Education by Teaching Analytical Chemistry in Romania

A review is given on the history of the development of analytical chemistry in Romania, its present role in University teaching, and on measures that are planned in order to improve teaching and education.Received January 12, 2003; accepted March 7, 2003 Published online July 16, 2003     

The effect of implementation of the ISO 9000 on customer complaints; a 5-year follow-up study in a regional laboratory.

Although the importance of quality management in the medical laboratory has been emphasized, we are unaware of any interventional studies demonstrating benefits of implementation of recommendations of the International Standards Organization (ISO). In the following 5-year follow-up study, we implemented quality management as stipulated by the ISO, received a certificate of approval, and determined how the program affected customer complaints. From 1997 to 2001 there was only a slight decrease in the number of customer complaints, but a significant continuing downward trend in the proportion of justified complaints (chi-squared test, p<0.001). In fact in 2001 the proportion of justified complaints had decreased by nearly 80% (relative risk, 0.22; 95% confidence interval, 0.09–0.52)), to only 10.9% of the total complaints. We conclude that the use of the ISO 9000 along with good laboratory practice resulted in a significant decrease in the proportion of justified complaints.     

Characterization of distribution of pi-electrons amongst benzenoid rings for Randić’s “algebraic” Kekulé structures

For benzenoid hydrocarbons the distribution of pi-electrons amongst rings is characterized in the context of Randis mode of assignment attending to the different Kekulé structures. In particular the mean and mean deviation from the mean are considered, and the benzenoids which achieve maximum deviation are identified.     

Electrospray/mass spectrometric identification and analysis of 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs) produced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</Emphasis>

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a large array of 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs). These compounds were analyzed by LC/MS, using positive electrospray ionization, in the culture supernatant of strain PA14. Fifty-six HAQs and related compounds were detected and their [M + H](+) ions were further analyzed by collision induced dissociation (CID). These HAQs were grouped into five different series based on the presence of an hydrogen or hydroxyl group at the 3 position, an N-oxide group in place of the quinoline nitrogen, and an unsaturation on their alkyl side chain. Two new analogs of 3,4-dihydroxy-2 heptylquinoline, the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS), were found with an alkyl chain longer by one and two methylene groups. Moreover, two additional series of compounds were identified in which a saturated or unsaturated alkyl side chain is located at the 3 position along with an hydroxyl group at the 3 position and a ketone at the 2 position. No HAQ N-oxides, nor any compounds from the latter two series, were detected in a pqsL mutant derivative of PA14, indicating that this gene is involved in the biosynthesis of these compounds. This work demonstrates the large repertoire of HAQ and HAQ-related compounds produced by P. aeruginosa, and provides insight into N-oxides biosynthesis and confirm the hypothesis that N-oxides are the precursors of compounds from Series 6 and 7.     

Conformation of poly(<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-glutamic acid) in bipolar amphiphiles with alkyl ammonium cations of different hydrophobicity

The conformation of the sodium salt of poly(l-glutamic acid) (P(Glu)) in solutions of the cationic bipolar amphiphile 1, 20-isosanediylbis(alkylammonium chloride) (C ₂₀(RA) ₂) with different alkyl head groups as a function of amphiphile concentration was investigated using circular dichroism (CD). RA included methylammonium (MA), ethylammonium (EA), propylammonium (PA), butylammonium (BA), and pentylammonium (PeA) cationic groups. The CD spectrum of each C ₂₀(RA) ₂ had a double minima corresponding to the a-helix of P(Glu), which was replaced by CD spectra with a single minimum at wavelengths larger than 222 nm as concentration increased. These changes in the CD spectrum were ascribed to the conformational change from random coil to a-helix and to aggregates of helices. In C ₂₀(EA) ₂ solutions, a step-like change in the CD intensity was observed at 222 nm as a function of the ratio of C ₂₀(RA) ₂ to P(Glu). At the step, the CD spectrum of the complete a-helix was observed. At 10–35 °C, an a-helix was induced in P(Glu) in the order: C ₂₀(EA) ₂>C ₂₀(MA) ₂>C ₂₀(PA) ₂>C ₂₀(BA) ₂>C ₂₀(PeA) ₂. This order was ascribed to the best fit of ethylammonium to the P(Glu) side chain.     

Computing the Fukui function from ab initio quantum chemistry: approaches based on the extended Koopmans’ theorem

The extended Koopmans’ theorem is related to Fukui function, which measures the change in electron density that accompanies electron attachment and removal. Two approaches are used, one based on the extended Koopmans’ theorem differential equation and the other based directly on the expression of the ionized wave function from the extended Koopmans’ theorem. It is observed that the Fukui function for electron removal can be modeled as the square of the first Dyson orbital, plus corrections. The possibility of useful generalizations to the extended Koopmans’ theorem is considered; some of these extensions give approximations, or even exact expressions, for the Fukui function for electron attachment.     

