Quality assurance in research laboratories

During the last decade, it has become increasingly important that researchers demonstrate that research is conducted to the highest standards. The implementation of quality assurance for research laboratories will enable all fields of research and development to be judged impartially. There are no specific standards for research laboratories but where possible, existing standards can be adapted. This review is structured around two approaches. The first considers research to be a logical extension of testing, and it is assumed that testing standards can be applied methodically to each step in a research project. The second advocates a flexible approach, with research-specific criteria for assessing quality. The important papers published on this topic have been reviewed. The conclusions are that the general quality management approach, encompassed by the ISO 9000 series of standards with the emphasis on customer satisfaction and ‘fitness for purpose’, is suitable for implementing quality assurance in research laboratories.     

Genomic variation and point mutations analysis of Indian COVID-19 patient samples submitted in GISAID database

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) endemic has havoc on the world; the causative virus of the pandemic is SARS CoV-2. Pharmaceutical companies and academic institutes are in continuous efforts to identify anti-viral therapy or vaccines, but the most significant challenge faced is the highly evolving genome of SARS CoV-2, which is imparting evolutionary selective benefits to the virus. To understand the viral mutations, we have retrieved nine hundred and thirty-four samples from different states of India via the GISAID database and analyzed the frequency of all types of point mutation in all structural, non-structural proteins, and accessory factors of SARS CoV-2. Spike glycol protein, nsp3, nsp6, nsp12, N and NS3 were the most evolving proteins. High frequency point mutations were Q496P (nsp2), A380V (nsp4), A994D (nsp3), L37F (nsp6), P323L & A97V (nsp12), Q57H (ns3), D614G (S), P13L (N), R203K (N), G204R (N) and S194L (N).     

New aspects of thermal analysis,Part I. Resolution of DSC and means for its optimization

The definitions of the temperature resolution, the so-called resolution of DSC instruments given in literature are discussed. A new definition of the resolution for DSC instruments is presented and outlined. The main characteristic introduced in this new definition is a minimum between two caloric events as a prerequisite of an existing resolution. Possible candidates of test substances have been evaluated. The oligomer n-hexatriacontane is revealing an interesting phenomenon, namely a lambda transition which is in the peak temperature only 2 K lower than the melting temperature of 76°C. The substance was selected as an ideal test substance for the quantification of the resolution of DSC instruments. The lambda transition is a second order process which may reach under certain conditions the saturation of the occurring molecular dislocation within 0.2 K, and after saturation the heat flow rate drops sharply down. Investigations concerning the main characteristics of n-hexatriacontane in respect to the temperatures of transition (lambda transition and melting), to the involved enthalpies, and to the resolution factors were performed as functions of the sample mass and the heating rate. The importance of relevant evaluation procedures increasing the resolution factors of DSC curves are discussed and these procedures are integrated into the testing of the resolution. The necessity for widening the experimental scope from instruments to evaluation procedures is forced by the existence of instruments with built-in signal treatments based on electronic devices and software procedures. A comparison with literature data is outlined for all of the mentioned characteristic values of n-hexatriacontane. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Inversion of ν(MHal) stretching frequencies in the spectra of dihalosilylenes, -germylenes, -stannylenes,and their complexes with Lewis bases

The vibrational spectra of tetravalent metal halides (M = Si, Ge, Sn) and the corresponding dihalocarbene analogs M^IIHal₂, obtained by the authors, and the relevant published data are compared. The spectra of the M^IIHal₂ species exhibit inversion of the M-Hal stretching frequencies (ν^s(M^IIHal) > ν ^as(M^IIHal)). This can be used for analytical purposes and allows one to distinguish between the spectra of the M^IV and M^II halides. The IR and Raman spectra of the complexes of dihalogermylenes and -stannylenes with triphenylphosphine and 1,4-dioxane also exhibit inversion of the ν(MHal) stretching frequencies. This confirms the conclusion drawn earlier based on the analysis of the geometric parameters and reactivities of the complexes in question that the divalent state of the M atom in these species is retained. Dedicated to Academician N. K. Kochetkov on the occasion of his 90th birthday. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1089–1092, May, 2005.     

Pre-irradiation induced grafting of styrene into crosslinked and non-crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene films for polymer electrolyte fuel cell applications. II: Characterization of the styrene grafted films

Crosslinked and non-crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene films (RX-PTFE and V-PTFE films, respectively) were irradiated by γ-ray and then grafted with styrene in liquid phase. Microscope FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA, solid state ¹³C CP/MAS and high resolution HS/MAS NMR spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) study were used to get the structural information of the styrene grafted RX-PTFE and V-PTFE films. From microscope FT-IR spectra of the grafted RX-PTFE films, the “grafting front mechanism” was proved. TGA analysis showed that the grafted films have a small degradation step and two main degradation steps. In the ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectra of the non-grafted films, there are no signal due to the absence of the hydrogen atom. While in the spectra of the grafted films, there are signals attributed to the polystyrene grafts. In the ¹³C HS/MAS NMR spectra of the grafted films, the relative intensity of the peaks attributed to the polystyrene grafts increased while the relative intensity of the peak attributed to PTFE matrix decreased with the increase in the DOG. From WAXD patterns, the intensity of the crystalline peak decrease with the increase in the DOG. The grafted films were sulfonated by chlorosulfonic acid and the results of highest IEC value exceeded 3.0. Those results will be reported in the near future.     

On the Nonlocal Electron Kinetics in s- and p-Striations of DC Glow Discharge Plasmas: I. Electron Establishment in Striation-like Fields

The nonlocal behavior of the electrons in strongly modulated and period-averaged electric fields typical of s- and p-striations in neon glow discharge plasmas is investigated by numerically solving the axially inhomogeneous electron Boltzmann equation. A good agreement between the period lengths measured in the striations and those obtained from the spatially periodic electron relaxation in the period-averaged field of the striations is found confirming the close relation of both phenomena. The s- and p-striations represent the fundamental and first harmonics of the inherent periodic electron relaxation. Furthermore, starting from different boundary conditions the establishment of the velocity distribution function and of selected macroscopic quantities of the electrons into unique periodic states under the action of strongly modulated striation-like fields is investigated. It is shown that the same damping processes that cause in homogeneous fields a relaxation into homogeneous states lead to unique periodic states in strongly modulated fields.     

Einfache Trithio- und Perthiocarbonatokomplexe mit interessanter Koordinationschemie: [E(CS3)2]2− (E = Sn,Zn, Cd), [E(CS3)3]3− (E = As,Sb, Bi,Co), {Cu(CS3)−}∞ und [Zn(CS4)2]2−

Simple Trithio- and Perthiocarbonato Complexes with Interesting Bond Properties: [E(CS₃)₂]^2? (E = Sn, Zn, Cd), [E(CS₃)₃]^3? (E = As, Sb, Bi, Co), {Cu(CS₃)^?}_∞ and [Zn(CS₄)₂]^2? By reactions of potassium trithiocarbonate ( 1 ) with solutions of zinc(II)- acetylacetonate, cadmium(II)-chloride, tin(II)-chloride, arsenic(III)-sulfide (suspension), antimony(III)-chloride, bismuth(III)-chloride and copper(II)-chloride in dimethyl sulfoxide, as well as of trisodium hexanitrito cobaltate(III) in water, and the precipitation of the complexes with an aqueous solution of tetraphenylphosphonium chloride the compounds (PPh₄)₂[Zn(CS₃)₂] ( 2 ), (PPh₄)₂[Cd(CS₃)₂] ( 3 ), (PPh₄)₂[Sn(CS₃)₂] ( 4 ), (PPh₄)₃[As(CS₃)₃] ( 5 ), (PPh₄)₃[Sb(CS₃)₃] ( 6 ), (PPh₄)₃[Bi(CS₃)₃] ( 7 ), (PPh₄)₃[Co(CS₃)₃] ( 8 ) and (PPh₄)Cu(CS₃) ( 9 ) have been isolated. (PPh₄)₂[Zn(CS₄)₂] · CH₃NO₂ ( 10 ) has been prepared by heating a solution of 2 in nitromethane to 60--70°C in presence of air. The reaction of 1 in dimethyl sulfoxide with an aqueous tetraphenylphosphonium chloride solution in presence of oxygen leads to (PPh₄)₂[C₂S₆] ( 11 ). The compounds have been characterized by spectroscopical studies (IR, Raman, UV/Vis, ¹¹³Cd/⁵⁹Co-NMR), magnetic susceptibility measurements, powder diffractometry, elemental analyses and single crystal X-ray structure analysis ( 4 – 7 , 10 and 11 ). The difficult growing of single crystals has been reported in detail. For crystal data see Inhaltsübersicht.     

Determining the chromophore in the amylopectin–iodine complex by theoretical and experimental studies

A partial hydrolysis of amylose followed by the addition of iodine provides a spectrum almost identical to that of the amylopectin–iodine (API) complex suggesting the involvement of smaller “amylose-like” units in the API complex. Our theoretical studies on different polyiodine and polyiodide species suggest that a nearly linear I₄ unit stabilized within the cavity of a small “amylose-like” helix is responsible for the characteristic API spectrum. Since there are 2.75 anhydroglucose residues (AGU) for every iodine atom in the amylose–iodine (AI) complex and a structural similarity exists between the API and the AI (amylose–iodine) complexes, we identify (C₆H₁₀O₅)₁₁I₄ to be the chromophore in the API complex. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Use of intermittent jets to enhance flux in crossflow filtration

This paper deals with the influence of a new flow unsteadiness on the permeate fluxes in crossflow filtration. A pneumatically controlled valve generates intermittent jets from the main flow, causing the formation of large vortices moving downstream along the tubular membrane. The main results of the numerical calculation of such flows are given. The experimental study was carried out by filtering a bentonite suspension through an ultrafiltration mineral membrane. Time evolutions of flux were achieved in steady and unsteady operating conditions. Results concerning the influence and limits of the nozzle to tube diameter ratio and the jet velocities are discussed. The applicability of such an unsteady flow is examined with a view to effects on energy consumption and possible viscosity effects.