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Assessment of gastrointestinal permeability in vivo is considered a suitable method for the evaluation of gastrointestinal mucosal integrity. Probes commonly used include lactulose (L) and rhamnose (R) for the assessment of intestinal permeability, xylose (X) and 3-O-methylglucose (M) for the evaluation of intestinal absorptive capacity, and sucrose (S) for the assessment of gastric permeability. Traditionally, various methods have been used to quantify these markers in the urine after orogastric administration. However, urine collection is difficult and uncomfortable. A protocol based on the analysis of blood samples would be easier to perform. Thus, the aim of the first part of this project was to develop and validate a new gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the quantification of five sugar probes in canine serum. The method was sensitive, accurate, precise, and reproducible for the simultaneous quantification of 5 sugar probes in serum. The aim of the second part of this project was to assess the kinetic profiles of these 5 sugar probes in serum after orogastric administration in dogs and to determine the optimal time point for sample collection. Dogs received a solution containing L (10 g/L), R (10 g/L), X (10 g/L), M (5 g/L), and S (40 g/L) by orogastric intubation. Baseline blood samples were collected. Subsequent timed blood samples were taken for a 24 hours period. Significant changes in serum concentrations of all 5 sugars were detected after administration of the test dose (p<0.0001 for all 5 probes). Serum concentrations of L and R were significantly different from baseline concentrations from 90 to 240 and from 60 to 300 min post dosing respectively, and those of X, M, and S were significantly different from 30 to 240 min after dosing (p<0.05 for all 5 probes). Variations of the mean sugar concentrations of all dogs at 90, 120, and 180 minutes were analyzed using a Kruskal-Wallis test. Based on the results, only two blood samples, one taken at baseline and a second sample obtained between 90 and 180 after dosing, appear to be sufficient for assessment of intestinal permeability and mucosal absorptive capacity using these sugar probes.

Asthma, current detection methods and metabolites proposed as asthma markers are described. The limitation of the disease diagnosis is outlined and metabolomics is introduced as the approach carried out within this research with the potential to measure the group metabolites that characterise the metabolic responses of a biological system to a specific disease. Chemistry underlying breathing, current breath collection and analytical techniques are described as well as detection and data processing technology associated within our research. A work-flow for the collection, analysis and processing of exhaled breath samples in respiratory diseases is described. The non-invasive sampling method allows collection of exhaled breath samples on children and adults without experiencing any discomfort. The analysis of exhaled breath samples using thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry outlines the use of retention index for the alignment of VOCs retention time shifting over time. This methodology enables the creation of a breath matrix for multivariate analysis data processing where each VOC is defined by retention index and most intense fragments of the mass spectrum. This methodology is tested in two cohorts of participants: paediatric asthma and severe asthmatic participants whose breath profiles are compared against healthy controls and within the two asthmatic phenotypes to prospect the markers that differentiate between the different groups. Eight candidate markers are identified to discriminate between asthmatic children and healthy children and seven markers between asthmatics undergoing therapy and healthy controls. The database from severe and paediatric asthma is compared, establishing seven non-age related markers between the two groups. A new interface is developed for the faster analysis of exhaled breath samples using thermal desorption ion mobility mass spectrometry. The interface front end has been modified and optimised to achieve the best sensitivity and resolution of VOCs in exhaled breath. A preliminary study carried out in a small cohort of volunteers shows the feasibility of the technique for the differentiation of asthmatic and healthy adults.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2000. / Submitted to the Dept. of Chemistry. Adviser: Albert Robbat, Jr. Includes bibliographical references. Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

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Thesis (Ph.D)--Baylor University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-142).

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 60 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Duquesne University, 2005. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.