Effect of buffer capacity on electrochemical behavior of dopamine and ascorbic acid

It is well known that the electrochemical oxidation of dopamine and ascorbic acid includes the proton and electron transfers at a glassy carbon electrode and their redox potentials are dependent on the pH of solution. When the concentration of the buffer is not enough to neutralize the protons produced by electrochemical oxidation of dopamine and ascorbic acid, two peaks of them can be observed in cyclic voltammograms. The height of the new peak is in proportion to the concentration of proton acceptor including HPO42-, 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine, tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane. Moreover, the potential of it is dependent on the type and the concentration of buffer at the same pH of bulk solution. However, this phenomenon cannot be attributed to the interaction between proton acceptor and dopamine or ascorbic acid. So, we think the phenomenon is caused by the acute change of pH at the surface of working electrode. Similar results were also observed in the rotating disk voltammograms. It can be concluded that the electrochemical behavior of some compounds is dependent on the concentration of buffer when this concentration is not enough to neutralize the protons produced in electrochemical oxidation.

Simultaneous determination of dopamine and ascorbic acid at an in-site functionalized self-assembled monolayer on gold electrode

The in-site functionalization of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) self-assembled monolayer on gold electrode at physiological pH yields a redox active monolayer of 4'-mercapto-N-phenylquinone diimine (MNPD). The functionalized electrode exhibits excellent electrocatalytic responses towards dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA), reducing the overpotentials by about 0.22 V and 0.34 V, respectively, with greatly enhanced current responses. Due to its different catalytic activities toward DA and AA, the modified electrode resolves the overlapping voltammetric responses of DA and AA into two well-defined voltammetric peaks by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), which can be used for the simultaneous determination of these species in a mixture. The catalytic peak current obtained from DPV was linearly related to DA and AA concentration in the ranges of 5.0 x 10-6 - 1.25 x 10-4 M and 8.0 x 10-6 - 1.3 x 10-4 M with correlation coefficient of 0.999 and 0.998, respectively. The detective limits (3sigma) for DA and AA were found to be 1.2 x 10-6 M and 2.4 x 10-6 M, respectively.

Effects of a surfactant on the electrocatalytic activity of cobalt hexacyanoferrate modified glassy carbon electrode towards the oxidation of dopamine

The cobalt hexacyanoferrate film (CoHCF) was deposited on the surface of a glassy carbon (GC) electrode with a potential cycling procedure in the presence and absence of the cationic surfactant, cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), to form CoHCF modified GC (CoHCF/GC) electrode. It was found that CTAB would affect the growth of the CoHCF film, the electrochemical behavior of the CoHCF film and the electrocatalytic activity of the CoHCF/GC electrode towards the electrochemical oxidation of dopamine (DA). The reasons of the electrochemical behavior of CoHCF/GC electrode influenced by CTAB were investigated using FTIR and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques. The apparent rate constant of electrocatalytic oxidation of DA catalyzed by CoHCF was determined using the rotating disk electrode measurements.

Studies of interaction between iron (III) and intermediates of synthetic neuromelanin by means of cyclic voltammetry of Fe(CN)(3-)(6) and dopamine

Neuromelanin is a complex polymer pigment found primarily in the dopaminergic neurons of the human substantia nigra, whose composition is complex including production of dopamine auto-oxidation, glutathione and a variety of amino acid. Neuromelanin forms stable complex with iron (111). We observed that 5,6-dihydroxyindole and its ramification possessed strong ability of chelating iron (111), and they are the production of dopamine auto-oxidation under physiological pH condition. In the present Of L-Cysteine, the relative yields of electrochemical oxidation of dopamine also had strong ability of chelating iron (111). The experimental results suggest that 5,6-dihydroxyindole and 5-S-cysteineldopamine play important roles in the process of synthetic neuromelanin chelating iron (111).

