HPLC determination of valproic acid in human plasma by derivatization with O-p-nitrobenzyl-N,N′-diisopropylisourea

A sensitive and specific method for the determination of valproic acid in plasma has been developed. After the proteins in the plasma have been precipitated with a saturated solution of ammonium sulfate in 1N HCl, the valproic acid, together with the internal standard, is extracted from the plasma with dichloromethane. An aliquot of the organic solution is taken for derivatization of the valproic acid and the internal standard with O-p-nitrobenzyl-N,N′-diisopropylisourea. Separation is carried out by HPLC using two chromatographic systems: an adsorption system with a μ Porasil column, hexane-chloroform (94:6) as mobile phase, and caproic acid as internal standard and a partition reverse phase system comprising a μ Bondapak T_M/C₁₈ column, acetonitrile/methanol/0.0035 M phosphate buffer (60:10:30), and caprylic acid as internal standard. UV detection is at 254 nm. This method, developed in both systems, permits the determination of plasma levels of valproic acid in the reported range of 50-100 μg/mL. With adequate sensitivity, specificity, precision, and accuracy. The plasma levels of valproic acid may be determined by this method without interference from the commonest antiepileptic drugs. Good correlation is obtained with the enzymatic immune analytic method: EMIT.     

Convex minimization under Lipschitz constraints

We consider the problem of minimizing a convex functionf(x) under Lipschitz constraintsf _i (x)0,i=1,...,m. By transforming a system of Lipschitz constraintsf _i (x)0,i=l,...,m, into a single constraints of the formh(x)-x²0, withh(·) being a closed convex function, we convert the problem into a convex program with an additional reverse convex constraint. Under a regularity assumption, we apply Tuy's method for convex programs with an additional reverse convex constraint to solve the converted problem. By this way, we construct an algorithm which reduces the problem to a sequence of subproblems of minimizing a concave, quadratic, separable function over a polytope. Finally, we show how the algorithm can be used for the decomposition of Lipschitz optimization problems involving relatively few nonconvex variables.     

反相高效液相色谱法测定狼把草中的木犀草素

胜反相高效液相色谱法分离并测定了狼把草中的木犀草素，建立了该中药中木犀草素分离，测定的色谱方法。     

表面活性剂对纳米CaCO3形貌的调控

分别在AOT／异辛烷／水、CTAB／环己烷／水和OP-10／环己烷／水三种不同的反胶束体系中合成出具有不同形貌的纳米碳酸钙，讨论了表面活性剂的类型以及溶剂热过程对纳米碳酸钙的形貌及尺寸的影响．     

反相微乳液化学剪裁制备明胶-γ-Fe2O3纳米复合微粒

用反相微乳液化学剪裁技术制备了明胶包裹的复合 γ-Fe2 O3纳米量级超细微粒 .XRD、TEM、EDS、SEM和 IR测试表明 ,微粒为明胶包裹球形超细微粒 .微球的粒径为 1 .2～ 3 .2 μm,平均粒径约 2 .6μm,而微粒的粒径为 1 5 nm.每个复合微球中约有 80～ 2 1 3个氧化铁粒子 .该复合微粒的比饱和磁化强度 3 0 .3 44π ×1 0 3A/ m,矫顽力 Hc=62 0 7A/ m,剩磁 Br=2 .944π × 1 0 3A/ m.具有硬磁体的性质     

About entangled networks of worm-like micelles: a rejected hypothesis

We report new results from small-angle neutron scattering ond ₁₂-cyclohexane/lecithin/water micellar solutions performed as a function of the water content (w ₀), temperature (T) and dispersed phase volume fraction (). The data from dilute samples are interpretable in terms of the existence of giant cylindrical reverse micelles and are well fit with a core-shell model (that provides the micelle structure and dimensions) with values of 28 and 45 Å for the inner core and the outer shell radii, almost independent on temperature and concentration. Such a result could appear consistent with the current idea that worm-like micelles are living polymers. On the contrary, the appearance of a sharp interference maximum at high concentrations (>0.15) suggests arguments against the current hypothesis of an entangled network of giant flexible cylinders. Further arguments against the current hypothesis are given by the close similarity between the above described results and those from free of water micelles (for sure not cylinders). All the data are well fitted in terms of a unique model taking into account the micellar form factor plus a hard sphere structure factor. The data analysis suggests a micellar size distribution determined by the competition between concentration and interaction effects on which temperature plays not a minor role. Following our results, the current hypothesis of a gel structure in terms of an entangled network can be assumed as wrong and some caution has to be taken in assuming wormlike micelles as living polymers.     

Trace elements in HPLC silica gel

Trace elements in different silica gels are determined by neutron activation analysis. The presence of 20 elements in the ppm range and of 15 elements in the ppb range is established in all silica gels; even in spherical material probably obtained via an organosilicium starting material. Removal of these elements by acid treatment before and after derivatization to a reversed-phase is studied. This is only partially effective. The resulting HPLC phases are, however, much better in cases where trace elements are detrimental. Even octadecyl derivatized silicagel can withstand boiling in 12 N hydrochloric acid without loosing significant amounts of bonded organic material.     

Design of Ligand Binding to an Engineered Protein Cavity Using Virtual Screening and Thermal Up-shift Evaluation

Summary Proteins could be used to carry and deliver small compounds. As a tool for designing ligand binding sites in protein cores, a three-step virtual screening method is presented that has been optimised using existing data on T4 lysozyme complexes and tested in a newly engineered cavity in flavodoxin. The method can pinpoint, in large databases, ligands of specific protein cavities. In the first step, physico-chemical filters are used to screen the library and discard a majority of compounds. In the second step, a flexible, fast docking procedure is used to score and select a smaller number of compounds as potential binders. In the third step, a finer method is used to dock promising molecules of the hit list into the protein cavity, and an optimised free energy function allows discarding the few false positives by calculating the affinity of the modelled complexes. To demonstrate the portability of the method, several cavities have been designed and engineered in the flavodoxin from Anabaena PCC 7119, and the W66F/L44A double mutant has been selected as a suitable host protein. The NCI database has then been screened for potential binders, and the binding to the engineered cavity of five promising compounds and three tentative non-binders has been experimentally tested by thermal up-shift assays and spectroscopic titrations. The five tentative binders (some apolar and some polar), unlike the three tentative non-binders, are shown to bind to the host mutant and, importantly, not to bind to the wild type protein. The three-step virtual screening method developed can thus be used to identify ligands of buried protein cavities. We anticipate that the method could also be used, in a reverse manner, to identify natural or engineerable protein cavities for the hosting of ligands of interest.     

Synthesis of block copolymers by the transformation of cationic polymerization into reversible atom transfer radical polymerization

Azo-containing polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) obtained by cationic polymerization was used as a macroinitiator in the reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) of styrene and methyl acrylate in conjunction with CuCl₂/2,2′-bipyridine as a catalyst. Diblock PTHF–polystyrene and PTHF–poly(methyl acrylate) were obtained after a two-step process. In the first step of the reaction, stable chlorine-end-capped PTHF was formed with the thermolysis of azo-linked PTHF at 65–70 °C in the presence of the catalyst. Heating the system at temperatures of 100–110 °C started the polymerization of the second monomer, which resulted in the formation of block copolymers. The decomposition behavior of the azo-linked PTHF and the structure of the block copolymers were determined by ¹H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Kinetic studies and GPC analyses further confirmed the controlled/living nature of the RATRP initiated by the polymeric radicals. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2199–2208, 2002