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Sample records for paraneoplasiques endocriniens spe

  1. Electronic publishing of SPE papers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perdue, J.M.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports that the SPE is creating an electronic index to over 25,000 technical papers and will produce a CD-ROM as an initial product. This SPE CD-ROM Masterdisc will be available at the SPE Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. on October 4-7, 1992. The SPE Board has appointed an Ad Hoc Committee on Electronic Publishing to coordinate and oversee this project and to recommend authoring standards for submitting SPE papers electronically in the future

  2. Study of alkylphenols, indol and pyridinic nucleus of HPAN compounds by SPE/SI and SPE/C{sub 18}/NEC: application of SPE/Si phase to oils from the Alagoas sub-basin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reboucas, L.M.C.; Nogueira, F.A.R.; Sabino, A.R.; Araujo, O.R.P.; Sant' Ana, A.E.G. [Universidade Federal de Alagoas (LABIS/UFAL), Maceio, AL (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica e Biotecnologia. Lab. de Analise de Biomarcadores e Semioquimicos], E-mail: lmcr@qui.ufal.br

    2008-10-15

    Alkylphenols (AP) and hydrocarbon polycyclic aromatic nitrogen (HPAN) compounds are important to study secondary migrations of petroleum. The behavior of AP and HPAN standards was investigated by solid phase extraction (SPE) on silica gel (SPE/Si) and C{sub 18}/NEC (SPE/C{sub 18}) stationary phases. The AP standards were eluted with dichloromethane (DCM) in the F2 fraction, on both SPE/Si and SPE/C{sub 18} phases. The basic and neutral HPAN compounds were eluted together with DCM, in F2 fraction, when a SPE/C18 column was used. However in the SPE/Si column the HPAN compounds were separated by their basic and neutral character in two different fractions. The neutral HPAN compounds were eluted with DCM, F2 fraction, and the HPAN basic compounds were eluted with the mixture DCM:isopropanol 5%, F3 fraction. In general, the quantity of recovered AP and HPAN compounds was higher with SPE/Si than SPE/C{sub 18}. The nine oil samples were analyzed by SPE/Si and the saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon were separated from the polar AP and HPAN. (author)

  3. Consolidation and Disclosure of SPE

    OpenAIRE

    中野, 貴之

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to discuss what kinds of information are demanded by the users of financial statements and what kinds of problems plague the companies using SPE (special purpose equity), while considering the actual situations of the consolidation and disclosure of SPE in Japan. At present, there is the trend of consolidating a broad range of SPE in Japan, etc., but some users of financial statements point out that it became difficult to understand consolidated financial stat...

  4. Endocrinair : contamination de l'air ambiant : Contamination de l’air ambiant par les perturbateurs endocriniens en Ile de France et caractérisation d’effets toxiques associés

    OpenAIRE

    Chevreuil , Marc; Oziol , Lucie

    2012-01-01

    National audience; En Ile de France, la contamination permanente de l’air ambiant soulève de nouvelles interrogations quant à l’exposition de l’Homme à des perturbateurs endocriniens par cette voie et à la possibilité d’effets sur sa santé, même si ceux-ci sont à faible concentration (micropolluants). Ce qui constitue l’aspect innovant de ce programme, c’est la recherche de molécules semi-volatiles à l’état gazeux ou liées à des particules à l’extérieur et à l’intérieur de locaux (appartement...

  5. Cathare2 V1.3E post-test computations of SPE-1 and SPE-2 experiments at PMK-NVH facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belliard, M.; Laugier, E.

    1994-01-01

    This paper presents the first CATHARE2 V1.3E simulations of the SPE-2 transients at PMK-NVH loop. Concerning the SPE-1 and the SPE-2 experimentations at PMK-NVH, it contains a description of the facilities and the transient, as well as different conditions of use. The paper includes also a presentation of the CATHARE2 model and different type of computation, such as the steady state computation or SPE-1 and SPE-2 transient (TEC). 4 refs., 12 figs., 4 tabs

  6. New Insights into the Explosion Source from SPE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patton, H. J.

    2015-12-01

    Phase I of the Source Physics Experiments (SPE) is a series of chemical explosions at varying depths and yields detonated in the same emplacement hole on Climax stock, a granitic pluton located on the Nevada National Security Site. To date, four of the seven planned tests have been conducted, the last in May 2015, called SPE-4P, with a scaled depth of burial of 1549 m/kt1/3 in order to localize the source in time and space. Surface ground motions validated that the source medium did not undergo spallation, and a key experimental objective was achieved where SPE-4P is the closest of all tests in the series to a pure monopole source and will serve as an empirical Green's function for analysis against other SPE tests. A scientific objective of SPE is to understand mechanisms of rock damage for generating seismic waves, particularly surface and S waves, including prompt damage under compressive stresses and "late-time" damage under tensile stresses. Studies have shown that prompt damage can explain ~75% of the seismic moment for some SPE tests. Spallation is a form of late-time damage and a facilitator of damage mechanisms under tensile stresses including inelastic brittle deformation and shear dilatancy on pre-existing faults or joints. As an empirical Green's function, SPE-4P allows the study of late-time damage mechanisms on other SPE tests that induce spallation and late-time damage, and I'll discuss these studies. The importance for nuclear monitoring cannot be overstated because new research shows that damage mechanisms can affect surface wave magnitude Ms more than tectonic release, and are a likely factor related to anomalous mb-Ms behavior for North Korean tests.

  7. SPE (tm) regenerative hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells for extraterrestrial surface and microgravity applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mcelroy, J. F.

    1990-01-01

    Viewgraphs on SPE regenerative hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells for extraterrestrial surface and microgravity applications are presented. Topics covered include: hydrogen-oxygen regenerative fuel cell energy storage system; electrochemical cell reactions; SPE cell voltage stability; passive water removal SPE fuel cell; fuel cell performance; SPE water electrolyzers; hydrophobic oxygen phase separator; hydrophilic/electrochemical hydrogen phase separator; and unitized regenerative fuel cell.

  8. NEAR FIELD MODELING OF SPE1 EXPERIMENT AND PREDICTION OF THE SECOND SOURCE PHYSICS EXPERIMENTS (SPE2)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Antoun, T; Xu, H; Vorobiev, O; Lomov, I

    2011-10-20

    Motion along joints and fractures in the rock has been proposed as one of the sources of near-source shear wave generation, and demonstrating the validity of this hypothesis is a focal scientific objective of the source physics experimental campaign in the Climax Stock granitic outcrop. A modeling effort has been undertaken by LLNL to complement the experimental campaign, and over the long term provide a validated computation capability for the nuclear explosion monitoring community. The approach involves performing the near-field nonlinear modeling with hydrodynamic codes (e.g., GEODYN, GEODYN-L), and the far-field seismic propagation with an elastic wave propagation code (e.g., WPP). the codes will be coupled together to provide a comprehensive source-to-sensor modeling capability. The technical approach involves pre-test predictions of each of the SPE experiments using their state of the art modeling capabilities, followed by code improvements to alleviate deficiencies identified in the pre-test predictions. This spiral development cycle wherein simulations are used to guide experimental design and the data from the experiment used to improve the models is the most effective approach to enable a transition from the descriptive phenomenological models in current use to the predictive, hybrid physics models needed for a science-based modeling capability for nuclear explosion monitoring. The objective of this report is to describe initial results of non-linear motion predictions of the first two SPE shots in the Climax Stock: a 220-lb shot at a depth of 180 ft (SPE No.1), and a 2570-lb shot at a depth of 150 ft (SPE No.2). The simulations were performed using the LLNL ensemble granite model, a model developed to match velocity and displacement attenuation from HARDHAT, PILE DRIVER, and SHOAL, as well as Russian and French nuclear test data in granitic rocks. This model represents the state of the art modeling capabilities as they existed when the SPE campaign was

  9. Data Release Report for Source Physics Experiments 2 and 3 (SPE-2 and SPE-3) Nevada National Security Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Townsend, Margaret [National Security Technologies, LLC. (NSTec), Las Vegas, NV (United States); Obi, Curtis [National Security Technologies, LLC. (NSTec), Las Vegas, NV (United States)

    2015-04-30

    The second Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-2) was conducted in Nevada on October 25, 2011, at 1900:00.011623 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The explosive source was 997 kilograms (kg) trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalent of sensitized heavy ammonium fuel oil (SHANFO) detonated at a depth of 45.7 meters (m). The third Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-3) was conducted in Nevada on July 24, 2012, at 1800:00.44835 GMT. The explosive source was 905 kg TNT equivalent of SHANFO detonated at a depth of 45.8 m. Both shots were recorded by an extensive set of instrumentation that includes sensors both at near-field (less than 100 m) and far-field (100 m or greater) distances. The near-field instruments consisted of three-component accelerometers deployed in boreholes at 15, 46, and 55 m depths around the shot and a set of single-component vertical accelerometers on the surface. The far-field network was composed of a variety of seismic and acoustic sensors, including short-period geophones, broadband seismometers, three-component accelerometers, and rotational seismometers at distances of 100 m to 25 kilometers. This report coincides with the release of these data for analysts and organizations that are not participants in this program. This report describes the second and third Source Physics Experiment shots and the various types of near-field and farfield data that are available.This revised document includes reports on baseline shift corrections for the SPE-2 and SPE-3 shots that were missing from the original January 2015 version.

  10. Pre-shot simulations of far-field ground motion for the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) Explosions at the Climax Stock, Nevada National Security Site: SPE2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mellors, R J; Rodgers, A; Walter, W; Ford, S; Xu, H; Matzel, E; Myers, S; Petersson, N A; Sjogreen, B; Hauk, T; Wagoner, J

    2011-10-18

    The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is planning a 1000 kg (TNT equivalent) shot (SPE2) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in a granite borehole at a depth (canister centroid) of 45 meters. This shot follows an earlier shot of 100 kg in the same borehole at a depth 60 m. Surrounding the shotpoint is an extensive array of seismic sensors arrayed in 5 radial lines extending out 2 km to the north and east and approximately 10-15 to the south and west. Prior to SPE1, simulations using a finite difference code and a 3D numerical model based on the geologic setting were conducted, which predicted higher amplitudes to the south and east in the alluvium of Yucca Flat along with significant energy on the transverse components caused by scattering within the 3D volume along with some contribution by topographic scattering. Observations from the SPE1 shot largely confirmed these predictions although the ratio of transverse energy relative to the vertical and radial components was in general larger than predicted. A new set of simulations has been conducted for the upcoming SPE2 shot. These include improvements to the velocity model based on SPE1 observations as well as new capabilities added to the simulation code. The most significant is the addition of a new source model within the finite difference code by using the predicted ground velocities from a hydrodynamic code (GEODYN) as driving condition on the boundaries of a cube embedded within WPP which provides a more sophisticated source modeling capability linked directly to source site materials (e.g. granite) and type and size of source. Two sets of SPE2 simulations are conducted, one with a GEODYN source and 3D complex media (no topography node spacing of 5 m) and one with a standard isotropic pre-defined time function (3D complex media with topography, node spacing of 5 m). Results were provided as time series at specific points corresponding to sensor locations for both translational (x,y,z) and rotational

  11. Volume overload cleanup: An approach for on-line SPE-GC, GPC-GC, and GPC-SPE-GC

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kerkdijk, H.; Mol, H.G.J.; Nagel, B. van der

    2007-01-01

    A new concept for cleanup, based on volume overloading of the cleanup column, has been developed for on-line coupling of gel permeation chromatography (GPC), solid-phase extraction (SPE), or both, to gas chromatography (GC). The principle is outlined and the applicability demonstrated by the

  12. Vps33b pathogenic mutations preferentially affect VIPAS39/SPE-39-positive endosomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tornieri, Karine; Zlatic, Stephanie A; Mullin, Ariana P; Werner, Erica; Harrison, Robert; L'hernault, Steven W; Faundez, Victor

    2013-12-20

    Mutations in Vps33 isoforms cause pigment dilution in mice (Vps33a, buff) and Drosophila (car) and the neurogenic arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome in humans (ARC1, VPS33B). The later disease is also caused by mutations in VIPAS39, (Vps33b interacting protein, apical-basolateral polarity regulator, SPE-39 homolog; ARC2), a protein that interacts with the HOmotypic fusion and Protein Sorting (HOPS) complex, a tether necessary for endosome-lysosome traffic. These syndromes offer insight into fundamental endosome traffic processes unique to metazoans. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these mutant phenotypes remain poorly understood. Here we investigate interactions of wild-type and disease-causing mutations in VIPAS39/SPE-39 and Vps33b by yeast two hybrid, immunoprecipitation and quantitative fluorescent microscopy. We find that although few mutations prevent interaction between VIPAS39/SPE-39 and Vps33b, some mutants fragment VIPAS39/SPE-39-positive endosomes, but all mutants alter the subcellular localization of Vps33b to VIPAS39/SPE-39-positive endosomes. Our data suggest that the ARC syndrome may result through impaired VIPAS39/SPE-39 and Vps33b-dependent endosomal maturation or fusion.

  13. Substrate-Induced Allosteric Change in the Quaternary Structure of the Spermidine N-Acetyltransferase SpeG

    OpenAIRE

    Filippova, Ekaterina V.; Weigand, Steven; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Kiryukhina, Olga; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Anderson, Wayne F.

    2015-01-01

    The spermidine N-acetyltransferase SpeG is a dodecameric enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl-coenzyme A to polyamines such as spermidine and spermine. SpeG has an allosteric polyamine-binding site and acetylating polyamines regulates their intracellular concentrations. The structures of SpeG from Vibrio cholerae in complexes with polyamines and cofactor have been characterized earlier. Here, we present the dodecameric structure of SpeG from V. cholerae in a ligan...

  14. Characterization of plasma protein binding dissociation with online SPE-HPLC

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Ping; Fan, Yiran; Wang, Yunlong; Lu, Yaxin; Yin, Zheng

    2015-01-01

    A novel parameter of relative recovery (Rre) was defined and determined by online SPE-HPLC to characterize plasma protein binding (PPB) kinetics of highly plasma binding drugs. The proportional relationship of Rre with koff of PPB has been established with a new SPE model. A rapid, easy to use method could potentially be used to categorize PK properties of the drug candidates in the decision process of drug discovery and development.

  15. Theoretical performance of hydrogen-bromine rechargeable SPE fuel cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savinell, Robert F.; Fritts, S. D.

    1987-01-01

    A mathematical model was formulated to describe the performance of a hydrogen-bromine fuel cell. Porous electrode theory was applied to the carbon felt flow-by electrode and was coupled to theory describing the solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) system. Parametric studies using the numerical solution to this model were performed to determine the effect of kinetic, mass transfer, and design parameters on the performance of the fuel cell. The results indicate that the cell performance is most sensitive to the transport properties of the SPE membrane. The model was also shown to be a useful tool for scale-up studies.

  16. A maximum power point tracking for photovoltaic-SPE system using a maximum current controller

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muhida, Riza [Osaka Univ., Dept. of Physical Science, Toyonaka, Osaka (Japan); Osaka Univ., Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Park, Minwon; Dakkak, Mohammed; Matsuura, Kenji [Osaka Univ., Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Suita, Osaka (Japan); Tsuyoshi, Akira; Michira, Masakazu [Kobe City College of Technology, Nishi-ku, Kobe (Japan)

    2003-02-01

    Processes to produce hydrogen from solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered water electrolysis using solid polymer electrolysis (SPE) are reported. An alternative control of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in the PV-SPE system based on the maximum current searching methods has been designed and implemented. Based on the characteristics of voltage-current and theoretical analysis of SPE, it can be shown that the tracking of the maximum current output of DC-DC converter in SPE side will track the MPPT of photovoltaic panel simultaneously. This method uses a proportional integrator controller to control the duty factor of DC-DC converter with pulse-width modulator (PWM). The MPPT performance and hydrogen production performance of this method have been evaluated and discussed based on the results of the experiment. (Author)

  17. Analysis of xanthines in beverages using a fully automated SPE-SPC-DAD hyphenated system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medvedovici, A. [Bucarest Univ., Bucarest (Romania). Faculty of Chemistry, Dept. of Analytical Chemistry; David, F.; David, V.; Sandra, P. [Research Institute of Chromatography, Kortrijk (Belgium)

    2000-08-01

    Analysis of some xanthines (caffeine, theophylline and theobromine) in beverages has been achieved by a fully automated on-line Solid Phase Extraction - Supercritical Fluid Chromatography - Diode Array Detection (Spe - Sofc - Dad). Three adsorbents have been tested for the Spe procedure: octadecyl modified silicagel (ODS) and two types of styrene-divinylbenzen copolymer based materials, from which Porapack proved to be the most suitable adsorbent. Optimisation and correlation of both Spe and Sofc operational parameters are also discussed. By this technique, caffeine was determined in ice tea and Coca-Cola in a concentration of 0.15 ppm, theobromine - 1.5 ppb, and theophylline - 0.15 ppb. [Italian] Si e' realizzata l'analis di alcune xantine (caffeina, teofillina e teobromina) mediante un sistema, in linea, completamente automatizzato basato su Estrazione in Fase Solida - Cromatografia in Fase Supercritica - Rivelazione con Diode Array (Spe - Sfc - Dad). Per la procedura Spe sono stati valutati tre substrati: silice ottadecilica (ODS) e due tipi di materiali polimerici a base stirene-divinilbenzene, di cui, quello denominato PRP-1, e' risultato essere il piu' efficiente. Sono discusse sia l'ottimizzazione che la correlazione dei parametri operazionali per la Spe e la Sfc. Con questa tecnica sono state determinate, in te' ghiacciato e Coca-Cola, la caffeina, la teobromina e la teofillina alle concentrazini di 0.15, 1.5 e 0.15 ppm.

  18. Preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of Bacillus subtilis SpeA protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Xiao-Yan; Lei, Jian; Liu, Xiang; Su, Xiao-Dong; Li, Lanfen

    2009-01-01

    In order to further illustrate the catalytic mechanism of arginine decarboxylase by determining the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme the speA gene was amplified from B. subtilis genomic DNA and cloned. The enzyme was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity by nickel-chelation chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography. High-quality crystals were obtained using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 298 K. The speA gene in Bacillus subtilis encodes arginine decarboxylase, which catalyzes the conversion of arginine to agmatine. Arginine decarboxylase is an important enzyme in polyamine metabolism in B. subtilis. In order to further illustrate the catalytic mechanism of arginine decarboxylase by determining the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme, the speA gene was amplified from B. subtilis genomic DNA and cloned into the expression vector pET-28a(+). SpeA was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity by nickel-chelation chromatography followed by size-exclusion chromatography. High-quality crystals were obtained using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 289 K. The best crystal diffracted to 2.0 Å resolution and belonged to space group P2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 86.4, b = 63.3 c = 103.3 Å, β = 113.9°

  19. SPE5 Sub-Scale Test Series Summary Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vandersall, Kevin S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Reeves, Robert V. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); DeHaven, Martin R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Strickland, Shawn L. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2016-01-14

    A series of 2 SPE5 sub-scale tests were performed to experimentally confirm that a booster system designed and evaluated in prior tests would properly initiate the PBXN-110 case charge fill. To conduct the experiments, a canister was designed to contain the nominally 50 mm diameter booster tube with an outer fill of approximately 150 mm diameter by 150 mm in length. The canisters were filled with PBXN-110 at NAWS-China Lake and shipped back to LLNL for testing in the High Explosives Applications Facility (HEAF). Piezoelectric crystal pins were placed on the outside of the booster tube before filling, and a series of piezoelectric crystal pins along with Photonic Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) probes were placed on the outer surface of the canister to measure the relative timing and magnitude of the detonation. The 2 piezoelectric crystal pins integral to the booster design were also utilized along with a series of either piezoelectric crystal pins or piezoelectric polymer pads on the top of the canister or outside case that utilized direct contact, gaps, or different thicknesses of RTV cushions to obtain time of arrival data to evaluate the response in preparation for the large-scale SPE5 test. To further quantify the margin of the booster operation, the 1st test (SPE5SS1) was functioned with both detonators and the 2nd test (SPE5SS2) was functioned with only 1 detonator. A full detonation of the material was observed in both experiments as observed by the pin timing and PDV signals. The piezoelectric pads were found to provide a greater measured signal magnitude during the testing with an RTV layer present, and the improved response is due to the larger measurement surface area of the pad. This report will detail the experiment design, canister assembly for filling, final assembly, experiment firing, presentation of the diagnostic results, and a discussion of the results.

  20. Glufosinate ammonium clean-up procedure from water samples using SPE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tayeb M., A.; Ismail B., S.; Mardiana-Jansar, K.; Ta, Goh Choo; Agustar, Hani Kartini

    2015-09-01

    For the determination of glufosinate ammonium residue in soil and water samples, different solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbent efficiency was studied. Four different SPE sorbents i.e.: CROMABOND PS-H+, CROMABOND PS-OH-, ISOLUTE ENV+, Water Sep-Pak and OASIS HLB were used. Sample clean-up performance was evaluated using high performance liquid chromatography (Agilent 1220 infinity LC) with fluorescence detector. Detection of FMO-derivatives was done at λ ex = 260 nm and λ em= 310 nm. OASIS HLB column was the most suitable for the clean-up in view of the overall feasibility of the analysis.

  1. Substrate-Induced Allosteric Change in the Quaternary Structure of the Spermidine N-Acetyltransferase SpeG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filippova, Ekaterina V; Weigand, Steven; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Kiryukhina, Olga; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Anderson, Wayne F

    2015-11-06

    The spermidine N-acetyltransferase SpeG is a dodecameric enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl coenzyme A to polyamines such as spermidine and spermine. SpeG has an allosteric polyamine-binding site and acetylating polyamines regulate their intracellular concentrations. The structures of SpeG from Vibrio cholerae in complexes with polyamines and cofactor have been characterized earlier. Here, we present the dodecameric structure of SpeG from V. cholerae in a ligand-free form in three different conformational states: open, intermediate and closed. All structures were crystallized in C2 space group symmetry and contain six monomers in the asymmetric unit cell. Two hexamers related by crystallographic 2-fold symmetry form the SpeG dodecamer. The open and intermediate states have a unique open dodecameric ring. This SpeG dodecamer is asymmetric except for the one 2-fold axis and is unlike any known dodecameric structure. Using a fluorescence thermal shift assay, size-exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering analysis, negative-stain electron microscopy and structural analysis, we demonstrate that this unique open dodecameric state exists in solution. Our combined results indicate that polyamines trigger conformational changes and induce the symmetric closed dodecameric state of the protein when they bind to their allosteric sites. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Surface Signature Characterization at SPE through Ground-Proximal Methods: Methodology Change and Technical Justification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schultz-Fellenz, Emily S. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2015-09-09

    A portion of LANL’s FY15 SPE objectives includes initial ground-based or ground-proximal investigations at the SPE Phase 2 site. The area of interest is the U2ez location in Yucca Flat. This collection serves as a baseline for discrimination of surface features and acquisition of topographic signatures prior to any development or pre-shot activities associated with SPE Phase 2. Our team originally intended to perform our field investigations using previously vetted ground-based (GB) LIDAR methodologies. However, the extended proposed time frame of the GB LIDAR data collection, and associated data processing time and delivery date, were unacceptable. After technical consultation and careful literature research, LANL identified an alternative methodology to achieve our technical objectives and fully support critical model parameterization. Very-low-altitude unmanned aerial systems (UAS) photogrammetry appeared to satisfy our objectives in lieu of GB LIDAR. The SPE Phase 2 baseline collection was used as a test of this UAS photogrammetric methodology.

  3. Srv mediated dispersal of streptococcal biofilms through SpeB is observed in CovRS+ strains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristie L Connolly

    Full Text Available Group A Streptococcus (GAS is a human specific pathogen capable of causing both mild infections and severe invasive disease. We and others have shown that GAS is able to form biofilms during infection. That is to say, they form a three-dimensional, surface attached structure consisting of bacteria and a multi-component extracellular matrix. The mechanisms involved in regulation and dispersal of these GAS structures are still unclear. Recently we have reported that in the absence of the transcriptional regulator Srv in the MGAS5005 background, the cysteine protease SpeB is constitutively produced, leading to increased tissue damage and decreased biofilm formation during a subcutaneous infection in a mouse model. This was interesting because MGAS5005 has a naturally occurring mutation that inactivates the sensor kinase domain of the two component regulatory system CovRS. Others have previously shown that strains lacking covS are associated with decreased SpeB production due to CovR repression of speB expression. Thus, our results suggest the inactivation of srv can bypass CovR repression and lead to constitutive SpeB production. We hypothesized that Srv control of SpeB production may be a mechanism to regulate biofilm dispersal and provide a mechanism by which mild infection can transition to severe disease through biofilm dispersal. The question remained however, is this mechanism conserved among GAS strains or restricted to the unique genetic makeup of MGAS5005. Here we show that Srv mediated control of SpeB and biofilm dispersal is conserved in the invasive clinical isolates RGAS053 (serotype M1 and MGAS315 (serotype M3, both of which have covS intact. This work provides additional evidence that Srv regulated control of SpeB may mediate biofilm formation and dispersal in diverse strain backgrounds.

  4. Time-Dependent Moment Tensors of the First Four Source Physics Experiments (SPE) Explosions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, X.

    2015-12-01

    We use mainly vertical-component geophone data within 2 km from the epicenter to invert for time-dependent moment tensors of the first four SPE explosions: SPE-1, SPE-2, SPE-3 and SPE-4Prime. We employ a one-dimensional (1D) velocity model developed from P- and Rg-wave travel times for Green's function calculations. The attenuation structure of the model is developed from P- and Rg-wave amplitudes. We select data for the inversion based on the criterion that they show consistent travel times and amplitude behavior as those predicted by the 1D model. Due to limited azimuthal coverage of the sources and the mostly vertical-component-only nature of the dataset, only long-period, diagonal components of the moment tensors are well constrained. Nevertheless, the moment tensors, particularly their isotropic components, provide reasonable estimates of the long-period source amplitudes as well as estimates of corner frequencies, albeit with larger uncertainties. The estimated corner frequencies, however, are consistent with estimates from ratios of seismogram spectra from different explosions. These long-period source amplitudes and corner frequencies cannot be fit by classical P-wave explosion source models. The results motivate the development of new P-wave source models suitable for these chemical explosions. To that end, we fit inverted moment-tensor spectra by modifying the classical explosion model using regressions of estimated source parameters. Although the number of data points used in the regression is small, the approach suggests a way for the new-model development when more data are collected.

  5. Inhibitory effect of SPE-39 due to tyrosine phosphorylation and ubiquitination on the function of Vps33B in the EGF-stimulated cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishii, Ayumi; Kamimori, Kanae; Hiyoshi, Mineyoshi; Kido, Hiroshi; Ohta, Takeshi; Konishi, Hiroaki

    2012-07-30

    Although SPE-39 is a binding protein to Vps33B that is one of the subunit in the mammalian HOPS complex, the elements of SPE-39 function remain unknown. Here, we show that tyrosine phosphorylation of SPE-39 following EGF stimulation plays a role in the stability of SPE-39 itself. Ubiquitination of the C-terminal region of SPE-39 was also elevated in response to EGF stimulation, and this process was regulated by the phosphorylation of Tyr-11 in SPE-39. However, association of Vps33B with SPE-39 inhibited the elevation of ubiquitination of SPE-39 following EGF stimulation, which might be responsible for the stabilization of SPE-39. Furthermore, an opposing functional relationship between SPE-39 and Vps33B on the downregulation of the EGF receptor was observed in EGF-stimulated COS-7 cells. Copyright © 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Autonomous Monitoring of Radiation Environment and Personal Systems for Crew Enhanced SPE Protection (AMORE and PSYCHE)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narici, L.; Baiocco, G.; Berrilli, F.; Giraudo, M.; Ottolenghi, A.; Rizzo, A.; Salina, G.

    2018-02-01

    Understand the relationship between SPE precursors, the related SPE radiation inside the Deep Space Gateway, and the associated risk levels, validating existing models, proposing countermeasures actions via a real time, autonomous intelligent system.

  7. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) of Iron using Lanthanum Silicate ion exchange

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiarostami, V.; Husain, W.

    2002-01-01

    Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is gaining wide use as an effective and speedy technique which reduces solvent usage, disposal costs and extraction time. The analyte is adsorbed from solution onto a solid adsorbent, which is followed by elution of the analyte with a solvent appropriate for instrumental analysis. However, there is an increasing need for new selective adsorbents to expand the area of this technique. Lanthanum silicate ion exchanger, which shows unusual selectivity elements and in this study, it was employed to develop a SPE method for iron ion. Special experiments such as determination of distribution coefficient for iron ion in different solvent systems have been determined

  8. A novel polyamine allosteric site of SpeG from Vibrio cholerae is revealed by its dodecameric structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filippova, Ekaterina V; Kuhn, Misty L; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Kiryukhina, Olga; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Ballicora, Miguel A; Anderson, Wayne F

    2015-03-27

    Spermidine N-acetyltransferase, encoded by the gene speG, catalyzes the initial step in the degradation of polyamines and is a critical enzyme for determining the polyamine concentrations in bacteria. In Escherichia coli, studies have shown that SpeG is the enzyme responsible for acetylating spermidine under stress conditions and for preventing spermidine toxicity. Not all bacteria contain speG, and many bacterial pathogens have developed strategies to either acquire or silence it for pathogenesis. Here, we present thorough kinetic analyses combined with structural characterization of the VCA0947 SpeG enzyme from the important human pathogen Vibrio cholerae. Our studies revealed the unexpected presence of a previously unknown allosteric site and an unusual dodecameric structure for a member of the Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferase superfamily. We show that SpeG forms dodecamers in solution and in crystals and describe its three-dimensional structure in several ligand-free and liganded structures. Importantly, these structural data define the first view of a polyamine bound in an allosteric site of an N-acetyltransferase. Kinetic characterization of SpeG from V. cholerae showed that it acetylates spermidine and spermine. The behavior of this enzyme is complex and exhibits sigmoidal curves and substrate inhibition. We performed a detailed non-linear regression kinetic analysis to simultaneously fit families of substrate saturation curves to uncover a simple kinetic mechanism that explains the apparent complexity of this enzyme. Our results provide a fundamental understanding of the bacterial SpeG enzyme, which will be key toward understanding the regulation of polyamine levels in bacteria during pathogenesis. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Streptococcal pyogenic exotoxin B (SpeB) boosts the contact system via binding of a-1 antitrypsin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meinert Niclasen, Louise; Olsen, Johan G; Dagil, Robert

    2011-01-01

    The Streptococcus pyogenes cysteine protease SpeB (streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B) is important for the invasive potential of the bacteria, but its production is down-regulated following systemic infection. This prompted us to investigate if SpeB potentiated the host immune response after sys...

  10. Theoretical performance of hydrogen-bromine rechargeable SPE fuel cell. [Solid Polymer Electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savinell, R. F.; Fritts, S. D.

    1988-01-01

    A mathematical model was formulated to describe the performance of a hydrogen-bromine fuel cell. Porous electrode theory was applied to the carbon felt flow-by electrode and was coupled to theory describing the solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) system. Parametric studies using the numerical solution to this model were performed to determine the effect of kinetic, mass transfer, and design parameters on the performance of the fuel cell. The results indicate that the cell performance is most sensitive to the transport properties of the SPE membrane. The model was also shown to be a useful tool for scale-up studies.

  11. SPE analysis of high efficiency PMTs for the DEAP-3600 dark matter detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olsen, Kevin; Hallin, Aksel

    2011-01-01

    The Dark matter Experiment using Argon Pulse-shape discrimination is a collaborative effort to develop a next-generation, tonne-scale dark matter detector at SNOLAB. The detector will feature a single-phase liquid argon (LAr) target surrounded by an array of 266 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). A new high-efficiency Hamamatsu R877-100 PMT has been delivered to the University of Alberta for evaluation by the DEAP collaboration. The increase in efficiency could lead to a much greater light yield, but other experiments have reported a slower rise time. We have placed the PMT in a small dark box and had a base and preamplifier designed to be used with either an oscilloscope or a multi-channel analyzer. With this setup we have demonstrated the PMT's ability to distinguish single photo-electrons (SPE) and characterized the PMT by measuring the SPE pulse height spectrum, the peak-to-valley ratio, the dark pulse rate, the baseline, time resolution and SPE efficiency for varying the high voltage supplied to the PMT.

  12. A naturally occurring mutation in ropB suppresses SpeB expression and reduces M1T1 group A streptococcal systemic virulence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Hollands

    Full Text Available Epidemiological studies of group A streptococcus (GAS have noted an inverse relationship between SpeB expression and invasive disease. However, the role of SpeB in the course of infection is still unclear. In this study we utilize a SpeB-negative M1T1 clinical isolate, 5628, with a naturally occurring mutation in the gene encoding the regulator RopB, to elucidate the role of RopB and SpeB in systemic virulence. Allelic exchange mutagenesis was used to replace the mutated ropB allele in 5628 with the intact allele from the well characterized isolate 5448. The inverse allelic exchange was also performed to replace the intact ropB in 5448 with the mutated allele from 5628. An intact ropB was found to be essential for SpeB expression. While the ropB mutation was shown to have no effect on hemolysis of RBC's, extracellular DNase activity or survival in the presence of neutrophils, strains with the mutated ropB allele were less virulent in murine systemic models of infection. An isogenic SpeB knockout strain containing an intact RopB showed similarly reduced virulence. Microarray analysis found genes of the SpeB operon to be the primary target of RopB regulation. These data show that an intact RopB and efficient SpeB production are necessary for systemic infection with GAS.

  13. Data Release Report for Source Physics Experiments 2 and 3 (SPE-2 and SPE-3) Nevada National Security Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Townsend, Margaret [National Security Technologies, LLC, Las Vegas, NV (United States). Nevada Test Site; Obi, Curtis [National Security Technologies, LLC, Las Vegas, NV (United States). Nevada Test Site

    2015-01-26

    The second Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-2) was conducted in Nevada on October 25, 2011, at 1900:00.011623 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The explosive source was 997 kilograms (kg) trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalent of sensitized heavy ammonium fuel oil (SHANFO) detonated at a depth of 45.7 meters (m). The third Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-3) was conducted in Nevada on July 24, 2012, at 1800:00.44835 GMT. The explosive source was 905 kg TNT equivalent of SHANFO detonated at a depth of 45.8 m. Both shots were recorded by an extensive set of instrumentation that includes sensors both at near-field (less than 100 m) and far-field (100 m or greater) distances. The near-field instruments consisted of three-component accelerometers deployed in boreholes at 15, 46, and 55 m depths around the shot and a set of single-component vertical accelerometers on the surface. The far-field network was composed of a variety of seismic and acoustic sensors, including short-period geophones, broadband seismometers, three-component accelerometers, and rotational seismometers at distances of 100 m to 25 kilometers. This report coincides with the release of these data for analysts and organizations that are not participants in this program. This report describes the second and third Source Physics Experiment shots and the various types of near-field and far-field data that are available.

  14. The Development and Optimization of Techniques for Monitoring Water Quality on-Board Spacecraft Using Colorimetric Solid-Phase Extraction (C-SPE)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hill, April Ann [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2007-12-01

    The main focus of this dissertation is the design, development, and ground and microgravity validation of methods for monitoring drinking water quality on-board NASA spacecraft using clorimetric-solid phase extraction (C-SPE). The Introduction will overview the need for in-flight water quality analysis and will detail some of the challenges associated with operations in the absence of gravity. The ability of C-SPE methods to meet these challenges will then be discussed, followed by a literature review on existing applications of C-SPE and similar techniques. Finally, a brief discussion of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy theory, which provides a means for analyte identification and quantification in C-SPE analyses, is presented. Following the Introduction, four research chapters are presented as separate manuscripts. Chapter 1 reports the results from microgravity testing of existing C-SPE methods and procedures aboard NASA's C-9 microgravity simulator. Chapter 2 discusses the development of a C-SPE method for determining the total concentration of biocidal silver (i.e., in both dissolved and colloidal forms) in water samples. Chapter 3 presents the first application of the C-SPE technique to the determination of an organic analyte (i.e., formaldehyde). Chapter 4, which is a departure from the main focus of the thesis, details the results of an investigation into the effect of substrate rotation on the kinetics involved in the antigen and labeling steps in sandwich immunoassays. These research chapters are followed by general conclusions and a prospectus section.

  15. SPE-GC/FTD determination of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and its metabolites in urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubota, Ryuichi; Endo, Yoko; Takeuchi, Akito; Inoue, Yoshinori; Ogata, Hiroko; Ogawa, Masanori; Nakagawa, Tomoo; Onda, Nobuhiko; Endo, Ginji

    2007-07-01

    An analytical method using a combination of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography with a flame thermionic detector (GC/FTD) was developed for determination of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N-methylsuccinimide (MSI), and 2-hydroxy-N-methylsuccinimide (2-HMSI) in human urine. The SPE cartridge of poly(divinylbenzene/hydroxymethacrylate) used was directly loaded with urine sample, followed by elution with methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and subsequent centrifugation, and the supernatant was injected into the capillary GC using a DB1701. This method allowed efficient separation of NMP, MSI, and 2-HMSI, which were nearly free of interference by other GC peaks arising from urine. Recoveries of NMP, MSI, and 2-HMSI from the SPE cartridge were about 98, 101, and 67%, respectively, with limits of detection of 0.04, 0.02, and 0.06 mg/L, respectively, which met the regulatory requirements. The present method was used for assay in biological monitoring of workers exposed to NMP in their occupational environment.

  16. Inorganic arsenic –spe hg–aas method for rice tested in-house and collaboratively

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Rie Romme; Qian, Yiting; Sloth, Jens Jørgen

    2013-01-01

    and is one of the major contributors to the iAs exposure in many countries. The work presented here describes the development, validation and application of a simple and inexpensive method for inorganic arsenic (iAs) determination in rice samples. The separation of iAs from organoarsenic compounds (MA...... sample extracts (pH 6±1) followed by selective elution of arsenate from a strong anion exchange SPE cartridge enabled the selective iAs quantification by HG-AAS, measuring total arsenic (As) in the SPE eluate. The in-house validation gave mean recoveries of 101–106 % for spiked rice samples and in two...... and DMA) was done by off-line solidphase extraction (SPE) followed by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) detection. Water bath heating (90 °C, 60 min) of samples with dilute nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide solubilised and oxidized all iAs to arsenate (AsV). Loading of buffered...

  17. Analysis Study of Stevioside and Rebaudioside A from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni by Normal Phase SPE and RP-HPLC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martono, Y.; Rohman, A.; Riyanto, S.; Martono, S.

    2018-04-01

    Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) method using silica as sorbent for stevioside and rebaudiosida A analysis in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaf have not been performed. The aim of this study is to develop SPE method using silica as sorbent for Reverse Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis of stevioside and rebaudiosida A in S. rebaudiana leaf. The results of this study indicate that the optimal conditions for normal phase SPE (silica) are conditioned with 3.0 mL of hexane. The sample loading volume is 0.1 mL. Cartridge is eluted with 1.0 mL acetonitrile: water (80: 20, v/v) to separate both analytes. The cartridge is washed with chloroform and water of 0.3 mL respectively. The developed SPE sample preparation method meets the accuracy and precision test and can be used for the analysis of stevioside and rebaudioside A by RP-HPLC.

  18. Analysis of the Source Physics Experiment SPE4 Prime Using State-Of Parallel Numerical Tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vorobiev, O.; Ezzedine, S. M.; Antoun, T.; Glenn, L.

    2015-12-01

    This work describes a methodology used for large scale modeling of wave propagation from underground chemical explosions conducted at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) fractured granitic rock. We show that the discrete natures of rock masses as well as the spatial variability of the fabric of rock properties are very important to understand ground motions induced by underground explosions. In order to build a credible conceptual model of the subsurface we integrated the geological, geomechanical and geophysical characterizations conducted during recent test at the NNSS as well as historical data from the characterization during the underground nuclear test conducted at the NNSS. Because detailed site characterization is limited, expensive and, in some instances, impossible we have numerically investigated the effects of the characterization gaps on the overall response of the system. We performed several computational studies to identify the key important geologic features specific to fractured media mainly the joints characterized at the NNSS. We have also explored common key features to both geological environments such as saturation and topography and assess which characteristics affect the most the ground motion in the near-field and in the far-field. Stochastic representation of these features based on the field characterizations has been implemented into LLNL's Geodyn-L hydrocode. Simulations were used to guide site characterization efforts in order to provide the essential data to the modeling community. We validate our computational results by comparing the measured and computed ground motion at various ranges for the recently executed SPE4 prime experiment. We have also conducted a comparative study between SPE4 prime and previous experiments SPE1 and SPE3 to assess similarities and differences and draw conclusions on designing SPE5.

  19. Hindlimb suspension and SPE-like radiation impairs clearance of bacterial infections.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minghong Li

    Full Text Available A major risk of extended space travel is the combined effects of weightlessness and radiation exposure on the immune system. In this study, we used the hindlimb suspension model of microgravity that includes the other space stressors, situational and confinement stress and alterations in food intake, and solar particle event (SPE-like radiation to measure the combined effects on the ability to control bacterial infections. A massive increase in morbidity and decrease in the ability to control bacterial growth was observed using 2 different types of bacteria delivered by systemic and pulmonary routes in 3 different strains of mice. These data suggest that an astronaut exposed to a strong SPE during extended space travel is at increased risk for the development of infections that could potentially be severe and interfere with mission success and astronaut health.

  20. GCR and SPE Radiation Effects in Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waller, Jess; Rojdev, Kristina; Nichols, Charles

    2016-01-01

    This Year 3 project provides risk reduction data to assess galactic cosmic ray (GCR) and solar particle event (SPE) space radiation damage in materials used in manned low-earth orbit, lunar, interplanetary, and Martian surface missions. Long duration (up to 50 years) space radiation damage is being quantified for materials used in inflatable structures (1st priority), and space suit and habitable composite materials (2nd priority). The data collected has relevance for nonmetallic materials (polymers and composites) used in NASA missions where long duration reliability is needed in continuous or intermittent space radiation fluxes.

  1. Isocratic Solid Phase Extraction-Liquid Chromatography (SPE-LC) Interfaced to High-Performance Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Rapid Protein Identification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hørning, Ole B; Kjeldsen, Frank; Theodorsen, Søren

    2008-01-01

    the isocratic solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography (SPE-LC) technology for rapid separation ( approximately 8 min) of simple peptide samples. We now extend these studies to demonstrate the potential of SPE-LC separation in combination with a hybrid linear ion trap-Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometer...

  2. Targeted natural product isolation guided by HPLC-SPE-NMR: constituents of Hubertia species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sprogøe, Kennett; Staerk, Dan; Jäger, Anna K; Adsersen, Anne; Hansen, Steen Honoré; Witt, Matthias; Landbo, Anne-Katrine R; Meyer, Anne S; Jaroszewski, Jerzy W

    2007-09-01

    The hyphenated technique, high-performance liquid chromatography-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HPLC-SPE-NMR), has been applied for rapid identification of novel natural products in crude extracts of Hubertia ambavilla and Hubertia tomentosa. The technique allowed full or partial identification of all major extract constituents and demonstrated the presence of unusual quinic acid derivatives containing the (1-hydroxy-4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dienyl)acetyl residue that exhibit strongly coupled ABXY patterns, the parameters of which were obtained by spin simulations. Using homo- and heteronuclear 2D NMR data acquired in the HPLC-SPE-NMR mode, complete structure determination of three new natural products, i.e., 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl-4-O-[(1-hydroxy-4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dienyl)acetyl]quinic acid (1), its 2-hydroxy derivative (2), and 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl-4-O-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetyl]quinic acid (3), was performed. Finally, targeted isolation of 1 was achieved by SPE fractionation and preparative HPLC, followed by evaluation of its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. In contrast to chlorogenic acid and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, which act as antioxidants, compound 1 proved at the same conditions to possess prooxidant activity in an assay evaluating the oxidation of human low-density lipoprotein induced by Cu(2+).

  3. SPE dose prediction using locally weighted regression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hines, J. W.; Townsend, L. W.; Nichols, T. F.

    2005-01-01

    When astronauts are outside earth's protective magnetosphere, they are subject to large radiation doses resulting from solar particle events (SPEs). The total dose received from a major SPE in deep space could cause severe radiation poisoning. The dose is usually received over a 20-40 h time interval but the event's effects may be mitigated with an early warning system. This paper presents a method to predict the total dose early in the event. It uses a locally weighted regression model, which is easier to train and provides predictions as accurate as neural network models previously used. (authors)

  4. Integrated Solid-Phase Extraction-Capillary Liquid Chromatography (speLC) Interfaced to ESI-MS/MS for Fast Characterization and Quantification of Protein and Proteomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Falkenby, Lasse Gaarde; Such-Sanmartín, Gerard; Larsen, Martin Røssel

    2014-01-01

    min speLC-MS/MS experiment. Analysis by selected reaction monitoring by speLC-SRM-MS/MS of distinct peptides derived from the blood proteins IGF1, IGF2, IBP2, and IBP3 demonstrated protein quantification with CV values below 10% across 96 replicates. The speLC-MS/MS system is ideally suited for fast......The high peptide sequencing speed provided by modern hybrid tandem mass spectrometers enables the utilization of fast liquid chromatographic (LC) separation techniques. We present a robust solid-phase extraction/capillary LC system (speLC) for 5-10 min separation of semicomplex peptide mixtures...

  5. Explorative Solid-Phase Extraction (E-SPE) for Accelerated Microbial Natural Product Discovery, Dereplication, and Purification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Månsson, Maria; Phipps, Richard Kerry; Gram, Lone

    2010-01-01

    Microbial natural products (NP) cover a high chemical diversity, and in consequence extracts from microorganisms are often complex to analyze and purify. A distribution analysis of calculated pK(a) values from the 34390 records in Antibase2008 revealed that within pH 2-11, 44% of all included......-phase extraction" (E-SPE) protocol using SAX, Oasis MAX, SCX, and LH-20 columns for targeted exploitation of chemical functionalities. E-SPE provides a minimum of fractions (15) for chemical and biological analyses and implicates development into a preparative scale methodology. Overall, this allows fast extract...

  6. Interest of the PET with F DOPA in the exploration of endocrine para neoplastic syndromes (E.P.S.): about four cases; Interet de la TEP a la FDOPA dans l'exploration des syndromes paraneoplasiques endocriniens (SPE): a propos de 4 cas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moreau Triby, C.; Pina, G.; Bournaud, C. [Centre de medecine nucleaire, groupement hospitalier Est, Lyon, (France); Billotey, C. [CERMEP, Lyon, (France); Raverot, G.; Borson Chazot, F. [service d' endocrinologie, groupement hospitalier Est, Lyon, (France)

    2009-05-15

    In front an ectopic secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH or corticotropin) or growth hormone (GH) the existence of an endocrine tumor must be evoked. The topographical diagnosis of these tumors is often difficult. The positron computed tomography with 6-fluoro-({sup 18}F)-L-dihydroxy-phenylalanine (PET-FDOPA) showed recently a good sensitivity in the detection of well differentiated endocrine tumors. We report our experience of the PET-FDOPA in the explorations of para-neoplasic endocrine syndromes. Our experience was relatively disappointing, this examination being a little contributive for our patients. The scintigraphy of receptors with somatostatin with octreoscan keeps all this place in this indication. (N.C.)

  7. Determination of 90Sr from aqueous solutions using SPE extraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dulanska, S.; Rajec, P.; Matel, L.

    2008-01-01

    Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) is widely used technique for the isolation and concentration of analytes from liquid samples to achieve increased sensitivity in the analytical process. Three commercial sorbents produced by three different manufacturers were tested. 3M Empore TM Strontium Rad Disks, Sr resin and AnaLig Sr-01 were used to efficiently isolate strontium from aqueous samples. (authors)

  8. Design and construction of an on-line SPE-SFE-CGC system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinto Jair S. S.

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The construction of an on-line SPE-SFE-CGC system is described. The home-made system is of low cost and of easy construction and maintenance, making possible the analysis of organic micropollutants in liquid samples such as water in a fraction of the time spent using traditional methods.

  9. Determination of DDT and metabolites in surface water and sediment using LLE, SPE, ACE and SE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibali, Linda L; Okonkwo, Jonathan O; Zvinowanda, Caliphs

    2009-12-01

    Surface water and sediment samples collected from Jukskei River in South Africa, were subjected to different extraction techniques, liquid-liquid (LLE), solid-phase extraction (SPE), activated carbon extraction (ACE) and soxhlet extraction (SE) for sediment. The samples were extracted with dichloromethane, cleaned in a silica gel column and the extracts quantified using a Varian 3800 GC-ECD. The percentage recovery test for 2,4'DDT, DDE and DDD and 4,4'DDT, DDE and DDD in water ranged from 80%-96% and 76%-95% (LLE); 56%-76% and 56%-70% (SPE) and 75%-84% (ACE), respectively; while that recoveries for sediment samples varied from 65%-95% for 2,4'DDT, DDE and DDD and 80%-91% for 4,4'DDT, DDE and DDD. The high recoveries exhibited by ACE compared very well with LLE and SE. This was not the case with SPE which exhibited the lowest value of recoveries for both 2,4 and 4,4'DDD, DDE and DDT standard samples. The mean concentrations of DDT and metabolites ranged from nd-1.10 μg/L, nd-0.80 μg/L, nd-1.21 μg/L and 1.92 μg/L for LLE, SPE, ACE and SE, respectively. The total DDT (2,4' and 4,4'-DDT) in water and sediment samples ranged from 1.20-3.25 μg/L and 1.82-5.24 μg/L, respectively. The low concentrations of the DDT metabolites obtained in the present study may suggest a recent contamination of the river by DDT.

  10. Proceedings of the 1992 SPE oil and gas economics, finance and management conference

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    This volume contains the proceedings of the SPE 1992 Oil and Gas Economics, Finance and Management Conference. Topics covered include: Iran's petroleum industry, planning and control of reserves, natural gas supply and demand. petroleum investment and exploration contracts, and project financing

  11. Gulf Coast Section SPE Production Operations Study Group-technical highlights from a series of frac pack treatment symposiums

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McLarty, J.M.; DeBonis, V.

    1995-12-31

    One of the main functions of the SPE is to provide a means for collection, dissemination, and exchange of technical information and to provide technical forums that afford opportunities for members to maintain and upgrade their technical competence. The large chapters (such as Houston SPE) located near many oil company headquarters have the advantage of being able to bring together a cross section of service company and operator personnel representing operations and research from major and independent operators. This paper describes a series of 1-day symposiums on frac pack technology that were organized by the Houston-based Gulf Coast Section SPE Production Operations Study Group. These study sessions provided a means for the local members of the industry to further develop a new technology as a team. Publishing the major focus and contributions of the seminars will allow sharing of the technology with chapters outside of Houston.

  12. Comparison of Radiation Transport Codes, HZETRN, HETC and FLUKA, Using the 1956 Webber SPE Spectrum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinbockel, John H.; Slaba, Tony C.; Blattnig, Steve R.; Tripathi, Ram K.; Townsend, Lawrence W.; Handler, Thomas; Gabriel, Tony A.; Pinsky, Lawrence S.; Reddell, Brandon; Clowdsley, Martha S.; hide

    2009-01-01

    Protection of astronauts and instrumentation from galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar particle events (SPE) in the harsh environment of space is of prime importance in the design of personal shielding, spacec raft, and mission planning. Early entry of radiation constraints into the design process enables optimal shielding strategies, but demands efficient and accurate tools that can be used by design engineers in every phase of an evolving space project. The radiation transport code , HZETRN, is an efficient tool for analyzing the shielding effectiveness of materials exposed to space radiation. In this paper, HZETRN is compared to the Monte Carlo codes HETC-HEDS and FLUKA, for a shield/target configuration comprised of a 20 g/sq cm Aluminum slab in front of a 30 g/cm^2 slab of water exposed to the February 1956 SPE, as mode led by the Webber spectrum. Neutron and proton fluence spectra, as well as dose and dose equivalent values, are compared at various depths in the water target. This study shows that there are many regions where HZETRN agrees with both HETC-HEDS and FLUKA for this shield/target configuration and the SPE environment. However, there are also regions where there are appreciable differences between the three computer c odes.

  13. Targeted natural product isolation guided by HPLC-SPE-NMR: Constituents of Hubertia species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sprogoe, K.; Staek, D.; Jager, A.K.

    2007-01-01

    -hydroxyphenyl)acetyl]quinic acid (3), was performed. Finally, targeted isolation of 1 was achieved by SPE fractionation and preparative HPLC, followed by evaluation of its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. In contrast to chlorogenic acid and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, which act as antioxidants...... full or partial identification of all major extract constituents and demonstrated the presence of unusual quinic acid derivatives containing the (1-hydroxy-4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dienyl)acetyl residue that exhibit strongly coupled ABXY patterns, the parameters of which were obtained by spin simulations....... Using homo- and heteronuclear 2D NMR data acquired in the HPLC-SPE-NMR mode, complete structure determination of three new natural products, i.e., 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl-4-O-[(1-hydroxy-4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dienyl)acetyl]quini c acid (1), its 2-hydroxy derivative (2), and 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl-4-O-[(4...

  14. Reflection processing of the large-N seismic data from the Source Physics Experiment (SPE)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paschall, Olivia C. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2016-07-18

    The purpose of the SPE is to develop a more physics-based model for nuclear explosion identification to understand the development of S-waves from explosion sources in order to enhance nuclear test ban treaty monitoring.

  15. Determination of Phthalate Plasticisers in Palm Oil Using Online Solid Phase Extraction-Liquid Chromatography (SPE-LC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazarudin Ibrahim

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Contamination of phthalates plasticisers to food has raised concern as some of the phthalates are suspected to be endocrine disruptors. The phthalates have high affinity with oily environment and analysing these chemicals in such matrices is difficult because of the trace amount of the analyte and interference from matrix. An online solid phase extraction (SPE technique using a large volume (3.5 mL injection was developed for the analysis of 6 common plasticisers in palm oil. A simple sample preparation involving alumina as a fat retainer and methanol : acetonitrile (1 : 1 as the extraction solvent was performed prior to the usage of online SPE-LC system. This system consists of two columns, C16 for the solid phase extraction (SPE and C18 as the analytical column, and a photo diode array detector. The calibration curves were linear from 5 to 1000 μg L−1, with correlation coefficients above 0.99. The instrumental limit of detection was 3 μg L−1 and satisfactory recovery was obtained. A screening on a few samples in the retail market revealed the presence of dibutyl phthalate (DBP and butylbenzylphthalate (BBP in the palm oil, with concentration less than 1 mg L−1.

  16. Broad-spectrum antibiotic or G-CSF as potential countermeasures for impaired control of bacterial infection associated with an SPE exposure during spaceflight.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minghong Li

    Full Text Available A major risk for astronauts during prolonged space flight is infection as a result of the combined effects of microgravity, situational and confinement stress, alterations in food intake, altered circadian rhythm, and radiation that can significantly impair the immune system and the body's defense systems. We previously reported a massive increase in morbidity with a decrease in the ability to control a bacterial challenge when mice were maintained under hindlimb suspension (HS conditions and exposed to solar particle event (SPE-like radiation. HS and SPE-like radiation treatment alone resulted in a borderline significant increase in morbidity. Therefore, development and testing of countermeasures that can be used during extended space missions in the setting of exposure to SPE radiation becomes a serious need. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of enrofloxacin (an orally bioavailable antibiotic and Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF (Neulasta on enhancing resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in mice subjected to HS and SPE-like radiation. The results revealed that treatment with enrofloxacin or G-CSF enhanced bacterial clearance and significantly decreased morbidity and mortality in challenged mice exposed to suspension and radiation. These results establish that antibiotics, such as enrofloxacin, and G-CSF could be effective countermeasures to decrease the risk of bacterial infections after exposure to SPE radiation during extended space flight, thereby reducing both the risk to the crew and the danger of mission failure.

  17. The SpeX Prism Library for Ultracool Dwarfs: A Resource for Stellar, Exoplanet and Galactic Science and Student-Led Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgasser, Adam

    The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility's (IRTF) SpeX spectrograph has been an essential tool in the discovery and characterization of ultracool dwarf (UCD) stars, brown dwarfs and exoplanets. Over ten years of SpeX data have been collected on these sources, and a repository of low-resolution (R 100) SpeX prism spectra has been maintained by the PI at the SpeX Prism Spectral Libraries website since 2008. As the largest existing collection of NIR UCD spectra, this repository has facilitated a broad range of investigations in UCD, exoplanet, Galactic and extragalactic science, contributing to over 100 publications in the past 6 years. However, this repository remains highly incomplete, has not been uniformly calibrated, lacks sufficient contextual data for observations and sources, and most importantly provides no data visualization or analysis tools for the user. To fully realize the scientific potential of these data for community research, we propose a two-year program to (1) calibrate and expand existing repository and archival data, and make it virtual-observatory compliant; (2) serve the data through a searchable web archive with basic visualization tools; and (3) develop and distribute an open-source, Python-based analysis toolkit for users to analyze the data. These resources will be generated through an innovative, student-centered research model, with undergraduate and graduate students building and validating the analysis tools through carefully designed coding challenges and research validation activities. The resulting data archive, the SpeX Prism Library, will be a legacy resource for IRTF and SpeX, and will facilitate numerous investigations using current and future NASA capabilities. These include deep/wide surveys of UCDs to measure Galactic structure and chemical evolution, and probe UCD populations in satellite galaxies (e.g., JWST, WFIRST); characterization of directly imaged exoplanet spectra (e.g., FINESSE), and development of low

  18. Ultra preconcentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoked bacon by a combination of SPE and DLLME.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiaofang; Zhou, Shu; Zhu, Quanfei; Ye, Yong; Chen, Huaixia

    2014-09-01

    A sample pretreatment method, solid-phase extraction combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (SPE-DLLME), was established for the sensitive determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in smoked bacon samples. In the SPE-DLLME process, three PAHs including naphthalene (Naph), phenanthrene (Phen) and pyrene (Pyr) were extracted from samples and transferred into C18 SPE cartridge. The target analytes were subsequently eluted with 1.2 ml of acetonitrile-dichloromethane (5:1, v/v) mixture solution. The eluent was injected directly into the 5.0 ml ultrapure water in the subsequent DLLME procedure. The sedimented phase was concentrated under a gentle nitrogen flow to 120.0 µl. Finally, the analytes in the extraction solvent were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with a ultra-violet detector. Some important extraction parameters affecting the performance, such as the sample solution flow rate, breakthrough volume, salt addition as well as the type and volume of the elution solvent were optimized. The developed method provided an ultra enrichment factors for PAHs ranged from 3478 to 3824. The method was applied for the selective extraction and sensitive determination of PAHs in smoked bacon samples. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) were 0.05, 0.01, 0.02 μg kg(-1) for Naph, Phen, Pyr, respectively. © The Author [2013]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Coupling Hydrodynamic and Wave Propagation Codes for Modeling of Seismic Waves recorded at the SPE Test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larmat, C. S.; Rougier, E.; Delorey, A.; Steedman, D. W.; Bradley, C. R.

    2016-12-01

    The goal of the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is to bring empirical and theoretical advances to the problem of detection and identification of underground nuclear explosions. For this, the SPE program includes a strong modeling effort based on first principles calculations with the challenge to capture both the source and near-source processes and those taking place later in time as seismic waves propagate within complex 3D geologic environments. In this paper, we report on results of modeling that uses hydrodynamic simulation codes (Abaqus and CASH) coupled with a 3D full waveform propagation code, SPECFEM3D. For modeling the near source region, we employ a fully-coupled Euler-Lagrange (CEL) modeling capability with a new continuum-based visco-plastic fracture model for simulation of damage processes, called AZ_Frac. These capabilities produce high-fidelity models of various factors believed to be key in the generation of seismic waves: the explosion dynamics, a weak grout-filled borehole, the surrounding jointed rock, and damage creation and deformations happening around the source and the free surface. SPECFEM3D, based on the Spectral Element Method (SEM) is a direct numerical method for full wave modeling with mathematical accuracy. The coupling interface consists of a series of grid points of the SEM mesh situated inside of the hydrodynamic code's domain. Displacement time series at these points are computed using output data from CASH or Abaqus (by interpolation if needed) and fed into the time marching scheme of SPECFEM3D. We will present validation tests with the Sharpe's model and comparisons of waveforms modeled with Rg waves (2-8Hz) that were recorded up to 2 km for SPE. We especially show effects of the local topography, velocity structure and spallation. Our models predict smaller amplitudes of Rg waves for the first five SPE shots compared to pure elastic models such as Denny &Johnson (1991).

  20. Simultaneous analysis of multiple classes of antimicrobials in environmental water samples using SPE coupled with UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS and isotope dilution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Ngoc Han; Chen, Hongjie; Do, Thanh Van; Reinhard, Martin; Ngo, Huu Hao; He, Yiliang; Gin, Karina Yew-Hoong

    2016-10-01

    A robust and sensitive analytical method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of 21 target antimicrobials in different environmental water samples. Both single SPE and tandem SPE cartridge systems were investigated to simultaneously extract multiple classes of antimicrobials. Experimental results showed that good extraction efficiencies (84.5-105.6%) were observed for the vast majority of the target analytes when extraction was performed using the tandem SPE cartridge (SB+HR-X) system under an extraction pH of 3.0. HPLC-MS/MS parameters were optimized for simultaneous analysis of all the target analytes in a single injection. Quantification of target antimicrobials in water samples was accomplished using 15 isotopically labeled internal standards (ILISs), which allowed the efficient compensation of the losses of target analytes during sample preparation and correction of matrix effects during UHPLC-MS/MS as well as instrument fluctuations in MS/MS signal intensity. Method quantification limit (MQL) for most target analytes based on SPE was below 5ng/L for surface waters, 10ng/L for treated wastewater effluents, and 15ng/L for raw wastewater. The method was successfully applied to detect and quantify the occurrence of the target analytes in raw influent, treated effluent and surface water samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Identification of Radical Scavenging Compounds in Rhaponticum carthamoides by Means of LC-DAD-SPE-NMR

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Miliauskas, G.; Beek, van T.A.; Waard, de P.; Venskutonis, R.P.; Sudhölter, E.J.R.

    2005-01-01

    A hyphenated LC-DAD-SPE-NMR setup in combination with on-line radical scavenging detection has been applied for the identification of radical scavenging compounds in extracts of Rhaponticum carthamoides. After NMR measurements, the pure compounds were infused into a mass spectrometer. The technique

  2. Locating S-wave sources for the SPE-5 explosion using time reversal methods and a close-in, 1000 sensor network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, S. C.; Pitarka, A.; Mellors, R. J.

    2016-12-01

    The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is producing new data to study the generation of seismic waves from explosive sources. Preliminary results show that far-field S-waves are generated both within the non-elastic volume surrounding explosive sources and by P- to S-wave scattering. The relative contribution of non-elastic phenomenology and elastic-wave scattering to far-field S-waves has been debated for decades, and numerical simulations based on the SPE experiments are addressing this question. The match between observed and simulated data degrades with event-station distance and with increasing time in each seismogram. This suggests that a more accurate model of subsurface elastic properties could result in better agreement between observed and simulated seismograms. A detailed model of subsurface structure has been developed using geologic maps and the extensive database of borehole logs, but uncertainty in structural details remains high. The large N instrument deployment during the SPE-5 experiment offers an opportunity to use time-reversal techniques to back project the wave field into the subsurface to locate significant sources of scattered energy. The large N deployment was nominally 1000, 5 Hz sensors (500 Z and 500 3C geophones) deployed in a roughly rectangular array to the south and east of the SPE-5 shot. Sensor spacing was nominally 50 meters in the interior portion of the array and 100 meters in the outer region, with two dense lines at 25 m spacing. The array covers the major geologic boundary between the Yucca Flat basin and the granitic Climax Stock in which the SPE experiments have been conducted. Improved mapping of subsurface scatterers is expected to result in better agreement between simulated and observed seismograms and aid in our understanding of S-wave generation from explosions. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  3. Development and validation of an SPE HG-AAS method for determination of inorganic arsenic in samples of marine origin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rasmussen, Rie R.; Larsen, Erik H.; Sloth, Jens J. [Technical University of Denmark, National Food Institute, Division of Food Chemistry, Soeborg (Denmark); Hedegaard, Rikke V. [Technical University of Denmark, National Food Institute, Division of Food Chemistry, Soeborg (Denmark); University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Food Science, Frederiksberg (Denmark)

    2012-07-15

    The present paper describes a novel method for the quantitative determination of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in food and feed of marine origin. The samples were subjected to microwave-assisted extraction using diluted hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide, which solubilised the analytes and oxidised arsenite (As{sup III}) to arsenate (As{sup V}). Subsequently, a pH buffering of the sample extract at pH 6 enabled selective elution of As{sup V} from a strong anion exchange solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge. Hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) was applied to quantify the concentration of iAs (sum of As{sup III} and As{sup V}) as the total arsenic (As) in the SPE eluate. The results of the in-house validation showed that mean recoveries of 101-104% were achieved for samples spiked with iAs at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg.kg{sup -1}, respectively. The limit of detection was 0.08 mg kg{sup -1}, and the repeatability (RSD{sub r}) and intra-laboratory reproducibility (RSD{sub IR}) were less than 8% and 13%, respectively, for samples containing 0.2 to 1.5 mg kg{sup -1} iAs. The trueness of the SPE HG-AAS method was verified by confirming results obtained by parallel analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. It was demonstrated that the two sets of results were not significantly different (P < 0.05). The SPE HG-AAS method was applied to 20 marine food and feed samples, and concentrations of up to 0.14 mg kg{sup -1} of iAs were detected. (orig.)

  4. Ultrahigh and High Resolution Structures and Mutational Analysis of Monomeric Streptococcus pyogenes SpeB Reveal a Functional Role for the Glycine-rich C-terminal Loop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    González-Páez, Gonzalo E.; Wolan, Dennis W. (Scripps)

    2012-09-05

    Cysteine protease SpeB is secreted from Streptococcus pyogenes and has been studied as a potential virulence factor since its identification almost 70 years ago. Here, we report the crystal structures of apo mature SpeB to 1.06 {angstrom} resolution as well as complexes with the general cysteine protease inhibitor trans-epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido(4-guanidino)butane and a novel substrate mimetic peptide inhibitor. These structures uncover conformational changes associated with maturation of SpeB from the inactive zymogen to its active form and identify the residues required for substrate binding. With the use of a newly developed fluorogenic tripeptide substrate to measure SpeB activity, we determined IC{sub 50} values for trans-epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido(4-guanidino)butane and our new peptide inhibitor and the effects of mutations within the C-terminal active site loop. The structures and mutational analysis suggest that the conformational movements of the glycine-rich C-terminal loop are important for the recognition and recruitment of biological substrates and release of hydrolyzed products.

  5. Extração em fase sólida (SPE e micro extração em fase sólida (SPME de piretróides em água Solid-phase extraction (SPE and solid-phase microextraction of pyrethroids in water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilma Regina Barrionuevo

    2001-04-01

    Full Text Available The pyrethroids bifenthrin, permethrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin were extracted by solid phase extraction (SPE and solid phase microextraction (SPME. The analysis were performed on a gas chromatograph with electron capture detection (GC-ECD. Octadecil Silano-C18, Florisil and Silica stationary phases were studied for SPE. Better results were obtained for Florisil which gave recoveries from 80% to 108%. Pyrethroids extraction by SPME showed a linear response and a detection limit of 10 pg ml-1. Although the data showed that the two extraction methods were able to isolate the pesticide residues from water samples, the best results were obtained by using SPME which is more sensitive, faster, cheeper, being a more useful technique for the analysis of pyrethroids in drinking water.

  6. Development of colorimetric solid Phase Extraction (C-SPE) for in-flight Monitoring of spacecraft Water Supplies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gazda, Daniel Bryan [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2004-01-01

    Although having recently been extremely successful gathering data on the surface of Mars, robotic missions are not an effective substitute for the insight and knowledge about our solar system that can be gained though first-hand exploration. Earlier this year, President Bush presented a ''new course'' for the U.S. space program that shifts NASA's focus to the development of new manned space vehicles to the return of humans to the moon. Re-establishing the human presence on the moon will eventually lead to humans permanently living and working in space and also serve as a possible launch point for missions into deeper space. There are several obstacles to the realization of these goals, most notably the lack of life support and environmental regeneration and monitoring hardware capable of functioning on long duration spaceflight. In the case of the latter, past experience on the International Space Station (ISS), Mir, and the Space Shuttle has strongly underscored the need to develop broad spectrum in-flight chemical sensors that: (1) meet current environmental monitoring requirements on ISS as well as projected requirements for future missions, and (2) enable the in-situ acquisition and analysis of analytical data in order to further define on-orbit monitoring requirements. Additionally, systems must be designed to account for factors unique to on-orbit deployment such as crew time availability, payload restrictions, material consumption, and effective operation in microgravity. This dissertation focuses on the development, ground testing, and microgravity flight demonstration of Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (C-SPE) as a candidate technology to meet the near- and long-term water quality monitoring needs of NASA. The introduction will elaborate further on the operational and design requirements for on-orbit water quality monitoring systems by discussing some of the characteristics of an ''ideal'' system. A

  7. Comparison of the Usefulness of SPE Cartridges for the Determination of β-Blockers and β-Agonists (Basic Drugs in Environmental Aqueous Samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magda Caban

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Even though the methodology used for the determination of β-blockers and β-agonists in environmental samples is based mainly on solid-phase extraction (SPE and gas chromatography or liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection, the available literature data on the applied SPE procedures is rather sparse. In this paper such comparison is presented. Moreover, the usefulness of the eight SPE cartridges for the determination of five β-blockers (acebutolol, atenolol, metoprolol, nadolol, and propranolol and two β-agonists (salbutamol and terbutaline in environmental aqueous samples using GC techniques is tested. Among them, three (the trifunction sorbent Strata Screen C, the copolymers LiChrolut EN, and the functionalized copolymer Isolute ENV+ were used for the first time for this purpose. It was confirmed that polystyrene-divinylbenzene-N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymers (PS-DVB-VP, Strata-X, and Oasis HLB cartridges have a better potential than a cation-exchange sorbent for the extraction of the target drugs from environmental water samples. However, it should be stressed out that the direct application of the tested SPE conditions for the analysis of real environmental water samples is not possible, and such parameters, like volume of loading sample, appropriate solvents for washing and elution steps, and so forth, must be optimized again in order to achieve satisfactory recovery values for the target compounds.

  8. CATHARE2 calculation of SPE-3 test small break loca on PMK facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laugier, E.; Radet, J. [Institut de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire, Cadarache (France)

    1995-09-01

    Bind and post test calculations with CATHARE2 have been performed concerning the SPE-4 exercise organized under the auspices of IAEA on the hungarian PMK-2 facility, a one loop scaled model of VVER 440/213 Nuclear Power Plant. The SPE-4 test is a cold leg SBLOCA associated to a {open_quotes}bleed and feed{close_quotes} procedure applied in the secondary circuit. The present paper is devoted to the analysis of the post test calculation. For the first part of the transient (until the end of the SIT activations), the primary and secondary pressures are rather well predicted, leading to a good agreement with the experimental trips, as scram, flow coast down, SIT beginning and end of activation. Nevertheless, some discrepancy with the experiment may be due to an over prediction of the thermal exchanges from the primary to the secondary circuits. For the second part of the transient, the predicted primary circuit repressurization is shifted after the SITs are off, while in the experiment this event immediately follows the end of SIT activation. The delay in the calculation leads to underpredict primary and secondary pressures, thus anticipating the timing of events, such as LPIS and emergency feedwater activation.

  9. Development and optimization of the determination of pharmaceuticals in water samples by SPE and HPLC with diode-array detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlović, Dragana Mutavdžić; Ašperger, Danijela; Tolić, Dijana; Babić, Sandra

    2013-09-01

    This paper describes the development, optimization, and validation of a method for the determination of five pharmaceuticals from different therapeutic classes (antibiotics, anthelmintics, glucocorticoides) in water samples. Water samples were prepared using SPE and extracts were analyzed by HPLC with diode-array detection. The efficiency of 11 different SPE cartridges to extract the investigated compounds from water was tested in preliminary experiments. Then, the pH of the water sample, elution solvent, and sorbent mass were optimized. Except for optimization of the SPE procedure, selection of the optimal HPLC column with different stationary phases from different manufacturers has been performed. The developed method was validated using spring water samples spiked with appropriate concentrations of pharmaceuticals. Good linearity was obtained in the range of 2.4-200 μg/L, depending on the pharmaceutical with the correlation coefficients >0.9930 in all cases, except for ciprofloxacin (0.9866). Also, the method has revealed that low LODs (0.7-3.9 μg/L), good precision (intra- and interday) with RSD below 17% and recoveries above 98% for all pharmaceuticals. The method has been successfully applied to the analysis of production wastewater samples from the pharmaceutical industry. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Characteristics of four SPE groups with different origins and acceleration processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, R.-S.; Cho, K.-S.; Lee, J.; Bong, S.-C.; Joshi, A. D.; Park, Y.-D.

    2015-09-01

    Solar proton events (SPEs) can be categorized into four groups based on their associations with flare or CME inferred from onset timings as well as acceleration patterns using multienergy observations. In this study, we have investigated whether there are any typical characteristics of associated events and acceleration sites in each group using 42 SPEs from 1997 to 2012. We find the following: (i) if the proton acceleration starts from a lower energy, a SPE has a higher chance to be a strong event (> 5000 particle flux per unit (pfu)) even if its associated flare and/or CME are not so strong. The only difference between the SPEs associated with flare and CME is the location of the acceleration site. (ii) For the former (Group A), the sites are very low (˜ 1 Rs) and close to the western limb, while the latter (Group C) have relatively higher (mean = 6.05 Rs) and wider acceleration sites. (iii) When the proton acceleration starts from the higher energy (Group B), a SPE tends to be a relatively weak event (pfu), although its associated CME is relatively stronger than previous groups. (iv) The SPEs categorized by the simultaneous acceleration in whole energy range within 10 min (Group D) tend to show the weakest proton flux (mean = 327 pfu) in spite of strong associated eruptions. Based on those results, we suggest that the different characteristics of SPEs are mainly due to the different conditions of magnetic connectivity and particle density, which are changed with longitude and height as well as their origin.

  11. A new piece of the Shigella Pathogenicity puzzle: spermidine accumulation by silencing of the speG gene [corrected].

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marialuisa Barbagallo

    Full Text Available The genome of Shigella, a gram negative bacterium which is the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, shares strong homologies with that of its commensal ancestor, Escherichia coli. The acquisition, by lateral gene transfer, of a large plasmid carrying virulence determinants has been a crucial event in the evolution towards the pathogenic lifestyle and has been paralleled by the occurrence of mutations affecting genes, which negatively interfere with the expression of virulence factors. In this context, we have analysed to what extent the presence of the plasmid-encoded virF gene, the major activator of the Shigella regulon for invasive phenotype, has modified the transcriptional profile of E. coli. Combining results from transcriptome assays and comparative genome analyses we show that in E. coli VirF, besides being able to up-regulate several chromosomal genes, which potentially influence bacterial fitness within the host, also activates genes which have been lost by Shigella. We have focused our attention on the speG gene, which encodes spermidine acetyltransferase, an enzyme catalysing the conversion of spermidine into the physiologically inert acetylspermidine, since recent evidence stresses the involvement of polyamines in microbial pathogenesis. Through identification of diverse mutations, which prevent expression of a functional SpeG protein, we show that the speG gene has been silenced by convergent evolution and that its inactivation causes the marked increase of intracellular spermidine in all Shigella spp. This enhances the survival of Shigella under oxidative stress and allows it to better face the adverse conditions it encounters inside macrophage. This is supported by the outcome of infection assays performed in mouse peritoneal macrophages and of a competitive-infection assay on J774 macrophage cell culture. Our observations fully support the pathoadaptive nature of speG inactivation in Shigella and reveal that the accumulation

  12. SPE HG-AAS method for the determination of inorganic arsenic in rice—results from method validation studies and a survey on rice products

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Rie Romme; Qian, Yiting; Sloth, Jens Jørgen

    2013-01-01

    spectrometry (HG-AAS) detection. This approach was earlier developed for seafood samples (Rasmussen et al., Anal Bioanal Chem 403:2825–2834, 2012) and has in the present work been tailored for rice products and further optimised for a higher sample throughput and a lower detection limit. Water bath heating (90...... °C, 60 min) of samples with dilute HNO3 and H2O2 solubilised and oxidised all iAs to arsenate (AsV). Loading of buffered sample extracts (pH 6 ± 1) followed by selective elution of arsenate from a strong anion exchange SPE cartridge enabled the selective iAs quantification by HG-AAS, measuring total...... arsenic (As) in the SPE eluate. The in-house validation gave mean recoveries of 101–106 % for spiked rice samples and in two reference samples. The limit of detection was 0.02 mg kg−1, and repeatability and intra-laboratory reproducibility were less than 6 and 9 %, respectively. The SPE HG-AAS method...

  13. Identification of irradiation treatment in processed food. Pt. 2. Evaluation of a SPE-method for analyzing irradiation induced hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hartmann, M.; Ammon, J.; Berg, H.

