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Biomedical subjects

Alan L Rockwood

Publications and source records attributed to Alan L Rockwood.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Asymmetric dimethylarginine, cortisol/cortisone ratio, and C-peptide: markers for diabetes and cardiovascular risk?

BACKGROUND: Diabetes and prediabetic conditions are growing cardiovascular risk factors. Better understanding and earlier recognition and treatment of dysglycemia-related risk are health priorities. We assessed the predictive value of 3 proposed new markers for diabetes and cardiovascular risk. We tested whether the plasma levels of (1) asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), (2) cortisol/cortisone (Cl/Cn) ratio, and (3) C-peptide predicted glycemic status, coronary artery disease, and death or myocardial infarction (MI) in a nested case-control cohort (N = 850) with normal fasting glucose (< 110 mg/dL), impaired fasting glucose (110-125), or diabetic (> or = 126) status. METHODS: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) served as a control risk marker. Follow-up averaged 2.6 +/- 1.4 years. High-pressure liquid chromatography with pre-column derivitization and fluorescence was used to assay ADMA, liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for Cl and Cn, and chemiluminescent immunoassay for C-peptide. RESULTS: Asymmetric dimethylarginine levels were positively associated with glycemic category (P < .001). Quartiles 2 to 4 ADMA also conferred increased risk of death/MI independent of hsCRP and other risk factors (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.1; P = .002). Cortisol/Cortisone ratios (P = .013) and C-peptide (P = .047) were associated with glycemic categories but less strongly than ADMA. Quartiles 2 to 4 Cl/Cn were protective against incident death/MI (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.48; P < .001), whereas C-peptide did not predict outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Among a high coronary risk case-control cohort, ADMA (strongly), Cl/Cn (moderately), and C-peptide (weakly) predicted glycemic categories. Asymmetric dimethylarginine and Cl/Cn also predicted clinical outcome independent of and more strongly than hsCRP. Asymmetric dimethylarginine and Cl/Cn represent promising new candidate markers of dysglycemia and associated cardiovascular risk.

Arginine↗
PubMed2006

Development and performance evaluation of a tandem mass spectrometry assay for 4 adrenal steroids.

BACKGROUND: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is a group of autosomal recessive disorders caused by a deficiency of 1 of 4 enzymes required for the synthesis of glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and sex hormones. Analysis of 11-deoxycortisol (11DC), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP), 17-hydroxypregnenolone (17OHPr), and pregnenolone (Pr) in blood allows detection of these enzyme defects. METHODS: The steroids were extracted from 200 microL of serum or plasma by solid-phase extraction, derivatized to form oximes, and extracted again with methyl t-butyl ether. Instrumental analysis was performed on an API 4000 tandem mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization in positive mode and multiple reaction-monitoring acquisition. RESULTS: The limits of detection were 0.025 microg/L for 11DC, 17OHP, and Pr and 0.10 microg/L for 17OHPr. The method was linear to 100 microg/L for 11DC, 17OHP, and Pr, respectively, and to 40 microg/L for 17OHPr. Within- and between-run (total) imprecision (CVs) were <7.1% and 11%, respectively. Reference intervals for children in Tanner stages 1 through 5 and adult males and females for 17OHP, 11DC, Pr, and 17OHPr were established. Prepared samples were stable for >72 h. CONCLUSIONS: The detection limit and selectivity of this method and its small sample volume requirement allow analysis of endogenous concentrations of adrenal steroids in serum or plasma from children and adults. The method thus has an important potential role in the evaluation of the status of 4 of the enzymes involved in adrenal steroid biosynthesis.

17-alpha-Hydroxypregnenolone↗
PubMed2006

Proteomic identification of oncogenic chromosomal translocation partners encoding chimeric anaplastic lymphoma kinase fusion proteins.

The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) on 2p23 is a tyrosine kinase that forms chimeric fusions with numerous translocation partners. We describe a mass spectrometry-based approach for the identification of ALK fusion partners. This approach accurately identified the nucleophosmin (NPM)-ALK fusion protein in an anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL)-derived cell line carrying the t(2;5)(p23;q35), and the TPM3-ALK in a clinical biopsy of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) carrying the t(1;2)(q21;p23). This study shows the ability of mass spectrometry to identify oncogenic chimeric proteins resulting from chromosomal rearrangements. This strategy can be adapted for the identification of known and unknown translocation partners of chimeric ALK fusion proteins involved in oncogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Efficient calculation of accurate masses of isotopic peaks.

