In vitro bioassays for the study of endocrine-disrupting food additives and contaminants

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are capable of interfering with normal hormone homeostasis by acting on several targets and through a wide variety of mechanisms. Unwanted exposure to EDCs can lead to a wide spectrum of adverse health effects, especially when exposure is during critical windows of development. Feed and food are considered to be among the main routes of inadvertent exposure to EDCs, so there is an important need for efficient detection of EDCs in these matrices.We describe in vitro bioassays that can complement current analytical chemistry in order to detect unwanted EDCs and describe their action, emphasizing assays that can measure effects on nuclear receptor signaling or hormone production. We outline both validated and unvalidated in vitro assays currently available in the scientific community for detecting and studying the effects of EDCs, and discuss their possible role in the food-safety context. We conclude by identifying gaps in the current battery of in vitro assays available for EDCs and suggest future possibilities for development and validation.     

Effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol on zoo- and phytoplankton in lentic microcosms

The effects of 17-ethinylestradiol (EE), an endocrine disruptor, on zoo- and phytoplankton were studied in outdoor 230-L still-water microcosms. Cell density and biomass, diversity, and community composition were analyzed. Five microcosms were treated by controlled release for six weeks, three by direct application of EE. To investigate recovery, sampling was continued for four weeks after treatment. Most characteristics of the zooplankton were not unambiguously affected by EE. Only the relative density of copepods, especially of their larvae, decreased significantly after EE application. For phytoplankton, no unambiguous concentration- or toxodose-correlated effects on any biotic characteristics could be found. However, most properties of the phytoplankton deviated from those of controls, i.e. tended to be smaller (number of species per microcosm, biomass, cell density) or covered a wider range (diversity, evenness). PCA indicated a shift of species structure in the treated microcosms. This was supported by the species scores calculated by the principal response curve method, although the principal response curve itself showed no clear EE-correlated shifts. High variability within the biocenosis between microcosms and over time, probably because of disturbance of the ecosystem before starting of the test, might have superimposed EE-dependent effects.Abbreviations c _dt Canonical coefficient - CRD Controlled-release device - E Shannon–Wiener index for evenness - EC10 Effect concentration for 10% of maximum effect - EC50 Effect concentration for 50% of maximum effect - EE 17-Ethinylestradiol - H Shannon–Wiener index for diversity - LPDE Low density polyethylene - NOEC No observed effect concentration - PCA Principal component analysis - PRC Principal response curve - RDA Redundancy analysis - SD Standard deviation     

Comparative study of analytical methods involving gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after derivatization and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of selected endocrine disrupting compounds in wastewaters

Two GC-MS methods, based on the application of N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide-derivatization-GC-MS (selected-ion monitoring) and GC-MS-MS without derivatization, respectively, were optimised and applied to the determination of a group of five selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in wastewaters. Both methods included solid-phase extraction with Oasis HLB cartridges allowing an enrichment factor for wastewater samples of 100-fold. The investigated EDCs were estrone, 17beta-estradiol, 17alpha-ethynylestradiol, 4-tert-octylphenol and bisphenol A. Results obtained from the validation studies yielded comparable results in both cases. Recoveries in spiked wastewaters at 50 ng/l were higher than 90% for all the compounds, except for 4-tert-octylphenol (75%). Repeatability and reproducibility were adequate, varying from 1.6 to 14%, except for estrone which reproducibility was 28% when the derivatization-GC-MS method was applied. Limits of detection calculated ranged from 2.5 to 27.5 ng/l with differences between both methods from 1.1 (estrone) to 10.4 (bisphenol A) times. Both methods were successfully applied to the analysis of the target compounds in sewage treatment plant influents and effluents. Traces of bisphenol A, 4-tert-octylphenol, estrone and 17beta-estradiol were detected at concentration levels ranging from 13.3 to 1105.2 ng/l.     

Complexity of Body Movements during Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Recently, measuring the complexity of body movements during sleep has been proven as an objective biomarker of various psychiatric disorders. Although sleep problems are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and might exacerbate ASD symptoms, their objectivity as a biomarker remains to be established. Therefore, details of body movement complexity during sleep as estimated by actigraphy were investigated in typically developing (TD) children and in children with ASD. Several complexity analyses were applied to raw and thresholded data of actigraphy from 17 TD children and 17 children with ASD. Determinism, irregularity and unpredictability, and long-range temporal correlation were examined respectively using the false nearest neighbor (FNN) algorithm, information-theoretic analyses, and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). Although the FNN algorithm did not reveal determinism in body movements, surrogate analyses identified the influence of nonlinear processes on the irregularity and long-range temporal correlation of body movements. Additionally, the irregularity and unpredictability of body movements measured by expanded sample entropy were significantly lower in ASD than in TD children up to two hours after sleep onset and at approximately six hours after sleep onset. This difference was found especially for the high-irregularity period. Through this study, we characterized details of the complexity of body movements during sleep and demonstrated the group difference of body movement complexity across TD children and children with ASD. Complexity analyses of body movements during sleep have provided valuable insights into sleep profiles. Body movement complexity might be useful as a biomarker for ASD.     

