Quantification of key red blood cell folates from subjects with defined MTHFR 677C>T genotypes using stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

Red blood cell (RBC) folate levels are established at the time of erythropoiesis and therefore provide a surrogate biomarker for the average folate status of an individual over the preceding four months. Folates are present as folylpolyglutamates, highly polar molecules that cannot be secreted from the RBCs, and must be converted into their monoglutamate forms prior to analysis. This was accomplished using an individual's plasma pteroylpolyglutamate hydrolase by lysing the RBCs in whole blood at pH 5 in the presence of ascorbic acid. Quantitative conversion of formylated tetrahydrofolate derivatives into the stable 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate (5,10-MTHF) form was conducted at pH 1.5 in the presence of [(13)C(5)]-5-formyltetrahydrofolate. The resulting [(13)C(5)]-5,10-MTHF was then used as an internal standard for the formylated forms of tetrahydrofolate that had been converted into 5,10-MTHF as well any 5,10-MTHF that had been present in the original sample. A stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring/mass spectrometry method was validated and then used for the accurate and precise quantification of RBC folic acid, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), tetrahydrofolate (THF), and 5,10-MTHF. The method was sensitive and robust and was used to assess the relationship between different methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T genotypes and RBC folate phenotypes. Four distinct RBC folate phenotypes could be identified. These were classified according to the relative amounts of individual RBC folates as type I (5-MTHF >95%; THF <5%; 5,10-MTHF <5%), type II (5-MTHF <95%; THF 5% to 20%; 5,10-MTHF <5%), type III (5-MTHF >55%; THF >20%; 5,10-MTHF >5%), and type IV (5-MTHF <55%; THF >20%; 5,10-MTHF >5%).     

On Conformally Flat Almost Contact Metric Manifolds

Mediterranean Journal of Mathematics - In this paper, we first focus on conformally flat almost $${C(\alpha)}$$ -manifolds. Moreover, we construct an example of a 3-dimensional conformally flat...     

High precision delta(17)O isotope measurements of oxygen from silicates and other oxides: method and applications

The use of infrared laser-assisted fluorination to release oxygen from milligram quantities of silicates or other oxide mineral grains is a well-established technique. However, relatively few studies have reported the optimisation of this procedure for oxygen-17 isotope measurements. We describe here details of an analytical system using infrared (10 μm) laser-assisted fluorination, in conjunction with a dual inlet mass spectrometer of high resolving power ( approximately 250) to provide (17)O and (18)O oxygen isotope measurements from 0.5-2 mg of silicates or other oxide mineral grains. Respective precisions (1) of typically 0.08 and 0.04 per thousand are obtained for the complete analytical procedure. Departures from the mass-dependent oxygen isotope fractionation line are quantified by Delta(17)O; our precision (1) of such measurements on individual samples is shown to be +/-0.024 per thousand. In turn, this permits the offset between parallel, mass-dependent fractionation lines to be characterised to substantially greater precision than has been possible hitherto. Application of this system to investigate the (17)O versus (18)O relationship for numerous terrestrial whole-rock and mineral samples, of diverse geological origins and age, indicates that the complete data set may be described by a single, mass-dependent fractionation line of slope 0.5244+/- 0.00038 (standard error). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of binding selectivities in host-guest complexation by electrospray/quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry

The quantifiable relationship between the equilibrium solution composition and electrospray (ESI) mass spectral peak intensities of simple host-guest complexes was investigated. Specifically, host-guest complexes of simple crown ethers or glymes with alkali metals and ammonium ions were studied. Comparisons were made between the theoretical concentrations of host-guest complexes derived in solution from known stability constants and the peak intensities for the complexes observed by ESI mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Two types of complexation experiments were undertaken. First, complexation of a single guest ion, such as an alkali metal, and two crown ethers was studied to evaluate the determination of binding selectivities. Second, complexation of two different guest ions by a single polyether host was also examined. In general, solvation was found to play an integral part in the ability to quantify binding selectivities by ESI-MS. The more similar the solvation energies of the two complexes in the mixture, the more quantifiable their binding selectivities by ESI-MS. In some cases, excellent correlation was obtained between the theoretically predicted selectivity ratios and the ESI mass spectral ratios, in particular when the ESI ratios were adjusted based on evaluation of ESI response factors for the various host-guest complexes.     

