Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Sample pretreatment”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources

Diagnostic significance of soluble c-kit in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with germ cell tumors.

OBJECT: Overexpression of the protooncogene c-kit has been suggested in a gonadal germ cell tumor (GCT). Recently, the soluble isoform of c-kit (s-kit) has been expressed in a variety of cell types. The goal of this study was to investigate the expression of c-kit and the clinical significance of s-kit in patients with GCTs. METHODS: The authors first conducted an immunohistochemical investigation of the expression of the c-kit protein in 27 surgical specimens. In all 18 specimens that contained germinomas, c-kit was diffusely expressed on the cell surface of the germinoma cells, but was not found on lymphocytes or interstitial cells. In seven of eight immature teratomas, only some mature components, such as cartilage and glands, were immunoreactive for c-kit. Syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells (STGCs) demonstrated negative findings as well, suggesting that primarily germinoma cells express c-kit. Next, 47 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected from 32 patients with GCTs (15 samples from patients with pure germinomas, 16 from patients with STGC germinomas, 14 from patients with teratomas, and two from a patient with a choriocarcinoma) were analyzed using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of s-kit was significantly higher in CSF collected from patients with germinomas and STGC germinomas than in CSF collected from patients with teratomas or non-germ cell brain tumors, or in CSF collected from controls. The concentration of s-kit in CSF was correlated with the patient's clinical course: it was significantly higher in pretreatment samples obtained before and in samples obtained at the time of tumor recurrence than in samples collected from patients in whom the tumor was in remission. The level of s-kit was remarkably high in CSF collected from patients with subarachnoid tumor dissemination. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the concentration of s-kit in CSF may be a useful clinical marker for germinomas, especially for detecting recurrence or subarachnoid dissemination of these lesions.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Focused microwave assistance for extracting some pesticide residues from strawberries into water before their determination by SPME/HPLC/DAD.

A novel and simple method for the determination of some pesticide residues in strawberries using both focused microwave-assisted extraction (FMAE) and solid-phase micro extraction (SPME), coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), has been developed. The pesticides were first extracted from strawberries with water and the assistance of focused microwaves at 30 W for 7 min. Then, an aliquot of the resulting aqueous extract was subjected to SPME with a 60-microm thick poly(dimethylsiloxane)/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber for 45 min at room temperature, with the solution being stirred at 1000 rpm. The extracted pesticides on the SPME fiber were desorbed into the SPME/HPLC interface for quantitative analysis with a diode array detector (DAD). The whole sample pretreatment procedure before chromatographic analysis did not use any organic solvents or involve any blending or centrifugation steps. The five compounds (carbendazim, diethofencarb, azoxystrobine, napropamide, and bupirimate) were chosen because they cannot be analyzed easily by GC. The efficiency of this relatively fast procedure was comparable to that of previously reported methods, with detection limits at low microg/kg levels and linear responses in the range from 0.05 to 1 mg/kg of pesticide in strawberries, with RSDs between 3 and 7.3%, depending on the analyte. In all but one case results obtained by this method for field-incurred samples were comparable to those obtained with traditional methods.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Chromatographic and spectroscopic methods in the analysis of triacylglycerol species and regiospecific isomers of oils and fats.

The chromatographic, spectrophotometric, and spectroscopic methods usually used for the analysis of oils and fats are reviewed, with special attention to the detection, identification, and quantitation of the triacylglycerol species present in the most common edible vegetable oils. Also, a review of the methods used for the identification of the regiospecific types of the triacylcglycerol species of oils and fats is presented. Methods of high-performance liquid chromatography in the normal, reversed, silver ion, size exclusion, and chiral modes of thin layer chromatography in the normal, reversed, and silver ion modes of supercritical fluid chromatography with capillary glass or stainless steel columns of capillary gas chromatography and of mass spectrometry in different modes are presented and evaluated. The different sample pretreatment methods, the chromatographic columns, the elution systems, and the detectors and detection modes that have been combined with the above methods are also reviewed. Other spectroscopic methods used for the characterization of the status of an oil or fat, such as ultraviolet, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance are also reported, selectively. The majority of the triacylglycerol species present in an oil or fat could be analyzed and identified by a particular technique of the reviewed methods, but a complete separation in one single run requires a combination of two or more of the existing techniques, especially for samples with high triacylglycerol species variability.

Chromatography↗

Supercritical fluid clean-up of environmental samples for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.

