Polyterephthalamides with naphthoxy‐pendent groups

A series of new aromatic polyamides having pendent naphthoxy groups were synthesized by the triphenyl phosphite‐activated polycondensation of (2‐naphthoxy)terephthalic acid (NOTPA) with various aromatic diamines in a medium consisting of N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP), pyridine, and calcium chloride. The diacid monomer NOTPA was prepared from the nitro displacement of dimethyl 2‐nitroterephthalate with the potassium naphthoxide of β‐naphthol, followed by base‐induced ester hydrolysis. All the resulting polymers were noncrystalline and readily soluble in aprotic polar solvents such as NMP and N,N‐dimethylacetamide. Almost all the polymers could be solution‐cast to tough, creasable amorphous films with good mechanical properties, the values of tensile strengths ranging from 90 to 124 MPa with initial moduli ranging from 1.72 to 2.51 GPa. Except for two examples, all the other polyamides displayed discernible glass transitions between 189 and 248 °C in the differential scanning calorimetric traces. These polyamides showed insignificant decomposition below 400 °C in nitrogen or air. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1781–1789, 2002     

Reactivation pathway of the hydrogenase H‐cluster: Density functional theory study

This work puts forth a reaction pathway for the reactivation of exogenous ligand inhibited H‐cluster, the active site of Fe‐only hydrogenases. The H‐cluster is a dimetal complex, Fe–Fe, with the metal centers bridged by di(thiomethyl)amine. Exogenous ligands, H₂O, and OH^?, are bound to the distal iron (Fe_d). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the native and ruthenium‐modified H‐cluster have been performed using the B3LYP functional with 6‐31+G** and 6‐311+G** basis sets. We have ascertained that there is a thermodynamically favorable pathway for the reactivation of the OH^? inhibited H‐cluster, which proceeds by an initial protonation of the Fe_d–OH^? complex. The proposed reaction pathway has all its intermediate reactions ensue exothermically. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007     

Highly Selective Salicylate Membrane Electrode Based on N,N＇- （Aminoethyl）ethylenediamide Bis（2-salicylideneimine） Binuclear Copper（Ⅱ） Complex as Neutral Carrier

A new ion selective electrode for salicylate based on N,N＇-（aminoethyl）ethylenediamide bis（2-salicylideneimine） binuclear copper（Ⅱ） complex [Cu（Ⅱ）2-AEBS] as an ionophore was developed. The electrode has a linear range from 1.0 × 10^-1 to 5.0 ×10^-7 mol·L^- 1 with a near-Nemstian slope of （ - 55 ±1 ） mV/decade and a detection limit of 2.0 × 10-7 mol·L^-1 in phosphorate buffer solution of pH 5.0 at 25 ℃. It shows good selectivity for Sal^- and displays anti-Hofmeister selectivity sequence： Sal^-〉SCN^-〉 ClO4^- 〉I^-〉 NO2^- 〉Br^-〉 NO3^- 〉Cl^-〉 SO3^2- 〉 SO4^2- The proposed sensor based on binuclear copper（Ⅱ）complex has a fast response time of 5-10 s and can be used for at least 2 months without any major deviation. The response mechanism is discussed in view of the alternating current （AC） impedance technique and the UV-vis spectroscopy technique. The effect of the electrode membrane compositions and the experimental conditions were studied. The electrode has been successfully used for the determination of salicylate ion in drug pharmaceutical preparations.     

Electrocatalytic Determination of Ascorbic Acid at the Surface of 2,7‐Bis(ferrocenyl ethyl)fluoren‐9‐one Modified Carbon Paste Electrode

