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In the present paper, the metabolic profile was analysed in a group of adult Rhode Island hens extensively required for the production of IgY antibodies against bacterial entities. The results reveal changes in the leukocyte formula dominated by an increase in the percentage of heterophils and a decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes in the blood. An increase in the level of serum proteins with predominance of globulins is added to this. Increased uric acid levels were found also. Increased levels of GOT and GPT transaminases and -GT indicated an intensification of the protein metabolism, LDH and PA were not significantly modified. Regarding carbohydrate metabolism, it was found that serum glucose and lactate were maintained within physiological limits. The lipid profile was characterized by maintaining serum triglycerides and cholesterol within normal limits. Significant decrease in HDL and increase in LDL were interpreted as a decrease in the proteosynthetic capacity of the liver. The mineral profile was dominated by the increase of the level of sodium, iron, magnesium and calcium but by the decrease of the level of chlorine, potassium and phosphorus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Distance running fitness is commonly assessed using metabolic testing (MT). During MT, the runner must wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth. It is unclear if this increased challenge alters running kinematics and/or stride-to-stride variability (SSV). In this study we thoroughly assess the sagittal plane lower body joint angles.Research Question: Are there significant differences between standard treadmill running kinematics and those collected during MT?Methods: Twenty recreational runners participated (34.8 ± 10.0 years; 20+ miles per week). Six Vicon Bonita cameras were used to collect kinematic data (200 Hz). A metabolic cart (Parvo Medics TrueOne 2400) was used for heart rate (HR) collection and testing. Participants ran 4 × 4 min at preferred pace: 2 control runs (CON) and 2 MT runs. Ten strides were used to generate average stance and swing joint angle plots. The phase plots were compared for CON and MT and mean difference scores were calculated (to determine the kinematic change). SSV was determined by assessing the standard deviations among the 10 strides. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to test for significant differences among CON and MT trials. Reliability was assessed for 8 discrete joint angles using ICC analysis.Results: There were no significant differences between CON and MT for both the joint angle plot comparisons and SSV. For the discrete kinematic measures, ICC scores were strong (0.89-0.99) between CON and MT. During MT, there were slight increases (p < 0.01) in HR (145 ± 14 vs. 147 ± 14) and RPE (10.4 ± 1.5 vs. 11.4 ± 1.5).Significance: Results from this study support the validity of simultaneously conducting a kinematic and MT analysis. However, clinicians and performance coaches should be aware that 1) MT is slightly more physiologically demanding than CON and 2) approaches from this study can be used during individual assessments to confirm that kinematics are similar (between CON and MT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbohydrate ingestion after prolonged strenuous exercise enhances recovery, but protein might also be important. In a crossover with 2-wk washout, 10 cyclists completed 2.5 h of intervals followed by 4-h recovery feeding, provided 218 g protein, 435 g carbohydrate, and 79 g fat (protein enriched) or 34 g protein, 640 g carbohydrate, and 79 g fat (isocaloric control). The next morning, cyclists performed 10 maximal constant-work sprints on a Velotron cycle ergometer, each lasting ∼2.5 min, at ∼5-min intervals. Test validity was established and test reliability and the individual response to the protein-enriched condition estimated by 6 cyclists' repeating the intervals, recovery feeding, and performance test 2 wk later in the protein-enriched condition. During the 4-h recovery, the protein-enriched feeding had unclear effects on mean concentrations of plasma insulin, cortisol, and growth hormone, but testosterone was 25% higher (90% confidence limits, ± 14%). Protein enrichment also reduced plasma creatine kinase by 33% (±38%) the next morning and reduced tiredness and leg-soreness sensations during the sprints, but effects on mean sprint power were unclear (-1.4%, ±4.3%). The between subjects trial-to-trial coefficient of variation in overall mean sprint power was 3.1% (±3.4%), whereas the variation in the protein-enriched condition was 5.9% (±6.9%), suggesting that individual responses to the protein-enriched treatment contributed to the unclear performance outcome. To conclude, protein-enriched recovery feeding had no clear effect on next-day performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the number of individuals becoming overweight or obese, health care professionals are in need of accurate, reliable, and convenient tools to help personalize weight-loss programs. Recently, a new handheld indirect calorimeter (i.e., MedGem/BodyGem; also know as "Gem") was introduced as a convenient way to assess resting metabolic rate (RMR) to determine daily energy needs. Several validation and comparison studies were conducted to determine whether the Gem device is accurate and reliable, and results from these studies are mixed. Fourteen human studies (12 adult, 2 pediatric) were conducted, and 12 met the established criteria for this review. In all Douglas-bag (DB; n = 4) validation studies, the Gem device was not significantly different than the DB (mean difference adult ±1%, pediatric ±1%). The intraclass reliability of the Gem ranged from 0.97 to 0.98, and the interclass reliability to the DB ranged from 0.91 to 0.97. Although few (n = 2) studies have demonstrated that the Gem device measures RMR significantly lower (-8.2% to 15.1%) than traditional metabolic carts, it performs very comparably (RMR values 0.1-4.0%, interclass reliability 0.76-0.92) to traditional metabolic carts in most (n = 6) of the comparison studies. Based on these data, the Gem device is a valid and reliable indirect calorimeter for energy assessment in most adults and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the deterioration of motor neurons. However, this complex disease extends beyond the boundaries of the central nervous system, with metabolic alterations being observed at the systemic and cellular level. While the number of studies that assess the role and impact of metabolic perturbations in ALS is rapidly increasing, the use of metabolism biomarkers in ALS remains largely underinvestigated. In this review, we discuss current and potential metabolism biomarkers in the context of ALS. Of those for which data does exist, there is limited insight provided by individual markers, with specificity for disease, and lack of reproducibility and efficacy in informing prognosis being the largest drawbacks. However, given the array of metabolic markers available, the potential exists for a panel of metabolism biomarkers, which may complement other current biomarkers (including neurophysiology, imaging, as well as CSF, blood and urine markers) to overturn these limitations and give rise to new diagnostic and prognostic indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between VO2max and the 1/2-mile run-walk and the reliability of each in children with mental retardation (MR). Twenty-three children (13 boys, 10 girls) with mild or moderate MR participated in the study. Two maximal treadmill protocols with metabolic measurements and two 1/2-mile run-walk trials were randomly conducted on separate days. There was no difference between Trial I and Trial 2 for VO2max (28.2 vs. 29.6 ml · kg-1 · min-1). maximal heart rate (175 vs. 177 bpm), or run-walk time (7.2 vs. 7.1 min). The test-retest correlations were r = .90 for VO2max, r = .81 for maximal heart rate, and r = .96 for the 1/2-mile run-walk (p < .05). The correlation between VO2max and the 1/2-mile run-walk was r = -.6O (p < .05). Adding body mass index to the model improved R to .67 (SEE = 7.3). The 1/2-mile run-walk was a reliable test, but had questionable validity as an indicator of aerobic capacity in children with mild and moderate MR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism to meet their demands for survival and proliferation. The metabolic plasticity of tumor cells help them adjust to changes in the availability and utilization of nutrients in the microenvironment. Recent studies revealed that many metabolites and metabolic enzymes have non-metabolic functions contributing to tumorigenesis. One major function is regulating epigenetic modifications to facilitate appropriate responses to environmental cues. Accumulating evidence showed that epigenetic modifications could in turn alter metabolism in tumors. Although a comprehensive understanding of the reciprocal connection between metabolic and epigenetic rewiring in cancer is lacking, some conceptual advances have been made. Understanding the link between metabolism and epigenetic modifications in cancer cells will shed lights on the development of more effective cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attempts to develop miniaturised pH electrodes for in vivo monitoring have received much attention in recent years. Continuous real-time pH measurements may be predictive of potentially dangerous deviations in metabolic events that could improve patient prognosis. Herein, we report the in vitro investigation of a physiologically relevant, Pt oxide-based microvoltammetric pH electrode. Cycling through the potential window range −0.65 V to +0.8 V vs. SCE, gave rise to well-established monolayer oxide (MO) and hydrogen (H2) adsorption redox peaks in aqueous solution. The H2 desorption and MO reduction peaks demonstrated pH dependent, linear responses (49 ± 11 mV pH−1 and 76 ± 4 mV pH−1 respectively), following pre-activation of the electrode surface in HCl. Since in vivo monitoring is at the core of this design, the effect of incorporating a miniaturised pseudo reference electrode (PRE) was determined. The Ag/AgCl PRE demonstrated near Nernstian behaviour for the MO reduction peak (58 ± 5 mV pH−1) and sub-Nernstian behaviour (43 ± 6 mV pH−1) for its H2 desorption counterpart. Finally, a preliminary in vivo recording performed in the striatum of a freely moving mouse confirmed that the MO reduction peak was maintained under physiological conditions. These findings support the ability of the Pt oxide-based pH electrode to perform continuous, stable recordings in vivo and warrants further characterisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. CS-0777, a candidate compound for autoimmune diseases, becomes phosphorylated active metabolite, M1, by fructosamine 3-kinase (FN3K), FN3K-related protein (FN3K-RP); and M1 is reverted back to CS-0777 by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the body. We performed enzyme kinetic analysis of phosphorylation of CS-0777 by FN3K, FN3K-RP, human erythrocytes and human platelets; and dephosphorylation of M1 by various ALP isozymes and human liver, kidney, lung and small intestine microsomes. 2. The Michaelis constants of human FN3K, FN3K-RP and erythrocytes for CS-0777 phosphorylation were in the range from 498 μM to 1060 μM. FN3K inhibitor, 1-deoxy-1-morpholinofructose, suppressed only about 20% of CS-0777 phosphorylation activity in human erythrocyte lysate. Immunodepletion of FN3K and FN3K-RP decreased M1 formation activity by about 25% and 50%, respectively, in human erythrocyte lysate. 3. The Michaelis constants of four human ALPs and microsomes were in the range from 10.9 μM to 32.1 μM. The ALP inhibitor, levamisole, suppressed over 50% of M1 dephosphorylation activity in liver, kidney and lung microsomes. 4. FN3K-RP is expected to take a prominent role in the phosphorylation of CS-0777 in human erythrocytes; dephosphorylation of M1 was observed in all ALPs and human tissue microsomes examined, with a similar affinity towards M1 among them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Osthole, a coumarin compound from plants, is a promising agent for the treatment of metabolic diseases, including hyperglycemia, fatty liver, and cancers. Studies indicate that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) α and γ are involved in the pharmacological effects of osthole. Thein vitroandin vivometabolism of osthole and its biological activity are not completely understood. 2. In this study, ultra-performance chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI–QTOFMS)-based metabolomics was used to determine the metabolic pathway of osthole and its influence on the levels of endogenous metabolites. Forty-one osthole metabolites, including 23 novel metabolites, were identified and structurally elucidated from its metabolismin vitroandin vivo. Recombinant cytochrome P450s (CYPs) screening showed that CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 were the primary enzymes contributing to osthole metabolism. 3. More importantly, osthole was able to decrease the levels of lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) in the plasma, which explains in part its modulatory effects on metabolic diseases. 4. This study gives the insights about the metabolic pathways of ostholein vivo, including hydroxylation, glucuronidation, and sulfation. Furthermore, the levels of the lipids regulated by osthole indicated its potential effects on adipogenesis. These data contribute to the understanding of the disposition and pharmacological activity of ostholein vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian and Citrus longhorned beetles, Anoplophora glabripennis (ALB) and A . chinensis (CLB) respectively, are two closely related invasive species with overlapping native ranges. Although both species have rather similar biological characteristics, they differ in their invasion patterns. ALB shows numerous, but local, outbreaks in urban areas of North-East America, Western and Central Europe, whereas CLB has colonized a large part of Northern Italy. Temperature is pivotal in setting distribution limits of ectotherms. Low temperature may be limiting for larvae since they are the main overwintering stage for both species. To investigate whether differential cold tolerance may contribute to setting the respective limits of the range invaded by each species, we monitored larval metabolic rate before and after exposure to a one-week ecologically relevant moderate cold stress (− 2/+2 °C, 14/10 h). We tested two distinctive fluctuating regimes before the cold exposure to check whether larval acclimation significantly altered their cold tolerance. Survival was high in all conditions for both species. Visual examination showed temporary locomotor inactivity during the stress but respiration rates were not altered after the stress suggesting that larvae could rapidly resume their initial metabolic activity. The respiration rate was globally higher in ALB than in CLB. Together, these results tend to indicate that both species have similar tolerance to the moderate cold stress tested, but also that ALB may be better at maintaining metabolic activity at cold than CLB. These observed differences could affect phenology in both species and in turn their establishment potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the physiological difference in recreational runners between a noncontinuous and a continuous endurance training protocol. It also aimed to determine physiological surrogate that could monitor metabolic demand of prolonged running in real-time. For data collection, a total of 18 active male recreational runners were recruited. Physiological (HR, RR, RER, ̐O2, BLa), and overall perceptual (RPEO) responses were recorded against three designed test sessions. Session 1 included ṼO2submax test to determine critical speed (CS) at anaerobic threshold (AT). Session 2 was the noncontinuous CS test until exhaustion, having 4:1 min work-to-rest ratio at CS, whereas session 3 was the continuous CS test till exhaustion. As 1-min recovery during session 2 may change fatigue behavior, it was hypothesized that it will significantly change the physiological stress and hence endurance outcomes. Results reported average time to exhaustion (TTE) was 37.33(9.8) mins for session 2 and 23.28(9.87) mins for session 3. Participants experienced relatively higher metabolic demand (BLa) 6.78(1.43) mmol.l-1 in session 3 as compared to session 2 (5.52(0.93) mmol.l-1). RER was observed to increase in session 3 and decrease in session 2. Student's paired t-test only reported a significant difference in TTE, ṼO2, RER, RPEO, and BLa at "End" between session 2 and 3. Reported difference in RPEO and %HRmax at "AT" were 5 (2.2) and 89.8 (2.60)% during session 2 and 6 (2.5) and 89.8 (2.59)% during session 3, respectively. Regression analysis reported strong correlation of %HRmax (adj. R-square = 0.588) with BLa than RPEO (adj. R-square = 0.541). The summary of findings suggests that decreasing RER increased TTE and reduced BLa toward "End" during session 2 which might have helped to have better endurance. The %HRmax was identified to be used as a better noninvasive surrogate of endurance intensity estimator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: Despite guidelines, routine 24-hour urine testing is completed in <10% of high-risk, recurrent stone formers. Using surrogates for metabolic testing, such as key patient characteristics, could obviate the cost and burden of this test while providing information needed for proper stone prevention counseling. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 392 consecutive patients from 2007 to 2014 with ≥2 lifetime stone episodes, >70% calcium oxalate by mineral analysis, and ≥1 24-hour urine collection. We compared mean 24-hour urine values by age in decades. We used logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess the predictive ability of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities to detect abnormal 24-hour urine parameters. Results: The mean age of the cohort was 51 ± 16 years. Older age was associated with greater urinary oxalate ( p-trend <0.001), lower urinary uric acid (UA) ( p-trend = 0.007), and lower urinary pH ( p-trend <0.001). A nonlinear association was noted between age and urinary calcium or citrate (calcium peaked at 40-49 years, p = 0.03; citrate nadired at 18-29 years, p = 0.001). ROC analysis of age, gender, and BMI to predict 24-hour urine abnormalities performed the best for hyperuricosuria (area under the curve [AUC] 0.816), hyperoxaluria (AUC 0.737), and hypocitraturia (AUC 0.740). Including diabetes mellitus or hypertension did not improve AUC significantly. Conclusions: In our recurrent calcium oxalate cohort, age significantly impacted urinary calcium, oxalate, citrate, and pH. Along with gender and BMI, age can be used to predict key 24-hour urine stone risk results. These data lay the foundation for a risk prediction tool, which could be a surrogate for 24-hour urine results in recurrent stone formers, who are unwilling or unable to complete metabolic testing. Further validation of these findings is needed in other stone populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In bacteria, manganese (Mn) is best understood for its roles in protection against oxidative stress as a cofactor of manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD). There are four SOD enzymes, including two distinct Mn-SOD proteins (SodA1 and SodA2), with an approximately 53% amino sequence identity to each other, one Cu/Zn-SOD and one Fe-SOD in Bacillus thuringiensis. The specific activity of heterogeneously expressed SodA1 enzyme in Escherichia coli was 10,860 U mg, which was enhanced with the addition of elevated exogenous Mn(II) levels and reached the highest specific activity (14,519 U mg) at 80 μM Mn(II). However, neither the purified SodA1 enzyme nor the E. coli recombinant strain BL21-SOD could oxidize Mn(II) in vitro or in vivo. The growth of BL21-SOD strain was also increased by 2 mM Mn(II), and its intracellular accumulated Mn(II) level reached 41.5 μM. The obtained power-time curves from microcalorimetric assay demonstrated that Q of BL21-SOD cultivated with 2 mM Mn(II) was significantly increased, which was 3.55-fold and 3.85-fold higher than the parent strain BL21(DE3) and control strain BL21-pET, respectively, indicating that the exposure of Mn(II) and accompanying oxidative stress might induce and activate the overproduction of SodA1 to eliminate toxic O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum impregnation (VI) has been widely used as pre-treatment prior to, e.g., minimal processing, freezing, or drying of fruit and vegetables. Most of the investigations have focused on the applicability of VI to modify physicochemical, sensory, and nutritive characteristics. However, little attention has been paid to the metabolic consequences of impregnating different substances into the plant tissue. This study explores short- and long-term metabolic responses of baby spinach leaves at 5 °C after impregnation with several substances that are commonly used in food industry, e.g., sucrose, calcium lactate, citric acid, and ascorbic acid. Short-term metabolic response of impregnated spinach leaves was measured with isothermal calorimetry for 7 h. Results demonstrated that leaves impregnated with calcium lactate and sucrose showed a drastic increase in metabolic heat production, but no change was recorded in leaves impregnated with solutions of ascorbic acid or citric acid. Long-term metabolic responses were evaluated by measuring sugars and starch. The different impregnation solutes provoked specific changes in the carbohydrate composition during cold storage and the concentrations at each time point are likely to be the result of mobilization of starch, which sharply decreased during storage, and solute-specific differences in metabolization and interconversion of sugars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Some, however not all, children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) reveal a tendency towards metabolic disorders. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is the main mediator of GH anabolic effects. Objective. The aim of the study was to compare ghrelin, adiponectin, leptin, resistin, lipid, glucose, and insulin concentrations in GHD children, depending on the IGF-I bioavailability. Methods. The analysis comprised 26 children with GHD, aged 5.7–15.3 yrs. Fasting serum concentrations of IGF-I, IGFBP-3, ghrelin, leptin, adiponectin, resistin, lipids, glucose, and insulin were measured. The GHD children were divided into two subgroups: (1) with lower IGF-I/IGFBP-3 molar ratio and (2) with higher IGF-I/IGFBP-3 molar ratio. The control group consisted of 39 healthy children, aged 5.1–16.6 yrs, of normal height and body mass. Results. GHD children with lower IGF-I/IGFBP-3 molar ratio were found to have a significantly lower body mass and insulin and triglyceride concentrations, as well as significantly higher ghrelin and adiponectin concentrations than GHD children with higher IGF-I/IGFBP-3. Conclusions. A better metabolic profile characterised GHD children with low IGF-I bioavailability. This phenomenon may be the result of high adiponectin and ghrelin concentrations in those children and their influence on adipose tissue, glucose uptake, and orexigenic axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic profiling in liver and serum of mice was studied for the combined toxic effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN), through