Decavanadate effects in biological systems

Vanadium biological studies often disregarded the formation of decameric vanadate species known to interact, in vitro, with high-affinity with many proteins such as myosin and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump and also to inhibit these biochemical systems involved in energy transduction. Moreover, very few in vivo animal studies involving vanadium consider the contribution of decavanadate to vanadium biological effects. Recently, it has been shown that an acute exposure to decavanadate but not to other vanadate oligomers induced oxidative stress and a different fate in vanadium intracellular accumulation. Several markers of oxidative stress analyzed on hepatic and cardiac tissue were monitored after in vivo effect of an acute exposure (12, 24 h and 7 days), to a sub-lethal concentration (5 mM; 1 mg/kg) of two vanadium solutions ("metavanadate" and "decavanadate"). It was observed that "decavanadate" promote different effects than other vanadate oligomers in catalase activity, glutathione content, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial superoxide anion production and vanadium accumulation, whereas both solutions seem to equally depress reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as well as total intracellular reducing power. Vanadium is accumulated in mitochondria in particular when "decavanadate" is administered. These recent findings, that are now summarized, point out the decameric vanadate species contributions to in vivo and in vitro effects induced by vanadium in biological systems.     

Hofmeister effects in supramolecular and biological systems

Specific ion effects, representative of near-universal Hofmeister phenomena, are illustrated in three different systems. These are the formation of supramolecular assemblies from cyclodextrins, the optical rotation of L-serine, and the growth rate of two kinds of microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The strong specific ion effects can be correlated with the anion polarizabilities and related physico-chemical parameters. The results show the relevance of dispersion (non-electrostatic) forces in these phenomena.     

Some effects of humic acid on two different biological systems

Summary Humic acid, and the water-and acid-extracted residue fractions obtained from it, stimulated the development of invertase activity in beet disks during aging. Those fractions which showed most effect on invertase development also caused the greatest numbers of sporangia to be formed on several species of the Actinoplanaceae (Actinomycetales) cultured on agar with incorporated humic acid. The results are discussed in relation to an aromatic core present in the humic acid.     

Superweak effects of chemical compounds and physical factors on biological systems

The results of extensive investigations of the responses of living systems to superweak influences are summarized. The results of the effect of ultralow concentrations of various biologically active substances and ultraweak physical fields (primarily electromagnetic) on biological systems of different level of organization, from molecular to population, were considered. Several single-type regularities peculiar to all systems were revealed: polymodal dose dependences, the efficiency of influences at doses below the background level and its dependence on the state of the system, the modification of the sensitivity of a system to subsequent influences, etc. Several hypotheses of the mechanisms of superweak influences and the role of water as a universal intermediate in these processes are presented. Possible consequences of the phenomenon and its applications in practice are discussed.     

Green light effects on biological systems: a new biophysical phenomenon

This paper reports a new phenomenon connected with the influence of green light (GL) on biological systems. Our experiments have revealed an antioxidant effect of GL on cells subjected to lethal doses of UV at the cellular level and a protective effect of GL on DNA denatured by UV, coupled with a structural modification of DNA macromolecules under GL irradiation, at the molecular level. Mouse melanocyte cultures are subjected to UV irradiations with L₅₀ fluxes of 16.0 J m^− 2 s^− 1. GL is obtained from a strontium aluminate pigment, which emits GL under UV activation. Cells grown in GL, prior to UV irradiation, present a clear surprising protective effect with surviving values close to the controls. A GL antioxidant effect is suggested to be mediated through GL influence on cellular water cluster dynamics. To test this hypothesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are determined in cell cultures. The results revealed a decrease of cellular ROS generation in the UV-irradiated samples protected by a previous 24 h of GL irradiation. At the DNA level, the same type of GL protection against UV damage is recorded by gel electrophoresis and by UV spectroscopy of the irradiated DNA molecules. Two physical methods, impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry, have revealed at the level of GL-irradiated DNA molecules spectral modifications that correlate with the UV spectroscopy results. The interaction between the chargeless photons and the field of water molecules from the cellular compartments is discussed in relation with the new field of macroscopic quantum coherence phenomena.     

Isotopic effects of low concentration of deuterium in water on biological systems

Isotopic effects of deuterium in water are studied in a broad range of concentrations on a number of biological objects of different organization levels. The results obtained show that biological objects are sensitive to variations of isotope composition in water. A decrease or increase in deuterium concentrations in water may cause activation or inhibition of biological functions. The values of biological isotopic effects of low deuterium concentration may even be higher than those of high deuterium concentration. No regularity in response for all the objects studied failed to find out in a range of deuterium concentration in water from 4 ppm to 1%.     

