Time-resolved enzymatic determination of glucose using a fluorescent europium probe for hydrogen peroxide

An enzymatic assay for glucose based on the use of the fluorescent probe for hydrogen peroxide, europium(III) tetracycline (EuTc), is described. The weakly fluorescent EuTc and enzymatically generated H₂O₂ form a strongly fluorescent complex (EuTc–H₂O₂) whose fluorescence decay profile is significantly different. Since the decay time of EuTc–H₂O₂ is in the microseconds time domain, fluorescence can be detected in the time-resolved mode, thus enabling substantial reduction of background fluorescence. The scheme represents the first H₂O₂-based time-resolved fluorescence assay for glucose not requiring the presence of a peroxidase. The time-resolved assay (with a delay time of 60 s and using endpoint detection) enables glucose to be determined at levels as low as 2.2 mol L^–1, with a dynamic range of 2.2–100 mol L^–1. The method also was adapted to a kinetic assay in order to cover higher glucose levels (mmol L^–1 range). The latter was validated by analyzing spiked serum samples and gave a good linear relationship for glucose levels from 2.5 to 55.5 mmol L^–1. Noteworthy features of the assay include easy accessibility of the probe, large Stokes shift, a line-like fluorescence peaking at 616 nm, stability towards oxygen, a working pH of approximately 7, and its suitability for both kinetic and endpoint determination.     

Interactions of Some Amino Acids with Aqueous Tetraethylammonium Bromide at 298.15 K: A Volumetric Approach

The apparent molar volumes, V_,2, of glycine, L-alanine, DL--amino-n-butyric acid, L-valine, and L-leucine have been determined in aqueous 0.25, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.5 mol-dm^–3 tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) solutions by density measurements at 298.15 K. These data have been used to calculate the infinite dilution apparent molar volumes, V_2,m, for the amino acids in aqueous tetraethylammonium bromide and the standard partial molar volumes of transfer (_tr V_2,m) of the amino acids from water to the aqueous salt solutions. The linear correlation of V_2,m for a homologous series of amino acids has been utilized to calculate the contribution of the charged end groups (NH₃⁺, COO^–), CH₂ group, and other alkyl chains of the amino acids to V_2,m. The results of the standard partial molar volumes of transfer from water to aqueous tetraethylammonium bromide have been interpreted in terms of ion–ion, ion–polar, and hydrophobic–hydrophobic group interactions. The volume of transfer data suggest that ion–ion or ion–hydrophilic interactions are predominant in the case of glycine and alanine, and hydrophobic–hydrophobic group interactions are predominant in the case of DL--amino butyric acid, L-valine, and L-leucine.     

Five-coordinate Cobalt(II), Nickel(II) and Zinc(II) Complexes Derived from 2-pyridine-2-yl-3-(pyridine-2-carboxylideneamino)-1,2-dihydroquinazolin-4(3H)-one. The Crystal Structure of the Cobalt(II) Complex

The synthesis of cobalt(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes of 2-pyridine-2-yl-3(pyridine-2-carboxylideneamino)-1,2-dihydroquinazolin-4(3H)-one is described. The ligand and metal complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity measurements, spectral (u.v.–vis., i.r., 1D n.m.r., 2D hetcor and mass) and thermal studies. The cobalt(II) complex crystallizes as pink crystals in the monoclinic crystal system, space group P21/n with a = 10.066(6) Å, b = 15.929(9) Å, c = 12.624(7) Å, α = 90.00(9)°, β = 110.850 (8)°, γ = 90.00, V = 1891.5 (18) ų and Z = 4. The geometry around the cobalt atom is distorted trigonal bipyramidal with τ = 0.83 [structural parameter, τ = (β − α)/60; where α and β are the two basal angles in a five coordinate complex].     

Limiting Partial Molar Volumes of Electrolytes in 2-Methyl-2-Butanol <Emphasis Type="Bold">+</Emphasis> Water Mixtures at 298.15 K

Partial molar volumes at infinite dilution, V⁰₂, of alkali–metal halides (LiCl, NaCl KCl RbCl CsCl, NaBr, KBr, KI), tetra-n-alkylammonium bromides, R₄NBr (R=Me, Et, n-Pr, n-Bu, n-Pen), NaBPh₄, and Ph₄PCl have been determined in binary solvent mixtures of water with 2-methyl-2-butanol covering the water-rich region and the alcohol-rich region at 298.15 K. V⁰₂ for alkali–metal halides show relatively little dependence on the solvent composition. However, in the case of hydrophobic electrolytes the observed effects are more pronounced. A good linear dependence between V⁰₂(R₄NBr) and the molecular weight of the tetra-n-alkylammonium cation is found. Limiting single-ion volumes have been obtained using the assumption that V⁰(Ph₄P⁺)–V⁰(BPh^–₄)=2.0 cm³-mol^–1. The trends in the single-ion volumes are discussed in both solvent regions.     

