Glutamic Acid Levels Research Articles

Screening for GABA and glutamic acid in tomato and potato genotypes and effects of domestic cooking

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its precursor glutamic acid play signaling roles in both humans and plants. Interestingly, positive effects on human health are ascribed to GABA consumption, which is present at relatively high levels in various food products, including potato tubers and tomato fruits. However, the currently available information on GABA content in foods only partly represents market categories and lacks data on glutamic acid. Here, we performed a screening of 98 tomato and 72 potato genotypes for GABA and glutamic acid levels. Our results show a large variation in both GABA and glutamic acid across the various genotypes. The GABA and glutamic acid levels ranged from 72 to 1122 µg/g fresh weight (FW), and 1160–6513 µg/g FW, respectively in tomato, and were between 68 and 759 µg/g FW and 409–874 µg/g FW in potato. Differences between market categories were only present for glutamic acid. For both GABA and glutamic acid, losses occurred with cooking, depending on the preparation. GABA was less affected by cooking than glutamic acid. Potato and tomato could be major dietary GABA sources. Especially high-GABA genotypes merit further investigation because of their potential health effects.

Omics techniques reveal the toxicity mechanisms of three antiepileptic drugs to juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain and liver

Epilepsy, a neurological disorder, is characterized by seizures that are an appearance of excessive brain activity and is symptomatically treated with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Oxcarbazepine (OCBZ), lamotrigine (LTG), and carbamazepine (CBZ) are widely used AEDs in clinics and are very often detected in aquatic environments. However, neither the sub-lethal effects nor the specific mechanisms of these AEDs’ action on the fish are well understood. In this study, juvenile zebrafish were exposed to a sub-lethal concentration (100 μg/L) of OCBZ, LTG, and CBZ for 28 d, after which indicators of oxidative stress (i.e. superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) level) and neurotoxicity (i.e. acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level, and glutamic acid (Glu) level) were measured. Brain SOD activity was significantly increased by three AEDs, while brain CAT activity was significantly inhibited by LTG and CBZ. Liver SOD activity was significantly enhanced by CBZ, and liver CAT activity was significantly induced by OCBZ and LTG. Liver MDA level was significantly increased by three AEDs. Brain AChE activity was significantly increased by LTG and CBZ, and brain GABA level was significantly enhanced by three AEDs. However, there were no significant alterations in the levels of MDA and Glu in zebrafish brain. To ascertain mechanisms of AEDs-induced toxicity, brain transcriptomics and liver metabolomics were conducted in zebrafish. The brain transcriptomics results showed that lots of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in the sensory system, the immune system, the digestive system, the metabolic processes, and others in three AEDs treated groups. The metabolomics data indicated dysregulation of glycerophospholipid signaling and lipid homeostasis in zebrafish liver after three AEDs exposure. The overall results of this study improve understanding of the sub-lethal effects and potential molecular mechanisms of action of AEDs in fish.

Pre-cut L-cysteine treatment inhibited the browning of fresh-cut apples by regulating enzyme activities and amino acid levels

This work investigated the effect of pre-cut L-cysteine treatment on the browning of fresh-cut apple slices. The results showed that 1% L-cysteine pre-cut treatment for 15 min could significantly inhibit the browning and extend the shelf life of fresh-cut apple slices. Pre-cut L-cysteine treatment was found to significantly inhibit polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and its gene expression, and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity as well as DPPH radical scavenging rate. In addition, pre-cut L-cysteine treatment improved the content of total and individual phenolics, particularly the content of chlorogenic acid and epicatechin in pulp. Pre-cut L-cysteine treatment also increased the cysteine, glutamic acid, serine and leucine level in pulp and peel. Therefore, pre-cut L-cysteine treatment is an effective method to control the browning of fresh-cut apple by inhibiting PPO activity, improving antioxidant ability and regulating the synthesis of phenolics and free amino acids.

