Effects of wavelength, pulse duration and power density on laser activation of glassy carbon electrodes

The hypothesis that laser activation of glassy carbon (GC) electrodes is thermally driven was investigated by comparing simulated surface temperatures for several lasers and experimental conditions. Assuming no phase changes, the surface temperature vs. time profile for a laser pulse striking a GC electrode was predicted by finite difference simulation. It was predicted that peak surface temperature depends on power density, wavelength, pulse duration and the optical properties of the carbon. Experimentally, laser activation is weakly wavelength dependent for ascorbic acid and Fe . The surface temperatures required for activation were consistent for different lasers, supporting the conclusion that laser activation is thermally driven. Furthermore, predicted surface temperatures during activation were below the melting point of carbon but well above the boiling point of water. The results should be useful for predicting the effectiveness of different laser conditions on electron transfer activation.     

Electrochemical monitoring of indigo preparation using Maya’s ancient procedures

The preparation of indigo from Indigofera suffruticosa following the procedures attributed to ancient Mayas was electrochemically monitored using the voltammetry-of-microparticles approach. The mechanism formation of indigotin and indirubin from its precursors, indican and isatan, is discussed. Comparison of voltammetric profiles for differently prepared and commercial indigos and genuine Maya Blue samples suggests that the preparation procedure of indigo changed during the Late Classical Maya period. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Use of an automated image processing program to quantify recombinant adenovirus particles.

Electron microscopy has a pivotal role as an analytical tool in pharmaceutical research. However, digital image data have proven to be too large for efficient quantitative analysis. We describe here the development and application of an automated image processing (AIP) program that rapidly quantifies shape measurements of recombinant adenovirus (rAd) obtained from digitized field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images. The program was written using the macro-recording features within Image-Pro Plus software. The macro program, which is linked to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, consists of a series of subroutines designed to automatically measure rAd vector objects from the FESEM images. The application and utility of this macro program has enabled us to rapidly and efficiently analyze very large data sets of rAd samples while minimizing operator time.     

Elemental analysis of Korean women’s blood serums using instrumental neutron activation analysis

Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to assess the concentration of the inorganic trace elements in Korean women’s blood serums. It was found that a high concentration of Na and Cl incurs an analytical interference, but the 12 elements such as Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, Na, Rb, Se and Zn could be determined under the condition of an interference minimization. Serum samples collected from 63 women were analyzed and the concentration level and range of the elements were evaluated. NIST SRMs were analyzed simultaneously for quality control. The average values of the Na and Cl determined in the serum samples were 3,365 and 3,533 mg/l, Ca was 96.4 mg/l and K was 191 mg/l. Besides, Br, Se and Zn have a concentration level of 6.46, 0.13 and 0.98 mg/l, respectively. It was found that there is no significant difference between the present values and the reported values.     

Characterisation of poly(neutral red) modified carbon film electrodes; application as a redox mediator for biosensors

The polymer redox mediator, poly(neutral red) (PNR), has been synthesised and characterised electrochemically to investigate the best electropolymerisation and mediation conditions for application in enzyme biosensors and to clarify the mechanism of action. Neutral red was electropolymerised by potential cycling on carbon film electrode substrates by allowing the monomer to be oxidised during the full 20 cycles of polymerisation or reducing the positive limit of the potential window after the first 2 cycles to impede monomer oxidation with a view to obtaining longer polymer chains and a lesser degree of branching. Comparison was made with glassy carbon substrates. The PNR films on carbon film electrodes were characterised using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, as well as in glucose biosensors prepared with PNR. Glucose oxidase enzyme was immobilised by encapsulation in silica sol-gel and compared with that obtained by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The biosensors were evaluated by chronoamperometry in 0.1 M phosphate buffer saline solution, pH 7.0, and showed evidence of electron transfer between the enzyme cofactor flavin adenine dinucleotide and PNR dissolved in the enzyme layer competing with PNR-mediated electrochemical degradation of H₂O₂ formed during the enzymatic process. This paper is dedicated to Professor Dr. Algirdas Vaskelis on the occasion of his 70th birthday.     

