Determination of 14 Organophosphorus Pesticide Residues in Mutton by Gel Permeation Chromatography-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry(GPC-GC-MS)

[Objectives]This study was conducted to purify mutton samples by gel permeation chromatography(GPC).[Methods]Fourteen organophosphorus pesticide residues in samples were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)in selective ion scanning mode(SIM).[Results]The organophosphorus pesticide standard solutions showed good linearity in the mass concentration range of 0.1-10.0μg/ml with correlation coefficients(r)not lower than 0.999,and the detection limits(S=3 N)ranged from 0.01 to 0.05 mg/kg.The average recovery values were in the range of 80.2%-99.7%,with relative standard deviations(RSDs,n=3)in the range of 1.8%-6.3%,at the addition levels of 0.5,1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg.[Conclusions]The method is simple,sensitive and accurate,and can be used for the determination of organophosphorus pesticide residues in mutton.

Determination on Heavy Metals Content of Achyranthes bidentata Blume. through Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)

[Objective] The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS)was constructed to determine the contents of lead,cadmium,mercury and arsenic in Archyranthes bidentata Blume.[Method]Under the optimum operation condition of ICP-MS,the samples were digested by microwave.The element 114In was taken as an internal standard element to compensate body effect and ICP-MS method was used to determine the contents of lead,cadmium,mercury and arsenic.[Result]For the determined elements,the correlation coefficient(r)of standard curve was over 0.9995 and recovery rate was from 96.7% to 106.4% while RSD was less than 11.2%.The result of determination showed that the heavy metal content in Archyranthes bidentata Blume.beyond standard was serious.[Conclusion]The constructed ICP-MS method with simple operation,rapid response,accuracy and high sensitivity in this experiment could be used for quality control of Chinese medicinal materials by detecting heavy metal contents in different Chinese medicinal materials from original places.

三七治疗骨关节炎机制:基于UHPLC-QE-MS、网络药理学及分子动力学模拟

背景:课题组前期研究发现三七能够修复骨细胞的形态结构,对于治疗骨关节炎具有良好的应用前景,但目前对于三七的具体作用机制尚不清楚。目的:采用超高效液相色谱-四极杆-静电场轨道阱串联质谱(ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-Q exactive-mass spectrometry,UHPLC-QE-MS)技术鉴定三七的主要成分,并结合网络药理学、分子对接和分子动力学模拟探究三七治疗骨关节炎的作用机制。方法:利用UHPLC-QE-MS技术鉴定三七的主要成分后,运用TCMSP数据库筛选活性成分,通过TCMSP和Uniprot数据库查找活性成分靶点,通过疾病数据库筛选骨关节炎靶点。在药物靶点与疾病靶点取交集后,导入STRING数据库和Cytoscape软件构建蛋白互作网络筛选关键靶点,通过“活性成分-作用靶点”网络筛选关键活性成分。再对关键靶点进行富集分析,并对关键活性成分和关键靶点进行分子对接验证,最后选取结合能最低的结果进行分子动力学模拟。结果与结论:①在三七溶液中共鉴定出57种活性成分,成分靶点与疾病靶点交集50个,关键活性成分5个(槲皮素、熊脱氧胆酸、山奈酚、柚皮素和红藻氨酸),关键靶点5个(白细胞介素6、基质金属蛋白酶9、白细胞介素1β、白蛋白和趋化因子配体2);②基因本体功能富集642个条目,其中620个条目代表生物过程,21个条目代表分子功能,1个条目代表细胞成分;京都基因与基因组百科全书通路分析63条通路,主要涉及雌激素信号通路、白细胞介素17信号通路和高糖基化终末产物-高糖基化终末产物受体信号通路;③分子对接显示关键活性成分和关键靶点结合活性良好,分子动力学模拟提示槲皮素和基质金属蛋白酶9间的相互作用稳定;④对三七成分进行了较全面研究,初步阐明了其药效物质基础,预测三七可通过多组分、多靶点、多途径和多通路发挥抗炎、软骨保护和免疫调节作用来治疗骨关节炎。

