Resolution of ternary mixtures of nitrofurantoin, furazolidone and furaltadone by application of Partial Least Squares analysis to the differential pulse polarographic signals

The abilities of the Partial Least Squares (PLS) methods in the resolution of ternary mixtures of organic compounds (furaltadone, furazolidone and nitrofurantoin) by using their differential pulse polarographic (DPP) signals are reported. The applicability of these methods to resolve very overlapped peaks whose E(p) also changes with concentration is demonstrated. The analysis of both synthetic and real samples has been made with satisfactory results. The relative error of prediction (REP) is 8.7% for FD, 7.7% for FZ and 6.7% for NF by application of the PLS-2 method.     

Chalcogenide glass chemical sensors: Research and analytical applications

The paper is devoted to research and development in the field of chalcogenide glass chemical sensors for determination of heavy metal ions in solution. The overview of the solid-state scientific approach and research design of the sensing materials is followed by the original results of the analytical application of the chalcogenide glass sensors for laboratory analysis, industrial control and environmental monitoring.     

Bioelectrochemical determination of lactic and malic acids in wine

Electroanalytical methods based on biosensor technology and differential pH measurement for the determination of l-lactic and l-malic acids in wine were developed. Lactic acid was determined according to two procedures consisting of the use of two lactate electrochemical biosensors, one based on a Clark O(2) probe and the other based on the H(2)O(2) probe. The two probes were assembled employing a polymeric membrane where the enzyme lactate oxidase was previously immobilized. Both sensors exhibited high storage and operational stabilities, and good reproducibility when used in wine matrix. Measurement of lactate was carried out using two different flow-through cells assembled with the lactate probes. The low detection limit of these probes and the relatively high concentration of lactate in wine samples required a serial dilution in the range 1:100 to 1:200, thus eliminating all potential electrochemical or enzyme interferences present in the sample. Malic acid was determined using a differential commercially available pH-meter and an enzymatic procedure. For this analysis, we employed the malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) and the NADP(+) cofactor. The pH variation due to the action of this enzyme on malic acid was found to be proportional to the malic acid present in the sample. Experimental parameters such as pH, temperature, and co-factor concentration were optimized, resulting in malate determination in less than 1 min with good reproducibility. Various samples of wine and wine musts were assayed for lactate with the two biosensor procedures, and for malate with differential pH-metry. The results when compared with those obtained with the commonly used spectrophotometric procedure correlated well.     

The extrapolation of experimental equilibrium constant data to zero ionic strength: Critical review and new approach

Different Debye-Hückel expressions for the activity coefficients of species in aqueous solution in the ionic strength range I = 0-3.5m (3M) are used for the extrapolation of equilibrium constants data to I = 0 and the interpolation to unknown I values. This may be accomplished using four or more values of the equilibrium constants that are equally well distributed on the I scale. The interpolated and extrapolated equilibrium constant values obtained are quite satisfactory and within the experimental error of the corresponding equilibrium constants. The values at I 0.1 are very important as they can particularly influence the equilibrium constant value calculated at I = 0 and for which the error can reach 0.1 log unit or more. The values at I 1.5 can also influence the extrapolated value at I = 0 and the interpolated value at a given I when an inadequate extrapolation model is selected. Among the expressions used, only those with two or more unknown parameters are suitable for such calculations.     

The effects of media properties on the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed fluorogenic reaction

The effects of media properties including buffers, acidity, solvents and surfactant on horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed fluorogenic reaction were investigated. The results showed that the so-called non-fluorescent hydrogen donors were in fact fluorescent. There existed an acid—base equilibrium in the fluorescent dimer product. For p -hydroxyphenylpropionic acid, a pK_a value of 8.0 for the product was obtained from its titration curve. The product fluorescence increased with higher pH, however, a longer time was needed to reach the reaction equilibrium due to the pH mismatch problem. Cationic micelles cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride could reduce the pH mismatch and offered a way to further increase the determination sensitivity. Finally, a micelle-enhanced flow-injection analysis of horseradish peroxidase is suggested.     

Synthesis of alkylN-(α-amidomethyl)glycinates from glycine esters,aroylamides, and formaldehyde

A one-step synthesis of alkylN-(-amidomethyl)glycinates from glycine esters or their salts, formaldehyde, and aroylamides was developed. The effect of the structure of the amide component and the reaction conditions on the yields of the products was investigated.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1078–1080, June, 1994.     

Survey of linear programming for standard and nonstandard Markovian control problems. Part II: Applications

This paper deals with some applications of Markov decision models for which the linear programming method is efficient. These models are replacement models (with the optimal stopping problem as special case), separable models (including the inventory model as special case) and the multi-armed bandit model. In the companion paper Survey of linear programming for standard and nonstandard Markovian control problems. Part I: Theory, general linear programming methods are discussed. These linear programming formulations are the starting point for the efficient methods that will be derived for the special models.     

Differential properties of solutions of evolution variational inequalities in the theory of plasticity

We study the differential properties of weak solutions of evolution variational inequalities in the theory of flow of elastoplastic media with hardening. We consider the two most popular models of hardening—isotropic and kinematic. The differential properties studied depend on the nature of the hardening. In the case of isotropic hardening great smoothness of the distributed load is required, and in this situation the result is the same for the stress tensor—it belongs to the class L (0,T;W _2,loc ¹ ).Bibliography: 10 titles. Translated fromProblemy Matematicheskogo Analiza, No. 12, 1992, pp. 153–173.     

On the “caviton” signal,scattered by artificial ionospheric turbulence

The results of experimental investigations of the caviton signal (CS), scattered by artificial ionospheric turbulence are presented at the vertical sounding by short radiopulses. The dependences of the amplitude and the appearance time of CS on the power of the heating transmitter, the frequency of the probing one, and the virtual height of scattering are considered. The periodic generation of CS was observed with periods changing from fractions of a second up to several seconds.Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Published in Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 37, No. 6, pp. 793–798, June, 1994.