Organic Semiconducting Luminophores for Near-Infrared Afterglow,Chemiluminescence, and Bioluminescence Imaging

Optical imaging has played a pivotal role in deciphering in vivo bioinformatics but is limited by shallow penetration depth and poor imaging performance owing to interfering tissue autofluorescence induced by concurrent photoexcitation. The emergence of near-infrared (NIR) self-luminescence imaging independent of real-time irradiation has timely addressed these problems. There are two main kinds of self-luminescent agents, namely inorganic and organic luminophores. Inorganic luminophores usually suffer from long-term biotoxicity concerns resulting from potential heavy-metal ions leakage and nonbiodegradability, which hinders their further translational application. In contrast, organic luminophores, especially organic semiconducting luminophores (OSLs) with good biodegradable potential, tunable design, and outstanding optical properties, are preferred in biological applications. This review summarizes the recent progress of OSLs used in NIR afterglow, chemiluminescence, and bioluminescence imaging. Molecular manipulation and nanoengineering approaches of OSLs are discussed, with emphasis on strategies that can extend the emission wavelength from visible to NIR range and amplify luminescence signals. This review concludes with a discussion of current challenges and possible solutions of OSLs in the self-luminescence field.     

As the number falls,alternatives to the Hagberg–Perten falling number method: A review

This review examines the application, limitations, and potential alternatives to the Hagberg–Perten falling number (FN) method used in the global wheat industry for detecting the risk of poor end-product quality mainly due to starch degradation by the enzyme α-amylase. By viscometry, the FN test indirectly detects the presence of α-amylase, the primary enzyme that digests starch. Elevated α-amylase results in low FN and damages wheat product quality resulting in cakes that fall, and sticky bread and noodles. Low FN can occur from preharvest sprouting (PHS) and late maturity α-amylase (LMA). Moist or rainy conditions before harvest cause PHS on the mother plant. Continuously cool or fluctuating temperatures during the grain filling stage cause LMA. Due to the expression of additional hydrolytic enzymes, PHS has a stronger negative impact than LMA. Wheat grain with low FN/high α-amylase results in serious losses for farmers, traders, millers, and bakers worldwide. Although blending of low FN grain with sound wheat may be used as a means of moving affected grain through the marketplace, care must be taken to avoid grain lots from falling below contract-specified FN. A large amount of sound wheat can be ruined if mixed with a small amount of sprouted wheat. The FN method is widely employed to detect α-amylase after harvest. However, it has several limitations, including sampling variability, high cost, labor intensiveness, the destructive nature of the test, and an inability to differentiate between LMA and PHS. Faster, cheaper, and more accurate alternatives could improve breeding for resistance to PHS and LMA and could preserve the value of wheat grain by avoiding inadvertent mixing of high- and low-FN grain by enabling testing at more stages of the value stream including at harvest, delivery, transport, storage, and milling. Alternatives to the FN method explored here include the Rapid Visco Analyzer, enzyme assays, immunoassays, near-infrared spectroscopy, and hyperspectral imaging.     

Histone Methylation Marks on Circulating Nucleosomes as Novel Blood-Based Biomarker in Colorectal Cancer

Circulating nucleic acids (CNAs) are under investigation as a liquid biopsy in cancer as potential non-invasive biomarkers, as stable structure in circulation nucleosomes could be valuable sources for detection of cancer-specific alterations in histone modifications. Our interest is in histone methylation marks with a focus on colorectal cancer, one of the leading cancers respective the incidence and mortality. Our previous work included the analysis of trimethylations of lysine 9 on histone 3 (H3K9me3) and of lysine 20 on histone 4 (H4K20me3) by chromatin immuno- precipitation-related PCR in circulating nucleosomes. Here we asked whether global immunologic measurement of histone marks in circulation could be a suitable approach to show their potential as biomarkers. In addition to H3K9me3 and H4K20me3 we also measured H3K27me3 in plasma samples from CRC patients (n = 63) and cancer free individuals (n = 40) by ELISA-based methylation assays. Our results show that of three marks, the amounts of H3K27me3 (p = 0.04) and H4K20me3 (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in CRC patients than in healthy controls. For H3K9me3 similar amounts were measured in both groups. Areas under the curve (AUC) in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves indicating the power of CRC detection were 0.620 for H3K27me3, 0.715 for H4K20me3 and 0.769 for the combination of both markers. In conclusion, findings of this preliminary study reveal the potential of blood-based detection of CRC by quantification of histone methylation marks and the additive effect of the marker combination.     