普通铅对LA-ICP-MS磷灰石U-Pb定年结果的影响及校正方法

磷灰石是火成岩、变质岩和沉积岩中广泛分布的含铀矿物,开展磷灰石U-Pb年代学研究对揭示岩浆演化过程、示踪溯源等方面具有重要意义。激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱法(LA-ICP-MS)是开展磷灰石U-Pb年龄微区分析的重要手段之一。当前,基体匹配磷灰石U-Pb定年矿物标样缺乏和标样中不可避免的普通铅是制约LA-ICP-MS高精度磷灰石U-Pb年龄分析的主要瓶颈。本文对比研究了标样中普通铅对LA-ICP-MS磷灰石U-Pb定年结果的影响,采用含普通铅的磷灰石MAD作外标直接开展U-Pb年龄校正,获得的被测样品年龄会产生显著的系统偏差(最大约6%);采用207Pb法或Tera-Wasserburg图解法先校正标样中普通铅,再利用校正后的数据进行元素分馏和仪器漂移校正则可获得准确的磷灰石U-Pb年龄,与推荐值偏差在2%以内。另一方面,为消除标样中普通铅对分析结果的影响,本文还采用水蒸气辅助激光剥蚀方法,实现以NIST612玻璃作为外标准确分析磷灰石U-Pb年龄,解决了磷灰石U-Pb定年微区分析高质量标样缺乏的难题。本研究通过对标样中普通铅进行预校正或采用非基体匹配分析,建立了高精度LA-ICP-MS磷灰石U-Pb定年新方法,将促进磷灰石U-Pb年代学在地球科学研究中的应用。

Stepped-up development of accelerator mass spectrometry method for the detection of ^(60)Fe with the HI-13 tandem accelerator

The Moon provides a unique environment for investigating nearby astrophysical events such as supernovae.Lunar samples retain valuable information from these events,via detectable long-lived“fingerprint”radionuclides such as^(60)Fe.In this work,we stepped up the development of an accelerator mass spectrometry(AMS)method for detecting^(60)Fe using the HI-13tandem accelerator at the China Institute of Atomic Energy(CIAE).Since interferences could not be sufficiently removed solely with the existing magnetic systems of the tandem accelerator and the following Q3D magnetic spectrograph,a Wien filter with a maximum voltage of±60 kV and a maximum magnetic field of 0.3 T was installed after the accelerator magnetic systems to lower the detection background for the low abundance nuclide^(60)Fe.A 1μm thick Si_(3)N_(4) foil was installed in front of the Q3D as an energy degrader.For particle detection,a multi-anode gas ionization chamber was mounted at the center of the focal plane of the spectrograph.Finally,an^(60)Fe sample with an abundance of 1.125×10^(-10)was used to test the new AMS system.These results indicate that^(60)Fe can be clearly distinguished from the isobar^(60)Ni.The sensitivity was assessed to be better than 4.3×10^(-14)based on blank sample measurements lasting 5.8 h,and the sensitivity could,in principle,be expected to be approximately 2.5×10^(-15)when the data were accumulated for 100 h,which is feasible for future lunar sample measurements because the main contaminants were sufficiently separated.

Improved isochronous mass spectrometry with tune measurement

In conventional isochronous mass spectrometry(IMS)performed on a storage ring,the precision of mass measurements for short-lived nuclei depends on the accurate determination of the revolution times(T)of stored ions.However,the resolution of T inevitably deteriorates due to the magnetic rigidity spread of the ions,limiting the mass-resolving power.In this study,we used the betatron tunes Q(the number of betatron oscillations per revolution)of the ions and established a correlation between T and Q.From this correlation,T was transformed to correspond to a fixed Q with higher resolution.Using these transformed T values,the masses of ^(63)Ge,^(65)As,^(67)Se,and ^(71)Kr agreed well with the mass values measured using the newly developed IMS(Bρ-IMS).We also studied the systematics of Coulomb displacement energies(CDEs)and found that anomalous staggering in CDEs was eliminated using new mass values.This method of T transformation is highly effective for conventional IMS equipped with a single time-of-flight detector.

