Caracterización química del aceite de barú y su subproducto de la región noroeste de Minas Gerais, Brasil

This study investigated baru oil and partially defatted baru flour from the northwest region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The physicochemical characterization of the oil was made by determining the fatty acid profile using gas chromatography, lutein, and α- and β- carotenes by means of high-performance liquid chromatography, and total carotenoids by spectrophotometry. The flour was analyzed for its chemical composition, fiber, and mineral contents. Baru oil presented excellent quality parameters and high contents in unsaturated fatty acids and carotenoids. The flour showed relevant levels of proteins, lipids, and dietary fiber, in addition to having representative mineral contents for food such as manganese, magnesium, and copper. Thus, baru oil and the by-product of its extraction offer a rich chemical composition, and their application may add nutritional value to foods in addition to reducing negative environmental impacts.En este estudio se investigó el aceite de barú y la harina de barú parcialmente desengrasada de la región noroeste de Minas Gerais, Brasil. La caracterización físico-química del aceite se realizó mediante la determinación del perfil de ácidos grasos mediante cromatografía de gases, luteína y α- y β- carotenos mediante cromatografía líquida de alta resolución y carotenoides totales mediante espectrofotometría. En la harina se analizó su composición química, fibra y contenido mineral. El aceite de barú tiene excelentes parámetros de calidad, un buen contenido de ácidos grasos insaturados y carotenoides. La harina presentó niveles relevantes de proteínas, lípidos y fibra dietética, además de tener un contenido representativo de minerales para la alimentación, como manganeso, magnesio y cobre. Así, el aceite de baru y el subproducto de su extracción tienen riqueza en su composición química y su aplicación puede agregar valor nutricional a los alimentos, además de reducir los impactos ambientales

Epidemiological status of bovine brucellosis in the Federal District, Brazil

Realizou-se um estudo para caracterizar a situação epidemiológica da brucelose bovina no Distrito Federal (DF). No total foram amostrados 2.019 animais, provenientes de 278 propriedades. Em cada propriedade visitada aplicou-se um questionário epidemiológico para verificar o tipo de exploração e as práticas de criação e sanitárias que poderiam estar associadas ao risco de infecção pela doença. O protocolo utilizado foi o da triagem com o teste do antígeno acidificado tamponado e a confirmação dos positivos com o teste do 2-mercaptoetanol. O rebanho foi considerado positivo quando pelo menos um animal foi reagente às duas provas sorológicas. A prevalência no DF foi de 2,5% [1,0-5,1%] para propriedades e de 0,16% [0,04-0,28%] para animais. Em razão dos resultados encontrados, que permitem pensar em estratégias de erradicação, recomenda-se que o DF intensifique o diagnóstico de brucelose, tanto na forma de testes sorológicos sistemáticos como pela introdução de mecanismos de detecção rápida em laticínios, em ambos os casos a fim de aumentar o número de propriedades certificadas como livres da doença e melhorar a sensibilidade do sistema de vigilância ativa.A study to characterize the epidemiological status of brucellosis was carried out in the Federal District of Brazil. A total of 2,019 serum samples from 278 herds were collected. In each herd, it was applied an epidemiological questionnaire focused on herd traits as well as husbandry and sanitary practices that could be associated with the risk of infection. The serum samples were screened for antibodies against Brucella spp. by the Rose-Bengal Test (RBT), and all positive sera were re-tested by the 2-mercaptoethanol test (2-ME). The herd was considered positive if at least one animal was positive on both RBT and 2-ME tests. Herd prevalence was estimated as 2.5% [1.0-5.1%] whereas animal prevalence was 0.16% [0.04-0.28%]. Given these results, that may warrant the implementation of eradication strategies, there is a case for intensifying the serological testing in the Federal District, coupled with the introduction of rapid detection methods by the dairy industries, with a view to increasing the number of accredited free herds and improving the sensitivity of the surveillance system..FAPESPCNPqSEAP-DFMAPA Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abasteciment

Variability of North Sea pH and CO₂ in response to North Atlantic Oscillation forcing

