Development of a multiplex microarray microsystem

A hybrid multiplex microarray microsystem has been developed that consists of 32 individually addressable array reaction chambers, supporting the use of multichannel pipettes for addition of up to 8 samples simultaneously. Discrimination between Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli bacteria was observed in DNA samples containing Campylobacter spp., with the same specificity and sensitivity as when compared to a full-size microarray. The spinloaded multiplex microarray microsystem described provides a novel and convenient test format for simultaneous low-density microarray analysis and is universally adaptable to other DNA, protein or small molecule microarray based applications.     

Functionalized chloroenamines in aminocyclopropane synthesis - VI. Chlorotetrahydropyridines as a basis for the synthesis of 3-azabicyclo[3.1.0.]hexane derivatives

Enamines 8a-e could be chlorinated by equimolar amounts of N-chlorosuccinimide (9) generating monochloroenamines 10a-e; 10a and 10d were isolated as pure substances. Two equivalents of 9 afforded the dichloroenamines 12a,c from 8a,c. Interaction of the chlorinated enamines 10a-e and 12a,c with cyanide gave morpholino-azabicyclohexane derivatives. 10a-d, thereby, led to exo-cyano-isomers lla-c; 12a,c generated endo-cyano compounds 13a,c. In the case of the ethoxycarbonylated chloroenamine 10e a mixture of diastereomeric products 11e and 14e resulted from the analogous reaction. Reduction of 11a and 14e with lithium aluminum hydride produced a pair of diastereomeric triamines 15 and 16. A tricyclic diazasystem 19 was formed from the reaction of cyanide with the carbamoylated chloroenamine 18. Monochloroenamine 10a and dichloroenamine 12a showed a significant mutagenic behaviour in the Ames test.     

Arsenic metabolism in seaweed-eating sheep from Northern Scotland

Cation exchange and anion exchange liquid chromatography were coupled to an ICP-MS and optimised for the separation of 13 different arsenic species in body fluids (arsenite, arsenate, dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA), trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO), tetramethylarsonium ion (TMA), arsenobetaine (AsB), arsenocholine (AsC), dimethylarsinoyl ethanol (DMAE) and four common dimethylarsinoylribosides (arsenosugars). The arsenic species were determined in seaweed extracts and in the urine and blood serum of seaweed-eating sheep from Northern Scotland. The sheep eat 2–4 kg of seaweed daily which is washed ashore on the most northern Island of Orkney. The urine, blood and wool of 20 North Ronaldsay sheep and kidney, liver and muscle from 11 sheep were sampled and analysed for their arsenic species. In addition five Dorset Finn sheep, which lived entirely on grass, were used as a control group. The sheep have a body burden of approximately 45–90 mg arsenic daily. Since the metabolism of arsenic species varies with the arsenite and arsenate being the most toxic, and organoarsenic compounds such as arsenobetaine the least toxic compounds, the determination of the arsenic species in the diet and their body fluids are important. The major arsenic species in their diet are arsenoribosides. The major metabolite excreted into urine and blood is DMAA (95 ± 4.1%) with minor amounts of MMAA, riboside X, TMA and an unidentified species. The occurrence of MMAA is assumed to be a precursor of the exposure to inorganic arsenic, since demethylation of dimethylated or trimethylated organoarsenic compounds is not known (max. MMAA concentration 259 μg/L). The concentrations in the urine (3179 ± 2667 μg/L) and blood (44 ± 19 μg/kg) are at least two orders of magnitude higher than the level of arsenic in the urine of the control sheep or literature levels of blood for the unexposed sheep. The tissue samples (liver: 292 ± 99 μg/kg, kidney: 565 ± 193 μg/kg, muscle: 680 ± 224 μg/kg) and wool samples (10 470 ± 5690 μg/kg) show elevated levels which are also 100 times higher than the levels for the unexposed sheep. Received: 29 February 2000 / Revised: 26 April 2000 / Accepted: 1 May 2000     

Atomic Interferometry in Gravitational Fields: Influence of Gravitation on the Beam Splitter

The laser induced splitting of atomic beams inthe presence of a gravitational field is analyzed. Inthe frame of a quasiclassical approximation, the motionof the atomic beam through a laser region with rectangular profile is calculated. Beside theusual beam splitting due to the atomlaser interaction,an additional splitting occurs due to the anomalouseffective interaction with the gravitational field. In a first order approximation in thegravitational acceleration, the outcome of an atominterferometry experiment is given, which includes thevarious corrections owing to the gravitationalmodification of the beam splitting process.