The effect of some possible factors in c-peptide immunoreactivity in urine on the quality of the results

About 15% of CPR-U did not correspond between two kinds of kits in the routine assay, which were produced by different pharmaceutical firms, and also it is realised that the effect of the preservative, storage condition and buffer dilutions can not be overlooked in quality control programmes. Based on these problems, following results are concluded; (1) Urine preservative: NaN3 is better than toluene. (2) Urine CPR was stable for added preservative at 4 degrees C for two weeks. (3) Diluents may effect the CPR-U results, if not kept in good condition. The role of the makers in supporting improved quality in clinical laboratory tests will be expected.     

Polarographic studies on the electrode kinetics of the nickel(II) complexes with glycine and some of its derivatives: I. glycine complexes

D.C. polarograms of the Ni(II)-glycine complexes were measured with varying pH values at constant total glycine concentration (0.05 M) and conversely with varying total glycine concentration at constant pH values (3.5, 4.5, 7.5 and 9.5). The current—voltage curves obtained were analysed to determine the limiting currents, the transfer coefficients, and the half-wave potentials, by using the non-linear least squares method. From the dependence of the half-wave potentials on the free glycine concentration, the mechanism of the electrode processes was elucidated. It was shown that the first wave corresponded to the reduction of the Ni²⁺ aquo-complex, the second to the NiG⁺ complex, the third to the NiG₂ complex and the fourth to the NiG^?₃ complex. The kinetic parameters for the four charge transfer processes were determined.The second and third waves were kinetic in character and the rate constants of the dissociation and association reactions between NiG⁺ and NiG₂ and between NiG₂ and NiG^?₃ were determined by analysing the dependence of the kinetic limiting currents on the free glycine concentration.     

SOLVENT EFFECTS ON TRIPLET-STATE BACTERIOCHLOROPHYLL a AS DETECTED BY TRANSIENT RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF BACTERIOCHLOROPHYLL a IN THE LIGHT-HARVESTING COMPLEX OF Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26

The frequency of BChl that was bound to the light-harvesting complex (LHC) of Rhodobacter sphaeroides R26 was found to be 1598 cm^-1, a result which suggests that a pair of BChl molecules form a dimer in the LHC in the T₁ state.     

Annealing behavior of a void network in amorphous silicon

A void network in a-Si films prepared by vacuum deposition was studied. A close relationship in annealing behavior has been observed between the changes in surface area of voids and in the ESR signal strength.     

Preparation of polysiloxanes from silicic acid. V. Condensation of silicic acid butyl esters and formation of silica fiber from the ester solutions

The condensation of silicic acid butyl esters was investigated by gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) analysis. The results revealed that the condensation was greatly dependent on a degree of esterification of the esters. The ester with the lowest degree of esterification underwent condensation to form a highly polymerized ester. It was found that fibers could be drawn from the ester solution before gelation.     

Lewis acid-Lewis acid heterobimetallic cooperative catalysis: mechanistic studies and application in enantioselective aza-Michael reaction

The full details of a catalytic asymmetric aza-Michael reaction of methoxylamine promoted by rare earth-alkali metal heterobimetallic complexes are described, demonstrating the effectiveness of Lewis acid-Lewis acid cooperative catalysis. First, enones were used as substrates, and the 1,4-adducts were obtained in good yield (57-98%) and high ee (81-96%). Catalyst loading was successfully reduced to 0.3-3 mol % with enones. To broaden the substrate scope of the reaction to carboxylic acid derivatives, alpha,beta-unsaturated N-acylpyrroles were used as monodentate, carboxylic acid derivatives. With beta-alkyl-substituted N-acylpyrroles, the reaction proceeded smoothly and the products were obtained in high yield and good ee. Transformation of the 1,4-adducts from enones and alpha,beta-unsaturated N-acylpyrroles afforded corresponding chiral aziridines and beta-amino acids. Detailed mechanistic studies, including kinetics, NMR analysis, nonlinear effects, and rare earth metal effects, are also described. The Lewis acid-Lewis acid cooperative mechanism, including the substrate coordination mode, is discussed in detail.     

Photocatalytic activity of R3MO7 and R2Ti2O7 (R=Y, Gd, La; M=Nb, Ta) for water splitting into H2 and O2

The photocatalytic activities of R3MO7 and R2Ti2O7 (R=Y, Gd, La; M=Nb, Ta) strongly depended on the crystal structure. Overall, photocatalytic water splitting into H2 and O2 proceeded over La3TaO7 and La3NbO7, which have an orthorhombic weberite structure, Y2Ti2O7 and Gd2Ti2O7, which have a cubic pyrochlore structure, and La2Ti2O7, which has a monoclinic perovskite structure. All of these materials are composed of a network of corner-shared octahedral units of metal cations (TaO6, NbO6, or TiO6); materials without such a network were inactive. The octahedral network certainly increased the mobility of electrons and holes, thereby enhancing photocatalytic activity.