High biological activity causes a distinct seasonality of surface water pH in the North Sea, which is a strong sink for atmospheric CO₂ via an effective shelf pump. The intimate connection between the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean suggests that the variability of the CO₂ system of the North Atlantic Ocean may, in part, be responsible for the observed variability of pH and CO₂ in the North Sea. In this work, we demonstrate the role of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the dominant climate mode for the North Atlantic, in governing this variability. Based on three extensive observational records covering the relevant levels of the NAO index, we provide evidence that the North Sea pH and CO₂ system strongly responds to external and internal expressions of the NAO. Under positive NAO, the higher rates of inflow of water from the North Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic outflow lead to a strengthened north-south biogeochemical divide. The limited mixing between the north and south leads to a steeper gradient in pH and partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) between the two regions in the productive period. This is exacerbated further when coinciding with higher sea surface temperature, which concentrates the net community production in the north through shallower stratification. These effects can be obscured by changing properties of the constituent North Sea water masses, which are also influenced by NAO. Our results highlight the importance of examining interannual trends in the North Sea CO₂ system with consideration of the NAO state

Anomalous diffusion with absorption: Exact time-dependent solutions

Recently, analytical solutions of a nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation describing anomalous diffusion with an external linear force were found using a non extensive thermostatistical Ansatz. We have extended these solutions to the case when an homogeneous absorption process is also present. Some peculiar aspects of the interrelation between the deterministic force, the nonlinear diffusion and the absorption process are discussed.Comment: RevTex, 16 pgs, 4 figures. Accepted in Physical Review

Slow relaxation dynamics of clogs in a vibrated granular silo

We experimentally explore the vibration-induced unclogging of arches halting the flow in a two-dimensional silo. The endurance of arches is determined by carrying out a survival analysis of their breaking times. By analyzing the dynamics of two morphological variables, we demonstrate that arches evolve toward less regular structures and it seems that there may exist a certain degree of irregularity that the arch reaches before collapsing. Moreover, we put forward that ¿ (the standard deviation of all angles between consecutive beads) describes faithfully the morphological evolution of the arch. Focusing on long-lasting arches, we study ¿ calculating its two-time autocorrelation function and its mean-squared displacement. In particular, the apparent logarithmic increase of the correlation and the decrease of the mean-squared displacement of ¿ when the waiting time is increased reveal a slowing down of the dynamics. This behavior is a clear hallmark of aging phenomena and confirms the lack of ergodicity in the unclogging dynamics. Our findings provide new insights on how an arch tends to destabilize and how the probability that it breaks with a long sustained vibration decreases with time

Reconstruction Activities And First Results From The Thomson Scattering Diagnostic On The Tcabr Tokamak

An incoherent and infrared Thomson scattering diagnostic (ITS) was transferred from ISTTOK (Lisboa) and reconstructed on TCABR (S. Paulo). In the first phase of this international collaboration, the diagnostic uses a Neodymium:Glass laser with up to 10 Joules per laser pulse and a first generation polychromator with three pairs of interference filters and avalanche photodiodes. It measures 90° scattered radiation in a single volume of observation with a single laser pulse to obtain the instant plasma electron temperature. This paper reports the reconstruction activities already carried out and presents the first experimental results. These activities include: new data model performance, laser refurbishing, new laser delivery system, stray-light reduction in the vacuum vessel, new collection lens and relative diagnostic calibration. A long run of experiments with this diagnostic shows consistency and coherence with the other TCABR diagnostics and gives indications to be able to contribute effectively to the Alfven heating program of this tokamak. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.227Alonso, M.P., Wilcock, P.D., Varandas, C.A.F., (1999) Rev. Sci. Inst., 70 (1), p. 783Alonso, M.P., Berni, L., Severo, J.H., Borges, F.O., Elizondo, J.I., MacHida, M., Varandas, C.A.F., Galvo, R.M.O., (2008) Plasma Fusion. Sci., 996, p. 192Alonso, M.P., Figueiredo, A.C.A., Berni, L.A., Varandas, C.A.F., (2008) Plas. Sci. IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., 36 (4), p. 11094Bellintani, J.V., Elfimov, A.G., Elizondo, J.I., Fagundes, A.N., Fonseca, A.M.M., Galvo, R.M.O., Guidolin, L., MacHida, M., (2006), 875, p. 350Berni, L.A., Alonso, M.P., Oliveira, R.M., (2004) Rev. Sci. Inst., 75 (10), p. 388