Disaccharide compositional analysis of chondroitin sulphate using WAX HILIC-MS with pre-column procainamide labelling; application to the placenta in pre-eclampsia.

Chondroitin sulphate (CS) and dermatan sulphate are negatively charged linear heteropolysaccharides. These glycosaminoglycans (GAG) are involved in cellular signalling binding to growth factors. CS is expressed in a range of tissue and biological fluids and is highly expressed in the placenta.

Antibacterial apple cider vinegar eradicates methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and resistant Escherichia coli.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and resistant Escherichia coli (rE.coli) infections can spread rapidly. Further they are associated with high morbidity and mortality from treatment failure.

Effect of berberine on in vitro metabolism of sulfonylureas: A herb-drug interactions study.

Unlabelled: Patients with type 2 diabetes may co-ingest herbal and prescription medicines to control their blood sugar levels. Competitive binding of drug and herb may mutually affect their metabolism. This can alter the level of drug and its kinetics in the body, potentially causing toxicities or loss of efficacy.

A method to assess bioavailability of antibiotics in anthropogenic polluted ecosystems by using a bacterial fitness test.

Antibiotics released in the environment exert a selective pressure on the resident microbiota. It is well accepted that the mere measurement of antibiotics does not reflect the actual bioavailability. In fact, antibiotics can be adsorbed or complexed to particles and/or chemicals in water and soil.

Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression.

The global escalation in antibiotic resistance cases means alternative antimicrobials are essential. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial capacity of apple cider vinegar (ACV) against E. coli, S.

Analysis of procainamide-derivatised heparan sulphate disaccharides in biological samples using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are a family of linear heteropolysaccharides made up of repeating disaccharide units that are found on the surface and extracellular matrix of animal cells. They are known to play a critical role in a wide range of cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation and invasion. To elucidate the mechanism of action of these molecules, it is essential to quantify their disaccharide composition.

Heparan sulfate disaccharide measurement from biological samples using pre-column derivatization, UPLC-MS and single ion monitoring.

Glycosaminoglycans are a heterogeneous family of linear polysaccharides comprised of repeating disaccharide subunits that mediate many effects at the cellular level. There is increasing evidence that the nature of these effects is determined by differences in disaccharide composition. However, the determination of GAG disaccharide composition in biological samples remains challenging and time-consuming.

Detection of the tau protein in human serum by a sensitive four-electrode electrochemical biosensor.

This study presents a novel approach based on a four-electrode electrochemical biosensor for the detection of tau protein - one of the possible markers for the prediction of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The biosensor is based on the formation of stable antibody-antigen complexes on gold microband electrodes covered with a layer of a self-assembled monolayer and protein G. Antibodies were immobilized on the gold electrode surface in an optimal orientation by protein G interaction.

Determination of urinary cortisol, cortisone and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin using dilute and shoot ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Human sleep is a natural part of every individual's life. Clear relationship between sleep and endocrine system has been already established. In particular, melatonin and cortisol are known to affect and regulate sleep/wake patterns.

Evaluation of expression and function of the H+/myo-inositol transporter HMIT.

Background: The phosphoinositide (PIns) signalling pathway regulates a series of neuronal processes, such as neurotransmitter release, that are thought to be altered in mood disorders. Furthermore, mood-stabilising drugs have been shown to inhibit key enzymes that regulate PIns production and alter neuronal growth cone morphology in an inositol-reversible manner. Here, we describe analyses of expression and function of the recently identified H+/myo-inositol transporter (HMIT) investigated as a potential regulator of PIns signalling.

Chronic fluoxetine differentially modulates the hippocampal microtubular and serotonergic system in grouped and isolation reared rats.

Social isolation from weaning in rats produces behavioural and hippocampal structural changes at adulthood. Here, rats were group or isolation reared for eight-weeks. Following the initial four-week period of rearing, fluoxetine (10 mg/kg i.

Effects of N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) at group II mGluRs and NMDAR.

A group II metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist was recently reported to be clinically efficacious against symptoms of schizophrenia [Patil, S.T., Zhang, L.

Fluoxetine administration modulates the cytoskeletal microtubular system in the rat hippocampus.

A number of studies suggest that stressful conditions can induce structural alterations in the hippocampus and that antidepressant drugs may prevent such deficits. In particular, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine was more effective in modulating different neuronal plasticity phenomena and related molecules in rat hippocampus. Cytoskeletal microtubule dynamics are fundamental to dendrites and axons remodeling, leading to the hypothesis that fluoxetine may affect the microtubular system.

Development and application of a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric assay for measurement of N-acetylaspartate, N-acetylaspartylglutamate and glutamate in brain slice superfusates and tissue extracts.

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method has been developed for measurement of N-acetylaspartate, N-acetylaspartylglutamate and glutamate. The analytes were separated within 5 min using an anion exchange/reverse phase column. The lower limit of quantification for Glu, NAA and NAAG was found to be 5, 50 and 6 nM, respectively, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 5:1.

High-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric assay for the simultaneous measurement of dopamine, norepinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and cocaine in biological samples.

A rapid liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been developed for the measurement of dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) and norepinephrine (NE) in brain microdialysates. The assay has also been utilised for the simultaneous measurement of these neurotransmitters and cocaine in brain dialysates. The neurotransmitters and cocaine were resolved in a single 4-min run using a binary gradient elution profile.

High-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry assay for the determination of 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP+) in brain tissue homogenates.

A high-throughput liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed for the quantitative assessment of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) in brain tissue samples. This separation is based on reversed phase chromatography using formic acid and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. Using gradient separation conditions, MPP+ was resolved within 5 min and detected using tandem mass spectrometry in the positive ion electrospray mode.

Selective antagonism at dopamine D3 receptors enhances monoaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission in the rat anterior cingulate cortex.

Recent neuroanatomical and functional investigations focusing on dopamine (DA) D(3) receptors have suggested a potential role of this receptor in psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and drug dependence. In line with the key role of the prefrontal cortex in psychiatric disorders, the present study aimed at assessing the effects of the acute systemic administration of the selective DA D(3) receptor antagonist SB-277011-A on the in vivo extracellular levels of monoamines (DA, norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT)) and acetylcholine (ACh) in the anterior cingulate subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex. The in vivo neurochemical profile of SB-277011-A (10 mg/kg, i.

Amino acid neurotransmitters: separation approaches and diagnostic value.

Amino acids in the central nervous system can be divided into non-neurotransmitter or neurotransmitter depending on their function. The measurement of these small molecules in brain tissue and extracellular fluid has been used to develop effective treatment strategies for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and for the diagnosis of such pathologies. Here we describe the separation and detection techniques that have been used for the measurement of amino acids at trace levels in brain tissue and dialysates.

High-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry assay for the rapid high sensitivity measurement of basal acetylcholine from microdialysates.

A high-throughput liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed for the analysis of acetylcholine (ACh) in brain dialysates. This separation of ACh is based on cation exchange chromatography with elution buffer consisting of a mixture of ammonium acetate, ammonium formate and acetonitrile. Using isocratic separation conditions, ACh was resolved within a minute and detected using tandem mass spectrometry in the positive ion electrospray mode.