Nonenzymatic Glucosylation of Rat Albumin: Studies in Vitro and in Vivo

Incubation of rat serum with D-glucose in vitro resulted in nonenzymatic glucosylation of serum proteins. Analysis of freshly isolated rat albumin by ion exchange chromatography indicated that the glucosylated albumin accounts for 6.7.+-. 0.9% of total albumin in normal rat serum. Glucosylation of rat albumin in vitro was 1st order with respect to glucose and albumin concentrations and occurs primarily (\u3e 90%) at intrachain lysine residues. Kinetic analysis and inhibition of glucosylation by aspirin suggest that 1 reactive lysine residue is the primary site of glucosylation. Less than 5% of the radioactivity from glucosyl-albumin was released as glucose or mannose by hydrolysis conditions normally used for the analysis of neutral sugars in glycoproteins. Studies in vivo demonstrated that the half-life of albumin in normal rats was unaffected by the addition of 1 mol of glucose/mol of albumin. In addition, glucosylation was a stable modification since 125i-albumin isolated up to 3 days after injection of glucosylated 125i-albumin was recovered only in the glucosylated fraction. In contrast, following injection of unglucosylated 125i-albumin there was a gradual shift of 125i radioactivity to the glucosylated albumin fraction, as would be predicted for nonenzymatic glucosylation occurring in the circulation. Finally, levels of glucosylated albumin isolated from diabetic rats (alloxan induced) were significantly (4-fold) elevated 4 days after withdrawal from insulin therapy. The rat should be a suitable animal model for in vivo studies on nonenzymatic glucosylation of albumin and other serum proteins in normal and diabetic metabolic states

Book Reviews

Book reviews by Charles S. Desmond, James F. Thornburg, Edward J. Gray, Walter H. E. Jaeger, and Thomas L. Shaffer

Testing gravitational-wave searches with numerical relativity waveforms: Results from the first Numerical INJection Analysis (NINJA) project

The Numerical INJection Analysis (NINJA) project is a collaborative effort between members of the numerical relativity and gravitational-wave data analysis communities. The purpose of NINJA is to study the sensitivity of existing gravitational-wave search algorithms using numerically generated waveforms and to foster closer collaboration between the numerical relativity and data analysis communities. We describe the results of the first NINJA analysis which focused on gravitational waveforms from binary black hole coalescence. Ten numerical relativity groups contributed numerical data which were used to generate a set of gravitational-wave signals. These signals were injected into a simulated data set, designed to mimic the response of the Initial LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave detectors. Nine groups analysed this data using search and parameter-estimation pipelines. Matched filter algorithms, un-modelled-burst searches and Bayesian parameter-estimation and model-selection algorithms were applied to the data. We report the efficiency of these search methods in detecting the numerical waveforms and measuring their parameters. We describe preliminary comparisons between the different search methods and suggest improvements for future NINJA analyses.Comment: 56 pages, 25 figures; various clarifications; accepted to CQ

The Importance of Nutrition in Pregnancy and Lactation: Lifelong Consequences.

Most women in the United States do not meet the recommendations for healthful nutrition and weight before and during pregnancy. Women and providers often ask what a healthy diet for a pregnant woman should look like. The message should be “eat better, not more.” This can be achieved by basing diet on a variety of nutrient-dense, whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, healthy fats with omega-3 fatty acids that include nuts and seeds, and fish, in place of poorer quality highly processed foods. Such a diet embodies nutritional density and is less likely to be accompanied by excessive energy intake than the standard American diet consisting of increased intakes of processed foods, fatty red meat, and sweetened foods and beverages. Women who report “prudent” or “health-conscious” eating patterns before and/or during pregnancy may have fewer pregnancy complications and adverse child health outcomes. Comprehensive nutritional supplementation (multiple micronutrients plus balanced protein energy) among women with inadequate nutrition has been associated with improved birth outcomes, including decreased rates of low birthweight. A diet that severely restricts any macronutrient class should be avoided, specifically the ketogenic diet that lacks carbohydrates, the Paleo diet because of dairy restriction, and any diet characterized by excess saturated fats. User-friendly tools to facilitate a quick evaluation of dietary patterns with clear guidance on how to address dietary inadequacies and embedded support from trained healthcare providers are urgently needed. Recent evidence has shown that although excessive gestational weight gain predicts adverse perinatal outcomes among women with normal weight, the degree of prepregnancy obesity predicts adverse perinatal outcomes to a greater degree than gestational weight gain among women with obesity. Furthermore, low body mass index and insufficient gestational weight gain are associated with poor perinatal outcomes. Observational data have shown that first-trimester gain is the strongest predictor of adverse outcomes. Interventions beginning in early pregnancy or preconception are needed to prevent downstream complications for mothers and their children. For neonates, human milk provides personalized nutrition and is associated with short- and long-term health benefits for infants and mothers. Eating a healthy diet is a way for lactating mothers to support optimal health for themselves and their infants