HPLC, MS, and pharmacokinetics of melphalan, bisantrene and 13-cis retinoic acid.

PubMed

Davis, T P; Peng, Y M; Goodman, G E; Alberts, D S

1982-11-01

High performance liquid chromatographic procedures are described for melphalan, bisantrene, and 13-cis retinoic acid, three important anticancer drugs in various stages of clinical development. The procedures require a rapid and simple sample clean-up followed by a 10-to 20-min chromatographic separation on a reversed-phase C18 column. Precisions are all less than 8% with recoveries greater than 80%. Mass spectrometry confirmation of each drug from patient sample separations is presented to provide unambiguous identification for valid pharmacokinetic parameter determination.

A simple and rapid chromatographic method to determine unauthorized basic colorants (rhodamine B, auramine O, and pararosaniline) in processed foods.

PubMed

Tatebe, Chiye; Zhong, Xining; Ohtsuki, Takashi; Kubota, Hiroki; Sato, Kyoko; Akiyama, Hiroshi

2014-09-01

A simple and rapid high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method to determine basic colorants such as pararosaniline (PA), auramine O (AO), and rhodamine B (RB) in various processed foods was developed. Linearity of the calibration curves ranged from 0.05 to 50 μg/mL for PA and 0.05-100 μg/mL for AO and RB. The detection and quantification limits (LOD and LOQ) of the basic colorants, which were evaluated as signal-to-noise ratios of 3 for LOD and 10 for LOQ, ranged from 0.0125 to 0.05 and 0.025 to 0.125 μg/g, respectively. The recoveries and relative standard deviations of three basic colorants in six processed foods, namely, chili sauce, curry paste, gochujang (hot pepper paste), tandoori chicken (roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices), powder soup, and shrimp powder ranged from 70.2% to 102.8% and 0.8% to 8.0%, respectively. The intraday precision of the recovery test ranged from 1.7% to 4.5%, whereas the interday precision ranged from 3.7% to 7.7%. The reported method has been successfully applied to basic colorant determination in various processed foods such as fat-based food matrices (curry paste and tandoori chicken), chili products (gochujang and chili sauce), and protein-based products (shrimp powder and powder soup). Thin layer chromatography and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry methods for the determination of basic colorants in processed foods were also developed for rapid analysis and identification, respectively. These methods are very useful for monitoring unauthorized basic colorants in inspection centers or quarantine laboratories in many countries.

Validated modified Lycopodium spore method development for standardisation of ingredients of an ayurvedic powdered formulation Shatavaryadi churna.

PubMed

Kumar, Puspendra; Jha, Shivesh; Naved, Tanveer

2013-01-01

Validated modified lycopodium spore method has been developed for simple and rapid quantification of herbal powdered drugs. Lycopodium spore method was performed on ingredients of Shatavaryadi churna, an ayurvedic formulation used as immunomodulator, galactagogue, aphrodisiac and rejuvenator. Estimation of diagnostic characters of each ingredient of Shatavaryadi churna individually was carried out. Microscopic determination, counting of identifying number, measurement of area, length and breadth of identifying characters were performed using Leica DMLS-2 microscope. The method was validated for intraday precision, linearity, specificity, repeatability, accuracy and system suitability, respectively. The method is simple, precise, sensitive, and accurate, and can be used for routine standardisation of raw materials of herbal drugs. This method gives the ratio of individual ingredients in the powdered drug so that any adulteration of genuine drug with its adulterant can be found out. The method shows very good linearity value between 0.988-0.999 for number of identifying character and area of identifying character. Percentage purity of the sample drug can be determined by using the linear equation of standard genuine drug.

Statistical precision of the intensities retrieved from constrained fitting of overlapping peaks in high-resolution mass spectra

DOE PAGES

Cubison, M. J.; Jimenez, J. L.

2015-06-05

Least-squares fitting of overlapping peaks is often needed to separately quantify ions in high-resolution mass spectrometer data. A statistical simulation approach is used to assess the statistical precision of the retrieved peak intensities. The sensitivity of the fitted peak intensities to statistical noise due to ion counting is probed for synthetic data systems consisting of two overlapping ion peaks whose positions are pre-defined and fixed in the fitting procedure. The fitted intensities are sensitive to imperfections in the m/Q calibration. These propagate as a limiting precision in the fitted intensities that may greatly exceed the precision arising from counting statistics.more » The precision on the fitted peak intensity falls into one of three regimes. In the "counting-limited regime" (regime I), above a peak separation χ ~ 2 to 3 half-widths at half-maximum (HWHM), the intensity precision is similar to that due to counting error for an isolated ion. For smaller χ and higher ion counts (~ 1000 and higher), the intensity precision rapidly degrades as the peak separation is reduced ("calibration-limited regime", regime II). Alternatively for χ < 1.6 but lower ion counts (e.g. 10–100) the intensity precision is dominated by the additional ion count noise from the overlapping ion and is not affected by the imprecision in the m/Q calibration ("overlapping-limited regime", regime III). The transition between the counting and m/Q calibration-limited regimes is shown to be weakly dependent on resolving power and data spacing and can thus be approximated by a simple parameterisation based only on peak intensity ratios and separation. A simple equation can be used to find potentially problematic ion pairs when evaluating results from fitted spectra containing many ions. Longer integration times can improve the precision in regimes I and III, but a given ion pair can only be moved out of regime II through increased spectrometer resolving power. As a result, studies presenting data obtained from least-squares fitting procedures applied to mass spectral peaks should explicitly consider these limits on statistical precision.« less

Plasticity within non-cerebellar pathways rapidly shapes motor performance in vivo

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Diana E.; Della Santina, Charles C.; Cullen, Kathleen E.

2016-01-01

Although cerebellar mechanisms are vital to maintain accuracy during complex movements and to calibrate simple reflexes, recent in vitro studies have called into question the widely held view that synaptic changes within cerebellar pathways exclusively guide alterations in motor performance. Here we investigate the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) circuitry by applying temporally precise activation of vestibular afferents in awake-behaving monkeys to link plasticity at different neural sites with changes in motor performance. Behaviourally relevant activation patterns produce rapid attenuation of direct pathway VOR neurons, but not their nerve input. Changes in the strength of this pathway are sufficient to induce a lasting decrease in the evoked VOR. In addition, indirect brainstem pathways display complementary nearly instantaneous changes, contributing to compensating for the reduced sensitivity of primary VOR neurons. Taken together, our data provide evidence that multiple sites of plasticity within VOR pathways can rapidly shape motor performance in vivo. PMID:27157829

Plasticity within non-cerebellar pathways rapidly shapes motor performance in vivo.

PubMed

Mitchell, Diana E; Della Santina, Charles C; Cullen, Kathleen E

2016-05-09

Although cerebellar mechanisms are vital to maintain accuracy during complex movements and to calibrate simple reflexes, recent in vitro studies have called into question the widely held view that synaptic changes within cerebellar pathways exclusively guide alterations in motor performance. Here we investigate the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) circuitry by applying temporally precise activation of vestibular afferents in awake-behaving monkeys to link plasticity at different neural sites with changes in motor performance. Behaviourally relevant activation patterns produce rapid attenuation of direct pathway VOR neurons, but not their nerve input. Changes in the strength of this pathway are sufficient to induce a lasting decrease in the evoked VOR. In addition, indirect brainstem pathways display complementary nearly instantaneous changes, contributing to compensating for the reduced sensitivity of primary VOR neurons. Taken together, our data provide evidence that multiple sites of plasticity within VOR pathways can rapidly shape motor performance in vivo.

Dynamic beam steering at submm- and mm-wave frequencies using an optically controlled lens antenna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallacher, T. F.; Søndenâ, R.; Robertson, D. A.; Smith, G. M.

2013-05-01

We present details of our work which has been focused on improving the efficiency and scan rate of the photo-injected Fresnel zone plate antenna (piFZPA) technique which utilizes commercially available visible display technologies. This approach presents a viable low-cost solution for non-mechanical beam steering, suitable for many applications at (sub) mm-wave frequencies that require rapid beam steering capabilities in order to meet their technological goals, such as imaging, surveillance, and remote sensing. This method has the advantage of being comparatively low-cost, is based on a simple and flexible architecture, enabling rapid and precise arbitrary beam forming, and which is scalable to higher frame-rates and higher submm-wave frequencies. We discuss the various optimization stages of a range of piFZPA designs that implement fast visible projection displays, enabling up to 30,000 beams per second. We also outline the suitability of this technology across mm-wave and submm-wave frequencies as a low-cost and simple solution for dynamic optoelectronic beam steering.

Time- and Cost-Efficient Identification of T-DNA Insertion Sites through Targeted Genomic Sequencing

PubMed Central

Lepage, Étienne; Zampini, Éric; Boyle, Brian; Brisson, Normand

2013-01-01

Forward genetic screens enable the unbiased identification of genes involved in biological processes. In Arabidopsis, several mutant collections are publicly available, which greatly facilitates such practice. Most of these collections were generated by agrotransformation of a T-DNA at random sites in the plant genome. However, precise mapping of T-DNA insertion sites in mutants isolated from such screens is a laborious and time-consuming task. Here we report a simple, low-cost and time efficient approach to precisely map T-DNA insertions simultaneously in many different mutants. By combining sequence capture, next-generation sequencing and 2D-PCR pooling, we developed a new method that allowed the rapid localization of T-DNA insertion sites in 55 out of 64 mutant plants isolated in a screen for gyrase inhibition hypersensitivity. PMID:23951038

Development and validation of a rapid LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of netupitant and palonosetron in human plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

PubMed

Xu, Mingzhen; Ni, Yang; Li, Shihong; Du, Juan; Li, Huqun; Zhou, Ying; Li, Weiyong; Chen, Hui

2016-08-01

A simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was firstly developed and validated for simultaneous determination of netupitant and palonosetron in human plasma using ibrutinib as the internal standard (IS). Following liquid-liquid extraction, the compounds were eluted isocratically on a Phenomenex C18 column (50mm×2.0mm, 3μm) with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 10mM ammonium acetate buffer (pH 9.0) (89:11, v/v) at the flow rate of 0.3mL/min. The monitored ion transitions were m/z 579.5→522.4 for netupitant, m/z 297.3→110.2 for palonosetron and m/z 441.2→138.1 for IS. Chromatographic run time was 2.5min per injection, which made it possible to analyze more than 300 of samples per day. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 5-1000ng/mL for netupitant and 0.02-10ng/mL for palonosetron in plasma. The values for both within- and between-day precision and accuracy were well within the generally accepted criteria for analytical methods (<15%). Selectivity, linearity, lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), accuracy, precision, stability, matrix effect, recovery and carry-over effect were evaluated for all analytes. The method is simple, rapid, and has been applied successfully to a pharmacokinetic study of netupitant and palonosetron in healthy volunteers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transdermal Diagnosis of Malaria Using Vapor Nanobubbles.

PubMed

Lukianova-Hleb, Ekaterina; Bezek, Sarah; Szigeti, Reka; Khodarev, Alexander; Kelley, Thomas; Hurrell, Andrew; Berba, Michail; Kumar, Nirbhay; D'Alessandro, Umberto; Lapotko, Dmitri

2015-07-01

A fast, precise, noninvasive, high-throughput, and simple approach for detecting malaria in humans and mosquitoes is not possible with current techniques that depend on blood sampling, reagents, facilities, tedious procedures, and trained personnel. We designed a device for rapid (20-second) noninvasive diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum infection in a malaria patient without drawing blood or using any reagent. This method uses transdermal optical excitation and acoustic detection of vapor nanobubbles around intraparasite hemozoin. The same device also identified individual malaria parasite-infected Anopheles mosquitoes in a few seconds and can be realized as a low-cost universal tool for clinical and field diagnoses.

Simultaneous Determination of Eight Hypotensive Drugs of Various Chemical Groups in Pharmaceutical Preparations by HPLC-DAD.

PubMed

Stolarczyk, Mariusz; Hubicka, Urszula; Żuromska-Witek, Barbara; Krzek, Jan

2015-01-01

A new sensitive, simple, rapid, and precise HPLC method with diode array detection has been developed for separation and simultaneous determination of hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide, torasemide, losartane, quinapril, valsartan, spironolactone, and canrenone in combined pharmaceutical dosage forms. The chromatographic analysis of the tested drugs was performed on an ACE C18, 100 Å, 250×4.6 mm, 5 μm particle size column with 0.0.05 M phosphate buffer (pH=3.00)-acetonitrile-methanol (30+20+50 v/v/v) mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The column was thermostatted at 25°C. UV detection was performed at 230 nm. Analysis time was 10 min. The elaborated method meets the acceptance criteria for specificity, linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of the studied drugs in the selected combined dosage forms.

An Improved Fast Self-Calibration Method for Hybrid Inertial Navigation System under Stationary Condition

PubMed Central

Liu, Bingqi; Wei, Shihui; Su, Guohua; Wang, Jiping; Lu, Jiazhen

2018-01-01

The navigation accuracy of the inertial navigation system (INS) can be greatly improved when the inertial measurement unit (IMU) is effectively calibrated and compensated, such as gyro drifts and accelerometer biases. To reduce the requirement for turntable precision in the classical calibration method, a continuous dynamic self-calibration method based on a three-axis rotating frame for the hybrid inertial navigation system is presented. First, by selecting a suitable IMU frame, the error models of accelerometers and gyros are established. Then, by taking the navigation errors during rolling as the observations, the overall twenty-one error parameters of hybrid inertial navigation system (HINS) are identified based on the calculation of the intermediate parameter. The actual experiment verifies that the method can identify all error parameters of HINS and this method has equivalent accuracy to the classical calibration on a high-precision turntable. In addition, this method is rapid, simple and feasible. PMID:29695041

An Improved Fast Self-Calibration Method for Hybrid Inertial Navigation System under Stationary Condition.

PubMed

Liu, Bingqi; Wei, Shihui; Su, Guohua; Wang, Jiping; Lu, Jiazhen

2018-04-24

The navigation accuracy of the inertial navigation system (INS) can be greatly improved when the inertial measurement unit (IMU) is effectively calibrated and compensated, such as gyro drifts and accelerometer biases. To reduce the requirement for turntable precision in the classical calibration method, a continuous dynamic self-calibration method based on a three-axis rotating frame for the hybrid inertial navigation system is presented. First, by selecting a suitable IMU frame, the error models of accelerometers and gyros are established. Then, by taking the navigation errors during rolling as the observations, the overall twenty-one error parameters of hybrid inertial navigation system (HINS) are identified based on the calculation of the intermediate parameter. The actual experiment verifies that the method can identify all error parameters of HINS and this method has equivalent accuracy to the classical calibration on a high-precision turntable. In addition, this method is rapid, simple and feasible.

In-plane cost-effective magnetically actuated valve for microfluidic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pugliese, Marco; Ferrara, Francesco; Bramanti, Alessandro Paolo; Gigli, Giuseppe; Maiorano, Vincenzo

2017-04-01

We present a new in-plane magnetically actuated microfluidic valve. Its simple design includes a circular area joining two channels lying on the same plane. The area is parted by a septum lying on and adhering to a magneto-active polymeric ‘floor’ membrane, keeping the channels normally separated (valve closed). Under the action of a magnetic field, the membrane collapses, letting the liquid flow below the septum (valve open). The valve was extensively characterized experimentally, and modeled and optimized theoretically. The growing interest in lab on chips, especially for diagnostics and precision medicine, is driving researchers towards smart, efficient and low cost solutions to the management of biological samples. In this context, the valve developed in this work represents a useful building-block for microfluidic applications requiring precise flow control, its main features being easy and rapid manufacturing, biocompatibility and low cost.

Application of oxybutynin selective sensors for monitoring the dissolution profile and assay of pharmaceutical dosage forms.

PubMed

El Hamshary, Marwa S; Salem, Omar H; El Nashar, Rasha M

2010-01-01

Two ion-selective sensors of the plastic membrane type were prepared for the determination of oxybutynin hydrochloride (OxCl). They depend on the incorporation of the ion-associates with phosphotungestic acid or phosphomolybdic acid in a PVC matrix. A comparative study is made between their performance characteristics in batch and FIA conditions. The sensors have nearly the same usable concentration, temperature and pH range. They have a wide range of selectivity and can be applied for the determination of the relevant drug with nearly the same precision and accuracy in vitro. Dissolution testing was applied using the sensors; this offers a simple, rapid, cheap way out of sophisticated and high cost instruments used in the pharmacopeial method using HPLC. The investigated drug was determined in its pure and pharmaceutical preparations. The results were accurate and precise, as indicated by the recovery values and coefficients of variation.

Pharmacokinetics of pidotimod in broiler chickens by UHPLC-MS/MS after oral and intravenous administration.

PubMed

Zhang, Ruili; Qiu, Mei; Zhao, Li; Cui, Liangliang; Wang, Chunyuan; Zhu, Jiajia; Hao, Zhihui

2018-03-01

Pidotimod is widely used in children as an immune promoter but it has not been fully evaluated in animals. The pharmacokinetics of pidotimod and its oral bioavailability have not been described in broiler chickens. We developed a simple and sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS assay for rapid determination of pidotimod levels in chicken blood. Recoveries were nearly 100% and the coefficients of accuracy and precision were minimal. Healthy broiler chickens were given 10 mg/kg pidotimod either orally or intravenously. The oral pidotimod was rapidly absorbed (time to reach maximum concentration, 1.25 h) and rapidly eliminated (the mean residence time was 3.2 h). A noncompartmental analysis of the intravenous route indicated a mean plasma clearance of 2.2 L (h kg) -1 with an estimated mean volume of distribution at steady state of 12.69 L/kg. The bioavailability of pidotimod after oral dosing was 27%. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rapid determination of cholesterol in milk and milk products by direct saponification and capillary gas chromatography.

PubMed

Fletouris, D J; Botsoglou, N A; Psomas, I E; Mantis, A I

1998-11-01

A simple method is described for the determination of cholesterol in milk and milk products. Samples (0.2 g) are saponified in capped tubes with 0.5 M methanolic KOH solution by heating for 15 min at 80 degrees C. Water is added to the mixtures, and the unsaponifiable fractions are extracted with hexane to be further analyzed by capillary gas chromatography. Because of the rapid sample preparation and gas chromatographic procedures, a single sample can be analyzed in 30 min. Overall recovery was 98.6%, and the linearity was excellent for the fortification range examined. Precision data that were based on the variation within and between days suggested an overall relative standard deviation value of 1.4%. The method has been successfully applied to quantitate cholesterol in a variety of milk products.

[Advances in application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 system in stem cells research].

PubMed

Sun, S J; Huo, J H; Geng, Z J; Sun, X Y; Fu, X B

2018-04-20

Gene engineering has attracted worldwide attention because of its ability of precise location of disease mutations in genome. As a new gene editing technology, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9) system is simple, fast, and accurate to operate at a specific gene site. It overcomes the long-standing problem of conventional operation. At the same time, stem cells are a good foundation for establishing disease model in vitro. Therefore, it has great significance to combine stem cells with the rapidly developing gene manipulation techniques. In this review, we mainly focus on the mechanism of CRISPR/Cas9 technology and its application in stem cell genomic editing, so as to pave the way for promoting rapid application and development of CRISPR/Cas9 technology.

Multi-stimuli responsive Cu2S nanocrystals as trimodal imaging and synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poulose, Aby Cheruvathoor; Veeranarayanan, Srivani; Mohamed, M. Sheikh; Nagaoka, Yutaka; Romero Aburto, Rebeca; Mitcham, Trevor; Ajayan, Pulickel M.; Bouchard, Richard R.; Sakamoto, Yasushi; Yoshida, Yasuhiko; Maekawa, Toru; Sakthi Kumar, D.

2015-04-01

A size and shape tuned, multifunctional metal chalcogenide, Cu2S-based nanotheranostic agent is developed for trimodal imaging and multimodal therapeutics against brain cancer cells. This theranostic agent was highly efficient in optical, photoacoustic and X-ray contrast imaging systems. The folate targeted NIR-responsive photothermal ablation in synergism with the chemotherapeutic action of doxorubicin proved to be a rapid precision guided cancer-killing module. The multi-stimuli, i.e., pH-, thermo- and photo-responsive drug release behavior of the nanoconjugates opens up a wider corridor for on-demand triggered drug administration. The simple synthesis protocol, combined with the multitudes of interesting features packed into a single nanoformulation, clearly demonstrates the competing role of this Cu2S nanosystem in future cancer treatment strategies.A size and shape tuned, multifunctional metal chalcogenide, Cu2S-based nanotheranostic agent is developed for trimodal imaging and multimodal therapeutics against brain cancer cells. This theranostic agent was highly efficient in optical, photoacoustic and X-ray contrast imaging systems. The folate targeted NIR-responsive photothermal ablation in synergism with the chemotherapeutic action of doxorubicin proved to be a rapid precision guided cancer-killing module. The multi-stimuli, i.e., pH-, thermo- and photo-responsive drug release behavior of the nanoconjugates opens up a wider corridor for on-demand triggered drug administration. The simple synthesis protocol, combined with the multitudes of interesting features packed into a single nanoformulation, clearly demonstrates the competing role of this Cu2S nanosystem in future cancer treatment strategies. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Methodology and additional experimental results. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr07139e

Development of a simple chromatographic method for the determination of piracetam in human plasma and its pharmacokinetic evaluation.

PubMed

Barkat, K; Ahmad, M; Minhas, M U; Malik, M Z; Sohail, M

2014-07-01

The objective of study was to develop an accurate and reproducible HPLC method for determination of piracetam in human plasma and to evaluate pharmacokinetic parameters of 800 mg piracetam. A simple, rapid, accurate, precise and sensitive high pressure liquid chromatography method has been developed and subsequently validated for determination of piracetam. This study represents the results of a randomized, single-dose and single-period in 18 healthy male volunteers to assess pharmacokinetic parameters of 800 mg piracetam tablets. Various pharmacokinetic parameters were determined from plasma for piracetam and found to be in good agreement with previous reported values. The data was analyzed by using Kinetica® version 4.4 according to non-compartment model of pharmacokinetic analysis and after comparison with previous studies, no significant differences were found in present study of tested product. The major pharmacokinetic parameters for piracetam were as follows: t1/2 was (4.40 ± 0.179) h; Tmax value was (2.33 ± 0.105) h; Cmax was (14.53 ± 0.282) µg/mL; the AUC(0-∞) was (59.19 ± 4.402) µg · h/mL. AUMC(0-∞) was (367.23 ± 38.96) µg. (h)(2)/mL; Ke was (0.16 ± 0.006) h; MRT was (5.80 ± 0.227) h; Vd was (96.36 ± 8.917 L). A rapid, accurate and precise high pressure liquid chromatography method was developed and validated before the study. It is concluded that this method is very useful for the analysis of pharmacokinetic parameters, in human plasma and assured the safety and efficacy of piracetam, can be effectively used in medical practice. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Simple and rapid analytical method for detection of amino acids in blood using blood spot on filter paper, fast-GC/MS and isotope dilution technique.

PubMed

Kawana, Shuichi; Nakagawa, Katsuhiro; Hasegawa, Yuki; Yamaguchi, Seiji

2010-11-15

A simple and rapid method for quantitative analysis of amino acids, including valine (Val), leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile), methionine (Met) and phenylalanine (Phe), in whole blood has been developed using GC/MS. In this method, whole blood was collected using a filter paper technique, and a 1/8 in. blood spot punch was used for sample preparation. Amino acids were extracted from the sample, and the extracts were purified using cation-exchange resins. The isotope dilution method using ²H₈-Val, ²H₃-Leu, ²H₃-Met and ²H₅-Phe as internal standards was applied. Following propyl chloroformate derivatization, the derivatives were analyzed using fast-GC/MS. The extraction recoveries using these techniques ranged from 69.8% to 87.9%, and analysis time for each sample was approximately 26 min. Calibration curves at concentrations from 0.0 to 1666.7 μmol/l for Val, Leu, Ile and Phe and from 0.0 to 333.3 μmol/l for Met showed good linearity with regression coefficients=1. The method detection limits for Val, Leu, Ile, Met and Phe were 24.2, 16.7, 8.7, 1.5 and 12.9 μmol/l, respectively. This method was applied to blood spot samples obtained from patients with phenylketonuria (PKU), maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), hypermethionine and neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD), and the analysis results showed that the concentrations of amino acids that characterize these diseases were increased. These results indicate that this method provides a simple and rapid procedure for precise determination of amino acids in whole blood. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple and rapid LC-MS/MS method for the absolute determination of cetuximab in human serum using an immobilized trypsin.

PubMed

Shibata, Kaito; Naito, Takafumi; Okamura, Jun; Hosokawa, Seiji; Mineta, Hiroyuki; Kawakami, Junichi

2017-11-30

Proteomic approaches using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) without an immunopurification technique have not been applied to the determination of serum cetuximab. This study developed a simple and rapid LC-MS/MS method for the absolute determination of cetuximab in human serum and applied it to clinical settings. Surrogate peptides derived from cetuximab digests were selected using a Fourier transform mass spectrometer. Reduced-alkylated serum cetuximab without immunopurification was digested for 20minutes using immobilized trypsin, and the digestion products were purified by solid-phase extraction. The LC-MS/MS was run in positive ion multiple reaction monitoring mode. This method was applied to the determination of serum samples in head and neck cancer patients treated with cetuximab. The chromatographic run time was 10minutes and no peaks interfering with surrogate peptides in serum digestion products were observed. The calibration curve of absolute cetuximab in serum was linear over the concentration range of 4-200μg/mL. The lower limit of quantification of cetuximab in human serum was 4μg/mL. The intra-assay and inter-assay precision and accuracy were less than 13.2% and 88.0-100.7%, respectively. The serum concentration range of cetuximab was 19-140μg/mL in patients. The serum cetuximab concentrations in LC-MS/MS were correlated with those in ELISA (r=0.899, P <0.01) and the mean bias was 1.5% in cancer patients. In conclusion, the present simple and rapid method with acceptable analytical performance can be helpful for evaluating the absolute concentration of serum cetuximab in clinical settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meeks, Kelsey; Pantoya, Michelle L.; Green, Micah

For dispersions containing a single type of particle, it has been observed that the onset of percolation coincides with a critical value of volume fraction. When the volume fraction is calculated based on excluded volume, this critical percolation threshold is nearly invariant to particle shape. The critical threshold has been calculated to high precision for simple geometries using Monte Carlo simulations, but this method is slow at best, and infeasible for complex geometries. This article explores an analytical approach to the prediction of percolation threshold in polydisperse mixtures. Specifically, this paper suggests an extension of the concept of excluded volume,more » and applies that extension to the 2D binary disk system. The simple analytical expression obtained is compared to Monte Carlo results from the literature. In conclusion, the result may be computed extremely rapidly and matches key parameters closely enough to be useful for composite material design.« less

A simple reagent-free spectrophotometric assay for monitoring metronidazole therapy in aquarium water.

PubMed

Webb, D Harry; Marrero, Cynthia; Ellis, Helen; Merriwether, Lea; Dove, Alistair D M

2013-09-01

A reagent-free spectrophotometric assay was developed to measure the concentration of metronidazole (a 5-nitroimidazole) in both freshwater and seawater matrices. This assay is simple, repeatable, sensitive, and precise and is ideal for use when a rapid, selective test to determine metronidazole concentration in aqueous matrices is necessary. The assay was practically tested on a South American fishes display during treatment with metronidazole for an outbreak of the flagellated parasite Spironucleus in a mixed cichlid (family Cichlidae) and tetra (family Characidae) community. The assay clearly illustrated the course of treatment for the system during a real clinical application. The assay is not without limitations, as interferences can occur from other drugs in the matrix with similar absorbance spectra. Nonetheless, this type of assay illustrates the potential for use of native absorbance assays in aqueous matrices for this and other therapeutic compounds.

A Simple Technique for Accurate Transfer of Secondary Copings in a Tooth-Supported Telescopic Prosthesis.

PubMed

Shankargouda, Swapnil B; Sidhu, Preena; Kardalkar, Swetha; Desai, Pooja M

2017-02-01

Residual ridge resorption is a rapid, progressive, irreversible, and inevitable process of bone resorption. Long-standing teeth and implants have been shown to have maintained the bone around them without resorption. Thus, overdenture therapy has been proven to be beneficial in situations where few remaining teeth are present. In addition to the various advantages seen with tooth-supported telescopic overdentures, a few shortcomings can also be expected, including unseating of the overdenture, increased bulk of the prosthesis, secondary caries, etc. The precise transfer of the secondary telescopic copings to maintain the spatial relationship, without any micromovement, remains the most critical step in ensuring the success of the tooth-supported telescopic prosthesis. Thus, a simple and innovative technique of splinting the secondary copings was devised to prevent distortion and micromovement and maintain its spatial relationship. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Comparative Recall and Precision of Simple and Expert Searches in Google Scholar and Eight Other Databases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, William H.

2011-01-01

This study evaluates the effectiveness of simple and expert searches in Google Scholar (GS), EconLit, GEOBASE, PAIS, POPLINE, PubMed, Social Sciences Citation Index, Social Sciences Full Text, and Sociological Abstracts. It assesses the recall and precision of 32 searches in the field of later-life migration: nine simple keyword searches and 23…

Quantification of rifampicin in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid by a highly sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method.

PubMed

Srivastava, Abhishek; Waterhouse, David; Ardrey, Alison; Ward, Stephen A

2012-11-01

A highly sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been developed to measure the levels of the antitubercular drug rifampicin (RIF) in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The analyte and internal standard (IS) were isolated from plasma and CSF by a simple organic solvent based precipitation of proteins followed by centrifugation. Detection was carried out by electrospray positive ionization mass spectrometry in the multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The assay was linear in the concentration range 25-6400 ng/mL with intra- and inter-day precision of <7% and <8%, respectively. The validated method was applied to the study of RIF pharmacokinetics in human CSF and plasma over 25 h period after a 10 mg/kg oral dose. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cell-Free Optogenetic Gene Expression System.

PubMed

Jayaraman, Premkumar; Yeoh, Jing Wui; Jayaraman, Sudhaghar; Teh, Ai Ying; Zhang, Jingyun; Poh, Chueh Loo

2018-04-20

Optogenetic tools provide a new and efficient way to dynamically program gene expression with unmatched spatiotemporal precision. To date, their vast potential remains untapped in the field of cell-free synthetic biology, largely due to the lack of simple and efficient light-switchable systems. Here, to bridge the gap between cell-free systems and optogenetics, we studied our previously engineered one component-based blue light-inducible Escherichia coli promoter in a cell-free environment through experimental characterization and mathematical modeling. We achieved >10-fold dynamic expression and demonstrated rapid and reversible activation of the target gene to generate oscillatory response. The deterministic model developed was able to recapitulate the system behavior and helped to provide quantitative insights to optimize dynamic response. This in vitro optogenetic approach could be a powerful new high-throughput screening technology for rapid prototyping of complex biological networks in both space and time without the need for chemical induction.

Startup analysis for a high temperature gas loaded heat pipe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sockol, P. M.

1973-01-01

A model for the rapid startup of a high-temperature gas-loaded heat pipe is presented. A two-dimensional diffusion analysis is used to determine the rate of energy transport by the vapor between the hot and cold zones of the pipe. The vapor transport rate is then incorporated in a simple thermal model of the startup of a radiation-cooled heat pipe. Numerical results for an argon-lithium system show that radial diffusion to the cold wall can produce large vapor flow rates during a rapid startup. The results also show that startup is not initiated until the vapor pressure p sub v in the hot zone reaches a precise value proportional to the initial gas pressure p sub i. Through proper choice of p sub i, startup can be delayed until p sub v is large enough to support a heat-transfer rate sufficient to overcome a thermal load on the heat pipe.

Rapid, Vehicle-Based Identification of Location and Magnitude of Urban Natural Gas Pipeline Leaks.

PubMed

von Fischer, Joseph C; Cooley, Daniel; Chamberlain, Sam; Gaylord, Adam; Griebenow, Claire J; Hamburg, Steven P; Salo, Jessica; Schumacher, Russ; Theobald, David; Ham, Jay

2017-04-04

Information about the location and magnitudes of natural gas (NG) leaks from urban distribution pipelines is important for minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and optimizing investment in pipeline management. To enable rapid collection of such data, we developed a relatively simple method using high-precision methane analyzers in Google Street View cars. Our data indicate that this automated leak survey system can document patterns in leak location and magnitude within and among cities, even without wind data. We found that urban areas with prevalent corrosion-prone distribution lines (Boston, MA, Staten Island, NY, and Syracuse, NY), leaked approximately 25-fold more methane than cities with more modern pipeline materials (Burlington, VT, and Indianapolis, IN). Although this mobile monitoring method produces conservative estimates of leak rates and leak counts, it can still help prioritize both leak repairs and replacement of leak-prone sections of distribution lines, thus minimizing methane emissions over short and long terms.

Transdermal Diagnosis of Malaria Using Vapor Nanobubbles

PubMed Central

Lukianova-Hleb, Ekaterina; Bezek, Sarah; Szigeti, Reka; Khodarev, Alexander; Kelley, Thomas; Hurrell, Andrew; Berba, Michail; Kumar, Nirbhay; D’Alessandro, Umberto

2015-01-01

A fast, precise, noninvasive, high-throughput, and simple approach for detecting malaria in humans and mosquitoes is not possible with current techniques that depend on blood sampling, reagents, facilities, tedious procedures, and trained personnel. We designed a device for rapid (20-second) noninvasive diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum infection in a malaria patient without drawing blood or using any reagent. This method uses transdermal optical excitation and acoustic detection of vapor nanobubbles around intraparasite hemozoin. The same device also identified individual malaria parasite–infected Anopheles mosquitoes in a few seconds and can be realized as a low-cost universal tool for clinical and field diagnoses. PMID:26079141

Rapid Development and Validation of Improved Reversed-Phase High-performance Liquid Chromatography Method for the Quantification of Mangiferin, a Polyphenol Xanthone Glycoside in Mangifera indica

PubMed Central

Naveen, P.; Lingaraju, H. B.; Prasad, K. Shyam

2017-01-01

Mangiferin, a polyphenolic xanthone glycoside from Mangifera indica, is used as traditional medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases. The present study was aimed to develop and validate a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for the quantification of mangiferin from the bark extract of M. indica. RP-HPLC analysis was performed by isocratic elution with a low-pressure gradient using 0.1% formic acid: acetonitrile (87:13) as a mobile phase with a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min. The separation was done at 26°C using a Kinetex XB-C18 column as stationary phase and the detection wavelength at 256 nm. The proposed method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, limit of quantification, and robustness by the International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines. In linearity, the excellent correlation coefficient more than 0.999 indicated good fitting of the curve and also good linearity. The intra- and inter-day precision showed < 1% of relative standard deviation of peak area indicated high reliability and reproducibility of the method. The recovery values at three different levels (50%, 100%, and 150%) of spiked samples were found to be 100.47, 100.89, and 100.99, respectively, and low standard deviation value < 1% shows high accuracy of the method. In robustness, the results remain unaffected by small variation in the analytical parameters, which shows the robustness of the method. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of mangiferin with M/Z value of 421. The assay developed by HPLC method is a simple, rapid, and reliable for the determination of mangiferin from M. indica. SUMMARY The present study was intended to develop and validate an RP-HPLC method for the quantification of mangiferin from the bark extract of M. indica. The developed method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, limit of quantification and robustness by International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. This study proved that the developed assay by HPLC method is a simple, rapid and reliable for the quantification of the mangiferin from M. indica. Abbreviations Used: M. indica: Mangifera indica, RP-HPLC: Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, M/Z: Mass to charge ratio, ICH: International conference on harmonization, % RSD: Percentage of relative standard deviation, ppm: Parts per million, LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantification. PMID:28539748

Rapid Development and Validation of Improved Reversed-Phase High-performance Liquid Chromatography Method for the Quantification of Mangiferin, a Polyphenol Xanthone Glycoside in Mangifera indica.

PubMed

Naveen, P; Lingaraju, H B; Prasad, K Shyam

2017-01-01

Mangiferin, a polyphenolic xanthone glycoside from Mangifera indica , is used as traditional medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases. The present study was aimed to develop and validate a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for the quantification of mangiferin from the bark extract of M. indica . RP-HPLC analysis was performed by isocratic elution with a low-pressure gradient using 0.1% formic acid: acetonitrile (87:13) as a mobile phase with a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min. The separation was done at 26°C using a Kinetex XB-C18 column as stationary phase and the detection wavelength at 256 nm. The proposed method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, limit of quantification, and robustness by the International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines. In linearity, the excellent correlation coefficient more than 0.999 indicated good fitting of the curve and also good linearity. The intra- and inter-day precision showed < 1% of relative standard deviation of peak area indicated high reliability and reproducibility of the method. The recovery values at three different levels (50%, 100%, and 150%) of spiked samples were found to be 100.47, 100.89, and 100.99, respectively, and low standard deviation value < 1% shows high accuracy of the method. In robustness, the results remain unaffected by small variation in the analytical parameters, which shows the robustness of the method. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of mangiferin with M/Z value of 421. The assay developed by HPLC method is a simple, rapid, and reliable for the determination of mangiferin from M. indica . The present study was intended to develop and validate an RP-HPLC method for the quantification of mangiferin from the bark extract of M. indica . The developed method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, limit of quantification and robustness by International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. This study proved that the developed assay by HPLC method is a simple, rapid and reliable for the quantification of the mangiferin from M. indica . Abbreviations Used: M. indica : Mangifera indica , RP-HPLC: Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, M/Z: Mass to charge ratio, ICH: International conference on harmonization, % RSD: Percentage of relative standard deviation, ppm: Parts per million, LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantification.

Determination of perfluorinated compounds in fish fillet homogenates: method validation and application to fillet homogenates from the Mississippi River.

PubMed

Malinsky, Michelle Duval; Jacoby, Cliffton B; Reagen, William K

2011-01-10

We report herein a simple protein precipitation extraction-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method, validation, and application for the analysis of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (C7-C12), perfluorinated sulfonic acids (C4, C6, and C8), and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) in fish fillet tissue. The method combines a rapid homogenization and protein precipitation tissue extraction procedure using stable-isotope internal standard (IS) calibration. Method validation in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) fillet tissue evaluated the following: (1) method accuracy and precision in both extracted matrix-matched calibration and solvent (unextracted) calibration, (2) quantitation of mixed branched and linear isomers of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) with linear isomer calibration, (3) quantitation of low level (ppb) perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the presence of high level (ppm) PFOS, and (4) specificity from matrix interferences. Both calibration techniques produced method accuracy of at least 100±13% with a precision (%RSD) ≤18% for all target analytes. Method accuracy and precision results for fillet samples from nine different fish species taken from the Mississippi River in 2008 and 2009 are also presented. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous Determination of Ofloxacin and Flavoxate Hydrochloride by Absorption Ratio and Second Derivative UV Spectrophotometry

PubMed Central

Attimarad, Mahesh

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop simple, precise, accurate and sensitive UV spectrophotometric methods for the simultaneous determination of ofloxacin (OFX) and flavoxate HCl (FLX) in pharmaceutical formulations. The first method is based on absorption ratio method, by formation of Q absorbance equation at 289 nm (λmax of OFX) and 322.4 nm (isoabsorptive point). The linearity range was found to be 1 to 30 μg/ml for FLX and OFX. In the method-II second derivative absorption at 311.4 nm for OFX (zero crossing for FLX) and at 246.2 nm for FLX (zero crossing for OFX) was used for the determination of the drugs and the linearity range was found to be 2 to 30 μg/ml for OFX and 2-75 μg /ml for FLX. The accuracy and precision of the methods were determined and validated statistically. Both the methods showed good reproducibility and recovery with % RSD less than 1.5%. Both the methods were found to be rapid, specific, precise and accurate and can be successfully applied for the routine analysis of OFX and FLX in combined dosage form PMID:24826003

Quantitative analysis of sitagliptin using the (19)F-NMR method: a universal technique for fluorinated compound detection.

PubMed

Zhang, Fen-Fen; Jiang, Meng-Hong; Sun, Lin-Lin; Zheng, Feng; Dong, Lei; Shah, Vishva; Shen, Wen-Bin; Ding, Ya

2015-01-07

To expand the application scope of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology in quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical ingredients, (19)F nuclear magnetic resonance ((19)F-NMR) spectroscopy has been employed as a simple, rapid, and reproducible approach for the detection of a fluorine-containing model drug, sitagliptin phosphate monohydrate (STG). ciprofloxacin (Cipro) has been used as the internal standard (IS). Influential factors, including the relaxation delay time (d1) and pulse angle, impacting the accuracy and precision of spectral data are systematically optimized. Method validation has been carried out in terms of precision and intermediate precision, linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ), robustness, and stability. To validate the reliability and feasibility of the (19)F-NMR technology in quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical analytes, the assay result has been compared with that of (1)H-NMR. The statistical F-test and student t-test at 95% confidence level indicate that there is no significant difference between these two methods. Due to the advantages of (19)F-NMR, such as higher resolution and suitability for biological samples, it can be used as a universal technology for the quantitative analysis of other fluorine-containing pharmaceuticals and analytes.

Dispersive micro solid phase extraction (DMSPE) using polymer anion exchange (PAX) as the sorbent followed by UPLC-MS/MS for the rapid determination of four bisphenols in commercial edible oils.

PubMed

Xian, Yanping; Wu, Yuluan; Dong, Hao; Guo, Xindong; Wang, Bin; Wang, Li

2017-09-29

The present work presents a novel and rapid analytical method for the simultaneous analysis of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) in edible oil based on dispersive micro solid phase extraction (DMSPE) for the first time followed by isotope dilution-ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The edible oil sample was dispersed by n-hexane and extracted with ammoniated methanol-water solution. Then the target analytes were dispersedly absorbed using the polymer anion exchange (PAX) as the sorbent and eluted by acidic methanol. After that, four bisphenols were separated on a C18 column by gradient elution with methanol and 0.05% ammonium hydroxide in water as mobile phase, detected by MS/MS under multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) mode and quantified by internal standard method. The PAX amounts, adsorption time, concentrations of formic acid in the elution solvent and volume of elution solvent for the DMSPE technique were optimized. The limit of detection and quantitation (LOD and LOQ), matrix effect, recovery and precision of the developed method were investigated. Results indicated that BPS and the rest three bisphenols displayed excellent linearity in the concentration ranges of 0.1-50μg/L and 0.5-250μg/L, respectively, with correlation coefficients (R 2 ) all larger than 0.998. Achieved MLODs (S/N=3) varied between 0.1-0.4μg/kg for all bisphenols. The mean recoveries at three spiked levels in edible oil were in the range of 87.3-108%. Intra-day precision (n=6) and inter-day precision (n=5) were <9% and <11%, respectively. This method is of rapid-and-simple pretreatment, accurate and sensitive, and suitable for the simultaneous determination of bisphenols in edible oil. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A General-applications Direct Global Matrix Algorithm for Rapid Seismo-acoustic Wavefield Computations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, H.; Tango, G. J.; Werby, M. F.

1985-01-01

A new matrix method for rapid wave propagation modeling in generalized stratified media, which has recently been applied to numerical simulations in diverse areas of underwater acoustics, solid earth seismology, and nondestructive ultrasonic scattering is explained and illustrated. A portion of recent efforts jointly undertaken at NATOSACLANT and NORDA Numerical Modeling groups in developing, implementing, and testing a new fast general-applications wave propagation algorithm, SAFARI, formulated at SACLANT is summarized. The present general-applications SAFARI program uses a Direct Global Matrix Approach to multilayer Green's function calculation. A rapid and unconditionally stable solution is readily obtained via simple Gaussian ellimination on the resulting sparsely banded block system, precisely analogous to that arising in the Finite Element Method. The resulting gains in accuracy and computational speed allow consideration of much larger multilayered air/ocean/Earth/engineering material media models, for many more source-receiver configurations than previously possible. The validity and versatility of the SAFARI-DGM method is demonstrated by reviewing three practical examples of engineering interest, drawn from ocean acoustics, engineering seismology and ultrasonic scattering.

Rapid determination of surfactant critical micelle concentration in aqueous solutions using fiber-optic refractive index sensing.

PubMed

Tan, Chun Hua; Huang, Zhen Jian; Huang, Xu Guang

2010-06-01

We describe a simple and rapid method for determining the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of surfactants from fiber-optic measurements of refractive index. The refractive index of an aqueous surfactant solution was monitored as the surfactant concentration was increased using an automated dispensing system. On reaching the surfactant's CMC value, an abrupt change was observed in the rate of increase of the refractive index with increasing concentration. The measurement system provides rapid semiautomatic data collection and analysis, increasing the precision, sensitivity, and range of applicability of the technique while substantially decreasing the amount of manual intervention required. Measurements of CMC for sodium dodecyl sulfate (8.10mM), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (1.58mM), and Triton X-100 (0.21mM) were in excellent agreement with values previously reported in the literature. The method is applicable to cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants, and it offers a facile, in situ, and sensitive means of detecting micelle formation over a broad range of CMC values larger than 10(-1)mM. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simple and rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method to determine plasma biotin in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Yagi, Shigeaki; Nishizawa, Manabu; Ando, Itiro; Oguma, Shiro; Sato, Emiko; Imai, Yutaka; Fujiwara, Masako

2016-08-01

A simple, rapid, and selective method for determination of plasma biotin was developed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). After single-step protein precipitation with methanol, biotin and stable isotope-labeled biotin as an internal standard (IS) were chromatographed on a pentafluorophenyl stationary-phase column (2.1 × 100 mm, 2.7 μm) under isocratic conditions using 10 mm ammonium formate-acetonitrile (93:7, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. The total chromatographic runtime was 5 min for each injection. Detection was performed in a positive electrospray ionization mode by monitoring selected ion transitions at m/z 245.1/227.0 and 249.1/231.0 for biotin and the IS, respectively. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.05-2 ng/mL using 300 μL of plasma. The intra- and inter-day precisions were all <7.1%. The accuracy varied from -0.7 to 8.2%. The developed UHPLC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to determine plasma biotin concentrations in hemodialysis patients. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Application of a rapid and selective method for the simultaneous determination of carebastine and pseudoephedrine in human plasma by liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry for bioequivalence study in Korean subjects.

PubMed

Lee, Myung-Jae; Lee, Heon-Woo; Kang, Jong-Min; Seo, Ji-Hyung; Tak, Seong-Kun; Shim, Wangseob; Yim, Sung-Vin; Hong, Seung Jae; Lee, Kyung-Tae

2010-10-01

We describe a simple, rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method that was developed for the simultaneous determination of carebastine and pseudoephedrine in human plasma using cisapride as an internal standard. Acquisition was performed in multiple-reaction monitoring mode by monitoring the transitions: m/z 500.43 > 167.09 for carebastine and m/z 166.04 > 147.88 for pseudoephedrine. The devised method involves a simple single-step liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was performed on a C(18) reversed-phase chromatographic column at 0.2  mL/min by isocratic elution with 10  mM ammonium formate buffer-acetonitrile (30:70, v/v; adjusted to pH 3.3 with formic acid). The devised method was validated over 0.5-100  ng/mL of carebastine and 5-1000  ng/mL of pseudoephedrine with acceptable accuracy and precision, and was successfully applied to a bioequivalence study involving a single oral dose (10  mg of ebastine plus 120  mg of pseudoephedrine complex) to healthy Korean volunteers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Simultaneous determination of diclofenac potassium and methocarbamol in ternary mixture with guaifenesin by reversed phase liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Elkady, Ehab F

2010-09-15

New, simple, rapid and precise reversed phase liquid chromatographic (RP-LC) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of diclofenac potassium (DP) and methocarbamol (MT) in ternary mixture with guaifenesin (GF), degradation product of methocarbamol. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Symmetry Waters C18 column (150 mm x 4. 6mm, 5 microm). Gradient elution based on phosphate buffer pH (8)-acetonitrile at a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1) was applied. The UV detector was operated at 282 nm for DP and 274 nm for MT and GF. Linearity, accuracy and precision were found to be acceptable over the concentration ranges of 0.05-16, 0.5-160 and 0.5-160 microg mL(-1) for DP, MT and GF, respectively. The optimized method proved to be specific, robust and accurate for the quality control of the cited drugs in pharmaceutical preparation. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic "Scanning-Mode" Meniscus Confined Electrodepositing and Micropatterning of Individually Addressable Ultraconductive Copper Line Arrays.

PubMed

Lei, Yu; Zhang, Xianyun; Xu, Dingding; Yu, Minfeng; Yi, Zhiran; Li, Zhixiang; Sun, Aihua; Xu, Gaojie; Cui, Ping; Guo, Jianjun

2018-05-03

Micro- and nanopatterning of cost-effective addressable metallic nanostructures has been a long endeavor in terms of both scientific understanding and industrial needs. Herein, a simple and efficient dynamic meniscus-confined electrodeposition (MCED) technique for precisely positioned copper line micropatterns with superior electrical conductivity (greater than 1.57 × 10 4 S/cm) on glass, silicon, and gold substrates is reported. An unexpected higher printing speed in the evaporative regime is realized for precisely positioned copper lines patterns with uniform width and height under horizontal scanning-mode. The final line height and width depend on the typical behavior of traditional flow coating process, while the surface morphologies and roughness are mainly governed by evaporation-driven electrocrystallization dynamics near the receding moving contact line. Integrated 3D structures and a rapid prototyping of 3D hot-wire anemometer are further demonstrated, which is very important for the freedom integration applications in advanced conceptual devices, such as miniaturized electronics and biomedical sensors and actuators.

Quantification of Hydroxychloroquine in Blood Using Turbulent Flow Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (TFLC-MS/MS).

PubMed

Chambliss, Allison B; Füzéry, Anna K; Clarke, William A

2016-01-01

Hydroxychloroquine (HQ) is used routinely in the treatment of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosus. Issues such as marked pharmacokinetic variability and patient non-compliance make therapeutic drug monitoring of HQ a useful tool for management of patients taking this drug. Quantitative measurements of HQ may aid in identifying poor efficacy as well as provide reliable information to distinguish patient non-compliance from refractory disease. We describe a rapid 7-min assay for the accurate and precise measurement of HQ concentrations in 100 μL samples of human blood using turbulent flow liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. HQ is isolated from EDTA whole blood after a simple extraction with its deuterated analog, hydroxychloroquine-d4, in 0.33 M perchloric acid. Samples are then centrifuged and injected onto the TFLC-MS/MS system. Quantification is performed using a nine-point calibration curve that is linear over a wide range (15.7-4000 ng/mL) with precisions of <5 %.

Development and Validation of an HPLC Method for Karanjin in Pongamia pinnata linn. Leaves.

PubMed

Katekhaye, S; Kale, M S; Laddha, K S

2012-01-01

A rapid, simple and specific reversed-phase HPLC method has been developed for analysis of karanjin in Pongamia pinnata Linn. leaves. HPLC analysis was performed on a C(18) column using an 85:13.5:1.5 (v/v) mixtures of methanol, water and acetic acid as isocratic mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. UV detection was at 300 nm. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, linearity, specificity. Validation revealed the method is specific, accurate, precise, reliable and reproducible. Good linear correlation coefficients (r(2)>0.997) were obtained for calibration plots in the ranges tested. Limit of detection was 4.35 μg and limit of quantification was 16.56 μg. Intra and inter-day RSD of retention times and peak areas was less than 1.24% and recovery was between 95.05 and 101.05%. The established HPLC method is appropriate enabling efficient quantitative analysis of karanjin in Pongamia pinnata leaves.

Development and Validation of an HPLC Method for Karanjin in Pongamia pinnata linn. Leaves

PubMed Central

Katekhaye, S; Kale, M. S.; Laddha, K. S.

2012-01-01

A rapid, simple and specific reversed-phase HPLC method has been developed for analysis of karanjin in Pongamia pinnata Linn. leaves. HPLC analysis was performed on a C18 column using an 85:13.5:1.5 (v/v) mixtures of methanol, water and acetic acid as isocratic mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. UV detection was at 300 nm. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, linearity, specificity. Validation revealed the method is specific, accurate, precise, reliable and reproducible. Good linear correlation coefficients (r2>0.997) were obtained for calibration plots in the ranges tested. Limit of detection was 4.35 μg and limit of quantification was 16.56 μg. Intra and inter-day RSD of retention times and peak areas was less than 1.24% and recovery was between 95.05 and 101.05%. The established HPLC method is appropriate enabling efficient quantitative analysis of karanjin in Pongamia pinnata leaves. PMID:23204626

Simple and sensitive analysis of blonanserin and blonanserin C in human plasma by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and its application.

PubMed

Zheng, Yunliang; Hu, Xingjiang; Liu, Jian; Wu, Guolan; Zhou, Huili; Zhu, Meixiang; Zhai, You; Wu, Lihua; Shentu, Jianzhong

2014-01-01

A highly sensitive, simple, and rapid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method to simultaneously determine blonanserin and blonanserin C in human plasma with AD-5332 as internal standard (IS) was established. A simple direct protein precipitation method was used for the sample pretreatment, and chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters XBridge C8 (4.6 × 150 mm, 3.5  μ m) column. The mobile phase consists of a mixture of 10 mM ammonium formate and 0.1% formic acid in water (A) and 0.1% formic acid in methanol (B). To quantify blonanserin, blonanserin C, and IS, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was performed in positive ESI mode. The calibration curve was linear in the concentration range of 0.012-5.78 ng·mL(-1) for blonanserin and 0.023-11.57 ng·mL(-1) for blonanserin C (r (2) > 0.9990). The intra- and interday precision of three quality control (QC) levels in plasma were less than 7.5%. Finally, the current simple, sensitive, and accurate LC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetics of blonanserin and blonanserin C in healthy Chinese volunteers.

Simple and Sensitive Analysis of Blonanserin and Blonanserin C in Human Plasma by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Its Application

PubMed Central

Zheng, Yunliang; Hu, Xingjiang; Liu, Jian; Wu, Guolan; Zhou, Huili; Zhu, Meixiang; Zhai, You; Wu, Lihua; ShenTu, Jianzhong

2014-01-01

A highly sensitive, simple, and rapid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method to simultaneously determine blonanserin and blonanserin C in human plasma with AD-5332 as internal standard (IS) was established. A simple direct protein precipitation method was used for the sample pretreatment, and chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters XBridge C8 (4.6 × 150 mm, 3.5 μm) column. The mobile phase consists of a mixture of 10 mM ammonium formate and 0.1% formic acid in water (A) and 0.1% formic acid in methanol (B). To quantify blonanserin, blonanserin C, and IS, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was performed in positive ESI mode. The calibration curve was linear in the concentration range of 0.012–5.78 ng·mL−1 for blonanserin and 0.023–11.57 ng·mL−1 for blonanserin C (r 2 > 0.9990). The intra- and interday precision of three quality control (QC) levels in plasma were less than 7.5%. Finally, the current simple, sensitive, and accurate LC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetics of blonanserin and blonanserin C in healthy Chinese volunteers. PMID:24678425

Development and validation of a simple UHPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of trimethylamine N-oxide, choline, and betaine in human plasma and urine.

PubMed

Ocque, Andrew J; Stubbs, Jason R; Nolin, Thomas D

2015-05-10

A simple, sensitive, and precise ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of trimethylamine N-oxide, choline, and betaine in human plasma and urine. Sample preparation involved protein precipitation with methanol containing internal standards. Chromatographic separation was achieved using an Acquity BEH Amide (2.1mm×50mm, 1.7μm) analytical column with gradient elution of solvent A (10mM ammonium formate, pH 3.5) and solvent B (acetonitrile). The flow rate was 0.4mL/min and the total run time was 5min. Detection of analytes was performed using heated electrospray ionization (positive mode) and selected reaction monitoring. Excellent linearity was observed over the standard curve concentration ranges of 0.010-5.00μg/mL (plasma) and 1.00-150μg/mL (urine) for all analytes. The intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision for all quality controls were within ±10%. Excellent recovery was observed. The method is rapid, accurate and reproducible, and was successfully applied to a pilot study of markers of atherosclerosis in patients with kidney disease who underwent successful kidney transplantation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous analysis of 17 diuretics in dietary supplements by HPLC and LC-MS/MS.

PubMed

Woo, H; Kim, J W; Han, K M; Lee, J H; Hwang, I S; Lee, J H; Kim, J; Kweon, S J; Cho, S; Chae, K R; Han, S Y; Kim, J

2013-01-01

In order to test health foods for illegally added diuretics for weight loss, we developed simple, rapid, selective, and sensitive methods using HPLC and LC-MS/MS for the simultaneous analysis of 17 diuretics in dietary supplements. HPLC conditions were set with a Capcell-pak C18, using a mobile phase consisting of gradient conditions, UV detection at 254 nm and validated for linearity (r(2)> 0.999), precision (CV ≤ 3%), recoveries (90.4-102.8%) and reproducibility. Identification and quantification of 17 diuretics were accomplished by ion-spray LC-MS/MS using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The chromatographic separation was carried out under the reversed-phase mechanism on an HSS-T3 column. The LC-MS/MS method was validated for linearity (r(2)> 0.99) and precision (CV < 13%). Sixteen dietary supplements were tested with the developed methods. Diuretics were not detected in all samples. Extraction recovery was also investigated and the extraction recoveries in different formulations were from 88% to 110% and from 81% to 116% using HPLC and LC-MS/MS, respectively. There was no significant difference in recoveries in the type of dietary supplements. Based on this result, the developed methods to monitor illegal drug adulterations in dietary supplements using HPLC and LC-MS/MS are simple, fast and reliable. Therefore, it is applicable to routine drug-adulteration screening.

Combination of saponification and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the determination of tocopherols and tocotrienols in cereals by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Shammugasamy, Balakrishnan; Ramakrishnan, Yogeshini; Ghazali, Hasanah M; Muhammad, Kharidah

2013-07-26

A simple sample preparation technique coupled with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was developed for the determination of tocopherols and tocotrienols in cereals. The sample preparation procedure involved a small-scale hydrolysis of 0.5g cereal sample by saponification, followed by the extraction and concentration of tocopherols and tocotrienols from saponified extract using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME). Parameters affecting the DLLME performance were optimized to achieve the highest extraction efficiency and the performance of the developed DLLME method was evaluated. Good linearity was observed over the range assayed (0.031-4.0μg/mL) with regression coefficients greater than 0.9989 for all tocopherols and tocotrienols. Limits of detection and enrichment factors ranged from 0.01 to 0.11μg/mL and 50 to 73, respectively. Intra- and inter-day precision were lower than 8.9% and the recoveries were around 85.5-116.6% for all tocopherols and tocotrienols. The developed DLLME method was successfully applied to cereals: rice, barley, oat, wheat, corn and millet. This new sample preparation approach represents an inexpensive, rapid, simple and precise sample cleanup and concentration method for the determination of tocopherols and tocotrienols in cereals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stress Degradation Studies on Varenicline Tartrate and Development of a Validated Stability-Indicating HPLC Method

PubMed Central

Pujeri, Sudhakar S.; Khader, Addagadde M. A.; Seetharamappa, Jaldappagari

2012-01-01

A simple, rapid and stability-indicating reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was developed for the assay of varenicline tartrate (VRT) in the presence of its degradation products generated from forced decomposition studies. The HPLC separation was achieved on a C18 Inertsil column (250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d. particle size is 5 μm) employing a mobile phase consisting of ammonium acetate buffer containing trifluoroacetic acid (0.02M; pH 4) and acetonitrile in gradient program mode with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1. The UV detector was operated at 237 nm while column temperature was maintained at 40 °C. The developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness and limit of quantification. The method was found to be simple, specific, precise and accurate. Selectivity of the proposed method was validated by subjecting the stock solution of VRT to acidic, basic, photolysis, oxidative and thermal degradation. The calibration curve was found to be linear in the concentration range of 0.1–192 μg mL−1 (R2 = 0.9994). The peaks of degradation products did not interfere with that of pure VRT. The utility of the developed method was examined by analyzing the tablets containing VRT. The results of analysis were subjected to statistical analysis. PMID:22396908

Design and Research of the Sewage Treatment Control System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, J.; Hu, W. W.

Due to the rapid development of China's economy, the water pollution has become a problem that we have to face. In particular, how to deal with industrial wastewater has become a top priority. In wastewater treatment, the control system based on PLC has met the design requirement in real-time, reliability, precision and so on. The integration of sequence control and process control in PLC, has the characteristics of high reliability, simple network, convenient and flexible use. PLC is a powerful tool for small and medium-sized industrial automation. Therefore, the sewage treatment control system take PLC as the core of control system, can nicely solve the problem of industrial wastewater in a certain extent.

Indirect potentiometric titration of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical preparations using copper based mercury film electrode.

PubMed

Abdul Kamal Nazer, Meeran Mohideen; Hameed, Abdul Rahman Shahul; Riyazuddin, Patel

2004-01-01

A simple and rapid potentiometric method for the estimation of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical dosage forms has been developed. The method is based on treating ascorbic acid with iodine and titration of the iodide produced equivalent to ascorbic acid with silver nitrate using Copper Based Mercury Film Electrode (CBMFE) as an indicator electrode. Interference study was carried to check possible interference of usual excipients and other vitamins. The precision and accuracy of the method was assessed by the application of lack-of-fit test and other statistical methods. The results of the proposed method and British Pharmacopoeia method were compared using F and t-statistical tests of significance.

Determination of alpha-hydroxy acids in cosmetic products by high-performance liquid chromatography with a narrow-bore column.

PubMed

Nicoletti, I; Corradini, C; Cogliandro, E; Cavazza, A

1999-08-01

This paper reports the results of a study carried out to develop a simple, rapid and sensitive method for the separation, identification and quantitative measurement of alpha-hydroxy acids in commercial cosmetics using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This method is successfully applied to the simultaneous identification and quantitative determination of glycolic, lactic, malic, tartaric and citric acids employing a reversed phase narrow-bore column under isocratic condition and UV detection. The method is validated by determining the precision of replicate analyses and accuracy by analyzing samples with and without adding know amount of the alpha-hydroxy acids. The procedure is suitable for routine analyses of commercial cosmetics.

A high precision method for length-based separation of carbon nanotubes using bio-conjugation, SDS-PAGE and silver staining.

PubMed

Borzooeian, Zahra; Taslim, Mohammad E; Ghasemi, Omid; Rezvani, Saina; Borzooeian, Giti; Nourbakhsh, Amirhasan

2018-01-01

Parametric separation of carbon nanotubes, especially based on their length is a challenge for a number of nano-tech researchers. We demonstrate a method to combine bio-conjugation, SDS-PAGE, and silver staining in order to separate carbon nanotubes on the basis of length. Egg-white lysozyme, conjugated covalently onto the single-walled carbon nanotubes surfaces using carbodiimide method. The proposed conjugation of a biomolecule onto the carbon nanotubes surfaces is a novel idea and a significant step forward for creating an indicator for length-based carbon nanotubes separation. The conjugation step was followed by SDS-PAGE and the nanotube fragments were precisely visualized using silver staining. This high precision, inexpensive, rapid and simple separation method obviates the need for centrifugation, additional chemical analyses, and expensive spectroscopic techniques such as Raman spectroscopy to visualize carbon nanotube bands. In this method, we measured the length of nanotubes using different image analysis techniques which is based on a simplified hydrodynamic model. The method has high precision and resolution and is effective in separating the nanotubes by length which would be a valuable quality control tool for the manufacture of carbon nanotubes of specific lengths in bulk quantities. To this end, we were also able to measure the carbon nanotubes of different length, produced from different sonication time intervals.

Robust post-stall perching with a simple fixed-wing glider using LQR-Trees.

PubMed

Moore, Joseph; Cory, Rick; Tedrake, Russ

2014-06-01

Birds routinely execute post-stall maneuvers with a speed and precision far beyond the capabilities of our best aircraft control systems. One remarkable example is a bird exploiting post-stall pressure drag in order to rapidly decelerate to land on a perch. Stall is typically associated with a loss of control authority, and it is tempting to attribute this agility of birds to the intricate morphology of the wings and tail, to their precision sensing apparatus, or their ability to perform thrust vectoring. Here we ask whether an extremely simple fixed-wing glider (no propeller) with only a single actuator in the tail is capable of landing precisely on a perch from a large range of initial conditions. To answer this question, we focus on the design of the flight control system; building upon previous work which used linear feedback control design based on quadratic regulators (LQR), we develop nonlinear feedback control based on nonlinear model-predictive control and 'LQR-Trees'. Through simulation using a flat-plate model of the glider, we find that both nonlinear methods are capable of achieving an accurate bird-like perching maneuver from a large range of initial conditions; the 'LQR-Trees' algorithm is particularly useful due to its low computational burden at runtime and its inherent performance guarantees. With this in mind, we then implement the 'LQR-Trees' algorithm on real hardware and demonstrate a 95 percent perching success rate over 147 flights for a wide range of initial speeds. These results suggest that, at least in the absence of significant disturbances like wind gusts, complex wing morphology and sensing are not strictly required to achieve accurate and robust perching even in the post-stall flow regime.

Simultaneous determination of ten antiepileptic drugs in human plasma by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry with positive/negative ion-switching electrospray ionization and its application in therapeutic drug monitoring.

PubMed

Yin, Lei; Wang, Tingting; Shi, Meiyun; Zhang, Ying; Zhao, Xiaojun; Yang, Yan; Gu, Jingkai

2016-03-01

A simple, rapid, and high-throughput liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantitation of ten antiepileptic drugs in human plasma has been developed and validated. The method required only 10 μL of plasma. After simple protein precipitation using acetonitrile, the analytes and internal standard diphenhydramine were separated on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (50 × 4.6 mm, 2.7 μm) using acetonitrile/water as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.9 mL/min. The total run time was 6 min for each sample. The validation results of specificity, matrix effects, recovery, linearity, precision, and accuracy were satisfactory. The lower limit of quantification was 0.04 μg/mL for carbamazepine, 0.02 μg/mL for lamotrigine, 0.01 μg/mL for oxcarbazepine, 0.4 μg/mL for 10-hydroxycarbazepine, 0.1 μg/mL for carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide, 0.15 μg/mL for levetiracetam, 0.06 μg/mL for phenytoin, 0.3 μg/mL for valproic acid, 0.03 μg/mL for topiramate, and 0.15 μg/mL for phenobarbital. The intraday precision and interday precision were less than 7.6%, with the accuracy ranging between -8.1 and 7.9%. The method was successfully applied to therapeutic drug monitoring of 1237 patients with epilepsy after administration of standard antiepileptic drugs. The method has been proved to meet the high-throughput requirements in therapeutic drug monitoring. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development of a simple and low-cost enzymatic methodology for quantitative analysis of carbamates in meat samples of forensic interest.

PubMed

Sabino, Bruno Duarte; Torraca, Tathiana Guilliod; Moura, Claudia Melo; Rozenbaum, Hannah Felicia; de Castro Faria, Mauro Velho

2010-05-01

Foods contaminated with a granulated material similar to Temik (a commercial pesticide formulation containing the carbamate insecticide aldicarb) are often involved in accidental ingestion, suicides, and homicides in Brazil. We developed a simple technique to detect aldicarb. This technique is based on the inhibition of a stable preparation of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, and it is specially adapted for forensic purposes. It comprises an initial extraction step with the solvent methylene chloride followed by a colorimetric acetylcholinesterase assay. We propose that results of testing contaminated forensic samples be expressed in aldicarb equivalents because, even though all other carbamates are also potent enzyme inhibitors, aldicarb is the contaminant most frequently found in forensic samples. This method is rapid (several samples can be run in a period of 2 h) and low cost. This method also proved to be precise and accurate, detecting concentrations as low as 40 microg/kg of aldicarb in meat samples.

