Threshold detection using indicator-displacement assays: an application in the analysis of malate in Pinot Noir grapes

The mathematics for modeling indicator-displacement assay isotherms is presented and contrasted to the classical host-guest binding isotherm. It is shown that the signal response can be tuned to occur closer to 1 equiv of guest relative to a standard binding algorithm. This delay in response leads to a better triggering protocol for threshold detection schemes. The determination of malate in Pinot Noir must was calculated using this new mathematical model, which demonstrates how a color change can be tuned to occur near a desired concentration of analyte.     

Effects of structural factors on the pi-dimerization and/or disproportionation of the cation radical of extended TTF containing thiophene-based pi-conjugated spacers

The electrochemical and chemical oxidation of extended TTF 4 and 5 are analysed by cyclic voltammetry, Visible/NIR and ESR spectroscopies, and the X-ray structures of the new salts 5 x BF(4)(CH(2)Cl(2)) and 4 x ClO(4)(THF)(1/2) are presented. The effects of structural factors on the pi-dimerization or the disproportionation reaction of the cation radical are shown. The oxidation of compound 4 presents the successive formation of stable cation radical and dication species both in dichloromethane (DCM) and in a CH(3)CN/THF mixture. In contrast, for compound 5, the stability of the oxidation states strongly depends on the nature of the solvent. In DCM, the oxidation of 5 proceeds by two close one-electron transfers while in CH(3)CN/THF the dication is directly formed via a two-electron process. The X-ray structures of the two salts reveal the formation of pi-dimers of cation radical. While the dimer (5(2))(2+) is due mainly to pi-pi interactions between the conjugating spacer, the multiplication of the sulfur atoms in compound 4 contributes to stabilize the dimer by the combined effects of S-S and pi-pi interactions. Visible/NIR and ESR experiments confirm the higher tendency of 4(+)(.) to dimerize with the occurrence of dimer and monomer in solution, while for 5(+)(.) only the monomer is detected in DCM. On the other hand, by dissolution of 5 x BF(4)(CH(2)Cl(2)) in CH(3)CN, only the neutral and the dicationic states of compounds 5 are observed owing to the disproportionation reaction.     

Multiresidue method for simultaneous determination of ten quinolone antibacterial residues in multimatrix/multispecies animal tissues by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection: single laboratory validation study

Quinolone antibacterials are veterinary drugs authorized for use in food animal production. The analysis of residual amounts of drugs in food from animal origin is important for quality control of products for consumers. For this purpose, Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) have been set up by a European Union Council Regulation on Veterinary Drug Residues (No. 90/2377/EEC and subsequent), and 8 quinolones received MRLs at concentration levels depending on both the matrix and the animal species of interest. A method was developed for screening and confirming 10 quinolone residues (ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin, difloxacin, enrofloxacin, flumequine, marbofloxacin, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, oxolinic acid, sarafloxacin) in a wide variety of matrixes of different animal species. It involves extraction of the residues from the biological tissues/fluids by acidic aqueous solution, centrifugation and filtration prior to injection on a C18 narrow-bore column, and detection through a 3-step-mode fluorescence detector. The method was validated during a 2-week study for a set of 8 species-matrixes (i.e., bovine raw milk, bovine muscle, porcine muscle, porcine kidney, porcine liver, fish flesh and skin, poultry muscle, whole egg). Residues were quantified down to 15 microg/kg with limits of detection and quantitation ranging from 4 to 11 and 13 to 36 microg/kg, respectively, which are sufficient compared to the wide range of MRLs set for these substances (from 30 microg/kg for danofloxacin in milk to 1900 microg/kg for difloxacin in poultry liver). The limit of performance of the method in terms of CCalpha and CCbeta, the critical concentrations stated in the Decision No. 2002/657/EC and the ISO Standard No. 11843, has been calculated for the authorized (MRL) substances but only estimated in the case of the nonauthorized (non-MRL) substances.     

Dynamics of self-assembled chaining in magnetorheological fluids

The aggregation dynamics of paramagnetic spherical particles embedded in a viscous fluid is investigated via numerical simulations using a fully coupled three-dimensional model. Particles experience simultaneously Brownian motion, dipolar magnetic attraction, and multibody hydrodynamic interactions. When the dipole strength characterizing the ratio of magnetic attraction to random diffusion exceeds a critical value, particles join together forming supraparticle structures. As time evolves, particle/chain and chain/ chain interactions lead to a continuous increase of the cluster size. The mean length of particle chains has a power-law dependence with respect to time, as predicted by the theory of diffusion-limited aggregation. Both the exponent and the characteristic time scale agree very well with the experimental results of Promislow et al.     

