A solution to the Baer splitting problem

Let be a commutative domain. We prove that an -module is projective if and only if for any torsion module . This answers in the affirmative a question raised by Kaplansky in 1962.

     

Competition between lipases and monoglycerides at interfaces

Tensiometry (the pendant drop technique), interfacial shear rheology, and ellipsometry have been used to study the effect of polar lipids that are generated during fat digestion on the behavior of lipases at the oil-water interface. Both Sn-1,3 regiospecific and nonregiospecific lipases have been used, and a noncatalytically active protein, beta-lacloglobulin, has been used as reference in the interfacial shear rheology experiments. The results from the pendant drop measurements and the interfacial rheology studies were in agreement with each other and demonstrated that the Sn-2 monoglyceride, which is one of the lipolysis products generated when a Sn-1,3 regiospecific lipase catalyzes triglyceride hydrolysis, is very interfacially active and efficiently expels the enzyme from the interface. Ellipsometry conducted at the liquid-liquid interface showed that the lipase forms a sublayer in the aqueous phase, just beneath the monoglyceride-covered interface. Sn-1/3 monoglycerides do not behave this way because they are rapidly degraded to fatty acid and glycerol and the fatty acid (or the fatty acid salt) does not have enough interfacial activity to expel the lipase from the interface. Since the lipases present in the gastrointestinal tract are highly Sn-1,3 regiospecific, we believe that the results obtained can be transferred to the in vivo situation. The formation of stable and amphiphilic Sn-2 monoglycerides can be seen as a self-regulatory process for fat digestion.     

Electrophilic S‐Trifluoromethylation of Cysteine Side Chains in α‐ and β‐Peptides: Isolation of Trifluoro‐methylated Sandostatin® (Octreotide) Derivatives

The new electrophilic trifluoromethylating 1‐(trifluoromethyl)‐benziodoxole reagents A and B (Scheme 1) have been used to selectively attach CF₃ groups to the S‐atom of cysteine side chains of α‐ and β‐peptides (up to 13‐residues‐long; products 7 – 14 ). Other functional groups in the substrates (amino, amido, carbamate, carboxylate, hydroxy, phenyl) are not attacked by these soft reagents. Depending on the conditions, the indole ring of a Trp residue may also be trifluoromethylated (in the 2‐position). The products are purified by chromatography, and identified by ¹H‐, ¹³C‐, and ¹⁹F‐NMR spectroscopy, by CD spectroscopy, and by high‐resolution mass spectrometry. The CF₃ groups, thus introduced, may be replaced by H (Na/NH₃), an overall Cys/Ala conversion. The importance of trifluoromethylations in medicinal chemistry and possible applications of the method (spin‐labelling, imaging, PET) are discussed.     

Contact angle determination of micro- and nanoparticles at fluid/fluid interfaces: the excluded area concept

A novel and simple method for the determination of the contact angle of nano- and microparticles at the liquid/air interface is proposed. The principle is based on the consideration of differences between the pressure/area isotherms of a 2D single-component system of a surfactant and those of binary systems comprised of the same surfactant and the particles to be studied. The theoretical analysis of the contact-angle behavior in this system upon compression allows the prediction of direction of the particles' squeezing out of the surface layer and therefore the distinction between the particles with high contact angle (Theta(p) > 90 degrees) and low (Theta(p) < 90 degrees) hydrophobicity. The application of this method to microparticles of two different hydrophobicities demonstrates good agreement between the obtained contact angles and the corresponding degrees of hydrophobicity given by the particle provider.     

Continuous full filling capillary electrochromatography: nanoparticle synthesis and evaluation

Reversed phase continuous full filling capillary electrochromatography with electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric detection was performed with highly sulphated poly[styrene-co-(lauryl methacrylate)-co-(divinylbenzene)] nanoparticles. The nanoparticles that contained a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic surface were prepared in a one step synthesis using soap free emulsion polymerisation. By changing the concentration of monomers, the polymerisation temperature, and the polarity of the dispersive phase, the size of the nanoparticles could be controlled. With the optimised conditions, nanoparticles with an average size of 157 nm were obtained. These nanoparticles were dispersed in the background electrolyte and used for reversed phase continuous full filling. An orthogonal electrospray ionisation interface was used to separate the eluting nanoparticles from the eluting analytes prior to mass spectrometry detection. Compared to previous studies on reversed phase continuous full filling, the retention, the separation efficiency, and the resolution of a homologous series of dialkyl phthalates were greatly improved.     

