Bibliothek

Notizen: Abstract Minimum onset latency (Lmin) of single- and multiple-unit responses were mapped in the primary auditory cortex (AI) of barbiturate-anesthetized cats. Contralateral Lmin for multiple units was non-homogeneously distributed along the dorso-ventral/isofrequency axis of the AI. Responses with shorter latencies were more often located in the central, more sharply tuned region while longer latencies were more frequently encountered in the dorsal and ventral portions of the AI. For single units, a large scatter of Lmin values was found throughout the extent of the AI including cortical depth. The relationship between Lmin and previously reported spectral, intensity and temporal parameters was analyzed and revealed statistically significant correlations between minimum onset latency and the following response properties in some but not all studied animals: sharpness of tuning of a frequency response area 10 dB above threshold, broadband transient response, strongest response level, monotonicity of rate/level functions, dynamic range, and preferred frequency modulation sweep direction. This analysis suggests that Lmin is determined by several independent factors and that the prediction of Lmin based on relationships with other spectral and temporal response properties is inherently weak. The spatial distribution and the functional relationship between these response parameters may provide an important aspect of the time-based cortical representation of specific features in the animal's natural environment.

Notizen: Abstract The reinnervation pattern of crural pacinian corpuscles was examined by light and electron microscopy in eight adult cats of both sexes 3–18 months after sciatic nerve crush. Normal pacinian corpuscles are each supplied with a single myelinated axon and a single cylindrical axon terminal which may branch in the distal part of the inner core. Reinnervation of these vibroreceptors was very satisfactory after sciatic nerve crush: in a sample of 68 corpuscles examined 3–18 months after the operation, 92.6% were found reinnervated, while only 7.4% remained denervated. At the nerve entry, 84.2% of the reinnervated corpuscles were supplied with a single myelinated axon, while 15.8% received two myelinated axons; some of the axons branched before or after entering the inner core. Near the mid-level of the inner core, 60.3% of 63 reinnervated corpuscles were innervated with a single axon terminal, 22.2% were biterminal, while 17.5% had three or more terminals. Regenerated axon terminals induced the formation of thin lamellar layers in the axial region of the original core and, exceptionally, also at the outer aspect of the original core. In monoterminal corpuscles, the shape and ultrastructure of regenerated endings resembled those of normal controls, whereas in multiterminal corpuscles their shape and profiles were variable. In contrast to previous reports, reinnervated corpuscles did not ultimately become monoterminal. On the contrary, the mean number of 1.3 terminals found in reinnervated crural corpuscles at 3–5 months increased to 1.9 terminals per corpuscle 6–18 months after axotomy.

Notizen: Abstract  In this study we examined connections between the moment-generating capacity of the neck muscles and their patterns of activation during voluntary head-tracking movements. Three cats lying prone were trained to produce sinusoidal (0.25 Hz) tracking movements of the head in the sagittal plane, and 22.5º and 45º away from the sagittal plane. Radio-opaque markers were placed in the cervical vertebrae, and intramuscular patch electrodes were implanted in five neck muscles, including biventer cervicis, complexus, splenius capitis, occipitoscapularis, and rectus capitis posterior major. Videofluoroscopic images of cervical vertebral motion and muscle electromyographic responses were simultaneously recorded. A three-dimensional biomechanical model was developed to estimate how muscle moment arms and force-generating capacities change during the head-tracking movement. Experimental results demonstrated that the head and vertebrae moved synchronously, but neither the muscle activation patterns nor vertebral movements were constant across trials. Analysis of the biomechanical model revealed that, in some cases, modification of muscle activation patterns was consistent with changes in muscle moment arms or force-generating potential. In other cases, however, changes in muscle activation patterns were observed without changes in muscle moment arms or force-generating potential. This suggests that the moment-generating potential of muscles is just one of the variables that influences which muscles the central nervous system will select to participate in a movement.

Notizen: Abstract  For an understanding of how various degrees of altered use (training, disuse) affect the properties of skeletal muscles, it is important to know how much they are used normally. The main aim of the present project was to produce such background knowledge for hindlimb muscles of the cat. In four adult female cats, each one being studied in several experimental sessions, ankle muscles were chronically implanted with electrodes for electromyographic (EMG) recording. The muscles recorded from were: extensor digitorum longus (EDL), peroneus longus (PL), tibialis anterior (TA), lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and soleus (SOL). For PL, TA and LG, there were anterior as well as posterior recording sites. During 24-h experimental sessions, the studied animal stayed, together with another cat, in a box large enough for playing and walking around. Using telemetric techniques, samples of EMG signals were recorded on tape for 4 min every 30 min. In an off-line analysis, measurements were made of the total accumulated duration of activity from each one of the studied muscle regions. These ”duty times” were expressed as a percentage of total sampling duration. When averaged over the whole 24-h experimental period, the mean duty times per muscle region varied from 1.9% for EDL up to about 13.9% for SOL. Also, among predominantly fast muscles of mixed-fibre composition (i.e. all studied muscles except SOL), marked and statistically significant differences in duty time were found, mean values varying fivefold from 1.9% (EDL) to 9.5% (PL, posterior site). For all three muscles with simultaneous recordings from different sites, consistent and statistically significant differences in daily duty time were found between anterior and posterior regions (anterior less than posterior for TA and PL; anterior more than posterior for LG). We also measured the extent to which each 4-min sampling period was filled with activity (if any). As compared to muscles with a low mean 24-h duty time, those with high duty times were not active during more sampling periods per day, but, whenever being used, their activity lasted relatively longer. Such results were consistent with the view that differences in mean 24-h duty time might largely reflect differences in the extent to which the various muscles and muscle regions were used for long-lasting stabilizing contractions.

Notizen: Abstract Results of previous studies have indicated that the rostral superior colliculus (SC) plays an important part in the control of accommodation. The present study was carried out to investigate retinal projections to the accommodation-related area in the rostral SC. We injected WGA-HRP into the accommodation-related area in the rostral SC of the cat, where accommodative responses were elicited by stimulation with weak currents of less than 20 μA. Following injection of WGA-HRP into the accommodation-related area in the rostral SC, retrogradely labeled ganglion cells were observed mainly in the area centralis. Projections from the contralateral eye were denser than those from the ipsilateral eye. Almost all retrogradely labeled cells were classified as γ-cells owing to their small cell-body diameters and thin dendrites, although a few were classified as α-cells. These findings suggest that the accommodation-related area in the rostral SC is located in the portion corresponding to the area of representation of the central visual field and receives mainly γ-cell projections

Notizen: Abstract  In decerebrate cats that had been acutely hemilabyrinthectomized (HL), the extracellular activities of vestibular nuclear neurons on the lesioned and labyrinth-intact sides were studied during constant-velocity off-vertical axis rotations (OVAR) in the clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW) directions (at 10° tilt). Over the range of 1.75–15°/s, two types of neuronal responses were identified on both sides. Some neurons showed symmetric and velocity-stable bidirectional response sensitivity (δ defined as the CW gain over the CCW gain) while other neurons exhibited asymmetric and velocity-variable δ. The mathematically derived gain tuning ratios of these two groups of neurons were within the range of one-dimensional and two-dimensional neurons respectively. The best response orientations in one-dimensional neurons and the orientations of the maximum response vector, S max, in two-dimensional neurons were found to point in all directions on the horizontal plane. On the labyrinth-intact side, both the one-dimensional and two-dimensional neurons showed asymmetry in the neuron numbers and/or the response gains between the two roll quadrants as well as between the two pitch quadrants. In addition, both the neuron number and gain were significantly higher for neurons in the head-down/ipsilateral-side-down half-circle than those in the head-up/contralateral-side-down half-circle. None of the aforementioned asymmetries was observed on the lesioned side. That a comparable pattern of distribution was observed in the one-dimensional and two-dimensional neurons suggests that these neurons maintain a common spatial reference frame in encoding head orientational signals arising from the ipsilateral and contralateral otoliths. Furthermore, a predominance of two-dimensional neurons that exhibited a greater gain with CW rotations was observed on both sides of HL cats. Of the response dynamics observed amongst neurons on the two sides of HL cats, no difference was found with regard to the response gain and the pattern of response lead. However, a difference in response lag was observed between neurons on the two sides of HL cats. These suggest that there is a segregation of otolithic signals to reach the ipsilateral and contralateral vestibular nuclei. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that one-dimensional and two-dimensional neuronal responses could be elicited with inputs arising solely from the ipsilateral or contralateral otoliths. The observed orientational tuning and the CW-CCW asymmetry to bidirectional rotation may provide the essential directional coding of head orientations. Further, the imbalance of spatial/dynamic response patterns between the bilateral vestibular nuclei following the restriction of otolith inputs by HL implies that converging otolithic inputs from the bilateral labyrinths are essential for producing the neuronal responses in control animals. The results are also discussed in terms of the possible contribution of the various neural asymmetries between neuronal subpopulations in the bilateral vestibular nuclei to the behavioral symptoms accompanying acute HL.

