Joanna Kałużna-Czaplińska

The level of arabinitol in autistic children after probiotic therapy

OBJECTIVE The level of D-arabinitol (DA) and the ratio of D-/L-arabinitol (DA/LA) in the urine of children with autism were investigated. The changes in DA/LA after probiotic treatment in urine samples of children with autism were studied. METHODS DA and LA and the DA/LA ratio were identified by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in urine before and after the probiotic therapy. RESULTS The level of DA is significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the urine of autistic children before (A) and after probiotic supplementation (A1) (160.04 ± 22.88 μmol/mmol creatinine and 89.53 ± 37.41 μmol/mmol creatinine, respectively). Nonetheless, the probiotic supplementation let to a significant decrease in DA and DA/LA and to a significant improvement in ability of concentration and carrying out orders. CONCLUSION The use of probiotics seems to be helpful in reducing the level of DA and the ratio of DA/LA in the urine of children with autism.

Noninvasive urinary organic acids test to assess biochemical and nutritional individuality in autistic children

OBJECTIVES Quantitative organic acid testing can give information about potential problems, especially with energy production, neurotransmitter metabolism, intestinal dysbiosis and nutritional individuality which is very important in autistic children. The aim of this study was to find out potential differences between the levels of organic acids in the urine of autistic and non-autistic children. DESIGN AND METHODS The organic acids in the urine were determined by capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). All overnight urine samples were collected from 35 autistic children and 36 neurologically normal children as healthy controls (4-10 years). RESULTS Significant differences were found between the autistic children and the control group in organic acids: 2-oxoglutaric, isocitric, citric, 4-hydroxybenzoic, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic, hippuric, adipic, suberic (all with p<0.05). CONCLUSION Organic acids test can be used to assess an individual need for nutrient and biochemical abnormalities, especially important for autistic children.

Vitamin supplementation reduces the level of homocysteine in the urine of autistic children

Significant differences in homocysteine levels in the urine of autistic children are observed. We hypothesized that vitamin supplementation might reduce the level of urinary homocysteine. To rationalize such a hypothesis, analyses were performed using the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method. The homocysteine level in the urine of autistic children was measured twice: (1) before vitamin supplementation (group C, 30 autistic children) and (2) after supplementation, with either folic acid and vitamins B(6) and B(12) (group A1, 24 autistic children) or vitamins B(6) and B(12) alone (group A2, 6 autistic children). The homocysteine level in the urine of autistic children before vitamin supplementation was 2.41 ± 1.10 mmol/mol creatinine (mean ± SD difference). After treatment, the homocysteine level was reduced to 1.13 ± 0.44 and 1.33 ± 0.39 mmol/mol creatinine for A1 and A2 groups, respectively. The intake of vitamins B(6) and B(12), together with folic acid, was found to be more effective in lowering the levels of urinary homocysteine than the intake of vitamins B(6) and B(12) alone. Our findings may lead to the recommendation of including vitamins B(6) and B(12) together with folic acid supplementation in the diets of children with autism.

B vitamin supplementation reduces excretion of urinary dicarboxylic acids in autistic children

Urinary dicarboxylic acids are an important source of information about metabolism and potential problems especially connected with energy production, intestinal dysbiosis, and nutritional individuality in autistic children. A diet rich in vitamins and macroelements is a new idea of intervention in autism. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and magnesium supplementation is effective in reducing the level of dicarboxylic acids in the urine of autistic children. We examined the levels of succinic, adipic, and suberic acids in the urine of autistic children before and after vitamin supplementation. Thirty children with autism received magnesium (daily dose, 200 mg), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine; daily dose, 500 mg), and vitamin B2 (riboflavin; daily dose, 20 mg). The treatment was provided for a period of 3 months. Organic acids were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Before supplementation, the levels of succinic, adipic, and suberic acids in the urine of autistic children were 41.47 ± 50.40 μmol/mmol creatinine, 15.61 ± 15.31 μmol/mmol creatinine, 8.02 ± 6.08 μmol/mmol creatinine; and after supplementation, the levels were 9.90 ± 8.26 μmol/mmol creatinine, 2.92 ± 2.41 μmol/mmol creatinine, and 2.57 ± 3.53 μmol/mmol creatinine, respectively. The results suggest that the supplementation reduces the level of dicarboxylic acid in the urine of autistic children.

