Characterization of proteins separated by displacement chromatography using low angle laser light scattering photometry

Summary -Lactoglobulin A and B (-LACT) were separated by displacement chromatography (DSC) on an ionexchange column using dextran sulfate as the displacer. A LALLS photometer and a UV detector, in series, were used to determine the molecular weight (MW) of the proteins, on-line. The results indicate that both, -LACT A and B, were present as dimers in the buffer used for the mobile phase. The MWs of the proteins were about 6–8% higher than the theoretical MW of a dimer (37,000). Additional control studies have shown the presence of a high molecular weight species in both the proteins, which could possibly be an aggregate. This species was observed in the LALLS signal but was nearly absent in the UV signal. Our work has demonstrated the feasibility of interfacing LALLS with displacement chromatography for detecting impurities or aggregates which may be difficult to detect by conventional detectors used for chromatography.     

Surface properties of Reactive Yellow 2 immobilised pHEMA and HEMA/chitosan membranes: characterisation of their selectivity to different proteins

Poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), pHEMA, and a composite pHEMA/chitosan networks were synthesized in the membrane form via UV initiated photo-polymerisation in the presence of an initiator ,′-azoisobutyronitrile. Reactive Yellow 2 (RY-2) was covalently immobilised as a dye–ligand onto both membranes. The polarity and surface energy of the investigated membranes were determined by contact angle measurement. The incorporation of chitosan in the pHEMA networks produced more hydrophilic surface, as indicated by contact angle analysis. The binding characteristics of lysozyme, γ-globulins, human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) to pHEMA-RY-2 and pHEMA/chitosan-RY-2 affinity membranes have been investigated from aqueous solution and their dye–ligand free forms were used as control systems. When chitosan was incorporated in the pHEMA network as a cationic polymer led to higher adsorption capacity for the lysozyme. Selective adsorption behaviour was also observed in the case of pHEMA/chitosan-RY-2 membrane for the lysozyme. The non-specific adsorptions of the lysozyme on the pHEMA and pHEMA/chitosan membranes were about 1.9 and 7.2 mg/ml, respectively. These were negligible for all others investigated proteins. The lysozyme adsorption data was analysed using the first-order and the second-order models. The first-order equation in both affinity membrane systems is the most appropriate equation to predict the adsorption capacities of the adsorbents. The adsorption isotherms well fitted the combined Langmuir–Freundlich model. A theoretical analysis has been conducted to estimate the thermodynamic contributions (changes in enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy) for the adsorption of lysozyme to both dye–ligand immobilised membranes. The adsorption capacities of both dye–ligand immobilised membranes increased with increasing the temperature while decreased with increasing the NaCl concentration. Both affinity membranes are stable when subjected to sanitization with sodium hydroxide after repeated separation–elution cycles.     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN X—H STRETCHING OVERTONE FREQUENCIES AND BOND LENGTHS/BOND ANGLES

A relationship between the X-H (X = N, O, C, and so on) equilibrium bond length in a Morse oscillator and the X-H stretching overtone frequency shifts is obtained theoretically. We use the equation to discuss the empirical linear relationships that have been proposed for heterocyclics, alkanes and fluorinated benzenes. On the other hand, a unified relationship between the X-H bond angles and the experimental quantities (ω(?) and the coupling strength λ) is also presented for XH2, XH, and XH4 molecules or molecular fragments. Calculations of X-H bond angles for a number of molecules show that the results from our equations are in excellent agreement with the experimental values. Also we can extract the information of relative magnitude of bond coupling force field.     

A method for correcting the contact angle from the θ/2 method

The θ/2 method, a widely used technique on measuring the contact angle of a sessile drop, assumes that the drop profile is part of a sphere. However, the shape profile of a sessile drop is governed by the Young–Laplace equation and is different from a sphere, especially for drops with a large bound number (e.g. large volume or small surface tension). The spherical assumption, therefore, causes errors on evaluating the contact angles. The deviation of contact angle from the θ/2 method is evaluated from a theoretical calculation in this work. A simple means is given for correcting the measurement error. The corrected angle results from the drop volume, surface tension, liquid density and the contact angle from θ/2 method. An algorithm for finding the correct contact angle without knowing the density and surface tension is also given. At the end, two examples of pendant drops are given for the illustration.     

Sample evaporation in conventional GC split/splitless injectors. Part 1: Some quantitative estimates concerning heat consumption during evaporation

During sample evaporation in conventional vaporizing injection, the supply of heat to the evaporating liquid is a problem, first because the amounts of heat consumed are relatively large and, secondly, because the heat must be transferred to the sample within a very short time. Times available for evaporation, required amounts of heat, possible sources of heat, and the time required to transfer the heat to the sample liquid are discussed. It is shown that mixing with carrier gas contributes little heat to the evaporation process, but also that packings with glass wool have too low a heat capacity to deliver the required amount of heat to the evaporating sample. Transfer of heat from the insert wall to the sample easily requires several seconds, even if cooling of the vaporizing zone by 20° is accepted. Thus “flash evaporation” is usually impossible and most liquids must be held in the vaporizing chamber to allow full evaporation.     

