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Sample records for combinational soluble n-ethylmaleimide-sensitive

  1. Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors required during Trypanosoma cruzi parasitophorous vacuole development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cueto, Juan Agustín; Vanrell, María Cristina; Salassa, Betiana Nebaí; Nola, Sébastien; Galli, Thierry; Colombo, María Isabel; Romano, Patricia Silvia

    2017-06-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, is an obligate intracellular parasite that exploits different host vesicular pathways to invade the target cells. Vesicular and target soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) are key proteins of the intracellular membrane fusion machinery. During the early times of T. cruzi infection, several vesicles are attracted to the parasite contact sites in the plasma membrane. Fusion of these vesicles promotes the formation of the parasitic vacuole and parasite entry. In this work, we study the requirement and the nature of SNAREs involved in the fusion events that take place during T. cruzi infection. Our results show that inhibition of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor protein, a protein required for SNARE complex disassembly, impairs T. cruzi infection. Both TI-VAMP/VAMP7 and cellubrevin/VAMP3, two v-SNAREs of the endocytic and exocytic pathways, are specifically recruited to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane in a synchronized manner but, although VAMP3 is acquired earlier than VAMP7, impairment of VAMP3 by tetanus neurotoxin fails to reduce T. cruzi infection. In contrast, reduction of VAMP7 activity by expression of VAMP7's longin domain, depletion by small interfering RNA or knockout, significantly decreases T. cruzi infection susceptibility as a result of a minor acquisition of lysosomal components to the parasitic vacuole. In addition, overexpression of the VAMP7 partner Vti1b increases the infection, whereas expression of a KIF5 kinesin mutant reduces VAMP7 recruitment to vacuole and, concomitantly, T. cruzi infection. Altogether, these data support a key role of TI-VAMP/VAMP7 in the fusion events that culminate in the T. cruzi parasitophorous vacuole development. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Soluble N-Ethylmaleimide-Sensitive Factor Attachment Protein Receptor-Derived Peptides for Regulation of Mast Cell Degranulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yoosoo; Kong, Byoungjae; Jung, Younghoon; Park, Joon-Bum; Oh, Jung-Mi; Hwang, Jaesung; Cho, Jae Youl; Kweon, Dae-Hyuk

    2018-01-01

    Vesicle-associated V-soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins and target membrane-associated T-SNAREs (syntaxin 4 and SNAP-23) assemble into a core trans -SNARE complex that mediates membrane fusion during mast cell degranulation. This complex plays pivotal roles at various stages of exocytosis from the initial priming step to fusion pore opening and expansion, finally resulting in the release of the vesicle contents. In this study, peptides with the sequences of various SNARE motifs were investigated for their potential inhibitory effects against SNARE complex formation and mast cell degranulation. The peptides with the sequences of the N-terminal regions of vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) and VAMP8 were found to reduce mast cell degranulation by inhibiting SNARE complex formation. The fusion of protein transduction domains to the N-terminal of each peptide enabled the internalization of the fusion peptides into the cells equally as efficiently as cell permeabilization by streptolysin-O without any loss of their inhibitory activities. Distinct subsets of mast cell granules could be selectively regulated by the N-terminal-mimicking peptides derived from VAMP2 and VAMP8, and they effectively decreased the symptoms of atopic dermatitis in mouse models. These results suggest that the cell membrane fusion machinery may represent a therapeutic target for atopic dermatitis.

  3. Lateral Fluid Percussion Injury Impairs Hippocampal Synaptic Soluble N-Ethylmaleimide Sensitive Factor Attachment Protein Receptor Complex Formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaun W. Carlson

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Traumatic brain injury (TBI and the activation of secondary injury mechanisms have been linked to impaired cognitive function, which, as observed in TBI patients and animal models, can persist for months and years following the initial injury. Impairments in neurotransmission have been well documented in experimental models of TBI, but the mechanisms underlying this dysfunction are poorly understood. Formation of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE complex facilitates vesicular docking and neurotransmitter release in the synaptic cleft. Published studies highlight a direct link between reduced SNARE complex formation and impairments in neurotransmitter release. While alterations in the SNARE complex have been described following severe focal TBI, it is not known if deficits in SNARE complex formation manifest in a model with reduced severity. We hypothesized that lateral fluid percussion injury (lFPI reduces the abundance of SNARE proteins, impairs SNARE complex formation, and contributes to impaired neurobehavioral function. To this end, rats were subjected to lFPI or sham injury and tested for acute motor performance and cognitive function at 3 weeks post-injury. lFPI resulted in motor impairment between 1 and 5 days post-injury. Spatial acquisition and spatial memory, as assessed by the Morris water maze, were significantly impaired at 3 weeks after lFPI. To examine the effect of lFPI on synaptic SNARE complex formation in the injured hippocampus, a separate cohort of rats was generated and brains processed to evaluate hippocampal synaptosomal-enriched lysates at 1 week post-injury. lFPI resulted in a significant reduction in multiple monomeric SNARE proteins, including VAMP2, and α-synuclein, and SNARE complex abundance. The findings in this study are consistent with our previously published observations suggesting that impairments in hippocampal SNARE complex formation may contribute to

  4. N-ethylmaleimide sensitization of x-irradiated hypoxic Chinese hamster cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimler, B.F.; Sinclair, W.K.; Elkind, M.M.

    1977-01-01

    Chinese hamster cells were x irradiated either aerobically or hypoxically, after flushing with nitrogen plus carbon dioxide. In agreement with earlier data, for asynchronous cells, the oxygen enhancement ratio (OER) was approximately three. If the sulfhydryl-binding agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) was present during or immediately after irradiation, the principal effect was a pronounced decrease in the extrapolation number of the survival curve of NEM-treated cells compared to nontreated cells. This was observed with hypoxic as well as aerobic cells and the OER for NEM-treated cells was also about three. For NEM treatments which were essentially nontoxic, NEM acts synergistically with X rays, suggestive of an inhibition by NEM of a cell's ability to repair sublethal damage. For synchronous cells obtained by mitotic selection, a result consistent with the above was obtained; a dose three times as large was necessary to reduce survival to the same level for hypoxic cells as for aerobic cells, whether or not the cells were treated with NEM. Thus the OER was independent of NEM treatment throughout the cell cycle, with the possible exception of mitosis which could not be studied with the methods used. It is concluded that the action of NEM at low concentrations (0.75 μM) is largely independent of oxygen tension. Oxygen acts to produce more damage per unit dose in the cell while NEM sensitizes apparently by preventing the repair of sublethal damage

  5. Erythrocytes L-arginine y+ transporter inhibition by N-ethylmaleimide in ice-bath.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinheiro da Costa, Bartira Ercília; de Almeida, Priscilla Barcellos; Conceição, Ioná Rosine; Antonello, Ivan Carlos Ferreira; d'Avila, Domingos O; Poli-de-Figueiredo, Carlos Eduardo

    2010-11-01

    Erythrocytes L: -arginine uptake is conveyed by y+ and y+L membrane transport systems. Pre-incubation with N-ethylmaleimide for 10 min at 37°C inhibits the y+ system. The aim of this study was to determine the ideal pre-incubation temperature in evaluating y+ and y+L systems. Cells were pre-incubated with or without N-ethylmaleimide for 10 min at 4°C and 37°C. L: -Arginine uptake was quantified by radioisotope and standard erythrocytes membrane flux methodology. Results demonstrate that erythrocytes L: -arginine content is depleted by pre-incubation at 37°C for 10 min, thus changing the V (max) measurement. The inhibitory effect of N-ethylmaleimide pre-incubation was temperature independent and already complete after 1 min of incubation. No significant difference in kinetic parameters was detected between cells pre-incubated at 37°C or 4°C, under zero-trans conditions. In conclusion, we suggest that measurement of erythrocytes L: -arginine uptake by y+ and y+L systems could be carried out without N-ethylmaleimide pre-incubation at 37°C.

  6. Inhibition and labeling of the plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase with N-ethylmaleimide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katz, D.B.; Sussman, M.R.

    1987-01-01

    H + -ATPase activity in plasma membranes isolated from Avena sativa root cells is inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide, a covalent modifier of protein sulfhydryl groups. The rate of inhibition is reduced by ADP, MgADP, and MgATP, but even at 40 millimolar ADP the enzyme is only partially protected against inactivation. When plasma membranes are treated with N-[2- 3 H]ethylmaleimide and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyaerylamide gel electrophoresis, prominent radioactive bands appear at M/sub r/ = 100,000 and several other positions. However, only radioactivity in the M/sub r/ = 100,000 protein is reduced by the presence of MgADP. These results provide independent evidence that the M/sub r/ = 100,000 polypeptide which is observed in purified preparations of the enzyme is the catalytic subunit of the H + -ATPase. When tryptic peptides are produced from N-[2- 3 H]ethylmaleimide labeled M/sub r/ = 100,000 protein and separated by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography, two radioactive peaks are observed for which N-[2- 3 H]ethylmaleimide incorporation is reduced in the presence of MgADP

  7. A library of 7TM receptor C-terminal tails - Interactions with the proposed post-endocytic sorting proteins ERM-binding phosphoprotein 50 (EBP50), N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF), sorting nexin 1 (SNX1), and G protein-coupled receptor-associated sorting protein (GASP)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heydorn, A.; Sondergaard, B.P.; Ersbøll, Bjarne Kjær

    2004-01-01

    Adaptor and scaffolding proteins determine the cellular targeting, the spatial, and thereby the functional association of G protein-coupled seven-transmembrane receptors with co-receptors, transducers, and downstream effectors and the adaptors determine post-signaling events such as receptor...... only a single receptor tail, i.e. the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor, whereas N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor bound 11 of the tail-fusion proteins. Of the two proteins proposed to target receptors for lysosomal degradation, sorting nexin 1 (SNX1) bound 10 and the C-terminal domain of G protein...... the expected nanomolar affinities for interaction with SNX1. Truncations of the NK1 receptor revealed that an extended binding epitope is responsible for the interaction with both SNX1 and G protein-coupled receptor-associated sorting protein as well as with N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor. It is concluded...

  8. A library of 7TM receptor C-terminal tails. Interactions with the proposed post-endocytic sorting proteins ERM-binding phosphoprotein 50 (EBP50), N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF), sorting nexin 1 (SNX1), and G protein-coupled receptor-associated sorting protein (GASP)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heydorn, Arne; Søndergaard, Birgitte P; Ersbøll, Bjarne

    2004-01-01

    Adaptor and scaffolding proteins determine the cellular targeting, the spatial, and thereby the functional association of G protein-coupled seven-transmembrane receptors with co-receptors, transducers, and downstream effectors and the adaptors determine post-signaling events such as receptor...... only a single receptor tail, i.e. the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor, whereas N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor bound 11 of the tail-fusion proteins. Of the two proteins proposed to target receptors for lysosomal degradation, sorting nexin 1 (SNX1) bound 10 and the C-terminal domain of G protein...... the expected nanomolar affinities for interaction with SNX1. Truncations of the NK(1) receptor revealed that an extended binding epitope is responsible for the interaction with both SNX1 and G protein-coupled receptor-associated sorting protein as well as with N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor. It is concluded...

  9. Effect of N-Ethylmaleimide as a Blocker of Disulfide Crosslinks Formation on the Alkali-Cold Gelation of Whey Proteins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao Lei

    Full Text Available N-ethylmaleimide (NEM was used to verify that no new disulfide crosslinks were formed during the fascinating rheology of the alkali cold-gelation of whey proteins, which show Sol-Gel-Sol transitions with time at pH > 11.5. These dynamic transitions involve the formation and subsequent destruction of non-covalent interactions between soluble whey aggregates. Therefore, incubation of aggregates with NEM was expected not to affect much the rheology. Experiments show that very little additions of NEM, such as 0.5 mol per mol of protein, delayed and significantly strengthened the metastable gels formed. Interactions between whey protein aggregates were surprisingly enhanced during incubation with NEM as inferred from oscillatory rheometry at different protein concentrations, dynamic swelling, Trp fluorescence and SDS-PAGE measurements.

  10. Effect of N-Ethylmaleimide as a Blocker of Disulfide Crosslinks Formation on the Alkali-Cold Gelation of Whey Proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Zhao; Chen, Xiao Dong

    2016-01-01

    N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) was used to verify that no new disulfide crosslinks were formed during the fascinating rheology of the alkali cold-gelation of whey proteins, which show Sol-Gel-Sol transitions with time at pH > 11.5. These dynamic transitions involve the formation and subsequent destruction of non-covalent interactions between soluble whey aggregates. Therefore, incubation of aggregates with NEM was expected not to affect much the rheology. Experiments show that very little additions of NEM, such as 0.5 mol per mol of protein, delayed and significantly strengthened the metastable gels formed. Interactions between whey protein aggregates were surprisingly enhanced during incubation with NEM as inferred from oscillatory rheometry at different protein concentrations, dynamic swelling, Trp fluorescence and SDS-PAGE measurements. PMID:27732644

  11. Genetic modifiers of comatose mutations in Drosophila: insights into neuronal NSF (N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion factor) functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanyal, Subhabrata; Krishnan, K S

    2012-09-01

    By the middle of the 20th century, development of powerful genetic approaches had ensured that the fruit fly would remain a model organism of choice for genetic and developmental studies. But in the 1970s, a few pioneering groups turned their attention to the prospect of using the fly for neurophysiological experiments. They proposed that in a poikilothermic organism such as Drosophila, temperature-sensitive or "ts" mutations in proteins that controlled nerve function would translate to a "ts" paralytic phenotype. This was by no means an obvious or even a likely assumption. However, following directed screens these groups soon reported dramatic demonstrations of reversible ts paralysis in fly mutants. Resultantly, these "simple" experiments led to the isolation of a number of conditional mutations including shibire, paralytic, and comatose. All have since been cloned and have enabled deep mechanistic insights into synaptic transmission and nerve conduction. comatose (comt) mutations, for example, were found to map to missense changes in dNSF1, a neuron-specific fly homolog of mammalian NSF (N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion factor). Studies on comt were also some of the first to discriminate between nuanced models of NSF function during presynaptic transmitter release that have since been borne out by experiments in multiple preparations. Here, the authors present an overview of NSF function as it is understood today, with an emphasis on contributions from Drosophila beginning with experiments carried out by Obaid Siddiqi in the Benzer laboratory. The authors also outline initial results from a genetic screen for phenotypic modifiers of comt that hold the promise of further elucidating NSF function at the synapse. Over the years, the neuromuscular system of Drosophila has served as a uniquely accessible model to unravel mechanisms underlying synaptic transmission. To this day, ts paralysis remains one of the most emphatic demonstrations of nerve function in an

  12. Purification of the labeled cyanogen bromide peptides of the α polypeptide from sodium and potassium ion-activated adenosinetriphosphatase modified with N-[3H]ethylmaleimide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le, D.T.

    1985-01-01

    Sodium and potassium ion-activated adenosinetriphosphatase, isolated from canine kidney, was reacted with N-[ 3 H]ethylmaleimide under three different conditions, defined by particular concentrations of ligands for the enzyme, such that after the same amount of time the remaining activity of then enzyme varied from 90% to 30%. The conformation of the enzyme also differed among the three conditions. In all cases, the α-polypeptide was purified and subjected to cyanogen bromide digestion. Two distinct, radioactive peptides were separated by gel filtration of the cyanogen bromide digest on a column of Sephadex LH-60 equilibrated with 95% ethanol: 88% formic acid:4:1. One of the radioactive peptides was shown to contain the sulfhydryl residue whose reaction with N-ethylmaleimide inactivates the enzyme. The other radioactive peptide contained a sulfhydryl residue that seems to react with N-ethylmaleimide only when the binding site for ATP is not occupied. Alkylation of this residue, however, does not result in inactivation of enzyme. Both peptides were purified further by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and their amino-terminal sequences were determined by the manual dansyl-Edman or solid-phase techniques. The peptide containing the sulfhydryl protected by ATP has, as its amino terminus, the lysine that reacts exclusively with fluorescein-5'-isothiocyanate

  13. Purification of the labeled cyanogen bromide peptides of the. cap alpha. polypeptide from sodium and potassium ion-activated adenosinetriphosphatase modified with N-(/sup 3/H)ethylmaleimide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Le, D.T.

    1985-01-01

    Sodium and potassium ion-activated adenosinetriphosphatase, isolated from canine kidney, was reacted with N-(/sup 3/H)ethylmaleimide under three different conditions, defined by particular concentrations of ligands for the enzyme, such that after the same amount of time the remaining activity of then enzyme varied from 90% to 30%. The conformation of the enzyme also differed among the three conditions. In all cases, the ..cap alpha..-polypeptide was purified and subjected to cyanogen bromide digestion. Two distinct, radioactive peptides were separated by gel filtration of the cyanogen bromide digest on a column of Sephadex LH-60 equilibrated with 95% ethanol: 88% formic acid:4:1. One of the radioactive peptides was shown to contain the sulfhydryl residue whose reaction with N-ethylmaleimide inactivates the enzyme. The other radioactive peptide contained a sulfhydryl residue that seems to react with N-ethylmaleimide only when the binding site for ATP is not occupied. Alkylation of this residue, however, does not result in inactivation of enzyme. Both peptides were purified further by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and their amino-terminal sequences were determined by the manual dansyl-Edman or solid-phase techniques. The peptide containing the sulfhydryl protected by ATP has, as its amino terminus, the lysine that reacts exclusively with fluorescein-5'-isothiocyanate.

  14. Modulation of the ribonucleotide reductase M1-gemcitabine interaction in vivo by N-ethylmaleimide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Zhengming; Zhou, Jun; Zhang, Yingtao [Developmental Therapeutics Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI (United States); Bepler, Gerold, E-mail: beplerg@karmanos.org [Developmental Therapeutics Program, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI (United States)

    2011-09-23

    Highlights: {yields} Gemcitabine induces a RRM1 conformational change in tumor cell lines and xenografts. {yields} The 110 kDa RRM1 is unique to gemcitabine interaction among 12 cytotoxic agents. {yields} The 110 kDa RRM1 can be stabilized by the thiol alkylator N-ethylmaleimide. {yields} C218A, C429A, and E431A mutations in RRM1 abolished the conformational change. {yields} The 110 kDa RRM1 may be a specific biomarker of gemcitabine's therapeutic efficacy. -- Abstract: Ribonucleotide reductase M1 (RRM1) is the regulatory subunit of the holoenzyme that catalyzes the conversion of ribonucleotides to 2'-deoxyribonucleotides. Its function is indispensible in cell proliferation and DNA repair. It also serves as a biomarker of therapeutic efficacy of the antimetabolite drug gemcitabine (2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine) in various malignancies. However, a mechanistic explanation remains to be determined. This study investigated how the alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) interacts with the inhibitory activity of gemcitabine on its target protein RRM1 in vivo. We found, when cells were treated with gemcitabine in the presence of NEM, a novel 110 kDa band, along with the 90 kDa native RRM1 band, appeared in immunoblots. This 110 kDa band was identified as RRM1 by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and represented a conformational change resulting from covalent labeling by gemcitabine. It is specific to gemcitabine/NEM, among 11 other chemotherapy drugs tested. It was also detectable in human tumor xenografts in mice treated with gemcitabine. Among mutations of seven residues essential for RRM1 function, C218A, C429A, and E431A abolished the conformational change, while N427A, C787A, and C790A diminished it. C444A was unique since it was able to alter the conformation even in absence of gemcitabine treatment. We conclude that the thiol alkylator NEM can stabilize the gemcitabine-induced conformational change of RRM1, and this stabilized RRM1

  15. Modulation of the ribonucleotide reductase M1-gemcitabine interaction in vivo by N-ethylmaleimide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Zhengming; Zhou, Jun; Zhang, Yingtao; Bepler, Gerold

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Gemcitabine induces a RRM1 conformational change in tumor cell lines and xenografts. → The 110 kDa RRM1 is unique to gemcitabine interaction among 12 cytotoxic agents. → The 110 kDa RRM1 can be stabilized by the thiol alkylator N-ethylmaleimide. → C218A, C429A, and E431A mutations in RRM1 abolished the conformational change. → The 110 kDa RRM1 may be a specific biomarker of gemcitabine's therapeutic efficacy. -- Abstract: Ribonucleotide reductase M1 (RRM1) is the regulatory subunit of the holoenzyme that catalyzes the conversion of ribonucleotides to 2'-deoxyribonucleotides. Its function is indispensible in cell proliferation and DNA repair. It also serves as a biomarker of therapeutic efficacy of the antimetabolite drug gemcitabine (2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine) in various malignancies. However, a mechanistic explanation remains to be determined. This study investigated how the alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) interacts with the inhibitory activity of gemcitabine on its target protein RRM1 in vivo. We found, when cells were treated with gemcitabine in the presence of NEM, a novel 110 kDa band, along with the 90 kDa native RRM1 band, appeared in immunoblots. This 110 kDa band was identified as RRM1 by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and represented a conformational change resulting from covalent labeling by gemcitabine. It is specific to gemcitabine/NEM, among 11 other chemotherapy drugs tested. It was also detectable in human tumor xenografts in mice treated with gemcitabine. Among mutations of seven residues essential for RRM1 function, C218A, C429A, and E431A abolished the conformational change, while N427A, C787A, and C790A diminished it. C444A was unique since it was able to alter the conformation even in absence of gemcitabine treatment. We conclude that the thiol alkylator NEM can stabilize the gemcitabine-induced conformational change of RRM1, and this stabilized RRM1 conformation has the potential to serve as a specific

  16. Characterization of the insulin-sensitive low Km cAMP phosphodiesterase from rat adipose tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Degerman, E.; Belfrage, P.; Manganiello, V.C.

    1986-01-01

    Particulate, but not soluble, low K/sub m/ cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity of rat adipocytes was increased 50-100% during incubation (10 min) of intact cells with 1-3 nM insulin; activation was less with higher or lower insulin concentrations. Activation was maintained during solubilization with an alkyl polyoxyethylene non-ionic detergent C 13 , E 12 and NaBr and chromatography on DEAE. Enzyme from DEAE was further purified by chromatography on Sepahadex G-200 and Blue-Sepharose. Activity (with 0.5 μM [ 3 H]cAMP) was rather sensitive to inhibition by p-chloromercuribenzoate (IC 50 , 1 μM) and less so by 2,2'-dithiobis-(5-nitropyridine) (160 μM), N-ethylmaleimide (525 μM) and iodoacetamide (750 μM). PDE activity was also rather sensitive to inhibition by cilostamide (IC 50 , ∼40 nM) and the cardiotonic drugs CI 930 (450 nM) and milrinone (630 nM) but rather insensitive to RO 20-1724 (190 μM). Based on effects of these inhibitors, the hormone-sensitive low K/sub m/ particulate cAMP PDE from rat adipocytes seems to be analogous to the insulin-activated particulate PDE from 3T3-L1 adipocytes and the cilostamide-sensitive soluble low K/sub m/ cAMP PDE from bovine liver (designated as III-C), platelets, heart, and other tissues

  17. Multiple Ca2+ sensors in secretion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walter, Alexander M; Groffen, Alexander J; Sørensen, Jakob Balslev

    2011-01-01

    Regulated neurotransmitter secretion depends on Ca(2+) sensors, C2 domain proteins that associate with phospholipids and soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes to trigger release upon Ca(2+) binding. Ca(2+) sensors are thought to prevent spontaneous...

  18. Characterization of the insulin-sensitive low Km cAMP phosphodiesterase from rat adipose tissue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Degerman, E.; Belfrage, P.; Manganiello, V.C.

    1986-05-01

    Particulate, but not soluble, low K/sub m/ cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity of rat adipocytes was increased 50-100% during incubation (10 min) of intact cells with 1-3 nM insulin; activation was less with higher or lower insulin concentrations. Activation was maintained during solubilization with an alkyl polyoxyethylene non-ionic detergent C/sub 13/, E/sub 12/ and NaBr and chromatography on DEAE. Enzyme from DEAE was further purified by chromatography on Sepahadex G-200 and Blue-Sepharose. Activity (with 0.5 ..mu..M (/sup 3/H)cAMP) was rather sensitive to inhibition by p-chloromercuribenzoate (IC/sub 50/, 1 ..mu..M) and less so by 2,2'-dithiobis-(5-nitropyridine) (160 ..mu..M), N-ethylmaleimide (525 ..mu..M) and iodoacetamide (750 ..mu..M). PDE activity was also rather sensitive to inhibition by cilostamide (IC/sub 50/, approx.40 nM) and the cardiotonic drugs CI 930 (450 nM) and milrinone (630 nM) but rather insensitive to RO 20-1724 (190 ..mu..M). Based on effects of these inhibitors, the hormone-sensitive low K/sub m/ particulate cAMP PDE from rat adipocytes seems to be analogous to the insulin-activated particulate PDE from 3T3-L1 adipocytes and the cilostamide-sensitive soluble low K/sub m/ cAMP PDE from bovine liver (designated as III-C), platelets, heart, and other tissues.

  19. Assessment of the combined approach of N-alkylation and salt formation to enhance aqueous solubility of tertiary amines using bupivacaine as a model drug

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Anders Bach; Frydenvang, Karla Andrea; Liljefors, Tommy

    2005-01-01

    as their iodide salts. Chloride, mesylate, formate, acetate, glycolate, and tosylate salts were obtained by anion exchange of the N-methyl-bupivacaine derivative. N-Alkylation and salt formation afforded quaternary ammonium salts possessing pH-independent aqueous solubilities far exceeding that of the parent......Quaternary prodrug types of poorly water-soluble tertiary amines have been shown to exhibit significantly enhanced solubilities as compared to the parent amine. In the present study the combined effect of N-alkylation and salt formation to enhance aqueous solubility of tertiary amines have been...

  20. Purification of labeled cyanogen bromide peptides of the alpha polypeptide from sodium ion and potassium ion activated adenosinetriphosphatase modified with N-[3H]ethylmaleimide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le, D.T.

    1986-01-01

    Sodium ion and potassium ion activated adenosinetriphosphatase, isolated from canine kidney, was reacted with N-[ 3 H]ethylmaleimide while it was poised in three different conformations, ostensibly E2-P, E2, and E1, respectively. These assignments were made from a consideration of the particular concentrations of ligands in the respective alkylation mixtures. After a 30-min reaction, the remaining enzymatic activity was found to vary among these three different samples from 90 to 30% of that of unalkylated controls. In all cases, the alpha polypeptide was purified and subjected to digestion with cyanogen bromide, and in each digest the same two distinct radioactive peptides were identified and purified by gel filtration on a column of Sephadex LH-60. The incorporation of N-[ 3 H]ethylmaleimide into one of these two peptides correlated closely with enzymatic inactivation, while the incorporation into the other was most extensive when the portion of the active site to which ATP binds was unoccupied. Alkylation of the residue within the latter peptide, however, does not result in inactivation of the enzyme. Both peptides were further purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and their amino-terminal sequences were determined by manual dansyl Edman or solid-phase techniques. The peptide containing the sulfhydryl protected by ATP has, as its amino terminus, the lysine that reacts exclusively with fluoresceinyl 5'-isothiocyanate

  1. Purification of labeled cyanogen bromide peptides of the alpha polypeptide from sodium ion and potassium ion activated adenosinetriphosphatase modified with N-(/sup 3/H)ethylmaleimide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Le, D.T.

    1986-05-06

    Sodium ion and potassium ion activated adenosinetriphosphatase, isolated from canine kidney, was reacted with N-(/sup 3/H)ethylmaleimide while it was poised in three different conformations, ostensibly E2-P, E2, and E1, respectively. These assignments were made from a consideration of the particular concentrations of ligands in the respective alkylation mixtures. After a 30-min reaction, the remaining enzymatic activity was found to vary among these three different samples from 90 to 30% of that of unalkylated controls. In all cases, the alpha polypeptide was purified and subjected to digestion with cyanogen bromide, and in each digest the same two distinct radioactive peptides were identified and purified by gel filtration on a column of Sephadex LH-60. The incorporation of N-(/sup 3/H)ethylmaleimide into one of these two peptides correlated closely with enzymatic inactivation, while the incorporation into the other was most extensive when the portion of the active site to which ATP binds was unoccupied. Alkylation of the residue within the latter peptide, however, does not result in inactivation of the enzyme. Both peptides were further purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and their amino-terminal sequences were determined by manual dansyl Edman or solid-phase techniques. The peptide containing the sulfhydryl protected by ATP has, as its amino terminus, the lysine that reacts exclusively with fluoresceinyl 5'-isothiocyanate.

  2. Redox agents and N-ethylmaleimide affect protein polymerization during laboratory scale dry pasta production and cooking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruneel, Charlotte; Buggenhout, Joke; Lagrain, Bert; Brijs, Kristof; Delcour, Jan A

    2016-04-01

    Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) semolina gluten proteins consist of monomeric gliadin and polymeric glutenin and determine the quality of pasta products made therefrom. During pasta drying, glutenin starts polymerizing already below 60 °C (65% relative humidity (RH)), whereas gliadin only is incorporated in the protein network at temperatures exceeding 68 °C (68% RH) through thiol (SH)/disulfide (SS) exchange reactions. Removal of free SH groups in glutenin by adding 2.3 μmol KBrO3 or KIO3 per g dry matter semolina protein (g protein) or 13.8 μmol N-ethylmaleimide/g protein reduces gliadin-glutenin cross-linking during pasta drying and/or cooking and yields cooked pasta of high quality. Introducing free SH groups by adding 13.8 μmol glutathione/g protein increases gliadin-glutenin cross-linking during pasta processing, resulting in cooked pasta of lower quality. We hypothesize that too much gliadin incorporation in the glutenin network during pasta processing tightens the protein network and results in lower cooking quality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Pressurized capillary electrochromatographic analysis of water-soluble vitamins by combining with on-line concentration technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Li; Liu, Yaling; Du, Yanyan; Xing, Da

    2007-06-22

    A pressurized capillary electrochromatography (pCEC) system was developed for the separation of water-soluble vitamins, in which UV absorbance was used as the detection method and a monolithic silica-ODS column as the separation column. The parameters (type and content of organic solvent in the mobile phase, type and concentration of electrolyte, pH of the electrolyte buffer, applied voltage and flow rate) affecting the separation resolution were evaluated. The combination of two on-line concentration techniques, namely, solvent gradient zone sharpening effect and field-enhanced sample stacking, was utilized to improve detection sensitivity, which proved to be beneficial to enhance the detection sensitivity by enabling the injection of large volumes of samples. Coupling electrokinetic injection with the on-line concentration techniques was much more beneficial for the concentration of positively charged vitamins. Comparing with the conventional injection mode, the enhancement in the detection sensitivities of water-soluble vitamins using the on-line concentration technique is in the range of 3 to 35-fold. The developed pCEC method was applied to evaluate water-soluble vitamins in corns.

  4. [Determination of equilibrium solubility and n-octanol/water partition coefficient of pulchinenosiden D by HPLC].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Xiao-Yong; Yin, Shan; Zhang, Guo-Song; Luo, Xiao-Jian; Jian, Hui; Feng, Yu-Lin; Yang, Shi-Lin

    2014-05-01

    To determine the equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D in different solvents and its n-octanol/water partition coefficients. Combining shaking flask method and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to detect the n-octanol/water partition coefficients of pulchinenosiden D, the equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D in six organic solvents and different pH buffer solution were determined by HPLC analysis. n-Octanol/water partition coefficients of pulchinenosiden D in different pH were greater than zero, the equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D was increased with increase the pH of the buffer solution. The maximum equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D was 255.89 g x L(-1) in methanol, and minimum equilibrium solubility of pulchinenosiden D was 0.20 g x L(-1) in acetonitrile. Under gastrointestinal physiological conditions, pulchinenosiden D exists in molecular state and it has good absorption but poor water-solubility, so increasing the dissolution rate of pulchinenosiden D may enhance its bioavailability.

  5. Amblyomma americanum salivary gland homolog of nSec1 is essential for saliva protein secretion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karim, Shahid; Ramakrishnan, Vijay G.; Tucker, James S.; Essenberg, Richard C.; Sauer, John R.

    2004-01-01

    Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor proteins assemble in tight core complexes which promote fusion of carrier vesicles with target compartments. Members of this class of proteins are expressed in all eukaryotic cells and distributed in distinct subcellular compartments. All vesicle transport mechanisms known to date have an essential requirement for a member of the Sec1 protein family, including the nSec1 in regulated exocytosis. A homolog of nSec1 was cloned and sequenced from the salivary glands of partially fed female ticks. Double-stranded RNA was used to specifically reduce the amount of nSec1 mRNA and protein in female adult tick salivary glands. This reduction was accompanied by a decrease in anticoagulant protein release by the glands and by abnormalities in feeding by dsRNA treated ticks. We report the efficacy of double-stranded RNA-mediated interference in 'knocking down' nSec1 both in vivo and in vitro in tick salivary glands and the applicability of this technique for studying the mechanism of exocytosis in tick salivary glands

  6. Sensitivity analysis of uranium solubility under strongly oxidizing conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, L.; Neretnieks, I.

    1999-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of geochemical conditions in the repository on the solubility of uranium under strongly oxidizing conditions, a mathematical model has been developed to determine the solubility, by utilizing a set of nonlinear algebraic equations to describe the chemical equilibria in the groundwater environment. The model takes into account the predominant precipitation-dissolution reactions, hydrolysis reactions and complexation reactions that may occur under strongly oxidizing conditions. The model also includes the solubility-limiting solids induced by the presence of carbonate, phosphate, silicate, calcium, and sodium in the groundwater. The thermodynamic equilibrium constants used in the solubility calculations are essentially taken from the NEA Thermochemical Data Base of Uranium, with some modification and some uranium minerals added, such as soddyite, rutherfordite, uranophane, uranyl orthophosphate, and becquerelite. By applying this model, the sensitivities of uranium solubility to variations in the concentrations of various groundwater component species are systematically investigated. The results show that the total analytical concentrations of carbonate, phosphate, silicate, and calcium in deep groundwater play the most important role in determining the solubility of uranium under strongly oxidizing conditions

  7. The interaction of mammalian Class C Vps with nSec-1/Munc18-a and syntaxin 1A regulates pre-synaptic release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Bong Yoon; Sahara, Yoshinori; Yamamoto, Akitsugu; Kominami, Eiki; Kohsaka, Shinichi; Akazawa, Chihiro

    2006-01-01

    Membrane docking and fusion in neurons is a highly regulated process requiring the participation of a large number of SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) and SNARE-interacting proteins. We found that mammalian Class C Vps protein complex associated specifically with nSec-1/Munc18-a, and syntaxin 1A both in vivo and in vitro. In contrast, VAMP2 and SNAP-25, other neuronal core complex proteins, did not interact. When co-transfected with the human growth hormone (hGH) reporter gene, mammalian Class C Vps proteins enhanced Ca 2+ -dependent exocytosis, which was abolished by the Ca 2+ -channel blocker nifedipine. In hippocampal primary cultures, the lentivirus-mediated overexpression of hVps18 increased asynchronous spontaneous synaptic release without changing mEPSCs. These results indicate that mammalian Class C Vps proteins are involved in the regulation of membrane docking and fusion through an interaction with neuronal specific SNARE molecules, nSec-1/Munc18-a and syntaxin 1A

  8. Radiation synthesis of a water-soluble temperature sensitive polymer, activated copolymer and applications in immobilization of proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhai Maolin; Ha Hongfei; Wu Jilan

    1993-01-01

    In this work the radiation polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM) in aqueous solutions has been carried out and a water-soluble, temperature sensitive polymer and copolymer were obtained by using γ-rays from Co-60 source at room temperature. We have gained the optimum dose and dose-rate of radiation synthesis of linear polyNIPAAM through determining conversion yield and viscosity. In order to immobilize protein (BSA) and enzyme (HRP) into this water-soluble polymer, we prepared an activated copolymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-acryloxysuccinimide). The BSA and HRP has been immobilized onto the activated copolymer. The BSA (HRP)/copolymer conjugates still kept the original thermally sensitive properties of the linear polyNIPAAM. The conjugation yield of BSA to the activated copolymer decreased with increasing dose. Immobilized HRP was stable at 0 o C for a long time and has, at least, 4 days stability at room temperature. Immobilized HRP activity was lowered when the temperature was raised. This phenomenon was reversible and the immobilized HRP regained activity. The optimum pH of the immobilized HRP shifted from ca.5 upward to ca. 7. (author)

  9. In vitro assay of the chlorophyll biosynthetic enzyme Mg-chelatase: Resolution of the activity into soluble and membrane-bound fractions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walker, C.J.; Weinstein, J.D. (Clemson Univ., SC (United States))

    1991-07-01

    The first committed step in chlorophyll synthesis is the Mg-chelatase-catalyzed insertion of magnesium into protoporphyrin IX. Since iron insertion into protoporphyrin leads to heme formation, Mg-chelatase lies at the branch point of heme and chlorophyll synthesis in chloroplasts. Little is known about the enzymology or regulation of Mg-chelatase, as it has been assayed only in intact cucumber chloroplasts. In this report we describe an in vitro assay for Mg-chelatase. Mg-chelatase activity in intact pea chloroplasts was 3- to 4-fold higher than in cucumber chloroplasts. This activity survived chloroplast lysis and could be fractionated by centrifugation into supernatant and pellet components. Both of these fractions were required to reconstitute Mg-chelatase activity, and both were inactivated by boiling indicating that the enzyme is composed of soluble and membrane-bound protein(s). The product of the reaction was confirmed fluorometrically as the magnesium chelate of the porphyrin substrate. The specific activity of the reconstituted system was typically 1 nmol of Mg-deuteroporphyrin per h per mg of protein, and activity was linear for at least 60 min under our assay conditions. ATP and magnesium were required for Mg-chelatase activity and the enzymen was sensitive to the sulfhydryl reagent N-ethylmaleimide (I{sub 50}, 20 {mu}M). Broken and reconstituted cucumber chloroplasts were unable to maintain Mg-chelatase activity. However, the cucumber supernatant fraction was active when combined with the pellet fraction of peas; the converse was not true, which suggested that the cucumber pellet was the component that lost activity during lysis.

  10. Study of N-cinnamoylphenylhydroxylaminate solubility in water and organic solvents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pilipenko, A.T.; Shpak, Eh.A.; Samchuk, A.I.

    1975-01-01

    The composition of complexes of N-cinnamoylphenylhydroxylamine with copper, cadmium, lead, indium, iron, gallium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum and vanadium was determined. The solubility products of the N-cinnamoylphenylhydroxylaminates of copper, cadmium, indium, gallium and iron were determined by the method of measuring the solubility of precipitates in acid. The solubility of N-cinnamoylphenylhydroxalaminates of cadmium, indium, iron, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, vanadium, molybdenum and tungsten in organic solvents was studied. Two-phase constants for the stability of the complexes were calculated. (author)

  11. High Sensitivity Detection of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dot-Labeled DNA Based on N-type Porous Silicon Microcavities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Changwu; Jia, Zhenhong; Lv, Jie; Zhang, Hongyan; Li, Yanyu

    2017-01-01

    N-type macroporous silicon microcavity structures were prepared using electrochemical etching in an HF solution in the absence of light and oxidants. The CdSe/ZnS water-soluble quantum dot-labeled DNA target molecules were detected by monitoring the microcavity reflectance spectrum, which was characterized by the reflectance spectrum defect state position shift resulting from changes to the structures' refractive index. Quantum dots with a high refractive index and DNA coupling can improve the detection sensitivity by amplifying the optical response signals of the target DNA. The experimental results show that DNA combined with a quantum dot can improve the sensitivity of DNA detection by more than five times.

  12. Combining magnetic nanoparticle with biotinylated nanobodies for rapid and sensitive detection of influenza H3N2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Min; Hu, Yonghong; Li, Guirong; Ou, Weijun; Mao, Panyong; Xin, Shaojie; Wan, Yakun

    2014-09-01

    Our objective is to develop a rapid and sensitive assay based on magnetic beads to detect the concentration of influenza H3N2. The possibility of using variable domain heavy-chain antibodies (nanobody) as diagnostic tools for influenza H3N2 was investigated. A healthy camel was immunized with inactivated influenza H3N2. A nanobody library of 8 × 108 clones was constructed and phage displayed. After three successive biopanning steps, H3N2-specific nanobodies were successfully isolated, expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified. Sequence analysis of the nanobodies revealed that we possessed four classes of nanobodies against H3N2. Two nanobodies were further used to prepare our rapid diagnostic kit. Biotinylated nanobody was effectively immobilized onto the surface of streptavidin magnetic beads. The modified magnetic beads with nanobody capture specifically influenza H3N2 and can still be recognized by nanobodies conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugates. Under optimized conditions, the present immunoassay exhibited a relatively high sensitive detection with a limit of 50 ng/mL. In conclusion, by combining magnetic beads with specific nanobodies, this assay provides a promising influenza detection assay to develop a potential rapid, sensitive, and low-cost diagnostic tool to screen for influenza infections.

  13. SNARE Requirements En Route to Exocytosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mohrmann, Ralf; Sørensen, Jakob Balslev

    2012-01-01

    Although it has been known for almost two decades that the ternary complex of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) constitutes the functional unit driving membrane fusion, our knowledge about the dynamical arrangement and organization of SNARE proteins and their......Although it has been known for almost two decades that the ternary complex of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) constitutes the functional unit driving membrane fusion, our knowledge about the dynamical arrangement and organization of SNARE proteins...

  14. Increased activity of the Vesicular Soluble N-Ethylmaleimide-sensitive Factor Attachment Protein Receptor TI-VAMP/VAMP7 by Tyrosine Phosphorylation in the Longin Domain*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgo, Andrea; Casano, Alessandra M.; Kuster, Aurelia; Arold, Stefan T.; Wang, Guan; Nola, Sébastien; Verraes, Agathe; Dingli, Florent; Loew, Damarys; Galli, Thierry

    2013-01-01

    Vesicular (v)- and target (t)-SNAREs play essential roles in intracellular membrane fusion through the formation of cytoplasmic α-helical bundles. Several v-SNAREs have a Longin N-terminal extension that, by promoting a closed conformation, plays an autoinhibitory function and decreases SNARE complex formation and membrane fusion efficiency. The molecular mechanism leading to Longin v-SNARE activation is largely unknown. Here we find that exocytosis mediated by the Longin v-SNARE TI-VAMP/VAMP7 is activated by tonic treatment with insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 but not by depolarization and intracellular calcium rise. In search of a potential downstream mechanism, we found that TI-VAMP is phosphorylated in vitro by c-Src kinase on tyrosine 45 of the Longin domain. Accordingly, a mutation of tyrosine 45 into glutamate, but not phenylalanine, activates both t-SNARE binding and exocytosis. Activation of TI-VAMP-mediated exocytosis thus relies on tyrosine phosphorylation. PMID:23471971

  15. Action of mercurials on activity of partially purified soluble protein kinase C from mice brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inoue, Y.; Saijoh, K.; Sumino, K.

    1988-01-01

    The enzymatic activity of soluble protein kinase C from mice brain was inhibited by mercuric chloride (II) (HgCl 2 ) and organic mercurials, i.e. methyl mercury, phenyl mercury and p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB). The IC50 was 0.08 μM for HgCl 2 and about 1 μM for organic mercurials. Sulfhydryl blocking reagents such as 5.5'-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) were less potent but nevertheless inhibited the enzymic activity of protein kinase C. The Hill coefficients of HgCl 2 , DTNB and NEM were close to unity whereas the values for organic mercurials were 1.3 to 1.5. The inhibition was of a non-competitive type with respect to Hl histone. 3 H-PDBu binding activity was also inhibited by all of the reagents in a non-competitive manner. Mercurials apparently bind to sulfhydryl groups of protein kinase C to inhibit the enzymatic activity. (author)

  16. In vitro effects of platinum compounds on renal cellular respiration in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almarzooqi, Saeeda-S; Alfazari, Ali-S; Abdul-Kader, Hidaya-M; Saraswathiamma, Dhanya; Albawardi, Alia-S; Souid, Abdul-Kader

    2015-01-01

    Cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin are structurally-related compounds, which are commonly used in cancer therapy. Cisplatin (Platinol(®)) has Boxed Warning stating: "Cumulative renal toxicity associated with PLATINOL is severe", while carboplatin and oxaliplatin are less nephrotoxic. These drugs form platinum adducts with cellular DNA. Their bindings to cellular thiols (e.g., glutathione and metallothionein) are known to contribute to drug resistance while thiol depletion augments platinum toxicity. Using phosphorescence oxygen analyzer, this study investigated the effects of platinum drugs on renal cellular respiration (mitochondrial O2 consumption) in the presence and absence of the thiol blocking agent N-ethylmaleimide (used here as a model for thiol depletion). Renal cellular ATP was also determined. Kidney fragments from C57BL/6 mice were incubated at 37 °C in Krebs-Henseleit buffer (gassed with 95% O2:5% CO2) with and without 100 μM platinum drug in the presence and absence of 100 μM N-ethylmaleimide for ≤ 6 h. Platinum drugs alone had no effects on cellular respiration (P ≥ 0.143) or ATP (P ≥ 0.161). N-ethylmaleimide lowered cellular respiration (P ≤ 0.114) and ATP (P = 0.008). The combination of platinum drug and N-ethylmaleimide significantly lowered both cellular respiration (P ≤ 0.006) and ATP (P ≤ 0.003). Incubations with N-ethylmaleimide alone were associated with moderate-to-severe tubular necrosis. Incubations with cisplatin+N-ethylmaleimide vs. cisplatin alone produced similar severities of tubular necrosis. Tubular derangements were more prominent in carboplatin+N-ethylmaleimide vs. carboplatin alone and in oxaliplatin+N-ethylmaleimide vs. oxaliplatin alone. These results demonstrate the adverse events of thiol depletion on platinum-induced nephrotoxicities. The results suggest cellular bioenergetics is a useful surrogate biomarker for assessing drug-induced nephrotoxicities.

  17. Radiation synthesis of the water-soluble, temperature sensitive polymer, copolymer and study on their properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhai Maolin; Yin Min; Ha Hongfei

    1994-01-01

    In order to obtain the water-soluble, temperature sensitive polymer and activated copolymer, the radiation polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm), radiation copolymerization of NIPAAm and N-acryloxysuccide (NASI) in aqueous solution or in buffer solution (PBS pH = 7.4) have been carried out by γ-rays from 60 Co source at room temperature. The optimum dose range (1-7 kGy), dose rate (>40 Gy/min) and monomer concentration (1%) were chosen through determining the monomer conversion yield and molecular weight (M w = 6.8 x 10 5 ) of product. Synthesis of the reversible linear polymer was performed in tetrahydrofuran (THF) as well. In this way a white powder product could be obtained which possesses of thermally reversible property too, when it was dissolved in water or PBS. The only disadvantages of this method is that the molecular weight of the polymer produced in THF was much lower than that in aqueous solution

  18. Fermentation of rapeseed meal, sunflower meal and faba beans in combination with wheat bran increases solubility of protein and phosphorus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Hanne Damgaard; Blaabjerg, Karoline

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND To increase self-supply of protein and phosphorus (P) in European pig and poultry diets and reduce nitrogen (N) and P excretion, attention is directed to approaches increasing protein and P digestibility of rapeseed, sunflower and faba beans. Wheat bran is rich in enzymes degrading...... and solubilizing protein and phytate. Herein, solubilization of protein, N and P was investigated when increasing ratios of wheat bran were fermented with rapeseed meal (RSM), sunflower meal (SFM), faba beans (FB) or a combination of these (RSM/SFM/FB). RESULTS Protein, N and P solubility was greater, for all...

  19. Optimal Solubility of Diclofenac β-Cyclodextrin in Combination with Local Anaesthetics for Mesotherapy Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tringali, Giuseppe; Navarra, Pierluigi

    2017-01-01

    Because of low injection volume, the recently marketed injectable solution of diclofenac in complex with β -cyclodextrin (Akis®, IBSA Farmaceutici Italia) is an ideal candidate for mesotherapy applications. In this study, we investigated the solubility of Akis, 25 and 50 mg/kg, in combination with various local anaesthetics (lidocaine, mepivacaine, bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, and ropivacaine) at different concentrations in aqueous vehicles (normal saline, sterile water, or bicarbonate). Final injection mixtures were classified as limpid, turbid, or milky at visual analysis under standardized conditions. We found that (i) the use of sterile water for injections or normal saline as vehicles to dilute Akis in combination with whatever local anaesthetic normally results in milky solutions and therefore is not recommended; (ii) using bicarbonate, optimal solubility was obtained combining Akis with lidocaine, both 1 and 2%, or mepivacaine, both 1 and 2%, whereas solutions were turbid in combination with bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, or ropivacaine. Thus, we recommend that Akis is used in combination with lidocaine or mepivacaine in a bicarbonate vehicle.

  20. Optimal Solubility of Diclofenac β-Cyclodextrin in Combination with Local Anaesthetics for Mesotherapy Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giuseppe Tringali

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Because of low injection volume, the recently marketed injectable solution of diclofenac in complex with β-cyclodextrin (Akis®, IBSA Farmaceutici Italia is an ideal candidate for mesotherapy applications. In this study, we investigated the solubility of Akis, 25 and 50 mg/kg, in combination with various local anaesthetics (lidocaine, mepivacaine, bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, and ropivacaine at different concentrations in aqueous vehicles (normal saline, sterile water, or bicarbonate. Final injection mixtures were classified as limpid, turbid, or milky at visual analysis under standardized conditions. We found that (i the use of sterile water for injections or normal saline as vehicles to dilute Akis in combination with whatever local anaesthetic normally results in milky solutions and therefore is not recommended; (ii using bicarbonate, optimal solubility was obtained combining Akis with lidocaine, both 1 and 2%, or mepivacaine, both 1 and 2%, whereas solutions were turbid in combination with bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, or ropivacaine. Thus, we recommend that Akis is used in combination with lidocaine or mepivacaine in a bicarbonate vehicle.

  1. Chemical modification of conventional cancer radiotherapy. Tumor sensitization combined with normal tissue protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kagiya, Tsutomu

    2006-01-01

    Nitrotriazole radiosensitizer, Sanazole (AK-2123, N-(2'-methoxyethyl)-2-(3''-nitro-1''-triazolyl) acetamide) developed by Kyoto University group was studied by 18 groups of 7 countries on fundamental aspects and clinical studies by 30 groups of 12 countries, and reported its effects on tumor sensitization of conventional cancer radiotherapy. On the other hand, the glucosides of vitamin C (Ascorbic acid glucoside, (AsAG) and water soluble derivative of vitamin-E (α-tocopherol glucoside, TMG) developed by Kyoto University group were studied fundamentally by 4 groups of 4 countries and clinically by 2 groups of 2 countries, and reported their effects on normal tissue protection in cancer treatments. These two studies of tumor sensitization and normal tissue protection were proposed as an advanced strategy of conventional cancer radiotherapy. (author)

  2. Determinación de sales solubles y eflorescencias en tejas cerámicas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amorós, J. L.

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The appearance of efflorescences constitutes a serious problem for ceramic roofing tile quality, since efflorescences affect roofing tile technical and aesthetic qualities. This paper describes a method of determining the soluble salts present in the raw materials used in ceramic roofing tile manufacture and in the resulting roofing tiles, as well as an analysis of the phases in roofing tile efflorescences. The study was divided into three parts. First, a method of determining the soluble salts was developed, optimising the extraction method and fine-tuning an anion measurement method by ionic chromatography. Secondly, the changes in solubility, as well as the chemical and structural changes that occurred when the raw materials were subjected to firing, were studied. Finally, the efflorescences of a group of unfired and fired ceramic roofing tiles were characterised, in order to relate them to the quantity and type of soluble salts contained. The study concludes that it is necessary to conduct solubility tests on fired samples under real conditions, since important structural changes occur in the firing process, which lead to considerable variations in the soluble salts. Furthermore, in addition to analysing Na(I, K(I, and Mg(II as indicated in the standard, it is advisable to determine Ca(II and SO4 2-, since these are the major components in the efflorescences.

    La aparición de eflorescencias constituye un serio problema para la calidad de las tejas cerámicas ya que afectan a las características técnicas y estéticas de éstas. En este trabajo se ha realizado un estudio del método de determinación de las sales solubles presentes en materias primas y en tejas cerámicas, así como un análisis de fases de las eflorescencias halladas. El trabajo se ha dividido en tres fases. Primero, se ha desarrollado un método de determinación de las sales solubles, optimizando el método de extracción y poniendo a punto

  3. pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles to improve oral bioavailability of peptide/protein drugs and poorly water-soluble drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xue-Qing; Zhang, Qiang

    2012-10-01

    pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles are promising for oral drug delivery, especially for peptide/protein drugs and poorly water-soluble medicines. This review describes current status of pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles for oral drug delivery and introduces the mechanisms of drug release from them as well as possible reasons for absorption improvement, with emphasis on our contribution to this field. pH-sensitive polymeric nanoparticles are prepared mainly with polyanions, polycations, their mixtures or cross-linked polymers. The mechanisms of drug release are the result of carriers' dissolution, swelling or both of them at specific pH. The possible reasons for improvement of oral bioavailability include the following: improve drug stability, enhance mucoadhesion, prolong resident time in GI tract, ameliorate intestinal permeability and increase saturation solubility and dissolution rate for poorly water-soluble drugs. As for the advantages of pH-sensitive nanoparticles over conventional nanoparticles, we conclude that (1) most carriers used are enteric-coating materials and their safety has been approved. (2) The rapid dissolution or swelling of carriers at specific pH results in quick drug release and high drug concentration gradient, which is helpful for absorption. (3) At the specific pH carriers dissolve or swell, and the bioadhesion of carriers to mucosa becomes high because nanoparticles turn from solid to gel, which can facilitate drug absorption. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. A study of membrane protein defects and alpha hemoglobin chains of red blood cells in human beta thalassemia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rouyer-Fessard, P.; Garel, M.C.; Domenget, C.; Guetarni, D.; Bachir, D.; Colonna, P.; Beuzard, Y.

    1989-01-01

    The soluble pool of alpha hemoglobin chains present in blood or bone marrow cells was measured with a new affinity method using a specific probe, beta A hemoglobin chain labeled with [ 3 H]N-ethylmaleimide. This pool of soluble alpha chains was 0.067 ± 0.017% of hemoglobin in blood of normal adult, 0.11 ± 0.03% in heterozygous beta thalassemia and ranged from 0.26 to 1.30% in homozygous beta thalassemia intermedia. This elevated pool of soluble alpha chains observed in human beta thalassemia intermedia decreased 33-fold from a value of 10% of total hemoglobin in bone marrow cells to 0.3% in the most dense red blood cells. The amount of insoluble alpha chains was measured by using the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in urea and Triton X-100. In beta thalassemia intermedia the amount of insoluble alpha chains was correlated with the decreased spectrin content of red cell membrane and was associated with a decrease in ankyrin and with other abnormalities of the electrophoretic pattern of membrane proteins. The loss and topology of the reactive thiol groups of membrane proteins was determined by using [ 3 H]N-ethylmaleimide added to membrane ghosts prior to urea and Triton X-100 electrophoresis. Spectrin and ankyrin were the major proteins with the most important decrease of thiol groups

  5. Acid-base properties of the N3 ruthenium(II) solar cell sensitizer: a combined experimental and computational analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizzoli, Giuliano; Lobello, Maria Grazia; Carlotti, Benedetta; Elisei, Fausto; Nazeeruddin, Mohammad K; Vitillaro, Giuseppe; De Angelis, Filippo

    2012-10-14

    We report a combined spectro-photometric and computational investigation of the acid-base equilibria of the N3 solar cell sensitizer [Ru(dcbpyH(2))(2)(NCS)(2)] (dcbpyH(2) = 4,4'-dicarboxyl-2,2' bipyridine) in aqueous/ethanol solutions. The absorption spectra of N3 recorded at various pH values were analyzed by Single Value Decomposition techniques, followed by Global Fitting procedures, allowing us to identify four separate acid-base equilibria and their corresponding ground state pK(a) values. DFT/TDDFT calculations were performed for the N3 dye in solution, investigating the possible relevant species obtained by sequential deprotonation of the four dye carboxylic groups. TDDFT excited state calculations provided UV-vis absorption spectra which nicely agree with the experimental spectral shapes at various pH values. The calculated pK(a) values are also in good agreement with experimental data, within <1 pK(a) unit. Based on the calculated energy differences a tentative assignment of the N3 deprotonation pathway is reported.

  6. Solubility of DCH18C6 and n-octanol in nitric acid system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Qiange; Wang Jianchen; Chen Jing

    2011-01-01

    Equilibrium solubility of DCH18C6 and n-octanol in aqueous solution were determined by GC. And effects of temperature, concentration of Sr 2+ or HNO 3 were studied. The results indicate that solubility of DCH18C6 is substantial and make the crown ether continually drain from organic phase which could be 3% at most. As diluent, n-octanol could dissolve in water with certain quantity. So n-octanol, and then kerosene should be used to extract DCH18C6 and n-octanol from aqueous phase. Or toluene is taken to recover DCH18C6 and n-octanol at the same time. Above extractants could recover more than 99% of solute from aqueous solution in the volume ratio 1:1. (author)

  7. Combined experimental and computational modelling studies of the solubility of nickel in strontium titanate

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beale, A.M.; Paul, M.; Sankar, G.; Oldman, R.J.; Catlow, R.A.; French, S.; Fowles, M.

    2009-01-01

    A combination of X-ray techniques and atomistic computational modelling has been used to study the solubility of Ni in SrTiO3 in relation to the application of this material for the catalytic partial oxidation of methane. The experiments have demonstrated that low temperature, hydrothermal synthesis

  8. Progress in understanding the neuronal SNARE function and its regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, T-Y; Shin, Y-K

    2009-02-01

    Vesicle budding and fusion underlies many essential biochemical deliveries in eukaryotic cells, and its core fusion machinery is thought to be built on one protein family named soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE). Recent technical advances based on site-directed fluorescence labelling and nano-scale detection down to the single-molecule level rapidly unveiled the protein and the lipid intermediates along the fusion pathway as well as the molecular actions of fusion effectors. Here we summarize these new exciting findings in context with a new mechanistic model that reconciles two existing fusion models: the proteinaceous pore model and the hemifusion model. Further, we attempt to locate the points of action for the fusion effectors along the fusion pathway and to delineate the energetic interplay between the SNARE complexes and the fusion effectors.

  9. A New Approach on Estimation of Solubility and n-Octanol/ Water Partition Coefficient for Organohalogen Compounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chenzhong Cao

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The aqueous solubility (logW and n-octanol/water partition coefficient (logPOW are important properties for pharmacology, toxicology and medicinal chemistry. Based on an understanding of the dissolution process, the frontier orbital interaction model was suggested in the present paper to describe the solvent-solute interactions of organohalogen compounds and a general three-parameter model was proposed to predict the aqueous solubility and n-octanol/water partition coefficient for the organohalogen compounds containing nonhydrogen-binding interactions. The model has satisfactory prediction accuracy. Furthermore, every item in the model has a very explicit meaning, which should be helpful to understand the structure-solubility relationship and may be provide a new view on estimation of solubility.

  10. Munc18-1-regulated stage-wise SNARE assembly underlying synaptic exocytosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Lu; Rebane, Aleksander A; Yang, Guangcan; Xi, Zhiqun; Kang, Yuhao; Gao, Ying; Zhang, Yongli

    2015-12-23

    Synaptic-soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor (SNARE) proteins couple their stage-wise folding/assembly to rapid exocytosis of neurotransmitters in a Munc18-1-dependent manner. The functions of the different assembly stages in exocytosis and the role of Munc18-1 in SNARE assembly are not well understood. Using optical tweezers, we observed four distinct stages of assembly in SNARE N-terminal, middle, C-terminal, and linker domains (or NTD, MD, CTD, and LD, respectively). We found that SNARE layer mutations differentially affect SNARE assembly. Comparison of their effects on SNARE assembly and on exocytosis reveals that NTD and CTD are responsible for vesicle docking and fusion, respectively, whereas MD regulates SNARE assembly and fusion. Munc18-1 initiates SNARE assembly and structures t-SNARE C-terminus independent of syntaxin N-terminal regulatory domain (NRD) and stabilizes the half-zippered SNARE complex dependent upon the NRD. Our observations demonstrate distinct functions of SNARE domains whose assembly is intimately chaperoned by Munc18-1.

  11. Solubility of niobium in austenite in the presence of Nb(C,N)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mei, P.R.; Bresciani Filho, E.

    1983-01-01

    It was developed some equations to calculate the solubility of niobium in austenite in the presence of NbC sub(0.87) or NbN. These equations were applied to steels with carbon, nitrogen and niobium content varying from 10 -3 to 1 wt %, and for 800-1300 0 C temperature range. The results obtained were compared with experimental data from literature, and showed a good agreement. Using those equations, it was developed an algorithm to calculate the solubility of niobium in austenite in the presence of niobium carbonitride (NbC sub(x) N sub(y)). The results obtained by this method were compared with experimental data, and also showed a good agreement. (Author) [pt

  12. Soluble histone H2AX is induced by DNA replication stress and sensitizes cells to undergo apoptosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duensing Stefan

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Chromatin-associated histone H2AX is a key regulator of the cellular responses to DNA damage. However, non-nucleosomal functions of histone H2AX are poorly characterized. We have recently shown that soluble H2AX can trigger apoptosis but the mechanisms leading to non-chromatin-associated H2AX are unclear. Here, we tested whether stalling of DNA replication, a common event in cancer cells and the underlying mechanism of various chemotherapeutic agents, can trigger increased soluble H2AX. Results Transient overexpression of H2AX was found to lead to a detectable fraction of soluble H2AX and was associated with increased apoptosis. This effect was enhanced by the induction of DNA replication stress using the DNA polymerase α inhibitor aphidicolin. Cells manipulated to stably express H2AX did not contain soluble H2AX, however, short-term treatment with aphidicolin (1 h resulted in detectable amounts of H2AX in the soluble nuclear fraction and enhanced apoptosis. Similarly, soluble endogenous H2AX was detected under these conditions. We found that excessive soluble H2AX causes chromatin aggregation and inhibition of ongoing gene transcription as evidenced by the redistribution and/or loss of active RNA polymerase II as well as the transcriptional co-activators CBP and p300. Conclusion Taken together, these results show that DNA replication stress rapidly leads to increased soluble H2AX and that non-chromatin-associated H2AX can sensitize cells to undergo apoptosis. Our findings encourage further studies to explore H2AX and the cellular pathways that control its expression as anti-cancer drug targets.

  13. Rapid and sensitive detection of novel avian-origin influenza A (H7N9 virus by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with a lateral-flow device.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiyue Ge

    Full Text Available A severe disease in humans caused by a novel avian-origin influenza A (H7N9 virus emerged in China recently, which has caused at least 128 cases and 26 deaths. Rapid detection of the novel H7N9 virus is urgently needed to differentiate the disease from other infections, and to facilitate infection control as well as epidemiologic investigations. In this study, a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with a lateral flow device (RT-LAMP-LFD assay to rapidly detect H7N9 virus was developed and evaluated. The RT-LAMP primers were designed to target the haemagglutinin (HA and neuraminidase (NA genes of H7N9 virus. Results of 10-fold dilution series assays showed that analysis of RT-LAMP products by the LFD method was as sensitive as real-time turbidity detection, and that the analytic sensitivities of the HA and NA RT-LAMP assays were both 10 copies of synthetic RNA. Furthermore, both the assays showed 100% clinical specificity for identification of H7N9 virus. The performance characteristics of the RT-LAMP-LFD assay were evaluated with 80 clinical specimens collected from suspected H7N9 patients. The NA RT-LAMP-LFD assay was more sensitive than real time RT-PCR assay. Compared with a combination of virus culture and real-time RT-PCR, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the RT-LAMP-LFD assay were all 100%. Overall, The RT-LAMP-LFD assay established in this study can be used as a reliable method for early diagnosis of the avian-origin influenza A (H7N9 virus infection.

  14. Density, viscosity, and N2O solubility of aqueous amino acid salt and amine amino acid salt solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aronu, Ugochukwu E.; Hartono, Ardi; Svendsen, Hallvard F.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Density of amino acid salt and amine amino acid salt. ► Viscosity of amino acid salt and amine amino acid salt. ► Henry’s law constant/N 2 O solubility of amino acid salt and amine amino acid salt. ► Schumpe model. Correlations for density, viscosity, and N 2 O solubility. - Abstract: Physicochemical properties of aqueous amino acid salt (AAS), potassium salt of sarcosine (KSAR) and aqueous amine amino acid salt (AAAS), 3-(methylamino)propylamine/sarcosine (SARMAPA) have been studied. Densities of KSAR were measured for sarcosine mole fraction 0.02 to 0.25 for temperature range 298.15 K to 353.15 K, the viscosities were measured for 0.02 to 0.10 mole fraction sarcosine (293.15 K to 343.15 K) while the N 2 O solubilities were measured from 0.02 to 0.10 mole fraction sarcosine solutions (298.15 K to 363.15 K). Densities of SARMAPA were measured for sarcosine mole fraction 0.02 to 0.23 for temperature range (298.15 K to 353.15 K), viscosities were measured for 0.02 to 0.16 mole fraction sarcosine (293.15 K to 343.15 K) while the N 2 O solubilities were measured from 0.02 to 0.16 mole fraction sarcosine solutions (298.15 K to 343.15 K). Experimental results were correlated well with empirical correlations and N 2 O solubility results for KSAR were predicted adequately by a Schumpe model. The solubilities of N 2 O in AAS and AAAS are significantly lower than values for amines. The solubilities vary as: amine > AAAS > AAS.

  15. Inhibition of the ATPase from Halobacterium Saccharovorum by Thiol Inhibitors: Evidence for the Presence of More Than One Essential Cysteinyl Residue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hochstein, Lawrence I.; Emrich, Errol; Stan-Lotter, Helga; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

    1995-01-01

    The vacuolar-like ATPase from Halobacterium saccha vorum is inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and p-chloromercudphenylsulfonate. The failure of adenine nucleotides to protect against p-chloromercuriphenyisulfonate inhibition, of p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate to protect against N-ethylmaleimide inhibition, and the difference in the temperature dependence of inactivation infers that the enzyme contains at least two thiols that are essential for enzyme activity. CNBr cleavage of C-14-N-ethylmaleimide labeled subunit results in two radioactive peptides that locates the N-ethylmaleimide-reactive cysteinyl residue as cysteine-262 in the H. salinarium sequence.

  16. Lipid Regulated Intramolecular Conformational Dynamics of SNARE-Protein Ykt6

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Yawei; Seeger, Markus; Weng, Jingwei; Song, Song; Wang, Wenning; Tan, Yan-Wen

    2016-08-01

    Cellular informational and metabolic processes are propagated with specific membrane fusions governed by soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNARE). SNARE protein Ykt6 is highly expressed in brain neurons and plays a critical role in the membrane-trafficking process. Studies suggested that Ykt6 undergoes a conformational change at the interface between its longin domain and the SNARE core. In this work, we study the conformational state distributions and dynamics of rat Ykt6 by means of single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) and Fluorescence Cross-Correlation Spectroscopy (FCCS). We observed that intramolecular conformational dynamics between longin domain and SNARE core occurred at the timescale ~200 μs. Furthermore, this dynamics can be regulated and even eliminated by the presence of lipid dodecylphoshpocholine (DPC). Our molecular dynamic (MD) simulations have shown that, the SNARE core exhibits a flexible structure while the longin domain retains relatively stable in apo state. Combining single molecule experiments and theoretical MD simulations, we are the first to provide a quantitative dynamics of Ykt6 and explain the functional conformational change from a qualitative point of view.

  17. Dissolution and Solubility Enhancement of the Highly Lipophilic Drug Phenytoin via Interaction with Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-vinylpyrrolidone) Excipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Widanapathirana, Lakmini; Tale, Swapnil; Reineke, Theresa M

    2015-07-06

    Excipients of natural or synthetic origin play an important role in pharmaceutical performance to enhance the solubility, bioavailability, release, and stability of insoluble drugs. Herein, a series of seven excipient models was prepared by both homopolymerization and copolymerization of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (VP) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) by free radical polymerization yielding two homopolymers poly(VP) and poly(NIPAAm) and five copolymers of poly(NIPAAm-co-VP) at difference compositions. While the VP monomer provided aqueous solubility at a variety of conditions to the excipient, the incorporation of NIPAAm into the copolymer offered additional hydrogen bond donating sites to optimize the drug-polymer interactions in the system. Due to the presence of NIPAAm, the copolymers were sensitive to temperature as well. It was found that as the proportion of VP was increased (from 0 to 100%), the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and the water solubility of the polymer models increased. To examine the role of specific drug-polymer interactions during dissolution on drug solubility and bioavailability, the polymers were formulated with the anticonvulsant drug phenytoin, which is a poorly water-soluble BCS class II drug where oral absorption is limited by the drug solubility. Amorphous solid dispersions (ASD) were prepared via spray drying of phenytoin with the polymer excipient models to contain 10% and 25% by weight drug loading. Physical characterization of the ASDs by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the polymers held the drug in a high-energy amorphous phase in all the formulations prepared. All ASDs exhibited improved in vitro dissolution rates compared to drug only and physical mixtures of the polymers and the drug. Drug solubility was the highest with the ASDs containing poly(NIPAAm-co-VP) 60:40 and 50:50, which showed a solubility enhancement of near 14-fold increase compared to pure drug

  18. Sensitivity of a combined gravitational antenna

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulagin, V.V.; Rudenko, V.N.

    1986-01-01

    A modification of a combined optico-acoustic gravitational antenna: a long-base laser interferometer, where free masses are changed by Weber resonators, is suggested. The combined gravitational antenna can possess sensitivity h min ∼ 10 -18 without deep cooling of Weber resonators and h min ∼ 10 -19 at helium temperaure of the resonators. This antenna has the following new quantities: presence of three independent responses, that permits to a considerable extent to exclude non-gravitational effects; presence of responses of two separated Weber resonators, that permits to register the wave character of gravitational perturbation by measuring phase shift between relaxation ''tails''. It means that one may with certainty register the wave structure of gravitational radiation for perturbation of metrics h, exceeding the threshold sensitivity of the known detectors by an order

  19. High-Sensitivity GaN Microchemical Sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Son, Kyung-ah; Yang, Baohua; Liao, Anna; Moon, Jeongsun; Prokopuk, Nicholas

    2009-01-01

    Systematic studies have been performed on the sensitivity of GaN HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) sensors using various gate electrode designs and operational parameters. The results here show that a higher sensitivity can be achieved with a larger W/L ratio (W = gate width, L = gate length) at a given D (D = source-drain distance), and multi-finger gate electrodes offer a higher sensitivity than a one-finger gate electrode. In terms of operating conditions, sensor sensitivity is strongly dependent on transconductance of the sensor. The highest sensitivity can be achieved at the gate voltage where the slope of the transconductance curve is the largest. This work provides critical information about how the gate electrode of a GaN HEMT, which has been identified as the most sensitive among GaN microsensors, needs to be designed, and what operation parameters should be used for high sensitivity detection.

  20. Combined Measurement of 6 Fat-Soluble Vitamins and 26 Water-Soluble Functional Vitamin Markers and Amino Acids in 50 μL of Serum or Plasma by High-Throughput Mass Spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Midttun, Øivind; McCann, Adrian; Aarseth, Ove; Krokeide, Marit; Kvalheim, Gry; Meyer, Klaus; Ueland, Per M

    2016-11-01

    Targeted metabolic profiling characterized by complementary platforms, multiplexing and low volume consumption are increasingly used for studies using biobank material. Using liquid-liquid extraction, we developed a sample workup suitable for quantification of 6 fat- and 26 water-soluble biomarkers. 50 μL of serum/plasma was mixed with dithioerythritol, ethanol, and isooctane/chloroform. The organic layer was used for analysis of the fat-soluble vitamins all-trans retinol (A), 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, α-tocopherol (E), γ-tocopherol (E), and phylloquinone (K1) by LC-MS/MS. The remaining aqueous fraction was mixed with ethanol, water, pyridine, and methylchloroformate (in toluene) to derivatize the water-soluble biomarkers. The resulting toluene layer was used for GC-MS/MS analysis of alanine, α-ketoglutarate, asparagine, aspartic acid, cystathionine, total cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, total homocysteine, isoleucine, kynurenine, leucine, lysine, methionine, methylmalonic acid, ornithine, phenylalanine, proline, sarcosine, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine. Isotope-labeled internal standards were used for all analytes. Chromatographic run times for the LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS were 4.5 and 11 min, respectively. The limits of detection (LOD) for the low-concentration analytes (25-hydroxyvitamin D2, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, and phylloquinone) were 25, 17, and 0.33 nM, respectively, while all other analytes demonstrated sensitivity significantly lower than endogenous concentrations. Recoveries ranged from 85.5-109.9% and within- and between-day coefficients of variance (CVs) were 0.7-9.4% and 1.1-17.5%, respectively. This low-volume, high-throughput multianalyte assay is currently in use in our laboratory for quantification of 32 serum/plasma biomarkers in epidemiological studies.

  1. Combined high-performance liquid chromatography/32P-postlabeling assay of N7-methyldeoxyguanosine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shields, P.G.; Povey, A.C.; Wilson, V.L.; Weston, A.; Harris, C.C.

    1990-01-01

    A highly sensitive and specific assay for the detection of N7-methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (N7methyldG) has been developed by combining high-performance liquid chromatography, 32 P-postlabeling, and nucleotide chromatography. Separation of normal nucleotides and adducts by high-performance liquid chromatography and then combining a portion of 2'-deoxyguanosine to the N7methyldG allows for quantitation using an internal standard. The directly determined molar ratio is not subject to errors in digestion, variable ATP-specific activity, or assumptions in relative adduct-labeling efficiency. The detection limit was one N7methyldG adduct in 10(7) unmodified 2'-deoxyguanosine bases. N7methyldG adducts have been detected in 5 human lung samples in which O6-methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine adducts had been previously determined. The mean ratio of N7methyldG to O6-methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine was determined to be approximately 10. The current assay complements the high-performance liquid chromatography/ 32 P-postlabeling assay for O6-methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine and increases the detection sensitivity of DNA methylated by exogenous alkylating agents

  2. CdTe quantum dots functionalized with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide as luminescent nanoprobe for the sensitive recognition of bromide ion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adegoke, Oluwasesan; Hosten, Eric; McCleland, Cedric; Nyokong, Tebello

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A bromide ion-selective modified nanoprobe sensor based on 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide (4AT)-functionalized CdTe quantum dots (QDs-4AT) showed a high selectivity and sensitivity for the determination of bromide ion using fluorescence recovery. Highlights: ► Water soluble CdTe quantum dots interact with tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide. ► Quantum dots fluorescence is quenched by the radical. ► In the presence of bromide ions the fluorescence is restored. ► The sensor is more selective to bromine ions than other common ions. - Abstract: A novel bromide ion-selective modified nanoprobe sensor based on 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide (4AT)-functionalized CdTe quantum dots (QDs-4AT) has been developed. Fluorescence quenching of the QDs by 4AT was observed. The functionalized QDs-4AT nanoprobe allowed a highly sensitive determination of bromide ion via analyte-induced change in the photoluminescence (fluorescence recovery) of the modified QDs. A detection limit of 0.6 nM of bromide ion was obtained, while the interfering effect of other inorganic cations and anions was investigated to examine the selectivity of the nanoprobe. The linear range was between 0.01 and 0.13 μM. Combined fluorescence lifetime and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements confirmed electron transfer processes between bromide ion and QDs-4AT.

  3. Impact of the nutrients N and K and soluble sugars on Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) and Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) populations in potato crops, Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azeredo, Edson Henrique de; Lima, Eduardo; Cassino, Paulo Cesar Rodrigues

    2004-01-01

    Impact of the nutrients N and K and soluble sugars on Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) and Agrotis ipsilon (Huefnagel) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) populations in potato crops, Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae). The occurrence of Diabrotica speciosa (Germar, 1824) and Agrotis ipsilon (Huefnagel, 1767) on the potato cultivars Achat and Monalisa, influenced by nitrogen and potassium dosage, and minimum quantity of soluble sugars, was studied. The following parameters were evaluated: concentration of mineral nutrient and sugar in green leaf, senescent leaf, leaf in abscission, stem, tubercle and total plant using extracts of infusion in ethanol 80%. The largest infestation of D. speciosa larvae was on Monalisa cultivar at 150 kg.ha -1 of N + K with 27.03% at P -1 , in the absence of potassium. On the other hand, high dosage of K reduced the damages by A. ipsilon on Monalisa cultivar. However, it did not influence the storage of soluble sugar. The results indicated that in Achat cultivar the accumulated soluble sugar was reduced, probably sensitized by elevation of potassic fertilization dosing, differing from Monalisa cultivar, in which the influence was by nitrogen dosing. (author)

  4. A Functional Core of IncA Is Required for Chlamydia trachomatis Inclusion Fusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Mary M; Noriea, Nicholas F; Bauler, Laura D; Lam, Jennifer L; Sager, Janet; Wesolowski, Jordan; Paumet, Fabienne; Hackstadt, Ted

    2016-04-01

    Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that is the etiological agent of a variety of human diseases, including blinding trachoma and sexually transmitted infections. Chlamydiae replicate within a membrane-bound compartment, termed an inclusion, which they extensively modify by the insertion of type III secreted proteins called Inc proteins. IncA is an inclusion membrane protein that encodes two coiled-coil domains that are homologous to eukaryotic SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor) motifs. Recent biochemical evidence suggests that a functional core, composed of SNARE-like domain 1 (SLD-1) and part of SNARE-like domain 2 (SLD-2), is required for the characteristic homotypic fusion of C. trachomatis inclusions in multiply infected cells. To verify the importance of IncA in homotypic fusion in Chlamydia, we generated an incA::bla mutant. Insertional inactivation of incA resulted in the formation of nonfusogenic inclusions, a phenotype that was completely rescued by complementation with full-length IncA. Rescue of homotypic inclusion fusion was dependent on the presence of the functional core consisting of SLD-1 and part of SLD-2. Collectively, these results confirm in vitro membrane fusion assays identifying functional domains of IncA and expand the genetic tools available for identification of chlamydia with a method for complementation of site-specific mutants. Chlamydia trachomatis replicates within a parasitophorous vacuole termed an inclusion. The chlamydial inclusions are nonfusogenic with vesicles in the endocytic pathway but, in multiply infected cells, fuse with each other to form a single large inclusion. This homotypic fusion is dependent upon the presence of a chlamydial inclusion membrane-localized protein, IncA. Specificity of membrane fusion in eukaryotic cells is regulated by SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment receptor) proteins on the cytosolic face of vesicles and target

  5. Ideal gas solubilities and solubility selectivities in a binary mixture of room-temperature ionic liquids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finotello, Alexia; Bara, Jason E; Narayan, Suguna; Camper, Dean; Noble, Richard D

    2008-02-28

    This study focuses on the solubility behaviors of CO2, CH4, and N2 gases in binary mixtures of imidazolium-based room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C2mim][Tf2N]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C2mim][BF4]) at 40 degrees C and low pressures (approximately 1 atm). The mixtures tested were 0, 25, 50, 75, 90, 95, and 100 mol % [C2mim][BF4] in [C2mim][Tf2N]. Results show that regular solution theory (RST) can be used to describe the gas solubility and selectivity behaviors in RTIL mixtures using an average mixture solubility parameter or an average measured mixture molar volume. Interestingly, the solubility selectivity, defined as the ratio of gas mole fractions in the RTIL mixture, of CO2 with N2 or CH4 in pure [C2mim][BF4] can be enhanced by adding 5 mol % [C2mim][Tf2N].

  6. Oligomerisation of Synaptobrevin-2 Studied by Native Mass Spectrometry and Chemical Cross-Linking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittig, Sabine; Haupt, Caroline; Hoffmann, Waldemar; Kostmann, Susann; Pagel, Kevin; Schmidt, Carla

    2018-06-01

    Synaptobrevin-2 is a key player in signal transmission in neurons. It forms, together with SNAP25 and Syntaxin-1A, the neuronal soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex and mediates exocytosis of synaptic vesicles with the pre-synaptic membrane. While Synaptobrevin-2 is part of a four-helix bundle in this SNARE complex, it is natively unstructured in the absence of lipids or other SNARE proteins. Partially folded segments, presumably SNARE complex formation intermediates, as well as formation of Synaptobrevin-2 dimers and oligomers, were identified in previous studies. Here, we employ three Synaptobrevin-2 variants—the full-length protein Syb(1-116), the soluble, cytosolic variant Syb(1-96) as well as a shorter version Syb(49-96) containing structured segments but omitting a trigger site for SNARE complex formation—to study oligomerisation in the absence of interaction partners or when incorporated into the lipid bilayer of liposomes. Combining native mass spectrometry with chemical cross-linking, we find that the truncated versions show increased oligomerisation. Our findings from both techniques agree well and confirm the presence of oligomers in solution while membrane-bound Synaptobrevin-2 is mostly monomeric. Using ion mobility mass spectrometry, we could further show that lower charge states of Syb(49-96) oligomers, which most likely represent solution structures, follow an isotropic growth curve suggesting that they are intrinsically disordered. From a technical point of view, we show that the combination of native ion mobility mass spectrometry with chemical cross-linking is well-suited for the analysis of protein homo-oligomers. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  7. Misalignment sensitivity in an intra-cavity coherently combined crossed-Porro resonator configuration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alperovich, Z.; Buchinsky, O.; Greenstein, S.; Ishaaya, A. A.

    2017-08-01

    We investigate the misalignment sensitivity in a crossed-Porro resonator configuration when coherently combining two pulsed multimode Nd:YAG laser channels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported study of this configuration. The configuration is based on a passive intra-cavity interferometric combiner that promotes self-phase locking and coherent combining. Detailed misalignment sensitivity measurements are presented, examining both translation and angular deviations of the end prisms and combiner, and are compared to the results for standard flat end-mirror configurations. The results show that the most sensitive parameter in the crossed-Porro resonator configuration is the angular tuning of the intra-cavity interferometric combiner, which is ~±54 µrad. In comparison, with the flat end mirror configuration, the most sensitive parameter in the resonator is the angular tuning of the output coupler, which is ~±11 µrad. Thus, with the crossed-Porro configuration, we obtain significantly reduced sensitivity. This ability to reduce the misalignment sensitivity in coherently combined solid-state configurations may be beneficial in paving their way into practical use in a variety of demanding applications.

  8. Effect of azithromycin combined with fat-soluble vitamin on serum inflammatory cytokines and chemokines as well as lung function in children with mycoplasma pneumonia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Guang Yang1

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of azithromycin combined with fat-soluble vitamin on serum inflammatory cytokines and chemokines as well as lung function in children with mycoplasma pneumonia. Methods: 56 children with mycoplasma pneumonia admitted in our hospital between May 2012 and May 2016 were collected, the treatment methods and laboratory test results were retrospectively analyzed, and then they were divided into the control group (n=26 who received azithromycin treatment alone and the observation group (n=30 who received fatsoluble vitamin combined with azithromycin treatment. Before treatment and after 1 week of treatment, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines; lung function monitor for children was used to detect lung function index levels. Results: Before treatment, differences in serum inflammation index and chemokine contents as well as lung function indexes were not statistically significant between two groups of patients (P>0.05. After treatment, serum inflammation indexes IL-4 and IL-13 contents of observation group were lower than those of control group while IL- 10 and IL-12 contents were higher than those of control group (P<0.05; serum chemokines MCP-4, MDC and CysLTs contents of observation group were lower than those of control group (P<0.05; lung function indexes V-T, FEV1, PEF and MMEF25%-75% levels of observation group were higher than those of control group (P<0.05. Conclusion: Fat-soluble vitamin combined with azithromycin can reduce the systemic inflammatory response and optimize the lung function in children with mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

  9. Determination of radionuclide solubility limits to be used in SR 97. Uncertainties associated to calculated solubilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bruno, J.; Cera, E.; Duro, L.; Jordana, S. [QuantiSci S.L., Barcelona (Spain); Pablo, J. de [DEQ-UPC, Barcelona (Spain); Savage, D. [QuantiSci Ltd., Henley-on-Thames (United Kingdom)

    1997-12-01

    The thermochemical behaviour of 24 critical radionuclides for the forthcoming SR97 PA exercise is discussed. The available databases are reviewed and updated with new data and an extended database for aqueous and solid species of the radionuclides of interest is proposed. We have calculated solubility limits for the radionuclides of interest under different groundwater compositions. A sensitivity analysis of the calculated solubilities with the composition of the groundwater is presented. Besides selecting the most likely solubility limiting phases, in this work we have used coprecipitation approaches in order to calculate more realistic solubility limits for minor radionuclides, such as Ra, Am and Cm. The comparison between the calculated solubilities and the concentrations measured in relevant natural systems (NA) and in spent fuel leaching experiments helps to assess the validity of the methodology used and to derive source term concentrations for the radionuclides studied. The uncertainties associated to the solubilities of the main radionuclides involved in the spent nuclear fuel have also been discussed in this work. The variability of the groundwater chemistry; redox conditions and temperature of the system have been considered the main factors affecting the solubilities. In this case, a sensitivity analysis has been performed in order to study solubility changes as a function of these parameters. The uncertainties have been calculated by including the values found in a major extent in typical granitic groundwaters. The results obtained from this analysis indicate that there are some radionuclides which are not affected by these parameters, i.e. Ag, Cm, Ho, Nb, Ni, Np, Pu, Se, Sm, Sn, Sr, Tc and U

  10. Single n+-i-n+ InP nanowires for highly sensitive terahertz detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Kun; Parkinson, Patrick; Gao, Qian; Boland, Jessica L; Li, Ziyuan; Wang, Fan; Mokkapati, Sudha; Fu, Lan; Johnston, Michael B; Tan, Hark Hoe; Jagadish, Chennupati

    2017-03-24

    Developing single-nanowire terahertz (THz) electronics and employing them as sub-wavelength components for highly-integrated THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) applications is a promising approach to achieve future low-cost, highly integrable and high-resolution THz tools, which are desirable in many areas spanning from security, industry, environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics to fundamental science. In this work, we present the design and growth of n + -i-n + InP nanowires. The axial doping profile of the n + -i-n + InP nanowires has been calibrated and characterized using combined optical and electrical approaches to achieve nanowire devices with low contact resistances, on which the highly-sensitive InP single-nanowire photoconductive THz detectors have been demonstrated. While the n + -i-n + InP nanowire detector has a only pA-level response current, it has a 2.5 times improved signal-to-noise ratio compared with the undoped InP nanowire detector and is comparable to traditional bulk THz detectors. This performance indicates a promising path to nanowire-based THz electronics for future commercial applications.

  11. Thermodynamic models for determination of 3-chloro-N-phenylphthalimide solubility in binary solvent mixtures of (acetone, ethyl acetate or 1,4-dioxane + methanol)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie, Yong; Shi, Hongwei; Du, Cunbin; Cong, Yang; Wang, Jian; Zhao, Hongkun

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Solubility of 3-chloro-N-phenylphthalimide in binary mixed solvents were determined. • Solubility data were correlated and calculated by five models. • The standard molar enthalpy for the dissolution processes were calculated. - Abstract: The solubility of 3-chloro-N-phenylphthalimide in binary mixed solvents of (acetone + methanol, ethyl acetate + methanol and 1,4-dioxane + methanol) were determined experimentally by using the isothermal dissolution equilibrium method within the temperature range from (288.15 to 323.15) K under atmosphere pressure. For the binary systems of (acetone + methanol) and (1,4-dioxane + methanol), the solubility of 3-chloro-N-phenylphthalimide increased with increasing temperature and mass fraction of acetone or 1,4-dioxane; and for the (ethyl acetate + methanol) system, at a given composition of ethyl acetate, the solubility of 3-chloro-N-phenylphthalimide increased with an increase in temperature; nevertheless at the same temperature, they increased at first and then decreased with increasing mass fraction of 1,4-dioxane. At the same temperature and mass fraction of acetone, ethyl acetate or 1,4-dioxane, the solubility of 3-chloro-N-phenylphthalimide was greater in (1,4-dioxane + methanol) than in the other two mixed solvents. The solubility values were correlated by employing the Jouyban–Acree model, van’t Hoff–Jouyban–Acree model, Apelblat–Jouyban–Acree model, Ma model, and Sun model. On the whole, the Ma model and Sun model were proven to provide good representation of the experimental solubility results. Furthermore, the dissolution enthalpies of the dissolution process were calculated. The dissolution process of 3-chloro-N-phenylphthalimide in these mixed solvents is endothermic. The experimental solubility and the models in this study could be helpful in purifying 3-chloro-N-phenylphthalimide.

  12. A novel pH sensitive water soluble fluorescent nanomicellar sensor for potential biomedical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Georgiev, Nikolai I; Bryaskova, Rayna; Tzoneva, Rumiana; Ugrinova, Iva; Detrembleur, Christophe; Miloshev, Stoyan; Asiri, Abdullah M; Qusti, Abdullah H; Bojinov, Vladimir B

    2013-11-01

    Herein we report on the synthesis and sensor activity of a novel pH sensitive probe designed as highly water-soluble fluorescent micelles by grafting of 1,8-naphthalimide-rhodamine bichromophoric FRET system (RNI) to the PMMA block of a well-defined amphiphilic diblock copolymer-poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(methacrylic acid) (PMMA48-b-PMAA27). The RNI-PMMA48-b-PMAA27 adduct is capable of self-assembling into micelles with a hydrophobic PMMA core, containing the anchored fluorescent probe, and a hydrophilic shell composed of PMAA block. Novel fluorescent micelles are able to serve as a highly sensitive pH probe in water and to internalize successfully HeLa and HEK cells. Furthermore, they showed cell specificity and significantly higher photostability than that of a pure organic dye label such as BODIPY. The valuable properties of the newly prepared fluorescent micelles indicate the high potential of the probe for future biological and biomedical applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Stress Assignment in N+N Combinations in Arabic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdel Rahman Mitib Altakhaineh

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The validity of stress as a criterion to distinguish between compounds and phrases has been investigated in many languages, including English (see e.g. Lieber 2005: 376; Booij 2012: 84. However, the possibility of using stress as a criterion in this way has not been investigated for Arabic. Siloni (1997: 21 claims that in N+N combinations in Semitic languages, stress always falls on the second element. However, the results of a study using PRAAT reveal that, in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA and Jordanian Arabic (JA, stress plays no role in distinguishing between various N+N combinations, i.e. compounds and phrases, e.g.ˈmuʕallim lfiizyaaʔ ‘the physics teacher’ vs.ˈbayt lwalad ‘the boy’s house’, respectively. Analysis shows that the default position of stress in N+N combinations in MSA and JA is on the first element. There is only one systematic exception, which is phonetically conditioned: in N+N combinations with assimilated geminates on the word boundary, a secondary stress or perhaps double stress is assigned.

  14. Combination therapy with sivelestat and recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin for ARDS and DIC patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miyoshi S

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Seigo Miyoshi,1 Ryoji Ito,1 Hitoshi Katayama,1 Kentaro Dote,2 Mayuki Aibiki,3 Hironobu Hamada,1,4 Takafumi Okura,1 Jitsuo Higaki1 1Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension and Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, 2Intensive Care Division, Ehime University Hospital, 3Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Ehime University, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime, 4Department of Physical Analysis and Therapeutic Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan Background: Neutrophil elastase, alveolar thrombin generation, and fibrin deposition play crucial roles in the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC. However, the usefulness of combination therapy with a selective neutrophil elastase inhibitor, sivelestat, and recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhTM for patients with ARDS and DIC remains unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective data analysis of 142 ARDS patients with DIC to assess the effects of sivelestat combined with rhTM. Patients were divided into four groups: control (no sivelestat or rhTM treatment, sivelestat treatment alone, rhTM treatment alone, and combined treatment with sivelestat and rhTM. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess subject mortality rates. The efficacy of these drugs was evaluated based on survival rate, number of ventilator-free days, and change in PaO2/FIO2 (P/F ratios and DIC scores before and at 7 days after a diagnosis of ARDS with DIC. Results: Multivariate analysis showed that patient age, combination therapy, gas exchange, organ failure, cause, associated disease score, and serum C-reactive protein levels were predictors of mortality for patients with ARDS and DIC. As compared with untreated controls, combination therapy significantly improved the 60-day survival rate of patients with ARDS and DIC

  15. Development of a Henry's constant correlation and solubility measurements of n-pentane, i-pentane, cyclopentane, n-hexane, and toluene in water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chapoy, Antonin; Haghighi, Hooman; Tohidi, Bahman

    2008-01-01

    In this communication, we report new experimental data on n-pentane, i-pentane, cyclopentane, n-hexane, and toluene solubility in water at low temperature (below 298.15 K) and atmospheric pressure conditions. The new experimental data together with those reported in the literature have been used in developing a new equation for Henry's constants of normal alkanes (methane to decane), BETEX compounds, and acid gases in aqueous phase over a wide range of temperature (typically from 273.15 K to 373.15 K). The new equation is based on a thermodynamic model, which uses the Peng-Robinson equation of state combined with the classical quadratic mixing rules for modelling non-aqueous phases, while the NRTL model is used to calculate the water activity. The predictions of the developed thermodynamic model are compared to the experimental data and the results of a thermodynamic approach, which uses the Valderrama modification of the Patel-Teja equation of state and non-density dependent mixing rules for modelling all fluid phases. Good agreement is observed between the experimental data and the model predictions

  16. Highly selective and sensitive phosphate anion sensors based on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors functionalized by ion imprinted polymer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Xiuling; Chen, Dunjun; Bin, Liu; Lu, Hai; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, Youdou

    2016-06-09

    A novel ion-imprinted electrochemical sensor based on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) was developed to detect trace amounts of phosphate anion. This sensor combined the advantages of the ion sensitivity of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs and specific recognition of ion imprinted polymers. The current response showed that the fabricated sensor is highly sensitive and selective to phosphate anions. The current change exhibited approximate linear dependence for phosphate concentration from 0.02 mg L(-1) to 2 mg L(-1), the sensitivity and detection limit of the sensor is 3.191 μA/mg L(-1) and 1.97 μg L(-1), respectively. The results indicated that this AlGaN/GaN HEMT-based electrochemical sensor has the potential applications on phosphate anion detection.

  17. CdTe quantum dots functionalized with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide as luminescent nanoprobe for the sensitive recognition of bromide ion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adegoke, Oluwasesan [Department of Chemistry, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140 (South Africa); Hosten, Eric; McCleland, Cedric [Department of Chemistry, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (South Campus), Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Nyokong, Tebello, E-mail: t.nyokong@ru.ac.za [Department of Chemistry, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140 (South Africa)

    2012-04-06

    Graphical abstract: A bromide ion-selective modified nanoprobe sensor based on 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide (4AT)-functionalized CdTe quantum dots (QDs-4AT) showed a high selectivity and sensitivity for the determination of bromide ion using fluorescence recovery. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Water soluble CdTe quantum dots interact with tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quantum dots fluorescence is quenched by the radical. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In the presence of bromide ions the fluorescence is restored. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The sensor is more selective to bromine ions than other common ions. - Abstract: A novel bromide ion-selective modified nanoprobe sensor based on 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxide (4AT)-functionalized CdTe quantum dots (QDs-4AT) has been developed. Fluorescence quenching of the QDs by 4AT was observed. The functionalized QDs-4AT nanoprobe allowed a highly sensitive determination of bromide ion via analyte-induced change in the photoluminescence (fluorescence recovery) of the modified QDs. A detection limit of 0.6 nM of bromide ion was obtained, while the interfering effect of other inorganic cations and anions was investigated to examine the selectivity of the nanoprobe. The linear range was between 0.01 and 0.13 {mu}M. Combined fluorescence lifetime and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements confirmed electron transfer processes between bromide ion and QDs-4AT.

  18. [Combined assay of soluble CD30 and hepatocyte growth factor for diagnosis of acute renal allograft rejection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chuan-jiang; Yu, Li-xin; Xu, Jian; Fu, Shao-jie; Deng, Wen-feng; Du, Chuan-fu; Wang, Yi-bin

    2008-02-01

    To study the value of detection of both preoperative soluble CD30 (sCD30) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) level 5 days after transplantation in the diagnosis of acute rejection of renal allograft. Preoperative serum sCD30 levels and HGF level 5 days after transplantation were determined in 65 renal-transplant recipients using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The recipients were divided according to the sCD30 levels positivity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the value of HGF level on day 5 posttransplantation for diagnosis of acute renal allograft rejection, and the value of combined assay of the sCD30 and HGF levels was also estimated. After transplantation, 26 recipients developed graft rejection and 39 had uneventful recovery without rejection. With the cut-off value of sCD30 of 120 U/ml, the positivity rate of sCD30 was significantly higher in recipients with graft rejection than in those without (61.5% vs 17.9%, Pacute rejection showed also significantly higher HGF levels on day 5 posttransplantation than those without rejection (Pacute renal allograft rejection, and at the cut-off value of 90 ug/L, the diagnostic sensitivity was 84.6% and specificity 76.9%. Evaluation of both the sCD30 and HGF levels significantly enhanced the diagnostic accuracy of acute graft rejection. Combined assay of serum sCD30 and HGF levels offers a useful means for diagnosis of acute renal allograft rejection.

  19. High sensitive determination of zinc with novel water-soluble small molecular fluorescent sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weng Ying; Chen Zilin; Wang Fang; Xue Lin; Jiang Hua

    2009-01-01

    A high sensitive method of quantitative analysis for the determination of zinc in the nutrition supplements has been developed by using a novel water-soluble fluorescent sensor HQ3: (8-pyridylmethyloxy-2-methyl-quinoline). Under the optimized condition of 67 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, and 5% (v/v) DMSO, the zinc concentration showed good linear relationship with fluorescence intensity in the range of 7.5 x 10 -8 to 2.5 x 10 -5 M with the detection limit of 1.5 x 10 -8 M. HQ3 exhibited high selectivity to zinc comparing with other metal ions except for cadmium. The developed analytical method was successfully used for determining the content of zinc in a real sample of zinc gluconate solution of Sanchine.

  20. Hydrogen solubility in iron, platinum and their alloys under pressure up to 67 kbars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belash, I.T.; Antonov, V.E.; Ponyatovskij, E.G.

    1979-01-01

    The solubility of hydrogen was studied in iron, nickel and Fe-Pt-H alloy at a high pressure. It was shown that at T=250 deg C and psub(Hsub(2))=67 kbar, the solubility hy of hydrogen in α-iron and platinum is below the sensitivity threshold of the employed method of chemical analysis, deltasub(n) approximately 0.05 (n - atomic ratio hydrogen metal). At this pressure and at a temperature of T=150 deg C, the equilibrium concentration of hydrogen in non-ordered Fe-Pt alloys with a FCC lattice, containing 25 and 32 at. % Pt, attains, respectively, n = (5+-2)x10 -2 and (2+-5)x10 -2 . Ordering of the alloy with 25 at. % Pt produces no substantial change in the solubility of hydrogen. In a hydrogen atmosphere, the dependence of the Curie point Tsub(c)(psub(Hsub(2)) deviates from Tsub(c)(p). In an inert medium, at p=67 kbar, ΔTsub(c)=Tsub(c)(psub(Hsub(2)) - Tsub(c)(p) = 35+-10 deg C

  1. Preparation of dual-sensitive graft copolymer hydrogel based on N ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    Organic solvent-soluble N-maleoyl-chitosan (NMCS) was synthesized by reaction of ... provement or modification of polymer materials through ... the mixture of hexane and toluene. ... reacted solution was cooled to room temperature and.

  2. Investigation on the Solubility of GaN in Supercritical Ammonia Containing Acidic, Neutral, and Some Basic Mineralizers

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ehrentraut, Dirk

    2009-01-01

    ... material due to the superior structural quality over HVPE GaN. In order to hold up with the progress, not at least provide a scientific platform, the solubility of GaN in supercritical ammonia (NH3...

  3. Molecular complexation of curcumin with pH sensitive cationic copolymer enhances the aqueous solubility, stability and bioavailability of curcumin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sunny; Kesharwani, Siddharth S; Mathur, Himanshi; Tyagi, Mohit; Bhat, G Jayarama; Tummala, Hemachand

    2016-01-20

    Curcumin is a natural dietary compound with demonstrated potential in preventing/treating several chronic diseases in animal models. However, this success is yet to be translated to humans mainly because of its poor oral bioavailability caused by extremely low water solubility. This manuscript demonstrates that water insoluble curcumin (~1μg/ml) forms highly aqueous soluble complexes (>2mg/ml) with a safe pH sensitive polymer, poly(butyl-methacrylate-co-(2-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate-co-methyl-methacrylate) when precipitated together in water. The complexation process was optimized to enhance curcumin loading by varying several formulation factors. Acetone as a solvent and polyvinyl alcohol as a stabilizer with 1:2 ratio of drug to polymer yielded complexes with relatively high loading (~280μg/ml) and enhanced solubility (>2mg/ml). The complexes were amorphous in solid and were soluble only in buffers with pHs less than 5.0. Hydrogen bond formation and hydrophobic interactions between curcumin and the polymer were recorded by infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively. Molecular complexes of curcumin were more stable at various pHs compared to unformulated curcumin. In mice, these complexes increased peak plasma concentration of curcumin by 6 times and oral bioavailability by ~20 times. This is a simple, economic and safer strategy of enhancing the oral bioavailability of curcumin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Estimation of aqueous solubility of TODGA using group contribution method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balasubramonian, S.; Kumar, Shekhar; Sampath, M.; Sivakumar, D.; Kamachi Mudali, U.

    2017-01-01

    The aqueous solubility of N, N, N', N'-tetraoctyl-3-oxapentanediamide normally referred as TODGA is experimentally measured. The aqueous solubility was also predicted using Marrero and Gani group contribution method. The modification of original Marrero and Gani method was proposed to accurately predict TODGA solubility. The predicted solubility of TODGA using original Marrero and Gani method, Modified Marrero and Gani method and UNIFAC Model was compared. The predicted solubility of TODGA using modified Marrero and Gani method is 0.0237 g/l against the experimentally measured value of 0.0226 g/l. (author)

  5. Design and synthesis study of the thermo-sensitive poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone-b- N, N-diethylacrylamide).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiayun; Yang, Zhongduo; Xie, Dengmin; Liu, Donglei; Chen, Zhenbin; Li, Ke; Li, Zhizhong; Tichnell, Brandon; Liu, Zhen

    2018-01-01

    The reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization method was adopted here to prepare a series of thermo-sensitive copolymers, poly (N,N-diethyl- acrylamide-b-N-vinylpyrrolidone). Their structures, molecular weight distribution and temperature sensitivity performances were characterized by the nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 HNMR), the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and the fluorescence spectrophotometer, respectively. It has been identified that the synthesis reaction of the block copolymer was living polymerization. The thermo-sensitivity study suggested that N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP), played a key role on the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) performance.

  6. Identification in the mu-opioid receptor of cysteine residues responsible for inactivation of ligand binding by thiol alkylating and reducing agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaibelet, G; Capeyrou, R; Dietrich, G; Emorine, L J

    1997-05-19

    Inactivation by thiol reducing and alkylating agents of ligand binding to the human mu-opioid receptor was examined. Dithiothreitol reduced the number of [3H]diprenorphine binding sites. Replacement by seryl residues of either C142 or C219 in extracellular loops 1 and 2 of the mu receptor resulted in a complete loss of opioid binding. A disulfide bound linking C142 to C219 may thus be essential to maintain a functional conformation of the receptor. We also demonstrated that inactivation of ligand binding upon alkylation by N-ethylmaleimide occurred at two sites. Alteration of the more sensitive (IC50 = 20 microM) did not modify antagonists binding but decreased agonist affinity almost 10-fold. Modification of the less reactive site (IC50 = 2 mM) decreased the number of both agonist and antagonist binding sites. The alkylation site of higher sensitivity to N-ethylmaleimide was shown by mutagenesis experiments to be constituted of both C81 and C332 in transmembrane domains 1 and 7 of the mu-opioid receptor.

  7. Rapid and efficient synthesis of soluble graphene nanosheets using N-methyl-p-aminophenol sulfate as a reducing agent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xialie; Wen Xiaohong; Liu Zhanpeng; Tan Yi; Yuan Ye; Zhang Ping

    2012-01-01

    Mass production of soluble graphene still remains a challenge, although several methodologies have been proposed. Here we report a rapid and efficient method for the synthesis of soluble graphene nanosheets (GNSs) with long-term dispersion stability in both aqueous and common organic solvents. Within only 12 min at 95 °C, exfoliated graphite oxide in ammonia solution (pH 10) was reduced to soluble GNSs using N-methyl-p-aminophenol sulfate (metol) as a reducing agent without external stabilizers. The prepared GNSs were characterized by different techniques and a comparison of metol and hydrazine hydrate as reducing agents was made. The results indicated that, with the advantages of being rapid, efficient, inexpensive and relatively environmentally friendly, the reduction of graphite oxide into soluble GNSs by metol is a promising substitute for hydrazine hydrate in the mass production of soluble GNSs. (paper)

  8. Efficiency of nitrophosphates of varying water solubility with respect to their nitrogen (15N) and phosphorus (32P) utilisation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Motsara, M.R.; Leela Bhai, K.S.; Mev Singh; Datta, N.P.

    1975-01-01

    Nitrophosphates of different water soluble P superphosphate and super plus ammonium nitrate were compared by raising wheat as a test crop on alluvial soil of Delhi. Phosphorus was tagged with 32 P and the ammonical and nitrate nitrogen was alternately tagged with 15 N. With increasing the water-soluble P content in nitrophosphate, increasing amount of grain yield and higher uptake of total N and P were recorded. The percent phosphorus derived in the plant from the fertilizer and the percent phosphorus utilization was higher from the nitrophosphates of higher eater soluble P content. It was also higher under the application of superphosphate plus ammonium nitrate than superphosphate alone. A greater amount of ammonical nitrogen was utilized by the crop than nitrate form of nitrogen. (author)

  9. Solubility measurement and correlation of 4-nitrophthalimide in (methanol, ethanol, or acetone) + N,N-dimethylformamide mixed solvents at temperatures from 273.15 K to 323.15 K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Rongrong; Han, Shuo; Du, Cunbin; Cong, Yang; Wang, Jian; Zhao, Hongkun

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Solubility of 4-nitrophthalimide in binary mixed solvents were determined. • Solubility data were correlated and calculated by four models. • The standard dissolution enthalpy for the dissolution processes were calculated. - Abstract: The solubility of 4-nitrophthalimide in binary (methanol + N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), ethanol + DMF) and (acetone + DMF) solvent mixtures were investigated by the isothermal dissolution equilibrium method under atmosphere pressure. These studies were carried out at different mass fractions of methanol, ethanol or acetone ranging from 0.1 to 0.9 at temperature T = (273.15–323.15) K. For the nine groups of each solvent mixture studied, the solubility of 4-nitrophthalimide in mixed solutions increased with increasing temperature and mass fraction of methanol, ethanol or acetone for the three systems including (methanol + DMF), (ethanol + DMF) and (acetone + DMF). At the same temperature and mass fraction of methanol, ethanol or acetone, the mole fraction solubility of 4-nitrophthalimide in (acetone + DMF) was greater than that in the other two binary solvents. In addition, the experimental mole fraction solubility was correlated by four models (Jouyban–Acree model, van’t Hoff–Jouyban–Acree model, modified Apelblat–Jouyban–Acree model and Sun model). The Jouyban–Acree model gave best representation for the experimental solubility values. Furthermore, the standard molar enthalpies of 4-nitrophthalimide during the dissolving process (Δ sol H o ) were also obtained in this work, and the results show that the dissolution process is endothermic. The experimental solubility and the models used in this work will be helpful in separating 4-nitrophthalimide from its isomeric mixtures.

  10. Impact of structural modification of 1,2,4-thiadiazole derivatives on thermodynamics of solubility and solvation processes in 1-octanol and n-hexane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Surov, Artem O.; Bui, Cong Trinh; Volkova, Tatyana V.; Proshin, Alexey N.; Perlovich, German L.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Solubility processes of some 1,2,4-thiadiazoles in n-hexane and 1-octanol were investigated. • Solvation processes of some 1,2,4-thiadiazoles in n-hexane and 1-octanol were studied. • Transfer processes from n-hexane to 1-octanol were evaluated. • Impact of various substituents in 1,2,4-thiadiazoles on the mentioned processes was studied. - Abstract: Influence of a structural modification on thermodynamic aspects of solubility and solvation processes of the 1,2,4-thiadiazole drug-like compounds in pharmaceutically relevant solvents n-hexane and 1-octanol was investigated. The solubility of the compounds in 1-octanol does not substantially depend on the nature and position of the substituent in the phenyl moiety. In n-hexane, however, the introduction of any substituent in the phenyl ring of the 1,2,4-thiadiazole molecule reduces the solubility in the solvent. In order to rationalize the relationships between the structure of 1,2,4-thiadiazoles and their solubility, the latter was considered in terms of two fundamental processes: sublimation and solvation. It was found that for the most of the compounds the solubility change in both solvents is a consequence of competition between the sublimation and solvation contributions, i.e. the introduction of substituents leads to growth of the sublimation Gibbs energy and increase in the solvation Gibbs energy. Thermodynamic parameters of the transfer process of the compounds from n-hexane to 1-octanol, which is a model of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), were also analyzed.

  11. Dual Activity of Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin and Water-Soluble Carriers on the Solubility of Carvedilol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoghbi, Abdelmoumin; Geng, Tianjiao; Wang, Bo

    2017-11-01

    Carvedilol (CAR) is a non-selective α and β blocker categorized as class II drug with low water solubility. Several recent studies have investigated ways to overcome this problem. The aim of the present study was to combine two of these methods: the inclusion complex using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) with solid dispersion using two carriers: Poloxamer 188 (PLX) and Polyvinylpyrrolidone K-30 (PVP) to enhance the solubility, bioavailability, and the stability of CAR. Kneading method was used to prepare CAR-HPβCD inclusion complex (KD). The action of different carriers separately and in combination on Carvedilol solubility was investigated in three series. CAR-carrier and KD-carrier solid dispersions were prepared by solvent evaporation method. In vitro dissolution test was conducted in three different media: double-distilled water (DDW), simulative gastric fluid (SGF), and PBS pH 6.8 (PBS). The interactions between CAR, HPβCD, and different carriers were explored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and differential scanning colorimetry (DSC). The results showed higher solubility of CAR in KD-PVP solid dispersions up to 70, 25, and 22 fold compared to pure CAR in DDW, SGF, and PBS, respectively. DSC and XRD analyses indicated an improved degree of transformation of CAR in KD-PVP solid dispersion from crystalline to amorphous state. This study provides a new successful combination of two polymers with the dual action of HPβCD and PLX/PVP on water solubility and bioavailability of CAR.

  12. Objectively combining AR5 instrumental period and paleoclimate climate sensitivity evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Nicholas; Grünwald, Peter

    2018-03-01

    Combining instrumental period evidence regarding equilibrium climate sensitivity with largely independent paleoclimate proxy evidence should enable a more constrained sensitivity estimate to be obtained. Previous, subjective Bayesian approaches involved selection of a prior probability distribution reflecting the investigators' beliefs about climate sensitivity. Here a recently developed approach employing two different statistical methods—objective Bayesian and frequentist likelihood-ratio—is used to combine instrumental period and paleoclimate evidence based on data presented and assessments made in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report. Probabilistic estimates from each source of evidence are represented by posterior probability density functions (PDFs) of physically-appropriate form that can be uniquely factored into a likelihood function and a noninformative prior distribution. The three-parameter form is shown accurately to fit a wide range of estimated climate sensitivity PDFs. The likelihood functions relating to the probabilistic estimates from the two sources are multiplicatively combined and a prior is derived that is noninformative for inference from the combined evidence. A posterior PDF that incorporates the evidence from both sources is produced using a single-step approach, which avoids the order-dependency that would arise if Bayesian updating were used. Results are compared with an alternative approach using the frequentist signed root likelihood ratio method. Results from these two methods are effectively identical, and provide a 5-95% range for climate sensitivity of 1.1-4.05 K (median 1.87 K).

  13. N270 sensitivity to conflict strength and working memory: A combined ERP and sLORETA study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scannella, Sébastien; Pariente, Jérémie; De Boissezon, Xavier; Castel-Lacanal, Evelyne; Chauveau, Nicolas; Causse, Mickaël; Dehais, Frédéric; Pastor, Josette

    2016-01-15

    The event-related potential N270 component is known to be an electrophysiological marker of the supramodal conflict processing. However little is know about the factors that may modulate its amplitude. In particular, among all studies that have investigated the N270, little or no control of the conflict strength and of the load in working memory have been done leaving a lack in the understanding of this component. We designed a spatial audiovisual conflict task with simultaneous target and cross-modal distractor to evaluate the N270 sensitivity to the conflict strength (i.e., visual target with auditory distractor or auditory target with visual distractor) and the load in working memory (goal task maintenance with frequent change in the target modality). In a first session, participants had to focus on one modality for the target position to be considered (left-hand or right-hand) while the distractor could be at the same side (compatible) or at opposite side (incompatible). In a second session, we used the same set of stimuli as in the first session with an additional distinct auditory signal that clued the participants to frequently switch between the auditory and the visual targets. We found that (1) reaction times and N270 amplitudes for conflicting situations were larger within the auditory target condition compared to the visual one, (2) the increase in target maintenance effort led to equivalent increase of both reaction times and N270 amplitudes within all conditions and (3) the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex current density was higher for both conflicting and active maintenance of the target situations. These results provide new evidence that the N270 component is an electrophysiological marker of the supramodal conflict processing that is sensitive to the conflict strength and that conflict processing and active maintenance of the task goal are two functions of a common executive attention system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Membrane fusion by VAMP3 and plasma membrane t-SNAREs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Chuan; Hardee, Deborah; Minnear, Fred

    2007-01-01

    Pairing of SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) proteins on vesicles (v-SNAREs) and SNARE proteins on target membranes (t-SNAREs) mediates intracellular membrane fusion. VAMP3/cellubrevin is a v-SNARE that resides in recycling endosomes and endosome-derived transport vesicles. VAMP3 has been implicated in recycling of transferrin receptors, secretion of α-granules in platelets, and membrane trafficking during cell migration. Using a cell fusion assay, we examined membrane fusion capacity of the ternary complexes formed by VAMP3 and plasma membrane t-SNAREs syntaxin1, syntaxin4, SNAP-23 and SNAP-25. VAMP3 forms fusogenic pairing with t-SNARE complexes syntaxin1/SNAP-25, syntaxin1/SNAP-23 and syntaxin4/SNAP-25, but not with syntaxin4/SNAP-23. Deletion of the N-terminal domain of syntaxin4 enhanced membrane fusion more than two fold, indicating that the N-terminal domain negatively regulates membrane fusion. Differential membrane fusion capacities of the ternary v-/t-SNARE complexes suggest that transport vesicles containing VAMP3 have distinct membrane fusion kinetics with domains of the plasma membrane that present different t-SNARE proteins

  15. Iron solubility related to particle sulfur content in source emission and ambient fine particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oakes, M; Ingall, E D; Lai, B; Shafer, M M; Hays, M D; Liu, Z G; Russell, A G; Weber, R J

    2012-06-19

    The chemical factors influencing iron solubility (soluble iron/total iron) were investigated in source emission (e.g., biomass burning, coal fly ash, mineral dust, and mobile exhaust) and ambient (Atlanta, GA) fine particles (PM2.5). Chemical properties (speciation and mixing state) of iron-containing particles were characterized using X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence measurements. Bulk iron solubility (soluble iron/total iron) of the samples was quantified by leaching experiments. Major differences were observed in iron solubility in source emission samples, ranging from low solubility (iron solubility did not correspond to silicon content or Fe(II) content. However, source emission and ambient samples with high iron solubility corresponded to the sulfur content observed in single particles. A similar correspondence between bulk iron solubility and bulk sulfate content in a series of Atlanta PM2.5 fine particle samples (N = 358) further supported this trend. In addition, results of linear combination fitting experiments show the presence of iron sulfates in several high iron solubility source emission and ambient PM2.5 samples. These results suggest that the sulfate content (related to the presence of iron sulfates and/or acid-processing mechanisms by H(2)SO(4)) of iron-containing particles is an important proxy for iron solubility.

  16. Combination N-Way Power Divider/Combiner and Noninvasive Reflected Power Detection

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — An N-way RF/microwave power divider/combiner utilizes one input and N outputs, or conversely N inputs and one output to divide (or combine) RF/microwave power while...

  17. Synthesis gas solubility in Fischer-Tropsch slurry: Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chao, K.C.; Lin, H.M.

    1988-01-01

    The objective is to investigate the phase equilibrium behavior of synthesis gases and products in a Fischer-Tropsch slurry reactor. A semi-flow apparatus has been designed and constructed for this purpose. Measurements have been made for hydrogen, cabon monoxide, methane, ethane, ethylene, and carbon dioxide in a heavy n-paraffin at temperatures from 100 to 300)degree)C and pressures 10 to 50 atm. Three n-paraffin waxes: n-eicosane (n-C/sub 20/), n-octacosane )n-C/sub 28/), and n-hexatriacontane (n-C/sub 36/), were studied to model the industrial wax. Solubility of synthesis gas mixtures of H/sub 2/ and CO in n-C/sub 28/ was also determined at two temperatures (200 and 300)degree)C) for each of three gas compositions (40.01, 50.01, and 66.64 mol%) of hydrogen). Measurements were extended to investigate the gas solubility in two industrial Fischer-Tropsch waxes: Mobilwax and SASOL wax. Observed solubility increases in the order: H/sub 2/, CO, CH/sub 4/, CO/sub 2/, C/sub 2/H/sub 4/, C/sub 2/H/sub 6/, at a given temperature pressure, and in the same solvent. Solubility increases with increasing pressure for all the gases. Lighter gases H/sub 2/ and CO show increased solubility with increasing temperature, while the heavier gases CO/sub 2/, ethane, and ethylene show decreased solubility with increasing temperature. The solubility of methane, the intermediate gas, changes little with temperature, and shows a shallow minimum at about 200)degrees)C or somewhat above. Henry's constant and partial molal volume of the gas solute at infinite dilution are determinedfrom the gas solubility data. A correlation is developed from the experimental data in the form on an equation of state. A computer program has been prepared to implement the correlation. 19 refs., 66 figs., 39 tabs.

  18. Use of plasma C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, neutrophils,macrophage migration inhibitory factor, soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor, and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in combination to diagnose infections: a prospective study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kofoed, Kristian; Andersen, Ove; Kronborg, Gitte

    2007-01-01

    the diagnostic characteristics of novel and routinely used biomarkers of sepsis alone and in combination. Methods: This prospective cohort study included patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome who were suspected of having community-acquired infections. It was conducted in a medical emergency...... department and department of infectious diseases at a university hospital. A multiplex immunoassay measuring soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator (suPAR) and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (sTREM)-1 and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was used in parallel...... with standard measurements of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and neutrophils. Two composite markers were constructed – one including a linear combination of the three best performing markers and another including all six – and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC...

  19. Aplicación de la espectroscopia NIR para la predicción de sólidos solubles en pulpa de guayaba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ányelo Andrey Gutiérrez Devia

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Utilizando la técnica NIRS (espectroscopia de reflectancia en el infrarrojo cercano se realizó la predicción de sólidos solubles en pulpa de guayaba (Psidium guajava L. y (Psidium friedrichsthalianum sobre 92 muestras en dos estados de madurez de la fruta. Cada fruto fue procesado hasta obtener la fracción comestible en la cual se determinó el contenido de sólidos solubles (%. De esta fracción se tomaron dos submuestras que fueron escaneadas en el espectrofotómetro NIR en un rango entre 400 y 2500 nm. Para la calibración se generaron modelos de regresión mediante MPLS (mínimos cuadrados parciales modificados en un rango entre 1108 y 2498.2 nm. Para la elección del modelo final de calibración del NIR se consideraron como criterios el coeficiente de determinación (R² y la desviación residual predictiva (RPD. Para establecer la existencia de diferencias entre los resultados obtenidos por el método primario o de referencia y los de NIR se realizó un análisis de varianza y prueba de medias mediante el programa estadístico SAS v 9.0. Los resultados mostraron una alta capacidad de predicción del modelo (R² = 0.990 entre las mediciones primarias y las de NIR. El valor de RPD fue 6.20, que indica una excelente precisión de la predicción. Entre las estimaciones por NIR y primarias no se presentaron diferencias significativas, pero sí se observaron entre muestras.

  20. Effect of thermal oxidation treatment on pH sensitivity of AlGaN/GaN heterostructure ion-sensitive field-effect transistors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Lei; Bu, Yuyu [Institute of Science and Technology, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8506 (Japan); Li, Liuan, E-mail: liliuan@mail.sysu.edu.cn [School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Ao, Jin-Ping, E-mail: jpao@ee.tokushima-u.ac.jp [Institute of Science and Technology, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8506 (Japan)

    2017-07-31

    Highlights: • AlGaN/GaN ISFETs were fabricated and evaluated with thermal oxidation treatment. • Sensitivity was improved to 57.7 mV/pH after 700 °C treatment. • Sensitivity became poor after 800 °C treatment. • The pure α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} crystal phase generated on the surface of the 700 °C treatment sample. • Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase content in the metal oxide layer increased after 800 °C treatment. - Abstract: In this article, AlGaN/GaN heterostructure ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) were prepared and evaluated by thermal oxidation treatment on the AlGaN surface. The ISFETs were fabricated on the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure and then thermally oxidized with dry oxygen in 600, 700, and 800 °C, respectively. It indicates that the performance of the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure ISFETs, such as noise and sensitivity, has been improved owing to the thermal oxidation treatment process at different temperatures. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate that after thermal oxidation treatment at different temperatures, hydroxide who possesses high surface state density will transfer to oxide owing to the higher chemical stability of the latter. Moreover, a crystalline α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} phase generated at 700 °C can not only provide a relatively smooth surface, but also improve the sensitivity to 57.7 mV/pH for the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure ISFETs, which is very close to the Nernstian limit.

  1. Thermodynamics of Highly Supersaturated Aqueous Solutions of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs-Impact of a Second Drug on the Solution Phase Behavior and Implications for Combination Products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trasi, Niraj S; Taylor, Lynne S

    2015-08-01

    There is increasing interest in formulating combination products that contain two or more drugs. Furthermore, it is also common for different drug products to be taken simultaneously. This raises the possibility of interactions between different drugs that may impact formulation performance. For poorly water-soluble compounds, the supersaturation behavior may be a critical factor in determining the extent of oral absorption. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the maximum achievable supersaturation for several poorly water-soluble compounds alone, and in combination. Model compounds included ritonavir, lopinavir, paclitaxel, felodipine, and diclofenac. The "amorphous solubility" for the pure drugs was determined using different techniques and the change in this solubility was then measured in the presence of differing amounts of a second drug. The results showed that "amorphous solubility" of each component in aqueous solution is substantially decreased by the second component, as long as the two drugs are miscible in the amorphous state. A simple thermodynamic model could be used to predict the changes in solubility as a function of composition. This information is of great value when developing co-amorphous or other supersaturating formulations and should contribute to a broader understanding of drug-drug physicochemical interactions in in vitro assays as well as in the gastrointestinal tract. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  2. Selective and Sensitive Detection of Cyanide Based on the Displacement Strategy Using a Water-Soluble Fluorescent Probe

    Science.gov (United States)

    La, Ming; Hao, Yuanqiang; Wang, Zhaoyang; Han, Guo-Cheng; Qu, Lingbo

    2016-01-01

    A water-soluble fluorescent probe (C-GGH) was used for the highly sensitive and selective detection of cyanide (CN−) in aqueous media based on the displacement strategy. Due to the presence of the recognition unit GGH (Gly-Gly-His), the probe C-GGH can coordinate with Cu2+ and consequently display ON-OFF type fluorescence response. Furthermore, the in situ formed nonfluorescent C-GGH-Cu2+ complex can act as an effective OFF-ON type fluorescent probe for sensing CN− anion. Due to the strong binding affinity of CN− to Cu2+, CN− can extract Cu2+ from C-GGH-Cu2+ complex, leading to the release of C-GGH and the recovery of fluorescent emission of the system. The probe C-GGH-Cu2+ allowed detection of CN− in aqueous solution with a LOD (limit of detection) of 0.017 μmol/L which is much lower than the maximum contaminant level (1.9 μmol/L) for CN− in drinking water set by the WHO (World Health Organization). The probe also displayed excellent specificity for CN− towards other anions, including F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, SCN−, PO4 3−, N3 −, NO3 −, AcO−, SO4 2−, and CO3 2−. PMID:26881185

  3. Selective and Sensitive Detection of Cyanide Based on the Displacement Strategy Using a Water-Soluble Fluorescent Probe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming La

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A water-soluble fluorescent probe (C-GGH was used for the highly sensitive and selective detection of cyanide (CN− in aqueous media based on the displacement strategy. Due to the presence of the recognition unit GGH (Gly-Gly-His, the probe C-GGH can coordinate with Cu2+ and consequently display ON-OFF type fluorescence response. Furthermore, the in situ formed nonfluorescent C-GGH-Cu2+ complex can act as an effective OFF-ON type fluorescent probe for sensing CN− anion. Due to the strong binding affinity of CN− to Cu2+, CN− can extract Cu2+ from C-GGH-Cu2+ complex, leading to the release of C-GGH and the recovery of fluorescent emission of the system. The probe C-GGH-Cu2+ allowed detection of CN− in aqueous solution with a LOD (limit of detection of 0.017 μmol/L which is much lower than the maximum contaminant level (1.9 μmol/L for CN− in drinking water set by the WHO (World Health Organization. The probe also displayed excellent specificity for CN− towards other anions, including F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, SCN−, PO43-, N3-, NO3-, AcO−, SO42-, and CO32-.

  4. A sensitive electrochemical aptasensor based on water soluble CdSe quantum dots (QDs) for thrombin determination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Yanfen; Han Min [Jiangsu Laboratory of New Power Batteries, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofuctional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097 (China); Bai Hongyan [Jiangsu Laboratory of New Power Batteries, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofuctional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097 (China); College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Jiaxing College, Jiaxing 314001 (China); Wu Yong [Jiangsu Laboratory of New Power Batteries, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofuctional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097 (China); Dai Zhihui, E-mail: daizhihuii@njnu.edu.cn [Jiangsu Laboratory of New Power Batteries, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofuctional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097 (China); Bao Jianchun, E-mail: baojianchun@njnu.edu.cn [Jiangsu Laboratory of New Power Batteries, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofuctional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097 (China)

    2011-08-01

    A novel aptamer biosensor with easy operation and good sensitivity, specificity, stability and reproducibility was developed by immobilizing the aptamer on water soluble CdSe quantum dots (QDs) modified on the top of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Methylene blue (MB) was intercalated into the aptamer sequence and used as an electrochemical marker. CdSe QDs improved the electrochemical signal because of their larger surface area and ion centers of CdSe QDs may also had a major role on amplifying the signal. The higher ion concentration caused more combination of aptamer which caused larger signal. The thrombin was detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) quantitatively. Under optimal conditions, the two linear ranges were obtained from 3 to 13 {mu}g mL{sup -1} and from 14 to 31 {mu}g mL{sup -1}, respectively. The detection limit was 0.08 {mu}g mL{sup -1} at 3{sigma}. The constructed biosensor had better responses compared with that in the absence of the CdSe QDs immobilizing. The control experiment was also carried out by using BSA, casein and IgG in the absence of thrombin. The results showed that the aptasensor had good specificity, stability and reproducibility to the thrombin. Moreover, the aptasensor could be used for detection of real sample with consistent results in comparison with those obtained by fluorescence method which could provide a promising platform for fabrication of aptamer based biosensors.

  5. A tethering complex drives the terminal stage of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Agostino, Massimo; Risselada, Herre Jelger; Lürick, Anna; Ungermann, Christian; Mayer, Andreas

    2017-11-01

    Membrane fusion in eukaryotic cells mediates the biogenesis of organelles, vesicular traffic between them, and exo- and endocytosis of important signalling molecules, such as hormones and neurotransmitters. Distinct tasks in intracellular membrane fusion have been assigned to conserved protein systems. Tethering proteins mediate the initial recognition and attachment of membranes, whereas SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) protein complexes are considered as the core fusion engine. SNARE complexes provide mechanical energy to distort membranes and drive them through a hemifusion intermediate towards the formation of a fusion pore. This last step is highly energy-demanding. Here we combine the in vivo and in vitro fusion of yeast vacuoles with molecular simulations to show that tethering proteins are critical for overcoming the final energy barrier to fusion pore formation. SNAREs alone drive vacuoles only into the hemifused state. Tethering proteins greatly increase the volume of SNARE complexes and deform the site of hemifusion, which lowers the energy barrier for pore opening and provides the driving force. Thereby, tethering proteins assume a crucial mechanical role in the terminal stage of membrane fusion that is likely to be conserved at multiple steps of vesicular traffic. We therefore propose that SNAREs and tethering proteins should be considered as a single, non-dissociable device that drives fusion. The core fusion machinery may then be larger and more complex than previously thought.

  6. Molecular Design of Soluble Biopolyimide with High Rigidity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumant Dwivedi

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available New soluble biopolyimides were prepared from a diamine derived from an exotic amino acid (4-aminocinnamic acid with several kinds of tetracarboxylic dianhydride. The biopolyimide molecular structural flexibility was tailored by modifying the tetracarboxylic dianhydride moiety. The obtained polyimides were soluble in various solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and even tetrahydrofuran. It was observed that the biopolyimide solubility was greatly dependent upon the structural flexibility (torsion energy. Flexible structure facilitated greater solubility. The synthesized biopolyimides were largely amorphous and had number-average molecular weight (Mn in the range (5–8 × 105. The glass transition temperatures (Tg of the polymers ranged from 259–294 °C. These polymers exhibited good thermal stability without significant weight loss up to 410 °C. The temperatures at 10% weight loss (Td10 for synthesized biopolyimide ranged from 375–397 °C.

  7. Obtención de anticuerpos monoclonales dirigidos contra antígenos solubles de P. Falciparum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zuleima Rubio

    1990-12-01

    Full Text Available En este trabajo, se describe la producción de los anticuerpos monoclonales dirigidos contra proteínas solubles de P. falciparum (FCB-1. Uno de los anticuerpos identificados como M-45 detectó una proteína de 72 Kd y dos más de menor peso molecular de 30 y 26 Kd, y el otro, identificado como G-172, detectó una proteína de 120 Kd, cuando se enfrentaron a un extracto de esquizontes por inmunoelectrotransferencia. Estos anticuerpos monoclonales mostraron patrones de fluorescencia diferente en eritrocitos infectados con esquizontes; M-45 (isotipo M produjo una fluorescencia uniforme y generalizada, mientras que el G-172 (isotipo G2a mostró regiones con parches de mayor intensidad. Posteriormente, los monoclonales se utilizaron en una prueba de ELlSA sandwich, como anticuerpos de captura para antigenos solubles de P. falciparum, en sobrenadantes de cultivo y en cinco sueros de pacientes con infección malárica aguda. Los resultados mostraron un 100% de sensibilidad y especificidad para la dilución 1/20 de los sueros y un 80% de sensibilidad para la dilución 1/40. Teniendo en cuenta estos resultados preliminares se abre la posibilidad de utilizar estos monoclonales en una prueba de ELlSA que permita el seguimiento de una infección malárica.

  8. High Sensitive pH Sensor Based on AlInN/GaN Heterostructure Transistor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Dong

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The AlInN/GaN high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT indicates better performances compared with the traditional AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. The present work investigated the pH sensor functionality of an analogous HEMT AlInN/GaN device with an open gate. It was shown that the Al0.83In0.17N/GaN device demonstrates excellent pH sense functionality in aqueous solutions, exhibiting higher sensitivity (−30.83 μA/pH for AlInN/GaN and −4.6 μA/pH for AlGaN/GaN and a faster response time, lower degradation and good stability with respect to the AlGaN/GaN device, which is attributed to higher two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG density and a thinner barrier layer in Al0.83In0.17N/GaN owning to lattice matching. On the other hand, the open gate geometry was found to affect the pH sensitivity obviously. Properly increasing the width and shortening the length of the open gate area could enhance the sensitivity. However, when the open gate width is too larger or too small, the pH sensitivity would be suppressed conversely. Designing an optimal ratio of the width to the length is important for achieving high sensitivity. This work suggests that the AlInN/GaN-based 2DEG carrier modulated devices would be good candidates for high-performance pH sensors and other related applications.

  9. High Sensitive pH Sensor Based on AlInN/GaN Heterostructure Transistor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Yan; Son, Dong-Hyeok; Dai, Quan; Lee, Jun-Hyeok; Won, Chul-Ho; Kim, Jeong-Gil; Chen, Dunjun; Lee, Jung-Hee; Lu, Hai; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, Youdou

    2018-04-24

    The AlInN/GaN high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) indicates better performances compared with the traditional AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. The present work investigated the pH sensor functionality of an analogous HEMT AlInN/GaN device with an open gate. It was shown that the Al 0.83 In 0.17 N/GaN device demonstrates excellent pH sense functionality in aqueous solutions, exhibiting higher sensitivity (−30.83 μA/pH for AlInN/GaN and −4.6 μA/pH for AlGaN/GaN) and a faster response time, lower degradation and good stability with respect to the AlGaN/GaN device, which is attributed to higher two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) density and a thinner barrier layer in Al 0.83 In 0.17 N/GaN owning to lattice matching. On the other hand, the open gate geometry was found to affect the pH sensitivity obviously. Properly increasing the width and shortening the length of the open gate area could enhance the sensitivity. However, when the open gate width is too larger or too small, the pH sensitivity would be suppressed conversely. Designing an optimal ratio of the width to the length is important for achieving high sensitivity. This work suggests that the AlInN/GaN-based 2DEG carrier modulated devices would be good candidates for high-performance pH sensors and other related applications.

  10. Biological variation and reference intervals for circulating osteopontin, osteoprotegerin, total soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sennels, H P; Jacobsen, Søren; Jensen, T

    2007-01-01

    Objective. Monitoring inflammatory diseases and osteoclastogenesis with osteopontin (OPN), osteoprotegerin (OPG), total soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (total sRANKL) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) has recently attracted increased interest. The purpose...

  11. Combined embedding of N-doping and CaCO{sub 3} surface modification in the TiO{sub 2} photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Su Kyung; Yun, Tae Kwan [Department of Chemistry, Keimyung University, Daegu 704-701 (Korea, Republic of); Bae, Jae Young, E-mail: jybae@kmu.ac.kr [Department of Chemistry, Keimyung University, Daegu 704-701 (Korea, Republic of); Won, Yong Sun, E-mail: yswon@pknu.ac.kr [Department of Chemical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-739 (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-11-15

    A successive embedding of N-doping and CaCO{sub 3} surface modification was carried out in the TiO{sub 2} photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The combined effect was revealed with the great increase of the open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}), short-circuit current (J{sub sc}), and photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) of the prepared cells; the efficiency (η) was improved from 5.42% of a commercial TiO{sub 2} photoelectrode to 7.47% of an unmodified N-doped electrode, and to 9.03% of a N-doped and CaCO{sub 3} surface modified electrode. An enhanced photoresponse in N-doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles generate more photo-excited electrons in adsorbed dye, as supported by measured UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra and incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE). A successive CaCO{sub 3} surface modification then form a barrier on the surface of N-doped TiO{sub 2} particles, suppressing charge recombination of photo-generated electrons from N-doped TiO{sub 2} to dye or electrolyte, and thus extending their life time in the electrode, as supported by electron impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Furthermore, the higher basicity of the CaCO{sub 3} modified TiO{sub 2} facilitates the dye adsorption, as supported by the direct measurement of the amount of adsorbed dye.

  12. Radiochemical investigations on the solubility of molybdatophosphate in phosphate determination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noack, S.

    1975-01-01

    The solubility of various molybdatophosphates was determined under the conditions of a gravimetric phosphate determination by radiochemical means by labelling PO 4 3- with P-32. Starting with various conditions for phosphate determination via the molybdatophosphate of quinoline, 8-hydroxyquinoline, dimorpholino ethane, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis-β-hydroxypropyl ethylene diamine and N,N,N',N'-tetrakis-β-hydroxybutyl ethylene diamine, a general working rule was developed to determine the solubility. Taking the example of quinoline molybdatophosphates, a series of influencing factors - work, concentration and measuring parameters - were investigated in order to be able to limit the reliability region of the gravimetric phosphate determination. Depending on the conditions, the measured solubilities were between 10 -10 and 10 -6 Mol/l, the corresponding degrees of precipitation between 99.0 and 99.9999%. Apparent solubility products were calculated for the different molybdatophosphates using computer programmes especially developed for this purpose. (orig./RB) [de

  13. On nitrogen solubility in water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalajda, Yu.A.; Katkov, Yu.D.; Kuznetsov, V.A.; Lastovtsev, A.Yu.; Lastochkin, A.P.; Susoev, V.S.

    1980-01-01

    Presented are the results of experimental investigations on nitrogen solubility in water under 0-15 MPa pressure, at the temperature of 100-340 deg C and nitrogen concentration of 0-5000 n.ml. N 2 /kg H 2 O. Empiric equations are derived and a diagram of nitrogen solubility in water is developed on the basis of the experimental data, as well as critically evaluated published data. The investigation results can be used in analyzing water-gas regime of a primary heat carrier in stream-generating plants with water-water reactors

  14. Effects of combined action of γ-irradiation and sulfur dioxide or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidin on bacteria and higher plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kal'chenko, V.A.; Lotareva, O.V.; Spirin, D.A.; Karaban', R.T.; Mal'tseva, L.N.; Ignat'ev, A.A.

    1988-01-01

    Effect of combined action of of gamma-irradiation and sulfur dioxide or N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidin on baceria (Bacillus subtilis) and higher plants (Hordeum vulgare L., Pinus sylvestris L.) have been studied. The number of barley germ root cells with chromosomal aberrations depends on the order of treatment with the studied agents. The coefficients of SO 2 and gamma-irradiation correlation fluctuate from 1,3 to 2,6 in the above experiments. In experiments with pine seedlings, these correlation coefficients were similar to additive ones. The data obtained suggest that the pattern of action of the agents is determined by the radiation sensitivity of objects and the order of action of the agents

  15. Combined measurement of copeptin, high-sensitivity troponin T, and N-terminal proBNP improves the identification of patients at risk of cardiovascular death

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alehagen, Urban; Dahlström, Ulf; Carstensen, John

    2012-01-01

    and all mortality was registered. Cardiovascular mortality was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier plots and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses. Results: Copeptin, HS-TnT, and NT-proBNP measurements provided independent prognostic information in a multivariate setting over 5 years (hazard......Objectives: A multimarker strategy for the handling of patients with heart failure has been suggested in the literature. Therefore, the potential prognostic relevance of combined copeptin, high-sensitivity troponin T (HS-TnT), and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) measurement in plasma from elderly...... patients with symptoms of heart failure was evaluated. Methods: This study included 470 elderly patients (mean age 73 years) from a rural municipality with symptoms of heart failure. Clinical examination, echocardiography, and biomarker measurements were performed. All patients were followed for 13 years...

  16. Purification and characterization of a polyisoprenyl phosphate phosphatase from pig brain. Possible dual specificity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, D W; Waechter, C J

    1998-05-08

    Microsomal fractions from pig and calf brain catalyze the enzymatic dephosphorylation of endogenous and exogenous dolichyl monophosphate (Dol-P) (Sumbilla, C. A., and Waechter, C. J. (1985) Methods Enzymol. 111, 471-482). The Dol-P phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.51) has been solubilized by extracting pig brain microsomes with the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 and purified approximately 1,107-fold by a combination of anion exchange chromatography, polyethylene glycol fractionation, dye-ligand chromatography, and wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography. Treatment of the enzyme with neuraminidase prevented binding to wheat germ agglutinin-Sepharose, indicating the presence of one or more N-acetylneuraminyl residues per molecule of enzyme. When the highly purified polyisoprenyl phosphate phosphatase was analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a major 33-kDa polypeptide was observed. Enzymatic dephosphorylation of Dol-P by the purified phosphatase was 1) optimal at pH 7; 2) potently inhibited by F-, orthovanadate, and Zn2+ > Co2+ > Mn2+ but unaffected by Mg2+; 3) exhibited an approximate Km for C95-Dol-P of 45 microM; and 4) was sensitive to N-ethylmaleimide, phenylglyoxal, and diethylpyrocarbonate. The pig brain phosphatase did not dephosphorylate glucose 6-phosphate, mannose 6-phosphate, 5'-AMP, or p-nitrophenylphosphate, but it dephosphorylated dioleoyl-phosphatidic acid at initial rates similar to those determined for Dol-P. Based on the virtually identical sensitivity of Dol-P and phosphatidic acid dephosphorylation by the highly purified enzyme to N-ethylmaleimide, F-, phenylglyoxal, and diethylpyrocarbonate, both substrates appear to be hydrolyzed by a single enzyme with an apparent dual specificity. This is the first report of the purification of a neutral Dol-P phosphatase from mammalian tissues. Although the enzyme is Mg2+-independent and capable of dephosphorylating Dol-P and PA, several enzymological properties distinguish this lipid

  17. [Evaluation of immune status of kidney transplant recipients by combined HLA-G5 and sCD30].

    Science.gov (United States)

    JIN, Zhan-kui; TIAN, Pu-xun; XUE, Wu-jun; DING, Xiao-ming; PAN, Xiao-ming; DING, Chen-guang; JIA, Li-ning; GE, Guan-qun; HAO, Jun-jun

    2010-09-28

    to study the relationship between the expression of serum human leucocyte antigen-G5 (HLA-G5)/soluble CD30 (sCD30) and the function of renal graft in kidney transplant recipients and investigate the immune status of recipients with combined HLA-G5 and sCD30. from January 2002 to November 2008, a total of 66 kidney transplant recipients in our centre were selected as subjects and divided into three groups: stable function of renal graft (n = 38), acute rejection (n = 15) and chronic rejection (n = 13). The expressions of serum HLA-G5 and sCD30 were detected. There were two different immune conditions with acute/chronic allograft rejection and normal renal graft in kidney transplant recipients as evaluated by combined HLA-G5 and sCD30. The sensitivity, specificity and critical value of the method were analyzed by the curve of receiver operating characteristic. the levels of HLA-G5 and sCD30 were significantly correlated with serum creatinine (r = -0.493, 0.691, both P transplantation, the sensitivity was 78.6% and the specificity 85.7% when HLA-G5 critical value 82 microg/L and sCD30 critical value 12.2 microg/L. After one year post-transplantation: the sensitivity was 92.3% and the specificity 84.6% when HLA-G5 critical value 141 microg/L and sCD30 critical value 10.3 microg/L. the immune state of recipients are evaluated by combine HLA-G5 and sCD30 which may be a simple and valid method.

  18. Targeted drug delivery using temperature-sensitive liposomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magin, R.L.; Niesman, M.R.

    1984-01-01

    Liposomes are receiving considerable attention as vehicles for selective drug delivery. One method of targeting liposomal contents involves the combination of local hyperthermia with temperature-sensitive liposomes. Such liposomes have been used to increase the uptake of methotrexate and cis-platinum into locally heated mouse tumors. However, additional information is needed on the mechanism of liposome drug release and the physiologic deposition of liposomes in vivo before clinical trails are begun. Current research is directed at studying the encapsulation and release of water soluble drugs from temperature-sensitive liposomes. The influence of liposome size, structure, and composition on the rapid release in plasma of cytosine arabinoside, cis-platinum, and the radiation sensitizer SR-2508 are described. These results demonstrate potential applications for temperature-sensitive liposomes in selective drug delivery

  19. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence of water-soluble quantum dots for a bioprobe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Tiancai; Huang Zhenli; Wang Haiqiao; Wang Jianhao; Li Xiuqing; Zhao Yuandi; Luo Qingming

    2006-01-01

    The photoluminescence of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots is found to be temperature-dependent: as temperature arising from 280 K to 351 K, the photoluminescence declines with emission peak shifting towards the red at a rate of ∼0.11 nm K -1 . And the studies show that the photoluminescence of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS quantum dots with core capped by a thinner ZnS shell is more sensitive to temperature than that of ones with core capped by a thicker one. That is, with 50% decrement of the quantum yield the temperature of the former need to arise from 280 K to 295 K, while the latter requires much higher temperature (315.6 K), which means that the integrality of shell coverage is a very important factor on temperature-sensitivity to for the photoluminescence of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. Moreover, it is found that the water-soluble CdSe quantum dots with different core sizes, whose cores are capped by thicker ZnS shells, possess almost the same sensitivity to the temperature. All of the studies about photoluminescence temperature-dependence of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots show an indispensable proof for their applications in life science

  20. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence of water-soluble quantum dots for a bioprobe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Tiancai [Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics of Ministry of Education - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China); Huang Zhenli [Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics of Ministry of Education - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China); Wang Haiqiao [Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics of Ministry of Education - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China); Wang Jianhao [Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics of Ministry of Education - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China); Li Xiuqing [Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics of Ministry of Education - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China); Zhao Yuandi [Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics of Ministry of Education - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China)]. E-mail: zydi@mail.hust.edu.cn; Luo Qingming [Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics of Ministry of Education - Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074 (China)

    2006-02-10

    The photoluminescence of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots is found to be temperature-dependent: as temperature arising from 280 K to 351 K, the photoluminescence declines with emission peak shifting towards the red at a rate of {approx}0.11 nm K{sup -1}. And the studies show that the photoluminescence of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS quantum dots with core capped by a thinner ZnS shell is more sensitive to temperature than that of ones with core capped by a thicker one. That is, with 50% decrement of the quantum yield the temperature of the former need to arise from 280 K to 295 K, while the latter requires much higher temperature (315.6 K), which means that the integrality of shell coverage is a very important factor on temperature-sensitivity to for the photoluminescence of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. Moreover, it is found that the water-soluble CdSe quantum dots with different core sizes, whose cores are capped by thicker ZnS shells, possess almost the same sensitivity to the temperature. All of the studies about photoluminescence temperature-dependence of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots show an indispensable proof for their applications in life science.

  1. Identification of the protein responsible for pyruvate transport into rat liver and heart mitochondria by specific labelling with [3H]N-phenylmaleimide.

    OpenAIRE

    Thomas, A P; Halestrap, A P

    1981-01-01

    1. N-Phenylmaleimide irreversibly inhibits pyruvate transport into rat heart and liver mitochondria to a much greater extent than does N-ethylmaleimide, iodoacetate or bromopyruvate. alpha-Cyanocinnamate protects the pyruvate transporter from attack by this thiol-blocking reagent. 2. In both heart and liver mitochondria alpha-cyanocinnamate diminishes labelling by [3H]N-phenylmaleimide of a membrane protein of subunit mol.wt. 15000 on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis...

  2. High-pressure solubility of carbon dioxide in pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids: [bmpyr][dca] and [bmpyr][Tf{sub 2}N

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Byung-Chul; Nam, Sang Gyu [Hannam University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-03-15

    Solubility data of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) in two pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids: 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium dicyanamide ([bmpyr][dca]) and 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([bmpyr] [Tf{sub 2}N]) are presented at pressures up to about 30MPa and temperatures from 303..2 K to 343.2 K. The solubility was determined by measuring bubble or cloud point pressures of mixtures of CO{sub 2} and ionic liquid using a high-pressure equilibrium apparatus equipped with a variable-volume view cell. The CO{sub 2} solubility in the ionic liquid in terms of the mole fraction or the molality increased with the increase of the equilibrium pressure at a given temperature, but decreased with the increase of temperature at a given pressure. At a given temperature, the mole fraction of CO{sub 2} dissolved in the ionic liquid increased rapidly as pressure increased. CO{sub 2} solubility in the mole fraction almost reached saturation around 0.65 for [bmpyr][dca] and around 0..8 for [bmpyr][Tf{sub 2}N], respectively. The experimental data for the CO{sub 2}+ionic liquid systems were correlated using the Peng-Robinson equation of state (PR-EoS). The mixing rules of the Wong-Sandler type rather than the classical mixing rules of the van der Waals type were coupled with the PR-EoS. The resulting modeling approach proved to be able to correlate the CO{sub 2} solubilities in aforementioned ionic liquids over the aforementioned range of temperature and pressure within 5% average deviations.

  3. The primed SNARE–complexin–synaptotagmin complex for neuronal exocytosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Qiangjun; Zhou, Peng; Wang, Austin L.; Wu, Dick; Zhao, Minglei; Südhof, Thomas C.; Brunger, Axel T.

    2017-08-16

    Synaptotagmin, complexin, and neuronal SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) proteins mediate evoked synchronous neurotransmitter release, but the molecular mechanisms mediating the cooperation between these molecules remain unclear. Here we determine crystal structures of the primed pre-fusion SNARE–complexin–synaptotagmin-1 complex. These structures reveal an unexpected tripartite interface between synaptotagmin-1 and both the SNARE complex and complexin. Simultaneously, a second synaptotagmin-1 molecule interacts with the other side of the SNARE complex via the previously identified primary interface. Mutations that disrupt either interface in solution also severely impair evoked synchronous release in neurons, suggesting that both interfaces are essential for the primed pre-fusion state. Ca2+ binding to the synaptotagmin-1 molecules unlocks the complex, allows full zippering of the SNARE complex, and triggers membrane fusion. The tripartite SNARE–complexin–synaptotagmin-1 complex at a synaptic vesicle docking site has to be unlocked for triggered fusion to start, explaining the cooperation between complexin and synaptotagmin-1 in synchronizing evoked release on the sub-millisecond timescale.

  4. LIPIDS IN REGULATED EXOCYTOSIS: WHAT ARE THEY DOING?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Raafet Ammar

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available TThe regulated secretory pathway in neuroendocrine cells ends with the release of hormones and neurotransmitters following a rise in cytosolic calcium. This process known as regulated exocytosis involves the assembly of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE proteins, the synaptic vesicle VAMP (synaptobrevin and the plasma membrane proteins syntaxin and SNAP-25. Although there is much evidence suggesting that SNARE proteins play a key role in the fusion machinery, other cellular elements regulating the kinetics, the extent of fusion, and the preparation of vesicle for release have received less attention. Among those factors, lipids have also been proposed to play important functions both at the level of secretory vesicle recruitment and late membrane fusion steps. Here, we will review the latest evidence supporting the concept of the fusogenic activity of lipids, and also discuss how this may be achieved. These possibilities include the recruitment and sequestration of the components of the exocytotic machinery, regulation of protein function and direct effects on membrane topology.

  5. Water-soluble Microwave-exfoliated Graphene Nanosheet/Platinum Nanoparticle Composite and Its Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhai, Peng; Chang, Ya-Huei; Huang, Yu-Ting; Wei, Tzu-Chien; Su, Haijun; Feng, Shien-Ping

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, a facile and scalable aqueous process including mild oxidative intercalation, microwave exfoliation, ultrasonication, drying and Ar-annealing is developed to synthesize the water-soluble microwave-exfoliated graphene (MEG)/platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) composite, which has a relative low defect level and can be readily dispersed in deionized water without adding surfactants. This low cost synthesis method is applicable in many systems, such as supercapacitors, thermal storage, lithium battery and Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). An efficiency of 6.69% for the MEG/PtNPs composite deposited on ITO PEN as flexible counter electrode (CE) for DSSCs has been obtained, higher than the control device made by PVP-Pt as flexible CE

  6. Dye-sensitized solar cells: a successful combination of materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Longo Claudia

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells, DSSC, are a promising alternative for the development of a new generation of photovoltaic devices. DSSC are a successful combination of materials, consisting of a transparent electrode coated with a dye-sensitized mesoporous film of nanocrystalline particles of TiO2, an electrolyte containing a suitable redox-couple and a Pt coated counter-electrode. In general, Ru bipyridyl complexes are used as the dye sensitizers. The light-to-energy conversion performance of the cell depends on the relative energy levels of the semiconductor and dye and on the kinetics of the electron-transfer processes at the sensitized semiconductor | electrolyte interface. The rate of these processes depends on the properties of its components. This contribution presents a discussion on the influence of each of the materials which constitute the DSSC of the overall process for energy conversion. An overview of the results obtained for solid-state dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells assembled with polymer electrolytes is also presented.

  7. Salinity impacts on water solubility and n-octanol/water partition coefficients of selected pesticides and oil constituents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saranjampour, Parichehr; Vebrosky, Emily N; Armbrust, Kevin L

    2017-09-01

    Salinity has been reported to influence the water solubility of organic chemicals entering marine ecosystems. However, limited data are available on salinity impacts for chemicals potentially entering seawater. Impacts on water solubility would correspondingly impact chemical sorption as well as overall bioavailability and exposure estimates used in the regulatory assessment. The pesticides atrazine, fipronil, bifenthrin, and cypermethrin, as well as the crude oil constituent dibenzothiophene together with 3 of its alkyl derivatives, all have different polarities and were selected as model compounds to demonstrate the impact of salinity on their solubility and partitioning behavior. The n-octanol/water partition coefficient (K OW ) was measured in both distilled-deionized water and artificial seawater (3.2%). All compounds had diminished solubility and increased K OW values in artificial seawater compared with distilled-deionized water. A linear correlation curve estimated salinity may increase the log K OW value by 2.6%/1 log unit increase in distilled water (R 2  = 0.97). Salinity appears to generally decrease the water solubility and increase the partitioning potential. Environmental fate estimates based on these parameters indicate elevated chemical sorption to sediment, overall bioavailability, and toxicity in artificial seawater. These dramatic differences suggest that salinity should be taken into account when exposure estimates are made for marine organisms. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2274-2280. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

  8. Eficiencia agronómica del azufre elemental relativa a una fuente azufrada soluble en trigo en la Región Pampeana Agronomic efficiency of elemental sulphur in wheat relative to a soluble sulphur source in the Pampas Region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Torres Duggan

    2010-07-01

    siembra, ésta última con bajo ajuste (r² medio=0,18. No se observó asociación entre las respuestas y la temperatura en macollaje o en el ciclo. Se concluye que el AE resultó una fuente azufrada con similar eficiencia que el SA para aportar S al trigo en la Región Pampeana.Agronomic efficiency of elemental sulphur (AE compared with soluble and S-sulphate sulphur sources depends on reactivity of AE (e.g. particle size and environmental conditions (soil and climate. Although there is published information suggesting that elemental sulphur has similar effectiveness than soluble sulphur sources, the information is not conclusive. We hypothesized that agronomic efficiency of AE and soluble S sources are similar under the Pampas Region conditions. The objectives of the study were to: i. Evaluate S grain response to a reactive source of AE compared to a soluble S source under different S rates and soil and climate conditions. ii. Compare, for the group of experiments, agronomic S efficiency between S sources. iii: Relate S responses with soil and climatic variables. Eight field experiments were conducted during two successive years on cropping systems in the Pampas Region. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four or six replicates and a factorial treatment arrangement (factor 1: S source, factor 2: S rate. The treatments were: check (without S application, fertilization with a micronized source of AE (95% of S and a fertilization treatment with ammonium sulphate (SA, 24%. Both sulphur sources were applied at two S rates. Sulphur rates were 10 and 30 kg ha¹ (year 1 and 15 and 30 kg ha-1 (year 2. In the first year, wheat responded significantly to S in four of five sites (p0.05 in most sites. When all sites were combined, sulphur sources presented similar agronomic S efficiencies (p>0.05. The lower S rate (10 or 15 kg ha¹ was enough to provide S to the crop under the Pampas Region conditions. Grain yield responses to S were positively correlated

  9. Thermodynamic data development using the solubility method (Joint research)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rai, Dhanpat; Yui, Mikazu

    2013-05-01

    The solubility method is one of the most powerful tools to obtain reliable thermodynamic data for 1) solubility products of discrete solids and double salts, 2) complexation constants for various ligands, 3) development of data in a wide range of pH values, 4) evaluation of data for metals that form very insoluble solids (e.g. tetravalent actinides), 5) determining solubility-controlling solids in different types of wastes and 6) elevated temperatures for redox sensitive systems. This document is focused on describing various aspects of obtaining thermodynamic data using the solubility method. This manuscript deals with various aspects of conducting solubility studies, including selecting the study topic, modeling to define important variables, selecting the range of variables and experimental parameters, anticipating results, general equipment requirements, conducting experiments, and interpreting experimental data. (author)

  10. P120-Catenin Regulates Early Trafficking Stages of the N-Cadherin Precursor Complex.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana P Wehrendt

    Full Text Available It is well established that binding of p120 catenin to the cytoplasmic domain of surface cadherin prevents cadherin endocytosis and degradation, contributing to cell-cell adhesion. In the present work we show that p120 catenin bound to the N-cadherin precursor, contributes to its anterograde movement from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER to the Golgi complex. In HeLa cells, depletion of p120 expression, or blocking its binding to N-cadherin, increased the accumulation of the precursor in the ER, while it decreased the localization of mature N-cadherin at intercellular junctions. Reconstitution experiments in p120-deficient SW48 cells with all three major isoforms of p120 (1, 3 and 4 had similar capacity to promote the processing of the N-cadherin precursor to the mature form, and its localization at cell-cell junctions. P120 catenin and protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B facilitated the recruitment of the N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF, an ATPase involved in vesicular trafficking, to the N-cadherin precursor complex. Dominant negative NSF E329Q impaired N-cadherin trafficking, maturation and localization at cell-cell junctions. Our results uncover a new role for p120 catenin bound to the N-cadherin precursor ensuring its trafficking through the biosynthetic pathway towards the cell surface.

