Electrochemically synthesized polymers in molecular imprinting for chemical sensing

This critical review describes a class of polymers prepared by electrochemical polymerization that employs the concept of molecular imprinting for chemical sensing. The principal focus is on both conducting and nonconducting polymers prepared by electropolymerization of electroactive functional monomers, such as pristine and derivatized pyrrole, aminophenylboronic acid, thiophene, porphyrin, aniline, phenylenediamine, phenol, and thiophenol. A critical evaluation of the literature on electrosynthesized molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) applied as recognition elements of chemical sensors is presented. The aim of this review is to highlight recent achievements in analytical applications of these MIPs, including present strategies of determination of different analytes as well as identification and solutions for problems encountered.     

Structure and dynamics of L-selenomethionine in the solid state

L-selenomethionine 1 crystallizes in P2(1) space group with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is used for searching of structure and dynamics of 1 in the crystal lattice. The distinct molecular motion of side chains for A and B molecules of 1 is apparent from measurements of relaxation parameters (1H 1rho, 13C T1) and analysis of CSA data (2D-PASS experiment). The 13C delta(ii) and 77Se delta(ii) parameters are correlated with theoretical shielding parameters obtained by means DFT GIAO calculations. Attempt to explain the mechanism of phase transition of crystals of 1 at 313K is presented.     

Oxidative extraction versus total decomposition of soil in the determination of thallium

An aqua regia extraction and a total decomposition of soil were compared in terms of thallium determination. A sequential extraction of soil, according to the BCR protocol, was also performed for additional information on thallium distribution in soil fractions. Certified reference material—soil GBW 07401 of Chinese origin, containing 1 ± 0.2 ppm of thallium was used in these experiments. Thallium was determined by flow injection-differential pulse-anodic stripping voltammetry (FI-DP-ASV). Only 35% of total thallium was extracted in the aqua regia extraction, while the total decomposition led to satisfactory recovery. The sequential extraction showed that only 5% of thallium in GBW 07401 is dissolvable in the four BCR procedure fractions, and that 95% of the element is entrapped in the residual parent matter. These results show that the aqua regia extraction does not ensure complete thallium extraction from soil. Surprisingly, the total decomposition is significantly less time consuming than the aqua regia extraction.     

Investigation of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomal nanovesicles as universal detection reagents for bioanalytical assays

Ligand-tagged liposomes, obtained by covalent conjugation of ligands to the liposomal surface, have been widely used as detection reagents in bioanalytical assays. A non-covalent conjugation method where IgG was attached to protein G-tagged liposomes has been recently utilized. To enlarge the application of non-covalent methods to a greater variety of ligands, including peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids, we developed and optimized a new method for the preparation of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomes with subsequent attachment of biotinylated ligands. Two assays were used to investigate the feasibility of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomes. The first assay was a competitive immunoassay for detecting rabbit antibodies, while the second assay was a sandwich hybridization assay for detecting a synthetic target: a DNA fragment of Erwinia amylovora. To produce the immunoliposomes for the detection of rabbit IgG, NeutrAvidin was covalently tagged to the liposomal surface at four different starting molar percentages (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8). The biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG at three different molar ratios of biotin to IgG (5, 10, and 20) were then attached to the NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomes by using two different molar ratios of goat anti-rabbit IgG to NeutrAvidin (1 and 5). After the comparison of all 24 combinations, the best result was obtained with the 0.1 starting molar percentage of NeutrAvidin, 20 as the molar ratio of biotin to goat IgG, and 1 as molar ratio of IgG to NeutrAvidin. Under these optimized conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) for rabbit IgG was 38 pmol/mL. Moreover, the best combination for the sandwich hybridization assay was with the 0.1 starting molar percentage of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomes and when the molar ratio of biotinylated reporter probe to NeutrAvidin was equal to 1. The LOD for the synthetic target DNA fragment of E. amylovora was ca. 30 pmol/mL. Both assays could be completed in about 30 min without the requirement of sophisticated equipment or techniques. Therefore, these two assays have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of NeutrAvidin-tagged liposomal nanovesicles as a universal reagent for the attachment of different types of biotinylated ligands in a fast and easy coupling process. In addition, these ligand-tagged liposomes have the potential for wide use in different types of bioanalytical assays.     

Almost Kähler A-Structures on Twistor Bundles

The aim of this paper is to give examples of compact almost Kähler A-manifolds.     

Some remarks on the decomposition properties of the single machine total tardiness problem

The note extends Lawler’s [E.L. Lawler, A pseudopolynomial algorithm for sequencing jobs to minimize total tardiness, Annals of Discrete Mathematics, 1 (1977) 331–342] fundamental decomposition theorem. This extension serves as a basis for alternate criteria that recognize when the problem is non-decomposable. It also shows that even relaxing a single criterion to a weak inequality may contradict Lawler’s (1977) decomposition theorem.     

A counterexample concerning Whitney reversible properties

Two properties of continua are shown which are strong Whitney reversible while not sequential strong Whitney reversible. This answers an old question of S. B. Nadler, Jr.

     

Photosensitized degradation of polyethylene glycols in aqueous solutions. I. Viscosimetric measurements

Investigations were performed on acetone and benzene-sensitized degradation of triethylene glycol (TEG), polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400), and polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG 4000) in aqueous solutions exposed to irradiation at λ = 254 nm and λ ～ 313 nm. The systems investigated were exposed at 20°C (±1°C) in both deaerated and undeaerated solutions. The course of the photosensitized degradation was examined viscosimetrically. The determined quantum yield (?) of chain scission decreases distinctly as the molecular weight of the polymer rises, irrespective of the wavelength of the light absorbed and deaeration of system exposed.     

Derivations of differential forms on jet bundles

Summary The theory of derivations of differential forms, originally formulated by Frölicher and Nijenhuis [2], is generalized to include derivations which connect differential forms on two different manifolds. This generalized theory is then used to analyze derivations of direct limits of exterior algebras of forms on jet bundles. Such derivations have found applications in the analysis of Lie equations [3], [4] and in the inverse problem of the calculus of variations [6], [7], [8], [9].

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Résumé On présente une généralization de la théorie des dérivations des formes extérieures, formulée par Frölicher et Nijenhuis [2], au cas des dérivations qui relient les formes extérieurs sur deux variétés différentes. On utilize ensuite cette théorie généralizée pour étudier les dérivations des limites directes des algèbres des formes extérieures sur les fibrés des jets. Ces dérivations ont été appliquées dans l'analyse des équations de Lie [3], [4] et dans le problème inverse du calcul des variations [6], [7], [8], [9].

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This work is a part of a program conducted jointly with ProfessorBenenti at Istituto di Fisica Matematica «J. L. Lagrange» of Torino. The authors are greatly indebted to the Director of the Institute Professor D.Galletto for his interest and encouragement.This work has been supported by Gruppo Nazionale per la Fisica Matematica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.