New poly(butylene succinate)/layered silicate nanocomposites. II. Effect of organically modified layered silicates on structure,properties, melt rheology,and biodegradability

A series of new poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)/layered silicate nanocomposites were prepared successfully by simple melt extrusion of PBS and organically modified layered silicates (OMLS). Three different types of OMLS were used for the preparation of nanocomposites: two functionalized ammonium salts modified montmorillonite and a phosphonium salt modified saponite. The structure of the nanocomposites in the nanometer scale was characterized with wide-angle X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopic observations. With three different types of layered silicates modified with three different types of surfactants, the effect of OMLS in nanocomposites was investigated by focusing on four major aspects: structural analysis, materials properties, melt rheological behavior, and biodegradability. Interestingly, all these nanocomposites exhibited concurrent improvements of material properties when compared with pure PBS. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 3160–3172, 2003     

Stereological simulations of asymmetric polymerization in channels of bile acid inclusion compounds: A detailed analysis of the monomer arrangements in the channels

We studied simulations by computer graphics to estimate the steric mechanism of the asymmetric polymerization of prochiral diene monomers in channels of inclusion compounds of steroidal bile acids, such as deoxycholic acid (DCA) and cholic acid. We applied a hierarchization method to interpret the crystal structures of bile acids, clarifying that the chiral host molecules associated to form characteristic 2₁-helical assemblies with uneven surfaces. A detailed analysis of the uneven channels in a close-packing state indicated that there were many possible arrangements of the monomers in the channels. The plausible arrangements in the channel could explain a previous study, which showed that the polymerization in the DCA channel yielded chiral polymers with a predominant configuration from prochiral diene monomers, such as 2-methyl-trans-1,3-pentadiene. On the basis of such simulation studies of the arrangements of guest monomers in the channel, we examined a plausible steric mechanism for asymmetric inclusion polymerization. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4648–4655, 2004     

Application of the 19F NMR technique to observe binding of the general anesthetic halothane to human serum albumin.

19F NMR techniques were employed to characterize the binding property of the widely used general anesthetic halothane with human serum albumin (HSA). It was found that 19F(1H) NOE and 2D 1H-19F HOESY experiments detected intermolecular NOEs between halothane 19F and HSA protons. Measurements of the diffusion coefficients for halothane were also carried out by 1H and 19F NMR, indicating the interaction of halothane with HSA. The present results indicate that these techniques are very suitable to identify a fluorine-containing ligand binding with a protein receptor in the drug-discovery process.     

Collection of iron(III) from homogeneous aqueous solutions on membrane filters using Chromazurol B with Triton X-100.

A membrane filtration method was examined concerning the effective collection of iron(III) from a homogeneous aqueous solution with Chromazurol B (CAB), one of the triphenylmethane dyes, as a precipitating reagent in the presence of a non-ionic surfactant, polyethylene glycol mono[4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl]ether (Triton X-100). A formed blue Fe(III)-CAB complex was collected as a precipitate on a membrane filter by filtration under suction from a homogeneous aqueous solution in the pH range over about 2. The original solution was prepared at a concentration ratio of CAB to Fe(III) of to 10, and that of Triton X-100 to CAB of 10 to 100. It was then adjusted to a pH value of between 1.0 and 6.5. A linear relationship (r = 0.999) was obtained between the initial concentration and the found one of Fe(III) in the range of 2.0 x 10(-5) to 4.0 x 10(-4) mol dm(-3) at a fixed concentration ratio of CAB to Fe(III) of 3 and that of Triton X-100 to CAB of 20. This membrane filtration with CAB and Triton X-100 may be utilized for the separation of Fe(III) as a background species.     

Emission and sputtering characteristics of Ne-Ar mixed gas glow discharge plasmas.