Notizen: Abstract  A technique was developed to measure, in the anesthetized and paralyzed cat under artificial ventilation, changes of excitability to intraspinal stimulation simultaneously in two different afferent fibers or in two collaterals of the same afferent fiber. Intraspinal stimulation reduced the threshold of single muscle afferent fibers ending in the intermediate nucleus. This effect was seen with strengths below those required to activate the afferent fiber tested (1.5–12 μA), occurred at a short latency (1.5–2.0 ms), reached a maximum between 15 and 30 ms, and lasted up to 100 ms. The effects produced by graded stimulation applied at the shortest conditioning-testing stimulus time intervals increased by fixed steps, suggesting recruitment of discrete elements, most likely of last-order interneurons mediating primary afferent depolarization (PAD). The short-latency increases in excitability produced by the weakest effective intraspinal stimuli were usually detected only in the collateral closest to the stimulating micropipette, indicating that the stimulated interneurons mediating PAD have spatially restricted actions. The short-latency PAD produced by intraspinal stimuli, as well as the PAD produced by stimulation of the posterior biceps and semitendinosus (PBSt) nerve or by stimulation of the bulbar reticular formation (RF), was depressed 19–30 min after the i.v. injection of 0.5 mg/kg of picrotoxin, suggesting that all these effects were mediated by GABAergic mechanisms. The PAD elicited by stimulation of muscle and/or cutaneous nerves was depressed following the i.v. injection of (–)-baclofen, whereas the PAD elicited in the same collateral by stimulation of the RF was baclofen-resistant. The short-latency PAD produced by intraspinal stimulation was not always depressed by i.v. injections of (–)-baclofen. Baclofen-sensitive and baclofen-resistant monosynaptic PADs could be produced in different collaterals of the same afferent fiber. The results suggest that the intraspinal terminals of single muscle afferents receive synapses from more than one PAD-mediating GABAergic interneuron and that a single last-order interneuron has synaptic connections with a restricted number of intraspinal terminals and/or collaterals of the same afferent fiber. In addition, they support the existence of separate subsets of last-order baclofen-sensitive and baclofen-resistant interneurons that respond predominantly to segmental and to descending inputs. It is suggested that the restricted nature of the PAD plays an important role in the central control of the synaptic effectiveness of group I muscle afferents.

Notizen: Abstract  The purpose of this study was to determine (1) whether the nucleus retroambigualis (NRA) plays an essential role in periaqueductal gray (PAG)-induced vocalization and (2) which NRA neurons are involved in the projection from the PAG to laryngeal motoneurons. Bilateral injections of the neurotoxin kainic acid into the NRA in decerebrate cats abolished PAG-induced vocalization; PAG stimulation after the injections no longer modulated vocal fold adductor or tensor activity, and only tonically, but no longer phasically, activated the abdominal muscles. In contrast, PAG-induced inspiratory excitation remained even after the injections. These results suggest that the NRA is essential for the vocal activation of the laryngeal adductor and abdominal muscles, and that an additional pathway from the PAG to respiratory motoneurons other than through the NRA is important for mediating PAG-induced inspiratory activation. Secondly, axonal projections of NRA neurons to the contralateral nucleus ambiguus (NA) were studied electrophysiologically. Five expiratory neurons, which had decrementing (n=4) or constant (n=1) firing patterns, were identified as both having axonal projections to the NA and receiving inputs from the PAG. Furthermore, following NA stimulation many constant-latency action potentials of silent cells were recorded in the vicinity of the NRA, where many silent cells were also orthodromically activated by PAG stimulation. No NRA augmenting expiratory neurons could be antidromically activated from the NA. It is suggested that the NRA and adjacent reticular formation integrate inputs from the PAG and send outputs to laryngeal motoneurons for vocalization.

Notizen: Abstract  Previous studies have reported that stimulation of group I afferents from extensor muscles prolongs stance duration during walking in decerebrate cats. The main objective of this investigation was to determine whether this phenomenon occurs during walking in conscious cats. In conscious cats without lesions of the central nervous system (CNS), stimulation of group I afferents in the lateral gastrocnemius/soleus (LGS) nerve during stance prolonged extensor burst duration and increased the cycle period in five of seven animals. The mean increases in cycle period were modest, ranging from 6 to 22%. In five of six animals that walked both quadrupedally and bipedally at the same rate, the effects on cycle period were stronger during bipedal stepping (18% mean increase in cycle period compared with 9%). The stimulated nerves were transected and the experimental procedure was usually delayed in the conscious animals for 2–3 days following implantation of the stimulating electrodes. To assess whether chronic axotomy of the LGS nerve was a factor in the decreased effectiveness, four of the cats with chronic nerve section were decerebrated and their LGS nerves were stimulated after the animals began to spontaneously walk on a motorized treadmill. In all four of these animals, the effects of stimulating the chronically cut LGS nerve on the step cycle period became stronger following decerebration. However, these effects were not as strong as those produced when an acutely sectioned LGS nerve was stimulated. During both quadrupedal and bipedal walking, stimulation of the LGS nerve increased the amplitude of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) electromyogram. The augmented activity of the MG muscle contributed to an increased extension of the ankle during stimulated steps. The conclusion from these experiments is that stimulation of the group I afferents in extensor nerves can prolong stance in the conscious cat, but this effect is weaker than in decerebrate animals. It is likely that transmission in the polysynaptic group I pathways controlling stance duration is regulated in a complex fashion by descending signals from the brain in the conscious animal.

Notizen: Abstract  In the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cord of cats anaesthetised with pentobarbitone sodium, microelectrophoretically administered (–)-baclofen, but not (+)-baclofen, reversibly reduced the duration of the orthodromic action potential of muscle group Ia afferent terminations, but not those of muscle group I afferent myelinated fibres. The presumably submicromolar concentrations are already known to reversibly reduce excitatory transmitter release from muscle group Ia afferent terminations. Action potential durations were estimated from threshold recovery curves after an orthodromic impulse using an extracellular microstimulation technique. Both of these presynaptic effects of (–)-baclofen were blocked by baclofen antagonists, and neither appeared to be reduced by the potassium channel blocking agents tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine. Tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine also did not significantly modify the reduction by (–)-baclofen of monosynaptic field potentials in the lumbar cord of rats anaesthetised with pentobarbitone sodium. In the cat the maximum reduction by (–)-baclofen of termination action potentials was considerably less than that produced by cadmium ions, which, unlike (–)-baclofen, also reduced the action potential duration of group I myelinated fibres. These findings are consistent with a reduction by (–)-baclofen of the influx of calcium through voltage-activated channels in the membrane of group Ia terminations, a proposal which also accounts for the reduction by (–)-baclofen of the release of GABA at axo-axonic depolarizing synapses on these terminations. The results are discussed in relation to the mode of action of (–)-baclofen and the different sensitivities of transmitter release at various central synapses.

Notizen: Abstract  A region of the caudal ventrolateral medullary reticular formation (CVLM) participates in baroreceptor, vestibulosympathetic, and somatosympathetic reflexes; the adjacent retroambigual area is involved in generating respiratory-related activity and is essential for control of the upper airway during vocalization. However, little is known about the connections of the CVLM in the cat. In order to determine the locations of terminations of CVLM neurons, the anterograde tracers Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin and tetramethylrhodamine dextran amine were injected into this region. These injections produced a dense concentration of labeled axons throughout the lateral medullary reticular formation (lateral tegmental field), including the retrofacial nucleus and nucleus ambiguus, regions of the rostral ventrolateral medulla, the lateral and ventrolateral aspects of the hypoglossal nucleus, nucleus intercalatus, and the facial nucleus. A smaller number of labeled axons were located in the medial, lateral, and commissural subnuclei of nucleus tractus solitarius, the A5 region of the pontine reticular formation, the ventral and medial portions of the spinal and motor trigeminal nuclei, locus coeruleus, and the parabrachial nucleus. We confirmed the projection from the CVLM to both the rostral ventrolateral medulla and lateral tegmental field using retrograde tracing. Injections of biotinylated dextran amine or Fluorogold into these regions resulted in retrogradely labeled cell bodies in the CVLM. However, the neurons projecting to the lateral tegmental field were located mainly dorsal to those projecting to the rostral ventrolateral medulla, suggesting that these neurons form two groups, possibly with different inputs. Injections of retrograde tracers into the lateral tegmental field and rostral ventrolateral medulla also produced labeled cell bodies in other regions, including the medial and inferior vestibular nuclei and nucleus solitarius. These data are consistent with the view that the CVLM of the cat is a multifunctional area that regulates blood pressure, produces vocalization, affects the shape of the oral cavity, and elicits contraction of particular facial muscles.