Mass Spectrometry-based Deep Coverage Proteome:Evaluation of Cellular Protein Extraction Methods

The current study comprehensively evaluates four different protein extraction methods based on urea,sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS),anionic surfactants(BT),and total RNA extractor(Trizol),aiming to optimize the sample preparation workflow for mass spectrometry-based proteomics.Using HeLa cells as an example,we found that the method employing the mass spectrometry-compatible surfactant BT reagent significantly reduces the total time consumed for protein extraction and minimizes protein losses during the sample preparation process.Further integrating the four protein extraction methods,we identified over 7000 proteins from HeLa cells without relying on pre-fractionation techniques,and 2990 of them were quantified using label-free quantification.It is worth noting that the BT and SDS methods demonstrate higher efficiency in extracting membrane proteins,while the Urea and Trizol methods are more effective in extracting proteins from nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions.In summary,this study provides a novel solution for deep proteome coverage,particularly in the context of cellular protein extraction,by integrating mass spectrometry-compatible surfactants with traditional extraction methods to effectively enhance protein identification numbers.

Ultra-soft Desorption Assisted Mass Spectrometry using Picosecond Infrared Laser for the Detection of lons in the Liquid Surface

To identify the species in liquid surface using mass spectrometry,we must eliminate or reduce interferences during the vaporization or desorption of the species from the liquid surface.It is much more challenging to isolate the ionic,larger species from the liquid surface,because of the frangible structures and the higher solvation energies of those species.Here we demonstrate a new mass spectrometry in which the ionic species at the liquid surface can be desorbed with ultrasoft infrared picosecond laser pulses while the liquid surface is not breached.This laser desorption assisted mass spectrometry is not only a powerful tool to detect the fragile species but also promising to investigate vibrational energy transfer dynamics in the liquid surface.

An online method to determine chlorine stable isotope composition by continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) coupled with a Gasbench Ⅱ

An online method using continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry （CF-IRMS） interfaced with a Gasbench Ⅱ was presented to determine chlorine stable isotope composition. Silver chloride （AgCl） was quantitatively derived from chloride by using silver nitrate （AgNO3）, and then was reacted with iodomethane （CH3Ⅰ） to produce methyl chloride （CH3Cl）. A GasBench Ⅱ equipped with a PoraPlot Q column was used to separate CH3Cl from any other gas species. Finally, chlorine stable isotope analysis was carried out on CH3Cl introduced to the IRMS in a helium stream via an active open split. The minimum amount of Cl used in this method is of the order of 1.4 μmol. Inter-laboratory and inter-technique comparisons show that the total uncertainty incorporating both the precision and accuracy of this method is better than 0.007%. Furthermore, ten seawaters sampled from different locations have a narrow δ37Cl value range from -0.008% to 0.010%, with a mean value of （0.000±0.006）%. This supports the assumption that any seawater can be representative of standard mean ocean chloride （SMOC） and used as an international reference material.

Determination of 13 preservatives in cosmetics by high performance liquid chromatography and verification by mass spectrometry