Extending the excluded volume for percolation threshold estimates in polydisperse systems: The binary disk system

DOE PAGES

Meeks, Kelsey; Pantoya, Michelle L.; Green, Micah; ...

2017-06-01

For dispersions containing a single type of particle, it has been observed that the onset of percolation coincides with a critical value of volume fraction. When the volume fraction is calculated based on excluded volume, this critical percolation threshold is nearly invariant to particle shape. The critical threshold has been calculated to high precision for simple geometries using Monte Carlo simulations, but this method is slow at best, and infeasible for complex geometries. This article explores an analytical approach to the prediction of percolation threshold in polydisperse mixtures. Specifically, this paper suggests an extension of the concept of excluded volume,more » and applies that extension to the 2D binary disk system. The simple analytical expression obtained is compared to Monte Carlo results from the literature. In conclusion, the result may be computed extremely rapidly and matches key parameters closely enough to be useful for composite material design.« less

Simultaneous Chloramphenicol and Florfenicol Determination by A Validated DLLME-HPLC-UV Method in Pasteurized Milk.

PubMed

Karami-Osboo, Rouhollah; Miri, Ramin; Javidnia, Katayoun; Kobarfard, Farzad

2016-01-01

The antibiotic residues in milk are a well-known serious problem and pose several health hazards to consumers. We have described a simple, rapid, and inexpensive DLLME-HPLC/UV technique for the extraction of chloramphenicol and florfenicol residues in milk samples. Under the optimum conditions, linearity of the method was observed over the range 0.02-0.85 µg/L with correlation coefficients > 0.999. The proposed method has been found to have a good limit of detection (signal to noise ratio = 3) for chloramphenicol (12.5 µg/Kg) and florfenicol (12.2 µg/Kg), and precision with relative standard deviation values under 15% (RSD, n = 3). Good recoveries (69.1-79.4%) were obtained for the extraction of the target analytes in milk samples. This simple and economic method has been applied for analyses of 15 real milk samples. Among all samples only one of them was contaminated to florfenicol; 62.4 µg/Kg and contamination to chloramphenicol was not detected.

Simultaneous Chloramphenicol and Florfenicol Determination by A Validated DLLME-HPLC-UV Method in Pasteurized Milk

PubMed Central

Karami-Osboo, Rouhollah; Miri, Ramin; Javidnia, Katayoun; Kobarfard, Farzad

2016-01-01

The antibiotic residues in milk are a well-known serious problem and pose several health hazards to consumers. We have described a simple, rapid, and inexpensive DLLME-HPLC/UV technique for the extraction of chloramphenicol and florfenicol residues in milk samples. Under the optimum conditions, linearity of the method was observed over the range 0.02-0.85 µg/L with correlation coefficients > 0.999. The proposed method has been found to have a good limit of detection (signal to noise ratio = 3) for chloramphenicol (12.5 µg/Kg) and florfenicol (12.2 µg/Kg), and precision with relative standard deviation values under 15% (RSD, n = 3). Good recoveries (69.1–79.4%) were obtained for the extraction of the target analytes in milk samples. This simple and economic method has been applied for analyses of 15 real milk samples. Among all samples only one of them was contaminated to florfenicol; 62.4 µg/Kg and contamination to chloramphenicol was not detected. PMID:27980571

A simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of dienogest in human plasma and its pharmacokinetic applications under fasting.

PubMed

Pallapothu, Leela Mohan Kumar; Batta, Neelima; Pigili, Ravi Kumar; Yejella, Rajendra Prasad

2015-02-01

A simple, rapid and sensitive analytical method using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) detection with positive ion electrospray ionization was developed for the determination of dienogest in human K2 EDTA plasma using levonorgestrel d6 as an internal standard (IS). Dienogest and IS were extracted from human plasma using simple liquid-liquid extraction. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax XDB-Phenyl column (4.6 × 75 mm, 3.5 µm) under isocratic conditions using acetonitrile-5 mm ammonium acetate (70:30, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.60 mL/min. The protonated precursor to product ion transitions monitored for dienogest and IS were at m/z 312.30 → 135.30 and 319.00 → 251.30, respectively. The method was validated with a linearity range of 1.003-200.896 ng/mL having a total analysis time for each chromatograph of 3.0 min. The method has shown tremendous reproducibility with intra- and inter-day precision (coefficient of variation) <3.97 and 6.10%, respectively, and accuracy within ±4.0% of nominal values. The validated method was applied to a pharmacokinetic study in human plasma samples generated after administration of a single oral dose of 2.0 mg dienogest tablets to healthy female volunteers and was proved to be highly reliable for the analysis of clinical samples. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development and validation of a rapid and simple LC-MS/MS method for quantification of vemurafenib in human plasma: application to a human pharmacokinetic study.

PubMed

Bihan, Kevin; Sauzay, Chloé; Goldwirt, Lauriane; Charbonnier-Beaupel, Fanny; Hulot, Jean-Sebastien; Funck-Brentano, Christian; Zahr, Noël

2015-02-01

Vemurafenib (Zelboraf) is a new tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively targets activated BRAF V600E gene and is indicated for the treatment of advanced BRAF mutation-positive melanoma. We developed a simple method for vemurafenib quantification using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A stability study of vemurafenib in human plasma was also performed. (13)C(6)-vemurafenib was used as the internal standard. A single-step protein precipitation was used for plasma sample preparation. Chromatography was performed on an Acquity UPLC system (Waters) with chromatographic separation by the use of an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7-mm particle size; Waters). Quantification was performed using the monitoring of multiple reactions of following transitions: m/z 488.2 → 381.0 for vemurafenib and m/z 494.2 → 387.0 for internal standard. This method was linear over the range from 1.0 to 100.0 mcg/mL. The lower limit of quantification was 0.1 mcg/mL for vemurafenib in plasma. Vemurafenib remained stable for 1 month at all levels tested, when stored indifferently at room temperature (20 °C), at +4 °C, or at -20 °C. This method was used successfully to perform a plasma pharmacokinetic study of vemurafenib in a patient after oral administration at a steady state. This liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for vemurafenib quantification in human plasma is simple, rapid, specific, sensitive, accurate, precise, and reliable.

Ultrasound-assisted magnetic dispersive solid-phase microextraction: A novel approach for the rapid and efficient microextraction of naproxen and ibuprofen employing experimental design with high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Ghorbani, Mahdi; Chamsaz, Mahmoud; Rounaghi, Gholam Hossein

2016-03-01

A simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the determination of naproxen and ibuprofen in complex biological and water matrices (cow milk, human urine, river, and well water samples) has been developed using ultrasound-assisted magnetic dispersive solid-phase microextraction. Magnetic ethylendiamine-functionalized graphene oxide nanocomposite was synthesized and used as a novel adsorbent for the microextraction process and showed great adsorptive ability toward these analytes. Different parameters affecting the microextraction were optimized with the aid of the experimental design approach. A Plackett-Burman screening design was used to study the main variables affecting the microextraction process, and the Box-Behnken optimization design was used to optimize the previously selected variables for extraction of naproxen and ibuprofen. The optimized technique provides good repeatability (relative standard deviations of the intraday precision 3.1 and 3.3, interday precision of 5.6 and 6.1%), linearity (0.1-500 and 0.3-650 ng/mL), low limits of detection (0.03 and 0.1 ng/mL), and a high enrichment factor (168 and 146) for naproxen and ibuprofen, respectively. The proposed method can be successfully applied in routine analysis for determination of naproxen and ibuprofen in cow milk, human urine, and real water samples. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Validation and Application of a Simple UHPLC–MS-MS Method for the Enantiospecific Determination of Warfarin in Human Urine

PubMed Central

Alshogran, Osama Y.; Ocque, Andrew J.; Leblond, François A.; Pichette, Vincent; Nolin, Thomas D.

2016-01-01

A simple and rapid liquid chromatographic–tandem mass spectrometric method has been developed and validated for the enantiospecific determination of R- and S-warfarin in human urine. Warfarin enantiomers were extracted from urine using methyl tert-butyl ether. Chromatographic separation of warfarin enantiomers and the internal standard d5-warfarin was achieved using a Astec Chirobiotic V column with gradient mobile phase at a flow rate of 400 µL/min over 10 min. Detection was performed on a TSQ Quantum Ultra triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a heated electrospray ionization source. Analytes were detected in negative ionization mode using selected reaction monitoring. Calibration curves were linear with a correlation coefficient of ≥0.996 for both enantiomers over a concentration range of 5–500 ng/mL. The intra- and interday accuracy and precision for both analytes were within ±9.0%. Excellent extraction efficiency and negligible matrix effects were observed. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by successful measurement of warfarin enantiomers in urine of patients with kidney disease. The method is simple, accurate and reproducible and is currently being used to support warfarin pharmacokinetic studies. PMID:26657732

Nanoscale tailor-made membranes for precise and rapid molecular sieve separation.

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Zhu, Junyong; Zhang, Yatao; Liu, Jindun; Van der Bruggen, Bart

2017-03-02

The precise and rapid separation of different molecules from aqueous, organic solutions and gas mixtures is critical to many technologies in the context of resource-saving and sustainable development. The strength of membrane-based technologies is well recognized and they are extensively applied as cost-effective, highly efficient separation techniques. Currently, empirical-based approaches, lacking an accurate nanoscale control, are used to prepare the most advanced membranes. In contrast, nanoscale control renders the membrane molecular specificity (sub-2 nm) necessary for efficient and rapid molecular separation. Therefore, as a growing trend in membrane technology, the field of nanoscale tailor-made membranes is highlighted in this review. An in-depth analysis of the latest advances in tailor-made membranes for precise and rapid molecule sieving is given, along with an outlook to future perspectives of such membranes. Special attention is paid to the established processing strategies, as well as the application of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in nanoporous membrane design. This review will provide useful guidelines for future research in the development of nanoscale tailor-made membranes with a precise and rapid molecular sieve separation property.

Rapid ion-pair liquid chromatographic method for the determination of fenbendazole marker residue in fermented dairy products.

PubMed

Vousdouka, Venetia I; Papapanagiotou, Elias P; Angelidis, Apostolos S; Fletouris, Dimitrios J

2017-04-15

A simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatographic method that allows for the quantitative determination of fenbendazole residues in fermented dairy products is described. Samples were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile-phosphoric acid and the extracts were defatted with hexane to be further partitioned into ethyl acetate. The organic layer was evaporated to dryness and the residue was reconstituted in mobile phase. Separation of fenbendazole and its sulphoxide, sulphone, and p-hydroxylated metabolites was carried out isocratically with a mobile phase containing both positively and negatively charged pairing ions. Overall recoveries ranged from 79.8 to 88.8%, while precision data, based on within and between days variations, suggested an overall relative standard deviation of 6.3-11.0%. The detection and quantification limits were lower than 9 and 21μg/kg, respectively. The method has been successfully applied to quantitate fenbendazole residues in Feta cheese and yoghurt made from spiked and incurred ovine milk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid and simple determination of selenium in blood serum by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

PubMed

Labat, L; Dehon, B; Lhermitte, M

2003-05-01

An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) with a rapid sample-preparative procedure was used for the determination of selenium in blood serum. Blood serum was prepared by dilution in an acidic solution consisting of nitric acid (1%), X-triton (0.1%) and 1-butanol (0.8%). A calibration curve was established for 1-40 microg mL(-1) (r(2)>0.99). The limit of detection was 0.5 microg mL(-1). Repeatability and intermediate precision were satisfactory with relative standard deviations (RSD) of 2.0% and 3.2%, respectively. This method was easily applied to reference materials with satisfactory accuracy. Good correlation (r(2)=0.96) was observed between ICP-MS and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) for the determination of (82)Se in blood serum from 23 patients. These results suggest that the sample preparative procedure coupled with ICP-MS can be used for the routine determination of (82)Se in human blood serum.

Standardization of HPTLC method for the estimation of oxytocin in edibles.

PubMed

Rani, Roopa; Medhe, Sharad; Raj, Kumar Rohit; Srivastava, Manmohan

2013-12-01

Adulteration in food stuff has been regarded as a major social evil and is a mind-boggling problem in society. In this study, a rapid, reliable and cost effective High Performance thin layer Chromatography (HPTLC) has been established for the estimation of oxytocin (adulterant) in vegetables, fruits and milk samples. Oxytocin is one of the most frequently used adulterant added in vegetables and fruits for increasing the growth rate and also to enhance milk production from lactating animals. The standardization of the method was based on simulation parameters of mobile phase, stationary phase and saturation time. The mobile phase used was MeOH: Ammonia (pH 6.8), optimized stationary phase was silica gel and saturation time of 5 min. The method was validated by testing its linearity, accuracy, precision, repeatability and limits of detection and quantification. Thus, the proposed method is simple, rapid and specific and was successfully employed for quality and quantity monitoring of oxytocin content in edible products.

Rapid reagent-less on-line H2O2 quantification in alkaline semiconductor etching solution, Part 2: Nephelometry application.

PubMed

Zlatev, Roumen; Stoytcheva, Margarita; Valdez, Benjamin

2018-03-01

A simple and rapid reagent less nephelometric method for on-line H 2 O 2 quantification in semiconductors etching solutions was developed, optimized, characterized and validated. The intensity of the light scattered by the oxygen gas suspension resulted from H 2 O 2 catalytic decomposition by immobilized MnO 2 was registered as analytical response. The influences of the light wave length, the agitation rate, the temperature and the catalyst surface area on the response amplitude were studied and optimization was done. The achieved linear concentration range from 10 to 150mmolL -1 at 0.9835 calibration curve correlation coefficient, precision from 3.65% to 0.95% and response time from 35 to 20s respectively, at sensitivity of 8.01µAmmol -1 L and LOD of 2.9mmolL -1 completely satisfy the semiconductor industry requirements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultra-localized single cell electroporation using silicon nanowires.

PubMed

Jokilaakso, Nima; Salm, Eric; Chen, Aaron; Millet, Larry; Guevara, Carlos Duarte; Dorvel, Brian; Reddy, Bobby; Karlstrom, Amelie Eriksson; Chen, Yu; Ji, Hongmiao; Chen, Yu; Sooryakumar, Ratnasingham; Bashir, Rashid

2013-02-07

Analysis of cell-to-cell variation can further the understanding of intracellular processes and the role of individual cell function within a larger cell population. The ability to precisely lyse single cells can be used to release cellular components to resolve cellular heterogeneity that might be obscured when whole populations are examined. We report a method to position and lyse individual cells on silicon nanowire and nanoribbon biological field effect transistors. In this study, HT-29 cancer cells were positioned on top of transistors by manipulating magnetic beads using external magnetic fields. Ultra-rapid cell lysis was subsequently performed by applying 600-900 mV(pp) at 10 MHz for as little as 2 ms across the transistor channel and the bulk substrate. We show that the fringing electric field at the device surface disrupts the cell membrane, leading to lysis from irreversible electroporation. This methodology allows rapid and simple single cell lysis and analysis with potential applications in medical diagnostics, proteome analysis and developmental biology studies.

A Precise, Simple, and Low-Cost Experiment to Determine the Isobaric Expansion Coefficient for Physical Chemistry Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pe´rez, Eduardo

2015-01-01

The procedure of a physical chemistry experiment for university students must be designed in a way that the accuracy and precision of the measurements is properly maintained. However, in many cases, that requires costly and sophisticated equipment not readily available in developing countries. A simple, low-cost experiment to determine isobaric…

Assembling Precise Truss Structures With Minimal Stresses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sword, Lee F.

1996-01-01

Improved method of assembling precise truss structures involves use of simple devices. Tapered pins that fit in tapered holes indicate deviations from prescribed lengths. Method both helps to ensure precision of finished structures and minimizes residual stresses within structures.

Discrete elements for 3D microfluidics.

PubMed

Bhargava, Krisna C; Thompson, Bryant; Malmstadt, Noah

2014-10-21

Microfluidic systems are rapidly becoming commonplace tools for high-precision materials synthesis, biochemical sample preparation, and biophysical analysis. Typically, microfluidic systems are constructed in monolithic form by means of microfabrication and, increasingly, by additive techniques. These methods restrict the design and assembly of truly complex systems by placing unnecessary emphasis on complete functional integration of operational elements in a planar environment. Here, we present a solution based on discrete elements that liberates designers to build large-scale microfluidic systems in three dimensions that are modular, diverse, and predictable by simple network analysis techniques. We develop a sample library of standardized components and connectors manufactured using stereolithography. We predict and validate the flow characteristics of these individual components to design and construct a tunable concentration gradient generator with a scalable number of parallel outputs. We show that these systems are rapidly reconfigurable by constructing three variations of a device for generating monodisperse microdroplets in two distinct size regimes and in a high-throughput mode by simple replacement of emulsifier subcircuits. Finally, we demonstrate the capability for active process monitoring by constructing an optical sensing element for detecting water droplets in a fluorocarbon stream and quantifying their size and frequency. By moving away from large-scale integration toward standardized discrete elements, we demonstrate the potential to reduce the practice of designing and assembling complex 3D microfluidic circuits to a methodology comparable to that found in the electronics industry.

A Simple and Rapid UPLC-PDA Method for Quality Control of Nardostachys jatamansi.

PubMed

Zhang, Weize; Nan, Guo; Wu, Hong-Hua; Jiang, Miaomiao; Li, Tian-Xiang; Wang, Meng; Gao, Xiu-Mei; Zhu, Yan; Song, Yun Seon; Wang, Jiaming; Xu, Yan-Tong

2018-05-01

Nardostachys jatamansi is a well-documented herbal agent used to treat digestive and neuropsychiatric disorders in oriental medicinal systems. However, few simple, rapid, and comprehensive methods were reported for quality assessment and control of N. jatamansi . Herein, a UPLC with photodiode array detection method was developed for both fingerprint investigation of N. jatamansi and simultaneous quantitative analysis of the six serotonin transporter modulatory constituents in N. jatamansi . For chromatographic fingerprinting, 24 common peaks were selected as characteristic peaks to assess the consistency of N. jatamansi samples from different retail sources. Six of the common peaks (5, 7, 12: , and 16:  - 18: ) were identified as desoxo-narchinol A, buddleoside, isonardosinone, nardosinone, kanshone H, and (-)-aristolone, respectively, by phytochemical investigation. Five of the six compounds significantly either enhanced or inhibited serotonin transporter activity, while (-)-aristolone (18: ) didn't show any serotonin transporter activity. In quantitative analysis, the six compounds showed good linearity ( r  > 0.999) within test ranges. The precision, expressed as relative standard deviation, was in the range of 0.25 - 2.77%, and the recovery of the method was in the range of 92 - 105%. The UPLC-photodiode array detection-based fingerprint analysis and quantitative methods reported here could be used for routine quality control of N. jatamansi . Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Rapid analysis of bile acids in different biological matrices using LC-ESI-MS/MS for the investigation of bile acid transformation by mammalian gut bacteria.

PubMed

Wegner, Katrin; Just, Sarah; Gau, Laura; Mueller, Henrike; Gérard, Philippe; Lepage, Patricia; Clavel, Thomas; Rohn, Sascha

2017-02-01

Bile acids are important signaling molecules that regulate cholesterol, glucose, and energy homoeostasis and have thus been implicated in the development of metabolic disorders. Their bioavailability is strongly modulated by the gut microbiota, which contributes to generation of complex individual-specific bile acid profiles. Hence, it is important to have accurate methods at hand for precise measurement of these important metabolites. Here, a rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous identification and quantitation of primary and secondary bile acids as well as their taurine and glycine conjugates was developed and validated. Applicability of the method was demonstrated for mammalian tissues, biofluids, and cell culture media. The analytical approach mainly consists of a simple and rapid liquid-liquid extraction procedure in presence of deuterium-labeled internal standards. Baseline separation of all isobaric bile acid species was achieved and a linear correlation over a broad concentration range was observed. The method showed acceptable accuracy and precision on intra-day (1.42-11.07 %) and inter-day (2.11-12.71 %) analyses and achieved good recovery rates for representative analytes (83.7-107.1 %). As a proof of concept, the analytical method was applied to mouse tissues and biofluids, but especially to samples from in vitro fermentations with gut bacteria of the family Coriobacteriaceae. The developed method revealed that the species Eggerthella lenta and Collinsella aerofaciens possess bile salt hydrolase activity, and for the first time that the species Enterorhabdus mucosicola is able to deconjugate and dehydrogenate primary bile acids in vitro.

Rapid area change in pitch-up manoeuvres of small perching birds.

PubMed

Polet, D T; Rival, D E

2015-10-26

Rapid pitch-up has been highlighted as a mechanism to generate large lift and drag during landing manoeuvres. However, pitching rates had not been measured previously in perching birds, and so the direct applicability of computations and experiments to observed behaviour was not known. We measure pitch rates in a small, wild bird (the black-capped chickadee; Poecile atricapillus), and show that these rates are within the parameter range used in experiments. Pitching rates were characterized by the shape change number, a metric comparing the rate of frontal area increase to acceleration. Black-capped chickadees increase the shape change number during perching in direct proportion to their total kinetic and potential energy at the start of the manoeuvre. The linear relationship between dissipated energy and shape change number is in accordance with a simple analytical model developed for two-dimensional pitching and decelerating airfoils. Black-capped chickadees use a wing pitch-up manoeuvre during perching to dissipate energy quickly while maintaining lift and drag through rapid area change. It is suggested that similar pitch-and-decelerate manoeuvres could be used to aid in the controlled, precise landings of small manoeuvrable air vehicles.

Advances in Candida detection platforms for clinical and point-of-care applications

PubMed Central

Safavieh, Mohammadali; Coarsey, Chad; Esiobu, Nwadiuto; Memic, Adnan; Vyas, Jatin Mahesh; Shafiee, Hadi; Asghar, Waseem

2016-01-01

Invasive candidiasis remains one of the most serious community and healthcare-acquired infections worldwide. Conventional Candida detection methods based on blood and plate culture are time-consuming and require at least 2–4 days to identify various Candida species. Despite considerable advances for candidiasis detection, the development of simple, compact and portable point-of-care diagnostics for rapid and precise testing that automatically performs cell lysis, nucleic acid extraction, purification and detection still remains a challenge. Here, we systematically review most prominent conventional and nonconventional techniques for the detection of various Candida species, including Candida staining, blood culture, serological testing and nucleic acid-based analysis. We also discuss the most advanced lab on a chip devices for candida detection. PMID:27093473

Adventures in Modern Time Series Analysis: From the Sun to the Crab Nebula and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scargle, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

With the generation of long, precise, and finely sampled time series the Age of Digital Astronomy is uncovering and elucidating energetic dynamical processes throughout the Universe. Fulfilling these opportunities requires data effective analysis techniques rapidly and automatically implementing advanced concepts. The Time Series Explorer, under development in collaboration with Tom Loredo, provides tools ranging from simple but optimal histograms to time and frequency domain analysis for arbitrary data modes with any time sampling. Much of this development owes its existence to Joe Bredekamp and the encouragement he provided over several decades. Sample results for solar chromospheric activity, gamma-ray activity in the Crab Nebula, active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts will be displayed.

High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

2007-03-20

A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

2005-03-08

A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

DOEpatents

Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

2013-04-02

A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

Simultaneous Determination of Withanolide A and Bacoside A in Spansules by High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography

PubMed Central

Shinde, P B; Aragade, P D; Agrawal, M R; Deokate, U A; Khadabadi, S S

2011-01-01

The objective of this work was to develop and validate a simple, rapid, precise, and accurate high performance thin layer chromatography method for simultaneous determination of withanolide A and bacoside A in combined dosage form. The stationary phase used was silica gel G60F254. The mobile phase used was mixture of ethyl acetate: methanol: toluene: water (4:1:1:0.5 v/v/v/v). The detection of spots was carried out at 320 nm using absorbance reflectance mode. The method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision and specificity. The calibration curve was found to be linear between 200 to 800 ng/spot for withanolide A and 50 to 350 ng/spot for bacoside A. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for the withanolide A were found to be 3.05 and 10.06 ng/spot, respectively and for bacoside A 8.3 and 27.39 ng/spot, respectively. The proposed method can be successfully used to determine the drug content of marketed formulation. PMID:22303073

Simultaneous determination of withanolide a and bacoside a in spansules by high-performance thin-layer chromatography.

PubMed

Shinde, P B; Aragade, P D; Agrawal, M R; Deokate, U A; Khadabadi, S S

2011-03-01

The objective of this work was to develop and validate a simple, rapid, precise, and accurate high performance thin layer chromatography method for simultaneous determination of withanolide A and bacoside A in combined dosage form. The stationary phase used was silica gel G60F(254). The mobile phase used was mixture of ethyl acetate: methanol: toluene: water (4:1:1:0.5 v/v/v/v). The detection of spots was carried out at 320 nm using absorbance reflectance mode. The method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision and specificity. The calibration curve was found to be linear between 200 to 800 ng/spot for withanolide A and 50 to 350 ng/spot for bacoside A. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for the withanolide A were found to be 3.05 and 10.06 ng/spot, respectively and for bacoside A 8.3 and 27.39 ng/spot, respectively. The proposed method can be successfully used to determine the drug content of marketed formulation.

Spectrophotometric determination of meclizine hydrochloride and pyridoxine hydrochloride in laboratory prepared mixtures and in their pharmaceutical preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Maha M.; Elzanfaly, Eman S.; El-Zeiny, Mohamed B.; Ramadan, Nesreen K.; Kelani, Khadiga M.

2017-05-01

In this paper, three rapid, simple, accurate and precise spectrophotometric methods were developed for the determination of meclizine hydrochloride in the presence of pyridoxine hydrochloride without previous separation. The methods under study are dual wavelength (DWL), ratio difference (RD) and continuous wavelet transform (CWT). On the other hand, pyridoxine hydrochloride (PYH) was determined directly at 291 nm. The methods obey Beer's law in the range of (5-50 μg/mL) for both compounds. All the methods were validated according to the ICH guidelines where the accuracy was found to be 98.29, 99.59, 100.42 and 100.62% for DWL, RD, CWT and PYH; respectively. Moreover the precision of the methods were calculated in terms of %RSD and it was found to be 0.545, 0.372, 1.287 and 0.759 for DWL, RD,CWT and PYH; respectively. The selectivity of the proposed methods was tested using laboratory prepared mixtures and assessed by applying the standard addition technique. So, they can be used for the routine analysis of pyridoxine hydrochloride and meclizine hydrochloride in quality-control laboratories.

Immunoturbidimetric assay for estimating free light chains of immunoglobulins in urine and serum.

PubMed Central

Tillyer, C R; Iqbal, J; Raymond, J; Gore, M; McIlwain, T J

1991-01-01

An immunoturbidimetric assay for the assessment of free kappa and lambda light chains of immunoglobulins was developed using a commercial polyclonal antiserum with reactivity towards epitopes on the light chains, which are not expressed when they are bound to heavy chains. The assay, on a centrifugal analyser, is simple and rapid. The limit of detection is 5 mg/l of free light chain, with an assay range of 5-120 mg/l, intrabatch precisions from 1.5-6.4%, and interbatch precisions from 6.5-8.9%. The assay was only slightly less sensitive than colloidal gold staining of cellulose acetate electrophoreses for the detection of Bence-Jones protein in urine. For the serial monitoring of response to chemotherapy in patients with myeloma, the assay correlated well with serum paraprotein estimates obtained by densitometric scanning of Ponceau stained cellulose acetate electrophoreses, but not with serum beta-2 microglobulin measurements, even after correction for the effects of creatinine. These assays may prove to be of use for the monitoring of tumour response in the treatment of Bence-Jones myeloma. PMID:1906071

Development and validation of a HPTLC method for simultaneous estimation of lornoxicam and thiocolchicoside in combined dosage form.

PubMed

Sahoo, Madhusmita; Syal, Pratima; Hable, Asawaree A; Raut, Rahul P; Choudhari, Vishnu P; Kuchekar, Bhanudas S

2011-07-01

To develop a simple, precise, rapid and accurate HPTLC method for the simultaneous estimation of Lornoxicam (LOR) and Thiocolchicoside (THIO) in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The separation of the active compounds from pharmaceutical dosage form was carried out using methanol:chloroform:water (9.6:0.2:0.2 v/v/v) as the mobile phase and no immiscibility issues were found. The densitometric scanning was carried out at 377 nm. The method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD (Limit of Detection), LOQ (Limit of Quantification), robustness and specificity. The Rf values (±SD) were found to be 0.84 ± 0.05 for LOR and 0.58 ± 0.05 for THIO. Linearity was obtained in the range of 60-360 ng/band for LOR and 30-180 ng/band for THIO with correlation coefficients r(2) = 0.998 and 0.999, respectively. The percentage recovery for both the analytes was in the range of 98.7-101.2 %. The proposed method was optimized and validated as per the ICH guidelines.

High-accuracy 3D measurement system based on multi-view and structured light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mingyue; Weng, Dongdong; Li, Yufeng; Zhang, Longbin; Zhou, Haiyun

2013-12-01

3D surface reconstruction is one of the most important topics in Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR). Using structured light is a simple and rapid method to reconstruct the objects. In order to improve the precision of 3D reconstruction, we present a high-accuracy multi-view 3D measurement system based on Gray-code and Phase-shift. We use a camera and a light projector that casts structured light patterns on the objects. In this system, we use only one camera to take photos on the left and right sides of the object respectively. In addition, we use VisualSFM to process the relationships between each perspective, so the camera calibration can be omitted and the positions to place the camera are no longer limited. We also set appropriate exposure time to make the scenes covered by gray-code patterns more recognizable. All of the points above make the reconstruction more precise. We took experiments on different kinds of objects, and a large number of experimental results verify the feasibility and high accuracy of the system.

Rapid determination of five antibiotic residues in swine wastewater by online solid-phase extraction-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tagiri-Endo, Misako; Suzuki, Shigeru; Nakamura, Tomoyuki; Hatakeyama, Takashi; Kawamukai, Kazuo

2009-02-01

A simple and quick online solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to liquid chromatography (LC)/tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for the determination of the five antibiotics (florfenicol, FF; lincomycin, LCM; oxytetracyclin, OTC; tylosin, TS; valnemulin, VLM) in swine wastewater has been developed. After filtration, aliquots (100 microl) of wastewater samples were directly injected to a column-switching LC system. Some matrix interference was removed by washing up SPE column with 0.2% formic acid solution and acetonitrile. Antibiotics eluted from SPE column were separated on analytical column by converting switching valve and were detected by MS/MS. Calibration curves using the method of standard addition had very good correlation coefficients (r > 0.99) in the range of 0.1 to 2 ng/ml. The intra-day precision of the method was less than 12% and the inter-day precision was between 6 to 17%. The detection limits were 0.01-0.1 ng/ml. When this method was applied to wastewater samples in swine facilities, four compounds (LCM, OTC, TS, and VLM) were detected.

Multiresidue pesticide analysis of tuber and root commodities by QuEchERS extraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Garrido Frenich, Antonia; Martín Fernández, María del Mar; Díaz Moreno, Laura; Martínez Vidal, Jose Lúis; López-Gutiérrez, Noelia

2012-01-01

A simple, rapid, and reliable multiresidue method to determine 84 pesticides in potato and carrot samples by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to MS/MS has been developed and fully validated for routine analysis according to ISO/IEC 17025:2005. The method makes use of a buffered Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation procedure based on a single extraction with acidified acetonitrile, followed by partitioning with salts. Chromatographic conditions were optimized in order to achieve a rapid separation in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Performance characteristics of the method, including an estimation of measurement uncertainty using validation data, are reported for both matrixes. Calibration curves were linear from 0.010 to 0.150 mg/kg for most compounds. The LOD and LOQ were 0.006 and 0.010 mg/kg, respectively, except for fluorocloridone, fluquinconazol, and hexitiazox, which were 0.030 and 0.050 mg/kg, respectively. Recoveries obtained were in the range 70-116%, with intraday precision values < or = 20% RSD and interday precision values < or = 25% RSD at two different concentration levels. The overall uncertainty of the method was estimated at two concentrations as being lower than 34% in all cases. The method has been applied to the analysis of 70 vegetable samples, and imidacloprid and linuron were the pesticides most frequently found in potato and carrot commodities, respectively.

Development of a Dual Solid-State pH-AT Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, E.; Martz, T. R.; Kummel, A.; Sandoval, S.; Erten, A.

2016-02-01

Here we report on our progress toward development of a solid state, reagentless sensor capable of rapid and simultaneous measurement of pH and Total Alkalinity (AT) using ion sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) technology. The goal of this work is to provide a means of continuous, direct measurement of the seawater carbon dioxide system through measurement of two "master variables" (pH and AT). ISFET-based pH sensors that achieve 0.001 precision are presently in widespread use on autonomous oceanographic platforms. Modifications to an ISFET allow a nL-scale acid-base titration of total alkalinity to be carried out in 10 s. Titrant, H+, is generated through the electrolysis of water on the surface of the chip eliminating the requirement of external reagents. Initial characterization has been performed titrating individual components (i.e. OH-, HCO3-, CO32-, PO43-) of seawater AT. Based on previous work by others in simple acid-base systems and our preliminary results in seawater we feel that it is within reach to set a benchmark goal of 10 μmol kg-1 precision in AT. The estimated resolution of this dual pH-AT sensor translates to approximately 0.5 and 0.7% error in Total Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (CT) and pCO2 respectively and would have a number of immediate applications for investigating biogeochemical processes where strong gradients exist over short distances and in rapidly changing environments.

Selective and rapid determination of tadalafil and finasteride using solid phase extraction by high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Pappula, Nagaraju; Kodali, Balaji; Datla, Peda Varma

2018-04-15

Highly selective and fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of tadalafil (TDL) and finasteride (FNS) in human plasma. The method was successfully applied for analysis of TDL and FNS samples in clinical study. The method was validated as per USFDA (United States Food and Drug Administration), EMA (European Medicines Agency), and ANVISA (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária-Brazil) bio analytical method validation guidelines. Glyburide (GLB) was used as common internal standard (ISTD) for both analytes. The selected multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions for mass spectrometric analysis were m/z 390.2/268.2, m/z 373.3/305.4 and m/z 494.2/369.1 for TDL, FNS and ISTD respectively. The extraction of analytes and ISTD was accomplished by a simple solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure. Rapid analysis time was achieved on Zorbax Eclipse C18 column (50 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm). The calibration ranges for TDL and FNS were 5-800 ng/ml and 0.2-30 ng/ml respectively. The results of precision and accuracy, linearity, recovery and matrix effect of the method are acceptable. The accuracy was in the range of 92.9%-106.4% and method precision was also good; %CV was less than 8.1%. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative determination of insulin entrapment efficiency in triblock copolymeric nanoparticles by high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Xu, Xiongliang; Fu, Yao; Hu, Haiyan; Duan, Yourong; Zhang, Zhirong

2006-04-11

A rapid and effective isocratic chromatographic procedure was described in this paper for the determination of insulin entrapment efficiency (EE) in triblock copolymeric nanoparticles using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) with an ultraviolet/visible detector at low flow rate. The method has been developed on a Shimadzu Shim-pack VP-ODS column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, Japan) using a mixture of 0.2 M sodium sulfate anhydrous solution adjusted to pH 2.3 with phosphoric acid and acetonitrile (73:27, v/v) as mobile phase at the flow rate of 0.8 ml min(-1) and a 214 nm detection. The method was validated in terms of selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy, solution stability, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The calibration curve was linear in the concentration range of 2.0-500.0 microg ml(-1), and the limits of detection and quantitation were 8 and 20 ng, respectively. The mean recovery of insulin from spiked samples, in a concentration range of 8-100 microg ml(-1), was 98.96% (R.S.D.= 2.51%, n = 9). The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were less than 2.24%. The proposed method has the advantages of simple pretreatment, rapid isolation, high specificity and precision, which can be used for direct analysis of insulin in commercially available raw materials, formulations of nanoparticles, and drug release as well as stability studies.

Development of water-phase derivatization followed by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for fast determination of valproic acid in human plasma.

PubMed

Deng, Chunhui; Li, Ning; Ji, Jie; Yang, Bei; Duan, Gengli; Zhang, Xiangmin

2006-01-01

In this study, a simple, rapid, and sensitive method was developed and validated for the quantification of valproic acid (VPA), an antiepileptic drug, in human plasma, which was based on water-phase derivatization followed by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In the proposed method, VPA in plasma was rapidly derivatized with a mixture of isobutyl chloroformate, ethanol and pyridine under mild conditions (room temperature, aqueous medium), and the VPA ethyl ester formed was headspace-extracted and simultaneously concentrated using the SPME technique. Finally, the analyte extracted on SPME fiber was analyzed by GC/MS. The experimental parameters and method validations were studied. The optimal conditions were obtained: PDMS fiber, stirring rate of 1100 rpm, sample temperature of 80 degrees C, extraction time of 20 min, NaCl concentration of 30%. The proposed method had a limit of quantification (0.3 microg/mL), good recovery (89-97%) and precision (RSD value less than 10%). Because the proposed method combined a rapid water-phase derivatization with a fast, simple and solvent-free sample extraction and concentration technique of SPME, the sample preparation time was less than 25 min. This much shortens the whole analysis time of VPA in plasma. The validated method has been successfully used to analyze VPA in human plasma samples for application in pharmacokinetic studies. All these results show that water-phase derivatization followed by HS-SPME and GC/MS is an alternative and powerful method for fast determination of VPA in biological fluids. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Synergetic approach for simple and rapid conjugation of gold nanoparticles with oligonucleotides.

PubMed

Li, Jiuxing; Zhu, Binqing; Yao, Xiujie; Zhang, Yicong; Zhu, Zhi; Tu, Song; Jia, Shasha; Liu, Rudi; Kang, Huaizhi; Yang, Chaoyong James

2014-10-08

Attaching thiolated DNA on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has been extremely important in nanobiotechnology because DNA-AuNPs combine the programmability and molecular recognition properties of the biopolymers with the optical, thermal, and catalytic properties of the inorganic nanomaterials. However, current standard protocols to attach thiolated DNA on AuNPs involve time-consuming, tedious steps and do not perform well for large AuNPs, thereby greatly restricting applications of DNA-AuNPs. Here we demonstrate a rapid and facile strategy to attach thiolated DNA on AuNPs based on the excellent stabilization effect of mPEG-SH on AuNPs. AuNPs are first protected by mPEG-SH in the presence of Tween 20, which results in excellent stability of AuNPs in high ionic strength environments and extreme pHs. A high concentration of NaCl can be applied to the mixture of DNA and AuNP directly, allowing highly efficient DNA attachment to the AuNP surface by minimizing electrostatic repulsion. The entire DNA loading process can be completed in 1.5 h with only a few simple steps. DNA-loaded AuNPs are stable for more than 2 weeks at room temperature, and they can precisely hybridize with the complementary sequence, which was applied to prepare core-satellite nanostructures. Moreover, cytotoxicity assay confirmed that the DNA-AuNPs synthesized by this method exhibit lower cytotoxicity than those prepared by current standard methods. The proposed method provides a new way to stabilize AuNPs for rapid and facile loading thiolated DNA on AuNPs and will find wide applications in many areas requiring DNA-AuNPs, including diagnosis, therapy, and imaging.

Sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric assay for the quantification of piperaquine in human plasma.

PubMed

Singhal, Puran; Gaur, Ashwani; Gautam, Anirudh; Varshney, Brijesh; Paliwal, Jyoti; Batra, Vijay

2007-11-01

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for quantification of piperaquine, an antimalarial drug, in human plasma using its structural analogue, piperazine bis chloroquinoline as internal standard (IS). The method involved a simple protein precipitation with methanol followed by rapid isocratic elution of analytes with 10mM ammonium acetate buffer/methanol/formic acid/ammonia solution (25/75/0.2/0.15, v/v) on Chromolith SpeedROD RP-18e reversed phase chromatographic column and quantification by mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM). The precursor to product ion transitions of m/z 535.3-->288.2 and m/z 409.1-->205.2 were used to measure the analyte and the IS, respectively. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 1.0-250.2 ng/mL for piperaquine in plasma. The limit of detection (LOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) in plasma were 0.2 and 1.0 ng/mL, respectively. Acceptable precision and accuracy (+/-20% deviation for LLOQ standard and +/-15% deviation for other standards from the respective nominal concentration) were obtained for concentrations over the standard curve ranges. A run time of 2.5 min for a sample made it possible to achieve a throughput of more than 400 plasma samples analyzed per day. The validated method was successfully applied to analyze human plasma samples from phase-1 clinical studies. The mean pharmacokinetic parameters of piperaquine following 1000 mg oral dose: observed maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to maximum plasma concentration (Tmax) and elimination half-life (T1/2) were 46.1 ng/mL, 3.8h and 13 days, respectively.

Rapid deletion production in fungi via Agrobacterium mediated transformation of OSCAR deletion contructs.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Precise deletion of gene(s) of interest, while leaving the rest of the genome unchanged, provides the ideal product to determine that particular gene’s function in the living organism. In this protocol we describe the OSCAR method of precise and rapid deletion plasmid construction. OSCAR relies on t...

Analytical Method Development and Validation for the Simultaneous Estimation of Abacavir and Lamivudine by Reversed-phase High-performance Liquid Chromatography in Bulk and Tablet Dosage Forms.

PubMed

Raees Ahmad, Sufiyan Ahmad; Patil, Lalit; Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Rageeb; Imran, Mohammad; Akhtar, Rashid

2018-01-01

A simple rapid, accurate, precise, and reproducible validated reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of Abacavir (ABAC) and Lamivudine (LAMI) in bulk and tablet dosage forms. The quantification was carried out using Symmetry Premsil C18 (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column run in isocratic way using mobile phase comprising methanol: water (0.05% orthophosphoric acid with pH 3) 83:17 v/v and a detection wavelength of 245 nm and injection volume of 20 μl, with a flow rate of 1 ml/min. In the developed method, the retention times of ABAC and LAMI were found to be 3.5 min and 7.4 min, respectively. The method was validated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy, limits of detection, limits of quantitation, and robustness in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The assay of the proposed method was found to be 99% - 101%. The recovery studies were also carried out and mean % recovery was found to be 99% - 101%. The % relative standard deviation from reproducibility was found to be <2%. The proposed method was statistically evaluated and can be applied for routine quality control analysis of ABAC and LAMI in bulk and in tablet dosage form. Attempts were made to develop RP-HPLC method for simultaneous estimation of Abacavir and Lamivudine for the RP-HPLC method. The developed method was validated according to the ICH guidelines. The linearity, precision, range, robustness were within the limits as specified by the ICH guidelines. Hence the method was found to be simple, accurate, precise, economic and reproducible. So the proposed methods can be used for the routine quality control analysis of Abacavir and Lamivudine in bulk drug as well as in formulations. Abbreviations Used: HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography, UV: Ultraviolet, ICH: International Conference on Harmonization, ABAC: Abacavir, LAMI: Lamivudine, HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus, AIDS: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, NRTI: Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, ARV: Antiretroviral, RSD: Relative standard deviation, RT: Retention time, SD: Standard deviation.

A hierarchy of granular continuum models: Why flowing grains are both simple and complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamrin, Ken

2017-06-01

Granular materials have a strange propensity to behave as either a complex media or a simple media depending on the precise question being asked. This review paper offers a summary of granular flow rheologies for well-developed or steady-state motion, and seeks to explain this dichotomy through the vast range of complexity intrinsic to these models. A key observation is that to achieve accuracy in predicting flow fields in general geometries, one requires a model that accounts for a number of subtleties, most notably a nonlocal effect to account for cooperativity in the flow as induced by the finite size of grains. On the other hand, forces and tractions that develop on macro-scale, submerged boundaries appear to be minimally affected by grain size and, barring very rapid motions, are well represented by simple rate-independent frictional plasticity models. A major simplification observed in experiments of granular intrusion, which we refer to as the `resistive force hypothesis' of granular Resistive Force Theory, can be shown to arise directly from rate-independent plasticity. Because such plasticity models have so few parameters, and the major rheological parameter is a dimensionless internal friction coefficient, some of these simplifications can be seen as consequences of scaling.

Validation and Application of a Simple UHPLC-MS-MS Method for the Enantiospecific Determination of Warfarin in Human Urine.

PubMed

Alshogran, Osama Y; Ocque, Andrew J; Leblond, François A; Pichette, Vincent; Nolin, Thomas D

2016-04-01

A simple and rapid liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method has been developed and validated for the enantiospecific determination of R- and S-warfarin in human urine. Warfarin enantiomers were extracted from urine using methyl tert-butyl ether. Chromatographic separation of warfarin enantiomers and the internal standard d5-warfarin was achieved using a Astec Chirobiotic V column with gradient mobile phase at a flow rate of 400 µL/min over 10 min. Detection was performed on a TSQ Quantum Ultra triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a heated electrospray ionization source. Analytes were detected in negative ionization mode using selected reaction monitoring. Calibration curves were linear with a correlation coefficient of ≥0.996 for both enantiomers over a concentration range of 5-500 ng/mL. The intra- and interday accuracy and precision for both analytes were within ±9.0%. Excellent extraction efficiency and negligible matrix effects were observed. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by successful measurement of warfarin enantiomers in urine of patients with kidney disease. The method is simple, accurate and reproducible and is currently being used to support warfarin pharmacokinetic studies. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Accurate, high-throughput typing of copy number variation using paralogue ratios from dispersed repeats

PubMed Central

Armour, John A. L.; Palla, Raquel; Zeeuwen, Patrick L. J. M.; den Heijer, Martin; Schalkwijk, Joost; Hollox, Edward J.

2007-01-01

Recent work has demonstrated an unexpected prevalence of copy number variation in the human genome, and has highlighted the part this variation may play in predisposition to common phenotypes. Some important genes vary in number over a high range (e.g. DEFB4, which commonly varies between two and seven copies), and have posed formidable technical challenges for accurate copy number typing, so that there are no simple, cheap, high-throughput approaches suitable for large-scale screening. We have developed a simple comparative PCR method based on dispersed repeat sequences, using a single pair of precisely designed primers to amplify products simultaneously from both test and reference loci, which are subsequently distinguished and quantified via internal sequence differences. We have validated the method for the measurement of copy number at DEFB4 by comparison of results from >800 DNA samples with copy number measurements by MAPH/REDVR, MLPA and array-CGH. The new Paralogue Ratio Test (PRT) method can require as little as 10 ng genomic DNA, appears to be comparable in accuracy to the other methods, and for the first time provides a rapid, simple and inexpensive method for copy number analysis, suitable for application to typing thousands of samples in large case-control association studies. PMID:17175532

DAC-board based X-band EPR spectrometer with arbitrary waveform control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufmann, Thomas; Keller, Timothy J.; Franck, John M.; Barnes, Ryan P.; Glaser, Steffen J.; Martinis, John M.; Han, Songi

2013-10-01

We present arbitrary control over a homogenous spin system, demonstrated on a simple, home-built, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer operating at 8-10 GHz (X-band) and controlled by a 1 GHz arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) with 42 dB (i.e. 14-bit) of dynamic range. Such a spectrometer can be relatively easily built from a single DAC (digital to analog converter) board with a modest number of stock components and offers powerful capabilities for automated digital calibration and correction routines that allow it to generate shaped X-band pulses with precise amplitude and phase control. It can precisely tailor the excitation profiles "seen" by the spins in the microwave resonator, based on feedback calibration with experimental input. We demonstrate the capability to generate a variety of pulse shapes, including rectangular, triangular, Gaussian, sinc, and adiabatic rapid passage waveforms. We then show how one can precisely compensate for the distortion and broadening caused by transmission into the microwave cavity in order to optimize corrected waveforms that are distinctly different from the initial, uncorrected waveforms. Specifically, we exploit a narrow EPR signal whose width is finer than the features of any distortions in order to map out the response to a short pulse, which, in turn, yields the precise transfer function of the spectrometer system. This transfer function is found to be consistent for all pulse shapes in the linear response regime. In addition to allowing precise waveform shaping capabilities, the spectrometer presented here offers complete digital control and calibration of the spectrometer that allows one to phase cycle the pulse phase with 0.007° resolution and to specify the inter-pulse delays and pulse durations to ⩽250 ps resolution. The implications and potential applications of these capabilities will be discussed.

A simple methodological validation of the gas/particle fractionation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yong-Hyun; Kim, Ki-Hyun

2015-07-01

The analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in ambient air requires the tedious experimental steps of both sampling and pretreatment (e.g., extraction or clean-up). To replace pre-existing conventional methods, a simple, rapid, and novel technique was developed to measure gas-particle fractionation of PAH in ambient air based on ‘sorbent tube-thermal desorption-gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (ST-TD-GC-MS)’. The separate collection and analysis of ambient PAHs were achieved independently by two serially connected STs. The basic quality assurance confirmed good linearity, precision, and high sensitivity to eliminate the need for complicated pretreatment procedures with the detection limit (16 PAHs: 13.1 ± 7.04 pg). The analysis of real ambient PAH samples showed a clear fractionation between gas (two-three ringed PAHs) and particulate phases (five-six ringed PAHs). In contrast, for intermediate (four ringed) PAHs (fluoranthene, pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and chrysene), a highly systematic/gradual fractionation was established. It thus suggests a promising role of ST-TD-GC-MS as measurement system in acquiring a reliable database of airborne PAH.

Analytical detection and method development of anticancer drug Gemcitabine HCl using gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Menon, Shobhana K; Mistry, Bhoomika R; Joshi, Kuldeep V; Sutariya, Pinkesh G; Patel, Ravindra V

2012-08-01

A simple, rapid, cost effective and extractive UV spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of Gemcitabine HCl (GMCT) in bulk drug and pharmaceutical formulation. It was based on UV spectrophotometric measurements in which the drug reacts with gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and changes the original colour of AuNP and forms a dark blue coloured solution which exhibits absorption maximum at 688nm. The apparent molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity coefficient were found to be 3.95×10(-5)lmol(-1)cm(-1) and 0.060μgcm(-2) respectively. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range of 2.0-40μgml(-1). This method was tested and validated for various parameters according to ICH guidelines. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of GMCT in pharmaceutical formulation (parental formulation). The results demonstrated that the procedure is accurate, precise and reproducible (relative standard deviation <2%). As it is simple, cheap and less time consuming, it can be suitably applied for the estimation of GMCT in dosage forms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Precision Sheet Metal. Progress Record and Theory Outline.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Div. of Vocational-Technical Schools.

This combination progress record and course outline is designed for use by individuals teaching a course in precision sheet metal. Included among the topics addressed in the course are the following: employment opportunities in metalworking, measurement and layout, orthographic projection, precision sheet metal drafting, simple layout, hand tools,…

An Upgrade Pinning Block: A Mechanical Practical Aid for Fast Labelling of the Insect Specimens.

PubMed

Ghafouri Moghaddam, Mohammad Hossein; Ghafouri Moghaddam, Mostafa; Rakhshani, Ehsan; Mokhtari, Azizollah

2017-01-01

A new mechanical innovation is described to deal with standard labelling of dried specimens on triangular cards and/or pinned specimens in personal and public collections. It works quickly, precisely, and easily and is very useful for maintaining label uniformity in collections. The tools accurately sets the position of labels in the shortest possible time. This tools has advantages including rapid processing, cost effectiveness, light weight, and high accuracy, compared to conventional methods. It is fully customisable, compact, and does not require specialist equipment to assemble. Conventional methods generally require locating holes on the pinning block surface when labelling with a resulting risk to damage of the specimens. Insects of different orders can be labelled by this simple and effective tool.

An Upgrade Pinning Block: A Mechanical Practical Aid for Fast Labelling of the Insect Specimens

PubMed Central

Ghafouri Moghaddam, Mohammad Hossein; Rakhshani, Ehsan; Mokhtari, Azizollah

2017-01-01

Abstract A new mechanical innovation is described to deal with standard labelling of dried specimens on triangular cards and/or pinned specimens in personal and public collections. It works quickly, precisely, and easily and is very useful for maintaining label uniformity in collections. The tools accurately sets the position of labels in the shortest possible time. This tools has advantages including rapid processing, cost effectiveness, light weight, and high accuracy, compared to conventional methods. It is fully customisable, compact, and does not require specialist equipment to assemble. Conventional methods generally require locating holes on the pinning block surface when labelling with a resulting risk to damage of the specimens. Insects of different orders can be labelled by this simple and effective tool. PMID:29104440

[Simultaneous determination of five active constitutents in Xiaochaihu Tang by HPLC].

PubMed

Liu, Qingchun; Zhao, Junning; Yan, Liangchun; Yi, Jinhai; Song, Jun

2010-03-01

To establish a HPLC-PDA method for the determination of baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, wogonin and glycyrrhizic acid in Xiaochaihu Tang. A Symmetry Shield RP18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5.0 microm) was used with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.01% H3PO4 in gradient elution. The detection wavelength was 251 nm,the flow rate was 0.45 mL x min(-1) and the column temperature was maintained at 30 degrees C. The accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity and linearity of this method met the requirements. The contents of the five effective fractions were determined simultaneously. The method is rapid,simple and accurate and it can be suitable for the determination of baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, wogonin and glycyrrhizic acid in Xiaochaihu Tang simultaneously.

Detection of Large Pathogenic Expansions in FRDA1, SCA10, and SCA12 Genes Using a Simple Fluorescent Repeat-Primed PCR Assay

PubMed Central

Cagnoli, Claudia; Michielotto, Chiara; Matsuura, Tohru; Ashizawa, Tetsuo; Margolis, Russell L.; Holmes, Susan E.; Gellera, Cinzia; Migone, Nicola; Brusco, Alfredo

2004-01-01

At least 18 human genetic diseases are caused by expansion of short tandem repeats. Here we describe a successful application of a fluorescent PCR method for the detection of expanded repeats in FRDA1, SCA10, and SCA12 genes. Although this test cannot give a precise estimate of the size of the expansion, it is robust, reliable, and inexpensive, and can be used to screen large series of patients. It proved useful for confirming the presence of large expansions in the Friedreich ataxia gene following an ambiguous result of long-range PCR, as well as rapid pre-screening for large repeat expansions associated with Friedreich ataxia and SCA10 and the shorter repeat expansions associated with SCA12. PMID:15096564

Molecularly imprinted polymeric stir bar: Preparation and application for the determination of naftopidil in plasma and urine samples.

PubMed

Peng, Jun; Xiao, Deli; He, Hua; Zhao, Hongyan; Wang, Cuixia; Shi, Tian; Shi, Kexin

2016-01-01

In this study, molecularly imprinting technology and stir bar absorption technology were combined to develop a microextraction approach based on a molecularly imprinted polymeric stir bar. The molecularly imprinted polymer stir bar has a high performance, is specific, economical, and simple to prepare. The obtained naftopidil-imprinted polymer-coated bars could simultaneously agitate and adsorb naftopidil in the sample solution. The ratio of template/monomer/cross-linker and conditions of template removal were optimized to prepare a stir bar with highly efficient adsorption. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, selectivity, and extraction capacity experiments showed that the molecularly imprinted polymer stir bar was prepared successfully. To utilize the molecularly imprinted polymer stir bar for the determination of naftopidil in complex body fluid matrices, the extraction time, stirring speed, eluent, and elution time were optimized. The limits of detection of naftopidil in plasma and urine sample were 7.5 and 4.0 ng/mL, respectively, and the recoveries were in the range of 90-112%. The within-run precision and between-run precision were acceptable (relative standard deviation <7%). These data demonstrated that the molecularly imprinted polymeric stir bar based microextraction with high-performance liquid chromatography was a convenient, rapid, efficient, and specific method for the precise determination of trace naftopidil in clinical analysis. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development and validation of a new HPLC-UV method for the simultaneous determination of triclabendazole and ivermectin B1a in a pharmaceutical formulation.

PubMed

Shurbaji, Maher; Abu Al Rub, Mohamad H; Saket, Munib M; Qaisi, Ali M; Salim, Maher L; Abu-Nameh, Eyad S M

2010-01-01

A rapid, simple, and sensitive RP-HPLC analytical method was developed for the simultaneous determination of triclabendazole and ivermectin in combination using a C18 RP column. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-methanol-water-acetic acid (56 + 36 + 7.5 + 0.5, v/v/v/v) at a pH of 4.35 and flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. A 245 nm UV detection wavelength was used. Complete validation, including linearity, accuracy, recovery, LOD, LOQ, precision, robustness, stability, and peak purity, was performed. The calibration curve was linear over the range 50.09-150.26 microg/mL for triclabendazole with r = 0.9999 and 27.01-81.02 microg/mL for ivermectin with r = 0.9999. Calculated LOD and LOQ for triclabendazole were 0.03 and 0.08 microg/mL, respectively, and for ivermectin 0.07 and 0.20 microg/mL, respectively. The intraday precision obtained was 98.71% with RSD of 0.87% for triclabendazole and 100.79% with RSD 0.73% for ivermectin. The interday precision obtained was 99.51% with RSD of 0.35% for triclabendazole and 100.55% with RSD of 0.59% for ivermectin. Robustness was also studied, and there was no significant variation of the system suitability of the analytical method with small changes in experimental parameters.

Fuzzy logic, neural networks, and soft computing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zadeh, Lofti A.

1994-01-01

The past few years have witnessed a rapid growth of interest in a cluster of modes of modeling and computation which may be described collectively as soft computing. The distinguishing characteristic of soft computing is that its primary aims are to achieve tractability, robustness, low cost, and high MIQ (machine intelligence quotient) through an exploitation of the tolerance for imprecision and uncertainty. Thus, in soft computing what is usually sought is an approximate solution to a precisely formulated problem or, more typically, an approximate solution to an imprecisely formulated problem. A simple case in point is the problem of parking a car. Generally, humans can park a car rather easily because the final position of the car is not specified exactly. If it were specified to within, say, a few millimeters and a fraction of a degree, it would take hours or days of maneuvering and precise measurements of distance and angular position to solve the problem. What this simple example points to is the fact that, in general, high precision carries a high cost. The challenge, then, is to exploit the tolerance for imprecision by devising methods of computation which lead to an acceptable solution at low cost. By its nature, soft computing is much closer to human reasoning than the traditional modes of computation. At this juncture, the major components of soft computing are fuzzy logic (FL), neural network theory (NN), and probabilistic reasoning techniques (PR), including genetic algorithms, chaos theory, and part of learning theory. Increasingly, these techniques are used in combination to achieve significant improvement in performance and adaptability. Among the important application areas for soft computing are control systems, expert systems, data compression techniques, image processing, and decision support systems. It may be argued that it is soft computing, rather than the traditional hard computing, that should be viewed as the foundation for artificial intelligence. In the years ahead, this may well become a widely held position.

A simple, sensitive and rapid isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination and stability study of curcumin in pharmaceutical samples

PubMed Central

Amanolahi, Farjad; Mohammadi, Ali; Kazemi Oskuee, Reza; Nassirli, Hooriyeh; Malaekeh-Nikouei, Bizhan

2017-01-01

Objective: This study was designed to develop and validate a new reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method based on Q2 (R1) International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guideline for determination of curcumin in pharmaceutical samples. Materials and Methods: The HPLC instrument method was optimized with isocratic elution with acetonitrile: ammonium acetate (45:55, v/v, pH 3.5), C18 column (150 mm×4.6 mm×5 µm particle size) and a flow rate of 1 ml/min in ambient condition and total retention time of 17 min. The volume of injection was set at 20 µl and detection was recorded at 425 nm. The robustness of the method was examined by changing the mobile phase composition, mobile phase pH, and flow rate. Results: The method was validated with respect to precision, accuracy and linearity in a concentration range of 2-100 µg/ml. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.25 and 0.5 µg/ml, respectively. The percentage of recovery was 98.9 to 100.5 with relative standard deviation (RSD) < 0.638%. Conclusion: The method was found to be simple, sensitive and rapid for determination of curcumin in pharmaceutical samples and had enough sensitivity to detect degradation product of curcumin produced under photolysis and hydrolysis stress condition. PMID:29062806

Determination of hydrazine in drinking water: Development and multivariate optimization of a rapid and simple solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry protocol.

PubMed

Gionfriddo, Emanuela; Naccarato, Attilio; Sindona, Giovanni; Tagarelli, Antonio

2014-07-04

In this work, the capabilities of solid phase microextraction were exploited in a fully optimized SPME-GC-QqQ-MS analytical approach for hydrazine assay. A rapid and easy method was obtained by a simple derivatization reaction with propyl chloroformate and pyridine carried out directly in water samples, followed by automated SPME analysis in the same vial without further sample handling. The affinity of the different derivatized compounds obtained towards five commercially available SPME coatings was evaluated, in order to achieve the best extraction efficiency. GC analyses were carried out using a GC-QqQ-MS instrument in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) acquisition mode which has allowed the achievement of high specificity by selecting appropriate precursor-product ion couples improving the capability in analyte identification. The multivariate approach of experimental design was crucial in order to optimize derivatization reaction, SPME process and tandem mass spectrometry parameters. Accuracy of the proposed protocol, tested at 60, 200 and 800 ng L(-1), provided satisfactory values (114.2%, 83.6% and 98.6%, respectively), whereas precision (RSD%) at the same concentration levels were of 10.9%, 7.9% and 7.7% respectively. Limit of detection and quantification of 4.4 and 8.3 ng L(-1) were obtained. The reliable application of the proposed protocol to real drinking water samples confirmed its capability to be used as analytical tool for routine analyses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sonocrystallization-application of radiation forces from acoustic standing waves for configurable assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shields, Charles

Acoustic radiation forces offer a promising approach to rapidly arrange particles across a broad range of scales, yet it remains largely unexplored compared to classical methods like centrifugation, electrophoresis, and magnetophoresis. Acoustic forces offer numerous advantages, including scalability, programmability, and the ability to manipulate particles of variable composition (i.e., without narrowly defined electromagnetic or other properties). While some groups have shown the ability to concentrate particles with ultrasonic radiation, the capabilities and limitations for precise particle assembly and morphological control remain poorly understood. Here, I will discuss our recent efforts to explore the flexibility and limitations of acoustophoresis to rapidly arrange microparticles into organized and programmable structures. In order to execute these studies, we employ a simple ``sonocrystallization chamber'' that creates multidimensional bulk acoustic standing waves to propel particles toward the pressure nodes or antinodes, depending on their contrast factor. We can thus create thousands of size-limited assemblies within minutes. We pair these experiments with simulations and theory to model the migration kinetics and assembly patterns of different particles types. I will further discuss how we have extended these results to understand the lower particle size limit for assembly in systems such as gold nanoparticles with diameters <200 nm. Finally, I will show how we incorporated a simple light-based crosslinking approach for stabilizing the assembly in the small particle limit (i.e., beyond the acoustic focusing limit), which might enable use in a variety of plasmonic and photonic applications.

Improved HPLC method for determination of four PPIs, omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole and rabeprazole in human plasma.

PubMed

Noubarani, Maryam; Keyhanfar, Fariborz; Motevalian, Manijeh; Mahmoudian, Masoud

2010-01-01

To develop a simple and rapid HPLC method for measuring of four proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), omeprazole (OPZ), pantoprazole (PPZ), lansoprazole (LPZ) and rabeprazole (RPZ) concentrations in human plasma. Following a single step liquid-liquid extraction analytes along with an internal standard (IS) were separated using an isocratic mobile phase of phosphate buffer (10 mM)/acetonitrile (53/47, v/v adjusted pH to 7.3 with triethylamine) at flow rate of 1 mL/min on reverse phase TRACER EXCEL 120 ODS-A column at room temperature. Total analytical run time for selected PPIs was 10 min. The assays exhibited good linearity (r(2)>0.99) over the studied range of 20 to 2500 ng/mL for OPZ, 20 to 4000 ng/mL for PPZ, 20 to 3000 ng/mL for LPZ and 20 to 1500 ng/mL for RPZ. The recovery of method was equal or greater than 80% and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 20 ng/mL for four PPIs. Coefficient of variation and error at all of the intra-day and inter-day assessment were less than 9.2% for all compounds. The results indicated that this method is a simple, rapid, precise and accurate assay for determination of four PPIs concentrations in human plasma. This validated method is sensitive and reproducible enough to be used in pharmacokinetic studies and also is time- and cost-benefit when selected PPIs are desired to be analyzed.

Determination of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in rat serum for pharmacokinetic studies with a simple HPLC method

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiao; Wan, Yanjian; Chen, Xi; Li, Yuanyuan

2018-01-01

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a chlorophenoxy herbicide used worldwide. We describe a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV detection for the determination of 2,4-D in female and male rat serum. This allows to observe the change of serum 2,4-D concentration in rats with time and its pharmacokinetics characteristics with a simple, rapid, optimized and validated method. The serum samples are pretreated and introduced into the HPLC system. The analytes are separated in a XDB-C18 column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile (solvent A) and 0.02 M ammonium acetate (containing 0.1% formic acid) (solvent B) using a gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The wavelength for UV detection was set at 230 nm. Calibration curve for 2,4-D was constructed over a range of 0.1–400 mg/L. The method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of 2,4-D in rats in this study. After oral administration of 300 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg 2,4-D, the mean Cmax values were 601.9 and 218.4 mg/L, the AUC0→∞ values were 23,722 and 4,127 mg×h/L and the clearance (Cl) were 1.10 and 0.02 L/(h×kg), respectively. The developed method was found to be specific, precise, reproducible and rapid. PMID:29342170

Determination of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in rat serum for pharmacokinetic studies with a simple HPLC method.

PubMed

Chen, Xiao; Zhang, Hongling; Wan, Yanjian; Chen, Xi; Li, Yuanyuan

2018-01-01

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a chlorophenoxy herbicide used worldwide. We describe a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV detection for the determination of 2,4-D in female and male rat serum. This allows to observe the change of serum 2,4-D concentration in rats with time and its pharmacokinetics characteristics with a simple, rapid, optimized and validated method. The serum samples are pretreated and introduced into the HPLC system. The analytes are separated in a XDB-C18 column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile (solvent A) and 0.02 M ammonium acetate (containing 0.1% formic acid) (solvent B) using a gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The wavelength for UV detection was set at 230 nm. Calibration curve for 2,4-D was constructed over a range of 0.1-400 mg/L. The method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of 2,4-D in rats in this study. After oral administration of 300 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg 2,4-D, the mean Cmax values were 601.9 and 218.4 mg/L, the AUC0→∞ values were 23,722 and 4,127 mg×h/L and the clearance (Cl) were 1.10 and 0.02 L/(h×kg), respectively. The developed method was found to be specific, precise, reproducible and rapid.

A Rapid Method to Achieve Aero-Engine Blade Form Detection

PubMed Central

Sun, Bin; Li, Bing

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a rapid method to detect aero-engine blade form, according to the characteristics of an aero-engine blade surface. This method first deduces an inclination error model in free-form surface measurements based on the non-contact laser triangulation principle. Then a four-coordinate measuring system was independently developed, a special fixture was designed according to the blade shape features, and a fast measurement of the blade features path was planned. Finally, by using the inclination error model for correction of acquired data, the measurement error that was caused by tilt form is compensated. As a result the measurement accuracy of the Laser Displacement Sensor was less than 10 μm. After the experimental verification, this method makes full use of optical non-contact measurement fast speed, high precision and wide measuring range of features. Using a standard gauge block as a measurement reference, the coordinate system conversion data is simple and practical. It not only improves the measurement accuracy of the blade surface, but also its measurement efficiency. Therefore, this method increases the value of the measurement of complex surfaces. PMID:26039420

Rapid screening of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors in urine samples using solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Salgado-Petinal, Carmen; Lamas, J Pablo; Garcia-Jares, Carmen; Llompart, Maria; Cela, Rafael

2005-07-01

In this paper a solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) method is proposed for a rapid analysis of some frequently prescribed selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI)-venlafaxine, fluvoxamine, mirtazapine, fluoxetine, citalopram, and sertraline-in urine samples. The SPME-based method enables simultaneous determination of the target SSRI after simple in-situ derivatization of some of the target compounds. Calibration curves in water and in urine were validated and statistically compared. This revealed the absence of matrix effect and, in consequence, the possibility of quantifying SSRI in urine samples by external water calibration. Intra-day and inter-day precision was satisfactory for all the target compounds (relative standard deviation, RSD, <14%) and the detection limits achieved were <0.4 ng mL(-1) urine. The time required for the SPME step and for GC analysis (30 min each) enables high throughput. The method was applied to real urine samples from different patients being treated with some of these pharmaceuticals. Some SSRI metabolites were also detected and tentatively identified.

