Development and validation of LC-MS/MS method for the determination of Ochratoxin A and its metabolite Ochratoxin α in poultry tissues and eggs

The objective of this study was to develop a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of Ochratoxin A (OTA) and Ochratoxin α (OTα) in poultry tissues and eggs. The two toxins were extracted by a mixture of acetonitrile/water, purified with a reversed phase C18 solid phase extraction column (SPE) and determined by LC-MS/MS. The LC-MS/MS method performances were evaluated in terms of linearity in solvent and in matrix (ranged from 0.5 to 15.10 µg L^?1 for OTA and from 0.60 to 17.85 µg L^?1 for OTα), limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), specificity, accuracy and precision in repeatability conditions. Recovery experiments were performed by spiking poultry liver, kidney, muscle and eggs around 1 µg kg^?1 and 10 µg kg^?1. LODs were 0.27 and 0.26 µg kg^?1 while LOQs were fixed at 1.0 and 1.2 µg kg^?1 for OTA and OTα, respectively. Main recoveries for OTA ranged from 82 to 109% and for OTα ranged from 55 to 89%. The values of within-laboratory relative standard deviation (RSD_r) were equal to or below 20%. Considering the results obtained and that all analytical performance criteria were fulfilled, the new extraction and purification method developed for OTA and OTα determination in animal tissues and eggs was found appropriate for control laboratories and research activities designed to ensure food safety.     

An LC-MS/MS method for creatine and creatinine analysis in paraquat-intoxicated patients

Abstract

A sudden increase in serum creatinine after paraquat intoxication has been reported in several clinical studies. However, this dramatic change of creatinine may be possibly due to an interconversion of creatine-creatinine in relation to paraquat toxicity. In order to investigate the creatine-creatinine relationship, a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry in combination with electrospray ionization was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of creatine and creatinine in the serum. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Gemini® C₆-Phenyl column with a gradient elution consisting of 0.1% formic acid in ultrapure water and methanol as the mobile phase. The method yielded suitable levels of specificity and selectivity, and calibration curves of creatine and creatinine in serum were linear over the concentration range of 0.5–200?µg mL^?1. The limit of quantification of both compounds was 0.5?µg mL^?1, and the method was accurate within the recovery range of 96.23–102.75%, indicating the robustness of the method. The method was successfully applied to toxicological samples from paraquat-intoxicated patients, and the concentrations of creatine and creatinine were quantified. High creatine concentrations in serum samples were observed which may lead to high serum creatinine despite normal kidney function as creatine is converted to creatinine in proportion to its concentration.     

电磁兼容领域的数值分析方法及其有效性验证

阐述了电磁兼容领域内的数值分析方法所能够解决的主要问题,介绍了几种重要的数值分析方法的核心思想,并说明了各种方法的适用范围和发展方向。对如何验证数值模型的有效性进行了分析,提出了灵活、有效的验证方法。对数值分析方法在建立系统,设备或器件的数学模型方面进行了有益地探索。     

不同水分管理方式下水稻生长季N_2O排放量估算:模型验证和输入参数检验

利用2005～2007年我国稻田N2O排放通量的田间原位测定资料和国际上其它地区稻田N2O报道结果,对作者建立的不同水分管理方式下水稻生长季N2O排放估算模型进行了验证.结果表明,持续淹水稻田N2O排放的拟合结果与其他地区淹水稻田N2O通量值相一致.淹水-烤田-淹水的水分管理方式下,稻田N2O排放的拟合值接近于国际上同类研究结果.淹水-烤田-淹水-湿润灌溉的水分管理方式下,稻田N2O排放的估算模型对田间原位测定资料有很好的适切性.为了检验模型输入参数的可信度,将本研究建立的有关我国水稻生产的相关资料数据库与以往研究报道结果进行了比较,结果表明,两者具有高度的一致性.数据库资料表明,在20世纪50～70年代间,持续淹水稻田占20%～25%,大约75%～80%的稻田采用淹水-烤田-淹水的水分管理方式.在20世纪80～90年代间,采用持续淹水,淹水-烤田-淹水和淹水-烤田-淹水-湿润灌溉水分管理方式的稻田分别约占12%～16%、77%和7%～12%.20世纪50年代水稻生长季平均每季总施氮量为87.49 kg·hm-2,而90年代平均为224.64 kg·hm-2.其中,化学氮肥的施用量从20世纪50年代的37.4 kg·hm-2增加到了90年代的198.8 kg·hm-2,分别占水稻生长季氮输入总量的43%和88%.在20世纪50～70年代间有机氮的输入量相对比较稳定,平均变幅在45.2～48.2 kg·hm-2之间,随后逐步降低,有机肥料氮占氮输入总量的比例从20世纪50年代的52%降低到了90年代的9%.作物残体N输入量从20世纪50年代的4.9 kg·hm-2增加到了80年代的6.3 kg·hm-2.20世纪50～70年代水稻生长季氮肥施用量具明显的空间变异性,而80～90年代间其空间变异较小.模型验证和输入参数检验的结果表明,该模型能较好地模拟我国不同水分管理方式下的稻田N2O直接排放量.     

