The age dependence of T2 relaxation times of N-acetyl aspartate, creatine and choline in the human brain at 3 and 4T.

Knowledge of the T2 age dependence is of importance for MRS clinical studies involving subject groups with a wide age range. A number of studies have focused on the age dependence of T2 values in the human brain, with rather conflicting results. The aim of this study was to analyze the age dependence of T2 values of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho) in the human brain using data acquired at 3T and 4T and to assess the influence of the macromolecule (MM) baseline handling on the obtained results. Two distinct groups of young and elderly controls have been measured at 3T (TE = 30-540 ms, 9 young and 11 elderly subjects) and 4T (TE = 10-180 ms, 18 young and 14 elderly subjects) using single-voxel spectroscopy. In addition, MM spectra were measured from two subjects using the inversion-recovery technique at 4T. All spectra were processed with LCModel using basis sets with different MM signals (measured or simulated) and also with MM signals included for a different TE range. Individual estimated T2 values were statistically analyzed using the R programming language for the age dependence of T2 values as well as the influence of the MM baseline handling. A significant decrease of T2 values of NAA and Cr in elderly subjects compared with young subjects was confirmed. The same trend was observed for Cho. Significantly higher T2 values calculated using the measured MM baseline for all studied metabolites at 4T were observed for both young and elderly subjects. To conclude, while the handling of MM and lipid signals may have a significant effect on estimated T2 values, we confirmed the age dependence of T2 values of NAA and Cr and the same trend for Cho in the human brain. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Influence of breathing on the measurement of lipids in the myocardium by ¹H MR spectroscopy.

The myocardium examination by MR spectroscopy is very challenging due to movements caused by the cardiac rhythm and breathing. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of breathing on the quantitative measurement of lipid/water ratios in different groups of volunteers and different measuring protocols. We examined the lipid content of myocardium at 3T using the proton single voxel spectroscopy. Three protocols (free breathing, breath hold and the use of respiratory navigator) controlled by ECG were used for the examination of 42 adult volunteers including 14 free divers. Spectra were evaluated using jMRUI software. An average content of lipids in the healthy interventricular septum, gained by all protocols was equal to 0.6 %, which is in agreement with other published data. Based on the quality of examinations and the highest technical success, the best protocol seems to be the one containing a respiratory navigator since it is more acceptable by patients. Based on our results and the literature data we can conclude that MR spectroscopy is able to distinguish patients from controls only if their myocardial lipid content is higher than 1.6 % (mean value of lipids plus two standard deviations).

The relationships between quantitative MR parameters in hippocampus in healthy subjects and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

We introduce a new magnetic resonance (MR) method based on a pixel-by-pixel image processing to examine relationships between metabolic and structural processes in the pathologic hippocampus. The method was tested for lateralization of the epileptogenic zone in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Twenty patients with drug-resistant TLE and fifteen healthy controls were examined at 3T. The measurement protocol contained T2-weighted MR images, spectroscopic imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and T2 relaxometry. Correlations between quantitative MR parameters were calculated on a pixel-by-pixel basis using the CORIMA program which enables automated pixel identification in the normal tissue according to control data. All MR parameters changed in the anteroposterior direction in the hippocampus and correlation patterns and their slopes differed between patients and controls. Combinations of T2 relaxation times with metabolite values represent the best biomarkers of the epileptogenic zone. Correlations with mean diffusivity did not provide sufficiently accurate results due to diffusion image distortions. Quantitative MR analysis non-invasively provides a detailed description of hippocampal pathology and may represent complementary tool to the standard clinical protocol. However, the automated processing should be carefully monitored in order to avoid possible errors caused by MR artifacts.

Photophysical properties and photoinduced electron transfer within host-guest complexes of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphyrin with water-soluble calixarenes and cyclodextrins.

We report the formation of host-guest complexes between water-soluble calix[n]arene-p-tetrasulfonates (n = 4, 6, 8) or 2-hydroxypropyl-cyclodextrins (alpha-, beta-, gamma-) and the tetratosylate salt of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphyrin (TMPyP). The binding constants ranging between 10(2) and 10(5) M-1 were calculated from the absorption and fluorescence changes. Calix[4]arene-p-tetrasulfonate has a high binding affinity and forms with TMPyP a 1:1 complex, whereas other calixarenes bind two molecules of TMPyP. Electrostatic attraction is the dominating binding mode. Binding to calixarenes leads to a considerable decrease of the quantum yields of the triplet and excited singlet states and to shortening of the singlet and triplet lifetimes of TMPyP. The quenching mechanism is attributed to electron transfer between calixarene phenolates and excited TMPyP. Photoinduced electron transfer within a novel supramolecular complex calixarene/TMPyP (electron donor)/methyl viologen (electron acceptor) has been proven by absorption and fluorescence measurements. Electrostatic attraction between the cationic donor and cationic acceptor, on the one hand, and the anionic host, on the other, overcomes the electrostatic repulsion forces. In contrast, the interaction of cyclodextrin with TMPyP is hydrophobic in nature and only slightly influences the photophysical properties of TMPyP. The different behavior of TMPyP bound to either of the hosts has been assigned to the specific effects of the dominant binding modes, viz. the electrostatic attraction for calixarenes and the hydrophobic interactions for inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins.

Long-range assemblies on poly(dG-dC)2 and poly(dA-dT)2: phosphonium cationic porphyrins and the importance of the charge.

The present paper describes synthesis and spectroscopic properties of novel cationic meso-tetraphenylporphyrins bearing two (trans) (P2) or three (P3) triphenylphosphonium substituents. The porphyrin aggregation in aqueous solutions is discussed in detail. Porphyrin binding to and self-organization onto long-range assemblies on poly(dA-dT)2 or poly(dG-dC)2 were probed by combination of absorption, fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), transient and resonance light-scattering (RLS) techniques. The higher hydrophobicity of P2 is manifested by more extensive self-organization. Induced CD and intensive RLS indicate binding to the chiral environment on the nucleic acids exterior and exciton coupling between adjacent porphyrin moieties. The CD spectra of P2 on poly(dG-dC), and poly(dA-dT)2 suggest that the binding geometry is essentially independent of the base sequence. The fluorescence lifetime of about 4 ns was attributed to the long-range assembly. In the case of P3 the distinctly different CD spectra induced by GC or AT base-pair regions reveal that the number of the substituents determines how closely the porphyrin can approach the specific electronic environment on the nucleic acid exterior. The fluorescence lifetime of the P3 assembly is about 2 ns.

Demethylation of tertiary amines by a reconstituted cytochrome P-450 enzyme system: kinetics of oxygen consumption and hydrogen peroxide formation.

Initial reaction rates of oxygen consumption and hydrogen peroxide formation in a cytochrome P-450 catalyzed reaction are practically independent of the nature of tertiary amines that were used as substrates. From the kinetic studies and the substrate conversion results that the amount of water formed in a side reaction is determined by the substrate specificity. Both hydrogen peroxide and water formation lower the efficiency of the monooxygenatic activity of cytochrome P-450.