This paper presents a new method for calculating accurate masses of isotopic peaks. It is based on breaking the calculation into a binary series of calculations. The molecule is built up by a series of such calculations. At each step the accurate masses are calculated as a probability weighted sum of the masses of the contributing peaks. The method is computationally efficient and accurate for both mass and relative abundance.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2005

Measurement of total vitamin B12 and holotranscobalamin, singly and in combination, in screening for metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency.

BACKGROUND: The standard screening test for vitamin B12 deficiency, measurement of total plasma vitamin B12, has limitations of sensitivity and specificity. Plasma vitamin B12 bound to transcobalamin (holoTC) is the fraction of total vitamin B12 available for tissue uptake and therefore has been proposed as a potentially useful alternative indicator of vitamin B12 status. METHODS: We compared the diagnostic accuracy of total vitamin B12, holoTC, and a combination of both measures to screen for metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency in an elderly cohort (age > or = 60 years). Plasma methylmalonic acid and homocysteine were used as indicators of vitamin B12 deficiency. RESULTS: Low total vitamin B12 (< 148 pmol/L) and low holoTC (< 35 pmol/L) were observed in 6.5% and 8.0%, and increased methylmalonic acid (> 350 nmol/L) and homocysteine (> 13 micromol/L) were observed in 12.1% and 17.0% of the study participants. In multiple regression models, holoTC explained 5%-6% more of the observed variance in methylmalonic acid and homocysteine than did total vitamin B12 (P < or = 0.004). ROC curve analysis indicated that total vitamin B12 and holoTC were essentially equivalent in their ability to discriminate persons with and without vitamin B12 deficiency. Individuals with low concentrations of both total vitamin B12 and holoTC had significantly higher concentrations of methylmalonic acid and homocysteine than did individuals with total vitamin B12 and/or holoTC within the reference intervals (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HoloTC and total vitamin B12 have equal diagnostic accuracy in screening for metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency. Measurement of both holoTC and total vitamin B12 provides a better screen for vitamin B12 deficiency than either assay alone.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Performance characteristics of a novel tandem mass spectrometry assay for serum testosterone.

BACKGROUND: Commercial immunoassays for testosterone (Te) may give inaccurate results for samples from women and children, leading to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. We developed a sensitive and specific tandem mass spectrometric assay for measurement of Te at the concentrations encountered in women and children. METHODS: Te was extracted with methyl tert-butyl ether from 100 microL of serum or plasma, derivatized to form an oxime, and reextracted by solid-phase extraction. Instrumental analysis was performed on an API 4000 HPLC tandem mass spectrometer in the multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The MRM transitions (m/z) were 304-->124 and 304-->112 for Te and 307-->124 and 307-->112 for d3-Te. RESULTS: Within- and between-run CVs were <12% and 7.9%, respectively. The limit of quantification was 0.0346 nmol/L (1 ng/dL). Reference intervals for sex hormone-binding globulin and total, free, and bioavailable Te were established for children of Tanner stages 1 through 5 and adult males and females. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity and specificity of the method are adequate for analysis of Te in samples from women and children. The method requires small sample volumes, has adequate precision, and is not subject to interferences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Superimposition of a magnetic field around an ion guide for electron ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

A new electron ionization source was developed for orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) based on the superimposition of a magnetic field around a radio frequency-only (rf-only) ion guide. The cylindrically symmetric magnetic field compresses the electron beam from the electron source into a long narrow volume along the ion guide axis. The magnetic field also helps to maintain a narrow energy distribution of electrons that penetrate the full length of the ion guide despite the influence of the radial rf field. Ionization occurs inside the ion guide with improved efficiency resulting from efficient use of electrons, prolonged interaction time, and nontraditionally large ionization volume. At the same time, the rf field effectively focuses ions radially and confines them to the axis of the ion guide by collisional focusing, leading to high ion transmission efficiency. Furthermore, the source can also be operated in a trap-and-pulse mode to improve the ion sampling duty cycle of orthogonal acceleration TOFMS. To validate the design concept of this new ion source, a simple prototype using a single set of cylindrical rods was constructed and retrofitted to an orthogonal acceleration TOFMS. A significant increase in ion signal intensity was observed by operating the source in a pulsed ion extraction mode. Low detection limits (for example, 12 fg for toluene) were determined at 12.5 spectra s(-1) in the full spectrum mode.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Electron ionization in superimposed magnetic and radio frequency quadrupolar electric fields.

