Enhancing the light yield of He:CF based gaseous detector.

The CYGNO experiment aims to build a large ( m ) directional detector for rare event searches, such as nuclear recoils (NRs) induced by dark matter (DM), such as weakly interactive massive particles (WIMPs). The detector concept comprises a time projection chamber (TPC), filled with a He:CF 60/40 scintillating gas mixture at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, equipped with an amplification stage made of a stack of three gas electron multipliers (GEMs) which are coupled to an optical readout. The latter consists in scientific CMOS (sCMOS) cameras and photomultipliers tubes (PMTs).

Case Studies on the use of Microsampling for Nonclinical Studies in Pharmaceutical Drug Discovery and Development.

The implementation of microsampling approaches for use in nonclinical discovery and development pharmaceutical studies can have a major impact on improving animal ethics through the use of fewer animals and less invasive procedures for the collection of toxicokinetic and pharmacokinetic samples. In addition, the approach offers the opportunity for obtaining improved quality of data for these studies. This can include the determination of additional timepoints and endpoints, and the ability to obtain exposure data from the same animals utilized to measure other study endpoints.

An induced annual modulation signature in COSINE-100 data by DAMA/LIBRA's analysis method.

The DAMA/LIBRA collaboration has reported the observation of an annual modulation in the event rate that has been attributed to dark matter interactions over the last two decades. However, even though tremendous efforts to detect similar dark matter interactions were pursued, no definitive evidence has been observed to corroborate the DAMA/LIBRA signal. Many studies assuming various dark matter models have attempted to reconcile DAMA/LIBRA's modulation signals and null results from other experiments, however no clear conclusion can be drawn.

Inflammation and cardiovascular status impact midazolam pharmacokinetics in critically ill children: An observational, prospective, controlled study.

Altered physiology caused by critical illness may change midazolam pharmacokinetics and thereby result in adverse reactions and outcomes in this vulnerable patient population. This study set out to determine which critical illness-related factors impact midazolam pharmacokinetics in children using population modeling. This was an observational, prospective, controlled study of children receiving IV midazolam as part of routine care.

Strong constraints from COSINE-100 on the DAMA dark matter results using the same sodium iodide target.

We present new constraints on dark matter interactions using 1.7 years of COSINE-100 data. The COSINE-100 experiment, consisting of 106 kg of tallium-doped sodium iodide [NaI(Tl)] target material, is aimed to test DAMA’s claim of dark matter observation using the same NaI(Tl) detectors.

Solid-phase microextraction for assessment of plasma protein binding, a complement to rapid equilibrium dialysis.

Determination of plasma protein binding () is considered vital for better understanding of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic activities of drugs due to the role of free concentration in pharmacological response. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was investigated for measurement of from biological matrices and compared with a gold standard approach (rapid equilibrium dialysis [RED]). SPME-derived values of correlated well with literature values, and those determined by RED.

testing of the hemaPEN microsampling device for the quantification of acetaminophen in human blood.

The hemaPEN is a liquid microsampling device for the reproducible collection and storage of blood samples as dried blood spots, for subsequent quantitative analysis. We examined the device's ability to collect accurate and precise blood volumes, at different hematocrit levels, via studies using acetaminophen in human blood. We also investigated the impact of different user training approaches on device performance.

Validation of methods for determining pediatric midazolam using wet whole blood and volumetric absorptive microsampling.

Collection and quantitative analysis in dry blood using volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS™) potentially offers significant advantages over conventional wet whole blood analysis. This manuscript explores their use for pediatric sampling and explores additional considerations for the validation of the bioanalytical method. HPLC-MS/MS methods for the determination of midazolam and its major metabolite 1-OH midazolam in both whole wet blood, and dry blood collected on VAMS were developed, validated, and used to support an observational clinical study to compare pharmacokinetic parameters in pediatric patients.

Microsampling: considerations for its use in pharmaceutical drug discovery and development.

There is growing interest in the implementation of microsampling approaches for the quantitation of circulating concentrations of analytes in biological samples derived from nonclinical and clinical studies involved in drug development. This interest is partly due to the ethical advantages of taking smaller blood volumes, particularly for studies in rodents, children and the critically ill. In addition, these technologies facilitate sampling to be performed in previously intractable locations and occasions.

Reflecting on with the Senior Editors.

A previous Senior Editor, and the present Senior Editor of reflect on their journeys in the field of bioanalysis, and with the journal. They discuss the evolution and progress of journal since its launch 10 years ago, and where they would like to see it heading in the future.