A novel sample-pretreatment method for time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was developed using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). In SFE, the extraction efficiency of a certain organic matter is controlled by the pressure and temperature of supercritical CO2. Two-step SFE (1st step at 10 Mpa, 40 degrees C; 2nd step at 30 MPa, 120 degrees C) was applied to diesel exhaust particles containing many kinds of n-alkanes and aromatic species. n-Alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were extracted in the 1st and 2nd steps, respectively. This selectivity was utilized for the sample preparation of TOF-SIMS analysis. Diesel exhaust particles after the 1st step of extraction were analyzed with TOF-SIMS, aiming at PAHs as analytical targets. The obtained spectrum was simplified, and mass peaks of individual PAHs were easily assigned, because unwanted compounds, like n-alkanes, were selectively removed by SFE. Furthermore, a simple calculation elucidated the outline of the spectrum.

Alkanes↗

Determination of benzethonium chloride in anthrax vaccine adsorbed by HPLC.

A novel and sensitive HPLC method for the determination of benzethonium chloride (BZC) in anthrax vaccine was developed. Adjuvant Alhydrogel was removed by syringe filter after a simple sample pretreatment - acidification prior to injection. Chromatography was performed by isocratic reverse phase separation with methanol/262 mM ammonium acetate (80/20, v/v) on an endcapped C18 column with diode array detector (DAD). The method showed excellent recovery (100+/-1.5%). The results indicated that this method could accurately determine BZC at the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 ppm and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 1.5 ppm with dynamic range up to 100 ppm. The comparison of analysis between new HPLC and old titrimetric methods is also reported. The HPLC method is proven to be more accurate and precise with much less vaccine sample and human labor required.

Adsorption↗

Chromogenic ionophore-based methods for spectrophotometric assay of sodium and potassium in serum and plasma.

We report spectrophotometric methods for quantifying sodium and potassium in serum and plasma without sample pretreatment or solvent-extraction steps. The methods are based on novel chromogenic ionophores characterized by molecular structures highly preorganized for binding, which result in exceptionally high sensitivity and selectivity (negligible responses to sodium at 80 to 200 mmol/L in the potassium assay and to potassium at 0 to 10 mmol/L in the sodium assay). The within-run imprecisions are comparable with those for ion-selective electrodes (for K, 1.0% at 4.5 mmol/L; for Na, 1.1% at 136 mmol/L); the analytical range is 2-10 mmol/L for potassium, 80-170 mmol/L for sodium. The results for greater than 100 patients' samples correlated well with results obtained with ion-selective electrodes (r = 0.99 for K, 0.97 for Na). The ready-to-use aqueous reagents will be available under the trade name of ChromoLyte for use with Technicon's RA family of clinical analyzers.

Bridged Bicyclo Compounds↗

Determination of sugar compounds in atmospheric aerosols by liquid chromatography combined with positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

We here report a method for the determination of sugar compounds of known presence in atmospheric aerosols using liquid chromatography (LC) combined with positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS). The target analytes include C(3)-C(6) monosaccharide alcohols (glycerol, erythritol, xylitol, mannitol), C(5)-C(6) monosaccharides (xylose, glucose, and levoglucosan), a disaccharide (sucrose), and a trisaccharide (melezitose). A mobile phase consisting of 20% 10 mM aqueous ammonium acetate, 8% methanol, and 72% water was found to provide abundant [M+NH(4)](+) adduct ions when coupled with electrospray ionization. Use of a polymer-based amino analytical column resolved the target compounds from the bulk solvent and provided limited separation among the target compounds. The target analytes were quantified using their [M+NH(4)](+) ions. Sample pretreatment was greatly simplified in comparison with the more commonly used gas chromatographic methods. It involved extraction of aerosol filters in methanol, evaporation of the solvent, and reconstitution with 5 mM ammonium acetate in water prior to the LC-MS analysis. The analyte recoveries were measured at the levels of 100, 500 and 1000 microg/L to be in the range of 78-102%, 94-112%, and 92-110%, respectively. The detection limits were lower than 10 pmol/injection for the tested target compounds except for xylose. Xylose had a detection limit of 95 pmol/injection. The method was applied to analyze 30 atmospheric aerosol samples to demonstrate its feasibility. The LC-MS method made possible the detection of trisaccharides as aerosol constituents for the first time.

Aerosols↗

Determination of midazolam in human plasma by liquid chromatography with mass-spectrometric detection.

