Classification of signatures of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy in serum using infrared spectroscopy

Signatures of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) have been identified in serum by means of "Diagnostic Pattern Recognition (DPR)". For DPR-analysis, mid-infrared spectroscopy of dried films of 641 serum samples was performed using disposable silicon sample carriers and a semi-automated DPR research system operating at room temperature. The combination of four mathematical classification approaches (principal component analysis plus linear discriminant analysis, robust linear discriminant analysis, artificial neural network, support vector machine) allowed for a reliable assignment of spectra to the class "BSE-positive" or "BSE-negative". An independent, blinded validation study was carried out on a second DPR research system at the Veterinary Laboratory Agency, Weybridge, UK. Out of 84 serum samples originating from terminally-ill, BSE-positive cattle, 78 were classified correctly. Similarly, 73 out of 76 BSE-negative samples were correctly identified by DPR such that, numerically, an accuracy of 94.4 % can be calculated. At a confidence level of 0.95 (alpha = 0.05) these results correspond to a sensitivity > 85% and a specificity > 90%. Identical class assignment by all four classifiers occurred in 75% of the cases while ambiguous results were obtained in only 8 of the 160 cases. With an area under the ROC (receiver operating charateristics) curve of 0.991, DPR may potentially supply a valuable surrogate marker for BSE even in cases in which a deliberate bias towards improved sensitivity or specificity is desired. To the best of our knowledge, DPR is the first and--up to now--only method which has demonstrated its capability of detecting BSE-related signatures in serum.     

Application of isotopic labeling,and gas chromatography mass spectrometry,to understanding degradation products and pathways in the thermal-oxidative aging of Nylon 6.6

Nylon 6.6 containing ¹³C isotopic labels at specific positions along the macromolecular backbone has been subjected to extensive thermal-oxidative aging at 138 °C for time periods up to 243 days. In complementary experiments, unlabeled Nylon 6.6 was subjected to the same aging conditions under an atmosphere of ¹⁸O₂. Volatile organic degradation products were analyzed by cryofocusing gas chromatography mass spectrometry (cryo-GC/MS) to identify the isotopic labeling. The labeling results, combined with basic considerations of free radical reaction chemistry, provided insights to the origin of degradation species, with respect to the macromolecular structure. A number of inferences on chemical mechanisms were drawn, based on 1) the presence (or absence) of the isotopic labels in the various products, 2) the location of the isotope within the product molecule, and 3) the relative abundance of products as indicated by large differences in peak intensities in the gas chromatogram. The overall degradation results can be understood in terms of free radical pathways originating from initial attacks on three different positions along the nylon chain which include hydrogen abstraction from: the (CH₂) group adjacent to the nitrogen atom, at the (CH₂) adjacent the carbonyl group, and direct radical attack on the carbonyl. Understanding the pathways which lead to Nylon 6.6 degradation ultimately provides new insight into changes that can be leveraged to detect and reduce early aging and minimize problems associated with material degradation.     

Qualitative metabolism assessment and toxicological detection of xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer and drug of abuse, in rat and human urine using GC–MS, LC–MS n , and LC–HR-MS n

Xylazine is used in veterinary medicine for sedation, anesthesia, and analgesia. It has also been reported to be misused as a horse doping agent, a drug of abuse, a drug for attempted sexual assault, and as source of accidental or intended poisonings. So far, no data concerning human metabolism have been described. Such data are necessary for the development of toxicological detection methods for monitoring drug abuse, as in most cases the metabolites are the analytical targets. Therefore, the metabolism of xylazine was investigated in rat and human urine after several sample workup procedures. The metabolites were identified using gas chromatography (GC)–mass spectrometry (MS) and liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with linear ion trap high-resolution multistage MS (MS ⁿ ). Xylazine was N-dealkylated and S-dealkylated, oxidized, and/or hydroxylated to 12 phase I metabolites. The phenolic metabolites were partly excreted as glucuronides or sulfates. All phase I and phase II metabolites identified in rat urine were also detected in human urine. In rat urine after a low dose as well as in human urine after an overdose, mainly the hydroxy metabolites were detected using the authors’ standard urine screening approaches by GC–MS and LC–MS ⁿ . Thus, it should be possible to monitor application of xylazine assuming similar toxicokinetics in humans.

Cyclopeptid-Antibiotika aus Aspergillus-Arten. Struktur der Echinocandine C und D

Cyclopeptide antibiotics from Aspergillus species. Structure of echinocandins C and D The echinocandins B, C and D are antifungal antibiotics produced by a strain of Aspergillus rugulosus. All three metabolites are closely related representing cyclic oligopeptides composed of six amino acids and a linolic acid residue in an amide linkage. The complete structure of echinocandin B ( 1 ) has recently been established by X-ray analysis. Structural assignments to the new minor metabolites C and D have now been made by hydrolytic and oxidative cleavage reactions, formation of N-acyl-α-aminoethers as well as by chemical correlations and extensive NMR. examinations. Echinocandin C ( 2 ), C₅₂H₈₁N₇O₁₅, contains 3-hydroxyhomotyrosine in the place of 3, 4-dihydroxyhomotyrosine present in 1 . Echinocandin D ( 3 ), C₅₂H₈₁N₇O₁₃, differs in two amino acids: 3, 4-dihyroxyhomotyrosine and 4, 5-dihydroxyornithine, unusual units of 1 being replaced by 3-hydroxyhomotyrosine and ornithine.     

