Evaluation of the use of consensus values in proficiency testing programmes

Proficiency testing (PT) is an essential tool used by laboratory accreditation bodies to assess the competency of laboratories. Because of limited resources of PT providers or for other reasons, the assigned reference value used in the calculation of z-score values has usually been derived from some sort of consensus value obtained by central tendency estimators such as the arithmetic mean or robust mean. However, if the assigned reference value deviates significantly from the ‘true value’ of the analyte in the test material, laboratories’ performance will be evaluated incorrectly. This paper evaluates the use of consensus values in proficiency testing programmes using the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The results indicated that the deviation of the assigned value from the true value could be as large as 40%, depending on the parameters of the proficiency testing programmes under investigation such as sample homogeneity, number of participant laboratories, concentration level, method precision and laboratory bias. To study how these parameters affect the degree of discrepancy between the consensus value and the true value, a fractional factorial design was also applied. The findings indicate that the number of participating laboratories and the distribution of laboratory bias were the prime two factors affecting the deviation of the consensus value from the true value.     

Enthalpies of Dilution of D-p-Hydroxyphenylglycine in Buffer Solutions at Different pH

The effect of pH on the dilution enthalpies of D-p-hydroxyphenylglycine in phosphate buffer solutions has been investigated by isothermal titration microcalorimetry at 298.15 K. The corresponding homogeneous enthalpic interaction coefficients have been calculated according to the excess enthalpy concept. The results show that the enthalpies of dilution of D-p-hydroxyphenylglycine in phosphate buffer solutions at different pH are all positive. The overall trend is that enthalpies of dilution become more positive with an increase of pH, but there is a minimum of the enthalpy of dilution at pH = 7.0. The enthalpic pair interaction coefficients, h ₂, all have negative values. The results are interpreted from the point of view of solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions involved in the solvent effects.     

RATE OF INTRA-MOLECULAR CONTACT FORMATION IN SHORT TWO-DIMENSIONAL COMPACT POLYMERS CHAINS

It is important to know the rate of intra-molecular contact formation in proteins in order to understand how proteins fold clearly. Here we investigate the rate of intra-molecular contact formation in short two-dimensional compact polymer chains by calculating the probability distribution p(r) of end-to-end distance r using the enumeration calculation method and HP model on two-dimensional square lattice. The probability distribution of end-to-end distance p(r) of short two-dimensional compact polymers chains may consist of two parts, i.e. p(r) = p1(r) p2(r), where p1(r) and p2(r) are different for small r. The rate of contact formation decreases monotonically with the number of bonds N, and the rate approximately conforms to the scaling relation of k(N) ∝ N-α. Here the value of α increases with the contact radius a and it also depends on the percentage of H (hydrophobic) residues in the sequences of compact chains and the energy parameters of εHH, εHP and εPP . Some comparisons of theoretical predictions with experimental results are also made. This investigation may help us to understand the protein folding.     

Essential of Proline and Valine Residues in the Peptide Derived from Lactoferrin for Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition

We synthesized Leu‐Arg‐Pro‐Val‐Ala‐Ala‐Glu, the peptide contained in lactoferrin (Lf), to identify the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. In an attempt to know the structure‐activity relationship of this peptide, we replaced Pro (the third amino acid residues from N‐terminal) or Val (the fourth amino acid residues from N‐terminal) with Ala (neutral amino acid), Glu (acidic amino acid) or Lys (basic amino acid) to produce six peptides. From the in vitro ACE inhibition (IC₅₀) of these synthesized peptides, the original peptide (Leu‐Arg‐Pro‐Val‐Ala‐Ala‐Glu) showed higher ACE inhibition than the replaced six peptides. Thus, replacement of Pro at the third amino acid residues or Val at the fourth position with Ala, Glu or Lys revealed the ACE inhibition to be lower than the original form of Leu‐Arg‐Pro‐Val‐Ala‐Ala‐Glu. Otherwise, we added one peptide at the C‐terminal of Leu‐Arg‐Pro‐Val‐Ala‐Ala‐Glu and found both products with an addition of Val (Leu‐Arg‐Pro‐Val‐Ala‐Ala‐Glu‐Val) or Ile (Leu‐Arg‐Pro‐Val‐Ala‐Ala‐Glu‐Ile) showing a lower ACE inhibition than the original one. The ACE inhibitions produced by both replaced peptides were without significance. Also, deletion of the last peptide at the C‐terminal (Leu‐Arg‐Pro‐Val‐Ala‐Ala) failed to produce a marked change of ACE inhibition as compared to the original one. These results suggest that Pro and Val are essential in the peptide for inhibition of ACE activity.     

