Discontinuous flow-through measurement of gamma-rays. Principles of operation and application in clinical biochemistry

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Discontinuous flow-through measurement of gamma-rays. Principles of operation and application in clinical biochemistry

     

Quantitative mass spectrometry in biochemistry and medicine.

The current state of quantitative analysis with the mass spectrometer in biochemistry and medicine is reviewed. The basic principles of mass spectrometry, the latter's combination with chromatography, the development of sensitive, exact, and in particular specific mass-spectrometric methods of detection, and the principle of dilution with stable isotopes are illustrated by examples. The most important fields of application are: the pharmacokinetics of drugs and active metabolites, investigation of metabolic pathways, supporting of medical diagnoses and enhancement of their specificity, and finally checking the quality of simpler quantitative processes in clinical chemistry.     

The biochemistry of sphingolipid storage diseases.

Sphingolipids are components of animal membranes that are made up of a hydrophobic ceramide and a hydrophilic moiety (phosphorylcholine, oligosaccharides or their derivatives). Several enzymes are required for the step-by-step degradation of the sphingolipids. If one of these enzymes is deficient or totally lacking, then its substrates accumulate in the body and cause severe damage, especially when storage occurs in the nervous system. The enzyme defects are inherited in a recessive manner.     

Coherent chemistry and biochemistry

The paprer presents analysis of coherent process in chemistry at all its level. Electronic, vibrational, electron-spin, nuclear-spin, and macroscopic coherencies are considered; physical backgrounds of coherent phenomena as well as their chemical consequences are also discussed.     

New Results on the Photochemistry of Biopterin and Neopterin in Aqueous Solution

New photochemical studies of the reactivity of biopterin (BPT) and neopterin (NPT) in acidic (pH = 5.5) and alkaline (pH = 10.5) aqueous solutions at 350 nm and room temperature were performed. The photochemical properties of BPT are of particular interest because the photolysis of this compound takes place in the white skin patches of patients affected by vitiligo. The photochemical reactions were followed by UV/VIS spectrophotometry, HPLC, electrochemical measurement of dissolved O₂ and enzymatic methods for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide anion (O₂^•−) determinations. When BPT or NPT are exposed to UVA radiation, a red intermediate, very likely 6-formyl-5,8-dihydropterin, is generated in an O₂-independent process. That product is rapidly oxidized on admission of O₂ to yield 6-formylpterin and H₂O₂. When the photolysis takes place in aerobic conditions, no additional pathways exist. On the other hand, in the absence of O₂, the intermediate generated is not stable and leads to the formation of many products. O₂^•− is also generated during photo-oxidation of BPT and NPT. The quantum yields of reactant consumption depends on the O₂ concentration: the higher the O₂ concentration, the lower the quantum yields. This behavior is discussed in connection with the excited state of the pterins.     

Penta-coordinate phosphorous compounds and biochemistry

The relationship between penta-coordinate phosphorus compounds and biochemistry is briefly reviewed. Some interesting phenomena such as peptide formation, ester formation, ester exchange on phosphorus and N to O migration occur at room temperature when the amino group of amino acid is associated with phosphoryl group. Serine or threonine in conjugate of nucleo-side-amino acid could recognize different nucleobases. N-phosphoryl Histine and Ser-His dipep-tide could cleavage nucleic acid, protein and ester in neutral medium. It is found that the above phenomena all undergo penta-coordinate intermediate of phosphorus atom, which is proposed as the key factor to determine their activities.     

Microfluidics: Applications for analytical purposes in chemistry and biochemistry

In this review, we present recent advancements and novel developments in fluidic systems for applied analytical purposes in chemistry, biochemistry, and life science in general that employ and reflect the full benefits of microfluidics. A staggering rise in publications related to integrated, all‐in‐one microfluidic chips capable of separation, reaction, and detection have been observed, all of which realise the principal of micro total analysis systems or lab‐on‐a‐chip. These integrated chips actively adopt the scaling law concepts, utilising the highly developed fabrication techniques. Their aim is to multi‐functionalise and fully automate devices believed to assist the future advancements of point‐of‐care, clinical, and medical diagnostics.     

Towards accreditation of clinical biochemistry in the public sector on the island of Mauritius

Medical laboratories of the public sector as well as of the private sector on the island of Mauritius are preparing for accreditation. The clinical laboratory of the Central Health laboratory of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life has undergone a pre-assessment by experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through the aegis of a project targeted to members of the Africa Region. Several shortcomings were identified and respective corrective actions were recommended for implementation within a given time frame. In addition to ensuring the competence of the laboratory, accreditation has various positive aspects such as an increased awareness of the staff to quality and better training opportunities. The pre-assessment exercise has provided a gap analysis, which is an important aspect in the preparation towards accreditation.     

Deoxyribonucleotides: the unusual chemistry and biochemistry of DNA precursors

Deoxyribonucleotides, monomers of macromolecular DNA and the chemical matter of genes, have received surprisingly little attention among chemists and molecular biologists alike, although their origin, properties, and mechanism of enzyme-catalyzed formation bear unique chemical traits which are the basis of DNA replication. Apart from providing insights in bioorganic free radical chemistry, present interest in deoxyribonucleotides stems from the expected demand of hundreds of kilograms per year for DNA chips and antisense constructs used in gene therapy, difficult to produce by conventional methods. A novel approach towards deoxyribonucleotide, and hence DNA formation in a putative primordial 'RNA world' has also recently emerged.     

Biocatalysis and biorecognition in nonaqueous media. Some perspectives in analytical biochemistry

Biocatalysis and, to a lesser extent, biorecognition in non-aqueous media (including organic solvents as well as supercritical fluids and gases) constitute at present an exciting research area which has already demonstrated its biotechnological potential in numerous, varied applications. Less attention, however, has been paid to its analytical possibilities, even though many advantages have been postulated and a wide range of poorly water-soluble analytes are present in samples (or waste materials) from food and drink, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, military and other industries. The main approaches, developed in recent years to exploit the use of enzymes, antibodies or antibody mimics in water-restricted environments for analytical purposes, as well as possible future directions are briefly discussed.     

Chemistry and biochemistry of branched-chain sugars

Branched-chain sugars have recently been isolated in larger numbers from microorganisms and higher plants as glycoside components of antibiotics or phenolic compounds. They also occur in plants in cell wall polysaccharides. Sugars with methyl, hydroxymethyl,formyl, hydroxyethyl, and glycoloyl branches have so far been found in nature. Many new methods have been developed for the synthesis of these sugars. With one exception, the branched sugars known at present can be divided biogenetically into three groups. Sugars with methyl branches are formed by C₁ transfer, sugars with hydroxyethyl branches by C₂ transfer to a hexose chain, and sugars with hydroxymethyl or formyl branches by rearrangement of a hexose or pentose chain.