Impact of maternal health and stress on steroid hormone profiles in human milk: Implications for infant development.

Steroid hormones are biologically active factors in human milk (HM) that influence the physical and mental development of infants. Critically, maternal psychosocial stress has been associated with changes in HM steroid composition. This work aimed to characterize the steroid hormone profile of HM and pasteurized donor human milk (DHM) and assess the interplay between maternal physical and psychosocial status, the HM steroid profile, and infant outcomes.

Corticosteroids, androgens, progestogens and oestrogens in the endometrial microenvironment, and their association with endometrial progression and function.

Research Question: How does the intracrine action of progestagens, oestrogens, androgens and corticosteroids affect endometrial tissue progression and function?

Design: In this prospective observational study, 76 patients (<50 years old, no uterine pathologies and at least one failed IVF cycle) undergoing endometrial biopsy collection for endometrial evaluation between 2018 and 2021 were included. The concentrations of 11 steroid metabolites (cortisone, cortisol, progesterone, oestrone, 2-methoxyestrone, oestradiol, oestriol, testosterone, androstenedione, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and 17-hydroxypregnenolone) were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in the endometrial tissue samples collected during the mid-secretory phase. Endometrial dating and reproductive outcomes (relative to the next good-quality fresh or frozen embryo transfer after the biopsy) were analysed in relation to endometrial steroid concentrations using Barnard's test; correlations between metabolite concentrations were measured by Pearson's correlation co-efficient.

A miniaturized stir bar sorptive dispersive microextraction method for the determination of bisphenols in follicular fluid using a magnetic covalent organic framework.

Background: Bisphenols, particularly bisphenol A (BPA), are the primary monomers used as additives in the manufacturing of many consumer products. The exposure to these compounds is related to endocrine-disrupting and reproductive effects, among others. For this reason, the development of analytical methods for their determination in biological matrixes is needed to monitor the population exposure to these compounds.

Microbiome-mediated fructose depletion restricts murine gut colonization by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus.

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) are a major threat to public health. MDRO infections, including those caused by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), frequently begin by colonization of the intestinal tract, a crucial step that is impaired by the intestinal microbiota. However, the specific members of the microbiota that suppress MDRO colonization and the mechanisms of such protection are largely unknown.

Calorie restriction improves metabolic state independently of gut microbiome composition: a randomized dietary intervention trial.

Background: The gut microbiota has been suggested to play a significant role in the development of overweight and obesity. However, the effects of calorie restriction on gut microbiota of overweight and obese adults, especially over longer durations, are largely unexplored.

Methods: Here, we longitudinally analyzed the effects of intermittent calorie restriction (ICR) operationalized as the 5:2 diet versus continuous calorie restriction (CCR) on fecal microbiota of 147 overweight or obese adults in a 50-week parallel-arm randomized controlled trial, the HELENA Trial.

A UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of oxidative stress biomarkers in amniotic fluid.

Oxidative stress in the fetal period is associated with preterm birth as well as short and long-term adverse clinical outcomes. Here, an Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous quantification of biomarkers of oxidative stress-derived damage to proteins and DNA in amniotic fluid (AF) samples is presented. Appropriate accuracy and precision levels, as well as sensitivity with limits of detection in the low nanomolar (<2 nM) range were achieved.

Prediagnostic alterations in circulating bile acid profiles in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Bile acids (BAs) play different roles in cancer development. Some are carcinogenic and BA signaling is also involved in various metabolic, inflammatory and immune-related processes. The liver is the primary site of BA synthesis.

Lipid Peroxidation Assessment in Preclinical Alzheimer Disease Diagnosis.

Background: Alzheimer disease (AD) is an increasingly common neurodegenerative disease, especially in countries with aging populations. Its diagnosis is complex and is usually carried out in advanced stages of the disease. In addition, lipids and oxidative stress have been related to AD since the earliest stages.

Isoprostanoids Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid Do Not Reflect Alzheimer's Disease.

Previous studies showed a relationship between lipid oxidation biomarkers from plasma samples and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), constituting a promising diagnostic tool. In this work we analyzed whether these plasma biomarkers could reflect specific brain oxidation in AD. In this work lipid peroxidation compounds were determined in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from AD and non-AD (including other neurological pathologies) participants, by means of an analytical method based on liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

Oxidative Damage of DNA as Early Marker of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and its characteristic histopathological hallmarks are neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques. Among involved mechanisms, oxidative stress plays an important role in damaging cell components (e.g.