Notizen: Abstract  This study was primarily aimed at investigating the selectivity of the cortico-spinal actions exerted on the pathways mediating primary afferent depolarization (PAD) of muscle spindle and tendon organ afferents ending within the intermediate nucleus at the L6–L7 segmental level. To this end we analyzed, in the anesthetized cat, the effects produced by electrical stimulation of sensory nerves and of the cerebral cortex on (a) the intraspinal threshold of pairs of single group I afferent fibers belonging to the same or to different hindlimb muscles and (b) the intraspinal threshold of two collaterals of the same muscle afferent fiber. Afferent fibers were classified in three categories, according to the effects produced by stimulation of segmental nerves and of the cerebral cortex. Twenty-five of 40 fibers (62.5%) were depolarized by stimulation of group I posterior biceps and semitendinosus (PBSt) or tibialis (Tib) fibers, but not by stimulation of the cerebral cortex or of cutaneous and joint nerves, which instead inhibited the PBSt- or Tib-induced PAD (type A PAD pattern, usually seen in Ia fibers). The remaining 15 fibers (37.5%) were all depolarized by stimulation of the PBSt or Tib nerves and the cerebral cortex. Stimulation of cutaneous and joint nerves produced PAD in 10 of those 15 fibers (type B PAD pattern) and inhibited the PBSt- or Tib-induced PAD in the 5 remaining fibers (type C PAD pattern). Fibers with a type B or C PAD pattern are likely to be Ib. Not all sites in the cerebral cortex inhibited with the same effectiveness the segmentally induced PAD of group I fibers with a type A PAD pattern. With the weakest stimulation of the cortical surface, the most effective sites that inhibited the PAD of individual fibers were surrounded by less effective sites, scattered all along the motor cortex (area 4γ and 6) and sensory cortex (areas 3, 2 and 1), far beyond the area of projection of group I fibers from the hindlimb. With higher strengths of cortical stimulation, the magnitude of the inhibition was also increased, and previously ineffective or weakly effective sites became more effective. Maps obtained when using the weakest cortical stimuli have indicated that the most effective regions that produced PAD of group I fibers with a type B or type C PAD pattern were also scattered throughout the sensory-motor cortex, in the same general area as those that inhibited the PAD of group I afferents with a type A PAD pattern. In eight fibers with a type A PAD pattern it was possible to examine the intraspinal threshold of two collaterals of the same single afferent fiber ending within the intermediate nucleus at the L7 segmental level. In six fibers, stimulation of the PBSt nerve with trains of pulses between 1.5 and 1.86 times threshold (×T) produced a larger PAD in one collateral than in the other. In seven fibers, stimulation of the sensory-motor cortex and of cutaneous nerves produced a larger inhibition of the PBSt-induced PAD in one collateral than in the other. The ratio of the cortically induced inhibition of the PAD elicited in the two collaterals could be modified by changing the strength of cortical and of PBSt stimulation. In three fibers it was possible to inhibit almost completely the background PAD elicited in one collateral while having little or no effect on the PAD in the other collateral. Changes in the intraspinal threshold of pairs of collaterals following electrical stimulation of segmental nerves and of the somato-sensory cortex were examined in three fibers with a type B and two fibers with a type C PAD pattern. In four fibers the PAD elicited by stimulation of cutaneous (4–20×T) and muscle nerves (1.54–3.7×T), or by stimulation of the sensory-motor cortex, was of different magnitude in the two collaterals. In two experiments it was possible to find cortical sites in which weak surface stimulation produced PAD in one collateral only. The magnitude of the PAD elicited in pairs of collaterals of group I afferents with a type B or C PAD pattern, or the inhibition of the PAD in pairs of collaterals of fibers with a type A PAD pattern, appeared not to be topographically related to the site of spinal projection of the cutaneous and cortico-spinal fibers used for conditioning stimulation. The present demonstration of a differential control of the PAD exerted on two collaterals of the same afferent fiber suggests that the profuse intraspinal branching of muscle spindle and tendon organs is a potentially rich substrate for information transmission. By means of presynaptic control mechanisms, the terminal arborizations of the afferent fibers could function either as a simple unit or in a fractionated manner, allowing funneling of information to selected groups of central neurons.

Notizen: Abstract  The central cervical nucleus (CCN) of the cat receives input from upper cervical muscle afferents, particularly primary spindle afferents. Its axons cross in the spinal cord, and while in the contralateral restiform body give off collaterals to the vestibular nuclei. In order to study the connections between CCN axons and vestibular neurons, we stimulated the area of the CCN in decerebrate cats while recording intra- or extracellularly from neurons in the contralateral vestibular nuclei. CCN stimulation evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) or extracellularly recorded firing in the lateral, medial and descending vestibular nuclei. The latency of EPSPs (mean 1.6 ms) was on average 0.4 ms longer than the latency of antidromic spikes evoked in the CCN by stimulation of the contralateral vestibular nuclei (mean 1.2 ms), demonstrating that the excitation was typically monosynaptic. The results provide further evidence that the CCN is an important excitatory relay between upper cervical muscle afferents and neurons in the contralateral vestibular nuclei.

Notizen: Abstract  The ventrolateral (VL) thalamus in mammals is a site well-situated to show vocalization-related neural activity if there is general or classical motor system involvement in vocal production. It receives input from both the basal ganglia and cerebellum, and forms reciprocal connections with motor cortical areas. The current study examined the activity in cat VL thalamus neurons during instrumentally conditioned vocalization. Units in our sample showed irregular spontaneous firing which could be modulated by slowly occurring fluctuations in intensity of vocalization task performance. Two main types of behavioral events were associated with changes in neural firing rate. The first of these was the ingestion of food reward. More than half of all recordings showed phasic bursting patterns during licking; a similar number had increases in firing preparatory to this phasic activity. The second behavioral event modulating unit responses was vocalization. Approximately 60% of recordings showed activity changes time-locked to vocalization. These responses were almost always excitatory, and often involved changes in firing that preceded vocalization onset. No spatial organization of differences in firing pattern between neurons could be distinguished. Our results suggest that VL thalamus may well be involved in mediating vocal behavior, although its functional role remains an object of speculation. Results are compared with previous studies of vocalization-related activity and of VL thalamus activity.

Notizen: Abstract  In a proportion of simple cells of the striate cortex, the weighting functions of the receptive fields (RFs) had more periods than could be established by mapping using responses to light bars and dark bars. In these multiperiodical cells, side subfields do not respond to single bars, as they have lower weights than central zones and the excitation is under the threshold of impulse response if a single bar is applied. This fact has been established by different methods: conditioning and testing stimuli, grating patches, and inverse Fourier transform of the amplitude-phase characteristic, combining them in one cell. We assume that this type of nonlinarity can be used in analyzing the image, as it acts as a spatial-frequency filter of the area overlapped by the RF. The responses to complex gratings composed by two sinusoidal gratings of different frequency, contrast, and phase shift were compared with the sum of the responses to the gratings when they were presented separately. The results show that the principle of superposition holds a reasonable approximation even if the response is evoked from the side subzones. Some simple cells have nonlinear properties beyond the classic zone of RF (2nd type of nonlinearity). Linear cells have a tendency to be localized in layer 4 of striate cortex, cells with a nonlinear surround in layers 2, 3, 5, and 6. The significance of both types of nonlinearities in simple cells is discussed.

Notizen: Abstract  Axonal pathways, projection levels, conduction velocities, and locations of the cell bodies of saccular nerve-activated vestibulospinal neurons were studied in decerebrated cats and anesthetized cats, using a collision test of orthodromic and antidromic spikes. The saccular nerve was selectively stimulated by bipolar tungsten electrodes. Three monopolar electrodes were inserted into the left and right lateral vestibulospinal tract (LVST) and medial vestibulospinal tract (MVST) of the C1 segment, to determine the pathway of axons. Three pairs of similar electrodes were positioned bilaterally in the C3–4, T1, and L3 segments to examine projection levels. Another monopolar electrode was placed in the oculomotor nucleus to determine whether saccular nerve-activated vestibulospinal neurons have branches ascending to the oculomotor nucleus. Of 145 vestibular neurons orthodromically activated by stimulation of the saccular nerve, 46 were activated from the C1 segment antidromically. Forty-three were second-order vestibulospinal neurons and 3 were third-order vestibulospinal neurons. Four saccular nerve-activated vestibulospinal neurons were also antidromically activated from the oculomotor nucleus. Sixty-three percent of the saccular nerve-activated vestibulospinal neurons descended through the MVST; one-third of these terminated in the upper cervical segments, one-third reached the lower cervical segments and the remaining one-third reached the upper thoracic segments. Thirty percent of the saccular nerve-activated vestibulospinal neurons descended through the ipsilateral LVST; most of these reached the upper thoracic segments. Seven percent of the saccular nerve-activated vestibulospinal neurons descended through the contralateral vestibulospinal tracts terminating in the upper cervical segments. Most of the saccular nerve-activated vestibulospinal neurons originated in the caudal part of the lateral nucleus and rostral part of the descending nucleus.

Notizen: Abstract  The aim of this investigation was to understand the functions of long horizontal connections projecting from area 17 to area 18 in cats. The animals were anesthetized and prepared for recording single-cell responses to sine-wave gratings in area 18. Neuronal activity was analyzed under three conditions: prior to, during, and after inactivation of a circumscribed region of area 17. The latter was depressed with micro-injections of GABA. Cells in both areas were in close retinotopic correspondence. Cells were classified as simple and complex types. Globally, simple cells were less affected than complex units, and those which were affected shifted their optimal spatial frequency to higher values. Complex neurons were more often influenced by the interruption of area 17 input. Namely, the peaks of the tuning curves were displaced on the x-axis to a new optimal spatial frequency. This effect was obtained by a dual change: a decline in the discharge strength to the optimal spatial frequency and an enhancement to nonoptimal spatial frequency. Contrast sensitivity function disclosed similar shifts of optimal spatial frequencies. Likewise bandwith, spatial resolution, high cutoff, and low cutoff were modified to a greater extent in complex cells. It appears that there is no relationship between areas 17/18 orientation difference and the modifications observed in tuning curves to spatial frequencies. The results suggest that neurons of area 18 may carry multiple-frequency channels and that area 17 facilitates the emergence of one particular spatial frequency.

Notizen: Abstract  In the lumbar ventral horn of pentobarbitone-anaesthetised cats, (-)-baclofen reduces both the synaptic release of excitatory transmitter from muscle group Ia afferent terminations and the duration of the presynaptic action potentials of these terminations, presumably by interfering with the influx of calcium ions through voltage-activated channels. Baclofen, however, has little or no effect on cholinergic excitation at motor axon collateral synapses on spinal Renshaw cells and, in the present study, was found not to reduce the duration of the action potential of axon collateral terminations located in the vicinity of Renshaw cells in pentobarbitone-anaesthetised cats. Furthermore, in contrast to group Ia terminations, a 4-aminopyridine-sensitive potassium conductance could not be detected as contributing to axon collateral termination action potentials. These results suggest that there may be differences in presynaptic ion fluxes associated with transmitter release at the intraspinal terminations of group Ia afferent fibres and motor axon collaterals in the cat spinal cord.

