Versatile glycoblotting nanoparticles for high-throughput protein glycomics

We have developed an effective and practical trap-and-release method based on chemoselective ligation of carbohydrates with reactive aminooxyl groups attached to the surface of nanoparticles (referred to as glycoblotting nanoparticles). These glycoblotting nanoparticles were synthesized by UV irradiation of diacetylene-functionalized lipids that contain the aminooxyl group. The glycoblotting nanoparticles captured carbohydrates in aqueous solution under mild conditions and were collected by simple centrifugation. The trapped carbohydrates were effectively released from the nanoparticles under acidic conditions to give pure oligosaccharides. This glycoblotting process reduced the time required for the purification process of carbohydrates to less than 6 h, compared to the several days needed for conventional chromatographic techniques. The oligosaccharides (N-glycan) were released from ovalbumin (glycoprotein) by PNGase F after tryptic digestion. MALDI-TOF mass spectra before purification did not show any significant signals corresponding to N-glycans because these signals were hidden by the large signals of the abundant peptides. However, after purification with the glycoblotting nanoparticles, only signals corresponding to oligosaccharides appeared. We also demonstrated a clear analysis of the oligosaccharides contained in the mice dermis by means of glycoblotting.     

SPE HG-AAS method for the determination of inorganic arsenic in rice—results from method validation studies and a survey on rice products

The present paper describes the development, validation and application of a method for inorganic arsenic (iAs) determination in rice samples. The separation of iAs from organoarsenic compounds was done by off-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) detection. This approach was earlier developed for seafood samples (Rasmussen et al., Anal Bioanal Chem 403:2825–2834, 2012) and has in the present work been tailored for rice products and further optimised for a higher sample throughput and a lower detection limit. Water bath heating (90 °C, 60 min) of samples with dilute HNO₃ and H₂O₂ solubilised and oxidised all iAs to arsenate (As^V). Loading of buffered sample extracts (pH 6?±?1) followed by selective elution of arsenate from a strong anion exchange SPE cartridge enabled the selective iAs quantification by HG-AAS, measuring total arsenic (As) in the SPE eluate. The in-house validation gave mean recoveries of 101–106 % for spiked rice samples and in two reference samples. The limit of detection was 0.02 mg kg^?1, and repeatability and intra-laboratory reproducibility were less than 6 and 9 %, respectively. The SPE HG-AAS method produced similar results compared to parallel high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. The SPE separation step was tested collaboratively, where the laboratories (N?=?10) used either HG-AAS or ICP-MS for iAs determination in a wholemeal rice powder. The trial gave satisfactory results (HorRat value of 1.6) and did not reveal significant difference (t test, p?>?0.05) between HG-AAS and ICP-MS quantification. The iAs concentration in 36 rice samples purchased on the Danish retail market varied (0.03–0.60 mg kg^?1), with the highest concentration found in a red rice sample.      

Simultaneous determination of testosterone, cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone in saliva by stable isotope dilution on-line in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

We have developed a simple and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of testosterone (TES), cortisol (CRT), and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in saliva by automated online in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) using a Discovery HS F5 column. The optimum in-tube SPME conditions were 25 draw/eject cycles of 40 μL of sample at a flow rate of 200 μL/min using a Supel-Q PLOT capillary column as an extraction device. The extracted compounds were easily desorbed from the capillary by passage of the mobile phase, and no carryover was observed. The in-tube SPME LC–MS/MS method showed good linearity with correlation coefficients r?≥?0.9998 for TES, CRT, and DHEA using their respective stable isotope-labeled internal standards. The intra-day and inter-day precisions (relative standard deviations) were below 4.9 and 8.5 % (n?=?5), respectively. This method was successfully utilized to analyze TES, CRT, and DHEA in saliva samples without any other pretreatment or interference peaks, and the quantification limits (S/N?=?10) of TES, CRT and DHEA were about 0.01, 0.03 and 0.29 ng/mL saliva, respectively. The recoveries of these compounds spiked into saliva samples were each above 94 %. This method was applied to analyze changes in salivary TES, CRT, and DHEA levels resulting from stress and fatigue load.     

