Appropriate methods to analyse power conversion harmonics

Nowadays, non-linear loads represent the majority of the residential electrical consumers. The limits on emission and immunity are imposed by IEC- standards, however there is a lack in the domain 2 – 150 kHz. Where power quality standards focus on the current, EMC standards use voltage limits. An appropriate method for measuring high frequency grid disturbances is explored. Measurement techniques described by the existing standards for power quality and EMC are investigated. The aim of this work is to find a robust measurement method for the considered frequency range 2 - 150 kHz. Experimental results are presented in order to validate the analyzed methods

Predicting drug penetration across the blood-brain barrier: comparison of different stationary phases for immobilized artificial membrane liquid chromatography

Several in vitro methods have been tested for their ability to predict drug penetration across the blood-brain barrier into the central nervous system. In this article, the performance of three stationary phases for immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) liquid chromatographic approaches were compared on a set of 49 compounds. IAM liquid chromatography measurements were performed with Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered saline and methanol as organic modifier in the mobile phase. Transport across the blood-brain barrier (log BB) was predicted using computed descriptor data and the retention factor of all compounds. All data were correlated with experimental log BB values and the relative performance of the approaches was studied. The IAM.PC.DD2 column proved to be the best suited for prediction of log BB values, although all three columns performed very good

Into the first biomimetic sphingomyelin stationary phase: Suitability in drugs’ biopharmaceutic profiling and block relevance analysis of selectivity

State of the art: Sphingomyelin (SPH) is a type of sphingolipid found in animal nerve tissues, especially in the membranous myelin sheath that surrounds some nerve cell axons. Because of its characteristics, SPH stationary phase represents an ideal tool to mimic the interactions taking place between active pharmaceutical ingredients and neurons.Method: The IAM.SPH stationary phase (0.821 mg) was suspended in methanol (7.0 mL) and the resulting slurry packed (600 bar) in an HPLC column (10 cm x 2.1 mm). The column was operated at 300 μL min-1 at 25°C using a mobile phase consisting of 60/25/15 (v/v/v) Dulbecco's phosphate buffer saline pH 7.4/methanol/acetonitrile. The elution was achieved isocratically and monitored by UV detection at 220 nm. The investigated dataset consisted of 88 compounds (36 neutrals, 26 bases and 26 acids). The block relevance (BR) analysis was accomplished starting by calculating 82 descriptors using the software VS+ and submitting the data matrices to Matlab. Multiple linear regression and related descriptors were obtained with Vega ZZ 64.Results and discussion: The method developed allowed to achieve a solid and reproducible SPH affinity scale for the assayed compounds. Computational studies produced statistically significant models for the prediction and mechanism elucidation of the retentive behavior of pharmaceutically relevant compounds on the SPH stationary phase.Conclusions: For ionizable compounds, the IAM.SPH exhibited an original selectivity when compared to the commercially available IAM.PC. Moreover, apart from its suitability to surrogate log BB, IAM.SPH was also found relate significantly with the drugs' fraction unbound in plasma, a crucial parameter in pharmacokinetics

A paucigranulocytic asthma host environment promotes the emergence of virulent influenza viral variants

Influenza virus has a high mutation rate, such that within one host different viral variants can emerge. Evidence suggests that influenza virus variants are more prevalent in pregnant and/or obese individuals due to their impaired interferon response. We have recently shown that the non-allergic, paucigranulocytic subtype of asthma is associated with impaired type I interferon production. Here, we seek to address if this is associated with an increased emergence of influenza virus variants. Compared to controls, mice with paucigranulocytic asthma had increased disease severity and an increased emergence of influenza virus variants. Specifically, PB1 mutations exclusively detected in asthmatic mice were associated with increased polymerase activity. Furthermore, asthmatic host-derived virus led to increased disease severity in wild-type mice. Taken together, these data suggest that at least a subset of patients with asthma may be more susceptible to severe influenza and may be a possible source of new influenza virus variants

Sequence-selective DNA recognition and enhanced cellular up-take by peptide–steroid conjugates

Several GCN4 bZIP TF models have previously been designed and synthesized. However, the synthetic routes towards these constructs are typically tedious and difficult. We here describe the substitution of the Leucine zipper domain of the protein by a deoxycholic acid derivative appending the two GCN4 binding region peptides through an optimized double azide–alkyne cycloaddition click reaction. In addition to achieving sequence specific dsDNA binding, we have investigated the potential of these compounds to enter cells. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry show the beneficial influence of the steroid on cell uptake. This unique synthetic model of the bZIP TF thus combines sequence specific dsDNA binding properties with enhanced cell-uptake. Given the unique properties of deoxycholic acid and the convergent nature of the synthesis, we believe this work represents a key achievement in the field of TF mimicry