Kinds Of Biological Samples Research Articles

Metabolite Profiling of Meridianin C In Vivo of Rat by UHPLC/Q-TOF MS.

Meridianin C (MC), as a marine alkaloid, is a potent protein kinase inhibitor which exhibits good anticancer activity. However, the in vivo metabolism of MC has not been described to date. In this study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-TOF MS) method is employed to investigate the in vivo metabolites of MC in rats. Plasma, bile, urine, and feces are collected after a single oral dose of MC. Protein precipitation, solid phase extraction (SPE), and ultrasonic extraction methods are used to prepare samples. Based on the mass spectral fragmentation patterns, elution order, and retrieving literatures, a total of 13 metabolites of MC were detected and tentatively identified, utilizing MetaboLynx software. The metabolic pathways of MC in rats include N- or O-glucuronidation, O-sulfation, N-hydroxylation, dihydroxylation, and trihydroxylation. The relative content of the metabolites in each kinds of biological samples is also evaluated. This study will help to understand the in vivo properties of MC for the future usage.

Ultrafast polarization bio-imaging based on coherent detection and time-stretch techniques.

Optical polarization imaging has played an important role in many biological and biomedical applications, as it provides a label-free and non-invasive detection scheme to reveal the polarization information of optical rotation, birefringence, and photoelasticity distribution inherent in biological samples. However, the imaging speeds of the previously demonstrated polarization imaging techniques were often limited by the slow frame rates of the arrayed imaging detectors, which usually run at frame rates of several hundred hertz. By combining the optical coherent detection of orthogonal polarizations and the optical time-stretch imaging technique, we achieved ultrafast polarization bio-imaging at an extremely fast record line scanning rate up to 100 MHz without averaging. We experimentally demonstrated the superior performance of our method by imaging three slices of different kinds of biological samples with the retrieved Jones matrix and polarization-sensitive information including birefringence and diattenuation. The proposed system in this paper may find potential applications for ultrafast polarization dynamics in living samples or some other advanced biomedical research.

Detection of biological abnormalities using a near-field microwave microscope

Microwave and millimeter-wave reflectometry is one of the potential techniques for the diagnosis and detection of biological abnormalities, such as subcutaneous masses or cancerous tumors in human body. In this paper, a high-quality microwave sensor based on planar misrostrip resonator is designed, fabricated, and successfully tested with different kinds of biological samples. The proposed sensor has unique properties such as small size, simple fabrication, non-contact with a sample, excellent de-coupling from surroundings, and high microwave power is directly coupled into the tissue. Two experiments are performed for the detection of visible and hidden “lipoma” (fat masses), and minimum size of “lipoma” that is diagnosed by the sensor is obtained as well. In this regard, a two-dimensional image of hidden “lipomas” with amplitude contrast about 30 dB and frequency shifts contrast about 60 MHz at aλ/10 (at 13.5 GHz) stand-off distance is provided. Finally, a measurement scenario for the detection of skin cancer based on the artificial model using different layers of raw chicken with different water content is described. Results show that the proposed microscope is easy to fabricate and provide a low-cost solution for fast and accurate skin cancer detection.

A simple liquid extraction protocol for overcoming the ion suppression of triacylglycerols by phospholipids in liquid chromatography mass spectrometry studies

It is well-known that triacylglycerol (TAG) ions are suppressed by phospholipid (PL) ions in regiospecific analysis of TAG by mass spectrometry (MS). Hence, it is essential to remove the PL during sample preparation prior to MS analysis. The present article proposes a cost-effective liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) method to remove PL from TAG in different kinds of biological samples by using methanol, hexane and water. High performance thin layer chromatography confirmed the lack of PL in krill oil and salmon liver samples, submitted to the proposed LLE protocol, and liquid chromatography tandem MS confirmed that the identified TAG ions were highly enhanced after implementing the LLE procedure.