    1996-01-01

    This paper deals with a solid phase extraction (SPE) method for the isolation of irradiation induced hydrocarbons which can replace the column chromatography described in the paragraph 35 LMBG (German Food Law) procedure L06.00-37. Using this new method, only a tenth of solvents and column material is necessary. The SPE method was a good as LC-LC-GC/FID or LC-LC-GC/MS in analyzing new or complex matrices like paprika or salmon. Additionally, it is fast, cheap and easy to perform. As far as we know, the detection of irradiation traetment in paprika powder by analyzing irradiation induced hydrocarbons has not been described before. The new method is a good alternative for the commonly used thermoluminescence procedure. (orig.) [de

  14. Development of Chromatographic Fingerprints of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali Roots Using Online Solid Phase Extraction-Liquid Chromatography (SPE-LC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nor Nasriah Zaini

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available E. longifolia is attracting interest due to its pharmacological properties and pro-vitality effects. In this study, an online SPE-LC approach using polystyrene divinyl benzene (PSDVB and C18 columns was developed in obtaining chromatographic fingerprints of E. longifolia. E. longifolia root samples were extracted using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE technique prior to online SPE-LC. The effects of mobile phase compositions and column switching time on the chromatographic fingerprint were optimized. Validation of the developed method was studied based on eurycomanone. Linearity was in the range of 5 to 50 µg∙mL−1 (r2 = 0.997 with 3.2% relative standard deviation of peak area. The developed method was used to analyze 14 E. longifolia root samples and 10 products (capsules. Selected chemometric techniques: cluster analysis (CA, discriminant analysis (DA, and principal component analysis (PCA were applied to the fingerprint datasets of 37 selected peaks to evaluate the ability of the chromatographic fingerprint in classifying quality of E. longifolia. Three groups were obtained using CA. DA yielded 100% correlation coefficient with 19 discriminant compounds. Using PCA, E. longifolia root samples were clearly discriminated from the products. This study showed that the developed online SPE-LC method was able to provide comprehensive evaluation of E. longifolia samples for quality control purposes.

  15. Micro-SPE in pipette tips as a tool for analysis of small-molecule drugs in serum

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vlčková, H.; Pilařová, V.; Novák, Ondřej; Solich, P.; Nováková, L.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 9, č. 11 (2017), s. 887-901 ISSN 1757-6180 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : pipette tips * sample preparation * statin * uhplc-ms/ms * μ-SPE-PT Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Analytical chemistry Impact factor: 2.673, year: 2016

  16. A sensitive analytical procedure for monitoring acrylamide in environmental water samples by offline SPE-UPLC/MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Togola, Anne; Coureau, Charlotte; Guezennec, Anne-Gwenaëlle; Touzé, Solène

    2015-05-01

    The presence of acrylamide in natural systems is of concern from both environmental and health points of view. We developed an accurate and robust analytical procedure (offline solid phase extraction combined with UPLC/MS/MS) with a limit of quantification (20 ng L(-1)) compatible with toxicity threshold values. The optimized (considering the nature of extraction phases, sampling volumes, and solvent of elution) solid phase extraction (SPE) was validated according to ISO Standard ISO/IEC 17025 on groundwater, surface water, and industrial process water samples. Acrylamide is highly polar, which induces a high variability during the SPE step, therefore requiring the use of C(13)-labeled acrylamide as an internal standard to guarantee the accuracy and robustness of the method (uncertainty about 25 % (k = 2) at limit of quantification level). The specificity of the method and the stability of acrylamide were studied for these environmental media, and it was shown that the method is suitable for measuring acrylamide in environmental studies.

  17. Magnetic Ligand Fishing as a Targeting Tool for HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR: α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Ligands and Alkylresorcinol Glycosides from Eugenia catharinae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wubshet, Sileshi G; Brighente, Inês M C; Moaddel, Ruin; Staerk, Dan

    2015-11-25

    A bioanalytical platform combining magnetic ligand fishing for α-glucosidase inhibition profiling and HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR for structural identification of α-glucosidase inhibitory ligands, both directly from crude plant extracts, is presented. Magnetic beads with N-terminus-coupled α-glucosidase were synthesized and characterized for their inherent catalytic activity. Ligand fishing with the immobilized enzyme was optimized using an artificial test mixture consisting of caffeine, ferulic acid, and luteolin before proof-of-concept with the crude extract of Eugenia catharinae. The combination of ligand fishing and HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR identified myricetin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol as α-glucosidase inhibitory ligands in E. catharinae. Furthermore, HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR analysis led to identification of six new alkylresorcinol glycosides, i.e., 5-(2-oxopentyl)resorcinol 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 5-propylresorcinol 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 5-pentylresorcinol 4-O-[α-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside, 5-pentylresorcinol 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 4-hydroxy-3-O-methyl-5-pentylresorcinol 1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, and 3-O-methyl-5-pentylresorcinol 1-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside.

  18. Development of SPE for recovery of polysaccharides and its application to the determination of monosaccharides composition of the polysaccharide sample of a lactobacillus KLB 58.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baik, Yoon Suk; Cheong, Won Jo

    2007-07-01

    A new SPE cartridge has been prepared in this study to purify polysaccharides of high molecular weights. A porous nonpolar styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer phase (Hamilton PRP-1) was used to make the new cartridge. The cartridge was conditioned with methanol, water, and ACN in sequence, and the sample dissolved in a small amount of water was loaded. Impurities of low molecular weights were removed first by elution of 80:20 or 90:10 v/v% ACN/water, and polysaccharides were quantitatively recovered by elution of 50:50 v/v% ACN/water or pure water. The recovery of pure dextran 10000 was 90-95%. The SPE method was applied to purification of the polysaccharide sample of KLB58, a new lactobacillus discovered in Korea. The purified KLB 58 sample (weight recovery after SPE purification; 60%) was hydrolyzed for analysis of composition of monosaccharides. The hydrolysate was found to be composed primarily of fructose, glucose, galactose, rhamnose, mannose with small amounts of fucose and ribose.

  19. Determination of radiation-induced hydrocarbons in processed food and complex lipid matrices. A new solid phase extraction (SPE) method for detection of irradiated components in food

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hartmann, M.; Ammon, J.; Berg, H.

    1997-01-01

    Detection of irradiated components in processed food with complex lipid matrices can be affected by two problems. First, the processed food may contain only a small amount of the irradiated component, and the radiation-induced hydrocarbons may be diluted throughout the lipid matrix of the whole food. Second, in complex lipid matrices, the detection of prior irradiation is often disturbed by fat-associated compounds. In these cases, common solid phase extraction (SPE) Florisil clean-up alone is inadequate in the detection of prior irradiation. Subsequent SPE argentation chromatography of the Florisil eluate allows the measurement of small amounts of irradiated lipid-containing ingredients in processed food as well as the detection of prior irradiation in complex lipid matrices such as paprika and chilli. SPE argetation chromatography is the first method available for the selective enrichment of radiation-specific hydrocarbons from even complex lipid matrices, thus enabling the detection of irradiation does as low as 0.025 kGy. Furthermore, by using radiation-induced hydrocarbons in the detection of prior irradiation of paprika and chilli powder, a second independent method, the first being measurement of thermoluminescence, is available for the analysis of these matrices. Such analysis could be achieved by using this highly sensitive, cheap and easy to perform combined SPE Florisil/argentation chromatography method, without the need for sophisticated techniques like SFE-GC/MS or LC-GC/MS, so that highly sensitive detection of prior irradiation colud be performed in almost every laboratory

  20. [Determination of 44 organophosphorus pesticides in food by SPE disk extraction-capillary gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Xiao-Fei; Yang, Yuan; Sun, Cheng-Jun

    2012-01-01

    To develop a method for the simultaneous determination of 44 organophosphorus pesticides in food by SPE disk extraction-capillary gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection. Organophosphorus pesticides in food were extracted ultrasonically with water. Then the extract was cleaned-up with SPE disk and eluted with ethyl acetate. Finally the eluent was condensed to 1mL under N2 at 55 degrees C. Gas chromatography was applied for quantitative detection of the organophosphorus pesticides in the sample. The linear range of the method for all the pesticides were in the range of 0.01-0.5 mg/kg with correlation coefficients of 0.992-1.000. The detection limits of the method were in the range of 0.0005-0.01 mg/kg. The recoveries for most pesticides were 60%-120% with relative standard deviations of less than 15%. The method is simple, sensitive, environmentally friendly and suitable for the determination of organophosphorous pesticides in food.

  1. Síntese e caracterização de MIP com fenilalanina visando sua aplicação na técnica de SPE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Layla Talita de Oliveira Alves

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Polímeros Molecularmente Impressos (MIPs são polímeros sintéticos que apresentam alta seletividade a uma molécula de interesse. O objetivo deste trabalho foi a síntese e caracterização de MIPs para aplicação na extração em fase sólida (SPE, visando a determinação de fenilalanina. Os MIPs foram sintetizados a partir do MAA, fenilalanina, EGDMA, AIBN, em clorofórmio. Também foi sintetizado o polímero não-impresso (NIP, para controle da seletividade dos MIPs. A dessorção da fenilalanina foi realizada em extrator Soxhlet. Os MIPs e NIP foram caracterizados pelas técnicas de análise: FTIR, UV-Vis, MEV, DSC e TG. O MIP apresentou maior capacidade adsortiva à fenilalanina do que o NIP, com uma taxa média de adsorção de 55% comparada a 11% para o NIP. Por MEV o MIP apresentou superfície mais porosa, importante característica para aplicação em SPE. Os estudos realizados mostraram que o MIP sintetizado apresentou grande potencial para aplicação em técnica de SPE.

  2. Characteristics of Four SPE Classes According to Onset Timing and Proton Acceleration Patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Roksoon

    2015-04-01

    In our previous work (Kim et al., 2015), we suggested a new classification scheme, which categorizes the SPEs into four groups based on association with flare or CME inferred from onset timings as well as proton acceleration patterns using multienergy observations. In this study, we have tried to find whether there are any typical characteristics of associated events and acceleration sites in each group using 42 SPEs from 1997 to 2012. We find: (i) if the proton acceleration starts from a lower energy, a SPE has a higher chance to be a strong event (> 5000 pfu) even if the associated flare and CME are not so strong. The only difference between the SPEs associated with flare and CME is the location of the acceleration site. For the former, the sites are very low ( ~1 Rs) and close to the western limb, while the latter has a relatively higher (mean=6.05 Rs) and wider acceleration sites. (ii) When the proton acceleration starts from the higher energy, a SPE tends to be a relatively weak event (pfu), in spite of its associated CME is relatively stronger than previous group. (iii) The SPEs categorized by the simultaneous proton acceleration in whole energy range within 10 minutes, tend to show the weakest proton flux (mean=327 pfu) in spite of strong related eruptions. Their acceleration heights are very close to the locations of type II radio bursts. Based on those results, we suggest that the different characteristics of the four groups are mainly due to the different mechanisms governing the acceleration pattern and interval, and different condition such as the acceleration location.

  3. Draft Genome Sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Infantis Strain SPE101, Isolated from a Chronic Human Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iriarte, Andrés; Giner-Lamia, Joaquín; Silva, Claudia; Betancor, Laura; Astocondor, Lizeth; Cestero, Juan J; Ochoa, Theresa; García, Coralith; Puente, José L; Chabalgoity, José A; García-Del Portillo, Francisco

    2017-07-20

    We report a 4.99-Mb draft genome sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Infantis strain SPE101, isolated from feces of a 5-month-old breast-fed female showing diarrhea associated with severe dehydration and malnutrition. The infection prolonged for 6 months despite antibiotic treatment. Copyright © 2017 Iriarte et al.

  4. stockées Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PR BOKO

    de Rebat (2008). [5] - B. DOUMANDJI-MITICHI. Etude d'un ravageur des denrées stockées E. Kuehiella, Am.El Harrach. (1997). [6] - F. TAIBI. Etude comparée du développement et de la reproduction chez deux ravageurs des denrées stockées Ephestia Kuehniella et Tenebrio molitor. Aspect endocrinien en rapport avec.

  5. Facteurs predictifs d'atteinte ganglionnaire centrale dans les ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Les cancers papillaires et vésiculaires de la thyroïde sont les cancers endocriniens les plus fréquents. L'envahissement ganglionnaire semble peu influencer la survie globale, mais majore les risques de récidive locorégionale et de métastases à distance. Cet envahissement est une complication fréquente des cancers ...

  6. Determination of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid for assessing the quality tap water using SPE and HPLC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Luiz Delmonico

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The use of pesticides in agriculture is one of the current problems that may result in contamination of both ground and surface water and groundwater. Considering the environmental importance and the increasing use of herbicides in Maringá region, in the present work methods for extraction and determination of glyphosate (GLYP and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA using solid phase extraction (SPE and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC were developed. For SPE, anion exchange resin was used and elution was done with hydrochloric acid 50.0 mmol L-1, achieving recovery rates of 82.5-116.2% and 67.1-104.0% for AMPA and GLYP, respectively. For HPLC determination the analytes were derivatized and injected in the HPLC with a C18 column and using mobile phase consisting of phosphate buffer 0.20 mol L-1 at pH 3.0 and acetonitrile (85:15; the monitoring was done at 240 nm. The analysis was performed in 8 min with the same limit of detection and limit of quantification for AMPA and GLYP of 0.09 and 0.20 mg L-1, respectively. The methods were applied to analysis of public water supply samples and concentrations from 2.1 up to 2.9 µg L-1 for AMPA and from 2.3 up to 3.3 µg L-1 for glyphosate were found.

  7. Analytical method for the determination of trace levels of steroid hormones and corticosteroids in soil, based on PLE/SPE/LC-MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gineys, N; Giroud, B; Vulliet, E

    2010-07-01

    The aim of this study was to develop an efficient, sensitive and reliable analytical method for the determination of traces of steroid hormones (including oestrogen, androgens and progestagens) and corticosteroids in soil. A method of sample preparation involving pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) was developed for the determination of six steroids and five corticosteroids in soils, followed by analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The conditions employed for PLE involved acetone/methanol (50:50) as the extracting solvent, a temperature of 80 degrees C, two cycles and a static time of 5 min. The extraction was followed by a SPE clean-up based on a polymeric phase. With use of protocol, a residual matrix effect was, however, highlighted. The limit of detection in soil was 0.08-0.89 ng/g for steroids and 0.09-2.84 ng/g for corticosteroids.

  8. Improved methods for urinary atrazine mercapturate analysis-Assessment of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a novel liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method utilizing online solid phase extraction (SPE)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koivunen, Marja E.; Dettmer, Katja; Vermeulen, Roel; Bakke, Berit; Gee, Shirley J.; Hammock, Bruce D.

    2006-01-01

    Elimination of interfering substances in urine by solid phase extraction (SPE) prior to analysis resulted in 10-fold improvement in the sensitivity of atrazine mercapturate (AM) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) compared to previous reports. Of the two tested SPE systems, Oasis[reg] HLB and MCX, the mixed-mode MCX gave good recoveries (82%) of AM in spiked samples measured by ELISA, whereas the reverse-phase HLB phase was not compatible with the immunochemical method. At relatively high concentrations of urinary AM (>20 ng mL -1 ), sample dilution was effective enough for the elimination of interfering substances. The new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method developed for AM utilizes online-SPE with Oasis[reg] HLB, column switching and a stable-isotope internal standard. The limit of quantification (0.05 ng mL -1 ) indicates improved sensitivity compared with most previously published LC-MS methods for AM. Validation of all three methods, LC-MS, ELISA + SPE and ELISA + dilution with spiked urine samples showed good correlation between the known and measured concentrations with R 2 values of 0.996, 0.957 and 0.961, respectively. When a set (n = 70 plus 12 blind duplicates) of urine samples from farmers exposed to atrazine was analyzed, there was a good agreement (R 2 = 0.917) between the log normalized data obtained by ELISA + SPE and LC-MS. High correlation among the data obtained by the two tested methods and the LC-MS method by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), together with low variability among the blind duplicates, suggests that both methods reported here would be suitable for the analysis of urinary AM as a biomarker for human exposure of atrazine

  9. Simulation of the SPE-4 small-break loss-of-coolant accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cebull, P.; Hassan, Y.A.

    1993-01-01

    A small-break loss of coolant accident (SBLOCA) conducted at the PMK-2 integral test facility was analyzed using RELAP5/MOD3. 1. The experiment simulated a 7.4% break in the cold leg of a VVER-440/213-type nuclear power plant as part of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Fourth Standard Problem Exercise (SPE-4). The VVER design differs from pressurized water reactors (PWRS) of western origin, primarily in its use of horizontal steam generators, hot- and cold-leg loop seals, and safety injection tanks. Because of these differences, it will exhibit somewhat different transient behavior than most PWRS. The PMK-2 test facility, located at the KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute (AEKI), is a scale model of the Paks nuclear power plant in Hungary with scaling factors of 1:2070 in power and volume and 1:1 in elevation. Primarily used to study SBLOCAs and natural circulation behavior of VVER reactors, it has been used in three previous SPEs

  10. Chemical Explosion Experiments to Improve Nuclear Test Monitoring - Developing a New Paradigm for Nuclear Test Monitoring with the Source Physics Experiments (SPE)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Snelson, Catherine M.; Abbott, Robert E.; Broome, Scott T.; Mellors, Robert J.; Patton, Howard J.; Sussman, Aviva J.; Townsend, Margaret J.; Walter, William R.

    2013-01-01

    A series of chemical explosions, called the Source Physics Experiments (SPE), is being conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to develop a new more physics-based paradigm for nuclear test monitoring. Currently, monitoring relies on semi-empirical models to discriminate explosions from earthquakes and to estimate key parameters such as yield. While these models have been highly successful monitoring established test sites, there is concern that future tests could occur in media and at scale depths of burial outside of our empirical experience. This is highlighted by North Korean tests, which exhibit poor performance of a reliable discriminant, mb:Ms (Selby et al., 2012), possibly due to source emplacement and differences in seismic responses for nascent and established test sites. The goal of SPE is to replace these semi-empirical relationships with numerical techniques grounded in a physical basis and thus applicable to any geologic setting or depth

  11. Use of diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy and HPLC-UV-SPE-NMR to identify undeclared synthetic drugs in medicines illegally sold as phytotherapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Lorena M A; Filho, Elenilson G A; Thomasi, Sérgio S; Silva, Bianca F; Ferreira, Antonio G; Venâncio, Tiago

    2013-09-01

    The informal (and/or illegal) e-commerce of pharmaceutical formulations causes problems that governmental health agencies find hard to control, one of which concerns formulas sold as natural products. The purpose of this work was to explore the advantages and limitations of DOSY and HPLC-UV-SPE-NMR. These techniques were used to identify the components of a formula illegally marketed in Brazil as an herbal medicine possessing anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. DOSY was able to detect the major components present at higher concentrations. Complete characterization was achieved using HPLC-UV-SPE-NMR, and 1D and 2D NMR analyses enabled the identification of known synthetic drugs. These were ranitidine and a mixture of orphenadrine citrate, piroxicam, and dexamethasone, which are co-formulated in a remedy called Rheumazim that is used to relieve severe pain, but it is prohibited in Brazil because of a lack of sufficient pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic information. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Application of Nanofiber-packed SPE for Determination of Urinary 1-Hydroxypyrene Level Using HPLC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ifegwu, Okechukwu Clinton; Anyakora, Chimezie; Chigome, Samuel; Torto, Nelson

    2014-01-01

    It is always desirable to achieve maximum sample clean-up, extraction, and pre-concentration with the minimum possible organic solvent. The miniaturization of sample preparation devices was successfully demonstrated by packing 10 mg of 11 electrospun polymer nanofibers into pipette tip micro column and mini disc cartridges for efficient pre-concentration of 1-hydroxypyrene in urine samples. 1-hydroxypyrene is an extensively studied biomarker of the largest class of chemical carcinogens. Excretory 1-hydroxypyrene was monitored with HPLC/fluorescence detector. Important parameters influencing the percentage recovery such as fiber diameter, fiber packing amount, eluent, fiber packing format, eluent volume, surface area, porosity, and breakthrough parameters were thoroughly studied and optimized. Under optimized condition, there was a near perfect linearity of response in the range of 1-1000 μg/L with a coefficient of determination (r (2)) between 0.9992 and 0.9999 and precision (% RSD) ≤7.64% (n = 6) for all the analysis (10, 25, and 50 μg/L). The Limit of detection (LOD) was between 0.022 and 0.15 μg/L. When compared to the batch studies, both disc packed nanofiber sorbents and pipette tip packed sorbents exhibited evident dominance based on their efficiencies. The experimental results showed comparable absolute recoveries for the mini disc packed fibers (84% for Nylon 6) and micro columns (80% for Nylon 6), although the disc displayed slightly higher recoveries possibly due to the exposure of the analyte to a larger reacting surface. The results also showed highly comparative extraction efficiencies between the nanofibers and conventional C-18 SPE sorbent. Nevertheless, miniaturized SPE devices simplified sample preparation, reducing back pressure, time of the analysis with acceptable reliability, selectivity, detection levels, and environmental friendliness, hence promoting green chemistry.

  13. Sensitive determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water samples by HPLC coupled with SPE based on graphene functionalized with triethoxysilane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ke-Jing; Li, Jing; Liu, Yan-Ming; Wang, Lan

    2013-02-01

    The graphene functionalized with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal reaction and applied as SPE sorbents to extract trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from environmental water samples. These sorbents possess high adsorption capacity and extraction efficiency due to strong adsorption ability of carbon materials and large specific surface area of nanoparticles, and only 10 mg of sorbents are required to extract PAHs from 100 mL water samples. Several condition parameters, such as eluent and its volume, adsorbent amount, sample volume, sample pH, and sample flow rate, were optimized to achieve good sensitivity and precision. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the method showed good linearity in the range of 1-100 μg/L, repeatability of the extraction (the RSDs were between 1.8 and 2.9%, n = 6), and satisfactory detection limits of 0.029-0.1 μg/L. The recoveries of PAHs spiked in environmental water samples ranged from 84.6 to 109.5%. All these results demonstrated that this new SPE technique was a viable alternative to conventional enrichment techniques for the extraction and analysis of PAHs in complex samples. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Enrichment of steroid hormones in water with porous and hydrophobic polymer-based SPE followed by HPLC-UV determination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yinfen; Zhang, Man; Tong, Changlun; Wu, Jianmin; Liu, Weiping

    2013-10-01

    There have been great concerns about the persistence of steroid hormones in surface water. Since the concentrations of these compounds in water samples are usually at a trace level, the efficient enrichment of steroid hormones is vital for further analysis. In this work, a porous and hydrophobic polymer was synthesized and characterized. The composition of solvent used as porogen in the synthetic process was shown to have an effect on the morphology of the polymer, which was successfully used as an SPE sorbent for simultaneously enriching steroid hormones in surface water samples. The recoveries of the steroid hormones on the custom-made polymer ranged from 93.4 to 106.2%, whereas those on commercialized ENVI-18, LC-18, and Oasis HLB ranged from 54.8 to 104.9, 66 to 93.6, and 77.2 to 106%, respectively. Five types of steroid hormones were simultaneously measured using HPLC-UV after they were enriched by the custom-made sorbent. Based on these findings, the SPE-HPLC method was developed. The LODs of this method for estriol, estradiol, estrone, androstenedione, progesterone were 0.07, 0.43, 0.61, 0.27, and 0.42 μg/L, respectively, while precision and reproducibility RSDs were <6.40 and 7.49%, respectively. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Magnetic ligand fishing as a targeting tool for HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR: α-glucosidase inhibitory ligands and alkylresorcinol glycosides from Eugenia catharinae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wubshet, Sileshi Gizachew; Brighente, Inês M. C.; Moaddel, Ruin

    2015-01-01

    A bioanalytical platform combining magnetic ligand fishing for α-glucosidase inhibition profiling and HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR for structural identification of α-glucosidase inhibitory ligands, both directly from crude plant extracts, is presented. Magnetic beads with N-terminus-coupled α-glucosidase we...

  16. Hyphenation of solid-phase extraction with liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance: application of HPLC-DAD-SPE-NMR to identification of constituents of Kanahia laniflora.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarkson, Cailean; Staerk, Dan; Hansen, Steen Honoré; Jaroszewski, Jerzy W

    2005-06-01

    The introduction of on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) in HPLC-NMR has dramatically enhanced the sensitivity of this technique by concentration of the analytes in a small-volume NMR flow cell and by increasing the amount of the analyte by multiple peak trapping. In this study, the potential of HPLC-DAD-SPE-NMR hyphenation was demonstrated by structure determination of complex constituents of flower, leaf, root, and stem extracts of an African medicinal plant Kanahia laniflora. The technique was shown to allow acquisition of high-quality homo- and heteronuclear 2D NMR data following analytical-scale HPLC separation of extract constituents. Four flavonol glycosides [kaempferol 3-O-(6-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-d-glucopyranoside; kaempferol 3-O-(2,6-di-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-d-glucopyranoside; quercetin 3-O-(2,6-di-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-d-glucopyranoside (rutin); and isorhamnetin, 3-O-(6-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-d-glucopyranoside] and three 5alpha-cardenolides [coroglaucigenin 3-O-6-deoxy-beta-d-allopyranoside; coroglaucigenin 3-O-(4-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl)-6-deoxy-beta-d-glucopyranoside; 3'-O-acetyl-3'-epiafroside] were identified, with complete assignments of 1H and 13C resonances based on HSQC and HMBC spectra whenever required. Confirmation of the structures was provided by HPLC-MS data. The HPLC-DAD-SPE-NMR technique therefore speeds up the dereplication of complex mixtures of natural origin significantly, by characterization of individual extract components prior to preparative isolation work.

  17. Rapid determination of 18 glucocorticoids in serum using reusable on-line SPE polymeric monolithic column coupled with LC-quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hui; Ai, Lianfeng; Fan, Sufang; Wang, Yan; Sun, Dianxing

    2017-10-15

    A simple, rapid and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of 18 glucocorticoids in serum was developed by coupling on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) polymeric monolithic column to a liquid chromatography-quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer. A simple poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) monolith column (10mm×2.1mm i.d.) was fabricated, and the morphology, surface area and extraction performance of the monolithic column were characterized. Serum samples were extracted by acetonitrile (ACN). Then, online SPE was achieved on the synthesized monolithic column using a 10mmol/L ammonium acetate solution as the loading solvent. After the transfer from the monolith into analytical column (Capcell Pak ADME column) using ACN, the adsorbed analytes were separated on the analytical column and detected with a high-resolution hybrid quadrupole/orbitrap mass spectrometer with full scan/ddMS 2 scan mode Under optimized conditions, the method was linear with target linear correlation coefficient (R 2 ) higher than 0.995. Detection limits were in range of 0.1-0.6ng/mL, and the quantification limits were 0.3-1.5ng/mL. The recovery was between 71.9% and 89.2% in three spike levels with precision (n=5) of 5.40-12.1%. The serum sample was directly analyzed after a simple extraction procedure, and the on-line SPE and determination were achieved within only 16min. The method was used to analyze the dynamic contents variation of cortisone and hydrocortisone in serum before and after the surgery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Lessons learned from accuracy assessment of IAEA-SPE-4 experiment predictions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prosek, A.

    2002-01-01

    The use of methods for code accuracy assessment has strongly increased in the last years. The methods suitable to provide quantitative comparison between the thermalhydraulic code predictions and experimental measurements were proposed e.g. fast Fourier transform based method (FFTBM), stochastic approximation ratio based method (SARBM) and a few methods used in the frame of the recently developed automated code assessment program (ACAP). Further, in the frame of FFTBM also a procedure to quantify the whole calculation was proposed with averaging of the results. The problem is that averaging may hide discrepancies highlighted in the qualitative analysis when only quantitative results are published. The purpose of the study was therefore to propose additional accuracy measures. New proposed measures were tested with IAEA-SPE-4 pre- and post-test predictions. The obtained results showed that the proposed measures improve the whole picture of the code accuracy. This is important when the reader is not provided with the accompanied qualitative analysis. The study shows that proposed accuracy measures efficiently increase the confidence in the quantitative results.(author)

  19. Signal processing to evaluate parameters affecting SPE for multi-residue analysis of personal care products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pietrogrande, Maria Chiara; Basaglia, Giulia; Dondi, Francesco

    2009-05-01

    This paper discusses the development of a comprehensive method for the simultaneous analysis of personal care products (PCPs) based on SPE and GC-MS. The method was developed on 29 target compounds to represent PCPs belonging to different chemical classes: surfactants in detergents (alkyl benzenes), fragrances in cosmetics (nitro and polycyclic musks), antioxidants and preservatives (phenols), plasticizers (phthalates) displaying a wide range of volatility, polarity, water solubility. In addition to the conventional C(18) stationary phase, a surface modified styrene divinylbenzene polymeric phase (Strata X SPE cartridge) has been investigated as suitable for the simultaneous extraction of several PCPs with polar and non-polar characteristics. For both sorbents different solvent compositions and eluting conditions were tested and compared in order to achieve high extraction efficiency for as many sample components as possible. Comparison of the behavior of the two cartridges reveals that, overall, Strata-X provides better efficiency with extraction recovery higher than 70% for most of the PCPs investigated. The best results were obtained under the following operative conditions: an evaporation temperature of 40 degrees C, elution on Strata-X cartridge using a volume of 15 mL of ethyl acetate (EA) as solvent and operating with slow flow rate (-10 KPa). In addition to the conventional method based on peak integration, a chemometric approach based on the computation of the experimental autocovariance function (EACVF(tot)) was applied to the complex GC-MS signal: the percentage recovery and information on peak abundance distribution can be evaluated for each procedure step. The PC-based signal processing proved very helpful in assisting the development of the analytical procedure, since it saves labor and time and increases result reliability in handling GC complex signals.

  20. WDM compatible and electrically tunable SPE-OCDMA system based on the temporal self-imaging effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tainta, S; Amaya, W; Erro, M J; Garde, M J; Sales, S; Muriel, M A

    2011-02-01

    A coding/decoding setup for a spectral phase encoding optical code-division multiple access (SPE-OCDMA) system has been developed. The proposal is based on the temporal self-imaging effect and the use of an easily tunable electro-optic phase modulator to achieve line-by-line coding of the transmitted signal, thus assuring compatibility with WDM techniques. Modulation of the code is performed at the same rate as the data, avoiding the use of high-bandwidth electro-optic modulators. As proof of concept of the technique, experimental results are presented for a back-to-back coder/decoder setup transmitting a 10 GHz unmodulated optical pulse train within an 80 GHz optical window and using 8-chip Hadamard codes.

  1. Liquid-Liquid Extraction/Low-Temperature Purification (LLE/LTP Followed by Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction (d-SPE Cleanup for Multiresidue Analysis in Palm Oil by LC-QTOF-MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elham Sobhanzadeh

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available An evaluation of the extraction of multiresidue pesticides from palm oil by liquid-liquid extraction/low-temperature purification (LLE/LTP coupled with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE as the cleanup procedure with the determination by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry using electrospray as the ionization source (LC-ESI-MS was carried out. Optimization approaches were studied in terms of d-SPE to select efficiency of type and mass of adsorbents to obtain the highest recovery yield of pesticides and the lowest coextract fat residues in the final extract. The optimal conditions of d-SPE were obtained using 3 g of palm oil, 4 g anhydrous MgSO4, 150 mg of PSA, and 50 mg of GCB (PSA: GCB (3 : 1 w/w. Recovery study was performed at three concentration levels (25, 50, and 100 ng kg−1, yielding recovery rates between 71.8 and 112.4% except diuron with relative standard deviations of 3.2–15.1%. Detection and quantification limits were lower than 2.7 and 8.2 ng kg−1, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of market-purchased palm oil samples from two different brands collected in Kuala Lumpur, showing its potential applicability and revealing the presence of some of the target species in the ng g−1 range.

  2. Optimization of SPE for Analysis of Mandelic Acid as a Biomarker of Exposure to Ethyl Benzene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SJ Shahtaheri, M Abdollahi, F Golbabaei, A Rahimi-Froushani, F Ghamari

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available Ethyl benzene is an important constituent of widely used solvents in industries and laboratories, causing widespread environmental and industrial pollutions. For evaluation of occupational exposure to such pollutants, biological monitoring is an essential process, in which, preparation of environmental and biological samples is one of the most time-consuming and error-prone aspects prior to chromatographic techniques. The use of solid-phase extraction (SPE has been grown and is a fertile technique of sample preparation as it provides better results than those of liquid-liquid extraction (LLE. In this study, SPE using bonded silica has been optimized with regard to sample pH, sample concentration, elution solvent, elution volume, sorbent type, and sorbent mass. Through experimental evaluation, a strong anion exchange silica cartridge (SAX has been found successful in simplifying sample preparation. The present approach proved that, mandelic acid could be retained on SAX sorbent based on specific interaction. Further study was employed using 10% acetic acid to extract the analyte from spiked urine and gave a clean sample for HPLC-UV system. In this study, a high performance liquid chromatography, using reverse-phase column was used. The isocratic run was done at a constant flow rate of 0.85 ml/min, the mobile phase was water/methanol/acetic acid and a UV detector was used, setting at 225 nm. At the developed conditions the extraction recovery was exceeded 98%. The factors were evaluated statically and also validated with three different pools of spiked urine samples and showed a good reproducibility over six consecutive days as well as six within-day experiments.

  3. Análise de fármacos em águas por SPE-UPLC-ESI-MS/MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa de Jesus Gaffney

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A method was developed for the analysis of 31 pharmaceutical compounds in Lisbon's drinking water system, using solid-phase extraction (SPE and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS. The method was validated through estimation of the linearity range, method detection and quantification limits, matrix effects, precision and accuracy. The method detection and quantification limit ranges were 0.009-10 and 0.03-33 ng/L, respectively. Analytes were quantified in water samples collected from the EPAL (Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres S.A. supply system. Carbamazepine, atenolol, sulfadiazine, sulfamethazine, sulfapyridine, sulfamethoxazole, acetaminophen, caffeine and erythromycin were quantified in the analysed samples.

  4. Experimental design for TBT quantification by isotope dilution SPE-GC-ICP-MS under the European water framework directive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alasonati, Enrica; Fabbri, Barbara; Fettig, Ina; Yardin, Catherine; Del Castillo Busto, Maria Estela; Richter, Janine; Philipp, Rosemarie; Fisicaro, Paola

    2015-03-01

    In Europe the maximum allowable concentration for tributyltin (TBT) compounds in surface water has been regulated by the water framework directive (WFD) and daughter directive that impose a limit of 0.2 ng L(-1) in whole water (as tributyltin cation). Despite the large number of different methodologies for the quantification of organotin species developed in the last two decades, standardised analytical methods at required concentration level do not exist. TBT quantification at picogram level requires efficient and accurate sample preparation and preconcentration, and maximum care to avoid blank contamination. To meet the WFD requirement, a method for the quantification of TBT in mineral water at environmental quality standard (EQS) level, based on solid phase extraction (SPE), was developed and optimised. The quantification was done using species-specific isotope dilution (SSID) followed by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The analytical process was optimised using a design of experiment (DOE) based on a factorial fractionary plan. The DOE allowed to evaluate 3 qualitative factors (type of stationary phase and eluent, phase mass and eluent volume, pH and analyte ethylation procedure) for a total of 13 levels studied, and a sample volume in the range of 250-1000 mL. Four different models fitting the results were defined and evaluated with statistic tools: one of them was selected and optimised to find the best procedural conditions. C18 phase was found to be the best stationary phase for SPE experiments. The 4 solvents tested with C18, the pH and ethylation conditions, the mass of the phases, the volume of the eluents and the sample volume can all be optimal, but depending on their respective combination. For that reason, the equation of the model conceived in this work is a useful decisional tool for the planning of experiments, because it can be applied to predict the TBT mass fraction recovery when the

  5. Determination of Benzo[α]pyrene in Edible Oil Using Tetraoxocalix[2]arene[2]triazine Bonded Silica SPE Sorbent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yun; Zhao, Wen-Jie; Deng, Zhi-Fen; Hongbo, Wang; Peng, Bin; Ma, Xue; Lan, Chen; Zhang, Shu-Sheng

    2018-06-01

    Benzo[α]pyrene (BaP) is a well-known carcinogen in edible oil. In this study, a method combined solid-phase extraction (SPE) with fluorescent detection was developed using tetraoxocalix[2]arene[2]triazine sorbent (SiO 2 -OCA) for the clean-up and enrichment of BaP. The interaction between SiO 2 -OCA and BaP involves a donor-acceptor complex mechanism. The experimental procedure was as follows: BaP was extracted from edible oil with DMF/H 2 O (9:1, v/v). Then, the ratio of DMF/H 2 O was adjusted to 1:2 prior to SPE. The final concentrate was analyzed using a fluorescence detector at excitation and emission wavelengths of 255 and 420 nm. The method was fully validated. The linearity was in the range of 0.1-100 μg kg -1 with a coefficient of 0.999. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.03 and 0.1 μg kg -1 , respectively. The average recoveries were in the range of 88.0-122.3%. The intraday and interday precisions were 6.8% and 9.2%, respectively. Compared with other methods, the method reported in this article shows a good detection limit, high reproducibility and recovery, and linearity over a broad concentration range. This established method was also applied to evaluate real samples. The concentration of six tested samples was below 5 μg kg -1 .

  6. A Compact Laboratory Spectro-Goniometer (CLabSpeG) to Assess the BRDF of Materials. Presentation, Calibration and Implementation on Fagus sylvatica L. Leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biliouris, Dimitrios; Verstraeten, Willem W; Dutré, Phillip; Van Aardt, Jan A N; Muys, Bart; Coppin, Pol

    2007-09-07

    The design and calibration of a new hyperspectral Compact Laboratory Spectro-Goniometer (CLabSpeG) is presented. CLabSpeG effectively measures the bidirectionalreflectance Factor (BRF) of a sample, using a halogen light source and an AnalyticalSpectral Devices (ASD) spectroradiometer. The apparatus collects 4356 reflectance datareadings covering the spectrum from 350 nm to 2500 nm by independent positioning of thesensor, sample holder, and light source. It has an azimuth and zenith resolution of 30 and15 degrees, respectively. CLabSpeG is used to collect BRF data and extract BidirectionalReflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) data of non-isotropic vegetation elements suchas bark, soil, and leaves. Accurate calibration has ensured robust geometric accuracy of theapparatus, correction for the conicality of the light source, while sufficient radiometricstability and repeatability between measurements are obtained. The bidirectionalreflectance data collection is automated and remotely controlled and takes approximatelytwo and half hours for a BRF measurement cycle over a full hemisphere with 125 cmradius and 2.4 minutes for a single BRF acquisition. A specific protocol for vegetative leafcollection and measurement was established in order to investigate the possibility to extractBRDF values from Fagus sylvatica L. leaves under laboratory conditions. Drying leafeffects induce a reflectance change during the BRF measurements due to the laboratorySensors 2007, 7 1847 illumination source. Therefore, the full hemisphere could not be covered with one leaf. Instead 12 BRF measurements per leaf were acquired covering all azimuth positions for a single light source zenith position. Data are collected in radiance format and reflectance is calculated by dividing the leaf cycle measurement with a radiance cycle of a Spectralon reference panel, multiplied by a Spectralon reflectance correction factor and a factor to correct for the conical effect of the light source. BRF results

  7. A Compact Laboratory Spectro-Goniometer (CLabSpeG to Assess the BRDF of Materials. Presentation, Calibration and Implementation on Fagus sylvatica L. Leaves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pol Coppin

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available The design and calibration of a new hyperspectral Compact Laboratory Spectro-Goniometer (CLabSpeG is presented. CLabSpeG effectively measures the bidirectionalreflectance Factor (BRF of a sample, using a halogen light source and an AnalyticalSpectral Devices (ASD spectroradiometer. The apparatus collects 4356 reflectance datareadings covering the spectrum from 350 nm to 2500 nm by independent positioning of thesensor, sample holder, and light source. It has an azimuth and zenith resolution of 30 and15 degrees, respectively. CLabSpeG is used to collect BRF data and extract BidirectionalReflectance Distribution Function (BRDF data of non-isotropic vegetation elements suchas bark, soil, and leaves. Accurate calibration has ensured robust geometric accuracy of theapparatus, correction for the conicality of the light source, while sufficient radiometricstability and repeatability between measurements are obtained. The bidirectionalreflectance data collection is automated and remotely controlled and takes approximatelytwo and half hours for a BRF measurement cycle over a full hemisphere with 125 cmradius and 2.4 minutes for a single BRF acquisition. A specific protocol for vegetative leafcollection and measurement was established in order to investigate the possibility to extractBRDF values from Fagus sylvatica L. leaves under laboratory conditions. Drying leafeffects induce a reflectance change during the BRF measurements due to the laboratorySensors 2007, 7 1847 illumination source. Therefore, the full hemisphere could not be covered with one leaf. Instead 12 BRF measurements per leaf were acquired covering all azimuth positions for a single light source zenith position. Data are collected in radiance format and reflectance is calculated by dividing the leaf cycle measurement with a radiance cycle of a Spectralon reference panel, multiplied by a Spectralon reflectance correction factor and a factor to correct for the conical effect of the light

  8. HPLC-NMR revisited: Using time-slice HPLC-SPE-NMR with database assisted dereplication

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Kenneth; Wubshet, Sileshi Gizachew; Nyberg, Nils

    2013-01-01

    Time based trapping of chromatographically separated compounds on to solid-phase extraction cartridges (SPE) and subsequent elution to NMR-tubes was done to emulate the function of HPLC–NMR for dereplication purposes. Sufficient mass sensitivity was obtained by the use of a state-of-the-art HPLC......–SPE–NMR-system with a cryogenically cooled probe head, designed for 1.7 mm NMR-tubes. The resulting 1H NMR spectra (600 MHz) were evaluated against a database of previously acquired and prepared spectra. The in-house developed matching algorithm, based on partitioning of the spectra and allowing for changes in the chemical shifts......, is described and the code included as Supplementary Information. Two mixtures of natural products was used to test the approach; one extract of Carthamus oxyacantha (wild safflower) containing an array of spiro compounds and one extract of the endophytic fungus Penicillum namyslowski containing griseofulvin...

  9. Estudo de compostos orgânicos em lixiviado de aterros sanitários por EFS e CG/EM Study of organic compounds in landfill leachate by SPE and GC/MSD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irajá do Nascimento Filho

    2001-08-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of this work was the qualitative study of organic compounds in landfill leachate. The samples were collected from a sanitary landfill located at Gravataí, a southern Brazilian city, that receive both, industrial and domestic refuse. The samples were submitted to solid phase extraction (SPE with XAD-4 resin as the stationary phase. The instrumental analysis was performed by Gas Chromatography with a Mass Spectrometry Detector (GC/MSD. The compounds achieved in the SPE extracts were tentatively identified by the GC/MS library. It was found several oxygen and nitrogen compounds like carboxylic acids, ketones, amines and amides. Sulfur compounds and phthalate esters are also identified.

  10. SPE-HPLC purification of endocrine disrupting compounds from human serum for assessment of xenoestrogenic activity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjelmborg, P.S.; Ghisari, Mandana; Bonefeld-Jørgensen, Eva

    2006-01-01

    Assessment of xenoestrogenic activity in human serum samples requires the removal of endogenous sex hormones to assure that the activity measured originates from xenobiotic compounds only. Serum samples representing high, medium and lower accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were...... measured by ERE-CALUX was validated and considered to be a valuable tool to assess the combined ER effect of lipophilic serum POPs where additive/synergistic and agonistic/antagonistic effects are integrated giving an overall estimate of exposure and bioactivity....... for the study. MVLN cells, stably transfected with an estrogen receptor (ER) luciferase reporter vector (ERE-CALUX), were exposed to the reconstituted SPE-HPLC extracts for determination of the integrated estrogenic activity. The effects of PCBs were analyzed by direct in vitro exposure of PCBs (138, 153...

  11. Development, validation and clinical application of an online-SPE-LC-HRMS/MS for simultaneous quantification of phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine, and its active metabolite carbamazepine 10,11-epoxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Lihua; Fan, Yuanjie; Wang, Wenjun; Ma, Kai; Yin, Zheng

    2016-09-01

    A simple and efficient bioanalytical method for simultaneous determination of phenobarbital (PB), phenytoin (PHT), carbamazepine (CBZ), and its active metabolite carbamazepine 10,11-epoxide (CBZE) in human plasma using online solid phase extraction (SPE)-liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with high resolution mass spectrum (HRMS) under targeted MS/MS (t-MS(2)) analysis mode has been developed. The procedure integrated an automated sample clean-up of human plasma by Oasis®HLB SPE cartridge, a separation by ZORBAX SB-C18 analysis column, and a quantification by Q-Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap. The total running time was 13min. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of PB, PHT, CBZ, and CBZE were 0.008, 0.008, 0.0016 and 0.0016μgmL(-1) respectively and the linearities were in the range of 0.008-2.500, 0.008-2.500, 0.0016-0.500 and 0.0016-0.500μgmL(-1) respectively. The mean recovery was between 91.82% and 108.27% and the matrix effect was between 93.29% and 102.09%. The relative standard deviations of interday and intraday were less than 6.41%. The method has been successfully applied in therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of four Chinese epilepsy patients. This fully automated, simple, sensitive and reliable online-SPE-LC-HRMS/MS method serves well for TDM of PB, PHT, CBZ and CBZE at clinics for either single or combination treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Analysis of halogenated and priority pesticides at different concentration levels. Automated SPE extraction followed by isotope dilution-GC/MS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Planas, C.; Saulo, J.; Rivera, J.; Caixach, J. [Institut Investigacions Quimiques i Ambientals (IIQAB-CSIC), Barcelona (Spain)

    2004-09-15

    In this work, automatic SPE extraction of 16 pesticides and metabolites with the automated Power-Prep trademark system is evaluated at different concentration levels using polymeric (ENV+) and C{sub 18} sorbent phases. The method was optimised by comparing recoveries obtained using different eluting solvents. The optimised procedure was then applied to spiked water samples at concentration levels of 0.1{mu}g/L (quality standard for individual pesticides in drinking water) and 0.02{mu}g/L (close to the detection limit of most pesticides).

  13. Effets perturbateurs endocriniens des pesticides organochlores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charlier, C; Plomteux, G

    2002-01-01

    Xenoestrogens such organochlorine pesticides are known to induce changes in reproductive development, function or behaviour in wildlife. Because these compounds are able to modify the estrogens metabolism, or to compete with estradiol for binding to the estrogen receptor, it may be possible that these products affect the risk of developing impaired fertility, precocious puberty or some kinds of cancer in man. Le plus ancien récit de lutte contre la pollution remonte à une légende indienne racontant que la divinité Sing-bonga était incommodée par les émanations des fours dans lesquels les Asuras fondaient leurs métaux (1). Evidemment depuis, la problématique n-a cessé de s-accroître et la contamination de la Terre par de nombreux polluants est devenue aujourd-hui un problème majeur de notre Société. La protection de notre environnement est une question capitale qui doit être respectée malgré la pression économique actuelle et qui ne cessera de croître au cours des prochaines années même si l-identification objective et indiscutable de ce qui est essentiel - donc devant être prioritairement garanti sur la planète - est difficile à cerner (2). « Un oiseau en mauvais état ne pond pas de bons oeufs » disait un proverbe grec. Mais ce n-est qu-à partir de la seconde moitié du XXème siècle que les toxicologues ont commencé à identifier les effets qu-avaient entraînés à l-échelle mondiale les pollutions émises aux XIXème siècle sur la faune sauvage et sur le cheptel (3). L-histoire contemporaine des pesticides industriels commence vers 1874 (synthèse des organochlorés) et se poursuit tout au long de ces 2 siècles en passant par la synthèse des organophosphorés (1950), des carbamates (1970) et des pyréthroïdes (1975) (4). Le dichlorodiphényltrichloroéthane (DDT) a été synthétisé pour la première fois par un étudiant en cours de préparation de sa thèse de doctorat : Othmer Zeidler. La production, reprise par les entreprises F.Mayo puis par la Geigy Co. a d-abord intéressé l-armée, puis l-agriculture. Dès la fin de la 2(ème) guerre mondiale, des mises en garde furent lancées à propos des effets nocifs du produit (4). Un déclin des populations de grives, d-aigles chauves, d-orfaies et de mammifères consommateurs de poissons fut constaté à partir des années 50 et dénoncé par Rachel Carson dans son célèbre appel du « Silent Spring » de 1962. Bien qu-il soit interdit en Occident depuis les années 70, ce produit a été tellement utilisé et présente une rémanence si longue qu-une contamination ubiquitaire existe aujourd-hui encore. De plus, ce produit continue à être produit aux USA pour être utilisé à des fins de démoustification dans les pays en voie de développement. Il en va de même de l-Hexachlorobenzène (HCB), un autre organochloré dont l-usage est interdit sous nos latitudes, mais reste fréquent dans d-autres pays. Ces deux exemples indiquent que le problème de la contamination continue à nous concerner, même pour des produits dont l-usage est aujourd-hui strictement réglementé ou interdit. Des effets sur la faune semblent encore actuellement devoir être attribués à ces produits. La diminution de la population des phoques dans la mer de Wadden pourrait être due à la forte contamination en composants organochlorés des poissons dont ces phoques se nourrissent (5). Exposé au DDT et à son métabolite dichlorodiphenyldichloroéthylène (DDE), le Seratherodon mossambicus présente une réduction de la sécrétion de cortisol par une action toxique cytospécifique sur l-axe hypothalamo-hypophysaire (6). Des travaux récents ont montré que le DDT et le DDE se lient chez les oiseaux et les mammifères au moyen de liaisons covalentes aux cellules de la zona fasciculata - homologue du tissu interrénal du poisson - induisant des microhémorragies. Cette « défaillance » cortisolique peut s-accompagner d-une perturbation du métabolisme glucidique et notamment d-un taux élevé de glycogène hépatique (7). Les pesticides organochlorés (DDT, DDE) entraînent également des perturbations d-ordre métabolique chez certaines espèces d-oiseaux, notamment le faucon pèlerin en Grande Bretagne et les oiseaux piscivores des grands lacs nord américains où l-on a constaté au cours des années 1960 que leur reproduction était menacée et qu-une des manifestations les plus évidentes des perturbations observées était le taux élevé de malformations (8). Des mortalités élevées de poissons ou de coquillages ont été rapportées dans des élevages situés à proximité des zones d-épandage de pesticides organophosphorés et de carbamates. En 1991, la dispersion aérienne de fenitrothion dans le but de provoquer la démoustication en Languedoc a été à l-origine de la perte de plusieurs tonnes de crevettes japonaises. L-utilisation de trichlorfon et de dichlorvos comme antiparasitaires dans des fermes d-élevages de saumons a provoqué des épisodes de mortalité importante (9).

  14. Automated Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) LC/NMR Applied to the Structural Analysis of Extractable Compounds from a Pharmaceutical Packaging Material of Construction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norwood, Daniel L; Mullis, James O; Davis, Mark; Pennino, Scott; Egert, Thomas; Gonnella, Nina C

    2013-01-01

    The structural analysis (i.e., identification) of organic chemical entities leached into drug product formulations has traditionally been accomplished with techniques involving the combination of chromatography with mass spectrometry. These include gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for volatile and semi-volatile compounds, and various forms of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS or HPLC/MS) for semi-volatile and relatively non-volatile compounds. GC/MS and LC/MS techniques are complementary for structural analysis of leachables and potentially leachable organic compounds produced via laboratory extraction of pharmaceutical container closure/delivery system components and corresponding materials of construction. Both hyphenated analytical techniques possess the separating capability, compound specific detection attributes, and sensitivity required to effectively analyze complex mixtures of trace level organic compounds. However, hyphenated techniques based on mass spectrometry are limited by the inability to determine complete bond connectivity, the inability to distinguish between many types of structural isomers, and the inability to unambiguously determine aromatic substitution patterns. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) does not have these limitations; hence it can serve as a complement to mass spectrometry. However, NMR technology is inherently insensitive and its ability to interface with chromatography has been historically challenging. This article describes the application of NMR coupled with liquid chromatography and automated solid phase extraction (SPE-LC/NMR) to the structural analysis of extractable organic compounds from a pharmaceutical packaging material of construction. The SPE-LC/NMR technology combined with micro-cryoprobe technology afforded the sensitivity and sample mass required for full structure elucidation. Optimization of the SPE-LC/NMR analytical method was achieved using a series of model compounds

  15. Coupling HPLC-SPE-NMR with a microplate-based high-resolution antioxidant assay for efficient analysis of antioxidants in food--validation and proof-of-concept study with caper buds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiese, Stefanie; Wubshet, Sileshi G; Nielsen, John; Staerk, Dan

    2013-12-15

    This work describes the coupling of a microplate-based antioxidant assay with a hyphenated system consisting of high-performance liquid chromatography-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, i.e., HPLC-SPE-NMR/high-resolution antioxidant assay, for the analysis of complex food extracts. The applicability of the microplate-based antioxidant assay for high-resolution screening of common food phenolics as well as parameters related to their trapping efficiency, elution behavior, and recovery on/from SPE cartridges are described. It was found that the microplate-based high-resolution antioxidant assay is an attractive and easy implementable alternative to direct on-line screening methods. Furthermore, it was shown that Resin SH and Resin GP SPE material are superior to RP C18HD for trapping of phenolic compounds. Proof-of-concept study was performed with caper bud extract, revealing the most important antioxidants to be quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, kaempferol-3-O-β-rutinoside and N(1),N(5),N(10)-triphenylpropenoyl spermidine amides. Targeted isolation of the latter, and comprehensive NMR experiments showed them to be N(1),N(10)-di-(E)-caffeoyl-N(5)-p-(E)-coumaroyl spermidine, N(1)-(E)-caffeoyl-N(5),N(10)-di-p-(E)-coumaroyl spermidine, N(10)-(E)-caffeoyl-N(1),N(5)-di-p-(E)-coumaroyl spermidine, and N(1),N(5),N(10)-tri-p-(E)-coumaroyl spermidine amides. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Conductivity enhancement in K{sup +}-ion conducting dry Solid Polymer Electrolyte (SPE): [PEO: KNO{sub 3}]: A consequence of KI dispersal and nano-ionic effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kesharwani, Priyanka; Sahu, Dinesh K.; Mahipal, Y.K.; Agrawal, R.C., E-mail: rakesh_c_agrawal@yahoo.co.in

    2017-06-01

    Flexible films of dry Solid Polymer Electrolytes (SPEs): [PEO: KNO{sub 3}] in varying salt concentrations have been hot-press cast. Salt concentration dependent conductivity study revealed two SPE films: [95PEO: 5KNO{sub 3}] and [70PEO: 30KNO{sub 3}] exhibiting relatively higher room temperature conductivity (σ{sub rt}) ∼ 2.76 × 10{sup -7} S/cm and ∼4.31 × 10{sup -7} S/cm respectively. In order to increase σ{sub rt} further, two strategies have been adopted. Firstly, fractional amount of KI has been dispersed as IInd-phase active filler into above two SPE film compositions which acted as Ist-phase host and Composite Polymer Electrolyte (CPE) films were hot-press cast. Filler particle concentration dependent conductivity study identified CPE films: [(95PEO: 5KNO{sub 3}) + 7KI] and [(70PEO: 30KNO{sub 3}) + 10 KI] as optimum conducting films with σ{sub rt} ∼ 6.15 × 10{sup -6} S/cm and ∼3.98 × 10{sup -6} S/cm respectively. σ{sub rt}-enhancement of approximately an order of magnitude was achieved by this approach. In second approach, dry powder mixture of (KNO{sub 3} + KI), in ratio that of above two CPE films, were subjected to high energy ball-milling separately for different durations prior to casting the films again. The conductivity measurements as a function of milling time identified CPE films: [(95PEO: 5KNO{sub 3}) + 7KI] and [(70PEO: 30KNO{sub 3}) + 10 KI] in which two respective (KNO{sub 3} + KI) ratios milled for 4- and 6-h, exhibited almost similar value of σ{sub rt} ∼ 2.09 × 10{sup -5} S/cm. This approach increased σ{sub rt} further by ∼3–6 fold. The reason attributed for this has been Nano–ionic effect introduced at the interphase boundaries between KNO{sub 3} and KI, as a consequence of milling. These films have been referred to as milled CPE films. Subsequently, all the optimum conducting SPE and CPE (unmilled/milled) films were subjected to various characterization studies in order to evaluate their utility in potential All

  17. Effective application of freezing lipid precipitation and SCX-SPE for determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in high lipid foodstuffs by LC-ESI-MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Soo Hwan; Kim, Min-Sun; Kim, Sang Hoon; Park, Hyun Mee; Pyo, Heesoo; Lee, Yong Moon; Lee, Kyung-Tae; Hong, Jongki

    2015-06-15

    Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are naturally occurring plant toxins associated with serious hepatic disease in humans and animals. In this study, rapid and sensitive analytical method was developed for the determination of 9 toxic PAs in popularly high lipid foodstuffs by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). PAs in lipid foodstuff were effectively purified by freezing lipid precipitation (FLP) and strong cation exchange (SCX)-solid-phase extraction (SPE). Especially, FLP could easily remove the large amounts of triacylglycerols in the lipid sample extract and effectively combine with SPE cleanup. During the FLP procedure, over 77% of the lipids in the foodstuff extracts were rapidly eliminated without any significant loss of the PAs with over 81% recovery. The elimination efficiency of lipids by FLP was tested with LC-atmospheric chemical ionization (APCI)-MS. For further purification, SCX-SPE cartridge could successfully purify PAs from the remaining interfering substances by the variation pH with 5% NH4OH in methanol. For precise quantification and confirmation of PAs in complicate sample matrices, appropriate transition ions in LC-MS/MS-multiple-ion reaction monitoring (MRM) mode were selected on the basis of MS/MS fragmentation pathways of PAs. The established analytical method was validated in terms of the linearity, limits of detection (LOD), and quantification (LOQ), precision, and accuracy. The method was deemed satisfactory by inter- and intra-day validation and exhibited both high accuracy and precision (relative standard deviation<11.06%). Overall limits of detection and quantitation of PAs were approximately 0.06-0.60ng/mL at a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3 and were about 0.20-1.99ng/mL at a S/N of 10 for all foodstuffs. The established method was successfully applied for the monitoring of toxic PAs in several types of high lipid foodstuffs such as soybeans, seed oil, milk, and margarine. Copyright

  18. On-line SPE-UHPLC method using fused core columns for extraction and separation of nine illegal dyes in chilli-containing spices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalikova, Maria A; Satínský, Dalibor; Smidrkalová, Tereza; Solich, Petr

    2014-12-01

    The presented work describes the development of a simple, fast and effective on-line SPE-UHPLC-UV/vis method using fused core particle columns for extraction, separation and quantitative analysis of the nine illegal dyes, most frequently found in chilli-containing spices. The red dyes Sudan I-IV, Sudan Red 7B, Sudan Red G, Sudan Orange G, Para Red, and Methyl Red were separated and analyzed in less than 9 min without labor-consuming pretreatment procedure. The chromatographic separation was performed on Ascentis Express RP-Amide column with gradient elution using mixture of acetonitrile and water, as a mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1) and 55°C of temperature. As SPE sorbent for cleanup and pre-concentration of illegal dyes short guard fused core column Ascentis Express F5 was used. The applicability of proposed method was proven for three different chilli-containing commercial samples. Recoveries for all compounds were between 90% and 108% and relative standard deviation ranged from 1% to 4% for within- and from 2% to 6% for between-day. Limits of detection showed lower values than required by European Union regulations and were in the range of 3.3-10.3 µg L(-1) for standard solutions, 5.6-235.6 µg kg(-1) for chilli-containing spices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Data Release Report for Source Physics Experiment 1 (SPE-1), Nevada National Security Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Townsend, Margaret [NSTec; Mercadente, Jennifer [NSTec

    2014-04-28

    The first Source Physics Experiment shot (SPE-1) was conducted in May 2011. The explosive source was a ~100-kilogram TNT-equivalent chemical set at a depth of 60 meters. It was recorded by an extensive set of instrumentation that includes sensors both at near-field (less than 100 meters) and far-field (more than 100 meters) distances. The near-field instruments consisted of three-component accelerometers deployed in boreholes around the shot and a set of singlecomponent vertical accelerometers on the surface. The far-field network comprised a variety of seismic and acoustic sensors, including short-period geophones, broadband seismometers, three-component accelerometers, and rotational seismometers at distances of 100 meters to 25 kilometers. This report coincides with the release of these data for analysts and organizations that are not participants in this program. This report describes the first Source Physics Experiment and the various types of near-field and far-field data that are available.

  20. SpeX Spectroscopy of Unresolved Very Low-Mass Binaries. I. Identification of Seventeen Candidate Binaries Straddling the L Dwarf/T Dwarf Transition

    OpenAIRE

    Burgasser, Adam J.; Cruz, Kelle L.; Cushing, Michael C.; Gelino, Christopher R.; Looper, Dagny L.; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Reid, I. Neill

    2009-01-01

    We report the identification of 17 candidate brown dwarf binaries whose components straddle the L dwarf/T dwarf transition. These sources were culled from a large near-infrared spectral sample of L and T dwarfs observed with the Infrared Telescope Facility SpeX spectrograph. Candidates were selected on the basis of spectral ratios which segregate known (resolved) L dwarf/T dwarf pairs from presumably single sources. Composite templates, constructed by combining 13581 pairs of absolute flux-ca...

  1. Edible seaweed as future functional food: Identification of α-glucosidase inhibitors by combined use of high-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition profiling and HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bingrui; Kongstad, Kenneth T; Wiese, Stefanie; Jäger, Anna K; Staerk, Dan

    2016-07-15

    Crude chloroform, ethanol and acetone extracts of nineteen seaweed species were screened for their antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Samples showing more than 60% α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, at a concentration of 1 mg/ml, were furthermore investigated using high-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition profiling combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HR-bioassay/HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR). The results showed Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesicolosus to be rich in antioxidants, equaling a Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity of 135 and 108 mM Troloxmg(-1) extract, respectively. HR-bioassay/HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR showed the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of A. nodosum, F. vesoculosus, Laminaria digitata, Laminaria japonica and Undaria pinnatifida to be caused by phlorotannins as well as fatty acids - with oleic acid, linoleic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid being the most potent with IC50 values of 0.069, 0.075 and 0.10 mM, respectively, and showing a mixed-type inhibition mode. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Identification of adulterants in a Chinese herbal medicine by LC-HRMS and LC-MS-SPE/NMR and comparative in vivo study with standards in a hypertensive rat model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kesting, Julie Regitze; Huang, Jingqi; Sørensen, Dan

    2010-02-05

    Based on anecdotal evidence of anti-hypertensive effect of Gold Nine Soft Capsules, an in vivo study of this complex Chinese "herbal-based" medicine was initiated. Dosage of the content of Gold Nine capsules in spontaneous hypertensive rats showed a remarkably good effect. This led to further investigation of the components of the preparation and eventual identification of three known anti-hypertensive drugs; amlodipine, indapamide and valsartan, which were not declared on the label. Compounds were rapidly identified using LC-HRMS and LC-MS-SPE/NMR, quantified by HPLC, and the in vivo activity of a combination of commercially purchased standards was shown to be equivalent to that of the capsule content. Adulteration of herbal remedies and dietary supplements with synthetic drugs is an increasing problem that may lead to serious adverse effects. LC-MS-SPE/NMR as a method for the rapid identification of such adulterants is highlighted in this case study.

  3. Novel radiosynthesis of PET HSV-tk gene reporter probes [18F]FHPG and [18F]FHBG employing dual Sep-Pak SPE techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ji-Quan; Zheng, Qi-Huang; Fei, Xiangshu; Mock, Bruce H; Hutchins, Gary D

    2003-11-17

    Positron emission tomography (PET) herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene reporter probes 9-[(3-[(18)F]fluoro-1-hydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]guanine ([(18)F]FHPG) and 9-(4-[(18)F]fluoro-3-hydroxymethylbutyl)guanine ([(18)F]FHBG) were prepared by nucleophilic substitution of the appropriate tosylated precursors with [(18)F]KF/Kryptofix 2.2.2 followed by a quick deprotection reaction and purification with a simplified dual Silica Sep-Pak solid-phase extraction (SPE) method in 15-30% radiochemical yield.

  4. Preparative separation and structural identification of impurities of a new α{sub 2}-Adrenoceptor agonist using stacking injection, LC-MS{sup n} and LC-SPE-NMR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cardoso, Josiane O.; Thomasi, Sérgio S.; Venâncio, Tiago; Oliveira, Regina V., E-mail: oliveirarv@ufscar.br [Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil). Departamento de Química; Pitta, Ivan R.; Lima, Maria do Carmo A. de [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (NUPIT/UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Núcleo de Pesquisa em Inovação Tecnológica

    2017-07-01

    Identifying impurities in drug substances has become one of the most important issues in pharmaceutical analysis since it can have a significant impact on the efficacy of new pharmaceutical products. Due to the purity requirements, in this paper a new synthetic α{sub 2}-adrenoceptor agonist, called LPSF-PT-31, was purified and its impurities were characterized by liquid chromatography multistage mass spectrometry (LC-MS{sup n}) and liquid chromatography-solid phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-SPE-NMR). The purification step was conducted using a semi-preparative liquid chromatography and stacked injections as a new approach to drug purification. As a result, a total yield of 75% of the pure LPSF-PT-31 and 2.9 L day{sup -}'1 in solvent reduction was obtained. The combination of semi-preparative stacking injection, LC-MS{sup n}, and LC-SPE-NMR, demonstrated to be efficient to purify active drugs and unambiguously identify its impurities. In addition, isolation and identification of drug impurities in the early stages of development can improve the synthetic pathway, preventing the formation of impurities or minimizing this formation to minimum levels. (author)

  5. Dual High-Resolution α-Glucosidase and Radical Scavenging Profiling Combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR for Identification of Minor and Major Constituents Directly from the Crude Extract of Pueraria lobata

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Bingrui; Kongstad, Kenneth Thermann; Qinglei, Sun

    2015-01-01

    The crude methanol extract of Pueraria lobata was investigated by dual high-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition and radical scavenging profiling combined with hyphenated HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR. Direct analysis of the crude extract without preceding purification was facilitated by combining chromatograms...... from two analytical-scale HPLC separations of 120 and 600 μg on-column, respectively. High-resolution α-glucosidase and radical scavenging profiles were obtained after microfractionation of the eluate in 96-well microplates. This allowed full bioactivity profiling of individual peaks in the HPLC...... chromatogram of the crude methanol extract. Subsequent HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR analysis allowed identification of 21 known compounds in addition to two new compounds, i.e., 3′-methoxydaidzein 8-C-[α-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)]-β-d-glucopyranoside and 6″-O-malonyl-3′-methoxydaidzin, as well as an unstable compound...

  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. Analysis of nitrosamines in water by automated SPE and isotope dilution GC/HRMS Occurrence in the different steps of a drinking water treatment plant, and in chlorinated samples from a reservoir and a sewage treatment plant effluent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Planas, Carles; Palacios, Oscar; Ventura, Francesc; Rivera, Josep; Caixach, Josep

    2008-08-15

    A method based on automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) and isotope dilution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (GC/HRMS) has been developed for the analysis of nine nitrosamines in water samples. The combination of automated SPE and GC/HRMS for the analysis of nitrosamines has not been reported previously. The method shows as advantages the selectivity and sensitivity of GC/HRMS analysis and the high efficiency of automated SPE with coconut charcoal EPA 521 cartridges. Low method detection limits (MDLs) were achieved, along with a greater facility of the procedure and less dependence on the operator with regard to the methods based on manual SPE. Quality requirements for isotope dilution-based methods were accomplished for most analysed nitrosamines, regarding to trueness (80-120%), method precision (water samples (16 samples from a drinking water treatment plant {DWTP}, 2 chlorinated samples from a sewage treatment plant {STP} effluent, and 1 chlorinated sample from a reservoir) were analysed. Concentrations of nitrosamines in the STP effluent were 309.4 and 730.2 ng/L, being higher when higher doses of chlorine were applied. N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) were the main compounds identified in the STP effluent, and NDEA was detected above 200 ng/L, regulatory level for NDMA in effluents stated in Ontario (Canada). Lower concentrations of nitrosamines were found in the reservoir (20.3 ng/L) and in the DWTP samples (n.d. -28.6 ng/L). NDMA and NDEA were respectively found in the reservoir and in treated and highly chlorinated DWTP samples at concentrations above 10 ng/L (guide value established in different countries). The highest concentrations of nitrosamines were found after chlorination and ozonation processes (ozonated, treated and highly chlorinated water) in DWTP samples.

  8. FATAL GROUP A STREPTOCOCCAL TOXIC SHOCK-LIKE SYNDROME IN A CHILD WITH VARICELLA: REPORT OF THE FIRST WELL DOCUMENTED CASE WITH DETECTION OF THE GENETIC SEQUENCES THAT CODE FOR EXOTOXINS SPE A AND B, IN SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SZTAJNBOK Jaques

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available A previously healthy seven-year-old boy was admitted to the intensive care unit because of toxaemia associated with varicella. He rapidly developed shock and multisystem organ failure associated with the appearance of a deep-seated soft tissue infection and, despite aggressive treatment, died on hospital day 4. An M-non-typable, spe A and spe B positive Group A Streptococcus was cultured from a deep soft tissue aspirate. The criteria for defining Streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome were fulfilled. The authors discuss the clinical and pathophysiological aspects of this disease as well as some unusual clinical findings related to this case.

  9. High-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition profiling combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR for identification of anti-diabetic compounds in Eremanthus crotonoides (Asteraceae)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lana e Silva, Eder; Felipe Revoredo Lobo, Jonathas; Vinther, Joachim Møllesøe

    2016-01-01

    with an inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 34.5 μg/mL towards α-glucosidase was investigated by high-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition profiling combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR. This led to identification of six α-glucosidase inhibitors, namely quercetin (16), trans-tiliroside (17), luteolin (19), quercetin-3.......93 and 5.20 μM, respectively. This is the first report of the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of compounds 20, 26, and 29, and the findings support the important role of Eremanthus species as novel sources of new drugs and/or herbal remedies for treatment of type 2 diabetes....

  10. Assessment of constituents in Allium by multivariate data analysis, high-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition assay and HPLC-SPE-NMR

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schmidt, Jeppe Secher; Nyberg, Nils; Stærk, Dan

    2014-01-01

    Bulbs and leaves of 35 Allium species and cultivars bought or collected in 2010–2012 were investigated with multivariate data analysis, high-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition assays and HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR with the aim of exploring the potential of Allium as a future functional food for management...... of type 2 diabetes. It was found that 30 out of 106 crude extracts showed more than 80% inhibition of the α-glucosidase enzyme at a concentration of 40 mg/mL (dry sample) or 0.4 g/mL (fresh sample). High-resolution α-glucosidase biochromatograms of these extracts allowed fast identification of three...

  11. Determination of antibiotic compounds in water by on-line SPE-LC/MSD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Keun-Joo; Kim, Sang-Goo; Kim, Chang-won; Kim, Seung-Hyun

    2007-01-01

    This study attempts to provide an improved approach for the analysis of antibiotics, which normally exist at low concentration in complex matrices such as receiving streams of wastewater treatment plant discharge. The analytical method developed in this study combines an existing pretreatment technique of solid-phase extraction (SPE) with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MSD) through on-line connection. The on-line connection suppressed the target loss by keeping the cartridge from drying, which resulted in improvement of the recovery and saving of the analytical time. For the on-line solid-phase extraction of 10 ml water samples, recoveries were between 74.3% and 116.5% and average LOQ was 0.11 microg l(-1) for the sulfonamide antibiotics (SA) and 0.09 microg l(-1) for the tetracycline antibiotics (TA). Application of the developed method for the analysis of fourteen antibiotics revealed that several antibiotics were detected at concentrations above the LOQ in ARW. Treated and untreated sewage and agricultural wastewater were mostly responsible for the antibiotics contamination of the river. Antibiotics were detected at much higher concentrations in the agricultural wastewater sample than in the sewage sample, implying substantial use of antibiotics in the agricultural industry. Wastewater treatment was generally effective in separation of the antibiotics tested in this study. The extent of the treatment depended on the type of antibiotics. Hydrophobic antibiotics were more effectively separated from the solution than hydrophilic antibiotics.

  12. Rapid assessment of mycotoxins in wine by on-line SPE-UHPLC-FLD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nistor Alina-Mihaela

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available According to the latest statistics, grapes are one of the largest fruit crops worldwide. In this regard, it is important to consider all factors influencing quality of grapes and wine. In the last years, scientist focused on the study of mycotoxins that can influence the quality of wine. It is considered that toxins produced by moulds, causing significant economic losses, affect approximately one quarter of the world grape production. If the selective sorting of infected grapes is not done adequately, wine will present a major risk to consumers, mycotoxins being considered by the “International Agency for Cancer Research” a carcinogenic compound. The main mycotoxins monitored in this study come from Aspergillus sp., and are represented by aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 and ochratoxin A. This study purpose is to develop a faster method for the analysis of mycotoxins, in order to increase rapidity and efficiency for the evaluation of the degree of infestation in wine. The purposed method is using an on-line large volume injection coupled to pre-concentration of sample (SPE which is directly transfer to the ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC column for separation and the detection by means of the fluorescence detector (FLD. As the maximum tolerated level for mycotoxins in wines is 2 ppm, this method is able to detect under this limits of quantification with RSD below 2%.

  13. The SpeX Prism Library Analysis Toolkit: Design Considerations and First Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgasser, Adam J.; Aganze, Christian; Escala, Ivana; Lopez, Mike; Choban, Caleb; Jin, Yuhui; Iyer, Aishwarya; Tallis, Melisa; Suarez, Adrian; Sahi, Maitrayee

    2016-01-01

    Various observational and theoretical spectral libraries now exist for galaxies, stars, planets and other objects, which have proven useful for classification, interpretation, simulation and model development. Effective use of these libraries relies on analysis tools, which are often left to users to develop. In this poster, we describe a program to develop a combined spectral data repository and Python-based analysis toolkit for low-resolution spectra of very low mass dwarfs (late M, L and T dwarfs), which enables visualization, spectral index analysis, classification, atmosphere model comparison, and binary modeling for nearly 2000 library spectra and user-submitted data. The SpeX Prism Library Analysis Toolkit (SPLAT) is being constructed as a collaborative, student-centered, learning-through-research model with high school, undergraduate and graduate students and regional science teachers, who populate the database and build the analysis tools through quarterly challenge exercises and summer research projects. In this poster, I describe the design considerations of the toolkit, its current status and development plan, and report the first published results led by undergraduate students. The combined data and analysis tools are ideal for characterizing cool stellar and exoplanetary atmospheres (including direct exoplanetary spectra observations by Gemini/GPI, VLT/SPHERE, and JWST), and the toolkit design can be readily adapted for other spectral datasets as well.This material is based upon work supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. NNX15AI75G. SPLAT code can be found at https://github.com/aburgasser/splat.

  14. Micropollutants in urban receiving waters

    OpenAIRE

    Musolff, Andreas; Hunkeler, Daniel; Schirmer, Mario

    2010-01-01

    À ce jour, la moitié de la population mondiale vit à l’intérieur des villes. Cette utilisation du territoire a un énorme impact sur le bilan hydrique urbain. Non seulement la quantité de l’eau est désormais limitée mais sa qualité s’est également détériorée. Les micropolluants provenant des eaux usées domestiques et industrielles représentent une préoccupation grandissante. Malgré leur présence en faible concentration, ces micropolluants peuvent agir comme perturbateurs endocriniens et comme ...

  15. Elevated urinary levels of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines in patients with urinary tract infections measured by isotope dilution online SPE LC–MS/MS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu, Chiung-Wen; Shih, Ying-Ming; Liu, Hung-Hsin; Chiang, Yi-Chen; Chen, Chih-Ming; Chao, Mu-Rong

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Nine N-nitrosamines in urine were quantified by LC–MS/MS. • N-nitrosodiphenylamine was firstly identified in human urine. • UTI patients had much higher N-nitrosamines concentrations than healthy subjects. • N-nitrosamines were dramatically decreased after antibiotic treatment. • NDMA was correlated with the pH, WBC esterase activity or nitrite in UTI patients. - Abstract: N-nitrosamines (NAms) are well-documented for their carcinogenic potential. Human exposure to NAms may arise from the daily environment and endogenous formation via the reaction of secondary amines with nitrites or from bacteria infection. We describe the use of isotope dilution online solid-phase extraction (SPE) LC–MS/MS to quantify nine NAms in human urine. This method was validated and further applied to healthy subjects and patients with urinary tract infection (UTI). N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA), N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) and N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) were analyzed with an APCI source, while N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine (NDPA), N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA) and N-nitrosodiphenylamine (NDPhA) were quantified with an ESI source, due to their effect on the sensitivity and chromatography. NDMA was the most abundant N-nitrosamine, while NDPhA was firstly identified in human. UTI patients had three to twelve-fold higher concentrations for NDMA, NPIP, NDEA, NMOR and NDBA in urine than healthy subjects, and the NAms were significantly decreased after antibiotics treatment. NDMA concentrations were also significantly correlated with the pH value, leukocyte esterase activity or nitrite in urines of UTI patients. Our findings by online SPE LC–MS/MS method evidenced that UTI patients experienced various NAms exposures, especially the potent carcinogen NDMA, which was likely induced by bacteria infection.

