Salmonella in foods: new enrichment procedure for TECRA Salmonella Visual Immunoassay using a single rv(R10) only, TT only, or dual rv(R10) and TT selective enrichment broths (AOAC official method 998.09): collaborative study

A collaborative study was conducted to compare a new enrichment procedure for the TECRA Salmonella Visual Immunoassay (TSVIA) with the reference method given in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Bacteriological Analytical Manual (7th Ed.). Three food types (milk powder, pepper, and soy flour) were analyzed in Australia and 3 food types (milk chocolate, dried egg, and raw turkey) were analyzed in the United States. Thirty-eight collaborators participated in the study. The TECRA method was evaluated using both Rappaport-Vassiliadis R10 (RV(R10)) and tetrathionate (TT) broths for selective enrichment. M broth cultures arising from each of the 2 selective enrichment broths were tested in the TSVIA using 2 individual wells, one for each selective broth, and a single well to test the pooled selective enrichment broths. The results for the pooled enrichment broths were reported elsewhere. This study presents the results for the use of single enrichment broths, i.e., RV(R10) only or TT only, with the TSVIA. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed for the pairwise comparison of the proportion of positive samples for either RV(R10) or TT used as a single enrichment broth for the TSVIA with that for the reference method.     

Mass spectrometric determination of selenenylsulfide linkages in rat selenoprotein P

The reversible formation of a selenenylsulfide linkage in mammalian thioredoxin reductase was identified as having a key role in its activity. Identification of selenenylsulfide and/or diselenide linkages is therefore critical to the determination of the structure and function of selenoproteins. A selenopeptide, (298)SGSAITUQCAENLPSLCSUQGLFAEEK(324) (U=selenocysteine), was isolated from a tryptic digest of rat selenoprotein P. Its two cysteine residues and two selenocysteine (Sec) residues were determined to be present in oxidized form by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The selenopeptide was subjected to partial reduction by dithiothreitol with immediate alkylation by iodoacetamide. This process was monitored by MALDI-TOFMS to determine the number of alkylations that had taken place. The partially reduced and alkylated peptides were then analyzed by nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and the results indicated that selenenylsulfide linkages Sec304-Cys314 and Cys306-Sec316 were present. It is concluded that selenoprotein P contains these two selenenylsulfide bonds.     

Formation of dinuclear titanium and zirconium complexes by olefin metathesis--catalytic preparation of organometallic catalyst systems

The titanium complex [(C(5)H(4)bond;allyl)TiCl(3)] (2) undergoes olefin metathesis coupling when treated with 3 mol % of [Cl(2)(L(1))(L(2))Ru=CHPh] (L(1)=L(2)=PCy(3), 4 a; L(1)=PCy(3), L(2)=(H(2)IMes), 4 b) to yield the dimetallic complex [Cl(3)Ti(C(5)H(4))-CH(2)CH=CHCH(2)-(C(5)H(4))TiCl(3)] (5). The allyl-substituted titanocene complex [Cp(C(5)H(4)bond;allyl)TiCl(2)] (3) analogously yields the dimetallic system 6 when treated with 4. The ansa-zirconocene complex [Me(2)Si(C(5)H(4))(C(5)H(3)bond;allyl)ZrCl(2)] (7) cleanly yields the analogous dimetallic coupling product 8 (>95 % isomerically pure), when treated with catalytic amounts of 4 b in toluene. Complex 8 gives an active homogeneous ethene or propene polymerization catalyst, especially at elevated temperatures, when treated with excess methylalumoxane.     

Programmable gate delayed ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry: a study with low concentrations of dipropylene-glycol-monomethyl-ether in air

The concept of using a short ionisation event, in this case a pulsed corona discharge, in conjunction with programmed gate delay is described. This technique is proposed for the selective study of different ionisation processes within the reaction region of an ion mobility spectrometer. The utility of such an approach was tested in a study of the ionisation of dipropylene-glycol-monomethyl-ether (DPM); a compound commonly used to test the operation of ion mobility spectrometers. Dipropylene-glycol-monomethyl-ether at a concentration of 113 microg m(-3) in air, with a water level of 75 mg m(-3) in air, was analysed using a switchable, high resolution ion mobility spectrometer, operating in the positive mode at 40 degrees C at ambient pressure. The ion mobility spectrometer was fitted with a pulsed corona discharge ionisation source, doped with ammonia at a concentration of 1.3 mg m(-3) in the reaction region, and interfaced to a mass spectrometer. Synchronisation of the ionisation event to the operation of the shutter grids for the drift region enabled different parts of the product ion population to be injected into the drift tube, and programming the gate delays produced a map of the gate delay verses drift time response surface. Ammonium bound dipropylene-glycol-monomethyl-ether was observed, [(DPM)NH4]+ (m/z 166) as well as the ammonium bound dimer [(DPM)2NH4]+ (m/z 314), the same as those observed with a 63Ni source. Two other species were also observed, but their molecular identity was not elucidated. One of them m/z 146, also observed with 63Ni, formed ammonium bound ions [(m/z 146)NH4]+ (K0= 1.49 cm2 V(-1) s(-1)), ammonium bound dimer ions [(m/z 146)2NH4]+(K0= 1.18 cm2 V(-1) s(-1)) and a mixed cluster ion with DPM [(m/z 146)(DPM)NH4]+(K0= 1.18 cm2 V(-1) s(-1)); while the other, m/z 88 a decomposition product, formed ammonium bound monomer [(m/z 88)NH4]+(K0= 1.68 cm2 V(-1) s(-1)), dimer ions [(m/z 88)2NH4]+(K0= 1.40 cm2 V(-1) s(-1)) and a mixed cluster ion containing DPM and ammonium, [(DPM)(m/z 88)2NH4]+(K0= 1.40 cm2 V(-1) s(-1)). The assignment of responses to these ions required the additional dimensionality in the data provided from the gate delay studies. The relationships evident in the programmable gate delay data enabled these ions to be differentiated from alternative assignments of possible nitrogen clusters, formed at the interface of the mass spectrometer.     