Notizen: Abstract  The effect of exposure to repeated angular velocity steps about the earth-vertical axis on the vertical vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) during onside pitch rotation was investigated in normal cats. By contrast with the VOR in the horizontal plane, the amplitude and duration of the vertical VOR did not progressively decrease throughout the repetition of velocity steps alternated in both directions. Instead, the amplitude of VOR decreased by about 40% during the very first trials in naive cats and then stayed unchanged with repeated stimuli. Habituation of the amplitude of the vertical VOR was observed when the velocity steps were always directed in the same direction. However, the duration of the vertical VOR did not show any signs of habituation. The habituation of the amplitude of the vertical VOR during unidirectional training was due to the progressive development of an initial inhibition of the VOR. This initial inhibition appeared much earlier during the bidirectional protocol, and was presumably responsible for the larger reduction in VOR amplitude observed during the very first session. These results support the model of two distinct mechanisms for VOR habituation, one producing an increasing inhibition of nystagmus, and the other depressing the response duration, and suggest that only the first mechanism is generated during repeated stimulation in the vertical plane. The low-frequency information provided by the velocity storage mechanism during onside pitch rotation, when the otoliths are positioned so they do not signal head tilt relative to gravity, could prevent a decrease in the overall response by the second mechanism.

Notizen: Abstract  Neurophysiological studies of the blink reflex to supraorbital nerve stimulation were conducted in eight alert, adult male cats. The cat, like other mammals, shows both short-latency (R1) and long-latency (R2) orbicularis oculi electromyographic (OOemg) components. Measures of OOemg latency, duration, integrated area, and maximum amplitude (MA) were obtained at a stimulus magnitude of 1.5×R2 threshold. The mean (±SE) minimal latencies for R1 and R2 were 8.26±0.85 and 22.97±1.53 ms, respectively. On average, R1 MA was larger than R2 MA. R1 and R2 area measures were similar. Three stimulus paradigms were tested. In a paired-stimulus paradigm, the interstimulus interval (ISI) was randomly varied from 100 to 1200 ms. Ratios were constructed for the OOemg area and MA by dividing the test response by the conditioning response. In this paradigm, although a significant linear relationship was observed only between ISI and R2 MA, conditioning effects were noted on both R1 and R2 area and MA test responses at several ISIs. In a habituation paradigm, both R2 and R1 showed habituation at stimulus frequencies from 0.5 to 2 Hz. In a stimulus-response paradigm, stimulus magnitude was randomly varied between threshold and 2×threshold. In this paradigm, OOemg area and MA of both R1 and R2 were linearly related to stimulus magnitude. Neither the systemically administered centrally acting α2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine nor agonist clonidine had significant effects on blink reflex parameters, habituation, or the paired-stimulus paradigm. Overall, these results suggest that there are important similarities in the control and modulation of the R1 and R2 components of the blink reflex to supraorbital nerve stimulation in cats.

Notizen: Abstract  Somaesthetic input to rubrospinal cells, bypassing the cerebellum and cerebral cortex, has been demonstrated in the cat. The detailed organization of this somatic afferent system was studied using electrophysiological methods on multiple-lesion, chloralose-anaesthetized preparations. Stimulation of the dorsal column (DC) at upper cervical cord segments induced significant responses in magnocellular red nucleus (RNm) cells in cats without a cerebellum and with ablation of the frontal cortex. As classic descriptions state that primary afferents fibres have ascending and descending branches in the DC, with many collaterals arborizing in the grey matter at the segmental level of the cord, this procedure is equivalent to stimulating the somatic fibres coming from a large portion of the body, leading to the simultaneous activation of most ascending spinal pathways. To show that the pathway responsible for the rubral responses ascends in the ventral spinal cord, and that the synaptic relays are located at the segmental level, the stimulation was applied to the DC, caudally to the sectioned dorsal spinal half. Various tests confirmed that the activation was conducted to rubral cells through antidromically activated primary afferents. Their multiple collaterals relay the messages to cells located caudal to the spinal lesion, with fibres ascending in the ventral cord. Any relay of the somatic rubral responses in the DC’s nuclei was excluded. When the DC was sectioned and its rostral end was dissected free and lifted onto two hook electrodes for stimulation, no response was obtained in the rubral cells. This dissection indeed sectioned all DC fibre collaterals entering the grey matter, thus excluding the possibility of segmental relay. Single shocks applied to the ventral quadrant of the cord or in the medial lemniscus (LM) in the medulla oblongata induced monosynaptic excitatory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs) in most rubrospinal cells. The spinal EPSPs could be collided by stimulation in the LM, thus demonstrating the existence of direct connections from the cord to the RNm. This somaesthetic pathway to the RNm could be involved in on-line correction of movements and in learning new motor strategies.

Notizen: Abstract. We investigated the binding characteristics of two monoclonal antibodies, 4F3 and 3F8, which in the retina specifically stain Müller cells, both with protein blots and immunohistochemically in sections of various regions of the central nervous system of neonatal and adult cats and rats. Clear differences emerged between the two antibodies. In addition, some species-specific as well as developmental differences within the staining pattern of each individual antibody were evident. The epitopes recognized by 4F3 lay mainly in the 57–63 kDa range. Histologically, 4F3 labelled mainly glia cells: oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in optic nerve, astrocytes in neocortex and cerebellum, Bergmann glia in the cerebellum and radial glia in neonatal animals. This was confirmed by double-immunofluorescence with the astrocyte marker GFAP. By contrast, 3F8 epitopes lay mainly in the 47–49 kDa range. Histologically, 3F8 labelled oligodendrocytes in the optic nerve, but only neurons in cerebellum and neocortex as confirmed by double-labelling with neuronal markers. Neither 4F3 nor 3F8 recognized GFAP or vimentin. These results clearly indicate (1) that the two antibodies identify new epitopes/molecules, (2) that the antigens are not retina-specific, and (3) that Müller cells share epitopes with other glial cells as well as with neurons outside the retina.

Notizen: (not readable) fully autimated purge and trap system has been developed for (not readable) detemination of volatile wine components. The proposed system consists of sampler, a purge and trap instrument, and a GC, (not readable) steps, from the uptake of the infiltrated wine from the sampler (not readable) to the printout of the intergrated chromatograms, proceed(not readable), Typical problems occurring when analyzing polar analytes by the classical purse and trap approach have been specifically addressed. The system has been desiggned to handle such difficult (not readable) analytes. Efforts have been made to improve the reproducibility and the carry-over of these analytes. The measures adopted include: thorough rinsing and subsequent conditioning of the P + T parger; elimination of matrix effects by dilution and high salt (not readable); tight specification of purge relevant parameters; split-inter-(not readable) to improve GC retention time reproducibility.

Notizen: The paper describes a capillary GC/MS hardware arrangement allowong either:(a)on-line injection of sample of gases and vapors coming from dynamic headspace or purg & trap samplers and their subsequent cryofocusing/thermal desorption prior to the analytical capillary column (first column):(b)direct injection of liquid samples through a cold on-column injector into a second analytical column (counted in series with the first).Chromatographic profiles of acacia honey aromas provide condirmation of the suitability of this system.

Notizen: Recent methods employed for the analysis of algal toxins have focused on high performance liquid chromatography. However these methods suffer from poor resolution, poor efficiency, and long analysis times. This study involves the investigation of a number of toxins including nodularin, microcystin LR, YR, and RR which are cyclic peptides produced by strains of blue-green algae. The electroseparation mode was micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC) using a borate buffer containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the surgactant of choice. The method was optimized with standard toxin compounds and employed for the screening opf toxins in supercritical fluid extracts (SFE) of freeze-thawed algal scum samples.

Notizen: Four new stationary phases for HPLC were prepared by modifying silica gel with a trifrnctional aminoalkyl silane. A conjugated π-electron system was linked to the amino group either directly or with a carboxylic anhydride as a spacer in between. Characterization and dynamic measurements of the new stationary phases were performed by solid state NMR spectroscopy. The results of the 29si and 13C CP/MAS techniques were compared with the recently developed 1H MAS-only technique. Despite strong homonuclear dipole-dipole interactions it was possible to obtain well resolved 1H MAS spectra of those stationaru phases with a high degree of crosslinking. Limited mobility of the aromatic ligand fragments is common for all examined stationaryu phases.The chromatographic properties of the new phases were tested by their ability tio sepatate a mixture of eight PAHS. It could be shown that the π-π interaction mechanism is responsible for the separation of the eight PAHs, because the elution order of the PAHs did not changem despite the use of both a nonpolar mobile phase (n-heptane) and a polar mobile phase (methanol/ water mixture).

Notizen: Artemisinin (an antimalarial compound) and its bioprecursor artemisinic acid, present in the plant Atemisia annua L., were analyzed by supercritical fluid chromatography (SFS) using capillary and packed columns, coupled respectively with a flame ionization detector (FID) and an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD). Both methods were optimized and validated with columns of different polarity in order to separate artemisinin and artemisinic acid. Analytical results were comparable, but the paced SFC-ELSD method was faster. Indeed, artemisinin and artemisinic acid were separated with an aminopropyl silica column in less than 8 minutes instead of about 25 minutes by capillary SFS. Contrary to conventional gas and liquid chromatography coupled to an UV-visible detector, SFS methods determined both compounds directly, without degradation and/or derivatization in the concentration range expected in the plant material. Results obtained on plant extracts by capillary SFS-FID and packed SFS-ELSD were confirmed by GC-MS.

