Systemically alendronate was incorporated into dental tissues but did not cause morphological or mechanical changes in rats teeth

This study evaluated the effect of the systemic use of sodium alendronate in rats in vivo. Forty‐five Wistar rats aged 36 to 42 days and weighing 200 to 230 g were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 20), which received distilled water, and an experimental group (n = 25), which received 2 weekly doses of 1 mg/kg of chemically pure sodium alendronate. The animals were killed after 60 days of treatment. The tibias were removed for analysis of bone mineral density by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). Then, the maxillary incisors were extracted for analysis of the mineralized dental tissues using fluorescence spectroscopy (FS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), bright field microscopy (BFM), and cross‐sectional microhardness (CSMH) testing. DXA and CSMH data were subjected to statistical analysis by Kruskal‐Wallis test (5% significance level). The experimental group presented higher bone mineral density than the control group by DXA. FS analysis revealed presence of alendronate in the mineralized dental tissues of the specimens of the experimental group. Significant morphological differences were not found by SEM and BFM. Enamel and dentin (100 and 300 μm from the dentinoenamel junction) CSMH data did not show significant difference between the control and experimental groups. Based on the obtained results, we conclude that while alendronate increased the bone mineral density and was incorporated into the mineralized dental tissues it did not cause significant alterations in the morphology and microhardness of rat incisor enamel and dentin. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:1265–1271, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Chitosan microcapsules: Methods of the production and use in the textile finishing

Biopolymeric chitosan is considered a promising encapsulating agent for textile applications due to its biocompatibility, lack of toxicity, antibacterial activity, high availability, and low cost. After cellulose, it is nature's most important organic compound. Also, chitosan has unique chemical properties due to its cationic charge in solution. Microencapsulation technologies play an important role in protecting the trapped material and in the durability of the effect, controlling the release rate. The application of chitosan microcapsules in textiles follows the current interest of industries in functionalization technologies that give different properties to products, such as aroma finish, insect repellency, antimicrobial activity, and thermal comfort. In this sense, methods of coacervation, ionic gelation, and LBL are presented for the production of chitosan-based microcapsules and methods of textile finishing that incorporate them are presented, bath exhaustion, filling, dry drying cure, spraying, immersion, and grafting chemical. Finally, current trends in the textile market are identified and guidance on future developments.     

Induction of crystallization influences the retention of volatile compounds in freeze-dried marolo pulp

The effects of sucrose, maltodextrin, and ethanol as prefreezing treatments on the retention of volatile compounds in freeze-dried marolo pulp were evaluated. The volatile compounds were extracted using a solid-phase microextraction technique and investigated by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry. The transition temperatures, X-ray diffraction-derived microstructures, particle sizes, and scanning electron microscopy images were examined. The optimum inducer concentrations which produced typically amorphous structures were maltodextrin up to 60.0?g/L and lower ethanol and sucrose concentrations, which were optimized to achieve maximum retention of volatile substances compared with the original fruit pulp.     

Novel carbon-supported Fe-N electrocatalysts synthesized through heat treatment of iron tripyridyl triazine complexes for the PEM fuel cell oxygen reduction reaction

2,4,6-Tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPTZ) was used as a ligand to prepare iron-TPTZ (Fe-TPTZ) complexes for the development of a new oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst. The prepared Fe-TPTZ complexes were then heat-treated at temperatures ranging from 400 °C to 1100 °C to obtain carbon-supported Fe-N catalysts (Fe-N/C). These catalysts were characterized in terms of catalyst composition, structure, and morphology by several instrumental methods such as energy dispersive X-ray, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. With respect to the ORR activity, the Fe-N/C catalysts were also evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, as well as rotating disk and ring-disk electrodes. The results showed that among the heat-treated catalysts, that obtained at a heat-treatment temperature of 800 °C is the most active ORR catalyst. The overall electron transfer number for the catalyzed ORR was determined to be between 3.5 and 3.8, with 10-30% H₂O₂ production. The ORR catalytic activity of this catalyst was also tested in a hydrogen-air proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. At a cell voltage of 0.30 V, this fuel cell can give a current density of 0.23 A cm⁻² with a maximum MEA power density of 0.070 W cm⁻² indicating that this catalyst has potential to be used as a non-noble catalyst in PEM fuel cells.     

