Urinary TMAO Levels Are Associated with the Taxonomic Composition of the Gut Microbiota and with the Choline TMA-Lyase Gene () Harbored by Enterobacteriaceae.

Gut microbiota metabolization of dietary choline may promote atherosclerosis through trimethylamine (TMA), which is rapidly absorbed and converted in the liver to proatherogenic trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). The aim of this study was to verify whether TMAO urinary levels may be associated with the fecal relative abundance of specific bacterial taxa and the bacterial choline TMA-lyase gene . The analysis of sequences available in GenBank grouped the gene into two main clusters, cut-Dd and cut-Kp.

Determination of Cyanide by Microdiffusion Technique Coupled to Spectrophotometry and GC/NPD and Propofol by Fast GC/MS-TOF in a Case of Poisoning.

A man was found dead in a hotel located near Rome (Italy). The man was still holding a syringe attached to a butterfly needle inserted in his left forearm vein. The syringe contained a cloudy pinkish fluid.

Determination of Propofol by GC/MS and Fast GC/MS-TOF in Two Cases of Poisoning.

Two cases of suspected acute and lethal intoxication caused by propofol were delivered by the judicial authority to the Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care in Palermo, Sicily. In the first case a female nurse was found in a hotel room, where she lived with her mother; four 10 mg/mL vials and two 20 mg/mL vials of propofol were found near the decedent along with syringes and needles. In the second case a male nurse was found in the operating room of a hospital, along with a used syringe.

DNA-based taxonomic identification of basidiospores in hallucinogenic mushrooms cultivated in "grow-kits" seized by the police: LC-UV quali-quantitative determination of psilocybin and psilocin.

The taxonomic identification of the biological material contained in the hallucinogenic mushrooms culture media, was carried out using a DNA-based approach, thus highlighting the usefulness of this approach in the forensic identification of illegal samples also when they are present as basidiospores mixed in culture media and spore-bearing fruiting body are not present. This approach is very useful as it allows the unequivocal identification of potentially illicit material before the cultivation and it enables to stop the material to the Customs and to destroy it due to its dangerousness without cultivating the "grow-kits" and without instructing a criminal case. In fact, even if psilocin and psilocybin and the whole mushrooms are illegal in many countries, there is no specific indication in the law about the so called "grow-kits", containing the spores.

New spirocyclic Δ²-isoxazoline derivatives related to selective agonists of α7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

A set of structural analogues of spirocyclic quinuclidinyl-Δ(2)-isoxazolines, characterized as potent and selective α7 nicotinic agonists, was prepared and assayed for binding affinity at α7 and α4β2 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The investigated derivatives (3a-3c, 4a-4c, 5a-5c, 6a-6c, and 7a-7c), synthesized via the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to suitable dipolarophiles, showed an overall reduced affinity at the α7 subtype when compared with their model compounds. Solely Δ(2)-isoxazolines 3a, 3b, and 6c maintained a binding affinity in the nanomolar range at the α7 nAChRs (K(i) = 230, 420 and 700 nM, respectively).

Capillary gas-chromatographic determination of spermidine in hair lotion.

Biogenic polyamines, such as spermidine (SPD, NH2-(CH2)4-NH-(CH2)3-NH2), are ubiquitous polycationic molecules which play a definitive role in many biological processes such as nucleic acid metabolism, protein synthesis, and cell growth. SPD is commonly used as an ingredient in hair lotions, because it seems to promote hair growth. This work describes a capillary GC method for quantitative determination of SPD in hair lotions using 1,6-diaminohexane as internal standard, a methyl silicone capillary column, and a flame ionisation detector.