Caracterización térmica y química de fracciones de aceite de semilla de Syagrus romanzoffiana

The Jerivá (Syagrus romanzoffiana) kernel oil (JKO) has a pleasant coconut-like smell, with about 33% lauric acid and 28% oleic acid. The oil also contains bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, carotenoids, and tocopherols. JKO has a solid consistency at low temperatures, but has a low melting point and low solid content at room temperature. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the thermal properties related to crystallization and fusion, as well as the chemical and oxidative characteristics of JKO fractions, olein and stearin, obtained from dry and solvent fractionation. In general, stearins had higher crystallization and melting temperatures, and higher solid fat content, unlike oleins, which may be associated with the concentration of high melting triglycerides in the stearins. No statistically significant difference was found for fatty acid profile or oxidative stability of the fractions. The type of fractionation influenced the chemical and thermal properties of JKO fractions. The solvent process promoted the most relevant differentiation of fractions. An olein was obtained with 7% less solid fat at 25 °C which remained visually liquid at 2 °C below the oil, as well as a stearin with 17% more solid fat at 25 °C which remained visually solid at 3 °C above the oil.El aceite de semilla de Jerivá (Syagrus romanzoffiana) (ASJ) tiene un agradable olor a coco, con aproximadamente un 33% de ácido láurico y un 28% de ácido oleico. Este aceite también contiene compuestos bioactivos, como fenólicos, carotenoides y tocoferoles. El ASJ tiene una consistencia sólida a baja temperatura, pero tiene un punto de fusión bajo y un contenido de sólidos bajo a temperatura ambiente. Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo evaluar las propiedades térmicas relacionadas con la cristalización y fusión, así como las características químicas y oxidativas de las fracciones de ASJ, oleína y estearina, obtenidas mediante fraccionamiento en seco y con solvente. En general, las estearinas tuvieron temperaturas de cristalización y fusión más altas y un mayor contenido de grasa sólida, a diferencia de las oleínas, esto puede estar asociado con la concentración de triglicéridos de alto punto de fusión en las estearinas. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas para el perfil de ácidos grasos ni en la estabilidad oxidativa de las fracciones. El tipo de fraccionamiento influyó en las propiedades químicas y térmicas de las fracciones de ASJK. El proceso mediante solvente favoreció la diferenciación de fracciones más relevantes. Se obtuvo una oleína con 7% menos de grasa sólida a 25 °C que permaneció visualmente líquida a 2 °C por debajo del aceite, así como una estearina con 17% más de grasa sólida a 25 °C y que permaneció visualmente sólida a 3 °C por encima del aceite

Astrophysics from data analysis of spherical gravitational wave detectors

The direct detection of gravitational waves will provide valuable astrophysical information about many celestial objects. Also, it will be an important test to general relativity and other theories of gravitation. The gravitational wave detector SCHENBERG has recently undergone its first test run. It is expected to have its first scientific run soon. In this work the data analysis system of this spherical, resonant mass detector is tested through the simulation of the detection of gravitational waves generated during the inspiralling phase of a binary system. It is shown from the simulated data that it is not necessary to have all six transducers operational in order to determine the source's direction and the wave's amplitudes.Comment: 8 pages and 3 figure

Universal Critical Behavior of Aperiodic Ferromagnetic Models

We investigate the effects of geometric fluctuations, associated with aperiodic exchange interactions, on the critical behavior of $q$-state ferromagnetic Potts models on generalized diamond hierarchical lattices. For layered exchange interactions according to some two-letter substitutional sequences, and irrelevant geometric fluctuations, the exact recursion relations in parameter space display a non-trivial diagonal fixed point that governs the universal critical behavior. For relevant fluctuations, this fixed point becomes fully unstable, and we show the apperance of a two-cycle which is associated with a novel critical behavior. We use scaling arguments to calculate the critical exponent $\alpha$ of the specific heat, which turns out to be different from the value for the uniform case. We check the scaling predictions by a direct numerical analysis of the singularity of the thermodynamic free-energy. The agreement between scaling and direct calculations is excellent for stronger singularities (large values of $q$). The critical exponents do not depend on the strengths of the exchange interactions.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure (included), RevTeX, submitted to Phys. Rev. E as a Rapid Communicatio

Polarimetric Evidence of Non-Spherical Winds

Polarization observations yield otherwise unobtainable information about the geometrical structure of unresolved objects. In this talk we review the evidences for non-spherically symmetric structures around Luminous Hot Stars from polarimetry and what we can learn with this technique. Polarimetry has added a new dimension to the study of the envelopes of Luminous Blue Variables, Wolf-Rayet stars and B[e] stars, all of which are discussed in some detail.Comment: 8 pages, 2 encapsulated Postscript figures, uses lamuphys.sty. Invited review to appear in IAU Coll. 169, Variable and Non-Spherical Stellar Winds in Luminous Hot Stars, eds. B. Wolf, A.Fullerton and O. Stahl (Springer

Avaliação da qualidade de assistência primária à saúde em localidade urbana da região sul do Brasil

A 10% sample of patients who attended two Primary Health Care Units (PHCU) in Pelotas, RS (Brazil) was studied cross-sectinonally for the purpose of measuring qualitatively the attention being offered to the population. According to domiciliar interviews, 15 days after their appointments, a solution (cure or improvement) was achieved in 87.9% of the patients. Patients or parents satisfaction (in the case of pediatric patients) was observed in nearly 90% of the sample. Patient satisfaction and solution were statistically associated (p=0.04). Association between the solution and the availability of medicines in the PHCU was observed. Patients who had received the whole or a part of their treatment had 33% greater probability of solving their problem. Professional satisfaction was linearly associated with both perception of a better professional-patient relationship (PR=3.48; CI95%2.17-5.59) and the expectation of a better patient prognosis (PR=1.99; CI95% 1.36-2.91).Foi estudada transversalmente uma amostra de 10% dos pacientes que consultaram em dois Postos de Assistência Primária à Saúde da Cidade de Pelotas (RS), Brasil, com o objetivo de avaliar, qualitativamente, o cuidado à saúde que estava sendo oferecido. Através de entrevistas domiciliares, 15 dias após a consulta, a resolução do problema (cura ou melhora) foi alcançada em 87,9% dos pacientes. A satisfação do paciente ou de seu responsável, no caso de consultas pediátricas, foi observada em cerca de 90% dos casos e esteve associada estatisticamente com a resolução do problema (p = 0,04). Observou-se associação entre resolutividade e disponibilidade de medicamentos no Posto. Os pacientes que receberam todo ou pelo menos parte do tratamento tiveram uma probabilidade 33% maior de terem seu problema resolvido. A satisfação dos profissionais mostrou-se linearmente associada com a percepção de melhor relação profissional-paciente (RP = 3,48; IC 95% 2,17 - 5,59) e com a expectativa de melhor prognóstico para o paciente (RP = 1,99; IC 95% 1,36 - 2,91)