Comparison of infrared-excited up-converting phosphors and europium nanoparticles as labels in a two-site immunoassay

Research in the field of immunoassays and labels used in the detection has been recently focused on particulate reporters, which possess very high specific activity that excludes the label as a sensitivity limiting factor. However, the large size and shape of the particulate labels may produce additional problems to immunoassay performance. The aim of this work was to study with two identical non-competitive two-site immunoassays whether up-converting phosphor (UCP) particles are comparable in performance with europium(III) chelate-dyed nanoparticles as particulate labels. In addition we strived to verify the common assumption of the photostability of up-converting phosphor particles supporting their potential applicability in imaging. Detection limits in two-site immunoassay for free prostate-specific antigen (free-PSA) were 0.53 ng L⁻¹ and 1.3 ng L⁻¹ using two different up-converting phosphors and 0.16 ng L⁻¹ using europium(III) nanoparticle. Large size distribution and non-specific binding of up-converting phosphor particles caused assay variation in low analyte concentrations and limited the analytical detection limit. The non-specific binding was the major factor limiting the analytical sensitivity of the immunoassay. The results suggests the need for nanoscaled and uniformely sized UCP-particles to increace the sensitivity and applicability of up-converting phosphor particles. Anti-Stokes photoluminescence of up-converting phosphor particles did not photobleach when measured repeatedly, on the contrary, the time-resolved fluorescence of europium nanoparticles photobleached relatively rapidly.     

Synthesis, characterization, and complexation of tetraarylborates with aromatic cations and their use in chemical sensors

Five aromatic borate anions, namely tetrakis(4-phenoxyphenyl)borate (1), tetrakis(biphenyl)borate (2), tetrakis(2-naphthyl)borate (3), tetrakis(4-phenylphenol)borate (4), and tetrakis(4-phenoxy)borate (5), have been prepared and tested as ion-recognition sites in chemical sensors for certain aromatic cations and metal ions. To gain further insight into the complexation of the cations, some complexes have been prepared and structurally characterized. The complexation behavior of 1 and 2 towards N-methylpyridinium (6), 1-ethyl-4-(methoxycarbonyl)pyridinium (7), tropylium (8), imidazolium (9), and 1-methylimidazolium (10) cations has been studied, and the stability constants of the complexes of 1 with cations 6 and 8 have been measured to compare them with the values for the previously studied complexes of tetraphenylborate. The structures of the borate anions and their complexes have been characterized by NMR and mass spectrometric methods. X-ray crystal structures have been determined for potassium tetrakis(4-phenoxyphenyl)borate (K(+)1), N-methylpyridinium tetrakis(4-phenoxyphenyl)borate (61), 1-ethyl-4-(methoxycarbonyl)pyridinium tetrakis(4-phenoxyphenyl)borate (71), tropylium tetrakis(4-phenoxyphenyl)borate (81), and imidazolium tetrakis(biphenyl)borate (92). The results show that borate derivatives are potential candidates for a completely new family of charged carriers for use in cation-selective electrodes.     

Effect of extraction vessel geometry and flow homogeneity on recoveries of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in pressurised hot water extraction

Extraction vessels of different length, internal diameter and volume were tested to evaluate the effect of vessel geometry on the recovery of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from certified sediment by pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE). Pressurised hot water extractions were performed at 300 °C with both liquid water (pressure 250 kg cm^–2) and steam (pressure 50 kg cm^–2). In addition, the effects on the recoveries of sediment packing and water flow direction were examined in two vessels. The geometry of the vessel, the packing of the sediment and the flow direction of the water had only minor effect on the recoveries.     

A Bayesian molecular interaction library

We describe a library of molecular fragments designed to model and predict non-bonded interactions between atoms. We apply the Bayesian approach, whereby prior knowledge and uncertainty of the mathematical model are incorporated into the estimated model and its parameters. The molecular interaction data are strengthened by narrowing the atom classification to 14 atom types, focusing on independent molecular contacts that lie within a short cutoff distance, and symmetrizing the interaction data for the molecular fragments. Furthermore, the location of atoms in contact with a molecular fragment are modeled by Gaussian mixture densities whose maximum a posteriori estimates are obtained by applying a version of the expectation-maximization algorithm that incorporates hyperparameters for the components of the Gaussian mixtures. A routine is introduced providing the hyperparameters and the initial values of the parameters of the Gaussian mixture densities. A model selection criterion, based on the concept of a `minimum message length' is used to automatically select the optimal complexity of a mixture model and the most suitable orientation of a reference frame for a fragment in a coordinate system. The type of atom interacting with a molecular fragment is predicted by values of the posterior probability function and the accuracy of these predictions is evaluated by comparing the predicted atom type with the actual atom type seen in crystal structures. The fact that an atom will simultaneously interact with several molecular fragments forming a cohesive network of interactions is exploited by introducing two strategies that combine the predictions of atom types given by multiple fragments. The accuracy of these combined predictions is compared with those based on an individual fragment. Exhaustive validation analyses and qualitative examples (e.g., the ligand-binding domain of glutamate receptors) demonstrate that these improvements lead to effective modeling and prediction of molecular interactions.     

