Fourth-order diagrammatic MB-RSPT calculations of the interaction energy between two helium atoms

The efficiency of the MB-RSPT in the calculations of the correlation contributions to the interaction energies was investigated, using He₂ as a model Van der Waals system. The attention has been focused on the convergency of the perturbation expansion in the calculations of the interaction energy and on the analysis of the fourth-order terms of MB-RSPT. The rôle of the renormalization term in the correct long-range behaviour of the interaction potential has been emphasized.     

Rapid and simple method for determination of Nepsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine and Nepsilon-(carboxyethyl)lysine in urine using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A new procedure was developed to determine in urine the concentrations of N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and N(epsilon)-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL), the major products of oxidative modification of glycated proteins, to assess levels of oxidative stress in physiological systems. The urine samples were acetonitrile-deproteinized, then derivatized by ethylchloroformate, and N(O,S)-ethoxycarbonyl ethyl esters of amino acids were analysed by isotope dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Recovery averaged 89%. Linearity was excellent (r = 0.998-0.999) in the 0.5-25 micromol/L range for CML and CEL. The limit of detection of this assay was 0.1 micromol/L (corresponding to 0.20 pmol of CML or CEL on column). Intra-day and inter-day precisions were likewise excellent, with relative standard deviations <4.63 and <6.15%, respectively. Accuracy of CML and CEL determination (15 micromol/L) was 2.9 and 5.9% of the estimated theoretical value. The time from obtaining the urine sample to determination of the concentration from the chromatographic peak was 80 min or less. This method is sensitive, reproducible, accurate, relatively cheap and very simple. It can be useful for laboratories involved in the diagnosis and monitoring of age-related chronic diseases.     

Determination of Low Contents of Fenpiverine Bromide by Extraction Spectrophotometry

An ion-pair extraction spectrophotometry method was developed for the determination of fenpiverine bromide in tablets. To determine this substance it was necessary to find experimental conditions that would allow eliminating the influence of other components of the tablets. Attention was paid to the fact that a suitable pH of water phase was necessary to achieve high selectivity.Received December 11, 2002; accepted April 24, 2003 Published online July 28, 2003     

Thermal Analysis of the System Na3AlF6–NaVO3

Summary. The phase diagram of the system Na₃AlF₆–NaVO₃ was determined by means of thermal analysis. The system is a simple binary eutectic one. The eutectic point was estimated at x(NaVO₃) = 0.975 and t _eut = 617°C. The XRD patterns of samples after thermal analysis revealed the presence of cryolite and NaVO₃ only supporting the above assumption of a simple eutectic binary system.     

Capillary isotachophoresis of some isoquinoline alkaloids

The isotachophoretic behavior of quaternary benzo/c/phenanthridine, protoberberine and aporphine alkaloids in different electrolyte systems is described. The concentration of the leading ion and the pH value of the leading electrolyte affect the relative effective mobilities of the alkaloids. The system of pH 4.7, containing the leading ion K⁺ (0.005 M) counter ion acetate, and the terminating ion β-alanine (0.02 M), has been selected for the quantitative determination of the studied alkaloids in model mixtures and plant extracts.     

Reaction graphs and a construction of reaction networks

Summary A general definition of reaction graphs is presented. For a pair of isomeric molecular graphs and , related by a chemical transformation , the reaction graph is determined using a maximal common subgraph defined for vertex mapping . A binary operation defined for graphs constructed over the same vertex set enables us to decompose the reaction graph into the sum of prototype reaction graphs. A decomposition of an overall reaction graph can be advantageously used for the construction of a reaction network. An oriented path in this network beginning at and ending at corresponds to a breakdown of the transformation into a sequence of intermediates.     