Microsampling for quantitative bioanalysis, an industry update: output from an AAPS/EBF survey.

There is continuing interest in the development and application of various microsampling technologies for drug development. The AAPS bioanalytical community microsampling subgroup and the European Bioanalysis Forum conducted a survey of their members (39 individual organizations). This gives a snapshot of current practices and demonstrates that implementation of microsampling approaches is becoming increasingly commonplace, but not universal.

Passive, continuous monitoring of carbon dioxide geostorage using muon tomography.

Carbon capture and storage is a transition technology from a past and present fuelled by coal, oil and gas and a planned future dominated by renewable energy sources. The technology involves the capture of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power stations and other point sources, compression of the CO into a fluid, transporting it and injecting it deep beneath the Earth's surface into depleted petroleum reservoirs and other porous formations. Once injected, the CO must be monitored to ensure that it is emplaced and assimilated as planned and that none leaks back to surface.

Ensuring the collection of high-quality dried blood spot samples across multisite clinical studies.

Aim: The quality of quantitative analytical measurements is dependent on the quality of the sample collected, and dried blood spots (DBS) are no exception. As the use of DBS has matured into late-stage clinical drug-development studies, it has become apparent that a simple and straightforward approach in a controlled single-site, first-time-into-human clinic, does not always translate into multicenter clinical studies. Using synthetic blood, a method of training and assessing clinical laboratory staff has been developed to ensure the quality of sampling.

From patient to tube: the importance of physiologically relevant quantitative bioanalytical assays.

Circulating drug concentrations (clinical or preclinical) underly many interactions between industry and regulators; expressing safety coverage, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships or defining bioequivalence and dosing regimens. Accurate and precise measurement of these circulating concentrations is pivotal to the evolution and validation of any bioanalytical method that supports regulatory interactions. Since the bioanalyst is presented with a sub-aliquot of sampled biological matrix, how do they ensure this aliquot reflects the concentration in the subject at the time of collection? Here we share experiences from project support (internal and at CROs) that suggests we need to be ever vigilant translating the needs of bioanalysis with those of project teams.

The current skills gaps in analytical sciences are failing industry: debate at the 21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum.

21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK, 7-10 September 2015 The 21st International Reid Bioanalytical Forum held between 7 and 10 September 2015, brought together over 100 scientists from around the world, representing industry, academia and vendors, for 4 days of engaging science at the University of Surrey in Guildford, UK. The scientific program consisted of 43 podium and 23 poster presentations from key opinion leaders and those just setting out on their scientific career. The latter being the focus of the meeting.

An investigation of the comparability of commercially sourced plasma and pharmaceutical study plasma, using total protein concentration.

Background: Control blood plasma is regularly used in bioanalysis, biomarkers and proteomics, and is often obtained from commercial sources. It has always been assumed that this plasma will be comparable to plasma drawn during a drug development study.

Results: When compared using total protein concentrations, plasma from only one species (dog) demonstrated statistical comparability, plasma from all other species tested (human, rabbit, mouse and rat) shows a statistically significant difference.

Optimization of an automated IS addition system for use in high-throughput quantitative DBS analysis.

Background: Automated DBS direct elution systems are available that incorporate IS spray modules which, unlike conventional IS addition via the extraction solvent, apply IS prior to DBS samples prior to extraction, allowing analyte and IS to be coextracted.

Results: IS spray system parameters were optimized to identify the conditions that produced the best analytical performance in quantitative bioanalytical assays, without interfering with the integrity of the DBS sample prior to extraction.

Conclusion: LC-MS/MS method validations across four representative small molecule assays using the optimized IS spray conditions were demonstrated to produce analytical performance comparable to conventional methods of IS addition, demonstrating that the spray technique is a viable alternative.

DBS direct elution: optimizing performance in high-throughput quantitative LC-MS/MS analysis.

Background: Automated DBS direct elution techniques eliminate the manual extraction burden of DBS bioanalysis, offer good quantitative performance, the ability to eliminate hematocrit-based assay bias, and, previous reports have demonstrated that significant increases in assay sensitivity compared with manual DBS extraction are possible.

Results: An investigation into elucidating parameters for optimized generic DBS direct elution for high sample throughput quantitative bioanalytical applications is presented for the first time. Generic direct elution conditions were identified that enabled LC-MS/MS assay sensitivity to be maximized while retaining acceptable chromatographic performance.