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Jianhua Qin

Publications and source records attributed to Jianhua Qin.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Double-cross hydrostatic pressure sample injection for chip CE: variable sample plug volume and minimum number of electrodes.

A novel sample injection method for chip CE was presented. This injection method uses hydrostatic pressure, generated by emptying the sample waste reservoir, for sample loading and electrokinetic force for dispensing. The injection was performed on a double-cross microchip. One cross, created by the sample and separation channels, is used for formation of a sample plug. Another cross, formed by the sample and controlling channels, is used for plug control. By varying the electric field in the controlling channel, the sample plug volume can be linearly adjusted. Hydrostatic pressure takes advantage of its ease of generation on a microfluidic chip, without any electrode or external pressure pump, thus allowing a sample injection with a minimum number of electrodes. The potential of this injection method was demonstrated by a four-separation-channel chip CE system. In this system, parallel sample separation can be achieved with only two electrodes, which is otherwise impossible with conventional injection methods. Hydrostatic pressure maintains the sample composition during the sample loading, allowing the injection to be free of injection bias.

Electrodes↗

Isotachophoresis preconcentration integrated microfluidic chip for highly sensitive genotyping of the hepatitis B virus.

The genotyping of hepatitis B virus (HBV) has become recently a valuable tool not only for epidemiological reasons but also for the clinical practice. Conventional methods for HBV genotyping typically include amplification of the target DNA sequences with a two-round nested PCR followed by separation of the amplified fragments by gel electrophoresis. A microfluidic chip that couples isotachophoresis (ITP) preconcentration and zone electrophoresis (ZE) separation may provide great advantages for sensitive, rapid and cost-effective clinical analysis. In this study, an HBV genotyping method with only one amplification round was developed by the application of the ITP-ZE chip. All the analysis steps of the ITP-ZE separation including sample injection, stacking and separation were performed continuously, controlled by sequential high-voltage switching. A 2.1cm sample plug was preconcentrated between discontinuous buffers in ITP process, followed by ZE separation. Sensitivity enhancement was obtained through the increase of sample loading volume. The average LOD value of the ITP-ZE microfluidic chip was determined to be 0.0021pg/muL. In a large-scale HBV genotyping test, single round PCR products were analyzed by ITP-ZE microfluidic chip, and the results were compared with that of the conventional method. Among the 200 cases studied, the classification rate obtained with microfluidic chip was 93%, which was 6% higher than that obtained with the conventional method. Method with ITP-ZE chip analysis provides HBV genotyping information in reduced PCR amplification time with higher detection rate when compared with conventional method. This method holds great potential for extrapolation to the abundance of similar molecular biology-based techniques in clinical diagnosis.

Base Sequence↗

Grafting epoxy-modified hydrophilic polymers onto poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic chip to resist nonspecific protein adsorption.

In order to achieve a simple covalent hydrophilic polymer coating on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic chip, epoxy modified hydrophilic polymers were synthesized in aqueous solution with a persulfate radical initiation system, and crosslinked onto PDMS pretreated by oxygen plasma and silanized with 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilanes (APTES). Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was copolymerized with acrylamide (poly(AAM-co-GMA)) or dimethylacrylamide (poly(DAM-co-GMA)), and graft polymerized with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-g-GMA) or polyvinylalcohol (PVA-g-GMA). The epoxy groups in the polymers were determined by UV spectra after derivation with benzylamine. Reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) confirmed covalent grafting of GMA-modified polymers onto PDMS surface. Electroosmotic flow (EOF) in the polymer grafted microchannel was strongly suppressed within the range pH 3-11. Surface adsorption of lysozyme and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was reduced to less than 10% relative to that on the native PDMS surface. On the GMA-modified polymer coated PDMS microchip, basic proteins, peptides, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) denatured proteins were separated successfully.

Acrylamides↗

Recent advances of microfluidics in Mainland China.

The history and current status of research on microfluidics in China is summarized in this review. The recent representative contributions in this field by Chinese scientists are cited. A perspective on some trends in future development of this field in China is presented.

Animals↗

Parallel analysis of biomolecules on a microfabricated capillary array chip.