gas chromatography mass spectrum. The spectrum of serum and liver sample of mice, treated with individual 2 mg/kg DON, 20 mg/kg ZEN, and the combined DON + ZEN with final concentration 2 mg/kg DON and 20 mg/kg ZEN for 21 days, were deconvoluted, aligned and identified with MS DIAL. The data matrix was processed with univariate analysis and multivariate analysis for selection of metabolites with variable importance for the projection (VIP) > 1, t-test p value < 0.05. The metabolic pathway analysis was performed with MetaMapp and drawn by CytoScape. Results show that the combined DON and ZEN treatment has an obvious "antagonistic effect" in serum and liver tissue metabolic profiling of mice. The blood biochemical indexes, like alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, and albumin (ALB)/globulin (GLO), reveal a moderated trend in the combined DON + ZEN treatment group, which is consistent with histopathological examination. The metabolic pathway analysis demonstrated that the combined DON and ZEN treatment could down-regulate the valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and O-glycosyl compounds related glucose metabolism in liver tissue. The metabolic profiling in serum confirmed the finding that the combined DON and ZEN treatment has an "antagonistic effect" on liver metabolism of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent and multifactorial neuropsychiatric disorder in the human population worldwide. Complex etiology and clinical heterogeneity have challenged the research, diagnostics and treatment of the disease. Hyperactive and impulsive behaviour has also been observed in dogs, and they could offer a physiologically relevant model for human ADHD. As a part of our ongoing study to understand the molecular etiology of canine anxiety traits, this study was aimed to pilot an approach to identify metabolic biomarkers in canine ADHD-like behaviours for research, diagnostics and treatment purposes. Methods: We collected fresh plasma samples from 22 German Shepherds with varying ADHD-like behaviours. All dogs were on the same controlled diet for 2 weeks prior to sampling. A liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based non-targeted metabolite profiling was performed to identify plasma metabolites correlating with the ADHD-like behaviour of the dogs. Results: 649 molecular features correlated with ADHD-like behavioural scores (p < 0.05), and three of them [sn-1 raw LysoPC(18:3), PC(18:3/18:2) and sn-1 LysoPE(18:2)] had significant correlations also after FDR correction (pFDR < 0.05). Phospholipids were found to negatively correlate with ADHD-like behavioural scores, whereas tryptophan metabolites 3-indolepropionic acid (IPA) and kynurenic acid (KYNA) had negative and positive correlations with ADHD-like behavioural scores, respectively. Conclusions: Our study identified associations between canine ADHD-like behaviours and metabolites that are involved in lipid and tryptophan metabolisms. The identified metabolites share similarity with earlier findings in human and rodent ADHD models. However, a larger replication study is warranted to validate the discoveries prior to further studies to understand the biological role of the identified metabolites in canine ADHD-like behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fatty acid (FA) composition has been analysed in the blubber of 56 minke whales caught during the Norwegian commercial whaling period in 2009–2011. Minke whales from four regions were sampled: the North Sea, Vesterålen, Spitsbergen/Bear Island and Finnmark. The FA profiles of the whale blubber have been compared with FA profiles of potential prey species to investigate if FA analysis can be used to predict the diet of minke whales and how the FA profiles of the blubber reflect the regional ecosystem in which the whales were caught. Clear differences in blubber FA profiles were found between minke whales from different areas, and the results of the present study show that FA analysis of the blubber can be used to indicate the whale's diet, but there appears to be a strong impact from metabolism on several FAs. The whale blubber FAs are separate from those of the prey by having relatively high levels of FAs likely to originate from endogenous metabolism, such as 18:1n9 (Δ9-desaturation of 18:0); chain shortening products of 22:1(n-11); 20:1(n-11) and 18:1(n-11); as well as 22:5(n-3), which is an elongation product of 20:5(n-3). High metabolic activity in the adipose tissue was also evident by the clear stratification of FA profiles found throughout the blubber layer. It is remarkable that the whale blubber has much lower levels of the long-chain PUFAs 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3) than found in the prey organisms. It is likely that this results from selective partitioning of diet FAs between the storage lipids and membrane lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a synthetic substance, made from other chemicals, and does not occur naturally in the environment. It is used as a pesticide The aim of this study was to track the induced changes of Chlorella fusca microalgae after exposure to various concentrations of Pentachlorophenol (PCP) by flow cytometry for morphological changes and metabolic activity and by optical and ESEM microscopy. The results reported in the present study indicate that the exposure of green alga Chlorella to Pentachlorophenol induce an apoptosis similar toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the metabolic consequences of general anesthesia in the plasma of two groups of patients with diagnosis for non-metastatic colorectal cancer and metastatic colorectal cancer with liver-metastasis, respectively. Patients were treated with etomidate or propofol, two frequently used sedation agents. Plasma samples were obtained via Ficoll separation. Here, we demonstrated that this procedure introduces a number of limitations for NMR-based metabolomics studies, due to the appearance of spurious signals. Nevertheless, the comparison of the H NMR metabolomic profiles of patients treated with etomidate or propofol at equipotent dose ranges was still feasible and proved that both agents significantly decrease the plasma levels of several NMR-detectable metabolites. Consequently, samples collected during anesthesia are not suitable for metabolic profiling studies aimed at patient stratification, because interpersonal variability are reduced by the overall depression of metabolites levels. On the other hand, this study showed that plasma metabolomics could represent a valuable tool to monitor the effect of different sedation agents and/or the individual metabolic response to anesthesia, providing hints for an appropriate tuning of personalized sedation procedures. In our reference groups, the metabolomic signatures were slightly different in patients anesthetized with etomidate versus propofol. The importance of standardized collection procedures and availability of exhaustive metadata of the experimental design for the accurate evaluation of the significance of the observed changes in metabolites levels are critically discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), a Fusarium mycotoxin belonging to the trichothecene type A mycotoxins, is able to contaminate food and feed worldwide. Only limited information is available regarding the metabolism of DAS. The present study used ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight hybrid mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/TOF) to investigate the in vitro phase I and II metabolism of DAS by rat, chicken, swine, goat, cow, and human liver microsomes. An extensive metabolization profile of DAS has been observed. A total of seven phase I and three phase II metabolites of DAS were detected. Among the identified molecules, four phase I metabolites (8β-hydroxy-DAS, neosolaniol, 7-hydroxy-DAS, and its epimer) and two phase II metabolites (4-deacetyl-DAS-3-glucuronic acid and 4-deacetyl-DAS-4-glucuronic acid) were identified for the first time. These results indicate that the major metabolic pathways of DAS in vitro were hydrolyzation (M1-M3), hydroxylation (M4-M7), and conjugation (M8-M10). Qualitative differences in phase I and II metabolic profiles of DAS between the five animal species and human were observed. 