  16. Elevated urinary levels of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines in patients with urinary tract infections measured by isotope dilution online SPE LC–MS/MS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Chiung-Wen [Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Shih, Ying-Ming [Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 500, Taiwan (China); Liu, Hung-Hsin [Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Chiang, Yi-Chen [Department of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian (China); Chen, Chih-Ming [Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Chao, Mu-Rong, E-mail: chaomurong@gmail.com [Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Department of Occupational Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China)

    2016-06-05

    Highlights: • Nine N-nitrosamines in urine were quantified by LC–MS/MS. • N-nitrosodiphenylamine was firstly identified in human urine. • UTI patients had much higher N-nitrosamines concentrations than healthy subjects. • N-nitrosamines were dramatically decreased after antibiotic treatment. • NDMA was correlated with the pH, WBC esterase activity or nitrite in UTI patients. - Abstract: N-nitrosamines (NAms) are well-documented for their carcinogenic potential. Human exposure to NAms may arise from the daily environment and endogenous formation via the reaction of secondary amines with nitrites or from bacteria infection. We describe the use of isotope dilution online solid-phase extraction (SPE) LC–MS/MS to quantify nine NAms in human urine. This method was validated and further applied to healthy subjects and patients with urinary tract infection (UTI). N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA), N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) and N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) were analyzed with an APCI source, while N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), N-nitrosodi-n-propylamine (NDPA), N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA) and N-nitrosodiphenylamine (NDPhA) were quantified with an ESI source, due to their effect on the sensitivity and chromatography. NDMA was the most abundant N-nitrosamine, while NDPhA was firstly identified in human. UTI patients had three to twelve-fold higher concentrations for NDMA, NPIP, NDEA, NMOR and NDBA in urine than healthy subjects, and the NAms were significantly decreased after antibiotics treatment. NDMA concentrations were also significantly correlated with the pH value, leukocyte esterase activity or nitrite in urines of UTI patients. Our findings by online SPE LC–MS/MS method evidenced that UTI patients experienced various NAms exposures, especially the potent carcinogen NDMA, which was likely induced by bacteria infection.

  17. Coupled Hydrodynamic and Wave Propagation Modeling for the Source Physics Experiment: Study of Rg Wave Sources for SPE and DAG series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larmat, C. S.; Delorey, A.; Rougier, E.; Knight, E. E.; Steedman, D. W.; Bradley, C. R.

    2017-12-01

    This presentation reports numerical modeling efforts to improve knowledge of the processes that affect seismic wave generation and propagation from underground explosions, with a focus on Rg waves. The numerical model is based on the coupling of hydrodynamic simulation codes (Abaqus, CASH and HOSS), with a 3D full waveform propagation code, SPECFEM3D. Validation datasets are provided by the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) which is a series of highly instrumented chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site with yields from 100kg to 5000kg. A first series of explosions in a granite emplacement has just been completed and a second series in alluvium emplacement is planned for 2018. The long-term goal of this research is to review and improve current existing seismic sources models (e.g. Mueller & Murphy, 1971; Denny & Johnson, 1991) by providing first principles calculations provided by the coupled codes capability. The hydrodynamic codes, Abaqus, CASH and HOSS, model the shocked, hydrodynamic region via equations of state for the explosive, borehole stemming and jointed/weathered granite. A new material model for unconsolidated alluvium materials has been developed and validated with past nuclear explosions, including the 10 kT 1965 Merlin event (Perret, 1971) ; Perret and Bass, 1975). We use the efficient Spectral Element Method code, SPECFEM3D (e.g. Komatitsch, 1998; 2002), and Geologic Framework Models to model the evolution of wavefield as it propagates across 3D complex structures. The coupling interface is a series of grid points of the SEM mesh situated at the edge of the hydrodynamic code domain. We will present validation tests and waveforms modeled for several SPE tests which provide evidence that the damage processes happening in the vicinity of the explosions create secondary seismic sources. These sources interfere with the original explosion moment and reduces the apparent seismic moment at the origin of Rg waves up to 20%.

  18. 3D Orthorhombic Elastic Wave Propagation Pre-Test Simulation of SPE DAG-1 Test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, R. P.; Preston, L. A.

    2017-12-01

    A more realistic representation of many geologic media can be characterized as a dense system of vertically-aligned microfractures superimposed on a finely-layered horizontal geology found in shallow crustal rocks. This seismic anisotropy representation lends itself to being modeled as an orthorhombic elastic medium comprising three mutually orthogonal symmetry planes containing nine independent moduli. These moduli can be determined by observing (or prescribing) nine independent P-wave and S-wave phase speeds along different propagation directions. We have developed an explicit time-domain finite-difference (FD) algorithm for simulating 3D elastic wave propagation in a heterogeneous orthorhombic medium. The components of the particle velocity vector and the stress tensor are governed by a set of nine, coupled, first-order, linear, partial differential equations (PDEs) called the velocity-stress system. All time and space derivatives are discretized with centered and staggered FD operators possessing second- and fourth-order numerical accuracy, respectively. Additionally, we have implemented novel perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundary conditions, specifically designed for orthorhombic media, to effectively suppress grid boundary reflections. In support of the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) Phase II, a series of underground chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site, the code has been used to perform pre-test estimates of the Dry Alluvium Geology - Experiment 1 (DAG-1). Based on literature searches, realistic geologic structure and values for orthorhombic P-wave and S-wave speeds have been estimated. Results and predictions from the simulations are presented.

  19. Une histoire d'hypophyse, évolution des représentations et des concepts au cours du temps.

    OpenAIRE

    JEDIDI, Haroun; JEDIDI, Zayd; BECKERS, Albert

    2014-01-01

    De par le rôle essentiel qu’il occupe, l’axe hypothalamo-hypophysaire, véritable chef d’orchestre du système endocrinien, constitue au niveau médical un important pourvoyeur de désordres. Il est assez paradoxal de constater que malgré l’importance de ce système, celui-ci ait été presque complètement méconnu par les physiologistes des siècles passés. En nous basant sur les conceptions physiologiques des médecins philosophes de l’antiquité puis du moyen-âge et de la renaissance nous tenterons d...

  20. Development and validation of methodology SPE-LC-MS/MS for pharmaceuticals and illicit drug determination in the waters of Guarapiranga dam - Sao Paulo/SP, Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    SHIHOMATSU, HELENA M.

    2015-01-01

    Este estudo apresenta o desenvolvimento da metodologia de extração em fase sólida e separação em cromatográfica líquida acoplada a espectrometria de massas em sequencia, SPE-LC-MS/MS, para a determinação de 21 (vinte e um) fármacos pertencentes a diferentes classes terapeuticas, 1 (uma) droga de abuso e seu principal metabólito, em amostras de água superficial. A separação cromatográfica foi otimizada estudando o desempenho de fases estacionárias e fases móvies. A quantificação dos compostos ...

  1. Phytochemical profile of aerial parts and roots of Wachendorfia thyrsiflora L. studied by LC-DAD-SPE-NMR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Jingjing; Kai, Marco; Schneider, Bernd

    2012-09-01

    Hyphenated liquid chromatography - diode array detection - solid phase extraction - nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (LC-DAD-SPE-NMR) was used to investigate the phytochemical composition of aerial parts and roots of Wachendorfia thyrsiflora (Haemodoraceae). Eleven phenylphenalenones and related compounds were identified in the aerial parts of the plant, ten compounds were found in the roots, and four additional compounds occurred in both plant parts. Twelve compounds are previously unreported natural products including five alkaloids (phenylbenzoisoquinolinones) are described here for the first time. In the work presented here, phenylphenalenones with an intact C(19) core structure were found only in the roots. Oxa analogs with a C(18)O scaffold occurred both in the roots and in the aerial plant parts, while most of the aza analogs with a C(18)N scaffold were detected in the aerial plant parts. This distribution pattern suggests that phenylphenalenones form in the roots, then the intact C(19) skeleton is converted into oxa analogs in the roots, translocated into the leaves and further reacted with amines or amino acids to form aza analogs (phenylbenzoisoquinolin-1,6-dione alkaloids). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. The combined SPE:ToxY-PAM phytotoxicity assay; application and appraisal of a novel biomonitoring tool for the aquatic environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bengtson Nash, S M; Schreiber, U; Ralph, P J; Müller, J F

    2005-01-15

    Mounting concerns regarding the environmental impact of herbicides has meant a growing requirement for accurate, timely information regarding herbicide residue contamination of, in particular, aquatic systems. Conventional methods of detection remain limited in terms of practicality due to high costs of operation and the specialised information that analysis provides. A new phytotoxicity bioassay was trialled for the detection of herbicide residues in filter-purified (Milli-Q) as well as natural waters. The performance of the system, which combines solid-phase extraction (SPE) with the ToxY-PAM dual-channel yield analyser (Heinz Walz GmbH), was tested alongside the traditional method of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The assay methodology was found to be highly sensitive (LOD 0.1 ng L(-1) diuron) with good reproducibility. The study showed that the assay protocol is time effective and can be employed for the aquatic screening of herbicide residues in purified as well as natural waters.

  3. A Fully Automated Radiosynthesis of [18F]Fluoroethyl-Diprenorphine on a Single Module by Use of SPE Cartridges for Preparation of High Quality 2-[18F]Fluoroethyl Tosylate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gjermund Henriksen

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available We have developed a new method for automated production of 2-[18F]fluoroethyl tosylate ([18F]FETos that enables 18F-alkylation to provide PET tracers with high chemical purity. The method is based on the removal of excess ethylene glycol bistosylate precursor by precipitation and subsequent filtration and purification of the filtrate by means of solid phase extraction cartridges (SPE. The method is integrated to a single synthesis module and thereby provides the advantage over previous methods of not requiring HPLC purification, as demonstrated by the full radiosynthesis of the potent opioid receptor PET tracer [18F]fluoroethyldiprenorphine.

  4. Identification of adulterants in a Chinese herbal medicine by LC-HRMS and LC-MS-SPE/NMR and comparative in vivo study with standards in a hypertensive rat model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kesting, Julie Regitze; Huang, JingQi; Sørensen, Dan

    2010-01-01

    Based on anecdotal evidence of anti-hypertensive effect of Gold Nine Soft Capsules, an in vivo study of this complex Chinese "herbal-based" medicine was initiated. Dosage of the content of Gold Nine capsules in spontaneous hypertensive rats showed a remarkably good effect. This led to further...... of a combination of commercially purchased standards was shown to be equivalent to that of the capsule content. Adulteration of herbal remedies and dietary supplements with synthetic drugs is an increasing problem that may lead to serious adverse effects. LC-MS-SPE/NMR as a method for the rapid identification...

  5. Targeted isolation and identification of bioactive compounds lowering cholesterol in the crude extracts of crabapples using UPLC-DAD-MS-SPE/NMR based on pharmacology-guided PLS-DA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Chao; Wang, Dongshan; Li, Xing; Huang, Tao; Huang, Cheng; Hu, Kaifeng

    2018-02-20

    The anti-hyperlipidemic effects of crude crabapple extracts derived from Malus 'Red jade', Malus hupehensis (Pamp.) Rehd. and Malus prunifolia (Willd.) Borkh. were evaluated on high-fat diet induced obese (HF DIO) mice. The results revealed that some of these extracts could lower serum cholesterol levels in HF DIO mice. The same extracts were also parallelly analyzed by LC-MS in both positive and negative ionization modes. Based on the pharmacological results, 22 LC-MS variables were identified to be correlated with the anti-hyperlipidemic effects using partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and independent samples t-test. Further, under the guidance of the bioactivity-correlated LC-MS signals, 10 compounds were targetedly isolated and enriched using UPLC-DAD-MS-SPE and identified/elucidated by NMR together with MS/MS as citric acid(1), p-coumaric acid(2), hyperoside(3), myricetin(4), naringenin(5), quercetin(6), kaempferol(7), gentiopicroside(8), ursolic acid(9) and 8-epiloganic acid(10). Among these 10 compounds, 6 compounds, hyperoside(3), myricetin(4), naringenin(5), quercetin(6), kaempferol(7) and ursolic acid(9), were individually studied and reported to indeed have effects on lowering the serum lipid levels. These results demonstrated the efficiency of this strategy for drug discovery. In contrast to traditional routes to discover bioactive compounds in the plant extracts, targeted isolation and identification of bioactive compounds in the crude plant extracts using UPLC-DAD-MS-SPE/NMR based on pharmacology-guided PLS-DA of LC-MS data brings forward a new efficient dereplicated approach to natural products research for drug discovery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. A rapid, solid phase extraction (SPE technique for the extraction and gas chromatographic determination lindane pesticide residue in tissue and milk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuningsih

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Organochlorine pesticide contamination in feed can cause residue in animal product (tissue and milk, so its become a problem in food safety. Solid phase extraction (SPE has been carried out for determination organochlorine pesticide residues in food animal production. The technique was rapid, not costly and produce limited amount of hazardous-waste. Samples were homogenized with acetonitrile trough cartridge C18, eluted in fluorocyl column with 2% ether-petroleum or acetonitrile fortissue and milk samples respectively. The recoveries of tissue sample by addition lindane standard solution: 0.50 and 1.00 μg are 85.10 and 103.10% respectively, while that of milk with the addition of 0.50, 1.00 and 1.50 μg are 83.80, 88.69 and 91.24% respectively. Three replicates were carried out for every sample. According of validation criteria of FAO/IAEA the recovery for analysis of pesticide residues was 70-110%. Therefore, the method is applicable.

  7. Determination of urinary aromatic amines in smokers and nonsmokers using a MIPs-SPE coupled with LC-MS/MS method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jingjing; Wang, Sheng; Zhao, Ge; Wang, Bing; Ding, Li; Zhang, Xiaobing; Xie, Jianping; Xie, Fuwei

    2014-05-01

    Urinary aromatic amines (AAs) could be used as biomarkers for human exposure to AAs in cigarette smoke. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of urinary AAs (i.e. 1-naphthylamine (1-NA), 2-naphthylamine (2-NA), 3-aminobiphenyl (3-ABP) and 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP)) in smokers and nonsmokers. A molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge was applied to purify urine samples and no derivatization reaction was involved. Each analytes used respective stable isotope internal standards, which could well compensate matrix effect. Lower limit of detections (LODs) for four AAs were obtained and in the range of 1.5-5ngL(-1). Recovery ranged from 87.7±4.5% to 111.3±6.4% and precision were less than 9.9%. The method was applied to analyze urine samples of 40 smokers and 10 nonsmokers. The 24h urinary excretion amounts of total AAs were higher for smokers compared with nonsmokers. What's more, 1-NA, 3-ABP and 4-ABP excretion amounts showed significant differences (p<0.05) between smokers and nonsmokers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Autism and urinary exogenous neuropeptides: development of an on-line SPE-HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry method to test the opioid excess theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dettmer, K; Hanna, D; Whetstone, P; Hansen, R; Hammock, B D

    2007-08-01

    Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with unknown etiology. One hypothesis regarding etiology in autism is the "opioid peptide excess" theory that postulates that excessive amounts of exogenous opioid-like peptides derived from dietary proteins are detectable in urine and that these compounds may be pathophysiologically important in autism. A selective LC-MS/MS method was developed to analyze gliadinomorphin, beta-casomorphin, deltorphin 1, and deltorphin 2 in urine. The method is based on on-line SPE extraction of the neuropeptides from urine, column switching, and subsequent HPLC analysis. A limit of detection of 0.25 ng/mL was achieved for all analytes. Analyte recovery rates from urine ranged between 78% and 94%, with relative standard deviations of 0.2-6.8%. The method was used to screen 69 urine samples from children with and without autism spectrum disorders for the occurrence of neuropeptides. The target neuropeptides were not detected above the detection limit in either sample set.

  9. Characterization of the metabolic transformation of thiamethoxam to clothianidin in Helicoverpa armigera larvae by SPE combined UPLC-MS/MS and its relationship with the toxicity of thiamethoxam to Helicoverpa armigera larvae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Yinjun; Shi, Xueyan

    2017-09-01

    In order to characterize the metabolic transformation of thiamethoxam (TMX) to clothianidin (CLO) in Helicoverpa armigera larvae and clarify its relationship with the insecticidal toxicity of TMX, method for determination of TMX and its metabolite clothianidin (CLO) residues in H. armigera larvae by solid phase extraction (SPE) combined UPLC-MS/MS was established. Following acetonitrile extraction and purification by SPE on florisil cartridge and C 18 cartridge sequently, and cleanup by PSA adsorption, TMX and CLO residues in H. armigera larvae were successfully determined by UPLC-MS/MS. By using the established method, the concentration-time curves of TMX and its metabolite CLO in H. armigera larvae in vivo and metabolism of TMX by microsome of H. armigera larvae midguts in vitro were studied. TMX was quickly eliminated from H. armigera larvae with the elimination half-life as 4.2h. Meanwhile, only a small amount of CLO was formed from TMX metabolism, with the maximum CLO level in H. armigera larvae only accounts for the metabolic transformation of 7.99% of TMX, at 10h after intravenous TMX administration. Our results suggested that the low insecticidal efficacy of TMX against H. armigera larvae was related with the rapidly elimination of TMX from H. armigera larvae, meanwhile, CLO as TMX metabolite at a very low level in vivo didn't contribute to TMX toxicity to H. armigera larvae. In H. armigera larvae, TMX didn't act as proinsecticide for CLO in insecticidal efficacy of TMX. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Optimization of a Pre-MEKC Separation SPE Procedure for Steroid Molecules in Human Urine Samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilona Olędzka

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Many steroid hormones can be considered as potential biomarkers and their determination in body fluids can create opportunities for the rapid diagnosis of many diseases and disorders of the human body. Most existing methods for the determination of steroids are usually time- and labor-consuming and quite costly. Therefore, the aim of analytical laboratories is to develop a new, relatively low-cost and rapid implementation methodology for their determination in biological samples. Due to the fact that there is little literature data on concentrations of steroid hormones in urine samples, we have made attempts at the electrophoretic determination of these compounds. For this purpose, an extraction procedure for the optimized separation and simultaneous determination of seven steroid hormones in urine samples has been investigated. The isolation of analytes from biological samples was performed by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE with dichloromethane and compared to solid phase extraction (SPE with C18 and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB columns. To separate all the analytes a micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECK technique was employed. For full separation of all the analytes a running buffer (pH 9.2, composed of 10 mM sodium tetraborate decahydrate (borax, 50 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, and 10% methanol was selected. The methodology developed in this work for the determination of steroid hormones meets all the requirements of analytical methods. The applicability of the method has been confirmed for the analysis of urine samples collected from volunteers—both men and women (students, amateur bodybuilders, using and not applying steroid doping. The data obtained during this work can be successfully used for further research on the determination of steroid hormones in urine samples.

  11. Sequential determination of {sup 239,240}Pu, {sup 238} Pu, {sup 241} Am and {sup 90}Sr in radioactive wastes using SPE sorbents Analig Pu02, AnaLig Sr01 and TRU Resin; Sekvencne stanovenie {sup 239,240}Pu, {sup 238} Pu, {sup 241} Am a {sup 90}Sr v radioaktivnych odpadoch pouzitim SPE sorbentov Analig Pu02, AnaLig Sr01 a TRU Resin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Durkot, E; Dulanska, S [Univerzita Komenskeho v Bratislave, Prirodovedecka fakulta, Katedra jadrovej chemie, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia)

    2012-04-25

    A simple and rapid method of the sequential determination of radionuclides {sup 239,240}Pu, {sup 238} Pu, {sup 241} Am and {sup 90}Sr in radioactive sludge from the NPP Bohunice A1 with high radiochemical yields and efficient removal of interfering components from a matrix was developed. Separation method combines SPE sorbents Analig Pu02, AnaLig Sr01 made by IBC Advanced Technologies and TRU Resin (Eichrom Technologies) placed in tandem. Advantage of a single-stage column located on the vacuum box with a rapid flow is an effective pre-concentration and separation of radionuclides and minimization of sample separation time. (authors)

  12. Two-phase flow behaviour during a medium size cold leg LOCA test on PMK-2 (IAEA SPE-4)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szabados, L.; Prasser, H.M.; Schaefer, F.

    1995-08-01

    The experiment to the IAEA standard problem exercise No. 4 was carried out in April 1993 on the integral test facility PMK-2 in Budapest. It was a 3.2 mm break on the downcomer hed. The high pressure injection cooling was assumed to be not available. As an accident management measure bleed and feed on the secondary side of the steam generator was applied. Research Center Rossendorf contributed to the experiment of SPE-4 by supplying needle shaped conductivity probes for the measurement of local void fractions in the primary circuit of the PMK-II test facility. In the course of the standard problem exercise No. 4 RCR contributed with posttest calculations using the thermalhydraulic code ATHLET. The report comprises a description of the initial and boundary conditions of the test (chapter 3) and a phenomenological description of the thermalhydraulic events during the transient (chapter 4). The void fraction probe signals yields valuable information for deeper understanding of the thermalhydraulic occurrences and for code validation. This was the case particularly for correction of the level measurement. In chapter 5 a description of the thermalhydraulic occurrences from the viewpoint of code verification is given and the results of RELAP5 (KFKI-AEKI) and of ATHLET-calculations (RCR) are compared. Referring to this description, the sensitivity of the result to main influences is investigated using the ATHLET-code. (orig.) [de

  13. Silica Modified with Polyaniline as a Potential Sorbent for Matrix Solid Phase Dispersion (MSPD) and Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction (d-SPE) of Plant Samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sowa, Ireneusz; Wójciak-Kosior, Magdalena; Strzemski, Maciej; Sawicki, Jan; Staniak, Michał; Dresler, Sławomir; Szwerc, Wojciech; Mołdoch, Jarosław; Latalski, Michał

    2018-01-01

    Polyaniline (PANI) is one of the best known conductive polymers with multiple applications. Recently, it was also used in separation techniques, mostly as a component of composites for solid-phase microextraction (SPME). In the present paper, sorbent obtained by in situ polymerization of aniline directly on silica gel particles (Si-PANI) was used for dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) and matrix solid–phase extraction (MSPD). The efficiency of both techniques was evaluated with the use of high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) quantitative analysis. The quality of the sorbent was verified by Raman spectroscopy and microscopy combined with automated procedure using computer image analysis. For extraction experiments, triterpenes were chosen as model compounds. The optimal conditions were as follows: protonated Si-PANI impregnated with water, 160/1 sorbent/analyte ratio, 3 min of extraction time, 4 min of desorption time and methanolic solution of ammonia for elution of analytes. The proposed procedure was successfully used for pretreatment of plant samples. PMID:29565297

  14. High-Resolution Inhibition Profiling Combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR for Identification of PTP1B Inhibitors from Vietnamese Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trinh, Binh Thi Dieu; Jäger, Anna K; Staerk, Dan

    2017-07-20

    Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) plays a key role as a negative regulator in insulin signal transduction by deactivating the insulin receptor. Thus, PTP1B inhibition has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy for curing insulin resistance. In this study, 40 extracts from 18 different plant species were investigated for PTP1B inhibitory activity in vitro. The most promising one, the EtOAc extract of Ficus racemosa , was investigated by high-resolution PTP1B inhibition profiling combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR analysis. This led to the identification of isoderrone ( 1 ), derrone ( 2 ), alpinumisoflavone ( 3 ) and mucusisoflavone B ( 4 ) as PTP1B inhibitors. IC 50 of these compounds were 22.7 ± 1.7, 12.6 ± 1.6, 21.2 ± 3.8 and 2.5 ± 0.2 µM, respectively. Kinetics analysis revealed that these compounds inhibited PTP1B non-competitively with K i values of 21.3 ± 2.8, 7.9 ± 1.9, 14.3 ± 2.0, and 3.0 ± 0.5 µM, respectively. These findings support the important role of F. racemosa as a novel source of new drugs and/or as a herbal remedy for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

  15. High-Resolution Inhibition Profiling Combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR for Identification of PTP1B Inhibitors from Vietnamese Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binh Thi Dieu Trinh

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B plays a key role as a negative regulator in insulin signal transduction by deactivating the insulin receptor. Thus, PTP1B inhibition has emerged as a potential therapeutic strategy for curing insulin resistance. In this study, 40 extracts from 18 different plant species were investigated for PTP1B inhibitory activity in vitro. The most promising one, the EtOAc extract of Ficus racemosa, was investigated by high-resolution PTP1B inhibition profiling combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR analysis. This led to the identification of isoderrone (1, derrone (2, alpinumisoflavone (3 and mucusisoflavone B (4 as PTP1B inhibitors. IC50 of these compounds were 22.7 ± 1.7, 12.6 ± 1.6, 21.2 ± 3.8 and 2.5 ± 0.2 µM, respectively. Kinetics analysis revealed that these compounds inhibited PTP1B non-competitively with Ki values of 21.3 ± 2.8, 7.9 ± 1.9, 14.3 ± 2.0, and 3.0 ± 0.5 µM, respectively. These findings support the important role of F. racemosa as a novel source of new drugs and/or as a herbal remedy for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

  16. Synthesis of chelating agent free-solid phase extractor (CAF-SPE) based on new SiO2/Al2O3/SnO2 ternary oxide and application for online preconcentration of Pb2+ coupled with FAAS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tarley, César R.T.; Scheel, Guilherme L.; Zappielo, Caroline D.; Suquila, Fabio A.C.; Ribeiro, Emerson S.

    2018-01-01

    A new online solid phase preconcentration method using the new SiO 2 /Al2O 3 /SnO 2 ternary oxide (designated as SiAlSn) as chelating agent free-solid phase extractor (CAF-SPE) coupled to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) for Pb 2+ determination at trace levels in different kind of samples is proposed. The solid adsorbent has been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and textural data. The method involves the preconcentration using time-based sampling of Pb 2+ solution at pH 4.3 through 100.0 mg of packed adsorbed into a mini-column under flow rate of 4.0 mL min -1 during 5 min. The elution step was accomplished by using 1.0 mol L -1 HCl. A wide range of analytical curve (5.0-400.0 μg L -1 ), high enrichment factor (40.5), low consumption index (0.5 mL) and low limits of quantification and detection, 5.0 and 1.5 μg L -1 , respectively, were obtained with the developed method. Practical application of method was tested on water samples, chocolate powder, Ginkgo biloba and sediment (certified reference material). On the basis of the results, the SiAlSn can be considered an effective adsorbent belonging to the class of CAF-SPE for Pb 2+ determination from different matrices. (author)

  17. Application of oxide fine-mesh electrodes composed of Sb-SnO2 for the electrochemical oxidation of Cibacron Marine FG using an SPE filter-press reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Da Silva, Leonardo M.; Gonçalves, Ismael C.; Teles, José J.S.; Franco, Débora V.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Oxide fine-mesh electrodes composed of Sb-SnO 2 (OFM-Sb-SnO 2 ) were fabricated and applied to the decolourisation and mineralisation of dye solutions using an SPE filter-press reactor. • An electrode mechanism was proposed for the irreversible parallel reactions comprising the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the electrochemical advanced oxidation process (EAOP) during the electrolysis of electrolyte-free dye solutions. • The reduction in current efficiency for the OER during the oxidation of Cibacron Marine FG (CMFG) increased the electrode stability. - Abstract: Oxide fine-mesh electrodes composed of tin dioxide doped with antimony (OFM-Sb-SnO 2 ), which had different percentages of Sb, were prepared using the thermal decomposition method on a stainless steel fine-mesh support for application in a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) filter-press reactor. The electrochemical oxidation of Cibacron ® Marine FG (CMFG) was carried out during recirculation through a plug-flow reactor, using electrolyte-free dye solutions. An influence of the Sb content on the electrochemical oxidation of CMFG was verified. The highest combustion rate of CMFG was obtained using an electrode containing 6.57 mol% Sb. Studies were carried out as a function of the initial dye concentration (IDC) and the applied current density (j) for this particular electrode composition. It was verified that the decolourisation and mineralisation reactions were affected considerably by IDC and j. In trying to interpret the experimental findings, an electrode mechanism was proposed for the irreversible parallel reactions comprising the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the advanced oxidation process (EAOP). The instantaneous current efficiency (ICE) for the mineralisation reaction was calculated for the different cases using the average mass-transport coefficient () and the initial limiting current (j L 0 ) values. The energy consumption (EC) was also calculated for the

  18. Analytical method for the determination of atrazine and its dealkylated chlorotriazine metabolites in water using SPE sample preparation and GC-MSD analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Sung-Ben; Stanton, Jeffrey S; Lin, Yi; Yokley, Robert A

    2003-12-03

    A method is reported for the determination of atrazine and its dealkylated chlorotriazine metabolites in ground, surface, and deionized water. Water samples are adjusted to pH 3-4 prior to loading onto two SPE cartridges in series: C-18 and C-18/cation exchange mixed-mode polymeric phases. The analytes are eluted from each of the two cartridges separately, and the pooled and concentrated fraction is analyzed using gas chromatography-mass selective detection in the selected ion monitoring mode. The lower limit of method validation is 0.10 micrograms/L (ppb) for 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (atrazine), 2-amino-4-chloro-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (G-30033, deethylatrazine), 2-amino-4-chloro-6-(ethylamino)-s-triazine (G-28279, deisopropylatrazine), and 2,4-diamino-6-chloro-s-triazine (G-28273, didealkyatrazine). The overall mean procedural recoveries (and standard deviations) are 96 (6.9), 96 (5.5), 95 (6.8), and 100% (10%) for atrazine, G-30033, G-28279, and G-28273, respectively (n = 49). The method validation study was conducted under U.S. EPA FIFRA Good Laboratory Practice Guidelines 40 CFR 160. The reported procedure accounts for residues of G-28273 in water.

  19. Generating and Purifying Fab Fragments from Human and Mouse IgG Using the Bacterial Enzymes IdeS, SpeB and Kgp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sjögren, Jonathan; Andersson, Linda; Mejàre, Malin; Olsson, Fredrik

    2017-01-01

    Fab fragments are valuable research tools in various areas of science including applications in imaging, binding studies, removal of Fc-mediated effector functions, mass spectrometry, infection biology, and many others. The enzymatic tools for the generation of Fab fragments have been discovered through basic research within the field of molecular bacterial pathogenesis. Today, these enzymes are widely applied as research tools and in this chapter, we describe methodologies based on bacterial enzymes to generate Fab fragments from both human and mouse IgG. For all human IgG subclasses, the IdeS enzyme from Streptococcus pyogenes has been applied to generate F(ab')2 fragments that subsequently can be reduced under mild conditions to generate a homogenous pool of Fab' fragments. The enzyme Kgp from Porphyromonas gingivalis has been applied to generate intact Fab fragments from human IgG1 and the Fab fragments can be purified using a CH1-specific affinity resin. The SpeB protease, also from S. pyogenes, is able to digest mouse IgGs and has been applied to digest antibodies and Fab fragments can be purified on light chain affinity resins. In this chapter, we describe methodologies that can be used to obtain Fab fragments from human and mouse IgG using bacterial proteases.

  20. Simultaneous determination of 30 hormones illegally added to anti-ageing functional foods using UPLC-MS/MS coupled with SPE clean-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xiaoqin; Xi, Cunxian; Tang, Bobin; Wang, Guomin; Chen, Dongdong; Peng, Tao; Mu, Zhaode

    2014-01-01

    A novel analytical method employing solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 30 hormones in anti-ageing functional foods (capsules, powders and tablets). The analytes were extracted with acetic acid-acetonitrile (1-99 v/v), methanol and acetone, respectively. The extract was purified using a combined column, followed by analyte detection with electrospray ionisation in positive- or negative-ion modes. The results indicated that the 30 compounds had good linear correlations in the range of 1-1000 μg kg⁻¹, and the correlation coefficients were above 0.99. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.03-2 and 0.1-5 μg kg⁻¹, respectively. The average recovery of 30 compounds at the three spiked levels varied from 74.7% to 124.1%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 2.4-15.0%. This method was applied to the analysis of hormones in 14 real samples of which seven hormones (such as estrone, dienestrol) were detected in four samples, but the remainder of the hormones were not detected. The developed method is sensitive, efficient, reliable and applicable to real samples.

  1. Proceedings of ITOHOS 2008 : The 2008 SPE/PS/CHOA International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium : Heavy Oil : Integrating the Pieces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-10-01

    This multi-disciplinary conference and exhibition combined the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the Petroleum Society's (PS) international thermal operations and heavy oil symposium, and the Canadian Heavy Oil Association's (CHOA) annual business meeting. The conference provided a forum to examine emerging technologies and other critical issues affecting the global heavy oil and bitumen industry. The most current technologies from around the world that enhance the recovery of heavy oil and bitumen from oil sand deposits were also showcased. The technical program encompassed the economic, technical, and environmental challenges that the petroleum industry is currently facing. The sessions of the conference were entitled: artificial lift; mining, extraction and cold production; simulation; solvent processes; reservoir characterization; steam generation and water treatment; and, in-situ combustion in Canada. The conference also featured a series of short courses and tutorials on heavy oil wellbore completions and design; drilling horizontal heavy oil wells and steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) wells; geomechanical based reservoir monitoring; thermal well design; fiber optic thermal monitoring; heavy oil thermal recovery and economics; wellbore slotting; advanced geomechanics; and, an overview of cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS). All 91 presentations from the conference have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

  2. Proceedings of ITOHOS 2008 : The 2008 SPE/PS/CHOA International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium : Heavy Oil : Integrating the Pieces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2008-10-15

    This multi-disciplinary conference and exhibition combined the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the Petroleum Society's (PS) international thermal operations and heavy oil symposium, and the Canadian Heavy Oil Association's (CHOA) annual business meeting. The conference provided a forum to examine emerging technologies and other critical issues affecting the global heavy oil and bitumen industry. The most current technologies from around the world that enhance the recovery of heavy oil and bitumen from oil sand deposits were also showcased. The technical program encompassed the economic, technical, and environmental challenges that the petroleum industry is currently facing. The sessions of the conference were entitled: artificial lift; mining, extraction and cold production; simulation; solvent processes; reservoir characterization; steam generation and water treatment; and, in-situ combustion in Canada. The conference also featured a series of short courses and tutorials on heavy oil wellbore completions and design; drilling horizontal heavy oil wells and steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) wells; geomechanical based reservoir monitoring; thermal well design; fiber optic thermal monitoring; heavy oil thermal recovery and economics; wellbore slotting; advanced geomechanics; and, an overview of cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS). All 91 presentations from the conference have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs.

  3. Silica Modified with Polyaniline as a Potential Sorbent for Matrix Solid Phase Dispersion (MSPD and Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction (d-SPE of Plant Samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ireneusz Sowa

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Polyaniline (PANI is one of the best known conductive polymers with multiple applications. Recently, it was also used in separation techniques, mostly as a component of composites for solid-phase microextraction (SPME. In the present paper, sorbent obtained by in situ polymerization of aniline directly on silica gel particles (Si-PANI was used for dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE and matrix solid–phase extraction (MSPD. The efficiency of both techniques was evaluated with the use of high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD quantitative analysis. The quality of the sorbent was verified by Raman spectroscopy and microscopy combined with automated procedure using computer image analysis. For extraction experiments, triterpenes were chosen as model compounds. The optimal conditions were as follows: protonated Si-PANI impregnated with water, 160/1 sorbent/analyte ratio, 3 min of extraction time, 4 min of desorption time and methanolic solution of ammonia for elution of analytes. The proposed procedure was successfully used for pretreatment of plant samples.

  4. Caracterización molecular de Streptococcus pyogenes causantes de enfermedad invasora y síndrome de shock tóxico estreptocócico Molecular characterization of Streptococcus pyogenes from invasive disease and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome episodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Traverso

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Streptococcus pyogenes es el agente causal de varias enfermedades comunes entre las que se incluyen la faringoamigdalitis, la escarlatina y el impétigo. Sin embargo, en las últimas décadas se ha registrado mundialmente un resurgimiento de casos de enfermedad invasora y síndrome de shock tóxico estreptocócico (SSTE. El propósito del presente trabajo fue estudiar la diversidad genética, los factores de virulencia (genes spe, sme, ssa y la sensibilidad a los antibióticos de 10 cepas de S. pyogenes causantes de enfermedad invasora y SSTE. Los aislamientos fueron recuperados de hemocultivos de pacientes internados en el Hospital Santamarina y en la Nueva Clínica Chacabuco (Tandil, Argentina entre diciembre de 2000 y abril de 2005. Predominaron 2 patrones de electroforesis en campo pulsante. El más frecuente comprendió 5 aislamientos del tipo emm1-T1, con perfil de toxinas speA, speB, speF, speG y smeZ. El segundo patrón más frecuente incluyó 2 aislamientos tipo emm3-TNT (speB, speF, speG. Estos dos tipos (emm1 y emm3 fueron los prevalentes en las infecciones invasoras. Las otras tres cepas correspondieron a los tipos emm49-TNT (speB, speC, speF, speG, emm75-T25 (speB, speF, speG y emm83-TNT (speB, speF, speG, ssa, smeZ. Se encontró diversidad genética entre las cepas aisladas, pero todos los aislamientos fueron sensibles a penicilina, cefotaxima, eritromicina, clindamicina, cloranfenicol, tetraciclina y rifampicina. Por tal motivo, aún es válido el tratamiento empírico con penicilina asociada a clindamicina.Streptococcus pyogenes causes a variety of common human diseases, including pharyngitis, scarlet fever and impetigo. Nevertheless, the past decades have witnessed a worldwide resurgence in invasive disease and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the genetic diversity, virulence gene distribution (spe, sme and ssa genes and susceptibility pattern of 10 S. pyogenes isolates

  5. High-resolution bioactivity profiling combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR: α-Glucosidase inhibitors and acetylated ellagic acid rhamnosides from Myrcia palustris DC. (Myrtaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wubshet, Sileshi G; Moresco, Henrique H; Tahtah, Yousof; Brighente, Inês M C; Staerk, Dan

    2015-08-01

    Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an endocrine metabolic disease with a worldwide prevalence of more than 8%, and an expected increase close to 50% in the next 15-20years. T2D is associated with severe and life-threatening complications like retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, and cardiovascular diseases, and therefore improved drug leads or functional foods containing α-glucosidase inhibitors are needed for management of blood glucose. In this study, leaves of Myrcia palustris were investigated by high-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition profiling combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR. This led to identification of casuarinin, myricetin 3-O-β-d-(6″-galloyl)galactopyranoside, kaempferol 3-O-β-d-galactopyranoside, myricetin, and quercetin as α-glucosidase inhibitors. In addition, four acetylated ellagic acid rhamnosides, i.e., 4-O-(2″,4″-O-diacetyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)ellagic acid, 4-O-(2″,3″-O-diacetyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)ellagic acid, 4-O-(3″,4″-O-diacetyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)ellagic acid, and 4-O-(2″,3″,4″-O-triacetyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)ellagic acid were identified. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Separation and identification of phenolic compounds of extra virgin olive oil from Olea europaea L. by HPLC-DAD-SPE-NMR/MS. Identification of a new diastereoisomer of the aldehydic form of oleuropein aglycone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Trujillo, Míriam; Gómez-Caravaca, Ana María; Segura-Carretero, Antonio; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Alberto; Parella, Teodor

    2010-08-25

    The phenolic fraction of a monovarietal extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) from Olea europaea L. var. Cornezuelo was studied by the hyphenated HPLC-DAD-SPE-NMR/MS techniques. This survey led to the identification of 25 main compounds. One was identified as a new diastereoisomer of the aldehydic form of oleuropein aglycone (AOA) and characterized by 1D and 2D NMR techniques. The relative configuration of this new AOA was determined as 5R*,8S*,9S* on the basis of the results obtained from the combination of NOE experiments and Monte Carlo conformational search calculations. Assuming, as for the described diastereoisomers, that the new AOA comes from the natural oleuropein aglycone (OA), the absolute configuration was proposed as 5S,8R,9R.

  7. SPE coupled to AAS trace determination of Cd(II) and Zn(II) in food samples using amine functionalized GMA-MMA-EGDMA terpolymer: Isotherm and kinetic studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Aminul; Kumar, Suneel; Zaidi, Noushi; Ahmad, Hilal

    2016-12-15

    An ethylenediamine functionalized glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) based terpolymeric chelating resin was synthesized for the separation and preconcentration of Cd(II) and Zn(II) by SPE from bread, rice and fruit juice prior to FAAS determination. The resin was characterized by FT-IR, TGA/DTA, SEM, BET analysis and EDS. Synthesized resin shows a good capacity of 53.96mgg(-1) for Cd(II) and 24.19mgg(-1) for Zn(II) at pH 8.0. Five isotherm equilibrium models were studied to explain the sorption phenomenon out of which Langmuir, Dubinin-Radushkevich, Scatchard and Temkin models were found to be the best fitted. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were observed to be 1.5 and 5.1μgL(-1) for Cd and 1.2 and 4.1μgL(-1) for Zn. The reliability of the method was investigated by the analysis of SRM and the recovery of analytes from various spiked food samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Synthesis of chelating agent free-solid phase extractor (CAF-SPE) based on new SiO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SnO{sub 2} ternary oxide and application for online preconcentration of Pb{sup 2+} coupled with FAAS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tarley, César R.T.; Scheel, Guilherme L.; Zappielo, Caroline D.; Suquila, Fabio A.C., E-mail: ctarleyquim@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), PR (Brazil). Dept. de Química; Ribeiro, Emerson S. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Grupo LaDANM

    2018-05-01

    A new online solid phase preconcentration method using the new SiO{sub 2}/Al2O{sub 3}/SnO{sub 2} ternary oxide (designated as SiAlSn) as chelating agent free-solid phase extractor (CAF-SPE) coupled to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) for Pb{sup 2+} determination at trace levels in different kind of samples is proposed. The solid adsorbent has been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and textural data. The method involves the preconcentration using time-based sampling of Pb{sup 2+} solution at pH 4.3 through 100.0 mg of packed adsorbed into a mini-column under flow rate of 4.0 mL min{sup -1} during 5 min. The elution step was accomplished by using 1.0 mol L{sup -1} HCl. A wide range of analytical curve (5.0-400.0 μg L{sup -1}), high enrichment factor (40.5), low consumption index (0.5 mL) and low limits of quantification and detection, 5.0 and 1.5 μg L{sup -1}, respectively, were obtained with the developed method. Practical application of method was tested on water samples, chocolate powder, Ginkgo biloba and sediment (certified reference material). On the basis of the results, the SiAlSn can be considered an effective adsorbent belonging to the class of CAF-SPE for Pb{sup 2+} determination from different matrices. (author)

  9. SpeX spectroscopy of unresolved very low mass binaries. II. Identification of 14 candidate binaries with late-M/early-L and T dwarf components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bardalez Gagliuffi, Daniella C.; Burgasser, Adam J.; Nicholls, Christine P.; Gelino, Christopher R.; Looper, Dagny L.; Schmidt, Sarah J.; Cruz, Kelle; West, Andrew A.; Gizis, John E.; Metchev, Stanimir

    2014-01-01

    Multiplicity is a key statistic for understanding the formation of very low mass (VLM) stars and brown dwarfs. Currently, the separation distribution of VLM binaries remains poorly constrained at small separations (≤1 AU), leading to uncertainty in the overall binary fraction. We approach this problem by searching for late-M/early-L plus T dwarf spectral binaries whose combined light spectra exhibit distinct peculiarities, allowing for separation-independent identification. We define a set of spectral indices designed to identify these systems, and we use a spectral template fitting method to confirm and characterize spectral binary candidates from a library of 815 spectra from the SpeX Prism Spectral Libraries. We present 11 new binary candidates, confirm 3 previously reported candidates, and rule out 2 previously identified candidates, all with primary and secondary spectral types in the range M7-L7 and T1-T8, respectively. We find that subdwarfs and blue L dwarfs are the primary contaminants in our sample and propose a method for segregating these sources. If confirmed by follow-up observations, these systems may add to the growing list of tight separation binaries, whose orbital properties may yield further insight into brown dwarf formation scenarios.

  10. Methylglyoxal synthase regulates cell elongation via alterations of cellular methylglyoxal and spermidine content in Bacillus subtilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Sang-Min; Song, Sung-Hyun; Lee, Jin-Woo; Kwak, Min-Kyu; Kang, Sa-Ouk

    2017-10-01

    Methylglyoxal regulates cell division and differentiation through its interaction with polyamines. Loss of their biosynthesizing enzyme causes physiological impairment and cell elongation in eukaryotes. However, the reciprocal effects of methylglyoxal and polyamine production and its regulatory metabolic switches on morphological changes in prokaryotes have not been addressed. Here, Bacillus subtilis methylglyoxal synthase (mgsA) and polyamine biosynthesizing genes encoding arginine decarboxylase (SpeA), agmatinase (SpeB), and spermidine synthase (SpeE), were disrupted or overexpressed. Treatment of 0.2mM methylglyoxal and 1mM spermidine led to the elongation and shortening of B. subtilis wild-type cells to 12.38±3.21μm (P<0.05) and 3.24±0.73μm (P<0.01), respectively, compared to untreated cells (5.72±0.68μm). mgsA-deficient (mgsA - ) and -overexpressing (mgsA OE ) mutants also demonstrated cell shortening and elongation, similar to speB- and speE-deficient (speB - and speE - ) and -overexpressing (speB OE and speE OE ) mutants. Importantly, both mgsA-depleted speB OE and speE OE mutants (speB OE /mgsA - and speE OE /mgsA - ) were drastically shortened to 24.5% and 23.8% of parental speB OE and speE OE mutants, respectively. These phenotypes were associated with reciprocal alterations of mgsA and polyamine transcripts governed by the contents of methylglyoxal and spermidine, which are involved in enzymatic or genetic metabolite-control mechanisms. Additionally, biophysically detected methylglyoxal-spermidine Schiff bases did not affect morphogenesis. Taken together, the findings indicate that methylglyoxal triggers cell elongation. Furthermore, cells with methylglyoxal accumulation commonly exhibit an elongated rod-shaped morphology through upregulation of mgsA, polyamine genes, and the global regulator spx, as well as repression of the cell division and shape regulator, FtsZ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Combining results of two GC separations partly achieves determination of all cis and trans 16:1, 18:1, 18:2 and 18:3 except CLA isomers of milk fat as demonstrated using Ag-ion SPE fractionation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kramer, John K G; Hernandez, Marta; Cruz-Hernandez, Cristina; Kraft, Jana; Dugan, Michael E R

    2008-03-01

    Milk fat is a complex mixture of geometric and positional isomers of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, including short-, long- and branch-chain fatty acids (FAs). There has been partial success to resolve this mixture of FAs using different GC temperature programs, or a combination of GC isothermal and temperature programs. To overcome the problem associated with overlapping isomers prior silver-ion separation was recommended. However, this procedure is time consuming and not practical for routine analysis. In addition, previous methods focused mainly on the trans and cis isomers of 18:1. The present method takes advantage of differences in the relative elution times between different types of FAs. The method involved analyzing each milk fat using the same highly polar 100-m capillary column and GC instrument, and conducting two separations using temperature programs that plateau at 175 and 150 degrees C. The relative shift among the geometric and positional isomers at these two temperature settings was enough to permit identification of most of the trans and cis 16:1, 18:1 and 20:1, the c/t-18:2 and the c/c/t-18:3 isomers found in milk fat. The identity of these FAs was confirmed by prior separation of the total fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) of milk fat using Ag(+)-SPE columns, and comparing the fractions to the total milk fat. The Ag(+)-SPE technique was modified to obtain pure saturated, trans- and cis-monounsaturated and diunsaturated FAMEs. By combining the results from these two separate GC analyses, knowing the elution order, it was possible to determine most of the geometric and positional isomers of 16:1, 18:1, 20:1, 18:2 and 18:3 without a prior silver-ion separation. Only few minor FAs could not be resolved, notable the conjugated linoleic acid isomers that still required the complimentary Ag(+)-HPLC separation. The two GC temperature programs have been successfully used to routinely analyze most FA isomers in total milk and beef fats in about 200

  12. Evaluation of Offline Tandem and Online Solid-Phase Extraction with Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry for Analysis of Antibiotics in Ambient Water and Comparison to an Independent Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, M.T.; Lee, E.A.; Ferrell, G.M.; Bumgarner, J.E.; Varns, Jerry

    2007-01-01

    This report describes the performance of an offline tandem solid-phase extraction (SPE) method and an online SPE method that use liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for the analysis of 23 and 35 antibiotics, respectively, as used in several water-quality surveys conducted since 1999. In the offline tandem SPE method, normalized concentrations for the quinolone, macrolide, and sulfonamide antibiotics in spiked environmental samples averaged from 81 to 139 percent of the expected spiked concentrations. A modified standard-addition technique was developed to improve the quantitation of the tetracycline antibiotics, which had 'apparent' concentrations that ranged from 185 to 1,200 percent of their expected spiked concentrations in matrix-spiked samples. In the online SPE method, normalized concentrations for the quinolone, macrolide, sulfonamide, and tetracycline antibiotics in matrix-spiked samples averaged from 51 to 142 percent of their expected spiked concentrations, and the beta-lactam antibiotics in matrix-spiked samples averaged from 22 to 76 percent of their expected spiked concentration. Comparison of 44 samples analyzed by both the offline tandem SPE and online SPE methods showed 50 to 100 percent agreement in sample detection for overlapping analytes and 68 to 100 percent agreement in a presence-absence comparison for all analytes. The offline tandem and online SPE methods were compared to an independent method that contains two overlapping antibiotic compounds, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, for 96 and 44 environmental samples, respectively. The offline tandem SPE showed 86 and 92 percent agreement in sample detection and 96 and 98 percent agreement in a presence-absence comparison for sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, respectively. The online SPE method showed 57 and 56 percent agreement in sample detection and 72 and 91 percent agreement in presence-absence comparison for sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, respectively. A linear regression with

  13. Quantification of isoflavones in coffee by using solid phase extraction (SPE) and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caprioli, Giovanni; Navarini, Luciano; Cortese, Manuela; Ricciutelli, Massimo; Torregiani, Elisabetta; Vittori, Sauro; Sagratini, Gianni

    2016-09-01

    A new method for extracting isoflavones from espresso coffee (EC) was coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for the first time to analyse five isoflavones, which included both a glycosilated form, genistin and the aglycons daidzein, genistein, formononetin and biochanin A. Isoflavones were extracted from coffee samples using methanol, stored in a freezer overnight to precipitate proteic or lipidic residues and purified on SPE C18 cartridges before high-performance liquid chromatography-MS/MS analysis. The recovery percentages obtained by spiking the matrix at concentrations of 10 and 100 µg l(-1) with a standard mixture of isoflavones were in the range of 70 to 104%. The limits of detection and limits of quantification were in the range of 0.015-0.3 µg l(-1) and 0.05-1 µg l(-1) , respectively. Once validated, the method was used to analyze the concentrations of isoflavones in six ECs and ten ground coffee samples. Only formononetin and biochanin A were found, and their respective concentrations ranged from 0.36 to 0.41 µg l(-1) and from 0.58 to 3.26 µg l(-1) in ECs and from 0.36 to 4.27 µg kg(-1) and from 0.71 to 3.95 µg kg(-1) in ground coffees. This method confirms the high specificity and selectivity of MS/MS systems for detecting bioactives in complex matrices such as coffee.Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Silver-coated ion exchange membrane electrode applied to electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hori, Y.; Ito, H.; Okano, K.; Nagasu, K.; Sato, S.

    2003-01-01

    Silver-coated ion exchange membrane electrodes (solid polymer electrolyte, SPE) were prepared by electroless deposition of silver onto ion exchange membranes. The SPE electrodes were used for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) reduction with 0.2 M K 2 SO 4 as the electrolyte with a platinum plate (Pt) for the counterelectrode. In an SPE electrode system prepared from a cation exchange membrane (CEM), the surface of the SPE was partly ruptured during CO 2 reduction, and the reaction was rapidly suppressed. SPE electrodes made of an anion exchange membrane (SPE/AEM) sustained reduction of CO 2 to CO for more than 2 h, whereas, the electrode potential shifted negatively during the electrolysis. The reaction is controlled by the diffusion of CO 2 through the metal layer of the SPE electrode at high current density. Ultrasonic radiation, applied to the preparation of SPE/AEM, was effective to improve the electrode properties, enhancing the electrolysis current of CO 2 reduction. Observation by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that the electrode metal layer became more porous by the ultrasonic radiation treatment. The partial current density of CO 2 reduction by SPE/AEM amounted to 60 mA cm -2 , i.e. three times the upper limit of the conventional electrolysis by a plate electrode. Application of SPE device may contribute to an advancement of CO 2 fixation at ambient temperature and pressure

  15. Current status of environmental, health, and safety issues of lithium polymer electric vehicle batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corbus, D; Hammel, C J

    1995-02-01

    Lithium solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) batteries are being investigated by researchers worldwide as a possible energy source for future electric vehicles (EVs). One of the main reasons for interest in lithium SPE battery systems is the potential safety features they offer as compared to lithium battery systems using inorganic and organic liquid electrolytes. However, the development of lithium SPE batteries is still in its infancy, and the technology is not envisioned to be ready for commercialization for several years. Because the research and development (R&D) of lithium SPE battery technology is of a highly competitive nature, with many companies both in the United States and abroad pursuing R&D efforts, much of the information concerning specific developments of lithium SPE battery technology is proprietary. This report is based on information available only through the open literature (i.e., information available through library searches). Furthermore, whereas R&D activities for lithium SPE cells have focused on a number of different chemistries, for both electrodes and electrolytes, this report examines the general environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) issues common to many lithium SPE chemistries. However, EH&S issues for specific lithium SPE cell chemistries are discussed when sufficient information exists. Although lithium batteries that do not have a SPE are also being considered for EV applications, this report focuses only on those lithium battery technologies that utilize the SPE technology. The lithium SPE battery technologies considered in this report may contain metallic lithium or nonmetallic lithium compounds (e.g., lithium intercalated carbons) in the negative electrode.

  16. Effects of saw palmetto extract on micturition reflex of rats and its autonomic receptor binding activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oki, Tomomi; Suzuki, Mayumi; Nishioka, Yasuhiko; Yasuda, Akio; Umegaki, Keizo; Yamada, Shizuo

    2005-04-01

    We examined the effects of saw palmetto extract (SPE) on the rat micturition reflex and on autonomic receptors in the lower urinary tract. The effect of SPE was examined on cystometrograms of anesthetized rats induced by intravesical infusion of saline or 0.1% acetic acid. SHR/NDmc-cp (cp/cp) rats received repeat oral administration of SPE and nighttime urodynamic function was determined. The autonomic receptor binding activity of SPE in the rat bladder and prostate was examined by radioligand binding assay. Intraduodenal administration of SPE (60 mg/kg) in anesthetized rat cystometry caused a significant increase in the micturition interval, micturition volume and bladder capacity during intravesical saline infusion. Also, similar administration of SPE at doses of 12 and 20 mg/kg significantly reversed the shortened micturition interval as well as the decreased micturition volume and bladder capacity due to 0.1% acetic acid infusion in a dose dependent manner. In conscious SHR/NDmc-cp (cp/cp) rats repeat oral administration of SPE (6 mg/kg daily) constantly increased the micturition interval and concomitantly decreased voiding frequency. SPE inhibited specific binding of [H]NMS ([N-methyl-H]scopolamine methyl chloride) (bladder) and [H]prazosin (prostate) with IC50 values of 46.1 and 183 microg/ml, respectively. SPE significantly alleviates urodynamic symptoms in hyperactive rat bladders by increasing bladder capacity and subsequently prolonging the micturition interval. Our data may support the clinical efficacy of SPE for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms.

  17. Extraction optimization and pixel-based chemometric analysis of semi-volatile organic compounds in groundwater

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Peter; Tomasi, Giorgio; Kristensen, Mette

    2017-01-01

    . In this study, we tested the combination of solid phase extraction (SPE) with dispersive liquid-liquid micro extraction (DLLME), or with stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), as an extraction method for semi-VOCs in groundwater. Combining SPE with DLLME or SBSE resulted in better separation of peaks...... in an unresolved complex mixture. SPE-DLLME was chosen as the preferred extraction method. SPE-DLLME covered a larger polarity range (logKo/w 2.0-11.2), had higher extraction efficiency at logKo/w 2.0-3.8 and 5.8-11.2, and was faster compared to SPE-SBSE. SPE-DLLME extraction combined with chemical analysis by gas...... chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and pixel-based data analysis of summed extraction ion chromatograms (sEICs) was tested as a new method for chemical fingerprinting of semi-VOCs in 15 groundwater samples. The results demonstrate that SPE-DLLME-GC-MS provides an excellent compromise between compound...

  18. Noise-modulated self-polarization effect of impurity doped quantum dots under simultaneous presence of hydrostatic pressure and temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bera, Aindrila; Ghosh, Manas

    2017-10-01

    We explore the profiles of self-polarization effect (SPE) of doped GaAs QD under simultaneous presence of hydrostatic pressure (HP), temperature and in presence of noise. Noise term carries Gaussian white character and it has been administered to the system via two different pathways; additive and multiplicative. Profiles of SPE have been monitored as a function of HP, temperature and noise strength. Under a given condition of HP and temperature, noise marks its prominent signature on the SPE profile. However, the extent to which noise affects the SPE profile visibly depends on the noise strength and the pathway through which noise is introduced. As interesting observations we have found that SPE exhibits minimization at a pressure of ∼ 170 kbar in absence of noise and at ∼ 150 kbar when noise is present. Furthermore, in presence of multiplicative noise SPE exhibits a very faint decrease with increase in T up to T ∼ 420 K. However, beyond T ∼ 420 K, further increase in temperature causes abrupt fall of SPE in a highly sharp way. The findings highlight viable ways of tuning SPE of doped QD system through subtle interplay between HP, temperature and noise.

  19. Solvent-assisted dispersive micro-SPE by using aminopropyl-functionalized magnetite nanoparticle followed by GC-PID for quantification of parabens in aqueous matrices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbasghorbani, Maryam; Attaran, Abdolmohammad; Payehghadr, Mahmood

    2013-01-01

    In this research, solvent-assisted dispersive micro-SPE was introduced as a simple modified technique for the determination of parabens in water and cosmetic samples. Aminopropyl-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) were successfully synthesized and applied. GC with photoionization detector was used for the separation and detection of parabens. In this method, hexylacetate (15 μL) as a solvent and aminopropyl-functionalized MNPs (5 μg) as a sorbent were added to an aqueous sample (10 mL) and then the sample was sonicated. Dispersed magnetite was collected in the bottom of the conical tube by using a strong magnet and then ACN was added as a desorption solvent. Forty microliters of this solvent was transferred into a microvial and then acetic anhydride and pyridine were added, thus derivatization was performed by acetic anhydride. After evaporation, 1 μL of derivatized sample was injected into a gas chromatograph for analysis. Several important parameters, such as kind of organic solvent, desorption solvent and volume, amount of aminopropyl-functionalized MNPs and effect of salt addition were investigated. Under optimum conditions, the limits of detection achieved were between 50 and 300 ng/L, with RSDs (n = 5) lower than 8%. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors ranged from 217 to 1253 and the extraction recoveries ranged from 10 to 62%. The recoveries were obtained for the analytes in river water and mouthwash solution and hand cream in the range of 87-103%. The advantages of proposed method are simplicity of operation, rapidity, high extraction yields, and environmental friendly character. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Effects of dietary saw palmetto on the prostate of transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate model (TRAMP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wadsworth, Teri L; Worstell, Teresa R; Greenberg, Norman M; Roselli, Charles E

    2007-05-01

    Several of the proposed mechanisms for the actions of the liposterolic extract of saw palmetto (SPE) are exerted on known risk factors for prostate cancer (CaP). This study investigated whether SPE could prevent the progression of CaP in a transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) model. Two different doses of SPE designed to deliver 50 mg/kg/day SPE and 300 mg/kg/day SPE were administered in a custom diet to TRAMP mice for 12 or 24 weeks. Body and organ weights were used to evaluate toxicity, and radioimmunoassay was used to measure plasma and tissue androgen levels to monitor effects of SPE on 5alpha reductase activity. Prostate tissues were evaluated histologically to determine the effect of treatment on tumor grade, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Treatment with 300 mg/kg/day SPE from 4 to 24 weeks of age significantly reduced the concentration of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the prostate and resulted in a significant increase in apoptosis and significant decrease in pathological tumor grade and frank tumor incidence. Dietary supplementation with SPE may be effective in controlling CaP tumorigenesis. SPE suppression of prostatic DHT levels lends support to the hypothesis that inhibition of the enzyme 5alpha-reductase is a mechanism of action of this substance. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  1. Membrane solid-phase extraction: Field application for isolation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furlong, E.T.; Koleis, J.C.; Gates, P.M.

    1995-01-01

    Solid-phase extraction (SPE) membranes (M-SPE) were used to isolate microgram-per-liter to nanogram-per-liter quantities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in 4- to 8-liter ground-water samples from a crude-oil-contaminated ground-water site near Bemidji, Minnesota. The M-SPE method was evaluated (1) under laboratory conditions using reagent water fortified with individual PAH at 1.23 micrograms per liter, and (2) at the Bemidji site. At the site, ground-water samples were processed and PAH isolated using a M-SPE system connected directly to the well pump. Following sample isolation, all M-SPE samples were extracted using dichloromethane and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring. Operationally, the M-SPE method provided a simple means to isolate PAH on site at the wellhead, particularly for anoxic water samples. Acceptable recoveries, ranging from 56 to over 100 percent, were observed for lower molecular weight PAH (naphthalene to pyrene) using the M-SPE method. Recoveries using M-SPE were somewhat lower, but reproducible, for higher molecular weight PAH (chrysene to benzo[ghi]perylene), ranging from 18 to 56 percent. M-SPE provides the capability to collect and field isolate PAH from a sufficiently large number of samples to identify environmental chemical processes occurring at individual compound concentrations of 50 to 1,200 nanograms per liter. Using M-SPE, the potential for facilitated transport of PAH by in situ-derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was evaluated at the site. Plots comparing DOC and PAH concentrations indicate that PAH concentrations increase exponentially with linear increases in DOC concentrations

  2. An absorbing microwave micro-solid-phase extraction device used in non-polar solvent microwave-assisted extraction for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Ziming; Zhao Xin; Xu Xu; Wu Lijie; Su Rui; Zhao Yajing; Jiang Chengfei; Zhang Hanqi; Ma Qiang; Lu Chunmei; Dong Deming

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► An absorbing microwave μ-SPE device packed with activated carbon was used. ► Absorbing microwave μ-SPE device was made and used to enrich the analytes. ► Absorbing microwave μ-SPE device was made and used to heat samples directly. ► MAE-μ-SPE was applied to the extraction of OPPs with non-polar solvent only. - Abstract: A single-step extraction-cleanup method, including microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and micro-solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE), was developed for the extraction of ten organophosphorus pesticides in vegetable and fruit samples. Without adding any polar solvent, only one kind of non-polar solvent (hexane) was used as extraction solvent in the whole extraction step. Absorbing microwave μ-SPE device, was prepared by packing activated carbon with microporous polypropylene membrane envelope, and used as not only the sorbent in μ-SPE, but also the microwave absorption medium. Some experimental parameters effecting on extraction efficiency was investigated and optimized. 1.0 g of sample, 8 mL of hexane and three absorbing microwave μ-SPE devices were added in the microwave extraction vessel, the extraction was carried out under 400 W irradiation power at 60 °C for 10 min. The extracts obtained by MAE-μ-SPE were directly analyzed by GC–MS without any clean-up process. The recoveries were in the range of 93.5–104.6%, and the relative standard deviations were lower than 8.7%.

  3. Developments in coupled solid-phase extraction-capillary electrophoresis 2013-2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramautar, Rawi; Somsen, Govert W; de Jong, Gerhardus J

    2016-01-01

    An overview of the design and application of coupled solid-phase extraction-capillary electrophoresis (SPE-CE) systems reported in the literature between July 2013 and June 2015 is provided in this paper. The present article is a continuation of our previous review papers on this topic which covered the time period 2000-2013 (Electrophoresis 2008, 29, 108-128; Electrophoresis 2010, 31, 44-54; Electrophoresis 2012, 33, 243-250; Electrophoresis 2014, 35, 128-137). The use of in-line and on-line SPE-CE approaches is treated and outlined in this review. Recent advancements, such as, for example, the use of aptamers as affinity material for in-line SPE-CE, the use of a bead string design for in-line fritless SPE-CE, and new interfacing techniques for the on-line coupling of SPE to CE, are outlined. Selected examples demonstrate the applicability of the coupled SPE-CE systems for biomedical, pharmaceutical, environmental, and food studies. A complete overview of the recent SPE-CE studies is given in table format, providing information on sample type, SPE sorbent, coupling mode, detection mode, and LOD. Finally, some general conclusions and perspectives are provided. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Periodontitis-associated septic pulmonary embolism caused by Actinomyces species identified by anaerobic culture of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endo, Shun; Mishima, Eikan; Takeuchi, Yoichi; Ohi, Takashi; Ishida, Masatsugu; Yanai, Masaru; Kiyomoto, Hideyasu; Nagasawa, Tasuku; Ito, Sadayoshi

    2015-12-01

    Periodontal disease is a less common but important cause of septic pulmonary embolism (SPE). However, the pathogens causing periodontal disease-associated SPE (PD-SPE) have been poorly understood. Actinomyces species are resident microbiota in the oral cavity. Here we report a case of PD-SPE caused by Actinomyces species, which was identified by anaerobic culture of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL). A 64-year-old Asian man, complicated with severe chronic periodontitis, was admitted with chest pain and fever. Chest CT revealed multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules located subpleurally. We diagnosed the case as SPE associated with periodontitis. Although blood cultures were negative for the usual 5-day incubation, anaerobic culture of the BAL fluid sample yielded Actinomyces species. Antibacterial therapy alone did not ameliorate the symptoms; however, additional dental treatment, including tooth extraction, promptly did. The patient was discharged 23 days after admission. The 3-month follow-up revealed no recurrence of the symptoms and complete resolution of the lung lesions. This case demonstrated that Actinomyces species can cause PD-SPE. Additionally, clinicians should consider performing appropriate anaerobic culture of BAL fluid to identify the pathogen of SPE, and to ordering dental treatment, if necessary, in addition to antibiotics for the initial management of PD-SPE.

  5. Pneumothorax Secondary to Septic Pulmonary Emboli in a Long-term Hemodialysis Patient with Psoas Abscess.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okabe, Masahiro; Kasai, Kenji; Yokoo, Takashi

    2017-12-01

    Pneumothorax secondary to septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) is rare but life-threatening. We herein report a long-term hemodialysis patient with psoas abscess caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, associated with other muscle and splenic abscesses and SPE. Intravenous vancomycin treatment and percutaneous drainage of the psoas abscess rapidly improved her condition. However, the SPE lesions continued to increase, and right-sided pneumothorax occurred 10 days after treatment. The pneumothorax resolved after two months and SPE and all abscesses after four months of treatment. Since late-onset pneumothorax caused by SPE can occur despite successful treatment of the primary infection, care should be taken with such patients.

  6. Electrochemical Quantification of the Antioxidant Capacity of Medicinal Plants Using Biosensors

    OpenAIRE

    Erika Rodríguez-Sevilla; María-Teresa Ramírez-Silva; Mario Romero-Romo; Pedro Ibarra-Escutia; Manuel Palomar-Pardavé

    2014-01-01

    The working area of a screen-printed electrode, SPE, was modified with the enzyme tyrosinase (Tyr) using different immobilization methods, namely entrapment with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cross-linking using glutaraldehyde (GA), and cross-linking using GA and human serum albumin (HSA); the resulting electrodes were termed SPE/Tyr/PVA, SPE/Tyr/GA and SPE/Tyr/HSA/GA, respectively. These biosensors were characterized by means of amperometry and EIS techniques. From amperometric eval...

  7. Determination of perfluorinated sulfonate and perfluorinated acids in tissues of free-living European beaver (castor fiber L.) by d-SPE/ micro-UHPLC-MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surma, Magdalena; Giżejewski, Zygmunt; Zieliński, Henryk

    2015-10-01

    Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are the main representatives of an rising class of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), perfluorochemicals (PFCs). In this study, determination of selected PFCs concentration in liver, brain, tail, adipose and peritoneum tissues of free-living European beaver (Castor fiber L.) was addressed. Tissue samples, collected from beavers living in Masurian Lakeland (NE Poland), were analyzed by dispersive Solid Phase Extraction (d-SPE) with micro-UHPLC-MS/MS system. In a group of ten selected pefrluorinated compounds only two perfluorinated acids (PFOA and PFNA) and one perfluorinated sulfonate (PFOS) were quantified. PFOA was detected in all analysed tissue samples in both female and male beavers in a range from 0.55 to 0.98ngg(-1) ww whereas PFOS was identified in all analyzed female beaver tissues and only in liver, subcutaneous adipose and peritoneum tissues of male beavers at the concentration level from 0.86 to 5.08ngg(-1) ww. PFNA was only identified in female beaver tissues (liver, subcutaneous adipose and peritoneum) in a range from 1.50 to 6.61ngg(-1) ww. This study demonstrated the bioaccumulation of PFCs in tissue samples collected from beavers living in area known as green lungs of Poland. The results provided in this study indicate for the increasing risk of PFCs occurrence in the environment and the level of PFCs in tissue of free-living European beavers may serve as bioindicator of environmental pollution by these compounds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. State-of-the-art in solid-phase extraction of biofluids (M10)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boos, K.-S.; Fleischer, C.T.

    2002-01-01

    Full text: A major drawback of many SPE protocols in bioanalytical LC is a rather unselective and/or time consuming clean-up procedure. In order to optimize SPE based sample processing with regard to selectivity and speed we investigated tailor-made SPE adorbents, distinct SPE column hardware as well as a novel software (ChromSword ADS, Merck KGaA) for LC(MS)-integrated SPE using column-switching. Restricted Access Materials (RAM) are one family of such special SPE column packing. RAMs are characterized in that they have a defined size-selective exclusion barrier and a non-adsorptive outer particle surface towards macromolecular matrix components (e.g. proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides). Low-molecular compounds (e.g. drugs) have free access to the binding centers and thus can be extracted and enriched prior to their analytical separation and MS detection. A RAM-SPE column (e.g. LiChrospher ADS, Merck KGaA, Germany) allows the direct, multiple injection and fractionation of crude, complex samples such as hemolyzed blood, plasma, serum, milk, saliva, urine, fermentation broth and cell-culture or tissue homogenate supernatant. In order to improve the selectivity, we extended this on-line sample clean-up protocol by coupling a reversed-phase modified RAM-SPE column with a second short column packed with a Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric (MIP) adsorbent. MIP-SPE adsorbents can be compared with immunoaffinity adsorbents. Besides selective/specific molecular recognition properties, these artificial antibodies exhibit a high stability with respect to pressure, pH, temperature as well as organic solvents. These innovative adsorbents are also attractive because of the ease, low-cost and high reproducibility of preparation. Using MIPS in combination with RAMs we developed a generic SPE platform and protocol, respectively, for highly selective clean-up of complex (bio)fluids. Finally, we succeeded in speeding up the RAM fractionation step (e.g. extraction of 50 pl of

  9. The protective role of saffron petal extracts on gentamicininduced nephrotoxicity in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arash Omidi

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Different potentially therapeutic approaches to prevent or attenuate gentamicin sulfate (GM induced nephrotoxicity have been proposed. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of the saffron petals extracts (Crocus sativus (SPE on male Wistar rats with kidney failure. Rats (40 were randomly assigned into five groups of 8 animals each: i the control group, that received normal saline (0.5 mL/kg; ii the GM group, that received GM (80 mg/kg by intraperitoneal (i.p. injection on a daily basis; iii the GM+SPE group that received the same dose of GM and SPE (40 mg/kg by i.p. injection on a daily basis; iv the GM+2SPE group, that received the same dose of GM and twofold of SPE (80 mg/kg by i.p. injection on a daily basis; whereas v 2SPE+GM group, that received 80 mg/kg of SPE a week before initiating the treatment with GM (prevention group. Significant differences were seen in the concentration of glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN, and creatinine between treatment groups and control in the male Wistar rats. GM was observed to cause nephrotoxicity, which was evidenced by an elevation of serum BUN and creatinine levels. The biochemical findings of the current study are concordant with those of histopathologic findings. The results of this study indicate that SPE especially in dose of 40 mg/kg can ameliorate harmful effects of GM on the kidney. The present results may suggest that the SPE have ameliorative effects on kidney failures induced by GM.

  10. An absorbing microwave micro-solid-phase extraction device used in non-polar solvent microwave-assisted extraction for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Ziming, E-mail: wangziming@jlu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China); College of Environment and Resources, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China); Zhao Xin; Xu Xu; Wu Lijie; Su Rui; Zhao Yajing; Jiang Chengfei; Zhang Hanqi [College of Chemistry, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China); Ma Qiang [Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing 100123 (China); Lu Chunmei [College of Technology Center, Jilin Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Changchun 130062 (China); Dong Deming [College of Environment and Resources, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China)

    2013-01-14

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An absorbing microwave {mu}-SPE device packed with activated carbon was used. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Absorbing microwave {mu}-SPE device was made and used to enrich the analytes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Absorbing microwave {mu}-SPE device was made and used to heat samples directly. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MAE-{mu}-SPE was applied to the extraction of OPPs with non-polar solvent only. - Abstract: A single-step extraction-cleanup method, including microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and micro-solid-phase extraction ({mu}-SPE), was developed for the extraction of ten organophosphorus pesticides in vegetable and fruit samples. Without adding any polar solvent, only one kind of non-polar solvent (hexane) was used as extraction solvent in the whole extraction step. Absorbing microwave {mu}-SPE device, was prepared by packing activated carbon with microporous polypropylene membrane envelope, and used as not only the sorbent in {mu}-SPE, but also the microwave absorption medium. Some experimental parameters effecting on extraction efficiency was investigated and optimized. 1.0 g of sample, 8 mL of hexane and three absorbing microwave {mu}-SPE devices were added in the microwave extraction vessel, the extraction was carried out under 400 W irradiation power at 60 Degree-Sign C for 10 min. The extracts obtained by MAE-{mu}-SPE were directly analyzed by GC-MS without any clean-up process. The recoveries were in the range of 93.5-104.6%, and the relative standard deviations were lower than 8.7%.

  11. Seismic Imaging of the Source Physics Experiment Site with the Large-N Seismic Array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, T.; Snelson, C. M.; Mellors, R. J.

    2017-12-01

    The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) consists of a series of chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site. The goal of SPE is to understand seismic wave generation and propagation from these explosions. To achieve this goal, we need an accurate geophysical model of the SPE site. A Large-N seismic array that was deployed at the SPE site during one of the chemical explosions (SPE-5) helps us construct high-resolution local geophysical model. The Large-N seismic array consists of 996 geophones, and covers an area of approximately 2 × 2.5 km. The array is located in the northern end of the Yucca Flat basin, at a transition from Climax Stock (granite) to Yucca Flat (alluvium). In addition to the SPE-5 explosion, the Large-N array also recorded 53 weight drops. Using the Large-N seismic array recordings, we perform body wave and surface wave velocity analysis, and obtain 3D seismic imaging of the SPE site for the top crust of approximately 1 km. The imaging results show clear variation of geophysical parameter with local geological structures, including heterogeneous weathering layer and various rock types. The results of this work are being incorporated in the larger 3D modeling effort of the SPE program to validate the predictive models developed for the site.

  12. Screening for illicit and medicinal drugs in whole blood using fully automated SPE and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with TOF-MS with data-independent acquisition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedersen, Anders Just; Dalsgaard, Petur Weihe; Rode, Andrej Jaroslav; Rasmussen, Brian Schou; Müller, Irene Breum; Johansen, Sys Stybe; Linnet, Kristian

    2013-07-01

    A broad forensic screening method for 256 analytes in whole blood based on a fully automated SPE robotic extraction and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with TOF-MS with data-independent acquisition has been developed. The limit of identification was evaluated for all 256 compounds and 95 of these compounds were validated with regard to matrix effects, extraction recovery, and process efficiency. The limit of identification ranged from 0.001 to 0.1 mg/kg, and the process efficiency exceeded 50% for 73 of the 95 analytes. As an example of application, 1335 forensic traffic cases were analyzed with the presented screening method. Of these, 992 cases (74%) were positive for one or more traffic-relevant drugs above the Danish legal limits. Commonly abused drugs such as amphetamine, cocaine, and frequent types of benzodiazepines were the major findings. Nineteen less frequently encountered drugs were detected e.g. buprenorphine, butylone, cathine, fentanyl, lysergic acid diethylamide, m-chlorophenylpiperazine, 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone, mephedrone, 4-methylamphetamine, p-fluoroamphetamine, and p-methoxy-N-methylamphetamine. In conclusion, using UHPLC-TOF-MS screening with data-independent acquisition resulted in the detection of common drugs of abuse as well as new designer drugs and more rarely occurring drugs. Thus, TOF-MS screening of blood samples constitutes a practical way for screening traffic cases, with the exception of δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which should be handled in a separate method. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Fifty years of solid-phase extraction in water analysis--historical development and overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liska, I

    2000-07-14

    The use of an appropriate sample handling technique is a must in an analysis of organic micropollutants in water. The efforts to use a solid phase for the recovery of analytes from a water matrix prior to their detection have a long history. Since the first experimental trials using activated carbon filters that were performed 50 years ago, solid-phase extraction (SPE) has become an established sample preparation technique. The initial experimental applications of SPE resulted in widespread use of this technique in current water analysis and also to adoption of SPE into standardized analytical methods. During the decades of its evolution, chromatographers became aware of the advantages of SPE and, despite many innovations that appeared in the last decade, new SPE developments are still expected in the future. A brief overview of 50 years of the history of the use of SPE in organic trace analysis of water is given in presented paper.

  14. Electrochemical quantification of the antioxidant capacity of medicinal plants using biosensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Sevilla, Erika; Ramírez-Silva, María-Teresa; Romero-Romo, Mario; Ibarra-Escutia, Pedro; Palomar-Pardavé, Manuel

    2014-08-08

    The working area of a screen-printed electrode, SPE, was modified with the enzyme tyrosinase (Tyr) using different immobilization methods, namely entrapment with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cross-linking using glutaraldehyde (GA), and cross-linking using GA and human serum albumin (HSA); the resulting electrodes were termed SPE/Tyr/PVA, SPE/Tyr/GA and SPE/Tyr/HSA/GA, respectively. These biosensors were characterized by means of amperometry and EIS techniques. From amperometric evaluations, the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant, Km', of each biosensor was evaluated while the respective charge transfer resistance, Rct, was assessed from impedance measurements. It was found that the SPE/Tyr/GA had the smallest Km' (57 ± 7) µM and Rct values. This electrode also displayed both the lowest detection and quantification limits for catechol quantification. Using the SPE/Tyr/GA, the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) was determined from infusions prepared with "mirto" (Salvia microphylla), "hHierba dulce" (Lippia dulcis) and "salve real" (Lippia alba), medicinal plants commonly used in Mexico.

  15. Fluorine incorporation during Si solid phase epitaxy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Impellizzeri, G.; Mirabella, S.; Romano, L.; Napolitani, E.; Carnera, A.; Grimaldi, M.G.; Priolo, F.

    2006-01-01

    We have investigated the F incorporation and segregation in preamorphized Si during solid phase epitaxy (SPE) at different temperatures and for several implanted-F energies and fluences. The Si samples were amorphized to a depth of 550 nm by implanting Si at liquid nitrogen temperature and then enriched with F at different energies (65-150 keV) and fluences (0.07-5 x 10 14 F/cm 2 ). Subsequently, the samples were regrown by SPE at different temperatures: 580, 700 and 800 deg. C. We have found that the amount of F incorporated after SPE strongly depends on the SPE temperature and on the energy and fluence of the implanted-F, opening the possibility to tailor the F profile during SPE

  16. Pharmacological effects of saw palmetto extract in the lower urinary tract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Mayumi; Ito, Yoshihiko; Fujino, Tomomi; Abe, Masayuki; Umegaki, Keizo; Onoue, Satomi; Noguchi, Hiroshi; Yamada, Shizuo

    2009-03-01

    Saw palmetto extract (SPE), an extract from the ripe berries of the American dwarf palm, has been widely used as a therapeutic remedy for urinary dysfunction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in Europe. Numerous mechanisms of action have been proposed for SPE, including the inhibition of 5alpha-reductase. Today, alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists and muscarinic cholinoceptor antagonists are commonly used in the treatment of men with voiding symptoms secondary to BPH. The improvement of voiding symptoms in patients taking SPE may arise from its binding to pharmacologically relevant receptors in the lower urinary tract, such as alpha(1)-adrenoceptors, muscarinic cholinoceptors, 1,4-dihyropyridine receptors and vanilloid receptors. Furthermore, oral administration of SPE has been shown to attenuate the up-regulation of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in the rat prostate induced by testosterone. Thus, SPE at clinically relevant doses may exert a direct effect on the pharmacological receptors in the lower urinary tract, thereby improving urinary dysfunction in patients with BPH and an overactive bladder. SPE does not have interactions with co-administered drugs or serious adverse events in blood biochemical parameters, suggestive of its relative safety, even with long-term intake. Clinical trials (placebo-controlled and active-controlled trials) of SPE conducted in men with BPH were also reviewed. This review should contribute to the understanding of the pharmacological effects of SPE in the treatment of patients with BPH and associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

  17. Water-Dispersible Silica-Polyelectrolyte Nanocomposites Prepared via Acid-Triggered Polycondensation of Silicic Acid and Directed by Polycations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip Overton

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The present work describes the acid-triggered condensation of silicic acid, Si(OH4, as directed by selected polycations in aqueous solution in the pH range of 6.5–8.0 at room temperature, without the use of additional solvents or surfactants. This process results in the formation of silica-polyelectrolyte (S-PE nanocomposites in the form of precipitate or water-dispersible particles. The mean hydrodynamic diameter (dh of size distributions of the prepared water-dispersible S-PE composites is presented as a function of the solution pH at which the composite formation was achieved. Poly(2-(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (PDMAEMA and block copolymers of DMAEMA and oligo(ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA were used as weak polyelectrolytes in S-PE composite formation. The activity of the strong polyelectrolytes poly(methacryloxyethyl trimethylammonium iodide (PMOTAI and PMOTAI-b-POEGMA in S-PE formation is also examined. The effect of polyelectrolyte strength and the OEGMA block on the formation of the S-PE composites is assessed with respect to the S-PE composites prepared using the PDMAEMA homopolymer. In the presence of the PDMAEMA60 homopolymer (Mw = 9400 g/mol, the size of the dispersible S-PE composites increases with solution pH in the range pH 6.6–8.1, from dh = 30 nm to dh = 800 nm. S-PDMAEMA60 prepared at pH 7.8 contained 66% silica by mass (TGA. The increase in dispersible S-PE particle size is diminished when directed by PDMAEMA300 (Mw = 47,000 g/mol, reaching a maximum of dh = 75 nm. S-PE composites formed using PDMAEMA-b-POEGMA remain in the range dh = 20–30 nm across this same pH regime. Precipitated S-PE composites were obtained as spheres of up to 200 nm in diameter (SEM and up to 65% mass content of silica (TGA. The conditions of pH for the preparation of dispersible and precipitate S-PE nanocomposites, as directed by the five selected polyelectrolytes PDMAEMA60, PDMAEMA300, PMOTAI60, PDMAEMA60-b-POEGMA38 and

  18. Direct 13C NMR Detection in HPLC Hyphenation Mode

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wubshet, Sileshi Gizachew; Johansen, Kenneth; Nyberg, Nils

    2012-01-01

    Solid phase extraction (SPE) was introduced as a crucial step in the HPLC-SPE-NMR technique to enable online analyte enrichment from which proton-detected NMR experiments on submicrogram amounts from complex mixtures were possible. However, the significance of direct-detected (13)C NMR experiments...... application of HPLC-SPE-NMR analysis using direct-detected (13)C NMR spectra. HPLC column loading, accumulative SPE trappings, and the effect of different elution solvents were evaluated and optimized. A column loading of approximately 600 mug of a prefractionated triterpenoid mixture, six trappings...

  19. Survey on workforce retention and attrition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Showstack, Randy

    2013-03-01

    The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) is conducting a survey to gather information on why technical professionals change jobs or quit working. The survey, prompted by concern about the retention of skilled workers, aims to provide information to employers that can assist them in addressing practices that can lead to significant workforce attrition. To participate in the survey, which is open to everyone (including those who are not SPE members), go to http://research.spe.org/se.ashx?s=705E3F1335720258 through 15 May 2013. For more information, contact speresearch@spe.org.

  20. Using a formative simulated patient exercise for curriculum evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thompson Margaret E

    2004-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It is not clear that teaching specific history taking, physical examination and patient teaching techniques to medical students results in durable behavioural changes. We used a quasi-experimental design that approximated a randomized double blinded trial to examine whether a Participatory Decision-Making (PDM educational module taught in a clerkship improves performance on a Simulated Patient Exercise (SPE in another clerkship, and how this is influenced by the time between training and assessment. Methods Third year medical students in an internal medicine clerkship were assessed on their use of PDM skills in an SPE conducted in the second week of the clerkship. The rotational structure of the third year clerkships formed a pseudo-randomized design where students had 1 completed the family practice clerkship containing a training module on PDM skills approximately four weeks prior to the SPE, 2 completed the family medicine clerkship and the training module approximately 12 weeks prior to the SPE or 3 had not completed the family medicine clerkship and the PDM training module at the time they were assessed via the SPE. Results Based on limited pilot data there were statistically significant differences between students who received PDM training approximately four weeks prior to the SPE and students who received training approximately 12 weeks prior to the SPE. Students who received training 12 weeks prior to the SPE performed better than those who received training four weeks prior to the SPE. In a second comparison students who received training four weeks prior to the SPE performed better than those who did not receive training but the differences narrowly missed statistical significance (P Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of a methodology for conducting rigorous curricular evaluations using natural experiments based on the structure of clinical rotations. In addition, it provided preliminary data

  1. Evolutionary paths of streptococcal and staphylococcal superantigens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Okumura Kayo

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS harbors several superantigens (SAgs in the prophage region of its genome, although speG and smez are not located in this region. The diversity of SAgs is thought to arise during horizontal transfer, but their evolutionary pathways have not yet been determined. We recently completed sequencing the entire genome of S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE, the closest relative of GAS. Although speG is the only SAg gene of SDSE, speG was present in only 50% of clinical SDSE strains and smez in none. In this study, we analyzed the evolutionary paths of streptococcal and staphylococcal SAgs. Results We compared the sequences of the 12–60 kb speG regions of nine SDSE strains, five speG+ and four speG–. We found that the synteny of this region was highly conserved, whether or not the speG gene was present. Synteny analyses based on genome-wide comparisons of GAS and SDSE indicated that speG is the direct descendant of a common ancestor of streptococcal SAgs, whereas smez was deleted from SDSE after SDSE and GAS split from a common ancestor. Cumulative nucleotide skew analysis of SDSE genomes suggested that speG was located outside segments of steeper slopes than the stable region in the genome, whereas the region flanking smez was unstable, as expected from the results of GAS. We also detected a previously undescribed staphylococcal SAg gene, selW, and a staphylococcal SAg -like gene, ssl, in the core genomes of all Staphylococcus aureus strains sequenced. Amino acid substitution analyses, based on dN/dS window analysis of the products encoded by speG, selW and ssl suggested that all three genes have been subjected to strong positive selection. Evolutionary analysis based on the Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method showed that each clade included at least one direct descendant. Conclusions Our findings reveal a plausible model for the comprehensive evolutionary pathway of streptococcal and

  2. Heterogeneity in semantic priming effect with a lexical decision task in patients after left hemisphere stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Candice Steffen Holderbaum

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Investigations on the semantic priming effect (SPE in patients after left hemisphere (LH lesions have shown disparities that may be explained by the variability in performance found among patients. The aim of the present study was to verify the existence of subgroups of patients after LH stroke by searching for dissociations between performance on the lexical decision task based on the semantic priming paradigm and performance on direct memory, semantic association and language tasks. All 17 patients with LH lesions after stroke (ten non-fluent aphasics and seven non aphasics were analyzed individually. Results indicated the presence of three groups of patients according to SPE: one exhibiting SPE at both stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs, one with SPE only at long SOA, and another, larger group with no SPE.

  3. Solid-phase extraction of the alcohol abuse biomarker phosphatidylethanol using newly synthesized polymeric sorbent materials containing quaternary heterocyclic groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duarte, Mariana; Jagadeesan, Kishore Kumar; Billing, Johan; Yilmaz, Ecevit; Laurell, Thomas; Ekström, Simon

    2017-10-13

    Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is an interesting biomarker finding increased use for detecting long term alcohol abuse with high specificity and sensitivity. Prior to detection, sample preparation is an unavoidable step in the work-flow of PEth analysis and new protocols may facilitate it. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is a versatile sample preparation method widely spread in biomedical laboratories due to its simplicity of use and the possibility of automation. In this work, SPE was used for the first time to directly extract PEth from spiked human plasma and spiked human blood. A library of polymeric SPE materials with different surface functionalities was screened for PEth extraction in order to identify the surface characteristics that control PEth retention and recovery. The plasma samples were diluted 1:10 (v/v) in water and spiked at different concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 5μM. The library of SPE materials was then evaluated using the proposed SPE method and detection was done by LC-MS/MS. One SPE material efficiently retained and recovered PEth from spiked human plasma. With this insight, four new SPE materials were formulated and synthesized based on the surface characteristics of the best SPE material found in the first screening. These new materials were tested with spiked human blood, to better mimic a real clinical sample. All the newly synthetized materials outperformed the pre-existing commercially available materials. Recovery values for the new SPE materials were found between 29.5% and 48.6% for the extraction of PEth in spiked blood. A material based on quaternized 1-vinylimidazole with a poly(trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate) backbone was found suitable for PEth extraction in spiked blood showing the highest analyte recovery in this experiment, 48.6%±6.4%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Dermatopathology effects of simulated solar particle event radiation exposure in the porcine model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanzari, Jenine K; Diffenderfer, Eric S; Hagan, Sarah; Billings, Paul C; Gridley, Daila S; Seykora, John T; Kennedy, Ann R; Cengel, Keith A

    2015-07-01

    The space environment exposes astronauts to risks of acute and chronic exposure to ionizing radiation. Of particular concern is possible exposure to ionizing radiation from a solar particle event (SPE). During an SPE, magnetic disturbances in specific regions of the Sun result in the release of intense bursts of ionizing radiation, primarily consisting of protons that have a highly variable energy spectrum. Thus, SPE events can lead to significant total body radiation exposures to astronauts in space vehicles and especially while performing extravehicular activities. Simulated energy profiles suggest that SPE radiation exposures are likely to be highest in the skin. In the current report, we have used our established miniature pig model system to evaluate the skin toxicity of simulated SPE radiation exposures that closely resemble the energy and fluence profile of the September, 1989 SPE using either conventional radiation (electrons) or proton simulated SPE radiation. Exposure of animals to electron or proton radiation led to dose-dependent increases in epidermal pigmentation, the presence of necrotic keratinocytes at the dermal-epidermal boundary and pigment incontinence, manifested by the presence of melanophages in the derm is upon histological examination. We also observed epidermal hyperplasia and a reduction in vascular density at 30 days following exposure to electron or proton simulated SPE radiation. These results suggest that the doses of electron or proton simulated SPE radiation results in significant skin toxicity that is quantitatively and qualitatively similar. Radiation-induced skin damage is often one of the first clinical signs of both acute and non-acute radiation injury where infection may occur, if not treated. In this report, histopathology analyses of acute radiation-induced skin injury are discussed. Copyright © 2015 The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Electrochemical Quantification of the Antioxidant Capacity of Medicinal Plants Using Biosensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erika Rodríguez-Sevilla

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The working area of a screen-printed electrode, SPE, was modified with the enzyme tyrosinase (Tyr using different immobilization methods, namely entrapment with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, cross-linking using glutaraldehyde (GA, and cross-linking using GA and human serum albumin (HSA; the resulting electrodes were termed SPE/Tyr/PVA, SPE/Tyr/GA and SPE/Tyr/HSA/GA, respectively. These biosensors were characterized by means of amperometry and EIS techniques. From amperometric evaluations, the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant, Km′, of each biosensor was evaluated while the respective charge transfer resistance, Rct, was assessed from impedance measurements. It was found that the SPE/Tyr/GA had the smallest Km′ (57 ± 7 µM and Rct values. This electrode also displayed both the lowest detection and quantification limits for catechol quantification. Using the SPE/Tyr/GA, the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC was determined from infusions prepared with “mirto” (Salvia microphylla, “hHierba dulce” (Lippia dulcis and “salve real” (Lippia alba, medicinal plants commonly used in Mexico.

  6. Electrochemical Quantification of the Antioxidant Capacity of Medicinal Plants Using Biosensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Sevilla, Erika; Ramírez-Silva, María-Teresa; Romero-Romo, Mario; Ibarra-Escutia, Pedro; Palomar-Pardavé, Manuel

    2014-01-01

    The working area of a screen-printed electrode, SPE, was modified with the enzyme tyrosinase (Tyr) using different immobilization methods, namely entrapment with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cross-linking using glutaraldehyde (GA), and cross-linking using GA and human serum albumin (HSA); the resulting electrodes were termed SPE/Tyr/PVA, SPE/Tyr/GA and SPE/Tyr/HSA/GA, respectively. These biosensors were characterized by means of amperometry and EIS techniques. From amperometric evaluations, the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant, Km′, of each biosensor was evaluated while the respective charge transfer resistance, Rct, was assessed from impedance measurements. It was found that the SPE/Tyr/GA had the smallest Km′ (57 ± 7) μM and Rct values. This electrode also displayed both the lowest detection and quantification limits for catechol quantification. Using the SPE/Tyr/GA, the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) was determined from infusions prepared with “mirto” (Salvia microphylla), “hHierba dulce” (Lippia dulcis) and “salve real” (Lippia alba), medicinal plants commonly used in Mexico. PMID:25111237

  7. Evaluation of the Potency, Neutralizing Antibody Response, and Stability of a Recombinant Fusion Protein Vaccine for Streptococcus pyogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burlet, E; HogenEsch, H; Dunham, A; Morefield, G

    2017-05-01

    Streptococcus pyogenes or group A streptococcus (GAS) is a Gram-positive bacterium that can cause a wide range of diseases, including pharyngitis, impetigo, scarlet fever, necrotizing fasciitis, rheumatic fever, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Despite the increasing burden on global health caused by GAS, there is currently no licensed vaccine available. In this study, we evaluated immunogenicity, induction of neutralizing antibodies, and stability of a new recombinant fusion protein vaccine that targets infections from GAS. The recombinant fusion protein (SpeAB) combines inactive mutant forms of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SpeA) and streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin B (SpeB). The SpeAB vaccine evaluated in this study was adsorbed to an aluminum adjuvant and demonstrated robust immunogenicity, eliciting production of specific neutralizing antibodies against SpeA and SpeB, two major virulence factors of S. pyogenes. Stability studies suggest that the vaccine will retain immunogenicity for at least 2 years when stored at refrigerated temperatures. This novel vaccine shows great potential to provide protection against GAS infections and to reduce the burden of GAS disease globally.

  8. A high-throughput urinalysis of abused drugs based on a SPE-LC-MS/MS method coupled with an in-house developed post-analysis data treatment system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Wing-Chi; Yau, Tsan-Sang; Wong, Ming-Kei; Chan, Lai-Ping; Mok, Vincent King-Kuen

    2006-10-16

    A rapid urinalysis system based on SPE-LC-MS/MS with an in-house post-analysis data management system has been developed for the simultaneous identification and semi-quantitation of opiates (morphine, codeine), methadone, amphetamines (amphetamine, methylamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)), 11-benzodiazepines or their metabolites and ketamine. The urine samples are subjected to automated solid phase extraction prior to analysis by LC-MS (Finnigan Surveyor LC connected to a Finnigan LCQ Advantage) fitted with an Alltech Rocket Platinum EPS C-18 column. With a single point calibration at the cut-off concentration for each analyte, simultaneous identification and semi-quantitation for the above mentioned drugs can be achieved in a 10 min run per urine sample. A computer macro-program package was developed to automatically retrieve appropriate data from the analytical data files, compare results with preset values (such as cut-off concentrations, MS matching scores) of each drug being analyzed and generate user-defined Excel reports to indicate all positive and negative results in batch-wise manner for ease of checking. The final analytical results are automatically copied into an Access database for report generation purposes. Through the use of automation in sample preparation, simultaneous identification and semi-quantitation by LC-MS/MS and a tailored made post-analysis data management system, this new urinalysis system significantly improves the quality of results, reduces the post-data treatment time, error due to data transfer and is suitable for high-throughput laboratory in batch-wise operation.

  9. 1993 US petroleum engineering manpower supply and demand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wattenbarger, R.A.; Morriss, S.

    1994-01-01

    Each year, the SPE Manpower Committee reports on the results of petroleum engineering manpower supply and demand surveys to inform SPE members about hiring patterns of engineers in the petroleum industry and the supply of graduates from US petroleum engineering schools. The SPE Manpower Committee's US surveys show that large companies will decrease their hiring while small companies and service companies will increase their hiring of engineers. During 1992--93, only about 65% of graduating petroleum engineering students were known to have jobs. Another finding is that, overall, new US SPE membership is decreasing while non-US membership is increasing

  10. Determination of trace quaternary ammonium surfactants in water by combining solid-phase extraction with surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Y C; Sun, M C

    2001-01-01

    This study demonstrates the feasibility of combining solid-phase extraction (SPE) with surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) mass spectrometry to determine trace quaternary ammonium surfactants in water. The trace surfactants in water were directly concentrated on the surface of activated carbon sorbent in SPE. The activated carbon sorbent was then mixed with the SALDI liquid for SALDI analysis. No SPE elution procedure was necessary. Experimental results indicate that the surfactants with longer chain alkyl groups exhibit higher sensitivities than those with shorter chain alkyl groups in SPE-SALDI analysis. The detection limit for hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide is around 10 ppt in SPE-SALDI analysis by sampling 100 mL of aqueous solution, while that of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide is about 100 ppt. The detection limit for decyltrimethylammonium bromide and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide is in the low-ppb range. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Development of novel strategies for enhancing the cycle life of lithium solid polymer electrolyte batteries. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Macdonald, Digby D.; Urquidi-Macdonald, Mirna; Allcock, Harry; Engelhard, George; Bomberger, N.; Gao, L.; Olmeijer, D.

    2001-04-30

    Lithium/solid polymer electrolyte (Li/SPE) secondary batteries are under intense development as power sources for portable electronic devices as well as electric vehicles. These batteries offer high specific energy, high energy density, very low self-discharge rates, and flexibility in packaging; however, problems have inhibited their introduction into the marketplace. This report summarizes findings to examine processes that occur with Li/SPE secondary batteries upon cyclic charging/discharging. The report includes a detailed analysis of the impedance measured on the Li/SPE/IC and IC/SPE/IC systems. The SPE was a derivative of methoxyethoxyethoxyphosphazene (MEEP) with lithium triflate salt as the electrolyte, while the intercalated cathodes (IC) comprised mixtures of manganese dioxide, carbon powder, and MEEP as a binder. Studies on symmetrical Li/SPE/Li laminates show that cycling results in a significant expansion of the structure over the first few tens of cycles; however, no corresponding increase in the impedance was noted. The cycle life of the intercalation cathode was found to be very sensitive to the method of fabrication. Results indicate that the cycle life is due to the failure of the IC, not to the failure of the lithium/SPE interface. A pattern recognition neural network was developed to predict the cycle life of a battery from the charge/discharge characteristics.

  12. An Approach to Solid-State Electrical Double Layer Capacitors Fabricated with Graphene Oxide-Doped, Ionic Liquid-Based Solid Copolymer Electrolytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fattah, N F A; Ng, H M; Mahipal, Y K; Numan, Arshid; Ramesh, S; Ramesh, K

    2016-06-06

    Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) composed of semi-crystalline poly (vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) [P(VdF-HFP)] copolymer, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis (trifluoromethyl sulphonyl) imide [EMI-BTI] and graphene oxide (GO) was prepared and its performance evaluated. The effects of GO nano-filler were investigated in terms of enhancement in ionic conductivity along with the electrochemical properties of its electrical double layer capacitors (EDLC). The GO-doped SPE shows improvement in ionic conductivity compared to the P(VdF-HFP)-[EMI-BTI] SPE system due to the existence of the abundant oxygen-containing functional group in GO that assists in the improvement of the ion mobility in the polymer matrix. The complexation of the materials in the SPE is confirmed in X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) studies. The electrochemical performance of EDLC fabricated with GO-doped SPE is examined using cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge techniques. The maximum specific capacitance obtained is 29.6 F∙g -1 , which is observed at a scan rate of 3 mV/s in 6 wt % GO-doped, SPE-based EDLC. It also has excellent cyclic retention as it is able keep the performance of the EDLC at 94% even after 3000 cycles. These results suggest GO doped SPE plays a significant role in energy storage application.

  13. An Approach to Solid-State Electrical Double Layer Capacitors Fabricated with Graphene Oxide-Doped, Ionic Liquid-Based Solid Copolymer Electrolytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. F. A. Fattah

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE composed of semi-crystalline poly (vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene [P(VdF-HFP] copolymer, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis (trifluoromethyl sulphonyl imide [EMI-BTI] and graphene oxide (GO was prepared and its performance evaluated. The effects of GO nano-filler were investigated in terms of enhancement in ionic conductivity along with the electrochemical properties of its electrical double layer capacitors (EDLC. The GO-doped SPE shows improvement in ionic conductivity compared to the P(VdF-HFP-[EMI-BTI] SPE system due to the existence of the abundant oxygen-containing functional group in GO that assists in the improvement of the ion mobility in the polymer matrix. The complexation of the materials in the SPE is confirmed in X-ray diffraction (XRD and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA studies. The electrochemical performance of EDLC fabricated with GO-doped SPE is examined using cyclic voltammetry and charge–discharge techniques. The maximum specific capacitance obtained is 29.6 F∙g−1, which is observed at a scan rate of 3 mV/s in 6 wt % GO-doped, SPE-based EDLC. It also has excellent cyclic retention as it is able keep the performance of the EDLC at 94% even after 3000 cycles. These results suggest GO doped SPE plays a significant role in energy storage application.

  14. Emergence of Streptococcus pyogenes emm102 causing toxic shock syndrome in Southern Taiwan during 2005-2012.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiun-Nong Lin

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS is an uncommon but life-threatening disease caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. METHODS: To understand the clinical and molecular characteristics of STSS, we analyzed clinical data and explored the emm types, superantigen genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of causative S. pyogenes isolates obtained between 2005 and 2012. RESULTS: In total, 53 patients with STSS were included in this study. The median age of the patients was 57 years (range: 9-83 years, and 81.1% were male. The most prevalent underlying disease was diabetes mellitus (45.3%. Skin and soft-tissue infection accounted for 86.8% of STSS. The overall mortality rate was 32.1%. Underlying diseases had no statistical impact on mortality. A total of 19 different emm types were identified. The most prevalent emm type was emm102 (18.9%, followed by emm11 (17%, emm1 (11.3%, emm87 (9.4%, and emm89 (7.5%. There was no statistically significant association between emm type and a fatal outcome. Among the superantigen genes, speB was the most frequently detected one (92.5%, followed by smeZ (90.6%, speG (81.1%, speC (39.6%, and speF (39.6%. The majority of emm102 strains were found to have speB, speC, speG, and smeZ. The presence of speG was negatively associated with a fatal outcome (P = 0.045. CONCLUSIONS: Our surveillance revealed the emergence of uncommon emm types, particularly emm102, causing STSS in southern Taiwan. Characterization of clinical, epidemiological, and molecular characteristics of STSS will improve our understanding of this life-threatening disease.

  15. Attenuation Model Using the Large-N Array from the Source Physics Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atterholt, J.; Chen, T.; Snelson, C. M.; Mellors, R. J.

    2017-12-01

    The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) consists of a series of chemical explosions at the Nevada National Security Site. SPE seeks to better characterize the influence of subsurface heterogeneities on seismic wave propagation and energy dissipation from explosions. As a part of this experiment, SPE-5, a 5000 kg TNT equivalent chemical explosion, was detonated in 2016. During the SPE-5 experiment, a Large-N array of 996 geophones (half 3-component and half z-component) was deployed. This array covered an area that includes loosely consolidated alluvium (weak rock) and weathered granite (hard rock), and recorded the SPE-5 explosion as well as 53 weight drops. We use these Large-N recordings to develop an attenuation model of the area to better characterize how geologic structures influence source energy partitioning. We found a clear variation in seismic attenuation for different rock types: high attenuation (low Q) for alluvium and low attenuation (high Q) for granite. The attenuation structure correlates well with local geology, and will be incorporated into the large simulation effort of the SPE program to validate predictive models. (LA-UR-17-26382)

  16. An overview analysis of IAEA standard problem exercises

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parzer, I.; Mavko, B.; Petelin, S.

    1992-01-01

    The modelling of some loss-of-coolant accident tests (IAEA-SPE), performed on the PMK-NVH integral test facility, have been studied in the present paper. A universal RELAP5 model of the facility has been developed at IJS, first for RELAP5/MOD2 and later upgraded for RELAP5/MOD3 use. To verify the modelling and determine the important details in the model, a nodalization study has been performed on the case of IAEA-SPE-2 experiment. In parallel MOD2 and MOD3 capabilities of modelling highly non-equilibrium processes, as took place in IAEA-SPE-2 experiment, have been compared. Using the most detailed of the developed models, the capabilities of both code versions have been compared on the case of IAEA-SPE-1 and 2 (Small Break Loss-of-Coolant Accidents - SB LOCAs) and IAEA-SPE-3 (Steam Generator Tube Rupture - SGTR), adapted only accordingly to the three SPE experiment arrangements. The calculations nave been performed with RELAP5/MOD2/36.05 and MOD3 5m5 code versions on a VAX 4000-200 computer. (author)

  17. Determination of organophosphorus pesticides using molecularly imprinted polymer solid phase extraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd Marsin Sanagi; Syairah Salleh; Wan Aini Wan Ibrahim

    2011-01-01

    Molecularly imprinted polymer solid phase extraction (MIP-SPE) method has been developed for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in water samples. The MIP was prepared by thermo-polymerization method using methacrylic acid (MAA) as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinker, acetonitrile as porogenic solvent and quinalphos as the template molecule. The three OPPs (diazinon, quinalphos and chloropyrifos) were selected as target analytes as they are widely used in agriculture sector. Various parameters affecting the extraction efficiency of the imprinted polymers have been evaluated to optimize the selective preconcentration of OPPs from aqueous samples. The characteristics of the MIP-SPE method were validated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The accuracy and selectivity of the MIP-SPE process developed were verified using non-imprinted polymer solid phase extraction (NIP-SPE) and a commercial C 18 -SPE was used for comparison. The recoveries of the target analytes obtained using the MIPs as the solid phase sorbent ranged from 83% to 98% (RSDs 1.05 - 1.98 %; n=3) for water sample. The developed MIP-SPE method demonstrates that it could be applied for the determination of OPPs in water samples. (author)

  18. Comparison of solvent extraction and solid-phase extraction for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in transformer oil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahindrakar, A N; Chandra, S; Shinde, L P

    2014-01-01

    Solid-phase extraction (SPE) of nine polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from transformer oil samples was evaluated using octadecyl (CI8)-bonded porous silica. The efficiency of SPE of these PCBs was compared with those obtained by solvent extraction with DMSO and hexane. Average recoveries exceeding 95% for these PCBs were obtained via the SPE method using small cartridges containing 100mg of 40 pm CI8-bonded porous silica. The average recovery by solvent extraction with DMSO and hexane exceeded 83%. It was concluded that the recoveries and precision for the solvent extraction of PCBs were poorer than those for the SPE. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Dosimetric predictors of radiation-induced pericardial effusion in esophageal cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ogino, Ichiro; Watanabe, Shigenobu [Yokohama City University Medical Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Minami-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa-prefecture (Japan); Sakamaki, Kentaro [Yokohama City University, Department of Biostatistics, Yokohama City University, Yokohama (Japan); Ogino, Yuka [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Systems and Control Engineering, Tokyo (Japan); Kunisaki, Chikara [Yokohama City University Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Gastroenterological Center, Yokohama (Japan); Kimura, Kazuo [Yokohama City University Medical Center, Division of Cardiology, Yokohama (Japan)

    2017-07-15

    To evaluate the dose-volume parameters of the pericardium and heart in order to reduce the risk of radiation-induced pericardial effusion (PE) and symptomatic PE (SPE) in esophageal cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. In 86 of 303 esophageal cancer patients, follow-up CT was obtained at least 24 months after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Correlations between clinical factors, including risk factors for cardiac disease, dosimetric factors, and the incidence of PE and SPE after radiotherapy were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Significant dosimetric factors with the highest hazard ratios were investigated using zones separated according to their distance from esophagus. PE developed in 49 patients. Univariate analysis showed the mean heart dose, heart V{sub 5}-V{sub 55}, mean pericardium dose, and pericardium V{sub 5}-V{sub 50} to all significantly affect the incidence of PE. Additionally, body surface area was correlated with the incidence of PE in multivariate analysis. Grade 3 and 4 SPE developed in 5 patients. The pericardium V{sub 50} and pericardium D{sub 10} significantly affected the incidence of SPE. The pericardium V{sub 50} in patients with SPE ranged from 17.1 to 21.7%. Factors affecting the incidence of SPE were the V{sub 50} of the pericardium zones within 3 cm and 4 cm of the esophagus. A wide range of radiation doses to the heart and pericardium were related to the incidence of PE. A pericardium V{sub 50} ≤ 17% is important to avoid symptomatic PE in esophageal cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. (orig.) [German] Beurteilung der Dosis-Volumen-Parameter fuer Perikard und Herz zur Risikoreduzierung eines strahleninduzierten Perikardergusses (PE) und eines symptomatischen PE (SPE) bei mit kombinierter Strahlenchemotherapie behandelten Speiseroehrenkrebspatienten. Bei 86 von 303 Speiseroehrenkrebspatienten wurde mindestens 24 Monate nach der Strahlenchemotherapie ein Kontroll

  20. [Optimization of solid-phase extraction for enrichment of toxic organic compounds in water samples].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ming-quan; Li, Feng-min; Wu, Qian-yuan; Hu, Hong-ying

    2013-05-01

    A concentration method for enrichment of toxic organic compounds in water samples has been developed based on combined solid-phase extraction (SPE) to reduce impurities and improve recoveries of target compounds. This SPE method was evaluated in every stage to identify the source of impurities. Based on the analysis of Waters Oasis HLB without water samples, the eluent of SPE sorbent after dichloromethane and acetone contributed 85% of impurities during SPE process. In order to reduce the impurities from SPE sorbent, soxhlet extraction of dichloromethane followed by acetone and lastly methanol was applied to the sorbents for 24 hours and the results had proven that impurities were reduced significantly. In addition to soxhlet extraction, six types of prevalent SPE sorbents were used to absorb 40 target compounds, the lgK(ow) values of which were within the range of 1.46 and 8.1, and recovery rates were compared. It was noticed and confirmed that Waters Oasis HLB had shown the best recovery results for most of the common testing samples among all three styrenedivinylbenzene (SDB) polymer sorbents, which were 77% on average. Furthermore, Waters SepPak AC-2 provided good recovery results for pesticides among three types of activated carbon sorbents and the average recovery rates reached 74%. Therefore, Waters Oasis HLB and Waters SepPak AC-2 were combined to obtain a better recovery and the average recovery rate for the tested 40 compounds of this new SPE method was 87%.

  1. Sensitivity enhancement for nitrophenols using cationic surfactant-modified activated carbon for solid-phase extraction surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Y C; Tsai, M F

    2000-01-01

    Previous work has demonstrated that a combination of solid-phase extraction with surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SPE-SALDI) mass spectrometry can be applied to the determination of trace nitrophenols in water. An improved method to lower the detection limit of this hyphenated technique is described in this present study. Activated carbon powder is used as both the SPE adsorbent and the SALDI solid in the analysis by SPE-SALDI. The surface of the activated carbon is modified by passing an aqueous solution of a cationic surfactant through the SPE cartridge. The results demonstrate that the sensitivity for nitrophenols in the analysis by SPE-SALDI can be improved by using cationic surfactants to modify the surface of the activated carbon. The detection limit for nitrophenols is about 25 ppt based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 by sampling from 100 mL of solution. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Magnetic-field-induced decrease of the spin Peltier effect in Pt/Y3Fe5O12 system at room temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, Ryuichi; Iguchi, Ryo; Daimon, Shunsuke; Oyanagi, Koichi; Uchida, Ken-ichi; Saitoh, Eiji

    2017-11-01

    We report the observation of magnetic-field-induced decrease of the spin Peltier effect (SPE) in a junction of a paramagnetic metal Pt and a ferrimagnetic insulator Y3Fe5O12 (YIG) at room temperature. For driving the SPE, spin currents are generated via the spin Hall effect from applied charge currents in the Pt layer, and injected into the adjacent thick YIG film. The resultant temperature modulation is detected by a commonly used thermocouple attached to the Pt/YIG junction. The output of the thermocouple shows sign reversal when the magnetization is reversed and linearly increases with the applied current, demonstrating the detection of the SPE signal. We found that the SPE signal decreases with the magnetic field. The observed decreasing rate was found to be comparable to that of the spin Seebeck effect (SSE), suggesting the dominant and similar contribution of the low-energy magnons in the SPE as in the SSE.

  3. A rapid solid-phase extraction method for measurement of non-metabolised peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligands, [18F]PBR102 and [18F]PBR111, in rat and primate plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katsifis, Andrew; Loc'h, Christian; Henderson, David; Bourdier, Thomas; Pham, Tien; Greguric, Ivan; Lam, Peter; Callaghan, Paul; Mattner, Filomena; Eberl, Stefan; Fulham, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: To develop a rapid and reliable method for estimating non-metabolised PBR ligands fluoroethoxy ([ 18 F]PBR102)- and fluoropropoxy ([ 18 F]PBR111)-substituted 2-(6-chloro-2-phenyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-3-yl)-N,N-diethylacetamides in plasma. Methods: Rats and baboons were imaged with PET up to 2 h postinjection of [ 18 F]PBR102 and [ 18 F]PBR111 under baseline conditions, after pre-blocking or displacement with PK11195. Arterial plasma samples were directly analysed by reverse-phase solid-phase extraction (RP-SPE) and RP-HPLC and by normal-phase TLC. SPE cartridges were successively washed with acetonitrile/water mixtures. SPE eluant radioactivity was measured in a γ-counter to determine the parent compound fraction and then analysed by HPLC and TLC for validation. Results: In SPE, hydrophilic and lipophilic radiolabelled metabolites were eluted in water and 20% acetonitrile/water. All non-metabolised [ 18 F]PBR102 and [ 18 F]PBR111 were in SPE acetonitrile fraction as confirmed by HPLC and TLC analysis. Unchanged (%) [ 18 F]PBR102 and [ 18 F]PBR111 from SPE analysis in rat and baboon plasma agreed with those from HPLC and TLC analysis. In rats and baboons, the fraction of unchanged tracer followed a bi-exponential decrease, with half-lives of 7 to 10 min for the fast component and >80 min for the slow component for both tracers. Conclusions: Direct plasma SPE analysis of [ 18 F]PBR102 and [ 18 F]PBR111 can reliably estimate parent compound fraction. SPE was superior to HPLC for samples with low activity; it allows rapid and accurate metabolite analysis of a large number of plasma samples for improved estimation of metabolite-corrected input function during quantitative PET imaging studies.

  4. Saw palmetto extract enhances erectile responses by inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5 activity and increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger ribonucleic acid expression in rat and rabbit corpus cavernosum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Surong; Chen, Changrui; Li, Yiying; Ren, Zhenghua; Zhang, Yungang; Wu, Gantong; Wang, Hao; Hu, Zhenzhen; Yao, Minghui

    2013-06-01

    To evaluate whether saw palmetto extract (SPE) relaxes corpus cavernosum and explore the underlying mechanisms. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats and 30 New Zealand rabbits were randomly allocated into 3 SPE-treated groups (low-, middle-, and high-dose) and 1 saline-treated control group. SPE was administered intragastrically for 7 consecutive days. Another 23 rats treated with sildenafil were used to appraise the erectile response to electrical stimulation of nerves in the corpus cavernosum. The erectile functions of rats and rabbits were evaluated 24 hours after the last SPE administration or 15 minutes after intragastric sildenafil. Outcome measures included corpus cavernosum electrical activity recording, phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) activity detected by the colorimetric quantitative method, and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression level for PDE5 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. In the SPE-treated animals, the relaxant response to electrical stimulation of nerves in the corpus cavernosum, reflected by the amplitude of the electrical activity within the cavernosum, was significantly and dose-dependently augmented. Similar effects were observed in the sildenafil-treated rats. PDE5 activity in rat and rabbit corpus cavernosum tissues was significantly and dose-dependently inhibited in SPE-treated animals, whereas the iNOS mRNA level increased compared with the saline group. PDE5 mRNA, however, was only significantly enhanced in the rats treated with the middle dose of SPE. The results suggest that SPE may have potential application value for the prevention or treatment of erectile dysfunction through an increase in iNOS mRNA expression and inhibition of PDE5 activity in corpus cavernosum smooth muscles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Preparation of a hollow porous molecularly imprinted polymer using tetrabromobisphenol A as a dummy template and its application as SPE sorbent for determination of bisphenol A in tap water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jin; Zhang, Xuebin; Liu, Yuxin; Tong, Hongwu; Xu, Yeping; Liu, Shaomin

    2013-12-15

    In this paper, a highly selective sample cleanup procedure combing dummy molecular imprinting and solid-phase extraction (DMIP-SPE) was developed for the isolation and determination of bisphenol A (BPA) in tap water. The novel hollow porous dummy molecularly imprinted polymer (HPDMIP) was prepared adopting a sacrificial support approach, using tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), whose structure was similar to that of BPA, as the dummy template and mesoporous MCM-48 nanospheres as the support. Owing to a very short distance between the binding sites and the surface, a large surface area and a good steric structure to match its imprint molecules, the maximum adsorption capacities (Qmax) of the dummy-imprinted and non-imprinted sorbents for BPA were as high as 445 and 340 μmol g(-1), respectively, and the adsorption reached about 73% of Qmax in 10 min. Meanwhile, a method was developed for the determination of BPA using HPDMIP as a solid-phase extraction enrichment sorbent coupled with HPLC. Under the optimum experimental conditions, HPDMIP exhibited satisfactory results in the enrichment and determination of BPA in tap water with a recovery rate of 95-105%, and relative standard deviations of below 6%, and it can achieve a limit of detection as low as 3 ng mL(-1). The developed extraction protocol eliminated the effect of template leakage on quantitative analysis and could be applied for the determination of BPA in complicated functional samples. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. The kinetics of solid phase epitaxy in As-doped buried amorphous silicon layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCallum, J.C.

    1998-01-01

    The kinetics of dopant-enhanced solid phase epitaxy (SPE) have been measured in buried a-Si layers doped with arsenic. SPE rates were measured over the temperature range 480 - 660 deg C for buried a-Si layers containing ten different As concentrations. In the absence of H-retardation effects, the dopant-enhanced SPE rate is observed to depend linearly on the As concentration over the entire range of concentrations, 1-16 x 10 19 cm -3 covered in the study. The Fermi level energy was calculated as a function of doping and find an equation that can provide good fits to the data. The implications of these results for models of the SPE process is discussed

  7. Identification of PTP1B and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Serrulatanes from Eremophila spp. by Combined use of Dual High-Resolution PTP1B and α-Glucosidase Inhibition Profiling and HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wubshet, Sileshi G; Tahtah, Yousof; Heskes, Allison M; Kongstad, Kenneth T; Pateraki, Irini; Hamberger, Björn; Møller, Birger L; Staerk, Dan

    2016-04-22

    According to the International Diabetes Federation, type 2 diabetes (T2D) has reached epidemic proportions, affecting more than 382 million people worldwide. Inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B) and α-glucosidase is a recognized therapeutic approach for management of T2D and its associated complications. The lack of clinical drugs targeting PTP1B and side effects of the existing α-glucosidase drugs, emphasize the need for new drug leads for these T2D targets. In the present work, dual high-resolution PTP1B and α-glucosidase inhibition profiles of Eremophila gibbosa, E. glabra, and E. aff. drummondii "Kalgoorlie" were used for pinpointing α-glucosidase and/or PTP1B inhibitory constituents directly from the crude extracts. A subsequent targeted high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR) analysis and preparative-scale HPLC isolation led to identification of 21 metabolites from the three species, of which 16 were serrulatane-type diterpenoids (12 new) associated with either α-glucosidase and/or PTP1B inhibition. This is the first report of serrulatane-type diterpenoids as potential α-glucosidase and/or PTP1B inhibitors.

  8. Simple and accurate measurement of carbamazepine in surface water by use of porous membrane-protected micro-solid-phase extraction coupled with isotope dilution mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Teo, Hui Ling [Chemical Metrology Division, Applied Sciences Group, Health Sciences Authority, 1 Science Park Road, #01-05/06, The Capricorn, Singapore Science Park II, Singapore 117528 (Singapore); Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543 (Singapore); Wong, Lingkai [Chemical Metrology Division, Applied Sciences Group, Health Sciences Authority, 1 Science Park Road, #01-05/06, The Capricorn, Singapore Science Park II, Singapore 117528 (Singapore); Liu, Qinde, E-mail: liu_qinde@hsa.gov.sg [Chemical Metrology Division, Applied Sciences Group, Health Sciences Authority, 1 Science Park Road, #01-05/06, The Capricorn, Singapore Science Park II, Singapore 117528 (Singapore); Teo, Tang Lin; Lee, Tong Kooi [Chemical Metrology Division, Applied Sciences Group, Health Sciences Authority, 1 Science Park Road, #01-05/06, The Capricorn, Singapore Science Park II, Singapore 117528 (Singapore); Lee, Hian Kee, E-mail: chmleehk@nus.edu.sg [Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543 (Singapore)

    2016-03-17

    To achieve fast and accurate analysis of carbamazepine in surface water, we developed a novel porous membrane-protected micro-solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE) method, followed by liquid chromatography-isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-IDMS/MS) analysis. The μ-SPE device (∼0.8 × 1 cm) was fabricated by heat-sealing edges of a polypropylene membrane sheet to devise a bag enclosing the sorbent. The analytes (both carbamazepine and isotope-labelled carbamazepine) were first extracted by μ-SPE device in the sample (10 mL) via agitation, then desorbed in an organic solvent (1 mL) via ultrasonication. Several parameters such as organic solvent for pre-conditioning of μ-SPE device, amount of sorbent, adsorption time, and desorption solvent and time were investigated to optimize the μ-SPE efficiency. The optimized method has limits of detection and quantitation estimated to be 0.5 ng L{sup −1} and 1.6 ng L{sup −1}, respectively. Surface water samples spiked with different amounts of carbamazepine (close to 20, 500, and 1600 ng L{sup −1}, respectively) were analysed for the validation of method precision and accuracy. Good precision was obtained as demonstrated by relative standard deviations of 0.7% for the samples with concentrations of 500 and 1600 ng kg{sup −1}, and 5.8% for the sample with concentration of 20 ng kg{sup −1}. Good accuracy was also demonstrated by the relative recoveries in the range of 96.7%–103.5% for all samples with uncertainties of 1.1%–5.4%. Owing to the same chemical properties of carbamazepine and isotope-labelled carbamazepine, the isotope ratio in the μ-SPE procedure was accurately controlled. The use of μ-SPE coupled with IDMS analysis significantly facilitated the fast and accurate measurement of carbamazepine in surface water. - Highlights: • μ-SPE coupled with IDMS for the measurement of carbamazepine. • The method is the first report of coupling μ-SPE with IDMS. • μ-SPE is fast, time

  9. A sensitive and efficient method for routine pesticide multiresidue analysis in bee pollen samples using gas and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vázquez, P Parrilla; Lozano, A; Uclés, S; Ramos, M M Gómez; Fernández-Alba, A R

    2015-12-24

    Several clean-up methods were evaluated for 253 pesticides in pollen samples concentrating on efficient clean-up and the highest number of pesticides satisfying the recovery and precision criteria. These were: (a) modified QuEChERS using dSPE with PSA+C18; (b) freeze-out prior to QuEChERS using dSPE with PSA+C18; (c) freeze-out prior to QuEChERS using dSPE with PSA+C18+Z-Sep; and (d) freeze-out followed by QuEChERS using dSPE with PSA+C18 and SPE with Z-Sep. Determinations were made using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. The modified QuEChERS protocol applying a freeze-out followed by dSPE with PSA+C18 and SPE clean-up with Z-Sep was selected because it provided the highest number of pesticides with mean recoveries in the 70-120% range, as well as relative standard deviations (RSDs) typically below 20% (12.2% on average) and ensured much better removal of co-extracted matrix compounds of paramount importance in routine analysis. Limits of quantification at levels as low as 5μgkg(-1) were obtained for the majority of the pesticides. The proposed methodology was applied to the analysis of 41 pollen bee samples from different areas in Spain. Pesticides considered potentially toxic to bees (DL50bee) were detected in some samples with concentrations up to 72.7μgkg(-1), which could negatively affect honeybee health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Rapid determination of trace nitrophenolic organics in water by combining solid-phase extraction with surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Y C; Shiea, J; Sunner, J

    2000-01-01

    A rapid technique for the screening of trace compounds in water by combining solid-phase extraction (SPE) with activated carbon surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry is demonstrated. Activated carbon is used both as the sorbent in SPE and as the solid in the SALDI matrix system. This eliminates the need for an SPE elution process. After the analytes have been adsorbed on the surfaces of the activated carbon during SPE extraction, the activated carbon is directly mixed with the SALDI liquid and mass spectrometric analysis is performed. Trace phenolic compounds in water were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. The detection limit for these compounds is in the ppb to ppt range. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Enhancement of the spin Peltier effect in multilayers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchida, K.; Iguchi, R.; Daimon, S.; Ramos, R.; Anadón, A.; Lucas, I.; Algarabel, P. A.; Morellón, L.; Aguirre, M. H.; Ibarra, M. R.; Saitoh, E.

    2017-05-01

    The spin Peltier effect (SPE), heat-current generation as a result of spin-current injection, has been investigated in alternately stacked Pt/Fe3O4 multilayer films. The temperature modulation induced by the SPE in the [Pt/Fe3O4]×n films was found to be significantly enhanced with increasing the number of Pt/Fe3O4 bilayers n . This SPE enhancement is much greater than that expected for a simple stack of independent Pt/Fe3O4 bilayers. The observed n dependence of the SPE can be explained by introducing spin-current redistribution in the multilayer films in the thickness direction, in a manner similar to the enhancement of the spin Seebeck effect in multilayers.

  12. Lock-in thermography measurements of the spin Peltier effect in a compensated ferrimagnet and its comparison to the spin Seebeck effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yagmur, A.; Iguchi, R.; Geprägs, S.; Erb, A.; Daimon, S.; Saitoh, E.; Gross, R.; Uchida, K.

    2018-05-01

    The spin Peltier effect (SPE) in a junction comprising a gadolinium-iron-garnet (GdIG) slab and a Pt film has been investigated around the magnetization compensation temperature of GdIG by means of the lock-in thermography method. When a charge current is applied to the Pt layer, a spin current is generated across the Pt/GdIG interface via the spin Hall effect in Pt. This spin current induces a heat current and a measurable temperature change near the Pt/GdIG interface due to the SPE. The SPE signal in the Pt/GdIG junction shows a sign change around the magnetization compensation temperature, demonstrating the similar temperature dependence of the SPE and the spin Seebeck effect for the Pt/GdIG hybrid system.

  13. [Application of saw palmetto fruit extract in the treatment of prostate diseases].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Xu-xin; Shang, Xue-jun; Huang, Yu-feng

    2015-09-01

    Saw palmetto fruit extract (SPE), as a herbal product, is widely used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Recent studies show that SPE also has some therapeutic effects on chronic prostatitis, prostate cancer, sexual dysfunction, and so on. This article presents an overview on the application of SPE in the treatment of BPH, prostate cancer, and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, with a discussion on its action mechanisms.

  14. Muscarinic and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor binding characteristics of saw palmetto extract in rat lower urinary tract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Mayumi; Oki, Tomomi; Sugiyama, Tomomi; Umegaki, Keizo; Uchida, Shinya; Yamada, Shizuo

    2007-06-01

    To elucidate the in vitro and ex vivo effects of saw palmetto extract (SPE) on autonomic receptors in the rat lower urinary tract. The in vitro binding affinities for alpha 1-adrenergic, muscarinic, and purinergic receptors in the rat prostate and bladder were measured by radioligand binding assays. Rats received vehicle or SPE (0.6 to 60 mg/kg/day) orally for 4 weeks, and alpha 1-adrenergic and muscarinic receptor binding in tissues of these rats were measured. Saw palmetto extract inhibited specific binding of [3H]prazosin and [N-methyl-3H]scopolamine methyl chloride (NMS) but not alpha, beta-methylene adenosine triphosphate [2,8-(3)H]tetrasodium salt in the rat prostate and bladder. The binding activity of SPE for muscarinic receptors was four times greater than that for alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. Scatchard analysis revealed that SPE significantly reduced the maximal number of binding sites (Bmax) for each radioligand in the prostate and bladder under in vitro condition. Repeated oral administration of SPE to rats brought about significant alteration in Bmax for prostatic [3H]prazosin binding and for bladder [3H]NMS binding. Such alteration by SPE was selective to the receptors in the lower urinary tract. Saw palmetto extract exerts significant binding activity on autonomic receptors in the lower urinary tract under in vitro and in vivo conditions.

  15. Putrescine importer PlaP contributes to swarming motility and urothelial cell invasion in Proteus mirabilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurihara, Shin; Sakai, Yumi; Suzuki, Hideyuki; Muth, Aaron; Phanstiel, Otto; Rather, Philip N

    2013-05-31

    Previously, we reported that the speA gene, encoding arginine decarboxylase, is required for swarming in the urinary tract pathogen Proteus mirabilis. In addition, this previous study suggested that putrescine may act as a cell-to-cell signaling molecule (Sturgill, G., and Rather, P. N. (2004) Mol. Microbiol. 51, 437-446). In this new study, PlaP, a putative putrescine importer, was characterized in P. mirabilis. In a wild-type background, a plaP null mutation resulted in a modest swarming defect and slightly decreased levels of intracellular putrescine. In a P. mirabilis speA mutant with greatly reduced levels of intracellular putrescine, plaP was required for the putrescine-dependent rescue of swarming motility. When a speA/plaP double mutant was grown in the presence of extracellular putrescine, the intracellular levels of putrescine were greatly reduced compared with the speA mutant alone, indicating that PlaP functioned as the primary putrescine importer. In urothelial cell invasion assays, a speA mutant exhibited a 50% reduction in invasion when compared with wild type, and this defect could be restored by putrescine in a PlaP-dependent manner. The putrescine analog Triamide-44 partially inhibited the uptake of putrescine by PlaP and decreased both putrescine stimulated swarming and urothelial cell invasion in a speA mutant.

  16. High-Efficiency On-Line Solid-Phase Extraction Coupling to 15-150 um I.D. Column Liquid Chromatography for Proteomic Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Yufeng; Moore, Ronald J.; Zhao, Rui; Blonder, Josip; Auberry, Deanna L.; Masselon, Christophe D.; Pasa Tolic, Ljiljana; Hixson, Kim K.; Auberry, Kenneth J.; Smith, Richard D.

    2003-01-01

    Flexible manipulation of various properties of proteomic samples is important for proteomic analyses, but it has been little explored for newly developed approaches based on liquid chromatography (LC) in combination with mass spectrometry (MS). With miniaturization of the LC column inner diameter dimensions (required for improving the analysis sensitivity), this issue becomes more challenging due to the small flow rates and the increasing effects of extra column volume on the separation quality and its use for resolving complex proteomic mixtures. In this study, we used commercial switching valves (150-mm channels) to implement the on-line coupling of capillary LC columns with relatively large solid phase extraction (SPE) columns operated at 10,000 psi. With optimized column connections, switching modes, and SPE column dimensions, high-efficiency on-line SPE-capillary and nanoscale LC separations were obtained with peak capacities of ∼1000 for capillaries having inner diameters between 15 to 150 mm. The on-line coupled SPE columns increased the sample processing capabilities by ∼400-fold for sample solution volume and ∼10-fold for sample mass. The proteomic applications of this on-line SPE-capillary LC system were evaluated for analysis of both soluble and membrane protein tryptic digests. Used with an ion trap tandem MS we could typically identify 1100-1500 peptides for analyses in a single 5-hour run. Peptides extracted on the SPE column and eluted from the LC column covered a hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity range that include an estimated ∼98% of all the tryptic peptides. The present implementation also facilitates automation and enables use of both disposable SPE columns and electrospray emitters, providing a robust basis for routine proteomic analyses.

  17. Advanced Reservoir Characterization and Evaluation of CO{sub 2} Gravity Drainage in the Naturally Fractured Spraberry Trend Area, Class III

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knight, Bill; Schechter, David S.

    2001-11-19

    The goal of this project was to assess the economic feasibility of CO{sub 2} flooding the naturally fractured Spraberry Trend Area in west Texas. This objective was accomplished through research in four areas: (1) extensive characterization of the reservoirs, (2) experimental studies of crude oil/brine/rock (COBR) interactions in the reservoirs, (3) reservoir performance analysis, and (4) experimental investigations on CO{sub 2} gravity drainage in Spraberry whole cores. The four areas have been completed and reported in the previous annual reports. This report provides the results of the final year of the project including two SPE papers (SPE 71605 and SPE 71635) presented in the 2001 SPE Annual Meeting in New Orleans, two simulation works, analysis of logging observation wells (LOW) and progress of CO{sub 2} injection.

  18. Recent Developments in Solid-Phase Extraction for Near and Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian W. Huck

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available A review with more than 100 references on the principles and recent developments in the solid-phase extraction (SPE prior and for in situ near and attenuated total reflection (ATR infrared spectroscopic analysis is presented. New materials, chromatographic modalities, experimental setups and configurations are described. Their advantages for fast sample preparation for distinct classes of compounds containing different functional groups in order to enhance selectivity and sensitivity are discussed and compared. This is the first review highlighting both the fundamentals of SPE, near and ATR spectroscopy with a view to real sample applicability and routine analysis. Most of real sample analyses examples are found in environmental research, followed by food- and bioanalysis. In this contribution a comprehensive overview of the most potent SPE-NIR and SPE-ATR approaches is summarized and provided.

  19. Monitoring multiple myeloma patients treated with daratumumab

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McCudden, Christopher; Axel, Amy E; Slaets, Dominique

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Monoclonal antibodies are promising anti-myeloma treatments. As immunoglobulins, monoclonal antibodies have the potential to be identified by serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE). Therapeutic antibody interference with standard clinical SPE and ...

  20. A novel optimised and validated method for analysis of multi-residues of pesticides in fruits and vegetables by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE)-dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE)-retention time locked (RTL)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with Deconvolution reporting software (DRS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satpathy, Gouri; Tyagi, Yogesh Kumar; Gupta, Rajinder Kumar

    2011-08-01

    A rapid, effective and ecofriendly method for sensitive screening and quantification of 72 pesticides residue in fruits and vegetables, by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) followed by dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE), retention time locked (RTL) capillary gas-chromatographic separation in trace ion mode mass spectrometric determination has been validated as per ISO/IEC: 17025:2005. Identification and reporting with total and extracted ion chromatograms were facilitated to a great extent by Deconvolution reporting software (DRS). For all compounds LOD were 0.002-0.02mg/kg and LOQ were 0.025-0.100mg/kg. Correlation coefficients of the calibration curves in the range of 0.025-0.50mg/kg were >0.993. To validate matrix effects repeatability, reproducibility, recovery and overall uncertainty were calculated for the 35 matrices at 0.025, 0.050 and 0.100mg/kg. Recovery ranged between 72% and 114% with RSD of <20% for repeatability and intermediate precision. The reproducibility of the method was evaluated by an inter laboratory participation and Z score obtained within ±2. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Principles and applications of colorimetric solid-phase extraction with negligible depletion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dias, Neil C.; Porter, Marc D.; Fritz, James S.

    2006-01-01

    Colorimetric solid-phase extraction (C-SPE) is an integrated technique in which an analyte is selectively concentrated onto a disk and then quantitated by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. This paper describes the results of an investigation that applies the concept of negligible depletion (ND) to C-SPE, representing the first application of ND concepts to solid-phase extractions. The approach relies on passing the minimal volume of sample through the disk required to reach an equilibrium in which the concentration of analyte in the sample entering and exiting the disk are equal. At this point, the amount of analyte extracted by the disk is proportional to the sample concentration but is independent of the sample volume passed through the disk. With this new method, called C-SPE/ND, the precise measurement of sample volume is no longer necessary. The work herein details the general principles of this new methodology, and validates its basic tenets in an investigation of the extraction of the organic dye methyl violet. The analytical capabilities of C-SPE/ND are then demonstrated by its application to measurements of iodine. Iodine is a biocide increasingly used as a simple and effective disinfectant for water in locations where municipal water treatment systems are potentially compromised. Thus, the ability to operate C-SPE in an ND mode notably enhances the broad-based utility of this methodology as a reliable and an easy-to-use analysis tool for water quality assessments. Since iodine is also the biocide used on NASAs Space Shuttle, C-SPE/ND has the potential to overcome problems associated with the removal of air bubbles entrapped in a water sample in the microgravity environment encountered in space exploration. Extensions of C-SPE/ND to facile determinations of other water quality parameters with respect to both earth- and space-based needs are briefly discussed

  2. Saw palmetto extract suppresses insulin-like growth factor-I signaling and induces stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation in human prostate epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wadsworth, Teri L; Carroll, Julie M; Mallinson, Rebecca A; Roberts, Charles T; Roselli, Charles E

    2004-07-01

    A common alternative therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the extract from the fruit of saw palmetto (SPE). BPH is caused by nonmalignant growth of epithelial and stromal elements of the prostate. IGF action is important for prostate growth and development, and changes in the IGF system have been documented in BPH tissues. The main signaling pathways activated by the binding of IGF-I to the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) are the ERK arm of the MAPK cascade and the phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) cascade. We tested the hypothesis that SPE suppresses growth and induces apoptosis in the P69 prostate epithelial cell line by inhibiting IGF-I signaling. Treatment with 150 microg/ml SPE for 24 h decreased IGF-I-induced proliferation of P69 cells and induced cleavage of the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), an index of apoptosis. Treatment of serum-starved P69 cells with 150 microg/ml SPE for 6 h reduced IGF-I-induced phosphorylation of Akt (assessed by Western blot) and Akt activity (assessed by an Akt kinase assay). Western blot analysis showed that SPE reduced IGF-I-induced phosphorylation of the adapter protein insulin receptor substrate-1 and decreased downstream effects of Akt activation, including increased cyclin D1 levels and phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 and p70(s6k). There was no effect on IGF-I-induced phosphorylation of MAPK, IGF-IR, or Shc. Treatment of starved cells with SPE alone induced phosphorylation the proapoptotic protein JNK. SPE treatment may relieve symptoms of BPH, in part, by inhibiting specific components of the IGF-I signaling pathway and inducing JNK activation, thus mediating antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on prostate epithelia.

  3. Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Spirulina platensis Extract via the Modulation of Histone Deacetylases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tho X. Pham

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available We previously demonstrated that the organic extract of Spirulina platensis (SPE, an edible blue-green alga, possesses potent anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we investigated if the regulation of histone deacetylases (HDACs play a role in the anti-inflammatory effect of SPE in macrophages. Treatment of macrophages with SPE rapidly and dose-dependently reduced HDAC2, 3, and 4 proteins which preceded decreases in their mRNA levels. Degradation of HDAC4 protein was attenuated in the presence of inhibitors of calpain proteases, lysosomal acidification, and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, respectively, but not a proteasome inhibitor. Acetylated histone H3 was increased in SPE-treated macrophages to a similar level as macrophages treated with a pan-HDAC inhibitor, with concomitant inhibition of inflammatory gene expression upon LPS stimulation. Knockdown of HDAC3 increased basal and LPS-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression, while HDAC4 knockdown increased basal expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β, but attenuated LPS-induced inflammatory gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that SPE decreased p65 binding and H3K9/K14 acetylation at the Il-1β and tumor necrosis factor α (Tnfα promoters. Our results suggest that SPE increased global histone H3 acetylation by facilitating HDAC protein degradation, but decreases histone H3K9/K14 acetylation and p65 binding at the promoters of Il-1β and Tnfα to exert its anti-inflammatory effect.

  4. Structure and properties of solid polymer electrolyte based on chitosan and ZrO{sub 2} nanoparticle for lithium ion battery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sudaryanto,, E-mail: dryanto@batan.go.id; Yulianti, Evi, E-mail: yulianti@batan.go.id [Center for Sains and Technology Advanced Materials – BATAN Kawasan Puspiptek Serpong, Tangerang Selatan, BantenV 15314 (Indonesia); Patimatuzzohrah, E-mail: pzohrah@yahoo.com [Department Of Physics, Mataram University, Jl. Majapahit 62, Mataram, NTB 83125 (Indonesia)

    2016-02-08

    In order to develop all solid lithium ion battery, study on the structure and properties of solid polymer electrolytes (SPE) based on chitosan has been done. The SPE were prepared by adding Zirconia (ZrO{sub 2}) nanoparticle and LiClO{sub 4} as lithium salt into the chitosan solution followed by casting method. Effect of the ZrO{sub 2} and salt concentration to the structure and properties of SPE were elaborated using several methods. The structure of the SPE cast film, were characterized mainly by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD). While the electrical properties of SPE were studied by electrochemical impedance spectrometer (EIS) and ion transference number measurement. XRD profiles show that the addition of ZrO{sub 2} and LiClO{sub 4} disrupts the crystality of chitosan. The decrease in sample crytalinity with the nanoparticle and salt addition may increase the molecular mobility result in the increasing sample conductivity and cathionic transference number as determined by EIS and ion transference number measurement, respectively. The highest ionic conductivity (3.58×10{sup −4} S cm{sup −1}) was obtained when 4 wt% of ZrO{sub 2} nanoparticle and 40 wt% of LiClO{sub 4} salt were added to the chitosan. The ion transference number with that composition was 0.55. It is high enough to be used as SPE for lithium ion battery.

  5. Ion transport property studies on PEO-PVP blended solid polymer electrolyte membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandra, Angesh; Agrawal, R C; Mahipal, Y K

    2009-01-01

    The ion transport property studies on Ag + ion conducting PEO-PVP blended solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) membranes, (1 - x)[90PEO : 10AgNO 3 ] : xPVP, where x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 (wt%), are reported. SPE films were caste using a novel hot-press technique instead of the traditional solution cast method. The conventional solid polymeric electrolyte (SPE) film, (90PEO : 10AgNO 3 ), also prepared by the hot-press method and identified as the highest conducting composition at room temperature on the basis of PEO-AgNO 3 -salt concentration dependent conductivity studies, was used as the first-phase polymer electrolyte host into which PVP were dispersed as second-phase dispersoid. A two-fold conductivity enhancement from that of the PEO host could be achieved at room temperature for PVP blended SPE film composition: 98(90PEO : 10AgNO 3 ) : 2PVP. This has been referred to as optimum conducting composition (OCC). The formation of SPE membranes and material characterizations were done with the help of the XRD and DSC techniques. The ion transport mechanism in this SPE OCC has been characterized with the help of basic ionic parameters, namely ionic conductivity (σ), ionic mobility (μ), mobile ion concentration (n) and ionic transference number (t ion ). Solid-state polymeric batteries were fabricated using OCC as electrolyte and the cell-potential discharge characteristics were studied under different load conditions.

  6. [Corrected Title: Solid-Phase Extraction of Polar Compounds from Water] Automated Electrostatics Environmental Chamber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sauer, Richard; Rutz, Jeffrey; Schultz, John

    2005-01-01

    A solid-phase extraction (SPE) process has been developed for removing alcohols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, amines, and other polar organic compounds from water. This process can be either a subprocess of a water-reclamation process or a means of extracting organic compounds from water samples for gas-chromatographic analysis. This SPE process is an attractive alternative to an Environmental Protection Administration liquid-liquid extraction process that generates some pollution and does not work in a microgravitational environment. In this SPE process, one forces a water sample through a resin bed by use of positive pressure on the upstream side and/or suction on the downstream side, thereby causing organic compounds from the water to be adsorbed onto the resin. If gas-chromatographic analysis is to be done, the resin is dried by use of a suitable gas, then the adsorbed compounds are extracted from the resin by use of a solvent. Unlike the liquid-liquid process, the SPE process works in both microgravity and Earth gravity. In comparison with the liquid-liquid process, the SPE process is more efficient, extracts a wider range of organic compounds, generates less pollution, and costs less.

  7. An absorbing microwave micro-solid-phase extraction device used in non-polar solvent microwave-assisted extraction for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ziming; Zhao, Xin; Xu, Xu; Wu, Lijie; Su, Rui; Zhao, Yajing; Jiang, Chengfei; Zhang, Hanqi; Ma, Qiang; Lu, Chunmei; Dong, Deming

    2013-01-14

    A single-step extraction-cleanup method, including microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and micro-solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE), was developed for the extraction of ten organophosphorus pesticides in vegetable and fruit samples. Without adding any polar solvent, only one kind of non-polar solvent (hexane) was used as extraction solvent in the whole extraction step. Absorbing microwave μ-SPE device, was prepared by packing activated carbon with microporous polypropylene membrane envelope, and used as not only the sorbent in μ-SPE, but also the microwave absorption medium. Some experimental parameters effecting on extraction efficiency was investigated and optimized. 1.0 g of sample, 8 mL of hexane and three absorbing microwave μ-SPE devices were added in the microwave extraction vessel, the extraction was carried out under 400 W irradiation power at 60°C for 10 min. The extracts obtained by MAE-μ-SPE were directly analyzed by GC-MS without any clean-up process. The recoveries were in the range of 93.5-104.6%, and the relative standard deviations were lower than 8.7%. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Isolation and pharmacological characterization of fatty acids from saw palmetto extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abe, Masayuki; Ito, Yoshihiko; Suzuki, Asahi; Onoue, Satomi; Noguchi, Hiroshi; Yamada, Shizuo

    2009-04-01

    Saw palmetto extract (SPE) has been widely used for the treatment of lower urinary-tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. The mechanisms of pharmacological effects of SPE include the inhibition of 5alpha-reductase, anti-androgenic effects, anti-proliferative effects, and anti-inflammatory effects. Previously, we showed that SPE bound actively to alpha(1)-adrenergic, muscarinic and 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel (1,4-DHP) receptors in the prostate and bladder of rats, whereas its active constituents have not been fully clarified. The present investigation is aimed to identify the main active components contained in hexane and diethyl ether extracts of SPE with the use of column chromatography and preparative HPLC. Based on the binding activity with alpha(1)-adrenergic, muscarinic, and 1,4-DHP receptors, both isolated oleic and lauric acids were deduced to be active components. Authentic samples of oleic and lauric acids also exhibited similar binding activities to these receptors as the fatty acids isolated from SPE, consistent with our findings. In addition, oleic and lauric acids inhibited 5alpha-reductase, possibly leading to therapeutic effects against benign prostatic hyperplasia and related lower urinary-tract symptoms.

  9. Integrated electrokinetically driven microfluidic devices with pH-mediated solid-phase extraction coupled to microchip electrophoresis for preterm birth biomarkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonker, Mukul; Knob, Radim; Sahore, Vishal; Woolley, Adam T

    2017-07-01

    Integration in microfluidics is important for achieving automation. Sample preconcentration integrated with separation in a microfluidic setup can have a substantial impact on rapid analysis of low-abundance disease biomarkers. Here, we have developed a microfluidic device that uses pH-mediated solid-phase extraction (SPE) for the enrichment and elution of preterm birth (PTB) biomarkers. Furthermore, this SPE module was integrated with microchip electrophoresis for combined enrichment and separation of multiple analytes, including a PTB peptide biomarker (P1). A reversed-phase octyl methacrylate monolith was polymerized as the SPE medium in polyethylene glycol diacrylate modified cyclic olefin copolymer microfluidic channels. Eluent for pH-mediated SPE of PTB biomarkers on the monolith was optimized using different pH values and ionic concentrations. Nearly 50-fold enrichment was observed in single channel SPE devices for a low nanomolar solution of P1, with great elution time reproducibility (electrophoresis in our integrated device with ∼15-fold enrichment. This device shows important progress towards an integrated electrokinetically operated platform for preconcentration and separation of biomarkers. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Forecasting solar proton event with artificial neural network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, J.; Wang, J.; Xue, B.; Liu, S.; Zou, Z.

    Solar proton event (SPE), relatively rare but popular in solar maximum, can bring hazard situation to spacecraft. As a special event, SPE always accompanies flare, which is also called proton flare. To produce such an eruptive event, large amount energy must be accumulated within the active region. So we can investigate the character of the active region and its evolving trend, together with other such as cm radio emission and soft X-ray background to evaluate the potential of SEP in chosen area. In order to summarize the omen of SPEs in the active regions behind the observed parameters, we employed AI technology. Full connecting neural network was chosen to fulfil this job. After constructing the network, we train it with 13 parameters that was able to exhibit the character of active regions and their evolution trend. More than 80 sets of event parameter were defined to teach the neural network to identify whether an active region was potential of SPE. Then we test this model with a data base consisting SPE and non-SPE cases that was not used to train the neural network. The result showed that 75% of the choice by the model was right.

  11. Development of andrographolide molecularly imprinted polymer for solid-phase extraction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Xiaoying; Liu, Qingshan; Jiang, Yifan; Luo, Yongming

    2011-06-01

    A method employing molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as selective sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) to pretreat samples was developed. The polymers were prepared by precipitation polymerization with andrographolide as template molecule. The structure of MIP was characterized and its static adsorption capacity was measured by the Scatchard equation. In comparison with C 18-SPE and non-imprinted polymer (NIP) SPE column, MIP-SPE column displays high selectivity and good affinity for andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide for extract of herb Andrographis paniculata ( Burm.f.) Nees (APN). MIP-SPE column capacity was 11.9 ± 0.6 μmol/g and 12.1 ± 0.5 μmol/g for andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide, respectively and was 2-3 times higher than that of other two columns. The precision and accuracy of the method developed were satisfactory with recoveries between 96.4% and 103.8% (RSD 3.1-4.3%, n = 5) and 96.0% and 104.2% (RSD 2.9-3.7%, n = 5) for andrographolide and dehydroandrographolide, respectively. Various real samples were employed to confirm the feasibility of method. This developed method demonstrates the potential of molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction for rapid, selective, and effective sample pretreatment.

  12. A solid-phase extraction method for analyzing trace amounts of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in waste water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hye-Sung Cho

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The Korean government has regulated emission of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fsin waste water of manufacturing facilities producing chlorinated compounds since 2009. As this regulation is expected to bereinforced in 2013 to 50 pg I-TEQ/L, a large sample volume is required for the analysis of trace amounts of PCDD/Fs in wastewater. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE is used to extract PCDD/Fs from aqueous samples; however, its low efficiency makes itinadequate for analyzing large sample volumes. Herein, we present a disk-type solid-phase extraction (SPE method for the analysisof dioxin at a part per quadrillion level in waste water. This SPE system contains airtight glass covers with a decompressionpump, which enables continuous semi-automated extraction. Small (0.5 L and large (7 L samples were extracted using LLE andSPE methods, respectively. The method detection limits (MDLs were 0.001−0.25 and 0.015−4.1 pg I-TEQ/L for the SPE andLLE methods, respectively. The concentrations of detected congeners with both methods were similar. However, the concentrationsof several congeners that were not detected with the LLE method were quantified using the SPE method

  13. Direct modification of hydrogen/deuterium-terminated diamond particles with polymers to form reversed and strong cation exchange solid phase extraction sorbents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Li; Jensen, David S; Vail, Michael A; Dadson, Andrew; Linford, Matthew R

    2010-12-03

    We describe direct polymer attachment to hydrogen and deuterium-terminated diamond (HTD and DTD) surfaces using a radical initiator (di-tert-amyl peroxide, DTAP), a reactive monomer (styrene) and a crosslinking agent (divinylbenzene, DVB) to create polystyrene encapsulated diamond. Chemisorbed polystyrene is sulfonated with sulfuric acid in acetic acid. Surface changes were followed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT). Finally, both polystyrene-modified DTD and sulfonated styrene-modified DTD were used in solid phase extraction (SPE). Percent recovery and column capacity were investigated for both phenyl (polystyrene) and sulfonic acid treated polystyrene SPE columns. These diamond-based SPE supports are stable under basic conditions, which is not the case for silica-based SPE supports. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Development of an interface for directly coupled solid-phase extraction and GC-MS analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Öllers, M.J.H.; van Lieshout, H.P.M.; Janssen, J.G.M.; Cramers, C.A.M.G.

    Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is widely used as a sample preparation technique in numerous application areas of chromatography. Large-volume injection is an attractive technique for coupling SPE to gas chromatography (GC) because it provides improved detection limits and circumvents the need for

  15. Infrasound Predictions Using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model: Atmospheric Green's Functions for the Source Physics Experiments 1-6.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Poppeliers, Christian; Aur, Katherine Anderson; Preston, Leiph

    2018-03-01

    This report shows the results of constructing predictive atmospheric models for the Source Physics Experiments 1-6. Historic atmospheric data are combined with topography to construct an atmo- spheric model that corresponds to the predicted (or actual) time of a given SPE event. The models are ultimately used to construct atmospheric Green's functions to be used for subsequent analysis. We present three atmospheric models for each SPE event: an average model based on ten one- hour snap shots of the atmosphere and two extrema models corresponding to the warmest, coolest, windiest, etc. atmospheric snap shots. The atmospheric snap shots consist of wind, temperature, and pressure profiles of the atmosphere for a one-hour time window centered at the time of the predicted SPE event, as well as nine additional snap shots for each of the nine preceding years, centered at the time and day of the SPE event.