Three-dimensional structural features and the toxicity of aminobenzenes and phenols

There are many organic pollutants in the environment, such as polychlorinated biphenyl, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), and polychlorinated naphthalene. These organic pollutants are persistent,liposoluble and easily cumulated in organism; consequently, the potential toxicity will be high. Risk assessment of industrial chemicals is currently carried out using scanty experimental data, because many of these chemicals have very little or no test data. S…     

Influence of ethanol oxidation rate on the lactate/pyruvate ratio and phosphorylation state of the liver in fed rats.

The effect of the ethanol oxidation rate on the interaction between the phosphorylation state (the [ATP]/[ADP] X [HPO4]2- ratio) and the redox state (the free [NAD+]/[NADH] ratio) of the liver cytosol was studied in intact fed rats. The rate of ethanol oxidation was inhibited to different degrees with pyrazole. The ethanol oxidation rate had no influence on the liver lactate level but correlated significantly with the pyruvate level. Accordingly, a significant correlation was also found between the ethanol oxidation rate and the lactate/pyruvate ratio. The rate of ethanol oxidation correlated significantly with the liver 3-phosphoglycerate level. No change in the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate level was found. No correlation was found between the ethanol oxidation rate and the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate/3-phosphoglycerate redox couple. Ethanol administration slightly increased the liver ATP level, but the simultaneous administration of pyrazole eliminated this effect. Other adenine nucleotides and HPO4 2- were not changed. The changes in the rate of ethanol oxidation had no effect on the phosphorylation state in the fed liver. It is assumed that in the fed liver the phosphorylation state is so well stabilized that the redox level has no influence.     

Characterization of N-terminal processing of group VIA phospholipase A<Subscript>2</Subscript> and of potential cleavage sites of amyloid precursor protein constructs by automated identification of signature peptides in LC/MS/MS analyses of proteolytic digests

Dysregulation of proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease, and the Group VIA phospholipase A(2) (iPLA(2)beta) is the dominant PLA(2) enzyme in the central nervous system and is subject to regulatory proteolytic processing. We have identified novel N-terminal variants of iPLA(2)beta and previously unrecognized proteolysis sites in APP constructs with a C-terminal 6-myc tag by automated identification of signature peptides in LC/MS/MS analyses of proteolytic digests. We have developed a Signature-Discovery (SD) program to characterize protein isoforms by identifying signature peptides that arise from proteolytic processing in vivo. This program analyzes MS/MS data from LC analyses of proteolytic digests of protein mixtures that can include incompletely resolved components in biological samples. This reduces requirements for purification and thereby minimizes artifactual modifications during sample processing. A new algorithm to generate the theoretical signature peptide set and to calculate similarity scores between predicted and observed mass spectra has been tested and optimized with model proteins. The program has been applied to the identification of variants of proteins of biological interest, including APP cleavage products and iPLA(2)beta, and such applications demonstrate the utility of this approach.     

Aminoalkylation with Aldehydes Mediated by Solid Lithium Perchlorate

Summary. The solid LiClO₄-mediated one-pot reaction of aldehydes with secondary amines and C nucleophiles afforded the corresponding aminoalkylation products in high yields. Unlike the previous reported procedure, the aminoalkylation of aldehyde was achieved in the presence of only 0.5 equivalents of solid lithium perchlorate in dichloromethane as the solvent with good to high yields at room temperature.     

The application of NMR and MS methods for detection of adulteration of wine,fruit juices,and olive oil. A review

This review covers two important techniques, high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS), used to characterize food products and detect possible adulteration of wine, fruit juices, and olive oil, all important products of the Mediterranean Basin. Emphasis is placed on the complementary use of SNIF-NMR (site-specific natural isotopic fractionation nuclear magnetic resonance) and IRMS (isotope-ratio mass spectrometry) in association with chemometric methods for detecting the adulteration.     

Radical copolymerization of citraconic acid with styrene in dioxane solution

Styrene and citraconic acid (CA) were copolymerized in the dioxane solution ranging mole fraction of CA in feed from 0.1 to 0.9 at 70 °C. The terminal and penultimate models were used to fit the copolymer composition equation. Curve fitting, Mayo-Lewis, Joshi-Joshi, Fineman-Ross, Ezrielev-Brokhina-Roskin, Kellen-Tüd?s methods were used to solve the copolymer equation in terminal model. Besides these methods Solver in Excel 97 was used to solve copolymer equation in terminal and penultimate models of copolymerization. Experimental mole fractions of CA and those predicted from both models are agreed within the precision of the method used for the copolymer analysis, so the copolymer composition does not permit a definite choice of the adequate copolymerization model.