ToxML,a data exchange standard with content controlled vocabulary used to build better (Q)SAR models

Development of accurate quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models requires the availability of high quality validated data. International regulations such as REACH in Europe will now accept (Q)SAR-based evaluations for risk assessment. The number of toxicity datasets available for those wishing to share knowledge, or to use for data mining and modelling, is continually expanding. The challenge is the current use of a multitude of different data formats. The issues of comparing or combining disparate data apply both to public and proprietary sources. The ToxML project addresses the need for a common data exchange standard that allows the representation and communication of these data in a well-structured electronic format. It is an open standard based on Extensible Markup Language (XML). Supporting information for overall toxicity endpoint data can be included within ToxML files. This makes it possible to assess the quality and detail of the data used in a model. The data file model allows the aggregation of experimental data to the compound level in the detail needed to support (Q)SAR work. The standard is published on a website together with tools to view, edit and download it.     

Dipyrrinone imines: controlling self-association

We report the synthesis of three new dipyrrinone imine analogues and the characterisation of their self-association properties. Based on vapour pressure osmometry and nuclear magnetic resonance studies, placing the imine functional group at C(9) of the dipyrrinone disrupts the native self-association of the dipyrrinone core in a manner that correlates with the conformational A-value of the imine N-substituent.     

Collision cell pressure effect on CID spectra pattern using triple quadrupole instruments: a RRKM modeling

Control of the ion internal energy in mass spectrometry is needed to establish a workable mass spectral library. The purpose of this study is to understand and to compare the pressure effects on the collision‐induced dissociation (CID) spectrum pattern recorded using triple quadrupole instruments. The monoprotonated Leucine enkephalin [YGGFL, H⁺] was used as a thermometer molecule to calibrate the electrospray ionization (ESI) and the CID internal energies deposited on the molecular species and the time scale of ion decompositions. The survival yield and the ratio of a₄/b₄ fragment ions were mainly monitored. The energy uptake for the ESI source geometry used in our study has no impact on the CID spectrum fingerprint. The collision cell pressure for the [YGGFL, H⁺] has a major influence on the SY curves slope and on the experimental time scale. To demonstrate the pressure effect on internal energy distribution, three models (threshold, thermal and collisional) based on RRKM theory were built using the Masskinetics software. As a result, the limit of each model is discussed, and the investigation demonstrates that the thermal model, using truncated Maxwell‐Boltzmann internal energy distribution, is well‐suited for simulating the experimental data at high pressure widely used in the analytical conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Molecular Crowding on the Temperature–Pressure Stability Diagram of Ribonuclease A

FT‐IR spectroscopic and thermodynamic measurements were designed to explore the effect of a macromolecular crowder, dextran, on the temperature and pressure‐dependent phase diagram of the protein Ribonuclease A (RNase A), and we compare the experimental data with approximate theoretical predictions based on configuration entropy. Exploring the crowding effect on the pressure‐induced unfolding of proteins provides insight in protein stability and folding under cell‐like dense conditions, since pressure is a fundamental thermodynamic variable linked to molecular volume. Moreover, these studies are of relevance for understanding protein stability in deep‐sea organisms, which have to cope with pressures in the kbar range. We found that not only temperature‐induced equilibrium unfolding of RNase A, but also unfolding induced by pressure is markedly prohibited in the crowded dextran solutions, suggesting that crowded environments such as those found intracellularly, will also oppress high‐pressure protein unfolding. The FT‐IR spectroscopic measurements revealed a marked increase in unfolding pressure of 2 kbar in the presence of 30 wt % dextran. Whereas the structural changes upon thermal unfolding of the protein are not significantly influenced in the presence of the crowding agent, through stabilization by dextran the pressure‐unfolded state of the protein retains more ordered secondary structure elements, which seems to be a manifestation of the entropic destabilization of the unfolded state by crowding.     

CO Adsorption on N2‐Precovered NaY Faujasite: A FTIR Analysis of the Resulting Adsorbed Species

To productively complete the information regarding the reversible adsorption of a gas mixture on the micropores of cationic zeolites, the adsorption of the two gases N₂ and CO on NaY faujasite is taken as a model case study. We analyze herein CO adsorption (77 K) on two distinct N₂‐precovered NaY sets (low and medium). We outline the continuous desorption of N₂ adducts during CO admittance to full N₂ desorption for the highest CO loadings. These features contrast with preceding results obtained for N₂ loading on CO‐precovered NaY. By comparing these results with the sole CO admission and combining both studies regarding the co‐adsorption sets, we demonstrate the influence of the basic strength of the two gases regarding the nature of the surface‐adsorbed species formed. We also propose and discuss a hypothesis regarding the formation of adsorbed mixed species having both N₂ and CO as ligands. These new findings strengthen the statistical response of IR signatures as a helpful proposal for analyzing adsorbed species and their assignments. This survey completes the molecular understanding of gas‐mixture adsorption that lacks experimental data to date.     

密闭高压消解–ICP–AES测定进口铜精矿中铅、镉、汞、砷

采用密闭高压消解法对样品进行消解,用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法(ICP–AES)测定进口铜精矿中的铅、镉、砷、汞有害元素。铅、镉、砷、汞的工作曲线分别在0~10,0~1,0~4,0~0.6μg/mL范围内线性良好,线性相关系数大于0.999。各元素加标回收率均为91.0%~104.7%,相对标准偏差均小于3%(n=7)。将密闭高压消解法与电热板加热法和微波消解法进行了比对分析,结果显示,密闭高压消解–ICP–AES法适合用于铜精矿样品的消解与测定。     

Study of the Molecular Mobility in Polymers with the Thermally Stimulated Recovery Technique—A Review

Thermally stimulated recovery (TSR) is a non‐conventional mechanical spectroscopy technique that allows to analyse in detail the relaxation processes of polymeric systems in the low frequency region. This work reviews the main aspects and potentialities of this technique. The different kinds of TSR experiments that can be performed, global and thermal sampling (TS) experiments, are described and illustrated with several examples. Also, the different methods for the determination of the thermokinetic parameters (activation energy and pre‐exponential factor) of the thermal sampling (TS) procedure are explained and compared. In this context, the compensation phenomenon, which always appears in TSR results when the studies are performed in the glass transition region of a given system, is discussed. Examples of the application of this technique to different polymeric systems during the last 20 years are provided. An emphasis will be made on the analysis of the effect of crystallinity degree and crosslink density on the TSR response. A comparison between the results (characteristic times and activation energies) obtained by different techniques, namely TSR, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), is made.     

酸催化溶胶-凝胶法制备高强度SiO2增透膜研究进展

高强度增透膜是用于减少表面反射、增加光线透光率的薄膜,具有密度低、折射率可调、耐磨性好的特点.本文综述了高强度增透膜的制备方法与研究进展,介绍了酸催化溶胶-凝胶法制备SiO2溶胶的机理及影响因素,酸催化溶胶-凝胶法及两种辅助酸催化溶胶-凝胶法制备高强度增透膜的方法,对高强增透膜制备的发展方向和应用前景进行了展望.