Synthesis and characterization of novel core-shell colloidal particles ZnO/poly(ethylcyanoacrylate)

Here we report the synthesis and physicochemical characterization of novel hybrid core/shell type ZnO/poly(ethylcyanoacrylate) colloidal particles. It is expected that coating ZnO colloidal particles with biocompatible and biodegradable poly(alkylcyanoacrylates) will pave the way toward the potential application of ZnO colloidal particles in biomedical research. Recent findings of cell selective toxicity indicate a potential utilization of ZnO colloidal particles in the treatment of cancer. For this purpose, ZnO colloidal particles have to be selectively delivered to the site of action by a suitable biocompatible and biodegradable carrier system. Toward this goal, poly(alkylcyanoacrylates) meet ideally the requirements for carrier systems in drug delivery due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and ability to overcome the multidrug resistance in cancer cells.     

Effect of photonic crystal structure on the nonlinear optical anisotropy of birefringent porous silicon

Anisotropic photonic crystal structures consisting of birefringent porous silicon layers with alternating porosity were fabricated. The in-plane birefringence formed as a result of anisotropic etching in Si(110) results in unique multilayered structures with two distinct photonic bandgaps for orthogonal light polarizations. Nonlinear optical studies based on the third-harmonic generation from these structures demonstrate variation in the symmetry of the nonlinear optical response.     

Linearization of the MS response function: case study for metformin assay in plasma samples for bioequivalence purposes

Calibration data of LC-MS/MS rarely fit the pure least square regression model, especially for large concentration intervals. The response function of the MS instrument is corrected by weighted regression models or logarithms. The choice of a response linearization method is based on results produced through back-interpolation of experimental data and/or evaluation of correlation coefficients. Two bioequivalence studies carried out for pharmaceutical formulations containing metformin gave us the opportunity to appreciate the impact of the MS response linearization method (logarithm and 1/x weighted linear regression) on method quality characteristics. The sample preparation was based on protein precipitation with acetonitrile. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax CN column (mobile phase acetonitrile and aqueous 10 m m ammonium acetate solution, pH 3.5). Tandem MS detection was performed on a triple quadrupole spectrometer equipped with an electrospray source, operated under positive-ion mode. The method was validated and used for evaluation of the bioequivalence of formulations containing 500 and 1000 mg metformin. The 500 mg metformin study used logarithms for linearization of the detector response, while the 1000 mg metformin study was based on 1/x linear weighted regression. Data resulting from validations and studies completion were compared with evaluate the impact of the response linearization on the method quality characteristics.     

Interior Boundaries for Degenerate Elliptic Equations and Viscosity Solutions

Linear elliptic equations which are degenerate elliptic on a closed interior surface Γ which divides in two separate parts the original domain are considered. Existence and uniqueness of a viscosity solution in the whole domain and in every of the subdomains is proved under some conditions on the geometry of Γ.     

CP violation and Fritzsch mass matrices

We discuss a form for the quark mass matrices which produces maximal weak but no string CP violation. The quark mass matrices are of the Fritzsch type, with all phases equal to multiples of $\text{1}\text{2}\text{π}$. We show that these matrices can be produced in an SO(10) model with CP violated spontaneously at the GUT scale. The model successfully predicts the entire K-M matrix. Radiative corrections to $\text{θ}$, however, are several orders of magnitude too large in the model, and $\text{θ}$ is naturally of O(10^?5).     

Geometry of the nets in equiaffine spaces

The derivation formulae of the vector fields of an arbitrary net belonging to the n-dimensional equiaffine spaceEqA _n are introduced and the conditions which satisty their coefficients are found. The following special nets: Chebyshev of the first and second kind, strongly parallel of the first kind, geodesic, generalized metrical Chebyshev and symmetric nets are studied. Their characteristics by the coefficients of the derivation equations are obtained. Chebyshev and geodesic curvatures of the lines of the net belonging toEqA _n and Chebyshev and geodesic vectors of the nets are introduced. Equiaffine spaces containing above mention special nets are defined.The present investigation is partially supported by the Nacional Science Fund of the Ministry of Science and Education, Republic of Bulgaria under grant MM 64.     

Enantiomeric separation of D/L-carnitine using HPLC and CZE after derivatization

Summary Carnitine is an essential component in tissues of animals, higher plants and many microorganisms. Whereas the L-carnitine enantiomer plays an important role in the metabolism of long chain fatty acids, D-carnitine has a considerable toxic influence on biochemical processes. The analytical separation of D-and L-carnitine depends upon derivatization with UV-or fluorescently active substances, e.g. FMOC and (+)/(–)-FLEC. The separation of diastereomeric (+)- and (–)-FLEC carnitine esters was performed successfully with capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and HPLC, after optimization of the derivatization process and of the composition and pH of the buffer, using UV- and fluorescence detection. With HPLC separation a detection limit of the carnitine esters of 5 mol/l when using fluorescence detection was achieved. With both separation systems baseline resolution and short analysis times could be obtained. The enantiomeric FMOC derivatives could be separated using the electrophoretic system and acidic buffers with high concentrations of an osmotic flow modifier together with -cyclodextrine as chiral selector. The applicability of the optimized separation conditions are demonstrated in the analysis of agar culture medium inoculated withPseudomonas putida and of pharmaceutical formulations. In all samples very low amounts of D- or L-carnitine could be determined in the presence of the other enantiomeric form. Problems caused by the impurity of the carnitine standards or the derivatization agent (+)/(–)-FLEC are discussed.     

CO rebinding to protoheme: investigations of the proximal and distal contributions to the geminate rebinding barrier

The rebinding kinetics of CO to protoheme (FePPIX) in the presence and absence of a proximal imidazole ligand reveals the magnitude of the rebinding barrier associated with proximal histidine ligation. The ligation states of the heme under different solvent conditions are also investigated using both equilibrium and transient spectroscopy. In the absence of imidazole, a weak ligand (probably water) is bound on the proximal side of the FePPIX-CO adduct. When the heme is encapsulated in micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), photolysis of FePPIX-CO induces a complicated set of proximal ligation changes. In contrast, the use of glycerol-water solutions leads to a simple two-state geminate kinetic response with rapid (10-100 ps) CO recombination and a geminate amplitude that can be controlled by adjusting the solvent viscosity. By comparing the rate of CO rebinding to protoheme in glycerol solution with and without a bound proximal imidazole ligand, we find the enthalpic contribution to the proximal rebinding barrier, H(p), to be 11 +/- 2 kJ/mol. Further comparison of the CO rebinding rate of the imidazole bound protoheme with the analogous rate in myoglobin (Mb) leads to a determination of the difference in their distal free energy barriers: DeltaG(D) approximately 12 +/- 1 kJ/mol. Estimates of the entropic contributions, due to the ligand accessible volumes in the distal pocket and the xenon-4 cavity of myoglobin ( approximately 3 kJ/mol), then lead to a distal pocket enthalpic barrier of H(D) approximately 9 +/- 2 kJ/mol. These results agree well with the predictions of a simple model and with previous independent room-temperature measurements of the enthalpic MbCO rebinding barrier (18 +/- 2 kJ/mol).