Measurement uncertainty in sports drug testing

This paper discusses some of the contentious issues raised by van der Veen (Accred Qual Assur 8:334, 2003[1]), and Van Eenoo and Delbeke (Accred Qual Assur 8:477, 2003 [2]) concerned with the evaluation of the uncertainty of measurement and compliance decisions based on regulatory limits. Also, the criticisms of accreditation by van der Veen are considered and some general remarks about the strengths and limitations of accreditation provided. It is concluded that a position between those adopted by van der Veen and by Van Eenoo and Delbeke would be more appropriate.     

Estimation in multiple measurements

A recent paper by Nam et al. (Accred Qual Assur 14:43–47, 2009) considers the issue of repeated measurements of a same measurand. The paper is a follow-up of two previous papers (Choi et al. in Accred Qual Assur 8:13–15, 2003, 8:205–207, 2003) on the same topic. The first two papers show a well-known fact, i.e., that systematic effects are not reduced by repeating measurements, and give formulae for the uncertainty of the estimate of the average from repeated measurements in the case that the differences between individual results are not (Choi et al. in Accred Qual Assur 8:13–15, 2003) or are (Choi et al. in Accred Qual Assur 8:205–207, 2003) statistically significant, respectively. The last paper addresses a more interesting issue, that is, a difference in the estimate average for non-linear models depending on how raw data is processed in the model. In the present paper, I re-discuss the whole issue of multiple measurements, trying to clarify the various aspects of the topic. Papers Published in this section do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editors, the Editorial Board, and the Publisher.     

Measurement of small quantities: further observations on Bayesian methodology

This article discusses the measurement of the sum of small positive quantities each estimated in separate analyses. It extends criticism recently given of ‘objective Bayesian’ methodology (Accred Qual Assur 15:181–188, 2010) and identifies two troublesome effects: the inherent bias in an analysis for a single quantity is compounded when the measurand is the sum of such quantities, and the precaution of overestimating measurement variability can actually make the resulting interval of measurement uncertainty less reliable! Unacceptable results are obtained. A cause of this behavior is identified, and a distinction between ‘objective’ and ‘subjective’ Bayesian statistics is discussed.     

Key metrological issues in proficiency testing––response to “Metrological compatibility-a key issue in further accreditation” by K. Heydorn

A discussion of proficiency testing (PT) topics started by Heydorn (Accred Qual Assur 15:643–645, 2010) is continued in the present paper. The role of PT in the accreditation of testing/analytical laboratories, the use of consensus values (average or weighted average, median, observed standard deviation, etc.) and a metrological background of PT schemes are discussed. It is shown that metrological traceability, comparability, and compatibility, as well as commutability of a reference material, are the key issues of any PT scheme that applies certified reference material as test items. Metrological compatibility of PT results in such schemes is a property demonstrating the closeness of the PT results to the certified value in comparison with the measurement uncertainty of their difference. The metrological background is especially important for the selection and use of PT schemes for a limited number of participants (fewer than 30) as detailed in IUPAC/CITAC Guide on the topic published in 2010 in Pure Appl Chem 82(5):1099–1135.     

Comments on “Lectures for chemists on statistics II. The normal distribution: a briefer on the univariate case”

A recent paper of Meinrath (Accred Qual Assur 13:179–192, 2008) addresses matters of statistical analysis when the data are thought to have been drawn from a normal distribution with unknown mean and variance. In this comment we clarify, correct and enlarge upon points made there.     

Uncertainty in repeated measurement of a small non-negative quantity: explanation and discussion of Bayesian methodology

This article considers the problem of uncertainty evaluation when there are repeated measurements of a small quantity known to be non-negative. A solution to this problem has recently been put forward by the Analytical Methods Committee of the Royal Society of Chemistry (Accred Qual Assur 13:29–32). The Bayesian statistical basis of this solution is explained and discussed. It is shown that the performance of this procedure can be poor in an important subset of measurement situations.     

Nonparametric assessment of comparability of analytical results obtained in proficiency testing based on a metrological approach

A nonparametric sign test is implemented for assessment of comparability of proficiency testing (PT) results when their distribution differs from the normal or other known distribution. It allows testing the null hypothesis about insignificance of the bias of median of results obtained in PT from the traceable certified value of the reference material used in PT as test items, i.e., the hypothesis stating that comparability of the PT results is successful. Probability of type I error of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true, and probability of type II error of it not rejecting when it is false (the alternative hypothesis about unsuccessful comparability is true) are considered. The test can be helpful for PT providers and laboratory accreditation bodies in analysis of PT results when the comparability criterion developed for a normal results distribution (Accred. Qual. Assur. 10:466–470) is not applicable.     