Electrocatalytic oxidation of dopamine at a cobalt hexacyanoferrate modified glassy carbon electrode prepared by a new method

A stable electroactive thin film of cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CoHCF) was electrochemically deposited on the surface of a glassy carbon (GC) electrode with a new and simple method. The cyclic voltammograms of the CoHCF Film modified GC (CoHCF/GC) electrode prepared by this method exhibit two pairs of well-defined redox peaks, at scan rates up to 200 mV s(-1). The advantage of this method is that it is easy to manipulate and to control the surface coverage of CoHCF on the electrode surface. The modified electrode shows good electrocatalytic activity towards the electrochemical reaction of dopamine (DA) in a 0.1 mol dm (3) KNO3 + phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0). The rate constant of the electrocatalytic oxidation of DA at the CoHCF/GC electrode is determined by employing rotating disk electrode measurements.

Flow injection determination of dopamine based on inhibited electrochemiluminescence of luminol

A flow injection method has been developed for the determination of dopamine based on its inhibition of the electrochemiluminescence of luminol. This method is simple and sensitive for dopamine detection. Under the selected experimental conditions, the decreased electrochemiluminescent intensity is linear with dopamine concentration in the range of 5.0 x 10(-8)-1.0 x 10(-5) mol/L with a detection limit of 30 nmol/L. The relative standard deviation of eleven determinations is 1.9% for 1.0 x 10(-6) mol/L dopamine. The proposed method has been applied to the detection of dopamine in pharmaceutical injections with satisfactory results.

Electrocatalytic oxidation of dopamine by ferrocene in lipid film cast on a glassy carbon electrode

The ferrocene-lipid film electrode was successfully prepared by means of casting the solution of ferrocene and lipid in chloroform onto a glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface. Ferrocene saved in the biological membrane gave a couple of quasi-reversible peaks of cyclic voltammogram. The electrode displays a preferential electrocatalytic oxidation of dopamine (DA). The effect of electroccatalytic oxidation of DA depends on the solution pH and the negative charge lipid is in favor of catalytic oxidation of DA. The characteristic was employed for separating the electrochemical responses of DA and ascorbic acid (AA). The electrode was assessed for the voltammetric differentiation of DA and AA. The measurement of DA can be achieved with differential pulse voltammetry in the, presence of high concentration of AA. The catalytic peak current was proportional to the concentration of DA in the range of 1 x 10(-4)-3 x 10(-3) mol/L.

Oxidation of ascorbic acid by dopamine incorporated in mimetic biomembrane

A kind of mimetic biomembrane-cast lipid film was made onto a glassy carbon electrode. Dopamine can be incorporated into the film. The oxidation of 2.0 x 10(-3) mol/L ascorbic acid with dopamine in the film was investigated. The oxidation overpotential of ascorbic acid was reduced by about 260 mV.

Oxidation of NADH by dopamine incorporated in lipid film cast onto a glassy carbon electrode

Stable lipid film was made by casting lipid in chloroform onto a glassy carbon electrode. This model of a biological membrane was used to investigate the oxidation of dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) by dopamine. After this electrode had been immersed in dopamine solution for 10 h, it was found that some dopamine had been incorporated in the film. The cyclic voltammogram was obtained for the oxidation of 2.0 X 10(-3) mol 1(-1) NADH with dopamine incorporated in the films. All electrochemical experiments were performed in 0.005 mol 1(-1) phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) containing 0.1 mol 1(-1) NaCl without oxygen. The oxidation current increased gradually with successive sweeps and reached steady state. It was a different phenomenon from previous results. The anodic overpotential was reduced by about 130 mV compared with that obtained at a bare glassy carbon electrode. The diffusion coefficient for 2.0 X 10(-3) mol 1(-1) NADH was 6.7 X 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A MULTICYLINDER MICROELECTRODE COUPLED WITH A CONVENTIONAL GLASSY-CARBON ELECTRODE AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE DETECTION OF DOPAMINE

