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The effects of the type of support and Pd concentration profile in alumina and silica supported egg-shell catalysts and their performance in the hydrogenation of 2-ethylanthraquinone (eAQ) were studied in ‘Anthra’ (AQ) and ‘All-Tetra’ systems. The activity and deactivation of catalysts were determined in the fixed-bed reactor. Solution saturated with hydrogen, (concentration of active quinones 60g/dm3, eAQ in the AQ system, 30% of eAQ and 70% of H4eAQ–2-ethlytetrahydroanthraquinone, in the All-Tetra system) was circulated through the catalyst bed at temperature 50°C and pressure 5bar. The contents of eAQ, active quinones, H4eAQ and degradation products were determined in the course of hydrogenation by GC method. The egg-shell palladium catalysts (1–2wt% Pd) prepared by the precipitation of palladium hydroxide onto alumina and silica supports pre-impregnated with various alkaline (NaHCO3, NaH2PO4, Na2SiO3) solutions were used in the hydrogenation experiments. Pd concentration profile inside the grains of catalysts was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. A difference between alumina and silica carriers with respect to the course of side reactions producing degradation products was found. Degradation of quinones in the hydrogenolytic reactions predominated on alumina supported catalysts, while the catalysts with silica favoured the hydrogenation of aromatic rings resulting in H4eAQ-active quinone. As a crucial factor for the decrease in the activity during the hydrogenation run, the reactivity of catalyst in the hydrogenolytic reactions was established. Alumina supported catalysts exhibited much higher deactivation than those of silica supported ones. Silica carrier as well as silica species introduced onto alumina under pre-impregnation with Na2SiO3 exhibited an advantageous role in the catalyst performance, in terms of activity and deactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes participate in intercellular messaging by transporting bioactive lipid-, protein- and RNA-molecules and -complexes. The contents of the exosomes reflect the physiological status of an individual making exosomes promising targets for biomarker analyses. In the present study we extracted exosome microRNAs (exomiRs) from serum samples of premenopausal women (n = 8) and monozygotic postmenopausal twins (n = 10 female pairs), discordant for the use of estrogenic hormone replacement therapy (HRT), in order to see whether the age or/and the use of HRT associates with exomiR content. A total of 241 exomiRs were detected by next generation sequencing, 10 showing age, 14 HRT and 10 age +HRT -related differences. When comparing the groups, differentially expressed miRs were predicted to affect cell proliferation processes showing inactivation with younger age and HRT usage. MiR-106-5p, -148a-3p, -27-3p, -126-5p, -28-3p and -30a-5p were significantly associated with serum 17β-estradiol. MiRs formed two hierarchical clusters being indicative of positive or negative health outcomes involving associations with body composition, serum 17β-estradiol, fat-, glucose- and inflammatory markers. Circulating exomiR clusters, obtained by NGS, could be used as indicators of metabolic and inflammatory status affected by hormonal changes at menopause. Furthermore, the individual effects of HRT-usage could be evaluated based on the serum exomiR signature., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Aging is associated with systemic inflammation and cellular apoptosis accelerating physiological dysfunctions. Whether physically active way of life affects these associations is unclear. This study measured the levels of serum inflammatory and apoptotic molecules, their change over 10 years, and their associations with physical performance in sprint-trained male athletes. HsCRP, cell counts, HGB, FasL, miR-21, and miR-146a were measured cross-sectionally ( n = 67, 18-90 yrs) and serum FasL, miR-21, and miR-146a and their aging-related associations with physical performance were assessed over a 10-year follow-up ( n = 49, 50-90 yrs). The cross-sectional study showed positive age correlations for neutrophils and negative for lymphocytes, red blood cells, HGB, FasL, and miR-146a. During the 10-year follow-up, FasL decreased ( P = 0.017) and miR-21 ( P < 0.001) and miR-146a ( P = 0.005) levels increased. When combining the molecule levels, aging, and physical performance, FasL associated with countermovement jump and bench press ( P < 0.001), miR-21 and miR-146a with knee flexion ( P = 0.023; P < 0.001), and bench press ( P = 0.004; P < 0.001) and miR-146a with sprint performance ( P < 0.001). The studied serum molecules changed in an age-dependent manner and were associated with declining physical performance. They have potential as biomarkers of aging-related processes influencing the development of physiological dysfunctions. Further research is needed focusing on the origins and targets of circulating microRNAs to clarify their function in various tissues with