NZVI modified magnetic filter paper with high redox and catalytic activities for advanced water treatment technologies.

The in situ synthesis of air-stable zero-valent iron nanoparticles (NZVI) embedded in cellulose fibers leads to the assembly of highly reactive magnetic filter papers. These engineered materials display a wide range of applications in the treatment of wastewater and drinking water, including chromium removal, phenol degradation, environmental bioremediation, and catalysis.

Statistical analysis of wines using a robust compositional biplot.

Eight phenolic acids (vanillic, gentisic, protocatechuic, syringic, gallic, coumaric, ferulic and caffeic) were quantitatively determined in 30 commercially available wines from South Moravia by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Raw (untransformed) and centered log-ratio transformed data were evaluated by classical and robust version of principal component analysis (PCA). A robust compositional biplot of the centered log-ratio transformed data gives the best resolution of particular categories of wines. Vanillic, syringic and gallic acids were identified as presumed markers occurring in relatively higher concentrations in red wines. Gentisic and caffeic acid were tentatively suggested as prospective technological markers, reflecting presumably some kinds of technological aspects of wine making.

Reactivity of Langerhans cells after application of different chemicals--an ultrastructural analysis.

The goal of this study was to investigate changes in epidermal Langerhans cells after application of different chemicals (acetone, 60% alcohol, 5% nickel sulphate, iodisole, and 0.1% 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene) on the skin of volunteers. The skin of eight volunteers was treated with acetone, 60% alcohol, iodisol, 5% nickel sulphate, and 0.1% 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). After application of DNCB, Langerhans cells (LCs) showed increased accumulation of Birbeck granules (Bgs). Alcohol and nickel sulphate caused alternative changes, mainly cytoplasmic vacuolation, in LCs. Nickel sulphate was even responsible for the disappearance of dendrites. Both chemicals have cytotoxic effects on LCs: cytoplasmic organelles and Bgs disappear and subsequently, the antigen-presenting activity of epidermal LCs is inhibited. We did not found any morphological changes in LCs after application of acetone.

Coffee aroma--statistical analysis of compositional data.

Solid-phase microextraction in headspace mode coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was applied to the determination of volatile compounds in 30 commercially available coffee samples. In order to differentiate and characterize Arabica and Robusta coffee, six major volatile compounds (acetic acid, 2-methylpyrazine, furfural, 2-furfuryl alcohol, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, 5-methylfurfural) were chosen as the most relevant markers. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to the raw chromatographic data and data processed by centred logratio transformation.

[Pigmented tumors of the skin and anoikis]. / Pigmentové nádory kuze a anoikis.

Nevocellular nevus can develop by two mechanisms: 1. after the chronic solar irradiation of the skin which impairs barrier lipids' homeostais and keratinocytes together with melanocytes undergo apoptosis; 2. Apoptosis can arise in melanocytes during phylogenetic development from the neural crest to epidermis when it migrates through the "enemy" territory of dermis. Apoptosis can be thus stopped by enzymatic process which results in anoikis and the endangered melanocyte would further proliferate. The later is the path of nevocellular nevi.

[Sun photoaging]. / Slunecní stárnutí.

Only in the last years the recognition of the solar radiation danger has been glowing. The rising curve of the skin cancer makes it obvious mainly for the medical experts and it is the high time to warn the endangered laymen. There is a great quantity of the contemporary "photopathological" knowledge but there is still a long way to go. This short synopsis of the very last publications intends to renew the ultraviolet comprehension of the medical professionals in order to share it with their patients.

Determination of anthracycline antibiotics doxorubicin and daunorubicin by capillary electrophoresis with UV absorption detection.

Sweeping preconcentration and electrokinetic injection was used for the capillary electrophoretic analysis of trace amounts of biologically active anthracyclines with UV absorption detection. Phosphate buffer (100 mM), pH 2.5, with addition of 40% v/v methanol was used as background electrolyte (BGE). Sodium dodecyl sulfate (150 mM) was added to BGE in the inlet vial as the sweeping agent. The system enables effective separation of anthracyclines as well as cleanup from matrix impurities. Sweeping preconcentration of sample provides an excellent detection limit (1 x 10(-9) mol L(-1)). The method was applied for the determination of therapeutic levels of doxorubicin in real plasma samples.

