Development of a high-throughput method for the determination of itraconazole and its hydroxy metabolite in human plasma, employing automated liquid–liquid extraction based on 96-well format plates and LC/MS/MS

A semi-automated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of the antifungal drug itraconazole (ITZ) and its coactive metabolite hydroxyitraconazole (OH-ITZ) in human plasma. The plasma samples underwent liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) in 2.2 mL 96 deepwell plates. ITZ, OH-ITZ and the internal standard (IS) R51012 were extracted from plasma, using a mixture of acetonitrile (ACN) and methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) as the organic solvent. This specific mixture, due to its composition, had a significant impact on the performance of the assay. All liquid transfer steps, including preparation of calibration standards and quality control samples as well as the addition of the IS, were performed automatically using robotic liquid handling workstations for parallel sample processing. After vortexing, centrifugation and freezing, the supernatant organic solvent was evaporated. The analytes and IS were dissolved in a small volume of a reconstitution solution, an aliquot of which was analyzed by combined reversed phase LC/MS/MS, with positive ion electrospray ionization and a TurboIonSpray interface, using multiple reactions monitoring (MRM). The method was shown to be sensitive and specific to both ITZ and OH-ITZ, it revealed excellent linearity for the range of concentrations 2–500 ng mL⁻¹ for ITZ and 4–1000 ng mL⁻¹ for OH-ITZ, it was very accurate and it gave very good inter- and intra-day precisions. The proposed high-throughput method was employed in a bioequivalence study after per os administration of two 100 mg tablets of ITZ, and it allowed this study to be completed in under four days.     

Coordination Complexes of a Neutral 1,2,4‐Benzotriazinyl Radical Ligand: Synthesis,Molecular and Electronic Structures,and Magnetic Properties

A series of d‐block metal complexes of the recently reported coordinating neutral radical ligand 1‐phenyl‐3‐(pyrid‐2‐yl)‐1,4‐dihydro‐1,2,4‐benzotriazin‐4‐yl ( 1 ) was synthesized. The investigated systems contain the benzotriazinyl radical 1 coordinated to a divalent metal cation, Mn^II, Fe^II, Co^II, or Ni^II, with 1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoroacetylacetonato (hfac) as the auxiliary ligand of choice. The synthesized complexes were fully characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and electronic structure calculations. The complexes [Mn( 1 )(hfac)₂] and [Fe( 1 )(hfac)₂] displayed antiferromagnetic coupling between the unpaired electrons of the ligand and the metal cation, whereas the interaction was found to be ferromagnetic in the analogous Ni^II complex [Ni( 1 )(hfac)₂]. The magnetic properties of the complex [Co( 1 )(hfac)₂] were difficult to interpret owing to significant spin–orbit coupling inherent to octahedral high‐spin Co^II metal ion. As a whole, the reported data clearly demonstrated the favorable coordinating properties of the radical 1 , which, together with its stability and structural tunability, make it an excellent new building block for establishing more complex metal–radical architectures with interesting magnetic properties.     

Structure of bis(2-pyridine-N-oxide) diselenide and its formation from tetraphenylantimony(V)selenopyridine-N-oxide

The structure of bis(2-pyridine-N-oxide) diselenide was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallized in the triclinic system and the structure was solved in the space group . The lattice constants were determined to bea=7.174(2),b=7.176(2),c=11.070(2) , =87.67(2)°, =73.68(2)°, and =89.57(2)°;Z=2,D _x=1.906 Mg m^–3. The final least squares refinement based on 1942 independent observed reflections yieldedR=0.033,wR=0.044. The Se–Se bond length is 2.326(1) and each Se is coordinated to the O atom of the corresponding N-oxide moiety at a distance of about 2.6 .     

cis‐Dichloro(dimethyl sulfoxide‐S)(2‐methoxypyridine‐N)platinum(II)

The title complex, [PtCl₂(C₆H₇NO)(C₂H₆OS)], exhibits square‐planar geometry. The plane of the pyridine ring makes a dihedral angle of 67.2 (3)° with the square plane of the metal center. The S—O bond is nearly aligned with the adjacent Pt—N bond, leaving the methyl groups of the di­methyl sulfoxide ligand to stagger the Pt—Cl bond.     

On-line sorptive preconcentration platform incorporating a readily exchangeable Oasis HLB extraction micro-cartridge for trace cadmium and lead determination by flow injection-flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple, sensitive and inexpensive flow injection solid phase extraction (SPE) system was developed for automatic determination of trace level concentrations of metals. The potentials of this novel scheme, coupled to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), were demonstrated for trace cadmium and lead determination in environmental water samples. The method was based on on-line chelate complex formation of target species with ammonium diethyldithiophosphate (DDTP), retention onto the surface of reversed-phase poly(divinylbenzene-N-vinylpyrrolidone) co-polymeric beads (Oasis HLB) and elution with methanol prior to atomization. A special PVC adapter was designed for easy and rapid replacement of the commercially available SPE cartridge. All main chemical and hydrodynamic parameters affecting the complex formation, sorption and elution of the analyte were optimized thoroughly. Moreover, the effect of potential interfering species occurring in environmental samples was also explored.For 90 s preconcentration time, enhancement factors of 155 and 180, detection limits (3s) of 0.09 μg L^− 1 and 0.9 μg L^− 1 and relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) of 2.9% (at 4.0 μg L^− 1) and 2.6% (at 20.0 μg L^− 1) were obtained for cadmium and lead, respectively, with a sample throughput of 24 h^− 1. The measurement trueness of the developed method was evaluated by analyzing a certified reference material and spiked environmental water samples. The proposed method is well suited to detect the target elements at concentration levels below the maximum allowed concentrations endorsed by the European Framework Directive (2008/105/EC) in inland and coastal waters.     

