Determination of ethyl glucuronide in urine using reversed-phase HPLC and pulsed electrochemical detection (Part II)

A direct, versatile method for the determination of ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a biomarker of ethanol consumption, in urine has been developed using reversed-phase liquid chromatography with pulsed electrochemical detection (PED). EtG and methyl glucuronide (MetG), which serves as an internal standard, are readily separated using a mobile phase consisting of 1% acetic acid/acetonitrile (98/2, v/v). Post-column addition of NaOH allows for the detection of all glucuronides using PED at a gold working electrode. Upon optimization, EtG was found to have a limit of detection of 0.03 μg/mL (7 pmol; 50 μL injection volume) and repeatability at the limit of quantitation of 1.7%R.S.D. (relative standard deviation). Solid-phase extraction (SPE) using an aminopropyl phase was used to remove interferents in urine samples prior to their analysis. Compound recovery following SPE was approximately 50 ± 2%. The forensic utility of this method was further validated by the analysis of 29 post-mortem urine specimens, whose results agreed strongly with certified determinations.     

n—InP在Fe^3＋／Fe^2＋溶液中光脉冲暂态行为（Ⅳ）

研究了波长、温度及表面处理对ｎ－ＩｎＰ光脉冲暂态行为的影响。结果表明，波长对时间常数无影响；随着温度升高，峰值下降，衰减变快。讨论了表面处理的影响，并对实验结果作了必要的解释。     

Pulsed field gradient NMR on polybutylcyanoacrylate nanocapsules

The applicability of pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to nanocapsule systems is demonstrated on dispersed poly-n-butylcyanoacrylate nanocapsules as a model system. Spectroscopic data are presented that allow for the structural characterization of the inner cavities, the observation of Brownian motion of the capsules and the detection of rapid molecular exchange through the capsule walls. An analytical formula is proposed that yields equilibrium populations and average residence times of a given tracer molecule, thus leading to crucial information regarding the permeability of the capsule walls. Based on these analytical methods, two varieties of nanocapsules are compared that derive from two different preparation procedures. It is found that thinner capsule walls obtained under acidic conditions of the organic phase during interfacial polymerization lead to correspondingly higher exchange rates of benzene as a tracer molecule.     

Synthesis and characterisation of bis(pentafluorophenyl)antimony(V) cations, [(C6F5)2SbL3]

Pentacoordinate complex cations of the general formula [(C₆F₅)₂SbL₃]³⁺ stabilized as solid salts in combination with tetraphenylborate (BPh₄), tetrafluorobroate (BF₄) anions, where L=DMSO, Ph₃AsO, PyO, DMF, α-, β- and γ-picoline have been isolated. The newly formed complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance measurements, solid-state IR and and NMR. From these results, a five-fold coordination around antimony was required.     

Effects of cobalt-60 γ-ray irradiation on fresh-keeping and storage of kiwifruits

The boxes contained kiwifruits were irradiated with cobalt-60 γ-rays at different dosages (0.6 , 1.8 and 3.6 KGy) and stored in a room ventilated at night, the natural ambient air being used as cool source.The results showed that the treatment which fruits irradiated with 0.6 KGy was the best after 85 days. It gave the normal-fruit rate of 95.10%, fruit flesh hardness of 4.10 Kg · cm^-2, fresh and plump fruits, good quality and less Vc loss.     

Deposition of complex multielemental thin films

Modern condensed-matter physics is increasingly concerned with the design, synthesis, analysis, and exploitation of chemically complex materials and structures. Complex metal oxides and strongly correlated electron systems such as YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x and La_1−xSr_xMnO₃ are paradigmatic examples. Their production in the form of high-quality thin films is of both technological and fundamental importance and has stimulated a concerted effort in the last two decades to find and optimize efficient techniques to this end. This review discusses the physics behind and the requirements for synthesizing high-quality films of such materials and examines fundamental aspects of the growth processes associated with magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser deposition, the two techniques which presently offer the best solutions in this burgeoning field.     

Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in Small Communities

The heating values of municipal solid waste generated in three towns with a population of less than 50 000, situated in Galicia (Spain), were measured with a static bomb calorimeter. Samples of raw refuse were burnt either as received or after sorting of the different combustible components. A study was made of samples from controlled and uncontrolled landfills. The calorific values were compared with those corresponding to a commercial residual derived fuel in order to study the possibility of using municipal solid waste as a source of recovered energy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Monte‐Carlo simulation of spatial distribution of characteristic x‐rays in multi‐film targets: source size of Al Kα x‐rays in W/Al film targets

A Monte‐Carlo simulation approach has been applied to describe the spatial distribution of characteristic x‐rays in W/Al film targets of different combinations of film thicknesses for the optimal design of a small‐sized x‐ray source having a high x‐ray intensity. The result has led to optimal combinations of W and Al film targets for 100 kV electrons, e.g. W(1 µm)/Al(20 µm), W(3 µm)/Al(15 µm) and W(5 µm)/Al(8 µm). These Al/W targets could be used as x‐ray sources for a medical instrument currently under development. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate under pulsed microwave irradiation

Emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) under pulsed microwave irradiation (PMI) with higher peak pulse power was studied. The effects of various parameters of PMI on the polymerization were analyzed and compared with that under conventional heating (CH) process. The results were summarized, as compared with that under CH, as follows. The amount of initiator used to reach constant conversion reduced by 50% at the same polymerization time; at the same initiator concentration 0.15 and 0.2 wt.%, the polymerization rate increased by 131% and 163%, respectively. The molecular weight of polymer obtained was 1.1-2.0 times larger than that under CH; at the same irradiation energy, the conversion achieved using a lower pulse power was greater than that using a higher pulse power. There seemed to be a factor of the irradiation energy efficiency; in other words, for the monomer conversion, the irradiation energy of low pulse power had a higher efficiency. The conversion achieved using a 3.5 μs pulse width was almost the same as that using a 1.5 μs pulse width. The results indicated that PMI had a significant non-thermal effect on the emulsion polymerization of MMA so as to effectively enhance the polymerization rate. The glass transition temperature (T_g), the polydispersity index (PDI) and the regularity of the polymer obtained using two processes were similar, indicating that the physical properties and microstructure of the polymer were not modified by the use of microwaves.     

Determination of the diastereomers of vitamin K1

A method is described for the gas-chromatographic determination of the diastereomers of vitamin K₁ (phylloquinone) in the form of their dihydro dimethyl ethers. The reported method of derivatization and chromatographic analysis in conjunction with optical rotation measurements are useful approaches for characterization of vitamin K₁ samples with respect to their origin.