Adsorption and spectroscopic characterization of lactoferrin on hydroxyapatite nanocrystals

Lactoferrin (LF), a well-characterized protein of blood plasma and milk with antioxidant, cariostatic, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties, has been adsorbed onto biomimetic hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocrystals at two different pH values (7.4 and 9.0). The interaction was herein investigated by spectroscopic, thermal and microscopic techniques. The positive electrostatic surface potential of LF at pH 7.4 allows a strong surface interaction with the slightly negative HA nanocrystals and avoids the protein-protein interaction, leading to the formation of a coating protein monolayer. In contrast, at pH 9.0 the surface potential of LF is a mix of negative and positive zones favouring the protein-protein interaction and reducing the interaction with HA nanocrystals; as a result a double layer of coating protein was formed. These experimental findings are supported by the good fittings of the adsorption isotherms by different theoretical models according to Langmuir, Freundlich and Langmuir-Freundlich models. The nanosized HA does not appreciably affect the conformation of the adsorbed protein. In fact, using FT-Raman and FT-IR, we found that after adsorption the protein was only slightly unfolded with a small fraction of the α-helix structure being converted into turn, while the β-sheet content remained almost unchanged. The bioactive surface of HA functionalized with LF could be utilized to improve the material performance towards the biological environment for biomedical applications.     

Minimum Channel Spacing in an OFDM CPFSK Optical Coherent System

Channel spacing in optical frequency-division multiplexed (OFDM) coherent optical systems with continuous-phase frequency-shift-keying (CPFSK) is obtained both theoretically and experimentally. The bit error ratio is derived taking into account the non-Gaussian interference statistics, expressed in terms of the Marcum Q-function, and the sensitivity penalty is reported as a function of the signal-to-interference ratio and the channel spacing for different IF filters. Laboratory demonstration of a state-of-the-art fully engineered two-channel 2.5 Gb s^-1 CPFSK coherent system at 1550 nm has been performed, showing an inter-channel crosstalk measurement in agreement with the theoretical analysis. A 0.1 nm channel spacing is experimentally confirmed.     

Résolution de l'équation de Schrödinger par intégration stochastique du champ magnétique

Summary We solve the heat equation associated with a Schrödinger operator with magnetic field onR ^d using a stochastic integral which involves only the magnetic field and does not use any potential of the field. Then we study a particular case on the torusT ^d to show that our formula is no longer true and that an hypothesis like simple connexity is necessary.     

A Resin-bound Photosensitizer for Aqueous Photooxidations

A new resin-bound photosensitizer for aqueous photooxidations has been prepared. This product allows the sensitizer to be easily removed from the solution by a simple filtration. Its efficiency has been tested with two different substrates.     

PMD compensation using a fuzzy automatic polarization controller

A new first-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD) compensation technique is experimentally demonstrated in a 2.5 Gbit/s optical transmission system. It achieves adaptive compensation over a wide range of differential group delay (DGD) values, since it does not try to compensate it, but to eliminate one of the principal states of polarization by means of a liquid crystal polarization controller and a polarizer. The PMD parameters of the received signal are measured in real time through its spectrum analysis, and used as the feedback signal in a fuzzy logic algorithm controlling the liquid crystal device. The algorithm achieves a response time faster than the PMD variations in real links, also featuring endless operation. Moreover, a deterministic compact PMD emulator has been implemented in order to test the PMD compensator system.     

Spectrophotometric study of the complex formation of 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2-mercaptopropenoic acid with Ni(II) and Zn(II)

The dissociation and complex formation equilibria between Ni(II) and Zn(II) with 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2-mercaptopropenoic acid, at 25 degrees in aqueous 0.1 and 1.0M sodium perchlorate solutions, containing about 1% ethanol, have been studied spectrophotometrically. The data were connected directly from the spectrophotometer to an IBM-PC via a serial interface, using the DUMOD program (written in BASIC), described in the paper. The obtained spectra were treated by the factor analysis program NIPALS in order to determine the number of absorbing species and the experimental error. Dissociation constants of ligand (H(3)L), and formation constants for the complexes Ni(HL), Ni(HL)(2), Zn(HL) and Zn(HL)(2) at 0.1 and 1.0M ionic strengths, refined by the SQUAD program, are reported.     

Spectrofluorimetric determination of zinc in foods with 8-(p-toluenesulphonamido)quinoline in micellar medium

A new method for the spectrofluorimetric determination of zinc with 8-(p-toluene- sulphonamido)quinoline in a Brij-35 micellar medium has been developed. This method allows the determination of 8-550 ng/ml Zn(II) and is relatively free from interferences. It has been applied to food samples with satisfactory results.     

Validation of chiral capillary electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry methods for ecstasy and methadone in plasma

Due to its selectivity and sensitivity, CE coupled to MS (CE-MS) has evolved as a useful analytical tool for determining drugs and metabolites in biological samples. A generic CE-ESI/MS method was developed for the enantioselective determination of basic compounds in plasma. The use of protein precipitation (PP) prior to a hydrodynamic injection (HD) was well adapted to high-concentration samples (>1 ppm) and allowed high throughput. In contrast, the combination of liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and electrokinetic injection (EK) was time-consuming but did allow detection at the ppb level. Both approaches were fully validated according to ICH guidelines and SFSTP protocols for two pharmaceutical compounds (ecstasy and methadone (MTD)). Deuterated internal standards (IS) in the analytical procedures were used and good quantitative performance was obtained in terms of trueness and precision (repeatability and intermediate precision) since accuracy profiles were within the acceptance limits (30% for biological assay). Methods were linear over the concentration range of 0.50-175 ng/mL and 0.25-5 microg/mL for LLE-EK and PP-HD procedures, respectively. The LLE-EK methodology was finally successfully applied to quantitation of ecstasy and MTD in real cases obtained from toxicology.     

High-throughput multiclass method for antibiotic residue analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A simple and rapid method has been developed for the residue analysis of 39 antibiotics (tetracyclines, quinolones, penicillins, sulfonamides and macrolides) in foodstuffs of animal origin. The method combines an effective extraction technique, which uses water-methanol as extracting solvent, with ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, allowing both confirmation and quantification in a single chromatographic run. The multiresidue method has been validated in chicken muscle matrix according to European Union Decision 2002/657/EC. It has been implemented as a routine method in a Public Health Laboratory, instead of the five plates test and LC methods previously used.