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This paper presents a comparative analysis of the influence of PV bus representation on the convergence characteristics of the Newton-Raphson Current Injection method. The methods used for solving the power flow problem are based on current injection equations written in polar coordinates. Several tests are presented to clarify the reasons of non-convergence and to provide a broad and fair comparison and evaluation of the performance of the PV bus representation schemes. Performance analyzes were conducted for 57-, 118- and 300-bus IEEE test systems and for two realistic Brazilian systems of 638 and 787 buses, corresponding to parts of the South-Southeast Brazilian system. Several R/X transmission line ratios and loading conditions were considered. The simulation results show that the proposed PV bus representation improves the convergence characteristics of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pulp from peaches contained polygalacturonic acid and arabinogalactan as main polysaccharides, which were isolated and characterised. The polygalacturonic acid (AE-CWI) contained 95% GalA and its 13C NMR spectrum showed signals at δ 98.9, 78.0, 71.4, 69.1, 68.4, and 175.1 from C-1, C-4, C-5, C-3, C-2, and C-6 respectively, from (1→4)-linked α-GalpA units. Methylation-MS analysis of carboxy-reduced material (AE-CWI-CR) gave 90% of 2,3,6-Me3-galactitol acetate. The arabinogalactan (AE-AG) was composed mainly of Ara (41%) and Gal (50%) and was characterised (methylation analysis and 13C NMR) as a type II-arabinogalactan. It induced peritoneal macrophage activation in mice, ∼70% of cells treated with this fraction (1–50μg/mL) having morphology of activated cells. However, NO production in macrophages treated with AE-AG was not affected. This suggests a new biological activity for peach polysaccharides. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A heteropolysaccharide was isolated by cold aqueous extraction from edible mushroom Pleurotus eryngii (“King Oyster”) basidiocarps and its biological properties were evaluated. Structural assignments were carried out using mono- and bidimensional NMR spectroscopy, monosaccharide composition, and methylation analyses. A mannogalactan having a main chain of (1 → 6)-linked α- d -galactopyranosyl and 3- O -methyl-α- d -galactopyranosyl residues, both partially substituted at OH-2 by β- d -Man p (MG- Pe ) single-unit was found. Biological effects of mannogalactan from P. eryngii (MG- Pe ) were tested against murine melanoma cells. MG- Pe was non-cytotoxic, but reduced in vitro melanoma cells invasion. Also, 50 mg/kg MG- Pe administration to melanoma-bearing C57BL/6 mice up to 10 days decreased in 60% the tumor volume compared to control. Additionally, no changes were observed when biochemical profile, complete blood cells count (CBC), organs, and body weight were analyzed. Mg- Pe was shown to be a promising anti-melanoma molecule capable of switching melanoma cells to a non-invasive phenotype with no toxicity to melanoma-bearing mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The impact of two factors, genotype (G) and treatment (raw or roasted peanut) (T), on the chemical composition of peanuts was studied using a chemometric method and Tukey''s test. The peanut genotypes evaluated were cultivar cavalo vermelho (CCV), cultivar cavalo rosa (CCR) and cultivar tatu (CTA), in both raw and roasted states. The total lipid contents in the CTA and CCR peanuts were 40 and 45%, respectively. These values did not vary significantly (P <0.05) after roasting. CCV had the greatest total lipid content, but it decreased significantly after roasting (from 50% to 45%). The variation in the percentage of lipids in the CCV and CCR genotypes was not significant, in contrast to the CTA genotype. The fatty acid (FA) 18:1n−9 predominated in the CCR and CCV samples (50%), without any difference between their raw genotypes. The values for FA 18:1n−9 were lower in the CTA peanut (40%). The second most abundant FA was 18:2n−6 (CCV=28%, CTA=38% and CCR=25%), followed by 16:0 (CCV and CCR=16% and CTA=11%). The other FAs found in the peanuts were 18:0, 20:0, 22:0, 24:0, 20:1n−9 and 18:3n−3. The contents of FAs 18:1n−9, 16:0, 20:0, and 20:1n−9 suffered significant reduction after roasting in all genotypes. ANOVA analysis of the influence of the main factors indicated that the contribution of the T variable for the majority of responses was low, being between 0.2 and 13%, except for FAs 16:0 and 18:3n−3 and for the saturated FA summations, which were 38, 60 and 22%, respectively. There was a significant contribution from the G factor for all responses, with values between 17 and 99%. The contribution of the interaction between the T and G factors was greater for the responses n6/n3 (56.6%) and for the FA 16:0 (23%). The other responses had values between 0.02 and 14%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Characterization of fatty acid profiles and physico-chemical parameters of milk samples from Saanen goats fed diets enriched with 3% of three different vegetable oils (soybean, canola and sunflower) were carried out. Animals were arranged in a double 3×3 Latin square design and each pair of goats received diets containing one of the oils for 21 days—14 days for animal adaptation plus 7 days for milk sampling. Samples were collected twice a day. Milk from animals that received sunflower oil presented the highest conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentrations, whereas