Methodological reflections on a three-step-design combining observation,stimulated recall and interview

In this paper a tripartite qualitative design combining abservation, stimulated recall and interview is presented and discussed. This three-step-design makes it possible to get insight into the interaction of internal and external processes when solving mathematical tasks. The data analysis depends on the research question and the methodological approach. In the light of two research projects in mathematics education two different methods of data analysis are presented and methodologically reflected.     

Mixed hybrid bilayer lipid membrane incorporating valinomycin: improvements in preparation and functioning

The paper deals with the reconstruction of lipid bilayer membranes on a Au-covered polycarbonate membrane. Such a kind of like-biomembranes (namely mixed hybrid bilayer lipid membrane (MHBLM)) are characterised by appreciable long-term stability. Here we describe changes that have been made in the geometry of the experimental device in order to avoid artefacts and render membrane reproduction easier. Incorporation of valinomycin was performed to check the membrane and its stability: conductance and membrane potential following the changes of ion concentration were recorded. This new approach permits increase of successful trials and renders possible, when it breaks, easily formation of a new MHBLM on the same Au-covered polycarbonate membrane support. Finally, the stability shown by the MHBLM renders this system a promising tool for use under flowing conditions.     

Differential pulse polarographic determination of nitrate and nitrite in nuclear wastes

Summary Solid particles for nuclear fuel fabrication can be produced by gel-supported precipitation. Process by-products are aqueous wastes containing organic materials, ammonium nitrate and ammonia that can be decomposed into nitrogen compounds. A differential pulse polarographic determination of nitrate- and nitrite-nitrogen in such mixtures is described.The proposed method is based on the previous separation of nitrate and nitrite ions from inorganic and organic interferents. After ammonia volatilization, the separation is achieved with a column of Amberlite IRA 410 (Cl^– form) anion exchange resin that is then eluted with 2.5M NaCl. An aliquot of the eluate is made 1M NaCl, 0.012M HCl and 0.0001M U(VI) and polarographic cumulative determination of nitrite and nitrate follows at –0.93 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) potential. Then a solution 6.5·10^–5 M in diphenylamine, 2.5·10^–3 M in sodium thiocyanate and 3·10^–2 M in perchloric acid is added to a second aliquot of the eluate and differential pulse polarographic determination of nitrite follows at –0.52 V (vs. Ag/AgCl).The proposed method permits determinations of nitrite-nitrogen levels as low as 5 ng N ml^–1 and of nitrate-nitrogen levels at 200 ng N ml^–1. Relative standard deviations less than 4% may be routinely achieved. Analysis time is approximately one hour per sample.

---

Bestimmung von Nitrat und Nitrit in nuklearen Abfallprodukten

Zusammenfassung Feste Teilchen für die Herstellung nuklearer Brennstoffe lassen sich durch Fällung bei Anwesenheit von Gel herstellen. Dabei entstehen wäßrige Abfälle, die organisches Material, Ammoniumnitrat und Ammoniak enthalten, woraus durch Zersetzung stickstoffhältige Verbindungen entstehen können. Die Bestimmung von Nitratund Nitrit-Stickstoff in solchen Gemischen durch Differential-Puls-Polarographie wurde beschrieben.Die vorgeschlagene Methode beruht auf der vorhergehenden Abtrennung von Nitrat- und Nitritionen von störenden anorganischen und organischen Substanzen. Nach Verflüchtigung des Ammoniaks wird die Trennung mit Hilfe einer Säule aus Amberlit IRA 410 (Cl^–-Form) durchgeführt, die dann mit 2,5M NaCl ausgewaschen wird. Ein aliquoter Teil des Eluats wird auf 1M NaCl-Konzentration gebracht, 0,012M HCl und 0,0001M U(VI) eingestellt und polarographisch die Gesamtbestimmung von Nitrat und Nitrit bei einem Potential von –0,93 V (gegen Ag/AgCl) durchgeführt. Dann wird eine Lösung, bestehend aus 6,5·10^–5 M Diphenylamin, 2,5·10^–3 M NaCNS und 3·10^–2 M Perchlorsäure, einem zweiten Aliquot des Eluates zugesetzt und die Bestimmung des Nitrits durch Differential-Puls-Polarographie bei –0,52 V (gegen Ag/AgCl) vorgenommen.Dieses Verfahren ermöglicht die Bestimmung von Nitrit-Stickstoff bis auf 5 ng N/ml und von Nitrat-Stickstoff bis auf 200 ng/ml. Relative Standardabweichungen unter 4% lassen sich erzielen. Ungefähr eine Stunde je Probe ist erforderlich.

---

---

Presented at the 9th International Symposium on Microchemical Techniques, Amsterdam, August 1983.     

Theoretical and spectroscopic study of the effect of ring substitution on the adsorption of anisole on platinum

The adsorption of anisole, 3,5-dimethylanisole, and 3,5-bis-(trifluoromethyl)-anisole on Pt(111) was studied theoretically and compared to the adsorption of benzene using relativistically corrected density functional theory. A cluster of 31 platinum atoms was used to simulate the surface. The three anisoles were found to be less strongly adsorbed than the parent molecule benzene, 3,5-bis-(trifluoromethyl)-anisole showing weakest adsorption, with an adsorption energy of only one-third that of benzene. The theoretical study was complemented by in situ ATR-IR spectroscopy of the adsorption of the anisole derivatives on a polycrystalline Pt film. The spectroscopic study indicated that the adsorption strength of the anisoles follows the same order as predicted by the calculations. In addition, catalytic hydrogenation tests showed that the propensity to aromatic ring hydrogenation can also be correlated to the mode and strength of adsorption of the anisoles. The degree of saturation followed the same order as the adsorption strength found by the calculations and indicated by spectroscopy. Although 3,5-dimethyl substitution on anisole resulted in only a partial loss of adsorption energy and reactivity toward ring hydrogenation as compared to anisole, the substitution by CF(3) groups led to a large loss of adsorption energy and complete loss of reactivity toward aromatic ring saturation. Along with the study of the substituent effect on the adsorption of aromatic molecules, the correlation between adsorption and propensity to saturation of aromatic substrates could be corroborated.     

An electrochemical multienzymatic biosensor for determination of cholesterol

This paper describes an electrochemical biosensor for free cholesterol monitoring. The sensor is a multienzymatic electrodic system in which horseradish peroxidase and cholesterol oxidase are simultaneously immobilized within a polymeric film, on the surface of a pyrolitic graphite electrode. From voltammetric and amperometric (flow-injection) data obtained, the efficiency, reproducibility and stability of the system are discussed. Results obtained, of interest for basic and applied biochemistry, represent a first step for construction of a mediator-free biosensor with potentialities for a successful application in the biosensor area.     

Trace analysis of pollutants by use of honeybees, immunoassays, and chemiluminescence detection

Specific and sensitive analysis to reveal and monitor the wide variety of chemical contaminants polluting all environment compartments, feed, and food is urgently required because of the increasing attention devoted to the environment and health protection. Our research group has been involved in monitoring the presence and distribution of agrochemicals by monitoring beehives distributed throughout the area studied. Honeybees have been used both as biosensors, because the pesticides affect their viability, and as “contaminant collectors” for all environmental pollutants. We focused our research on the development of analytical procedures able to reveal and quantify pesticides in different samples but with a special attention to the complex honeybee matrix. Specific extraction and purification procedures have been developed and some are still under optimization. The analytes of interest were determined by gas or liquid chromatographic methods and by compound-specific or group-specific immunoassays in the ELISA format, the analytical performance of which was improved by introducing luminescence detection. The range of chemiluminescent immunoassays developed was extended to include the determination of completely different pollutants, for example explosives, volatile organic compounds (including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes), and components of plastics, for example bisphenol A. An easier and portable format, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) was added to the ELISA format to increase application flexibility in these assays. Aspects of the novelty, the specific characteristics, the analytical performance, and possible future development of the different chromatographic and immunological methods are described and discussed.

Cloning and Characterization of Fructosamine-6-Kinase from Arthrobacter aurescens

Fructosamine-6-kinases (FN6Ks) that catalyze phosphorylation of glycated amino acids, i.e., fructosyl amino acids (FAs), have been shown as a potential recognition element for glycated protein detection. However, there are only two available FN6Ks: those from Escherichia coli which is specific for ε-fructosyl lysine (ε-FK) and Bacillus subtilis which recognizes both ε-FK and α-FA as substrates. In this study, we characterized an FN6K homologue isolated from Arthrobacter, some of whose species are reported to assimilate FA. The BLAST searches of Arthrobacter genomic database, using the bacterial FN6K primary structure information, revealed the presence of an FN6K homologue in Arthrobacter aurescens TC1 strain. Indeed, enzymatic assays confirmed that the putative FN6K from A. aurescens is an FN6K that is specific for ε-FK, although the primary sequence alignments showed similarity of A. aurescens FN6Ks with FN6Ks from B. subtilis and E. coli at the same level. In this study, we describe for the first time the presence of FN6K in Arthrobacter spp. and ε-FK-specific degradation pathway from Gram-positive bacteria, providing important information for the development of FA-recognizing molecules as well as for the FA assimilation system in bacteria.     

Synthetic UDP-furanoses as potent inhibitors of mycobacterial galactan biogenesis

UDP-galactofuranose (UDP-Galf) is a substrate for two types of enzymes, UDP-galactopyranose mutase and galactofuranosyltransferases, which are present in many pathogenic organisms but absent from mammals. In particular, these enzymes are involved in the biosynthesis of cell wall galactan, a polymer essential for the survival of the causative agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We describe here the synthesis of derivatives of UDP-Galf modified at C-5 and C-6 using a chemoenzymatic route. In cell-free assays, these compounds prevented the formation of mycobacterial galactan, via the production of short "dead-end" intermediates resulting from their incorporation into the growing oligosaccharide chain. Modified UDP-furanoses thus constitute novel probes for the study of the two classes of enzymes involved in mycobacterial galactan assembly, and studies with these compounds may ultimately facilitate the future development of new therapeutic agents against tuberculosis.     

An accurate determination of the triple point temperature of pure 20Ne and 22Ne

The paper reports on new determinations at INRIM of the triple point temperature of pure neon isotopes ²⁰Ne and ²²Ne, obtained on samples sealed in cryogenic cells and measured with an uncertainty much lower than that of the previous determinations. The experimental technique is the same used at INRIM for recent studies on neon of natural-isotopic composition, showing an expanded uncertainty of ≈30 μK for a single cell and ≈50 μK for the comparison of sample pairs. The determinations were mainly intended to obtain a more accurate value of the temperature difference for the two pure isotopes, found to be 0.14660 K with an expanded uncertainty of 0.00007 K. The temperature values were found to be 24.5422 K for ²⁰Ne and 24.6888 K for ²²Ne on ITS-90, but each with a larger expanded uncertainty, 0.00032 K. This is mainly caused, contrarily to the difference, by each of these values being affected by the present ambiguity of the ITS-90 definition. This definition refers to neon generically to ‘natural’ composition, while its uncorrected variability heavily affects the uncertainty of the thermometer calibrations. These results for pure isotopes are compared with those recently obtained at INRIM on samples of commercial neon of natural composition and with literature data. The problems involved in the correction for the residual content of isotopic impurities and for chemical impurities are discussed.