Notizen: Several acidic xylooligosaccharides containing unsaturated “hexenuronic acid” units, i.e. 4-deoxy-L-threo-hex-4-enopyranosy-lurinic acid (4-ΔU) units, were separated as their alditol derivatives by capillary zone electrophoriesis in 438 mM borate buffer (pH 10.3) and were detected selectively at the μM level on-column UV detection at 232 nm. These acidic oligosaccharides were obtained from birch and pine kraft pulps on enzymatic hydrolysis with endoxylanases and subsequent treatment with other Trichoderma reesei enzymes. Under the conditions empolyed, acidic 4-ΔU-containing xylooligosaccharides with a molecular size renging from trisaccharides up to nonasaccharides could be separated. Oligosaccharides with higher molecular mass were detected first. Two 4-ΔU-xylotetraose isomers, with the 4-ΔU-group linked to different xylose units in the iligosaccharide backbone, could be resolved from each other with a resolution of about 1. By using a disaccharide (4-ΔU α-(1 → 4) linked to N-acetyl glucosamine) as a model compound the minimum detectable concentration was determined as 10 μM.

Notizen: Capillary gas chromatography in combination with atomic emission and electron impact-chemical ionizaion mass spectrometry detectors have been used to detect amitraz degradation products in honey storage, characterize their structure, and evaluate their occurrence over a 100 day peroid. To this end, honey samples were extracted with an 8:2 v/v n-hexane/acetone mixture. Amitraz was found to be rapidly decomposed into five related compounds, of which N-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)formamide was the most abundant and persistent.

Notizen: The behavior of bovine whey proteins in Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) systems has been investigated. The Linear Solvent Strength (LSS) model has been applied to the separation of these proteins studying how their retention time and band broadening change when different gradient parameters are modified. From our results it is deduced that the LSS model describes the behaviour of the whey proteins in RP-HPLC. Also, it seems that ts (the retention time for non-retained solutes) depends on the size of these proteins. The good fit observed between experimental data and the equations deduced from the LSS model allows the prediction of a gradient shape that permits a rapid analysis of the above mentioned proteins.

Notizen: Four chiral stationary phases containing modified cyclodextrines diluted in or chemically bonded to a non-chiral phase were used to resolve chiral organochlorine compounds such as α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH), perdeuterated α-HCH (α-PDHCH), β-and γ-pentachlorocyclohexene (PCCH), oxychlordane, cis-and trans-chlor- dane, cis- and trans-heptachlorepoxide, PCB 95, PCB 132, PCB 149, and Chiral tozaphenes.The elution order was determined by analyzing standards with known enantiomeric excesses.Furthermore, an internal standard was used to even out slight variations in the ratio of peak hights of enantiomers which were determined from injection to injection.None of the chiral stationary phases resolved all chiral organochlorine compounds. However, the β-TBDM(35% heptakis (6-O-t-butyldimethylsilyl-2,3-di-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin in OV 1701) column allowed the separation of all compounds under investigation except for PCB 95 and chiral toxaphenes.Emphasis was placed on the separation of as many as possible enantiomers on a chiral phase by application of one temperature program and with respect to unambiguous quantitation of biological samples such as bludder and liver of marine and terrestrial mammals.

Notizen: An on-line coupling of size-exclusion Chromatography (SEC), normal-phase liquid Chromatography (NPLC), and gas Chromatography (GC) for the characterization of complex hydrocarbon mixtures is described. The hyphenated system separates according to size, polarity, and boiling point. The use of size exclusion as the first separation step allows for the direct injection of complex (“dirty”) samples withont prior clean-up. SEC-NPLC coupling was realized using an on-line solvent evaporator based on fully concurrent solvent evaporation (FCSE) using a modified loop-type interface, vapor exit and co-solvent trapping. Complete reconcentration of the analytes was realized by the introduction of a cryogenic cold trap. For the subsequent hydrocarbon group-type separation an ammo-silica column with n-heptane as eluent was used. The NPLC-GC coupling was based on an on-column interface using partially concurrent solvent evaporation (PCSE) and an early vapor exit. Initial results obtained on the analysis of a residue from the atmospheric crude-oil distillation (a so-called long residue) are presented as an example of the enormous separation power of the SEC-NPLC-GC system. The application of the system for quantitative analysis has not yet been studied.

Notizen: A modified sulfur chemiluniinescence detector (SCO) has been interfaced to a HPLC-HRGC hyphenated system. This combination enables the full characterization and quantitation of the sulfur containing compounds in (heavy) middle distillate oil fractions (boiling range 150-450°C). The system is suited to identify and determine the various groups of orgaiio-sulfur structures such as: thiols + sulfides + thiophencs, benzothiophenes, dibenzothiophenes and benzo-naphthothiophenes. Within these groups a separation according to boiling point is accomplished. Therefore it allows the separation, identification and quantitation of a number of individual species, especially those which are refractory to hydrodesulfu-rization (HDS), such as 3-methyl-benzothiophene, 4-methyl-dibenzothiophene and -J,6-dimethyl-dibenzothiophene. The analysis of these groups and specific compounds is the key in understanding the kinetics of the chemistry involved in HDS. The complete instrumental set-up is fully automated by computer control. To suppress possible interferences and quenching of the sulfur response of the SCL from (large amounts of) hydrocarbons, it is aligned above the adapted flame ionization detector (FID) of the GC. This renders a sensitivity of the SCO for sulfur of 2 pg. s-1, which corresponds to a minimum detectable level for individual sulfur species in oil fractions for the complete system of 1 ppm (mg. kg-1) sulfur. Its linear dynamic range exceeds 105, which means that also untreated, high sulfur containing feedstocks can be analyzed directly. The selectivity of sulfur to carbon of the modified SCO exceeds 106. A number of HDS feedstocks and desulfurized products of different desulfurization levels have been analyzed with the system. From the analysis results the behavior of the refractory compounds in HDS can now be followed closely.

Notizen: The equivalent chain length (ECL) values of the methyl esters of 83 defined fatty acids (FAs) have been determined by gas chromatog-raphy (GC) on three fused silica DB-WAX and three DB-1 columns. ECL values of further 46 FAs were calculated by different methods. Conditions of chromatography, methods of ECL values calculation and differences between ECL values on individual columns and between trans- and cis-isomers of corresponding FAs are also discussed.

Notizen: A Method has been developed for the separation and enrichemen of there non-ortho, eight mono-ortho, and di-ortho substituted polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from Aroclor formulations and environmental samples. The fractionation is accomplished using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a 2-(1-pyrenyl)ethyldimethylsilysily silca column. GC-MSD with an optimized temperature program was used for quantitation, Hexane, pentane, cyclohexane, iso-octane, and 2-propanol were tested as a mobile phase for the isolation of the thirteen target PCBs in a Aroclor 1242, 1254, and 1260 (1:1:1) misture, Pentane at room temperature with a slow rate of 0.7 ml/min is the condition of choice. The average recovery of thirteen target PCBs spiked in the Aroclor mixture is 99.5% with an average relative standard deviation of 4.5%. The average method detection limit is 8pg/μl. Targer PCBs in the reference solis, incinarator ash, and sediment samples were measured.

Notizen: Splitless injection conditions were optimized by the use of experimental designs (2-level factorial and central composite designs). Modified parameters were: Type of liner, injection volume, solvent, temperature, splitless time. A prolonged splitless time, considered to be an important parameter, proved to be statistically insignificant. This leads to the conclusion that analytes can penetrate the dead volume between column entrance and split valve. To prevent any penetration of solvents, a small reversed split flow was introduced. It could be shown that this auxiliary flow allows an almost complete transfer of solvents. To further speed up the transfer process, a liner modification was proposed.

Notizen: The applicability of the retention index system to hcadspacc solid phase microextraxtion (HS-SPME) was investigated. In headspace SPME, the two equilibria gas phase/matrix and fiber coating/gas phase have to he considered. In this paper the equilibrium fiber coating/gas phase is discussed separately to characterize it more detailed and to investigate several methodical aspects. Therefore, the different distribution constants Kfiber/gas of n-alkanes, which were used for reference compounds, were related to their Kováts retention indices. The validity of the derived linear relationship log Kfiber/gas versus retention index I is demonstrated for various examples. This relation is helpful for the assessment of distribution constants of substances not available and for the choice of a suitable fiber coating. Furthermore, quantification of analytes in the gas phase can be done without authentic substances.

Notizen: Off-line normal-phase LC has been used for the clean-up of compounds in our laboratory for several years. On-line coupling of this LC system, which typically yields 12 ml fractions, is not possible due to its large fraction volume. The maximum transfer volume in on-line LC-GC/ECD is approx. 300 μl. Therefore down-scaling of the LC system was attempted in order to reach these low fraction volumes. Miniaturization resulted in a 240 μ1 LC fraction containing the analytes of interest, which is transferred to GC/ECD via an on-column interface. Sensitivity requires that a minimum amount equivalent to 1-2 mg of sample should reach the GC detector; the selectivity is determined by the separation between the matrix and the last eluting target analyte.For the analysis of fatty samples, limitations were observed in the separation of dieldrin from triglycerides. Other organochlorine compounds, e.g. polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), the DDT group, HCB and the HCHs can be analyzed with RSDs of 2-4 % (n = 10) at concentration levels of sub-μ/kg in milk fat using a 3 μm Hypersil silica 50 × 1.0 mm i.d. LC column.

