Electrochemical processes in a wire-in-a-capillary bulk-loaded, nano-electrospray emitter

Experiments are described that illustrate solvent oxidation, emitter electrode corrosion, and analyte oxidation in positive ion mode nano-electrospray mass spectrometry using a wire-in-a-capillary, bulk-loaded nano-electrospray emitter geometry. Time-lapsed color photography of pH and metal specific indicator solutions within operating nano-electrospray emitters, as well as temporal changes in the ions observed in the nano-electrospray mass spectra, are used to probe these reactions, judge their magnitude, and study the time dependent changes in solution composition and gas-phase ion signal brought about as a result of these electrochemical reactions. The significance of these observations for analytical applications of nano-electrospray mass spectrometry are discussed.     

选择性反应监测技术在蛋白质组学研究中的进展及应用

选择性反应监测（SRM）技术作为一种重要的定向蛋白质分析技术,通过选择性检测特定母离子和子离子来排除非目标组分的干扰,增强了检测灵敏度和定量准确度,具有选择性高、重复性好、灵敏度高、动态范围宽等优点,已被广泛应用于定量蛋白质组学研究,在生命科学领域发挥着至关重要的作用。本文从分析通量、检测灵敏度、定量方法以及相关软件资源4个方面,对近期SRM技术的研究进展进行了综述。然后,对SRM技术在蛋白质组学研究包括生物标志物验证、蛋白质翻译后修饰研究、生物工程以及信号通路分析等领域中的应用进行了概述。最后,本文对SRM技术的应用以及发展前景进行了展望。     

食源性致病菌的表面增强拉曼光谱检测技术研究进展

食源性致病菌引起的疾病的快速管控与预防是当前各国面临的食品安全监管难题之一,受到社会各界的广泛关注.目前常用的食源性致病菌检测方法存在步骤复杂、耗时、灵敏度低或选择性差等局限,发展快速、可靠的食源性致病菌检测方法仍是食品安全和公众健康的热点研究领域.表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)作为一种新型的光谱快检技术,具有灵敏度高、...     

Development and evaluation of a nano-electrospray ionisation source for atmospheric pressure ion mobility spectrometry

A nano-electrospray ionisation source has been designed and constructed for a high temperature ion mobility spectrometer. The drift cell was modified by replacement of the 63Ni atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation source with a tube lens/desolvation region and operated using commercial nano-electrospray capillaries. Ions were introduced into the drift region via a Bradbury-Nielson gate (pulse width 50 micros, repetition period 20 ms). A unidirectional flow of nitrogen was used as the drift gas at temperatures in the range 100-150 degrees C to aid desolvation. The performance of the nano-electrospray ion source has been demonstrated for analytes including crown ethers, amino acids and peptides. Reduced mobilities determined by nano-ESI were consistent with those reported using a 63Ni ion source.     

Analysis of pharmaceutical formulations using atmospheric pressure ion mobility spectrometry combined with liquid chromatography and nano-electrospray ionisation

The hyphenation of liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure ion mobility spectrometry is reported using a custom-made dynamic nano-electrospray ionisation (nano-ESI) interface. The analysis of pharmaceutical actives is described, including beta blocker (timolol), antidepressant (paroxetine), analgesic (paracetamol) and opiate (codeine) preparations. On-line ultraviolet diode array (UV) spectroscopic detection was used prior to sample ionisation, to evaluate chromatographic and nano-ESI interface performance. Active drug responses were characterised by chromatographic retention time and electrophoretic ion mobility drift time, and selected ion mobility responses were used to evaluate method performance. Limits of detection for active drugs were in the low-nmol to pmol range. Quantitative responses were investigated using a series of standard solutions of caffeine, showing good linearity (R(2) = 0.9982, n = 6) and reproducibility (RSD = 2.3 %, n = 6). The analysis of an over the counter pharmaceutical formulation demonstrates the potential of ion mobility spectrometry combined with liquid chromatography and nano-electrospray ionisation for the rapid determination of active drugs, as a result of the electrophoretic separation and selectivity afforded by IMS.     

