A Simple Criterion for Involutivity

A simple criterion for the involutivity of a system of partialdifferential equations of polynomial type is proved. The criterioninvolves the equations themselves and does not require the systemto be in orthonomic form. It is proved that a system of partialdifferential equations is involutive if it is a differentialGröbner basis with respect to a total degree ordering,and if the compatibility conditions of the symbol equationsof the system consist of equations of degree one. An algorithmfor calculating these compatibility conditions is given.     

Measurement and calibration of the He(I) photoelectron spectra of gaseous and liquid ethanediol,propanediol and formamide

The He(I) photoelectron spectra of gaseous and liquid ethane-1,2-diol, propane-1,3-diol and formamide have been measured in a new instrument with a Bessel box analyser. Both phases were studied at ambient temperature or a little above with a resolution of 0.1 eV. A simple method of calibration is described. The addition of NaI to formamide (0.3 M) does not result in the appearance of the characteristic peaks of I^? in the spectrum but it causes the appearance of bands characteristic of water in the gas-phase spectrum.     

Laser optoacoustic studies of intermolecular V-V processes: CH4/n-alkanes,and density of state aspects in V-V and E-V rates

Using laser excitation of CH₄ at 2947.9 cm^?1, V-V processes from the bending modes of CH₄ to deformation modes in a series of n-alkanes are studied optoacoustically. The results, like other V-V and E-V processes, show an incremental change in acceptor level density with the number of n-alkane C atoms.     

The effect of γ-irradiation and polymer composition on the stability of PLG polymer and microspheres

The effects of lactide:glycolide ratio and γ-irradiation on the stability characteristics of poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (dl-PLG) co-polymer and microspheres were studied. Samples containing 50:50, 65:35, 75:25, 85:15 and 95:5 lactide:glycolide were studied as both the raw polymer and microspheres. The samples were characterised and degradation was monitored using a variety of spectroscopic, chromatographic, thermal and particle analysis techniques. The lactide:glycolide ratio was shown to be an important parameter in controlling the degradation of PLG co-polymer, especially in the microspheres, and the raw polymer samples were observed to be less stable than the microspheres. γ-Irradiation was shown to reduce the molecular weight of the PLG samples without significantly affecting the polydispersity, suggesting a random chain scission degradation mechanism. The detrimental effects of γ-irradiation were shown to continue on storage of the samples for 4 weeks in the solid state at ambient and accelerated conditions.     

Cavitand boronic acids mediate highly selective fructose transport

The synthesis sugar-transport properties of a family of five cavitand rim-appended boronic acids are reported. These conformationally rigid compounds are not observed to leach out of lipophilic membranes, and they exhibit unprecedented fructose to glucose transport selectivities and give higher fluxes than other neutral boronic acids. These properties make the cavitand boronic acids the best artificial fructose transporters described thus far. [structure: see text]     

Efficient catalytic enantioselective synthesis of unsaturated amines: preparation of small- and medium-ring cyclic amines through mo-catalyzed asymmetric ring-closing metathesis in the absence of solvent

The first catalytic asymmetric ring-closing metathesis method for the synthesis of N-containing heterocycles is reported; this is accomplished through Mo-catalyzed kinetic resolution or desymmetrization of unsaturated amines. Importantly, this catalytic asymmetric method delivers medium-ring unsaturated amines (including eight-membered rings) in high yield, with exceptional enantioselectivity and without the need for solvents. These enantioselective reactions can be effected by catalysts prepared in situ from commercially available reagents.     