4-Deacetyl-DAS was the primary metabolite from liver microsomes of all species, especially human. The in vivo metabolism of DAS in rats and chickens after oral administration of DAS was also investigated and compared. The major metabolites for rats and chickens were 4-deacetyl-DAS and 7-hydroxy-DAS. These results will help to gain a more detailed insight into the metabolism and toxicity of DAS among different animal species and human. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolism of yellow cassava (variety TMS 01/1368) was investigated in male albino rats fed a diet containing yellow cassava for 7 to 28 days. There were significant increases (P < 0.05) in total and free cyanide and thiocyanate in the sera and urine samples of the experimental rats compared with the control, significant increases (P < 0.05) in serum glucose, alanine aminotransaminase, aspartate aminotransaminase, and alkaline phosphatase levels of the experimental rats compared with the control, significant decreases (P < 0.05) in serum albumin of the experimental rats compared with the control, but no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the serum total proteins of the experimental rats compared with the control. The experimental rats treated for 7, 14, 21, or 28 days exhibited body weight decreases of 5.11%, 11.10%, 19.16%, and 24.18%, respectively, whereas the control group showed 9.17% gain in body weight. Total and free cyanide concentrations were detected in the liver, kidney, and heart of most of the rats in both the experimental and control groups, except for free cyanide in the control group that was not detected. Metabolism of the yellow cassava variety in experimental rats was capable of exposing the animals to cyanide, underscoring the need for its proper processing before consumption by humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-targeted ¹H-NMR methods were used to determine metabolite profiles from crude extracts of Alpine and Ecuadorian lichens collected from their natural habitats. In control experiments, the robustness of metabolite detection and quantification was estimated using replicate measurements of Stereocaulon alpinum extracts. The deviations in the overall metabolite fingerprints were low when analyzing S. alpinum collections from different locations or during different annual and seasonal periods. In contrast, metabolite profiles observed from extracts of different Alpine and Ecuadorian lichens clearly revealed genus- and species-specific profiles. The discriminating functions determining cluster formation in principle component analysis (PCA) were due to differences in the amounts of genus-specific compounds such as sticticin from the Sticta species, but also in the amounts of ubiquitous metabolites, such as sugar alcohols or trehalose. However, varying concentrations of these metabolites from the same lichen species e.g., due to different environmental conditions appeared of minor relevance for the overall cluster formation in PCA. The metabolic clusters matched phylogenetic analyses using nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of lichen mycobionts, as exemplified for the genus Sticta. It can be concluded that NMR-based non-targeted metabolic profiling is a useful tool in the chemo-taxonomy of lichens. The same approach could also facilitate the discovery of novel lichen metabolites on a rapid and systematical basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory cytokines are important regulators of metabolism and food intake. Over production of inflammatory cytokines during bacterial and viral infections leads to anorexia and reduced food intake. However, it remains unclear whether any inflammatory cytokines are involved in the regulation of taste reception, the sensory mechanism governing food intake. Previously, we showed that tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a potent proinflammatory cytokine, is preferentially expressed in a subset of taste bud cells. The level of TNF in taste cells can be further induced by inflammatory stimuli. To investigate whether TNF plays a role in regulating taste responses, in this study, we performed taste behavioral tests and gustatory nerve recordings in TNF knockout mice. Behavioral tests showed that TNF-deficient mice are significantly less sensitive to the bitter compound quinine than wild-type mice, while their responses to sweet, umami, salty, and sour compounds are comparable to those of wild-type controls. Furthermore, nerve recording experiments showed that the chorda tympani nerve in TNF knockout mice is much less responsive to bitter compounds than that in wild-type mice. Chorda tympani nerve responses to sweet, umami, salty, and sour compounds are similar between TNF knockout and wild-type mice, consistent with the results from behavioral tests. We further showed that taste bud cells express the two known TNF receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2 and, therefore, are potential targets of TNF. Together, our results suggest that TNF signaling preferentially modulates bitter taste responses. This mechanism may contribute to taste dysfunction, particularly taste distortion, associated with infections and some chronic inflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the applications of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for metabolomics and metabolic profiling in complex data sets. It describes the global measurements on biological samples for quantifying metabolites and evaluating changes in metabolite levels through specific pathways. It implies that NMR is effective in metabolite fingerprinting with comprehensive and simultaneous analysis of a wide variety of compounds.

Introduction: (−)-[18 F]Flubatine is a PET tracer with high affinity and selectivity for the nicotinic acetylcholine α4β2 receptor subtype. A clinical trial assessing the availability of this subtype of nAChRs was performed. From a total participant number of 21 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs), the following parameters were determined: plasma protein binding, metabolism and activity distribution between plasma and whole blood. Methods: Plasma protein binding and fraction of unchanged parent compound were assessed by ultracentrifugation and HPLC, respectively. The distribution of radioactivity (parent compound+metabolites) between plasma and whole blood was determined ex vivo at different time-points after injection by gamma counting after separation of whole blood by centrifugation into the cellular and non-cellular components. In additional experiments in vitro, tracer distribution between these blood components was assessed for up to 90min. Results: A fraction of 15%±2% of (−)-[18 F]Flubatine was found to be bound to plasma proteins. Metabolic degradation of (−)-[18 F]Flubatine was very low, resulting in almost 90% unchanged parent compound at 90min p.i. with no significant difference between AD and HC. The radioactivity distribution between plasma and whole blood changed in vivo only slightly over time from 0.82±0.03 at 3min p.i. to 0.87±0.03 at 270min p.i. indicating the contribution of only a small amount of metabolites. In vitro studies revealed that (−)-[18 F]Flubatine was instantaneously distributed between cellular and non-cellular blood parts. Discussion: (−)-[18 F]Flubatine exhibits very favourable characteristics for a PET radiotracer such as slow metabolic degradation and moderate plasma protein binding. Equilibrium of radioactivity distribution between plasma and whole blood is reached instantaneously and remains almost constant over time allowing both convenient sample handling and facilitated fractional blood volume contribution assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the association of Hypertriglyceridemic waist with metabolic disorders and visceral fat in adults. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 191 individuals of both sexes. Subjects were grouped according to Waist Circumference (WC) ratings (Men: > 90 cm; Women: > 80 cm) and triglycerides (TG) (> 150 mg/dl) in Group 1 (HTW Phenotype): elevated WC and TG; Group 2 (absence of HTW Phenotype): elevated WC and normal TG or normal WC and elevated TG or normal WC and TG. Metabolic alternations, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and visceral/subcutaneous fat index (VF/SF) measured by computed tomography were evaluated as cardiovascu - lar risk factors between the groups. Results: Individuals with HTW phenotype, 82% had three or more cardiovascular risk factors. The association between cardiovascular risk factors with HTW phenotype revealed that among men 73.7% had hypercholesterolemia, 94.9% elevated non-HDLc and 78.9% excess of VAT area (p = 0.001). Among women, 65% had elevated Sistolic Blood Plessure, 80% hypercholesterolemia and 90% elevated non-HDLc (p < 0.02). Conclusion: The HTW phenotype associated with the metabolic alternations and VAT excess. Individuals with HTW had higher number of cardiovascular risk factors. The Hypertriglyceridemic waist can be used in clinical practice for investigating cardiovascular risk and visceral adipose tissue in individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a common environmental pollutant, and urinary Cd (UCd) is generally used as a marker of exposure; however, our understanding on the related urinary metabolic changes caused by Cd exposure is still not clear. In this study, we applied a mass-spectrometry-based metabolomic approach to assess the urinary metabolic changes in human with long-term environmental Cd exposure, aimed to identify early biomarkers to assess Cd nephrotoxicity. Urine samples from 94 female never smokers aged 44–70 with UCd in the range of 0.20–68.67 μg/L were analyzed by liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-ToF-MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). It was found that metabolites related to amino acid metabolism (L-glutamine, L-cystine, L-tyrosine, N-methyl-L-histidine, L-histidinol, taurine, phenylacetylglutamine, hippurate, and pyroglutamic acid), galactose metabolism (D-galactose and myo-inositol), purine metabolism (xanthine, urea, and deoxyadenosine monophosphate), creatine pathway (creatine and creatinine), and steroid hormone biosynthesis (17-α-hydroxyprogesterone, tetrahydrocortisone, estrone, and corticosterone) were significantly higher among those with a UCd level higher than 5 μg/L. Moreover, we noticed that the level of N-methyl-L-histidine had already started to elevate among individuals with a UCd concentration of ≥2 μg/L. The overall findings illustrate that metabolomics offer a useful approach for revealing metabolic changes as a result of Cd exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic profiling, or metabolomics, has developed into a mature science in recent years. It has major applications in the study of metabolic disorders. This review addresses issues relevant to the choice of the metabolomics platform, study design and data analysis in diabetes research, and presents recent advances using metabolomics in the identification of markers for altered metabolic pathways, biomarker discovery, challenge studies, metabolic markers of drug efficacy and off-target effects. The role of genetic variance and intermediate metabolic phenotypes and its relevance to diabetes research is also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We measured the following variables to investigate the effects of fasting and temperature on swimming performance in juvenile qingbo (Spinibarbus sinensis): the critical swimming speed (U crit), resting metabolic rate and active metabolic rate of fish fasting for 0 (control), 1, 2 and 4 weeks at low and high acclimation temperatures (15 and 25°C). Both fasting treatment and temperature acclimation had significant effects on all parameters measured (P<0.05). Fasting at the higher temperature had a negative effect on all measured parameters after 1 week (P<0.05). However, when acclimated to the lower temperature, fasting had a negative effect on U crit until week 2 and on , and metabolic scope (MS, – ) until week 4 (P<0.05). The values of all parameters at the lower temperature were significantly lower than those at the higher temperature in the identical fasting period groups except for of the fish that fasted for 2 weeks. The relationship between fasting time (T) and U crit was described as U crit(15)=−0.302T 2−0.800T+35.877 (r=0.781, n=32, P<0.001) and U crit(25)=0.471T 2−3.781T+50.097 (r=0.766, n=32, P<0.001) at 15 and 25°C, respectively. The swimming performance showed less decrease in the early stage of fasting but more decrease in the later stage at the low temperature compared to the high temperature, which might be related to thermal acclimation time, resting metabolism, respiratory capacity, energy stores, enzyme activity in muscle tissue and energy substrate utilization changes with fasting between low and high temperatures. The divergent response of the swimming performance to fasting in qingbo at different temperatures might be an adaptive strategy to seasonal temperature and food resource variation in their habitat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The authors outline the role of the functional imaging technique choline-positron emission tomography in the diagnosis, staging and treatment response assessment of patients with prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: The evolution of multicellular organisms is associated with increasing variability of molecules governing behavioral and physiological states. This is often achieved by neuropeptides (NPs) that are produced in neurons from a longer protein, named neuropeptide precursor (NPP). The maturation of NPs occurs through a sequence of proteolytic cleavages. The difficulty in identifying NPPs is a consequence of their diversity and the lack of applicable sequence similarity among the short functionally related NPs.Results: Herein, we describe Neuropeptide Precursor Identifier (NeuroPID), a machine learning scheme that predicts metazoan NPPs. NeuroPID was trained on hundreds of identified NPPs from the UniProtKB database. Some 600 features were extracted from the primary sequences and processed using support vector machines (SVM) and ensemble decision tree classifiers. These features combined biophysical, chemical and informational–statistical properties of NPs and NPPs. Other features were guided by the defining characteristics of the dibasic cleavage sites motif. NeuroPID reached 89–94% accuracy and 90–93% precision in cross-validation blind tests against known NPPs (with an emphasis on Chordata and Arthropoda). NeuroPID also identified NPP-like proteins from extensively studied model organisms as well as from poorly annotated proteomes. We then focused on the most significant sets of features that contribute to the success of the classifiers. We propose that NPPs are attractive targets for investigating and modulating behavior, metabolism and homeostasis and that a rich repertoire of NPs remains to be identified.Availability: NeuroPID source code is freely available at http://www.protonet.cs.huji.ac.il/neuropidContact: michall@cc.huji.ac.ilSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] First metabonomics study on the effect of quercetin on toxicity induced by DDVP. [•] Research dose was according to the human exposed dose. [•] We found quercetin has a partial