Chlorpropham is a selective and systemic herbicide extensively used to control sprouting, a major process affecting the quality of stored potatoes. Main concern about the usage of chlorpropham arises ...from the fact that chlorpropham degrades to toxic aniline-based metabolites during thermal processing of potatoes. The issue has led to chlorpropham withdrawal from the treatment practices, however, cross contamination from storage facilities requires ongoing monitoring of pesticide residues for a prolonged period. This study offers a fast and economic method suitable for chlorpropham screening in potatoes. The developed method targets the potato peel, simply prepared and analyzed by GC/MS. The method performance and cost-effectiveness were compared to that of the official method for chlorpropham analysis approved by the European Food Safety Authority. The method was used for the targeted analysis of potato samples from southeastern Serbia.
•A fast and economic chlorpropham analysis in potato peel was established.•Performances and costs of the developed and EU official method were compared.•Developed method costs are approx. 27 % lower than the EU official method costs.•5 % of samples analyzed over a three-year market screening were chlorpropham positive.
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation has emerged as immunotherapy in the treatment of a variety of hematological malignancies. Its efficacy depends on induction of graft versus leukemia by donor ...lymphocytes. Both graft versus leukemia and graft versus host disease are induced by T cells reactive against polymorphic peptides, called minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHA), which differ between patient and donor and are presented in the context of self‐HLA (where HLA is human leukocyte antigen). The allelic counterpart (AC) of the MiHA is generally considered to be absent at the cell surface, based on the absence of immune responses directed against the AC. To study this in detail, we evaluate the recognition, HLA‐binding affinity, and cell surface expression of three selected MiHA. By quantitative MS, we demonstrate the similarly abundant expression of both MiHA and AC at the cell surface. We conclude that the absent recognition of the AC cannot generally be explained by insufficient processing and presentation at the cell surface of the AC.
Tomatoes grown in an experimental greenhouse were sprayed with 13 selected pesticides at the recommended field doses, and used for pickle processing. Three different pickle processing techniques ...(natural fermentation, starter added fermentation and canning) were applied during the trials. Two strains of Lactobacillus plantarum were used as starter cultures in starter added fermentation trials. Changes in pesticide residues, pH levels and microbiological populations were periodically analysed and processing factors (PFs) were calculated at the end of the processing period. Yeasts-moulds and enterobacteria were not detected in any of the trials. Mesophilic aerobic bacteria were detected during both fermentation treatments (natural and starter added), whereas lactic acid bacteria were only observed in starter added trials. The initial pH levels of brines in all treatments were measured as 2.7 at the beginning of the processes and changed depending on the type of treatment. Lower pH values were detected in starter added treatments. Following the harvest day, significant reductions were observed in pesticide concentrations during both types of fermentation (natural and starter added) trials (p < .01) with the exception of bifenazate and abamectin. But on the contrary, residue changes were not significant (p > .05) throughout the canning process. Since bifenazate and abamectin are more stable at lower pH, their residue levels were not affected by the methods applied during fermentation processes. Only PF of canning process for bifenazate was higher than 1 and calculated as 1.17. All other PF values were lower than 1, indicating that the treatments caused degradation of the active compounds. Processing methods affected the pesticide residue levels in different ways, as a result of various degradation mechanisms.
In this article, a dataset from a collaborative non-target screening trial organised by the NORMAN Association is used to review the state-of-the-art and discuss future perspectives of non-target ...screening using high-resolution mass spectrometry in water analysis. A total of 18 institutes from 12 European countries analysed an extract of the same water sample collected from the River Danube with either one or both of liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detection. This article focuses mainly on the use of high resolution screening techniques with target, suspect, and non-target workflows to identify substances in environmental samples. Specific examples are given to emphasise major challenges including isobaric and co-eluting substances, dependence on target and suspect lists, formula assignment, the use of retention information, and the confidence of identification. Approaches and methods applicable to unit resolution data are also discussed. Although most substances were identified using high resolution data with target and suspect-screening approaches, some participants proposed tentative non-target identifications. This comprehensive dataset revealed that non-target analytical techniques are already substantially harmonised between the participants, but the data processing remains time-consuming. Although the objective of a “fully-automated identification workflow” remains elusive in the short term, important steps in this direction have been taken, exemplified by the growing popularity of suspect screening approaches. Major recommendations to improve non-target screening include better integration and connection of desired features into software packages, the exchange of target and suspect lists, and the contribution of more spectra from standard substances into (openly accessible) databases.