  11. N-succinyl-chitosan as a drug carrier: water-insoluble and water-soluble conjugates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato, Yoshinori; Onishi, Hiraku; Machida, Yoshiharu

    2004-02-01

    N-succinyl-chitosan (Suc-Chi) has favourable properties as a drug carrier such as biocompatibility, low toxicity and long-term retention in the body. It was long retained in the systemic circulation after intravenous administration, and the plasma half-lives of Suc-Chi (MW: 3.4 x 10(5); succinylation degree: 0.81 mol/sugar unit; deacetylation degree: 1.0 mol/sugar unit) were ca. 100.3h in normal mice and 43 h in Sarcoma 180-bearing mice. The biodistribution of Suc-Chi into other tissues was trace apart from the prostate and lymph nodes. The maximum tolerable dose for the intraperitoneal injection of Suc-Chi to mice was greater than 2 g/kg. The water-insoluble and water-soluble conjugates could be prepared using a water-soluble carbodiimide and mitomycin C (MMC) or using an activated ester of glutaric MMC. In vitro release characteristics of these conjugates showed similar patterns, i.e. a pH-dependent manner, except that water-insoluble conjugates showed a slightly slower release of MMC than water-soluble ones. The conjugates of MMC with Suc-Chi showed good antitumour activities against various tumours such as murine leukaemias (L1210 and P388), B16 melanoma, Sarcoma 180 solid tumour, a murine liver metastatic tumour (M5076) and a murine hepatic cell carcinoma (MH134). This review summarizes the utilization of Suc-Chi as a drug carrier for macromolecular conjugates of MMC and the therapeutic efficacy of the conjugates against various tumours.

  12. A strategy of combining SILAR with solvothermal process for In2S3 sensitized quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Peizhi; Tang, Qunwei; Ji, Chenming; Wang, Haobo

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • In 2 S 3 sensitized TiO 2 anode is prepared by combining SILAR with solvothermal process. • The deposition cycle in SILAR process has an impact on cell performances. • A promising conversion efficiency of 1.39% is obtained for the optimal device. • The cell performances are markedly increased compared with SILAR technique. - Abstract: Pursuit of an efficient strategy for quantum dot-sensitized photoanode has been a persistent objective for enhancing photovoltaic performances of quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC). We present here the fabrication of the indium sulfide (In 2 S 3 ) quantum dot-sensitized titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) photoanode by combining successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) with solvothermal processes. The resultant QDSC consists of an In 2 S 3 sensitized TiO 2 photoanode, a liquid polysulfide electrolyte, and a Co 0.85 Se counter electrode. The optimized QDSC with photoanode prepared with the help of a SILAR method at 20 deposition cycles and solvothermal method yields a maximum power conversion efficiency of 1.39%.

  13. Protection against salt toxicity in Azolla pinnata-Anabaena azollae symbiotic association by using combined-N sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, A K; Singh, Satya S

    2006-09-01

    Protection from salt stress was observed in the terms of yield (fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll and protein) and nitrogenase activity. Azollapinnata appeared highly sensitive to 40 mM external NaCl stress. Fronds of Azolla unable to grow beyond a concentration of 30 mM NaCl and accordingly death was recorded at 40 mM NaCl on the 6th day of incubation. Yield was inhibited by various levels of NaCl (0, 10, 20 and 30 mM). Addition of combined-N to the growth medium protected the association partially from salt toxicity. Among the N-sources (NO3-, NH4+ and urea) tried, urea mitigated the salt-induced toxicity most efficiently. Reduction in nitrogenase activity was observed when intact Azolla was grown in nutrient medium either supplemented with different levels of NaCl or combined nitrogen. Only NO3- (5 mM) protected the enzymatic activity from salt toxicity while other concentrations of ammonium, nitrate and urea slowed down the salt-induced inhibition of enzyme activity in Azolla-Anabaena association. These results suggested that an optimum protection from salt stress could be obtained by using a combination of combined nitrogen sources. The reason for this protection might be due to the availability of combined nitrogen to the association, nitrogen is only available through the biological nitrogen fixation which is the most sensitive to salt stress.

  14. OCTANOL/WATER PARTITION COEFFICIENTS AND WATER SOLUBILITIES OF PHTHALATE ESTERS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Measurements of the octanol/water partition coefficients (K-ow) and water solubilities of di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) and di-n-decyl phthalate (DnDP) by the slow-stirring method are reported. The water solubility was also measured for di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHP). The log K-ow val...

  15. Surface sensitization mechanism on negative electron affinity p-GaN nanowires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diao, Yu; Liu, Lei; Xia, Sihao; Feng, Shu; Lu, Feifei

    2018-03-01

    The surface sensitization is the key to prepare negative electron affinity photocathode. The thesis emphasizes on the study of surface sensitization mechanism of p-type doping GaN nanowires utilizing first principles based on density function theory. The adsorption energy, work function, dipole moment, geometry structure, electronic structure and optical properties of Mg-doped GaN nanowires surfaces with various coverages of Cs atoms are investigated. The GaN nanowire with Mg doped in core position is taken as the sensitization base. At the initial stage of sensitization, the best adsorption site for Cs atom on GaN nanowire surface is BN, the bridge site of two adjacent N atoms. Surface sensitization generates a p-type internal surface with an n-type surface state, introducing a band bending region which can help reduce surface barrier and work function. With increasing Cs coverage, work functions decrease monotonously and the "Cs-kill" phenomenon disappears. For Cs coverage of 0.75 ML and 1 ML, the corresponding sensitization systems reach negative electron affinity state. Through surface sensitization, the absorption curves are red shifted and the absorption coefficient is cut down. All theoretical calculations can guide the design of negative electron affinity Mg doped GaN nanowires photocathode.

  16. Solubility study of Tc(IV) oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, D.J.; Fan, X.H.

    2005-01-01

    The deep geological disposal of the high level radioactive wastes is expected to be a safer disposal method in most countries. The long-lived fission product 99 Tc is present in large quantities in nuclear wastes and its chemical behavior in aqueous solution is of considerable interest. Under oxidizing conditions technetium exists as the anionic species TcO 4 - whereas under the reducing conditions, expected to exist in a deep geological repository, it is generally predicted that technetium will be present as TcO 2 ·nH 2 O. Hence, the mobility of Tc(IV) in reducing groundwater may be limited by the solubility of TcO 2 ·nH 2 O under these conditions. Due to this fact it is important to investigate the solubility of TcO 2 ·nH 2 O. The solubility determines the release of radionuclides from waste form and is used as a source term in radionuclide migration analysis in performance assessment of radioactive waste repository. Technetium oxide was prepared by reduction of a technetate solution with Sn 2 + . The solubility of Tc(IV) oxide has been determined in simulated groundwater and redistilled water under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The effects of pH and CO 3 2- concentration of solution on solubility of Tc(IV) oxide were studied. The concentration of total technetium and Tc(IV) species in the solutions were periodically determined by separating the oxidized and reduced technetium species using a solvent extraction procedure and counting the beta activity of the 99 Tc with a liquid scintillation counter. The experimental results show that the rate of oxidation of Tc(IV) in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is about (1.49-1.86) x 10 -9 mol/(L·d) under aerobic conditions, but Tc(IV) in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is not oxidized under anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions the solubility of Tc(IV) oxide in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is equal on the whole after centrifugation or ultrafiltration. The

  17. Preservation of metabolic flexibility in skeletal muscle by a combined use of n-3 PUFA and rosiglitazone in dietary obese mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Horakova

    Full Text Available Insulin resistance, the key defect in type 2 diabetes (T2D, is associated with a low capacity to adapt fuel oxidation to fuel availability, i.e., metabolic inflexibility. This, in turn, contributes to a further damage of insulin signaling. Effectiveness of T2D treatment depends in large part on the improvement of insulin sensitivity and metabolic adaptability of the muscle, the main site of whole-body glucose utilization. We have shown previously in mice fed an obesogenic high-fat diet that a combined use of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA and thiazolidinediones (TZDs, anti-diabetic drugs, preserved metabolic health and synergistically improved muscle insulin sensitivity. We investigated here whether n-3 LC-PUFA could elicit additive beneficial effects on metabolic flexibility when combined with a TZD drug rosiglitazone. Adult male C57BL/6N mice were fed an obesogenic corn oil-based high-fat diet (cHF for 8 weeks, or randomly assigned to various interventions: cHF with n-3 LC-PUFA concentrate replacing 15% of dietary lipids (cHF+F, cHF with 10 mg rosiglitazone/kg diet (cHF+ROSI, cHF+F+ROSI, or chow-fed. Indirect calorimetry demonstrated superior preservation of metabolic flexibility to carbohydrates in response to the combined intervention. Metabolomic and gene expression analyses in the muscle suggested distinct and complementary effects of the interventions, with n-3 LC-PUFA supporting complete oxidation of fatty acids in mitochondria and the combination with n-3 LC-PUFA and rosiglitazone augmenting insulin sensitivity by the modulation of branched-chain amino acid metabolism. These beneficial metabolic effects were associated with the activation of the switch between glycolytic and oxidative muscle fibers, especially in the cHF+F+ROSI mice. Our results further support the idea that the combined use of n-3 LC-PUFA and TZDs could improve the efficacy of the therapy of obese and diabetic patients.

  18. Impact of the nutrients N and K and soluble sugars on Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) and Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) populations in potato crops, Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae); Impacto dos nutrientes N e K e de acucares soluveis sobre populacoes de Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) e Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) na cultura da batata, Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Azeredo, Edson Henrique de [Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Pinheiral, RJ (Brazil). Pro-Reitoria de Extensao], e-mail: edsonhenrique.azeredo@bol.com.br; Lima, Eduardo [Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropedica, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Agronomia. Dept. de Solos; Cassino, Paulo Cesar Rodrigues [Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropedica, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Biologia. Centro Integrado de Manejo de Pragas C.R.G.

    2004-03-15

    Impact of the nutrients N and K and soluble sugars on Diabrotica speciosa (Germar) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) and Agrotis ipsilon (Huefnagel) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) populations in potato crops, Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae). The occurrence of Diabrotica speciosa (Germar, 1824) and Agrotis ipsilon (Huefnagel, 1767) on the potato cultivars Achat and Monalisa, influenced by nitrogen and potassium dosage, and minimum quantity of soluble sugars, was studied. The following parameters were evaluated: concentration of mineral nutrient and sugar in green leaf, senescent leaf, leaf in abscission, stem, tubercle and total plant using extracts of infusion in ethanol 80%. The largest infestation of D. speciosa larvae was on Monalisa cultivar at 150 kg.ha{sup -1} of N + K with 27.03% at P< 0,05. It was observed that the effect of the dosage of N + K in the increment of the concentration of soluble sugars increased the damages in the tubercles and stems by A. ipsilon. The infestation by these species increased to 58.82% on the Monalisa cultivar, when the nitrogen dosage increased from zero to 150 kg.ha{sup -1}, in the absence of potassium. On the other hand, high dosage of K reduced the damages by A. ipsilon on Monalisa cultivar. However, it did not influence the storage of soluble sugar. The results indicated that in Achat cultivar the accumulated soluble sugar was reduced, probably sensitized by elevation of potassic fertilization dosing, differing from Monalisa cultivar, in which the influence was by nitrogen dosing. (author)

  19. 1,2,3-Triazole–Diketopyrrolopyrrole Derivatives with TunableSolubility and Intermolecular Interactions

    OpenAIRE

    Punzi, Angela; Maiorano, Eliana; Nicoletta, Francesca; Blasi, Davide; Ardizzone, Antonio; Ventosa Rull, Nora; Ratera Bastardas, Immaculada; Veciana Miró, Jaume; Farinola, Gianluca M.

    2016-01-01

    1,2,3-Triazole rings bearing hydrophobic aliphatic or hydrophilic oligoether chains were easily introduced at the two ends of the conjugated skeleton of bisthiophene–diketopyrrolopyrrole (TDPP) derivatives by simple click cycloaddition reactions. The combination of side chains with different structures and polarities on the triazole rings with the side chains on the N-atoms of the lactam groups of the TDPP moiety enabled the solubility and the solid-state spectroscopic properties of the resul...

  20. Anion Effects on Gas Solubility in Ionic Liquids

    OpenAIRE

    Anthony, Jennifer L.; Anderson, Jessica L.; Maginn, Edward J.; Brennecke, Joan F.

    2005-01-01

    This work presents the results of solubility measurements for a series of gases in 1-n-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate and 1-n-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide. The gases considered include benzene, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ethylene, ethane, oxygen, and carbon monoxide. Carbon dioxide and oxygen solubilities are also reported in methyl-tributylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide, butyl-methyl pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) im...

  1. Multitarget global sensitivity analysis of n-butanol combustion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Dingyu D Y; Davis, Michael J; Skodje, Rex T

    2013-05-02

    A model for the combustion of butanol is studied using a recently developed theoretical method for the systematic improvement of the kinetic mechanism. The butanol mechanism includes 1446 reactions, and we demonstrate that it is straightforward and computationally feasible to implement a full global sensitivity analysis incorporating all the reactions. In addition, we extend our previous analysis of ignition-delay targets to include species targets. The combination of species and ignition targets leads to multitarget global sensitivity analysis, which allows for a more complete mechanism validation procedure than we previously implemented. The inclusion of species sensitivity analysis allows for a direct comparison between reaction pathway analysis and global sensitivity analysis.

  2. Mammalian cell biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elkind, M.M.

    1975-01-01

    Progress is reported on the following research projects: the effects of N-ethyl-maleimide and hydroxyurea on hamster cells in culture; sensitization of synchronized human cells to x rays by N-ethylmaleimide; sensitization of hypoxic mammalian cells with a sulfhydryl inhibitor; damage interaction due to ionizing and nonionizing radiation in mammalian cells; DNA damage relative to radioinduced cell killing; spurious photolability of DNA labeled with methyl- 14 C-thymidine; radioinduced malignant transformation of cultured mouse cells; a comparison of properties of uv and near uv light relative to cell function and DNA damage; Monte Carlo simulation of DNA damage and repair mechanisms; and radiobiology of fast neutrons

  3. Functional Analysis of Developmentally Regulated Genes chs7 and sec22 in the Ascomycete Sordaria macrospora.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traeger, Stefanie; Nowrousian, Minou

    2015-04-14

    During sexual development, filamentous ascomycetes form complex, three-dimensional fruiting bodies for the generation and dispersal of spores. In previous studies, we identified genes with evolutionary conserved expression patterns during fruiting body formation in several fungal species. Here, we present the functional analysis of two developmentally up-regulated genes, chs7 and sec22, in the ascomycete Sordaria macrospora. The genes encode a class VII (division III) chitin synthase and a soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein, respectively. Deletion mutants of chs7 had normal vegetative growth and were fully fertile but showed sensitivity toward cell wall stress. Deletion of sec22 resulted in a reduced number of ascospores and in defects in ascospore pigmentation and germination, whereas vegetative growth was normal in the mutant. A SEC22-EGFP fusion construct under control of the native sec22 promoter and terminator regions was expressed during different stages of sexual development. Expression of several development-related genes was deregulated in the sec22 mutant, including three genes involved in melanin biosynthesis. Our data indicate that chs7 is dispensable for fruiting body formation in S. macrospora, whereas sec22 is required for ascospore maturation and germination and thus involved in late stages of sexual development. Copyright © 2015 Traeger and Nowrousian.

  4. Sensitive determination of neurotransmitters in urine by microchip electrophoresis with multiple-concentration approaches combining field-amplified and reversed-field stacking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Guan; Chen, Wujuan; Li, Yi; Zhang, Yating; He, Pingang; Wang, Qingjiang

    2016-07-01

    Microchip electrophoresis (MCE) is particularly attractive as it provides high sensitivity and selectivity, short analysis time and low sample consumption. An on-line preconcentration strategy combining field-amplified stacking (FASS) and reversed-field stacking (RFS) was developed for efficient and sensitive analysis of neurotransmitters in real urine samples by MCE with laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection. In this study, the multiple-preconcentration strategy greatly improves the sensitivity enhancement and surpass other conventional analytical methods for neurotransmitters detection. Under optimal conditions, the separation of three neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin), was achieved within 3min with limits of detection (S/N=3) of 1.69, 2.35, and 2.73nM, respectively. The detection sensitivities were improved by 201-, 182-, and 292-fold enhancement, for the three neurotransmitters respectively. Other evaluation parameters such as linear correlation coefficients were considered as satisfactory. A real urine sample was analyzed with recoveries of 101.8-106.4%. The proposed FASS-RFS-MCE method was characterized in terms of precision, linearity, accuracy and successfully applied for rapid and sensitive determination of three neurotransmitters in human urine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Solubilities of some gases in four immidazolium-based ionic liquids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Afzal, Waheed; Liu, Xiangyang; Prausnitz, John M.

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Experimental apparatus based on the synthetic-volumetric method for measuring solubilities of gases in liquids. Highlights: • We constructed an apparatus for measuring solubilities of sparingly-soluble gases. • We measured solubilities of five gases in four immidazolium-based ionic liquids. • We calculated Henry’s constants for gases in the ionic liquids studied in this work. -- Abstract: The synthetic-volumetric method is used for rapidly measuring solubilities of sparingly-soluble gases in monoethylene glycol and in four ionic liquids. Known molar quantities of solute and solvent are charged into an equilibrium vessel. Measured quantities at equilibrium include: temperature, pressure, quantities of fluids, and volumes of the gas and liquid phases in the equilibrium vessel. These measurements enable calculation of equilibrium compositions using material balances. No sampling or chemical analyses are required. Solubilities are reported for carbon dioxide, krypton, oxygen, and hydrogen in monoethylene glycol, l-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM][BF4], l-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [BMIM][PF6], 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [EMIM][Tf 2 N], or 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [EMIM][AC]. Solubilities were measured over the temperature range (298 to 355) K and for pressures up to about 7 MPa using two different pieces of equipment, both based on the volumetric method: a low-pressure glass apparatus and a high-pressure stainless-steel apparatus. Special emphasis is given to experimental reliability to assure consistent data

  6. Water-soluble tetrapodal N, O ligands incorporating soft N-heterocycles for the selective complexation of Am(III) over Ln(III)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heitzmann, M.; Gateau, Ch.; Delangle, P. [CEA Grenoble, Inac, Service de Chimie Inorganique et Biologique, UMR E 3 CEA UJF, FRE CNRS 3200, F-38054 Grenoble (France); Chareyre, L.; Miguirditchian, M.; Charbonnel, M.Ch. [CEA Marcoule, DEN, DRCP, SCPS, F-30207, Bagnols-sur-Ceze (France)

    2010-07-01

    A series of four water-soluble N, O-tetrapodal ligands derived from ethylenediamine, bearing hard acetate groups and soft N-heterocycles, either pyridine or pyrazine, was developed to study the impact of the softness of N-donors on the complexation properties with trivalent f ions. Two novel ligands of enhanced soft character, bearing three pyridines (L{sup 3py}) or three pyrazines (L{sup 3pz}), were synthesized and the related lanthanide complexes were studied in solution. The ligand containing three pyridyl-methyl moieties L{sup 3py} gives complexes with a coordination similar to EDTA, i.e. a hexa-dentate coordination mode as indicated by NMR and luminescence decays (q = 3) and stability constants in the range log {beta}{sub 110} = 6.99-9.3 (La-Lu). On the other hand, the softest molecule L{sup 3pz} forms much less stable complexes with log {beta}{sub 110} = 4.0-4.4 (La-Eu). The selective back-extraction of Am(III) from organic solutions containing 4f and 5f elements was tested with the four water-soluble complexing agents. The ligand L{sup 3pz} demonstrates poor stripping ability and selectivity. In contrast, the three ligands L{sup py}, L{sup pz} and L{sup 3py} give interesting back-extraction results with Eu/Am separation factors ranging from 36 to 46, which are significantly higher than with HEDTA. This exemplifies the role of the N-hetero-cycle softness in enhancing the separation between Am(III) and Eu(III). Interestingly, the pyrazine-based ligand, L{sup pz}, demonstrates the best stripping properties, with a distribution factor that approaches that of HEDTA in the same conditions (D{sub Am{approx}}0.3). This molecule is a good compromise between softness and hardness and forms complexes still stable at pH 3 due to its low basicity. (authors)

  7. Bis[(lprolinate-N,O]Zn: A water-soluble and recycle catalyst for various organic transformations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roona Poddar

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Under the green chemistry perspective, bis[(lprolinate-N,O]Zn (also called zinc–proline or Zn[(l-pro]2 has proven its competence as a promising alternative in a plethora of applications such as catalyst or promoter. Owing to its biodegradable and non-toxic nature of bis[(lprolinate-N,O]Zn, it is being actively investigated as a water soluble green catalyst for synthetic chemistry. Bis[(lprolinate-N,O]Zn are readily utilized under mild conditions and have high selectivity and reactivity with broad range of substrate acceptance to make it better reaction medium for a wide variety of organic transformations. This Review summarizes the till date literature on its synthesis, characterization, and its catalytic role in various organic reactions.

  8. Effects of feeding condensed distillers solubles and crude glycerin alone or in combination on finishing beef cattle performance, carcass characteristics, and in vitro fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding condensed distillers solubles (DS) and crude glycerin alone or in combination on performance of finishing beef cattle and in vitro fermentation. In both experiments, dietary treatments consisted of a steam flaked corn (SFC) based diet...

  9. Determination of subcellular concentrations of soluble carbohydrates in rose petals during opening by nonaqueous fractionation method combined with infiltration-centrifugation method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, Kunio; Norikoshi, Ryo; Suzuki, Katsumi; Imanishi, Hideo; Ichimura, Kazuo

    2009-11-01

    Petal growth associated with flower opening depends on cell expansion. To understand the role of soluble carbohydrates in petal cell expansion during flower opening, changes in soluble carbohydrate concentrations in vacuole, cytoplasm and apoplast of petal cells during flower opening in rose (Rosa hybrida L.) were investigated. We determined the subcellular distribution of soluble carbohydrates by combining nonaqueous fractionation method and infiltration-centrifugation method. During petal growth, fructose and glucose rapidly accumulated in the vacuole, reaching a maximum when petals almost reflected. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the volume of vacuole and air space drastically increased with petal growth. Carbohydrate concentration was calculated for each compartment of the petal cells and in petals that almost reflected, glucose and fructose concentrations increased to higher than 100 mM in the vacuole. Osmotic pressure increased in apoplast and symplast during flower opening, and this increase was mainly attributed to increases in fructose and glucose concentrations. No large difference in osmotic pressure due to soluble carbohydrates was observed between the apoplast and symplast before flower opening, but total osmotic pressure was much higher in the symplast than in the apoplast, a difference that was partially attributed to inorganic ions. An increase in osmotic pressure due to the continued accumulation of glucose and fructose in the symplast may facilitate water influx into cells, contributing to cell expansion associated with flower opening under conditions where osmotic pressure is higher in the symplast than in the apoplast.

  10. High moisture airtight storage of barley and triticale: Effect of moisture level and grain processing on nitrogen and phosphorus solubility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ton Nu, Mai Anh; Blaabjerg, Karoline; Labouriau, Rodrigo

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of storage time, grain processing (whole vs. rolled) and the combination of phytase, xylanase, β-glucanase and protease on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) solubility during high moisture airtight (HMA) storage of barley and triticale at various...... moisture levels (20, 23, 26 and 29% moisture) and to compare HMA storage of cereals with dry storage for 49 days. Dry stored barley and triticale (10 and 13% moisture, respectively) were kept in 10 L plastic buckets for 0 and 49 days. HMA stored cereals were kept in airtight bags (400 g per bag) at 15 °C......) in HMA storage at 29% moisture to a greater extent compared with dry storage (P levels increased P solubility (rolled barley, whole and rolled triticale) and N solubility (whole and rolled triticale) linearly and decreased Phytate P:Total P (rolled barley) linearly...

  11. Sorption of Tannin and Related Phenolic Compounds and Effects on Extraction of Soluble-N in Soil Amended with Several Carbon Sources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javier M. Gonzalez

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Some tannins sorb to soil and reduce soluble-N. However, we know little about how they interact with organic amendments in soil. Soil (0–5 cm from plots, which were amended annually with various carbon substances, was treated with water (control or solutions containing tannins or related phenolic subunits. Treatments included a proanthocyanidin, catechin, tannic acid, β-1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-D-glucose (PGG, gallic acid, and methyl gallate. We applied solutions of each of these materials to soil and measured soluble-C and -N in supernatants after application and following extraction with hot water (16 h, 80 °C. Sorption was low for non-tannin phenolics, methyl gallate, gallic acid, and catechin, and unaffected by amendment. Sorption of tannins, proanthocyanidin, tannic acid, and PGG, was higher and greater in plots amended with biosolids or manure. Extraction of soluble-N was not affected by amendment or by catechin, proanthocyanidin, or methyl gallate, but was reduced with PGG, tannic acid and gallic acid. Soil cation exchange capacity increased following treatment with PGG but decreased with gallic acid, irrespective of amendment. Tannins entering soil may thus influence soil organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling but their impact may be influenced by the composition of soil organic matter.

  12. Solubility and selectivity of CO2 in ether-functionalized imidazolium ionic liquids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Lingyun; Shang, Xiaomin; Fan, Jing; Wang, Jianji

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Solubilities of CO 2 , N 2 and O 2 in [EOMmim][PF 6 ] and [EOMmim][Tf 2 N] were determined. • Introduction of ether group results in increase of CO 2 /N 2 and CO 2 /O 2 selectivity. • The solution of CO 2 in the ionic liquids is an exothermic and orderly process. • Experimental solubility data have been well correlated by Pitzer model. - Abstract: Ionic liquids are widely recognized new materials in carbon dioxide capture and separation technology. In this work, we synthesized and characterized two kinds of ether-functionalized imidazolium ionic liquids, 1-methoxyethyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoroborate ([EOMmim][PF 6 ]) and 1-methoxyethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoro-methylsulfony)imide ([EOMmim][Tf 2 N]). Solubility values of CO 2 in these ionic liquids were determined by isometric weight method at the temperatures from 298.15 K to 343.15 K and the pressure up to 5.185 MPa. Furthermore, solubilities of other flue gases, N 2 and O 2 , in these two ionic liquids were also measured at 303.15 K. It was shown that little influence had been exerted on CO 2 solubility by the introduction of ether groups on the cation, but it decreased N 2 and O 2 solubility, resulting in the remarkable increase of CO 2 /N 2 and CO 2 /O 2 selectivity. In addition, the solubility data were well correlated by Pitzer model, and the standard state solution Gibbs energy, solution enthalpy and solution entropy of CO 2 in the two ionic liquids were reported. Regeneration characteristics of the investigated ionic liquids was also studied by vacuum desorption and atmospheric desorption, respectively.

  13. Three new hydrochlorothiazide cocrystals: Structural analyses and solubility studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranjan, Subham; Devarapalli, Ramesh; Kundu, Sudeshna; Vangala, Venu R.; Ghosh, Animesh; Reddy, C. Malla

    2017-04-01

    Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) is a diuretic BCS class IV drug with poor aqueous solubility and low permeability leading to poor oral absorption. The present work explores the cocrystallization technique to enhance the aqueous solubility of HCT. Three new cocrystals of HCT with water soluble coformers phenazine (PHEN), 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and picolinamide (PICA) were prepared successfully by solution crystallization method and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), fourier transform -infraredspectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Structural characterization revealed that the cocrystals with PHEN, DMAP and PICA exists in P21/n, P21/c and P21/n space groups, respectively. The improved solubility of HCT-DMAP (4 fold) and HCT-PHEN (1.4 fold) cocrystals whereas decreased solubility of HCT-PICA (0.5 fold) as compared to the free drug were determined after 4 h in phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, at 25 °C by using shaking flask method. HCT-DMAP showed a significant increase in solubility than all previously reported cocrystals of HCT suggest the role of a coformer. The study demonstrates that the selection of coformer could have pronounced impact on the physicochemical properties of HCT and cocrystallization can be a promising approach to improve aqueous solubility of drugs.

  14. Solubility of inorganic salts in pure ionic liquids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereiro, A.B.; Araújo, J.M.M.; Oliveira, F.S.; Esperança, J.M.S.S.; Canongia Lopes, J.N.; Marrucho, I.M.; Rebelo, L.P.N.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We report the solubility of different conventional salts in several ionic liquids. ► The solubility was initially screened using a visual detection method. ► The most promising mixtures were quantitatively re-measured using an ATR–FTIR. - Abstract: The solubility of different conventional salts in several room-temperature ionic liquids – containing ammonium, phosphonium or imidazolium cations combined with acetate, sulfate, sulfonate, thiocyanate, chloride, tetracyano-borate, tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluoro-phosphate, L-lactate, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide or trifluoromethylsulfonate anions – were screened using a visual detection method. The most promising mixtures were then re-measured using an ATR–FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infra Red) spectroscopy technique in order to accurately and quantitatively determine the corresponding solubility at 298.15 K.

  15. CO2 Solubilities in Amide-based Brφnsted Acidic Ionic Liquids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palgunadi, Jelliarko; Im, Jin Kyu; Kang, Je Eun; Kim, Hoon Sik; Cheong, Min Serk

    2010-01-01

    A distinguished class of hydrophobic ionic liquids bearing a Brφnsted acidic character derived from amide-like compounds were prepared by a neutralization reaction of N,N-diethylformamide, N,N-dibutylformamide, 1-formylpiperidine, and ε-caprolactam with trifluoroacetic acid and physical absorptions of CO 2 in these ionic liquids were demonstrated and evaluated. CO 2 solubilities in these ionic liquids were influenced by the molecular structure of the cation and were apparently increased with the molar volume. Comparison based on a volume unit reveals that CO 2 solubilities in these liquids are relatively higher than those in imidazolium-based ionic liquids. Henry's coefficients calculated from low-pressure solubility tests at 313 to 333 K were used to derive the thermodynamics quantities. Enthalpy and entropy of solvation may share equal contributions in solubility

  16. Equilibrium Solubility of CO2 in Alkanolamines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Waseem Arshad, Muhammad; Fosbøl, Philip Loldrup; von Solms, Nicolas

    2014-01-01

    Equilibrium solubility of CO2 were measured in aqueous solutions of Monoethanolamine (MEA) and N,N-diethylethanolamine(DEEA). Equilibrium cells are generally used for these measurements. In this study, the equilibrium data were measured from the calorimetry. For this purpose a reaction calorimeter...... (model CPA 122 from ChemiSens AB, Sweden) was used. The advantage of this method is being the measurement of both heats of absorption and equilibrium solubility data of CO2 at the same time. The measurements were performed for 30 mass % MEA and 5M DEEA solutions as a function of CO2 loading at three...... different temperatures 40, 80 and 120 ºC. The measured 30 mass % MEA and 5M DEEA data were compared with the literature data obtained from different equilibrium cells which validated the use of calorimeters for equilibrium solubility measurements....

  17. Protective effects on vascular endothelial cell in N'-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA)-induced hypertensive rats from the combination of effective components of Uncaria rhynchophylla and Semen Raphani.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yunlun; Yang, Wenqing; Zhu, Qingjun; Yang, Jinguo; Wang, Zhen

    2015-08-01

    Endothelial dysfunction is closely associated with hypertension. Protection of vascular endothelial cell is the key to prevention and treatment of hypertension. Uncaria rhynchophylla total alkaloids and Semen Raphani soluble alkaloid, isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Uncaria rbyncbopbylla and Semen Raphani respectively, exhibit properties of anti-hypertension and protection of blood vessels. In the present study, we observed the protective effect of the combined use of Uncaria rhynchophylla total alkaloids and Semen Raphani soluble alkaloid to the vascular endothelial cell in N'-nitro-L-arginine-induced hypertensive rats and investigate the preliminary mechanism. Blood pressure was detected by non-invasive rats tail method to observe the anti-hypertension effect of drugs. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the integrity or shedding state of vascular endothelial cell. The amount of circulating endothelial cells and CD54 and CD62P expression on circulating endothelial cells were tested to evaluate the endothelium function. In this study, we found that the Uncaria rhynchophylla total alkaloids and Semen Raphani soluble alkaloid compatibility can effectively lower the blood pressure, improve the structural integrity of vascular endothelium, and significantly reduce the number of circulating endothelial cells. Furthermore, the mean fluorescence intensity of CD54 and CD62P expressed showed decrease after the intervention of Uncaria rhynchophylla total alkaloids and Semen Raphani soluble alkaloid compatibility. In conclusion, the combination of effective components of the Uncaria rhynchophylla total alkaloids and Semen Raphani soluble alkaloid demonstrated good antihypertension effect and vascular endothelium protective effect. The preliminary mechanism of the protective effect may attribute to relieve the overall low-grade inflammation.

  18. Solubility and physical properties of sugars in pressurized water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saldaña, Marleny D.A.; Alvarez, Víctor H.; Haldar, Anupam

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Sugar solubility in pressurized water and density at high pressures were measured. ► Glucose solubility was higher than that of lactose as predicted by their σ-profiles. ► Sugar aqueous solubility decreased with an increase in pressure from 15 to 120 bar. ► Aqueous glucose molecular packing shows high sensitivity to pressure. ► The COSMO-SAC model qualitatively predicted the sugar solubility data. - Abstract: In this study, the solubility, density, and refractive index of glucose and lactose in water as a function of temperature were measured. For solubility of sugars in pressurized water, experimental data were obtained at pressures of (15 to 120) bar and temperatures of (373 to 433) K using a dynamic flow high pressure system. Density data for aqueous sugar solutions were obtained at pressures of (1 to 300) bar and temperatures of (298 to 343) K. The refractive index of aqueous sugar solutions was obtained at 293 K and atmospheric pressure. Activity coefficient models, Van Laar and the Conductor-like Screening Model-Segment Activity Coefficient (COSMO-SAC), were used to fit and predict the experimental solubility data, respectively. The results obtained showed that the solubility of both sugars in pressurized water increase with an increase in temperature. However, with the increase of pressure from 15 bar to 120 bar, the solubility of both sugars in pressurized water decreased. The Van Laar model fit the experimental aqueous solubility data with deviations lower than 13 and 53% for glucose and lactose, respectively. The COSMO-SAC model predicted qualitatively the aqueous solubility of these sugars.

  19. Fast Measurement of Soluble Solid Content in Mango Based on Visible and Infrared Spectroscopy Technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jiajia; He, Yong

    Mango is a kind of popular tropical fruit, and the soluble solid content is an important in this study visible and short-wave near-infrared spectroscopy (VIS/SWNIR) technique was applied. For sake of investigating the feasibility of using VIS/SWNIR spectroscopy to measure the soluble solid content in mango, and validating the performance of selected sensitive bands, for the calibration set was formed by 135 mango samples, while the remaining 45 mango samples for the prediction set. The combination of partial least squares and backpropagation artificial neural networks (PLS-BP) was used to calculate the prediction model based on raw spectrum data. Based on PLS-BP, the determination coefficient for prediction (Rp) was 0.757 and root mean square and the process is simple and easy to operate. Compared with the Partial least squares (PLS) result, the performance of PLS-BP is better.

  20. Solubility of nitrogen in iron alloys with vanadium and niobium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pomarin, Yu.M.; Grigorenko, G.M.; Lakomskij, V.I.

    1975-01-01

    The solubility of nitrogen in the concentration range under study in Fe-N-V and Fe-N-Nb systems is in compliance with Syverts' law. An equation has been set up so as to estimate the nitrogen solubility in the iron alloys containing up to 10 per cent of vanadium and niobium in the wide temperature range

  1. The MAGIC Touch: Combining MAGIC-Pointing with a Touch-Sensitive Mouse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drewes, Heiko; Schmidt, Albrecht

    In this paper, we show how to use the combination of eye-gaze and a touch-sensitive mouse to ease pointing tasks in graphical user interfaces. A touch of the mouse positions the mouse pointer at the current gaze position of the user. Thus, the pointer is always at the position where the user expects it on the screen. This approach changes the user experience in tasks that include frequent switching between keyboard and mouse input (e.g. working with spreadsheets). In a user study, we compared the touch-sensitive mouse with a traditional mouse and observed speed improvements for pointing tasks on complex backgrounds. For pointing task on plain backgrounds, performances with both devices were similar, but users perceived the gaze-sensitive interaction of the touch-sensitive mouse as being faster and more convenient. Our results show that using a touch-sensitive mouse that positions the pointer on the user’s gaze position reduces the need for mouse movements in pointing tasks enormously.

  2. A strategy of combining SILAR with solvothermal process for In2S3 sensitized quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Peizhi; Tang, Qunwei; Ji, Chenming; Wang, Haobo

    2015-12-01

    Pursuit of an efficient strategy for quantum dot-sensitized photoanode has been a persistent objective for enhancing photovoltaic performances of quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC). We present here the fabrication of the indium sulfide (In2S3) quantum dot-sensitized titanium dioxide (TiO2) photoanode by combining successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) with solvothermal processes. The resultant QDSC consists of an In2S3 sensitized TiO2 photoanode, a liquid polysulfide electrolyte, and a Co0.85Se counter electrode. The optimized QDSC with photoanode prepared with the help of a SILAR method at 20 deposition cycles and solvothermal method yields a maximum power conversion efficiency of 1.39%.

  3. Determination of mangiferin solubility in solvents used in the biopharmaceutical industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jhoany Acosta

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Context: Pharmacological properties and studies of methods of extraction of mangiferin have been reported, but there are not studies related to the solubility of mangiferin in the solvents used in the pharmaceutical industry. Aims: Study the solubility of mangiferin in different solvents used in the pharmaceutical industry. Methods: The mangiferin used had a purity of 97.3% determined by High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC, and solubility measurements were made in ethanol, methanol, water, acetone, diethyl ether, and hexane at 5, 15, 30, 40, 50 and 600C of temperature. The mangiferin concentrations were determined by ultraviolet spectrometry at 254 nm. The experimental solubility data were correlated with the Van´t Hoff equation and the dissolution heat determined. Results: The solubility of mangiferin in pure solvents decreases with increasing of temperature and in the following order: ethanol>methanol>water>diethyl ether>acetone>n hexane. Conclusions: This results indicated that mangiferin is slightly soluble in ethanol, sparingly soluble in methanol and water and practically insoluble in diethyl ether, acetone, and n-hexane.

  4. Spray deposition of water-soluble multiwall carbon nanotube and Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanoparticle composites as highly efficient counter electrodes in a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Xianwei; Xiong, Dehua; Zhang, Wenjun; Ming, Liqun; Xu, Zhen; Huang, Zhanfeng; Wang, Mingkui; Chen, Wei; Cheng, Yi-Bing

    2013-07-01

    In this paper, low-cost counter electrodes (CEs) based on water-soluble multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanoparticle (CZTSe NP) composites have been successfully introduced into a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC) system. Suitable surface modification allows the MWCNTs and CZTSe NPs to be homogeneously dispersed in water, facilitating the subsequent low-temperature spray deposition of high quality composite films with different composite ratios. The electrochemical catalytic activity of the composite CEs has been critically compared by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel-polarization analysis. It is found that the composite CE at the MWCNT : CZTSe ratio of 0.1 offers the best performance, leading to an optimal solar cell efficiency of 4.60%, which is 50.8% higher than that of the Pt reference CE. The as-demonstrated higher catalytic activity of the composite CEs compared to their single components could be ascribed to the combination of the fast electron transport of the MWCNTs and the high catalytic activity of CZTSe NPs.In this paper, low-cost counter electrodes (CEs) based on water-soluble multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanoparticle (CZTSe NP) composites have been successfully introduced into a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC) system. Suitable surface modification allows the MWCNTs and CZTSe NPs to be homogeneously dispersed in water, facilitating the subsequent low-temperature spray deposition of high quality composite films with different composite ratios. The electrochemical catalytic activity of the composite CEs has been critically compared by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel-polarization analysis. It is found that the composite CE at the MWCNT : CZTSe ratio of 0.1 offers the best performance, leading to an optimal solar cell efficiency of 4.60%, which is 50.8% higher than that of the Pt reference CE. The as-demonstrated higher catalytic activity of the composite CEs compared to

  5. N -annulated perylene-based push-pull-type sensitizers

    KAUST Repository

    Qi, Qingbiao; Wang, Xingzhu; Fan, Li; Zheng, Bin; Zeng, Wangdong; Luo, Jie; Huang, Kuo-Wei; Wang, Qing; Wu, Jishan

    2015-01-01

    Alkoxy-wrapped N-annulated perylene (NP) was synthesized and used as a rigid and coplanar π-linker for three push-pull type metal-free sensitizers QB1-QB3. Their optical and electrochemical properties were tuned by varying the structure of acceptor. These new dyes were applied in Co(II)/(III) based dye-sensitized solar cells, and power conversion efficiency up to 6.95% was achieved, indicating that NP could be used as a new building block for the design of high-performance sensitizers in the future.

  6. N -annulated perylene-based push-pull-type sensitizers

    KAUST Repository

    Qi, Qingbiao

    2015-02-06

    Alkoxy-wrapped N-annulated perylene (NP) was synthesized and used as a rigid and coplanar π-linker for three push-pull type metal-free sensitizers QB1-QB3. Their optical and electrochemical properties were tuned by varying the structure of acceptor. These new dyes were applied in Co(II)/(III) based dye-sensitized solar cells, and power conversion efficiency up to 6.95% was achieved, indicating that NP could be used as a new building block for the design of high-performance sensitizers in the future.

  7. Combined measurement of soluble and cellular ICAM-1 among children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cserti-Gazdewich Christine M

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1 is a cytoadhesion molecule implicated in the pathogenesis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Elevated levels of soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1 have previously been reported with increased malaria disease severity. However, studies have not yet examined both sICAM-1 concentrations and monocyte ICAM-1 expression in the same cohort of patients. To better understand the relationship of soluble and cellular ICAM-1 measurements in malaria, both monocyte ICAM-1 expression and sICAM-1 concentration were measured in children with P. falciparum infection exhibiting a spectrum of clinical severity. Methods Samples were analysed from 160 children, aged 0.5 to 10.8 years, with documented P. falciparum malaria in Kampala, Uganda. The patients belonged to one of three pre-study defined groups: uncomplicated malaria (UM, severe non-fatal malaria (SM-s, and fatal malaria (SM-f. Subset analysis was done on those with cerebral malaria (CM or severe malaria anaemia (SMA. Monocyte ICAM-1 was measured by flow cytometry. sICAM-1 was measured by enzyme immunoassay. Results Both sICAM-1 and monocyte cell-surface ICAM-1 followed a log-normal distribution. Median sICAM-1 concentrations increased with greater severity-of-illness: 279 ng/mL (UM, 462 ng/mL (SM-s, and 586 ng/mL (SM-f, p Conclusion In this cohort of children with P. falciparum malaria, sICAM-1 levels were associated with severity-of-illness. Patients with UM had higher monocyte ICAM-1 expression consistent with a role for monocyte ICAM-1 in immune clearance during non-severe malaria. Among the subsets of patients with either SMA or CM, monocyte ICAM-1 levels were higher in CM, consistent with the role of ICAM-1 as a marker of cytoadhesion. Categories of disease in pediatric malaria may exhibit specific combinations of soluble and cellular ICAM-1 expression.

  8. Synthesis of reduced carbon nitride at the reduction by hydroquinone of water-soluble carbon nitride oxide (g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4})O

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kharlamov, Alexey [Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science of NASU, Krzhyzhanovsky St. 3, 03680 Kiev (Ukraine); Bondarenko, Marina, E-mail: mebondarenko@ukr.net [Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science of NASU, Krzhyzhanovsky St. 3, 03680 Kiev (Ukraine); Kharlamova, Ganna [Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev, Volodymyrs' ka St. 64, 01601 Kiev (Ukraine); Fomenko, Veniamin [Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science of NASU, Krzhyzhanovsky St. 3, 03680 Kiev (Ukraine)

    2016-09-15

    For the first time at the reduction by hydroquinone of water-soluble carbon nitride oxide (g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4})O reduced carbon nitride (or reduced multi-layer azagraphene) is obtained. It is differed from usually synthesized carbon nitride by a significantly large (on 0.09 nm) interplanar distance is. At the same time, the chemical bonds between atoms in a heteroatomic plane of reduced carbon nitride correspond to the bonds in a synthesized g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}. The samples of water-soluble carbon nitride oxide were synthesized under the special reactionary conditions of a pyrolysis of melamine and urea. We believe that reduced carbon nitride consists of weakly connected carbon-nitrogen monosheets (azagraphene sheets) as well as reduced (from graphene oxide) graphene contains weakly connected graphene sheets. - Graphical abstract: XRD pattern and schematic atomic model of one layer of reduced carbon nitride, carbon nitride oxide and synthesized carbon nitride. For the first time at the reduction by hydroquinone of the water-soluble carbon nitride oxide (g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4})O is obtained the reduced carbon nitride (or reduced multi-layer azagraphene). Display Omitted - Highlights: • First the reduced carbon nitride (RCN) at the reduction of the carbon nitride oxide was obtained. • Water-soluble carbon nitride oxide was reduced by hydroquinone. • The chemical bonds in a heteroatomic plane of RCN correspond to the bonds in a synthesized g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}. • Reduced carbon nitride consists of poorly connected heteroatomic azagraphene layers.

  9. Soluble salts: their incidence on the protection of metallic structures by paint coatings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morcillo, M.

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available The presence of soluble salts at the metal/paint interface is known to have a detrimental effect on the integrity of most paint systems. Though this is a long-standing problem, it has recently come to receive greater attention from the protective coatings industry. In the paper the following points are reviewed: degradation mechanisms of the metal/paint system, the role of the metallic substrate, the nature, origin and detection of soluble salts, expected levels of soluble salts in practice, critical thresholds of soluble salts and risk levels for premature failures, role of the type and thickness of paint systems and exposure conditions, and prevention measures. The author presents an overview of the subject, making reference to the related research that has been carried out by him and his coworkers over the last 16 years.

    Es un hecho conocido que la presencia de sales solubles en la intercara metal/pintura tiene un efecto negativo sobre la mayoría de los sistemas de pintura. Aunque se trata de un problema conocido desde hace tiempo, ha sido recientemente cuando ha recibido una gran atención por parte de la industria de recubrimientos protectores. En el presente trabajo se revisan los siguientes aspectos: mecanismos de degradación del sistema metal/pintura, el papel que juega el substrato metálico, la naturaleza, origen y detección de las sales solubles, niveles esperados de sales solubles en la práctica, niveles críticos de sales solubles y niveles de riesgo de fallo prematuro del sistema de pintura, papel que juega el tipo y espesor del sistema de pintura, el ambiente de exposición y las medidas de prevención. El autor presenta una revisión del tema, haciendo referencia a los trabajos de investigación que ha llevado a cabo, junto con su grupo de investigación, durante los últimos 16 años.

  10. A strategy of combining SILAR with solvothermal process for In{sub 2}S{sub 3} sensitized quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Peizhi, E-mail: pzhyang@hotmail.com [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technique & Preparation for Renewable Energy Materials, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500 (China); Tang, Qunwei, E-mail: tangqunwei@ouc.edu.cn [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100 (China); Ji, Chenming; Wang, Haobo [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100 (China)

    2015-12-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • In{sub 2}S{sub 3} sensitized TiO{sub 2} anode is prepared by combining SILAR with solvothermal process. • The deposition cycle in SILAR process has an impact on cell performances. • A promising conversion efficiency of 1.39% is obtained for the optimal device. • The cell performances are markedly increased compared with SILAR technique. - Abstract: Pursuit of an efficient strategy for quantum dot-sensitized photoanode has been a persistent objective for enhancing photovoltaic performances of quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC). We present here the fabrication of the indium sulfide (In{sub 2}S{sub 3}) quantum dot-sensitized titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) photoanode by combining successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) with solvothermal processes. The resultant QDSC consists of an In{sub 2}S{sub 3} sensitized TiO{sub 2} photoanode, a liquid polysulfide electrolyte, and a Co{sub 0.85}Se counter electrode. The optimized QDSC with photoanode prepared with the help of a SILAR method at 20 deposition cycles and solvothermal method yields a maximum power conversion efficiency of 1.39%.

  11. Study of thermodynamic stabilities of polytypes of n-C36H74 by solubility measurements and incoherent inelastic neutron scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubota, Hideki; Kaneko, Fumitoshi; Kawaguchi, Tatsuya

    2005-01-01

    The thermodynamic properties of the two polytypes of n-hexatriacontane (n-C36H74), single-layered structure Mon and double-layered structure Orth II have been investigated by means of solubility measurements and incoherent inelastic neutron scattering. The solubility measurements reveal that Orth II is more stable than Mon by 1.2 kJ/mol because of the advantage of larger entropy. The neutron scattering measurements show that the vibrational modes of Orth II shift to the lower frequencies compared with those of Mon in the frequency region below 120 cm-1. The advantage of Orth II in vibrational entropy due to the low-frequency shifts is estimated to be 9.6 J K-1/mol at 288 K under the harmonic approximation, which nearly agrees with the entropy difference of 6.8 J K-1/mol between Mon and Orth II determined by solubility measurements. These results suggest that the difference in vibrational entropy due to low-frequency modes mainly contributes to the relative thermodynamic stabilities of polytypic structures of long-chain compounds. From the frequency of methyl torsional mode, it is suggested that the cohesive force at the lamellar interface is stronger in Mon than in Orth II.

  12. A Novel Role of MerC in Methylmercury Transport and Phytoremediation of Methylmercury Contamination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sone, Yuka; Uraguchi, Shimpei; Takanezawa, Yasukazu; Nakamura, Ryosuke; Pan-Hou, Hidemitsu; Kiyono, Masako

    2017-01-01

    MerC, encoded by merC in the transposon Tn21 mer operon, is a heavy metal transporter with potential applications for phytoremediation of heavy metals such as mercuric ion and cadmium. In this study, we demonstrate that MerC also acts as a transporter for methylmercury. When MerC was expressed in Escherichia coli XL1-Blue, cells became hypersensitive to CH 3 Hg(I) and the uptake of CH 3 Hg(I) by these cells was higher than that by cells of the isogenic strain. Moreover, transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing bacterial MerC or MerC fused to plant soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) accumulated CH 3 Hg(I) effectively and their growth was comparable to the wild-type plants. These results demonstrate that when the bacterium-derived merC gene is ectopically introduced in genetically modified plants, MerC expression in the transgenic plants promotes the transport and sequestration of methylmercury. Thus, our results show that the expression of merC in Arabidopsis results in transgenic plants that could be used for the phytoremediation and elimination of toxic methylmercury from the environment.

  13. Analysis of the synaptotagmin family during reconstituted membrane fusion. Uncovering a class of inhibitory isoforms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhalla, Akhil; Chicka, Michael C; Chapman, Edwin R

    2008-08-01

    Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis in neurons and neuroendocrine cells is regulated by the Ca(2+)-binding protein synaptotagmin (syt) I. Sixteen additional isoforms of syt have been identified, but little is known concerning their biochemical or functional properties. Here, we assessed the abilities of fourteen syt isoforms to directly regulate SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein receptor)-catalyzed membrane fusion. One group of isoforms stimulated neuronal SNARE-mediated fusion in response to Ca(2+), while another set inhibited SNARE catalyzed fusion in both the absence and presence of Ca(2+). Biochemical analysis revealed a strong correlation between the ability of syt isoforms to bind 1,2-dioleoyl phosphatidylserine (PS) and t-SNAREs in a Ca(2+)-promoted manner with their abilities to enhance fusion, further establishing PS and SNAREs as critical effectors for syt action. The ability of syt I to efficiently stimulate fusion was specific for certain SNARE pairs, suggesting that syts might contribute to the specificity of intracellular membrane fusion reactions. Finally, a subset of inhibitory syts down-regulated the ability of syt I to activate fusion, demonstrating that syt isoforms can modulate the function of each other.

  14. Agnoprotein Is an Essential Egress Factor during BK Polyomavirus Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margarita-Maria Panou

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available BK polyomavirus (BKPyV; hereafter referred to as BK causes a lifelong chronic infection and is associated with debilitating disease in kidney transplant recipients. Despite its importance, aspects of the virus life cycle remain poorly understood. In addition to the structural proteins, the late region of the BK genome encodes for an auxiliary protein called agnoprotein. Studies on other polyomavirus agnoproteins have suggested that the protein may contribute to virion infectivity. Here, we demonstrate an essential role for agnoprotein in BK virus release. Viruses lacking agnoprotein fail to release from host cells and do not propagate to wild-type levels. Despite this, agnoprotein is not essential for virion infectivity or morphogenesis. Instead, agnoprotein expression correlates with nuclear egress of BK virions. We demonstrate that the agnoprotein binding partner α-soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion (NSF attachment protein (α-SNAP is necessary for BK virion release, and siRNA knockdown of α-SNAP prevents nuclear release of wild-type BK virions. These data highlight a novel role for agnoprotein and begin to reveal the mechanism by which polyomaviruses leave an infected cell.

  15. Trafficking of plant plasma membrane aquaporins: multiple regulation levels and complex sorting signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chevalier, Adrien S; Chaumont, François

    2015-05-01

    Aquaporins are small channel proteins which facilitate the diffusion of water and small neutral molecules across biological membranes. Compared with animals, plant genomes encode numerous aquaporins, which display a large variety of subcellular localization patterns. More specifically, plant aquaporins of the plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) subfamily were first described as plasma membrane (PM)-resident proteins, but recent research has demonstrated that the trafficking and subcellular localization of these proteins are complex and highly regulated. In the past few years, PIPs emerged as new model proteins to study subcellular sorting and membrane dynamics in plant cells. At least two distinct sorting motifs (one cytosolic, the other buried in the membrane) are required to direct PIPs to the PM. Hetero-oligomerization and interaction with SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor protein attachment protein receptors) also influence the subcellular trafficking of PIPs. In addition to these constitutive processes, both the progression of PIPs through the secretory pathway and their dynamics at the PM are responsive to changing environmental conditions. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Enhancement by O6-benzyl-N2-acetylguanosine of N'-[2-chloroethyl]-N-[2-(methylsulphonyl)ethyl]-N'-nitrosourea therapeutic index on nude mice bearing resistant human melanoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Debiton, E.; Cussac-Buchdhal, C.; Mounetou, E.; Rapp, M.; Dupuy, J. M.; Maurizis, J. C.; Veyre, A.; Madelmont, J. C.

    1997-01-01

    The exposure of cells to O6-benzyl-N2-acetylguanosine (BNAG) and several guanine derivatives is known to reduce the activity of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (MGMT) and to enhance the sensitivity of Mer+ (methyl enzyme repair positive) tumour cells to chloroethylnitrosoureas (CENUs) in vitro and in vivo. High water solubility and the pharmacokinetic properties of BNAG make it a candidate for simultaneous administration with CENUs by the i.v. route in human clinical use. In vivo we have shown previously that BNAG significantly increases the efficiency of N'-[2-chloroethyl]-N-[2-(methylsulphonyl)ethyl]-N'-nitrosourea (cystemustine) against M4Beu melanoma cells (Mer+) through its cytostatic activity by the i.p. route, but also increases its toxicity. To investigate the toxicity of BNAG and cystemustine when administered simultaneously in mice, we compared the maximum tolerated dose and LD50 doses of cystemustine alone or in combination with 40 mg kg(-1) BNAG by the i.p. route. The toxicity of cystemustine was enhanced by a factor of almost 1.44 when combined with BNAG. To compare the therapeutic index of cystemustine alone and the cystemustine/BNAG combination, pharmacological tests were carried out in nude mice bearing Mer+ M4Beu human melanoma cells. Isotoxic doses were calculated using the 1.44 ratio. The treatments were administered three times by the i.v. route on days 1, 5 and 9 after s.c. inoculation of tumour cells. Although the toxicities of the treatments were equal, BNAG strongly enhanced tumour growth inhibition. These results demonstrate the increase of the therapeutic index of cystemustine by BNAG and justify the use of BNAG to enhance nitrosourea efficiency in vivo by i.v. co-injection. PMID:9365163

  17. Intracranial AAV-sTRAIL combined with lanatoside C prolongs survival in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model of invasive glioblastoma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Crommentuijn, Matheus H. W.; Maguire, Casey A.; Niers, Johanna M.; Vandertop, W. Peter; Badr, Christian E.; Würdinger, Thomas; Tannous, Bakhos A.

    2016-01-01

    Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant brain tumor in adults. We designed an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector for intracranial delivery of secreted, soluble tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (sTRAIL) to GBM tumors in mice and combined it with the TRAIL-sensitizing

  18. Study of the plant COPII vesicle coat subunits by functional complementation of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johan-Owen De Craene

    Full Text Available The formation and budding of endoplasmic reticulum ER-derived vesicles depends on the COPII coat protein complex that was first identified in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The ER-associated Sec12 and the Sar1 GTPase initiate the COPII coat formation by recruiting the Sec23-Sec24 heterodimer following the subsequent recruitment of the Sec13-Sec31 heterotetramer. In yeast, there is usually one gene encoding each COPII protein and these proteins are essential for yeast viability, whereas the plant genome encodes multiple isoforms of all COPII subunits. Here, we used a systematic yeast complementation assay to assess the functionality of Arabidopsis thaliana COPII proteins. In this study, the different plant COPII subunits were expressed in their corresponding temperature-sensitive yeast mutant strain to complement their thermosensitivity and secretion phenotypes. Secretion was assessed using two different yeast cargos: the soluble α-factor pheromone and the membranous v-SNARE (vesicle-soluble NSF (N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor Snc1 involved in the fusion of the secretory vesicles with the plasma membrane. This complementation study allowed the identification of functional A. thaliana COPII proteins for the Sec12, Sar1, Sec24 and Sec13 subunits that could represent an active COPII complex in plant cells. Moreover, we found that AtSec12 and AtSec23 were co-immunoprecipitated with AtSar1 in total cell extract of 15 day-old seedlings of A. thaliana. This demonstrates that AtSar1, AtSec12 and AtSec23 can form a protein complex that might represent an active COPII complex in plant cells.

  19. Solution Properties of Water-Soluble “Smart” Poly(N-acryloyl-N′-ethyl piperazine-co-methyl methacrylate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Roshan Deen

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Water-soluble copolymers of N-acryloyl-N′-ethylpiperazine (AcrNEP with methyl methacrylate (MMA were synthesized to high conversion by free-radical solution polymerization. The composition of the copolymers was determined using Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR. Copolymers containing AcrNEP content above 44 mol% were readily soluble in water and exhibited the critical solution temperature behavior. The copolymers were strongly responsive to changes in pH of the external medium due to the presence of tertiary amine functions that could be protonated at low pH. The influence of various factors such as copolymer composition, pH, temperature, salt and surfactant concentration on the LCST of the copolymers were systematically studied. The intrinsic viscosity of the copolymers in dimethyl formamide decreased with increase in temperature due to a decrease in thermodynamic affinity between polymer chains and solvent molecules. The viscosity behavior of the copolymers in sodium chloride solution was similar to that of classical polyelectrolytes and hydrophobically modified polyacrylate systems.

  20. Evaluation of posttransplantation soluble CD30 for diagnosis of acute renal allograft rejection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelzl, Steffen; Opelz, Gerhard; Daniel, Volker; Wiesel, Manfred; Süsal, Caner

    2003-02-15

    Posttransplantation measurement of soluble CD30 (sCD30) may be useful for identifying kidney graft recipients at risk of impending graft rejection in the early posttransplantation period. We measured plasma sCD30 levels and evaluated the levels in relation to the diagnosis of rejection. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated that on posttransplantation days 3 to 5, sCD30 allowed a differentiation of recipients who subsequently developed acute allograft rejection (n=25) from recipients with an uncomplicated course (n=20, Pacute tubular necrosis in the absence of rejection (n=11, P=0.001) (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.85, specificity 91%, sensitivity 72%). sCD30 measured on posttransplantation days 3 to 5 offers a noninvasive means for differentiating patients with impending acute allograft rejection from patients with an uncomplicated course or with acute tubular necrosis.

  1. Design of Cu-Cu{sub 2}O/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} nanocomponent photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution under visible light irradiation using water-soluble Erythrosin B dye sensitization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Piyong; Wang, Tingting; Zeng, Heping, E-mail: hpzeng@scut.edu.cn

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A novel photocatalyst Cu-Cu{sub 2}O/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} was designed, synthesized and characterized. • Cu-Cu{sub 2}O/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} was sensitized by Erythrosin B and a significant enhancement of H{sub 2} evolution rate was achieved. • Electrochemical properties were measured and a possible mechanism of H{sub 2} evolution was proposed. - Abstract: Cu-Cu{sub 2}O nanoparticles (NPs) decorated porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}) (Cu-Cu{sub 2}O/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}) photocatalysts were prepared. When investment of copper source materials in the experiment increased to 7 wt%, the highest H{sub 2} evolution rate (400 μmol g{sup −1} h{sup −1}) was obtained under visible light irradiation in triethanolamine solution. This is about triple of pure g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} (140 μmol g{sup −1} h{sup −1}). Moreover, various amount of Erythrosin B dye was added into Cu-Cu{sub 2}O/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} photoreaction solution and a significant enhancement of H{sub 2} production rate was achieved. The highest H{sub 2} production rate was 5000 μmol g{sup −1} h{sup −1} with 5 mg Erythrosin B in photoreaction system. Erythrosin B dye sensitized Cu-Cu{sub 2}O/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} presented stable photocatalytic H{sub 2} evolution ability and no noticeable degradation or change of photocatalyst were detected after six recycles. A possible photocatalytic mechanism of Erythrosin B dye sensitized Cu-Cu{sub 2}O/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} for the enhancement of photocatalytic H{sub 2} evolution is proposed.

  2. Thermodynamic analysis and evaluation of the nitrogen solubility in liquid Nb and Fe-Nb alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiu Caian

    1994-01-01

    Experimental information on the nitrogen solubility in liquid Nb and Fe-Nb alloys has been critically analysed and then utilized to evaluate the thermodynamic properties of the Nb-N and Fe-Nb-N liquid phases on the basis of thermodynamic models of Gibbs energy. A thermodynamic description of the Fe-Nb-N liquid phase was obtained, which has been used to calculate the N solubility in comparison with experimental results. The effect of an addition of Nb on the temperature dependence of the N solubility in liquid Fe has been examined by comparing with the effect of the Cr and V additions. It has been shown that the N solubility in liquid Nb and Fe-Nb alloys under various conditions is well described by the present calculation. (orig.)

  3. Nitrogen solubility in the deep mantle and the origin of Earth's primordial nitrogen budget

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshioka, Takahiro; Wiedenbeck, Michael; Shcheka, Svyatoslav; Keppler, Hans

    2018-04-01

    The solubility of nitrogen in the major minerals of the Earth's transition zone and lower mantle (wadsleyite, ringwoodite, bridgmanite, and Ca-silicate perovskite) coexisting with a reduced, nitrogen-rich fluid phase was measured. Experiments were carried out in multi-anvil presses at 14 to 24 GPa and 1100 to 1800 °C close to the Fe-FeO buffer. Starting materials were enriched in 15N and the nitrogen concentrations in run products were measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Observed nitrogen (15N) solubilities in wadsleyite and ringwoodite typically range from 10 to 250 μg/g and strongly increase with temperature. Nitrogen solubility in bridgmanite is about 20 μg/g, while Ca-silicate perovskite incorporates about 30 μg/g under comparable conditions. Partition coefficients of nitrogen derived from coexisting phases are DNwadsleyite/olivine = 5.1 ± 2.1, DNringwoodite/wadsleyite = 0.49 ± 0.29, and DNbridgmanite/ringwoodite = 0.24 (+ 0.30 / - 0.19). Nitrogen solubility in the solid, iron-rich metal phase coexisting with the silicates was also measured and reached a maximum of nearly 1 wt.% 15N at 23 GPa and 1400 °C. These data yield a partition coefficient of nitrogen between iron metal and bridgmanite of DNmetal/bridgmanite ∼ 98, implying that in a lower mantle containing about 1% of iron metal, about half of the nitrogen still resides in the silicates. The high nitrogen solubility in wadsleyite and ringwoodite may be responsible for the low nitrogen concentrations often observed in ultradeep diamonds from the transition zone. Overall, the solubility data suggest that the transition zone and the lower mantle have the capacity to store at least 33 times the mass of nitrogen presently residing in the atmosphere. By combining the nitrogen solubility data in minerals with data on nitrogen solubility in silicate melts, mineral/melt partition coefficients of nitrogen can be estimated, from which the behavior of nitrogen during magma ocean crystallization can

  4. Thermodynamic Approach to Boron Nitride Nanotube Solubility and Dispersion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiano, A. L.; Gibbons, L.; Tsui, M.; Applin, S. I.; Silva, R.; Park, C.; Fay, C. C.

    2016-01-01

    Inadequate dispersion of nanomaterials is a critical issue that significantly limits the potential properties of nanocomposites and when overcome, will enable further enhancement of material properties. The most common methods used to improve dispersion include surface functionalization, surfactants, polymer wrapping, and sonication. Although these approaches have proven effective, they often achieve dispersion by altering the surface or structure of the nanomaterial and ultimately, their intrinsic properties. Co-solvents are commonly utilized in the polymer, paint, and art conservation industries to selectively dissolve materials. These co-solvents are utilized based on thermodynamic interaction parameters and are chosen so that the original materials are not affected. The same concept was applied to enhance the dispersion of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) to facilitate the fabrication of BNNT nanocomposites. Of the solvents tested, dimethylacetamide (DMAc) exhibited the most stable, uniform dispersion of BNNTs, followed by N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), acetone, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Utilizing the known Hansen solubility parameters of these solvents in comparison to the BNNT dispersion state, a region of good solubility was proposed. This solubility region was used to identify co-solvent systems that led to improved BNNT dispersion in poor solvents such as toluene, hexane, and ethanol. Incorporating the data from the co-solvent studies further refined the proposed solubility region. From this region, the Hansen solubility parameters for BNNTs are thought to lie at the midpoint of the solubility sphere: 16.8, 10.7, and 9.0 MPa(exp 1/2) for delta d, delta p, and delta h, respectively, with a calculated Hildebrand parameter of 21.8 MPa)exp 1/2).

  5. Development of dual-sensitive smart polymers by grafting chitosan with poly (N-isopropylacrylamide: an overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nívia do Nascimento Marques

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available AbstractA great deal of research on polymers over the past two decades has been focused on the development of stimuli-responsive polymers to obtain materials able to respond to specific surroundings. In this paper, an overview is presented of the concepts, behavior and applicability of these “smart polymers”. Polymers that are temperature- or pH-sensitive are discussed in detail, including the response mechanisms and types of macromolecules, because they are easy to handle and have a wide range of applications. Finally, the combination of pH and temperature responsive properties by means of graft copolymerization of chitosan with poly (N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM was chosen to represent some synthetic routes and properties of dual-sensitive polymeric systems developed currently.

  6. A 3-plex methylation assay combined with the FGFR3 mutation assay sensitively detects recurrent bladder cancer in voided urine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kandimalla, Raju; Masius, Roy; Beukers, Willemien

    2013-01-01

    is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of a urine assay for the diagnosis of recurrences in patients with a previous primary NMIBC G1/G2 by using cystoscopy as the reference standard. Experimental Design: We selected eight CpG islands (CGI) methylated in bladder cancer from our earlier genome-wide study......Purpose: DNA methylation is associated with bladder cancer and these modifications could serve as useful biomarkers. FGFR3 mutations are present in 60% to 70% of non–muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Low-grade bladder cancer recurs in more than 50% of patients. The aim of this study......, and nonmalignant urines (n = 130). Results: The 3-plex assay identified recurrent bladder cancer in voided urine with a sensitivity of 74% in the validation set. In combination with the FGFR3 mutation assay, a sensitivity of 79% was reached (specificity of 77%). Sensitivity of FGFR3 and cytology was 52% and 57...

  7. The benefits of soluble non-bacterial fraction of kefir on blood pressure and cardiac hypertrophy in hypertensive rats are mediated by an increase in baroreflex sensitivity and decrease in angiotensin-converting enzyme activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brasil, Girlandia Alexandre; Silva-Cutini, Mirian de Almeida; Moraes, Flávia de Souza Andrade; Pereira, Thiago de Melo Costa; Vasquez, Elisardo Corral; Lenz, Dominik; Bissoli, Nazaré Souza; Endringer, Denise Coutinho; de Lima, Ewelyne Miranda; Biancardi, Vinícia Campana; Maia, June Ferreira; de Andrade, Tadeu Uggere

    We aimed to evaluate whether long-term treatment with the soluble non-bacterial fraction of kefir affects mean arterial pressure (MAP) and cardiac hypertrophy through the modulation of baroreflex sensitivity, ACE activity, and the inflammatory-to-anti-inflammatory cytokine ratio in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). SHRs were treated with the soluble non-bacterial kefir fraction (SHR-kefir) or with kefir vehicle (SHR-soluble fraction of milk). Normotensive control Wistar Kyoto animals received the soluble fraction of milk. All treatments were administered by gavage (0.3 mL/100g/body weight), once daily for eight weeks. At the end, after basal MAP and Heart Rate (HT) measurement, barorreflex sensitivity was evaluated through in bolus administrations of sodium nitroprusside and phenylephrine (AP 50 [arterial pressure 50%], the lower plateau, and HR range were measured). ACE activity and cytokines (TNF-α and IL-10) were evaluated by ELISA. Cardiac hypertrophy was analysed morphometrically. Compared to SHR control, SHR-kefir exhibited a significant decrease in both MAP (SHR: 184 ± 5; SHR-Kefir: 142 ± 8 mmHg), and HR (SHR: 360 ± 10; SHR-kefir: 310 ± 14 bpm). The non-bacterial fraction of kefir also reduced cardiac hypertrophy, TNF-α-to-IL10 ratio, and ACE activity in SHRs. SHR-kefir baroreflex sensitivity, resulted in a partial but significant recovery of baroreflex gain, as demonstrated by improvements in AP 50 , the lower plateau, and HR range. In summary, our results indicate that long-term administration of the non-bacterial fraction of kefir promotes a significant decrease in both MAP and HR, by improving baroreflex, and reduces cardiac hypertrophy in SHRs, likely via ACE inhibition, and reduction of the TNF-α-to-IL10 ratio. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Solubility of cefoxitin acid in different solvent systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Fuhong; Wang, Yongli; Xiao, Liping; Huang, Qiaoyin; Xu, Jinchao; Jiang, Chen; Hao, Hongxun

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • The solubility of cefoxitin acid in different solvent systems was measured. • Three models were used to correlate the solubility data. • The dissolution enthalpy of the dissolution process was calculated. - Abstract: Cefoxitin acid is one kind of important pharmaceutical intermediate. Its solubility is crucial for designing and optimizing the crystallization processes. In this work, the solubility of cefoxitin acid in organic solvents (methanol, acetonitrile, ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol and ethyl acetate), water and water-methanol mixtures was measured spectrophotometrically using a shake-flask method within the temperature range 278.15–303.15 K. PXRD data and the Karl Fischer method were used to verify the crystal form stability of cefoxitin acid in the solubility measuring process. The melting points, the enthalpy and entropy of fusion were estimated. Results showed that the solubility of cefoxitin acid increases with the increasing temperature in all tested solvents in this work, and the solubility of cefoxitin acid increases with the increasing methanol concentration in water-methanol mixtures. The experimental solubility values were well correlated using the modified Apelblat equation, NRTL model and CNIBS/R-K model. An equation proposed by Williamson was adopted to calculate the molar enthalpy during the dissolution process.

  9. Synthesis of amphiphilic poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly( N-vinylcaprolactam) block copolymers via the combination of RAFT polymerization and click chemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Assis, Paulo Henrique; Aguiar, Graziele Aparecida de Jesus; Moraes, Rodolfo Minto de; Medeiros, Simone de Fatima; Santos, Amilton Martins

    2016-01-01

    Full text: In recent years, well-defined block copolymers composed of a hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments have gained much interest as drug carriers, because of their enhanced solubility and sustained release of the drug in controlled delivery systems [1]. The development of strategies to obtain block copolymers has attracted considerable attention, due to the possibility to combine characteristic properties of the homopolymers. A wide variety of well-defined block copolymers have been successfully synthesized by combining the efficiency and selectivity of click chemistry with the powerful RAFT polymerization mechanism. In the present work, well-defined amphiphilic, biocompatible, partially biodegradable, and thermosensitive poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PCL-b-PNVCL) block copolymers were synthesized by combining ring opening polymerization (ROP), reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and subsequent click chemistry reaction. Alkyne-terminated poly(ε-caprolactone) (alkyne-PCL) was obtained by the ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) using propargyl alcohol as initiator and stannous-2-ethylhexanoate [Sn(Oct) 2 ] as catalyst. The azide end-capped-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL-N 3 ) was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer/macromolecular design via interchange of xanthates (RAFT/MADIX) polymerization of the N-vinylcaprolactam (NVCL) mediated by a novel chain transfer agent comprising an azide function , 2-azidoethyl[(ethoxycarbonothioyl)thio](phenyl)acetate. These functionalized homopolymers, alkyne-PCL and PNVCL-N 3 , were coupled by the 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition reaction in order to obtain the corresponding block copolymers. These (co)polymers were characterized by FTIR, 1 H NMR and GPC measurements. Reference: 1. RAMESH, K., SINGH, S., MITRA, K., CHATTOPADHYAY, D., MISRA, N., & RAY, B. (2015). Colloid and Polymer Science, 1-9. (author)

  10. Enhancement of soluble CD28 levels in the serum of Graves' disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Zhongwen; Yi, Lixian; Tao, Hong; Huang, Jingfang; Jin, Zhenghong; Xiao, Yang; Feng, Caiyun; Sun, Jing

    2014-01-01

    Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland mediated by T cells. CD28, a member of costimulatory molecules, plays a pivotal role in regulating T-cell responses. Plasma-soluble CD28 is one form of CD28 in peripheral blood. To investigate the concentrations of soluble CD28 in patients with Graves' disease, we used a sensitive dual monoclonal antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect the soluble form of CD28. Our results suggested that mean concentrations of soluble CD28 in plasma of patients with Graves' disease were 1.79 ±1.52 ng/ml, and levels of soluble CD28 in healthy subjects were only 0.83 ±1.35 ng/ml. Concentrations of soluble CD28 detected in patients with Graves' disease were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (p Graves' disease. Therefore, aberrant elevation of plasma-soluble CD28 in patients with Graves' disease may reflect the dysregulation of immune system, and may serve as a useful biomarker in Graves' disease diagnosis.

  11. Enhanced Iron Solubility at Low pH in Global Aerosols

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ellery D. Ingall

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The composition and oxidation state of aerosol iron were examined using synchrotron-based iron near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. By combining synchrotron-based techniques with water leachate analysis, impacts of oxidation state and mineralogy on aerosol iron solubility were assessed for samples taken from multiple locations in the Southern and the Atlantic Oceans; and also from Noida (India, Bermuda, and the Eastern Mediterranean (Crete. These sampling locations capture iron-containing aerosols from different source regions with varying marine, mineral dust, and anthropogenic influences. Across all locations, pH had the dominating influence on aerosol iron solubility. When aerosol samples were approximately neutral pH, iron solubility was on average 3.4%; when samples were below pH 4, the iron solubility increased to 35%. This observed aerosol iron solubility profile is consistent with thermodynamic predictions for the solubility of Fe(III oxides, the major iron containing phase in the aerosol samples. Source regions and transport paths were also important factors affecting iron solubility, as samples originating from or passing over populated regions tended to contain more soluble iron. Although the acidity appears to affect aerosol iron solubility globally, a direct relationship for all samples is confounded by factors such as anthropogenic influence, aerosol buffer capacity, mineralogy and physical processes.

  12. Accomplishing simple, solubility-based separations of rare earth elements with complexes bearing size-sensitive molecular apertures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogart, Justin A; Cole, Bren E; Boreen, Michael A; Lippincott, Connor A; Manor, Brian C; Carroll, Patrick J; Schelter, Eric J

    2016-12-27

    Rare earth (RE) metals are critical components of electronic materials and permanent magnets. Recycling of consumer materials is a promising new source of rare REs. To incentivize recycling, there is a clear need for the development of simple methods for targeted separations of mixtures of RE metal salts. Metal complexes of a tripodal hydroxylaminato ligand, TriNOx 3- , featured a size-sensitive aperture formed of its three η 2 -(N,O) ligand arms. Exposure of cations in the aperture induced a self-associative equilibrium comprising RE(TriNOx)THF and [RE(TriNOx)] 2 species. Differences in the equilibrium constants K dimer for early and late metals enabled simple separations through leaching. Separations were performed on RE1/RE2 mixtures, where RE1 = La-Sm and RE2 = Gd-Lu, with emphasis on Eu/Y separations for potential applications in the recycling of phosphor waste from compact fluorescent light bulbs. Using the leaching method, separations factors approaching 2,000 were obtained for early-late RE combinations. Following solvent optimization, >95% pure samples of Eu were obtained with a 67% recovery for the technologically relevant Eu/Y separation.

  13. Plutonium solubilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Puigdomnech, I.; Bruno, J.

    1991-02-01

    Thermochemical data has been selected for plutonium oxide, hydroxide, carbonate and phosphate equilibria. Equilibrium constants have been evaluated in the temperature range 0 to 300 degrees C at a pressure of 1 bar to T≤100 degrees C and at the steam saturated pressure at higher temperatures. Measured solubilities of plutonium that are reported in the literature for laboratory experiments have been collected. Solubility data on oxides, hydroxides, carbonates and phosphates have been selected. No solubility data were found at temperatures higher than 60 degrees C. The literature solubility data have been compared with plutonium solubilities calculated with the EQ3/6 geochemical modelling programs, using the selected thermodynamic data for plutonium. (authors)

  14. Cross-linking of wheat gluten using a water-soluble carbodiimide

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tropini, V.; Lens, J.P.; Mulder, W.J.; Silvestre, F.