  16. Measurement of trace levels of antibiotics in river water using on-line enrichment and triple-quadrupole LC-MS/MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinh, Quoc Tuc; Alliot, Fabrice; Moreau-Guigon, Elodie; Eurin, Joëlle; Chevreuil, Marc; Labadie, Pierre

    2011-09-15

    This study presents the development of an automated on-line solid phase extraction (SPE)-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of 23 antibiotics in environmental water samples. After optimisation of LC-MS/MS conditions, SPE parameters such as sorbent type, sample pH or sample volume were optimised. Antibiotic recoveries ranged from 64% to 98% and compared favourably with those achieved using off-line SPE. Limits of detection were in the range 0.5-13.7 ng L(-1). This on-line SPE-LC-MS/MS procedure was applied to the analysis of water samples taken in three rivers within the Seine River basin, near Paris (France). The obtained results revealed the occurrence of 12 antibiotics, including tylosin, erythromycin, tetracycline, amoxicillin, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, oxolinic acid, flumequine, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and vancomycin (2-1435 ng L(-1)). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Oxidation reaction of polyether-based material and its suppression in lithium rechargeable battery using 4 V class cathode, LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Takeshi; Kobayashi, Yo; Tabuchi, Masato; Shono, Kumi; Ohno, Yasutaka; Mita, Yuichi; Miyashiro, Hajime

    2013-12-11

    The all solid-state lithium battery with polyether-based solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) is regarded as one of next-generation lithium batteries, and has potential for sufficient safety because of the flammable-electrolyte-free system. It has been believed that polyether-based SPE is oxidized at the polymer/electrode interface with 4 V class cathodes. Therefore, it has been used for electric devices such as organic transistor, and lithium battery under 3 V. We estimated decomposition reaction of polyether used as SPE of all solid-state lithium battery. We first identified the decomposed parts of polyether-based SPE and the conservation of most main chain framework, considering the results of SPE analysis after long cycle operations. The oxidation reaction was found to occur slightly at the ether bond in the main chain with the branched side chain. Moreover, we resolved the issue by introducing a self-sacrificing buffer layer at the interface. The introduction of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to the 4 V class cathode surface led to the suppression of SPE decomposition at the interface as a result of the preformation of a buffer layer from CMC, which was confirmed by the irreversible exothermic reaction during the first charge, using electrochemical calorimetry. The attained 1500 cycle operation is 1 order of magnitude longer than those of previously reported polymer systems, and compatible with those of reported commercial liquid systems. The above results indicate to proceed to an intensive research toward the realization of 4 V class "safe" lithium polymer batteries without flammable liquid electrolyte.

  18. A dipole-assisted solid-phase extraction microchip combined with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for online determination of trace heavy metals in natural water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shih, Tsung-Ting; Hsu, I-Hsiang; Chen, Shun-Niang; Chen, Ping-Hung; Deng, Ming-Jay; Chen, Yu; Lin, Yang-Wei; Sun, Yuh-Chang

    2015-01-21

    We employed a polymeric material, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), for fabricating a microdevice and then implanted the chlorine (Cl)-containing solid-phase extraction (SPE) functionality into the PMMA chip to develop an innovative on-chip dipole-assisted SPE technique. Instead of the ion-ion interactions utilized in on-chip SPE techniques, the dipole-ion interactions between the highly electronegative C-Cl moieties in the channel interior and the positively charged metal ions were employed to facilitate the on-chip SPE procedures. Furthermore, to avoid labor-intensive manual manipulation, a programmable valve manifold was designed as an interface combining the dipole-assisted SPE microchip and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to achieve the fully automated operation. Under the optimized operation conditions for the established system, the detection limits for each analyte ion were obtained based on three times the standard deviation of seven measurements of the blank eluent solution. The limits ranged from 3.48 to 20.68 ng L(-1), suggesting that this technique appears uniquely suited for determining the levels of heavy metal ions in natural water. Indeed, a series of validation procedures demonstrated that the developed method could be satisfactorily applied to the determination of trace heavy metals in natural water. Remarkably, the developed device was durable enough to be reused more than 160 times without any loss in its analytical performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting on the combination of a dipole-assisted SPE microchip and elemental analysis instrument for the online determination of trace heavy metal ions.

  19. Development and evaluation of a gas chromatographic method for the determination of triazine herbicides in natural water samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinheimer, T.R.; Brooks, M.G.

    1984-01-01

    A multi-residue method is described for the determination of triazine herbicides in natural water samples. The technique uses solvent extraction followed by gas chromatographic separation and detection employing nitrogen-selective devices. Seven compounds can be determined simultaneously at a nominal detection limit of 0.1 ??g/L in a 1-litre sample. Three different natural water samples were used for error analysis via evaluation of recovery efficiencies and estimation of overall method precision. As an alternative to liquid-liquid partition (solvent extraction) for removal of compounds of interest from water, solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques employing chromatographic grade silicas with chemically modified surfaces have been examined. SPE is found to provide rapid and efficient concentration with quantitative recovery of some triazine herbicides from natural water samples. Concentration factors of 500 to 1000 times are obtained readily by the SPE technique.A multi-residue method is described for the determination of triazine herbicides in natural water samples. The technique uses solvent extraction followed by gas chromatographic separation and detection employing nitrogen-selective devices. Seven compounds can be determined simultaneously at a nominal detection limit of 0. 1 mu g/L in a 1-litre sample. As an alternative to liquid-liquid partition (solvent extraction) for removal of compounds of interest from water, solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques employing chromatographic grade silicas with chemically modified surfaces have been examined. SPE is found to provide rapid and efficient concentration with quantitative recovery of some triazine herbicides from natural water samples. Concentration factors of 500 to 1000 times are obtained readily by the SPE technique.

  20. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry determination of synthetic cathinones and phenethylamines in influent wastewater of eight European cities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bade, Richard; Bijlsma, Lubertus; Sancho, Juan V.

    2017-01-01

    (SPE) with Oasis MCX cartridges. Isotopically labelled internal standards were used to correct for matrix effects and potential SPE losses. Following chromatographic separation on a C18 column within 6 min, the compounds were measured by tandem mass spectrometry in positive ionization mode. The method...

  1. Hydrogen-oxygen proton-exchange membrane fuel cells and electrolyzers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldwin, R.; Pham, M.; Leonida, A.; Mcelroy, J.; Nalette, T.

    1990-01-01

    A flight experiment is planned for the validation, in a microgravity environment, of several ground-proven simplification features relating to SPE fuel cells and SPE electrolyzers. With a successful experiment, these features can be incorporated into equipment designs for specific extraterrestrial energy storage applications.

  2. Polyamines are essential for virulence in Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum despite evolutionary decay of polyamine biosynthesis genes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schroll, Casper; Christensen, Jens P.; Christensen, Henrik

    2014-01-01

    . Typhi and S. Gallinarum and happened through independent events. The remaining polyamine biosynthesis pathway was found to be essential for oral infection with S. Gallinarum since single and double mutants in speB and speE, encoding the pathways from agmatine to putrescine and from putrescine...... to putrescine. The first pathway is not active in S. Gallinarum and S. Typhi, and this prompted us to investigate the importance of polyamines for virulence in S. Gallinarum. Bioinformatic analysis of all sequenced genomes of Salmonella revealed that pseudogene formation of the speC gene was exclusive for S...

  3. C18, C8, and perfluoro reversed phases on diamond for solid-phase extraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saini, Gaurav; Wiest, Landon A; Herbert, David; Biggs, Katherine N; Dadson, Andrew; Vail, Michael A; Linford, Matthew R

    2009-04-17

    In spite of advances in solid-phase extraction (SPE) technology there are certain disadvantages to current SPE silica-based, column packings. The pH range over which extraction can occur is limited and each column is generally only used once. New diamond-based reversed SPE phases (C(18), C(8), and perfluorinated) were developed in our laboratories. Studies were done which show that these phases do not have the same limitations as traditional silica-based stationary phases. The synthesis and properties of these diamond-based phases are presented, and the stability, percent recovery, and column capacity are given for the C(18) phase.

  4. Fuel cell power plants for automotive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElroy, J. F.

    1983-02-01

    While the Solid Polymer Electrolyte (SPE) fuel cell has until recently not been considered competitive with such commercial and industrial energy systems as gas turbine generators and internal combustion engines, electrical current density improvements have markedly improved the capital cost/kW output rating performance of SPE systems. Recent studies of SPE fuel cell applicability to vehicular propulsion have indicated that with adequate development, a powerplant may be produced which will satisfy the performance, size and weight objectives required for viable electric vehicles, and that the cost for such a system would be competitive with alternative advanced power systems.

  5. Utilizing thin-film solid-phase extraction to assess the effect of organic carbon amendments on the bioavailability of DDT and dieldrin to earthworms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrade, Natasha A.; Centofanti, Tiziana; McConnell, Laura L.; Hapeman, Cathleen J.; Torrents, Alba; Nguyen, Anh; Beyer, W. Nelson; Chaney, Rufus L.; Novak, Jeffrey M.; Anderson, Marya O.; Cantrell, Keri B.

    2014-01-01

    Improved approaches are needed to assess bioavailability of hydrophobic organic compounds in contaminated soils. Performance of thin-film solid-phase extraction (TF-SPE) using vials coated with ethylene vinyl acetate was compared to earthworm bioassay (Lumbricus terrestris). A DDT and dieldrin contaminated soil was amended with four organic carbon materials to assess the change in bioavailability. Addition of organic carbon significantly lowered bioavailability for all compounds except for 4,4′-DDT. Equilibrium concentrations of compounds in the polymer were correlated with uptake by earthworms after 48d exposure (R 2 = 0.97; p 40yr of aging. Results show that TF-SPE can be useful in examining potential risks associated with contaminated soils and to test effectiveness of remediation efforts. -- Highlights: • Bioavailability of pesticides in soil were assessed using TF-SPE and earthworms. • Soil from a historical orchard was used to examine aged residues of dieldrin and DDT. • TF-SPE results were strongly correlated with earthworm bioaccumulation factors. • Ethylene vinyl acetate polymer has sorptive capacity similar to earthworm lipid. • TF-SPE useful to estimate bioavailability of hydrophobic organic pesticides in soil. -- Capsule A thin-film polymer sampler proved to be efficient in estimating the differences in bioavailability to earthworms in a soil treated with organic amendments

  6. Development of an in-house mixed-mode solid-phase extraction for the determination of 16 basic drugs in urine by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musile, Giacomo; Cenci, Lucia; Piletska, Elena; Gottardo, Rossella; Bossi, Alessandra M; Bortolotti, Federica

    2018-07-27

    The aim of the present work was to develop a novel in-house mixed-mode SPE sorbent to be used for the HPLC-Ion TrapMS determination of 16 basic drugs in urine. By using a computational modelling, a virtual monomer library was screened identifying three suitable functional monomers, methacrylic acid (MAA), itaconic acid (IA) and 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPSA), respectively. Three different sorbents were then synthetized based on these monomers, and using as cross-linker trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA). The sorbent characterization analyses brought to the selection of the AMPSA based phase. Using this novel in-house sorbent, a SPE-HPLC-Ion TrapMS method for drug analysis in urine was validated proving to be selective and accurate and showing a sensitivity adequate for toxicological urine analysis. The comparison of the in-house mixed-mode SPE sorbent with two analogous commercial mixed-mode SPE phases showed that the first one was better not only in terms of process efficiency, but also in terms of quality-price rate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time in which an in-house SPE procedure has been applied to the toxicological analysis of a complex matrix, such as urine. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Automated sample preparation using membrane microtiter extraction for bioanalytical mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janiszewski, J; Schneider, P; Hoffmaster, K; Swyden, M; Wells, D; Fouda, H

    1997-01-01

    The development and application of membrane solid phase extraction (SPE) in 96-well microtiter plate format is described for the automated analysis of drugs in biological fluids. The small bed volume of the membrane allows elution of the analyte in a very small solvent volume, permitting direct HPLC injection and negating the need for the time consuming solvent evaporation step. A programmable liquid handling station (Quadra 96) was modified to automate all SPE steps. To avoid drying of the SPE bed and to enhance the analytical precision a novel protocol for performing the condition, load and wash steps in rapid succession was utilized. A block of 96 samples can now be extracted in 10 min., about 30 times faster than manual solvent extraction or single cartridge SPE methods. This processing speed complements the high-throughput speed of contemporary high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) analysis. The quantitative analysis of a test analyte (Ziprasidone) in plasma demonstrates the utility and throughput of membrane SPE in combination with HPLC/MS. The results obtained with the current automated procedure compare favorably with those obtained using solvent and traditional solid phase extraction methods. The method has been used for the analysis of numerous drug prototypes in biological fluids to support drug discovery efforts.

  8. New practical algorithm for modelling analyte recovery in bioanalytical reversed phase and mixed-mode solid phase extraction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, G.; Uges, D. R. A.; Franke, J. P.

    2008-01-01

    Solid phase extraction (SPE) is a widely used method for sample cleanup and sample concentration in bioanalytical sample preparation. A few methods to model the retention behaviour on SPE cartridges have been described previously but they are either not applicable to ionised species or are not

  9. Invasive group A streptococcal disease in The Netherlands : Evidence for a protective role of anti-exotoxin A antibodies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mascini, EM; Jansze, M; Schellekens, JFP; Musser, JM; Faber, JAJ; Verhoef-Verhage, LAE; Schouls, L; van Leeuwen, WJ; Verhoef, J; van Dijk, H

    As part of a nationwide surveillance in The Netherlands during 1994-1997, 53 patients with invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) infections were evaluated for medical history, symptoms, and outcome. Patients' isolates were tested for the production of pyrogenic exotoxins A (SPE-A) and B (SPE-B).

  10. METHOD 544. DETERMINATION OF MICROCYSTINS AND NODULARIN IN DRINKING WATER BY SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION AND LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY/TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY (LC/MS/MS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Method 544 is an accurate and precise analytical method to determine six microcystins (including MC-LR) and nodularin in drinking water using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC/MS/MS). The advantage of this SPE-LC/MS/MS is its sensi...

  11. Recyclable amplification for single-photon entanglement from photon loss and decoherence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Lan; Chen, Ling-Quan; Zhong, Wei; Sheng, Yu-Bo

    2018-01-01

    We put forward a highly efficient recyclable single-photon assisted amplification protocol, which can protect single-photon entanglement (SPE) from photon loss and decoherence. Making use of quantum nondemolition detection gates constructed with the help of cross-Kerr nonlinearity, our protocol has some attractive advantages. First, the parties can recover less-entangled SPE to be maximally entangled SPE, and reduce photon loss simultaneously. Second, if the protocol fails, the parties can repeat the protocol to reuse some discarded items, which can increase the success probability. Third, when the protocol is successful, they can similarly repeat the protocol to further increase the fidelity of the SPE. Thereby, our protocol provides a possible way to obtain high entanglement, high fidelity and high success probability simultaneously. In particular, our protocol shows higher success probability in the practical high photon loss channel. Based on the above features, our amplification protocol has potential for future application in long-distance quantum communication.

  12. Solid-phase extraction of carotenoids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Yao; Hu, Yumin; Huang, Ke; Yin, Shi'an; Chen, Bo; Yao, Shouzhuo

    2009-07-24

    In this work, solid-phase extraction (SPE) trapping performance of lutein and beta-carotene, which were used as the model molecules of carotenoids, was investigated. The absorption, elution, and enrichment of carotenoids on SPE cartridges with four different sorbents, i.e. C(30), C(18), diol, and silica, were compared respectively with the help of frontal analysis technique. The high retentions of both lutein and beta-carotene were achieved on the C(18) and C(30) cartridges. The diol and silica cartridges only had good retention for lutein. The optimized SPE method for sample pretreatment for the carotenoids analysis was obtained after the investigation of trapping performance. The method was applied successfully to the analysis of biological sample, i.e. serum and human breast milk. The recovery, accuracy, and precision of SPE method comparing with those of traditional liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method for the sample pretreatment for the analysis of carotenoids owned a number of advantages such as rapid, no chloroform used, and accurate versus LLE.

  13. A clinical and bacteriologic investigation of invasive streptococcal infections in Japan on the basis of serotypes, toxin production, and genomic DNA fingerprints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakashima, K; Ichiyama, S; Iinuma, Y; Hasegawa, Y; Ohta, M; Ooe, K; Shimizu, Y; Igarashi, H; Murai, T; Shimokata, K

    1997-08-01

    In a survey of invasive streptococcal infections in Japan, we analyzed isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes collected between 1992 and 1994. Genomic DNA fingerprints produced by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were compared by computer-assisted analysis. Conventional serologic M types were subdivided into PFGE types showing close genetic similarity. Among the 42 isolates from patients with invasive diseases, 16 PFGE types were identified and genetic diversity was clearly demonstrated. Identical fingerprints were observed in both invasive and noninvasive isolates. Only 43% of invasive isolates produced streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SPE A), and 31% did not contain the speA gene. These findings suggest that the dissemination of a specific clone is not sufficient to explain all cases of these diseases in Japan and pose a question as to the role of SPE A as a major virulent factor. Bacterial factors other than SPE A and host factors should be considered in evaluation of the pathogenesis of the diseases.

  14. Some laws governing the electrosynthesis of organic compounds with a solid polymetric electrolyte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodionova, N.A.; Avrutskaya, I.A.; Fioshin, M. Ya.; Khrizolitova, M.A.

    1986-01-01

    The electrosynthesis of organic compounds with a solid polymetric electrolyte (SPE) makes it possible to carry out the process in the absence of a supporting electrolyte. This facilitates the recovery of the desired product, eliminates the inorganic waste products, and allows a small interelectrode distance, and the absence of the accumulation of gases lowers the voltage in the cell. Some laws governing syntheses of SPE were studied in the example cases of the electrochemical reduction of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-oxopiperidine to 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxy-piperidine, the reduction of triacetonamine oxime and triacetonamine azine to 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4- aminopiperidine and the oxidation of isobutanol to isobutyric acid. The electrolysis with an SPE was carried out under galvanostatic conditions in an electrolyzer of the filter-press type with forced circulation of the catholyte and anolyte. Low reaction rates are found to be characteristic of all the compounds investigated when the electrolysis is carried out with an SPE.

  15. The effects of solar particle events on the middle atmosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackman, C.H.; Douglass, A.R.; Meade, P.E.

    1989-01-01

    Solar particle events (SPEs) have been investigated since the late 1960's for possible effects on the middle atmosphere. Solar protons from SPEs produce ionizations, dissociations, dissociative ionizations, and excitations in the middle atmosphere. The production of HO(x) and NO(x) and their subsequent effects on ozone can also be computed using energy deposition and photochemical models. The effects of SPE-produced HO(x) species on the odd nitrogen abundance of the middle atmosphere as well as the SPE-produced long term effects on ozone. Model computations indicate fairly good agreement with ozone data for the SPE-induced ozone depletion caused by NO(y) species connected with the August 1972 SPE. The model computations indicate that NO(y) will not be substantially changed over a solar cycle by SPEs. The changes are mainly at high latitudes and are on time scales of several months, after which the NO(y) drifts back to its ambient levels

  16. Analyses of Indole Compounds in Sugar Cane (Saccharum officinarum L. Juice by High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry after Solid-Phase Extraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Wan Hong Yong

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Simultaneous quantitative analysis of 10 indole compounds, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, one of the most important naturally occurring auxins and some of its metabolites, by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS after solid-phase extraction (SPE was reported for the first time. The analysis was carried out using a reverse phase HPLC gradient elution, with an aqueous mobile phase (containing 0.1% formic acid modified by methanol. Furthermore, a novel SPE procedure was developed for the pre-concentration and purification of indole compounds using C18 SPE cartridges. The combination of SPE, HPLC, and LC-MS was applied to screen for the indole compounds present in sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L. juice, a refreshing beverage with various health benefits. Finally, four indole compounds were successfully detected and quantified in sugar cane juice by HPLC, which were further unequivocally confirmed by LC-MS/MS experiments operating in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM mode.

  17. Brief report: Exploring the benefits of a peer-tutored physical education programme among high school students with intellectual disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gobbi, Erica; Greguol, Márcia; Carraro, Attilio

    2018-01-29

    The purpose of this study was to explore possible benefits of a peer-tutored physical education programme (PTPE) in comparison with school physical education (SPE) in high school students with intellectual disability. Nineteen students with intellectual disabilities (15 boys, mean age 17.4 ± 1.7 years) were monitored during three PTPE and three SPE classes. A factorial RM-ANOVA was used to test differences on objective measured physical activity (PA), enjoyment and exertion during the two conditions, considering participants' weight condition as independent factor. During PTPE, participants reported higher light intensity PA, enjoyment and exertion than during SPE. Participants with overweight showed less inactive time and higher light intensity PA during PTPE than during SPE. The peer-tutored programme was beneficial for adolescents with intellectual disability, particularly for those in overweight condition. The higher enjoyment found during PTPE may encourage exercise participation of students with intellectual disability. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Evaluation of solid polymer electrolytes for use in conducting polymer/nanotube actuators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Trevor W.; Kim, B. C.; Spinks, Geoffrey M.; Wallace, Gordon G.

    2000-06-01

    The stringent requirements for a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) in solid state devices such as batteries or supercapacitors are even more demanding when used in electromechanical actuators. Not only is the SPE expected to exhibit good conductivity, mechanical properties, adhesion and mechanical/electrical stability, but it must also be flexible, maintained good adhesion while flexing, be easily processible and be able to function in air. In this work polyacrylonitrile and Kynar based non-aqueous SPEs and water based polyacrylamide hydrogel ion source/sinks containing various perchlorate salts were tested for their applicability to polypyrrole and carbon nanotube actuators and supercapacitors. The results indicate that the optimum SPE for both polypyrrole and carbon nanotube actuators would be a polyacrylonitrile plasticized with propylene carbonate and ethylene carbonate containing 1.0M NaClO4. It is also apparent that the same SPE would be the most suitable for supercapacitor applications with these materials.

  19. Temperature dependent dielectric properties and ion transportation in solid polymer electrolyte for lithium ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sengwa, R. J., E-mail: rjsengwa@rediffmail.com; Dhatarwal, Priyanka, E-mail: dhatarwalpriyanka@gmail.com; Choudhary, Shobhna, E-mail: shobhnachoudhary@rediffmail.com [Dielectric Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur – 342 005 (India)

    2016-05-06

    Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) film consisted of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blend matrix with lithium tetrafluroborate (LiBF{sub 4}) as dopant ionic salt and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as plasticizer has been prepared by solution casting method followed by melt pressing. Dielectric properties and ionic conductivity of the SPE film at different temperatures have been determined by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. It has been observed that the dc ionic conductivity of the SPE film increases with increase of temperature and also the decrease of relaxation time. The temperature dependent relaxation time and ionic conductivity values of the electrolyte are governed by the Arrhenius relation. Correlation observed between dc conductivity and relaxation time confirms that ion transportation occurs with polymer chain segmental dynamics through hopping mechanism. The room temperature ionic conductivity is found to be 4 × 10{sup −6} S cm{sup −1} which suggests the suitability of the SPE film for rechargeable lithium batteries.

  20. The kinetics of solid phase epitaxy in As-doped buried amorphous silicon layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCallum, J.C.

    1999-01-01

    Ion implantation is the principal method used to introduce dopants into silicon for fabrication of semiconductor devices. During ion implantation, damage accumulates in the crystalline silicon lattice and amorphisation may occur over the depth range of the ions if the implant dose is sufficiently high. As device dimensions shrink, the need to produce shallower and shallower highly-doped layers increases and the probability of amorphisation also increases. To achieve dopant-activation, the amorphous or damaged material must be returned to the crystalline state by thermal annealing. Amorphous silicon layers can be crystallised by the solid-state process of solid phase epitaxy (SPE) in which the amorphous layer transforms to crystalline silicon (c-Si) layer by layer using the underlying c-Si as a seed. The atomic mechanism that is responsible for the crystallisation is thought to involve highly-localised bond-breaking and rearrangement processes at the amorphous/crystalline (a/c) interface but the defect responsible for these bond rearrangements has not yet been identified. Since the bond breaking process necessarily generates dangling bonds, it has been suggested that the crystallisation process may solely involve the formation and migration of dangling bonds at the interface. One of the key factors which may shed further light on the nature of the SPE defect is the observed dopant-dependence of the rate of crystallisation. It has been found that moderate concentrations of dopants enhance the SPE crystallisation rate while the presence of equal concentrations of an n-type and a p-type dopant (impurity compensation) returns the SPE rate to the intrinsic value. This provides crucial evidence that the SPE mechanism is sensitive to the position of the Fermi level in the bandgap of the crystalline and/or the amorphous silicon phases and may lead to identification of an energy level within the bandgap that can be associated with the defect. This paper gives details of SPE

  1. The effects of synchrotron x-rays on the local structure and the recrystallization of ion-damaged Si

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kin Man Yu; Lei Wang; Walukiewicz, W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)

    1997-04-01

    Ion implantation is used extensively as a routine, controllable and reproducible doping technique for semiconductor processing. In Si, the amorphization by ion beams as well as the subsequent thermally induced solid phase epitaxy (SPE) and the electrical activation of the implanted dopants have been studied extensively. It has been well established that the SPE of amorphous Si ({alpha}-Si) layers created by implantation is initiated by thermal annealing at temperatures {ge} 400{degrees}C and proceeds in a planar fashion. The kinetics of the SPE process was found to follow an Arrhenius equation with an activation energy of 2.7eV. Various models have been proposed to explain the SPE process. In most cases, the mechanism leading to SPE is expected to involve the formation and/or motion of defects at or near the amorphous/crystalline interface. In this work the authors explore the effects of an intense x-ray beam generated by a synchrotron source on the SPE process of ion amorphized Si layers. A layer of amorphous Si was created near the surface of a single crystal Si to a depth of {approximately}2000{Angstrom} by 180keV Zn ion implantation. The sample was then irradiated at beam line 10-3 (microprobe beamline) at the Advance Light Source (ALS) for 5-16 hours. For 5-16 hours irradiation, the total photons absorbed by the {alpha}-Si film was {approximately}0.3-1 photon/Si atom (for 4keV photons). The authors find that in ion amorphized Si layers, although the ion dose is well above the amorphization threshold, small crystallites are still present. The absorption of x-ray by the Si atoms provides enough energy to disperse the small crystallites in the amorphous Si, reducing the number of interfacial defects as well as locally re-arrange the atoms to form a homogeneously amorphous layer with close to four-fold coordinated environment. This rearrangement in local structure of the {alpha}-Si results in nearly a defect-free crystal after SPE.

  2. Influence of Salvadora persica (miswak) extract on physical and antimicrobial properties of glass ionomer cement

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    El-Tatari, A.; de Soet, J.J.; de Gee, A.J.; Abou Shelib, M.; van Amerongen, W.E.

    2011-01-01

    AIM: To investigate physical and antimicrobial properties of Glass Ionomer Cement (GIC) combined with Salvadora Persica Extract (SPE). METHODS: SPE was added to GIC (Fuji IX) in concentrations of 1%, 2% and 4% w/w. The compressive strength and diametral tensile strength were measured at 1 h, 24 h

  3. Characteristics, Effectiveness, and Prospects of Supplementary Professional Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kliucharev, Grigorii Arturovich

    2010-01-01

    Today the system of supplementary professional education (SPE) is the main institutionalized subunit that is oriented toward "adult learners". Surveys have shown that in many cases investment in SPE is more profitable, predictable, reliable, and short term than that in any other form of education. Data on supplemental professional…

  4. Source characterization of underground explosions from hydrodynamic-to-elastic coupling simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, A.; Pitarka, A.; Ford, S. R.; Ezzedine, S. M.; Vorobiev, O.

    2017-12-01

    A major improvement in ground motion simulation capabilities for underground explosion monitoring during the first phase of the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) is the development of a wave propagation solver that can propagate explosion generated non-linear near field ground motions to the far-field. The calculation is done using a hybrid modeling approach with a one-way hydrodynamic-to-elastic coupling in three dimensions where near-field motions are computed using GEODYN-L, a Lagrangian hydrodynamics code, and then passed to WPP, an elastic finite-difference code for seismic waveform modeling. The advancement in ground motion simulation capabilities gives us the opportunity to assess moment tensor inversion of a realistic volumetric source with near-field effects in a controlled setting, where we can evaluate the recovered source properties as a function of modeling parameters (i.e. velocity model) and can provide insights into previous source studies on SPE Phase I chemical shots and other historical nuclear explosions. For example the moment tensor inversion of far-field SPE seismic data demonstrated while vertical motions are well-modeled using existing velocity models large misfits still persist in predicting tangential shear wave motions from explosions. One possible explanation we can explore is errors and uncertainties from the underlying Earth model. Here we investigate the recovered moment tensor solution, particularly on the non-volumetric component, by inverting far-field ground motions simulated from physics-based explosion source models in fractured material, where the physics-based source models are based on the modeling of SPE-4P, SPE-5 and SPE-6 near-field data. The hybrid modeling approach provides new prospects in modeling explosion source and understanding the uncertainties associated with it.

  5. Spectral phase encoding of ultra-short optical pulse in time domain for OCDMA application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xu; Wada, Naoya

    2007-06-11

    We propose a novel reconfigurable time domain spectral phase encoding (SPE) scheme for coherent optical code-division-multiple-access application. In the proposed scheme, the ultra-short optical pulse is stretched by dispersive device and the SPE is done in time domain using high speed phase modulator. The time domain SPE scheme is robust to wavelength drift of the light source and is very flexible and compatible with the fiber optical system. Proof-of-principle experiments of encoding with 16-chip, 20 GHz/chip binary-phase-shift-keying codes and 1.25 Gbps data transmission have been successfully demonstrated together with an arrayed-wave-guide decoder.

  6. Simple pulmonary eosinophilia detected at low-dose CT for lung cancer screening

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeon, Kyung Nyeo; Bae, Kyung Soo; Kim, Ho Cheol [Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju (Korea, Republic of)] (and others)

    2006-05-15

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency, radiologic findings and clinical significance of the simple pulmonary eosinophilia (SPE) that was diagnosed among the asymptomatic patients who underwent low-dose CT scans for the early detection of lung cancer. From June 2003 to May 2005, 1,239 asymptomatic patients (1,275 examinations) who visited the health promotion center in our hospital and who underwent low-dose CT were enrolled in this study. SPE was defined as the presence of > 500 eosinophils per microliter of peripheral blood and the presence of abnormal parenchymal lesions such as nodules, airspace consolidation or areas of ground-glass attenuation (GGA) on CT, and there was spontaneous resolution or migration of the lesions on the follow-up examination. We analyzed the CT findings of SPE and we investigated the relationship between the occurrence of SPE and the season, smoking and the presence of parasite infestation. 36 patients were finally diagnosed as having SPE; this was 24% of the 153 patients who were diagnosed with parasite infestation and 2.8% of the total low-dose CT scans. These 36 patients consisted of 31 men and 5 women with a mean age 45.7 years. There was no significant relationship between SPE and the presence of parasite infestation, smoking or gender. Among the patients with peripheral blood eosinophilia, the eosinophil count was significantly higher in the patients with SPE than that in the patients without pulmonary infiltration ({rho} < 0.05). SPE more frequently occurred in winter and spring than in summer and autumn ({rho} < 0.05). The CT findings were single or multiple nodules in 18 patients, nodules and focal GGA in 9 patients and GGA only in 9 patients. Most of the nodules were less than 10 mm (88%, 49/56) in diameter and they showed an ill-defined margin (82%, n = 46); 30% of the nodules (n = 17) showed a halo around them. Simple pulmonary eosinophilia can be suggested as the cause if single or multiple ill-defined nodules

  7. Simple pulmonary eosinophilia detected at low-dose CT for lung cancer screening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeon, Kyung Nyeo; Bae, Kyung Soo; Kim, Ho Cheol

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency, radiologic findings and clinical significance of the simple pulmonary eosinophilia (SPE) that was diagnosed among the asymptomatic patients who underwent low-dose CT scans for the early detection of lung cancer. From June 2003 to May 2005, 1,239 asymptomatic patients (1,275 examinations) who visited the health promotion center in our hospital and who underwent low-dose CT were enrolled in this study. SPE was defined as the presence of > 500 eosinophils per microliter of peripheral blood and the presence of abnormal parenchymal lesions such as nodules, airspace consolidation or areas of ground-glass attenuation (GGA) on CT, and there was spontaneous resolution or migration of the lesions on the follow-up examination. We analyzed the CT findings of SPE and we investigated the relationship between the occurrence of SPE and the season, smoking and the presence of parasite infestation. 36 patients were finally diagnosed as having SPE; this was 24% of the 153 patients who were diagnosed with parasite infestation and 2.8% of the total low-dose CT scans. These 36 patients consisted of 31 men and 5 women with a mean age 45.7 years. There was no significant relationship between SPE and the presence of parasite infestation, smoking or gender. Among the patients with peripheral blood eosinophilia, the eosinophil count was significantly higher in the patients with SPE than that in the patients without pulmonary infiltration (ρ < 0.05). SPE more frequently occurred in winter and spring than in summer and autumn (ρ < 0.05). The CT findings were single or multiple nodules in 18 patients, nodules and focal GGA in 9 patients and GGA only in 9 patients. Most of the nodules were less than 10 mm (88%, 49/56) in diameter and they showed an ill-defined margin (82%, n = 46); 30% of the nodules (n = 17) showed a halo around them. Simple pulmonary eosinophilia can be suggested as the cause if single or multiple ill-defined nodules or

  8. Female nutrition and assisted reproduction in European eel: influences on oogenesis and egg quality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    da Silva, Filipa

    of egg production involves a long-term hormonal treatment of salmon or carp pituitary extracts (SPE or CPE) followed by the induction of oocyte maturation and ovulation which includes a SPE primer and a maturation-inducing hormone (MIH), generally 17α, 20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP). Recent progress...

  9. Generic solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for fast determination of drugs in biological fluids

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schellen, A.; Ooms, B.; Lagemaat, D. van de; Vreeken, R.; Dongen, W.D. van

    2003-01-01

    A generic method was developed for the fast determination of a wide range of drugs in serum or plasma. The methodology comprises generic solid-phase extraction, on-line coupled to gradient HPLC with tandem mass spectrometric detection (SPE-LC-MS/MS). The individual components of the SPE-LC-MS/MS

  10. Thermographic measurements of the spin Peltier effect in metal/yttrium-iron-garnet junction systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daimon, Shunsuke; Uchida, Ken-ichi; Iguchi, Ryo; Hioki, Tomosato; Saitoh, Eiji

    2017-07-01

    The spin Peltier effect (SPE), heat-current generation due to spin-current injection, in various metal (Pt, W, and Au single layers and Pt/Cu bilayer)/ferrimagnetic insulator [yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG)] junction systems has been investigated by means of a lock-in thermography (LIT) method. The SPE is excited by a spin current across the metal/YIG interface, which is generated by applying a charge current to the metallic layer via the spin Hall effect. The LIT method enables the thermal imaging of the SPE free from the Joule-heating contribution. Importantly, we observed spin-current-induced temperature modulation not only in the Pt/YIG and W/YIG systems, but also in the Au/YIG and Pt/Cu/YIG systems, excluding the possible contamination by anomalous Ettingshausen effects due to proximity-induced ferromagnetism near the metal/YIG interface. As demonstrated in our previous study, the SPE signals are confined only in the vicinity of the metal/YIG interface; we buttress this conclusion by reducing a spatial blur due to thermal diffusion in an infrared-emission layer on the sample surface used for the LIT measurements. We also found that the YIG-thickness dependence of the SPE is similar to that of the spin Seebeck effect measured in the same Pt/YIG sample, implying the reciprocal relation between them.

  11. DNA purification using dynamic solid-phase extraction on a rotationally-driven polyethylene-terephthalate microdevice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jackson, K.R. [Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Borba, J.C. [Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos-SP (Brazil); Meija, M. [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Mills, D.L. [TeGrex Technologies, Sperryville, VA 22740 (United States); Haverstick, D.M. [Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Olson, K.E.; Aranda, R. [Office of the Chief Scientist, Defense Forensic Science Center, N 31st Street, Atlanta, GA 30297 (United States); Garner, G.T. [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Carrilho, E. [Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos-SP (Brazil); Landers, J.P., E-mail: landers@virginia.edu [Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States)

    2016-09-21

    We report the development of a disposable polyester toner centrifugal device for semi-automated, dynamic solid phase DNA extraction (dSPE) from whole blood samples. The integration of a novel adhesive and hydrophobic valving with a simple and low cost microfabrication method allowed for sequential addition of reagents without the need for external equipment for fluid flow control. The spin-dSPE method yielded an average extraction efficiency of ∼45% from 0.6 μL of whole blood. The device performed single sample extractions or accommodate up to four samples for simultaneous DNA extraction, with PCR-readiness DNA confirmed by effective amplification of a β-globin gene. The purity of the DNA was challenged by a multiplex amplification with 16 targeted amplification sites. Successful multiplexed amplification could routinely be obtained using the purified DNA collected post an on-chip extraction, with the results comparable to those obtained with commercial DNA extraction methods. This proof-of-principle work represents a significant step towards a fully-automated low cost DNA extraction device. - Highlights: • dSPE design on centrifugal PeT device with a unique mixing strategy was proposed. • Increased fluidic control with novel adhesive tape valves on a PeT device. • Multiplexed spin-dSPE device to run up to 4 samples simultaneously. • Demonstrated strong singleplexed and multiplexed amplification following chip dSPE.

  12. 48 CFR 819.705 - Appeal of Contracting Officer decisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... the Senior Procurement Executive (SPE) within 5 working days. The SPE shall have 15 working days to... decision. The contracting officer has 5 working days to reply to the challenge by either revising the... filed within 5 working days of receipt of the contracting officer's decision. The HCA has 5 working days...

  13. Constraining the sources and cycling of dissolved organic carbon in a large oligotrophic lake using radiocarbon analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zigah, Prosper K.; Minor, Elizabeth C.; McNichol, Ann P.; Xu, Li; Werne, Josef P.

    2017-07-01

    We measured the concentrations and isotopic compositions of solid phase extracted (SPE) dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and high molecular weight (HMW) DOC and their constituent organic components in order to better constrain the sources and cycling of DOC in a large oligotrophic lacustrine system (Lake Superior, North America). SPE DOC constituted a significant proportion (41-71%) of the lake DOC relative to HMW DOC (10-13%). Substantial contribution of 14C-depleted components to both SPE DOC (Δ14C = 25-43‰) and HMW DOC (Δ14C = 22-32‰) was evident during spring mixing, and depressed their radiocarbon values relative to the lake dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC; Δ14C ∼ 59‰). There was preferential removal of 14C-depleted (older) and thermally recalcitrant components from HMW DOC and SPE DOC in the summer. Contemporary photoautotrophic addition to HMW DOC was observed during summer stratification in contrast to SPE DOC, which decreased in concentration during stratification. Serial thermal oxidation radiocarbon analysis revealed a diversity of sources (both contemporary and older) within the SPE DOC, and also showed distinct components within the HMW DOC. The thermally labile components of HMW DOC were 14C-enriched and are attributed to heteropolysaccharides (HPS), peptides/amide and amino sugars (AMS) relative to the thermally recalcitrant components reflecting the presence of older material, perhaps carboxylic-rich alicyclic molecules (CRAM). The solvent extractable lipid-like fraction of HMW DOC was very 14C-depleted (as old as 1270-2320 14C years) relative to the carbohydrate-like and protein-like substances isolated by acid hydrolysis of HMW DOC. Our data constrain relative influences of contemporary DOC and old DOC, and DOC cycling in a modern freshwater ecosystem.

  14. Multi-scale fracture damage associated with underground chemical explosions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swanson, E. M.; Sussman, A. J.; Wilson, J. E.; Townsend, M. J.; Prothro, L. B.; Gang, H. E.

    2018-05-01

    Understanding rock damage induced by explosions is critical for a number of applications including the monitoring and verification of underground nuclear explosions, mine safety issues, and modeling fluid flow through fractured rock. We use core observations, televiewer logs, and thin section observations to investigate fracture damage associated with two successive underground chemical explosions (SPE2 and SPE3) in granitic rock at both the mesoscale and microscale. We compare the frequency and orientations of core-scale fractures, and the frequency of microfractures, between a pre-experiment core and three post-experiment cores. Natural fault zones and explosion-induced fractures in the vicinity of the explosive source are readily apparent in recovered core and in thin sections. Damage from faults and explosions is not always apparent in fracture frequency plots from televiewer logs, although orientation data from these logs suggests explosion-induced fracturing may not align with the pre-existing fracture sets. Core-scale observations indicate the extent of explosion-induced damage is 10.0 m after SPE2 and 6.8 m after SPE3, despite both a similar size and location for both explosions. At the microscale, damage is observed to a range distance of 10.2 ± 0.9 m after SPE2, and 16.6 ± 0.9 and 11.2 ± 0.6 in two different cores collected after SPE3. Additional explosion-induced damage, interpreted to be the result of spalling, is readily apparent near the surface, but only in the microfracture data. This depth extent and intensity of damage in the near-surface region also increased after an additional explosion. This study highlights the importance of evaluating structural damage at multiple scales for a more complete characterization of the damage, and particularly shows the importance of microscale observations for identifying spallation-induced damage.

  15. Multi-layer solid-phase extraction and evaporation-enrichment methods for polar organic chemicals from aqueous matrices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köke, Niklas; Zahn, Daniel; Knepper, Thomas P; Frömel, Tobias

    2018-03-01

    Analysis of polar organic chemicals in the aquatic environment is exacerbated by the lack of suitable and widely applicable enrichment methods. In this work, we assessed the suitability of a novel combination of well-known solid-phase extraction (SPE) materials in one cartridge as well as an evaporation method and for the enrichment of 26 polar model substances (predominantly log D evaporation method were investigated for the recovery and matrix effects of the model substances and analyzed with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS). In total, 65% of the model substances were amenable (> 10% recovery) to the mlSPE method with a mean recovery of 76% while 73% of the model substances were enriched with the evaporation method achieving a mean recovery of 78%. Target and non-target screening comparison of both methods with a frequently used reversed-phase SPE method utilizing "hydrophilic and lipophilic balanced" (HLB) material was performed. Target analysis showed that the mlSPE and evaporation method have pronounced advantages over the HLB method since the HLB material retained only 30% of the model substances. Non-target screening of a ground water sample with the investigated enrichment methods showed that the median retention time of all detected features on a HILIC system decreased in the order mlSPE (3641 features, median t R 9.7 min), evaporation (1391, 9.3 min), HLB (4414, 7.2 min), indicating a higher potential of the described methods to enrich polar analytes from water compared with HLB-SPE. Graphical abstract Schematic of the method evaluation (recovery and matrix effects) and method comparison (target and non-target analysis) of the two investigated enrichment methods for very polar chemicals in aqueousmatrices.

  16. Miniaturized solid-phase extraction of macrolide antibiotics in honey and bovine milk using mesoporous MCM-41 silica as sorbent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Li-Jing; Yi, Ling; Ye, Li-Hong; Chen, Yu-Bo; Cao, Jun; Peng, Li-Qing; Shi, Yu-Ting; Wang, Qiu-Yan; Hu, Yu-Han

    2018-02-16

    A simple and effective method of miniaturized solid-phase extraction (mini-SPE) was developed for the simultaneous purification and enrichment of macrolide antibiotics (MACs) (i.e. azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, lincomycin and roxithromycin) from honey and skim milk. Mesoporous MCM-41 silica was synthesized and used as sorbent in mini-SPE. Several key parameters affecting the performance of mini-SPE procedure were thoroughly investigated, including sorbent materials, amount of sorbent and elution solvents. Under the optimized condition, satisfactory linearity (r 2  > 0.99), acceptable precision (RSDs, 0.3-7.1%), high sensitivity (limit of detection in the range of 0.01-0.76 μg/kg), and good recoveries (83.21-105.34%) were obtained. With distinct advantages of simplicity, reliability and minimal sample requirement, the proposed mini-SPE procedure coupled with ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry could become an alternative tool to analyze the residues of MACs in complex food matrixes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Electrochemical Behavior and Determination of Chlorogenic Acid Based on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Screen-Printed Electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyan Ma

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified screen-printed electrode (MWCNTs/SPE was prepared and the MWCNTs/SPE was employed for the electrochemical determination of the antioxidant substance chlorogenic acids (CGAs. A pair of well-defined redox peaks of CGA was observed at the MWCNTs/SPE in 0.10 mol/L acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.2 and the electrode process was adsorption-controlled. Cyclic voltammetry (CV and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV methods for the determination of CGA were proposed based on the MWCNTs/SPE. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method exhibited linear ranges from 0.17 to 15.8 µg/mL, and the linear regression equation was Ipa (µA = 4.1993 C (×10−5 mol/L + 1.1039 (r = 0.9976 and the detection limit for CGA could reach 0.12 µg/mL. The recovery of matrine was 94.74%–106.65% (RSD = 2.92% in coffee beans. The proposed method is quick, sensitive, reliable, and can be used for the determination of CGA.

  18. A reliable method for the quality control of 99mTc-MIBI prepared using fractionated cardiolite kits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poot, M.T.; Varelis, P.

    1998-01-01

    Full text: The reconstitution of fractionated Cardiolite kits with Na[ 99m Tc]TcO 4 eluted from a wet-column generator results in a preparation that contains elevated amounts of a polar radiochemical impurity, which is normally present in only trace amounts when such kits are reconstituted with eluate from a dry-column generator. We demonstrate, using HPLC, that this impurity causes a positive bias in several reported quality control methods (TLC, ITLC and SPE) for 99m Tc-MIBI, including that recommended by the manufacturer (TLC). A rapid procedure, based on a C18 solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge, for measuring the radiochemical purity (RCP) of 99m Tc-MIBI samples was developed and compared with three other methods including HPLC. Over a RCP range of 49-98%, the values obtained using our SPE method deviated from those obtained using HPLC by 1.1+1.395 (n=26). In conclusion our SPE method is a rapid and reliable means of quality controlling 99m Tc-MIBI

  19. A reliable method for the quality control of 99mTc-MIBI prepared using fractionated cardiolite kits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Poot, M.T.; Varelis, P. [St George Hospital, Sydney, NSW (Australia). Department of Nuclear Medicine

    1998-06-01

    Full text: The reconstitution of fractionated Cardiolite kits with Na[{sup 99m}Tc]TcO{sub 4} eluted from a wet-column generator results in a preparation that contains elevated amounts of a polar radiochemical impurity, which is normally present in only trace amounts when such kits are reconstituted with eluate from a dry-column generator. We demonstrate, using HPLC, that this impurity causes a positive bias in several reported quality control methods (TLC, ITLC and SPE) for {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI, including that recommended by the manufacturer (TLC). A rapid procedure, based on a C18 solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge, for measuring the radiochemical purity (RCP) of {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI samples was developed and compared with three other methods including HPLC. Over a RCP range of 49-98%, the values obtained using our SPE method deviated from those obtained using HPLC by 1.1+1.395 (n=26). In conclusion our SPE method is a rapid and reliable means of quality controlling {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI

  20. A Simple Method for Automated Solid Phase Extraction of Water Samples for Immunological Analysis of Small Pollutants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heub, Sarah; Tscharner, Noe; Kehl, Florian; Dittrich, Petra S; Follonier, Stéphane; Barbe, Laurent

    2016-01-01

    A new method for solid phase extraction (SPE) of environmental water samples is proposed. The developed prototype is cost-efficient and user friendly, and enables to perform rapid, automated and simple SPE. The pre-concentrated solution is compatible with analysis by immunoassay, with a low organic solvent content. A method is described for the extraction and pre-concentration of natural hormone 17β-estradiol in 100 ml water samples. Reverse phase SPE is performed with octadecyl-silica sorbent and elution is done with 200 µl of methanol 50% v/v. Eluent is diluted by adding di-water to lower the amount of methanol. After preparing manually the SPE column, the overall procedure is performed automatically within 1 hr. At the end of the process, estradiol concentration is measured by using a commercial enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). 100-fold pre-concentration is achieved and the methanol content in only 10% v/v. Full recoveries of the molecule are achieved with 1 ng/L spiked de-ionized and synthetic sea water samples.

  1. Spectrum of spontaneous photon emission as a promising biophysical indicator for breast cancer research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xiaolei; Yang, Meina; Wang, Yong; Pang, Jingxiang; Wijk, Eduard Van; Liu, Yanli; Fan, Hua; Zhang, Liewei; Han, Jinxiang

    2017-10-12

    In this study, we investigated the spectral characteristics of Spontaneous Photon Emission (SPE) from the body surface of a human breast cancer-bearing nude mice model during the overall growth process of breast cancers. By comparing and analyzing the data, we found that there was a striking difference between tumor mice and healthy controls in the spectral distribution of SPE from the body surface of lesion site, even when the morphological changes at the lesion site were not obvious. The spectral distribution of SPE from the healthy site of the tumor mice also differed from that of the healthy controls as the breast cancer developed to a certain stage. In addition, the difference in spectrum was related with different growth states of tumors. Interestingly, there was a positive correlation between the spectral ratio (610-630/395-455 nm) and the logarithm of the tumor volume for both the lesion site (R 2  = 0.947; p spectrum of SPE was sensitive to changes in the tumor status.

  2. The Application of Integrated Design System for HTR-PM Design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qi Shi; Xiaojing Kang

    2014-01-01

    SmartPlant Enterprise(SPE) developed by Intergraph from America is a new generation integrated solution for engineering design. Combined with the application in a nuclear engineering, this paper introduced the composition and the data flow of Integrated Design System established by SPE, analyzed the advantages and the insufficiency, and provided the direction of continuous improvement. (author)

  3. Novel approach to microwave-assisted extraction and micro-solid-phase extraction from soil using graphite fibers as sorbent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Li; Lee, Hian Kee

    2008-05-30

    A single-step extraction-cleanup procedure involving microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and micro-solid-phase extraction (micro-SPE) has been developed for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from soil samples. Micro-SPE is a relatively new extraction procedure that makes use of a sorbent enclosed within a sealed polypropylene membrane envelope. In the present work, for the first time, graphite fiber was used as a sorbent material for extraction. MAE-micro-SPE was used to cleanup sediment samples and to extract and preconcentrate five PAHs in sediment samples prepared as slurries with addition of water. The best extraction conditions comprised of microwave heating at 50 degrees C for a duration of 20 min, and an elution (desorption) time of 5 min using acetonitrile with sonication. Using gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection (FID), the limits of detection (LODs) of the PAHs ranged between 2.2 and 3.6 ng/g. With GC-mass spectrometry (MS), LODs were between 0.0017 and 0.0057 ng/g. The linear ranges were between 0.1 and 50 or 100 microg/g for GC-FID analysis, and 1 and 500 or 1000 ng/g for GC-MS analysis. Granular activated carbon was also used for the micro-SPE device but was found to be not as efficient in the PAH extraction. The MAE-micro-SPE method was successfully used for the extraction of PAHs in river and marine sediments, demonstrating its applicability to real environmental solid matrixes.

  4. Comparison of extraction techniques and mass spectrometric ionization modes in the analysis of wine volatile carbonyls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zapata, Julian; Mateo-Vivaracho, Laura; Cacho, Juan; Ferreira, Vicente

    2010-01-01

    This work presents a comparative study of the analytical characteristics of two methods for the analysis of carbonyl compounds in wine, both based on the derivatization with O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFBHA). In the first method derivatives are formed in the solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge in which the analytes have been previously isolated, while in the second method derivatives are formed in a solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibre saturated with vapors of the reagent and exposed to the sample headspace. In both cases detection has been carried out by electron impact (EI) or negative chemical ionization (NCI) mass spectrometry. The possibility of determining haloanisols simultaneously has been also considered. The method based on SPE presents, in general, better analytical properties than the SPME one. Although linearity was satisfactory for both methods (R 2 > 0.99), repeatability of the SPE method (RSD < 10%) was better than that obtained with SPME (9% < RSD < 20%). Detection limits obtained with EI are better for the SPE method except for trihaloanisols, while with NCI detection limits for both strategies are comparable, although the SPME strategy presents worse results for ketones and methional. Detection limits are always lower with NCI, being the improvement most notable for SPME. Recovery experiments show that in the case of SPE, uncertainties are lower than 12% in all cases, while with the SPME method the imprecision plus the existence of matrix effects make the global uncertainty to be higher than 15%.

  5. Optimization of the Determination Method for Dissolved Cyanobacterial Toxin BMAA in Natural Water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Boyin; Liu, Zhiquan; Huang, Rui; Xu, Yongpeng; Liu, Dongmei; Lin, Tsair-Fuh; Cui, Fuyi

    2017-10-17

    There is a serious dispute on the existence of β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) in water, which is a neurotoxin that may cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Parkinson's disease (ALS/PDC) and Alzheimer' disease. It is believed that a reliable and sensitive analytical method for the determination of BMAA is urgently required to resolve this dispute. In the present study, the solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure and the analytical method for dissolved BMAA in water were investigated and optimized. The results showed both derivatized and underivatized methods were qualified for the measurement of BMAA and its isomer in natural water, and the limit of detection and the precision of the two methods were comparable. Cartridge characteristics and SPE conditions could greatly affect the SPE performance, and the competition of natural organic matter is the primary factor causing the low recovery of BMAA, which was reduced from approximately 90% in pure water to 38.11% in natural water. The optimized SPE method for BMAA was a combination of rinsed SPE cartridges, controlled loading/elution rates and elution solution, evaporation at 55 °C, reconstitution of a solution mixture, and filtration by polyvinylidene fluoride membrane. This optimized method achieved > 88% recovery of BMAA in both algal solution and river water. The developed method can provide an efficient way to evaluate the actual concentration levels of BMAA in actual water environments and drinking water systems.

  6. Comparison of extraction techniques and mass spectrometric ionization modes in the analysis of wine volatile carbonyls

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zapata, Julian; Mateo-Vivaracho, Laura; Cacho, Juan [Laboratory for Flavor Analysis and Enology, Institute of Engineering of Aragon, I3A, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza (Spain); Ferreira, Vicente, E-mail: vferre@unizar.es [Laboratory for Flavor Analysis and Enology, Institute of Engineering of Aragon, I3A, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza (Spain)

    2010-02-15

    This work presents a comparative study of the analytical characteristics of two methods for the analysis of carbonyl compounds in wine, both based on the derivatization with O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFBHA). In the first method derivatives are formed in the solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge in which the analytes have been previously isolated, while in the second method derivatives are formed in a solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibre saturated with vapors of the reagent and exposed to the sample headspace. In both cases detection has been carried out by electron impact (EI) or negative chemical ionization (NCI) mass spectrometry. The possibility of determining haloanisols simultaneously has been also considered. The method based on SPE presents, in general, better analytical properties than the SPME one. Although linearity was satisfactory for both methods (R{sup 2} > 0.99), repeatability of the SPE method (RSD < 10%) was better than that obtained with SPME (9% < RSD < 20%). Detection limits obtained with EI are better for the SPE method except for trihaloanisols, while with NCI detection limits for both strategies are comparable, although the SPME strategy presents worse results for ketones and methional. Detection limits are always lower with NCI, being the improvement most notable for SPME. Recovery experiments show that in the case of SPE, uncertainties are lower than 12% in all cases, while with the SPME method the imprecision plus the existence of matrix effects make the global uncertainty to be higher than 15%.

  7. Automated solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of 6-acetylmorphine in human urine specimens: application for a high-throughput urine analysis laboratory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robandt, P V; Bui, H M; Scancella, J M; Klette, K L

    2010-10-01

    An automated solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS-MS) method using the Spark Holland Symbiosis Pharma SPE-LC coupled to a Waters Quattro Micro MS-MS was developed for the analysis of 6-acetylmorphine (6-AM) in human urine specimens. The method was linear (R² = 0.9983) to 100 ng/mL, with no carryover at 200 ng/mL. Limits of quantification and detection were found to be 2 ng/mL. Interrun precision calculated as percent coefficient of variation (%CV) and evaluated by analyzing five specimens at 10 ng/mL over nine batches (n = 45) was 3.6%. Intrarun precision evaluated from 0 to 100 ng/mL ranged from 1.0 to 4.4%CV. Other opioids (codeine, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, and norcodeine) did not interfere in the detection, quantification, or chromatography of 6-AM or the deuterated internal standard. The quantified values for 41 authentic human urine specimens previously found to contain 6-AM by a validated gas chromatography (GC)-MS method were compared to those obtained by the SPE-LC-MS-MS method. The SPE-LC-MS-MS procedure eliminates the human factors of specimen handling, extraction, and derivatization, thereby reducing labor costs and rework resulting from human error or technique issues. The time required for extraction and analysis was reduced by approximately 50% when compared to a validated 6-AM procedure using manual SPE and GC-MS analysis.

  8. Low-cost humic acid-bonded silica as an effective solid-phase extraction sorbent for convenient determination of aflatoxins in edible oils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Neng-Zhi [Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanning, Guangxi 530028 (China); Liu, Ping [School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 (China); Su, Xiao-Chuan; Liao, Yan-Hua; Lei, Ning-Sheng [Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanning, Guangxi 530028 (China); Liang, Yong-Hong [School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 (China); Zhou, Shao-Huan; Lin, Wen-Si; Chen, Jie [Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanning, Guangxi 530028 (China); Feng, Yu-Qi [Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Tang, Yang, E-mail: tycarson2@163.com [Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanning, Guangxi 530028 (China)

    2017-06-01

    Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic secondary metabolites produced by the toxigenic fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. AFs tend to contaminate a wide range of foods which is a serious and recurring food safety problem worldwide. Currently, immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) has become the most conventional sample clean-up method for determining AFs in foodstuffs. However, IAC method is limited in the large-scale food analysis because it requires the use of expensive disposable cartridges and the IA procedure is time-consuming. Herein, to achieve the cost-effective determination of AFs in edible oils, we developed a promising solid-phase extraction (SPE) method based on commercially available humic acid-bonded silica (HAS) sorbent, followed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analysis. In HAS-SPE, AFs can be captured by the HAS sorbent with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions, whereas the oil matrix was captured only with the hydrophobic interactions. The oil matrix can be sufficiently washed off with isopropanol, while the AFs were still retained on the SPE packing, thus achieving selective extraction of AFs and clean-up of oil matrices. Under the optimal conditions of HAS-SPE, satisfactory recoveries ranging from 82% to 106% for four AFs (B{sub 1}, B{sub 2}, G{sub 1}, and G{sub 2}) were achieved in various oil matrices, containing blended oil, tea oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower seed oil, corn oil, blended olive oil, rice oil, soybean oil, and sesame oil. Only minor matrix effects ranging from 99% to 105% for four AFs were observed. Moreover, the LODs of AFs between 0.012 and 0.035 μg/kg completely meet the regulatory levels fixed by the EU, China or other countries. The methodology was further validated for assaying the naturally contaminated peanut oils, and consistent results between the HAS-SPE and the referenced IAC were

  9. Protecting single-photon entanglement with practical entanglement source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Lan; Ou-Yang, Yang; Wang, Lei; Sheng, Yu-Bo

    2017-06-01

    Single-photon entanglement (SPE) is important for quantum communication and quantum information processing. However, SPE is sensitive to photon loss. In this paper, we discuss a linear optical amplification protocol for protecting SPE. Different from the previous protocols, we exploit the practical spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) source to realize the amplification, for the ideal entanglement source is unavailable in current quantum technology. Moreover, we prove that the amplification using the entanglement generated from SPDC source as auxiliary is better than the amplification assisted with single photons. The reason is that the vacuum state from SPDC source will not affect the amplification, so that it can be eliminated automatically. This protocol may be useful in future long-distance quantum communications.

  10. Development and validation of methodology SPE-LC-MS/MS for pharmaceuticals and illicit drug determination in the waters of Guarapiranga Dam, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Desenvolvimento e validacao de metodologia SPE-LC-MS/MS para a determinacao de farmacos e droga de abuso nas aguas da represa Guarapiranga, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shihomatsu, Helena Miho

    2015-07-01

    This study presents the development of the methodology of solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry, SPE-LC-MS/MS, for the determination of 21 (twenty one) pharmaceuticals belonging to different therapeutic groups, 1 (one) illicit drug and its major metabolite, in surface water samples. The chromatographic separation was optimized by studying the performance of different stationary and mobile phases. Quantitation of selected compounds was performed by electrospray ionization (ESI) and the mass spectrometer operating in a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The validation of the proposed methodology was performed using the parameters of selectivity, matrix effect, dynamic range, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, recovery and robustness. The validation of methodology allowed to apply the methodology in the evaluation of the distribution of the 23 (twenty one) selected compounds, in Guarapiranga Dam waters, an of the major producer system of drinking water of the Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo (MRSP). The presence of these pollutants in aquatic environments is from the direct release of urban sewage from the homes of your surroundings, as a result of poor sanitation system. The waters of Guarapiranga dam were evaluated in 14 (fourteen) locations strategically chosen and sampled in 3 (three) campaigns of sample collection (August 2011, September 2012 and April 2013). In these samples were quantified acetaminophen (9.6 - 254 ng L{sup -1}), atenolol (8.5 - 177 ng L{sup -1}), benzoylecgonine (7.9 - 139 ng L{sup -1}), caffeine (27 - 27386 ng L{sup -1}) carbamazepine (12 - 358 ng L{sup -1}), chlorthalidone (9.4 - 35 ng L{sup -1}), cocaine (12.8 - 2560 ng L{sup -1}), diclofenac (8 - 36 ng L{sup -1}), enalapril (20 ng L{sup -1}), losartan (6.7 - 114 ng L{sup -1}) and valsartan (9.7 - 47 ng L{sup -1}). The sample siting GU103-12 (23°41'88.5”S 46°44'67.3”W) was the

  11. Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes Modified with Cobalt Phthalocyanine for Selective Sulfur Detection in Cosmetic Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Shih

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc films were deposited on the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode using a simple drop coating method. The cyclic voltammogram of the resulting CoPc modified screen-printed electrode (CoPc/SPE prepared under optimum conditions shows a well-behaved redox couple due to the (CoI/CoII system. The CoPc/SPE surface demonstrates excellent electrochemical activity towards the oxidation of sulfur in a 0.01 mol·L−1 NaOH. A linear calibration curve with the detection limit (DL, S/N = 3 of 0.325 mg·L−1 was achieved by CoPc/SPE coupled with flow injection analysis of the sulfur concentration ranging from 4 to 1120 mg·L−1. The precision of the system response was evaluated (3.60% and 3.52% RSD for 12 repeated injections, in the range of 64 and 480 mg·L−1 sulfur. The applicability of the method was successfully demonstrated in a real sample analysis of sulfur in anti-acne creams, and good recovery was obtained. The CoPc/SPE displayed several advantages in sulfur determination including easy fabrication, high stability, and low cost.

  12. Project Execution Plan Project 98L-EWW-460 Plutonium Stabilization and Handling DOE 98-D-453

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MCGRATH, G.M.

    2000-01-01

    This Project Execution Plan (PEP) describes the management methods and responsibilities of the project participants. Project W-460 is sufficiently large to warrant a stand alone PEP. This project specific PEP describes the relationships and responsibilities of the project team and identifies the technical, schedule, and cost baselines that have been established for the project. The Department of Energy (DOE), Hanford Works (Hanford), at Richland, Wa. currently does not have a system capable of stabilizing or packaging large quantities of plutonium-bearing solids to meet DOE technical standard DOE-STD-3013-99. This project will allow Hanford to meet this standard by installing stabilization and packaging equipment (SPE). The SPE is capable of stabilizing and packaging the current inventory of greater than 30 percent plutonium-bearing materials currently stored in the Plutonium Finishing Plant's (PFP) vaults into 3013 storage containers. The scope of this project is to procure and install the SPE via a Hanford contract and coordination with the Savannah River Site. In addition, the project will modify PFP vaults and upgrade the PFP Laboratory measurement systems. The Facility infrastructure will be modified to support the new SPE system and the new standardized storage container configuration

  13. Radiation Exposure Analyses Supporting the Development of Solar Particle Event Shielding Technologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Steven A.; Clowdsley, Martha S.; Abston, H. Lee; Simon, Hatthew A.; Gallegos, Adam M.

    2013-01-01

    NASA has plans for long duration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Outside of LEO, large solar particle events (SPEs), which occur sporadically, can deliver a very large dose in a short amount of time. The relatively low proton energies make SPE shielding practical, and the possibility of the occurrence of a large event drives the need for SPE shielding for all deep space missions. The Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) RadWorks Storm Shelter Team was charged with developing minimal mass SPE storm shelter concepts for missions beyond LEO. The concepts developed included "wearable" shields, shelters that could be deployed at the onset of an event, and augmentations to the crew quarters. The radiation transport codes, human body models, and vehicle geometry tools contained in the On-Line Tool for the Assessment of Radiation In Space (OLTARIS) were used to evaluate the protection provided by each concept within a realistic space habitat and provide the concept designers with shield thickness requirements. Several different SPE models were utilized to examine the dependence of the shield requirements on the event spectrum. This paper describes the radiation analysis methods and the results of these analyses for several of the shielding concepts.

  14. Determination of Inorganic Arsenic in Natural Water by Solid Phase Extraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nazaratul Ashifa Abdullah Salim; Amares Chatt, A.

    2011-01-01

    Arsenic (As) is generally known for its toxicity. The toxicity and mobility of As in the environment are dependent on the chemical forms or species in which it exists. Arsenic (III) and (V) are the most often determined species in environmental water, soil and sediment, while organic As species are common constituents of biological tissue and fluids. It is well known that inorganic As, such as arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)) are more toxic than their organic counterparts. This study is conducted to investigate the separation of each As inorganic species using solid phase extraction (SPE) technique. The technique utilizes SPE column for selective retention of As species, followed by elution and measurement of eluted fractions by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for total As. Several type of SPE columns namely strongly anion exchange (SAX), strongly cation exchange (SCX), weakly anion exchange (WAX) and weakly cation exchange (WCX) were tested using three different types of media including deionized water, succinic acid and acetic acid containing inorganic As species. The SPE technique is suitable for on-site separation and preservation of As species from water. (author)

  15. Extraction and Ozonation of organic pollutants in drinking waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kenawi, I.M.; Barsoum, B.N.; Abdelhaflz, M.M.

    2006-01-01

    The continuous liquid-liquid, CLLE, and solid-phase, SPE. extraction techniques were used to study a problem of international relevance. The work was incident on the evaluation of the efficiency and optimisation of extruding techniques, CLLE. SPE and CLLEt-SPE, towards chlorinated pesticides and phenolic compounds from the Giza treatment plant station (Egypt), where the degree of pollution of such substances in drinking waters must be reduced. The total recoveries, rs, using SPE ranged between I).74 -0.87, whereas, the values were much less using the other two methods (0.158 - 0.1961; indicating the preferability of the SF'E technique. Analytical results were obtained through the various chromatographic techniques, liquid or gas. with adequately chosen detectors. A simple mathematical algorithm has been empirically developed allowing the assessment and comparison of the efficiencies of the three extracting procedures. Further treatment with ozone resulted in the oxidation and elimination of organic pollutants, with consequent improvement of water quality (total pesticide content 0.332-0.19μgL -1 ). A useful ozone treatment unit, capable of dealing with the emanation of contaminants in tap water, was built

  16. Project Execution Plan Project 98L-EWW-460 Plutonium Stabilization and Handling DOE 98-D-453

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    HOLSTEIN, W.A.

    1999-08-01

    This Project Execution Plan (PEP) describes the management methods and responsibilities of the project participants. Project W-460 is sufficiently large to warrant a stand alone PEP. This project specific PEP describes the relationships and responsibilities of the project team and identifies the technical, schedule, and cost baselines that have been established for the project. The Department of Energy (DOE), Hanford Works (Hanford), at Richland Wa. currently does not have a system capable of stabilizing or packaging large quantities of plutonium-bearing solids to meet DOE technical standard DOE-STD-3013-96. This project will allow Hanford to meet this standard by installing stabilization and packaging equipment (SPE). The SPE is capable of stabilizing and packaging the current inventory of greater than 50 percent plutonium-bearing materials currently stored in the Plutonium Finishing Plant's (PFP) vaults into 3013 storage containers. The scope of this project is to procure and install the SPE via a Hanford contract and coordination with the Savannah River Site. In addition, the project will modify PFP vaults and upgrade the PFP Laboratory measurement systems. The Facility infrastructure will be modified to support the new SPE system and the new standardized storage container configuration.

  17. Project Execution Plan Project 98L-EWW-460 Plutonium Stabilization and Handling DOE 98-D-453

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    MCGRATH, G.M.

    2000-06-21

    This Project Execution Plan (PEP) describes the management methods and responsibilities of the project participants. Project W-460 is sufficiently large to warrant a stand alone PEP. This project specific PEP describes the relationships and responsibilities of the project team and identifies the technical, schedule, and cost baselines that have been established for the project. The Department of Energy (DOE), Hanford Works (Hanford), at Richland, Wa. currently does not have a system capable of stabilizing or packaging large quantities of plutonium-bearing solids to meet DOE technical standard DOE-STD-3013-99. This project will allow Hanford to meet this standard by installing stabilization and packaging equipment (SPE). The SPE is capable of stabilizing and packaging the current inventory of greater than 30 percent plutonium-bearing materials currently stored in the Plutonium Finishing Plant's (PFP) vaults into 3013 storage containers. The scope of this project is to procure and install the SPE via a Hanford contract and coordination with the Savannah River Site. In addition, the project will modify PFP vaults and upgrade the PFP Laboratory measurement systems. The Facility infrastructure will be modified to support the new SPE system and the new standardized storage container configuration.

  18. High-field NMR spectroscopy and FTICR mass spectrometry: powerful discovery tools for the molecular level characterization of marine dissolved organic matter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Hertkorn

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available High-performance, non-target, high-resolution organic structural spectroscopy was applied to solid phase extracted marine dissolved organic matter (SPE-DOM isolated from four different depths in the open South Atlantic Ocean off the Angola coast (3° E, 18° S; Angola Basin and provided molecular level information with extraordinary coverage and resolution. Sampling was performed at depths of 5 m (Angola Current; near-surface photic zone, 48 m (Angola Current; fluorescence maximum, 200 m (still above Antarctic Intermediate Water, AAIW; upper mesopelagic zone and 5446 m (North Atlantic Deep Water, NADW; abyssopelagic, ~30 m above seafloor and produced SPE-DOM with near 40% carbon yield and beneficial nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR relaxation properties, a crucial prerequisite for the acquisition of NMR spectra with excellent resolution. 1H and 13C NMR spectra of all four marine SPE-DOM showed smooth bulk envelopes, reflecting intrinsic averaging from massive signal overlap, with a few percent of visibly resolved signatures and variable abundances for all major chemical environments. The abundance of singly oxygenated aliphatics and acetate derivatives in 1H NMR spectra declined from surface to deep marine SPE-DOM, whereas C-based aliphatics and carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules (CRAM increased in abundance. Surface SPE-DOM contained fewer methyl esters than all other samples, likely a consequence of direct exposure to sunlight. Integration of 13C NMR spectra revealed continual increase of carboxylic acids and ketones from surface to depth, reflecting a progressive oxygenation, with concomitant decline of carbohydrate-related substructures. Aliphatic branching increased with depth, whereas the fraction of oxygenated aliphatics declined for methine, methylene and methyl carbon. Lipids in the oldest SPE-DOM at 5446 m showed a larger share of ethyl groups and methylene carbon than observed in the other samples. Two-dimensional NMR spectra showed

  19. Stir-bar supported micro-solid-phase extraction for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in serum samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sajid, Muhammad; Basheer, Chanbasha

    2016-07-15

    In present work, a new configuration of micro-solid phase extraction was introduced and termed as stir-bar supported micro-solid-phase extraction (SB-μ-SPE). A tiny stir-bar was packed inside the porous polypropylene membrane along with sorbent material and the edges of membrane sheet were heat sealed to secure the contents. The packing of stir-bar inside the μ-SPE device does not allow the device to stick with the wall or any corner of the sample vial during extraction, which is, however, a frequent observation in routine μ-SPE. Moreover, it enhances effective surface area of the sorbent exposed to sample solution through continuous agitation (motion and rotation). It also completely immerses the SB-μ-SPE device in the sample solution even for non-polar sorbents. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were selected as model compounds and the method performance was evaluated in human serum samples. After extraction, samples were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The factors that affect extraction efficiency of SB-μ-SPE were optimized. Under optimum conditions, a good linearity (0.1-100ngmL(-1)) with coefficients of determinations ranging from 0.9868 to 0.9992 was obtained. Limits of detections were ranged between 0.003 and 0.047ngmL(-1). Acceptable values for inter-day (3.2-9.1%) and intra-day (3.1-7.2%) relative standard deviations were obtained. The optimized method was successfully applied to determine the concentration of PCB congeners in human serum samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Highly sensitive determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air dust by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after molecularly imprinted polymer extraction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krupadam, Reddithota J.; Bhagat, Bhagyashree; Khan, Muntazir S. [National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur (India)

    2010-08-15

    A method based on solid-phase extraction with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been developed to determine five probable human carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air dust by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Molecularly imprinted poly(vinylpyridine-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) was chosen as solid-phase extraction (SPE) material for PAHs. The conditions affecting extraction efficiency, for example surface properties, concentration of PAHs, and equilibration times were evaluated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, pre-concentration factors for MIP-SPE ranged between 80 and 93 for 10 mL ambient air dust leachate. PAHs recoveries from MIP-SPE after extraction from air dust were between 85% and 97% and calibration graphs of the PAHs showed a good linearity between 10 and 1000 ng L{sup -1} (r=0.99). The extraction efficiency of MIP for PAHs was compared with that of commercially available SPE materials - powdered activated carbon (PAC) and polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin (XAD) - and it was shown that the extraction capacity of the MIP was better than that of the other two SPE materials. Organic matter in air dust had no effect on MIP extraction, which produced a clean extract for GC-MS analysis. The detection limit of the method proposed in this article is 0.15 ng L{sup -1} for benzo[a]pyrene, which is a marker molecule of air pollution. The method has been applied to the determination of probable carcinogenic PAHs in air dust of industrial zones and satisfactory results were obtained. (orig.)

  1. Highly sensitive determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air dust by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after molecularly imprinted polymer extraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krupadam, Reddithota J; Bhagat, Bhagyashree; Khan, Muntazir S

    2010-08-01

    A method based on solid--phase extraction with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been developed to determine five probable human carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air dust by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Molecularly imprinted poly(vinylpyridine-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) was chosen as solid-phase extraction (SPE) material for PAHs. The conditions affecting extraction efficiency, for example surface properties, concentration of PAHs, and equilibration times were evaluated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, pre-concentration factors for MIP-SPE ranged between 80 and 93 for 10 mL ambient air dust leachate. PAHs recoveries from MIP-SPE after extraction from air dust were between 85% and 97% and calibration graphs of the PAHs showed a good linearity between 10 and 1000 ng L(-1) (r = 0.99). The extraction efficiency of MIP for PAHs was compared with that of commercially available SPE materials--powdered activated carbon (PAC) and polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin (XAD)--and it was shown that the extraction capacity of the MIP was better than that of the other two SPE materials. Organic matter in air dust had no effect on MIP extraction, which produced a clean extract for GC-MS analysis. The detection limit of the method proposed in this article is 0.15 ng L(-1) for benzo[a]pyrene, which is a marker molecule of air pollution. The method has been applied to the determination of probable carcinogenic PAHs in air dust of industrial zones and satisfactory results were obtained.

  2. Numerical investigation and Uncertainty Quantification of the Impact of the geological and geomechanical properties on the seismo-acoustic responses of underground chemical explosions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezzedine, S. M.; Pitarka, A.; Vorobiev, O.; Glenn, L.; Antoun, T.

    2017-12-01

    We have performed three-dimensional high resolution simulations of underground chemical explosions conducted recently in jointed rock outcrop as part of the Source Physics Experiments (SPE) being conducted at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The main goal of the current study is to investigate the effects of the structural and geomechanical properties on the spall phenomena due to underground chemical explosions and its subsequent effect on the seismo-acoustic signature at far distances. Two parametric studies have been undertaken to assess the impact of different 1) conceptual geological models including a single layer and two layers model, with and without joints and with and without varying geomechanical properties, and 2) depth of bursts of the chemical explosions and explosion yields. Through these investigations we have explored not only the near-field response of the chemical explosions but also the far-field responses of the seismic and the acoustic signatures. The near-field simulations were conducted using the Eulerian and Lagrangian codes, GEODYN and GEODYN -L, respectively, while the far-field seismic simulations were conducted using the elastic wave propagation code, WPP, and the acoustic response using the Kirchhoff-Helmholtz-Rayleigh time-dependent approximation code, KHR. Though a series of simulations we have recorded the velocity field histories a) at the ground surface on an acoustic-source-patch for the acoustic simulations, and 2) on a seismic-source-box for the seismic simulations. We first analyzed the SPE3 experimental data and simulated results, then simulated SPE4-prime, SPE5, and SPE6 to anticipate their seismo-acoustic responses given conditions of uncertainties. SPE experiments were conducted in a granitic formation; we have extended the parametric study to include other geological settings such dolomite and alluvial formations. These parametric studies enabled us 1) investigating the geotechnical and geophysical key parameters

  3. Low-dose gamma-rays and simulated solar particle event protons modify splenocyte gene and cytokine expression patterns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rizvi, A.; Pecaut, M.J.; Gridley, D.S.