Targets and methods for the detection of processed animal proteins in animal feedstuffs

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or ‘mad cow disease’, is one of several transmissable spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) known to affect certain mammals and is spread through the ingestion of infected animal tissue. It is believed that the inadvertent contamination of meat and bone meal (MBM) with infected animal tissue and the subsequent use of this material as a feed supplement contributed to the spread of the disease in cattle. As a result, the use of processed animal proteins (PAPs) in animal feeds is regulated in many parts of the world. Although feed testing is the only definitive means to certify compliance, regulatory compliance often relies solely on paper certification. Recently, rapid methods have become available that can be used by regulators to determine compliance during routine inspections. We describe a rapid, immunochromatographic strip test that can detect 0.1% MBM in animal feed. The test takes 15 min to perform and large numbers of samples can be screened for PAPs simultaneously.     

Radical scavenging activity of canola hull phenolics

Possible use of canola hulls as a source of natural anti-oxidants was explored. Cyclone canola hulls were extracted with methanol (30 to 80%, vol/vol) and acetone (30 to 80%, vol/vol). The free radical-scavenging activity of phenolic extracts so prepared was evaluated using the 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) radical ion (ABTS^o−), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, and chemiluminescence assays. The total content of phenolics in prepared extracts from canola hulls ranged from 15 to 136 mg sinapic acid equivalents per gram of extract. Higher levels of condensed tannins were detected in the acetone extracts than in the corresponding methanolic counterparts. Seventy and 80% (vol/vol) acetone extracts displayed markedly stronger antioxidant activity than any of the other extracts investigated. Statistically significant linear correlations were found between TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) values (expressed in mM of Trolox equivalents per gram of extract) and total pehnolics, TEAC and total condensed tannins (i.e., determined using the modified vanillin and pronthocyanidin assays), as well as TEAC and protein precipitation activity of phenolic extracts (i.e., measured using the dye-labeled assay). The antioxidant activities of extracts as determined by the ABTS^o− radical ion assay correlated highly with those of the chemiluminescence and DPPH radical assays.     

药物抗氧化作用对DNA发光动力学行为的影响

本文应用ＣｕＳＯ４－Ｐｈｅｎ－Ｖｃ－Ｈ２Ｏ２－ＤＮＡ化学发光体系观察药物对发光动力学行为的影响，研究了九种药物对ＤＮＡ损伤的保护作用，并对其药物结构对抗氧化能力的影响进行了分析。发现药物在该系统中的抗氧化作用有三种类型，提示它们可能在体内不同的反应过程中起不同的作用。在该系统中具有抑制ＤＮＡ损伤发光能力的药物，按其作用强弱依次为阿魏酸、丹参素、芦丁，茶多酚、ＳＯＤ、、丹参酮Ⅱ－Ａ，丹皮酚，五味子乙     

无机片状微晶对化学光源发光效率的影响研究

以双（2,4,5-三氯-6-正丁烷氧羰基苯基）草酸酯（简称CPPO）和红色荧光剂罗丹明B组成的过氧草酸酯类化学发光体系为研究对象,从粒径、用量和种类的角度讨论了分散剂云母等对体系发光效率的影响．结果表明,添加30μm云母50mg后,体系的发光寿命、强度均显著增加,发光效率较高。     

邻联茴香胺-H_2O_2-辣根过氧化物酶伏安酶联免疫分析检测四种重要植物病毒

将邻联茴香胺（ＯＤＡ） Ｈ２Ｏ２ 辣根过氧化物酶（ＨＲＰ）伏安酶联免疫分析体系应用于测定南芥菜花叶病毒（ＡｒａｂｉｃＭｏｓａｉｃＶｉｒｕｓ ＡｒＭＶ）、黄瓜花叶病毒（ＣｕｃｕｍｂｅｒＭｏｓａｉｃＶｉｒｕｓ ＣＭＶ）、南方菜豆花叶病毒（ＳｏｕｔｈｅｒｎＢｅａｎＭｏｓａｉｃＶｉｒｕｓ ＳＢＭＶ）和芜菁花叶病毒（ＴｕｒｎｉｐＭｏｓａｉｃＶｉｒｕｓ ＴｕＭＶ）等四种重要植物病毒,其灵敏度高于酶联免疫吸附显色光度法（ＥＬＩＳＡ）。     

Detection of low molecular weight toxins using an optical phase method of ellipsometry

The method of total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE), which records simultaneously two parameters Δ and Ψ related to the amplitudes and phases of p- and s-components of polarised light, respectively, was exploited here for detection of mycotoxins (T-2 and zearalenone). The above mycotoxins in sub-ppb concentrations were detected using TIRE in both direct and competitive immunoassay. The study of immune reaction kinetics allowed the evaluation of adsorption/desorption rates and the association constant for zearalenone. The investigation of grain products samples revealed the presence of high concentrations of T-2 (>600 ng/ml) in mould products.