Auditory brain stem responses from human adults and infants: restriction of frequency contribution by notched-noise masking

The frequency contribution to the click-evoked ABR wave V was examined in adults and 3-month-old infants through the use of notch-filtered broadband noise. Notch center frequencies were set at 1.0, 4.0, and 8.0 kHz. Responses were obtained at 20, 40, and 60 dBnHL during the simultaneous presentation of each notched-noise masker as well as in an unmasked condition. The ABR wave V was analyzed for absolute latency and amplitude, as well as latency and amplitude changes resulting from the introduction of masking. Analyses showed wave V latency and amplitude values to be similar for adults and infants within the 1.0-kHz notch. Differences between adult and infant groups were observed as the notch was shifted to the high frequencies. Further, latency and amplitude shifts resulting from the introduction of masking noise produced differential effects on infant responses when compared to adults.     

Enhanced loading of water-soluble actives into bicontinuous cubic phase liquid crystals using cationic surfactants

Over the past few years, bicontinuous cubic phase liquid crystals have been investigated for their applicability to controlled delivery of active ingredients. These liquid crystals have a unique structure of interpenetrating channels of water and lipid that provides compatibility with water-soluble, lipid-soluble, and amphiphilic active ingredients. Actives tend to be stable in the matrix and the structure provides control over their release. However, loading of water-soluble actives is difficult. It is especially problematic for cubic phase liquid crystal dispersions (cubosomes) given the large fraction of bulk water present. The inherent problem reflects the preference of the water-soluble actives to associate with water rather than with the liquid crystals. Ideally, the properties of the liquid crystal can be tailored to enhance the association of the liquid crystal with the active, thereby increasing loading. It is found that the inclusion of surfactant into the liquid crystal can provide this function. This work illustrates the enhanced loading of negatively charged, water-soluble active ketoprofen by the inclusion of positively charged surfactants into the liquid crystal. Loading differences resulting from the inclusion of dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DODMAC) and dioctadecyl ammonium chloride (DOAC) into the liquid crystal demonstrate that the magnitude of the enhancement is dependent on the surfactant concentration and the steric nature of its head group. The upper limit of the enhancement is explored by the inclusion of di(canola ethyl ester) dimethyl ammonium chloride (DEEDAC) formulated to greater than 20 wt% and demonstrates an order-of-magnitude enhancement over previous reports. This work provides a practical demonstration of functionalizing cubic phase liquid crystals and lays the framework for future work.     

Study of the racemization observed in the amide bond forming reaction on silica gel

Racemization resulting from the coupling of N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)-L-leucine and 3-aminopropyl silica gel with several amide-coupling reagents is further investigated in order to explain the much higher degree of racemization on silica gel, as compared with the similar reaction in solution. Based on experiments using different types of solid supports, limited pore access and surface microchemical environment are ruled out as the possible reason for the higher degree of racemization that occurred on silica gel. Steric hindrance of the solid support is thought to have caused the amino group to be more basic relative to its nucleophilicity, leading to a higher degree of racemization.     

Characterization of amino acids using Raman spectroscopy

A key process in the development of new drugs is elucidation of the interaction between the drug molecule and the target protein. Such knowledge then makes it possible to make systematic structural modifications of the drug molecule to optimize the interaction. Many analytical techniques can be applied to proteins in solution such as circular dichroism, ultraviolet, and fluorescence spectroscopy but these all have limitations. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of using relatively simple, visible light Raman spectroscopic methods to investigate amino acids and related biopolymers.     

Direct determination of cadmium in urine by tungsten-coil inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry using palladium as a permanent modifier

Cadmium is determined in urine samples collected from patients with age-related diseases. The urine is simply diluted 1:1 with water and placed on a tungsten coil electrothermal vaporizer treated with 200 μg of a permanent Pd modifier. A straightforward vaporization program is used to deliver the Cd vapor to an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer. A high resolution spectrometer and a charge coupled device detector provide spectra across a 4.8 nm window encompassing two separate Cd emission lines: 226.5 and 228.8 nm. The limit of detection is 0.2 μg/L at each wavelength, and the linear dynamic range spans three orders of magnitude. The accuracy as measured with a urine standard reference material is 94%. The Pd modifier continues to be effective even after 150 vaporization cycles. Direct analysis of urine with the Pd modifier using simple aqueous calibration solutions provides results that are comparable to those observed after a much more complex method: chelation, extraction, and internal standardization without the modifier. The mean concentrations found by the two techniques differ by only 9%. The permanent Pd modifier allows direct analysis of limited sample volumes with decreased risks of contamination.     

