019ChemInform Abstract It is demonstrated (cyclic voltammetry, controlled-potential electrolysis (CPE)) that Co(III)-cyclam (cyclam: 1,4,8,11-tetraaza-cyclotetradecane) acts as an excellent catalyst for the reduction of NO3-and NO2-to produce NH2OH and NH3, depending on the cathode material. CPE of a KNO3 solution at a Hg electrode selectively produces NH2OH with high current yield ( 90%). At Ag, Cu, and Pb electrodes, NH2OH is further reduced to NH3. Ni(II)-cyclam also acts as catalyst, but the effective potential region is ca. 0.2 V more negative than that of Co(III)-cyclam. Some mechanistic aspects of the electrocatalytic reduction are discussed.
The microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained thin and/or thick blood films (Giemsa microscopy) is the standard method of malaria diagnosis. However, the results of the diagnosis significantly depend on the skills of clinical technicians. Furthermore, sample preparation and analysis are laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, in this study, we investigated if a commercially available fluorescent cell counter, LUNA-FL, was useful for the detection of Plasmodium parasite and the estimation of parasitemia. Whole blood samples from uninfected persons, spiked with P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes, were analysed. Most of the leucocytes and platelets were removed from whole blood samples with SiO2-nanofiber filters set on spin columns. The filtered samples were stained with acridine orange, and automatic detection, as well as counting of erythrocytes and parasites, were performed using LUNA-FL. Whole blood, with various levels of parasites, was analysed by Giemsa microscopy or with LUNA-FL to estimate parasitemia, and a comparative analysis was performed. The coefficient determination value of the regression line was high (R2 = 0.98), indicating that accurate quantitative parasite detection could be performed using LUNA-FL. LUNA-FL has a low running cost; it is compact, fast, and easy to operate, and may therefore be useful for point-of-care testing in the endemic areas.
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