Counting minimal reactions with specific conditions in $${\mathbb{R} ^4}$$

We give the sharp lower bound on the number of minimal reactions when no “parallel” species (isomers or multiples) are allowed and all the species are built up from at most four kinds of atoms in Theorem 16. This continues the investigations in Kumar and Pethő (Intern Chem Eng 25:767–769, 1985) through Szalkai and Laflamme (Electr J Comb 5(1), 1998) which results we briefly summarize in the first Section.     

Temporal resolution of protein–protein interactions in the live-cell plasma membrane

We have recently devised a method to quantify interactions between a membrane protein (“bait”) and a fluorophore-labeled protein (“prey”) directly in the live-cell plasma membrane (Schwarzenbacher et al. Nature Methods 5:1053–1060 2008). The idea is to seed cells on surfaces containing micro-patterned antibodies against the exoplasmic domain of the bait, and monitor the co-patterning of the fluorescent prey via fluorescence microscopy. Here, we characterized the time course of bait and prey micropattern formation upon seeding the cells onto the micro-biochip. Patterns were formed immediately after contact of the cells with the surface. Cells were able to migrate over the chip surface without affecting the micropattern contrast, which remained constant over hours. On single cells, bait contrast may be subject to fluctuations, indicating that the bait can be released from and recaptured on the micropatterns. We conclude that interaction studies can be performed at any time-point ranging from 5 min to several hours post seeding. Monitoring interactions with time opens up the possibility for new assays, which are briefly sketched in the discussion section.     

Use of uncertainty information for estimation of certified values. Comparison of four approaches using data from a recent certification exercise

Four approaches for estimation of reference values and their respective uncertainties of characterisation were compared using data from the recently finalised certified reference materials ERM-EC680k and ERM-EC681k, elements in plastics. Reference values and uncertainties of characterisation were estimated as mean of laboratory means and their respective standard deviations, using equal weights and the weighting procedure of Mandel–Paule. In addition, two approaches taking into consideration uncertainty information reported by the participants, namely the consistency check and simulation procedure proposed by Cox for CCQM Key comparisons and an approach suggested by Pauwels et al. (Accred Qual Assur 3:180–184, 2000) were used. No difference between the equally-weighted and Mandel–Paule consensus means was observed and the reference value from the Cox approach was in all cases within ±2 u _char of each consensus mean. Uncertainties varied between the three approaches. Uncertainties derived from equally-weighted mean of means approach are on average 14% above uncertainties using the Mandel–Paule consensus mean, 36% above the uncertainties estimated by Pauwels et al., and 54% above the uncertainties from the Cox approach. Robustness of the uncertainty estimation against incorrect estimation of uncertainties was assessed. Assumption of a 50% uncertainty of the individual uncertainties resulted in an uncertainty of 30% of the uncertainty of characterisation. Differences between the four approaches are negligible for this dataset when combined with the uncertainty contribution from heterogeneity and stability as prescribed in ISO Guide 35. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

New serinolic amino-<Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>-triazines by chemoselective amination of cyanuric chloride and their (pro)diastereomerism in restricted rotational phenomena

The highly chemoselective preparation of new elaborated N-unsymmetrically substituted chlorodiamino-s-triazines and melamines, seen as building-blocks for iterative synthesis, is reported. It consisted of amination of cyanuric chloride with commercial C-2-substituted 2-aminopropane-1,3-diols (“serinols”), playing the role as “open-chain” unit and enantiopure (1S,2S)-2-amino-1-(4-nitrophenyl)propane-1,3-diols (“p-nitrophenylserinols”) based amino-1,3-dioxanes (“closed-chain” unit). Issued from the restricted rotation about C(s-triazine)-N(exocyclic) partial double bonds, seen as axes of (pro)diastereomerism, a global four-component rotational equilibrium involving the title compounds is discussed based on DFT computation and (VT) NMR data. Depending on π-deficiency of the s-triazine core, an (un)synchronised deblocking of the generated rotational diastereomers was observed. They are discussed as influence of intra-vs. intermolecular NH...OH (dynamic) interactions occurring in the “open-chain” unit and the anancomeric, axial vs. equatorial, amino-anchorage of the “closed-chain” unit.      