Variational reactive scattering calculations: computational optimization strategies

Summary We have developed efficient and accurate techniques for the calculation of quantum mechanical reaction probabilities of atom-diatom exchange reactions in the gas phase, and we have optimized a computer code employing these techniques and applied it sucessfully to several systems. In this paper we consider further strategies for improving the algorithm to allow even more demanding applications. In this context, improvement means that equivalent results can be obtained using fewer computational resources (computer time or storage) or that an equivalent expenditure of resources can yield higher accuracy. The new strategies discussed here lead to improvement in both of these areas. Two areas of special focus in the present paper are (i) the finite difference boundary value method used for calculating distorted wave Green's functions and regular solutions for scattering by the distortion potential and (ii) the choice of the distortion potential itself. Among other results included here is the first application of the outgoing wave or scattered wave variational principle to reactive scattering.     

化学计量一级站量值传递工作及经验

介绍了国防科工委化学计量一级站为保证化学量值的准确与统一,在计量标准建立、标准物质研制、测量方法研究等方面所做的工作和经验。     

CT、MRI对良恶性甲状腺结节的鉴别价值

本文探讨了计算机断层扫描（CT）、磁共振成像（MRI）对良恶性甲状腺结节的鉴别价值。方法：选取2015年3月至2018年3月本院收治的甲状腺结节患者150例，依据病理结果分为恶性48例、良性102例，所有患者均给予CT、MRI检查，分析CT、MRI对良恶性甲状腺结节的鉴别价值。结果发现，MRI总病灶、形态不规则、边界不清/毛糙、信号/密度不均检出率明显高于CT，MRI钙化灶检出率明显低于CT，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05），CT、MRI淋巴结转移检出率比较，差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）；在鉴别良恶性甲状腺结节的敏感度、特异度、准确度中，CT为79.17%、74.51%、76.00%，MRI为83.33%、80.39%、81.33%，CT联合MRI为95.83%、96.08%、96.00%，CT联合MRI明显高于CT、MRI，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。说明CT、MRI可作为鉴别良恶性甲状腺结节的重要方法，CT对钙化灶有较高的分辨能力，MRI对软组织及小病灶有较高的分辨能力，CT联合MRI可有效提高其鉴别价值。     

木材溶液中羟基与异氰酸酯反应的研究

以涂料工业广泛应用的新型助剂二元酸酯 (DBE)为液化试剂 ,盐酸为催化剂 ,将苯甲基化木材溶液化后 ,与不同结构的异氰酸酯反应 .利用FT IR及1 3C NMR分析液化苯甲基木质纤维素与不同结构异氰酸酯得到了聚氨酯树脂 ,证明了木材中羟基可以用来作为聚醚多元醇与异氰酸酯制备聚氨酯材料 .通过准确测量体系中游离的NCO含量 ,从而得出不同结构异氰酸酯与木材溶液中羟基的反应规律 .实验结果表明 ,异氰酸酯的存在大大促进了木材结构中羟基的释放 ,由于不同异氰酸酯的活性不同 ,使得羟基值变化亦不相同 ,其顺序为IPDI>HDI>TDI .为了保证最终的材料性能 ,选择TDI和IPDI作为木材溶液制备聚氨酯树脂的异氰酸酯组份较好     

Proof of some conjectures on the mean-value of Titchmarsh series — III

With some applications in view, the following problem is solved in some special case which is not too special. LetF(s) =Σ _n ^∞ =1a_n λ _n ^−s be a generalized Dirichlet series with 1 =λ ₁ <λ ₂ < …,λ _n≤Dn, andλ _n+1 -λ _n ≥D ^{− 1} λ _n+1 ^{− a} where α>0 andD(≥ 1) are constants. Then subject to analytic continuation and some growth conditions, a lower bound is obtained for . These results will be applied in other papers to appear later.     

环己烷催化氧化制取顺酐和醋酸的催化剂研究

为研究气态环己烷催化氧化制取顺酐及醋酸的新反应，采取不同的方法制备了系列固体VPO催化剂.借助XRD、FT-IR对催化剂进行了主体晶相确定，用氧化还原滴定方法测定了不同晶相催化剂中钒的平均氧化数.结合催化反应的活性评价，发现催化剂主体晶相、结晶度、活化气氛和催化剂的V4＋/V5＋比均对目标反应的催化活性产生影响，5种催化剂中以(VO)2P2O7晶相催化剂的活性为最高.