    2011-01-01

    The goal was to investigate the T helper (Th) response in splenocytes of mice exposed to low-dose/low-dose-rate (LDR) γ-rays, simulated solar particle event protons (sSPE), or combination of both. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to LDR γ-radiation ( 57 Co) to a total dose of 0.05 Gray (Gy) at 0.024 cGy/h, either with or without subsequent exposure to 2 Gy sSPE protons. Expression of genes related to Th cells was evaluated immediately after exposure (day 0). On day 21, intra- and extracellular cytokine production was assessed after activation with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/ionophore (PMA/I). Five genes were significantly modulated on day 0 in one or more of the irradiated groups compared to controls (p<0.05): Ccl11, Ccr5, Cd80, Inha, and Il9. On day 21, numbers of cells positive for interferon-γ were high in the LDR + sSPE group versus 0 Gy and LDR γ-rays (p<0.05), but there was no difference in interleukin (IL)-2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Levels of secreted cytokines after anti-CD3 mAb activation were high for 5 (maximum intensity projection (MIP)-1α, GM-CSF, interferon (IFN)-γ, TNF-α, IL-13) and low for 2 (IL-7, IL-9) in all irradiated groups. Priming with LDR photons had a significant effect on IFN-γ and IL-17 compared to sSPE protons alone; IL-2 was low only in the LDR + sSPE group. The cytokine patterns after anti-phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)/ionomycin (I) activation were different compared to anti-CD3 mAb and with fewer differences among groups. The data show that total-body exposure to space-relevant radiation has profound effects on Th cell status and that priming with LDR γ-rays can in some cases modulate the response to sSPE. (author)

  4. Solar Proton Events in Six Solar Cycles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vitaly, Ishkov

    Based on materials the catalogs of solar proton events (SPE) in 1955 ‒ 2010 and list SPE for the current 24 solar cycle (SC) are examined confirmed SPE with E> 10 MeV proton flux in excess of 1 proton cm-2 s ster-1 (pfu) from Švestka and Simon’s (1955 - 1969) and 5 volumes Logachev’s (1970 - 2006) Catalogs of SPE. Historically thus it was formed, that the measurements of the proton fluxes began in the epoch “increased” solar activity (SC 18 ‒ 22), and includes transition period of the solar magnetic fields reconstruction from epoch “increased” to the epoch “lowered” solar activity (22 ‒ 23 SC). In current 24 SC ‒ first SC of the incipient epoch of “lowered” SA ‒ SPE realize under the new conditions, to that of previously not observed. As showed a study of five solar cycles with the reliable measurements of E> 10 MeV proton flux in excess of 1 pfu (1964 - 2013): ‒ a quantity of SPEs remained approximately identical in SC 20, 21, somewhat decreased in the initial solar cycle of the solar magnetic fields reconstruction period (22), but it returned to the same quantity in, the base for the period of reconstruction, SC 23. ‒ Into the first 5 years of the each solar cycle development the rate of the proton generation events noticeably increased in 22 cycles of solar activity and returned to the average in cycles 23 and 24. ‒ Extreme solar flare events are achieved, as a rule, in the solar magnetic fields reconstruction period (August - September 1859; June 1991; October ‒ November 2003.), it is confirmed also for SPE: the extreme fluxes of solar protons (S4) except one (August 1972) were occurred in period of perestroika (SC 22 and 23). This can speak, that inside the epochs SA, when the generation of magnetic field in the convective zone works in the steady-state regime, extreme SPE are improbable. ‒ The largest in the fluxes of protons (S3, S4) occur in the complexes of the active regions flare events, where magnetic field more

  5. Low-cost humic acid-bonded silica as an effective solid-phase extraction sorbent for convenient determination of aflatoxins in edible oils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Neng-Zhi; Liu, Ping; Su, Xiao-Chuan; Liao, Yan-Hua; Lei, Ning-Sheng; Liang, Yong-Hong; Zhou, Shao-Huan; Lin, Wen-Si; Chen, Jie; Feng, Yu-Qi; Tang, Yang

    2017-06-01

    Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic secondary metabolites produced by the toxigenic fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. AFs tend to contaminate a wide range of foods which is a serious and recurring food safety problem worldwide. Currently, immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) has become the most conventional sample clean-up method for determining AFs in foodstuffs. However, IAC method is limited in the large-scale food analysis because it requires the use of expensive disposable cartridges and the IA procedure is time-consuming. Herein, to achieve the cost-effective determination of AFs in edible oils, we developed a promising solid-phase extraction (SPE) method based on commercially available humic acid-bonded silica (HAS) sorbent, followed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analysis. In HAS-SPE, AFs can be captured by the HAS sorbent with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions, whereas the oil matrix was captured only with the hydrophobic interactions. The oil matrix can be sufficiently washed off with isopropanol, while the AFs were still retained on the SPE packing, thus achieving selective extraction of AFs and clean-up of oil matrices. Under the optimal conditions of HAS-SPE, satisfactory recoveries ranging from 82% to 106% for four AFs (B 1 , B 2 , G 1 , and G 2 ) were achieved in various oil matrices, containing blended oil, tea oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower seed oil, corn oil, blended olive oil, rice oil, soybean oil, and sesame oil. Only minor matrix effects ranging from 99% to 105% for four AFs were observed. Moreover, the LODs of AFs between 0.012 and 0.035 μg/kg completely meet the regulatory levels fixed by the EU, China or other countries. The methodology was further validated for assaying the naturally contaminated peanut oils, and consistent results between the HAS-SPE and the referenced IAC were obtained. In

  6. Proceedings of the 2002 Petroleum Society of CIM/SPE/CHOA International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium, International Conference on Horizontal Well Technology, and Canadian Heavy Oil Association Business Conference : Resources 2 Reserves 2 Results. CD ROM ed.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-07-01

    This three day conference combined the Petroleum Society's International Horizontal Well and Technology Conference, the Society of Petroleum Engineer's (SPE) International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium, and the Canadian Heavy Oil Association's (CHOA) Annual Business Meeting. The 87 presentations covered all aspects of heavy oil, thermal, and horizontal well technology from geosciences and drilling to economics and environment. The themes included financing, turning projects into results, eliminating the downstream barriers to oil sand development in North America and the world, and emerging technologies for horizontal or heavy oil applications. The conference included the following 20 sessions: (1) thermal operations/engineering, (2) well testing/productivity of horizontal wells, (3) heavy oil operations, (4) environmental aspects of heavy oil projects, (5) upgrading/pipelines, (6) economics and project appraisal, (7) simulation studies of thermal projects, (8) multilaterals, (9) horizontal wells in conventional reservoirs, (10) cold production of heavy oil, (11) horizontal drilling in thermal projects, (12) simulation studies of horizontal wells, (13) horizontal drilling technology, (14) thermal field studies and horizontal wells in heavy oil, (15) completion/production technology of horizontal and thermal wells, (16) physics and PVT of heavy oil recovery processes, (17) reservoir characterization/geosciences, (18) horizontal injectors/produced water technology, (19) emerging technologies, and (20) reservoir geomechanics/fracturing. Tutorials were also organized to provide opportunity to review areas that have undergone major changes. A total of 73 papers were indexed separately for inclusion in the database. refs., tabs., figs.

  7. Pipette-tip selective extraction of glycoproteins with lectin modified gold nano-particles on a polymer monolithic phase

    OpenAIRE

    Alwael, Hassan Omar Salem; Connolly, Damian; Clarke, Paul A.; Thompson, Roisin; Twamley, Brendan; O'Connor, Brendan; Paull, Brett

    2011-01-01

    The selective extraction of specific proteins (non glycosylated, glycosylated or different glycoforms) from complex sample matrices utilising selective solid phase extration (SPE) is of significant interest within the fields of proteomics and glycoproteomics. Polymer monoliths have proven to be an excellent solid support for SPE applications in bio-analysis due to their excellent mass transfer characteristics for large biomolecules. Although biorecognition molecules such as lectins can be cov...

  8. A solid-phase extraction method for rapidly determining the adsorption coefficient of pharmaceuticals in sewage sludge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berthod, Laurence; Roberts, Gary; Whitley, David C.; Sharpe, Alan; Mills, Graham A.

    2014-01-01

    The partitioning of pharmaceuticals in the environment can be assessed by measuring their adsorption coefficients (Kd) between aqueous and solid phases. Measuring this coefficient in sewage sludge gives an indication of their partitioning behaviour in a wastewater treatment plant and hence contributes to an understanding of their subsequent fate. The regulatory approved method for measuring Kd in sewage sludge is the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) guideline 835.1110, which is labour intensive and time consuming. We describe an alternative method for measuring the Kd of pharmaceuticals in sewage sludge using a modified solid-phase extraction (SPE) technique. SPE cartridges were packed at different sludge/PTFE ratios (0.4, 6.0, 24.0 and 40.0% w/w sludge) and eluted with phosphate buffer at pH 7.4. The approach was tested initially using three pharmaceuticals (clofibric acid, diclofenac and oxytetracycline) that covered a range of Kd values. Subsequently, the sorption behaviour of ten further pharmaceuticals with varying physico-chemical properties was evaluated. Results from the SPE method were comparable to those of the OPPTS test, with a correlation coefficient of 0.93 between the two approaches. SPE cartridges packed with sludge and PTFE were stable for up to one year; use within one month reduced variability in measurements (to a maximum of 0.6 log units). The SPE method is low-cost, easy to use and enables the rapid measurement of Kd values for a large number of chemicals. It can be used as an alternative to the more laborious full OPPTS test in environmental fate studies and risk assessments. PMID:25299795

  9. Polyamines are essential for virulence in Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum despite evolutionary decay of polyamine biosynthesis genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schroll, Casper; Christensen, Jens P; Christensen, Henrik; Pors, Susanne E; Thorndahl, Lotte; Jensen, Peter R; Olsen, John E; Jelsbak, Lotte

    2014-05-14

    Serovars of Salmonella enterica exhibit different host-specificities where some have broad host-ranges and others, like S. Gallinarum and S. Typhi, are host-specific for poultry and humans, respectively. With the recent availability of whole genome sequences it has been reported that host-specificity coincides with accumulation of pseudogenes, indicating adaptation of host-restricted serovars to their narrow niches. Polyamines are small cationic amines and in Salmonella they can be synthesized through two alternative pathways directly from l-ornithine to putrescine and from l-arginine via agmatine to putrescine. The first pathway is not active in S. Gallinarum and S. Typhi, and this prompted us to investigate the importance of polyamines for virulence in S. Gallinarum. Bioinformatic analysis of all sequenced genomes of Salmonella revealed that pseudogene formation of the speC gene was exclusive for S. Typhi and S. Gallinarum and happened through independent events. The remaining polyamine biosynthesis pathway was found to be essential for oral infection with S. Gallinarum since single and double mutants in speB and speE, encoding the pathways from agmatine to putrescine and from putrescine to spermidine, were attenuated. In contrast, speB was dispensable after intraperitoneal challenge, suggesting that putrescine was less important for the systemic phase of the disease. In support of this hypothesis, a ΔspeE;ΔpotCD mutant, unable to synthesize and import spermidine, but with retained ability to import and synthesize putrescine, was attenuated after intraperitoneal infection. We therefore conclude that polyamines are essential for virulence of S. Gallinarum. Furthermore, our results point to distinct roles for putrescine and spermidine during systemic infection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Development of ion imprinted polymers for the selective extraction of lanthanides from environmental samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moussa, Manel

    2016-01-01

    The analysis of the lanthanide ions present at trace level in complex environmental matrices requires often a purification and preconcentration step. The solid phase extraction (SPE) is the most used sample preparation technique. To improve the selectivity of this step, Ion Imprinted Polymers (IIPs) can be used as SPE solid supports. The aim of this work was the development of IIPs for the selective extraction of lanthanide ions from environmental samples. In a first part, IIPs were prepared according to the trapping approach using 5,7-dichloroquinoline-8-ol as non-vinylated ligand. For the first time, the loss of the trapped ligand during template ion removal and sedimentation steps was demonstrated by HPLC-UV. Moreover, this loss was not repeatable, which led to a lack of repeatability of the SPE profiles. It was then demonstrated that the trapping approach is not appropriate for the IIPs synthesis. In a second part, IIPs were synthesized by chemical immobilization of methacrylic acid as vinylated monomer. The repeatability of the synthesis and the SPE protocol were confirmed. A good selectivity of the IIPs for all the lanthanide ions was obtained. IIPs were successfully used to selectively extract lanthanide ions from tap and river water. Finally, IIPs were synthesized by chemical immobilization of methacrylic acid and 4-vinylpyridine as functional monomers and either a light (Nd 3+ ) or a heavy (Er 3+ ) lanthanide ion as template. Both kinds of IIPs led to a similar selectivity for all lanthanide ions. Nevertheless, this selectivity can be modified by changing the nature and the pH of the washing solution used in the SPE protocol. (author)

  11. Dual solid-phase and stir bar sorptive extraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis provides a suitable tool for assaying limonene-derived mint aroma compounds in red wine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Picard, Magali; Franc, Céline; de Revel, Gilles; Marchand, Stéphanie

    2018-02-25

    A novel analytical method was developed for quantitative determination of eight limonene-derived monoterpenes responsible for the mint aroma in red wine. As these aromatic compounds are present at trace levels, a new dual extraction approach was proposed, combining solid-phase extraction (SPE) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The various parameters affecting the efficiency of extracting the analytes from wine samples in both the SPE and SBSE steps were first investigated, to determine the best compromise for the simultaneous analysis of the compounds studied. Following preliminary optimization of the dilution factor, phase ratio, and methanol content in the SBSE sample, cartridge sorbent mass, type of solvent, elution volume, and wine sample volume in the pre-concentration SPE step were studied. Highest response values were obtained when a 90 mL wine sample was extracted on a 500 mg SPE C18 cartridge and eluted with 1.5 mL methanol. The wine extract was then diluted in 10 mL water to obtain a final methanol content of 15% before the SBSE step. Good linearity, repeatability, reproducibility, accuracy and the required low detection and quantification limits were obtained under the conditions described, making this SPE-SBSE combination a suitable, powerful tool for routine analysis of the selected limonene-derived mint aroma compounds in large series of wine samples. Finally, the validated method was applied to 15 commercial red Bordeaux wines, aged from 3 to 23 years. Most of the compounds studied, present within the ng.L -1 range, were easily quantified for the first time in wine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. SPE-NMR metabolite sub-profiling of urine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jacobs, D.M.; Spiesser, L.; Garnier, M.; Roo, de N.; Dorsten, van F.; Hollebrands, B.; Velzen, van E.; Draijer, R.; Duynhoven, van J.P.M.

    2012-01-01

    NMR-based metabolite profiling of urine is a fast and reproducible method for detection of numerous metabolites with diverse chemical properties. However, signal overlap in the (1)H NMR profiles of human urine may hamper quantification and identification of metabolites. Therefore, a new method has

  13. SPE dose prediction using locally weighted regression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hines, J. W.; Townsend, L. W.; Nichols, T. F.

    2005-01-01

    When astronauts are outside Earth's protective magnetosphere, they are subject to large radiation doses resulting from solar particle events. The total dose received from a major solar particle event in deep space could cause severe radiation poisoning. The dose is usually received over a 20-40 h time interval but the event's effects may be reduced with an early warning system. This paper presents a method to predict the total dose early in the event. It uses a locally weighted regression model, which is easier to train, and provides predictions as accurate as the neural network models that were used previously. (authors)

  14. Multiplexed Colorimetric Solid-Phase Extraction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gazda, Daniel B.; Fritz, James S.; Porter, Marc D.

    2009-01-01

    Multiplexed colorimetric solid-phase extraction (MC-SPE) is an extension of colorimetric solid-phase extraction (C-SPE) an analytical platform that combines colorimetric reagents, solid phase extraction, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to quantify trace analytes in water. In CSPE, analytes are extracted and complexed on the surface of an extraction membrane impregnated with a colorimetric reagent. The analytes are then quantified directly on the membrane surface using a handheld diffuse reflectance spectrophotometer. Importantly, the use of solid-phase extraction membranes as the matrix for impregnation of the colorimetric reagents creates a concentration factor that enables the detection of low concentrations of analytes in small sample volumes. In extending C-SPE to a multiplexed format, a filter holder that incorporates discrete analysis channels and a jig that facilitates the concurrent operation of multiple sample syringes have been designed, enabling the simultaneous determination of multiple analytes. Separate, single analyte membranes, placed in a readout cartridge create unique, analyte-specific addresses at the exit of each channel. Following sample exposure, the diffuse reflectance spectrum of each address is collected serially and the Kubelka-Munk function is used to quantify each water quality parameter via calibration curves. In a demonstration, MC-SPE was used to measure the pH of a sample and quantitate Ag(I) and Ni(II).

  15. Tandem Solid Phase Extraction for the Determination of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Licaberth Ismail; Rozita Osman; Norashikin Saim

    2013-01-01

    In this study, a simple and rapid tandem solid phase extraction (SPE) was developed for the analysis of seven pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, caffeine, carbamazepine, diclofenac, naproxen, ibuprofen and metaprolol) in wastewater sample. The novel aspect of coupling SPE cartridge in tandem is the ability to simplify the SPE procedure (sample introduction step) as no single sorbent was able to retain and concentrate all selected compounds since these compounds are of different physicochemical properties. A tandem SPE cartridges using Oasis HLB and octadecyl bonded silica (C 18 ) was found to be efficient with the advantages of minimizing sample volume and reducing analysis time. Using this approach, carbamazepine, diclofenac, naproxen and metaprolol were trapped in the Oasis HLB while acetaminophen, caffeine and ibuprofen were trapped in the second cartridge (C 18 ). The instrumental limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.01 to 0.04 μg/ L and satisfactory recoveries were obtained between 76 % to 104 %. The calibration curves were linear from 0.1 to 5.0 μg/ mL, with correlation coefficients (R 2 ) in the range of 0.995 to 0.999. The developed method was applied to the analysis of pharmaceuticals in wastewater samples. The amount of pharmaceuticals detected in wastewater samples varied from 0.4 to 24.5 mg/ L. (author)

  16. Enhancing the performance of green solid-state electric double-layer capacitor incorporated with fumed silica nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Mee Yoke; Numan, Arshid; Liew, Chiam-Wen; Ng, H. M.; Ramesh, K.; Ramesh, S.

    2018-06-01

    Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) based on fumed silica nanoparticles as nanofillers, hydroxylethyl cellulose (HEC) as host polymer, magnesium trifluoromethanesulfonate salt and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate ionic liquid is prepared by solution casting technique. The ionic conductivity, interactions of adsorbed ions on the host polymer, structural crystallinity and thermal stability are evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. Ionic conductivity studies at room temperature reveals that the SPE with 2 wt. % of fumed silica nanoparticles gives the highest conductivity compared to its counterpart. The XRD and FTIR studies confirm the dissolution of salt, ionic liquid and successful incorporation of fumed silica nanoparticles with host polymer. In order to examine the performance of SPEs, electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) are fabricated by using activated carbon electrodes. EDLC studies demonstrate that SPE incorporated with 2 wt. % fumed silica nanoparticles gives high specific capacitance (25.0 F/g) at a scan rate of 5 mV/s compared to SPE without fumed silica. Additionally, it is able to withstand 71.3% of capacitance from its initial capacitance value over 1600 cycles at a current density of 0.4 A/g.

  17. Chiral liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method development for the detection of salbutamol in urine samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Sue Hay; Lee, Warren; Asmawi, Mohd Zaini; Tan, Soo Choon

    2016-07-01

    A sequential solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was developed and validated using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) for the detection and quantification of salbutamol enantiomers in porcine urine. Porcine urine samples were hydrolysed with β-glucuronidase/arylsulfatase from Helix pomatia and then subjected to a double solid-phase extraction (SPE) first using the Abs-Elut Nexus SPE and then followed by the Bond Elut Phenylboronic Acid (PBA) SPE. The salbutamol enantiomers were separated using the Astec CHIROBIOTIC™ T HPLC column (3.0mm×100mm; 5μm) maintained at 15°C with a 15min isocratic run at a flow rate of 0.4mL/min. The mobile phase constituted of 5mM ammonium formate in methanol. Salbutamol and salbutamol-tert-butyl-d9 (internal standard, IS) was monitored and quantified with the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The method showed good linearity for the range of 0.1-10ng/mL with limit of quantification at 0.3ng/mL. Analysis of the QC samples showed intra- and inter-assay precisions to be less than 5.04%, and recovery ranging from 83.82 to 102.33%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Lithium ion conducting PVA:PVdF polymer electrolytes doped with nano SiO2 and TiO2 filler

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hema, M.; Tamilselvi, P.

    2016-09-01

    The effect of nano SiO2 and TiO2 fillers on the thermal, mechanical and electrochemical properties of PVA:PVdF:LiCF3SO3 have been investigated by three optimized systems of SPE (80PVA:20PVdF:15LiCF3SO3), CPE-I (SPE:8SiO2) and CPE-II (SPE:4TiO2). From the TGA curve least weight loss has been observed for CPE-II indicating high thermal stability compared to other systems. Stress-strain curve of the prepared samples confirm the enhancement of tensile strength in CPE-II compared to CPE-I and SPE. Conductivity studies show that addition of TiO2 filler slightly enhances ionic conductivity 3.7×10-3 S cm-1 compared to filler free system at 303 K. Dielectric plots have been analyzed and CPE-II possesses higher dielectric constant compared to CPE-I and filler free system. Temperature dependence of modulus plots has been studied for highest conductivity possessing sample. Wider electrochemical stability has been obtained for nano-composite polymer electrolytes. The results conclude that the prepared CPE-II shows the best performance and it will be well suited for lithium ion batteries.

  19. Development and validation of methodology SPE-LC-MS/MS for pharmaceuticals and illicit drug determination in the waters of Guarapiranga Dam, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shihomatsu, Helena Miho

    2015-01-01

    This study presents the development of the methodology of solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry, SPE-LC-MS/MS, for the determination of 21 (twenty one) pharmaceuticals belonging to different therapeutic groups, 1 (one) illicit drug and its major metabolite, in surface water samples. The chromatographic separation was optimized by studying the performance of different stationary and mobile phases. Quantitation of selected compounds was performed by electrospray ionization (ESI) and the mass spectrometer operating in a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The validation of the proposed methodology was performed using the parameters of selectivity, matrix effect, dynamic range, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, recovery and robustness. The validation of methodology allowed to apply the methodology in the evaluation of the distribution of the 23 (twenty one) selected compounds, in Guarapiranga Dam waters, an of the major producer system of drinking water of the Metropolitan Region of Sao Paulo (MRSP). The presence of these pollutants in aquatic environments is from the direct release of urban sewage from the homes of your surroundings, as a result of poor sanitation system. The waters of Guarapiranga dam were evaluated in 14 (fourteen) locations strategically chosen and sampled in 3 (three) campaigns of sample collection (August 2011, September 2012 and April 2013). In these samples were quantified acetaminophen (9.6 - 254 ng L -1 ), atenolol (8.5 - 177 ng L -1 ), benzoylecgonine (7.9 - 139 ng L -1 ), caffeine (27 - 27386 ng L -1 ) carbamazepine (12 - 358 ng L -1 ), chlorthalidone (9.4 - 35 ng L -1 ), cocaine (12.8 - 2560 ng L -1 ), diclofenac (8 - 36 ng L -1 ), enalapril (20 ng L -1 ), losartan (6.7 - 114 ng L -1 ) and valsartan (9.7 - 47 ng L -1 ). The sample siting GU103-12 (23°41'88.5”S 46°44'67.3”W) was the region with the highest values in the level of

  20. Molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction in the analysis of agrochemicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Ling-Xiao; Fang, Rou; Chen, Guan-Hua

    2013-08-01

    The molecular imprinting technique is a highly predeterminative recognition technology. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can be applied to the cleanup and preconcentration of analytes as the selective adsorbent of solid-phase extraction (SPE). In recent years, a new type of SPE has formed, molecularly imprinted polymer solid-phase extraction (MISPE), and has been widely applied to the extraction of agrochemicals. In this review, the mechanism of the molecular imprinting technique and the methodology of MIP preparations are explained. The extraction modes of MISPE, including offline and online, are discussed, and the applications of MISPE in the analysis of agrochemicals such as herbicides, fungicides and insecticides are summarized. It is concluded that MISPE is a powerful tool to selectively isolate agrochemicals from real samples with higher extraction and cleanup efficiency than commercial SPE and that it has great potential for broad applications.

  1. A Simple Engineering Analysis of Solar Particle Event High Energy Tails and Their Impact on Vehicle Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singleterry, Robert C., Jr.; Walker, Steven A.; Clowdsley, Martha S.

    2016-01-01

    The mathematical models for Solar Particle Event (SPE) high energy tails are constructed with several di erent algorithms. Since limited measured data exist above energies around 400 MeV, this paper arbitrarily de nes the high energy tail as any proton with an energy above 400 MeV. In order to better understand the importance of accurately modeling the high energy tail for SPE spectra, the contribution to astronaut whole body e ective dose equivalent of the high energy portions of three di erent SPE models has been evaluated. To ensure completeness of this analysis, simple and complex geometries were used. This analysis showed that the high energy tail of certain SPEs can be relevant to astronaut exposure and hence safety. Therefore, models of high energy tails for SPEs should be well analyzed and based on data if possible.

  2. Rapid Conformational Analysis of Protein Drugs in Formulation by Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Esmail Nazari, Zeinab; van de Weert, Marco; Bou-Assaf, George

    2016-01-01

    Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange coupled to Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS) has become an established method for analysis of protein higher-order structure. Here, we use HDX-MS methodology based on manual Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE) to allow fast and simplified conformational analysis of proteins under...... pharmaceutically relevant formulation conditions. Of significant practical utility, the methodology allows global HDX-MS analyses to be performed without refrigeration or external cooling of the setup. In Mode 1, we used DMSO-containing solvents for SPE, allowing the HDX-MS analysis to be performed at acceptable...... in formulation, using an internal HDX reference peptide (P7I) to control for any sample-to-sample variations in back exchange. Advantages of the methodology include low sample use, optimized excipient removal using multiple solvents, and fast data acquisition. Our results indicate that the SPE-HDX-MS system can...

  3. Carbon Nanotubes as a New Solid Phase Extraction Sorbent for Analysis of Environmental Pollutants

    OpenAIRE

    Constantin, Bele

    2010-01-01

    SPE is an increasingly useful technique for sample concentration and clean-up in environmental applications and can be easily incorporated into automated analytical procedures. The future of SPE is closely related to improvement of sorbents that can be more effective in obtaining high enrichment efficiency of analytes. The unusual properties of CNTs, their large sorption capacity, wide surface area and the presence of a wide spectrum of surface functional groups have generated a great interes...

  4. Direct MR Arthrography of the wrist in comparison with Arthroscopy: A prospective study on 125 patients; Direkte MR-Arthrographie des Handgelenks im Vergleich zur Arthroskopie: Eine prospektive Studie an 125 Patienten

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schmitt, R.; Christopoulos, G.; Coblenz, G.; Froehner, S. [Institut fuer Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie der Herz- und Gefaessklinik GmbH, Bad Neustadt an der Saale (Germany); Meier, R.; Lanz, U.; Krimmer, H. [Klinik fuer Handchirurgie GmbH, Bad Neustadt an der Saale (Germany)

    2003-07-01

    Objective: In literature the diagnostic value of MRI for detecting lesions of the carpal ligaments and the TFCC is judged controversially. The aim of the following study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of direct MR arthrography for depicting and staging of intraarticular lesions of the wrist. Material and methods: One day before undergoing arthroscopy, 125 patients suffering from wrist pain were examined with direct MR arthrography in a prospective and blinded study. A mixture of contrast medium (iodine-containing contrast medium and gadopentetate in relation 200:1) was injected into both radiocarpal and midcarpal joints. The following sequences were acquired on a 1.5T scanner: coronal T1-weighted SE, coronal fat-saturated T1-weighted SE, coronal T1-/T2*-DESS-3D, and sagittal T2*-weighted MEDIC. MRI results were compared with arthroscopic findings using statistical analysis (SEN=sensitivity, SPE=specificity, PPV=positive predictive value, NPV=negative predictive value, ACC=accuracy). Results: In comparison to arthroscopy as the accepted diagnostic gold standard, the following results were found for MR arthrography. Detection of TFCC lesions: SEN 97.1%, SPE 96.4%, PPV 97.1%, NPV 96.4%, ACC 96.8%. Detection of complete tears of the scapholunate ligament: SEN 91.7%, SPE 100%, PPV 100%, NPV 99.1%, ACC 99.2%. Detection of partial tears: SEN 62.5%, SPE 100%, PPV 100%, NPV 94.8%, ACC 95.2%. Detection of cartilage defects: SEN 84.2%, SPE 96.2%, PPV 80%, NPV 97.1%, ACC 94.4%. In total, only three lesions of the lunotriquetral ligament were present. Conclusion: Direct MR arthrographic imaging is well suited for detecting intraarticular lesions of the wrist. The presented diagnostic results of MR arthrography are superior to the results of unenhanced MRI reported in the literature. Direct MR arthrography as a reliable diagnostic tool is strongly recommended if lesions of the scapholunate ligament and the triangular fibrocartilage complex are suspected. In contrast, an

  5. Part I: A comparative study of bismuth-modified screen-printed electrodes for lead detection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calvo Quintana, Josefina [Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Universita di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome (Italy); Consorzio Interuniversitario Biostrutture e Biosistemi ' INBB' , Viale Medaglie d' Oro 305, 00136 Rome (Italy); Arduini, Fabiana, E-mail: fabiana.arduini@uniroma2.it [Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Universita di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome (Italy); Consorzio Interuniversitario Biostrutture e Biosistemi ' INBB' , Viale Medaglie d' Oro 305, 00136 Rome (Italy); Amine, Aziz [Faculte des Sciences et Techniques, B.P.146, Mohammadia, Morocco, Rome (Italy); Punzo, Francesco; Destri, Giovanni Li [LAMSUN and CSGI at Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Universita degli Studi di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania (Italy); Bianchini, Chiara [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica Materiali Ambienti dell' Universita degli Studi ' La Sapienza' di Roma, via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome (Italy); Zane, Daniela; Curulli, Antonella [Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN)-CNR,via del Castro Laurenziano 7, 00161 Rome (Italy); Palleschi, Giuseppe; Moscone, Danila [Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Universita di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome (Italy); Consorzio Interuniversitario Biostrutture e Biosistemi ' INBB' , Viale Medaglie d' Oro 305, 00136 Rome (Italy)

    2011-11-30

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 'In situ' Bi-SPE has higher sensitivity than 'ex situ' Bi-SPE and 'Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} bulk' SPE. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electrochemical treatment of SPE before Bi film deposition allows one to reach low LOD. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The linearity of Pb{sup 2+} in HCl and HClO{sub 4} is greatly affected by the ionic strength. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Satisfactory values of the recovery percentage were obtained in drinking water samples. - Abstract: Lead determination was carried out in the frame of the European Union project Biocop ( (www.biocop.org)) using a bismuth-modified screen-printed electrode (Bi-SPE) and the stripping analysis technique. In order to choose a sensitive Bi-SPE for lead detection, an analytical comparative study of electrodes modified by Bi using 'in situ', 'ex situ' and 'bulk' procedures was carried out. On the basis of the results obtained, we confirmed that the 'in situ' procedure resulted in better analytical performances with respect to not only 'ex situ' but also to 'Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} bulk' modified electrodes, allowing for a linear range of lead ion concentration from 0.5 to 100 {mu}g L{sup -1} and a detection limit of 0.15 {mu}g L{sup -1}. We demonstrated that, before the Bi film deposition, an oxidative electrochemical pre-treatment of the working electrode could be useful because it eliminates traces of lead in the graphite-ink, as shown with stripping measurements. It also improves the electrochemical performance of the electrodes as demonstrated with Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The influence of different analytical parameters, such as the electrolyte solution composition (acetate buffer, chloridric acid, nitric acid, perchloric acid) and the ionic strength was investigated in order to evaluate how to treat the sample before the analysis. The morphology of

  6. Part I: A comparative study of bismuth-modified screen-printed electrodes for lead detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calvo Quintana, Josefina; Arduini, Fabiana; Amine, Aziz; Punzo, Francesco; Destri, Giovanni Li; Bianchini, Chiara; Zane, Daniela; Curulli, Antonella; Palleschi, Giuseppe; Moscone, Danila

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: ► “In situ” Bi-SPE has higher sensitivity than “ex situ” Bi-SPE and “Bi 2 O 3 bulk” SPE. ► Electrochemical treatment of SPE before Bi film deposition allows one to reach low LOD. ► The linearity of Pb 2+ in HCl and HClO 4 is greatly affected by the ionic strength. ► Satisfactory values of the recovery percentage were obtained in drinking water samples. - Abstract: Lead determination was carried out in the frame of the European Union project Biocop ( (www.biocop.org)) using a bismuth-modified screen-printed electrode (Bi-SPE) and the stripping analysis technique. In order to choose a sensitive Bi-SPE for lead detection, an analytical comparative study of electrodes modified by Bi using “in situ”, “ex situ” and “bulk” procedures was carried out. On the basis of the results obtained, we confirmed that the “in situ” procedure resulted in better analytical performances with respect to not only “ex situ” but also to “Bi 2 O 3 bulk” modified electrodes, allowing for a linear range of lead ion concentration from 0.5 to 100 μg L −1 and a detection limit of 0.15 μg L −1 . We demonstrated that, before the Bi film deposition, an oxidative electrochemical pre-treatment of the working electrode could be useful because it eliminates traces of lead in the graphite-ink, as shown with stripping measurements. It also improves the electrochemical performance of the electrodes as demonstrated with Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The influence of different analytical parameters, such as the electrolyte solution composition (acetate buffer, chloridric acid, nitric acid, perchloric acid) and the ionic strength was investigated in order to evaluate how to treat the sample before the analysis. The morphology of prepared “in situ” Bi-SPEs was also characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Finally, the Bi-SPEs were used to determine the concentration of lead ions in tap and commercial water

  7. Integration of Solid-phase Extraction with Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for Determination of Trace Elements

    OpenAIRE

    NUKATSUKA, Isoshi; OHZEKI, Kunio

    2006-01-01

    An enrichment step in a sample treatment is essential for trace analysis to improve the sensitivity and to eliminate the matrix of the sample. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is one of the widely used enrichment technique. Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) is a well-established determination technique for trace elements. The integration of SPE with ETAAS leads to further improvement of sensitivity, an automation of the measurement and the economy in the sample size, amounts o...

  8. Analyses of ionic conductivity and dielectric behavior of solid polymer electrolyte based 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose doped ammonium nitrate plasticized with ethylene carbonate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafiza, M. N.; Isa, M. I. N.

    2017-09-01

    A solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) based 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose (2-HEC) doped ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) plasticized with ethylene carbonate (EC) has been investigated using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The highest ionic conductivity of (1.17±0.01) × 10-3 Scm-1 was obtained for 2-HEC-NH4NO3 plasticized with 16 wt.% EC. Dielectric and modulus study showed non-Debye type of 2-HEC-NH4NO3-EC SPE.

  9. Validation of an semi-automated multi component method using protein precipitation LC-MS-MS for the analysis of whole blood samples

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Slots, Tina

    BACKGROUND: Solid phase extraction (SPE) are one of many multi-component methods, but can be very time-consuming and labour-intensive. Protein precipitation is, on the other hand, a much simpler and faster sample pre-treatment than SPE, and protein precipitation also has the ability to cover a wi......-mortem whole blood sample preparation for toxicological analysis; from the primary sample tube to a 96-deepwell plate ready for injection on the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)....

  10. Separation and Purification of Sulforaphane from Broccoli by Solid Phase Extraction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyung Ho Row

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available A simple solid-phase extraction (SPE method for the determination of sulforaphane in broccoli has been developed. The optimal conditions were found to be use of a silica SPE cartridge, and ethyl acetate and dichloromethane as washing and eluting solvents, respectively, which could eliminate interferences originating from the broccoli matrix. The extracts were sufficiently clean to be directly injected into high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC for further chromatographic analysis. Good linearity was obtained from 0.05 to 200 μg/mL (r = 0.998 for sulforaphane with the relative standard deviations less than 3.6%. The mean recoveries of sulforaphane from broccoli were more than 90.8% and the detection limit (S/N = 3:1 was 0.02 μg/mL. The SPE method provides a higher yield of sulforaphane from crude extracts compared to conventional liquid-liquid extraction.

  11. Generic solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for fast determination of drugs in biological fluids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schellen, Anniek; Ooms, Bert; van de Lagemaat, Dick; Vreeken, Rob; van Dongen, William D

    2003-05-25

    A generic method was developed for the fast determination of a wide range of drugs in serum or plasma. The methodology comprises generic solid-phase extraction, on-line coupled to gradient HPLC with tandem mass spectrometric detection (SPE-LC-MS/MS). The individual components of the SPE-LC-MS/MS system were optimized in an integrated approach to maximize the application range and minimize the method development time. The optimized generic SPE-LC-MS/MS protocol was evaluated for 11 drugs with different physicochemical properties. Good quantification for 10 out of 11 of the pharmaceuticals in serum or plasma could be readily achieved. The quantitative assays gave recoveries better than 95%, lower quantification limits of 0.2-2.0 ng/ml, acceptable precision and accuracy and good linearity over 2-4 orders of magnitude. Carry-over was determined to be in the range of 0.02-0.10%, without optimization.

  12. Rapid solid-phase extraction method to quantify [11C]-verapamil, and its [11C]-metabolites, in human and macaque plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Unadkat, Jashvant D.; Chung, Francisco; Sasongko, Lucy; Whittington, Dale; Eyal, Sara; Mankoff, David; Collier, Ann C.; Muzi, Mark; Link, Jeanne

    2008-01-01

    Introduction: P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an efflux transporter, is a significant barrier to drug entry into the brain and the fetus. The positron emission tomography (PET) ligand, [ 11 C]-verapamil, has been used to measure in vivo P-gp activity at various tissue-blood barriers of humans and animals. Since verapamil is extensively metabolized in vivo, it is important to quantify the extent of verapamil metabolism in order to interpret such P-gp activity. Therefore, we developed a rapid solid-phase extraction (SPE) method to separate, and then quantify, verapamil and its radiolabeled metabolites in plasma. Methods: Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we established that the major identifiable circulating radioactive metabolite of [ 11 C]-verapamil in plasma of humans and the nonhuman primate, Macaca nemestrina, was [ 11 C]-D-617/717. Using sequential and differential pH elution on C 8 SPE cartridges, we developed a rapid method to separate [ 11 C]-verapamil and [ 11 C]-D-617/717. Recovery was measured by spiking the samples with the corresponding nonradioactive compounds and assaying these compounds by HPLC. Results: Verapamil and D-617/717 recovery with the SPE method was >85%. When the method was applied to PET studies in humans and nonhuman primates, significant plasma concentration of D-617/717 and unknown polar metabolite(s) were observed. The SPE and the HPLC methods were not significantly different in the quantification of verapamil and D-617/717. Conclusions: The SPE method simultaneously processes multiple samples in less than 5 min. Given the short half-life of [ 11 C], this method provides a valuable tool to rapidly determine the concentration of [ 11 C]-verapamil and its [ 11 C]-metabolites in human and nonhuman primate plasma

  13. Development of a fully automated sequential injection solid-phase extraction procedure coupled to liquid chromatography to determine free 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulphonic acid in human urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    León, Zacarías; Chisvert, Alberto; Balaguer, Angel; Salvador, Amparo

    2010-04-07

    2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulphonic acid, commonly known as benzophenone-3 (BZ3) and benzophenone-4 (BZ4), respectively, are substances widely used as UV filters in cosmetic products in order to absorb UV radiation and protect human skin from direct exposure to the deleterious wavelengths of sunlight. As with other UV filters, there is evidence of their percutaneous absorption. This work describes an analytical method developed to determine trace levels of free BZ3 and BZ4 in human urine. The methodology is based on a solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure for clean-up and pre-concentration, followed by the monitoring of the UV filters by liquid chromatography-ultraviolet spectrophotometry detection (LC-UV). In order to improve not only the sensitivity and selectivity, but also the precision of the method, the principle of sequential injection analysis was used to automate the SPE process and to transfer the eluates from the SPE to the LC system. The application of a six-channel valve as an interface for the switching arrangements successfully allowed the on-line connection of SPE sample processing with LC analysis. The SPE process for BZ3 and BZ4 was performed using octadecyl (C18) and diethylaminopropyl (DEA) modified silica microcolumns, respectively, in which the analytes were retained and eluted selectively. Due to the matrix effects, the determination was based on standard addition quantification and was fully validated. The relative standard deviations of the results were 13% and 6% for BZ3 and BZ4, respectively, whereas the limits of detection were 60 and 30 ng mL(-1), respectively. The method was satisfactorily applied to determine BZ3 and BZ4 in urine from volunteers that had applied a sunscreen cosmetic containing both UV filters. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Development of a fully automated sequential injection solid-phase extraction procedure coupled to liquid chromatography to determine free 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulphonic acid in human urine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leon, Zacarias; Chisvert, Alberto; Balaguer, Angel; Salvador, Amparo

    2010-01-01

    2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulphonic acid, commonly known as benzophenone-3 (BZ3) and benzophenone-4 (BZ4), respectively, are substances widely used as UV filters in cosmetic products in order to absorb UV radiation and protect human skin from direct exposure to the deleterious wavelengths of sunlight. As with other UV filters, there is evidence of their percutaneous absorption. This work describes an analytical method developed to determine trace levels of free BZ3 and BZ4 in human urine. The methodology is based on a solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure for clean-up and pre-concentration, followed by the monitoring of the UV filters by liquid chromatography-ultraviolet spectrophotometry detection (LC-UV). In order to improve not only the sensitivity and selectivity, but also the precision of the method, the principle of sequential injection analysis was used to automate the SPE process and to transfer the eluates from the SPE to the LC system. The application of a six-channel valve as an interface for the switching arrangements successfully allowed the on-line connection of SPE sample processing with LC analysis. The SPE process for BZ3 and BZ4 was performed using octadecyl (C18) and diethylaminopropyl (DEA) modified silica microcolumns, respectively, in which the analytes were retained and eluted selectively. Due to the matrix effects, the determination was based on standard addition quantification and was fully validated. The relative standard deviations of the results were 13% and 6% for BZ3 and BZ4, respectively, whereas the limits of detection were 60 and 30 ng mL -1 , respectively. The method was satisfactorily applied to determine BZ3 and BZ4 in urine from volunteers that had applied a sunscreen cosmetic containing both UV filters.

  15. Effects of Saw Palmetto Extract on Urodynamic Parameters, Bladder Muscarinic and Purinergic Receptors and Urinary Cytokines in Rats with Cyclophosphamide-Induced Cystitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasrin, Sweety; Masuda, Eiji; Kugaya, Haruna; Osano, Ayaka; Ito, Yoshihiko; Yamada, Shizuo

    2014-01-01

    To clarify the effect of saw palmetto extract (SPE), a phytotherapeutic agent, on urodynamic parameters, bladder muscarinic and purinergic receptors, and urinary cytokines in rats with cystitis induced by cyclophosphamide (CYP). Saw palmetto extract (60 mg/kg per day) was administered orally twice a day for 7 days to rats. The urodynamic parameters in CYP (150 mg/kg i.p.)-treated rats were monitored by a cystometric method under anesthesia. The muscarinic and purinergic receptors in the bladder and submaxillary gland were measured by radioreceptor assays using [N-methyl-(3) H] scopolamine chloride([(3) H]NMS) and αβ-methylene-ATP [2,8-(3) H] tetrasodium salt ([(3) H]αβ-MeATP), respectively. Urinary cytokines (interleukin-1β [IL-1β], IL-6 and L-17) were measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits. Micturition interval and micturition volume were significantly decreased and the frequency of micturition and basal pressure were significantly increased in the CYP-treated rats compared with sham-operated rats. Orally administered SPE significantly increased the micturition interval and micturition volume and decreased the frequency of micturition and basal pressure. The maximal number of sites (Bmax ) for the specific binding of [(3) H]NMS and [(3) H]αβ-MeATP was significantly decreased in the bladder. The decrease in receptors was attenuated by repeated treatment with SPE. An elevation in urinary cytokine (IL-1β and IL-17) levels were seen, and this increase was effectively suppressed by SPE treatment. Saw palmetto extract attenuates the alteration of urodynamic parameters, pharmacologically relevant receptors, and urinary cytokines in CYP-treated rats. Therefore, SPE may be a potential therapeutic agent for improving the clinical symptoms of cystitis. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  16. Rapid solid-phase extraction method to quantify [{sup 11}C]-verapamil, and its [{sup 11}C]-metabolites, in human and macaque plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Unadkat, Jashvant D. [Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Washington, Box 357610, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States)], E-mail: jash@u.washington.edu; Chung, Francisco; Sasongko, Lucy; Whittington, Dale; Eyal, Sara [Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Washington, Box 357610, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Mankoff, David [Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Box 356004, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Collier, Ann C. [Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Box 359929, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States); Muzi, Mark; Link, Jeanne [Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Box 356004, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States)

    2008-11-15

    Introduction: P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an efflux transporter, is a significant barrier to drug entry into the brain and the fetus. The positron emission tomography (PET) ligand, [{sup 11}C]-verapamil, has been used to measure in vivo P-gp activity at various tissue-blood barriers of humans and animals. Since verapamil is extensively metabolized in vivo, it is important to quantify the extent of verapamil metabolism in order to interpret such P-gp activity. Therefore, we developed a rapid solid-phase extraction (SPE) method to separate, and then quantify, verapamil and its radiolabeled metabolites in plasma. Methods: Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we established that the major identifiable circulating radioactive metabolite of [{sup 11}C]-verapamil in plasma of humans and the nonhuman primate, Macaca nemestrina, was [{sup 11}C]-D-617/717. Using sequential and differential pH elution on C{sub 8} SPE cartridges, we developed a rapid method to separate [{sup 11}C]-verapamil and [{sup 11}C]-D-617/717. Recovery was measured by spiking the samples with the corresponding nonradioactive compounds and assaying these compounds by HPLC. Results: Verapamil and D-617/717 recovery with the SPE method was >85%. When the method was applied to PET studies in humans and nonhuman primates, significant plasma concentration of D-617/717 and unknown polar metabolite(s) were observed. The SPE and the HPLC methods were not significantly different in the quantification of verapamil and D-617/717. Conclusions: The SPE method simultaneously processes multiple samples in less than 5 min. Given the short half-life of [{sup 11}C], this method provides a valuable tool to rapidly determine the concentration of [{sup 11}C]-verapamil and its [{sup 11}C]-metabolites in human and nonhuman primate plasma.

  17. Preparation of magnetic graphene/mesoporous silica composites with phenyl-functionalized pore-walls as the restricted access matrix solid phase extraction adsorbent for the rapid extraction of parabens from water-based skin toners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Jianan; He, Xinying; Liu, Xiaodan; Sun, Xueni; Li, Yan

    2016-09-23

    In this work, phenyl-functionalized magnetic graphene/mesoporous silica composites (MG-mSiO2-Ph) were prepared and applied as restricted access matrix solid phase extraction (RAM-SPE) adsorbents to determine the parabens in commercially available retail cosmetics. MG-mSiO2-Ph composites were synthesized by a surfactant-mediated co-condensation reaction in which mesoporous silica with phenyl-functionalized pore-walls was coated on a magnetic graphene sheet. The obtained nano-composites were proven to be of sufficient quality for an ideal RAM-SPE adsorbent with a large specific surface area of 369m(2)g(-1), uniform mesopores of 2.8nm, and special phenyl-functionalized pore-walls. Parabens, such as methyl paraben, ethyl paraben and propyl paraben, were extracted from water-based skin toners using one step of the RAM-SPE and were then analysed by a HPLC-DAD system. The SPE conditions were optimized by studying the parameters, such as the adsorbent amount, elution solvent type, adsorption time and desorption time, that influence the extraction efficiency. For each analyte, there were good linearities of approximately 0.10-120μgmL(-1) with determination coefficients (R(2))>0.995. The sensitivity was as low as 0.01-0.025μgmL(-1) for the LOD, and the percent recoveries were 98.37-105.84%. The intra-day and inter-day RSDs were 1.44-6.11% (n=6) and 3.12-11.70% (n=6), respectively. The results indicated that this method with novel RAM-SPE adsorbents is sensitive and convenient. The results also offered an attractive alternative for the extraction and determination of paraben preservatives in a complex matrix, such as cosmetics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. OBJECTIVE STRUCTURED PRACTICAL EXAMINATION AS A LEARNING AND EVALUATION TOOL FOR BIOCHEMISTRY- FIRST EXPERIENCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vidyabati Devi Rajkumari

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Assessment plays an important role in helping learners identify their own learning needs. The objective structured practical examination assesses practical skills in an objective and structured manner with direct observation of the students’ performance during planned clinical test. The aim of the study is to evaluate OSPE as a method of learning and formative assessment to the practical skill and to explore faculty perception of OSPE as a learning and assessment tool. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 98 students of first year MBBS student admitted for 2015-16 batch of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, were the subjects for the study. Day one- Group A (1-50 students were evaluated by OSPE method of assessment. Day two- Group B (51-98 were evaluated by standard practical examination. To avoid examiners Bias on Day 3- Group C (51- 98 who were evaluated by SPE were evaluated by OSPE with minor variations. Group A underwent OSPE. Questionnaire was given to students after the assessment on the fourth day to get the feedback. RESULTS Independent sample t-test comparing mean percent scores of OSPE and SPE between the groups. There is no statistically significant difference in the mean percent scores for OSPE and SPE among the two groups. Paired sample t-test comparing mean percent scores of OSPE and SPE of group B students. The mean percentage score for OSPE is higher than the percentage scores obtained in SPE among the group B students, but the difference was not found to be statistically significant. The feedback from the students showed that more than 80% agreed that OSPE was less stressful to perform that it was a more objective assessment. CONCLUSION In conclusion, OSPE has several distinct advantages. From our first experience, we found that OSPE was more objective, measured practical skills better and eliminated examiner bias.

  19. Advanced functional materials in solid phase extraction for ICP-MS determination of trace elements and their species - A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Man; Huang, Lijin; Zhao, Bingshan; Chen, Beibei; Hu, Bin

    2017-06-22

    For the determination of trace elements and their species in various real samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), solid phase extraction (SPE) is a commonly used sample pretreatment technique to remove complex matrix, pre-concentrate target analytes and make the samples suitable for subsequent sample introduction and measurements. The sensitivity, selectivity/anti-interference ability, sample throughput and application potential of the methodology of SPE-ICP-MS are greatly dependent on SPE adsorbents. This article presents a general overview of the use of advanced functional materials (AFMs) in SPE for ICP-MS determination of trace elements and their species in the past decade. Herein the AFMs refer to the materials featuring with high adsorption capacity, good selectivity, fast adsorption/desorption dynamics and satisfying special requirements in real sample analysis, including nanometer-sized materials, porous materials, ion imprinting polymers, restricted access materials and magnetic materials. Carbon/silica/metal/metal oxide nanometer-sized adsorbents with high surface area and plenty of adsorption sites exhibit high adsorption capacity, and porous adsorbents would provide more adsorption sites and faster adsorption dynamics. The selectivity of the materials for target elements/species can be improved by using physical/chemical modification, ion imprinting and restricted accessed technique. Magnetic adsorbents in conventional batch operation offer unique magnetic response and high surface area-volume ratio which provide a very easy phase separation, greater extraction capacity and efficiency over conventional adsorbents, and chip-based magnetic SPE provides a versatile platform for special requirement (e.g. cell analysis). The performance of these adsorbents for the determination of trace elements and their species in different matrices by ICP-MS is discussed in detail, along with perspectives and possible challenges in the future

  20. Quantitative Real-time PCR detection of putrescine-producing Gram-negative bacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristýna Maršálková

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Biogenic amines are indispensable components of living cells; nevertheless these compounds could be toxic for human health in higher concentrations. Putrescine is supposed to be the major biogenic amine associated with microbial food spoilage. Development of reliable, fast and culture-independent molecular methods to detect bacteria producing biogenic amines deserves the attention, especially of the food industry in purpose to protect health. The objective of this study was to verify the newly designed primer sets for detection of two inducible genes adiA and speF together in Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli genome by Real-time PCR. These forenamed genes encode enzymes in the metabolic pathway which leads to production of putrescine in Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, relative expression of these genes was studied in E. coli CCM 3954 strain using Real-time PCR. In this study, sets of new primers for the detection two inducible genes (speF and adiA in Salmonella enterica and E. coli by Real-time PCR were designed and tested. Amplification efficiency of a Real-time PCR was calculated from the slope of the standard curves (adiA, speF, gapA. An efficiency in a range from 95 to 105 % for all tested reactions was achieved. The gene expression (R of adiA and speF genes in E. coli was varied depending on culture conditions. The highest gene expression of adiA and speF was observed at 6, 24 and 36 h (RadiA ~ 3, 5, 9; RspeF ~11, 10, 9; respectively after initiation of growth of this bacteria in nutrient broth medium enchired with amino acids. The results show that these primers could be used for relative quantification analysis of E. coli.

  1. Core-shell indium (III) sulfide@metal-organic framework nanocomposite as an adsorbent for the dispersive solid-phase extraction of nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Yuqian; Zhao, Yanfang; Zhao, Mei; Wang, Zhenhua; Chen, Xiangfeng; Wang, Minglin

    2018-05-25

    A core-shell discoid shaped indium (III) sulfide@metal-organic framework (MIL-125(Ti)) nanocomposite was synthesized by a solvothermal method and explored as an adsorbent material for dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE). The as-synthesized sorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption-desorption analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The extraction performance was evaluated by the d-SPE of 16 nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) from water samples. The analysis was carried out by gas chromatography (GC) coupled with triple quadruple mass spectrometer in negative chemical ionization (NCI) mode. The selected ion monitoring (SIM) was used in the quantification of the target NPAHs. Extraction factors affecting the d-SPE, including the ionic strength, extraction temperature, and extraction time were optimized by the response surface methodology. The developed d-SPE method showed good linear correlations from 10 to 1000 ng L -1 (r > 0.99), low detection limits (2.9-83.0 ng L -1 ), satisfactory repeatability (relative standard deviation of <10%, n = 6), and acceptable recoveries (71.3%-112.2%) for water samples. The developed method was used for the food and environmental sample analysis. The results demonstrated that the method could be used for sample preparation of trace NPAHs in real samples. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Multifunctional silver nanoparticle-doped silica for solid-phase extraction and surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markina, Natalia E.; Markin, Alexey V.; Zakharevich, Andrey M.; Gorin, Dmitry A.; Rusanova, Tatiana Yu.; Goryacheva, Irina Yu.

    2016-12-01

    Multifunctional silica gel with embedded silver nanoparticles (SiO2-AgNP) is proposed for application as sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) and simultaneously as substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) due to their high sorption properties and ability to enhance Raman signal (SERS-active sorbents). SiO2-AgNP was synthesized via alkaline hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate with simultaneous reduction of silver ions to silver nanoparticles (AgNP) within the SiO2 bulk. Synthesis of AgNP directly to the SiO2 matrix enables to exclude any additional stabilizers for the nanoparticles that educes signal-to-noise ratio during SERS measurement. Apart from Raman spectroscopy, obtained sorbents were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The influence of AgNO3 concentration used during the SiO2-AgNP synthesis on its gelling time, color, diffuse reflectance spectra, and enhancement of Raman signal was investigated. A Raman enhancement factor of SiO2-AgNP with optimal composition was around 105. Finally, the sorbents were applied for SPE and subsequent SERS detection of model compounds (rhodamine 6G and folic acid). It was found that SPE enables to decrease detectable concentrations by two orders. Therefore, SPE combined with SERS has high potential for further analytical investigations.

  3. Molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction for selective extraction of bisphenol analogues in beverages and canned food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yunjia; Yu, Jianlong; Yin, Jie; Shao, Bing; Zhang, Jing

    2014-11-19

    This study aimed to develop a selective analytical method for the simultaneous determination of seven bisphenol analogues in beverage and canned food samples by using a new molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as a sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE). Liquid chromatography coupled to triple-quadruple tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to identify and quantify the target analytes. The MIP-SPE method exhibited a higher level of selectivity and purification than the traditional SPE method. The developed procedures were further validated in terms of accuracy, precision, and sensitivity. The obtained recoveries varied from 50% to 103% at three fortification levels and yielded a relative standard deviation (RSD, %) of less than 15% for all of the analytes. The limits of quantification (LOQ) for the seven analytes varied from 0.002 to 0.15 ng/mL for beverage samples and from 0.03 to 1.5 ng/g for canned food samples. This method was used to analyze real samples that were collected from a supermarket in Beijing. Overall, the results revealed that bisphenol A and bisphenol F were the most frequently detected bisphenols in the beverage and canned food samples and that their concentrations were closely associated with the type of packaging material. This study provides an alternative method of traditional SPE extraction for screening bisphenol analogues in food matrices.

  4. Trace-level mercury ion (Hg2+) analysis in aqueous sample based on solid-phase extraction followed by microfluidic immunoassay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Date, Yasumoto; Aota, Arata; Terakado, Shingo; Sasaki, Kazuhiro; Matsumoto, Norio; Watanabe, Yoshitomo; Matsue, Tomokazu; Ohmura, Naoya

    2013-01-02

    Mercury is considered the most important heavy-metal pollutant, because of the likelihood of bioaccumulation and toxicity. Monitoring widespread ionic mercury (Hg(2+)) contamination requires high-throughput and cost-effective methods to screen large numbers of environmental samples. In this study, we developed a simple and sensitive analysis for Hg(2+) in environmental aqueous samples by combining a microfluidic immunoassay and solid-phase extraction (SPE). Using a microfluidic platform, an ultrasensitive Hg(2+) immunoassay, which yields results within only 10 min and with a lower detection limit (LOD) of 0.13 μg/L, was developed. To allow application of the developed immunoassay to actual environmental aqueous samples, we developed an ion-exchange resin (IER)-based SPE for selective Hg(2+) extraction from an ion mixture. When using optimized SPE conditions, followed by the microfluidic immunoassay, the LOD of the assay was 0.83 μg/L, which satisfied the guideline values for drinking water suggested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (2 μg/L; total mercury), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) (6 μg/L; inorganic mercury). Actual water samples, including tap water, mineral water, and river water, which had been spiked with trace levels of Hg(2+), were well-analyzed by SPE, followed by microfluidic Hg(2+) immunoassay, and the results agreed with those obtained from reduction vaporizing-atomic adsorption spectroscopy.

  5. Determination of nanomolar chromate in drinking water with solid phase extraction and a portable spectrophotometer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jian; Yang, Bo; Byrne, Robert H

    2012-06-15

    Determination of chromate at low concentration levels in drinking water is an important analytical objective for both human health and environmental science. Here we report the use of solid phase extraction (SPE) in combination with a custom-made portable light-emitting diode (LED) spectrophotometer to achieve detection of chromate in the field at nanomolar levels. The measurement chemistry is based on a highly selective reaction between 1,5-diphenylcarbazide (DPC) and chromate under acidic conditions. The Cr-DPC complex formed in the reaction can be extracted on a commercial C18 SPE cartridge. Concentrated Cr-DPC is subsequently eluted with methanol and detected by spectrophotometry. Optimization of analytical conditions involved investigation of reagent compositions and concentrations, eluent type, flow rate (sample loading), sample volume, and stability of the SPE cartridge. Under optimized conditions, detection limits are on the order of 3 nM. Only 50 mL of sample is required for an analysis, and total analysis time is around 10 min. The targeted analytical range of 0-500 nM can be easily extended by changing the sample volume. Compared to previous SPE-based spectrophotometric methods, this analytical procedure offers the benefits of improved sensitivity, reduced sample consumption, shorter analysis time, greater operational convenience, and lower cost. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. An On-Line Solid Phase Extraction-Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for the Determination of Perfluoroalkyl Acids in Drinking and Surface Waters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michela Mazzoni

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available An UHPLC-MS/MS multiresidue method based on an on-line solid phase extraction (SPE procedure was developed for the simultaneous determination of 9 perfluorinated carboxylates (from 4 to 12 carbon atoms and 3 perfluorinated sulphonates (from 4 to 8 carbon atoms. This work proposes using an on-line solid phase extraction before chromatographic separation and analysis to replace traditional methods of off-line SPE before direct injection to LC-MS/MS. Manual sample preparation was reduced to sample centrifugation and acidification, thus eliminating several procedural errors and significantly reducing time-consuming and costs. Ionization suppression between target perfluorinated analytes and their coeluting SIL-IS were detected for homologues with a number of carbon atoms less than 9, but the quantitation was not affected. Total matrix effect corrected by SIL-IS, inclusive of extraction efficacy, and of ionization efficiency, ranged between −34 and +39%. The percentage of recoveries, between 76 and 134%, calculated in different matrices (tap water and rivers impacted by different pollutions was generally satisfactory. LODs and LOQs of this on-line SPE method, which also incorporate recovery losses, ranged from 0.2 to 5.0 ng/L and from 1 to 20 ng/L, respectively. Validated on-line SPE-LC/MS/MS method has been applied in a wide survey for the determination of perfluoroalkyl acids in Italian surface and ground waters.

  7. An On-Line Solid Phase Extraction-Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for the Determination of Perfluoroalkyl Acids in Drinking and Surface Waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazzoni, Michela; Rusconi, Marianna; Valsecchi, Sara; Martins, Claudia P. B.; Polesello, Stefano

    2015-01-01

    An UHPLC-MS/MS multiresidue method based on an on-line solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure was developed for the simultaneous determination of 9 perfluorinated carboxylates (from 4 to 12 carbon atoms) and 3 perfluorinated sulphonates (from 4 to 8 carbon atoms). This work proposes using an on-line solid phase extraction before chromatographic separation and analysis to replace traditional methods of off-line SPE before direct injection to LC-MS/MS. Manual sample preparation was reduced to sample centrifugation and acidification, thus eliminating several procedural errors and significantly reducing time-consuming and costs. Ionization suppression between target perfluorinated analytes and their coeluting SIL-IS were detected for homologues with a number of carbon atoms less than 9, but the quantitation was not affected. Total matrix effect corrected by SIL-IS, inclusive of extraction efficacy, and of ionization efficiency, ranged between −34 and +39%. The percentage of recoveries, between 76 and 134%, calculated in different matrices (tap water and rivers impacted by different pollutions) was generally satisfactory. LODs and LOQs of this on-line SPE method, which also incorporate recovery losses, ranged from 0.2 to 5.0 ng/L and from 1 to 20 ng/L, respectively. Validated on-line SPE-LC/MS/MS method has been applied in a wide survey for the determination of perfluoroalkyl acids in Italian surface and ground waters. PMID:25834752

  8. Project Execution Plan Project 98L-EWW-460 Plutonium Stabilization and Handling DOE No. 98-D-453

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    HOLSTEIN, W.A.

    1999-01-01

    This Project Execution Plan (PEP) describes the management methods and responsibilities of the project participants. Project W-460 is sufficiently large to warrant a stand alone PEP. This project specific PEP describes the relationships and responsibilities of the project team and identifies the technical, schedule, and cost baselines that have been established for the project. The Department of Energy (DOE), Hanford Works (Hanford), at Richland, WA., currently does not have a system capable of stabilizing or packaging large quantities of plutonium-bearing solids to meet DOE technical standard DOE-STD-3013-96. This project will allow Hanford to meet this standard by installing stabilization and packaging equipment (SPE). The SPE is capable of stabilizing and packaging the current inventory of greater than 50 percent plutonium-bearing materials currently stored in the Plutonium Finishing Plant's (PFP) vaults into 3013 storage containers. The scope of this project is to procure and install the SPE via a Hanford contract and coordination with the Savannah River Site. In addition, the project will modify PFP vaults and upgrade the PFP Laboratory measurement systems. The Facility infrastructure will be modified to support the new SPE system and the new standardized storage container configuration. Use of this document is described in the Project Hanford Policy and Procedure System under HNF-PRO-1999, Construction Program Conceptual Phase

  9. Preparation and characterization of standardized pomegranate extract-phospholipid complex as an effective drug delivery tool

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amisha Kamlesh Vora

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Punicalagins, a pair of anomeric ellagitannins, present in Punica granatum (Pomegranates are known to possess excellent antioxidant activity in vitro, but poor oral bioavailability. The reasons cited for poor bioavailability are their large molecular size, poor lipophilicity, and degradation by colonic microflora into less active metabolites. The objective of the present research work was to complex the standardized pomegranate extract (SPE with phospholipid to formulate standardized pomegranate extract-phospholipid complex (SPEPC, characterize it and check its permeability through an ex vivo everted gut sac experiment. SPEPC was prepared by mixing SPE (30% punicalagins and soya phosphatidylcholine (PC in 1:1 v/v mixture of methanol and dioxane and spray-drying the mixture. The complex was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. It was evaluated for its octanol solubility, dissolution, and permeability by everted the gut sac technique. The characterization methods confirmed the formation of complex. Increased n-octanol solubility of the complex proved its increased lipophilicity. Dissolution studies revealed that the phospholipid covering may prevent the punicalagins to be released in gastro-intestinal tract, thus preventing their colonic microbial degradation. SPEPC showed better apparent permeability than SPE in an everted gut sac technique. Hence, it could be concluded that phospholipid complex of SPE may be of potential use in increasing the permeability and hence the bioavailability of punicalagins.

  10. Multifunctional silver nanoparticle-doped silica for solid-phase extraction and surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Markina, Natalia E.; Markin, Alexey V., E-mail: av-markin@mail.ru; Zakharevich, Andrey M.; Gorin, Dmitry A.; Rusanova, Tatiana Yu.; Goryacheva, Irina Yu. [Saratov State University (Russian Federation)

    2016-12-15

    Multifunctional silica gel with embedded silver nanoparticles (SiO{sub 2}–AgNP) is proposed for application as sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) and simultaneously as substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) due to their high sorption properties and ability to enhance Raman signal (SERS-active sorbents). SiO{sub 2}–AgNP was synthesized via alkaline hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate with simultaneous reduction of silver ions to silver nanoparticles (AgNP) within the SiO{sub 2} bulk. Synthesis of AgNP directly to the SiO{sub 2} matrix enables to exclude any additional stabilizers for the nanoparticles that educes signal-to-noise ratio during SERS measurement. Apart from Raman spectroscopy, obtained sorbents were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The influence of AgNO{sub 3} concentration used during the SiO{sub 2}–AgNP synthesis on its gelling time, color, diffuse reflectance spectra, and enhancement of Raman signal was investigated. A Raman enhancement factor of SiO{sub 2}–AgNP with optimal composition was around 10{sup 5}. Finally, the sorbents were applied for SPE and subsequent SERS detection of model compounds (rhodamine 6G and folic acid). It was found that SPE enables to decrease detectable concentrations by two orders. Therefore, SPE combined with SERS has high potential for further analytical investigations.

  11. Determination of volatile compounds in grape distillates by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukić, Igor; Banović, Mara; Persurić, Dordano; Radeka, Sanja; Sladonja, Barbara

    2006-01-06

    Solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure on octadecylsilica (C18) was developed for accumulation of volatile compounds from grape distillates. The procedure was optimised for final analysis by capillary gas chromatography. At mass concentrations in model solutions ranging from 0.1 to 50 mg/l solid-phase extraction recoveries of all analytes ranged from 69% for 2-phenylethanol to 102% for capric acid, with RSD values from 2 to 9%. SPE recoveries of internal standards to be added in the sample solution prior to extraction, higher alcohols 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and 1-undecanol, were 97 and 93%, respectively, with RSD values of 3%. Detection limits of analyzed compounds in model solutions ranged from 0.011 mg/l for isoamyl acetate to 0.037 mg/l for caproic acid. Method efficiency was tested in relation to acetic acid content, volume fraction of ethanol and possible matrix effects. A significant influence of matrix on SPE efficiency for geraniol, cis-2-hexen-1-ol and cis-3-hexen-1-ol was detected. For the same reason, 2-phenylethanol could not be determined by developed SPE method in samples of grape distillates. The developed solid-phase extraction method was successfully applied to determine the differences in volatile compound content in different grape distillates produced by the distillation of crushed, pressed and fermented grapes.

  12. An in-line clean system for the solid-phase extraction of emerging contaminants in natural waters

    OpenAIRE

    Sodré, Fernando F.; Locatelli, Marco Antonio F.; Jardim, Wilson F.

    2010-01-01

    A solid-phase in-line extraction system for water samples containing low levels of emerging contaminants is described. The system was specially developed for large volume samples (up to 4 L) using commercial solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Four sets containing PTFE-made connectors, brass adapters and ball valves were used to fit SPE cartridges and sample bottles to a 4-port manifold attached to a 20 L carboy. A lab-made vacuum device was connected to the manifold cap. The apparatus i...

  13. Sistema limpo em linha para extração em fase sólida de contaminantes emergentes em águas naturais

    OpenAIRE

    Sodré,Fernando F.; Locatelli,Marco Antonio F.; Jardim,Wilson F.

    2010-01-01

    A solid-phase in-line extraction system for water samples containing low levels of emerging contaminants is described. The system was specially developed for large volume samples (up to 4 L) using commercial solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Four sets containing PTFE-made connectors, brass adapters and ball valves were used to fit SPE cartridges and sample bottles to a 4-port manifold attached to a 20 L carboy. A lab-made vacuum device was connected to the manifold cap. The apparatus i...

  14. Possible prebiotics and gallic acid separations from jackfruit seed extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kulchanat Prasertsit

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available A large amount of jackfruit seeds can be extracted for possible prebiotics and phenolics (gallic acid and purified by crystallization and solid phase extraction (SPE, respectively. The studied parameters for crystallization were mixing speed, crystallizing temperature and cooling rate while the studied parameters for SPE were feed concentration, feed flow rate and length to diameter ratio (L/D of the extraction column. The optimal condition for the crystallization provided the crystal yield of 0.028 g crystal /g dry extract at 100 rpm mixing speed, 58°C crystallizing temperature and 1°C /min cooling rate. Molecular weight analysis of the crystals indicated that the crystals can be fructo-oligosaccharide or raffinose. The optimal condition for SPE obtaining gallic acid 92 percent yield was at 4% w/v feed concentration with 3 mL/min flow rate and L/D of 15.3. Finally a high temperature can degrade both possible prebiotic and gallic acid.

  15. All solid-state polymer electrolytes prepared from a hyper-branched graft polymer using atom transfer radical polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Higa, Mitsuru; Fujino, Yukiko; Koumoto, Taihei; Kitani, Ryousuke; Egashira, Satsuki

    2005-01-01

    We propose an all solid-state (liquid free) polymer electrolyte (SPE) prepared from a hyper-branched graft copolymer. The graft copolymer consisting of a poly(methyl methacrylate) main chain and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate side chains was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization changing the average chain distance between side chains, side chain length and branched chain length of the proposed structure of the graft copolymer. The ionic conductivity of the SPEs increases with increasing the side chain length, branched chain length and/or average distance between the side chains. The ionic conductivity of the SPE prepared from POEM 9 whose POEM content = 51 wt% shows 2 x 10 -5 S/cm at 30 deg. C. The tensile strength of the SPEs decreases with increases the side chain length, branched chain length and/or average distance between the side chains. These results indicate that a SPE prepared from the hyper-branched graft copolymer has potential to be applied to an all-solid polymer electrolyte

  16. [Treatment-refractory-dental-extraction-associated pyothorax involving infection by 2 species of oral originated bacteria requires surgical debridement by video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rai, Kammei; Matsuo, Kiyoshi; Yonei, Toshiro; Sato, Toshio

    2008-09-01

    Cases of septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) diagnosed clinically by CT after dental extraction rarely include verification of bacteria from the local infection site. We report the case of a 70-year-old man without background disease suffering severe pyothrax after dental extraction. We detected two species of oral bacteria from his pleural effusion. Treatment was so difficult that it required surgical debridement by video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), even after the appropriate administration of antibiotics. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) prophylaxis guidelines for preventing infective endocarditis indicate that it is uncommon to prescribe antibiotics to patients without background disease after dental extraction. No appropriate Japanese guidelines exist considering the prevention of SPE causing severe pyothorax as in our case. The hematogenous spread of bacteria such as SPE caused by sepsis after tooth extraction thus requires more attended careful consideration in clinical practice if patients are to be properly protected against potentially serious complications.

  17. A novel approach to the simultaneous extraction and non-targeted analysis of the small molecules metabolome and lipidome using 96-well solid phase extraction plates with column-switching technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yubo; Zhang, Zhenzhu; Liu, Xinyu; Li, Aizhu; Hou, Zhiguo; Wang, Yuming; Zhang, Yanjun

    2015-08-28

    This study combines solid phase extraction (SPE) using 96-well plates with column-switching technology to construct a rapid and high-throughput method for the simultaneous extraction and non-targeted analysis of small molecules metabolome and lipidome based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. This study first investigated the columns and analytical conditions for small molecules metabolome and lipidome, separated by an HSS T3 and BEH C18 columns, respectively. Next, the loading capacity and actuation duration of SPE were further optimized. Subsequently, SPE and column switching were used together to rapidly and comprehensively analyze the biological samples. The experimental results showed that the new analytical procedure had good precision and maintained sample stability (RSDmetabolome and lipidome to test the throughput. The resulting method represents a new analytical approach for biological samples, and a highly useful tool for researches in metabolomics and lipidomics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Multiple effects of pentyl-4-yn-VPA enantiomers: from toxicity to short-term memory enhancement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gotfryd, Kamil; Owczarek, Sylwia; Hoffmann, Katrin

    2006-01-01

    and migration, neuronal differentiation and survival, intracellular signal transduction, synaptic plasticity and maturation, and short-term memory as determined by the social recognition test. The results show that the enantiomers of PE-4-yn-VPA largely had similar effects in vitro. However, in all in vitro......-differentiating properties. Moreover, the less teratogenic enantiomer, R-PE-4-yn-VPA, was recently shown to improve learning and memory. We here present a detailed investigation of the enantioselective properties of PE-4-yn-VPA using a range of in vitro and in vivo assays including measurements of cellular growth...... experiments the more teratogenic enantiomer, S-PE-4-yn-VPA, exhibited a stronger potency than R-PE-4-yn-VPA, and only S-PE-4-yn-VPA had a detrimental effect on cell survival. Interestingly, both the R- and S-enantiomer improved learning and memory. In contrast, the beneficial effect of S-PE-4-yn-VPA on memory...

  19. Molecularly imprinted layer-coated silica nanoparticles for selective solid-phase extraction of bisphenol A from chemical cleansing and cosmetics samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Rong; Zhao Wenhui; Zhai Meijuan; Wei Fangdi; Cai Zheng; Sheng Na; Hu Qin

    2010-01-01

    Highly selective molecularly imprinted layer-coated silica nanoparticles for bisphenol A (BPA) were synthesized by molecular imprinting technique with a sol-gel process on the supporter of silica nanoparticles. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectrometer, transmission electron microscope, dynamic adsorption and static adsorption tests. The equilibrium association constant, K a , and the apparent maximum number of binding sites, Q max , were estimated to be 1.25 x 10 5 mL μmol -1 and 16.4 μmol g -1 , respectively. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles solid-phase extraction (SPE) column had higher selectivity for BPA than the commercial C18-SPE column. The results of the study indicated that the prepared BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles exhibited high adsorption capacity and selectivity, and offered a fast kinetics for the rebinding of BPA. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles were successfully used in SPE to selectively enrich and determine BPA from shampoo, bath lotion and cosmetic cream samples.

  20. Lax representations for matrix short pulse equations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popowicz, Z.

    2017-10-01

    The Lax representation for different matrix generalizations of Short Pulse Equations (SPEs) is considered. The four-dimensional Lax representations of four-component Matsuno, Feng, and Dimakis-Müller-Hoissen-Matsuno equations are obtained. The four-component Feng system is defined by generalization of the two-dimensional Lax representation to the four-component case. This system reduces to the original Feng equation, to the two-component Matsuno equation, or to the Yao-Zang equation. The three-component version of the Feng equation is presented. The four-component version of the Matsuno equation with its Lax representation is given. This equation reduces the new two-component Feng system. The two-component Dimakis-Müller-Hoissen-Matsuno equations are generalized to the four-parameter family of the four-component SPE. The bi-Hamiltonian structure of this generalization, for special values of parameters, is defined. This four-component SPE in special cases reduces to the new two-component SPE.

  1. Phenolic Compounds from the Leaves of Stewartia pseudocamellia Maxim. and their Whitening Activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roh, Hyun Jung; Noh, Hye-Ji; Na, Chun Su; Kim, Chung Sub; Kim, Ki Hyun; Hong, Cheol Yi; Lee, Kang Ro

    2015-05-01

    The half-dried leaves of Stewartia. pseudocamellia were extracted with hot water (SPE) and partitioned with n-hexane (SPEH), dichloromethane (SPED), and ethyl acetate (SPEE) successively. SPE and SPEE showed significant inhibitory effects against melanogenesis and tyrosinase activities. By bioassay-guided isolation, ten phenolic compounds were isolated by column chromatography from SPEE. The whitening effect of the isolated compounds from SPEE were tested for the inhibitory activities against melanogenesis using B16 melanoma cells, in vitro inhibition of tyrosinase, and L-3,4-dihydorxy-indole-2-carboxylic acid (L-DOPA) auto-oxidation assay. A cytotoxic activity assay was done to examine the cellular toxicity in Raw 264.7 macrophage cells. Of the compounds isolated, gallic acid and quercetin revealed significant inhibitory activities against melanogenesis compared to arbutin. In particular, quercetin exhibited similar inhibitory activities against tyrosinase and L-DOPA oxidation without cytotoxicity. These results suggested that SPE could be used as a potential source of natural skin-whitening material in cosmetics as well as in food products.

