Development and validation of an LC‐MS/MS method for simultaneous quantitative analysis of free and conjugated bisphenol A in human urine

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine‐disrupting chemicals that is widely used in common consumer products. There is an increasing concern regarding human exposure to BPA owing to the potential adverse effects associated with its estrogenic activity. For assessing environmental exposure to BPA, it is essential to have a sensitive, accurate and selective analytical method, especially one that can detect low BPA levels in complex sample matrices. In this study, we developed and validated an accurate, sensitive, and robust liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of free BPA and BPA β‐d ‐glucuronide (BPA‐gluc) concentrations in human urine with only a single injection. Calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 1–100 ng/mL for BPA and 10–1000 ng/mL for BPA‐gluc. The levels of the analytes were determined quantitatively with HPLC/ESI‐MS/MS by using negative electrospray ionization in the select ion monitoring mode and a pentaflouraphenyl propyl column. The validated method was applied to the analysis of spot urine specimens collected from randomly selected healthy human subjects. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Observation of large CP violation in the neutral B meson system

We present a measurement of the standard model CP violation parameter sin2 phi(1) based on a 29.1 fb(-1) data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. One neutral B meson is fully reconstructed as a J/psi K(S), psi(2S)K(S), chi(c1)K(S), eta(c)K(S), J/psi K(L), or J/psi K(*0) decay and the flavor of the accompanying B meson is identified from its decay products. From the asymmetry in the distribution of the time intervals between the two B meson decay points, we determine sin2 phi(1) = 0.99+/-0.14(stat)+/-0.06(syst). We conclude that we have observed CP violation in the neutral B meson system.     

An electrochemical chiral sensor based on electrochemically modified electrode for the enantioselective discrimination of D-/L-tryptophan

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Chirality is a universal characteristic of natural systems and discrimination of enantiomers of a chiral molecule plays a major role particularly in...     

Engineering Multifunctional Gold Decorated Dendritic Mesoporous Silica/Tantalum Oxide Nanoparticles for Intraperitoneal Tumor‐Specific Delivery

Nonspecific high‐energy radiation for treatment of metastatic ovarian cancer is limited by damage to healthy organs, which can be mitigated by the use of radiosensitizers and image‐guided radiotherapy. Gold (Au) and tantalum oxide (TaO_x) nanoparticles (NPs), by virtue of their high atomic numbers, find utility in the design of bimetallic NP systems capable of high‐contrast computed tomography (CT) imaging as well as a potential radiosensitizing effect. These two radio‐dense metals are integrated into dendritic mesoporous silica NPs (dMSNs) with radial porous channels for high surface‐area loading of therapeutic agents. This approach results in stable, monodispersed dMSNs with a uniform distribution of Au on the surface and TaO_x in the core that exhibits CT attenuation up to seven times greater than iodine or monometallic dMSNs without either TaO_x or Au. Tumor targeting is assessed in a metastatic ovarian cancer mouse model. Ex vivo micro‐CT imaging of collected tumors shows that these NPs not only accumulate at tumor sites but also penetrate inside tumor tissues. This study demonstrates that after intraperitoneal administration, rationally designed bimetallic NPs can simultaneously serve as targeted contrast agents for imaging tumors and to enhance radiation therapy in metastatic ovarian cancer.     

2(H)-1,4-Oxazin-2-ones as ambident azadienes

3,5-Dichloro-6-phenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 3, 5-chloro-3,6-dimethyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 4, 5-chloro-6-methyl-3-phenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 5 and 5-chloro-3,6-diphenyl-2(H)-1,4-oxazin-2-one 7, are ambident azadienes reacting efficiently and selectively with both electron rich and electron poor dienophiles.     

Determination of Hg(II) in Environmental Water Samples by Dispersive Liquid Phase Microextraction Combined with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

In this study, a method of dispersive liquid phase microextraction combined with the flame atomic absorption spectrometry was proposed for the determination of trace Hg using diphenylthiocarbazone as chelating reagent. Several factors which have effect on the microextraction efficiency of Hg, such as pH, extraction and dispersive solvent type and their volume, concentration of the chelating agent, extraction time were investigated, and the optimized experimental conditions were established. After extraction, the enrichment factor was 68. The detection limit of the method was 45 ng mL^?1, and the relative standard deviation for eight determinations of 2 μg mL^?1 Hg was 1.7%. The results for the determination of Hg in environmental water samples (tap water, well water, mineral water and Caspian sea water) have demonstrated the applicability of the proposed method.     

New Copper（Ⅱ） and Nickel（Ⅱ） Complexes of 4-Morpholinoacetophenone Thiosemicarbazone： Structural, Electrochemical and Antimicrobial Studies

4-Morpholinoacetophenone thiosemicarbazone, MAPT, and its nickel（Ⅱ） and copper（Ⅱ） complexes have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility, spectral methods （FT-IR, ^1H NMR） and cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemical behaviors of the complexes have been studied by cyclic voltammetry in DMF media showing metal centered reduction processes for both of them. The redox properties, nature of the electrode processes and the stability of the complexes were discussed. [Cu（MAPT）2]Cl2 complex shows Cu（Ⅱ）/Cu（Ⅰ） couple and quasi-reversible wave associated with the Cu（Ⅲ）/Cu（Ⅱ） process. The reduction/oxidation potential values depend on the structures of complexes. Also, the antimicrobial activities of these complexes were determined against S. aureus, E. coli and B. subtilis.     

Mechanistic study of stereoselective gas-phase reactions of phosphenium ions with cis- and trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexanes

The 1,3-dioxolane-2-phosphenium ion, 1,3-benzodioxole-2-phosphenium ion, and o-biphenylenephosphenium ion are reported to react in a stereoselective manner with cis- and trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexanes in the gas phase in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Elimination of NH3 from an addition product was observed only for the trans isomer. Several reaction mechanisms were experimentally and computationally examined (B3LYP/6-31G(d)//HF/6-31G(d) + ZPVE level of theory). The most plausible mechanism is initiated by addition of one of the amino groups to the electrophilic phosphorus atom followed by proton transfer between the amino groups. A change to a diaxial conformation for the trans isomer facilitates anchimeric assistance by the now nucleophilic phosphorus atom as the C-N bond breaks to release NH3. Intramolecular proton transfer competes with the conformational change and ultimately leads to ethylene glycol elimination. The transition states for the critical steps of these two reactions are calculated to be nearly equal in magnitude, which rationalizes the observation of both reactions for the trans-diamine. In contrast, the adduct of the cis isomer can eliminate NH3 via a concerted 1,2-hydride shift without a need for a conformational change. However, the barrier associated with this reaction was found to be substantially greater than for proton transfer between the N- and O-atoms. The latter reaction dominates and ultimately leads to ethylene glycol elimination.     

Quantitative determination of the selectivities of five different phenyl radicals in hydrogen atom abstraction from ethanol

An experimental method is described for obtaining quantitative selectivity information for H-atom abstraction by organic radicals from different sites of a substrate in the gas phase. The method is used to determine the selectivities of five different phenyl radicals toward the three different types of hydrogen atoms in ethanol. This experimental method involves studying the reactivities and selectivities of derivatives of the radicals that contain a chemically inert, charged group (distonic ions), which allows them to be manipulated in a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer.