Two Cases of ROSAH-Like Syndrome Restricted to the Ophthalmologic Presentation.

Purpose: To report the clinical presentation and follow-up, including the optical coherence tomography, angiography and electrophysiology of two individuals from the same family presenting with an isolated retinal dystrophy and optic nerve edema who were diagnosed with ROSAH-like syndrome.

Method: Observational case report of a 55-year-old woman and her 36-year-old son with a genetic analysis of ROSAH, after a long-term follow-up.

Results: Both the mother and her son displayed severe optic nerve infiltration and retinal pigment atrophy with intraocular inflammation, which were not improved by immunosuppressive treatment.

Column Screening and Development of HILIC and RPLC Methods Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Monitoring of Albumin on Cysteine 34 Exposed to Mustard Agents.

Adduction on protein nucleophile sites by mustard agents can be monitored to assess detection of retrospective exposure to these agents. Cysteine 34 (Cys34) on human serum albumin was selected as the target of choice. This work targets di- and tripeptides adducted on Cys34 by sulfur mustard, sesquimustard, and nitrogen mustards separated in hydrophilic liquid chromatography (HILIC) and Reversed-Phase (RP) mode.

Preparation and characterization of aptamer-based sorbent for the selective extraction of zearalenone and its derivatives from human urine.

The aim of this work is the development of a biomimetic strategy involving a molecular recognition mechanism using aptamers immobilized on a solid support for the analysis of the mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEA) and two of its derivatives in human urine: alpha-zearelenol (α-ZEL) and beta-zearelenol (β-ZEL). Three oligonucleotide sequences reported in the literature as being specific to ZEA were thus covalently grafted onto activated sepharose, and a thorough study of the percolation and washing conditions was performed to promote the selective retention of the three targeted compounds. With the optimized extraction procedure, a strong and selective retention was obtained for ZEA and to a lesser extent α-ZEL and β-ZEL, with extraction recoveries of 88±9%, 77±15%, and 45±12% respectively, in standard solutions.

Evaluation of Jacalin lectin sorbents for the extraction of the human chorionic gonadotropin glycoforms prior to analysis by nano liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a dimeric, highly glycosylated hormone with a total of 4 N- and 4 O-glycosylation sites in its two subunits, hCGα and hCGβ. Recently, we developed a novel nano liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (nanoLC-HRMS) method for the analysis and thus the detection of the intact glycoforms of hCG. Here, a sorbent functionalized with the Jacalin lectin was evaluated in solid-phase extraction (SPE) for its potential to fractionate the hCG glycoforms prior to their nanoLC-HRMS analysis at the intact level, which may facilitate the detection of low-abundance glycoforms and may lead to a more detailed characterization of the hormone glycosylation.

Salt assisted liquid-liquid extraction combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the determination of 24 regulated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in human serum.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants of great concern due to their carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Their determination in human serum, particularly in at-risk populations, is necessary but difficult because they are distributed over a wide range of polarity and are present at trace level. A new method combining salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with solidification of floating organic drop (DLLME-SFO) adapted to a reduced volume of sample (100 µl) was developed to determine 24 PAHs in human serum.

Use of the dummy approach for the synthesis of ion imprinted polymers with Ni(II) or Zn(II) as template ion for the solid-phase extraction of Cu(II).

There is a strong interest in monitoring copper in environmental waters, but its direct analysis suffers from strong matrix interferences. This is why, a sample pretreatment based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) is often used but conventional sorbents usually lack specificity. It is overcome with ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs).

Characterization of Concanavalin A-based lectin sorbents for the extraction of the human chorionic gonadotropin glycoforms prior to analysis by nano liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is constituted of the hCGα and hCGβ subunits and is a highly glycosylated protein. Affinity supports based on immobilized Concanavalin A (Con A) lectin were used in solid phase extraction (SPE) to fractionate the hCG glycoforms according to their glycosylation state. For the first time, the lectin SPE fractions were off-line analysed by a nano liquid chromatography - high-resolution mass spectrometry (nanoLC-HRMS) method keeping the glycoforms intact.

Novel oligonucleotide-based sorbent for the selective extraction of cadmium from serum samples.

