A novel uranyl membrane sensor with potentiometric anionic response

A novel potentiometric uranyl membrane sensor with a divalent anionic response is developed, characterized and used for determination of uranyl ion. The sensor incorporates triethylenetetramine (TETA) as an ionophore in poly(vinyl chloride) matrix membrane (PVC) plasticized with o-nitrophenyloctyl ether (o-NPOE). In strong sulphate test solutions, UO₂²⁺ ion forms a highly stable [UO₂(SO₄)₂]²⁻ anion, extractable in TETA as {(2TETAH)²⁺ [UO₂(SO₄)₂]²⁻} complex. Formation of the complex is confirmed and characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry and infrared spectrometry. Sensor based on this system displays at pH 2.5-3.8 a linear response over the concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻¹-3.5 × 10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹ uranium with a near-Nernstian calibration slope of −26.5 ± 0.3 mV decade⁻¹. The lower limit of detection is ∼5 μg ml⁻¹, the lifetime is 12 weeks and negligible interferences are caused by most common cations. Validation of the assay method reveals excellent performance characteristics in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, fast response and potential stability. The sensor is used for the determination of 0.01-7.09 wt% uranium in naturally occurring and certified ore samples. The results show an average recovery of 97.6% and compare fairly well with data obtained using X-ray fluorescence technique.     

Quantifying labile protein—Ligand interactions using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A new electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ES-MS) approach for quantifying protein—ligand complexes that are prone to in-source (gas-phase) dissociation is described. The method, referred to here as the reference ligand ES-MS method, is based on the direct ES-MS assay and competitive ligand binding. A reference ligand (L_ref), which binds specifically to the protein (P), at the same binding site as the ligand (L) of interest, with known affinity and forms a stable protein—ligand complex in the gas phase, is added to the solution. The fraction of P bound to L_ref, which is determined directly from the ES mass spectrum, is sensitive to the fraction of P bound to L in solution and enables the affinity of P for L to be determined. A mathematical framework for the implementation of the method in cases where P has one or two specific ligand binding sites is given. Affinities of two carbohydrate-binding proteins, a single chain fragment of a monoclonal antibody and the lectin concanavalin A, for monosaccharide ligands are reported and the results are shown to agree with values obtained using isothermal titration calorimetry.     

Profit loss in differentiated oligopolies

We provide sharp lower and upper bounds on the ratio of decentralized to centralized profits when multiproduct firms offering differentiated products engage in price competition. The bounds depend on the demand sensitivity matrix but are independent of marginal costs.     

On the invariance equation for two-variable weighted nonsymmetric Bajraktarević means

Aequationes mathematicae - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the invariance of the arithmetic mean with respect to two weighted Bajraktarević means, i.e., to solve the functional...     

Spectrophotometric determination of some antihistaminic drugs using 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ)

A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method is suggested for analysis of 3 antihistaminic drugs, acrivastine (I), mequitazine (II), and dimethindene maleate (III). The method is based on reaction of the drugs with 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) in acetonitrile to form highly stable colored products that are measured at 750, 766, and 844 nm for I and II, and 480 and 618 nm for III. Beer's law is obeyed in the ranges of 5-60 microg/mL for 1, 5-50 microg/mL for II, and 10-70 microg/mL for III. The optimum assay conditions and their applicability to the determination of the cited drugs in pharmaceutical formulations are described. The method is statistically analyzed as compared with the European Pharmacopoeia (2001) method for the analysis of dimethindene maleate and reference methods for acrivastine and mequitazine drugs revealing good accuracy and precision.     

New Polymer Syntheses Part 60: A Facile Synthetic Route to Polyamides Based on Thieno[2,3-b]thiophene and Their Corrosion Inhibition Behavior

Polyamides containing thieno[2,3-b]thiophene moiety were prepared via a simple polycondensation reaction of the diaminothieno[2,3-b]thiophene monomer 1 a with different kinds of diacid chlorides(including oxalyl, adipoyl, sebacoyl, isophthaloyl,terephthaloyl, 4,4′-azodibenzoyl, 3,3′-azodibenzoyl, p-phenylene diacryloyl) in the presence of Li Cl and NMP as a solvent through lowtemperature solution polycondensation. The chemical structures of model compound and synthesized polyamides were confirmed by FTIR, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(including ~1H-NMR and ~(13)C-NMR) and elemental analysis. In addition, the thermal stability, crystallinity structure and surface morphology of synthesized polyamides were characterized via thermogravametric analysis(TGA), wide-angle X-ray diffraction analysis(WAXD) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Also, the corrosion inhibition behavior of selected examples of polyamides was investigated; the inhibitive effect of the investigated polymers for carbon steel in 1.0 mol·L~(-1) HCl was studied using potentiodynamic polarization(PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) methods. PDP results displayed that the polyamides containing thieno[2,3-b]thiophene moiety can be as mixed-type inhibitors. The inhibition efficiency(P, %) was found to be in the range from 67.13% to 96.01%. There is an increase in P by the synthesized polymers in comparison to the starting monomer.The adsorption of these polymers was found to obey Langmuir adsorption isotherm.     