Characterization of the alnumycin gene cluster reveals unusual gene products for pyran ring formation and dioxan biosynthesis

Alnumycin is closely related to the benzoisochromanequinone (BIQ) polyketides such as actinorhodin. Exceptional structural features include differences in aglycone tailoring that result in the unique alnumycin chromophore and the existence of an unusual 4-hydroxymethyl-5-hydroxy-1,3-dioxan moiety. Cloning and sequencing of the alnumycin gene cluster from Streptomyces sp. CM020 revealed expected biosynthesis genes for polyketide assembly, but several genes encoding subsequent tailoring enzymes were highly atypical. Heterologous expression studies confirmed that all of the genes required for alnumycin biosynthesis resided within the sequenced clone. Inactivation of genes aln4 and aln5 showed that the mechanism of pyran ring formation differs from actinorhodin and granaticin pathways. Further inactivation studies identified two genes, alnA and alnB, involved in the synthesis and attachment of the dioxan moiety, and resulted in the production of the polyketide prealnumycin.     

BODIL: a molecular modeling environment for structure-function analysis and drug design

BODIL is a molecular modeling environment geared to help the user to quickly identify key features of proteins critical to molecular recognition, especially (1) in drug discovery applications, and (2) to understand the structural basis for function. The program incorporates state-of-the-art graphics, sequence and structural alignment methods, among other capabilities needed in modern structure–function–drug target research. BODIL has a flexible design that allows on-the-fly incorporation of new modules, has intelligent memory management, and fast multi-view graphics. A beta version of BODIL and an accompanying tutorial are available at http://www.abo.fi/fak/mnf/bkf/research/johnson/bodil.html     

Preparation,characterization and antimicrobial application of hybrid cellulose-lignin beads

In the present study, cellulose-lignin beads were prepared using pretreated dissolving grade-pulp and extracted from birch wood hydrotropic lignin as starting materials. The preparation involved dissolution of both polymers in environmentally friendly 7% NaOH/12% urea aqueous solution, shaping the solution into beads and subsequent regeneration. Lignin content in the beads varied from 0 to 40%. The beads were characterized using FTIR, scanning electron and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Porosity, swelling behavior and leaching of lignin from the beads in water were studied as well. The antibacterial properties of the beads and original hydrotropic lignin were tested using Escherichia coli (XL-1 Blue) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923). The obtained beads in a never-dried state were highly porous spherical particles with evenly distributed lignin in them. Their shape, structure and properties were influenced by the lignin content. The beads did not show antibacterial activity against gram-negative E. coli. On the other hand, never-dried cellulose-lignin beads inhibited growth of gram-positive S. aureus, and the inhibition efficiency increased with the lignin content. The half inhibitory concentration for never-dried beads with 40% of lignin was 1.06 mg (dry weight) per 1 mL of broth determined after incubation for 24 h at 37 °C and at initial concentration of S. aureus of 6.48 log(CFU/mL). In contrast to cellulose-lignin beads, pure cellulose beads did not inhibit growth of S aureus. The results demonstrated that hydrotropic birch lignin can be used for the preparation of composite cellulose-lignin beads. Such beads show a great potential for antibacterial applications against S. aureus.     

On-Line Coupled Liquid Chromatography – Gas Chromatography in the Analysis of Process Samples

Normal phase liquid chromatography–gas chromatography was used with on-column interfacing and partially concurrent solvent evaporation in the analysis of process samples. Samples were taken from reaction mixtures, where the solvent was toluene. The analytes were oxygenated compounds: methyl isobutyrate, methyl methacrylate, methyl α-formyl isobutyrate, and methyl β-formyl isobutyrate. The analytes were transferred from LC to GC using back-flush with a solvent mixture of pentane and diethyl ether. Linearity, repeatability, and transfer efficiency were determined for the method. The method was applied in the determination of the analytes of two different process samples. The results were in good agreement with results obtained by the gas chromatographic method currently in use for the analysis of the process samples.     

Building the quality into pellet manufacturing environment--feasibility study and validation of an in-line quantitative near infrared (NIR) method

The present study focuses on the implementation of an in-line quantitative near infrared (NIR) spectroscopic method for determining the active content of pharmaceutical pellets. The first aim was to non-invasively interface a dispersive NIR spectrometer with four realistic particle streams existing in the pellets manufacturing environment. Regardless of the particle stream characteristics investigated, NIR together with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was able to classify the samples according to their active content. Further, one of these particle stream interfaces was non-invasively investigated with a FT-NIR spectrometer. A predictive model based on Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression was able to determine the active content of pharmaceutical pellets. The NIR method was finally validated with an external validation set for an API concentration range from 80 to 120% of the targeted active content. The prediction error of 0.9% (root mean standard error of prediction, RMSEP) was low, indicating the accuracy of the NIR method. The accuracy profile on the validation results, an innovative approach based on tolerance intervals, demonstrated the actual and future performance of the in-line NIR method. Accordingly, the present approach paves the way for real-time release-based quality system.