Standardization of BSE rapid test performances and experiences gathered during the implementation of large-scale testing

The accumulation of pathological prion protein is used as a diagnostic marker for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. According to European Union (EU) regulations cattle older than 30 months of age (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain by national law >24 months) and slaughtered for human consumption must be tested by using rapid tests for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Likewise fallen stock and clinically affected animals must be tested. This article gives a short overview of the incidence of BSE in Europe. The diagnostic hierarchy, i.e., the officially approved methodology for the confirmation of suspect rapid test cases, and the organization of the numerous laboratories involved in this large-scale testing for BSE are described. Special emphasis is given to necessary quality control measures currently in place for BSE rapid testing laboratories and to measures intended to assure a consistent performance of the commercially available rapid test kits.Presented at BERM-9—Ninth International Symposium on Biological and Environmental Reference Materials, 15–19 June 2003, Berlin, Germany.     

Preparation of Functional Fluorescent Microspheres Used for HTS and Their Interaction with Biomolecules

There is considerable interest in protein adsorption onto microspheres because of its importance in a wide range of biomedical applications, such as artificial tissues and organs, drug delivery systems, biosensors, solid-phase immunoassays, immunomagnetic cell separation and immobilized enzymes or catalyst. It has been well known that the interaction between proteins and microspheres plays important roles in this process. Major interaction involved in the adsorption can be classified as electrostatic, hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding. Indeed, adsorption of proteins onto microspheres is a complex process and often can involve many dynamic steps, from the initial attachment of the protein on the surface of microspheres to the equilibrium. Also the conformation of proteins probably occurs to a certain degree of deformation or structural change due to the large area of contact. Recently, much interest has been shown in sulfonated microspheres, since sulfonate-group itself is one of components in bio-bodies, as well as is sensitive to the change of pH or ionic strength. Indeed, so far, scanty investigations have been performed in the full range. Also few researches have involved the data on adsorption rate and the maximum amount of protein adsorbed, or the reversibility of the process and conformational change of protein adsorbed as well.In present study, BSA (bovine serum albumin) was chosen as the model protein and sulfonated PMMA [poly(methyl methacrylate)] microspheres as the matrix to investigate the adsorption process.The purpose is to show some information especially the intrinsic information involved by the adsorption process Adsorption of BSA onto sulfonated microspheres (MS) has been investigated as a function of time, protein concentration and pH. The adsorption appears to be a reversible process and the presence of sulfonate groups can play important roles in the adsorption process, so as to increase the amount of protein adsorbed and influences the interaction of BSA molecules. Fig. 1 also shows that the reciprocation between unadsorbed and adsorbed BSA or rearrangement of adsorbed BSA molecules does not produce visible change in the properties of the adsorbed protein. Close to the isoelectric point of BSA (pI 4.7), the amount of protein adsorbed exhibits a maximum. A higher or lower pH results in the significant decrease of the adsorption amount. This is related to the dependence of BSA conformations at different pH conditions.     

新型固液双重致孔球形离子交换剂的制备及其性能研究

以甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯为单体 ,采用固液联合致孔方式 ,通过一步悬浮聚合制备了一种新型双孔高分子球形载体 .经化学修饰后 ,得到含二乙胺羟丙基的阴离子交换剂 (介质A) .优化了制备条件 .并与用相同方法制备的但仅含有机溶剂致孔剂的介质B进行了比较 .介质A和B均具有较高的静态吸附容量和机械强度 .由于介质A内含有流动相可以对流通过的大孔 ,因此其动态吸附容量远高于介质B ,并且在较高的流速下表现出较好的色谱流动性能     

Characterization of Ultrathin Films of Cellulose Esters

The adsorption of cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) and cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) from solutions prepared in acetone onto silicon wafers led to ultrathin films, which were characterized by ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurements. The polysaccharides films were characterized in the air just after their formation and after annealing at temperatures higher than their glass transition temperature or melt temperature. The films thickness close to 2 nm and surface roughness did not vary significantly upon annealing. AFM images revealed the presence of small clumps dispersed on a homogeneous layer, which covered completely the Si wafers. Such topographic details were also observed after annealing. However, upon annealing the films surfaces changed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, evidencing molecular re-orientation at the solid–air interface. The adhesion of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lipase onto the cellulose esters films was quantified in order to evaluate the possibility of applying such films as selective support for biomolecules.     

刚果红与血清白蛋白相互作用的极谱分析

在pH4．7HAc-NaAc缓冲溶液中，刚果红与蛋白质(BSA或HSA)作用形成络合物，使刚果红-0．35V(vs SCE)的还原峰电流下降，峰电流的降低值同所加的BSA或HSA质量浓度在一定范围内呈线性关系；BSA和HSA的线性范围分别为0．5～12mg／L和0．5～11mg／L，检出限分别为0．25和0．20mg／L；运用该法测定了人血清白蛋白样品，结果令人满意。     

荧光法研究Ge-132对牛血清白蛋白Maillard反应的抑制作用

人体内氨基酸及蛋白质的非酶糖化反应(Maillard反应)与糖尿病及其并发症的关系已经引起广泛注意[1].有机锗化合物β-羧乙基锗倍半氧化物(Ge-132)具有预防糖尿病及调节糖代谢的作用[2].     

亚临床肝性脑病患者的血清锌,铜含量的测定及临床意义

检测了３０例慢性活动性肝炎患者、３０例肝硬化患者、３０例亚临床肝性脑病患者血清中的铜、锌含量，并与正常对照组进行比较分析，探讨了微量元素铜、锌的血清含量改变及其影响因素，分析其临床意义。结果表明体内的铜锌含量与肝脏功能有密切的关系。在慢性活动性肝炎时，虽然肝脏功能有一定的损害，但由于肝脏的代偿能力强，铜，锌含量仍可保持在正常水平，而在肝硬化、亚临床肝性脑病时，铜锌明显降低，而铜锌含量的降低又导致机     

Effects of pretreatments and modifiers on electrochemical properties of carbon paste electrodes

The electrochemical properties of carbon paste electrodes (CPEs), including unmodified and modified with protein and polycations, were investigated by impedance spectroscopy (IS) using ferricyanide and ferrocene monocarboxylic acid (FcMA) as redox probes. Various electrochemical pretreatments were applied to the unmodified CPE. The heterogeneous charge transfer rate constant of ferro/ferricyanide couple is enhanced by 2 to 10 times compared with that obtained at untreated electrodes. It was found that for ferricyanide the more suitable pretreatments are successive cyclic voltammetric scans, cathodization and a square wave-like stepping rather than high-potential anodization. However, the pretreatment only exhibits a slight effect on the kinetics of FcMA. At the CPEs containing modifier, the electron transfer rate of the redox couple depends more on the pH of electrolyte solution if ferro/ferricyanide is used. The results can be explained by the differently charged states of the CPEs that were caused by the protonation or deprotonation of the modifiers in various pH solutions and demonstrate the importance of the electrostatic interaction on the kinetics of the highly polar species such as ferricyanide. The different adsorptive behavior of ferricyanide and FcMA is also discussed.     

Studies on Interactions of Antibiotics with Serum Albumin by Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor

Introduction Humanserumalbumin(HSA)isawell known transportproteinforavarietyofmoleculesandions[1].Thebindingofadrugtoserumalbuminhasimportant pharmacokineticconsequencesbecauseitinfluences distribution,excretionandpharmacologicaleffectsof thedruginthebody…