A multi-cylinder microelectrode coupled with a conventional glassy carbon disc electrode (MCM/GC) was prepared and characterized using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. It was demonstrated that in the same way as one observed a steady-state current at closely spaced microelectrodes when redox recycling takes place, the same effect can be obtained with the MCM/GC device. The experimental results obtained with K3Fe(CN)6 solutions were compared with a previously developed theory. Further, it was demonstrated that with a carbon fibre MCM/GC device, the voltammetric behaviour of dopamine is greatly improved by virtue of redox recycling, hence giving high sensitivity. The steady-state collection current was linearly related to dopamine concentration in the range 1 X 10(-4) to 5 x 10(-7) Mol l-1, and the detection limit was 2 x 10(-7) mol l-1. The influence of coexisting ascorbic acid was also investigated. This device was applied successfully in the determination of dopamine hydrochloride in pharmaceutical preparations.

果实采后病害生物防治及其机理研究

　　分离和筛选了5种能有效防治采后果实病害的拮抗菌。其中，季也蒙假丝酵母(Candida guiliermondii(Cast) Langeroret Guerra)从引种拮抗菌中筛选获得，枯草芽孢杆菌（Bacillus subtilis）B-912从土壤中分离筛选获得，膜醭毕赤酵母（Pichia membranefaciens hansen）从桃果实伤口上分离获得，隐球酵母(Cryptococcus albidus (Saito) Skinner)和丝孢酵母（Trichosporon sp.）从桃果实表面分离获得。本文主要研究了这些拮抗菌对桃、油桃、苹果、梨和柑桔等我国主要水果采后病害的防治效果，并对其可能的抑菌机理进行了初步研究。结果如下： 1. Sx108 CFU/mL的C．guiliermondii和P．membranefaciens悬浮液可完全抑制病菌孢子浓度为5x104个/mL时桃和油桃果实软腐病(Rhizopus stolonifer(Ehrenb.ex Fr.) Vuill.)在25℃，15℃和3℃下的发生。lx108 CFU/mL的C．albidus和Trichosporon sp.悬浮液可完全抑制孢子浓度分别为lx105个/mL和5x104个/mL时苹果灰霉病(Botrytis cinerea)和青霉病（Penicillum expansum）在23℃-25℃和1℃下的发生。C．albidus和Trichosporon sp.对梨灰、青霉病也有一定抑制效果。B-912对柑桔果实青霉病(Penicillium italicum)、绿霉病(Penicillium digitatum)和核果类果实褐腐病(Monilinia fructicola)也有极好的抑制效果。生物防治效果与拮抗菌的浓度成正比，与病菌孢子浓度成反比。 2．拮抗酵母菌在室温和冷藏条件下都能迅速在果实伤口定殖，接种酵母菌48 h后，数量可增加20倍以上。拮抗菌和病菌孢子的接种时间与生物防治效果有关，先接种拈抗菌的抑菌效果显著地好于同时或后于病菌接种的效果。 3．温度对拮抗酵母菌的抑菌活力没有明显影响，无论是在室温还是在冷藏条件下，拮抗酵母菌都有同样的抑菌效果。但拮抗细菌B-912的抑菌效果与温度有一定关系。较高的温度有利于细菌拮抗作用的发挥。 4．拮抗菌能与常规的果实采后处理措施如钙处理、化学杀菌剂、冷藏和气调贮藏相结合。酵母菌与2% CaC12配合能明显地增强其抑菌能力;拮抗菌与低浓度的杀菌剂如扑海因混合使用，可达到高浓度杀菌剂的抑病效果;C．albidus和Trichosporon sp.对果实采后气调贮藏环境有良好的适应性，它们在气调下对采后苹果、梨的灰霉病和青霉病的抑制效果比冷藏条件下的好。 5．细菌B-912的抑菌机理与其产生抗菌素有关，B-912的滤液在in vitro上能有效地抑制病菌孢子的萌发，在invivo上也能明显地抑制果实采后病害的发生。拮抗酵母菌的抑菌机理则较复杂，但主要与病菌竞争营养有关，同时，C．guilliermondii和P．membranefaciens对软腐菌的抑制还通过产生水解酶如β-1，3一葡聚糖酶和几丁酶与病原菌直接作用，并参与诱导寄主产生抗性等

