Effects of different alkali metal ions on the cationization of poly(ethylene glycol)s in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: a new selectivity parameter

The cationization of poly(ethylene glycol)s, PEG 4000 and PEG 6000, under matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization conditions was studied by using different concentration ratios of the sodium ion, as the reference ion, and another alkali metal ion (Li(+), K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+)). A linear correlation was found between the intensity ratio of the sodiated PEGs and PEGs cationized with alkali metal ions versus the initial concentration ratio of sodium and alkali metal ions. The slopes of these straight lines are proposed as a novel selectivity ratio for the ionization process. The intensity distribution of the cationized PEGs was also investigated. It was found that the cationized oligomers follow Poisson statistics. The M(n) and M(w) values were also evaluated. An explanation for the observed effects is given.     

Simplified and complex modeling of self-sustained discharge-pumped,Ne-buffered XeCl laser kinetics

Two simple kinetic models of a Ne-buffered XeCl laser discharge are presented based on different simplifications of the chemical kinetics of a complex model that recently appeared in the literature. When applied to the study of a small-volume XeCl laser, the results of both simple and complex models are in satisfactory agreement with the experiments. Shifting to a larger-volume laser, both models show problems due to loss of stability of the discharge. A one-dimensional modelling is performed, and it is found that different assumptions on the kinetics of the NeXe⁺ ion in the discharge lead to completely different results as regards the effect of a preionization-triggered instability.     

THERMAL SHOCK OF SEMI-INFINITE BODY WITH MULTI-PULSED INTENSE LASER RADIATION

In order to investigate the thermal shock and the heat conduction property of a target under multi-pulsed laser radiation, analytic expressions of both temperature and thermal stress fields in the target are deduced on the basis of the non-Fourier conduction law and the thermo-elastic theory. Taking a stainless steel target as an example, we can solve the analytic expressions under appropriate boundary conditions by using the finite difference method and MATLAB software, and then reveal the evolution law of both surplus temperaturt, and thermal stress in the target. The results indicate that the temperature curves in the target irradiated by a multi-pulsed laser take on a delayed character in different sections away from the boundary, which is only affected by its relaxation time. The front of the stress wave is very steep in the non-Fourier numerical solutions, which presents an obvious thermal shock, so it is necessary to consider the non-Fourier effect of semi-infinite body under the high energy laser radiation.     

液相基质辅助激光解吸电离-傅里叶变换离子回旋共振质谱研究

选用液相基质制样,考察了激光强度、回旋池开门时间等因数对基质辅助激光解吸电离-傅里叶变换离子回旋共振质谱(MALDI—FT—ICR—MS)检测结果的影响,优化了实验条件。使用液相制样方法对5类实际样品进行了MALDI—FT-ICR—MS检测,结果表明：液相基质具有很好的通用性,质谱信号稳定、持久。利用FT-ICR—MS特有的超高分辨率与准确度,能够很准确地测定化合物组成。     

激光诱导等离子体中的电子密度和电子温度的测量

脉冲激光诱发等离子体的谱诊断技术用来对其电子密度和电子温度的测量结果与理论计算进行了比较，同时讨论了运用这个方法的物理条件．     

Compressed matrix thin film (CMTF)-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometric analysis

The inhomogeneous re-crystallization process of matrix materials is the major concerns associated with matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) analysis. We describe here the approach termed compressed matrix thin film (CMTF) in order to make a uniform matrix deposition. In this approach, solid matrix particles are compressed under 10 MPa of pressure by a compressor that is regularly used in infrared spectroscopic analysis. Then aqueous samples can be deposited on the surface of the matrix film. Major advantages of the CMTF approach are summarized as follows. (1) Reproducible sample preparation procedure. Size and thickness of matrix thin films can be controlled by using a fixed mold.force and known amount of matrix materials. (2) Significantly decreased shot-to-shot variations and enhanced reproducibility. (3) Tolerance for in situ salt washing. Because matrix materials are hydrophobic, salts can be washed away while proteins or peptides are retained on the surface of matrix thin films through hydrophobic interactions. (4) Improved sensitivity. The hydrophobic coating of MALDI sample plate by matrix thin films prevents the spreading of samples across the plate and confines analytes to a small area, leading to increased local concentration. (5) A new means for tissue analysis. Tissue sections can be directly transferred to the uniform surface of matrix materials for reproducible and quantitative comparison of different molecules in different localization. The proposed CMTF should be an enabling technique for mass spectrometric analysis with improved correlations between signal intensities and sample quantities.     