Electrochemical behavior and voltammetric determination of the herbicide metribuzin at mercury electrodes.

The electrochemical behavior of the herbicide metribuzin (4-amino-6-tert-butyl-4,5-dihydro-3-methylthio-1,2,4-triazin-5-one) at mercury electrodes was studied in aqueous solutions by direct current (DC) and tast polarography, differential pulse (DPV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV), and controlled-potential coulometry. The electrolysis products were separated and identified by chromatographic techniques combined with mass spectrometric detection. The reduction process in acid media includes two irreversible steps. In the first four-electron step the N-NH2 and the 1,6-azomethine bonds are reduced. The second step leads to the formation of 5-tert-butyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydroimidazol-4-one at the mercury-pool electrode. The first reduction step combined with adsorptive accumulation of the herbicide molecule at the mercury electrode surface was used for its determination by differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry (DPAdSV). Calibration curves were linear in the range 1-30 microg L(-1) with a detection limit of 0.27 microg L(-1) (1 nmol L(-1)) under the conditions used (buffer pH 4.5, Eacc = -0.45 V relative to Ag/AgCl and tacc = 10 s). Preconcentration on solid-phase extraction columns (SPE-phenyl) was used for the determination of very small amounts of metribuzin in river water samples. Recovery was approximately 97%. The reproducibility of the analytical procedure including SPE treatment and DPV determination was expressed as relative standard deviations of 2.53 and 3.66% for 2 and 6 microg L(-1) metribuzin, respectively.

Fast analysis of antibacterial isothiazolones by capillary electrophoresis.

Some technical aspects influencing the total time of CE analysis are discussed. A high throughput electrophoretic system based on micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) is demonstrated as an example. A short capillary, strong electric field, alkaline buffer (pH 9.5) generating strong electroosmotic flow, and parallel hydrodynamic pressure allow the separation of two uncharged isothiazolone derivatives within 45 s.

Capillary electrophoresis of methylderivatives of quinolines. I.

Migration behavior of quinoline, isoquinoline and related methylderivatives has been investigated with respect to the influence of running buffer acidity and to the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 2000 as additive. Dissociation constants and ionic mobilities were determined by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Mobility and viscosity measurements in PEG containing buffers show that analyte transport is not in accordance with Walden's rule and microviscosity plays the role in analyte retardation. Variation of pH and PEG concentration provides the optimal conditions for the CE separation of methylquinolines (0.0176 M acetate-Tris buffer, pH 5.5, 10% PEG 2000). Analysis of industrial mixture (isoquinoline fraction from distillation of coal tar) was performed and good agreement with gas chromatographic results was found.

[The epidermal permeability barrier and its function in immune reactions]. / Bariéra epidermální permeability a její funkce v imunitní reakci.

Epidermal barrier represents one of the essential conditions of life on Earth. However, our present understanding of its function is still insufficient. The role of water incorporated in stratum corneum has not been yet studied enough. Till recently, both the stratum corneum et granulosum were considered to be "dead" layers. It turned out that these layers form very active part of epidermis and they have a secretory function. Their rigid anhydrotic consistency, complex intercellular spaces, and lipid bilayers produced by lamellar bodies form the defense barrier against both the loss of fluids and ions and protecting against the hostile external environment. Important stabilizing function in the barrier has ceramides and urea. The Langerhans' dendritic cells and macrophages induce production of cytokines in keratinocytes by means of calcium signals. That triggers the inflammatory cascade, which is accompanied by formation of pathological types of T-cells and by activation of apoptosis. Last but not least, the impairment of epidermal barrier has an important role in the physiological aging of the skin.

Genetic typing of classical swine fever virus isolates from the territory of the Czech Republic.