The objective was to develop a sorbent functionalized with aptamers for the selective extraction of cadmium from biological samples. Two oligonucleotide sequences reported in literature as specific to cadmium were covalently grafted on activated Sepharose, with grafting yields of 45%. Once the supports packed in cartridges, a thorough study of the percolation conditions favoring Cd(II) retention was performed, demonstrating the importance of the nature of this medium.

Development of setups for real-time analysis of the effluent of a microreactor by mass spectrometry.

Monitoring a synthesis reaction in real time could allow not only the detection of the intermediates involved in the synthesis, to better understand its mechanisms, but also the impurities. Spectroscopic methods could be performed but are not so performant when analyzing complex mixtures and could require specific properties for the detection of the molecules of interest, the presence of a chromophore moiety for example. Mass spectrometry (MS) may overcome these limitations and is able to reach the accuracy and sensitivity required to efficiently detect, quantify, identify, and characterize the reagents and species produced during the synthesis.

Analytical methods based on liquid chromatography for the analysis of albumin adducts involved in retrospective biomonitoring of exposure to mustard agents.

The objective of the present review is to list, describe, compare, and critically analyze the main procedures developed in the last 20 years for the analysis of digested alkylated peptides, resulting from the adduction of albumin by different mustard agents, and that can be used as biomarkers of exposure to these chemical agents. While many biomarkers of sulfur mustard, its analogues, and nitrogen mustards can easily be collected in urine such as their hydrolysis products, albumin adducts require blood or plasma collection to be analyzed. Nonetheless, albumin adducts offer a wider period of detectability in human exposed patients than urine found biomarkers with detection up to 25 days after exposure to the chemical agent.

Solid-phase immunoextraction followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the selective determination of thyroxine in human serum.

In this work, an analytical method based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis (LC-MS/MS) has been developed for the selective determination of thyroxine (T4) in human serum. For this purpose, two immunosorbents (ISs) specific to T4 were synthesized by grafting two different T4-specific monoclonal antibodies on a cyanogen bromide (CNBr)-activated-Sepharose® 4B solid support. The grafting yields obtained from the immobilization of each antibody on the CNBr-activated-Sepharose® 4B were over 90%, demonstrating that most of the antibodies were covalently bound to the solid support.

Tight genetic linkage of genes causing hybrid necrosis and pollinator isolation between young species.

The mechanisms of reproductive isolation that cause phenotypic diversification and eventually speciation are a major topic of evolutionary research. Hybrid necrosis is a post-zygotic isolation mechanism in which cell death develops in the absence of pathogens. It is often due to the incompatibility between proteins from two parents.

Development of ion-imprinted polymers for the selective extraction of Cu(II) ions in environmental waters.

Several ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) were synthesized via bulk polymerization with Cu(II) as template ion, methacrylic acid as functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinking agent, and azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator in acetonitrile or methanol as porogen solvent. Non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) were similarly synthesized but without Cu(II). After grounding and sieving, the template ions were removed from IIPs particles through several cycles of elimination in 3 M HCl.

Untargeted Metabolomic Approach to Study the Impact of Aging on Salivary Metabolome in Women.

Despite the growing interest in salivary metabolomics, few studies have investigated the impact of aging on the salivary metabolome. The alterations in metabolic pathways that occur with aging are likely to be observed in pathologies affecting older people and may interfere with the search for salivary biomarkers. It is therefore important to investigate the age-related changes occurring in the salivary metabolome.

Access to Anti-Biofilm Compounds from Endolichenic Fungi Using a Bioguided Networking Screening.

Endolichenic microorganisms represent a new source of bioactive natural compounds. Lichens, resulting from a symbiotic association between algae or cyanobacteria and fungi, constitute an original ecological niche for these microorganisms. Endolichenic fungi inhabiting inside the lichen thallus have been isolated and characterized.

Development of analytical methods to study the salivary metabolome: impact of the sampling.

Advances in metabolomics have allowed the identification and characterization of saliva metabolites that can be used as biomarkers. However, discrepancies can be noted with the content of the same biomarker being increased or decreased for a given disease. Differences in the way saliva is collected, stored, and/or treated could cause these discrepancies.

