Capillary electrophoresis-based immunoassays: principles and quantitative applications

The use of CE as a tool to conduct immunoassays has been an area of increasing interest over the last decade. This approach combines the efficiency, small sample requirements, and relatively high speed of CE with the selectivity of antibodies as binding agents. This review examines the various assay formats and detection modes that have been reported for these assays, along with some representative applications. Most CE immunoassays in the past have employed homogeneous methods in which the sample and reagents are allowed to react in solution. These homogeneous methods have been conducted as both competitive binding immunoassays and as noncompetitive binding immunoassays. Fluorescent labels are most commonly used for detection in these assays, but enzyme labels have also been utilized for such work. Some additional work has been performed in CE immunoassays with heterogeneous methods in which either antibodies or an analog of the analyte is immobilized to a solid support. These heterogeneous methods can be used for the selective isolation of analytes prior to their separation by CE or to remove a given species from a sample/reagent mixture prior to analysis by CE. These CE immunoassays can be used with a variety of detection modes, such as fluorescence, UV/Vis absorbance, chemiluminescence, electrochemical measurements, MS, and surface plasmon resonance.     

Tensor polarizabilities of the 4f 7(8 S)5d6s 2 9 D 2,3,4,5,6 levels in Gd I

The optical pumping method with rf detection and the nonlinear level crossing technique were used in parallel electric and magnetic fields to investigate the Stark splitting of all the fine structure levels of the ground multiplet 4f ⁷ (⁸ S) 5d6s ^{2 9} D in Gd I. The tensor polarizabilities were deduced from the level crossing and the rf signals. The variation of the tensor polarizabilities is well reproduced by the LS coupling approximation, except for the small value of the⁹ D ₅ level. A value of the tensor polarizability of the 5d electron is evaluated from the experimental results, ₂(5d)=2.00(6) kHz(kV/cm)². It is shown that the ratio between the electric quadrupole constant and the tensor polarizability is constant, except for the⁹ D ₅ ratio, which is caused by a breakdown of the central field model.     

Proficiency testing in analytical chemistry, microbiology and laboratory medicine: working discussions on current practice and future directions

A summary of the working group (WG) discussions on proficiency testing (PT) and external quality assessment (EQA) held at the Eurachem Workshop, Rome, 5–7 October 2008 is provided. The eight WG’s covered a range of issues concerned with current practice and future directions; how frequently should laboratories participate in PT/EQA? (WG1); developments in PT/EQA within the EU—what is required in future? (WG2); what issues do developing countries face with regards to PT/EQA? (WG3), what issues are specific to microbiology PT/EQA? (WG4); what new fields are emerging for PT/EQA? (WG5); what will be the impact of the new ISO/IEC 17043 standard? (WG6); do current PT/EQA schemes meet the needs of participants? (WG7); and what are the issues that affect the quality of proficiency test items? (WG8). Delegates with different backgrounds were on each WG in order to capture a range of views and experience from a number of different sectors. Working group representatives included PT/EQA providers, participants in PT/EQA schemes and end users of PT results such as accreditation bodies and regulatory authorities, from countries around the world.     

LC Analysis of Histamine and Other Biogenic Amines in Digesta Cultures

In the intestine, microbial protein degradation to histamine and other biologically active amines is believed to be relevant to the health of species. An LC method with fluorescence detection has been developed for analysis of histamine, phenylethylamine, isoamylamine, putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine, and spermidine. After pre-column derivatisation with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate, amines were separated on a reversed-phase C₁₈ polyamine column with a mobile phase gradient. Validation of the method included calibration experiments, determination of amine recovery, and repeatability tests. The method proved especially useful for detection of histamine, phenylethylamine, putrescine, and cadaverine at relevant concentrations in caecum cultures from horses. The limits of quantification for these four amines ranged between 80 nM (histamine) and 400 nM (phenylethylamine).     

Fluctuating Storage of the Active Phase in a Mn‐Na2WO4/SiO2 Catalyst for the Oxidative Coupling of Methane

Structural dynamics of a Mn‐Na₂WO₄/SiO₂ catalyst were detected directly under reaction conditions during the oxidative coupling of methane via in situ XRD and operando Raman spectroscopy. A new concept of fluctuating storage and release of an active phase in heterogeneous catalysis is proposed that involves the transient generation of active sodium oxide species via a reversible reaction of Na₂WO₄ with Mn₇SiO₁₂. The process is enabled by phase transitions and melting at the high reaction temperatures that are typically applied.     

Artificial chemokines: combining chemistry and molecular biology for the elucidation of interleukin-8 functionality

How can we understand the contribution of individual parts or segments to complex structures? A typical strategy to answer this question is simulation of a segmental replacement followed by realization and investigation of the resulting effect in structure-activity studies. For proteins, this problem is commonly addressed by site-directed mutagenesis. A more general approach represents the exchange of whole secondary structure elements by rationally designed segments. For a demonstration of this possibility we identified the alpha-helix at the C-terminus of human interleukin-8 (hIL-8). Since this chemokine possesses four conserved cysteine residues, it can easily be altered by ligation strategies. A set of different segments, which are able to form amphiphilic helices, was synthesized to mimic the C-terminal alpha-helix. Beside sequences of alpha-amino acids, oligomers of non-natural beta(3)-amino acids with the side chains of canonical amino acids were introduced. Such beta-peptides form helices, which differ from the alpha-helix in handedness and dipole orientation. Variants of the semisynthetic hIL-8 proteins demonstrated clearly that the exact side chain orientation is of more importance than helix handedness and dipole orientation. The activity of a chimeric protein with a beta-peptide helix that mimics the side chain orientation of the native alpha-helix most perfectly is comparable to that of the native hIL-8. Concepts like this could be a first step toward the synthesis of proteins consisting of large artificial secondary structure elements.     

Mechanistic investigations of the ethylene tetramerisation reaction

The unprecedented selective tetramerisation of ethylene to 1-octene was recently reported. In the present study various mechanistic aspects of this novel transformation were investigated. The unusually high 1-octene selectivity in chromium-catalyzed ethylene tetramerisation reactions is caused by the unique extended metallacyclic mechanism in operation. Both 1-octene and higher 1-alkenes are formed by further ethylene insertion into a metallacycloheptane intermediate, whereas 1-hexene is formed by elimination from this species as in other reported trimerisation reactions. This is supported by deuterium labeling studies, analysis of the molar distribution of 1-alkene products, and identification of secondary co-oligomerization reaction products. In addition, the formation of two C6 cyclic products, methylenecyclopentane and methylcyclopentane, is discussed, and a bimetallic disproportionation mechanism to account for the available data is proposed.     

Slice filtration on motives and the Hodge conjecture (with an appendix by J. Ayoub)

We clarify the expected properties of the slice filtration on triangulated motives from the point of view of the generalized Hodge conjecture. In the appendix, J. Ayoub proves unconditionally that the slice filtration does not respect geometric motives. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)