Comprehensive Profiling by Non-targeted Stable Isotope Tracing Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry: A New Tool Complementing Metabolomic Analyses of Polar Metabolites

Mass spectrometry (MS) driven metabolomics is a frequently used tool in various areas of life sciences; however, the analysis of polar metabolites is less commonly included. In general, metabolomic analyses lead to the detection of the total amount of all covered metabolites. This is currently a major limitation with respect to metabolites showing high turnover rates, but no changes in their concentration. Such metabolites and pathways could be crucial metabolic nodes (e.g., potential drug targets in cancer metabolism). A stable-isotope tracing capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry (CE-MS) metabolomic approach was developed to cover both polar metabolites and isotopologues in a non-targeted way. An in-house developed software enables high throughput processing of complex multidimensional data. The practicability is demonstrated analyzing [U-¹³C]-glucose exposed prostate cancer and non-cancer cells. This CE-MS-driven analytical strategy complements polar metabolite profiles through isotopologue labeling patterns, thereby improving not only the metabolomic coverage, but also the understanding of metabolism.     

The Gram Matrix of a PT-Symmetric Quantum System

The eigenstates of a diagonalizable PT-symmetric Hamiltonian satisfy unconventional completeness and orthonormality relations. These relations reflect the properties of a pair of bi-orthonormal bases associated with non-hermitean diagonalizable operators. In a similar vein, such a dual pair of bases is shown to possess, in the presence of PT symmetry, a Gram matrix of a particular structure: its inverse is obtained by simply swapping the signs of some its matrix elements.     

CZE separations of basic proteins at low pH in fused silica capillaries with surfaces modified by silane derivatization and/or adsorption of polar polymers

Mixtures of several basic proteins have been used to test CZE capillaries with surfaces modified by new pretreatment procedures; the performance obtained has been compared with that achieved using capillaries treated by procedures described in the literature. It has been shown that addition of non-ionic polyvinylalcohols (PVA) to CZE buffer solutions deactivates even bare, i.e. untreated, fused silica surfaces and renders them suitable for separations of basic proteins. The performance obtained from such surfaces was comparable with that of capillaries modified by the more elaborate procedures of etching, silanol derivatization, and/or adsorptive coating (again with polymers). A home-made device is described which enables derivatization and coating reactions to be performed on fused silica capillaries under an inert atmosphere, i.e. one free from oxygen and water.     

The dipole moment, polarizabilities, and first hyperpolarizabilities of HArF. A computational and comparative study

The electronic and vibrational contributions to the dipole moment, polarizabilities, and first hyperpolarizabilities of HArF are reported. These have been computed by using a series of systematically built basis sets and a hierarchy of computational methods. HArF has a very large first hyperpolarizability along the z axis. This has been rationalized by invoking the difference in the electronic structure between the ground and the first excited state. The argon fluorohydride has been recently derived and characterized. The present study provides complementary data for the understanding of the electronic structure of this interesting argon derivative.     

Röntgenstrahlenbeugung bei hohen Temperaturen zur Untersuchung der thermischen Ausdehnung von MnSe und MnSe2

Zusammenfassung Durch Röntgenstrahlenbeugung mit Hilfe einer 190 mm Unicam-Hochtemperaturkamera wurde die thermische Ausdehnung von MnSe und MnSe₂ von Zimmertemperatur bis 710° bzw. 522° C untersucht. Der thermische Ausdehnungskoeffizient wurde aus den Meßdaten nach der Methode der kleinsten Fehlerquadrate erhalten und beträgt für MnSe: =24,5·10^–6°C^–1 (94–450° C) und =14,3·10^–6°C^–1 (450–710° C). Die Ausdehnung von MnSe₂ verläuft bis zum Bereich, in dem Zersetzung eintritt, linear. Die Methode der kleinsten Fehlerquadrate ergibt den Wert =20,0·10^–6°C^–1 (73–522° C).

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High temperature X-ray studies of the thermal expansion ofMnSe andMnSe ₂

The thermal expansion of MnSe and MnSe₂ has been studied above room temperature up to 710° and 522° C, resp., by X-ray diffraction techniques using a 190 mm Unicam high temperature camera. The thermal expansion coefficients, , obtained from a linear least-squares analysis of the data are for MnSe: =24.5·10^–6°C^–1 (94–450° C) and =14.3·10^–6°C^–1 (450–710° C). The expansion of MnSe₂ is linear up to the temperature range of decomposition. A least-squares analysis yields a value for of 20.0·10^–6°C^–1 (73–522° C).

