Effect of nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma on plasma coagulation in healthy persons and patients under treatment with Warfarin

Recently, nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma has been used in medical devices for sterilization, blood coagulation, induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, etc. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of cold atmospheric plasma on coagulation time in patients under treatment with warfarin as an anticoagulant agent (group A) and to compare this impact in healthy persons (group B). To measure the coagulation time, Clotting Time (CT) is used. After obtaining informed consent from each subject, two venous blood samples are taken to check CT. One sample is processed with plasma (case sample) and the other sample is not processed with plasma. CT in both samples is measured by a physician and recorded in a form in addition to demographic characteristics and drug history. The data are analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The Mann–Whitney test is used for comparison between groups and the Wilcoxon signed‐ranks test is used to compare the difference between CT before and after plasma processing. The results show the significant effect of plasma on the reduction of plasma coagulation time, and this reduction is higher in the warfarin‐treated group.     

Mass Spectrometric Determination of Transuranium Elements

Abstract

Mass spectrometric techniques are playing a predominant role for the determination of transuranium elements in bulk samples as well as in microparticles. Their applications to liquid and solid samples for the determination of the isotopic composition as well as for the concentration measurements are discussed. The new developments for the characterization of microparticles stemming from different release scenarios of radioactivity are considered. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and its hyphenation with other techniques for resolving isobaric interferences are presented. The application of glow discharge and laser ablation directly to solid samples is highlighted. Finally, the exploitation of secondary ion mass spectrometry, accelerator mass spectrometry, resonance ionization mass spectrometry, and thermal ionization mass spectrometry for the determination of the isotopic composition of uranium and plutonium in microparticles is illustrated.     

Wavelet-analysis of polarization maps of human blood plasma

Possibilities of local wavelet-analysis of coordinate distributions of polarization azimuths and ellipticity of laser images of blood plasma in healthy and cancer patients are considered. The set of statistical, correlation, and fractal parameters of distributions of wavelet-coefficients characterizing different scales of geometric dimensions of amino acid polycrystalline networks is determined. The criteria for the differentiation of transformation processes of birefringence of optically anisotropic structures of blood plasma at different scales are established.     

Potential of total-reflection X-ray spectrometry for multielement analysis of biological samples using dilution or suspension sample preparation techniques

In most clinical and nutritional studies, it is of significance to know information about the multielemental composition of biological samples. Conventional analysis of biological samples relies upon sample digestion followed by atomic spectrometry detection. This approach is essential for the quantification of ultratrace elements in biological samples. While in other applications it could be of interest to have simpler analytical methods with multielemental capability but involving a minimum sample treatment, reduce the amount of sample and a more cost-effective analysis. In the present contribution, the possibilities and drawbacks of simple sample treatments (i.e., dilution and suspension) in combination with total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF) for the analysis of different types of biological samples have been critically evaluated. For that, a set of reference materials or well-characterized biological human fluids (blood, serum, plasma and seminal plasma) and animal/vegetal tissues have been used to estimate the analytical capabilities in terms of limits of detection, trueness and precision of the proposed TXRF methods. The results are based on the authors' experience in analysing biological samples using TXRF, and it is expected that they can be useful for new TXRF users in this field and they can provide a good basis for further application of this technique in clinical studies and other applications dealing with the analysis of biological samples in the future.     

Study of ProtoPorphyrin IX Elimination by Body Excreta: A new Noninvasive Cancer Diagnostic Method?

This paper describes the elimination of porphyrins by feces. It was demonstrated that porphyrin accumulates substantially more in tumors than in normal tissues, and consequently more PPIX reaches the blood of patients and animals with tumors, and then, it needs to be eliminated. The fluorescence of feces revealed that there are large amounts of PPIX in the excreta of animals with cancer comparing with healthy animals. The autofluorescence of feces porphyrin extracted with acetone was analyzed using fluorescence spectroscopy of animals inoculated with DU145 cells into the prostate and healthy animals to monitor the PPIX concentration. Emission spectra were obtained by exciting the samples at 405 nm. Significant differences were observed in autofluorescence intensities measured in the 575–725 nm spectral regions for the studied groups. The results showed a noninvasive, simple, rapid and sensitive method to detect cancer by feces analysis.     

Production of nanocrystalline silicon layers using the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from the gas phase of silicon tetrafluoride

The production of silicon layers using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition in the mixture of silicon tetrafluoride and hydrogen is reported. The samples have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The phase composition of the layers is nanocrystalline silicon with the crystalline-domain sizes from 3 to 9 nm in dependence of the conditions of the process. The samples are characterized by intense photoluminescence at room temperature.     

Determination of arsenic species in mainstream cigarette smoke based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

In this work, arsenic species in mainstream cigarette smoke condensates was systemically studied with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was utilized for analysis of the physical forms of arsenic, and no particle arsenic was observed in mainstream cigarette smoke condensates. The solvent extraction experiments proved that the water-soluble arsenic was the main species in mainstream cigarette smoke condensates, which was consistent with the result of single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Furthermore, speciation of arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid was investigated using high performance weak anion exchange chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection. The developed high performance liquid chromatography coupled inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method was successfully applied to the determination of arsenic species in mainstream cigarette smoke condensates with satisfactory recoveries. Four arsenic species were detected in the mainstream cigarette smoke condensates from four brands of commercial available cigarettes, and there was a great difference between the arsenic content and composition among the different brands of cigarettes. It is found that arsenate was the main species in all tested cigarette samples.     

Determination of Cadmium in Biological Samples

Abstract

Even though normal exposure levels to Cd may be small, the human body is inefficient at excreting the heavy metal, so it slowly accumulates over the period of a lifetime. Eventually, the Cd level in the body may become toxic and give rise to harmful effects. Cadmium exposure could therefore be linked to diseases associated with aging such as osteoporosis, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer. These potential links have driven the development of a myriad of analytical techniques for the determination of Cd in biological samples. Natural biological Cd concentrations are typically low, so preconcentration steps and sensitive instruments are frequently a necessity. In addition, the complex matrices of biological specimens such as blood, urine, serum, and tissue often require a form of matrix modification or separation. This review provides an overview of these methods with 200 references from the literature published between 1995 and 2005. The analytical methods for the determination of Cd in biological samples include: spectrophotometry, atomic emission spectrometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic fluorescence spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and electrochemistry. In addition, Cd speciation techniques, using high‐performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, are briefly discussed.     

NMR, EPR, and mass spectroscopy estimates of the antiradical activity of water with modified isotope composition

The dynamics of the change in the deuterium content in plasma of laboratory animal blood is studied by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscope using water with modified isotope composition. The change in deuterium content in lyophilized animal tissues is determined by mass spectrometry. The content of paramagnetic centers in a dose and in pathology is determined on an electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy for potential noninvasive nasopharyngeal cancer detection

Combining membrane electrophoresis with surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy, the serum proteins were first purified and then mixed with silver nanoparticles to perform SERS spectral analysis. Therefore, the spectral signatures were enhanced to high‐fidelity SERS signatures because of the purification procedure of the first step. We used the method to analyze blood plasma samples from nasopharyngeal cancer patients (n = 43) and healthy volunteers (n = 33) for cancer detection. Principle component analysis of the SERS spectra revealed that the data points for the cancer group and the normal group form distinct, completely separated clusters with no overlap. Therefore, the nasopharyngeal cancer group can be unambiguously discriminated from the normal group, i.e., with both diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100%. These results are very promising for developing a label‐free, noninvasive, and reliable clinical tool for rapid cancer detection and screening. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hemoglobin oxidative stress

Venous blood obtained from healthy donors and from patients suffering from breast cancer have been treated with acetylphenylhydrazine (APH) for different time. Mössbauer spectra of the packed red cells have been recorded and compared. The largest difference occurs after 50 min of treatment with APH where the patient samples show a broad spectral pattern indicating an advanced hemoglobin oxidation. These results may have some relevance in early cancer diagnosis.     

人体血浆中15种超良量稀土元素的电感耦合等离子体质谱法 …

本文用电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定了人体血浆中的稀土元素。在优化的条件下 ,以内标法测得的各种纯水溶液的检测限在 0 .7(Eu)～ 5 .4(Gd) ng·L- 1范围内。研究了 K,Na,Ca,Fe等基体元素对稀土测定的影响。以 In为内标元素补偿样品基体效应以及灵敏度飘移。比较了直接稀释、HNO3- H2 O2 消解及 HNO3-HCl O4消解 3种样品处理方法 ,用 1% HNO3直接稀释样品可满足轻稀土元素的定量分析要求 ,方法的定量测定下限≤ 1μg·L- 1。     

竹炭分离富集铋及氢化物发生原子荧光和等离子体质谱法测定

以竹炭为固相萃取材料,建立了顺序注射在线微填充柱固相萃取分离富集痕量铋的方法,吸附在微填充柱上的铋(络合物)可用稀硝酸溶液(2.5 mol·L-1)洗脱回收.洗脱液与硼氢化钠溶液混合进行氢化物发生(HG)反应,氢化物经气液分离后与原子荧光(AFS)联用,或直接将洗脱液引入电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS),实现了对生...     

Internal biokinetic behaviour of molybdenum in humans studied with stable isotopes as tracers

Although molybdenum is considered to be an essential trace metal for humans, the knowledge about its metabolism is rather limited. The present study was aimed at the assessment of biokinetics following intravenous injection of trace amounts of 95Mo or 96Mo into five healthy volunteers. In a total of 11 investigations, the plasma clearance up to eight hours and the urinary excretion for at least three days after the injection were evaluated. The tracer concentrations were determined by proton nuclear activation analysis in blood plasma and by thermal ionization mass spectrometry in urine samples respectively. In all subjects, the plasma clearance is much faster than expected from the literature. The data obtained for the plasma clearance of the tracer can reasonably be fitted by a two exponential equation. The half times of the fast component range between 4 and 70 minutes and for the slow component between 3 and 30 hours. The urinary excretion of the injected tracer seems also to be faster than expected and the fractions lost are higher for larger doses administered. For the smallest dose given, 34% of the injected tracer were excreted within one day whereas for the four times larger dose about 60% were lost. These findings on urinary excretion are in agreement with recently published results.     

Diagnosing patients with leukemia quickly based on spectroscopy

This article shows that we obtained blood plasma of healthy persons and patients with leukemia, got absorption spectrum of them by spectral photometer. After analyzing these absorption spectra by the origin software, we found absorbance (Abs) of the malignant plasma were more than Abs of the healthy plasma at 414 nm, and we also found significant difference between the malignant plasma and the healthy plasma when Abs of some characteristic peaks at 414 nm, 279 nm were rationed or fitted. It is important for doctors to diagnose patients with leukemia quickly.     

Analysis of blood plasma at terahertz frequencies

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy in the 0.05-2.5 THz frequency range was employed to analyze blood plasma samples obtained from laboratory animals with experimental diabetes and from healthy controls. It was found that transmission and reflection coefficients of samples from rats with diabetes differed significantly from control values in both amplitude and phase. The cause of the detected differences is discussed with respect to variation in the terahertz response of water.     

Internal Biokinetic Behaviour of Molybdenum in Humans Studied with Stable Isotopes as Tracers

Abstract

Although molybdenum is considered to be an essential trace metal for humans, the knowledge about its metabolism is rather limited. The present study was aimed at the assessment of biokinetics following intravenous injection of trace amounts of ⁹⁵Mo or ⁹⁶Mo into five healthy volunteers. In a total of 11 investigations, the plasma clearance up to eight hours and the urinary excretion for at least three days after the injection were evaluated. The tracer concentrations were determined by proton nuclear activation analysis in blood plasma and by thermal ionization mass spectrometry in urine samples respectively. In all subjects, the plasma clearance is much faster than expected from the literature. The data obtained for the plasma clearance of the tracer can reasonably be fitted by a two exponential equation. The half times of the fast component range between 4 and 70 minutes and for the slow component between 3 and 30 hours. The urinary excretion of the injected tracer seems also to be faster than expected and the fractions lost are higher for larger doses administered. For the smallest dose given, 34% of the injected tracer were excreted within one day whereas for the four times larger dose about 60% were lost. These findings on urinary excretion are in agreement with recently published results.     

Identification and structural characterization of in vivo metabolites of ketorolac using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS)

In vivo metabolites of ketorolac (KTC) have been identified and characterized by using liquid chromatography positive ion electrospray ionization high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-HR-MS/MS) in combination with online hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) experiments. To identify in vivo metabolites, blood urine and feces samples were collected after oral administration of KTC to Sprague-Dawley rats. The samples were prepared using an optimized sample preparation approach involving protein precipitation and freeze liquid separation followed by solid-phase extraction and then subjected to LC/HR-MS/MS analysis. A total of 12 metabolites have been identified in urine samples including hydroxy and glucuronide metabolites, which are also observed in plasma samples. In feces, only O-sulfate metabolite and unchanged KTC are observed. The structures of metabolites were elucidated using LC-MS/MS and MS(n) experiments combined with accurate mass measurements. Online HDX experiments have been used to support the structural characterization of drug metabolites. The main phase I metabolites of KTC are hydroxylated and decarbonylated metabolites, which undergo subsequent phase II glucuronidation pathways.     

Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis of Polymer Nanoparticles in Blood Plasma

A successful drug delivery system must overcome complex biological barriers. For particles injected into the blood, one of the first and most critical barriers pertains to blood stability to circulate through the human body. To effectively design drug delivery vehicles, interactions between the particles and blood, as well as the aggregation behavior, must be understood. This work presents a method to analyze particle size and aggregation in blood plasma using a commercially available nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) system. As a model system, fluorescently labeled polystyrene nanoparticles are incubated in goat blood plasma and analyzed using NTA. The particles incubated in plasma are found to have a protein corona that is larger than what has been observed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) in diluted plasma. Particles that are decorated with a PEG layer are also found to have large protein coronas in undiluted plasma. Because NTA is based on a unique visualization method, large multicomponent aggregates could be observed and quantified in a manner not feasible with other techniques. PEGylation of the particles is found to decrease the multicomponent aggregation from 1000 ± 200 particles for unmodified to 200 ± 30 particles for 1K PEGylated per 1 × 10⁵ total particles.     

Static secondary ion mass spectrometry (S-SIMS) analysis of atmospheric plasma treated polypropylene films

Time-of-Flight (TOF) static secondary ion mass spectrometry (S-SIMS) was used to gain molecular information on the surface modifications introduced by plasma treatment of polypropylene (PP) films. A procedure using slotted electron microscopy grids was developed to deal with the charge build-up of samples with a thickness of about 30 μm. The surface composition was studied as a function of the plasma treatment time. A comparison of the mass spectra from untreated and treated PP showed significant differences of signal intensities of ions that could be specifically related to the presence of oxygen-containing species.