Graphical Abstract
Matrix of identification approach versus identification confidence
Polyphenols are natural phytochemicals recognized as one of the largest and most widespread classes of plant constituents occurring throughout the plant kingdom. Over the years, polyphenols have ...attracted the attention of the scientific community due to their potential health-promoting effects. Owing to their several interesting properties, polyphenols have aroused considerable interest, shedding light on their chemistry, reactivity, biological properties and their beneficial effects on both plants and humans. As a result of these investigations, a huge number of research works have been reported on polyphenols. However, despite the voluminous literature studying polyphenols and their impact on human health, there are still many issues waiting to be explored in order to explain and elucidate the positive effects of polyphenols on human health. This Special Issue was intended to gather up-to-date knowledge related to the cutting-edge research in the broad scientific area of polyphenols, providing an opportunity to show the latest advances in the exploration of polyphenols and their health beneficial effects. The special issue was a great success with more than 50 published manuscripts covering various aspects related to polyphenols and their role in human health. We are confident that this Special Issue will be of great interest to the scientific community, and will contribute to the improvement of knowledge regarding the area of polyphenols, leading to a better understanding of their role in human health.
Plants produce a wide range of phytochemicals, known as non-nutrition compounds, to confirm their identity, and they are used for the production of natural pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and functional ...food, among other things, due to their pro-health properties. The use of modern chromatographic techniques allows for accurate quantitative and qualitative identification of the above-mentioned phytochemicals and their natural products. Liquid chromatography is one of the most efficient and robust specific techniques due to the merits of convenience and strong separation ability, as well as a wide range of material applications for identification. Liquid chromatography is widely used to analyze plants, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics and in natural product quality control or quantitative determination of bioactive compounds. The most commonly used for identifying different plant materials and pharmaceuticals are ultra- and high-performance liquid chromatography with UV-VIS, fluorescence, and diode array, which is equipped with mass spectrometry or tandem mass spectrometry detection methods. Therefore, for this Special Issue, we published studies concerning the latest scientific news, insights, and advances in the field of innovation of liquid chromatography for the analysis of bioactive compounds for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and functional food interests.
Purpose of Review
In this review, we provide a comprehensive update on current scientific advances and emerging therapeutic approaches in the field of multiple sclerosis.
Recent Findings
Multiple ...sclerosis (MS) is a common disorder characterized by inflammation and degeneration within the central nervous system (CNS). MS is the leading cause of non-traumatic disability in the young adult population. Through ongoing research, an improved understanding of the disease underlying mechanisms and contributing factors has been achieved. As a result, therapeutic advancements and interventions have been developed specifically targeting the inflammatory components that influence disease outcome. Recently, a new type of immunomodulatory treatment, known as Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, has surfaced as a promising tool to combat disease outcomes. Additionally, there is a renewed interested in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) as a major potentiator of MS. Current research efforts are focused on addressing the gaps in our understanding of the pathogenesis of MS, particularly with respect to non-inflammatory drivers.
Summary
Significant and compelling evidence suggests that the pathogenesis of MS is complex and requires a comprehensive, multilevel intervention strategy. This review aims to provide an overview of MS pathophysiology and highlights the most recent advances in disease-modifying therapies and other therapeutic interventions.
A modified QuEChERS method was optimized, validated and verified for the extraction of 218 pesticide residues in agricultural soil samples. The 218 analytes are extracted using a single step, without ...clean-up, with matrix-matched calibration, and two complementary techniques: liquid and gas chromatography tandem triple quad mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS). Some of the parameters such as salts, acidity of the extraction solvent, sample moisture and some mechanical changes in the procedure were optimized to improve the overall performance for the target compounds and the soil matrix. The method was fully validated on a representative agricultural soil sample of the Canary Islands (clay loam soil) in terms of linearity, accuracy and precision. To avoid matrix effects, matrix-matched calibration curves (R2 ≥ 0.99) were used for all target analytes. 100% of the compounds can be quantified with limits of quantification (LOQ) lower than the limit typically used in soils (50 ng g−1), with 92% of compounds presenting a LOQ that is at least 10 times lower than that normally required. The limits of detection (LOD) ranged between 0.024 and 6.25 ng g−1. The validated method was applied to a series of actual samples of agricultural soil (n = 18). In addition, as a further verification of its potential, the results of the application of the method in the investigation of clay loam soil samples that were obtained from underneath wildlife carcasses in the context of an environmental forensic investigation are also presented.
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•Easy method for the sensitive quantification of 218 pesticides in clay loam soils•One-step QuEChERS-based method without clean-up•Tested in 18 agricultural soils in which 39 different residues were detected.•Additional tested in soil samples from a wildlife poisoning incident
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