Epizootiological studies based on genetic typing were performed using 14 isolates from outbreaks of classical swine fever (CSF) in domestic pigs and wild boar in the Czech Republic which occurred between 1991 and 1998. They were compared with Austrian, Slovakian, Hungarian, Polish and German isolates. The aim of this study was to characterise the CSF virus isolates and find out the possible relationships between the outbreaks in domestic pigs and wild boar, and to map the spread of the virus in the Czech Republic. For this, fragments of the 5' nontranslated region (5' NTR) and of the E2 glycoprotein gene were sequenced and used for genetic typing. The analysis of both fragments of the genome showed that the Czech isolates belong to two CSF subgroups within group 2, namely to subgroups 2.2 and 2.3. A close relation was found with Austrian isolates from 1992 and 1994, belonging to subgroup 2.2. The isolates in subgroup 2.3 formed a very homogeneous group, although they originated from different regions of the country. They seem identical to two Slovakian isolates from 1998, and differed from Hungarian isolates from 1992. Epizootiological links became evident when the epidemiological data were compared.

Determination of dissociation constants of cytokinins by capillary zone electrophoresis.

A method for the pKa determination, based on mobility data measured by capillary zone electrophoresis, was applied to cytokinins and their analogs. The combination of charged mobility standards with an uncharged electroosmosis marker, injected in the uncoated capillary simultaneously with the measured substances, allows one to minimize the number of runs, reduce their duration and, in addition, to inform on the run-to-run stability of electroosmosis and on contingent side-effects. pKa values of investigated cytokinins and their analogs ranged from 2.8 to 4.0 at 25 degrees C in the phosphate and acetate buffers of ionic strength 0.015 M. Standard deviations of the constants, obtained by the non-linear fitting of equations for the pKa calculation, were 3-5-times lower than standard deviations from the linear fitting or from the point-to-point calculation utilizing the Hendersson-Haselbalch equation. The equation of Boltzman sigmoid offers two checks on reliability of effective mobilities that serve as the raw data in the pKa calculation.

Determination of phenols using simultaneous steam distillation-extraction.

Simultaneous distillation-extraction was proposed as a preconcentration step for the determination of phenol and its derivatives in aqueous and soil samples. Detection limits of 0.01 mg l(-1) (water) and 0.1 mg kg(-1) (soil) were achieved by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection. The described preconcentration procedure was applied for the primary study of the adsorption equilibrium in a water-soil system serving as a model of phenol behaviors in the environment.

Capillary electrophoresis for detection of inherited disorders of purine and pyrimidine metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of purine and pyrimidine metabolites presents complex problems for separations currently performed by HPLC and thin-layer chromatography in clinical practice. We developed a novel capillary electrophoresis method for this purpose. METHODS: Separations were performed in 60 mmol/L borate-2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol-80 mmol/L sodium dodecyl sulfate (pH 9.6) at 35 degrees C. RESULTS: The conditions reported allowed separation of all diagnostic metabolites from major urinary constituents in an analysis time of 3 min and with a separation efficiency of 220 000 theoretical plates/m. The clinically important metabolites were detectable at concentrations of 0.85-4.28 micromol/L. The method was linear over the range 5-500 micromol/L (r >0.99). The within-run and intra- and interday imprecision (CV) was <5%. Characteristic abnormalities were detected in the electropherograms of urine samples from patients with purine and pyrimidine enzyme deficiencies. We provide the electrophoretic and spectral characteristics of many intermediates in purine and pyrimidine metabolism and describe common artifacts from medication and ultraviolet-absorbing compounds. CONCLUSION: Capillary electrophoresis is a valuable screening tool in the detection of inborn errors of purine and pyrimidine metabolism.

Determination of adenosine deaminase activity in human erythrocytes by on-column capillary isotachophoresis-capillary zone electrophoresis in the presence of electroosmotic flow.

Transient capillary isotachophoresis (CITP)-capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) in presence of electroosmotic flow (EOF) was utilized for the measurement of adenosine deaminase activity in human erythrocytes. Phosphates, dominant anions of the sample matrix, were used as leading ions for transient isotachophoresis, and borates (0.3 M, pH 10) were used as terminating ions and background electrolyte for CZE. Final experimental conditions made it possible to inject 70% of the total capillary volume (1.45 microL) with the sample. Enzymatic conversion products (inosine and hypoxanthine), present in the sample in the low-micromolar range, were determined using optimized conditions. The limit of detection was 28 nM using UV detection at 202 nm. The presented data shows that CITP-CZE can be performed in uncoated capillaries in the presence of strong EOF.