Plattner,S.; Pavlic,M.; Pitterl,F.; Schubert,B.; Buprenorphine is a semisynthetic opioid that is often used in opiate maintenance therapy. For this purpose, regular toxicological analyses of urine samples are mandatory. For fast analytical results, analyses are commonly performed by immunoassay, for example, Thermo Scientific CEDIA(R) Buprenorphine or Buprenorphine II assay. One drawback of immunoassay-based methods is the possible cross-reaction with other substances. Several drugs have already been checked for cross-reactivity to CEDIA(R) Buprenorphine II immunoassay. [Read More]

delaPuente,M.; Ruiz-Ramirez,J.; Ambroa-Conde,A.; Xavier,C.; Pardo-Seco,J.; Alvarez-Dios,J.; Freire-Aradas,A.; Mosquera-Miguel,A.; Gross,T.E.; Cheung,E.Y.Y.; Branicki,W.; Nothnagel,M.; Parson,W.; Schneider,P.M.; Kayser,M.; Carracedo,A.; Lareu,M.V.; Phillips,C.; OnBehalfOfTheVISAGEConsortium; We detail the development of the ancestry informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) panel forming part of the VISAGE Basic Tool (BT), which combines 41 appearance predictive SNPs and 112 ancestry predictive SNPs (three SNPs shared between sets) in one massively parallel sequencing (MPS) multiplex, whereas blood-based age analysis using methylation markers is run in a parallel MPS analysis pipeline. [Read More]

Heidegger,A.; Pisarek,A.; delaPuente,M.; Niederstätter,H.; Pospiech,E.; Wozniak,A.; Schury,N.; Unterländer,M.; Sidstedt,M.; Junker,K.; VentayolGarcia,M.; Laurent,F.X.; Ulus,A.; Vannier,J.; Bastisch,I.; Hedman,J.; Sijen,T.; Branicki,W.; Xavier,C.; Parson,W.; VISAGEConsortium; The analysis of DNA methylation has become an established method for chronological age estimation. This has triggered interest in the forensic community to develop new methods for age estimation from biological crime scene material. Various assays are available for age estimation from somatic tissues, the majority from blood. Age prediction from semen requires different DNA methylation markers and the only assays currently developed for forensic analysis are based on SNaPshot or pyrosequencing. [Read More]

Wozniak,A.; Heidegger,A.; Piniewska-Rog,D.; Pospiech,E.; Xavier,C.; Pisarek,A.; Kartasinska,E.; Boron,M.; Freire-Aradas,A.; Wojtas,M.; delaPuente,M.; Niederstätter,H.; Ploski,R.; Spolnicka,M.; Kayser,M.; Phillips,C.; Parson,W.; Branicki,W.; VISAGEConsortium; DNA methylation is known as a biomarker for age with applications in forensics. Here we describe the VISAGE (VISible Attributes through GEnomics) Consortium’s enhanced tool for epigenetic age estimation in somatic tissues. The tool is based on eight DNA methylation markers (44 CpGs), bisulfite multiplex PCR followed by sequencing on the MiSeq FGx platform, and three statistical prediction models for blood, buccal cells and bones. [Read More]

Kreidl,M.; Rainer,M.; Bonn,G.K.; Oberacher,H.; Capsaicin, primarily known as the pungent ingredient in hot peppers, is rapidly metabolized in the human body by enzymatic processes altering the pharmacological as well as toxicological properties. Herein, the oxidative transformation of capsaicin was investigated in vitro with electrochemistry as well as human liver microsomal incubations. The reaction mixtures were analyzed with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Structure elucidation involved accurate mass measurements and multistage tandem mass spectrometry experiments. [Read More]