Reusable ethanol sensor based on a NAD-dependent dehydrogenase without coenzyme addition

An amperometric sensor for the detection of ethanol has been designed. The sensing layer consists of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), NADH oxidase and NAD⁺-dextran, entrapped together in a matrix of poly(vinyl alcohol) bearing styrylpyridinium groups (PVA-SbQ). Measurements have been carried out at a low oxidizing potential (equivalent to 250 mV vs. SCE) to detect hexacyanoferrate(II), thus avoiding interferences due to presence of oxidizable compounds in real samples. The influence of the amount of polymer, enzymes and coenzyme in the sensing layer on the sensor sensitivity, linear range and operational stability has been studied. The sensitivity was close to 2 mA 1 mol⁻¹, with a linear range 3 × 10⁻⁷ −2 × 10⁻⁴M and a response time <2 min. Good operational stability was observed, allowing more than 40 reproducible assays without NAD⁺ addition. Alcoholic beverages were analysed with the use of sensor and the results showed good correlation with those obtained using a standard spectrophotometric procedure.     

Complex emulsion inversion pattern associated with the partitioning of nonionic surfactant mixtures in the presence of alcohol cosurfactant

Commercial ethoxylated nonionic surfactant mixtures containing alcohol cosurfactant exhibit a three-phase behavior whose formulation strongly varies with the water/oil ratio. As a consequence, a change in water/oil ratio can result in a sequence of up to three different emulsion inversion processes, through a combination of formulation and composition effects.     

Transfer activity coefficient of the proton in water-pyridine mixtures. A comparison of some extrathermodynamic assumptions

Various water-pyridine mixtures have been selected in order to compare several of the most popular extrathermodynamic assumptions involved in the determination of the transfer activity coefficient of the proton, _t(H⁺). Two techniques have been utilized for this purpose: voltammetry [study of the ferrocene, ferricyanide, or thallium(1) systems] and potentiometry at equilibrium (emf measurements of various galvanic cells, including liquid junctions and hydrogen electrode or silver electrode as a test electrode). The assumptions have been classified into various groups [e.g., _t(Z^p+)=_t(Z^q+) or _t(X^–)=_t(Y⁺)], and the values of _t(H⁺) have been experimentally determined in each case. The results vary depending upon the basic assumption (several pH units); less important differences (e.g., 0.5 pH unit) occur within a given group, and this may be assigned to the nature of the reference species chosen. A simple model of solvation has been also examined; the application of the law of mass action to the corresponding equilibrium provides results close to the _t(X^–) =_t(Y⁺)type of assumptions which ultimately leads to most self-consistent results.     

The sum of divisors function and the Riemann hypothesis

The Ramanujan Journal - Let $$\sigma (n)=\sum _{d\mid n}d$$ be the sum of divisors function and $$\gamma =0.577\ldots $$ the Euler constant. In 1984, Robin proved that, under the Riemann...     

Chemical modification of acetylcholinesterase with methoxypolyethylene glycol

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (EC 3.1.1.7) was modified with activated monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG). A decrease of 50% in the catalytic activity was measured during the coupling reaction and the change in the surface properties of AChE was used to separate by hydrophobic interaction chromatography the native and the modified enzyme. The native and the modified enzymes were found to have the same optimalcatalytic conditions. Moreover, the Michaelis constant of both enzymes were similar, whereas theV _m and the bimolecular-velocity constant calculated for organophosphorus inhibitors were slightly higher for the modified AChE. Finally, the modification with mPEG did not improve the thermal stability, whereas the stability in a few organic solvents increased.     

Nucléosides de synthése XXII: Obtention,comme synthons oligoxylonucléotidiques,de d-xylofurannosyl adenines spécifiquement substitués

This work describes the synthesis of certain nucleoside synthons which are necessary in order to obtain oligoxylonucleotides. The utilization of a non-symmetrically substituted xyloside substituted at the 2-position permits one to obtain, in satisfactory yields, the described nucleoside which is conveniently protected. All of the compounds described have been fully characterized using the usual analytical methods.     

Polarisabilites moléculaires et effet diélectrique de milieu à l'état liquide. Étude théorique de la molécule d'eau et de ses diméres

The model of Onsager in which a polar molecule undergoes a reaction field due to the polarization of the molecular surroundings is used to evaluate by a S.C.F. calculation (CNDO/2 approximation) the modifications of a molecular structure in the liquid state.Application to water molecule and to three polar dimers for values of the dielectric constant varying between 3 and 78, shows that most of geometric parameters and dipoles moments vary of few per cent when the molecule is inserted in a liquid. In the liquid state dipole moments do not depend very much on the dielectric constant but energies and relative stabilities of isomers are strongly dependent on the medium.[/p]

     

A self-consistent reaction field model of solvation using distributed multipoles. I. Energy and energy derivatives

The self-consistent reaction field model developed previously by the authors in the case of single center multipole expansion of the electronic structure of the solute has been extended to the case of a distributed multipole expansion. Three different expansions have been tested and two of them have proved to be rapidly convergent. The performances of the code are illustrated by the density functional theory treatment of few test systems: guanine, cytosine, and cytosine hydrated with one and three water molecules. A robust fast computer code has been tested to get the electronic structure, the electrostatic contribution to the solute-solvent free energy of interaction, and the optimized molecular geometry in solution.