Improved DNA fragment length estimation in capillary electrophoresis

In CE the charged DNA strands are fractionated according to fragment lengths as they migrate through the capillary, since shorter DNA fragments pass through the sieving matrix faster. Multiplexed internal size standards are used to estimate the size of unknown DNA fragments. In the literature there are statements about migration abnormalities for the 250 and 340 bp fragments in the GeneScan-500 (GS500) internal size standards. Such anomalous migration of size standards could obviously introduce errors in the estimation of unknown fragments. Therefore, a number of analysis programs simply exclude some of these fragments. In the present work we first evaluate the effect of excluding each of the fragments in the internal size standards used in CE. Next, a method which is based on estimating the true values of the anomalous fragments is presented. The results obtained by the new method indicate a significant improvement compared to results obtained when one (or both) of the anomalous fragments in GS500 is (are) excluded or included when estimating the size of unknown DNA fragments. In the higher-molecular-weight region, the average error is reduced from 1.91 bp in ABI GeneMapper (excluding 250 bp) to 0.15 bp in the new method (using the estimated values for 250 and 340 bp). In the lower-molecular-weight region, excluding both fragments will improve the results by an average of 0.74 bp compared to ABI GeneMapper.     

Steering the Selectivity of Electrocatalytic Glucose Oxidation by the Pt Oxidation State

Electrocatalytic glucose oxidation can produce high value chemicals, but selectivity needs to be improved. Here we elucidate the role of the Pt oxidation state on the activity and selectivity of electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose with a new analytical approach, using high-pressure liquid chromatography and high-pressure anion exchange chromatography. It was found that the type of oxidation, i.e. dehydrogenation of primary and secondary alcohol groups or oxygen transfer to aldehyde groups, strongly depends on the Pt oxidation state. Pt⁰ has a 7-fold higher activity for dehydrogenation reactions than for oxidation reactions, while PtO_x is equally active for both reactions. Thus, Pt⁰ promotes glucose dialdehyde formation, while PtO_x favors gluconate formation. The successive dehydrogenation of gluconate is achieved selectively at the primary alcohol group by Pt⁰, while PtO_x also promotes the dehydrogenation of secondary alcohol groups, resulting in more complex reaction mixtures.     

Selective extraction of apixaban from plasma by dispersive solid-phase microextraction using magnetic metal organic framework combined with molecularly imprinted polymer nanocomposite

This research aims to synthesize a specific and efficient sorbent to use in the extraction of apixaban from human plasma samples and its determination by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. High specific surface area of metal-organic framework, magnetic property of iron oxide nanoparticles, selectively of molecular imprinted polymer toward the analyte, and the combination of dispersive solid-phase extraction method with a sensitive analysis system provided an efficient analytical method. In this study, first, a molecularly imprinted polymer combined with magnetic metal organic framework nanocomposite was prepared and then characterized using different techniques. Then the sorbent particles were used for selective extraction of the analyte from plasma samples. The efficiency of the method was improved by optimizing effective parameters. According to the validation results, wide linear range (1.02–200 ng mL⁻¹), acceptable coefficient of determination (0.9938), low limit of detection (0.32 ng mL⁻¹) and limit of quantification (1.02 ng mL⁻¹), high extraction recovery (78%), and good precision (relative standard deviations ≤ 2.9% for intra- (n = 6) and interday (n = 6) precisions) were obtainable using the proposed method. These outcomes showed the high potential of the proposed method for screening apixaban in the human plasma samples.     

von Neumann–Schatten Dual Frames and their Perturbations

In this paper, we discuss the dual of a von Neumann–Schatten p-frames in separable Banach spaces and obtain some of their characterizations. Moreover, we present a classical perturbation result to von Neumann–Schatten p-frames.     

