Use of a Dual-Marker Form of Analysis to Estimate Binding Constants Between Receptors and Ligands by Affinity Capillary Electrophoresis

This work describes the use of a dual-standard analysis approach termed the time-average ratio (TAR) in affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE) to estimate binding constants of receptors to ligands. In this form of analysis the TAR is the migration time of the receptor divided by the average of the sum of the migration times of two non-interacting standards. This change in TAR as a function of the concentration of ligand yields a value for the binding constant. This concept is demonstrated using three model systems: carbonic anhydrase B (CAB, EC 4.2.1.1) and arylsulfonamides, vancomycin (Van) and ristocetin (Rist) from Streptomyces orientalis and Nocardia lurida, respectively, and d-Ala- d-Ala terminus peptides. Three ACE techniques are used to examine the three systems: standard ACE, flow-through partial-filling ACE (FTPFACE), and on-column derivatization coupled to ACE. The findings described here demonstrate that ACE data analyzed using the TAR form of analysis yield binding constants between receptors and ligands comparable to those estimated using other ACE forms of analysis. A comparison to three other forms of analysis is described.     

Effect of solvent composition on free release static coating of capillary columns

Summary Three aspects with respect to the selection of solvents for static coating of capillary columns, i.e. coating speed, occurrence of bumping and solubility of stationary phases are discussed. Hypotheses are proposed in an attempt to explain the observed facts that mixed solvents result in much higher coating speeds than those obtained from pure solvents, that a proper choice of solvents together with a good and uniform deactivitation of the column inner wall is needed to prevent bumping. Stationary phase solubility vs. solvent composition is also briefly discussed.     

Conformational studies of soluble and immobilized frog epidermis tyrosinase by fluorescence

Fluorescence spectra and soluble quenching of intrinsic protein fluorescence were used as indexes of conformational changes suffered by frog epidermis tyrosinase. The activation process and the immobilization of the enzyme involving either free amino groups or its carbohydrate moiety were studied. The conformational changes resulting from denaturation of each one of the protein derivatives, as well as the effect of active center copper extraction, were followed by fluorescence studies. The results showed that: (a) both activation and immobilization were accompanied by conformational changes of the protein leading to more unfolded states; (b) neither enzyme nor immobilized enzyme were fully unfolded upon denaturation although enzymic activity was lost; (c) the enzyme immobilized through its carbohydrate moiety was more unfolded upon denaturation than the enzyme immobilized through amino groups, thus pointing to a higher conformational stabilization in the last situation; and (d), that tryptophyl residues moved to a localization near the active site upon activation.     

Phosphaniminato-Trichloroselenate(II): Synthese und Kristallstrukturen von [SeCl(NPPh3)2]+SeCl3− und [Me3SiN(H)PMe3]2+[Se2Cl6]2−

Phosphorane Iminato-Trichloroselenates(II): Syntheses and Crystal Structures of [SeCl(NPPh₃)₂]⁺SeCl₃^? and [Me₃SiN(H)PMe₃]₂⁺[Se₂Cl₆]^2? [SeCl(NPPh₃)₂]⁺SeCl₃^? has been synthesized by the reaction of Se₂Cl₂ with Me₃SiNPPh₃ in acetonitrile solution, forming orangered crystals, whereas red crystals of [Me₃SiN(H)PMe₃]₂⁺[Se₂Cl₆]^2? were obtained by the reaction of Me₃SiNPMe₃ with SeOCl₂ in acetonitrile solution. Both complexes were characterized by X-ray structure determinations. [SeCl(NPPh₃)₂]⁺SeCl₃^?: Space group P2₁/n, Z = 4, structure solution with 7 489 observed unique reflections, R = 0.057. Lattice dimensions at ?60°C: a = 1 117.0; b = 2 241, c = 1 407.5 pm, β = 95.61°. In the cation [SeCl(NPPh₃)₂]⁺ the selenium atom is φ-tetrahedrally coordinated by the chlorine atom and by the nitrogen atoms of the phosphorane iminato ligands, whereas the anion SeCl₃^? has a T-shaped structure with φ-trigonal-bipyramidale surrounding of the selenium atom. [Me₃SiN(H)PMe₃]₂⁺[Se₂Cl₆]^2?: Space group P2₁/c, Z = 4, structure solution with 2 093 observed unique reflections, R = 0.080. Lattice dimensions at ?70°C: a = 956, b = 828, c = 1 973 pm, β = 93.80°. The structure consists of [Me₃SiN(H)PMe₃]⁺ ions and planar [Se₂Cl₆]^2? anions, in which the selenium atoms are bridged nearly symmetrically by two chlorine atoms.     