A chemically modified carbon paste electrode with 2,7‐bis(ferrocenyl ethyl)fluoren‐9‐one (2,7‐BFEFMCPE) was employed to study the electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid in aqueous solution using cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The diffusion coefficient (D=1.89×10^?5 cm² s^?1), and the kinetic parameter such as the electron transfer coefficient, α (=0.42) of ascorbic acid oxidation at the surface of 2,7‐BFEFMCPE was determined using electrochemical approaches. It has been found that under an optimum condition (pH 7.00), the oxidation of ascorbic acid at the surface of such an electrode occurs at a potential about 300 mV less positive than that of an unmodified carbon paste electrode. The catalytic oxidation peak currents show a linear dependence on the ascorbic acid concentration and linear analytical curves were obtained in the ranges of 8.0×10^?5 M–2.0×10^?3 M and 3.1×10^?5 M–3.3×10^?3 M of ascorbic acid with correlation coefficients of 0.9980 and 0.9976 in cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry, respectively. The detection limits (2δ) were determined to be 2.9×10^?5 M and 9.0×10^?6 M with cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry, respectively. This method was also examined for determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Glycan side chains on naturally presented MHC class II ligands

The molecular characterization of unknown naturally presented major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II glycopeptides carrying complex glycans has so far not been achieved, reflecting the different fragmentation characteristics of sugars and peptides in mass spectrometric analysis. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR-bound peptides were isolated by affinity purification, separated via high performance liquid chromatography and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. We were able to identify two naturally processed MHC class II ligands, CD53(122-136) and CD53(121-136), carrying complex N-linked glycan side chains by a combination of in-source and collision-induced fragmentation on a quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometer.     

High-sensitivity analyses of metabolites in biological samples by capillary electrophoresis using dynamic pH junction-sweeping

Emerging fields of biochemical research, such as metabolomics, present challenges to current separation technologies because of the large number of metabolites present in a cell and their often low (submicromolar) concentration. Although capillary electrophoresis (CE) holds great promise as the method of choice for high-resolution separations of biological samples, it suffers from poor concentration sensitivity, especially with the use of UV detection. In CE, sweeping and dynamic pH junction represent two complementary on-line focusing techniques that have been used for sensitivity enhancement of hydrophobic and weakly acidic analytes, respectively. However, the application of either the sweeping or dynamic pH junction technique alone might, in some cases, be less effective for the analysis of certain sample mixtures. Recent work in the development of a hyphenated dynamic pH junction-sweeping technique is presented as an effective on-line method of preconcentration suitable for both hydrophilic (anionic) and hydrophobic (neutral) analytes. Sensitive analyses of flavin metabolites by CE with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection is demonstrated in various biological matrixes, including cell extracts of Bacillus subtilis, pooled human plasma, as well as heat-deproteinized flavoenzymes. Enhanced analyte band narrowing and improved sensitivity is achieved for flavins using dynamic pH junction-sweeping compared to either sweeping or dynamic pH junction alone. This results in over a 1200-fold improvement in sensitivity relative to conventional injection methods, giving a limit of detection (LOD, defined as S/N = 3) of about 4.0 x 10(-12) M. Strategies for sensitive and more comprehensive analyses of other cell metabolites, including nucleotides, coenzymes, and steroids, are also discussed when using on-line focusing techniques in conjunction with multiplexed CE and UV detection.     

Simultaneous Determination of Glyphosate,Glufosinate, and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid by Capillary Electrophoresis After 9‐Fluorenylmethyl Chloroformate Derivatization

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) with UV absorption detection method is described for the simultaneous determination of glufosinate, glyphosate, and aminomethylphosphoric acid. The 9‐fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC‐Cl) was used for precolumn derivatization of the non‐absorbing herbicides. The three analytes were separated by CE in 9 min with 25 mM borate buffer at pH 9, followed by detection with a UV detector at 260 nm. We demonstrate how the detection limit can be enhanced by using acetonitrile‐salt mixtures. With acetonitrile‐salt mixtures, the limit of detection (LOD) was in the 10^?7 M range. Linearity of more than two orders of magnitude was generally obtained. Precisions of migration times and peak areas were less than 0.9% and 7.5%, respectively. The applicabilities of the method for the analysis of ground water and lake water were examined.     

