Proficiency test for antibiotics in beef

The aim of this proficiency study was to give laboratories the possibility to evaluate or demonstrate their competence for the analysis of antibiotics in bovine tissues, including the screening analysis. This study also provided an evaluation of the methods applied for screening and quantitative and confirmatory analysis of antibiotics in beef

Proficiency test for antibiotics in bovine muscle

The aim of this proficiency study was to give laboratories the possibility to evaluate or demonstrate their competence for the analysis of antibiotics in bovine muscle, including the screening analysis. This study also provided an evaluation of the methods applied for screening and quantitative confirmatory analysis of antibiotics in bovine muscle

Generic sample preparation combined with high-resolution liquid chromatography- time-of-flight mass spectrometry for unification of urine screening in doping-control laboratories

A unification of doping-control screening procedures of prohibited small molecule substances—including stimulants, narcotics, steroids, ß2-agonists and diuretics—is highly urgent in order to free resources for new classes such as banned proteins. Conceptually this may be achieved by the use of a combination of one gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry method and one liquid chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry method. In this work a quantitative screening method using high-resolution liquid chromatography in combination with accurate-mass time-of-flight mass spectrometry was developed and validated for determination of glucocorticosteroids, ß2-agonists, thiazide diuretics, and narcotics and stimulants in urine. To enable the simultaneous isolation of all the compounds of interest and the necessary purification of the resulting extracts, a generic extraction and hydrolysis procedure was combined with a solid-phase extraction modified for these groups of compounds. All 56 compounds are determined using positive electrospray ionisation with the exception of the thiazide diuretics for which the best sensitivity was obtained by using negative electrospray ionisation. The results show that, with the exception of clenhexyl, procaterol, and reproterol, all compounds can be detected below the respective minimum required performance level and the results for linearity, repeatability, within-lab reproducibility, and accuracy show that the method can be used for quantitative screening. If qualitative screening is sufficient the instrumental analysis may be limited to positive ionisation, because all analytes including the thiazides can be detected at the respective minimum required levels in the positive mode. The results show that the application of accurate-mass time-of-flight mass spectrometry in combination with generic extraction and purification procedures is suitable for unification and expansion of the window of screening methods of doping laboratories. Moreover, the full-scan accurate-mass data sets obtained still allow retrospective examination for emerging doping agents, without re-analyzing the samples

Protoplanetary disks and exoplanets in scattered light

High-contrast imaging facilitates the direct detection of protoplanetary disks in scattered light and self-luminous exoplanets on long-period orbits. The combined power of extreme adaptive optics and differential imaging techniques delivers high spatial resolution images of disk morphologies down to several astronomical units from the star. The distribution of the small dust grains in the disk surface provides important clues about the processes that drive disk evolution and the shaping effects of embedded planets on their circumstellar environment. The scattered light is also imprinted by the properties of the dust particles through their color and angle of scattering. In this thesis, a new scattering radiative transfer code for exoplanet atmospheres is presented which is used to predict the polarization signal from young gas giants with atmospheric cloud variations and circumplanetary disks. Furthermore, four protoplanetary disks are studied in scattered light with the SPHERE instrument at the Very Large Telescope. Intriguing substructures and brightness asymmetries are revealed in all disks including shadows, spiral arms, gaps and cavities. The structure and dynamics of the innermost disk regions are investigated with shadows that are cast on the outer disk while the detected spiral arms, gaps and cavities are used as tracers for embedded planets. The disk structure and dust properties are quantified with three-dimensional radiative transfer simulations. Additionally, a numerical method is developed that allows for a more precise determination of the scattering phase function of the dust by considering the geometry of the disk surface

Rethinking the law school

Law, by its very nature, tends to think locally, not globally. This book has a broader scope in terms of the range of nations and offers a succinct journey through law schools on different continents and subject matters. It covers education, research, impact and societal outreach, and governance. It illustrates that law schools throughout the world have much in common in terms of values, duties, challenges, ambitions and hopes. It provides insights into these aspirations, whilst presenting a thought provoking discussion for a more global agenda on the future of law schools. Written from the perspective of a former dean, the book offers a unique understanding of the challenges facing legal education and research