不同水分管理方式下水稻生长季N2O排放量估算：模型验证和输入参数检验

利用2005～2007年我国稻田N₂O排放通量的田间原位测定资料和国际上其它地区稻田N₂O报道结果,对作者建立的不同水分管理方式下水稻生长季N₂O排放估算模型进行了验证. 结果表明,持续淹水稻田N₂O排放的拟合结果与其他地区淹水稻田N₂O通量值相一致. 淹水-烤田-淹水的水分管理方式下,稻田N₂O排放的拟合值接近于国际上同类研究结果. 淹水-烤田-淹水-湿润灌溉的水分管理方式下,稻田N₂O排放的估算模型对田间原位测定资料有很好的适切性. 为了检验模型输入参数的可信度,将本研究建立的有关我国水稻生产的相关资料数据库与以往研究报道结果进行了比较,结果表明,两者具有高度的一致性. 数据库资料表明,在20世纪50～70年代间,持续淹水稻田占20%～25%,大约75%～80%的稻田采用淹水-烤田-淹水的水分管理方式. 在20世纪80～90年代间,采用持续淹水,淹水-烤田-淹水和淹水-烤田-淹水-湿润灌溉水分管理方式的稻田分别约占12%～16%、 77%和7%～12%. 20世纪50年代水稻生长季平均每季总施氮量为87.49 kg·hm^-2,而90年代平均为224.64 kg·hm^-2. 其中,化学氮肥的施用量从20世纪50年代的37.4 kg·hm^-2增加到了90年代的198.8 kg·hm^-2,分别占水稻生长季氮输入总量的43%和88%. 在20世纪50～70年代间有机氮的输入量相对比较稳定,平均变幅在45.2～48.2 kg·hm^-2之间,随后逐步降低,有机肥料氮占氮输入总量的比例从20世纪50年代的52%降低到了90年代的9%. 作物残体N输入量从20世纪50年代的4.9 kg·hm^-2增加到了80年代的6.3 kg·hm^-2. 20世纪50～70年代水稻生长季氮肥施用量具明显的空间变异性,而80～90年代间其空间变异较小. 模型验证和输入参数检验的结果表明,该模型能较好地模拟我国不同水分管理方式下的稻田N₂O直接排放量.     

室内空气污染预测方法的实证研究

在大型(30m3)、小型(1m3)环境箱实验获得数据的基础上构建释放模型,并将模拟结果和现场监测得到的浓度水平进行对比,对开发的室内空气污染预测方法进行了实证研究.以一新装修房间为例,分别利用大型和小型环境箱实验,研究了复杂整装材料和简单层状材料的释放规律,建立了相应材料的污染物释放模型;依据单元内物质守恒理论和污染物充分混合的假设将释放模型组合,建立了室内空气污染预测方法,并预测了该房间甲醛和TVOC(total volatile organic compounds)浓度的变化过程.在考虑了0.03ACH(air change per hour)的换气率之后,模型预测与现场监测的污染物浓度变化趋势基本吻合,甲醛和TVOC污染预测误差(正则化标准差)分别为2.8%和1.6%.模型分析表明,各污染源对于甲醛污染的贡献,家具＞涂料＞地板;对于TVOC污染的贡献,涂料＞地板＞家具.结论表明,该预测方法可以真实反映现场污染物浓度变化趋势,可以用来分析各污染源对于整体污染的贡献、指导装修材料的选择和作为室内污染评估和控制的有效工具.     

