An estimated quantitative lateral flow immunoassay for determination of artesunate using monoclonal antibody

There have been reports of fake artesunate (ART), which has led to deaths from untreated malaria in South East Asia. To rapidly screen for fake and adulterated ART products in the drug market, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) based on a colloidal gold–monoclonal antibody probe for detection of ART within samples was developed. With this method, the calibration curve for ART was determined by the intensity ratio of the test and control bands at various ART concentrations. The linearity range was 12.5–200 μg/ml of ART. Samples were tested by the developed LFIA and can be calculated for ART contents. The levels of ART in the samples were also confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results of the two methods were in good conformance. The proposed LFIA was demonstrated to be a simple and rapid analytical method for detecting ART in the pharmaceutical formulation.     

Capillary Electrophoresis for the Simultaneous Determination of Metals by Using Ethylenediamine Tetraacetic Acid as Complexing Agent and Vancomycin as Complex Selector

A new separation system of capillary electrophoresis for the simultaneous determination of metals by using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid （EDTA） as complexing agent and employing vancomycin as complex selector was described. The Z-shape cell capillary electrophoresis was used to enhance the sensitivity for the determination of the complexes of Cu（Ⅱ）, Ni（Ⅱ）, Co（Ⅱ） and Fe（Ⅲ） with EDTA. The partial filling method （co-current mode） was used in order to increase the selectivity of the electrophoretic method, meanwhile vancomycin was not present at the detector path during the detection of metal-EDTA complexes. The vancomycin concentration, phosphate concentration and pH of the buffer strongly influenced mobility, resolution and selectivity of the studied analytes. Under the optimal condition, the relative standard deviations （n=5） of the migration time and the peak area were less than 3.14% and 7.35%, respectively. Application of the Z-shape cell capillary electrophoresis method with UV detection and vancomycin loading led to the reliable determination of these metal ions in tap water and the recoveries were 97%-101%. The detection limits based on a signal to noise ratio of 3 ： 1 were found in the range of 2-10 μg·L^-1.     

Preparation of a specific monoclonal antibody to asiaticoside for the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Asiaticoside (AS), the major active component of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, is used as a memory enhancer and for wound healing. We have successfully prepared monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against AS, and developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for its determination. AS was conjugated to the carrier protein bovine serum albumin (BSA), which acted as an immunogen. In order to confirm its immunogenicity, the ratio of hapten in the AS-BSA conjugate was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). After immunization, hybridomas secreting MAbs against AS were produced by fusing splenocytes with the mouse myeloma cell line, SP2/0-Ag14. After the screening, anti-asiaticoside MAb 2B4 was obtained. Weak cross-reactivities occurred with madecassoside (7.08%), but no cross-reactivities were observed with other related triterpenoid glycosides (<0.01%). The assay was suitable for quantitating AS in the range of 0.78 to 50 μg mL(-1). A good correlation of AS concentrations in crude extracts of C. asiatica between ELISA and HPLC methods was obtained (r(2) = 0.999). The contents of AS in various cultivated C. asiatica samples were assayed by the newly established ELISA. The recovery rates of AS in the samples were in the range of 95-103% with coefficients of variation of <10%. The intra- and inter-assay variations were 3.9 and 4.5%, respectively. The ELISA method described should prove useful as an analytical tool for quality control and standardization of medicinal plants and pharmaceutical products containing AS.     

Copolymerization of Ethylene and Propylene Using Silicon Tetrachloride‐Modified Silica/MAO with Et[Ind]2ZrCl2 Metallocene Catalyst

For the copolymerization of ethylene with propylene or a higher α‐olefin, using Et[Ind]₂ZrCl₂ metallocene catalyst, modification of silica with silicon tetrachloride prior to MAO adsorption can increase the activity, which is more pronounced for ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerization at higher pressure and temperature. The molecular weight of the copolymer produced was lower and the polydispersity tends to be decreased. No significant effect of SiCl₄ addition on the microstructure and the chemical composition distribution of the copolymer produced was observed.     

A fluorescent single domain antibody against plumbagin expressed in silkworm larvae for fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA)

A fluorescent single-domain antibody (fluobody), a chimera of a green fluorescent protein (AcGFP) with a single chain variable fragment antibody (scFv), against plumbagin (5-hydorxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone; PL) was successfully expressed in the hemolymph of silkworm larvae using a Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) bacmid DNA system to develop a rapid, simple, and sensitive fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA). In this study, two kinds of fluobody, in which the PL-scFv was fused at the N-terminus (N-fluobody) or C-terminus of AcGFP (C-fluobody), were expressed in silkworm larvae for comparative purposes. Interestingly, both fluobodies expressed in the BmNPV bacmid DNA system retained both of their original functions as an AcGFP and a PL-scFv, although the functions of the N-fluobody were found to be inferior to those of C-fluobody when they were expressed in Escherichia coli. Moreover, an improvement in the limit of quantification for PL measurement was observed in FLISA (24 ng mL(-1)) compared with conventional ELISA (0.2 μg mL(-1)). Since both the C-fluobody and N-fluobody are useful probes for FLISA and the time-, cost-consuming refolding step required in the conventional bacterial expression system can be avoided when they are expressed in the BmNPV bacmid DNA system, the silkworm expression system is useful for expressing fluobodies when developing FLISA.     

