Validation of a solid-phase extraction high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for doxazosin.

The determination of doxazosin by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection is described. Propanolol was used as the internal standard. Plasma samples were treated with methanol to precipitate the proteins. Doxazosin was isolated with C18 reversed-phase extraction columns. The determination limit is 1 ng/ml of plasma, while the extraction columns can be reused frequently. The method is applied to clinical trial samples.     

Aerodynamics of ski jumping: experiments and CFD simulations

The aerodynamic behaviour of a model ski jumper is investigated experimentally at full-scale Reynolds numbers and computationally applying a standard RANS code. In particular we focus on the influence of different postures on aerodynamic forces in a wide range of angles of attack. The experimental results proved to be in good agreement with full-scale measurements with athletes in much larger wind tunnels, and form a reliable basis for further predictions of the effects of position changes on the performance. The comparison of CFD results with the experiments shows poor agreement, but enables a clear outline of simulation potentials and limits when accurate predictions of effects from small variations are required.     

The Ends of Manifolds with Bounded Geometry, Linear Growth and Finite Filling Area

We prove that simply connected open manifolds of bounded geometry, linear growth and sublinear filling growth (e.g. finite filling area) are simply connected at infinity.     

Rigidity in holomorphic and quasiregular dynamics

We consider rigidity phenomena for holomorphic functions and then more generally for uniformly quasiregular maps.

     

Addendum to “examples of semiperfect rings”

We fill a gap in [4], and provide a rigorous example of a local ringR whose Jacobson radical is locally nilpotent, butM ₂(R) is not strongly π-regular. The online version of the original article can be found at The work of the first author was partially supported by the DGICYT (Spain), through the grant PB92-0586, and by the Comissionat per Universitats i Recerca de la Generalitat de Catalunya.     

Properties of matrix-assisted laser desorption. Measurements with a time-to-digital converter.

Some properties of matrix-assisted laser desorption have been studied using single-ion-counting methods and a time-to-digital converter. The methods allow examination of the process for irradiances near the reported threshold for observation with a transient recorder. All measurements were made using bovine insulin as a test compound. We present direct evidence that an irradiance threshold near 10(6) W cm-2 exists for ion production, and that the process is a collective effect, either involving a large number of molecular ions (approximately 10(4) in a successful event or none at all. Above the threshold, the yield is found to scale with a high power (4th to 6th) of the irradiance. Measurements of initial velocity distributions indicate an axial velocity spread corresponding to approximately 50 eV and a radial velocity spread corresponding to approximately 2.4 eV. Thus the ejection or extraction mechanism appears to be strongly asymmetric.     

Automated method, based on micro-sequential injection, for the study of enzyme kinetics and inhibition.

A micro-reactor system with continual spectrophotometric detection has been operated in Sequential Injection lab-on-valve (SI-LOV) mode and applied to enzyme kinetics and inhibition studies, using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) as model systems. With the advantages of automation, real-time kinetic measurement, and thorough mixing, the SI-LOV micro-reactor system allows for the monitoring of initial reaction rates and determination of reactant concentrations in the reaction mixture, both of which are essential for the determination of kinetic constants for enzymes and inhibitors. Enzyme, substrate, and inhibitor are precisely metered by the syringe pump and delivered to a stirred micro-reactor, followed by a reference scan that establishes the baseline for the following reaction rate measurement. Michaelis constants (Km) for AChE and ACE were determined to be 0.16 mM and 0.30 mM, respectively, which are consistent with literature values. The type of inhibition (competitive, uncompetitive, or mixed), the dissociation constants for the inhibitors, and the inhibitor dose-response curves were also determined.     

Activity evaluation of carbon paste electrodes loaded with pt nanoparticles prepared in different radiolytic conditions

Three Pt-based catalysts prepared in different radiolytic conditions and supported on graphite powder were packed into a carbon paste electrode configuration. They were compared to each other, to the commercial (Pt) deposited on activated carbon powder (Johnson Matthey) and to pure Vulcan XC-72 for their respective abilities toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The Tafel parameters were determined for all these electrodes. From the I–V curves and their quantitative treatment, the following order of activity emerged unambiguously and reads: (PtCO)₂ (fcc structure) > (PtCO)₁ (Chini cluster) > (Pt)_neat > (Pt)_JM (Johnson Matthey) ≫ (Vulcan XC-72). As expected, all the Pt-loaded electrodes were more efficient than Vulcan XC-72. The classification appears to be linked with the mean nanoparticle size, and for comparable sizes, with the surface morphology of the materials. The results and the stability of the electrodes suggest that the small particle sizes and the good dispersity on the carbon support were maintained during the HER.