Bioavailability and Urinary Excretion of Phenolic-Derived Metabolites after Acute Consumption of Purple Majesty Potato in Humans

A novel purple potato variety, Purple Majesty (PM) contains an abundance of phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins. The aim of this study was to assess the bioavailability of phenolic compounds in plasma measured as total polyphenols and urinary excretion of phenolic-derived metabolites after acute consumption of cooked PM. Five healthy male subjects (27-60 years; mean BMI: 26.7 ± 4.1) participated in a bioavailability study. Blood and urine were sampled at baseline and following consumption of 400 g cooked PM at 1h, 2h, 4h and 24h. A peak plasma antioxidant capacity was reached 1-2 hours post-consumption (from 1044 ± 281 µmol/L Fe(II) at baseline and increased to 1257 ± 180 after 1 hour (p = 0.045) and 1112 ± 251 µmol/L Fe(II) after 2 hours (p=0.06). Total phenols level in plasma was reached after 2 hours (from 342.4 ± 28.3 at baseline to 368.4 ± 25 umol/L GAE). Liquid chromatography mass spectrometric (LC-MS) analysis was used to track the levels of anthocyanin-like derivatives and metabolites in the urine of volunteers after intake of the cooked Purple Majesty potatoes. No anthocyanin derivatives were detected in urine by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry indicating levels were < 2 nM. The majority of peaks that increased after intake were putatively identified as sulphated phenolic metabolites. Phenolic glucuronides were identified but other peaks remain unidentified. Hippuric acid was identified as a major phenolic derivative. Hydroxy benzoic derivatives, characteristic of intake of anthocyanins, were not detected in urine, however metabolites expected from the B-ring of petunidin (i.e. methyl gallic acid) may have been obscured by other peaks. Some metabolites could have arisen through metabolism of chlorogenic acid, which is present at ~ equivalent amounts to anthocyanins in cooked PM. In conclusion, acute consumption of PM resulted in an increase in excretion of urinary phenolic derived metabolites. Identifying these unknown phenolic derivatives warrants further investigation

Bioavailability and Urinary Excretion of Phenolic-Derived Metabolites after Acute Consumption of Purple Majesty Potato in Humans

Nellie E. Gibney - wifehttps://stars.library.ucf.edu/cfm-ch-memoranda-1930/1322/thumbnail.jp

Nonlinearity of ocean heat uptake during warming and cooling in the FAMOUS climate model

Atmospheric CO2 concentration is expected to continue rising in the coming decades, but natural or artificial processes may eventually reduce it. We show that, in the FAMOUS atmosphere-ocean general circulation model, the reduction of ocean heat content as radiative forcing decreases is greater than would be expected from a linear model simulation of the response to the applied forcings. We relate this effect to the behavior of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC): the ocean cools more efficiently with a strong AMOC. The AMOC weakens as CO2 rises, then strengthens as CO2 declines, but temporarily overshoots its original strength. This nonlinearity comes mainly from the accumulated advection of salt into the North Atlantic, which gives the system a longer memory. This implies that changes observed in response to different CO2 scenarios or from different initial states, such as from past changes, may not be a reliable basis for making projections

Validation of standard operating procedures in a multicenter retrospective study to identify-omics biomarkers for chronic low back pain

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is one of the most common medical conditions, ranking as the greatest contributor to global disability and accounting for huge societal costs based on the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study. Large genetic and -omics studies provide a promising avenue for the screening, development and validation of biomarkers useful for personalized diagnosis and treatment (precision medicine). Multicentre studies are needed for such an effort, and a standardized and homogeneous approach is vital for recruitment of large numbers of participants among different centres (clinical and laboratories) to obtain robust and reproducible results. To date, no validated standard operating procedures (SOPs) for genetic/-omics studies in chronic pain have been developed. In this study, we validated an SOP model that will be used in the multicentre (5 centres) retrospective “PainOmics” study, funded by the European Community in the 7th Framework Programme, which aims to develop new biomarkers for CLBP through three different -omics approaches: genomics, glycomics and activomics. The SOPs describe the specific procedures for (1) blood collection, (2) sample processing and storage, (3) shipping details and (4) cross-check testing and validation before assays that all the centres involved in the study have to follow. Multivariate analysis revealed the absolute specificity and homogeneity of the samples collected by the five centres for all genetics, glycomics and activomics analyses. The SOPs used in our multicenter study have been validated. Hence, they could represent an innovative tool for the correct management and collection of reliable samples in other large-omics-based multicenter studies

Antimicrobial Drug Prescribing for Pneumonia in Ambulatory Care

Higher levels of fluoroquinolone use were associated with increasing age and later study year

Regression and stabilization of advanced murine atherosclerotic lesions: a comparison of LDL lowering and HDL raising gene transfer strategies

Both reductions in atherogenic lipoproteins and increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels may affect atherosclerosis regression. Here, the relative potential of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) lowering and HDL raising gene transfer strategies to induce regression of complex murine atherosclerotic lesions was directly compared. Male C57BL/6 LDL receptor (LDLr)−/− mice were fed an atherogenic diet (1.25% cholesterol and 10% coconut oil) to induce advanced atherosclerotic lesions. A baseline group was killed after 6 months and remaining mice were randomized into a control progression (Adnull or saline), an apolipoprotein (apo) A-I (AdA-I), an LDLr (AdLDLr), or a combined apo A-I/LDLr (AdA-I/AdLDLr) adenoviral gene transfer group and followed-up for another 12 weeks with continuation of the atherogenic diet. Gene transfer with AdLDLr decreased non-HDL cholesterol levels persistently by 95% (p < 0.001) compared with baseline. This drastic reduction of non-HDL cholesterol levels induced lesion regression by 28% (p < 0.001) in the aortic root and by 25% (p < 0.05) in the brachiocephalic artery at 12 weeks after transfer. Change in lesion size was accompanied by enhanced plaque stability, as evidenced by increased collagen content, reduced lesional macrophage content, a drastic reduction of necrotic core area, and decreased expression of inflammatory genes. Elevated HDL cholesterol following AdA-I transfer increased collagen content in lesions, but did not induce regression. Apo A-I gene transfer on top of AdLDLr transfer resulted in additive effects, particularly on inflammatory gene expression. In conclusion, drastic lipid lowering induced by a powerful gene transfer strategy leads to pronounced regression and stabilization of advanced murine atherosclerosis

Too much of a good thing:Sea ice extent may have forced emperor penguins into refugia during the last glacial maximum

The relationship between population structure and demographic history is critical to understanding microevolution and for predicting the resilience of species to environmental change. Using mitochondrial DNA from extant colonies and radiocarbon-dated subfossils, we present the first microevolutionary analysis of emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) and show their population trends throughout the last glacial maximum (LGM, 19.5–16 kya) and during the subsequent period of warming and sea ice retreat. We found evidence for three mitochondrial clades within emperor penguins, suggesting that they were isolated within three glacial refugia during the LGM. One of these clades has remained largely isolated within the Ross Sea, while the two other clades have intermixed around the coast of Antarctica from Adélie Land to the Weddell Sea. The differentiation of the Ross Sea population has been preserved despite rapid population growth and opportunities for migration. Low effective population sizes during the LGM, followed by a rapid expansion around the beginning of the Holocene, suggest that an optimum set of sea ice conditions exist for emperor penguins, corresponding to available foraging area

Properties and functions of adipose tissue macrophages in obesity

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146625/1/imm13002.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146625/2/imm13002_am.pd