超高效液相色谱-串联质谱多目标分析生物样品中的微量内分泌干扰污染物

建立了生物样品中9种微量内分泌干扰物(EDCs)的多目标分析方法.采用旋涡振荡-超声波辅助萃取,结合凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)除去大分子有机物干扰,再经硅胶柱层析进一步净化,最后应用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱(UHPLC-MS/MS)检测.GPC采用乙酸乙酯-环己烷混合溶液(1:1,V/V)为流动相,选择12~28 mL为目标化合物馏分的收集段;质谱采用电喷雾离子源正离子模式和大气压化学电离源负离子模式,数据采集为多重反应监测模式.方法回收率为65.2%~118.0%,定量限为0.1~9.7 ng/g dw(干重).采用本方法初步分析了珠江水系鲤鱼脊肉中的内分泌干扰污染物,结果表明,除均二苯腺和三氯卡班未被检出外,其它内分泌干扰污染物的含量为0.1~22.6 ng/g dw.     

Critical evaluation of the determination of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, phenolic endocrine disrupters and faecal steroids by GC/MS and PTV-GC/MS in environmental waters

An analytical method is described for the determination of a broad range of emerging and priority pollutants, together with sewage molecular markers in environmental waters. The step-by-step study of the GC/MS analyses focuses on the effects of experimental variables using a large volume injection (LVI) technique [a programmed temperature-vaporising (PTV) inlet], the evaluation of a clean-up step using classical and newer sorbents (i.e. Al-N, Fl, NH₂, PSA, Si, CN and DIOL), and the revision of how organic matter [i.e. humic acids (HA) content] affects method performance. Reproducibility and recoveries from spiked coastal water samples at different analyte concentrations (100, 250 and 500 ng L⁻¹) as well as with different levels of spiked humic acids (2, 10 and 20 mg L⁻¹) are reported indicating a good performance of the extraction procedure with low levels of HA (<10 mg L⁻¹). The presence of HA is a critical parameter during the solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedures. Of the clean-up sorbents tested, CN and DIOL proved most efficient in cleaning-up the extracts with recoveries in the range of 66-77% and 100-114%, respectively for the selected analytes. Both GC/MS and PTV-GC/MS instrumental configurations were tested using final sewage effluents, riverine, estuarine and coastal water samples. However, limited applicability of the PTV inlet is reported for environmental applications, affording only a modest improvement in chromatographic signal-to-noise ratios.     

Quantification of endocrine disruptors and pesticides in water by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Method validation using weighted linear regression schemes

A multi-residue methodology based on a solid phase extraction followed by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was developed for trace analysis of 32 compounds in water matrices, including estrogens and several pesticides from different chemical families, some of them with endocrine disrupting properties. Matrix standard calibration solutions were prepared by adding known amounts of the analytes to a residue-free sample to compensate matrix-induced chromatographic response enhancement observed for certain pesticides. Validation was done mainly according to the International Conference on Harmonisation recommendations, as well as some European and American validation guidelines with specifications for pesticides analysis and/or GC–MS methodology. As the assumption of homoscedasticity was not met for analytical data, weighted least squares linear regression procedure was applied as a simple and effective way to counteract the greater influence of the greater concentrations on the fitted regression line, improving accuracy at the lower end of the calibration curve. The method was considered validated for 31 compounds after consistent evaluation of the key analytical parameters: specificity, linearity, limit of detection and quantification, range, precision, accuracy, extraction efficiency, stability and robustness.     

非对称需求扰动信息下的供应链显示机制设计

研究由一个供应商和一个零售商组成的供应链在非对称的需求扰动信息下的显示机制设计问题。假定市场需求为指数函数形式和常数柔性需求函数形式,给出了非对称的需求扰动信息下的供应链最优契约,并且分析了非对称扰动信息对于供应链性能的影响。研究表明,当市场需求为指数函数形式和常数柔性函数形式时,仍然可以设计有效的契约菜单来改善供应链的运作性能;当需求扰动满足一定条件时,初始的生产计划仍然是最优的;非对称需求扰动信息并不必然会给供应链带来利润损失,并且显式地给出了非对称的需求扰动信息不会给供应链带来利润损失的条件。     

HL—1装置密度极限破裂分析

HL-1装置上观测到大量的密度极限破裂放电。其主要特性是破裂前偏离几何中心的磁面位移很小,中心区总是观测到锯齿现象,破裂后,其电流中断时间大于20ms。本文详细分析了出现在电流上升段,坪段及下降段密度极限破裂的特征。其中一类是由于辐射功率超过加热功率所确定的村上极限,没有观测到先兆振荡;另一类是由于约束变坏所确定的赫吉尔极限,可观测到驰豫几毫秒的先兆振荡,这类放电破裂后多数能恢复。该装置运行的最大村上参数是0.35×10~(20)m~(-2).T~(-1)。     

Identification of Apigenin Metabolites in Rat Liver Perfusate by Column Switching High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Summary.  A selective column switching high performance liquid chromatographic method has been used for the simultaneous determination of apigenin and metabolites in rat liver perfusate. This new method clearly separated apigenin and the metabolites with high resolution. The structures of metabolites were proposed based on selective ion recording and full scan analysis by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Corresponding author. E-mail: basly@pharma.unilim.fr Received May 15, 2002; accepted (revised) September 13, 2002