Essays on Mass Spectrometry

The use of breath analysis to determine the state of a person’s health is a concept that dates back millennia (Gouma 26). Cardiovascular disease is an ailment for which current analysis methods involve invasive sampling. It has been suggested that the amount of cholesterol in blood can be measured by the amount of isoprene (Karl et al. 762) or carbon dioxide (Amann 34) in the breath. One of the early methods to detect isoprene in breath is based on proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) (Karl et al. 762-763). In this technique, the breath sample is made to ...

Summary

This seminar covers a broader spectrum of utility breath analysis by shortlisting and discussing interventions that can be used to assess and determine the existence of various diseases. The speaker’s point is mainly anchored on the manifestation of Nitric Oxide in the breadth, and how it invokes different medical implications in the breath. In a nutshell, this speech conclusively discusses how breath examination and analysis leads to the determination or realization of diseases such as Asthma, Pulmonary Hypertension, Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, and other diseases. The concept of breath analysis serves in the interest of medical diagnosis to ...

Question 1

Spectrometry would indeed be a good analytical tool since it will help in distinguishing the different compounds in the powder. In such a case, the best type of spectroscopy would be infrared spectrometry and mass spectrometry. Infrared spectroscopy is a vital analytical tool to identify controlled substances. Infrared light is passed on the unknown substance. As the sample absorbs the infrared radiation, an infrared spectrum results, which is a series of peaks and valleys ("Physical Evidence Handbook Drug Identification Unit", 2016). Each substance in the compound results in a highly accurate infrared spectrum. The spectrum of the unknown elements ...

Introduction

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) has gained significant popularity as well as extreme attention over the last couple of years due to its benefits and positive attributes. LA-ICP-MS has been extensively used in the analysis of biological samples, chemical samples and gemology. The technique of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is a significant technique for quantitative chemical analysis (Becker, 2013). Due to its numerous advantages such as rapid and direct analysis of samples, high sensitivity and high spatial resolution, it has been applied in numerous applications in different fields apart from chemistry. The use ...

Instrumental Analysis

Mephedrone molecular structure Nephyrone molecular structure There are several structural differences between the three chemical substances that make adrenalin distinguishable from both Mephedrone and Nephyrone. The adrenalin molecular structure has a more stable structure more than both Mephedrone and Nephyrone. The adrenalin structure has an extra OH molecule that makes it distinguishable from the Mephedrone and Nephyrone. Several analytical tests can be used to determine this difference. There are various chromatographic techniques that can be used to test the purity of the adrenalin tablet. The first method is paper chromatography. This chromatographic method is used to analyze ...

Analytical methods to evaluate seed dormancy in legumes

Abstract Legumes are known to have multiple health benefits. The seed coat in particular contains a number of bioactive compounds which possess antioxidant activity. Of great interest is the relationship between the chemical composition of the seed coat and its role in seed dormancy. Modern technological approaches are currently used to further identify these compounds and determine their role in seed development; these include NRIS FTIR, mass spectroscopy, electron microscopy and chromatography. The following review describes the constituents of the legume seed coat and their respective roles in dormancy and other stages of seed development. The review also highlights ...

i. Executive Summary; Proteomic analysis is the large scale experimental analysis of proteins and their structure that is being used by many industries. The Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells are considered the primary source for recombinant therapeutics and antibodies. The Proteomic analysis is of prime importance in the CHO cells engineering. With other varied applications, especially in CHO cell engineering, where they are used to modify cells for desired functions. Proteomics has improved product standards and efficiency in many industries. (Baycin-Hezal, et al, 2012) ii. Background Definition of Proteomics; Proteomics is the study of proteins. Proteomic analysis is ...

Introduction

Proteomics is the study of proteins in terms of their structures and functions. The term proteome refers to the entire set of proteins modified of produced by the organism. However, the interactions and modifications tend to vary with time and their distinct requirements and environmental stresses that the organism undergoes. This is an interdisciplinary domain based on research studies originally on yeast, then mice. Experiments have been forwarded describing the ways of investigating genetic interactions and various aspects of different functional proteins in genes. This essay proposes experiments that would be used to investigate a particular gene (named Without Kicking ...

