Target cell extraction coupled with LC‐MS/MS analysis for screening potential bioactive components in Ginkgo biloba extract with preventive effect against diabetic nephropathy

A rapid and useful approach for screening potential bioactive components in Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) with preventive effect against diabetic nephropathy (DN) was developed using mesangial cells extraction coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) analysis. Mesangial cells were first divided into two groups according to their treatments with high glucose or high glucose plus GBE. After incubation for 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 48 h, the cells were harvested and extracted with 40% acetic acid in water before LC‐MS/MS analysis. Then, 19 compounds and five metabolites were found to selectively combine with mesangial cells. Notably, compounds including quercetin and rutin were identified or tentatively characterized according to the results of retention time and MS spectra, which is highly consistent with our previous reports that quercetin and rutin are potent protective agents against glomerulosclerosis in DN. Therefore, all these results indicate that target cell extraction coupled with LC‐MS/MS analysis can be successfully applied for predicting the bioactive components in GBE with preventive effect against DN. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

重量法测定土壤水溶性盐总量的优化

土壤水溶性盐是表征土壤盐碱化程度的重要指标,也是评价耕地地力的重要参数,被纳入第三次全国土壤普查（“三普”）监测指标体系中。重量法是测定土壤水溶性盐总量的最常用方法,其测定过程易受多种因素影响,导致其测定结果不准。鉴于此,本文设计试验分别验证了水溶性盐浸提和浸提液固液分离这两个过程对测定结果的影响,结果表明浸提液固液分离是影响土壤水溶性盐总量测定准确度和精密度的主要因素。基于此进一步探究4种不同固液分离方式（布氏漏斗过滤、滤膜真空抽滤、离心、滤纸组合过滤）对测定结果的影响,结果表明相较于其它方式,滤纸组合过滤测定结果准确度高,适用于土壤水溶性盐总量的测定。对改进后的重量法测定土壤水溶性盐总量进行方法学确认,结果表明其检出限为0.01 g/kg,测定下限为0.04 g/kg;方法的准确度和精密度、适用范围等均符合相关要求。本文推荐的土壤水溶性盐总量测定方法为：土壤样品采用1:5土水比浸提,180 r/min振荡3 min,浸提液采用滤纸组合自然过滤;其测定结果的准确度和精密度符合相关要求。本文旨在为“三普”内业检测提供参考和借鉴,为全面摸清不同区域土壤水溶性盐含量水平及土壤盐渍化程度提供技术支撑。     

Identification of Mushroom and Murine Tyrosinase Inhibitors from Achillea biebersteinii Afan. Extract

Growing scientific evidence indicates that Achillea biebersteinii is a valuable source of active ingredients with potential cosmetic applications. However, the data on its composition and pharmacological properties are still insufficient. This study aims to optimize the extraction procedure of the plant material, evaluate its phytochemical composition, and compare anti-tyrosinase potential of A. biebersteinii extracts obtained by various methods. In order to identify compounds responsible for the tyrosinase inhibitory activity of A. biebersteinii, the most active anti-tyrosinase extract was fractionated by column chromatography. The fractions were examined for their skin lightening potential by mushroom and murine tyrosinase inhibitory assays and melanin release assay. HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis of the total extract revealed the presence of several phenolic acids, flavonoids, flavonoid glucosides, and carboxylic acid. Among them, fraxetin-8-O-glucoside, quercetin-O-glucopyranose, schaftoside/isoschaftoside, gmelinin B, 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid (1,3-DCQA), and ferulic acid were found in the fractions with the highest skin lightening potential. Based on obtained qualitative and quantitative analysis of the fractions, it was assumed that the caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and dicaffeoylquinic acid derivatives are more likely responsible for mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity of A. biebersteinii extracts and fractions. Ferulic acid was proposed as the most active murine tyrosinase inhibitor, responsible also for the reduced melanin release from B16F10 murine melanoma cells.     

Laser-based ion mobility spectrometer for the direct analysis of aromatic compounds in liquids

A laser-based ionization source for the direct analysis of liquid samples in ion mobility (IM) spectrometry is presented and characterized. Ionization of aromatic substances in liquids is achieved, analogous to atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI) in mass spectrometry, by vaporizing the liquid and subsequently ionizing the aromatic substances by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI). The effects of parameters, such as composition and flow rate of the solvent as well as laser wavelength and pulse energy, are systematically investigated. The characterization of the IM spectrometer is carried out by means of selected substances from diverse fields of applications, e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), pesticides, wood preservatives and drug compounds. Limits of detection (LOD) down to 10 fmol and linear ranges up to three orders of magnitude are established. In addition to direct laser ionization, indirect laser ionization via dopants (toluene) for substances with low ionization efficiencies is investigated. Ionization occurs as a result of proton transfer from toluene radical cations to substances of sufficiently high proton affinities. As a result of indirect laser ionization, LOD could be decreased by up to two orders of magnitude. Ionization products are investigated by means of a combination of IM and mass spectrometer. Depending on the substance investigated primary ions (radical cations) and secondary ions (protonated molecules) resulting from ion molecule reactions are formed.     

Dual Amperometric Immunosensor for Improving Cancer Metastasis Detection by the Simultaneous Determination of Extracellular and Soluble Circulating Fraction of Emerging Metastatic Biomarkers

This paper reports the development of a dual immunosensor using magnetic microcarriers (MBs) and amperometric transduction at dual screen‐printed carbon electrodes (SPdCEs) for the simultaneous determination of two biomarkers: interleukin‐13 receptor α2 (IL‐13Rα2) and E‐cadherin (E‐CDH), with both extracellular and soluble fraction; oncogenic and tumor suppressor markers, respectively, of great relevance in metastatic processes. The implemented methodology involved the formation of sandwich‐type immunocomplexes using specific capture antibodies immobilized onto carboxylic acid magnetic microbeads (HOOC‐MBs), and biotinylated detector antibodies labeled with streptavidin?horseradish peroxidase conjugates (Strep‐HRP). The amperometric detection was performed by addition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of hydroquinone (HQ) as the redox mediator. The dual immunosensing platform provided linear calibration ranges suitable for the determination of both biomarkers in liquid and solid clinical specimens as well as excellent selectivity against other cancer biomarkers. This simple handling dual bioplatform was applied to the determination of the soluble and extracellular fraction of the target biomarkers in serum and paraffined‐embedded tissues from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients diagnosed at different tumor grade. The obtained results reveal great potential of this configuration to improve the reliability in diagnosing metastatic CRC.     

基于logistic模型的企业和谐劳动关系影响因素研究

选取广东省佛山市顺德区国家级和谐劳动关系综合试验区162家企业为样本,以劳动合同、薪酬福利与社会保障、劳动安全卫生保护、员工发展与民主管理、劳动争议及调处等作为劳动关系评价的5个维度.从企业、高管及员工层面基于logistic回归模型研究和谐劳动关系的影响因素.研究结果表明:企业层面,企业的所有权登记状态以及生产方式属性对劳动关系有显著影响.高管层面,年龄、教育程度、是否本企业的业主之一、是否企业的开创者、本行业工作的年限、现企业工作的年限、担任高管职位的年限对劳动关系有显著影响.员工层面,年龄、文化程度、婚姻状况对劳动关系有显著影响.据此,提出了改善劳动关系的具体建议,这对正确认识和处理新时代劳动关系的和谐运行具有一定现实意义.