Least-squares support vector machines and near infrared spectroscopy for quantification of common adulterants in powdered milk

This paper proposes the use of the least-squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) as an alternative multivariate calibration method for the simultaneous quantification of some common adulterants (starch, whey or sucrose) found in powdered milk samples, using near-infrared spectroscopy with direct measurements by diffuse reflectance. Due to the spectral differences of the three adulterants a nonlinear behavior is present when all groups of adulterants are in the same data set, making the use of linear methods such as partial least squares regression (PLSR) difficult. Excellent models were built using LS-SVM, with low prediction errors and superior performance in relation to PLSR. These results show it possible to built robust models to quantify some common adulterants in powdered milk using near-infrared spectroscopy and LS-SVM as a nonlinear multivariate calibration procedure.     

The ionized methylene transfer from the distonic radical cation +CH2-O-CH2 to heterocyclic compounds. A pentaquadrupole mass spectrometric study

Ion-molecule reactions of the mass-selected distonic radical cation ⁺CH₂-O-CH ₂ ^· (1) with several heterocyclic compounds have been investigated by multiple stage mass spectro- metric experiments performed in a pentaquadrupole mass spectrometer. Reactions with pyridine, 2-, 3-, and 4-ethyl, 2-methoxy, and 2-n-propyl pyridine occur mainly by transfer of CH ₂ ^+· to the nitrogen, which yields distonic N-methylene-pyridinium radical cations. The MS³ spectra of these products display very characteristic collision-induced dissociation chemistry, which is greatly affected by the position of the substituent in the pyridine ring. Ortho isomers undergo a δ-cleavage cyclization process induced by the free-radical character of the N-methylene group that yields bicyclic pyridinium cations. On the other hand, extensive CH ₂ ^+· transfer followed by rapid hydrogen atom loss, that is, a net CH⁺ transfer, occurs not to the heteroatoms, but to the aromatic ring of furan, thiophene, pyrrole, and N-methyl pyrrole. The reaction proceeds through five- to six-membered ring expansion, which yields the pyrilium, thiapyrilium, N-protonated, and N-methylated pyridine cations, respectively, as indicated by MS³ scans. Ion 1 fails to transfer CH ₂ ^+· to tetrahydrofuran, whereas a new α-distonic sulfur ion is formed in reactions with tetrahydrothiophene. Unstable N-methylene distonic ions, likely formed by transfer of CH ₂ ^+· to the nitrogen of piperidine and pyrrolidine, undergo rapid fragmentation by loss of the α-NH hydrogen to yield closed-shell immonium cations. The most thermodynamically favorable products are formed in these reactions, as estimated by ab initio calculations at the MP2/6-31G(d,p)//6-31G(d,p) + ZPE level of theory.     

Production and Digestibility Studies of β-Galactosyl Xylitol Derivatives Using Heterogeneous Catalysts of LacA β-Galactosidase from Lactobacillus Plantarum WCFS1

The synthesis of β-galactosyl xylitol derivatives using immobilized LacA β-galactosidase from Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 is presented. These compounds have the potential to replace traditional sugars by their properties as sweetener and taking the advantages of a low digestibility. The enzyme was immobilized on different supports, obtaining immobilized preparations with different activity and stability. The immobilization on agarose-IDA-Zn-CHO in the presence of galactose allowed for the conserving of 78% of the offered activity. This preparation was 3.8 times more stable than soluble. Since the enzyme has polyhistidine tags, this support allowed the immobilization, purification and stabilization in one step. The immobilized preparation was used in synthesis obtaining two main products and a total of around 68 g/L of β-galactosyl xylitol derivatives and improving the synthesis/hydrolysis ratio by around 30% compared to that of the soluble enzyme. The catalyst was recycled 10 times, preserving an activity higher than 50%. The in vitro intestinal digestibility of the main β-galactosyl xylitol derivatives was lower than that of lactose, being around 6 and 15% for the galacto-xylitol derivatives compared to 55% of lactose after 120 min of digestion. The optimal amount immobilized constitutes a very useful tool to synthetize β-galactosyl xylitol derivatives since it can be used as a catalyst with high yield and being recycled for at least 10 more cycles.     