    2000-01-01

    Wheat gluten was cross-linked using water-soluble 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide HCl (EDC). To enhance cross-linking, N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) was added to the reaction mixture. The cross-linking efficiency was evaluated by the decrease in the amount of amino groups, the solubility

  15. Soluble guanylate cyclase stimulation prevents fibrotic tissue remodeling and improves survival in salt-sensitive Dahl rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Geschka

    Full Text Available A direct pharmacological stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC is an emerging therapeutic approach to the management of various cardiovascular disorders associated with endothelial dysfunction. Novel sGC stimulators, including riociguat (BAY 63-2521, have a dual mode of action: They sensitize sGC to endogenously produced nitric oxide (NO and also directly stimulate sGC independently of NO. Little is known about their effects on tissue remodeling and degeneration and survival in experimental malignant hypertension.Mortality, hemodynamics and biomarkers of tissue remodeling and degeneration were assessed in Dahl salt-sensitive rats maintained on a high salt diet and treated with riociguat (3 or 10 mg/kg/d for 14 weeks. Riociguat markedly attenuated systemic hypertension, improved systolic heart function and increased survival from 33% to 85%. Histological examination of the heart and kidneys revealed that riociguat significantly ameliorated fibrotic tissue remodeling and degeneration. Correspondingly, mRNA expression of the pro-fibrotic biomarkers osteopontin (OPN, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1 in the myocardium and the renal cortex was attenuated by riociguat. In addition, riociguat reduced plasma and urinary levels of OPN, TIMP-1, and PAI-1.Stimulation of sGC by riociguat markedly improves survival and attenuates systemic hypertension and systolic dysfunction, as well as fibrotic tissue remodeling in the myocardium and the renal cortex in a rodent model of pressure and volume overload. These findings suggest a therapeutic potential of sGC stimulators in diseases associated with impaired cardiovascular and renal functions.

  16. Anxiety Sensitivity and Pre-Cessation Smoking Processes: Testing the Independent and Combined Mediating Effects of Negative Affect–Reduction Expectancies and Motives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farris, Samantha G.; Leventhal, Adam M.; Schmidt, Norman B.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

    2015-01-01

    Objective: Anxiety sensitivity appears to be relevant in understanding the nature of emotional symptoms and disorders associated with smoking. Negative-reinforcement smoking expectancies and motives are implicated as core regulatory processes that may explain, in part, the anxiety sensitivity–smoking interrelations; however, these pathways have received little empirical attention. Method: Participants (N = 471) were adult treatment-seeking daily smokers assessed for a smoking-cessation trial who provided baseline data; 157 participants provided within-treatment (pre-cessation) data. Anxiety sensitivity was examined as a cross-sectional predictor of several baseline smoking processes (nicotine dependence, perceived barriers to cessation, severity of prior withdrawal-related quit problems) and pre-cessation processes including nicotine withdrawal and smoking urges (assessed during 3 weeks before the quit day). Baseline negative-reinforcement smoking expectancies and motives were tested as simultaneous mediators via parallel multiple mediator models. Results: Higher levels of anxiety sensitivity were related to higher levels of nicotine dependence, greater perceived barriers to smoking cessation, more severe withdrawal-related problems during prior quit attempts, and greater average withdrawal before the quit day; effects were indirectly explained by the combination of both mediators. Higher levels of anxiety sensitivity were not directly related to pre-cessation smoking urges but were indirectly related through the independent and combined effects of the mediators. Conclusions: These empirical findings bolster theoretical models of anxiety sensitivity and smoking and identify targets for nicotine dependence etiology research and cessation interventions. PMID:25785807

  17. Solubility and dissolution thermodynamics of N-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(pyridin-4-ylcarbonyl)hydrazinecarbothioamide in PG + water co-solvent mixtures at (298.15 to 338.15) K

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhat, Mashooq A. [Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Haq, Nazrul [Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Shakeel, Faiyaz, E-mail: faiyazs@fastmail.fm [Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)

    2014-10-10

    Highlights: • Solubility of isoniazid analog in various PG + water mixtures was measured. • The solubility was observed highest in pure PG. • Experimental solubilities were correlated well with Apelblat and Yalkowsky model. • Solubilities were increased with increase in temperature and mass fraction of PG. - Abstract: The objective of present investigation was to measure the solubility and dissolution thermodynamics of N-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(pyridin-4-ylcarbonyl)hydrazinecarbothioamide [isoniazid (INH) analog] in various propylene glycol (PG) + water co-solvent mixtures from (298.15 to 338.15) K. The experimental solubilities of INH analog were correlated with Apelblat and Yalkowsky models. The root mean square deviations were found to be (1.13–3.98)% and (1.45–5.73)% for Apelblat equation and Yalkowsky model, respectively. Good correlation was observed between experimental and calculated solubilities of INH analog with correlation coefficients in the range of 0.995–0.999. The mole fraction solubility of INH analog was found to be highest and lowest in pure PG (7.38 × 10{sup −3} at 298.15 K) and pure water (5.17 × 10{sup −7} at 298.15 K), respectively. The results of dissolution thermodynamics indicated endothermic and non-spontaneous dissolution of INH analog.

  18. Photostability of the solar cell dye sensitizer N719

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nour-Mohammadi, Farahnaz

    intensities. This light intensity dependency of the quantum yield was attributed to the back electron transfer reaction rate between the titanium dioxide conduction band electrons and the oxidized dye cation. Photoinduced absorption spectroscopy (PIA) was used to measure the back electron transfer reaction...... rate, kback at the same light intensities as used in the model experiments. The PIA measurements showed that kback increased with increasing light intensities. By applying the equation kdeg = Φdeg × kback to the experimentally obtained total quantum yields and back electron transfer rates......The photostability of the sensitizer dye [Ru(dcbpyH)2(NCS)2] (Bu4N)2 (referred to as N719) was investigated in a simple model system instead of a complete nanocrystaline dye sensitized titanium dioxide solar cells (nc-DSSC). The applied model system consisted of N719 dyed titanium dioxide...

  19. A molecular study of gas solubility in nitrile rubber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khawaja, Musab; Mostofi, Arash; Sutton, Adrian

    2015-03-01

    One of the most important uses of elastomers in the oil industry is for seals to encase and protect sensitive monitoring equipment from contamination by gases and liquids at the high pressures and temperatures in the well. Failure of such seals sometimes occurs on decompression when they are returned to the surface. The conditions in the well lead to gases being absorbed by Nitrile rubber (NBR) seals. NBR exhibits a strong permselectivity towards CO2 compared to other gases; something attributed experimentally to the enhanced solubility of CO2. In this study an explanation is sought at the molecular level for this phenomenon. A series of molecular mechanics calculations are performed to compute solubilities of different gases in NBR. The effect of acrylonitrile content on their solubilities is studied for the first time by simulation, and we discuss the important issue of convergence with respect to the sampling of different elastomer configurations. It is observed that the presence of cyano groups has a marked impact on the solubility of CO2 and an explanation is offered.

  20. Brain pericyte-derived soluble factors enhance insulin sensitivity in GT1-7 hypothalamic neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Takata, Fuyuko; Matsumoto, Junichi; Machida, Takashi; Yamauchi, Atsushi; Dohgu, Shinya; Kataoka, Yasufumi

    2015-02-20

    Insulin signaling in the hypothalamus plays an important role in food intake and glucose homeostasis. Hypothalamic neuronal functions are modulated by glial cells; these form an extensive network connecting the neurons and cerebral vasculature, known as the neurovascular unit (NVU). Brain pericytes are periendothelial accessory structures of the blood-brain barrier and integral members of the NVU. However, the interaction between pericytes and neurons is largely unexplored. Here, we investigate whether brain pericytes could affect hypothalamic neuronal insulin signaling. Our immunohistochemical observations demonstrated the existence of pericytes in the mouse hypothalamus, exhibiting immunoreactivity of platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (a pericyte marker), and laminin, a basal lamina marker. We then exposed a murine hypothalamic neuronal cell line, GT1-7, to conditioned medium obtained from primary cultures of rat brain pericytes. Pericyte-conditioned medium (PCM), but not astrocyte- or aortic smooth muscle cell-conditioned medium, increased the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt in GT1-7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. PCM also enhanced insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor β without changing its expression or localization in cytosolic or plasma membrane fractions. These results suggest that pericytes, rather than astrocytes, increase insulin sensitivity in hypothalamic neurons by releasing soluble factors under physiological conditions in the NVU. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. A soluble RecN homologue provides means for biochemical and genetic analysis of DNA double-strand break repair in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grove, Jane I; Wood, Stuart R; Briggs, Geoffrey S; Oldham, Neil J; Lloyd, Robert G

    2009-12-03

    RecN is a highly conserved, SMC-like protein in bacteria. It plays an important role in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks and is therefore a key factor in maintaining genome integrity. The insolubility of Escherichia coli RecN has limited efforts to unravel its function. We overcame this limitation by replacing the resident coding sequence with that of Haemophilus influenzae RecN. The heterologous construct expresses Haemophilus RecN from the SOS-inducible E. coli promoter. The hybrid gene is fully functional, promoting survival after I-SceI induced DNA breakage, gamma irradiation or exposure to mitomycin C as effectively as the native gene, indicating that the repair activity is conserved between these two species. H. influenzae RecN is quite soluble, even when expressed at high levels, and is readily purified. Its analysis by ionisation-mass spectrometry, gel filtration and glutaraldehyde crosslinking indicates that it is probably a dimer under physiological conditions, although a higher multimer cannot be excluded. The purified protein displays a weak ATPase activity that is essential for its DNA repair function in vivo. However, no DNA-binding activity was detected, which contrasts with RecN from Bacillus subtilis. RecN proteins from Aquifex aeolicus and Bacteriodes fragilis also proved soluble. Neither binds DNA, but the Aquifex RecN has weak ATPase activity. Our findings support studies indicating that RecN, and the SOS response in general, behave differently in E. coli and B. subtilis. The hybrid recN reported provides new opportunities to study the genetics and biochemistry of how RecN operates in E. coli.

  2. Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Combined Forms and Transformation of Fluorine in Tea Garden Soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ZHANG Yong-li

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available In order to investigate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on combined forms and transformation of fluorine in tea garden soil, soil pot experiment was carried out. The research object was red-yellow soil in Shizipu tea plantation in the south of Anhui Province. Five treatments were N0P0K0 (CK, N0P1K1 (N0, N1P1K1 (N1, N2P1K1 (N2, N3P1K1 (N3. Water-soluble fluorine content, exchangeable fluorine content, Fe/Mn oxide-bound fluorine content, organic matter-bound fluorine content, ammonium nitrogen content and soil pH value in 0~15 cm soil layer were analyzed in 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, 90 days after fertilization. The results showed that compared with CK, in the short term (10 or 20 days after applying NPK, the content of water-soluble fluorine in 0~15 cm soil layer was decreased and the content of exchangeable fluorine, Fe/Mn oxide-bound fluorine and organic matter-bound fluorine were increased. After 20 days, the content of soil water-soluble fluorine was increased and the content of soil exchangeable fluorine, Fe/Mn oxide-bound fluorine and organic matter-bound fluorine were reduced. The effect on water-soluble fluorine and exchangeable fluorine increased with time and the application rate of nitrogen. The content of water-soluble fluorine in tea garden soil had a moderately positive correlation with the application rate of nitrogen while the content of exchangeable fluorine had a moderately or highly negative correlation with the application rate of nitrogen. The content of water-soluble fluorine had a quite highly negative correlation with the soil pH (P<0.01, but the content of exchangeable fluorine had a moderately or highly negative correlation with the soil pH (P<0.01. Therefore, nitrogen fertilizer changed the soil pH during its form transformation and thus affected the transformation and the availability of fluorine in soil.

  3. Solubility of Tc(IV) oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, D.J.; Fan, X.H.

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: The deep geological disposal of the high level radioactive wastes is expected to be a safer disposal method in most countries. The long-lived fission product 99 Tc is present in large quantities in nuclear wastes and its chemical behavior in aqueous solution is of considerable interest. Under the reducing conditions, expected to exist in a deep geological repository, it is generally predicted that technetium will be present as TcO 2 .nH 2 O. The solubility of Tc(IV) is used as a source term in performance assessment of radioactive waste repository. Technetium oxide was prepared by reduction of a technetate solution with Sn 2+ . The solubility of Tc(IV) oxide has been determined in simulated groundwater and re-distilled water under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The effects of pH and CO 3 2- concentration of solution on solubility of Tc(IV) oxide were studied. The concentration of total technetium and Tc(IV) species in the solutions were periodically determined by separating the oxidized and reduced technetium species using a solvent extraction procedure and counting the beta activity of the 99 Tc with a liquid scintillation counter. The experimental results show that the rate of oxidation of Tc(IV) in simulated groundwater and re-distilled water is about (1.49∼1.86) x 10 -9 mol/(L.d) under aerobic conditions, but Tc(IV) in simulated groundwater and re-distilled water is not oxidized under anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions the solubility of Tc(IV) oxide in simulated groundwater and re-distilled water is equal on the whole after centrifugation or ultrafiltration. The solubility of Tc(IV) oxide decreases with the increase of pH at pH 10 and is pH independent in the range 2 -8 to 10 -9 mol/L at 2 3 2- concentration. These data could be used to estimate the Tc(IV) solubility for cases where solubility limits transport of technetium in reducing environments of high-level waste repositories. (authors)

  4. HIGH PRESSURE PHASE EQUILIBRIUM: PREDICTION OF ESSENTIAL OIL SOLUBILITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lúcio CARDOZO-FILHO

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available This work describes a method to predict the solubility of essential oils in supercritical carbon dioxide. The method is based on the formulation proposed in 1979 by Asselineau, Bogdanic and Vidal. The Peng-Robinson and Soave-Redlich-Kwong cubic equations of state were used with the van der Waals mixing rules with two interaction parameters. Method validation was accomplished calculating orange essential oil solubility in pressurized carbon dioxide. The solubility of orange essential oil in carbon dioxide calculated at 308.15 K for pressures of 50 to 70 bar varied from 1.7± 0.1 to 3.6± 0.1 mg/g. For same the range of conditions, experimental solubility varied from 1.7± 0.1 to 3.6± 0.1 mg/g. Predicted values were not very sensitive to initial oil composition.Este trabalho descreve uma metodologia para o cálculo da solubilidade de óleos essenciais em dióxido de carbono a altas pressões baseada na formulação proposta em 1979 por Asselineau, Bogdanic e Vidal. Foram utilizadas as equações cúbicas de estado de Peng-Robinson e Soave-Redlich-Kwong com regras de mistura de van der Waals com dois parâmetros de interação. O cálculo da solubilidade do óleo essencial de laranja em dióxido de carbono pressurizado foi usado para validação do método. A solubilidade calculada a 308,15 K para pressões entre 50 e 70 bar variou entre 1,5 e 4,1 mg/g. Valores experimentais para as mesmas condições variam entre 1,7± 0.1 a 3,6± 0.1 mg/g. Os valores preditos não são muito sensíveis à composição inicial do óleo essencial.

  5. Noise sensitivity and reactions to noise and other environmental conditions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Miedema, H.M.E.; Vos, H.

    2003-01-01

    This article integrates findings from the literature and new results regarding noise sensitivity. The new results are based on analyses of 28 combined datasets (N=23 038), and separate analyses of a large aircraft noise study (N=10939). Three topics regarding noise sensitivity are discussed, namely,

  6. Analyzing water soluble soil organics as Trifluoroacetyl derivatives by liquid state proton nuclear magnetic resonance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felipe Garza Sanchez; Zakiya Holmes Leggett; Sabapathy Sankar

    2005-01-01

    In forested ecosystems, water soluble organics play an important role in soil processes including carbon and nutrient turnover, microbial activity and pedogenesis. The quantity and quality (i.e., chemistry) of these materials is sensitive to land management practices. Monitoring alterations in the chemistry of water soluble organics resulting from land management...

  7. Molecular simulations and experimental studies of solubility and diffusivity for pure and mixed gases of H2, CO2, and Ar absorbed in the ionic liquid 1-n-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([hmim][Tf2N]).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Wei; Sorescu, Dan C; Luebke, David R; Keller, Murphy J; Wickramanayake, Shan

    2010-05-20

    Classical molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations are used to calculate the self-diffusivity and solubility of pure and mixed CO(2), H(2), and Ar gases absorbed in the ionic liquid 1-n-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([hmim][Tf(2)N]). Overall, the computed absorption isotherms, Henry's law constants, and partial molar enthalpies for pure H(2) agree well with the experimental data obtained by Maurer et al. [J. Chem. Eng. Data 2006, 51, 1364] and the experimental values determined in this work. However, the agreement is poor between the simulations and the experimental data by Noble et al. [Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2008, 47, 3453] and Costa Gomes [J. Chem. Eng. Data 2007, 52, 472] at high temperatures. The computed H(2) permeability values are in good agreement with the experimental data at 313 K obtained by Luebke et al. [J. Membr. Sci. 2007, 298, 41; ibid, 2008, 322, 28], but about three times larger than the experimental value at 573 K from the same group. Our computed H(2) solubilities using different H(2) potential models have similar values and solute polarizations were found to have a negligible effect on the predicted gas solubilities for both the H(2) and Ar. The interaction between H(2) and the ionic liquid is weak, about three times smaller than between the ionic liquid and Ar and six times smaller than that of CO(2) with the ionic liquid, results that are consistent with a decreasing solubility from CO(2) to Ar and to H(2). The molar volume of the ionic liquid was found to be the determining factor for the H(2) solubility. For mixed H(2) and Ar gases, the solubilities for both solutes decrease compared to the respective pure gas solubilities. For mixed gases of CO(2) and H(2), the solubility selectivity of CO(2) over H(2) decreases from about 30 at 313 K to about 3 at 573 K. For the permeability, the simulated values for CO(2) in [hmim][Tf(2)N] are about 20-60% different than the experimental data by Luebke et al. [J. Membr

  8. The solubility of carbon dioxide in aqueous N-methyldiethanolamine solutions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huttenhuis, P. J. G.; Agrawal, N. J.; Solbraa, E.; Versteeg, G. F.

    2008-01-01

    In this study the electrolyte equation of state as proposed by Solbraa [E. Solbraa, Equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamics of natural gas processing, Ph.D. thesis Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 2002] was systematically studied and improved to describe the solubility of

  9. Lower brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels associated with worsening fatigue in prostate cancer patients during repeated stress from radiation therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saligan, L N; Lukkahatai, N; Holder, G; Walitt, B; Machado-Vieira, R

    2016-12-01

    Fatigue during cancer treatment is associated with depression. Neurotrophic factors play a major role in depression and stress and might provide insight into mechanisms of fatigue. This study investigated the association between plasma concentrations of three neurotrophic factors (BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; GDNF, glial-derived neurotrophic factor; and SNAPIN, soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion attachment receptor-associated protein) and initial fatigue intensification during external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in euthymic non-metastatic prostate cancer men. Fatigue, as measured by the 13-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue (FACT-F), and plasma neurotrophic factors were collected at baseline (prior to EBRT) and mid-EBRT. Subjects were categorized into fatigue and no fatigue groups using a > 3-point change in FACT-F scores between the two time points. Multiple linear regressions analysed the associations between fatigue and neurotrophic factors. FACT-F scores of 47 subjects decreased from baseline (43.95 ± 1.3) to mid-EBRT (38.36 ± 1.5, P fatigue. SNAPIN levels were associated with fatigue scores (r s = 0.43, P = 0.005) at baseline. A significant decrease of BDNF concentration (P = 0.008) was found in fatigued subjects during EBRT (n = 39). Baseline SNAPIN and decreasing BDNF levels may influence worsening fatigue during EBRT. Further investigations are warranted to confirm their role in the pathophysiology and therapeutics of fatigue.

  10. Energetics and Kinetics of trans-SNARE Zippering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebane, Aleksander A.; Shu, Tong; Krishnakumar, Shyam; Rothman, James E.; Zhang, Yongli

    Synaptic exocytosis relies on assembly of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins into a four-helix bundle to drive membrane fusion. Complementary SNAREs anchored to the synaptic vesicle (v-SNARE) and the plasma membrane (t-SNARE) associate from their N-termini, transiting a half-assembled intermediate (trans-SNARE), and ending at their C-termini with a rapid power stroke that leads to membrane fusion. Although cytosolic SNARE assembly has been characterized, it remains unknown how membranes modulate the energetics and kinetics of SNARE assembly. Here, we present optical tweezers measurements on folding of single membrane proteins in phospholipid bilayers. To our knowledge, this is the first such report. We measured the energetics, kinetics, and assembly intermediates of trans-SNAREs formed between a t-SNARE inserted into a bead-supported bilayer and a v-SNARE in a nanodisc. We found that the repulsive force of the apposed membranes increases the lifetime of the half-assembled intermediate. Our findings provide a single-molecule platform to study the regulation of trans-SNARE assembly by proteins that act on the half-assembled state, and thus reveal the mechanistic basis of the speed and high fidelity of synaptic transmission. This work was supported by US National Institutes of Health Grants F31 GM119312-01 (to A.A.R) and R01 GM093341 (to Y.Z.).

  11. Hybrid organic/inorganic position-sensitive detectors based on PEDOT:PSS/n-Si

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javadi, Mohammad; Gholami, Mahdiyeh; Torbatiyan, Hadis; Abdi, Yaser

    2018-03-01

    Various configurations like p-n junctions, metal-semiconductor Schottky barriers, and metal-oxide-semiconductor structures have been widely used in position-sensitive detectors. In this report, we propose a PEDOT:PSS/n-Si heterojunction as a hybrid organic/inorganic configuration for position-sensitive detectors. The influence of the thickness of the PEDOT:PSS layer, the wavelength of incident light, and the intensity of illumination on the device performance are investigated. The hybrid PSD exhibits very high sensitivity (>100 mV/mm), excellent nonlinearity (0.995) with a response time of heterojunction are very promising for developing a new class of position-sensitive detectors based on the hybrid organic/inorganic junctions.

  12. Solubility study of Tc(IV) in a granitic water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, D.J.; Yao, J.; Wang, B.; Bruggeman, C.; Maes, N.

    2007-01-01

    The deep geological disposal of the high level radioactive wastes is expected to be a safe disposal method in most countries. The long-lived fission product 99 Tc is present in large quantities in nuclear wastes and its chemical behavior in aqueous solution is of considerable interest. Under oxidizing conditions technetium exists as the anionic species TcO 4 - whereas under the reducing conditions, expected to exist in a deep geological repository, it is generally predicted that technetium will be present as TcO 2 .nH 2 O. Hence, the mobility of Tc(IV) in reducing groundwater may be limited by the solubility of TcO 2 .nH 2 O under these conditions. Due to this fact it is important to investigate the solubility of TcO 2 .nH 2 O. The solubility determines the release of radionuclides from waste form and is used as a source term in radionuclide migration analysis in performance assessment of radioactive waste repository. Technetium(IV) was prepared by reduction of a technetate solution with Sn 2+ . The solubility of Tc(IV) has been determined in simulated groundwater and redistilled water under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The effects of pH and CO 3 2- concentration of solution on solubility of Tc(IV) were studied. The concentration of total technetium and Tc(IV) species in the solutions were periodically determined by separating the oxidized and reduced technetium species using a solvent extraction procedure and counting the beta activity of the 99 Tc with a liquid scintillation counter. The experimental results show that the rate of oxidation of Tc(IV) in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is about (1.49 ∝ 1.86) x 10 -9 mol L -1 d -1 under aerobic conditions, while no Tc(IV) oxidation was detected in simulated groundwater and redistilled water under anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions the solubility of Tc(IV) in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is equal on the whole after centrifugation or ultrafiltration. The

  13. Solubility study of Tc(Ⅳ) in a granitic water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Dejun; Yao Jun; Wang Bo

    2008-01-01

    The deep geological disposal of the high level radioactive wastes is expected to be a safe disposal method in most countries. The long-lived fission product 99 Tc is present in large quantities in nuclear wastes and its chemical behavior in aqueous solution is of considerable interest. Under oxidizing conditions technetium exists as the anionic species TcO 4 - whereas under the reducing conditions, expected to exist in a deep geological repository, it is generally predicted that technetium will be present as TcO 2 -nH 2 O. Hence, the mobility of Tc(Ⅳ) in reducing groundwater may be limited by the solubility of TcO 2 ·nH 2 O under these conditions. Due to this fact it is important to investigate the solubility of TcO 2 ·nH 2 O. The solubility determines the release of radionuclides from waste form and is used as a source term in radionuclide migration analysis in performance assessment of radioactive waste repository. Technetium (Ⅳ) was prepared by reduction of a technetate solution with Sn 2+ . The solubility of Tc(Ⅳ) has been determined in simulated groundwater and redistilled water under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The effects of pH and CO 3 2- concentration of solution on solubility of Tc(Ⅳ) were studied. The concentration of total technetium and Tc(Ⅳ) species in the solutions were periodically determined by separating the oxidized and reduced technetium species using a solvent extraction procedure and counting the beta activity of the 99 Tc with a liquid scintillation counter. The experimental results show that the rate of oxidation of Tc(Ⅳ) in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is about (1.49-1.86)x10 -9 mol·L -1 d -1 under aerobic conditions, while no Tc(Ⅳ) oxidation was detected in simulated groundwater and redistilled water under anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions the solubility of Tc(Ⅳ) in simulated groundwater and redistilled water is equal on the whole after centrifugation or ultrafiltration. The

  14. Gold nanoparticles/water-soluble carbon nanotubes/aromatic diamine polymer composite films for highly sensitive detection of cellobiose dehydrogenase gene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zeng Guangming, E-mail: zgming@hnu.cn [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082 (China); Li Zhen, E-mail: happylizhen@yeah.ne [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082 (China); Tang Lin; Wu Mengshi; Lei Xiaoxia; Liu Yuanyuan; Liu Can; Pang Ya; Zhang Yi [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082 (China)

    2011-05-01

    Highlights: > Gold nanoparticles/multiwalled carbon nanotubes/poly (1,5-naphthalenediamine) modified electrode was fabricated. > The sensor was applied for the detection of cellobiose dehydrogenase genes. > An effective method to distribute MWCNTs and attach to the electrode was proposed. > The composite films greatly improved the sensitivity and enhanced the DNA immobilization. > The DNA biosensor exhibited fairly high sensitivity and quite low detection limit. - Abstract: An electrochemical sensor based on gold nanoparticles (GNPs)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/poly (1,5-naphthalenediamine) films modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated. The effectiveness of the sensor was confirmed by sensitive detection of cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) gene which was extracted from Phanerochaete chrysosporium using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The monomer of 1,5-naphthalenediamine was electropolymerized on the GCE surface with abundant free amino groups which enhanced the stability of MWCNTs modified electrode. Congo red (CR)-functionalized MWCNTs possess excellent conductivity as well as high solubility in water which enabled to form the uniform and stable network nanostructures easily and created a large number of binding sites for electrodeposition of GNPs. The continuous GNPs together with MWCNTs greatly increased the surface area, conductivity and electrocatalytic activity. This electrode structure significantly improved the sensitivity of sensor and enhanced the DNA immobilization and hybridization. The thiol modified capture probes were immobilized onto the composite films-modified GCE by a direct formation of thiol-Au bond and horseradish peroxidase-streptavidin (HRP-SA) conjugates were labeled to the biotinylated detection probes through biotin-streptavidin bond. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to investigate the film assembly and DNA hybridization processes

  15. Issues concerning the determination of solubility products of sparingly soluble crystalline solids. Solubility of HfO2(cr)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rai, Dhanpat; Kitamura, Akira; Rosso, Kevin M.; Sasaki, Takayuki; Kobayashi, Taishi

    2016-01-01

    Solubility studies were conducted with HfO 2 (cr) solid as a function HCl and ionic strength ranging from 2.0 to 0.004 mol kg -1 . These studies involved (1) using two different amounts of the solid phase, (2) acid washing the bulk solid phase, (3) preheating the solid phase to 1400 C, and (4) heating amorphous HfO 2 (am) suspensions to 90 C to ascertain whether the HfO 2 (am) converts to HfO 2 (cr) and to determine the solubility from the oversaturation direction. Based on the results of these treatments it is concluded that the HfO 2 (cr) contains a small fraction of less crystalline, but not amorphous, material [HfO 2 (lcr)] and this, rather than the HfO 2 (cr), is the solubility-controlling phase in the range of experimental variables investigated in this study. The solubility data are interpreted using both the Pitzer and SIT models and they provide log 10 K 0 values of -(59.75±0.35) and -(59.48±0.41), respectively, for the solubility product of HfO 2 (lcr)[HfO 2 (lcr) + 2H 2 O ↔ Hf 4+ + 4OH - ]. The log 10 of the solubility product of HfO 2 (cr) is estimated to be < -63. The observation of a small fraction of less crystalline higher solubility material is consistent with the general picture that mineral surfaces are often structurally and/or compositionally imperfect leading to a higher solubility than the bulk crystalline solid. This study stresses the urgent need, during interpretation of solubility data, of taking precautions to make certain that the observed solubility behavior for sparingly-soluble solids is assigned to the proper solid phase.

  16. Soluble salt sources in medieval porous limestone sculptures: A multi-isotope (N, O, S) approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kloppmann, W., E-mail: w.kloppmann@brgm.fr [BRGM, Direction des Laboratoires, Unité Isotopes, BP 6009, F-45060 Orléans cedex 2 (France); Rolland, O., E-mail: olivierrolland@wanadoo.fr [Montlouis-sur-Loire (France); Proust, E.; Montech, A.T. [BRGM, Direction des Laboratoires, Unité Isotopes, BP 6009, F-45060 Orléans cedex 2 (France)

    2014-02-01

    The sources and mechanisms of soluble salt uptake by porous limestone and the associated degradation patterns were investigated for the life-sized 15th century “entombment of Christ” sculpture group located in Pont-à-Mousson, France, using a multi-isotope approach on sulphates (δ{sup 34}S and δ{sup 18}O) and nitrates (δ{sup 15}N and δ{sup 18}O). The sculpture group, near the border of the Moselle River, is within the potential reach of capillary rise from the alluvial aquifer. Chemical analyses show a vertical zonation of soluble salts with a predominance of sulphates in the lower parts of the statues where crumbling and blistering prevail, and higher concentrations of nitrates and chloride in the high parts affected by powdering and efflorescence. Isotope fingerprints of sulphates suggest a triple origin: (1) the lower parts are dominated by capillary rise of dissolved sulphate from the Moselle water with characteristic Keuper evaporite signatures that progressively decreases with height; (2) in the higher parts affected by powdering the impact of atmospheric sulphur becomes detectable; and (3) locally, plaster reparations impact the neighbouring limestone through dissolution and re-precipitation of gypsum. Nitrogen and oxygen isotopes suggest an organic origin of nitrates in all samples. N isotope signatures are compatible with those measured in the alluvial aquifer of the Moselle River further downstream. This indicates contamination by sewage or organic fertilisers. Significant isotopic contrasts are observed between the different degradation features depending on the height and suggest historical changes of nitrate sources. - Highlights: • We use S, N and O isotopes to distinguish salt sources in limestone sculptures. • Vertical zonation of degradation is linked to capillary rise and air pollution. • Sulphate salts in lower parts are derived from river/groundwater. • Sulphate salts in higher parts show signature of air pollution. • Nitrates

  17. Preliminary investigation of the NMR, optical and x-ray CT dose-response of polymer gel dosimeters incorporating cosolvents to improve dose sensitivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koeva, V I; McAuley, K B; Olding, T; Jirasek, A; Schreiner, L J

    2009-01-01

    This study reports on efforts to increase the dose sensitivity of polymer gel dosimeters used in 3D radiation dosimetry. The potential of several different cosolvents is investigated, with the aim of increasing the solubility of N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide crosslinker in polymer gel dosimeters. Glycerol and isopropanol increase the limit for the crosslinker solubility from approximately 3% to 5% and 10% by weight, respectively. This enables the manufacture of polymer gel dosimeters with much higher levels of crosslinking than was previously possible. New dosimeter recipes containing up to 5 wt% N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide were subjected to spatially uniform radiation and were studied using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), as well as x-ray and optical CT techniques. The resulting dosimeters exhibit dose sensitivities that are up to 2.7 times higher than measured for a typical dosimeters with 3% N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide without the addition of cosolvent. Two additional cosolvents (n-propanol and sec-butanol) were deemed unsuitable for practical dosimeters due to incompatibility with gelatin, cloudiness prior to irradiation, and immiscibility with water when large quantities of cosolvent were used. The dosimeters with high N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide content that used isopropanol or glycerol as cosolvents had high optical clarity prior to irradiation, but did not produce suitable optical CT results for non-uniformly irradiated gels due to polymer development outside of the high dose regions of the pencil beams and significant light scatter. Further experiments are required to determine whether cosolvents can be used to manufacture gels with sufficiently high dose sensitivity for readout using x-ray computed tomography.

  18. Spray deposition of water-soluble multiwall carbon nanotube and Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanoparticle composites as highly efficient counter electrodes in a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Xianwei; Xiong, Dehua; Zhang, Wenjun; Ming, Liqun; Xu, Zhen; Huang, Zhanfeng; Wang, Mingkui; Chen, Wei; Cheng, Yi-Bing

    2013-08-07

    In this paper, low-cost counter electrodes (CEs) based on water-soluble multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanoparticle (CZTSe NP) composites have been successfully introduced into a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC) system. Suitable surface modification allows the MWCNTs and CZTSe NPs to be homogeneously dispersed in water, facilitating the subsequent low-temperature spray deposition of high quality composite films with different composite ratios. The electrochemical catalytic activity of the composite CEs has been critically compared by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel-polarization analysis. It is found that the composite CE at the MWCNT : CZTSe ratio of 0.1 offers the best performance, leading to an optimal solar cell efficiency of 4.60%, which is 50.8% higher than that of the Pt reference CE. The as-demonstrated higher catalytic activity of the composite CEs compared to their single components could be ascribed to the combination of the fast electron transport of the MWCNTs and the high catalytic activity of CZTSe NPs.

  19. The importance of the accuracy of the experimental data for the prediction of solubility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SLAVICA ERIĆ

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Aqueous solubility is an important factor influencing several aspects of the pharmacokinetic profile of a drug. Numerous publications present different methodologies for the development of reliable computational models for the prediction of solubility from structure. The quality of such models can be significantly affected by the accuracy of the employed experimental solubility data. In this work, the importance of the accuracy of the experimental solubility data used for model training was investigated. Three data sets were used as training sets – data set 1, containing solubility data collected from various literature sources using a few criteria (n = 319, data set 2, created by substituting 28 values from data set 1 with uniformly determined experimental data from one laboratory (n = 319, and data set 3, created by including 56 additional components, for which the solubility was also determined under uniform conditions in the same laboratory, in the data set 2 (n = 375. The selection of the most significant descriptors was performed by the heuristic method, using one-parameter and multi-parameter analysis. The correlations between the most significant descriptors and solubility were established using multi-linear regression analysis (MLR for all three investigated data sets. Notable differences were observed between the equations corresponding to different data sets, suggesting that models updated with new experimental data need to be additionally optimized. It was successfully shown that the inclusion of uniform experimental data consistently leads to an improvement in the correlation coefficients. These findings contribute to an emerging consensus that improving the reliability of solubility prediction requires the inclusion of many diverse compounds for which solubility was measured under standardized conditions in the data set.

  20. Kinetics of the inhibitory interaction of organophosphorus neuropathy inducers and non-inducers in soluble esterases in the avian nervous system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mangas, Iris; Vilanova, Eugenio; Estévez, Jorge

    2011-01-01

    Some published studies suggest that low level exposure to organophosphorus esters (OPs) may cause neurological and neurobehavioral effects at long term exposure. These effects cannot be explained by action on known targets. In this work, the interactions (inhibition, spontaneous reactivation and “ongoing inhibition”) of two model OPs (paraoxon, non neuropathy-inducer, and mipafox, neuropathy-inducer) with the chicken brain soluble esterases were evaluated. The best-fitting kinetic model with both inhibitors was compatible with three enzymatic components. The amplitudes (proportions) of the components detected with mipafox were similar to those obtained with paraoxon. These observations confirm the consistency of the results and the model applied and may be considered an external validation. The most sensitive component (Eα) for paraoxon (11–23% of activity, I 50 (30 min) = 9–11 nM) is also the most sensitive for mipafox (I 50 (30 min) = 4 nM). This component is spontaneously reactivated after inhibition with paraoxon. The second sensitive component to paraoxon (Eβ, 71–84% of activity; I 50 (30 min) = 1216 nM) is practically resistant to mipafox. The third component (Eγ, 5–8% of activity) is paraoxon resistant and has I 50 (30 min) of 3.4 μM with mipafox, similar to NTE (neuropathy target esterase). The role of these esterases remains unknown. Their high sensitivity suggests that they may either play a role in toxicity in low-level long-term exposure of organophosphate compounds or have a protective effect related with the spontaneous reactivation. They will have to be considered in further metabolic and toxicological studies. -- Research Highlights: ► Paraoxon and mipafox interactions have been evaluated with chicken soluble brain esterases. ► The paraoxon inhibition was analyzed considering the simultaneous spontaneous reactivation. ► The best-fitting kinetic models were compatible with a three enzymatic components. ► The amplitudes of the

  1. Determination of the solubility of neodymium in iron by positron annihilation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, W.Y.; Qing, L.N.; Zhuo, T.Z.; Rong, C.X.

    1985-01-01

    The authors have measured the lineshape parameters and lifetimes of positron annihilation in eleven samples of iron containing various concentration of Nd between 0 and 0.87 wt. %, which have been heat-treated at two different temperatures successively. According to the abrupt increase, for the two conditions of heat-treatment the solubility of Nd in iron is interpreted to be 0.082 wt. % and 0.088 wt. % respectively. Using positron annihilation technique for determining the solubility of Nd in iron appears to be more sensitive and accurate than metallography method and X-ray diffraction analysis

  2. Combined Effects of Supersaturation Rates and Doses on the Kinetic-Solubility Profiles of Amorphous Solid Dispersions Based on Water-Insoluble Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schver, Giovanna C R M; Lee, Ping I

    2018-05-07

    Under nonsink dissolution conditions, the kinetic-solubility profiles of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) based on soluble carriers typically exhibit so-called "spring-and-parachute" concentration-time behaviors. However, the kinetic-solubility profiles of ASDs based on insoluble carriers (including hydrogels) are known to show sustained supersaturation during nonsink dissolution through a matrix-regulated diffusion mechanism by which the supersaturation of the drug is built up gradually and sustained over an extended period without any dissolved polymers acting as crystallization inhibitors. Despite previous findings demonstrating the interplay between supersaturation rates and total doses on the kinetic-solubility profiles of soluble amorphous systems (including ASDs based on dissolution-regulated releases from soluble polymer carriers), the combined effects of supersaturation rates and doses on the kinetic-solubility profiles of ASDs based on diffusion-regulated releases from water-insoluble carriers have not been investigated previously. Thus, the objective of this study is to examine the impacts of total doses and supersaturation-generation rates on the resulting kinetic-solubility profiles of ASDs based on insoluble hydrogel carriers. We employed a previously established ASD-carrier system based on water-insoluble-cross-linked-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-hydrogel beads and two poorly water soluble model drugs: the weakly acidic indomethacin (IND) and the weakly basic posaconazole (PCZ). Our results show clearly for the first time that by using the smallest-particle-size fraction and a high dose (i.e., above the critical dose), it is indeed possible to significantly shorten the duration of sustained supersaturation in the kinetic-solubility profile of an ASD based on a water-insoluble hydrogel carrier, such that it resembles the spring-and-parachute dissolution profiles normally associated with ASDs based on soluble carriers. This generates

  3. Effect of the combinations between pea proteins and soluble fibres on cholesterolaemia and cholesterol metabolism in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parolini, Cinzia; Manzini, Stefano; Busnelli, Marco; Rigamonti, Elena; Marchesi, Marta; Diani, Erika; Sirtori, Cesare R; Chiesa, Giulia

    2013-10-01

    Many functional foods and dietary supplements have been reported to be beneficial for the management of dyslipidaemia, one of the major risk factors for CVD. Soluble fibres and legume proteins are known to be a safe and practical approach for cholesterol reduction. The present study aimed at investigating the hypocholesterolaemic effect of the combinations of these bioactive vegetable ingredients and their possible effects on the expression of genes regulating cholesterol homeostasis. A total of six groups of twelve rats each were fed, for 28 d, Nath's hypercholesterolaemic diets, differing in protein and fibre sources, being, respectively, casein and cellulose (control), pea proteins and cellulose (pea), casein and oat fibres (oat), casein and apple pectin (pectin), pea proteins and oat fibres (pea+oat) and pea proteins and apple pectin (pea+pectin). Administration of each vegetable-containing diet was associated with lower total cholesterol concentrations compared with the control. The combinations (pea+oat and pea+pectin) were more efficacious than fibres alone in modulating cholesterolaemia ( - 53 and - 54%, respectively, at 28 d; Ppea proteins, a lower hepatic cholesterol content (Ppea proteins and oat fibres or apple pectin are extremely effective in lowering plasma cholesterol concentrations in rats and affect cellular cholesterol homeostasis by up-regulating genes involved in hepatic cholesterol turnover.

  4. Synthesis and properties of amino acid functionalized water-soluble perylene diimides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Yongshan; Li, Xuemei; Wei, Xiaofeng; Jiang, Tianyi; Wu, Junsen; Ren, Huixue [Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan (China)

    2015-07-15

    We prepared amino acid functionalized water-soluble perylene diimides: N,N'-bi(L-glutamic acid)-perylene-3,4;9,10-dicarboxylic diimide (1), N,N'-bi(L-phenylalanine acid)-perylene-3,4;9,10-dicarboxylic diimide (2), N,N'-bi(Lglutamic amine)-perylene-3,4;9,10-dicarboxylic diimide (3) and N,N'-bi(L-phenylalanine amine)-perylene-3,4;9,10-dicarboxylic diimide (4). The structures of 3 and 4 were confirmed by {sup 1}H NMR, FT-IR and MS. The maximal absorption bands of compound 1 and 2 in concentrated sulfuric acid were red-shifted for about 48 and 74 nm, respectively, compared with that of Perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (PTCDA). Nearly no fluorescence was observed for compounds 1 and 2 in water, while compounds 3 and 4 were significantly water-soluble and had very high fluorescent quantum. The mechanism of the optical properties change was discussed, and the π-π stacking caused by H{sup +} led to the changes of fluorescence spectrum and absorption spectrum. The calculated molecular orbital energies and the frontier molecular orbital maps of compounds 1-2 based on density function theory (DFT) calculations were reported. Owing to the high water-soluble, the perylene derivatives 3 and 4 were successfully applied as high-performance fluorochromes for living hela cells imaging.

  5. Issues concerning the determination of solubility products of sparingly soluble crystalline solids. Solubility of HfO{sub 2}(cr)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rai, Dhanpat [Rai Enviro-Chem, LLC, Yachats, OR (United States); Kitamura, Akira [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki (Japan); Rosso, Kevin M. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA (United States); Sasaki, Takayuki; Kobayashi, Taishi [Kyoto Univ. (Japan)

    2016-11-01

    Solubility studies were conducted with HfO{sub 2}(cr) solid as a function HCl and ionic strength ranging from 2.0 to 0.004 mol kg{sup -1}. These studies involved (1) using two different amounts of the solid phase, (2) acid washing the bulk solid phase, (3) preheating the solid phase to 1400 C, and (4) heating amorphous HfO{sub 2}(am) suspensions to 90 C to ascertain whether the HfO{sub 2}(am) converts to HfO{sub 2}(cr) and to determine the solubility from the oversaturation direction. Based on the results of these treatments it is concluded that the HfO{sub 2}(cr) contains a small fraction of less crystalline, but not amorphous, material [HfO{sub 2}(lcr)] and this, rather than the HfO{sub 2}(cr), is the solubility-controlling phase in the range of experimental variables investigated in this study. The solubility data are interpreted using both the Pitzer and SIT models and they provide log{sub 10} K{sup 0} values of -(59.75±0.35) and -(59.48±0.41), respectively, for the solubility product of HfO{sub 2}(lcr)[HfO{sub 2}(lcr) + 2H{sub 2}O ↔ Hf{sup 4+} + 4OH{sup -}]. The log{sub 10} of the solubility product of HfO{sub 2}(cr) is estimated to be < -63. The observation of a small fraction of less crystalline higher solubility material is consistent with the general picture that mineral surfaces are often structurally and/or compositionally imperfect leading to a higher solubility than the bulk crystalline solid. This study stresses the urgent need, during interpretation of solubility data, of taking precautions to make certain that the observed solubility behavior for sparingly-soluble solids is assigned to the proper solid phase.

  6. Influence of substitutional atoms on the solubility limit of carbon in bcc iron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saitoh, Hajime; Ushioda, Kohsaku; Yoshinaga, Naoki; Yamada, Wataru

    2011-01-01

    The influence of substitutional atoms (Mn, Cr, Si, P, and Al) on the solubility limit of C in body-centered cubic iron in equilibrium with cementite was investigated in low-carbon steels at a temperature of 700 o C. The C solubility limit was determined from internal friction measurements combined with infrared analysis of C using a high-frequency combustion technique. Experiments clarified that Mn, Cr and Al hardly change the C solubility limit, whereas P and Si increase it.

  7. Altered specificity of single-chain antibody fragments bound to pandemic H1N1-2009 influenza virus after conversion of the phage-bound to the soluble form

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaku Yoshihiro

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In 2009, a novel influenza A/H1N1 virus (H1N1pdm quickly spread worldwide and co-circulated with then-existing seasonal H1N1 virus (sH1N1. Distinguishing between these 2 viruses was necessary to better characterize the epidemiological properties of the emergent virus, including transmission patterns, pathogenesis, and anti-influenza drug resistance. This situation prompted us to develop a point-of-care virus differentiation system before entering the 2009–2010 influenza season. Aiming to establish H1N1pdm-specific detection tools rapidly, we employed phage display libraries to select H1N1pdm-specific single-chain variable fragments (scFvs. Findings Human single-fold scFv libraries (Tomlinson I + J underwent selection for the ability to bind H1N1pdm virus particles. Three rounds of panning brought 1152 phage-bound scFvs, of which 58 clones reacted with H1N1pdm specifically or preferentially over sH1N1 in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. After conversion of the scFvs to soluble form, 7 clones demonstrating high/stable expression were finally obtained. However, all the soluble scFvs except No. 29 were found to have lost their specificity/preference for H1N1pdm in ELISA. The specificity/preference of No. 29 was also confirmed by immunofluorescence assay and immunoprecipitation, and the viral nucleoprotein was identified by ELISA as its target protein. The change in specificity associated with scFv conversion from phage-bound to soluble form could be due to loss of phage scaffold pIII protein, which likely provides structural support for the scFv antigen-binding site. It is also possible that the similar antigenic properties of H1N1pdm and sH1N1 led to the observed alterations in scFv specificity. Discussion Using a phage display library, we obtained 7 soluble scFv clones reactive against H1N1pdm; however, only 1 showed specificity/preference toward H1N1pdm. Our results confirmed that using phage display

  8. Measurement of soluble nuclide dissolution rates from spent fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, C.N.; Gray, W.J.

    1990-01-01

    Gaining a better understanding of the potential release behavior of water-soluble radionuclides is the focus of new laboratory spent fuel dissolution studies being planned in support of the Yucca Mountain Project. Previous studies have suggested that maximum release rates for actinide nuclides, which account for most of the long-term radioactivity in spent fuel, should be solubility-limited and should not depend on the characteristics or durability of the spent fuel waste form. Maximum actinide concentrations should be sufficiently low to meet the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) annual release limits. Potential release rates for soluble nuclides such as 99 Tc, 135 Cs, 14 C and 129 I, which account for about 1-2% of the activity in spent fuel at 1,000 years, are less certain and may depend on processes such as oxidation of the fuel in the repository air environment. Dissolution rates for several soluble nuclides have been measured from spent fuel specimens using static and semi-static methods. However, such tests do not provide a direct measurement of fuel matrix dissolution rates that may ultimately control soluble-nuclide release rates. Flow-through tests are being developed as a potential supplemental method for determining the matrix component of soluble-nuclide dissolution. Advantages and disadvantages of both semi-static and flow-through methods are discussed. Tests with fuel specimens representing a range of potential fuel states that may occur in the repository, including oxidized fuel, are proposed. Preliminary results from flow-through tests with unirradiated UO 2 suggesting that matrix dissolution rates are very sensitive to water composition are also presented

  9. Soluble CD30 in patients with antibody-mediated rejection of the kidney allograft.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavcev, Antonij; Honsova, Eva; Lodererova, Alena; Pavlova, Yelena; Sajdlova, Helena; Vitko, Stefan; Skibova, Jelena; Striz, Ilja; Viklicky, Ondrej

    2007-07-01

    The aim of our retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical significance of measurement of the soluble CD30 (sCD30) molecule for the prediction of antibody-mediated (humoral) rejection (HR). Sixty-two kidney transplant recipients (thirty-one C4d-positive and thirty-one C4d-negative patients) were included into the study. Soluble CD30 levels were evaluated before transplantation and during periods of graft function deterioration. The median concentrations of the sCD30 molecule were identical in C4d-positive and C4d-negative patients before and after transplantation (65.5 vs. 65.0 and 28.2 vs. 36.0 U/ml, respectively). C4d+ patients who developed DSA de novo had a tendency to have higher sCD30 levels before transplantation (80.7+/-53.6 U/ml, n=8) compared with C4d-negative patients (65.0+/-33.4 U/ml, n=15). Soluble CD30 levels were evaluated as positive and negative (>or=100 U/ml and sCD30 estimation with regard to finding C4d deposits in peritubular capillaries were determined. The sensitivity of sCD30+ testing was generally below 40%, while the specificity of the test, i.e. the likelihood that if sCD30 testing is negative, C4d deposits would be absent, was 82%. C4d+ patients who developed DSA de novo were evaluated separately; the specificity of sCD30 testing for the incidence of HR in this cohort was 86%. We could not confirm in our study that high sCD30 levels (>or=100 U/ml) might be predictive for the incidence of HR. Negative sCD30 values might be however helpful for identifying patients with a low risk for development of DSA and antibody-mediated rejection.

  10. Water-soluble, triflate-based, pyrrolidinium ionic liquids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moreno, M.; Montanino, M.; Carewska, M.; Appetecchi, G.B.; Jeremias, S.; Passerini, S.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Water-soluble, pyrrolidinium triflate ILs as solvents for extraction processes. • Electrolyte components for high safety, electrochemical devices. • Effect of the oxygen atom in the alkyl main side chain of pyrrolidinium cation. -- Abstract: The physicochemical and electrochemical properties of the water-soluble, N-methoxyethyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate (PYR 1(2O1) OSO 2 CF 3 ) ionic liquid (IL) were investigated and compared with those of commercial N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethanesulfonate (PYR 14 OSO 2 CF 3 ). The results have shown that the transport properties are well correlated with the rheological and thermal behavior. The incorporation of an oxygen atom in the pyrrolidinium cation aliphatic side chain resulted in enhanced flexibility of the ether side chain, this supporting for the higher ionic conductivity, self-diffusion coefficient and density of PYR 1(2O1) OSO 2 CF 3 with respect to PYR 14 OSO 2 CF 3 , whereas no relevant effect on the crystallization of the ionic liquid was found. Finally, the presence of the ether side chain material in the pyrrolidinium cation led to a reduction in electrochemical stability, particularly on the cathodic verse

  11. Modification of a hydrophobic layer by a point mutation in syntaxin 1A regulates the rate of synaptic vesicle fusion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert D Lagow

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available Both constitutive secretion and Ca(2+-regulated exocytosis require the assembly of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE complexes. At present, little is known about how the SNARE complexes mediating these two distinct pathways differ in structure. Using the Drosophila neuromuscular synapse as a model, we show that a mutation modifying a hydrophobic layer in syntaxin 1A regulates the rate of vesicle fusion. Syntaxin 1A molecules share a highly conserved threonine in the C-terminal +7 layer near the transmembrane domain. Mutation of this threonine to isoleucine results in a structural change that more closely resembles those found in syntaxins ascribed to the constitutive secretory pathway. Flies carrying the I254 mutant protein have increased levels of SNARE complexes and dramatically enhanced rate of both constitutive and evoked vesicle fusion. In contrast, overexpression of the T254 wild-type protein in neurons reduces vesicle fusion only in the I254 mutant background. These results are consistent with molecular dynamics simulations of the SNARE core complex, suggesting that T254 serves as an internal brake to dampen SNARE zippering and impede vesicle fusion, whereas I254 favors fusion by enhancing intermolecular interaction within the SNARE core complex.

  12. An α-Helical Core Encodes the Dual Functions of the Chlamydial Protein IncA*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronzone, Erik; Wesolowski, Jordan; Bauler, Laura D.; Bhardwaj, Anshul; Hackstadt, Ted; Paumet, Fabienne

    2014-01-01

    Chlamydia is an intracellular bacterium that establishes residence within parasitophorous compartments (inclusions) inside host cells. Chlamydial inclusions are uncoupled from the endolysosomal pathway and undergo fusion with cellular organelles and with each other. To do so, Chlamydia expresses proteins on the surface of the inclusion using a Type III secretion system. These proteins, termed Incs, are located at the interface between host and pathogen and carry out the functions necessary for Chlamydia survival. Among these Incs, IncA plays a critical role in both protecting the inclusion from lysosomal fusion and inducing the homotypic fusion of inclusions. Within IncA are two regions homologous to eukaryotic SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor) domains referred to as SNARE-like domain 1 (SLD1) and SNARE-like domain 2 (SLD2). Using a multidisciplinary approach, we have discovered the functional core of IncA that retains the ability to both inhibit SNARE-mediated fusion and promote the homotypic fusion of Chlamydia inclusions. Circular dichroism and analytical ultracentrifugation experiments show that this core region is composed almost entirely of α-helices and assembles into stable homodimers in solution. Altogether, we propose that both IncA functions are encoded in a structured core domain that encompasses SLD1 and part of SLD2. PMID:25324548

  13. A VESICLE TRAFFICKING PROTEIN αSNAP REGULATES PANETH CELL DIFFERENTIATION IN VIVO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lechuga, Susana; Naydenov, Nayden G.; Feygin, Alex; Jimenez, Antonio J.; Ivanov, Andrei I.

    2017-01-01

    A soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein alpha (αSNAP) is a multifunctional scaffolding protein that regulates intracellular vesicle trafficking and signaling. In cultured intestinal epithelial cells, αSNAP has been shown to be essential for cell survival, motility, and adhesion; however, its physiologic functions in the intestinal mucosa remain unknown. In the present study, we used a mouse with a spontaneous hydrocephalus with hop gait (hyh) mutation of αSNAP to examine the roles of this trafficking protein in regulating intestinal epithelial homeostasis in vivo. Homozygous hyh mice demonstrated decreased expression of αSNAP protein in the intestinal epithelium, but did not display gross abnormalities of epithelial architecture in the colon and ileum. Such αSNAP depletion attenuated differentiation of small intestinal epithelial enteroids ex vivo. Furthermore, αSNAP-deficient mutant animals displayed reduced formation of lysozyme granules in small intestinal crypts and decreased expression of lysozyme and defensins in the intestinal mucosa, which is indicative of defects in Paneth cell differentiation. By contrast, development of Goblet cells, enteroendocrine cells, and assembly of enterocyte apical junctions was not altered in hyh mutant mice. Our data revealed a novel role of αSNAP in the intestinal Paneth cell differentiation in vivo. PMID:28359759

  14. A vesicle trafficking protein αSNAP regulates Paneth cell differentiation in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lechuga, Susana; Naydenov, Nayden G; Feygin, Alex; Jimenez, Antonio J; Ivanov, Andrei I

    2017-05-13

    A soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein alpha (αSNAP) is a multifunctional scaffolding protein that regulates intracellular vesicle trafficking and signaling. In cultured intestinal epithelial cells, αSNAP has been shown to be essential for cell survival, motility, and adhesion; however, its physiologic functions in the intestinal mucosa remain unknown. In the present study, we used a mouse with a spontaneous hydrocephalus with hop gait (hyh) mutation of αSNAP to examine the roles of this trafficking protein in regulating intestinal epithelial homeostasis in vivo. Homozygous hyh mice demonstrated decreased expression of αSNAP protein in the intestinal epithelium, but did not display gross abnormalities of epithelial architecture in the colon and ileum. Such αSNAP depletion attenuated differentiation of small intestinal epithelial enteroids ex vivo. Furthermore, αSNAP-deficient mutant animals displayed reduced formation of lysozyme granules in small intestinal crypts and decreased expression of lysozyme and defensins in the intestinal mucosa, which is indicative of defects in Paneth cell differentiation. By contrast, development of Goblet cells, enteroendocrine cells, and assembly of enterocyte apical junctions was not altered in hyh mutant mice. Our data revealed a novel role of αSNAP in the intestinal Paneth cell differentiation in vivo. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. ER-associated SNAREs and Sey1p mediate nuclear fusion at two distinct steps during yeast mating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Jason V; Arlow, Tim; Inkellis, Elizabeth R; Koo, Timothy S; Rose, Mark D

    2013-12-01

    During yeast mating, two haploid nuclei fuse membranes to form a single diploid nucleus. However, the known proteins required for nuclear fusion are unlikely to function as direct fusogens (i.e., they are unlikely to directly catalyze lipid bilayer fusion) based on their predicted structure and localization. Therefore we screened known fusogens from vesicle trafficking (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors [SNAREs]) and homotypic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) fusion (Sey1p) for additional roles in nuclear fusion. Here we demonstrate that the ER-localized SNAREs Sec20p, Ufe1p, Use1p, and Bos1p are required for efficient nuclear fusion. In contrast, Sey1p is required indirectly for nuclear fusion; sey1Δ zygotes accumulate ER at the zone of cell fusion, causing a block in nuclear congression. However, double mutants of Sey1p and Sec20p, Ufe1p, or Use1p, but not Bos1p, display extreme ER morphology defects, worse than either single mutant, suggesting that retrograde SNAREs fuse ER in the absence of Sey1p. Together these data demonstrate that SNAREs mediate nuclear fusion, ER fusion after cell fusion is necessary to complete nuclear congression, and there exists a SNARE-mediated, Sey1p-independent ER fusion pathway.

  16. Physiological Roles of Plant Post-Golgi Transport Pathways in Membrane Trafficking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uemura, Tomohiro

    2016-10-01

    Membrane trafficking is the fundamental system through which proteins are sorted to their correct destinations in eukaryotic cells. Key regulators of this system include RAB GTPases and soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs). Interestingly, the numbers of RAB GTPases and SNAREs involved in post-Golgi transport pathways in plant cells are larger than those in animal and yeast cells, suggesting that plants have evolved unique and complex post-Golgi transport pathways. The trans-Golgi network (TGN) is an important organelle that acts as a sorting station in the post-Golgi transport pathways of plant cells. The TGN also functions as the early endosome, which is the first compartment to receive endocytosed proteins. Several endocytosed proteins on the plasma membrane (PM) are initially targeted to the TGN/EE, then recycled back to the PM or transported to the vacuole for degradation. The recycling and degradation of the PM localized proteins is essential for the development and environmental responses in plant. The present review describes the post-Golgi transport pathways that show unique physiological functions in plants. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Urinary excretion levels of water-soluble vitamins in pregnant and lactating women in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibata, Katsumi; Fukuwatari, Tsutomu; Sasaki, Satoshi; Sano, Mitsue; Suzuki, Kahoru; Hiratsuka, Chiaki; Aoki, Asami; Nagai, Chiharu

    2013-01-01

    Recent studies have shown that the urinary excretion levels of water-soluble vitamins can be used as biomarkers for the nutritional status of these vitamins. To determine changes in the urinary excretion levels of water-soluble vitamins during pregnant and lactating stages, we surveyed and compared levels of nine water-soluble vitamins in control (non-pregnant and non-lactating women), pregnant and lactating women. Control women (n=37), women in the 2nd (16-27 wk, n=24) and 3rd trimester of pregnancy (over 28 wk, n=32), and early- (0-5 mo, n=54) and late-stage lactating (6-11 mo, n=49) women took part in the survey. The mean age of subjects was ~30 y, and mean height was ~160 cm. A single 24-h urine sample was collected 1 d after the completion of a validated, self-administered comprehensive diet history questionnaire to measure water-soluble vitamins or metabolites. The average intake of each water-soluble vitamin was ≍ the estimated average requirement value and adequate intake for the Japanese Dietary Reference Intakes in all life stages, except for vitamin B6 and folate intakes during pregnancy. No change was observed in the urinary excretion levels of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, biotin or vitamin C among stages. Urine nicotinamide and folate levels were higher in pregnant women than in control women. Urine excretion level of vitamin B1 decreased during lactation and that of pantothenic acid decreased during pregnancy and lactation. These results provide valuable information for setting the Dietary Reference Intakes of water-soluble vitamins for pregnant and lactating women.

  18. Solubility and dissolution improvement of ketoprofen by emulsification ionic gelation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachmaniar, Revika; Tristiyanti, Deby; Hamdani, Syarif; Afifah

    2018-02-01

    Ketoprofen or [2-(3-benzoylphenyl) propionic acid] is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) and an analgesic which has high permeability and low solubility. The purpose of this work was to improve the solubility and dissolution of poorly water-soluble ketoprofen prepared by emulsification ionic gelation method and utilizing polymer (chitosan) and cross linker (tripolyphosphate, TPP) for particles formulation. The results show that increasing pH value of TPP, higher solubility and dissolution of as-prepared ketoprofen-chitosan was obtained. The solubility in water of ketoprofen-chitosan with pH 6 for TPP increased 2.71-fold compared to untreated ketoprofen. While the dissolution of ketoprofen-chitosan with pH 6 of TPP in simulated gastric fluid without enzyme (0.1 N HCl), pH 4.5 buffer and simulated intestinal fluid without enzyme (phosphate buffer pH 6.8) was increased 1.9-fold, 1.6-fold and 1.2-fold compared to untreated ketoprofen for dissolution time of 30 minutes, respectively. It could be concluded that chitosan and TPP in the emulsification ionic gelation method for ketoprofen preparation effectively increases solubility and dissolution of poorly water-soluble ketoprofen.

  19. The solubility of hydrogen sulfide in aqueous N-methyldiethanolamine solutions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huttenhuis, P.J.G.; Agrawal, N.J.; Versteeg, G.F.

    2008-01-01

    In this work the electrolyte equation of state as developed previously for the system MDEA-H2O-CO2-CH4 was further developed for the system MDEA-H2O-H2S-CH4. With this thermodynamic equilibrium model the total solubility of hydrogen sulfide and the speciation in aqueous solutions of

  20. Data representing two separate LC-MS methods for detection and quantification of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins in tears and blood serum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Khaksari

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Two separate liquid chromatography (LC-mass spectrometry (MS methods were developed for determination and quantification of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins in human tear and blood serum samples. The water-soluble vitamin method was originally developed to detect vitamins B1, B2, B3 (nicotinamide, B5, B6 (pyridoxine, B7, B9 and B12 while the fat-soluble vitamin method detected vitamins A, D3, 25(OHD3, E and K1. These methods were then validated with tear and blood serum samples. In this data in brief article, we provide details on the two LC-MS methods development, methods sensitivity, as well as precision and accuracy for determination of vitamins in human tears and blood serum. These methods were then used to determine the vitamin concentrations in infant and parent samples under a clinical study which were reported in "Determination of Water-Soluble and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Tears and Blood Serum of Infants and Parents by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry DOI:10.1016/j.exer.2016.12.007 [1]". This article provides more details on comparison of vitamin concentrations in the samples with the ranges reported in the literature along with the medically accepted normal ranges. The details on concentrations below the limits of detection (LOD and limits of quantification (LOQ are also discussed. Vitamin concentrations were also compared and cross-correlated with clinical data and nutritional information. Significant differences and strongly correlated data were reported in [1]. This article provides comprehensive details on the data with slight differences or slight correlations.

  1. Data representing two separate LC-MS methods for detection and quantification of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins in tears and blood serum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaksari, Maryam; Mazzoleni, Lynn R; Ruan, Chunhai; Kennedy, Robert T; Minerick, Adrienne R

    2017-04-01

    Two separate liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS) methods were developed for determination and quantification of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins in human tear and blood serum samples. The water-soluble vitamin method was originally developed to detect vitamins B 1 , B 2 , B 3 (nicotinamide), B 5 , B 6 (pyridoxine), B 7 , B 9 and B 12 while the fat-soluble vitamin method detected vitamins A, D 3 , 25(OH)D 3, E and K 1 . These methods were then validated with tear and blood serum samples. In this data in brief article, we provide details on the two LC-MS methods development, methods sensitivity, as well as precision and accuracy for determination of vitamins in human tears and blood serum. These methods were then used to determine the vitamin concentrations in infant and parent samples under a clinical study which were reported in "Determination of Water-Soluble and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Tears and Blood Serum of Infants and Parents by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry DOI:10.1016/j.exer.2016.12.007 [1]". This article provides more details on comparison of vitamin concentrations in the samples with the ranges reported in the literature along with the medically accepted normal ranges. The details on concentrations below the limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) are also discussed. Vitamin concentrations were also compared and cross-correlated with clinical data and nutritional information. Significant differences and strongly correlated data were reported in [1]. This article provides comprehensive details on the data with slight differences or slight correlations.

  2. Influence of production technology and design on characteristics neutron-sensitive P-I-N diodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perevertaylo, V.L.; Kovrygin, V.I.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the results of tests on neutron-sensitive p-i-n diode with local p-n junction, which allows to measure not only the integral dose by nonionizing energy loss (NIEL), but also the real-time dose and dose rate because of ionizing energy losses (IEL). The influence of design and process parameters and the lifetime of minority carriers on the radiation characteristics of the device considered. Sensitivity at low doses (from one to ten rad) is limited due to a decrease in the lifetime because of influence of lateral sides of cut. The sensitivity and accuracy of dose can be increased by moving of p-n junction away from the cut surface. The dependence of the voltage drop across the diode on the neutron dose irradiation up to 5 krad received, and the sensitivity was 2 - 3 mV/rad. We have demonstrated that replacement of the bulk p-i-n diode with total p-n junction by new diodes with local p-n junction allow for increase sensitivity, accuracy of dose and application in NIEL and IEL measurements simultaneously. Explanation for the extinction of a direct current through the diode with increasing doses of neutron irradiation proposed

  3. Gas solubilities widespread applications

    CERN Document Server

    Gerrard, William

    1980-01-01

    Gas Solubilities: Widespread Applications discusses several topics concerning the various applications of gas solubilities. The first chapter of the book reviews Henr's law, while the second chapter covers the effect of temperature on gas solubility. The third chapter discusses the various gases used by Horiuti, and the following chapters evaluate the data on sulfur dioxide, chlorine data, and solubility data for hydrogen sulfide. Chapter 7 concerns itself with solubility of radon, thoron, and actinon. Chapter 8 tackles the solubilities of diborane and the gaseous hydrides of groups IV, V, and

  4. Endothelium-independent and endothelium-dependent ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This endothelium-independent relaxant effect was also sensitive to combination of 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-á]-quinoxalin- 1-one (ODQ, 10 ìM, soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor) and N-[2-(p-Bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinoline sulfonamide dihydrochloride (H89, 100 nM, Protein Kinase A inhibitor). Taken together ...

  5. A combination between the differential and the perturbation theory methods for calculating sensitivity coefficients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borges, Antonio Andrade

    1998-01-01

    A new method for the calculation of sensitivity coefficients is developed. The new method is a combination of two methodologies used for calculating theses coefficients, which are the differential and the generalized perturbation theory methods. The method utilizes as integral parameter the average flux in an arbitrary region of the system. Thus, the sensitivity coefficient contains only the component corresponding to the neutron flux. To obtain the new sensitivity coefficient, the derivatives of the integral parameter, Φ, with respect to σ are calculated using the perturbation method and the functional derivatives of this generic integral parameter with respect to σ and Φ are calculated using the differential method. (author)

  6. A combined HM-PCR/SNuPE method for high sensitive detection of rare DNA methylation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tierling Sascha

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background DNA methylation changes are widely used as early molecular markers in cancer detection. Sensitive detection and classification of rare methylation changes in DNA extracted from circulating body fluids or complex tissue samples is crucial for the understanding of tumor etiology, clinical diagnosis and treatment. In this paper, we describe a combined method to monitor the presence of methylated tumor DNA in an excess of unmethylated background DNA of non-tumorous cells. The method combines heavy methyl-PCR, which favors preferential amplification of methylated marker sequence from bisulfite-treated DNA with a methylation-specific single nucleotide primer extension monitored by ion-pair, reversed-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography separation. Results This combined method allows detection of 14 pg (that is, four to five genomic copies of methylated chromosomal DNA in a 2000-fold excess (that is, 50 ng of unmethylated chromosomal background, with an analytical sensitivity of > 90%. We outline a detailed protocol for the combined assay on two examples of known cancer markers (SEPT9 and TMEFF2 and discuss general aspects of assay design and data interpretation. Finally, we provide an application example for rapid testing on tumor methylation in plasma DNA derived from a small cohort of patients with colorectal cancer. Conclusion The method allows unambiguous detection of rare DNA methylation, for example in body fluid or DNA isolates from cells or tissues, with very high sensitivity and accuracy. The application combines standard technologies and can easily be adapted to any target region of interest. It does not require costly reagents and can be used for routine screening of many samples.

  7. Improving the Carprofen Solubility: Synthesis of the Zn2Al-LDH Hybrid Compound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capsoni, Doretta; Quinzeni, Irene; Bruni, Giovanna; Friuli, Valeria; Maggi, Lauretta; Bini, Marcella

    2018-01-01

    The development of efficient strategies for drug delivery is considerably desired. Indeed, often several issues such as the drug solubility, the control of the drug release rate, the targeted delivery of drugs, the drug bioavailability, and the minimization of secondary effects still present great obstacles. Different methodologies have been proposed, but the use of nano-hybrids compounds that combine organic and inorganic substances seems particularly promising. An interesting inorganic host is the layered double hydroxide (LDH) with a sheets structure and formula [M 2+ 1-x M 3+ x (OH) 2 ](A n- ) x/n yH 2 O (M 2+  = Zn, Mg; M 3+  = Al; A n-  = nitrates, carbonates, chlorides). The possibility to exchange these counterions with drug molecules makes these systems ideal candidates for the drug delivery. In this article, we synthesize by co-precipitation method the hybrid compound Carprofen-Zn 2 Al-LDH. Carprofen, a poorly soluble anti-inflammatory drug, could also benefit of the association with a natural antacid such as LDH, to reduce the gastric irritation after its administration. Through X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), we could verify the effective drug intercalation into LDH. The dissolution tests clearly demonstrate a significant improvement of the drug release rate when carprofen is in the form of hybrid compound. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. HSF1 transcriptional activity mediates alcohol induction of Vamp2 expression and GABA release

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florence P. Varodayan

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Many central synapses are highly sensitive to alcohol, and it is now accepted that short-term alterations in synaptic function may lead to longer term changes in circuit function. The regulation of postsynaptic receptors by alcohol has been well studied, but the mechanisms underlying the effects of alcohol on the presynaptic terminal are relatively unexplored. To identify a pathway by which alcohol regulates neurotransmitter release, we recently investigated the mechanism by which ethanol induces the Vamp2 gene, but not Vamp1, in mouse primary cortical cultures. These two genes encode isoforms of synaptobrevin, a vesicular soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE protein required for synaptic vesicle fusion. We found that alcohol activates the transcription factor heat shock factor 1 (HSF1 to induce Vamp2 gene expression, while Vamp1 mRNA levels remain unaffected. As the Vamp2 gene encodes a SNARE protein, we then investigated whether ethanol exposure and HSF1 transcriptional activity alter neurotransmitter release using electrophysiology. We found that alcohol increased the frequency of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA-mediated miniature IPSCs via HSF1, but had no effect on mEPSCs. Overall, these data indicate that alcohol induces HSF1 transcriptional activity to trigger a specific coordinated adaptation in GABAergic presynaptic terminals. This mechanism could explain some of the changes in synaptic function that occur soon after alcohol exposure, and may underlie some of the more enduring effects of chronic alcohol intake on local circuit function.

  9. Quantification of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and soluble microbial product (SMP) production by a modified AOB-NOB-N2O-SMP model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, MinJeong; Wu, Guangxue; Yoo, ChangKyoo

    2017-03-01

    A modified AOB-NOB-N 2 O-SMP model able to quantify nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions and soluble microbial product (SMP) production during wastewater treatment is proposed. The modified AOB-NOB-N 2 O-SMP model takes into account: (1) two-step nitrification by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), (2) N 2 O production by AOB denitrification under oxygen-limited conditions and (3) SMP production by microbial growth and endogenous respiration. Validity of the modified model is demonstrated by comparing the simulation results with experimental data from lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). To reliably implement the modified model, a model calibration that adjusts model parameters to fit the model outputs to the experimental data is conducted. The results of this study showed that the modeling accuracy of the modified AOB-NOB-N 2 O-SMP model increases by 19.7% (NH 4 ), 51.0% (NO 2 ), 57.8% (N 2 O) and 16.7% (SMP) compared to the conventional model which does not consider the two-step nitrification and SMP production by microbial endogenous respiration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Source Apportionment of PM2.5 Mass and Optical Attenuation Over an Ecologically Sensitive Zone in Central India by Positive Matrix Factorization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nirmalkar, J.; Raman, R. S.

    2016-12-01

    Ambient PM2.5 samples (N=366) were collected over an ecologically sensitive zone (Van Vihar National Park) in Bhopal, Central India for two years (01 January, 2012 to 31 December, 2013). Samples were collected using three co-located Mini-Vol® samplers on Teflon, Nylon, and Quartz filter substrates. The aerosol was then chemically characterized for water-soluble inorganic ions, elements, and carbon fractions (elemental carbon and organic carbon) using ion chromatography, ED-XRF, and thermal-optical EC/OC analyzer, respectively. The optical attenuation (at 370 nm and 800 nm) of PM2.5 aerosols was also determined by optical transmissometry (OT-21). The application of Positive matrix factorization (PMF) to a combination of PM2.5 mass, its ions, elements, carbon fractions, and optical attenuation and its outcomes will be discussed.

  11. Evaluation of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for measurements of soluble HLA-G protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmussen, M; Dahl, M; Buus, S; Djurisic, S; Ohlsson, J; Hviid, T V F

    2014-08-01

    The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ib molecule, HLA-G, has gained increased attention because of its assumed important role in immune regulation. The HLA-G protein exists in several soluble isoforms. Most important are the actively secreted HLA-G5 full-length isoform generated by alternative splicing retaining intron 4 with a premature stop codon, and the cleavage of full-length membrane-bound HLA-G1 from the cell surface, so-called soluble HLA-G1 (sHLA-G1). A specific and sensitive immunoassay for measurements of soluble HLA-G is mandatory for conceivable routine testing and research projects. We report a novel method, a competitive immunoassay, for measuring HLA-G5/sHLA-G1 in biological fluids. The sHLA-G immunoassay is based upon a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) principle. It includes a recombinant sHLA-G1 protein in complex with β2-microglobulin and a peptide as a standard, biotinylated recombinant sHLA-G1 as an indicator, and the MEM-G/9 anti-HLA-G monoclonal antibody (mAb) as the capture antibody. The specificity and sensitivity of the assay were evaluated. Testing with different recombinant HLA class I proteins and different anti-HLA class I mAbs showed that the sHLA-G immunoassay was highly specific. Optimal combinations of competitor sHLA-G1 and capture mAb concentrations were determined. Two versions of the assay were tested. One with a relatively wide dynamic range from 3.1 to 100.0 ng/ml, and another more sensitive version ranging from 1.6 to 12.5 ng/ml. An intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) of 15.5% at 88 ng/ml and an inter-assay CV of 23.1% at 39 ng/ml were determined. An assay based on the competitive sHLA-G ELISA may be important for measurements of sHLA-G proteins in several conditions: assisted reproduction, organ transplantation, cancer, and certain pregnancy complications, both in research studies and possibly in the future also for clinical routine use. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley

  12. Molecular structures and functional relationships in clostridial neurotoxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swaminathan, Subramanyam

    2011-12-01

    The seven serotypes of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins (A-G) are the deadliest poison known to humans. They share significant sequence homology and hence possess similar structure-function relationships. Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) act via a four-step mechanism, viz., binding and internalization to neuronal cells, translocation of the catalytic domain into the cytosol and finally cleavage of one of the three soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNARE) causing blockage of neurotransmitter release leading to flaccid paralysis. Crystal structures of three holotoxins, BoNT/A, B and E, are available to date. Although the individual domains are remarkably similar, their domain organization is different. These structures have helped in correlating the structural and functional domains. This has led to the determination of structures of individual domains and combinations of them. Crystal structures of catalytic domains of all serotypes and several binding domains are now available. The catalytic domains are zinc endopeptidases and share significant sequence and structural homology. The active site architecture and the catalytic mechanism are similar although the binding mode of individual substrates may be different, dictating substrate specificity and peptide cleavage selectivity. Crystal structures of catalytic domains with substrate peptides provide clues to specificity and selectivity unique to BoNTs. Crystal structures of the receptor domain in complex with ganglioside or the protein receptor have provided information about the binding of botulinum neurotoxin to the neuronal cell. An overview of the structure-function relationship correlating the 3D structures with biochemical and biophysical data and how they can be used for structure-based drug discovery is presented here. Journal compilation © 2011 FEBS. No claim to original US government works.