Solid–liquid phase equilibria in the systems K2SO4–MSO4–H2O (M = Co,Ni, Cu) from ambient to enhanced temperatures

Reviewing the literature solubility isotherms in the ternary systems K₂SO₄–MSO₄–H₂O (M = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) revealed a lack at ambient temperatures. The solid–liquid phase equilibria have been determined in the systems K₂SO₄–MSO₄–H₂O (M = Co, Ni, Cu) at T = 313 K. With increasing bivalent metal sulfate concentration, the solubility of potassium sulfate rises until the two-salt point is reached. Reciprocally, the solubility of the bivalent metal sulfate hydrates (CoSO₄·7H₂O, α-NiSO₄·6H₂O, CuSO₄·5H₂O) increases with rising potassium sulfate concentration. In all three systems the double salts of Tutton's type K₂SO₄·MSO₄·6H₂O (M = Co, Ni, Cu) are formed.     

Profit loss in differentiated oligopolies

We provide sharp lower and upper bounds on the ratio of decentralized to centralized profits when multiproduct firms offering differentiated products engage in price competition. The bounds depend on the demand sensitivity matrix but are independent of marginal costs.     

Dynamic pricing and inventory control: robust vs. stochastic uncertainty models—a computational study

In this paper, we consider a variety of models for dealing with demand uncertainty for a joint dynamic pricing and inventory control problem in a make-to-stock manufacturing system. We consider a multi-product capacitated, dynamic setting, where demand depends linearly on the price. Our goal is to address demand uncertainty using various robust and stochastic optimization approaches. For each of these approaches, we first introduce closed-loop formulations (adjustable robust and dynamic programming), where decisions for a given time period are made at the beginning of the time period, and uncertainty unfolds as time evolves. We then describe models in an open-loop setting, where decisions for the entire time horizon must be made at time zero. We conclude that the affine adjustable robust approach performs well (when compared to the other approaches such as dynamic programming, stochastic programming and robust open loop approaches) in terms of realized profits and protection against constraint violation while at the same time it is computationally tractable. Furthermore, we compare the complexity of these models and discuss some insights on a numerical example.     

Electronic interplay on illuminated aqueous carbon nanohorn-porphyrin ensembles

Tetracationic water-soluble porphyrin (H(2)P(4+)) has been immobilized by pi-pi stacking interactions onto the skeleton of carbon nanohorns (CNH), without disrupting their pi-electronic network. The stable aqueous solution of the CNH-H(2)P(4+) nanoensemble was examined by both electron microscopy and spectroscopic techniques. The efficient fluorescence quenching of the H(2)P(4+) moiety in the CNH-H(2)P(4+) nanoensemble was probed by steady-state as well as time-resolved fluorescence emission spectroscopy, suggesting charge separation from the photoexcited H(2)P(4+) to CNH. In the presence of methyl viologen dication (MV(2+)) and a hole trap, accumulation of the reduced species of methyl viologen was observed by the photoillumination of CNH-H(2)P(4+), suggesting that the electron migration from the initially formed charge-separated state takes place. Transient absorption spectroscopy gave further insights on the transient species such as the charge-separated state (CNH(*-))-(H(2)P(4+))(*+), which was consumed in the presence of MV(2+) and hole shifter, leaving the reduced methyl viologen.     

A study of Nafion-coated bismuth-film electrodes for the determination of trace metals by anodic stripping voltammetry

This work reports on the fabrication, characterization and applications of Nafion-coated bismuth-film electrodes (NCBFE's) for the determination of trace metals by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). A NCBFE was typically prepared by first applying a 5 microl drop of a 1% Nafion solution onto the surface of a glassy-carbon rotating-disk electrode. After evaporation of the solvent, the Bi film was plated on the electrode in situ(i.e. by spiking the sample with 1000 microg l(-1) of Bi(iii) and simultaneous electrolytic deposition of the metal ions and bismuth film on the electrode surface at -1.4 V) or ex-situ(i.e. by electrolytic deposition of the bismuth film in a separate solution containing 1000 microg l(-1) of Bi(iii), followed by the ASV measurement step in the sample solution). Various fabrication and operational parameters were thoroughly investigated and discussed in terms of their effect on the ASV signals. It was found that this voltammetric sensor was suitable for the determination of metals at trace levels by square-wave ASV (SWASV) due to its multi-element detection potential, improved analytical sensitivity, high resistance to surfactants, low cost, ease of fabrication, robustness, speed of analysis and low toxicity (as compared to traditional mercury electrodes). In the presence of 4 mg l(-1) of Triton X-100, the NCBFE afforded a 10-fold peak height enhancement for the Pb peak and a 14-fold enhancement for the Cd peak over a bare BFE while the determination of Zn was feasible only on the NCBFE. The limits of detection (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3) were 0.1 microg l(-1) for Cd and Pb and 0.4 microg l(-1) for Zn for a deposition time of 10 min. Finally, the electrode was applied to different real samples (tap-water, urine and wine) for the analysis of trace metals with satisfactory results.