On a differential problem coming from cell biology

Summary An initial and boundary value problem for a system of first order linear partial differential equations is studied. This problem arises in cell biology, when the evolution of a homogeneous cell population is modelled. Some existence, uniqueness and regularity results are proven; an estimate for the growth of the cell population is also obtained.This work was in part supported by the Istituto di Analisi Numerica of the C.N.R. in Pavia (Italy), the G.N.A.F.A. of the C.N.R. (Italy) and the Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione (Italy).     

Improved ultrasonic‐based sample treatment for the screening of anabolic steroids by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A rapid sample treatment procedure for the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) determination of anabolic steroids in human urine has been developed. The new procedure makes use of ultrasonic energy to reduce reaction times and increase the overall sensitivity. The following variables affecting the performance of the ultrasonic treatment were optimised: (i) time, (ii) device, (iii) frequency, and (iv) temperature. It was found that, under an ultrasonic field, the hydrolysis of conjugated steroids with β‐glucuronidase from Escherichia coli K12 was possible with a treatment time of 10 min. The accuracy and precision of the ultrasonic method were found to be in agreement with those achieved with the conventional thermal conductivity procedure (Student's t‐test; p = 0.05, n = 10). After the enzymatic hydrolysis, the derivatisation of the target compounds with trimethylsilyl (TMS) reagent, methyl‐N‐trimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide (MSTFA)/NH₄I/dithioerythritol (DTE) (1000:2:4, v/w/w), was also accelerated using ultrasonic energy. In order to test the applicability of the use of ultrasonic energy in the acceleration of the derivatisation reaction with TMS, the classic method of thermal conductivity was applied for comparative purposes to a pool of 35 androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) and/or their metabolites. The results demonstrated that after 3 min of sonication in a Sonoreactor device (50% amplitude), 19 of the 35 compounds studied showed similar reaction yield to those obtained with the classic procedure requiring 30 min (Student's t‐test; p = 0.05, n = 5); 13 increased to higher silylation yields; and for the steroids 1‐testosterone, danazol and etiocholanolone‐D5, the same results were obtained using a sonication time of 5 min. The overall applicability of the ultrasonic‐based sample treatment method is shown by the analysis of five urine samples. The results are similar to those achieved by the routine procedure. The new method is fast, robust, and allows high sample throughput. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of phytoextraction potential of plant species for toxic elements in soils of abandoned sulphide-mining areas

This study has determined contamination levels in soils and plants from the São Domingos mining area, Portugal, by k ₀-INAA. Total concentrations of As, Sb, Cr, Hg, Cu, Zn and Fe in soils were very high, exceeding the maximum limits in Portuguese legislation. Concentrations of toxic elements like As, Sb and Zn were highest in roots of Erica andevalensis, Juncus acutus, Agrostis castellana and Nicotiana glauca. Additionally, As, Br, Cr, Fe, Sb and Zn in all organs of most plants were above toxicity levels. Those species that accumulated relatively high concentrations of toxic elements in roots (and tops) may be cultivated for phytostabilisation of similar areas.     

Focused ultrasound versus microwave digestion for the determination of lead in must by electrothermal-atomic absorption spectrometry

The content of metals at the different stages of the winemaking process is of great concern because of legal and wine quality reasons. In the present work, we have developed a new fast procedure for metal extraction from must based on focused ultrasound with HNO3 and H2O2, with which microwave digestion of the must is not necessary. Lead was used as a model element to achieve the optimum combination of reagents in order to achieve total extraction. Results were compared with those obtained after microwave digestion of the samples. In addition, conventional and fast programs in conjunction with different matrix modifiers were studied. The method requires few sample mass (ca 0.5 g) and few reagents in low volume (HNO3 50 microL and H2O2 100 microL). The total sample treatment time is only 60 s.     

Direct sample fraction deposition using electrospray in narrow-bore size-exclusion chromatography/matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for polymer characterization

A direct sample fraction deposition method was developed for off-line size-exclusion chromatography (SEC)/matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry. By using electrospray, the SEC eluent, together with a suitable matrix solution added coaxially, was directly deposited on the MALDI plate. Owing to the formation of very small droplets in electrospray, solvent evaporation is much faster. The fractionation volume in narrow-bore SEC, which can directly be collected in one MALDI spot, can easily be optimized in the range of a few microlitres. In addition, fairly homogeneous sample spots were obtained. The possible influence of composition variation of the SEC effluent on the analytical results using direct fraction deposition was investigated; no substantial effects were observed. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by characterizing a broad poly(methyl methacrylate) sample. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Micro-focused ultrasonic solid-liquid extraction (muFUSLE) combined with HPLC and fluorescence detection for PAHs determination in sediments: optimization and linking with the analytical minimalism concept

Analytical minimalism is a concept that deals with the optimization of all stages of an analytical procedure so that it becomes less time, cost, sample, reagent and energy consuming. The guide-lines provided in the USEPA extraction method 3550B recommend the use of focused ultrasound (FU), i.e., probe sonication, for the solid–liquid extraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, PAHs, but ignore the principle of analytical minimalism. The problems related with the dead sonication zones, often present when high volumes are sonicated with probe, are also not addressed. In this work, we demonstrate that successful extraction and quantification of PAHs from sediments can be done with low sample mass (0.125 g), low reagent volume (4 ml), short sonication time (3 min) and low sonication amplitude (40%). Two variables are here particularly taken into account for total extraction: (i) the design of the extraction vessel and (ii) the solvent used to carry out the extraction. Results showed PAHs recoveries (EPA priority list) ranged between 77 and 101%, accounting for more than 95% for most of the PAHs here studied, as compared with the values obtained after soxhlet extraction. Taking into account the results reported in this work we recommend a revision of the EPA guidelines for PAHs extraction from solid matrices with focused ultrasound, so that these match the analytical minimalism concept.     

Evaluation of Platanus occidentalis and Pinus sylvestris as bioindicators for lead and cadmium by slurry sampling-electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Two higher plants (Platanus occidentalis and Pinus sylvestris) were used as bioindicators for assessment of contamination by Pb and Cd in an urban and industrialized area. Both toxic metals in plant tissue were determined by transverse-heated electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry-longitudinal Zeeman background correction combined with automated ultrasonic slurry sampling. Twenty sampling points were established to observe a relationship between metal concentration in plant and traffic density. Screening optimization of variables influencing slurry preparations (sonication time, sonication power, and surfactant concentration) followed a fractional factorial design at 2 levels. No significant effects were observed in the interval of variables studied. Limits of detection of Pb and Cd in the plants were 0.28 and 0.025 microg/g (dry weight), respectively. Metal concentrations in the plants were in the range of 5-51 and 0.05-0.7 microg/g for Pb and Cd, respectively. Factor analysis to data of metal concentration in both plants, extractable metal content in soil, distance to traffic, and traffic density, showed a significant association between features such as concentration of Pb and Cd in leaves of P. occidentalis and traffic density, which accounted for the largest variance. Other features such as extractable metal contents in soil accounted for lesser variance, meaning that soils in the area investigated were less suitable than plants for monitoring metal pollution caused by vehicular traffic.