ABSTRACT The effects of small additions of tin, zinc, calcium and boron oxides on phase composition and electrical conductivity of zirconia-10 mol% scandia were investigated. Compounds containing 1 mol% zinc, tin and calcium oxides and 1, 3 and 5 wt.% boron oxide were prepared by solid state reaction and characterized by X-ray diffraction, density measurements, scanning electron microscopy and impedance spectroscopy. Full stabilization of the cubic structure at room temperature was obtained with additions of 1 mol% calcium oxide and 2 wt.% boron oxide. Partially stabilized compounds exhibit herringbone structure, characteristic of the β-rhombohedric phase. Specimens with calcium as additive show total conductivity of 23.8 mS.cm-1 at 750ºC with activation energy of 1.13 eV. Liquid phase sintering by boron oxide addition is effective to enhance the densification of the solid electrolyte.

A planície alagável do Alto Rio Paraná (ARP) representa o último trecho do Rio Paraná em território brasileiro em que ainda existe um extensivo ecossistema do tipo rio-planície alagável. No entanto, a região sofreu intenso processo de desmatamento nas décadas passadas e mais da metade da extensão original da planície foi perdida com a formação do lago da usina hidrelétrica de Porto Primavera, o que pode ter resultado na extinção local de espécies. No presente estudo, comparou-se a lista de espécies de aves registradas no ARP antes da construção da referida usina (1926-1996) com aquelas registradas após este período (1999-2007) no âmbito do programa de Pesquisas Ecológicas de Longa Duração (PELD-sítio 6), com o objetivo de investigar características biogeográficas e ecológicas das espécies potencialmente extintas no local. Endemismo, proximidade das espécies de seus limites de distribuição geográfica, baixa tolerância a habitats alterados e especificidade de habitat podem estar associados à perda de espécies no ARP. A região representa uma importante oportunidade para a conservação e deve receber esforços para evitar a perda futura de espécies e de processos ecológicos.

The Upper Paraná River floodplain (UPR) represents the last stretch of the Paraná River in Brazilian territory where a river-floodplain ecosystem still exists. However, the region had been subjected to intense deforestation in previous decades, and more than half of the original floodplain has been lost due to the construction of the Porto Primavera dam, which may have resulted in the local extinction of species. In the present study, we compared the list of bird species recorded before the construction of Porto Primavera dam (1926-1996) to that gotten afterwards (1999-2007) under the Long-Term Ecological Research program (LTER-site 6). We aim to investigate biogeographical and ecological traits of species potentially lost in the UPR. Endemism, proximity to the edge of species' geographic range, low tolerance to human-altered habitats and habitat specificity were associated to the potential extinction of birds in the UPR. The region represents an important opportunity for conservation, and should be target of conservation efforts to avoid further loss of species and ecological processes.

Visou-se com este trabalho, comparar a vida útil de presunto fatiado sem capa de gordura (condicionadas à temperatura entre -1 e 4ºC), usando os tratamentos: sistema de embalagem a vácuo (EV) e sistema de embalagem com atmosfera modificada (AM) (50% de N2 e 50% de O2), com os laminados flexíveis PET/PEBDL (AM1) e PVDC/EVA/PEBDL (AM2) sobre os parâmetros microbiológicos e físico-químicos, por 35 dias. As análises realizadas foram: contagem padrão em placas (CCP), contagem de fungos (CF), pH e umidade. Nas análises do dia inicial de trabalho verificou-se a contagem de <10²UFC/g de Staphylococcus aureus e para os demais microrganismos <10¹UFC/g. Com relação aos tratamentos, verificou-se que a embalagem com AM estendeu em 5 dias a vida útil do produto em relação a embalagem EV. O pH inicial médio de 6,4 aumentou para 6,55; 6,58 e 6,63 nos tratamentos EV, AM1 e AM2, respectivamente. O tratamento AM2 aumentou a vida útil em relação ao AM1.

The aim of this work was to compare the shelf-life of sliced ham without fat layer storage in a range of temperature between 1º and 4ºC using the following treatments: vacuum packing (VP) and packing with modified atmosphere (MA) (50% of N2 and 50% of O2) using flexible sheets of PEAD/LDPE (MA1) and PVDC/EVA/LDPE (MA2) on microbiological and physical chemical parameters for 35 days. Analysis of plate count of microorganisms, pH and humidity were conduced to evaluate the shelf-life of ham. In the first day of analyze the countings of Staphylococcus aureus had been inferior to 10² CFU/g and for the other microorganisms inferior to 10¹ CFU/g. The packed with modified atmosphere increased five days in the shelf-life of the product when compared to vacuum packing. The initial pH (6.4) increased to 6.55, 6.58 and 6.63 on VP MA1 and MA2, respectively. The treatment MA2 increased the shelf-life when compared to modified atmosphere (1).

Filmes de nitreto de carbono, preparados por deposição assistida por feixe de íons, foram estudados pela espectroscopia de Raman e infravermelho, em função de energia de íons (200, 400, e 600 eV) e razão de chegada de íon a átomo R(I/A) de 0,9 a 2,5. A razão de composição N/C no filme, determinada por análise de detecção de recuo elástico, foi encontrada proporcional a R(I/A); porém, a formação de filme é possível somente se R(I/A) for menor do que um valor crítico da eficiência de "sputtering" químico. Esse valor encontrado foi de 0,21. O valor máximo de N/C obtido foi de 0,9 (47% atômica de nitrogênio) para o filme depositado com 400 eV. Para entender o efeito de incorporação de nitrogênio na estrutura dos filmes, os parâmetros foram determinados pela análise dos espectros Raman e encontrados fortes dependências da quantidade de nitrogênio nos filmes; os comportamentos da posição e da largura do pico G, e da razão I D/I G são correlacionados com as mudanças estruturais nos filmes.

