Postprandial metabolomics: A pilot mass spectrometry and NMR study of the human plasma metabolome in response to a challenge meal

The study of postprandial metabolism is relevant for understanding metabolic diseases and characterizing personal responses to diet. We combined three analytical platforms – gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) – to validate a multi-platform approach for characterizing individual variation in the postprandial state. We analyzed the postprandial plasma metabolome by introducing, at three occasions, meal challenges on a usual diet, and 1.5 years later, on a modified background diet. The postprandial response was stable over time and largely independent of the background diet as revealed by all three analytical platforms. Coverage of the metabolome between NMR and GC-MS included more polar metabolites detectable only by NMR and more hydrophobic compounds detected by GC-MS. The variability across three separate testing occasions among the identified metabolites was in the range of 1.1–86% for GC-MS and 0.9–42% for NMR in the fasting state at baseline. For the LC-MS analysis, the coefficients of variation of the detected compounds in the fasting state at baseline were in the range of 2–97% for the positive and 4–69% for the negative mode. Multivariate analysis (MVA) of metabolites detected with GC-MS revealed that for both background diets, levels of postprandial amino acids and sugars increased whereas those of fatty acids decreased at 0.5 h after the meal was consumed, reflecting the expected response to the challenge meal. MVA of NMR data revealed increasing postprandial levels of amino acids and other organic acids together with decreasing levels of acetoacetate and 3-hydroxybutanoic acid, also independent of the background diet. Together these data show that the postprandial response to the same challenge meal was stable even though it was tested 1.5 years apart, and that it was largely independent of background diet. This work demonstrates the efficacy of a multi-platform metabolomics approach followed by multivariate and univariate data analysis for a broad-scale screen of the individual metabolome, particularly for studies using repeated measures to determine dietary response phenotype.     

γ‐Fe2O3@Cu3Al‐LDH‐TUD as a new Amphoteric,Highly Efficient and Recyclable Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Solvent‐free Synthesis of Dihydropyrano[3,2‐c]pyrazoles and dihydropyrano[3,2‐c]chromens

Thiourea dioxide was immobilized on γ‐Fe₂O₃@Cu₃Al‐LDH magnetic nanoparticles to prepare the γ‐Fe₂O₃@Cu₃Al‐LDH‐TUD MNPs. The structure and properties of these magnetic nanoparticles were established by FT‐IR, EDX, SEM, XRD, and hystogram of particle size analytical methods. The results obtained from these analytical methods confirmed the successful immobilization of the thiourea dioxide onto the magnetic support. The synthesized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) exhibited high catalytic activity in one‐pot three‐component reactions under mild and solvent‐free conditions for the synthesis of diverse ranges of dihydropyrano[3,2‐c]pyrazoles and dihydropyrano[3,2‐c]chromens. All the reactions proceeded smoothly to furnish the respective products in excellent yields. Simple isolation of the products, avoidance of harmful organic solvents, versatility of the catalyst and its easy magnetic separation and reusability with no significant loss of activity are the main advantages of the present method.     

A wide neighborhood interior-point algorithm for linear optimization based on a specific kernel function

This paper presents an interior point algorithm for solving linear optimization problems in a wide neighborhood of the central path introduced by Ai and Zhang (SIAM J Optim 16:400–417, 2005). In each iteration, the algorithm computes the new search directions by using a specific kernel function. The convergence of the algorithm is shown and it is proved that the algorithm has the same iteration bound as the best short-step algorithms. We demonstrate the computational efficiency of the proposed algorithm by testing some Netlib problems in standard form. To best our knowledge, this is the first wide neighborhood path-following interior-point method with the same complexity as the best small neighborhood path-following interior-point methods that uses the kernel function.

     

A facile one-pot synthesis of functionalized thiazines in water

An efficient synthesis of thiazines from the three component reactions between dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates,arylisothio-cyanates and iV-nucleophiles at room temperature in water as the solvent is described.     

