RSR13 (2-[4-[[(3,5-dimethylanilino)carbonyl]methyl]phenoxyl]-2-methylpropionic acid) is a synthetic allosteric modifier of hemoglobin that is currently in a phase III clinical trial as a radio-enhancing agent. RSR13 has been shown to increase maximum oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) in a canine skeletal model, which makes it a potential performance-enhancing agent for endurance athletes, since VO(2max) is an index of aerobic capacity. In this study we present a method for the detection of RSR13-bis-TMS in human urine by gas chromatography/electron impact ionization mass spectrometry (GC/EI-MS) suitable for doping control laboratories. The presence of RSR13 is detected by monitoring the ions m/z 485 ([M](+.)) and 470 ([M - CH3](+)). The limit of detection (LOD) is less than 2 ng/mL in urine. Urine samples collected from clinical trial subjects immediately prior to receiving an infusion of RSR13 showed no evidence of RSR13, whereas post-infusion urine samples contained up to 1181 microg/mL. A urine sample collected 36 h after administration of a small dose (10 mg/kg) and diluted 100-fold showed a signal 80 times higher than the LOD. Urine samples obtained from 100 randomly selected athletes in our routine testing program did not show any traces of RSR13. Sport authorities may wish to add RSR13 to the list of prohibited substances.

Background: Doping with erythropoietic proteins such as recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) and darbepoetin alfa is a serious issue in sport. There is little information on the time course of detection of rHuEPO in urine and on methods to evaluate electrophoresisbased data. Methods: We used a recently described isoelectric focusing method for detecting rHuEPO and endogenous EPO in urine obtained from individuals treated with placebo or epoetin alfa. The latter was administered subcutaneously at 50 IU/kg on days 0, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, and 18. Blood and urine samples were collected during the morning of study days ؊3, 0, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, and 18 and on days 2, 3, 4, and 7 postadministration. We developed visual and numerical (two-band ratio) techniques to evaluate the electropherograms for the presence of rHuEPO. Results: Compared with the placebo group, the epoetin alfa-treated group responded with increases in hematocrit, reticulocytes, macrocytes, serum EPO, and serum soluble transferrin receptor. The electropherograms showed that the pattern of bands arising from urinary rHuEPO is different from that of endogenous urinary EPO. Both the two-band ratio and the visual technique detected rHuEPO in all 14 epoetin alfa-treated individuals 3 days after the last dose. On the 7th day after the last dose, both techniques detected rHuEPO in approximately one-half of the participants. rHuEPO was not detected in the placebo-treated individuals. Conclusions: The isoelectric focusing method detects rHuEPO in most urine samples collected 3 days after nine doses of epoetin alfa. The numerical two-band

No abstract

The establishment of a reference method for the determination of the allergen protein content in a processed food material has been explored. An analytical approach was developed to enable the comparability of food allergen measurement results expressed in a decision-relevant manner. A proof of concept is here presented, resulting in quantity values for the common measurand, namely ‘mass of total allergen protein per mass of food’. The quantities are determined with SI traceability to enable the comparability of reported results. A method for the quantification of total milk protein content in an incurred baked food at a concentration level clinically relevant is presented. The strategy on how to obtain the final analytical result is outlined. Challenges associated with this method are discussed, in particular the optimal extraction of the marker proteins, the complete digestion and release of the peptides in an equimolar fashion, the use of conversion factors to translate the amount of measured proteins into total milk protein and the estimation of the uncertainty contributions as well as of the combined uncertainty of the final result. The implementation of such a reference method for the determination of the total allergen content in a processed food is an important step, which will provide comparable measurement data of relevance to risk assessors.

RationaleDue to the growing restrictions on the use of bisphenol A (BPA), several other bisphenols are gaining importance as substitutes for BPA in a variety of applications. There is, therefore, a real need for selective and sensitive methods based on mass spectrometry which will allow the human exposure to these new bisphenols to be assessed.MethodsDerivatization of BPA and its substitutes with pyridine‐3‐sulfonyl chloride is used to enhance the detection capability of bisphenols by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. A multivariate experimental design, Box‐Behnken response surface, was used to evaluate the influence of the main variables potentially affecting the derivatization yield. Fragmentation patterns for all the derivatized bisphenols were acquired by high‐resolution/accurate‐mass Orbitrap mass spectrometry.ResultsTemperature and pH were identified as the most important factors affecting the derivatization yield of bisphenols. Fragmentation of the protonated molecules produced abundant analyte‐specific product ions. Most of the derivatized bisphenols showed significant improvements in their signal‐to‐noise ratios compared with the underivatized forms. The stability of these derivatives was demonstrated through several freeze/thaw cycles, short‐term room temperature and long‐term cold storage.ConclusionsDerivatization of BPA and its structural analogues with pyridine‐3‐sulfonyl chloride is proposed as a specific, sensitive, high‐throughput approach to their analysis by liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. © 2015 The Authors. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.