Characteristics of individuals who developed type 2 diabetes from prediabetes despite undergoing interventions, and evaluation of the performance of urinary myo-inositol as a risk factor for developing diabetes.

Aims/introduction: The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristics of individuals with prediabetes who developed type 2 diabetes despite undergoing interventions, and to evaluate the performance of urinary myo-inositol (UMI) as a noninvasive indicator for the risk of developing diabetes.

Materials And Methods: A total of 51 individuals with prediabetes who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, ΔUMI (the difference in the UMI : creatinine ratio between before and 120 min after 75-g glucose loading), fasting plasma glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1c, noninvasive testing (age, body mass index, blood pressure) and general blood tests were measured at baseline, and underwent dietary/exercise guidance for 8 years were studied.

Results: A total of 31 participants developed diabetes in 8 years.

Relationship between the cholesterol and triglyceride content of lipoprotein subclasses and carotid intima-media thickness: A cross-sectional population-based study.

Background: The association between lipoprotein subclasses and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) progression has yet to be fully evaluated. We assessed which lipoprotein subclasses were associated with maximum cIMT levels in the general population.

Methods: In this study, cholesterol and triglyceride content of 20 lipoprotein subclasses were analyzed using gel permeation high-performance liquid chromatography (GP-HPLC) in 864 Japanese women and men (mean age 57 y, free of chronic liver or kidney diseases and off lipid-lowering, hormone replacement, or adrenocorticosteroid medications).

Systematic elucidation of the second coordination sphere effect on the structure and properties of a blue copper protein, pseudoazurin.

The rational structural and computational studies of a blue copper protein, pseudoazurin (PAz), and its Met16X (X = Phe, Leu, Val, Ile) variants gave clear functional meanings of the noncovalent interaction (NCI) through the second coordination sphere. The high-resolution X-ray crystal structures of Met16X PAz demonstrated that the active site geometry is significantly affected by the substitution of Met16, which is located within the NCI distance from the His81 imidazole ring at the copper active site. The computational chemistry calculations based on the crystal structure analyses confirmed that the NCI of S-π/CH-π (wild-type), π-π (Met16Phe), double CH-π (Met16Leu), and single CH-π (Met16Val and Met16Ile).

Glycated Albumin Correlates With Time-in-Range Better Than HbA1c or Fructosamine.

Context: Intermediate-term glycemic control metrics may represent a viable alternative to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in patients without access to CGM.

Objective: This work aimed to compare the relationship between CGM parameters and glycated albumin (GA), glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and fructosamine for 24 weeks.

Methods: We conducted exploratory comparative analyses of CGM subgroup data from a previously published 24-week prospective study of assay performance in 8 US clinics.

Analytical performances of a glycated albumin assay that is traceable to standard reference materials and reference range determination.

Background: Glycated albumin (GA) is an intermediate-term marker for monitoring glycemic control (preceding 2-3 weeks) in patients with diabetes mellitus. We evaluated the performance of Lucica Glycated Albumin-L, a new GA assay that is traceable to standard reference materials and determined the reference range in healthy subjects without diabetes.

Methods: The performance and reference range studies were conducted in accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Guidelines.

Open-Bundle Structure as the Unfolding Intermediate of Cytochrome ' Revealed by Small Angle Neutron Scattering.

The dynamic structure changes, including the unfolding, dimerization, and transition from the compact to the open-bundle unfolding intermediate structure of Cyt ', were detected by a small-angle neutron scattering experiment (SANS). The structure of Cyt ' was changed into an unstructured random coil at pD = 1.7 (R = 25 Å for the Cyt ' monomer).

Glycated albumin as biomarker: Evidence and its outcomes.

Glycemic control markers are important for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. Hemoglobin A1c (A1C) is an important marker that is mandatory in routine medical examinations; however, it is well known that it has some limitations. In this review, we focus on the limitation of A1C and introduce a relatively new marker, glycated albumin (GA), which can be used to complement A1C.

2.85 and 2.99 Å resolution structures of 110 kDa nitrite reductase determined by 200 kV cryogenic electron microscopy.