A method using high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)was developed for the s imultaneous determination of 13 preservatives(levulinic acid,p-hydroxyacetophenone,raspberry ketone,p-anisic acid,caprylhydroxamic acid,hydroxyethoxyphenyl butanone,methylisothiazolinone,phenoxyethanol,b e n z oic acid,methylparaben,chlorphenesin,dehydroacetic acid,and 5-bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane)in cosmetics.Different types of samples were ultrasonically extracted by methanol,then the separation of 13 preservatives was carried out on a column of Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse XDB-C18(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm)by gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min,using 0.1%phosphoric acid solution and acetonitrile as mobile phases.The column temperature was 30℃,and the detection was completed by a diode array detector with the wavelengths at 275,230 and 210 nm.Suspected positive samples were further confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.The linear regression analysis data shows good linearity for 13 preservatives in the respective mass concentration range,with their correlation coefficients(r)greater than 0.9998.The limits of detection(LODs)and limits of quantitation(LOQs)of the method are in the ranges of 0.4-100.0 mg/kg and 1.2-250.0 mg/kg,respectively.At three spiked levels,the average recoveries for 13 target compounds in three kinds of matrix samples are within 84.0%-115.4%,and the relative standard deviations(RSD)are within 0.5%-4.8%(n=6).This method is convenient,efficient,and precise,which can be used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of common preservatives in daily cosmetics.

Bacterial Protein Profiling——Comparison of Three Mass Spectrometry Methodologies

Profiling the protein composition of bacteria is essential for understanding their biology,physiology and interaction with environment.Mass spectrometry has become a pivotal tool for protein analysis,facilitating the examination of expression levels,molecular masses and structural modifications.In this study,we compared the performance of three widely-used mass spectrometry methods,i.e.,matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization(MALDI)protein fingerprinting,top-down proteomics and bottom-up proteomics,in the profiling of bacterial protein composition.It was revealed that bottom-up proteomics provided the highest protein coverage and exhibited the greatest protein profile overlap between bacterial species.In contrast,MALDI protein fingerprinting demonstrated superior detection reproducibility and effectiveness in distinguishing between bacterial species.Although top-down proteomics identified fewer proteins than bottom-up approach,it complemented MALDI fingerprinting in the discovery of bacterial protein markers,both favoring abundant,stable,and hydrophilic bacterial ribosomal proteins.This study represents the most systematic and comprehensive comparison of mass spectrometry-based protein profiling methodologies to date.It provides valuable guidelines for the selection of appropriate profiling strategies for specific analytical purposes.This will facilitate studies across various fields,including infection diagnosis,antimicrobial resistance detection and pharmaceutical target discovery.

Headspace Solid-Phase Micro-Extraction Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry(HS-SPME-GC/MS)-Based Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis for Comparing the Volatile Components from 12 Panax Herbal Medicines

Quality control of ginseng currently is mainly based on ginsenoside analysis,but rarely focuses on the volatile organic components.In the current work,an untargeted metabolomics approach,by headspace solid-phase micro-extraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(HS-SPME-GC/MS),was elaborated and further employed to holistically compare the compositional difference of the volatile components simultaneously from 12 Panax herbal medicines,which included P.ginseng(PG),P.quinquefolius(PQ),P.notoginseng(PN),red ginseng(PGR),P.ginseng leaf(PGL),P.quinquefolius leaf(PQL),P.notoginseng leaf(PNL),P.ginseng flower(PGF),P.quinquefolius flower(PQF),P.notoginseng flower(PNF),P.japonicus(PJ),and P.japonicus var.major(PJvm).Chromatographic separation was performed on an HP-5MS elastic quartz capillary column using helium as the carrier gas,enabling good resolution within 1 h.We were able to characterize totally 259 volatile compounds,including 82 terpenes(T),46 alcohols(Alc),29 ketones(K),25 aldehydes(Ald),21 esters(E),and the others.By analyzing 90 batches of ginseng samples based on the untargeted metabolomics workflows,236 differential ions were unveiled,and accordingly 36 differential volatile components were discovered.It is the first report that simultaneously compares the compositional difference of volatile components among 12 Panax herbal medicines,and useful information is provided for the quality control of ginseng aside from the well-known ginsenosides.

