[13C]Aminopyrine and [13C]Caffeine Breath Test: Influence of Gender,Cigarette Smoking and Oral Contraceptives Intake

Abstract

The [¹³C]aminopyrine breath test ([¹³C]ABT) measures the global activity of cytochrome P450 in vivo and is a sensitive indicator of liver metabolic dysfunction. The present study aims to determine whether gender and cigarette smoking influence the results of [¹³C]ABT as well as to confirm the effect of oral contraceptive steroids (OCS) intake on this metabolic test. Hundred and ten healthy subjects, including men and women, smoker and non-smoker, women taking OCS or not, were phenotyped for CYP1A2 using the [¹³C]caffeine breath test and underwent a [¹³C]ABT. Both tests showed large inter-individual variations in accordance with that of CYP450 liver content. [¹³C]ABT was sensitive enough to point out a significant induction or inhibition related to cigarette smoking habits or OCS. The combined effect of smoking and OCS resulted in an overall unchanged metabolic activity. Consequently, the impact of the studied conditions on the [¹³C]ABT parameters must be considered by clinicians or clinical investigators.     

Towards an Inhalative 13C Breath Test Method

Abstract

Customary ¹³CO₂ breath tests—and also ¹⁵N urine tests—always start with an oral administration of a test substrate. The test person swallows a stable isotope labelled diagnostic agent. This technique has been used to study several pathophysiological changes in gastrointestinal organs. However, to study pathophysiological changes of the bronchial and lung epithelium, the inhalative administration of a stable isotope labelled agent appeared more suitable to us. [1-¹³C]Hexadecanol and [1-¹³C]glucose were chosen. Inhaled [1-¹³C]hexadecanol did not yield ¹³CO₂ in the exhaled air, but [1-¹³C]glucose did. To study the practicability of the [1-¹³C]glucose method and the reproducibility of the results, 18 inhalation tests were performed with healthy subjects. In 6 self-tests, the optimum inhalative dose of [¹³C]glucose was determined to be 205 mg. Using the APS aerosol provocation system with the nebulizer ‘Medic Aid’ (Erich Jaeger Würzburg), a 25% aqueous solution was inhaled. Then, breath samples were collected at 15 min. intervals and analysed for ¹³CO₂. 75–120min after the end of inhalation a well-reproducible maximum δ¹³C value of 6‰ over baseline (DOB) was detected for 12 healthy probands.

Speculating that the pulmonary resorption of the [¹³C]glucose is the rate-limiting step of elimination, decompensations in the epithelium ought to be reflected in changed [1-¹³C]glucose resorption rates and changed ¹³CO₂ output.

Therefore, we speculate that the inhalation of suitable ¹³C-labelled substrates will pave the way for a new group of ¹³CO₂ breath tests aiding investigations of specific pathophysiological changes in the pulmonary tract, such as inflammations of certain sections and decompensations of cell functions.     

Is there an advantage in normalising the results of the Helicobacter Pylori [13C]Urea breath test for CO2 production rate in children?

The urea breath test (UBT) is a non-invasive diagnostic test to detect the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the stomach, and is the simplest way to confirm eradication after treatment. The test is based on the capacity of H. pylori to secrete the enzyme urease, which hydrolyses urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an advantage in expressing the results of UBTs in terms of urea hydrolysis rate (UHR), rather than breath ¹³C enrichment alone. Retrospective analysis of data collected between 1995 and 2002 from 260 patients undergoing UBTs was performed. The cut-offs for positive tests using breath 30-minute enrichment (E30), UHR calculated using VCO₂ estimated from height and weight (H/WT) and VCO₂ estimated from weight only were determined using two-graph receiver operator characteristic (TG-ROC) analysis. The cut-off points were 3.5‰ or 38.7?ppm ¹³C excess, 7.04?µmol/h and 7.08?µmol/h, respectively. There was no advantage in expressing the results as UHR (θ₀, Theta-zero, where sensitivity?=?specificity?=?0.97 (UHR H/WT), 0.98 (UHR WT) and 1.00 (E30)) rather than breath ¹³CO₂ enrichment alone. Differences in the extent of H. pylori colonisation and urease activity are more important than variation in VCO₂ in determining breath ¹³CO₂ enrichment in the UBT.     

Liver function assessment with three 13C breath tests by two-point measurements

In this study, we performed three breath tests – l-[1-¹³C ]phenylalanine breath test (PBT), l-[1-¹³C ] methionine breath test, and [¹³C]methacetin breath test (MethaBT) – in patients with chronic liver disease to determine the optimal timing of expired air collection for diagnosing chronic liver disease and evaluating the grade of fibrosis. The subjects were 61 adults with normal livers, 98 chronic hepatitis patients, and 91 liver cirrhosis patients. We investigated the relationships of breath test results with routine biochemical tests and the Child–Pugh score, as well as the diagnostic capacities of the breath tests for liver dysfunction/cirrhosis and grade of liver fibrosis. For the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and correlations with liver fibrosis, the accuracy of the PBT at 30 min (PBT30) was similar to that of the MethaBT at 15 min (Metha15). For liver function assessment by two-point measurement with ¹³C breath tests, we recommend the PBT30 and the Metha15.     

