Nano-bio-chips for high performance multiplexed protein detection: Determinations of cancer biomarkers in serum and saliva using quantum dot bioconjugate labels

The integration of semiconductor nanoparticle quantum dots (QDs) into a modular, microfluidic biosensor for the multiplexed quantitation of three important cancer markers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), and Her-2/Neu (C-erbB-2) was achieved. The functionality of the integrated sample processing, analyte capture and detection modalities was demonstrated using both serum and whole saliva specimens. Here, nano-bio-chips that employed a fluorescence transduction signal with QD-labeled detecting antibody were used in combination with antigen capture by a microporous agarose bead array supported within a microfluidics ensemble so as to complete the sandwich-type immunoassay. The utilization of QD probes in this miniaturized biosensor format resulted in signal amplification 30 times relative to that of standard molecular fluorophores as well as affording a reduction in observed limits of detection by nearly 2 orders of magnitude (0.02 ng/mL CEA; 0.11 pM CEA) relative to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Assay validation studies indicate that measurements by the nano-bio-chip system correlate to standard methods at R² = 0.94 and R² = 0.95 for saliva and serum, respectively. This integrated nano-bio-chip assay system, in tandem with next-generation fluorophores, promises to be a sensitive, multiplexed tool for important diagnostic and prognostic applications.     

Inductive reasoning and forecasting of population dynamics of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii in three sub-tropical reservoirs by evolutionary computation

Seven-day-ahead forecasting models of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii in three warm-monomictic and mesotrophic reservoirs in south-east Queensland have been developed by means of water quality data from 1999 to 2010 and the hybrid evolutionary algorithm HEA. Resulting models using all measured variables as inputs as well as models using electronically measurable variables only as inputs forecasted accurately timing of overgrowth of C. raciborskii and matched well high and low magnitudes of observed bloom events with 0.45 ≤ r² > 0.61 and 0.4 ≤ r² > 0.57, respectively. The models also revealed relationships and thresholds triggering bloom events that provide valuable information on synergism between water quality conditions and population dynamics of C. raciborskii. Best performing models based on using all measured variables as inputs indicated electrical conductivity (EC) within the range of 206–280 mS m⁻¹ as threshold above which fast growth and high abundances of C. raciborskii have been observed for the three lakes. Best models based on electronically measurable variables for the Lakes Wivenhoe and Somerset indicated a water temperature (WT) range of 25.5–32.7 °C within which fast growth and high abundances of C. raciborskii can be expected. By contrast the model for Lake Samsonvale highlighted a turbidity (TURB) level of 4.8 NTU as indicator for mass developments of C. raciborskii.Experiments with online measured water quality data of the Lake Wivenhoe from 2007 to 2010 resulted in predictive models with 0.61 ≤ r² > 0.65 whereby again similar levels of EC and WT have been discovered as thresholds for outgrowth of C. raciborskii. The highest validity of r² = 0.75 for an in situ data-based model has been achieved after considering time lags for EC by 7 days and dissolved oxygen by 1 day. These time lags have been discovered by a systematic screening of all possible combinations of time lags between 0 and 10 days for all electronically measurable variables. The so-developed model performs seven-day-ahead forecasts and is currently implemented and tested for early warning of C. raciborskii blooms in the Wivenhoe reservoir.     

Ultrasensitive detection of ferritin in human serum by Western blotting based on quantum dots-labeled avidin-biotin system

Various methods have been applied for serum ferritin detection, however, these methods still have some limitations. Over the last few years, quantum dots (QDs) have become very attractive for immunoassays because of their enormous potentials in ultrasensitive analysis. In this study, a Western blotting method combined with QDs‐labeled avidin–biotin system for detecting human serum ferritin was described. Meanwhile, the traditional diaminobenzidine (DAB)–horseradish peroxidase (HRP) method had been compared with the method. The linearity of this QDs‐based Western blotting method was from 0.27 to 1.1 ng, and the quantification limit was 0.27 ng, the sensitivity was up to pictogram values. Real serum samples such as hepatoma, thalassemia patient and normal individual sera were analyzed, the analysis results demonstrated that there was significant difference in the concentrations of ferritin between patients and normal individual serum. Furthermore, the recovery of ferritin from the serum samples of patients ranged from 98.15 to 119.67%, and the RSD (relative standard deviation) ranged from 8.73 to 11.61%, the repeatabilities were well within the acceptable range, which revealed that this method is a stable and reproducible method for detecting serum ferritin and have potential application prospect in clinical laboratory of serum ferritin detection.     