protective effect on DDVP-induced toxicity. [•] Quercetin can regulate the DDVP-induced toxicity at the organism metabolism level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Resistance to deltamethrin was confirmed in our mosquitoes population tested. [•] Pre-exposure to P-gps inhibitor caused a non significant mortality and knockdown. [•] Pre-exposure to esterase synergists yielded an increase mortality and knockdown. [•] Pre-exposure to oxidase synergists yielded an increase mortality and knockdown. [•] Synergist use is a best way to investigate metabolic resistance in field mosquitoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: It is controversial about the best method of weight reduction for health benefits. The purpose of this study was to determine leptin and some coronary heart disease risk factor responses in young females after aerobic and resistance exercise training and low caloric diet. Methods: Thirty-six inactive obese girls volunteered to participate in the study. They were divided to four equal aerobic training, resistance training, low caloric diet and control groups. Fast blood samples were collected at baseline, after 4 and 8 weeks. Exercise groups had 8-week programs, three sessions aerobic (60 min cycling at 60–70 % of Vo 2max) or resistance (12 exercises, 4 sets, 15 repetitions, 60 % of 1RM) training per week. Results: Significant decrease was observed in low caloric diet group from pre-test to 4 and 8 weeks ( p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in serum leptin, within other groups ( p > 0.05). There was a significant difference between low caloric diet and control group in serum leptin from pre-test to post-test ( p < 0.05). No significant differences ( p > 0.05) were observed between groups on serum insulin, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and glucose at any trails. Significant decrease in glucose was observed within diet group from pre- to 4- and 8-week test ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Main finding of this study is that 8 weeks aerobic and resistance training was not sufficient to produce favorite changes on serum leptin and metabolic parameters. It seems that low caloric diet may reduce serum leptin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual total energy expenditure may be calculated as a sum of basal energy requirement and energy expenditure associated with physical activity. Measurement of basal energy requirement is not often conducted in dietetic practice, but may be applied using indirect calorimetry. The aim of the analysis was to present the possibilities of using the Fitmate PRO monitor in the assessment of resting metabolic rate and basal energy expenditure with a method of indirect calorimetry in a group of 91 overweight and obese women in various age. The mean results of the resting metabolic rate measured with method of indirect calorimetry using the Fitmate PRO monitor did not differ in the age groups of overweight and obese women. The results of the resting metabolic rate measured with method of indirect calorimetry using the Fitmate PRO monitor were correlated with body mass, height, fat mass, muscle mass and waist circumference. The Fitmate PRO monitor may be a valuable tool in everyday dietetic practice to assess the basal energy expenditure with method of indirect calorimetry in a group of overweight and obese women [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a 90-day study on the effects of a verbascoside (VB) based diet on the metabolic behavior of 20 healthy New Zealand white rabbits. Attention is paid to parameters such as bilirubin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The author suggests that antioxidants protect cells against oxidative stress but high doses of VB can cause adverse effects, and risks are increased when pharmacological doses of polyphenols are applied.

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the largest component of daily energy expenditure, with lower values in the black population. Resistance training is considered to be the most effective exercise modality to increase fat-free mass (FFM), and therefore also the RMR. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a 12-week resistance training programme on the body composition (FFM, FM) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in a cohort of South African premenopausal women. An available sample of Caucasian (n = 20) and Coloured women (n = 8) between ages 25 and 30 years completed a 12-week intervention study. Body composition (FFM, FM) and RMR were determined by using the Bod Pod® together with other anthropometric measurements (body mass, stature and waist circumference). Statistical analysis included the Mann-Whitney U test as well as the effect size, to determine the significance of the intervention regimen. No statistically significant differences occurred but medium practically significant differences were found between the groups. Coloured women had a greater decrease in body mass (r = 0.25), FM (r = 0.28) and increase in RMR (r = 0.28) than the Caucasians. Both groups showed a decrease in body mass, FM, percentage body fat, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI) and an increase in FFM and RMR after the intervention programme. In conclusion, it therefore seems that a resistance intervention programme can serve as an effective tool in increasing FFM and RMR, which may inter alia be associated with a decrease in FM, percentage body fat and body mass among both groups of premenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we introduce and study Scenario Based P Systems in order to model computation inspired by metabolic pathways and networks. Starting from the classical definition of P systems with symbol objects and multiset rewriting rules, we use regular expressions able to capture the causal dependencies among different executions of the rules. For SBP systems we define the synchronisation degree and based on it and on the types of the rules that are used we study their computational capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Prediabetes, a category of incipient hyperglycemia that includes impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), has an increasing incidence in the modern world. We searched for differences in anthropometric and metabolic characteristics between subjects with isolated IFG and IFG+IGT. Material and Methods: In our cross-sectional study, 154 subjects with IFG and IFG+IGT, without any other major pathologies, were analyzed. Anthropometric data, lipid profile, uric acid, insulin resistance indexes, adiponectin, leptin and leptin-to-adiponectin ratio were compared. Results: Only 122 subjects (64 with isolated IFG and 58 with IFG+IGT), without any other identifiable major disease, were included in the final analysis. Most characteristics of the two groups were similar, only minor differences in anthropometric data, biochemical profile and insulin resistance indexes being noted. Insulin resistance indexes were stronger associated with adiponectin in the group with isolated IFG and with leptin and leptin-to-adiponectin ratio in the IFG+IGT group. Conclusions: Our data suggest a similar anthropometric and metabolic profile in subjects with isolated IFG and with IFG+IGT. In isolated IFG, insulin resistance seems to correlate better with adiponectin, while in IFG+IGT it seems to associate mostly with leptin and derived parameters [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The doubly labelled water method ( DLW) is widely used to measure field metabolic rate ( FMR), but it has some limitations. Here, we validate an innovative technique for measuring FMR by comparing the turnover of isotopic rubidium (86 Rb kb) with DLW depletion and the rate of CO2 production ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional 1H NMR spectra are widely used for metabolic profiling. Such