Zur Synthese sulfonierter Derivate von 4-Amino-1,3-dimethylbenzol und 2-Amino-1,3-dimethylbenzol

Syntheses of Sulfonated Derivatives of 4-Amino-1, 3-dimethylbenzene and 2-Amino-1, 3-dimethylbenzene Direct sulfonation of 4-amino-1, 3-dimethylbenzene (1) and sulfonation of 4-nitro-1,3-dimethylbenzene ( 4 ) to 4-nitro-1,3-dimethylbenzene-6-sulfonic acid ( 3 ) followed by reduction yield 4-amino-1,3-dimethylbenzene-6-sulfonic acid ( 2 ). The isomeric 5-sulfonic acid ( 5 ) however is prepared solely by baking the acid sulfate salt of 1 . Reaction of sulfur dioxide with the diazonium chloride derived from 2-amino-4-nitro-1,3-dimethylbenzene ( 7 ) leads to 4-nitro-1,3-dimethylbenzene-2-sulfonyl chloride ( 8 ), which is successively hydrolyzed to 4-nitro-1,3-dimethylbenzene-2-sulfonic acid ( 9 ) and reduced to 4-amino-1, 3-dimethylbenzene-2-sulfonic acid ( 6 ). Treatment of 4-amino-6-bromo-1,3-dimethylbenzene ( 12 ) and 4-amino-6-chloro-1, 3-dimethylbenzene ( 13 ), the former obtained by reduction of 4-chloro-6-nitro-1,3-dimethyl-benzene ( 10 ) and the latter from 4-chloro-6-nitro-1, 3-dimethylbenzene ( 11 ), with oleum yield 4-amino-6-bromo-1,3-dimethylbenzene-2-sulfonic acid ( 14 ) and 4-amino-6-chloro-1,3-dimethylbenzene-2-sulfonic acid ( 15 ) respectively; subsequent carbon-halogen hydrogenolyses of 14 and 15 lead also to 6 (Scheme 1). Baking the acid sulfate salt of 2-amino-1, 3-dimethylbenzene ( 17 ) gives 2-amino-1, 3-dimethylbenzene-5-sulfonic acid ( 16 ), whereas the isomeric 4-sulfonic acid ( 18 ) can be prepared by either of the following three possible pathways: Sulfonation of 2-nitro-1,3-dimethylbenzene ( 20 ) to 2-nitro-1,3-dimethylbenzene-4-sulfonic acid ( 21 ) followed by reduction or sulfonation of 2-acetylamino-1,3-dimethylbenzene ( 19 ) to 2-acetylamino-1,3-dimethylbenzene-4-sulfonic acid ( 22 ) with subsequent hydrolysis or direct sulfonation of 17 . Further sulfonation of 18 yields 2-amino 1,3-dimethylbenzene-4,6-disulfonic acid ( 23 ), the structure of which is independently confirmed by reduction of unequivocally prepared 2-nitro- 1,:3-dimethylbenzene-4,6-disulfonic acid ( 24 )(Scheme 2).     

Darstellung,Kristallstruktur und spektroskopische Eigenschaften der Clusteranionen [(Mo6Br)X]2− mit Xa = F,Cl, Br,I

Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Spectroscopic Properties of the Cluster Anions [(Mo₆Br )X ]^2? with X^a = F, Cl, Br, I The tetrabutylammonium (TBA), tetraphenylphosphonium (TPP) and tetraphenylarsonium (TPAs) salts of the octa-μ₃-bromo-hexahalogeno-octahedro-hexamolybdate(2?) anions [(Mo₆Br)X]^2? (X^a = F, Cl, Br, I) are synthesized from solutions of the free acids H₂[(Mo₆Br)X] · 8 H₂O with X^a = Cl, Br, I. The crystal structures show systematic stretchings in the Mo? Mo bond length and a slight compression of the Brⁱ₈ cube in the F^a to I^a series. The cations do not change much. The i.r. and Raman spectra show at 10 K almost constant frequencies of the (Mo₆Brⁱ₈) cluster vibrations, whereas all modes with X^a ligand contribution are characteristically shifted. The most important bands are assigned by polarization measurements and the force constants are derived from normal coordinate analysis. The ⁹⁵Mo nmr signals are shifted to lower field with increasing electronegativity of the X^a ligands. The fluorine compound shows a sharp ¹⁹F nmr singlet at ?184.5 ppm.     

Molecular Structure of Phosphinidene Phosphates

Abstract

Alkalimetal diphenylphosphinites degrade (Ph-P)₅ and P₄ to give anions containing a chain of 2, 3 or 4 four- and two-coordinated phosphorus atoms. Representatives of the chain with two four-coordinated and one two-coordinated P atoms became first available from the aminolysis of tris (phosphoryl)phosphides¹.     

Observation of B-->K(0)(S)pi(+)pi(-) and Evidence for B-->K(*+/-)pi(-/+)

We report on a search for charmless hadronic B decays to the three-body final states K(0)(S)h(+)pi(-), K(+)h(-)pi(0), K(0)(S)h(+)pi(0) (h(+/-) denotes a charged pion or kaon), and their charge conjugates, using 13.5 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity produced near sqrt[s]=10.6 GeV, and collected with the CLEO detector. We observe the decay B-->K0pi(+)pi(-) with a branching fraction (50(+10)(-9)(stat.)+/-7(syst.))x10(-6) and the decay B-->K(*+)(892)pi(-) with a branching fraction (16(+6)(-5)(stat.)+/-2(syst.))x10(-6).     

Coulomb drag for strongly localized electrons: a pumping mechanism

The mutual influence of two layers with strongly localized electrons is exercised though the random Coulomb shifts of site energies in one layer caused by electron hops in the other layer. We trace how these shifts give rise to a voltage drop in the passive layer, when a current is passed through the active layer. We find that the microscopic origin of drag lies in the time correlations of the occupation numbers of the sites involved in a hop. These correlations are neglected within the conventional Miller-Abrahams scheme for calculating the hopping resistance.