Plasma alterations in cholinergic and serotonergic systems in early Alzheimer Disease: Diagnosis utility.

Background: Alzheimer Disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and it involves a high social and economic cost worldwide, and the health system still does not count with an effective treatment. This may be explained by the lack of a reliable early diagnosis and the complex physiological mechanisms involved in the disease development. In this sense, the cholinergic and serotonergic systems may be altered in the disease course.

New screening approach for Alzheimer's disease risk assessment from urine lipid peroxidation compounds.

Alzheimer Disease (AD) standard biological diagnosis is based on expensive or invasive procedures. Recent research has focused on some molecular mechanisms involved since early AD stages, such as lipid peroxidation. Therefore, a non-invasive screening approach based on new lipid peroxidation compounds determination would be very useful.

Prediagnostic Plasma Bile Acid Levels and Colon Cancer Risk: A Prospective Study.

Background: Bile acids have been proposed to promote colon carcinogenesis. However, there are limited prospective data on circulating bile acid levels and colon cancer risk in humans.

Methods: Associations between prediagnostic plasma levels of 17 primary, secondary, and tertiary bile acid metabolites (conjugated and unconjugated) and colon cancer risk were evaluated in a nested case-control study within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort.

Validated analytical method to determine new salivary lipid peroxidation compounds as potential neurodegenerative biomarkers.

Lipid peroxidation is closely related to neurodegenerative diseases since brain shows high lipid composition and oxygen consumption. The determination of lipid peroxidation compounds in non-invasive biological samples would help to monitor the patients' oxidative stress status. A new analytical method based on ultrasound-assisted liquid-liquid semi-microextraction (UA-LLsME) followed by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to tandem Mass Spectrometry was developed to determine 18 lipid peroxidation biomarkers in saliva samples.

Plasma lipid peroxidation biomarkers for early and non-invasive Alzheimer Disease detection.

Introduction: Alzheimer Disease (AD) standard diagnosis is based on evaluations and biomarkers that are non-specific, expensive, or requires invasive sampling. Therefore, an early, and non-invasive diagnosis is required. As regards molecular mechanisms, recent research has shown that lipid peroxidation plays an important role.

Determination of atranol and chloroatranol in perfumes using simultaneous derivatization and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A new analytical method based on simultaneous derivatization and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), for the determination of the allergenic compounds atranol and chloroatranol in perfumes, is presented. Derivatization of the target analytes by means of acetylation with anhydride acetic in carbonate buffer was carried out. Thereby volatility and detectability were increased for improved GC-MS sensitivity.

Development of a selective solid phase extraction method for nitro musk compounds in environmental waters using a molecularly imprinted sorbent.

A powerful analytical method for the determination of the family of the nitro musk compounds at trace level in environmental waters-river, sea, and water from a treatment plant-is presented. The method is based on the use of molecularly imprinted silica (MIS) as sorbent for solid phase extraction (SPE) used for the clean-up and the concentration step of the target analytes previous to their determination by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The optimized extraction procedure allowed extraction recoveries between 61% and 87% using the MIS.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of nitro musks in surface water and wastewater samples.

A new, simple, fast and high sensitive analytical method based on dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the simultaneous determination of nitro musks in surface water and wastewater samples is presented. Different parameters, such as the nature and volume of both the extraction and disperser solvents and the ionic strength and pH of the aqueous donor phase, were optimized. Under the selected conditions (injection of a mixture of 1 mL of acetone as disperser solvent and 50 μL of chloroform as extraction solvent, no salt addition and no pH adjustment) the figures of merit of the proposed DLLME-GC-MS method were evaluated.

A chromatochemometric approach for evaluating and selecting the perfume maceration time.

A chemometric treatment of the data obtained by gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detector (FID) has been proposed to study the maceration time involved in perfumes manufacture with the final purpose of reducing this time but preserving the organoleptic characteristics of the perfume that is being elaborated. In this sense, GC-FID chromatograms were used as a fingerprint of perfume samples subjected to different maceration times, and data were treated by linear discriminant analysis (LDA), by comparing to a set of samples known to be macerated or not, which were used as calibration objects. The GC-FID methodology combined with the treatment of data by LDA has been applied successfully to seven different perfumes.