Changes in neurotransmitter levels, brain structural characteristics, and their correlation with PANSS scores in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

In patients with schizophrenia, the brain structure and neurotransmitter levels change, which may be related to the occurrence and progression of this disease. To explore the relationships between changes in neurotransmitters, brain structural characteristics, and the scores of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. The case group comprised 97 patients with schizophrenia, who were evaluated using the Canadian Neurological Scale and confirmed by laboratory tests at Ningbo Mental Hospital from January 2020 to July 2022. The control group comprised 100 healthy participants. For all participants, brain structural characteristics were explored by measuring brain dopamine (DA), glutamic acid (Glu), and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels, with magnetic resonance imaging. The case group was divided into negative and positive symptom subgroups using PANSS scores for hierarchical analysis. Linear correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlations between neurotransmitters, brain structural characteristics, and PANSS scores. Patients in the case group had higher levels of DA and lower levels of Glu and GABA, greater vertical and horizontal distances between the corpus callosum and the inferior part of the fornix and larger ventricle area than patients in the control group (P < 0.05). Patients with positive schizophrenia symptoms had significantly higher levels of DA, Glu, and GABA than those with negative symptoms (P < 0.05). In patients with positive schizophrenia symptoms, PANSS score was significantly positively correlated with DA, vertical and horizontal distances between the corpus callosum and the infrafornix, and ventricular area, and was significantly negatively correlated with Glu and GABA (P < 0.05). In patients with negative schizophrenia symptoms, PANSS score was significantly positively correlated with DA, vertical distance between the corpus callosum and the infrafornix, horizontal distance between the corpus callosum and the infrafornix, and ventricular area, and was significantly negatively correlated with Glu and GABA (P < 0.05). In patients with first-episode schizophrenia, DA levels increased, Glu and GABA levels decreased, the thickness of the corpus callosum increased, and these variables were correlated with PANSS scores.

The Association between Macrosomia and Amino Acids' Levels in Maternal and Cord Sera: A Case-Control Study.

In the case-control study, 78 pairs of mothers and newborns were recruited from December 2016 to November 2019. Participants were divided into the macrosomia group (BW ≥ 4000 g, n = 39) and the control group (BW between 2500 g and 3999 g, n = 39) according to the birth weight (BW) of newborns. Maternal vein blood samples were collected before delivery and cord vein blood samples were collected after birth. The levels of amino acids in maternal and cord sera were measured by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in the year 2021. The difference in amino acid levels in maternal and cord sera between the two groups was compared, and the contribution of each amino acid to the difference between the two groups was analyzed. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to test the relationship between macrosomia and amino acids. In maternal serum during the antepartum, the levels of asparagine, glutamine, methionine, alanine, and threonine in the macrosomia group were higher but arginine was lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). In cord serum, the levels of lysine, histidine, phenylalanine, arginine, tryptophan, valine, isoleucine, glutamate, tyrosine, and total essential amino acid (EAA) in the macrosomia group were lower while glutamine was higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The ratios of EAA, valine, threonine, methionine, tryptophan, and alanine in maternal serum to those in cord serum were higher, while the ratio of glutamine was lower in the macrosomia group (p < 0.05). Arginine and threonine in maternal serum and glutamate, glutamine, and histidine in cord serum were associated with macrosomia (p < 0.05). Most of the amino acid levels in the maternal sera of the macrosomia group are higher than those in the control group, while most of the amino acids' levels in the cord sera of the macrosomia group are lower than those in the control group. The ratios of some amino acids in maternal serum to those in cord serum were different between the two groups. Arginine and threonine in maternal serum and glutamate, glutamine, and histidine in cord serum are closely related to macrosomia.

Influence of Maternal Immune Activation and Stressors on the Hippocampal Metabolome.

