Reactive Thread Spray Mass Spectrometry for Localization of C═C Bonds in Free Fatty Acids: Applications for Obesity Diagnosis.

Cellulose thread substrates offer a platform for microsampling and reactive ionization of free fatty acid (FFA) isomers for direct differentiation by mass spectrometry. Ambient corona discharge forms when direct current high voltage is applied to the tiny subfibers on the thread substrate in the presence of a polar spray solvent (MeOH/HO, 2:1, v/v), facilitating chemical reactions across a C═C bond of unsaturated fatty acids. The process was applied for diagnosis of obesity, which we observed to show better discriminatory power when compared to determinations based on body mass index.

Direct differentiation of whole blood for forensic serology analysis by thread spray mass spectrometry.

Direct analysis of whole blood on bloodstained textiles is achieved with thread spray mass spectrometry (MS). This capability satisfies investigators' first priority in crime scene investigations, which is determining if a stain is blood. This thread spray method explores the use of evidentiary fabric threads for rapid determination of hemoglobin directly from whole blood within textiles without prior extraction steps.

Applications of Mass Spectrometry for Clinical Diagnostics: The Influence of Turnaround Time.

This critical review discusses how the need for reduced clinical turnaround times has influenced chemical instrumentation. We focus on the development of modern mass spectrometry (MS) and its application in clinical diagnosis. With increased functionality that takes advantage of novel front-end modifications and computational capabilities, MS can now be used for non-traditional clinical analyses, including applications in clinical microbiology for bacteria differentiation and in surgical operation rooms.

Microsampling with cotton thread: Storage and ultra-sensitive analysis by thread spray mass Spectrometry.

Storage and quantitative analysis of small volumes of biofluids are challenging, especially when low concentrations of analytes are to be detected in the presence of complex matrices. In this study, we describe an integrated thread-based approach for stabilizing small blood volumes in the dry-state at room temperature, while also offering direct analysis capabilities via thread spray mass spectrometry. The analytical merits of this novel microsampling platform was demonstrated via the direct analysis of diazepam and cocaine in dried blood samples stored for 42 days.

Direct Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Complex Mixtures by Nanoelectrospray with Simultaneous Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization and Electrophoretic Separation Capabilities.

Accurate and rapid analysis of complex microsamples are challenging tasks in translational research. Nanoelectrospray ionization (nESI) is the method of choice for analyzing small sample volumes by mass spectrometry (MS), but this technique works well only for polar analytes. Herein, we describe a versatile dual noncontact nESI/nAPCI (nanoatmospheric pressure chemical ionization) source that allows simultaneous detection of both polar and nonpolar analytes in microliter quantities of samples under ambient conditions and without pretreatment.

Thread spray mass spectrometry for direct analysis of capsaicinoids in pepper products.

Thread spray ambient ionization uses single threads as a medium for sampling and ionization. This approach was demonstrated through the detection of various capsaicinoids from the interior of pepper fruits without destruction of the sample. Pepper residues present on the thread were analyzed by the application of DC voltage and solvent to cause field-induced charged droplet generation.

The impact of monomer sequence and stereochemistry on the swelling and erosion of biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) matrices.

Monomer sequence is demonstrated to be a primary factor in determining the hydrolytic degradation profile of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)s (PLGAs). Although many approaches have been used to tune the degradation of PLGAs, little effort has been expended in exploring the sequence-control strategy exploited by nature in biopolymers. Cylindrical matrices and films prepared from a series of sequenced and random PLGAs were subjected to hydrolysis in a pH 7.