Lipids from microorganisms, and especially lipids from Archaea, are used as taxonomic markers. Unfortunately, knowledge is very limited due to the uncultivability of most Archaea, which greatly reduces the importance of the diversity of lipids and their ecological role. One possible solution is to use lipidomic analysis. Six radioactive sources were investigated, two of which are surface (Wettinquelle and Radonka) and four deep from the Svornost mine (Agricola, Behounek, C1, and Curie). A total of 15 core lipids and 82 intact polar lipids were identified from the membranes of microorganisms in six radioactive springs. Using shotgun lipidomics, typical Archaea lipids were identified in spring water, namely dialkyl glycerol tetraethers, archaeol, hydroxyarchaeol and dihydroxyarchaeol. Diverse groups of polar heads were formed in archaeal IPLs, whose polar heads are formed mainly by hexose, deoxyhexose, and phosphoglycerol. The analysis was performed using shotgun lipidomics and the structure of all molecular species was confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry. After acid hydrolysis, a mixture of polar compounds was obtained from the polar head. Further analysis by GC-MS confirmed that the carbohydrates were glucose and rhamnose. Analysis by HPLC-MS of diastereoisomers of 2-(polyhydroxyalkyl)-3-(O-tolylthiocarbamoyl)thiazolidine-4(R)-carboxylates revealed that both L-rhamnose and D-glucose are present in spring samples only in varying amounts. The glycoside composition depends on the type of spring, that is, Wettinquelle and Radonka springs are basically shallow groundwater, while the samples from the Svornost mine are deep groundwater and do not contain glycosides with rhamnose. This method enables quick screening for characteristic Archaea lipids, allowing decisions on whether to pursue further analyses, such as metagenomic analysis, to directly confirm the presence of Archaea.
INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Prospective, randomized, controlled trials of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) maintenance therapy in myasthenia gravis (MG) are lacking. In this trial, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of caprylate/chromatography-purified IVIG; (IGIV-C) in patients with generalized MG undergoing standard care. METHODS: Sixty-two patients enrolled in this phase 2, multicenter, international, randomized trial (1:1 IGIV-C [2 g/kg loading dose; 1 g/kg every 3 weeks through week 21] or placebo). Efficacy was assessed by changes in Quantitative MG (QMG) score at week 24 versus baseline (primary endpoint) and percentage of patients with clinical improvement in QMG, MG Composite (MGC), and MG-Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scores (secondary endpoints). Safety assessments reported all adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: The change in QMG at 24 weeks was -5.1 for IGIV-C and -3.1 for placebo (p = .187). Seventy percent of patients in the IGIV-C group had improvement in MG-ADL (≥2-point decrease) versus 40.6% in the placebo group (p = .025). Patients showing clinical improvement in QMG and MGC (≥3-point decrease) were 70.0% for IGIV-C versus 59.4% for placebo (p = .442) and 60.0% for IGIV-C versus 53.1% for placebo (p = .610). IGIV-C was well tolerated; serious AEs were similar between arms. Three of four MG exacerbations requiring hospitalizations occurred in the IGIV-C arm with one death. DISCUSSION: Several efficacy parameters showed numerical results greater than those seen in the placebo group. This was a small study and may have been underpowered to see significant differences. Additional studies may be warranted to fully determine the efficacy of IVIG maintenance therapy in MG.
- MeSH
- Autoantibodies blood MeSH
- Activities of Daily Living MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Double-Blind Method MeSH
- Immunologic Factors therapeutic use adverse effects administration & dosage MeSH
- Immunoglobulins, Intravenous * therapeutic use adverse effects administration & dosage MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Myasthenia Gravis * drug therapy MeSH
- Prospective Studies MeSH
- Receptors, Cholinergic * immunology MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Treatment Outcome MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Clinical Trial, Phase II MeSH
- Multicenter Study MeSH
- Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
Among carotenoids, ꞵ-carotene has the highest biological activity and is found as an all-trans isomer in many biological systems. Blakeslea trispora is a microorganism that is of interest to industries for the commercial production of ꞵ-carotene. This study investigated the effect of different bacteria on carotenogenesis in B. trispora. The B. trispora bisexual mold was cultured in a production medium, and different bacterial cells were added to it after 24 h. Then, the culture conditions and the culture medium were optimized in the presence of the selected bacteria using the experimental design. The percentage of carotenoids obtained from the mixed culture was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results showed that Kocuria rhizophila had the greatest effect on increasing the production of carotenoids in B. trispora. The highest content of carotenoids obtained during optimization was 770 ± 7.5 mg/L, a 6.8-fold increase compared to the control. HPLC analysis of carotenoids indicated the presence of two main peaks, ꞵ-carotene and γ-carotene, in which the primary carotenoid was ꞵ-carotene followed by γ-carotene with a lower content. Therefore, due to the importance of ꞵ-carotene in industry, the use of biostimulants is one of the appropriate strategies to increase the production of this pigment in industry.