  2. Comparative study of different clean-up techniques for the determination of λ-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin in palm oil matrices by gas chromatography with electron capture detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhamad, Halimah; Zainudin, Badrul Hisyam; Abu Bakar, Nor Kartini

    2012-10-15

    Solid phase extraction (SPE) and dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) were compared and evaluated for the determination of λ-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin in palm oil matrices by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Several SPE sorbents such as graphitised carbon black (GCB), primary secondary amine (PSA), C(18), silica, and florisil were tested in order to minimise fat residues. The results show that mixed sorbents using GCB and PSA obtained cleaner extracts than a single GCB and PSA sorbents. The average recoveries obtained for each pesticide ranged between 81% and 114% at five fortification levels with the relative standard deviation of less than 7% in all cases. The limits of detection for these pesticides were ranged between 0.025 and 0.05 μg/g. The proposed method was applied successfully for the residue determination of both λ-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin in crude palm oil samples obtained from local mills throughout Malaysia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Multi-residue determination of 47 organic compounds in water, soil, sediment and fish-Turia River as case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmona, Eric; Andreu, Vicente; Picó, Yolanda

    2017-11-30

    A sensitive and reliable method based on solid-liquid extraction (SLE) using McIlvaine-Na 2 EDTA buffer (pH=4.5)-methanol and solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean up prior to ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was applied to determine 47 organic contaminants in fish, soil and sediments. The SPE procedure to clean-up the extracts was also used as extraction method to determine these compounds in water. Recoveries ranged from 38 to 104% for all matrices with RSDsfish and 0.3-26ng/L for water. Furthermore, the proposed method was compared to QuEChERS (widely used for environmental matrices) that involves extraction with buffered acetonitrile (pH 5.5) and dispersive SPE clean-up. The results obtained (recoveries>50% for 36 compounds in front of 9, matrix effectfish, bisphenol A (33ngg -1 ) or sulfamethoxazole (13ngg -1 ). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Rapid and automated on-line solid phase extraction HPLC-MS/MS with peak focusing for the determination of ochratoxin A in wine samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campone, Luca; Piccinelli, Anna Lisa; Celano, Rita; Pagano, Imma; Russo, Mariateresa; Rastrelli, Luca

    2018-04-01

    This study reports a fast and automated analytical procedure based on an on-line SPE-HPLC-MS/MS method for the automatic pre-concentration, clean up and sensitive determination of OTA in wine. The amount of OTA contained in 100μL of sample (pH≅5.5) was retained and concentrated on an Oasis MAX SPE cartridge. After a washing step to remove matrix interferents, the analyte was eluted in back-flush mode and the eluent from the SPE column was diluted through a mixing Tee, using an aqueous solution before the chromatographic separation achieved on a monolithic column. The developed method has been validated according to EU regulation N. 519/2014 and applied for the analysis of 41 red and 17 white wines. The developed method features minimal sample handling, low solvent consumption, high sample throughput, low analysis cost and provides an accurate and highly selective results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Derivative spectrum chromatographic method for the determination of trimethoprim in honey samples using an on-line solid-phase extraction technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchiyama, Kazuhisa; Kondo, Mari; Yokochi, Rika; Takeuchi, Yuri; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Inoue, Yoshinori

    2011-07-01

    A simple, selective and rapid analytical method for determination of trimethoprim (TMP) in honey samples was developed and validated. This method is based on a SPE technique followed by HPLC with photodiode array detection. After dilution and filtration, aliquots of 500 μL honey samples were directly injected to an on-line SPE HPLC system. TMP was extracted on an RP SPE column, and separated on a hydrophilic interaction chromatography column during HPLC analysis. At the first detection step, the noise level of the photodiode array data was reduced with two-dimensional equalizer filtering, and then the smoothed data were subjected to derivative spectrum chromatography. On the second-derivative chromatogram at 254 nm, the limit of detection and the limit of quantification of TMP in a honey sample were 5 and 10 ng/g, respectively. The proposed method showed high accuracy (60-103%) with adequate sensitivity for TMP monitoring in honey samples. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. The effects of process technology on the physicochemical properties of peony seed oil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qu, J.; Zhang, F.; Thakur, K.; Shi, J.J.; Zhang, J.G.; Faisal, S.; Wei, Z.J.

    2017-01-01

    Peony seed oils (PSOs) were prepared using supercritical CO2 (SC) and compared with soxhlet extraction (SE) and mechanical screw press extraction (SPE) methods. The fatty acid compositions of the oils were determined, and the physicochemical properties of the oils, including free radical-scavenging activity, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, thermal and rheological properties were evaluated. The unsaturated fatty acids in the SE oils were higher than SC and SPE oils due to the higher percentage of olefinic, allylic methylene and allylic methine protons in the SE oils. The SPE oils also displayed the highest DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity at the tested concentrations. However, the SE oils showed stronger inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes under in vitro conditions when compared with the other oil samples. The three oils had similar melting and crystalline point due to similar contents of fatty acids (FAs). The SC oils had a lower Ea than the others. [es

  7. Sample Preparation Strategies for the Effective Quantitation of Hydrophilic Metabolites in Serum by Multi-Targeted HILIC-MS/MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisavet Tsakelidou

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The effect of endogenous interferences of serum in multi-targeted metabolite profiling HILIC-MS/MS analysis was investigated by studying different sample preparation procedures. A modified QuEChERS dispersive SPE protocol, a HybridSPE protocol, and a combination of liquid extraction with protein precipitation were compared to a simple protein precipitation. Evaluation of extraction efficiency and sample clean-up was performed for all methods. SPE sorbent materials tested were found to retain hydrophilic analytes together with endogenous interferences, thus additional elution steps were needed. Liquid extraction was not shown to minimise matrix effects. In general, it was observed that a balance should be reached in terms of recovery, efficient clean-up, and sample treatment time when a wide range of metabolites are analysed. A quick step for removing phospholipids prior to the determination of hydrophilic endogenous metabolites is required, however, based on the results from the applied methods, further studies are needed to achieve high recoveries for all metabolites.

  8. Determination of gabapentin in human plasma by capillary electrophoresis-laser induced fluorescence detection with and without solid-phase extraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao, L.; Liang, S.; Tan, X.; Meng, J.

    2012-01-01

    We have developed two methods for the quantitation of gabapentin in human plasma. They are based on capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF) with and without solid-phase extraction (SPE) and the derivatizing reagent 5-(4,6-dichlorotriazinyl)amino fluoresencin. The conditions for derivatization, separation and extraction were investigated in detail, and the optimal labeling conditions include a temperature of 40 0 C, a reaction time of 30 min, and the use of a borate buffer of pH 9.0 as the reaction medium. A borate buffer of pH 9.2 served as a background electrolyte for CE separations. The CE-LIF and SPE-CE-LIF methods have linear ranges of 5-200 nmol L -1 and 0.2-10 nmol L -1 , respectively, and the limits of detection are 0.5 and 0.02 nmol L -1 , respectively. The SPE-CE-LIF method was successfully applied to the determination of gabapentin in blood plasma samples. (author)

  9. A novel superparamagnetic surface molecularly imprinted nanoparticle adopting dummy template: an efficient solid-phase extraction adsorbent for bisphenol A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Zhenkun; Cheng, Wenjing; Li, Yanyan; Liu, Zhiren; Chen, Xiangping; Huang, Changjiang

    2012-03-30

    Leakage of the residual template molecules is one of the biggest challenges for application of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) in solid-phase extraction (SPE). In this study, bisphenol F (BPF) was adopted as a dummy template to prepare MIP of bisphenol A (BPA) with a superparamagnetic core-shell nanoparticle as the supporter, aiming to avoid residual template leakage and to increase the efficiency of SPE. Characterization and test of the obtained products (called mag-DMIP beads) revealed that these novel nanoparticles not only had excellent magnetic property but also displayed high selectivity to the target molecule BPA. As mag-DMIP beads were adopted as the adsorbents of solid-phase extraction for detecting BPA in real water samples, the recoveries of spiked samples ranged from 84.7% to 93.8% with the limit of detection of 2.50 pg mL(-1), revealing that mag-DMIP beads were efficient SPE adsorbents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Characteristic of New Solid-Phase Extraction Sorbent: Activated Carbon Prepared from Rice Husks under Base Treated Condition

    OpenAIRE

    Afrida Kurnia Putri; Wang-Hsien Ding; Han-Wen Kuo

    2012-01-01

    A characterization of activated carbon (ACs) prepared from rice husks (RHs) under base treated condition as a new sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) to extract 4-nonylphenol isomers (4-NPs) in water samples has been done. The ACs prepared from RHs usually exhibits low specific surface area due to its high ash content, but in case of its application for SPE, there are other factors need to be considered, such as the existence of functional groups inside the sorbent, that can enhance inte...

  11. [Hemostatic system parameters of placental extracts in normal pregnancy and severe preeclampsia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Ramírez, Ysabel; Carvajal, Zoila; Arocha-Piñango, Carmen Luisa

    2006-09-01

    To better understand the role of the hemostatic mechanism in preeclampsia, placental extracts obtained from 26 normal pregnant women (NP) and 12 patients with severe pre-eclampsia (SPE) were analyzed to determine thrombomodulin (TM), tissue factor (TF), tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) 1 and 2, and TF pathway inhibitor (TFPI). The results showed similar concentrations of TF, TM and PAI-2 in both groups, while tPA increased no significantly and TFPI and PAI-1 increased significantly in SPE placentas.

  12. Preconcentrate of thorium in solid phase and its direct determination by X-ray fluorescence in natural waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carvalho, Marcelo S. de; Domingues, Maria de Lourdes F.; Mantovano, Jose Luiz; Cunha, Jose Waldemar S.D. da

    2000-01-01

    This paper describe a methodology to pre concentrate thorium from natural water samples by using solid phase extraction (SPE) before its direct determination by X-ray fluorescence. Polyurethane foam supporting 2- ethyl hexyl phosfonic acid was used as SPE. The extraction was maximum at 0.25 mol/L in hydrochloric acid, for 30 minutes of shaking time. At least 8 mg/L thorium could be determined what allowed us to apply this methodology successfully for determination of thorium in natural water reference samples. (author)

  13. Development of magnetic micro-solid phase extraction for analysis of phthalate esters in packaged food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makkliang, Fonthip; Kanatharana, Proespichaya; Thavarungkul, Panote; Thammakhet, Chongdee

    2015-01-01

    A novel, simple and low cost magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes-poly (vinyl alcohol) cryogel-micro-solid phase extraction (magnetic-MWCNTs-PVA cryogel-μ-SPE) sorbent was synthesized by incorporating magnetic particles and MWCNTs into a PVA cryogel. The magnetic-MWCNTs-PVA cryogel-μ-SPE sorbent developed, with a large surface area and macro-porous structure, provided good sorbent-to-sorbent reproducibility (%RSDclear chicken soup samples in the range 0.02-0.07 μg mL(-1). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. The effects of process technology on the physicochemical properties of peony seed oil; Efectos de la tecnología de procesos sobre las propiedades fisicoquímicas del aceite de peonía

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qu, J.; Zhang, F.; Thakur, K.; Shi, J.J.; Zhang, J.G.; Faisal, S.; Wei, Z.J.

    2017-07-01

    Peony seed oils (PSOs) were prepared using supercritical CO2 (SC) and compared with soxhlet extraction (SE) and mechanical screw press extraction (SPE) methods. The fatty acid compositions of the oils were determined, and the physicochemical properties of the oils, including free radical-scavenging activity, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, thermal and rheological properties were evaluated. The unsaturated fatty acids in the SE oils were higher than SC and SPE oils due to the higher percentage of olefinic, allylic methylene and allylic methine protons in the SE oils. The SPE oils also displayed the highest DPPH and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity at the tested concentrations. However, the SE oils showed stronger inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes under in vitro conditions when compared with the other oil samples. The three oils had similar melting and crystalline point due to similar contents of fatty acids (FAs). The SC oils had a lower Ea than the others. [Spanish] Se prepararon aceites de semillas de peonia (PSOs) utilizando CO2 supercrítico (SC) y se compararon con los métodos de extracción en soxhlet (SE) y de extracción mecánica de tornillos (SPE). Se determinaron las composiciones en ácidos grasos y se evaluaron las propiedades fisicoquímicas de los aceites incluyendo la actividad de eliminación de radicales libres, la inhibición de α-amilasa y α-glucosidasa, las propiedades térmicas y reológicas. Los ácidos grasos insaturados en los aceites SE fueron más altos que los aceites SC y SPE debido al mayor porcentaje de protones olefínicos, metileno alílico y metino alílico en los aceites SE. Los aceites SPE también mostraron una actividad de eliminación de radicales DPPH y ABTS+ más alta a las concentraciones ensayadas. Sin embargo, los aceites SE mostraron efectos inhibidores más fuertes sobre las enzimas α-amilasa y α-glucosidasa bajo condiciones in vitro cuando se compararon con las otras muestras de

  15. Innovative separation and preconcentration technique of coagulating homogenous dispersive micro solid phase extraction exploiting graphene oxide nanosheets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghazaghi, Mehri; Mousavi, Hassan Zavvar; Rashidi, Ali Morad; Shirkhanloo, Hamid; Rahighi, Reza

    2016-01-01

    A uniquely novel, fast, and facile technique is introduced for the first time in which a scant amount of graphene oxide (GO), without modification, has been utilized in dispersive mode of solid phase extraction (SPE) for an efficient yet simple separation. The proposed method of coagulating homogenous dispersive micro solid phase extraction (CHD-µSPE) is based on coagulation of homogeneous GO solution with the aid of polyetheneimine (PEI). CHD-µSPE use full adsorption capacity of GO because in this method was used GO solution obtained from synthesis process without drying step and stacking nanosheets. In optimized condition, 30 µL GO solution (7 mg mL(-1)), obtained in synthesis process, was injected into 1.5 mL the sample solution followed by immediate injection of 53 µL PEI solution (1 mg mL(-1)). After inserting PEI, GO sheets aggregate and can be readily separated by centrifugation. PEI not only cause aggregation of GO, but also form three-dimensional network of GO with easy handling in following separation steps. Lead, cadmium, and chromium were selected as model analytes and the effecting parameters including the amount of GO, concentration of PEI, sample pH, extraction time, and type of desorption solvent were investigated and optimized. The results indicate that the proposed CHD-µSPE method can be successfully applied GO in dispersive mode of SPE without effecting on good capability adsorption of GO. The novel method was applied in determination of lead, cadmium, and chromium in water, human saliva, and urine samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The detection limits are as low as 0.035, 0.005, and 0.012 µg L(-1) for Pb, Cd, and Cr respectively. The intra-day precisions (RSDs) were lower than 3.8%. CHD-µSPE method showed a good linear ranges of 0.24-15.6, 0.015-0.95 and 0.039-2.33 µg L(-1) for Pb, Cd and Cr respectively. Method performance was investigated by determination of mentioned metal ions in river water, human urine and

  16. Near-Source Mechanism for Creating Shear Content from Buried Explosions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steedman, D. W.; Bradley, C. R.

    2017-12-01

    The Source Physics Experiment (SPE) has the goal of developing a greater understanding of explosion phenomenology at various spatial scales, from near-source to the far-field. SPE Phase I accomplished a series of six chemical explosive tests of varying scaled depth of burial within a borehole in granite. The testbed included an extensive array of triaxial accelerometers. Velocity traces derived from these accelerometers allow for detailed study of the shock environment close in to the explosion. A specific goal of SPE is to identify various mechanisms for generating shear within the propagation environment and how this might be informative on the identification of explosive events that otherwise fail historic compression wave energy/shear wave energy (P/S) event discrimination. One of these sources was hypothesized to derive from slippage along joint sets near to the source. Velocity traces from SPE Phase I events indicate that motion tangential to a theoretically spherical shock wave are initially quiescent after shock arrival. But this period of quiescence is followed by a sudden increase in amplitude that consistently occurs just after the peak of the radial velocity (i.e., onset of shock unloading). The likelihood of occurrence of this response is related to yield-scaled depth-of-burial (SDOB). We describe a mechanism where unloading facilitates dilation of closed joints accompanied by a release of shear energy stored during compression. However, occurrence of this mechanism relies on relative amplitudes between the shock loading caused at a point and the in situ stress: at too large a SDOB the stored energy is insufficient to overcome the combination of the overburden stress and traction on the joint. On the other hand, too small of a SDOB provides that the in situ stress is insufficient to keep joints from storing stress, thus overriding the release mechanism and mitigating rupture-like slippage. We develop a notional relationship between SPE Phase I SDOB and

  17. Explosion Generated Seismic Waves and P/S Methods of Discrimination from Earthquakes with Insights from the Nevada Source Physics Experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, W. R.; Ford, S. R.; Pitarka, A.; Pyle, M. L.; Pasyanos, M.; Mellors, R. J.; Dodge, D. A.

    2017-12-01

    The relative amplitudes of seismic P-waves to S-waves are effective at identifying underground explosions among a background of natural earthquakes. These P/S methods appear to work best at frequencies above 2 Hz and at regional distances ( >200 km). We illustrate this with a variety of historic nuclear explosion data as well as with the recent DPRK nuclear tests. However, the physical basis for the generation of explosion S-waves, and therefore the predictability of this P/S technique as a function of path, frequency and event properties such as size, depth, and geology, remains incompletely understood. A goal of current research, such as the Source Physics Experiments (SPE), is to improve our physical understanding of the mechanisms of explosion S-wave generation and advance our ability to numerically model and predict them. The SPE conducted six chemical explosions between 2011 and 2016 in the same borehole in granite in southern Nevada. The explosions were at a variety of depths and sizes, ranging from 0.1 to 5 tons TNT equivalent yield. The largest were observed at near regional distances, with P/S ratios comparable to much larger historic nuclear tests. If we control for material property effects, the explosions have very similar P/S ratios independent of yield or magnitude. These results are consistent with explosion S-waves coming mainly from conversion of P- and surface waves, and are inconsistent with source-size based models. A dense sensor deployment for the largest SPE explosion allowed this conversion to be mapped in detail. This is good news for P/S explosion identification, which can work well for very small explosions and may be ultimately limited by S-wave detection thresholds. The SPE also showed explosion P-wave source models need to be updated for small and/or deeply buried cases. We are developing new P- and S-wave explosion models that better match all the empirical data. Historic nuclear explosion seismic data shows that the media in which

  18. Highly sensitive amperometric sensing of nitrite utilizing bulk-modified MnO2 decorated Graphene oxide nanocomposite screen-printed electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaiswal, Nandita; Tiwari, Ida; Foster, Christopher W.; Banks, Craig E.

    2017-01-01

    A screen-printed amperometric sensor based on a carbon ink bulk-modified with MnO 2 decorated graphene oxide (MnO 2 /GO-SPE) nanocomposite was investigated for its ability to serve as a sensor towards nitrite. The composite was prepared by simple ultrasonication and reflux methodology and was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and differential pulse voltammetry techniques. The MnO 2 /GO-SPE was found to exhibit an electro-catalytic activity for the electrochemical oxidation of nitrite in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4). The electrochemical oxidation of nitrite occurs at +0.55 V (Vs. Ag/AgCl) with a limit of detection (3σ) found to be 0.09 μM and with two linear ranges of 0.1 μM to 1 μM and 1 μM to 1000 μM with sensitivities of 1.25 μAμM −1 cm −2 and 0.005 μAμM −1 cm −2 respectively. Furthermore, the MnO 2 /GO-SPE showed an excellent anti-interference ability towards a range of commonly encountered electroactive species and metal ions. Additionally, the fabricated MnO 2 /GO-SPE nitrite sensor presented an excellent selectivity, reproducibility and stability. The presented study widens the scope of applications of graphene-based nanocomposite materials for on-site monitoring of nitrite.

  19. Medical Students' Acquisition of Adolescent Interview Skills after Coached Role Play.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaul, Paritosh; Fisher, Jennifer H; Hanson, Janice L

    2018-04-01

    To develop and evaluate an educational activity designed to teach the adolescent Home, Education and employment, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/depression, and Safety (HEADS) examination. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were third-year medical students in their pediatric clerkships. Students received an article on the HEADS interview and attended an adolescent medicine educational session. The session included individualized goal-setting and coached role play. Students' skills in doing a HEADS interview were evaluated through a standardized patient encounter (SPE) with a checklist and a retrospective pre- and post-test survey. The SPE checklist was used to assess whether the students included questions in 6 key areas of a HEADS interview. One hundred fifty-two students participated. During the SPE, 90% of students queried the adolescent's home life, 91% education, 82% activities, 84% drug/substance abuse, 95% sexual history, and 61% symptoms of depression. Pre- and postintervention data were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis Test and showed a statistically significant difference in the students' ability to list key topic areas of the HEADS exam (P interview using the HEADS exam (P interview during a SPE. Only three-fifths of the students, however, included questions about symptoms of depression. Coached role play with goal-setting facilitated effective learning of this approach to adolescent interviewing. Copyright © 2017 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Symbiotics and Aloe vera and Symphytum officinale extracts in broiler feed

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Rodrigues Oliveira

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to test the effects of dietary Aloe vera and Symphytum officinale extracts added separately or in combination with symbiotics on the performance, nutrient utilization, serum biochemical parameters, biometrics, and intestinal histomorfometry of broilers. The experiment had a randomized block design with five treatments and six replicates of ten broilers each. Treatments were as follows: negative control and positive control (diet without and with antibiotic, respectively; 0.2% Aloe vera (AV; 0.2% Symphytum officinale (S; 0.2% functional supplement, composed of symbiotics fermented in Aloe vera and comfrey plant extracts (S+PE. At seven days of age, FI of birds fed the Aloe vera extracts diets were lower than that observed for birds consuming the diet with Symphytum officinale extract and S+PE. Broiler performance remained unaffected by treatments at others ages evaluated. At 10 to 14 days of age the lowest ADCDM ADCCP was shown in group feed NC. The highest ADCCP was observed in PC control group and in diets supplemented with Aloe vera and S+PE. Serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and phosphorus were affected by addition of extracts at seven, 21, and 35 days of age. The longest duodenal villi were observed in broilers fed S+PE diets at seven days of age. Aloe vera and Symphytum officinale extracts and symbiotics can be used in broiler diets as an alternative to growth-promoting antibiotics.

  1. Novel nanoporous sorbent for solid-phase extraction in petroleum fingerprinting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alayande, S. Oluwagbemiga; Hlengilizwe, Nyoni; Dare, E. Olugbenga; Msagati, Titus A. M.; Akinlabi, A. Kehinde; Aiyedun, P. O.

    2016-04-01

    Sample preparation is crucial in the analysis of petroleum and its derivatives. In this study, developing affordable sorbent for petroleum fingerprinting analysis using polymer waste such expanded polystyrene was explored. The potential of electrospun expanded polystyrene (EPS) as a sorbent for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) technique was investigated, and its efficiency was compared with commercial cartridges such as alumina, silica and alumina/silica hybrid commercial for petroleum fingerprinting analysis. The chromatograms showed that the packed electrospun EPS fibre demonstrated excellent properties for SPE applications relative to the hybrid cartridges.

  2. Fases fluoradas como sorventes para extração em fase sólida de pesticidas e compostos perfluorados

    OpenAIRE

    Cristiane Vidal

    2015-01-01

    Resumo: Fases sólidas fluoradas apresentam características oriundas das propriedades da ligação C-F, como o alto momento de dipolo e a baixa polarizabilidade e isto confere seletividades peculiares a elas. Existem diversas fases estacionárias alquilperfluoradas e fenilperfluoradas comerciais para cromatografia líquida, entretanto, a oferta de fases sólidas fluoradas para extração em fase sólida (SPE) é menor. Assim, este trabalho descreve um novo método de SPE utilizando uma fase fluorada pre...

  3. From retrospective assessment to prospective decisions in natural product isolation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Kenneth T; Wubshet, Sileshi G; Nyberg, Nils T

    2011-01-01

    An extract of Carthamus oxyacantha (wild safflower) was investigated using two approaches: a traditional, nontarget fractionation by VLC and HPLC, and the hyphenated technique HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR followed by targeted isolation of selected constituents for inclusion in a screening library of pure......, HPLC-HRMS-guided, targeted isolation scheme aiming exclusively at a series of identified spiro compounds. Thus, HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR is a dereplication technique of choice, allowing economical acquisition of comprehensive data about compounds in crude extracts, which can be used for rational...

  4. Hydrogen-bromine fuel cell advance component development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charleston, Joann; Reed, James

    1988-01-01

    Advanced cell component development is performed by NASA Lewis to achieve improved performance and longer life for the hydrogen-bromine fuel cells system. The state-of-the-art hydrogen-bromine system utilizes the solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) technology, similar to the SPE technology developed for the hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell system. These studies are directed at exploring the potential for this system by assessing and evaluating various types of materials for cell parts and electrode materials for Bromine-hydrogen bromine environment and fabricating experimental membrane/electrode-catalysts by chemical deposition.

  5. Reservoir simulation with MUFITS code: Extension for double porosity reservoirs and flows in horizontal wells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afanasyev, Andrey

    2017-04-01

    Numerical modelling of multiphase flows in porous medium is necessary in many applications concerning subsurface utilization. An incomplete list of those applications includes oil and gas fields exploration, underground carbon dioxide storage and geothermal energy production. The numerical simulations are conducted using complicated computer programs called reservoir simulators. A robust simulator should include a wide range of modelling options covering various exploration techniques, rock and fluid properties, and geological settings. In this work we present a recent development of new options in MUFITS code [1]. The first option concerns modelling of multiphase flows in double-porosity double-permeability reservoirs. We describe internal representation of reservoir models in MUFITS, which are constructed as a 3D graph of grid blocks, pipe segments, interfaces, etc. In case of double porosity reservoir, two linked nodes of the graph correspond to a grid cell. We simulate the 6th SPE comparative problem [2] and a five-spot geothermal production problem to validate the option. The second option concerns modelling of flows in porous medium coupled with flows in horizontal wells that are represented in the 3D graph as a sequence of pipe segments linked with pipe junctions. The well completions link the pipe segments with reservoir. The hydraulics in the wellbore, i.e. the frictional pressure drop, is calculated in accordance with Haaland's formula. We validate the option against the 7th SPE comparative problem [3]. We acknowledge financial support by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No RFBR-15-31-20585). References [1] Afanasyev, A. MUFITS Reservoir Simulation Software (www.mufits.imec.msu.ru). [2] Firoozabadi A. et al. Sixth SPE Comparative Solution Project: Dual-Porosity Simulators // J. Petrol. Tech. 1990. V.42. N.6. P.710-715. [3] Nghiem L., et al. Seventh SPE Comparative Solution Project: Modelling of Horizontal Wells in Reservoir Simulation

  6. Spherical silica particles decorated with graphene oxide nanosheets as a new sorbent in inorganic trace analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sitko, Rafal; Zawisza, Beata; Talik, Ewa; Janik, Paulina; Osoba, Grzegorz; Feist, Barbara; Malicka, Ewa

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Graphene oxide (GO) covalently bonded to the spherical silica. • Very stable sorbent for SPE of metal ions. • Excellent contact with solution due to the softness and flexibility of GO nanosheets. • Several adsorption–elution cycles without any loss of adsorptive properties. • High adsorption capacity due to the wrinkled structure of GO nanosheets. - Abstract: Graphene oxide (GO) is a novel material with excellent adsorptive properties. However, the very small particles of GO can cause serious problems is solid-phase extraction (SPE) such as the high pressure in SPE system and the adsorbent loss through pores of frit. These problems can be overcome by covalently binding GO nanosheets to a support. In this paper, GO was covalently bonded to spherical silica by coupling the amino groups of spherical aminosilica and the carboxyl groups of GO (GO@SiO 2 ). The successful immobilization of GO nanosheets on the aminosilica was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The spherical particle covered by GO with crumpled silk wave-like carbon sheets are an ideal sorbent for SPE of metal ions. The wrinkled structure of the coating results in large surface area and a high extractive capacity. The adsorption bath experiment shows that Cu(II) and Pb(II) can be quantitatively adsorbed at pH 5.5 with maximum adsorption capacity of 6.0 and 13.6 mg g −1 , respectively. Such features of GO nanosheets as softness and flexibility allow achieving excellent contact with analyzed solution in flow-rate conditions. In consequence, the metal ions can be quantitatively preconcentrated from high volume of aqueous samples with excellent flow-rate. SPE column is very stable and several adsorption–elution cycles can be performed without any loss of adsorptive properties. The GO@SiO 2 was used for analysis of various water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with excellent enrichment factors (200–250) and detection

  7. Spherical silica particles decorated with graphene oxide nanosheets as a new sorbent in inorganic trace analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sitko, Rafal, E-mail: rafal.sitko@us.edu.pl [University of Silesia, Institute of Chemistry, ul. Szkolna 9, 40-006 Katowice (Poland); Zawisza, Beata [University of Silesia, Institute of Chemistry, ul. Szkolna 9, 40-006 Katowice (Poland); Talik, Ewa [University of Silesia, Institute of Physics, ul. Uniwersytecka 4, 40-007 Katowice (Poland); Janik, Paulina; Osoba, Grzegorz; Feist, Barbara; Malicka, Ewa [University of Silesia, Institute of Chemistry, ul. Szkolna 9, 40-006 Katowice (Poland)

    2014-06-27

    Highlights: • Graphene oxide (GO) covalently bonded to the spherical silica. • Very stable sorbent for SPE of metal ions. • Excellent contact with solution due to the softness and flexibility of GO nanosheets. • Several adsorption–elution cycles without any loss of adsorptive properties. • High adsorption capacity due to the wrinkled structure of GO nanosheets. - Abstract: Graphene oxide (GO) is a novel material with excellent adsorptive properties. However, the very small particles of GO can cause serious problems is solid-phase extraction (SPE) such as the high pressure in SPE system and the adsorbent loss through pores of frit. These problems can be overcome by covalently binding GO nanosheets to a support. In this paper, GO was covalently bonded to spherical silica by coupling the amino groups of spherical aminosilica and the carboxyl groups of GO (GO@SiO{sub 2}). The successful immobilization of GO nanosheets on the aminosilica was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The spherical particle covered by GO with crumpled silk wave-like carbon sheets are an ideal sorbent for SPE of metal ions. The wrinkled structure of the coating results in large surface area and a high extractive capacity. The adsorption bath experiment shows that Cu(II) and Pb(II) can be quantitatively adsorbed at pH 5.5 with maximum adsorption capacity of 6.0 and 13.6 mg g{sup −1}, respectively. Such features of GO nanosheets as softness and flexibility allow achieving excellent contact with analyzed solution in flow-rate conditions. In consequence, the metal ions can be quantitatively preconcentrated from high volume of aqueous samples with excellent flow-rate. SPE column is very stable and several adsorption–elution cycles can be performed without any loss of adsorptive properties. The GO@SiO{sub 2} was used for analysis of various water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with excellent enrichment factors (200–250) and

  8. Ni(II) ion-imprinted solid-phase extraction and preconcentration in aqueous solutions by packed-bed columns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ersoez, Arzu; Say, Ridvan; Denizli, Adil

    2004-01-01

    Solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns packed with materials based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were used to develop selective separation and preconcentration for Ni(II) ion from aqueous solutions. SPE is more rapid, simple and economical method than the traditional liquid-liquid extraction. MIPs were used as column sorbent to increase the grade of selectivity in SPE columns. In this study, we have developed a polymer obtained by imprinting with Ni(II) ion as a ion-imprinted SPE sorbent. For this purpose, NI(II)-methacryloylhistidinedihydrate (MAH/Ni(II)) complex monomer was synthesized and polymerized with cross-linking ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate to obtain [poly(EGDMA-MAH/Ni(II))]. Then, Ni(II) ions were removed from the polymer getting Ni(II) ion-imprinted sorbent. The MIP-SPE preconcentration procedure showed a linear calibration curve within concentration range from 0.3 to 25 ng/ml and the detection limit was 0.3 ng/ml (3 s) for flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Ni(II) ion-imprinted microbeads can be used several times without considerable loss of adsorption capacity. When the adsorption capacity of nickel imprinted microbeads were compared with non-imprinted microbeads, nickel imprinted microbeads have higher adsorption capacity. The K d (distribution coefficient) values for the Ni(II)-imprinted microbeads show increase in K d for Ni(II) with respect to both K d values of Zn(II), Cu(II) and Co(II) ions and non-imprinted polymer. During that time K d decreases for Zn(II), Cu(II) and Co(II) ions and the k' (relative selectivity coefficient) values which are greater than 1 for imprinted microbeads of Ni(II)/Cu(II), Ni(II)/Zn(II) and Ni(II)/Co(II) are 57.3, 53.9, and 17.3, respectively. Determination of Ni(II) ion in sea water showed that the interfering matrix had been almost removed during preconcentration. The column was good enough for Ni determination in matrixes containing similar ionic radii ions such as Cu(II), Zn(II) and Co(II)

  9. Determination of 24 personal care products in fish bile using hybrid solvent precipitation and dispersive solid phase extraction cleanup with ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Li; Lv, Yin-Zhi; Zhang, Li-Juan; Liu, Wang-Rong; Zhao, Jian-Liang; Liu, You-Sheng; Zhang, Qian-Qian; Ying, Guang-Guo

    2018-05-25

    Personal care products (PCPs) are ubiquitous in aquatic environments owing to the continuous discharge of domestic wastewater from highly urbanized regions. These PCPs can be adsorbed by fish and thereafter usually enter the bile of the fish through biliary excretion. In this study, a sensitive method based on a combination of hybrid solvent precipitation and dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) purification was developed to simultaneously extract and detect 24 PCPs, namely, 16 biocides, 4 synthetic musks, and 4 benzotriazoles, from fish bile. Hybrid precipitation on solid phase extraction (SPE) tubes was applied to remove phospholipids and proteins, and a d-SPE procedure was used for further purification. The extraction solvents for the hybrid precipitation/SPE tubes and d-SPE materials were optimized. The method performance for bile samples both with and without enzyme hydrolysis using β-glucuronidase/aryl-sulfatase were validated. The 24 PCPs in fish bile were spiked with standard concentrations of 10 ng/mL, 20 ng/mL, 100 ng/mL, and 200 ng/mL to evaluate recoveries, which ranged from 70 to 120% for 16, 16, 22, and 21 analytes with hydrolysis, respectively, and 70-120% for 14, 15, 23, and 23 analytes without hydrolysis, respectively. The quantification limits for target PCPs were in the range 0.26-7.38 ng/mL [excluding musk xylene (MX) and musk ketone (MK)] and 0.20-9.48 ng/mL (excluding MX and MK) for bile samples with and without enzyme hydrolysis, respectively. After enzyme hydrolysis, 12 PCPs were detected in bile from fish collected from the Yangtze River, with a maximum detected concentration of 460 ng/mL, for triclosan (TCS). The hydrolysis reaction indicated that high percentages of glucuronide and sulfate metabolites for some PCPs, i.e. four parabens and TCS, existed in the bile. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Direct MR Arthrography of the wrist in comparison with Arthroscopy: A prospective study on 125 patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmitt, R.; Christopoulos, G.; Coblenz, G.; Froehner, S.; Meier, R.; Lanz, U.; Krimmer, H.

    2003-01-01

    Objective: In literature the diagnostic value of MRI for detecting lesions of the carpal ligaments and the TFCC is judged controversially. The aim of the following study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of direct MR arthrography for depicting and staging of intraarticular lesions of the wrist. Material and methods: One day before undergoing arthroscopy, 125 patients suffering from wrist pain were examined with direct MR arthrography in a prospective and blinded study. A mixture of contrast medium (iodine-containing contrast medium and gadopentetate in relation 200:1) was injected into both radiocarpal and midcarpal joints. The following sequences were acquired on a 1.5T scanner: coronal T1-weighted SE, coronal fat-saturated T1-weighted SE, coronal T1-/T2*-DESS-3D, and sagittal T2*-weighted MEDIC. MRI results were compared with arthroscopic findings using statistical analysis (SEN=sensitivity, SPE=specificity, PPV=positive predictive value, NPV=negative predictive value, ACC=accuracy). Results: In comparison to arthroscopy as the accepted diagnostic gold standard, the following results were found for MR arthrography. Detection of TFCC lesions: SEN 97.1%, SPE 96.4%, PPV 97.1%, NPV 96.4%, ACC 96.8%. Detection of complete tears of the scapholunate ligament: SEN 91.7%, SPE 100%, PPV 100%, NPV 99.1%, ACC 99.2%. Detection of partial tears: SEN 62.5%, SPE 100%, PPV 100%, NPV 94.8%, ACC 95.2%. Detection of cartilage defects: SEN 84.2%, SPE 96.2%, PPV 80%, NPV 97.1%, ACC 94.4%. In total, only three lesions of the lunotriquetral ligament were present. Conclusion: Direct MR arthrographic imaging is well suited for detecting intraarticular lesions of the wrist. The presented diagnostic results of MR arthrography are superior to the results of unenhanced MRI reported in the literature. Direct MR arthrography as a reliable diagnostic tool is strongly recommended if lesions of the scapholunate ligament and the triangular fibrocartilage complex are suspected. In contrast, an

  11. Predicting SPE Fluxes: Coupled Simulations and Analysis Tools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorby, M.; Schwadron, N.; Linker, J.; Caplan, R. M.; Wijaya, J.; Downs, C.; Lionello, R.

    2017-12-01

    Presented here is a nuts-and-bolts look at the coupled framework of Predictive Science Inc's Magnetohydrodynamics Around a Sphere (MAS) code and the Energetic Particle Radiation Environment Module (EPREM). MAS simulated coronal mass ejection output from a variety of events can be selected as the MHD input to EPREM and a variety of parameters can be set to run against: bakground seed particle spectra, mean free path, perpendicular diffusion efficiency, etc.. A standard set of visualizations are produced as well as a library of analysis tools for deeper inquiries. All steps will be covered end-to-end as well as the framework's user interface and availability.

  12. The determination of phenazone in blood plasma for obtained sistem suitable test of monitoring drug level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mochamad Lazuardi

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available The determining of Phenazone to human blood plasma from healthy man after separated by solid phase extraction (SPE and spectroscopic measurements has been investigated. The objective of that research was to obtain system suitable test for determine the Phenazone level in biological fluids (human blood plasma, for new performed dosage regimented in clinical dentistry. The method can be divided into the following four steps. 1. Centrifugation the blood sample, 2. Extraction from blood plasma and, 3. Separation by SPE with manual pressured, 4. Elution to SPE followed by the measurement on a spectrophotometer in the ultra violet region. The critical value of  │t │at the 5% confidence level indicates that there is no systematic error in the linearity proposed method. Recoveries for this research were obtained at ranging 93.460 to 95.598%. The coefficient variation precision of this procedure was clearly good at smallest than 2%. The analytical procedure can be carried out in one working operation as a monitored therapeutic activity.

  13. Preparation and use of maize tassels' activated carbon for the adsorption of phenolic compounds in environmental waste water samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olorundare, O F; Msagati, T A M; Krause, R W M; Okonkwo, J O; Mamba, B B

    2015-04-01

    The determination and remediation of three phenolic compounds bisphenol A (BPA), ortho-nitrophenol (o-NTP), parachlorophenol (PCP) in wastewater is reported. The analysis of these molecules in wastewater was done using gas chromatography (GC) × GC time-of-flight mass spectrometry while activated carbon derived from maize tassel was used as an adsorbent. During the experimental procedures, the effect of various parameters such as initial concentration, pH of sample solution, eluent volume, and sample volume on the removal efficiency with respect to the three phenolic compounds was studied. The results showed that maize tassel produced activated carbon (MTAC) cartridge packed solid-phase extraction (SPE) system was able to remove the phenolic compounds effectively (90.84-98.49%, 80.75-97.11%, and 78.27-97.08% for BPA, o-NTP, and PCP, respectively). The MTAC cartridge packed SPE sorbent performance was compared to commercially produced C18 SPE cartridges and found to be comparable. All the parameters investigated were found to have a notable influence on the adsorption efficiency of the phenolic compounds from wastewaters at different magnitudes.

  14. Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensor Based on In Situ Reduction of Ni/NiO-Graphene Nanocomposite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaohui Zhang

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Ni/NiO nanoflower modified reduced graphene oxide (rGO nanocomposite (Ni/NiO-rGO was introduced to screen printed electrode (SPE for the construction of a nonenzymatic electrochemical glucose biosensor. The Ni/NiO-rGO nanocomposite was synthesized by an in situ reduction process. Graphene oxide (GO hybrid Nafion sheets first chemical adsorbed Ni ions and assembled on the SPE. Subsequently, GO and Ni ions were reduced by hydrazine hydrate. The electrochemical properties of such a Ni/NiO-rGO modified SPE were carefully investigated. It showed a high activity for electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose in alkaline medium. The proposed nonenzymatic sensor can be utilized for quantification of glucose with a wide linear range from 29.9 μM to 6.44 mM (R = 0.9937 with a low detection limit of 1.8 μM (S/N = 3 and a high sensitivity of 1997 μA/mM∙cm−2. It also exhibited good reproducibility as well as high selectivity.

  15. Comparative antioxidant effect of BHT and water extracts of banana and sapodilla peels in raw poultry meat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devatkal, Suresh K; Kumboj, Ritu; Paul, Devosmita

    2014-02-01

    Antioxidant properties of banana (Musa paradisiaca) and Sapodilla/Chikoo (Manilkara zapota) peel extracts in chicken patties were evaluated. Four treatments viz., I. Control (meat + 2% salt), II.BHT (meat + 2% salt + 0.1% BHT), III. BPE (meat + 2% salt + 2% banana peel extract) and IV. SPE (meat + 2% salt + 2% sapodilla/chikoo peel extract) were compared for changes in colour and lipid oxidation during 8 days refrigerated storage (4 ± °C). The average phenolic content was 550.2 and 550.8 mg gallic acid equivalent per 10 g peel in BPE and SPE respectively. Free radical scavenging activity was 66.9 and 67.8% in BPE and SPE respectively. Banana peel extract had significantly (P peel extract (0.91). During refrigerated storage period, all color parameters decreased significantly in all treatments. Observation on lipid oxidation showed a significantly (P banana and sapodilla peels could be explored as natural antioxidants in poultry meat and meat products.

  16. Molecularly imprinted layer-coated silica nanoparticles for selective solid-phase extraction of bisphenol A from chemical cleansing and cosmetics samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu Rong; Zhao Wenhui; Zhai Meijuan; Wei Fangdi; Cai Zheng; Sheng Na [School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Hanzhong Road 140, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029 (China); Hu Qin, E-mail: huqin@njmu.edu.cn [School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Hanzhong Road 140, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029 (China)

    2010-01-25

    Highly selective molecularly imprinted layer-coated silica nanoparticles for bisphenol A (BPA) were synthesized by molecular imprinting technique with a sol-gel process on the supporter of silica nanoparticles. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectrometer, transmission electron microscope, dynamic adsorption and static adsorption tests. The equilibrium association constant, K{sub a}, and the apparent maximum number of binding sites, Q{sub max}, were estimated to be 1.25 x 10{sup 5} mL {mu}mol{sup -1} and 16.4 {mu}mol g{sup -1}, respectively. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles solid-phase extraction (SPE) column had higher selectivity for BPA than the commercial C18-SPE column. The results of the study indicated that the prepared BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles exhibited high adsorption capacity and selectivity, and offered a fast kinetics for the rebinding of BPA. The BPA-imprinted silica nanoparticles were successfully used in SPE to selectively enrich and determine BPA from shampoo, bath lotion and cosmetic cream samples.

  17. A voltammetric method for Fe(iii) in blood serum using a screen-printed electrode modified with a Schiff base ionophore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittal, Susheel K; Rana, Sonia; Kaur, Navneet; Banks, Craig E

    2018-05-23

    Herein, a potent electrochemical ionophore (SMS-2) based on a Schiff base has been used for the modification of a screen-printed electrode (SPE). The modified disposable electrode can selectively detect ferric ions in an aqueous medium. Redox behavior of the proposed strip was characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Incorporation of the ligand in the ink of the SPE enhanced the analytical performance of the electrode, and its surface modification was confirmed by SEM and EDX analysis. Shifting/quenching of the cathodic peak potential of the ionophore after binding with Fe(iii) ions was used to detect and measure the ferric ion concentration. This sensor can identify Fe(iii) in the detection range from 0.625 μM to 7.5 μM. The modified SPE can selectively detect ferric ions in the presence of many other interfering ions and has been successfully used to determine the Fe(iii) content in blood serum samples. The metal-ionophore complex structure was optimized using DFT calculations to study the energetics of the metal-ionophore interactions.

  18. On-line solid-phase extraction coupled to hydrophilic interaction chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of polar drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fontanals, Núria; Marcé, Rosa M; Borrull, Francesc

    2011-09-02

    The present study describes the first fully automated method based on on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to hydrophilic interaction chromatography-electrospray-mass spectrometry (HILIC-(ESI)MS) to determine a group of polar drugs that includes illicit drugs (such as cocaine, morphine, codeine and metabolites) and pharmaceuticals in environmental water samples. The SPE was performed using a highly retentive polymeric sorbent. The HILIC separation was optimised and the initial high organic content of the chromatographic mobile phase, was also suitable for the proper on-line elution of the analytes retained in the SPE column and for enhancing the ESI ionisation efficiency. This method allows the loading of samples of up to 250ml of ultrapure water or 10ml of environmental water samples spiked at low ngl(-1) levels of the analytes. The method yields near 100% recoveries for all the analytes. The method was also validated with environmental water samples with linear ranges from 5 to 1000ngl(-1) and limits of detection ≤2ngl(-1) for most of the compounds. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Forensic analysis of high explosives residues in post-blast water samples employing solid phase extraction for analyte pro-concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Umi Kalsom Ahmad; Rajendran, Sumathy; Ling, Lee Woan

    2008-01-01

    Nitro aromatic, nitramine and nitrate ester compounds are a major group of high order explosive or better known as military explosives. Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), 1,3,5-hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro triazine (RDX), 2,4,6-trinitro-toluene (TNT), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) are secondary high explosives classified as most commonly used explosives components. There is an increasing demand for pre-concentration of these compounds in water samples as the sensitivity achieved by instrumental analytical methods for these high explosives residues are the main drawback in the application at trace levels for forensic analysis. Hence, a simple cartridge solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure was optimized as the off-line extraction and pre-concentration method to enhance the detection limit of high explosive residues using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) and gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-ECD) methods. The SPE cartridges utilized LiChrolut EN as the SPE adsorbent. By emplying pre-concentration using SPE, the detection limits of the target analytes in water sample were lowered by more than 1000 times with good percentage recovery (>87%) for MEKC method and lowered by 120 times with more than 2 % percentage recovery for GC-ECD methods. In order to test the feasibility of the developed method to real cases, post-blast water samples were analyzed. The post-blast water samples which were collected from Baling Bom training range, Ulu Kinta, Perak contained RDX and PETN in the range of 0.05 - 0.17 ppm and 0.0124 - 0.0390 ppm respectively. (author)

  20. Molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction using stable isotope labeled compounds as template and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for trace analysis of bisphenol A in water sample

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawaguchi, Migaku; Hayatsu, Yoshio; Nakata, Hisao; Ishii, Yumiko; Ito, Rie; Saito, Koichi; Nakazawa, Hiroyuki

    2005-01-01

    We have developed a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) using a stable isotope labeled compound as the template molecule and called it the ''isotope molecularly imprinted polymer'' (IMIP). In this study, bisphenol A (BPA) was used as the model compound. None imprinted polymer (NIP), MIP, dummy molecularly imprinted polymer (DMIP) and IMIP were prepared by the suspension polymerization method using without template, BPA, 4-tert-butylphenol (BP) and bisphenol A-d 16 (BPA-d 16 ), respectively. The polymers were subjected to molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MI-SPE), and the extracted samples were subjected to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Although the leakage of BPA-d 16 from the IMIP was observed and that of BPA was not observed. The selectivity factors of MIP and IMIP for BPA were 4.45 and 4.43, respectively. Therefore, IMIP had the same molecular recognition ability as MIP. When MI-SPE with IMIP was used and followed by LC-MS in the analysis of river water sample, the detection limit of BPA was 1 ppt with high sensitivity. Moreover, the average recovery was higher than 99.8% (R.S.D.: 3.7%) by using bisphenol A- 13 C 12 (BPA- 13 C 12 ) as the surrogate standard. In addition, the IMIP were employed in MI-SPE of BPA in river water sample by LC-MS. The concentration of BPA in the river water sample was determined to be 32 pg ml -1 . We confirmed that it was possible to measure trace amounts of a target analyte by MI-SPE using IMIP

  1. Clasificación y eficiencia del Sistema Portuario Español

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sala Garrido, Ramon

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available El actual proceso de innovación tecnológica, alentado por una creciente liberalización y globalización de las economías a nivel internacional, ha propiciado importantes cambios en la organización y gestión de la industria marítima y portuaria que afectan significativamente a la productividad y eficiencia de las actividades desarrolladas en los puertos. En este contexto, la competitividad de nuestro país depende, en gran medida, del desarrollo de los sistemas de transporte, y en particular, de la existencia de unos puertos eficientes que permitan el trasvase de mercancías de un modo ágil y seguro. Por todo ello, en este documento analizamos la eficiencia de los principales puertos del Sistema Portuario Español (SPE usando la metodología DEA (Análisis Envolvente de Datos. El estudio de los niveles de eficiencia alcanzados en los años precedentes por los distintos puertos que componen el SPE, nos permitirá analizar la evolución en los niveles de eficiencia de los mismos con el objeto de llegar a recomendaciones que permitan mejorarla en el futuro. Siendo conscientes de la complejidad y gran diversidad de los puertos que conforman el actual SPE proponemos el estudio previo de la estructura del sistema. El conocimiento de los distintos subsistemas que conforman el SPE nos permite definir grupos homogéneos de puertos en los que promover medidas específicas y diferenciadas que contribuyan a mejorar su eficiencia.

  2. Simultaneous determination of 41 multiclass organic pollutants in environmental waters by means of polyethersulfone microextraction followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mijangos, Leire; Ziarrusta, Haizea; Olivares, Maitane; Zuloaga, Olatz; Möder, Monika; Etxebarria, Nestor; Prieto, Ailette

    2018-01-01

    A new procedure using polyethersulfone (PES) microextraction followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis was developed in this work for the simultaneous determination of 41 multiclass priority and emerging organic pollutants including herbicides, hormones, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals, among others, in seawater, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents, and estuary samples. The optimization of the analysis included two different chromatographic columns and different variables (polarity, fragmentor voltage, collision energy, and collision cell accelerator) of the mass spectrometer. In the case of PES extraction, ion strength of the water, pH, addition of EDTA, and the amount of the polymeric material were thoroughly investigated. The developed procedure was compared with a previously validated one based on a standard solid-phase extraction (SPE). In contrast to the SPE protocol, the PES method allowed a cost-efficient extraction of complex aqueous samples with lower matrix effect from 120 mL of water sample. Satisfactory and comparable apparent recovery values (80-119 and 70-131%) and method quantification limits (MQLs, 0.4-26 and 0.2-23 ng/L) were obtained for PES and SPE procedures, respectively, regardless of the matrix. Repeatability values lower than 27% were obtained. Finally, the developed methods were applied to the analysis of real samples from the Basque Country and irbesartan, valsartan, acesulfame, and sucralose were the analytes most often detected at the highest concentrations (51-1096 ng/L). Graphical abstract Forty-one multiclass pollutant determination in environmental waters by means of PES/SPE-LC-MS/MS.

  3. Staphylococcus aureus septic pulmonary emboli presenting as angioinvasive aspergillosis: case report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McKerlie, I. [Montreal General Hospital, Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Bloom, C. [Jewish General Hospital, Dept. of Diagnostic Imaging, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Kreisman, H. [Jewish General Hospital, Pulmonary Div., Dept. of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

    2001-12-01

    Septic pulmonary emboli (SPE) have a wide spectrum of radiologic and clinical presentations. The characteristic chest radiographic findings of SPE have been well documented in the literature, but a significant number of patients present with nonspecific or equivocal infiltrates that are not definitive for septic emboli. Studies comparing computed tomographic (CT) scans and chest radiographs of patients with documented SPE suggest that CT provides a more characteristic and recognizable pattern of parenchymal involvement than can be routinely identified on plain radiographs. These findings include multiple peripheral nodules ranging in size from 0.5 cm to 3.5 cm, a feeding vessel sign, cavitation, wedge-shaped peripheral lesions abutting the pleura, air bronchograms within the nodules and extension into the pleural space. Patients with leukemia or lymphoma and prolonged bone marrow suppression are at high risk for developing opportunistic infections of the lung. Angioinvasive aspergillosis (AIA) can occur in any severely immunocompromised or chronically debilitated patient. By far, the most common clinical setting is the patient with prolonged granulocytopenia during treatment for acute leukemia. On CT images, AIA presents as round soft-tissue lung masses surrounded by a 'halo' of ground-glass attenuation. This appearance was once considered pathognomonic of AIA but is now known to be associated with a wide variety of hemorrhagic and vasculitic pulmonary processes. We report a case of SPE presenting radiographically as multiple lung nodules with surrounding halos, thus mimicking the diagnosis of AIA. To the best of our knowledge, these findings have not been reported in the literature. (author)

  4. Fast determination of seven synthetic pigments from wine and soft drinks using magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiao-Hong; Zhao, Yong-Gang; Shen, Hao-Yu; Zhou, Li-Xin; Pan, Sheng-Dong; Jin, Mi-Cong

    2014-06-13

    A novel, simple and sensitive method based on the use of magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction (M-dSPE) procedure combined with ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) was developed to determine seven synthetic pigments (tartrazine, amaranth, carmine, sunset yellow, allura red, brilliant blue and erythrosine) in wines and soft drinks. An amino-functionalized low degrees of cross-linking magnetic polymer (NH2-LDC-MP) was synthesized via suspension polymerization, and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The NH2-LDC-MP was used as the M-dSPE sorbent to remove the matrix from the solution, and the main factors affecting the extraction were investigated in detail. The obtained results demonstrated the higher extraction capacity of NH2-LDC-MP with recoveries between 84.0 and 116.2%. The limits of quantification (LOQs) for the seven synthetic pigments were between 1.51 and 5.0μg/L in wines and soft drinks. The developed M-dSPE UFLC-MS/MS method had been successfully applied to the real wines and soft drinks for food-safety risk monitoring in Zhejiang Province, China. The results showed that sunset yellow was in three out of thirty soft drink samples (2.95-42.6μg/L), and erythrosine in one out of fifteen dry red wine samples (3.22μg/L), respectively. It was confirmed that the NH2-LDC-MP was a kind of highly effective M-dSPE materials for the pigments analyses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Using standardized patients to assess communication skills in medical and nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, C Anthony; Walshe, Nuala; Gaffney, Robert; Shanks, Andrew; Burgoyne, Louise; Wiskin, Connie M

    2010-03-17

    A number of recent developments in medical and nursing education have highlighted the importance of communication and consultation skills (CCS). Although such skills are taught in all medical and nursing undergraduate curriculums, there is no comprehensive screening or assessment programme of CCS using professionally trained Standardized Patients Educators (SPE's) in Ireland. This study was designed to test the content, process and acceptability of a screening programme in CCS with Irish medical and nursing students using trained SPE's and a previously validated global rating scale for CCS. Eight tutors from the Schools of Nursing and Medicine at University College Cork were trained in the use of a validated communication skills and attitudes holistic assessment tool. A total of forty six medical students (Year 2 of 5) and sixty four nursing students (Year 2/3 of 4) were selected to under go individual CCS assessment by the tutors via an SPE led scenario. Immediate formative feedback was provided by the SPE's for the students. Students who did not pass the assessment were referred for remediation CCS learning. Almost three quarters of medical students (33/46; 72%) and 81% of nursing students (56/64) passed the CCS assessment in both communication and attitudes categories. All nursing students had English as their first language. Nine of thirteen medical students referred for enhanced learning in CCS did not have English as their first language. A significant proportion of both medical and nursing students required referral for enhanced training in CCS. Medical students requiring enhanced training were more likely not to have English as a first language.

  6. Automated solid-phase extraction of herbicides from water for gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, M.T.; Mills, M.S.; Thurman, E.M.

    1993-01-01

    An automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was developed for the pre-concentration of chloroacetanilide and triazine herbicides, and two triazine metabolites from 100-ml water samples. Breakthrough experiments for the C18 SPE cartridge show that the two triazine metabolites are not fully retained and that increasing flow-rate decreases their retention. Standard curve r2 values of 0.998-1.000 for each compound were consistently obtained and a quantitation level of 0.05 ??g/l was achieved for each compound tested. More than 10,000 surface and ground water samples have been analyzed by this method.

  7. Solid polymer electrolyte water electrolyser based on Nafion-TiO{sub 2} composite membrane for high temperature operation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baglio, V.; Antonucci, V.; Arico, A.S. [CNR-ITAE, Messina (Italy); Matteucci, F.; Martina, F.; Zama, I. [Tozzi Renewable Energy SpA, Mezzano (Italy); Ciccarella, G. [National Nanotechnology Laboratory (NNL) of INFM-CNR, Distretto Tecnologico ISUFI, Innovazione, Universita del Salento, Lecce (Italy); Arriaga, L.G. [Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo Tecnologico en Electroquimica, Queretaro Sanfandila (Mexico); Ornelas, R.

    2009-06-15

    A composite Nafion-TiO{sub 2} membrane was manufactured by a recast procedure, using an in-house prepared TiO{sub 2}. This membrane has shown promising properties for high temperature operation in an SPE electrolyser allowing to achieve higher performance with respect to a commercial Nafion 115 membrane. This effect is mainly due to the water retention properties of the TiO{sub 2} filler. A promising increase in electrical efficiency was recorded at low current densities for the composite membrane-based SPE electrolyser at high temperature compared to conventional membrane-based devices. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  8. Danske mejere - en fauna i vækst

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Enghoff, Henrik; Pedersen, Jan; Toft, Søren

    2014-01-01

    Since 1985 the num ber of harvestmen spe cies re corded from Den mark has grown from 17 to 25. The new spe cies and the year of their first Dan ish re cord are: Opilio canestrinii (Thorell, 1876) – 1985; Lacinius horridus (Pan zer, 1794) – 1994; Odiellus spinosus (Bosc, 1792) – 2006; Dicranopalpus...... tisciae Avram, 1968 (= L. rupestre auct.) in Den mark; and Nemastoma dentigerum Canestrini, 1873, N. bimaculatum (Fabricius, 1775), Lacinius dentiger (C.L. Koch, 1848), Leiobunum limbatum L. Koch, 1861, and Nelima doriae (Canestrini, 1871) are men tioned as can di dates for fu ture dis cov er ies...

  9. Interactive effects of dietary composition and hormonal treatment on reproductive development of cultured female European eel, Anguilla anguilla

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    da Silva, Filipa; Støttrup, Josianne Gatt; Kjørsvik, Elin

    2016-01-01

    Farmed female eels were fed two experimental diets with similar proximate composition but different n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels. Both diets had similar levels of arachidonic acid (ARA), while levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in one diet were...... approximately 4.5 and 2.6 times higher compared to the other diet, respectively. After the feeding period, each diet group was divided into two and each half received one of two hormonal treatments using salmon pituitary extract (SPE) for 13 weeks: i) a constant hormone dose of 18.75mg SPE/kg initial body...

  10. Développement d'immunoessais associés aux électrodes sérigraphies: des particules superparamagnétiques aux nanobodies

    OpenAIRE

    Patris, Stéphanie

    2014-01-01

    Cette thèse a pour vocation de contribuer au développement de différents immunocapteurs ampérométriques associés aux électrodes sérigraphiées (SPE). Les immunocapteurs sont des dispositifs simples associant un anticorps ou un antigène qui assurent la sélectivité à un transducteur (ici une SPE) ;ce dernier transforme la liaison anticorps/antigène en un signal mesurable (ici ampérométrique). Le travail est divisé en deux volets principaux. Le premier est consacré à la mise en œuvre de dif...

  11. Composition Changes After the "Halloween" Solar Proton Event: The High-Energy Particle Precipitation in the Atmosphere (HEPPA) Model Versus MIPAS Data Intercomparison Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Funke, B.; Baumgaertner, A.; Calisto, M.; Egorova, T.; Jackman, C. H.; Kieser, J.; Krivolutsky, A.; Lopez-Puertas, M.; Marsh. D. R.; Reddmann, T.; hide

    2010-01-01

    We have compared composition changes of NO, NO2, H2O2,O3, N2O, HNO3 , N2O5, HNO4, ClO, HOCl, and ClONO2 as observed by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) on Envisat in the aftermath of the "Halloween" solar proton event (SPE) in October/November 2003 at 25-0.01 hPa in the Northern hemisphere (40-90 N) and simulations performed by the following atmospheric models: the Bremen 2D model (B2dM) and Bremen 3D Chemical Transport Model (B3dCTM), the Central Aerological Observatory (CAO) model, FinROSE, the Hamburg Model of the Neutral and Ionized Atmosphere (HAMMONIA), the Karlsruhe Simulation Model of the Middle Atmosphere (KASIMA), the ECHAM5/MESSY Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) model, the modeling tool for SO1ar Climate Ozone Links studies (SOCOL and SOCOLi), and the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM4). The large number of participating models allowed for an evaluation of the overall ability of atmospheric models to reproduce observed atmospheric perturbations generated by SPEs, particularly with respect to NOS, and ozone changes. We have further assessed the meteorological conditions and their implications on the chemical response to the SPE in both the models and observations by comparing temperature and tracer (CH4 and CO) fields. Simulated SPE-induced ozone losses agree on average within 5% with the observations. Simulated NO(y) enhancements around 1 hPa, however, are typically 30% higher than indicated by the observations which can be partly attributed to an overestimation of simulated electron-induced ionization. The analysis of the observed and modeled NO(y) partitioning in the aftermath of the SPE has demonstrated the need to implement additional ion chemistry (HNO3 formation via ion-ion recombination and water cluster ions) into the chemical schemes. An overestimation of observed H2O2 enhancements by all models hints at an underestimation of the OH/HO2 ratio in the upper polar stratosphere during the SPE. The

  12. Sensibilidad antimicrobiana y caracterización de cepas de Streptococcus pyogenes aisladas de un brote de escarlatina Antimicrobial sensitivity and typing of Streptococcus pyogenes strains isolated during a scarlet fever outbreak

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto González Pedraza-Avilés

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo. Evaluar la actividad in vitro de 13 antibióticos contra 47 Streptococcus pyogenes grupo A (SGA. Determinar la presencia de genes que codifican para exotoxina pirogénica estreptocóccica A (SpeA y serotipos con base en proteína M. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal hecho en el Centro de Salud Dr. José Castro Villagrana sobre un brote de escarlatina en el Colegio Espíritu de América, entre diciembre de 1999 y enero de 2000. El número de niños estudiados fue 137. Se extrajeron porcentajes de sensibilidad. La concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM se obtuvo por microdilución semiautomatizada. Se utilizó un secuenciador automatizado de DNA para el análisis de variación de secuencias en los genes que codifican para proteína M y SpeA. Resultados. Todas las cepas fueron sensibles a beta-lactámicos y clindamicina; 12.7% fueron resistentes a eritromicina. El serotipo M2 fue el más frecuente, 27 del total. Prácticamente todas las bacterias (96% con el gen SpeA tienen el gen que codifica para el serotipo M2. Conclusiones. Debido a la reciente reaparición de infecciones por SGA se sugiere realizar estudios tanto de sensibilidad a macrólidos y beta-lactámicos, como de epidemiología molecular.Objective. To evaluate the in vitro activities of 13 antimicrobial agents against 47 group A Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS strains, and to determine the presence of genes encoding streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SpeA and the M--protein serotypes. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Centro de Salud Dr. José Castro Villagrana, during a scarlet fever outbreak occurring between December 1999 and January 2000, among 137 children at Colegio Espíritu de América. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs were obtained by the semiautomated microdilution method. Automated DNA sequencing was used for analysis of sequence variation in genes encoding the M protein, and SpeA. Results. All strains were sensitive to

  13. Pharmacologically relevant receptor binding characteristics and 5alpha-reductase inhibitory activity of free Fatty acids contained in saw palmetto extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abe, Masayuki; Ito, Yoshihiko; Oyunzul, Luvsandorj; Oki-Fujino, Tomomi; Yamada, Shizuo

    2009-04-01

    Saw palmetto extract (SPE), used widely for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has been shown to bind alpha(1)-adrenergic, muscarinic and 1,4-dihydropyridine (1,4-DHP) calcium channel antagonist receptors. Major constituents of SPE are lauric acid, oleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and linoleic acid. The aim of this study was to investigate binding affinities of these fatty acids for pharmacologically relevant (alpha(1)-adrenergic, muscarinic and 1,4-DHP) receptors. The fatty acids inhibited specific [(3)H]prazosin binding in rat brain in a concentration-dependent manner with IC(50) values of 23.8 to 136 microg/ml, and specific (+)-[(3)H]PN 200-110 binding with IC(50) values of 24.5 to 79.5 microg/ml. Also, lauric acid, oleic acid, myristic acid and linoleic acid inhibited specific [(3)H]N-methylscopolamine ([(3)H]NMS) binding in rat brain with IC(50) values of 56.4 to 169 microg/ml. Palmitic acid had no effect on specific [(3)H]NMS binding. The affinity of oleic acid, myristic acid and linoleic acid for each receptor was greater than the affinity of SPE. Scatchard analysis revealed that oleic acid and lauric acid caused a significant decrease in the maximal number of binding sites (B(max)) for [(3)H]prazosin, [(3)H]NMS and (+)-[(3)H]PN 200-110. The results suggest that lauric acid and oleic acid bind noncompetitively to alpha(1)-adrenergic, muscarinic and 1,4-DHP calcium channel antagonist receptors. We developed a novel and convenient method of determining 5alpha-reductase activity using LC/MS. With this method, SPE was shown to inhibit 5alpha-reductase activity in rat liver with an IC(50) of 101 microg/ml. Similarly, all the fatty acids except palmitic acid inhibited 5alpha-reductase activity, with IC(50) values of 42.1 to 67.6 microg/ml. In conclusion, lauric acid, oleic acid, myristic acid, and linoleic acid, major constituents of SPE, exerted binding activities of alpha(1)-adrenergic, muscarinic and 1,4-DHP receptors and inhibited 5

  14. A new approach for rapid detection and typing of serum monoclonal components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacoub, P; Camproux, A C; Thiolières, J M; Assogba, U; Hausfater, P; Mallet, A; Foglietti, M J; Piette, J C; Bernard, M

    2000-12-01

    When used independently, none of the routine methods to explore serum monoclonal components (MC), including: serum protein electrophoresis (SPE), immunoelectrophoresis (IEP), kappa to lambda ratio (KLR) and immunofixation (IFE), provides a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative identification of the MC. In the past few years the concept of 'protein profile', based on immunonephelometric quantifications of serum proteins, has become widely used. It consists of a qualitative and quantitative graphic representation of numerous serum proteins including immunoglobulins. Aim of study was to develop a multidimensional model based exclusively on protein profiles labeled the protein profile prediction method (PPPM) to improve routine MC detection and typing. Serum samples from 127 hospitalized patients and 99 healthy blood donors were submitted to all of the following: SPE, IFE, KLR and a protein profile (which included IgM, IgA, IgG, kappa and lambda chain detections and quantification). The presence of a MC using IFE was chosen as the gold standard. Healthy donors and patients were randomly divided into two groups defined as testing and validation groups. A logistic model was designed based on the protein profiles of the testing group leading to the determination of a threshold value (called Z(r)) for MC detection. It was then tested to detect MC in the validation group. Using IFE, 73 MC were found in the 127 hospitalized patients. Using the threshold value for MC detection of Z(r)=1.86, the PPPM showed greater sensitivity (94.6%) in detecting a MC compared to either SPE (64.8%) or KLR (89.2%). This result was obtained without diminished specificity (80.8%). The association of SPE or KLR to PPPM did not significantly increase the sensitivity of the PPPM. In the validation group, for samples which had a high predictive probability of a MC using PPPM, the correct MC typing was identified in up to 77% of sera using PPPM only. These results may be interesting in helping

  15. VARIATION IN BIOFUEL POTENTIAL OF TWELVE CALOPYLLUM INOPHYLLUM POPULATIONS IN INDONESIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Budi Leksono

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The global energy crisis has raises demand for biofuel prices. It has driven the world to enhance environmentally-friendly renewable-energy (biofuel production. Oil from the seeds of Calophyllum inophyllum (nyamplung which can be harvested up to 50 years, is one of  such potential biofuel source. Methods for biofuel production from nyamplung seeds have been developed at an industrial scale by cooperative in Cilacap (Java and Energy Self-Sufficient Villages (Desa Mandiri Energi in Banyuwangi, Purworejo, Kebumen, Ujung Kulon (Java and Selayar (South Sulawesi. However, there is only a limited-information available on biofuel potential, in term of  productivity and quality, from nyamplung populations. This paper reports the variations in biofuel potential among 12 populations in Indonesia (6 from Java, 6 outside Java. The oil was extracted using a combination of  vertical hot press (VHP and screw press expeller (SPE methods, followed by degumming to make refined oil, and esterification-transesterification to turn it into biodiesel. The result show great variation of  biofuel content among the population. Oil production percentage varies from 37-48.5% (VHP and 50-58% (SPE crude oil, 36-48% (VHP and 40-53% (SPE refined oil, and 1733% (SPE for biodiesel. Seed resin content is responsible for most of the variation after degumming. DNA analysis shows genetic variation among populations ranges from intermediate within Java to high ouside Java and is intermediate within populations. Information about biofuel content and potential of  populations and genetic variation between and within population are important factors for establishment of  geneticallyimproved seed-sources for biofuel production from nyamplung.

  16. Bioanalysis of tobramycin for therapeutic drug monitoring by solid-phase extraction and capillary zone electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fonge, Humphrey; Kaale, Eliangiringa; Govaerts, Cindy; Desmet, Koenraad; Van Schepdael, Ann; Hoogmartens, Jos

    2004-10-25

    A method based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) for the analysis of tobramycin in human serum is presented. An off-line SPE employing a carboxypropyl bonded phase (CBA) cartridge was used for the extraction of tobramycin from human serum. Adsorbed tobramycin was eluted from the CBA cartridge using a mixture of NH(3) (25%, w/v)-methanol (30:70, v/v). After evaporation, the analyte was reconstituted and derivatized with o-phthaldialdehyde (OPA)/3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA). The resulting tobramycin-OPA/MPA derivative was purified, and then identified by mass spectrometry. The tobramycin-OPA/MPA derivative was then analysed by CZE with a background electrolyte (BGE) comprising of 30 mM sodium tetraborate pH 10.0-acetonitrile (ACN) (80:20, v/v) with ultraviolet detection at 230 nm. A linear response was observed in the range of 0.3-30 microg/ml with r(2) = 0.992. The sensitivity of the method was determined by its limit of quantitation (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) of 0.3 microg/ml and 0.1 microg/ml, respectively. SPE recovery ranged from 68 to 79% at the trough levels to 98% at the peak levels found in serum. Furosemide has been added as internal standard (IS) to improve precision. For the therapeutic range of tobramycin in serum (2-10 microg/ml) the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) was less than 11% for the entire SPE/CE process. The method demonstrated excellent selectivity as shown by the lack of interference from a total of 20 drugs investigated. The method was then used in therapeutic drug monitoring of patients receiving the drug.

  17. Differential Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry (DMS-MS) in Radiation Biodosimetry: Rapid and High-Throughput Quantitation of Multiple Radiation Biomarkers in Nonhuman Primate Urine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhidan; Coy, Stephen L.; Pannkuk, Evan L.; Laiakis, Evagelia C.; Fornace, Albert J.; Vouros, Paul

    2018-05-01

    High-throughput methods to assess radiation exposure are a priority due to concerns that include nuclear power accidents, the spread of nuclear weapon capability, and the risk of terrorist attacks. Metabolomics, the assessment of small molecules in an easily accessible sample, is the most recent method to be applied for the identification of biomarkers of the biological radiation response with a useful dose-response profile. Profiling for biomarker identification is frequently done using an LC-MS platform which has limited throughput due to the time-consuming nature of chromatography. We present here a chromatography-free simplified method for quantitative analysis of seven metabolites in urine with radiation dose-response using urine samples provided from the Pannkuk et al. (2015) study of long-term (7-day) radiation response in nonhuman primates (NHP). The stable isotope dilution (SID) analytical method consists of sample preparation by strong cation exchange-solid phase extraction (SCX-SPE) to remove interferences and concentrate the metabolites of interest, followed by differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) ion filtration to select the ion of interest and reduce chemical background, followed by mass spectrometry (overall SID-SPE-DMS-MS). Since no chromatography is used, calibration curves were prepared rapidly, in under 2 h (including SPE) for six simultaneously analyzed radiation biomarkers. The seventh, creatinine, was measured separately after 2500× dilution. Creatinine plays a dual role, measuring kidney glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and indicating kidney damage at high doses. The current quantitative method using SID-SPE-DMS-MS provides throughput which is 7.5 to 30 times higher than that of LC-MS and provides a path to pre-clinical radiation dose estimation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  18. Using standardized patients to assess communication skills in medical and nursing students

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ryan, C Anthony

    2010-03-17

    Abstract Background A number of recent developments in medical and nursing education have highlighted the importance of communication and consultation skills (CCS). Although such skills are taught in all medical and nursing undergraduate curriculums, there is no comprehensive screening or assessment programme of CCS using professionally trained Standardized Patients Educators (SPE\\'s) in Ireland. This study was designed to test the content, process and acceptability of a screening programme in CCS with Irish medical and nursing students using trained SPE\\'s and a previously validated global rating scale for CCS. Methods Eight tutors from the Schools of Nursing and Medicine at University College Cork were trained in the use of a validated communication skills and attitudes holistic assessment tool. A total of forty six medical students (Year 2 of 5) and sixty four nursing students (Year 2\\/3 of 4) were selected to under go individual CCS assessment by the tutors via an SPE led scenario. Immediate formative feedback was provided by the SPE\\'s for the students. Students who did not pass the assessment were referred for remediation CCS learning. Results Almost three quarters of medical students (33\\/46; 72%) and 81% of nursing students (56\\/64) passed the CCS assessment in both communication and attitudes categories. All nursing students had English as their first language. Nine of thirteen medical students referred for enhanced learning in CCS did not have English as their first language. Conclusions A significant proportion of both medical and nursing students required referral for enhanced training in CCS. Medical students requiring enhanced training were more likely not to have English as a first language.

  19. A rapid MCM-41 dispersive micro-solid phase extraction coupled with LC/MS/MS for quantification of ketoconazole and voriconazole in biological fluids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yahaya, Noorfatimah; Sanagi, Mohd Marsin; Abd Aziz, Noorizan; Wan Ibrahim, Wan Aini; Nur, Hadi; Loh, Saw Hong; Kamaruzaman, Sazlinda

    2017-02-01

    A rapid dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-μ-SPE) combined with LC/MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of ketoconazole and voriconazole in human urine and plasma samples. Synthesized mesoporous silica MCM-41 was used as sorbent in d-μ-SPE of the azole compounds from biological fluids. Important D-μ-SPE parameters, namely type desorption solvent, extraction time, sample pH, salt addition, desorption time, amount of sorbent and sample volume were optimized. Liquid chromatographic separations were carried out on a Zorbax SB-C 18 column (2.1 × 100 mm, 3.5 μm), using a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.05% formic acid in 5 mm ammonium acetate buffer (70:30, v/v). A triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with positive ionization mode was used for the determination of target analytes. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration curves showed good linearity in the range of 0.1-10,000 μg/L with satisfactory limit of detection (≤0.06 μg/L) and limit of quantitation (≤0.3 μg/L). The proposed method also showed acceptable intra- and inter-day precisions for ketoconazole and voriconazole from urine and human plasma with RSD ≤16.5% and good relative recoveries in the range 84.3-114.8%. The MCM-41-D-μ-SPE method proved to be rapid and simple and requires a small volume of organic solvent (200 μL); thus it is advantageous for routine drug analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Streamlined sample cleanup using combined dispersive solid-phase extraction and in-vial filtration for analysis of pesticides and environmental pollutants in shrimp

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Lijun [College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing (China); Sapozhnikova, Yelena [U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 (United States); Lehotay, Steven J., E-mail: Steven.Lehotay@ars.usda.gov [U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 (United States)

    2014-05-01

    Highlights: • The first report that combines in-vial filtration and dispersive-SPE for sample cleanup. • The unique application of ammonium formate for salting-out partitioning in QuEChERS. • Evaluations of a new zirconium-based and a non-friable GCB sorbent for d-SPE cleanup. • A new analytical method for 59 pesticides and environmental pollutants in shrimp. Abstract: A new method of sample preparation was developed and is reported for the first time. The approach combines in-vial filtration with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) in a fast and convenient cleanup of QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extracts. The method was applied to simultaneous analysis of 42 diverse pesticides and 17 environmental contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and flame retardants, in shrimp as the sample matrix. Final extracts were analyzed by both low-pressure gas chromatography – triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LPGC-MS/MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography – triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to provide a wide scope of analysis for targeted analytes. During method development, several different commercial sorbents for d-SPE were investigated and compared with respect to analyte recoveries. The method was validated at 10, 50, and 100 ng g⁻¹ spiking levels (10-fold lower for PCBs), and the results for nearly all analytes were between 70 and 115% recoveries with ≤17% relative standard deviations. The method was shown to be simple, fast, and effective for multi-application analysis of chemical residues in the representative food and environmental marker matrix.