A liquid chromatographic assay with mass-spectrometric detection was developed for the quantitative determination of the cytochrome p450 3A phenotyping probe midazolam in human plasma. Sample pretreatment involved a one-step extraction of 600 microl aliquots with ethyl acetate. Midazolam and the internal standard, lorazepam, were separated on a column (150 mm x 4.6mm, i.d.) packed with 5 microm Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C8 material, using a mobile phase composed of methanol and 10mM aqueous ammonium acetate (60:40, v/v). Column effluents were analyzed using mass-spectrometry with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source. Calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 1.00-200 ng/ml. The accuracy and precision ranged from 92.8 to 112% and 0.056 to 13.4%, respectively, for four different concentrations of quality control samples analyzed in triplicate on eight separate occasions. The developed method was subsequently applied to study the pharmacokinetics of midazolam in a group of 35 human subjects at a single dose of 25 microg/kg.

Humans↗

Determination of bradykinin in rat urine by coupled-column high pressure liquid chromatography with precolumn derivatization with a water-soluble fluorogenic reagent.

Bradykinin (BK) in rat urine was determined by coupled-column HPLC with precolumn fluorogenic derivatization with a water-soluble reagent, 3-(7-fluoro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole-4-sulfonamido)benzenesulfonic acid (m-BS-ABD-F). The derivatization of BK with m-BS-ABD-F was completed at 70 degrees C for 100 min and gave only a single peak of BK derivative in addition to the peaks of the blank. The hydrophilicity of the derivatization reagent effectively prevented the adsorption of BK during the sample pretreatment and improved the recovery of BK. Good linearity was shown between the amount of BK spiked in urine (0-10 pmol) and the peak area of the BK derivatives (correlation coefficients >0.999), and the detection limits of the BK derivative were 35 fmol (S/N = 3). The precisions (cv, %) of intra- and interday assay were not more than 5.5% and the accuracies were in the range of 95.3-111% (1 and 5 pmol of BK in urine, n = 3). Although the peak regarded as that of the BK derivative rapidly decreased after incubation at 37 degrees C, addition of urinary kininase inhibitors to the urine samples drastically suppressed the decrease of this peak, confirming that the identified peak was that of the BK derivative. The urinary kinin excretion in male SD rats (9-11 weeks old) determined by the present method was 56.0 +/- 22.1 pg/min/kg (mean +/- SE, n = 5).

Animals↗

Determination of free and glucuronated hexane metabolites without prior hydrolysis by liquid- and gas-chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

Since n-hexane metabolites are excreted as glucuronide conjugates, most conventional analytical procedures require preliminary hydrolysis, yielding to the 'total' 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD), but also giving rise to a number of artifacts. The whole pattern of n-hexane metabolites, both conjugated and unconjugated, as well as different methods of sample pretreatment have been evaluated by hyphenated techniques (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)). Aliquots of urine from rats exposed to n-hexane underwent enzymatic or acid hydrolysis or both; whereas one aliquot was applied to LC-MS, dichloromethane extracts were analyzed by GC-MS. In untreated urine, four glucuronides (-G) were identified and characterized by LC-MS: 2-hexanol-G, 5-hydroxy-2-hexanone-G, 4,5-dyhydroxy-2-hexanone-G, and 2,5-hexanediol-G. 'Free' 2,5-HD was detectable in non-hydrolyzed samples by both GC- and LC-MS. Whereas enzymatic hydrolysis did not increase the amount of 2,5-HD, acid hydrolysis led to increase 2,5-HD in variable amount and produced gamma-valerolactone as a result of a complete transformation of 4,5-dihydroxy-2-hexanone-G and the partial conversion from 5-hydroxy-2-hexanone-G. Further experiments showed that both 5-hydroxy-2-hexanone-G and 4,5-dihydroxy-2-hexanone-G, isolated by solid-phase extraction and hydrolyzed, yield comparable amount of 2,5-HD and gamma-valerolactone. In samples treated by acid hydrolysis, GC-MS only does not allow to understand the true source of 'total' 2,5-HD, which may be produced not only from 4,5-dihydroxy-2-hexanone-G but also from the more abundant 5-hydroxy-2-hexanone-G, which thus represents the main source of analytical artifacts. 'Free' 2,5-HD seems to be both suitable from an analytical point of view and meaningful for biological monitoring purposes, provided that conjugate metabolites are rapidly removed from the body leading to a negligible neurotoxic risk.