An improved design of a novel electron ionization source for orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry is described, based on the superimposition of an axial magnetic field with cylindrical symmetry around a radio frequency-only quadrupole. A tubular permanent magnet was designed to generate the required strong magnetic field and field profile. An axial electric field along the ion guide for efficient ion extraction was introduced using segmented quadrupole rods. Details of the source design and the effects of various operating parameters are described. The source produces high-quality mass spectra with regard to fragmentation, relative abundances, and isotopic ratios. Preliminary results have shown excellent sensitivity, with limits of detection in the subfemtogram range (octafluoronaphthalene, full spectrum acquisition) in gas chromatography/mass spectrometry operation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Comment on "First principles electrochemistry: electrons and protons reacting as independent ions" [J. Chem. Phys. 117, 10193 (2002)].

The entropy of the electron gas used by Llano and Eriksson (LE) in the definition they used for an absolute half-cell potential (AHCP) is indeterminate. This AHCP is therefore not based on a thermodynamically well-defined process and cannot easily be extended to other thermodynamic functions such as entropy. An alternative approach to the AHCP avoids these difficulties. The present comment also corrects statements and concepts presented by LE about the temperature coefficient of the Fermi level and surface charge of the electrolyte solution.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Assessing analytical specificity in quantitative analysis using tandem mass spectrometry.

OBJECTIVES: The necessity of confirmation of compound identity in quantitative analysis is well recognized for methods utilizing single mass spectrometry detection but is not commonly addressed for applications utilizing multiple-stage mass spectrometry (MSn). For MSn detection, no commonly accepted rules for assessment of analytical specificity in quantitative analyses have been established to date. METHODS: To assure compound identity, we evaluated approaches based on monitoring multiple mass transitions of a target compound followed by comparison of the branching ratios of the mass transitions. RESULTS: Monitoring multiple mass transitions along with evaluation of the ratio of their relative intensities allows the analyst to distinguish the target analyte from interferences in quantitative analysis. The strategy and the acceptance criteria are compound and method specific and should be established during the method development and validation. CONCLUSIONS: The certainty of analyte identity is very important in quantitative analysis using MSn detection; methods to verify analyte identity should be used in all critical applications.

Cortisone↗
PubMed2005

Sequence alignment by cross-correlation.

Many recent advances in biology and medicine have resulted from DNA sequence alignment algorithms and technology. Traditional approaches for the matching of DNA sequences are based either on global alignment schemes or heuristic schemes that seek to approximate global alignment algorithms while providing higher computational efficiency. This report describes an approach using the mathematical operation of cross-correlation to compare sequences. It can be implemented using the fast fourier transform for computational efficiency. The algorithm is summarized and sample applications are given. These include gene sequence alignment in long stretches of genomic DNA, finding sequence similarity in distantly related organisms, demonstrating sequence similarity in the presence of massive (approximately 90%) random point mutations, comparing sequences related by internal rearrangements (tandem repeats) within a gene, and investigating fusion proteins. Application to RNA and protein sequence alignment is also discussed. The method is efficient, sensitive, and robust, being able to find sequence similarities where other alignment algorithms may perform poorly.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

Simultaneous quantitative analysis of isobars by tandem mass spectrometry from unresolved chromatographic peaks.

A method was developed for the simultaneous quantitation of isobars from unresolved chromatographic peaks. The method is based on differences in branching ratios of ion abundances in their tandem mass spectra and an assumption that the product ion mass spectra of a mixture can be considered as a linear combination of the spectra of individual constituents. We present analytical equations and a matrix-based approach for deconvoluting the concentration of individual components from the total peak intensity for two and three isobars and also a matrix-based generalization to any number of compounds. The feasibility of the simultaneous analysis of mixtures containing two compounds was assessed. The approach was evaluated for the analysis of structural isomers of methylmalonic and succinic acids in human plasma and urine samples for a group of 270 samples. The linear regression equation, standard error and correlation coefficient for the agreement with a traditional method utilizing chromatographic separation of the isomers were y = 0.999x - 0.005, 0.024 micro mol l(-1), and 0.985, respectively. The utility of a spectral contrast angle as a predictor of analysis feasibility was evaluated.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

Cortisol and cortisone analysis in serum and plasma by atmospheric pressure photoionization tandem mass spectrometry.