Cu-containing nitrite reductases (NiRs) are 110 kDa enzymes that play central roles in denitrification. Although the NiRs have been well studied, with over 100 Protein Data Bank entries, such issues as crystal packing, photoreduction, and lack of high pH cases have impeded structural analysis of their catalytic mechanisms. Here we show the cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of Achromobacter cycloclastes NiR (AcNiR) at pH 6.

Results of a Study Comparing Glycated Albumin to Other Glycemic Indices.

Context: Intermediate-term glycemic control metrics fulfill a need for measures beyond hemoglobin A1C.

Objective: Compare glycated albumin (GA), a 14-day blood glucose measure, with other glycemic indices.

Design: 24-week prospective study of assay performance.

Stabilization of protein structure through π-π interaction in the second coordination sphere of pseudoazurin.

Noncovalent, weak interactions in the second coordination sphere of the copper active site of Pseudoazurin (PAz) from Achromobacter cycloclastes were examined using a series of Met16X variants. In this study, the differences in protein stability due to the changes in the nature of the 16th amino acid (Met, Phe, Val, Ile) were investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and far-UV circular dichroism (CD) as a result of acid denaturation. The percentage of native states (folded holo forms) of Met16Phe variants was estimated to be 75% at pH 2.

Changes in the albumin glycation site, plasma pentosidine and esRAGE concentrations before and after intensive diabetic treatment in patients with abnormally high glycated albumin levels.

Background We have reported that the blood glucose normalization treatment reduced the albumin glycation sites and the intensity of albumin AGE fluorescence in patients with abnormally high glycated albumin levels. To clarify the relationship between glycaemic control status and levels of glycated proteins and related markers, we studied the change of the markers of the DM patients with and without fatty liver, liver cirrhosis and dialysis before and after the intensive diabetic treatment. Methods Eight diabetic patients with abnormally high glycated albumin levels (no complications: 2, fatty liver: 3, liver cirrhosis: 2, dialysis: 1) were recruited.

A comparison of glycated albumin and glycosylated hemoglobin for the screening of diabetes mellitus in Taiwan.

Objective: Glycated albumin (GA) values reflect an average plasma glucose level over approximately 2-4 weeks, and the assay is stable and can be run on serum or plasma. The aim of this study was to determine the universality and the clinical utility of GA in screening for diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Subjects consisted of 2192 male and female residents in Yi-lan County, Northern Taiwan (mean age 60.

Committee on Diabetes Mellitus Indices of the Japan Society of Clinical Chemistry-recommended reference measurement procedure and reference materials for glycated albumin determination.

Background: Glycated albumin is an intermediate glycaemic control marker for which there are several measurement procedures with entirely different reference intervals. We have developed a reference measurement procedure for the purpose of standardizing glycated albumin measurements.

Methods: The isotope dilution liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method was developed as a reference measurement procedure for glycated albumin.

Glycated albumin as a diagnostic tool for diabetes in a general Japanese population.

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is a major cause of cardiovascular, kidney, neurologic, and eye diseases, and may be preventable in some cases by lifestyle modification. Screening tests for diabetes mellitus include fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Our objective was to evaluate the utility of plasma glycated albumin (GA) in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.

Influence of ligand flexibility on the electronic structure of oxidized Ni(III)-phenoxide complexes.

One-electron-oxidized Ni(III)-phenoxide complexes with salen-type ligands, [Ni(salen)py2](2+) ([1(en)-py](2+)) and [Ni(1,2-salcn)py2](2+) ([1(cn)-py](2+)), with a five-membered chelate dinitrogen backbone and [Ni(salpn)py2](2+) ([2(pn)-py](2+)), with a six-membered chelate backbone, have been characterized with a combination of experimental and theoretical methods. The five-membered chelate complexes [1(en)-py](2+) and [1(cn)-py](2+) were assigned as Ni(III)-phenoxyl radical species, while the six-membered chelate complex [2(pn)-py](2+) was concluded to be a Ni(II)-bis(phenoxyl radical) species with metal-centered reduction in the course of the one-electron oxidation of the Ni(III)-phenoxide complex [2(pn)-py](+). Thus, the oxidation state of the one-electron-oxidized Ni(III) salen-type complexes depends on the chelate ring size of the dinitrogen backbone.