Nanocrystalline TiO_2 as an efficient and reusable catalyst for the chemoselective trimethylsilylation of primary and secondary alcohols and phenols

Nanocrystalline TiO₂ was used as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for the chemoselective trimethylsilylation of primary and less hindered secondary alcohols and phenols with hexamethyldisilazane（HMDS）.All reactions were performed under mild and completely heterogeneous conditions in good to excellent yields.     

Equation of state for polymers based on glass transition data

This paper addresses a method for predicting the participating constants in equation of state (EOS) for compressed polymeric fluids using two scaling constants, the surface tension γ _g and the molar density ρ _g, both at the glass transition point. The theoretical EOS undertaken is the one attributed to Tao and Mason. The second virial coefficients are calculated from a two-parameter corresponding states correlation, which is constructed with two constants as scaling parameters, i.e., the surface tension γ _g and the molar density ρ _g. This new correlation has been applied to the Tao–Mason (TM) EOS to predict the volumetric behavior of several polymer melts. The operating temperature range is from 291.25 to 603.4 K and pressures of up to 202.5 MPa. A collection of 516 data points has been examined for the aforementioned polymers. The average absolute deviation between the calculated densities and the experimental ones is of the order of 0.44%.     

Simultaneous trace-levels determination of Hg(II) and Pb(II) ions in various samples using a modified carbon paste electrode based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a new synthesized Schiff base

A modified carbon paste electrode based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and 3-(4-methoxybenzylideneamino)-2-thioxothiazolodin-4-one as a new synthesized Schiff base was constructed for the simultaneous determination of trace amounts of Hg(II) and Pb(II) by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry. The modified electrode showed an excellent selectivity and stability for Hg(II) and Pb(II) determinations and for accelerated electron transfer between the electrode and the analytes. The electrochemical properties and applications of the modified electrode were studied. Operational parameters such as pH, deposition potential and deposition time were optimized for the purpose of determination of traces of metal ions at pH 3.0. Under optimal conditions the limits of detection, based on three times the background noise, were 9.0 × 10⁻⁴ and 6.0 × 10⁻⁴ μmol L⁻¹ for Hg(II) and Pb(II) with a 90 s preconcentration, respectively. In addition, the modified electrode displayed a good reproducibility and selectivity, making it suitable for the simultaneous determination of Hg(II) and Pb(II) in real samples such as sea water, waste water, tobacco, marine and human teeth samples.     

Regioselective iodination of aromatic compounds with potassium iodide in the presence of benzyltriphenylphosphonium perchlorate

A simple and efficient method for the selective iodination of various aromatic compounds by using potassium iodide in the presence of benzyltnphenylphosphonium perchlorate,is reported.This method provides several advantages such as good selectivity between ortho and para positions of aromatic compounds and high yields of the products.     

Gold Electrode Modified with Self‐Assembled Monolayer of Cysteamine‐Functionalized MWCNT and Its Application in Simultaneous Determination of Dopamine and Uric Acid

The voltammetric behavior of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) on a gold electrode modified with self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) of cysteamine (CA) conjugated with functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was investigated. The film modifier of functionalized SAM was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and also, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using para‐hydroquinone (PHQ) as a redox probe. For the binary mixture of DA and UA, the voltammetric signals of these two compounds can be well separated from each other, allowing simultaneous determination of DA and UA. The effect of various experimental parameters on the voltammetric responses of DA and UA was investigated. The detection limit in differential pulse voltammetric determinations was obtained as 0.02 µM and 0.1 µM for DA and UA, respectively. The prepared modified electrode indicated a stable behavior and the presence of surface COOH groups of the functionalized MWCNT avoided the passivation of the electrode surface during the electrode processes. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of DA and UA in urine samples with satisfactory results. The response of the gold electrode modified with MWCNT‐functionalized SAM method toward DA, UA, and ascorbic acid (AA) oxidation was compared with the response of the modified electrode prepared by the direct casting of MWCNT.