Dephosphorylation of intact glycoprotein to greatly improve digestion efficiency coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometric analysis

Sialylation is essential for a variety of cellular functions. Herein, we used bovine fetuin with three potential N-linked glycosylation sites containing complex-type glycan structures, four potential O-linked glycosylation sites and six potential phosphorylation sites as a model compound to develop a highly-efficient digestion strategy for sialylated glycoproteins and efficient enrichment strategy for sialylated glycopeptides using titanium dioxide. The former according to the process of alkaline phosphatase digestion followed by tryptic digestion and then proteinase K digestion could greatly improve the enzymatic efficiency on fetuin, and the latter could obviously enhance the enrichment efficiency for multisialylated glycopeptides using phosphoric acid solution as elution buffer. The mass spectra of the enriched glycopeptides derived from fetuin reveal that several series of the ion clusters with mass difference of 291 Da correspond to the presence of multisialylated glycopeptides. In addition, the approach was applied to characterize the sialylated status of α2-macroglobulin and transferrin, respectively, from the sera of healthy subjects and sex- and age-matched patients with thyroid cancer, and their spectra indicate that the change in the amount of the glycoforms containing different number of sialic acid (SA) residues from one glycosylation site may be used to differentiate between healthy subjects and cancer cases.     

A rat brain protein expression map including cytosolic and enriched mitochondrial and microsomal fractions

Proteomics is a powerful tool to screen brain protein expression but the methodology is hampered by low abundance of proteins or compartmentalization or overload of high-abundance proteins. It was therefore the aim of the study to determine the expression of brain proteins by using enriched cellular subfractions and pre-electrophoretic chromatographical separation of brain homogenates. We used two-dimensional electrophoresis with subsequent matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) detection and characterization of brain proteins. Subfractionation into cytosolic, mitochondrial and microsomal compartments was performed by ultracentrifugation. Pre-electrophoretic fractionation of the cytosolic fractions was carried out by ion exchange column chromatography. We detected and identified a large series of 437 proteins in rat brain and have shown proteins specific for the individual subcellular compartments. These proteins included housekeeping, signaling, cytoskeletal, intermediary metabolism, antioxidant proteins on the one and neuron and synaptosomal specific proteins on the other hand. Using fractionations of brain homogenates we were able to improve the power of the method on forming the basis for brain protein expressional studies and providing a reference map as a powerful tool for the neuroscientist.     

Search for Resolution of Chiral Fluorohalogenomethanes and Parity‐Violation Effects at the Molecular Level

The first observation of a parity‐violation effect in molecules induced by weak interactions is still a dream that requires the synthesis and, eventually, the resolution of the enantiomers of well‐chosen simple chiral molecules together with an appropriate experimental set‐up for high‐resolution spectroscopy. Performing IR spectroscopy on highly enantiomerically enriched samples of bromochlorofluoromethane succeeded in giving an upper limit of 10^?13 for the relative vibrational energy difference between the two enantiomers. These results led us to conceive a new experimental set‐up based on a supersonic molecular beam and to work on other chiral molecules, such as chlorofluoroiodomethane. A synthesis of (±)‐CHClFI from racemic chlorofluoroiodoacetic acid should, in the near future permit the preparation of optically active samples of this haloform. The development of molecular beam spectroscopy using a two‐photon Ramsey‐fringes experiment should allow us to reach the precision needed to observe parity violation. These experimental challenges, which stimulate a close collaboration between chemists and physicists, are presented. The success of these projects would open the route to new information on the molecular Hamiltonian, a better knowledge of the electroweak interaction, and a better control of the various chirality‐related properties of simple molecules.