Highly accurate computation of dynamic sensitivities in metabolic reaction systems by a Taylor series method

We have previously developed the software for calculation of dynamic sensitivities, SoftCADS, in which one can calculate dynamic sensitivities with high accuracy by just setting the differential equations for metabolite concentrations. However, SoftCADS did not always provide calculated values with the machine accuracy of a computer, although a Taylor series method was employed to numerically solve the differential equations. This is because numerical derivatives calculated from an approximate formula were directly used in the derivation of the differential equations for sensitivities from those for metabolite concentrations. The present work therefore attempts to further enhance the performance of SoftCADS, including not only the accuracies of the calculated values but also the calculation time. To overcome the problem, the approximate formula is expanded into a Taylor series in time and the first-term value of the series is replaced by the exact coefficient on the second term of the flux function expanded into a Taylor series in an independent or dependent variable. The result reveals that this replacement certainly provides not only numerical derivatives but also dynamic sensitivities with superhigh accuracies comparable to the machine accuracy, regardless of the degree of stiffness of the differential equations. Moreover, a comparison indicates that the improved SoftCADS shortens the calculation time of the dynamic sensitivities without reducing their accuracies, even when the simplest approximate derivative formula is used.     

HPLC法测定牙膏中柚皮苷的含量

建立了高效液相色谱测定牙膏中柚皮苷含量的方法。采用的色谱条件:Hypersil BDS C18色谱柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm);柱温为40℃;以水(A相)和乙腈(B相),梯度洗脱程序为:0～15 min,10%～100%B;流速为1.0 mL/min;检测波长为283 nm;进样量为20μL。结果表明,柚皮苷的质量浓度在14.55～116.40μg/mL范围内与峰面积呈良好的线性关系(r=0.9999),平均加标回收率为97.56%。该方法稳定、准确,重现性好,可作为牙膏中柚皮苷的含量测定和质量控制方法。     

高效液相法测定蜂蜜中甘油的含量

建立了以混合溶剂直接提取测定蜂蜜中甘油含量的方法.采用ZORBAX Carbohydrate a-nalysis(4.6 mm×250 mm 5-Micro)色谱柱,以乙腈/水(80:20,v/v)为流动相,示差检测器,使用乙腈/甲醇/水混合作为溶剂快速检测甘油.结果表明,应用此法的甘油浓度在10.0 mg/L～250...     

Microtubules and possible microtubule nucleation centers in the cortex of stomatal cells as visualized by high voltage electron microscopy

Summary Thick sections of fixed, embedded stomatal cells ofPhleum pratense were examined using high voltage electron microscopy and stereological procedures. The cortex of guard cells and subsidiary cells throughout differentiation contains numerous microtubules adjacent to the plasmalemma. Although microtubules are usually aligned in one net direction, individual microtubules may diverge from this orientation in various ways, producing anastomosing or crossed arrays. Also present in the cortex of both guard and subsidiary cells are collections of membranous elements and amorphous material upon which microtubules seem to focus, terminate or overlap. Such structures may constitute microtubule nucleation centers. The significance of these observations is discussed in terms of the control of microtubule development, wall microfibril deposition and cell morphogenesis.     