Alternative energy sources in the Amazon

This paper discusses the evaluation of energy potential of palm oil for the generation of electricity in isolated communities. In Brazil, the energy sector culture has historically been directed almost exclusively toward major projects geared to meet the demands of those sectors of society that have the greatest economic and political influence. Prioritizing industrialization and an accelerated urbanization, they have oriented the national energy system toward centralized production of enormous blocks of energy adapted to meet major urban concentration consumption but incapable of satisfying the needs of a large part of the population that inhabits the rural areas. These small- and medium-sized communities are sometimes isolated from the developed urban centers and not connected to the conventional electricity networks. In this scenario, the Amazon region stands out due to its huge territorial extension and low demographic density, which is scattered among islands and other locations not easily accessible. As a rule, these areas lack electricity, and, when they do have it, supply is precarious and provided through fossil fuels for electricity production     

Ammonia traces detection based on photoacoustic spectroscopy for evaluating ammonia volatization from natural zeolites at typical crop field temperature

A Brazilian sedimentary zeolite-containing microporous material was characterized by determining its physical and chemical properties (surface area, pore volume, dinitrogen and ammonia desorption rates, oxide composition, and acid site characterization), and compared with two commercial natural zeolites. The characterization of these materials was performed using N₂ adsorption, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) techniques. Using photoacoustic spectroscopy, the performance of these microporous materials in the adsorption and delayed desorption of nitrogen-containing fertilizers was studied by monitoring the ammonia emission rate after their treatment with ammonium sulfate. Ammonia desorption curves were recorded under 30 °C and 60 °C, aiming to reproduce typical Brazilian cropfield temperature conditions.     

Influence of the variable-speed wind generators in transient stability margin of the conventional generators integrated in electrical grids

This work demonstrates that the integration of variable-speed wind systems with doubly fed induction generators (DFIG) and a four-quadrant AC-to-AC converter connected to the rotor windings increases the transient stability margin of the electrical grids, when compared with the case where the fixed speed wind systems with cage generators are used. It is due to the influence of the two dedicated rotor current regulators of the DFIG on the dynamic behavior of the other generators in the system. Besides, adequate models to represent the behavior of the DFIG in transient stability studies are presented. From the simulation results, some important conclusions can be extracted to guide the integration of the wind farms on weak or strong grids.     

Experimental thermodynamic cycles and performance analysis of a solar-powered adsorptive icemaker in hot humid climate

This paper analyzes and presents the thermodynamic cycles and the experimental performance parameters of a solar adsorptive icemaker that uses activated-carbon methanol pair. The solar energy technology employed is far less sophisticated than that of collectors using selective surface or evacuated tubes. The collector-adsorber is multi-tubular with an opaque black radiation-absorbing surface, and thermal insulated by means of transparent covers, the so-called transparent insulation material (TIM). The solar radiation hits on both faces of the tubes by means of semi-cylindrical reflectors. It is shown the results of tests carried out in a region of Brazil close to the Equator, on days characterized by the predominant cloud cover degree. Three cycles have been analyzed: one with clear sky, another with partially cloudy sky, and a third under entirely cloudy sky. The maximum regenerating temperatures were 100.1, 87.3 and 92.7 °C, with an ice production of 6.05, 2.10 and 0 kg by square meter of projected area, for cycles of clear sky, partially cloudy and overcast nights, respectively.     

Application of multi-criteria decision-making methods: certification mechanisms for organic produce in Brazil

A rural producer who wishes to market organic products must obtain the Brazilian Organic Conformity Assessment System seal and consider a series of criteria for certification. The objective of this article is to identify which criteria should take priority and which organic conformity assessment mechanism (certification by Audit or by the Participatory Guarantee System—SPG) is the most appropriate option for a rural producer who wishes to obtain the seal of organic certification. After a bibliometric analysis, the researchers used the Analytic Hierarchy Process multicriteria method. A sensitivity analysis was also carried out to investigate variations in the priorities of the criteria and certification alternatives. The results indicated the following order of priority of the criteria: cost, market access, and producer availability. SPG was the most relevant assessment mechanism.