Low temperature behavior of poultry fat biodiesel:diesel blends

AbstractAs the worldwide consumption of poultry meat rises the use of poultry fat as a feedstock for biodiesel production becomes attractive considering economical and environmental reasons. However, poultry fat biodiesel still faces some restrictions due to its poor flow properties at low temperatures. In this study ethylic and methylic poultry fat biodiesels and their blends with diesel were evaluated in terms of flow properties. Modulated Temperature Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MT-DSC) was used to understand the physical meaning of properties as Cold Filter Plugging Point (CFPP), Pour Point (PP) and Cloud Point (CP), widely used in biodiesel characterization. Based on the MT-DSC studies, it was observed that the first crystallization peak temperature had values similar to CFPP and CP. This way CP was found to be associated with the first solidified material and not with the early formation of the first nuclei, as normally reported. On the other hand, these crystals already lead to the flow decrease, as indicate by the CFPP results. PP values were close to the second crystallization peak temperature, not being related to the complete solidification of the fuel

Instanton interactions in dense-matter QCD

A Coulomb gas representation of dense-matter QCD is derived from a dual transformation of the low-energy effective Lagrangian. The point-like charges Q=+1,-1 of the gas are identified with the instantons and anti-instantons of such topological charges. An instanton repels another instanton with the same force as it attracts an anti-instanton, in contrast to the semiclassical interaction.Comment: 8 pages, Revtex (a typo fixed

Amerindian genetic ancestry and INDEL polymorphisms associated with susceptibility of childhood B-cell Leukemia in an admixed population from the Brazilian Amazon

AbstractAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant tumor common in children. Studies of genetic susceptibility to cancer using biallelic insertion/deletion (INDEL) type polymorphisms associated with cancer development pathways may help to clarify etymology of ALL. In this study, we investigate the role of eight functional INDEL polymorphisms and influence of genetic ancestry to B-cell ALL susceptibility in children of Brazilian Amazon population, which has a high degree of inter-ethnic admixture. Ancestry analysis was estimated using a panel of 48 autosomal ancestry informative markers. 130 B-cell ALL patients and 125 healthy controls were included in this study. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were adjusted for confounders. The results indicated an association between the investigated INDEL polymorphisms in CASP8 (rs3834129), CYP19A1 (rs11575899) e XRCC1 (rs3213239) genes in the development of B-cell ALL. The carriers of Insertion/Insertion (Ins/Ins) genotype of the polymorphism in CASP8 gene presented reduced chances of developing B-cell ALL (P=0.001; OR=0.353; 95% CI=0.192–0.651). The Deletion/Deletion (Del/Del) genotype of the polymorphism in CYP19A1 gene was associated to a lower chance of developing B-cell ALL (P=3.35×10−6; OR=0.121; 95% CI=0.050–0.295), while Del/Del genotype of the polymorphism in XRCC1 gene was associated to a higher chance of developing B-cell ALL (P=2.01×10−4; OR=6.559; 95% CI=2.433–17.681). We also found that Amerindian ancestry correlates with the risk of B-cell ALL. For each increase of 10% in the Amerindian ancestry results in 1.4-fold chances of developing B-cell ALL (OR=1.406; 95% IC=1.123–1.761), while each increase of 10% in the European ancestry presents a protection effect in the development of B-cell ALL (OR=0.666; 95% IC=0.536–0.827). The results suggest that genetic factors influence leukemogenesis and might be explored in the stratification of B-cell ALL risk in admixed populations

Improvements chemical processes to obtain Fenitoin

Foram otimizados os processos para obtenção de Fenitoína (5,5-difenil-2,4-imidazolidinadiona), fármaco utilizado no grande mal da epilepsia psicomotora. Os processos poderão ser adaptados para escala piloto visando suprir a demanda do Rio Grande do Sul, que foi de 1.395 kg e 8.690 kg no Brasil, em 1990.Improvements were made with the chemical processes to obtain Fenitoin, a drug used in the psicomotor eplepsia treatment. The processes can be adapted to "pilot plant scale" in order to achieve the demand of fenitoin in Rio Grande do Sul. In 1990 the consumption on fenitoin in Brazil was 8.650 Kg and in Rio Grande do Sul 1.395 Kg

Polymorphism In Lep And Lepr May Modify Leptin Levels And Represent Risk Factors For Thyroid Cancer

Purpose. To understand the role of polymorphisms in the LEP (rs7799039 and rs2167270) and LEPR (rs1137101 and rs1137100) genes in DTC susceptibility and their effect on leptin levels. Methods. We studied 153 patients with DTC and 234 controls through TaqMan SNP Genotyping and ELISA, comparing these data to the clinicopathological data of patients with DTC. Results. Patients with AA genotype of rs7799039 had higher levels of serum leptin (9.22 ± 0.98 ng/mL) than those with AG genotype (10.07 ± 0.60 ng/mL; P = 0.005). 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