The emission characteristics of several Cu lines emitted from a Ne-Ar mixed gas glow discharge plasma were investigated. The addition of small amounts of Ar to a Ne plasma increases the sputtering rate of a Cu sample because Ar ions, which work as the impinging ions for cathode sputtering, are predominantly produced through Penning ionization collisions between Ne metastables and Ar atoms. Ar addition also elevates the number density of electrons in the plasma. These changes occurring in the Ne-Ar mixed gas plasma result in enhanced emission intensities of the Cu lines. The Cu II 270.10-nm and the Cu II 224.70-nm lines yield different intensity dependence on the Ar partial pressure added. This phenomenon is because these Cu II lines are excited principally through different charge transfer processes: collisions with Ne ions for the Cu II 270.10-nm line and collisions with Ar ions for the Cu II 224.70-nm line. The shape of sputtered craters in the Ne-Ar glow discharge plasma was measured. The depth resolution was improved when Ar was added to a Ne plasma because the crater bottoms were flatter with larger Ar partial pressures.     

Validation of a method for predicting the precision, limit of detection and range of quantitation in competitive ELISA.

The mathematical model for predicting the precision, limit of detection (LOD) and range of quantitation (ROQ) in a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) proposed by Hayashi et al. (Anal. Chem., 2004, 76, 1295) was validated. The model describes the relative standard deviation (RSD) of concentration estimates by the RSDs of pipetting volumes of analyte, enzyme-conjugated antigen, antibody and substrate solutions, and the standard deviation (SD) of inherent absorbances between the wells in an ELISA plate. For 6 kinds of direct competitive ELISA kits, the LOD and ROQ predicted by the model agreed well with those obtained by experiments with real samples. It was also confirmed that the model is applicable to the prediction of uncertainty that depends on the pipetting error of the viscous antiserum solution. The model was demonstrated to be useful for estimating the LOD and ROQ of competitive ELISA.     

Emission characteristics of Cu in Dc voltage modulation applied glow discharge optical emission spectrometry.

In order to obtain the depth profile of a thin film, we investigated the emission characteristics of a voltage modulation glow discharge to optimize the modulation parameters (modulation voltage, offset voltage, and modulation frequency). In this study, a phase-sensitive detection method with a lock-in amplifier to the modulation technique led to a higher sensitivity and a larger signal-to-noise ratio in the emission analysis compared to the normal dc amplification method. Upon increasing the maximum voltage, the emission intensity of the Cu atomic line (CuI 239.34 nm) increased linearly at a modulation voltage of 400 V and an offset voltage of 300 V. On the other hand, the emission intensity was gradually reduced when a modulation frequency increased. It is advantageous for surface analysis that the voltage modulation technique gives a lower sputtering rate rather than the conventional dc discharge.     

Syntheses and properties of dithia‐tetrahomodiaza‐calix[4]arenes bridged by cystine unit

Dithia‐tetrahomodiaza‐calix[4]arenes were synthesized by the cyclization reactions of bis(3‐(chloro‐methyl)‐2‐hydroxyphenyl)sulfide with cystine peptides in moderate yields. Conformational analysis of the macrocycles by using nmr spectroscopy reveled that the cyclophanes adopt a cone‐like form as a preferable conformation and the cystine bridge moiety is incorporated in the cavity. The calixarene analogs can extract transion metals such as Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions from an aqueous phase into chloroform.     

Analysis of carbohydrates in glycoproteins by high-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance capillary electrophoresis

We describe two methods for the analysis of oligosaccharide chains in glycoproteins by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE).O-andN-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides released from glycoproteins can be identified as their borohydride-reduced forms by anion-exchange HPLC with pulsed amperometric detection.N-Glycosidically linked oligosaccharides can also be analyzed as 2-aminopyridine derivatives by HPCE in direct zone electrophoresis mode in an acidic phosphate buffer and zone electrophoresis mode as borate complexes in an alkaline buffer. We also present a convenient procedure for the analysis of the constituent monosaccharides of these oligosaccharides chains by HPLC based on reversed-phase partition mode as 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone derivatives.     

Accurate and rapid estimation on spectral interferences in routine analysis by ICP-AES: use of mutual interference coefficients

A practical method to estimate spectral interferences and to select optimum analytical lines in ICP-AES is suggested. Depending on the matrix composition and the amounts of the analyte, the analytical lines suffering from little interferences and the limit of determination can be determined from calculation using spectral interference coefficients. For this calculation, the spectral interference coefficients, which are defined as apparent mass of the analyte equivalent to the spectral interference from unit mass of the interferent, are obtained experimentally for 639 emission lines of 68 elements. There is a good correlation between the coefficients obtained on two spectrometers having different resolutions.