Plasma Citrulline : a New Marker of Gut Epithelium Alteration in Obese Patients?

Objectives: In the last decade gut microbial diversity was associated with the pathogenesis of obesity in humans. Plasma citrulline was a simple and accurate biomarker for the severity of intestinal failure and was associated with short bowel syndrome and alteration of gut permeability, being developed as an alternative to D-xylose tolerance test for the diagnosis of an abnormal small intestinal absorption of nutrients. This study was performed to ascertain whether obesity might be associated with dysregulation of epithelial gut function. Methods: Fifteen obese individuals (5 M/10 F; BMI 37.4 \ub1 6.1 Kg/m2; 42 \ub1 6 yrs) and 15 healthy gender- and age-matched controls (6 M/9 F BMI: 22.7 \ub1 2.1 Kg/m2; 39 \ub1 7 yrs) underwent D-xylose load (25 g) and plasma citrulline, plasma insulin, glucose and lipid profile testing. Results: Plasma citrulline was significantly lower in the obese group (p = 0.045) with respect to controls, whilst total cholesterol, LDL and tryglicerides concentration, insulin level and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in obese patients. In contrast, after D-xylose load no difference in serum xylose was found between the two groups (p = ns). Conclusions: Obese patients show a decreased citrulline concentration with respect to lean subjects. Since citrulline is a known marker of intestinal health, alterations in the gut epithelium are likely to be associated with the obesity syndrome. We propose to measure citrulline level in obese patients on a routine basis

Elemental Analysis and Phenolic Profiles of Selected Italian Wines

The study of the chemical composition of wines is nowadays a topic of great interest because of the importance of this market, especially in Italy, and also considering the numerous cases of falsification of famous and very expensive wines. The present paper focused on the analysis of metals and polyphenols in Italian wines belonging to different provenance and types. At this purpose 20 elements were quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and ICP mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Regarding polyphenols, a total of 32 were quantified, among 6 were anthocyanins. Furthermore, in 4 samples (1 rosè and 3 red wines) 42 anthocyanins and related compounds were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-Orbitrap MS technique (among these, 6 were also quantified). Non-anthocyanins were determined using UHPLC coupled with a diode array detector and triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC–DAD-QqQ-MS). Total phenolic content (TPC) and radical scavenging activity (RSA) were measured using spectrophotometric methods. The results obtained by elemental techniques were submitted to principal components analysis (PCA) allowing to get information on both geographical and botanical origin of the examined wine samples. Some polyphenols have been detected in higher concentrations only in a certain type of wine, as for example in the case of Grechetto wine. Most of the identified anthocyanin derivatives (pyranoanthocyanins) are formed during the aging of wine by reaction with the other wine components

Normohomocysteinaemia and vitamin-treated hyperhomocysteinaemia are associated with similiar risks of cardiovascular events in patients with premature peripheral arterial occlusive disease. A prospective cohort study

Objectives. Mild hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHC), fasting or after methionine loading, is associated with an increased risk and severity of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Post-methionine and fasting HHC are responsive to treatment with vitamin

Organic aerosol sources in the Milan metropolitan area – Receptor modelling based on field observations and air quality modelling

