The effects of sample preparation methods on the variability of the electrospray ionization response for model drug compounds

A post-column infusion system was developed in order to analyze suppression of electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry response in the presence of endogenous plasma interferences. By enabling direct detection of these interfering components, this experimental system was used to analyze the ability of several common extraction procedures to remove endogenous plasma components that cause changes in the ESI response of model drug substances. Methyl-t-butyl ether (MTBE) liquid-liquid, Oasis and Empore solid-phase, and acetonitrile (ACN) protein precipitation sample preparation methods were tested using the post-column infusion system. In all cases, ACN protein precipitation samples showed the greatest amount of ESI response suppression while liquid-liquid extracts demonstrated the least. In addition, the three test compounds, phenacetin, caffeine, and a representative Merck compound, demonstrated that ESI response suppression is compound dependent. Suppression was greatest with caffeine, the most polar analyte, and the smallest for the Merck compound, the least polar analyte. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biocompatible functionalization of polymersome surfaces: a new approach to surface immobilization and cell targeting using polymersomes

Vesicles assembled from amphiphilic block copolymers represent promising nanomaterials for applications that include drug delivery and surface functionalization. One essential requirement to guide such polymersomes to a desired site in vivo is conjugation of active, targeting ligands to the surface of preformed self-assemblies. Such conjugation chemistry must fulfill criteria of efficiency and selectivity, stability of the resulting bond, and biocompatibility. We have here developed a new system that achieves these criteria by simple conjugation of 4-formylbenzoate (4FB) functionalized polymersomes with 6-hydrazinonicotinate acetone hydrazone (HyNic) functionalized antibodies in aqueous buffer. The number of available amino groups on the surface of polymersomes composed of poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(2-methyloxazoline) diblock copolymers was investigated by reacting hydrophilic succinimidyl-activated fluorescent dye with polymersomes and evaluating the resulting emission intensity. To prove attachment of biomolecules to polymersomes, HyNic functionalized enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) was attached to 4FB functionalized polymersomes, resulting in an average number of 5 eYFP molecules per polymersome. Two different polymersome-antibody conjugates were produced using either antibiotin IgG or trastuzumab. They showed specific targeting toward biotin-patterned surfaces and breast cancer cells. Overall, the polymersome-ligand platform appears promising for therapeutic and diagnostic use.     

On tuning the orientation of grains of spray pyrolysed ZnO thin films

Effect of varying spray rate on the structure and optoelectronic properties of spray pyrolysed ZnO film is analysed. ZnO films were characterised using different techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence, electrical resistivity measurement, and optical absorption. The XRD analysis proved that, with the increase in spray rate, orientation of the grains changed from (1 0 1) plane to (0 0 2) plane. The films exhibited luminescence in two regions—one was the ‘near band-edge’ (NBE) (∼380 nm) emission and the other one was the ‘blue-green emission’ (∼503 nm). Intensity of the blue-green emission decreased after orientation of grains shifted to (0 0 2) plane. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of the films asserts that spray rate has major role in improving the crystallographic properties of the films. Moreover resistivity of the films could be lowered to 2.4 × 10⁻² Ω cm without any doping or post-deposition annealing.     

关于单位园周上阶梯函数的性质

Ｔ．Ｓｈｅｉｌ－Ｓｍａｌｌ［１］讨论了阶梯函数的Ｆｏｕｒｉｅｒ级数。本文对［１］中所涉及到一些阶梯函数的性质进行了详细讨论，并给出了详细证明。     

极限方程有奇性的一类六阶椭圆型方程混合边值问题解的渐近式

该文研究极限方程在部分边界上为退缩椭圆型(椭圆-抛物)的一类六阶椭圆型方程混合边值问题的奇摄动,在适当的假设下,应用改进了的多重尺度法,求得其解包括边界层和套层在内除了半圆域的两个角点外,在整个半圆域中有任意阶的一致有效的渐近展开式.     

Enzymatic cascade reactions inside polymeric nanocontainers: a means to combat oxidative stress

Oxidative stress, which is primarily due to an imbalance in reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide radicals, peroxynitrite, or hydrogen peroxide, represents a significant initiator in pathological conditions that range from arthritis to cancer. Herein we introduce the concept of enzymatic cascade reactions inside polymeric nanocontainers as an effective means to detect and combat superoxide radicals. By simultaneously encapsulating a set of enzymes that act in tandem inside the cavities of polymeric nanovesicles and by reconstituting channel proteins in their membranes, an efficient catalytic system was formed, as demonstrated by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy. Superoxide dismutase and lactoperoxidase were selected as a model to highlight the combination of enzymes. These were shown to participate in sequential reactions in situ in the nanovesicle cavity, transforming superoxide radicals to molecular oxygen and water and, therefore, mimicking their natural behavior. A channel protein, outer membrane protein F, facilitated the diffusion of lactoperoxidase substrate/products and dramatically increased the penetration of superoxide radicals through the polymer membrane, as established by activity assays. The system remained active after uptake by THP-1 cells, thus behaving as an artificial organelle and exemplifying an effective approach to enzyme therapy.     

Preparation and characterization of MgB2 superconductor

The MgB₂ superconductor, synthesized using solid-state and liquid-phase sintering methods, have been characterized for various properties. The upper critical field, irreversibility line and critical current density have been determined using magnetization data. The current-voltage characteristics recorded under an applied magnetic field revealed the existence of vortex glass transition. The surface analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that MgB₂ is sensitive to atmospheric degradation.     

增加光子奇偶q相干态的高阶压缩效应

通过数值计算研究了增加光子奇q相干态a_q^+m|α>_q^o和增加光子偶q相干态a_q^+m|α>_q^e的高阶压缩效应.结果表明:当q较小时,态a_q^+m|α>_q^o和a_q^+m|α>_q^e都能呈现出强烈的奇次方阶压缩效应,但无偶次方阶压缩效应,而且奇次方阶压缩随m的增大而增强.当m=0时a_q^+m|α>_q^o和a_q^+m|α>_q^e为光场振幅偶次幂的最小测不准态,但当m≠0时它们不是光场振幅偶次幂的最小测不准态.