The impact of LIMS design and functionality on laboratory quality achievements

 A laboratory information management system (LIMS) can make a major contribution to the quality and therefore to the efficiency and competitiveness of a laboratory. Since it can impact all aspects of a laboratory's organization it must be the key if not the principal player of the laboratory's quality system. It should support the laboratory in establishing, maintaining and applying quality procedures thereby enabling the laboratory to achieve its quality goals. As a tool, LIMS permits the laboratory to input and use its own know-how and experience to optimize the total organization (internal and external) and workflow of generated information. However, perceived "quality" in the context of an LIMS, can be viewed as being made up of different facets such as the security, reliability and accessibility of information as well as its turn around time and production cost. This paper reviews the role of a LIMS in the laboratory and the contribution that both system design and functionality can have on "building quality ". Received: 5 October 1998 · Accepted: 20 October 1998     

大庆渣油族组分非等温热反应的研究

采用动态热重分析法在升温速率为６．２Ｋ·ｍｉｎ￣（－１）及惰性气流量１００ｃｍ￣３·ｍｉｎ￣（－１）的条件下，对大庆渣油族组分的热转化行为进行了考察，获得了族组分的热转化速率峰值、速率峰值处的反应温度、转化率和剧裂分解温度区间等动力学基本数据以及各族组分的生焦性能。数据分析表明，族组分的热反应活性顺序为：饱和分＞胶质＞芳香分＞沥青质。在大庆渣油族组分热转化的两个温区内，采用分段一级动力学模型较好地拟合了实验数据，确定了各族组分在两个温区内的热反应动力学参数。     

Hemocompatibility of poly(acrylonitrile-co-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)s: swelling behavior and water states

Hemocompatibility is an essential aspect of blood contacting polymers. Knowledge of the relationship between polymer structure and hemocompatibility is important in designing such polymers. In this work, the effect of swelling behavior and states of water on the hemocompatibility of poly(acrylonitrile-co-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PANCNVP) films was studied. Platelet adhesion and plasma recalcification time tests were used to evaluate the hemocompatibility of the films. Considering the importance of surface properties on the hemocompatibility of polymers, static water contact angles were measured by both sessile drop and captive bubble methods. It was found that, on the film surface of PANCNVP with a higher NVP content, adhered platelets were remarkably suppressed and the recalcification time was longer. The total water content adsorbed on the PANCNVP film was determined through swelling experiments performed at temperatures of interest. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were used to probe the states of water in the films. Based on the results from these experiments, it was hypothesized that the better hemocompatibility of PANCNVP films with higher NVP contents was due to their higher free water content, because water molecule exchange at the polymer/liquid interface, facilitated by a high free water content, is unfavorable for the formation of surface bound water, which causes poor hemocompatibility. [diagram in text].     

Photocatalytic and antifouling properties of TiO2-based photocatalytic membranes

Photocatalysis has been extensively studied due to its potential ability to avoid the excessive use of chemical reagents and reduce the energy consumption by employing solar energy. Moreover, to alleviate the reduction in the membrane permeation selectivity, separation efficiency, and membrane service life caused by the emerging micro-pollutants and membrane fouling, membrane technology is often coupled with microbial, electrochemical, and catalytic processes. However, although physical/chemical cleaning and membrane module replacement can overcome the inherent limitations caused by membrane fouling and other membrane separation processes, high operating costs limit their practical applications. In this review, common preparation methods for TiO₂ photocatalytic membranes are described in detail, and the main approaches to enhancing their photocatalytic performance are discussed. More importantly, the mechanism of the TiO₂ photocatalytic membrane antifouling process is elucidated, and some applications of photocatalytic membranes in other areas are described. This review systematically outlines future research directions in the field of photocatalytic membrane modification, including metal and non-metal doping, fabrication of heterojunction structures, control over reaction conditions, increase in hydrophilicity, and increase in membrane porosity.     

我国区域绿色技术创新效率的分类测度和提升模式研究——基于非期望产出的SBM-SupSBM模型

本文首先运用考虑非期望产出的SBM-SupSBM模型估计我国各省市绿色技术创新效率并进行分类:稳定上升类、平稳类、大幅度波动类以及下降类。之后从企业内部和外部两方面对绿色技术创新效率提升的影响因素提出假设,着重考虑大幅度波动类别省份的效率提升。运用面板数据模型各影响因素进行验证,结论显示:企业规模对绿色技术创新效率波动较大的省份起到显著的抑制作用,环境规制和技术进步对绿色技术创新效率波动较大的省份作用不明显。针对分析结果,提出结论:在提升绿色技术创新效率的过程中,应注重企业规模和技术进步的协同作用,以及技术的开放程度。     

Carbocyclic and nitrogen-containing fused CH-acids with an annelated indenyl fragment. Thermogravimetric and X-ray structural analysis of 6H-indeno[1,2-b]quinoline