Development of a combined technique using a rapid one-step immunochromatographic assay and indirect competitive ELISA for the rapid detection of baicalin

A colloidal gold conjugated anti-baicalin monoclonal antibody (anti-BA MAb) was prepared and used in an immunochromatographic assay (ICA) for BA in Scutellariae Radix and Kampo medicines. This competitive ICA uses an anti-BA MAb which shows a high specificity for BA and baicalein. Its advantages include a short assay time (15 min), no dependence on any instrumental systems, and it can detect BA in plant materials and Kampo medicines. The limit of detection for the ICA was found to be around 0.6 μg mL⁻¹of baicalin. Moreover, the usefulness of the combination of indirect competitive ELISA and the ICA using anti-BA MAb as a quality control method was confirmed for analysis of BA in Scutellariae Radix and Kampo medicines with a sufficient sensitivity (200 ng mL⁻¹ to 2 μg mL⁻¹), obtainable in an easy and timely manner.     

Experimental analysis of microwave heating of dielectric materials using a rectangular wave guide (MODE: TE10) (Case study: Water layer and saturated porous medium)

The heating process of dielectric materials by microwave with rectangular wave guide has been investigated experimentally. This experiment is operated in the TE₁₀-dominated mode at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. It was performed for two dielectric materials, water layer and saturated porous medium. In this work, the microwave powers level, a type of dielectric materials, dimensions and positions of dielectric material on the microwave power absorb and average temperature within dielectric materials were examined in details. The results show that the locations of sample have greater effects than the other parameters. The analyses from this research serve as essential fundamentals to development of mathematic models of heat and mass transfer phenomena.     

Determination of chromium(III) and total chromium using dual channels on glass chip with chemiluminescence detection

A simple, rapid and sensitive method for the determination of chromium(III) and total chromium using the simple dual T channels on glass chip with negative pressure pumping system and chemiluminescence (CL) detection is presented. The CL reaction was based on luminol oxidation by hydrogen peroxide in basic aqueous solution catalyzed by chromium(III). Total chromium in form of chromium(III) was achieved after chromium(VI) was completely reduced by acidic sodium hydrogen sulfite. Total chromium could then be determined with the same strategy as the chromium(III). The CL reagent was composed of 1.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol/L luminol, 1.0 × 10⁻² mol/L hydrogen peroxide and 0.10 mol/L sodium bromide in 0.050 mol/L carbonate buffer (pH 11.00). The 1.0 × 10⁻² mol/L ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was added into the sample solution in order to improve the selectivity. Chromium(III) could be detected at a notably concentration of 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁶ mol/L and a linear calibration curve was obtained from 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁵ to 1.0 × 10⁻¹³ mol/L. The sample and CL reagent consumption were only 15 and 20 μL, respectively. The analysis time was less than 1 min per sample with the precision (%R.S.D.) was 4.7%. The proposed method has been applied successfully to the analysis of river water, mineral waters, drinking waters and tap water. Its performance was verified by the analysis of certified total chromium-reference materials and by recovery measurement on spiked synthetic seawater sample.     

A comparison of enrichment factor of knotted and serpentine reactors using flow injection sorption and preconcentration for the off-line determination of some trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The preconcentration efficiency expressed as an enrichment factor (EF) in knotted and serpentine reactors (SR) for FI sorption and preconcentration for the off-line determination of Cd(II), Ni(II), Co(II),Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), Mo(VI), Cr(VI) and W(VI) with ICP-MS was investigated. The preconcentration was carried out by the formation of metal–pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate complex in an acidic solution and sorbed onto the inner wall of the PTFE reactors. The EFs were determined as the ratio between the analyte intensities after preconcentration using the reactors and that obtained without using the reactors. Comparing the two procedures for the equal reactor length (150 cm), the higher EFs obtained by using knotted reactor (KR) were observed for all elements. With the preconcentration time of 120 s and a sample flow rate of 1.2 ml min⁻¹, the EFs of 4–36 and 3–12 were gained using knotted and SRs, respectively. The results obtained indicate that the KR is preferable to use for flow injection sorption preconcentration system over the SR.