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Mit 2 Abbildungen

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Herrn Prof.H. Nowotny gewidmet.     

Purification and analysis of partially alkylated cyclodextrins by liquid and gas chromatography

Complex mixtures of partially alkylated cyclodextrins can be analyzed by both HPLC and high temperature capillary GC. Because of the limited efficiency of LC, suitable analytical and preparative separations can be achieved only with systems of carefully optimized selectivity. Using LC it has been possible to isolate and purify single cyclodextrin species from very complex mixtures of components which contain unreacted hydroxyl groups in addition to the alkoxy groups. Analysis of the reaction mixtures and of fractions taken from LC separations can be performed with advantage by high resolution capillary GC at high temperatures between 300 and 400 °C. The thermal stability of partially alkylated cyclodextrins in high temperature GC is considerably increased by trimethylsilylation of the free hydroxyl groups. Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and proton NMR were used to identify species isolated from the preparative LC separations.     

Determination of inorganic anions in environmental waters with a hydroxide-selective column

US Environmental Protection Agency Method 300.0 specifies the use of an IonPac AS4A anion-exchange column with a carbonate-hydrogencarbonate eluent and suppressed conductivity detection for the determination of inorganic anions in environmental waters by ion chromatography. Hydroxide eluents have not typically been used for the routine analysis of common inorganic anions due to the lack of an appropriate hydroxide selective column and the difficulty in preparing contaminant free hydroxide eluents. The use of ion chromatography with a hydroxide-selective IonPac AS17 column, automated eluent generation and potassium hydroxide gradient represents a new approach to the routine determination of inorganic anions in environmental waters. This new approach, which is a modification of Method 300.0, allows equivalent method performance with improved linearity, precision, and method detection limits. The AS17 column provides superior retention of fluoride from the column void volume and improved resolution from small organic acids, such as formate and acetate, compared to the AS4A column. Quantitative recoveries were obtained for all the common inorganic anions spiked into typical environmental waters using this new approach, and the Performance Based Measurement System Tier 1 method validation quality control acceptance criteria are well within the acceptable ranges defined by Method 300.0. In addition, the EG40 eluent generator eliminates the need to manually prepare eluents, increasing the level of automation and ease-of-use of the ion chromatography system.     

The temperature-composition phase diagram of the HgTe?HgI2 pseudobinary system on the HgTe rich side

The temperature-composition phase diagram of the HgTe? HgI₂ system was determined from 0 to 45 Mol-% HgI₂ between 25 and 670°C using Debye-Scherrer powder X-ray diffraction techniques and differential thermal analysis. Solid solutions of HgTe and HgI₂ with the cubic, zinc blende-type structure exist above 300°C, having a maximum solubility of 11.7 ± 0.8 Mol-% HgI₂ in HgTe at 501 ± 5°C. The known monoclinic compound Hg₃Te₂I₂ is formed by a peritectic reaction upon cooling at 501 ± 5°C, with the peritectic point at approximately 37 ± 4 Mol-% HgI₂.     

Preparation,purification, and analysis of alkylated cyclodextrins

Methods of alkylation of α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins have been optimized with regard to the parameters of reaction, degree of alkylation and yields. The analysis of the reaction mixtures and of the isolated single species has been performed by high temperature GC and HPLC. The phase systems of the preferably applied HPLC have been carefully adjusted by variation of both the stationary and mobile phases to the very different hydrophobicities of the various alkylated CD species which have been synthesized. Several partially or fully alkylated CD species were isolated from preparative scale HPLC separations in high purity.     

Equilibrium sublimation and thermodynamic properties of SnS

Knudsen effusion studies of the sublimation of polycrystalline SnS, prepared by annealing and chemical vapor transport, have been performed employing vacuum micro-balance techniques in the temperature range 733–944 K and at pressures ranging from about 6 × 10^?3 to 11 Pa.The third-law heats of sublimation and second-law entropy of reaction SnS(s) = SnS(g) were determined to be ΔH⁰₂₉₈ = 220.4 ± 3.0 kJ mole^? and ΔS⁰₂₉₈ = 162.4 ± 4.5 J K^?1 mole^?1. From these data the standard heat of formation and absolute entropy of SnS(s) were calculated to be ?102.9 ± 4.0 kJ mole^?1 and 79.9 ± 6.0 J K^?1, respectively.