Serum Cadmium Levels and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The increase in the prevalence of metabolic disorders globally is becoming a public health concern. Previous studies have reported an association between environmental exposures to hazardous substances, including various heavy metals, and the risk for metabolic syndrome. However, reports on the contributions of cadmium (Cd) to the risk for obesity and diabetes remain inconsistent.

Diagnostic accuracy of the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score for the prediction of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome in the Lebanese University.

Background: Risk scores were mainly proved to predict undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (UT2DM) in a non-invasive manner and to guide earlier clinical treatment. The objective of the present study was to assess the performance of the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) for detecting three outcomes: UT2DM, prediabetes, and the metabolic syndrome (MS).

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study during which employees aged between 30 and 64, with no known diabetes and working within the faculties of the Lebanese University (LU) were conveniently recruited.

Genetic polymorphisms of PPAR genes and human cancers: evidence for gene-environment interactions.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear transcription factors that play a role in lipid metabolism, cell proliferation, terminal differentiation, apoptosis, and inflammation. Although several cancer models have been suggested to explain PPARs' involvement in tumorigenesis, however, their role is still unclear. In this review, we examined associations of the different PPARs, polymorphisms and various types of cancer with a focus on gene-environment interactions.

Impact of ion-pairs for the determination of multiclass antimicrobials residues in honey by LC-MS/MS.

This study examines the behaviour of volatile perfluorinated carboxylic acids used as ion-pairing reagents for the separation of multiclass antimicrobial residues in honey (tetracyclines, sulphonamides, macrolides, and aminoglycosides). Heptafluorobutanoic acid and pentafluoropentanoic acid were compared as mobile phase additives at concentrations of 0-20 mmol.L using reversed-phase chromatography.

Innovative SPE-LC-MS/MS technique for the assessment of 63 pharmaceuticals and the detection of antibiotic-resistant-bacteria: A case study natural water sources in Lebanon.

A powerful analytical method for simultaneous determination of 63 pharmaceuticals and some metabolites in aqueous samples has been developed. The list of compounds amenable to the methods includes different therapeutic classes belonging to antibiotics, stimulants, antidepressants, mucolytics, and antiparasites. The method involves concentration and clean up by an offline solid phase extraction SPE followed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS).

Changes in plastid proteome and structure in arbuscular mycorrhizal roots display a nutrient starvation signature.

During arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, arbuscule-containing root cortex cells display a proliferation of plastids, a feature usually ascribed to an increased plant anabolism despite the lack of studies focusing on purified root plastids. In this study, we investigated mycorrhiza-induced changes in plastidic pathways by performing a label-free comparative subcellular quantitative proteomic analysis targeted on plastid-enriched fractions isolated from Medicago truncatula roots, coupled to a cytological analysis of plastid structure. We identified 490 root plastid protein candidates, among which 79 changed in abundance upon mycorrhization, as inferred from spectral counting.

Influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation on cadmium induced Medicago truncatula root isoflavonoid accumulation.

Cadmium is a serious environmental pollution threats to the planet. Its accumulation in plants affects many cellular functions, resulting in growth and development inhibition, whose mechanisms are not fully understood. However, some fungi forming arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis with the majority of plant species have the capacity to buffer the deleterious effect of this heavy metal.

Proteomic analysis of Medicago truncatula root plastids.

Despite the recognized importance of non-photosynthetic plastids in a wide array of plant processes, the root plastid proteome of soil-grown plants still remains to be explored. In this study, we used a protocol allowing the isolation of Medicago truncatula root plastids with sufficient protein recovery and purity for their subsequent in-depth analysis by nanoscale capillary LC-MS/MS. Besides providing the first picture of a root plastid proteome, the results obtained highlighted the identification of 266 protein candidates whose functional distribution mainly resembled that of wheat endosperm amyloplasts and tobacco proplastids together with displaying major differences to those reported for chloroplasts.