Prenatal stress often results in maternal immune activation (MIA) that can impact prenatal brain development, molecular processes, and substrates and products of metabolism that participate in physiological processes at later stages of life. Postnatal metabolic and immunological stressors can affect brain metabolites later in life, independently or in combination with prenatal stressors. The effects of prenatal and postnatal stressors on hippocampal metabolites were studied using a pig model of viral MIA exposed to immunological and metabolic stressors at 60 days of age using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Postnatal stress and MIA elicited effects (FDR-adjusted p-value < 0.1) on fifty-nine metabolites, while eight metabolites exhibited an interaction effect. The hippocampal metabolites impacted by MIA or postnatal stress include 4-aminobutanoate (GABA), adenine, fumarate, glutamate, guanine, inosine, ornithine, putrescine, pyruvate, and xanthine. Metabolites affected by MIA or postnatal stress encompassed eight significantly (FDR-adjusted p-value < 0.1) enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Database (KEGG) pathways. The enriched arginine biosynthesis and glutathione metabolism pathways included metabolites that are also annotated for the urea cycle and polyamine biosynthesis pathways. Notably, the prenatal and postnatal challenges were associated with disruption of the glutathione metabolism pathway and changes in the levels of glutamic acid, glutamate, and purine nucleotide metabolites that resemble patterns elicited by drugs of abuse and may underlie neuroinflammatory processes. The combination of MIA and postnatal stressors also supported the double-hit hypothesis, where MIA amplifies the impact of stressors later in life, sensitizing the hippocampus of the offspring to future challenges. The metabolites and pathways characterized in this study offer evidence of the role of immunometabolism in understanding the impact of MIA and stressors later in life on memory, spatial navigation, neuropsychiatric disorders, and behavioral disorders influenced by the hippocampus.

ADAPTIVE MODIFICATION&lt;i&gt; &lt;/i&gt;OF AMINO ACID POOLS IN THE MYOCARDIUM OF THE LONG-TAILED GROUND SQUIRREL &lt;i&gt;UROCITELLUS UNDULATUS&lt;/i&gt; AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF HIBERNATION

The state of hibernation is characterized by increased resistance to the effects of prolonged deep hypothermia, hypoxia, lack of food and water. At the same time, the restructuring of the adaptive mechanisms of animals at low temperatures, even for a short time, causes significant changes in metabolism, reflected in the pattern of amino acids. The change in the metabolism of free myocardial amino acids during hibernation has not yet been studied by anyone, but the idea of it is necessary to understand the mechanisms of the hibernation state, which is relevant for clinical medicine. In this regard, the task of this work was to study the changes in the composition of free amino acids of the myocardium of the ground squirrel U. undulatus at different stages of hibernation. A negative interdependence of glutamic acid and alanine pools at different stages of torpor was revealed. The decrease in the level of glutamic acid compared to the summer control (5.08 ± 0.44 μmolе/g wet weight) began in the first, December bout, continued with prolonged torpor (up to 1.57 ± 0.14 μmolе/g) and was accompanied by a corresponding increase in the alanine pool. During the winter awakening, the glutamic acid pool rose above the summer level; The pool of alanine fell below the summer level, but their total level did not change. The pools of aspartic acid and glycine decreased in parallel with the decrease in pools of glutamate and aspartate, but during the winter awakening, glycine was not even detected. Taking into account the participation of glutamic acid and aspartate in the anaplerotic reactions of the Krebs cycle and the reciprocal relationship of glutamic acid and alanine, it is concluded that the change in the content of these metabolites at different stages of bouts is associated with a gradual transition of aerobic glycolysis (Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation) to anaerobic, and during euthermia, on the contrary, with a return to aerobic.

Effect of Tryptophan and Glutamic Acid on Morphological Traits of Iranian and Afghan Saffron

In order to investigate the effect of amino acids tryptophan and glutamic acid on the morphological traits of saffron medicinal plant, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a randomized complete block design in three replications in 2018 in the research farm of Zanjan University. Experimental treatments include three genotypes (Iranian, Afghani 1 and Afghani 2) as the main treatment and amino acid tryptophan at two levels (1 and 2 mM) and glutamic acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) as secondary treatments. They were considered as witnesses. The results showed that tryptophan and glutamic acid treatments had a significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on most of the investigated traits including number of flowers, dry weight of flowers, vegetative body. The highest content of number of flowers and dry weight of flowers were observed, respectively, 34.6 and 37.36 mg of dry weight. Also, the performance traits of flower fresh weight, stigma dry weight, showed significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) under the treatment of two amino acids. The maximum yield of phenol and flavonoid in 2 mM tryptophan concentration was 0.35 and 0.026 mg/g/ha, respectively, and the lowest yield in 1 mM glutamic treatment was 0.34 and 0.02 mg/g/ha, respectively.&#x0D; In total, different levels of tryptophan and glutamic acid can have an effective role in improving the morphological traits and production of this product. The use of 1 mM glutamic acid to produce the maximum vegetative body of the plant, the treatment of 1 and 2 mM of both amino acids to improve physiological indicators and 1 mM of glutamic acid for the performance of secondary metabolites is desirable and recommended for the purpose.