Jessenius
151 stran : ilustrace ; 21 cm
Publikace se zaměřuje na steroidní hormony, metabolismus a na jejich diagnostiku pomocí různých metod. Určeno odborné veřejnosti.; Steroidní hormony mají klíčový význam napříč celou moderní medicínou, od endokrinologie přes hormonální antikoncepci až k autoimunitám či transplantačním technikám. Steroidy jsou standardní součásti farmakoterapie v kardiologii, dermatologii, gynekologii a porodnictví, imunologii, možnosti zákroku v akutních krizových stavech, oslabování pochodů stárnutí a v dalších lékařských i veterinárních oborech. Porozumět problematice steroidních hormonů není lehkým úkolem. Pro lékaře-endokrinologa nejsou ve steroidní patologii takovým problémem nedostatečná produkce nebo nadprodukce některých steroidních hormonů, jako právě poruchy v oblasti steroidních enzymopatií, kde jsou indikátorem onemocnění různé sobě blízké steroidy a kdy lékař o diagnóze a léčbě má rozhodnout na základě analýzy spektra steroidů dodaného laboratoří.
- MeSH
- Chromatography, Liquid MeSH
- Chromatography, Gas MeSH
- Mass Spectrometry MeSH
- Immunoassay MeSH
- Metabolism MeSH
- Gonadal Steroid Hormones MeSH
- Conspectus
- Biochemie. Molekulární biologie. Biofyzika
- NML Fields
- biochemie
- endokrinologie
- NML Publication type
- kolektivní monografie
V dnešnej dobe je dôležité vedieť, čo naozaj jeme – najmä pri mäsových výrobkoch, kde sa čoraz častejšie objavujú prípady falšovania. Správna identifikácia a určenie množstva mäsa v produktoch pomáha odhaliť nepoctivé praktiky, chrániť zdravie spotrebiteľov a zároveň budovať dôveru voči výrobcom. Jednou z najspoľahlivejších metód, ako to dosiahnuť, je analýza proteínov. Najmä technika LC‐MS/MS (kvapalinová chromatografia spojená s hmotnostnou spektrometriou) sa ukazuje ako veľmi presný a citlivý nástroj, ktorý dokáže odhaliť aj malé množstvá mäsa, a to aj v zložitých alebo tepelne spracovaných potravinách. Vďaka tomu sa proteínové metódy stávajú čoraz dôležitejšou súčasťou potravinovej kontroly.
Knowing what we really eat is more important than ever – especially when it comes to meat products, where cases of fraud are still a concern. Being able to identify what kind of meat is present, and in what quantity, helps prevent dishonest practices, protects consumer health, and supports trust in the food industry. One of the most reliable ways to achieve this is through protein analysis. Techniques based on LC‐MS/MS (liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry) stand out for their high accuracy and sensitivity. They can detect even small amounts of specific meat types, even in complex or processed foods. That’s why protein‐based methods are becoming a key part of modern food quality control and authenticity. testing.
UNLABELLED: Methotrexate is used to manage moderate to severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Methotrexate acts by inhibiting the enzymes involved in nucleotide synthesis. Methotrexate polyglutamates (MTXPGs) have a higher potency to inhibit Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide transformylase (ATIC), and thymidylate synthase (TS), compared to naïve methotrexate. Among all the MTXPGs, methotrexate polyglutamate three (MTXPG-3) is a more potent inhibitor of DHFR, ATIC, and TS enzymes. MTXPG-3 is anticipated to allow therapeutic drug monitoring in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. We aim to study MTXPG-3 levels as a biomarker for both efficacy and adverse events among psoriatic patients treated with methotrexate monotherapy. We used the LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometry) system for measuring erythrocyte MTXPG-3. We recruited 106 patients with psoriasis who were treated with methotrexate. Sixty-one of them had psoriatic arthritis (concomitant or in the past). The mean age was 45.08 ± 13.04 years. After twenty-four weeks of methotrexate treatment, 73(69%) were responders, and 33(31%) were non-responders. Thirty-nine (36%) experienced adverse effects, and 67(64%) did not experience any adverse effects. We observed a significant positive correlation between erythrocyte MTXPG-3 and methotrexate dose per week at weeks 12 and 16 but not at week 24. Erythrocyte MTXPG-3 did not correlate with response or adverse effects. It can be used as a marker of compliance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-024-01269-x.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
This study explored the short-term effects of vitamin K2 (VK2) supplementation on biochemical parameters (vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, phosphorus (P), magnesium, metallothionein, triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and lipoprotein fractions (albumin, HDL, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), LDL, and chylomicrons). A short-term experiment (24 h, six probands) was performed to track changes in VK2 levels after a single-dose intake (360 μg/day). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to monitor vitamin K levels (menaquinone-4 (MK-4), menaquinone-7 (MK-7), and vitamin K1 [VK1]) with a limit of detection of 1.9 pg/mL for VK1 and 3.8 pg/mL for the two forms of VK2. Results showed that MK-7 levels significantly increased within 2-6 h post-administration and then gradually declined. MK-4 levels were initially low, showing a slight increase, whereas VK1 levels rose initially and then decreased. Biochemical analyses indicated no significant changes in sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium, albumin, or total protein levels. A transient increase in P was observed, peaking at 12 h before returning to baseline. Agarose gel electrophoresis of lipoprotein fractions revealed distinct chylomicron bands and variations in VLDL and HDL mobility, influenced by dietary lipids and VK2 supplementation. These findings suggest effective absorption and metabolism of MK-7 with potential implications for bone metabolism and cardiovascular health.