Acids↗

Simultaneous determination of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry employing derivatization with a Cookson-type reagent.

A rapid and highly sensitive LC-MS-MS method for simultaneous determination of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 125(OH)D21 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 125(OH)D3] in human plasma has been developed using derivatization with a Cookson-type reagent, 4-12-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxalyl)ethyll-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (DMEQTAD). The derivatization with DMEQTAD significantly improved the ionization efficiencies of 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 with detection limits of 20 and 12.5 fmol (8 and 5 pg) per injection, respectively. The method employed two steps of solvent extraction but did not require chromatographic purifications for sample pretreatment. The determination was carried out by mass chromatography of the protonated molecular ions formed by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization operating in the positive-ion mode after the derivatization, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D4 was used as an internal standard. The intra-assay coefficients of variation were below 4.02 and 3.24% for 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3, respectively, and the analytical recoveries of both compounds were quantitative. Assay linearity was obtained in the range of 0.05-1 ng per tube and the determination limit was 3 ng/ml for a 20 microl plasma aliquot, for each compound. The developed method was applied to plasma samples obtained from volunteers, two of whom had received vitamin D2 supplementation, and gave satisfactory results.

Adult↗

Speciation of chromium (III) and chromium (VI) by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection and dual opposite end injection.

A sensitive, rapid and inexpensive capillary electrophoretic method for the determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) species is presented. The method is based on the dual opposite end injection principle and contactless conductometric detection. The sample containing cationic and anionic species is injected into the opposite ends of the separation capillary and after the high voltage is applied, the analytes migrate towards the capillary center, where the cell of a contactless conductivity detector is placed. The method does not require any sample pretreatment, except dilution with deionized water. The separation of Cr(III), Cr(VI) and other common inorganic anions and cations is achieved in less than 4 min. The parameters of the separation electrolyte solution, such as pH and concentration of L-histidine, were optimized. Best results were achieved with electrolyte solution consisting of 4.5 mM L-histidine, adjusted to pH 3.40 with acetic acid. The detection limits achieved for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were 10 and 39 microg.L(-1), respectively. The repeatability of migration times and peak areas was better than 0.3% and 2.8%, respectively. The developed method was applied to the analyses of rinse water samples from the galvanic industry. The results for the determination of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) were in good agreement with the results obtained by certified differential spectrophotometric method using diphenylcarbazide (CN 83 0520-40) and with the results for the total chromium concentrations determined by electrothermal atomic absorbance spectrometry (ET-AAS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Acetic Acid↗

Quantification of phytochelatins in plants by reversed-phase HPLC-ESI-MS-MS.

An on-line HPLC-ESI-MS-MS method has been developed for determination of glutathione and phytochelatins (PC) in plant tissues. For sample pretreatment, dithiothreitol (DTT) must be added at the very beginning, as an anti-oxidant. Optimization of instrumental conditions i.e. composition of HPLC mobile phase, ionization efficiency of the electrospray interface, and MS-MS detection in the multiple ion-monitoring mode, are the central aspects of this work. A polystyrene-packed column was found to be superior to a standard silica-packed reversed-phase column. A concave quadratic gradient of ammonium formate buffer and acetonitrile was found to be optimum. The limits of quantitation were 0.2 micromol kg(-1) plant tissue for glutathione and PC. The method has been applied to analysis of tissue samples from Vicia faba grown in Cd-containing nutrient solutions.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Derivatization, extraction and concentration of amino acids and peptides by using organic/aqueous phases in capillary electrophoresis with fluorescence detection.

We report a novel method that facilitates sample pretreatment and detection in amino acid analysis by coupling solvent extraction with capillary electrophoresis. Amino acids and peptides were fluorescently labeled, concentrated into an organic solvent, and then separated by capillary zone electrophoresis with fluorescence detection. To achieve this, acetophenone was first employed to dissolve the derivatizing reagent, fluorescamine. The products, which possessed both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties, could be extracted and concentrated into the organic phase by suppressing the deprotonation of carboxyl groups, thus enhancing the hydrophobicity of the resulting molecules through pH modification in the aqueous solution. Furthermore, by fine-tuning the pH value, individual amino acids and short peptide molecules could be separated selectively from the sample bulk. This convenient, chemically controllable concentration technique may be useful in sample concentration and purification of biologically related samples such as amino acids and short peptides.