Analyzing crude oils from the Junggar Basin(NW China) using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry(GC×GC-TOFMS)

As a new technology of analyzing crude oils, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography cou- pled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry （GCxGC- TOFMS） has received much research attention. Here we present a case study in the Junggar Basin of NW China. Results show that the hydrocarbons, including saturates and aromatics, were all well-separated without large co- elution, which cannot be realized by conventional one-dimensional GC-MS. The GC×GC technique is especially effective for analyzing aromatics and low-to-middle- molecular-weight hydrocarbons, such as diamondoids. The geochemical characteristics of crude oils in the study area were investigated through geochemical parameters extracted by GC×GC-TOFMS, improving upon the understanding obtained by GC-MS. Thus, the work here represents a new successful application of GC×GC- TOFMS, showing its broad usefulness in petroleum geochemistry.

Studies on the Basic Conformation of Lysozyme by Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry(ESI-MS)

In the present work, 2-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol were used to hydrogenise the internal disulfide bond in lysozyme. The experimental results indicate that the charge distribution of the proteins are different in the reaction process. From the calculated molecular weight, the reduction process of the disulfide bond in the molecules can be described, and the number of the disulfide bonds in the molecule can also be determined.

Determination of Ten Kinds of Alpha-2 Agonists Residues in Animal Derived Food by UHPLC-Triple Quadrupole/Composite Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

[Objectives]The paper was to establish an ultra high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/linear ion trap complex mass spectrometry for the determination of 10 kinds ofα2-receptor agonists in animal derived food.[Methods]The samples were extracted with sodium carbonate buffer solution and ethyl acetate,and analyzed by mass spectrometry after solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography separation.[Results]Ten kinds ofα2-receptor agonists showed a good linear relationship in the range of 1-100μg/mL,with the average recovery of over 69%and the relative standard deviation less than 8.32%.The detection limit of 10 kinds of α_(2)-receptor agonists was up to 1μg/kg.[Conclusions]The method has good selectivity and strong anti-interference ability,and can meet the requirements of 10 kinds ofα2-receptor agonists residues in animal derived food.

Super Antibiotics, Part II. Hyperforin, Mass Spectroscopy (MS) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Evidence of Permeability of the Blood-Testis Barrier (BTB) and the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) to Hyperforin

In the first article of this series, we presented some evidence of hyperforin as an antibiotic, antiprotozoal, antiviral, anticancer, and immunomodulatory substance. In the present article, evidence of the permeability of the blood-testis barrier (BTB) and blood-brain barrier (BBB) to hyperforin and its distribution in other organs of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) are revealed. Seven-month-old male boars with a body mass of 100 kg were fed a diet containing hyperforin. Organs were surgically removed under anesthesia. Organs were suitable prepared and extracted, and then analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with supersonic molecular beams (GC-MS with SMB). The presence of hyperforin was recorded in all organs and body fluids. Special attention was paid to the evaluation of the presence of hyperforin in the brain and testes of experimental animals. The presence of hyperforin in the brain and testes of experimental animals was established by GC-MS with SMB. The results are of interest because penicillin and numerous other antibiotics cannot pass through the BTB or BBB if healthy or non-inflamed, which limits their use in patients with meningitis and gonorrhea. The findings are also of interest in cases of penicillin- and multi-antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Research on the Upper Limit of Accuracy for Predicting Theoretical Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In recent years, numerous theoretical tandem mass spectrometry prediction methods have been proposed, yet a systematic study and evaluation of their theoretical accuracy limits have not been conducted. If the accuracy of current methods approaches this limit, further exploration of new prediction techniques may become redundant. Conversely, a need for more precise prediction methods or models may be indicated. In this study, we have experimentally analyzed the limits of accuracy at different numbers of ions and parameters using repeated spectral pairs and integrating various similarity metrics. Results show significant achievements in accuracy for backbone ion methods with room for improvement. In contrast, full-spectrum prediction methods exhibit greater potential relative to the theoretical accuracy limit. Additionally, findings highlight the significant impact of normalized collision energy and instrument type on prediction accuracy, underscoring the importance of considering these factors in future theoretical tandem mass spectrometry predictions.

