Use of SPE and LC/TIS/MS/MS for rapid detection and quantitation of ketamine and its metabolite, norketamine, in urine

Ketamine (K) has become more and more popular for drug abuse in recent years. A lot of pre-treatment work such as extraction and derivatizing increase difficulties in the tests for ketamine in biological specimens. A rapid method to detect and quantitate ketamine and its metabolite norketamine in urine used deuterated dilution followed by solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography/TurboIonSpray/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/TIS/MS/MS) is described. Control recovery for both low and high concentrations can reach to 90%. Ten ketamine positive urines were examinated by this method. Concentrations ranged from 114 to 2925 ng/mL and from 453 to 9805 ng/mL for norketamine. The method was sensitive, specific, accurate and provided easy operation to detect and quantitate ketamine and its metabolites in urine.     

A postcolonial reading of the state question in China

The notion of sovereignty in China carries a postcolonial legacy. Earlier Chinese leaders adopted the notion of sovereignty to protect themselves from Western imperialist intrusion. However, not only was their performance as a sovereign state judged against a set of criteria already determined externally, but their sovereign sphere was also constructed too late to avoid the imperialist remnants within China which were established before Chinese could nominally strengthen their sovereign defense. As a result, with every Chinese assertion of their soverign status, there comes the internal reminder that it is subverted. The sense of anxiety and frustration thus created explains China's harsh policy toward Taiwan, a piece of land considered to be Chinese but now searching for independent statehood. Taiwan, once a Japanese colony and then an American Cold War base, has become a permanent reminder to the Chinese leaders of their unwanted historical shame.