QZ1 and QZ2: rapid, reversible quinoline-derivatized fluoresceins for sensing biological Zn(II)

QZ1, 2-[2-chloro-6-hydroxy-3-oxo-5-(quinolin-8-ylaminomethyl)-3H-xanthen-9-yl]benzoic acid, and QZ2, 2-[6-hydroxy-3-oxo-4,5-bis-(quinolin-8-ylaminomethyl)-3H-xanthen-9-yl]benzoic acid, two fluorescein-based dyes derivatized with 8-aminoquinoline, have been prepared and their photophysical, thermodynamic, and zinc-binding kinetic properties determined. Because of their low background fluorescence and highly emissive Zn(II) complexes, QZ1 and QZ2 have a large dynamic range, with approximately 42- and approximately 150-fold fluorescence enhancements upon Zn(II) coordination, respectively. These dyes have micromolar K(d) values for Zn(II) and are selective for Zn(II) over biologically relevant concentrations of the alkali and alkaline earth metals. The Zn(II) complexes also fluoresce brightly in the presence of excess Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II), offering improved specificity for Zn(II) over di(2-picolyl)amine-based Zn(II) sensors. Stopped-flow kinetic investigations indicate that QZ1 and QZ2 bind Zn(II) with k(on) values of (3-4) x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1), compared to (6-8) x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) for select ZP (Zinpyr) dyes, at 4.3 degrees C. Dissociation of Zn(II) from QZ1 and QZ2 occurs with k(off) values of 150 and 160 s(-1), over 5 orders of magnitude larger than those for ZP probes, achieving reversibility on the biological (millisecond) time scale. Laser scanning confocal and two-photon microscopy studies reveal that QZ2 is cell-permeable and Zn(II)-responsive in vivo. Because of its weaker affinity for Zn(II), QZ2 responds to higher concentrations of intracellular Zn(II) than members of the ZP family, illustrating that binding affinity is an important parameter for Zn(II) detection in vivo.     

Conical-nanotube ion-current rectifiers: the role of surface charge

Ion channels are protein pores that span cell membranes and open and close in response to stimuli like changes in the transmembrane potential, binding of a ligand, or mechanical stress. When open, ions pass through the pore, and hence across the cell membrane, and when closed, ion-transport is precluded. Hence, these channels are nanodevices that have a current-rectification function. There is intense research effort aimed at understanding the molecular-level mechanism for this function. One approach for elucidating the mechanism is to construct a simple abiotic system that mimics this function and to use the mechanistic details of this mimic as a guide to understand the more complex biological channel. We describe here such an abiotic mimic: a synthetic membrane that contains a single conical gold nanotube. The advantage of this mimic is that the surface charge and chemistry of the nanotube wall can be varied, at will, by judicious choice of electrolyte or by thiol chemisorption. This has allowed us to make conical Au nanotubes that rectify the ion current and, just as importantly, to definitively elucidate the mechanism of this function.     

Determination of sunset yellow and tartrazine by differential pulse polarography

A study has been made of the polarographic (DC and DPP) behaviour of the food dyes Sunset Yellow and Tartrazine in acid and alkaline media and in the absence and presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone. Methods are proposed for the determination of both dyes by DPP over a concentration range of 0.1-10 ppm. The methods have been applied to their determination in soft drinks.     

Kinetic study of addition of volatile organic compounds to a nitrifying sludge

The effects of different concentrations of several volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as ethanol, acetate, propionate, and butyrate ranging from 0 to 2000 mg/L as well as a mixture of volatile fatty acids (MVFA) at a 4:1:1 (acetate:propionate:butyrate) ratio on the nitrification rate in batch cultures were studied. The results showed that ethanol and acetate were consumed in a mixotrophic way by the nitrifying sludge. At a concentration of 500 mg/L, the nitrification rate of inhibition was different for each compound in which propionate and butyrate were the most inhibitory. At 2000 mg/L the inhibition was 80% with ethanol and 100% with acetate, propionate, and butyrate. With similar concentrations of MVFA, the inhibition was also similar to that in acetate. The effect of the addition of pulses of MVFA at a ratio of 4:1:1 during 14 h on the performance of the continuous nitrifying process with a hydraulic retention time of 3 d was also studied. No inhibition of the nitrification process was observed with pulses of 750–3000 mg of MVFA/L in the input of the reactor. The results in batch cultures suggest that the different degrees of inhibition of the nitrification process were related to the type of organic matter added. The noninhibitory effect of the organic matter in the continuous cultures on the nitrification efficiency of the nitrifying sludge might be related to the feeding pattern.