This paper focused on a self-developed microfluidic array system with microfabricated capillary array electrophoresis (mu-CAE) chip for parallel chip electrophoresis of biomolecules. The microfluidic array layout consists of two common reservoirs coupled to four separation channels connected to sample injection channel on the soda-lime glass substrate. The excitation scheme for distributing a 20 mW laser beam to separation channels in an array is achieved. Under the control of program, the sample injection and separation in multichannel can be achieved through six high-voltage modules' output. A CCD camera was used to monitor electrophoretic separations simultaneously in four channels with LIF detection, and the electropherograms can be plotted directly without reconstruction by additional software. Parallel multichannel electrophoresis of series biomolecules including amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids was performed on this system and the results showed fine reproducibility.

Amino Acids↗

Interactions of dextran sulfates with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and their effects on leukemia cells.

The interactions between granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and dextran sulfate (DS) with different chain lengths and sulfate contents were studied by capillary zone electrophoresis. It was found that DS with a molecular mass of 500 kDa (DS500) could bind to G-CSF and the binding constant and binding sites were determined using Scatchard plot to be 1.17 x 10(6) M(-1) and 3, respectively. DS with a molecular mass of 40 kDa also had the affinity to G-CSF and the binding constant and binding sites were 1.01 x 10(6) M(-1) and 8, respectively. However, DS with a molecular mass of 8 kDa and the non-sulfated saccharide, dextran, had no affinity to G-CSF. The results indicate that the interactions between G-CSF and DS are dependent on the chain lengths and sulfate contents of the saccharides. In addition, the effects of G-CSF-binding DS on a G-CSF-dependent leukemia cell line were investigated using biological methods. Results show that DS500 plus G-CSF has potential therapeutic effect on cancers because their combination could inhibit the growth and induce the differentiation of the leukemia cells.

Animals↗

Integration of nanoporous membranes for sample filtration/preconcentration in microchip electrophoresis.

Microfluidic devices integrating membrane-based sample preparation with electrophoretic separation are demonstrated. These multilayer devices consist of 10 nm pore diameter membranes sandwiched between two layers of PDMS substrates with embedded microchannels. Because of the membrane isolation, material exchange between two fluidic layers can be precisely controlled by applied voltages. More importantly, since only small molecules can pass through the nanopores, the integrated membrane can serve as a filter or a concentrator prior to microchip electrophoresis under different design and operation modes. As a filter, they can be used for separation and selective injection of small analytes from sample matrix. This has been effectively applied in rapid determination of reduced glutathione in human plasma and red blood cells without any off-chip deproteinization procedure. Alternatively, in the concentrator mode, they can be used for online purification and preconcentration of macromolecules, which was illustrated by removing primers and preconcentrating the product DNA from a PCR product mixture.

DNA↗

Integrated isotachophoretic preconcentration with zone electrophoresis separation on a quartz microchip for UV detection of flavonoids.

A quartz microchip integrated isotachophoretic (ITP) preconcentration with zone electrophoresis (ZE) separation was fabricated using a novel multi-point pressure method featured in normal temperature and lower pressure during bonding process. ITP followed by subsequential ZE of two flavonoids, quercetin and isorhamnetin on the microchip was performed consecutively on the homemade microfluidic workstation with UV detection, resulting in a decreased detectable concentration of 32-fold, compared to the ZE mode only, and their detection limits decreased down to 0.2 microg/mL and 1.2 microg/mL, respectively.

Electrophoresis, Microchip↗

Genotyping the -6A/G functional polymorphism in the core promoter region of angiotensinogen gene by microchip electrophoresis.