Efficiency assessment of wastewater treatment plant based on SPMD sampling

The efficiency of treatment processes forboth municipal and industrial wastewater (treatment plant-Ostrava, Czech Republic) focused on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was assessed. Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as a sampling system were applied. Exposed SPMDs were analyzed both for chemical contaminants of POPs and toxicity response. The chemical analyses of PAHs were made by HPLC-FLD, PCDD/Fs and PCBs were analysed by GC/MS/MS on GCQ or PolarisQ (Thermoquest). Ecotoxicity data on chlorococcal alga Desmodesmus subspicatus (Scenedesmus subspicatus) and luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri are presented here. All toxicity data as effective volume Vtox are expressed. The results show good treatment ability of the treatment plant and proved used system as an appropriate tool for efficiency assessment of treatment and/or decontamination processes.     

A second-quantization representation of the Epstein-Nesbet partitioning of the full hamiltonian

A second-quantization representation of the Epstein-Nesbet partitioning of the total electronic hamiltonian is suggested. In this approach, the unperturbed hamiltonian contains not only the one-particle orbital energies but also the Coulomb and corresponding exchange two-particle terms. Such a hamiltonian can advantageously be used in all branches of the many-body diagrammatic perturbation theory for simple and correct inclusion of the diagonal ladder and ring diagrams in all orders of perturbation theory.     

RP-HPLC analysis of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in beverages and plant extracts using a CoulArray detector

Methods were developed for the analysis of natural antioxidants including phenolic compounds and flavonoids in beverages and plant extracts using gradient HPLC with multi-channel electrochemical coulometric detection. Suitability of various reversed-phase columns for this purpose was compared; pH and mobile phase gradients were optimized with respect to the separation selectivity and sensitivity of detection. Because of different target compounds in various sample types, the overlapping resolution maps and the normalized resolution product approaches described earlier were used to select optimum columns and gradients to suit the analysis of the individual sample types. The methods were applied to the analysis of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in beer, wine, tea, and yacon extracts. 32 phenolic compounds were identified and determined, including derivatives of benzoic and cinnamic acids, flavones, and a few related glycosides. Eight-channel CoulArray detection offers high selectivity and sensitivity with limits of detection in the low microg L(-1) range, at least an order of magnitude lower than single-channel coulometric detection using the Coulochem detector. No special sample pretreatment is necessary and, because of the compatibility of the CoulArray detector with gradient elution, phenolic antioxidants of different polarities can be determined in a single run. In addition to the retention times, the ratios of the areas of the pre-dominant and post-dominant peaks to the area of the dominant peak can be used for improved identification of natural antioxidants.     

Missing-link macrocycles: hybrid heterocalixarene analogues formed from several different building blocks

The synthesis and structural characterization of hybrid heterocalix[4]arene analogues containing pyrrole, benzene, methoxy-substituted benzene, and pyridine subunits is described. Macrocycles 1 and 2, examples of calix[2]benzene[2]pyrrole and calix[1]benzene[3]pyrrole systems, respectively, are synthesized by the condensation of pyrrole and an appropriate phenylbis(carbinol). Macrocycles 3 and 7, examples of calix[2]benzene[1]pyridine[1]pyrrole and calix[1]pyridine[3]pyrrole, respectively, are synthesized by the use of a carbene-based pyrrole-to-pyridine ring-expansion procedure. Single-crystal X-ray analysis reveals that compounds 1a, 1b, and 2b adopt 1,3-alternate conformations in the solid state, whereas compounds 3 and 7 display structures that are best described as "flattened partial cones" in terms of their conformation. (Series a refers to pure benzene-derived systems, whereas series b indicates macrocycles containing 5-methoxyphenyl subunits). In the solid state, the methoxy-functionalized macrocycles 1b and 2b, and the chloropyridine-containing macrocycle 7 exist as dimers. In the case of 1a and 7, these compounds interact with neutral solvent in the solid state. The conformations of the macrocycles in solution were explored by temperature-dependent proton NMR and NOESY spectral analysis. At 188 K, macrocycles 1a and 2a adopt flattened 1,3-alternate conformations, whereas macrocycles 3 and 7 exist in the form of flattened partial-cone conformations. Standard proton NMR titration analyses were carried out in the case of macrocycles 1a and 2a, and reveal that at least the second of these systems is capable of binding fluoride and chloride anions in CD(2)Cl(2) solution at room temperature (K(a)=571 and 17M(-1) in the case of 2a and F(-) and Cl(-), respectively).