The Milan metropolitan area in Northern Italy experiences historically severe particulate matter pollution episodes characterized by high organic aerosol (OA) concentrations. However, the main sources of OA, especially atmospherically formed secondary OA (SOA) are not well understood. Here, we investigated the emission sources contributing to the directly emitted OA (Primary – POA) and to the SOA in urban Milan, where such information is particularly lacking. We used advanced mass spectrometric analytical techniques for the characterization of archive samples, as well as statistical receptor modeling (positive matrix factorization, PMF) and air quality modeling, to establish a base case for investigating the time evolution of source contributions. We found that residential heating biomass burning POA (BBOA) were a major detrimental factor for air quality during the winter (37% of OA, under polluted conditions up to 56% of OA). Inefficient combustion conditions identified by high BBOA/K+ ratios contributed to the high relative contribution of BBOA to OA. Long-term tracer analyses suggest that BBOA concentrations remained approximately constant over the last decade (2012–2022), supporting the conclusion that emissions from biomass burning remained a major driver of winter-time OA pollution. Yet assessing changes in the contribution of other OA sources require future research. While POA emissions were the most important contributor to OA during winter (62% of OA), SOA dominated OA during summer (62% of OA). Our combined advanced mass spectral source apportionment and air quality modelling analyses indicated that winter-time SOA were mostly affected by biomass burning related precursor emissions, while summer-time SOA were linked to both the remaining anthropogenic emissions (industry, energy production, shipping, and traffic) and to biogenic emissions. Altogether, this study quantified the major emission sources of OA and thus provides crucial information about OA sources and a baseline for comparison to the present situation which is needed for tackling OA pollution in one of the major pollution hotspots in Europe. Overall, this study presents a transferable framework combining chemical source apportionment with bottom-up air quality OA source analyses in order to better understand the formation of SOA

SEPARATION OF THE VALENCE INTERMEDIATES OF HUMAN-HEMOGLOBIN BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE CHROMATOFOCUSING

Investigations into the properties of haemoglobin often require the isolation of the valence intermediates (αo)2β+)2 and (α+ βo2)2. Chromatofocusing with an anion-exchange gel (Mono PTM; Pharmacia, particle size 10 μm) in an HR5/20 column at various temperatures (10-25°C) provides an excellent method for this task. A linearly decreasing pH gradient (8 to 7, generated by Polybuffer 96, Pharmacia) eluted sequentially the species methaemoglobin, (αo2β+)2, (α+ βo2)2 and oxygenated haemoglobin. Calibration graphs help in quantitative analyses. This method is simpler and less time consuming and provides a similar or even better resolution than the traditional ion-exchange or isoelectric focusing methods

Chemical characterization of particles emitted from wood-fired pizza ovens in Italy

Biomass burning represents an important source of air pollution with adverse effects on air quality, climate change and health. Emissions from wood-oven pizzerias are scarcely investigated despite representing an increasing air quality concern, especially at urban locations. In the Italian territory, 8 million pizzas are daily produced and up to 85% are cooked in wood-fired ovens. Emissions from wood-oven pizzerias are highly uncertain, due to missing legislation on emission standards and controls. The information necessary to estimate emissions from this source, like number of wood-ovens, quantity and type of wood consumed, operating hours, are uncertain and often not available. At the Italian national level, this estimate is missing in the emission inventory, while the most recent inventory of the Lombardy region (INEMAR - Arpa Lombardia, 2022) estimates a contribution to total emissions of respectively 7% and 8% for PM10 and PM2.5, 3% for BC and 5% for BaP. Despite these first evidences, there is a remarkable lack of experimental data on emissions and chemical characterization from this source. Moreover, there are no specific technical standards or metrology for the sampling systems or specific test methods to analyse pollutants (Bergomi et al., 2022). A project between ENEA and the Italian Environmental Ministry, with the aim to determine the concentrations of the main pollutants emitted by this source and to characterize PM emissions, is here presented. A survey on wood-oven pizzerias in the two metropolitan areas of Milan and Rome was conducted, an innovative sampling system was designed, and different tests were carried out. The sampling line employed by ENEA was developed by Innovhub as part of the Profile Pizza project. ENEA and Innovhub projects share the same goals. The adopted sampling scheme is reported in Figure 1. Different pollutants and tracers were analysed (PM2.5 and PM10, Total suspended particulate (TSP) sampled in the hot and diluted flue gas; PAH and BaP; CO; NOx; OGC; Levoglucosan, to obtain emission factors for each pollutant. The measurement campaigns were conducted on different types of ovens and testing different combustion cycles and operational phases. The ovens used in the experimental tests are a traditional wood-fired with a capacity of 6 pizzas fed by both beech wood logs and beech briquettes, and a combined gas and wood fired with a capacity of 4 pizzas used in different ways (only gas; only wood; combined gas and wood). The project results are extremely innovative and would be very useful in estimating and characterizing emissions from this source

