Comparison of formats for the development of fiber-optic biosensors utilizing sol-gel derived materials entrapping fluorescently-labelled protein

The development of fiber-optic biosensors requires that a biorecognition element and a fluorescent reporter group be immobilized at or near the surface of an optical element such as a planar waveguide or optical fiber. In this study, we examined a model biorecognition element-reporter group couple consisting of human serum albumin that was site-selectively labelled at Cys 34 with iodoacetoxy-nitrobenzoxadiazole (HSA-NBD). The labelled protein was encapsulated into sol-gel derived materials that were prepared either as monoliths, as beads that were formed at the distal tip of a fused silica optical fiber, or as thin films that were dipcast along the length of a glass slide or optical fiber. For fiber-based studies, the entrapped protein was excited using a helium-cadmium laser that was launched into a single optical fiber, and emission was separated from the incident radiation using a perforated mirror beam-splitter, and detected using a monochromator-photomultiplier tube assembly. Changes in fluorescence intensity were generated by denaturant-induced conformational changes in the protein or by iodide quenching. The analytical parameters of merit for the different encapsulation formats, including minimum protein loading level, response time and limit-of-detection, were examined, as were factors such as protein accessibility, leaching and photobleaching. Overall, the results indicated that both beads and films were suitable for biosensor development. In both formats, a substantial fraction of the entrapped protein remained accessible, and the entrapped protein retained a large degree of conformational flexibility. Thin films showed the most rapid response times, and provided good detection limits for a model analyte. However, the entrapment of proteins into beads at the distal tip of fibers provided better signal-to-noise and signal-to-background ratios, and required less protein for preparation. Hence, beads appear to be the most viable method for interfacing of proteins to optical fibers.     

Reactions of dithiocarbamic acids derived from alkaloids, morpholine, and piperidine with acrylic acid and its derivatices

-(Thiocarbamoylthio)propionic acids derived from alkaloids, morpholine, and piperidine and their esters, amides, and nitriles were prepared by reactions of the corresponding dithiocarbamic acids with acrylic acid and its derivatives. Some of the compounds were tested for insecticidal activity.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii, Vol. 77, No. 8, 2004, pp. 1336–1339.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Zhivotova, Gazaliev, Ibraev, Fazylov, Kasenov.     

Regioselective hydroborations of methylvinylchlorosilanes

The regioselectivity of the hydroboration of the methylchlorovinylsilanes, Cl_nMe_3?nSiCHCH₂ (n= 0 ? 3), has been investigated using BH₃←THF, 9-BBN, disiamyl- and dicyclohexylborane. Methylation of the adducts with methylmagnesium bromide is complicated by formation of tetraalkylboronates. Alkaline hydrogen peroxide oxidation of the boronates gives reasonable yields of the corresponding α- and β-trimethylsilylethanols forn= 0 and 1. Forn= 2 and 3, conversion of the adducts to the corresponding α- and β- deuteroethylsilanes by treatment with excess sodium methoxide in methanol-0-d provides a more effective means of derivatization. Addition of the alkenes,n= 2 or 3, to excess BH₃←THF givesca. 90% of the α-boro-organo-chlorosilanes. For all of the alkenes, the dialkylboranes giveca. 80% of the β-boron adducts.     

The study of coordinative interaction in the organoaluminium derivatives of substituted phenols

Intramolecular coordination in dimethylaluminium phenoxides (with an ortho-substituted ring) was investigated. Only strongly donating groups in the phenoxy ring (COOMe) displayed strong intramolecular coordination. All compounds investigated formed donor-acceptor complexes with hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA). Dimethylaluminium methylsalicilate coordinated HMPA without splitting the intramolecular carbonyl oxygen—aluminium bond, which suggests formation of the pentacoordinated aluminium atom.     

Spektralphotometrische Bestimmung des Thioharnstoffs im Mikrogrammbereich

Zusammenfassung Eine spektralphotometrische Methode zur Bestimmung von Mikrogrammengen Thioharnstoff in Gegenwart von Biuret, Cyanat, Cyanursäure, Dicyandiamid, Harnstoff, Melamin und Rhodanid wird beschrieben. Sie beruht auf der Umsetzung des Thioharnstoffs mit salpetriger Säure zu Rhodanwasserstoffsäure, die mit Brom in Bromcyan übergeführt wird. Letzteres wird mit Pyridin und Barbitursäure zu einem intensiv gefärbten, stabilen Polymethinfarbstoff umgesetzt. Störungen durch andere Cyanamidderivate und -folgeprodukte werden untersucht.

