Comparison of Methionine α,γ‐Lyase and Homocysteine α,γ‐Lyase for Electrochemical Determination of Homocysteine

Recently, a novel enzymatic method was developed for determination of homocysteine. This method utilizes the electrochemical hydrogen sulfide sensor along with methionine α,γ‐lyase to accomplish the fast, accurate, sensitive and selective measurements. As a continuation of this work, another enzyme, homocysteine α,γ‐lyase, was used and the parallel experiments of using both enzymes were carried out against the effect of pH, sensitivity, linearity, and interferences, in an intended comparison between these two enzymes. The excellent linearity of amperometric currents against homocysteine concentrations, high sensitivities and low detection limits for both enzymes reconfirmed that the electrochemical method is superior over other analytical means. The high enzymatic activity of methionine α,γ‐lyase surpassing homocysteine α,γ‐lyase endowed the former higher sensitivity, lower detection limit and faster response than the latter, suggesting methionine α,γ‐lyase a better candidate for homocysteine measurement by electrochemical method. The differences between these two enzymes on the trends of response time and sensitivity at different pH environments, reactivity toward several forms of homocysteine as well as on the interference from several agents were also addressed and discussed.     

Monte Carlo simulation of spatial distribution of X rays in multifilm targets. III: optimum design as applied to W/Al‐film targets

The brightness of the X‐ray source in a W/Al‐film target used for X‐ray projection microscopy was studied by an approach using the Monte Carlo simulation. Since continuous X rays generated in a thin film have a specific angular distribution of emission, the brightness of the continuous X‐ray source cannot simply be estimated on the assumption that the angular distribution is homogeneous. The newly developed approach using the Monte Carlo simulation enables the evaluation of the effective source size, angular distribution, and brightness of a continuous X‐ray source with sufficient accuracy that it leads to the optimum design of a high‐brightness X‐ray source for uses such as X‐ray projection microscopy. The Monte Carlo calculations were performed for W(Δz)/Al (200 µm)‐film targets with different thicknesses of W film, Δz, under bombardment of 60 kV electrons. The results have suggested an optimum design consisting of a W (2 µm)/Al (200 µm)‐film target as most promising for providing an X‐ray source of higher brightness than the W (5 µm)/Al (200 µm)‐film target, which has already been in practice for X‐ray projection microscopy. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of end‐functionalized poly(methyl methacrylate) by ruthenium‐catalyzed living radical polymerization with functionalized initiators

A series of functionalized 2‐bromoisobutyrates and 2‐chloro‐2‐phenylacetates led to α‐end‐functionalized poly(methyl methacrylate)s in Ru(II)‐catalyzed living radical polymerization; the terminal functions included amine, hydroxyl, and amide. These initiators were effective in the presence of additives such as Al(Oi‐Pr)₃ and n‐Bu₃N. The chlorophenylacetate initiators especially coupled with the amine additive gave polymers with well‐controlled molecular weights (M_w/M_n = 1.2–1.3) and high end functionality (F_n ～ 1.0). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1937–1944, 2002     

New Syntheses of Retinal and Its Acyclic Analog γ‐Retinal by an Extended Aldol Reaction with a C6 Building Block That Incorporates a C5 Unit after Decarboxylation. A Formal Route to Lycopene and β‐Carotene

Since the C₁₅ β‐end‐group aldehyde 10 ((β‐ionylidene)acetaldehyde), an excellent intermediate in the syntheses of retinoids, can be synthesized in many ways from β‐ionone, and since the corresponding acyclic C₁₅ ψ‐end‐group aldehyde 5 can easily be synthesized from citral ( 1 ) (Scheme 3), we applied the C₁₅+C₅ route to the syntheses of γ‐retinal ((all‐E)‐ 8 ) (Scheme 3) and retinal ((all‐E)‐ 13 ) (Scheme 4), and therefore, by coupling (2×C₂₀→C₄₀), to the preparation of lycopene ( 14 ) and β‐carotene ( 15 ) (Scheme 5). Our new syntheses of retinal ((all‐E)‐ 13 ) and γ‐retinal ((all‐E)‐ 8 use an extended aldol reaction with a C₆ building block that incorporates a C₅ unit after decarboxylation.     

The theory of non-Cottrellian diffusion on the surface of a sphere or truncated sphere.

A method is developed whereby spherical and other particles can be derivatised with electroactive species on their surface and then immobilised on the surface of an electrode. The chronoamperometric and voltammetric responses in the limit of reversible electrode kinetics are modelled using a theory of charge movement over the surface of the spheres where this movement is considered as a diffusional process. The model is extended to include different distributions of sphere radii and to model the scenario of truncated spheres resting on the electrode surface. It is found that a good estimation of the truncation angle can be found by fitting the experimental data with theoretical predictions.     

Viscoelastic properties of single poly(ethylene glycol) molecules.

The viscoelastic properties of single poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) molecules were measured by analysis of thermally and magnetically driven oscillations of an atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever/molecule system. The molecular and monomer stiffness and friction of the PEG polymer were derived using a simple harmonic oscillator (SHO) model. Excellent agreement between the values of these two parameters obtained by the two approaches indicates the validity of the SHO model under the experimental regimes and the excellent reproducibility of the techniques. A sharp minimum in the monomeric friction is seen at around 180 pN applied force which we propose is due to a force induced change in the shape of the energy landscape describing the conformational transition of PEG from a helical to a planar state, which in turn affects the timescale of the transition and therefore modifies the measured internal friction. A knowledge of the viscoelastic response of PEG monomers is particularly important since PEG is widely used as a linker molecule for tethering groups of interest to the AFM tip in force spectroscopy experiments, and we show here that care must be exercised because of the force-dependent viscoelastic properties of these linkers.     

Analysis of serotonin in brain microdialysates using capillary electrophoresis and native laser-induced fluorescence detection

Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a major neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. In this work, a method for analyzing 5-HT in brain microdialysis samples using a commercially available capillary electrophoresis (CE) system has been developed. A pH-mediated in-capillary preconcentration of samples was performed, and after separation by capillary zone electrophoresis, native fluorescence of 5-HT was detected by a 266 nm solid-state laser. The separation conditions for the analysis of 5-HT in standard solutions and microdialysates have been optimized, and this method has been validated on both pharmacological and analytical bases. Separation of 5-HT was performed using a 80 mmol/L citrate buffer, pH 2.5, containing 20 mmol/L hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) and +30 kV voltage. The detection limit was 2.5 x 10(-10) mol/L. This method allows the in vivo brain monitoring of 5-HT using a simple, accurate CE measurement in underivatized microdialysis samples.