Performance of a sound card as data acquisition system and a lock-in emulated by software in capillary electrophoresis

The performance of fluorescence detectors in capillary electrophoresis is maximized when the excitation light intensity is modulated in time with optimal frequencies. This is especially true when photomultiplier tubes are used to detect the fluorescent light. The photomultiplier tube amplified raw output signal can in principle be captured directly by a personal computer sound card (PCSC) and processed by a lock-in emulated by software. This possibility is demonstrated in the present work and the performance of this new setup is compared with a traditional data acquisition system. The results obtained with this “PCSC and lock-in emulated by software” were of the same quality or even better compared to that obtained by conventional time integrators (Boxcars) and data acquisition boards. With PCSC the limits of detection (LOD) found for both naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde-derivatized tyrosine and alanine were 3.3 and 3.5 fmol (injection of 5 nL of samples at 0.66 and 0.70 μmol/L), respectively. This is at least three times better compared to conventional systems when light emitting diodes (LEDs) are used as the excitation source in fluorescence detectors. The PCSC linear response range was also larger compared to conventional data acquisition boards. This scheme showed to be a practical and convenient alternative of data acquisition and signal processing for detection systems used in capillary electrophoresis.     

Volumetric Properties of Tetra-n-butyl ammonium bromide in Aqueous Solutions of Magnesium sulphate in the Temperature Range 298.15 to 318.15K and under the Atmospheric Pressure

Density and sound speed measurements have been carried out for the ternary systems consisting of tetra-n-butyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) in 0.1 m aqueous magnesium sulphate heptahydrate (MgSO₄.7H₂O)-water over the full range of composition from T = 293.15 to 318.15 K by using volumetric method. Using this experimental data, various physical and thermodynamical parameters such as adiabatic compressibility, apparent molal compressibility, apparent molal volume, apparent and limiting partial molar volumes of the electrolytes and ions in these mixtures have been evaluated and split into respective ionic contributions. The results have been discussed in terms of ion–ion and ion–solvent interactions occurring between TBAB and aqueous MgSO₄ solutions. Further, structure making/breaking behaviour of MgSO4 has been reported in terms of sign of the partial molar expansibility at infinite dilution.     

石墨烯氧化过程中的热分析-质谱以及脉冲热分析方法研究

本文由氧化石墨烯通过水热法制备直接获得石墨烯。采用热重-差热分析方法检测了石墨烯受热过程中的质量变化和氧化温度。利用热分析-质谱联用技术在400-650 ℃温度区间得到了水和二氧化碳正离子质谱峰,这说明石墨烯氧化过程中的质量损失是由羟基水和二氧化碳脱除造成的。同时,还采用非等温热分析动力学方法,利用5、10、15 ℃·min^-1三种不同升温速率获得了石墨烯材料在空气气氛下的热分析动力学参数。通过Kissinger方法计算出石墨烯氧化过程中的活化能（E_a）和指前因子的对数（lg（A/s^-1））分别为155.11 kJ·mol^-1和6.90。利用Ozawa-Flynn-Wall （FWO）方法还建立了活化能和指前因子与反应转化率之间的关系。基于以上研究结果,本工作将对石墨烯在热界面、导热和先进复合材料等领域的应用提供参考价值。     

The sound velocity in ideal liquid mixtures from thermal volume fluctuations.

The selection of the correct mixing rule for sound velocity in ideal liquid mixtures determines the interpretation of the sound velocity in real mixtures. This is especially important for the determination of apparent properties of solutes, such as their apparent compressibility. There are different approaches reported in the literature, and this article presents a new derivation of the mixing rule based on statistical mechanics. It is shown that the correlation of volume fluctuations between adjacent components has a crucial influence on the ideal mixing rule.     

Electroreduction of the antifouling agent TCMTB and its electroanalytical determination in tannery wastewaters

The electrochemical reduction of antifouling agent 2-thiocyanomethylthiobenzothiazole (TCMTB) was investigated by cyclic and pulse differential voltammetry. The irreversible electrode reduction of TCMTB proceeded by ECEC reaction mechanism by two electrons transfer with one irreversible wave. Upon the basis of electrochemical evidence, the electrodic reaction mechanism was suggested to formation of mercaptobenzothiazole (MTB) in solution.Subsequently, a pulse differential method is described for the formation of TCMTB based on this electroreduction. Having been obtained a detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ and recovery to 98% to concentration of 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. Therefore, the proposed method in this study is practical, sensitive and accurate for the analysis of TCMTB in tannery wastewater samples.     

