Biological and chemical detections in adsorbent layer for monitoring microbial production of primycin

Primycin is a macrolide antibiotic complex produced in microbiological fermentation processes. The microbial production of primycin requires an in-process analytical method suitable for monitoring the level of the active agents. In this paper, a method fulfilling the described requirement is presented. This method consists of a simple, efficacious extraction step, an instrumental sample application followed by a high-performance thin-layer chromatographic separation in relatively short time and a quantitative chromatogram evaluation. A dipping technique, in a solution containing sulfuric acid followed by heating at 120 degrees C, is used for chromogen formation, resulting in an absorption maximum at 290 nm. A progress diagram of the fermentation obtained by this technique is compared with one obtained by a microbiological agar diffusion method. The bioautographic evaluation of the active spots in the chromatogram are also presented. By our TLC method, the group of the active primycin components in the fermentation broth and by-products formed during the fermentation can be well separated. The relative intensities of the different TLC spots provide some information on the formation of the active components.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of the spin trapping of inorganic radicals by 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). 2. Carbonate radical anion

Previous studies have shown that the enzyme-mediated generation of carbonate radical anion (CO(3)(.-)) may play an important role in the initiation of oxidative damage in cells. This study explored the thermodynamics of CO(3)(.-) addition to 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31+G(**)//B3LYP/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-311+G* levels with the polarizable continuum model to simulate the effect of the bulk dielectric effect of water on the calculated energetics. Theoretical data reveal that the addition of CO(3)(.-) to DMPO yields an O-centered radical adduct (DMPO-OCO2) as governed by the spin (density) population on the CO(3)(.-). Electron paramagnetic resonance spin trapping with the commonly used spin trap, DMPO, has been employed in the detection of CO(3)(.-). UV photolysis of H(2)O(2) and DMPO in the presence of sodium carbonate (Na(2)CO(3)) or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO(3)) gave two species (i.e., DMPO-OCO(2) and DMPO-OH) in which the former has hyperfine splitting constant values of a(N) = 14.32 G, a(beta)-Eta = 10.68 G, and a(gamma-H) = 1.37 G and with a shorter half-life compared to DMPO-OH. The origin of the DMPO-OH formed was experimentally confirmed using isotopically enriched H(2)(17)O(2) that indicates direct addition of HO(.) to DMPO. Theoretical studies on other possible pathways for the formation of DMPO-OH from DMPO-OCO(2) in aqueous solution and in the absence of free HO(.) such as in the case of enzymatically generated CO(3)(.-), show that the preferred pathway is via nucleophilc substitution of the carbonate moiety by H(2)O or HO(-). Nitrite formation has been observed as the end product of CO(3)(.-) trapping by DMPO and is partly dependent on the basicity of solution. The thermodynamic behavior of CO(3)(.-) in the aqueous phase is predicted to be similar to that of the hydroperoxyl (HO(2)(.)) radical.     

Modeling max–min fair bandwidth allocation in BitTorrent communities

This paper gives an exact mathematical programming model and algorithm of the max–min fairness bandwidth allocation problem in multi-swarm peer-to-peer content sharing community. The proposed iterative method involves solution of LP and MILP problems of large scale. Based on real-world data traces, numerical experiments demonstrate that the new algorithm is computationally faster than an earlier developed one for larger problem sizes, and it provides better numerical stability. Moreover, even if its execution is stopped after some initial steps it still grants feasible solution with good approximation to max–min fairness.     

On the absolute convergence of multiple fourier series

Let f: R ^N → C be a periodic function with period 2π in each variable. We prove suffcient conditions for the absolute convergence of the multiple Fourier series of f in terms of moduli of continuity, of bounded variation in the sense of Vitali or Hardy and Krause, and of the mixed partial derivative in case f is an absolutely continuous function. Our results extend the classical theorems of Bernstein and Zygmund from single to multiple Fourier series. This research was started while the first author was a visiting professor at the Department of Mathematics, Texas A&M University, College Station during the fall semester in 2005; and it was also supported by the Hungarian National Foundation for Scientific Research under Grant T 046 192.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of stereoisomers of N-phthaloyl-protected amino acids and dipeptidomimetics

The stereoisomers of N-phthaloyl-protected amino acids and dipeptidomimetics were separated on macrocyclic glycopeptide and cellulose-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs) in the RP and polar-ionic modes. The effects of the organic modifier, the mobile phase composition, and the pH on the separations were investigated. Optimization of these separations was achieved through variation of the mobile-phase additive combinations. The elution sequence was determined for some of the samples. A practical application for the monitoring of the reaction conditions for N-phthaloylation of (S)-Phe was demonstrated.     

Facile, fast, and inexpensive synthesis of monodisperse amorphous nickel-phosphide nanoparticles of predefined size

Monodisperse, size-controlled Ni-P nanoparticles were synthesised in a single step process using triphenyl-phosphane (TPP), oleylamine (OA), and Ni(II)acetyl-acetonate. The nanoparticles were amorphous, contained ~30 at% P and their size was controlled between 7-21 nm simply by varying the amount of TPP. They are catalytically active for tailored carbon nanotube growth.     

TLC Method for Monitoring the Formation and Degradation of Bacterial Exo-Polysaccharides

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A simple thin-layer chromatography (TLC) method for continuous determination of metabolism of carbohydrate and production of...     

Mineralization of aqueous phenolate solutions: A combination of irradiation treatment and wet oxidation

Wet oxidation (high-temperature, high-pressure oxidation of organic wastes in aqueous solution) and radiation technology were combined in γ-ray and electron beam induced oxidation of 4×10^?4–1×10^?2 mol dm^?3 Na-phenolate solutions in a wide O₂ concentration (1–20 bar pressure) and absorbed dose (0–50 kGy) range. Most experiments were made in stainless steel high pressure autoclave equipped with magnetic stirrer. The rate of oxidation was followed by chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon content measurements. The rate was similar in γ-ray and pulsed electron beam irradiation and increased with O₂ concentration in the liquid.     

Validation of <Superscript>239,240</Superscript>Pu, <Superscript>238</Superscript>Pu separation method using molecular recognition product AnaLig<Superscript>®</Superscript> Pu02 gel and extraction chromatography TRU<Superscript>®</Superscript> resin

Two separation techniques for plutonium determination using AnaLig^® Pu02 molecular recognition technology product (MRT) and extraction chromatography TRU^® resin were tested. The methods performance was investigated by analysis of National Physical Laboratory (NPL-Alpha-Beta High, ABH 2003, 2005) intercomparison test samples. The results obtained for both procedures were compared in terms of activities and recoveries. Data analysis showed good agreement with the reference values. The AnaLig^® Pu02 separation method for ^239,240Pu, ²³⁸Pu determination was successfully validated with the same performance as the TRU^® resin method.