The type 1 copper site of pseudoazurin: axial and rhombic.

We report on a high-frequency electron-paramagnetic-resonance study of the type 1 copper site of pseudoazurin. The spectra fully resolve the contribution of a nearly axial spectrum besides the rhombic spectrum, which unequivocally proves the existence of two conformations of the copper site. Pseudoazurins have been considered from Achromobacter cycloclastes including eight mutants and from Alcaligenes faecalis.

Characterization of one-electron oxidized copper(II)-salophen-type complexes; effects of electronic and geometrical structures on reactivities.

One-electron oxidized salophen-type complexes, [Cu(salophen)](+) (H2salophen = N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-diaminobenzene), and its methoxy derivatives, [Cu(MeO-salophen)](+) and [Cu(salophen-(MeO)2)](+) (H2MeO-salophen = N,N'-bis(3-tert-butyl-5-methoxysalicylidene)-1,2-diaminobenzene, H2salophen-(MeO)2 = N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylidene)-1,2-diamino-4,5-dimethoxybenzene), have been synthesized and structurally characterized, and their reactivities have been investigated. The solid state structures of the one-electron oxidized forms of these complexes suggested that [Cu(salophen)](+) and [Cu(MeO-salophen)](+) can be assigned to relatively localized Cu(ii)-phenoxyl radical complexes, while [Cu(salophen-(MeO)2)](+) is the diiminobenzene radical complex. On the other hand, [Cu(salophen)](+) in solution showed a different electronic structure from that of the solid sample, the radical electron being delocalized over the whole π-conjugated ligand.

Serum cholesterol and triglyceride reference ranges of twenty lipoprotein subclasses for healthy Japanese men and women.

Aim: This epidemiological study was done to generate normal ranges for the cholesterol and triglyceride levels in serum lipoprotein subclasses isolated from healthy adults based on gender and menopausal status.

Methods: Cholesterol and triglyceride levels in 20 lipoprotein subclasses as separated by high performance liquid chromatography were measured in serum obtained from 825 fasting healthy subjects (267 men, 558 women).

Results: For serum cholesterol, 13.

Direct electron transfer from pseudoazurin to nitrous oxide reductase in catalytic N2O reduction.

Pseudoazurin (PAz), a well-characterized blue copper electron-transfer protein, is shown herein to be capable of mediating electron transfer to the nitrous oxide reductase (N(2)OR) from Achromobacter cycloclastes (Ac). Spectroscopic measurements demonstrate that reduced PAz is efficiently re-oxidized by a catalytic amount of N(2)OR in the presence of N(2)O. Fits of the kinetics resulted in K(M) (N(2)O) and k(cat) values of 19.

Classification of variant forms of haemoglobin according to the ratio of glycated haemoglobin to glycated albumin.

Background: Asymptomatic variant haemoglobin is increasingly being found in the measurement of glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) for the management of diabetes mellitus. We compared the HbA(1c) concentrations measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and immunoassay and glycated albumin (GA) concentrations and calculated the respective ratios in order to classify the variant haemoglobin.

Methods: Twenty different haemoglobin variants from 43 subjects were identified by mass spectrometry and DNA analysis.

Plasma glycated albumin level and atherosclerosis: results from the Kyushu and Okinawa Population Study (KOPS).

Background: Glycated albumin (GA) is a measure of the mean plasma glucose concentration over approximately 2-3 weeks. This study was done to test the hypothesis that GA can serve as a marker for atherosclerosis, similar to glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

Methods: HbA1c, plasma GA and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were measured for 1575 residents (age range 26-78 years) of a suburban town in Japan.

Basic performance of an enzymatic method for glycated albumin and reference range determination.

Background: Glycated albumin (GA) is a medium-term glycemic control marker of diabetes and may be more sensitive to changes in plasma glucose than hemoglobin A1c. We studied where and how many fructosyl groups bind to albumin, and which glycation sites are measured by the enzymatic method for GA. We also studied the basic performance of the enzymatic method for GA.