Quantum dots-based reverse phase protein microarray

CdSe nanocrystals, also called quantum dots (Qdots) are a novel class of fluorophores, which have a diameter of a few nanometers and possess high quantum yield, tunable emission wavelength and photostability. They are an attractive alternative to conventional fluorescent dyes. Quantum dots can be silanized to be soluble in aqueous solution under biological conditions, and thus be used in bio-detection. In this study, we established a novel Qdot-based technology platform that can perform accurate and reproducible quantification of protein concentration in a crude cell lysate background. Protein lysates have been spiked with a target protein, and a dilution series of the cell lysate with a dynamic range of three orders of magnitude has been used for this proof-of-concept study. The dilution series has been spotted in microarray format, and protein detection has been achieved with a sensitivity that is at least comparable to standard commercial assays, which are based on horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed diaminobenzidine (DAB) chromogenesis. The data obtained through the Qdot method has shown a close linear correlation between relative fluorescence unit and relative protein concentration. The Qdot results are in almost complete agreement with data we obtained with the well-established HRP-DAB colorimetric array (R² = 0.986). This suggests that Qdots can be used for protein quantification in microarray format, using the platform presented here.     

Fluorescence Analysis in Microarray Technology

Fluorescence has been the preferred choice for data quantification in biomedical microarray formats since their earliest days. As much as the formats have grown and evolved over the years, the methods in optical analysis have become ever more sophisticated and complex in order to produce more and better output. This review will provide an insight into the most common methods and the state-of-the-art of all areas in microarray fluorescence analysis. Starting with an overview on microarray formats with a focus on their demands on the readout, the most common and useful organic fluorescent stains are discussed before proceeding on to other approaches; the use of semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots), polymer and silica nanoparticles and fluorescent proteins. Ways to enhance the intrinsically low signal on biochips have become increasingly important as they offer a sound approach towards the detection of low concentration sample content. The three main categories are presented: amplification using DNA, enzymes, and dendrimers. As much diversity as on the microarrays themselves can be found at the detection device. Standard optical microarray detectors, and non-standard methods using fluorescence anisotropy, fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.     

毛细管电泳脉冲安培检测药物制剂中的氨基酸

基于毛细管电泳三脉冲安培检测技术,同时测定了氨基酸注射液中具有电活性的色氨酸和酪氨酸的含量。研究了三脉冲电位及时间、电解液的浓度、酸度、电泳电压及进样时间对电泳分离和检测的影响,得到了最优测定条件。以铂微盘电极为工作电极,Ag/AgCl为参比电极,三脉冲电位为:E1-900mV,t1100ms;E2700mV,t2100ms;E3950mV,t3100ms,在15mmol/L的磷酸盐(pH=11)缓冲溶液中,上述两组分在10min内完全分离。测定色氨酸和酪氨酸的线性范围分别为1×10-3～5×10-7mol/L和1×10-3～8×10-7mol/L,检出限分别为0.25μmol/L和0.17μmol/L(S/N=3);平行进样的峰电流相对标准偏差(RSD)分别为2.9%和3.3%(n=7)。     

Stochastic resonance is applied to quantitative analysis for weak chromatographic signal of glyburide in plasma

Based on the theory of stochastic resonance, a new method carried on the quantitive analysis to weak chromatographic signal of glyburide in plasma, which was embedded in the noise background and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of HPLC-UV is enhanced remarkably. This method enhances the quantification limit to 1 ng ml⁻¹, which is the same as HPLC-MS, and makes it possible to detect the weak signal accurately by HPLC-UV, which was not suitable before. The results showed good recovery and linear range from 1 to 50 ng ml⁻¹ of glyburide in plasma and the method can be used for quantitative analysis of glyburide.     

Glow discharge mass spectrometry

Over the past twenty years or so, glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS) has become the industry standard for the analysis of trace elements in metals and semiconductors. A review of its history is followed by a picture of the present situation and a look to where the future may lie. Applications are summarised, including the ability of GDMS to offer depth-resolved data and non-conductor analysis, and the well-documented quantitative nature of the results is reviewed. The effects resulting from the physical properties of the analyte material are discussed at length. Finally, recent work such as fast flow sources and pulsed glow discharges is reviewed.