Laser-induced fluorescence microscopic system using an optical parametric oscillator for tunable detection in microchip analysis

A laser-induced fluorescence microscopic system based on optical parametric oscillation has been constructed as a tunable detector for microchip analysis. The detection limit of sulforhodamine B (Ex. 520 nm, Em. 570 nm) was 0.2 mol, which was approximately eight orders of magnitude better than with a conventional fluorophotometer. The system was applied to the determination of fluorescence-labeled DNA (Ex. 494 nm, Em. 519 nm) in a microchannel and the detection limit reached a single molecule. These results showed the feasibility of this system as a highly sensitive and tunable fluorescence detector for microchip analysis.     

Direct targeting of human plasma for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and analysis of plasma proteins by time of flight-mass spectrometry

A method to analyze human plasma proteins without fractionation, directly applying a plasma-matrix mixture on the target plate of a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF-MS), has been described. Peaks of ionized plasma proteins could not be detected applying a mixture of an undiluted plasma sample and a matrix solution, but they appeared when the plasma was diluted before mixing with the matrix. Tenfold diluted plasma provided well-resolved protein peaks in the m/z range from 4000 to 30,000. The addition of a simple post-crystallization washing procedure performed on the target plate further improved the quality of mass spectra. We numbered 58 peaks in the range of 4-160 kDa and 32 out of which were assigned to the plasma protein species which have been reported. Especially high sensitivity and resolution were obtained in the region < 30 kDa, where multiple isoforms of apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein A-II, apolipoprotein C-I, apolipoprotein C-II, apolipoprotein C-III, and transthyretin could be assigned. Various post-translational modifications are involved in the isoforms, e.g., proteolytic cleavage, glycosylation and chemical modifications. This method will become complementary with the present electrophoretic techniques, especially for the analysis of low-molecular-mass proteins.     

Multipoint recognition of catecholamines by hydrindacene-based receptors accompanied by the complexation-induced conformational switching

The molecular recognition of catecholamines by hydrindacene-based receptors 1 and 2, as well as the durene-based receptor 3, and the guest-induced conformational changes are reported. These receptors selectively bind adrenaline and dopamine salts through the guests' ammonium group and 3-hydroxyl group on the aromatic ring. In the case of adrenaline, an additional hydrogen bond with a benzylic hydroxyl group is formed. In 2 % CD3CN/CDCl3, the association constants are of the order of 10(4) M(-1), which is much larger than with guests without the 3-hydroxyl groups (10(3) M(-1)). The two amide groups of receptor 1 can rotate freely around the C(aromatic)--C(amide) bond, whereas the tert-amide in 2 changes between two stable conformations at a slow enough rate to allow detection by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. In the absence of a guest molecule, the syn-conformer is less stable than the anti-conformer. On complex formation with adrenaline, the syn-conformer becomes dominant due to an intramolecular dipole-reversal effect in addition to multipoint hydrogen bonding.     

Extraction—spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of iron in waters with pyrogallol red and zephiramine

The simple removal of excess of co-extracted reagent in the solvent extraction of metal complex anions with a quaternary ammonium salt greatly improves the determination of iron(II) with pyrogallol red and zephiramine. The method with pyrogallol red is suitable for the determination of trace amounts of iron in natural waters. The apparent molar absorptivities of the iron(II) complex in chloroform are 7.5×10⁴ and 10.3×10⁴ 1 mol^-1 cm^-1 at 560 and 298 nm, respectively. A large excess of reagent can be added, and the ternary complex can be completely extracted over the pH range 8.5–10. Masking agents allow most interferences to be suppressed. The method is suitable for the analysis of potable, river and sea waters.     

Aquaporin-11: A channel protein lacking apparent transport function expressed in brain

Background  

The aquaporins are a family of integral membrane proteins composed of two subfamilies: the orthodox aquaporins, which transport only water, and the aquaglyceroporins, which transport glycerol, urea, or other small solutes. Two recently described aquaporins, numbers 11 and 12, appear to be more distantly related to the other mammalian aquaporins and aquaglyceroporins.     

Ferrocene-containing polymers. I. Radiation-induced polymerization of ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate

γ-Ray-induced polymerizations of ferrocenylmethyl methacrylate (FMMA) in crystalline and amorphous states were investigated with kinetical and ESR methods. In the crystalline state the polymerization of FMMA proceeded slowly and gave low-molecular-weight polymers, whereas in the amorphous state it proceeded rapidly and gave polymers of much higher molecular weight. Molecular weight distributions of these polymers were binodal. The temperature dependence and the dose-rate dependence of the polymerization rates were different between the two states. Wide-line nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the amorphous monomer suggested that the polymerization proceeded in a supercooled state. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of γ-irradiated FMMA and 1,1′-ferrocenyl-di(methyl methacrylate) showed that ferrocene radicals and methacrylic radicals were formed simultaneously at low temperature; with increasing temperature the former radicals disappeared, whereas the latter changed into growing chain radicals. The yields of radicals were relatively low; this means that ferrocene groups in the monomers behave as a radiation energy absorber.     

Stochastic phase lockings in a relaxation oscillator forced by a periodic input with additive noise: A first-passage-time approach

Noise effects on phase lockings in a system consisting of a piecewise-linear van der Pol relaxation oscillator driven by a periodic input are studied. The problem of finding the period of the oscillator is reduced to the first-passage-time problem of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process with time-varying boundary. The probability density functions of the first-passage time are used to define the operator which governs a transition of an input phase density after one cycle of the oscillator. Phase lockings in a stochastic sense are investigated on the basis of the density evolution by the operator.     

R-matrices for elliptic Calogero-Moser models

The classicalR-matrix structure for then-particle Calogero-Moser models with (type IV) elliptic potentials is investigated. We show there is no momentum independentR-matrix (without spectral parameter) whenn 4. The assumption of momentum independence is sufficient to reproduce the dynamicalR-matrices of Avan and Talon for the type I, II, III degenerations of the elliptic potential. The inclusion of a spectral parameter enables us to findR-matrices for the general elliptic potential.