  13. Bloch Surface Waves Biosensors for High Sensitivity Detection of Soluble ERBB2 in a Complex Biological Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinibaldi, Alberto; Sampaoli, Camilla; Danz, Norbert; Munzert, Peter; Sonntag, Frank; Centola, Fabio; Occhicone, Agostino; Tremante, Elisa; Giacomini, Patrizio; Michelotti, Francesco

    2017-08-17

    We report on the use of one-dimensional photonic crystals to detect clinically relevant concentrations of the cancer biomarker ERBB2 in cell lysates. Overexpression of the ERBB2 protein is associated with aggressive breast cancer subtypes. To detect soluble ERBB2, we developed an optical set-up which operates in both label-free and fluorescence modes. The detection approach makes use of a sandwich assay, in which the one-dimensional photonic crystals sustaining Bloch surface waves are modified with monoclonal antibodies, in order to guarantee high specificity during the biological recognition. We present the results of exemplary protein G based label-free assays in complex biological matrices, reaching an estimated limit of detection of 0.5 ng/mL. On-chip and chip-to-chip variability of the results is addressed too, providing repeatability rates. Moreover, results on fluorescence operation demonstrate the capability to perform high sensitive cancer biomarker assays reaching a resolution of 0.6 ng/mL, without protein G assistance. The resolution obtained in both modes meets international guidelines and recommendations (15 ng/mL) for ERBB2 quantification assays, providing an alternative tool to phenotype and diagnose molecular cancer subtypes.

  14. Preliminary investigation of the NMR, optical and x-ray CT dose-response of polymer gel dosimeters incorporating cosolvents to improve dose sensitivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koeva, V I; McAuley, K B [Department of Chemical Engineering, Queen' s University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6 (Canada); Olding, T [Department of Physics, Queen' s University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6 (Canada); Jirasek, A [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P6 (Canada); Schreiner, L J [Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Kingston, ON, K7L5P9 (Canada)], E-mail: kim.mcauley@chee.queensu.ca

    2009-05-07

    This study reports on efforts to increase the dose sensitivity of polymer gel dosimeters used in 3D radiation dosimetry. The potential of several different cosolvents is investigated, with the aim of increasing the solubility of N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide crosslinker in polymer gel dosimeters. Glycerol and isopropanol increase the limit for the crosslinker solubility from approximately 3% to 5% and 10% by weight, respectively. This enables the manufacture of polymer gel dosimeters with much higher levels of crosslinking than was previously possible. New dosimeter recipes containing up to 5 wt% N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide were subjected to spatially uniform radiation and were studied using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), as well as x-ray and optical CT techniques. The resulting dosimeters exhibit dose sensitivities that are up to 2.7 times higher than measured for a typical dosimeters with 3% N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide without the addition of cosolvent. Two additional cosolvents (n-propanol and sec-butanol) were deemed unsuitable for practical dosimeters due to incompatibility with gelatin, cloudiness prior to irradiation, and immiscibility with water when large quantities of cosolvent were used. The dosimeters with high N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide content that used isopropanol or glycerol as cosolvents had high optical clarity prior to irradiation, but did not produce suitable optical CT results for non-uniformly irradiated gels due to polymer development outside of the high dose regions of the pencil beams and significant light scatter. Further experiments are required to determine whether cosolvents can be used to manufacture gels with sufficiently high dose sensitivity for readout using x-ray computed tomography.

  15. pH-dependent solubility of indomethacin-saccharin and carbamazepine-saccharin cocrystals in aqueous media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhalaweh, Amjad; Roy, Lilly; Rodríguez-Hornedo, Naír; Velaga, Sitaram P

    2012-09-04

    Cocrystals constitute an important class of pharmaceutical solids for their remarkable ability to modulate solubility and pH dependence of water insoluble drugs. Here we show how cocrystals of indomethacin-saccharin (IND-SAC) and carbamazepine-saccharin (CBZ-SAC) enhance solubility and impart a pH-sensitivity different from that of the drugs. IND-SAC exhibited solubilities 13 to 65 times higher than IND at pH values of 1 to 3, whereas CBZ-SAC exhibited a 2 to 10 times higher solubility than CBZ dihydrate. Cocrystal solubility dependence on pH predicted from mathematical models using cocrystal K(sp), and cocrystal component K(a) values, was in excellent agreement with experimental measurements. The cocrystal solubility increase relative to drug was predicted to reach a limiting value for a cocrystal with two acidic components. This limiting value is determined by the ionization constants of cocrystal components. Eutectic constants are shown to be meaningful indicators of cocrystal solubility and its pH dependence. The two contributions to solubility, cocrystal lattice and solvation, were evaluated by thermal and solubility determinations. The results show that solvation is the main barrier for the aqueous solubility of these drugs and their cocrystals, which are orders of magnitude higher than their lattice barriers. Cocrystal increase in solubility is thus a result of decreasing the solvation barrier compared to that of the drug. This work demonstrates the favorable properties of cocrystals and strategies that facilitate their meaningful characterization.

  16. Rhynchophylline suppresses soluble Aβ1-42-induced impairment of spatial cognition function via inhibiting excessive activation of extrasynaptic NR2B-containing NMDA receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yang; Ji, Wei-Gang; Zhu, Zhi-Ru; Wu, Yu-Ling; Zhang, Zhi-Yang; Qu, Shao-Chen

    2018-06-01

    Rhynchophylline (RIN) is a significant active component isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine Uncaria rhynchophylla. The overproduction of soluble amyloid β protein (Aβ) oligomers in the hippocampus is closely involved in impairments in cognitive function at the early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Growing evidences show that RIN possesses neuroprotective effects against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity. However, whether RIN can prevent soluble Aβ 1-42 -induced impairments in spatial cognitive function and synaptic plasticity is still unclear. Using the combined methods of behavioral tests, immunofluorescence and electrophysiological recordings, we characterized the key neuroprotective properties of RIN and its possible cellular and molecular mechanisms against soluble Aβ 1-42 -related impairments in rats. Our findings are as follows: (1) RIN efficiently rescued the soluble Aβ 1-42 -induced spatial learning and memory deficits in the Morris water maze test and prevented soluble Aβ 1-42 -induced suppression in long term potentiation (LTP) in the entorhinal cortex (EC)-dentate gyrus (DG) circuit. (2) Excessive activation of extrasynaptic GluN2B-NMDAR and subsequent Ca 2+ overload contributed to the soluble Aβ 1-42 -induced impairments in spatial cognitive function and synaptic plasticity. (3) RIN prevented Aβ 1-42 -induced excessive activation of extrasynaptic NMDARs by reducing extrasynaptic NMDARs -mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents and down regulating GluN2B-NMDAR expression in the DG region, which inhibited Aβ 1-42 -induced Ca 2+ overload mediated by extrasynanptic NMDARs. The results suggest that RIN could be an effective therapeutic candidate for cognitive impairment in AD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. An in vitro method for detecting chemical sensitization using human reconstructed skin models and its applicability to cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and medical device safety testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKim, James M; Keller, Donald J; Gorski, Joel R

    2012-12-01

    Chemical sensitization is a serious condition caused by small reactive molecules and is characterized by a delayed type hypersensitivity known as allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Contact with these molecules via dermal exposure represent a significant concern for chemical manufacturers. Recent legislation in the EU has created the need to develop non-animal alternative methods for many routine safety studies including sensitization. Although most of the alternative research has focused on pure chemicals that possess reasonable solubility properties, it is important for any successful in vitro method to have the ability to test compounds with low aqueous solubility. This is especially true for the medical device industry where device extracts must be prepared in both polar and non-polar vehicles in order to evaluate chemical sensitization. The aim of this research was to demonstrate the functionality and applicability of the human reconstituted skin models (MatTek Epiderm(®) and SkinEthic RHE) as a test system for the evaluation of chemical sensitization and its potential use for medical device testing. In addition, the development of the human 3D skin model should allow the in vitro sensitization assay to be used for finished product testing in the personal care, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. This approach combines solubility, chemical reactivity, cytotoxicity, and activation of the Nrf2/ARE expression pathway to identify and categorize chemical sensitizers. Known chemical sensitizers representing extreme/strong-, moderate-, weak-, and non-sensitizing potency categories were first evaluated in the skin models at six exposure concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2500 µM for 24 h. The expression of eight Nrf2/ARE, one AhR/XRE and two Nrf1/MRE controlled gene were measured by qRT-PCR. The fold-induction at each exposure concentration was combined with reactivity and cytotoxicity data to determine the sensitization potential. The results demonstrated that

  18. Effect of carbon and silicon on nitrogen solubility in liquid chromium and iron-chromium alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khyakkinen, V.I.; Bezobrazov, S.V.

    1986-01-01

    The study is aimed at specifying the role of carbon and silicon in high-chromium melts nitridation processes. It is shown that in high-chromium melts of the Cr-Fe-C system the nitrogen solubility is reduced with the growth of carbon content and in the chromium concentration range of 70-100% at 1873 K and P N 2 =0.1 MPa it is described by the lg[%N] Cr-Fe-C =lg[%N] cr-fe -0.098[%C] equation. While decreasing the temperature the nitrogen solubility in alloys is increased. Silicon essentially decreases the nitrogen solubility in liquid chromium. For the 0-10% silicon concentration range the relation between the equilibrium content of nitrogen and silicon at 1873 K and P N 2 =0.1 MPa is described by the straight line equation [%N] Cr-Si =6.1-0.338 [%Si

  19. Efecto de acondicionadores naturales y sintéticos sobre los cationes solubles y la infiltración del agua en un Aridisol Effect of natural and synthetic conditioners on soluble cations and water infiltration in an Aridisol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Henríquez

    2003-02-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de diversos acondicionadores sobre los cationes solubles y la infiltración del agua en un suelo Vertic Haplocambid, arcilloso muy fino, de la depresión de Quibor, Venezuela. Fueron aplicadas soluciones de acondicionadores naturales de cardón dato (Lemaireocereus griceus (Haw. Br. & Rose y de cardón lefaria (Cereus deficiens Otto & Dietr, a concentraciones de2.000, 1.000 y 500 mg L-1, solución de un acondicionador sintético, la poliacrilamida, en concentración de 10 mg L-1 y agua del acueducto local. Las soluciones de cada uno de esos tratamientos fueron vertidas sobre mini canales rellenos del suelo, para simular el flujo del agua en surcos. Los acondicionadores naturales incrementaron la infiltración y produjeron una relación Ca-Mg-Na en el suelo, mas adecuada que la producida con la aplicación de la poliacrilamida o el agua sin aditivos.The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of several conditioners on soluble cations and water infiltration on a fine clay Vertic Haplocambid soil collected on the Quibor depression, Venezuela. Solutions of two natural conditioners from dato cactus (Lemaireocereus griceus (Haw. Br. & Rose and lefaria cactus(Cereus deficiens Otto & Dietr, on concentrations of 2,000, 1,000 and 500 mg L-1, a synthetic polyacrilamide conditioner solution of 10 mg L-1 and local tap water were applied to the soil. All solutions and the tap water were poured in a mini flume to simulate the irrigation process on furrows. The natural conditioners increased the infiltration and produced a better Ca-Mg-Na relationship as compared with that produced by the polyacrilamide and the tap water without additives.

  20. Reliability of soluble IL-2 receptor measurements obtained with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akiyama, Mitoshi; Takaishi, Masatoshi; Murakami, Yoshie; Ueda, Ryuzo; Yamakido, Michio; Tsubokura, Tokuo.

    1989-09-01

    Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), human soluble interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) were measured in the serum of patients with various autoimmune system diseases. To study the sensitivity and specificity of the assay, soluble IL-2Rs were measured in the culture supernatants and in the cell extracts of peripheral blood mononuclear cells activated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), purified protein derivative of tuberculin, and allogeneic lymphocytes, as well as in the serum of patients with various collagen diseases. The results correlated well with reports from other laboratories. For example, when stimulated by PHA, the greatest amount of soluble IL-2Rs was produced at the fastest rate. In addition, soluble IL-2R levels in the serum of collagen disease patients were significantly higher than those in healthy persons, who themselves exhibited low levels of detectable soluble IL-2Rs. It is hoped that reliable ELISA measurements of soluble IL-2Rs in the serum of atomic bomb survivors will assist in the interpretation of data collected during the work described in RP 2-87, a study of autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases in the Adult Health Study. (author)

  1. The amorphous solid dispersion of the poorly soluble ABT-102 forms nano/microparticulate structures in aqueous medium: impact on solubility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank KJ

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Kerstin J Frank,1,3 Ulrich Westedt,2 Karin M Rosenblatt,2 Peter Hölig,2 Jörg Rosenberg,2 Markus Mägerlein,2 Gert Fricker,3 Martin Brandl11Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 2Abbott GmbH and Co. KG, Ludwigshafen, Germany; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, GermanyAbstract: Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs are a promising formulation approach for poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs, because they ideally enhance both dissolution rate and solubility. However, the mechanism behind this is not understood in detail. In the present study, we investigated the supramolecular and the nano/microparticulate structures that emerge spontaneously upon dispersion of an ASD in aqueous medium and elucidated their influence on solubility. The ASD, prepared by hot melt extrusion, contained the poorly soluble ABT-102 (solubility in buffer, 0.05 µg/mL, a hydrophilic polymer, and three surfactants. The apparent solubility of ABT-102 from the ASD-formulation was enhanced up to 200 times in comparison to crystalline ABT-102. At the same time, the molecular solubility, as assessed by inverse equilibrium dialysis, was enhanced two times. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation in combination with a multiangle light-scattering detector, an ultraviolet detector, and a refractometer enabled us to separate and identify the various supramolecular assemblies that were present in the aqueous dispersions of the API-free ASD (placebo and of binary/ternary blends of the ingredients. Thus, the supramolecular assemblies with a molar mass between 20,000 and 90,000 could be assigned to the polyvinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate 64, while two other kinds of assemblies were assigned to different surfactant assemblies (micelles. The amount of ABT-102 remaining associated with each of the assemblies upon fractionation was quantified offline with high

  2. Solubility product of tetravalent neptunium hydrous oxide and its ionic strength dependence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fujiwara, K.; Mori, T. [Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC), 4-33, Muramatsu, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken, 319-1194 (Japan); Kohara, Y. [Inspection and Development Company, 4-33, Muramatsu, Tokaimura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken, 319-1112 (Japan)

    2005-07-01

    Full text of publication follows: Solubility products (K{sub sp}) are key parameters in the context of reliable assessment of actinides migration in the repository conditions of high level radioactive waste. Neptunium (Np(IV)) is one of the most important actinide elements in the assessment, because of its inventory and the long half-life. A few previous data for Np(IV) solubility are varied widely due to experimental difficulties related to the extremely low solubility. We carried out batch-type experiments under nitrogen atmosphere using a glovebox. Np(V) was reduced to Np(III) by bubbling 0.5 ppm H{sub 2} / N{sub 2} gas through the solution for 30 days in the presence of platinum black as catalyst. After reducing treatment, the Np(III) converted to Np(IV) by auto-oxidation within approximately three days. The solubilities of the Np(IV) were measured in the pHc ranging from 2 to 4, at room temperature (23 {+-} 2 deg. C), in ionic strength(I) = 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 M NaClO{sub 4}. The equilibrium condition was confirmed by over-saturation and under-saturation method. After the equilibrium, the pH{sub c} and the E{sub h} value of the suspension were measured. The suspension was then filtered using a filter with a NMWL of 3000 (less than 2 nm{phi}). The Np radio activity in the filtrate was determined by alpha spectrometry and absorption spectra of Np(IV). The solubility decreased with increasing pHc and the hydrolysis species are predominantly formed. From the obtained results, the solubility products (K{sub sp}) of Np hydroxide, for the reaction, NpO{sub 2} . xH{sub 2}O {r_reversible} Np{sup 4+} + 4OH{sup -} + (x-2)H{sub 2}O, at I = 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 were determined by using formation constants ({beta}{sub n}(I)), which were determined for the reaction, Np{sup 4+} + nOH{sup -} {r_reversible} Np(OH){sub n}{sup (4-n)+}. By using the specific interaction theory (SIT), the solubility product of tetravalent Np hydrous oxide is calculated to be log K{sub sp}{sup 0

  3. Production of a highly active, soluble form of the cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR A) from Candida tropicalis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, Mark

    2006-08-01

    The present invention provides soluble cytochrome p450 reductase (CPR) proteins from Candida sp. having an altered N-terminal region which results in reduced hydrophobicity of the N-terminal region. Also provided are host cells comprising the subject soluble CPR proteins. In addition, the present invention provides nucleotide and corresponding amino acid sequences for soluble CPR proteins and vectors comprising the nucleotide sequences. Methods for producing a soluble CPR, for increasing production of a dicarboxylic acid, and for detecting a cytochrome P450 are also provided.

  4. Solubility of xenon in liquid sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Veleckis, E.; Cafasso, F.A.; Feder, H.M.

    1976-01-01

    The solubility of xenon in liquid sodium was measured as a function of pressure (2-8 atm) and temperature (350-600 0 C). Henry's law was obeyed with the value of the Henry's law constant, K/sub H/ = N/sub Xe//P, ranging from 1.38 x 10 -10 atm -1 at 350C, to 1.59 x 10 -8 atm -1 at 600 0 C where N/sub Xe/ and P are the atom fraction and the partial pressure of xenon, respectively. The temperature dependence of solubility may be represented by log 10 lambda = (0.663 +- 0.01) - (4500 +- 73) T -1 , where lambda is the Ostwald coefficient (the volume of xenon dissolved per unit volume of sodium at the temperature of the experiment). The heat of solution of xenon in sodium was 20.6 +- 0.7 kcal/mole, where the standard state of xenon is defined as that of 1 mole of an ideal gas, confined to a volume equal to the molar volume of sodium

  5. Soluble Flt-1 and PlGF: new markers of early pregnancy loss?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Muttukrishna, Shanthi

    2012-01-31

    Recent data have indicated a relationship between placental oxygen and angiogenic protein levels in the first trimester of normal pregnancies. Our objective was to investigate if maternal serum levels of angiogenic factors Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 1 (sFlt-1), soluble Endoglin and placental growth factor (PlGF) are altered in women with symptoms of threatened miscarriage (TM) and if they are predictive of a subsequent miscarriage. Blood samples were collected at 6-10 weeks from women presenting with TM (n = 40), from asymptomatic controls (n = 32) and from non- pregnant women in their luteal phase (n = 14). All samples were assayed for serum level of sFLT-1, PlGF, sEndoglin and HSP70 using commercial ELISAs. Samples were analysed retrospectively on the basis of pregnancy outcome. TM group included 21 women with a normal pregnancy outcome and 19 with subsequent complete miscarriage. The latter subgroup had significantly lower mean maternal serum (MS) sFlt-1 (83%, P<0.001) and PlGF (44%, P<0.001) compared to those with a normal pregnancy outcome. Asymptomatic control pregnant women had similar MS levels of sFlt-1 and PlGF compared to the TM patients with a normal outcome. The mean MS sFlt-1 (>10 fold) and MS PlGF ( approximately 2 fold) levels were significantly (P<0.001) higher in control pregnant women compared to the non-pregnant group in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Soluble Endoglin was not altered in the normal pregnant women compared to non pregnant women, although lower in the TM subgroup with a subsequent miscarriage ( approximately 25%, P<0.001) compared to TM with a live birth. There was no significant difference in the mean MS HSP 70 levels between the different groups. This study shows that sFlt1 and PlGF MS levels are increased by several folds in early pregnancy and that MS sFlt-1 and MS PlGF are markedly decreased in threatened miscarriage patients who subsequently have a miscarriage suggesting these

  6. Quantification of the level of fat-soluble vitamins in feed based on the novel microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olędzka, Ilona; Kowalski, Piotr; Bałuch, Alicja; Bączek, Tomasz; Paradziej-Łukowicz, Jolanta; Taciak, Marcin; Pastuszewska, Barbara

    2014-02-01

    Simultaneous quantification of liposoluble vitamins is not a new area of interest, since these compounds co-determine the nutritional quality of food and feed, a field widely explored in the human and animal diet. However, the development of appropriate methods is still a matter of concern, especially when the vitamin composition is highly complex, as is the case with feed designated for laboratory animals, representing a higher health and microbiological status. A method combining microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) with liquid-liquid extraction was developed for the determination of four fat-soluble vitamins in animal feed. A separation medium consisting of 25 mmol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer (pH 2.5), 2-propanol, 1-butanol, sodium dodecyl sulfate and octane allowed the simultaneous determination of vitamins A, D, E and K within a reasonable time of 25 min. The polarity of the separation voltage was reversed in view of the strongly suppressed electro-osmotic flow, and the applied voltage was set at 12 kV. The fat-soluble vitamins were separated in the order of decreasing hydrophobicity. It was proved that the proposed MEEKC method was sufficiently specific and sensitive for screening fat-soluble vitamins in animal feed samples after their sterilization. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Effects of combined gate and ohmic recess on GaN HEMTs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunil Kumar

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available AlGaN/GaN, because of their superior material properties, are most suitable semiconductor material for High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs. In this work we investigated the hidden physics behind these materials and studied the effect of recess technology in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. The device under investigation is simulated for different recess depth using Silvaco-Atlas TCAD. Recess technology improves the performance of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. We considered three kinds of recess technology gate, ohmic and combination of gate and ohmic. Gate recess improves transconductance gm but it reduces the drain current Id of the device under investigation. Ohmic recess improves the transconductance gm but it introduces leakage current Ig in the device. In order to use AlGaN/GaN for high voltage operation, both the transconductance and the drain current should be reasonably high which is obtained by combining both gate and ohmic recess technologies. A good balance in transconductance and drain current is achieved by combining both gate and ohmic recess technologies without any leakage current.

  8. Evaluation of ascitic soluble human leukocyte antigen-G for distinguishing malignant ascites from benign ascites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Juan; Chang, Yan-Xiang; Niu, Chun-Yan

    2017-11-01

    The overexpression of soluble human leukocyte antigen-G is associated with malignant tumours. The purpose of our study was to detect soluble human leukocyte antigen-G concentrations in ascites and to evaluate the value of ascitic soluble human leukocyte antigen-G for the diagnosis of malignant ascites. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect soluble human leukocyte antigen-G levels in 64 patients with malignant ascites and 30 patients with benign ascites. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of ascitic soluble human leukocyte antigen-G for the detection of malignant ascites. Ascitic soluble human leukocyte antigen-G levels were significantly higher in the malignant ascites group than in the benign ascites group (20.718 ± 3.215 versus 12.467 ± 3.678 µg/L, t = 7.425, p human leukocyte antigen-G was 0.957 (95% confidence interval, 0.872-0.992). At a cut-off value of 19.60 µg/L, the sensitivity and specificity of ascitic soluble human leukocyte antigen-G were 87.5% (95% confidence interval, 71.0%-96.5%) and 100% (95% confidence interval, 88.4%-100%), respectively. With respect to area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity and specificity, ascitic carcinoembryonic antigen (0.810, 68.75% and 83.33%, respectively) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (0.710, 65.63% and 70%, respectively) significantly differed (all p human leukocyte antigen-G was 75%, which was higher than the corresponding rates for ascitic carcinoembryonic antigen (31.25%) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (6.25%; both p human leukocyte antigen-G exhibited good performance for diagnosing malignant ascites, and particularly those that were cytology-negative and biopsy-positive.

  9. Halogenated methyl-phenyl ethers (anisoles) in the environment: determination of vapor pressures, aqueous solubilities, Henry's law constants, and gas/water- (Kgw), n-octanol/water- (Kow) and gas/n-octanol (Kgo) partition coefficients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfeifer, O; Lohmann, U; Ballschmiter, K

    2001-11-01

    Halogenated methyl-phenyl ethers (methoxybenzenes, anisoles) are ubiquitous organics in the environment although they are not produced in industrial quantities. Modelling the fate of organic pollutants such as halogenated anisoles requires a knowledge of the fundamental physico-chemical properties of these compounds. The isomer-specific separation and detection of 60 of the 134 possible congeners allowing an environmental fingerprinting are reported in this study. The vapor pressure p0(L) of more than 60 and further physico-chemical properties of 26 available congeners are given. Vapor pressures p0(L), water solubilities S(L)W, and n-octanol/water partition coefficients Kow were determined by capillary HR-GC (High Resolution Gas Chromatography) on a non-polar phase and by RP-HPLC (Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography) on a C18 phase with chlorobenzenes as reference standards. From these experimental data the Henry's law constants H, and the gas/water Kgw and gas/n-octanol Kgo partition coefficients were calculated. We found that vapor pressures, water solubilities, and n-octanol/water partition coefficients of the halogenated anisoles are close to those of the chlorobenzenes. A similar environmental fate of both groups can, therefore, be predicted.

  10. Study of nitrogen solubility in multicomponent iron alloys at its pressure in gaseous phase up to 1000kPa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pomarin, Yu.M.; Grigorenko, G.M.; Latash, Yu.V.; Kanibolotskij, S.A.

    1983-01-01

    A facility in which metal is melted in a weighed state and nitrogen partical pressure during relting may be charge from 0 to 1000 kPa is developed to investigate nitrogen solubility is liquim metals and alloys. Investigation of nitrogen solubility was performed using samples of 03Kh25N5AM3 steel and Kh20N5, Kh20N10, Kh40N10, Kh40N20 alloys. Positive deflection of [N]=f(√Psub(Nsub(2))) dependence from the Henry law is shown to be observed in the Kh40N10 alloy in the 100-1000 kPa pressure range. In this case the vatue of positive deflection decreases with temperature growth and at T=2273 K nitrogen solubility in the alloy submits to the law of square root. An equation permitting to calculate nitrogen solubility in alloys of Fe-Cr-Ni and Fe-Cr-Mn systems in the 0 to 1000 kPa range of nitrogen partial pressures is obtained

  11. Combining in vitro and in silico methods for better prediction of surfactant effects on the absorption of poorly water soluble drugs-a fenofibrate case example.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berthelsen, Ragna; Sjögren, Erik; Jacobsen, Jette; Kristensen, Jakob; Holm, René; Abrahamsson, Bertil; Müllertz, Anette

    2014-10-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a sensitive and discriminative in vitro-in silico model able to simulate the in vivo performance of three fenofibrate immediate release formulations containing different surfactants. In addition, the study was designed to investigate the effect of dissolution volume when predicting the oral bioavailability of the formulations. In vitro dissolution studies were carried out using the USP apparatus 2 or a mini paddle assembly, containing 1000 mL or 100mL fasted state biorelevant medium, respectively. In silico simulations of small intestinal absorption were performed using the GI-Sim absorption model. All simulation runs were performed twice adopting either a total small intestinal volume of 533 mL or 105 mL, in order to examine the implication of free luminal water volumes for the in silico predictions. For the tested formulations, the use of a small biorelevant dissolution volume was critical for in vitro-in silico prediction of drug absorption. Good predictions, demonstrating rank order in vivo-in vitro-in silico correlations for Cmax, were obtained with in silico predictions utilizing a 105 mL estimate for the human intestinal water content combined with solubility and dissolution data performed in a mini paddle apparatus with 100mL fasted state simulated media. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL SOLUBLE AROMATIC POLYPYROMELLITIMIDE CONTAINING ORDERED 1,2,4-TRIAZINE IN THE MAIN CHAIN

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xiao-bing Yi; Guo-shi Wu; Feng-cai Lu

    2002-01-01

    A new heat-resistant, soluble polymer, poly(phenyl-1,2,4-triazine imidc), has been prepared via a two-step method of polycondensation of N,N'-bis(4-benzil)pyromellitimide and terephthalamidrazone in cresol, followed by curing at higher temperature. The rigid 1,2,4-triazine group increases the solubility of the polyimide so that the polymer is soluble in cresol,N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), trifluoroacetic acid and concentrated sulfuric acid, etc. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)indicates that this novel polyimide has good thermal stability with a high decomposition temperature of 447℃ in air and of 423 ℃ in N2. It has a tensile strength of 107.4 MPa with an elongation at break of around 7.6%.

  13. Efficient protein production method for NMR using soluble protein tags with cold shock expression vector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Kokoro; Kojima, Chojiro

    2010-01-01

    The E. coli protein expression system is one of the most useful methods employed for NMR sample preparation. However, the production of some recombinant proteins in E. coli is often hampered by difficulties such as low expression level and low solubility. To address these problems, a modified cold-shock expression system containing a glutathione S-transferase (GST) tag, the pCold-GST system, was investigated. The pCold-GST system successfully expressed 9 out of 10 proteins that otherwise could not be expressed using a conventional E. coli expression system. Here, we applied the pCold-GST system to 84 proteins and 78 proteins were successfully expressed in the soluble fraction. Three other cold-shock expression systems containing a maltose binding protein tag (pCold-MBP), protein G B1 domain tag (pCold-GB1) or thioredoxin tag (pCold-Trx) were also developed to improve the yield. Additionally, we show that a C-terminal proline tag, which is invisible in 1 H- 15 N HSQC spectra, inhibits protein degradation and increases the final yield of unstable proteins. The purified proteins were amenable to NMR analyses. These data suggest that pCold expression systems combined with soluble protein tags can be utilized to improve the expression and purification of various proteins for NMR analysis.

  14. Sensitivity of hepatitis C virus core antigen and antibody combination assays in a global panel of window period samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laperche, Syria; Nubling, C. Micha; Stramer, Susan L.; Brojer, Ewa; Grabarczyk, Piotr; Yoshizawa, Hiroshi; Kalibatas, Vytenis; El Elkyabi, Magdy; Moftah, Faten; Girault, Annie; van Drimmelen, Harry; Busch, Michael P.; Lelie, Nico

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigen and antibody combination assays have been launched as a cost-effective alternative to nucleic acid testing (NAT) for reducing the antibody-negative window period (WP). Later, a HCV antigen chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) became available. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS A panel composed of 337 HCV NAT–yield samples that were characterized for viral load (VL) and genotype was used to compare the sensitivity of two combination enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (Monolisa, Bio-Rad; and Murex, formerly Abbott) and a HCV antigen CLIA (Abbott). Analytic sensitivity was compared with HCV RNA detection using Ultrio (Grifols) by testing serial dilutions of 10 genotype (gt)1 to gt4 samples. RESULTS HCV antigen CLIA detected 92.4% of samples, whereas Monolisa and Murex detected 38.3 and 47.5%, respectively. In the HCV RNA VL range of 105 to 107 IU/mL, Monolisa and Murex detected 38% to 56% of gt1, 85% to 78% of gt2, and 21% to 37% of gt3. The overall geometric mean 50% limit of detection (range) of Ultrio on gt1 to gt4 dilution series was 3.5 (1.2–7.7) copies/mL, compared to 3.3 × 106 (4.4 × 105-2.7 × 107), 3.4 × 106 (2.2 × 105–4.2 × 107), and 2728 (415–7243) copies/mL for Monolisa, Murex, and HCV antigen CLIA, respectively. CONCLUSION Analytical sensitivity of NAT was on average 1 million- and 780-fold higher than combination assays and HCV antigen CLIA, respectively. Relative sensitivities of combination assays differed for genotypes with Murex being more sensitive for gt1 and gt3 and Monolisa more sensitive for gt2. Although being less sensitive than NAT, combination assays could be considered in resource-limited settings since they detect 38% to 47% of seronegative WP donations. PMID:26013970

  15. The solubility of solid fission products in carbides and nitrides of uranium and plutonium: Pt.2. Solubility rules based on lattice parameter differences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benedict, U.

    1977-01-01

    The Relative Lattice Parameter Difference (RLPD) is defined for a solute element with respect to cubic carbides and nitrides of uranium and plutonium as solvents. Rules are given for the relationship between the solubility and the RLPD. NaCl type monocarbides with RLPD's from -10.2% to +7.8% are completely miscible with UC and PuC. NaCl type mononitrides with RLPD's from -7.5% to +8.5% are completely miscible with UN and PuN. The solubility in the sesquicarbides increases with decreasing RPLD and becomes complete in Pu 2 C 3 at RLPD = +4%, and in U 2 C 3 at RLPD approximately +1.5%. Solubilities are predicted on the basis of these rules for the cases where no experimental results are available

  16. The immune marker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor is associated with new-onset diabetes in non-smoking women and men

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haugaard, S B; Andersen, O; Hansen, T W

    2012-01-01

    Aim: To explore the putative association of new-onset diabetes and the soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), which is a new and stable plasma marker of immune function and low-grade inflammation. This association has been previously suggested by using the less sensitive...... International Classification of Disease system to detect incident diabetes in the Danish MONICA 10 cohort. Methods: The Danish National Diabetes Register enabled more accurate identification of incident diabetes during a median follow-up of 13.8 years in the Danish MONICA 10 cohort (n = 2353 generally healthy......-onset diabetes (P...

  17. The solubility of gold in hydrogen sulfide gas: An experimental study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zezin, Denis Yu.; Migdisov, Artashes A.; Williams-Jones, Anthony E.

    2007-06-01

    The solubility of gold in H 2S gas has been investigated at temperatures of 300, 350 and 400 °C and pressures up to 230 bars. Experimentally determined values of the solubility of Au are 0.4-1.4 ppb at 300 °C, 1-8 ppb at 350 °C and 8.6-95 ppb at 400 °C. Owing to a positive dependence of the logarithm of the fugacity of gold on the logarithm of the fugacity of H 2S, it is proposed that the solubility of Au can be attributed to formation of a solvated gaseous sulfide or bisulfide complex through reactions of the type: Au(s)+(n+1)·HS(g)=AuS·(HS)n(g)+H(g) or Au(g)+(n+1)·HS(g)=AuHS·(HS)n(g)+{1}/{2}H(g) which are f-dependent; n is a statistical solvation number. If the redox potential is buffered by S/H 2S (the case in our study), the corresponding reactions are: Au(s)+n·HS(g)+S(l)=AuS·(HS)n(g) or Au(s)+(n+{1}/{2})·HS(g)+{1}/{2}S(l)=AuHS·(HS)n(g) Values of n for these latter reactions were calculated to be 1.8 and 1.2 at 300 °C, 1.7 and 1.0 at 350 °C, 2.2 and 1.7 at 400 °C, respectively. The equilibrium constants for reactions 3 and D increase with temperature and have values of log K = -11.1 ± 0.2 at 300 °C (both reactions), -10.7 ± 0.3 and -10.5 ± 0.3 at 350 °C, and -10.6 ± 0.2 and -10.4 ± 0.2 at 400 °C, respectively. At the conditions of this study, the solubility of gold in H 2S gas is relatively high, and the results obtained provide strong evidence that H 2S can play an important role in the vapor transport of gold and the formation of hydrothermal gold deposits.

  18. Combined TiN- and TaN temperature compensated thin film resistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malmros, Anna; Andersson, Kristoffer; Rorsman, Niklas

    2012-01-01

    The opposite signs of the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of two thin film materials, titanium nitride (TiN) and tantalum nitride (TaN), were used to form temperature compensated thin film resistors (TFRs). The principle of designing temperature compensated TFRs by connecting TFRs of each compound in series or in parallel was demonstrated. TiN, TaN, and combined TiN and TaN TFRs for monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) were fabricated by reactive sputtering. DC characterization was performed over the temperature range of 30–200 °C. The TiN TFRs exhibited an increase in resistivity with temperature with TCRs of 540 and 750 ppm/°C. The TaN TFR on the other hand exhibited a negative TCR of − 470 ppm/°C. The shunted TFRs were fabricated by serial deposition of TiN and TaN to form a bilayer component. The TCRs of the series- and shunt configurations were experimentally reduced to − 60 and 100 ppm/°C, respectively. The concept of temperature compensation was used to build a Wheatstone bridge with an application in on-chip temperature sensing.

  19. New Exercise-Dipyridamole Combined Test for Nuclear Cardiology in Insufficient Effort: Appropriate Diagnostic Sensitivity Keeping Exercise Prognosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cortinas, Inés Vidal, E-mail: invi@montevideo.com.uy; Beretta, Mario; Alonso, Omar; Mut, Fernando [Departamento de Medicina Nuclear do Hospital ‘Asociación Española’, Br. Artigas 1515, Montevideo (Uruguay)

    2015-08-15

    Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in patients not reaching 85% of the maximum predicted heart rate (MPHR) has reduced sensitivity. In an attempt to maintain diagnostic sensitivity without losing functional exercise data, a new exercise and dipyridamole combined protocol (EDCP) was developed. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of this protocol and to compare its diagnostic sensitivity against standard exercise and dipyridamole protocols. In patients not reaching a sufficient exercise (SE) test and with no contraindications, 0.56 mg/kg of dipyridamole were IV administered over 1 minute simultaneously with exercise, followed by 99mTc-MIBI injection. Of 155 patients, 41 had MPS with EDCP, 47 had a SE test (≥ 85% MPHR) and 67 underwent the dipyridamole alone test (DIP). They all underwent coronary angiography within 3 months. The three stress methods for diagnosis of coronary lesions had their sensitivity compared. For stenosis ≥ 70%, EDCP yielded 97% sensitivity, SE 90% and DIP 95% (p = 0.43). For lesions ≥ 50%, the sensitivities were 94%, 88% and 95%, respectively (p = 0.35). Side effects of EDCP were present in only 12% of the patients, significantly less than with DIP (p < 0.001). The proposed combined protocol is a valid and safe method that yields adequate diagnostic sensitivity, keeping exercise prognostic information in patients unable to reach target heart rate, with fewer side effects than the DIP.

  20. Follow-up barium study after a negative water-soluble contrast examination for suspected esophageal leak: is it necessary?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez, Thomas R; Holz, Grant S; Corwin, Michael T; Wood, Robert J; Wootton-Gorges, Sandra L

    2015-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the value of follow-up barium esophogram in diagnosing esophageal injury or leak if the initial water-soluble contrast examination of the esophagus is normal. An institutional review board (IRB)-approved retrospective review of all pediatric patients less than 18 years old referred to the radiology department for evaluation of esophageal injury or leak was performed for a 9-year period from 2005 to 2014. The majority of patients had unexplained pneumomediastinum, chest trauma (gunshot or puncture wound), or foreign body ingestion as the reason for the referral. Forty-nine patients (age range 10 days to 17 years) underwent an initial water-soluble esophogram immediately followed by a barium esophogram. Forty-six studies were negative on both water-soluble contrast and barium studies. Two studies were both positive on the initial water-soluble contrast and subsequent barium studies. A single study showed the esophageal leak only in the water-soluble study, with the follow-up barium exam being normal. The result of this study indicates that a single-contrast water-soluble esophogram alone is sensitive in the diagnosis of esophageal injury or leak. It has a 100 % sensitivity and negative predictive value. A follow-up barium esophogram only increases the study time and radiation dose to the patient.

  1. Facile and sensitive determination of N-nitrosamines in food samples by high-performance liquid chromatography via combining fluorescent labeling with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Shuaimin; Wu, Di; Li, Guoliang; Lv, Zhengxian; Gong, Peiwei; Xia, Lian; Sun, Zhiwei; Chen, Guang; Chen, Xuefeng; You, Jinmao; Wu, Yongning

    2017-11-01

    The intake of N-nitrosamines (NAs) from foodstuffs is considered to be an important influence factor for several cancers. But the rapid and sensitive screening of NAs remains a challenge in the field of food safety. Inspired by that, a sensitive and rapid method was demonstrated for determination of five NAs (Nitrosopyrrolidine, Nitrosodimethylamine, Nitrosodiethylamine, Nitrosodipropylamine and Nitrosodibutylamine) using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). The NAs were firstly denitrosated and labeled by 2-(11H-benzo[a]carbazol-11-yl) ethyl carbonochloridate (BCEC-Cl) and finally enriched by DLLME. Furthermore, the main DLLME conditions were optimized systematically. Under the optimal conditions, satisfactory limits of detection (LODs) were obtained with a range of 0.01-0.07ngg -1 , which were significantly lower than the reported methods. The developed method showed many merits including rapidity, simplicity, high sensitivity and excellent selectivity, which shows a broad prospect in food safety analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Formulation of a Novel Nano emulsion System for Enhanced Solubility of a Sparingly Water Soluble Antibiotic, Clarithromycin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vatsraj, S.; Pathak, H.; Chauhan, K.

    2014-01-01

    The sparingly water soluble property of majority of medicinally significant drugs acts as a potential barrier towards its utilization for therapeutic purpose. The present study was thus aimed at development of a novel oil-in-water (o/w) nano emulsion (NE) system having ability to function as carrier for poorly soluble drugs with clarithromycin as a model antibiotic. The therapeutically effective concentration of clarithromycin, 5 mg/mL, was achieved using polysorbate 80 combined with olive oil as lipophilic counterion. A three-level three-factorial central composite experimental design was utilized to conduct the experiments. The effects of selected variables, polysorbate 80 and olive oil content and concentration of polyvinyl alcohol, were investigated. The particle size of clarithromycin for the optimized formulation was observed to be 30 nm. The morphology of the nano emulsion was explored using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The emulsions prepared with the optimized formula demonstrated good physical stability during storage at room temperature. Antibacterial activity was conducted with the optimized nano emulsion NESH 01 and compared with free clarithromycin. Zone of inhibition was larger for NESH 01 as compared to that with free clarithromycin. This implies that the solubility and hence the bioavailability of clarithromycin has increased in the formulated nano emulsion system.

  3. Soluble theory with massive ghosts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pisarski, R.D.

    1983-01-01

    To investigate the unitarity of asymptotically free, higher-derivative theories, like certain models of quantum gravity, I study a prototype in two space-time dimensions. The prototype is a kind of higher-derivative nonlinear sigma model; it is asymptotically free, exhibits dimensional transmutation, and is soluble in a large-N expansion. The S-matrix elements, constructed from the analytic continuation of the Euclidean Green's functions, conserve probability to approx.O(N -1 ), but violate unitarity at approx.O(N -2 ). The model demonstrates that in higher-derivative theories unitarity, or the lack thereof, cannot be decided without explicit control over the infrared limit. Even so, the results suggest that there may exist some (rather special) asymptotically free, higher-derivative theories which are unitary

  4. Sensitivity analysis of biospheric behaviour of radionuclides released from nuclear waste repositories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korhonen, R.; Savolainen, I.; Suolanen, V.

    1985-01-01

    Sensitivity studies of biospheric behaviour of radionuclides released from a planned spent nuclear fuel repository are performed. Sensitivity of radionuclide concentrations in biosphere and that of radiation doses to solubility of nuclides, to sedimentation rate and to intercompartmental water exchange are studied. Solubility has pronounced effect on the sedimentation on the local scale, and in general, sediment sinks were found to be of major importance in the biospheric behaviour of radionuclides. (author)

  5. Ratiometric fluorescent pH-sensitive polymers for high-throughput monitoring of extracellular pH†

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Liqiang; Su, Fengyu; Kong, Xiangxing; Lee, Fred; Day, Kevin; Gao, Weimin; Vecera, Mary E.; Sohr, Jeremy M.; Buizer, Sean; Tian, Yanqing; Meldrum, Deirdre R

    2016-01-01

    Extracellular pH has a strong effect on cell metabolism and growth. Precisely detecting extracellular pH with high throughput is critical for cell metabolism research and fermentation applications. In this research, a series of ratiometric fluorescent pH sensitive polymers are developed and the ps-pH-neutral is characterized as the best one for exculsive detection of extracellular pH. Poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide) (PHPMA) is used as the host polymer to increase the water solubility ...

  6. [DNA-dependent DNA polymerase induced by herpes virus papio (HVP) in producing cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'iachenko, A G; Beriia, L Ia; Matsenko, L D; Kakubava, V V; Kokosh, L V

    1980-11-01

    A new DNA polymerase was found in the cells of suspension lymphoblastoid cultures, which produce lymphotropic baboon herpes virus (HVP). The enzyme was isolated in a partially purified form. In some properties the enzyme differs from other cellular DNA polymerases. The HVP-induced DNA polymerase has the molecular weight of 1,6 x 10(5) and sedimentation coefficient of about 8S. The enzyme is resistant to high salt concentrations and N-ethylmaleimide, but shows a pronounced sensitivity to phosphonoacetate. The enzyme effectively copies "activated" DNA and synthetic deoxyribohomopolymers. The attempts to detect the DNA polymerase activity in HVP virions were unsuccessful.

  7. DNA-polymerase induced by Herpesvirus papio (HVP) in cells of lymphoblastoid cultures derived from lymphomatous baboons. Report V.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djachenko, A G; Lapin, B A

    1981-01-01

    A new DNA-polymerase was found in the cells of suspension lymphoblastoid cultures which produce lymphotropic baboon herpesvirus (HVP). This enzyme was isolated in a partially purified form. Some of its properties vary from those of other cellular DNA-polymerases. HVP-induced DNA-polymerase has a molecule weight of 160,000 and sedimentation coefficient of about 8 S. The enzyme is resistant to high salt concentration and N-ethylmaleimide, but it is very sensitive to phosphonoacetate. It effectively copies "activated" DNA and synthetic deoxyribohomopolymers. Attempts to reveal the DNA-polymerase activity in HVP virions were unsuccessful.

  8. Evaluation of experimental data for wax and diamondoids solubility in gaseous systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mohammadi, Amir H.; Gharagheizi, Farhad; Eslamimanesh, Ali

    2012-01-01

    The Leverage statistical approach is herein applied for evaluation of experimental data of the paraffin waxes/diamondoids solubility in gaseous systems. The calculation steps of this algorithm consist of determination of the statistical Hat matrix, sketching the Williams Plot, and calculation......-Santiago and Teja correlations are used to calculate/estimate the solubility of paraffin waxes (including n-C24H50 to n-C33H68) and diamondoids (adamantane and diamantane) in carbon dioxide/ethane gases, respectively. It can be interpreted from the obtained results that the applied equations for calculation...

  9. Solubility of hydrogen sulfide in aqueous solutions of N-methyldiethanolamine at high pressures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sadegh, Negar; Thomsen, Kaj; Solbraa, Even

    2015-01-01

    A static-analytic method was used to measure the H2S solubility in 50 wt% MDEA and in presence of methane as a makeup gas. The solubility was measured at 7000 kPa total pressure, and at 50 and 70 degrees C, for H2S partial pressures from 31 to 974 kPa. Measurements were also performed at 1500 k...

  10. Effects of water-soluble humic extract and biofertilizer on development of Callophyllum brasiliense seedlings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jader Galba Busato

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of water-soluble humic extract (EHSA, Hortbio® biofertilizer (HORT and both compounds combination (EHSA+HORT on vegetative growth, nutrient absorption and chlorophyll levels in guanandi (Callophyllum brasiliense seedlings. Isolated and combined additions of EHSA and HORT did not affect seedlings height, number of leaves, leaf and root dry matter and leaf area during early stages of seedling growth. However, HORT and EHSA+HORT treatments increased chlorophyll levels and total N content. Addition of HORT resulted in S, Zn, Mg, Mn and Cu increases in the seedlings leaves, while ESHA application increased K, Mg, S and B. P and Ca levels were not altered by the treatments, however, addition of EHSA and EHSA+HORT reduced significantly the absorption of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn.

  11. Hydrogen Production by a Hyperthermophilic Membrane-Bound Hydrogenase in Soluble Nanolipoprotein Particles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baker, S E; Hopkins, R C; Blanchette, C; Walsworth, V; Sumbad, R; Fischer, N; Kuhn, E; Coleman, M; Chromy, B; Letant, S; Hoeprich, P; Adams, M W; Henderson, P T

    2008-10-22

    Hydrogenases constitute a promising class of enzymes for ex vivo hydrogen production. Implementation of such applications is currently hindered by oxygen sensitivity and, in the case of membrane-bound hydrogenases (MBH), poor water solubility. Nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs), formed from apolipoproteins and phospholipids, offer a novel means to incorporate MBH into in a well-defined water-soluble matrix that maintains the enzymatic activity and is amenable to incorporation into more complex architectures. We report the synthesis, hydrogen-evolving activity and physical characterization of the first MBH-NLP assembly. This may ultimately lead to the development of biomimetic hydrogen production devices.

  12. Determination of soluble dietary fibre content of Okara treated with high hydrostatic pressure and enzymes: a comparative evaluation of two methods (AOAC and HPLC-ELSD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-López, E; Mateos-Aparicio, I; Rupérez, P

    2017-04-01

    Okara is a promising by-product from soybean and a rich source of dietary fibre, chiefly insoluble (IDF). To increase its solubility and functionality, a treatment with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) assisted by food grade enzymes - Ultraflo ® L or Viscozyme ® L- has been performed. To monitor the effectiveness, an analysis of dietary fibre, mainly the soluble fraction (SDF), was accomplished by the AOAC enzymatic-gravimetric method with dialysis followed by both, spectrophotometric methods and High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Evaporative Light Scattering Detector (HPLC-ELSD) analysis of the soluble fraction. A significant increase in SDF (≈1.5-times) to the expense of a decrease in IDF was shown and chromatograms revealed two peaks of 95 and 22 kDa. Thus, treated Okara possessed a more balanced and convenient ratio of soluble to insoluble dietary fibre, which could have health benefits as prebiotic. Inbuilt interferences of the official AOAC's method for dietary fibre were confirmed and the direct HPLC-ELSD approach was about twice more sensitive than spectrophotometric methods. Consequently, the direct HPLC-ELSD analysis of the supernatant is proposed as a cheaper, faster and reliable method. Combined HHP-treatments plus specific enzymes represent a promising alternative for the valorisation and preservation of agrofood by-products.

  13. Neptunium (IV) oxalate solubility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luerkens, D.W.

    1983-07-01

    The equilibrium solubility of neptunium (IV) oxalate in nitric/oxalic acid solutions was determined at 22 0 C, 45 0 C, and 60 0 C. The concentrations of nitric/oxalic acid solutions represented a wide range of free oxalate ion concentration. A mathematical solubility model was developed which is based on the formation of the known complexes of neptunium (IV) oxalate. the solubility model uses a simplified concentration parameter which is proportional to the free oxalate ion concentration. The solubility model can be used to estimate the equilibrium solubility of neptunium (IV) oxalate over a wide range of oxalic and nitric acid concentrations at each temperature

  14. A single parameter representation of hygroscopic growth and cloud condensation nucleus activity – Part 2: Including solubility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. D. Petters

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available The ability of a particle to serve as a cloud condensation nucleus in the atmosphere is determined by its size, hygroscopicity and its solubility in water. Usually size and hygroscopicity alone are sufficient to predict CCN activity. Single parameter representations for hygroscopicity have been shown to successfully model complex, multicomponent particles types. Under the assumption of either complete solubility, or complete insolubility of a component, it is not necessary to explicitly include that component's solubility into the single parameter framework. This is not the case if sparingly soluble materials are present. In this work we explicitly account for solubility by modifying the single parameter equations. We demonstrate that sensitivity to the actual value of solubility emerges only in the regime of 2×10−1–5×10−4, where the solubility values are expressed as volume of solute per unit volume of water present in a saturated solution. Compounds that do not fall inside this sparingly soluble envelope can be adequately modeled assuming they are either infinitely soluble in water or completely insoluble.

  15. Kinetics of the inhibitory interaction of organophosphorus neuropathy inducers and non-inducers in soluble esterases in the avian nervous system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mangas, Iris; Vilanova, Eugenio; Estevez, Jorge, E-mail: jorge.estevez@umh.es

    2011-11-15

    Some published studies suggest that low level exposure to organophosphorus esters (OPs) may cause neurological and neurobehavioral effects at long term exposure. These effects cannot be explained by action on known targets. In this work, the interactions (inhibition, spontaneous reactivation and 'ongoing inhibition') of two model OPs (paraoxon, non neuropathy-inducer, and mipafox, neuropathy-inducer) with the chicken brain soluble esterases were evaluated. The best-fitting kinetic model with both inhibitors was compatible with three enzymatic components. The amplitudes (proportions) of the components detected with mipafox were similar to those obtained with paraoxon. These observations confirm the consistency of the results and the model applied and may be considered an external validation. The most sensitive component (E{alpha}) for paraoxon (11-23% of activity, I{sub 50} (30 min) = 9-11 nM) is also the most sensitive for mipafox (I{sub 50} (30 min) = 4 nM). This component is spontaneously reactivated after inhibition with paraoxon. The second sensitive component to paraoxon (E{beta}, 71-84% of activity; I{sub 50} (30 min) = 1216 nM) is practically resistant to mipafox. The third component (E{gamma}, 5-8% of activity) is paraoxon resistant and has I{sub 50} (30 min) of 3.4 {mu}M with mipafox, similar to NTE (neuropathy target esterase). The role of these esterases remains unknown. Their high sensitivity suggests that they may either play a role in toxicity in low-level long-term exposure of organophosphate compounds or have a protective effect related with the spontaneous reactivation. They will have to be considered in further metabolic and toxicological studies. -- Research Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Paraoxon and mipafox interactions have been evaluated with chicken soluble brain esterases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The paraoxon inhibition was analyzed considering the simultaneous spontaneous reactivation. Black

  16. Carbamazepine solubility enhancement in tandem with swellable polymer osmotic pump tablet: A promising approach for extended delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hadjira Rabti

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Elementary osmotic pump (EOP is a unique extended release (ER drug delivery system based on the principle of osmosis. It has the ability to minimize the amount of the drug, accumulation and fluctuation in drug level during chronic uses. Carbamazepine (CBZ, a poorly water-soluble antiepileptic drug, has serious side effects on overdoses and chronic uses. The aim of the present study was to design a new EOP tablet of CBZ containing a solubility enhancers and swellable polymer to reduce its side effects and enhance the patient compliance. Firstly, a combination of solubilizing carriers was selected to improve the dissolution of the slightly soluble drug. Then, designing the new EOP tablet and investigating the effect of different variables of core and coat formulations on drug release behavior by single parameter optimization and by Taguchi orthogonal design with analysis of variance (ANOVA, respectively. The results showed that CBZ solubility was successfully enhanced by a minimum amount of combined polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP K30 and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS. The plasticizer amount and molecular weight (MW together with the osmotic agent amount directly affect the release rate whereas the swellable polymer amount and viscosity together with the semi-permeable membrane (SPM thickness inversely influence the release rate. In addition, the tendency of following zero order kinetics was mainly affected by the coat components rather than those of the core. Further, orifice size does not have any significant effect on the release behavior within the range of 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm. In this study we report the successful formulation of CBZ-EOP tablets, which were similar to the marketed product Tegretol CR 200 and able to satisfy the USP criterion limits and to deliver about 80% of CBZ at a rate of approximately zero order for up to 12 h.

  17. Uranium solubility and solubility controls in selected Needle's Eye groundwaters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Falck, W.E.; Hooker, P.J.

    1991-01-01

    The solubility control of uranium in selected groundwater samples from the cliff and sediments at the Needle's Eye natural analogue site is investigated using the speciation code PHREEQE and the CHEMVAL thermodynamic database (release 3). Alkali-earth bearing uranyl carbonate secondary minerals are likely to exert influence on the solubility . Other candidates are UO 2 and arsenates, depending on the prevailing redox conditions. In the absence of literature data, solubility products for important arsenates have been estimated from analogy with other arsenates and phosphates. Phosphates themselves are unlikely to exert control owing to their comparatively high solubilities. The influence of seawater flooding into the sediments is also discussed. The importance of uranyl arsenates in the retardation of uranium in shallow sediments has been demonstrated in theory, but there are some significant gaps in the thermodynamic databases used. (author)

  18. Nonlinear processing of a multicomponent communication signal by combination-sensitive neurons in the anuran inferior colliculus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Norman; Schrode, Katrina M; Bee, Mark A

    2017-09-01

    Diverse animals communicate using multicomponent signals. How a receiver's central nervous system integrates multiple signal components remains largely unknown. We investigated how female green treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) integrate the multiple spectral components present in male advertisement calls. Typical calls have a bimodal spectrum consisting of formant-like low-frequency (~0.9 kHz) and high-frequency (~2.7 kHz) components that are transduced by different sensory organs in the inner ear. In behavioral experiments, only bimodal calls reliably elicited phonotaxis in no-choice tests, and they were selectively chosen over unimodal calls in two-alternative choice tests. Single neurons in the inferior colliculus of awake, passively listening subjects were classified as combination-insensitive units (27.9%) or combination-sensitive units (72.1%) based on patterns of relative responses to the same bimodal and unimodal calls. Combination-insensitive units responded similarly to the bimodal call and one or both unimodal calls. In contrast, combination-sensitive units exhibited both linear responses (i.e., linear summation) and, more commonly, nonlinear responses (e.g., facilitation, compressive summation, or suppression) to the spectral combination in the bimodal call. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that nonlinearities play potentially critical roles in spectral integration and in the neural processing of multicomponent communication signals.

  19. Fluorescence Detection and Discrimination of ss- and ds-DNA with a Water Soluble Oligopyrene Derivative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gaoquan Shi

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available A novel water-soluble cationic conjugated oligopyrene derivative, oligo(N1,N1,N1,N4,N4,N4-hexamethyl-2-(4-(pyren-1-yl butane-1,4-diaminium bromide (OHPBDB, was synthesized by a combination of chemical and electrochemical synthesis techniques. Each oligomer chain has five pyrene derivative repeating units and brings 10 positive charges. OHPBDB showed high and rapid fluorescence quenching in aqueous media upon addition of trace amounts of single-stranded (ss and double-stranded (ds DNA. The Stern-Volmer constants for ss- and ds-DNA were measured to be as high as 1.3 × 108 mol-1·L and 1.2 × 108 mol-1·L, respectively. On the other hand, distinct fluorescence enhancement of OHPBDB upon addition of large amount of ss-DNA or ds-DNA was observed. Furthermore, ss-DNA showed much stronger fluorescence enhancement than that of ds-DNA, thus yielding a clear and simple signal useful for the discrimination between ss- and ds-DNA in aqueous media.

  20. SNARE zippering is hindered by polyphenols in the neuron

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Yoosoo [Department of Genetic Engineering and Center for Human Interface Nanotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Se-Hyun; Heo, Paul; Kong, Byoungjae; Shin, Jonghyeok; Jung, Young-Hun; Yoon, Keejung; Chung, Woo-Jae [Department of Genetic Engineering and Center for Human Interface Nanotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Yeon-Kyun [Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Kweon, Dae-Hyuk, E-mail: dhkweon@skku.edu [Department of Genetic Engineering and Center for Human Interface Nanotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-07-18

    Highlights: • Membrane fusion driven by SNARE complex is hindered by several polyphenols. • Distinctive inhibitory effect of each polyphenol on SNARE zippering in neuron was examined. • FRET between fluorescence protein-tagged SNAREs probed well SNARE zippering in PC12 cells. • Delphinidin and cyanidin inhibit N-terminal SNARE nucleation in Ca{sup 2+}-independent manner. • Myricetin inhibits Ca{sup 2+}-dependent transmembrane association of SNARE complex. - Abstract: Fusion of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic plasma membrane in the neuron is mediated by soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein-attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins. SNARE complex formation is a zippering-like process which initiates at the N-terminus and proceeds to the C-terminal membrane-proximal region. Previously, we showed that this zippering-like process is regulated by several polyphenols, leading to the arrest of membrane fusion and the inhibition of neuroexocytosis. In vitro studies using purified SNARE proteins reconstituted in liposomes revealed that each polyphenol uniquely regulates SNARE zippering. However, the unique regulatory effect of each polyphenol in cells has not yet been examined. In the present study, we observed SNARE zippering in neuronal PC12 cells by measuring the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) changes of a cyan fluorescence protein (CFP) and a yellow fluorescence protein (YFP) fused to the N-termini or C-termini of SNARE proteins. We show that delphinidin and cyanidin inhibit the initial N-terminal nucleation of SNARE complex formation in a Ca{sup 2+}-independent manner, while myricetin inhibits Ca{sup 2+}-dependent transmembrane domain association of the SNARE complex in the cell. This result explains how polyphenols exhibit botulinum neurotoxin-like activity in vivo.

  1. Origin of visible-light sensitivity in N-doped TiO2 films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakano, Yoshitaka; Morikawa, Takeshi; Ohwaki, Takeshi; Taga, Yasunori

    2007-01-01

    We report on visible-light sensitivity in N-doped TiO 2 (TiO 2 :N) films that were deposited on n + -GaN/Al 2 O 3 substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering and subsequently crystallized by annealing at 550 deg. C in flowing N 2 gas. The N-doping concentration was ∼8.8%, as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. From transmission electron microscopic observations and optical absorption measurements, yellow-colored TiO 2 :N samples showed an enhanced granular structure and strong absorption in the visible-light region. Photoelectron spectroscopy in air measurements showed a noticeable decrease in ionization energy of TiO 2 by the N doping. Deep-level optical spectroscopy measurements revealed two characteristic deep levels located at ∼1.18 and ∼2.48 eV below the conduction band. The 1.18 eV level is probably attributable to the O vacancy state and can be active as an efficient generation-recombination center. The pronounced 2.48 eV band is newly introduced by the N doping and contributes to band-gap narrowing of TiO 2 by mixing with the O 2p valence band. Therefore, this localized intraband is probably one origin of visible-light sensitivity in TiO 2 :N

  2. A combination of differential method and perturbation theory for the calculation of sensitivity coefficients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, Adimir dos; Borges, A.A.

    2000-01-01

    A new method for the calculation of sensitivity coefficients is developed. The new method is a combination of two methodologies used for calculating these coefficients, which are the differential and the generalized perturbation theory methods. The proposed method utilizes as integral parameter the average flux in an arbitrary region of the system. Thus, the sensitivity coefficient contains only the component corresponding to the neutron flux. To obtain the new sensitivity coefficient, the derivates of the integral parameter, φ(ξ), with respect to σ are calculated using the perturbation method and the functional derivates of this generic integral parameter with respect to σ and φ are calculated using the differential method. The new method merges the advantages of the differential and generalized perturbation theory methods and eliminates their disadvantages. (author)

  3. New Exercise-Dipyridamole Combined Test for Nuclear Cardiology in Insufficient Effort: Appropriate Diagnostic Sensitivity Keeping Exercise Prognosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inés Vidal Cortinas

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available AbstractBackground:Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS in patients not reaching 85% of the maximum predicted heart rate (MPHR has reduced sensitivity.Objectives:In an attempt to maintain diagnostic sensitivity without losing functional exercise data, a new exercise and dipyridamole combined protocol (EDCP was developed. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of this protocol and to compare its diagnostic sensitivity against standard exercise and dipyridamole protocols.Methods:In patients not reaching a sufficient exercise (SE test and with no contraindications, 0.56 mg/kg of dipyridamole were IV administered over 1 minute simultaneously with exercise, followed by 99mTc-MIBI injection.Results:Of 155 patients, 41 had MPS with EDCP, 47 had a SE test (≥ 85% MPHR and 67 underwent the dipyridamole alone test (DIP. They all underwent coronary angiography within 3 months. The three stress methods for diagnosis of coronary lesions had their sensitivity compared. For stenosis ≥ 70%, EDCP yielded 97% sensitivity, SE 90% and DIP 95% (p = 0.43. For lesions ≥ 50%, the sensitivities were 94%, 88% and 95%, respectively (p = 0.35. Side effects of EDCP were present in only 12% of the patients, significantly less than with DIP (p < 0.001.Conclusions:The proposed combined protocol is a valid and safe method that yields adequate diagnostic sensitivity, keeping exercise prognostic information in patients unable to reach target heart rate, with fewer side effects than the DIP.

  4. Soluble porphyrin polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gust, Jr., John Devens; Liddell, Paul Anthony

    2015-07-07

    Porphyrin polymers of Structure 1, where n is an integer (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or greater) ##STR00001## are synthesized by the method shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The porphyrin polymers of Structure 1 are soluble in organic solvents such as 2-MeTHF and the like, and can be synthesized in bulk (i.e., in processes other than electropolymerization). These porphyrin polymers have long excited state lifetimes, making the material suitable as an organic semiconductor for organic electronic devices including transistors and memories, as well as solar cells, sensors, light-emitting devices, and other opto-electronic devices.

  5. Enhancement of electrical and optical performance of N719 by co-sensitization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shikoh, Ali Sephar; Ahmad, Zubair; Touati, Farid; Al-Muhtaseb, Shaheen A.

    2018-04-01

    This paper deals with the electrical, optical and electrochemical properties of a metal-free dye C78H74O8 (AS-2), which has been used to improve the photo-detection properties of C58H86N8O8RuS2 (N719) based Dye sensitized photo-sensors (DSPSs). Both dyes were mixed together in various proportions and the most promising ratio N719/AS-2 (1:0.25) was selected for staining photo-anodes for DSPS integration. The fabricated DSPSs were studied in terms of electrical parameters and photodetection properties. The N719/AS-2 (1:0.25) based DSPS were found to have a reduced leakage current, increased breakdown voltage and a closer proximity to an ideal diode, as compared to the N719 based DSPS. Further, the N719/AS-2 (1:0.25) based DSPS was also found to have better linearity at high irradiance levels, thus rendering the co-sensitized device useful as a photosensor in various applications. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) analysis was also performed to explain the interfacial charge recombination process.

  6. Amino acid digestibility of corn distillers dried grains with solubles, liquid condensed solubles, pulse dried thin stillage, and syrup balls fed to growing pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, J A; Stein, H H; Singh, V; Shurson, G S; Pettigrew, J E

    2012-04-01

    Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) has low and variable AA digestibility. The variability is often attributed to damage during the heating process, and it has been suggested that the damage happens to the soluble components of DDGS such as reducing sugars. Combining solubles and grains sometimes produces syrup balls (SB); their digestibility is unknown. The objective of this experiment was to identify potential sources of poor and variable AA digestibility in DDGS. Specifically, our objective was to determine whether the problems are associated with the solubles component or with SB. The ingredients evaluated were DDGS, intact SB, ground SB, liquid condensed solubles (LCS), and pulse dried thin stillage (PDTS) obtained from the same ethanol plant. The LCS is produced by evaporation of thin stillage. Each ingredient was used as the only source of AA in an experimental diet. In a duplicate 6 × 6 Latin square design with 7-d adaptation and collection periods, the 6 treatments consisted of an N-free diet and the 5 test ingredients. Pigs had 5 d of adaptation to each diet, and on d 6 and 7 ileal digesta were collected from an ileal cannula for 8 h each day. Both SB treatments had apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of AA that were similar or greater (P < 0.05) than those of DDGS. The AID and SID values of Lys and a few other AA were similar in LCS (SID Lys: 63.1%) and DDGS (SID Lys: 61.5%), but the digestibility values of most AA in LCS were less than in DDGS (P < 0.05). The low digestibility of AA in LCS was most pronounced for Met (SID: LCS, 41.9% vs. DDGS, 82.8%). The LCS had less (P < 0.05) AID and SID of CP (SID: 67.8%) than intact SB (SID: 85.2%) and ground SB (SID: 85.9%) as well as all AA. The PDTS generally had the least AID and SID and had less (P < 0.05) CP (SID: 55.3%) and several AA, including Lys, compared with LCS. In conclusion, the presence of SB does not decrease AA digestibility of DDGS, and the LCS

  7. Femtosecond study of laser coloring soluble in water: the coumarins; Etude femtoseconde de colorants laser solubles dans l`eau: les coumarines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cassara, L

    1996-11-29

    This thesis concerns the study of four hydro soluble coumarins A.T.C., D.M.A.T.C., D.A.T.C. et C.H.O.S., analogues of classical coumarins C120, C311, C1 and C102. These molecules are made hydro soluble because of the substitution in position 4- of the methyl group by a polyether group. The mechanisms of deactivation are studied because of fluorescence methods (resolved in time and transient absorption) which allow to study the reactional dynamics of coumarins after luminous excitement. SEveral time scales, from a few femto seconds to the nanosecond have been approachable and have allowed investigations on different processes: relaxation S{sub n} {yields} S{sub 1}, solvation dynamics, orientational diffusion of the solution and deactivation process S{sub 1} {yields} S{sub 0} of radiative and non radiative relaxation in different solvents. (N.C.)

  8. Biochemical synthesis of water soluble conducting polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruno, Ferdinando F.; Bernabei, Manuele

    2016-05-01

    An efficient biomimetic route for the synthesis of conducting polymers/copolymers complexed with lignin sulfonate and sodium (polystyrenesulfonate) (SPS) will be presented. This polyelectrolyte assisted PEG-hematin or horseradish peroxidase catalyzed polymerization of pyrrole (PYR), 3,4 ethyldioxithiophene (EDOT) and aniline has provided a route to synthesize water-soluble conducting polymers/copolymers under acidic conditions. The UV-vis, FTIR, conductivity and cyclic voltammetry studies for the polymers/copolymer complex indicated the presence of a thermally stable and electroactive polymers. Moreover, the use of water-soluble templates, used as well as dopants, provided a unique combination of properties such as high electronic conductivity, and processability. These polymers/copolymers are nowadays tested/evaluated for antirust features on airplanes and helicopters. However, other electronic applications, such as photovoltaics, for transparent conductive polyaniline, actuators, for polypyrrole, and antistatic films, for polyEDOT, will be proposed.

  9. Biochemical synthesis of water soluble conducting polymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bruno, Ferdinando F., E-mail: Ferdinando-Bruno@uml.edu [US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Natick, MA 01760 (United States); Bernabei, Manuele [ITAF, Test Flight Centre, Chemistry Dept. Pratica di Mare AFB, 00071 Pomezia (Rome), Italy (UE) (Italy)

    2016-05-18

    An efficient biomimetic route for the synthesis of conducting polymers/copolymers complexed with lignin sulfonate and sodium (polystyrenesulfonate) (SPS) will be presented. This polyelectrolyte assisted PEG-hematin or horseradish peroxidase catalyzed polymerization of pyrrole (PYR), 3,4 ethyldioxithiophene (EDOT) and aniline has provided a route to synthesize water-soluble conducting polymers/copolymers under acidic conditions. The UV-vis, FTIR, conductivity and cyclic voltammetry studies for the polymers/copolymer complex indicated the presence of a thermally stable and electroactive polymers. Moreover, the use of water-soluble templates, used as well as dopants, provided a unique combination of properties such as high electronic conductivity, and processability. These polymers/copolymers are nowadays tested/evaluated for antirust features on airplanes and helicopters. However, other electronic applications, such as photovoltaics, for transparent conductive polyaniline, actuators, for polypyrrole, and antistatic films, for polyEDOT, will be proposed.

  10. Biochemical synthesis of water soluble conducting polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruno, Ferdinando F.; Bernabei, Manuele

    2016-01-01

    An efficient biomimetic route for the synthesis of conducting polymers/copolymers complexed with lignin sulfonate and sodium (polystyrenesulfonate) (SPS) will be presented. This polyelectrolyte assisted PEG-hematin or horseradish peroxidase catalyzed polymerization of pyrrole (PYR), 3,4 ethyldioxithiophene (EDOT) and aniline has provided a route to synthesize water-soluble conducting polymers/copolymers under acidic conditions. The UV-vis, FTIR, conductivity and cyclic voltammetry studies for the polymers/copolymer complex indicated the presence of a thermally stable and electroactive polymers. Moreover, the use of water-soluble templates, used as well as dopants, provided a unique combination of properties such as high electronic conductivity, and processability. These polymers/copolymers are nowadays tested/evaluated for antirust features on airplanes and helicopters. However, other electronic applications, such as photovoltaics, for transparent conductive polyaniline, actuators, for polypyrrole, and antistatic films, for polyEDOT, will be proposed.

  11. Combined Amendments of Nano-hydroxyapatite Immobilized Cadmium in Contaminated Soil-Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chang; Wang, Lei; Yin, Jiang; Qi, Lipan; Feng, Yan

    2018-04-01

    The toxicity of cadmium (Cd) has posed major public health concern in crops grown in the Cd-contaminated soils. The effects of five amendments, nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) and it combined with lime, zeolite, bone mill and fly ash on Cd immobilization in soils and uptake in potatoes, were investigated in a contaminated soil by pot experiments. The result showed that the applications of combined amendments significantly decreased the bioavailable Cd concentrations extracted by TCLP, DTPA-TEA and MgCl 2 in the contaminated soils, and changed the soluble and exchangeable and specifically sorbed fractions to oxide-bound and organic-bound fractions. Compared to the control group, the concentrations of Cd in the potato tubers grown in n-HA, n-HA + Fly ash, n-HA + Lime, n-HA + Bone mill and n-HA + Zeolite soil were reduced 17.4%, 20.7%, 15.2%, 32.6% and 39.1%, respectively. Nano-hydroxyapatite combined amendments was more effective in reducing bioavailable Cd concentrations and Cd accumulations in potatoes, especially for n-HA + Z.

  12. Recent Progress in the Development of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide-Soluble Metal Ion Extractants: Aggregation, Extraction, and Solubility Properties of Silicon-Substituted Alkylenediphosphonic Acids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dietz, Mark L.; McAlister, Daniel R.; Stepinski, Dominique C.; Zalupski, Peter R.; Dzilawa, Julie A.; Barrans, Richard E.; Hess, J.N.; Rubas, Audris V.; Chiarizia, Renato; Lubbers, Christopher M.; Scurto, Aaron M.; Brennecke, Joan F.; Herlinger, Albert W.

    2003-09-11

    Partially esterified alkylenediphosphonic acids (DPAs) have been shown to be effective reagents for the extraction of actinide ions from acidic aqueous solution into conventional organic solvents. Efforts to employ these compounds in supercritical fluid extraction have been hampered by their modest solubility in unmodified supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2). In an effort to design DPAs that are soluble in SC-CO2, a variety of silicon-substituted alkylenediphosphonic acids have been prepared and characterized, and their behavior compared with that of conventional alkyl-substituted reagents. Silicon substitution is shown to enhance the CO2-philicity of the reagents, while other structural features, in particular, the number of methylene groups bridging the phosphorus atoms of the extractant, are shown to exert a significant influence on their aggregation and extraction properties. The identification of DPAs combining desirable extraction properties with adequate solubility in SC-CO2 is shown to be facilitated by the application of molecular connectivity indices.

  13. Quantitative radioimmunoassay for membranous and soluble H-Y antigen typing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Casanova-Bettane, M.; Latron, F.; Jakob, H.; Fellous, M.

    1981-01-01

    Two sensitive and quantitative methods for membranous or soluble H-Y antigen typing using rat anti-H-Y immune sera and /sup 125/I labelled protein A were carried out. These techniques were used to study H-Y antigen expression in human cell lines, and to refine the hypothesis that ..beta../sub 2/m serves as an anchorage point for H-Y antigen.

  14. RHIZOME YIELD OF TEMULAWAK (Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. AT N, P, K VARIOUS LEVEL AND N, K COMBINATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ellis Nihayati

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The role of N, P and K on temulawak have not been clear enough to explain the need in temulawak rhizome in order to get high yield. The experiment was conducted in a screen house in Malang East Java with an altitude of 500 m asl. from Desember 2010 - August 2011. There were 4 experiments in series, consisting of N, P, K various level and N,K alone and combination on the growth and quantity of rhizome arranged in randomized block design comprising 7 levels of fertilizer per plant with 3 replications. The treatments of urea (N, SP36 (P consisted of 0, 1,25, 2,5, 3,75, 5, 6,25 and 7.5 g. The KCl (K comprised 0, 1,5, 3, 4,5, 6, 7,5 and 9 g. The N, K alone and combination treatments consisted of (No fertilizer, N, K, NK g /plant. The results of this research were N, P, K optimum dose of each N 6.25 g N / plant P2O5/tan P 6.25 g, K 7.5 g K2O / plant increased temulawak rhizome dry weight. Combination 4.5 g N + 2.8 g K / plant could increase temulawak rhizome dry weight by 33% compared to the addition of N and 220% when compared to the addition of a single K harvesting age 6 months.

  15. Radionuclide solubility control by solid solutions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brandt, F.; Klinkenberg, M.; Rozov, K.; Bosbach, D. [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany). Inst. of Energy and Climate Research - Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety (IEK-6); Vinograd, V. [Frankfurt Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Geosciences

    2015-07-01

    The migration of radionuclides in the geosphere is to a large extend controlled by sorption processes onto minerals and colloids. On a molecular level, sorption phenomena involve surface complexation, ion exchange as well as solid solution formation. The formation of solid solutions leads to the structural incorporation of radionuclides in a host structure. Such solid solutions are ubiquitous in natural systems - most minerals in nature are atomistic mixtures of elements rather than pure compounds because their formation leads to a thermodynamically more stable situation compared to the formation of pure compounds. However, due to a lack of reliable data for the expected scenario at close-to equilibrium conditions, solid solution systems have so far not been considered in long-term safety assessments for nuclear waste repositories. In recent years, various solid-solution aqueous solution systems have been studied. Here we present state-of-the art results regarding the formation of (Ra,Ba)SO{sub 4} solid solutions. In some scenarios describing a waste repository system for spent nuclear fuel in crystalline rocks {sup 226}Ra dominates the radiological impact to the environment associated with the potential release of radionuclides from the repository in the future. The solubility of Ra in equilibrium with (Ra,Ba)SO{sub 4} is much lower than the one calculated with RaSO{sub 4} as solubility limiting phase. Especially, the available literature data for the interaction parameter W{sub BaRa}, which describes the non-ideality of the solid solution, vary by about one order of magnitude (Zhu, 2004; Curti et al., 2010). The final {sup 226}Ra concentration in this system is extremely sensitive to the amount of barite, the difference in the solubility products of the end-member phases, and the degree of non-ideality of the solid solution phase. Here, we have enhanced the fundamental understanding regarding (1) the thermodynamics of (Ra,Ba)SO{sub 4} solid solutions and (2) the

  16. Solubilities and partial molar volumes of N,N′-dibutyl-oxalamide, N,N′-dihexyl-oxalamide, N,N′-dioctyl-oxalamide in supercritical carbon dioxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Jie; Yang, Hai-Jian; Jin, Jing; Chang, Fei

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Three new “CO 2 -philic” compounds were designed and synthesized. ► The tested solubility data were calculated and correlated with two models. ► Satisfactory agreements were obtained between the tested and calculated data. ► AARD was lower than 13% for Chrastil model correlation. ► The partial molar volumes V ¯ 2 for each compound were estimated. - Abstract: Three new potent CO 2 -philic compounds were synthesized and their structures were characterized by FT-IR, NMR, and elemental analysis. The solubility of the three compounds in supercritical CO 2 was determined at T = (313 to 353) K from 9.1 MPa to 15.0 MPa. The experimental data were correlated with two density-based models proposed by Bartle and Chrastil, and the calculated results showed good agreement with the tested data. The calculated data by Bartle model differed from the measured values by (6.76 to 9.60)%, and the average value of absolute relative deviations (AARD) with Chrastil model were observed to be between (7.42 to 12.27)%. Furthermore, solubility data were also utilized to estimate the partial molar volume V ¯ 2 for each compound in the supercritical phase using the theory developed by Kumar and Johnston.

