Pullulan Encapsulation of Labile Biomolecules to Give Stable Bioassay Tablets

A simple and inexpensive method is reported for the long‐term stabilization of enzymes and other unstable reagents in premeasured quantities in water‐soluble tablets (cast, not compressed) made with pullulan, a nonionic polysaccharide that forms an oxygen impermeable solid upon drying. The pullulan tablets dissolve in aqueous solutions in seconds, thereby facilitating the easy execution of bioassays at remote sites with no need for special reagent handling and liquid pipetting. This approach is modular in nature, thus allowing the creation of individual tablets for enzymes and their substrates. Proof‐of‐principle demonstrations include a Taq polymerase tablet for DNA amplification through PCR and a pesticide assay kit consisting of separate tablets for acetylcholinesterase and its chromogenic substrate, indoxyl acetate, both of which are highly unstable. The encapsulated reagents remain stable at room temperature for months, thus enabling the room‐temperature shipping and storage of bioassay components.     

Hybrid thermal management of lithium-ion batteries using nanofluid,metal foam,and phase change material: an integrated numerical–experimental approach

Safety issues of Li-ion batteries imposed by unfavorable thermal behavior accentuate the need for efficient thermal management systems to prevent the runaway conditions. To that end, a hybrid thermal management system is designed and further investigated numerically and experimentally in the present study. The passive cooling system is fabricated by saturating copper foam with paraffin as the phase change material (PCM) and integrated with an active cooling system with alumina nanofluid as the coolant fluid. Results for various Reynolds numbers and different heating powers indicate that the hybrid nanofluid cooling system can successfully fulfill safe operation of the battery during stressful operating conditions. The maximum time in which all PCM field is changed to the liquid phase is defined as the onset of the stressful conditions. Therefore, the start time of stressful conditions at 41 W and Re 420 is increased from 3700 s with nanofluid composed of 1% volume fraction nanoparticles (VF-1%) to 4600 s with nanofluid VF-2% during high current discharge rates. Nanofluid cooling extends the operating time of the battery in comparison with the water-based cooling system with 200-s (nanofluid with volume fraction of 1%) and 900-s (nanofluid with volume fraction of 2%) increases in operating time at Reynolds of 420. Using nanofluid, instead of water, postpones the onset of paraffin phase transition effectively and prolongs its melting time which consequently leads to a decrease in the rate of temperature rise.

     

Synthesis of arene-soluble mixed-metal Zr/Ce,Zr/Y,and related [[Zr2(OiPr)9]LnX2]n complexes using the dizirconium nonaisopropoxide ligand

The utility of polydentate monoanionic [Zr2(OiPr)9]- in generating arene-soluble, unsolvated, mixed-metal Zr/Ce and Zr/Y complexes is described. The synthesis of other mixed-metal zirconium lanthanide complexes was also studied to explore the relationship of metal size to structure. Lanthanide trihalides react in THF with KZr2(OiPr)9 to form unsolvated dimers, [[Zr2(OiPr)9]LnCl2]2, with the larger metals, Ln = Ce (1), Ho (2), Y (3), and unsolvated monomers, [Zr2(OiPr)9]LnCl2, with the smaller elements, Ln = Er (4), Yb (5). The synthesis of a monomeric iodide analogue, [Zr2(OiPr)9]TmI2, 6, by reduction of Zr2(OiPr)8(iPrOH)2 with TmI2(DME)3 is also reported. In all of these complexes, the [Zr2(OiPr)9]- subunit is tetradentate. 1-6 are compared with related cyclopentadienyl halide complexes to evaluate the special features of the dizirconium nonaisopropoxide ligand versus cyclopentadienide.     

A theorem on asymptotic behaviour of functional equations and its applications

A method for the determination of rate of decay of a solution of a stable functional equation is discussed. A method for establishing a bound on an unstable, but bounded, solution is also discussed. Some applications are considered as examples.     