Validation and application of an improved method for the rapid determination of proline in grape berries.

PubMed

Rienth, Markus; Romieu, Charles; Gregan, Rebecca; Walsh, Caroline; Torregrosa, Laurent; Kelly, Mary T

2014-04-16

A rapid and sensitive method is presented for the determination of proline in grape berries. Following acidification with formic acid, proline is derivatized by heating at 100 °C for 15 min with 3% ninhydrin in dimethyl sulfoxide, and the absorbance, which is stable for at least 60 min, is read at 520 nm. The method was statistically validated in the concentration range from 2.5 to 15 mg/L, giving a repeatability and intermediate precision of generally <3%; linearity was determined using the lack of fit test. Results obtained with this method concurred (r = 0.99) with those obtained for the same samples on an amino acid analyzer. In terms of sample preparation, a simple dilution (5-20-fold) is required, and sugars, primary amino acids, and anthocyanins were demonstrated not to interfere, as the latter are bleached by ninhydrin under the experimental conditions. The method was applied to the study of proline accumulation in the fruits of microvines grown in phytotrons, and it was established that proline accumulation and concentrations closely resemble those of field-grown macrovines.

A method for rapid quantitative assessment of biofilms with biomolecular staining and image analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larimer, Curtis J.; Winder, Eric M.; Jeters, Robert T.

Here, the accumulation of bacteria in surface attached biofilms, or biofouling, can be detrimental to human health, dental hygiene, and many industrial processes. A critical need in identifying and preventing the deleterious effects of biofilms is the ability to observe and quantify their development. Analytical methods capable of assessing early stage fouling are cumbersome or lab-confined, subjective, and qualitative. Herein, a novel photographic method is described that uses biomolecular staining and image analysis to enhance contrast of early stage biofouling. A robust algorithm was developed to objectively and quantitatively measure surface accumulation of Pseudomonas putida from photographs and results weremore » compared to independent measurements of cell density. Results from image analysis quantified biofilm growth intensity accurately and with approximately the same precision of the more laborious cell counting method. This simple method for early stage biofilm detection enables quantifiable measurement of surface fouling and is flexible enough to be applied from the laboratory to the field. Broad spectrum staining highlights fouling biomass, photography quickly captures a large area of interest, and image analysis rapidly quantifies fouling in the image.« less

A method for rapid quantitative assessment of biofilms with biomolecular staining and image analysis

DOE PAGES

Larimer, Curtis J.; Winder, Eric M.; Jeters, Robert T.; ...

2015-12-07

Here, the accumulation of bacteria in surface attached biofilms, or biofouling, can be detrimental to human health, dental hygiene, and many industrial processes. A critical need in identifying and preventing the deleterious effects of biofilms is the ability to observe and quantify their development. Analytical methods capable of assessing early stage fouling are cumbersome or lab-confined, subjective, and qualitative. Herein, a novel photographic method is described that uses biomolecular staining and image analysis to enhance contrast of early stage biofouling. A robust algorithm was developed to objectively and quantitatively measure surface accumulation of Pseudomonas putida from photographs and results weremore » compared to independent measurements of cell density. Results from image analysis quantified biofilm growth intensity accurately and with approximately the same precision of the more laborious cell counting method. This simple method for early stage biofilm detection enables quantifiable measurement of surface fouling and is flexible enough to be applied from the laboratory to the field. Broad spectrum staining highlights fouling biomass, photography quickly captures a large area of interest, and image analysis rapidly quantifies fouling in the image.« less

A rapid method to achieve aero-engine blade form detection.

PubMed

Sun, Bin; Li, Bing

2015-06-01

This paper proposes a rapid method to detect aero-engine blade form, according to the characteristics of an aero-engine blade surface. This method first deduces an inclination error model in free-form surface measurements based on the non-contact laser triangulation principle. Then a four-coordinate measuring system was independently developed, a special fixture was designed according to the blade shape features, and a fast measurement of the blade features path was planned. Finally, by using the inclination error model for correction of acquired data, the measurement error that was caused by tilt form is compensated. As a result the measurement accuracy of the Laser Displacement Sensor was less than 10 μm. After the experimental verification, this method makes full use of optical non-contact measurement fast speed, high precision and wide measuring range of features. Using a standard gauge block as a measurement reference, the coordinate system conversion data is simple and practical. It not only improves the measurement accuracy of the blade surface, but also its measurement efficiency. Therefore, this method increases the value of the measurement of complex surfaces.

Automated in Situ Measurement of Gas Solubility in Liquids with a Simple Tube-in-Tube Reactor.

PubMed

Zhang, Jisong; Teixeira, Andrew R; Zhang, Haomiao; Jensen, Klavs F

2017-08-15

Data on the solubilities of gases in liquids are foundational for assessing a variety of multiphase separations and gas-liquid reactions. Taking advantage of the tube-in-tube reactor design built with semipermeable Teflon AF-2400 tubes, liquids can be rapidly saturated without direct contacting of gas and liquid. The gas solubility can be determined by performing steady-state flux balances of both the gas and liquid flowing into the reactor system. Using this type of reactor, a fully automated strategy has been developed for the rapid in situ measurement of gas solubilities in liquids. The developed strategy enables precise gas solubility measurements within 2-5 min compared with 4-5 h using conventional methods. This technique can be extended to the discrete multipoint steady-state and continuous ramped-multipoint data acquisition methods. The accuracy of this method has been validated against several gas-liquid systems, showing less than 2% deviation from known values. Finally, this strategy has been extended to measure the temperature dependence of gas solubilities in situ and to estimate the local enthalpy of dissolution across a defined temperature range.

A novel design of the high-precision magnetic locator with three-dimension measurement capability applying dynamically sensing mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wen-Nan; Chen, Po-Shen; Chen, Mu-Ping; Teng, Ching-Cheng

2006-09-01

A novel design of the magnetic locator, for obtaining the high-precision measurement information of variety of the buried metal pipes, is presented in this paper. The concept of dynamically sensing mechanism, including the vibrating and moving devices, proposed herein is a simple and effective way to improve the precision of three-dimension location sensing for the underground utilities. Based on the primary magnetism of Lenz's law and Faraday's law, the functions of the amplifying effect for the sensing magnetic signals, as well as the distinguishing effect by the simple filtering algorithms embedded in processing programs, are achieved while the relatively strong noise exists. The verification results of these integration designs demonstrate the effectiveness both by precise locating for the buried utility, and accurate measurement for the depth.

Development and single-laboratory validation of a UHPLC-MS/MS method for quantitation of microcystins and nodularin in natural water, cyanobacteria, shellfish and algal supplement tablet powders.

PubMed

Turner, Andrew D; Waack, Julia; Lewis, Adam; Edwards, Christine; Lawton, Linda

2018-02-01

A simple, rapid UHPLC-MS/MS method has been developed and optimised for the quantitation of microcystins and nodularin in wide variety of sample matrices. Microcystin analogues targeted were MC-LR, MC-RR, MC-LA, MC-LY, MC-LF, LC-LW, MC-YR, MC-WR, [Asp3] MC-LR, [Dha7] MC-LR, MC-HilR and MC-HtyR. Optimisation studies were conducted to develop a simple, quick and efficient extraction protocol without the need for complex pre-analysis concentration procedures, together with a rapid sub 5min chromatographic separation of toxins in shellfish and algal supplement tablet powders, as well as water and cyanobacterial bloom samples. Validation studies were undertaken on each matrix-analyte combination to the full method performance characteristics following international guidelines. The method was found to be specific and linear over the full calibration range. Method sensitivity in terms of limits of detection, quantitation and reporting were found to be significantly improved in comparison to LC-UV methods and applicable to the analysis of each of the four matrices. Overall, acceptable recoveries were determined for each of the matrices studied, with associated precision and within-laboratory reproducibility well within expected guidance limits. Results from the formalised ruggedness analysis of all available cyanotoxins, showed that the method was robust for all parameters investigated. The results presented here show that the optimised LC-MS/MS method for cyanotoxins is fit for the purpose of detection and quantitation of a range of microcystins and nodularin in shellfish, algal supplement tablet powder, water and cyanobacteria. The method provides a valuable early warning tool for the rapid, routine extraction and analysis of natural waters, cyanobacterial blooms, algal powders, food supplements and shellfish tissues, enabling monitoring labs to supplement traditional microscopy techniques and report toxicity results within a short timeframe of sample receipt. The new method, now accredited to ISO17025 standard, is simple, quick, applicable to multiple matrices and is highly suitable for use as a routine, high-throughout, fast turnaround regulatory monitoring tool. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Renal-Clearable Ultrasmall Coordination Polymer Nanodots for Chelator-Free 64Cu-Labeling and Imaging-Guided Enhanced Radiotherapy of Cancer.

PubMed

Shen, Sida; Jiang, Dawei; Cheng, Liang; Chao, Yu; Nie, Kaiqi; Dong, Ziliang; Kutyreff, Christopher J; Engle, Jonathan W; Huang, Peng; Cai, Weibo; Liu, Zhuang

2017-09-26

Developing tumor-homing nanoparticles with integrated diagnostic and therapeutic functions, and meanwhile could be rapidly excreted from the body, would be of great interest to realize imaging-guided precision treatment of cancer. In this study, an ultrasmall coordination polymer nanodot (CPN) based on the coordination between tungsten ions (W VI ) and gallic acid (W-GA) was developed via a simple method. After polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification, PEGylated W-GA (W-GA-PEG) CPNs with an ultrasmall hydrodynamic diameter of 5 nm were rather stable in various physiological solutions. Without the need of chelator molecules, W-GA-PEG CPNs could be efficiently labeled with radioisotope 64 Cu 2+ , enabling positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, which reveals efficient tumor accumulation and rapid renal clearance of W-GA-PEG CPNs upon intravenous injection. Utilizing the radio-sensitizing function of tungsten with strong X-ray absorption, such W-GA-PEG CPNs were able to greatly enhance the efficacy of cancer radiotherapy in inhibiting the tumor growth. With fast clearance and little long-term body retention, those W-GA-PEG CPNs exhibited no appreciable in vivo toxicity. This study presents a type of CPNs with excellent imaging and therapeutic abilities as well as rapid renal clearance behavior, promising for further clinic translation.

Clinical development of BLZ-100 for real-time optical imaging of tumors during resection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franklin, Heather L.; Miller, Dennis M.; Hedges, Teresa; Perry, Jeff; Parrish-Novak, Julia

2016-03-01

Complete initial resection can give cancer patients the best opportunity for long-term survival. There is unmet need in surgical oncology for optical imaging that enables simple and precise visualization of tumors and consistent contrast with surrounding normal tissues. Near-infrared (NIR) contrast agents and camera systems that can detect them represent an area of active research and development. The investigational Tumor Paint agent BLZ-100 is a conjugate of a chlorotoxin peptide and the NIR dye indocyanine green (ICG) that has been shown to specifically bind to a broad range of solid tumors. Clinical efficacy studies with BLZ-100 are in progress, a necessary step in bringing the product into clinical practice. To ensure a product that will be useful for and accepted by surgeons, the early clinical development of BLZ- 100 incorporates multiple tumor types and imaging devices so that surgeon feedback covers the range of anticipated clinical uses. Key contrast agent characteristics include safety, specificity, flexibility in timing between dose and surgery, and breadth of tumor types recognized. Imaging devices should use wavelengths that are optimal for the contrast agent, be sensitive enough that contrast agent dosing can be adjusted for optimal contrast, include real-time video display of fluorescence and white light image, and be simple for surgeons to use with minimal disruption of surgical flow. Rapid entry into clinical studies provides the best opportunity for early surgeon feedback, enabling development of agents and devices that will gain broad acceptance and provide information that helps surgeons achieve more complete and precise resections.

A Simple, Fast, Low Cost, HPLC/UV Validated Method for Determination of Flutamide: Application to Protein Binding Studies.

PubMed

Esmaeilzadeh, Sara; Valizadeh, Hadi; Zakeri-Milani, Parvin

2016-06-01

The main goal of this study was development of a reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for flutamide quantitation which is applicable to protein binding studies. Ultrafilteration method was used for protein binding study of flutamide. For sample analysis, flutamide was extracted by a simple and low cost extraction method using diethyl ether and then was determined by HPLC/UV. Acetanilide was used as an internal standard. The chromatographic system consisted of a reversed-phase C8 column with C8 pre-column, and the mobile phase of a mixture of 29% (v/v) methanol, 38% (v/v) acetonitrile and 33% (v/v) potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer (50 mM) with pH adjusted to 3.2. Acetanilide and flutamide were eluted at 1.8 and 2.9 min, respectively. The linearity of method was confirmed in the range of 62.5-16000 ng/ml (r(2) > 0.99). The limit of quantification was shown to be 62.5 ng/ml. Precision and accuracy ranges found to be (0.2-1.4%, 90-105%) and (0.2-5.3 %, 86.7-98.5 %) respectively. Acetanilide and flutamide capacity factor values of 1.35 and 2.87, tailing factor values of 1.24 and 1.07 and resolution values of 1.8 and 3.22 were obtained in accordance with ICH guidelines. Based on the obtained results a rapid, precise, accurate, sensitive and cost-effective analysis procedure was proposed for quantitative determination of flutamide.

A Simple, Fast, Low Cost, HPLC/UV Validated Method for Determination of Flutamide: Application to Protein Binding Studies

PubMed Central

Esmaeilzadeh, Sara; Valizadeh, Hadi; Zakeri-Milani, Parvin

2016-01-01

Purpose: The main goal of this study was development of a reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for flutamide quantitation which is applicable to protein binding studies. Methods: Ultrafilteration method was used for protein binding study of flutamide. For sample analysis, flutamide was extracted by a simple and low cost extraction method using diethyl ether and then was determined by HPLC/UV. Acetanilide was used as an internal standard. The chromatographic system consisted of a reversed-phase C8 column with C8 pre-column, and the mobile phase of a mixture of 29% (v/v) methanol, 38% (v/v) acetonitrile and 33% (v/v) potassium dihydrogen phosphate buffer (50 mM) with pH adjusted to 3.2. Results: Acetanilide and flutamide were eluted at 1.8 and 2.9 min, respectively. The linearity of method was confirmed in the range of 62.5-16000 ng/ml (r2 > 0.99). The limit of quantification was shown to be 62.5 ng/ml. Precision and accuracy ranges found to be (0.2-1.4%, 90-105%) and (0.2-5.3 %, 86.7-98.5 %) respectively. Acetanilide and flutamide capacity factor values of 1.35 and 2.87, tailing factor values of 1.24 and 1.07 and resolution values of 1.8 and 3.22 were obtained in accordance with ICH guidelines. Conclusion: Based on the obtained results a rapid, precise, accurate, sensitive and cost-effective analysis procedure was proposed for quantitative determination of flutamide. PMID:27478788

GAMETES: a fast, direct algorithm for generating pure, strict, epistatic models with random architectures.

PubMed

Urbanowicz, Ryan J; Kiralis, Jeff; Sinnott-Armstrong, Nicholas A; Heberling, Tamra; Fisher, Jonathan M; Moore, Jason H

2012-10-01

Geneticists who look beyond single locus disease associations require additional strategies for the detection of complex multi-locus effects. Epistasis, a multi-locus masking effect, presents a particular challenge, and has been the target of bioinformatic development. Thorough evaluation of new algorithms calls for simulation studies in which known disease models are sought. To date, the best methods for generating simulated multi-locus epistatic models rely on genetic algorithms. However, such methods are computationally expensive, difficult to adapt to multiple objectives, and unlikely to yield models with a precise form of epistasis which we refer to as pure and strict. Purely and strictly epistatic models constitute the worst-case in terms of detecting disease associations, since such associations may only be observed if all n-loci are included in the disease model. This makes them an attractive gold standard for simulation studies considering complex multi-locus effects. We introduce GAMETES, a user-friendly software package and algorithm which generates complex biallelic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) disease models for simulation studies. GAMETES rapidly and precisely generates random, pure, strict n-locus models with specified genetic constraints. These constraints include heritability, minor allele frequencies of the SNPs, and population prevalence. GAMETES also includes a simple dataset simulation strategy which may be utilized to rapidly generate an archive of simulated datasets for given genetic models. We highlight the utility and limitations of GAMETES with an example simulation study using MDR, an algorithm designed to detect epistasis. GAMETES is a fast, flexible, and precise tool for generating complex n-locus models with random architectures. While GAMETES has a limited ability to generate models with higher heritabilities, it is proficient at generating the lower heritability models typically used in simulation studies evaluating new algorithms. In addition, the GAMETES modeling strategy may be flexibly combined with any dataset simulation strategy. Beyond dataset simulation, GAMETES could be employed to pursue theoretical characterization of genetic models and epistasis.

Design Considerations for Miniaturized Control Moment Gyroscopes for Rapid Retargeting and Precision Pointing of Small Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patankar, Kunal; Fitz-Coy, Norman; Roithmayr, Carlos M.

2014-01-01

This paper presents the design as well as characterization of a practical control moment gyroscope (CMG) based attitude control system (ACS) for small satellites in the 15-20 kilogram mass range performing rapid retargeting and precision pointing maneuvers. The paper focuses on the approach taken in the design of miniaturized CMGs while considering the constraints imposed by the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components as well as the size of the satellite. It is shown that a hybrid mode is more suitable for COTS based moment exchange actuators; a mode that uses the torque amplification of CMGs for rapid retargeting and direct torque capabilities of the flywheel motors for precision pointing. A simulation is provided to demonstrate on-orbit slew and pointing performance.

Measuring g Using a Magnetic Pendulum and Telephone Pickup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinacore, J.; Takai, H.

2010-10-01

The simple pendulum has long been used to measure g, the acceleration due to gravity, with a precision of a few percent. Achieving agreement with the accepted value of less than 1% is feasible in the high school laboratory, though it requires some care. The precision of the measurement is bound by how accurately the period and the pendulum length are determined. To improve on the period measurement, we have developed a simple and inexpensive method using a magnet and telephone pickup.2

Enabling Technologies for Microfluidic Flow Control and Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leslie, Daniel Christopher

Advances in microfluidic technologies have expanded conventional chemical and biological techniques to the point where we can envision rapid, inexpensive and portable analysis. Among the numerous challenges in the development of portable, chip-based technologies are simple flow control and detection strategies, which will be essential to widespread acceptance and implementation at both the point-of-care and in locales with limited facilities/resources. The research presented in this dissertation is focused on the development of precise flow control techniques and new, simplified detection technologies aimed at addressing these challenges. An introduction to the concepts important to microfluidics and a brief history to the field are presented in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 will present the development of a technique for the precise control of small volumes of liquids, where well-studied electrical circuit concepts are employed to create frequency-dependent microfluidic circuits. In this system, elastomeric thin films act as fluidic capacitors and diodes, which, when combined with resistors (channels), make fluidic circuits that are described by analytical models. Metering of two separate chemical inputs with a single oscillatory pneumatic control line is demonstrated by combining simple fluidic circuits (i.e., band-pass filters) to significantly reduce the external hardware required for microfluidic flow control. In order to quantify multiple flow profiles in microfluidic circuits, a novel multiplexed flow measurement method using visible dyes is introduced in Chapter 3 and rapidly determines individual flow in connected channels, post-fabrication device quality and solution viscosity. Another thrust of this dissertation research has been to develop miniaturized bioanalytical systems. Chapter 4 describes the adaption of a nucleic-acid-tagged antibody protein detection reaction to a microfluidic platform for detection of down to 5 E. coli O157:H7 cells. Furthermore, a completely non-contact temperature control platform is developed in Chapter 5 for forensic human identification reactions, based on interferometric temperature sensing and infrared-mediated heating, which simplifies the microfluidic device and its operation. Finally, possible future directions are outlined in Chapter 6 including further simplification of microfluidic instrumentation.

Glass microneedles for force measurements: a finite-element analysis model

PubMed Central

Ayittey, Peter N.; Walker, John S.; Rice, Jeremy J.; de Tombe, Pieter P.

2010-01-01

Changes in developed force (0.1–3.0 μN) observed during contraction of single myofibrils in response to rapidly changing calcium concentrations can be measured using glass microneedles. These microneedles are calibrated for stiffness and deflect on response to developed myofibril force. The precision and accuracy of kinetic measurements are highly dependent on the structural and mechanical characteristics of the microneedles, which are generally assumed to have a linear force–deflection relationship. We present a finite-element analysis (FEA) model used to simulate the effects of measurable geometry on stiffness as a function of applied force and validate our model with actual measured needle properties. In addition, we developed a simple heuristic constitutive equation that best describes the stiffness of our range of microneedles used and define limits of geometry parameters within which our predictions hold true. Our model also maps a relation between the geometry parameters and natural frequencies in air, enabling optimum parametric combinations for microneedle fabrication that would reflect more reliable force measurement in fluids and physiological environments. We propose a use for this model to aid in the design of microneedles to improve calibration time, reproducibility, and precision for measuring myofibrillar, cellular, and supramolecular kinetic forces. PMID:19104827

Development and validation of a HPTLC method for simultaneous estimation of lornoxicam and thiocolchicoside in combined dosage form

PubMed Central

Sahoo, Madhusmita; Syal, Pratima; Hable, Asawaree A.; Raut, Rahul P.; Choudhari, Vishnu P.; Kuchekar, Bhanudas S.

2011-01-01

Aim: To develop a simple, precise, rapid and accurate HPTLC method for the simultaneous estimation of Lornoxicam (LOR) and Thiocolchicoside (THIO) in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. Materials and Methods: The separation of the active compounds from pharmaceutical dosage form was carried out using methanol:chloroform:water (9.6:0.2:0.2 v/v/v) as the mobile phase and no immiscibility issues were found. The densitometric scanning was carried out at 377 nm. The method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD (Limit of Detection), LOQ (Limit of Quantification), robustness and specificity. Results: The Rf values (±SD) were found to be 0.84 ± 0.05 for LOR and 0.58 ± 0.05 for THIO. Linearity was obtained in the range of 60–360 ng/band for LOR and 30–180 ng/band for THIO with correlation coefficients r2 = 0.998 and 0.999, respectively. The percentage recovery for both the analytes was in the range of 98.7–101.2 %. Conclusion: The proposed method was optimized and validated as per the ICH guidelines. PMID:23781452

[Determination of LF-VD refining furnace slag by X ray fluorescence spectrometry].

PubMed

Kan, Bin; Cheng, Jian-ping; Song, Zu-feng

2004-10-01

Eight components, i.e. TFe, CaO, MgO, Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, MnO and P2O5 in refining furnace slag were determined by X ray fluorescence spectrometer. Because the content of CaO was high, the authors selected 12 national and departmental grade slag standard samples and prepared a series of synthetic standard samples by adding spectrally pure reagents to them. The calibration curve is suitable to the sample analysis of CaO, MgO and SiO2 with widely varying range. Meanwhile, the points on the curve are even. The samples were prepared at high temperature by adding Li2B4O7 as flux. The experiments for the selection of the sample preparation conditions about strip reagents, melting temperature and dulition ratio were carried out. The matrix effects on absorption and enhancement were corrected by means of PH model and theoretical alpha coefficient. Moreover, the precision and accuracy experiments were performed. In comparison with chemical analysis method, the quantitative analytical results for each component are satisfactory. The method has proven rapid, precise and simple.

[Method of fused sample preparation after nitrify-determination of primary and minor elements in manganese ore by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry].

PubMed

Song, Yi; Guo, Fen; Gu, Song-hai

2007-02-01

Eight components, i. e. Mn, SiO2, Fe, P, Al2O3, CaO, MgO and S, in manganese ore were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Because manganese ore sample releases a lot of air bubbles during fusion which effect accuracy and reproducibility of determination, nitric acid was added to the sample to destroy organic matter before fusion by the mixture flux at 1000 degrees C. This method solved the problem that the flux splashed during fusion because organic matter volatilized brought out a lot of air bubbles, eliminated particle size effects and mineral effect, while solved the problem of volatilization of sulfur during fusion. The experiments for the selection of the sample preparation conditions, i. e. fusion flux, fusion time and volume of HNO3, were carried out. The matrix effects on absorption and enhancement were corrected by variable theoretical alpha coefficient to expand the range of determination. Moreover, the precision and accuracy experiments were performed. In comparison with chemical analysis method, the quantitative analytical results for each component are satisfactory. The method has proven rapid, precise and simple.

Soil magnetic susceptibility: A quantitative proxy of soil drainage for use in ecological restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grimley, D.A.; Wang, J.-S.; Liebert, D.A.; Dawson, J.O.

2008-01-01

Flooded, saturated, or poorly drained soils are commonly anaerobic, leading to microbially induced magnetite/maghemite dissolution and decreased soil magnetic susceptibility (MS). Thus, MS is considerably higher in well-drained soils (MS typically 40-80 ?? 10-5 standard international [SI]) compared to poorly drained soils (MS typically 10-25 ?? 10-5 SI) in Illinois, other soil-forming factors being equal. Following calibration to standard soil probings, MS values can be used to rapidly and precisely delineate hydric from nonhydric soils in areas with relatively uniform parent material. Furthermore, soil MS has a moderate to strong association with individual tree species' distribution across soil moisture regimes, correlating inversely with independently reported rankings of a tree species' flood tolerance. Soil MS mapping can thus provide a simple, rapid, and quantitative means for precisely guiding reforestation with respect to plant species' adaptations to soil drainage classes. For instance, in native woodlands of east-central Illinois, Quercus alba , Prunus serotina, and Liriodendron tulipifera predominantly occur in moderately well-drained soils (MS 40-60 ?? 10-5 SI), whereas Acer saccharinum, Carya laciniosa, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica predominantly occur in poorly drained soils (MS <20 ?? 10-5 SI). Using a similar method, an MS contour map was used to guide restoration of mesic, wet mesic, and wet prairie species to pre-settlement distributions at Meadowbrook Park (Urbana, IL, U.S.A.). Through use of soil MS maps calibrated to soil drainage class and native vegetation occurrence, restoration efforts can be conducted more successfully and species distributions more accurately reconstructed at the microecosystem level. ?? 2008 Society for Ecological Restoration International.

SeismoGeodesy: Combination of High Rate, Real-time GNSS and Accelerometer Observations and Rapid Seismic Event Notification for Earth Quake Early Warning and Volcano Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Michael; Zimakov, Leonid; Moessmer, Matthias

2015-04-01

Scientific GNSS networks are moving towards a model of real-time data acquisition, epoch-by-epoch storage integrity, and on-board real-time position and displacement calculations. This new paradigm allows the integration of real-time, high-rate GNSS displacement information with acceleration and velocity data to create very high-rate displacement records. The mating of these two instruments allows the creation of a new, very high-rate (200 Hz) displacement observable that has the full-scale displacement characteristics of GNSS and high-precision dynamic motions of seismic technologies. It is envisioned that these new observables can be used for earthquake early warning studies, volcano monitoring, and critical infrastructure monitoring applications. Our presentation will focus on the characteristics of GNSS, seismic, and strong motion sensors in high dynamic environments, including historic earthquakes replicated on a shake table over a range of displacements and frequencies. We will explore the optimum integration of these sensors from a filtering perspective including simple harmonic impulses over varying frequencies and amplitudes and under the dynamic conditions of various earthquake scenarios. We will also explore the tradeoffs between various GNSS processing schemes including real-time precise point positioning (PPP) and real-time kinematic (RTK) as applied to seismogeodesy. In addition we will discuss implementation of a Rapid Seismic Event Notification System that provides quick delivery of digital data from seismic stations to the acquisition and processing center and a full data integrity model for real-time earthquake notification that provides warning prior to significant ground shaking.

Rapid Measurement of Tectonic Deformation Using Structure-from-Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pickering, A.; DeLong, S.; Lienkaemper, J. J.; Hecker, S.; Prentice, C. S.; Schwartz, D. P.; Sickler, R. R.

2016-12-01

Rapid collection and distribution of accurate surface slip data after earthquakes can support emergency response, help coordinate scientific response, and constrain coseismic slip that can be rapidly overprinted by postseismic slip, or eliminated as evidence of surface deformation is repaired or obscured. Analysis of earthquake deformation can be achieved quickly, repeatedly and inexpensively with the use of Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. Traditional methods of measuring surface slip (e.g. manual measurement with tape measures) have proven inconsistent and irreproducible, and sophisticated methods such as laser scanning require specialized equipment and longer field time. Here we present a simple, cost-effective workflow for rapid, three-dimensional imaging and measurement of features affected by earthquake rupture. As part of a response drill performed by the USGS and collaborators on May 11, 2016, geologists documented offset cultural features along the creeping Hayward Fault in northern California, in simulation of a surface-rupturing earthquake. We present several photo collections from smart phones, tablets, and DSLR cameras from a number of locations along the fault collected by users with a range of experience. Using professionally calibrated photogrammetric scale bars we automatically and accurately scale our 3D models to 1 mm accuracy for precise measurement in three dimensions. We then generate scaled 3D point clouds and extract offsets from manual measurement and multiple linear regression for comparison with collected terrestrial scanner data. These results further establish dense photo collection and SfM processing as an important, low-cost, rapid means of quantifying surface deformation in the critical hours after a surface-rupturing earthquake and emphasize that researchers with minimal training can rapidly collect three-dimensional data that can be used to analyze and archive the surface effects of damaging earthquakes.

From technical jargon to plain English for application.

PubMed Central

Lindsley, O R

1991-01-01

These examples of translating technical jargon into plain English application words, acronyms, letter codes, and simple tests were necessary as we developed Precision Teaching. I hope our experience is useful to others facing the problems of applying technology in practical settings. At the least, our experience should give you an idea of the work and time involved in making your own translations. Above all, be patient. Accurate plain English translations do not come easily. They cannot be made at your desk. A search often takes years to produce one new accurate plain English translation. Rapid publication pressures, journal editorial policies, and investments in materials, books, and computer programs all combine to hamper these translations. It's possible that you will find some of our plain English equivalents useful in your own applied behavior analysis applications. PMID:1752836

Updated Overview of Infrared Spectroscopy Methods for Detecting Mycotoxins on Cereals (Corn, Wheat, and Barley)

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Each year, mycotoxins cause economic losses of several billion US dollars worldwide. Consequently, methods must be developed, for producers and cereal manufacturers, to detect these toxins and to comply with regulations. Chromatographic reference methods are time consuming and costly. Thus, alternative methods such as infrared spectroscopy are being increasingly developed to provide simple, rapid, and nondestructive methods to detect mycotoxins. This article reviews research conducted over the last eight years into the use of near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy to monitor mycotoxins in corn, wheat, and barley. More specifically, we focus on the Fusarium species and on the main fusariotoxins of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and fumonisin B1 and B2. Quantification models are insufficiently precise to satisfy the legal requirements. Sorting models with cutoff levels are the most promising applications. PMID:29320435

Updated Overview of Infrared Spectroscopy Methods for Detecting Mycotoxins on Cereals (Corn, Wheat, and Barley).

PubMed

Levasseur-Garcia, Cecile

2018-01-10

Each year, mycotoxins cause economic losses of several billion US dollars worldwide. Consequently, methods must be developed, for producers and cereal manufacturers, to detect these toxins and to comply with regulations. Chromatographic reference methods are time consuming and costly. Thus, alternative methods such as infrared spectroscopy are being increasingly developed to provide simple, rapid, and nondestructive methods to detect mycotoxins. This article reviews research conducted over the last eight years into the use of near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy to monitor mycotoxins in corn, wheat, and barley. More specifically, we focus on the Fusarium species and on the main fusariotoxins of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, and fumonisin B1 and B2. Quantification models are insufficiently precise to satisfy the legal requirements. Sorting models with cutoff levels are the most promising applications.

Closed-Loop Targeted Memory Reactivation during Sleep Improves Spatial Navigation.

PubMed

Shimizu, Renee E; Connolly, Patrick M; Cellini, Nicola; Armstrong, Diana M; Hernandez, Lexus T; Estrada, Rolando; Aguilar, Mario; Weisend, Michael P; Mednick, Sara C; Simons, Stephen B

2018-01-01

Sounds associated with newly learned information that are replayed during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep can improve recall in simple tasks. The mechanism for this improvement is presumed to be reactivation of the newly learned memory during sleep when consolidation takes place. We have developed an EEG-based closed-loop system to precisely deliver sensory stimulation at the time of down-state to up-state transitions during NREM sleep. Here, we demonstrate that applying this technology to participants performing a realistic navigation task in virtual reality results in a significant improvement in navigation efficiency after sleep that is accompanied by increases in the spectral power especially in the fast (12-15 Hz) sleep spindle band. Our results show promise for the application of sleep-based interventions to drive improvement in real-world tasks.

Salivary Biomarkers in Cancer Detection

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoqian; Kaczor-Urbanowicz, Karolina Elżbieta; Wong, David T.W.

2017-01-01

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States. Its symptoms are often not specific and absent, until the tumors have already metastasized. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for developing rapid, highly accurate and non-invasive tools for cancer screening, early detection, diagnostics, staging and prognostics. Saliva as a multi-constituent oral fluid, comprises secretions from the major and minor salivary glands, extensively supplied by blood. Molecules such as DNAs, RNAs, proteins, metabolites, and microbiota, present in blood, could be also found in saliva. Recently, salivary diagnostics has drawn significant attention for the detection of specific biomarkers, since the sample collection and processing are simple, cost-effective, precise and do not cause patient discomfort. Here, we review recent salivary candidate biomarkers for systemic cancers by dividing them according to their origin into: genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and microbial types. PMID:27943101

Analysis of glyoxal and related substances by means of high-performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhiyong; Zhao, Dishun; Xu, Baoyun

2013-01-01

A simple and rapid method is described for the analysis of glyoxal and related substances by high-performance liquid chromatography with a refractive index detector. The following chromatographic conditions were adopted: Aminex HPX-87H column, mobile phase consisting of 0.01N H2SO4, flow rate of 0.8 mL/min and temperature of 65°C. The application of the analytical technique developed in this study demonstrated that the aqueous reaction mixture produced by the oxidation of acetaldehyde with HNO3 was composed of glyoxal, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, formic acid, glyoxylic acid, oxalic acid, butanedione and glycolic acid. The method was validated by evaluating analytical parameters such as linearity, limits of detection and quantification, precision, recovery and robustness. The proposed methodology was successfully applied to the production of glyoxal.

Development of Rapid Diagnostic Kit for Identification of Hanwoo (Korean Native Cattle) Brand Meat by Detecting BIO-TAG

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Kwon; Lee, Myung Hoon; Cho, Soo Hyun

2014-01-01

This study was performed to develop a rapid immuno-assay kit, by using a specific antigen to detect Hanwoo brand meat. We selected a synthetic antigen specific to our target antibody, named BIO-TAG (Tyr-D-Ala-Phe), by utilizing a computer-based analysis and literature review. BIO-TAG tagged with adjuvant was subcutaneously injected in sheep and Hanwoo. The serum and meat juice of the immunized or non-immunized animal were then analyzed, to measure the titer of antibody by ELISA and Western blot. The amount of antibodies against the BIO-TAG increased (p<0.05) in serum by vaccination. Furthermore, meat juice from the immunized Hanwoo showed greater (p<0.05) antibody titer, compared with those from non-immunized groups. To optimze the dilution factor, we performed dot-ELISA, with various combination levels of BIO-TAG. Results from dot-ELISA showed that 2 mg/mL BIO-TAG was sufficient to distinguish the immunized meat from non-immunized groups. These results support our hypothesis that simple immunization of Hanwoo generates a sufficient amount of antibodies to be detectable in the meat juice by means of the immune-assay. Therefore, specific Hanwoo brand meat can be more precisely identified by our rapid diagnostic kit. This technology can deter possible fraud of counterfeit meat brands in the Korean domestic market with ease and rapidity; and offers a new tool that guarantees consumers high quality Hanwoo brand beef. PMID:26761175

Precise Temperature Measurement for Increasing the Survival of Newborn Babies in Incubator Environments

PubMed Central

Frischer, Robert; Penhaker, Marek; Krejcar, Ondrej; Kacerovsky, Marian; Selamat, Ali

2014-01-01

Precise temperature measurement is essential in a wide range of applications in the medical environment, however the regarding the problem of temperature measurement inside a simple incubator, neither a simple nor a low cost solution have been proposed yet. Given that standard temperature sensors don't satisfy the necessary expectations, the problem is not measuring temperature, but rather achieving the desired sensitivity. In response, this paper introduces a novel hardware design as well as the implementation that increases measurement sensitivity in defined temperature intervals at low cost. PMID:25494352

Development of a high-throughput method for the determination of ethosuximide in human plasma by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Bhatt, Mitesh; Shah, Sanjay; Shivprakash

2010-06-01

A simple, rapid, sensitive and specific ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the quantification of ethosuximide in human plasma is described. Analyte was chromatographed on a Hypersil Gold C18 column (100 mm x 2.1 mm, i.d., 1.9 microm) with isocratic elution at a flow rate of 0.250 mL/min and pravastatin was used as the internal standard. The assay involves a simple solid-phase extraction procedure of 0.25 mL human plasma and the analysis was performed on a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer by MRM mode via electrospray ionization (ESI). The method was linear in the concentration range of 0.25-60.0 microg/mL. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.25 microg/mL. The within- and between-day precision and accuracy of the quality control samples were within 10.0%. The recovery was 95.1% and 94.4% for ethosuximide and pravastatin, respectively. The analysis time for each sample was 1.8 min. The method was highly reproducible and gave peaks with excellent chromatography properties. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A fast and simple solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method for the assay of urinary markers of glutaric acidemias.

PubMed

Naccarato, Attilio; Gionfriddo, Emanuela; Elliani, Rosangela; Sindona, Giovanni; Tagarelli, Antonio

2014-10-30

The analysis of characteristic urinary acidic markers such as glutaric, 3-hydroxyglutaric, 2-hydroxyglutaric, adipic, suberic, sebacic, ethylmalonic, 3-hydroxyisovaleric and isobutyric acid constitutes the recommended follow-up testing procedure for glutaric acidemia type 1 (GA-1) and type 2 (GA-2). The goal of the work herein presented is the development of a fast and simple method for the quantification of these biomarkers in human urine. The proposed analytical approach is based on the use of solid phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-QqQ-MS) afterward a rapid derivatization of acidic moieties by propyl chloroformate, propanol and pyridine. Trueness and precision of the proposed protocol, tested at 5, 30 and 80mgl -1 , provided satisfactory values: recoveries were in the range between 72% and 116% and the relative standard deviations (RSD%) were between 0.9% and 18% (except for isobutyric acid at 5mgl -1 ). The LOD values achieved by the proposed method ranged between 1.0 and 473μgl -1 . Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of Organothiophosphate Insecticides in Environmental Water Samples by a Very Simple and Sensitive Spectrofluorimetric Method.

PubMed

Bavili Tabrizi, Ahad; Abdollahi, Ali

2015-10-01

A simple, rapid and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of di-syston, ethion and phorate in environmental water samples. The procedure is based on the oxidation of these pesticides with cerium (IV) to produce cerium (III), and its fluorescence was monitored at 368 ± 3 nm after excitation at 257 ± 3 nm. The variables effecting oxidation of each pesticide were studied and optimized. Under the experimental conditions used, the calibration graphs were linear over the range 0.2-15, 0.1-13, 0.1-13 ng mL(-1) for di-syston, ethion and phorate, respectively. The limit of detection and quantification were in the range 0.034-0.096 and 0.112-0.316 ng mL(-1), respectively. Intra- and inter-day assay precisions, expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD), were lower than 5.2 % and 6.7 %, respectively. Good recoveries in the range 86 %-108 % were obtained for spiked water samples. The proposed method was applied to the determination of studied pesticides in environmental water samples.

LC-ESI-MS/MS determination of 4-methylpyrazole in dog plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study in dogs.

PubMed

Chandrasekhar, Devaraj V; Suresh, Ponnayyan Sulochana; Dittakavi, Sreekanth; Hiremath, Rakesh A; Bhamidipati, Ravi Kanth; Richter, Wolfgang; Srinivas, Nuggehally R; Mullangi, Ramesh

2018-02-01

A simple, specific, sensitive and rapid LC-ESI-MS/MS method has been developed and validated for the quantification of 4-methylpyrazole in dog plasma using N-methylnicotinamide-d 4 as an internal standard (IS) as per regulatory guidelines. Sample preparation was accomplished through a simple protein precipitation. Chromatographic separation of 4-methylpyrazole and the IS was performed on a monolithic (Chromolith RP 18e ) column using an isocratic mobile phase comprising 0.2% formic acid in water and acetonitrile (20:80, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Elution of 4-methylpyrazole and the IS occurred at ~1.60 and 1.56 min, respectively. The total chromatographic run time was 3.2 min. A linear response function was established in the concentration range of 4.96-4955 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision were in the ranges 1.81-12.9 and 3.80-11.1%, respectively. This novel method has been applied to a pharmacokinetic study in dogs. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development and validation of a simple GC-MS method for the simultaneous determination of 11 anticholinesterase pesticides in blood--clinical and forensic toxicology applications.

PubMed

Papoutsis, Ioannis; Mendonis, Marcela; Nikolaou, Panagiota; Athanaselis, Sotirios; Pistos, Constantinos; Maravelias, Constantinos; Spiliopoulou, Chara

2012-05-01

Anticholinesterase pesticides are widely used, and as a result they are involved in numerous acute and even fatal poisonings. The aim of this study was the development, optimization, and validation of a simple, rapid, specific, and sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the determination of 11 anticholinesterase pesticides (aldicarb, azinphos methyl, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, dialifos, diazinon, malathion, methamidophos, methidathion, methomyl, and terbufos) in blood. Only 500 μL of blood was used, and the recoveries after liquid-liquid extraction (toluene/chloroform, 4:1, v/v) were more than 65.6%. The calibration curves were linear (R(2) ≥ 0.996). Limit of detections and limit of quantifications were found to be between 1.00-10.0 and 3.00-30.0 μg/L, respectively. Accuracy expressed as the %E(r) was found to be between -11.0 and 7.8%. Precision expressed as the percent relative standard deviation was found to be <9.4%. The developed method can be applied for the investigation of both forensic and clinical cases of accidental or suicidal poisoning with these pesticides. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

RP-HPLC method development and validation for simultaneous estimation of atorvastatin calcium and pioglitazone hydrochloride in pharmaceutical dosage form.

PubMed

Peraman, Ramalingam; Mallikarjuna, Sasikala; Ammineni, Pravalika; Kondreddy, Vinod kumar

2014-10-01

A simple, selective, rapid, precise and economical reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method has been developed for simultaneous estimation of atorvastatin calcium (ATV) and pioglitazone hydrochloride (PIO) from pharmaceutical formulation. The method is carried out on a C8 (25 cm × 4.6 mm i.d., 5 μm) column with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile (ACN):water (pH adjusted to 6.2 using o-phosphoric acid) in the ratio of 45:55 (v/v). The retention time of ATV and PIO is 4.1 and 8.1 min, respectively, with the flow rate of 1 mL/min with diode array detector detection at 232 nm. The linear regression analysis data from the linearity plot showed good linear relationship with a correlation coefficient (R(2)) value for ATV and PIO of 0.9998 and 0.9997 in the concentration range of 10-80 µg mL(-1), respectively. The relative standard deviation for intraday precision has been found to be <2.0%. The method is validated according to the ICH guidelines. The developed method is validated in terms of specificity, selectivity, accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantitation and solution stability. The proposed method can be used for simultaneous estimation of these drugs in marketed dosage forms. © The Author [2013]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A rapid method for the simultaneous determination of 25 anti-hypertensive compounds in dietary supplements using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Heo, Seok; Yoo, Geum Joo; Choi, Ji Yeon; Park, Hyoung Joon; Park, Sung-Kwan; Baek, Sun Young

2016-11-01

A novel, stable, simple and specific ultra-performance liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detection (205 nm) for the simultaneous analysis of 25 anti-hypertensive substances was developed. The method was validated according to the International Conference of Harmonisation guidelines with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ) and stability. From the ultra-performance liquid chromatography results, we identified the LOD and LOQ of solid samples to be 0.20-1.00 and 0.60-3.00 μg ml -1 , respectively, while those of liquid samples were 0.30-1.20 and 0.90-3.60 μg ml -1 , respectively. The linearity exceeded 0.9999, and the intra- and inter-day precisions were 0.15-6.48% and 0.28-8.67%, respectively. The intra- and inter-day accuracies were 82.25-111.42% and 80.70-115.64%, respectively, and the stability was lower than 12.9% (relative standard deviation). This method was applied to the monitoring of 97 commercially available dietary supplements obtained in Korea, such as pills, soft capsules, hard capsules, liquids, powders and tablets. The proposed method is accurate, precise and of high quality, and can be used for the routine, reproducible analysis and control of 25 anti-hypertensive substances in various dietary supplements. The work presented herein may help to prevent incidents related to food adulteration and restrict the illegal food market.

Touch imprint cytology with massively parallel sequencing (TIC-seq): a simple and rapid method to snapshot genetic alterations in tumors.

PubMed

Amemiya, Kenji; Hirotsu, Yosuke; Goto, Taichiro; Nakagomi, Hiroshi; Mochizuki, Hitoshi; Oyama, Toshio; Omata, Masao

2016-12-01

Identifying genetic alterations in tumors is critical for molecular targeting of therapy. In the clinical setting, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue is usually employed for genetic analysis. However, DNA extracted from FFPE tissue is often not suitable for analysis because of its low levels and poor quality. Additionally, FFPE sample preparation is time-consuming. To provide early treatment for cancer patients, a more rapid and robust method is required for precision medicine. We present a simple method for genetic analysis, called touch imprint cytology combined with massively paralleled sequencing (touch imprint cytology [TIC]-seq), to detect somatic mutations in tumors. We prepared FFPE tissues and TIC specimens from tumors in nine lung cancer patients and one patient with breast cancer. We found that the quality and quantity of TIC DNA was higher than that of FFPE DNA, which requires microdissection to enrich DNA from target tissues. Targeted sequencing using a next-generation sequencer obtained sufficient sequence data using TIC DNA. Most (92%) somatic mutations in lung primary tumors were found to be consistent between TIC and FFPE DNA. We also applied TIC DNA to primary and metastatic tumor tissues to analyze tumor heterogeneity in a breast cancer patient, and showed that common and distinct mutations among primary and metastatic sites could be classified into two distinct histological subtypes. TIC-seq is an alternative and feasible method to analyze genomic alterations in tumors by simply touching the cut surface of specimens to slides. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A new simple and rapid LC-ESI-MS/MS method for quantification of plasma oxysterols as dimethylaminobutyrate esters. Its successful use for the diagnosis of Niemann-Pick type C disease.

PubMed

Boenzi, Sara; Deodato, Federica; Taurisano, Roberta; Martinelli, Diego; Verrigni, Daniela; Carrozzo, Rosalba; Bertini, Enrico; Pastore, Anna; Dionisi-Vici, Carlo; Johnson, David W

2014-11-01

Two oxysterols, cholestan-3β,5α,6β-triol (C-triol) and 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC), have been recently proposed as diagnostic markers of Niemann-Pick type C (NP-C) disease, representing a potential alternative diagnostic tool to the more invasive and time consuming filipin test in cultured fibroblasts. Usually, the oxysterols are detected and quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) or electro-spray-ionization (ESI) sources, after a variety of derivatization procedures to enhance sensitivity. We developed a sensitive LC-MS/MS method to quantify the oxysterols in plasma as dimethylaminobutyrate ester, suitable for ESI analysis. This method, with an easy liquid-phase extraction and a short derivatization procedure, has been validated to demonstrate specificity, linearity, recovery, lowest limit of quantification, accuracy and precision. The assay was linear over a concentration range of 0.5-200ng/mL for C-triol and 1.0-200ng/mL for 7-KC. Intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation (CV%) were <15% for both metabolites. Receiver operating characteristic analysis estimates that the area under curve was 0.998 for C-triol, and 0.972 for 7-KC, implying a significant discriminatory power for the method in this patient population of both oxysterols. In summary, our method provides a simple, rapid and non-invasive diagnostic tool for the biochemical diagnosis of NP-C disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of an isocratic HPLC method for catechin quantification and its application to formulation studies.

PubMed

Li, Danhui; Martini, Nataly; Wu, Zimei; Wen, Jingyuan

2012-10-01

The aim of this study was to develop a simple, rapid and accurate isocratic HPLC analytical method to qualify and quantify five catechin derivatives, namely (+)-catechin (C), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECG), (-)-epicatechin (EC) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). To validate the analytical method, linearity, repeatability, intermediate precision, sensitivity, selectivity and recovery were investigated. The five catechin derivatives were completely separated by HPLC using a mobile phase containing 0.1% TFA in Milli-Q water (pH 2.0) mixed with methanol at the volume ratio of 75:25 at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min. The method was shown to be linear (r²>0.99), repeatable with instrumental precision<2.0 and intra-assay precision<2.5 (%CV, percent coefficient of variation), precise with intra-day variation<1 and inter-day variation<2.5 (%CV, percent coefficient of variation) and sensitive (LOD<1 μg/mL and LOQ<3 μg/mL) over the calibration range for all five derivatives. Derivatives could be fully recovered in the presence of niosomal formulation (recovery rates>91%). Selectivity of the method was proven by the forced degradation studies, which showed that under acidic, basic, oxidation temperature and photolysis stresses, the parent drug can be separated from the degradation products by means of this analytical method. The described method was successfully applied in the in vitro release studies of catechin-loaded niosomes to manifest its utility in formulation characterization. Obtained results indicated that the drug release from niosomal formulations was a biphasic process and a diffusion mechanism regulated the permeation of catechin niosomes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Establishment of a simple and rapid identification method for Listeria spp. by using high-resolution melting analysis, and its application in food industry.

PubMed

Ohshima, Chihiro; Takahashi, Hajime; Phraephaisarn, Chirapiphat; Vesaratchavest, Mongkol; Keeratipibul, Suwimon; Kuda, Takashi; Kimura, Bon

2014-01-01

Listeria monocytogenes is the causative bacteria of listeriosis, which has a higher mortality rate than that of other causes of food poisoning. Listeria spp., of which L. monocytogenes is a member, have been isolated from food and manufacturing environments. Several methods have been published for identifying Listeria spp.; however, many of the methods cannot identify newly categorized Listeria spp. Additionally, they are often not suitable for the food industry, owing to their complexity, cost, or time consumption. Recently, high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA), which exploits DNA-sequence differences, has received attention as a simple and quick genomic typing method. In the present study, a new method for the simple, rapid, and low-cost identification of Listeria spp. has been presented using the genes rarA and ldh as targets for HRMA. DNA sequences of 9 Listeria species were first compared, and polymorphisms were identified for each species for primer design. Species specificity of each HRM curve pattern was estimated using type strains of all the species. Among the 9 species, 7 were identified by HRMA using rarA gene, including 3 new species. The remaining 2 species were identified by HRMA of ldh gene. The newly developed HRMA method was then used to assess Listeria isolates from the food industry, and the method efficiency was compared to that of identification by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The 2 methods were in coherence for 92.6% of the samples, demonstrating the high accuracy of HRMA. The time required for identifying Listeria spp. was substantially low, and the process was considerably simplified, providing a useful and precise method for processing multiple samples per day. Our newly developed method for identifying Listeria spp. is highly valuable; its use is not limited to the food industry, and it can be used for the isolates from the natural environment.

Establishment of a Simple and Rapid Identification Method for Listeria spp. by Using High-Resolution Melting Analysis, and Its Application in Food Industry

PubMed Central

Ohshima, Chihiro; Takahashi, Hajime; Phraephaisarn, Chirapiphat; Vesaratchavest, Mongkol; Keeratipibul, Suwimon; Kuda, Takashi; Kimura, Bon

2014-01-01

Listeria monocytogenes is the causative bacteria of listeriosis, which has a higher mortality rate than that of other causes of food poisoning. Listeria spp., of which L. monocytogenes is a member, have been isolated from food and manufacturing environments. Several methods have been published for identifying Listeria spp.; however, many of the methods cannot identify newly categorized Listeria spp. Additionally, they are often not suitable for the food industry, owing to their complexity, cost, or time consumption. Recently, high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA), which exploits DNA-sequence differences, has received attention as a simple and quick genomic typing method. In the present study, a new method for the simple, rapid, and low-cost identification of Listeria spp. has been presented using the genes rarA and ldh as targets for HRMA. DNA sequences of 9 Listeria species were first compared, and polymorphisms were identified for each species for primer design. Species specificity of each HRM curve pattern was estimated using type strains of all the species. Among the 9 species, 7 were identified by HRMA using rarA gene, including 3 new species. The remaining 2 species were identified by HRMA of ldh gene. The newly developed HRMA method was then used to assess Listeria isolates from the food industry, and the method efficiency was compared to that of identification by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The 2 methods were in coherence for 92.6% of the samples, demonstrating the high accuracy of HRMA. The time required for identifying Listeria spp. was substantially low, and the process was considerably simplified, providing a useful and precise method for processing multiple samples per day. Our newly developed method for identifying Listeria spp. is highly valuable; its use is not limited to the food industry, and it can be used for the isolates from the natural environment. PMID:24918440

Simple new test for rapid differentiation of Prototheca wickerhamii from Prototheca zopfii.

PubMed Central

Casal, M J; Gutierrez, J

1983-01-01

A simple new test to differentiate Prototheca wickerhamii from Prototheca zopfii by determining susceptibility to clotrimazole is described. A 50-micrograms clotrimazole disk provides a rapid and reliable means of distinguishing P. wickerhamii from P. zopfii. PMID:6630477

Soft tubular microfluidics for 2D and 3D applications

PubMed Central

Xi, Wang; Kong, Fang; Yeo, Joo Chuan; Yu, Longteng; Sonam, Surabhi; Dao, Ming; Gong, Xiaobo; Lim, Chwee Teck

2017-01-01

Microfluidics has been the key component for many applications, including biomedical devices, chemical processors, microactuators, and even wearable devices. This technology relies on soft lithography fabrication which requires cleanroom facilities. Although popular, this method is expensive and labor-intensive. Furthermore, current conventional microfluidic chips precludes reconfiguration, making reiterations in design very time-consuming and costly. To address these intrinsic drawbacks of microfabrication, we present an alternative solution for the rapid prototyping of microfluidic elements such as microtubes, valves, and pumps. In addition, we demonstrate how microtubes with channels of various lengths and cross-sections can be attached modularly into 2D and 3D microfluidic systems for functional applications. We introduce a facile method of fabricating elastomeric microtubes as the basic building blocks for microfluidic devices. These microtubes are transparent, biocompatible, highly deformable, and customizable to various sizes and cross-sectional geometries. By configuring the microtubes into deterministic geometry, we enable rapid, low-cost formation of microfluidic assemblies without compromising their precision and functionality. We demonstrate configurable 2D and 3D microfluidic systems for applications in different domains. These include microparticle sorting, microdroplet generation, biocatalytic micromotor, triboelectric sensor, and even wearable sensing. Our approach, termed soft tubular microfluidics, provides a simple, cheaper, and faster solution for users lacking proficiency and access to cleanroom facilities to design and rapidly construct microfluidic devices for their various applications and needs. PMID:28923968

Soft tubular microfluidics for 2D and 3D applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Wang; Kong, Fang; Yeo, Joo Chuan; Yu, Longteng; Sonam, Surabhi; Dao, Ming; Gong, Xiaobo; Teck Lim, Chwee

2017-10-01

Microfluidics has been the key component for many applications, including biomedical devices, chemical processors, microactuators, and even wearable devices. This technology relies on soft lithography fabrication which requires cleanroom facilities. Although popular, this method is expensive and labor-intensive. Furthermore, current conventional microfluidic chips precludes reconfiguration, making reiterations in design very time-consuming and costly. To address these intrinsic drawbacks of microfabrication, we present an alternative solution for the rapid prototyping of microfluidic elements such as microtubes, valves, and pumps. In addition, we demonstrate how microtubes with channels of various lengths and cross-sections can be attached modularly into 2D and 3D microfluidic systems for functional applications. We introduce a facile method of fabricating elastomeric microtubes as the basic building blocks for microfluidic devices. These microtubes are transparent, biocompatible, highly deformable, and customizable to various sizes and cross-sectional geometries. By configuring the microtubes into deterministic geometry, we enable rapid, low-cost formation of microfluidic assemblies without compromising their precision and functionality. We demonstrate configurable 2D and 3D microfluidic systems for applications in different domains. These include microparticle sorting, microdroplet generation, biocatalytic micromotor, triboelectric sensor, and even wearable sensing. Our approach, termed soft tubular microfluidics, provides a simple, cheaper, and faster solution for users lacking proficiency and access to cleanroom facilities to design and rapidly construct microfluidic devices for their various applications and needs.

Rapid gas chromatography with flame photometric detection of multiple organophosphorus pesticides in Salvia miltiorrhizae after ultrasonication assisted one-step extraction.

PubMed

Zhang, Shanshan; Liu, Xiaofei; Qin, Jia'an; Yang, Meihua; Zhao, Hongzheng; Wang, Yong; Guo, Weiying; Ma, Zhijie; Kong, Weijun

2017-11-15

A simple and rapid gas chromatography-flame photometric detection (GC-FPD) method was developed for the determination of 12 organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in Salvia miltiorrhizae by using ultrasonication assisted one-step extraction (USAE) without any clean-up steps. Some crucial parameters such as type of extraction solvent were optimized to improve the method performance for trace analysis. Any clean-up steps were negligent as no interferences were detected in the GC-FPD chromatograms for sensitive detection. Under the optimized conditions, limits of detection (LODs) and quantitation (LOQs) for all pesticides were in the range of 0.001-0.002mg/kg and 0.002-0.01mg/kg and 0.002-0.01mg/kg, respectively, which were all below the regulatory maximum residue limits suggested. RSDs for method precision (intra- and inter-day variations) were lower than 6.8% in approval with international regulations. Average recovery rates for all pesticides at three fortification levels (0.5, 1.0 and 5.0mg/kg) were in the range of 71.2-101.0% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) <13%. The developed method was evaluated for its feasibility in the simultaneous pre-concentration and determination of 12 OPPs in 32 batches of real S. miltiorrhizae samples. Only one pesticide (dimethoate) out of the 12 targets was simultaneously detected in four samples at concentrations of 0.016-0.02mg/kg. Dichlorvos and omethoate were found in the same sample from Sichuan province at 0.004 and 0.027mg/kg, respectively. Malathion and monocrotophos were determined in the other two samples at 0.014 and 0.028mg/kg, respectively. All the positive samples were confirmed by LC-MS/MS. The simple, reliable and rapid USAE-GC-FPD method with many advantages over traditional techniques would be preferred for trace analysis of multiple pesticides in more complex matrices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lung Cancer Precision Medicine Trials

Cancer.gov

Patients with lung cancer are benefiting from the boom in targeted and immune-based therapies. With a series of precision medicine trials, NCI is keeping pace with the rapidly changing treatment landscape for lung cancer.

A Novel and Rapid Method to Determine Doxycycline in Human Plasma by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Krishna, A. Chaitanya; Sathiyaraj, M.; Saravanan, R. S.; Chelladurai, R.; Vignesh, R.

2012-01-01

A simple, rapid, specific and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method has been developed and validated for the determination of doxycycline from the human plasma. Doxycycline is extracted from human plasma by solid phase extraction. Demeclocycline was used as an internal standard. Detection was performed at transitions of 444.800→428.200 for doxycycline and 464.700→448.100 for demeclocycline using mass spectrometry. Chromatographic separation of analyte and internal standard were carried out using a reverse phase C18, column at 0.500 ml/min flow. The assay of doxycycline is linear over the range of 0.055-7.612 μg/ml, with a precision <14.83%, regression coefficient (r2)=0.9961 and the limit of quantification in plasma for doxycycline was 0.055 μg/ml. Mean extraction recovery obtained was 95.55%. Samples are stable at room temperature for 6 h, processed samples were stable at least for 30.20 h and also stable at three freeze-thaw cycles. The method has been used to perform pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence studies in human plasma. PMID:23798780

Recent advances in salivary cancer diagnostics enabled by biosensors and bioelectronics.

PubMed

Mishra, Saswat; Saadat, Darius; Kwon, Ohjin; Lee, Yongkuk; Choi, Woon-Seop; Kim, Jong-Hoon; Yeo, Woon-Hong

2016-07-15

There is a high demand for a non-invasive, rapid, and highly accurate tool for disease diagnostics. Recently, saliva based diagnostics for the detection of specific biomarkers has drawn significant attention since the sample extraction is simple, cost-effective, and precise. Compared to blood, saliva contains a similar variety of DNA, RNA, proteins, metabolites, and microbiota that can be compiled into a multiplex of cancer detection markers. The salivary diagnostic method holds great potential for early-stage cancer diagnostics without any complicated and expensive procedures. Here, we review various cancer biomarkers in saliva and compare the biomarkers efficacy with traditional diagnostics and state-of-the-art bioelectronics. We summarize biomarkers in four major groups: genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics/microbiota. Representative bioelectronic systems for each group are summarized based on various stages of a cancer. Systematic study of oxidative stress establishes the relationship between macromolecules and cancer biomarkers in saliva. We also introduce the most recent examples of salivary diagnostic electronics based on nanotechnologies that can offer rapid, yet highly accurate detection of biomarkers. A concluding section highlights areas of opportunity in the further development and applications of these technologies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative analysis of fatty-acid-based biofuels produced by wild-type and genetically engineered cyanobacteria by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Guan, Wenna; Zhao, Hui; Lu, Xuefeng; Wang, Cong; Yang, Menglong; Bai, Fali

2011-11-11

Simple and rapid quantitative determination of fatty-acid-based biofuels is greatly important for the study of genetic engineering progress for biofuels production by microalgae. Ideal biofuels produced from biological systems should be chemically similar to petroleum, like fatty-acid-based molecules including free fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters, fatty acid ethyl esters, fatty alcohols and fatty alkanes. This study founded a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for simultaneous quantification of seven free fatty acids, nine fatty acid methyl esters, five fatty acid ethyl esters, five fatty alcohols and three fatty alkanes produced by wild-type Synechocystis PCC 6803 and its genetically engineered strain. Data obtained from GC-MS analyses were quantified using internal standard peak area comparisons. The linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and precision (RSD) of the method were evaluated. The results demonstrated that fatty-acid-based biofuels can be directly determined by GC-MS without derivation. Therefore, rapid and reliable quantitative analysis of fatty-acid-based biofuels produced by wild-type and genetically engineered cyanobacteria can be achieved using the GC-MS method founded in this work. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction for the rapid screening of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in water.

PubMed

Chang, Chia-Yu; Chung, Wu-Hsun; Ding, Wang-Hsien

2016-01-01

The rapid screening of trace levels of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in various aqueous samples was performed by a simple and reliable procedure based on vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction combined with gas chromatography and electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry. The optimal vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction conditions for 20 mL water sample were as follows: extractant 400 μL of dichloromethane; vortex extraction time of 1 min at 2500 × g; centrifugation of 3 min at 5000 × g; and no ionic strength adjustment. Under the optimum conditions, the limit of quantitation was 0.05 μg/L. Precision, as indicated by relative standard deviations, was less than 9% for both intra- and inter-day analysis. Accuracy, expressed as the mean extraction recovery, was above 91%. The vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction with gas chromatography and electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry method was successfully applied to quantitatively extract short-chain chlorinated paraffins from samples of river water and the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant, and the concentrations ranged from 0.8 to 1.6 μg/L. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Aging affects neural precision of speech encoding

PubMed Central

Anderson, Samira; Parbery-Clark, Alexandra; White-Schwoch, Travis; Kraus, Nina

2012-01-01

Older adults frequently report they can hear what is said but cannot understand the meaning, especially in noise. This difficulty may arise from the inability to process rapidly changing elements of speech. Aging is accompanied by a general slowing of neural processing and decreased neural inhibition, both of which likely interfere with temporal processing in auditory and other sensory domains. Age-related reductions in inhibitory neurotransmitter levels and delayed neural recovery can contribute to decreases in the auditory system’s temporal precision. Decreased precision may lead to neural timing delays, reductions in neural response magnitude, and a disadvantage in processing the rapid acoustic changes in speech. The auditory brainstem response (ABR), a scalp-recorded electrical potential, is known for its ability to capture precise neural synchrony within subcortical auditory nuclei; therefore, we hypothesized that a loss of temporal precision results in subcortical timing delays and decreases in response consistency and magnitude. To assess this hypothesis, we recorded ABRs to the speech syllable /da/ in normal hearing younger (ages 18 to 30) and older adult humans (60 to 67). Older adults had delayed ABRs, especially in response to the rapidly changing formant transition, and greater response variability. We also found that older adults had decreased phase locking and smaller response magnitudes than younger adults. Taken together, our results support the theory that older adults have a loss of temporal precision in subcortical encoding of sound, which may account, at least in part, for their difficulties with speech perception. PMID:23055485

Picture Pile: A citizen-powered tool for rapid post-disaster damage assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danylo, Olha; Sturn, Tobias; Giovando, Cristiano; Moorthy, Inian; Fritz, Steffen; See, Linda; Kapur, Ravi; Girardot, Blake; Ajmar, Andrea; Giulio Tonolo, Fabio; Reinicke, Tobias; Mathieu, Pierre Philippe; Duerauer, Martina

2017-04-01

According to the World Bank's global risk analysis, around 34% of the total world's population lives in areas of high mortality risk from two or more natural hazards. Therefore, timely and innovative methods to rapidly assess damage to subsequently aid relief and recovery efforts are critical. In this field of post-disaster damage assessment, several crowdsourcing-based technological tools that engage citizens in carrying out various tasks, including data collection, satellite image analysis and online interactive mapping, have recently been developed. One such tool is Picture Pile, a cross-platform application that is designed as a generic and flexible tool for ingesting satellite imagery for rapid classification. As part of the ESA's Crowd4Sat initiative led by Imperative Space, this study develops a workflow for employing Picture Pile for rapid post-disaster damage assessment. We outline how satellite image interpretation tasks within Picture Pile can be crowdsourced using the example of Hurricane Matthew, which affected large regions of Haiti in September 2016. The application provides simple microtasks, where the user is presented with satellite images and is asked a simple yes/no question. A "before" disaster satellite image is displayed next to an "after" disaster image and the user is asked to assess whether there is any visible, detectable damage. The question is formulated precisely to focus the user's attention on a particular aspect of the damage. The user-interface of Picture Pile is also built for users to rapidly classify the images by swiping to indicate their answer, thereby efficiently completing the microstask. The proposed approach will not only help to increase citizen awareness of natural disasters, but also provide them with a unique opportunity to contribute directly to relief efforts. Furthermore, to gain confidence in the crowdsourced results, quality assurance methods were integrated during the testing phase of the application using image classifications from experts. The application has a built-in real-time quality assurance system to provide volunteers with feedback when their answer does not agree with that of an expert. Picture Pile is intended to supplement existing approaches for post-disaster damage assessment and can be used by different networks of volunteers (e.g., the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team) to assess damage and create up-to-date maps of response to disaster events.

