Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Concentration Ratio (concentration + ratio)
Kinds of Concentration Ratio Selected AbstractsAs(III) Determination in the Presence of Pb(II) by Differential Alternative Pulses VoltammetryELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 15 2010Roumen Zlatev Abstract Differential Alternative Pulses Voltammetry (DAPV), introduced by the authors earlier, was applied with HMDE for direct As(III) determination in the presence of Pb(II) in natural water without sample pretreatment. Distinguishable peaks of As(III) and Pb(II) were registered in 1,M HCl supporting electrolyte at a concentration ratio as high as 1,:,6, while complete peak overlapping occurs applying DPP at any concentration ratio at the same experimental conditions. In-situ As(III) determinations in the presence of Pb(II) in contaminated ground waters in Mexico were performed, using especially designed disposable safe mercury drop electrodes. [source] Simultaneous Determination of Copper and Bismuth by Anodic Stripping Voltammetry Using H-Point Standard Addition Method with Simultaneous Addition of AnalytesELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 17 2005Esmaeil Shams Abstract Simultaneous determination of bismuth and copper by anodic stripping voltammetry using H-point standard addition method (HPSAM) with simultaneous addition of analytes is described. The effect of various parameters including acid concentration, accumulation time, accumulation potential and concentration ratio of analytes in the standard solution on the sensitivity and accuracy of method were investigated. The results of applying the H-point standard addition method showed that Cu2+ and Bi3+ could be determined simultaneously with the concentration ratios of Cu2+ to Bi3+ varying from 1,:,15 to 16,:,1 in the mixed sample. The method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of copper and bismuth in some synthetic mixtures. [source] Biokinetics of cadmium and zinc in a marine bacterium: Influences of metal interaction and pre-exposureENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2008Dongshi Chen Abstract The uptake kinetics of Cd and Zn, as influenced by metal interaction and metal pre-exposure, was examined in the gram-positive marine bacterium Bacillus firmus over a wide range of ambient free-Cd and -Zn concentrations. Bacteria were exposed to experimental media with different concentrations of Cd and Zn over a short, 15-min period. Zinc was found to be an effective competitive inhibitor of Cd uptake when the Zn2+ concentration ([Zn2+]) was increased to 10,8 M, whereas the Cd concentration (ranging from 10,9 to 10,6 M) did not affect Zn uptake. Inhibition of Cd uptake was dependent on [Zn2+] instead of the [Zn2+] to Cd2+ concentration ratio. Cadmium uptake at different [Zn2+] was significantly inhibited by a sulfur ligand (SH) blocker (N -ethylmaleimide) and a Ca-channel blocker (lanthanum), suggesting that competition between Cd and Zn most likely occurred via binding to the same transport sites. Cadmium efflux also was determined in the presence of different [Zn2+]. A biphasic depuration of Cd was found when [Zn2+] was greater than 10,8 M, whereas the calculated Cd efflux rate was independent of [Zn2+]. We further exposed B. firmus at different Cd or Zn concentrations for 24 h, then determined the metal uptake and efflux kinetics as well as the metallothionein (MT) induction. Both the Cd and Zn cellular concentrations increased with greater exposed metal concentration, but the MT levels and efflux were little affected by the elevated metal concentration. To some extent, however, the Cd uptake was reduced with an elevated intracellular Zn concentration, suggesting that at high Cd concentrations, intracellular Zn can suppress the Cd uptake in B. firmus. These results help to understand the interactions of metals in the marine environments. [source] Bacterial immobilization and remineralization of N at different growth rates and N concentrationsFEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2005Per Bengtson Abstract An experiment was designed to resolve two largely unaddressed questions about the turnover of N in soils. One is the influence of microbial growth rate on mobilization and remineralization of cellular N. The other is to what extent heterotrophic immobilization of is controlled by the soil concentration of . Bacteria were extracted from a deciduous forest soil and inoculated into an aqueous medium. Various N pool dilution/enrichment experiments were carried out to: (1) calculate the gross N immobilization and remineralization rates; (2) investigate their dependence on concentrations; (3) establish the microbial preference for depending on the concentration ratio. Remineralization of microbial N occurred mainly at high growth rates and concentrations. There was a positive correlation between immobilization and remineralization rates, and intracellular recycling of N seemed to be an efficient way for bacteria to withstand low inorganic N concentrations. Thus, extensive remineralization of microbial N is likely to occur only when environmental conditions promote high growth rates. The results support previous observations of high immobilization rates, especially at low concentrations, but was also immobilized at high NH4 concentrations. The latter can be understood if part of the microbial community has a preference for . [source] FT-IR measurements of petroleum fluid inclusions: methane, n -alkanes and carbon dioxide quantitative analysisGEOFLUIDS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2001J. Pironon Abstract A recent advancement in petroleum geochemistry is to model fossil oil composition using microthermometric and volumetric data acquired from individual fluid inclusion analysis. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy can record compositional information related to gas (CH4 and CO2) and alkane contents of petroleum inclusions. In this study, a quantitative procedure for FT-IR microspectrometry has been developed to obtain, from individual fluid inclusions, mol percentage concentrations of methane, alkanes and carbon dioxide as constraints to thermodynamic modelling. A petroleum inclusion in a sample from the Québec City Promontory nappe area was used as standard to record a reference spectrum of methane. The analytical procedure is based on the measurement of CH4/alkane and CH4/CO2 band area ratios. CH4/alkane infrared band area ratio is obtained after spectral subtraction of the reference methane spectrum. This area ratio, affected by absolute absorption intensities of methane, methyl and methylene, provides a molar CH4/alkane ratio. Methyl/methylene ratio (CH2/CH3) ratio is obtained following procedures established in previous work. CO2/CH4 concentration ratio is estimated from relative absolute absorption intensities. Application to natural inclusions from different environments shows good correlation between FT-IR quantification and PIT (petroleum inclusion thermodynamic) modelling. [source] On the Origin of Green Emission in Polyfluorene Polymers: The Roles of Thermal Oxidation Degradation and Crosslinking,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 8 2004W. Zhao Abstract The green emission of poly(9,9,,-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7,,-diyl), end-capped by polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxanes, (PFO-POSS) has been investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and photoexcitation (PE), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and transmission Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The green emission is closely correlated with thermal oxidation degradation and crosslinking of the polymer and is enhanced by annealing at elevated temperatures. The green-to-blue emission intensity ratio, used to assess the emission properties of thin (90,nm) films, was 3.70, 4.35, and 1.54 for an air-annealed film, its insoluble residue (crosslinked), and a film cast from its soluble portion, respectively. For thick (5,6,,m) film, the ratios are 13.33, 13.33, and 0.79, respectively. However, FTIR spectroscopy of thick films leads to the conclusion that the carbonyl-to-aromatic ring concentration ratio are 0.018, 0.015, and 0.032, respectively. Focusing on the recast films, the green emission is relatively low while the carbonyl concentration is relatively high. This suggests that the energy traps at crosslinked chains play an important role in green emission. It is likely that the crosslinking enhances the excitation energy migration and energy transfer to the defects by hindering chain segment twisting. [source] Kinetics and mechanism of the dehydration reaction of sarcosine to a bislactame through diacyclperoxide intermediate in strong acidic mediumINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL KINETICS, Issue 11 2009Homayoon Bahrami The influence of substitution on the amine functional group of glycine in the permanganic oxidation of such an ,-amino acid in moderately concentrated sulfuric acid medium has been investigated. Reaction products analysis has revealed that contrary to the usual ,-amino acid oxidation product, which is an aldehyde species, a valuable compound, namely 1,4-dimethylpiperazine-2,5-dione, has been obtained as the main product via a cheap, simple, efficient, and novel method. Sarcosine has been chosen as a substituted derivative of glycine, and the kinetics and mechanism of its permanganic oxidation have been investigated using a spectrophotometric technique. Conclusive evidence has proven delayed autocatalytic activity for Mn(II) in this reaction, analogous to some ,-amino acids. It has been revealed that such activity can show up when a certain concentration ratio of Mn(II) to sarcosine is built up in the medium, which we call the "critical ratio." The magnitude of the latter ratio depends on the sulfuric acid concentration. Considering the "delayed autocatalytic behavior" of Mn(II) ions, rate equations satisfying observations for both catalytic and noncatalytic routes have been presented. The reaction shows first-order dependence on permanganate ions and sarcosine concentrations in both catalytic and noncatalytic pathways, and apparent first-order dependence on Mn2+ ions in catalytic pathways. The correspondence of pseudo-order rate constants of the catalytic and noncatalytic pathways to Arrhenius and Eyring laws has verified "critical ratio" as well as "delayed autocatalytic behavior" concepts. The activation parameters associated with both pathways have been computed and discussed. Mechanisms for both catalytic and noncatalytic routes involving radical intermediates as well as a product having a diketopiperazine skeleton have been reported for the first time. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 41: 689,703, 2009 [source] Optimization of the extraction and purification of oligosaccharides from defatted soybean mealINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Suna Kim Summary Optimization of the extraction of oligosaccharides from defatted soybean meal (DSM) was investigated under various conditions. The optimal ratio of water to DSM and optimal temperature for oligosaccharide extraction was 5:1 and 50 °C, respectively. The use of a stirring process, without any further grinding, improved the extractability of oligosaccharides from DSM, a 10% ethanol-water solution was more effective than distilled water alone. To purify the oligosaccharides, ultrafiltration was used. More than 90% of the protein was removed from the extracts at a volume concentration ratio (VCR) of 3,5. The percentages of fructose, sucrose, raffinose and stachyose in permeate for a VCR of 5 were 38.6, 51.4, 54.2 and 52.6%, respectively. A VCR of 5 was the most effective for protein removal and recovery of oligosaccharides. [source] Determination of membrane areas for ultrafiltration processesJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2001Changsheng Liu Abstract For batch mode ultrafiltration processes a numerical method for calculating membrane area has been devised with flux predicted from Flemmer's model. Erythromycin broth filtrate was used as a model fluid. Experiments at a 20,dm3 scale were used to estimate the parameters involved in Flemmer's equation, from which membrane areas appropriate for operations of 80 metric tons were calculated. Factors such as rejection, concentration ratio, etc, which affect the membrane size for batch operation, are discussed. The calculated results were consistent with experimental data at the 100,dm3 scale. For continuous operation equations for calculating membrane areas have also been established. The minimum membrane area was calculated at the optimum concentration ratios of each stage, usually their values were different at each stages. Comparison between batch and continuous mode in the context of the membrane area required is also discussed. The method could be applicable to other ultrafiltration operations. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Kinetics of the thermal dissociation of ZnO exposed to concentrated solar irradiation using a solar-driven thermogravimeter in the 1800,2100 K rangeAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 6 2009Lothar O. Schunk Abstract The two-step H2O-splitting thermochemical cycle based on the Zn/ZnO redox reactions is considered for solar H2 production, comprising the endothermal dissociation of ZnO followed by the exothermal hydrolysis of Zn. A solar-driven thermogravimeter, in which a packed-bed of ZnO particles is directly exposed to concentrated solar radiation at a peak solar concentration ratio of 2400 suns while its weight loss is continuously monitored, was applied to measure the thermal dissociation rate in a set-up closely approximating the heat and mass transfer characteristics of solar reactors. Isothermal thermogravimetric runs were performed in the range 1834,2109 K and fitted to a zero-order Arrhenius rate law with apparent activation energy 361 ± 53 kJ mol,1 K,1 and frequency factor 14.03 × 106 ± 2.73 × 106 kg m,2 s,1. Application of L,vov's kinetic expression for solid decomposition along with a convective mass transport correlation yielded kinetic parameters in close agreement with those derived from experimental data. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source] Increased CNS uptake and enhanced antinociception of morphine-6-glucuronide in rats after inhibition of P-glycoproteinJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2002Jörn Lötsch Abstract Morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) is a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which forms an outward transporter at the blood,brain barrier. Inhibition of P-gp may therefore be expected to cause increased CNS uptake of M6G. We directly assessed the spinal concentrations of M6G and its antinociceptive effects in rats following pharmacological inhibition of P-gp. Spinal cord tissue concentrations of M6G were assessed by microdialysis with probes transversally implanted through the dorsal horns of the spinal cord at level L4. Ten rats received M6G intravenously (0.018 mg/kg loading dose plus 0.00115 mg/kg/min for an 8-h infusion), five of them together with PSC833 to inhibit P-gp (32-h infusion, starting 24 h before the addition of M6G). Antinociceptive effects were explored by means of formalin tests. After having obtained evidence for enhanced CNS uptake and antinociception of M6G in the presence of PSC833, additional behavioural experiments were performed in another 32 rats to assess the dose dependency of the antinociceptive effects of M6G either with or without PSC833 in comparison with both PSC833 alone and placebo. Inhibition of P-gp increased the M6G concentrations in the spinal cord approximately three-fold whereas the plasma concentrations were increased only by a factor of 1.4, which resulted in a more than doubled spinal cord/plasma concentration ratio (from 0.08 ± 0.03 for M6G alone to 0.17 ± 0.08 for M6G plus PSC833). Antinociceptive effects of M6G were significantly enhanced by inhibition of P-gp. Inhibition of P-gp alters the transport of M6G across the blood,brain barrier, resulting in enhanced spinal cord uptake and enhanced antinociception. [source] A valid equation for the well-stirred perfusion limited physiologically based pharmacokinetic model that consistently accounts for the blood,tissue drug distribution in the organ and the corresponding valid equation for the steady state volume of distributionJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2010Leonid M. Berezhkovskiy Abstract A consistent account of the assumptions of the well-stirred perfusion limited model leads to the equation for the organ tissue that does not coincide with that often presented in books and papers. The difference in pharmacokinetic profiles calculated by the valid and the commonly used equations could be quite significant, particularly due to contribution of the organs with relatively large perfusion volume, and especially for drugs with small tissue,plasma partition coefficient and high blood,plasma concentration ratio. Application of the valid equation may result in much faster initial drop of drug plasma concentration time curve and significantly longer terminal half-life, especially for low extraction ratio drugs. An equation for the steady state volume of distribution consistent with the well-stirred model described by the valid equation is provided. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 99:475,485, 2010 [source] The effect of bulking agents on the chemical stability of acid-sensitive compounds in freeze-dried formulations: Sucrose inversion studyJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 9 2009Enxian Lu Abstract The goal of the study was to evaluate the impact of amorphous bulking agents on the chemical stability of freeze-dried materials. Polyvinylpyrrolidone and dextran of different molecular weights and lactose were used as bulking agents, and sucrose was used as an example of an acid-sensitive compound. Lyophiles containing bulking agent and sucrose at 10:1 (w/w) ratio, citrate buffer, and optionally bromophenol blue (pH indicator) were tested by X-ray powder diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry, and Karl Fischer titrimetry. Diffuse reflectance UV,vis spectroscopy was used to obtain the concentration ratio of the deprotonated (In2,) to the protonated (HIn,) indicator species, from which the Hammett acidity function (H2,) was calculated. The extent of sucrose inversion in lyophiles stored at 60°C was quantified by HPLC. The bulking agent had a major impact on both the apparent solid-state acidity (H2,) and the degradation rate, with the degradation rate constants value highest for dextran lyophiles (most "acidic", lower H2,) followed by lactose and polyvinylpyrrolidone lyophile (least "acidic", higher H2,). The Hammett acidity function can be used as an empirical solid-state acidity scale, to predict the rank-order stability of acid-sensitive compounds in lyophiles prepared with different bulking agents. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 98:3387,3396, 2009 [source] Effect of polymer size and cosolutes on phase separation of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and dextran in frozen solutionsJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 4 2005Ken-ichi Izutsu Abstract The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of the molecular weight of polymers on their miscibility in frozen solutions to model the physical properties of freeze-dried pharmaceutical formulations. Thermal analysis of frozen solutions containing poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and dextran of various molecular weights was performed at polymer concentrations below the binodal curve at room temperature. Frozen solutions containing PVP 29,000 and dextran 10,200 showed two thermal transitions (glass transition temperature of maximally freeze-concentrated solution: Tg,) representing two freeze-concentrated amorphous phases, each containing predominantly one of the polymers. A combination of smaller polymers (PVP 10,000 and dextran 1,060) was freeze-concentrated into an amorphous mixture phase across a wide range of concentration ratios. Combinations of intermediate size polymers separated into two freeze-concentrated phases only at certain concentration ratios. Addition of NaCl prevented the phase separation of PVP and dextran in the aqueous and frozen solutions. Higher concentrations of NaCl were required to retain the miscibility of larger polymer combinations in the freeze-concentrate. The molecular weights of the component polymers, polymer concentration ratio, and cosolute composition are the important factors that determine component miscibility in frozen solutions. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 94:709,717, 2005 [source] Chemical synthesis and electric properties of the conducting copolymer of aniline and o -aminophenolJOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 23 2007Jing Zhang Abstract A copolymer, poly(aniline- co-o -aminophenol), was prepared chemically by using ammonium peroxydisulfate as an oxidant. The monomer concentration ratio of o -aminophenol to aniline strongly influences the copolymerization rate and properties of the copolymer. The optimum composition of a mixture for the chemical copolymerization consisted of 0.3 M aniline, 0.021 M o -aminophenol, 0.42 M ammonium peroxydisulfate, and 2 M H2SO4. The result of cyclic voltammograms in a potential region of ,0.20 to 0.80 V (vs.SCE) indicates that the electrochemical activity of the copolymer prepared under the optimum condition is similar to that of polyaniline in more acid solutions. However, the copolymer still holds the good electrochemical activity until pH 11.0. Therefore, the pH dependence of the electrochemical property of the copolymer is improved, compared with poly(aniline- co-o -aminophenol) prepared electrochemically, and is much better than that of polyaniline. The spectra of IR and 1H NMR confirm that o -aminophenol units are included in the copolymer chain, which play a key role in extending the usable pH region of the copolymer. The visible spectra of the copolymers show that a high concentration ratio of o -aminophenol to aniline in a mixture inhibits the chain growth. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5573,5582, 2007 [source] Determination of oxalate in beer by zone electrophoresis on a chip with conductivity detectionJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 8 2003Marián Masár Abstract The use of a poly(methylmethacrylate) capillary electrophoresis chip, provided with a high sample load capacity separation system (a 8500 nL separation channel combined with a 500 nL sample injection channel) and a pair of on-chip conductivity detectors, for zone electrophoresis (ZE) determination of oxalate in beer was studied. Hydrodynamic and electroosmotic flows of the solution in the separation compartment of the chip were suppressed and electrophoresis was a dominant transport process in the separations performed on the chip. A low pH of the carrier electrolyte (3.8), implemented by aspartic acid and bis-tris propane, provided an adequate selectivity in the separation of oxalate from anionic beer constituents and, at the same time, also a sufficient sensitivity in its conductivity detection. Under our working conditions, this anion could be detected at a 0.5 ,mol/L concentration also in samples containing chloride (a major anionic constituent of beer) at a 1800 higher concentration. Such a favorable analyte/matrix concentration ratio made possible accurate and reproducible [typically, 2,5% relative standard deviation (RSD) values of the peak areas of the analyte in dependence on its concentration in the sample] determination of oxalate in 500 nL volumes of 20,50-fold diluted beer samples. Short analysis times (about 200 s), minimum sample preparation, and reproducible migration times of this analyte (0.5,1.0% RSD values) were characteristic for ZE on the chip. [source] Evaluation of Abdominal Fluid: Peripheral Blood Creatinine and Potassium Ratios for Diagnosis of Uroperitoneum in DogsJOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE, Issue 4 2001Chad Schmiedt DVM, DACVS Objective:To determine the clinical efficacy of abdominal fluid to peripheral blood ratios of creatinine and potassium concentrations to diagnose uroperitoneum in dogs. Design:Records of 13 dogs with confirmed uroabdomen were retrospectively analyzed. Prospective evaluation of 8 dogs with nonrenal ascites provided data for a control population. Setting:Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Animals:Client owned dogs. Interventions:None Measurements and Main Results:Abdominal fluid potassium (mEq/L) and creatinine concentrations (mg/dl) were recorded. Peripheral blood potassium and creatinine concentrations were also recorded. Ratios were calculated based on these values. An abdominal fluid creatinine concentration to peripheral blood creatinine concentration ratio of > 2:1 was predictive of uroabdomen in dogs (specificity 100%, sensitivity 86%). An abdominal fluid potassium concentration to peripheral blood potassium concentration of > 1.4:1 is also predictive of uroabdomen in dogs (specificity 100%, sensitivity 100%). All dogs with uroabdomen had an abdominal fluid creatinine concentration that was at least 4 times normal peripheral blood levels. Conclusion:Abdominal fluid to peripheral blood potassium and creatinine ratios provide a means to diagnose uroperitoneum in dogs without elevated peripheral blood creatinine. [source] The neurokinin-1 antagonist activity of maropitant, an antiemetic drug for dogs, in a gerbil modelJOURNAL OF VETERINARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2007V. DE LA PUENTE-REDONDO Maropitant is a novel synthetic nonpeptide neurokinin type 1 (NK1) selective receptor antagonist, recently developed for use in the dog as an antiemetic. The in vivo functional activity of maropitant was investigated in the gerbil foot-tapping model, to determine the ability of maropitant to penetrate the central nervous system and inhibit foot-tapping induced by the selective NK1 agonist GR73632. In comparison with CP-122,721, a previously characterized NK1 receptor antagonist, maropitant (1 mg/kg by s.c. injection) was found to inhibit foot-tapping for significantly longer (P < 0.01). Inhibition of foot-tapping by maropitant was 100% at 2 h and approximately 50% at 8 h postdosing. The mean brain:plasma concentration ratio at 8 h post-treatment was 3.59. These data demonstrate the central functional action of maropitant as a selective and potent NK1 receptor antagonist and help to support and explain its clinical potential as a broad-spectrum antiemetic agent. [source] A quantitative method for measuring the mass concentration of the filamentous bacterium Type 021N in activated sludge using fluorescence in situ hybridizationLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2003Y. Guan Abstract Aims: This study aimed to develop a quantitative method for measuring mass concentrations of Type 021N, a bacterium causing bulking in activated sludge. Methods and Results: Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to determine the relationship between the concentration ratio of the mass of the bacterium Type 021N to mass of activated sludge, and the proportion of fluorescence area imparted by probe G123T specific for Type 021N to that obtained with probe EUB338 for bacteria. A linear relationship existed between the cube root of the mass concentration ratio and square root of this area proportion. Conclusions: A standard curve was obtained for quantifying Type 021N in activated sludge. Significance and Impact of the Study: This method may allow the determination of growth rate constant of filamentous bacteria in activated sludge, information that will help in understanding their ecology. [source] Sorption and Diffusion of Propylene and Ethylene in Heterophasic Polypropylene CopolymersMACROMOLECULAR SYMPOSIA, Issue 1 2007Michael Bartke Abstract Summary: Sorption experiments of ethylene and propylene in different polypropylene powder samples, both homopolymer and heterophasic copolymers with different rubber content, have been carried out in a high-pressure magnetic suspension balance at 10 bars pressure and 70,°C. The gross solubilities measured can be well correlated with the rubber content of the polymer samples. Solubility of ethylene and propylene in the rubber phase differ from solubility in the amorphous fraction of the homopolymer, especially the concentration ratio of propylene to ethylene differs significantly between rubber phase and amorphous fraction of the homopolymer. From the slope of monomer uptake, information on kinetics of mass-transfer can be gained. No significant differences were observed in terms of mass-transfer for ethylene and propylene. With increasing rubber content, effective diffusion coefficients increased slightly. By combined sorption studies with powder samples and compressed films, information about both effective diffusion coefficients and the effective length scale of diffusion could be gained. It could be shown, that the particle radius is not the characteristic length of diffusion in the studied powder samples. Mass transfer of nearly all samples could be described by a constant diffusion length of 120 to 130 µm, independently on particle size. This indicates that the effective scale of diffusion in polymer particles is in between microparticle and macroparticle scale used in classical particle modeling. [source] Mathematical Model for Surface-Initiated Photopolymerization of Poly(ethylene glycol) DiacrylateMACROMOLECULAR THEORY AND SIMULATIONS, Issue 9 2006Seda K Abstract Summary: A general mathematical model has been developed to describe the surface initiated photopolymerization of PEG-DA forming crosslinked hydrogel membranes upon the surface of a substrate. Such membranes are formed by photopolymerizing a PEG-DA prepolymer solution by initiation with eosin-Y-functionalized surfaces and TEA using VP as accelerator. Experimental measurements of the thickness of hydrogel membranes compare well with the model. The model is developed by using the pseudo-kinetic approach and the method of moments, and is capable of predicting the crosslink density and thickness of the hydrogel membrane. Parametric sensitivity of the effects of PEG-DA, VP and coinitiator TEA concentration towards the crosslink density and the thickness of the hydrogel is also investigated. The results obtained for different PEG-DA and VP concentrations suggest that the concentration ratio of these two monomers is a key parameter in controlling the gel thickness and permeability. This model can also be applied to systems where drugs, proteins or cells are encapsulated through surface initiated photopolymerization to predict the growth and crosslink density profiles of the encapsulating membrane. In a previous study we have experimentally demonstrated that these membranes could be made to attach covalently to the surface of the underlying substrate. Comparison of experimental measurements and model simulation of PEG-DA hydrogel membrane thickness versus laser duration at high PEG-DA concentrations. [source] In vivo detection of serine in the human brain by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) at 7 TeslaMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009Changho Choi Abstract A single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) filtering strategy for in vivo detection of serine (Ser) in human brain at 7T is proposed. Spectral difference of coupled resonances arising from different subecho times of triple refocusing at a constant total echo time (TE) was utilized to detect the Ser multiplet and cancel the overlapping creatine (Cr) 3.92-ppm singlet via difference editing. Dependence of the Ser signal on subecho times was investigated using density-matrix simulation incorporating the slice-selective radio frequency (RF) pulses. The simulation indicated that the difference-edited Ser CH2 multiplet at ,3.96 ppm is maximized with (TE1, TE2, TE3) = (54, 78, 78) and (36, 152, 22) ms. The edited Ser peak amplitude was estimated, with both numerical and phantom analyses of the performance, as 83% with respect to 90° acquisition for a localized volume, ignoring relaxation effects. From the area ratio of the edited Ser and unedited Cr 3.03-ppm peaks, assuming identical T1 and T2 between Ser and Cr, the Ser-to-Cr concentration ratio for the frontal cortex of healthy adults was estimated to be 0.8 ± 0.2 (mean ± SD; N = 6). Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effect of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for Melanotic and Amelanotic Melanoma Transplanted into Mouse BrainPIGMENT CELL & MELANOMA RESEARCH, Issue 1 2002Masaki Iwakura In order to develop a protocol to treat brain metastatic melanoma using our 10B- p -boronophenylalanine (BPA) boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), we initiated the following studies (i), Comparative analyses of boron biodistribution between melanoma proliferating in the brain and skin among melanotic and amelanotic types, and (ii) Therapeutic evaluation of BPA,BNCT for brain melanoma models of both types, using survival times. Our present data have revealed that boron concentration in melanoma proliferating in the brain, the major prerequisite for successful BNCT, showed a positive correlation to melanin synthesizing activity in the same way as melanoma proliferating in skin. Further, the boron concentration ratio of melanoma to normal surrounding tissue for brain melanoma models was considerably higher than that for subcutaneous (s.c.) ones because of the existence of the blood,brain barrier (BBB). Additionally, from analyses of median and mean survival times following BNCT using low, middle, and high neutron doses, the therapeutic effect of BNCT for the amelanotic A1059 melanoma appeared at first glance to be higher than that for the highly BPA attracting and highly relative biological effect equivalent dose obtaining B15b melanoma. As the survival time was