Synthesis, Reactions, and Anti-arrhythmic activity of Substituted Heterocyclic Systems Using 5-Chloroanisic Acid as Starting Material

Summary. A series of substituted heterocyclic systems were prepared from N1-[4-(4-fluorocinnamoyl)phenyl]-5-chloro-2-methoxybenzamide, which was prepared from the corresponding 5-chloroanisic acid (2-methoxy-4-chlorobenzoic acid) as starting material. Treating of the cinnamoyl derivative with hydrazine hydrate in dioxane afforded a pyrazoline, which was reacted with morpholine and paraformaldehyde to give the N-substituted pyrazoline. Acylation of pyrazoline with acetyl chloride in dioxane afforded the N-acetyl analogue. Also, the cinamoyl derivative was reacted with methylhydrazine, phenylhydrazine, or ethyl cyanoacetate to yield the corresponding N-methyl-, N-phenylpyrazoline, pyrane, and pyridone derivatives. Condensation of the cinnamoyl derivative with cyanothioacetamide gave the pyridinethione derivative, which was treated with ethyl chloroacetate affording the ethyl carboxylate derivative. Also, it was reacted with malononitrile or ethyl acetoacetae to give the cyano amino analougues and ethyl carboxylate, which was reacted with methylhydrazine to give the (indazolyl)phenyl derivative. On the other hand, reaction of cinnamoyl derivative with acetyl acetone afforded the cyclohexenyl derivative, which was reacted with hydrazine hydrate to give the [methylindazolyl]phenyl derivative. Condensation of the cinnamoyl derivative with guanidine hydrochloride or thiourea afforded the aminopyrimidine derivative and thioxopyrimidine. The latter was condensed with chloroacetic acid to yield a thiazolopyrimidine, which was condensed with 2-thiophenealdehyde to yield the arylmethylene derivative, however, it was also prepared directly from thiopyrimidine by the action of chloroacetic acid, 2-thiophenealdehyde, and anhydrous sodium acetate. The pharmacological screening showed that many of these compounds have good anti-arrhythmic activity and low toxicity.     

Synthesis of Carboxymethyl Cellulose Based Drug Carrier Hydrogel Using Ionizing Radiation for Possible Use as Site Specific Delivery System

A unique natural polymer based colon specific drug carrier was prepared from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and acrylic acid (AAc) in aqueous solution employing γ‐radiation induced copolymerization and crosslinking. The effect of preparation conditions such as the natural polymer content and irradiation dose on gelation process was investigated. The swelling behavior of the prepared hydrogels was characterized by investigating the time and pH dependent swelling of the (CMC/AAc) hydrogels of different CMC content. The effects of the hydrogel composition and pH of the swelling medium on the swelling indices were estimated. The results show that the increment in the CMC content in the feed solution enhances the gelation process. The results also show the dependence of the swelling indices on both hydrogel composition and pH value of the swelling medium. To evaluate the ability of the prepared hydrogel to be used as a colon‐specific drug carrier, the release profile of theophylline was studied as a function of time at pH 1 and pH 7.     

The isocloso capped pentagonal bipyramid versus the closo bisdisphenoid in hypoelectronic eight-vertex metallaboranes having 16 skeletal electrons

The lowest energy structures for all of the eight-vertex [M]CB₆H₇ {[M] = CpFe, CpRu. Co(CO)₂, Rh(CO)₂, (Me₃P)₂Fe(H), (Me₃P)₂Ru(H)}, [M]C₂B₅H₇ {[M] = CpMn, CpRe, Cr(CO)₃, Mo(CO)₃}, and [M]₂C₂B₄H₆ ([M] = CpFe, CpRu) systems having 16 skeletal electrons were found by density functional theory to be capped pentagonal bipyramids providing a degree 6 vertex for a metal atom. Thus the capped pentagonal bipyramid plays a similar role for eight-vertex metallaboranes with 16 skeletal electrons as the isocloso deltahedra play in 9- and 10-vertex metallaboranes with 18 and 20 skeletal electrons, respectively. Furthermore, in all of these metallaborane systems the closo bisdisphenoidal structures were always found to be higher energy structures than their capped pentagonal bipyramidal isomers. For the bimetallic systems Cp₂M₂C₂B₄H₆ (M = Fe, Ru) even higher energy hexagonal bipyramid structures with degree 6 vertices for both metal atoms were also found.