animals receiving canola oil had the lowest levels. Animals treated with soybean oil had the highest monounsaturated and polyunsatured fatty acids concentrations and the lowest concentration of saturated fatty acids. The n −6/n −3 ratios were 3.90, 5.77 and 4.24 for milk of animals treated with soybean, canola and sunflower oils, respectively. Significant differences (P <0.05) between soybean and canola oil and between canola and sunflower oil treatments were observed. It is concluded that nutritional milk quality can be improved by adding vegetable oils to animal feed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This work investigated the treatability of real textile effluents using several systems involving advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as UV/H2O2, UV/TiO2, UV/TiO2/H2O2, and UV/Fe2+/H2O2. The efficiency of each technique was evaluated according to the reduction levels observed in the UV absorbance of the effluents, COD, and organic nitrogen reduction, as well as mineralization as indicated by the formation of ammonium, nitrate, and sulfate ions. The results indicate the association of TiO2 and H2O2 as the most efficient treatment for removing organic pollutants from textile effluents. In spite of their efficiency, Fenton reactions based treatment proved to be slower and exhibited more complicated kinetics than the ones using TiO2, which are pseudo-first-order reactions. Decolorization was fast and effective in all the experiments despite the fact that only H2O2 was used. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The exosome is a complex of eleven subunits in yeast, involved in RNA processing and degradation. Despite the extensive in vivo functional studies of the exosome, little information is yet available on the structure of the complex and on the RNase and RNA binding activities of the individual subunits. The current model for the exosome structure predicts the formation of a heterohexameric RNase PH ring, bound on one side by RNA binding subunits, and on the opposite side by hydrolytic RNase subunits. Here, we report protein–protein interactions within the exosome, confirming the predictions of constituents of the RNase PH ring, and show some possible interaction interfaces between the other subunits. We also show evidence that Rrp40p can bind RNA in vitro, as predicted by sequence analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A sulfated homogalactan from Codium isthmocladum presents promising in vitro and in vivo activities in murine melanoma models. • 3G4S does not induce cell cytotoxicity nor cell proliferation changes in B16-F10 cell line. • In vivo treatment with 3G4S resulted in solid tumor and experimental metastasis model development reduction without exerting detectable side effects in mice. Melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer, with a worldwide increase in incidence. Despite the increased overall survival of metastatic melanoma patients given recent advances in targeted and immunotherapy, it still has a poor prognosis and available treatment options carry diverse severe side effects. Polysaccharides from seaweed have been shown to exert antitumor activities. Here we show in vitro and in vivo antitumor activities of a sulfated homogalactan (named 3G4S) from Codium isthmocladum seaweed in the B16-F10 murine melanoma cell line. 3G4S did not induce cytotoxicity or proliferation changes; however, it was able to reduce solid tumor growth and metastasis, while not inducing side effects in mice. B16-F10 cells traits related to the metastatic cascade were also impaired by 3G4S, reducing cell invasion, colony-forming capacity and membrane glycoconjugates. Therefore, 3G4S shows promising antitumor activities without the commonly associated drawbacks of cancer treatments and can be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats anesthetized with isoflurane (iso). Methods: We randomly assigned 26 male Wistar rats anesthetized with isoflurane, intubated and mechanically ventilated to 3 groups: G1 (controls; n = 8), G2 (CAPE; n = 10), and G3 (ethanol; n = 8). Mean arterial pressure was monitored for anesthetic control. Intraperitoneal CAPE (G2) or ethanol (G3) injections were administered 40 minutes before left renal ischemia. All animals underwent right nephrectomy and the left kidney was submitted to ischemia for 25 minutes. Serum creatinine (cr) values were determined at the beginning (M1), end (M2), and 24 hours after the experiment (M3) upon intracardiac blood samples. The left kidney was removed for histologic analysis, using a scale for tubular necrosis (0–5, injury maximum). Statistical analysis was applied to serum creatinine and histological score injury considering statistical differences to be significant when P < .05. Results: The cr values in the CAPE were significantly higher at M2 (0.8 mg/mL; P = .0012) and M3 (3.7 mg/mL; P = .0014) than the control (0.5 and 0.9 mg/mL) or G3 (0.6 and 1.0 mg/mL), respectively. Histologic examination showed the CAPE group to display more pericapsular tubular necrosis (3.0 [2.0; 3.0]) than the G1 group (2.0 [1.0; 2.0]) or G3 group (1.5 [1.0; 2.0]; P < .001). The CAPE group displayed more medullary tubular necrosis (2.0 [2.0; 3.0] than G1 (2.0 [1.0; 2.0] or G3 (1.0 [0.0; 2.0]; P < .001). Conclusion: CAPE promoted greater functional and anatomic renal injury when rats were anesthetized with iso than control or ethanol groups, as demonstrated by histologic analysis and serum values. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]