Notizen: Supercritical fluid extraction of oxindole alkaloids from Uncaria Tormentosa is described. The extraction was performed with supercritical carbon dioxide alone and with supercritical carbon dioxide modified with 10% metanol, and the extracts were analyzed by GC/MS and HPLC/MS.

Notizen: Salicylate is a hydrolysis product of salicylate-containing drugs (such as aspirin) in patients' blood. Monitoring of this ion in blood is helpful for diagnosing of overdosage of these drugs. The present paper describes an ion chromatography (IC) method developed for determination of total salicylate in human serum, in which a hulk acoustic wave (BAW) sensor was used as detector; 0.5 mmoI/L sodium carbonate (Na2CO3, pH 8.5) served as mobile phase. Interference in the determination was negligible. The method is simple, rapid, accurate, and precise. Serum salicylate was analyzed using both the proposed IC-BAW method and the classical Trinder spec-trophotometric method, and the results showed that the two method agreed well.

Notizen: A range of unusual fatty acids with cis-5-unsaturation had been reported in the seed oil of Caltha palustris. Seed oils of Cimicifuga spp. have now been found to contain the same unusual fatty acids as are present in Caltha, plus several other minor fatty acids to give a more complex and more unsaturated seed oil fatty acid pattern.The gas chromatographic fatty acid patterns found seem to be consistent and chemotaxonomically significant, because essentially the same pattern was found in several species of the genus Cimicifuga. These findings may shed a new light on the relation of Cimicifuga to Caltha, and to other genera in the plant family Ranunculaceae.The situation is illustrated by capillary GLC seed oil fatty acid methyl ester “fingerprints” obtained from Cimicifuga and Caltha, and is discussed in relation to other genera. The occurrence in nature of several of these unusual fatty acids, and their chemotax-onomic significance is discussed. The close relation of GLC fatty acid patterns of Caltha and Cimicifuga could indicate monophyly and/or their belonging to the same tribe or subtribe. These observations are not in accordance with the phylogenetic systematic schemes of the genera in this plant family as published by various authors.

Notizen: The control of the enrichment levels in foods is difficult, due mainly to the lack of appropriate analytical methodologies. The amounts of the five B-group vitamins (nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, ribofla-vin, thiamin, and pyridoxine) have been determined in enriched Brazilian foods by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Fifty products, such as biscuits, liquid and dry milks, flavored milk drinks, flour, macaroni, and cereals were analyzed. Some products showed the amounts declared on the package. Although some slight quantitative variations were shown in the biscuits, one showed levels of riboflavin 35% lower than the value declared. Of five different corn cereal brands, only one showed the declared vitamin content, the others showing levels 30 % lower than that declared. No B-group vitamins were detected in one brand of enriched macaroni, except for the nicotinic acid naturally present in the flour. On the other hand, one flavored milk drink exhibited vitamins levels 200% higher than the amounts declared and one milk drink mix presented thiamin, riboflavin, and nicotinamide levels 3 to 5 times greater than stated. These results suggest an absence of control of the amount of vitamins in enriched foods.

Notizen: Enantiomeric diterpene hydrocarbons were isolated from different plants and identified by mass spectrometric and NMR investigations. All enantiomeric pairs could be resolved by capillary gas chromatography using either heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl-3-O-pen-tyl)-β-cyclodextrin or heptakis(6-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-2,3-di-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin as chiral stationary phases.

Notizen: A capillary zone clectrophoresis method was developed for the determination of IMP and GIMP, commonly used as flavor enhancers in poultry feed, in a real sample of complex composition. A baseline separation of inosine 5′-monophosphate and guanosine 5′-monophosphate was achieved within 10 min and the other components in the sample did not interfere with the separation. Quantitative results obtained from pig feed samples are presented. The separation conditions and experimental reproducibility are also discussed.

Notizen: The aroma composition of three different Fragaria anannassa cul-tivars Selva, Chandler, and Osso Grande) is studied by purge-and-trap HRGC and the components identified by MRGC-MS and HRGC-FTIR. The chromatographic aroma profiles from four different maturation stages in each variety are compared and the similarities accessed by principal component analysis (PCA). The contents in n-hexanal and hex-2(Z)-enal are characteristic features of the green stage in the three varieties where the content differences in methyl, ethyl, and butyl acetates act as typifying variables among varieties. Ethyl acetate acts as an important differentiation variable for the Selva variety. In the mature stage, the three cultivars may be distinguished from each other through their relative contents of methyl and ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (Selva), methyl 2-methyl-butyrate, methyl butyrate (Chandler), methyl and ethyl butyrates, and methyl caproate (Osso Grande).

Notizen: A method has been developed to determine 11 phenolic antioxidants in the food simulants distilled water, 3% acetie acid, and 15% ethanol, using; micellar capillary electrophoresis (MCE). All the phenols could he analyzed within 35 min. The analytical recovery from spiked simulants was 80 to 119% except for 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4hydroxytoluenc (BHT) and octyl gallate, which could not be recovered from 3% acetic acid simulant. Calibration graph correlation coefficients for the 11 phenols were 0.982 to 0.999. Limits of detection (LoDs) were from 2.8 to 8.6 mg/L. These LoDs are well below European Union migration limits for these substances. It is concluded therefore that MCE offers a rapid and reliable analysis for the control of migration from plastics intended for food contact which employ these phenols as antioxidants.

Notizen: An HRGC/ECD method is presented which permits the identification and quantitation of individual components of pyrethrins (cinerin I, jasmolin I, pyrethrin I, cinerin II, jasmolin II, pyrethrin II) in indoor matrices (airborne particles, house dust) after application of an agent containing pyrethrum. In order to prepare calibration standards for the individual components of the pyrethrum extract, the pyrethrins were isolated hy semi-preparative HPLC and their content and purity were determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy.

Notizen: Capillary elcctrophoresis (CE) was used for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of eleven compounds of the carbamate, thio-carhamate, and dithiocarbamate classes of pesticides. Micellar elec-trokinetic chromatography (MEKC) was employed for the separation of these substances. The analysis was performed using an uncoated fused silica column, in borate buffer containing SDS and 10% methanol at basic pH, and UV detection at 230 nm. The addition of methanol to the buffer increased the separation and affected intrinsic migration of analytes. The working standard solutions were prepared in acetonitrile/water 50:50. Although these compounds are structurally different, with a large spectrum of chemical properties, such as polarity and solubility, good separation and sensitivity were obtained. Moreover, good recovery of car-bamates was obtained from tap-water using a styrene-divinylben-zene polymer column with the solid phase extraction (SPE) technique.

Notizen: The plant family Compositae is known to produce a set of unusual fattly acids in their seed oil. Saussurea, a genus of the Compositae is less studied in respect to the fatty acid compsition of their seed oil. Only Saussurea candicans was reported to contain crepenynic acid (33%) as seed oil component.In continuation of our exploration of the portential of wild oil seeds, fatty acids in seed oils of seven Saussurea species (S. amara, S. salicifolia, S. lipschitzii, S. pseudoalpina, S. pricei, S. parviflora, and S. dorogostaiskii) growing in Mongolia a were investigated by means of capillary GLC on capiallary columns of different selectivity (Silar 5 CP and BPX 70).γ-Linolenic acid was found at levels up to 11% of the consitituent fatty acids of Saussurea spp. seed oils. This is the first time that γ-Linolenic acid has been found in members of the plant family Compositae. Moreover, the number, position and configuration of the double bonds in γ-linolenic acid and that of other fatty acids was additionally confirmed by silver ion thin layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy. The occurence and distribution of γ-linolenic acid, which has found considerable interest for pharmaceutical and dietary use, may be of chemotaxonomical significance in the plant family Compositae.

Notizen: In order to evaluate vloatile compounds, especiallly sesquiter-penoids, in environmental and geological samples a method was penoids, in environmental and geological samples a method was required to characterize these components when they occur at low concentrations. After fractionation of the total sample extracts by TLC the aliphatic fractions were analyzed by HRGC AND THE kovats indices of all resolved peaks were calculated and comkpared with indices of all resolved peaks were calculated and compared with those obtained for commercial standards. As final step, the fractions were analyzed by HRGC-MS and structures confirmed by comparison of their mass spectra with those of certified sesuiterpene standards. Additionally sesquiterpenoids present in the dissolved phase in water samples were concentrated by solid phase extraction using XAD-2 resin. In this initial study, recovery tests with the resin were carried out in order to evaluate its performance rather than validating the methodology.

Notizen: The applicability of a liquid-liquid extraction system which is coupled on-line with a capillary gas chromatograph was studied for environmental and ecotoxicological analyses. The optimized and automated system was used for the determination of apolar and rather non-volatile organic compounds in aqueous samples. Relevant aspects of sample introduction, phase separation and selection of extraction solvent are discussed. Three routine-tipe applications are described, viz. an improved method for the determination of hexachlorocyclohexanes in ground water and the determination of the so-called NCC-ether and ACC-ether in ecotoxicological studies. Depending on the application studied, the concentration levels varied from 0.1 to 6000 μg/I, using ECD and/or FID detection. Typical coefficients of variation obtained with the total extraction-GC procedure were 2-25%.The system was found to be rugged, it saves time compared with set-ups involving off-line liquid-liquid extraction and considerably reduces the manual work load.

Notizen: Equations have been obtained for the dependence of relative retention and retention indexes on average column pressure. The equations suggested conform well with experimental data. It was shown that limiting value of relative retention (at the pressure approaches zero) is an invariant retention value. The nature of the stationary liquid phase used and its film thickness have a substantial influence on the dependence of relative retention and capacity factor on the pressure.

