized. Hence the utility of these cheap methyl-branched surfactants in CO(2) is limited, and so groups of greater CO(2)-philicity are needed to achieve the goal of water-hydrocarbon surfactant-CO(2) dispersions.

A veia ázigos no coelho (Oryctolagus cuniculus, L.1758) / The azygos vein of the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, L.1758)

A veia ázigos foi estudada em 40 coelhos, cujos vasos foram injetados com latex e dissecados. Notou-se que em quase todos (97,5 por cento) os casos ela termina na veis cava cranial. A veia hemazigos foi encontrada em 90 por cento dos casos a direita, e em 100 por cento dos casos a esquerda. Foram indentificadas tribuitarias, cujas incidencias foram analisadas.