OBJECTIVES: Cortisol metabolism is controlled by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD) isoenzymes, which interconvert cortisol and cortisone. Accurate measurement of the cortisol and cortisone concentrations and their ratio provide useful information about 11beta-HSD activity. METHODS: Cortisol and cortisone were extracted with methyl-tert-butyl ether from 100 microl of serum or plasma. The extract was evaporated, reconstituted with mobile phase, and analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry using a photoionization interface. The transitions monitored were: m/z 363 to 121 and 363 to 97 for cortisol, 361 to 163 and 361 to 105 for cortisone. RESULTS: Within-run and between-run coefficients of variation were less than 6% and 12%; 14% and 22%; 11% and 21% for cortisol, cortisone, and their ratio, respectively. The limit of detection was 1 microg/l for cortisol and 5 microg/l for cortisone. Normal ranges for cortisol and cortisone concentration and for their ratio in plasma (n = 120) determined as the central 95% were 33-246 microg/l for cortisol, 8-27 microg/l for cortisone, and 0.081-0.301 for the cortisone/cortisol ratio. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a simple sensitive method for cortisol and cortisone analysis in plasma and serum that uses a small sample volume. The method is very specific, fast, does not have any known interference, and is useful for diagnosis of variety of disease and pathologic conditions.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed2004

Isotopic compositions and accurate masses of single isotopic peaks.

This paper presents and proves an algorithm to calculate the isotopic composition of individual (nominal) isotopic peaks. From this information one can calculate the accurate masses of isotopic peaks. This opens the way to use accurate mass measurements to determine chemical compositions of compounds using non-mono-isotopic peaks. The algorithm is computationally efficient and rigorously correct in the absence of roundoff error. Highly effective error correction strategies are described to detect and correct computational errors arising in practical calculations. Results from theoretical calculations of isotopic masses for a krypton inclusion complex agreed well with experimental measurements.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2003

Incorporation of a venturi device in electrospray ionization.

Electrospray ionization has grown to be one of the most commonly used ionization techniques for mass spectrometry, and efforts continue to improve its performance. Typically, the sprayer tip must be very close to the entrance orifice of the mass spectrometer in order to maximize the conduction of ions from the sprayer into the mass spectrometer. However, because of space-charge repulsion, most ions never reach the sampling orifice. In this work, an industrial air amplifier, for which the working mechanism is based on venturi and coanda effects, was added between an electrospray ionization source and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. When a series of reserpine solutions (0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 microM) were monitored using mass spectrometry, an over 5-fold increase in m/z 609.3 ion intensity was measured for a separation distance of 14 mm between the electrospray tip and interface capillary inlet, as compared to when the electrospray tip was in its normal position 1 mm in front of the inlet without the amplifier. When a voltage was applied to the air amplifier to further assist in focusing the electrosprayed ions, an approximately 18-fold increase in m/z 609.3 ion intensity was obtained. In addition, a 34-fold reduction in method detection limit was observed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Dissociation of individual isotopic peaks: predicting isotopic distributions of product ions in MSn.

Traditional practice in tandem mass spectrometry is to select the mono-isotopic ion for dissociation. However, high molecular weight compounds often have weak mono-isotopic peaks, which limit that approach. Furthermore, the traditional approach does not take advantage of the very rich store of information available in the isotopic patterns from the dissociation of individual non-mono-isotopic peaks. Interpretation of these isotopic patterns requires a theory capable of predicting the patterns. However, a general theory for the prediction of these patterns has been lacking. This paper shows that the patterns can be obtained from a certain vector product, the outer product, of the full isotopic distribution of the product ion with the full isotopic distribution of the complementary product. Unlike previous approaches, the method is applicable to systems of arbitrary isotopic complexity. The patterns are potentially useful for elucidation of dissociation pathways, elemental composition, and chemical structure. The paper presents several applications of the theory.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Pseudo-Cushing syndrome caused by fenofibrate interference with urinary cortisol assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Urinary free cortisol (UFC) excretion over 24 h reflects the production rate of cortisol and is used commonly in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome. We report on two patients evaluated for Cushing syndrome who had elevated UFC when analyzed by HPLC but normal values for the analysis performed by RIA and HPLC-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Other laboratory testing was inconsistent with the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome and raised doubts about the diagnosis. We identified a probable cause of analytical interference as coming from fenofibrate (Tricor), medication taken by the patients. Fenofibrate peak overlapped with the HPLC peak of cortisol and produced an MS/MS transition overlapping the major transition of cortisol. A second MS/MS transition was free from interference. In summary, fenofibrate administration may cause false elevation of UFC values determined by HPLC or HPLC-MS/MS in patients evaluated for Cushing syndrome. An HPLC-MS/MS method using multiple mass transitions, rather than a single transition, allows accurate quantitation of urinary cortisol in patients taking fenofibrate.

Adult↗