Honeycomb self-assembled peptide scaffolds by the breath figure method

The self-assembly of molecules into desired architectures is currently a challenging subject for the development of supramolecular chemistry. Here we present a facile "breath figure" assembly process through the use of the self-assembled peptide building block diphenylalanine (L-Phe-L-Phe, FF). Macroporous honeycomb scaffolds were fabricated, and average pore size could be regulated, from (1.00±0.18) μm to (2.12±0.47) μm, through the use of different air speeds. It is indicated that the honeycomb formation is humidity-, solvent-, concentration-, and substrate-dependent. Moreover, water molecules introduced from "breath figure" intervene in the formation of hydrogen bonds during FF molecular self-assembly, which results in a hydrogen bond configuration transition from antiparallel β sheet to parallel β sheet. Meanwhile, as a result of the higher polarity of water molecules, the FF molecular array is transformed from laminar stacking into a hexagonal structure. These findings not only elucidate the FF molecule self-assembly process, but also strongly support the mechanism of breath figure array formation. Finally, human embryo skin fibroblast (ESF) culture experiments suggest that FF honeycomb scaffolds are an attractive biomaterial for growth of adherent cells with great potential applications in tissue engineering.     

慢性咳嗽患儿呼出气一氧化氮与特应性体质及血清总免疫球蛋白E水平的相关性研究

目的研究慢性咳嗽患儿呼出气一氧化氮（fractional exhaled nitric oxide ,FeNO）与特应性体质及血清总免疫球蛋白E（TIgE）水平的相关性。方法对91例慢性咳嗽的患儿进行FeNO、血TIgE的检测及变应原皮肤点刺试验并进行分组对比。结果特应性体质组FeNO值为（29.74±14.24）ppb,TIgE为（483.95±384.57）IU/ml,非特应性体质组FeNO值为（13.82±7.91） ppb,TIgE为（154.09±143.42）IU/ml,差异均有统计学意义（均P＜0.05）。血清TIgE增高患儿FeNO值为（29.15±15.30）ppb,血清IgE正常患儿FeNO值为（16.22±9.75）ppb,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。相关性分析发现FeNO水平与过敏原数目不存在相关（P=0.278）。结论特应性体质可使慢性咳嗽患儿FeNO水平明显升高,而FeNO与皮肤过敏原阳性数目无明显相关性,在诊断哮喘时应注意特应性体质的存在。     

纳米材料在用于癌症诊断的呼出气挥发性有机物检测中的应用

细胞新陈代谢的变化会导致挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）类型及含量发生变化,因此可通过分析某些标志性VOCs简立起多种疾病早期诊断的模型. 人体呼出物中特征VOCs的检测作为一种非侵入性、无损的检测手段,近些年在疾病检测领域已成为世界范围内的研究热点. 其中,纳米材料可用于增强传感器性能,并使传感器便携式小型化,推进检测传感器进入临床. 在这篇综述中,作者将种类繁多的传感器中用到的纳米材料归纳总结为金属、金属氧化物、碳基、复合物和MOFs基纳米材料等几类,并讨论了不同类纳米材料在VOCs检测中的优劣势. 本文所建立起的分析方法及讨论有助于进一步了解检测技术的优越性与局限性. 最后,作者对利用VOCs的检测实现癌症早期筛选的研究及发展提出了个人观点.     

Determination of pentane in human breath by gas chromatography

A new procedure, requiring expired sample volumes of approximately 2L, has been developed for the quantitative determination of n-pentane in human breath. The methodology capitalizes on the superior resolving power and separating efficiency of the open tubular capillary column and incorporates an effective prechromatographic cryofocusing technique. Molecular sieve is used to simultaneously remove moisture and carbon dioxide from breath samples which are “spiked” with an internal standard to optimize the validity of analysis. Reproducible data for both internal standard spiking (CV = 5.8%) and sample n-pentane level (CV = 3.2%) have been obtained, together with a mean recovery of 104%. Preliminary data show n-pentane levels in normal female subjects (n = 10) to range from 0.62 to 3.16 nmole/L (mean 1.76 nmole/L) and in males (n = 10) from 3.20 to 8.76 nmole/L (mean 5.66 nmole/L).     

Formation of honeycomb‐structured,porous films via breath figures with different polymer architectures

Honeycomb‐structured, porous films with pore sizes ranging from 200 nm to 7 μm were prepared with breath figures. The regularity of the hexagonal array and the pore size was influenced by the polymer architecture and the casting conditions. A nanoscaled suborder next to the microarray was obtained with amphiphilic block copolymers. These films were shown to be suitable as surfaces for cell growth. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2363–2375, 2006     

Recent advances in breath analysis to track human health by new enrichment technologies

Detection of biomarkers in exhaled breath has been gaining increasing attention as a tool for diagnosis of specific diseases. However, rapid and accurate quantification of biomarkers associated with specific diseases requires the use of analytical methods capable of fast sampling and preconcentration from breath matrix. In this regard, solid phase microextraction and needle trap technology are becoming increasingly popular in the field of breath analysis due to the unique benefits imparted by such methods, such as the integration of sampling, extraction, and preconcentration in a single step. This review discusses recent advances in breath analysis using these sample preparation techniques, providing a summary of recent developments of analytical methods based on breath volatile organic compounds analysis, including the successful identification of various biomarkers related to human diseases.