Angiotensinogen (AGT) gene has been regarded as one of the candidate genes for essential hypertension. In our study, the role of AGT gene as a putatively predisposing gene for hypertension was evaluated by genotyping a A (-6) G polymorphism in the core promoter region in 123 patients with essential hypertension and 103 healthy controls. A microchip electrophoresis method coupled with polymorphism chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay was used for genotyping the A (-6) G single-nucleotide polymorphism. The separation and detection of the digested PCR amplicons were completed just in 280 s or less. The genotype frequency fulfilled the criteria of the Hardy-Weinbery equilibrium (X2 = 3.067, P > 0.05). The results showed a higher frequency of the -6 A allele (0.70) in the normotensive subjects, which is higher than those reported in Germany (0.47) and Czech (0.40) populations, but similar to that found in Japanese populations (0.73). The frequencies of genotype AA, AG, and GG were 0.46, 0.49, and 0.05 in hypertensive subjects, and 0.44, 0.53, and 0.03 in control subjects. There is no significant difference in the distributions of the genotype and allele between the two groups (X2 = 0.88, P > 0.05; X2 = 0.024, P > 0.05). These findings differ from some of the results obtained in other ethnic groups, indicating the potential importance of ethnic origin in the assessment of genetic risk identifiers for a complex disease.

Aged↗

Simultaneous and ultrarapid determination of reactive oxygen species and reduced glutathione in apoptotic leukemia cells by microchip electrophoresis.

A microchip electrophoresis method coupled with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection was established for simultaneous determination of two kinds of intracellular signaling molecules (reactive oxygen species, ROS, and reduced glutathione, GSH) related to apoptosis and oxidative stress. As the probe dihydrorhodamine-123 (DHR-123) can be converted intracellularly by ROS to the fluorescent rhodamine-123 (Rh-123), and the probe naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde (NDA) can react quickly with GSH to produce a fluorescent adduct, rapid determination of Rh-123 and GSH was achieved on a glass microchip within 27 s using a 20 mM borate buffer (pH 9.2). The established method was tested to measure the intracellular ROS and GSH levels in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)-derived NB4 cells. An elevation of intracellular ROS and depletion of GSH were observed in apoptotic NB4 cells induced by arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) at low concentration (1-2 microM). Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), in combination with As(2)O(3) enhanced the decrease of reduced GSH to a great extent. The combined treatment of As(2)O(3) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) led to an inverse relationship between the concentrations of ROS and GSH obtained, showing the proposed method can readily evaluate the generation of ROS, which occurs simultaneously with the consumption of the inherent antioxidant.

Apoptosis↗

Microfluidic devices for the analysis of apoptosis.

Apoptosis is the outcome of a metabolic cascade that results in cell death in a controlled manner. Due to its important role in maintaining balance in organisms, in mechanisms of diseases, and tissue homeostasis, apoptosis is of great interest in the emerging fields of systems biology. Research into cell death regulation and efforts to model apoptosis processes have become powerful drivers for new technologies to acquire ever more comprehensive information from cells and cell populations. The microfluidic technology promises to integrate and miniaturize many bioanalytical processes, which offers an alternative platform for the analysis of apoptosis. This review aims to highlight the recent developments of microfluidic devices in measuring the hallmarks as well as the dynamic process of cellular apoptosis. The potential capability and an outlook of microfluidic devices for the study of apoptosis are addressed.

Animals↗

[Laboratory on a microfluidic chip].

The recent achievements of microfluidic chip and its applications, based on the works mainly carried out in the authors' lab are reviewed. The chip fabrication capabilities have been extended into design and fabricate chips with higher degree of complexity in different materials, such as quartz, glass, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS). A set of methods for surface modification of micro-channels on such materials have been developed, which results in better reproducibility and higher efficiency in protein and peptide analysis. The use of novel materials for chip fabrication is also under investigation. A series of microfluidic workstations with integrated chip manipulation as well as laser induced fluorescence (LIF), ultraviolet (UV), electrochemical and chemiluminescence detection modules have been developed to attain the abilities of complex microfluidic control and data acquisition schemes. A single cell/single molecule imagining system was built up for dynamic analysis of molecular or cellular events too. Based on the work mentioned above, different functional units, such as membrane, monolithic, isotachophoresis (ITP) etc were set up and integrated. Glycoform separation of turkey ovalbumin in a lectin monolithic column and an electrophoresis channel was performed on an integrated microchip. And a novel technique has been developed that allows for the coupling of ITP and non-gel sieving electrophoresis for protein analysis in a single microchip and resulting in - 50 fold increase of the sensitivity in comparison with the use of gel electrophoresis only. A single molecule detection (SMD) based technique was developed for simultaneously measuring both bulk flow and near-wall flow velocity in the microchannels. And more recently, an SMD based technology was developed for observing molecular interactions at single molecule level. An ultra-rapid microchip electrophoresis method was established for simultaneous determination intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) related to apoptosis and oxidative stress. In an effort to develop a novel microfluidic based drug screening platform, systematic studies on the interaction between granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and sulfated oligosaccharides were carried out at both molecular and cellular levels. Doxorubicin induced apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) was studied using the integrated microfluidic device with concentration generator. In the application phase, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) diagnosis based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and microfluidic chip electrophoresis (MCE) with 18 cases, methylation analysis of the P16 gene in 159 samples of patients and references for cancer diagnosis and polymorphism analysis of angiotenigen gene in 226 patients and references with essential hypertension are described. Forty-three up to date references are