data sets often contain hundreds or thousands of spectra, which typically have variation in their sample chemistry, which leads to chemical shift variation "positional noise". This is a severe problem for metabolite quantification and data analysis, as peak integrals do not necessarily correspond across all spectra in a set. Various alignment algorithms have been developed to address this problem, but different studies have taken different approaches to evaluating the performance of NMR alignment routines and can be subjective or rely on an arbitrary cutoff. Furthermore, most alignment approaches completely fail to deal with peaks that overlap. We adopt the simple and robust method of ordering spectra with respect to an internally varying peak and use this to compare different alignment algorithms. Furthermore, we use the information from this procedure to help improve a Bayesian approach to automated peak deconvolution by restricting the prior probability distribution of the peak position in a model-free manner and compare the performance to manual peak deconvolution and to binning. This combination of spectral ordering and compound deconvolution improved the quality of the data for quantitative metabolomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is great need for better control measures for tuberculosis (TB). High-throughput analyses, such as transcriptomic and metabolic profiling, offer a promising path toward clinically useful biosignatures. With the help of biomarkers, it will be possible not only to reliably perform diagnosis but also to gain a better understanding of the disease process and, in the future, even predict the onset of disease in infected individuals. Biomarkers based on transcriptomic and metabolic profiles as well as on cytokine composition provide important insights into the basic biological principles of TB and give an opportunity to reliably distinguish TB patients from healthy individuals. Use of biomarkers for point-of-care diagnosis, however, is still a distant goal, which to achieve will require extensive analysis of TB biosignatures across different cohorts and a combination of different platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of additional analytical instruments is of great interest to expand metabolome coverage. Differential mobility analyzers (DMAs) are a type of ion mobility spectrometers that can be straightforwardly interfaced with commercial mass spectrometers. In this pilot study, we explored the capabilities of an ion mobility-mass spectrometry platform, based on interfacing a Differential Mobility Analyzer with a commercial quadrupole time of-flight mass spectrometer (DMA-QTOF), to phenotype the metabolic urinary fingerprint of a cohort of prostate cancer patients ( n = 8) and a group of healthy counterparts ( n = 20). The resolving power of the DMA and the QTOF was ∼55 and ∼6,500, respectively. The transmission efficiency of the DMA was 50%. We illustrate the benefits of incorporating the DMA through the separation of isobaric species according to their electrical mobility, which were not fully resolved by the high resolution QTOF. In addition, we show that the bidimensional electrical mobility-mass spectra obtained can be successfully processed with the XCMS routine, extending its potential to ion mobility-mass spectrometry-based platforms. Data mining with XCMS revealed seven features significantly down-regulated in cancer patients ( P < 0.05). These peaks were the input of principal component analysis, showing a clear separation tendency from prostate cancer patients and healthy controls. NIST MS search algorithm was used to classify the samples according to their class, with a resulting 75% sensitivity and 80% specificity. We pursued further fragmentation experiments for structural elucidation of the most discriminant metabolites, thereby illustrating the full potential of this analytical platform for the task. In summary, DMA-MS/MS provides an additional level of separation as compared to traditional mass spectrometry-based methods, thereby increasing the array of multi-analytical platforms available to global metabolite profiling and metabolite identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of the technique of secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging and highlights some current and future areas of application relevant to the field of metabolomics. The approach benefits from label-free analysis of molecular species up to ~1500 Da with minimal sample preparation. Offering the highest spatial resolution of current mass spectrometry imaging methodologies, the technique is well-suited to metabolite imaging in both biological tissue and cells, in both 2D and 3D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The evaluation of metabolic profiles (MP) in cattle industries is a useful procedure to value and apply corrections when necessary and, simultaneously, is a tool for technicians or herd owners to monitor the health, and the reproduction. Objective. To find relationships between MP: cholesterol, hematocrit, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), milk urea nitrogen (MUN), proteins, urea, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), calcium and magnesium, with some production, health and reproduction parameters. Methodology. A study was performed on Politécnico Colombiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid's dairy herd, located in a low humid mountain forest. The metabolic parameters were evaluated throughout a year, by means of blood samples in 20 cows in peripartum, during the delivery and after it. Results. The main metabolic indicators to predict the production were cholesterol (p<0,042) and urea with (p<0,034), with statistically significant correlations. As for the herd´s health, the MPs with a significant correlation were the calcemia and the hematocrit. The latter can also be a good indicator of the nutritional condition (related with the protein levels of the herd). Concerning the reproductive condition, (open days and conception services), the body condition and the calcemia had a statistically important relationship to predict metabolic mismatches. Conclusion. MP evaluation is recommended because it is an appropriate and easy to apply tool for technicians and producers in the monitoring, adjusting and control of production units, aiming to be successful in the production expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The adipokine vaspin (visceral adipose tissue derived serine protease inhibitor, serpinA12) follows a meal-related diurnal variation in humans and intracerebroventricular vaspin administration leads to acutely reduced food intake in db/db mice. We therefore hypothesized that vaspin may play a role in human eating behaviour. Materials and Methods: We measured serum vaspin concentrations in 548 subjects from a self-contained population of Sorbs (Germany) who underwent detailed metabolic testing including eating behaviour assessments using the three-factor eating questionnaire. In addition, genetic variation within vaspin was assessed by genotyping 28 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in all study subjects. Results: Serum vaspin concentrations correlated positively with restraint, disinhibition and hunger (all P<0.05), although the correlations did not withstand further adjustments for age, gender and BMI (all P>0.05). Independent of observed correlations, genetic variants in vaspin were associated with serum vaspin levels but showed no significant association with any of the eating behaviour phenotypes after accounting for multiple testing (P≥0.05 after adjusting for age, gender and BMI). Conclusion: Our data suggest that serum vaspin concentrations might modulate human eating behaviour, which does not seem to be affected by common genetic variation in vaspin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]