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The ancient Egyptians embalmed meat mummies as an afterlife snack in the same way as their dead, according to the findings of a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis.

This article describes the analysis of fluorescently labelled N-glycans released from proteins by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS).

Shoulders in gel permeation/size-exclusion chromatograms (GPC/SEC) can be a result of sample characteristics or down to the wrong choice of columns or column combinations. Proper selection helps to measure true results.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) evades clearance by the immune system by hijacking the very traps it produces, transforming these same traps into a toxic compound according to a paper published in Science.1 Scientists from the University of Chicago (Chicago, USA) used high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS) to identify the toxin as 2"-deoxyadenosine (dAdo).

Click here to view the full European E-newsletter from December 5.

Therapure Biopharma (Ontario, Canada) has entered into an agreement with Upfront Chromatography (Copenhagen, Denmark) to acquire assets and associated business related to human plasma fractionation from Upfront. As part of the deal Therapure will acquire proprietary protein purification technology based on expanded bed chromatography, along with exclusive rights to commercialize the technology.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) evades clearance by the immune system by hijacking the very traps it produces, transforming these same traps into a toxic compound according to a paper published in Science.1 Scientists from the University of Chicago (Chicago, USA) used high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC?MS) to identify the toxin as 2?-deoxyadenosine (dAdo).

Shimadzu?s new LCMS-8050 triple quadrupole LC-MS/MS meets the growing demand for trace-level quantitation in clinical research and other markets. It incorporates proprietary ultrafast technologies as well as a newly developed ion source and collision cell technology.

In this instalment Ron Majors discusses new sample preparation media that could result in improved or even "breakaway" performance for solid–liquid extractions. Some of these sorbents are based on new novel bonded phases to existing media while others are based on new extraction phases, such as carbon on silica, other metal oxides, or polymeric media. With resulting new selectivities, sample preparation could be performed more quickly in fewer steps than typical of usual adsorbents

Why do some peaks front and others don't in the same method?

There are many "minor" variables in GC–MS analysis that can be optimized to improve selectivity or sensitivity. Knowing how to manually optimize the detector settings leads to better quality data.

Some solid–liquid extraction sorbents that have had significant development recently include MIPs, dSPE for QuEChERS, nanomaterials, and mixed-mode and silicone monolith sorbents.

A review of the 7th International Symposium on Packed Column SFC (SFC 2013), which was held in Boston, Massachusetts, from July 10 to 12, 2013.

Click the title above to open the LCGC Europe December 2013 regular issue, Vol 26 No 12, in an interactive PDF format.

Click the title above to open the LCGC North America December 2013 regular issue, Vol 31 No 12, in an interactive PDF format.

Click the title above to open the LCGC North America December 2013 Corporate Capabilities Supplement, Vol 31 No s12, in an interactive PDF format.

Agilent Technologies (California, USA) is to collaborate with the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (Brisbane, Australia) to further understanding of the genomic differences governing oral cancer. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, oral cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide.

Agilent Technologies (California, USA) is to collaborate with the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (Brisbane, Australia) to further understanding of the genomic differences governing oral cancer. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, oral cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide.

Click here to view the full European E-newsletter from 28 November.

PerkinElmer (Massachusetts, USA) has appointed Jon DiVincenzo as President, Environmental Health and Senior Vice President. DiVincenzo will take responsibility for the company?s environmental health business, which focuses on ensuring safer food and a cleaner environment.

Pumping Technologies

Kromasil UHPLC columns with 1.8 ?m spherical silica particles are the latest addition to the Classic Kromasil product line. With the highest efficiency, they will give you the best resolution with minimized turnaround time and laboratory costs.

LCGC North America Edit Calendar

The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) (Maryland, USA) has announced that it will join the ?Fight the Fakes? campaign to raise awareness of counterfeit and substandard medicines.

This article describes analyte adsorption in vials with reduced surface activity compared to those made from standard borosilicate glass.

Scientists from San Pablo CEU University (Madrid, Spain) have developed a non-targeted global fingerprinting approach for lung tissue samples by performing three analytical methods ? liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS), gas chromatography coupled to MS (GC?MS), and capillary electrophoresis coupled to MS (CE–MS). Published in the journal Analytical Chemistry, the study details the development and validation of the multi-platform approach using 20 mg of lung tissue.1

Donna Nelson of the University of Oklahoma, USA, and scientific advisor to the hit television show Breaking Bad spoke to The Column about her research in academia, as well as her role on the show.

Scientists from the Duke Medical Center (North Carolina, USA) and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami (Florida, USA) have performed liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC?MS) to identify a new diagnostic marker of Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in patient urine samples.1 RP is a disease of the eye that causes retina degradation and can result in blindness. Often inherited, it has multiple contributing genetic mutations and there is no treatment available.

The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) has announced plans to invest up to $105 million between 2015 and 2017 to support research consortia investigating the effect and impacts of hydrocarbon release into the environment. The funding will be awarded to four or more institutions over two years, under the program known as RFP?IV. GoMRI report that each team will be funded between $1 million and $7.5 million per year.

Potentially dangerous levels of the methamphetamine analogue, N, ??diethyl?phenylethylamine (N, ? -DEPEA), have been detected in a widely available dietary supplement using ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS). The supplement, Craze, can be bought in the USA and from on-line retailers. The findings have been published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis by a team of scientists from Harvard Medical School (Massachusetts, USA), NSF International (Missouri, USA), and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Health Protection Center (Bilthoven, The Netherlands).1