Citizen science networks in natural history and the collective validation of biodiversity data

Biodiversity data are in increasing demand to inform policy and management. A substantial portion of these data is generated in citizen science networks. To ensure the quality of biodiversity data, standards and criteria for validation have been put in place. We used interviews and document analysis from the United Kingdom and The Netherlands to examine how data validation serves as a point of connection between the diverse people and practices in natural history citizen science networks. We found that rather than a unidirectional imposition of standards, validation was performed collectively. Specifically, it was enacted in ongoing circulations of biodiversity records between recorders and validators as they jointly negotiated the biodiversity that was observed and the validity of the records. These collective validation practices contributed to the citizen science character or natural history networks and tied these networks together. However, when biodiversity records were included in biodiversity‐information initiatives on different policy levels and scales, the circulation of records diminished. These initiatives took on a more extractive mode of data use. Validation ceased to be collective with important consequences for the natural history networks involved and citizen science more generally.     

Development of a Computationally Efficient Full Human Body Finite Element Model

Introduction: A simplified and computationally efficient human body finite element model is presented. The model complements the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) detailed 50th percentile occupant (M50-O) by providing kinematic and kinetic data with a significantly reduced run time using the same body habitus.

Methods: The simplified occupant model (M50-OS) was developed using the same source geometry as the M50-O. Though some meshed components were preserved, the total element count was reduced by remeshing, homogenizing, or in some cases omitting structures that are explicitly contained in the M50-O. Bones are included as rigid bodies, with the exception of the ribs, which are deformable but were remeshed to a coarser element density than the M50-O. Material models for all deformable components were drawn from the biomechanics literature. Kinematic joints were implemented at major articulations (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle) with moment vs. angle relationships from the literature included for the knee and ankle. The brain of the detailed model was inserted within the skull of the simplified model, and kinematics and strain patterns are compared.

Results: The M50-OS model has 11 contacts and 354,000 elements; in contrast, the M50-O model has 447 contacts and 2.2 million elements. The model can be repositioned without requiring simulation. Thirteen validation and robustness simulations were completed. This included denuded rib compression at 7 discrete sites, 5 rigid body impacts, and one sled simulation. Denuded tests showed a good match to the experimental data of force vs. deflection slopes. The frontal rigid chest impact simulation produced a peak force and deflection within the corridor of 4.63 kN and 31.2%, respectively. Similar results vs. experimental data (peak forces of 5.19 and 8.71 kN) were found for an abdominal bar impact and lateral sled test, respectively. A lateral plate impact at 12 m/s exhibited a peak of roughly 20 kN (due to stiff foam used around the shoulder) but a more biofidelic response immediately afterward, plateauing at 9 kN at 12 ms. Results from a frontal sled simulation showed that reaction forces and kinematic trends matched experimental results well. The robustness test demonstrated that peak femur loads were nearly identical to the M50-O model. Use of the detailed model brain within the simplified model demonstrated a paradigm for using the M50-OS to leverage aspects of the M50-O. Strain patterns for the 2 models showed consistent patterns but greater strains in the detailed model, with deviations thought to be the result of slightly different kinematics between models. The M50-OS with the deformable skull and brain exhibited a run time 4.75 faster than the M50-O on the same hardware.

Conclusions: The simplified GHBMC model is intended to complement rather than replace the detailed M50-O model. It exhibited, on average, a 35-fold reduction in run time for a set of rigid impacts. The model can be used in a modular fashion with the M50-O and more broadly can be used as a platform for parametric studies or studies focused on specific body regions.     

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling of perfluoroalkyl substances in the human body

Currently, there are limited data on the levels of perfluoroalkyl substances other than perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid in the human body. Most of this information has been extracted from biological monitoring of plasma while the occurrence of perfluoroalkyl substances in other human tissues is rarely studied. The objective of the present study was to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to assess the concentration of perfluoroalkyl substances in human tissues, based on an existing model previously validated for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid. Experimental data on concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances in human tissues from individuals in Tarragona County (Catalonia, Spain) were used to estimate the values of some distribution and elimination parameters needed for the simulation. No significant correlations were found between these parameters and the chain lengths. The model was finally validated for five perfluoroalkyl substances.     

降雨影响噪声自动监测数据的有效性判定分析

选取北京市近5年夏半年（4—9月）夜间的降雨数据及相关噪声自动监测小时等效声级，对小时雨量与噪声自动监测数据进行数学统计分析，找出影响噪声监测数据的小时雨量值及不同声级受雨噪声影响的雨量限值，作为降雨对噪声自动监测小时等效声级的有效性判定条件。