The analytical calibration in (bio)imaging/mapping of the metallic elements in biological samples – Definitions, nomenclature and strategies: State of the art

Nowadays, studies related to the distribution of metallic elements in biological samples are one of the most important issues. There are many articles dedicated to specific analytical atomic spectrometry techniques used for mapping/(bio)imaging the metallic elements in various kinds of biological samples. However, in such literature, there is a lack of articles dedicated to reviewing calibration strategies, and their problems, nomenclature, definitions, ways and methods used to obtain quantitative distribution maps. The aim of this article was to characterize the analytical calibration in the (bio)imaging/mapping of the metallic elements in biological samples including (1) nomenclature; (2) definitions, and (3) selected and sophisticated, examples of calibration strategies with analytical calibration procedures applied in the different analytical methods currently used to study an element׳s distribution in biological samples/materials such as LA ICP-MS, SIMS, EDS, XRF and others. The main emphasis was placed on the procedures and methodology of the analytical calibration strategy. Additionally, the aim of this work is to systematize the nomenclature for the calibration terms: analytical calibration, analytical calibration method, analytical calibration procedure and analytical calibration strategy. The authors also want to popularize the division of calibration methods that are different than those hitherto used. This article is the first work in literature that refers to and emphasizes many different and complex aspects of analytical calibration problems in studies related to (bio)imaging/mapping metallic elements in different kinds of biological samples.

Discrimination of instant coffee by pattern recognition of chemical oscillation fingerprints

A practical and promising method has been developed to identify the different varieties of instant coffee based on the chemical oscillation fingerprints combined with pattern recognition. Chemical oscillation fingerprints originate from the complex and characteristic interaction of the redox constituents and their relative contents in different kinds of biological samples in the chemical oscillation reaction system. Chemometric pattern recognition methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were applied to enhance the authenticity of identification of different varieties of instant coffee. The method can fully utilize diversified fingerprint characteristics of the coffee sample. It has the advantages of no pretreatment, simple operation, low cost, rapid analysis, accurate and reliable identification results, and so on. Therefore, nonlinear chemical fingerprints can provide a novel strategy to identify instant coffee, enabling a simple and accurate evaluation of coffee sample quality in a fast way.

Applications of NMR spectroscopy based metabolomics: a review

Metabolomics is the study which detects the changes of metabolites level. Metabolomics is a terminal view of the biological system. The end products of the metabolism, metabolites, reflect the responses to external environment. Therefore metabolomics gives the additional information about understanding the metabolic pathways. These metabolites can be used as biomarkers that indicate the disease or external stresses such as exposure to toxicant. Many kinds of biological samples are used in metabolomics, for example, cell, tissue, and bio fluids. NMR spectroscopy is one of the tools of metabolomics. NMR data are analyzed by multivariate statistical analysis and target profiling technique. Recently, NMR-based metabolomics is a growing field in various studies such as disease diagnosis, forensic science, and toxicity assessment.

A panel of microsatellites to individually identify leopards and its application to leopard monitoring in human dominated landscapes

BackgroundLeopards are the most widely distributed of the large cats, ranging from Africa to the Russian Far East. Because of habitat fragmentation, high human population densities and the inherent adaptability of this species, they now occupy landscapes close to human settlements. As a result, they are the most common species involved in human wildlife conflict in India, necessitating their monitoring. However, their elusive nature makes such monitoring difficult. Recent advances in DNA methods along with non-invasive sampling techniques can be used to monitor populations and individuals across large landscapes including human dominated ones. In this paper, we describe a DNA-based method for leopard individual identification where we used fecal DNA samples to obtain genetic material. Further, we apply our methods to non-invasive samples collected in a human-dominated landscape to estimate the minimum number of leopards in this human-leopard conflict area in Western India.ResultsIn this study, 25 of the 29 tested cross-specific microsatellite markers showed positive amplification in 37 wild-caught leopards. These loci revealed varied levels of polymorphism (four-12 alleles) and heterozygosity (0.05-0.79). Combining data on amplification success (including non-invasive samples) and locus specific polymorphisms, we showed that eight loci provide a sibling probability of identity of 0.0005, suggesting that this panel can be used to discriminate individuals in the wild. When this microsatellite panel was applied to fecal samples collected from a human-dominated landscape, we identified 7 individuals, with a sibling probability of identity of 0.001. Amplification success of field collected scats was up to 72%, and genotype error ranged from 0-7.4%.ConclusionOur results demonstrated that the selected panel of eight microsatellite loci can conclusively identify leopards from various kinds of biological samples. Our methods can be used to monitor leopards over small and large landscapes to assess population trends, as well as could be tested for population assignment in forensic applications.

