AMRIS Science Highlights
Using Magnetic Resonance to Probe Lipid Synthesis in Response to Ketogenic Diet
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and its progression to more serious diseases will become the main cause for liver transplant in the next 5 years. Here, researchers used deuterium magnetic resonance to study dietary influences on lipid synthesis demonstrating that high fat ketogenic diets significantly slow de novo lipogenesis, a process by which excess carbohydrates are covered into fatty acids and stored as triacylglycerols.
![Metabolism pathways of [2H7]glucose (green stars), with red dots marking the presence of 2H, and larger dots indicating two 2H atoms. Note that HDO (gold stars) can be produced at multiple steps in the glycolytic pathway.](/media/k2/items/cache/8712e19a798c2cfe1711a106c044b3a3_S.jpg)
Deuterium Magnetic Resonance Can Detect Cancer Metabolism
Magnetic resonance of cancer cell metabolism is a novel technique to discern between cancerous and normal liver cells, providing a promising approach for cancer stage progression imaging without the harmful exposure of radiation.
MRI detects brain responses to Alzheimer's disease plaque deposits and inflammation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of mouse models for Alzheimer’s disease can be used to determine brain response to plaque deposits and inflammation that ultimately disrupt emotion, learning, and memory. Quantification of the early changes with high resolution MRI could help monitor and predict disease progression, as well as potentially suggest new treatment methods.
Brain Waste Pathway Found
Little is known about the path of metabolic waste clearance from the brain. Here, high-field magnetic resonance images a possible pathway for metabolic waste removal from the brain and suggests that waste clearance may be one reason why we sleep.
NMR-based Metabolomics of Coral with Resistance to Bleaching
Three variants of the coral species A cervicornis were found to have unique metabolic signatures that can be distinguished by NMR spectroscopy. Differing levels of the metabolite trimethylamine-N-oxide, an important compound that protects against nitrogen overload, can distinguish the three variants studied. Understanding how species vary metabolically, and how that translates to species survival in stressed environments, may help us to establish desirable traits that could help with restoration and other interventions.
"Molecular sieves" could lead to much cheaper gas production
Combining high-field NMR with infrared microscopy, scientists learned more about how gas diffuses in a novel class of molecular sieves that could one day be used for gas separation.
Imaging pH levels with a Cobalt MRI Probe
A new pH sensitive contrast agent for MR imaging has been developed that produces image contrast based on the local pH and that has great potential for use in living animals and medical diagnostics.
Imaging current flow in the brain during transcranial electrical stimulation
Scientists measured the first in vivo images of stimulated current within the brain using an imaging method that may improve reproducibility and safety, and help understand the mechanisms of action of electrical stimulation.
"Bath salt" drugs disrupt brain activity
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers observe how cocaine-like drug disrupts neural activity in rats.
Compound found in worms opens door to discovery of countless more
Scientists have discovered and characterized an unusual, complex natural product produced in worms, a finding that suggests a whole body of discoveries awaits.
Determining the structure of “death acids” in plants
Scientists analyzing maize affected by southern leaf blight determine the molecular structures of so-called “death acids.”
Motion of Gas Molecules Through Nanotubes
When molecules are forced to pass through narrow holes in membranes, they must move one-by-one in single file. When this “No Passing!” rule is in effect, researchers have recently made the surprising discovery that mixing two gases can lead to faster motion of some of the molecules through the narrow holes.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of an intact fruit fly brain at 10 micron resolution
In this paper, we obtained the first brain map of a complete fruit fly head at 10 micron isotropic resolution, the highest ever reported by MR for a complete head. Using two complementary imaging sequences revealed the superior power of DWI to dissect the brain architecture at close to cellular resolution.
13C NMR Metabolomics: Applications at Natural Abundance
13C NMR when used in metabolomics 1. Provides better peak list for database matching and spectral annotation, 2. Provides better group separation and loadings annotation when using multivariate statistical analysis, and 3. Prevents possible misidentification of metabolites.
Imaging Gene Transfer and Muscle Metabolism
AMRIS 11.1 and 17.6T Magnets and probes were used to directly image gene expression in live mouse muscles with in vivo 31P NMR techniques.
Anomalous Translational Diffusion in Neural Tissue
A new non-Brownian model of anomalous translational diffusion in nervous tissue is introduced and applied to the brain. This model provides new fractional order parameters of diffusion, entropy, waiting time and jump length that represent unique markers of morphology in neural tissue.
Dissolution DNP Polarizer for In Vivo 13C MRI
The MagLab’s AMRIS facility has recently implemented dissolution DNP technology. The system utilizes a 5 T magnet in which samples are cooled to 14,000 gain in SNR on dissolution and injection into our 4.7T MRI/S scanner.
Observation of Single-File Diffusion in Dipeptide Nanotubes
Researchers using pulsed field gradient NMR at the AMRIS facility found clear evidence for molecular single file diffusion of xenon gas confined inside model nanotube systems.
1.5-mm High Temperature Superconducting NMR Probe Optimized for 13C
A new 1.5-mm high-temperature superconducting probe designed to detect carbon 13 will significantly enhance studies in natural products and metabolomics.
Male and Female Mating Pheromones in Panagrellus redivivus
Nematodes are the most abundant animal on earth, and they live in virtually every ecological niche on earth. Parasitic species have a significant health and economic impact through the infection of crops, domestic animals, and humans. Therefore, we are working to unravel the chemical language used by nematodes, with the ultimate goals of better understanding the role of small molecules in regulating behavior and of developing new approaches to control nematode parasites.