Optimal control of single-server fluid networks

We consider a stochastic single-server fluid network with both a discounted reward and a cost structure. It can be shown that the optimal policy is a priority index policy. The indices coincide with the optimal indices in a semi-Markovian Klimov problem. Several special cases like single-server reentrant fluid lines are considered. The approach we use is based on sample path arguments and Pontryagins maximum principle. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

冷冻干燥对人类体液代谢组影响的NMR研究

样品前处理是代谢组分析的重要环节，而冷冻干燥是样品前处理过程中去除溶剂的重要方法，但冷冻干燥对代谢组分析结果的影响还有待进一步研究.本文以人类尿液和血清样本为研究对象，采用核磁共振（NMR）技术分析了冷冻干燥对这两种重要体液代谢组的影响，发现冷冻干燥会引起体液样本中部分有机羧酸和氨基酸含量的改变；而且，冷冻干燥对尿液和血清样品代谢组的影响不同，这可能与两种体液的生物基质差异有关.本研究结果表明，在代谢组学研究中要格外关注冷冻干燥对样品前处理及后续数据归一化所产生的影响.     

Whole genome amplification induced bias in the detection of KRAS‐mutated cell populations during colorectal carcinoma tissue testing

Whole genome amplification replicates the entire DNA content of a sample and can thus help to circumvent material limitations when insufficient DNA is available for planned genetic analyses. However, there are conflicting data in the literature whether whole genome amplification introduces bias or reflects precisely the spectrum of starting DNA. We analyzed the origins of discrepancies in KRAS (Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog gene) mutation detection in six of ten samples amplified using the GenomePlex® Tissue Whole Genome Amplification kit 5 (WGA5; Sigma‐Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) and KRAS StripAssay® (KRAS SA; ViennaLab Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria). We undertook reextraction, reamplification, retyping, authentication, reanalysis, and reinterpretation to determine whether the discrepancies originated during the preanalytical, analytical, and/or interpretative phase of genotyping. We conclude that a combination of glass slide/sample heterogeneity and biased amplification due to stochastic effects in the early phases of whole genome amplification (WGA) may have adversely affected the results obtained. Our findings are relevant for both forensic genetics testing and massively parallel sequencing using preamplification.     

Determination of chloroacetic acids in water by capillary zone electrophoresis with field-amplified sample injection

A simple and sensitive method has been developed for the determination of chloroacetic acids and acetic acid in water using capillary zone electrophoresis under modified electroosmotic flow with indirect UV detection. Potassium hydrogen phthalate at pH 5.40 was used as background electrolyte (BGE), and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide was used as electroosmotic flow modifier. Field-amplified sample injection (FASI) method was used to enhance the sensitivity. Results showed that the limit of detection for these analytes was enhanced more than 15-fold and the repeatabilities were good with relative standard deviations (RSDs %) of migration time and corrected peak areas being below 0.33%, 4.45% (intra-day) and 0.87%, 9.67% (inter-day), respectively. An off-line liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) process with methyl tert-butyl ether was carried out to detect these compounds in water samples. The dissociation constants of acetic acid and monochloroacetic acid (MCA) were determined with two methods and the results obtained were consistent with the reference values.     

Solid phase extraction for the speciation and preconcentration of inorganic selenium in water samples: A review

Selenium is an essential element for the normal cellular function of living organisms. However, selenium is toxic at concentrations of only three to five times higher than the essential concentration. The inorganic forms (mainly selenite and selenate) present in environmental water generally exhibit higher toxicity (up to 40 times) than organic forms. Therefore, the determination of low levels of different inorganic selenium species in water is an analytical challenge. Solid-phase extraction has been used as a separation and/or preconcentration technique prior to the determination of selenium species due to the need for accurate measurements for Se species in water at extremely low levels. The present paper provides a critical review of the published methods for inorganic selenium speciation in water samples using solid phase extraction as a preconcentration procedure. On the basis of more than 75 references, the different speciation strategies used for this task have been highlighted and classified. The solid-phase extraction sorbents and the performance and analytical characteristics of the developed methods for Se speciation are also discussed.     

The Possibility of the Use of Coprecipitation with Lanthanum Fluoride for Preparation of Samples for Alpha-Spectrometric Determination of Plutonium

At present time the content of ²³⁹Pu, ²³⁸Pu especially in biological and environmental samples and nuclear fuels is frequently determinated. After radiochemical separation is plutonium usually electrodeposited on a metallic disk [1, 2]. Alpha-activity is then detected by silicon surface barrier detector.

The method of electrodeposition shows several disadvantages. The solution to be electrolyzed must have a definite composition, certain elements, e.g. iron, must not be present. The method is rather time-consuming and requires special equipment. Several other methods for preparation of samples using coprecipitations [3] or inorganic ionexchangers [4] have been studied. In this work was investigated the possibility of the use of coprecipitation of Pu³⁺ with LaF₃ for preparation of samples for alpha-speetroinetric determination of plutonium.     

HPLC Column Switching,a Step Toward the Automation of Sample Cleanup

Abstract

There exists a growing demand for data to meet the pesticide regulation acts and to monitor residues in food and in the environment. Speed and low running cost are very desirable properties of methods used to screen crops or commodities for pesticide residues, therefore evaluation of ways are necessary to carry out the analyses more rapidly and cost-effective. A today status of pesticide residue analysis is given. Weak points of the standard residue analytical procedures are shown. Trace enrichment and multidimensional liquid chromatography are the key-points which are prerequisites to scale down the sample size for the cleanup procedure. Reduction in scale on one hand and transfer of the individual cleanup steps, e.g. filtration, liquid-liquid partitioning, concentration, adsorption chromatography onto mini-columns or cartridges on the other hand, opens the potential to mechanize or automate the prechromatographic sample treatment.

Combination of all these different measures will reduce time and cost without the necessity to invest into expensive apparatus.     

The idea of simultaneous batch in-situ extraction and arsenic and antimony hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry determination directly in the solid (tsunami and lake sediments) samples

The article presents the application of in-situ extraction from a solid sample in order to determine metalloids: arsenic and antimony. The reaction vessel, in which hydride generation followed the extraction, was connected with the atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) in a fast sequential mode. Deionised water, phosphatic buffer (pH?=?6) and hydrochloric acid (2?mol?L^?1) were used as the extractants to determine the concentration of metalloids in the following fractions: easily (water) leachable, exchangeable, and acid leachable. Two different types of sediments were used while developing the application: lake bottom sediments and tsunami deposits. Both types of the sediments samples (5–20?mg) were placed directly in the reaction vessel and after in-situ extraction the determination of the metalloids was conducted, what allowed to assess concentration of arsenic and antimony during single analysis. The results obtained from the analyses of both sediments types were compared with the results from traditional off-line extraction. As a result a good correspondence with both hydrochloric acid and phosphatic buffer was found. The methodology of solid samples analysis was developed with detection limits of 50?ng?g^?1 (for As) and 30?ng?g^?1 (for Sb) for 10?mg of a solid sample.