Glutamatergic dysfunction, neuroplasticity, and redox status in the peripheral blood of patients with motor conversion disorders (functional movement disorders): a first step towards potential biomarkers discovery

Functional movement disorders (FMD) are characterized by the presence of neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by typical neurological diseases or other medical conditions. First evidence showed that, compared to healthy controls (CTR), FMD patients presented increased levels of glutamate+glutamine in the anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex, and decreased levels of glutamate in the cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting that a glutamatergic dysfunction might play a role in FMD pathophysiology. In this study, 12 FMD patients and 20 CTR were recruited and underwent venous blood sampling and urine collection: levels of glutamate, BDNF, dopamine, oxidative stress, creatinine, neopterin, and uric acid were analyzed. Participants also underwent a psychometric assessment investigating depression, anxiety, and alexithymia. We found that levels of glutamate, BDNF, and dopamine were significantly lower in the blood of FMD patients than CTR. Glutamate and dopamine levels were positively associated with levels of alexithymia. Our findings give further evidence that glutamatergic dysfunction might be involved in the pathophysiology of FMD, possibly representing a biomarker of disease; moreover, since glutamatergic and dopaminergic systems are closely interconnected, our results might have a relevance in terms of treatment options for FMD patients.

Effect of Wuling capsule on patients with generalized anxiety disorder

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of Wuling capsule for the treatment of patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).&#x0D; Methods: Patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) admitted in Affiliated Hospital of Huanghe Science and Technology College, Zhengzhou, China were treated with the Chinese traditional patent medicine, Wuling capsule. A self-control study was conducted before and after treatment. Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and Global Rating Scale (CGI-SI) were used to evaluate the symptoms of anxiety and depression suffered by GAD patients before and after treatment. Inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-8, and IFN-γ), superoxide dismutase (SOD), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutamic acid (Glu) levels were assessed in the peripheral blood of patients using ELISA before and after treatment.&#x0D; Results: A total of 58 patients with GAD completed 8 weeks of fixed-dose Wuling capsule treatment. After treatment, total scores on the HAMA scale, HAMD scale, and CGI scale significantly improved compared with baseline, and the differences before and after treatment were statistically significant (p &lt; 0.01). The levels of inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-8, and IFN-γ) in the peripheral blood of patients decreased significantly (p &lt; 0.05). SOD and GABA/Glu increased after treatment (p &lt; 0.05). Nine patients (15.5 %) had mild reactions, but no patients withdrew from the study as result of adverse reactions. &#x0D; Conclusion: The Chinese traditional patent medicine, Wuling capsule, is effective in the treatment of GAD patients with high safety. Future studies will need to explore the specific biological pathways and physiological processes that are involved in the treatment of GAD using Wuling capsule.

Intrahippocampal injection of a selective blocker of NMDA receptors containing the GluN2B subunit, Ro25-6981, increases glutamate neurotransmission and induces antidepressant-like effects.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious public health problem, as it is the most common psychiatric disorder worldwide. Antidepressant drugs increase adult hippocampal neurogenesis, which is required to induce some behavioral effects of antidepressants. Adult-born granule cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) and the glutamate receptors subunits 2 (GluN2B) subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) ionotropic receptors play an important role in these effects. However, the precise neurochemical role of the GluN2B subunit of the NMDA receptor on adult-born GCs for antidepressant-like effects has yet to be elucidated. The present study aims to explore the contribution of the GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in the ventral dentate gyrus (vDG) to the antidepressant drug treatment using a pharmacological approach. Thus, (αR)-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-(βS)-methyl-4-(phenylmethyl)-1-piperidinepropanol (Ro25-6981), a selective antagonist of the GluN2B subunit, was acutely administered locally into the ventral DG (vDG, 1 μg each side) following a chronic fluoxetine (18 mg/kg/day) treatment-known to increase adult hippocampal neurogenesis-in a mouse model of anxiety/depression. Responses in a neurogenesis-dependent task, the novelty suppressed feeding (NSF), and neurochemical consequences on extracellular glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the vDG were measured. Here, we show a rapid-acting antidepressant-like effect of local Ro25-6981 administration in the NSF independent of fluoxetine treatment. Furthermore, we revealed a fluoxetine-independent increase in the glutamatergic transmission in the vDG. Our results suggest behavioral and neurochemical effects of GluN2B subunit independent of serotonin reuptake inhibition.

