Bioanalysis of acetylcarnitine in cerebrospinal fluid by HILIC–mass spectrometry

Acetyl‐l ‐carnitine (ALCAR) is a potential biomarker for the modulation of brain neurotransmitter activity, but is also present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Recent studies have utilized hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC‐MS/MS) based assays to detect and quantify ALCAR within biofluids such as urine, plasma and serum, using various sample pretreatment procedures. In order to address the need to quantify ALCAR in CSF on a high‐throughput scale, a new and simple HILIC‐MS/MS assay has been successfully developed and validated. For rapid analysis, CSF sample pretreatment was performed via ‘dilute and shoot’ directly onto an advanced HILIC column prior to MS/MS detection. This newly developed HILIC‐MS/MS assay shows good recoveries of ALCAR without the need for chemical derivatization and multistep sample extraction procedures. The employment of this assay is suitable for the high‐throughput bioanalysis and quantification of ALCAR within the CSF of various animal models and human clinical studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Twice Q-polynomial distance-regular graphs of diameter 4

It is known that a distance-regular graph with valency k at least three admits at most two Qpolynomial structures. We show that all distance-regular graphs with diameter four and valency at least three admitting two Q-polynomial structures are either dual bipartite or almost dual bipartite. By the work of Dickie(1995) this implies that any distance-regular graph with diameter d at least four and valency at least three admitting two Q-polynomial structures is, provided it is not a Hadamard graph, either the cube H(d, 2)with d even, the half cube 1/2H(2d + 1, 2), the folded cube?H(2d + 1, 2), or the dual polar graph on [2A2d-1(q)]with q 2 a prime power.     

Investigation into the absolute stereochemistry of the marine sponge alkaloid pyrinodemin A

The absolute configuration of the marine sponge alkaloid pyrinodemin A is established by organic synthesis.     

Labile Interactions Defined in Crystalline Metal Complexes

The problems involved in identifying and quantifying labile interactions considered to influence complex compound structures are highlighted through the assessment of four different families of metal complexes for which extensive crystallographic data are available. Modification of the charge distribution within a ligand molecule as a result of coordination is one factor with a number of ramifications. A detailed analysis of evidence for both intra- and inter-molecular attractions in dimethylsulfoxide complexes of metal perchlorates is used to provide a basis for the consideration of weak interactions between complex ions involving forces including phenyl-group attractions, hydrogen bonding and cavity inclusion.     

Fields for which the projective schur subgroup is the whole Brauer group

LetBr(K) denote the Brauer group of a fieldK andPS(K) the projective Schur subgroup. 1. LetK be a finitely generated infinite field. ThenPS(K)=Br(K) if and only ifK is a global field. 2.|LetK be a finitely generated infinite field, and letK((t)) denote the field of formal power series int overK. ThenPS(K((t)))=Br(K((t))) if and only ifK=ℚ.     

Monte Carlo determinations of the beta dose rate to tooth enamel

The results of Monte Carlo simulations of the beta dose rate to enamel are presented. The dose rates are the most comprehensive to date, incorporating the beta spectrum from 21 different radionuclides, all internal conversion and Auger electrons, the majority of the bremsstrahlung radiation, effects due to radon loss in the uranium series, and variations in the moisture content of the sediment. Applications to a new dating technique in archaeology using electron spin resonance and beta-gradient isochrons are discussed.     

Bayesian Prediction Analysis for Growth Curve Model Using Noninformative Priors

We apply a Bayesian approach to the problem of prediction in an unbalanced growth curve model using noninformative priors. Due to the complexity of the model, no analytic forms of the predictive densities are available. We propose both approximations and a prediction-oriented Metropolis-Hastings sampling algorithm for two types of prediction, namely the prediction of future observations for a new subject and the prediction of future values for a partially observed subject. They are illustrated and compared through real data and simulation studies. Two of the approximations compare favorably with the approximation in Fearn (1975, Biometrika, 62, 89–100) and are very comparable to the more accurate Rao-Blackwellization from Metropolis-Hastings sampling algorithm.     

Allocating energy in a first-to-n match

This paper models a decision where a player must allocate limitedenergy over a contest of uncertain length. The motivating exampleis a squash match where one of the players is not as fit asthe other. Should a player's energy be concentrated in the earlygames of the match? Should it be spread evenly over all possiblegames? Or should it be conserved for the end of the match? Wemodel this as a decision problem where, in each game, the decision-makermust determine how much energy to expend. We assume that thereare only a small number of discrete energy choices for eachgame and that the more energy the decision-maker expends, themore likely he is to win that game. We solve for the optimaldecision with dynamic programming. With only two possible energychoices for each game, we show that it does not matter how energyis expended. In the case where there are three or more energychoices, we show how to take advantage of the structure of theproblem to determine the optimal sequence of decisions. As forpractical advice, the model suggests that when the decision-makerfalls behind in a match, he ought to switch to a more conservativeapproach by dividing his remaining energy evenly among all thepossible remaining games. Received 14 May 2003. Revised 5 January 2004.     

On‐line Determination of Particle Size Distributions in Flowing Dispersions

Emulsions are of great importance to industry. They are involved in many engineering operations, including chemical reactions, extraction, emulsification and suspension polymerization, etc. However, an important problem for these processes is how to control the size distribution of the dispersed phase. Indeed, off‐line analysis of the emulsion may generate uncertainties due to sampling and dilution of the product, which are likely to change the dispersion state and physico‐chemical properties. In this work, an on‐line optical method is proposed to characterize dispersed media in real flowing conditions. This method is based on the time‐analysis of back‐scattered light fluctuations. The present paper deals with the development of this method and its application to dispersions of alumina in water. The results obtained with the on‐line optical method are compared with those acquired by classical laser light scattering and microscopy.