A note on the Hohenberg-Kohn theorem

An alternative, concise proof of the general form of Hohenberg-Kohn theorem is presented.     

Lyapunov,Bézout,and Hankel

Given a polynomial f of degree n, we denote by C its companion matrix, and by S the truncated shift operator of order n. We consider Lyapunov-type equations of the form X?SXC=>W and X?CXS=W. We derive some properties of these equations which make it possible to characterize Bezoutian matrices as solutions of the first equation with suitable right-hand sides W (similarly for Hankel and the second equation) and to write down explicit expressions for these solutions. This yields explicit factorization formulae for polynomials in C, for the Schur-Cohn matrix, and for matrices satisfying certain intertwining relations, as well as for Bezoutian matrices.     

Solid-phase extraction of 4(5)-methylimidazole (4MeI) and 2-acetyl-4(5)-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydroxybutyl)-imidazole (THI) from foods and beverages with subsequent liquid chromatographic-electrospray mass spectrometric quantification

A method for the simultaneous determination of 4(5)-methylimidazole (4MeI) and 2-acetyl-4(5)-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydroxybutyl)-imidazole (THI) was developed using SPE and HPLC/MS. Solid-phase extraction using SCX Disc cartridges was used for isolation of the analytes from liquid samples. The lower LOQwas 0.1 ng/mL for 4MeI and 0.2 ng/ mL for THI. The linearity of the calibration curves was satisfactory as indicated by correlation coefficients >0.999. The CV for the intra- and inter-day precision was <5% (n = 6); the accuracy was in the range 98-103%. The recovery was > or = 97 and > or = 98% for THI and 4MeI, respectively. The method was used to determine THI and 4MeI in beverages, coffee, caramel colours and other samples.     

Electrochemical behavior of phytochelatins and related peptides at the hanging mercury drop electrode in the presence of cobalt(II) ions

Direct current voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry have been used to investigate the electrochemical behaviour of two phytochelatins: heptapeptide (gamma-Glu-Cys)3-Gly and pentapeptide (gamma-Glu-Cys)2-Gly, tripeptide glutathione gamma-Glu-Cys-Gly and its fragments: dipeptides Cys-Gly and gamma-Glu-Cys at the hanging mercury drop electrode in the presence of cobalt(II) ions. Most interesting results were obtained with direct current voltammetry in the potential region of -0.80 V up to -1.80 V. Differential pulse voltammetry of the same solutions of Co(II) with peptides gives more complicated voltammograms with overlapping peaks, probably in connection with the influence of adsorption at slow scan rates necessarily used in this method. However, in using Brdicka catalytic currents for analytical purposes, differential pulse voltammograms seem to be more helpful. Presented investigations have shown that particularly the prewave of cobalt(II) allows distinguishing among phytochelatins, glutathione, and its fragments.     

Determination of three Tumor Biomarkers (Homovanillic Acid,Vanillylmandelic Acid,and 5‐Hydroxyindole‐3‐Acetic Acid) Using Flow Injection Analysis with Amperometric Detection

Flow injection analysis with amperometric detection (FIA‐AD) at screen‐printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) in optimum medium of Britton‐Robinson buffer (0.04 mol ? L^?1, pH 2.0) was used for the determination of three tumor biomarkers (homovanillic acid (HVA), vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), and 5‐hydroxyindole‐3‐acetic acid (5‐HIAA)). Dependences of the peak current on the concentration of biomarkers were linear in the whole tested concentration range from 0.05 to 100 μmol ? L^?1, with limits of detection (LODs) of 0.065 μmol ? L^?1 for HVA, 0.053 μmol ? L^?1 for VMA, and 0.033 μmol ? L^?1 for 5‐HIAA (calculated from peak heights), and 0.024 μmol ? L^?1 for HVA, 0.020 μmol ? L^?1 for VMA, and 0.012 μmol ? L^?1 for 5‐HIAA (calculated from peak areas), respectively.     

Electrochemical behavior of methylene blue at bare and DNA-modified silver solid amalgam electrodes

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used for a voltammetric study of methylene blue (MB) at a mercury meniscus-modified...     

Supercritical fluid extraction of amino acids from birch (Betula pendula Roth) leaves and their liquid chromatographic determination with fluorimetric detection

A method for supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of amino acids was adapted and optimal experimental conditions were selected for a matrix consisting of dry leaves. The matrix-dependent SFE method uses a mixture of MeOH-H(2)O-acetonitrile (10:10:1 v/v/v) as a modifier (0.5 mL in situ, 300 muL on-line) at 70 degrees C and 40 MPa and no HCl is needed as an entrainer. The amino acids were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection (HPLC/FLD) after gradient elution on Zorbax Eclipse AAA columns (4.6x150 mm, 3.5 mum) with aqueous Na(2)HPO(4 )buffer of pH 7.8 and ACN-MeOH-water as a mobile phase. In comparison with Soxhlet extraction, SFE gave higher recovery and selectivity, but it required longer extraction time (90 min) and it was more labor-intensive (clean-up step after the pre-concentration). Both methods should be used separately or in combination according to the matrix, number of samples, and levels of ballast compounds.     

Current trends in isolation, separation, determination and identification of isoflavones: a review

Isoflavones are natural substances which elicit a number of physiological effects in living organisms. The substances are synthesized in plant tissues as protective agents against biotic stress (i. e. bacterial infection). Isoflavones are also an important dietary constituent in human nutrition. Modern trends in studies of isoflavones in plant materials and foodstuffs and procedures for chemical analyses of isoflavones in human body fluids and plant tissues are discussed in this review. Highly effective extraction and purification techniques, i. e. solid-phase extraction, accelerated-solvent extraction, and Soxhlet extraction, are presented. Latest procedures in chromatographic separation of isoflavones that apply different types of sorbents are described. Immunochemical analysis, electrochemical sensing of isoflavones, and spectrometric and other analytical techniques and their applications are also mentioned. Special attention is paid to the highly selective and sensitive technique of mass spectrometry and its application for identification of isoflavones and their glucosides in plants. Studies of interactions of isoflavones with cell receptors and a number of biologically active substances such as DNA and proteins are described. The review does not intend to give a complete overview of the topics considered but rather to present modern and most recent methods used in studies of isoflavones.