dependent on both regression and regrowth curves, and because the brain melanoma model in small animals made it difficult to evaluate these curves separately, we further examined the in vivo growth curve of both types of melanomas following implantation in s.c. tissue. The melanotic B15b melanoma was indeed found to possess much higher growth rate as compared with that of the amelanotic A1059 melanoma. The significance of boron biodistribution studies and BNCT survival curve analyses in forming an effective clinical protocol for individual human cases of melanoma brain metastasis is discussed. [source] Relationship between Taq1 A dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) polymorphism and prolactin response to bromperidolAMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 3 2001Kazuo Mihara Abstract The dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene has a Taq1 A restriction fragment length polymorphism yielding two alleles, A1 and A2. We have previously shown that female patients with the A1 allele show greater prolactin response to nemonapride, a selective antagonist for D2-like dopamine receptors, in schizophrenic patients. In the present study, the relationship between this polymorphism and prolactin response to bromperidol was investigated in 32 untreated schizophrenic inpatients (16 males, 16 females). The daily dose of bromperidol was fixed at 6 (n,=,10), 12 (n,=,13), or 18 mg (n,=,9) during a 2-week treatment period. Taq1 A genotypes were determined by PCR method. Plasma prolactin concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay. Plasma concentration of bromperidol was measured by HPLC method. The subjects were divided into four subgroups by gender and the genotypes, i.e., 10 males and 11 females with the A1 allele, 6 males and 5 females with no A1 allele. The females with the A1 allele had the highest , prolactin (the change from the pretreatment concentration)/bromperidol concentration ratio among the other groups (P,<,0.05). The present study thus suggests that female patients with the A1 allele show greater prolactin response to bromperidol, who may have a high risk for adverse effects associated with neuroleptic-induced hyperprolactinemia. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Development, characterisation and 1000 Suns outdoor tests of GaAs monolithic interconnected module (MIM) receiversPROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS: RESEARCH & APPLICATIONS, Issue 2 2008R. Loeckenhoff Abstract Monolithic interconnected modules (MIMs) are large area, high voltage PV devices which perform well at very high light intensities. They are therefore well suited for the assembly of dense array receivers. The latter can be employed in solar concentrator systems such as parabolic dishes at a concentration ratio of 1000 Suns or more. This paper reports on progress in the development and testing of GaAs MIMs and of water-cooled dense array receivers assembled from MIMs. The MIMs are electrically protected by integrated bypass diodes and, under indoor laboratory tests, reach an efficiency of 20·0% at 1000 Suns and 22·9% at 200 Suns. Several dense array receivers have been assembled, one of which was tested outdoors at 1-Sun and at concentration ratios of several hundred Suns and up to slightly above 1000 Suns using the PETAL solar dish facility in Sede Boqer, Israel. In addition to I,V curve measurements, the high-concentration tests included measurements that quantified the light intensity distribution over the dense array. Deformations in some of the I,V plots were observed for intensity distributions that departed substantially from perfect uniformity. The shapes of these plots were successfully reproduced by an electronic network simulation of the inhomogeneously illuminated receiver. 1-Sun I,V curve measurements and visual inspections performed before and after exposure of the module to concentrated sunlight revealed no indications of degradation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effects of Fe,AOT complex on the properties of iron oxide particles formed by an AOT isooctane/water emulsion systemASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 3 2008J. Oshitani Abstract Formation of iron oxide particles with aerosol-OT (AOT)/isooctane/water emulsion was carried out employing a coprecipitation reaction for Fe3O4 particles. Emulsions containing Fe2+/Fe3+ were mixed with those containing OH,. Iron oxide particles were formed by changing the concentration ratio of AOT to iron ions and maintaining the volume fraction of water in the emulsion at 0.25. Particle formation was also carried out using nonemulsified aqueous solutions as a reference. The morphology, crystal structure, magnetic property and hydration degree of the particles formed under various conditions were compared. The ,-FeOOH or amorphous particles are formed instead of Fe3O4 when the AOT concentration is comparable to, or higher than, the iron ion concentration. These particles contain an OH group and water, and are oxidized to become ,-Fe2O3 by heating in N2. The Fe,AOT complex as the origin of OH-rich particle formation was the focus of this investigation. The IR measurement was carried out for the Fe,AOT complex, separately prepared with the aqueous solution. It was found that the Fe,AOT complex was hydrated, indicating that hydration of the complex affects the properties of particles formed by the emulsion. A possible mechanism for formation of ,-FeOOH or amorphous particles with emulsion is proposed. Copyright © 2008 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effects of Angelicae tenuissima radix, Angelicae dahuricae radix and Scutellariae radix Extracts on Cytochrome P450 