酵母拮抗菌的抑病机理及生防效力改良的研究

相对于酵母拮抗菌的使用来说，人们对其作用机理了解得还不是很清楚。而了解拮抗菌的抑菌机理却是增强拮抗菌的生防效果以及进行拮抗菌筛选标准的重要前提。本文主要研究了酵母拮抗菌Pichia membranefaciens、Cryptococcus albidus以及Crytococcus laurentii对水果采后软腐病、褐腐病以及青霉病的防治效果，拮抗菌与病原菌之间的相互作用，并对酵母拮抗菌与外源物质配合使用，以及通过遗传改良途径来提高酵母拮抗菌生防能力等进行了初步研究。实验结果如下： 1、酵母拮抗菌P. membranefaciens、C. albidus以及C. laurentii能在果实伤口大量繁殖。采用扫描电镜技术，观察发现在桃果实伤口处P. membranefaciens能紧密地吸附在软腐病菌Rhizopous stolonfier的菌丝体上;C. laurentii与青霉病菌Penicillium expansum在苹果果实伤口处也存在着直接的拮抗作用;但P. membranefaciens和C. albidus对P. expansum的直接作用不明显。 2、酵母拮抗菌P. membranefaciens能够有效地抑制甜樱桃果实在常温和低温贮藏条件下褐腐病的发生。在常温贮藏条件下，P. membranefaciens和褐腐病菌Monilinia fracticola 处理都能够提高果实β-1,3-葡聚糖酶、POD、以及PAL酶的活性，但在低温贮藏条件下，拮抗菌和病原菌处理对甜樱桃果实β-1,3-葡聚糖酶、POD酶活性的升高有促进作用，对PAL和PPO酶活性的诱导作用不明显。 3、梨果实采后经过水杨酸，CaCl2，UV辐射和草酸等各种激发子处理以后，再接种病原菌Alternaria alternata，可以显著降低梨果实的发病率。其中，水杨酸处理的果实发病率最低。不同的激发子均可以诱导梨果实β-1,3-葡聚糖酶、POD、PAL和PPO酶活性的升高，但对果实乙烯含量的影响不明显。 4、氨基糖甙类抗菌素G418能够抑制P. membranefaciens的生长，其最低抑制浓度为100g ml-1。将G418抗性基因Neor插入到酵母-大肠杆菌穿梭表达载体pFL61中，构建PGK启动子驱动的表达载体pFL61-neo，利用醋酸锂转化法转化P. membranefaciens。酵母转化子在非选择性培养条件下连续生长50代后，仍有67.87%的细胞保留该质粒。这表明穿梭表达载体pFL61-neo能稳定地存在于P. membranefaciens中，并且该酵母细胞能有效地识别PGK启动子和终止子指导Neor的表达。 5、酵母拮抗菌C. laurentii和Rhodotorula glutinis与2%的碳酸氢钠混合使用，对冬枣果实青霉病的防治效果明显比单独使用拮抗菌或化学物质的防病效果好。其中，107CFU ml-1的拮抗菌与238 mmol l-1的碳酸氢钠配合使用可以达到单独使用108CFU ml-1拮抗菌的防病效果。另外，钼酸铵作为一种添加剂也能提高R. glutinis对梨果实青霉病和黑霉病的防治效果，但将钼酸铵与Trichosporon sp.配合使用的防病效果不明显。碳酸氢钠和钼酸铵在果实伤口对酵母拮抗菌的生长都有一定的抑制作用。 6、酵母拮抗菌P. membranefaciens在不同碳源、氮源中生长情况表明：在几种氮源中，大豆蛋白胨、酵母提取物、牛肉浸膏对P. membranefaciens的生长有显著的促进作用，其中，大豆蛋白胨的效果最好。在检测以葡萄糖、果糖和麦芽糖作为碳源的生长实验中，发现这几种碳源都能够被拮抗菌很好的利用，其中葡萄糖的利用率最好。小球藻生长因子（CGF）能够明显地促进了P. membranefaciens的生长。但是，CGF的浓度从0.5%增加到1%并没有促进酵母菌细胞数量的增加。

