Fort A, Boudin C, Eysseric-Guerin H, Scolan V, Paysant F, Scherpereel C, Revet M, Stanke-Labesque F, Willeman T.

J Forensic Sci

PMID:41992411

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Hair analysis is a well-established matrix in forensic toxicology, offering a valuable alternative or complement to traditional matrices in diverse contexts, including drug-facilitated crimes (DFC), elder abuse, and accidental exposure in children. However, objective interpretation of hair drug concentrations remains challenging due to significant inter-study variability, even for identical compounds. This study included hair analysis results upon the prosecutor's request over six years in the Grenoble Forensic Laboratory in France. Hair analysis was performed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on Sciex® 5500QT and Waters® TQ-XS mass spectrometers, following the French Society of Analytical Toxicology (SFTA) guidelines. Hair proficiency quality testing ensured reproductive results. This compendium describes 38 cases with hair analysis, including child's exposure and chemical abuse involving both children and the elderly. The study population predominantly involved female victims (84.2%), aged 5 months to 90 years. At least one substance was detected in hair in 26 cases. In twelve cases, hair analyses supplemented blood or urine testing. Substances identified were cocaine, THC, and levamisole in child exposure cases; alprazolam, diazepam, loprazolam, and tiapride in chemical abuse; and mainly MDMA, cocaine, paroxetine, and THC in other cases. This compendium contributes valuable data to the literature, enhancing the interpretation of hair drug concentrations across a broad spectrum of cases characterized by diverse age ranges, hair characteristics, timeframes, and circumstances. This work provides critical comparative data for interpreting findings in forensic cases.

Riaz F, Amir R, Tahir M, Iqbal S, Arshad M, Janjua HA.

PMID:PPR1178317

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Abstract Pollution by industries and households has also led to increased cadmium (Cd) concentration in agricultural soils thus posing a major risk to plant growth and production. The over use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides further increases environmental degradation. Brassica juncea is a vital oil seed crop, and it is highly vulnerable to cadmium toxicity that interferes with normal physiological and metabolic processes. Rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been shown to promote plant tolerance to stress under such conditions providing a sustainable solution. This research assessed the cadmium-ameliorating effects of Bacillus subtilis RS-10, originally isolated from the rhizosphere of Cynodon dactylon, against cadmium-induced toxicity on Brassica juncea. Plants were subjected to graded levels of CdCl2 (0, 50, 75, and 100 mM), followed by metabolomic characterization through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Metabolomic profiling revealed significant modulation of pyruvate metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and glutathione metabolism, indicating enhanced energy production and nutrient assimilation. Elevated levels of amino acids, fatty acids, and organic acids further contributed to cadmium tolerance. Overall, B. subtilis RS-10 exhibits strong potential as a sustainable bioinoculant for improving crop performance in Cd-contaminated soils.

Singh S, Nagpal R, Kumar A.

Mol Omics

PMID:41989090

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Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a significant public health burden in India, where the disease presents with unique clinical characteristics, yet data from this high-risk population remain scarce. This study aimed to conduct a lipidomic analysis to identify candidate lipid species associated with different glycemic stages using a refined untargeted lipidomics approach. A cross-sectional study of 95 individuals from Mumbai was stratified into healthy, prediabetic, newly diagnosed diabetic, and advanced diabetic groups based on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. An untargeted ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) approach was applied to pooled serum samples to construct a comprehensive lipid library and enable comparative profiling. A stringent filtering pipeline was implemented to ensure robust lipid identification. Our analysis identified a core lipidome of 69 species shared across all cohorts, alongside an increase in lipidomic diversity in diabetic states, with the advanced diabetic group exhibiting the highest number of unique species. Ceramides (Cer) were detected across the glycemic spectrum and exhibited a distinct remodelling pattern. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) identified 20 candidate lipid species with variable importance in projection (VIP) scores > 1.0, prominently including Cer, phosphatidylinositol (PI), and hexosylceramides (HexCer). Additional lipid classes of interest included sphingomyelins (SM), triacylglycerols (TG), acylcarnitines (ACar), and fatty acids (FA). These hypothesis-generating findings provide a prioritized framework for future large-scale quantitative validation studies aimed at early prediction and risk stratification of T2DM in the Indian population.

