Tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate as an extractant for trivalent gallium, indium and thallium

A systematic study of solvent extraction behaviour of gallium(III), indium(III) and thallium(III) with tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate from salicylate media has been undertaken and a scheme for their separation is proposed. The optimum extraction conditions are evaluated and described. The method is applicable to the analysis of standard aluminium and aluminium alloys samples. The results obtained are reproducible and accurate.     

Integral equation formulation for buoyancy-driven convection problems

An integral equation formulation for buoyancy-driven convection problems is developed and illustrated. Buoyancy-driven convection in a bounded cylindrical geometry with a free surface is studied for a range of aspect ratios and Nusselt numbers. The critical Rayleigh number, the nature of the cellular motion, and the heat transfer enhancement are computed using linear theory. Green's functions are used to convert the linear problem into linear Fredholm integral equations. Theorems are proved which establish the properties of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the linear integral operator which appears in these equations.     

Permanently oriented antibody immobilization for digoxin determination with a flow-through fluoroimmunosensor

This paper reports a new flow-through fluoroimmunosensor, the function of which is based on antibodies immobilized on an inmunoreactor of controlled-pore glass (CPG), for determination of digoxin, used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and artery disease. The immunosensor has a detection limit of 1.20 microg L(-1) and provides high reproducibility (RSD=4.5% for a concentration of 0.0025 mg L(-1), and RSD=6.7% for 0.01 mg L(-1)). The optimum working concentration range was found to be 1.2 x 10(-3)-4.0 x 10(-2) mg L(-1). The lifetime of the immunosensor was about 50 immunoassays; if stored unused its lifetime can be extended to three months. A sample speed of about 10-12 samples per hour can be attained. Possible interference from substances with structures similar to digoxin (morphine, heroin, tebaine, codeine, pentazocine and narcotine) was investigated. No cross-reactivity was seen at the highest digoxin: interferent ratio studied (1:100). The proposed fluoroimmunosensor was successfully used to determine digoxin concentrations in human serum samples.     

Analytical separation of antimony(III) from bismuth(III), lead(II), gallium(III), thallium(III), tellurium(IV) and tin(IV) with cyanex 302

A method is proposed for the separation of antimony(III) (100–400 g) from bismuth(III), lead(II), gallium(III), thallium(III), tellurium(IV) and tin(IV) from an aqueous solution of pH 0.5–1.5 using 8×10^–3–1×10^–2 mol dm^–3 cyanex 302 dissolved in toluene as an extractant. The antimony is stripped from the cyanex phase with water and determined spectrophotometrically with iodide. Various experimental parameters are optimized and the probable 13 stoichiometry of the extracted species is evaluated. The method is applicable to the analysis of alloys and pharmaceutical samples. The separation and determination take only 20 min.     

Tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate as an extractant for quadrivalent tin,with subsequent determination with pyrocatechol violet in alloy samples

The solvent extraction of tin(IV) from chloride media withtris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate is presented. Tin(IV) is extracted quantitatively from 2.75–3.20 mol dm^–3 hydrochloric acid using 6.38–6.91 mol dm^–3 tris(2-ethyl-hexyl)phosphate dissolved in toluene as an extractant. After back-extraction of tin(IV) with water from thetris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate phase, it is estimated spectrophotometrically following complexation with pyrocatechol violet. The recommended range for determination of tin(IV) is 10–100 g. The probable extracted species is SnCl₄·2TEHP. The method is applicable to the analysis of alloy samples with a detection limit of 0.4 g/ml (for 10 g of tin) and a relative standard deviation between 0.21–0.32%.     

Human Neuroepithelial Cells Express NMDA Receptors

L-glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, binds to both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors. In certain parts of the brain the BBB contains two normally impermeable barriers: 1) cerebral endothelial barrier and 2) cerebral epithelial barrier. Human cerebral endothelial cells express NMDA receptors; however, to date, human cerebral epithelial cells (neuroepithelial cells) have not been shown to express NMDA receptor message or protein. In this study, human hypothalamic sections were examined for NMDA receptors (NMDAR) expression via immunohistochemistry and murine neuroepithelial cell line (V1) were examined for NMDAR via RT-PCR and Western analysis. We found that human cerebral epithelium express protein and cultured mouse neuroepithelial cells express both mRNA and protein for the NMDA receptor. These findings may have important consequences for neuroepithelial responses during excitotoxicity and in disease.