  17. Regulation of anterior chamber drainage by bicarbonate-sensitive soluble adenylyl cyclase in the ciliary body.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yong S; Tresguerres, Martin; Hess, Kenneth; Marmorstein, Lihua Y; Levin, Lonny R; Buck, Jochen; Marmorstein, Alan D

    2011-12-02

    Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness affecting as many as 2.2 million Americans. All current glaucoma treatment strategies aim to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP). IOP results from the resistance to drainage of aqueous humor (AH) produced by the ciliary body in a process requiring bicarbonate. Once secreted into the anterior chamber, AH drains from the eye via two pathways: uveoscleral and pressure-dependent or conventional outflow (C(t)). Modulation of "inflow" and "outflow" pathways is thought to occur via distinct, local mechanisms. Mice deficient in the bicarbonate channel bestrophin-2 (Best2), however, exhibit a lower IOP despite an increase in AH production. Best2 is expressed uniquely in nonpigmented ciliary epithelial (NPE) cells providing evidence for a bicarbonate-dependent communicative pathway linking inflow and outflow. Here, we show that bicarbonate-sensitive soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is highly expressed in the ciliary body in NPE cells, but appears to be absent from drainage tissues. Pharmacologic inhibition of sAC in mice causes a significant increase in IOP due to a decrease in C(t) with no effect on inflow. In mice deficient in sAC IOP is elevated, and C(t) is decreased relative to wild-type mice. Pharmacologic inhibition of sAC did not alter IOP or C(t) in sAC-deficient mice. Based on these data we propose that the ciliary body can regulate C(t) and that sAC serves as a critical sensor of bicarbonate in the ciliary body regulating the secretion of substances into the AH that govern outflow facility independent of pressure.

  18. LRRK2 phosphorylates pre-synaptic N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion (NSF) protein enhancing its ATPase activity and SNARE complex disassembling rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belluzzi, Elisa; Gonnelli, Adriano; Cirnaru, Maria-Daniela; Marte, Antonella; Plotegher, Nicoletta; Russo, Isabella; Civiero, Laura; Cogo, Susanna; Carrion, Maria Perèz; Franchin, Cinzia; Arrigoni, Giorgio; Beltramini, Mariano; Bubacco, Luigi; Onofri, Franco; Piccoli, Giovanni; Greggio, Elisa

    2016-01-13

    Lrrk2, a gene linked to Parkinson's disease, encodes a large scaffolding protein with kinase and GTPase activities implicated in vesicle and cytoskeletal-related processes. At the presynaptic site, LRRK2 associates with synaptic vesicles through interaction with a panel of presynaptic proteins. Here, we show that LRRK2 kinase activity influences the dynamics of synaptic vesicle fusion. We therefore investigated whether LRRK2 phosphorylates component(s) of the exo/endocytosis machinery. We have previously observed that LRRK2 interacts with NSF, a hexameric AAA+ ATPase that couples ATP hydrolysis to the disassembling of SNARE proteins allowing them to enter another fusion cycle during synaptic exocytosis. Here, we demonstrate that NSF is a substrate of LRRK2 kinase activity. LRRK2 phosphorylates full-length NSF at threonine 645 in the ATP binding pocket of D2 domain. Functionally, NSF phosphorylated by LRRK2 displays enhanced ATPase activity and increased rate of SNARE complex disassembling. Substitution of threonine 645 with alanine abrogates LRRK2-mediated increased ATPase activity. Given that the most common Parkinson's disease LRRK2 G2019S mutation displays increased kinase activity, our results suggest that mutant LRRK2 may impair synaptic vesicle dynamics via aberrant phosphorylation of NSF.

  19. Pertussis toxin substrate is a guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate-, N-ethylmaleimide-, Mg2+- and temperature-sensitive GTP-binding protein.

    OpenAIRE

    Wong, S K; Martin, B R; Tolkovsky, A M

    1985-01-01

    We compared the effects of guanine nucleotides and Mg2+ on ADP-ribosylation of rat brain and liver membrane proteins catalysed by Bordetella pertussis toxin (IAP) and cholera toxin (CT). Labelling of proteins in the presence of [alpha-32P]NAD+, ATP and CT required GTP or guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP [S]). In contrast, labelling of one (liver) or two (brain) polypeptides by IAP was enhanced by guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate (GDP[S]) or GTP, but was blocked by GTP[S] or guano...

  20. VUV-sensitive silicon-photomultipliers for the nEXO-experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wrede, Gerrit; Bayerlein, Reimund; Hufschmidt, Patrick; Jamil, Ako; Schneider, Judith; Wagenpfeil, Michael; Ziegler, Tobias; Hoessl, Juergen; Anton, Gisela; Michel, Thilo [ECAP, Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    The nEXO (next Enriched Xenon Observatory) experiment will search for the neutrinoless double beta decay of Xe-136 with a liquid xenon TPC (Time ProjectionChamber). The sensitivity of the experiment is related to the energy resolution, which itself depends on the accuracies of the measurements of the amount of drifting electrons and the number of scintillation photons with their wavelength being in the vacuum ultraviolet band. Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) shall be used for the detection of the scintillation light, since they can be produced extremely radiopure. Commercially available SiPM do not fulfill all requirements of the nEXO experiment, thus a dedicated development is necessary. To characterize the silicon photomultipliers, we have built a test apparatus for xenon liquefaction, in which a VUV-sensitive photomultiplier tube can be operated together with the SiPM. In this contribution we present our apparatus for the SiPM characterization measurements and our latest results on the test of the silicon photomultipliers for the detection of xenon scintillation light.

  1. Protective efficacy of Newcastle disease virus expressing soluble trimeric hemagglutinin against highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza in chickens and mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisette A H M Cornelissen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV causes a highly contagious often fatal disease in poultry, resulting in significant economic losses in the poultry industry. HPAIV H5N1 also poses a major public health threat as it can be transmitted directly from infected poultry to humans. One effective way to combat avian influenza with pandemic potential is through the vaccination of poultry. Several live vaccines based on attenuated Newcastle disease virus (NDV that express influenza hemagglutinin (HA have been developed to protect chickens or mammalian species against HPAIV. However, the zoonotic potential of NDV raises safety concerns regarding the use of live NDV recombinants, as the incorporation of a heterologous attachment protein may result in the generation of NDV with altered tropism and/or pathogenicity. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present study we generated recombinant NDVs expressing either full length, membrane-anchored HA of the H5 subtype (NDV-H5 or a soluble trimeric form thereof (NDV-sH5(3. A single intramuscular immunization with NDV-sH5(3 or NDV-H5 fully protected chickens against disease after a lethal challenge with H5N1 and reduced levels of virus shedding in tracheal and cloacal swabs. NDV-sH5(3 was less protective than NDV-H5 (50% vs 80% protection when administered via the respiratory tract. The NDV-sH5(3 was ineffective in mice, regardless of whether administered oculonasally or intramuscularly. In this species, NDV-H5 induced protective immunity against HPAIV H5N1, but only after oculonasal administration, despite the poor H5-specific serum antibody response it elicited. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although NDV expressing membrane anchored H5 in general provided better protection than its counterpart expressing soluble H5, chickens could be fully protected against a lethal challenge with H5N1 by using the latter NDV vector. This study thus provides proof of concept for the use of recombinant

  2. TRAIL-coated lipid-nanoparticles overcome resistance to soluble recombinant TRAIL in non-small cell lung cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Miguel, Diego; Gallego-Lleyda, Ana; Erviti-Ardanaz, Sandra; Anel, Alberto; Martinez-Lostao, Luis; Ayuso, José María; Fernández, Luis José; Ochoa, Ignacio; Pazo-Cid, Roberto; Del Agua, Celia

    2016-01-01

    Purpose. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one the types of cancer with higher prevalence and mortality. Apo2-Ligand/TRAIL is a TNF family member able to induce apoptosis in tumor cells but not in normal cells. It has been tested in clinical trials against different types of human cancer including NSCLC. However, results of clinical trials have shown a limited efficacy of TRAIL-based therapies. Recently we have demonstrated that artificial lipid nanoparticles coated with bioactive Apo2L/TRAIL (LUV-TRAIL) greatly improved TRAIL cytotoxic ability being capable of killing chemoresistant hematological cancer cells. In the present work we have extended the study to NSCLC. Methods/patients. LUV-TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity was assessed on different NSCLC cell lines with different sensitivity to soluble TRAIL and on primary human tumor cells from three patients suffering from NSCLC cancer. We also tested LUV-TRAIL-cytotoxic ability in combination with several anti-tumor agents. Results. LUV-TRAIL exhibited a greater cytotoxic effect compared to soluble TRAIL both in A549 cells and primary human NSCLC cells. LUV-TRAIL-induced cell death was dependent on caspase-8 and caspase-3 activation. Moreover, combination of LUV-TRAIL with other anti-tumor agents such as flavopiridol, and SNS-032 clearly enhanced LUV-TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity against NSCLC cancer cells. Conclusion. The novel formulation of TRAIL based on displaying it on the surface of lipid nanoparticles greatly increases its anti-tumor activity and has clinical potential in cancer treatment. (paper)

  3. Glucose, fructose and sucrose increase the solubility of protein-tannin complexes and at high concentration, glucose and sucrose interfere with bisulphite bleaching of wine pigments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harbertson, James F; Yuan, Chunlong; Mireles, Maria S; Hanlin, Rachel L; Downey, Mark O

    2013-05-01

    Wines were modified with increasing sugar concentrations and decreasing tannin concentrations and analysed by a combination of protein precipitation and bisulphite bleaching. Increasing sugar concentration decreased the precipitation of tannin and protein-precipitable polymeric pigments (PPP). The use of a hydrogen bond disruptor (urea) to reduce protein-tannin and protein-pigment complex formation showed that the effect of sugar concentration occurred by increasing the solubility of the tannin-protein complex, not by interfering with protein-tannin complex formation. By increasing the solubility of pigment-protein complexes, non-protein-precipitable polymeric pigments (nPPP) appeared to increase. There was also an increase in total polymeric pigments at each tannin concentration with increasing glucose and sucrose concentration, indicating that sugar concentration might also affect bisulphite bleaching of wine pigments. While a significant effect of sugar concentration on tannin-protein complex solubility was observed, these effects were greatest at sugar concentrations far in excess of normal wine making conditions. Under normal wine making conditions, sugar concentration will have a negligible effect on protein-precipitable tannin, PPP and nPPP concentrations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Monocyte/macrophage-derived soluble CD163: A novel biomarker in multiple myeloma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Morten Nørgaard; Abildgaard, Niels; Maniecki, Maciej B

    2014-01-01

    fluids (soluble CD163, sCD163). In this study, we examined serum sCD163 as a biomarker in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. METHODS: Peripheral blood (n = 104) and bone marrow (n = 17) levels of sCD163 were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: At diagnosis, high s......CD163 was associated with higher stage according to the International Staging System (ISS) and with other known prognostic factors in multiple myeloma (creatinine, C-reactive protein, and beta-2 microglobulin). Soluble CD163 decreased upon high-dose treatment, and in a multivariate survival analysis...... in bone marrow samples than in the matched blood samples, which indicate a localized production of sCD163 within the bone marrow microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS: Soluble CD163 was found to be a prognostic marker in patients with multiple myeloma. This may indicate that macrophages and/or monocytes have...

  5. Hydrogen solubility measurements of analyzed tall oil fractions and a solubility model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uusi-Kyyny, Petri; Pakkanen, Minna; Linnekoski, Juha; Alopaeus, Ville

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Hydrogen solubility was measured in four tall oil fractions between 373 and 597 K. • Continuous flow synthetic isothermal and isobaric method was used. • A Henry’s law model was developed for the distilled tall oil fractions. • The complex composition of the samples was analyzed and is presented. - Abstract: Knowledge of hydrogen solubility in tall oil fractions is important for designing hydrotreatment processes of these complex nonedible biobased materials. Unfortunately measurements of hydrogen solubility into these fractions are missing in the literature. This work reports hydrogen solubility measured in four tall oil fractions between 373 and 597 K and at pressures from 5 to 10 MPa. Three of the fractions were distilled tall oil fractions their resin acids contents are respectively 2, 20 and 23 in mass-%. Additionally one fraction was a crude tall oil (CTO) sample containing sterols as the main neutral fraction. Measurements were performed using a continuous flow synthetic isothermal and isobaric method based on the visual observation of the bubble point. Composition of the flow was changed step-wise for the bubble point composition determination. We assume that the tall oil fractions did not react during measurements, based on the composition analysis performed before and after the measurements. Additionally the densities of the fractions were measured at atmospheric pressure from 293.15 to 323.15 K. A Henry’s law model was developed for the distilled tall oil fractions describing the solubility with an absolute average deviation of 2.1%. Inputs of the solubility model are temperature, total pressure and the density of the oil at 323.15 K. The solubility of hydrogen in the CTO sample can be described with the developed model with an absolute average deviation of 3.4%. The solubility of hydrogen increases both with increasing pressure and/or increasing temperature. The more dense fractions of the tall oil exhibit lower hydrogen

  6. Organic Redox Species in Aqueous Flow Batteries: Redox Potentials, Chemical Stability and Solubility

    OpenAIRE

    Kristina Wedege; Emil Dražević; Denes Konya; Anders Bentien

    2016-01-01

    Organic molecules are currently investigated as redox species for aqueous low-cost redox flow batteries (RFBs). The envisioned features of using organic redox species are low cost and increased flexibility with respect to tailoring redox potential and solubility from molecular engineering of side groups on the organic redox-active species. In this paper 33, mainly quinone-based, compounds are studied experimentially in terms of pH dependent redox potential, solubility and stability, combined ...

  7. Water-Soluble N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Protected Gold Nanoparticles: Size-Controlled Synthesis, Stability, and Optical Properties

    OpenAIRE

    Salorinne, Kirsi; Man, Renee W.Y.; Li, Chien-Hung; Taki, Masayasu; Nambo, Masakazu; Crudden, Cathleen M.

    2017-01-01

    NHC-Au(I) complexes were used to prepare stable, water-soluble, NHC-protected gold nanoparticles. The water-soluble, charged nature of the nanoparticles permitted analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), which showed that the nanoparticles were highly monodisperse, with tunable core diameters between 2.0 and 3.3 nm depending on the synthesis conditions. Temporal, thermal, and chemical stability of the nanoparticles were determined to be high. Treatment with thiols caused etching...

  8. Efficient protein production method for NMR using soluble protein tags with cold shock expression vector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hayashi, Kokoro [Fujifilm Corporation, Analysis Technology Center (Japan); Kojima, Chojiro, E-mail: kojima@protein.osaka-u.ac.j [Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Graduate School of Biological Sciences (Japan)

    2010-11-15

    The E. coli protein expression system is one of the most useful methods employed for NMR sample preparation. However, the production of some recombinant proteins in E. coli is often hampered by difficulties such as low expression level and low solubility. To address these problems, a modified cold-shock expression system containing a glutathione S-transferase (GST) tag, the pCold-GST system, was investigated. The pCold-GST system successfully expressed 9 out of 10 proteins that otherwise could not be expressed using a conventional E. coli expression system. Here, we applied the pCold-GST system to 84 proteins and 78 proteins were successfully expressed in the soluble fraction. Three other cold-shock expression systems containing a maltose binding protein tag (pCold-MBP), protein G B1 domain tag (pCold-GB1) or thioredoxin tag (pCold-Trx) were also developed to improve the yield. Additionally, we show that a C-terminal proline tag, which is invisible in {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N HSQC spectra, inhibits protein degradation and increases the final yield of unstable proteins. The purified proteins were amenable to NMR analyses. These data suggest that pCold expression systems combined with soluble protein tags can be utilized to improve the expression and purification of various proteins for NMR analysis.

  9. Determination of hydrogen solubility in Fe-Mn-C melts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lob, Alexander; Senk, Dieter [Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy (IEHK), RWTH Aachen University (Germany); Hallstedt, Bengt [Materials Chemistry (MCh), RWTH Aachen University (Germany)

    2011-02-15

    High manganese steels are supposed to be sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement. This can be explained by increased hydrogen solubility in comparison to unalloyed steels. To minimise hydrogen pick up during melting operations, it is necessary to know accurately the hydrogen solubility as function of hydrogen partial pressure, temperature and Mn content. In this work in situ measurements of hydrogen content at 12, 18 and 23 wt.% Mn (and 0.6 wt.% C) using the Hydris {sup registered} system are compared to pin-tube measurements. Below about 7 ppm [H] both methods gave the same results and above 7 ppm [H] the in situ measurement showed slightly higher hydrogen contents because some hydrogen is lost during quenching with the pin-tube method. The measured solubilities were compared with thermodynamic calculations. Using dilute solution theory with data developed for alloyed Fe-based melts with up to 10 wt.% Mn gives reasonable results except that the hydrogen solubility is slightly underestimated for the presently investigated Mn contents. This could be compensated by using an interaction parameter of e{sup Mn}{sub H}=-0.004 instead of e{sup Mn}{sub H}=-0.0012. A Calphad type extrapolation from the binary Fe-H, Mn-H and Fe-Mn systems gave results very close to the experimental ones. This work is a contribution from the collaborative research centre SFB 761 ''Steel - ab initio''. (Copyright copyright 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  10. Soluble inhibitors/deactivators of cellulase enzymes from lignocellulosic biomass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Youngmi; Ximenes, Eduardo; Mosier, Nathan S; Ladisch, Michael R

    2011-04-07

    Liquid hot water, steam explosion, and dilute acid pretreatments of lignocellulose generate soluble inhibitors which hamper enzymatic hydrolysis as well as fermentation of sugars to ethanol. Toxic and inhibitory compounds will vary with pretreatment and include soluble sugars, furan derivatives (hydroxymethyl fulfural, furfural), organic acids (acetic, formic and, levulinic acid), and phenolic compounds. Their effect is seen when an increase in the concentration of pretreated biomass in a hydrolysis slurry results in decreased cellulose conversion, even though the ratio of enzyme to cellulose is kept constant. We used lignin-free cellulose, Solka Floc, combined with mixtures of soluble components released during pretreatment of wood, to prove that the decrease in the rate and extent of cellulose hydrolysis is due to a combination of enzyme inhibition and deactivation. The causative agents were extracted from wood pretreatment liquid using PEG surfactant, activated charcoal or ethyl acetate and then desorbed, recovered, and added back to a mixture of enzyme and cellulose. At enzyme loadings of either 1 or 25mg protein/g glucan, the most inhibitory components, later identified as phenolics, decreased the rate and extent of cellulose hydrolysis by half due to both inhibition and precipitation of the enzymes. Full enzyme activity occurred when the phenols were removed. Hence detoxification of pretreated woods through phenol removal is expected to reduce enzyme loadings, and therefore reduce enzyme costs, for a given level of cellulose conversion. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Effect of combined nitrogen dioxide and carbon nanoparticle exposure on lung function during ovalbumin sensitization in Brown Norway rat.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Skander Layachi

    Full Text Available The interaction of particulate and gaseous pollutants in their effects on the severity of allergic inflammation and airway responsiveness are not well understood. We assessed the effect of exposure to NO(2 in the presence or absence of repetitive treatment with carbon nanoparticle (CNP during allergen sensitization and challenges in Brown-Norway (BN rat, in order to assess their interactions on lung function and airway responses (AR to allergen and methacholine (MCH, end-expiratory lung volume (EELV, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF cellular content, serum and BALF cytokine levels and histological changes. Animals were divided into the following groups (n = 6: Control; CNP (Degussa-FW2: 13 nm, 0.5 mg/kg instilled intratracheally ×3 at 7-day intervals; OVA: ovalbumin-sensitised; OVA+CNP: both sensitized and exposed to CNP. Rats were divided into equal groups exposed either to air or to NO(2, 10 ppm, 6 h/d, 5d/wk for 4 weeks. Exposure to NO(2, significantly enhanced lung inflammation and airway reactivity, with a significantly larger effect in animals sensitized to allergen, which was related to a higher expression of TH1 and TH2-type cytokines. Conversely, exposure to NO(2 in animals undergoing repeated tracheal instillation of CNP alone, increased BALF neutrophilia and enhanced the expression of TH1 cytokines: TNF-α and IFN-γ, but did not show an additive effect on airway reactivity in comparison to NO(2 alone. The exposure to NO(2 combined with CNP treatment and allergen sensitization however, unexpectedly resulted in a significant decrease in both airway reactivity to allergen and to methacholine, and a reduction in TH2-type cytokines compared to allergen sensitization alone. EELV was significantly reduced with sensitization, CNP treatment or both. These data suggest an immunomodulatory effect of repeated tracheal instillation of CNP on the proinflammatory effects of NO(2 exposure in sensitized BN rat. Furthermore, our findings suggest

  12. Pure Phase Solubility Limits: LANL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    C. Stockman

    2001-01-01

    The natural and engineered system at Yucca Mountain (YM) defines the site-specific conditions under which one must determine to what extent the engineered and the natural geochemical barriers will prevent the release of radioactive material from the repository. Most important mechanisms for retention or enhancement of radionuclide transport include precipitation or co-precipitation of radionuclide-bearing solid phases (solubility limits), complexation in solution, sorption onto surfaces, colloid formation, and diffusion. There may be many scenarios that could affect the near-field environment, creating chemical conditions more aggressive than the conditions presented by the unperturbed system (such as pH changes beyond the range of 6 to 9 or significant changes in the ionic strength of infiltrated waters). For an extended period of time, the near-field water composition may be quite different and more extreme in pH, ionic strength, and CO 2 partial pressure (or carbonate concentration) than waters at some distance from the repository. Reducing conditions, high pH (up to 11), and low carbonate concentration may be present in the near-field after reaction of infiltrating groundwater with engineered barrier systems, such as cementitious materials. In the far-field, conditions are controlled by the rock-mass buffer providing a near-neutral, oxidizing, low-ionic-strength environment that controls radionuclide solubility limits and sorption capacities. There is the need for characterization of variable chemical conditions that affect solubility, speciation, and sorption reactions. Modeling of the groundwater chemistry is required and leads to an understanding of solubility and speciation of the important radionuclides. Because experimental studies cannot be performed under the numerous potential chemical conditions, solubility limitations must rely on geochemical modeling of the radionuclide's chemistry. Fundamental thermodynamic properties, such as solubility products

  13. Pure Phase Solubility Limits: LANL

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    C. Stockman

    2001-01-26

    The natural and engineered system at Yucca Mountain (YM) defines the site-specific conditions under which one must determine to what extent the engineered and the natural geochemical barriers will prevent the release of radioactive material from the repository. Most important mechanisms for retention or enhancement of radionuclide transport include precipitation or co-precipitation of radionuclide-bearing solid phases (solubility limits), complexation in solution, sorption onto surfaces, colloid formation, and diffusion. There may be many scenarios that could affect the near-field environment, creating chemical conditions more aggressive than the conditions presented by the unperturbed system (such as pH changes beyond the range of 6 to 9 or significant changes in the ionic strength of infiltrated waters). For an extended period of time, the near-field water composition may be quite different and more extreme in pH, ionic strength, and CO{sub 2} partial pressure (or carbonate concentration) than waters at some distance from the repository. Reducing conditions, high pH (up to 11), and low carbonate concentration may be present in the near-field after reaction of infiltrating groundwater with engineered barrier systems, such as cementitious materials. In the far-field, conditions are controlled by the rock-mass buffer providing a near-neutral, oxidizing, low-ionic-strength environment that controls radionuclide solubility limits and sorption capacities. There is the need for characterization of variable chemical conditions that affect solubility, speciation, and sorption reactions. Modeling of the groundwater chemistry is required and leads to an understanding of solubility and speciation of the important radionuclides. Because experimental studies cannot be performed under the numerous potential chemical conditions, solubility limitations must rely on geochemical modeling of the radionuclide's chemistry. Fundamental thermodynamic properties, such as solubility

  14. Differential response of nNOS knockout mice to MDMA ("ecstasy")- and methamphetamine-induced psychomotor sensitization and neurotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itzhak, Yossef; Anderson, Karen L; Ali, Syed F

    2004-10-01

    It has been shown that mice deficient in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) gene are resistant to cocaine-induced psychomotor sensitization and methamphetamine (METH)-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. The present study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that nNOS has a major role in dopamine (DA)- but not serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT)-mediated effects of psychostimulants. The response of nNOS knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice to the psychomotor-stimulating and neurotoxic effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "Ecstasy") and METH were investigated. Repeated administration of MDMA for 5 days resulted in psychomotor sensitization in both WT and nNOS KO mice, while repeated administration of METH caused psychomotor sensitization in WT but not in KO mice. Sensitization to both MDMA and METH was persistent for 40 days in WT mice, but not in nNOS KO mice. These findings suggest that the induction of psychomotor sensitization to MDMA and METH is NO independent and NO dependent, respectively, while the persistence of sensitization to both drugs is NO dependent. For the neurochemical studies, a high dose of MDMA caused marked depletion of 5-HT in several brain regions of both WT and KO mice, suggesting that the absence of the nNOS gene did not afford protection against MDMA-induced depletion of 5-HT. Striatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity caused by high doses of MDMA and METH in WT mice was partially prevented in KO mice administered with MDMA, but it was fully precluded in KO mice administered with METH. The differential response of nNOS KO mice to the behavioral and neurotoxic effects of MDMA and METH suggests that the nNOS gene is required for the expression and persistence of DA-mediated effects of METH and MDMA, while 5-HT-mediated effects of MDMA (induction of sensitization and 5-HT depletion) are not dependent on nNOS.

  15. Concomitant intake of alcohol may increase the absorption of poorly soluble drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fagerberg, Jonas H; Sjögren, Erik; Bergström, Christel A S

    2015-01-25

    Ethanol can increase the solubility of poorly soluble and hence present a higher drug concentration in the gastrointestinal tract. This may produce a faster and more effective absorption resulting in variable and/or high drug plasma concentrations, both of which can lead to adverse drug reactions. In this work we therefore studied the solubility and absorption effects of nine diverse compounds when ethanol was present. The apparent solubility was measured using the μDiss Profiler Plus (pION, MA) in four media representing gastric conditions with and without ethanol. The solubility results were combined with in-house data on solubility in intestinal fluids (with and without ethanol) and pharmacokinetic parameters extracted from the literature and used as input in compartmental absorption simulations using the software GI-Sim. Apparent solubility increased more than 7-fold for non-ionized compounds in simulated gastric fluid containing 20% ethanol. Compounds with weak base functions (cinnarizine, dipyridamole and terfenadine) were completely ionized at the studied gastric pH and their solubility was therefore unaffected by ethanol. Compounds with low solubility in intestinal media and a pronounced solubility increase due to ethanol in the upper gastric compartments showed an increased absorption in the simulations. The rate of absorption of the acidic compounds indomethacin and indoprofen was slightly increased but the extent of absorption was unaffected as the complete doses were readily absorbed even without ethanol. This was likely due to a high apparent solubility in the intestinal compartment where the weak acids are ionized. The absorption of the studied non-ionizable compounds increased when ethanol was present in the gastric and intestinal media. These results indicate that concomitant intake of alcohol may significantly increase the solubility and hence, the plasma concentration for non-ionizable, lipophilic compounds with the potential of adverse drug

  16. Effect of cyclodextrin complexation on the aqueous solubility and solubility/dose ratio of praziquantel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maragos, Stratos; Archontaki, Helen; Macheras, Panos; Valsami, Georgia

    2009-01-01

    Praziquantel (PZQ), the primary drug of choice in the treatment of schistosomiasis, is a highly lipophilic drug that possesses high permeability and low aqueous solubility and is, therefore, classified as a Class II drug according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS). In this work, beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) were used in order to determine whether increasing the aqueous solubility of a drug by complexation with CDs, a BCS-Class II compound like PZQ could behave as BCS-Class I (highly soluble/highly permeable) drug. Phase solubility and the kneading and lyophilization techniques were used for inclusion complex preparation; solubility was determined by UV spectroscopy. The ability of the water soluble polymer polyvinylpyrolidone (PVP) to increase the complexation and solubilization efficiency of beta-CD and HP-beta-CD for PZQ was examined. Results showed significant improvement of PZQ solubility in the presence of both cyclodextrins but no additional effect in the presence of PVP. The solubility/dose ratios values of PZQ-cyclodextrin complexes calculated considering the low (150 mg) and the high dose (600 mg) of PZQ, used in practice, indicate that PZQ complexation with CDs may result in drug dosage forms that would behave as a BCS-Class I depending on the administered dose.

  17. Low Dose Total Body Irradiation Combined With Recombinant CD19-Ligand × Soluble TRAIL Fusion Protein is Highly Effective Against Radiation-resistant B-precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatih M. Uckun

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available In high-risk remission B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BPL patients, relapse rates have remained high post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT even after the use of very intensive total body irradiation (TBI-based conditioning regimens, especially in patients with a high “minimal residual disease” (MRD burden. New agents capable of killing radiation-resistant BPL cells and selectively augmenting their radiation sensitivity are therefore urgently needed. We report preclinical proof-of-principle that the potency of radiation therapy against BPL can be augmented by combining radiation with recombinant human CD19-Ligand × soluble TRAIL (“CD19L–sTRAIL” fusion protein. CD19L–sTRAIL consistently killed radiation-resistant primary leukemia cells from BPL patients as well as BPL xenograft cells and their leukemia-initiating in vivo clonogenic fraction. Low dose total body irradiation (TBI combined with CD19L–sTRAIL was highly effective against (1 xenografted CD19+ radiochemotherapy-resistant human BPL in NOD/SCID (NS mice challenged with an otherwise invariably fatal dose of xenograft cells derived from relapsed BPL patients as well as (2 radiation-resistant advanced stage CD19+ murine BPL with lymphomatous features in CD22ΔE12xBCR-ABL double transgenic mice. We hypothesize that the incorporation of CD19L–sTRAIL into the pre-transplant TBI regimens of patients with very high-risk BPL will improve their survival outcome after HSCT.

  18. Oral formulation strategies to improve solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Abhishek; Worku, Zelalem Ayenew; Van den Mooter, Guy

    2011-10-01

    In the past two decades, there has been a spiraling increase in the complexity and specificity of drug-receptor targets. It is possible to design drugs for these diverse targets with advances in combinatorial chemistry and high throughput screening. Unfortunately, but not entirely unexpectedly, these advances have been accompanied by an increase in the structural complexity and a decrease in the solubility of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Therefore, the importance of formulation strategies to improve the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs is inevitable, thus making it crucial to understand and explore the recent trends. Drug delivery systems (DDS), such as solid dispersions, soluble complexes, self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS), nanocrystals and mesoporous inorganic carriers, are discussed briefly in this review, along with examples of marketed products. This article provides the reader with a concise overview of currently relevant formulation strategies and proposes anticipated future trends. Today, the pharmaceutical industry has at its disposal a series of reliable and scalable formulation strategies for poorly soluble drugs. However, due to a lack of understanding of the basic physical chemistry behind these strategies, formulation development is still driven by trial and error.

  19. The solubility-permeability interplay and its implications in formulation design and development for poorly soluble drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahan, Arik; Miller, Jonathan M

    2012-06-01

    While each of the two key parameters of oral drug absorption, the solubility and the permeability, has been comprehensively studied separately, the relationship and interplay between the two have been largely ignored. For instance, when formulating a low-solubility drug using various solubilization techniques: what are we doing to the apparent permeability when we increase the solubility? Permeability is equal to the drug's diffusion coefficient through the membrane times the membrane/aqueous partition coefficient divided by the membrane thickness. The direct correlation between the intestinal permeability and the membrane/aqueous partitioning, which in turn is dependent on the drug's apparent solubility in the GI milieu, suggests that the solubility and the permeability are closely associated, exhibiting a certain interplay between them, and the current view of treating the one irrespectively of the other may not be sufficient. In this paper, we describe the research that has been done thus far, and present new data, to shed light on this solubility-permeability interplay. It has been shown that decreased apparent permeability accompanies the solubility increase when using different solubilization methods. Overall, the weight of the evidence indicates that the solubility-permeability interplay cannot be ignored when using solubility-enabling formulations; looking solely at the solubility enhancement that the formulation enables may be misleading with regards to predicting the resulting absorption, and hence, the solubility-permeability interplay must be taken into account to strike the optimal solubility-permeability balance, in order to maximize the overall absorption.

  20. Soluble Mesothelin-Related Protein in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    AZIM, H.A.; GAAFAR, R.; KHORSHID, O.; ABDEL SALAM, I.; ASHMAWY, A.; EL-GUINDY, S.; ELATTAR, I.

    2008-01-01

    Background and Purpose: Building-up evidence suggests that soluble mesothelinrelated protein (SMRP) carries a diagnostic and a prognostic value in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Egypt suffers endemic asbestosis and thus this study was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of SMRP in patients with MPM and to correlate this marker with known clinico pathological prognostic factors. Material and Methods: During the period from January 2006 till March 2008, Serum samples were obtained from MPM patients presenting to the Egyptian National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. Serum samples were provided from patients with breast cancer and from healthy individuals to function as controls. The SMRP was assayed using the ELISA technique and correlations were made with different clinico-pathological prognostic parameters. Results: 83 patients (50 MPM and 33 breast cancer) as well as 22 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Serum SMRP levels were not different between patients with breast cancer and healthy controls (p>0.05). However, there was a significant difference between MPM patients and the other two groups (p<0.0001). ROC analysis showed an AUC=0.765 for differentiating between the controls and MPM with a best statistical cut-off of 7.22 nM/L (sensitivity=66%, specificity=70.9%). The mean SMRP concentrations were significantly higher in patients with advanced disease (p=0.038), poor performance status (p=0.017) and high alkaline phosphatase (p=0.015). The mean SMRP concentrations were also higher in males, elderly patients, asbestos-exposed patients, epithelioid subtypes and patients with high platelet and leucocytic counts. However, these differences did not reach statistical significance. 224 Conclusions: This study confirms that SMRP is of considerable sensitivity and specificity in Egyptian patients with MPM. Higher levels are frequently seen in patients with high tumor burden, which could be helpful in monitoring response to

  1. An α-helical core encodes the dual functions of the chlamydial protein IncA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ronzone, Erik; Wesolowski, Jordan; Bauler, Laura D; Bhardwaj, Anshul; Hackstadt, Ted; Paumet, Fabienne

    2014-11-28

    Chlamydia is an intracellular bacterium that establishes residence within parasitophorous compartments (inclusions) inside host cells. Chlamydial inclusions are uncoupled from the endolysosomal pathway and undergo fusion with cellular organelles and with each other. To do so, Chlamydia expresses proteins on the surface of the inclusion using a Type III secretion system. These proteins, termed Incs, are located at the interface between host and pathogen and carry out the functions necessary for Chlamydia survival. Among these Incs, IncA plays a critical role in both protecting the inclusion from lysosomal fusion and inducing the homotypic fusion of inclusions. Within IncA are two regions homologous to eukaryotic SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor) domains referred to as SNARE-like domain 1 (SLD1) and SNARE-like domain 2 (SLD2). Using a multidisciplinary approach, we have discovered the functional core of IncA that retains the ability to both inhibit SNARE-mediated fusion and promote the homotypic fusion of Chlamydia inclusions. Circular dichroism and analytical ultracentrifugation experiments show that this core region is composed almost entirely of α-helices and assembles into stable homodimers in solution. Altogether, we propose that both IncA functions are encoded in a structured core domain that encompasses SLD1 and part of SLD2. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  2. Salt and cocrystals of sildenafil with dicarboxylic acids: solubility and pharmacokinetic advantage of the glutarate salt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanphui, Palash; Tothadi, Srinu; Ganguly, Somnath; Desiraju, Gautam R

    2013-12-02

    Sildenafil is a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Because of poor aqueous solubility of the drug, the citrate salt, with improved solubility and pharmacokinetics, has been marketed. However, the citrate salt requires an hour to reach its peak plasma concentration. Thus, to improve solubility and bioavailability characteristics, cocrystals and salts of the drug have been prepared by treating aliphatic dicarboxylic acids with sildenafil; the N-methylated piperazine of the drug molecule interacts with the carboxyl group of the acid to form a heterosynthon. Salts are formed with oxalic and fumaric acid; salt monoanions are formed with succinic and glutaric acid. Sildenafil forms cocrystals with longer chain dicarboxylic acids such as adipic, pimelic, suberic, and sebacic acids. Auxiliary stabilization via C-H···O interactions is also present in these cocrystals and salts. Solubility experiments of sildenafil cocrystal/salts were carried out in 0.1N HCl aqueous medium and compared with the solubility of the citrate salt. The glutarate salt and pimelic acid cocrystal dissolve faster than the citrate salt in a two hour dissolution experiment. The glutarate salt exhibits improved solubility (3.2-fold) compared to the citrate salt in water. Solubilities of the binary salts follow an inverse correlation with their melting points, while the solubilities of the cocrystals follow solubilities of the coformer. Pharmacokinetic studies on rats showed that the glutarate salt exhibits doubled plasma AUC values in a single dose within an hour compared to the citrate salt. The high solubility of glutaric acid, in part originating from the strained conformation of the molecule and its high permeability, may be the reason for higher plasma levels of the drug.

  3. Using Aspen simulation package to determine solubility of mixed salts in TRU waste evaporator bottoms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hatchell, J.L.

    1998-03-01

    Nitric acid from plutonium process waste is a candidate for waste minimization by recycling. Process simulation software packages, such as Aspen, are valuable tools to estimate how effective recovery processes can be, however, constants in equations of state for many ionic components are not in their data libraries. One option is to combine single salt solubility`s in the Aspen model for mixed salt system. Single salt solubilities were regressed in Aspen within 0.82 weight percent of literature values. These were combined into a single Aspen model and used in the mixed salt studies. A simulated nitric acid waste containing mixed aluminum, calcium, iron, magnesium and sodium nitrate was tested to determine points of solubility between 25 and 100 C. Only four of the modeled experimental conditions, at 50 C and 75 C, produced a saturated solution. While experimental results indicate that sodium nitrate is the first salt to crystallize out, the Aspen computer model shows that the most insoluble salt, magnesium nitrate, the first salt to crystallize. Possible double salt formation is actually taking place under experimental conditions, which is not captured by the Aspen model.

  4. Staging N0 oral cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Jørn Bo; Sørensen, Jens Ahm; Grupe, Peter

    2005-01-01

    PURPOSE: To compare sentinel lymph node biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Doppler ultrasonography, and palpation as staging tools in patients with T1/T2 N0 cancer of the oral cavity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty consecutive patients were enrolled (17 F and 23 M, aged 32-90 years), 24 T1......%, but the sensitivity of MRI 36% was low. The specificities were 100%, 85%, and 93%, respectively. By combined sentinel lymph node biopsy and ultrasonography the overall sensitivity could have been 100%. CONCLUSION: Sentinel lymph node biopsy improved staging of patients with small N0 oral cancers. Combined sentinel...

  5. Molecular dynamics simulations of zinc oxide solubility: From bulk down to nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Escorihuela, Laura; Fernández, Alberto; Rallo, Robert; Martorell, Benjamí

    2018-02-01

    The solubility of metal oxides is one of the key descriptors for the evaluation of their potential toxic effects, both in the bulk form and in nanoparticulated aggregates. Current work presents a new methodology for the in silico assessment of the solubility of metal oxides, which is demonstrated using a well-studied system, ZnO. The calculation of the solubility is based on statistical thermodynamics tools combined with Density Functional Tight Binding theory for the evaluation of the free energy exchange during the dissolution process. Models of small ZnO clusters are used for describing the final dissolved material, since the complete ionic dissolution of ZnO is hindered by the formation of O2- anions in solution, which are highly unstable. Results show very good agreement between the computed solubility values and experimental data for ZnO bulk, up to 0.5 mg·L-1 and equivalents of 50 g·L-1 for the free Zn2+ cation in solution. However, the reference model for solid nanoparticles formed by free space nanoparticles can only give a limited quantitative solubility evaluation for ZnO nanoparticles.

  6. Predicting trace metal solubility and fractionation in Urban soils from isotopic exchangeability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mao, L.C.; Young, S.D.; Tye, A.M.; Bailey, E.H.

    2017-01-01

    Metal-salt amended soils (MA, n = 23), and historically-contaminated urban soils from two English cities (Urban, n = 50), were investigated to assess the effects of soil properties and contaminant source on metal lability and solubility. A stable isotope dilution method, with and without a resin purification step, was used to measure the lability of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. For all five metals in MA soils, lability (%E-values) could be reasonably well predicted from soil pH value with a simple logistic equation. However, there was evidence of continuing time-dependent fixation of Cd and Zn in the MA soils, following more than a decade of storage under air-dried conditions, mainly in high pH soils. All five metals in MA soils remained much more labile than in Urban soils, strongly indicating an effect of contaminant source on metal lability in the latter. Metal solubility was predicted for both sets of soil by the geochemical speciation model WHAM-VII, using E-value as an input variable. For soils with low metal solution concentrations, over-estimation of Cd, Ni and Zn solubility was associated with binding to the Fe oxide fraction while accurate prediction of Cu solubility was dependent on humic acid content. Lead solubility was most poorly described, especially in the Urban soils. Generally, slightly poorer estimation of metal solubility was observed in Urban soils, possibly due to a greater incidence of high pH values. The use of isotopically exchangeable metal to predict solubility is appropriate both for historically contaminated soils and where amendment with soluble forms of metal is used, as in toxicological trials. However, the major limitation to predicting solubility may lie with the accuracy of model input variables such as humic acid and Fe oxide contents where there is often a reliance on relatively crude analytical estimations of these variables. Trace metal reactivity in urban soils depends on both soil properties and the original source material

  7. Utilidad en el post parto de la determinación de protoporfirina eritrocitaria y su relación con el receptor soluble de transferrina Usefulness of erythrocyte protoporphyrin test in the puerperium compared to the soluble transferrin receptor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia H. Langini

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Se estudió, en 77 puérperas, la relación entre la protoporfirina eritrocitaria (PE, la ferritina sérica (FS, el receptor soluble de transferrina (RsT y los indicadores hematológicos utilizados en la rutina clínica. En sangre venosa se determinó: Hematocrito (Hto, Hemoglobina (Hb, recuento de glóbulos rojos (GR y glóbulos blancos (GB (contador electrónico MEGA; PE (Piomelli; en suero: RsT (ELISA, Orion Diagnostica, FS (ELISA, IMx Ferritina, Abbott y Proteína C-Reactiva (PCR- Látex, Wiener lab. Se analizaron sensibilidad (S, especificidad (E y puntos de corte mediante el modelo ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristics, considerando como gold standard el RsT. Los resultados (media ± DE fueron: Hto (% 35 ± 5; Hb (g/l 113 ± 18; GRx10³/mm³ 3 893 ± 489; VCM (fL 90 ± 6; GB/mm³ 9 543 ± 2.669; PE (µg/dl GR 46 ± 39; RsT (mg/l 4.7 ± 2.8; FS (µg/l 26 ± 31; PCR (Pos/Neg 72/5. La PE no correlacionó con FS, pero sí con el RsT (r=0.323, p=0.007. La S y E de la FS fueron de 83% y 63%, respectivamente, para un punto de corte de 25 µg/l; para la PE la S fue de 38% y la E de 90% para un punto de corte de 53 µg/dl GR. Estos resultados sugieren que ese punto de corte en el puerperio, permitiría detectar con un bajo costo un mayor porcentaje de mujeres (16% en nuestro estudio que presentan deficiencia de Fe pese a sus valores normales de hemoglobina.Erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP, serum ferritin (SF, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR and routine hematological laboratory tests were studied in 77 women 24 h post-partum, assisted at Paroissien Hospital (in Buenos Aires Province. Hematocrite (Hct, hemoglobin (Hb, red blood cells (RBC and white blood cells (WBC were determined using an electronic counter (Mega; EP by Piomelli’s; SF by ELISA (IMx Ferritina, Abbott; sTfR by ELISA (Orion Diagnostica and C-Reactive Protein (PCR-Latex, Wiener lab. All determinations were made in fasting blood samples. Statistical analysis (Receiver Operating

  8. Structural, functional and pH sensitive release characteristics of water-soluble polysaccharide from the seeds of Albizia lebbeck L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar Varma, Chekuri Ashok; Jayaram Kumar, K

    2017-11-01

    Plant polysaccharides, generally regarded as safe (GRAS), are gaining importance as excipients in drug delivery. Therefore, the current paper presents the studies on structural, functional and drug release study of water soluble polysaccharide (ALPS) from seeds of Albizia lebbeck L. High swelling, water holding capacity, foam stability and lower moisture content suggests its use as additive in food preparations. The apparent molecular weight of polysaccharide was found to be 1.98×10 2 kDa. Monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that ALPS consists of mannose (4.06%), rhamnose (22.79%), glucose (38.9%), galactose (17.84%) and xylose (16.42%). Micromeritic properties revealed that the polysaccharide possess potential for pharmaceutical applications. From the surface charge analysis, ALPS was found to be non-ionic polysaccharide. Morphological study reveals the polysaccharide with irregular particle shape and rough surface. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study confirms the carbohydrate nature of polysaccharide. From the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data, the second mass loss (243-340°C) attributed to polysaccharide degradation. The drug release profile reveals the use of polysaccharide for the preparation of pH sensitive pharmaceutical dosage forms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Actin-Sorting Nexin 27 (SNX27)-Retromer Complex Mediates Rapid Parathyroid Hormone Receptor Recycling*

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGarvey, Jennifer C.; Xiao, Kunhong; Bowman, Shanna L.; Mamonova, Tatyana; Zhang, Qiangmin; Bisello, Alessandro; Sneddon, W. Bruce; Ardura, Juan A.; Jean-Alphonse, Frederic; Vilardaga, Jean-Pierre; Puthenveedu, Manojkumar A.; Friedman, Peter A.

    2016-01-01

    The G protein-coupled parathyroid hormone receptor (PTHR) regulates mineral-ion homeostasis and bone remodeling. Upon parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulation, the PTHR internalizes into early endosomes and subsequently traffics to the retromer complex, a sorting platform on early endosomes that promotes recycling of surface receptors. The C terminus of the PTHR contains a type I PDZ ligand that binds PDZ domain-containing proteins. Mass spectrometry identified sorting nexin 27 (SNX27) in isolated endosomes as a PTHR binding partner. PTH treatment enriched endosomal PTHR. SNX27 contains a PDZ domain and serves as a cargo selector for the retromer complex. VPS26, VPS29, and VPS35 retromer subunits were isolated with PTHR in endosomes from cells stimulated with PTH. Molecular dynamics and protein binding studies establish that PTHR and SNX27 interactions depend on the PDZ recognition motif in PTHR and the PDZ domain of SNX27. Depletion of either SNX27 or VPS35 or actin depolymerization decreased the rate of PTHR recycling following agonist stimulation. Mutating the PDZ ligand of PTHR abolished the interaction with SNX27 but did not affect the overall rate of recycling, suggesting that PTHR may directly engage the retromer complex. Coimmunoprecipitation and overlay experiments show that both intact and mutated PTHR bind retromer through the VPS26 protomer and sequentially assemble a ternary complex with PTHR and SNX27. SNX27-independent recycling may involve N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor, which binds both PDZ intact and mutant PTHRs. We conclude that PTHR recycles rapidly through at least two pathways, one involving the ASRT complex of actin, SNX27, and retromer and another possibly involving N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor. PMID:27008860

  10. Exocytosis of gliotransmitters from cortical astrocytes: implications for synaptic plasticity and aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalo, Ulyana; Rasooli-Nejad, Seyed; Pankratov, Yuriy

    2014-10-01

    Maintaining brain function during aging is very important for mental and physical health. Recent studies showed a crucial importance of communication between two major types of brain cells: neurons transmitting electrical signals, and glial cells, which maintain the well-being and function of neurons. Still, the study of age-related changes in neuron-glia signalling is far from complete. We have shown previously that cortical astrocytes are capable of releasing ATP by a quantal soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex-dependent mechanism. Release of ATP from cortical astrocytes can be activated via various pathways, including direct UV-uncaging of intracellular Ca²⁺ or G-protein-coupled receptors. Importantly, release of both ATP and glutamate from neocortical astrocytes was not observed in brain slices of dominant-negative SNARE (dnSNARE) mice, expressing dnSNARE domain selectively in astrocytes. We also discovered that astrocyte-driven ATP can cause significant attenuation of synaptic inhibition in the pyramidal neurons via Ca²⁺-interaction between the neuronal ATP and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. Furthermore, we showed that astrocyte-derived ATP can facilitate the induction of long-term potentiation of synaptic plasticity in the neocortex. Our recent data have shown that an age-related decrease in the astroglial Ca²⁺ signalling can cause a substantial decrease in the exocytosis of gliotransmitters, in particular ATP. Age-related impairment of ATP release from cortical astrocytes can cause a decrease in the extent of astroglial modulation of synaptic transmission in the neocortex and can therefore contribute to the age-related impairment of synaptic plasticity and cognitive decline. Combined, our results strongly support the physiological relevance of glial exocytosis for glia-neuron communications and brain function.

  11. Extraction vitamins of group B water-soluble polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. I. Korenman

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available General lows of extraction of B vitamins in aquatic environments of the solution of polymers (poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, poly-N-vinilkaprolaktam has been studied. The influence of polymer concentration and structure on the distribution coefficients and degree of extraction of vitamins has been established. As a result, the direct search of a stable two-phase systems based on water-soluble polymers has been developed effective systems for the extraction of vitamin B from aqueous salt solutions.

  12. The effect of ochre applied to buffer zones on soluble phosphorus retention during combined surface and subsurface flow conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habibiandehkordi, R.; Quinton, J.; Surridge, B.

    2012-12-01

    Despite invention of a wide range of mitigating measures, diffuse phosphorus (P) pollution from agricultural lands still remains a major threat to the water resources. Thus, reducing P inputs along with improving the effectiveness of current best management practices (BMPs) is necessary to avoid eutrophication. Buffer zones are considered to be among the BMPs to control diffuse P pollution. However, these features are less effective in controlling soluble P loss with a retention range of -71 to +95% which is generally governed by the process of infiltration. Moreover, the soil in buffer strip system can be saturated over a course of time thereby enriching surface and subsurface runoff with soluble P. The aim of this study is to evaluate effectiveness of ochre applied to buffer strips in reducing the loss of soluble P during coupled surface and subsurface flow conditions. Batch experiments showed a maximum P retention capacity of 17.2 g kg-1 for ochre collected from a mine water treatment plant in Capehouse, UK without any risk of P desorption or releasing trace elements to the environment. The preliminarily results of flume experiments confirms the suitability of ochre to be used as a soil amendment in conjunction with buffer strips for tackling soluble P loss.

  13. Head-To-Head Comparison of Different Solubility-Enabling Formulations of Etoposide and Their Consequent Solubility-Permeability Interplay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beig, Avital; Miller, Jonathan M; Lindley, David; Carr, Robert A; Zocharski, Philip; Agbaria, Riad; Dahan, Arik

    2015-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to conduct a head-to-head comparison of different solubility-enabling formulations, and their consequent solubility-permeability interplay. The low-solubility anticancer drug etoposide was formulated in several strengths of four solubility-enabling formulations: hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, the cosolvent polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG-400), the surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate, and an amorphous solid dispersion formulation. The ability of these formulations to increase the solubility of etoposide was investigated, followed by permeability studies using the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) and examination of the consequent solubility-permeability interplay. All formulations significantly increased etoposide's apparent solubility. The cyclodextrin-, surfactant-, and cosolvent-based formulations resulted in a concomitant decreased permeability that could be modeled directly from the proportional increase in the apparent solubility. On the contrary, etoposide permeability remained constant when using the ASD formulation, irrespective of the increased apparent solubility provided by the formulation. In conclusion, supersaturation resulting from the amorphous form overcomes the solubility-permeability tradeoff associated with other formulation techniques. Accounting for the solubility-permeability interplay may allow to develop better solubility-enabling formulations, thereby maximizing the overall absorption of lipophilic orally administered drugs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  14. Solubility of Aragonite in Subduction Water-Rich Fluids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel, I.; Facq, S.; Petitgirard, S.; Cardon, H.; Sverjensky, D. A.

    2017-12-01

    Carbonate dissolution in subduction zone fluids is critical to the carbon budget in subduction zones. Depending on the solubility of carbonate minerals in aqueous fluids, the subducting lithosphere may be either strongly depleted and the mantle metasomatized if the solubility is high, as recently suggested by natural samples or transport carbon deeper into the Earth's mantle if the solubility is low enough [1, 2]. Dissolution of carbonate minerals strongly depends on pressure and temperature as well as on the chemistry of the fluid, leading to a highly variable speciation of aqueous carbon. Thanks to recent advances in theoretical aqueous geochemistry [3, 4], combined experimental and theoretical efforts now allow the investigation of speciation and solubility of carbonate minerals in aqueous fluids at PT conditions higher than previously feasible [4, 5]. In this study, we present new in situ X-ray fluorescence measurements of aragonite dissolution up to 5 GPa and 500°C and the subsequent thermodynamic model of aragonite solubility in aqueous fluids thanks to the Deep Earth Water model. The amount of dissolved aragonite in the fluid was calculated from challenging and unprecedented measurements of the Ca fluorescence K-lines at low-energy. Experiments were performed at the ESRF, beamline ID27 using a dedicated design of an externally-heated diamond anvil cell and an incident high-flux and highly focused monochromatic X-Ray beam at 20 keV. The results show a spectacularly high solubility of aragonite at HP-HT in water, further enhanced in presence of NaCl and silica in the solution. [1] Frezzotti, M. L. et al. (2011) doi:10.1038/ngeo1246. [2] Ague, J. J. and Nicolescu, S. (2014) doi:10.1038/ngeo2143. [3] Pan, D. et al. (2013) doi: 10.1073/pnas.1221581110. [4] Sverjensky, D. A et al. (2014) doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2013.12.019. [5] Facq, S. et al. (2014) doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2014.01.030.

  15. Validation of a screening method for the simultaneous identification of fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins (A, E, B1, B2 and B6) in an aqueous micellar medium of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    León-Ruiz, V; Vera, S; San Andrés, M P

    2005-04-01

    Simultaneous determination of the fat-soluble vitamins A and E and the water-soluble vitamins B1, B2 and B6 has been carried using a screening method from fluorescence contour graphs. These graphs show different colour zones in relation to the fluorescence intensity measured for the pair of excitation/emission wavelengths. The identification of the corresponding excitation/emission wavelength zones allows the detection of different vitamins in an aqueous medium regardless of the fat or water solubility of each vitamin, owing to the presence of a surfactant which forms micelles in water at the used concentration (over the critical micelle concentration). The micelles dissolve very water insoluble compounds, such as fat-soluble vitamins, inside the aggregates. This approach avoids the use of organic solvents in determining these vitamins and offers the possibility of analysing fat- and water-soluble vitamins simultaneously. The method has been validated in terms of detection limit, cut-off limit, sensitivity, number of false positives, number of false negatives and uncertainty range. The detection limit is about microg L(-1). The screening method was applied to different samples such as pharmaceuticals, juices and isotonic drinks.

  16. Temperature and curing time affect composite sorption and solubility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabrício Luscino Alves de Castro

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: This study evaluated the effect of temperature and curing time on composite sorption and solubility. Material and Methods: Seventy five specimens (8×2 mm were prepared using a commercial composite resin (ICE, SDI. Three temperatures (10°C, 25°C and 60°C and five curing times (5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 40 s and 60 s were evaluated. The specimens were weighed on an analytical balance three times: A: before storage (M1; B: 7 days after storage (M2; C: 7 days after storage plus 1 day of drying (M3. The storage solution consisted of 75% alcohol/25% water. Sorption and solubility were calculated using these three weights and specimen dimensions. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U Tests (α=5%. Results: The results showed that time, temperature and their interaction influenced the sorption and solubility of the composite (p0.05. The 60°C composite temperature led to lower values of sorption for all curing times when compared with the 10°C temperature (p0.05. Solubility was similar at 40 s and 60 s for all temperatures (p>0.05, but was higher at 10°C than at 60°C for all curing times (p0.05. Conclusions: In conclusion, higher temperatures or longer curing times led to lower sorption and solubility values for the composite tested; however, this trend was only significant in specific combinations of temperature and curing times.

  17. Enhancement of Solubility, Dissolution rate and Bioavailability of Efavirenz by Cyclodextrins and Solutol HS15 - A Factorial Study

    OpenAIRE

    R. Yogananda; K. P. R. Chowdary

    2013-01-01

    Efavirenz widely prescribed anti-retroviral drug belongs to class II BCS and exhibit low and variable oral bioavailability due to its poor aqueous solubility and it requires enhancement in solubility and dissolution rate for increasing its oral bioavailability. The objective of the present investigation is to enhance the solubility, dissolution rate and bioavailability of efavirenz by the use of cyclodextrins (%CD and HP%CD) and surfactant, Solutol HS15. The individual main effects and combin...

  18. Comparison of leaf gas exchange and stable isotope signature of water-soluble compounds along canopy gradients of co-occurring Douglas-fir and European beech.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bögelein, Rebekka; Hassdenteufel, Martin; Thomas, Frank M; Werner, Willy

    2012-07-01

    Combined δ(13) C and δ(18) O analyses of water-soluble leaf and twig phloem material were used to determine intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) and variability of stomatal conductance at different crown positions in adult European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) trees. Simultaneous gas exchange measurements allowed evaluation of the differences in calculating iWUE from leaf or phloem water-soluble compounds, and comparison with a semi-quantitative dual isotope model to infer variability of net photosynthesis (A(n) ) between the investigated crown positions. Estimates of iWUE from δ(13) C of leaf water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) outperformed the estimates from phloem compounds. In the beech crown, δ(13) C of leaf WSOM coincided clearly with gas exchange measurements. The relationship was not as reliable in the Douglas-fir. The differences in δ(18) O between leaf and phloem material were found to correlate with stomatal conductance. The semi-quantitative model approach was applicable for comparisons of daily average A(n) between different crown positions and trees. Intracanopy gradients were more pronounced in the beech than in the Douglas-fir, which reached higher values of iWUE at the respective positions, particularly under dry air conditions. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  19. A SENSITIZED PHOTOINITIATION SYSTEM——BIS (7- DIETHYLAMINO COUMARIN )KETONE- 3 AND DIPHENYLIODONIUM SALT COMBINATION

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LI Jun; WANG Xiuzhi; YANG Yongyung; LI Miaozhen; WANG Erjian

    1993-01-01

    Bis (7- diethylaminocoumarin ) ketone- 3(DACK) and diphenyliodonium salt (DPIO)combination as an effective photoinitiation system for radical polymerization has been investigated. The sensitized photolysis of DACK/DPIO leads to bleaching of DACK and decomposition of DPIO to generate initiating radical species. The electron transfer sensitization occurs mainly from the triplet state of DACK. The photobleaching obeyed a second-order kinetics and the rate constant was evaluated to be 31.3mol-1.l.s-1. Photopolymerization of MMA initiated by DACK/DPIO was carried out in acetonitrile solution. The polymerization rate was found to be proportional to the concentration of DACK, DPIO and MMA with the exponents of 0.34, 0.40 and 1.0 respectively. The initiated efficiency is comparable to those of small molecular ketones. The sensitized photoinitiation mechanism has been discussed.

  20. Solubility of Hydrogen and Nitrogen in liquid cast iron during melting and mold filling

    OpenAIRE

    Diószegi, Attila; Elfsberg, Jessica; Diószegi, Zoltán

    2016-01-01

    Defect formation like gas- and shrinkage porosity at cast iron component production is related to the content of gaseous elements in the liquid metal. The present work investigate the solubility of hydrogen and nitrogen in liquid iron aimed for production of lamellar and compacted graphite cast iron. The used methods and instruments are a combination of commercial measuring devices and novel experimental assemblies for measuring solubility of hydrogen and nitrogen during melting and mold fill...

  1. Control of strain in GaN by a combination of H2 and N2 carrier gases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamaguchi, Shigeo; Kariya, Michihiko; Kosaki, Masayoshi; Yukawa, Yohei; Nitta, Shugo; Amano, Hiroshi; Akasaki, Isamu

    2001-01-01

    We study the effect of a combination of N 2 and H 2 carrier gases on the residual strain and crystalline properties of GaN, and we propose its application to the improvement of crystalline quality of GaN/Al 0.17 Ga 0.83 N multiple quantum well (MQW) structures. GaN was grown with H 2 or N 2 carrier gas (H 2 - or N 2 - GaN) on an AlN low-temperature-deposited buffer layer. A (0001) sapphire substrate was used. N 2 - GaN was grown on H 2 - GaN. The total thickness was set to be 1.5 μm, and the ratio of N 2 - GaN thickness to the total thickness, x, ranged from 0 to 1. With increasing x, the tensile stress in GaN increased. Photoluminescence intensity at room temperature was much enhanced. Moreover, the crystalline quality of GaN/Al 0.17 Ga 0.83 N MQW was much higher when the MQW was grown with N 2 on H 2 - GaN than when it was grown with H 2 on H 2 - GaN. These results were due to the achievement of control of strain in GaN using a combination of N 2 - GaN and H 2 - GaN. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

  2. Identification of water-soluble heavy crude oil organic-acids, bases, and neutrals by electrospray ionization and field desorption ionization fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanford, Lateefah A; Kim, Sunghwan; Klein, Geoffrey C; Smith, Donald F; Rodgers, Ryan P; Marshall, Alan G

    2007-04-15

    We identify water-soluble (23 degrees C) crude oil NSO nonvolatile acidic, basic, and neutral crude oil hydrocarbons by negative-ion ESI and continuous flow FD FT-ICR MS at an average mass resolving power, m/deltam50% = 550,000. Of the 7000+ singly charged acidic species identified in South American crude oil, surprisingly, many are water-soluble, and much more so in pure water than in seawater. The truncated m/z distributions for water-soluble components exhibit preferential molecular weight, size, and heteroatom class influences on hydrocarbon solubility. Acidic water-soluble heteroatomic classes detected at >1% relative abundance include O, O2, O3, O4, OS, O2S, O3S, O4S, NO2, NO3, and NO4. Parent oil class abundance does not directly relate to abundance in the water-soluble fraction. Acidic oxygen-containing classes are most prevalent in the water-solubles, whereas acidic nitrogen-containing species are least soluble. In contrast to acidic nitrogen-containing heteroatomic classes, basic nitrogen classes are water-soluble. Water-soluble heteroatomic basic classes detected at >1% relative abundance include N, NO, NO2, NS, NS2, NOS, NO2S, N2, N2O, N2O2, OS, O2S, and O2S2.

  3. Sensitivity of resistive and Hall measurements to local inhomogeneities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koon, Daniel W.; Wang, Fei; Petersen, Dirch Hjorth

    2013-01-01

    We derive exact, analytic expressions for the sensitivity of resistive and Hall measurements to local inhomogeneities in a specimen's material properties in the combined linear limit of a weak perturbation over an infinitesimal area in a small magnetic field. We apply these expressions both to four-point...... probe measurements on an infinite plane and to symmetric, circular van der Pauw discs, obtaining functions consistent with published results. These new expressions speed up calculation of the sensitivity for a specimen of arbitrary shape to little more than the solution of two Laplace equation boundary......-value problems of the order of N3 calculations, rather than N2 problems of total order N5, and in a few cases produces an analytic expression for the sensitivity. These functions provide an intuitive, visual explanation of how, for example, measurements can predict the wrong carrier type in n-type ZnO....

  4. Indomethacin solubility estimation in 1,4-dioxane + water mixtures by the extended hildebrand solubility approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miller A Ruidiaz

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Extended Hildebrand Solubility Approach (EHSA was successfully applied to evaluate the solubility of Indomethacin in 1,4-dioxane + water mixtures at 298.15 K. An acceptable correlation-performance of EHSA was found by using a regular polynomial model in order four of the W interaction parameter vs. solubility parameter of the mixtures (overall deviation was 8.9%. Although the mean deviation obtained was similar to that obtained directly by means of an empiric regression of the experimental solubility vs. mixtures solubility parameters, the advantages of EHSA are evident because it requires physicochemical properties easily available for drugs.

  5. Sensitive Determination of Onco-metabolites of D- and L-2-hydroxyglutarate Enantiomers by Chiral Derivatization Combined with Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Qing-Yun; Xiong, Jun; Huang, Wei; Ma, Qin; Ci, Weimin; Feng, Yu-Qi; Yuan, Bi-Feng

    2015-01-01

    2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) is a potent competitor of α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) and can inhibit multiple α-KG dependent dioxygenases that function on the epigenetic modifications. The accumulation of 2HG contributes to elevated risk of malignant tumors. 2HG carries an asymmetric carbon atom in its carbon backbone and differentiation between D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG) and L-2-hydroxyglutarate (L-2HG) is crucially important for accurate diagnosis of 2HG related diseases. Here we developed a strategy by chiral derivatization combined with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis for highly sensitive determination of D-2HG and L-2HG enantiomers. N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-L-phenylalanyl chloride (TSPC) was used to derivatize 2HG. The formed diastereomers by TSPC labeling can efficiently improve the chromatographic separation of D-2HG and L-2HG. And derivatization by TSPC could also markedly increase the detection sensitivities by 291 and 346 folds for D-2HG and L-2HG, respectively. Using the developed method, we measured the contents of D-2HG and L-2HG in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tissues. We observed 12.9 and 29.8 folds increase of D-2HG and L-2HG, respectively, in human ccRCC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. The developed chiral derivatization combined with LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis offers sensitive determination of D-2HG and L-2HG enantiomers, which benefits the precise diagnosis of 2HG related metabolic diseases. PMID:26458332

  6. Prevention of ethanol-induced vascular injury and gastric mucosal lesions by sucralfate and its components: possible role of endogenous sulfhydryls

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szabo, S.; Brown, A.

    1987-09-01

    The authors tested the hypothesis that sucralfate, which contains eight sulfate and aluminum molecules on a sucrose and its other components might decrease ethanol-induced vascular injury and hemorrhagic mucosal lesions through a sulfhydryl (SH)-sensitive process. Experiments performed in rats revealed that the entire sucralfate molecule is not a prerequisite for protection against ethanol-induced mucosal vascular injury and erosions. It appears that sulfate and sucrose octasulfate are potent components of sucralfate, although an equimolar amount of sucralfate is at least twice as effective in gastroprotection than its components. The SH alkylator N-ethylmaleimide abolished the gastroprotection by sucralfate, suggesting SH-sensitive process in the mucosal protection which seems to be associated with the prevention of rapidly developing vascular injury in the stomach of rats given ethanol.

  7. Solubility behavior and biopharmaceutical classification of novel high-solubility ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin pharmaceutical derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breda, Susana A; Jimenez-Kairuz, Alvaro F; Manzo, Ruben H; Olivera, María E

    2009-04-17

    The hydrochlorides of the 1:3 aluminum:norfloxacin and aluminum:ciprofloxacin complexes were characterized according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) premises in comparison with their parent compounds. The pH-solubility profiles of the complexes were experimentally determined at 25 and 37 degrees C in the range of pH 1-8 and compared to that of uncomplexed norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Both complexes are clearly more soluble than the antibiotics themselves, even at the lowest solubility pHs. The increase in solubility was ascribed to the species controlling solubility, which were analyzed in the solid phases at equilibrium at selected pHs. Additionally, permeability was set as low, based on data reported in the scientific literature regarding oral bioavailability, intestinal and cell cultures permeabilities and also considering the influence of stoichiometric amounts of aluminum. The complexes fulfill the BCS criterion to be classified as class 3 compounds (high solubility/low permeability). Instead, the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) currently used in solid dosage forms, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, proved to be BCS class 4 (low solubility/low permeability). The solubility improvement turns the complexes as potential biowaiver candidates from the scientific point of view and may be a good way for developing more dose-efficient formulations. An immediate release tablet showing very rapid dissolution was obtained. Its dissolution profile was compared to that of the commercial ciprofloxacin hydrochloride tablets allowing to dissolution of the complete dose at a critical pH such as 6.8.

  8. Sensitivity of on-resistance and threshold voltage to buffer-related deep level defects in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armstrong, Andrew M; Allerman, Andrew A; Baca, Albert G; Sanchez, Carlos A

    2013-01-01

    The influence of deep levels defects located in highly resistive GaN:C buffers on the on-resistance (R ON ) and threshold voltage (V th ) of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) power devices was studied by a combined photocapacitance deep level optical spectroscopy (C-DLOS) and photoconductance deep level optical spectroscopy (G-DLOS) methodology as a function of electrical stress. Two carbon-related deep levels at 1.8 and 2.85 eV below the conduction band energy minimum were identified from C-DLOS measurements under the gate electrode. It was found that buffer-related defects under the gate shifted V th positively by approximately 10%, corresponding to a net areal density of occupied defects of 8 × 10 12 cm −2 . The effect of on-state drain stress and off-state gate stress on buffer deep level occupancy and R ON was also investigated via G-DLOS. It was found that the same carbon-related deep levels observed under the gate were also active in the access region. Off-state gate stress produced significantly more trapping and degradation of R ON (∼140%) compared to on-state drain stress (∼75%). Greater sensitivity of R ON to gate stress was explained by a more sharply peaked lateral distribution of occupied deep levels between the gate and drain compared to drain stress. The overall greater sensitivity of R ON compared to V th to buffer defects suggests that electron trapping is significantly greater in the access region compared to under the gate, likely due to the larger electric fields in the latter region. (invited paper)

  9. Physiological and Biochemical Characteristics in Flag Leaves of the C Liangyou Series of Hybrid Rice Combinations at Late Growth Stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-bang TANG

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The contents of chlorophyll, soluble sugars, soluble proteins and thiobarbituric acid reaction substance (TBARS, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, net photosynthetic rate as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD and peroxidase (POD of flag leaves at the late growth stages were studied by using C Liangyou series of hybrid rice combinitions as material and Shanyou 63 as control. The C Liangyou series of hybrid rice combinations used in the experiment included C Liangyou 396, C Liangyou 87, C Liangyou 755 and C Liangyou 34, which all used C815S as male sterile line. The contents of chlorophyll, soluble sugars and soluble proteins in flag leaves of the C Liangyou series combinations at the late growth stages were higher than those of the control, whereas the TBARS content was lower than that of the control. The activities of SOD and POD were significantly higher than those of the control on the 7th day after heading, and then decreased slowly. FPSII value and qP value of flag leaves decreased at the late growth stages, and these two parameters in flag leaves of the C Liangyou series combinations were higher than those of the control, while the qN value increased at the late growth stages and was lower than that of the control. The net photosynthetic rate of flag leaves at the late growth stage was higher compared with the control. These results suggest that slow senescence and strong photosynthetic capability in flag leaves at the late growth stages are the physiological basis of the C Liangyou series combinations.

  10. Comparison of lead removal behaviors and generation of water-soluble sodium compounds in molten lead glass under a reductive atmosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okada, Takashi; Nishimura, Fumihiro; Xu, Zhanglian; Yonezawa, Susumu

    2018-06-01

    We propose a method of reduction-melting at 1000 °C, using a sodium-based flux, to recover lead from cathode-ray tube funnel glass. To recover the added sodium from the treated glass, we combined a reduction-melting process with a subsequent annealing step at 700 °C, generating water-soluble sodium compounds in the molten glass. Using this combined process, this study compares lead removal behavior and the generation of water-soluble sodium compounds (sodium silicates and carbonates) in order to gain fundamental information to enhance the recovery of both lead and sodium. We find that lead removal increases with increasing melting time, whereas the generation efficiency of water-soluble sodium increases and decreases periodically. In particular, near 90% lead removal, the generation of water-soluble sodium compounds decreased sharply, increasing again with the prolongation of melting time. This is due to the different crystallization and phase separation efficiencies of water-soluble sodium in molten glass, whose structure continuously changes with lead removal. Previous studies used a melting time of 60 min in the processes. However, in this study, we observe that a melting time of 180 min enhances the water-soluble sodium generation efficiency.

  11. Effects of acute NH3 air pollution on N-sensitive and N-tolerant lichen species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paoli, Luca; Maslaňáková, Ivana; Grassi, Alice; Bačkor, Martin; Loppi, Stefano

    2015-12-01

    Lichens are sensitive to the presence of ammonia (NH3) in the environment. However, in order to use them as reliable indicators in biomonitoring studies, it is necessary to establish unequivocally the occurrence of certain symptoms following the exposure to NH3 in the environment. In this paper, we simulated an episode of acute air pollution due to the release of NH3. The biological effects of acute air pollution by atmospheric NH3 have been investigated using N-sensitive (Flavoparmelia caperata) and N-tolerant (Xanthoria parietina) species. Lichen samples were exposed to ecologically relevant NH3 concentrations for 8 weeks, simulating three areas of impact: a control area (2 μg/m(3)), an area of intermediate impact (2-35 μg/m(3)) and an area of high impact (10-315 μg/m(3)), with a peak of pollution reached between the fourth and fifth week. Ammonia affected both the photobiont and the mycobiont in F. caperata, while in X. parietina only the photosynthetic performance of the photobiont was altered after exposure to the highest concentration. In the photobiont of F. caperata we recorded chlorophyll degradation as indicated by OD435/415 ratio, decrease of the photosynthetic performance (as reflected by the maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry FV/FM and the performance index PIABS); in the mycobiont, ergosterol reduction, membrane lipid peroxidation (as reflected by the increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), alteration (decrease) of the secondary metabolite usnic acid. No effects were detected on caperatic acid and dehydrogenase activity. In X. parietina, the only signal determined by NH3 was the alteration of FV/FM and the performance index PIABS. The results suggest that physiological parameters in N-sensitive lichens well reflect the effects of NH3 exposure and can be applied as early indicators in monitoring studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Profiling and relationship of water-soluble sugar and protein compositions in soybean seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiaomin; Yuan, Fengjie; Fu, Xujun; Zhu, Danhua

    2016-04-01

    Sugar and protein are important quality traits in soybean seeds for making soy-based food products. However, the investigations on both compositions and their relationship have rarely been reported. In this study, a total of 35 soybean germplasms collected from Zhejiang province of China, were evaluated for both water-soluble sugar and protein. The total water-soluble sugar (TWSS) content of the germplasms studied ranged from 84.70 to 140.91 mg/g and the water-soluble protein (WSP) content varied from 26.5% to 36.0%. The WSP content showed positive correlations with the TWSS and sucrose contents but negative correlations with the fructose and glucose contents. The clustering showed the 35 germplasms could be divided into four groups with specific contents of sugar and protein. The combination of water-soluble sugar and protein profiles provides useful information for future breeding and genetic research. This investigation will facilitate future work for seed quality improvement. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  13. Estimation of the Temperature-Dependent Nitrogen Solubility in Stainless Fe-Cr-Mn-Ni-Si-C Steel Melts During Processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendler, Marco; Hauser, Michael; Sandig, Eckhard Frank; Volkova, Olena

    2018-04-01

    The influence of chemical composition, temperature, and pressure on the nitrogen solubility of various high alloy stainless steel grades, namely Fe-14Cr-(0.17-7.77)Mn-6Ni-0.5Si-0.03C [wt pct], Fe-15Cr-3Mn-4Ni-0.5Si-0.1C [wt pct], and Fe-19Cr-3Mn-4Ni-0.5Si-0.15C [wt pct], was studied in the melt. The temperature-dependent N-solubility was determined using an empirical approach proposed by Wada and Pehlke. The thus calculated N-concentrations overestimate the actual N-solubility of all the studied Fe-Cr-Mn-Ni-Si-C steel melts at a given temperature and pressure. Consequently, the calculation model has to be modified by Si and C because both elements are not recognized in the original equation. The addition of the 1st and 2nd order interaction parameters for Si and C to the model by Wada and Pehlke allows a precise estimation of the temperature-dependent nitrogen solubility in the liquid steel bath, and fits very well with the measured nitrogen concentrations during processing of the steels. Moreover, the N-solubility enhancing effect of Cr- and Mn-additions has been demonstrated.

  14. Separation of three water-soluble vitamins by poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchannel electrophoresis with electrochemical detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiang-Yun; Zhang, Qian-Li; Lian, Hong-Zhen; Xu, Jing-Juan; Chen, Hong-Yuan

    2007-09-01

    A method for rapid separation and sensitive determination of three water-soluble vitamins, pyridoxine, ascorbic acid (VC), and p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) has been developed by PDMS microchannel electrophoresis integrated with amperometric detection. After treatment of the microchip with oxygen plasma, the peak shapes of the three analytes were essentially improved. Pyridoxine, VC, and PABA were well separated within only 80 s in a running buffer of 20 mM borate solution (pH 8.5). Good linearity was obtained within the concentration range of 2-200 microM for the three water-soluble vitamins. The detection limits were 1.0 microM for pyridoxine and VC, and 1.5 microM for PABA. The proposed method has been successfully applied to real human urine sample, without solid phase extraction, with recoveries of 80-122% for the three water-soluble vitamins.

  15. Simultaneous quantification of 21 water soluble vitamin circulating forms in human plasma by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meisser Redeuil, Karine; Longet, Karin; Bénet, Sylvie; Munari, Caroline; Campos-Giménez, Esther

    2015-11-27

    This manuscript reports a validated analytical approach for the quantification of 21 water soluble vitamins and their main circulating forms in human plasma. Isotope dilution-based sample preparation consisted of protein precipitation using acidic methanol enriched with stable isotope labelled internal standards. Separation was achieved by reversed-phase liquid chromatography and detection performed by tandem mass spectrometry in positive electrospray ionization mode. Instrumental lower limits of detection and quantification reached water soluble vitamins in human plasma single donor samples. The present report provides a sensitive and reliable approach for the quantification of water soluble vitamins and main circulating forms in human plasma. In the future, the application of this analytical approach will give more confidence to provide a comprehensive assessment of water soluble vitamins nutritional status and bioavailability studies in humans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. A new synthetic methodology for the preparation of biocompatible and organo-soluble barbituric- and thiobarbituric acid based chitosan derivatives for biomedical applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shahzad, Sohail [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Shahzadi, Lubna [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Mahmood, Nasir [Department of Allied Health Sciences and Chemical Pathology, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Pakistan); Siddiqi, Saadat Anwar [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Rauf, Abdul [Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Manzoor, Faisal; Chaudhry, Aqif Anwar [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Rehman, Ihtesham ur [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Kroto Research Institute, The University of Sheffield, North Campus, Broad Lane, Sheffield, S3 7HQ (United Kingdom); Yar, Muhammad, E-mail: drmyar@ciitlahore.edu.pk [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan)

    2016-09-01

    Chitosan's poor solubility especially in organic solvents limits its use with other organo-soluble polymers; however such combinations are highly required to tailor their properties for specific biomedical applications. This paper describes the development of a new synthetic methodology for the synthesis of organo-soluble chitosan derivatives. These derivatives were synthesized from chitosan (CS), triethyl orthoformate and barbituric or thiobarbituric acid in the presence of 2-butannol. The chemical interactions and new functional motifs in the synthesized CS derivatives were evaluated by FTIR, DSC/TGA, UV/VIS, XRD and {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy. A cytotoxicity investigation for these materials was performed by cell culture method using VERO cell line and all the synthesized derivatives were found to be non-toxic. The solubility analysis showed that these derivatives were readily soluble in organic solvents including DMSO and DMF. Their potential to use with organo-soluble commercially available polymers was exploited by electrospinning; the synthesized derivatives in combination with polycaprolactone delivered nanofibrous membranes. - Highlights: • Development of a new synthetic methodology • Synthesis of organo-soluble chitosan (CS) derivatives • VERO cells proliferation • Nanofibrous membranes from the synthesized chitosan derivatives and polycaprolactone.