Optical absorption and NMR spectroscopic studies on paramagnetic trivalent lanthanide complexes with 2,2'-bipyridine.; The solvent effect on 4f-4f hypersensitive transitions

The optical absorption and NMR studies of trivalent lanthanide chloride complexes with 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) are presented and discussed. The NMR spectra of paramagnetic complexes exhibit lower as well as higher field shifts of bpy resonances that reflect change in geometry and reveals importance of the factor (3 cos2 theta - 1 ) in changing sign of the shift. The paramagnetic shifts recorded have been analyzed and the intramolecular shift ratios suggest that the paramagnetic shift is predominantly dipolar in origin. Electronic spectral studies of the Pr, Nd, Ho, Er and Dy complexes in different solvents (viz. methanol, pyridine, DMSO and DMF), which differ with respect to donor atoms, reveal that the chemical environment around the lanthanide ion has great impact on f-f transitions and any change in the environment results in modifications of the spectra. The oscillator strength for the hypersensitive and non-hypersensitive transitions have been determined and changes in the oscillator strength and band shape with respect to solvent type is rationalized in terms of ligand (solvent) structure and coordination properties.     

A comparative study of first-derivative spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography applied to the determination of losartan potassium in tablets

Losartan, a highly effective blood pressure-lowering agent, has been widely used for the treatment of hypertension. A fast and reliable method for the determination of losartan was highly desirable to support formulation screening and quality control. A first-derivative UV spectroscopic method and HPLC were developed for the determination of losartan in the tablet dosage form. The first-derivative spectrum recorded between 220 and 320 nm and a zero-crossing technique for first-derivative measurement at 232.5 nm were selected. The selectivity and sensitivity of the method was in desirable range. In comparison with the direct UV method, first-derivative UV spectroscopy has a definite trough without any interference from UV absorbing-excipients. This method is also fast and economical in comparison with the more time-consuming HPLC method regularly used for formulation screening and quality control and can be used routinely by any laboratory possessing a spectrophotometer with a derivative accessory. The linear concentration ranges were 2-50 microg ml(-1), (D(1)=-0.0159C-0.0056, r=0.9994, n=6). Between-days CV of < or =2.9%, within-day CV of < or =2.1%, and analytical recovery close to 98.1% show the suitability of the method for determination in quality control.     

Marcinkiewicz–Zygmund Strong Laws for Infinite Variance Time Series

We study rate of convergence in the strong law of large numbers for finite and infinite variance time series in both contexts of weak and strong dependence.     

A semi-classical approach to two-frequency solitons in a three-level cascade atomic system

A semi-classical theory of two intense optical fields interacting with a third-order non-linear medium composed of a three-level cascade atomic system is presented. It is predicted that non-linear atom-field interactions allow the formation of two-frequency bright, dark and grey spatial solitons. We demonstrate through numerical simulations and analytic stability analysis that the bright and grey solitons are stable.     

Direct analysis of solid samples by GFAAS – determination of trace heavy metals in barytes

Solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (SS-GFAAS) has been used for the determination of traces of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Ni, V and As) in barytes over a wide concentration range, e.g. Cd from 0.023 to 27.0 μg/g and Pb from 1.54 to 3509 μg/g.The necessity of determining heavy metals in commercial barytes (naturally occurring barium sulfate), a mineral important to the oil industry because of its use in drilling muds, is discussed. The problems presented by the analysis of this difficult matrix are elegantly solved by using SS-GFAAS for the direct determination of heavy metals. A high-performance graphite furnace AAS with D₂-background correction system and a transversely heated graphite atomizer was used for the investigations. The spectrometer was combined with a mechanical sampling module and an ultramicrobalance. The transfer of solid samples (sample weights 0.031–0.686 mg) into the atomizer was carried out by using an optimized graphite platform as the sample carrier. Calibration curve techniques and standard addition methods were employed using external standards (CRMs). Problems associated with signal deformations like multiple peaks, tailing or shoulders are also discussed and possibilities to solve the problems are given. The influence of the homogeneity of solid samples on the precision and accuracy are shown in a real example. The results obtained by SS-GFAAS were compared with results by other methods like X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and flame AAS after aqua regia microwave extraction. This study has demonstrated that SS-GFAAS is a very powerful and easy-to-use method for quick and accurate analysis of barytes. Received: 9 November 1998 / Revised: 29 January 1999 / Accepted: 2 February 1999