Dried blood spot-based free sterol signatures in sitosterolemia diagnostics.

Background: Sitosterolemia is a rare inherited lipid metabolic disorder characterized by increased levels of plant sterols and accelerated atherosclerosis. Although early detection is beneficial for the prevention of disease progression, it is largely underdiagnosed by routine screening based on conventional lipid profiles.

Materials And Methods: A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based profiling has been developed and validated to measure the levels of biologically active free sterols, including five endogenous sterols and three plant sterols (sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol) in dried blood spot (DBS).

Hair sterol signatures coupled to multivariate data analysis reveal an increased 7β-hydroxycholesterol production in cognitive impairment.

Altered cholesterol metabolism could be associated with cognitive impairment. The quantitative profiling of 19 hair sterols was developed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled to multivariate data analysis. The limit of quantification of all sterols ranged from 5 to 20 ng/g, while the calibration linearity was higher than 0.

Serum sterol profiling reveals increased cholesterol biosynthesis in childhood obesity.

Quantitative sterol profiling in obese children and their clinical implications have not been fully investigated. The aim of study was to evaluate the metabolic changes in serum cholesterol and its precursors and metabolites, and their associations with clinical characteristics of childhood obesity. A total of 253 children aged 6-14 years (72 obese, 39 overweight, and 72 normal controls; 147 girls and 106 boys) were recruited.

Cholesterol-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis aggravated by systemic inflammation.

Although triglyceride accumulation in the liver causes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hypercholesterolemia is also a main cause of NAFLD as well as atherosclerosis. However, NAFLD and atherosclerosis have not been investigated simultaneously in animal models fed a high-cholesterol diet. Moreover, it is unclear whether systemic inflammation can exacerbate both pathologies in the same model.

Metabolic changes in serum steroids induced by total-body irradiation of female C57B/6 mice.

The short- and long-term effects of a single exposure to gamma radiation on steroid metabolism were investigated in mice. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to generate quantitative profiles of serum steroid levels in mice that had undergone total-body irradiation (TBI) at doses of 0Gy, 1Gy, and 4Gy. Following TBI, serum samples were collected at the pre-dose time point and 1, 3, 6, and 9 months after TBI.

High-temperature GC-MS-based serum cholesterol signatures may reveal sex differences in vasospastic angina.

Alterations of cholesterol metabolism are responsible for vasospastic angina and atherosclerosis. To comprehensively evaluate cholesterol metabolism, 18 sterols, including cholesterol, 6 cholesteryl esters (CEs), 3 cholesterol precursors, and 8 hydroxycholesterols (OHCs), were simultaneously analyzed using hybrid solid-phase extraction (SPE) purification coupled to high-temperature gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HTGC-MS). Methanol-based hybrid SPE increased the selective extraction, and HTGC resulted in a good chromatographic resolution for the separation of lipophilic compounds.

New needle packed with polydimethylsiloxane having a micro-bore tunnel for headspace in-needle microextraction of aroma components of citrus oils.

A novel in-needle microextraction (INME) for headspace sampling evaluated in this study has significantly higher extraction speed and the practical merits of a durable stainless steel needle to overcome some exposed fiber related drawbacks. A prototype stainless steel needle (Hamilton 90022, 22 gauge bevel tip, 51 mm length) packed with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, 0.413 mm O.

Monochromatic x-rays for low-dose digital mammography: preliminary results.

Purpose: The feasibility of using monochromatic x-ray imaging generated from an x-ray tube and a multilayer reflector for digital mammography with a low radiation dose was examined.

Materials And Methods: A multilayer mirror was designed to select the x-ray peak with an energy of 21.5 keV generated from an x-ray tube with a tungsten target and was fabricated by the ion-beam sputtering deposition system.

Usefulness of a small-field digital mammographic imaging system using parabolic polycapillary optics as a diagnostic imaging tool: a preliminary study.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy for spatial resolution and radiation dose of a small-field digital mammographic imaging system using parabolic polycapillary optics.

Materials And Methods: We developed a small-field digital mammographic imaging system composed of a CCD (charge coupled device) detector and an X-ray source coupled with parabolic polycapillary optics. The spatial resolution and radiation dose according to various filters were evaluated for a small-field digital mammographic imaging system.

COMP-Angiopoietin-1 ameliorates surgery-induced ischemic necrosis of the femoral head in rats.

Introduction: Ischemic necrosis of the femoral head (INFH) can lead to loss of femoral head architecture and deformity. Moreover, the process of bone healing is intimately associated with angiogenesis. We considered that COMP-Ang1 (an angiogenic factor) might preserve femoral head structure and facilitate bone repair.