  17. Water Solubility of Plutonium and Uranium Compounds and Residues at TA-55

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reilly, Sean Douglas; Smith, Paul Herrick; Jarvinen, Gordon D.; Prochnow, David Adrian; Schulte, Louis D.; DeBurgomaster, Paul Christopher; Fife, Keith William; Rubin, Jim; Worl, Laura Ann

    2016-01-01

    Understanding the water solubility of plutonium and uranium compounds and residues at TA-55 is necessary to provide a technical basis for appropriate criticality safety, safety basis and accountability controls. Individual compound solubility was determined using published solubility data and solution thermodynamic modeling. Residue solubility was estimated using a combination of published technical reports and process knowledge of constituent compounds. The scope of materials considered includes all compounds and residues at TA-55 as of March 2016 that contain Pu-239 or U-235 where any single item in the facility has more than 500 g of nuclear material. This analysis indicates that the following materials are not appreciably soluble in water: plutonium dioxide (IDC=C21), plutonium phosphate (IDC=C66), plutonium tetrafluoride (IDC=C80), plutonium filter residue (IDC=R26), plutonium hydroxide precipitate (IDC=R41), plutonium DOR salt (IDC=R42), plutonium incinerator ash (IDC=R47), uranium carbide (IDC=C13), uranium dioxide (IDC=C21), U 3 O 8 (IDC=C88), and uranium filter residue (IDC=R26). This analysis also indicates that the following materials are soluble in water: plutonium chloride (IDC=C19) and uranium nitrate (IDC=C52). Equilibrium calculations suggest that PuOCl is water soluble under certain conditions, but some plutonium processing reports indicate that it is insoluble when present in electrorefining residues (R65). Plutonium molten salt extraction residues (IDC=R83) contain significant quantities of PuCl 3 , and are expected to be soluble in water. The solubility of the following plutonium residues is indeterminate due to conflicting reports, insufficient process knowledge or process-dependent composition: calcium salt (IDC=R09), electrorefining salt (IDC=R65), salt (IDC=R71), silica (IDC=R73) and sweepings/screenings (IDC=R78). Solution thermodynamic modeling also indicates that fire suppression water buffered with a commercially-available phosphate

  18. Water Solubility of Plutonium and Uranium Compounds and Residues at TA-55

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reilly, Sean Douglas [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States; Smith, Paul Herrick [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States; Jarvinen, Gordon D. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States; Prochnow, David Adrian [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States; Schulte, Louis D. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States; DeBurgomaster, Paul Christopher [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States; Fife, Keith William [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States; Rubin, Jim [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States; Worl, Laura Ann [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States

    2016-06-13

    Understanding the water solubility of plutonium and uranium compounds and residues at TA-55 is necessary to provide a technical basis for appropriate criticality safety, safety basis and accountability controls. Individual compound solubility was determined using published solubility data and solution thermodynamic modeling. Residue solubility was estimated using a combination of published technical reports and process knowledge of constituent compounds. The scope of materials considered includes all compounds and residues at TA-55 as of March 2016 that contain Pu-239 or U-235 where any single item in the facility has more than 500 g of nuclear material. This analysis indicates that the following materials are not appreciably soluble in water: plutonium dioxide (IDC=C21), plutonium phosphate (IDC=C66), plutonium tetrafluoride (IDC=C80), plutonium filter residue (IDC=R26), plutonium hydroxide precipitate (IDC=R41), plutonium DOR salt (IDC=R42), plutonium incinerator ash (IDC=R47), uranium carbide (IDC=C13), uranium dioxide (IDC=C21), U3O8 (IDC=C88), and uranium filter residue (IDC=R26). This analysis also indicates that the following materials are soluble in water: plutonium chloride (IDC=C19) and uranium nitrate (IDC=C52). Equilibrium calculations suggest that PuOCl is water soluble under certain conditions, but some plutonium processing reports indicate that it is insoluble when present in electrorefining residues (R65). Plutonium molten salt extraction residues (IDC=R83) contain significant quantities of PuCl3, and are expected to be soluble in water. The solubility of the following plutonium residues is indeterminate due to conflicting reports, insufficient process knowledge or process-dependent composition: calcium salt (IDC=R09), electrorefining salt (IDC=R65), salt (IDC=R71), silica (IDC=R73) and sweepings/screenings (IDC=R78). Solution thermodynamic modeling also indicates that fire suppression water buffered with a

  19. Influence of TiO2 Nanocrystals Fabricating Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell on the Absorption Spectra of N719 Sensitizer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Puhong Wen

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The absorption spectra of N719 sensitizer anchored on the films prepared by TiO2 nanocrystals with different morphology and size were investigated for improving the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC. We find that the morphology and size of TiO2 nanocrystals can affect the UV-vis and FT-IR spectra of the sensitizer anchored on their surfaces. In particular, the low-energy metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transitions (MLCT band in the visible absorption spectra of N719 is strongly affected, and locations of these MLCT bands revealed larger differences. The results indicate that there is a red shift of MLCT band in the spectra obtained by using TiO2 nanocrystals with long morphology and large size compared to that in solution. And it produced a larger red-shift on the MLCT band after TiO2 nanocrystals with small size mixed with some long nanocrystals. Accordingly, the utilization rate to visible light is increased. This is a reason why the DSC prepared by using such film as a photoelectrode has better performance than before mixing.

  20. E-selectina soluble en una población infanto-juvenil con diabetes tipo 1 Soluble E- selectin in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresita del R. Carrizo

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available El estado de hiperglucemia crónica en los pacientes diabéticos produce una agresión al endotelio vascular, conduciendo al desarrollo prematuro de ateroesclerosis. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar niveles de E-selectina soluble (sE-S en una población infanto-juvenil con diabetes tipo1 (DT1 y su relación con el control glucémico y el perfil lipídico. Se estudiaron 30 pacientes con DT1 (16 mujeres y 14 varones, de edades comprendidas entre 6 y 15 años, comparados con 20 sujetos controles. Se determinaron: sE-S, glucemia en ayunas, hemoglobina glicosilada (HbA1c, colesterol total (CT, HDL-C, LDL-C, no HDL-C y triglicéridos (TG. Los niveles de sE-S fueron 66% más altos en los diabéticos que en los sujetos controles (p = 0.0001. Los pacientes fueron agrupados en: diabéticos con buen control glucémico (DBCG, HbA1c 8%. La concentración de sE-S en DPCG y en DBCG fue: 111.3 ± 40.5 vs. 68.0 ± 11.3 ng/ml, respectivamente p = 0.02. En los diabéticos la incidencia de valores no deseables en el perfil lipídico fue: CT: 50%; HDL-C 14%; LDL-C 52%, no HDL-C 26.7% y TG 14%. La sE-S se correlacionó mejor con HbA1c (r = 0.53, p = 0.0001 que con la glucemia en ayunas (r = 0.36, p = 0.008 y CT (r = 0.36, p = 0.009. De los resultados obtenidos se sugiere que la sE-S es un marcador temprano de disfunción endotelial y de probable riesgo de aterosclerosis en pacientes infanto-juveniles con DT1.The chronic hyperglycemic state in diabetic patients produces an aggression to the vascular endothelium leading to a premature development of atherosclerosis. The objective of this paper was to determine the soluble E-selectin (sE-S levels in children with type 1 diabetes (DT1 and its relationship with glycemic control and lipid profile. Thirty patients with DT1, (16 girls and 14 boys, age between 6 and 15 years were studied, whose data were compared with 20 control subjects. In both groups sE-S was determined as well as fasting glycemia, glycosylated

  1. Basin scale survey of marine humic fluorescence in the Atlantic: relationship to iron solubility and H2O2

    OpenAIRE

    Heller, Maija; Gaiero, Diego; Croot, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Iron (Fe) is a limiting nutrient for phytoplankton productivity in many different oceanic regions. A critical aspect underlying iron limitation is its low solubility in seawater as this controls the distribution and transport of iron through the ocean. Processes which enhance the solubility of iron in seawater, either through redox reactions or organic complexation, are central to understanding the biogeochemical cycling of iron. In this work we combined iron solubility measurements with para...

  2. Argon solubility in liquid steel

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boom, R; Dankert, O; Van Veen, A; Kamperman, AA

    2000-01-01

    Experiments have been performed to establish the solubility of argon in liquid interstitial-free steel. The solubility appears to be lower than 0.1 at ppb, The results are in line with argon solubilities reported in the literature on liquid iron. Semiempirical theories and calculations based on the

  3. Solubility of natural gases in water under high pressure; Solubilite des gaz naturels dans l`eau a pression elevee

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dhima, A

    1998-10-08

    Under high pressure (up to 1200 bar) and high temperature (up to 200 deg C) petroleum reservoir conditions the hydrocarbon-water mutual solubilities may become important. Under such conditions, the prediction of hydrocarbon water solubilities is a challenge for petroleum engineers. Indeed, very few studies have been done ar pressures higher that 700 bars. New solubility data for methane, ethane, n-butane, CO{sub 2} and their mixtures in pure water were obtained at 344.25 K and from 2.5 to 100 MPa. The results agree very well with those of the literature in the case of pure hydrocarbons in water, but differ for the hydrocarbon mixtures. A rigorous thermodynamic analysis allows the elaboration of a model that combines a cubic equation of state (Peng-Robinson with k{sub ij} given in literature) with the Henry`s law approach. The (P,T) functional form of Henry`s constant is given by the Krichevsky-Kasarnovsky equation which involves two important parameters: partial molar volume at infinite dilution and Henry`s constant at the vapour pressure of water. For a given solute both parameters are only functions of temperature. A critical selection of binary solubility data for a large number of solutes has been used as a basis for a new correlation for calculating both this partial molar volume and the corresponding Henry`s constants as a function of temperature. (author) 169 refs.

  4. Spray Freeze-drying - The Process of Choice for Low Water Soluble Drugs?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leuenberger, H.

    2002-01-01

    Most of the novel highly potent drugs, developed on the basis of modern molecular medicine, taking into account cell surface recognition techniques, show poor water solubility. A chemical modification of the drug substance enhancing the solubility often decreases the pharmacological activity. Thus, as an alternative an increase of the solubility can be obtained by the reduction of the size of the drug particles. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to obtain micro or nanosized drug particles by classical or more advanced crystallization using supercritical gases or by milling techniques. In addition, nanosized particles are often not physically stable and need to be stabilized in an appropriate matrix. Thus, it may be of interest to manufacture directly nanosized drug particles stabilized in an inert hydrophilic matrix, i.e. nanostructured and nanocomposite systems. Solid solutions and solid dispersions represent nanostructured and nanocomposite systems. In this context, the use of the vacuum-fluidized-bed technique for the spray-drying of a low water soluble drug cosolubilized with a hydrophilic excipient in a polar organic solvent is discussed. In order to avoid the use of organic solvents, a special spray-freeze-drying technique working at atmospheric pressure is presented. This process is very suitable for temperature and otherwise sensitive drugs such as pharmaproteins

  5. Designing a highly active soluble PQQ-glucose dehydrogenase for efficient glucose biosensors and biofuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Durand, Fabien [Universite de Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal (CRPP), UPR 8641, Avenue Albert Schweitzer, 33600 Pessac (France); Stines-Chaumeil, Claire [Universite de Bordeaux, CNRS, Institut de Biochimie et de Genetique Cellulaires, 1 rue Camille Saint Saens, 33077 Bordeaux Cedex (France); Flexer, Victoria [Universite de Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal (CRPP), UPR 8641, Avenue Albert Schweitzer, 33600 Pessac (France); Andre, Isabelle [Universite de Toulouse, INSA, UPS, INP, LISBP, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077 Toulouse (France); CNRS, UMR5504, F-31400 Toulouse (France); INRA, UMR 792 Ingenierie des Systemes Biologiques et des Procedes, F-31400 Toulouse (France); Mano, Nicolas, E-mail: mano@crpp-bordeaux.cnrs.fr [Universite de Bordeaux, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal (CRPP), UPR 8641, Avenue Albert Schweitzer, 33600 Pessac (France)

    2010-11-26

    Research highlights: {yields} A new mutant of PQQ-GDH designed for glucose biosensors application. {yields} First mutant of PQQ-GDH with higher activity for D-glucose than the Wild type. {yields} Position N428 is a key point to increase the enzyme activity. {yields} Molecular modeling shows that the N428 C mutant displays a better interaction for PQQ than the WT. -- Abstract: We report for the first time a soluble PQQ-glucose dehydrogenase that is twice more active than the wild type for glucose oxidation and was obtained by combining site directed mutagenesis, modelling and steady-state kinetics. The observed enhancement is attributed to a better interaction between the cofactor and the enzyme leading to a better electron transfer. Electrochemical experiments also demonstrate the superiority of the new mutant for glucose oxidation and make it a promising enzyme for the development of high-performance glucose biosensors and biofuel cells.

  6. Diagnostic value of soluble B7-H4 and carcinoembryonic antigen in distinguishing malignant from benign pleural effusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, Xiaogang; Wei, Fei; Li, Jing; Dai, Lingling; Wang, Xi; Jia, Liuqun; Wang, Huan; An, Lin; Yang, Yuanjian; Zhang, Guojun; Cheng, Zhe

    2018-03-01

    To explore the diagnostic value of joint detection of soluble B7-H4 (sB7-H4) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in identifying malignant pleural effusion (MPE) from benign pleural effusion (BPE). A total of 97 patients with pleural effusion specimens were enrolled from The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between June 2014 and December 2015. All cases were categorized into malignant pleural effusion group (n = 55) and benign pleural effusion group (n = 42) according to etiologies. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to examine the levels of sB7-H4 in pleural effusion and meanwhile CEA concentrations were detected by electro-chemiluminescence immunoassays. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was established to assess the diagnostic value of sB7-H4 and CEA in pleural effusion. The correlation between sB7-H4 and CEA levels was analyzed by Pearson's product-moment. The concentrations of sB7-H4 and CEA in MPE exhibited obviously higher than those of BPE ([60.08 ± 35.04] vs. [27.26 ± 9.55] ng/ml, P = .000; [41.49 ± 37.16] vs. [2.41 ± 0.94] ng/ml, P = .000). The AUC area under ROC curve of sB7-H4 and CEA was 0.884 and 0.954, respectively. Two cutoff values by ROC curve analysis of sB7-H4 36.5 ng/ml and CEA 4.18 ng/ml were obtained, with a corresponding sensitivity (81.82%, 87.28%), specificity (90.48%, 95.24%), accuracy (85.57%, 90.72%), positive predictive value (PPV) (91.84%, 96.0%), negative predictive value (NPV) (79.17%, 85.11%), positive likelihood ratio (PLR) (8.614, 18.327), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) (0.201, 0.134). When sB7-H4 and CEA were combined to detect pleural effusion, it obtained a higher sensitivity 90.91% and specificity 97.62%. Furthermore, correlation analysis result showed that the level of sB7-H4 was correlated with CEA level (r = .770, P = .000). sB7-H4 was a potentially valuable tumor marker in the differentiation between BPE and MPE. The combined detection of sB7-H4 and

  7. An odd–even effect on solubility of dicarboxylic acids in organic solvents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Hui; Yin, Qiuxiang; Liu, Zengkun; Gong, Junbo; Bao, Ying; Zhang, Meijing; Hao, Hongxun; Hou, Baohong; Xie, Chuang

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The solubilities of the homologous series of C2–C10 dicarboxylic acids were determined in four selected solvents. • The experimental data were well correlated with the modified Apelblat equation. • The odd–even effect of solubility was found and explained. • The enthalpy, entropy and the molar Gibbs free energy of solution were predicted. - Abstract: The solubility of the homologous series of dicarboxylic acids, HOOC-(CH 2 ) n−2 -COOH (n = 2 to 10), in ethanol, acetic acid, acetone and ethyl acetate was measured at temperatures ranging from (278.15 to 323.15) K by a static analytic method at atmospheric pressure. Dicarboxylic acids with even number of carbon atoms exhibit lower values of solubility than adjacent homologues with odd carbon numbers. This odd–even effect of solubility is attributed to the twist of molecules and interlayer packing in solid state as explained in our previous work. The alternation varies in different solvents, which is believed to be associated with the properties of solvents. Finally, the dissolution enthalpy, dissolution entropy and the molar Gibbs free energy were calculated using the fitting parameters of the modified Apelblat equation. The molar Gibbs free energy also showed apparent odd–even alternation in keeping with the alternation of solubility

  8. The water-soluble fraction of potentially toxic elements in contaminated soils: relationships between ecotoxicity, solubility and geochemical reactivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, L; Rodrigues, S M; Lopes, I; Soares, A M V M; Duarte, A C; Pereira, E

    2011-09-01

    To better understand the impacts posed by soil contamination to aquatic ecosystems it is crucial to characterise the links between ecotoxicity, chemical availability and geochemical reactivity of potentially toxic elements (PTE's) in soils. We evaluated the adverse effects of water extracts obtained from soils contaminated by chemical industry and mining, using a test battery including organisms from different trophic levels (bacteria, algae and daphnids). These tests provided a quick assessment of the ecotoxicity of soils with respect to possible adverse effects on aquatic organisms although the ecotoxicological responses could be related to the solubility of PTE's only to a limited extent. The analysis of results of bioassays together with the chemical characterisation of water extracts provided additional relevant insight into the role of conductivity, pH, Al, Fe, and Mn of soil extracts on toxicity to organisms. Furthermore, an important conclusion of this study was that the toxicity of extracts to the aquatic organisms could also be related to the soil properties (pH, Org C and Fe(ox)) and to the reactivity of PTE's in soils which in fact control the soluble fraction of the contaminants. The combined assessment of ecotoxicity in water fractions, solubility and geochemical reactivity of PTE's in soils provided a more comprehensive understanding of the bioavailability of inorganic contaminants than ecotoxicological or chemical studies alone and can therefore be most useful for environmental risks assessment of contaminated soils. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Evidence that cellulolysis by an anaerobic ruminal fungus is catabolite regulated by glucose, cellobiose, and soluble starch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morrison, M.; Mackie, R.I.; Kistner, A.

    1990-01-01

    A Piromyces-like ruminal fungus was used to study preferential carbohydrate utilization of [U- 14 C]cellulose, both alone and in combination with several soluble sugars. For cells grown on cellulose alone, cellulolytic activity was immediate and, initially, greater than that observed in the presence of added carbohydrate. Cellulolytic activity remained minimal in cultures containing cellulose plus glucose or cellobiose until the soluble sugar was depleted. Soluble starch also regulated cellulose activity but to a lesser extent. The results presented suggest that some fungal cellulases are susceptible to catabolite regulatory mechanisms

  10. Cosolvent-free polymer gel dosimeters with improved dose sensitivity and resolution for x-ray CT dose response

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chain, J N M; McAuley, K B [Department of Chemical Engineering, Queen' s University, Kingston, K7L 3N6 (Canada); Jirasek, A [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, V8W 3P6 (Canada); Schreiner, L J, E-mail: kim.mcauley@chee.queensu.ca [Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Kingston, K7L 5P9 (Canada)

    2011-04-07

    This study reports new N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) polymer gel recipes with increased dose sensitivity and improved dose resolution for x-ray CT readout. NIPAM can be used to increase the solubility of N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide (Bis) in aqueous solutions from approximately 3% to 5.5% by weight, enabling the manufacture of dosimeters containing up to 19.5%T, which is the total concentration of NIPAM and Bis by weight. Gelatin is shown to have a mild influence on dose sensitivity when gels are imaged using x-ray CT, and a stronger influence when gels are imaged optically. Phantoms that contain only 3% gelatin and 5 mM tetrakis hydroxymethyl phosphonium chloride are sufficiently stiff for dosimetry applications. The best cosolvent-free gel formulation has a dose sensitivity in the linear range ({approx}0.88 H Gy{sup -1}) that is a small improvement compared to the best NIPAM-based gels that incorporate isopropanol as a cosolvent ({approx}0.80 H Gy{sup -1}). This new gel formulation results in enhanced dose resolution ({approx}0.052 Gy) for x-ray CT readout, making clinical applications of this imaging modality more feasible.

  11. Cosolvent-free polymer gel dosimeters with improved dose sensitivity and resolution for x-ray CT dose response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chain, J N M; McAuley, K B; Jirasek, A; Schreiner, L J

    2011-01-01

    This study reports new N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) polymer gel recipes with increased dose sensitivity and improved dose resolution for x-ray CT readout. NIPAM can be used to increase the solubility of N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide (Bis) in aqueous solutions from approximately 3% to 5.5% by weight, enabling the manufacture of dosimeters containing up to 19.5%T, which is the total concentration of NIPAM and Bis by weight. Gelatin is shown to have a mild influence on dose sensitivity when gels are imaged using x-ray CT, and a stronger influence when gels are imaged optically. Phantoms that contain only 3% gelatin and 5 mM tetrakis hydroxymethyl phosphonium chloride are sufficiently stiff for dosimetry applications. The best cosolvent-free gel formulation has a dose sensitivity in the linear range (∼0.88 H Gy -1 ) that is a small improvement compared to the best NIPAM-based gels that incorporate isopropanol as a cosolvent (∼0.80 H Gy -1 ). This new gel formulation results in enhanced dose resolution (∼0.052 Gy) for x-ray CT readout, making clinical applications of this imaging modality more feasible.

  12. Water-soluble polyelectrolyte-grafted multiwalled carbon nanotube thin films for efficient counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Jinkyu; Kim, Hyunju; Kim, Dong Young; Jo, Seong Mu; Jang, Sung-Yeon

    2010-06-22

    Water-soluble, polyelectrolyte-grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), MWCNT-g-PSSNa, were synthesized using a "grafting to" route. MWCNT-g-PSSNa thin films fabricated by an electrostatic spray (e-spray) technique were used as the counter electrode (CE) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The e-sprayed MWCNT-g-PSSNa thin-film-based CEs (MWCNT-CE) were uniform over a large area, and the well-exfoliated MWCNTs formed highly interconnected network structures. The electrochemical catalytic activity of the MWCNT-CE at different thicknesses was investigated. The MWCNT-g-PSSNa thin film showed high efficiency as a CE in DSSCs. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the DSSCs using the MWCNT-g-PSSNa thin-film-based CE (DSSC-MWCNT) was >6% at a CE film thickness of approximately 0.3 microm. The optimum PCE was >7% at a film thickness of approximately 1 microm, which is 20-50 times thinner than conventional carbon-based CE. The charge transfer resistance at the MWCNT-CE/electrolyte interface was 1.52 Omega cm(2) at a MWCNT-CE thickness of 0.31 microm, which is lower than that of a Pt-CE/electrolyte interface, 1.78 Omega cm(2). This highlights the potential for the low-cost CE fabrication of DSSCs using a facile deposition technique from an environmentally "friendly" solution at low temperatures.

  13. Investigation of Cyclodextrin-Based Nanosponges for Solubility and Bioavailability Enhancement of Rilpivirine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Monica R P; Chaudhari, Jagruti; Trotta, Francesco; Caldera, Fabrizio

    2018-06-04

    Rilpivrine is BCS class II drug used for treatment of HIV infection. The drug has low aqueous solubility (0.0166 mg/ml) and dissolution rate leading to low bioavailability (32%). Aim of this work was to enhance solubility and dissolution of rilpivirine using beta-cyclodextrin-based nanosponges. These nanosponges are biocompatible nanoporous particles having high loading capacity to form supramolecular inclusion and non-inclusion complexes with hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs for solubility enhancement. Beta-cyclodextrin was crosslinked with carbonyl diimidazole and pyromellitic dianhydride to prepare nanosponges. The nanosponges were loaded with rilpivirine by solvent evaporation method. Binary and ternary complexes of drug with β-CD, HP-β-CD, nanosponges, and tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate were prepared and characterized by phase solubility, saturation solubility in different media, in vitro dissolution, and in vivo pharmacokinetics. Spectral analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry was performed. Results obtained from spectral characterization confirmed inclusion complexation. Phase solubility studies indicated stable complex formation. Saturation solubility was found to be 10-13-folds higher with ternary complexes in distilled water and 12-14-fold higher in 0.1 N HCl. Solubility enhancement was evident in biorelevant media. Molecular modeling studies revealed possible mode of entrapment of rilpivirine within β-CD cavities. A 3-fold increase in dissolution with ternary complexes was observed. Animal studies revealed nearly 2-fold increase in oral bioavailability of rilpivirine. It was inferred that electronic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces are involved in the supramolecular interactions.

  14. Students’ misconceptions on solubility equilibrium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setiowati, H.; Utomo, S. B.; Ashadi

    2018-05-01

    This study investigated the students’ misconceptions of the solubility equilibrium. The participants of the study consisted of 164 students who were in the science class of second year high school. Instrument used is two-tier diagnostic test consisting of 15 items. Responses were marked and coded into four categories: understanding, misconception, understand little without misconception, and not understanding. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 45 students according to their written responses which reflected different perspectives, to obtain a more elaborated source of data. Data collected from multiple methods were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Based on the data analysis showed that the students misconceptions in all areas in solubility equilibrium. They had more misconceptions such as in the relation of solubility and solubility product, common-ion effect and pH in solubility, and precipitation concept.

  15. Lipid solubility of sedative-hypnotic drugs influences hypothermic and hypnotic responses of long-sleep and short-sleep mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Fiebre, N C; Marley, R J; Wehner, J M; Collins, A C

    1992-10-01

    The anesthetic potency of many agents, including alcohols, barbiturates and other sedative-hypnotic drugs, is influenced by lipid solubility. Previous studies from our laboratory, however, have demonstrated that genetic factors influence this relationship. We have reported that mouse lines selectively bred for differences in duration of ethanol-induced anesthesia, the long-sleep (LS) and short-sleep (SS) mice, differ in sleep-time response to water-soluble, but not lipid-soluble, sedative-hypnotic drugs. The studies described here sought to determine whether this same relationship exists for the hypothermic response produced by 17 sedative-hypnotic drugs in the LS and SS mice. Dose-response and time course relationships for hypothermic actions were determined and were compared with the dose-related anesthetic effects of the drugs. Hypothermic potencies increased along with lipid solubility for both the LS and SS mouse lines, but the rate of change differed for the two mouse lines. LS mice were more responsive to ethanol and other water-soluble drugs whereas the SS were more responsive to lipid-soluble drugs; significant correlations were obtained between lipid solubility (log P-octanol-water partition coefficient) and relative LS-SS responsiveness to both the hypothermic and hypnotic actions of the 17 test drugs. Thus, both hypnotic and hypothermic actions of sedative-hypnotic drugs are correlated with lipid solubility. Possible explanation for these correlations include greater LS central nervous system sensitivity to water-soluble drugs and LS-SS differences in distribution of lipid-soluble drugs.

  16. Energetics, kinetics, and pathway of SNARE folding and assembly revealed by optical tweezers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yongli

    2017-07-01

    Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) are universal molecular engines that drive membrane fusion. Particularly, synaptic SNAREs mediate fast calcium-triggered fusion of neurotransmitter-containing vesicles with plasma membranes for synaptic transmission, the basis of all thought and action. During membrane fusion, complementary SNAREs located on two apposed membranes (often called t- and v-SNAREs) join together to assemble into a parallel four-helix bundle, releasing the energy to overcome the energy barrier for fusion. A long-standing hypothesis suggests that SNAREs act like a zipper to draw the two membranes into proximity and thereby force them to fuse. However, a quantitative test of this SNARE zippering hypothesis was hindered by difficulties to determine the energetics and kinetics of SNARE assembly and to identify the relevant folding intermediates. Here, we first review different approaches that have been applied to study SNARE assembly and then focus on high-resolution optical tweezers. We summarize the folding energies, kinetics, and pathways of both wild-type and mutant SNARE complexes derived from this new approach. These results show that synaptic SNAREs assemble in four distinct stages with different functions: slow N-terminal domain association initiates SNARE assembly; a middle domain suspends and controls SNARE assembly; and rapid sequential zippering of the C-terminal domain and the linker domain directly drive membrane fusion. In addition, the kinetics and pathway of the stagewise assembly are shared by other SNARE complexes. These measurements prove the SNARE zippering hypothesis and suggest new mechanisms for SNARE assembly regulated by other proteins. © 2017 The Protein Society.

  17. Increased Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR Levels in Plasma of Suicide Attempters.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filip Ventorp

    Full Text Available The soluble form of the urokinase receptor, suPAR, has been suggested as a novel biomarker of low-grade inflammation. Activation of the immune system has been proposed to contribute to the development of depression and suicidal behavior. In order to identify depressed and suicidal individuals who could benefit from an anti-inflammatory treatment, a reliable biomarker of low-grade inflammation is vital. This study evaluates plasma suPAR levels as a biomarker of low-grade inflammation in patients with major depressive disorder and in patients who recently attempted suicide. The plasma suPAR and an established biomarker, C reactive protein (CRP of suicide attempters (n = 54, depressed patients (n = 19 and healthy controls (n = 19 was analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The biomarker attributes of sensitivity and sensibility were evaluated using ROC curve analysis. Both the depressed patients and suicide attempters had increased plasma suPAR. The levels of suPAR discriminated better between controls and suicide attempters than did CRP. In the future, plasma suPAR might be a superior prognosticator regarding outcome of treatment applying conventional antidepressants in conjunction with anti-inflammatory drugs.

  18. Thermodynamic equilibrium solubility measurements in simulated fluids by 96-well plate method in early drug discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bharate, Sonali S; Vishwakarma, Ram A

    2015-04-01

    An early prediction of solubility in physiological media (PBS, SGF and SIF) is useful to predict qualitatively bioavailability and absorption of lead candidates. Despite of the availability of multiple solubility estimation methods, none of the reported method involves simplified fixed protocol for diverse set of compounds. Therefore, a simple and medium-throughput solubility estimation protocol is highly desirable during lead optimization stage. The present work introduces a rapid method for assessment of thermodynamic equilibrium solubility of compounds in aqueous media using 96-well microplate. The developed protocol is straightforward to set up and takes advantage of the sensitivity of UV spectroscopy. The compound, in stock solution in methanol, is introduced in microgram quantities into microplate wells followed by drying at an ambient temperature. Microplates were shaken upon addition of test media and the supernatant was analyzed by UV method. A plot of absorbance versus concentration of a sample provides saturation point, which is thermodynamic equilibrium solubility of a sample. The established protocol was validated using a large panel of commercially available drugs and with conventional miniaturized shake flask method (r(2)>0.84). Additionally, the statistically significant QSPR models were established using experimental solubility values of 52 compounds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Effect of insulin-sensitizing agents in combination with ezetimibe, and valsartan in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assy, Nimer; Grozovski, Masha; Bersudsky, Ilana; Szvalb, Sergio; Hussein, Osamah

    2006-01-01

    AIM: To assess whether treatment with insulin-sensitizing agents (ISAs) in combination with ezetimibe and valsartan have greater effect on hepatic fat content and lipid peroxidation compared to monotherapy in the methionine choline-deficient diet (MCDD) rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: Rats (n = 6 per group) were treated with different drugs, including MCDD only, MCDD diet with either metformin (200 mg/kg), rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg), metformin plus rosiglitazone (M+R), ezetimibe (2 mg/kg), valsartan (2 mg/kg), or combination of all drugs for a total of 15 wk. Liver histology, lipids, parameters of oxidative stress and TNF-alpha were measured. RESULTS: Fatty liver (FL) rats demonstrated severe hepatic fatty infiltration (> 91% fat), with an increase in hepatic TG (+1263%, P < 0.001), hepatic cholesterol (+245%, P < 0.03), hepatic MDA levels (+225%, P < 0.001), serum TNF-alpha (17.8 ± 10 vs 7.8 ± 0.0, P < 0.001), but a decrease in hepatic alpha tocopherol (-74%, P < 0.001) as compared to the control rats. Combination therapy with all drugs produced a significant decrease in liver steatosis (-54%), hepatic TG (-64%), hepatic cholesterol (-31%) and hepatic MDA (-70%), but increased hepatic alpha tocopherol (+443%) as compared to FL rats. Combination therapy with ISA alone produced a smaller decrease in liver steatosis (-32% vs -54%, P < 0.001) and in hepatic MDA levels (-55% vs -70%, P < 0.01), but a similar decrease in hepatic lipids when compared with the all drugs combination. TNF-alpha levels decreased significantly in all treatment groups except in ISA group. CONCLUSION: Combination therapies have a greater effect on liver fat content as compared to monotherapy. Rosiglitazone appears to improve hepatic steatosis to a greater extent than metformin. PMID:16865780

  20. Collateral Resistance and Sensitivity Modulate Evolution of High-Level Resistance to Drug Combination Treatment in Staphylococcus aureus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Evgrafov, Mari Cristina Rodriguez; Gumpert, Heidi; Munck, Christian

    2015-01-01

    As drug-resistant pathogens continue to emerge, combination therapy will increasingly be relied upon to treat infections and to help combat further development of multidrug resistance. At present a dichotomy exists between clinical practice, which favors therapeutically synergistic combinations......, to reflect drug concentrations more likely to be encountered during treatment. We performed a series of adaptive evolution experiments using Staphylococcus aureus. Interestingly, no relationship between drug interaction type and resistance evolution was found as resistance increased significantly beyond wild......-type levels. All drug combinations, irrespective of interaction types, effectively limited resistance evolution compared with monotreatment. Cross-resistance and collateral sensitivity were found to be important factors in the extent of resistance evolution toward a combination. Comparative genomic analyses...

  1. Study on the polarity, solubility, and stacking characteristics of asphaltenes

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Long-li

    2014-07-01

    The structure and transformation of fused aromatic ring system in asphaltenes play an important role in the character of asphaltenes, and in step affect the properties of heavy oils. Polarity, solubility and structural characteristics of asphaltenes derived from Tahe atmospheric residue (THAR) and Tuo-826 heavy crude oil (Tuo-826) were analyzed for study of their internal relationship. A fractionation method was used to separate the asphaltenes into four sub-fractions, based on their solubility in the mixed solvent, for the study of different structural and physical-chemical properties, such as polarity, solubility, morphology, stacking characteristics, and mean structural parameters. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation can present the intuitive morphology of asphaltene molecules, and shows that the structure of asphaltenes is in local order as well as long range disorder. The analysis results showed that n-heptane asphaltenes of THAR and Tuo-826 had larger dipole moment values, larger fused aromatic ring systems, larger mean number of stacking layers, and less interlayer spacing between stacking layers than the corresponding n-pentane asphaltenes. The sub-fractions that were inclined to precipitate from the mixture of n-heptane and tetrahydrofuran had larger polarity and less solubility. From the first sub-fraction to the fourth sub-fraction, polarity, mean stacking numbers, and average layer size from the TEM images follow a gradual decrease. The structural parameters derived from TEM images could reflect the largest fused aromatic ring system in asphaltene molecule, yet the parameters derived from 1H NMR data reflected the mean message of poly-aromatic ring systems. The structural parameters derived from TEM images were more consistent with the polarity variation of sub-fractions than those derived from 1H NMR data, which indicates that the largest fused aromatic ring system will play a more important role in the stacking characteristics of

  2. Solubility and preferential solvation of some n-alkyl-parabens in methanol + water mixtures at 298.15 K

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cárdenas, Zaira J.; Jiménez, Daniel M.; Delgado, Daniel R.; Almanza, Ovidio A.; Jouyban, Abolghasem; Martínez, Fleming; Acree, William E.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Parabens equilibrium solubility was determined in methanol + water binary mixtures at 298.15 K. • Solubility values were correlated with the Jouyban-Acree model. • Preferential solvation parameters were derived by using the IKBI method. • δx 1,3 values are negative in water-rich mixtures but positive in the other mixtures. - Abstract: Methyl, ethyl and propyl parabens equilibrium solubility was determined in (methanol + water) binary mixtures at 298.15 K. The mole fraction solubility of these compounds increased in 503 (from 2.40 × 10 −4 to 0.121), 1377 (from 9.86 × 10 −5 to 0.136) and 4597 (from 3.73 × 10 −5 to 0.171) times when passing from neat water to neat methanol, for methyl, ethyl and propyl parabens, respectively. All these solubility values were correlated with the Jouyban-Acree model. Preferential solvation parameters by methanol (δx 1,3 ) of these parabens were derived from their thermodynamic solution properties using the inverse Kirkwood-Buff integrals (IKBI) method. For all compounds δx 1,3 values are negative in water-rich mixtures but positive in mixtures with methanol mole fraction greater than 0.32. It is conjecturable that in the former case the hydrophobic hydration around non-polar groups of parabens plays a relevant role in the solvation. Besides, the preferential solvation of these solutes by methanol in mixtures of similar co-solvent compositions and in methanol-rich mixtures could be explained in terms of the higher basic behaviour of methanol.

  3. Soluble factors from biofilm of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus promote cell death and inflammatory response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Carvalho Dias, Kassia; Barbugli, Paula Aboud; de Patto, Fernanda; Lordello, Virginia Barreto; de Aquino Penteado, Letícia; Medeiros, Alexandra Ivo; Vergani, Carlos Eduardo

    2017-06-30

    The objective of this study was to better understand the effects of soluble factors from biofilm of single- and mixed-species Candida albicans (C. albicans) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) cultures after 36 h in culture on keratinocytes (NOK-si and HaCaT) and macrophages (J774A.1). Soluble factors from biofilms of C. albicans and MSSA were collected and incubated with keratinocytes and macrophages, which were subsequently evaluated by cell viability assays (MTT). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme release was measured to assess cell membrane damage to keratinocytes. Cells were analysed by brightfield microscopy after 2 and 24 h of exposure to the soluble factors from biofilm. Cell death was detected by labelling apoptotic cells with annexin V and necrotic cells with propidium iodide (PI) and was visualized via fluorescence microscopy. Soluble factors from biofilm were incubated with J774A.1 cells for 24 h; the subsequent production of NO and the cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α was measured by ELISA. The cell viability assays showed that the soluble factors of single-species C. albicans cultures were as toxic as the soluble factors from biofilm of mixed cultures, whereas the soluble factors of MSSA cultures were less toxic than those of C. albicans or mixed cultures. The soluble factors from biofilm of mixed cultures were the most toxic to the NOK-si and HaCaT cells, as confirmed by analyses of PI labelling and cell morphology. Soluble factors from biofilm of single-species MSSA and mixed-species cultures induced the production of IL-6, NO and TNF-α by J744A.1 macrophages. The production of IL-6 and NO induced by the soluble factors from biofilm of mixed cultures was lower than that induced by the soluble factors from biofilm of single-species MSSA cultures, whereas the soluble factors from biofilm of C. albicans cultures induced only low levels of NO. Soluble factors from 36-h-old biofilm of C. albicans and MSSA cultures promoted cell death and

  4. Investigation of high sensitivity radio-frequency readout circuit based on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Xiao-Yu; Sun Jian-Dong; Li Xin-Xing; Zhou Yu; Lü Li; Qin Hua; Tan Ren-Bing

    2015-01-01

    An AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) device is prepared by using a semiconductor nanofabrication process. A reflective radio-frequency (RF) readout circuit is designed and the HEMT device is assembled in an RF circuit through a coplanar waveguide transmission line. A gate capacitor of the HEMT and a surface-mounted inductor on the transmission line are formed to generate LC resonance. By tuning the gate voltage V g , the variations of gate capacitance and conductance of the HEMT are reflected sensitively from the resonance frequency and the magnitude of the RF reflection signal. The aim of the designed RF readout setup is to develop a highly sensitive HEMT-based detector. (paper)

  5. Detection of soluble antigens of Toxoplasma gondii by a four-layer modification of an enzyme immunoassay.

    OpenAIRE

    Turunen, H J

    1983-01-01

    A sensitive four-layer modification of an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of soluble antigens of Toxoplasma gondii is described. Microtiter plates were sensitized with rabbit anti-toxoplasma immunoglobulins (6 micrograms/ml) used as the primary antibodies; guinea pig anti-toxoplasma immunoglobulins (6 micrograms/ml) were used as the secondary trapping antibodies. Horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-guinea pig immunoglobulins were used as the indicator antibodies. The specificity of th...

  6. Microwave based synthesis and spectral characterization of thermo-sensitive poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) grafted pectin copolymer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Işıklan, Nuran; Tokmak, Şeyma

    2018-07-01

    The functionalization of polysaccharides with synthetic polymers has attracted great attention owing to its application in many industrial fields. The aim of this work was to study the impact of pectin functionalization with N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEAAm). Pectin was modified via microwave-induced graft copolymerization of DEAAm using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED). FTIR, 13 C NMR, DSC/TGA, XRD, and SEM techniques were used to verify the structure of graft copolymers. Various reaction conditions such as microwave irradiation time, temperature, microwave power, monomer, initiator, and TEMED concentrations were investigated to get a maximum grafting yield of 192%. Lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) of graft copolymers were determined by UV spectroscopy. Graft copolymers were found to be thermo-sensitive, with LCST of 31°C and high thermal resistance. Biocompatibility test of copolymers showed that copolymers were not cytotoxic to L929 fibroblasts cells and can be used as a biomaterial. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Effect of combined application of organic P and inorganic N ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A study was undertaken to assess the effect of combined application of organic-P and inorganic-N fertilizers on post harvest quality of carrot (Daucus carota l.) stored at 1°C and ambient conditions (8.6 - 24.8°C). For the fertilizer treatments, 309 kg orga ha-1 (for P) in combination with each of six rates of urea (0, 68.5, 267.2, ...

  8. Parental acceptance, postpartum depression, and maternal sensitivity: mediating and moderating processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crockenberg, Susan C; Leerkes, Esther M

    2003-03-01

    Mothers (n = 92), fathers (n = 84), and their infants (60% male) participated in a longitudinal study of postpartum depression and maternal sensitivity. Mothers completed questionnaire measures of remembered parental acceptance, depressive symptoms, and infant distress to novelty and limits. Mothers and partners reported on marital aggression and avoidance. Maternal sensitivity was observed in the laboratory at 6 months. Characteristics of mothers, partners, and infants combined to predict postpartum depression and maternal sensitivity. Remembered parental rejection predicted postpartum depressive symptoms with prenatal depression controlled; self-esteem mediated this effect. Paternal acceptance buffered against postpartum depression when infants were highly reactive and when partners were aggressive. Paternal acceptance reduced the impact of postpartum depression on maternal sensitivity; having an aggressive marital partner exacerbated the effect.

  9. Integration of High-Performance Nanocrystalline TiO2 Photoelectrodes for N719-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ke-Jian Jiang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We report on enhanced performance of N719-sensitized TiO2 solar cells (DSCs incorporating size and photoelectron diffusion-controlled TiO2 as sensitizer-matched light-scatter layers on conventional nanocrystalline TiO2 electrodes. The double-layered N719/TiO2 composite electrode with a high dye-loading capacity exhibits the diffused reflectance of more than 50% in the range of λ = 650–800 nm, even when the films are coupled with the titania nanocrystalline underlayer in the device. As a result, the increased near-infrared light-harvesting produces a high light-to-electricity conversion efficiency of over 9% mainly due to the significant increase of Jsc. Such an optical effect of the NIR-light scattering TiO2 electrodes will be beneficial when the sensitizers with low molar extinction coefficients, such as N719, are introduced in the device.

  10. The Solubility Parameters of Ionic Liquids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marciniak, Andrzej

    2010-01-01

    The Hildebrand’s solubility parameters have been calculated for 18 ionic liquids from the inverse gas chromatography measurements of the activity coefficients at infinite dilution. Retention data were used for the calculation. The solubility parameters are helpful for the prediction of the solubility in the binary solvent mixtures. From the solubility parameters, the standard enthalpies of vaporization of ionic liquids were estimated. PMID:20559495

  11. The Solubility Parameters of Ionic Liquids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrzej Marciniak

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available The Hildebrand’s solubility parameters have been calculated for 18 ionic liquids from the inverse gas chromatography measurements of the activity coefficients at infinite dilution. Retention data were used for the calculation. The solubility parameters are helpful for the prediction of the solubility in the binary solvent mixtures. From the solubility parameters, the standard enthalpies of vaporization of ionic liquids were estimated.

  12. Thermodynamic aspects of solubility, solvation and partitioning processes of some sulfonamides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perlovich, German L., E-mail: glp@isc-ras.r [Department of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Chernogolovka (Russian Federation); Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo (Russian Federation); Ryzhakov, Alex M. [Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo (Russian Federation); Strakhova, Nadezda N.; Kazachenko, Vladimir P. [Department of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Chernogolovka (Russian Federation); Schaper, Klaus-Juergen [Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Center for Medicine and Biosciences, D-23845 Borstel (Germany); Raevsky, Oleg A. [Department of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Chernogolovka (Russian Federation)

    2011-05-15

    Research highlights: {yields} The thermodynamic aspects of sublimation processes of some sulfonamides were studied by investigating the temperature dependence of vapor pressure using the transpiration method. {yields} Solubility processes of the compounds in water, phosphate buffer with pH 7.4 and n-octanol were investigated and corresponding thermodynamic functions were calculated as well. {yields} Thermodynamic characteristics of the sulfonamides solvation were evaluated. - Abstract: The thermodynamic aspects of sublimation processes of three sulfonamides with the general structures C{sub 6}H{sub 5}-SO{sub 2}NH-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}-R (R = 4-NO{sub 2}) and 4-NH{sub 2}-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}-SO{sub 2}NH-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}-R (R = 4-NO{sub 2}; 4-CN) were studied by investigating the temperature dependence of vapor pressure using the transpiration method. These data together with those obtained earlier for C{sub 6}H{sub 5}-SO{sub 2}NH-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}-R (R = 4-Cl) and 4-NH{sub 2}-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}-SO{sub 2}NH-C{sub 6}H{sub 4}-R (R = 4-Cl; 4-OMe; 4-C{sub 2}H{sub 5}) were analyzed and compared. A correlation was derived between sublimation Gibbs free energies and the sum of H-bond acceptor factors of the molecules. Solubility processes of the compounds in water, phosphate buffer with pH 7.4 and n-octanol (as phases modeling various drug delivery pathways) were investigated and corresponding thermodynamic functions were calculated as well. Thermodynamic characteristics of the sulfonamides solvation were evaluated. Also in this case a correlation between solubility/solvation Gibbs free energy values and the sum of H-bond acceptor factors was observed. For the sulfonamides with various substituents at para-position the processes of transfer from one solvent (water or buffer) to n-octanol were studied by a diagram method combined with analysis of enthalpic and entropic terms. Distinguishing between enthalpy and entropy, as is possible through the present approach, leads to the insight

  13. Solubility of sparingly soluble drug derivatives of anthranilic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domańska, Urszula; Pobudkowska, Aneta; Pelczarska, Aleksandra

    2011-03-24

    This work is a continuation of our systematic study of the solubility of pharmaceuticals (Pharms). All substances here are derivatives of anthranilic acid, and have an anti-inflammatory direction of action (niflumic acid, flufenamic acid, and diclofenac sodium). The basic thermal properties of pure Pharms, i.e., melting and glass-transition temperatures as well as the enthalpy of melting, have been measured with the differential scanning microcalorimetry technique (DSC). Molar volumes have been calculated with the Barton group contribution method. The equilibrium mole fraction solubilities of three pharmaceuticals were measured in a range of temperatures from 285 to 355 K in three important solvents for Pharm investigations: water, ethanol, and 1-octanol using a dynamic method and spectroscopic UV-vis method. The experimental solubility data have been correlated by means of the commonly known G(E) equation: the NRTL, with the assumption that the systems studied here have revealed simple eutectic mixtures. pK(a) precise measurement values have been investigated with the Bates-Schwarzenbach spectrophotometric method. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  14. Production of soluble mammalian proteins in Escherichia coli: identification of protein features that correlate with successful expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Perera Rajika L

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the search for generic expression strategies for mammalian protein families several bacterial expression vectors were examined for their ability to promote high yields of soluble protein. Proteins studied included cell surface receptors (Ephrins and Eph receptors, CD44, kinases (EGFR-cytoplasmic domain, CDK2 and 4, proteases (MMP1, CASP2, signal transduction proteins (GRB2, RAF1, HRAS and transcription factors (GATA2, Fli1, Trp53, Mdm2, JUN, FOS, MAD, MAX. Over 400 experiments were performed where expression of 30 full-length proteins and protein domains were evaluated with 6 different N-terminal and 8 C-terminal fusion partners. Expression of an additional set of 95 mammalian proteins was also performed to test the conclusions of this study. Results Several protein features correlated with soluble protein expression yield including molecular weight and the number of contiguous hydrophobic residues and low complexity regions. There was no relationship between successful expression and protein pI, grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY, or sub-cellular location. Only small globular cytoplasmic proteins with an average molecular weight of 23 kDa did not require a solubility enhancing tag for high level soluble expression. Thioredoxin (Trx and maltose binding protein (MBP were the best N-terminal protein fusions to promote soluble expression, but MBP was most effective as a C-terminal fusion. 63 of 95 mammalian proteins expressed at soluble levels of greater than 1 mg/l as N-terminal H10-MBP fusions and those that failed possessed, on average, a higher molecular weight and greater number of contiguous hydrophobic amino acids and low complexity regions. Conclusions By analysis of the protein features identified here, this study will help predict which mammalian proteins and domains can be successfully expressed in E. coli as soluble product and also which are best targeted for a eukaryotic expression system. In some cases

  15. Nanocrystals for enhancement of oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Varaporn Buraphacheep Junyaprasert

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Nanocrystals, a carrier-free colloidal delivery system in nano-sized range, is an interesting approach for poorly soluble drugs. Nanocrystals provide special features including enhancement of saturation solubility, dissolution velocity and adhesiveness to surface/cell membranes. Several strategies are applied for nanocrystals production including precipitation, milling, high pressure homogenization and combination methods such as NanoEdge™, SmartCrystal and Precipitation-lyophilization-homogenization (PLH technology. For oral administration, many publications reported useful advantages of nanocrystals to improve in vivo performances i.e. pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety and targeted delivery which were discussed in this review. Additionally, transformation of nanocrystals to final formulations and future trends of nanocrystals were also described.

  16. Exposure of Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar) to a combination of resin acids and a water soluble fraction of diesel fuel oil: A model to investigate the chemical causes of pigmented salmon syndrome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Croce, B.; Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Aberdeen; Stagg, R.M.

    1997-01-01

    Pigmented salmon syndrome is a pollutant-induced hemolytic anemia and hyperbilirubinemia. As part of an investigation of this condition, S2 Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar) were exposed to a diesel fuel oil, water soluble fraction (WSF) in combination with a mixture of three resin acids (isopimaric, dehydroabietic, and abietic acids) in a continuous-flow freshwater system. The total nominal concentrations of resin acids in the exposure tanks were 10, 50, and 100 microg/L; the diesel WSF was generated in situ and provided a mean hydrocarbon concentration of 2.0 ± 0.1 mg/L (n = 12) during the 9-d exposure period. Exposure to the diesel WSF alone depressed liver bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UDPGT) activity and induced phenol UDPGT activity. Exposure to the diesel WSF in the absence or presence of resin acids induced liver cytochrome P4501A and increased the concentrations in the plasma of the enzymes lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase. The combined exposure to diesel WSF with either 50 or 100 microg/L total resin acid caused significant elevations in the concentrations of bilirubin in the plasma and many of these fish had yellow pigmentation on the ventral surface and around the gill arches. The results demonstrate that exposure to combinations of two groups of contaminants can result in the manifestation of toxic effects not apparent from exposure to either of these chemicals in isolation

  17. Prediction of the solubility in lipidic solvent mixture: Investigation of the modeling approach and thermodynamic analysis of solubility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Shruti V; Patel, Sarsvatkumar

    2015-09-18

    Self-micro emulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) is one of the methods to improve solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drug(s). The knowledge of the solubility of pharmaceuticals in pure lipidic solvents and solvent mixtures is crucial for designing the SMEDDS of poorly soluble drug substances. Since, experiments are very time consuming, a model, which allows for solubility predictions in solvent mixtures based on less experimental data is desirable for efficiency. Solvents employed were Labrafil® M1944CS and Labrasol® as lipidic solvents; Capryol-90®, Capryol-PGMC® and Tween®-80 as surfactants; Transcutol® and PEG-400 as co-solvents. Solubilities of both drugs were determined in single solvent systems at temperature (T) range of 283-333K. In present study, we investigated the applicability of the thermodynamic model to understand the solubility behavior of drugs in the lipiodic solvents. By using the Van't Hoff and general solubility theory, the thermodynamic functions like Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy of solution, mixing and solvation for drug in single and mixed solvents were understood. The thermodynamic parameters were understood in the framework of drug-solvent interaction based on their chemical similarity and dissimilarity. Clotrimazole and Fluconazole were used as active ingredients whose solubility was measured in single solvent as a function of temperature and the data obtained were used to derive mathematical models which can predict solubility in multi-component solvent mixtures. Model dependent parameters for each drug were calculated at each temperature. The experimental solubility data of solute in mixed solvent system were measured experimentally and further correlated with the calculates values obtained from exponent model and log-linear model of Yalkowsky. The good correlation was observed between experimental solubility and predicted solubility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Aqueous solubility, dispersibility and toxicity of biodiesels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hollebone, B.P.; Fieldhouse, B.; Lumley, T.C.; Landriault, M.; Doe, K.; Jackman, P.

    2007-01-01

    fuel. It was determined that chemical composition of the water-soluble fractions of blends of biodiesels and petrodiesels can be modeled by a linear combination of the water-soluble fraction chemistries of the neat petro- and biodiesels. Petroleum diesels appear to be 5 to 10 times more acutely toxic to aquatic organisms than pure biodiesels. Biodiesels were found to disperse very completely in high energy conditions. 17 refs., 5 tabs., 3 figs

  19. High Excitation Transfer Efficiency from Energy Relay Dyes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Hardin, Brian E.

    2010-08-11

    The energy relay dye, 4-(Dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4- dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM), was used with a near-infrared sensitizing dye, TT1, to increase the overall power conversion efficiency of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) from 3.5% to 4.5%. The unattached DCM dyes exhibit an average excitation transfer efficiency (EÌ?TE) of 96% inside TT1-covered, mesostructured TiO2 films. Further performance increases were limited by the solubility of DCM in an acetonitrile based electrolyte. This demonstration shows that energy relay dyes can be efficiently implemented in optimized dye-sensitized solar cells, but also highlights the need to design highly soluble energy relay dyes with high molar extinction coefficients. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

  20. Combined genetic and pharmacological inhibition of TRPV1 and P2X3 attenuates colorectal hypersensitivity and afferent sensitization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiyatkin, Michael E.; Feng, Bin; Schwartz, Erica S.

    2013-01-01

    The ligand-gated channels transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and P2X3 have been reported to facilitate colorectal afferent neuron sensitization, thus contributing to organ hypersensitivity and pain. In the present study, we hypothesized that TRPV1 and P2X3 cooperate to modulate colorectal nociception and afferent sensitivity. To test this hypothesis, we employed TRPV1-P2X3 double knockout (TPDKO) mice and channel-selective pharmacological antagonists and evaluated combined channel contributions to behavioral responses to colorectal distension (CRD) and afferent fiber responses to colorectal stretch. Baseline responses to CRD were unexpectedly greater in TPDKO compared with control mice, but zymosan-produced CRD hypersensitivity was absent in TPDKO mice. Relative to control mice, proportions of mechanosensitive and -insensitive pelvic nerve afferent classes were not different in TPDKO mice. Responses of mucosal and serosal class afferents to mechanical probing were unaffected, whereas responses of muscular (but not muscular/mucosal) afferents to stretch were significantly attenuated in TPDKO mice; sensitization of both muscular and muscular/mucosal afferents by inflammatory soup was also significantly attenuated. In pharmacological studies, the TRPV1 antagonist A889425 and P2X3 antagonist TNP-ATP, alone and in combination, applied onto stretch-sensitive afferent endings attenuated responses to stretch; combined antagonism produced greater attenuation. In the aggregate, these observations suggest that 1) genetic manipulation of TRPV1 and P2X3 leads to reduction in colorectal mechanosensation peripherally and compensatory changes and/or disinhibition of other channels centrally, 2) combined pharmacological antagonism produces more robust attenuation of mechanosensation peripherally than does antagonism of either channel alone, and 3) the relative importance of these channels appears to be enhanced in colorectal hypersensitivity. PMID:23989007

  1. Diblock Terpolymers Are Tunable and pH Responsive Vehicles To Increase Hydrophobic Drug Solubility for Oral Administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tale, Swapnil; Purchel, Anatolii A; Dalsin, Molly C; Reineke, Theresa M

    2017-11-06

    Synthetic polymers offer tunable platforms to create new oral drug delivery vehicles (excipients) to increase solubility, supersaturation maintenance, and bioavailability of poorly aqueous soluble pharmaceutical candidates. Five well-defined diblock terpolymers were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) and consist of a first block of either poly(ethylene-alt-propylene) (PEP), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm), or poly(N,N-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEMA) and a second hydrophilic block consisting of a gradient copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and 2-methacrylamidotrehalose (MAT). This family of diblock terpolymers offers hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or H-bonding functionalities to serve as noncovalent sites of drug binding. Drug-polymer spray dried dispersions (SDDs) were created with a model drug, probucol, and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These studies revealed that probucol crystallinity decreased with increasing H-bonding sites available in the polymer. The PNIPAm-b-P(DMA-grad-MAT) systems revealed the best performance at pH 6.5, where immediate probucol release and effective maintenance of 100% supersaturation was found, which is important for facilitating drug solubility in more neutral conditions (intestinal environment). However, the PDEAEMA-b-P(DMA-grad-MAT) system revealed poor probucol dissolution at pH 6.5 and 5.1. Alternatively, at an acidic pH of 3.1, a rapid and high dissolution profile and effective supersaturation maintenance of up to 90% of the drug was found, which could be useful for triggering drug release in acidic environments (stomach). The PEP-b-P(DMA-grad-MAT) system showed poor performance (only ∼20% of drug solubility at pH 6.5), which was attributed to the low solubility of the polymers in the dissolution media. This work demonstrates the utility of diblock terpolymers as a potential new excipient platform to optimize design parameters for

  2. Solubility of Carbon in Nanocrystalline -Iron

    OpenAIRE

    Alexander Kirchner; Bernd Kieback

    2012-01-01

    A thermodynamic model for nanocrystalline interstitial alloys is presented. The equilibrium solid solubility of carbon in -iron is calculated for given grain size. Inside the strained nanograins local variation of the carbon content is predicted. Due to the nonlinear relation between strain and solubility, the averaged solubility in the grain interior increases with decreasing grain size. The majority of the global solubility enhancement is due to grain boundary enrichment however. Therefor...

  3. Effect of heat treatment and rotor steels composition on hydrogen solubility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanov, A.I.; Samojlenko, L.V.; Gorovaya, O.N.; Najdovskij, A.G.; Bilik, I.; Kret, Ya.

    1988-01-01

    Measurements of equilibrium hydrogen adsorption in samples of 27KhN3MFA and 25Kh2NMFA steels were conducted. Carbide inclusions and doping additions, typical for rotor steels, don't produce noticeable effect on hydrogen solubility in

  4. Impedance spectroscopy study of N719-sensitized ZnO-based solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pauporté, Th., E-mail: thierry-pauporte@chimie-paristech.fr [Laboratoire d' Electrochimie, Chimie des Interfaces et Modélisation pour l' Energie, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris, 11 rue P. et M. Curie, 75231 Paris cedex 05 (France); Magne, C. [Laboratoire d' Electrochimie, Chimie des Interfaces et Modélisation pour l' Energie, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris, 11 rue P. et M. Curie, 75231 Paris cedex 05 (France); Saint-Gobain Recherche, 39 quai Lucien Lefranc, 93303 Aubervilliers Cedex (France)

    2014-06-02

    ZnO porous films prepared by electrodeposition and by sol–gel techniques have been sensitized by the N719 dye and used as photoelectrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. Similar stationary current–voltage characteristics have been measured for films having two drastically different morphologies and nanostructures. The solar cells have been studied by impedance spectroscopy over large frequency and applied voltage ranges in order to elucidate the inherent correlation between the photoelectrode structure and properties. The electrical response has been analyzed using an ad-hoc electrical model to extrapolate the electronic structure and charge carrier kinetic properties of the photoelectrodes. The two films exhibit very different density distributions of their trap states below the conduction band edge. Moreover, their electron lifetimes and transport times vary differently with the DOS due to different surface and conduction properties. The charge collection efficiency has been calculated by two different approaches, one being derived from first principles. Very high values are reported in all cases. Globally, the limitation of N719/ZnO solar cell performances is related to their open circuit voltage and their short circuit current. The latter point is discussed in the light of our impedance results and photoelectrode light absorption data. - Highlights: • Exponential trap state distribution • Electron transport and recombination depend on oxide preparation route. • Charge collection efficiency modeling • Very high charge collection efficiency in N719/ZnO dye-sensitized solar cells • ZnO cell performance limitations.

  5. Intrinsic solubility estimation and pH-solubility behavior of cosalane (NSC 658586), an extremely hydrophobic diprotic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkatesh, S; Li, J; Xu, Y; Vishnuvajjala, R; Anderson, B D

    1996-10-01

    The selection of cosalane (NSC 658586) by the National Cancer Institute for further development as a potential drug candidate for the treatment of AIDS led to the exploration of the solubility behavior of this extremely hydrophobic drug, which has an intrinsic solubility (S0 approaching 1 ng/ml. This study describes attempts to reliably measure the intrinsic solubility of cosalane and examine its pH-solubility behavior. S0 was estimated by 5 different strategies: (a) direct determination in an aqueous suspension: (b) facilitated dissolution; (c) estimation from the octanol/water partition coefficient and octanol solubility (d) application of an empirical equation based on melting point and partition coefficient; and (e) estimation from the hydrocarbon solubility and functional group contributions for transfer from hydrocarbon to water. S0 estimates using these five methods varied over a 5 x 107-fold range Method (a) yielded the highest values, two-orders of magnitude greater than those obtained by method (b) (facilitated dissolution. 1.4 +/- 0.5 ng/ml). Method (c) gave a value 20-fold higher while that from method (d) was in fair agreement with that from facilitated dissolution. Method (e) yielded a value several orders-of-magnitude lower than other methods. A molecular dynamics simulation suggests that folded conformations not accounted for by group contributions may reduce cosalane's effective hydrophobicity. Ionic equilibria calculations for this weak diprotic acid suggested a 100-fold increase in solubility per pH unit increase. The pH-solubility profile of cosalane at 25 degrees C agreed closely with theory. These studies highlight the difficulty in determining solubility of very poorly soluble compounds and the possible advantage of the facilitated dissolution method. The diprotic nature of cosalane enabled a solubility enhancement of > 107-fold by simple pH adjustment.

  6. Environmental Oil Spill Sensitivity Atlas for the West Greenland (68º-72º N) Coastal Zone

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mosbech, A.; Boertmann, D.; Olsen, B. Ø.

    This oil spill sensitivity atlas covers the shoreline and the offshore areas of West Greenlandbetween 68º N and 72º N. The coastal zone is divided into nearly 200 areas and the offshorezone into 8 areas. A sensitivity index value is calculated for each area, and each area issubsequently ranked...... on 37 maps (in scale 1:250,000), which also show thedifferent elements included. These maps also show the selected areas. Coast types, logistics andproposed response methods along the coasts are shown on another 38 maps. The sensitivities ofthe offshore zones are depicted on 4 maps, one for each season...

  7. Sensitivity improvement for correlations involving arginine side-chain N{epsilon}/H{epsilon} resonances in multi-dimensional NMR experiments using broadband {sup 15}N 180{sup o} pulses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iwahara, Junji; Clore, G. Marius [National Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Chemical Physics, Building 5, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (United States)], E-mail: mariusc@intra.niddk.nih.gov

    2006-12-15

    Due to practical limitations in available {sup 15}N rf field strength, imperfections in {sup 15}N 180{sup o} pulses arising from off-resonance effects can result in significant sensitivity loss, even if the chemical shift offset is relatively small. Indeed, in multi-dimensional NMR experiments optimized for protein backbone amide groups, cross-peaks arising from the Arg guanidino {sup 15}N{epsilon} ({approx}85 ppm) are highly attenuated by the presence of multiple INEPT transfer steps. To improve the sensitivity for correlations involving Arg N{epsilon}-H{epsilon} groups, we have incorporated {sup 15}N broadband 180 deg. pulses into 3D {sup 15}N-separated NOE-HSQC and HNCACB experiments. Two {sup 15}N-WURST pulses incorporated at the INEPT transfer steps of the 3D {sup 15}N-separated NOE-HSQC pulse sequence resulted in a {approx}1.5-fold increase in sensitivity for the Arg N{epsilon}-H{epsilon} signals at 800 MHz. For the 3D HNCACB experiment, five {sup 15}N Abramovich-Vega pulses were incorporated for broadband inversion and refocusing, and the sensitivity of Arg{sup 1}H{epsilon}-{sup 15}N{epsilon}-{sup 13}C{gamma}/{sup 13}C{delta} correlation peaks was enhanced by a factor of {approx}1.7 at 500 MHz. These experiments eliminate the necessity for additional experiments to assign Arg {sup 1}H{epsilon} and {sup 15}N{epsilon} resonances. In addition, the increased sensitivity afforded for the detection of NOE cross-peaks involving correlations with the {sup 15}N{epsilon}/{sup 1}H{epsilon} of Arg in 3D {sup 15}N-separated NOE experiments should prove to be very useful for structural analysis of interactions involving Arg side-chains.

  8. [Studies with 15N-labeled lysine in colostomized hens. 2. 15N excretion in feces].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruhn, K; Wiefel, P

    1983-05-01

    Over a period of four days colostomised hens were given 15N-lysine, and the development of 15N-excretion both in the TCA-soluble and the TCA-precipitable fraction of the faeces was measured over eight days. In both fractions the total, lysine, histidine and arginine N and 15N-excess (15N') was determined. The average apparent digestibility of 14N was 81.2% +/- 1.1% and of 15N' 93.2% +/- 0.7%. Labelled N is already excreted in faeces 3 hours after its application. The TCA-precipitable N is less strongly labelled than the TCA-soluble N. During the application of 15N' the labelling in faecal lysine is nearly one power of ten higher than in total N. The atom-% 15N' of the lysine could also be distinctly detected in arginine and histidine. The quotas of the total 15N' in faeces were 3.5% for arginine-15N' and 0.8% for histidine 15N'; 15N' can mainly be detected in the soluble fraction.

  9. Waterborne Electrospinning of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) by Control of Environmental Parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoolaert, Ella; Ryckx, Paulien; Geltmeyer, Jozefien; Maji, Samarendra; Van Steenberge, Paul H M; D'hooge, Dagmar R; Hoogenboom, Richard; De Clerck, Karen

    2017-07-19

    With increasing toxicity and environmental concerns, electrospinning from water, i.e., waterborne electrospinning, is crucial to further exploit the resulting nanofiber potential. Most water-soluble polymers have the inherent limitation of resulting in water-soluble nanofibers, and a tedious chemical cross-linking step is required to reach stable nanofibers. An interesting alternative route is the use of thermoresponsive polymers, such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), as they are water-soluble beneath their lower critical solution temperature (LCST) allowing low-temperature electrospinning while the obtained nanofibers are water-stable above the LCST. Moreover, PNIPAM nanofibers show major potential to many application fields, including biomedicine, as they combine the well-known on-off switching behavior of PNIPAM, thanks to its LCST, with the unique properties of nanofibers. In the present work, based on dedicated turbidity and rheological measurements, optimal combinations of polymer concentration, environmental temperature, and relative humidity are identified allowing, for the first time, the production of continuous, bead-free PNIPAM nanofibers electrospun from water. More specifically, PNIPAM gelation was found to occur well below its LCST at higher polymer concentrations leading to a temperature regime where the viscosity significantly increases without compromising the polymer solubility. This opens up the ecological, water-based production of uniform PNIPAM nanofibers that are stable in water at temperatures above PNIPAM's LCST, making them suitable for various applications, including drug delivery and switchable cell culture substrates.

  10. Molecular dynamics study of salt–solution interface: Solubility and surface charge of salt in water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Kazuya; Liang, Yunfeng; Matsuoka, Toshifumi; Sakka, Tetsuo

    2014-01-01

    The NaCl salt–solution interface often serves as an example of an uncharged surface. However, recent laser-Doppler electrophoresis has shown some evidence that the NaCl crystal is positively charged in its saturated solution. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we have investigated the NaCl salt–solution interface system, and calculated the solubility of the salt using the direct method and free energy calculations, which are kinetic and thermodynamic approaches, respectively. The direct method calculation uses a salt–solution combined system. When the system is equilibrated, the concentration in the solution area is the solubility. In the free energy calculation, we separately calculate the chemical potential of NaCl in two systems, the solid and the solution, using thermodynamic integration with MD simulations. When the chemical potential of NaCl in the solution phase is equal to the chemical potential of the solid phase, the concentration of the solution system is the solubility. The advantage of using two different methods is that the computational methods can be mutually verified. We found that a relatively good estimate of the solubility of the system can be obtained through comparison of the two methods. Furthermore, we found using microsecond time-scale MD simulations that the positively charged NaCl surface was induced by a combination of a sodium-rich surface and the orientation of the interfacial water molecules

  11. Solid solubility of fission product and other transition elements in carbides and nitrides of uranium and plutonium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benedict, U.

    1979-01-01

    Solubility studies were made in some MX-Me systems (M:U or Pu; X: C or N; Me: fission product or other transition element) by X-ray diffraction and partly by microprobe determination of solute concentrations. Up to 23 m/o ZrC and 17 m/o TaC dissolved in the PuC phases of sintered PuC-ZrC and PuC-TaC samples; the lattice parameter/concentration relationships were derived. The relative lattice parameter difference (RLPD) between MXy and MeXy (y: ratio X/(M+Me)) was used as a solubility criterion. NaCl type monocarbides with RLPD's from -10.2% to +7.8% are completely miscible with UC and PuC. NaCl type mononitrides with RLPD's from -7.5% to 8.5% are completely miscible with UN and PuN. The solubility in the sesquicarbides increases with decreasing RLPD and becomes complete in Pu 2 C 3 at RLPD =+4%, and in U 2 C 3 at RLPD ca. +1.5%. Solubilities are predicted on the basis of these rules for the cases where no experimental results are available. A general review on the experimental and predicted solubilities is given. (orig.) [de

  12. Pulsed electric field (PEF)-induced aggregation between lysozyme, ovalbumin and ovotransferrin in multi-protein system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Li; Zhao, Wei; Yang, Ruijin; Yan, Wenxu

    2015-05-15

    The aggregation of multi-proteins is of great interest in food processing and a good understanding of the formation of aggregates during PEF processing is needed for the application of the process to pasteurize protein-based foods. The aggregates formation of a multi-protein system (containing ovalbumin, ovotransferrin and lysozyme) was studied through turbidity, size exclusion chromatography and SDS-PAGE patterns for interaction studies and binding forces. Results from size exclusion chromatography indicated that there was no soluble aggregates formed during PEF processing. The existence of lysozyme was important to form insoluble aggregates in the chosen ovalbumin solution. The results of SDS-PAGE patterns indicated that lysozyme was prone to precipitate, and was relatively the higher component of aggregates. Citric acid could be effective in inhibiting lysozyme from interacting with other proteins during PEF processing. Blocking the free sulphydryl by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) did not affect aggregation inhibition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of the renal natriuretic peptide, ularitide, alone or combined ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of the renal natriuretic peptide, ularitide, alone or combined with ... inhibitor, Omapatrilat, on experimental volume overloadinduced congestive heart failure in ... N-terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity ...

  14. Formulation of a poorly water-soluble drug in sustained-release hollow granules with a high viscosity water-soluble polymer using a fluidized bed rotor granulator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asada, Takumi; Yoshihara, Naoki; Ochiai, Yasushi; Kimura, Shin-Ichiro; Iwao, Yasunori; Itai, Shigeru

    2018-04-25

    Water-soluble polymers with high viscosity are frequently used in the design of sustained-release formulations of poorly water-soluble drugs to enable complete release of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract. Tablets containing matrix granules with a water-soluble polymer are preferred because tablets are easier to handle and the multiple drug-release units of the matrix granules decreases the influences of the physiological environment on the drug. However, matrix granules with a particle size of over 800 μm sometimes cause a content uniformity problem in the tableting process because of the large particle size. An effective method of manufacturing controlled-release matrix granules with a smaller particle size is desired. The aim of this study was to develop tablets containing matrix granules with a smaller size and good controlled-release properties, using phenytoin as a model poorly water-soluble drug. We adapted the recently developed hollow spherical granule granulation technology, using water-soluble polymers with different viscosities. The prepared granules had an average particle size of 300 μm and sharp particle size distribution (relative width: 0.52-0.64). The values for the particle strength of the granules were 1.86-1.97 N/mm 2 , and the dissolution profiles of the granules were not affected by the tableting process. The dissolution profiles and the blood concentration levels of drug released from the granules depended on the viscosity of the polymer contained in the granules. We succeeded in developing the desired controlled-release granules, and this study should be valuable in the development of sustained-release formulations of poorly water-soluble drugs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Chemical radiosensitization and quality of cellular damage in bacteria exposed to gamma rays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nair, C.K.K.; Pradhan, D.S.; Sreenivasan, A.

    1976-01-01

    Iodoacetic acid (IAA) and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) when present during exposure of Streptococcus faecalis cells to gamma radiation enhance radiation-induced lethality under both anoxic and aerated conditions. The changes brought about by this radiosensitization in cellular functions have been studied with a view to elucidating the mechanism responsible for the increased loss of viability. The quality of cellular damage in chemical radiosensitization was investigated by correlating survival and the biosynthetic capacity of an irradiated cell population. The relationship between surviving fraction and extent of incorporation of 3 H-thymidine into DNA was found to be unaffected regardless of whether the sensitizers (IAA or NEM) were present or absent during irradiation under anoxia. However, under the oxic condition of irradiation the survival--DNA-labeling relationship was completely different in the presence and in the absence of the sensitizers

  16. Sensitivity to temperature of nuclear energy generation by hydrogen burning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitalas, R.

    1981-01-01

    The sensitivity to temperature of nuclear energy generation by hydrogen burning is discussed. The complexity of the sensitivity is due to the different equilibration time-scales of the constituents of the p-p chain and CN cycle and the dependence of their abundances and time-scales on temperature. The time-scale of the temperature perturbation, compared to the equilibrium time-scale of a constituent, determines whether the constituent is in equilibrium and affects the sensitivity. The temperature sensitivity of the p-p chain for different values of hydrogen abundance, when different constituents come into equilibrium is presented, as well as its variation with 3 He abundance. The temperature sensitivity is drastically different from n 11 , the temperature sensitivity of the proton-proton reaction, unless the time-scale of temperature perturbation is long enough for 3 He to remain in equilibrium. Even in this case the sensitivity of the p-p chain differs significantly from n 11 , unless the temperature is so low that PP II and PP III chains can be neglected. The variation of the sensitivity of CN energy generation is small for different time-scales of temperature variation, because the temperature sensitivities of individual reactions are so similar. The combined sensitivity to temperature of energy generation by hydrogen burning is presented and shown to have a maximum of 16.4 at T 6 = 24.5. For T 6 > 25 the temperature sensitivity is given by the sensitivity of 14 N + p reaction. (author)

  17. On the americium oxalate solubility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zakolupin, S.A.; Korablin, Eh.V.

    1977-01-01

    The americium oxalate solubility at different nitric (0.0-1 M) and oxalic (0.0-0.4 M) acid concentrations was investigated in the temperature range from 14 to 60 deg C. The dependence of americium oxalate solubility on the oxalic acid concentration was determined. Increasing oxalic acid concentration was found to reduce the americium oxalate solubility. The dependence of americium oxalate solubility on the oxalic acid concentration was noted to be a minimum at low acidity (0.1-0.3 M nitric acid). This is most likely due to Am(C 2 O 4 ) + , Am(C 2 O 4 ) 2 - and Am(C 2 O 4 ) 3 3- complex ion formation which have different unstability constants. On the basis of the data obtained, a preliminary estimate was carried out for the product of americium oxalate solubility in nitric acid medium (10 -29 -10 -31 ) and of the one in water (6.4x10 -20 )

  18. Distribution of complemented 15N - (NH4)2SO4 in an ethanolic fermentation process on insolube-N and solube-N fractions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lara Cabejas, W.A.R.; Trivelin, P.C.O.

    1990-01-01

    Looking for stillage labeling with 15 N for further utilization in studies of mineral fertilization of sugar-cane, 15 N-(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 (43.5ppm, 45.401 atoms% 15 N) was supplemented in a single fermentative cycle, in a laboratory scale. A nitrogen fractionation was made between insoluble-N and soluble-N in several componentes of the fermentative process (yeast, sugar-cane juice, centrifugate wine, centrifugate yeast and stillage) with the objective of studying the added nitrogen distribution and its isotopic abundance composition. The nitrogen fractionation, and the isotopic analysis by mass spectrometry of 15 N, in the fractions of the several components of the fermentative process, showed 81.1% of N recovery, being 3.2% in stillage and mainly in a soluble-N fraction (71.4%), and the rest found in centrifugate yeast (77.9%), distributed mainly in a insoluble-N fraction (92.0%). Desuniform isotopic label was found in stillage, between soluble-N (1.333 atoms% 15 N) and insoluble-N fractions (0.744 atoms% 15 N). Means to improve the isotopic uniformity in these fractions is discussed. (autor) [pt

  19. Shedding of soluble glycoprotein 1 detected during acute Lassa virus infection in human subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Branco, Luis M; Grove, Jessica N; Moses, Lina M; Goba, Augustine; Fullah, Mohammed; Momoh, Mambu; Schoepp, Randal J; Bausch, Daniel G; Garry, Robert F

    2010-11-09

    protein shed during early arenaviral biogenesis. This phenomenon was clearly distinguishable from virion-associated GP1 only prior to the emergence of de novo viral particles. Despite this restricted time frame, in 2/46 suspected cases in two studies performed in late 2009 and early 2010, soluble glycoprotein component shedding was identified. Differential detection of viral antigens GP1, GP2, and NP by western blot yielded five different scenarios: whole LASV virions (GP1, GP2, NP; i.e. active viremia), different combinations of these three proteins, sGP1 only, NP only, and absence of all three proteins. Four additional samples showed inconclusive evidence for sGP1 shedding due to lack of detection of GP2 and NP in western blot; however, a sensitive LASV NP antigen capture ELISA generated marginally positive signals. During a narrow window following active infection with LASV, soluble GP1 can be detected in patient sera. This phenomenon parallels other VHF infection profiles, with the actual role of a soluble viral glycoprotein component in vivo remaining largely speculative. The expenditure of energy and cellular resources toward secretion of a critical protein during viral biogenesis without apparent specific function requires further investigation. Future studies will be aimed at systematically identifying the role of LASV sGP1 in the infection process and outcome in vitro and in vivo.

