17O NMR Investigation of Chemical Homogeneity in Hybrid Systems

¹⁷O NMR experiments using enriched water were performed to followthe hydrolysis-condensation process of dimethyldiethoxysilanetetraethoxysilane and a 1/1 mixture of dimethyldiethoxysilane andtetraethoxysilane (H₂O/OEt = 0.5; pH = 2). The spectrarecorded over several hours time period were simulated to followquantitatively the variations of residual water, hydroxyl groups(Si–¹⁷ H) and oxo bridges (Si–¹⁷ –Si). Presence of a resonance signal due oxo bridges between di- andtetrafunctional Si units clearly demonstrates that co-condensationreactions occur to a large extent between the two alkoxides, and that thesebonds are stable during the aging period.     

Bioterrorism: impact on external quality assessment service delivery

Safety issues related to the design, production and distribution of simulated specimens for microbiology external quality assessment (EQA) have occupied scheme organisers for many years. Since the anthrax attacks in Washington, USA in October 2001, there has been heightened awareness in the public domain regarding the transport of infectious substances. For instance, in direct response to the anthrax incident in the US, microbiology institutes in the UK that handle dangerous pathogens (like the Health Protection Agency) are registered with the national police force and are inspected regularly to ensure compliance with current legislation covering the control of these pathogens. The fear of a complete ban on the movement of infectious substances following the anthrax incident has not yet been realised, but remains a serious risk. Many countries such as the UK, USA, and Australia have introduced measures for the control, transportation, and health and safety aspects of handling and distribution of infectious materials. The national postal services of many countries do not accept infectious materials by mail. There are a limited number of courier services willing to transport dangerous goods, especially division 6.2 (infectious substances) and these services are costly. Measures can be implemented by scheme organisers to ensure best practice; for instance, by having sufficient and trained staff, with knowledge, expertise and use of computerised systems in the shipping/export department. Ensuring compliance with national and international health and safety legislation by providing safety data sheets and by carrying out product risk assessments is required to ensure transparency and to demonstrate duty of care. Organisers of microbiology EQA face uncertainty about the future survival of schemes in the current climate. It is imperative that practices and procedures are put into place that meet with the legislation and enable us to continue to support quality in laboratory medicine.     

Theoretical evaluation of atomic charges to be integrated into conformational analyses of neutral lipids

Conformational analyses of large molecules as fatty acids and triglycerides are usually amenable by molecular mechanics. A correct evaluation of the electrostatic energy term is thus crucial in determining reliable results. In this contribution, we have considered the most abundant fatty acids in biomembranes, i.e., lauric, stearic, oleic, and elaidic acid, and the corresponding triglycerides, i.e., trilaurin, tristearin, triolein, and trielaidin, and estimated the Mulliken and potential-derived charges both at the semiempirical AM 1 and ab initio HF MO STO -3G level. Atomic charges obtained by the Mulliken population analysis do not take into account the full geometry of the molecule. On the contrary, the change of conformation, due to different chains length or the presence of a trans or cis double bond, greatly influences the repartition of the potential-derived charges. A systematic comparative analysis shows that charges calculated by AM 1 are not suitable because as they do not reproduce potential-derived charges obtained by ab initio. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO2): experimental aspects of QCM theory and CO2 adsorption

The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique has been developed into a powerful tool for the study of solid-fluid interfaces. This study focuses on the applications of QCM in high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) systems. Frequency responses of six QCM crystals with different electrode materials (silver or gold) and roughness values were determined in helium, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide at 35-40 degrees C and at elevated pressures up to 3200 psi. The goal is to experimentally examine the applicability of the traditional QCM theory in high-pressure systems and determine the adsorption of CO2 on the metal surfaces. A new QCM calculation approach was formulated to consider the surface roughness contribution to the frequency shift. It was found that the frequency-roughness correlation factor, Cr, in the new model was critical to the accurate calculation of mass changes on the crystal surface. Experiments and calculations demonstrated that the adsorption (or condensation) of gaseous and supercritical CO2 onto the silver and gold surfaces was as high as 3.6 microg cm(-2) at 40 degrees C when the CO2 densities are lower than 0.85 g cm(-3). The utilization of QCM crystals with different roughness in determining the adsorption of CO2 is also discussed.     

Skipping in a hybrid polyketide synthase. Evidence for ACP-to-ACP chain transfer

A tetraketide synthase containing a loading module (LM), the extension modules erythromycin module 1, rapamycin module 2, and erythromycin module 2 (LM-Ery1-Rap2-Ery2-TE), when expressed in Saccharopolyspora erythraea strain JC2, produced as previously reported a mixture of tetraketide lactones (minor products) and triketide lactones (major products). Several alternative plausible mechanisms by which this "skipping" phenomenon might occur may be proposed. Site-directed mutagenesis of the ketosynthase (KS) and acylcarrier protein (ACP) domains in the interpolated module has shown that skipping within the hybrid PKS involves passage of the growing polyketide through the interpolated module, by direct ACP-to-ACP transfer of the polyketide chain.     