Superfluid to Mott insulator quantum phase transition in a 2D permanent magnetic lattice

The accessibility of the critical parameters for the superfluid to Mott insulator quantum phase transition in a 2D permanent magnetic lattice is investigated. We determine the hopping matrix element J, the on-site interaction U, and hence the ratio J/U, in the harmonic oscillator wave function approximation. We show that for a range of realistic parameters the critical values of J/U, predicted by different methods for the Bose-Hubbard model in 2D, such as mean field theory and Monte Carlo simulations, are accessible in a 2D permanent magnetic lattice. The calculations are performed for a 2D permanent magnetic lattice created by two crossed arrays of parallel rectangular magnets plus a bias magnetic field.     

Strichartz estimates for the wave equation on manifolds with boundary

We prove certain mixed-norm Strichartz estimates on manifolds with boundary. Using them we are able to prove new results for the critical and subcritical wave equation in 4-dimensions with Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions. We obtain global existence in the subcritical case, as well as global existence for the critical equation with small data. We also can use our Strichartz estimates to prove scattering results for the critical wave equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions in 3-dimensions.     

Quantitative analysis of amyloid beta peptides in cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer's disease patients by immunoaffinity purification and stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography/negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The 40 and 42 amino-acid residue forms of amyloid beta (Abeta(1-40) and Abeta(1-42)) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been proposed as potential biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Quantitative analyses of Abeta peptides in CSF have relied almost exclusively on the use of immunoassay-based assays such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedure. However, due to the ability of the Abeta peptides to readily self-aggregate or bind to other proteins and glassware, such analyses are extremely challenging. Analyses are further complicated by the potential of the peptides to undergo post-translational modifications and the possibilities for cross-reaction in the ELISA assays with endogenous components of the CSF. An approach based on liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) has now been developed which overcomes these methodological issues. The key steps in implementing this new approach involved immunoaffinity purification coupled with the use of [15N]-labeled Abeta peptides as internal standards, a basic LC mobile phase, negative ion electrospray ionization, and a basic solvent for dissolving the peptides and washing the injection needle to prevent carryover of analytes during multiple injections on the LC/MS system. The validated method had limits of quantitation of 44 fmol/mL (200 pg/mL) for Abeta(1-42) and 92 fmol/mL (400 pg/mL) for Abeta(1-40). An excellent correlation was found between the LC/MS/MS assay and an ELISA assay for Abeta(1-42) in human CSF (r2 = 0.915), although less correlation was observed for Abeta(1-40) (r2 = 0.644). Mean CSF Abeta(1-42) concentrations for samples collected 2 weeks apart from a limited number of AD patients provided additional confidence in the reproducibility of the LC/MS/MS assay. Concentrations for duplicate samples from AD patients were slightly higher than most previously reported values (mean 1.06 +/- 0.25 ng/mL; n = 7). Abeta(1-40) concentrations in duplicate samples obtained from AD patients were also reproducible but were found to be slightly lower than most previously reported values (mean 6.36 +/- 3.07 ng/mL; n = 7). Consistent with literature reports, mean Abeta(1-42) concentrations were found to be lower in AD patients compared with the normal subjects (mean 1.49 +/- 0.59 ng/mL; n = 7), whereas there was no difference in Abeta(1-40) concentrations between AD patients and normal subjects (mean 5.88 +/- 3.03 ng/mL; n = 7). The accuracy and precision of the LC/MS assay mean that it will be a useful complement to existing ELISA assays for monitoring therapeutic interventions designed to modulate CSF Abeta(1-42) concentrations in individual AD patients. Moreover, the introduction of stable isotope labeled internal standards offers the potential to achieve a more rigorous account of the influence of methodological effects related to sample collection and processing.     

The Oriented-Eddy Collision Turbulence Model

The Oriented-Eddy Collision (OEC) model treats turbulent flow as a non-Newtonian fluid where the average behavior of turbulence is modeled as a collection of interacting fluid particles which have inherent orientation. The model is derived from the two-point velocity correlation transport equation, and has the form of a collection of Reynolds-stress transport equations, with one set of transport equations for each representative eddy direction. The addition of eddy orientation information adds important physics to the model and allows the model to represent structural (two-point) information about the turbulence. This structural information is sufficient to allow the model to capture the effect of external forces and imposed mean strains (such as rapid distortion theory) exactly. The only physical effects that must be empirically modeled are those that are due to turbulence-turbulence interactions, referred to as eddy collisions. The performance of the model in a number of canonical flow situations is presented.