Plasma mitomycin C concentrations determined by HPLC coupled to solid-phase extraction

The aim of this study was to set up a method for quantification of plasma mitomycin C (MMC) concentrations during intravesical chemotherapy delivered in the presence of local bladder hyperthermia (HT). In comparison with existing methods, this assay, characterized by relative simplicity and efficiency, resulted in the facilitation of performance with nondedicated instrumentation or nonspecialized staff. Purification from plasma matrix was carried out by solid-phase extraction under vaccuum. The purified drug was then collected directly into the vials of the HPLC autosampler. Chromatographic analysis was performed on a reversed-phase C18 column with water:acetonitrile (85:15 by vol) as the mobile phase and the UV detector set at 365 nm. The use of porfiromycin as internal standard provided a method with good within-day precision (CV 6.0% at 5 micrograms/L, n = 6), linearity (0.5-50 micrograms/L), and specificity. The lower limit of detection (< or = 0.5 microgram/L) proved to be suitable for plasma pharmacokinetics monitoring in two tested patients treated with MMC + HT for superficial bladder cancer

EFEITO DA SUPLEMENTAÇÃO ALIMENTAR SOBRE AÇÃO ANABÓLICA DO DECANOATO DE NANDROLONA EM RATOS

Embora existam aplicações clínicas de esteróides anabólicos androgênicos (EAA), também há abuso generalizado destas drogas por estarem relacionadas ao aumento do tamanho e força muscular. O uso indevido de EAA, hormônio de crescimento e ergogênicos é um problema complexo, pois conduziu ao abuso destes compostos, a princípio por competidores de alto nível, alcançando também áreas de atividade física em geral. Este trabalho tem por objetivo avaliar o efeito anabólico do EAA e se este efeito sofre influência de suplementação alimentar, mesmo em condições sedentárias. Utilizou-se ratos WISTAR que foram divididos em quatro grupos. Grupos DECA: receberam tratamento com decanoato de nandrolona (DN), em duas doses semanais de 10 mg. Kg-1 cada; DECAS: receberam a mesma dose de DN e suplementação alimentar, na dose de 0,86 ml/kg; CON: receberam apenas o veículo (óleo de amendoim) na mesma dose que DN; CONS: receberam o mesmo volume do veículo e a mesma dose do suplemento alimentar. Todos os animais foram tratados por 4 semanas. Determinou-se o teor de proteína e lipídeo corporais através das técnicas de Kjeldahl e Soxhlet, respectivamente. Os resultados encontrados neste estudo demonstraram aumento da síntese protéica muscular (CON: 17,4% ± 1,344; CONS: 18,6% ± 1,289; DECA: 27,6% ± 0,935; DECAS: 36,4% ± 0,613) e diminuição do teor de lipídeos corporais (CON: 26,1%± 2,460; CONS: 29,1%± 1,027; DECA: 21,8%± 0,701; DECAS: 23,2%± 1,509). Portanto, conclui-se que a suplementação alimentar utilizada reforça o efeito anabólico do DN por meio de uma ação sinérgica no aumento do teor de proteína. 10.5216/ref.v5i1.462

OPEN-CHAIN PEPTIDES OBTAINED BY ACIDIC HYDROLYTIC CLEAVAGE OF CYCLOSPORINE-A

Hydrolysis of cyclosporin A (CsA) was studied in order to clarify the still undefined point of attack of the acidic degradation. Among ether extractable and water-soluble products formed from CsA in HCl, two open-chain peptides were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography which were identified as the deca- and nonapeptides deriving from CsA through the hydrolytic cleavage of amino acid residue 11 and both residues 11 and 10, respectively. Identification was carried out by fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry