Predictors of mortality in COVID-19 patients at Kinshasa Medical Center and a survival analysis: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Despite it being a global pandemic, there is little research examining the clinical features of severe COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to identify predictors of mortality in COVID-19 patients at Kinshasa Medical Center (KMC).

Methods: In this retrospective, observational, cohort study carried out at the Kinshasa Medical Center (KMC) between March 10, 2020 and July 10, 2020, we included all adult inpatients (≥ 18 years old) with a positive COVID-19 PCR result.

Biofilm Mode of Cultivation Leads to an Improvement of the Entomotoxic Patterns of Two Species.

Two fungi, i.e., Link and (Ahlb.

Determination of multiple mycotoxins in paired plasma and urine samples to assess human exposure in Nanjing, China.

This study was conducted to investigate mycotoxin exposure in 260 rural residents (age 18-66 years) in Nanjing, China. Paired plasma and first morning urine samples were analyzed for 26 mycotoxin biomarkers, including 12 parent mycotoxins and 14 mycotoxin metabolites, by an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method. Mycotoxins and their metabolites were detected in 95/260 (36.

The role of roughage provision on the absorption and disposition of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol and its acetylated derivatives in calves: from field observations to toxicokinetics.

A clinical case in Belgium demonstrated that feeding a feed concentrate containing considerable levels of deoxynivalenol (DON, 1.13 mg/kg feed) induced severe liver failure in 2- to 3-month-old beef calves. Symptoms disappeared by replacing the highly contaminated corn and by stimulating ruminal development via roughage administration.

Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of citrinin and ochratoxin a in a variety of feed and foodstuffs.

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous analysis of citrinin (CIT) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in feed (chicken and pig) and food (cereal-based products, fruit, vegetable juices, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, vegetarian and soy products, alcoholic beverages, baby food products and food supplements) was developed. The mycotoxins were extracted from these matrices using a QuEChERS-based extraction method without any further clean-up step. The samples were 5-fold concentrated.

Microbial Detoxification of Deoxynivalenol (DON), Assessed via a Lemna minor L. Bioassay, through Biotransformation to 3-epi-DON and 3-epi-DOM-1.

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by fungi. To mitigate mycotoxins in food or feed, biotransformation is an emerging technology in which microorganisms degrade toxins into non-toxic metabolites. To monitor deoxynivalenol (DON) biotransformation, analytical tools such as ELISA and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) are typically used.

A polyphasic approach for characterization of a collection of cereal isolates of the Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex.

DNA-based phylogenetic analyses have resolved the fungal genus Fusarium into multiple species complexes. The F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) includes fusaria associated with several diseases of agriculturally important crops, including cereals.

Use of UHPLC high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry to investigate the genes involved in the production of secondary metabolites in Aspergillus flavus.

The fungus Aspergillus flavus is known for its ability to produce the toxic and carcinogenic aflatoxins in food and feed. While aflatoxins are of most concern, A. flavus is predicted to be capable of producing many more metabolites based on a study of its complete genome sequence.

An Aspergillus flavus secondary metabolic gene cluster containing a hybrid PKS-NRPS is necessary for synthesis of the 2-pyridones, leporins.

The genome of the filamentous fungus, Aspergillus flavus, has been shown to harbor as many as 56 putative secondary metabolic gene clusters including the one responsible for production of the toxic and carcinogenic, polyketide synthase (PKS)-derived aflatoxins. Except for the production of aflatoxins, cyclopiazonic acid and several other metabolites the capability for metabolite production of most of these putative clusters is unknown. We investigated the regulation of expression of the PKS-non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) containing cluster 23 and determined that it produces homologs of the known 2-pyridone leporin A.

Development and validation of an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous determination of free and conjugated Alternaria toxins in cereal-based foodstuffs.

A UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of free (alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene, tenuazonic acid, tentoxin, altertoxin-I) and conjugated (sulfates and glucosides of alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether) Alternaria toxins in cereals and cereal products (rice, oat flakes and barley) was developed. Optimization of the sample preparation and extraction methodology was achieved through experimental design, using full factorial design for extraction solvent composition optimization and fractional factorial design to identify the critical factors in the sample preparation protocol, which were in turn subjected to optimization. Final extracts were analysed using an Waters Acquity UPLC system coupled to a Quattro Premier XE mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray interface operated in both positive and negative ionization mode.

Functional characterization of a veA-dependent polyketide synthase gene in Aspergillus flavus necessary for the synthesis of asparasone, a sclerotium-specific pigment.

The filamentous fungus, Aspergillus flavus, produces the toxic and carcinogenic, polyketide synthase (PKS)-derived family of secondary metabolites termed aflatoxins. While analysis of the A. flavus genome has identified many other PKSs capable of producing secondary metabolites, to date, only a few other metabolites have been identified.

