Mammalian cell growth studiedin situ by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared techniques were used to monitor mammalian cell growth plated on attenuated total reflection (ATR) crystals. Consistently, the growth kinetics plots generated from the obtained spectra demonstrated a sigmoidal curve representing a sequence of slow, rapid, then tapering cell growth which correlated well with non-spectral cell growth determinations. Significant advantages over traditional methods of measuring cell growth kinetics are demonstrated. The technique has promising potential to be used to study events in areas such as toxicology and cell biology.     

Shot noise sets the limit of quantification in electrochemical measurements

Detection of single molecules, particles, and rapid redox events is a challenge of electrochemical investigations and requires either an amplification strategy or significant averaging for the electrochemical current to exceed the noise level. We consider the minimum number of electrons required to reach the limit of quantification in these electrochemical measurements. A survey of the literature indicates that the state-of-the-art limit in current detection for different types of measurements (e.g. voltammetry, single-molecule redox cycling, ion channel recordings of single molecules, metal nanoparticle collision, and phase nucleation) is independent of the nature of the measurement and increases linearly with reciprocal response time, Δt^?1, over ～5 orders of magnitude (from ～10 to ～10⁶ s^?1). We demonstrate that the practical limit of quantification requires cumulative measurement of ～2100 electrons during Δt and is determined by statistics of counting electrons, that is, the shot noise in the current.     

Effects of Lead on Temporal Response Properties of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Developing Rats

Neonatal rats have taken in lead, during the period from their parturition to their weaning, from the milk of dams fed with water containing 0.2% lead acetate solutions. The alterations in the temporal response properties of retinal ganglion cells in adult rats (90 days) following the lead exposure at their developing stage have been studied. The results of this investigation demonstrate that the lead exposure in neonatal rats causes decreases in the optimal temporal frequency, bandwidth at half amplitude, temporal resolution and response phase of the retinal ganglion cells in adult rats. Compared with the sustained cells, the transient cells have a much greater alteration in temporal response properties.     

微流控芯片技术在生命科学研究中的应用

微流控芯片最初起源于分析化学领域,是一种采用精细加工技术,在数平方厘米的基片,制作出微通道网络结构及其它功能单元,以实现集微量样品制备、进样、反应、分离及检测于一体的快速、高效、低耗的微型分析实验装置.随着微电子及微机械制作技术的不断进步,近年来微流控芯片技术发展迅猛,并开始在化学、生命科学及医学器件等领域发挥重要作用.本文首先简单介绍了微流控芯片制作材料和工艺,然后主要阐述了其在蛋白质分离、免疫分析、DNA分析和测序、细胞培养及检测等方面的应用进展.     

Quantitative determination of paraffin oil in blood by capillary gas chromatography

A capillary gas chromatographic method is described for the quantitative determination of liquid paraffin in blood. Paraffin is extracted from blood into n-heptane. After solvent evaporation and dissolution of the residue in 100–200 μl n-heptane one μl is injected into a gas chromatograph fitted with a fused silica capillary column (Permabond® OV-1-CB-0.1, 10 m × 0.32 mm i.d.) and flame ionization detector. Analysis is performed by using an oven program [50°C (3 min)?285°C (5 min), rise 10%min]. The sensitivity (1.5 ng hexadecane) and the reproducibility prove the applicability of the method for the determination of liquid paraffin in blood and for the study of the stability of the liquid paraffin hollow fiber membranes used in an extracorporeal liver support system.     

Photovoltaic and spectral properties of tetraphenyloporphyrin and metallotetraphenyloporphyrin dyes

Spectroscopical properties and photocurrent (or photovoltage) of tetraphenyloporphyrins and metallotetraphenyloporphyrins in nematic liquid crystal have been studied. Photoelectric response has been measured in an electrochemical cell made of the semitransparent semiconducting and golden electrodes with porphyrin dyes embedded in liquid crystal. Fluorescence, time-resolved luminescence in microsecond time scale and photoacoustic spectra have also been measured. The competition between radiative, non-radiative processes and charge transfer is discussed. It has been shown that effectivity of porphyrins for photocurrent generation depends on the presence/absence of central metal in the macrocycle of porphyrin skeleton and the kind of metal. The schematic model of the contributions of the dye molecule and semiconducting electrode in the electron transfer process is shown.     

在线标准加入火焰原子吸收光谱法测定钮扣电池中铅和镉

应用火焰原子吸收光谱(FAAS)法测定了钮扣电池中铅和镉的含量,对测定条件作了较详细的研究。用在线双毛细管标准加入法消除了基体的干扰。按所述方法测定电池样品中铅和镉,测定结果的RSD依次为3.58%和5.87%,铅和镉的浓度水平分别为5.4×10-3%和2.3×10-4%(质量分数),回收率结果为93.0%~100.1%(铅)和95.0%~101.0%(镉)。     

Novel trichothecanes, paecilomycine A, B, and C, isolated from entomopathogenic fungus, Paecilomyces tenuipes

Paecilomycine A (1), B (2), and C (3) were isolated from cultivated fruiting bodies of Paecilomyces tenuipes (Isaria japonica), which is a popular entomopathogenic fungus used in folk medicine and health foods in China, Korea, and Japan. The structures of 1-3 were deduced from their spectroscopic data and their absolute configurations were elucidated by preparing their MPA esters. Compound 1 showed activity in the neurotrophic factor biosynthesis in glial cells.     

Microcalorimetric studies on the non-competitive inhibition of bovine liver arginase

Two methods, e.g. initial rate method and thermokinetic reduced extent method were presented for studies on non-competitive inhibition. Arginase-catalyzed the hydrolysis of L-arginine toL-ornithine and urea and the inhibition of this reaction by sodium fluoride were studied in the absence and presence of exogenous of Mn²⁺at 37°C in 40 mM sodium barbiturate-hydrochloric acid buffer solution (pH 7.4). Both methods were successively used to determine the values of K₁. The advances and disadvantages of each method were compared in this paper. Exogenous Mn²⁺ could result in more sensitivity of arginase to F^-1. Since the inhibition of arginase by F^-1 depends on the pH values of the reaction system and behave as a non-competitive inhibition, it probably due to its small volume and high electronic density allow it access to the activity site of the enzyme and replaces of μ-OH₂ (or μ-OH) as the bridge ligand with Mn(II, II) cluster. However, further studies are necessary to determine the modes of interaction of F^-1 with bovine liver arginase. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Probing in vitro digestion at oil–water interfaces

Interfacial layers have been widely applied to study the formation and stability of emulsion-based systems. However, the application of isolated interfaces to address digestibility of emulsions is often limited because of the complexity of experimental methods and results. This review summarizes the latest developments in analytical methods and literature data on effects of digestion on interfacial layers. Particular emphasis is given to understand the changes on interfacial magnitudes during oral, gastric, and duodenal digestion, either applied separately or sequentially. Limitations of interfacial aspects and key factors that influence emulsion microstructure in bulk and lipid digestion are identified. Understanding the behavior of interfacial layers upon gastrointestinal digestion promotes an accurate tracking of the physiological fate of emulsions.