The detection of ACTH and insulin in equine plasma by solid-phase extraction and micro-flow LC/MSMS.

Previous liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) methods for the detection of insulin and other similar peptide hormones in equine plasma relied on the use of antibody affinity extraction. As a result, these methods were not suitable for routine high-throughput analysis. A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method incorporating size exclusion as well as reversed-phase interactions allows the selective extraction of peptide hormones such as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), insulin and their synthetic analogues from equine plasma with approximately 80% extraction efficiencies.

Techniques for improving the specificity of sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based drug screening.

ELISA assays are commonly used for drug screening by racing laboratories but are known to suffer from limited specificity. Inaccurate ELISA screening results are typically produced by non-specific antibody interactions or by the retention of chromogenic material in the sample well due to sample degradation. While confirmation of drug positives can be achieved by mass spectrometry, the follow-up of inaccurate ELISA screening results represents an unnecessary cost in staff time and reagents.

Detection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and its analogues in equine and canine urine by high-resolution data-independent acquisition.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its synthetic analogues are considered banned substances by the racing industry. GnRH is used as a pharmaceutical to regulate the female oestrous cycle, but the hormone is also thought to increase the production of testosterone in male animals. Using liquid chromatography in conjunction with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) and data-independent acquisition (DIA), a method is presented for the detection of intact and truncated peptides of GnRH and its analogues down to the low picogram level in equine urine.

Long-term complications of the transmeatal approach (Open Transcanal) in cochlear implants: A follow-up study.

Objective: Multiple alternative approaches of cochlear implant surgery have been described, such as the suprameatal approach, transcanal approach, transmeatal approach and middle cranial fossa approach. Transmeatal (open trnascanal) approach has not been adapted since first described in the clinical field. we aimed to assess the long-term complications of the transmeatal approach in a series of 131 patients at our center between 2004 and 2008.