Enhancement of facilitated olefin transport by amino acid in silver-polymer complex membranes

Silver ions dissolved in a polymer matrix are additionally coordinated by carbonyl oxygens of asparagines and their counter anions interact with cationic sites, resulting in the enhanced activity of the silver ion as an olefin carrier for facilitated olefin transport.     

Antibacterial activities of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) and poly(styrene-random-4-vinyl pyridine)

Styrene was polymerized in the presence of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) to yield polystyrene-TEMPO (PS-TEMPO) macroinitiator. The PS-TEMPO macroinitiator with different molecular weight was reacted with 4-vinyl pyridine (4-VP) to synthesize polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-PVP), which was then quaternized with n-octyl iodide. Antibacterial activity of the quaternized copolymers was assessed against a gram negative bacterium (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and a gram positive one (Staphylococcus aureus) by using the shake flask test method, and the results were compared with those of poly(styrene-random-4-vinyl pyridine) (P(ST-r--VP)). The quaternized copolymers inhibited greatly the growth of the bacteria, and PS-b-PVP was more active than P(ST-r-VP), which was ascribed to the fact that the content of quaternized 4-VP units on the surface of the particles of the former copolymer was higher than that corresponding to the latter one.     

Continuous flow and flow injection stripping voltammetric determination of silver(I), mercury(II), and bismuth(III) at a bulk modified graphite tube electrode

The epoxy-impregnated graphite tube electrode bulk modified with 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, employed in a wall-jet configuration, was found to be useful for the continuous flow and flow injection stripping voltammetric determinations of Ag^I, Hg^II and Bi^III. For continuous flow, detection limits for Ag^I, Hg^II and Bi^III were 1.8 × 10⁻¹⁰ M, 1.9 × 10⁻⁹ M and 9.5 × 10⁻⁹ M, respectively (10 min accumulation, S/N = 3). Precisions for 5.00 × 10⁻⁹ M Ag^I, 1.00 × 10⁻⁸ M Hg^II and 1.00 × 10⁻⁷ M Bi^III were 10.5%, 5.77 % and 7.90% (relative standard deviations, n = 6), respectively. In the case of flow injection stripping, with a 500 μL injection loop, detection limits of 0.59 ng, 2.0 ng and 120 ng were obtained for Ag^I, Hg^II and Bi^III, respectively (S/N = 3). Selected metal ions, inorganic and organic substances were investigated for interferences. The electrode was tested with a certified sample and then applied to the determinations of the metal ions in a urine and a sea-water sample.     

Characterization of polystyrene and polyisoprene by normal-phase temperature gradient interaction chromatography

Temperature gradient interaction chromatography (TGIC) is applied to the characterization of polyisoprene (PI) and polystyrene (PS) using normal-phase (NP) stationary phase--bare silica or diol bonded silica. Tetrahydrofuran-isooctane mixtures are used as a mobile phase. PI and linear and star shaped PS samples are successfully fractionated in terms of the molecular mass with a high resolution comparable to that of reversed-phase (RP) HPLC. Temperature dependence of the retention shows that the enthalpy of adsorption of PS to the stationary phase is exothermic. In addition, some characteristic features of the NP-TGIC system relative to those of RP-TGIC are presented, which include a high sensitivity on the polar end group and the simultaneous size-exclusion chromatographic and TGIC characterization of PS and PI mixtures.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-SCH 351448: a unique ligand system for sodium, calcium, and other cations

(+)-SCH 351448 (Na+ salt A) was synthesized employing ring-closing olefin metathesis reaction of an open diene diester intermediate for construction of the 28-membered macrodiolide structure. The open diene diester was prepared from the monomeric hydroxy carboxylic acid and two different olefin fragments. The monomeric hydroxy acid was synthesized via Julia-Julia coupling reaction of intermediates derived from the same olefinic fragments. Oxane units in these fragments were prepared by radical cyclization reactions of beta-alkoxyacrylates. Analogous SCH 351448 salts incorporating other mono- and divalent cations may be prepared. Under acidic conditions, SCH 351448 (Na+ salt A) was the most stable complex, but SCH 351448 (Ca2+ salt) and (Na+ salt B) appear to be physiologically important species.     

Competitive binding of a Tris run buffer with chiral crown ether in chiral capillary electrophoresis

In capillary electrophoresis of primary amine racemates using (+)-(18-crown-6)-tetracarboxylic acid (18C6H4) as a chiral selector, chiral recognition emanates from the differences in the complex formation between 18C6H4 and the two protonated amine enantiomers. The presence of buffer constituents such as tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) or Na+, capable of forming complexes with 18C6H4, is thus detrimental to the chiral separation of primary amines. Such a competitive binding of buffer constituents was studied by comparing the electrophoretic mobilities of racemic analytes obtained in Tris/citric acid and triethylamine/citric acid buffers. We developed a simple fitting method to determine the competitive binding constant and applied it to the Tris buffer system. The competitive binding constant of Tris with 18C6H4 obtained at pH 3.0 was 27 +/- 4.     

Detection of cryptic Y chromosome mosaicism by coamplification PCR with archived cytogenetic slides of suspected Turner syndrome

Turner syndrome is one of the most common cytogenetic abnormalities. It is known that the Y chromosome or Y derived material is present in 6-9% of TS patient and it may develop a high risk of gonadoblastoma in 15-25%. So it is crucial to carry out cyto genetic analysis and Y-specific probe studies for all persons with gonadal dysgenesis to rule out mosaicism with Y-bearing cell line; eg 45,X/46,XY. In this study, 26 archival slides previously analyzed cytogenetically as 45,X, 45,X/46,X,i(X), 45,X/46,X,r(X), and 45,X/46,XX were examined. Coamplification PCR, having the advantage of providing rapid result and confirming PCR failure, was performed with the slide samples in the regions of dystrophin gene in Xp21and DYZ3 in the Y centromeric region. All of archived slides were positive for X-specific gene and one slide of 45,X was found to have the cryptic Y chromosome material. Our result suggests that the archived cytogenetic slides could be applied for the detection of Y chromosome rapidly and efficiently in TS patients.     

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on composite solid polymer electrolytes

The ionic conductivity of polymer electrolytes and their interfacial contact with dye-attached TiO2 particles were enhanced markedly by the addition of amorphous oligomer into polymer electrolytes, resulting in very high overall energy conversion efficiency.