Determination of sulfur and selected trace elements in metallothionein-like proteins using capillary electrophoresis hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with an octopole reaction cell

The determination of sulfur in biologically relevant samples such as metalloproteins is described. The analytical methodology used is based on robust on-line coupling between capillary electrophoresis (CE) and octopole reaction cell inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ORC–ICP–MS). Polyatomic ions that form in the plasma and interfere with the determination of S at mass 32 are minimised by addition of xenon to the collision cell. The method has been applied to the separation and simultaneous element-specific detection of sulfur, cadmium, copper, and zinc in commercially available metallothionein preparations (MT) and metallothionein-like proteins (MLP) extracted from liver samples of bream (Abramis brama L.) caught in the river Elbe, Germany. Instrumental detection limits have been calculated according to the German standard procedure DIN 32645 for the determination of sulfur and some simultaneously measured trace elements in aqueous solution. For sulfur detection limits down to 1.3 g L^–1 (³⁴S) and 3.2 g L^–1 (³²S) were derived. For the other trace elements determined simultaneously detection limits ranging from 300 ng L^–1 (⁵⁸Ni) to 500 ng L^–1 (⁶⁶Zn, ⁵⁵Mn) were achieved. For quantification of sulfur and cadmium in a commercially available MT preparation under hyphenated conditions the use of external calibration is suggested. Finally, the need for proper sample-preparation technique will be discussed.     

Astringency Sensitivity to Tannic Acid: Effect of Ageing and Saliva

Astringency is an important sensory characteristic of food and beverages containing polyphenols. However, astringency perception in elderly people has not been previously documented. The aim of the present work was to evaluate sensitivity to astringency as a function of age, salivary flow and protein amount. Fifty-four panellists, including 30 elderly people (age = 75 ± 4.2 years) and 24 young people (age = 29.4 ± 3.8 years), participated in this study. Astringency sensitivity was evaluated by the 2-alternative forced choice (2-AFC) procedure using tannic acid solutions. Whole saliva was collected for 5 min before and after the sensory tests. The results showed that the astringency threshold was significantly higher in the elderly group than the young group. No correlation was observed between the salivary protein amount and threshold value. However, a negative correlation between salivary flow and threshold was observed in the young group only. These results showed a difference in oral astringency perception as a function of age. This difference can be linked to salivary properties that differ as a function of age.     

Exact Scaling Functions for One-Dimensional Stationary KPZ Growth

We determine the stationary two-point correlation function of the one-dimensional KPZ equation through the scaling limit of a solvable microscopic model, the polynuclear growth model. The equivalence to a directed polymer problem with specific boundary conditions allows one to express the corresponding scaling function in terms of the solution to a Riemann–Hilbert problem related to the Painlevé II equation. We solve these equations numerically with very high precision and compare our, up to numerical rounding exact, result with the prediction of Colaiori and Moore⁽¹⁾ obtained from the mode coupling approximation.     

Contributions to the theory of stochastic programming

Two stochastic programming decision models are presented. In the first one, we use probabilistic constraints, and constraints involving conditional expectations further incorporate penalties into the objective. The probabilistic constraint prescribes a lower bound for the probability of simultaneous occurrence of events, the number of which can be infinite in which case stochastic processes are involved. The second one is a variant of the model: two-stage programming under uncertainty, where we require the solvability of the second stage problem only with a prescribed (high) probability. The theory presented in this paper is based to a large extent on recent results of the author concerning logarithmic concave measures.This work was supported in part by the Institute of Economic Planning, Budapest.This paper was presented at the 7th Mathematical Programming Symposium 1970, The Hague, The Netherlands, under the title Programming under probabilistic constraints and programming under constraints involving conditional expectations.     

