ABSTRACT
X-ray astronomy research is often limited by the size, weight, complexity, and cost of functioning x-ray optics. Micropore optics promises an economical alternative to traditional (e.g., glass or foil) x-ray optics; however, many manufacturing difficulties prevent micropore optics from being a viable solution. Ezoe et al. introduced microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) micropore optics having curvilinear micropores in 2008. Made by either deep reactive ion etching or x-ray lithography, electroforming, and molding (LIGA), MEMS micropore optics suffer from high micropore sidewall roughness (10-30nmrms) which, by current standards, cannot be improved. In this research, a new alternating magnetic-field-assisted finishing process was developed using a mixture of ferrofluid and microscale abrasive slurry. A machine was built, and a set of working process parameters including alternating frequency, abrasive size, and polishing time was selected. A polishing experiment on a LIGA-fabricated MEMS micropore optic was performed, and a change in micropore sidewall roughness of 9.3+/-2.5nmrms to 5.7+/-0.7nmrms was measured. An improvement in x-ray reflectance was also seen. This research shows the feasibility and confirms the effects of this new polishing process on MEMS micropore optics.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Glutathione and glutathione disulfide can be determined by capillary zone electrophoresis; however, the frequent use of acidic precipitation of protein from samples prior to analysis generates an acidic matrix of strength and pH that may cause changes in the method sensitivity, comigration of species or changes in the equilibria that relate both species in cells or fluids. OBJECTIVE: To optimise electrophoretic conditions for glutathione and glutathione disulfide determination, and to improve pre-analytical treatment for better visualization of the signals of both peptides in an acidic matrix. METHODOLOGY: The method consisted of direct photometric detection at 185 nm and 300 mm borate at pH 7.6 as background electrolyte. The variables under study were voltage applied, injection time, capillary length and electrolyte pH. Seedlings were hydroponically grown and the peptides were extracted with metaphosphoric acid. RESULTS: The resulting acidic matrix was previously treated with the same background electrolyte to prevent comigration and to improve signal resolution. The optimised method showed good reproducibility and linearity, with correlation coefficients above 0.999 and detection limits below 3 microM, and determination of both analytes in less than 3 min. Analyte recovery in the process was in the 88-104% range. The concentration range found in hydroponically grown tomato plants, irrespective of copper level, was 45-100 nmol/g fresh weight for glutathione and below 56 nmol/g fresh weight for glutathione disulfide. CONCLUSION: The results obtained here support the applicability of the method to the fast and simultaneous determination of glutathione and glutathione disulfide in tissue of shoots and roots of plants grown under either normal or stressful conditions.
Subject(s)
Copper/toxicity , Electrophoresis, Capillary/methods , Glutathione Disulfide/analysis , Glutathione/analysis , Plant Roots/drug effects , Plant Shoots/drug effects , Plant Roots/chemistry , Plant Shoots/chemistry , Reference Standards , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Metabólitos do fungo entomopatogênico Nomuraea rileyi produzidos em culturas submersas em caldo Sabouraud sacarose extrato de levedura foram extraídos com diclorometano. O extrato bruto foi fracionado por cromatografia em coluna e em camada espessa de fluxo contínuo utilizando benzeno-clorofórmio-acetato de etila 18:1:1 (v:v:v) como eluentes. Amostras de Saccharomyces cerevisiae e de bactérias (18 cepas hospitalares e 5 estirpes fitopatogênicas) foram testadas frente ao metabólito empregando-se o método de difusäo em ágar pelo sistema de discos (Kirby-Bauer). Aproximadamente (40 por cento) (9/23) das amostras bacterianas ensaiadas tiveram seu crescimento inibido na presença do metabólito produzido pelo fungo Nomuraea rileyi, sugerindo uma possível atividade antibacteriana deste metabólito
Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/metabolism , Gram-Negative Bacteria/growth & development , Gram-Positive Bacteria/growth & development , Mitosporic Fungi/isolation & purification , MycotoxinsABSTRACT
It has been found that the pigment-I from Chromobacterium violaceum, 3 [1,2 dihydro 5 (5 hydroxy 1H indol 3 yl) 2 oxo 3H pyrrol-3 ylidiene] 1,3 dihydro 2H indol 2 one, has trypanocide activity. The formylated derivatives, pigment-III, immobilized 100% of the Trypanosoma cruzi at a level of 46 micronM after 48h of interaction with a total growth inhibition in the same period. Pigment I exhibited low toxicity and a DNA synthesis inhibition similar to that of Nifurtimox, a known trypanocide compound
Subject(s)
Amino Acid Sequence , Protease Inhibitors/analysis , Trypsin Inhibitor, Bowman-Birk Soybean/analysis , Trypsin InhibitorsABSTRACT
Chromobacterium violaceum, Brazilian or Chilean strain, produces a pigment 3 [1,2-dihydro-5 (5-hydroxy-JH-indo) 2-oxo-3H-pyrrol-3-ylidene] 1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one (Violacein). Violacein was isolated from acetone extract in both cases and identified by ultraviolet-visible., infrared, nuclear magnetic rosonance spectroscopy and by mass spectrometry. A derivative of violacein, the tetracetyl-violacein was synthetized in order to confirm the violacein structure. The biosynthesis of C=violacein is also reported