Analysis of a meshless method for the time fractional diffusion-wave equation

In this paper a numerical technique is proposed for solving the time fractional diffusion-wave equation. We obtain a time discrete scheme based on finite difference formula. Then, we prove that the time discrete scheme is unconditionally stable and convergent using the energy method and the convergence order of the time discrete scheme is \(\mathcal {O}(\tau ^{3-\alpha })\). Firstly, we change the main problem based on Dirichlet boundary condition to a new problem based on Robin boundary condition and then, we consider a semi-discrete scheme with Robin boundary condition and show when \(\beta \rightarrow +\infty \) solution of the main semi-discrete problem with Dirichlet boundary condition is convergent to the solution of the new semi-discrete problem with Robin boundary condition. We consider the new semi-discrete problem with Robin boundary condition and use the meshless Galerkin method to approximate the spatial derivatives. Finally, we obtain an error bound for the new problem. We prove that convergence order of the numerical scheme based on Galekin meshless is \(\mathcal {O}(h)\). In the considered method the appeared integrals are approximated using Gauss Legendre quadrature formula. The main aim of the current paper is to obtain an error estimate for the meshless Galerkin method based on the radial basis functions. Numerical examples confirm the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed scheme.     

Magnetic nanoparticles (Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> &amp; Co<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>) and their applications in urea biosensing

Nanobiotechnology has opened a new and exciting opportunities for exploring urea biosensor based on magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) mainly Fe₃O₄ and Co₃O₄. These NPs have been extensively exploited to develop biosensors with stability, selectivity, reproducibility and fast response time. This review gives an overview of the development of urea biosensor based on Fe₃O₄ and Co₃O₄ for in vitro diagnostic applications along with significant improvements over the last few decades. Additionally, effort has been made to elaborate properties of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in biosensing aspects. It also gives details of recent developments in hybrid nanobiocomposite based urea biosensor.     

Investigation of curing kinetics of epoxy resin/novel nanoclay–carbon nanotube hybrids by non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry

Chemical hybrid of nanoclay (NC)/carbon nanotube (CNT) was synthesized via growth of CNTs by chemical vapor deposition. The cure kinetics of epoxy resin in the presence of novel chemical hybrid of NC/CNT (CNC) was studied by non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry. The effect of the CNC on cure kinetics was compared with conventional nanofillers such as CNTs, NC, and physical mixture of them (PNC). The kinetic parameters of the cure reaction were determined by iso-conversional method. The accelerating effect of CNT, CNC, and PNC in initial stage of cure reaction was related to the high thermal conductivity of CNTs, while the decelerating effect of nanofillers as the cure proceeded can be attributed to the reduction of polymer molecules motion caused by enhanced viscosity. The apparent activation energy (E _α) as the function of conversion (α) was calculated by five methods categorized into two different types: (1) conversion-dependent methods: Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Ozawa–Flynn–Wall (OFW), and Friedman; (2) conversion-independent methods: Kissinger and Augis. The accelerating effect of CNT, PNC, and CNC was observable as the reduced E _α values in low conversion only with KAS and OFW methods. The reverse trend of E _α values was observed with the introduction of these nanofillers at high conversions. The uniqueness of the CNC was more marked in increasing E _α values of epoxy after initial stage due to its special 3D structure of CNC. Calculated data using KAS and OFW methods showed the best agreement with the obtained experimental data.     

Solving unsteady Korteweg–de Vries equation and its two alternatives

This paper aims to present the generalized Kudryashov method to find the exact traveling wave solutions transmutable to the solitary wave solutions of the ubiquitous unsteady Korteweg–de Vries equation and its two famed alternatives, namely, the regularized long‐wave equation and the time regularized long‐wave equation. The exact analytic solutions of the studied equations are constructed explicitly in three forms, namely, hyperbolic, trigonometric, and rational function. The validity of our solutions is verified with MAPLE by putting them back into the original equation and found correct. Moreover, it has shown that the generalized Kudryashov method is an easy and reliable technique over the existing methods. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two New Spirostanol Glycosides from Cestrum parqui

Two new steroidal glycosides, parquisoside A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ) were isolated from the aerial parts of Cestrum parqui (family Solanaceae). Their common aglycone is a new steroid of the spirostane series, which we name parquigenin. It has the structure (3β,24S,25S)‐spirost‐5‐ene‐3,24‐diol, i.e. a (24S,25S)‐24‐hydroxydiosgenin. The structures of parquisosides A and B were elucidated as (3β,24S,25S)‐spirost‐5‐ene‐3,24‐diol 3‐O‐{[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→4)}‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 1 ) and (3β,24S,25S)‐spirost‐5‐ene‐3,24‐diol 3‐O‐{[α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl)‐(1→4)‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐α‐L ‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→4)}‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 2 ), respectively, on the basis of detailed spectroscopic studies and chemical analysis. The crude extract of Cestrum parqui showed inhibition of carrageenin‐induced edema.