Fact-based nutrition for infants and lactating mothers-The NUTRISHIELD study.

Background: Human milk (HM) is the ideal source of nutrients for infants. Its composition is highly variable according to the infant's needs. When not enough own mother's milk (OMM) is available, the administration of pasteurized donor human milk (DHM) is considered a suitable alternative for preterm infants.

Solvent-Free Lipid Separation and Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy for Fast and Green Fatty Acid Profiling of Human Milk.

This study presents the first mid-infrared (IR)-based method capable of simultaneously predicting concentrations of individual fatty acids (FAs) and relevant sum parameters in human milk (HM). Representative fat fractions of 50 HM samples were obtained by rapid, two-step centrifugation and subsequently measured with attenuated total reflection IR spectroscopy. Partial least squares models were compiled for the acquired IR spectra with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) reference data.

Recombinant Protein L: Production, Purification and Characterization of a Universal Binding Ligand.

Protein L (PpL) is a universal binding ligand that can be used for the detection and purification of antibodies and antibody fragments. Due to the unique interaction with immunoglobulin light chains, it differs from other affinity ligands, like protein A or G. However, due to its current higher market price, PpL is still scarce in applications.

Application of Quantum Cascade Laser-Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics for In-Line Discrimination of Coeluting Proteins from Preparative Size Exclusion Chromatography.

An external-cavity quantum cascade laser (EC-QCL)-based flow-through mid-infrared (IR) spectrometer was placed in line with a preparative size exclusion chromatography system to demonstrate real-time analysis of protein elutions with strongly overlapping chromatographic peaks. Two different case studies involving three and four model proteins were performed under typical lab-scale purification conditions. The large optical path length (25 μm), high signal-to-noise ratios, and wide spectral coverage (1350 to 1750 cm) of the QCL-IR spectrometer allow for robust spectra acquisition across both the amide I and II bands.

QCL-IR Spectroscopy for In-Line Monitoring of Proteins from Preparative Ion-Exchange Chromatography.

In this study, an external cavity-quantum cascade laser-based mid-infrared (IR) spectrometer was applied for in-line monitoring of proteins from preparative ion-exchange chromatography. The large optical path length of 25 μm allowed for robust spectra acquisition in the broad tuning range between 1350 and 1750 cm, covering the most important spectral region for protein secondary structure determination. A significant challenge was caused by the overlapping mid-IR bands of proteins and changes in the background absorption of water due to the NaCl gradient.

Fatty Acid Determination in Human Milk Using Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy and Solvent-Free Lipid Separation.

This study introduces the first mid-infrared (IR)-based method for determining the fatty acid composition of human milk. A representative milk lipid fraction was obtained by applying a rapid and solvent-free two-step centrifugation method. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy was applied to record absorbance spectra of pure milk fat.

Fatty Acid Prediction in Bovine Milk by Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy after Solvent-Free Lipid Separation.

In the present study, a novel approach for mid-infrared (IR)-based prediction of bovine milk fatty acid composition is introduced. A rapid, solvent-free, two-step centrifugation method was applied in order to obtain representative milk fat fractions. IR spectra of pure milk lipids were recorded with attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectroscopy.

Broadband laser-based mid-IR spectroscopy for analysis of proteins and monitoring of enzyme activity.

Laser-based infrared (IR) spectroscopy is an emerging key technology for the analysis of solutes and for real-time reaction monitoring in liquids. Larger applicable pathlengths compared to the traditional gold standard Fourier transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy enable robust measurements of analytes in a strongly absorbing matrix such as water. Recent advancements in laser development also provide large accessible spectral coverage thus overcoming an inherent drawback of laser-based IR spectroscopy.

The Next Generation of IR Spectroscopy: EC-QCL-Based Mid-IR Transmission Spectroscopy of Proteins with Balanced Detection.

We report a mid-IR transmission setup for the analysis of the protein amide I and amide II band in aqueous solutions that achieves a limit of detection as low as 0.0025 mg mL (outperforming our previous results and other state-of-the-art mid-IR-based techniques by almost an order of magnitude). This large improvement is made possible by combining the latest-generation external cavity-quantum cascade laser (EC-QCL) operated at room temperature with an optimized double-beam optical setup that adjusts the path length (26 μm) to ensure robust sample handling.