Biosensor based on cellobiose dehydrogenase for detection of catecholamines

A cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH)-modified graphite electrode was designed for amperometric detection of catecholamines in the flow injection mode, by their recycling between the graphite electrode (+300 mV vs Ag|AgCl) and the reduced FAD cofactor of adsorbed CDH, resulting in an amplified response signal. The high efficiency of the enzyme-catecholamine reaction leads to a detection limit below 1 nM and a sensitivity of 15.8 A.M(-1) x cm(-2) (approximately 1150 nA/microM) for noradrenaline, with a coverage of less than 2.5 microg of CDH adsorbed on the electrode surface (0.073 cm(2)). Working parameters such as pH, cellobiose concentration, carrier buffer, and applied potential were optimized, using hydroquinone as a model analyte. The sensitivity, linear range, and amplification factor can be modulated by the steady-state concentration of cellobiose in the flow buffer. The response of the sensor decreases only 2% when run continuously for 4 h in the flow injection mode. The response peak maximum is obtained within 6 s at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min, representing the time of the entire sample segment to pass the electrode. CDH enzymes from Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Sclerotium rolfsii were investigated, providing different characteristics of the sensor, with sensors made with CDH from P. chrysosporium being the better ones.     

Part I: surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy investigation of amino acids and their homodipeptides adsorbed on colloidal silver

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra (SERS) were measured for various amino acids: L-methionine (Met), L-cysteine (Cys), Lglycine (Gly), L-leucine (Leu), L-phenylalanine (Phe), and L-proline (Pro) and their homodipeptides (Met-Met, Cys-Cys, Gly-Gly, LeuLeu, Phe-Phe, and Pro-Pro) in silver colloidal solutions. The geometry and orientation of the amino acids or dipeptides on the silver surface, and their specific interaction with the surface, were deducted by detailed spectral analysis of the SERS spectra. This analysis has allowed us to propose the particular surface geometry of amino acids or dipeptides and also implied that C-C bonds were almost parallel to the surface, as evidenced by the absence of marker bands in the skeletal C-C stretching region of the spectra. Additionally, using "time-dependent" SERS measurements we solved an existing controversy regarding the binding specificity of Gly-Gly on the silver surface.     

A generalized theorem of corresponding states for the thermodynamic properties of nonpolar and polar fluids

Generalized procedures are discussed for the accurate calculation of thermodynamic properties of nonpolar and polar fluids and mixtures. It is shown that the concepts of van der Waals for simple fluids can be extended to complex substances, and that the properties of a wide range of fluids can be calculated from a sufficient number of macroscopic parameters defined through the vapor pressure.     

Intrabox and extrabox cues in avoidance responding: Effect of septal lesions.

Reports an experiment with 126 male albino rats, 48 of whom received bilateral septal lesions. A combination of conflicting intrabox and extrabox cues was necessary to produce deficient acquisition of 2-way avoidance responding relative to 1-way responding in normal Ss. Septal lesions impaired 1-way avoidance acquisition by delaying the 1st avoidance response. In 2-way acquisition, the faster acquisition of septal Ss may be attributable either to an inability to inhibit responding or to an inability to utilize certain types of cues. Until the effects of septal lesions upon the ability to process olfactory and spatial information have been determined, disinhibitory interpretations of changes in avoidance responding must be held in question. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sodium oxacillin in the horse: serum, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, and urine concentrations after single-dose intramuscular administration

Six healthy adult mares were given a single dose (25 mg/kg of body weight) of sodium oxacillin IM. Oxacillin concentrations in serum, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, and urine were measured serially over a 48-hour period. The mean peak serum oxacillin concentration was 9.75 microgram/ml at 0.5 hour after injection. Mean peak oxacillin concentrations in synovial and peritoneal fluids were 1.45 microgram/ml and 2.60 microgram/ml at 1 hour and 2 hours, respectively. These concentrations decreased in parallel with serum values and were not measurable at 48 hours. Urine concentrations of oxacillin were high, with a mean peak concentration of 2,790.2 microgram/ml at 0.5 hour.     

Conditions affecting production of a protein isolate from lupin seed kernels

Conditions were investigated to determine the optimum processing parameters for preparation of a protein isolate from the ground, dehulled lupin seeds of Lupinus angustifolius. The extraction variables were: particle size (16–100 mesh); pH (2–11); extraction medium; solvent to lupin ratio (10:1 to 40:1); temperature (20–60^oC) and time (15–60 min). The isoelectric point of the lupin protein was found to be pH 4.5 with a protein solubility of greater than 90% above pH 8.0. Using 60–100 mesh ground lupin and extracting at pH 8.5 for 30 min, a protein isolate was obtained on acidification to pH 4.8 which was 89.4% protein compared to 34.0% protein for the original dehulled lupin. This protein isolate represented 19.8% of the starting material and 52% of the starting nitrogen. Similar results were also obtained when hexane defatted lupin was used. In this case the protein isolate had a protein content of 92.5%. The yield of protein isolate could be increased to 25.7% of the starting material if the extraction was repeated. The protein efficiency ratio for the protein isolate was 2.90 when supplemented with methionine.     

Derivation of the equations of motion for complex structures by symbolic manipulation

This paper outlines a computer program especially tailored to the task of deriving explicit equations of motion for structures with point-connected substructures. The special purpose program is written in FORTRAN and is designed for performing the specific algebraic operations encountered in the derivation of explicit equations of motion. The derivation is by the Lagrangian approach. Using an orderly kinematical procedure and a discretization and/or truncation scheme, it is possible to write the kinetic and potential energy of each substructure in a compact vector-matrix form. Then, if each element of the matrices and vectors encountered in the kinetic and potential energy is a known algebraic expression, the computer program performs the necessary operations to evaluate the kinetic and potential energy of the system explicitly. Lagrange's equations for small motions about equilibrium can be deduced directly from the explicit form of the system kinetic and potential energy.     

Comparison of finite element and lumped parameter methods for oceanic cables

The purpose of this work is to examine the basic foundations, similarities and fundamental differences between the finite element methods (FEM) and the lumped parameter methods (LPM) of analysis for oceanic cables under hydrodynamic load conditions. The continuum method (CM) is presented as a ‘ground truth’ prior to presenting each aspect of the approximate method derivations.