Animals↗

Rapid authentication of ginseng species using microchip electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

Ginseng is one of the most expensive Chinese herbal medicines and the effectiveness of ginseng depends strongly on its botanical sources and the use of different parts of the plants. In this study, a microchip electrophoresis method coupled with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-short tandem repeats (STR) technique was developed for rapid authentication of ginseng species. A low viscosity hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) solution was used as the sieving matrix for separation of the amplified STR fragments. The allele sizing of the amplified PCR products could be detected within 240 s or less. Good reproducibility and accuracy of the fragment size were obtained with the relative standard deviation for the allele sizes less than 1.0% (n=11). At two microsatellite loci (CT 12, CA 33), American ginseng had a different allele pattern on the electropherograms compared with that of the Oriental ginseng. Moreover, cultivated and wild American ginseng can be distinguished on the basis of allele sizing. This work establishes the feasibility of fast genetic authentication of ginseng species by use of microchip electrophoresis.

Alleles↗

Native fluorescence detection of flavin derivatives by microchip capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence intensified charge-coupled device detection.

To widen the scope of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) for detection in microchip capillary electrophoresis (CE), a microchip CE LIF-ICCD (intensified charge-coupled device) system based on a tunable wavelength dye laser pumped by a pico-second pulse nitrogen laser for excitation and a spectrograph with ICCD for detection had developed to demonstrate the enhancement in detection sensitivity by the following three approaches: direct detection of native fluorescence, improvement of signal-to-noise ratio by pulse laser excitation and time delay detection, and selective spectral acquisition by multi-channel detection. Riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin-adenine dinucleotide (FAD) have been selected as they are dietetically important and microchip CE provides a promising onsite detection method. The results indicate a strong effect of wavelength on detection sensitivity and the need to tune wavelength for direct detection. Under optimized conditions (excitation 450 nm, emission 520 nm, gate delay time 45 ns, 20 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.1), the following results were obtained under static condition: Working ranges (0.6-350 microg/l, r > 0.99), detection limits (0.15-1.0 microg/l) and peak height repeatability (1.8-2.2% R.S.D.), all within the applicability range for body fluids or beverages such as human urine and cow milk. Baseline separation of three flavins was obtained under dynamic condition and the fluorescence spectra acquired assist the identification of alkaline-degraded products of riboflavin. Thus, the capability to check peak purity and identify unknown peaks has been demonstrated.

Electrophoresis, Capillary↗

DNA diagnosis by capillary electrophoresis and microfabricated electrophoretic devices.

DNA diagnosis is experiencing an impressive progression towards the development of novel technology to identify various clinically relevant categories of genetic changes and to meet the exponential growth of genomics. The introduction of capillary electrophoresis has dramatically accelerated the completion of the first draft of the human DNA sequence in the Human Genome Project, and thus, has become the method of choice for analysis of various genetic variants. The recent development of microfabricated electrophoretic devices has led to the possibility of integrating multiple sample handling with the actual measurement steps required for automation of molecular diagnostics. This review highlights the most recent progress in capillary electrophoresis and electrophoretic microdevices for DNA-based diagnostics, including the important areas of genotyping for point mutation, single nucleotide polymorphisms, short tandem repeats and organism identification. The application of these techniques for infectious and genetic disease diagnosis, as well as forensic identification purpose, are covered. The promising development and the challenges for techinical problems are also discussed.

DNA↗