Self-organized glycoclusters along DNA: effect of the spatial arrangement of galactoside residues on cooperative lectin recognition

We describe herein the relationship between the spatial arrangement of self-organized galactose clusters and lectin recognition. beta-Galactose-modified deoxyuridine phosphoramidite was synthesized and applied to solid-phase synthesis to provide 18-, 20-, and 22-mers of site-specifically galactosylated oligodeoxynucleotides (Gal-ODNs). These Gal-ODNs were self-organized through hybridization with the corresponding 18-, 20-, and 22-mers of half-sliding complementary ODNs (hsc-ODNs) to give periodic galactoside clusters. The self-organization of ODNs was confirmed by size exclusion chromatography and gel electrophoresis. The binding of the Gal-clusters to the FITC-labeled RCA(120) lectin was analyzed by monitoring the change in fluorescence intensity. The assembly of 20-mer Gal-ODN with the 20-mer hsc-ODN was strongly and cooperatively recognized by the lectin. The 18-mer assembly was bound more weakly and less cooperatively, and the 22-mer assembly was minimally bound to the lectin. RCA(120) lectin recognized not only the density of galactoside residues, but also the spatial arrangement. The size of the Gal cluster was estimated from the association constant of Gal-ODN with hsc-ODN. The relationship between lectin-recognition and Gal-cluster size is also discussed.     

Selective Detection of Dopamine and Its Metabolite,DOPAC, in the Presence of Ascorbic Acid Using Diamond Electrode Modified by the Polymer Film

The surface of boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrode is modified by the polymer film for the first time. The cationic polymer film of N,N‐dimethylaniline (DMA) is electrochemically deposited on BDD electrode surface. This polymer (PDMA) film‐coated BDD electrode is used as a sensor which selectively detect dopamine (DA) in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA). This electrode also can detect both DA and its metabolite, 3,4‐dihydroxy phenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) in the presence of AA in the range of the physiological concentrations of these species. Favorable ionic interaction (i.e., electrostatic attraction) between the PDMA film and AA or DOPAC lowers their oxidation potentials and enhances the current response for AA and DOPAC compared to that at the bare electrode. The PDMA film also shows a hydrophobic interaction with DA and DOPAC. In cyclic voltammetric measurements, the PDMA film‐coated electrode can successfully separate the oxidation potentials for AA and DA coexisting in the same solution and the separation is about 200 mV. AA oxidizes at more negative potential than DA. In square‐wave voltammetry, the sensitivity of the PDMA film‐coated BDD electrode for DA in the presence of higher concentration of AA is higher than that of the PDMA film‐coated glassy carbon electrode. The hydrodynamic amperometric experiments confirm that the oxidation of AA is not affected by the oxidized product of DA and vice versa. So, unlike the bare electrode the catalytic oxidation of AA by the oxidized DA is eliminated at the PDMA film‐coated BDD electrode. The sensitivities of the modified electrode for AA, DA and DOPAC, which are present in the same solution with their physiological concentration ratios, are calculated to be 0.070, 0.363 and 0.084 μA μM^?1, respectively. The modified electrode exhibits a stable and sensitive response to DA.     

Characterization of antithrombin III from human plasma by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and capillary electrophoretic methods

The isoforms distribution of the glycoprotein antithrombin III (ATIII) derived from human plasma was investigated by means of isoelectric focusing (IEF) in polyacrylamide gels with immobilized pH gradients (IPG) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) as well as capillary electrophoretic methods. It turned out that the presence of high concentrations of chaotropics (urea, thiourea) and zwitterionic detergents (3-[(3-cholamidepropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS)) was decisive for attaining good resolution of the protein isoforms. Resolution by IPG-IEF was obtained with excellent reproducibility and pI differences down to 0.01 pH units could be distinguished. ATIII-alpha and ATIII-beta-fractions preseparated by heparin affinity chromatography showed an analogous but shifted spot pattern consisting each of one major and three minor isoforms. The main isoforms of ATIII-alpha and ATIII-beta exhibit pI values of 5.18 and 5.32, respectively, both values determined in the presence of high concentrations of urea. The pI difference of 0.14 pH units correspond to the effect of two sialic acids absent in ATIII-beta. The formation and occurrence of ATIII dimers and trimers turned out to be dependent on the sample preparation. The results obtained by 2-DE were compared with those of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and capillary IEF (CIEF). Quantitative analysis regarding the CZE separated isoforms of plasma derived ATIII yielded a content of about 70% ATIII-alpha main isoform and about 6.6% of ATIII-beta. The pI values of ATIII determined by CIEF with internal calibration were in fair agreement with the pI values of the main isoforms achieved with 2-DE.