Multi-drug ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify antimicrobials in feeding stuffs at carry-over level.

RATIONALE: Carry-over is an undesirable contamination from medicated to non-medicated during the production of feedingstuffs. In 2014 the European Parliament and the Council started working to produce a new regulatory act that will fix tolerable levels of drugs by carry-over in non-target feed to have a harmonized practice to evaluate this contamination by veterinary drugs. METHODS: We developed a rapid and effective multi-analyte method coupling ultraperformance liquid chromatography to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) for the detection of 37 drugs belonging to different classes of antimicrobials (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, macrolides, quinolones, pleuromutilins and streptogramins) in feeds at carry-over levels. The method was in-house validated in the concentration range 0.25-2.0 mg kg-1 , according to the Regulation (UE) 2017/625 requirements and the guideline included in the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC for official methods. RESULTS: The UPLC/MS/MS method allows the determination of the antimicrobials in 15 min, by providing results compliant to the criteria established by the European Commission legislation. All the analytes showed a limit of detection (LOD) in the range 2.0-5.0 µg kg-1 and a limit of quantification (LOQ) at 10.0 µg kg-1 ; oxytetracycline, doxycycline, spiramycin and virginiamycin have a higher LOD and LOQ (15.0 µg kg-1 ; 30.0 µg kg-1 , respectively). Recoveries were satisfactory ranging from 90.4% to 103.1%. CONCLUSIONS: The method is characterized by an effective clean-up of all drugs without the use of large sample size and organic solvent extraction.

IPM Strategy to Control EFB in Apis mellifera: Oxytetracycline Treatment Combined with Partial Shook Swarm and Queen Caging.

We tested an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy to control European foulbrood (EFB) in honey bees. Colonies affected by EFB were assigned to two homogenous groups: an oxytetracycline-treated group (1.5 g OTC/hive) that underwent partial shook swarm (PSS) in combination with queen caging (QC) and an untreated group where only two beekeeping techniques, PSS and QC, were applied. The consumption of sucrose solution, the strength of the colonies, side effects of the mentioned techniques, clinical as well as subclinical relapses of EFB, and the amount of OTC residues in the honey were assessed over a 7-month-long monitoring period. Regarding the consumption of the sucrose solution, there was no significant difference between the OTC-treated and untreated groups. The strength of the untreated colonies was consistently but not significantly higher than those treated with OTC. PSS combined with QC resulted in various side effects in both groups: queen loss (52%), absconding (8%), and drone-laying queen (4%). Untreated colonies (16.7%) showed clinical EFB relapses 4 months after the application of PSS along with QC, while 15.4% of the OTC-treated colonies were confirmed EFB-positive by PCR. OTC residues were detected in the honey yielded in the cases of both groups. Two months after the PSS, the amount of OTC residues in the untreated group was 0.6 ± 0.2 µg/kg, while that in the OTC-treated group amounted to 5.8 ± 11.6 µg/kg; both results are below the maximum residue limit (MRL) of 100 ppb considered in the EU for cascade use.

A simple and sensitive method for the determination of methylene blue and its analogues in fish muscle using UPLC-MS/MS.

A new, simple and sensitive method for determining and confirming methylene blue and its analogues such as azure A, azure B, azure C, thionine, and new methylene blue in fish muscles have been developed. The method is based on acetonitrile extraction followed by extract purification using dispersive solid-phase extraction (dSPE) with basic aluminium oxide (ALN) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) using primary and secondary amines (PSA) sorbent in matrix adsorption mode. The separation and detection of the dyes in the fish extract are achieved within 5 min by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) using an octadecyl analytical column with a mixture of acetonitrile, methanol and 0.1% formic acid as a mobile phase in gradient elution. The developed method has been in-house validated according to European law. The method recovery for fish muscle was 98.3-103.1%, whereas the decision limit (CCα) was from 0.45 to 0.49 µg kg-1.

LC-HRMS analysis of 13 classes of pharmaceutical substances in food supplements.

Food supplements should not contain substances considered unsafe or pose a health risk to consumers. In recent years illegal adulterants have been found in various functional foods without notification of their presence or amount in the labelling. In this study, a validated method was developed and applied as a screening method to detect 124 forbidden substances belonging to 13 classes of compounds in food supplements. Liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) and a simple and rapid extraction protocol was applied to 110 food supplements collected from the internet market or during official controls in Italy. The percentage of non-compliant samples was 4.5%, relatively high compared with the official control results for these substances usually obtained on other food matrices. The results suggested the need to strengthen controls in this field to detect food supplement adulteration, which represents a potential health risk for the consumer.