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Summary A spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of micro amounts of thiourea in presence of biuret, cyanates, cyanuric acid, dicyanodiamide, urea, melamine and thiocyanates. The method bases on the reaction of thiourea with nitrous acid to thiocyanic acid, which is converted with bromine to cyanogen bromide. The latter forms with pyridine and barbituric acid an intensively coloured, stable polymethine dye. The interferences by other cyanamide derivatives and resultant products have been investigated.

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3. Mitteilune über die Analyse der Cyanamidderivate. 2. Mitteilung siehe ¹⁴.

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Frau S. Mohs möchten wir an dieser Stelle für ihre gewissenhafte Mitarbeit unseren Dank aussprechen.     

N,N-bis[2-oxo-3-oxazolidinyl]phosphorodiamidic chloride: a novel coupling reagent in the synthesis of oligodeoxyribonucleotides

Use of a novel coupling reagent, N,N-bis[2-oxo-3-oxazolidinyl]phosphorodiamidic chloride (BOPDC) in the synthesis of oligodeoxyribonucleotides is described. This reagent allows the synthesis of phosphotriesters in high yields (70–80%) without detectable side reactions. Synthesis of a hexanucleotide, d(A-A-C-C-C-G) is presented as an example.     

Isolation and identification of the sex pheromone of females of Heliothis maritima (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae)

Four components have been isolated from an extract of the sex pheromone of the mothHeliothis maritima and have been identified: hexadecanal, hexadec-cis-11-enal, hexadec-cis-9-enal, and hexadec-cis-11-en-1-ol. All-Union Scientific-Research Institute for Biological Methods of Plant Protection, Kishinev. Don Zonal Scientific-Research Institute of Agriculture. Don Scientific-Production Combine. Ecology Division of Lund University, Lund, Sweden. Translated from Khimiya Priorodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 574–577, July–August, 1991.     

Structure of isoregelinone

From a fraction of the bases ofColchicium kesselringii Rgl., growing in the Tashkent Province, a new compound which has been called isoregelinone has been isolated. On the basis of spectral characteristics, especially the INDOR spectrum, and chemical transformations, a structure epimeric with that of regelinone has been proposed for it.V. I. Lenin Tashkent State University. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 195–199, March–April, 1981.     

Effect of additives on the amination of 2-oxoglutaric acid by gamma-radiation

The effect of added substances was studied on the yield of glutamic acid produced by gamma-ray irradiation of 2-oxoglutaric acid and ammonia in aqueous solution. The contents of amino acids in the irradiated solutions were determined with amino acids analyzer. Sodium nitrate, allyl alcohol or sodium formate was used as an added substance. The yield of glutamic acid significantly decreased by the addition of nitrate, and it was little affected by the addition of allyl alcohol. In the presence of formate the yield increased from G = 0.4 (2-oxoglutaric acid 0.05M and ammonium hydroxide 2M) to G = 1.1. As a result, it was found that hydrated electron contributes on the formation of glutamic acid, but hydroxyl radical does not. The yield showed a maximum at ca. 0.1 M ammonium hydroxide concentration. These facts indicate that NH2 radical does not contribute to the formation of glutamic acid. As a reaction mechanism, it can be explained that 2-oxoglutaric acid which had been reduced by hydrated electron reacts with ammonia.     

The ellipsoid algorithm as a method for the determination of polypeptide conformations from experimental distance constraints and energy minimization

A new method for constrained nonlinear optimization known as the ellipsoid algorithm is evaluated as a means of determining and refining the conformations of peptides. Advantages of the ellipsoid algorithm over conventional optimization methods include that it avoids many local minima that other methods would be trapped by, and that it is sometimes able to find optimum solutions in which the constraints are satisfied exactly. The dihedral angles about single bonds were used as variables to keep the dimensionality low (the rate of convergence decreases rapidly with increasing dimensionality of the problem). The method is evaluated on problems involving distance constraints, and for minimization of conformational energy functions. In an initial application, conformations consistent with an experimental set of NMR distance constraints were obtained in a problem involving 48 variable dihedral angles.