Attentional priority determines working memory precision.

PubMed

Klyszejko, Zuzanna; Rahmati, Masih; Curtis, Clayton E

2014-12-01

Visual working memory is a system used to hold information actively in mind for a limited time. The number of items and the precision with which we can store information has limits that define its capacity. How much control do we have over the precision with which we store information when faced with these severe capacity limitations? Here, we tested the hypothesis that rank-ordered attentional priority determines the precision of multiple working memory representations. We conducted two psychophysical experiments that manipulated the priority of multiple items in a two-alternative forced choice task (2AFC) with distance discrimination. In Experiment 1, we varied the probabilities with which memorized items were likely to be tested. To generalize the effects of priority beyond simple cueing, in Experiment 2, we manipulated priority by varying monetary incentives contingent upon successful memory for items tested. Moreover, we illustrate our hypothesis using a simple model that distributed attentional resources across items with rank-ordered priorities. Indeed, we found evidence in both experiments that priority affects the precision of working memory in a monotonic fashion. Our results demonstrate that representations of priority may provide a mechanism by which resources can be allocated to increase the precision with which we encode and briefly store information. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantification of strontium in human serum by ICP-MS using alternate analyte-free matrix and its application to a pilot bioequivalence study of two strontium ranelate oral formulations in healthy Chinese subjects.

PubMed

Zhang, Dan; Wang, Xiaolin; Liu, Man; Zhang, Lina; Deng, Ming; Liu, Huichen

2015-01-01

A rapid, sensitive and accurate ICP-MS method using alternate analyte-free matrix for calibration standards preparation and a rapid direct dilution procedure for sample preparation was developed and validated for the quantification of exogenous strontium (Sr) from the drug in human serum. Serum was prepared by direct dilution (1:29, v/v) in an acidic solution consisting of nitric acid (0.1%) and germanium (Ge) added as internal standard (IS), to obtain simple and high-throughput preparation procedure with minimized matrix effect, and good repeatability. ICP-MS analysis was performed using collision cell technology (CCT) mode. Alternate matrix method by using distilled water as an alternate analyte-free matrix for the preparation of calibration standards (CS) was used to avoid the influence of endogenous Sr in serum on the quantification. The method was validated in terms of selectivity, carry-over, matrix effects, lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), linearity, precision and accuracy, and stability. Instrumental linearity was verified in the range of 1.00-500ng/mL, corresponding to a concentration range of 0.0300-15.0μg/mL in 50μL sample of serum matrix and alternate matrix. Intra- and inter-day precision as relative standard deviation (RSD) were less than 8.0% and accuracy as relative error (RE) was within ±3.0%. The method allowed a high sample throughput, and was sensitive and accurate enough for a pilot bioequivalence study in healthy male Chinese subjects following single oral administration of two strontium ranelate formulations containing 2g strontium ranelate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Alternative prediction methods of protein and energy evaluation of pig feeds.

PubMed

Święch, Ewa

2017-01-01

Precise knowledge of the actual nutritional value of individual feedstuffs and complete diets for pigs is important for efficient livestock production. Methods of assessment of protein and energy values in pig feeds have been briefly described. In vivo determination of protein and energy values of feeds in pigs are time-consuming, expensive and very often require the use of surgically-modified animals. There is a need for more simple, rapid, inexpensive and reproducible methods for routine feed evaluation. Protein and energy values of pig feeds can be estimated using the following alternative methods: 1) prediction equations based on chemical composition; 2) animal models as rats, cockerels and growing pigs for adult animals; 3) rapid methods, such as the mobile nylon bag technique and in vitro methods. Alternative methods developed for predicting the total tract and ileal digestibility of nutrients including amino acids in feedstuffs and diets for pigs have been reviewed. This article focuses on two in vitro methods that can be used for the routine evaluation of amino acid ileal digestibility and energy value of pig feeds and on factors affecting digestibility determined in vivo in pigs and by alternative methods. Validation of alternative methods has been carried out by comparing the results obtained using these methods with those acquired in vivo in pigs. In conclusion, energy and protein values of pig feeds may be estimated with satisfactory precision in rats and by the two- or three-step in vitro methods providing equations for the calculation of standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids and metabolizable energy content. The use of alternative methods of feed evaluation is an important way for reduction of stressful animal experiments.

Simple and rapid determination of homozygous transgenic mice via in vivo fluorescence imaging.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaolin; Jia, Junshuang; Qin, Yujuan; Lin, Xia; Li, Wei; Xiao, Gaofang; Li, Yanqing; Xie, Raoying; Huang, Hailu; Zhong, Lin; Wu, Qinghong; Wang, Wanshan; Huang, Wenhua; Yao, Kaitai; Xiao, Dong; Sun, Yan

2015-11-17

Setting up breeding programs for transgenic mouse strains require to distinguish homozygous from the heterozygous transgenic animals. The combinational use of the fluorescence reporter transgene and small animal in-vivo imaging system might allow us to rapidly and visually determine the transgenic mice homozygous for transgene(s) by the in vivo fluorescence imaging. RLG, RCLG or Rm17LG transgenic mice ubiquitously express red fluorescent protein (RFP). To identify homozygous RLG transgenic mice, whole-body fluorescence imaging for all of newborn F2-generation littermates produced by mating of RFP-positive heterozygous transgenic mice (F1-generation) derived from the same transgenic founder was performed. Subsequently, the immediate data analysis of the in vivo fluorescence imaging was carried out, which greatly facilitated us to rapidly and readily distinguish RLG transgenic individual(s) with strong fluorescence from the rest of F2-generation littermates, followed by further determining this/these RLG individual(s) showing strong fluorescence to be homozygous, as strongly confirmed by mouse mating. Additionally, homozygous RCLG or Rm17LG transgenic mice were also rapidly and precisely distinguished by the above-mentioned optical approach. This approach allowed us within the shortest time period to obtain 10, 8 and 2 transgenic mice homozygous for RLG, RCLG and Rm17LG transgene, respectively, as verified by mouse mating, indicating the practicality and reliability of this optical method. Taken together, our findings fully demonstrate that the in vivo fluorescence imaging offers a visual, rapid and reliable alternative method to the traditional approaches (i.e., mouse mating and real-time quantitative PCR) in identifying homozygous transgenic mice harboring fluorescence reporter transgene under the control of a ubiquitous promoter in the situation mentioned in this study.

Simple and rapid determination of homozygous transgenic mice via in vivo fluorescence imaging

PubMed Central

Li, Wei; Xiao, Gaofang; Li, Yanqing; Xie, Raoying; Huang, Hailu; Zhong, Lin; Wu, Qinghong; Wang, Wanshan; Huang, Wenhua; Yao, Kaitai; Xiao, Dong; Sun, Yan

2015-01-01

Setting up breeding programs for transgenic mouse strains require to distinguish homozygous from the heterozygous transgenic animals. The combinational use of the fluorescence reporter transgene and small animal in-vivo imaging system might allow us to rapidly and visually determine the transgenic mice homozygous for transgene(s) by the in vivo fluorescence imaging. RLG, RCLG or Rm17LG transgenic mice ubiquitously express red fluorescent protein (RFP). To identify homozygous RLG transgenic mice, whole-body fluorescence imaging for all of newborn F2-generation littermates produced by mating of RFP-positive heterozygous transgenic mice (F1-generation) derived from the same transgenic founder was performed. Subsequently, the immediate data analysis of the in vivo fluorescence imaging was carried out, which greatly facilitated us to rapidly and readily distinguish RLG transgenic individual(s) with strong fluorescence from the rest of F2-generation littermates, followed by further determining this/these RLG individual(s) showing strong fluorescence to be homozygous, as strongly confirmed by mouse mating. Additionally, homozygous RCLG or Rm17LG transgenic mice were also rapidly and precisely distinguished by the above-mentioned optical approach. This approach allowed us within the shortest time period to obtain 10, 8 and 2 transgenic mice homozygous for RLG, RCLG and Rm17LG transgene, respectively, as verified by mouse mating, indicating the practicality and reliability of this optical method. Taken together, our findings fully demonstrate that the in vivo fluorescence imaging offers a visual, rapid and reliable alternative method to the traditional approaches (i.e., mouse mating and real-time quantitative PCR) in identifying homozygous transgenic mice harboring fluorescence reporter transgene under the control of a ubiquitous promoter in the situation mentioned in this study. PMID:26472024

Poster — Thur Eve — 33: The Influence of a Modeled Treatment Couch on Dose Distributions During IMRT and RapidArc Treatment Delivery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aldosary, Ghada; Nobah, Ahmad; Al-Zorkani, Faisal

2014-08-15

Treatment couches have been known to perturb dose delivery in patients. This effect is most pronounced in techniques such as IMRT and RapidArc. Although modern treatment planning systems (TPS) include data for a “default” treatment couch, actual couches are not manufactured identically. Thus, variations in their Hounsfield Unit (HU) values may exist. This study demonstrates a practical and simple method of acquiring reliable HU data for any treatment couch. We also investigate the effects of both the default and modeled treatment couches on absorbed dose. Experimental verifications show that by neglecting to incorporate the treatment couch in the TPS, dosemore » differences of up to 9.5% and 7.3% were present for 4 MV and 10 MV photon beams, respectively. Furthermore, a clinical study based on a cohort of 20 RapidArc and IMRT (brain, pelvis and abdominal) cases is performed. 2D dose distributions show that without the couch in the planning phase, differences ≤ 4.6% and 5.9% for RapidArc and IMRT cases are present for the same cases that the default couch was added to. Additionally, in comparison to the default couch, employing the modeled couch in the calculation process influences dose distributions by ≤ 2.7% and 8% for RapidArc and IMRT cases, respectively. This result was found to be site specific; where an accurate couch proves to be preferable for IMRT brain plans. As such, adding the couch during dose calculation decreases dose calculation errors, and a precisely modeled treatment couch offers higher dose delivery accuracy for brain treatment using IMRT.« less

Direct measurement of the glucuronide conjugate of 1-hydroxypyrene in human urine by using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Kakimoto, Kensaku; Toriba, Akira; Ohno, Takanori; Ueno, Mariko; Kameda, Takayuki; Tang, Ning; Hayakawa, Kazuichi

2008-05-15

To evaluate human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), we developed a rapid, simple and sensitive method for determining 1-hydroxypyrene-glucuronide (1-OHP-G) in human urine. To improve precision, a deuterated glucuronide was used as an internal standard. The method requires only 1 mL of urine. The urine was treated with a mixed-mode anion-exchange and reversed-phase solid-phase extraction cartridge (Oasis MAX). The analytes were analyzed with a C(18) reversed-phase column with a gradient elution, followed by tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization in negative ion mode. The detection limit of 1-OHP-G (corresponding to a signal-to-noise ratio of 3) was 0.13 fmol/injection. Urinary concentrations of 1-OHP-G determined by this method were strongly correlated (r(2)=0.961) with concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene by conventional HPLC with fluorescence detection.

Simultaneous determination of vancomycin and ceftazidime in cerebrospinal fluid in craniotomy patients by high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Ye, Guangming; Cai, Xuejian; Wang, Biao; Zhou, Zhongxian; Yu, Xiaohua; Wang, Weibin; Zhang, Jiandong; Wang, Yuhai; Dong, Jierong; Jiang, Yunyun

2008-11-04

A simple, accurate and rapid method for simultaneous analysis of vancomycin and ceftazidime in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), has been developed and thoroughly validated to satisfy strict FDA guidelines for bioanalytical methods. Protein precipitation was used as the sample pretreatment method. In order to increase the accuracy, tinidazole was chosen as the internal standard. Separation was achieved on a Diamonsil C18 column (200 mm x 4.6mm I.D., 5 microm) using a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and acetate buffer (pH 3.5) (8:92, v/v) at room temperature (25 degrees C), and the detection wavelength was 240 nm. All the validation data, such as accuracy, precision, and inter-day repeatability, were within the required limits. The method was applied to determine vancomycin and ceftazidime concentrations in CSF in five craniotomy patients.

Non-solenoidal startup and low-β operations in Pegasus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlossberg, D. J.; Battaglia, D. J.; Bongard, M. W.; Fonck, R. J.; Redd, A. J.

2009-11-01

Non-solenoidal startup using point-source DC helicity injectors (plasma guns) has been achieved in the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment for plasmas with Ip in excess of 100 kA using Iinj<4,A. The maximum achieved Ip tentatively scales as √ITFIinj/w, where w is the radial thickness of the gun-driven edge. The Ip limits appear to conform to a simple stationary model involving helicity conservation and Taylor relaxation. However, observed MHD activity reveals the additional dynamics of the relaxation process, evidenced by intermittent bursts of n=1 activity correlated with rapid redistribution of the current channel. Recent upgrades to the gun system provide higher helicity injection rates, smaller w, a more constrained gun current path, and more precise diagnostics. Experimental goals include extending parametric scaling studies, determining the conditions where parallel conduction losses dominate the helicity dissipation, and building the physics understanding of helicity injection to confidently design gun systems for larger, future tokamaks.

A knowledge network for a dynamic taxonomy of psychiatric disease.

PubMed

Krishnan, Ranga R

2015-03-01

Current taxonomic approaches in medicine and psychiatry are limited in validity and utility. They do serve simple communication purposes for medical coding, teaching, and reimbursement, but they are not suited for the modern era with its rapid explosion of knowledge from the "omics" revolution. The National Academy of Sciences published a report entitled Toward Precision Medicine: Building a Knowledge Network for Biomedical Research and a New Taxonomy of Disease. The authors advocate a new taxonomy that would integrate molecular data, clinical data, and health outcomes in a dynamic, iterative fashion, bringing together research, public health, and health-care delivery with the interlinked goals of advancing our understanding of disease pathogenesis and thereby improving health. As the need for an information hub and a knowledge network with a dynamic taxonomy based on integration of clinical and research data is vital, and timely, this proposal merits consideration.

Optimization and validation of Folin-Ciocalteu method for the determination of total polyphenol content of Pu-erh tea.

PubMed

Musci, Marilena; Yao, Shicong

2017-12-01

Pu-erh tea is a post-fermented tea that has recently gained popularity worldwide, due to potential health benefits related to the antioxidant activity resulting from its high polyphenolic content. The Folin-Ciocalteu method is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive assay widely applied for the determination of total polyphenol content. Over the past years, it has been subjected to many modifications, often without any systematic optimization or validation. In our study, we sought to optimize the Folin-Ciocalteu method, evaluate quality parameters including linearity, precision and stability, and then apply the optimized model to determine the total polyphenol content of 57 Chinese teas, including green tea, aged and ripened Pu-erh tea. Our optimized Folin-Ciocalteu method reduced analysis time, allowed for the analysis of a large number of samples, to discriminate among the different teas, and to assess the effect of the post-fermentation process on polyphenol content.

Nanotextured Shrink Wrap Superhydrophobic Surfaces by Argon Plasma Etching

PubMed Central

Nokes, Jolie M.; Sharma, Himanshu; Tu, Roger; Kim, Monica Y.; Chu, Michael; Siddiqui, Ali; Khine, Michelle

2016-01-01

We present a rapid, simple, and scalable approach to achieve superhydrophobic (SH) substrates directly in commodity shrink wrap film utilizing Argon (Ar) plasma. Ar plasma treatment creates a stiff skin layer on the surface of the shrink film. When the film shrinks, the mismatch in stiffness between the stiff skin layer and bulk shrink film causes the formation of multiscale hierarchical wrinkles with nano-textured features. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images confirm the presence of these biomimetic structures. Contact angle (CA) and contact angle hysteresis (CAH) measurements, respectively, defined as values greater than 150° and less than 10°, verified the SH nature of the substrates. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability to reliably pattern hydrophilic regions onto the SH substrates, allowing precise capture and detection of proteins in urine. Finally, we achieved self-driven microfluidics via patterning contrasting superhydrophilic microchannels on the SH Ar substrates to induce flow for biosensing. PMID:28773318

Nanotextured Shrink Wrap Superhydrophobic Surfaces by Argon Plasma Etching.

PubMed

Nokes, Jolie M; Sharma, Himanshu; Tu, Roger; Kim, Monica Y; Chu, Michael; Siddiqui, Ali; Khine, Michelle

2016-03-14

We present a rapid, simple, and scalable approach to achieve superhydrophobic (SH) substrates directly in commodity shrink wrap film utilizing Argon (Ar) plasma. Ar plasma treatment creates a stiff skin layer on the surface of the shrink film. When the film shrinks, the mismatch in stiffness between the stiff skin layer and bulk shrink film causes the formation of multiscale hierarchical wrinkles with nano-textured features. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images confirm the presence of these biomimetic structures. Contact angle (CA) and contact angle hysteresis (CAH) measurements, respectively, defined as values greater than 150° and less than 10°, verified the SH nature of the substrates. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability to reliably pattern hydrophilic regions onto the SH substrates, allowing precise capture and detection of proteins in urine. Finally, we achieved self-driven microfluidics via patterning contrasting superhydrophilic microchannels on the SH Ar substrates to induce flow for biosensing.

Spectrofluorometric determination of furosemide in some pharmaceutical product using acriflavine as a reagent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qader, Aryan F.; Fakhre, Nabil A.

2017-09-01

Simple, inexpensive, rapid and sensitive determination of furosemide spectrofluorometrically was suggested using acriflavine as a new reagent. The method based on the quantitative quenching effect of furosemide on the native fluorescence of acriflavine in presence of Britton-Robinson buffer medium due to the reaction of furosemide with acriflavine to form an ion associated complex. The decrease of acriflavine fluorescence was observed at 505 nm after excitation at 265 nm. the florescence - concentration plot is rectilinear over the range of 2.0-10 µg/ml with correlation coefficient 0.9991 and detection limit 0.2 µg/ml. No interference was observed from the excipients that are commonly present in pharmaceutical formulations. The proposed method was determination of furosemide in some commercial tablets. The results were compared with that of HPLC method revealed with good agreements and no significant differences in the accuracy and precision.

Development and validation of a method for the simultaneous extraction and separate measurement of oxytetracycline, florfenicol, oxolinic acid and flumequine from marine sediments.

PubMed

Norambuena, Luis; Gras, Nuri; Contreras, Sergio

2013-08-15

A simple and rapid method for the detection and extraction of oxolinic acid, flumequine, florfenicol and oxytetracycline from marine sediments was developed and validated. The analytes were extracted from the marine sediment using a solution of oxalic acid diluted in methanol with sonication before detection by HPLC using a diode-array detector (florfenicol and oxytetracycline) and fluorescence (oxolinic acid and flumequine). The quantification limits (QL) were 100 ng/g for oxytetracycline and florfenicol and 5 ng/g for oxolinic acid and flumequine. The coefficients of variation of the repeatability and intermediate precision were less than 10% in all of the analytes. The calibration curves were linear between 50 and 500 ng/ml for oxytetracycline and florfenicol and 1 and 20 ng/ml for oxolinic acid and flumequine. The recuperation rate for the analytes was above 86%. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Controlled doping by self-assembled dendrimer-like macromolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Haigang; Guan, Bin; Sun, Yingri; Zhu, Yiping; Dan, Yaping

2017-02-01

Doping via self-assembled macromolecules might offer a solution for developing single atom electronics by precisely placing individual dopants at arbitrary location to meet the requirement for circuit design. Here we synthesize dendrimer-like polyglycerol macromolecules with each carrying one phosphorus atom in the core. The macromolecules are immobilized by the coupling reagent onto silicon surfaces that are pre-modified with a monolayer of undecylenic acid. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are employed to characterize the synthesized macromolecules and the modified silicon surfaces, respectively. After rapid thermal annealing, the phosphorus atoms carried by the macromolecules diffuse into the silicon substrate, forming dopants at a concentration of 1017 cm-3. Low-temperature Hall effect measurements reveal that the ionization process is rather complicated. Unlike the widely reported simple ionization of phosphorus dopants, nitrogen and carbon are also involved in the electronic activities in the monolayer doped silicon.

The colorimetric analysis of anti-tuberculosis fixed-dose combination tablets and capsules.

PubMed

Ellard, G A

1999-11-01

The perceived need to demonstrate whether or not the actual amounts of rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide in fixed-dose combination tablets or capsules correspond to their stated drug contents. To adapt specific, robust and simple colorimetric methods that have been previously applied to measuring plasma and urinary rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol concentrations to estimate tablet and capsule drug contents. The methods were applied to the analysis of 14 commercially manufactured fixed-dose combinations: two capsule and three tablet formulations containing rifampicin and isoniazid; seven tablet formulations containing rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide; and two tablet formulations containing rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol. All the combined formulations contained near to their stated drug contents. Replicate analyses confirmed the excellent precision of the drug analyses. Such methods are not only rapid to perform but should be practical in many Third World situations with relatively modest laboratory facilities.

A competitive chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay for rapid and sensitive determination of enrofloxacin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Fei; Wu, Yongjun; Yu, Songcheng; Zhang, Huili; Zhang, Hongquan; Qu, Lingbo; Harrington, Peter de B.

With alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-adamantane (AMPPD) system as the chemiluminescence (CL) detection system, a highly sensitive, specific and simple competitive chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) was developed for the measurement of enrofloxacin (ENR). The physicochemical parameters, such as the chemiluminescent assay mediums, the dilution buffer of ENR-McAb, the volume of dilution buffer, the monoclonal antibody concentration, the incubation time, and other relevant variables of the immunoassay have been optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the detection linear range of 350-1000 pg/mL and the detection limit of 0.24 ng/mL were provided by the proposed method. The relative standard deviations were less than 15% for both intra and inter-assay precision. This method has been successfully applied to determine ENR in spiked samples with the recovery of 103%-96%. It showed that CLEIA was a good potential method in the analysis of residues of veterinary drugs after treatment of related diseases.

Rapid manufacturing of metallic Molds for parts in Automobile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Renji; Xu, Da; Liu, Yuan; Yan, Xudong; Yan, Yongnian

1998-03-01

The recent research of RPM (Rapid Prototyping Manufacturing) in our lab has been focused on the rapid creation of alloyed cast iron (ACI) molds. There are a lot of machinery parts in an automobile, so a lot of mettallic molds are needed in automobile industry. A new mold manufacturing technology has been proposed. A new large scale RP machine has been set up in our lab now. Then rapid prototypes could be manufactured by means of laminated object manufacturing (LOM) technology. The molds for parts in automobile have been produced by ceramic shell precision casting. An example is a drawing mold for cover parts in automobile. Sufficient precision and surface roughness have been obtained. Itis proved that this is a vew kind of technology. Work supported by the Mational Science Foundation of China.

Setaria viridis floral-dip: A simple and rapid Agrobacterium-medicated transformation method

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Setaria viridis was recently described as a new monocotyledonous model species for C4 photosynthesis research and genetic transformation. It has biological attributes (rapid life cycle, small genome, diploid, short stature and simple growth requirements) that make it suitable for use as a model plan...

A RAPID AND SIMPLE PHOSPHOLIPASE A ASSAY,

DTIC Science & Technology

A simple and rapid method for the assay of phospholipase A was developed. As a substrate fresh egg yolk is used which is hydrolyzed by snake venom...phospholipase A at a 10-20 x faster rate than pure lecithin . The released fatty acids, after extraction with appropriate solvents are titrated

GABA-Mediated Presynaptic Inhibition Is Required for Precision of Long-Term Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Patrick K.; Dulka, Brooke N.; Ortiz, Samantha; Riccio, David C.; Jasnow, Aaron M.

2014-01-01

Though much attention has been given to the neural structures that underlie the long-term consolidation of contextual memories, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of memory precision. Here, we demonstrate a rapid time-dependent decline in memory precision in GABA [subscript B(1a)] receptor knockout mice. First, we…

Consistency of Lower-Body Dimensions Using Surface Landmarks and Simple Measurement Tools.

PubMed

Caia, Johnpaul; Weiss, Lawrence W; Chiu, Loren Z F; Schilling, Brian K; Paquette, Max R

2016-09-01

Caia, J, Weiss, LW, Chiu, LZF, Schilling, BK, and Paquette, MR. Consistency of lower-body dimensions using surface landmarks and simple measurement tools. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2600-2608, 2016-Body dimensions may influence various types of physical performance. This study was designed to establish the reliability and precision of bilateral lower-body dimensions using surface anatomic landmarks and either sliding calipers or goniometry. Fifty university students (25 men and 25 women) were measured on 2 separate occasions separated by 48 or 72 hours. A small digital caliper was used to acquire longitudinal dimensions of the feet, whereas a larger broad-blade caliper was used to measure lower-limb, hip, and pelvic dimensions. Quadriceps angle (Q-angle) was determined through surface goniometry. Data for all foot and lower-limb dimensions were both reliable and precise (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ≥0.72, SEM 0.1-0.5 cm). Measures of Q-angle were also reliable and precise (ICC ≥0.85, SEM 0.2-0.4°). Findings from this investigation demonstrate that lower-body dimensions may be reliably and precisely measured through simple practical tests, when surface anatomic landmarks and standardized procedures are used. Although intertester reliability remains to be established, meticulous adherence to specific measurement protocols is likely to yield viable output for lower-body dimensions when more sophisticated methods are unavailable or inappropriate.

Dimensional Precision Research of Wax Molding Rapid Prototyping based on Droplet Injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mingji, Huang; Geng, Wu; yan, Shan

2017-11-01

The traditional casting process is complex, the mold is essential products, mold quality directly affect the quality of the product. With the method of rapid prototyping 3D printing to produce mold prototype. The utility wax model has the advantages of high speed, low cost and complex structure. Using the orthogonal experiment as the main method, analysis each factors of size precision. The purpose is to obtain the optimal process parameters, to improve the dimensional accuracy of production based on droplet injection molding.

An Elementary Algorithm to Evaluate Trigonometric Functions to High Precision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johansson, B. Tomas

2018-01-01

Evaluation of the cosine function is done via a simple Cordic-like algorithm, together with a package for handling arbitrary-precision arithmetic in the computer program Matlab. Approximations to the cosine function having hundreds of correct decimals are presented with a discussion around errors and implementation.

Precision Cleaning and Protection of Coated Optical Components for NIF Small Optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phelps, Jim

The purpose of this procedure shall be to define the precision cleaning of finished, coated, small optical components for NIF at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. The term “small optical components” includes coated optics that are set into simple mounts, as well as coated, un-mounted optics.

An IC-MS/MS Method for the Determination of 1-Hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic Acid on Uncooked Foods Treated with Peracetic Acid-Based Sanitizers.

PubMed

Suzuki, Ippei; Kubota, Hiroki; Ohtsuki, Takashi; Tatebe, Chiye; Tada, Atsuko; Yano, Takeo; Akiyama, Hiroshi; Sato, Kyoko

2016-01-01

A rapid, sensitive, and specific analytical method for the determination of 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) on uncooked foods after treatment with a peracetic acid-based sanitizer (PAS) was developed. The method involves simple sample preparation steps and analysis using ion chromatography (IC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The quantification limits of HEDP on uncooked foods are 0.007 mg/kg for vegetables and fruits and 0.2 mg/kg for meats. The recovery and relative standard deviation (RSD) of HEDP analyses of uncooked foods ranged from 73.9 to 103.8% and 1.9 to 12.6%, respectively. The method's accuracy and precision were evaluated by inter-day recovery tests. The recovery for all samples ranged from 93.6 to 101.2%, and the within-laboratory repeatability and reproducibility were evaluated based on RSD values, which were less than 6.9 and 11.5%, respectively. Analyses of PAS-treated fruits and vegetables using the developed method indicated levels of HEDP ranging from 0.008 to 0.351 mg/kg. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that the proposed method is an accurate, precise, and reliable way to determine residual HEDP levels on PAS-treated uncooked foods.

Simultaneous determination of trace migration of phthalate esters in honey and royal jelly by GC-MS.

PubMed

Zhou, Jinhui; Qi, Yitao; Wu, Hongmei; Diao, Qingyun; Tian, Feifei; Li, Yi

2014-03-01

A simple, rapid, and reliable liquid-liquid extraction coupled to GC-MS method was developed and validated for the quantification of 22 phthalate esters (PAEs) in honey and royal jelly. Instrument parameters for GC-MS were tested to obtain the satisfactory separation between 22 PAEs with high sensitivity. The extraction procedure was optimized in order to achieve the best recovery. The following criteria were used to validate the developed method: linearity, LOD, lower LOQ, precision, accuracy, matrix effect and carry-over. Correlation coefficients were >0.999 by applying the linear regression model based on the least-squares method with a weighting factor (1/x). The intra- and interday precision were within 12.7% in terms of RSD, and the accuracy was within -11.8% in terms of relative error. The mean extraction recoveries ranged between 80.1 and 110.9% for honey and royal jelly. No significant matrix effect and carry-over for PAEs were observed for the analysis of honey and royal jelly samples. A total of 20 real samples were analyzed for a mini-survey using the developed method. Seven PAEs in honey samples and five PAEs in royal jelly samples were found, indicating potential contamination with several PAEs. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

HPTLC detection of altitudinal variation of the potential antivenin stigmasterol in different populations of the tropical ethnic antidote Rauvolfia serpentina.

PubMed

Dey, Abhijit; Pandey, Devendra Kumar

2014-09-01

To determine the altitudinal variation of stigmasterol, a potential antivenin, in roots from seven populations of Rauvolfia serpentina (L). Benth. ex Kurz. (Apocynaceae) (R. serpentina), an important herb found in Indian subcontinent which has long been used in the treatment of snakebite, blood pressure and schizophrenia. Altitudinal variation of stigmasterol content in R. serpentina roots was analyzed by high performance thin layer chromatography. Chromatography was performed on silica gel 60 F254 thin layer chromatography plates with benzene-acetone 86:14 (v/v) as mobile phase. Densitometric analysis was done at λ=366 nm after derivatization with vanillin-10% (v/v) sulphuric acid alcohol reagent. The method was validated for precision and recovery. The present experiment demonstrates a simple, rapid, precise and sensitive high performance thin layer chromatography protocol for qualitative and quantitative determination of stigmasterol from different populations of R. serpentina. Results demonstrated that in root samples stigmasterol was present at Rf value of 0.44. This investigation demonstrates that stigmasterol content in R. serpentina roots varies in different altitudes. Popular ethnomedicinal use of this herb against snakebite may be contributed by the occurrence of stigmasterol in its roots. Copyright © 2014 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a Rapid LC-MS/MS Method for the Determination of Emerging Fusarium mycotoxins Enniatins and Beauvericin in Human Biological Fluids

PubMed Central

Serrano, Ana Belén; Capriotti, Anna Laura; Cavaliere, Chiara; Piovesana, Susy; Samperi, Roberto; Ventura, Salvatore; Laganà, Aldo

2015-01-01

A novel method for the simultaneous determination of enniatins A, A1, B and B1 and beauvericin, both in human urine and plasma samples, was developed and validated. The method consisted of a simple and easy pretreatment, specific for each matrix, followed by solid phase extraction (SPE) and detection by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with an electrospray ion source. The optimized SPE method was performed on graphitized carbon black cartridges after suitable dilution of the extracts, which allowed high mycotoxin absolute recoveries (76%–103%) and the removal of the major interferences from the matrix. The method was extensively evaluated for plasma and urine samples separately, providing satisfactory results in terms of linearity (R2 of 0.991–0.999), process efficiency (>81%), trueness (recoveries between 85% and 120%), intra-day precision (relative standard deviation, RSD < 18%), inter-day precision (RSD < 21%) and method quantification limits (ranging between 20 ng·L−1 and 40 ng·L−1 in plasma and between 5 ng·L−1 and 20 ng·L−1 in urine). Finally, the highly sensitive validated method was applied to some urine and plasma samples from different donors. PMID:26371043

Monitoring sulfide and sulfate-reducing bacteria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tanner, R.S.

1995-12-31

Simple yet precise and accurate methods for monitoring sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and sulfide remain useful for the study of bacterial souring and corrosion. Test kits are available to measure sulfide in field samples. A more precise methylene blue sulfide assay for both field and laboratory studies is described here. Improved media, compared to that in API RP-38, for enumeration of SRB have been formulated. One of these, API-RST, contained cysteine (1.1 mM) as a reducing agent, which may be a confounding source of sulfide. While cysteine was required for rapid enumeration of SRB from environmental samples, the concentration of cysteinemore » in medium could be reduced to 0.4 mM. It was also determined that elevated levels of yeast extract (>1 g/liter) could interfere with enumeration of SRB from environmental samples. The API-RST medium was modified to a RST-11 medium. Other changes in medium composition, in addition to reduction of cysteine, included reduction of the concentration of phosphate from 3.4 mM to 2.2 mM, reduction of the concentration of ferrous iron from 0.8 mM to 0.5 mM and preparation of a stock mineral solution to ease medium preparation. SRB from environmental samples could be enumerated in a week in this medium.« less

Separation and determination of synthetic impurities of difloxacin by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Rao, R Nageswara; Nagaraju, V

2004-11-19

A simple and rapid reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for separation and determination of process-related impurities of difloxacin (DFL) was developed. The separation was achieved on a reversed-phase C(18) column using methanol-water-acetic acid (78:21.9:0.1, v/v/v) as a mobile solvent at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min at 28 degrees C using UV detection at 230 nm. It was linear over a range of 0.03 x 10(-6) to 1.60 x 10(-6)g for process related impurities and 0.05 x 10(-6) to 2.40 x 10(-6)g for difloxacin. The detection limits were 0.009 x 10(-6) to 0.024 x 10(-6)g for all the compounds examined. The recoveries were found to be in the range of 97.6-102.0% for impurities as well as difloxacin. The precision and robustness of the method were evaluated. It was used for not only quality assurance, but also monitoring the synthetic reactions involved in the process development work of difloxacin. The method was found to be specific, precise and reliable for the determination of unreacted levels of raw materials, intermediates in the reaction mixtures and the finished products of difloxacin.

Simple, rapid /sup 125/I-labeled cyclosporine double antibody/polyethylene glycol radioimmunoassay used in a pediatric cardiac transplant program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berk, L.S.; Webb, G.; Imperio, N.C.

1986-01-01

We modified the Sandoz cyclosporine radioimmunoassay because of our need for frequent clinical monitoring of cyclosporine drug levels in allo- and xenograft pediatric cardiac transplant patients. With application of a commercially available (/sup 125/I)cyclosporine label in place of (/sup 3/H)cyclosporine and a second antibody/polyethylene glycol (PEG) method of separation in place of charcoal separation, we simplified and enhanced the speed and precision of assay performance. Studies of 140 whole blood samples comparing this new method to the (/sup 3/H)cyclosporine radioimmunoassay (RIA) method of Berk and colleagues yielded a coefficient of correlation of 0.96 (p less than 0.00001) with means ofmore » 626 and 667 ng/ml for (/sup 3/H)RIA and (/sup 125/I)RIA, respectively, and a regression equation of y = 28 + 1.02x. The major advantages are that total assay time is reduced to approximately 1 h; (/sup 125/I)cyclosporine label is used, avoiding the problems associated with liquid scintillation counting; and precision is enhanced by separating bound and free fractions with second antibody/PEG. These modifications should provide for greater ease of assay performance and improved clinical utility of cyclosporine monitoring not only in the pediatric but also in the adult transplant patient.« less

Improvement of a headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the analysis of wheat bread volatile compounds.

PubMed

Raffo, Antonio; Carcea, Marina; Castagna, Claudia; Magrì, Andrea

2015-08-07

An improved method based on headspace solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) was proposed for the semi-quantitative determination of wheat bread volatile compounds isolated from both whole slice and crust samples. A DVB/CAR/PDMS fibre was used to extract volatiles from the headspace of a bread powdered sample dispersed in a sodium chloride (20%) aqueous solution and kept for 60min at 50°C under controlled stirring. Thirty-nine out of all the extracted volatiles were fully identified, whereas for 95 other volatiles a tentative identification was proposed, to give a complete as possible profile of wheat bread volatile compounds. The use of an array of ten structurally and physicochemically similar internal standards allowed to markedly improve method precision with respect to previous HS-SPME/GC-MS methods for bread volatiles. Good linearity of the method was verified for a selection of volatiles from several chemical groups by calibration with matrix-matched extraction solutions. This simple, rapid, precise and sensitive method could represent a valuable tool to obtain semi-quantitative information when investigating the influence of technological factors on volatiles formation in wheat bread and other bakery products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of genome editing through CRISPR-Cas9 engineering.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian-Hua; Adikaram, Poorni; Pandey, Mritunjay; Genis, Allison; Simonds, William F

2016-04-01

CRISPR (Clustered Regularly-Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-Cas9 (CRISPR associated protein 9) has rapidly become the most promising genome editing tool with great potential to revolutionize medicine. Through guidance of a 20 nucleotide RNA (gRNA), CRISPR-Cas9 finds and cuts target protospacer DNA precisely 3 base pairs upstream of a PAM (Protospacer Adjacent Motif). The broken DNA ends are repaired by either NHEJ (Non-Homologous End Joining) resulting in small indels, or by HDR (Homology Directed Repair) for precise gene or nucleotide replacement. Theoretically, CRISPR-Cas9 could be used to modify any genomic sequences, thereby providing a simple, easy, and cost effective means of genome wide gene editing. However, the off-target activity of CRISPR-Cas9 that cuts DNA sites with imperfect matches with gRNA have been of significant concern because clinical applications require 100% accuracy. Additionally, CRISPR-Cas9 has unpredictable efficiency among different DNA target sites and the PAM requirements greatly restrict its genome editing frequency. A large number of efforts have been made to address these impeding issues, but much more is needed to fully realize the medical potential of CRISPR-Cas9. In this article, we summarize the existing problems and current advances of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology and provide perspectives for the ultimate perfection of Cas9-mediated genome editing.

Simultaneous determination of sulfonamides, penicillins and coccidiostats in pork by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Nebot, C; Regal, P; Miranda, J; Cepeda, A; Fente, C

2012-05-01

Veterinary drugs are widely and legally used to treat and prevent disease in livestock. However, drugs are also used illegally as growth-promoting agents. To protect the health of consumers, maximum residue limits (MRL) in food of animal origin have been established and are listed in Regulation 37/2010. According to this regulation, more than 300 drugs need to be controlled regularly in laboratories for residues of veterinary drugs. A cost-effective analytical method is very important and explains why the development of multi-residual methods is becoming popular in laboratories. The aim of this work is to describe a simple, rapid and economical high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous identification and quantification of 21 veterinary drugs in pork muscle samples. The sample clean-up procedure is performed with acidified dichloromethane and does not require solid phase extraction. The method is applicable to nine sulfonamides and seven coccidiostats identified within 36 min. Calculated relevant validation parameters such as recoveries (from 72.to 126 %), intra-precision and intermediate precision (relative standard deviation below 40 %) and decision limits (below 7 µg Kg(-1)) were within acceptable range and in compliance with the requirements of Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. © The Author [2012]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of eight water-soluble vitamins in multivitamin formulations and human urine.

PubMed

Patil, Suyog S; Srivastava, Ashwini K

2013-01-01

A simple, precise, and rapid RPLC method has been developed without incorporation of any ion-pair reagent for the simultaneous determination of vitamin C (C) and seven B-complex vitamins, viz, thiamine hydrochloride (B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (B6), nicotinamide (B3), cyanocobalamine (B12), folic acid, riboflavin (B2), and 4-aminobenzoic acid (Bx). Separations were achieved within 12.0 min at 30 degrees C by gradient elution on an RP C18 column using a mobile phase consisting of a mixture of 15 mM ammonium formate buffer and 0.1% triethylamine adjusted to pH 4.0 with formic acid and acetonitrile. Simultaneous UV detection was performed at 275 and 360 nm. The method was validated for system suitability, LOD, LOQ, linearity, precision, accuracy, specificity, and robustness in accordance with International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The developed method was implemented successfully for determination of the aforementioned vitamins in pharmaceutical formulations containing an individual vitamin, in their multivitamin combinations, and in human urine samples. The calibration curves for all analytes showed good linearity, with coefficients of correlation higher than 0.9998. Accuracy, intraday repeatability (n = 6), and interday repeatability (n = 7) were found to be satisfactory.

Enhanced retention of a maxillofacial prosthetic obturator using precision attachments: Two case reports

PubMed Central

Murat, Sema; Gurbuz, Ayhan; Isayev, Abulfaz; Dokmez, Bahadir; Cetin, Unsun

2012-01-01

The majority of maxillary defects can be rehabilitated with conventional simple obturator prosthesis. However, inadequate retention, stability and support may be associated with the use of an obturator. Precision attachments have been used to retain obturators for some time. The use of precision attachments in a dentate maxillectomy patient can yield significant functional improvement while maintaining the obturator’s aesthetic advantages. This clinical report describes the prosthetic rehabilitation of two maxillary defects with an obturator retained using extracoronal resilient precision attachments. PMID:22509126

The role of precise time in IFF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridge, W. M.

1982-01-01

The application of precise time to the identification of friend or foe (IFF) problem is discussed. The simple concept of knowing when to expect each signal is exploited in a variety of ways to achieve an IFF system which is hard to detect, minimally exploitable and difficult to jam. Precise clocks are the backbone of the concept and the various candidates for this role are discussed. The compact rubidium-controlled oscillator is the only practical candidate.

Simple, Inexpensive, and Rapid Way to Produce Bacillus subtilis Spores for the Guthrie Bioassay

PubMed Central

Franklin, Martha L.; Clark, William A.

1981-01-01

Esculin agar has been found to be a simple, inexpensive, rapid, and reliable means to promote production of spores of inhibitor-sensitive clones of Bacillus subtilis strains ATCC 6051 and 6633 for use in the Guthrie bioassay screening tests for genetic metabolic disorders. Images PMID:6790564

Rapid determination of benzodiazepines, zolpidem and their metabolites in urine using direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Jeong, Yu-Dong; Kim, Min Kyung; Suh, Sung Ill; In, Moon Kyo; Kim, Jin Young; Paeng, Ki-Jung

2015-12-01

Benzodiazepines and zolpidem are generally prescribed as sedative, hypnotics, anxiolytics or anticonvulsants. These drugs, however, are frequently misused in drug-facilitated crime. Therefore, a rapid and simple liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for identification and quantification of benzodiazepines, zolpidem and their metabolites in urine using deuterium labeled internal standards (IS). Urine samples (120 μL) mixed with 80 μL of the IS solution were centrifuged. An aliquot (5 μL) of the sample solution was directly injected into the LC-MS/MS system for analysis. The mobile phases consisted of water and acetonitrile containing 2mM ammonium trifluoroacetate and 0.2% acetic acid. The analytical column was a Zorbax SB-C18 (100 mm × 2.1 mm i.d., 3.5 μm, Agilent). The separation and detection of 18 analytes were achieved within 10 min. Calibration curves were linear over the concentration ranges of 0.5-20 ng/mL (zolpidem), 1.0-40 ng/mL (flurazepam and temazepam), 2.5-100 ng/mL (7-aminoclonazepam, 1-hydroxymidazolam, midazolam, flunitrazepam and alprazolam), 5.0-200 ng/mL (zolpidem phenyl-4-carboxylic acid, α-hydroxyalprazolam, oxazepam, nordiazepam, triazolam, diazepam and α-hydroxytriazolam), 10-400 ng/mL (lorazepam and desalkylflurazepam) and 10-100 ng/mL (N-desmethylflunitrazepam) with the coefficients of determination (r(2)) above 0.9971. The dilution integrity of the analytes was examined for supplementation of short linear range. Dilution precision and accuracy were tested using two, four and ten-folds dilutions and they ranged from 3.7 to 14.4% and -12.8 to 12.5%, respectively. The process efficiency for this method was 63.0-104.6%. Intra- and inter-day precisions were less than 11.8% and 9.1%, while intra- and inter-day accuracies were less than -10.0 to 8.2%, respectively. The lower limits of quantification were lower than 10 ng/mL for each analyte. The applicability of the developed method was successfully verified with human urine samples from drug users (n=21). Direct urine sample injection and optimized mobile phases were introduced for simple sample preparation and high-sensitivity with the desired separation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hybrid thrusters and reaction wheels strategy for large angle rapid reorientation with high precision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Dong; Sun, Zhaowei; Wu, Shunan

2012-08-01

The quaternion-based, high precision, large angle rapid reorientation of rigid spacecraft is the main problem investigated in this study. The operation is accomplished via a hybrid thrusters and reaction wheels strategy where thrusters are engaged in providing a primary maneuver torque in open loop, while reaction wheels provide fine control torque to achieve high precision in closed-loop control. The inaccuracy of thrusters is handled by a variable structure control (VSC). In addition, a signum function is mixed in the switching surface in VSC to produce a maneuver to the reference attitude trajectory in a shortest distance. Detailed proofs and numerical simulation examples are presented to illustrate all the technical aspects of this work.

2010 Precision Strike Annual Review Held in Springfield, Virginia on April 20-21, 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-21

Reaction Technology Office Fogg (Acting) Director, Rapid Fielding Wyatt PD - Riley Program Oversight Dipetto Program Guidance And Assessment TBD Director...warfighters Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell Mr Thomas P Dee Complex Systems Dr Charles W Perkins Rapid Reaction Technology Office Mr Glenn A Fogg (Acting

Comparative analysis of multiple-casualty incident triage algorithms.

PubMed

Garner, A; Lee, A; Harrison, K; Schultz, C H

2001-11-01

We sought to retrospectively measure the accuracy of multiple-casualty incident (MCI) triage algorithms and their component physiologic variables in predicting adult patients with critical injury. We performed a retrospective review of 1,144 consecutive adult patients transported by ambulance and admitted to 2 trauma centers. Association between first-recorded out-of-hospital physiologic variables and a resource-based definition of severe injury appropriate to the MCI context was determined. The association between severe injury and Triage Sieve, Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment, modified Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment, and CareFlight Triage was determined in the patient population. Of the physiologic variables, the Motor Component of the Glasgow Coma Scale had the strongest association with severe injury, followed by systolic blood pressure. The differences between CareFlight Triage, Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment, and modified Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment were not dramatic, with sensitivities of 82% (95% confidence interval [CI] 75% to 88%), 85% (95% CI 78% to 90%), and 84% (95% CI 76% to 89%), respectively, and specificities of 96% (95% CI 94% to 97%), 86% (95% CI 84% to 88%), and 91% (95% CI 89% to 93%), respectively. Both forms of Triage Sieve were significantly poorer predictors of severe injury. Of the physiologic variables used in the triage algorithms, the Motor Component of the Glasgow Coma Scale and systolic blood pressure had the strongest association with severe injury. CareFlight Triage, Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment, and modified Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment had similar sensitivities in predicting critical injury in designated trauma patients, but CareFlight Triage had better specificity. Because patients in a true mass casualty situation may not be completely comparable with designated trauma patients transported to emergency departments in routine circumstances, the best triage instrument in this study may not be the best in an actual MCI. These findings must be validated prospectively before their accuracy can be confirmed.

Sorptive thin film microextraction followed by direct solid state spectrofluorimetry: A simple, rapid and sensitive method for determination of carvedilol in human plasma.

PubMed

Karimi, Shima; Talebpour, Zahra; Adib, Noushin

2016-06-14

A poly acrylate-ethylene glycol (PA-EG) thin film is introduced for the first time as a novel polar sorbent for sorptive extraction method coupled directly to solid-state spectrofluorimetry without the necessity of a desorption step. The structure, polarity, fluorescence property and extraction performance of the developed thin film were investigated systematically. Carvedilol was used as the model analyte to evaluate the proposed method. The entire procedure involved one-step extraction of carvedilol from plasma using PA-EG thin film sorptive phase without protein precipitation. Extraction variables were studied in order to establish the best experimental conditions. Optimum extraction conditions were the followings: stirring speed of 1000 rpm, pH of 6.8, extraction temperature of 60 °C, and extraction time of 60 min. Under optimal conditions, extraction of carvedilol was carried out in spiked human plasma; and the linear range of calibration curve was 15-300 ng mL(-1) with regression coefficient of 0.998. Limit of detection (LOD) for the method was 4.5 ng mL(-1). The intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision of the proposed method were evaluated in plasma sample spiked with three concentration levels of carvedilol; yielding a recovery of 91-112% and relative standard deviation of less than 8%, respectively. The established procedure was successfully applied for quantification of carvedilol in plasma sample of a volunteer patient. The developed PA-EG thin film sorptive phase followed by solid-state spectrofluorimetric method provides a simple, rapid and sensitive approach for the analysis of carvedilol in human plasma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination of cefquinome concentrations in sheep plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic studies.

PubMed

Uney, Kamil; Altan, Feray; Elmas, Muammer

2011-02-01

Cefquinome has a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity and was developed especially for use in animals. A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV-visible detection for quantification of cefquinome concentrations in sheep plasma was developed and validated. Separation of cefquinome from plasma components was achieved on a Phenomenex Gemini C(18) column (250 mm by 4.6 mm; internal diameter [i.d.], 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in water and was delivered at a rate of 0.9 ml/min. A simple and rapid sample preparation involved the addition of methanol to 200 μl of plasma to precipitate plasma proteins followed by direct injection of 50 μl of supernatant into the high-performance liquid chromatography system. The linearity range of the proposed method was 0.02 to 12 μg/ml. The intraday and interday coefficients of variation obtained from cefquinome were less than 5%, and biases ranged from -3.76% to 1.24%. Mean recovery based on low-, medium-, and high-quality control standards ranged between 92.0 and 93.9%. Plasma samples were found to be stable in various storage conditions (freeze-thaw, postpreparative, short-term, and long-term stability). The method described was found to be readily available, practicable, cheap, rapid, sensitive, precise, and accurate. It was successfully applied to the study of the pharmacokinetics of cefquinome in sheep. This method can be very useful and an alternate to performing pharmacokinetic studies in the determination of cefquinome for clinical use.

Validation of a Rapid and Sensitive UPLC–MS-MS Method Coupled with Protein Precipitation for the Simultaneous Determination of Seven Pyrethroids in 100 µL of Rat Plasma by Using Ammonium Adduct as Precursor Ion

PubMed Central

Singh, Sheelendra Pratap; Dwivedi, Nistha; Raju, Kanumuri Siva Rama; Taneja, Isha; Wahajuddin, Mohammad

2016-01-01

United States Environmental Protection Agency has recommended estimating pyrethroids’ risk using cumulative exposure. For cumulative risk assessment, it would be useful to have a bioanalytical method for quantification of one or several pyrethroids simultaneously in a small sample volume to support toxicokinetic studies. Therefore, in the present study, a simple, sensitive and high-throughput ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for simultaneous analysis of seven pyrethroids (fenvalerate, fenpropathrin, bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin) in 100 µL of rat plasma. A simple single-step protein precipitation method was used for the extraction of target compounds. The total chromatographic run time of the method was 5 min. The chromatographic system used a Supelco C18 column and isocratic elution with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and 5 mM ammonium formate in the ratio of 90 : 10 (v/v). Mass spectrometer (API 4000) was operated in multiple reaction monitoring positive-ion mode using the electrospray ionization technique. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 7.8–2,000 ng/mL with correlation coefficients of ≥0.99. All validation parameters such as precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect and stability met the acceptance criteria according to the regulatory guidelines. The method was successfully applied to the toxicokinetic study of cypermethrin in rats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first LC–MS-MS method for the simultaneous analysis of pyrethroids in rat plasma. This validated method with minimal modification can also be utilized for forensic and clinical toxicological applications due to its simplicity, sensitivity and rapidity. PMID:26801239

Fabrication of cross-shaped Cu-nanowire resistive memory devices using a rapid, scalable, and designable inorganic-nanowire-digital-alignment technique (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Wentao; Lee, Yeongjun; Min, Sung-Yong; Park, Cheolmin; Lee, Tae-Woo

2016-09-01

Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) is a candidate next generation nonvolatile memory due to its high access speed, high density and ease of fabrication. Especially, cross-point-access allows cross-bar arrays that lead to high-density cells in a two-dimensional planar structure. Use of such designs could be compatible with the aggressive scaling down of memory devices, but existing methods such as optical or e-beam lithographic approaches are too complicated. One-dimensional inorganic nanowires (i-NWs) are regarded as ideal components of nanoelectronics to circumvent the limitations of conventional lithographic approaches. However, post-growth alignment of these i-NWs precisely on a large area with individual control is still a difficult challenge. Here, we report a simple, inexpensive, and rapid method to fabricate two-dimensional arrays of perpendicularly-aligned, individually-conductive Cu-NWs with a nanometer-scale CuxO layer sandwiched at each cross point, by using an inorganic-nanowire-digital-alignment technique (INDAT) and a one-step reduction process. In this approach, the oxide layer is self-formed and patterned, so conventional deposition and lithography are not necessary. INDAT eliminates the difficulties of alignment and scalable fabrication that are encountered when using currently-available techniques that use inorganic nanowires. This simple process facilitates fabrication of cross-point nonvolatile memristor arrays. Fabricated arrays had reproducible resistive switching behavior, high on/off current ratio (Ion/Ioff) 10 6 and extensive cycling endurance. This is the first report of memristors with the resistive switching oxide layer self-formed, self-patterned and self-positioned; we envision that the new features of the technique will provide great opportunities for future nano-electronic circuits.

A 5-mC Dot Blot Assay Quantifying the DNA Methylation Level of Chondrocyte Dedifferentiation In Vitro.

PubMed

Jia, Zhaofeng; Liang, Yujie; Ma, Bin; Xu, Xiao; Xiong, Jianyi; Duan, Li; Wang, Daping

2017-05-17

The dedifferentiation of hyaline chondrocytes into fibroblastic chondrocytes often accompanies monolayer expansion of chondrocytes in vitro. The global DNA methylation level of chondrocytes is considered to be a suitable biomarker for the loss of the chondrocyte phenotype. However, results based on different experimental methods can be inconsistent. Therefore, it is important to establish a precise, simple, and rapid method to quantify global DNA methylation levels during chondrocyte dedifferentiation. Current genome-wide methylation analysis techniques largely rely on bisulfite genomic sequencing. Due to DNA degradation during bisulfite conversion, these methods typically require a large sample volume. Other methods used to quantify global DNA methylation levels include high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). However, HPLC requires complete digestion of genomic DNA. Additionally, the prohibitively high cost of HPLC instruments limits HPLC's wider application. In this study, genomic DNA (gDNA) was extracted from human chondrocytes cultured with varying number of passages. The gDNA methylation level was detected using a methylation-specific dot blot assay. In this dot blot approach, a gDNA mixture containing the methylated DNA to be detected was spotted directly onto an N + membrane as a dot inside a previously drawn circular template pattern. Compared with other gel electrophoresis-based blotting approaches and other complex blotting procedures, the dot blot method saves significant time. In addition, dot blots can detect overall DNA methylation level using a commercially available 5-mC antibody. We found that the DNA methylation level differed between the monolayer subcultures, and therefore could play a key role in chondrocyte dedifferentiation. The 5-mC dot blot is a reliable, simple, and rapid method to detect the general DNA methylation level to evaluate chondrocyte phenotype.

Validated UV-spectrophotometric method for the evaluation of the efficacy of makeup remover.

PubMed

Charoennit, P; Lourith, N

2012-04-01

A UV-spectrophotometric method for the analysis of makeup remover was developed and validated according to ICH guidelines. Three makeup removers for which the main ingredients consisted of vegetable oil (A), mineral oil and silicone (B) and mineral oil and water (C) were sampled in this study. Ethanol was the optimal solvent because it did not interfere with the maximum absorbance of the liquid foundation at 250 nm. The linearity was determined over a range of makeup concentrations from 0.540 to 1.412 mg mL⁻¹ (R² = 0.9977). The accuracy of this method was determined by analysing low, intermediate and high concentrations of the liquid foundation and gave 78.59-91.57% recoveries with a relative standard deviation of <2% (0.56-1.45%). This result demonstrates the validity and reliability of this method. The reproducibilities were 97.32 ± 1.79, 88.34 ± 2.69 and 95.63 ± 2.94 for preparations A, B and C respectively, which are within the acceptable limits set forth by the ASEAN analytical validation guidelines, which ensure the precision of the method under the same operating conditions over a short time interval and the inter-assay precision within the laboratory. The proposed method is therefore a simple, rapid, accurate, precise and inexpensive technique for the routine analysis of makeup remover efficacy. © 2011 The Authors. ICS © 2011 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Development and Validation of Liquid Chromatographic Method for Estimation of Naringin in Nanoformulation

PubMed Central

Musmade, Kranti P.; Trilok, M.; Dengale, Swapnil J.; Bhat, Krishnamurthy; Reddy, M. S.; Musmade, Prashant B.; Udupa, N.

2014-01-01

A simple, precise, accurate, rapid, and sensitive reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method with UV detection has been developed and validated for quantification of naringin (NAR) in novel pharmaceutical formulation. NAR is a polyphenolic flavonoid present in most of the citrus plants having variety of pharmacological activities. Method optimization was carried out by considering the various parameters such as effect of pH and column. The analyte was separated by employing a C18 (250.0 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column at ambient temperature in isocratic conditions using phosphate buffer pH 3.5: acetonitrile (75 : 25% v/v) as mobile phase pumped at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. UV detection was carried out at 282 nm. The developed method was validated according to ICH guidelines Q2(R1). The method was found to be precise and accurate on statistical evaluation with a linearity range of 0.1 to 20.0 μg/mL for NAR. The intra- and interday precision studies showed good reproducibility with coefficients of variation (CV) less than 1.0%. The mean recovery of NAR was found to be 99.33 ± 0.16%. The proposed method was found to be highly accurate, sensitive, and robust. The proposed liquid chromatographic method was successfully employed for the routine analysis of said compound in developed novel nanopharmaceuticals. The presence of excipients did not show any interference on the determination of NAR, indicating method specificity. PMID:26556205

Causes of failure with Szabo technique - an analysis of nine cases.

PubMed

Jain, Rajendra Kumar; Padmanabhan, T N C; Chitnis, Nishad

2013-01-01

The objective of this case series is to identify and define causes of failure of Szabo technique in rapid-exchange monorail system for ostial lesions. From March 2009 to March 2011, 42 patients with an ostial lesion were treated percutaneously at our institution using Szabo technique in a monorail stent system. All patients received unfractionated heparin during intervention. Loading dose of clopidogrel, followed by clopidogrel and aspirin was administered. In 57% of patients, drug-eluting stents were used and in 42.8% patients bare metal stents. The stent was advanced over both wires, the target wire and the anchor wire. The anchor wire, which was passed through the proximal trailing strut of the stent helps to achieve precise stenting. The procedure was considered to be successful if stent was placed precisely covering the lesion and without stent loss or anchor wire prolapsing. Of the total 42 patients, the procedure was successful in 33, while failed in 9. Majority of failures were due to wire entanglement, which was fixed successfully in 3 cases by removing and reinserting the anchor wire. Out of other three failures, in one stent dislodgment occurred, stent could not cross the lesion in one and in another anchor wire got looped and prolapsed into target vessel. This case series shows that the Szabo technique, in spite of some difficulties like wire entanglement, stent dislodgement and resistance during stent advancement, is a simple and feasible method for treating variety of ostial lesions precisely compared to conventional angioplasty. Copyright © 2013 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Causes of failure with Szabo technique – An analysis of nine cases

PubMed Central

Jain, Rajendra Kumar; Padmanabhan, T.N.C.; Chitnis, Nishad

2013-01-01

Objective The objective of this case series is to identify and define causes of failure of Szabo technique in rapid-exchange monorail system for ostial lesions. Methods and results From March 2009 to March 2011, 42 patients with an ostial lesion were treated percutaneously at our institution using Szabo technique in a monorail stent system. All patients received unfractionated heparin during intervention. Loading dose of clopidogrel, followed by clopidogrel and aspirin was administered. In 57% of patients, drug-eluting stents were used and in 42.8% patients bare metal stents. The stent was advanced over both wires, the target wire and the anchor wire. The anchor wire, which was passed through the proximal trailing strut of the stent helps to achieve precise stenting. The procedure was considered to be successful if stent was placed precisely covering the lesion and without stent loss or anchor wire prolapsing. Of the total 42 patients, the procedure was successful in 33, while failed in 9. Majority of failures were due to wire entanglement, which was fixed successfully in 3 cases by removing and reinserting the anchor wire. Out of other three failures, in one stent dislodgment occurred, stent could not cross the lesion in one and in another anchor wire got looped and prolapsed into target vessel. Conclusion This case series shows that the Szabo technique, in spite of some difficulties like wire entanglement, stent dislodgement and resistance during stent advancement, is a simple and feasible method for treating variety of ostial lesions precisely compared to conventional angioplasty. PMID:23809379

Theoretically guided analytical method development and validation for the estimation of rifampicin in a mixture of isoniazid and pyrazinamide by UV spectrophotometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Mohammad F.; Rita, Shamima A.; Kayser, Md. Shahidulla; Islam, Md. Shariful; Asad, Sharmeen; Bin Rashid, Ridwan; Bari, Md. Abdul; Rahman, Muhammed M.; Al Aman, D. A. Anwar; Setu, Nurul I.; Banoo, Rebecca; Rashid, Mohammad A.

2017-04-01

A simple, rapid, economic, accurate and precise method for the estimation of rifampicin in a mixture of isoniazid and pyrazinamide by UV spectrophotometeric technique (guided by the theoretical investigation of physicochemical properties) was developed and validated. Theoretical investigations revealed that isoniazid and pyrazinamide both were freely soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethyl acetate whereas rifampicin was practically insoluble in water but freely soluble in ethyl acetate. This indicates that ethyl acetate is an effective solvent for the extraction of rifampicin from a water mixture of isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Computational study indicated that pH range of 6.0-8.0 would favor the extraction of rifampicin. Rifampicin is separated from isoniazid and pyrazinamide at pH 7.4 ± 0.1 by extracting with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate was then analyzed at λmax of 344.0 nm. The developed method was validated for linearity, accuracy and precision according to ICH guidelines. The proposed method exhibited good linearity over the concentration range of 2.5 - 35.0 µg/mL. The intraday and inter-day precision in terms of % RSD ranged from 1.09 - 1.70% and 1.63 - 2.99%, respectively. The accuracy (in terms of recovery) of the method varied from of 96.7 ± 0.9 to 101.1 ± 0.4%. The LOD and LOQ were found to be 0.83 and 2.52 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, the developed method was successfully applied to assay rifampicin combination (isoniazid and pyrazinamide) brands available in Bangladesh.

Simultaneous Determination of Miconazole Nitrate and Metronidazole in Different Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms by Gas Chromatography and Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID).

PubMed

Ashour, Safwan; Kattan, Nuha

2010-03-01

A simple, rapid and precise gas chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of miconazole nitrate (MIZ) and metronidazole (MNZ) in tablets and ovules, using a capillary column AE.SE-54 (15 m × 0.53 mm, i.d.) and nitrogen as a carrier gas at a flow rate of 9 mL min(-1). The oven temperature was programmed at 140°C for 3 min, with a rise of 40°C min(-1) up to 180°C (held for 2 min) and then increased to a final temperature of 250°C. The injector and detector port temperatures were maintained at 260°C. Detection was carried out using flame ionization detector. Results of assay and recovery studies were statistically evaluated for its accuracy and precision. The retention times were about 3.50 and 12.90 min for MNZ and MIZ, respectively. Linearity ranges were 50.0-6030.0 and 62.5-2000.0 μg mL(-1) for MNZ and MIZ, with limit of detection values of 2.5 and 3.1 μg mL(-1), respectively. Correlation coefficients (R(2)) of the regression equations were greater than 0.999 in all cases. No interference from any components of pharmaceutical dosage forms or degradation products was observed. According to the validation results, the proposed method was found to be specific, accurate, precise and could be applied to the simultaneous quantitative analysis of MIZ and MNZ in tablets and ovules.

[Microbiology--laboratory examinations for bacterias].

PubMed

Hen, Renjun; Imafuku, Yuji; Yoshida, Hiroshi

2002-11-01

As it has been required to identify pathogenic microbes in shorter times, simple and rapid methods have been developed and used. Here, we summarized the present situation of rapid diagnostic testing in clinical microbiology in Japan, and also presented our results on PBP2' detection. The rapid test kits available in Japan for E. coli, Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus were described. Rapid examination methods are based mainly on immunologic reactions, which included slide agglutination using latex particle, immunochromatography and ELISA. Times required for the identification are 10 to 15 minutes. Moreover, rapid test kits employing PCR are also marketed. Further, we evaluated MRSA-LA "Seiken" which is a rapid detection kit for PBP2' produced by MRSA. The test was shown to be highly sensitive and specific. For the rapid identification of pathogenic microbes, simple and rapid test kits described here will be used more in clinical diagnosis.

KommonBase - A precise direct bonding system for labial fixed appliances.

PubMed

Miyashita, Wataru; Komori, Akira; Takemoto, Kyoto

2017-09-01

"KommonBase" is a system designed to customize the bracket base by means of an extended resin base covering the tooth. This system enables precise bracket placement and accurate fit on teeth. Moreover, KommonBase can be easily fabricated in a laboratory and bonded on each tooth using simple clinical procedures. Straight-wire treatment without wire bending was achieved in the clinical cases presented in this article using the KommonBase system for a labial fixed appliance. The application of KommonBase to the vestibular side enables efficient orthodontic treatment using simple mechanics. Copyright © 2017 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Noninvasive control of dental calculus removal: qualification of two fluorescence methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonchukov, S.; Sukhinina, A.; Bakhmutov, D.; Biryukova, T.

2013-02-01

The main condition of periodontitis prevention is the full calculus removal from the teeth surface. This procedure should be fulfilled without harming adjacent unaffected tooth tissues. Nevertheless the problem of sensitive and precise estimating of tooth-calculus interface exists and potential risk of hard tissue damage remains. In this work it was shown that fluorescence diagnostics during calculus removal can be successfully used for precise noninvasive detection of calculus-tooth interface. In so doing the simple implementation of this method free from the necessity of spectrometer using can be employed. Such a simple implementation of calculus detection set-up can be aggregated with the devices of calculus removing.

Simultaneous Determination of Potassium Clavulanate and Amoxicillin Trihydrate in Bulk, Pharmaceutical Formulations and in Human Urine Samples by UV Spectrophotometry

PubMed Central

Gujral, Rajinder Singh; Haque, Sk Manirul

2010-01-01

A simple and sensitive UV spectrophotometric method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of Potassium Clavulanate (PC) and Amoxicillin Trihydrate (AT) in bulk, pharmaceutical formulations and in human urine samples. The method was linear in the range of 0.2–8.5 μg/ml for PC and 6.4–33.6 μg/ml for AT. The absorbance was measured at 205 and 271 nm for PC and AT respectively. The method was validated with respect to accuracy, precision, specificity, ruggedness, robustness, limit of detection and limit of quantitation. This method was used successfully for the quality assessment of four PC and AT drug products and in human urine samples with good precision and accuracy. This is found to be simple, specific, precise, accurate, reproducible and low cost UV Spectrophotometric method. PMID:23675211

A Treatment of Computational Precision, Number Representation, and Large Integers in an Introductory Fortran Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, William H., Jr.

2006-01-01

Computational precision is sometimes given short shrift in a first programming course. Treating this topic requires discussing integer and floating-point number representations and inaccuracies that may result from their use. An example of a moderately simple programming problem from elementary statistics was examined. It forced students to…

High Precision Pressure Measurement with a Funnel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez-Arias, T.; Gratton, L. M.; Oss, S.