昆虫体内多胺的高效液相色谱(HPLC)测定

建立丹磺酰氯柱前衍生HPLC快速测定昆虫体内多胺含量的方法。以C18(250mm×4.6mm,5μm)为固定相,甲醇和水为流动相,梯度洗脱,柱温40℃,流速1mL/min,荧光检测波长激发波长(Ex)280nm,发射波长(Em)515nm,测得腐胺(put)、亚精胺(spd)和精胺(spm)三者回收率分别为98.7%,99.2%和97.8%,回归方程线性良好(r值均大于0.99),分析时间为16min。该法简洁、快速、灵敏度高、重现性好,可有效分析昆虫及其他生物样品中微量多胺的含量。     

Indication of intracellular physiological pH changes by l-cysteine-coated CdTe quantum dots with an acute alteration in emission color

A novel quantum dots (QDs) based biosensor was developed to monitor physiological pH changes in both fixed and living cells by means of pH-dependent emission color of the QDs. In our system, the nominally single-sized colloidal solution samples of the l-cysteine-capped CdTe QDs with intrinsically broadened size distributions were prepared by employing aqueous synthesis technique. The quench of fluorescence intensities of the QDs with a 16 nm red shift of the emission maximum and a color change from green to yellow was observed with a slight pH decrease (from 7.0 to 6.8) in the system. This pH-dependent emission could be attributed to the efficient exciton energy transfer from smaller QDs to larger ones, which was controlled by electrostatic-tuned aggregation/disaggregation (low/high pH values) processes of the QDs. In addition to high stability, the emission shift of the QDs was reversible for at least one cycle under optimal conditions. Our pH biosensor may find potential application for monitoring the intracellular pH changes in both physiological and pathological conditions.     

Measurement of muramic acid in marine sediments by high performance liquid chromatography

Bacterial biomass in marine sediments may be estimated from the amount of muramic acid present. A method for determining muramic acid by high performance liquid chromatography is described, which is simpler and faster than other methods. Muramic acid is released from sediment by acid hydrolysis, and assayed as an o-phthaldialdehyde derivative.     

高效液相色谱法检测发酵液中木糖和木糖醇

建立高效液相色谱检测发酵液中木糖和木糖醇含量的分析方法。色谱柱为HypersilNH2 柱 (4 .6mmi.d.× 2 5 0mm ,5 μm) ,柱温 3 5℃ ,流动相为乙腈—水 (80∶2 0 ) ,流速 1 .0mL .min 1,示差折光检测器检测。木糖和木糖醇在 3 .0～ 60mg.mL 1范围内 ,峰面积与其浓度线性关系良好 (г=0 .9995 ) ;平均回收率分别为 96.0 7% (n =5 ,RSD =0 .5 1 % )和 97.47% (n =5 ,RSD =1 .1 3 % )。方法简便、快速、准确。     

高效液相色谱法测定生物脱硫系统中的含硫化合物

生物脱硫是利用微生物脱除气体和石油中的含硫化合物,具有操作条件温和、工艺流程简单、脱硫效率高、能量消耗低和环境污染少等优点。但是,当前仍然缺乏简单高效的分析方法来定量分析生物脱硫过程中的含硫化合物。针对这个问题,建立了柱前荧光衍生高效液相色谱法同时测定生物脱硫溶液中的亚硫酸盐、硫代硫酸盐和硫化物的分析方法。该分析方法中含硫化合物的标准曲线具有良好的线性关系,亚硫酸盐、硫代硫酸盐和硫化物相关系数分别为0.999 46、0.999 67和0.999 65,其检测限分别为0.000 6 μmol/L、0.000 7 μmol/L和0.001 1 μmol/L;含硫化合物的加标回收率范围分别为98.17%–101.92%、100.90%–102.60%和101.11%–104.22%;并具有良好的重复性和稳定性。实验证明,该分析方法预处理简单、分析快速、结果准确,可用于同时测定不同生物脱硫系统中的含硫化合物。     