Thermogravimetry as a screening tool for the estimation of the vapor pressures of pure compounds

A simplified approach was developed to estimate the vapor pressure of pure compounds from experimental data obtained by isothermal thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. A numerical procedure was developed to estimate the Antoine parameters of the substance by the analysis of isothermal TG data. The results of the experimental validations carried out evidenced that at least a preliminary estimation of vapour pressures of pure substances by the analysis of TG data is possible. The limited time and the reduced amounts of sample required for the experimental runs make the technique attractive with respect to the conventional and more accurate techniques for vapor pressure assessment.     

Effect of Artabotrys odoratissimus extract as an environmentally sustainable inhibitor for mild steel corrosion in 0.5 M H2SO4 media

Artabotrys odoratissimus inhibitory effect on mild steel (MS) corrosion in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ solution has been assessed utilizing mass loss, electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization, and impedance spectroscopy techniques. The Artabotrys odoratissimus plant has a wide range of bioactive compounds. Phytochemicals were tested for ethanolic Artabotrys odoratissimus leaves extract (AOLE) using the FeCl₃ test, Salkowaski's test, and others. Corrosion tests were conducted at varying inhibitor concentrations and temperatures. The inhibitory impact of AOLE on corrosion of MS was reported to improve with increasing concentration. Polarization experiments revealed that AOLE is a mixed kind of inhibitor and the inhibition efficacy (η_w) for MS is 93.27% for 1.25 g/L AOLE. For Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), maximal inhibitory efficacy (η_w) was 91.62% due to AOLE adsorption on the MS surface. The obtained results using each methodology are highly consistent and closely resemble each other. The adsorption of AOLE molecules on an MS surface from the bulk of the solution causes the inhibitor's inhibition action, and the adsorption mechanism follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The computed $\Delta G_{ads}^o$ values ranged between ?32.919 and ?33.520 kJ mol^?1, implying a spontaneous and exothermic inhibitory action. The thermodynamic and activation parameters are often used to understand corrosion inhibition mechanisms. The comparison of corrosion product and pure extract FT-IR spectrum indicates the nature of AOLE adsorption on the MS surface. The surface morphology of MS samples was assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and contact angle techniques.     

Orthokinetic Aggregation in Two Dimensions of Monodisperse and Bidisperse Colloidal Systems

Orthokinetic aggregation of colloids trapped at the air–liquid interface was studied by direct imaging in a couette cell. This method allowed us to follow the temporal evolution of both the cluster-mass distribution and the cluster structure at a shear rate where Brownian aggregation is suppressed. The interactions between the monodisperse latex particles floating at the air–liquid interface were controlled either by varying the electrolyte concentration or by creating a bidisperse system through the addition of small particles. The results show that the clusters in all of the systems are characterized by a high fractal dimension, indicating that the clusters are rearranged and densified by the shear. Kinetic analysis suggests that aggregation of monodisperse systems mainly proceeds through homogeneous aggregation, i.e., large clusters sticking to other large clusters. The bidisperse system, finally, with a size ratio around 10, favored a more heterogeneous aggregation among small and large clusters throughout the aggregation process; a slightly lower fractal dimension was observed compared to the strongly aggregated monodisperse system.     

A twin optically-pumped far-infrared CH3OH laser for plasma diagnostics

A twin optically-pumped far-infrared CH₃OH laser has been constructed for use in plasma diagnostics. The antisymmetric doublet due to the Raman-type resonant two-photon transition is reproducibly observed at 118.8 m. With the 118.8-m line, it is obtained from the frequency separation of the anti-symmetric doublet that CH₃OH absorption line center is 16±1 MHz higher than the pump 9.7-m P(36) CO₂ laser line center. It is shown that the Raman-type resonant two-photon transition is useful in order to get several-MHz phase modulation for the far-infrared laser interferometer. Some preliminary performances of this twin laser for the modulated interferometer are described.This work was carried out under the collaborating research program at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464, Japan.     

Stabilities in field electron emissions from noble‐metal covered W nano‐tips: apex structure dependence

We observed field emission microscopy (FEM) patterns of noble‐metal (NM) covered W nano‐tips with three different apex structures fabricated by field evaporation. Each of the three tips was terminated with a single atom, three atoms or ten atoms. We investigated the temporal changes in the FEM of these tips to discuss the stabilities in the spatial distributions of the field emission (FE) beams. The single‐atom tip showed two characteristics that were superior to the others. First, the beams emitted from the single‐atom tip were the most collimated among the three tips (the semi‐cone angle of 1.0° , FWHM). Second, adsorption of residual gas had little influence on FE from the single‐atom tip, while the other tips were easily contaminated even at ultra high vacuum, resulting in the emission fluctuation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.