Revealing novel biomarkers for diagnosing chronic kidney disease in pediatric patients.

Pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a clinical condition characterized by progressive renal function deterioration. CKD diagnosis is based on glomerular filtration rate, but its reliability is limited, especially at the early stages. New potential biomarkers (citrulline (CIT), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), n-butyrylcarnitine (nC4), cis-4-decenoylcarnitine, sphingosine-1-phosphate and bilirubin) in addition to creatinine (CNN) have been proposed for early diagnosis. To verify the clinical value of these biomarkers we performed a comprehensive targeted metabolomics study on a representative cohort of CKD and healthy pediatric patients. Sixty-seven children with CKD and forty-five healthy children have been enrolled in the study. Targeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry has been used for serum and plasma samples analysis. Univariate data analysis showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the concentration of CNN, CIT, SDMA, and nC4 among healthy and CKD pediatric patients. The predictive ability of the proposed biomarkers was also confirmed through specificity and sensitivity expressed in Receiver Operating Characteristic curves (AUC = 0.909). In the group of early CKD pediatric patients, AUC of 0.831 was obtained, improving the diagnostic reliability of CNN alone. Moreover, the models built on combined CIT, nC4, SDMA, and CNN allowed to distinguish CKD patients from healthy control regardless of blood matrix type (serum or plasma). Our data demonstrate potential biomarkers in the diagnosis of early CKD stages.

Particle Analysis for the Detection of Gunshot Residue (GSR) in Nasal Samples Using Scanning Laser Ablation and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (SLA-ICPMS).

Currently, aluminum stub with carbon adhesive devices are used to collect inorganic gunshot residues (GSR) from the hands of a shooter. In an ideal shooting case, the gunshot particles do not persist for more than 2 h in the hands of the shooter, provided that the hands have not been washed. However, for forensic analysis and inference, the extended persistence of GSR would be desirable. This study investigates a novel GSR sampling and detection protocol. Sampling was performed in the nostrils using swab devices impregnated in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The GSRs persisted for longer periods in nasal mucus than on the hands, and particles were detected 6 h after shooting occurred. The analytical determination was conducted by scanning laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SLA-ICPMS) which enable the identification of the number of particles and their elemental composition. Seventeen isotope signals corresponding to 13 C, 205 Tl and 15 analytes that are usually associated with the composition of GSR residues were monitored: 27 Al, 29 Si, 31 P, 33 S, 35 Cl, 39 K, 44 Ca, 57 Fe, 60 Ni, 63 Cu, 66 Zn, 118 Sn, 121 Sb, 137 Ba, and 208 Pb. The SLA technique enabled the reduction of the swab analysis time to 40 min. The effectiveness of this methodology was evaluated with two types of firearms: a pistol and a shotgun. The results indicated that the methodology proposed for the analysis of the nasal GSR was effective and that it can improve or complement the forensic analyses and inferences presented in a court.

Fungicide distribution in vitiviniculture ecosystems according to different application strategies to reduce environmental impact.

Systematic fungicides treatments in vine-growing European ecosystems have been conducted for decades. The goal of this study was to determine the mobility and persistence of 20 fungicides used in two viticultural zones in Atlantic and Mediterranean climates, from the moment of their application until their distribution throughout different compartments of the ecosystem: soil, water, grapes, musts and wines. This study also sought to obtain valuable information to reduce the usage of these products without affecting the health of the vines. For this purpose, different phytosanitary treatments were applied, using dosing criteria based on data provided by meteorological stations, degree-day accumulation, phenological state, and growers' criteria. The observed differences between studied geographical areas were not significant with regard to chemical accumulation in the soil and water; however, they were significantly different regarding to grapes, musts, and wines.

Characterisation of the flavour profile from Graciano Vitis vinifera wine variety by a novel dual stir bar sorptive extraction methodology coupled to thermal desorption and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The aim of this work was to develop a new analytical technique for the study of the organoleptic compounds (flavour profile) of the Graciano Vitis vinifera wine variety. The cv. Graciano is a singular variety of red grapes with its origins in La Rioja and Navarra (northern Spain). This variety transfers an intense red colour, aroma and high acidity to musts and provides greater longevity and, consequently, a better capacity for ageing wine. A new dual-stir bar sorptive extraction approach coupled with thermal desorption (TD) and GC-MS has been used to extract the volatile and semivolatile compounds. In this extraction step, the optimal values for the experimental variables were obtained through the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Full scan chromatogram data were evaluated with two deconvolution software tools, and the results were compared. The volatile and semivolatile components were identified with an MS match ≥80%. As a result, the flavour metabolome of the Graciano Vitis vinifera wine variety was obtained, and 205 metabolites were identified using different databases. These metabolites were grouped into esters, acids, alcohols, nitrogen compounds, furans, lactones, ketones, aldehydes, phenols, terpenes, norisoprenoids, sulphur compounds, acetals and pyrans. The majority of the metabolites observed had already been reported in the literature; however, this work also identified new, previously unreported metabolites in red wines, which may be characteristic of the Graciano variety.

Sequential stir bar extraction, thermal desorption and retention time locked GC-MS for determination of pesticides in water.

A method based on sequential stir bar sorptive extraction followed by automated thermal desorption-GC-MS for the determination of pesticides in underground and superficial water samples has been developed. Retention time locked GC-MS and deconvolution Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution and Identification System software allows the use of pesticide databases for identification and quantification in routine applications. Quantitation limits and repetitivity using full scan mass spectrometric determination guarantee the applicability of the method, which enables considerable savings to be made in total analysis time, with data processing times of around 2 min/sample.