Highly sensitive flow detection of uric acid based on an intermediate regeneration of uricase

The principle of the signal amplification of a uric acid sensor based on dithiothreitol (DTT)-mediated intermediate regeneration of uricase was applied to a flow-injection system with an immobilized uricase reactor and a DTT-containing carrier. Highly sensitive detection for nM to microM order of uric acid was achieved when 10 mM TRIS-HCl buffer (pH 10.0) containing 20 mM DTT was used as a carrier at 0.6 ml min-1 and 37 degrees C. The sensitivity of the uric acid was much improved over a batch method using a uricase membrane-coupling electrode, and the detection limit (ca. peak current 8 nA) of uric acid was found to be down to 3 x 10(-10) M (amplification factor; more than 10,000). This chemically amplified flow-system is very useful for the direct assay of uric acid in highly diluted biological fluids (urine and serum) without complicated pretreatment of the samples, because this sensor has the potential to detect trace amounts (nM to microM) of uric acid in highly diluted body fluids in which the concentration of interfering constituents was decreased to negligible levels. Good correlation was observed between this system and conventional spectrophotometry. The immobilized uricase reactor could be re-used for at least 4 months of repeated analysis without loss of activity and was stable if stored at 4 degrees C in 10 mM TRIS-HCl buffer, pH 9.0.     

Influence of amino acid side chain packing on Fe-methionine coordination in thermostable cytochrome C

Paramagnetic NMR and optical studies of the oxidized forms of mesophile Pseudomonas aeruginosa cytochrome c(551) and its quintuple mutant (F7A/V13M/F34Y/E43Y/V78I), and thermophile Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c(552) demonstrated that the amino acid side chain packings in the protein interior influence the coordination bond between the heme iron and the axial methionine in the proteins. The strength of heme axial coordinations was found to correlate with the overall protein thermostability.     

Development of hydrophilic fluorogenic derivatization reagents for thiols: 4-(N-acetylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole and 4-(N-trichloroacetylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole

Sensitive, reactive, and hydrophilic fluorogenic reagents for thiols with the benzofurazan skeleton, 4-(N-acetylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (AcABD-F) and 4-(N-trichloroacetylaminosulfonyl)-7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (TCAcABD-F) have been developed. These reagents reacted with thiols within 10 min at 60 degrees C. AcABD-F and TCAcABD-F themselves do not fluoresce but are strongly fluorescent after the reaction with thiol compounds. The generated derivatives were highly water-soluble, since they dissociated a proton and ionized in the neutral pH region. The derivatives with four biologically important thiol compounds were separated on a reversed-phase HPLC column and detected fluorometrically at 504 nm with excitation at 388 nm. The detection limit attained for homocysteine with AcABD-F was 25 fmol on column (11 nM) (signal-to-noise ratio = 3), and that for glutathione with TCAcABD-F was 45 fmol on column (20 nM).     

Palladium-Catalyzed cross-Benzannulation of Aminoenynes with Diynes. Highly Regioselective Synthesis of Polysubstituted Anilines

Polysubstituted anilines were prepared by the palladium-catalyzed cross-benzannulation of conjugated aminoenynes 1-4 with diynes 8. The reaction proceeded in a highly regioselective manner under mild conditions, and the anilines were obtained as single regioisomers. Our method complements the well-known precedures for the preparation of polysubstituted anilines which are widely used in organic synthesis.     

On the interpretation of solubilization results obtained from semi-equilibrium dialysis experiments

The interpretation of intramicellar solubilization data obtained from semi-equilibrium dialysis (SED) experiments is described, and methods are presented for determining equilibrium constants for the solubilization of organic species by aqueous surfactant solutions as well as activity coefficients of both the organic solute and the surfactant within the micelle. The solubilization equilibrium constant of an organic solute in an aqueous micellar solution (K) is defined as the ratio of the mole fraction of organic solute in the micellar pseudophase (X) to the concentration of the unsolubilized monomeric organic solute in the aqueous phase (c ₀). Expressions compatible with the Gibbs-Duhem equation are used to represent the concentration dependence of activity coefficients of both the solubilizate and surfactant in the micellar pseudophase; the analysis leads to calculated values of the concentrations of free and intramicellar surfactant and organic solute in both compartments of the equilibrium dialysis cell. Solubilization equilibrium constants for many amphiphiles are well correlated by the simple expressionK=K ₀(1-BX)², whereB is an empirical constant andK ₀ is the limiting value ofK asX approaches 0.     

Improvement of chemical analysis of antibiotics. IX. A simple method for residual tetracyclines analysis in honey using a tandem cartridge clean-up system

A simple, rapid and precise analytical method for the residual tetracyclines in honey has been established using a tandem cartridge clean-up system (prepacked reversed-phase and ion-exchange cartridges) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The recoveries of oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC) and doxycycline (DC) from honey spiked at a level of 1.0 ppm are 87.1, 85.3, 98.0 and 99.0%, respectively, with coefficients of variation of 1.1-3.9%. The detection limits in honey are 0.02 ppm for OTC and TC, and 0.05 ppm for CTC and DC, respectively. The time required for the analysis of four samples is only 1 h.     

Effect of polymer as cosolvent on chemical reactions in solution—I. Effects of polystyrene and polyoxyethylene on the reaction of dansyl chloride with butylamine in organic solvents

The rates of reactions of 5-dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulphonyl chloride (dansyl chloride) with butylamine in organic solvents have been measured in the presence of polymer such as polyoxyethylene (POE) or polystyrene (PS) as cosolvent and compared with those in the presence of cosolvents of low molecular weight analogues, viz. diethyloxyethane (DEE) and toluene (Tol.). Acceleration by cosolvent POE, compared with DEE, increases with increasing volume fraction of cosolvent and the effect depends on the degree of polymerization of the polymer cosolvent. Similarly, addition of cosolvent PS to ethyl acetate or chloroform results in increase in the reaction rate as compared with cosolvent Tol. The effect by PS also showed dependence on the degree of polymerization. The effect of polymer cosolvent on chemical reactions between two low molecular weight species is explained in terms of the thermodynamics of polymer solutions.     

Birth–death process of local structures in defect turbulence described by the one-dimensional complex Ginzburg–Landau equation

Defect turbulence described by the one-dimensional complex Ginzburg–Landau equation is investigated and analyzed via a birth–death process of the local structures composed of defects, holes, and modulated amplitude waves (MAWs). All the number statistics of each local structure, in its stationary state, are subjected to Poisson statistics. In addition, the probability density functions of interarrival times of defects, lifetimes of holes, and MAWs show the existence of long-memory and some characteristic time scales caused by zigzag motions of oscillating traveling holes. The corresponding stochastic process for these observations is fully described by a non-Markovian master equation.     

Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis,Structures, and Properties of Single and Double Azahelicene-Like Molecules

The enantioselective synthesis of aza[6] and [7]helicene-like molecules have been achieved by the cationic rhodium(I)/axially chiral biaryl bisphosphine complex-catalyzed intramolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition of cyanodiynes. This protocol was successfully applied to the diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of an S-shaped double aza[6]helicene-like molecule with a high ee value of 89 %. Although no epimerization and racemization were observed in the double carbo[6]helicene-like molecule at 80 °C, epimerization and racemization of the double aza[6]helicene-like molecule proceeded at 80 °C. This double aza[6]helicene-like molecule showed good fluorescent quantum yields and chiroptical responses under both neutral and acidic conditions.