Consumer safety is the driving force behind food analysis. From field (or ocean) to fork, there are numerous opportunities for food to become potentially hazardous to human health. As fast as new contaminants enter the food chain, changes in regulation and legislation...
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New features in OneOmics suite
I just wanted to thank the readers here, both the OneOmics suite users who’ve shared their time and watched OneOmics grow, and for all the talented developers and scientists who’ve made OneOmics suite what it is today.
Assess the performance of the Echo® MS system
To obtain the best, most reproducible results using the Echo MS system, it is important to select the best solvent for your analyte and matrix and to ensure the flow rate is optimized for your solvent. Please review this flow rate optimization community post to...
Merging two FASTA files
There is an easy way to merge two FASTA files together. Open notepad and type this string: type %*>"newfile.fasta" Enter any name for the FASTA file between the quotes. Save the file as: Merge FASTA files.bat Copy the two files you want to merge into the same...
Intabio acquisition expands SCIEX portfolio of impactful solutions to accelerate biotherapeutic development
Due to the nature of their production, biotherapeutics are difficult to manufacture. Growth conditions, purification protocols and formulation requirements can introduce unintended modifications into the protein structure that may affect its efficacy and safety.
Breaking down the SCIEX Triple Quad™ 7500 LC-MS/MS System – QTRAP® Ready
Sensitivity and robustness carry different meanings in the world of mass spectrometry. Generally, sensitivity refers to an instrument’s ability to achieve lower limits of detection (LOD). Robustness, on the other hand, refers to an instrument’s ability to consistently...
Importing acquisition methods from Analyst software to SCIEX OS software
The SCIEX Triple Quad 7500 system is the first nominal mass instrument to be released completely on SCIEX OS software. Moving to a new software solution can be time consuming with the need to transfer numerous methods to the new platform. SCIEX OS software helps...
The honey sting
As a consumer it’s hard for me not to feel inundated with claims that our food is “all-natural” or “chemical-free” or that we should buy certain “superfoods” for their health benefits. We read labels and trust that the product we are buying is what we are truly...
Innovation that’s blasting through limitations in explosive detection
Mass spectrometry’s important role in identifying explosives The need for rapid explosive detection is now an unfortunate reality. The remit is multifaceted. The first is for preventative purposes, to protect us from any threat to life. The second is in the...
A new generation of therapeutic modalities
There are over 7,000 genetic diseases that could potentially be cured using gene therapy. Rare metabolic diseases, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease and cancers are some of the top disease classes that can be addressed with gene therapies. With over 1,000...
Enhancing Biologics with CESI-MS Characterization
Comprehensive characterization of a biologic requires analysis at both the intact and digest levels, but these analyses can be complex and cumbersome. For example, with conventional liquid chromatography separations, researchers are often left with limited information...
Turning up the Speed on Forensic Toxicology Screening and Quantitation
Working in a forensic lab means technicians want super high-quality data in ultra-fast time. Yet, how do you go about detecting an unlimited number of analytes without re-injecting the sample all while new targeted compounds are being added to the screened panel? In the following application note, “Ultra-Fast Forensic Toxicological Screening and Quantitation in Under 3 Minutes Using SCIEX X500R QTOF System and SCIEX OS 1.0 Software,” researchers set out to achieve a fast method that could detect an unlimited number of analytes with all information afforded mass accuracy, LC retention time, and MS/MS spectral library matching.
What Food Safety Trends are Coming This Year?
As we settle into 2017, I can’t help but reflect on the previous year’s food safety. Take for example the legislative changes meant to contain contamination outbreaks like those happening in places like China, Singapore, and New Zealand. Over the past year, we have developed new methods that detect antibiotics in poultry feed, LC-MS/MS Analysis of Emerging Contaminants, and help set food standards in China. All the while developing more sophisticated technology to keep up with testing demands.
