The detection of drugs of abuse in biological matrices using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of ELISA and LC-MS-MS in combination and as individual techniques, for the detection of drugs of abuse in biological matrices. Overall the LC-MS-MS method showed good correlation results for opiates compared to the GC-MS method. 6-MAM was however detected in more root segments and segments excluding roots by LC-MS-MS. Morphine was detected in a greater number of root segments by LC-MS-MS compared to GC-MS. However, morphine was detected in a greater number of segments excluding roots by GC-MS. Codeine and dihydrocodeine were also detected in a greater number of root segments and segments excluding roots by GC-MS. The cocaine results showed excellent qualitative correlation between the LC-MS-MS and GC-MS methods for cocaine and benzoylecgonine. The GC-MS method did not however extract greater concentrations of cocaine and its metabolites compared to LC-MS-MS due to the higher recovery of the drug group specific GC-MS method. Cocaethylene and EME were detected in some samples by LC-MS-MS method for opiates and cocaine and its metabolites compared to the GC-MS method; there may be some cases where the GC-MS method would detect the analytes where the LC-MS-MS method would not. This has been demonstrated in 3 samples for morphine and in 6 samples for codeine. The LC-MS-MS method analysed for and detected amphetamines in samples that were not tested for amphetamines by GC-MS. In one sample that was tested by both methods, amphetamine was detected in the root sample by LC-MS-MS where GC-MS failed to detect it. Also a greater concentration of amphetamine was extracted using the LC-MS-MS method in the segment without roots. The LC-MS-MS method was useful for the analysis of 17 drugs of abuse in post-mortem hair samples in forensic toxicology cases. Using this method, it is possible to obtain maximum information from one hair sample which is extremely useful when the sample weight is limited. The ability of the LC-MS-MS method to extract and analyse a greater number of drug groups from one hair sample highlights the advantages of using this method over GC-MS which targets individual drug groups and requires splitting of the sample. This method is particularly applicable for implementation in the forensic toxicology laboratory at the University of Glasgow where currently GC-MS methods that target individual drug groups are used for routine hair screening and confirmation.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Optical and Electronic NOx Sensors for Applications in Mechatronics

Current production and emerging NOx sensors based on optical and nanomaterials technologies are reviewed. In view of their potential applications in mechatronics, we compared the performance of: i) Quantum cascade lasers (QCL) based photoacoustic (PA) systems; ii) gold nanoparticles as catalytically active materials in field-effect transistor (FET) sensors, and iii) functionalized III-V semiconductor based devices. QCL-based PA sensors for NOx show a detection limit in the sub part-per-million range and are characterized by high selectivity and compact set-up. Electrochemically synthesized gold-nanoparticle FET sensors are able to monitor NOx in a concentration range from 50 to 200 parts per million and are suitable for miniaturization. Porphyrin-functionalized III-V semiconductor materials can be used for the fabrication of a reliable NOx sensor platform characterized by high conductivity, corrosion resistance, and strong surface state coupling

Advancing health literacy through primary health care systems

Evidence from Australia and elsewhere shows that large numbers of people do not have the level of health literacy needed to navigate the health care system and manage their health. Health literacy refers to a range of abilities, from basic literacy and numeracy to more advanced skills that promote health, and help to prevent illness, maintain health care and successfully navigate the health care system for health benefit. Awareness and recognition of the significance of health literacy to support health outcomes and to ameliorate health care costs has been slow to materialise in Australia. National comprehensive policy and practice initiatives have not been developed. This systematic review addresses the question, ‘what are the characteristics of a primary health care system that supports and enables the development of health literacy and what are the drivers and barriers of such a system?’The research reported in this paper is a project of the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, which is supported by a grant from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing under the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development Strategy

A comparative study of chitosan and chitosan/cyclodextrin nanoparticles as potential carriers for oral delivery of small peptides

The aim of this study was to characterize new nanoparticles (NPs) containing chitosan (CS), or CS/cyclodextrin (CDs), and evaluate their potential for the oral delivery of the peptide glutathione (GSH). More precisely, NP formulations composed of CS, CS/a-CD and CS/sulphobutyl ether-b-cyclodextrin (SBE7mb- CD) were investigated for this application. CS/CD NPs showed particle sizes ranging from 200 to 500 nm. GSH was loaded more efficiently in CS/SBE7m-b-CD NPs by forming a complex between the tripeptide and the CD. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis suggested that GSH is located in the core of CS/SBE7m-b-CD NPs and that it is almost absent from the NP surface. Release studies performed in vitro at pH 1.2 and pH 6.8 showed that NP release properties can be modulated by selecting an appropriate CD. Transport studies performed in the frog intestine model confirmed that both CS and CS/CD nanoparticles could induce permeabilization of the intestinal epithelia. However, CS/SBE7m-b-CD NPs provided absorption-enhancing properties in all segments of the duodenum, whereas CS NPs effect was restricted to the first segment of the duodenum. From the data obtained, we believe that CS/CD nanoparticles might represent an interesting technological platform for the oral administration of small peptides

A comparative study of chitosan and chitosan/cyclodextrin nanoparticles as oral carriers of small peptides

The aim of this study was to characterize new nanoparticles (NPs) containing chitosan (CS), or CS/cyclodextrin (CDs), and evaluate their potential for the oral delivery of the peptide glutathione (GSH). More precisely, NP formulations composed of CS, CS/a-CD and CS/sulphobutyl ether-b-cyclodextrin (SBE7mb- CD) were investigated for this application. CS/CD NPs showed particle sizes ranging from 200 to 500 nm. GSH was loaded more efficiently in CS/SBE7m-b-CD NPs by forming a complex between the tripeptide and the CD. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis suggested that GSH is located in the core of CS/SBE7m-b-CD NPs and that it is almost absent from the NP surface. Release studies performed in vitro at pH 1.2 and pH 6.8 showed that NP release properties can be modulated by selecting an appropriate CD. Transport studies performed in the frog intestine model confirmed that both CS and CS/CD nanoparticles could induce permeabilization of the intestinal epithelia. However, CS/SBE7m-b-CD NPs provided absorption-enhancing properties in all segments of the duodenum, whereas CS NPs effect was restricted to the first segment of the duodenum. From the data obtained, we believe that CS/CD nanoparticles might represent an interesting technological platform for the oral administration of small peptides

http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-68228 ELECTROSYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF GOLD NANOPARTICLES FOR ELECTRONIC CAPACITANCE SENSING OF POLLUTANTS

Electrosynthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles for electronic capacitance sensing of pollutant