Continuous full filling capillary electrochromatography: chromatographic performance and reproducibility

Continuous full filling capillary electrochromatography with nanoparticles as pseudostationary phase interfaced with electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric detection was used for reversed phase separations with very high separation efficiency. Several batches of nanoparticles were synthesised and their electrochromatographic performance were evaluated. Different parameters, such as repeatability, reproducibility, limit of detection, and peak asymmetry, were investigated yielding excellent results. The stability of the system over wide pH ranges and over time was found to be excellent. Very high separation efficiencies with over 1.1 million theoretical plates per metre were obtained. The limit of detection for the investigated dialkyl phthalates was approximately 1.0 micromol L(-1), corresponding to 3-5 fmol injected. After preparation, nanoparticle suspensions could be used without further treatment for at least an entire working day with maintained chromatographic qualities.     

Consistency of surface mechanical properties of spread protein layers at the liquid–air interface at different spreading conditions

Π/A isotherms of spread β-lactoglobulin and β-casein at the air–water interface are measured under different spreading conditions. While the isotherms do not show drastic effects of the spreading concentration and the compression rate the interfacial shear rheological behaviour is significantly influenced. In particular, the shear viscosity of β-lactoglobulin layers depend directly on the spreading concentration. Significant viscosity increase is obtained at larger surface pressures when the spreading concentration is increased. In contrast the shear rheology of the spread β-casein layers can be normalised by plotting the viscosities as a function of the surface pressure Π. The different behaviour is discussed in terms of denaturation of the β-lactoglobulin during the monolayer formation process by adsorption from the spread thin protein solution layer.     

DNA based molecular motors

Most of the essential cellular processes such as polymerisation reactions, gene expression and regulation are governed by mechanical processes. Controlled mechanical investigations of these processes are therefore required in order to take our understanding of molecular biology to the next level. Single-molecule manipulation and force spectroscopy have over the last 15 years been developed into extremely powerful techniques. Applying these techniques to the investigation of proteins and DNA molecules has led to a mechanistic understanding of protein function on the level of single molecules. As examples for DNA based molecular machines we will describe single-molecule experiments on RNA polymerases as well as on the packaging of DNA into a viral capsid—a process that is driven by one of the most powerful molecular motors.     

Novel Vinylpyridine Based Cationic MIP Monoliths for Enantiomer Separation in CEC

Cationic vinylpyridine based molecularly imprinted polymer monoliths were, for the first time, applied to enantiomer separation using capillary electrochromatography. In order to map the synthesis conditions under which superporous monoliths are obtained, capillary columns were prepared by an in situ polymerization technique using varying monomer and porogen compositions. Both electrolyte pH and percentage of the organic modifier acetonitrile were found to affect the electrochromatographic behaviour on such columns. An interesting observation is that the electroosmotic flow changed direction from cathodic at high pH to anodic at low pH of the electrolyte, opening up the opportunity to manipulate the flow. This is attributed to the vinylpyridine based MIP becomes protonated and positively charged at low pH, whereas it is uncharged at high pH where instead negatively charged silanol groups drive the electroosmotic flow. Improved enantiomer resolution, as well as increased retention, was observed when the concentration of acetonitrile in the electrolyte decreased, indicating a significant element of hydrophobic effects in the molecular recognition of the imprinted enantiomer. Enantiomer separation of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen was studied and efficiencies as high as 30,000 plates per meter with an asymmetry factor below 4 were obtained for the last eluting imprinted enantiomer. These values are better than that obtained generally using MIP based chromatography.