Never Stop Learning with SCIEX University
Did you know that when you log into SCIEXUniversity, you have 24/7 access to educational tools? Simply click on the Support from SCIEX.com and select SCIEXUniversity. Here you will find more than 100 newly revamped courses developed by in-house experts, scientists, and researchers who, just like you, are interested in the next scientific breakthrough. Whether you are a beginner mass spec user or have years of experience, these online and on-site courses are designed with you, the user, in mind. What is more is that the course catalog offers self-paced training and certification programs to help you get better acquainted with software, instrumentation, and workflows
Fast and Simultaneous Analysis of Ethanol Metabolites and Barbiturates
While most analytes in forensic applications analyze well with positive ionization, there are analytes that show better ionization efficiency with negative ionization, for example, acidic compounds. These analytes include ethanol metabolites such as ethyl glucuronide (ETG), ethyl sulfate (ETS), and the barbiturates such as amobarbital, butabarbital, butalbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, and secobarbital.
It’s a Point and Click World with the X500B QTOF System for Biologics Characterization
Did you know the X500B QTOF system makes point and click workflows for Biologics Characterization possible on your mass spectrometer? The newly-designed SCIEX OS software interface brings to life fluid navigation and ease of use so you can keep moving forward on your scientific discoveries. In fact, it’s so simple to learn and operate that you and your team can be up and running faster than you might expect.
PPCP Detection in Drinkwater is no Match for the QTRAP® 5500
SCIEX is no stranger to drinking water analysis, and the Environmental Compendium once again addresses the topic in an application note which covers LC-MS/MS with Fast Polarity Switching. Using the QTRAP® 5500, researchers were able to detect a large panel of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCP’s) while performing fast positive/negative switching all from a single injection. Method details go the distance in this application note, as five experiments were called into action for comparison.
From Extraction to Cleanup—Measuring Mycotoxins from Cornmeal Products
When we look at emerging food trends for this coming year, you may be surprised to find that the US cornmeal market is making headlines as it is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of two percent by 20201. This is the type of news that excites us, scientists, as it reminds us why we test for things like mycotoxins in cornmeal and the impact such analysis has on farmers and food manufacturers.
See How Easy It Can Be to Get Expert Results for Biologics Characterization
Learning a new mass spec system can be a daunting task. Aside from the opportunity costs of training new users, you might face the hassle of downtime, and the wait to get expert help when needed. The X500B QTOF system puts a new spin on biologics characterization workflows because it is so easy to learn and operate that you can be up and running much faster than you expect. Powerful new software tools dramatically streamline method development and data processing, to enable everyone in your lab to get expert results. It’s fast because it’s easy, even for new users.
Getting a Clean Match in Forensic Toxicology using LC-MS/MS
As a forensic scientist, what holds you back in the lab? It’s a question we often ask ourselves here at SCIEX, as product development depends on customer wants, needs, satisfaction, and ease of workflow. Ensuring evidence can withstand forensic scrutiny, for example, correlates with the integrity of testing procedures. Knowing this, how do you convince your staff to be confident in results, or convey technical data to a non-technical courtroom audience? If you have been left wondering how to get to the bottom of topics like these, check out the following toxicology toolkit. It’s a bundle of resources at your fingertips that includes a webinar led by Tania A. Saski Ph.D., Northwest Physician Laboratories, Bellevue, Using QTRAP® Technology to Provide Accurate Identification and Confirmation Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, and so much more
Looking to Quantify and Identify Pesticides in your Food Samples?
Visit our offices on any given day, and you are likely to discover researchers putting mass spectrometry to the test. The hum of the mass spectrometer is as common as conversations as scientists are tasked with developing methods that can be applied in real-world lab scenarios. In this case, André Schreiber SCIEX, Concord, Ontario, Canada, detailed, Comprehensive Quantitation and Identification of Pesticides in Food Samples Using the SCIEX UltraLC 100* and the SCIEX QTRAP® 4500 System.
Discover the New X500B QTOF System, the Simpler, Faster Path to Biologics Characterization Answers
Have you ever wished for a compact instrument that delivers expert-level answers to your most complex biotherapeutic characterization challenges faster and easier than what you are doing now? At SCIEX, we recognize that even expert users want easier ways to perform daily characterization tasks and get great results every time. That’s why we set out to develop the X500B QTOF system: a robust and reliable new instrument and software solution that reduces complexity and simplifies biologics characterization workflows so every scientist can get expert-level results
How to Achieve Higher Sensitivity with Hybrid Immunoaffinity LC-MS Assays
Protein-based biotherapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a growing component of pharmaceutical companies’ drug pipelines. The growth of ADCs in particular is due to their ability to selectivity target and deliver a potent molecule to a cancer cell based on a specific tumor marker. In order to support this growing class of new drug molecules, robust and reliable bioanalytical methods are required. While ligand binding assays (LBAs) like ELISA have been the most popular platform for biotherapeutic quantitation, bioanalytical scientists have been increasingly adopting hybrid LBA/LC-MS methods in this area.
The Application of Research Grade MetabolitePilot™ Software for the Determination of the Catabolic Peptide Products of Exenatide
The stability of peptide and protein biotherapeutics directly impacts their pharmacokinetic profile, efficacy, and safety. It is therefore essential to characterize the stability of a given bio-therapeutic including both in-vivo and in-vitro catabolism, thereby...
LC-MS/MS Screening of 64 New Psychoactive Substances Using Dried Blood Spots
There is a lot you can tell from a droplet of blood as it’s snapshot of what could be present in a body at any given moment. In the following application note, LC-MS/MS Screening of 64 New Psychoactive Substances Using Dried Blood Spots, researchers did just...
LC-MS/MS Analysis of Emerging Food Contaminants
Ever wish you had access to the most up to date application methods but don’t know where to find them? The Food and Beverage Compendium is your one-stop resource for research notes ranging from pesticides, allergens, and antibiotics to mycotoxins, vitamins, and...
Is Your Beverage Truly 100% Fruit Juice?
There is nothing like the flavor of fruit juice whether freshly squeezed or made from concentrate to clench your thirst, except when it’s not 100 percent juice after all. As the following tech note, “Authenticity Assessment of Fruit Juices using LC-MS/MS and...
Superbugs, Antibiotic Resistance, and the QTRAP® 6500+ System
‘Superbugs’, or bacteria that have developed antibiotic resistance as a result of adapting to the drugs used in their treatment, are dangerous infections that doctors struggle to stop from spreading. Even common infections such as urinary tract infections and...
It’s Time to Enhance Your Food Testing
Are you looking for ways to up the ante on your LC-MS/MS when it comes to food testing? Researchers here have developed a method for the analysis of approximately 400 pesticides in food samples, and their work is available for viewing in this year’s compendium.
Top Five Misconceptions about Mass Spectrometry
Do you work in a lab handling precious samples yet, hesitant to make the move to mass spectrometry? Many laboratories just like yours continue to conduct sample analysis using ELISA assays, PCR scans, and amino acid tests because of their effectiveness. These processes work, so why change? Well, these type of analytical experiments can report false positive and negative results. You have trained your staff, know the process, and fingers crossed, not too many user errors have compromised analysis.
Rapid Separation Method for Intact Monoclonal Antibodies (Mab) Merges Charge Variant, Impurity, and Glycoform Analyses into a Single Assay
Throughout all stages of development and manufacture, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) exhibit a great deal of structural complexity. After translation and folding, proteins undergo post-translational modifications, as well as spontaneous and enzymatic degradation, such that a single preparation of purified mAb exhibits a range of small structural changes, composed of various glycoforms and charge variants, as well as amino acids alterations due to oxidation, deamidation, isomerization, or other chemical reactions. This display of structural heterogeneity can influence the overall stability, efficacy, and safety profile; therefore, understanding the extent of structural modifications has become extremely important to drug manufacturers who continually assess mAb composition throughout bioprocessing to demonstrate stability, batch-to-batch consistency, and long-term shelf life.