Characterization of volatiles Tribolium castaneum(H.)in flour using solid phase microextraction–gas chromatography mass spectrometry(SPME–GCMS)

The objective of this study was to identify volatile organic compounds(VOCs)from flour,Tribolium castaneum(Herbst)and flour infested by T.castaneum separately,to confirm the difference of healthy flour and flour infested by T.castaneum and to explore the new technique to diagnose stored flour’s quality by its VOCs change.Headspace-solid phase microextraction(HS-SPME)coupled with gas chromatography(GC)and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry(GC–MS)were used to detect the VOCs of three different samples.Totally,71 different compounds were identified in flour,T.castaneum and T.castaneum infested flour.Therefore,27 VOCs were identified from flour alone,32 VOCs from T.castaneum and 39 VOCs from T.castaneum infested flour.The compound 2-ethyl-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione is only found in T.castaneum infested flour.This suggests that 2-ethyl-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione can be a useful VOC for detecting T.castaneum in flour.

Psychological Consequences of a Mass Attack Following Multiple Gunshots and Explosions among Victims in a State in Southwest Nigeria

Introduction: On the 5th of June 2022, an incident of a mass attack following multiple gunshots and explosions occurred in a community in Ondo State Nigeria. This study aims to assess the mental health status of victims of the mass attack to guide further interventions among them. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among victims of a mass attack in Owo community, Ondo State. A total of 209 affected victims were interviewed on socio-demographic characteristics, symptoms of anxiety (AD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), threat experienced, and mental health support received. A 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and 9-item Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) scale were used to assess the mental health status of the victims. A point was assigned to respondents who reported the symptoms of GAD, with a maximum score of 7 attained. For GAD, scores were categorized as follows: 1 - 2 as mild, 2 - 3 as minimal, 4 - 5 as moderate and 6 - 7 as severe. The PTSD symptoms were rated using a 5-point Likert scale response, and assigned the following points;4 = extremely, 3 = quite a bit, 2 = moderate, 1 = a little bit and 0 = not at all. From a maximum score of 36, participants with scores 18 and above were categorized as those with provisional PTSD. The independent samples t-test and correlational analysis were used to determine the association between PTSD score and other independent variables, with an alpha level of significance set at 0.05. Results: Generally, 38 (18.2%) of the respondents had severe AD. About half (89;42.6%) were categorized as those with provisional PTSD. The mean level of both AD (3.40 ± 2.26) and PTSD (16.51 ± 7.63) score is higher among those who were married compared to those not married (anxiety disorder;2.52 ± 2.20, P = 0.005 and PTSD;13.20 ± 8.86, P = 0.004). Respondents who have been counseled by a healthcare worker had a higher mean level (15.89 ± 7.58) of provisional PTSD compared to those not counseled by a healthcare worker (13.56 ± 9.22, P = 0.046). The level of PTSD score increased with a higher age group (r = 0.21, P = 0.003). Conclusions: The results show that the mass attack had psychological consequences among a high proportion of the victims, particularly, those married and in the older age groups. This suggests the need for continuous supportive counseling targeting these affected groups, and considering other factors moderating the effectiveness of counseling among them in future interventions.

Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS)-U-Series Ages of Corals from the South China Sea and Holocene High Sea Level

Coral samples collected from the waters off the Leizhou Peninsula, the Hainan Island and the Yongxing Island of the Xisha Islands were analyzed by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) for their U-Th systematics. Their uranium contents are mostly lower than 3μg/g, and the δ+{234}U(T) values are within the range of 150±5. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the corals are all composed of aragonite. This demonstrates that the corals determined have maintained a close system for 7000 years and their skeletons bear much information about the primitive tropical marine environment. The highly precise age sequence of the corals determined has revealed that there occurred three phases of high sea level in the South China Sea waters, which are dated at 6799-6307 a B.P., 4472-4285 a B.P. and 1279-1012 a B.P., respectively. The three phases lasted 492 a, 187 a and 267 a, respectively. These three phases of high sea level are corresponding to the warm environments that had appeared in China during the Megathermal Period and the Medieval Warm Period in the past ten thousand years.