Copper molybdate synthesized by sonochemistry route at room temperature as an efficient solid catalyst for esterification of oleic acid.

Copper molybdate nanoplates were synthesized by a sonochemical process at room temperature, which we report as a simple and cost-effective route. Structural analysis of the material by the Rietveld method of X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed lindgrenite Cu3(MoO4)2(OH)2 in a single-phase structure. All the vibrational modes characteristic of the space group were identified by Raman vibrational and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopies. The profile obtained for N2 adsorption/desorption was type III hysteresis, characteristic of mesoporous materials, with a surface area of 70.77(1) m2 g-1. The micrographs of the material obtained by scanning electron microscopy showed nanoplates with nanometric sizes and an anisotropic growth aspect. The catalytic activity of lindgrenite was evaluated by esterifying oleic acid with methanol, showing high conversion rate to methyl oleate and good catalyst stability after seven recycling cycles. Above all, the best catalytic performance was reached when we optimized parameters such as oleic acid:methanol molar ratio of 1:5, 5% of catalyst dosage, and reaction time of 5 h, resulting in 98.38% of conversion at 413 K. Therefore, sonochemically synthesized lindgrenite proved to be a high potential material for biofuel production by oleic acid esterification.

Digestibilidade do cálcio de ingredientes para suínos, avaliada por meio de dois métodos / Calcium digestibility from feedstuffs for pigs evaluated using two methods

Determinaram-se os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente e verdadeira do cálcio (Ca) de ingredientes para suínos por meio de dois métodos. Foram utilizados 60 suínos machos castrados, alojados em gaiolas de metabolismo e distribuídos em delineamento experimental inteiramente ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 2 x 10 (métodos x tratamentos) e seis repetições por tratamento. Os tratamentos consistiram em oito alimentos, uma ração basal (0,072% de Ca total) e uma ração com baixo teor de Ca (0,018%). Os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente e verdadeira do Ca foram avaliados utilizando-se simultaneamente dois métodos: coleta total de fezes e coleta de fezes com indicador fecal (cinza ácida insolúvel - CAI). Os coeficientes de digestibilidade verdadeira do Ca, obtidos pelo método de coleta total e pelo método de indicador fecal, foram, respectivamente: calcário calcítico 1, 84,80 e 87,33%; calcário calcítico 2, 84,19 e 86,32%; fosfato bicálcico, 79,36 e 84,55%; fosfato monobicálcico, 83,83 e 85,81%; calcário dolomítico, 85,65 e 87,39%; farinha de carne e ossos (40% PB), 70,00 e 68,64%; farinha de carne e ossos (50% PB), 66,92 e 68,03%; farinha de vísceras, 73,40 e 73,95%, lactato de Ca, 95,10 e 97,33%. Não houve diferença significativa (P>0,05) entre os métodos avaliados coleta total (80,14%) e indicador fecal (82,15%)...

The coefficients of apparent and true digestibility of calcium (Ca) of eight feedstuffs for pigs were determined. A total of 60 barrows were housed in metabolism cages and distributed in a completely randomized design in a factorial 2 X 10 (treatments X methods) and 6 replicates per treatment. Treatments consisted of eight feedstuffs, a basal diet (0.072% Ca) and a diet with low Ca content (0.018%). The coefficients of apparent and true digestibility of Ca were determined using two methods simultaneously: total fecal collection and fecal marker (Acid Insoluble Ash - AIA). The true digestibility coefficients of Ca, obtained by the total fecal collection and the fecal marker methods were respectively: Limestone 1, 84.80 and 87.33%; Limestone 2, 84.19% and 86.32; Dicalcium Phosphate, 79.36 and 84.55%; Monodicalcium Phosphate, 83.83 and 85.81%, Dolomitic Limestone, 87.39% and 85.65; Meat and Bone Meal (40% CP), 70.00 and 68,64%; Meat and Bone Meal (50% CP), 66.92% and 68.03; Poultry by Product Meal, 73.40 and 73.95%, Calcium Lactate, 95.10 and 97.33%. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the total fecal collection (80.14%) and fecal marker (82.15%) with the methods evaluated...

Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax in an area of transmission located in Pará State, Brazil, determined by amplification of mtDNA using a real-time PCR assay.

The need for a more sensitive and time-efficient assay for malaria has led to the development of molecular assays involving real-time PCR (qPCR), a procedure that has the potential to detect low levels of parasitemia, identify mixed infections, and allow for precise differentiation of species via melting curve analysis or TaqMan fluorescence-labeled probes. Since the first study published in 2001 at least 17 assays have been developed, most of them using SSUrRNA as the target gene. We used qPCR to detect Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax by amplification of mtDNA; this technique was evaluated on whole-blood samples from people living in areas of malaria transmission in the Brazilian Amazon region located in the area of inclusion of highway BR-163 (Cuiabá-Santarém) in Pará State: São Luiz do Tapajós, a municipal district of Itaituba (N = 74); Três Boeiras, a municipal district of Trairão (N = 134), and São Raimundo, a municipal district of Aveiro (N = 62). The results from the real-time PCR-based method were compared to conventional microscopy and to an established mtDNA-PCR assay. The qPCR (mtDNA) method was 16-19 times more efficient than the conventional PCR (mtDNA) and microscopy for detecting plasmodial infections.

[The quality of life of patients with cardiac arrhythmia undergoing surgical treatment]. / Qualidade de vida de portadores de disritmia cardíaca submetidos à tratamento cirúrgico.

The handling of patients with malign ventricular arrhythmia, since 1979, can count on intracardiac electrophysiological studies, cardiac mapping and unconventional cardiac surgery. Such service, which requires the use of sophisticated equipment and specialized professionals, is being provided to patients from all over the country and from all social strata. The Hospital, which maintains the costly, infrastructure required to provide such service, is interested in knowing the reach of the therapeutic action, going beyond the mere knowledge of the success in the immediate treatment. In order to situate the patient as well as his family and social relations, a Social Service professional has been appointed, and same, from a group of 37 patients under treatment (there were 15 deaths), has selected for the survey 17 residents in the metroplitan region of São Paulo, because of contact with them was easier. Evaluation of the changes in the quality of life of the patients that have undergone surgery has been structured in such a way to detail the research procedure, treatment of the data and discussion of the results. Thus, an attempt has been made to characterize the extent of the benefits obtained in the surgeries, at the individual, familiar and social level. Basicaly, in the group of patients surveyed, 70% have been identified as males, 70% as married, 65% older than 50 years, 76% associated to the social security system, 70% with primary level schooling and thus a low family income (1.6 minimum wages per capita).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)