2008-01-01

A simple experimental device for high precision differential pressure measurements is presented. Its working mechanism recalls that of a hydraulic press, where pressure is supplied by insufflating air under a funnel. As an application, we measure air pressure inside a soap bubble. The soap bubble is inflated and connected to a funnel which is…

Tour of a Simple Trigonometry Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poon, Kin-Keung

2012-01-01

This article focuses on a simple trigonometric problem that generates a strange phenomenon when different methods are applied to tackling it. A series of problem-solving activities are discussed, so that students can be alerted that the precision of diagrams is important when solving geometric problems. In addition, the problem-solving plan was…

Coins and Costs: A Simple and Rapid Assessment of Basic Financial Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willner, Paul; Bailey, Rebecca; Dymond, Simon; Parry, Rhonwen

2011-01-01

Introduction: We describe a simple and rapid screening test for basic financial knowledge that is suitable for administration to people with mild intellectual disabilities. Method: The Coins and Costs test asks respondents to name coins, and to estimate prices of objects ranging between 1 British Pound (an ice cream) and 100K British Pounds (a…

A SIMPLE AND RAPID MATRIX-ASSISTED LASER DESORPTION/IONIZATION TIME OF FLIGHT MASS SPECTROMETRY METHOD TO SCREEN FISH PLASMA SAMPLES FOR ESTROGEN-RESPONSIVE BIOMARKERS

EPA Science Inventory

In this study, we describe and evaluate the performance of a simple and rapid mass spectral method for screening fish plasma for estrogen-responsive biomarkers using matrix assisted laster desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) couopled with a short...

Nd:YAG-laser-Q-switching with a photo-elastic modulator and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bammer, F.; Petkovšek, R.; Dominguez, H.; Liedl, G.

2010-05-01

We present a rod-Nd:YAG-Laser, side-pumped with eight 50W-laser diode bars at 808nm, and Q-switched with a Single Crystal Photo-Elastic Modulator at 95.1 kHz. The latter is made of a z-cut LiNbO3-crystal, which is electrically y-excited on the mechanical resonance frequency of the x-longitudinal oscillation. With a voltage amplitude of 3 V the crystal shows a strong oscillation such that due to the photo-elastic effect a high polarization modulation is achieved, which, together with a polarizer, can be used as a simple optical switch. With this inside the laser resonator the average power is 47.8W in cw-mode and 45.5W in pulsed mode, with pulse peak powers of 4 kW and pulse widths of 100ns. This kind of operation is similar to cw-operation but offers due to the high peak powers different interaction physics with matter. The source is therefore suited for micro-welding of metals, LIDAR, rapid prototyping of plastics, marking/engraving/cutting of plastics, marking of glasses. In cases where high precision and a small heat affected zone are necessary this simple kind of pulsed operation may be advantageous, when compared to cw-operation.

Nanoplasmonic biochips for rapid label-free detection of imidacloprid pesticides with a smartphone.

PubMed

Lee, Kuang-Li; You, Meng-Lin; Tsai, Chia-Hsin; Lin, En-Hung; Hsieh, Shu-Yi; Ho, Ming-Hsun; Hsu, Ju-Chun; Wei, Pei-Kuen

2016-01-15

The widespread and intensive use of neonicotinoid insecticides induces negative cascading effects on ecosystems. It is desirable to develop a portable sensitive sensing platform for on-site screening of high-risk pesticides. We combined an indirect competitive immunoassay, highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biochip and a simple portable imaging setup for label-free detection of imidacloprid pesticides. The SPR biochip consists of several capped nanoslit arrays with different periods which form a spectral image on the chip. The qualitative and semiquantitative analyses of pesticides can be directly observed from the spot shift on the chip. The precise semiquantitative analyses can be further completed by using image processing in a smartphone. We demonstrate simultaneous detection of four different concentrations of imidacloprid pesticides. The visual detection limit is about 1ppb, which is well below the maximum residue concentration permitted by law (20ppb). Compared to the one-step strip assay, the proposed chip is capable of performing semiquantitative analyses and multiple detection. Compared to the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, our method is label-free and requires simple washing steps and short reaction time. In addition, the label-free chip has a comparable sensitivity but wider working range than those labeling techniques. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Virtual-stereo fringe reflection technique for specular free-form surface testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Suodong; Li, Bo

2016-11-01

Due to their excellent ability to improve the performance of optical systems, free-form optics have attracted extensive interest in many fields, e.g. optical design of astronomical telescopes, laser beam expanders, spectral imagers, etc. However, compared with traditional simple ones, testing for such kind of optics is usually more complex and difficult which has been being a big barrier for the manufacture and the application of these optics. Fortunately, owing to the rapid development of electronic devices and computer vision technology, fringe reflection technique (FRT) with advantages of simple system structure, high measurement accuracy and large dynamic range is becoming a powerful tool for specular free-form surface testing. In order to obtain absolute surface shape distributions of test objects, two or more cameras are often required in the conventional FRT which makes the system structure more complex and the measurement cost much higher. Furthermore, high precision synchronization between each camera is also a troublesome issue. To overcome the aforementioned drawback, a virtual-stereo FRT for specular free-form surface testing is put forward in this paper. It is able to achieve absolute profiles with the help of only one single biprism and a camera meanwhile avoiding the problems of stereo FRT based on binocular or multi-ocular cameras. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique.

[Simultaneous determination of sivelestat and its metabolite XW-IMP-A in human plasma using HPLC-MS/MS].

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Dai, Xiao-jian; Zhang, Yi-fan; Zhong, Da-fang; Wu, Yu-lin; Chen, Xiao-yan

2015-10-01

A simple and rapid method was developed based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to determine sivelestat and its metabolite XW-IMP-A in human plasma. After a simple protein precipitation, the samples and internal standards were analyzed on a C18 column by a gradient elution program. The mobile phase consisted of 30% acetonitrile in methanol and 5 mmol · L(-1) ammonium acetate at a flow rate of 0.7 mL · min(-1). The mass spectrometric data was collected in multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM) in the negative electrospray ionization. The standard curves were linear in the range of 10.0-15,000 ng · mL(-1) for sivelestat, and 2.50-1000 ng · mL(-1) for XW-IMP-A. The low limits of quantitation were identified at 10.0 and 2.50 ng · mL for sivelestat and XW-IMP-A, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precision were within 11.3% and 13.1% for sivelestat and XW-IMP-A, and accuracy was 0.3% and 0.6% for sivelestat and XW-IMP-A, within the acceptable limits across all concentrations. The method was successfully validated in the pharmacokinetic study of sivelestat in healthy Chinese volunteers.

A validated LC method for determination of 2,3-dichlorobenzoic acid and its associated regio isomers.

PubMed

Krishnaiah, Ch; Sri, Khagga Bhavya

2012-05-01

A simple, selective and sensitive gradient reversed-phase liquid chromatography method has been developed for the separation and determination of 2,3-dichlorobenzoic acid, which is an intermediate of the lamotrizine drug substance, and its regio isomers. The separation was achieved on a reversed-phase United States Pharmacopeia L1 (C-18) column using 0.01 M ammonium acetate buffer at pH 2.5 and methanol (50:50 v/v) mixture as mobile phase A and a methanol and water mixture (80:20 v/v) as mobile phase B in a gradient elution at flow rate 1.2 mL/min with ultraviolet detection at 210 nm. The method is found to be selective, precise, linear, accurate and robust. It was used for quality assurance and monitoring the synthetic reactions involved in the process development of lamotrizine. The method is found to be simple, rapid, specific and reliable for the determination of unreacted levels of raw materials and isomers in reaction mixtures and finished product lamotrizine. The method was fully validated as per International Conference of Harmonization guidelines and results from validation confirm that the method is highly suitable for its intended purpose. © The Author [2012]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a stability-indicating high performance liquid chromatographic assay for benoxinate.

PubMed

Chorny, Michael; Levy, Daniel; Schumacher, Ilana; Lichaa, Chaim; Gruzman, Boris; Livshits, Oleg; Lomnicky, Yossi

2003-04-24

Benoxinate is a local anaesthetic used for ophthalmic applications. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and simple stability-indicating method for the determination of benoxinate formulated for ophthalmic use, evaluate its long-term stability and identify its major degradation product. Benoxinate was eluted on a 10 microm Spherisorb phenyl column, 250 x 3.2 mm, with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-buffer (pH 3.5) (35:65, v/v), pumped at 0.8 ml min(-1) flow rate. The buffer was composed of sodium dihydrogen phosphate (50 mM), sodium hydrogen sulfate (2.5 mM) and 1-heptanesulfonic acid sodium salt (5 mM). The analyte was quantified spectrophotometrically at 308 nm. The chromatograms of benoxinate formulations obtained by this method showed benoxinate (t = 4.5 min) well resolved from its degradation product (t = 2.3 min), which was separately identified by means of HPLC-MS as 4-amino-3-butoxybenzoic acid. The assay was demonstrated to have high accuracy, precision and linearity. The method was implemented in investigating the long-term stability of benoxinate 0.4% ophthalmic solutions. The method was found to be simple, quick and selective in determining benoxinate concentrations in fresh and aged preparations.

A simple automated system for appetitive conditioning of zebrafish in their home tanks.

PubMed

Doyle, Jillian M; Merovitch, Neil; Wyeth, Russell C; Stoyek, Matthew R; Schmidt, Michael; Wilfart, Florentin; Fine, Alan; Croll, Roger P

2017-01-15

We describe here an automated apparatus that permits rapid conditioning paradigms for zebrafish. Arduino microprocessors were used to control the delivery of auditory or visual stimuli to groups of adult or juvenile zebrafish in their home tanks in a conventional zebrafish facility. An automatic feeder dispensed precise amounts of food immediately after the conditioned stimuli, or at variable delays for controls. Responses were recorded using inexpensive cameras, with the video sequences analysed with ImageJ or Matlab. Fish showed significant conditioned responses in as few as 5 trials, learning that the conditioned stimulus was a predictor of food presentation at the water surface and at the end of the tank where the food was dispensed. Memories of these conditioned associations persisted for at least 2days after training when fish were tested either as groups or as individuals. Control fish, for which the auditory or visual stimuli were specifically unpaired with food, showed no comparable responses. This simple, low-cost, automated system permits scalable conditioning of zebrafish with minimal human intervention, greatly reducing both variability and labour-intensiveness. It will be useful for studies of the neural basis of learning and memory, and for high-throughput screening of compounds modifying those processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultra-sensitive detection of kanamycin for food safety using a reduced graphene oxide-based fluorescent aptasensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Na-Reum; Jung, In-Pil; La, Im-Joung; Jung, Ho-Sup; Yoon, Moon-Young

2017-01-01

Overuse of antibiotics has caused serious problems, such as appearance of super bacteria, whose accumulation in the human body through the food chain is a concern. Kanamycin is a common antibiotic used to treat diverse infections; however, residual kanamycin can cause many side effects in humans. Thus, development of an ultra-sensitive, precise, and simple detection system for residual kanamycin in food products is urgently needed for food safety. In this study, we identified kanamycin-binding aptamers via a new screening method, and truncated variants were analyzed for optimization of the minimal sequence required for target binding. We found various aptamers with high binding affinity from 34.7 to 669 nanomolar Kdapp values with good specificity against kanamycin. Furthermore, we developed a reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-based fluorescent aptasensor for kanamycin detection. In this system, kanamycin was detected at a concentration as low as 1 pM (582.6 fg/mL). In addition, this method could detect kanamycin accurately in kanamycin-spiked blood serum and milk samples. Consequently, this simple, rapid, and sensitive kanamycin detection system with newly structural and functional analysis aptamer exhibits outstanding detection compared to previous methods and provides a new possibility for point of care testing and food safety.

Determination of L-ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and caffeine in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Cooper, Stephen D; Fletcher, Brenda L; Silinski, Melanie A Rehder; Brown, Sherri S; Lodge, Jon W; Fernando, Reshan A; Collins, Bradley J

2011-07-01

A rapid and simple liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of L-ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and caffeine in male Fisher-344 rat plasma at nanogram-per-milliliter concentrations for use in support of toxicology studies. Only 25 μL of plasma is required, and extraction is performed using a simple, single-step protein precipitation. The method was validated over a range of 2.09 to 5460 ng/mL for L-ephedrine, 2.09 to 5050 ng/mL for pseudoephedrine and 2.03 to 5340 ng/mL for caffeine. A binary gradient elution at 0.3 mL/min was used with a Waters XBridge Phenyl (2.1 × 150 mm, 3.5 μm) column and a Waters XBridge Phenyl 2.1- × 10-mm guard column at ambient temperature. The mobile phase consisted of 10 mM ammonium acetate in water (pH 5.0) and methanol. Caffeine trimethyl-(13)C(3) was used as the internal standard. The method was evaluated for linearity, recovery, precision, accuracy, and stability, and it was successfully applied in toxicokinetic studies of ephedrine, administered alone, in combination with caffeine, and in the herbal source Ma Huang.

Determination of hydroxyurea in human plasma by HPLC-UV using derivatization with xanthydrol.

PubMed

Legrand, Tiphaine; Rakotoson, Marie-Georgine; Galactéros, Frédéric; Bartolucci, Pablo; Hulin, Anne

2017-10-01

A simple and rapid high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method using ultraviolet (UV) detection was developed to determine hydroxyurea (HU) concentration in plasma sample after derivatization with xanthydrol. Two hundred microliters samples were spiked with methylurea (MeU) as internal standard and proteins were precipitated by adding methanol. Derivatization of HU and MeU was immediately performed by adding 0.02M xanthydrol and 1.5M HCl in order to obtain xanthyl-derivatives of HU and MeU that can be further separated using HPLC and quantified using UV detection at 240nm. Separation was achieved using a C18 column with a mobile phase composed of 20mM ammonium acetate and acetonitrile in gradient elution mode at a flow rate of 1mL/min. The total analysis time did not exceed 18min. The method was found linear from 5 to 400μM and all validation parameters fulfilled the international requirements. Between- and within-run accuracy error ranged from -4.7% to 3.2% and precision was lower than 12.8%. This simple method requires small volume samples and can be easily implemented in most clinical laboratories to develop pharmacokinetics studies of HU and to promote its therapeutic monitoring. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The neural basis of precise visual short-term memory for complex recognisable objects.

PubMed

Veldsman, Michele; Mitchell, Daniel J; Cusack, Rhodri

2017-10-01

Recent evidence suggests that visual short-term memory (VSTM) capacity estimated using simple objects, such as colours and oriented bars, may not generalise well to more naturalistic stimuli. More visual detail can be stored in VSTM when complex, recognisable objects are maintained compared to simple objects. It is not yet known if it is recognisability that enhances memory precision, nor whether maintenance of recognisable objects is achieved with the same network of brain regions supporting maintenance of simple objects. We used a novel stimulus generation method to parametrically warp photographic images along a continuum, allowing separate estimation of the precision of memory representations and the number of items retained. The stimulus generation method was also designed to create unrecognisable, though perceptually matched, stimuli, to investigate the impact of recognisability on VSTM. We adapted the widely-used change detection and continuous report paradigms for use with complex, photographic images. Across three functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments, we demonstrated greater precision for recognisable objects in VSTM compared to unrecognisable objects. This clear behavioural advantage was not the result of recruitment of additional brain regions, or of stronger mean activity within the core network. Representational similarity analysis revealed greater variability across item repetitions in the representations of recognisable, compared to unrecognisable complex objects. We therefore propose that a richer range of neural representations support VSTM for complex recognisable objects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of spherical microlens array by combining lapping on silicon wafer and rapid surface molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaohua; Zhou, Tianfeng; Zhang, Lin; Zhou, Wenchen; Yu, Jianfeng; Lee, L. James; Yi, Allen Y.

2018-07-01

Silicon is a promising mold material for compression molding because of its properties of hardness and abrasion resistance. Silicon wafers with carbide-bonded graphene coating and micro-patterns were evaluated as molds for the fabrication of microlens arrays. This study presents an efficient but flexible manufacturing method for microlens arrays that combines a lapping method and a rapid molding procedure. Unlike conventional processes for microstructures on silicon wafers, such as diamond machining and photolithography, this research demonstrates a unique approach by employing precision steel balls and diamond slurries to create microlenses with accurate geometry. The feasibility of this method was demonstrated by the fabrication of several microlens arrays with different aperture sizes and pitches on silicon molds. The geometrical accuracy and surface roughness of the microlens arrays were measured using an optical profiler. The measurement results indicated good agreement with the optical profile of the design. The silicon molds were then used to copy the microstructures onto polymer substrates. The uniformity and quality of the samples molded through rapid surface molding were also assessed and statistically quantified. To further evaluate the optical functionality of the molded microlens arrays, the focal lengths of the microlens arrays were measured using a simple optical setup. The measurements showed that the microlens arrays molded in this research were compatible with conventional manufacturing methods. This research demonstrated an alternative low-cost and efficient method for microstructure fabrication on silicon wafers, together with the follow-up optical molding processes.

Rapid aptasensor capable of simply diagnosing prostate cancer.

PubMed

Cha, Timothy; Cho, Sandy; Kim, Young Teck; Lee, Ji Hoon

2014-12-15

Using guanine (G)-rich DNA aptamer-conjugated 6-carboxyfluorescein (6-FAM) capable of rapidly capturing prostate specific antigen (PSA) in human serum, cost-effective and simple biosensor with guanine chemiluminescence detection was developed for early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Free G-rich DNA aptamer-conjugated 6-FAM emits bright light in guanine chemiluminescence reaction based on the principle of chemiluminescent resonance energy transfer (CRET). However, G-rich DNA aptamer-conjugated 6-FAM bound with PSA cannot emit light because PSA acts as a strong interference in CRET between 6-FAM and high-energy intermediate formed from the reaction of 3,4,5-trimethoxylphenylglyoxal (TMPG) and guanine of G-rich DNA aptamer. A chemiluminescent biosensor, developed using the different properties of G-rich DNA aptamer-conjugated 6-FAM in the absence and presence of PSA in guanine chemiluminescence reaction, was able to quantify trace levels of PSA in human serum within 30 min without time-consuming and complicated procedures (e.g., multiple incubation and washings) required for conventional immunoassays operated with expensive and intractable antibodies. The limit of detection of chemiluminescent biosensor having a wide linear dynamic range (1.9-125 ng/ml) was 1.0 ng/ml. The excellent correlation (R=0.985) between chemiluminescent biosensor and conventional enzyme immunoassay indicates that the accurate, precise, and rapid chemiluminescent biosensor can be applied as a new method for early diagnosis of prostate cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid determination of underivatized pyroglutamic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine and other relevant amino acids in fermentation media by LC-MS-MS.

PubMed

Qu, Jun; Chen, Wei; Luo, Guoan; Wang, Yiming; Xiao, Shengyuan; Ling, Zhihua; Chen, Guoqiang

2002-01-01

Determination of amino acids in a complex matrix without derivatization is advantageous, however, difficulties are found in both the detection and the separation of those compounds. In this study, a rapid and reliable LC-MS-MS method for the quantitation of underivatized amino acids in exocellular media was established. Injections were made directly after centrifugation of the samples, without further preparation. The separation of seven underivatized amino acids was achieved on a reversed-phase C18 column with pentadecafluorooctanoic acid as a volatile ion-pair reagent, and the specific detection of most amino acids was achieved by MS-MS of the specific transitions [M + H]+-->[M + H - 46]+. The calibration curves of all analytes were linear over the range of 1.0-1000 microg ml(-1) and the detection limits ranged from 0.1 to 5 ng ml(-1), with an injection volume of 20 microl. The inter-day and intra-day precisions ranged from 2.6 to 5.7% and 4.8 to 8.2%, respectively; the mean recoveries of the seven analytes were 81-104%, 91-107% and 93-101% respectively at the spiked level of 10, 40 and 200 microg ml(-1). A large number of fermentation samples were analysed using this method. The technique is simple, rapid, selective and sensitive, and shows potential for the high-throughput quantitation of amino acids from other biological matrices.

Rapidly assessing changes in bone mineral balance using natural stable calcium isotopes

PubMed Central

Morgan, Jennifer L. L.; Skulan, Joseph L.; Gordon, Gwyneth W.; Romaniello, Stephen J.; Smith, Scott M.; Anbar, Ariel D.

2012-01-01

The ability to rapidly detect changes in bone mineral balance (BMB) would be of great value in the early diagnosis and evaluation of therapies for metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis and some cancers. However, measurements of BMB are hampered by difficulties with using biochemical markers to quantify the relative rates of bone resorption and formation and the need to wait months to years for altered BMB to produce changes in bone mineral density large enough to resolve by X-ray densitometry. We show here that, in humans, the natural abundances of Ca isotopes in urine change rapidly in response to changes in BMB. In a bed rest experiment, use of high-precision isotope ratio MS allowed the onset of bone loss to be detected in Ca isotope data after about 1 wk, long before bone mineral density has changed enough to be detectable with densitometry. The physiological basis of the relationship between Ca isotopes and BMB is sufficiently understood to allow quantitative translation of changes in Ca isotope abundances to changes in bone mineral density using a simple model. The rate of change of bone mineral density inferred from Ca isotopes is consistent with the rate observed by densitometry in long-term bed rest studies. Ca isotopic analysis provides a powerful way to monitor bone loss, potentially making it possible to diagnose metabolic bone disease and track the impact of treatments more effectively than is currently possible. PMID:22652567

Rapid climate change did not cause population collapse at the end of the European Bronze Age

PubMed Central

Armit, Ian; Swindles, Graeme T.; Becker, Katharina; Plunkett, Gill; Blaauw, Maarten

2014-01-01

The impact of rapid climate change on contemporary human populations is of global concern. To contextualize our understanding of human responses to rapid climate change it is necessary to examine the archeological record during past climate transitions. One episode of abrupt climate change has been correlated with societal collapse at the end of the northwestern European Bronze Age. We apply new methods to interrogate archeological and paleoclimate data for this transition in Ireland at a higher level of precision than has previously been possible. We analyze archeological 14C dates to demonstrate dramatic population collapse and present high-precision proxy climate data, analyzed through Bayesian methods, to provide evidence for a rapid climatic transition at ca. 750 calibrated years B.C. Our results demonstrate that this climatic downturn did not initiate population collapse and highlight the nondeterministic nature of human responses to past climate change. PMID:25404290

Rapid climate change did not cause population collapse at the end of the European Bronze Age.

PubMed

Armit, Ian; Swindles, Graeme T; Becker, Katharina; Plunkett, Gill; Blaauw, Maarten

2014-12-02

The impact of rapid climate change on contemporary human populations is of global concern. To contextualize our understanding of human responses to rapid climate change it is necessary to examine the archeological record during past climate transitions. One episode of abrupt climate change has been correlated with societal collapse at the end of the northwestern European Bronze Age. We apply new methods to interrogate archeological and paleoclimate data for this transition in Ireland at a higher level of precision than has previously been possible. We analyze archeological (14)C dates to demonstrate dramatic population collapse and present high-precision proxy climate data, analyzed through Bayesian methods, to provide evidence for a rapid climatic transition at ca. 750 calibrated years B.C. Our results demonstrate that this climatic downturn did not initiate population collapse and highlight the nondeterministic nature of human responses to past climate change.

A SIMPLE AND RAPID METHOD FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM FROM THE SAME SAMPLE OF BLOOD SERUM

PubMed Central

Kovács, G. S.; Tárnoky, K. E.

1960-01-01

A simple and rapid procedure has been developed for the complexometric titration of serum calcium and magnesium using “plasmocorinth B” as indicator. Both determinations can be carried out from the same 0.5 ml. sample. The method is in good agreement with the established calcium and magnesium methods. PMID:14411396

Rapid Prototyping Technology for Manufacturing GTE Turbine Blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balyakin, A. V.; Dobryshkina, E. M.; Vdovin, R. A.; Alekseev, V. P.

2018-03-01

The conventional approach to manufacturing turbine blades by investment casting is expensive and time-consuming, as it takes a lot of time to make geometrically precise and complex wax patterns. Turbine blade manufacturing in pilot production can be sped up by accelerating the casting process while keeping the geometric precision of the final product. This paper compares the rapid prototyping method (casting the wax pattern composition into elastic silicone molds) to the conventional technology. Analysis of the size precision of blade casts shows that silicon-mold casting features sufficient geometric precision. Thus, this method for making wax patterns can be a cost-efficient solution for small-batch or pilot production of turbine blades for gas-turbine units (GTU) and gas-turbine engines (GTE). The paper demonstrates how additive technology and thermographic analysis can speed up the cooling of wax patterns in silicone molds. This is possible at an optimal temperature and solidification time, which make the process more cost-efficient while keeping the geometric quality of the final product.

Conservation of Mechanical and Electric Energy: Simple Experimental Verification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponikvar, D.; Planinsic, G.

2009-01-01

Two similar experiments on conservation of energy and transformation of mechanical into electrical energy are presented. Both can be used in classes, as they offer numerous possibilities for discussion with students and are simple to perform. Results are presented and are precise within 20% for the version of the experiment where measured values…

Simultaneous determination of four trace level endocrine disrupting compounds in environmental samples by solid-phase microextraction coupled with HPLC.

PubMed

Wang, Lingling; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Xu, Xu; Zhang, Danfeng; Wang, Fang; Zhang, Lei

2015-09-01

A simple, rapid, sensitive and effective method for the simultaneous determination of four endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) (bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol AF (BPAF) and bisphenol AP (BPAP)) in environment water samples based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed. Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) adsorbents showed a good affinity to the target analytes. These compounds were rapidly extracted within 10 min. Various experimental parameters that could affect the extraction efficiencies had been investigated in detail. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors of the method for the target EDCs were found to be 500. Satisfactory precision and accuracy of the method were obtained in a low concentration range of 2.0-500.0 ng mL(-1). The method detection limits were in the range of 0.10-0.30 ng mL(-1). The high pre-concentration rate and efficiency of the method ensure its successful application in extraction of trace EDCs from large volumes of environmental water samples. The extraction recoveries in real samples ranged from 85.3% to 102.5% with the relative standard deviations (n=5) less than 3.74%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid test by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry to evaluate equine urine reactivity towards 17beta-OH steroids.

PubMed

Fidani, Marco; Casagni, Eleonora; Montana, Marco; Pasello, Emanuela; Pecoraro, Chiara; Gambaro, Veniero

2006-01-01

Bacteria frequently found in equine urine samples may cause degradation of 17beta-OH steroids. A simple liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed to evaluate the microbiological contamination of equine urine as a marker of poor storage conditions. Norethandrolone was used as the internal standard, and the linearity, sensitivity, precision and accuracy of the method were evaluated. 17beta-OH oxidation was demonstrated for testosterone, nandrolone, trenbolone and boldenone, but did not occur in alpha-epimers such as alpha-boldenone and epitestosterone, demonstrating the stereoselectivity of the reaction. A rapid test was performed by spiking one of the four 17beta-OH steroids in samples of diluted equine urine. The steroids were transformed into their respective ketones in the presence of bacterial activity. The test allows direct injection of diluted samples into the LC/MS system, without the need for prior extraction. Results show that the best method of storage is freezing at -18 degrees C. Urine specimens should be analyzed as soon as possible after thawing. This allows bacterial degradation of equine urine to be arrested temporarily, so that the urine can be used for qualitative or quantitative analysis of 17beta-OH steroids.

The upcoming 3D-printing revolution in microfluidics.

PubMed

Bhattacharjee, Nirveek; Urrios, Arturo; Kang, Shawn; Folch, Albert

2016-05-21

In the last two decades, the vast majority of microfluidic systems have been built in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) by soft lithography, a technique based on PDMS micromolding. A long list of key PDMS properties have contributed to the success of soft lithography: PDMS is biocompatible, elastomeric, transparent, gas-permeable, water-impermeable, fairly inexpensive, copyright-free, and rapidly prototyped with high precision using simple procedures. However, the fabrication process typically involves substantial human labor, which tends to make PDMS devices difficult to disseminate outside of research labs, and the layered molding limits the 3D complexity of the devices that can be produced. 3D-printing has recently attracted attention as a way to fabricate microfluidic systems due to its automated, assembly-free 3D fabrication, rapidly decreasing costs, and fast-improving resolution and throughput. Resins with properties approaching those of PDMS are being developed. Here we review past and recent efforts in 3D-printing of microfluidic systems. We compare the salient features of PDMS molding with those of 3D-printing and we give an overview of the critical barriers that have prevented the adoption of 3D-printing by microfluidic developers, namely resolution, throughput, and resin biocompatibility. We also evaluate the various forces that are persuading researchers to abandon PDMS molding in favor of 3D-printing in growing numbers.

Estimation of simvastatin and cetirizine by RP-LC method: Application to freeze and thaw (FT) stability studies.

PubMed

Naveed, Safila; Usmanghani, Khan; Sana, Aisha; Ali, Huma; Zafar, Farya; Qamar, Fatima; Sarwer, Ghulam; Abbas, Sarah; Alam, M Tanweer; Shinwari, Muhammad Ibrar

2018-01-01

Sensitive, simple, reliable and rapid HPLC technique for the estimation of simvastatin (SMV) and cetirizine has been designed in this study. The chromatographic conditions were set using Shimadzu LC-10 AT VP pump, with UV detector (SPD-10 AV-VP). System integration was performed with CBM-102 (Bus Module). Partitioning of components was attained with pre-packed C-18 column of Purospher Star (5 μm, 250 x 4.6 mm) at ambient conditions. Injected volume of sample was 10 μl. Mobile phase was composed of 50:50 v/v ratio of Acetonitrile/water (pH 3.0 adjusted with ortho-phosphoric acid) having 2 ml/minutes rate of flow. Compounds were detected in UV region at 225 nm. Percent Recovery of simvastatin was observed in the range of 98-102%. All results were found in accept table range of specification. The projected method is consistent, specific, precise, and rapid, that can be employed to quantitate the SMV along with cetirizine HCl. It was estimated by 3 successive cycles of freeze and thaw stability. Results of FT samples were found within accept table limits the method was developed and validated in raw materials, bulk formulations and final drug products.

A simplified calculation procedure for mass isotopomer distribution analysis (MIDA) based on multiple linear regression.

PubMed

Fernández-Fernández, Mario; Rodríguez-González, Pablo; García Alonso, J Ignacio

2016-10-01

We have developed a novel, rapid and easy calculation procedure for Mass Isotopomer Distribution Analysis based on multiple linear regression which allows the simultaneous calculation of the precursor pool enrichment and the fraction of newly synthesized labelled proteins (fractional synthesis) using linear algebra. To test this approach, we used the peptide RGGGLK as a model tryptic peptide containing three subunits of glycine. We selected glycine labelled in two 13 C atoms ( 13 C 2 -glycine) as labelled amino acid to demonstrate that spectral overlap is not a problem in the proposed methodology. The developed methodology was tested first in vitro by changing the precursor pool enrichment from 10 to 40% of 13 C 2 -glycine. Secondly, a simulated in vivo synthesis of proteins was designed by combining the natural abundance RGGGLK peptide and 10 or 20% 13 C 2 -glycine at 1 : 1, 1 : 3 and 3 : 1 ratios. Precursor pool enrichments and fractional synthesis values were calculated with satisfactory precision and accuracy using a simple spreadsheet. This novel approach can provide a relatively rapid and easy means to measure protein turnover based on stable isotope tracers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Fluorescence control of dental calculus removal].

PubMed

Bakhmutov, D N; Gonchukov, S A; Lonkina, T V; Sukhinina, A V

2012-01-01

The main condition of periodontitis prevention is the full calculus removal from the teeth surface. This procedure should be fulfilled without harming adjacent unaffected tooth tissues. Nevertheless the problem of sensitive and precise estimating of tooth-calculus interface exists and potential risk of hard tissue damage remains. In the frames of this work it was shown that fluorescence diagnostics during calculus removal can be successfully used for precise detection of tooth-calculus interface. In so doing the simple implementation of this method free from the necessity of spectrometer using can be employed. Such a simple implementation of calculus detection set-up can be aggregated with the devices of calculus removing (as ultrasonic or laser devices).

Electrochemical Impedance Spectrometer with an Environmental Chamber for Rapid Screening of New Precise Copolymers

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-07

polymerization to make linear polyethylenes with carboxylic acid groups at precise intervals along the polymer . Precise acid- containing polymers provide...acid polyethylene and the a polymerized ionic liquids based on cyclopropenium. The instrument is also be used to study polymer segmental dynamics...Advances in batteries, fuel cells, and permselective membranes are materials limited. New acid- and ion-containing polymers must be designed and

Pyrosequencing-based validation of a simple cell-suspension polymerase chain reaction assay for Campylobacter... of high-processivity polymerase with novel internal amplification controls for rapid and specific detection.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although Campylobacter is an important food-borne human pathogen, there remains a lack of molecular diagnostic assays that are simple to use, cost-effective, and provide rapid results in research, clinical, or regulatory laboratories. Of the numerous Campylobacter assays that do exist, to our knowl...

Development of a rapid and simple Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation system for the fungal pathogen Heterobasidion annosum

Treesearch

Nicklas Samils; Malin Elfstrand; Daniel L. Lindner Czederpiltz; Jan Fahleson; Ake Olson; Christina Dixelius; Jan Stenlid

2006-01-01

Heterobasidion annosum causes root and butt-rot in trees and is the most serious forest pathogen in the northern hemisphere. We developed a rapid and simple Agrobacterium-mediated method of gene delivery into H. annosum to be used in functional studies of candidate genes and for visualization of mycelial interactions. Heterobasidion annosum TC 32-1 was cocultivated at...

Measurement of whole tire profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yongyue; Jiao, Wenguang

2010-08-01

In this paper, a precision measuring device is developed for obtaining characteristic curve of tire profile and its geometric parameters. It consists of a laser displacement measurement unit, a closed-loop precision two-dimensional coordinate table, a step motor control system and a fast data acquisition and analysis system. Based on the laser trigonometry, a data map of tire profile and coordinate values of all points can be obtained through corresponding data transformation. This device has a compact structure, a convenient control, a simple hardware circuit design and a high measurement precision. Experimental results indicate that measurement precision can meet the customer accuracy requirement of +/-0.02 mm.

Simple Perfusion Apparatus (SPA) for Manipulation, Tracking and Study of Oocytes and Embryos

PubMed Central

Angione, Stephanie L.; Oulhen, Nathalie; Brayboy, Lynae M.; Tripathi, Anubhav; Wessel, Gary M.

2016-01-01

Objective To develop and implement a device and protocol for oocyte analysis at a single cell level. The device must be capable of high resolution imaging, temperature control, perfusion of media, drugs, sperm, and immunolabeling reagents all at defined flow-rates. Each oocyte and resultant embryo must remain spatially separated and defined. Design Experimental laboratory study Setting University and Academic Center for reproductive medicine. Patients/Animals Women with eggs retrieved for ICSI cycles, adult female FVBN and B6C3F1 mouse strains, sea stars. Intervention Real-time, longitudinal imaging of oocytes following fluorescent labeling, insemination, and viability tests. Main outcome measure(s) Cell and embryo viability, immunolabeling efficiency, live cell endocytosis quantitation, precise metrics of fertilization and embryonic development. Results Single oocytes were longitudinally imaged following significant changes in media, markers, endocytosis quantitation, and development, all with supreme control by microfluidics. Cells remained viable, enclosed, and separate for precision measurements, repeatability, and imaging. Conclusions We engineered a simple device to load, visualize, experiment, and effectively record individual oocytes and embryos, without loss of cells. Prolonged incubation capabilities provide longitudinal studies without need for transfer and potential loss of cells. This simple perfusion apparatus (SPA) provides for careful, precise, and flexible handling of precious samples facilitating clinical in vitro fertilization approaches. PMID:25450296

A new simple asymmetric hysteresis operator and its application to inverse control of piezoelectric actuators.

PubMed

Badel, A; Qiu, J; Nakano, T

2008-05-01

Piezoelectric actuators (PEAs) are commonly used as micropositioning devices due to their high resolution, high stiffness, and fast frequency response. Because piezoceramic materials are ferroelectric, they fundamentally exhibit hysteresis behavior in their response to an applied electric field. The positioning precision can be significantly reduced due to nonlinear hysteresis effects when PEAs are used in relatively long range applications. This paper describes a new, precise, and simple asymmetric hysteresis operator dedicated to PEAs. The complex hysteretic transfer characteristic has been considered in a purely phenomenological way, without taking into account the underlying physics. This operator is based on two curves. The first curve corresponds to the main ascending branch and is modeled by the function f1. The second curve corresponds to the main reversal branch and is modeled by the function g2. The functions f(1) and g(2) are two very simple hyperbola functions with only three parameters. Particular ascending and reversal branches are deduced from appropriate translations of f(1) and g(2). The efficiency and precision of the proposed approach is demonstrated, in practice, by a real-time inverse feed-forward controller for piezoelectric actuators. Advantages and drawbacks of the proposed approach compared with classical hysteresis operators are discussed.

Surface electromyography as a screening method for evaluation of dysphagia and odynophagia

PubMed Central

Vaiman, Michael; Eviatar, Ephraim

2009-01-01

Objective Patients suspected of having swallowing disorders, could highly benefit from simple diagnostic screening before being referred to specialist evaluations. The article analyzes various instrumental methods of dysphagia assessment, introduces surface electromyography (sEMG) to carry out rapid assessment of such patients, and debates proposed suggestions for sEMG screening protocol in order to identify abnormal deglutition. Data sources Subject related books and articles from 1813 to 2007 were obtained through library search, MEDLINE (1949–2007) and EMBASE (1975–2007). Methods Specifics steps for establishing the protocol for applying the technique for screening purposes (e.g., evaluation of specific muscles), the requirements for diagnostic sEMG equipment, the sEMG technique itself, and defining the tests suitable for assessing deglutition (e.g., saliva, normal, and excessive swallows and uninterrupted drinking of water) are presented in detail. SEMG is compared with other techniques in terms of cost, timing, involvement of radiation, etc. Results According to the published data, SEMG of swallowing is a simple and reliable method for screening and preliminary differentiation among dysphagia and odynophagia of various origins. This noninvasive radiation-free examination has a low level of discomfort, and is simple, time-saving and inexpensive to perform. The major weakness of the method seems to be inability for precise diagnostic of neurologically induced dysphagia. Conclusion With standardization of the technique and an established normative database, sEMG might serve as a reliable screening method for optimal patient management but cannot serve for proper investigation of neurogenic dysphagia. PMID:19232090

Human Microbiome and Learning Healthcare Systems: Integrating Research and Precision Medicine for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

PubMed Central

Chuong, Kim H.; Mack, David R.; Stintzi, Alain

2018-01-01

Abstract Healthcare institutions face widespread challenges of delivering high-quality and cost-effective care, while keeping up with rapid advances in biomedical knowledge and technologies. Moreover, there is increased emphasis on developing personalized or precision medicine targeted to individuals or groups of patients who share a certain biomarker signature. Learning healthcare systems (LHS) have been proposed for integration of research and clinical practice to fill major knowledge gaps, improve care, reduce healthcare costs, and provide precision care. To date, much discussion in this context has focused on the potential of human genomic data, and not yet on human microbiome data. Rapid advances in human microbiome research suggest that profiling of, and interventions on, the human microbiome can provide substantial opportunity for improved diagnosis, therapeutics, risk management, and risk stratification. In this study, we discuss a potential role for microbiome science in LHSs. We first review the key elements of LHSs, and discuss possibilities of Big Data and patient engagement. We then consider potentials and challenges of integrating human microbiome research into clinical practice as part of an LHS. With rapid growth in human microbiome research, patient-specific microbial data will begin to contribute in important ways to precision medicine. Hence, we discuss how patient-specific microbial data can help guide therapeutic decisions and identify novel effective approaches for precision care of inflammatory bowel disease. To the best of our knowledge, this expert analysis makes an original contribution with new insights poised at the emerging intersection of LHSs, microbiome science, and postgenomics medicine. PMID:28282257

The Accuracy of Webcams in 2D Motion Analysis: Sources of Error and Their Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, A.; Moreno, R.; Candelas, P.; Belmar, F.

2008-01-01

In this paper, we show the potential of webcams as precision measuring instruments in a physics laboratory. Various sources of error appearing in 2D coordinate measurements using low-cost commercial webcams are discussed, quantifying their impact on accuracy and precision, and simple procedures to control these sources of error are presented.…

Measuring "g" Using a Magnetic Pendulum and Telephone Pickup

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinacore, J.; Takai, H.

2010-01-01

The simple pendulum has long been used to measure "g", the acceleration due to gravity, with a precision of a few percent. Achieving agreement with the accepted value of less than 1% is feasible in the high school laboratory, though it requires some care. The precision of the measurement is bound by how accurately the period and the pendulum…

Colorimetric microdetermination of captopril in pure form and in pharmaceutical formulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shama, Sayed Ahmed; El-Sayed Amin, Alla; Omara, Hany

2006-11-01

A simple, rapid, accurate, precise and sensitive colorimetric method for the determination of captopril (CAP) in bulk sample and in dosage forms is described. The method is based on oxidation of the drug by potassium permanganate in acidic medium and determination of the unreacted oxidant by measuring the decrease in absorbance for five different dyes; methylene blue (MB); acid blue 74 (AB), acid red 73 (AR), amaranth dye (AM) and acid orange 7 (AO) at a suitable λmax (660, 610, 510, 520, and 485 nm), respectively. Regression analysis of Beer's plots showed good correlation in the concentration ranges (0.4 12.5, 0.3 10, 0.5 11, 0.4 8.3 and 0.5 9.3 μg ml-1), respectively. The apparent molar absorbtivity, Sandell sensitivity, detection and quantitation limits were calculated. For more accurate results, Ringbom optimum concentration ranges were 0.5 12, 0.5 9.6, 0.6 10.5, 0.5 8.0 and 0.7 9.0 μg ml-1, respectively. The validity of the proposed method was tested by analyzing in pure and dosage forms containing CAP whether alone or in combination with hydrochlorothiazide. Statistical analysis of the results reflects that the proposed procedures are precise, accurate and easily applicable for the determination of CAP in pure form and in pharmaceutical preparations. Also, the stability constant was determined and the free energy change was calculated potentiometrically.

Simultaneous Estimation of Withaferin A and Z-Guggulsterone in Marketed Formulation by RP-HPLC.

PubMed

Agrawal, Poonam; Vegda, Rashmi; Laddha, Kirti

2015-07-01

A simple, rapid, precise and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for simultaneous estimation of withaferin A and Z-guggulsterone in a polyherbal formulation containing Withania somnifera and Commiphora wightii. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Purosphere RP-18 column (particle size 5 µm) with a mobile phase consisting of Solvent A (acetonitrile) and Solvent B (water) with the following gradients: 0-7 min, 50% A in B; 7-9 min, 50-80% A in B; 9-20 min, 80% A in B at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and detection at 235 nm. The marker compounds were well separated on the chromatogram within 20 min. The results obtained indicate accuracy and reliability of the developed simultaneous HPLC method for the quantification of withaferin A and Z-guggulsterone. The proposed method was found to be reproducible, specific, precise and accurate for simultaneous estimation of these marker compounds in a combined dosage form. The HPLC method was appropriate and the two markers are well resolved, enabling efficient quantitative analysis of withaferin A and Z-guggulsterone. The method can be successively used for quantitative analysis of these two marker constituents in combination of marketed polyherbal formulation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Stability-Indicating HPLC Determination of Gemcitabine in Pharmaceutical Formulations

PubMed Central

Singh, Rahul; Shakya, Ashok K.; Naik, Rajashri; Shalan, Naeem

2015-01-01

A simple, sensitive, inexpensive, and rapid stability indicating high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for determination of gemcitabine in injectable dosage forms using theophylline as internal standard. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Phenomenex Luna C-18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm; 5μ) with a mobile phase consisting of 90% water and 10% acetonitrile (pH 7.00 ± 0.05). The signals of gemcitabine and theophylline were recorded at 275 nm. Calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 0.5–50 μg/mL. The correlation coefficient was 0.999 or higher. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.1498 and 0.4541 μg/mL, respectively. The inter- and intraday precision were less than 2%. Accuracy of the method ranged from 100.2% to 100.4%. Stability studies indicate that the drug was stable to sunlight and UV light. The drug gives 6 different hydrolytic products under alkaline stress and 3 in acidic condition. Aqueous and oxidative stress conditions also degrade the drug. Degradation was higher in the alkaline condition compared to other stress conditions. The robustness of the methods was evaluated using design of experiments. Validation reveals that the proposed method is specific, accurate, precise, reliable, robust, reproducible, and suitable for the quantitative analysis. PMID:25838825

Thin layer chromatography-densitometric determination of some non-sedating antihistamines in combination with pseudoephedrine or acetaminophen in synthetic mixtures and in pharmaceutical formulations.

PubMed

El-Kommos, Michael E; El-Gizawy, Samia M; Atia, Noha N; Hosny, Noha M

2014-03-01

The combination of certain non-sedating antihistamines (NSA) such as fexofenadine (FXD), ketotifen (KET) and loratadine (LOR) with pseudoephedrine (PSE) or acetaminophen (ACE) is widely used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and chronic urticaria. A rapid, simple, selective and precise densitometric method was developed and validated for simultaneous estimation of six synthetic binary mixtures and their pharmaceutical dosage forms. The method employed thin layer chromatography aluminum plates precoated with silica gel G 60 F254 as the stationary phase. The mobile phases chosen for development gave compact bands for the mixtures FXD-PSE (I), KET-PSE (II), LOR-PSE (III), FXD-ACE (IV), KET-ACE (V) and LOR-ACE (VI) [Retardation factor (Rf ) values were (0.20, 0.32), (0.69, 0.34), (0.79, 0.13), (0.36, 0.70), (0.51, 0.30) and (0.76, 0.26), respectively]. Spectrodensitometric scanning integration was performed at 217, 218, 218, 233, 272 and 251 nm for the mixtures I-VI, respectively. The linear regression data for the calibration plots showed an excellent linear relationship. The method was validated for precision, accuracy, robustness and recovery. Limits of detection and quantitation were calculated. Statistical analysis proved that the method is reproducible and selective for the simultaneous estimation of these binary mixtures. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Optimization of genome editing through CRISPR-Cas9 engineering

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jian-Hua; Adikaram, Poorni; Pandey, Mritunjay; Genis, Allison; Simonds, William F.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT CRISPR (Clustered Regularly-Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-Cas9 (CRISPR associated protein 9) has rapidly become the most promising genome editing tool with great potential to revolutionize medicine. Through guidance of a 20 nucleotide RNA (gRNA), CRISPR-Cas9 finds and cuts target protospacer DNA precisely 3 base pairs upstream of a PAM (Protospacer Adjacent Motif). The broken DNA ends are repaired by either NHEJ (Non-Homologous End Joining) resulting in small indels, or by HDR (Homology Directed Repair) for precise gene or nucleotide replacement. Theoretically, CRISPR-Cas9 could be used to modify any genomic sequences, thereby providing a simple, easy, and cost effective means of genome wide gene editing. However, the off-target activity of CRISPR-Cas9 that cuts DNA sites with imperfect matches with gRNA have been of significant concern because clinical applications require 100% accuracy. Additionally, CRISPR-Cas9 has unpredictable efficiency among different DNA target sites and the PAM requirements greatly restrict its genome editing frequency. A large number of efforts have been made to address these impeding issues, but much more is needed to fully realize the medical potential of CRISPR-Cas9. In this article, we summarize the existing problems and current advances of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology and provide perspectives for the ultimate perfection of Cas9-mediated genome editing. PMID:27340770

Testing a simple field method for assessing nitrate removal in riparian zones

Treesearch

Philippe Vidon; Michael G. Dosskey

2008-01-01

Being able to identify riparian sites that function better for nitrate removal from groundwater is critical to using efficiently the riparian zones for water quality management. For this purpose, managers need a method that is quick, inexpensive, and accurate enough to enable effective management decisions. This study assesses the precision and accuracy of a simple...

Experimental Evaluation of the Drag Coefficient of Water Rockets by a Simple Free-Fall Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrio-Perotti, R.; Blanco-Marigorta, E. Arguelles-Diaz, K.; Fernandez-Oro, J.

2009-01-01

The flight trajectory of a water rocket can be reasonably calculated if the magnitude of the drag coefficient is known. The experimental determination of this coefficient with enough precision is usually quite difficult, but in this paper we propose a simple free-fall experiment for undergraduate students to reasonably estimate the drag…

Using known populations of pronghorn to evaluate sampling plans and estimators

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kraft, K.M.; Johnson, D.H.; Samuelson, J.M.; Allen, S.H.

1995-01-01

Although sampling plans and estimators of abundance have good theoretical properties, their performance in real situations is rarely assessed because true population sizes are unknown. We evaluated widely used sampling plans and estimators of population size on 3 known clustered distributions of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Our criteria were accuracy of the estimate, coverage of 95% confidence intervals, and cost. Sampling plans were combinations of sampling intensities (16, 33, and 50%), sample selection (simple random sampling without replacement, systematic sampling, and probability proportional to size sampling with replacement), and stratification. We paired sampling plans with suitable estimators (simple, ratio, and probability proportional to size). We used area of the sampling unit as the auxiliary variable for the ratio and probability proportional to size estimators. All estimators were nearly unbiased, but precision was generally low (overall mean coefficient of variation [CV] = 29). Coverage of 95% confidence intervals was only 89% because of the highly skewed distribution of the pronghorn counts and small sample sizes, especially with stratification. Stratification combined with accurate estimates of optimal stratum sample sizes increased precision, reducing the mean CV from 33 without stratification to 25 with stratification; costs increased 23%. Precise results (mean CV = 13) but poor confidence interval coverage (83%) were obtained with simple and ratio estimators when the allocation scheme included all sampling units in the stratum containing most pronghorn. Although areas of the sampling units varied, ratio estimators and probability proportional to size sampling did not increase precision, possibly because of the clumped distribution of pronghorn. Managers should be cautious in using sampling plans and estimators to estimate abundance of aggregated populations.

Rapid Discrimination of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria in Liquid Samples by Using NaOH-Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Solution and Flow Cytometry

PubMed Central

Wada, Atsushi; Kono, Mari; Kawauchi, Sawako; Takagi, Yuri; Morikawa, Takashi; Funakoshi, Kunihiro

2012-01-01

Background For precise diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI), and selection of the appropriate prescriptions for their treatment, we explored a simple and rapid method of discriminating gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in liquid samples. Methodology/Principal Findings We employed the NaOH-sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution conventionally used for plasmid extraction from Escherichia coli and the automated urine particle analyzer UF-1000i (Sysmex Corporation) for our novel method. The NaOH-SDS solution was used to determine differences in the cell wall structures between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, since the tolerance to such chemicals reflects the thickness and structural differences of bacterial cell walls. The UF-1000i instrument was used as a quantitative bacterial counter. We found that gram-negative bacteria, including E. coli, in liquid culture could easily be lysed by direct addition of equal volumes of NaOH-SDS solution. In contrast, Enterococcus faecalis, which is a gram-positive bacterium, could not be completely lysed by the solution. We then optimized the reaction time of the NaOH-SDS treatment at room temperature by using 3 gram-positive and 4 gram-negative bacterial strains and determined that the optimum reaction time was 5 min. Finally, in order to evaluate the generalizability of this method, we treated 8 gram-positive strains and 8 gram-negative strains, or 4 gram-positive and 4 gram-negative strains incubated in voluntary urine from healthy volunteers in the same way and demonstrated that all the gram-positive bacteria were discriminated quantitatively from gram negative bacteria using this method. Conclusions/Significance Using our new method, we could easily discriminate gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in liquid culture media within 10 min. This simple and rapid method may be useful for determining the treatment course of patients with UTIs, especially for those without a prior history of UTIs. The method may be easily applied in order to obtain additional information for clinical prescriptions from bacteriuria. PMID:23077549

An open-source, extensible system for laboratory timing and control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaskell, Peter E.; Thorn, Jeremy J.; Alba, Sequoia; Steck, Daniel A.

2009-11-01

We describe a simple system for timing and control, which provides control of analog, digital, and radio-frequency signals. Our system differs from most common laboratory setups in that it is open source, built from off-the-shelf components, synchronized to a common and accurate clock, and connected over an Ethernet network. A simple bus architecture facilitates creating new and specialized devices with only moderate experience in circuit design. Each device operates independently, requiring only an Ethernet network connection to the controlling computer, a clock signal, and a trigger signal. This makes the system highly robust and scalable. The devices can all be connected to a single external clock, allowing synchronous operation of a large number of devices for situations requiring precise timing of many parallel control and acquisition channels. Provided an accurate enough clock, these devices are capable of triggering events separated by one day with near-microsecond precision. We have achieved precisions of ˜0.1 ppb (parts per 109) over 16 s.

Dynamically reconfigurable complex emulsions via tunable interfacial tensions

PubMed Central

Zarzar, Lauren D.; Sresht, Vishnu; Sletten, Ellen M.; Kalow, Julia A.; Blankschtein, Daniel; Swager, Timothy M.

2015-01-01

Emulsification is a powerful, well-known technique for mixing and dispersing immiscible components within a continuous liquid phase. Consequently, emulsions are central components of medicine, food and performance materials. Complex emulsions, including multiple emulsions and Janus droplets which contain hemispheres of differing material, are of increasing importance1 in pharmaceuticals and medical diagnostics2, in the fabrication of microparticles and capsules3–5 for food6, in chemical separations7, in cosmetics8, and in dynamic optics9. Because complex emulsion properties and functions are related to the droplet geometry and composition, the development of rapid, simple fabrication approaches allowing precise control over the droplets’ physical and chemical characteristics is critical. Significant advances in the fabrication of complex emulsions have been made using a number of procedures, ranging from large-scale, less precise techniques that give compositional heterogeneity using high-shear mixers and membranes10, to small-volume but more precise microfluidic methods11,12. However, such approaches have yet to create droplet morphologies that can be controllably altered after emulsification. Reconfigurable complex liquids potentially have greatly increased utility as dynamically tunable materials. Here we describe an approach to the one-step fabrication of three- and four-phase complex emulsions with highly controllable and reconfigurable morphologies. The fabrication makes use of the temperature-sensitive miscibility of hydrocarbon, silicone and fluorocarbon liquids, and is applied to both the microfluidic and the scalable batch production of complex droplets. We demonstrate that droplet geometries can be alternated between encapsulated and Janus configurations by varying the interfacial tensions using hydrocarbon and fluorinated surfactants including stimuli-responsive and cleavable surfactants. This yields a generalizable strategy for the fabrication of multiphase emulsions with controllably reconfigurable morphologies and the potential to create a wide range of responsive materials. PMID:25719669

Dynamically reconfigurable complex emulsions via tunable interfacial tensions.

PubMed

Zarzar, Lauren D; Sresht, Vishnu; Sletten, Ellen M; Kalow, Julia A; Blankschtein, Daniel; Swager, Timothy M

2015-02-26

Emulsification is a powerful, well-known technique for mixing and dispersing immiscible components within a continuous liquid phase. Consequently, emulsions are central components of medicine, food and performance materials. Complex emulsions, including Janus droplets (that is, droplets with faces of differing chemistries) and multiple emulsions, are of increasing importance in pharmaceuticals and medical diagnostics, in the fabrication of microparticles and capsules for food, in chemical separations, in cosmetics, and in dynamic optics. Because complex emulsion properties and functions are related to the droplet geometry and composition, the development of rapid, simple fabrication approaches allowing precise control over the droplets' physical and chemical characteristics is critical. Significant advances in the fabrication of complex emulsions have been made using a number of procedures, ranging from large-scale, less precise techniques that give compositional heterogeneity using high-shear mixers and membranes, to small-volume but more precise microfluidic methods. However, such approaches have yet to create droplet morphologies that can be controllably altered after emulsification. Reconfigurable complex liquids potentially have great utility as dynamically tunable materials. Here we describe an approach to the one-step fabrication of three- and four-phase complex emulsions with highly controllable and reconfigurable morphologies. The fabrication makes use of the temperature-sensitive miscibility of hydrocarbon, silicone and fluorocarbon liquids, and is applied to both the microfluidic and the scalable batch production of complex droplets. We demonstrate that droplet geometries can be alternated between encapsulated and Janus configurations by varying the interfacial tensions using hydrocarbon and fluorinated surfactants including stimuli-responsive and cleavable surfactants. This yields a generalizable strategy for the fabrication of multiphase emulsions with controllably reconfigurable morphologies and the potential to create a wide range of responsive materials.

Dynamically reconfigurable complex emulsions via tunable interfacial tensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarzar, Lauren D.; Sresht, Vishnu; Sletten, Ellen M.; Kalow, Julia A.; Blankschtein, Daniel; Swager, Timothy M.

2015-02-01

Emulsification is a powerful, well-known technique for mixing and dispersing immiscible components within a continuous liquid phase. Consequently, emulsions are central components of medicine, food and performance materials. Complex emulsions, including Janus droplets (that is, droplets with faces of differing chemistries) and multiple emulsions, are of increasing importance in pharmaceuticals and medical diagnostics, in the fabrication of microparticles and capsules for food, in chemical separations, in cosmetics, and in dynamic optics. Because complex emulsion properties and functions are related to the droplet geometry and composition, the development of rapid, simple fabrication approaches allowing precise control over the droplets' physical and chemical characteristics is critical. Significant advances in the fabrication of complex emulsions have been made using a number of procedures, ranging from large-scale, less precise techniques that give compositional heterogeneity using high-shear mixers and membranes, to small-volume but more precise microfluidic methods. However, such approaches have yet to create droplet morphologies that can be controllably altered after emulsification. Reconfigurable complex liquids potentially have great utility as dynamically tunable materials. Here we describe an approach to the one-step fabrication of three- and four-phase complex emulsions with highly controllable and reconfigurable morphologies. The fabrication makes use of the temperature-sensitive miscibility of hydrocarbon, silicone and fluorocarbon liquids, and is applied to both the microfluidic and the scalable batch production of complex droplets. We demonstrate that droplet geometries can be alternated between encapsulated and Janus configurations by varying the interfacial tensions using hydrocarbon and fluorinated surfactants including stimuli-responsive and cleavable surfactants. This yields a generalizable strategy for the fabrication of multiphase emulsions with controllably reconfigurable morphologies and the potential to create a wide range of responsive materials.

Temporal variations of potential fecundity of southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis australis) in the Southeast Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, Andrés; Wiff, Rodrigo; Díaz, Eduardo; Carvajal, Bernardita

2017-08-01

Fecundity is a key aspect of fish species reproductive biology because it relates directly to total egg production. Yet, despite such importance, fecundity estimates are lacking or scarce for several fish species. The gravimetric method is the most-used one to estimate fecundity by essentially scaling up the oocyte density to the ovary weight. It is a relatively simple and precise technique, but also time consuming because it requires counting all oocytes in an ovary subsample. The auto-diametric method, on the other hand, is relatively new for estimating fecundity, representing a rapid alternative, because it requires only an estimation of mean oocyte density from mean oocyte diameter. Using the extensive database available from commercial fishery and design surveys for southern blue whiting Micromesistius australis australis in the Southeast Pacific, we compared estimates of fecundity using both gravimetric and auto-diametric methods. Temporal variations in potential fecundity from the auto-diametric method were evaluated using generalised linear models considering predictors from maternal characteristics such as female size, condition factor, oocyte size, and gonadosomatic index. A global and time-invariant auto-diametric equation was evaluated using a simulation procedure based on non-parametric bootstrap. Results indicated there were not significant differences regarding fecundity estimates between the gravimetric and auto-diametric method (p > 0.05). Simulation showed the application of a global equation is unbiased and sufficiently precise to estimate time-invariant fecundity of this species. Temporal variations on fecundity were explained by maternal characteristic, revealing signals of fecundity down-regulation. We discuss how oocyte size and nutritional condition (measured as condition factor) are one of the important factors determining fecundity. We highlighted also the relevance of choosing the appropriate sampling period to conduct maturity studies and ensure precise estimates of fecundity of this species.

Theoretically Guided Analytical Method Development and Validation for the Estimation of Rifampicin in a Mixture of Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide by UV Spectrophotometer

PubMed Central

Khan, Mohammad F.; Rita, Shamima A.; Kayser, Md. Shahidulla; Islam, Md. Shariful; Asad, Sharmeen; Bin Rashid, Ridwan; Bari, Md. Abdul; Rahman, Muhammed M.; Al Aman, D. A. Anwar; Setu, Nurul I.; Banoo, Rebecca; Rashid, Mohammad A.

2017-01-01

A simple, rapid, economic, accurate, and precise method for the estimation of rifampicin in a mixture of isoniazid and pyrazinamide by UV spectrophotometeric technique (guided by the theoretical investigation of physicochemical properties) was developed and validated. Theoretical investigations revealed that isoniazid and pyrazinamide both were freely soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethyl acetate whereas rifampicin was practically insoluble in water but freely soluble in ethyl acetate. This indicates that ethyl acetate is an effective solvent for the extraction of rifampicin from a water mixture of isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Computational study indicated that pH range of 6.0–8.0 would favor the extraction of rifampicin. Rifampicin is separated from isoniazid and pyrazinamide at pH 7.4 ± 0.1 by extracting with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate was then analyzed at λmax of 344.0 nm. The developed method was validated for linearity, accuracy and precision according to ICH guidelines. The proposed method exhibited good linearity over the concentration range of 2.5–35.0 μg/mL. The intraday and inter-day precision in terms of % RSD ranged from 1.09 to 1.70% and 1.63 to 2.99%, respectively. The accuracy (in terms of recovery) of the method varied from of 96.7 ± 0.9 to 101.1 ± 0.4%. The LOD and LOQ were found to be 0.83 and 2.52 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, the developed method was successfully applied to determine rifampicin combination (isoniazid and pyrazinamide) brands available in Bangladesh. PMID:28503547

Theoretically Guided Analytical Method Development and Validation for the Estimation of Rifampicin in a Mixture of Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide by UV Spectrophotometer.

PubMed

Khan, Mohammad F; Rita, Shamima A; Kayser, Md Shahidulla; Islam, Md Shariful; Asad, Sharmeen; Bin Rashid, Ridwan; Bari, Md Abdul; Rahman, Muhammed M; Al Aman, D A Anwar; Setu, Nurul I; Banoo, Rebecca; Rashid, Mohammad A

2017-01-01

A simple, rapid, economic, accurate, and precise method for the estimation of rifampicin in a mixture of isoniazid and pyrazinamide by UV spectrophotometeric technique (guided by the theoretical investigation of physicochemical properties) was developed and validated. Theoretical investigations revealed that isoniazid and pyrazinamide both were freely soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethyl acetate whereas rifampicin was practically insoluble in water but freely soluble in ethyl acetate. This indicates that ethyl acetate is an effective solvent for the extraction of rifampicin from a water mixture of isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Computational study indicated that pH range of 6.0-8.0 would favor the extraction of rifampicin. Rifampicin is separated from isoniazid and pyrazinamide at pH 7.4 ± 0.1 by extracting with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate was then analyzed at λ max of 344.0 nm. The developed method was validated for linearity, accuracy and precision according to ICH guidelines. The proposed method exhibited good linearity over the concentration range of 2.5-35.0 μg/mL. The intraday and inter-day precision in terms of % RSD ranged from 1.09 to 1.70% and 1.63 to 2.99%, respectively. The accuracy (in terms of recovery) of the method varied from of 96.7 ± 0.9 to 101.1 ± 0.4%. The LOD and LOQ were found to be 0.83 and 2.52 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, the developed method was successfully applied to determine rifampicin combination (isoniazid and pyrazinamide) brands available in Bangladesh.

Self-leveling 2D DPN probe arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haaheim, Jason R.; Val, Vadim; Solheim, Ed; Bussan, John; Fragala, J.; Nelson, Mike

2010-02-01

Dip Pen Nanolithography® (DPN®) is a direct write scanning probe-based technique which operates under ambient conditions, making it suitable to deposit a wide range of biological and inorganic materials. Precision nanoscale deposition is a fundamental requirement to advance nanoscale technology in commercial applications, and tailoring chemical composition and surface structure on the sub-100 nm scale benefits researchers in areas ranging from cell adhesion to cell-signaling and biomimetic membranes. These capabilities naturally suggest a "Desktop Nanofab" concept - a turnkey system that allows a non-expert user to rapidly create high resolution, scalable nanostructures drawing upon well-characterized ink and substrate pairings. In turn, this system is fundamentally supported by a portfolio of MEMS devices tailored for microfluidic ink delivery, directed placement of nanoscale materials, and cm2 tip arrays for high-throughput nanofabrication. Massively parallel two-dimensional nanopatterning is now commercially available via NanoInk's 2D nano PrintArray™, making DPN a high-throughput (>3×107 μm2 per hour), flexible and versatile method for precision nanoscale pattern formation. However, cm2 arrays of nanoscopic tips introduce the nontrivial problem of getting them all evenly touching the surface to ensure homogeneous deposition; this requires extremely precise leveling of the array. Herein, we describe how we have made the process simple by way of a selfleveling gimbal attachment, coupled with semi-automated software leveling routines which bring the cm^2 chip to within 0.002 degrees of co-planarity. This excellent co-planarity yields highly homogeneous features across a square centimeter, with <6% feature size standard deviation. We have engineered the devices to be easy to use, wire-free, and fully integrated with both of our patterning tools: the DPN 5000, and the NLP 2000.

High-precision multi-node clock network distribution.

PubMed

Chen, Xing; Cui, Yifan; Lu, Xing; Ci, Cheng; Zhang, Xuesong; Liu, Bo; Wu, Hong; Tang, Tingsong; Shi, Kebin; Zhang, Zhigang

2017-10-01

A high precision multi-node clock network for multiple users was built following the precise frequency transmission and time synchronization of 120 km fiber. The network topology adopts a simple star-shaped network structure. The clock signal of a hydrogen maser (synchronized with UTC) was recovered from a 120 km telecommunication fiber link and then was distributed to 4 sub-stations. The fractional frequency instability of all substations is in the level of 10 -15 in a second and the clock offset instability is in sub-ps in root-mean-square average.

Shared influence of pathogen and host genetics on a trade-off between latent period and spore production capacity in the wheat pathogen, Puccinia triticina.

PubMed

Pariaud, Bénédicte; Berg, Femke; Bosch, Frank; Powers, Stephen J; Kaltz, Oliver; Lannou, Christian

2013-02-01

Crop pathogens are notorious for their rapid adaptation to their host. We still know little about the evolution of their life cycles and whether there might be trade-offs between fitness components, limiting the evolutionary potential of these pathogens. In this study, we explored a trade-off between spore production capacity and latent period in Puccinia triticina, a fungal pathogen causing leaf rust on wheat. Using a simple multivariate (manova) technique, we showed that the covariance between the two traits is under shared control of host and pathogen, with contributions from host genotype (57%), pathogen genotype (18.4%) and genotype × genotype interactions (12.5%). We also found variation in sign and strength of genetic correlations for the pathogen, when measured on different host varieties. Our results suggest that these important pathogen life-history traits do not freely respond to directional selection and that precise evolutionary trajectories are contingent on the genetic identity of the interacting host and pathogen.

Direct 3D bioprinting of prevascularized tissue constructs with complex microarchitecture

PubMed Central

Zhu, Wei; Qu, Xin; Zhu, Jie; Ma, Xuanyi; Patel, Sherrina; Liu, Justin; Wang, Pengrui; Lai, Cheuk Sun Edwin; Gou, Maling; Xu, Yang; Zhang, Kang; Chen, Shaochen

2017-01-01

Living tissues rely heavily on vascular networks to transport nutrients, oxygen and metabolic waste. However, there still remains a need for a simple and efficient approach to engineer vascularized tissues. Here, we created prevascularized tissues with complex three-dimensional (3D) microarchitectures using a rapid bioprinting method – microscale continuous optical bioprinting (μCOB). Multiple cell types mimicking the native vascular cell composition were encapsulated directly into hydrogels with precisely controlled distribution without the need of sacrificial materials or perfusion. With regionally controlled biomaterial properties the endothelial cells formed lumen-like structures spontaneously in vitro. In vivo implantation demonstrated the survival and progressive formation of the endothelial network in the prevascularized tissue. Anastomosis between the bioprinted endothelial network and host circulation was observed with functional blood vessels featuring red blood cells. With the superior bioprinting speed, flexibility and scalability, this new prevascularization approach can be broadly applicable to the engineering and translation of various functional tissues. PMID:28192772

Injection molding lens metrology using software configurable optical test system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Cheng; Cheng, Dewen; Wang, Shanshan; Wang, Yongtian

2016-10-01

Optical plastic lens produced by injection molding machine possesses numerous advantages of light quality, impact resistance, low cost, etc. The measuring methods in the optical shop are mainly interferometry, profile meter. However, these instruments are not only expensive, but also difficult to alignment. The software configurable optical test system (SCOTS) is based on the geometry of the fringe refection and phase measuring deflectometry method (PMD), which can be used to measure large diameter mirror, aspheric and freeform surface rapidly, robustly, and accurately. In addition to the conventional phase shifting method, we propose another data collection method called as dots matrix projection. We also use the Zernike polynomials to correct the camera distortion. This polynomials fitting mapping distortion method has not only simple operation, but also high conversion precision. We simulate this test system to measure the concave surface using CODE V and MATLAB. The simulation results show that the dots matrix projection method has high accuracy and SCOTS has important significance for on-line detection in optical shop.

Solid-phase microextraction and chiral HPLC analysis of ibuprofen in urine.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Anderson Rodrigo Moraes; Cesarino, Evandro José; Bonato, Pierina Sueli

2005-04-25

A simple and rapid solid-phase microextraction method was developed for the enantioselective analysis of ibuprofen in urine. The sampling was made with a polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene coated fiber immersed in the liquid sample. After desorptioning from the fiber, ibuprofen enantiomers were analyzed by HPLC using a Chiralpak AD-RH column and UV detection. The mobile phase was made of methanol-pH 3.0 phosphoric acid solution (75:25, v/v), at a flow rate of 0.45 mL/min. The mean recoveries of SPME were 19.8 and 19.1% for (-)-R-ibuprofen and (+)-(S)-ibuprofen, respectively. The method was linear at the range of 0.25-25 microg/mL. Within-day and between-day assay precision and accuracy were below 15% for both ibuprofen enantiomers at concentrations of 0.75, 7.5 and 20 microg/mL. The method was tested with urine quality control samples and human urine fractions after administration of 200 mg rac-ibuprofen.

Intraoperative diagnostics and elimination of residual microtumours with plasmonic nanobubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukianova-Hleb, Ekaterina Y.; Kim, Yoo-Shin; Belatsarkouski, Ihor; Gillenwater, Ann M.; O'Neill, Brian E.; Lapotko, Dmitri O.

2016-06-01

Failure of cancer surgery to intraoperatively detect and eliminate microscopic residual disease (MRD) causes lethal recurrence and metastases, and the removal of important normal tissues causes excessive morbidity. Here, we show that a plasmonic nanobubble (PNB), a non-stationary laser pulse-activated nanoevent, intraoperatively detects and eliminates MRD in the surgical bed. PNBs were generated in vivo in head and neck cancer cells by systemically targeting tumours with gold colloids and locally applying near-infrared, low-energy short laser pulses, and were simultaneously detected with an acoustic probe. In mouse models, between 3 and 30 residual cancer cells and MRD (undetectable with current methods) were non-invasively detected up to 4 mm deep in the surgical bed within 1 ms. In resectable MRD, PNB-guided surgery prevented local recurrence and delivered 100% tumour-free survival. In unresectable MRD, PNB nanosurgery improved survival twofold compared with standard surgery. Our results show that PNB-guided surgery and nanosurgery can rapidly and precisely detect and remove MRD in simple intraoperative procedures.

Determination of epichlorohydrin and 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in synthesis of cationic etherifying reagent by headspace gas chromatography.

PubMed

Tao, Zheng-Yi; Chai, Xin-Sheng; Wu, Shu-Bin

2011-09-16

This study demonstrates a headspace gas chromatographic(HS-GC) technique for the determination of residual epichlorohydrin (ECH) and generated 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (DCP) in synthesis process of 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (CHTAC). By a weight-based sampling method, coupled with significant dilution in 15.8% sodium sulfate and 0.1% silver nitrate mixed solution rapidly, the sample for HS-GC analysis is prepared. Based on the reaction stoichiometry, the conversion (R) of CHTAC during the synthesis process can be calculated from sampling weight and GC peak area. The results showed that the method has a good measurement precision (RSD<2.5%) and accuracy (recovery=101-104%) for the quantification of both ECH and DCP in the process samples. The present method is simple and accurate, which can be used for the efficient determination of the CHTAC conversion in the synthesis research. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enantiomeric determination of DOPA in dietary supplements containing Mucuna pruriens by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Takashi; Takahashi, Kazunaga; Fukiwake, Tomohide; Saijo, Masaaki; Motoki, Yuji

2013-01-01

We developed a simple and rapid liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method for the enantiomeric determination of DOPA in dietary supplements containing Mucuna pruriens. L- and D-DOPA were ultrasonically extracted with 1% formic acid aqueous solution. The isolated extracts were analyzed by LC/MS using a Crownpak CR (-) column at 30℃. The mass spectrometer was operated in the positive mode of electrospray ionization, and the mobile phase was aqueous formic acid (pH 2.0). L-DOPA-ring-d3 was used as an internal standard. The method was validated for a dietary supplement spiked with L- and D-DOPA at 50 and 500 μg/g, respectively, and the recoveries of the DOPA enantiomers were between 97.5% and 101.3%. Relative standard deviation values of repeatability and intermediate precision were less than 7%. The method was applied to 14 dietary supplements. L-DOPA was detected in these supplements in the range of 0.88-12.8 mg/unit. D-DOPA was not detected.

An iron-catalysed C-C bond-forming spirocyclization cascade providing sustainable access to new 3D heterocyclic frameworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Kirsty; Ball, Anthony K.; Birkett, James; Brown, Lee; Chappell, Ben; Gill, Duncan M.; Lo, P. K. Tony; Patmore, Nathan J.; Rice, Craig. R.; Ryan, James; Raubo, Piotr; Sweeney, Joseph B.

2017-04-01

Heterocyclic architectures offer powerful creative possibilities to a range of chemistry end-users. This is particularly true of heterocycles containing a high proportion of sp3-carbon atoms, which confer precise spatial definition upon chemical probes, drug substances, chiral monomers and the like. Nonetheless, simple catalytic routes to new heterocyclic cores are infrequently reported, and methods making use of biomass-accessible starting materials are also rare. Here, we demonstrate a new method allowing rapid entry to spirocyclic bis-heterocycles, in which inexpensive iron(III) catalysts mediate a highly stereoselective C-C bond-forming cyclization cascade reaction using (2-halo)aryl ethers and amines constructed using feedstock chemicals readily available from plant sources. Fe(acac)3 mediates the deiodinative cyclization of (2-halo)aryloxy furfuranyl ethers, followed by capture of the intermediate metal species by Grignard reagents, to deliver spirocycles containing two asymmetric centres. The reactions offer potential entry to key structural motifs present in bioactive natural products.

Genomic Definition of Hypervirulent and Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Clonal Groups

PubMed Central

Bialek-Davenet, Suzanne; Criscuolo, Alexis; Ailloud, Florent; Passet, Virginie; Jones, Louis; Delannoy-Vieillard, Anne-Sophie; Garin, Benoit; Le Hello, Simon; Arlet, Guillaume; Nicolas-Chanoine, Marie-Hélène; Decré, Dominique

2014-01-01

Multidrug-resistant and highly virulent Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates are emerging, but the clonal groups (CGs) corresponding to these high-risk strains have remained imprecisely defined. We aimed to identify K. pneumoniae CGs on the basis of genome-wide sequence variation and to provide a simple bioinformatics tool to extract virulence and resistance gene data from genomic data. We sequenced 48 K. pneumoniae isolates, mostly of serotypes K1 and K2, and compared the genomes with 119 publicly available genomes. A total of 694 highly conserved genes were included in a core-genome multilocus sequence typing scheme, and cluster analysis of the data enabled precise definition of globally distributed hypervirulent and multidrug-resistant CGs. In addition, we created a freely accessible database, BIGSdb-Kp, to enable rapid extraction of medically and epidemiologically relevant information from genomic sequences of K. pneumoniae. Although drug-resistant and virulent K. pneumoniae populations were largely nonoverlapping, isolates with combined virulence and resistance features were detected. PMID:25341126

DNA Nanotechnology-Enabled Drug Delivery Systems.

PubMed

Hu, Qinqin; Li, Hua; Wang, Lihua; Gu, Hongzhou; Fan, Chunhai

2018-02-21

Over the past decade, we have seen rapid advances in applying nanotechnology in biomedical areas including bioimaging, biodetection, and drug delivery. As an emerging field, DNA nanotechnology offers simple yet powerful design techniques for self-assembly of nanostructures with unique advantages and high potential in enhancing drug targeting and reducing drug toxicity. Various sequence programming and optimization approaches have been developed to design DNA nanostructures with precisely engineered, controllable size, shape, surface chemistry, and function. Potent anticancer drug molecules, including Doxorubicin and CpG oligonucleotides, have been successfully loaded on DNA nanostructures to increase their cell uptake efficiency. These advances have implicated the bright future of DNA nanotechnology-enabled nanomedicine. In this review, we begin with the origin of DNA nanotechnology, followed by summarizing state-of-the-art strategies for the construction of DNA nanostructures and drug payloads delivered by DNA nanovehicles. Further, we discuss the cellular fates of DNA nanostructures as well as challenges and opportunities for DNA nanostructure-based drug delivery.

Stability of sulfur slopes on Io

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clow, G. D.; Carr, M. H.

1980-01-01

The mechanical properties of elemental sulfur are such that the upper crust of Io cannot be primarily sulfur. For heat flows in the range 100-1000 ergs/sq cm sec sulfur becomes ductile within several hundred meters of the surface and would prevent the formation of calderas with depths greater than this. However, the one caldera for which precise depth data are available is 2 km deep, and this value may be typical. A study of the mechanical equilibrium of simple slopes shows that the depth to the zone of rapid ductile flow strongly controls the maximum heights for sulfur slopes. Sulfur scarps with heights greater than 1 km will fail for all heat flows greater than 180 ergs/sq cm sec and slope angles greater than 22.5 deg. The observed relief on Io is inconsistent with that anticipated for a predominantly sulfur crust. However, a silicate crust with several percent sulfur included satisfies both the mechanical constraints and the observed presence of sulfur on Io.

Quantification of ethanol in plasma by electrochemical detection with an unmodified screen printed carbon electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Gang; Zhang, Xiao-Qing; Zhu, Ming-Song; Zhang, Zhong; Shi, Zheng-Hu; Ding, Min

2016-03-01

Simple, rapid and accurate detection of ethanol concentration in blood is very crucial in the diagnosis and management of potential acute ethanol intoxication patients. A novel electrochemical detection method was developed for the quantification of ethanol in human plasma with disposable unmodified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) without sample preparation procedure. Ethanol was detected indirectly by the reaction product of ethanol dehydrogenase (ADH) and cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Method validation indicated good quantitation precisions with intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations of ≤9.4% and 8.0%, respectively. Ethanol concentration in plasma is linear ranging from 0.10 to 3.20 mg/mL, and the detection limit is 40.0 μg/mL (S/N > 3). The method shows satisfactory correlation with the reference method of headspace gas chromatography in twenty human plasma samples (correlation coefficient 0.9311). The proposed method could be applied to diagnose acute ethanol toxicity or ethanol-related death.

Direct injection analysis of fatty and resin acids in papermaking process waters by HPLC/MS.

PubMed

Valto, Piia; Knuutinen, Juha; Alén, Raimo

2011-04-01

A novel HPLC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/MS (HPLC-APCI/MS) method was developed for the rapid analysis of selected fatty and resin acids typically present in papermaking process waters. A mixture of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linolenic, and dehydroabietic acids was separated by a commercial HPLC column (a modified stationary C(18) phase) using gradient elution with methanol/0.15% formic acid (pH 2.5) as a mobile phase. The internal standard (myristic acid) method was used to calculate the correlation coefficients and in the quantitation of the results. In the thorough quality parameters measurement, a mixture of these model acids in aqueous media as well as in six different paper machine process waters was quantitatively determined. The measured quality parameters, such as selectivity, linearity, precision, and accuracy, clearly indicated that, compared with traditional gas chromatographic techniques, the simple method developed provided a faster chromatographic analysis with almost real-time monitoring of these acids. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Direct 3D bioprinting of prevascularized tissue constructs with complex microarchitecture.

PubMed

Zhu, Wei; Qu, Xin; Zhu, Jie; Ma, Xuanyi; Patel, Sherrina; Liu, Justin; Wang, Pengrui; Lai, Cheuk Sun Edwin; Gou, Maling; Xu, Yang; Zhang, Kang; Chen, Shaochen

2017-04-01

Living tissues rely heavily on vascular networks to transport nutrients, oxygen and metabolic waste. However, there still remains a need for a simple and efficient approach to engineer vascularized tissues. Here, we created prevascularized tissues with complex three-dimensional (3D) microarchitectures using a rapid bioprinting method - microscale continuous optical bioprinting (μCOB). Multiple cell types mimicking the native vascular cell composition were encapsulated directly into hydrogels with precisely controlled distribution without the need of sacrificial materials or perfusion. With regionally controlled biomaterial properties the endothelial cells formed lumen-like structures spontaneously in vitro. In vivo implantation demonstrated the survival and progressive formation of the endothelial network in the prevascularized tissue. Anastomosis between the bioprinted endothelial network and host circulation was observed with functional blood vessels featuring red blood cells. With the superior bioprinting speed, flexibility and scalability, this new prevascularization approach can be broadly applicable to the engineering and translation of various functional tissues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and evaluation of kinetic spectrophotometric assays for horseradish peroxidase by catalytic coupling of paraphenylenediamine and mequinol.

PubMed

Nagaraja, Padmarajaiah; Shivakumar, Anantharaman; Kumar Shrestha, Ashwinee

2009-10-01

This paper presents a novel spectrophotometric method to measure peroxidase activity using paraphenylenediamine dihydrochloride (PPDD) and Mequinol (MQ). The PPDD traps the free radical, and gets oxidized to electrophilic 1,4-diimine; this couples with MQ to an give intense violet-colored chromogenic species with the maximum absorbance at 560 nm. This assay was adopted for the quantification of hydrogen peroxide between 10 x 10(-6) to 80 x 10(-6) M. From the kinetic data, a two-substrate ping-pong mechanism of peroxidase was established. Catalytic efficiency and catalytic power of commercial peroxidase were 0.204 x 10(6) M(-1) min(-1) and 2.86 x 10(-4) min(-1), respectively. The catalytic constant (k(cat)) of the proposed method was 0.2080 x 10(3) min(-1). As a simple, rapid, precise and sensitive technique, PPDD-MQ stands as a potential replacement for the traditional guaiacol method. Applications to the plant extracts increase its relevance in the field of biochemical analysis.

Simultaneous HPTLC Determination of Rabeprazole and Itopride Hydrochloride From Their Combined Dosage Form.

PubMed

Suganthi, A; John, Sofiya; Ravi, T K

2008-01-01

A simple, precise, sensitive, rapid and reproducible HPTLC method for the simultaneous estimation of the rabeprazole and itopride hydrochloride in tablets was developed and validated. This method involves separation of the components by TLC on precoated silica gel G60F254 plate with solvent system of n-butanol, toluene and ammonia (8.5:0.5:1 v/v/v) and detection was carried out densitometrically using a UV detector at 288 nm in absorbance mode. This system was found to give compact spots for rabeprazole (Rf value of 0.23 0.02) and for itopride hydrochloride (Rf value of 0.75+/-0.02). Linearity was found to be in the range of 40-200 ng/spot and 300-1500 ng/spot for rabeprazole and itopride hydrochloride. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for rabeprazole were 10 and 20 ng/spot and for itopride hydrochloride were 50 and 100 ng/spot, respectively. The method was found to be beneficial for the routine analysis of combined dosage form.

Peregrine: A rapid and unbiased method to produce strand-specific RNA-Seq libraries from small quantities of starting material.

PubMed

Langevin, Stanley A; Bent, Zachary W; Solberg, Owen D; Curtis, Deanna J; Lane, Pamela D; Williams, Kelly P; Schoeniger, Joseph S; Sinha, Anupama; Lane, Todd W; Branda, Steven S

2013-04-01

Use of second generation sequencing (SGS) technologies for transcriptional profiling (RNA-Seq) has revolutionized transcriptomics, enabling measurement of RNA abundances with unprecedented specificity and sensitivity and the discovery of novel RNA species. Preparation of RNA-Seq libraries requires conversion of the RNA starting material into cDNA flanked by platform-specific adaptor sequences. Each of the published methods and commercial kits currently available for RNA-Seq library preparation suffers from at least one major drawback, including long processing times, large starting material requirements, uneven coverage, loss of strand information and high cost. We report the development of a new RNA-Seq library preparation technique that produces representative, strand-specific RNA-Seq libraries from small amounts of starting material in a fast, simple and cost-effective manner. Additionally, we have developed a new quantitative PCR-based assay for precisely determining the number of PCR cycles to perform for optimal enrichment of the final library, a key step in all SGS library preparation workflows.

Quantification of urinary zwitterionic organic acids using weak-anion exchange chromatography with tandem MS detection.

PubMed

Bishop, Michael Jason; Crow, Brian S; Kovalcik, Kasey D; George, Joe; Bralley, James A

2007-04-01

A rapid and accurate quantitative method was developed and validated for the analysis of four urinary organic acids with nitrogen containing functional groups, formiminoglutamic acid (FIGLU), pyroglutamic acid (PYRGLU), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and 2-methylhippuric acid (2-METHIP) by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The chromatography was developed using a weak anion-exchange amino column that provided mixed-mode retention of the analytes. The elution gradient relied on changes in mobile phase pH over a concave gradient, without the use of counter-ions or concentrated salt buffers. A simple sample preparation was used, only requiring the dilution of urine prior to instrumental analysis. The method was validated based on linearity (r2>or=0.995), accuracy (85-115%), precision (C.V.<12%), sample preparation stability (

RP-HPTLC densitometric determination and validation of vanillin and related phenolic compounds in accelerated solvent extract of Vanilla planifolia*.

PubMed

Sharma, Upendra Kumar; Sharma, Nandini; Gupta, Ajai Prakash; Kumar, Vinod; Sinha, Arun Kumar

2007-12-01

A simple, fast and sensitive RP-HPTLC method is developed for simultaneous quantitative determination of vanillin and related phenolic compounds in ethanolic extracts of Vanilla planifolia pods. In addition to this, the applicability of accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) as an alternative to microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and Soxhlet extraction was also explored for the rapid extraction of phenolic compounds in vanilla pods. Good separation was achieved on aluminium plates precoated with silica gel RP-18 F(254S) in the mobile phase of methanol/water/isopropanol/acetic acid (30:65:2:3, by volume). The method showed good linearity, high precision and good recovery of compounds of interest. ASE showed good extraction efficiency in less time as compared to other techniques for all the phenolic compounds. The present method would be useful for analytical research and for routine analysis of vanilla extracts for their quality control.

Utilizing an Orally Dissolving Strip for Pharmacological and Toxicological Studies: A Simple and Humane Alternative to Oral Gavage for Animals

PubMed Central

Lieu, Dustin; Asatryan, Liana; Davies, Daryl L.

2016-01-01

Prior to testing novel therapeutics in humans, short and long term preclinical (i.e., animal), repetitive pharmacological and toxicological testing is required. In most cases, the preferred route of administration is via oral delivery. At the present time, oral delivery is mostly accomplished using an oral gavage procedure, in part, because it can achieve consistent and precise dosing in the animal model. Although this method is well established it does have complications that can result in a high rate of animal attrition. To this end, the procedure introduced here describes an alternative to the oral gavage method in which the desired drug is incorporated into a tastant, orally dissolving strip (ODS) that can simply be presented to the test animal where it is then rapidly taken up with minimal manipulation of the test subject. Herein, we demonstrate that preclinical, oral drug delivery using the ODS method represents a safe, convenient, and humane alternative to oral gavage. PMID:27078261

Quantification of ethanol in plasma by electrochemical detection with an unmodified screen printed carbon electrode

PubMed Central

Tian, Gang; Zhang, Xiao-Qing; Zhu, Ming-Song; Zhang, Zhong; Shi, Zheng-Hu; Ding, Min

2016-01-01

Simple, rapid and accurate detection of ethanol concentration in blood is very crucial in the diagnosis and management of potential acute ethanol intoxication patients. A novel electrochemical detection method was developed for the quantification of ethanol in human plasma with disposable unmodified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) without sample preparation procedure. Ethanol was detected indirectly by the reaction product of ethanol dehydrogenase (ADH) and cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Method validation indicated good quantitation precisions with intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations of ≤9.4% and 8.0%, respectively. Ethanol concentration in plasma is linear ranging from 0.10 to 3.20 mg/mL, and the detection limit is 40.0 μg/mL (S/N > 3). The method shows satisfactory correlation with the reference method of headspace gas chromatography in twenty human plasma samples (correlation coefficient 0.9311). The proposed method could be applied to diagnose acute ethanol toxicity or ethanol-related death. PMID:27006081

Validated reversed phase LC method for quantitative analysis of polymethoxyflavones in citrus peel extracts.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenyu; Li, Shiming; Ferguson, Stephen; Goodnow, Robert; Ho, Chi-Tang

2008-01-01

Polymethoxyflavones (PMFs), which exist exclusively in the citrus genus, have biological activities including anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antiatherogenic properties. A validated RPLC method was developed for quantitative analysis of six major PMFs, namely nobiletin, tangeretin, sinensetin, 5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone, 3,5,6,7,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone, and 3,5,6,7,8,3',4'-heptamethoxyflavone. The polar embedded LC stationary phase was able to fully resolve the six analogues. The developed method was fully validated in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and system suitability. The LOD of the method was calculated as 0.15 microg/mL and the recovery rate was between 97.0 and 105.1%. This analytical method was successfully applied to quantify the individual PMFs in four commercially available citrus peel extracts (CPEs). Each extract shows significant difference in the PMF composition and concentration. This method may provide a simple, rapid, and reliable tool to help reveal the correlation between the bioactivity of the PMF extracts and the individual PMF content.

Optical determination of crystal phase in semiconductor nanocrystals

PubMed Central

Lim, Sung Jun; Schleife, André; Smith, Andrew M.

2017-01-01

Optical, electronic and structural properties of nanocrystals fundamentally derive from crystal phase. This is especially important for polymorphic II–VI, III–V and I-III-VI2 semiconductor materials such as cadmium selenide, which exist as two stable phases, cubic and hexagonal, each with distinct properties. However, standard crystallographic characterization through diffraction yields ambiguous phase signatures when nanocrystals are small or polytypic. Moreover, diffraction methods are low-throughput, incompatible with solution samples and require large sample quantities. Here we report the identification of unambiguous optical signatures of cubic and hexagonal phases in II–VI nanocrystals using absorption spectroscopy and first-principles electronic-structure theory. High-energy spectral features allow rapid identification of phase, even in small nanocrystals (∼2 nm), and may help predict polytypic nanocrystals from differential phase contributions. These theoretical and experimental insights provide simple and accurate optical crystallographic analysis for liquid-dispersed nanomaterials, to improve the precision of nanocrystal engineering and improve our understanding of nanocrystal reactions. PMID:28513577

Direct writing of half-meter long CNT based fiber for flexible electronics.

PubMed

Huang, Sihan; Zhao, Chunsong; Pan, Wei; Cui, Yi; Wu, Hui

2015-03-11

Rapid construction of flexible circuits has attracted increasing attention according to its important applications in future smart electronic devices. Herein, we introduce a convenient and efficient "writing" approach to fabricate and assemble ultralong functional fibers as fundamental building blocks for flexible electronic devices. We demonstrated that, by a simple hand-writing process, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be aligned inside a continuous and uniform polymer fiber with length of more than 50 cm and diameters ranging from 300 nm to several micrometers. The as-prepared continuous fibers exhibit high electrical conductivity as well as superior mechanical flexibility (no obvious conductance increase after 1000 bending cycles to 4 mm diameter). Such functional fibers can be easily configured into designed patterns with high precision according to the easy "writing" process. The easy construction and assembly of functional fiber shown here holds potential for convenient and scalable fabrication of flexible circuits in future smart devices like wearable electronics and three-dimensional (3D) electronic devices.

Rapid monitoring of glycerol in fermentation growth media: Facilitating crude glycerol bioprocess development.

PubMed

Abad, Sergi; Pérez, Xavier; Planas, Antoni; Turon, Xavier

2014-04-01

Recently, the need for crude glycerol valorisation from the biodiesel industry has generated many studies for practical and economic applications. Amongst them, fermentations based on glycerol media for the production of high value metabolites are prominent applications. This has generated a need to develop analytical techniques which allow fast and simple glycerol monitoring during fermentation. The methodology should be fast and inexpensive to be adopted in research, as well as in industrial applications. In this study three different methods were analysed and compared: two common methodologies based on liquid chromatography and enzymatic kits, and the new method based on a DotBlot assay coupled with image analysis. The new methodology is faster and cheaper than the other conventional methods, with comparable performance. Good linearity, precision and accuracy were achieved in the lower range (10 or 15 g/L to depletion), the most common range of glycerol concentrations to monitor fermentations in terms of growth kinetics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid orthodontic extrusion using an interocclusal appliance for the reestablishment of biologic width: a case report.

PubMed

Kim, Sung Hyun; Tramontina, Vinicius Augusto; Papalexiou, Vula; Luczyszyn, Sônia Mara; Grassi, Maria Bibiana; de Fatima Scarpim, Maria; Tanaka, Orlando Motohiro

2011-03-01

A multidisciplinary treatment of a case of subgingival fracture in a maxillary anterior tooth is presented. This case report describes a simple method involving an interocclusal appliance and an elastic band for rapid orthodontic extrusion to reestablish biologic width. In addition, a simple technique for surgical recontouring following the coronal displacement of the gingival margin prior to restoration of fractured tooth is explained.

A simple, rapid and inexpensive screening method for the identification of Pythium insidiosum.

PubMed

Tondolo, Juliana Simoni Moraes; Loreto, Erico Silva; Denardi, Laura Bedin; Mario, Débora Alves Nunes; Alves, Sydney Hartz; Santurio, Janio Morais

2013-04-01

Growth of Pythium insidiosum mycelia around minocycline disks (30μg) did not occur within 7days of incubation at 35°C when the isolates were grown on Sabouraud, corn meal, Muller-Hinton or RPMI agar. This technique offers a simple and rapid method for the differentiation of P. insidiosum from true filamentous fungi. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Precision medicine for nurses: 101.

PubMed

Lemoine, Colleen

2014-05-01

To introduce the key concepts and terms associated with precision medicine and support understanding of future developments in the field by providing an overview and history of precision medicine, related ethical considerations, and nursing implications. Current nursing, medical and basic science literature. Rapid progress in understanding the oncogenic drivers associated with cancer is leading to a shift toward precision medicine, where treatment is based on targeting specific genetic and epigenetic alterations associated with a particular cancer. Nurses will need to embrace the paradigm shift to precision medicine, expend the effort necessary to learn the essential terminology, concepts and principles, and work collaboratively with physician colleagues to best position our patients to maximize the potential that precision medicine can offer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High resolution melting analysis: rapid and precise characterisation of recombinant influenza A genomes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background High resolution melting analysis (HRM) is a rapid and cost-effective technique for the characterisation of PCR amplicons. Because the reverse genetics of segmented influenza A viruses allows the generation of numerous influenza A virus reassortants within a short time, methods for the rapid selection of the correct recombinants are very useful. Methods PCR primer pairs covering the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) positions of two different influenza A H5N1 strains were designed. Reassortants of the two different H5N1 isolates were used as a model to prove the suitability of HRM for the selection of the correct recombinants. Furthermore, two different cycler instruments were compared. Results Both cycler instruments generated comparable average melting peaks, which allowed the easy identification and selection of the correct cloned segments or reassorted viruses. Conclusions HRM is a highly suitable method for the rapid and precise characterisation of cloned influenza A genomes. PMID:24028349

Experimental setup for precise measurement of losses in high-temperature superconducting transformer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janu, Z.; Wild, J.; Repa, P.; Jelinek, Z.; Zizek, F.; Peksa, L.; Soukup, F.; Tichy, R.

2006-10-01

A simple cryogenic system for testing of the superconducting power transformer was constructed. Thermal shielding is provided by additional liquid nitrogen bath instead of super-insulation. The system, together with use of a precise nitrogen liquid level meter, permitted calorimetric measurements of losses of the 8 kVA HTS transformer with a resolution of the order of 0.1 W.

Simple scale interpolator facilitates reading of graphs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fetterman, D. E., Jr.

1965-01-01

Simple transparent overlay with interpolation scale facilitates accurate, rapid reading of graph coordinate points. This device can be used for enlarging drawings and locating points on perspective drawings.

[Development of sample pretreatment techniques-rapid detection coupling methods for food security analysis].

PubMed

Huang, Yichun; Ding, Weiwei; Zhang, Zhuomin; Li, Gongke

2013-07-01

This paper summarizes the recent developments of the rapid detection methods for food security, such as sensors, optical techniques, portable spectral analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, portable gas chromatograph, etc. Additionally, the applications of these rapid detection methods coupled with sample pretreatment techniques in real food security analysis are reviewed. The coupling technique has the potential to provide references to establish the selective, precise and quantitative rapid detection methods in food security analysis.

Fast and simple screening for the simultaneous analysis of seven metabolites derived from five volatile organic compounds in human urine using on-line solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Chiang, Wen-Chieh; Chen, Chao-Yu; Lee, Ting-Chen; Lee, Hui-Ling; Lin, Yu-Wen

2015-01-01

Recently, the International Agency for Research on cancer classified outdoor air pollution and particulate matter from outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans (IARC Group 1), based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and experimental animals and strong mechanistic evidence. In particular, a wide variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are volatized or released into the atmosphere and can become ubiquitous, as they originate from many different natural and anthropogenic sources, such as paints, pesticides, vehicle exhausts, cooking fumes, and tobacco smoke. Humans may be exposed to VOCs through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal contact, which may increase the risk of leukemia, birth defects, neurocognitive impairment, and cancer. Therefore, the focus of this study was the development of a simple, effective and rapid sample preparation method for the simultaneous determination of seven metabolites (6 mercaptic acids+t,t-muconic acid) derived from five VOCs (acrylamide, 1,3-butadiene, acrylonitrile, benzene, and xylene) in human urine by using automated on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). An aliquot of each diluted urinary sample was directly injected into an autosampler through a trap column to reduce contamination, and then the retained target compounds were eluted by back-flush mode into an analytical column for separation. Negative electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was utilized for quantification. The coefficients of correlation (r(2)) for the calibration curves were greater than 0.995. Reproducibility was assessed by the precision and accuracy of intra-day and inter-day precision, which showed results for coefficient of variation (CV) that were low 0.9 to 6.6% and 3.7 to 8.5%, respectively, and results for recovery that ranged from 90.8 to 108.9% and 92.1 to 107.7%, respectively. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were determined to within 0.010 to 0.769 ng mL(-1) and 0.033 to 2.564 ng mL(-1) in this study. A stability study test included 3 freeze/thaw cycles during short-term storage at room temperature for 36 h and long-term storage at -20 °C for 1 month, and the CV (coefficient of variation) showed less than 8.4, 7.4 and 9.7%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to provide simple, small injection volumes (40 µL) and a rapid LC-MS/MS method combined with an on-line SPE step for the simultaneous detection, identification, and quantification of seven metabolites derived from five VOCs in human urine for evaluation of the future risk of human exposure to volatile organic compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Precision thermometry and the quantum speed limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Steve; Genoni, Marco G.; Deffner, Sebastian

2018-04-01

We assess precision thermometry for an arbitrary single quantum system. For a d-dimensional harmonic system we show that the gap sets a single temperature that can be optimally estimated. Furthermore, we establish a simple linear relationship between the gap and this temperature, and show that the precision exhibits a quadratic relationship. We extend our analysis to explore systems with arbitrary spectra, showing that exploiting anharmonicity and degeneracy can greatly enhance the precision of thermometry. Finally, we critically assess the dynamical features of two thermometry protocols for a two level system. By calculating the quantum speed limit we find that, despite the gap fixing a preferred temperature to probe, there is no evidence of this emerging in the dynamical features.

Simple and accurate methods for quantifying deformation, disruption, and development in biological tissues

PubMed Central

Boyle, John J.; Kume, Maiko; Wyczalkowski, Matthew A.; Taber, Larry A.; Pless, Robert B.; Xia, Younan; Genin, Guy M.; Thomopoulos, Stavros

2014-01-01

When mechanical factors underlie growth, development, disease or healing, they often function through local regions of tissue where deformation is highly concentrated. Current optical techniques to estimate deformation can lack precision and accuracy in such regions due to challenges in distinguishing a region of concentrated deformation from an error in displacement tracking. Here, we present a simple and general technique for improving the accuracy and precision of strain estimation and an associated technique for distinguishing a concentrated deformation from a tracking error. The strain estimation technique improves accuracy relative to other state-of-the-art algorithms by directly estimating strain fields without first estimating displacements, resulting in a very simple method and low computational cost. The technique for identifying local elevation of strain enables for the first time the successful identification of the onset and consequences of local strain concentrating features such as cracks and tears in a highly strained tissue. We apply these new techniques to demonstrate a novel hypothesis in prenatal wound healing. More generally, the analytical methods we have developed provide a simple tool for quantifying the appearance and magnitude of localized deformation from a series of digital images across a broad range of disciplines. PMID:25165601

A rapid radiative transfer model for reflection of solar radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xiang, X.; Smith, E. A.; Justus, C. G.

1994-01-01

A rapid analytical radiative transfer model for reflection of solar radiation in plane-parallel atmospheres is developed based on the Sobolev approach and the delta function transformation technique. A distinct advantage of this model over alternative two-stream solutions is that in addition to yielding the irradiance components, which turn out to be mathematically equivalent to the delta-Eddington approximation, the radiance field can also be expanded in a mathematically consistent fashion. Tests with the model against a more precise multistream discrete ordinate model over a wide range of input parameters demonstrate that the new approximate method typically produces average radiance differences of less than 5%, with worst average differences of approximately 10%-15%. By the same token, the computational speed of the new model is some tens to thousands times faster than that of the more precise model when its stream resolution is set to generate precise calculations.

Improvement and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography in tandem mass spectrometry method for monitoring of omeprazole in plasma.

PubMed

Wojnicz, Aneta; Gil García, Ana Isabel; Román-Martínez, Manuel; Ochoa-Mazarro, Dolores; Abad-Santos, Francisco; Ruiz-Nuño, Ana

2015-06-01

Omeprazole (OME) is a proton pump inhibitor with a 58% bioavailability after a single oral dose. It is subject to marked interindividual variations and significant drug-drug interactions. The authors developed a simple and rapid method based on liquid chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry with solid phase extraction and isotope-labeled internal standard to monitor plasma levels of OME in pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interaction studies. OME and its internal standard (OME-D3) were eluted with a Zorbax Extend C-18 rapid resolution column (4.6 × 50 mm, 3.5 μm) at 25°C, under isocratic conditions through a mobile phase consisting of 1 mM ammonium acetate, pH 8.5 (55%), and acetonitrile (45%). The flow rate was 0.8 mL/min, and the chromatogram run time was 1.2 minutes. OME was detected and quantified by liquid chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry with positive electrospray ionization, which operates in multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The method was linear in the range of 1.5-2000 ng/mL for OME. The validation assays for accuracy and precision, matrix effect, extraction recovery, and stability of the samples for OME did not deviate more than 20% for the lower limit of quantification and no more than 15% for other quality controls. These findings are consistent with the requirements of regulatory agencies. The method enables rapid quantification of OME concentrations and can be used in pharmacokinetic and drug-drug interaction studies.

Direct rapid analysis of trace bioavailable soil macronutrients by chemometrics-assisted energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and scattering spectrometry.

PubMed

Kaniu, M I; Angeyo, K H; Mwala, A K; Mangala, M J

2012-06-04

Precision agriculture depends on the knowledge and management of soil quality (SQ), which calls for affordable, simple and rapid but accurate analysis of bioavailable soil nutrients. Conventional SQ analysis methods are tedious and expensive. We demonstrate the utility of a new chemometrics-assisted energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and scattering (EDXRFS) spectroscopy method we have developed for direct rapid analysis of trace 'bioavailable' macronutrients (i.e. C, N, Na, Mg, P) in soils. The method exploits, in addition to X-ray fluorescence, the scatter peaks detected from soil pellets to develop a model for SQ analysis. Spectra were acquired from soil samples held in a Teflon holder analyzed using (109)Cd isotope source EDXRF spectrometer for 200 s. Chemometric techniques namely principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares (PLS) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were utilized for pattern recognition based on fluorescence and Compton scatter peaks regions, and to develop multivariate quantitative calibration models based on Compton scatter peak respectively. SQ analyses were realized with high CMD (R(2)>0.9) and low SEP (0.01% for N and Na, 0.05% for C, 0.08% for Mg and 1.98 μg g(-1) for P). Comparison of predicted macronutrients with reference standards using a one-way ANOVA test showed no statistical difference at 95% confidence level. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that an XRF method has demonstrated utility in trace analysis of macronutrients in soil or related matrices. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (Korean Hemorrhagic Fever)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-29

particles were used for a rapid serologic diagnostic test for HFRS. ’te-re were 430 cases of HFRS in Korea in 1989 and large outbreaks of scrub typhus...almost same as in 1988. A simple and rapid serologic diagnostic test for hantavirus infection was developed by high density particle agglutination...infection and HFRS b) serologic relation cif hantaviruses isolated from the different parts of the world c) development of a simple serologic diagnostic

Non-crosslinking gold nanoprobe-LAMP for simple, colorimetric, and specific detection of Salmonella typhi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozorgmehr, Ali; Yazdanparast, Razieh; Mollasalehi, Hamidreza

2016-12-01

In this study, we developed a non-crosslinking gold nanoprobe loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for nanodiagnosis of bacterial typhoid fever source, Salmonella typhi. Therefore, a unique region in the S. typhi genomic DNA was targeted for LAMP amplification using a specific set of four precisely designed primers. Also, for specific colorimetric visualization of the amplicons, a thiolated oligonucleotide probe, complementary to the single-stranded loop region of the amplicons between F2 and F1C segments, was designed. The probe was bound to the surface of gold nanoparticles via covalent bonds. Increasing the salt concentration in the detection reaction medium led to aggregation of nanoprobes in the blank and the negative vessels in a time-dependent form. That was followed by a change in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) leading to blue/black color that was observable by the naked eyes after about 5 min. Meanwhile, the original pink/red color was retained in the positive sample due to the large interparticle spaces and the stability against the ionic strength elevation which persisted for about 30 min. The whole process of DNA extraction, amplification, and detection took less than 2 h with a sensitivity of 20 CFU/ml. The developed gold nanoprobe-LAMP could serve as a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method for nanodiagnosis of S. typhi in point-of-need applications.

A simple and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method for analysis of some nitrofuran drugs in pharmaceutical preparations.

PubMed

Belal, Tarek Saied

2008-09-01

A simple, rapid, selective and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was described for the analysis of three nitrofuran drugs, namely, nifuroxazide (NX), nitrofurantoin (NT) and nitrofurazone (NZ). The method involved the alkaline hydrolysis of the studied drugs by warming with 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution then dilution with distilled water for NX or 2-propanol for NT and NZ. The formed fluorophores were measured at 465 nm (lambda (Ex) 265 nm), 458 nm (lambda (Ex) 245 nm) and 445 nm (lambda (Ex) 245 nm) for NX, NT and NZ, respectively. The reaction pathway was discussed and the structures of the fluorescent products were proposed. The different experimental parameters were studied and optimized. Regression analysis showed good correlation between fluorescence intensity and concentration over the ranges 0.08-1.00, 0.02-0.24 and 0.004-0.050 microg ml(-1) for NX, NT and NZ, respectively. The limits of detection of the method were 8.0, 1.9 and 0.3 ng ml(-1) for NX, NT and NZ, respectively. The proposed method was validated in terms of accuracy, precision and specificity, and it was successfully applied for the assay of the three nitrofurans in their different dosage forms. No interference was observed from common pharmaceutical adjuvants. The results were favorably compared with those obtained by reference spectrophotometric methods.

Determination of caprolactam and 6-aminocaproic acid in human urine using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wu, Ya-Hsueh; Wu, Ming-Ling; Lin, Chun-Chi; Chu, Wei-Lan; Yang, Chen-Chang; Lin, Robert Tate; Deng, Jou-Fang

2012-02-15

A simple and rapid assay based on hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry has been first developed and validated for simultaneous determination of caprolactam (CA) and 6-aminocaproic acid (6-ANCA) in human urine using 8-aminocaprylic acid as internal standard. A 20μL aliquot of urine was injected directly into the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) system. The analytes were separated on a Phenomenex Luna HILIC column with gradient elution. Detection was performed on Triple Quadrupole LC-MS in positive ions multiple reaction monitoring mode using electrospray ionization. The calibration curves were linear (r(2)≥0.995) over the concentration range from 62.5 to 1250ng/mL for CA and 31.25 to 1000ng/mL for 6-ANCA. The detection limits of CA and 6-ANCA were 62.5 and 15.6ng/mL, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day precisions were within 8.7% and 9.9%, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day accuracy were between 5.3% and 3.5%, and between 6.1% and 6.6%, respectively. The method proved to be simple and time efficient, and was successfully applied to evaluate the kinetics of caprolactam in one unusual case of caprolactam poisoning. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A fully validated method for the determination of lacosamide in human plasma using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry: application for therapeutic drug monitoring.

PubMed

Nikolaou, Panagiota; Papoutsis, Ioannis; Spiliopoulou, Chara; Voudris, Constantinos; Athanaselis, Sotiris

2015-01-01

A simple gas chromatographic method with mass spectrometry detection was developed and validated for the determination of lacosamide in human plasma. Lacosamide and the internal standard, levetiracetam-d6, were extracted from 200 μL plasma, by a solid-phase extraction through HF Bond Elut C18 columns, and derivatized using N-methyl-N-tert-butyldimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide with 1% tert-butyldimethylsilylchloride in acetonitrile. The limit of quantification was found to be 0.20 μg/mL and the assay was linear up to 20.0 μg/mL with correlation coefficient ≥0.994. The intra- and interday precision values were <4.1% in terms of relative standard deviation (%) and the values of intra- and interday accuracy were found to be within -7.2 and 5.3% in terms of relative error (%). Absolute recovery of the method for lacosamide was determined at three concentration levels and ranged from 92.5 to 97.6%. The developed method uses small volumes of plasma and proved to be simple, rapid, and sensitive for the determination of lacosamide in plasma. This method can be used in routine every day analysis of plasma samples obtained from patients who follow respective antiepileptic treatment and for the investigation of clinical and forensic cases where lacosamide is involved. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tidal reversal and flow velocities using temperature and specific conductance in a small wetland creek

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eaton, Timothy T.

2016-11-01

Characterizing flow dynamics in very small tidal creeks is complicated and not well suited to methods developed for upland streams or coastal estuaries, due to low flows, bidirectionality and shallow waters. Simple instrumentation enables thermal and salinity signals to be used to observe flow directions and estimate velocities in these settings. Using multiple inexpensive sensors over 500 m along a tidally influenced wetland creek, I demonstrate how advection of temperature and specific conductance pulses reveal flood and ebb tides and the temporary reversal of flow by warmer, estuarine water from the receiving embayment. The sequential rise of temperature upstream was most evident under hot and dry conditions, after daily peak air temperatures of 25 °C or above, and was subdued or disrupted under cooler or rainy conditions in summertime. Changes in specific conductance at successive sites upstream were less susceptible to environmental influences and confirm tidal flood velocity of between 0.07 and 0.37 m/s. The tidally-induced flow reversal suggests that periodic high tide conditions can interfere with rapid dispersal of pollution discharges, such as from the combined sewer overflow (CSO) located upstream of the studied creek reach. This low-cost approach of temperature and specific conductance sensing in vegetated coastal wetlands where access, precise elevation control and creek discharge measurements are difficult, provides a simple way of tracking water masses when sufficient contrast exists between water sources.

A minimalist feedback-regulated model for galaxy formation during the epoch of reionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furlanetto, Steven R.; Mirocha, Jordan; Mebane, Richard H.; Sun, Guochao

2017-12-01

Near-infrared surveys have now determined the luminosity functions of galaxies at 6 ≲ z ≲ 8 to impressive precision and identified a number of candidates at even earlier times. Here, we develop a simple analytic model to describe these populations that allows physically motivated extrapolation to earlier times and fainter luminosities. We assume that galaxies grow through accretion on to dark matter haloes, which we model by matching haloes at fixed number density across redshift, and that stellar feedback limits the star formation rate. We allow for a variety of feedback mechanisms, including regulation through supernova energy and momentum from radiation pressure. We show that reasonable choices for the feedback parameters can fit the available galaxy data, which in turn substantially limits the range of plausible extrapolations of the luminosity function to earlier times and fainter luminosities: for example, the global star formation rate declines rapidly (by a factor of ∼20 from z = 6 to 15 in our fiducial model), but the bright galaxies accessible to observations decline even faster (by a factor ≳ 400 over the same range). Our framework helps us develop intuition for the range of expectations permitted by simple models of high-z galaxies that build on our understanding of 'normal' galaxy evolution. We also provide predictions for galaxy measurements by future facilities, including James Webb Space Telescope and Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope.

A Fast Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometric Analysis of PETN (Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate), RDX (3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane) and HMX (Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine) in Soil, Utilizing a Simple Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction with Minimum Solvent.

PubMed

Anilanmert, Beril; Aydin, Muhammet; Apak, Resat; Avci, Gülfidan Yenel; Cengiz, Salih

2016-01-01

Direct analyses of explosives in soil using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods are very limited in the literature and require complex procedures or relatively high amount of solvent. A simple and rapid method was developed for the determination of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), 3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), which are among the explosives used in terrorist attacks. A one-step extraction method for 1.00 g soil with 2.00 mL acetonitrile, and a 8-min LC-MS/MS method was developed. The detection limits for PETN, RDX and HMX were 5.2, 8.5 and 3.4 ng/g and quantitation limits were 10.0, 24.5, 6.0 ng/g. The intermediate precisions and Horwitz Ratio's were between 4.10 - 13.26% and 0.24 - 0.98, in order. This method was applied to a model post-blast debris collected from an artificial explosion and real samples collected after a terrorist attack in Istanbul. The method is easy and fast and requires less solvent use than other methods.

Enhancing local health department disaster response capacity with rapid community needs assessments: validation of a computerized program for binary attribute cluster sampling.

PubMed

Groenewold, Matthew R

2006-01-01

Local health departments are among the first agencies to respond to disasters or other mass emergencies. However, they often lack the ability to handle large-scale events. Plans including locally developed and deployed tools may enhance local response. Simplified cluster sampling methods can be useful in assessing community needs after a sudden-onset, short duration event. Using an adaptation of the methodology used by the World Health Organization Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), a Microsoft Access-based application for two-stage cluster sampling of residential addresses in Louisville/Jefferson County Metro, Kentucky was developed. The sampling frame was derived from geographically referenced data on residential addresses and political districts available through the Louisville/Jefferson County Information Consortium (LOJIC). The program randomly selected 30 clusters, defined as election precincts, from within the area of interest, and then, randomly selected 10 residential addresses from each cluster. The program, called the Rapid Assessment Tools Package (RATP), was tested in terms of accuracy and precision using data on a dichotomous characteristic of residential addresses available from the local tax assessor database. A series of 30 samples were produced and analyzed with respect to their precision and accuracy in estimating the prevalence of the study attribute. Point estimates with 95% confidence intervals were calculated by determining the proportion of the study attribute values in each of the samples and compared with the population proportion. To estimate the design effect, corresponding simple random samples of 300 addresses were taken after each of the 30 cluster samples. The sample proportion fell within +/-10 absolute percentage points of the true proportion in 80% of the samples. In 93.3% of the samples, the point estimate fell within +/-12.5%, and 96.7% fell within +/-15%. All of the point estimates fell within +/-20% of the true proportion. Estimates of the design effect ranged from 0.926 to 1.436 (mean = 1.157, median = 1.170) for the 30 samples. Although prospective evaluation of its performance in field trials or a real emergency is required to confirm its utility, this study suggests that the RATP, a locally designed and deployed tool, may provide population-based estimates of community needs or the extent of event-related consequences that are precise enough to serve as the basis for the initial post-event decisions regarding relief efforts.

Precision translator

DOEpatents

Reedy, R.P.; Crawford, D.W.

1982-03-09

A precision translator for focusing a beam of light on the end of a glass fiber which includes two turning fork-like members rigidly connected to each other. These members have two prongs each with its separation adjusted by a screw, thereby adjusting the orthogonal positioning of a glass fiber attached to one of the members. This translator is made of simple parts with capability to keep adjustment even in condition of rough handling.

Precision translator

DOEpatents

Reedy, Robert P.; Crawford, Daniel W.

1984-01-01

A precision translator for focusing a beam of light on the end of a glass fiber which includes two turning fork-like members rigidly connected to each other. These members have two prongs each with its separation adjusted by a screw, thereby adjusting the orthogonal positioning of a glass fiber attached to one of the members. This translator is made of simple parts with capability to keep adjustment even in condition of rough handling.

A passion for precision

ScienceCinema

Hänsch, Theodor W.

2018-05-23

For more than three decades, the quest for ever higher precision in laser spectroscopy of the simple hydrogen atom has inspired many advances in laser, optical, and spectroscopic techniques, culminating in femtosecond laser optical frequency combs  as perhaps the most precise measuring tools known to man. Applications range from optical atomic clocks and tests of QED and relativity to searches for time variations of fundamental constants. Recent experiments are extending frequency comb techniques into the extreme ultraviolet. Laser frequency combs can also control the electric field of ultrashort light pulses, creating powerful new tools for the emerging field of attosecond science.

Simple Refractometers for Index Measurements by Minimum Deviation Method from Far-ultraviolet to Near Infrared

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leviton, Douglas B.; Madison, Timothy J.; Petrone, Peter

1998-01-01

The focal shift of an optical filter used in non-collimated light depends directly on substrate thickness and index of refraction. The HST Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) requires a set of filters whose focal shifts are tightly matched. Knowing the index of refraction for substrate glasses allows precise substrate thicknesses to be specified. Two refractometers have been developed at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to determine the indices of refraction of materials from which ACS filters are made. Modem imaging detectors for the near infrared, visible, and far ultraviolet spectral regions make these simple yet sophisticated refractometers possible. A new technology, high accuracy, angular encoder also developed at GSFC makes high precision index measurement possible in the vacuum ultraviolet.

The metallic sphere in a uniform ac magnetic field: A simple and precise experiment for exploring eddy currents and non-destructive testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honke, Michael L.; Bidinosti, Christopher P.

2018-06-01

We describe a very simple experiment that utilizes standard laboratory equipment to measure the electromagnetic response of a metallic sphere exposed to a uniform ac magnetic field. Measurements were made for a variety of non-magnetic and magnetic metals, and in all cases the results fit very well with theory over the four orders of frequency (25 Hz to 102 kHz) explored here. Precise values of magnetic permeability and electrical conductivity can be extracted from fits to the data given the sphere radius only. The same apparatus is also used to explore the effects of geometry on eddy current generation as well as to demonstrate non-destructive testing through measurements on coins of different composition.

Graphitic carbon stabilized silver nanoparticles synthesized by a simple chemical precursor method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soni, Bhasker; Biswas, Somnath

2018-04-01

Monodispersed graphitic carbon stabilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized following a simple chemical precursor method. The precursor was obtained by a controlled reduction of Ag+ in aqueous solution of poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) and sucrose. The process allows precise control over the morphology of the AgNPs along with in situ formation of a surface stabilization layer of graphitic carbon.

A simple bubble-flowmeter with quasicontinuous registration.

PubMed

Ludt, H; Herrmann, H D

1976-07-22

The construction of a simple bubble-flow-meter is described. The instrument has the following features: 1. automatic bubble injection, 2. precise measurement of the bubble passage time by a digital counter, 3. quasicontinuous registration of the flow rate, 4. alternative run with clear fluid (water) and coloured fluid (blood), 5. low volume, 6. closed measuring system for measurements in low and high pressure systems.

The upcoming 3D-printing revolution in microfluidics

PubMed Central

Bhattacharjee, Nirveek; Urrios, Arturo; Kang, Shawn; Folch, Albert

2016-01-01

In the last two decades, the vast majority of microfluidic systems have been built in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) by soft lithography, a technique based on PDMS micromolding. A long list of key PDMS properties have contributed to the success of soft lithography: PDMS is biocompatible, elastomeric, transparent, gas-permeable, water-impermeable, fairly inexpensive, copyright-free, and rapidly prototyped with high precision using simple procedures. However, the fabrication process typically involves substantial human labor, which tends to make PDMS devices difficult to disseminate outside of research labs, and the layered molding limits the 3D complexity of the devices that can be produced. 3D-printing has recently attracted attention as a way to fabricate microfluidic systems due to its automated, assembly-free 3D fabrication, rapidly decreasing costs, and fast-improving resolution and throughput. Resins with properties approaching those of PDMS are being developed. Here we review past and recent efforts in 3D-printing of microfluidic systems. We compare the salient features of PDMS molding with those of 3D-printing and we give an overview of the critical barriers that have prevented the adoption of 3D-printing by microfluidic developers, namely resolution, throughput, and resin biocompatibility. We also evaluate the various forces that are persuading researchers to abandon PDMS molding in favor of 3D-printing in growing numbers. PMID:27101171

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet for the determination of triazine and triazoles in mineral water samples.

PubMed

Bolzan, Cátia M; Caldas, Sergiane S; Guimarães, Bruno S; Primel, Ednei G

2016-09-01

A simple, rapid, and sensitive method for the determination of atrazine, simazine, cyproconazole, tebuconazole, and epoxiconazole in mineral water employing the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with solidification of a floating organic drop with determination by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has been developed. A mixed solution of 250 μL 1-dodecanol and 1250 μL methanol was injected rapidly into 10 mL aqueous solution (pH 7.0) with 2% w/v NaCl. After centrifugation for 5 min at 2000 rpm, the organic solvent droplets floated on the surface of the aqueous solution and the floating solvent solidified. The method limits of detection were between 3.75 and 37.5 ng/L and limits of quantification were between 12.5 and 125 ng/L. The recoveries ranged from 70 to 118% for repeatability and between 76 and 95% for intermediate precision with a relative standard deviation from 2 to 18% for all compounds. Low matrix effect was observed. The proposed method can be successfully applied in routine analysis for determination of pesticide residues in mineral water samples, allowing for monitoring of triazine and triazoles at levels below the regulatory limits set by international and national legislations. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rapid analysis of the essential oil components of dried Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim by Fe2O3-magnetic-microsphere-assisted microwave distillation and simultaneous headspace single-drop microextraction followed by GC-MS.

PubMed

Ye, Qing

2013-06-01

In this work, microwave distillation assisted by Fe2 O3 magnetic microspheres (FMMS) and headspace single-drop microextraction were combined, and developed for determination of essential oil compounds in dried Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim (ZBM). The FMMS were used as microwave absorption solid medium for dry distillation of dried ZBM. Using the proposed method, isolation, extraction, and concentration of essential oil compounds can be carried out in a single step. The experimental parameters including extraction solvent, solvent volume, microwave power, irradiation time, and the amount of added FMMS, were studied. The optimal analytical conditions were: 2.0 μL decane as the extraction solvent, microwave power of 300 W, irradiation time of 2 min, and the addition of 0.1 g FMMS to ZBM. The method precision was from 4 to 10%. A total of 52 compounds were identified by the proposed method. The conventional steam distillation method was also used for the analysis of essential oil in dried ZBM and only 31 compounds were identified by steam distillation method. It was found that the proposed method is a simple, rapid, reliable, and solvent-free technique for the determination of volatile compounds in Chinese herbs. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quantitative estimation of gymnemagenin in Gymnema sylvestre extract and its marketed formulations using the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method.

PubMed

Kamble, Bhagyashree; Gupta, Ankur; Patil, Dada; Janrao, Shirish; Khatal, Laxman; Duraiswamy, B

2013-02-01

Gymnema sylvestre, with gymnemic acids as active pharmacological constituents, is a popular ayurvedic herb and has been used to treat diabetes, as a remedy for cough and as a diuretic. However, very few analytical methods are available for quality control of this herb and its marketed formulations. To develop and validate a new, rapid, sensitive and selective HPLC-ESI (electrospray ionisation)-MS/MS method for quantitative estimation of gymnemagenin in G. sylvestre and its marketed formulations. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method using a multiple reactions monitoring mode was used for quantitation of gymnemagenin. Separation was carried out on a Luna C-18 column using gradient elution of water and methanol (with 0.1% formic acid and 0.3% ammonia). The developed method was validated as per International Conference on Harmonisation Guideline ICH-Q2B and found to be accurate, precise and linear over a relatively wide range of concentrations (5.280-305.920 ng/mL). Gymnemagenin contents were found from 0.056 ± 0.002 to 4.77 ± 0.59% w/w in G. sylvestre and its marketed formulations. The method established is simple, rapid, with high sample throughput, and can be used as a tool for quality control of G. sylvestre and its formulations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rapid and sensitive analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls and acrylamide in food samples using ionic liquid-based in situ dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled to headspace gas chromatography.

PubMed

Zhang, Cheng; Cagliero, Cecilia; Pierson, Stephen A; Anderson, Jared L

2017-01-20

A simple and rapid ionic liquid (IL)-based in situ dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) method was developed and coupled to headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC) employing electron capture (ECD) and mass spectrometry (MS) detection for the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and acrylamide at trace levels from milk and coffee samples. The chemical structures of the halide-based ILs were tailored by introducing various functional groups to the cations to evaluate the effect of different structural features on the extraction efficiency of the target analytes. Extraction parameters including the molar ratio of IL to metathesis reagent and IL mass were optimized. The effects of HS oven temperature and the HS sample vial volume on the analyte response were also evaluated. The optimized in situ DLLME method exhibited good analytical precision, good linearity, and provided detection limits down to the low ppt level for PCBs and the low ppb level for acrylamide in aqueous samples. The matrix-compatibility of the developed method was also established by quantifying acrylamide in brewed coffee samples. This method is much simpler and faster compared to previously reported GC-MS methods using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the extraction/preconcentration of PCBs and acrylamide from complex food samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving multi-GNSS ultra-rapid orbit determination for real-time precise point positioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xingxing; Chen, Xinghan; Ge, Maorong; Schuh, Harald

2018-03-01

Currently, with the rapid development of multi-constellation Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), the real-time positioning and navigation are undergoing dramatic changes with potential for a better performance. To provide more precise and reliable ultra-rapid orbits is critical for multi-GNSS real-time positioning, especially for the three merging constellations Beidou, Galileo and QZSS which are still under construction. In this contribution, we present a five-system precise orbit determination (POD) strategy to fully exploit the GPS + GLONASS + BDS + Galileo + QZSS observations from CDDIS + IGN + BKG archives for the realization of hourly five-constellation ultra-rapid orbit update. After adopting the optimized 2-day POD solution (updated every hour), the predicted orbit accuracy can be obviously improved for all the five satellite systems in comparison to the conventional 1-day POD solution (updated every 3 h). The orbit accuracy for the BDS IGSO satellites can be improved by about 80, 45 and 50% in the radial, cross and along directions, respectively, while the corresponding accuracy improvement for the BDS MEO satellites reaches about 50, 20 and 50% in the three directions, respectively. Furthermore, the multi-GNSS real-time precise point positioning (PPP) ambiguity resolution has been performed by using the improved precise satellite orbits. Numerous results indicate that combined GPS + BDS + GLONASS + Galileo (GCRE) kinematic PPP ambiguity resolution (AR) solutions can achieve the shortest time to first fix (TTFF) and highest positioning accuracy in all coordinate components. With the addition of the BDS, GLONASS and Galileo observations to the GPS-only processing, the GCRE PPP AR solution achieves the shortest average TTFF of 11 min with 7{°} cutoff elevation, while the TTFF of GPS-only, GR, GE and GC PPP AR solution is 28, 15, 20 and 17 min, respectively. As the cutoff elevation increases, the reliability and accuracy of GPS-only PPP AR solutions decrease dramatically, but there is no evident decrease for the accuracy of GCRE fixed solutions which can still achieve an accuracy of a few centimeters in the east and north components.

Rapid Prototyping 3D Model in Treatment of Pediatric Hip Dysplasia: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Holt, Andrew M.; Starosolski, Zbigniew; Kan, J. Herman

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Rapid prototyping is an emerging technology that integrates common medical imaging with specialized production mechanisms to create detailed anatomic replicas. 3D-printed models of musculoskeletal anatomy have already proven useful in orthopedics and their applications continue to expand. Case Description: We present the case of a 10 year-old female with Down syndrome and left acetabular dysplasia and chronic hip instability who underwent periacetabular osteotomy. A rapid prototyping 3D model was created to better understand the anatomy, counsel the family about the problem and the surgical procedure, as well as guide surgical technique. The intricate detail and size match of the model with the patient’s anatomy offered unparalleled, hands-on experience with the patient’s anatomy pre-operatively and improved surgical precision. Conclusions: Our experience with rapid prototyping confirmed its ability to enhance orthopedic care by improving the surgeon’s ability to understand complex anatomy. Additionally, we report a new application utilizing intraoperative fluoroscopic comparison of the model and patient to ensure surgical precision and minimize the risk of complications. This technique could be used in other challenging cases. The increasing availability of rapid prototyping welcomes further use in all areas of orthopedics. PMID:28852351

Rapid Prototyping 3D Model in Treatment of Pediatric Hip Dysplasia: A Case Report.

PubMed

Holt, Andrew M; Starosolski, Zbigniew; Kan, J Herman; Rosenfeld, Scott B

2017-01-01

Rapid prototyping is an emerging technology that integrates common medical imaging with specialized production mechanisms to create detailed anatomic replicas. 3D-printed models of musculoskeletal anatomy have already proven useful in orthopedics and their applications continue to expand. We present the case of a 10 year-old female with Down syndrome and left acetabular dysplasia and chronic hip instability who underwent periacetabular osteotomy. A rapid prototyping 3D model was created to better understand the anatomy, counsel the family about the problem and the surgical procedure, as well as guide surgical technique. The intricate detail and size match of the model with the patient's anatomy offered unparalleled, hands-on experience with the patient's anatomy pre-operatively and improved surgical precision. Our experience with rapid prototyping confirmed its ability to enhance orthopedic care by improving the surgeon's ability to understand complex anatomy. Additionally, we report a new application utilizing intraoperative fluoroscopic comparison of the model and patient to ensure surgical precision and minimize the risk of complications. This technique could be used in other challenging cases. The increasing availability of rapid prototyping welcomes further use in all areas of orthopedics.

Prompt and Precise Prototyping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

For Sanders Design International, Inc., of Wilton, New Hampshire, every passing second between the concept and realization of a product is essential to succeed in the rapid prototyping industry where amongst heavy competition, faster time-to-market means more business. To separate itself from its rivals, Sanders Design aligned with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to develop what it considers to be the most accurate rapid prototyping machine for fabrication of extremely precise tooling prototypes. The company's Rapid ToolMaker System has revolutionized production of high quality, small-to-medium sized prototype patterns and tooling molds with an exactness that surpasses that of computer numerically-controlled (CNC) machining devices. Created with funding and support from Marshall under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract, the Rapid ToolMaker is a dual-use technology with applications in both commercial and military aerospace fields. The advanced technology provides cost savings in the design and manufacturing of automotive, electronic, and medical parts, as well as in other areas of consumer interest, such as jewelry and toys. For aerospace applications, the Rapid ToolMaker enables fabrication of high-quality turbine and compressor blades for jet engines on unmanned air vehicles, aircraft, and missiles.

Multiclass mycotoxin analysis in edible oils using a simple solvent extraction method and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Eom, Taeyong; Cho, Hyun-Deok; Kim, Junghyun; Park, Mihee; An, Jinyoung; Kim, Moosung; Kim, Sheen-Hee; Han, Sang Beom

2017-11-01

A simple and rapid method for the simultaneous determination of 11 mycotoxins - aflatoxins B 1 , B 2 , G 1 and G 2 ; fumonisins B 1 , B 2 and B 3 ; ochratoxin A; zearalenone; deoxynivalenol; and T-2 toxin - in edible oils was established using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In this study, QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe), QuEChERS with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, and solvent extraction were examined for sample preparation. Among these methods, solvent extraction with a mixture of formic acid/acetonitrile (5/95, v/v) successfully extracted all target mycotoxins. Subsequently, a defatting process using n-hexane was employed to remove the fats present in the edible oil samples. Mass spectrometry was carried out using electrospray ionisation in polarity switching mode with multiple reaction monitoring. The developed LC-MS/MS method was validated by assessing the specificity, linearity, recovery, limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy and precision with reference to Commission Regulation (EC) 401/2006. Mycotoxin recoveries of 51.6-82.8% were achieved in addition to LOQs ranging from 0.025 ng/g to 1 ng/g. The edible oils proved to be relatively uncomplicated matrices and the developed method was applied to 9 edible oil samples, including soybean oil, corn oil and rice bran oil, to evaluate potential mycotoxin contamination. The levels of detection were significantly lower than the international regulatory standards. Therefore, we expect that our developed method, based on simple, two-step sample preparation process, will be suitable for the large-scale screening of mycotoxin contamination in edible oils.

Simple and rapid quantification of vancomycin in serum, urine and peritoneal/pleural effusion via UHPLC-MS/MS applicable to personalized antibiotic dosing research.

PubMed

Javorska, Lenka; Krcmova, Lenka Kujovska; Solich, Petr; Kaska, Milan

2017-08-05

Management of the therapy of life-threatening bacterial infection is extremely based on an optimal antibiotic treatment. Achieving the correct vancomycin dosage in blood and target tissues can be complicated in special situations, e.g., where large fluid sequestration and/or acute renal failure occur. A UHPLC-MS/MS method operating in electrospray (ESI) positive ion mode was applied for the determination of vancomycin in serum, urine and peritoneal/pleural effusion. Sample pretreatment was composed of dilution and simple protein precipitation where only a small volume (50μL) of serum, urine or peritoneal/pleural effusion was required. The separation of vancomycin was performed on a Meteoric Core C18 BIO column (100×4.6mm, 2.7μm) by gradient elution with 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile. The total time of analysis was 4.5min. The method was found to be linear in the range of 2-60μM (or 0.5-10μM) for serum, 0.27-10μM (or 2-60μM) for peritoneal/pleural effusion and 25-300μM for urine, which was adequate for the determination of vancomycin in patient samples. The intra- and inter-day precision was below 8% RSD, and accuracy was from 89 to 104%. The UHPLC/MS-MS method offers a fast and reliable approach to determine vancomycin concentrations in three different human body fluid samples (serum, urine and peritoneal/pleural effusion) with a simple sample pretreatment that was the same for all selected specimens. This method should be applicable to large sample series in clinical (pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic) studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Low-Cost Precision Colorimeter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaffar, M.; Zahid, Qazi

1988-01-01

Presents the construction aspects of a simple but reliable colorimeter made from locally available components. Notes the absorption range to be 400-750-nm. Lists seven experiments done on the instrument. (MVL)

A simple customized surgical guide for orthodontic miniplates with tube.