Direct spectrofluorimetric determination of glutathione in biological samples using 5-maleimidyl-2-( m-methylphenyl) benzoxazole

A new thiol fluorescence probe, 5-maleimidyl-2-( m-methylphenyl)benzoxazole (MMPB) has been developed for the direct determination of reduced glutathione (GSH) in real samples. Compared to the reported N-substituted maleimide type of thiol reagents, the main advantage of MMPB is its rather high selectivity for GSH to cysteine (Cys), which often coexists with GSH in biological samples. Under mild conditions similar to the physiological environment, MMPB reacted with GSH to give a highly fluorescent derivative with the excitation and emission wavelengths of 299.2 and 355.8 nm, respectively. In the presence of 0.40-fold (molar ratio) of Cys, a linear relationship was found in the range of 0–1.62×10 −7 mol l −1 with the detection limit (3 σ) of 3.23×10 −10 mol l −1 for GSH determination. Many other amino acids (100-fold) did not interfere with the determination. Since the molar ratio of Cys to GSH in mammalian tissues and blood does not exceed the value of 0.40:1, the proposed method has been used in the direct determination of GSH in these kinds of biological samples, such as human blood, pig’s liver and heart with the recoveries of 94.3–104.5%

A sensitive HPLC technique for the quantitation of dauricine.

To establish the determination method of dauricine (Dau) concentration in rats' blood and other biological samples, a reverse-phase HPLC method was adopted. Under the given condition, dauricine could be well separated. The retention time (tR) of Dau and its internal standard, daurisoline were 9.2 and 6.1 respectively. The detection limit was 10(-2) mg/ml. The absolute recoveries of all kinds of samples were above 70%, and the relative ones were over 85%. A good liner relationship has been obtained over the entire range of 0.030 to 3.000 mg/L in blood samples and 0.050 to 5.000 mg/L in other tissue samples. The intraday and interday coefficients of variation were below 10%. The results showed that the method can be used for detecting Dau in all kinds of biological samples.

A radioactive assay for the degradation of neuropeptide Y

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is one of the most abundant neuropeptides in the mammalian central nervous system. Like other neuropeptides, NPY is inactivated by specialized neuropeptidases. To trace the degradation of NPY, an assay was established using biotinylated NPY. Biotinyl-NPY was radiolabeled with Na 125I by the chloramine-T method and bound to a streptavidin-agarose matrix. The amount of radiolabeling was analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC. The assay was carried out with five peptidases and inhibitors to demonstrate different specific activity. Measurable amounts of radioactivity were released by treatment with endopeptidase-24.18, plasmin, and trypsin, whereas dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPPIV) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) showed no activity in this assay. In the case of DPPIV this is due to a resistance of the assay to aminopeptidase attack. The assay is useful to study the specific degradation of NPY particularly by endopeptidases in all kinds of biological samples.

Direct Determination of Chromium in Biological Materials by Solid-Sampling Atomic Absorption Spectrometry: Application of Three-Point Estimation-Standard Addition Method

A new method of preparing calibration graphs (three-point estimation-standard addition method) is Proposed for the direct determination of chromium at parts per million or sub-parts per million in powdered biological samples by graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectrometry with a solid-sampling technique using a graphite miniature cup. Accurate analytical results for the direct determination of chromium have been obtained by the proposed method, and it was found that the calibration graph prepared by one sample has since been successfully applied to other kinds of biological samples. The analytical results by the proposed method are compared with the analytical results obtained by a conventional calibration curve prepared by using a chromium standard solution and the standard addition method for solid samples proposed by Eames and Matousek (Anal. Chem., 1980, 52, 1248-1251).

Biological Activity Measurement on Botanical Specimen Surfaces Using a Temporal Decorrelation Effect of Laser Speckle

Abstract A biological activity phenomenon, the cyclose that occurs in citrus fruits or in seaweed, is analysed by using the temporal correlation of speckle patterns produced when a specimen is illuminated with a laser beam. The experimental verification of the phenomenon as well as a theoretical model of the distribution of the elementary moving particles are given. Specific statistical processing of the digital speckle is applied to the computation of correlation coefficients. Experimental results are given for three kinds of biological samples.