Different Analytical Procedures for the Study of Organic Residues in Archeological Ceramic Samples with the Use of Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry

ABSTRACT The analysis of the composition of organic residues present in pottery is an important source of information for historians and archeologists. Chemical characterization of the materials provides information on diets, habits, technologies, and original use of the vessels. This review presents the problem of analytical studies of archeological materials with a special emphasis on organic residues. Current methods used in the determination of different organic compounds in archeological ceramics are presented. Particular attention is paid to the procedures of analysis of archeological ceramic samples used before gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Advantages and disadvantages of different extraction methods and application of proper quality assurance/quality control procedures are discussed.

Current medical research with the application of coupled techniques with mass spectrometry.

Summary The most effective methods of analysis of organic compounds in biological fluids are coupled chromatographic techniques. Capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) allows the most efficient separation, identification and quantification of volatile metabolites in biological fluids. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is especially suitable for the analysis of non-volatile and/or thermally unstable compounds. A major drawback of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry is that no standard spectral libraries such as NIST and Wiley for GC-MS are available to facilitate the identification of unknown compounds. Moreover, the identification of potential new compounds, especially new biomarkers in LC-MS, is much more challenging than in GC-MS. Capillary electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry (CE-MS) has been widely used to characterize metabolomes. Capillary electrophoresis is a powerful technique for the separation of charged metabolites, offering high analyte resolution. The advantages of CE-MS are applicability for hydrophilic metabolites, robust separation efficiency and short duration of analysis. This review provides an overview of current chromatographic methods – gas chromatography – mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry – and their applications in current medical research. The focus is on the description of metabonomics research, strategies for biomarkers identification, medical diagnoses of diseases and research of drugs.

Urinary level of homovanillic acid and mercury in autistic children

Catecholamines and their metabolites affect childrens nervous system. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in the brain. In the routine analysis for diagnostics of diseases, the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) is determined. Mercury is a neurotoxic agent and can cause different undesirable effects on the brain. In the present work a putative correlation between HVA, the main metabolite of dopamine, and mercury in urine of healthy and autistic children was studied. The level of HVA was higher in the urine of autistic children (14.5 ± 8.3 mg L−1) compared to generally healthy children (4.4 ± 0.5 mg L−1). The level of mercury in the urine of autistic children was lower (0.36 ± 0.24 µg L−1) than in the urine of healthy children (2.1 ± 1.0 µg L−1) showing that there is no correlation between HVA and mercury.

Pre- and postnatal exposure of children to tobacco smoke during the first four years of life - observations of the authors

INTRODUCTION Environmental exposure to tobacco smoke is a significant threat for human health, where the higher is its degree, the more immature the human organism is. Therefore, the exposure to Tobacco smoke in foetal life exerts unfavourable effects on developing foetus and may cause early and distant results in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study comprised 318 children in their first four years of life, treated for various medical conditions. The examined children were divided into two groups, Group 1--children exposed to Tobacco smoke--and Group 2--a control group with children from non-smoking families. History data were obtained on the basis of a specially designed questionnaire, used by the doctor in an individual conversation with parent. In each third child from the group 1 cotinine concentration in urine was assayed by the method of high performance liquid chromatography-UV-VIS and the cotinine/creatinine ratio was calculated. RESULTS OF STUDY: Results demonstrated environmental exposure to tobacco smoke in 173 children (Group 1). Out of them 31.2% were the children whose mothers had smoked also during pregnancy (Subgroup A). The other 119 children from Group 1 were accounted to Subgroup B, i.e., children, where other household members had been smoking cigarettes. A comparative group comprised 143 children from non-smoking families. The results demonstrated then that 17% of all the examined children were those, exposed to tobacco smoke effects already in their foetal life, predisposing them to prematurity and low birth weight. Moreover, it was observed that the young age and lower education level of their parents, together with worse housing conditions, may suggest a predisposing character and role of the mentioned factors.

Hydroconversion of parafine LTP56-H over nickel/Na-mordenite catalysts

AbstractNickel catalysts supported on Na-mordenite were used for paraffin LTP56-H hydroconversion into liquid material as a possible component for engine fuels. The effects of none-catalytic thermal treatment and catalytic conditions-zeolite type and reaction conditions (solvent) on the process of liquefaction of LTP56-H paraffin and physicochemical properties of catalysts were studied. The physicochemical properties of catalytic systems were investigated using XRD, TPR, TPD-NH3 and SEM-EDS methods.

Barrow Culture Textiles and Mats in the Middle Dniester Area

Abstract The article describes an attempt to identify the raw material of the organic layers - mats identified within the roofs and floors of the graves in the Yampil Barrow Cemetery Complex. The use of gas chromatography and infrared spectroscopy combined with microscopic analysis of the extracted “mat” sections significantly supplements our knowledge in the field of weaving of the studied communities.