RNA-tethered phenyl azide photocrosslinking via a short-lived indiscriminant electrophile

Arylazide mediated photocrosslinking has been widely used to obtain structural constraints in biological systems, even though the reactive species generated upon photolysis in aqueous solution have not been well characterized. We establish a mechanistic framework for formation of adducts between photoactivated 3-hydroxyphenyl azide and RNA. Tethered to an internal site in an RNA duplex via a 2'-amido linkage, photolysis of the aryl azide yields a cross-strand cross-link. Analysis of the ability of reagents with diagnostic reactivities to intercept formation of this cross-strand cross-link supports the assignment that the photoactivated intermediate is the ketenimine or a ketenimine-derived ring expansion product. Neither the initially produced singlet nitrene nor the subsequently formed triplet nitrene contribute to cross-link formation. Argon matrix and time-resolved solution experiments show that photolysis of free 3-hydroxyphenyl azide releases (in 相似文献   

Improved self‐assembly of poly(dimethylsiloxane‐b‐ethylene oxide) using a hydrogen‐bonding additive

Block copolymers with increased Flory–Huggins interaction parameters (χ) play an essential role in the production of sub‐10 nm nanopatterns in the growing field of directed self‐assembly for next generation lithographic applications. A library of PDMS‐b‐PEO block copolymers were synthesized by click chemistry and their interaction parameters (χ) determined. The highest χ measured in our samples was 0.21 at 150 °C, which resulted in phase‐separated domains with periods as small as 7.9 nm, suggesting that PDMS‐b‐PEO is a prime candidate for sub‐10 nm nanopatterning. To suppress PEO crystallization, PDMS‐b‐PEO was blended with (l )‐tartaric acid (LTA) which allows for tuning of the self‐assembled morphologies. Additionally, it was observed that the order‐disorder transition temperature (T_ODT) of PDMS‐b‐PEO increased dramatically as the amount of LTA in the blend increased, allowing for further control over self‐assembly. To understand the mechanism of this phenomenon, we present a novel field‐based supramolecular model, which describes the formation of copolymer‐additive complexes by reversible hydrogen bonding. The mean‐field phase separation behavior of the model was calculated using the random phase approximation (RPA). The RPA analysis reproduces behavior consistent with an increase of the effective χ in the PDMS‐b‐(PEO/LTA suprablock). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2200–2208     

Kinetic simulations of the heating of solid density plasma by femtosecond laser pulses

Experiments have been performed in which fs-timescale laser pulses, focused to an intensity ～10¹⁶ W cm^?2, are able to directly create and interact with solid density plasma (1). We have performed one-dimensional simulations of the experiments with a kinetic model which solves Maxwell's equations coupled to the Fokker–Planck equation enabling us to self-consistently model the non-local heat flow and absorption process. We find that the heat-flux is magnetized by the laser field and is inhibited relative to the Spitzer value.     

Mechanics of atoms interacting with a carbon nanotorus: optimal configuration and oscillation behaviour

In this paper, we investigate a carbon nanotorus as a caged molecular structure interacting with an atom. Assuming that the atom is located along the central axis perpendicular to the torus, the interaction energy of the system is determined using the continuum approximation together with the Lennard-Jones potential. This approach avoids the intensive computational calculations that are involved in other modelling approaches. Numerical results are presented in terms of dimensionless variables. The results show that the optimal major radius of the torus has a linear relationship with its minor radius when the atom is symmetrically situated along the torus axis. When the atom is offset from this axis, the minimum energy location shifts away from the centre as the ratio of the major and minor radii exceeds the value of 0.90. Finally, the oscillatory behaviour for the carbon atom is investigated. Our findings predict a novel nano-oscillator which can produce frequencies in the gigahertz range.