The biosynthetic gene cluster for a monocyclic beta-lactam antibiotic, nocardicin A

The monocyclic beta-lactam antibiotic nocardicin A is related structurally and biologically to the bicyclic beta-lactams comprised of penicillins/cephalosporins, clavams, and carbapenems. Biosynthetic gene clusters are known for each of the latter, but not for monocyclic beta-lactams. A previously cloned gene encoding an enzyme specific to the biosynthetic pathway was used to isolate the nocardicin A cluster from Nocardia uniformis. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of 14 open reading frames involved in antibiotic production, resistance, and export. Among these are a two-protein nonribosomal peptide synthetase system, p-hydroxyphenylglycine biosynthetic genes, an S-adenosylmethionine-dependent 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl transferase (Nat), and a cytochrome P450. Gene disruption mutants of Nat, as well as an activation domain of the NRPS system, led to loss of nocardicin A formation. Several enzymes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis were heterologously overproduced, and biochemical characterization confirmed their proposed activities.     

Tautomerization in naphthalenediimines: a keto-enamine Schiff base macrocycle

[reaction: see text] A new [3 + 3] Schiff base macrocycle incorporating naphthalene groups has been prepared. By examination of its properties, X-ray crystallography of model compounds, and calculations, it has been determined that the macrocycle exists predominantly as the keto-enamine tautomer. This unexpected tautomerization presents an unusual hexaketo interior in the macrocycle.     

General-buffer catalysis of the reaction of N-(hydroxymethyl)benzamide: a new pathway for the aqueous reaction of carbinolamides

The second-order rate constants for the general-buffer catalyzed breakdown of N-(hydroxymethyl)benzamide (1) in water at 25 °C, I = 1.0 (KCl) by pivalic, acetic, chloroacetic, and dichloroacetic acid were determined by initial rates. The observed rate increased with increasing amounts of the acidic form of the buffer and a Brønsted correlation of α = 0.35 was determined. The results presented here, represent the first evidence for a general-buffer catalytic mechanism for the aqueous reaction of 1 and for carbinolamides in general.     

Control of carboxylic acid and ester groups on chromium (VI) binding to functionalized silica/water interfaces studied by second harmonic generation

Resonantly enhanced surface second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements carried out at pH 7 and room temperature were performed to study how surface-bound carboxylic acid and methyl ester functional groups control the interaction of chromate ions with fused silica/water interfaces. These functional groups were chosen because of their high abundance in humic and fulvic acids and related biopolymers commonly found in soils. They were anchored to the silica surface using organosilane chemistry to avoid competing complexation processes in the aqueous solution as well as competitive adsorption of the organic compounds and chromate. The SHG experiments were carried out at room temperature and pH 7 while using environmentally representative chromate concentrations ranging from 1 x10(-6) to 2 x 10(-4) M. Chromate is found to bind to the acid- and ester-functionalized silica/water interfaces in a reversible fashion. In contrast to the plain silica/water interface, chromate binding studies performed on the functionalized silica/water interfaces show S-shaped adsorption isotherms that can be modeled using the Frumkin-Fowler-Guggenheim (FFG) model. This model predicts a coverage-dependent binding constant of K(ads) x exp(gtheta). Values for g are found to be 3.2(2), 2.1(2), and 1.3(2) for the carboxylic acid-, the ester-, and the nonfunctionalized silica/water interfaces, respectively, and are consistent with stabilizing lateral adsorbate-adsorbate interactions among the Cr(VI) species adsorbed to the functionalized surfaces. The FFG model allows for the parametrization of the solid-liquid partition coefficient and chromate retardation factors in silica-rich soil particles whose surfaces contain organic adlayers rich in carboxylic acid and methyl ester groups. The straightforward model presented here predicts that chromate retardation increases by up to 200% when carboxylic acid functional groups are present at the silica/water interface. Increases up to 50% are predicted for methyl ester-containing organic adlayers, and the retardation factor remains effectively near unity for the plain silica/water interface (no siloxanes present).