The Studies of the Heterogeneous Properties of Solid Surfaces by Means of the Derivatograph Q-1500 D

A simple method has been adopted to obtain an important information on the heterogeneous properties of materials studied, adsorbed liquid films and liquid-solid interactions. The method utilizes Q-TG mass loss and the first derivative Q-DTG mass loss curves with respect to temperature and time obtained during programmed liquid thermodesorption in quasi-isothermal conditions. The values of the adsorption capacity, total porosity of material, the value of active centers, desorption energy distribution and mesopore-size distribution functions obtained by this method are in good agreement with those estimated on the basis of independent methods. The theoretical and experimental results provided novel and unique data on the heterogeneity of solid surfaces, properties of liquid adsorbed films and thermal stability of the liquid/solid interfaces. This paper presents the more important results obtained so far in the studies the liquid/solid systems by means of the Paulik's classical and quasi-isothermal techniques. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Analysis of organic compounds in environmental samples by headspace solid phase microextraction

The analysis of samples contaminated by organic compounds is an important aspect of environmental monitoring. Because of the complex nature of these samples, isolating target organic compounds from their matrices is a major challenge. A new isolation technique, solid phase microextraction, or SPME, has recently been developed in our laboratory. This technique combines the extraction and concentration processes into one step; a fused silica fiber coated with a polymer is used to extract analytes and transfer them into a GC injector for thermal desorption and analysis. It is simple, rapid, inexpensive, completely solvent-free, and easily automated. To minimize matrix interferences in environmental samples, SPME can be used to extract analytes from the headspace above the sample. The combination of headspace sampling with SPME separates volatile and semi-volatile analytes from non-volatile compounds, thus greatly reducing the interferences from non-target compounds. This paper reports the use of headspace SPME to isolate volatile organic compounds from various matrices such as water, sand, clay, and sludge. By use of the technique, benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene, and xylene isomers (commonly known as BTEX), and volatile chlorinated compounds can be efficiently isolated from various matrices with good precision and low limits of detection. This study has found that the sensitivity of the method can be greatly improved by the addition of salt to water samples, water to soil samples, or by heating. Headspace SPME can also be used to sample semi-volatile compounds, such as PAHs, from complex matrices.     

Randomly transitional phenomena in the system governed by Duffing's equation

This paper deals with turbulent or chaotic phenomena which occur in the system governed by Duffing's equation, a special type of two-dimensional periodic system. By using analog and digital computers, experiments are carried out with special reference to the change of attractors and of average power spectra of the random processes under the variation of the system parameters. On the basis of the experimental results, an outline of the random process is made clear. The results obtained in this paper will be applied to various physical problems and will also serve as material for the development of a proper mathematics of this phenomenon.     

Stability theorems for infinitely constrained mathematical programs

The primary concern of this paper is to investigate stability conditions for the mathematical program: findx E ⁿ that maximizesf(x):g ^j(x)0 for somej J, wheref is a real scalarvalued function and eachg is a real vector-valued function of possibly infinite dimension. It should be noted that we allow, possibly infinitely many, disjunctive forms. In an earlier work, Evans and Gould established stability theorems wheng is a continuous finite-dimensional real-vector function andJ=1. It is pointed out that the results of this paper reduce to the Evans-Gould results under their assumptions. Furthermore, since we use a slightly more general definition of lower and upper semicontinuous point-to-set mappings, we can dispense with the continuity ofg (except in a few instances where it is implied by convexity assumptions).     

The asymptotic equivalence of Bayes and maximum likelihood estimation

Let (X, $\text{A}$) be a measurable space, Θ ? $\text{R}$ an open interval and P_Ω ∥ $\text{A}$, Ω ? Θ, a family of probability measures fulfilling certain regularity conditions. Let $\text{Ω}{}_{\mathrm{n}}$ be the maximum likelihood estimate for the sample size n. Let λ be a prior distribution on Θ and let $\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>n,</mtext><mtext>x</mtext>}}$ be the posterior distribution for the sample size n given $\text{x}\text{? X}{}^{\mathrm{n}}$. $\text{L:}\text{Θ}\text{× Θ →}\text{R}$ denotes a loss function fulfilling certain regularity conditions and T_n denotes the Bayes estimate relative to λ and L for the sample size n. It is proved that for every compact K ? Θ there exists c_K ≥ 0 such that

This theorem improves results of Bickel and Yahav [3], and Ibragimov and Has'minskii [4], as far as the speed of convergence is concerned.     

Root determination by use of Padé approximants

In this paper we describe a new technique for generating iteration formulas — of arbitrary order — for determining a zero (assumed simple) of a functionf, assumed analytic in a region containing the zero. The 1/p Padé Approximant (p0) to the functiong(t)f(z) is formed wherez=w+t, using the Taylor series forf at the pointw, an approxination to the zero off. The value oft for which the 1/p Padé Approximant vanishes provides the basis of iteration formulas of orderp+2.Some known iteration formulas, e.g., Newton-Raphson's, Halley's and Kiss's of order of convergence two, three and four, are directly obtained by settingp=0,1 and 2, respectively.