QUANTUM YIELD OF PHOTOHYDRATION FOR DIMETHYLURACIL. CONCENTRATION AND WAVELENGTH DEPENDENCE*

Abstract— The quantum yields for the photohydration of dimethyluracil were determined for concentrations in the range 5 × 10^--¹-^-1 × 10^--³M by use of 240–280 nm irradiation. The average quantum yield (0.0139 f 0.0005) was independent of both concentration and irradiation wavelength.     

Studies in azide chemistry. Part 13 [1]. Intermolecular insertion of azide-derived polyfluorinated aryl- and heteroaryl-nitrenes into ring CH bonds of 1,3, 5-trimethyl- and 1,3,5-trimethoxy-benzene

Thermolysis of perfluoroazidobenzene, perfluoro-4- azidotoluene, perfluoro-4-azidopyridine, 4-azido-3- chlorotrifluoropyridine, and 4-azido-3, 5-dichlorodifluoropyridine (Ar_FN₃) in the presence of a large excess ($\text{ca}$. 10 molar) of 1,3,5-trimethyl- or 1,3,5-trimethoxy-benzene (ArH) gave the diarylamines expected from nitrene ‘insertions’ at nuclear CH bonds (Ar_FN₃ + ArH→Ar_FNHAr + N₂); product yields in the cases of the perfluorinated azides are the highest ever recorded for this type of reaction. By contrast, no recognisable products were obtained when either perfluoro-(2-azido-4-isopropylpyridine) or 2-azido- 4-chlorotrifluoropyridine were decomposed thermally in 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene.     

Technological quality determination of pharmaceutical disintegrant by DSC cooling and DSC photovisual

A number of disintegrants are available on the market. They improve tablets’ disintegration. The objective of this work is the comparison of the technological quality parameters of disintegrants using different analytical techniques. Three batches of disintegrants and their binary mixtures (water:disintegrants) were investigated. Cooling experiments were used from –30 up to 200°C. The data obtained showed calorimetric differences between the samples. In the binary mixtures water showed different crystallization behaviour from the one found in the literature. According to the results DSC technique helped the quality control of different disintegrants.     

Hyperconjugative vs. d orbital effects in unsaturated silanes : I. The energy levels in para-group IV-substituted anilines

The energy levels of a series of para substituted N,N-dimethylanilines p-MH_nMe_3?n C₆H₄NMe₂ (n = 0?3, M = C or Si) for the ground and lower lying excited states have been determined in acetonitrile solution. The levels for the carbon compounds are all slightly destailized relative to N,N-dimethylaniline and the effects are rather insensitive to n. The stabilizations produced by silicon substituents on all levels are markedly affected by silicon's substituents, showing increasing perturbations with increasing n. It is concluded that variations in the interaction of the σ^* system of the silyl substituent with the aniline π system, and not d orbital interactions, account for the trends observed.     

Thermodynamic characterization of different actin isoforms

Summary The thermodynamic properties of the cardiac and skeletal a-actin isoforms were studied to characterize the molecular bases of the functional differences between them with the method of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The thermal properties of the actin filaments were described in the presence of calcium and magnesium ions as well. Based on the calculated free energy changes the α-cardiac actin filaments appeared to be more stable in its physiologically more relevant, magnesium saturated form. The magnesium saturated form of the α-cardiac actin filaments seemed to be more stable compared to the calcium saturated form of it. The enthalpy and entropy changes could differentiate between the α-cardiac and α-skeletal actin isoforms and between the calcium and magnesium saturated cardiac actin isoforms as well. Our results can demonstrate that the few differences between the amino acid sequences of the α-actin isoforms have an influence on the thermal properties and maybe on the function of these proteins as well.