Repeat Space Theory Applied to Carbon Nanotubes and Related Molecular Networks. I

The present article is the first part of a series devoted to extending the Repeat Space Theory (RST) to apply to carbon nanotubes and related molecular networks. Four key problems are formulated whose affirmative solutions imply the formation of the initial investigative bridge between the research field of nanotubes and that of the additivity and other network problems studied and solved by using the RST. All of these four problems are solved affirmatively by using tools from the RST. The Piecewise Monotone Lemmas (PMLs) are cornerstones of the proof of the Fukui conjecture concerning the additivity problems of hydrocarbons. The solution of the fourth problem gives a generalized analytical formula of the pi-electron energy band curves of nanotube (a, b), with two new complex parameters c and d. These two parameters bring forth a broad class of analytic curves to which the PMLs and associated theoretical devices apply. Based on the above affirmative solutions of the problems, a central theorem in the RST, called the asymptotic linearity theorem (ALT) has been applied to nanotubes and monocyclic polyenes. Analytical formulae derived in this application of the ALT illuminate in a new global context (i) the conductivity of nanotubes and (ii) the aromaticity of monocyclic polyenes; moreover an analytical formula obtained by using the ALT provides a fresh insight into Hückel’s (4n+2) rule. The present article forms a foundation of the forthcoming articles in this series. The present series of articles is closely associated with the series of articles entitled ‘Proof of the Fukui conjecture via resolution of singularities and related methods’ published in the JOMC.     

Evaluation of free hydroxyl radical scavenging activities of some Chinese herbs by capillary zone electrophoresis with amperometric detection

Due to the severe damage caused by free hydroxyl radicals (OH·) to cells and tissues, there is much interest in finding and studying effective and non-toxic OH· scavengers, including traditional Chinese herbs. In this paper, the simple and highly-sensitive technique of capillary zone electrophoresis with amperometric detection (CZE-AD) was used to study the OH· scavenging activities of aqueous extracts from some traditional Chinese herbs. Salicylic acid (SAL) was used as an OH· trap, and the content of OH· could be determined by assaying their products, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHBA) and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHBA). The optimum conditions for CZE-AD for the determination of 2,3-DHBA and 2,5-DHBA were explored. The linearity ranges of 2,3-DHBA and 2,5-DHBA were 1.0 ×10^–7~1.0 ×10^–4 mol L^–1, and their detection limits were as low as 2×10^–8 mol L^–1, which were much better than the CE-UV method often used. The traditional Chinese herbs studied included Radix angelicae sinensis, Rhizoma coptidis, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligusticum wallichii, Radices glycyrrhizae and Semen plantaginis. The experiments showed that the aqueous extracts from all of the above traditional Chinese herds had free OH· scavenging activities, although to different degrees.     

On the Synthesis of Some 2-Arylhydrazono-3-oxothieno[2,3-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>]pyridines by Reaction of Nitrilimines with 2-Mercaptonicotinic Acid

Summary. Nitrilimines prepared from N-arylhydrazono chlorides reacted with 2-mercaptonicotinic acid yielding the corresponding addition products, 2-[(2-oxo-1-arylhydrazonopropan-1-yl)mercapto] nicotinic acids, which were treated with 1,1-carbonyldiimidazole in THF affording by cyclocondensation the corresponding hitherto unknown 2-arylhydrazono-3-oxothieno[2,3-b]pyridines.     

The relative influences of acidity and polarity on responsiveness of small organic molecules to analysis with negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS)

The purpose of the work presented here was to evaluate the influence of solution composition and analyte characteristics on responsiveness to analysis with negative ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The responses of a series of structurally diverse acidic molecules were compared in various solvents. Response was generally observed to be higher in methanol than acetonitrile and response for all analytes was poorer when water was mixed with the organic solvent. A positive correlation between negative ion ESI-MS response and log P was observed when either acetonitrile or methanol was used as the electrospray solvent. This result was expected because analytes with significant nonpolar character should be particularly responsive to ESI-MS analysis due to their higher affinity for electrospray droplet surfaces. It was also predicted that highly acidic analytes would be most responsive to analysis with negative ion ESI-MS due to their tendency to form negative ions. However, for the analytes studied here, acidity was found not to have a consistent influence on ESI-MS response. Many of the highly acidic molecules were quite polar and, consequently, were poorly responsive. Furthermore, the deprotonated molecular ion was detected for a number of molecules with very high pKa values, which would not be expected to form negative ions in the bulk solution. Ultimately, these results indicate that acidity is not a conclusive parameter for prediction of the relative magnitudes of negative ion ESI-MS response among a diverse series of analytes. Analyte polarity does; however, appear to be useful for this purpose.