Epoxy derivatives of {(5-[(1-Phenylethyl)aminocarbonyl]-cyclopent-2-en-1-yl}methyl acetates

Diastereoisomeric [(1R,5S)-5-“[(1R)-1-phenylethyl]aminocarbonyl”cyclopent-2-en-1-yl]methyl acetate and [(1S,5R)-5-“[(1R)-1-phenylethyl]aminocarbonyl”cyclopent-2-en-1-yl]methyl acetate reacted with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid to give the corresponding stereoisomeric α- and β-epoxy derivatives, which were identified on the basis of their spectral parameters.     

Synthesis and aromatizational rearrangements of new imino-, hydrazono-, and azino-2,5-cyclohexadienylidene systems as ligands for cascade type metallocomplexes

Three approaches to the synthesis ofN-substituted imino-, hydrazono-, and azino-2,5-cyclohexadienylidene systems based on reactions of 4-methyl-4-trichloromethylcyclohexa-2,5-dienone with aminophenols and hydrazones and condensation of hydrazones ofpara-semiquinoid ketones with carbonyl compounds, including that of the ferrocene series, were realized. The latter reaction, when applied to 3,6-dibromophenanthrene-9, 10-quinone, was accompanied by quantitative aromatizational molecular rearrangement with the elimination of the CCl₃ group. Using Rh¹ complexes as an example, it was shown that the heteroorganic ligands obtained can be used for the synthesis of mixed-ligand metallocomplexes with triple coordination of the metal atom including simultaneous metal-ligand interactions of the n-, π-, and σ-types. The principle of metal-ligand “cascade” appeared as a result of the generalization of two new phenomena of organometallic sereodynamics, which we have found recently^2,3 and have called oxidative and reductive redox-rotation. In the “cascade”, type1 (“metal-ligand-metal”) or type2 (“ligand-metal-ligand”) metallocomplexes, one or several coordinated metal ligand”) metallocomplexes, one or several coordinated metal atoms capable of concertedly and reversibly changing their valence in the course of intramolecular conformational transformation are in positions of mutual conjugation. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 363–367, February, 1997.     

Vertex topological indices and tree expressions,generalizations of continued fractions

We expand on the work of Hosoya to describe a generalization of continued fractions called “tree expressions.” Each rooted tree will be shown to correspond to a unique tree expression which can be evaluated as a rational number (not necessarily in lowest terms) whose numerator is equal to the Hosoya index of the entire tree and whose denominator is equal to the tree with the root deleted. In the development, we use Z(G) to define a natural candidate ζ(G, v) for a “vertex topological index” which is a value applied to each vertex of a graph, rather than a value assigned to the graph overall. Finally, we generalize the notion of tree expression to “labeled tree expressions” that correspond to labeled trees and show that such expressions can be evaluated as quotients of determinants of matrices that resemble adjacency matrices.     

The study of alanine oscillating reaction catalyzed by tetraazamacrocyclic nickel(II) complex

A closed oscillation system comprised of alanine, KBrO₃, H₂SO₄ and acetone catalyzed by tetraazamacrocyclic nickel(II) complex is introduced, and quantitatively characterized with kinetic parameters, namely the rate constant (k _in, k _p), the apparent activation energy (E _in, E _p) and pre-exponential constant (A _in, A _p) and thermodynamic functions (ΔH _in, ΔG _in, ΔS _in and ΔH _p, ΔG _p, ΔS _p), where indexes “in” and “p” mean “induction period” and “oscillation period,” respectively. The results indicate that tetraazamacrocyclic nickel(II) complex can catalyze alanine oscillating reaction and the reaction corresponds exactly to the feature of irreversible thermodynamics as the entropy of system is negative.     

Feasibility study for the preparation of certified reference materials part I – mineral oil contaminated soils

The international joint project HYCREF (Contract No. G6RD-CT-2002-00854), funded by the European Commission in the 5th Framework programme, aimed to develop methods to prepare homogeneous and stable reference materials of water, soil, and waste contaminated with mineral oil hydrocarbons and to certify the mineral oil content by gas chromatographic methods. The results of a feasibility study for the preparation of three soil reference materials are discussed in this paper, and for the preparation of three waste reference materials in the second part (Koch et al., Accred Qual Assur submitted for publication). The soil materials were selected to represent different soil types and contamination levels. The project plan set three requirements for these reference materials: uncertainty in the mineral oil content resulting from the certification exercise <5%, a sample inhomogeneity of <3% and a minimum long-term stability of 5 years. For the most part, these requirements were met within this project.     