高效液相色谱法测定必特螺旋霉素发酵液中有机酸

必特螺旋霉素是运用基因工程技术获得的工程茵产生的一组以异戊酰螺旋霉素为主要成分的多组分新型抗生素,其前体为乙酸、丙酸、丁酸和异戊酸等有机酸。本研究利用高效液相色谱法以0．01mol／L磷酸缓冲液（pH2．3）和甲醇为流动相,分别在反相C8（α-酮戊二酸、乙酸、柠檬酸、琥珀酸、丙酸）和C18（丁酸、异戊酸）柱上定量测定了必特螺旋霉素前体酸和三羧酸循环相关有机酸。所建立的测定方法的相对标准偏差为0．10％～0．42％,回收率为93．19％～102．08％。     

Determination of free amino acids in burley tobacco by high performance liquid chromatography

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for determining free amino acids in burley tobacco. The test was done by OPA/3-mercaptopropionic acid as the pre-column derivatizing reagent. Chromatographic column was Elitte C¹⁸ column (4.6 mm × 250 mm i.d., 5 μm). Mobile phase A was 18 mol/l NaAc (pH7.2) including 0.002%(v/v) triethylamine and 0.3%(v/v) furanidine. Mobile phase B was 100 mol/l NaAc (pH7.2)–acetonitrile–methanol (v/v = 1:2:2). The column temperature was 40 °C and the flow rate was 1.0 ml/min. The fluorescence detector was used with 350 nm excitation wave length and 450 nm emission wave length. The average recoveries of the method ranged from 95.3–100.7% with the relative standard deviation of 2.32–9.24%. The method is simple, accurate and has good repeatability. The results of the determination of seventeen kinds of free amino acids in burley leaves were produced by the way of different ratios of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. The results show that Aspartic acid has the highest content however ratio of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. The contents of most of the free amino acids are increased and then gradually decreased with the increase in organic manure. The contents of most of the free amino acids are very close at 15:85% ratio and 30:70% ratio of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. The total amount of free amino acids is the highest at 30:70% ratio of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer. Considering comprehensively, the quality of burley leaves is the best at 30:70% ratio of cake fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer.     

Quantum dots laser desorption/ionization MS: multifunctional CdSe quantum dots as the matrix,concentrating probes and acceleration for microwave enzymatic digestion for peptide analysis and high resolution detection of proteins in a linear MALDI‐TOF MS

We report the first use of functionalized cadmium selinide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) with 11‐mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) as the matrix for the selective ionization of proteins with high resolution and rapid analysis of amino acids and peptides by using quantum dots laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (QDLDI‐MS). The mercaptocarboxylic groups of CdSe QDs have been known to be an effective affinity probe to interact with the biomolecules at low abundance level. Using these QDs as the matrix, sensitivity of the method was greatly enhanced and the LOQ of peptides was found to be 100 pM with RSD <10%. The QDLDI‐MS is capable for the selective ionization of insulin, lysozyme and myoglobin with high resolution, which is not observed with sinapic acid (SA) as the matrix. The QDLDI‐MS technique offers many advantages for the analysis of amino acids, peptides and proteins with regard to simplicity, rapidity, sensitivity and the mass spectra were generated in the presence of signal suppressors such as urea and Trition X‐100. In addition, the CdSe QDs have been successfully applied as preconcentrating probes for the analysis of digested peptides in lysozyme from chicken egg white by microwave‐assisted enzymatic digestion. This indicates that the QDs are able to absorb radiation from microwave and their ability to trap peptides from microwave‐digested lysozyme. These results demonstrate that the CdSe QDs are promising candidates for the selective ionization of the analytes with an accurate platform to the rapid screening of biomolecules.     

Concurrent validity of five prediction equations to evaluate fat percentage in a sports group expected to yield high performance from Medellín,Colombia