Identification of novel metabolites from Aspergillus flavus by high resolution and multiple stage mass spectrometry.

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus flavus is one of the most important species in the Aspergillus genus and is distributed worldwide as a prevalent aflatoxin-producing food and feed contaminant. A. flavus contains more than 55 gene clusters that are predicted to encode proteins involved in secondary metabolite production.

In vitro glucuronidation of ochratoxin a by rat liver microsomes.

Ochratoxin A (OTA), one of the most toxic mycotoxins, can contaminate a wide range of food and feedstuff. To date, the data on its conjugates via glucuronidation request clarification and consolidation. In the present study, the combined approaches of ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), UHPLC-Orbitrap-high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and liquid chromatography-multiple stage mass spectrometry (LC-MS(n)) were utilized to investigate the metabolic profile of OTA in rat liver microsomes.

Skin penetration enhancing properties of the plant N-alkylamide spilanthol.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Plants are often used for skin diseases in different ethnopharmacological systems. Local and systemic effects of topically applied compounds can be significantly increased by plant constituents having skin penetration enhancers.

Materials And Methods: In this study, we examined the proposed penetration enhancing properties of spilanthol, an N-alkylamide abundantly present in several Asteraceae plants like Spilanthes acmella L.

Human exposure to mycotoxins and their masked forms through cereal-based foods in Belgium.

In the present study, a quantitative dietary exposure assessment of mycotoxins and their masked forms was conducted on a national representative sample of the Belgian population using the contamination data of cereal-based foods. Cereal-based food products (n=174) were analysed for the occurrence of deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, zearalenone, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, T-2-toxin, HT-2-toxin, and their respective masked forms, including, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, zearalenone-4-glucoside, α-zearalenol-4-glucoside, β-zearalenol-4-glucoside and zearalenone-4-sulfate. Fibre-enriched bread, bran-enriched bread, breakfast cereals, popcorn and oatmeal were collected in Belgian supermarkets according to a structured sampling plan and analysed during the period from April 2010 to October 2011.

A direct assessment of mycotoxin biomarkers in human urine samples by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Detection of mycotoxin biomarkers in urine of humans and animals provides a direct approach for assessing exposure to these mycotoxins as opposed to the indirect approach of food analysis, which in most cases is affected by the heterogeneity of the toxin in the food samples. Seven (7) mycotoxins and their metabolites (total 18 analytes) were selected and an LC-MS/MS method for their determination in human urine was developed and validated. The method consisted of direct analysis of two mycotoxin conjugates, deoxynivalenol-glucuronide and zearalenone-glucuronide without beta glucuronidase digestion of the urine samples.

Multiplex flow-through immunoassay formats for screening of mycotoxins in a variety of food matrices.

Two multi-analyte flow-through immunoassay formats for rapid detection of mycotoxins in a variety of food matrices (peanut cake, maize, and cassava flour) were developed and evaluated. The selected food matrices are typical staple foods and export products for most low-income communities around the world. The assay formats included gel-based and membrane-based flow-through assays and were based on the principle of indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2-toxin and some masked metabolites in different cereals and cereal-derived food.

An LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2-toxin, HT-2-toxin and metabolites, including 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, zearalenone-4-glucoside, α-zearalenol-4-glucoside, β-zearalenol-4-glucoside and zearalenone-4-sulfate in maize, wheat, oats, cornflakes and bread. Extraction was performed with acetonitrile/water/acetic acid (79/20/1, v/v/v) followed by a hexane defatting step. After filtration, the extract was evaporated and the residue was redissolved in mobile phase for injection.

Screening, identification and quantification of glucosinolates in black radish (Raphanus sativus L. niger) based dietary supplements using liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The glucosinolate profile of black radish (Raphanus sativus L. niger) based dietary supplements has been investigated by HPLC-PDA, LC-ESI-MS/MS and LC-APCI-MS/MS systems. Optimization of the MS/MS parameters and LC conditions was performed using sinigrin reference standard and rapeseed certified reference material (BC190) respectively.

A validated multianalyte LC-MS/MS method for quantification of 25 mycotoxins in cassava flour, peanut cake and maize samples.

This study was designed to develop a sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of 25 mycotoxins in cassava flour, peanut cake and maize samples with particular focus on the optimization of the sample preparation protocol and method validation. All 25 mycotoxins were extracted in a single step with a mixture of methanol/ethyl acetate/water (70:20:10, v/v/v). The method limits of quantification (LOQ) varied from 0.

Determination of hypericin in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography after intravesical administration in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

In the present study, the systemic absorption of hypericin was investigated after intravesical instillation of the compound in nine patients with superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) bladder tumors. Hypericin (8 microM) was instilled in the bladder for 2-3 h before photodynamic diagnosis of bladder tumors. Blood was then collected from a peripheral vein 1 h after termination of the instillation.