Electronic detection of the enzymatic degradation of starch

[reaction: see text] The enzymatic degradation of starch can be monitored electronically using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as semiconducting probes in field-effect transistors (FETs). Incubation of these devices in aqueous buffer solutions of amyloglucosidase (AMG) results in the removal of the starch from both the silicon surfaces and the side walls of the SWNTs in the FETs, as evidenced by direct imaging and electronic measurements.     

Comparison of the photodynamic effect of exogenous photoprotoporphyrin and protoporphyrin IX on PAM 212 murine keratinocytes

A comparative study of the cellular photosensitizing properties of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and photoprotoporphyrin (Ppp) was carried out in the transformed murine keratinocyte cell line, PAM 212. Time-course fluorescence studies were performed to determine the rate of uptake by cells together with fluorescence microscopy. The sensitized cells were laser irradiated with a range of light doses at 635 or 670 nm to determine the phototoxicity of the two compounds and to investigate their relative fluorescence photobleaching properties. Ppp showed enhanced phototoxicity at both its optimal activation wavelength of 670 nm (eight times more phototoxic than PpIX activated at its optimal wavelength of 635 nm for the same fluence) and at 635 nm (three times more phototoxic than PpIX at the same wavelength), using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. The photobleaching rate of Ppp in cells was found to be higher using 670 nm irradiation compared with that of PpIX at 635 nm irradiation. At 635 nm, however, the photobleaching rate of Ppp was comparable to that of PpIX. The photobleaching quantum yields of the two compounds in cells were found to be similar at approximately 5 x 10(-4), with the same value confirmed at both 670 and 635 nm irradiation for Ppp. The fluorescence lifetime of Ppp in cells was measured as 5.4 ns using time-correlated single photon counting.     

Photoinduzierte Cycloadditionen von 3-Benzyl-2H-azirin

Irradiation of 2-azido-3-phenyl-propene ( 5 ) in pentane or benzene solution with a high pressure lamp (pyrex filter) yields 3-benzyl-2H-azirin ( 6 ), which on further irradiation behind quartz or vycor in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid methylester or carbon dioxide yields 4-benzyl-5-methoxy-5-trifluoromethyl-3-oxazolin ( 8 ) and 4-benzyl-3-oxazolin-5-one ( 9 ), respectively (scheme 2). A small amount of 3-phenylacetonitrile is also formed.     

Cumulative indices for Spectrochima Acta, Part A and Spectrochimica Acta, Part B

This article is an electronic publication in Spectrochimica Acta Electronica (SAE), a section of Spectrochimica Acta, Part B (SAB). The hardcopy text is accompanied by an electronic archive, stored on the SAE homepage at http://www.elsevier.nl/locate/sabe. The archive contains data, index and program files. The main article discusses the bibliographical purpose of the program and data files. A collective index for Spectrochimica Acta for volumes since it was split into Parts A and B, and continuing through 1991 for SAA and 1997 for SAB, is presented in DBF format, along with rudimentary data entry and access software.     

The preparation of copper(II) and copper(I) salts in acetonitrile using group VA and VB pentafluorides

Copper(II) fluorine reacts with the pentafluorides, TaF₅, PF₅, and AsF₅, in acetonitrile to give solvated Cu^II, hexafluoroanion salts. These react with copper metal to give the corresponding Cu^I compounds. Similar reactions occur between AsF₅ and silver(I) or thallium(I) fluorides, but silver(II) fluoride reacts with MeCN, and Ag^I hexafluoroarsenate is formed. PF₅ oxidises Cu slowly in MeCN to give Cu^I hexafluorophosphate, but AsF₅ has no oxidising ability towards metals in MeCN. Spectroscopic data for Cu(MF₆)₂·5MeCN and Cu(MF₆)·4MeCN (M = Ta or P) are discussed.     

Cleavage of benzyltrimethylstannanes by aqueous methanolic perchloric acid

The rates of cleavage of some XC₆H₄CH₂SnMe₃ bonds by aqueous-methanolic perchloric acid have been measured spectrophotometrically, and the rate of cleavage of the MeSn bonds of PhCH₂SnMe₃ and Me₄Sn by monitoring the methane evolution. The results indicate that for X = H, p-Me, o-Me, p-Bu^t, o-, m- and p-F and -Cl, and o-Br, the cleavage of the CH₂SnMe₃ bond involves attack of the acid at the benzylic atom, and is not much faster than that of the SnMe bonds, but that a mechanism involving ring-protonation is important for X = m-Me, and greatly predominant for X = m-OMe.     

Der quadratfreie Kern der Eulerschen φ-Funktion

It is shown by a simple induction that any square-free natural number is the square-free kernel of Euler's -function of infinitely many natural numbers. Furthermore every square-free natural number >1 is the square-free kernel of Euler's -function of infinitely many square-numbers.     

Longitudinal (1)H relaxation optimization in TROSY NMR spectroscopy

A general method to enhance the sensitivity of the multidimensional NMR experiments performed at high-polarizing magnetic field via the significant reduction of the longitudinal proton relaxation times is described. The method is based on the use of two vast pools of "thermal bath" 1H spins residing on hydrogens covalently attached to carbon and oxygen atoms in 13C,15N labeled and fully protonated or fractionally deuterated proteins to uniformly enhance longitudinal relaxation of the 1HN spins and concomitantly the sensitivity of multipulse NMR experiments. The proposed longitudinal relaxation optimization is implemented in the 2D [15N,1H]-LTROSY, 2D [15N,1H]-LHSQC and 3D LTROSY-HNCA experiments yielding the factor 2-2.5 increase of the maximal signal-to-noise ratio per unit time at 600 MHz. At 900 MHz, the predicted decrease of the 1HN longitudinal relaxation times can be as large as one order of magnitude, making the proposed method an important tool for protein NMR at high magnetic fields.     

Selective Transport of Lead(II) and Strontium(II) Through a Crown Ether-Based Polymer Inclusion Membrane Containing Dialkylnaphthalenesulfonic Acid

New polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) containing 18-membered crownethers and dialkylnaphthalenesulfonic acid are proposed for Sr2+ and Pb2+removal from nitric acid solutions. The influence of source phasecomposition and stripping agents was characterized and permeabilitycoefficients were calculated. The PIMs are easy to prepare and may be usefulin separation and concentration procedures for these cations from complexmixtures such as nuclear waste. Long-term stability was obtained for atleast several weeks of constant use during which no significant change ofpermeability was observed.     

Preparation of polar phase coated open tubular columns for steroid analysis

Summary Open tubular columns made of soda glass may be successfully coated with polar stationary phases after etching with dry HCl. Such columns are useful in difficult separations of steroids and their subsequent identification.