Determination of nerve agent biomarkers in human urine by a natural hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent-parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction technique.

Alkyl methyl phosphonic acids (AMPAs) are the major metabolites of organophosphorus nerve agents. A method based on the use of natural hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents as supported liquid membrane in parallel artificial liquid microextraction (PALME) combined with LC-MS/MS analysis was developed and applied to their extraction from urine samples. PALME is a miniaturized liquid-phase extraction method performed in a multiwell plate format where the aqueous sample and the aqueous acceptor phase are separated by a flat membrane impregnated with an organic solvent.

Analysis of long-lived sulfur mustard-human hemoglobin adducts in blood samples by red blood cells lysis and on-line coupling of digestion on an immobilized-trypsin reactor with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

As a highly alkylating chemical warfare agent, sulfur mustard reacts with blood proteins such as hemoglobin to form long-lived hydroxyethylthioethyl adducts that can be used as biomarkers of exposure. An optimized method was developed for the extraction of hemoglobin from blood samples. This procedure, involving the hemolysis of the red blood cells by freezing at -80 °C in two cycles of 1 h, followed by the purification of the lysate by ultrafiltration on 100 and 50 kDa cutoff centrifugal devices, was then applied to the extraction of hemoglobin from blood samples spiked with sulfur mustard at different concentrations (ranging from 0.

Ra and Cs determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: state of the art and perspectives including sample pretreatment and separation steps.

Achieving precise and accurate quantification of radium (Ra) and cesium (Cs) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is of particular interest in the field of radiological monitoring and more widely in environmental and biological sciences. However, the accuracy and sensitivity of the quantification depend on the analytical strategy implemented. Eliminating interferences during the sample handling step and/or during the analysis step is critical since presence of matrix elements can lead to spectral and non-spectral interferences in ICP-MS.

Parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction of organophosphorus nerve agent degradation products from environmental samples.

An emerging miniaturized high-throughput microextraction technique named Parallel artificial liquid membrane extraction (PALME) was, for the first time, investigated for the extraction of polar alkyl methylphosphonic acids (AMPAs) that are the degradation products of organophosphorus nerve agents. The effect of the key-parameters of the extraction method (nature of the membrane, of the extraction solvent, of the pH values of both donor and acceptor phases, agitation speed, extraction time, temperature and ionic strength) on the extraction recoveries was studied in spiked pure water samples. This led to extraction recoveries in the range of 25-102% for the 5 targeted analytes from water with enrichment factors in the range of 4.

Development of an immobilized-trypsin reactor coupled to liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of human hemoglobin adducts with sulfur mustard.

Sulfur mustard reacts with blood proteins, such as hemoglobin, to form stable adducts that can be used as long-lived biomarkers of exposure. These adducts can be analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) after an enzymatic digestion step. The objective of this study was to develop trypsin-based immobilized enzyme reactors (IMERs) in order to obtain a faster digestion of hemoglobin than the conventional in-solution digestion.

Recent Advances in Lectin-Based Affinity Sorbents for Protein Glycosylation Studies.

Glycosylation is one of the most significant post-translational modifications occurring to proteins, since it affects some of their basic properties, such as their half-life or biological activity. The developments in analytical methodologies has greatly contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the glycosylation state of proteins. Despite those advances, the difficulty of a full characterization of glycosylation still remains, mainly due to the complexity of the glycoprotein and/or glycopeptide mixture especially when they are present in complex biological samples.

Simplified miniaturized analytical set-up based on molecularly imprinted polymer directly coupled to UV detection for the determination of benzoylecgonine in urine.

A simple, selective, and sensitive method involving a miniaturized solid phase extraction step based on a monolithic molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) directly coupled on-line to UV detection was developed for the determination of benzoylecgonine (BZE) in complex biological samples. Monolithic MIPs were prepared into 100 μm internal diameter fused-silica capillaries either by thermal or photopolymerization. While leading to similar selectivities with respect to BZE, photopolymerization has made it possible to produce monoliths of different lengths that can be adapted to the targeted miniaturized application.