PubMed

Paek, Janghyun; Su, Ming-Jeaun; Kwon, Soon-Yong; Kim, Seong-Hun; Chung, Kyu-Rhim; Nelson, Gerald

2012-09-01

This article reports the use of a customized surgical guide for simple and precise C-tube plate placement with minimized incision. Patients who were planning to have orthodontic miniplate treatment because of narrow interradicular space were recruited for this study. A combined silicone and stainless steel wire surgical guide for the C-tube was fabricated on the cast model. The taller wire of the positioning guide is used to accurately start the incision. The incision guide-wire position is verified by placing the miniplate on the coronal horizontal wire to confirm that the incision will coordinate with the screw holes. Because the miniplate is firmly held in place, there is no risk of the miniplate anchoring screws (diameter, 1.5 mm; length, 4 mm) sliding on the bone surface during placement with a manual hand driver. The surgical guide was placed on the clinical site, and it allowed precise placement of the miniplate with minimum incision and preventing from slippage or path-of-insertion angulation errors that might interfere with accurate placement. Customized surgical guide enables precise planning for miniplate positions in anatomically complex sites.

A Simple Method to Improve Autonomous GPS Positioning for Tractors

PubMed Central

Gomez-Gil, Jaime; Alonso-Garcia, Sergio; Gómez-Gil, Francisco Javier; Stombaugh, Tim

2011-01-01

Error is always present in the GPS guidance of a tractor along a desired trajectory. One way to reduce GPS guidance error is by improving the tractor positioning. The most commonly used ways to do this are either by employing more precise GPS receivers and differential corrections or by employing GPS together with some other local positioning systems such as electronic compasses or Inertial Navigation Systems (INS). However, both are complex and expensive solutions. In contrast, this article presents a simple and low cost method to improve tractor positioning when only a GPS receiver is used as the positioning sensor. The method is based on placing the GPS receiver ahead of the tractor, and on applying kinematic laws of tractor movement, or a geometric approximation, to obtain the midpoint position and orientation of the tractor rear axle more precisely. This precision improvement is produced by the fusion of the GPS data with tractor kinematic control laws. Our results reveal that the proposed method effectively reduces the guidance GPS error along a straight trajectory. PMID:22163917

Functional Renal Imaging with 2-Deoxy-2-18F-Fluorosorbitol PET in Rat Models of Renal Disorders.

PubMed

Werner, Rudolf A; Wakabayashi, Hiroshi; Chen, Xinyu; Hirano, Mitsuru; Shinaji, Tetsuya; Lapa, Constantin; Rowe, Steven P; Javadi, Mehrbod S; Higuchi, Takahiro

2018-05-01

Precise regional quantitative assessment of renal function is limited with conventional 99m Tc-labeled renal radiotracers. A recent study reported that the PET radiotracer 2-deoxy-2- 18 F-fluorosorbitol ( 18 F-FDS) has ideal pharmacokinetics for functional renal imaging. Furthermore, 18 F-FDS is available via simple reduction from routinely used 18 F-FDG. We aimed to further investigate the potential of 18 F-FDS PET as a functional renal imaging agent using rat models of kidney disease. Methods: Two different rat models of renal impairment were investigated: induction of acute renal failure by intramuscular administration of glycerol in the hind legs, and induction of unilateral ureteral obstruction by ligation of the left ureter. At 24 h after these procedures, dynamic 30-min 18 F-FDS PET data were acquired using a dedicated small-animal PET system. Urine 18 F-FDS radioactivity 30 min after radiotracer injection was measured together with coinjected 99m Tc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid urine activity. Results: Dynamic PET imaging demonstrated rapid 18 F-FDS accumulation in the renal cortex and rapid radiotracer excretion via the kidneys in healthy control rats. On the other hand, significantly delayed renal radiotracer uptake (continuous slow uptake) was observed in acute renal failure rats and unilateral ureteral obstruction kidneys. Measured urine radiotracer concentrations of 18 F-FDS and 99m Tc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid correlated well with each other ( R = 0.84, P < 0.05). Conclusion: 18 F-FDS PET demonstrated favorable kinetics for functional renal imaging in rat models of kidney diseases. 18 F-FDS PET imaging, with its advantages of high spatiotemporal resolution and simple tracer production, could potentially complement or replace conventional renal scintigraphy in select cases and significantly improve the diagnostic performance of renal functional imaging. © 2018 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Validation of a Rapid and Sensitive UPLC-MS-MS Method Coupled with Protein Precipitation for the Simultaneous Determination of Seven Pyrethroids in 100 µL of Rat Plasma by Using Ammonium Adduct as Precursor Ion.

PubMed

Singh, Sheelendra Pratap; Dwivedi, Nistha; Raju, Kanumuri Siva Rama; Taneja, Isha; Wahajuddin, Mohammad

2016-04-01

United States Environmental Protection Agency has recommended estimating pyrethroids' risk using cumulative exposure. For cumulative risk assessment, it would be useful to have a bioanalytical method for quantification of one or several pyrethroids simultaneously in a small sample volume to support toxicokinetic studies. Therefore, in the present study, a simple, sensitive and high-throughput ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for simultaneous analysis of seven pyrethroids (fenvalerate, fenpropathrin, bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin) in 100 µL of rat plasma. A simple single-step protein precipitation method was used for the extraction of target compounds. The total chromatographic run time of the method was 5 min. The chromatographic system used a Supelco C18 column and isocratic elution with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and 5 mM ammonium formate in the ratio of 90 : 10 (v/v). Mass spectrometer (API 4000) was operated in multiple reaction monitoring positive-ion mode using the electrospray ionization technique. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 7.8-2,000 ng/mL with correlation coefficients of ≥ 0.99. All validation parameters such as precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect and stability met the acceptance criteria according to the regulatory guidelines. The method was successfully applied to the toxicokinetic study of cypermethrin in rats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first LC-MS-MS method for the simultaneous analysis of pyrethroids in rat plasma. This validated method with minimal modification can also be utilized for forensic and clinical toxicological applications due to its simplicity, sensitivity and rapidity. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fast, sensitive and reliable multi-residue method for routine determination of 34 pesticides from various chemical groups in water samples by using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tankiewicz, Maciej; Biziuk, Marek

2018-02-01

A simple and efficient dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction technique (DLLME) was developed by using a mixture of two solvents: 40 μL of tetrachlorethylene (extraction solvent) and 1.0 mL of methanol (disperser solvent), which was rapidly injected with a syringe into 10 mL of water sample. Some important parameters affecting the extraction efficiency, such as type and volume of solvents, water sample volume, extraction time, temperature, pH adjustment and salt addition effect were investigated. Simultaneous determination of 34 commonly used pesticides was performed by using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The procedure has been validated in order to obtain the highest efficiency at the lowest concentration levels of analytes to fulfill the requirements of regulations on maximum residue limits. Under the optimum conditions, the linearity range was within 0.0096-100 μg L -1 . The limits of detection (LODs) of the developed DLLME-GC-MS methodology for all investigated pesticides were in the range of 0.0032 (endrin)-0.0174 (diazinon) μg L -1 and limits of quantification (LOQs) from 0.0096 to 0.052 μg L -1 . At lower concentration of 1 μg L -1 for each pesticide, recoveries ranged between 84% (tebufenpyrad) and 108% (deltamethrin) with relative standard deviations (RSDs) (n = 7) from 1.1% (metconazole) to 11% (parathion-mehtyl). This methodology was successfully applied to check contamination of environmental samples. The procedure has proved to be selective, sensitive and precise for the simultaneous determination of various pesticides. The optimized analytical method is very simple and rapid (less than 5 min). Graphical abstract Analytical procedure for testing water samples consists of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Eliminating Mercury Thermometers from the Lab.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everett, T. Stephen

1997-01-01

Compares the precision, accuracy, and response of a cooking probe to a standard mercury thermometer in side-by-side heating in temperature baths, simple and fractional distillations, and melting point determination. (DDR)

A simple and rapid latex fixation test for measuring immunoglobulins produced in cell cultures.

PubMed

Kasahara, T; Harada, H; Enomoto, H; Itoh, Y; Kawai, T; Shioiri-Nakano, K

1981-01-01

A rapid and simple latex fixation test (LFT), which quantifies immunoglobulin (Ig) released into culture supernatants is described. Latex particles are coated with rabbit anti-human IgG, IgA or IgM antibodies. With this LFT technique the concentration of Ig is determined within a few minutes. The LFT is as sensitive and quantitative as double-antibody radioimmunoassay and is capable of detecting 35, 68 and 225 ng/ml of IgG, IgA and IgM, respectively.

Jig For Stereoscopic Photography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nielsen, David J.

1990-01-01

Separations between views adjusted precisely for best results. Simple jig adjusted to set precisely, distance between right and left positions of camera used to make stereoscopic photographs. Camera slides in slot between extreme positions, where it takes stereoscopic pictures. Distance between extreme positions set reproducibly with micrometer. In view of trend toward very-large-scale integration of electronic circuits, training method and jig used to make training photographs useful to many companies to reduce cost of training manufacturing personnel.

The Invention Convention: Mind Meets Simple Machines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadi-Tabassum, Samina

1997-01-01

Describes an Earth Day celebration where students had to design an invention made of simple machines that could crush an empty aluminum can through 10 rapid mechanical movements using materials foraged from the students' homes. (JRH)

Development and validation of a rapid reverse-phase HPLC method for the determination of methotrexate from nanostructured liquid crystalline systems.

PubMed

Zuben, E S Von; Oliveira, A G; Chorilli, M; Scarpa, M V

2018-03-05

A reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) method was successfully developed and validated for the determination of methotrexate in nanostructured liquid crystalline systems composed by polyether functional siloxane and silicone polyether copolymer. The LC method was performed on RP C18-ODS column, Agilent Zorbax® (4.6 x 250 mm, 5 μm), maintained at room temperature, with a mobile phase constituted by a mixture of 50 mM ammonium acetate buffer (pH 6.0) and methanol (77:23,v/v) with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, using ultraviolet detection at 313 nm. The parameters used in the validation process were linearity, specificity, intra and inter-day precision, accuracy, robustness. The quantitation and detection limits yielded good results. The calibration plot assumed linear behavior from 5.0-150.0 μg. mL-1 (r2 = 0.9999). The methotrexate was subjected to oxidation, acid, base and neutral degradation, photolysis and heat as stress conditions. There were no interfering peaks at or near the retention time of methotrexate. The nanostructured liquid crystalline systems did not interfere with the analysis and the recovery was quantitative. The intra and inter-day assay relative standard deviation were less than 0.20 %. The method developed proved to be simple, sensitive, accurate, precise, reproducible and therefore adequate for routine analysis of methotrexate in nanostructured liquid crystalline systems.

Simultaneous determination of triacetin, acetic ether, butyl acetate and amorolfine hydrochloride in amorolfine liniment by HPLC.

PubMed

Gao, Yuan; Li, Li; Zhang, Jianjun; Shu, Wenjuan; Gao, Liqiong

2012-04-01

A simple, rapid, specific and precise reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for simultaneous estimation of triacetin, acetic ether, butyl acetate and amorolfine in marketed pharmaceutical liniment. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Shimadzu VP-ODS C(18) column using the mixture of citric acid-hydrochloric acid-sodium hydrate buffer (pH 3.0), acetonitrile and methanol (32:30:38) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min with UV-detection at 215 nm. The method separated the four components simultaneously in less than 10 min. The validation of the method was performed with respect to specificity, linearity, accuracy, and precision. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 35.1-81.9 μ/mL for triacetin, 431.1-1005.9 μ/mL for acetic ether, 167.0-389.7 μ/mL for butyl acetate and 151.0-352.3 μ/mL for amorolfine. The mean 100% spiked recovery for triacetin, acetic ether, butyl acetate and amorolfine is 99.43 ± 0.42, 101.5 ± 1.09, 101.4 ± 1.02 and 100.8 ± 0.69, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviation values were <2.0%. The limits of detection of these compounds ranged from 0.08 to 5.88 ng. The utility of the procedure was verified by its application to the commercial liniment.

Custom fit 3D-printed brain holders for comparison of histology with MRI in marmosets.

PubMed

Guy, Joseph R; Sati, Pascal; Leibovitch, Emily; Jacobson, Steven; Silva, Afonso C; Reich, Daniel S

2016-01-15

MRI has the advantage of sampling large areas of tissue and locating areas of interest in 3D space in both living and ex vivo systems, whereas histology has the ability to examine thin slices of ex vivo tissue with high detail and specificity. Although both are valuable tools, it is currently difficult to make high-precision comparisons between MRI and histology due to large differences inherent to the techniques. A method combining the advantages would be an asset to understanding the pathological correlates of MRI. 3D-printed brain holders were used to maintain marmoset brains in the same orientation during acquisition of ex vivo MRI and pathologic cutting of the tissue. The results of maintaining this same orientation show that sub-millimeter, discrete neuropathological features in marmoset brain consistently share size, shape, and location between histology and ex vivo MRI, which facilitates comparison with serial imaging acquired in vivo. Existing methods use computational approaches sensitive to data input in order to warp histologic images to match large-scale features on MRI, but the new method requires no warping of images, due to a preregistration accomplished in the technique, and is insensitive to data formatting and artifacts in both MRI and histology. The simple method of using 3D-printed brain holders to match brain orientation during pathologic sectioning and MRI acquisition enables rapid and precise comparison of small features seen on MRI to their underlying histology. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric determination of indacaterol maleate in pure form and pharmaceutical preparations: application to content uniformity.

PubMed

El-Ashry, S M; El-Wasseef, D R; El-Sherbiny, D T; Salem, Y A

2015-09-01

Two simple, rapid, sensitive and precise spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric methods were developed for the determination of indacaterol maleate in bulk powder and capsules. Both methods were based on the direct measurement of the drug in methanol. In the spectrophotometric method (Method I) the absorbance was measured at 259 nm. The absorbance-concentration plot was rectilinear over the range 1.0-10.0 µg mL(-1) with a lower detection limit (LOD) of 0.078 µg mL(-1) and lower quantification limit (LOQ) of 0.238 µg mL(-1). Meanwhile in the spectrofluorimetric method (Method II) the native fluorescence was measured at 358 nm after excitation at 258 nm. The fluorescence-concentration plot was rectilinear over the range of 1.0-40.0 ng mL(-1) with an LOD of 0.075 ng mL(-1) and an LOQ of 0.226 ng mL(-1). The proposed methods were successfully applied to the determination of indacaterol maleate in capsules with average percent recoveries ± RSD% of 99.94 ± 0.96 for Method I and 99.97 ± 0.81 for Method II. In addition, the proposed methods were extended to a content uniformity test according to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) guidelines and were accurate, precise for the capsules studied with acceptance value 3.98 for Method I and 2.616 for Method II. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

RAPID SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF TRIFLUOPERAZINE DIHYDROCHLORIDE AS BASE FORM IN PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATION THROUGH CHARGE-TRANSFER COMPLEXATION.

PubMed

Prashanth, Kudige Nagaraj; Swamy, Nagaraju; Basavaiah, Kanakapura

2016-01-01

Two simple and selective spectrophotometric methods are described for the determination of trifluoperazine dihydrochloride (TFH) as base form (TFP) in bulk drug, and in tablets. The methods are based on the molecular charge-transfer complexation of trifluoperazine base (TFP) with either 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid; PA) or 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). The yellow colored radical anions formed are quantified at 410 run (PA method) or 415 nm (DNP method). The assay conditions were optimized for both the methods. Beer's law is obeyed over the concentration ranges of 1.5-24.0 pg/mL in PA method and 5.0-80.0 µg/mL in DNP method, with respective molar absorptivity values of 1.03 x 10(4) and 6.91 x 10(3) L mol-1 cm-1. The reaction stoichiometry in both methods was evaluated by Job's method of continuous variations and was found to be 1 : 2 (TFP : PA, TFP : DNP). The developed methods were successfully applied to the determination of TFP in pure form and commercial tablets with good accuracy and precision. Statistical comparison of the results was performed using Student's t-test and F-ratio at 95% confidence level and the results showed no significant difference between the reference and proposed methods with regard to accuracy and precision. Further, the accuracy and reliability of the methods were confirmed by recovery studies via standard addition technique.

RAPID AND PRECISE METHOD FOR MEASURING STABLE CARBON ISOTOPE RATIOS OF DISSOLVED INORGANIC CARBON

EPA Science Inventory

We describe a method for rapid preparation, concentration and stable isotopic analysis of dissolved inorganic carbon (d13C-DIC). Liberation of CO2 was accomplished by placing 100 ?l phosphoric acid and 0.9 ml water in an evacuated 1.7-ml gas chromatography (GC) injection vial. Fo...

[Rapid prototyping in planning reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. Review and evaluation of indications in clinical use].

PubMed

Bill, J S; Reuther, J F

2004-05-01

The aim was to define the indications for use of rapid prototyping models based on data of patients treated with this technique. Since 1987 our department has been developing methods of rapid prototyping in surgery planning. During the study, first the statistical and reproducible anatomical precision of rapid prototyping models was determined on pig skull measurements depending on CT parameters and method of rapid prototyping. Measurements on stereolithography models and on selective laser sintered models confirmed an accuracy of +/-0.88 mm or 2.7% (maximum deviation: -3.0 mm to +3.2 mm) independently from CT parameters or method of rapid prototyping, respectively. With the same precision of models multilayer helical CT with a higher rate is the preferable method of data acquisition compared to conventional helical CT. From 1990 to 2002 in atotal of 122 patients, 127 rapid prototyping models were manufactured: in 112 patients stereolithography models, in 2 patients an additional stereolithography model, in 2 patients an additional selective laser sinter model, in 1 patient an additional milled model, and in 10 patients just a selective laser sinter model. Reconstructive surgery, distraction osteogenesis including midface distraction, and dental implantology are proven to be the major indications for rapid prototyping as confirmed in a review of the literature. Surgery planning on rapid prototyping models should only be used in individual cases due to radiation dose and high costs. Routine use of this technique only seems to be indicated in skull reconstruction and distraction osteogenesis.

Rapid and precise determination of ATP using a modified photometer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shultz, David J.; Stephens, Doyle W.

1980-01-01

An inexpensive delay timer was designed to modify a commercially available ATP photometer which allows a disposable tip pipette to be used for injecting either enzyme or sample into the reaction cuvette. The disposable tip pipette is as precise and accurate as a fixed-needle syringe but eliminates the problem of sample contamination and decreases analytical time. (USGS)

Development and Validation of GC-ECD Method for the Determination of Metamitron in Soil

PubMed Central

Tandon, Shishir; Kumar, Satyendra; Sand, N. K.

2015-01-01

This paper aims at developing and validating a convenient, rapid, and sensitive method for estimation of metamitron from soil samples.Determination andquantification was carried out by Gas Chromatography on microcapillary column with an Electron Capture Detector source. The compound was extracted from soil using methanol and cleanup by C-18 SPE. After optimization, the method was validated by evaluating the analytical curves, linearity, limits of detection, and quantification, precision (repeatability and intermediate precision), and accuracy (recovery). Recovery values ranged from 89 to 93.5% within 0.05- 2.0 µg L−1 with average RSD 1.80%. The precision (repeatability) ranged from 1.7034 to 1.9144% and intermediate precision from 1.5685 to 2.1323%. Retention time was 6.3 minutes, and minimum detectable and quantifiable limits were 0.02 ng mL−1 and 0.05 ng g−1, respectively. Good linearity (R 2 = 0.998) of the calibration curves was obtained over the range from 0.05 to 2.0 µg L−1. Results indicated that the developed method is rapid and easy to perform, making it applicable for analysis in large pesticide monitoring programmes. PMID:25733978

The analysis and compensation of errors of precise simple harmonic motion control under high speed and large load conditions based on servo electric cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Chen-xi; Ding, Guo-qing

2017-10-01

Simple harmonic waves and synthesized simple harmonic waves are widely used in the test of instruments. However, because of the errors caused by clearance of gear and time-delay error of FPGA, it is difficult to control servo electric cylinder in precise simple harmonic motion under high speed, high frequency and large load conditions. To solve the problem, a method of error compensation is proposed in this paper. In the method, a displacement sensor is fitted on the piston rod of the electric cylinder. By using the displacement sensor, the real-time displacement of the piston rod is obtained and fed back to the input of servo motor, then a closed loop control is realized. There is compensation of pulses in the next period of the synthetic waves. This paper uses FPGA as the processing core. The software mainly comprises a waveform generator, an Ethernet module, a memory module, a pulse generator, a pulse selector, a protection module, an error compensation module. A durability of shock absorbers is used as the testing platform. The durability mainly comprises a single electric cylinder, a servo motor for driving the electric cylinder, and the servo motor driver.

A rapid and ultrasensitive SERRS assay for histidine and tyrosine based on azo coupling.

PubMed

Sui, Huimin; Wang, Yue; Yu, Zhi; Cong, Qian; Han, Xiao Xia; Zhao, Bing

2016-10-01

A simple and highly sensitive surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS)-based approach coupled with azo coupling reaction has been put forward for quantitative analysis of histidine and tyrosine. The SERRS-based assay is simple and rapid by mixing the azo reaction products with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for measurements within 2min. The limits of detection (LODs) of the method are as low as 4.33×10(-11) and 8.80×10(-11)M for histidine and tyrosine, respectively. Moreover, the SERRS fingerprint information specific to corresponding amino acids guarantees the selective detection for the target histidine and tyrosine. The results from serum indicated the potential application of the proposed approach into biological samples. Compared with the methods ever reported, the main advantages of this methodology are simpleness, rapidity without time-consuming separation or pretreatment steps, high sensitivity, selectivity and the potential for determination of other molecules containing imidazole or phenol groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Precision control of multiple quantum cascade lasers for calibration systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taubman, Matthew S., E-mail: Matthew.Taubman@pnnl.gov; Myers, Tanya L.; Pratt, Richard M.

We present a precision, 1-A, digitally interfaced current controller for quantum cascade lasers, with demonstrated temperature coefficients for continuous and 40-kHz full-depth square-wave modulated operation, of 1–2 ppm/ °C and 15 ppm/ °C, respectively. High precision digital to analog converters (DACs) together with an ultra-precision voltage reference produce highly stable, precision voltages, which are selected by a multiplexer (MUX) chip to set output currents via a linear current regulator. The controller is operated in conjunction with a power multiplexing unit, allowing one of three lasers to be driven by the controller, while ensuring protection of controller and all lasers during operation, standby,more » and switching. Simple ASCII commands sent over a USB connection to a microprocessor located in the current controller operate both the controller (via the DACs and MUX chip) and the power multiplexer.« less

Exercise Intensity: How to Measure It

MedlinePlus

... Or, here's a simple way to do the math yourself. If you're aiming for a target ... Generally only elite athletes are concerned about this level of precision. They may also use slightly different ...

Understanding Latent Heat of Vaporization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linz, Ed

1995-01-01

Presents a simple exercise for students to do in the kitchen at home to determine the latent heat of vaporization of water using typical household materials. Designed to stress understanding by sacrificing precision for simplicity. (JRH)

Supported cluster catalysts synthesized to be small, simple, selective, and stable

DOE PAGES

Guan, Erjia; Fang, Chia-Yu; Yang, Dong; ...

2018-01-01

Molecular metal complexes on supports have drawn wide attention as catalysts offering new properties and opportunities for precise synthesis to make uniform catalytic species that can be understood in depth.

qCSF in Clinical Application: Efficient Characterization and Classification of Contrast Sensitivity Functions in Amblyopia

PubMed Central

Hou, Fang; Huang, Chang-Bing; Lesmes, Luis; Feng, Li-Xia; Tao, Liming; Zhou, Yi-Feng; Lu, Zhong-Lin

2010-01-01

Purpose. The qCSF method is a novel procedure for rapid measurement of spatial contrast sensitivity functions (CSFs). It combines Bayesian adaptive inference with a trial-to-trial information gain strategy, to directly estimate four parameters defining the observer's CSF. In the present study, the suitability of the qCSF method for clinical application was examined. Methods. The qCSF method was applied to rapidly assess spatial CSFs in 10 normal and 8 amblyopic participants. The qCSF was evaluated for accuracy, precision, test–retest reliability, suitability of CSF model assumptions, and accuracy of amblyopia screening. Results. qCSF estimates obtained with as few as 50 trials matched those obtained with 300 Ψ trials. The precision of qCSF estimates obtained with 120 and 130 trials, in normal subjects and amblyopes, matched the precision of 300 Ψ trials. For both groups and both methods, test–retest sensitivity estimates were well matched (all R > 0.94). The qCSF model assumptions were valid for 8 of 10 normal participants and all amblyopic participants. Measures of the area under log CSF (AULCSF) and the cutoff spatial frequency (cutSF) were lower in the amblyopia group; these differences were captured within 50 qCSF trials. Amblyopia was detected at an approximately 80% correct rate in 50 trials, when a logistic regression model was used with AULCSF and cutSF as predictors. Conclusions. The qCSF method is sufficiently rapid, accurate, and precise in measuring CSFs in normal and amblyopic persons. It has great potential for clinical practice. PMID:20484592

A constraint on antigravity of antimatter from precision spectroscopy of simple atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karshenboim, S. G.

2009-10-01

Consideration of antigravity for antiparticles is an attractive target for various experimental projects. There are a number of theoretical arguments against it but it is not quite clear what kind of experimental data and theoretical suggestions are involved. In this paper we present straightforward arguments against a possibility of antigravity based on a few simple theoretical suggestions and some experimental data. The data are: astrophysical data on rotation of the Solar System in respect to the center of our galaxy and precision spectroscopy data on hydrogen and positronium. The theoretical suggestions for the case of absence of the gravitational field are: equality of electron and positron mass and equality of proton and positron charge. We also assume that QED is correct at the level of accuracy where it is clearly confirmed experimentally.

A creatinine biosensor based on admittance measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ching, Congo Tak-Shing; Sun, Tai-Ping; Jheng, Deng-Yun; Tsai, Hou-Wei; Shieh, Hsiu-Li

2015-08-01

Regular check of blood creatinine level is very important as it is a measurement of renal function. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop a simple and reliable creatinine biosensor based on admittance measurement for precise determination of creatinine. The creatinine biosensor was fabricated with creatinine deiminase immobilized on screen-printed carbon electrodes. Admittance measurement at a specific frequency ranges (22.80 - 84.71 Hz) showed that the biosensor has an excellent linear (r2 > 0.95) response range (50 - 250 uM), which covers the normal physiological and pathological ranges of blood creatinine levels. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) showed that the biosensor has excellent reliability and validity (ICC = 0.98). In conclusion, a simple and reliable creatinine biosensor was developed and it is capable of precisely determining blood creatinine levels in both the normal physiological and pathological ranges.

Reducing Time and Increasing Sensitivity in Sample Preparation for Adherent Mammalian Cell Metabolomics

PubMed Central

Lorenz, Matthew A.; Burant, Charles F.; Kennedy, Robert T.

2011-01-01

A simple, fast, and reproducible sample preparation procedure was developed for relative quantification of metabolites in adherent mammalian cells using the clonal β-cell line INS-1 as a model sample. The method was developed by evaluating the effect of different sample preparation procedures on high performance liquid chromatography- mass spectrometry quantification of 27 metabolites involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle on a directed basis as well as for all detectable chromatographic features on an undirected basis. We demonstrate that a rapid water rinse step prior to quenching of metabolism reduces components that suppress electrospray ionization thereby increasing signal for 26 of 27 targeted metabolites and increasing total number of detected features from 237 to 452 with no detectable change of metabolite content. A novel quenching technique is employed which involves addition of liquid nitrogen directly to the culture dish and allows for samples to be stored at −80 °C for at least 7 d before extraction. Separation of quenching and extraction steps provides the benefit of increased experimental convenience and sample stability while maintaining metabolite content similar to techniques that employ simultaneous quenching and extraction with cold organic solvent. The extraction solvent 9:1 methanol: chloroform was found to provide superior performance over acetonitrile, ethanol, and methanol with respect to metabolite recovery and extract stability. Maximal recovery was achieved using a single rapid (~1 min) extraction step. The utility of this rapid preparation method (~5 min) was demonstrated through precise metabolite measurements (11% average relative standard deviation without internal standards) associated with step changes in glucose concentration that evoke insulin secretion in the clonal β-cell line INS-1. PMID:21456517

Rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for the quantitative determination of potentially harmful substance 5,5'-oxydimethylenebis (2-furfural) in traditional Chinese medicine injections.

PubMed

Zang, Qingce; Gao, Yang; Huang, Luojiao; He, Jiuming; Lin, Sheng; Jin, Hongtao; Zhang, Ruiping; Abliz, Zeper

2018-03-01

With the rapid development and wide application of traditional Chinese medicine injection (TCMI), a number of adverse events of some TCMIs have incessantly been reported and have drawn broad attention in recent years. Establishing effective and practical analytical methods for safety evaluation and quality control of TCMI can help to improve the safety of TCMIs in clinical applications. In this study, a sensitive and rapid high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method has been developed and validated for the quantitative determination of potentially harmful substance 5,5'-oxydimethylenebis (2-furfural, OMBF) in TCMI samples. Chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 reversed-phase column (150 mm × 2.1 mm, 5 µm) by gradient elution, using methanol-water containing 0.1% formic acid as mobile phase at the flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. MS/MS detection was performed on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with positive electrospray ionization in the multiple reaction-monitoring mode. The method was sensitive with a limit of quantification of 0.3 ng/mL and linear over the range of 0.3-30 ng/mL ( r =0.9998). Intra- and inter-day precision for analyte was <9.52% RSD with recoveries in the range 88.0-109.67% at three concentration levels. The validated method was successfully applied to quantitatively determine the compound OMBF in TCMIs and glucose injections. Our study indicates that this method is simple, sensitive, practicable and reliable, and could be applied for safety evaluation and quality control of TCMIs and glucose injections.

Rapid and simple G-quadruplex DNA aptasensor with guanine chemiluminescence detection.

PubMed

Cho, Sandy; Park, Lucienne; Chong, Richard; Kim, Young Teck; Lee, Ji Hoon

2014-02-15

Cost-effective and sensitive aptasensor with guanine chemiluminescence detection capable of simply quantifying thrombin in human serum was developed using thrombin aptamer (TBA), one of the G-quadruplex DNA aptamers, without expensive nanoparticles and complicated procedures. Guanines of G-quadruplex TBA-conjugated carboxyfluorescein (6-FAM) bound with thrombin do not react with 3,4,5-trimethoxylphenylglyoxal (TMPG) in the presence of tetra-n-propylammonium hydroxide (TPA), whereas guanines of free TBA- and TBA-conjugated 6-FAM immobilized on the surface of graphene oxide rapidly react with TMPG to emit light. Thus, guanine chemiluminescence in 5% human serum with thrombin was lower than that without thrombin when TBA-conjugated 6-FAM was added in two samples and incubated for 20 min. In other words, the brightness of guanine chemiluminescence was quenched due to the formation of G-quadruplex TBA-conjugated 6-FAM bound with thrombin in a sample. High-energy intermediate, capable of emitting dim light by itself, formed from the reaction between guanines of TBA and TMPG in the presence of TPA, transfers energy to 6-FAM to emit bright light based on the principle of chemiluminescence energy transfer (CRET). G-quadruplex TBA aptasensor devised using the rapid interaction between TBA-conjugated 6-FAM and thrombin quantified trace levels of thrombin without complicated procedures. The limit of detection (LOD = background + 3 × standard deviation) of G-quadruplex TBA aptasensor with good linear calibration curve, accuracy, precision, and recovery was as low as 12.3 nM in 5% human serum. Using the technology reported in this research, we expect that various types of G-quadruplex DNA aptasensors capable of specifically sensing a target molecule such as ATP, HIV, ochratoxin, potassium ions, and thrombin can be developed. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid determination of sugar level in snack products using infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Ting; Rodriguez-Saona, Luis E

2012-08-01

Real-time spectroscopic methods can provide a valuable window into food manufacturing to permit optimization of production rate, quality and safety. There is a need for cutting edge sensor technology directed at improving efficiency, throughput and reliability of critical processes. The aim of the research was to evaluate the feasibility of infrared systems combined with chemometric analysis to develop rapid methods for determination of sugars in cereal products. Samples were ground and spectra were collected using a mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometer equipped with a triple-bounce ZnSe MIRacle attenuated total reflectance accessory or Fourier transform near infrared (NIR) system equipped with a diffuse reflection-integrating sphere. Sugar contents were determined using a reference HPLC method. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to create cross-validated calibration models. The predictability of the models was evaluated on an independent set of samples and compared with reference techniques. MIR and NIR spectra showed characteristic absorption bands for sugars, and generated excellent PLSR models (sucrose: SEP < 1.7% and r > 0.96). Multivariate models accurately and precisely predicted sugar level in snacks allowing for rapid analysis. This simple technique allows for reliable prediction of quality parameters, and automation enabling food manufacturers for early corrective actions that will ultimately save time and money while establishing a uniform quality. The U.S. snack food industry generates billions of dollars in revenue each year and vibrational spectroscopic methods combined with pattern recognition analysis could permit optimization of production rate, quality, and safety of many food products. This research showed that infrared spectroscopy is a powerful technique for near real-time (approximately 1 min) assessment of sugar content in various cereal products. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Combined use of thermal methods and seepage meters to efficiently locate, quantify, and monitor focused groundwater discharge to a sand-bed stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenberry, Donald O.; Briggs, Martin A.; Delin, Geoffrey N.; Hare, Danielle K.

2016-01-01

Quantifying flow of groundwater through streambeds often is difficult due to the complexity of aquifer-scale heterogeneity combined with local-scale hyporheic exchange. We used fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS), seepage meters, and vertical temperature profiling to locate, quantify, and monitor areas of focused groundwater discharge in a geomorphically simple sand-bed stream. This combined approach allowed us to rapidly focus efforts at locations where prodigious amounts of groundwater discharged to the Quashnet River on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, northeastern USA. FO-DTS detected numerous anomalously cold reaches one to several m long that persisted over two summers. Seepage meters positioned upstream, within, and downstream of 7 anomalously cold reaches indicated that rapid groundwater discharge occurred precisely where the bed was cold; median upward seepage was nearly 5 times faster than seepage measured in streambed areas not identified as cold. Vertical temperature profilers deployed next to 8 seepage meters provided diurnal-signal-based seepage estimates that compared remarkably well with seepage-meter values. Regression slope and R2 values both were near 1 for seepage ranging from 0.05 to 3.0 m d−1. Temperature-based seepage model accuracy was improved with thermal diffusivity determined locally from diurnal signals. Similar calculations provided values for streambed sediment scour and deposition at subdaily resolution. Seepage was strongly heterogeneous even along a sand-bed river that flows over a relatively uniform sand and fine-gravel aquifer. FO-DTS was an efficient method for detecting areas of rapid groundwater discharge, even in a strongly gaining river, that can then be quantified over time with inexpensive streambed thermal methods.

Improved sample preparation and rapid UHPLC analysis of SO2 binding carbonyls in wine by derivatisation to 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine.

PubMed

Jackowetz, J N; Mira de Orduña, R

2013-08-15

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is essential for the preservation of wines. The presence of SO2 binding compounds in musts and wines may limit sulphite efficacy leading to higher total SO2 additions, which may exceed SO2 limits permitted by law and pose health risks for sensitive individuals. An improved method for the quantification of significant wine SO2 binding compounds is presented that applies a novel sample treatment approach and rapid UHPLC separation. Glucose, galacturonic acid, alpha-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, acetoin and acetaldehyde were derivatised with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and separated using a solid core C18 phase by ultra high performance liquid chromatography. Addition of EDTA to samples prevented de novo acetaldehyde formation from ethanol oxidation. Optimised derivatisation duration enhanced reproducibility and allowed for glucose and galacturonic acid quantification. High glucose residues were found to interfere with the recovery of other SO2 binders, but practical SO2 concentrations and red wine pigments did not affect derivatisation efficiency. The calibration range, method accuracy, precision and limits of detection were found to be satisfactory for routine analysis of SO2 binders in wines. The current method represents a significant improvement in the comprehensive analysis of SO2 binding wine carbonyls. It allows for the quantification of major SO2 binders at practical analyte concentrations, and uses a simple sample treatment method that prevents treatment artifacts. Equipment utilisation could be reduced by rapid LC separation while maintaining analytical performance parameters. The improved method will be a valuable addition for the analysis of total SO2 binder pools in oenological samples. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A rapid MCM-41 dispersive micro-solid phase extraction coupled with LC/MS/MS for quantification of ketoconazole and voriconazole in biological fluids.

PubMed

Yahaya, Noorfatimah; Sanagi, Mohd Marsin; Abd Aziz, Noorizan; Wan Ibrahim, Wan Aini; Nur, Hadi; Loh, Saw Hong; Kamaruzaman, Sazlinda

2017-02-01

A rapid dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-μ-SPE) combined with LC/MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of ketoconazole and voriconazole in human urine and plasma samples. Synthesized mesoporous silica MCM-41 was used as sorbent in d-μ-SPE of the azole compounds from biological fluids. Important D-μ-SPE parameters, namely type desorption solvent, extraction time, sample pH, salt addition, desorption time, amount of sorbent and sample volume were optimized. Liquid chromatographic separations were carried out on a Zorbax SB-C 18 column (2.1 × 100 mm, 3.5 μm), using a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.05% formic acid in 5 mm ammonium acetate buffer (70:30, v/v). A triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with positive ionization mode was used for the determination of target analytes. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration curves showed good linearity in the range of 0.1-10,000 μg/L with satisfactory limit of detection (≤0.06 μg/L) and limit of quantitation (≤0.3 μg/L). The proposed method also showed acceptable intra- and inter-day precisions for ketoconazole and voriconazole from urine and human plasma with RSD ≤16.5% and good relative recoveries in the range 84.3-114.8%. The MCM-41-D-μ-SPE method proved to be rapid and simple and requires a small volume of organic solvent (200 μL); thus it is advantageous for routine drug analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Autonomously Self-Adhesive Hydrogels as Building Blocks for Additive Manufacturing.

PubMed

Deng, Xudong; Attalla, Rana; Sadowski, Lukas P; Chen, Mengsu; Majcher, Michael J; Urosev, Ivan; Yin, Da-Chuan; Selvaganapathy, P Ravi; Filipe, Carlos D M; Hoare, Todd

2018-01-08

We report a simple method of preparing autonomous and rapid self-adhesive hydrogels and their use as building blocks for additive manufacturing of functional tissue scaffolds. Dynamic cross-linking between 2-aminophenylboronic acid-functionalized hyaluronic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) yields hydrogels that recover their mechanical integrity within 1 min after cutting or shear under both neutral and acidic pH conditions. Incorporation of this hydrogel in an interpenetrating calcium-alginate network results in an interfacially stiffer but still rapidly self-adhesive hydrogel that can be assembled into hollow perfusion channels by simple contact additive manufacturing within minutes. Such channels withstand fluid perfusion while retaining their dimensions and support endothelial cell growth and proliferation, providing a simple and modular route to produce customized cell scaffolds.

Analysis of precision and accuracy in a simple model of machine learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Julian

2017-12-01

Machine learning is a procedure where a model for the world is constructed from a training set of examples. It is important that the model should capture relevant features of the training set, and at the same time make correct prediction for examples not included in the training set. I consider the polynomial regression, the simplest method of learning, and analyze the accuracy and precision for different levels of the model complexity.

Vertical high-precision Michelson wavemeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, A.; de Urquijo, J.; Mendoza, A.

1993-01-01

We have designed and tested a traveling, Michelson-type vertical wavemeter for the wavelength measurement of tunable continuous-wave lasers in the visible part of the spectrum. The interferometer has two movable corner cubes, suspending vertically from a driving setup resembling Atwood's machine. To reduce the fraction-of-fringe error, a vernier-type coincidence circuit was used. Although simple, this wavemeter has a relative precision of 3.2 parts in 109 for an overall fringe count of about 7×106.

Direction information in multiple object tracking is limited by a graded resource.

PubMed

Horowitz, Todd S; Cohen, Michael A

2010-10-01

Is multiple object tracking (MOT) limited by a fixed set of structures (slots), a limited but divisible resource, or both? Here, we answer this question by measuring the precision of the direction representation for tracked targets. The signature of a limited resource is a decrease in precision as the square root of the tracking load. The signature of fixed slots is a fixed precision. Hybrid models predict a rapid decrease to asymptotic precision. In two experiments, observers tracked moving disks and reported target motion direction by adjusting a probe arrow. We derived the precision of representation of correctly tracked targets using a mixture distribution analysis. Precision declined with target load according to the square-root law up to six targets. This finding is inconsistent with both pure and hybrid slot models. Instead, directional information in MOT appears to be limited by a continuously divisible resource.

Atomically precise organomimetic cluster nanomolecules assembled via perfluoroaryl-thiol SNAr chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Elaine A.; Wixtrom, Alex I.; Axtell, Jonathan C.; Saebi, Azin; Jung, Dahee; Rehak, Pavel; Han, Yanxiao; Moully, Elamar Hakim; Mosallaei, Daniel; Chow, Sylvia; Messina, Marco S.; Wang, Jing Yang; Royappa, A. Timothy; Rheingold, Arnold L.; Maynard, Heather D.; Král, Petr; Spokoyny, Alexander M.

2017-04-01

The majority of biomolecules are intrinsically atomically precise, an important characteristic that enables rational engineering of their recognition and binding properties. However, imparting a similar precision to hybrid nanoparticles has been challenging because of the inherent limitations of existing chemical methods and building blocks. Here we report a new approach to form atomically precise and highly tunable hybrid nanomolecules with well-defined three-dimensionality. Perfunctionalization of atomically precise clusters with pentafluoroaryl-terminated linkers produces size-tunable rigid cluster nanomolecules. These species are amenable to facile modification with a variety of thiol-containing molecules and macromolecules. Assembly proceeds at room temperature within hours under mild conditions, and the resulting nanomolecules exhibit high stabilities because of their full covalency. We further demonstrate how these nanomolecules grafted with saccharides can exhibit dramatically improved binding affinity towards a protein. Ultimately, the developed strategy allows the rapid generation of precise molecular assemblies to investigate multivalent interactions.

GeoNet's `Felt Rapid': Collecting What Is Needed, When You Need It, No More, No Less. Rapid, Volumous Data For Response Versus Detailed, Precise Data For Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, C. L.; McBride, S.; Balfour, N.

2016-12-01

New Zealand's geohazard monitoring agency, GeoNet, recently implemented `Felt Rapid': earthquake felt reporting that is quick and simple. GeoNet locates 20,000 earthquakes each year with hundreds of those reported as being felt. Starting in the late 1800s, the New Zealand public has become adept at completing felt reports but feedback since the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence suggested that traditional felt reporting was not meeting researchers' or the public's needs. GeoNet required something rapid, adaptable and robust. The solution was Felt Rapid, a mobile app and website where respondents simply pick from 6 cartoon images - representing Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3-8 - that best aligned to what they felt. For the last decade, felt reporting has been conducted via the GeoNet website, with additional targeted surveys after damaging earthquakes. The vast majority of the submitted felt reports were for earthquakes too small to cause damage, as these are by far the most frequent. Reports from small events are of little interest to researchers who are only concerned with damaging, MMI6 and above. However, we found that when damaging earthquakes did occur, such as Christchurch's M6.3, they were only sparsely reported (3,776 reports). Understandably, sitting at a computer and completing a lengthy online form wasn't a priority for people after a devastating earthquake. With Felt Rapid, reporting has to be completed within an hour of an earthquake, the use of GeoNet's automatically compiled felt reporting maps had evolved; their main purpose is immediate assessment of an earthquake's impact on populations, and is used by Civil Defence agencies. Reports are immediately displayed on an interactive map via the website and mobile app. With over 250,000 users this provides rapid and robust information regarding the experienced shaking. When a damaging earthquake occurs and researchers want to collect important and rare damaging felt reports, a separate in-depth survey is commissioned targeted to areas that experienced the highest levels of shaking. These surveys will be distributed via a range of mediums including posted as well an online call for submissions. GeoNet maintains an engaged and trusting community via social media channels which makes these calls for submissions effective.

--No Title--

Science.gov Websites

;ZTolerance>0.0010.001true< EPSG 7.4.1 Simple 4 FALSE 1527 TRUE FALSE TX_50m_wind Feature Class 1527 FID FID OID 4 0 0 Internal

Rapid characterizing of ferromagnetic materials using spin rectification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fan, Xiaolong, E-mail: fanxiaolong@lzu.edu.cn; Wang, Wei; Wang, Yutian

2014-12-29

Spin rectification is a powerful tool for dc electric detections of spin dynamics and electromagnetic waves. Technically, elaborately designed on-chip microwave devices are needed in order to realize that effect. In this letter, we propose a rapid characterizing approach based on spin rectification. By directly sending dynamic current into ferromagnetic films with stripe shape, resonant dc voltages can be detected along the longitudinal or transversal directions. As an example, Fe (010) films with precise crystalline structure and magnetic parameters were used to testify the reliability of such method. We investigated not only the dynamic parameters and the precise anisotropy constantsmore » of the Fe crystals but also the principle of spin rectification in this method.« less

Identification of Tool Wear when Machining of Austenitic Steels and Titatium by Miniature Machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilc, Jozef; Kameník, Roman; Varga, Daniel; Martinček, Juraj; Sadilek, Marek

2016-12-01

Application of miniature machining is currently rapidly increasing mainly in biomedical industry and machining of hard-to-machine materials. Machinability of materials with increased level of toughness depends on factors that are important in the final state of surface integrity. Because of this, it is necessary to achieve high precision (varying in microns) in miniature machining. If we want to guarantee machining high precision, it is necessary to analyse tool wear intensity in direct interaction with given machined materials. During long-term cutting process, different cutting wedge deformations occur, leading in most cases to a rapid wear and destruction of the cutting wedge. This article deal with experimental monitoring of tool wear intensity during miniature machining.

Analysis of cocoa flavanols and procyanidins (DP 1-10) in cocoa-containing ingredients and products by rapid resolution liquid chromatography: single-laboratory validation.

PubMed

Machonis, Philip R; Jones, Matthew A; Kwik-Uribe, Catherine

2014-01-01

Recently, a multilaboratory validation (MLV) of AOAC Official Method 2012.24 for the determination of cocoa flavanols and procyanidins (CF-CP) in cocoa-based ingredients and products determined that the method was robust, reliable, and transferrable. Due to the complexity of the CF-CP molecules, this method required a run time exceeding 1 h to achieve acceptable separations. To address this issue, a rapid resolution normal phase LC method was developed, and a single-laboratory validation (SLV) study conducted. Flavanols and procyanidins with a degree of polymerization (DP) up to 10 were eluted in 15 min using a binary gradient applied to a diol stationary phase, detected using fluorescence detection, and reported as a total sum of DP 1-10. Quantification was achieved using (-)-epicatechin-based relative response factors for DP 2-10. Spike recovery samples and seven different types of cocoa-based samples were analyzed to evaluate the accuracy, precision, LOD, LOQ, and linearity of the method. The within-day precision of the reported content for the samples was 1.15-5.08%, and overall precision was 3.97-13.61%. Spike-recovery experiments demonstrated recoveries of over 98%. The results of this SLV were compared to those previously obtained in the MLV and found to be consistent. The translation to rapid resolution LC allowed for an 80% reduction in analysis time and solvent usage, while retaining the accuracy and reliability of the original method. The savings in both cost and time of this rapid method make it well-suited for routine laboratory use.

One-step sonochemical synthesis of 1D β-stannous tungstate nanorods: An efficient and excellent electrocatalyst for the selective electrochemical detection of antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine.

PubMed

Kokulnathan, Thangavelu; Kumar, Jeyaraj Vinoth; Chen, Shen-Ming; Karthik, Raj; Elangovan, Arumugam; Muthuraj, Velluchamy

2018-06-01

In the modern world, the contamination of ecosystem by human and veterinary pharmaceutical drugs through the metabolic excretion, improper disposal/industrial waste has been subjected to a hot issue. Therefore, exploitation of exclusive structured material and reliable technique is a necessary task to the precise detection of drugs. With this regards, we made an effort for the fabrication of novel one-dimensional (1D) stannous tungstate nanorods (β-SnW NRs) via simple sonochemical approach and used as an electrochemical sensor for the detection of antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine (CPZ) for the first time. The crystallographic structure, surface topology, elemental compositions and their distributions and ionic states were enquired by different spectroscopic techniques such as XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDS, elemental mapping and XPS analysis. The developed β-SnW NRs/GCE sensor exhibits a rapid and sensitive electrochemical response towards CPZ sensing with wide linear response range (0.01-457 µM), high sensitivity (2.487 µA µM -1  cm -2 ), low detection limit (0.003 µM) and excellent selectivity. Besides, the as-proposed electrochemical sensor was successfully applied to real sample analysis in commercial CPZ drug and biological fluids and the acquired recovery results are quite satisfactory. The proposed sonochemical method for the preparation of β-SnW NRs is low cost, very simple, fast and efficient for sensor applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fluorescent detection of (-)-epicatechin in microsamples from cacao seeds and cocoa products: Comparison with Folin-Ciocalteu method.

PubMed

Ramirez-Sanchez, Israel; Maya, Lisandro; Ceballos, Guillermo; Villarreal, Francisco

2010-12-01

Polyphenolic compounds of the flavanoid family are abundantly present in cacao seed and its cocoa products. Results from studies using cocoa products indicate beneficial effects of flavanols on cardiovascular endpoints. Evidence indicates that (-)-epicatechin is the main cacao flavanol associated with cardiovascular effects, so the accurate quantification of its content in cacao seeds or cocoa products is important. Common methods for the quantification of phenolic content in cocoa products are based on the reaction of phenols with colorimetric reagents such as the Folin-Ciocalteu (FC) In this study, we compared the FC method of phenolic determinations using 2 different standards (gallic acid and (-)-epicatechin) to construct calibration curves. We compare these results with those obtained from a simple fluorometric method (Ex(280)/Em(320) nm) used to determine catechin/(-)-epicatechin content in samples of cacao seeds and cocoa products. Values obtained from the FC method determination of polyphenols yield an overestimation of phenol (flavonoid) content when gallic acid is used as standard. Moreover, the epicatechin is a more reliable standard because of its abundance in cacao seeds and cocoa products. The use of fluorometric spectra yields a simple and highly quantitative means for a more precise and rapid quantification of cacao catechins. Fluorometric values are essentially in agreement with those reported using more cumbersome methods. In conclusion, the use of fluorescence emission spectra is a quick, practical and suitable means to quantifying catechins in cacao seeds and cocoa products.

[Determination of geniposidic acid and chlorogenic acid in male flowers and related products of Eucommia ulmoides by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography].

PubMed

Dong, Juane; Ma, Xihan

2007-03-01

A simple and rapid high performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of geniposidic acid and chlorogenic acid in the male flowers and related products of Eucommia ulmoides. Two components were separated by a Shim-pack VP-ODS column (150 mm x4.6 mm, 5 [microm) with a mobile phase of methanol-water-acetic acid (24 :75: 1, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min, column temperature of 30 93 and detection wavelength of 240 nm. Under the chromatographic conditions mentioned above, the method performance, such as the number of theoretical plate, resolution, trailing etc have all reached required level. The linear ranges were 0. 025 - 0. 400 g/L for geniposidic acid and 0. 075 - 1. 200 g/L for chlorogenic acid, with the correlation coefficients of 0. 999 7 and 0. 999 9, respectively. The average recoveries were 100. 2% and 100. 5%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 1. 47% and 1. 49% respectively. The minimum detection limits were 0. 02 microg/L for geniposidic acid, and 0. 06 microg/L for chlorogenic acid. The method developed has demonstrated the characteristics of simple mobile phase composition, short retention, good resolution, high repeatability and precision. It is suitable for the determination of the two compounds in the male flowers of E. ulmoides and related products.

Equipment-free nucleic acid extraction and amplification on a simple paper disc for point-of-care diagnosis of rotavirus A.

PubMed

Ye, Xin; Xu, Jin; Lu, Lijuan; Li, Xinxin; Fang, Xueen; Kong, Jilie

2018-08-14

The use of paper-based methods for clinical diagnostics is a rapidly expanding research topic attracting a great deal of interest. Some groups have attempted to realize an integrated nucleic acid test on a single microfluidic paper chip, including extraction, amplification, and readout functions. However, these studies were not able to overcome complex modification and fabrication requirements, long turn-around times, or the need for sophisticated equipment like pumps, thermal cyclers, or centrifuges. Here, we report an extremely simple paper-based test for the point-of-care diagnosis of rotavirus A, one of the most common pathogens that causes pediatric gastroenteritis. This paper-based test could perform nucleic acid extraction within 5 min, then took 25 min to amplify the target sequence, and the result was visible to the naked eye immediately afterward or quantitative by the UV-Vis absorbance. This low-cost method does not require extra equipment and is easy to use either in a lab or at the point-of-care. The detection limit for rotavirus A was found to be 1 × 10 3 copies/mL. In addition, 100% sensitivity and specificity were achieved when testing 48 clinical stool samples. In conclusion, the present paper-based test fulfills the main requirements for a point-of-care diagnostic tool, and has the potential to be applied to disease prevention, control, and precision diagnosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of isoorientin levels in rat plasma after oral administration of Vaccinum bracteatum Thunb. methanol extract by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Ji; Kwon, Seung-Hwan; Jang, Choon-Gon; Maeng, Han-Joo

2018-01-15

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) was developed and validated for the determination of plasma isoorientin levels in rats. After simple protein precipitation using methanol, chromatographic analysis was performed using a Synergi 4μ polar-RP 80A column (150 × 2.0 mm, 4μm) under isocratic conditions and a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid in water and methanol (80:20, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. In positive electrospray ionization mode, the protonated precursor and product ion transitions of isoorientin (m/z 449.0 → 299.1) and of puerarin (the internal standard; m/z 417.1 → 297.1) were acquired by multiple reaction monitoring. Calibration curves obtained for plasma showed good linearity over the concentration range 1-1000 ng/mL. The lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL. Intra- and inter-day precisions were within 8.8% relative standard deviation. Accuracies ranged from 92.1 and 109.7%. The isoorientin stability in rat plasma under typical handling/storage conditions also found to be acceptable. The developed method was applied successfully to a pharmacokinetic study of isoorientin orally administered as the methanol extract of Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. or administered as pure isoorientin. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of 24 fragrance allergens to study scented products.

PubMed

Villa, C; Gambaro, R; Mariani, E; Dorato, S

2007-07-27

The European legislation on cosmetic products has recently required the declaration of 26 compounds (24 volatile chemicals and 2 natural extracts) on the label of final products when exceeding a stipulated cut-off level. In this work a rapid reliable and specific RP-HPLC method coupled with diode array detector (DAD) has been developed for the simultaneous determination and quantification of the 24 volatile chemicals: amyl cinnamal, benzyl alcohol, cinnamyl alcohol, citral, eugenol, hydroxy-citronellal, isoeugenol, amylcinnamyl alcohol, benzyl salicylate, cinnamal, coumarin, geraniol, Lyral (hydroxy-methylpentylcyclohexene carboxaldehyde), anisyl alcohol, benzyl cinnamate, farnesol, Lilial (2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)propionaldehyde) linalool, benzyl benzoate, citronellol, hexyl cinnamal, limonene, methylheptin carbonate, alpha-isomethyl ionone (3-methyl-4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-buten-2-one). The 24 analytes were appropriately separated over a running time of 40 min, on a C18 column using a simple gradient elution (acetonitrile/water) with flow rate from 0.7 to 1.0 ml/min and UV acquisition at 210, 254 and 280 nm. All calibration curves showed good linearity (r2>0.99) within test ranges. The method was successfully applied to the qualitative and quantitative determination of the potential allergens in four commercial scented products, with satisfactory accuracy and precision. The results indicated that this simple and efficient method can be used for quality assessment of complex matrices such us cosmetic scented products.

Substantial reduction of the heat losses to ambient air by natural convection from horizontal in-tube flows: impact of an axial bundle of passive baffles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campo, A.; Cortés, C.

This paper is concerned with a distinct and effective technique to insulate horizontal tubes carrying hot fluids without using the variety of insulating materials traditionally utilized in industry. The tubes transport hot fluids and are exposed to a natural convection environment of air at standard atmospheric temperature and pressure. Essentially, an ``equivalent quantity of insulation'' is provided by an envelope of straight symmetric baffles made from a low conductivity material that is affixed to the outer surface of the horizontal tubes. A simple 1-D lumped model of comparable precision to the customary 2-D differential model serves to regulate the thermal interaction between the two perpendicular fluid streams, one horizontal due to internal forced convection and the other vertical due to external natural convection in air. All computations are algebraic and lead to a rapid determination of the two quantities that are indispensable to design engineers: the mean bulk temperatures of the internal hot fluid moving either laminarly or turbulently, together with the degraded levels of heat transfer rates.

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of vigabatrin enantiomers in human serum by precolumn derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde-N-acetyl-L-cysteine and fluorescence detection.

PubMed

Vermeij, T A; Edelbroek, P M

1998-09-25

A rapid and simple method is presented for the determination of vigabatrin enantiomers in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography. Serum is deproteinized with trichloroacetic acid and aliquots of the supernatant are precolumn derivatized with o-phthaldialdehyde and N-acetyl-L-cysteine, resulting in the formation of diastereomeric isoindoles. Separation was achieved on a Spherisorb 3ODS2 column using a gradient solvent program and the column eluent is monitored using fluorescence detection. L-Homoarginine was used as an internal standard. Within-day precisions (C.V.; n=8) were 2.8 and 1.1%, respectively, for the (R)-(-)- and (S)-(+)-enantiomer in serum containing 15.4 mg/l (RS)-vigabatrin. The method was linear in the 0-45 mg/l range for both enantiomers and the minimum quantitation limit was 0.20 mg/l for (R)-(-)-vigabatrin and 0.14 mg/l for (S)-(+)-vigabatrin. No interferences were found from commonly co-administered antiepileptic drugs and from endogenous amino acids. The method is suitable for routine therapeutic drug monitoring and for pharmacokinetic studies.

Simultaneous extraction, identification and quantification of phenolic compounds in Eclipta prostrata using microwave-assisted extraction combined with HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS.

PubMed

Fang, Xinsheng; Wang, Jianhua; Hao, Jifu; Li, Xueke; Guo, Ning

2015-12-01

A simple and rapid method was developed using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) combined with HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS for the simultaneous extraction, identification, and quantification of phenolic compounds in Eclipta prostrata, a common herb and vegetable in China. The optimized parameters of MAE were: employing 50% ethanol as solvent, microwave power 400 W, temperature 70 °C, ratio of liquid/solid 30 mL/g and extraction time 2 min. Compared to conventional extraction methods, the optimized MAE can avoid the degradation of the phenolic compounds and simultaneously obtained the highest yields of all components faster with less consumption of solvent and energy. Six phenolic acids, six flavonoid glycosides and one coumarin were firstly identified. The phenolic compounds were quantified by HPLC-DAD with good linearity, precision, and accuracy. The extract obtained by MAE showed significant antioxidant activity. The proposed method provides a valuable and green analytical methodology for the investigation of phenolic components in natural plants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Voltammetric determination of homocysteine using multiwall carbon nanotube paste electrode in the presence of chlorpromazine as a mediator.

PubMed

Gholami-Orimi, Fathali; Taleshi, Farshad; Biparva, Pourya; Karimi-Maleh, Hassan; Beitollahi, Hadi; Ebrahimi, Hamid R; Shamshiri, Mohamad; Bagheri, Hasan; Fouladgar, Masoud; Taherkhani, Ali

2012-01-01

We propose chlorpromazine (CHP) as a new mediator for the rapid, sensitive, and highly selective voltammetric determination of homocysteine (Hcy) using multiwall carbon nanotube paste electrode (MWCNTPE). The experimental results showed that the carbon nanotube paste electrode has a highly electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of Hcy in the presence of CHP as a mediator. Cyclic voltammetry, double potential step chronoamperometry, and square wave voltammetry (SWV) are used to investigate the suitability of CHP at the surface of MWCNTPE as a mediator for the electrocatalytic oxidation of Hcy in aqueous solutions. The kinetic parameters of the system, including electron transfer coefficient, and catalytic rate constant were also determined using the electrochemical approaches. In addition, SWV was used for quantitative analysis. SWV showed wide linear dynamic range (0.1-210.0 μM Hcy) with a detection limit of 0.08 μM Hcy. Finally, this method was also examined as a selective, simple, and precise electrochemical sensor for the determination of Hcy in real samples.

Voltammetric Determination of Homocysteine Using Multiwall Carbon Nanotube Paste Electrode in the Presence of Chlorpromazine as a Mediator

PubMed Central

Gholami-Orimi, Fathali; Taleshi, Farshad; Biparva, Pourya; Karimi-Maleh, Hassan; Beitollahi, Hadi; Ebrahimi, Hamid R.; Shamshiri, Mohamad; Bagheri, Hasan; Fouladgar, Masoud; Taherkhani, Ali

2012-01-01

We propose chlorpromazine (CHP) as a new mediator for the rapid, sensitive, and highly selective voltammetric determination of homocysteine (Hcy) using multiwall carbon nanotube paste electrode (MWCNTPE). The experimental results showed that the carbon nanotube paste electrode has a highly electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of Hcy in the presence of CHP as a mediator. Cyclic voltammetry, double potential step chronoamperometry, and square wave voltammetry (SWV) are used to investigate the suitability of CHP at the surface of MWCNTPE as a mediator for the electrocatalytic oxidation of Hcy in aqueous solutions. The kinetic parameters of the system, including electron transfer coefficient, and catalytic rate constant were also determined using the electrochemical approaches. In addition, SWV was used for quantitative analysis. SWV showed wide linear dynamic range (0.1–210.0 μM Hcy) with a detection limit of 0.08 μM Hcy. Finally, this method was also examined as a selective, simple, and precise electrochemical sensor for the determination of Hcy in real samples. PMID:22675657

Comparative artificial neural network and partial least squares models for analysis of Metronidazole, Diloxanide, Spiramycin and Cliquinol in pharmaceutical preparations.

PubMed

Elkhoudary, Mahmoud M; Abdel Salam, Randa A; Hadad, Ghada M

2014-09-15

Metronidazole (MNZ) is a widely used antibacterial and amoebicide drug. Therefore, it is important to develop a rapid and specific analytical method for the determination of MNZ in mixture with Spiramycin (SPY), Diloxanide (DIX) and Cliquinol (CLQ) in pharmaceutical preparations. This work describes simple, sensitive and reliable six multivariate calibration methods, namely linear and nonlinear artificial neural networks preceded by genetic algorithm (GA-ANN) and principle component analysis (PCA-ANN) as well as partial least squares (PLS) either alone or preceded by genetic algorithm (GA-PLS) for UV spectrophotometric determination of MNZ, SPY, DIX and CLQ in pharmaceutical preparations with no interference of pharmaceutical additives. The results manifest the problem of nonlinearity and how models like ANN can handle it. Analytical performance of these methods was statistically validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision and specificity. The developed methods indicate the ability of the previously mentioned multivariate calibration models to handle and solve UV spectra of the four components' mixtures using easy and widely used UV spectrophotometer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microfluidics in Malignant Glioma Research and Precision Medicine

PubMed Central

Logun, Meghan; Zhao, Wujun

2018-01-01

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive form of brain cancer that has no effective treatments and a prognosis of only 12–15 months. Microfluidic technologies deliver microscale control of fluids and cells, and have aided cancer therapy as point-of-care devices for the diagnosis of breast and prostate cancers. However, a few microfluidic devices are developed to study malignant glioma. The ability of these platforms to accurately replicate the complex microenvironmental and extracellular conditions prevailing in the brain and facilitate the measurement of biological phenomena with high resolution and in a high-throughput manner could prove useful for studying glioma progression. These attributes, coupled with their relatively simple fabrication process, make them attractive for use as point-of-care diagnostic devices for detection and treatment of GBM. Here, the current issues that plague GBM research and treatment, as well as the current state of the art in glioma detection and therapy, are reviewed. Finally, opportunities are identified for implementing microfluidic technologies into research and diagnostics to facilitate the rapid detection and better therapeutic targeting of GBM. PMID:29780878

Validation of a quantitative NMR method for suspected counterfeit products exemplified on determination of benzethonium chloride in grapefruit seed extracts.

PubMed

Bekiroglu, Somer; Myrberg, Olle; Ostman, Kristina; Ek, Marianne; Arvidsson, Torbjörn; Rundlöf, Torgny; Hakkarainen, Birgit

2008-08-05

A 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy method for quantitative determination of benzethonium chloride (BTC) as a constituent of grapefruit seed extract was developed. The method was validated, assessing its specificity, linearity, range, and precision, as well as accuracy, limit of quantification and robustness. The method includes quantification using an internal reference standard, 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene, and regarded as simple, rapid, and easy to implement. A commercial grapefruit seed extract was studied and the experiments were performed on spectrometers operating at two different fields, 300 and 600 MHz for proton frequencies, the former with a broad band (BB) probe and the latter equipped with both a BB probe and a CryoProbe. The concentration average for the product sample was 78.0, 77.8 and 78.4 mg/ml using the 300 BB probe, the 600MHz BB probe and CryoProbe, respectively. The standard deviation and relative standard deviation (R.S.D., in parenthesis) for the average concentrations was 0.2 (0.3%), 0.3 (0.4%) and 0.3mg/ml (0.4%), respectively.

A vibration correction method for free-fall absolute gravimeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, J.; Wang, G.; Wu, K.; Wang, L. J.

2018-02-01

An accurate determination of gravitational acceleration, usually approximated as 9.8 m s-2, has been playing an important role in the areas of metrology, geophysics, and geodetics. Absolute gravimetry has been experiencing rapid developments in recent years. Most absolute gravimeters today employ a free-fall method to measure gravitational acceleration. Noise from ground vibration has become one of the most serious factors limiting measurement precision. Compared to vibration isolators, the vibration correction method is a simple and feasible way to reduce the influence of ground vibrations. A modified vibration correction method is proposed and demonstrated. A two-dimensional golden section search algorithm is used to search for the best parameters of the hypothetical transfer function. Experiments using a T-1 absolute gravimeter are performed. It is verified that for an identical group of drop data, the modified method proposed in this paper can achieve better correction effects with much less computation than previous methods. Compared to vibration isolators, the correction method applies to more hostile environments and even dynamic platforms, and is expected to be used in a wider range of applications.

Hair testing for cocaine and metabolites by GC/MS: criteria to quantitatively assess cocaine use.

PubMed

López-Guarnido, O; Álvarez, I; Gil, F; Rodrigo, L; Cataño, H C; Bermejo, A M; Tabernero, M J; Pla, A; Hernández, A F

2013-08-01

A simple, rapid and sensitive method has been developed and validated for the determination of cocaine and its main metabolites (benzoylecgonine and cocaethylene) in human hair. The method involved solid-phase extraction with an Oasis HLB extraction cartridge and subsequent analysis by GC/MS. The limit of detection was 0.01 ng mg(-1) for cocaine, 0.04 for benzoylecgonine and 0.03 for cocaethylene. The method validation included linearity (with a correlation coefficient >0.99 over the range 0.2-50 ng mg(-1) ), intra- and inter-day precision (always lower than 12%) and accuracy (mean relative error always below 17%) to meet the bioanalytical acceptance criteria. The procedure was further applied to 40 hair samples from self-reported cocaine users arrested by the police who provided a positive urine-analysis for cocaine, and was demonstrated to be suitable for its application in forensic toxicology. New approaches were raised to detect false-negative results that allow a better interpretation of hair testing results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cell-flow technique.