Amino Acids↗

Determination of 2-methoxyestradiol in human plasma, using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) assay was developed for the quantitative determination of 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) in human plasma. Sample pretreatment involved liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate of 0.3-mL aliquots of plasma spiked with the internal standard, deuterated 2ME2 (2ME2-d5). Separation was achieved on a Zorbax Eclipse C18 column (2.1 x 50 mm, i.d., 5 microm) at room temperature using a gradient elution with methanol and water at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. Detection was performed using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization MS/MS by monitoring the ion transitions from m/z 303.1 --> 136.8 (2ME2) and m/z 308.1 --> 138.8 (2ME2-d5). Calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 1-100 ng/mL. The accuracy and precision values, obtained from three different sets of quality control samples analyzed in quintuplicate on four separate occasions, ranged from 105-108% and from 3.62-5.68%, respectively. This assay was subsequently used for the determination of 2ME2 concentration in plasma of a patient with cancer after a single oral administration of 2ME2 at a dose of 2200 mg.

2-Methoxyestradiol↗

Simultaneous determination of fluvoxamine isomers and quetiapine in human plasma by means of high-performance liquid chromatography.

An original HPLC-UV method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine and the geometric isomers of the second-generation antidepressant fluvoxamine. The analytes were separated on a reversed-phase C8 column (150 mm x 4.6mm i.d., 5 microm) using a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile (30%) and a 10.5mM, pH 3.5 phosphate buffer containing 0.12% triethylamine (70%). The flow rate was 1.2 mL min(-1) and the detection wavelength was 245 nm. Sample pretreatment was carried out by an original solid-phase extraction procedure using mixed-mode cation exchange (DSC-MCAX) cartridges; only 300 microL of plasma were needed for one analysis. Citalopram was used as the internal standard. The method was validated in terms of linearity, extraction yield, precision and accuracy. Good linearity was obtained in plasma over the 5.0-160.0 ng mL(-1) concentration range for each fluvoxamine isomer and over the 2.5-400.0 ng mL(-1) concentration range for quetiapine. Extraction yield values were always higher than 93%, with precision (expressed as relative standard deviation values) better than 4.0%. The method was successfully applied to human plasma samples drawn from patients undergoing polypharmacy with the two drugs. Satisfactory accuracy values were obtained, with mean recovery higher than 94%.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization mass spectrometric method for the quantitation of prazepam and its main metabolites in human plasma.

A method was developed and fully validated for the quantitation of prazepam and its major metabolites, oxazepam and nordiazepam, in human plasma. Sample pretreatment was achieved by solid-phase extraction using Oasis HLB cartridges. The extracts were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with single-quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS) with an electrospray ionization interface. The MS system was operated in the selected ion monitoring mode. HPLC was performed isocratically on a reversed-phase XTerra MS C18 analytical column (150 x 3.0 mm i.d., particle size 5 microm). Diazepam was used as the internal standard for quantitation. The assay was linear over a concentration range of 5.0-1000 ng ml(-1) for all compounds analyzed. The limit of quantitation was 5 ng ml(-1) for all compounds. Quality control samples (5, 10, 300 and 1000 ng ml(-1)) in five replicates from three different runs of analysis demonstrated an intra-assay precision (CV) of < or = 9.1%, an inter-assay precision of < or = 6.0% and an overall accuracy (relative error) of < 4.6%. The method can be used to quantify prazepam and its metabolites in human plasma covering a variety of pharmacokinetic or bioequivalence studies.

Calibration↗

High-pressure liquid chromatographic assays for ticarcillin in serum and urine.

Rapid and sensitive high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assays for ticarcillin in serum and urine have been developed. Sample pretreatment and optimized chromatographic conditions are presented for a C-18-bonded reversed-phase column used in an internal standard assay method. Ticarcillin has a retention time of or approximately 5.3 min at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min for a mobile phase of acetonitrile-aqueous 0.06 M sodium biphosphate, pH 2.05, (50.5:100). In a two-step extraction procedure, the ticarcillin extraction efficiencies from serum and urine were 76.1 +/- 4.7 and 80.9 +/- 3.2% respectively. The assay sensitivity limit for ticarcillin in these fluids is approximately 1.0 microgram/ml. A comparison is made of the HPLC and microbiological assay results for ticarcillin in 20 different but equally divided serum samples obtained from two volunteers.

Bacteria↗