  1. Using standardized patients to assess communication skills in medical and nursing Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burgoyne Louise

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A number of recent developments in medical and nursing education have highlighted the importance of communication and consultation skills (CCS. Although such skills are taught in all medical and nursing undergraduate curriculums, there is no comprehensive screening or assessment programme of CCS using professionally trained Standardized Patients Educators (SPE's in Ireland. This study was designed to test the content, process and acceptability of a screening programme in CCS with Irish medical and nursing students using trained SPE's and a previously validated global rating scale for CCS. Methods Eight tutors from the Schools of Nursing and Medicine at University College Cork were trained in the use of a validated communication skills and attitudes holistic assessment tool. A total of forty six medical students (Year 2 of 5 and sixty four nursing students (Year 2/3 of 4 were selected to under go individual CCS assessment by the tutors via an SPE led scenario. Immediate formative feedback was provided by the SPE's for the students. Students who did not pass the assessment were referred for remediation CCS learning. Results Almost three quarters of medical students (33/46; 72% and 81% of nursing students (56/64 passed the CCS assessment in both communication and attitudes categories. All nursing students had English as their first language. Nine of thirteen medical students referred for enhanced learning in CCS did not have English as their first language. Conclusions A significant proportion of both medical and nursing students required referral for enhanced training in CCS. Medical students requiring enhanced training were more likely not to have English as a first language.

  2. A designated centre for people with disabilities operated by St Joseph's Foundation, Cork

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ryan, C Anthony

    2010-03-17

    Abstract Background A number of recent developments in medical and nursing education have highlighted the importance of communication and consultation skills (CCS). Although such skills are taught in all medical and nursing undergraduate curriculums, there is no comprehensive screening or assessment programme of CCS using professionally trained Standardized Patients Educators (SPE\\'s) in Ireland. This study was designed to test the content, process and acceptability of a screening programme in CCS with Irish medical and nursing students using trained SPE\\'s and a previously validated global rating scale for CCS. Methods Eight tutors from the Schools of Nursing and Medicine at University College Cork were trained in the use of a validated communication skills and attitudes holistic assessment tool. A total of forty six medical students (Year 2 of 5) and sixty four nursing students (Year 2\\/3 of 4) were selected to under go individual CCS assessment by the tutors via an SPE led scenario. Immediate formative feedback was provided by the SPE\\'s for the students. Students who did not pass the assessment were referred for remediation CCS learning. Results Almost three quarters of medical students (33\\/46; 72%) and 81% of nursing students (56\\/64) passed the CCS assessment in both communication and attitudes categories. All nursing students had English as their first language. Nine of thirteen medical students referred for enhanced learning in CCS did not have English as their first language. Conclusions A significant proportion of both medical and nursing students required referral for enhanced training in CCS. Medical students requiring enhanced training were more likely not to have English as a first language.

  3. A designated centre for people with disabilities operated by Health Service Executive, Wexford

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ryan, C Anthony

    2010-03-17

    Abstract Background A number of recent developments in medical and nursing education have highlighted the importance of communication and consultation skills (CCS). Although such skills are taught in all medical and nursing undergraduate curriculums, there is no comprehensive screening or assessment programme of CCS using professionally trained Standardized Patients Educators (SPE\\'s) in Ireland. This study was designed to test the content, process and acceptability of a screening programme in CCS with Irish medical and nursing students using trained SPE\\'s and a previously validated global rating scale for CCS. Methods Eight tutors from the Schools of Nursing and Medicine at University College Cork were trained in the use of a validated communication skills and attitudes holistic assessment tool. A total of forty six medical students (Year 2 of 5) and sixty four nursing students (Year 2\\/3 of 4) were selected to under go individual CCS assessment by the tutors via an SPE led scenario. Immediate formative feedback was provided by the SPE\\'s for the students. Students who did not pass the assessment were referred for remediation CCS learning. Results Almost three quarters of medical students (33\\/46; 72%) and 81% of nursing students (56\\/64) passed the CCS assessment in both communication and attitudes categories. All nursing students had English as their first language. Nine of thirteen medical students referred for enhanced learning in CCS did not have English as their first language. Conclusions A significant proportion of both medical and nursing students required referral for enhanced training in CCS. Medical students requiring enhanced training were more likely not to have English as a first language.

  4. Differential Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry (DMS-MS) in Radiation Biodosimetry: Rapid and High-Throughput Quantitation of Multiple Radiation Biomarkers in Nonhuman Primate Urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhidan; Coy, Stephen L; Pannkuk, Evan L; Laiakis, Evagelia C; Fornace, Albert J; Vouros, Paul

    2018-05-07

    High-throughput methods to assess radiation exposure are a priority due to concerns that include nuclear power accidents, the spread of nuclear weapon capability, and the risk of terrorist attacks. Metabolomics, the assessment of small molecules in an easily accessible sample, is the most recent method to be applied for the identification of biomarkers of the biological radiation response with a useful dose-response profile. Profiling for biomarker identification is frequently done using an LC-MS platform which has limited throughput due to the time-consuming nature of chromatography. We present here a chromatography-free simplified method for quantitative analysis of seven metabolites in urine with radiation dose-response using urine samples provided from the Pannkuk et al. (2015) study of long-term (7-day) radiation response in nonhuman primates (NHP). The stable isotope dilution (SID) analytical method consists of sample preparation by strong cation exchange-solid phase extraction (SCX-SPE) to remove interferences and concentrate the metabolites of interest, followed by differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) ion filtration to select the ion of interest and reduce chemical background, followed by mass spectrometry (overall SID-SPE-DMS-MS). Since no chromatography is used, calibration curves were prepared rapidly, in under 2 h (including SPE) for six simultaneously analyzed radiation biomarkers. The seventh, creatinine, was measured separately after 2500× dilution. Creatinine plays a dual role, measuring kidney glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and indicating kidney damage at high doses. The current quantitative method using SID-SPE-DMS-MS provides throughput which is 7.5 to 30 times higher than that of LC-MS and provides a path to pre-clinical radiation dose estimation. Graphical Abstract.

  5. Modified Activated Carbon Prepared from Acorn Shells as a New Solid-Phase Extraction Sorbent for the Preconcentration and Determination of Trace Amounts of Nickel in Food Samples Prior to Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahimi, Bahram

    2017-03-01

    A new solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbent was introduced based on acidic-modified (AM) activated carbon (AC) prepared from acorn shells of native oak trees in Kurdistan. Hydrochloric acid (15%, w/w) and nitric acid (32.5%, w/w) were used to condition and modify AC. The IR spectra of AC and AM-AC showed that AM lead to the formation of increasing numbers of acidic functional groups on AM-AC. AM-AC was used in the SPE method for the extraction and preconcentration of Ni+2 prior to flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination at ng/mL levels in model and real food samples. Effective parameters of the SPE procedure, such as the pH of the solutions, sorbent dosage, extraction time, sample volume, type of eluent, and matrix ions, were considered and optimized. An enrichment factor of 140 was obtained. The calibration curve was linear with an R2 of 0.997 in the concentration range of 1-220 ng/mL. The RSD was 5.67% (for n = 7), the LOD was 0.352 ng/mL, and relative recoveries in vegetable samples ranged from 96.7 to 103.7%.

  6. Determination of six polyether antibiotic residues in foods of animal origin by solid phase extraction combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Jing; Song, Ge; Ai, Lian-Feng; Li, Jian-Chen

    2016-04-01

    A new method using solid phase extraction (SPE) combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been developed for the determination of six polyether antibiotics, including lasalocid, salinomycin, monensin, narasin, madubamycin and nigericin residues, in foods of animal origin. The samples were extracted with acetonitrile and purified by ENVI-Carb SPE columns after comparing the impurity effect and maneuverability of several SPE cartridges. Subsequently, the analytes were separated on a Hypersil Gold column (2.1×150mm, 5μm) and analyzed by MS/MS detection. The limit of quantization (LOQ) for milk and chicken was 0.4μg/kg, and for chicken livers and eggs, it was 1μg/kg. The linearity was satisfactory with a correlation coefficient of >0.9995 at concentrations ranging from 2 to 100μg/L. The average recoveries of the analytes fortified at three levels ranged from 68.2 to 114.3%, and the relative standard deviations ranged from 4.5 to 12.1%. The method was suitable for quantitative analysis and confirmation of polyether antibiotic residues in foods of animal origin. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Solid phase extraction of large volume of water and beverage samples to improve detection limits for GC-MS analysis of bisphenol A and four other bisphenols.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xu-Liang; Popovic, Svetlana

    2018-01-01

    Solid phase extraction (SPE) of large volumes of water and beverage products was investigated for the GC-MS analysis of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol E (BPE), and bisphenol B (BPB). While absolute recoveries of the method were improved for water and some beverage products (e.g. diet cola, iced tea), breakthrough may also have occurred during SPE of 200 mL of other beverages (e.g. BPF in cola). Improvements in method detection limits were observed with the analysis of large sample volumes for all bisphenols at ppt (pg/g) to sub-ppt levels. This improvement was found to be proportional to sample volumes for water and beverage products with less interferences and noise levels around the analytes. Matrix effects and interferences were observed during SPE of larger volumes (100 and 200 mL) of the beverage products, and affected the accurate analysis of BPF. This improved method was used to analyse bisphenols in various beverage samples, and only BPA was detected, with levels ranging from 0.022 to 0.030 ng/g for products in PET bottles, and 0.085 to 0.32 ng/g for products in cans.

  8. Radiation durability of polymeric materials in solid polymer electrolyzer for fusion tritium plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iwai, Yasunori; Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Hiroki, Akihiro; Tamada, Masao

    2009-02-01

    This document presents the radiation durability of various polymeric materials applicable to a solid-polymer-electrolyte (SPE) water electrolyzer to be used in the tritium facility of fusion reactor. The SPE water electrolyzers are applied to the water detritiation system (WDS) of the ITER. In the ITER, an electrolyzer should keep its performance during two years operation in the tritiated water of 9TBq/kg, the design tritium concentration of the ITER. The tritium exposure of 9TBq/kg for two years is corresponding to the irradiation of no less than 530 kGy. In this study, the polymeric materials were irradiated with γ-rays or with electron beams at various conditions up to 1600 kGy at room temperature or at 343 K. The change in mechanical and functional properties were investigated by stress-strain measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), and so on. Our selection of polymeric materials for a SPE water electrolyzer used in a radiation environment was Pt + Ir applied Nafion N117 ion exchange membrane, VITON O-ring seal and polyimide insulator. (author)

  9. Detection of irradiated constituents in processed food with complex lipid matrices. Results of a research project of Baden-Wuerttemberg

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hartmann, M.; Ammon, J.; Berg, H.

    1999-01-01

    The detection of irradiated constituents in processed food with a complex lipid matrix can be adversely affected by two conditions. The small amounts of radiation-induced hydrocarbons are diluted by the fat matrix of the food, or there are substances accompanying the lipids in the matrix and thus make the analysis more difficult. In those cases, sample preparation alone by means of Florisil SPE (solid-phase extraction) is not enough and requires additional, subsequent SPE argentation chromatography of the Florisil eluate, as this latter analytical method permits reliable detection down to very small amounts of irradiated, fat-containing constituents even in a complex lipid matrix. SPE-Florisil/argentation chromatography detects and selects radiation-induced hydrocarbons in a complex lipid matrix, so that detection of irradiation at even very low doses down to 0.025 kGy is possible. The method described is highly sensitive, inexpensive, and easy to apply. It efficiently substitutes such complex preparation or measuring methods as SFE-GC/MS or LC-GC/MS. This highly sensitive testing method for detection of food irradiation can be carried out in almost any analytical laboratory. (orig./CB) [de

  10. Trace determination of 13 haloacetamides in drinking water using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Wenhai; Gao, Naiyun; Yin, Daqiang; Krasner, Stuart W; Templeton, Michael R

    2012-04-27

    The haloacetamides (HAcAms) are disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water which are currently receiving increased scientific attention due to their elevated toxicity relative to regulated disinfection by-products. A simultaneous determination method of 13 HAcAms, combining solid-phase extraction (SPE) enrichment, liquid chromatographic (LC) separation, and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (tqMS) detection with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) using selective reaction monitoring in positive mode, was developed to measure HAcAms, including chlorinated, brominated, and iodinated analogs. Ammonium chloride and Oasis HLB were selected as the dechlorinating reagent and polymeric SPE sorbent of HAcAm samples. The used tqMS apparatus showed higher sensitivity for the studied HAcAms in the APCI mode than electrospray ionization. 13 HAcAms were separated by LC in 9.0 min, and the detection limits ranged from 7.6 to 19.7 ng/L. The SPE-LC/tqMS method was successfully applied to quantify 13 HAcAms in drinking water samples for the first time, and first indentified tribromoacetamide and chloroiodoacetamide as DBPs in drinking water. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Characteristics of a newly designed electrolyser to enrich tritium in environmental water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shima, Nagayoshi; Muranaka, Takeshi

    2007-01-01

    A newly designed electrolytic device to enrich tritium in environmental water is proposed. This device is composed of a solid polymer electrolytic film (SPE film) and porous, dimensionally stable electrodes (DSE). In our design a platinum mesh was inserted between the SPE film and the anode DSE so that the device can be easily disassembled and the used SPE film can be replaced with a new one after each use. A thin gold plate with a number of minute holes in it is used as current collector in both electrodes allowing the electrolytic gas to be released progressively. An electrolytic current of 6A was passed through the device to obtain a volume reducing factor of five by keeping a temperature of water both at 2degC or lower. After that, our device achieved a tritium recovery factor of 0.836±0.021 (n=4). Such a value is greater than the value obtained using a commercially available apparatus operated under the same experimental conditions. It is thought that this greater efficiency depends on the difference between electrolytic temperature produced in our device and the temperature in the commercially available one. (author)

  12. Bienzymatic Acetylcholinesterase and Choline Oxidase Immobilized Biosensor Based on a Phenyl Carboxylic Acid-Grafted Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    So-Ra Lee

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Bienzymatic acetylcholinesterase (AChE and choline oxidase (ChOx immobilized biosensor based on a phenyl carboxylic acid-grafted multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT modified glass carbon electrode (GCE and carbon-screen printed electrode (SPE was fabricated for acetylcholine detection in human blood samples. Phenyl carboxylic acid-modified MWNT supports were prepared by electrochemical polymerization of 4-carboxyphenyl diazonium salts, which were synthesized by an amine group and sodium nitrite, on the surface of the MWNT-modified GCE and SPE in 0.1 M PBS. The successful fabrication of the AChE-ChOx-immobilized biosensor was confirmed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS, and cyclic voltammetry (CV. The sensing range of the biosensor based on a GCE and SPE was 1.0~10 μM and 10~100 μM, respectively. The interfering effect of 0.1 M L-ascorbic acid, 0.1 M L-cysteine, and 0.1 M uric acid to 0.1 M acetylcholine was 3.00%, 9.00%, and 3.00%, respectively. Acetylcholine in a human blood sample was detected by the AChE-ChOx-immobilized biosensor.

  13. Isolation and Purification of Unstable Iridoid Glucosides from Traditional Chinese Medicine by Preparative High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Solid-phase Extraction

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LI Cun-man; XIAO Yuan-sheng; XUE Xing-ya; FENG Jia-tao; ZHANG Xiu-li; LIANG Xin-miao

    2011-01-01

    An efficient preparative method was successfully developed for isolation and purification of unstable components from medicinal plant extracts, using a combined method of preparative high performance liquid chro matography(HPLC) and solid-phase extraction(SPE). The aim of this study was to obtain an effective method with high preparative efficiency and importantly to avoid the transformation of unstable compounds. The preparative HPLC system was based on an LC/MS controlled four-channel autopurification system. The SPE method was per formed with a C1s packing material to trap the target compounds and to remove the acidic additive derived from the mobile phase. Using this method, the unstable iridoid glucosides(IGs) as model compounds were successfully iso lated and purified from the extract of Hedyotis diffusa Willd. Six IGs(including one new minor IG) and one nucleo tide compound were simultaneously obtained, each with a purity of >91% as determined by HPLC. The structures of the isolated compounds were identified by UPLC/Q-TOF MS, UV, ID and/or 2D NMR. It was demonstrated that the combination of preparative HPLC with SPE is a versatile tool for preparative purification of unstable compounds from complex natural products.

  14. A Rapid Centrifugation-Assisted Solid-Phase Extraction and Liquid Chromatography Method for Determination of Loureirin A and Loureirin B of Dragon's Blood Capsules in Rat Plasma and Urine After Oral Administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiaoshuang; Li, Gaofeng; Ma, Shangfang; Hu, Xujia

    2015-07-01

    A simple, sensitive and rapid centrifugation-assisted solid-phase extraction (SPE) with high-performance liquid chromatography (SPE-HPLC) method was developed for simultaneous determination of the metabolites loureirin A and loureirin B from Dragon's blood in rat plasma and urine. The development of the extraction procedure included optimization of some important extraction phases. After evaluation, the metabolites of Dragon's blood were extracted by centrifugation-assisted SPE and separated by using HPLC. This method showed good linearity (r(2) > 0.99), and in the rat plasma and urine, the recoveries were 93.1 and 95.7% for loureirin A and were 90.1 and 94.2% for loureirin B. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values of intraday and interday precision in rat plasma and urine for loureirin A were <3.84 and 2.01%, respectively. The RSD values of the intraday and interday precision in rat plasma and urine for loureirin B were below 4.25 and 5.83%, respectively. Thus, the established method is suitable for metabolism studies of loureirin A and loureirin B in rat plasma and urine. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Comparison of dialysis and solid-phase extraction for isolation and concentration of dissolved organic matter prior to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tfaily, Malak M.; Cooper, William T. [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tallahassee, FL (United States); Hodgkins, Suzanne; Chanton, Jeffrey P. [Florida State University, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Tallahassee, FL (United States); Podgorski, David C. [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tallahassee, FL (United States); Florida State University, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee, FL (United States)

    2012-08-15

    We compare two methods, solid-phase extraction (SPE) and dialysis, commonly used for extraction and concentration of dissolved organic matter (DOM) prior to molecular characterization by electrospray ionization (ESI) and ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Spectra of DOM samples from Minnesota and Sweden peatlands that were extracted with styrene divinyl benzene polymer SPE sorbents included ions with formulas that had higher oxygen to carbon (O/C) ratios than spectra of DOM from the same samples after de-salting by dialysis. The SPE method was not very effective in extracting several major classes of DOM compounds that had high ESI efficiencies, including carboxylic acids and organo-sulfur compounds, and that out-competed other less-functionalized compounds (e.g., carbohydrates) for charge in the ESI source. The large abundance of carboxylic acids in the dialysisextracted DOM, likely the result of in situ microbial production, makes it difficult to see other (mainly hydrophilic) compounds with high O/C ratios. Our results indicate that, while dialysis is generally preferable for the isolation of DOM, for samples with high microbial inputs, the use of both isolation methods is recommended for a more accurate molecular representation. (orig.)

  16. Preconcentration of trace uranium from seawater with solid phase extraction followed by differential pulse polarographic determination in chloroform eluate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dojozan, Dj.; Pournaghi-Azar, M.H.; Toutounchi-Asr, J.

    1998-01-01

    In the present study, an effective method is presented for the separation and preconcentration of uranium (VI) by solid phase extraction (SPE). For this purpose, U(VI) oxinate is formed by the reaction of U(VI) with 8-hydroxyquinoline and adsorbed onto the octylsilane (C-8) SPE cartridge. The analyte is completely eluted with chloroform and determined by differential pulse polarography. The SPE conditions were optimized by evaluating the effective factors such as pH, oxine concentration, type and concentration of buffer and masking agent. By the proposed method a preconcentration factor of more than 100 was achieved. The average recovery of uranium (VI) oxinate (0.1 mg l -1 ) was 99.8%. The relative standard deviation was 1.6% for seven replicate determinations of uranyl ion in the solution with a concentration 20 μg l -1 . Some concomitant ions such as Ca +2 , Mg +2 and Fe +3 which interfere in extraction or determination process of uranium were masked with EDTA in aqueous phase during the extraction process. The proposed method was successfully used for the determination of uranium in Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf water samples

  17. Molecularly imprinted polymer-based solid phase clean-up for analysis of ochratoxin A in beer, red wine, and grape juice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Jiliang; Kong, Weijun; Zhou, Shujun; Yin, Lihui; Wan, Li; Yang, Meihua

    2013-04-01

    A simple, reliable, and low-cost method based on molecularly imprinted polymer as a selective sorbent of SPE was proposed for the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) in beer, red wine, and grape juice by HPLC coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). Samples were diluted with water and cleaned up with an AFFINIMIP® SPE OTA column. After washing and eluting, the analyte was analyzed by HPLC-FLD. Under the optimized conditions, LOD and LOQ for OTA were 0.025 and 0.08 ng/mL, respectively. The recoveries of OTA from beer, red wine, and grape spiked at 0.1, 2, and 5 ng/mL ranged from 91.6 to 101.7%. Furthermore, after a simple regenerated procedure, the molecularly imprinted polymer based SPE column could be reused at least 14 times to achieve more than 80% recoveries of OTA in real samples. The developed method was applied to the detection of 30 beer, red wine, and grape juice samples and only four samples were contaminated by OTA with levels below the legal limits. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Qualitative aspects of learning, recall, and recognition in dementia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranjith Neelima

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine whether learning and serial position effect (SPE differs qualitatively and quantitatively among different types of dementia and between dementia patients and controls; we also wished to find out whether interference affects it. Materials and Methods: We administered the Malayalam version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT to 30 cognitively unimpaired controls and 80 dementia patients [30 with Alzheimer′s disease (AD, 30 with vascular dementia (VaD, and 20 with frontotemporal dementia (FTD] with mild severity on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. Results: All groups were comparable on education and age, except the FTD group, who were younger. Qualitatively, the learning pattern and SPE (with primacy and recency being superior to intermediate was retained in the AD, VaD, and control groups. On SPE in free recall, recency was superior to intermediate in the FTD group (P < 0.01 using Bonferroni correction. On recognition, the AD and VaD groups had more misses (P < 0.01, while the FTD group had more false positives (P < 0.01. Conclusion: Quantitative learning is affected by dementia. The pattern of qualitative learning remains unaltered in dementia in the early stages.

  19. Graphene/TiO2 nanocomposite based solid-phase extraction and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for lipidomic profiling of avocado (Persea americana Mill.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Qing; Yang, Mei; Li, Linqiu; Cheung, Hon-Yeung

    2014-12-10

    Phospholipids possess important physiological, structural and nutritional functions in biological systems. This study described a solid-phase extraction (SPE) method, employing graphene and titanium dioxide (G/TiO2) nanocomposite as sorbent, for the selective isolation and enrichment of phospholipids from avocado (Persea americana Mill.). Based on the principal that the phosphoryl group in the phospholipid can interact with TiO2 via a bridging bidentate mode, an optimum condition was established for SPE, and was successfully applied to prepare avocado samples. The extracts were monitored by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight/tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) in both positive-ion and negative-ion modes. Results showed that phospholipids could be efficiently extracted in a clean manner by G/TiO2 based SPE. In addition, the signals of phospholipids were enhanced while the noise was reduced. Some minor peaks became more obvious. In conclusion, the nanocomposite material of G/TiO2 was proved to be a promising sorbent for selective separation of phospholipids from crude lipid extract. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Theory of super-para-electric large polaron for gigantic photo-enhancements of dielectric constant and electronic conductivity in SrTiO3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Qiu; Nasu, Keiichiro

    2005-01-01

    In connection with the recent experimental discoveries on gigantic photoenhancements of the electronic conductivity and the quasi-static dielectric susceptibility in SrTiO 3 , we theoretically study a photo-generation mechanism of a charged ferroelectric domain in this quantum dielectric. The photo-generated electron, being quite itinerant in the 3d band of Ti 4+ , is assumed to couple weakly but quadratically with soft-anharmonic T 1u phonons in this quantum dielectric. The photo-generated electron is also assumed to couple strongly but linearly with the breathing type high energy phonons. Using a tight binding model for electron, we will show that these two types of electron-phonon couplings result in two types of polarons, a 'super-para-electric (SPE) large polaron' with a quasi-global parity violation, and an 'off-centre type self-trapped polaron' with only a local parity violation. We will also show that this SPE large polaron is nothing else but a singly charged (e - ) and conductive ferroelectric (or SPE) domain with a quasi macroscopic size. This polaron or domain is also shown to have a high mobility and a large quasi-static dielectric susceptibility

  1. Screening and dereplication of microbial natural products extracts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Månsson, Maria; Vynne, Nikolaj Grønnegaard; Wietz, Matthias

    expedition,1 we use a combination of chemical profiling2 and explorative solid-phase extraction (E-SPE)3 to assess the bacteria’s potential to produce new and interesting molecules. We found the use of chemical profiling by LC-UV/MS very useful for marine bacteria such as Vibrio4 and Pseudoalteromonas.5....... The chemical profile could be linked to a bioactivity profile using E-SPE,3 which through the use of three different ion-exchangers and a size-exclusion column gives information about the charge, size, and polarity of active components in an extract. This can be used to discriminate between possible candidates...

  2. Targeting high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis with high-resolution radical scavenging profiles - bioactive secondary metabolites from the endophytic fungus Penicillium namyslowskii

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wubshet, Sileshi Gizachew; Nyberg, Nils; Tejesvi, Mysore V.

    2013-01-01

    The high-resolution radical scavenging profile of an extract of the endophytic fungus Penicillium namyslowskii was used to target analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, i.e., HPLC...... NMR probe designed for 1.7-mm NMR tubes. To further explore the potential of the above HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR platform for analysis of endophytic extracts, six peaks displaying no radical scavenging activity were also analyzed. This allowed unambiguous identification of six metabolites, i...... and griseofulvin, directly from crude extract via HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR. Dechlorodehydrogriseofulvin was reported for the first time from nature....

  3. Visualization of anomalous Ettingshausen effect in a ferromagnetic film: Direct evidence of different symmetry from spin Peltier effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seki, T.; Iguchi, R.; Takanashi, K.; Uchida, K.

    2018-04-01

    Spatial distribution of temperature modulation due to the anomalous Ettingshausen effect (AEE) is visualized in a ferromagnetic FePt thin film with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetizations using the lock-in thermography technique. Comparing the AEE of FePt with the spin Peltier effect (SPE) of a Pt/yttrium iron garnet junction provides direct evidence of different symmetries of AEE and SPE. Our experiments and numerical calculations reveal that the distribution of heat sources induced by AEE strongly depends on the direction of magnetization, leading to the remarkable different temperature profiles in the FePt thin film between the in-plane and perpendicularly magnetized configurations.

  4. Comparison of different methods for radiochemical purity testing of [99mTc-EDDA-HYNIC-D-Phe1,Tyr3]-Octreotide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guggenberg, Elisabeth von; Penz, Barbara; Kemmler, Georg; Virgolini, Irene; Decristoforo, Clemens

    2006-01-01

    [ 99m Tc-EDDA-HYNIC-D-Phe 1 ,Tyr 3 ]-octreotide ( 99m Tc-EDDA-HYNIC-TOC) is an alternative radioligand for somatostatin receptor (SSTR) scintigraphy of neuroendocrine tumours. In order to allow a rapid and accurate determination of the quality in the clinical routine the aim of this study was to evaluate different methods of radiochemical purity (RCP) testing. Three different methods of RCP testing were compared: high-performance liquid chromatograhpy (HPLC), thin layer chromatography (TLC) and minicolumn (Sep-Pak purification=SPE). HPLC was shown to be the most effective method for the quality control. The use of TLC and SPE is only recommended after sufficient practical labelling experience

  5. Comparison of different methods for radiochemical purity testing of [99mTc-EDDA-HYNIC-D-Phe1,Tyr3]-octreotide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Guggenberg, Elisabeth; Penz, Barbara; Kemmler, Georg; Virgolini, Irene; Decristoforo, Clemens

    2006-02-01

    [99mTc-EDDA-HYNIC-D-Phe1,Tyr3]-octreotide (99mTc-EDDA-HYNIC-TOC) is an alternative radioligand for somatostatin receptor (SSTR) scintigraphy of neuroendocrine tumours. In order to allow a rapid and accurate determination of the quality in the clinical routine the aim of this study was to evaluate different methods of radiochemical purity (RCP) testing. Three different methods of RCP testing were compared: high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thin layer chromatography (TLC) and minicolumn (Sep-Pak purification = SPE). HPLC was shown to be the most effective method for the quality control. The use of TLC and SPE is only recommended after sufficient practical labelling experience.

  6. Sistema limpo em linha para extração em fase sólida de contaminantes emergentes em águas naturais An in-line clean system for the solid-phase extraction of emerging contaminants in natural waters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando F. Sodré

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A solid-phase in-line extraction system for water samples containing low levels of emerging contaminants is described. The system was specially developed for large volume samples (up to 4 L using commercial solid-phase extraction (SPE cartridges. Four sets containing PTFE-made connectors, brass adapters and ball valves were used to fit SPE cartridges and sample bottles to a 4-port manifold attached to a 20 L carboy. A lab-made vacuum device was connected to the manifold cap. The apparatus is robust and less expensive than the typical available system. Its also provides less experimental handling, avoiding cross contamination and sample losses.

  7. Effect of Zirconium Oxide Nanofiller and Dibutyl Phthalate Plasticizer on Ionic Conductivity and Optical Properties of Solid Polymer Electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasin, Siti Mariah Mohd; Ibrahim, Suriani

    2014-01-01

    New solid polymer electrolytes (SPE) based on poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) doped with lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF3SO3), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) plasticizer, and zirconium oxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles were prepared by solution-casting technique. The conductivity was enhanced by addition of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) plasticizer and ZrO2 nanofiller with maximum conductivity (1.38 × 10−4 Scm−1). The absorption edge and band gap values showed decreases upon addition of LiSO3CF3, DBP, and ZrO2 due to the formation of localized states in the SPE and the degree of disorder in the films increased. PMID:25133244

  8. Effect of Zirconium Oxide Nanofiller and Dibutyl Phthalate Plasticizer on Ionic Conductivity and Optical Properties of Solid Polymer Electrolyte

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Mariah Mohd Yasin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available New solid polymer electrolytes (SPE based on poly(ethylene oxide (PEO doped with lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF3SO3, dibutyl phthalate (DBP plasticizer, and zirconium oxide (ZrO2 nanoparticles were prepared by solution-casting technique. The conductivity was enhanced by addition of dibutyl phthalate (DBP plasticizer and ZrO2 nanofiller with maximum conductivity (1.38×10-4 Scm-1. The absorption edge and band gap values showed decreases upon addition of LiSO3CF3, DBP, and ZrO2 due to the formation of localized states in the SPE and the degree of disorder in the films increased.

  9. Status of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell technology and potential for transportation applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElroy, J. F.; Nuttall, L. J.

    The solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) fuel cell represents the first fuel cell technology known to be used operationally. Current activities are mainly related to the development of a space regenerative fuel cell system for energy storage on board space stations, or other large orbiting vehicles and platforms. During 1981, a study was performed to determine the feasibility of using SPE fuel cells for automotive or other vehicular applications, using methanol as the fuel. The results of this study were very encouraging. Details concerning a conceptual automotive fuel cell power plant study are discussed, taking into account also a layout of major components for compact passenger car installation.

  10. Dosimetric control on board the MIR space station during the solar proton events of September-October 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benghin, V.V.; Petrov, V.M.; Chernykh, I.V.; Teltsov, M.V.; Shumshurov, V.I.

    1992-01-01

    A set of dosimetric units for the control of radiation doses to cosmonauts on board the MIR space station contains an active dosimeter R-16 and a personal display dosimeter IPD-2. During the powerful solar proton events (SPE) in September-October 1989, the readings of these devices were used for the control of the crew's radiation damage. Results of the dose measurements and analysis of the dynamics caused by some heliogeophysical factors are given. It is shown that the total doses from SPE registered by the dosimeters R-16 and IPD-2 were 3.6 x 10 -2 and 0.9 x 10 -2 Gy, respectively. (author)

  11. Preliminary results for the detection method of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs residues in pork

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shih-kuo Lin

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs residues, which come from environmental pollution, tend to accumulate in the food chain (EFSA, 2008; Guerranti et al., 2013. 17 chemicals of PFASs family were selected for this study. Fresh pork samples were extracted by Waters® WAX SPE (solid phase extraction cartridges. All extracted samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS. The results of calibration curves of each PFAS were good, the R2 values ranging from 0.9901 to 0.9993. The Recoveries were in the range 80%-119%. The protocol of extraction by Waters® WAX SPE cartridge will be applied in future studies.

  12. Toxicity of organic chemical pollution in groundwater downgradient of a landfill (Grindsted, Denmark)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baun, Anders; Jensen, S. D.; Bjerg, Poul Løgstrup

    2000-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to describe the occurrence and distribution of toxicity related to organic chemical contaminants in the leachate plume downgradient of the Grindsted Landfill (Denmark). A total of 27 groundwater samples were preconcentrated by solidphase extraction (SPE) using XAD-2...... bioassays, it was concluded that SPE extracts of groundwater collected close to the landfill were toxic. The toxicity decreased with the distance from the landfill. At distances greater than 80 m from the border of the landfill, the groundwater toxicity was not significantly different from the background...... characterization and hazard ranking of groundwater polluted with complex chemical mixtures, such as landfill leachates....

  13. Développement d'immunoessais associés aux électrodes sérigraphiées: des particules superparamagnétiques aux nanobodies

    OpenAIRE

    Patris, Stéphanie

    2014-01-01

    Cette thèse a pour vocation de contribuer au développement de différents immunocapteurs ampérométriques associés aux électrodes sérigraphiées (SPE). Les immunocapteurs sont des dispositifs simples associant un anticorps ou un antigène qui assurent la sélectivité à un transducteur (ici une SPE) ;ce dernier transforme la liaison anticorps/antigène en un signal mesurable (ici ampérométrique).Le travail est divisé en deux volets principaux.Le premier est consacré à la mise en œuvre de différents ...

  14. Innovative separation and preconcentration technique of coagulating homogenous dispersive micro solid phase extraction exploiting graphene oxide nanosheets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghazaghi, Mehri [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Semnan University, P.O. Box: 35131-19111, Semnan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mousavi, Hassan Zavvar, E-mail: hzmousavi@semnan.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Semnan University, P.O. Box: 35131-19111, Semnan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rashidi, Ali Morad [Nanotechnology Research Center, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), West Entrance Blvd., Olympic Village, P.O. Box: 14857-33111, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shirkhanloo, Hamid [Occupational and Environmental Health Research Center (OEHRC), Iranian Petroleum Industry Health Research Institute (IPIHRI), Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rahighi, Reza [Nanotechnology Research Center, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), West Entrance Blvd., Olympic Village, P.O. Box: 14857-33111, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Research and Development, Sharif Ultrahigh Nanotechnologists (SUN) Company, P.O. Box: 13488-96394, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-01-01

    A uniquely novel, fast, and facile technique is introduced for the first time in which a scant amount of graphene oxide (GO), without modification, has been utilized in dispersive mode of solid phase extraction (SPE) for an efficient yet simple separation. The proposed method of coagulating homogenous dispersive micro solid phase extraction (CHD-µSPE) is based on coagulation of homogeneous GO solution with the aid of polyetheneimine (PEI). CHD-µSPE use full adsorption capacity of GO because in this method was used GO solution obtained from synthesis process without drying step and stacking nanosheets. In optimized condition, 30 µL GO solution (7 mg mL{sup −1}), obtained in synthesis process, was injected into 1.5 mL the sample solution followed by immediate injection of 53 µL PEI solution (1 mg mL{sup −1}). After inserting PEI, GO sheets aggregate and can be readily separated by centrifugation. PEI not only cause aggregation of GO, but also form three-dimensional network of GO with easy handling in following separation steps. Lead, cadmium, and chromium were selected as model analytes and the effecting parameters including the amount of GO, concentration of PEI, sample pH, extraction time, and type of desorption solvent were investigated and optimized. The results indicate that the proposed CHD-µSPE method can be successfully applied GO in dispersive mode of SPE without effecting on good capability adsorption of GO. The novel method was applied in determination of lead, cadmium, and chromium in water, human saliva, and urine samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. The detection limits are as low as 0.035, 0.005, and 0.012 µg L{sup −1} for Pb, Cd, and Cr respectively. The intra-day precisions (RSDs) were lower than 3.8%. CHD-µSPE method showed a good linear ranges of 0.24–15.6, 0.015–0.95 and 0.039–2.33 µg L{sup −1} for Pb, Cd and Cr respectively. Method performance was investigated by determination of mentioned

  15. Characteristics of SnO2-based 68Ge/68Ga generator and aspects of radiolabelling DOTA-peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Blois, Erik; Sze Chan, Ho; Naidoo, Clive; Prince, Deidre; Krenning, Eric P; Breeman, Wouter A P

    2011-02-01

    PET scintigraphy with (68)Ga-labelled analogs is of increasing interest in Nuclear Medicine and performed all over the world. Here we report the characteristics of the eluate of SnO(2)-based (68)Ge/(68)Ga generators prepared by iThemba LABS (Somerset West, South Africa). Three purification and concentration techniques of the eluate for labelling DOTA-TATE and concordant SPE purifications were investigated. Characteristics of 4 SnO(2)-based generators (range 0.4-1 GBq (68)Ga in the eluate) and several concentration techniques of the eluate (HCl) were evaluated. The elution profiles of SnO(2)-based (68)Ge/(68)Ga generators were monitored, while [HCl] of the eluens was varied from 0.3-1.0 M. Metal ions and sterility of the eluate were determined by ICP. Fractionated elution and concentration of the (68)Ga eluate were performed using anion and cation exchange. Concentrated (68)Ga eluate, using all three concentration techniques, was used for labelling of DOTA-TATE. (68)Ga-DOTA-TATE-containing solution was purified and RNP increased by SPE, therefore also 11 commercially available SPE columns were investigated. The amount of elutable (68)Ga activity varies when the concentration of the eluens, HCl, was varied, while (68)Ge activity remains virtually constant. SnO(2)-based (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator elutes at 0.6 M HCl >100% of the (68)Ga activity at calibration time and ±75% after 300 days. Eluate at discharge was sterile and Endotoxins were 80%). Highest desorption for cation purification was obtained using a solution containing 90% acetone at increasing molarity of HCl, resulted in a (68)Ga desorption of 68±8%. With all (68)Ge/(68)Ga generators and for all 3 purification methods a SA up to 50 MBq/nmol with >95% incorporation (ITLC) and RCP (radiochemical purity) by HPLC ±90% could be achieved. Purification and concentration of the eluate with anion exchange has the benefit of more elutable (68)Ga with 1 M HCl as eluens. The additional washing step of the anion column

  16. Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) for Biodiesel Processing and Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-13

    similar applications.[7] Nanoporous scaffolds within a macrotextured structure offered an alternative to currently available commercial dry wash...D) is an image of the hydrophilic (left) and hydrophobic (right) materials in water. METHODS Batch type experiments were used to characterize the...

  17. Graphene-coated polystyrene-divinylbenzene dispersive solid-phase extraction coupled with supercritical fluid chromatography for the rapid determination of 10 allergenic disperse dyes in industrial wastewater samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, Chaoyan; Wu, Can; Zhang, Kai; Guo, Dandan; Jiang, Lei; Lu, Yang; Zhu, Yan

    2018-05-18

    Allergenic disperse dyes are a group of environmental contaminants, which are toxic and mutagenic to human beings. In this work, a method of dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) using graphene-coated polystyrene-divinylbenzene (G@PS-DVB) microspheres coupled with supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) was proposed for the rapid determination of 10 allergenic disperse dyes in industrial wastewater samples. G@PS-DVB microspheres were synthesized by coating graphene (G) sheets onto polystyrene-divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) polymers. Such novel sorbents were employed in d-SPE for the purification and concentration of allergenic disperse dyes in wastewater samples prior to the determination by SFC with UV detection. To achieve the maximum extraction efficiency for the target dyes, several parameters influencing d-SPE process such as sorbent dosage, extraction time, desorption conditions were investigated. SFC conditions including stationary phase, modifier composition and percentage, column temperature, backpressure and flow rate were optimized to well separate the allergenic disperse dyes. Under the optimum conditions, satisfactory linear relationship (R ≥ 0.9989) was observed with the concentration of dyes ranging from 0.02 to 10.0 μg/mL. The limits of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) for the ten dyes were in the range of 1.1-15.6 ng/mL. Recoveries for the spiked samples were between 89.1% and 99.7% with relative standard deviations (RSD) lower than 10.5% in all cases. The proposed method is time-saving, green, precise and repeatable for the analysis of the target dyes. Furthermore, the application of G@PS-DVB based d-SPE process can be potentially expanded to isolate and concentrate other aromatic compounds in various matrices and supercritical fluid chromatography methodology featuring rapidity, accuracy and green will be an ideal candidate for the analysis of these compounds. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Characteristic of New Solid-Phase Extraction Sorbent: Activated Carbon Prepared from Rice Husks under Base Treated Condition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afrida Kurnia Putri

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available A characterization of activated carbon (ACs prepared from rice husks (RHs under base treated condition as a new sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE to extract 4-nonylphenol isomers (4-NPs in water samples has been done. The ACs prepared from RHs usually exhibits low specific surface area due to its high ash content, but in case of its application for SPE, there are other factors need to be considered, such as the existence of functional groups inside the sorbent, that can enhance interaction of non-polar sorbent with analyte in the water matrices. In this case, silanol groups from ash content may affect the extraction efficiency for 4-NPs. The ACs made from RHs were chemically impregnated with ZnCl2 and carbonized at 800oC. To investigate the role of silica, three types of ACs were prepared, i.e., untreated ACs (AC–Si, contain silica, base treated ACs (AC–B–Si, remain some silica inside, and ACs made by base treated RHs (AC–B, no silica, the surface area obtained from these treatments were 1352 m2/g, 1666 m2/g, and 1712m2/g respectively.  ACs made by base treatment has the highest surface area (related to BET, which indicat that silica removal process promotes the formation of open pore system on ACs and enhances the surface area of ACs. However, extraction efficiency measured by GC-MS in SPE process showed the reversal trends (i.e., AC–Si= 32.08%, AC–B–Si= 82.63%, AC–B=51.78%, among them the AC–B–Si sorbent reveal the best performance in SPE process. It is indicated that although silica usually exhibits low specific surface area, but control presence of silica as a polar functional group has a positive influence in the interaction between non-polar sorbent and 4-NPs.

  19. A simple automated solid-phase extraction procedure for measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and D2 by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knox, Susan; Harris, John; Calton, Lisa; Wallace, A Michael

    2009-05-01

    Measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25OHD(3)) and D(2) (25OHD(2)) is challenging. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods have been described but they are often complex and difficult to automate. We have developed a simplified procedure involving an automated solid-phase extraction (SPE). Internal standard (hexadeuterated 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3)) was added to serum or plasma followed by protein precipitation with methanol. Following centrifugation, a robotic instrument (CTC PAL [Presearch] for ITSP SPE [MicroLiter Analytical Supplies, Inc]) performed a six-step SPE procedure and the purified samples were injected into the LC-MS/MS. Quantification of 25OHD(3) and 25OHD(2) was by electrospray ionization MS/MS in the multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The lower limit of quantitation was 4.0 nmol/L for 25OHD(3) and 7.5 nmol/L for 25OHD(2). Within- and between-assay precision was below 10% over the concentration range of 22.5-120 nmol/L for D(3) and 17.5-70 nmol/L for D(2) (n = 10). The calibration was linear up to 2500 nmol/L (r = 0.99). Recoveries ranged between 89% and 104% for both metabolites and no ion suppression was observed. The results obtained compared well (r = 0.96) with the IDS-OCTEIA 25-hydroxyvitamin D enzyme immunoassay for samples containing less than 125 nmol/L, at higher concentrations the immunodiagnostic system (IDS) method showed positive bias. Our simplified sample preparation and automated SPE method is suitable for the measurement of 25OHD(3) and D(2) in a routine laboratory environment. The system can process up to 300 samples per day with no cumbersome solvent evaporation step and minimal operator intervention.

  20. Novel sponge-like molecularly imprinted mesoporous silica material for selective isolation of bisphenol A and its analogues from sediment extracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Jiajia; Li, Yun; Wang, Jincheng; Sun, Xiaoli; Shah, Syed Mazhar; Cao, Rong; Chen, Jiping

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Novel sponge-like molecularly imprinted mesoporous silica was synthesized. • Extraordinarily large specific surface area and highly interconnected 3-D porous network. • High specific adsorption capacity and fast adsorption kinetics for BPA. • Good class-selectivity and clean-up effect for bisphenols in sediment under SPE mode. • Good recoveries and sensitivity for bisphenols using the MISMS–SPE coupled with HPLC–DAD method. - Abstract: Bisphenol A (BPA) imprinted sponge mesoporous silica was synthesized using a combination of semi-covalent molecular imprinting and simple self-assembly process. The molecularly imprinted sponge mesoporous silica (MISMS) material obtained was characterized by FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. The results show that the MISMS possessed a large specific surface area (850.55 m 2 g −1 ) and a highly interconnected 3-D porous network. As a result, the MISMS demonstrated a superior specific adsorption capacity of 169.22 μmol g −1 and fast adsorption kinetics (reaching equilibrium within 3 min) for BPA. Good class selectivity for BPA and its analogues (bisphenol F, bisphenol B, bisphenol E and bisphenol AF) was also demonstrated by the sorption experiment. The MISMS as solid-phase extraction (SPE) material was then evaluated for isolation and clean-up of these bisphenols (BPs) from sediment samples. An accurate and sensitive analytical method based on the MISMS–SPE coupled with HPLC–DAD has been successfully established for simultaneous determination of five BPs in river sediments with detection limits of 0.43–0.71 ng g −1 dry weight (dw). The recoveries of BPs for lyophilizated sediment samples at two spiking levels (50 and 500 ng g −1 dw for each BP) were in the range of 75.5–105.5% with RSD values below 7.5%

  1. Molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization for selective solid-phase extraction of eight bisphenols from human urine samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Jiajia; Li, Yun; Wang, Jincheng; Sun, Xiaoli; Cao, Rong; Sun, Hao; Huang, Chaonan; Chen, Jiping

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • BPA imprinted polymer microspheres were prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization. • Regular spherical shape and narrow diameter distribution. • Good specific adsorption capacity for BPA. • Good class-selectivity and clean-up efficiency for bisphenols in human urine under SPE mode. • Good recoveries and sensitivity for bisphenols using the MIPMS-SPE coupled with HPLC-DAD method. - Abstract: The bisphenol A (BPA) imprinted polymer microspheres were prepared by simple Pickering emulsion polymerization. Compared to traditional bulk polymerization, both high yields of polymer and good control of particle sizes were achieved. The characterization results of scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements showed that the obtained molecularly imprinted polymer microsphere (MIPMS) particles possessed regular spherical shape, narrow diameter distribution (30–60 μm), a specific surface area (S BET ) of 281.26 m 2 g −1 and a total pore volume (V t ) of 0.459 cm 3 g −1 . Good specific adsorption capacity for BPA was obtained in the sorption experiment and good class selectivity for BPA and its seven structural analogs (bisphenol F, bisphenol B, bisphenol E, bisphenol AF, bisphenol S, bisphenol AP and bisphenol Z) was demonstrated by the chromatographic evaluation experiment. The MIPMS as solid-phase extraction (SPE) packing material was then evaluated for extraction and clean-up of these bisphenols (BPs) from human urine samples. An accurate and sensitive analytical method based on the MIPMS-SPE coupled with HPLC-DAD has been successfully established for simultaneous determination of eight BPs from human urine samples with detection limits of 1.2–2.2 ng mL −1 . The recoveries of BPs for urine samples at two spiking levels (100 and 500 ng mL −1 for each BP) were in the range of 81.3–106.7% with RSD values below 8.3%

  2. Spherical silica particles decorated with graphene oxide nanosheets as a new sorbent in inorganic trace analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sitko, Rafal; Zawisza, Beata; Talik, Ewa; Janik, Paulina; Osoba, Grzegorz; Feist, Barbara; Malicka, Ewa

    2014-06-27

    Graphene oxide (GO) is a novel material with excellent adsorptive properties. However, the very small particles of GO can cause serious problems is solid-phase extraction (SPE) such as the high pressure in SPE system and the adsorbent loss through pores of frit. These problems can be overcome by covalently binding GO nanosheets to a support. In this paper, GO was covalently bonded to spherical silica by coupling the amino groups of spherical aminosilica and the carboxyl groups of GO (GO@SiO2). The successful immobilization of GO nanosheets on the aminosilica was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The spherical particle covered by GO with crumpled silk wave-like carbon sheets are an ideal sorbent for SPE of metal ions. The wrinkled structure of the coating results in large surface area and a high extractive capacity. The adsorption bath experiment shows that Cu(II) and Pb(II) can be quantitatively adsorbed at pH 5.5 with maximum adsorption capacity of 6.0 and 13.6 mg g(-1), respectively. Such features of GO nanosheets as softness and flexibility allow achieving excellent contact with analyzed solution in flow-rate conditions. In consequence, the metal ions can be quantitatively preconcentrated from high volume of aqueous samples with excellent flow-rate. SPE column is very stable and several adsorption-elution cycles can be performed without any loss of adsorptive properties. The GO@SiO2 was used for analysis of various water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with excellent enrichment factors (200-250) and detection limits (0.084 and 0.27 ng mL(-1) for Cu(II) and Pb(II), respectively). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Novel sponge-like molecularly imprinted mesoporous silica material for selective isolation of bisphenol A and its analogues from sediment extracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Jiajia [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li, Yun; Wang, Jincheng [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); Sun, Xiaoli [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Shah, Syed Mazhar [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); Cao, Rong [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Chen, Jiping, E-mail: chenjp@dicp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China)

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Novel sponge-like molecularly imprinted mesoporous silica was synthesized. • Extraordinarily large specific surface area and highly interconnected 3-D porous network. • High specific adsorption capacity and fast adsorption kinetics for BPA. • Good class-selectivity and clean-up effect for bisphenols in sediment under SPE mode. • Good recoveries and sensitivity for bisphenols using the MISMS–SPE coupled with HPLC–DAD method. - Abstract: Bisphenol A (BPA) imprinted sponge mesoporous silica was synthesized using a combination of semi-covalent molecular imprinting and simple self-assembly process. The molecularly imprinted sponge mesoporous silica (MISMS) material obtained was characterized by FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. The results show that the MISMS possessed a large specific surface area (850.55 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}) and a highly interconnected 3-D porous network. As a result, the MISMS demonstrated a superior specific adsorption capacity of 169.22 μmol g{sup −1} and fast adsorption kinetics (reaching equilibrium within 3 min) for BPA. Good class selectivity for BPA and its analogues (bisphenol F, bisphenol B, bisphenol E and bisphenol AF) was also demonstrated by the sorption experiment. The MISMS as solid-phase extraction (SPE) material was then evaluated for isolation and clean-up of these bisphenols (BPs) from sediment samples. An accurate and sensitive analytical method based on the MISMS–SPE coupled with HPLC–DAD has been successfully established for simultaneous determination of five BPs in river sediments with detection limits of 0.43–0.71 ng g{sup −1} dry weight (dw). The recoveries of BPs for lyophilizated sediment samples at two spiking levels (50 and 500 ng g{sup −1} dw for each BP) were in the range of 75.5–105.5% with RSD values below 7.5%.

  4. OCCURRENCE OF EXTREME SOLAR PARTICLE EVENTS: ASSESSMENT FROM HISTORICAL PROXY DATA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Usoskin, Ilya G.; Kovaltsov, Gennady A.

    2012-01-01

    The probability of occurrence of extreme solar particle events (SPEs) with proton fluence (>30 MeV) F 30 ≥ 10 10 cm –2 is evaluated based on data on the cosmogenic isotopes 14 C and 10 Be in terrestrial archives covering centennial-millennial timescales. Four potential candidates with F 30 = (1-1.5) × 10 10 cm –2 and no events with F 30 > 2 × 10 10 cm –2 are identified since 1400 AD in the annually resolved 10 Be data. A strong SPE related to the Carrington flare of 1859 AD is not supported by the data. For the last 11,400 years, 19 SPE candidates with F 30 = (1-3) × 10 10 cm –2 are found and clearly no event with F 30 > 5 × 10 10 cm –2 (50 times the SPE of 1956 February 23) has occurred. These values serve as observational upper limits on the strength of SPEs on the timescale of tens of millennia. Two events, ca. 780 and 1460 AD, appear in different data series making them strong candidates for extreme SPEs. We build a distribution of the occurrence probability of extreme SPEs, providing a new strict observational constraint. Practical limits can be set as F 30 ≈ 1, 2-3, and 5×10 10 cm –2 for occurrence probabilities ≈10 –2 , 10 –3 , and 10 –4 yr –1 , respectively. Because of the uncertainties, our results should be interpreted as a conservative upper limit on the SPE occurrence near Earth. The mean solar energetic particle (SEP) flux is evaluated as ≈40 (cm 2 s) –1 , in agreement with estimates from lunar rocks. On average, extreme SPEs contribute about 10% to the total SEP fluence.

  5. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes as a sorbent material for the solid phase extraction of lead from urine and subsequent determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peña Crecente, Rosa M.; Lovera, Carlha Gutiérrez; García, Julia Barciela; Méndez, Jennifer Álvarez; Martín, Sagrario García; Latorre, Carlos Herrero, E-mail: carlos.herrero@usc.es

    2014-11-01

    The determination of lead in urine is a way of monitoring the chemical exposure to this metal. In the present paper, a new method for the Pb determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) in urine at low levels has been developed. Lead was separated from the undesirable urine matrix by means of a solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure. Oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been used as a sorbent material. Lead from urine was retained at pH 4.0 and was quantitatively eluted using a 0.7 M nitric acid solution and was subsequently measured by ETAAS. The effects of parameters that influence the adsorption–elution process (such as pH, eluent volume and concentration, sampling and elution flow rates) and the atomic spectrometry conditions have been studied by means of different factorial design strategies. Under the optimized conditions, the detection and quantification limits obtained were 0.08 and 0.26 μg Pb L{sup −1}, respectively. The results demonstrate the absence of a urine matrix effect and this is the consequence of the SPE process carried out. Therefore, the developed method is useful for the analysis of Pb at low levels in real samples without the influence of other urine components. The proposed method was applied to the determination of lead in urine samples of unexposed healthy people and satisfactory results were obtained (in the range 3.64–22.9 μg Pb L{sup −1}). - Highlights: • Lead determination in urine using a solid phase extraction procedure followed by ETAAS • Carbon nanotubes as SPE adsorbent for Pb in urine • Matrix elimination for the Pb determination in urine by using SPE based on carbon nanotubes • The detection limit was 0.08 μg Pb L{sup −1}.

  6. A novel dual-function molecularly imprinted polymer on CdTe/ZnS quantum dots for highly selective and sensitive determination of ractopamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Huilin; Liu, Dongrui; Fang, Guozhen; Liu, Fangfang; Liu, Cuicui; Yang, Yukun; Wang, Shuo

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► We have developed a novel dual-function MIP-coated QDs material. ► The MIP-coated QDs combine the advantage of molecular imprinting and QDs. ► We used MIP-coated QDs as fluorescence sensing material for recognize RAC. ► We used QDs@MIP as sorbent to combine SPE with HPLC for the determination. -- Abstract: A novel dual-function material was synthesized by anchoring a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) layer on CdTe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) using a sol–gel with surface imprinting. The material exhibited highly selective and sensitive determination of ractopamine (RAC) through spectrofluorometry and solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A series of adsorption experiments revealed that the material showed high selectivity, good adsorption capacity and a fast mass transfer rate. Fluorescence from the MIP-coated QDs was more strongly quenched by RAC than that of the non-imprinted polymer, which indicated that the MIP-coated QDs acted as a fluorescence sensing material could recognize RAC. In addition, the MIP-coated QDs as a sorbent was also shown to be promising for SPE coupled with HPLC for the determination of trace RAC in feeding stuffs and pork samples. Under optimal conditions, the spectrofluorometry and SPE-HPLC methods using the MIP-coated QDs had linear ranges of 5.00 × 10 −10 –3.55 × 10 −7 and 1.50 × 10 −10 –8.90 × 10 −8 mol L −1 , respectively, with limits of detection of 1.47 × 10 −10 and 8.30 × 10 −11 mol L −1 , the relative standard deviations for six repeat experiments of RAC (2.90 × 10 −9 mol L −1 ) were below 2.83% and 7.11%

  7. A novel dual-function molecularly imprinted polymer on CdTe/ZnS quantum dots for highly selective and sensitive determination of ractopamine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Huilin; Liu, Dongrui; Fang, Guozhen; Liu, Fangfang; Liu, Cuicui; Yang, Yukun [Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Wang, Shuo, E-mail: s.wang@tust.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China)

    2013-01-31

    Highlights: ► We have developed a novel dual-function MIP-coated QDs material. ► The MIP-coated QDs combine the advantage of molecular imprinting and QDs. ► We used MIP-coated QDs as fluorescence sensing material for recognize RAC. ► We used QDs@MIP as sorbent to combine SPE with HPLC for the determination. -- Abstract: A novel dual-function material was synthesized by anchoring a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) layer on CdTe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) using a sol–gel with surface imprinting. The material exhibited highly selective and sensitive determination of ractopamine (RAC) through spectrofluorometry and solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A series of adsorption experiments revealed that the material showed high selectivity, good adsorption capacity and a fast mass transfer rate. Fluorescence from the MIP-coated QDs was more strongly quenched by RAC than that of the non-imprinted polymer, which indicated that the MIP-coated QDs acted as a fluorescence sensing material could recognize RAC. In addition, the MIP-coated QDs as a sorbent was also shown to be promising for SPE coupled with HPLC for the determination of trace RAC in feeding stuffs and pork samples. Under optimal conditions, the spectrofluorometry and SPE-HPLC methods using the MIP-coated QDs had linear ranges of 5.00 × 10{sup −10}–3.55 × 10{sup −7} and 1.50 × 10{sup −10}–8.90 × 10{sup −8} mol L{sup −1}, respectively, with limits of detection of 1.47 × 10{sup −10} and 8.30 × 10{sup −11} mol L{sup −1}, the relative standard deviations for six repeat experiments of RAC (2.90 × 10{sup −9} mol L{sup −1}) were below 2.83% and 7.11%.

  8. Let-7i-Induced Atg4B Suppression Is Essential for Autophagy of Placental Trophoblast in Preeclampsia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yinyan; Huang, Xinyan; Xie, Juan; Chen, Yanni; Fu, Jing; Wang, Li

    2017-09-01

    Autophagy, identified as type II programmed cell death, has already been known to be involved in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia (PE), which is a gestational disease with high morbidity. The present study aims to investigate the functional role of let-7i, a miRNA, in trophoblastic autophagy. Placental tissue used in this study was collected from patients with severe preeclampsia (SPE) or normal pregnant women. A decreased level of let-7i was found in placenta of SPE. In addition, autophagic vacuoles were observed in SPE and the expression of microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) II/I was elevated. In vitro, let-7i mimics suppressed the autophagic activities in human HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell line (HTR-8) and human placental choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3, whereas let-7i inhibitor enhanced the activities. As a potential target of let-7i, autophagy-related 4B cysteine peptidase (Atg4B) had an increased expression level in SPE. As expected, the increased expression of Atg4B was negatively regulated by let-7i using dual luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, these trophoblast-like cells transfected with the let-7i mimic or inhibitors resulted in a significant change of Atg4B in both mRNA and protein level. More importantly, Atg4B overexpression could partly reverse let-7i mimic-reduced LC3II/I levels; whereas Atg4B silencing partly attenuated let-7i inhibitor-induced the level of LC3II/I expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that let-7i is able to regulate autophagic activity via regulating Atg4B expression, which might contribute to the pathogenesis of PE. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 2581-2589, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Development of a molecularly imprinted polymer tailored on disposable screen-printed electrodes for dual detection of EGFR and VEGF using nano-liposomal amplification strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johari-Ahar, Mohammad; Karami, Pari; Ghanei, Mostafa; Afkhami, Abbas; Bagheri, Hasan

    2018-06-01

    This work demonstrates the development of a gold screen-printed electrode (Au-SPE)-based biosensor modified with a molecularly imprinted polymer and amplified using antibody-conjugated nano-liposomes. The developed biosensor was utilized for dual determination of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as cancer biomarkers. To prepare this biosensor, Au-SPE was modified with 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid di(N-hydroxysuccinimide ester) via self-assembly method and then the target proteins (EGFR and VEGF) were covalently attached to the modified SPE. To synthesize the molecularly imprinted polymer, monomers of acrylamide and N,N'-methylenebis(acrylamide) were polymerized around the EGFR and VEGF templates, and to characterize the prepared biosensor, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used for analyses of surface changes in the engineered electrodes. To produce reliable electrochemical signals, nano-liposomes which were loaded with Cd(II) and Cu(II) cations and decorated with antibodies specific for EGFR and VEGF were used as an efficient tool for detection of target biomarkers. In the analysis step, potentiometric striping analysis (PSA), as an electrochemical technique, was utilized for sensitive determination of these cations. The limits of detection (LODs) of EGFR and VEGF analyses were found to be 0.01 and 0.005 pg mL -1 with the linear dynamic ranges (LDRs) of 0.05-50000 and 0.01-7000 pg mL -1 , respectively. Moreover, the proposed biosensor was successfully used for sensitive, reproducible, and specific detection of EGFR and VEGF in real samples. Due to the SPE nature of the developed biosensor, we envision that this sensing tool has capability of being integrated with lab-on-a-chip (LOC), microfluidics, and micro total analysis systems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Overcoming Barriers to Public Engagement through a Multi-Institution Consortium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert, K. F.; Weiss, M.; Garlick, S.

    2016-12-01

    A growing body of evidence suggests that public engagement with science (PES) can enhance the relevance and impact of science on society. At the same time, advances in our understanding of public engagement suggest that greater skills, resources, and time horizons are often required to create effective programs. Consequently, despite a proliferation of training programs, many scientists still face the challenge of balancing the demands of public engagement with the requirements of their disciplinary research. Novel institutions are emerging that bring together interdisciplinary networks of principle investigators with PES practitioners to overcome barriers to effective and sustained public engagement in the environmental sciences. We will use the Science Policy Exchange (SPE), a consortium housed at the Harvard Forest, Harvard University, to illustrate how PIs and PES practitioners can collaborate to design public engagement processes, conduct policy-relevant scientific syntheses, and implement science communication strategies. Results from two SPE case studies demonstrate how multi-institutional consortia can help scientists overcome barriers such as lack of knowledge of evidence-based PES approaches, limits on time and funding to implement PES projects, and the need to integrate PES activities with research. The case studies also show how SPE strives to achieve credibility, saliency, and legitimacy in different public policy contexts: (1) engagement between scientists and local stakeholders to develop scenarios of landscape change; and (2) engagement between scientists and policy makers to understand the relationship between power plant emission standards, and air quality, human health and ecosystem function. The presentation will conclude with examples of how SPE programs have led to institutional change (staffing and budget), cultural change (attitudes and expectations of senior leaders), and research change (development of research questions, funding proposals

  11. [18F]Fallypride: Metabolism studies and quantification of the radiotracer and its radiometabolites in plasma using a simple and rapid solid-phase extraction method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peyronneau, Marie-Anne; Saba, Wadad; Goutal, Sébastien; Kuhnast, Bertrand; Dollé, Frédéric; Bottlaender, Michel; Valette, Héric

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: [ 18 F]Fallypride, a fluorinated and substituted benzamide with high affinity for D 2 /D 3 receptors, is a useful PET radioligand for the study of striatal/extrastriatal areas. Since [ 18 F]fallypride is extensively metabolized in vivo and since PET examinations are long lasting in humans, the rapid measurement of the unchanged radiotracer in plasma is essential for the quantification of images. The present study aims: i) to evaluate if the radiometabolites of [ 18 F]fallypride cross the blood–brain barrier in rodents, ii) to identify these radiometabolites in baboon plasma and iii) to develop a rapid solid phase extraction method (SPE) suitable for human applications to quantify both [ 18 F]fallypride and its radiometabolites in plasma. Methods: The metabolites P450-dependant in rat and human liver microsomes were characterized by LC–MS–MS and compared to those detected in vivo. Sequential solvent elution on Oasis®-MCX-SPE cartridges was used to quantify [ 18 F]fallypride and its radiometabolites. Result: In rat microsomal incubations, five metabolites generated upon N/O-dealkylation or hydroxylation at the pyrrolidine and/or at the benzamide moiety were identified. No radiometabolite was detected in the rat brain. N-dealkylated and hydroxylated derivatives were detected in human microsomal incubations as well as in baboon plasma. The use of SPE (total recovery 100.2% ± 2.8%, extraction yield 95.5% ± 0.3%) allowed a complete separation of [ 18 F]fallypride from its radiometabolites in plasma and evaluate [ 18 F]fallypride at 150 min pi to be 22% ± 5% of plasma radioactivity. Conclusions: The major in vivo radiometabolites of [ 18 F]fallypride were produced by N-dealkylation and hydroxylation. Allowing the rapid analysis of multiple plasma samples, SPE is a method of choice for the determination of [ 18 F]fallypride until late images required for quantitative PET imaging in humans

  12. Solid-phase extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry analysis of pesticides in water: method performance and application in a reconnaissance survey of residues in drinking water in Greater Cairo, Egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potter, Thomas L; Mohamed, Mahmoud A; Ali, Hannah

    2007-01-24

    Monitoring of water resources for pesticide residues is often needed to ensure that pesticide use does not adversely impact the quality of public water supplies or the environment. In many rural areas and throughout much of the developing world, monitoring is often constrained by lack of testing facilities; thus, collection of samples and shipment to centralized laboratories for analysis is required. The portability, ease of use, and potential to enhance analyte stability make solid-phase extraction (SPE) an attractive technique for handling water samples prior to their shipment. We describe performance of an SPE method targeting a structurally diverse mixture of 25 current-use pesticides and two common degradates in samples of raw and filtered drinking water collected in Greater Cairo, Egypt. SPE was completed in a field laboratory in Egypt, and cartridges were shipped to the United States for elution and high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry analysis. Quantitative and reproducible recovery of 23 of 27 compounds (average = 96%; percent relative standard deviation = 21%) from matrix spikes (1 microg L-1 per component) prepared in the field and from deionized water fortified similarly in the analytical laboratory was obtained. Concurrent analysis of unspiked samples identified four parent compounds and one degradate in drinking water samples. No significant differences were observed between raw and filtered samples. Residue levels in all cases were below drinking water and "harm to aquatic-life" thresholds, indicating that human and ecological risks of pesticide contamination were relatively small; however, the study was limited in scale and scope. Further monitoring is needed to define spatial and temporal variation in residue concentrations. The study has demonstrated the feasibility of performing studies of this type using SPE to extract and preserve samples in the field. The approach should be broadly

  13. A magnetic-based dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction method using the metal-organic framework HKUST-1 and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection for determining polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in waters and fruit tea infusions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocío-Bautista, Priscilla; Pino, Verónica; Ayala, Juan H; Pasán, Jorge; Ruiz-Pérez, Catalina; Afonso, Ana M

    2016-03-04

    A hybrid material composed by the metal-organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 and Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has been synthetized in a quite simple manner, characterized, and used in a magnetic-assisted dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction (M-d-μSPE) method in combination with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and fluorescence detection (FD). The application was devoted to the determination of 8 heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in different aqueous samples, specifically tap water, wastewaters, and fruit tea infusion samples. The overall M-d-μSPE-UHPLC-FD method was optimized and validated. The method is characterized by: its simplicity in both the preparation of the hybrid material (simple mixing) and the magnetic-assisted approach (∼10min extraction time), the use of low sorbent amounts (20mg of HKUST-1 and 5mg of Fe3O4 MNPs), and the low organic solvent consumption in the overall M-d-μSPE-UHPLC-FD method (1.5mL of acetonitrile in the M-d-μSPE method and 2.8mL of acetonitrile in the UHPLC-FD run). The resulting method has high sensitivity, with LODs down to 0.8ngL(-1); adequate intermediate precision, with relative standard deviation values (RSD) always lower than 6.3% (being the range 5.9-9.0% in tap water for a spiked level of 45ngL(-1), 6.1-14% in wastewaters for a spiked level of 45ngL(-1), and 7.2-17% in fruit tea infusion samples for a spiked level of 45ngL(-1)); and adequate relative recoveries, with average values of 82% in tap water, and 94% and 75% in wastewater and fruit tea infusion samples, respectively, if using the proper matrix-matched calibration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Occurrence of veterinary pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment in Flanders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Servaes, K.; Vanermen, G.; Seuntjens, P.

    2009-04-01

    There is a growing interest in the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. Pharmaceuticals are classified as so-called ‘emerging pollutants'. ‘Emerging pollutants' are not necessarily new chemical compounds. Often these compounds are already present in the environment for a long time. But, their occurrence and especially their impact on the environment has only recently become clear. Consequently, data on their occurrence are rather scarce. In this study, we focus on the occurrence of veterinary pharmaceuticals in surface water in Flanders. We have only considered active substances administered to cattle, pigs and poultry. Based on the literature and information concerning the use in Belgium, a selection of 25 veterinary pharmaceuticals has been made. This selection consists of the most important antibiotics and antiparasitic substances applied in veterinary medicine in Belgium. We develop an analytical methodology based on UPLC-MS/MS for the detection of these veterinary pharmaceuticals in surface water. Therefore, the mass characteristics as well as the optimum LC conditions will be determined. To obtain limits of detection as low as possible, the samples are concentrated prior to analysis using solid phase extraction (SPE). Different SPE cartridges will be tested during the method development. At first, this SPE sample pre-treatment is performed off-line. In a next step, online SPE is optimized for this purpose. The analytical procedure will be subject to an in-house validation study, thereby determining recovery, repeatability (% RSD), limits of detection and limits of quantification. Finally, the developed methodology will be applied for monitoring the occurrence of veterinary pharmaceuticals in surface water and groundwater in Flanders. These water samples will be taken in areas characterized by intensive cattle breeding. Moreover, the samples will be collected during springtime. In this season, farmers apply manure, stored during winter

  15. Improved resins and novel materials and methods for solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Freeze, Ronald [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    1997-10-08

    Solid-phase extraction (SPE) has grown to be one of the most widely used methods for isolation and preconcentration of a vast range of compounds from aqueous solutions. By modifying polymeric SPE resins with chelating functional groups, the selective uptake of metals was accomplished. The resin, along with adsorbed metals, was vaporized in the ICP and detection of the metals was then possible using either mass or emission spectroscopy. Drug analyses in biological fluids have received heightened attention as drug testing is on the increase both in sports and in the work environment. By using a direct-injection technique, biological fluids can be injected directly into the liquid chromatographic system with no pretreatment. A new surfactant, a sulfonated form of Brij-30 (Brij-S) is shown to prevent the uptake of serum proteins on commercial HPLC columns by forming a thin coating on the silica C18 surface. Excellent separations of eight or more drugs with a wide range of retention times were obtained. The separations had sharper peaks and lower retention times than similar separations performed with the surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). Quantitative recovery of a number of drugs with limits of detection near 1 ppm with a 5 μl injection volume were obtained. Finally, a method for solid-phase extraction in a syringe is introduced. The system greatly reduced the volume of solvent required to elute adsorbed analytes from the SPE bed while providing a semi-automated setup. SPE in a syringe consists of a very small bed of resin-loaded membrane packed into a GC or HPLC syringe. After extraction, elution was performed with just a few μl of solvent. This small elution volume allowed injection of the eluent directly from the syringe into the chromatographic system, eliminating the handling problems associated with such small volumes.

  16. Do the eclogites of the Variscan Malpica-Tuy shear zone in NW Spain point to continental subduction?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Botao; Massonne, Hans-Joachim

    2014-05-01

    High-pressure (HP: P > 10 kbar) rocks such as eclogite typically occur in suture zones of collided continental plates in Phanerozoic times. In case of an extended area at the surface of a denuded orogen with HP and even ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks, they are often interpreted as the result of continental subduction. We have tested this idea for the HP-UHP area of the Malpica-Tuy zone of the Variscan orogen, which was formed by the collision of Gondwana and Laurussia. For the test, we have initially studied an eclogite and its surrounding gneiss of this zone in detail. The eclogite contains the assemblage garnet, omphacite, amphibole, rutile, ilmenite, clinozoisite/epidote, quartz, and phengite with Si-contents as high as 3.45 per formula unit (pfu) in inner portions and 3.27-3.35 pfu in rims. Garnet exhibits chemical zonation with Gro25Alm55Pyr15Spe5, Gro29Alm57Pyr13Spe1, and Gro23Alm56Pyr20Spe1 as inner core, mantle, and outermost rim compositions, respectively. The gneiss is a former medium-grained granite now composed of quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar, biotite, phengite, garnet, clinozoisite/epidote, titanite, apatite and ilmenite. Phengite shows Si contents between 3.40 (core) and 3.00 (rim) pfu. Garnet is chemically zoned with Gro69.6Alm27Pyr0.4Spe3, Gro65.5Alm32.5Pyr0.5Spe1.5, Gro65.7Alm31.7Pyr0.6Spe2, and Gro56.6Alm41.6Pyr1.2Spe0.6 as core, mantle, rim and outermost rim compositions, respectively. P-T pseudosections were calculated with the PERPLEX computer program in the system Na2O-K2O-CaO-FeO-O2-MnO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-TiO2-H2O for the bulk-rock compositions of the studied eclogite and gneiss. These pseudosections were contoured by isopleths of various parameters such as molar fractions of garnet components. Based on this contouring a P-T path was derived that starts at HP conditions for both lithologies. Garnet began to form at 22 kbar and 565°C in the eclogite. Subsequently, the temperatures increased to 585°C and the pressure decreased to

  17. Simultaneous Detection of Sulfamethoxazole, Diclofenac, Carbamazepine, and Bezafibrate by Solid Phase Extraction and High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Z.; Jiang, J.-Q.

    2014-05-01

    A method of solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was studied for the simultaneous determination of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), diclofenac (DCF), carbamazepine (CBZ), and bezafi brate (BZF) in test solutions. The target compounds were extracted by SPE from samples, and the resulting elutes were analyzed using a HPLC-DAD system at wavelengths of 270, 280, 290, and 230 nm for SMX, DCF, CBZ, and BZF, respectively. This method shows good recoveries for SMX, DCF, CBZ, and BZF with mean recoveries of 89.7 ± 9.3%, 86.1 ± 7.6%, 95.0 ± 6.5%, and 94.0 ± 5.4%, respectively.

  18. Fluorous Parallel Synthesis of A Hydantoin/Thiohydantoin Library

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Yimin; Zhang, Wei

    2007-01-01

    Fluorous tagging strategy is applied to solution-phase parallel synthesis of a library containing hydantoin and thiohydantoin analogs. Two perfluoroalkyl (Rf)-tagged α-amino esters each react with 6 aromatic aldehydes under reductive amination conditions. Twelve amino esters then each react with 10 isocyanates and isothiocyanates in parallel. The resulting 120 ureas and thioureas undergo spontaneous cyclization to form the corresponding hydantoins and thiohydantoins. The intermediate and final product purifications are performed with solid-phase extraction (SPE) over FluoroFlash™ cartridges, no chromatography is required. Using standard instruments and straightforward SPE technique, one chemist accomplished the 120-member library synthesis in less than 5 working days, including starting material synthesis and product analysis. PMID:15789556

  19. Performance analysis of spectral-phase-encoded optical code-division multiple-access system regarding the incorrectly decoded signal as a nonstationary random process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Meng; Yao, Minyu; Zhang, Hongming

    2005-11-01

    The performance of a spectral-phase-encoded (SPE) optical code-division multiple-access (OCDMA) system is analyzed. Regarding the incorrectly decoded signal (IDS) as a nonstationary random process, we derive a novel probability distribution for it. The probability distribution of the IDS is considered a chi-squared distribution with degrees of freedom r=1, which is more reasonable and accurate than in previous work. The bit error rate (BER) of an SPE OCDMA system under multiple-access interference is evaluated. Numerical results show that the system can sustain very low BER even when there are multiple simultaneous users, and as the code length becomes longer or the initial pulse becomes shorter, the system performs better.

  20. Determination of quaternary ammonium compounds in seawater samples by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bassarab, P; Williams, D; Dean, J R; Ludkin, E; Perry, J J

    2011-02-04

    A method for the simultaneous determination of two biocidal quaternary ammonium compounds; didecyldimethylammonium chloride (didecyldimethyl quat) and dodecylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride (benzyl quat), in seawater by solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was developed. The optimised procedure utilised off-line extraction of the analytes from seawater using polymeric (Strata-X) SPE cartridges. Recoveries ranged from 80 to 105%, with detection limits at the low parts-per-trillion (ng/l) level for both analytes. To demonstrate sensitivity, environmental concentrations were measured at three different locations along the North East coast of England with measured values in the range 120-270ng/l. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.