Based on thermogravimetric characteristics first obtained for the model 6H-indeno [1,2-b]quinoline, the scheme of thermal conversions of this compound in the temperature range 20–700 °C has been proposed, and the limit of its thermal stability (300 °C) has been determined. This temperature is recommended as the optimum for synthesizing fused benzoaza(diaza)fluorenes. Based on the results of X-ray structural analysis, the molecules of the studied indenoquinoline form centrosymmetric pairs, which are arranged in (110) layers. The molecules are orientationally disordered. The observed self-association of these molecules is similar to the - association of fused heterocyclic systems with-excessive and ****- deficient fragments. It has been suggested that interferon-inducing and antitumor compounds with an annelated indenyl fragment have a common mechanism of action according to the intercalation model of stacking structures.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 703–709, April, 1995.     

Single machine group scheduling with ordered criteria

The single machine group scheduling problem is considered. Jobs are classified into several groups on the basis of group technology, i.e. jobs of the same group have to be processed jointly. A machine set-up time independent of the group sequence is needed between each two consecutive groups. A schedule specifies the sequence of groups and the sequence of jobs in each group. The quality of a schedule is measured by the criteriaF ₁, ...,F _m ordered by their relative importance. The objective is to minimize the least important criterionF _m subject to the schedule being optimal with respect to the more important criterionF _m–1 which is minimized on the set of schedules minimizing criterionF _m–2 and so on. The most important criterion isF ₁, which is minimized on the set of all feasible schedules. An approach to solve this multicriterion problem in polynomial time is presented if functionsF ₁, ...,F _m have special properties. The total weighted completion time and the total weighted exponential time are the examples of functionsF ₁, ...,F _m–1 and the maximum cost is an example of functionF _m for which our approach can be applied.The research of the authors was partially supported by a KBN Grant No. 3 P 406 003 05, the Fundamental Research Fund of Belarus, Project N 60-242, and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Project Schema, respectively. The paper was completed while the first author was visiting the University of Melbourne.     

Thermogravimetric analysis of poly(alkyl methacrylates) and poly(methylmethacrylate-g-dimethyl siloxane) graft copolymers

The thermal stabilities of various poly(alkyl methacrylate) homopolymers and poly(methyl methacrylate-g-dimethyl siloxane) (PMMA-g-PSX) graft copolymers have been determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). As expected, the thermal stabilities of poly(alkyl methacrylates) were a function of the ester alkyl group, and polymerization mechanism. In particular, thermally labile linkages, which result from termination during free radical or nonliving polymerization mechanisms, decrease the ultimate thermal stabilities of the polymers. However, graft copolymers, which were prepared by the macromonomer technique with free radical initiators, exhibited enhanced thermal stability compared to homopolymer controls. A more complex free radical polymerization mechanism for the macromonomer modified polymerization may account for this result. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An analysis of avidin, biotin and their interaction at attomole levels by voltammetric and chromatographic techniques

The electroanalytical determination of avidin in solution, in a carbon paste, and in a transgenic maize extract was performed in acidic medium at a carbon paste electrode (CPE). The oxidative voltammetric signal resulting from the presence of tyrosine and tryptophan in avidin was observed using square-wave voltammetry. The process could be used to determine avidin concentrations up to 3 fM (100 amol in 3 l drop) in solution, 700 fM (174 fmol in 250 l solution) in an avidin-modified electrode, and 174 nM in a maize seed extract. In the case of the avidin-modified CPE, several parameters were studied in order to optimize the measurements, such as electrode accumulation time, composition of the avidin-modified CPE, and the elution time of avidin. In addition, the avidin-modified electrode was used to detect biotin in solution (the detection limit was 7.6 pmol in a 6 l drop) and to detect biotin in a pharmaceutical drug after various solvent extraction procedures. Comparable studies for the detection of biotin were developed using HPLC with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and flow injection analysis with electrochemical detection, which allowed biotin to be detected at levels as low as 614 pM and 6.6 nM, respectively. The effects of applied potential, acetonitrile content, and flow rate of the mobile phase on the FIA-ED signal were also studied.     

低钴AB5型稀土系贮氢电极合金的研究

为了进一步降低AB5型混合稀土系贮氢合金的成本,采用Cr,Si,Cu替代Co和调节化学计量比的方法制备低钴AB5型贮氢合金。结果表明:3种取代元素在寿命方面的效果依次为Si>Cr>Cu,在放电容量和活化性能方面依次是Cu>Cr>Si。Cr,Cu,Si只有少量的替代才可能发挥其有利影响;通过非化学计量比的调节,低钴混合稀土系贮氢电极合金的放电容量、活化性能及倍率放电能力都能较好地达到实用要求,但是循环寿命有待提高。