Search

Objectives: SLE patients have an enhanced risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. However, the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease is not fully explained by traditional Framingham cardiovascular risk factors. Specific features of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, other than plasma concentration, may induce accelerated atherosclerosis at early stages in these patients. Thus, we aimed to explore the impact of LDL from both active and inactive SLE patients on human aortic endothelial cells., Methods: Human aortic endothelial cells were stimulated with the same concentration of LDL particles isolated from pooled serum that was collected from 13 SLE patients during both active and inactive states. Gene expression and cell migration assays were performed., Results: Circulating LDL particles obtained from healthy volunteers and SLE patients in both remission and flare states were comparable in terms of number, cholesterol and triglyceride content, and net electric charge. Stimulation of cells with LDL from active SLE patients induced the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (∼2.0-fold, P < 0.05), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (∼2.0-fold, P < 0.05) and matrix metallopeptidase 2 (∼1.6-fold, P < 0.01) compared with cells stimulated with LDL from inactive SLE patients. Additionally, LDL extracted from active patients increased cell migration in a wound-healing assay (1.4-fold, P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Our data show that, at the same LDL concentration, LDL from active SLE patients had increased proatherogenic effects on endothelial cells compared with LDL from the same patients when in an inactive or remission state., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

An interlaboratory trial for determination of zearalenone (ZON) in baby food and animal feed was conducted. The study involved 39 participants in 16 European Union member states, as well as Turkey, Uruguay, and China, representing a cross-section of industry, and official food control and research institutes. The method is based on immunoaffinity column cleanup followed by high-performance liquid chromatography using fluorimetry (HPLC-FI). The test portion of the sample is extracted with methanol-water (75 + 25, v/v). The sample extract is filtered, diluted, and passed over an immunoaffinity column. ZON is eluted with methanol. The separation and determination of ZON is performed by reversed-phase HPLC-FI with an excitation wavelength of 274 nm and an emission wavelength of 446 nm. Test portions of the samples were spiked at levels of 20 and 30 microg/kg ZON in baby food and at levels of 100 and 150 microg/kg ZON in animal feed. Mean recoveries from each participant ranged from 78 to 119% with an average value of 92% for baby food and from 51 to 122% with an average value of 74% for animal feed. Based on results for spiked samples (blind duplicates at 2 levels), as well as naturally contaminated samples (blind duplicates at 3 levels), the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr) in baby food ranged from 2.8 to 9.0%. For animal feed, this value ranged from 5.7 to 9.5%. The relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR) in baby food ranged from 8.2 to 13.3%, and for animal feed this value ranged from 15.5 to 21.4%. The Horwitz ratio (HorRat) in baby food ranged from 0.3 to 0.4, and for animal feed this value ranged from 0.6 to 0.9. The method showed acceptable within- and between-laboratory precision for each matrix, as required by European legislation.

An interlaboratory study was conducted for the determination of deoxynivalenol in baby food and animal feed by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The study included 14 participants representing a cross section of industry, official food control, and research facilities. Mean recoveries reported ranged from 89% (at 120 microg/kg) to 85% (at 240 microg/kg) for baby food and from 100% (at 200 microg/kg) to 93% (at 400 microg/kg) for animal feed. On the basis of the results for spiked samples (blind duplicates at 2 levels), as well as those for naturally contaminated samples (blind duplicates at 3 levels), the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr) in analyses of baby food ranged from 6.4 to 14.0% and in analyses of animal feed, from 6.1 to 16.5%. The relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR) in analyses of baby food ranged from 9.4 to 19.5% and in analyses of animal feed, from 10.5 to 25.2%. The HorRat values ranged from 0.4 to 1.0 and from 0.7 to 1.3, for baby food and animal feed, respectively. The method showed acceptable performance for within-laboratory and between-laboratory precision for each matrix, as required by European legislation.

A method was developed for the determination of aflatoxin B1 in medical herbs (senna pods, botanical name Cassia angustifolia; devil's claw, botanical name Harpagophytum procumbens; and ginger roots, botanical name Zingiber officinale). The method, which was tested in a mini-collaborative study by 4 laboratories, is based on an immunoaffinity cleanup followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography separation and fluorescence detection after post-column derivatization. It allows the quantitation of aflatoxin B1 at levels lower than 2 ng/g. A second extractant (acetone-water) was tested and compared to the proposed methanol-water extractant. Several post-column derivatization options (electrochemically generated bromine, photochemical reaction, and chemical bromination) as well as different integration modes (height versus area) were also investigated. No differences were found depending on the choice of derivatization system or the signal integration mode used. The method was tested for 3 different matrixes: senna pods, ginger root, and devil's claw. Performance characteristics were established from the results of the study and resulted in HorRat values ranging from 0.12 to 0.75 with mean recoveries from 78 to 91% for the extraction with methanol-water and HorRat values ranging from 0.10-1.03 with mean recoveries from 98 to 103% for the extraction with acetone-water. As a result, the method, with all tested variations, was found to be fit-for-purpose for the determination of aflatoxin B1 in medical herbs at levels of 1 microg/kg and above.

An interlaboratory trial for the determination of patulin in apple juice and fruit puree was conducted, involving 17 participants representing a cross section of industry, official food control, and research facilities. Mean recoveries reported ranged from 74 (10 ng/g) to 62% (25 ng/g) for apple juice and from 72 (25 ng/g) to 74% (10 ng/g) for fruit puree. Based on results for spiked samples (blind pairs at 2 levels), as well as naturally contaminated samples (blind pairs at 3 levels), the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr) in juice ranged from 8.0 to 14.3% and in puree from 3.5 to 9.3%. The relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSD(R)) in juice ranged from 19.8 to 39.5% and in puree from 12.5 to 35.2%, reflecting HORRAT values from 0.6 to 1.0 for juice and 0.4 to 0.9 for puree. The method showed acceptable within-laboratory and between-laboratory precision for each matrix, as required by current European legislation.

Plasma levels of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography in 19 patients with psoriasis who were receiving bath-PUVA treatment, at different time points after the psoralen bath. The levels of 8-MOP varied between < 5 ng/ml (lower limit of detection) and 34 ng/ml, and we found a relationship between the plasma psoralen levels and the severity of the disease.