Over the last few years, technologies such as Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) have increasingly grown in potential as new tools in the plant sciences (1). In particular, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging using the power of high mass resolution time of flight (ToF) mass spectrometry can offer new information regarding the spatial distribution of specific molecules within biological tissues (2). Together with advances in other technologies such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), metabolites can be identified and quantified within specific cell types of plants and other organisms, and this can greatly expand fields ranging from proteomics and ...

The title and abstract suggest that the paper is an attempt to show that in the cartilage growth plate, abnormal chondrocyte apoptosis is influenced by genetic background as well as deletion of CHOP. The research is interesting because it enables the discovery of whether whether the abnormal chondrocyte apoptosis that is seen in the mutant mice growth plate is CHOP-mediated. The research builds on the research done by Delot, King, Briggs, Wilcox & Cohn (1999) and Hecht et al. (2001), who demonstrate that type 3 recurring mutations are responsible for most of the Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) cases, which are believed to ...

Hemoglobinopathies: Analytic Diagnostic Techniques

Hemoglobinopathies and Thalassemia’s are a kind of Genetic disorders caused mainly by a mutation or deletion of Globin genes in Hemoglobin. Hemoglobin consist of α or β Amino acid chains. An alteration in α chain production leads to α Thalassemia and alteration in β chain causes β Thalassemia. Hemoglobinopathies on the other hand may be caused due to the structural abnormalities or alteration of amino acid sequences in the Globin genes. These are mainly hereditary and constitute to around 4 to 5% of the world population. (WHO Statistics, 2012) Each year around 250,000 to 300,000 new born children have either hemoglobinopathies or thalassemia. Both ...

Introduction

Steroids play a central role in enhancing human growth, development and normal health, since they take part in development of secondary sexual traits, reproduction, gene expression, neurological and cardiovascular functions and maturation among others. Accordingly, imbalances in the metabolic mechanisms of steroids in humans is associated with an array of health complications such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer among others. The foregoing underscores the importance of steroid profiling to establish its levels in humans, particularly in disease diagnosis, because it enables health professionals to understand a variety of steroid-related health conditions. For efficiency and accuracy, a good profiling method is ...

A Brief Review of Epogen

Epogen is a glycoprotein made up of 165 amino acids that is used to stimulate the production of red blood cells. The compound is manufactured through recombinant DNA technology. The compound has a molecular weight equal to 30,400 Daltons. When consumed, its biological effects are similar to those of endogenous erythropoietin. The dugs formulation is a sterile colorless liquid in a buffered solution. It is administered intravenously or subcutaneously. This drug is used by athlete to enhance their performance. This is by producing more red blood cells and opening up lung passages so that more oxygen is delivered to the muscles. Endurance ...

Cocaine is an illicit drug that is made from the leaves of the coca plant. Cocaine can be manufactured in several. A common method involves copping the coca leaves and mixing this with ammonia and lime. Following this, the mixture is placed into barrels with diesel gasoline. The active component of cocaine dissolves into the gasoline and the gasoline is filtered out from the rest of the mixture that is discarded. Sulfuric acid is then mixed with the diesel mixture. This allows for the formation of cocaine sulfate. The cocaine sulfate is then mixed with more lime to neutralize ...

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Analysis (GC-MS) is a technique that incorporates chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques in separating and identifying constituents in a sample. According to Erika, Josefina and Maria (2011), the major goal of the technique is in quantifying an amount of a sample, which is done by comparing the relative concentrations among the atomic masses in the produced spectrum. The sample that needs to be quantified is organic and volatile, or semi volatile. The GC part is used to separate is essential in carrying out separation techniques where mixtures are isolated from their constituents using a temperature-controlled capillary column. Smaller molecules in ...