IntroductionNo equations to predict the body composition of athletes from Medellín expected to have high performance have been constructed and, thus, decisions regarding their training and nutrition plans lack support.ObjectiveTo calculate the concurrent validity of five prediction equations for fat percentage in a group of athletes from Medellín, Colombia, expected to yield high performance.Materials and methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis to validate diagnostic tests using secondary-source data of athletes under the age of 18 who were part of the “Medellín Team”. The gold standard was dual-energy X-ray densitometry (DEXA). We analyzed the Slaughter, Durnin and Rahaman, Lohman, and Johnston prediction equations, as well as the five-component model. We used the intraclass correlation coefficient to assess the consistency of the methods and the Bland-Altman plot to calculate the average bias and agreement limits of each of the equations.ResultsWe included 101 athletes (50,5% of them women). The median age was 14,8 years (IR: 13,0 - 16,0). The concurrent validity was “good/excellent” for the Johnston and the Durnin and Rahaman equations and the five-components model. The Lohman equation overestimated the fat percentage in 12,7 points. All of the equations showed broad agreement limits.ConclusionsThe Durnin and Rahaman and the Johnston equations, as well as the five- component model, can be used to predict the FP in the study population as they showed a “good/excellent” concurrent validity and a low average bias. The equations analyzed have low accuracy, which hinders their use to diagnose the individual fat percentage within this population.     

复合营养素制剂对高原青年营养状况与耐低氧能力的干预作用

目的：观察复合营养素干预对机体营养状况与低氧耐力的影响。方法：选择进驻海拔3700m半年以上的健康男性青年40名,随机分成2组（n=20）：对照组和干预组。膳食调查采用称重法。对照组和干预组分别服用炒面制剂和高原维康制剂20d后,急进5100m高原。实验前、后分别测量心率（HR）和血氧饱和度（SaO2）;同时采血测定血中一些维生素和矿物质浓度。结果：膳食调查结果表明三大产能营养素供能比例不够均衡;矿物元素中Ca摄入不足,维生素中VA、VB2摄入量均未达到推荐摄入量（RNI）要求。血清测定结果表明干预前受试者矿物元素Ca、Mg和VA浓度低于正常参考值,V殴浓度也在正常范围的较低水平。高原维康制剂干预后,血清Ca、Mg、Zn浓度和VA、VB2水平显著升高或接近正常,说明营养状况得到改善。由3700m进入5100m后,干预组与对照组比较HR升高幅度明显减慢,SaO2的下降幅度显著减少。结论：复合营养素制剂能明显改善机体的营养状况以及对低氧环境的适应能力。     

反相高效液相色谱法测定食用菌中7种有机酸的研究

利用反相高效液相色谱法同时分析食用菌中7种有机酸,优化后的色谱条件为:Green ODS-AQ柱(4.6mm×250mm,5μm),流动相为10mmol/L的磷酸二氢钾(pH2.8),流速为1.0mL/min,柱温30℃,检测波长为210nm,进样量10μL。该方法精密度、重复性、稳定性实验中7种有机酸的RSD值均小于5%,加样回收率在94.6%–99.3%之间;该方法简便,可应用于食用菌中7种有机酸的检测。运用建立的方法测定了8种食用菌中7种有机酸成分,结果发现不同食用菌中有机酸的种类和含量均差异显著。     

高压液相荧光检测法检测血浆同型半胱氨酸

目的:建立高压液相荧光检测法测定血浆中同型半胱氨酸(homocysteine,Hcy)的方法.方法:应用Symmetry ShieldTMRP18色谱柱,0.08 mol/L醋酸钠1%甲醇为流动相,与巯基特异结合的荧光物质SBD-F衍生巯基来检测血浆中的同型半胱氨酸浓度.结果:该法的平均回收率为95.8～100.8%,相对标准差为1.2～2.0%.结论:本检测法方法准确,可用于实验室样品的测定.     

过柱纯化-高效液相色谱法测定玉米黄曲霉毒素

通过硅镁净化柱纯化,利用高效液相色谱法测定了玉米（Zea mays）中的黄曲霉毒素,在短时间（10min）内实现了黄曲霉毒素主要组分B1、G1、B2和G2的分离,确定了它们的回归方程和检测限。并在此基础上,结合目前研究现状,分析了该方法在应用中存在的问题,讨论了B1、G1、B2和G24种主要组分的出峰顺序。该试验结果将有助于高效液相色谱法在检测黄曲霉毒素应用中的日臻完善。