Neurobehavioral disorders induced by environmental zinc in female zebrafish (Danio rerio): Insights from brain and intestine transcriptional and metabolic signatures

Human activities can cause zinc (Zn) contamination of aquatic environments. Zn is an essential trace metal, but effects of environmentally relevant Zn exposure on the brain–intestine axis in fish are poorly understood. Here, six-month-old female zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to environmentally relevant Zn concentrations for six weeks. Zn significantly accumulated in the brain and intestine, causing anxiety-like behaviors and altered social behaviors. Zn accumulation altered levels of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid, in the brain and intestine, and these changes were directly associated with changes in behavior. Zn caused oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired NADH dehydrogenase, thereby dysregulating the energy supply in brain. Zn exposure resulted in nucleotide imbalance and dysregulation of DNA replication and the cell cycle, potentially impairing the self-renewal of intestinal cells. Zn also disturbed carbohydrate and peptide metabolism in the intestine. These results indicate that chronic exposure to Zn at environmentally relevant concentrations dysregulates the bidirectional interaction of the brain–intestine axis with respect to neurotransmitters, nutrients, and nucleotide metabolites, thereby causing neurological disorder-like behaviors. Our study highlights the necessity to evaluate the negative impacts of chronic environmentally relevant Zn exposure on the health of humans and aquatic animals.

Effect of Tryptophan and Glutamic Acid on Phytochemical Traits of Iranian and Afghan Saffron

In order to investigate the effect of Tryptophan and Glutamic acid amino acids on physiological traits of saffron, a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2019 at the research farm of Zanjan University. Experimental treatments include three genotypes (Iranian, Afghani 1 and Afghani 2) as the main treatment and the amino acid Tryptophan at two levels (1 and 2 mM) and Glutamic acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) as sub-treatments, were considered with witnesses. The results showed that Tryptophan and Glutamic acid treatments had a significant effect about one percent (0.01 %) on the main traits including flower number, flower dry weight, vegetative body, phenol yield, antioxidant activity and crocin. Also, yield traits of phenol, flavonoids and antioxidants treated with two amino acids showed a significant difference about five percent (0.05 %). The maximum yields of phenol and flavonoids at 2 mM Tryptophan concentration were 0.35 and 0.026 mg / g, respectively, and the lowest yields at 1 mM Glutamic treatment were 0.34 and 0.02 mg / g, per hectare. In general, different levels of Tryptophan and Glutamic acid can play an effective role in improving the physiological traits and production of this product. Application of 1 mM Glutamic acid to produce the maximum vegetative body of the plant, treatment of 1 and 2 mM both amino acids to improve physiological parameters and 1 mM Glutamic acid for the performance of secondary metabolites is desirable and recommended.

Repeated Low-Level Blast Exposure Alters Urinary and Serum Metabolites

Repeated exposure to low-level blast overpressures can produce biological changes and clinical sequelae that resemble mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). While recent efforts have revealed several protein biomarkers for axonal injury during repetitive blast exposure, this study aims to explore potential small molecule biomarkers of brain injury during repeated blast exposure. This study evaluated a panel of ten small molecule metabolites involved in neurotransmission, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism in the urine and serum of military personnel (n = 27) conducting breacher training with repeated exposure to low-level blasts. The metabolites were analyzed using HPLC—tandem mass spectrometry, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for statistical analysis to compare the levels of pre-blast and post-blast exposures. Urinary levels of homovanillic acid (p &lt; 0.0001), linoleic acid (p = 0.0030), glutamate (p = 0.0027), and serum N-acetylaspartic acid (p = 0.0006) were found to be significantly altered following repeated blast exposure. Homovanillic acid concentration decreased continuously with subsequent repeat exposure. These results suggest that repeated low-level blast exposures can produce measurable changes in urine and serum metabolites that may aid in identifying individuals at increased risk of sustaining a TBI. Larger clinical studies are needed to extend the generalizability of these findings.