The effect of the nitrogen non-bonding electron pair on the NMR and X-ray in 1,3-diazaheterocycles

The effect of the nitrogen nonbonding electron pair on the ¹J_C,H values of 1,3-diazaheterocycles was analyzed and compared to 1,5-diazabiciclo[3.2.1]octanes, which have a restricted conformation. The ¹J_C,H values were measured by observing the ¹³C satellites in the ¹H NMR spectra and then determining the ¹H-coupled ¹³C NMR spectra. The ¹J_C,H values are 10 Hz larger when the α-hydrogen is synperiplanar rather than antiperiplanar to the nonbonding electron pair on the nitrogen, which serves as experimental evidence of the orbital n_N→σ¹_C,Hap interactions. In addition, the homoanomeric effect from the interactions of the nitrogen lone pair with the antibonding orbital of the equatorial hydrogen, which was in the β position, was discussed (n_N→σ¹_C(β),Heq).     

Investigating nonlinear dynamics from time series: The influence of symmetries and the choice of observables

When a dynamical system is investigated from a time series, one of the most challenging problems is to obtain a model that reproduces the underlying dynamics. Many papers have been devoted to this problem but very few have considered the influence of symmetries in the original system and the choice of the observable. Indeed, it is well known that there are usually some variables that provide a better representation of the underlying dynamics and, consequently, a global model can be obtained with less difficulties starting from such variables. This is connected to the problem of observing the dynamical system from a single time series. The roots of the nonequivalence between the dynamical variables will be investigated in a more systematic way using previously defined observability indices. It turns out that there are two important ingredients which are the complexity of the coupling between the dynamical variables and the symmetry properties of the original system. As will be mentioned, symmetries and the choice of observables also has important consequences in other problems such as synchronization of nonlinear oscillators. (c) 2002 American Institute of Physics.     

Synthesis and structure of isomeric palladium(II)-pyrazole chelate complexes with and without an N-H group as hydrogen bond donor

Four new ligands containing a pyrazole ring and either a phosphine or thioether were prepared and converted to their cis-dichloropalladium(II) complexes. Two of the ligands are especially notable for the attachment of a side chain at pyrazole carbon, rather than at nitrogen. The new metal complexes include dichloro[3-(diphenylphosphinomethyl)pyrazole]palladium(II) (1-PdCl2) and dichloro[3-(methylthiomethyl)pyrazole]palladium(II) (2-PdCl2), which both feature an N-H group as a potential proton or hydrogen bond donor. For comparison, isomeric complexes lacking an NH group were prepared: dichloro[1-(diphenylphosphinomethyl)pyrazole]palladium(II) (3-PdCl2) and dichloro[1-(methylthiomethyl)pyrazole]palladium(II) (4-PdCl2). As determined by X-ray crystallography, all four complexes were found to have slightly distorted square planar geometry. Complexes 1-PdCl2 and 2-PdCl2, which contain an NH group, exhibit both intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonding, whereas isomers 3-PdCl2 and 4-PdCl2 do not. Single-crystal X-ray structure determinations on the following compounds are reported: 1-PdCl2, space group P1, a = 8.4488(9) A, b = 8.9175(13) A, c = 12.731(2) A, Z = 2, V = 871.8(2) A3; 2-PdCl2, space group Pbca, a = 10.8827(10) A, b = 11.7721(7) A, c = 14.874(2) A, Z = 8, V = 1905.6 A3; 3-PdCl2, space group P2(1)/c, a = 20.520(2) A, b = 12.549(2) A, c = 13.9784(13) A, Z = 8, V = 3401.1(6) A3; 4-PdCl2, space group Pbca, a = 10.6545(10) A, b = 12.0205(11) A, c = 14.6474(14) A, Z = 8, V = 1875.9(3) A3.     

Iron homeostasis in neuronal cells: a role for IREG1

Background  

Iron is necessary for neuronal function but in excess generates neurodegeneration. Although most of the components of the iron homeostasis machinery have been described in neurons, little is known about the particulars of their iron homeostasis. In this work we characterized the response of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and hippocampal neurons to a model of progressive iron accumulation.