Determination of nandrolone metabolites in human urine: comparison between liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) is an androgenic anabolic steroid illegally used as a growth-promoting agent in animal breeding and as a performance enhancer in athletics. Therefore, its use was officially banned in 1974 by the Medical Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Following nandrolone administration, the main metabolites in humans are 19-norandrosterone, 19-norethiocolanolone and 19-norepiandrosterone, and their presence in urine is the basis of detecting its abuse. The present work was undertaken to determine, in human urine, nandrolone metabolites (phase I and phase II) by developing and comparing multiresidue liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) methods. A double extraction by solid-phase extraction (SPE) was necessary for the complete elimination of the interfering compounds. The proposed methods were also tested on a real positive sample, and they allow us to determine the conjugated/free fractions ratio reducing the risk of false positive or misleading results and they should allow laboratories involved in doping control analysis to monitor the illegal use of steroids. The advantages of LC/MS/MS over GC/MS (which is the technique mainly used) include the elimination of the hydrolysis and derivatization steps: it is known that during enzymatic hydrolysis several steroids can be converted into related compounds and deconjugation is not always 100% effective. The validation parameters for the two methods were similar (limit of quantification (LOQ) <1 ng/mL and percentage coefficient of variance (CV%) <16.4), and both were able to confirm unambiguously all the analytes, thus confirming the validity of both techniques.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) food supplements and hepatotoxicity: an integrated evaluation approach.

INTRODUCTION: Turmeric is the common name for the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. In the recent years, food supplements containing turmeric have been marketed and widely used by an increasing number of consumers. Spontaneous reports of suspected adverse reactions to food supplements are collected within the Phytovigilance system. METHODS: An ad hoc multidisciplinary group investigated the suspected cases of hepatotoxicity reported to the Italian Phytovigilance system associated with the assumption of turmeric food supplements with the methodology specific to pharmacovigilance as well as for the evaluation of the quality and safety of food supplements. RESULTS: A cluster of 28 spontaneous reports of acute hepatitis, mostly with cholestasis, associated with turmeric products were sent to the Italian Phytovigilance system in the first six months of 2019. In all cases, except one, the causality assessment was at least possible. The suspected products were collected and analysed for the presence of drugs, heavy metals, aflatoxins, pesticides, synthetic dyes and pyrrolizidine alkaloids. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the results of all the activities performed by multidisciplinary group, regulatory intervention was taken. This study highlights the importance of developing an integrated evaluation approach for the evaluation of the adverse effects associated with the use of food supplements.

Death of captive-bred vultures caused by flunixin poisoning in Italy.

Among non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) diclofenac is considered the main cause for the decline of vulture populations in the Indian subcontinent since the '90 s. Chemical analysis showed high levels of flunixin (31,350 µg/kg) in beef which three captive Gyps vultures fed on, later dying with severe visceral gout. Levels in dead vultures' organs and tissues ranged from 4 to 38.5 µg/kg. The typical lesions and the concentrations found in beef indicate flunixin as the cause of death. This is the first observational study which correlates the concentration of flunixin in the meat ingested with that found in tissues of vultures.

Analysis of beta-agonist residues in bovine hair: Development of a UPLC-MS/MS method and stability study.

Beta-sympathomimetic compounds are widely used in therapy because of the bronchodilator, smooth muscle-relaxant and tocolytic properties. However, their growth promoting and performance enhancing effects are often subject to illegal use. The present work describes the development of a fast and reliable analytical multiresidue method for the confirmation 20 ß-agonist compounds in animal hair. The procedure is based on alkaline digestion, LLE with organic solvents, SPE clean up and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analysis, and is suitable for the public Official control of ß-agonist residues in hair sample. Validation was performed according to Commission Decision 2002/657/EC requirements. Independent samples spiked with the investigated compounds in the range 0.2-10.0µgkg-1 are showing intra-day and inter-day precision (RSD) lower than 17.8% and 19.7%, respectively. Linearity, measured in the range of 0.1-10.0µgkg-1, resulted with a Pearson's r>0.996. The decision limits (CCα) for the all investigated beta agonists resulted in the range 0.2-1.0µgkg-1. Furthermore, the method was tested on real hair samples obtained from cattle, known as positive to clenbuterol, in order to check its effectiveness and the ß-agonists stability.

High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry validation of medroxyprogesterone acetate in products of pork origin and serum.

Different extraction and purification methods are described here to determine medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in pork meat and serum. Spiked samples are investigated over the concentration range of MPA 0.5-20 ng/g. Pork meat tissues are subjected to extraction using organic solvent, and pork serum is simply diluted with acetate buffer. Clean-up is performed using solid-phase extraction on a C18 cartridge, and MPA is eluted with ethanol. Aliquots are injected into a high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system. MPA content is determined on the basis of m/z 387-327 and 387-123 transitions.

Body dysmorphic disorder: A complex and polymorphic affection.

BACKGROUND: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is defined as a syndrome characterized by an excessive preoccupation because of a presumed or minimal physical flaw in appearance that polarizes the energies of the subject. So far, its specular aspect, represented by the presence of an evident physical defect that is not recognized or is even denied and neglected, has been disregarded. The aim of our study was to examine the individual and relational meaning of BDD and to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral and medical-aesthetical treatments. METHODS AND RESULTS: We describe two subjects with BDD, diagnosed by clinical interviews and test. Both patients were compliant to cognitive-behavioral approach. One out of two subjects underwent aesthetical treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive-behavioral therapy stimulates self-consciousness, rebuilds the body image, promotes health care, and improves relational capacity. Moreover, it ensures the success of any medical and/or surgical procedures by preventing unrealistic expectations. Lastly, it contributes to the definition of worldwide shared behavioral models.