Effect of tryptophan and glutamic acid on morphological traits of Iranian and Afghan saffron

In order to investigate the effect of amino acids tryptophan and glutamic acid on the morphological traits of the saffron medicinal plant, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a randomized complete block design in three replications in 2018 in the research farm of Zanjan University. The experimental treatments include three genotypes (Iranian, Afghani 1, and Afghani 2) as the main treatment and tryptophan amino acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) and glutamic acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) as secondary treatments. They were considered as testify. The results showed that tryptophan and glutamic acid treatments had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.01) on most of the studied traits including the number of flowers, dry weight of flowers, and vegetative body. The highest content of the number of flowers and dry weight of flowers were observed, respectively, 34.6 and 37.36 mg of dry weight. Also, the performance characteristics of the fresh weight of the flower and the dry weight of the stigma showed a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) under the treatment of two amino acids. In total, different levels of tryptophan and glutamic acid can have an effective role in improving the morphological traits and production of this product. The use of 1 mM glutamic acid to produce the maximum vegetative body of the plant, the treatment of 1 and 2 mM of both amino acids to improve morphological indicators, and 1 mM of glutamic acid for the performance of secondary metabolites is desirable and recommended for the purpose.

Metabolic changes induced by T cell-mediated cutaneous vaccinia virus clearance

Abstract Viral infections induce prominent alterations to the host metabolism. Vaccinia virus (VACV) has been used as a live vaccine preventing smallpox and monkeypox. However, much remains unknown about the metabolic regulations of the adaptive immune response mounted to VACV infection in the skin. To survey the metabolic changes during VACV clearance, we performed a longitudinal metabolomics study based on our cutaneous VACV infection murine model. We adoptively transferred OT-I CD8 +T cells into Rag−/−mice, then infected one ear with VACV expressing SIINFEKL and VACV lacking SIINFEKL in the contralateral ear. Ears were harvested on 0,5,6,7,8,10 days post infection (dpi), which were homogenized and methanol extracted prior to untargeted mass spectrometry analyses. Metabolomics profiling revealed that VACV infection induced significant metabolic changes over time in the ear tissue. Interestingly, the metabolic profile after viral clearance was still distinct from uninfected control group. The levels of phenylalanine (adj. p=0.032), oleic acid (adj. p=0.011), S-lactoylglutathione (adj. p=0.022), and hypoxanthine (adj. p=0.039) were significantly altered between samples undergoing T cells-mediated killing and those without. Furthermore, glutamic acid level was significantly different (adj. p=0.036) between groups with and without T cells, suggesting T cell utilization during VACV clearance. Overall, our results indicated that VACV infection caused significant and persistent metabolic perturbation in the skin tissue environment. Antiviral T cells that mediate VACV clearance may require specific metabolites or metabolic pathways to regulate cytotoxic functions.

고함량 식물성 단백질 소재를 이용한 대체 햄 개발

This was a basic research study conducted to develop plant-based ham that could replace the existing commercially available animal ham for the meat substitute market. The protein and carbohydrate contents of the developed ham analog (DHA) were higher than the commercial vegetable ham (CVH) available in the market. The essential amino acid of DHA was 37.23%, which was similar to that of commercially available ham. Among the essential amino acids, the leucine level was the highest in DHA and CVH, and meat ham (MH) had the highest levels of lysine. Among the non-essential amino acids, DHA, CVH and MH had the highest levels of glutamic acid. Brightness (L) was higher in MH, redness (a) was higher in DHA, and yellowness (b) was higher in CVH. MH had the highest hardness, and the cohesiveness and elasticity of DHA tended to be higher than that of MH. DHA exhibited increased fat rancidity and protein deterioration over time. DHA ranked significantly higher with respect to color, appearance, odor, taste, texture, and overall acceptability compared to CVH. The manufacturing method of the alternative ham developed in this study provides a scientific alternative meat formulation without a nutritionally significant difference compared to commercially available animal ham. Thus, these study results provide good basic data for research on alternative meat sources.