aging., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Estrogen (E2 )-responsive peripheral tissues, such as skeletal muscle, may suffer from hormone deficiency after menopause potentially contributing to the aging of muscle. However, recently E2 was shown to be synthesized by muscle and its systemic and intramuscular hormone levels are unequal. The objective of the study was to examine the association between intramuscular steroid hormones and muscle characteristics in premenopausal women (n = 8) and in postmenopausal monozygotic twin sister pairs (n = 16 co-twins from eight pairs) discordant for the use of E2 -based hormone replacement. Isometric skeletal muscle strength was assessed by measuring knee extension strength. Explosive lower body muscle power was assessed as vertical jump height. Due to sequential nature of enzymatic conversion of biologically inactive dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to testosterone (T) and subsequently to E2 or dihydrotestosterone (DHT), separate linear regression models were used to estimate the association of each hormone with muscle characteristics. Intramuscular E2 , T, DHT, and DHEA proved to be significant, independent predictors of strength and power explaining 59-64% of the variation in knee extension strength and 80-83% of the variation of vertical jumping height in women (P < 0.005 for all models). The models were adjusted for age, systemic E2 , and total body fat mass. The statistics used took into account the lack of statistical independence of twin sisters. Furthermore, muscle cells were shown to take up and actively synthesize hormones. Present study suggests intramuscular sex steroids to associate with strength and power regulation in female muscle providing novel insight to the field of muscle aging., (© 2015 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Biological aging is associated with physiological deteriorations, which are partly due to changes in the hormonal profile. MicroRNAs regulate various processes associated with cell senescence; differentiation, replication and apoptosis. Serum microRNAs have potential to serve as noninvasive markers for diagnostics/prognostics and therapeutic targets. We analysed the association of estrogen-based hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with selected microRNAs and inflammation markers from the serum, leukocytes and muscle biopsy samples from 54 to 62 year-old postmenopausal monozygotic twins (n=11 pairs) discordant for HRT usage. Premenopausal 30-35 year-old women (n=8) were used as young controls. We focused on the hormonal aging and on the interaction between HRT use and the modulation of miR-21, miR-146a and classical inflammation markers. Fas-ligand was analysed since it functions in both apoptosis and inflammation. The inflammatory profile was healthier among the premenopausal women compared to the postmenopausal twins. Serum miR-21 and miR-146a levels and FasL concentrations were lower in HRT users compared to their non-using co-twins, demonstrating their responsiveness to HRT. Based on the pairwise FasL analysis, FasL concentration is likely to be genetically controlled. Overall, we suggest that postmenopausal estrogen deficiency sustains the development of "inflamm-aging". Estrogen sensitive, specific circulating microRNAs could be potential, early biomarkers for age-associated physiological deteriorations., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To determine if subjects with phenylketonuria receiving diets significantly lower in cholesterol and saturated fat had serum lipid concentrations different from those of their family members, we measured serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total triglycerides in the probands with phenylketonuria, their parents, and their siblings. Eleven adults (seven women and four men) and 16 children (eight girls and eight boys) were studied. Ten subjects (four girls and six boys) had phenylketonuria. Subjects with phenylketonuria consumed less cholesterol (0.02 vs 0.41 mmol/d) and fat (median, 21% vs 39.5% of total calories), and their diets had a higher ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids (median, 2.0 vs 0.2) than did their siblings without phenylketonuria. The diet of the parents was similar to that of their offspring without phenylketonuria. No differences were noted between the subjects with phenylketonuria (consuming a diet lower in saturated fat and cholesterol) and their siblings without phenylketonuria in serum concentrations of total cholesterol (median, 3.34 vs 3.07 mmol/L); high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (median, 1.44 vs 1.37 mmol/L); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (median, 1.44 vs 1.09 mmol/L); or triglycerides (median, 0.89 vs 0.54 mmol/L). We conclude that previously reported lipoprotein abnormalities noted between unrelated subjects with and without phenylketonuria may not be due to differences in dietary intake, but rather due to a (genetic) predisposition of the population with phenylketonuria toward lower serum lipid concentrations.