Separation, identification, and interaction of heparin oligosaccharides with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor using capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) method was developed for the separation of heparin oligosaccharides compatible to study the interactions between the oligosaccharides and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). Unfractionated heparin was eliminitively degraded to heparin oligosaccharides by an endolytic heparinase. The degraded smaller oligosaccharides (M(r) < 1000) were baseline-separated by CE under a 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 9.0) in 10 min. Standard heparin disaccharides and larger oligosaccharides (1000 < M(r) < 8000) were all separated under optimized separation conditions. Compared with standard heparin disaccharides, smaller oligosaccharides contained one nonsulfated, two monosulfated, and two disulfated disaccharides, but trisulfated disaccharides were not found. The smaller oligosaccharides were also identified and molecular mass was deduced by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Furthermore, interactions between G-CSF and the oligosaccharides were studied by using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) under the above separation conditions. It was found that larger oligosaccharides could interact with G-CSF while smaller oligosaccharides were not observed to bind to G-CSF under the experimental conditions. In conclusion, the purified heparinase could selectively degrade heparin into oligosaccharides and the interaction between G-CSF and heparin was correlated with the chain length of heparin.     

Labile rhizosphere soil solution fraction for prediction of bioavailability of heavy metals and rare earth elements to plants

A labile rhizosphere soil solution fraction has been recommended to predict the bioavailability of heavy metals and rare earth elements to plants. This method used moist rhizosphere soil in combination with a mixture of 0.01 mol L(-1) of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) as extractant. The extracted soil solutions were fractionated into two colloidal fractions of <0.45 microm (F(3)) and <0.2 microm (F(2)), and one truly dissolved fraction including free metal ions and inorganic and organic complexes (fractionr(0.2 microm, LMWOAs) approximately r(0.45 microm, LMWOAs). In the case of rare earth elements the good correlation was obtained for both the wheat roots and shoots. Generally, the correlation coefficients obtained by LMWAOs were better than that obtained by the first step of BCR method. Therefore, LMWAOs and F(lrss) were strongly recommended to predict the bioavailability of metals in soil pools to plants.     

Interactions of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (dtpa) and triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid (ttha) with major components of natural waters

The binding ability of diethylene triamine pentaacetate (dtpa(5-)) and triethylene tetraamine hexaacetate (ttha(6-)) ligands towards major components, H(+), Na(+), Mg(2+) and Ca(2+), of natural waters was studied in both single and mixed ionic media at different ionic strengths and at T=25 degrees C. Some measurements, performed in Mg(2+)-Ca(2+) mixtures, allowed us to find the formation of new mixed species MgCa(dtpa), MgCa(ttha) and MgCaH(ttha), here reported for the first time. All the complexes formed in the various systems were characterized in terms of both stoichiometry and stability, and an attempt was made to find general rules for the stability of mixed metal complexes in comparison with that of simple species. To obtain quantitative information on the complexing ability of dtpa and ttha in seawater, measurements have been carried out in artificial seawater ionic medium (Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Cl(-) and SO(4)(2-)). Calculations, performed by considering the salt mixture as single salt BA, allowed us to find some quite stable B(i)H(j)L species. Under the natural seawater conditions [S(salinity)=35], we found for the most important species logbeta( B(dtpa))=9.64 and. Literature data comparison is also reported.     

Carbon fiber cylindrical microelectrode-based detector for the determination of antithyroid drugs

An amperometric flow-injection method for the determination of antithyroid drugs such as 6-methyl-2-thiouracil (MTU) using a carbon fiber cylindrical microelectrode-based detector is reported. A home-made flow-cell specially adapted for working with cylindrical microelectrodes ranging between 4 and 10 mm in length was used for this purpose. Methanol containing 0.05 mol l(-1) tetrabutylammonium perchlorate as the supporting electrolyte was employed, and a potential of +1.6 V was selected for the amperometric detection of MTU. No cleaning or electrode surface regeneration of the fiber was necessary during the whole working day. A limit of detection of 2.6x10(-7) mol l(-1) (37 mug MTU l(-1)) was achieved. The method was applied to the determination of MTU in spiked feed samples (peas and corn flour), at the 142 mug g(-1) level. The procedure involved the extraction of the drug in methanol, a clean-up step using Florisil cartridges and the use of the standard additions method. Recoveries of 81+/-6 and 85+/-8% were obtained for peas and corn flour, respectively.     

Solubility Study of Nimodipine Inclusion Complexation with α- and β-Cyclodextrin and some Substituted Cyclodextrins

The solubility of nimodipine was measured in aqueous solutions of the following cyclodextrins: -cyclodextrin (-CD), hydroxypropyl--CD (HP--CD), -cyclodextrin (-CD), random substituted methyl--CD (M--CD), three hydroxypropyl--CDs (HP--CD) with mutually different average degree of substitution, and hydroxypropyl--cyclodextrin (HP--CD). From the determined linear solubility diagrams the values of the binding constant K₁₁ of the inclusion complexes of nimodipine with the respective CDs were evaluated. The -CDs efficiently solubilized sparingly soluble nimodipine, the highest value of K₁₁ was found for M--CD (1680 M^-1), followed by -CD (550 M^-1) and HP--CDs, where the higher degree of substitution lowered K₁₁. Only slight solubilization of nimodipine was observed in the solutions of the -CDs and HP--CD.     