PubMed

Hess, George P; Lewis, Ryan W; Chen, Yongli

2014-10-01

Various devices have been used to flow neurotransmitter solutions over cells containing receptors (e.g., ligand-gated ion channels) for whole-cell current recordings. With many of the devices, the orientation between the porthole of the flow device and the cell is not maintained absolutely constant. Orientation is critical for reproducibility in kinetic experiments. To be able to change the composition of the flowing solution during an experiment and still maintain a constant orientation, we use the cell-flow device described here. A peristaltic pump, a stainless steel U-tube, two different sizes of peristaltic tubing, and a solenoid valve are required to create a simple solution exchange system that can rapidly apply and remove solutions over the surface of a cell in tens of milliseconds. This system allows one to test multiple conditions on a cell containing the receptor of interest while constantly "washing" the cell with extracellular buffer solution between experimental applications. The use of the solenoid valve allows for the application of solutions to be precisely timed and controlled by a computer during electrophysiological current recording. © 2014 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Comparison of cyclosporine determinations in whole blood by three different methods. HPLC, /sup 125/I RIA and /sup 3/H RIA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, W.Y.; Lipsey, A.I.; Cheng, M.H.

1987-04-01

The authors have analyzed and compared the cyclosporine concentrations in whole blood specimens from pediatric renal transplant patients using three different methods: high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (5u C18 reverse-phase column), /sup 3/H radioimmunoassay (RIA), and /sup 125/I RIA (substituted /sup 3/H-tracer in Sandoz Kit with /sup 125/I tracer. Results obtained by the /sup 125/I RIA correlated well with results obtained by the /sup 3/H RIA. Both RIA methods had similar correlation with the HPLC method. The /sup 125/I RIA method showed higher sensitivity and greater precision than the /sup 3/H RIA method. The authors conclude that the /sup 125/I RIAmore » method can be used for cyclosporine determination in whole blood specimens. The use of the /sup 125/I RIA provides a simple and rapid method with higher counting efficiency and less background quenching than the /sup 3/H RIA method, which requires cumbersome liquid scintillation counting procedures.« less

Efficient quantification of water content in edible oils by headspace gas chromatography with vapour phase calibration.

PubMed

Xie, Wei-Qi; Gong, Yi-Xian; Yu, Kong-Xian

2018-06-01

An automated and accurate headspace gas chromatographic (HS-GC) technique was investigated for rapidly quantifying water content in edible oils. In this method, multiple headspace extraction (MHE) procedures were used to analyse the integrated water content from the edible oil sample. A simple vapour phase calibration technique with an external vapour standard was used to calibrate both the water content in the gas phase and the total weight of water in edible oil sample. After that the water in edible oils can be quantified. The data showed that the relative standard deviation of the present HS-GC method in the precision test was less than 1.13%, the relative differences between the new method and a reference method (i.e. the oven-drying method) were no more than 1.62%. The present HS-GC method is automated, accurate, efficient, and can be a reliable tool for quantifying water content in edible oil related products and research. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Recent progress of particle migration in viscoelastic fluids.

PubMed

Yuan, Dan; Zhao, Qianbin; Yan, Sheng; Tang, Shi-Yang; Alici, Gursel; Zhang, Jun; Li, Weihua

2018-02-13

Recently, research on particle migration in non-Newtonian viscoelastic fluids has gained considerable attention. In a viscoelastic fluid, three dimensional (3D) particle focusing can be easily realized in simple channels without the need for any external force fields or complex microchannel structures compared with that in a Newtonian fluid. Due to its promising properties for particle precise focusing and manipulation, this field has been developed rapidly, and research on the field has been shifted from fundamentals to applications. This review will elaborate the recent progress of particle migration in viscoelastic fluids, especially on the aspect of applications. The hydrodynamic forces on the micro/nano particles in viscoelastic fluids are discussed. Next, we elaborate the basic particle migration in viscoelasticity-dominant fluids and elasto-inertial fluids in straight channels. After that, a comprehensive review on the applications of viscoelasticity-induced particle migration (particle separation, cell deformability measurement and alignment, particle solution exchange, rheometry-on-a-chip and others) is presented; finally, we thrash out some perspectives on the future directions of particle migration in viscoelastic fluids.

A comparative study between different alternatives to prepare gaseous standards for calibrating UV-Ion Mobility Spectrometers.

PubMed

Criado-García, Laura; Garrido-Delgado, Rocío; Arce, Lourdes; Valcárcel, Miguel

2013-07-15

An UV-Ion Mobility Spectrometer is a simple, rapid, inexpensive instrument widely used in environmental analysis among other fields. The advantageous features of its underlying technology can be of great help towards developing reliable, economical methods for determining gaseous compounds from gaseous, liquid and solid samples. Developing an effective method using UV-Ion Mobility Spectrometry (UV-IMS) to determine volatile analytes entails using appropriate gaseous standards for calibrating the spectrometer. In this work, two home-made sample introduction systems (SISs) and a commercial gas generator were used to obtain such gaseous standards. The first home-made SIS used was a static head-space to measure compounds present in liquid samples and the other home-made system was an exponential dilution set-up to measure compounds present in gaseous samples. Gaseous compounds generated by each method were determined on-line by UV-IMS. Target analytes chosen for this comparative study were ethanol, acetone, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers. The different alternatives were acceptable in terms of sensitivity, precision and selectivity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous HPTLC Determination of Rabeprazole and Itopride Hydrochloride From Their Combined Dosage Form

PubMed Central

Suganthi, A.; John, Sofiya; Ravi, T. K.

2008-01-01

A simple, precise, sensitive, rapid and reproducible HPTLC method for the simultaneous estimation of the rabeprazole and itopride hydrochloride in tablets was developed and validated. This method involves separation of the components by TLC on precoated silica gel G60F254 plate with solvent system of n-butanol, toluene and ammonia (8.5:0.5:1 v/v/v) and detection was carried out densitometrically using a UV detector at 288 nm in absorbance mode. This system was found to give compact spots for rabeprazole (Rf value of 0.23 0.02) and for itopride hydrochloride (Rf value of 0.75±0.02). Linearity was found to be in the range of 40-200 ng/spot and 300-1500 ng/spot for rabeprazole and itopride hydrochloride. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for rabeprazole were 10 and 20 ng/spot and for itopride hydrochloride were 50 and 100 ng/spot, respectively. The method was found to be beneficial for the routine analysis of combined dosage form. PMID:20046748

Steric engineering of metal-halide perovskites with tunable optical band gaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filip, Marina R.; Eperon, Giles E.; Snaith, Henry J.; Giustino, Feliciano

2014-12-01

Owing to their high energy-conversion efficiency and inexpensive fabrication routes, solar cells based on metal-organic halide perovskites have rapidly gained prominence as a disruptive technology. An attractive feature of perovskite absorbers is the possibility of tailoring their properties by changing the elemental composition through the chemical precursors. In this context, rational in silico design represents a powerful tool for mapping the vast materials landscape and accelerating discovery. Here we show that the optical band gap of metal-halide perovskites, a key design parameter for solar cells, strongly correlates with a simple structural feature, the largest metal-halide-metal bond angle. Using this descriptor we suggest continuous tunability of the optical gap from the mid-infrared to the visible. Precise band gap engineering is achieved by controlling the bond angles through the steric size of the molecular cation. On the basis of these design principles we predict novel low-gap perovskites for optimum photovoltaic efficiency, and we demonstrate the concept of band gap modulation by synthesising and characterising novel mixed-cation perovskites.

A microanalytical method for ammonium and short-chain primary aliphatic amines using precolumn derivatization and capillary liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Moliner-Martínez, Y; Herráez-Hernández, R; Campíns-Falcó, P

2007-09-14

A new microscale method is presented for the determination of ammonium and primary short-chain aliphatic amines (methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, n-butylamine and n-pentylamine) in water. The assay uses precolumn derivatization with the reagent o-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) in combination with the thiol N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), and capillary liquid chromatography with UV detection at 330 nm. The described method is very simple and rapid as no preconcentration of the analytes is necessary, and the volume of sample required is only 0.1 mL. Under the proposed conditions good linearity has been obtained up to a concentration of the analytes of 10.0 mgL(-1), the limits of detection being of 8-50 microgL(-1). No matrix effect was found, and recoveries between 97 and 110% were obtained. The precision of the method was good, and the achieved variation coefficients were below 12%. The reliability of the proposed approach has been tested by analyzing a microsample of fogwater collected from leaf surfaces.

Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Versatile, Predictable, and Donor-Free Gene Knockout in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Liu, Zhongliang; Hui, Yi; Shi, Lei; Chen, Zhenyu; Xu, Xiangjie; Chi, Liankai; Fan, Beibei; Fang, Yujiang; Liu, Yang; Ma, Lin; Wang, Yiran; Xiao, Lei; Zhang, Quanbin; Jin, Guohua; Liu, Ling; Zhang, Xiaoqing

2016-09-13

Loss-of-function studies in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) require efficient methodologies for lesion of genes of interest. Here, we introduce a donor-free paired gRNA-guided CRISPR/Cas9 knockout strategy (paired-KO) for efficient and rapid gene ablation in hPSCs. Through paired-KO, we succeeded in targeting all genes of interest with high biallelic targeting efficiencies. More importantly, during paired-KO, the cleaved DNA was repaired mostly through direct end joining without insertions/deletions (precise ligation), and thus makes the lesion product predictable. The paired-KO remained highly efficient for one-step targeting of multiple genes and was also efficient for targeting of microRNA, while for long non-coding RNA over 8 kb, cleavage of a short fragment of the core promoter region was sufficient to eradicate downstream gene transcription. This work suggests that the paired-KO strategy is a simple and robust system for loss-of-function studies for both coding and non-coding genes in hPSCs. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determination of arsenic in traditional Chinese medicine by microwave digestion with flow injection-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (FI-ICP-MS).

PubMed

Ong, E S; Yong, Y L; Woo, S O

1999-01-01

A simple, rapid, and sensitive method with high sample throughput was developed for determining arsenic in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the form of uncoated tablets, sugar-coated tablets, black pills, capsules, powders, and syrups. The method involves microwave digestion with flow injection-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (FI-ICP-MS). Method precision was 2.7-10.1% (relative standard deviation, n = 6) for different concentrations of arsenic in different TCM samples analyzed by different analysts on different days. Method accuracy was checked with a certified reference material (sea lettuce, Ulva lactuca, BCR CRM 279) for external calibration and by spiking arsenic standard into different TCMs. Recoveries of 89-92% were obtained for the certified reference material and higher than 95% for spiked TCMs. Matrix interference was insignificant for samples analyzed by the method of standard addition. Hence, no correction equation was used in the analysis of arsenic in the samples studied. Sample preparation using microwave digestion gave results that were very similar to those obtained by conventional wet acid digestion using nitric acid.

Validation of QuEChERS based method for determination of fenitrothion residues in tomatoes by gas chromatography-flame photometric detector: Decline pattern and risk assessment.

PubMed

Malhat, Farag; Boulangé, Julien; Abdelraheem, Ehab; Abd Allah, Osama; Abd El-Hamid, Rania; Abd El-Salam, Shokr

2017-08-15

A simple and rapid gas chromatography with flame photometric detector (GC-FPD) determination method was developed to detect residue levels and investigate the dissipation pattern and safe use of fenitrothion in tomatoes. A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) using an ethyl acetate-based extraction, followed by a dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) with primary-secondary amine (PSA) and graphite carbon black (GCB) for clean up, was applied prior to GC-FPD analysis. The method showed satisfactory linearity, recovery and precision. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.005 and 0.01mg/kg, respectively. The residue levels of fenitrothion were best described by first order kinetics with a half-life of 2.2days in tomatoes. The potential health risks posed by fenitrothion were not significant, based on supervised residue trial data. The current findings could provide guidance for safe and reasonable use of fenitrothion in tomatoes and prevent health problems to consumers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PCR detection and identification of oral streptococci in saliva samples using gtf genes.

PubMed

Hoshino, Tomonori; Kawaguchi, Mamoru; Shimizu, Noriko; Hoshino, Naoko; Ooshima, Takashi; Fujiwara, Taku

2004-03-01

Oral streptococci are major constituents of dental plaque, and their prevalence is implicated in various pathologies. Therefore, accurate identification of oral streptococci would be valuable for studies of cariogenic plaque and for diagnostic use in infective endocarditis. Many oral streptococci possess glucosyltransferase enzymes that synthesize glucan, which is an obligate component of dental plaque. We established a rapid and precise method to identify oral streptococci by PCR using the species-specific region from the glucosyltransferase gene. With the species-specific primers, Streptococcus mutans, S. sobrinus, S. salivarius, S. sanguinis, S. oralis, and S. gordonii could be successfully distinguished. Further, we developed a simple method to extract the bacterial DNA from saliva. Using the resultant DNA as a template, the proposed PCR detection was performed. Their distribution was in accord with results of conventional biochemical tests. These findings indicate that the present PCR method is useful for the analysis of oral streptococci and can be successfully used in clinical applications to identify pathogenic bacteria associated with oral infectious disease and/or endocarditis.

Simultaneous Determination of Fluoroquinolones and Sulfonamides Originating from Sewage Sludge Compost

PubMed Central

Herodes, K.

2017-01-01

A simultaneous method for quantitative determination of traces of fluoroquinolones (FQs) and sulfonamides (SAs) in edible plants fertilized with sewage sludge was developed. The compounds were extracted from the plants by rapid and simple liquid extraction followed by extracts clean-up using solid phase extraction. The eluent additive 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol was used for liquid chromatographic detection to achieve separation of structurally similar antimicrobials like ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. Identification and quantification of the compounds were performed using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in selected reaction monitoring mode. Method was validated and extraction recoveries of FQs and SAs ranged from 66% to 93%. The limit of quantifications was from 5 ng/g in the case of ofloxacin to 40 ng/g for norfloxacin. The method precision ranged from 1.43% to 2.61%. The developed novel method was used to evaluate the plats antimicrobial uptake (potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and wheat (Triticum vulgare L.)) from soil and migration of the analytes inside the plants. PMID:28695191

Protein and oil composition predictions of single soybeans by transmission Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Schulmerich, Matthew V; Walsh, Michael J; Gelber, Matthew K; Kong, Rong; Kole, Matthew R; Harrison, Sandra K; McKinney, John; Thompson, Dennis; Kull, Linda S; Bhargava, Rohit

2012-08-22

The soybean industry requires rapid, accurate, and precise technologies for the analyses of seed/grain constituents. While the current gold standard for nondestructive quantification of economically and nutritionally important soybean components is near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), emerging technology may provide viable alternatives and lead to next generation instrumentation for grain compositional analysis. In principle, Raman spectroscopy provides the necessary chemical information to generate models for predicting the concentration of soybean constituents. In this communication, we explore the use of transmission Raman spectroscopy (TRS) for nondestructive soybean measurements. We show that TRS uses the light scattering properties of soybeans to effectively homogenize the heterogeneous bulk of a soybean for representative sampling. Working with over 1000 individual intact soybean seeds, we developed a simple partial least-squares model for predicting oil and protein content nondestructively. We find TRS to have a root-mean-standard error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.89% for oil measurements and 0.92% for protein measurements. In both calibration and validation sets, the predicative capabilities of the model were similar to the error in the reference methods.

Comparative artificial neural network and partial least squares models for analysis of Metronidazole, Diloxanide, Spiramycin and Cliquinol in pharmaceutical preparations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elkhoudary, Mahmoud M.; Abdel Salam, Randa A.; Hadad, Ghada M.

2014-09-01

Metronidazole (MNZ) is a widely used antibacterial and amoebicide drug. Therefore, it is important to develop a rapid and specific analytical method for the determination of MNZ in mixture with Spiramycin (SPY), Diloxanide (DIX) and Cliquinol (CLQ) in pharmaceutical preparations. This work describes simple, sensitive and reliable six multivariate calibration methods, namely linear and nonlinear artificial neural networks preceded by genetic algorithm (GA-ANN) and principle component analysis (PCA-ANN) as well as partial least squares (PLS) either alone or preceded by genetic algorithm (GA-PLS) for UV spectrophotometric determination of MNZ, SPY, DIX and CLQ in pharmaceutical preparations with no interference of pharmaceutical additives. The results manifest the problem of nonlinearity and how models like ANN can handle it. Analytical performance of these methods was statistically validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision and specificity. The developed methods indicate the ability of the previously mentioned multivariate calibration models to handle and solve UV spectra of the four components’ mixtures using easy and widely used UV spectrophotometer.

Development and validation of an HPLC method to quantify camptothecin in polymeric nanocapsule suspensions.

PubMed

Granada, Andréa; Murakami, Fabio S; Sartori, Tatiane; Lemos-Senna, Elenara; Silva, Marcos A S

2008-01-01

A simple, rapid, and sensitive reversed-phase column high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated to quantify camptothecin (CPT) in polymeric nanocapsule suspensions. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Supelcosil LC-18 column (15 cm x 4.6 mm id, 5 microm) using a mobile phase consisting of methanol-10 mM KH2PO4 (60 + 40, v/v; pH 2.8) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and ultraviolet detection at 254 nm. The calibration graph was linear from 0.5 to 3.0 microg/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9979, and the limit of quantitation was 0.35 microg/mL. The assay recovery ranged from 97.3 to 105.0%. The intraday and interday relative standard deviation values were < 5.0%. The validation results confirmed that the developed method is specific, linear, accurate, and precise for its intended use. The current method was successfully applied to the evaluation of CPT entrapment efficiency and drug content in polymeric nanocapsule suspensions during the early stage of formulation development.

Microscale Organic Laboratory: IV. A Simple and Rapid Procedure for Carrying Out Wittig Reactions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pike, R. M.; And Others

1986-01-01

Describes two examples where synthetic salt-base mixtures are used in a microscale organic laboratory program as a simple and quick procedure for carrying out Wittig reactions. Both experimental procedures are outlined and discussed. (TW)

Rapid method for the determination of 14 isoflavones in food using UHPLC coupled to photo diode array detection.

PubMed

Shim, You-Shin; Yoon, Won-Jin; Hwang, Jin-Bong; Park, Hyun-Jin; Seo, Dongwon; Ha, Jaeho

2015-11-15

A rapid method for the determination of 14 types of isoflavones in food using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) was validated in terms of precision, accuracy, sensitivity and linearity. The UHPLC separation was performed on a reverse-phase C18 column (particle size 2 μm, i.d. 2 mm, length 100 mm) using a photo diode array detector that was fixed to 260 nm. The limits of detection and quantification of the UHPLC analyses ranged from 0.03 to 0.33 mg kg(-1). The intra-day and inter-day precision of the individual isoflavones were less than 11.77% and calibration curves exhibited good linearity (r(2) = 0.99) within the tested ranges. These results suggest that the rapid method used in this study could be available to determine of 14 types of isoflavones in a variety of food such as soy bean, black bean, red bean and soybean paste. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Fluorescent Tile DNA Diagnocode System for In Situ Rapid and Selective Diagnosis of Cytosolic RNA Cancer Markers

PubMed Central

Park, Kyung Soo; Shin, Seung Won; Jang, Min Su; Shin, Woojung; Yang, Kisuk; Min, Junhong; Cho, Seung-Woo; Oh, Byung-Keun; Bae, Jong Wook; Jung, Sunghwan; Choi, Jeong-Woo; Um, Soong Ho

2015-01-01

Accurate cancer diagnosis often requires extraction and purification of genetic materials from cells, and sophisticated instrumentations that follow. Otherwise in order to directly treat the diagnostic materials to cells, multiple steps to optimize dose concentration and treatment time are necessary due to diversity in cellular behaviors. These processes may offer high precision but hinder fast analysis of cancer, especially in clinical situations that need rapid detection and characterization of cancer. Here we present a novel fluorescent tile DNA nanostructure delivered to cancer cytosol by employing nanoparticle technology. Its structural anisotropicity offers easy manipulation for multifunctionalities, enabling the novel DNA nanostructure to detect intracellular cancer RNA markers with high specificity within 30 minutes post treatment, while the nanoparticle property bypasses the requirement of treatment optimization, effectively reducing the complexity of applying the system for cancer diagnosis. Altogether, the system offers a precise and rapid detection of cancer, suggesting the future use in the clinical fields. PMID:26678430

Rapid detection of bacteria in foods and biological fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fealey, R. D.; Renner, W.

1973-01-01

Simple and inexpensive apparatus, called "redox monitoring cell," rapidly detects presence of bacteria. Bacteria is detected by measuring drop in oxygen content in test solution. Apparatus consists of vial with two specially designed electrodes connected to sensitive voltmeter.

Rapid prototyping in orthopaedic surgery: a user's guide.

PubMed

Frame, Mark; Huntley, James S

2012-01-01

Rapid prototyping (RP) is applicable to orthopaedic problems involving three dimensions, particularly fractures, deformities, and reconstruction. In the past, RP has been hampered by cost and difficulties accessing the appropriate expertise. Here we outline the history of rapid prototyping and furthermore a process using open-source software to produce a high fidelity physical model from CT data. This greatly mitigates the expense associated with the technique, allowing surgeons to produce precise models for preoperative planning and procedure rehearsal. We describe the method with an illustrative case.

No Evidence for an Item Limit in Change Detection (Open Access)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-28

memory : a reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behav Brain Sci 24: 87–114. 17. Eng HY, Chen D, Jiang Y (2005) Visual working memory for simple...working memory can hold no more than a fixed number of items (‘‘item-limit models’’). Recent findings force us to consider the alternative view that working... memory is limited by the precision in stimulus encoding, with mean precision decreasing with increasing set size (‘‘continuous-resource models

Neurosurgery: Functional regeneration after laser axotomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanik, Mehmet Fatih; Cinar, Hulusi; Cinar, Hediye Nese; Chisholm, Andrew D.; Jin, Yishi; Ben-Yakar, Adela

2004-12-01

Understanding how nerves regenerate is an important step towards developing treatments for human neurological disease, but investigation has so far been limited to complex organisms (mouse and zebrafish) in the absence of precision techniques for severing axons (axotomy). Here we use femtosecond laser surgery for axotomy in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans and show that these axons functionally regenerate after the operation. Application of this precise surgical technique should enable nerve regeneration to be studied in vivo in its most evolutionarily simple form.

The progress on time & frequency during the past 5 decades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zheng-Ming

2002-06-01

The number and variety of applications using precise timing are astounding and increasing along with the new technology in communication, computer science, space science as well as in other fields. The world has evolved into the information age, and precise timing is at the heart of managing the flow of that information, which prompts the progress on precise timing itself rapidly. The development of time scales, UT1 determination, frequency standards, time transfer and the time dissemination for the past half century in the world and in China are described in this paper. The expectation in this field is discussed.

Comparison of sampling designs for estimating deforestation from landsat TM and MODIS imagery: a case study in Mato Grosso, Brazil.

PubMed

Zhu, Shanyou; Zhang, Hailong; Liu, Ronggao; Cao, Yun; Zhang, Guixin

2014-01-01

Sampling designs are commonly used to estimate deforestation over large areas, but comparisons between different sampling strategies are required. Using PRODES deforestation data as a reference, deforestation in the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil from 2005 to 2006 is evaluated using Landsat imagery and a nearly synchronous MODIS dataset. The MODIS-derived deforestation is used to assist in sampling and extrapolation. Three sampling designs are compared according to the estimated deforestation of the entire study area based on simple extrapolation and linear regression models. The results show that stratified sampling for strata construction and sample allocation using the MODIS-derived deforestation hotspots provided more precise estimations than simple random and systematic sampling. Moreover, the relationship between the MODIS-derived and TM-derived deforestation provides a precise estimate of the total deforestation area as well as the distribution of deforestation in each block.

Comparison of Sampling Designs for Estimating Deforestation from Landsat TM and MODIS Imagery: A Case Study in Mato Grosso, Brazil

PubMed Central

Zhu, Shanyou; Zhang, Hailong; Liu, Ronggao; Cao, Yun; Zhang, Guixin

2014-01-01

Sampling designs are commonly used to estimate deforestation over large areas, but comparisons between different sampling strategies are required. Using PRODES deforestation data as a reference, deforestation in the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil from 2005 to 2006 is evaluated using Landsat imagery and a nearly synchronous MODIS dataset. The MODIS-derived deforestation is used to assist in sampling and extrapolation. Three sampling designs are compared according to the estimated deforestation of the entire study area based on simple extrapolation and linear regression models. The results show that stratified sampling for strata construction and sample allocation using the MODIS-derived deforestation hotspots provided more precise estimations than simple random and systematic sampling. Moreover, the relationship between the MODIS-derived and TM-derived deforestation provides a precise estimate of the total deforestation area as well as the distribution of deforestation in each block. PMID:25258742

Opportunities for the Cardiovascular Community in the Precision Medicine Initiative.

PubMed

Shah, Svati H; Arnett, Donna; Houser, Steven R; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; MacRae, Calum; Mital, Seema; Loscalzo, Joseph; Hall, Jennifer L

2016-01-12

The Precision Medicine Initiative recently announced by President Barack Obama seeks to move the field of precision medicine more rapidly into clinical care. Precision medicine revolves around the concept of integrating individual-level data including genomics, biomarkers, lifestyle and other environmental factors, wearable device physiological data, and information from electronic health records to ultimately provide better clinical care to individual patients. The Precision Medicine Initiative as currently structured will primarily fund efforts in cancer genomics with longer-term goals of advancing precision medicine to all areas of health, and will be supported through creation of a 1 million person cohort study across the United States. This focused effort on precision medicine provides scientists, clinicians, and patients within the cardiovascular community an opportunity to work together boldly to advance clinical care; the community needs to be aware and engaged in the process as it progresses. This article provides a framework for potential involvement of the cardiovascular community in the Precision Medicine Initiative, while highlighting significant challenges for its successful implementation. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

A simple animal support for convenient weighing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pan, H.P.; Caslick, J.W.; Harke, D.T.; Decker, D.G.

1965-01-01

A simple animal support constructed of web belts to hold skittish pigs for weighing was developed. The support is easily made, noninjurious to the pigs, and compact, facilitating rapid, accurate weighing. With minor modifications, the support can probably be used in weighing other animals.

Technology Base Seminar Wargame 2 (TBSWG 2). Volume 1. Summary Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-11-16

nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) and ballistic protection without reducing soldier mobility . Training and rehearsal systems will allow the...7 KNOW WHERE THE ENEMY IS ALL THE TIME SENSOR FIDEUTY INFORMATION FUSION 3 RANGE OF COMMO 4 RANGE OF FIRES S PRECISION MUNITIONS 6 RAPID MOBILITY 7...and .nfo Precision Problems and TECNOLOGIES Fusion) Fires Mobility Advanced Materials/ Material Processing 0) Advanced Propulsion Advanced Signal

Preparation, structural characterization, and catalytic performance of Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes derived from cellulose Schiff base

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baran, Talat; Yılmaz Baran, Nuray; Menteş, Ayfer

2018-05-01

In this study, we reported production, characterization, and catalytic behavior of two novel heterogeneous palladium(II) and platinum(II) catalysts derived from cellulose biopolymer. In order to eliminate the use of toxic organic or inorganic solvents and to reduce the use of excess energy in the coupling reactions, we have developed a very simple, rapid, and eco-friendly microwave irradiation protocol. The developed microwave-assisted method of Suzuki cross coupling reactions produced excellent reaction yields in the presence of cellulose supported palladium and platinum (II) catalysts. Moreover, the catalysts easily regenerated after simple filtration, and they gave good reusability. This study revealed that the designed catalysts and method provide clean, simple, rapid, and impressive catalytic performance for Suzuki coupling reactions.

Near instrument-free, simple molecular device for rapid detection of herpes simplex viruses.

PubMed

Lemieux, Bertrand; Li, Ying; Kong, Huimin; Tang, Yi-Wei

2012-06-01

The first near instrument-free, inexpensive and simple molecular diagnostic device (IsoAmp HSV, BioHelix Corp., MA, USA) recently received US FDA clearance for use in the detection of herpes simplex viruses (HSV) in genital and oral lesion specimens. The IsoAmp HSV assay uses isothermal helicase-dependent amplification in combination with a disposable, hermetically-sealed, vertical-flow strip identification. The IsoAmp HSV assay has a total test-to-result time of less than 1.5 h by omitting the time-consuming nucleic acid extraction. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity are comparable to PCR and are superior to culture-based methods. The near instrument-free, rapid and simple characteristics of the IsoAmp HSV assay make it potentially suitable for point-of-care testing.

Conjugating precision and acquisition time in a Doppler broadening regime by interleaved frequency-agile rapid-scanning cavity ring-down spectroscopy.

PubMed

Gotti, Riccardo; Gatti, Davide; Masłowski, Piotr; Lamperti, Marco; Belmonte, Michele; Laporta, Paolo; Marangoni, Marco

2017-10-07

We propose a novel approach to cavity-ring-down-spectroscopy (CRDS) in which spectra acquired with a frequency-agile rapid-scanning (FARS) scheme, i.e., with a laser sideband stepped across the modes of a high-finesse cavity, are interleaved with one another by a sub-millisecond readjustment of the cavity length. This brings to time acquisitions below 20 s for few-GHz-wide spectra composed of a very high number of spectral points, typically 3200. Thanks to the signal-to-noise ratio easily in excess of 10 000, each FARS-CRDS spectrum is shown to be sufficient to determine the line-centre frequency of a Doppler broadened line with a precision of 2 parts over 10 11 , thus very close to that of sub-Doppler regimes and in a few-seconds time scale. The referencing of the probe laser to a frequency comb provides absolute accuracy and long-term reproducibility to the spectrometer and makes it a powerful tool for precision spectroscopy and line-shape analysis. The experimental approach is discussed in detail together with experimental precision and accuracy tests on the (30 012) ← (00 001) P12e line of CO 2 at ∼1.57 μm.

High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Five Compounds in the Pulp and Seed of Sea Buckthorn.

PubMed

Zhao, Lu; Wen, E; Upur, Halmuart; Tian, Shuge

2017-01-01

Sea buckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides L.) as a traditional Chinese medicinal plant has various uses in Xinjiang. A reversed-phase rapid-resolution liquid-chromatography method with diode array detector was developed for simultaneous determination of protocatechuic acid, rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin in the pulp and seed of sea buckthorn, a widely used traditional Chinese medicine for promoting metabolism and treating scurvy and other diseases. Compounds were separated on an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm; USA) with gradient elution using methanol and 0.4% phosphoric acid (v/v) at 1.0 mL/min. Detection wavelength was set at 280 nm. The fruits of wild sea buckthorn were collected from Wushi County in Aksu, Xinjiang Province. The RSD of precision test of the five compounds were in the range of 0.60-2.22%, and the average recoveries ranged from 97.36% to 101.19%. Good linearity between specific chromatographic peak and component qualities were observed in the investigated ranges for all the analytes ( R 2 > 0.9997). The proposed method was successfully applied to determine the levels of five active components in sea buckthorn samples from Aksu in Xinjiang. The proposed method is simple, fast, sensitive, accurate, and suitable for quantitative assessment of the pulp and seed of sea buckthorn. Quantitative analysis method of protocatechuic acid, rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin in the extract of sea buckthorn pulp and seed is developed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) diode array detection.This method is simple and accurate; has strong specificity, good precision, and high recovery rate; and provides a reliable basis for further development of the substances in the pulp and seed of sea buckthorn.The method is widely used for content determination of active ingredients or physiologically active components in traditional Chinese medicine and its preparation Abbreviation used: PR: protocatechuic acid, RU: rutin, QU: quercetin, KA: kaempferol, IS: isorhamnetin, HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC-DAD: high performance liquid chromatographydiode array detector, LOD: linearity and limit of detection, LOQ: limit of quantitation, RSD: relative standard deviation.

Double Sampling with Multiple Imputation to Answer Large Sample Meta-Research Questions: Introduction and Illustration by Evaluating Adherence to Two Simple CONSORT Guidelines

PubMed Central

Capers, Patrice L.; Brown, Andrew W.; Dawson, John A.; Allison, David B.

2015-01-01

Background: Meta-research can involve manual retrieval and evaluation of research, which is resource intensive. Creation of high throughput methods (e.g., search heuristics, crowdsourcing) has improved feasibility of large meta-research questions, but possibly at the cost of accuracy. Objective: To evaluate the use of double sampling combined with multiple imputation (DS + MI) to address meta-research questions, using as an example adherence of PubMed entries to two simple consolidated standards of reporting trials guidelines for titles and abstracts. Methods: For the DS large sample, we retrieved all PubMed entries satisfying the filters: RCT, human, abstract available, and English language (n = 322, 107). For the DS subsample, we randomly sampled 500 entries from the large sample. The large sample was evaluated with a lower rigor, higher throughput (RLOTHI) method using search heuristics, while the subsample was evaluated using a higher rigor, lower throughput (RHITLO) human rating method. Multiple imputation of the missing-completely at-random RHITLO data for the large sample was informed by: RHITLO data from the subsample; RLOTHI data from the large sample; whether a study was an RCT; and country and year of publication. Results: The RHITLO and RLOTHI methods in the subsample largely agreed (phi coefficients: title = 1.00, abstract = 0.92). Compliance with abstract and title criteria has increased over time, with non-US countries improving more rapidly. DS + MI logistic regression estimates were more precise than subsample estimates (e.g., 95% CI for change in title and abstract compliance by year: subsample RHITLO 1.050–1.174 vs. DS + MI 1.082–1.151). As evidence of improved accuracy, DS + MI coefficient estimates were closer to RHITLO than the large sample RLOTHI. Conclusion: Our results support our hypothesis that DS + MI would result in improved precision and accuracy. This method is flexible and may provide a practical way to examine large corpora of literature. PMID:25988135

A passion for precision

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2010-05-19

For more than three decades, the quest for ever higher precision in laser spectroscopy of the simple hydrogen atom has inspired many advances in laser, optical, and spectroscopic techniques, culminating in femtosecond laser optical frequency combs  as perhaps the most precise measuring tools known to man. Applications range from optical atomic clocks and tests of QED and relativity to searches for time variations of fundamental constants. Recent experiments are extending frequency comb techniques into the extreme ultraviolet. Laser frequency combs can also control the electric field of ultrashort light pulses, creating powerful new tools for the emerging field of attosecondmore » science.Organiser(s): L. Alvarez-Gaume / PH-THNote: * Tea & coffee will be served at 16:00.« less

Method for measuring retardation of infrared wave-plate by modulated-polarized visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ying; Song, Feijun

2012-11-01

A new method for precisely measuring the optical phase retardation of wave-plates in the infrared spectral region is presented by using modulated-polarized visible light. An electro-optic modulator is used to accurately determine the zero point by the frequency-doubled signal of the Modulated-polarized light. A Babinet-Soleil compensator is employed to make the phase delay compensation. Based on this method, an instrument is set up to measure the retardations of the infrared wave-plates with visible region laser. Measurement results with high accuracy and sound repetition are obtained by simple calculation. Its measurement precision is less than and repetitive precision is within 0.3%.

[A simple apparatus for controllable drinking without leaks for laboratory rats].

PubMed

Huber, D

1989-01-01

A simple device for watering laboratory rats is described. It has been made by using commercially available glass tubing (DURAN 50) with outside diameters of 8 mm, 6 mm, and 3 mm, respectively. The tubes were fused at their tips. The drinking tube is fitted to a rubber stopper at the top of a 250 ml soft polyethylene bottle. By this way water-soluble drugs can be administered to rats with high precision.

Stainless hooks to bond lower lingual retainer.

PubMed

Durgekar, Sujala G; Nagaraj, K

2011-01-01

We introduced a simple and economical technique for precise placement of lower lingual retainers. Two stainless steel hooks made of 0.6mm wire are placed interdentally in the embrasure area between canine and lateral incisor bilaterally to lock the retainer wire in the correct position. Etch, rinse and dry the enamel surfaces with the retainer passively in place, then bond the retainer with light-cured adhesive. Hooks are simple to fabricate and eliminate the need for a transfer tray.

Assessing the difficulty and time cost of de-identification in clinical narratives.

PubMed

Dorr, D A; Phillips, W F; Phansalkar, S; Sims, S A; Hurdle, J F

2006-01-01

To characterize the difficulty confronting investigators in removing protected health information (PHI) from cross-discipline, free-text clinical notes, an important challenge to clinical informatics research as recalibrated by the introduction of the US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and similar regulations. Randomized selection of clinical narratives from complete admissions written by diverse providers, reviewed using a two-tiered rater system and simple automated regular expression tools. For manual review, two independent reviewers used simple search and replace algorithms and visual scanning to find PHI as defined by HIPAA, followed by an independent second review to detect any missed PHI. Simple automated review was also performed for the "easy" PHI that are number- or date-based. From 262 notes, 2074 PHI, or 7.9 +/- 6.1 per note, were found. The average recall (or sensitivity) was 95.9% while precision was 99.6% for single reviewers. Agreement between individual reviewers was strong (ICC = 0.99), although some asymmetry in errors was seen between reviewers (p = 0.001). The automated technique had better recall (98.5%) but worse precision (88.4%) for its subset of identifiers. Manually de-identifying a note took 87.3 +/- 61 seconds on average. Manual de-identification of free-text notes is tedious and time-consuming, but even simple PHI is difficult to automatically identify with the exactitude required under HIPAA.

Imaging Optical Frequencies with 100  μHz Precision and 1.1  μm Resolution.

PubMed

Marti, G Edward; Hutson, Ross B; Goban, Akihisa; Campbell, Sara L; Poli, Nicola; Ye, Jun

2018-03-09

We implement imaging spectroscopy of the optical clock transition of lattice-trapped degenerate fermionic Sr in the Mott-insulating regime, combining micron spatial resolution with submillihertz spectral precision. We use these tools to demonstrate atomic coherence for up to 15 s on the clock transition and reach a record frequency precision of 2.5×10^{-19}. We perform the most rapid evaluation of trapping light shifts and record a 150 mHz linewidth, the narrowest Rabi line shape observed on a coherent optical transition. The important emerging capability of combining high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy will improve the clock precision, and provide a path towards measuring many-body interactions and testing fundamental physics.

Disposable collection kit for rapid and reliable collection of saliva.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Masaki; Tezuka, Yuki; Takeda, Kazunori; Shetty, Vivek

2015-01-01

To describe and evaluate disposable saliva collection kit for rapid, reliable, and reproducible collection of saliva samples. The saliva collection kit comprised of a saliva absorbent swab and an extractor unit was used to retrieve whole saliva samples from 10 subjects. The accuracy and precision of the extracted volumes (3, 10, and 30 μl) were compared to similar volumes drawn from control samples obtained by passive drool. Additionally, the impact of kit collection method on subsequent immunoassay results was verified by assessing salivary cortisol levels in the samples and comparing them to controls. The recovered volumes for the whole saliva samples were 3.85 ± 0.28, 10.79 ± 0.95, and 31.18 ± 1.72 μl, respectively (CV = 8.76%) and 2.91 ± 0.19, 9.75 ± 0.43, and 29.64 ± 0.91 μl, respectively, (CV = 6.36%) for the controls. There was a close correspondence between the salivary cortisol levels from the saliva samples obtained by the collection kit and the controls (R(2)  > 0.96). The disposable saliva collection kit allows accurate and repeatable collection of fixed amounts of whole saliva and does not interfere with subsequent measurements of salivary cortisol. The simple collection process, lack of elaborate specimen recovery steps, and the short turnaround time (<3 min) should render the kit attractive to test subjects and researchers alike. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A rapid and sensitive LC-MS/MS assay for the determination of saxagliptin and its active metabolite 5-hydroxy saxagliptin in human plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

PubMed

Batta, N; Pilli, N R; Derangula, V R; Vurimindi, H B; Damaramadugu, R; Yejella, R P

2015-03-01

The authors proposed a simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) assay method for the simultaneous determination of saxagliptin and its active metabolite 5-hydroxy saxagliptin in human plasma. The developed method was fully validated as per the US FDA guidelines. The method utilized stable labeled isotopes saxagliptin-15 N d2 (IS1) and 5-hydroxy saxagliptin-15 N-d2 (IS2) as internal standards for the quantification of saxagliptin and 5-hydroxy saxagliptin, respectively. Analytes and the internal standards were extracted from human plasma by a single step solid-phase extraction technique without drying, evaporation and reconstitution steps. The optimized mobile phase was composed of 0.1% acetic acid in 5 mM ammonium acetate and acetonitrile (30:70, v/v) and delivered at a flow rate of 0.85 mL/min. The method exhibits the linear calibration range of 0.05-100 ng/mL for both the analytes. The precision and accuracy results for both the analytes were well within the acceptance limits. The different stability experiments conducted in aqueous samples and in matrix samples are meeting the acceptance criteria. The chromatographic run time was set at 1.8 min; hence more than 400 samples can be analyzed in a single day. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Rapid and sensitive method for simultaneous determination of first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs in human plasma by HPLC-MS/MS: Application to therapeutic drug monitoring.

PubMed

Gao, Shouhong; Wang, Zhipeng; Xie, Xinfang; You, Chunhua; Yang, Yang; Xi, Yanhai; Chen, Wansheng

2018-03-01

First-line anti-tuberculosis drugs are playing vital roles for curbing rapid spread of tuberculosis. Multidrug therapies are commonly applied in clinical to achieve better treatment outcomes. However, drug resistance and adverse reactions come along with this therapies and therapeutic drug monitoring is a feasible way to precaution them. For this reasons, a simple and sensitive method based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and single protein precipitation was developed and validated for simultaneously quantifying of pyrazinamide, isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin and rifampicin in human plasma. Optimized chromatographic separation was achieved on a ZORBAX SB-C 18 column with heptafluorobutyric acid, an ion-pair reagent, in the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The mass detection was achieved using electrospray ionization in the positive ion mode with a multiple reaction monitoring mode. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) and dynamic range of pyrazinamide, isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin and rifampicin were 200-4000 ng/mL, 80-2000 ng/mL, 0.2-1000 ng/mL, 2000-200000 ng/mL and 200-4000 ng/mL, respectively. The Inter-day and intra-day accuracy and precision were within ±15.0% and less than 15%. The method had been successfully applied to simultaneous determination of four first-line Anti-tuberculosis drugs in plasma from tuberculosis patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid automated high performance liquid chromatography method for simultaneous determination of amino acids and biogenic amines in wine, fruit and honey.

PubMed

Kelly, Mary T; Blaise, Alain; Larroque, Michel

2010-11-19

This paper reports a new, simple, rapid and economical method for routine determination of 24 amino acids and biogenic amines in grapes and wine. No sample clean-up is required and total run time including column re-equilibration is less than 40min. Following automated in-loop automated pre-column derivatisation with an o-phthaldialdehyde, N-acetyl-l-cysteine reagent, compounds were separated on a 3mm×25cm C(18) column using a binary mobile phase. The method was validated in the range 0.25-10mg/l; repeatability was less than 3% RSD and the intermediate precision ranged from 2 to 7% RSD. The method was shown to be linear by the 'lack of fit' test and the accuracy was between 97 and 101%. The LLOQ varied between 10μg/l for aspartic and glutamic acids, ethanolamine and GABA, and 100μg/l for tyrosine, phenylalanine, putrescine and cadaverine. The method was applied to grapes, white wine, red wine, honey and three species of physalis fruit. Grapes and physalis fruit were crushed, sieved, centrifuged and diluted 1/20 and 1/100, respectively, for analysis; wines and honeys were simply diluted 10-fold. It was shown using this method that the amino acid content of grapes was strongly correlated with berry volume, moderately correlated with sugar concentration and inversely correlated with total acidity. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scaling of Optogenetically Evoked Signaling in a Higher-Order Corticocortical Pathway in the Anesthetized Mouse.

PubMed

Li, Xiaojian; Yamawaki, Naoki; Barrett, John M; Körding, Konrad P; Shepherd, Gordon M G

2018-01-01

Quantitative analysis of corticocortical signaling is needed to understand and model information processing in cerebral networks. However, higher-order pathways, hodologically remote from sensory input, are not amenable to spatiotemporally precise activation by sensory stimuli. Here, we combined parametric channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) photostimulation with multi-unit electrophysiology to study corticocortical driving in a parietofrontal pathway from retrosplenial cortex (RSC) to posterior secondary motor cortex (M2) in mice in vivo . Ketamine anesthesia was used both to eliminate complex activity associated with the awake state and to enable stable recordings of responses over a wide range of stimulus parameters. Photostimulation of ChR2-expressing neurons in RSC, the upstream area, produced local activity that decayed quickly. This activity in turn drove downstream activity in M2 that arrived rapidly (5-10 ms latencies), and scaled in amplitude across a wide range of stimulus parameters as an approximately constant fraction (~0.1) of the upstream activity. A model-based analysis could explain the corticocortically driven activity with exponentially decaying kernels (~20 ms time constant) and small delay. Reverse (antidromic) driving was similarly robust. The results show that corticocortical signaling in this pathway drives downstream activity rapidly and scalably, in a mostly linear manner. These properties, identified in anesthetized mice and represented in a simple model, suggest a robust basis for supporting complex non-linear dynamic activity in corticocortical circuits in the awake state.

Combination of High Rate, Real-Time GNSS and Accelerometer Observations and Rapid Seismic Event Notification for Earthquake Early Warning and Volcano Monitoring with a Focus on the Pacific Rim.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimakov, L. G.; Passmore, P.; Raczka, J.; Alvarez, M.; Jackson, M.

2014-12-01

Scientific GNSS networks are moving towards a model of real-time data acquisition, epoch-by-epoch storage integrity, and on-board real-time position and displacement calculations. This new paradigm allows the integration of real-time, high-rate GNSS displacement information with acceleration and velocity data to create very high-rate displacement records. The mating of these two instruments allows the creation of a new, very high-rate (200 sps) displacement observable that has the full-scale displacement characteristics of GNSS and high-precision dynamic motions of seismic technologies. It is envisioned that these new observables can be used for earthquake early warning studies, volcano monitoring, and critical infrastructure monitoring applications. Our presentation will focus on the characteristics of GNSS, seismic, and strong motion sensors in high dynamic environments, including historic earthquakes in Southern California and the Pacific Rim, replicated on a shake table, over a range of displacements and frequencies. We will explore the optimum integration of these sensors from a filtering perspective including simple harmonic impulses over varying frequencies and amplitudes and under the dynamic conditions of various earthquake scenarios. In addition we will discuss implementation of a Rapid Seismic Event Notification System that provides quick delivery of digital data from seismic stations to the acquisition and processing center and a full data integrity model for real-time earthquake notification that provides warning prior to significant ground shaking.

A rapid and highly sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method using pre-column derivatization with 2-picolylamine for intravenous and percutaneous pharmacokinetics of valproic acid in rats.

PubMed

Joo, Kyung-Mi; Choi, Dalwoong; Park, Yang-Hui; Yi, Chang-Geun; Jeong, Hye-Jin; Cho, Jun-Cheol; Lim, Kyung-Min

2013-11-01

A rapid, highly sensitive and specific ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for the detection of valproic acid (VPA) in rat plasma following the topical application was developed and validated. This method was carried out with pre-column derivatization using 2-picolylamine (PA) which reacts with the carboxylic acid group of VPA. The derivatization was completed in 10min and the resulting PA-VPA derivative enabled the sensitive detection of VPA in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. Sample preparation was done with simple liquid-liquid extraction and chromatographic separation was achieved within 5min on a C18 column using a gradient elution with the mobile phase of 2mM ammonium formate containing 0.1% formic acid and methanol. The standard curves were linear over the concentration range of 0.07-200μg/mL with a correlation coefficient higher than 0.99. The limit of detection (LOD) and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.03 and 0.07μg/mL, respectively with 100μL of plasma sample. The intra- and inter-day precisions were measured to be below 10.7% and accuracies were within the range of 94.1-115.9%. The validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics of VPA in the rat following topical and intravenous applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

When does the gluon reggeize?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caron-Huot, Simon

2015-05-01

We propose the eikonal approximation as a simple and reliable tool to analyze relativistic high-energy processes, provided that the necessary subtleties are accounted for. An important subtlety is the need to include eikonal phases for a rapidity-dependent collection of particles, as embodied by the Balitsky-JIMWLK rapidity evolution equation. In the first part of this paper, we review how the phenomenon of gluon reggeization and the BFKL equations can be understood simply (but not too simply) in the eikonal approach. We also work out some previously overlooked implications of BFKL dynamics, including the observation that starting from four loops it is incompatible with a recent conjecture regarding the structure of infrared divergences. In the second part of this paper, we propose that in the strict planar limit the theory can be developed to all orders in the coupling with no reference at all to the concept of "reggeized gluon." Rather, one can work directly with a finite, process-dependent, number of Wilson lines. We demonstrate consistency of this proposal by an exact computation in N=4 super Yang-Mills, which shows that in processes mediated with two Wilson lines the reggeized gluon appears in the weak coupling limit as a resonance whose width is proportional to the coupling. We also provide a precise operator definition of Lipatov's integrable spin chain, which is manifestly integrable at any value of the coupling as a result of the duality between scattering amplitudes and Wilson loops in this theory.

Development and validation of a rapid ultra-high performance liquid chromatography method for the assay of benzalkonium chloride using a quality-by-design approach.

PubMed

Mallik, Rangan; Raman, Srividya; Liang, Xiaoli; Grobin, Adam W; Choudhury, Dilip

2015-09-25

A rapid robust reversed-phase UHPLC method has been developed for the analysis of total benzalkonium chloride in preserved drug formulation. A systematic Quality-by-Design (QbD) method development approach using commercial, off the shelf software (Fusion AE(®)) has been used to optimize the column, mobile phases, gradient time, and other HPLC conditions. Total benzalkonium chloride analysis involves simple sample preparation. The method uses gradient elution from an ACE Excel 2 C18-AR column (50mm×2.1mm, 2.0μm particle size), ammonium phosphate buffer (pH 3.3; 10mM) as aqueous mobile phase and methanol/acetonitrile (85/15, v/v) as the organic mobile phase with UV detection at 214nm. Using these conditions, major homologs of the benzalkonium chloride (C12 and C14) have been separated in less than 2.0min. The validation results confirmed that the method is precise, accurate and linear at concentrations ranging from 0.025mg/mL to 0.075mg/mL for total benzalkonium chloride. The recoveries ranged from 99% to 103% at concentrations from 0.025mg/mL to 0.075mg/mL for total benzalkonium chloride. The validation results also confirmed the robustness of the method as predicted by Fusion AE(®). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lithium adduct as precursor ion for sensitive and rapid quantification of 20 (S)-protopanaxadiol in rat plasma by liquid chromatography/quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry and application to rat pharmacokinetic study.

PubMed

Bao, Yuanwu; Wang, Quanying; Tang, Pingming

2013-03-01

A novel, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography/quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry [LC-ESI-(QqLIT)MS/MS] method was developed and validated for the quantification of protopanaxadiol (PPD) in rat plasma. Oleanolic acid (OA) was used as internal standard (IS). A simple protein precipitation based on acetonitrile (ACN) was employed. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Sepax GP-C18 column (50 × 2.1 mm, 5 μM) with a mobile phase consisting of ACN-water and 1.5 μM formic acid and 25 mM lithium acetate (90 : 10, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.4 ml/min for 3.0 min. Multiple-reaction-monitoring mode was performed using lithium adduct ion as precursor ion of m/z 467.5/449.4 and 455.6/407.4 for the drug and IS, respectively. Calibration curve was recovered over a concentration range of 0.5-100 ng/ml with a correlation coefficient >0.99. The limit of detection was 0.2 ng/ml in rat plasma for PPD. The results of the intraday and interday precision and accuracy studies were well within the acceptable limits. The validated method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetic study of PPD after intravenous and gavage administration to rat. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The relative influence of H2O and CO2 on the primitive surface conditions of Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvador, A.; Massol, H.; Davaille, A.; Marcq, E.; Sarda, P.; Chassefiere, E.

2017-12-01

How the volatile content influences the primordial surface conditions of terrestrial planets and, thus, their future geodynamic evolution is an important question to answer. We simulate the secular convective cooling of a 1-D magma ocean (MO) in interaction with its outgassed atmosphere. A first rapid cooling stage, where efficient MO cooling and degassing take place, producing the atmosphere, is followed by a second quasi steady state where the heat flux balance is dominated by the solar flux. The end ofthe rapid cooling stage (ERCS) is reached when the mantle heat flux becomes negligible compared tothe absorbed solar flux. Varying the initial CO2 and H2O contents and the solar distance, we showed that the resulting surface conditions at ERCS strongly depend on these parameters and that water ocean's formation obeys simple scaling laws.Although today's Venus is located beyond the inner edge of the habitable zone due to its high albedo, its high CO2/H2O ratio prevents any water ocean formation.We already showed that depending on the formation time of its cloudcover and resulting albedo, only 0.3 Earth ocean mass might be sufficient to form a water ocean onearly Venus. Here we investigate more precisely these results by taking into account the effect of shortwave radiation on the radiative budget by computing the feedbacks between atmospheric composition and incident stellar flux instead of using a prescribed albedo value.

Use of refractometry and colorimetry as field methods to rapidly assess antimalarial drug quality.

PubMed

Green, Michael D; Nettey, Henry; Villalva Rojas, Ofelia; Pamanivong, Chansapha; Khounsaknalath, Lamphet; Grande Ortiz, Miguel; Newton, Paul N; Fernández, Facundo M; Vongsack, Latsamy; Manolin, Ot

2007-01-04

The proliferation of counterfeit and poor-quality drugs is a major public health problem; especially in developing countries lacking adequate resources to effectively monitor their prevalence. Simple and affordable field methods provide a practical means of rapidly monitoring drug quality in circumstances where more advanced techniques are not available. Therefore, we have evaluated refractometry, colorimetry and a technique combining both processes as simple and accurate field assays to rapidly test the quality of the commonly available antimalarial drugs; artesunate, chloroquine, quinine, and sulfadoxine. Method bias, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy relative to high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis of drugs collected in the Lao PDR were assessed for each technique. The HPLC method for each drug was evaluated in terms of assay variability and accuracy. The accuracy of the combined method ranged from 0.96 to 1.00 for artesunate tablets, chloroquine injectables, quinine capsules, and sulfadoxine tablets while the accuracy was 0.78 for enterically coated chloroquine tablets. These techniques provide a generally accurate, yet simple and affordable means to assess drug quality in resource-poor settings.

Obesity-specific neural cost of maintaining gait performance under complex conditions in community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Osofundiya, Olufunmilola; Benden, Mark E; Dowdy, Diane; Mehta, Ranjana K

2016-06-01

Recent evidence of obesity-related changes in the prefrontal cortex during cognitive and seated motor activities has surfaced; however, the impact of obesity on neural activity during ambulation remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine obesity-specific neural cost of simple and complex ambulation in older adults. Twenty non-obese and obese individuals, 65years and older, performed three tasks varying in the types of complexity of ambulation (simple walking, walking+cognitive dual-task, and precision walking). Maximum oxygenated hemoglobin, a measure of neural activity, was measured bilaterally using a portable functional near infrared spectroscopy system, and gait speed and performance on the complex tasks were also obtained. Complex ambulatory tasks were associated with ~2-3.5 times greater cerebral oxygenation levels and ~30-40% slower gait speeds when compared to the simple walking task. Additionally, obesity was associated with three times greater oxygenation levels, particularly during the precision gait task, despite obese adults demonstrating similar gait speeds and performances on the complex gait tasks as non-obese adults. Compared to existing studies that focus solely on biomechanical outcomes, the present study is one of the first to examine obesity-related differences in neural activity during ambulation in older adults. In order to maintain gait performance, obesity was associated with higher neural costs, and this was augmented during ambulatory tasks requiring greater precision control. These preliminary findings have clinical implications in identifying individuals who are at greater risk of mobility limitations, particularly when performing complex ambulatory tasks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple preparation of plant epidermal tissue for laser microdissection and downstream quantitative proteome and carbohydrate analysis

PubMed Central

Falter, Christian; Ellinger, Dorothea; von Hülsen, Behrend; Heim, René; Voigt, Christian A.

2015-01-01

The outwardly directed cell wall and associated plasma membrane of epidermal cells represent the first layers of plant defense against intruding pathogens. Cell wall modifications and the formation of defense structures at sites of attempted pathogen penetration are decisive for plant defense. A precise isolation of these stress-induced structures would allow a specific analysis of regulatory mechanism and cell wall adaption. However, methods for large-scale epidermal tissue preparation from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which would allow proteome and cell wall analysis of complete, laser-microdissected epidermal defense structures, have not been provided. We developed the adhesive tape – liquid cover glass technique (ACT) for simple leaf epidermis preparation from A. thaliana, which is also applicable on grass leaves. This method is compatible with subsequent staining techniques to visualize stress-related cell wall structures, which were precisely isolated from the epidermal tissue layer by laser microdissection (LM) coupled to laser pressure catapulting. We successfully demonstrated that these specific epidermal tissue samples could be used for quantitative downstream proteome and cell wall analysis. The development of the ACT for simple leaf epidermis preparation and the compatibility to LM and downstream quantitative analysis opens new possibilities in the precise examination of stress- and pathogen-related cell wall structures in epidermal cells. Because the developed tissue processing is also applicable on A. thaliana, well-established, model pathosystems that include the interaction with powdery mildews can be studied to determine principal regulatory mechanisms in plant–microbe interaction with their potential outreach into crop breeding. PMID:25870605

Simple preparation of plant epidermal tissue for laser microdissection and downstream quantitative proteome and carbohydrate analysis.

PubMed

Falter, Christian; Ellinger, Dorothea; von Hülsen, Behrend; Heim, René; Voigt, Christian A

2015-01-01

The outwardly directed cell wall and associated plasma membrane of epidermal cells represent the first layers of plant defense against intruding pathogens. Cell wall modifications and the formation of defense structures at sites of attempted pathogen penetration are decisive for plant defense. A precise isolation of these stress-induced structures would allow a specific analysis of regulatory mechanism and cell wall adaption. However, methods for large-scale epidermal tissue preparation from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which would allow proteome and cell wall analysis of complete, laser-microdissected epidermal defense structures, have not been provided. We developed the adhesive tape - liquid cover glass technique (ACT) for simple leaf epidermis preparation from A. thaliana, which is also applicable on grass leaves. This method is compatible with subsequent staining techniques to visualize stress-related cell wall structures, which were precisely isolated from the epidermal tissue layer by laser microdissection (LM) coupled to laser pressure catapulting. We successfully demonstrated that these specific epidermal tissue samples could be used for quantitative downstream proteome and cell wall analysis. The development of the ACT for simple leaf epidermis preparation and the compatibility to LM and downstream quantitative analysis opens new possibilities in the precise examination of stress- and pathogen-related cell wall structures in epidermal cells. Because the developed tissue processing is also applicable on A. thaliana, well-established, model pathosystems that include the interaction with powdery mildews can be studied to determine principal regulatory mechanisms in plant-microbe interaction with their potential outreach into crop breeding.

A rapid and simple method of detection of Blepharisma japonicum using PCR and immobilisation on FTA paper

PubMed Central

Hide, Geoff; Hughes, Jacqueline M; McNuff, Robert

2003-01-01

Background The rapid expansion in the availability of genome and DNA sequence information has opened up new possibilities for the development of methods for detecting free-living protozoa in environmental samples. The protozoan Blepharisma japonicum was used to investigate a rapid and simple detection system based on polymerase chain reaction amplification (PCR) from organisms immobilised on FTA paper. Results Using primers designed from the α-tubulin genes of Blepharisma, specific and sensitive detection to the equivalent of a single Blepharisma cell could be achieved. Similar detection levels were found using water samples, containing Blepharisma, which were dried onto Whatman FTA paper. Conclusion This system has potential as a sensitive convenient detection system for Blepharisma and could be applied to other protozoan organisms. PMID:14516472

Rapid and Programmable Protein Mutagenesis Using Plasmid Recombineering.

PubMed

Higgins, Sean A; Ouonkap, Sorel V Y; Savage, David F

2017-10-20

Comprehensive and programmable protein mutagenesis is critical for understanding structure-function relationships and improving protein function. There is thus a need for robust and unbiased molecular biological approaches for the construction of the requisite comprehensive protein libraries. Here we demonstrate that plasmid recombineering is a simple and robust in vivo method for the generation of protein mutants for both comprehensive library generation as well as programmable targeting of sequence space. Using the fluorescent protein iLOV as a model target, we build a complete mutagenesis library and find it to be specific and comprehensive, detecting 99.8% of our intended mutations. We then develop a thermostability screen and utilize our comprehensive mutation data to rapidly construct a targeted and multiplexed library that identifies significantly improved variants, thus demonstrating rapid protein engineering in a simple protocol.

Headspace-SPME-GC/MS as a simple cleanup tool for sensitive 2,6-diisopropylphenol analysis from lipid emulsions and adaptable to other matrices.

PubMed

Pickl, Karin E; Adamek, Viktor; Gorges, Roland; Sinner, Frank M

2011-07-15

Due to increased regulatory requirements, the interaction of active pharmaceutical ingredients with various surfaces and solutions during production and storage is gaining interest in the pharmaceutical research field, in particular with respect to development of new formulations, new packaging material and the evaluation of cleaning processes. Experimental adsorption/absorption studies as well as the study of cleaning processes require sophisticated analytical methods with high sensitivity for the drug of interest. In the case of 2,6-diisopropylphenol - a small lipophilic drug which is typically formulated as lipid emulsion for intravenous injection - a highly sensitive method in the concentration range of μg/l suitable to be applied to a variety of different sample matrices including lipid emulsions is needed. We hereby present a headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) approach as a simple cleanup procedure for sensitive 2,6-diisopropylphenol quantification from diverse matrices choosing a lipid emulsion as the most challenging matrix with regard to complexity. By combining the simple and straight forward HS-SPME sample pretreatment with an optimized GC-MS quantification method a robust and sensitive method for 2,6-diisopropylphenol was developed. This method shows excellent sensitivity in the low μg/l concentration range (5-200μg/l), good accuracy (94.8-98.8%) and precision (intraday-precision 0.1-9.2%, inter-day precision 2.0-7.7%). The method can be easily adapted to other, less complex, matrices such as water or swab extracts. Hence, the presented method holds the potential to serve as a single and simple analytical procedure for 2,6-diisopropylphenol analysis in various types of samples such as required in, e.g. adsorption/absorption studies which typically deal with a variety of different surfaces (steel, plastic, glass, etc.) and solutions/matrices including lipid emulsions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous determination of 13 carotenoids by a simple C18 column-based ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography method for carotenoid profiling in the astaxanthin-accumulating Haematococcus pluvialis.

PubMed

Jin, Hui; Lao, Yong Min; Zhou, Jin; Zhang, Huai Jin; Cai, Zhong Hua

2017-03-10

A simple ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method for rapidly and simultaneously identifying thirteen carotenoids in Haematococcus pluvialis was developed in this study. The method is capable of effectively separating two astaxanthin isomers, two ζ-carotene isomers, and three phytoene isomers on two simple C18 columns within 9 and 12min only by using methanol and acetonitrile, respectively. To our best knowledge, this is the rapidest method for these carotenoid isomers, currently. Using this method, carotenoid profiling in the astaxanthin-accumulating H. pluvialis under environmental stresses was successfully carried out. Results indicated that carotenoid biosynthesis was differentially perturbed by environmental stresses, indicating that this simple and rapid method is suitable to not only bacterial but also algal samples, with potential applications for a wide range of samples from plant to animal. Finally, possible reasons for the elution order of carotenoids were studied. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid disinhibition by adjustment of PV intrinsic excitability during whisker map plasticity in mouse S1.

PubMed

Gainey, Melanie A; Aman, Joseph W; Feldman, Daniel E

2018-04-20

Rapid plasticity of layer (L) 2/3 inhibitory circuits is an early step in sensory cortical map plasticity, but its cellular basis is unclear. We show that, in mice of either sex, 1 day whisker deprivation drives rapid loss of L4-evoked feedforward inhibition and more modest loss of feedforward excitation in L2/3 pyramidal (PYR) cells, increasing E-I conductance ratio. Rapid disinhibition was due to reduced L4-evoked spiking by L2/3 parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, caused by reduced PV intrinsic excitability. This included elevated PV spike threshold, associated with an increase in low-threshold, voltage activated delayed rectifier (presumed Kv1) and A-type potassium currents. Excitatory synaptic input and unitary inhibitory output of PV cells were unaffected. Functionally, the loss of feedforward inhibition and excitation were precisely coordinated in L2/3 PYR cells, so that peak feedforward synaptic depolarization remained stable. Thus, rapid plasticity of PV intrinsic excitability offsets early weakening of excitatory circuits to homeostatically stabilize synaptic potentials in PYR cells of sensory cortex. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Inhibitory circuits in cerebral cortex are highly plastic, but the cellular mechanisms and functional importance of this plasticity are incompletely understood. We show that brief (1-day) sensory deprivation rapidly weakens parvalbumin (PV) inhibitory circuits by reducing the intrinsic excitability of PV neurons. This involved a rapid increase in voltage-gated potassium conductances that control near-threshold spiking excitability. Functionally, the loss of PV-mediated feedforward inhibition in L2/3 pyramidal cells was precisely balanced with the separate loss of feedforward excitation, resulting in a net homeostatic stabilization of synaptic potentials. Thus, rapid plasticity of PV intrinsic excitability implements network-level homeostasis to stabilize synaptic potentials in sensory cortex. Copyright © 2018 the authors.

Method development and validation of potent pyrimidine derivative by UV-VIS spectrophotometer.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Anshu; Singh, Anoop; Verma, Prabhakar Kumar

2014-12-01

A rapid and sensitive ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopic method was developed for the estimation of pyrimidine derivative 6-Bromo-3-(6-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-2-(morpolinomethylamino) pyrimidine4-yl) -2H-chromen-2-one (BT10M) in bulk form. Pyrimidine derivative was monitored at 275 nm with UV detection, and there is no interference of diluents at 275 nm. The method was found to be linear in the range of 50 to 150 μg/ml. The accuracy and precision were determined and validated statistically. The method was validated as a guideline. The results showed that the proposed method is suitable for the accurate, precise, and rapid determination of pyrimidine derivative. Graphical Abstract Method development and validation of potent pyrimidine derivative by UV spectroscopy.

Basic investigation of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for bone densitometry using computed radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimura, Kazuo; Nakajima, Nobuyoshi; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Ishida, Masamitsu; Kato, Hisatoyo

1993-09-01

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is one of the bone densitometry techniques to diagnose osteoporosis, and has been gradually getting popular due to its high degree of precision. However, DXA involves a time-consuming examination because of its pencil-beam scan, and the equipment is expensive. In this study, we examined a new bone densitometry technique (CR-DXA) utilizing an X-ray imaging system and Computed Radiography (CR) used for medical X-ray image diagnosis. High level of measurement precision and accuracy could be achieved by X-ray rube voltage/filter optimization and various nonuniformity corrections based on simulation and experiment. The phantom study using a bone mineral block showed precision of 0.83% c.v. (coefficient of variation), and accuracy of 0.01 g/cm2, suggesting that a practically equivalent degree of measurement precision and accuracy to that of the DXA approach is achieved. CR-DXA is considered to provide bone mineral densitometry to facilitate simple, quick and precise bone mineral density measurement.