The CRESST dark matter search

We discuss the short-and long-term perspectives of the CRESST (Cryogenic Rare Event Search using Superconducting Thermometers) project and present the current status of the experiment and new results concerning detector development. In the search for elementary particle dark matter, CRESST is presently the most advanced deep underground, low-background, cryogenic facility. The basic technique involved is to search for WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) by the measurement of nonthermal phonons, as created by WIMP-induced nuclear recoils. Combined with our newly developed method for the simultaneous measurement of scintillation light, strong background discrimination is possible, resulting in a substantial increase in WIMP detection sensitivity. This will allow a test of the reported positive evidence for a WIMP signal by the DAMA Collaboration in the near future. In the long term, the present CRESST setup permits the installation of a detector mass up to 100 kg. In contrast to other projects, CRESST technology allows the employment of a large variety of detection materials. This offers a powerful tool in establishing a WIMP signal and in investigating WIMP properties in the event of a positive signal.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript>4</Subscript>-free subgraphs of random graphs revisited

In Combinatorica 17(2), 1997, Kohayakawa, ?uczak and Rödl state a conjecture which has several implications for random graphs. If the conjecture is true, then, for example, an application of a version of Szemerédi’s regularity lemma for sparse graphs yields an estimation of the maximal number of edges in an H-free subgraph of a random graph G _{n, p} . In fact, the conjecture may be seen as a probabilistic embedding lemma for partitions guaranteed by a version of Szemerédi’s regularity lemma for sparse graphs. In this paper we verify the conjecture for H = K ₄, thereby providing a conceptually simple proof for the main result in the paper cited above.     

On well-posedness of incompressible two-phase flows with phase transitions: the case of non-equal densities

The basic model for incompressible two-phase flows with phase transitions consistent with thermodynamics is studied. The latter means that the total energy is conserved and the total entropy is nondecreasing. We consider the case of constant but non-equal densities of the phases, complementing our previous paper (Prüss et?al. in Evol Equ Control Theory 1:171–194, 2012) where the case of equal densities is analyzed. The local well-posedness of such problems is proved by means of the technique of maximal L _p -regularity, in a configuration where the interface is nearly flat and initial data are small.     

Efficient J=0-1 soft-X-ray lasing in neon-like ions at pump powers below 250 GW

2 . By using a 0.7% prepulse that precedes the main pulse by 5 ns and applying a total pump energy of 100 J or less, the J=0-1 lasing is at least one order of magnitude higher than the non-lasing background. For the 32.6-nm line of Ti, the 25.5-nm line of Fe, and the 23.1-nm line of Ni, gain coefficients of (±) 4.20.4cm^-1, (±) 3.90.3cm^-1, and (±) 3.60.6cm^-1, respectively, were measured for 2.4-cm-long curved targets, resulting in gain–length products of ∼10. Angle-resolved spectra indicate a beam divergence of 3 mrad (FWHM), typically. The space-resolved spectra show that the J=0-1 lasing lines are emitted from an approximately 60-μm-wide (FWHM) plasma region, whereas the nearby continuum emission is produced in a considerably broader plasma region of ∼250 μm. Lasing at 25.5 nm in neon-like iron was observed at a pump power as low as 180 GW (∼9 TW/cm²), with, however, considerable shot-to-shot scatter in the absolute laser output. Received: 5 September 1997/Revised version: 10 November 1997     

For Which Densities are Random Triangle-Free Graphs Almost Surely Bipartite?

Denote by the class of all triangle-free graphs on n vertices and m edges. Our main result is the following sharp threshold, which answers the question for which densities a typical triangle-free graph is bipartite. Fix > 0 and let . If n/2 m (1 – ) t ₃, then almost all graphs in are not bipartite, whereas if m (1 + )t ₃, then almost all of them are bipartite. For m (1 + )t ₃, this allows us to determine asymptotically the number of graphs in . We also obtain corresponding results for C -free graphs, for any cycle C of fixed odd length. Forschergruppe Algorithmen, Struktur, Zufall supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant FOR 413/1-1     

On a Construction of Fast Direct Solvers

Fast direct solvers for the Poisson equation with homogeneous Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions on special triangles and tetrahedra are constructed. The domain given is extended by symmetrization or skew symmetrization onto a rectangle or a rectangular parallelepiped and a fast direct solver is used there. All extendable domains are found. Eigenproblems are also considered.