拮抗菌和化学物质的抑病机理及果实抗病相关基因的克隆

真菌病害是造成采后新鲜水果损失的一个主要原因。生物拮抗菌能有效地防治果实采后腐烂，降低杀菌剂的用量，从而增加了食品安全性和降低了潜在的环境危害。然而，与化学杀菌剂相比，单独使用生物拮抗菌对果实采后病害的控制效果有时不如化学杀菌剂明显。因此，为了提高拮抗菌的生防效力，有效控制果实的采后病害，本文主要研究了拮抗菌与化学物质使用的防病机理，并从冬枣果实中克隆β-1，3-葡聚糖酶基因并对其特性进行了初步分析。研究结果表明： 1. 酵母菌Cryptococcus laurentii和枯草芽孢杆菌Bacillus subtilis能够有效的防治冬枣果实采后青霉病和黑霉病的发生，而且C. laurentii对病害的防治效果比B. subtilis好。拮抗菌的抑病效果与使用浓度成正比。在接种C. laurentii的伤口上再接种病原菌可以显著刺激酵母菌的生长。然而，在接种B. subtilis的伤口上接种病原菌则不增加拮抗细菌的群体数量。 2. 不同酵母拮抗菌对四种杀菌剂（Deccozil，Sportak，Iprodine和Stroby）的敏感程度不同。其中，R. glutinis对Deccozil，Iprodione和Stroby最敏感。将低剂量的杀菌剂与酵母菌配合能显著增强酵母菌对采后病菌的抑制作用。C. laurentii与100 µl/L的Stroby配合能完全抑制青霉和黑霉病菌的孢子萌发。2%（w/v）的碳酸氢钠（SBC）与C. laurentii或T. pullulans配合使用显著抑制采后病菌(Penicillium expansum或Alternaria alternata)的孢子萌发和芽管伸长。SBC显著增强拮抗菌对梨果实采后青霉病和黑霉病的防治能力。C. laurentii对采后病害的防治效果好于T. pullulans的防治效果。 3. C. laurentii和B. subtilis对冬枣果实抗病性的诱导与接种距离和接种时间密切相关。距接种拮抗菌近的部位，抗性诱导就越强。酵母菌诱导果实的这种抗病性与诱导果实几丁质酶，β-1，3-葡聚糖酶， PAL，POD和PPO活性有关。 4. 采前喷施2 mM的水杨酸（SA）和0.2 mM的茉莉酸甲酯（MeJA）显著降低甜樱桃果实采后褐腐病的病斑直径， 并能诱导甜樱桃果实β-1，3-葡聚糖酶， PAL， POD和PPO活性以及乙烯含量的增加。采前处理对果实抗病性的诱导效果要好于采后处理。采前和采后SA或MeJA处理，贮藏于25C的甜樱桃果实β-1，3-葡聚糖酶和PAL活性显著高于贮藏于0C的甜樱桃果实的酶活性。2 mM的SA显著抑制了Monilinia fructicola的孢子萌发和菌丝扩展;而0.2 mM的MeJA则对M. fructicola几乎没有抑制作用。在贮藏早期，MeJA对果实β-1，3-葡聚糖酶和PAL活性的诱导作用要强于SA的诱导作用。 5. 1 × 108CFU/ml的C. laurentii，以及5 × 107CFU/ml的C. laurentii与0.2 mM的MeJA 配合使用均可诱导桃果实的抗性，并显著降低果实青霉病和褐腐病的病斑直径。0.2 mM的MeJA能促进C. laurentii生长，抑制P. expansum的菌丝扩展， 但对M. fructicola基本没有抑制作用。在25和0C，MeJA和C. laurentii单独或配合使用都诱导了桃果实几丁质酶，β-1，3-葡聚糖酶，PAL和POD活性的升高。这些抗病相关酶活性的升高可能与病斑扩展的程度是直接相关的。 6. 通过设计简并引物，采用降落PCR，扩增出β-1，3-葡聚糖酶基因的同源片段，分别克隆到两个彼此间同源性很低的β-1，3-葡聚糖酶的cDNA全长（Glu-1和Glu-2）。RT-PCR结果表明，Glu-1基因的表达受酵母拮抗菌C. laurentii处理所诱导，这一结果与酵母拮抗菌诱导果实β-1，3-葡聚糖酶活性的增加相呼应;而Glu-2基因的表达则不受C. laurentii处理所诱导。