Carbon nitride films prepared by ion beam assisted deposition were studied by Raman and infrared spectroscopy, as a function of nitrogen ion energy (200, 400, and 600 eV) and the ion to atom arrival rate ratio R(I/A) ranging from 0.9 to 2.5. The composition ratio N/C in the film determined by elastic recoil detection analysis was found to be proportional to R(I/A); however, the film growth is possible only if R(I/A) is smaller than a critical value of chemical sputtering yield. This value was found to be 0.21. The maximum value of N/C obtained was 0.9 (47 at.% of nitrogen) for the film deposited with ion energy of 400 eV. In order to understand the effect of nitrogen incorporation on the structure of the films, the parameters were determined from the Raman spectra analysis of the films and found to show strong dependences of the nitrogen content in the films; the behaviors of the G peak position and width, and I D/I G ratio are correlated with the structure changes in the films.

We report integral, differential, and momentum transfer cross sections for elastic scattering of low-energy electrons by cyclobutane (c-C4H8), which is an isomer of the C4H8 molecule and has a closed chain. Our calculations were performed with the Schwinger multichannel method with pseudopotentials at the static-exchange level of approximation, for energies up to 50 eV. We compare the cross sections of cyclobutane with the cross sections of other three isomers of C4H8, namely, isobutene, cis-2-butene, and skew-1-butene. These isomers have open chain and were the subject of a previous study by our group [Lopes et al. J. Phys. B 37, 997 (2004)]. We also show previous calculated integral and momentum transfer cross sections for isomers of C3H4, C3H6 and C4H6, which have open and closed chains. For each isomeric group we discuss the isomer effect focusing on the closed chain isomer. The isomer effect is related to differences in the isomers cross sections due to differences in their geometries.

OBJETIVO: A doxorrubicina, um dos fármacos mais utilizados no tratamento do câncer, apresenta toxicidade cardiopulmonar acentuada, muitas vezes impedindo o tratamento completo. O tocoferol (vitamina E), por sua vez, demonstrou atenuar os efeitos cardiotóxicos provocados pela doxorrubicina, permitindo o uso de uma dose maior. Em trabalho anterior, desenvolvemos um modelo constante de injúria pulmonar induzida pela doxorrubicina em pulmões de ratos (dose de 7 mg/kg). O objetivo deste estudo é testar o possível efeito protetor do tocoferol no modelo desenvolvido. MÉTODO: Utilizou-se 24 ratos Wistar, machos, pesando entre 250-350g. O grupo 1 recebeu soro intragástrico (IG) e soro intravenoso (IV); o grupo 2 recebeu tocoferol IG (400 UI) e soro IV; o grupo 3 recebeu soro IG e doxorrubicina IV e o grupo 4 recebeu tocoferol IG e doxorrubicina IV. Após sacrifício, o bloco pulmonar de cada rato foi analisado histologicamente. RESULTADOS: Os achados microscópicos foram pré-estabelecidos (congestão, hemorragia e necrose). O grupo 1 (controle) não apresentou alterações importantes. O grupo 3 (doxorrubicina) apresentou dano estabelecido previamente. O grupo 4 (doxorrubicina e tocoferol) e o grupo 2 (tocoferol) apresentaram dano importante, mas sem diferença estatística (p>0,05). CONCLUSÕES: O tocoferol poderia ter efeito na diminuição do dano intersticial, uma vez que tem sido utilizado na proteção cardíaca. Entretanto, não houve diferença em relação aos danos previamente estabelecidos.

BACKGROUND: To test the possible protective effect of tocopherol in a developed model of lung injury induced by doxorubicin in rats. METHODS: Twenty-four males Wistar rats weighing between 250-350g were submitted to one of the four treatment groups. Group 1 received intragastric serum (IG) and endovenous serum (EV); group 2 received tocopherol IG (400 UI) and serum EV; group 3 received serum IG and doxorubicin EV and group 4 received tocopherol IG and doxorubicin EV. After death, the pulmonary unit of each rat was histologically analyzed. RESULTS: The microscopical findings had been previously established (congestion, hemorrhage and necrosis). Group 1 (control) did not present any important finding. Group 3 (doxorubicin) presented damages, which were previously established. Group 4 (doxorubicin and tocopherol) and group 2 (tocopherol) had presented important damage, but they did not differ statistically (p0.05). CONCLUSION: Tocopherol could have some effect in the reduction of the interstitial damage, once it has been used for cardiac protection. However, we did not find differences in damages previously established. The preliminary findings had not evidenced to be the Vitamin E, a protective substance of pulmonary damages produced by the doxorubicin in rats, in the managed dose. However, a larger number of rats may be required for scientific evidence of this hypothesis.

Angle-resolved electron energy-loss spectra have been measured for the methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene molecules in the 0 - 50 eV energy range. The spectra have been obtained at 1 keV incident energy, with an energy resolution of 0.8 eV and covering an angular range of 2.0 to 7.0 degrees. Within our knowledge, this is the first gas-phase excitation spectrum for MMA and styrene in this energy range. The spectra of MMA at small scattering angles are dominated by an intense peak at 6.7 eV followed by a broad band centered at about 16 eV. In the case of styrene, six bands can be observed in the spectra. Based on the angular behaviour of the excitation spectra of these molecules, the low-lying peaks observed are considered to be associated predominantly with dipole-allowed processes. In both cases, new bands can be observed for excitation energies greater than 20 eV. This could be associated with dipole-forbidden transitions to shake-up and doubly-excited states.