Bodnar UKC, Villemaire-McCutcheon JJ, Boddington KF, Soubeyrand E, Al-Abdul-Wahid MS, Robeson HN, Lalonde J, Casaretto JA, Akhtar TA.

J Cannabis Res

PMID:41987337

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Background Cannabis sativa L. accumulates a wide array of specialized compounds, many of which are non-psychotropic and show significant promise in medical and therapeutic applications. One such group of C. sativa compounds is prenylated flavonoids, which have emerged as potential treatments for chronic pain and inflammation. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to isolate, identify, and synthesize prenylated flavonoids from C. sativa and test their efficacy as anti-inflammatory agents. Methods An enriched polyphenol extract from C. sativa was fractionated using flash chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography to isolate prenylated flavonoids. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were employed to determine their structures. Phylogenomic and classical biochemical approaches were combined to identify the enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the isolated compounds. Finally, these prenylated flavonoids were tested to determine their inhibitory properties against microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) activity. Results Two prenylated flavonoids were isolated from the aerial parts of the C. sativa plant using classical chromatographic procedures and identified as 6-prenylapigenin (6-PA) and 6-geranylapigenin (6-GA). A C. sativa prenyltransferase (CsPT3) from the UbiA superfamily was identified to complete the final prenylation step in 6-PA and 6-GA biosynthesis from the widespread plant flavonoid known as apigenin. The inhibitory potentials of 6-PA and 6-GA against mPGES-1 activity were approximately as effective as, or better than, that of a leading commercially available inhibitor, MK-886. Molecular docking simulations confirmed strong binding affinities of 6-PA and 6-GA to mPGES-1 compared to its natural substrate. Conclusions 6-PA and 6-GA are prenylated derivatives of the widespread plant flavonoid known as apigenin. These non-psychotropic flavonoids accumulate in C. sativa and exhibit potent inhibition of mPGES-1, a chief mediator in the pro-inflammatory pathway. Identification of the final step in 6-PA and 6-GA biosynthesis, together with their now-established anti-inflammatory activity, presents propitious biotechnological avenues for these therapeutically relevant C. sativa compounds.

Zhang W, Wang Z, Wang W, Jia C, Wang Y, Zhang S, Yue Q, Du Y.

Food Sci Nutr

PMID:42005331

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This study systematically investigated the physicochemical properties and aroma dynamics of highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum "Legacy") across five maturity stages (I: green to V: dark blue) using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The fruit diameter, fresh fruit weight, soluble solids content, soluble sugars, and vitamin C content of these blueberries were found to increase significantly with maturation, whereas the firmness and titratable acidity decreased. Seventy-seven volatile organic compounds (VOCs), predominantly consisting of aldehydes (59.09%-85.18%) and alcohols, were identified. The diversity of VOCs decreased from 65 in Maturity Stage I to 38 in Maturity Stage V, although aldehydes such as ( E )-2-hexenal (which peaked at 1292.81 μg/kg in Maturity Stage I) remained consistently present across the maturation stages. Orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis identified 10 differential volatile metabolites, including ( E )-2-hexenal and hexanal, that distinguished between maturity stages. Odor activity values revealed 17 key aroma contributors, notably hexanal (floral), β -myrcene (peppery), and ( E )-2-hexenal (green). Fruits at Maturity Stage IV exhibited the most intense aroma and optimal quality, characterized by their light blue peel, high soluble solids content (14.66%), balanced acidity (0.615%), and rich fruity notes. These findings establish distinct volatile signatures for each maturity stage and serve as objective biochemical markers to optimize harvest timing in blueberry cultivation. Furthermore, these stage-specific profiles provide a scientific basis for raw material grading in product processing, guiding the targeted selection of fruits for fresh market distribution or specific processed products such as juices and fermented wines.