The presence of fullerenes as natural constituents of carbonaceous materials or their formation as laser artifacts during laser desorption ionization (LDI) mass spectrometry (MS) analysis is reinvestigated and reviewed. The results using asphaltene samples with varying composition as well as standard polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and fullerene samples as models have demonstrated that indeed Cn ring fullerenes are not natural constituents but they are formed as common and often as predominant artifacts upon laser radiation, and a series of incorrect assignments based on LDI-MS data of several carbonaceous materials seems unfortunately to have been made. When the present results are evaluated also in the light of the vast literature on LDI-MS of carbonaceous materials, the formation of fullerene artifacts seems particularly common for LDI-MS analysis of asphaltenes and other carbonaceous samples with considerably high levels of PAH and varies according to the type of laser used, and the intensity of the laser beam.

Easy sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI–MS) allows for direct and fast MS analysis of samples in ambient conditions with little or no sample preparation, therefore offering unprecedented simplicity, speed, and ease of use. EASI–MS has been shown to access the quality, type, and adulteration of biofuels and vegetable oils. Herein, EASI–MS is shown to quantitate and monitor the quality of soybean biodiesel/petrodiesel (Bn) blends. For adulteration, admixture of the parent oil has been tested and nearly instantaneous and direct EASI­(+)–MS detection of as little as 1% (w/w) of soybean oil in biodiesel/petrodiesel blends was achieved. Linear analytical curves (r > 0.98) were also obtained for the quantitation of Bn blends, and the EASI­(+)–MS quantitation results were compared to those obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mid-infrared (IR) spectroscopy.

In the study, we report the comparative efficacy of the sodium hyaluronate gel vaginal application and promestriene cream which were tested to treat the gynecological symptoms of people who suffered from vaginal dryness. Method: 35 patients applied sodium hyaluronate vaginal gel one time a day for a period of two times a week during three weeks and other 33 patients using promestriene cream applied it every day for a period of three weeks also. Results: No significant difference was observed between vaginal application of sodium hyaluronate gel and promestriene cream, regarding both, as regarding the dryness of the intimate mucosa (p = 0.786), the attribute of moisturizing properties to the intimate mucosa (p = 0.142), the comfort sensation (p = 0.528), and no significant difference was observed regarding the fragrance of the product (p = 0.088). Conclusion: The similar results between vaginal application of both products support the use of sodium hyaluronate vaginal gel (Lubrinat®) in the initial approach of symptoms of vaginal dryness.

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