Mi-RNA-93 and Mi-RNA-152 in the Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy.

Background and Aim: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disorder with diabetic retinopathy (DR) as one of its main microvascular outcomes, being a prime cause of vision loss. Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been associated with some diabetic microvascular complications such as diabetic retinopathy. This hypothesised changes in the serum of miR-93 and miR-152 in diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Methods: The study cohort consisted of 80 healthy volunteers, 80 type 2 diabetic patients, and 80 diabetic retinopathy patients, of whom 40 had proliferative (PDR) and 40 non-proliferative retinopathy (NPDR). Serum fasting and 2-hour postprandial glucose (2hPP), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR were evaluated by routine methods, miR-93 and miR-152 expression by quantitative real-time PCR. Results: FBG, 2hPP, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and miR-152 showed an increasing trend across groups while miR-93 showed a decreasing trend (all p < 0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis for prediction of DR found that the most significant were miR-152 (OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.18-1.58, <0.001), BMI (1.13, [1.07-1.31], p = 0.004), duration of disease (1.29 [1.04-1.6] p = 0.018), and miR-152 (0.01, [0.0-0.47] p = 0.019). The most significant predictors of PDR were miR-152 (OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.12-1.92, p = 0.005), HOMA-IR (2.66 [1.30-5.45] p = 0.007), and miR-93 (0.25 [0.07-0.86] p = 0.028). Conclusion: MiR-93 and miR-152 can differentiate patients with diabetes and those with DR. Both miRNAs might be potential biomarkers for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, and specifically for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Identification of fatty acid amides in human plasma.

A family of five long-chain fatty acid carboxamides has been identified and semi-quantified in human plasma by GC-MS. One saturated and four unsaturated amides were found. Luteal phase plasma from 16 women was studied, and all five of the amides were found in ten of the subjects, but none in the other six. The structure of these endogenous amides was established by comparing their GC and MS characteristics with those of the synthetic amides prepared by ammonolysis of corresponding long-chain fatty acid acyl chlorides.

Sedative and hypnotic effects of oral administration of micronized progesterone may be mediated through its metabolites.

Progesterone and its metabolites were measured in serum extracts by radioimmunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively, after ingestion of micronized progesterone by eight postmenopausal women. One subject received 400 mg of micronized progesterone orally that induced a hypnotic state that lasted for approximately 2 hours. Blood samples were drawn periodically from all subjects for measurement of progesterone and its metabolites in serum. Levels of serum progesterone and its metabolites increased significantly from baseline values and reached a peak between 2 and 6 hours after oral progesterone administration. Significant quantities of five compounds (progesterone, 5 alpha-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one, 5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-20-one, 5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha,20 beta-diol, and 5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha-ol-11,20-dione) that have been reported to possess anesthetic qualities were identified. The sedative and hypnotic effects of oral administration of progesterone may be mediated through those compounds.

Analysis of the major metabolite of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in urine. IV. A comparison of five methods.

Urine samples from 29 subjects were simultaneously analyzed for 11-nor-delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid by five previously published methods. The procedures employed were radioimmunoassay (RIA), enzyme immunoassay (EIA), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC/ECD), and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A comparison of the results showed significant correlations between the results obtained by HPLC, GC/ECD, and GC/MS procedures. As anticipated, quantitation by any of these procedures resulted in lower values than those obtained by either of the immunoassays.

Study of the concentration of the herbicide (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)-acetic acid in coca leaves and paste obtained from plants treated with this herbicide.

The herbicide (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)-acetic acid (2,4-D) is considered to be the most cost-effective for eradicating illicit coca plants. Since coca leaves are chewed by the natives of coca producing areas, and, since coca paste and cocaine are widely abused, a study was undertaken to determine whether 2,4-D is translocated into the leaves and transferred to coca paste when coca plants are treated with this herbicide. The study concluded that basal treatment of coca plants with 2,4-D ester resulted in translocation of 2,4-D into the leaves, and this herbicide was detected in high concentrations one week after treatment. Coca paste prepared from leaves obtained from basally treated plants did not contain 2,4-D. Foliage spraying resulted in extremely high concentrations of 2,4-D in the leaves, with significantly high concentrations of the herbicide found one week after spraying. Trace amounts of 2,4-D were detected in coca paste prepared from plants sprayed by the foliage method.

Analysis of the major metabolite of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in urine. III. A GC/ECD procedure.

A gas chromatographic/electron capture detection procedure was developed for the analysis of 11-nor-delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid in urine. Hydrolyzed urine samples (1 mL or less) were extracted by a simple acid-base partitioning step. The extracted metabolite was derivatized with pentafluorobenzyl bromide in a biphasic system using benzyl tributylammonium hydroxide as a phase transfer catalyst. 11-Nor-cannabinol-9-carboxylic acid was used as internal standard. A linear relationship was observed between the peak height ratio of the metabolite/internal standard and the concentration of the metabolite (r = 0.9996), and between the peak height and concentration of the metabolite (r = 0.9995). Concentration of 5 ng/mL of metabolite in urine resulted in a peak-to-noise ratio of 4:1; however, concentrations down to 1 to 2 ng/mL could be determined. The procedure has many advantages over currently available methods, of which sensitivity and speed are the most important.