Notizen: The enantiomeric distrubution of solerone (5-oxo-4-hexanolide) 1, ethyl 4-hydroxy- 5-oxohexanoate 2, ethyl 5-hydroxy-4-oxohexanoate 3, 4-oxo-5-hexanolide 4, and solerol (5-hydroxy-4-hexanolide) 5 in sherry wines was determined by several HRGC techniques. While gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on chiral cyclodextrin phases (chiral GC-MS) prevented any racemization of α-ketols 2 and 3 caused by keto-enol tautomerization during analysis, multidimensional gas chromatography MDGC (coupled either by “live-T” switching or by “moving column stream switching” MCSS) led to rearranged constitutional-and stereoisomers. The stereochemical results are discussed regarding the biogenesis of sherry constituents 1-5.

Notizen: Maple Syrup Urine disease (USUD) is an autosomal recessive inherited metabolic disorder of branched-chain amino acid (L-valin, L-leucine, and L-isoleucine metabolism named after the characteristic smell of affected patients urine. MSUD is caused by a deficiency of the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase compex resulting in an accumulation of branched-chain aamino acids and the corresponding α-keto-and α-hydroxy acids in blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid causing neurological damage and mental retardation. The enantioselective analysis of chiral MSUD metabolites and analysis of achiral compounds as corresponding N,O-methoxycarbonyl methyl esters by derivatization with methyl chloroformate (MCF) has been achieved simultaneusly by enantioselective multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using heptakis (2,3-di-O-methyl-6-O-tert-butyl-dimethyl-silyl)-β-cyclodextrin as chiral stationary phase. Derivatization with MCF allows the analysis of the structurally different metabolitetes such as branched-chain-carboxylic-, α-oxo-, α-hydroxy- and α-amino acids in a single chromaatographic run. Mass selective detection immensely improves the unequivocaaal identification of metabolites even when they occur as trace compound. The described method allows a reliable screening of MSUD metabolites in patients' urine without time consuming sample preparation and is also suitable for label enrichment analysis without any methodical changes. During this investigation urine sample from three MSUD paatients were analyzed.

Notizen: An extract fraction fruits of Arbutus unedo, L., was cleaned-up by column chromatography and shown by NMR to be a mixture of isomers that resists further attempts at separation by conventional chromatographic methods. High resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HRGC-MS) confirms the presence of triter-penoid isomers but does not allow separation of all the components. This can be improved by trimethylsilylation but the absence of molecular ions and the complex spectra are difficult to interpret. Complete separation can be achieved by high pressure liquid chro-matography (HPLC) coupled to a mass spectrometer by means of a particle beam interface (HPLC-PBMS). Four triterpene com-pounds are identified through analysis of the corresponding mass spectra: α-amyrin, β-amyrin, and Lupeol, have for the first time been identified in Arbutus unedo, L. Fruits. A new natural triterpene tentatively identified as olean-12-en-3β, 23-diol is described for the first time.

Notizen: Reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) was coupled on-line to gas chromatography (GC) via the vaporizer chamber/preco-lumn solvent split/gas discharge interface outlined recently. Water-containing eluents were driven into a vaporizer chamber at 300°C by the LC pump. The Vapors were removed through an early vapor exist by the carrier gas. Solvent/solute separation occurred in hte retaining precolumn. Special attention was paid to the parame-ters determining the losses of the most volatile compounds. The oven temperature during transfer was lowered close to the dew point of the eluent (the temperature at which recondensation occurs) in order to maximise the retention power of the retaining precolumn. The dew point depends on the transfer rate, the gas flow rate, and the gas inlet pressure. Sometimes even better retention of the vola-tiles was observed at temperatures below the dew point, i.e. despite partial reconsideration. The method was applied to the analysis of phthalates in drinking and surface waters. The detection limits, using MS, were 5-10 ng/l.

Notizen: High Density polyethylene regranules reprocessed from separated household waste collection were investigated for migratable con-taminants which were not present in virgin material. Although the material originated from different European reprocessors, the de-tected recycling-specific compounds were similar in most of the investigated samples. At a chosen threshold concentration of 0.5 μg/g more than 70 compounds were tentatively identified. Aroma compounds and preservatives were found in the range of 0.5 to 10 μg/g. Limonene, di(ethylhexyl) phthalate, and the isopropyl esters of myristic and palmitic acids were detected in concentrations up to 200 μg/g. These compounds were found in almost all the regranules. Most of the substances identified are constituents of personal hygiene products and cleaning agents and are therefore absorbed by the package during the storage. Owing to European food legislation and German cosmetics regulations, the use of such recycling packaging material appears suitable only for filling with technical products.

Notizen: The effects of temperature and solvent density on the characteristics of the extracts obtained from supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of the volatile compounds from Brazilian rosemary (Rosamarinus officianalis L., Labiatae) using carbon dioxide (CO2) as solvent were investigated. The experiments were performed in a semi-batch laboratory scale home-made unit at two temperatures, viz. 310.15 and 320.15 K, over the pressure range of 100-160 bar. This study allowed to determine the crossover point and the maximum solubility of the oil. The products were analyzed by HRGC-MS, and compounds grouped in three different classes according to their molecular mass distribution in order to evaluate the influence of the variables studied on the characteristics of the extracts. The model proposed by Sovová was adopted in an attempt to interpret the mass transfer phenomena in the extraction process.

Notizen: A second-order non-linear partial different equation was derived to describe the dependence of carrier gas pressure in the column on the column distance and the time under temperature programmed conditions. This equation was solved numerically by the modified finite difference method for various column parameters. Constant inlet and outlet pressures were used as boundary conditions. The retention times calculated on assumption of a constant pressure profile along the column. Significant differences between retention times of corresponding solutes calculated by the two methods were found, especially when relatively long columns(L〉50m) with small internal diameter(d〈0.3mm)and high temperature program rates (r〉5°/min)are used.

Notizen: Three new β-cyclodextrin derivatives, heptakis(6-O-isopropyldi-methylsilyl-2,3-di-O-ethyl)-β-cyclodextrin, heptakis(6-O-thexyldi-methylsilyl-2,3-di-O-ethyl)-β-cyclodextrin, and heptakis(6-O-cy-clohexyldimethyl-2,3-di-O-ethyl)-β-cyclodextrin (IPDE-β-CD, TXDE-β-CD, and CHDE-β-CD), were synthesized and the enan-tioselectivities of these three CD derivatives and heptakis(6-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-2,3-di-O-ethyl)-β-cyclodextrin (TBDE-β-CD) were compared for GC separation of a range of chiral test com-pounds. In particular TXDE-β-CD showed much higher enentio-selectivity than TBDE-β-CD. Enentioselectivities of IPDE-β-CD and CHDE-β-CD are somewhat lower than that of TXDE-β-CD and CHDE-β-Cd are somewhat lower than that of TXDE-β-CD. These observations are indicative of significant effects of subtle changes in the structure of the 6-O-substituent on the enantioselec-tivity of the β-CD derivatives. The difference in enantioselectivities of the 6-O-substituted CD derivatives were explained in terms of relative contributions of the effects of hydrophobicity and steric hindrance of the substituent to the inclusion process. CHDE-β-CD showed the lowest enantioselectivity among the threederivatives. It is likely that the unfavorable steric hindrance of the bulky cyclo-hexyl group plays a greater role than the favorable hydrophobicity effect of the cyclohexyl group in the inclusion process in CHDE-β-CD. IPDE-β-CD showed lower selectivity than TXDE-β-CD and TBDE-β-CD. In the case of these CD derivatives having acyclic substituents the relative hydrophobicity of the substituent seems to be a dominant factor affecting the inclusion process. Isopropyl groups factor affecting the inclusion process. Isopropyl groups are less hydrophobic than thexyl and tert-butyl groups.

Notizen: After describing simplified equations exspressing the temparature dependency of the viscosity of carrier gases (helium, nitrogen and hydrogen ) relative to a base value, absolute relationships based on the kinetic theory of gases are discussed. Comparative data obtained using various calculation methods are given and are compared to measured values. Based on the kinetic relationshipsm, of viscosity. Finally, the influence of pressure on the viscosity is also briefly discussed. As a supplement, Viscosity data are tabulated for the three gases in the range of 0°C to 400°C in increments of 2 K, calculated using the kinetic relationships.

Notizen: This paper describes the extraction of 49 organophosphorus pesti-cides (OPPs) from water samples using solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Three fibers, including a 15-μm XAD-coated fiber, a 85-μm polyacrylate-coated fiber, and a 30-μm polydimethylsilox-ane-coated fiber (PDMS), were evaluated here. The effects of stirring and the addition of NaCl to the sample were examined for the polyacrylate-coated fiber. The precision of the technique was examined for all three fibers and the extraction kinetics were investigated using the XAD- and polyacrylate-coated fibers. With some exceptions, the XAD- and polyacrylate-coated fibers performed better than the PDMS-coated fiber. The superiority of the XAD-nd polyacrylate-coated fiber. The superiority of the XAD- and polyacrylate-coated fibers over the PDMS-coated fibers can be attribuibuted to the aromatic functionalities of the XAD and the polar functionalities in the polyacrylate. The relatively high percent RSDs indicate that the SPME technique needs to be further refined before it can be used for anything other than screening. A more effective form of agitation than mechanical stirring may be neccessary to reduce variability and achieve a faster equilibrium between the sample and the SPME fiber.