- MeSH
- Chromatography, Liquid methods MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Lipoproteins * blood MeSH
- Dietary Supplements * analysis MeSH
- Tandem Mass Spectrometry methods MeSH
- Vitamin K 2 * analogs & derivatives blood MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
In this study, simple oil-in-water emulsions (O/W) and multiple O/W/O emulsions were employed as carriers for a curcumin delivery system. The stability of emulsions was evaluated using DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), accompanied by particle size measurement by DLS (dynamic light scattering) and rheological analysis. The amount of freezable water (Wfs) in O/W emulsion was determined to be 80.4%, while that in O/W/O emulsion was 23.7%. Multiple emulsions had a more complex structure than simple emulsions, being characterized by higher stability with predominant loss modulus over storage modulus (G" > G'). The mean surface diameter for O/W emulsion was 198.7 ± 9.8 nm, being approximately two times lower than that for multiple emulsions. Curcumin in vitro digestibility was observed for both emulsions and, additionally, the digestibility of fresh and dried curcuma root powders was investigated. Multiple emulsions were found to be a superior matrix for curcumin delivery, with higher stability and emulsion digestibility of 50.6% for the stomach and small intestine. In vitro digestion of dried curcuma powders and curcuma root samples was monitored by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography). The DMD (dry matter digestibility) for dried curcuma powders ranged between 52.9% to 78.8%, and for fresh curcuma (KF) was 95.5%.
During pregnancy the alterations of kynurenine and tryptophan metabolism play an important role in local signalling and the prevention of fetal rejection. The aim was to investigate urinary levels of kynurenine and tryptophan during physiological pregnancy, and to determine their stability in urine during sample storage at different conditions. Urinary samples were obtained from 73 healthy pregnant women (median age 31 years), during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters and from 42 healthy non-pregnant women (median age 30 years). Liquid chromatography methods using selective and sensitive mass spectrometry detection were used for analysis. Urinary neopterin, kynurenine, and tryptophan increased during the pregnancy and in comparison to the non-pregnant women. No correlation of the analytes with gestation age within each trimester and among the different analytes was observed. Kynurenine and tryptophan were stable in urine for 14 days at 4 °C, 6 months at - 22 °C, and 12 months at - 84 °C. Present results demonstrate differences in urinary concentrations of kynurenine, tryptophan, and neopterin between women with physiological pregnancy and healthy women. Simultaneous determination of kynurenine, tryptophan and neopterin may be explored in the disorders of pregnancy in future investigations.
- MeSH
- Chromatography, Liquid MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Kynurenine * urine MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Neopterin * urine MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Tryptophan * urine MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
There is growing evidence that endocrine disruptive chemicals have deleterious effects on sexual and reproductive function. To examine subjective sexual functions in human females and their relationship to postnatal phthalate exposure and perinatal androgenization, a Sexuality Score (SS) was established from a first-stage survey questionnaire of subjective sexual function filled out by female university students (n = 68; average age 25.23 ± 5.17 years; rural 25.51 ± 6.74 vs. urban 25.85 ± 1.43 years). Seventeen phthalate metabolites in urine samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Females were also assessed for the 2D:4D digit ratio as an index of perinatal androgenization. The mean age of menarche was 12.82 ± 1.35 years (rural 12.59 ± 1.39 vs. urban 13.18 ± 1.27; p = 0.01). The mean age at first sexual intercourse was 14.88 ± 6.89 years (rural 14.62 ± 7.20 vs. urban 15.24 ± 6.55), and as the age of first sexual intercourse increases, the SS score tends to increase as well, albeit moderately (r = 0.25, p = 0.037). Mono-iso-butyl phthalate, mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate, mono(hydroxy-n-butyl) phthalate, mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (p ≤ 0.05) and mono(2-carboxymethylhexyl) phthalate (p ≤ 0.01) were negatively associated with SS. A compounding butterfly effect of prenatal exposure to androgens was observed with disruptive effects of mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate and mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate on sexual function. Exposure to phthalates in adult females may lead to disruption of subjective sexual function, especially concerning sexual desire and sexual satisfaction, and perinatal androgenization could augment these effects.
- MeSH
- Androgens * MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Endocrine Disruptors * MeSH
- Phthalic Acids * urine MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
- Sexual Behavior * drug effects MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