Influence of the Meniscus at the Bottom of the Solid Plate on Imbibition Experiments

The analysis of the experiments on liquid imbibition into porous solids carried out by using the increase of weight technique proves the influence that meniscus formation has on the experimental increase of weight when the bottom of the porous layer is put in contact with the free surface of the liquid used to perform the penetration experiments. This process (meniscus onset) has a temporary dependence due to the change of the distance between the inferior base of the plate and the free surface of the liquid as a result of the imbibition. We have also found the proper experimental conditions under which such temporary dependence can be minimized after a short time after the start of contact between the porous layer and the free surface of the liquid utilized in the penetration procedure. Thus, the weight increase because of the meniscus formation can be assumed as a constant during the greatest part of the experiments, allowing the use of the proper mathematical form of Washburn's equation in order to describe the imbibition of the liquid into the pores of the solid. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Spectral and electrochemical study of coordination molecules Cu4OX6L4: 3-Methylpyridine and 4-Methylpyridine Cu4OBrnCl(6−n)L4 complexes

The tetranuclear Cu₄OBr_nCl_(6-n)L₄ complexes, where L = 3-methylpyridine (3-Mepy), 4-methylpyridine (4-Mepy) and n=0–6 with trigonal bipyramidal coordination of copper(II) were prepared and their infrared and electronic absorption spectra as well as cyclic voltammograms in nitromethane solutions were measured. The polyhedra in Cu₄OBr_nCl_(6−n) (3-Mepy)₄ molecules are less distorted comparing with those of 4-Mepy analogues as indicated by infrared Cu₄O absorptions, far infrared Cu—Br, Cu—Cl, and Cu—N absorptions, d—d bands in electronic spectra and potentials, measured by cyclic voltammetry. The 3-Mepy complexes exhibit strong single infrared Cu₄O absorptions, while for related 4-Mepy complexes doubly split Cu₄O bands were observed. Two strongly overlapped d—d bands in electronic absorption spectra of the 3-and 4-Mepy complexes in nitromethane were resolved by Gaussian fitting. The 4-Mepy ligand produces slightly stronger ligand field than its 3-Mepy analogue. The maxima of high-energy d—d bands are in a linear correlation with the number of bromide ligands. The correlations for corresponding low-energy bands are considerably deviated from linearity. The halfwave potentials of the complexes in nitromethane correlate with both the number of bromides and the data of electronic absorption spectra suggesting that the reducing electron at the electrode process enters the half-filled d _{z 2} orbital of the copper(II) atom. The origin of a difference between the 3-and 4-Mepy complexes in their spectral and electrochemical properties is also discussed.     

Effects of cetylpyridinium bromide micelles on the spectrofluorimetric characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The presence of a micellar medium of cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) causes, in relation to the aqueous medium, important bathochromic shifts in the excitation spectra of a considerable number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Furthermore, the CPB acts as a quencher, provoking inhibitions of the fluorescence intensity emitted by PAHs. The micellar inhibition factors show that, generally, the quenching affects alternant hydrocarbons to a greater extent. Some interesting relationships between the hydrocarbon structure and both the characteristic wavelengths of fluorescence spectra and the values of Deltalambda are established.     

Photochemistry of nonconjugated bichromophoric systems III. Synthesis and photoreaction of poly(ethylene glycol) biscoumarinyloxyacetates

A series of poly(ethylene glycol) biscoumarinyloxyacetatea have been synthesized and their intramolecular photochemical cyclodimerizations have been studied. It was found that only syn-HT configuration products were obtained when these bisesters were directly irradiated in chloroform, and the yields of the products decreased with the increase of the chain length. This photocyclization reaction is a convenient and effective method to synthesize macrocyclic compounds.     

A comparison between ICP-MS and AFS detection for arsenic speciation in environmental samples

Performances of two atomic detectors, Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (AFS) have been compared for arsenic speciation in environmental samples. Instrumental couplings, based on the use of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), hydride generation (HG), and the two atomic detectors were used for the speciation of arsenite, arsenate, dimethylarsinic acid and monomethylarsonic acid. Optionally, arsenobetaine was also determined using on-line ultraviolet (UV) photooxidation. The detection limits ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 mug l(-1) (as As) and the precision >10% RSD obtained with HPLC-(UV)-HG-AFS were comparable with those obtained with HPLC-(UV)-HG-ICP-MS. Both instrumental coupling were applied to the NRCC-TORT-1 and several environmental samples, such as seawater, freshwater, sediments, bivalves and bird eggs, taken from two areas with different degrees of pollution. No influence of the sample matrix was observed on the results using external calibration and standard additions methods, for both coupled techniques.