Figure S1. Preparative (a) HPLC and (b) GC chromatograms. from Sex pheromone of a coccoid insect with sexual and asexual lineages: fate of an ancestrally essential sexual signal in parthenogenetic females

The 5% diethyl ether/pentane fraction from silica gel open-column chromatography was separated by HPLC, and fraction Lc. 3 was separated by GC. The pheromone compound was isolated at Gc. 2

Assessment of Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) and Left Cerebellar Metabolism in Asperger's Syndrome with Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)

<div><p>Purpose</p><p>Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H MRS) is a noninvasive neuroimaging method to quantify biochemical metabolites <i>in vivo</i> and it can serve as a powerful tool to monitor neurobiochemical profiles in the brain. Asperger’s syndrome (AS) is a type of autism spectrum disorder, which is characterized by impaired social skills and restrictive, repetitive patterns of interest and activities, while intellectual levels and language skills are relatively preserved. Despite clinical aspects have been well-characterized, neurometabolic profiling in the brain of AS remains to be clear. The present study used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H MRS) to investigate whether pediatric AS is associated with measurable neurometabolic abnormalities that can contribute new information on the neurobiological underpinnings of the disorder.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Study participants consisted of 34 children with AS (2–12 years old; mean age 5.2 (±2.0); 28 boys) and 19 typically developed children (2–11 years old; mean age 5.6 (±2.6); 12 boys) who served as the normal control group. The ¹H MRS data were obtained from two regions of interest: the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left cerebellum.</p><p>Results</p><p>In the ACC, levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatine (tCr), total choline-containing compounds (tCho) and myo-Inositol (mI) were significantly decreased in children with AS compared to controls. On the other hand, no significant group differences in any of the metabolites were found in the left cerebellum. Neither age nor sex accounted for the metabolic findings in the regions.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>The finding of decreased levels of NAA, tCr, tCho, and mI in the ACC but not in left cerebellar voxels in the AS, suggests a lower ACC neuronal density in the present AS cohort compared to controls.</p></div

Participant Characteristics and Demographics.

<p>Participant Characteristics and Demographics.</p

Discovery of Potent Hexapeptide Agonists to Human Neuromedin U Receptor 1 and Identification of Their Serum Metabolites

Neuromedin U (NMU) and S (NMS) display various physiological activities, including an anorexigenic effect, and share a common C-terminal heptapeptide-amide sequence that is necessary to activate two NMU receptors (NMUR1 and NMUR2). On the basis of this knowledge, we recently developed hexapeptide agonists <b>2</b> and <b>3</b>, which are highly selective to human NMUR1 and NMUR2, respectively. However, the agonists are still less potent than the endogenous ligand, hNMU. Therefore, we performed an additional structure–activity relationship study, which led to the identification of the more potent hexapeptide <b>5d</b> that exhibits similar NMUR1-agonistic activity as compared to hNMU. Additionally, we studied the stability of synthesized agonists, including <b>5d</b>, in rat serum, and identified two major biodegradation sites: Phe²-Arg³ and Arg⁵-Asn⁶. The latter was more predominantly cleaved than the former. Moreover, substitution with 4-fluorophenylalanine, as in <b>5d</b>, enhanced the metabolic stability at Phe²-Arg³. These results provide important information to guide the development of practical hNMU agonists

Positions of the measurement voxel in ACC (anterior cingulate cortex) and left cerebellum and representative spectra from each voxel.

<p>(LEFT) Positions of the measurement voxel in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left cerebellum. (RIGHT) Representative short TE and J-edited spectra obtained.</p

Metabolite concentrations (mmol/L).

<p>Metabolite concentrations (mmol/L).</p

Discovery of a Human Neuromedin U Receptor 1‑Selective Hexapeptide Agonist with Enhanced Serum Stability

Neuromedin U (NMU) activates two NMU receptors (NMUR1 and NMUR2) and is a useful antiobesity drug lead. We report discovery of a hexapeptide agonist, 2-thienylacetyl-Trp¹-Phe­(4-F)²-Arg³-Pro⁴-Arg⁵-Asn⁶-NH₂ (<b>4</b>). However, the NMUR1 selectivity and serum stability of this agonist were unsatisfactory. Through a structure–activity relationship study focused on residue 2 of agonist <b>4</b>, serum stability, and pharmacokinetic properties, we report here the discovery of a novel NMUR1 selective hexapeptide agonist <b>7b</b> that suppresses body weight gain in mice

Discovery of a Human Neuromedin U Receptor 1‑Selective Hexapeptide Agonist with Enhanced Serum Stability

Neuromedin U (NMU) activates two NMU receptors (NMUR1 and NMUR2) and is a useful antiobesity drug lead. We report discovery of a hexapeptide agonist, 2-thienylacetyl-Trp¹-Phe­(4-F)²-Arg³-Pro⁴-Arg⁵-Asn⁶-NH₂ (<b>4</b>). However, the NMUR1 selectivity and serum stability of this agonist were unsatisfactory. Through a structure–activity relationship study focused on residue 2 of agonist <b>4</b>, serum stability, and pharmacokinetic properties, we report here the discovery of a novel NMUR1 selective hexapeptide agonist <b>7b</b> that suppresses body weight gain in mice

Ch¯ubu-daigaku-k¯ogakubu-kiy¯o

Unambiguous identification of isomeric lipids by mass spectrometry represents a significant analytical challenge in contemporary lipidomics. Herein, the combination of collision-induced dissociation (CID) with ozone-induced dissociation (OzID) on an ion-trap mass spectrometer is applied to the identification of triacylglycerol (TG) isomers that vary only by the substitution pattern of fatty acyl (FA) chains esterified to the glycerol backbone. Isolated product ions attributed to loss of a single FA arising from CID of [TG + Na]⁺ ions react rapidly with ozone within the ion trap. The resulting CID/OzID spectra exhibit abundant ions that unequivocally reveal the relative position of FAs along the backbone. Isomeric TGs containing two or three different FA substituents are readily differentiated by diagnostic ions present in their CID/OzID spectra. Compatibility of this method with chromatographic separations enables the characterization of unusual TGs containing multiple short-chain FAs present in <i>Drosophila</i>