多重反应监测(MRM):靶标蛋白质定量的新方法

多重反应监测(multiple reaction monitoring,MRM)是针对靶标分子的一种质谱分析技术.该技术采用三重四级杆质谱仪,检测靶标分子的母离子和子离子的质谱响应信号,从而获取较灵敏和高重现性的定性和定量信息,近年来在蛋白质组学领域得到了广泛应用.与全谱性的蛋白质组学分析不同,MRM注重有限目标的蛋白质定量测定,因此,它在蛋白质分析检测领域中的应用极有发展潜力.在临床检验中,酶联免疫吸附测定(enzyme linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)是蛋白质定量分析的常规技术,但是ELISA在多重蛋白质生物标志物的测定方面具有一定限制.随着蛋白质组学的深入进行,MRM的定量分析优势可否应用于临床检测已提至日程,世界范围内多个研究团队一直致力于推动这一领域的发展,也取得了令人瞩目的成就.本文简单介绍了MRM技术的原理、优势及发展前景等,同时,对其在蛋白质组学研究及临床应用中的潜力进行了讨论.     

Selected reaction monitoring applied to proteomics

Selected reaction monitoring (SRM) performed on triple quadrupole mass spectrometers has been the reference quantitative technique to analyze small molecules for several decades. It is now emerging in proteomics as the ideal tool to complement shotgun qualitative studies; targeted SRM quantitative analysis offers high selectivity, sensitivity and a wide dynamic range. However, SRM applied to proteomics presents singularities that distinguish it from small molecules analysis. This review is an overview of SRM technology and describes the specificities and the technical aspects of proteomics experiments. Ongoing developments aiming at increasing multiplexing capabilities of SRM are discussed; they dramatically improve its throughput and extend its field of application to directed or supervised discovery experiments.     

Laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry — a review

This review focuses on the development of new instruments, and new applications of laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry, LEAFS, in recent years since the last published reviews. Such developments include solid-state tunable lasers, deep UV tunable lasers, the use of charge coupled detectors (CCDs), and the applications of LEAFS for trace metal determination in various samples. The advent of diode lasers with their now somewhat improved range of wavelengths and power output, provides opportunities for research and applications in LEAFS. The further development of the coupling of second and third harmonic crystals to pulsed diode lasers shows promise for compact and robust instrumentation. There have been no recent instrumental developments that might provide more isotopic selectivity beyond the elements like uranium where the spectral isotope splitting is greater than most elements, but laser diodes could provide this due to their potential to provide an output with very narrow spectral bandwidth. The advent of optical parametric oscillator-based lasers has enabled LEAFS to be much more practical then in the past when dye lasers were used. This should be the harbinger of more applications of LEAFS to complex real sample analyses that can not be done by other techniques for reasons of sensitivity or selectivity. Array detectors provide an additional degree of freedom by provision of more spectral information more rapidly, which should aid the study of complex samples that might produce complex background problems. The recent literature indicates that the sensitivity, selectivity and ease of method development of LEAFS is well-established, and that there are no substantial analytical disadvantages to the technique beyond the instrumental limitations associated with the single element at a time mode of operation and the complexity of the laser systems. Laser technology continues to develop rapidly, which heralds a bright future for LEAFS.     

Anticancer metallodrug research analytically painting the “omics” picture—current developments and future trends

Anticancer metallodrug development has for a long time been characterised by the similarity of new drug candidates to cisplatin and DNA as the primary target. Recent advances in bioanalytical techniques with high sensitivity and selectivity have revealed that metal-based drugs can undergo a wide range of biomolecular interactions beyond DNA and have generated interest in proteins as possible targets for metallodrugs. In fact, implementation of metallomics approaches that are able to reveal the fate of the compounds in biological systems can help to move drug development towards more targeted and rational design of novel metallodrugs. Additionally, proteomic screening and gene expression analysis can provide insight into physiological response to drug treatment and identify the reasons for drug resistance. Herein, we review selected applications which led to a better understanding of the mode of action of clinically established metal-based anticancer agents and novel metallodrug candidates.     

等离子法天然气重整制备高值燃料的技术(英文)

等离子化法是一种在天然气重整为氢气、合成气、Ｃ２产物（乙烷、乙烯和乙炔）、甲醇、乙醇等更有用燃料时所采用的技术。本文述及了最近该技术领域的发展动态,即技术简化、能耗降低、甲烷转化率和产物选择性的提高等;特别强调了两种条件下的等离子化重整法和催化杂化等离子法等方法,这些方法可使等离子技术在未来工业化应用时更具竞争力。     

Microarray methods for protein biomarker detection

The application of protein biomarkers as an aid for the detection and treatment of diseases has been subject to intensified interest in recent years. The quantitative assaying of protein biomarkers in easily obtainable biological fluids such as serum and urine offers the opportunity to improve patient care via earlier and more accurate diagnoses in a convenient, non-invasive manner as well as providing a potential route towards more individually targeted treatment. Essential to achieving progress in biomarker technology is the ability to screen large numbers of proteins simultaneously in a single experiment with high sensitivity and selectivity. In this article, we highlight recent progress in the use of microarrays for high-throughput biomarker profiling and discuss some of the challenges associated with these efforts.     

A New Trend on Biosensor for Neurotransmitter Choline/Acetylcholine—an Overview

Technology always has been an indispensible part in the development of biosensors. The performance of biosensors is being tremendously improved using new materials as transducer as well as binding material in their construction. The use of new materials allowed innovation on transduction technology in biosensor preparations. Because of the submicron dimensions of these sensors, simple and rapid analyses in vitro as well as in vivo are now possible. Portable instruments capable of analysing multiple components are becoming available, too. Sensors that provide excellent temporal and spatial resolution for in vivo monitoring such as for measurement of neurotransmitters have become prominent. The interest to improve the stability, sensitivity and selectivity of the sensors is paramount. This study tries to give an overview of the present status of the material-based biosensor design and new generation of choline/acetylcholine neurotransmitter biosensors.     

Cell Tracking with Caged Xenon: Using Cryptophanes as MRI Reporters upon Cellular Internalization

Caged xenon has great potential in overcoming sensitivity limitations for solution‐state NMR detection of dilute molecules. However, no application of such a system as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent has yet been performed with live cells. We demonstrate MRI localization of cells labeled with caged xenon in a packed‐bed bioreactor working under perfusion with hyperpolarized‐xenon‐saturated medium. Xenon hosts enable NMR/MRI experiments with switchable contrast and selectivity for cell‐associated versus unbound cages. We present MR images with 10³‐fold sensitivity enhancement for cell‐internalized, dual‐mode (fluorescence/MRI) xenon hosts at low micromolar concentrations. Our results illustrate the capability of functionalized xenon to act as a highly sensitive cell tracer for MRI detection even without signal averaging. The method will bridge the challenging gap for translation to in vivo studies for the optimization of targeted biosensors and their multiplexing applications.     

High-throughput single molecule screening of DNA and proteins

We report a novel imaging technology for real time comprehensive analysis of molecular alterations in cells and tissues appropriate for automation and adaptation to high-throughput applications. With these techniques it should eventually be possible to perform simultaneous analysis of the entire contents of individual biological cells with a sensitivity and selectivity sufficient to determine the presence or absence of a single copy of a targeted analyte (e.g., DNA region, RNA region, protein), and to do so at a relatively low cost. The technology is suitable for DNA and RNA through sizing or through fluorescent hybridization probes, and for proteins and small molecules through fluorescence immunoassays. This combination of the lowest possible detection limit and the broadest applicability to biomolecules represents the final frontier in bioanalysis. The general scheme is based on novel concepts for single molecule detection (SMD) and characterization recently demonstrated in our laboratory. Since minimal manipulation is involved, it should be possible to screen large numbers of cells in a short time to facilitate practical applications. This opens up the possibility of finding single copies of DNA or proteins within single biological cells for disease markers without performing polymerase chain reaction or other biological amplification.     

Surface-activated chemical ionization combined with electrospray ionization and mass spectrometry for the analysis of cannabinoids in biological samples. Part I: analysis of 11-nor-9-carboxytetrahydro-cannabinol

Recently, electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) has been widely used for the identification of drugs of abuse and their metabolites in biological samples. However, the sensitivity and selectivity of this technique are commonly inadequate for the analysis of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its metabolites at very low levels, such as those sometimes required in forensic and clinical-legal applications. We coupled electrospray ionization and surface-activated chemical ionization (ESI-SACI) to various types of mass analyzers (ion trap, triple quadrupole and orbitrap) (ESI-SACI-MS) to improve the detection of 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), the most common marker of THC abuse. The benefits of this approach in terms of sensitivity and selectivity compared with a common ESI-MS approach are clearly demonstrated.     

Biosensors for effective environmental and agrifood protection and commercialization: from research to market

Biosensors are projected to find many applications due to their high selectivity and sensitivity, rapid reaction, economy and ease of handling in field measurements. Even though biosensors for a wide range of environmental pollutants have been extensively reported in the literature, the decision to develop a suitable biosensing system that can be approved by a regulatory perspective for environmental applications is fraught with technical issues. These issues mainly concern the biological recognition element, the physico-chemical transducer and the interfaces between the biological and the physical components, but also aspects of fluidics, electronics, and software for data processing. This article reviews methods together with a process to move biosensor technology from research laboratories to market, focusing as a case in point on challenges and possible opportunities in the development of photosynthetic-based biosensors for environmental applications.     

Development of rapid methodologies for the isolation and quantitation of drug metabolites by differential mobility spectrometry – mass spectrometry

Clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories are inundated with thousands of samples requiring lengthy chromatographic separations prior to mass spectrometry. Here, we employ differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) interfaced to nano-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry to provide a rapid ion filtration technique for the separation of ions in gas phase media prior to mass spectral analysis on a DMS-integrated AB SCIEX API 3000 triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. DMS is efficient at the rapid separation of ions under ambient conditions and provides many advantages when used as an ion filtration technique in tandem with mass spectrometry (MS) and MS/MS. Our studies evaluated DMS-MS/MS as a rapid, quantitative platform for the analysis of drug metabolites isolated from urine samples. In targeted applications, five metabolites of common drugs of abuse were effectively and rapidly separated using isopropanol and ethyl acetate as transport gas modifiers, eliminating the gas chromatography or liquid chromatography-based separations commonly employed in clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories. Calibration curves were prepared for the selected drug metabolites utilizing deuterated internal standards for quantitative purposes. The feasibility of separating and quantitating drug metabolites in a rapid fashion was evaluated by compensation voltage stepping followed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) detection. Rapid profiling of clinical and forensic toxicology samples could help to address an urgent need within the scientific community by developing high-throughput analytical methodologies, which could reduce significant case backlogs present within these laboratories.     

State of the art in time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence for actinides analysis: Applications and trends

Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (TRLIF) is a method of choice for actinides and lanthanides determination at low level in nuclear, biological and environmental samples. This technique is based on pulsed laser excitation followed by temporal resolution of the fluorescence signal. This technique has many advantages such as: high sensitivity, rapidity, triple selectivity and is applicable in a wide range of activity concentrations. TRLIF has been used in several fields such as; geology, in the PUREX process, in the medical field, in the environments and for nuclear waste disposal applications. Trends are towards the use of TRLIF for remote determination via fiber optics and optode as well a speciation.     

High‐resolution mass spectrometry for bioanalytical applications: Is this the new gold standard?

Liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole‐based tandem mass spectrometry (QqQ) is termed the “gold standard” for bioanalytical applications because of its unpreceded selectivity, sensitivity, and the ruggedness of the technology. More recently, however, high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has become increasingly popular for bioanalytical applications. Nonetheless, this technique is still viewed, either as a screening technology or as a research tool. Although HRMS is actively discussed during scientific conferences, it is yet to be widely utilised in routine laboratory settings and there remains a reluctance to use HRMS for quantitative measurements in regulated environments. This paper does not aim to comprehensively describe the potential of the latest HRMS technology, but rather, it focuses on what results can be obtained and outlines the author's experiences over a period of many years of the routine application of various forms of HRMS instrumentation. Fifteen years ago, some nine different QqQ methods were used in the author's laboratory to analyse a variety of different veterinary drug resides. Today, many more analytes are quantified by seven HRMS methods and just three QqQ methods remain in use for the analysis of a small set of compounds yet to be upgraded to HRMS analysis. This continual upgrading and migration of analytical methods were accompanied by regularly participating in laboratory proficiency tests (PTs). The PT reports (covering a range of analytes and analytical methods) were used to compare the accuracy of HRMS‐ versus QqQ‐based measurements. In the second part of this paper, the particular strengths and limitations of HRMS for both method development and routine measurements are critically discussed. This also includes some anecdotal experiences encountered when replacing QqQ assays with HRMS methods.