Notizen: Preliminary results on thick-film wide-bore (0.53mm i.d.) columns for GC preparation of pure enantiomers are described. In particular the loading capacity for several racemates of a 3μm, 30% 2,6-di-O-methyl-3-O-Pentyl-β-CD/OV1701 column and of a 2 μm, 30% 2,3-di-O-acetyl-6-O-dimethyl-t-butylyl-β-CD/PS-086 collumn were determined. Consideration is also given to the relation-ship between resolution values of two enantiomers on anayltical columns and their loading capacity and scaling-up to the corresponding micropreparative columns.

Notizen: Permethylated β-cyclodextrin (hereafter designated perMe-β-CD), dililuted or not in polysiloxane, is an efficient chiral discriminant for native, 3-methylated, and 1,3-dimethylated series of 5-methyl-5-(CnH2n + 1)hydantoins. From thermodynamic data obtained with pure perMe-β-CD and with the aid of molecular modeling, it is concluded that: (i) For native hydantoin derivatives having a carbon chain at the 5-position varying from ethyl to nonyl (2≤n≤9), the retention time is related to their H-bonding capability. The resolution is poor for derivatives with n≤4. For n≤5, the resolution is considerably improved and this increase in resolution is attributed to the long alkyl chain being capable of being buried inside the cyclodextrin cavity. (ii) For 1,3-dimethylhydantion derivatives having a carbon chain at the 5-position varying from ethyl to hexyl(2≤n≤6), the retention time is mainly determined by a steric fit between the solute and the inner volume of the macrocyclic cavity. For n = 2, a particular behavior is observed, consistent with a total inclusion of the solutes inside the cavity. By contrast with the native hydantoins, the selectively is high for light derivatives. Thus, the selectivity does not correlate with a strong docking energy (such as the presence of H-bonds postulated with native derivatives). (iii) For 3-methylhydantoin derivatives having a carbon chain at the 5-position varying from ethyl to octyl (2≤n≤8), as expected, retension time and selectivity are intermediate between that of native hydantoins and 1,3-dimethylhydantoins. For all three series, where n≤5, the increase in chain length (n) does not bring about substantial changes in the chromatographic results. Therefore, for these long alkyl chain derivatives, similar dominant interactions with perMe-β-CD are postulated.

Notizen: Corn (Zea mays) stalk and poplar (Populus deltoides) wood lignin was converted into monomeric aromatic compounds and short chain aliphatic carboxylic acids. The main reaction products were separated and identified using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on an HP-5 column. The compounds were considered as positively identified when their mass spectra and GC retention times agreed with those of authentic standard samples. The quantitative estimation of the identified reaction products was accomplished on an OV-101 capillary column by gas chromatography-FID using the internal standard method. Among the aromatic compounds, aldehydes (p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, and syringaldehyde), acids (p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic, and syringic), and one phenol (hydroquinone) were determined. In addition, the aliphatic carboxylic acids: glycolic, oxalic, malonic, glyoxylic, butanedioic, glyceric, and malic acid were identified. All the calibration curves of the quantified compounds approximated to a straight line. For both corn stalk and poplar wood lignins, the major components were the aromatic aldehydes (71 and 64% of the characterized fraction, respectively), followed by the aliphatic carboxylic acids (20 and 21% of the characterized fraction, respectively).

Notizen: An on-line LC-GC method for the analysis of mono-, di-, and triacylglycerols in vegetable oil methyl esters has been developed. The concentrations of these components have turned out to be key parameters for the quality of diesel fuel substitutes. Separation of all classes of acylglycerols from the fatty acid methyl ester matrix is achieved by LC after acetylation of the hydroxyl groups. The acylglycerol fraction is transferred on-line to GC, using the loop-type interface and concurrent eluent evaporation. Quantification of mono-, di-, and triacylglycerols is performed by combining external calibration with internal standardization. Both recovery of the procedure and reproducibility of the quantitative results are evaluated.

Notizen: A critical study using C18 SPE columns for the determination of organophosphorus, triazine, and triazole-derived pesticides, nap-ropamide, and amitraz is presented. The type of sorbent, sorbent mass, flow rate in the extraction process, sample concentration of the different compounds, sample volume, pH, and ionic strength were evaluated. Special emphasis was placed on the evaporation step of eluates prior to GC determinations and on prefiltration of sample waters. Pesticide recovery is linear over a wide range of concentrations for most of compounds under study. Under general extraction conditions losses can be expected for amitraz, pro-metryn, prometon, dimethoate, penconazole, and propiconazole. At 100 ng L-1, enhanced responses are produced for mevinphos, simazine, malathion, triadimefon, methidathion, and phosmet, which can be attributed to matrix effects. At basic pH, recovery of prometon, prometryn, and penconazole are improved. Low flow rates and high ionic strength enhance the recovery of prometon and prometryn. For phosmet, the influence of sample volume was established. Likewise, the influence of sorbent quantity was established for phosmet and dimethoate. Losses during the evaporation step were observed for mevinphos, dimethoate (〉 50%), penconazole, propiconazole, and prometon (30%). Prefiltration of sample waters did not cause significant variations in the whole process of extraction. Impurities arising from the sorbent materials were not detected.

Notizen: The retention indices of three homologous series (2-alkanones, 1-alkanols, cycloalksanones) have been determined at high temperature by the application of two new adaptation methods: A multiparametric least-squares regressions iterative method based on the dertermination of the adjusted retention times and a cubic interpolation directly using the uncorrected retention times without dead time correction. The two methods were applied to two types of columns. The first group includes eight packed columns (seven OV polymethylphenylsiloxane and Apolane-87 stationary phases), while the second includes five glass capillary columns (four methyl-silicons with different film thicknesses and Apolane-87 stationary phases). The retention indices obtained with a multiparametric and a cubic interpolation methods were compared with each other and with those calculated by Grobler's, Guardino's, Kaiser's and Kovàts' methods. The influence of coating, film thickness, and temperature on them was investigated.

Notizen: Linear solvation energy realationships (LSERS) were used to qunatitatively compare the relative contributions of dipolarity/polarizability, hydrogen bonding, and other types of intermolecular interactions to retention and selectivity using various bulk moblie phase component. Using experimental condition which differ only by the compostion of the bulk moble phase component, the factors which cause selctivity to differ between HPLC, subcritical fluid chromatography and supercritical fluid charomatography were decovoluted. Heptance-based HPLC mobile phases showed superior selectivities towards analytes which differ in hydrogen bond donating ability, gas-to-hexadecane partion coefficint and dipolarity/ploarizability. subcritical fluid chromatography with HFC-134a (1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane) as the bulk fluid produced superior seclectivities for which differ in hydrogen bond accepting ability and execess molar refraction properties. Many of these factors showed temperature dependences which act to attenuate or accenture the particular intermolcular interaction.

Notizen: A post- column chemiluminescent technique for thedetection of compounds that are poor chromoshores using electorogenerated chemiluminescence following separation by capillartgy electrophoresis is described. The luminrescent signal is generated followintg the reaction of anlyres (e.g. amines) with Ru(bpy)33+, which isx electrochemically generated post-columan from Ru(bpy)32+. Tripropylamine and proline are used as two model compounds to demostrate the feasibility of the method. Detection limits for the prototype system were in the micromolar rage, suggesting that this technnique offers an alternative to indirect detection of compounds that are poor chromophores with an added selectivity advangage. The system includes the use of a conductive joint to isolate the separation field from the potential necessary to drive the elctrogenerated chemiluminescent reactiion. Addition of the chemiluminescent reagent Ru(bpy)32+ post-column did not decrease the efficiency of the separation. The design and favrication of the novel cell is discussed.

Notizen: Methods for the detectionn of metal cations under acidic conditions, near PH 2, in capillary electrophoresis (CE) were investigatged. Conditions for direct UV detection of UV absorbing metal cations such as Cr3+, Cu2+, Fe3+, UO22+, VO2+, and VO2+ were established With aqueous HCl or HClO4 as the electroyte carrier. The speciation of vanadium(IV) and vanadium(V) at PH 2.3 by CE was achieved with direct detection at 185 nm. With the strong absorbance at 185 nm, no complexation was needed to detect the metal cations. An indirect UV detrection scheme for acidic conditions was also investigated. Several background carrier electolytes (BCES) were studied including 4-methylbenzylamince, nicontinamide, pyridazine, guanidine, 3-picoline, and chromium (III) to determine their effectivencess under very acidic conditions. The efect of ioni c surfactants and the nonionic surfactant, Trition X-100, on the peak heights and N Values was also studied.

Notizen: Temperature measurements on the column outer well were used for detecting recondensation or evaporation of solvent inside the precolumn during injection or on-line transfer of large solvent volumes. This facilitates the choice of the most critical parameter of these techniques, i.e. oven temperature. When using the vaporizer/precolumn solvent split/gas discharge system, the dew point of the solvent is determined, either to just prevent solvent recondensation or to limit it to the capacity of the precolumn to retain liquid. In concurrent eluent evaporation through the loop type LC-GC interface, temperature measurement enables the determination of whether or not the flooded zone exceeds a given limit. Fanally, when solvent trapping is used (on-column injector/partially concurrent solvent evaporation evaporation or vaporizer/partial recondensation), temperature measurement near the front end of the flooded zone is used as a signal for accurate closure of the vapor exit shortly before the end of solvent evaporation.

Notizen: Using hold-up time as a measure of the speed of analysis with a given column efficiency, a theory of pneumatic optimization of a column in the fast high pressure drop isothermal and temperature programmed GC is developed. Expression for the hold-up time as a function of column efficiency, carrier gas velocity and film thickness is derived. Also found are the expressions for the minimum hold-up time and optimum gas velocity in a speed-optimized column. These quantities are compared with their counterparts in the efficiency-optimized column.