An overview of laboratory performance studies conducted by the IAEA for marine pollution studies of metals and organic contaminants

Aspects of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Analytical Quality Control Services (AQCS) for marine environmental studies are discussed, focusing on recent laboratory performance studies (LPS) and the production of reference materials for trace metals and organic compounds in various marine matrices. The IAEA has organized seventeen global interlaboratory studies for a range of organic contaminants. Of note has been the inclusion of numerous polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) and some sterols of anthropogenic origin. Concurrently, there have been eleven worldwide intercomparison exercises for trace metals in the marine environment, most of which included methylmercury. Although such interlaboratory studies can help improve performance in individual laboratories and regional laboratory networks, the results reveal that problems remain in the determination of some metals and many organic contaminants.     

Chemical modification of a viral cage for multivalent presentation

Here we present generalized methods for chemically modifying the surface of a viral protein cage; this exploits the chemistry of native and engineered surface exposed functional groups for multivalent presentation of ligands.     

An improved system for data acquisition and analysis for viscoelastic measurements of dilute macromolecular solutions with the modified birnboim-schrag multiple lumped resonator

A new system of data acquisition and analysis has been developed for the modified Birnboim-Schrag multiple lumped resonator apparatus which is used to measure the viscoelastic properties of long-chain macromolecules in dilute solution. The modifications to the original apparatus include improved temperature control and vibration isolation. The original theory has been reworked so that each resonance mode can be characterized by a greater number of data points. The entire data acquistion/processing system is automated and placed under computer control; a correlation for mode coupling is derived. The modifications result in improved precision in the measured viscoelastic moduli and increased instrumental reliability.     

Are 1,5-disubstituted semibullvalenes that have C2v equilibrium geometries necessarily bishomoaromatic?

Unrestricted density functional theory (UB3LYP), CASSCF, and CASPT2 calculations have been employed to compute the relative energies of the C(s) and C(2v) geometries of several 1,5-disubstituted semibullvalenes. Substitution at these positions with R = F, -CH(2)-, or -O- affords semibullvalenes that are predicted to have C(2v) equilibrium geometries. Calculated singlet-triplet energy splittings and the energies of isodesmic reactions are used to assess the amount of bishomoaromatic character at these geometries. The results of these calculations show that employing strain to destabilize the C(s) geometries of semibullvalenes can lead to a significant decrease in the amount of bishomoaromatic stabilization of the C(2v) geometries, due to reduced through-space interaction between the two allyl groups. However, the C(2v) equilibrium geometries of the 1,5-disubstituted semibullvalenes with R = F and -RR- = -O- do benefit from stabilizing through-bond interactions between the two allyl groups. These interactions involve mixing of the bisallyl HOMO with the low-lying C-F or C-O sigma orbital combinations of the same symmetry. In contrast, for -RR- = -CH(2)-, through-bond interactions destabilize the bisallyl HOMO and are predicted to make the ground state of this semibullvalene a triplet.     

Chromatographic study of anionic complexes

Summary In this paper we have reported our results on the attempted separation of copper(II), nickel(II), cobalt(II) and iron(III) in mixtures by filter paper strip chromatography, using aqueous ethanol as solvent. The effect of the presence of varying concentrations of citrate ion as a complexing agent in the mixtures has been studied. The complexing agent has been added in the metal solution, and not in the solvent as usually done by previous workers.     

Charged polypeptide vesicles with controllable diameter

We report the preparation and characterization of charged, amphiphilic block copolypeptides that form stable vesicles and micelles in aqueous solution. Specifically, we prepared and studied the aqueous self-assembly of a series of poly(L-lysine)-b-poly(L-leucine) block copolypeptides, KxLy, where x ranged from 20 to 80 and y ranged from 10 to 30 residues, as well as the poly(L-glutamatic acid)-b-poly(L-leucine) block copolypeptide, E60L20. Furthermore, the vesicular assemblies show dynamic properties, indicating a high degree of membrane fluidity. This characteristic provides stimuli-responsive properties to the vesicles and allows fine adjustment of vesicle size using liposome-based extrusion techniques. Vesicle extrusion also provides a straightforward means to trap solutes, making the vesicles promising biomimetic encapsulants.