Activities in Healthy VolunteersBASIC AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2009SoJeong Yi A total of 24 healthy male volunteers were assigned to one of three parallel herbal treatment groups, each consisting of eight volunteers. A cocktail of probe drugs for CYP enzymes was orally administered before and after multiple administrations of herbal medicines, three times a day for 13 days. Probe drugs used to measure CYP activities were caffeine (CYP1A2), losartan (CYP2C9), omeprazole (CYP2C19), dextromethorphan (CYP2D6), chlorzoxazone (CYP2E1) and midazolam (CYP3A4). The probe drugs and their metabolites were quantified in plasma or urine using HPLC or LC-MS/MS. Changes in each CYP activity was evaluated by metabolic ratio of the probe drug (concentration ratio of metabolite to parent form at reference time point) following the herbal medication period, compared to the baseline values. A. dahuricae radix significantly decreased CYP1A2 activity to 10% of baseline activity (95% CI: 0.05,0.21). S. radix also showed significant changes in CYP2C9 and CYP2E1 activities. Compared to baseline values, the metabolic activities of losartan were decreased to 71% (0.54,0.94). In addition, S. radix showed a 1.42-fold (1.03,1.97) increase in chlorzoxazone metabolic activity. However, CYP activities were not meaningfully influenced by A. tenuissima radix. Changes in certain CYP activities were observed after the administration of S. radix and A. dahuricae radix in healthy volunteers. Therefore, herbal medicines containing S. radix or A. dahuricae radix are candidates for further evaluation of clinically significant CYP-mediated herb-drug interactions in human beings. [source] Prediction of human blood-to-plasma drug concentration ratioBIOPHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DISPOSITION, Issue 5-6 2010Takahide Uchimura Abstract The objective of this study was to predict Rb (blood/plasma ratio) in humans using a simple method. Human and rat Rb and free fraction in plasma (fp) values were obtained from the literature. The ratio of total red blood cell concentration to the free concentration in plasma (Kb) was calculated using fp and Rb. Four methods were used for the prediction of Rb: (A) use of rat Rb; (B) use of Rb calculated from rat Kb and human fp; (C) correlation of human log ((1,fp)/fp) and human log Kb; and (D) correlation of log D with human log Kb. The Rb of 96 compounds in humans ranged from 0.52 to 2.00, with an average of 0.89. A significant correlation was observed among human log Kb, human log ((1,fp)/fp), and log D; however, no obvious correlation was observed among human Rb, human log ((1,fp)/fp), and log D. The errors within 1.25-fold for methods A,D were 68.3%, 77.6%, 61.5% and 64.8%, respectively. All predictive methods considered here were superior to the use of the average value of human Rb or Rb=1. Rat Rb corrected by human fp improved the accuracy of the prediction. Method B was the most accurate of the four methods. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pharmacokinetic Study of a Gallium-porphyrin Photo- and Sono-sensitizer, ATX-70, in Tumor-bearing MiceCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 9 2001Kazuaki Sasaki The tissue distribution of a gallium-porphyrin photo- and sono-sensitizer, 7,12-bis(l-decyloxy-ethyl)-Ga(III)-3,8,13,17-tetramethylporphyrin-2,18-dipropionyldiaspartic acid, ATX-70, was phar-niacokinetically examined in tumor-bearing mice. The drug was administered intravenously to CDF1mice implanted with Colon 26 carcinoma. Blood and tissue samples were collected for up to 72 h after administration. The drug concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. ATX-70 was found to accumulate in tumors at a relatively high concentration that peaked between 2 h and 6 h after administration. However, modest concentrations of ATX-70 also remained in healthy tissues for up to 6 h. We examined the distribution of ATX-70 in the tumor in comparison with other tissues from the viewpoint of minimizing possible side effects of laser or ultrasound exposure while maintaining the treatment effect. About 24 h after administration, the tumor/plasma concentration ratio peaked, and relatively high tumor/skin and tumor/muscle concentration ratios were seen. [source] Gas-Phase Watson,Crick and Hoogsteen Isomers of the Nucleobase Mimic 9-Methyladenine,2-PyridoneCHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 7 2006Jann A. Frey Abstract 2-Pyridone (pyridin-2-one) is a mimic of the uracil and thymine nucleobases, with only one NH and CO group. It provides a single H-bonding site, compared to three for the canonical pyrimidine nucleobases. Employing the supersonically cooled 9-methyladenine,2-pyridone (9MAd,2PY) complex, which is the simplest base pair to mimic adenine-uracil or adenine-thymine, we show that its gas-phase UV spectrum consists of contributions from two isomers. Based on the H-bonding sites of 9-methyladenine, these are the Watson,Crick and Hoogsteen forms. Combining two-color two-photon ionisation (2C-R2PI), UV-UV depletion and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopies allows separation of the two band systems, revealing characteristic intermolecular in-plane vibrations of the two isomers. The calculated S0 and S1 intermolecular frequencies are in good agreement with the experimental ones. Ab initio calculations predict the Watson,Crick isomer to be slightly more stable (D0=,16.0 kcal,mol,1) than the Hoogsteen isomer (D0=,15.0 kcal,mol,1). The calculated free energies ,fG0 of the Watson,Crick and Hoogsteen isomers agree qualitatively with the experimental isomer concentration ratio of 3:1. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||