Dendrimer-functionalized self-assembled monolayers as a surface plasmon resonance sensor surface

We report here a multistep route for the immobilization of DNA and proteins on chemically modified gold substrates using fourth-generation NH(2)-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers supported by an underlying amino undecanethiol (AUT) self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Bioactive ultrathin organic films were prepared via layer-by-layer self-assembly methods and characterized by fluorescence microscopy, variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and attenuated total internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The thickness of the AUT SAM base layer on the gold substrates was determined to be 1.3 nm from ellipsometry. Fluorescence microscopy and AFM measurements, in combination with analyses of the XPS/ATR-FTIR spectra, confirmed the presence of the dendrimer/biopolymer molecules on the multilayer sensor surfaces. Model proteins, including streptavidin and rabbit immunoglobulin proteins, were covalently attached to the dendrimer layer using linear cross-linking reagents. Through surface plasmon resonance measurements, we found that sensor surfaces containing a dendrimer layer displayed an increased protein immobilization capacity, compared to AUT SAM sensor surfaces without dendrimer molecules. Other SPR studies also revealed that the dendrimer-based surfaces are useful for the sensitive and specific detection of DNA-DNA interactions. Significantly, the multicomponent films displayed a high level of stability during repeated regeneration and hybridization cycles, and the kinetics of the DNA-DNA hybridization process did not appear to be influenced by surface mass transport limiting effects.     

A ring-fission/C–C bond cleavage reaction with an N-alkyl-N-methyl-N-[(5-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)methyl]amine

The reaction of N-(3,4-dichlorophenethyl)-N-methylamine (1) with 3-chloromethyl-5-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole (2) was investigated. Employment of an equimolar amount of 1 and 2 in the presence of potassium carbonate led to the expected tertiary amine 3 (N-[(3,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl]-N-methyl-N-[(5-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)methyl]amine), whereas an excess of 1 and prolonged reaction time resulted in ring fission of the oxadiazole system in 3 and finally in the formation of N′-benzoyl-N-[(3,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl]-N-methylguanidine (4) and N,N′-bis[(3,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl]-N,N′-dimethylmethanediamine (5). The structures of products 3–5 were determined by means of ¹H and ¹³C NMR-spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and IR-spectroscopy, for 3 (as picrate) and 4 also X-ray structure analysis was employed. A possible mechanism of the reaction pathway leading to compounds 4 and 5 is proposed.     

New compounds obtained by enzymatic oxidation of phloridzin

Oxidation of phloridzin was studied in a model system in the presence of apple polyphenol oxidase. In addition to 3-hydroxy phloridzin, two major oxidation products were purified by reversed phase HPLC at the semi-preparative scale. Their structures were elucidated by UV, ESI-MSⁿ and NMR spectroscopies. The first compound was a colourless product, whose novel structure strongly differs from its precursor showing a biphenyl moiety and a propionic acid chain. The second product was an oxidised form of the first one and corresponded to a stable yellow pigment with two isomeric forms. A mechanism of formation of these products, which implied successive oxidation and nucleophilic addition steps was proposed.     

Die Gadoliniumcarbidhalogenide Gd4C2X3 (X = Cl,Br)

The Gadolinium Carbide Halides, Gd₄C₂X₃ (X = Cl, Br) The compounds Gd₄C₂X₃ (X = Cl, Br) and Tb₄C₂Br₃ have been prepared by reaction of the metals (RE), REX₃, and C in sealed Ta capsules at 1 100° and 1 300°C, respectively. Monophasic samples of Gd₄C₂Br₃ and Tb₄C₂Br₃ were obtained by reacting stoichiometric mixtures of the starting materials for five days. The needle shaped crystals are bronze-coloured and sensitive to air and moisture. Gd₄C₂X₃ crystallizes in the space group Pnma (No. 62) with lattice constants a = 1 059.6(4), b = 368.4(1), c = 1 962.7(8) pm (Gd₄C₂Cl₃), a = 1 084.4(1), b = 373.0(1), c = 2 036.1(1) pm (Gd₄C₂Br₃). According to Guinier photographs, Tb₄C₂Br₃ is isotypic (a = 1 074.3(2), b = 370.6(1), c = 2 019.4(1) pm). In the crystal structure C is octahedrally coordinated by Gd. The Gd₆ octahedra are linked via common edges to form corrugated layers. The X-anions coordinate all free edges and corners of these layers and connect them via Xⁱ? Xⁱ contacts parallel [001]. Gd₄C₂Br₃ shows metallic conductivity. The magnetic susceptibility follows at high temperatures a Curie Weiss law with an effective moment of 7.95 μ_B. At temperatures below 50 K antiferromagnetic order is observed.