Early warning signs of thyroid autoantibodies seroconversion: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundSerum anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-Tg) levels are key indicators for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases, especially autoimmune thyroiditis. Before the thyroid autoantibodies turn from negative to positive, it is unknown whether any clinical indicators in the body play a warning role. PurposeTo establish an early prediction model of seroconversion to positive thyroid autoantibodies. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study collected information based on clinical laboratory data. A logistic regression model was used to analyse the risk factors associated with a change in thyroid autoantibodies to an abnormal status. A machine-learning approach was employed to establish an early warning model, and a nomogram was used for model performance assessment and visualisation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analyses were used for internal and external validation. ResultsLogistic regression analysis revealed that albumin to globulin ratio, triglyceride levels, and Glutamic acid levels among liver function and some metabolism-related indicators, high density lipoprotein C among metabolism-related indicators, and cystatin C among renal function indicators were all risk factors for thyroid antibody conversion (P < 0.05). In addition, several indicators in the blood count correlated with thyroid conversion (P < 0.05). Changes in the ratio of free thyroxine to free triiodothyronine were a risk factor for positive thyroid antibody conversion (ORfT4/fT3 = 1.763; 95% confidence interval 1.554–2.000). The area under the curve (AUC) of the early warning model based on the positive impact of clinical laboratory indicators, age, and sex was 0.85, which was validated by both internal (AUC 0.8515) and external (AUC 0.8378) validation. ConclusionsThe early warning model of anti-TPO and anti-Tg conversion combined with some clinical laboratory indicators in routine physical examination has a stable warning efficiency.

Amino Acid Profiles in Older Adults with Frailty: Secondary Analysis from MetaboFrail and BIOSPHERE Studies.

An altered amino acid metabolism has been described in frail older adults which may contribute to muscle loss and functional decline associated with frailty. In the present investigation, we compared circulating amino acid profiles of older adults with physical frailty and sarcopenia (PF&S, n = 94), frail/pre-frail older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (F-T2DM, n = 66), and robust non-diabetic controls (n = 40). Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models were built to define the amino acid signatures associated with the different frailty phenotypes. PLS-DA allowed correct classification of participants with 78.2 ± 1.9% accuracy. Older adults with F-T2DM showed an amino acid profile characterized by higher levels of 3-methylhistidine, alanine, arginine, ethanolamine, and glutamic acid. PF&S and control participants were discriminated based on serum concentrations of aminoadipic acid, aspartate, citrulline, cystine, taurine, and tryptophan. These findings suggest that different types of frailty may be characterized by distinct metabolic perturbations. Amino acid profiling may therefore serve as a valuable tool for frailty biomarker discovery.

Effect of tryptophan and glutamic acid on morphological traits of Iranian and Afghan saffron

In order to investigate the effect of amino acids tryptophan and glutamic acid on the morphological traits of the saffron medicinal plant, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a randomized complete block design in three replications in 2018 in the research farm of Zanjan University. The experimental treatments include three genotypes (Iranian, Afghani 1, and Afghani 2) as the main treatment and tryptophan amino acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) and glutamic acid at two levels (1 and 2 mM) as secondary treatments. They were considered as testify. The results showed that tryptophan and glutamic acid treatments had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.01) on most of the studied traits including the number of flowers, dry weight of flowers, and vegetative body. The highest content of the number of flowers and dry weight of flowers were observed, respectively, 34.6 and 37.36 mg of dry weight. Also, the performance characteristics of the fresh weight of the flower and the dry weight of the stigma showed a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) under the treatment of two amino acids. In total, different levels of tryptophan and glutamic acid can have an effective role in improving the morphological traits and production of this product. The use of 1 mM glutamic acid to produce the maximum vegetative body of the plant, the treatment of 1 and 2 mM of both amino acids to improve morphological indicators, and 1 mM of glutamic acid for the performance of secondary metabolites is desirable and recommended for the purpose.