Evolution of the DRD2 gene haplotype and its association with alcoholism in Mexican Americans

The human D2 dopamine receptor gene (DRD2) plays a central role in the neuromodulation of appetitive behaviors and is implicated in having a possible role in susceptibility to alcoholism. We genotyped an SNP in DRD2 Exon 8 in 251 nonalcoholic, unrelated, healthy controls and 200 alcoholic Mexican Americans. The DRD2 haplotypes were analyzed using the Exon 8 genotype in combination with five other SNP genotypes, which were obtained from our previous study. The ancestral origins of the DRD2 polymorphisms have been determined by sequencing the homologous region in other higher primates. Twenty DRD2 haplotypes, defined as H1 to H20 based on their frequency from high to low, were obtained in this major minority population. The ancestral haplotype "I-132-G-C-G-A1" and two one-step mutation haplotypes were absent in our study population. The haplotype H1, "I-B1-T-C-A-A1", with the highest frequency in the population, is a three-step mutation from the ancestral form. The first five or eight major haplotypes make up 87% or 95% of the entire population, respectively. The prevalence of the haplotype H1+ (H1/H1 and H1/Hn genotypes) is significantly higher in alcoholics and alcoholic subgroups, including early onset drinkers and benders, than in their respective control groups. The Promoter -141C allele is in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with five other loci in the nonalcoholic group, but not in the alcoholic group. All of the other five loci are in LD in both the alcoholic and control groups. The DRD2 TaqI B allele is in complete LD with the allele located in intron 6. Five SNPs, Promoter -141C, TaqI B (or Intron 6), Exon 7, Exon 8, and TaqI A, are sufficient to define the DRD2 haplotypes in Mexican Americans. Our data indicate that the DRD2 haplotypes are associated with alcoholism in Mexican Americans. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Homologous feeder cells support undifferentiated growth and pluripotency in monkey embryonic stem cells

In the present study, five homologous feeder cell lines were developed for the culture and maintenance of rhesus monkey embryonic stem cells (rESCs). Monkey ear skin fibroblasts (MESFs), monkey oviductal fibroblasts (MOFs), monkey follicular granulosa fibroblast-like (MFG) cells, monkey follicular granulosa epithelium-like (MFGE) cells, and clonally derived fibroblasts from MESF (CMESFs) were established and compared with the ability of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to support rESC growth. MESF, MOF, MFG, and CMESF cells, but not MFGE cells, were as good as or better than MEFs in supporting undifferentiated growth while maintaining the differentiation potential of the rESCs. In an effort to understand the unique properties of supportive feeder cells, expression levels for a number of candidate genes were examined. MOF, MESF, and MEF cells highly expressed leukemia inhibitory factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, stem cell factor, transforming growth factor PI, bone morphogenetic protein 4, and WNT3A, whereas WNT2, WNT4, and WNT5A were downregulated, compared with MFGE cells. Additionally, all monkey feeder cell lines expressed Dkk1 and LRP6, antagonists of the WNT signaling pathway, but not WNT1, WNT8B, or Dkk2. rESCs grown on homologous feeders maintained normal karyotypes, displayed the characteristics of ESCs, including morphology, alkaline phosphatase, Oct4, the cell surface markers stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-3, SSEA-4, tumor-related antigen (TRA)-1-60, and TRA-1-81, and formed cystic embryoid bodies in vitro that included differentiated cells representing the three major germ layers. These results indicate that the four homologous feeder cell lines can be used to support the undifferentiated growth and maintenance of pluripotency in rESCs.