Modification effect of spherical zirconia with SiCl4 as a support of methylaluminoxane for heterogeneous single-site catalyst

Unmodified and SiCl₄-modified spherical zirconia-supported methylaluminoxane were used as cocatalyst for propylene polymerization as well as ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization in combined with Me₂Si(η³-C₁₃H₈)(η¹-N^tBu)TiMe₂ (1) at 0 °C. The modification with SiCl₄ improved the catalytic activity. The improvement was clearer in ethylene/1-hexene copolymerization than in propylene polymerization. The number average molecular weight (M_n) of polypropylenes increased linearly against the polymerization time regardless the cocatalyst used to give polymers with narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n < 1.32), indicating the living nature of the catalytic systems. Thus, propagation rate constant (k_p) and the number of active centers (C^*) were evaluated from M_n and the number of polymer-chains. When the zirconia was modified with SiCl₄, the k_p value decreased and the C^* increased. The latter effect was more significant to enhance the catalytic activity.     

Pd black deposited on polypropylene sheet as a highly selective catalyst for hydrogenation of alkenes

A catalyst deposited on a polypropylene sheet having an activity of almost the same level as commercially available Pd black and capable of promoting hydrogenolysis-free hydrogenation was developed.     

A convenient stereoselective synthesis of β-lactams from β-hydroxy-α-thioalkylesters prepared from Michael/aldol tandem reaction or stereoselective addition of thiols to the Baylis-Hillman adducts

A convenient stereoselective synthesis of β-lactams from thio-Michael/aldol tandem adduct is described. syn-Selective tandem reaction followed by amidation and intramolecular S_N2 reaction provided β-lactams in diastereomerically pure form. The tandem reaction with aliphatic aldehydes, on the other hand, afforded a mixture of diastereomers of corresponding tandem adducts in about 3:1 ratio so that the conversion to β-lactams afforded a diastereomeric mixture. As an alternative approach to prepare the tandem adducts, the stereoselective Michael addition of aliphatic thiols to Baylis-Hillman adduct was developed. The stereoselectivity was sensitive to the protective group at the hydroxyl group and TBS protection brought the most successful syn-selective formation of the tandem adducts. The procedure could be applied to the ketone derivatives of the Baylis-Hillman adduct but no selectivity was observed for the nitrile-Baylis-Hillman adducts. A similar conversion of the adduct provided desired β-lactams stereoselectively.     

Evolutionary Algorithm Directed Synthesis of Mixed Anion Compounds LaF2X (X=Br,I) and LaFI2

Mixed-anion compounds have attracted growing attentions, but their synthesis is challenging, making a rational search desirable. Here, we explored LaF₃-LaX₃ (X=Cl, Br, I) system using ab initio structure searches based on evolutionary algorithms, and predicted LaF₂X and LaFX₂ (X=Br, I), which are respectively isostructural with LaHBr₂ and YH₂I, consisting of layered La-F blocks with single and double ordered honeycomb lattices, separated by van der Waals gaps. We successfully synthesized these compounds: LaF₂Br and LaFI₂ crystallize in the predicted structure, while LaF₂I is similar to the predicted one but with different layer stacking. LaF₂I exhibits fluoride ion conductivity comparable to that of non-doped LaF₃, and has the potential to show better ionic conductivity upon appropriate doping, given the theoretically lower diffusion energy barrier and the presence of soft iodine anions. This study shows the structure prediction using evolutionary algorithms will accelerate the discovery of mixed-anion compounds in future, in particular those with an ordered anion arrangement.     

Measurement of attachment force of microbial cells

A parallel-plate flow chamber consisting of two transparent electro-conductive glass plates was constructed. The two glass plates were set parallel to each other and connected to a potentiostat apparatus to regulate the strength of the electric field between the plates. A microbial cell suspension was flowed through the chamber. This system enabled the application of an electrostatic force to suspend charged particles, e.g. microbial cells, existing between the two plates. The time course of the cell attachment of Pseudomonas syringae pv. atropurpurea NIAES 1309 suspended in 10 mM phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0) to the glass plate was investigated at various electric field strengths ranging from −4.2 to +4.1 V cm⁻¹. The attachment rate and the maximum number of attached cells increased linearly with the increase in the strength of the positive electric field. In contrast, the rate and the number of cells decreased linearly with the decrease in the strength of the negative electric field. These linear relations gave a specific value for the strength of the electric field (−5.9 ± 0.7 V cm⁻¹) where the electrostatic repulsion and the microbial attachment force were thought to be equal, resulting in no cell attachment. From this value, the electrostatic repulsion, i.e. the microbial attachment force, was calculated to be 5.0 × 10⁻¹¹ N cell⁻¹ for cells of average size.