Cellophan und Kuprophan als Membranen fÜr die Dialyse und Elektrodialyse

Zusammenfassung Die zur Zeit als Verpackungsmaterial in den Handel kommende Zellulosefolie Kuprophan wurde auf ihre Verwendbarkeit als Dialysenmembran untersucht. Es ergab sich, da? die „Durchl?ssigkeit“ von Kuprophan etwa doppelt so gro? ist wie die von Cellophan Qual. 300 und etwa achtmal so gro? wie die von Pergamentpapier zur Dialyse C 155∶100, da? also bei Anwendung der Kuprophanmembran die Dialyse in der H?lfte der bei Verwendung von Cellophan Qual. 300 und im achten Teil der bei Gebrauch von Pergamentpapier als Membran erforderlichen Zeit beendet ist. Die mechanische Festigkeit von Kuprophan ist gut, trotz der nur geringen St?rke von 10Μ. Kuprophan ist daher, neben Cellophan Qual. 300, als hervorragend geeignetes Membran-material anzusprechen.     

Phase equilibria in binary subsystems of urea–biuret–water system

Joint results of the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG) experiments were the basis for the fusion enthalpy and temperature determination of the biuret (NH₂CO)₂NH (synthesis by-product of the urea fertilizer (NH₂)₂CO). Recommended values are Δ_m H = (26.1 ± 0.5) kJ mol⁻¹, T _m = (473.8 ± 0.4) K. The DSC method allowed for the phase diagrams of “water–biuret,” “water–urea,” “urea–biuret” binary systems to be studied; as a result, liquidus and solidus curves were precisely defined. Stoichiometry and decomposition temperature of the biuret hydrate identified, composition of the compound in “urea–biuret” system was suggested.     

Three-propeller-blade-shaped electride: remarkable alkali-metal-doped effect on the first hyperpolarizability

Significant alkali-metal-doped effects on the structure and the first hyperpolarizability (β ₀) of effective multi-nitrogen complexant tris[(2-imidazolyl)methyl]amine (TIMA) are investigated. Three imidazoles of TIMA like three blades of propeller connect with methyls by the C–C single bonds. Because of the three C–C single-bond cooperative rotations, the TIMA behaves with great flexibility, and it is a high-performance multi-nitrogen complexant for the alkali metal doping. Thus, the new complexes A_m-TIMA (A_m = Li, Na, and K) with electride characteristic have diffuse excess electron than the reported electride-type system due to the strong interaction between the complexant TIMA and alkali metal. For the first hyperpolarizability, three engaging electrides A_m-TIMA with the diffuse excess electrons exhibit considerably large β ₀ values using the MP2 (full) method and the β ₀ values of new electrides are greatly larger (3,464–29,705 times) than that (338 au) of TIMA. Surprisingly, the K-TIMA sets a new record β ₀ value to be 1.00 × 10⁷ au which far exceeds than that (3,694–76,978 au) of the reported electride-type system Li@calix[4]pyrrole (J Am Chem Soc 127:10977–10981, 2005) and Li_n−H−(CF₂−CH₂)₃−H (n = 1, 2) (J Am Chem Soc 129:2967–2970, 2007) and 31,123 au of the organometallic system (J Am Chem Soc 121:4047–4053, 1999) Ru(trans-4,4′-diethylaminostyryl-2,2′-bipyridine)₃²⁺, as well as 1.23 × 10⁶ au of the large donor-CNT systems (Nano Lett 8:2814–2818, 2008). Clearly, the alkali-metal-doped effect on the first hyperpolarizability is very dramatic for the high-performance multi-nitrogen complexant TIMA. Considering simple possibility from molecule to material, the β ₀ values of optimized Li-TIMA-dimer and Li-TIMA-tetramer are investigated by BHandHLYP method. Interestingly, results show that the order of β ₀ value is Li-TIMA-monomer < Li-TIMA-dimer < Li-TIMA-tetramer. So the new three-propeller-blade-shaped electrides can be considered as candidates for high-performance nonlinear optical materials.