  20. Synthesis, characterization and solubility of a new anthelmintic salt: Mebendazole nitrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez, Eduardo L.; Souza, Matheus S.; Diniz, Luan F.; Ellena, Javier

    2018-06-01

    Salt formation approach was taken to improve Mebendazole (MBZ) solubility. MBZ polymorph A was easily recrystallized as a 1:1 nitrate salt (MBZ N) in methanol. Single crystal X-ray diffraction data show that MBZ N crystallizes in the P 1 bar space group. By strong intermolecular H-bonding interactions, MBZ is associated with a nitrate anion forming a supramolecular R22(8) synthon. Crystal packing is stabilized by these H-bonds, through which each nitrate connects two molecules of MBZ forming chains along the b axis. The vibrational behavior studied by micro FT-Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy is consistent with the crystal structure. Thermal analysis of the salt indicates that the compound is stable up to 150 °C, when an almost simultaneous elimination of HNO3 and CO2 occurs. MBZ N equilibrium solubility was evaluated in hydrochloric acid 0.1 M solution and compared with those of MBZ A and C. An improvement in a factor of 5 and 1.22 was found respectively.

  1. In vitro sensitivity of medically significant Fusarium species to various antimycotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sekhon, A S; Padhye, A A; Garg, A K; Ahmad, H; Moledina, N

    1994-01-01

    Sixteen isolates belonging to Fusarium chlamydosporum (n = 4), Fusarium equiseti (n = 1), Fusarium moniliforme (n = 2), Fusarium oxysporum (n = 3), Fusarium proliferatum (n = 1), and Fusarium solani (n = 5) were tested against amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, JAI-amphotericin B (water-soluble compound), hamycin and amphotericin B combined with 5-fluorocytosine, using antibiotic medium M3, high-resolution broth (pH 7.1), Sabouraud's dextrose, and yeast-nitrogen broth media (1 ml/tube). The minimal inhibitory and minimal fungicidal concentrations of 5-fluorocytosine and fluconazole for all species were > 100 micrograms/ml. All Fusarium isolates, except F. equiseti (3.125 micrograms), gave minimal inhibitory concentrations of 12.5-100 micrograms/ml for hamycin. The values for amphotericin B, itraconazole, ketoconazole, JAI-amphotericin B, and amphotericin B combined with 5-fluorocytosine were 1.56-100, 0.78-50, 3.125-100,50-100, and 1.56 to > 100 micrograms/ml, respectively. Although a wide range of minimal inhibitory concentrations was recorded for most of the isolates studied, it appears that some--F. solani, F. oxysporum, F. chlamydosporum, F. equiseti, and F. moliniforme--were more susceptible to amphotericin B, itraconazole, ketoconazole, hamycin, and amphotericin B in the presence of 5-fluorocytosine. All isolates showed resistance to 5-fluorocytosine and fluconazole. The minimal fungicidal concentrations were either the same or several times higher than the minimal inhibitory concentrations.

  2. CA72-4 combined with CEA, CA125 and CAl9-9 improves the sensitivity for the early diagnosis of gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ai-Ping; Liu, Jun; Lei, He-Yue; Zhang, Qun-Wei; Zhao, Long; Yang, Guo-Hui

    2014-11-01

    To determine whether the combination of tumor markers (CA72-4, CA125, CA19-9 and CEA) could increase the sensitivity and accuracy for in the diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC). This study is a retrospective analysis. A total of 426 patients, including 106 patients with GC, 149 patients with benign gastric diseases and 171 healthy people, who visited Zhejiang Xiaoshan Hospital from January 2011 to December 2013, were measured by serum markers, including CA72-4, CA125, CA19-9 and CEA. Statistical analyses including area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and logistic regression analysis, were performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of these markers on GC. Serum levels of CA72-4, CEA, CA125 and CA19-9 were higher in the GC group than those in the benign gastric disease group and the healthy control group (PCEA, CA125 and CA19-9 at the recommended cut-off level for all patients were 33.0%, 25.5%, 31.1% and 38.7%, respectively. However, when all four markers were used in combination the sensitivity increased to 66.0%. But by using an optimal cut-off value, the sensitivities of all four markers for the diagnosis of GC were improved. Especially the sensitivity of CEA increased to 73.6% and the sensitivity of the combination of the tumor markers increased to 75.5%. The age and gender had no effects on the diagnostic value of these markers. With the help of optimal cut-off values based on ROC curve and logistic regression analysis, the combination of these markers could improve the sensitivity for the diagnosis of GC based on common serum tumor markers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Solubilities of uranium for TILA-99

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ollila, K.; Ahonen, L.

    1998-11-01

    This report presents the evaluation of the uranium solubilities in the reference waters of TILA-99. The behaviour of uranium has been discussed separately in the near-field and far-field conditions. The bentonite/groundwater interactions have been considered in the compositions of the fresh and saline near-field reference waters. The far-field groundwaters' compositions include fresh, brackish, saline and very saline, almost brine-type compositions. The pH and redox conditions, as the main parameters affecting the solubilities, are considered. A literature study was made in order to obtain information on the recent dissolution and leaching experiments of UO 2 and spent fuel. The latest literature includes studies on UO 2 solubility under anoxic conditions, in which the methods for simulating the reducing conditions of deep groundwater have been improved. Studies on natural uraninite and its alteration products give a valuable insight into the long-term behaviour of spent fuel. Also the solubility equilibria for some relevant poorly known uranium minerals have been determined. The solubilities of the selected solubility-limiting phases were calculated using the geochemical code, EQ3/6. The NEA database for uranium was the basis for the modelling. The recently extended and updated SR '97 database was used for comparison. The solubility products for uranophane were taken from the latest literature. The recommended values for solubilities were given after a comparison between the calculated solubilities, experimental information and measured concentrations in natural groundwaters. The experiments include several UO 2 dissolution studies in synthetic groundwaters with compositions close to the reference groundwaters. (author)

  4. Solubilities of uranium for TILA-99

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ollila, K. [VTT Chemical Technology, Espoo (Finland); Ahonen, L. [Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo (Finland)

    1998-11-01

    This report presents the evaluation of the uranium solubilities in the reference waters of TILA-99. The behaviour of uranium has been discussed separately in the near-field and far-field conditions. The bentonite/groundwater interactions have been considered in the compositions of the fresh and saline near-field reference waters. The far-field groundwaters` compositions include fresh, brackish, saline and very saline, almost brine-type compositions. The pH and redox conditions, as the main parameters affecting the solubilities, are considered. A literature study was made in order to obtain information on the recent dissolution and leaching experiments of UO{sub 2} and spent fuel. The latest literature includes studies on UO{sub 2} solubility under anoxic conditions, in which the methods for simulating the reducing conditions of deep groundwater have been improved. Studies on natural uraninite and its alteration products give a valuable insight into the long-term behaviour of spent fuel. Also the solubility equilibria for some relevant poorly known uranium minerals have been determined. The solubilities of the selected solubility-limiting phases were calculated using the geochemical code, EQ3/6. The NEA database for uranium was the basis for the modelling. The recently extended and updated SR `97 database was used for comparison. The solubility products for uranophane were taken from the latest literature. The recommended values for solubilities were given after a comparison between the calculated solubilities, experimental information and measured concentrations in natural groundwaters. The experiments include several UO{sub 2} dissolution studies in synthetic groundwaters with compositions close to the reference groundwaters. (author) 81 refs.

  5. Characterization of Acid Soluble Collagen from Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier Fish Skin (Caesio cuning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ika Astiana

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Fish skin can be used as raw material for producing collagen. The collagen can be extracted by chemical or combination of chemical and enzymatic processes. Extraction of collagen chemically can do with the acid process that produces acid soluble collagen (ASC. This study aimed to determine the optimum concentration and time of pretreatment and extraction, also to determine the characteristics of the acid soluble collagen from the skin of yellow tail fish. Extraction of collagen done by pretreatment using NaOH at the concentration of 0.05; 0.1; and 0.15 M and extraction using acetic acid at the concentration of 0.3; 0.5; and 0.7 M. Pretreatment NaOH with concentration 0.05 M and soaking time of 8 hours is the best combination for eliminating non collagen protein. Combination treatment of acetic acid at the concentration of 0.3 M for 3 days obtained the best solubility. The yield of collagen ASC was 18.4±1.49% (db and 5.79±0.47% (wb. Amino acid composition that is dominant in the ASC collagen was glycine (25.09±0.003%, alanine (13.71±0.075%, and proline (12.15±0.132%. Collagen from yellow tail fish skin has α1, α2, β and γ protein structure with the molecular weight of 125, 113, 170-181, and 208 KDa. The transition and melting temperatures of collagen were 67.69oC and 144.4oC. The surface structure of collagen by analysis of SEM has fibers on the surface.

  6. Soluble Graphene Nanosheets from Recycled Graphite of Spent Lithium Ion Batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Liangliang; Liu, Xiya; Wan, Chuanyun; Ye, Xiangrong; Wu, Fanhong

    2018-02-01

    Soluble graphene nanosheets are fabricated from recycled graphite of spent lithium ion batteries through a modified Hammers process followed by deoxygenation with NaOH-KOH eutectic. Ultrasonic exfoliation in N-methyl-pyrrolidone indicates the loosened graphene layers in recycled graphite are prone to exfoliation. Reduction of the exfoliated graphene oxide sheets was conducted in molten NaOH-KOH eutectic at different temperatures. The results show that molten NaOH-KOH effectively eliminates the unsaturated oxygen-containing moieties from the exfoliated graphene oxide sheets while creating more hydroxyl functional groups. Higher temperature treatment is more prone to remove hydroxyls while producing the shrinkage on the surface of graphene sheets. Graphene sheet with a good solubility is produced when the graphene oxide is heat-treated at 220 °C for 10 h. After reduction, the graphene oxide sheets exhibit excellent dispersibility or solubility in water, ethanol and other polar solvents, therefore being highly desirable for solution processing of graphene materials. Such study not only identifies a high-quality stockpile to prepare soluble graphene but also paves a feasible alternative of graphite recycling from spent lithium batteries.

  7. Environmental oil spill sensitivity atlas for the Northwest Greenland (75°-77° N) coastal zone

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Daniel Spelling; Mosbech, Anders; Boertmann, David

    2016-01-01

    This oil spill sensitivity atlas covers the shoreline and the offshore areas of West Greenland between 75º N and 77º N. The coastal zone is divided into 53 shoreline segments, and the offshore zone into 4 areas. A sensitivity index value is calculated for each segment/area, and each segment...... rankings are shown on 15 maps (in scale 1:250,000), which also show the different elements included in the analysis and the selected areas. Coast types, logistics and proposed response methods along the coasts are shown on another 15 maps. The sensitivities of the offshore zones are depicted on four maps...

  8. Predicting the equilibrium solubility of solid polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dibenzothiophene using a combination of MOSCED plus molecular simulation or electronic structure calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phifer, Jeremy R.; Cox, Courtney E.; da Silva, Larissa Ferreira; Nogueira, Gabriel Gonçalves; Barbosa, Ana Karolyne Pereira; Ley, Ryan T.; Bozada, Samantha M.; O'Loughlin, Elizabeth J.; Paluch, Andrew S.

    2017-06-01

    Methods to predict the equilibrium solubility of non-electrolyte solids are important for the design of novel separation processes. Here we demonstrate how conventional molecular simulation free energy calculations or electronic structure calculations in a continuum solvent, here SMD or SM8, can be used to predict parameters for the MOdified Separation of Cohesive Energy Density (MOSCED) method. The method is applied to the solutes naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene and dibenzothiophene, compounds of interested to the petroleum industry and for environmental remediation. Adopting the melting point temperature and enthalpy of fusion of these compounds from experiment, we are able to predict equilibrium solubilities. Comparing to a total of 422 non-aqueous and 193 aqueous experimental solubilities, we find the proposed method is able to well correlate the data. The use of MOSCED is additionally advantageous as it is a solubility parameter-based method useful for intuitive solvent selection and formulation.

  9. Amino acids as co-amorphous stabilizers for poorly water soluble drugs--Part 1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Löbmann, Korbinian; Grohganz, Holger; Laitinen, Riikka

    2013-01-01

    molecular weight excipients that form specific molecular interactions with the drug resulting in co-amorphous forms. The two poorly water soluble drugs carbamazepine and indomethacin were combined with amino acids from the binding sites of the biological receptors of these drugs. Mixtures of drug...

  10. The effects of disordered structure on the solubility and dissolution rates of some hydrophilic, sparingly soluble drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosharraf, M; Sebhatu, T; Nyström, C

    1999-01-15

    The effects of experimental design on the apparent solubility of two sparingly soluble hydrophilic compounds (barium sulphate and calcium carbonate) were studied in this paper. The apparent solubility appeared to be primarily dependent on the amount of solute added to the solvent in each experiment, increasing with increased amounts. This effect seems to be due to the existence of a peripheral disordered layer. However physico-chemical methods used in the present study were not able to unambiguously verify the existence of any disorder in the solid state structure of the drugs. At higher proportions of solute to solvent, the solubility reached a plateau corresponding to the solubility of the disordered or amorphous molecular form of the material. Milling the powders caused the plateau to be reached at lower proportions of solute to solvent, since this further disordered the surface of the drug particles. It was also found that the apparent solubility of the drugs tested decreased after storage at high relative humidities. A model for describing the effects of a disordered surface layer of varying thickness and continuity on the solubility of a substance is presented. This model may be used as a method for detection of minute amount of disorder, where no other technique is capable of detecting the disordered structure. It is suggested that recrystallisation of the material occurs via slow solid-state transition at the surface of the drug particle; this would slowly reduce the apparent solubility of the substance at the plateau level to the thermodynamically stable value. A biphasic dissolution rate profile was obtained. The solubility of the disordered surface of the particles appeared to be the rate-determining factor during the initial dissolution phase, while the solubility of the crystalline core was the rate-determining factor during the final slower phase.

  11. Proposal to search for mu- N -> e- N with a single event sensitivity below 10 -16

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carey, R.M.; Lynch, K.R.; Miller, J.P.; Roberts, B.L.; /Boston U.; Marciano, W.J.; Semertzidis, Y.; Yamin, P.; /Brookhaven; Kolomensky, Yu.G.; /UC, Berkeley; Molzon, W.; /UC, Irvine; Popp, J.L.; /City Coll., N.Y.; Ankenbrandt, C.M.; /Fermilab /Idaho State U. /Illinois U., Urbana /Moscow, INR /Massachusetts U., Amherst /MUONS Inc., Batavia /Northwestern U.

    2008-10-01

    We propose a new experiment, Mu2e, to search for charged lepton flavor violation with unprecedented sensitivity. We will measure the ratio of the coherent neutrinoless conversion in the field of a nucleus of a negatively charged muon into an electron to the muon capture process: R{sub {mu}e} = {mu}{sup -} + A(Z,N) {yields} e{sup -} + A(Z,N)/{mu}{sup -} + A(Z,N) {yields} {nu}{sub {mu}} + A(Z-1, N), with a sensitivity R{sub {mu}e} {le} 6 x 10{sup -17} at 90% CL. This is almost a four order-of-magnitude improvement over the existing limit. The observation of such a process would be unambiguous evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model. Since the discovery of the muon in 1936, physicists have attempted to answer I.I. Rabi's famous question: 'Who ordered that?' Why is there a muon? What role does it play in the larger questions of why there are three families and flavors of quarks, leptons, and neutrinos? We know quarks mix through a mechanism described by the Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, which has been studied for forty years. Neutrino mixing has been observed in the last decade, but mixing among the family of charged leptons has never been seen. The current limits are of order 10{sup -11} - 10{sup -13} so the process is rare indeed. Why is such an experiment important and timely? A major motivation for experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the possible observation of supersymmetric particles in the TeV mass range. Many of these supersymmetric models predict a {mu}-e conversion signal at R{sub {mu}e} {approx} 10{sup -15}. We propose to search for {mu}-e conversion at a sensitivity that exceeds this by more than an order of magnitude. The LHC may not be able to conclusively distinguish among supersymmetric models, so Mu2e will provide invaluable information should the LHC observe a signal. In the case where the LHC finds no evidence of supersymmetry, or other beyond-the-standard-model physics, Mu2e will probe for new physics at mass

  12. Rapid determination of water- and fat-soluble vitamins with microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Changna; Cao, Yuhua; Ding, Shaodong; Wang, Yun

    2008-06-06

    A rapid, reliable and reproducible method based on microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) for simultaneous determination of 13 kinds of water- and fat-soluble vitamins has been developed in this work. A novel microemulsion system consisting of 1.2% (w/w) sodium lauryl sulphate (SDS), 21% (v/v) 1-butanol, 18% (v/v) acetonitrile, 0.8% (w/w) n-hexane, 20mM borax buffer (pH 8.7) was applied to improve selectivity and efficiency, as well as shorten analysis time. The composition of microemulsion used as the MEEKC running buffer was investigated thoroughly to obtain stable separation medium, as well as the optimum determination conditions. Acetonitrile as the organic solvent modifier, pH of the running buffer and 1-butanol as the co-surfactant played the most important roles for the separation of the fat-soluble vitamins, water-soluble vitamins and stabilization of system, respectively. The 13 water- and fat-soluble vitamins were baseline separated within 30 min. The system was applied to determine water- and fat-soluble vitamins in commercial multivitamin pharmaceutical formulation, good accuracy and precision were obtained with recoveries between 97% and 105%, relative standard derivations (RSDs) less than 1.8% except vitamin C, and acceptable quantitative results corresponding to label claim.

  13. Water-soluble vitamins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konings, Erik J M

    2006-01-01

    Simultaneous Determination of Vitamins.--Klejdus et al. described a simultaneous determination of 10 water- and 10 fat-soluble vitamins in pharmaceutical preparations by liquid chromatography-diode-array detection (LC-DAD). A combined isocratic and linear gradient allowed separation of vitamins in 3 distinct groups: polar, low-polar, and nonpolar. The method was applied to pharmaceutical preparations, fortified powdered drinks, and food samples, for which results were in good agreement with values claimed. Heudi et al. described a separation of 9 water-soluble vitamins by LC-UV. The method was applied for the quantification of vitamins in polyvitaminated premixes used for the fortification of infant nutrition products. The repeatability of the method was evaluated at different concentration levels and coefficients of variation were based on, for example, LC. Koontz et al. showed results of total folate concentrations measured by microbiological assay in a variety of foods. Samples were submitted in a routine manner to experienced laboratories that regularly perform folate analysis fee-for-service basis in the United States. Each laboratory reported the use of a microbiological method similar to the AOAC Official Method for the determination of folic acid. Striking was, the use of 3 different pH extraction conditions by 4 laboratories. Only one laboratory reported using a tri-enzyme extraction. Results were evaluated. Results for folic acid fortified foods had considerably lower between-laboratory variation, 9-11%, versus >45% for other foods. Mean total folate ranged from 14 to 279 microg/100 g for a mixed vegetable reference material, from 5 to 70 microg/100 g for strawberries, and from 28 to 81 microg/100 g for wholemeal flour. One should realize a large variation in results, which might be caused by slight modifications in the microbiological analysis of total folate in foods or the analysis in various (unfortified) food matrixes. Furthermore, optimal

  14. The diagnostic sensitivity of dengue rapid test assays is significantly enhanced by using a combined antigen and antibody testing approach.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott R Fry

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Serological tests for IgM and IgG are routinely used in clinical laboratories for the rapid diagnosis of dengue and can differentiate between primary and secondary infections. Dengue virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1 has been identified as an early marker for acute dengue, and is typically present between days 1-9 post-onset of illness but following seroconversion it can be difficult to detect in serum. AIMS: To evaluate the performance of a newly developed Panbio® Dengue Early Rapid test for NS1 and determine if it can improve diagnostic sensitivity when used in combination with a commercial IgM/IgG rapid test. METHODOLOGY: The clinical performance of the Dengue Early Rapid was evaluated in a retrospective study in Vietnam with 198 acute laboratory-confirmed positive and 100 negative samples. The performance of the Dengue Early Rapid in combination with the IgM/IgG Rapid test was also evaluated in Malaysia with 263 laboratory-confirmed positive and 30 negative samples. KEY RESULTS: In Vietnam the sensitivity and specificity of the test was 69.2% (95% CI: 62.8% to 75.6% and 96% (95% CI: 92.2% to 99.8 respectively. In Malaysia the performance was similar with 68.9% sensitivity (95% CI: 61.8% to 76.1% and 96.7% specificity (95% CI: 82.8% to 99.9% compared to RT-PCR. Importantly, when the Dengue Early Rapid test was used in combination with the IgM/IgG test the sensitivity increased to 93.0%. When the two tests were compared at each day post-onset of illness there was clear differentiation between the antigen and antibody markers. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights that using dengue NS1 antigen detection in combination with anti-glycoprotein E IgM and IgG serology can significantly increase the sensitivity of acute dengue diagnosis and extends the possible window of detection to include very early acute samples and enhances the clinical utility of rapid immunochromatographic testing for dengue.

  15. Novel electrosprayed nanospherules for enhanced aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble fenofibrate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousaf, Abid Mehmood; Mustapha, Omer; Kim, Dong Wuk; Kim, Dong Shik; Kim, Kyeong Soo; Jin, Sung Giu; Yong, Chul Soon; Youn, Yu Seok; Oh, Yu-Kyoung; Kim, Jong Oh; Choi, Han-Gon

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the present research was to develop a novel electrosprayed nanospherule providing the most optimized aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability for poorly water-soluble fenofibrate. Numerous fenofibrate-loaded electrosprayed nanospherules were prepared with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Labrafil(®) M 2125 as carriers using the electrospray technique, and the effect of the carriers on drug solubility and solvation was assessed. The solid state characterization of an optimized formulation was conducted by scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses. Oral bioavailability in rats was also evaluated for the formulation of an optimized nanospherule in comparison with free drug and a conventional fenofibrate-loaded solid dispersion. All of the electrosprayed nanospherule formulations had remarkably enhanced aqueous solubility and dissolution compared with free drug. Moreover, Labrafil M 2125, a surfactant, had a positive influence on the solubility and dissolution of the drug in the electrosprayed nanospherule. Increases were observed as the PVP/drug ratio increased to 4:1, but higher ratios gave no significant increases. In particular, an electrosprayed nanospherule composed of fenofibrate, PVP, and Labrafil M 2125 at the weight ratio of 1:4:0.5 resulted in a particle size of water-soluble fenofibrate.

  16. Evaluation of restoration of sensitivities of resistant staphylococcus aureus isolates by using cefuroxime and clavulanic acid in combination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jalil, A.; Din, I.; Khan, S.U.

    2008-01-01

    The present study was planned to observe the activity of cefuroxime, a second generation cephalosporin after combining it with a beta-lactamase inhibitor calvulanic acid. The study was conducted to evaluate the restoration or increase in sensitivity of beta-lactamase producing isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus were identified by standard procedures. For beta-lactamase detection chromogenic Nitrocefin impregnated sticks were used. The sensitivity of the bacteria to the antibiotic disks was measured by disk diffusion method using standard zone diameter criteria given by National Committee of Clinical Laboratory Standards. The disks of cefuroxime with clavulanic acid had developed larger zones of inhibition. The activity of cefuroxime against Staphylococcus areus was significantly increased by clavulanic acid. Clavulanic acid if used in combination with cefuroxime, can improve the antimicrobial activity of cefuroxime against beta - lactamase producing Staphylococcus aureus. (author)

  17. Screening of genetic parameters for soluble protein expression in Escherichia coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vernet, Erik; Kotzsch, Alexander; Voldborg, Bjørn

    2011-01-01

    Soluble expression of proteins in a relevant form for functional and structural investigations still often remains a challenge. Although many biochemical factors are known to affect solubility, a thorough investigation of yield-limiting factors is normally not feasible in high-throughput efforts....... Here we present a screening strategy for expression of biomedically relevant proteins in Escherichia coli using a panel of six different genetic variations. These include engineered strains for rare codon supplementation, increased disulfide bond formation in the cytoplasm and novel vectors...... for secretion to the periplasm or culture medium. Combining these variants with expression construct truncations design, we report on parallel cloning and expression of more than 300 constructs representing 24 selected proteins; including full-length variants of human growth factors, interleukins and growth...

  18. A multivariate relationship for the impact sensitivities of energetic N-nitrocompounds based on bond dissociation energy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jinshan

    2010-02-15

    The ZPE-corrected N-NO(2) bond dissociation energies (BDEs(ZPE)) of a series of model N-nitrocompounds and typical energetic N-nitrocompounds have been calculated using density functional theory methods. Computed results show that using the 6-31G** basis set the UB3LYP calculated BDE(ZPE) is similar to the B3PW91 but is less than the UB3P86 and that for both UB3P86 and UB3PW91 methods the 6-31G(**) calculated BDE(ZPE) is close to the 6-31++G(**). For the series of model N-nitrocompounds it is drawn from the NBO analysis that at the UB3LYP/6-31G(**) level the order of BDE(ZPE) is not only in line with that of bond order but also with that of the energy gap between N-NO(2) bond and antibond orbitals. For the typical energetic N-nitrocompounds the impact sensitivity is strongly related to the BDE(ZPE) indeed, and based on the BDEs(ZPE) calculated at different density functional theory levels this work has established a good multivariate correlation of impact sensitivity with molecular parameters, which provides a method to address the sensitivity problem.

  19. In Vitro Polarized Resonance Raman Study of N719 and N719-TBP in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hassing, Søren; Jernshøj, Kit Drescher; Nguyen, Phuong Tuyet

    2016-01-01

    Abstract: The working efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) depends on the long-term stability of the dye itself and on the microscopic structure of the dye-semiconductor interface. Previous experimental studies of DSCs based on ruthenium dye with bipyridine ligands (N719) adsorbed...... to the TiO2substrate applied FTIR,un-polarized Raman (RS) and un-polarized resonance Raman (RRS) spectroscopy. In the un-polarized RRS studies of N719/TiO2 – DSCs the discussion of the adsorption of N719 was based on the rather weak carbonyl or carboxyl group stretching vibrations and on minor spectral...

  20. Retrograde curves of solidus and solubility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasil'ev, M.V.

    1979-01-01

    The investigation was concerned with the constitutional diagrams of the eutectic type with ''retrograde solidus'' and ''retrograde solubility curve'' which must be considered as diagrams with degenerate monotectic transformation. The solidus and the solubility curves form a retrograde curve with a common retrograde point representing the solubility maximum. The two branches of the Aetrograde curve can be described with the aid of two similar equations. Presented are corresponding equations for the Cd-Zn system and shown is the possibility of predicting the run of the solubility curve

  1. S-glutathionylation of troponin I (fast) increases contractile apparatus Ca2+ sensitivity in fast-twitch muscle fibres of rats and humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mollica, J P; Dutka, T L; Merry, T L; Lamboley, C R; McConell, G K; McKenna, M J; Murphy, R M; Lamb, G D

    2012-03-15

    Oxidation can decrease or increase the Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile apparatus in rodent fast-twitch (type II) skeletal muscle fibres, but the reactions and molecular targets involved are unknown. This study examined whether increased Ca2+ sensitivity is due to S-glutathionylation of particular cysteine residues. Skinned muscle fibres were directly activated in heavily buffered Ca2+ solutions to assess contractile apparatus Ca2+ sensitivity. Rat type II fibres were subjected to S-glutathionylation by successive treatments with 2,2′-dithiodipyridine (DTDP) and glutathione (GSH), and displayed a maximal increase in pCa50 (−log10 [Ca2+] at half-maximal force) of ∼0.24 pCa units, with little or no effect on maximum force or Hill coefficient. Partial similar effect was produced by exposure to oxidized gluthathione (GSSG, 10 mM) for 10 min at pH 7.1, and near-maximal effect by GSSG treatment at pH 8.5. None of these treatments significantly altered Ca2+ sensitivity in rat type I fibres. Western blotting showed that both the DTDP–GSH and GSSG–pH 8.5 treatments caused marked S-glutathionylation of the fast troponin I isoform (TnI(f)) present in type II fibres, but not of troponin C (TnC) or myosin light chain 2. Both the increased Ca2+ sensitivity and glutathionylation of TnI(f) were blocked by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) also increased Ca2+ sensitivity, but only in conditions where it caused S-glutathionylation of TnI(f). In human type II fibres from vastus lateralis muscle, DTDP–GSH treatment also caused similar increased Ca2+ sensitivity and S-glutathionylation of TnI(f). When the slow isoform of TnI in type I fibres of rat was partially substituted (∼30%) with TnI(f), DTDP–GSH treatment caused a significant increase in Ca2+ sensitivity (∼0.08 pCa units). TnIf in type II fibres from toad and chicken muscle lack Cys133 present in mammalian TnIf, and such fibres showed no change in Ca2+ sensitivity with DTDP–GSH nor any S

  2. Effects of COD/N ratio on soluble microbial products in effluent from sequencing batch reactors and subsequent membrane fouling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ly, Quang Viet; Nghiem, Long D; Sibag, Mark; Maqbool, Tahir; Hur, Jin

    2018-05-01

    The relative ratios of chemical oxygen demand (COD) to nitrogen (N) in wastewater are known to have profound effects on the characteristics of soluble microbial products (SMP) from activated sludge. In this study, the changes in the SMP characteristics upon different COD/N ratios and the subsequent effects on ultrafiltration (UF) membrane fouling potentials were examined in sequencing batch reactors (SBR) using excitation emission matrix-parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Three unique fluorescent components were identified from the SMP samples in the bioreactors operated at the COD/N ratios of 100/10 (N rich), 100/5 (N medium), and 100/2 (N deficient). The tryptophan-like component (C1) was the most depleted at the N medium condition. Fulvic-like (C2) and humic-like (C3) components were more abundant with N rich wastewater. Greater abundances of large size biopolymer (BP) and low molecular weight neutrals (LMWN) were found under the N deficient and N rich conditions, respectively. SMPs from various COD/N exhibited a greater degree on membrane fouling following the order of 100/2 > 100/10 > 100/5. C1 and C2 had close associations with reversible and irreversible fouling, respectively, while the reversible fouling potential of C3 depended on the COD/N ratios. No significant impact of COD/N ratio was observed on the relative contributions of SMP size fractions to either reversible or irreversible fouling potential. However, the COD/N ratios likely altered the BP foulants' composition with greater contribution of proteinaceous substances to reversible fouling under the N deficient condition than at other N richer conditions. The opposite trend was observed for irreversible fouling. Our results provided further insight into changes in different SMP constitutes and their membrane fouling in response to microbial activities under different COD/N ratios. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Combination Of Organic Matter And Inorganic N Fertilizer For Enhancing Productivity And N Uptake Of Upland Rice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Idawati; Haryanto

    2002-01-01

    Organic matter in soil plays very important roles in agriculture, especially in highly weathered soil like most soils in Indonesia. Inorganic fertilizer which is an instant N source, is still required, to supply plant demand. Combination of organic matter and inorganic N fertilizer would be the best solution to achieve high agricultural product. To study organic matter addition in combination with N fertilizer in upland rice cultivation, two experiments were conducted in The Agricultural Research Station, Citayam. One experiment was a field experiment and the other was a pot experiment conducted in the field in which the field experiment was performed, by installing pots in the center of plot experiment 15N technique was applied in the pot experiment The experiments were designed with Randomized Block Design. Prior to the experiment. N soil was extracted by planting blanket plant. i.e. corn. The treatments for field and pot experiments were the same, i.e.: 0 as Control I (without organic matter, without N fertilizer); N as Control 2 (without organic matter, 45 kg N/ha at planting + 45 kg N/ha a month after planting); GN-I (Gliricidia at planting; 45 kg N/ha at planting + 22,5 kg N/ha a month after planting); GN-2 (Gliricidia at planting + Gliricidia a month after planting; 45 kg N/ha at planting); GN-3 (Gliricidia at planting; 22,5 kg N/ha at planting + 22,5 kg N/ha a month after planting); JN-I (rice straw at planting; 90 kg N/ha at planting); JN-2 (rice straw at planting; 45 kg N/ha a planting + 45 kg N/ha a month after planting); JN-3 (rice straw at planting; 45 kg N/ha at planting + 22,5 kg N/ba month after planting); KN-I(long bean residue at planting; 45 kg N/ha at planting + 22,5 kg N/ha a month after planting); KN-2 (long bean residue at planting; 22,5 kg N/ha at planting + 22,5 kg N/ha a month after planting). Soil N was successfully depleted by blanket plant showed by very low rice production and N uptake of Control I. Result of the pot experiment

  4. Interlaboratory validation of small-scale solubility and dissolution measurements of poorly water-soluble drugs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersson, Sara B. E.; Alvebratt, Caroline; Bevernage, Jan

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the interlaboratory variability in determination of apparent solubility (Sapp) and intrinsic dissolution rate (IDR) using a miniaturized dissolution instrument. Three poorly water-soluble compounds were selected as reference compounds and measured at m...

  5. RAFT Aqueous Dispersion Polymerization of N-(2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl)pyrrolidone: A Convenient Low Viscosity Route to High Molecular Weight Water-Soluble Copolymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunningham, Victoria J; Derry, Matthew J; Fielding, Lee A; Musa, Osama M; Armes, Steven P

    2016-06-28

    RAFT solution polymerization of N -(2-(methacryoyloxy)ethyl)pyrrolidone (NMEP) in ethanol at 70 °C was conducted to produce a series of PNMEP homopolymers with mean degrees of polymerization (DP) varying from 31 to 467. Turbidimetry was used to assess their inverse temperature solubility behavior in dilute aqueous solution, with an LCST of approximately 55 °C being observed in the high molecular weight limit. Then a poly(glycerol monomethacylate) (PGMA) macro-CTA with a mean DP of 63 was chain-extended with NMEP using a RAFT aqueous dispersion polymerization formulation at 70 °C. The target PNMEP DP was systematically varied from 100 up to 6000 to generate a series of PGMA 63 -PNMEP x diblock copolymers. High conversions (≥92%) could be achieved when targeting up to x = 5000. GPC analysis confirmed high blocking efficiencies and a linear evolution in M n with increasing PNMEP DP. A gradual increase in M w / M n was also observed when targeting higher DPs. However, this problem could be minimized ( M w / M n RAFT aqueous dispersion polymerization of NMEP was approximately four times faster than the RAFT solution polymerization of NMEP in ethanol when targeting the same DP in each case. This is perhaps surprising because both 1 H NMR and SAXS studies indicate that the core-forming PNMEP chains remain relatively solvated at 70 °C in the latter formulation. Moreover, dissolution of the initial PGMA 63 -PNMEP x particles occurs on cooling from 70 to 20 °C as the PNMEP block passes through its LCST. Hence this RAFT aqueous dispersion polymerization formulation offers an efficient route to a high molecular weight water-soluble polymer in a rather convenient low-viscosity form. Finally, the relatively expensive PGMA macro-CTA was replaced with a poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) macro-CTA. High conversions were also achieved for PMAA 85 -PNMEP x diblock copolymers prepared via RAFT aqueous dispersion polymerization for x ≤ 4000. Again, better control was achieved when

  6. Highly specific purification of N-glycans using phosphate-based derivatization as an affinity tag in combination with Ti{sup 4+}-SPE enrichment for mass spectrometric analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Ying [Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China); Key Laboratory of Glycoconjugates Research Ministry of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China); Peng, Ye; Bin, Zhichao [Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China); Wang, Huijie [Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China); Lu, Haojie, E-mail: luhaojie@fudan.edu.cn [Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China); Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China); Key Laboratory of Glycoconjugates Research Ministry of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032 (China)

    2016-08-31

    N-linked protein glycosylation is involved in regulation of a wide variety of cellular processes and associated with numerous diseases. Highly specific identification of N-glycome remains a challenge while its biological significance is acknowledged. The relatively low abundance of glycan in complex biological mixtures, lack of basic sites for protonation, and suppression by other highly abundant proteins/peptides lead to the particularly poor detection sensitivity of N-glycans in the MS analysis. Therefore, the highly specific purification procedure becomes a crucial step prior to MS analysis of the N-glycome. Herein, a novel N-glycans enrichment approach based on phosphate derivatization combined with Ti{sup 4+}-SPE (solid phase extraction) was developed. Briefly, in this strategy, N-glycans were chemically labeled with a phospho-group at their reducing ends, such that the Ti{sup 4+}-SPE microspheres were able to capture the phospho-containing glycans. The enrichment method was developed and optimized using model oligosaccharides (maltoheptaose DP7 and sialylated glycan A1) and also glycans from a standard glycoprotein (asialofetuin, ASF). This method experimentally showed high derivatization efficiency (almost 100%), excellent selectivity (analyzing DP7 in the digests of bovine serum albumin at a mass ratio of 1:100), high enriching recovery (90%), good reproducibility (CV<15%) as well as high sensitivity (LOD at fmol level). At last, the proposed method was successfully applied in the profiling of N-glycome in human serum, in which a total of 31 N-glycan masses were identified. - Graphical abstract: A selective enrichment method for the N-glycome is reported. N-glycans were chemically labeled with a phosphate derivatization reagent (AMS), then the phospho-containing glycans were enriched using Ti{sup 4+}-microspheres. - Highlights: • A highly specific N-glycans purification method based on phosphate derivatization combined with Ti{sup 4+}-SPE was developed

  7. Evidence supporting oral sensitivity to complex carbohydrates independent of sweet taste sensitivity in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Y Q Low

    Full Text Available Compared to simple sugars, complex carbohydrates have been assumed invisible to taste. However, two recent studies proposed that there may be a perceivable taste quality elicited by complex carbohydrates independent of sweet taste. There is precedent with behavioural studies demonstrating that rats are very attracted to complex carbohydrates, and that complex carbohydrates are preferred to simple sugars at low concentrations. This suggests that rats may have independent taste sensors for simple sugars and complex carbohydrates. The aim of this paper is to investigate oral sensitivities of two different classes of complex carbohydrates (a soluble digestible and a soluble non-digestible complex carbohydrate, and to compare these to other caloric and non-nutritive sweeteners in addition to the prototypical tastes using two commonly used psychophysical measures. There were strong correlations between the detection thresholds and mean intensity ratings for complex carbohydrates (maltodextrin, oligofructose (r = 0.94, P 0.05. However, moderate correlations were observed between perceived intensities of complex carbohydrates and sweeteners (r = 0.48-0.61, P < 0.05. These data provide evidence that complex carbohydrates can be sensed in the oral cavity over a range of concentrations independent of sweet taste sensitivity at low concentrations, but with partial overlap with sweet taste intensity at higher concentrations.

  8. Sensitive radiometric assay for enkephalin convertase and other carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stack, G.; Fricker, L.D.; Snyder, S.H.

    1984-01-01

    A sensitive radiometric assay for carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes has been developed using enkephalin convertase, an enkephalin synthesizing carboxypeptidase. The assay is based on the differential solubility of 3 H-labeled substrate and product in chloroform. The substrates 3 H-benzoyl-Phe-Ala-Arg or 3 H-benzoyl-Phe-Leu-Arg are poorly soluble in chloroform due to the charged arginine. The products of carboxypeptidase B-like activity on these substrates, 3 H-benzoyl-Phe-Ala or 3 H-benzoyl Phe-Leu partition quantitatively into chloroform, allowing rapid separation of product from substrate. This assay is approximately 100 times more sensitive than a similar fluorometric assay utilizing dansyl-Phe-Ala-Arg as a substrate

  9. Sensitive radiometric assay for enkephalin convertase and other carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stack, G.; Fricker, L.D.; Snyder, S.H.

    1984-01-09

    A sensitive radiometric assay for carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes has been developed using enkephalin convertase, an enkephalin synthesizing carboxypeptidase. The assay is based on the differential solubility of /sup 3/H-labeled substrate and product in chloroform. The substrates /sup 3/H-benzoyl-Phe-Ala-Arg or /sup 3/H-benzoyl-Phe-Leu-Arg are poorly soluble in chloroform due to the charged arginine. The products of carboxypeptidase B-like activity on these substrates, /sup 3/H-benzoyl-Phe-Ala or /sup 3/H-benzoyl Phe-Leu partition quantitatively into chloroform, allowing rapid separation of product from substrate. This assay is approximately 100 times more sensitive than a similar fluorometric assay utilizing dansyl-Phe-Ala-Arg as a substrate.

  10. Solubility limits of importance to leaching

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogard, A.; Bentley, G.; Bryant, E.; Duffy, C.; Grisham, J.; Norris, E.; Orth, C.; Thomas, K.

    1981-01-01

    The solubilities of some radionuclides, especially rare earths and actinides, may be an important and controlling factor in leaching of waste forms. These solubilities should be measured accurately as a function of pH and not as a part of a multicomponent system. Individual solubilities should be measured as a function of temperature to determine if a kinetic effect is being observed in the data. A negative temperature coefficient of solubility for actinides and rare earths in water would have important consequences for nuclear reactor safety and for the management of nuclear wastes

  11. Syntaxin binding protein 1 is not required for allergic inflammation via IgE-mediated mast cell activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhengli Wu

    Full Text Available Mast cells play a central role in both innate and acquired immunity. When activated by IgE-dependent FcεRI cross-linking, mast cells rapidly initiate a signaling cascade and undergo an extensive release of their granule contents, including inflammatory mediators. Some SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion factor attachment protein receptor proteins and SM (Sec1/Munc18 family proteins are involved in mast cell degranulation. However, the function of syntaxin binding protein 1 (STXBP1, a member of SM family, in mast cell degranulation is currently unknown. In this study, we examined the role of STXBP1 in IgE-dependent mast cell activation. Liver-derived mast cells (LMCs from wild-type and STXBP1-deficient mice were cultured in vitro for the study of mast cell maturation, degranulation, cytokine and chemokine production, as well as MAPK, IκB-NFκB, and NFAT signaling pathways. In addition, in vivo models of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and late-phase IgE-dependent inflammation were conducted in mast cell deficient W(sh mice that had been reconstituted with wild-type or STXBP1-deficient mast cells. Our findings indicate that STXBP1 is not required for any of these important functional mechanisms in mast cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrate that STXBP1 is dispensable during IgE-mediated mast cell activation and in IgE-dependent allergic inflammatory reactions.

  12. The life cycle of platelet granules [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anish Sharda

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Platelet granules are unique among secretory vesicles in both their content and their life cycle. Platelets contain three major granule types—dense granules, α-granules, and lysosomes—although other granule types have been reported. Dense granules and α-granules are the most well-studied and the most physiologically important. Platelet granules are formed in large, multilobulated cells, termed megakaryocytes, prior to transport into platelets. The biogenesis of dense granules and α-granules involves common but also distinct pathways. Both are formed from the trans-Golgi network and early endosomes and mature in multivesicular bodies, but the formation of dense granules requires trafficking machinery different from that of α-granules. Following formation in the megakaryocyte body, both granule types are transported through and mature in long proplatelet extensions prior to the release of nascent platelets into the bloodstream. Granules remain stored in circulating platelets until platelet activation triggers the exocytosis of their contents. Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE proteins, located on both the granules and target membranes, provide the mechanical energy that enables membrane fusion during both granulogenesis and exocytosis. The function of these core fusion engines is controlled by SNARE regulators, which direct the site, timing, and extent to which these SNAREs interact and consequently the resulting membrane fusion. In this review, we assess new developments in the study of platelet granules, from their generation to their exocytosis.

  13. The life cycle of platelet granules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharda, Anish; Flaumenhaft, Robert

    2018-01-01

    Platelet granules are unique among secretory vesicles in both their content and their life cycle. Platelets contain three major granule types-dense granules, α-granules, and lysosomes-although other granule types have been reported. Dense granules and α-granules are the most well-studied and the most physiologically important. Platelet granules are formed in large, multilobulated cells, termed megakaryocytes, prior to transport into platelets. The biogenesis of dense granules and α-granules involves common but also distinct pathways. Both are formed from the trans -Golgi network and early endosomes and mature in multivesicular bodies, but the formation of dense granules requires trafficking machinery different from that of α-granules. Following formation in the megakaryocyte body, both granule types are transported through and mature in long proplatelet extensions prior to the release of nascent platelets into the bloodstream. Granules remain stored in circulating platelets until platelet activation triggers the exocytosis of their contents. Soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins, located on both the granules and target membranes, provide the mechanical energy that enables membrane fusion during both granulogenesis and exocytosis. The function of these core fusion engines is controlled by SNARE regulators, which direct the site, timing, and extent to which these SNAREs interact and consequently the resulting membrane fusion. In this review, we assess new developments in the study of platelet granules, from their generation to their exocytosis.

  14. Kar5p is required for multiple functions in both inner and outer nuclear envelope fusion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Jason V; Rose, Mark D

    2014-12-02

    During mating in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, two haploid nuclei fuse via two sequential membrane fusion steps. SNAREs (i.e., soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) and Prm3p mediate outer nuclear membrane fusion, but the inner membrane fusogen remains unknown. Kar5p is a highly conserved transmembrane protein that localizes adjacent to the spindle pole body (SPB), mediates nuclear envelope fusion, and recruits Prm3p adjacent to the SPB. To separate Kar5p's functions, we tested localization, Prm3p recruitment, and nuclear fusion efficiency in various kar5 mutants. All domains and the conserved cysteine residues were essential for nuclear fusion. Several kar5 mutant proteins localized properly but did not mediate Prm3p recruitment; other kar5 mutant proteins localized and recruited Prm3p but were nevertheless defective for nuclear fusion, demonstrating additional functions beyond Prm3p recruitment. We identified one Kar5p domain required for SPB localization, which is dependent on the half-bridge protein Mps3p. Electron microscopy revealed a kar5 mutant that arrests with expanded nuclear envelope bridges, suggesting that Kar5p is required after outer nuclear envelope fusion. Finally, a split-GFP assay demonstrated that Kar5p localizes to both the inner and outer nuclear envelope. These insights suggest a mechanism by which Kar5p mediates inner nuclear membrane fusion. Copyright © 2015 Rogers and Rose.

  15. A symbiosis-dedicated SYNTAXIN OF PLANTS 13II isoform controls the formation of a stable host-microbe interface in symbiosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huisman, Rik; Hontelez, Jan; Mysore, Kirankumar S; Wen, Jiangqi; Bisseling, Ton; Limpens, Erik

    2016-09-01

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and rhizobium bacteria are accommodated in specialized membrane compartments that form a host-microbe interface. To better understand how these interfaces are made, we studied the regulation of exocytosis during interface formation. We used a phylogenetic approach to identify target soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein receptors (t-SNAREs) that are dedicated to symbiosis and used cell-specific expression analysis together with protein localization to identify t-SNAREs that are present on the host-microbe interface in Medicago truncatula. We investigated the role of these t-SNAREs during the formation of a host-microbe interface. We showed that multiple syntaxins are present on the peri-arbuscular membrane. From these, we identified SYNTAXIN OF PLANTS 13II (SYP13II) as a t-SNARE that is essential for the formation of a stable symbiotic interface in both AM and rhizobium symbiosis. In most dicot plants, the SYP13II transcript is alternatively spliced, resulting in two isoforms, SYP13IIα and SYP13IIβ. These splice-forms differentially mark functional and degrading arbuscule branches. Our results show that vesicle traffic to the symbiotic interface is specialized and required for its maintenance. Alternative splicing of SYP13II allows plants to replace a t-SNARE involved in traffic to the plasma membrane with a t-SNARE that is more stringent in its localization to functional arbuscules. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

  16. Protein solubility and folding enhancement by interaction with RNA.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seong Il Choi

    Full Text Available While basic mechanisms of several major molecular chaperones are well understood, this machinery has been known to be involved in folding of only limited number of proteins inside the cells. Here, we report a chaperone type of protein folding facilitated by interaction with RNA. When an RNA-binding module is placed at the N-terminus of aggregation-prone target proteins, this module, upon binding with RNA, further promotes the solubility of passenger proteins, potentially leading to enhancement of proper protein folding. Studies on in vitro refolding in the presence of RNA, coexpression of RNA molecules in vivo and the mutants with impaired RNA binding ability suggests that RNA can exert chaperoning effect on their bound proteins. The results suggest that RNA binding could affect the overall kinetic network of protein folding pathway in favor of productive folding over off-pathway aggregation. In addition, the RNA binding-mediated solubility enhancement is extremely robust for increasing soluble yield of passenger proteins and could be usefully implemented for high-throughput protein expression for functional and structural genomic research initiatives. The RNA-mediated chaperone type presented here would give new insights into de novo folding in vivo.

  17. KRISTALLIN-I: estimates of solubility limits for safety relevant radionuclides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berner, U.

    1995-04-01

    The safety concept for the Swiss high level radioactive waste repository is based on a multiple barrier system. Within the concept of the safety analysis KRISTALLIN-I, the waste glass starts corroding after failure of the massive steel canister and nuclides are released to the bentonite backfill. This release is limited by restricted solubility of solid phases. The present work quantifies the maximum expected concentrations of the elements Th, Pa, U, Np, Pu, Am, Cm, Tc, Ni, Pd, Se, Ra, Zr, Nb, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi and Sm within the reference bentonite porewater with pH = 9, Eh = -400 mV and I = 0.08 M at 50 o C. In a first step, maximum expected concentrations were calculated with a geochemical speciation code (MINEQL) based on a documented thermodynamic database. In a second step, the values obtained in this way were carefully reviewed and modified, based on extended geochemical considerations and system-dependent parameters. Thereby, the relevance of potentially limiting solids, chemical analogies, absolute and relative inventories and recent experimental findings from laboratory and natural systems were particularly considered. The expected groundwater composition in the crystalline host rock (modified by the barrier material bentonite) covers a rather narrow pH range from 8.5 to 9. Within this narrow pH range, solubility limits may be termed as pH independent since computable pH effects are never significant compared to the general uncertainty of the solubility limits. The chemical model defining the reference groundwater predicts a system-wide Eh ranging from -400 mV up to +100 mV. A slightly oxidising near-field will stabilize the generally more soluble higher oxidation states of redox sensitive radionuclides. Based on the available thermodynamic data the elements U, Tc, Se and Pa are predicted not to be solubility limited at +75 mV. Therefore, a more detailed investigation of the redox behaviour of critical elements and, much more importantly, a very careful

  18. The relationship between the anoxic sensitivity and the extent of sensitization by nitrous oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ewing, D.; Walton, H.L.; Guilfoil, D.S.; Ohm, M.B.

    1991-01-01

    Nitrous oxide reacts during irradiation to increase the yield of ·OH, a radical many believe to be a major cause of lethality. Logically, one would expect N 2 O to be a radiation sensitizer. In some instances it is, while in others it is not. In some cases we can explain why N 2 O fails to sensitize; factors such as dose rate, cell concentration, buffer composition and ionic strength all influence when N 2 O will sensitize and if it sensitizes, by what magnitude. Based on the results presented here with multiple strains of procaryotic and eucaryotic cells, we believe the anoxic sensitivity is another critical factor that governs whether N 2 O will sensitize. Our data, with data from the literature, show a relationship between the anoxic sensitivity and the N 2 O enhancement ratio. N 2 O does not sensitize in vitro unless the anoxic sensitivity (inactivation constant, K) is less than ∼ 0.2 daGy -1 . (author)

  19. Study of the solubility of iron in zirconium by thermoelectric power measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borrelly, R.; Merle, P.; Adami, L.; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 69 - Villeurbanne

    1990-01-01

    Thermoelectric power (TEP) measurements are used to determine the solubility of iron in α-zirconium. A preliminary study shows that TEP is very sensitive to elements in solid solution, to cold-working and to the texture due to rolling in a temperature range including room temperature which is choosen for thermoelectric power measurements. The solutioning of iron obtained by a homogenization treatment and water-quench leads to a decrease of thermoelectric power. The conditions of homogenization treatments such that TEP variations are only due to the variation of iron content in solid solution have been determined. From these results the solubility of iron α-zirconium as a function of temperature has been determined. Moreover, the α-domain of the Zr-rich part of the Zr-Fe diagram has been completely delimited. A micrographic study has been made to confirm these results. (orig.)

  20. Inter-species comparative analysis of components of soluble sugar concentration in fleshy fruits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhanwu eDai

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The soluble sugar concentration of fleshy fruit is a key determinant of fleshy fruit quality. It affects directly the sweetness of fresh fruits and indirectly the properties of processed products (e.g. alcohol content in wine. Despite considerable divergence among species, soluble sugar accumulation in a fruit results from the complex interplay of three main processes, namely sugar import, sugar metabolism, and water dilution. Therefore, inter-species comparison would help to identify common and/or species-specific modes of regulation in sugar accumulation. For this purpose, a process-based mathematical framework was used to compare soluble sugar accumulation in three fruits: grape, tomato and peach. Representative datasets covering the time course of sugar accumulation during fruit development were collected. They encompassed 104 combinations of species (3, genotypes (32, and growing conditions (19 years and 16 nutrient and environmental treatments. At maturity, grape showed the highest soluble sugar concentrations (16.5-26.3 g /100 g FW, followed by peach (2.2 to 20 g /100 g FW and tomato (1.4 to 5 g /100 g FW. Main processes determining soluble sugar concentration were decomposed into sugar importation, metabolism and water dilution with the process-based analysis. Different regulation modes of soluble sugar concentration were then identified, showing either import-based, dilution-based, or import and dilution dual-based. Firstly, the higher soluble sugar concentration in grape than in tomato is a result of higher sugar importation. Secondly, the higher soluble sugar concentration in grape than in peach is due to a lower water dilution. The third mode of regulation is more complicated than the first two, with differences both in sugar importation and water dilution (grape vs cherry tomato; cherry tomato vs peach; peach vs tomato. On the other hand, carbon utilization for synthesis of non-soluble sugar compounds (namely metabolism was

  1. Post-exposure administration of diazepam combined with soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibition stops seizures and modulates neuroinflammation in a murine model of acute TETS intoxication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vito, Stephen T.; Austin, Adam T.; Banks, Christopher N.; Inceoglu, Bora; Bruun, Donald A.; Zolkowska, Dorota; Tancredi, Daniel J.; Rogawski, Michael A.; Hammock, Bruce D.; Lein, Pamela J.

    2014-01-01

    Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS) is a potent convulsant poison for which there is currently no approved antidote. The convulsant action of TETS is thought to be mediated by inhibition of type A gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABA A R) function. We, therefore, investigated the effects of post-exposure administration of diazepam, a GABA A R positive allosteric modulator, on seizure activity, death and neuroinflammation in adult male Swiss mice injected with a lethal dose of TETS (0.15 mg/kg, ip). Administration of a high dose of diazepam (5 mg/kg, ip) immediately following the second clonic seizure (approximately 20 min post-TETS injection) effectively prevented progression to tonic seizures and death. However, this treatment did not prevent persistent reactive astrogliosis and microglial activation, as determined by GFAP and Iba-1 immunoreactivity and microglial cell morphology. Inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) has been shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory effects and to increase survival in mice intoxicated with other GABA A R antagonists. The sEH inhibitor TUPS (1 mg/kg, ip) administered immediately after the second clonic seizure did not protect TETS-intoxicated animals from tonic seizures or death. Combined administration of diazepam (5 mg/kg, ip) and TUPS (1 mg/kg, ip, starting 1 h after diazepam and repeated every 24 h) prevented TETS-induced lethality and influenced signs of neuroinflammation in some brain regions. Significantly decreased microglial activation and enhanced reactive astrogliosis were observed in the hippocampus, with no changes in the cortex. Combining an agent that targets specific anti-inflammatory mechanisms with a traditional antiseizure drug may enhance treatment outcome in TETS intoxication. - Highlights: • Acute TETS intoxication causes delayed and persistent neuroinflammation. • Diazepam given post-TETS prevents lethal tonic seizures but not neuroinflammation. • A soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor alters

  2. Post-exposure administration of diazepam combined with soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibition stops seizures and modulates neuroinflammation in a murine model of acute TETS intoxication

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vito, Stephen T., E-mail: stvito@ucdavis.edu [Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Austin, Adam T., E-mail: aaustin@ucdavis.edu [Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95817 (United States); Banks, Christopher N., E-mail: Christopher.Banks@oehha.ca.gov [Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Inceoglu, Bora, E-mail: abinceoglu@ucdavis.edu [Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Bruun, Donald A., E-mail: dabruun@ucdavis.edu [Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Zolkowska, Dorota, E-mail: dzolkowska@gmail.com [Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 (United States); Tancredi, Daniel J., E-mail: djtancredi@ucdavis.edu [Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95817 (United States); Rogawski, Michael A., E-mail: rogawski@ucdavis.edu [Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California-Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817 (United States); Hammock, Bruce D., E-mail: bdhammock@ucdavis.edu [Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Lein, Pamela J., E-mail: pjlein@ucdavis.edu [Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616 (United States)

    2014-12-01

    Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS) is a potent convulsant poison for which there is currently no approved antidote. The convulsant action of TETS is thought to be mediated by inhibition of type A gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABA{sub A}R) function. We, therefore, investigated the effects of post-exposure administration of diazepam, a GABA{sub A}R positive allosteric modulator, on seizure activity, death and neuroinflammation in adult male Swiss mice injected with a lethal dose of TETS (0.15 mg/kg, ip). Administration of a high dose of diazepam (5 mg/kg, ip) immediately following the second clonic seizure (approximately 20 min post-TETS injection) effectively prevented progression to tonic seizures and death. However, this treatment did not prevent persistent reactive astrogliosis and microglial activation, as determined by GFAP and Iba-1 immunoreactivity and microglial cell morphology. Inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) has been shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory effects and to increase survival in mice intoxicated with other GABA{sub A}R antagonists. The sEH inhibitor TUPS (1 mg/kg, ip) administered immediately after the second clonic seizure did not protect TETS-intoxicated animals from tonic seizures or death. Combined administration of diazepam (5 mg/kg, ip) and TUPS (1 mg/kg, ip, starting 1 h after diazepam and repeated every 24 h) prevented TETS-induced lethality and influenced signs of neuroinflammation in some brain regions. Significantly decreased microglial activation and enhanced reactive astrogliosis were observed in the hippocampus, with no changes in the cortex. Combining an agent that targets specific anti-inflammatory mechanisms with a traditional antiseizure drug may enhance treatment outcome in TETS intoxication. - Highlights: • Acute TETS intoxication causes delayed and persistent neuroinflammation. • Diazepam given post-TETS prevents lethal tonic seizures but not neuroinflammation. • A soluble epoxide hydrolase

  3. The solubility of uranium trioxide simulated lung fluid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kravchiks, T.; Kol, R.; Prager, A.; German, U.; Oved, S.; Laichter, Y.

    1997-01-01

    Uranium trioxide is an important intermediate compound in the uranium production process. Inhalation of UO 3 aerosols can occur during this process. To assess the radiation dose from the intake of this compound it is necessary to know its transportability class, based on its dissolution rate in lung fluid. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has assigned UO 3 to Inhalation Class W (lung retention half-time of 10 to 100 days). A solubility study of UO 3 in a simulated lung fluid has been carried out using a batch/filter replacement method. Two tests were conducted over a 100-days period, during which 17 samples were collected and analyzed for their dissolved uranium content. The results show that about 40% of the total uranium was dissolved during the first days and nearly all was dissolved during 100 days. Expressed as the fraction of the total uranium remaining undissolved as a function of time, using a non-linear least squares regression fit, it was found that the solubility of UO 3 in simulated lung fluid could be expressed as a combination of two Inactions: about 25% of the UO 3 could be classified as type D (with lung retention half-time of several hours) and about 75% as type W (with half-time of 10-20 days). This classification is in agreement with recent investigations and indicates that UO 3 is more soluble than considered by ICRP. (authors)

  4. TiN nanoparticles on CNT-graphene hybrid support as noble-metal-free counter electrode for quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Youn, Duck Hyun; Seol, Minsu; Kim, Jae Young; Jang, Ji-Wook; Choi, Youngwoo; Yong, Kijung; Lee, Jae Sung

    2013-02-01

    The development of an efficient noble-metal-free counter electrode is crucial for possible applications of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). Herein, we present TiN nanoparticles on a carbon nanotube (CNT)-graphene hybrid support as a noble-metal-free counter electrode for QDSSCs employing a polysulfide electrolyte. The resulting TiN/CNT-graphene possesses an extremely high surface roughness, a good metal-support interaction, and less aggregation relative to unsupported TiN; it also has superior solar power conversion efficiency (4.13 %) when applying a metal mask, which is much higher than that of the state-of-the-art Au electrode (3.35 %). Based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements, the enhancement is ascribed to a synergistic effect between TiN nanoparticles and the CNT-graphene hybrid, the roles of which are to provide active sites for the reduction of polysulfide ions and electron pathways to TiN nanoparticles, respectively. The combination of graphene and CNTs leads to a favorable morphology that prevents stacking of graphene or bundling of CNTs, which maximizes the contact of the support with TiN nanoparticles and improves electron-transfer capability relative to either carbon material alone. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Uranyl Oxalate Solubility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leturcq, G.; Costenoble, S.; Grandjean, S. [CEA Marcoule DEN/DRCP/SCPS/LCA - BP17171 - 30207 Bagnols sur Ceze cedex (France)

    2008-07-01

    The solubility of uranyl oxalate was determined at ambient temperature by precipitation in oxalic-nitric solutions, using an initial uranyl concentration of 0.1 mol/L. Oxalic concentration varied from 0.075 to 0.3 mol/L while nitric concentration ranged between 0.75 and 3 mol/L. Dissolution tests, using complementary oxalic-nitric media, were carried out for 550 hours in order to study the kinetic to reach thermodynamic equilibrium. Similar solubility values were reached by dissolution and precipitation. Using the results, it was possible to draw the solubility surface versus oxalic and nitric concentrations and to determine both the apparent solubility constant of UO{sub 2}C{sub 2}O{sub 4}, 3H{sub 2}O (Ks) and the apparent formation constant of the first uranyl-oxalate complex UO{sub 2}C{sub 2}O{sub 4} (log {beta}1), for ionic strengths varying between 1 and 3 mol/L. Ks and log {beta}1 values were found to vary from 1.9 10{sup -8} to 9.2 10{sup -9} and from 5.95 to 6.06, respectively, when ionic strength varied from 1 to 3 mol/L. A second model may fit our data obtained at an ionic strength of 3 mol/L suggesting as reported by Moskvin et al. (1959) that no complexes are formed for [H{sup +}] at 3 M. The Ks value would then be 1.3 10{sup -8}. (authors)

  6. [Effects of the combined therapy of heat sensitive moxibustion and acupoint injection on endometrial receptivity of hypdrosalphinx infertility in the patients after hysteroscopy and laparoscopy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yanling; Pan, Lizhen; Wang, Ying

    2018-01-12

    To explore the effects of the combined therapy of heat sensitive moxibustion and acupoint injection on endometrial receptivity of hypdrosalphinx infertility in the patients after hysteroscopy and laparoscopy on the base of routine post-operative anti-inflammation. A total of 210 patients of hypdrosalphinx infertility after hysteroscopy and laparoscopy were divided into a combined therapy group, a heat sensitive moxibustion group and a control group, 70 cases in each one according to the random number table. In the control group, the intravenous drip of cefoxitin sodium was adopted, and the anti-inflammation treatment was given for 1 week after operation. In the heat sensitive moxibustion group, on the basis of the treatment as the control group, the heat sensitive moxibustion was applied after vaginal bleeding stopped. The acupoints were Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Shenshu (BL 23), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Zigong (EX-CA1). The acupoints were modified according to the different syndromes. In the combined therapy group, on the basis of the regimen as the heat sensitive moxibustion group, after vaginal bleeding stopped, the acupoint injection was given alternatively at bilateral Tiangong (extra, 1.0 cm inferior and bilateral to the cervix) with lidocaine 1 mL, amikacin 2 mL and salvia injection 2 mL. The treatment was given once every day, the treatment for 10 times as one course and a total of 3 courses were required. The endometrial type, thickness, uterine arterial plusatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) were observed in the patients of each group. After treatment, the numbers of A-type endometrial type in the combined therapy group and the heat sensitive moxibustion group were remarkably higher than those of the control group [57.1% (40/7) vs 31.4% (22/70), 50.0% (35/70) vs 31.4% (22/70), both P <0.05]. The endometrial thickness after treatment was all increased as compared with that before treatment in each group

  7. Hydrogen Solubility in Heavy Undefined Petroleum Fractions Using Group Contributions Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aguilar-Cisneros Humberto

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogen solubility in heavy undefined petroleum fractions is estimated by taking as starting point a method of characterization based on functional groups [ Carreón-Calderón et al. (2012 Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 51, 14188-14198 ]. Such method provides properties entering into equations of states and molecular pseudostructures formed by non-integer numbers of functional groups. Using Vapor-Liquid Equilibria (VLE data from binary mixtures of known compounds, interaction parameters between hydrogen and the calculated functional groups were estimated. Besides, the incorporation of the hydrogen-carbon ratio of the undefined petroleum fractions into the method allows the corresponding hydrogen solubility to be properly estimated. This procedure was tested with seven undefined petroleum fractions from 27 to 6 API over wide ranges of pressure and temperature (323.15 to 623.15 K. The results seem to be in good agreement with experimental data (overall Relative Average Deviation, RAD < 15%.

  8. Effect of caloric restriction with or without n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on insulin sensitivity in obese subjects: A randomized placebo controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Razny, Urszula; Kiec-Wilk, Beata; Polus, Anna; Goralska, Joanna; Malczewska-Malec, Malgorzata; Wnek, Dominika; Zdzienicka, Anna; Gruca, Anna; Childs, Caroline E; Kapusta, Maria; Slowinska-Solnica, Krystyna; Calder, Philip C; Dembinska-Kiec, Aldona

    2015-12-01

    Caloric restriction and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation protect from some of the metabolic complications. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of a low calorie diet with or without n-3 PUFA supplementation on glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) output and insulin sensitivity markers in obese subjects. Obese, non-diabetic subjects (BMI 30-40 kg/m(2)) and aged 25-65 yr. were put on low calorie diet (1200-1500 kcal/day) supplemented with either 1.8 g/day n-3 PUFA (DHA/EPA, 5:1) (n = 24) or placebo capsules (n = 24) for three months in a randomized placebo controlled trial. Insulin resistance markers and GIP levels were analysed from samples obtained at fasting and during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Caloric restriction with n-3 PUFA led to a decrease of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and a significant reduction of insulin output as well as decreased GIP secretion during the OGTT. These effects were not seen with caloric restriction alone. Changes in GIP output were inversely associated with changes in red blood cell EPA content whereas fasting GIP level positively correlated with HOMA-IR index. Blood triglyceride level was lowered by caloric restriction with a greater effect when n-3 PUFA were included and correlated positively with fasting GIP level. Three months of caloric restriction with DHA + EPA supplementation exerts beneficial effects on insulin resistance, GIP and triglycerides. Combining caloric restriction and n-3 PUFA improves insulin sensitivity, which may be related to a decrease of GIP levels.

  9. Perceptual load manipulation reveals sensitivity of the face-selective N170 to attention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Tarik N; Neumann, Markus F; Schweinberger, Stefan R

    2009-05-27

    It has been controversial whether the face-sensitive N170 is affected by selective attention. We manipulated attention sensu Lavie's perceptual load theory to short (200 ms) presentations of task-irrelevant unfamiliar faces or houses, while participants identified superimposed target letters 'X' versus 'N'. These targets were strings of either six identical (low load) or six different letters (high load). Under low load, we found a prominent face-selective N170 response. Under high load, however, we not only observed a dramatic reduction of the face N170 but also an unexpected enhancement of the house N170, such that face selectivity was almost completely lost. We conclude that the early stages of face processing indexed by the N170 strongly depend on selective attention.

  10. Solubility behavior of narcotic analgesics in aqueous media: solubilities and dissociation constants of morphine, fentanyl, and sufentanil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, S D; Flynn, G L

    1989-02-01

    The pH dependence of the aqueous solubility of morphine, fentanyl, and sufentanil was investigated at 35 degrees C. Dissociation constants and corresponding pKa' values of the drugs were obtained from measured free-base solubilities (determined at high pH's) and the concentrations of saturated solutions at intermediate pH's. Morphine, fentanyl, and sufentanil exhibited pKa' values of 8.08, 8.99, and 8.51, respectively. Over the pH range of 5 to 12.5 the apparent solubilities are determined by the intrinsic solubility of the free base plus the concentration of ionized drug necessary to satisfy the dissociation equilibrium at a given pH. Consequently, the drug concentrations of saturated aqueous solutions fall off precipitously as the pH is raised and ionization is suppressed. Further, at low pH's the aqueous solubility of morphine increased in a linear fashion with increases in the molar strength of citric acid which was added to acidify the medium, suggesting the formation of a soluble morphine-citrate complex.

  11. Solubility studies of Np(IV)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Yingjie; Yao Jun; Jiao Haiyang; Ren Lihong; Zhou Duo; Fan Xianhua

    2001-01-01

    The solubility of Np(IV) in simulated underground water and redistilled water has been measured with the variations of pH(6-12) and storage time (0-100 d) in the presence of reductant (Na 2 S 2 O 4 , metallic Fe). All experiments are performed in a low oxygen concentration glove box containing high purity Ar(99.99%), with an oxygen content of less than 5 x 10 -6 mol/mol. Experimental results show that the variation of pH in solution has little effect on the solubility of Np(IV) in the two kinds of water; the measured solubility of Np(IV) is affected by the composition of solution; with Na 2 S 2 O 4 as a reductant, the solubility of Np(IV) in simulated underground water is (9.23 +- 0.48) x 10 -10 mol/L, and that in redistilled water is (8.31 +- 0.35) x 10 -10 mol/L; with metallic Fe as a reductant, the solubility of Np(IV) in simulated underground water is (1.85 +- 0.56) x 10 -9 mol/L, and that in redistilled water is (1.48 +- 0.66) x 10 -9 mol/L

  12. Solubility of Nd in brine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalili, F.I.; Symeopoulos, V.; Chen, J.F.; Choppin, G.R.

    1994-01-01

    The solubility of Nd(III) has been measured at 23±3 C in a synthetic brine at pcH 6.4, 8.4, 10.4 and 12.4. The brine consisted predominantly of (Na+K)Cl and MgCl 2 with an ionic strength of 7.8 M (9.4 m) a solid compound of Nd(III) at each pcH was assigned from X-ray diffraction patterns. The log values of the experimental solubilities decrease fomr -3 at pcH 6.4 to -5.8 at pcH 8.4; at pcH 10.4 and 12.4 the solubility was below the detection limit of -7.5. The experimental solubility does not follow closely the variation with pcH estimated from modeling of the species in solution in equilibrium with the Nd solid using S.I.T. (orig.)

  13. Environmental Oil Spill Sensitivity Atlas for the Northern West Greenland (72°-75° N) Coastal Zone

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stjernholm, Michael; Boertmann, David; Mosbech, Anders

    This oil spill sensitivity atlas covers the shoreline and the offshore areas of West Greenland between 72º N and 75º N. The coastal zone is divided into 118 shoreline segments and the offshore zone into 3 areas. A sensitivity index value is calculated for each segment/area, and each segment/area ....... Based on all the information, appropriate oil spill response methods have been assessed for each area...

  14. Thermodynamic approach to improving solubility prediction of co-crystals in comparison with individual poorly soluble components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perlovich, German L.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Thermodynamic approach for solubility improvement of co-crystal was developed. • The graphical technique for estimation of co-crystal solubility was elaborated. • Hydration enthalpies of some drugs and amino acids were calculated. • Applicability/operability of the approach was exemplified by some drugs and amino acids. - Abstract: A novel thermodynamic approach to compare poorly soluble components (active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)) both in co-crystals and individual compounds was developed. An algorithm of choosing potential co-crystals with improved solubility characteristics on the basis of the known solvation/hydration API and co-former enthalpies is described. The applicability and operability of the algorithm were tested exemplified by some drugs and amino acids

  15. A rapid and sensitive method for measuring N-acetylglucosaminidase activity in cultured cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victor Mauri

    Full Text Available A rapid and sensitive method to quantitatively assess N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG activity in cultured cells is highly desirable for both basic research and clinical studies. NAG activity is deficient in cells from patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB due to mutations in NAGLU, the gene that encodes NAG. Currently available techniques for measuring NAG activity in patient-derived cell lines include chromogenic and fluorogenic assays and provide a biochemical method for the diagnosis of MPS IIIB. However, standard protocols require large amounts of cells, cell disruption by sonication or freeze-thawing, and normalization to the cellular protein content, resulting in an error-prone procedure that is material- and time-consuming and that produces highly variable results. Here we report a new procedure for measuring NAG activity in cultured cells. This procedure is based on the use of the fluorogenic NAG substrate, 4-Methylumbelliferyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (MUG, in a one-step cell assay that does not require cell disruption or post-assay normalization and that employs a low number of cells in 96-well plate format. We show that the NAG one-step cell assay greatly discriminates between wild-type and MPS IIIB patient-derived fibroblasts, thus providing a rapid method for the detection of deficiencies in NAG activity. We also show that the assay is sensitive to changes in NAG activity due to increases in NAGLU expression achieved by either overexpressing the transcription factor EB (TFEB, a master regulator of lysosomal function, or by inducing TFEB activation chemically. Because of its small format, rapidity, sensitivity and reproducibility, the NAG one-step cell assay is suitable for multiple procedures, including the high-throughput screening of chemical libraries to identify modulators of NAG expression, folding and activity, and the investigation of candidate molecules and constructs for applications in

  16. Aqueous treatment of water-sensitive paper objects: capillary unit, blotter wash or paraprint wash?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schalkx, H.; Iedema, P.; Reissland, B.; van Velzen, B.

    2011-01-01

    Blotter washing andwashing with the capillary unit are both methods used for aqueoustreatment of water-sensitive paper objects. The challenge of thistreatment is to remove water-soluble products while keeping thewater-sensitive medium in its place. In this article the two methodsare compared, along

  17. Subnanomolar indazole-5-carboxamide inhibitors of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) continued: indications of iron binding, experimental evidence for optimised solubility and brain penetration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzvetkov, Nikolay T; Antonov, Liudmil

    2017-12-01

    Pharmacological and physicochemical studies of N-unsubstituted indazole-5-carboxamides (subclass I) and their structurally optimised N1-methylated analogues (subclass II), initially developed as drug and radioligand candidates for the treatment and diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), are presented. The compounds are highly brain permeable, selective, reversible, and competitive monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitors with improved water-solubility and subnanomolar potency (pIC 50  >8.8). Using a well-validated, combined X-ray/modelling technology platform, we performed a semi-quantitative analysis of the binding modes of all compounds and investigated the role of the indazole N1 position for their MAO-B inhibitory activity. Moreover, compounds NTZ-1006, 1032, and 1441 were investigated for their ability to bind Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ ions using UV-visible spectroscopy.

  18. Combined genetic and pharmacological inhibition of TRPV1 and P2X3 attenuates colorectal hypersensitivity and afferent sensitization

    OpenAIRE

    Kiyatkin, Michael E.; Feng, Bin; Schwartz, Erica S.; Gebhart, G. F.

    2013-01-01

    The ligand-gated channels transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and P2X3 have been reported to facilitate colorectal afferent neuron sensitization, thus contributing to organ hypersensitivity and pain. In the present study, we hypothesized that TRPV1 and P2X3 cooperate to modulate colorectal nociception and afferent sensitivity. To test this hypothesis, we employed TRPV1-P2X3 double knockout (TPDKO) mice and channel-selective pharmacological antagonists and evaluated combined chann...

  19. Organic Redox Species in Aqueous Flow Batteries: Redox Potentials, Chemical Stability and Solubility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedege, Kristina; Dražević, Emil; Konya, Denes; Bentien, Anders

    2016-01-01

    Organic molecules are currently investigated as redox species for aqueous low-cost redox flow batteries (RFBs). The envisioned features of using organic redox species are low cost and increased flexibility with respect to tailoring redox potential and solubility from molecular engineering of side groups on the organic redox-active species. In this paper 33, mainly quinone-based, compounds are studied experimentially in terms of pH dependent redox potential, solubility and stability, combined with single cell battery RFB tests on selected redox pairs. Data shows that both the solubility and redox potential are determined by the position of the side groups and only to a small extent by the number of side groups. Additionally, the chemical stability and possible degradation mechanisms leading to capacity loss over time are discussed. The main challenge for the development of all-organic RFBs is to identify a redox pair for the positive side with sufficiently high stability and redox potential that enables battery cell potentials above 1 V. PMID:27966605

  20. Organic Redox Species in Aqueous Flow Batteries: Redox Potentials, Chemical Stability and Solubility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedege, Kristina; Dražević, Emil; Konya, Denes; Bentien, Anders

    2016-12-01

    Organic molecules are currently investigated as redox species for aqueous low-cost redox flow batteries (RFBs). The envisioned features of using organic redox species are low cost and increased flexibility with respect to tailoring redox potential and solubility from molecular engineering of side groups on the organic redox-active species. In this paper 33, mainly quinone-based, compounds are studied experimentially in terms of pH dependent redox potential, solubility and stability, combined with single cell battery RFB tests on selected redox pairs. Data shows that both the solubility and redox potential are determined by the position of the side groups and only to a small extent by the number of side groups. Additionally, the chemical stability and possible degradation mechanisms leading to capacity loss over time are discussed. The main challenge for the development of all-organic RFBs is to identify a redox pair for the positive side with sufficiently high stability and redox potential that enables battery cell potentials above 1 V.