Theoretical effects of monotonically changing and fluctuating temperature on oscillating biological systems

A phenomenological model of non-isothermal evolution of naturally oscillating biological systems was constructed on the assumption that the momentary growth or decline rate is the isothermal rate at the momentary temperature, at the time that corresponds to the system's momentary state. Simulations using this model show that monotonic temperature rise or fall only affects the oscillations amplitude and frequency. In contrast, fluctuating temperature can induce irregular periodicity, aperiodic outbursts of varying magnitude and duration and/or extinction, depending on the temperature fluctuations’ complexity, and frequency relative to that of the biological system's own. This suggests that coupling of the regular oscillations of a population or biological process, with temperature or other fluctuations in its environment could be a cause of irregular and apparently chaotic patterns, at least in principle. For lack of suitable data, the described model is yet to be validated. However, it is a testable model that could be confirmed experimentally by future research.     

In vitro cultured cells as probes for space radiation effects on biological systems

Near future scenarios of long-term and far-reaching manned space missions, require more extensive knowledge of all possible biological consequences of space radiation, particularly in humans, on both a long-term and a short-term basis. In vitro cultured cells have significantly contributed to the tremendous advancement of biomedical research. It is therefore to be expected that simple biological systems such as cultured cells, will contribute to space biomedical sciences. Space represents a novel environment, to which life has not been previously exposed. Both microgravity and space radiation are the two relevant components of such an environment, but biological adaptive mechanisms and efficient countermeasures can significantly minimize microgravity effects. On the other hand, it is felt that space radiation risks may be more relevant and that defensive strategies can only stem from our deeper knowledge of biological effects and of cellular repair mechanisms. Cultured cells may play a key role in such studies. Particularly, thyroid cells may be relevant because of the exquisite sensitivity of the thyroid gland to radiation. In addition, a clone of differentiated, normal thyroid follicular cells (FRTL5 cells) is available in culture, which is well characterized and particularly fit for space research.     

Concept of energy in biological systems and the effects of irradiations of low energies on enzyme-substrate systems

The recent mathematical formalization of the concepts of matter and extrinsical energy, which are used for the relational representation of biological systems, is employed in the analysis of the important experimental discoveries of Comorosanet al. related to low energy electromagnetic irradiations on enzyme substrates. By means of the present analysis one of the properties inherent to the experimental phenomena is more precisely exposed, and theoretical developments corresponding to “energetical evolutions” in a biological system (Leguizamón, 1976) may now have an experimental basis. Important limitations are introduced for the validity of the commutativity and associativity of cartesian product of sets, when they represent matter and its linked extrinsical energy. In connection with this last aspect, new important knowledge is obtained for the relational mathematical representation of biological systems.     

Isotope effects on electron tunneling reactions in biological systems conformational mobility of proteins

Effects of D2O substitution on electron transport reactions in proteins were analysed on the basis of generally adopted ideas of electronic vibration interactions and conformational mobility of macromolecules. At the molecular level, a mechanism for cytochrome c oxidation was established. On the basis of general viscosity and elasticity properties of proteins, the effects of temperature and chemical composition of the medium on conformational relaxation were analysed. For chromatophores of photosynthetising bacteria, a mechanism is discussed by which abnormal effects of temperature and abnormal isotope effects may be exercised on charge recombination.     

A physical model of acoustic effects of ultrahigh frequency fields on biological systems

A physical model of radiosound based on the stimulation of mechanical oscillations in liquid media at adsorption of SHF impulse energy is presented. It is shown that a limited liquid volume can be considered as an acoustic resonator with self oscillation frequency. At definite relationships between the succession frequency and impulse duration interference takes place. Oscillograms of recorded mechanical oscillations are presented. The low frequency type of radiosound is explained. A conclusion is made concerning the reliability of the proposed method for investigating radiosound.     

Time-dependent interfacial charging effects of electrical fields applied to biological systems

An important aspect of the interaction of a biological system with an externally produced electric field is that of charge separation and interfacial charging. This aspect has been ignored in some recent experimental and theoretical work. In the case of small regions of lower electrical resistivity imbedded in a higher resistivity medium, charge separation across the lower resistivity regions will result in charging of the interfaces between the lower and higher resistivity regions. The field produced by this charge separation will significantly affect the shape and the magnitude of the net electric field pulse within the lower resistivity regions. In particular, the field experienced by bone cells will be quite different from the externally produced field. The shape as well as the magnitude of the net electric field experienced by the cells depends on the time rate of change of the rising and falling phases of the externally produced electric field pulse.     

Dehydrogenase activity as criterion for the determination of toxic effects on biological purification systems

Summary A method has been described which permits the quantitative and qualitative determination of the toxicity of effluents on biochemical purification and self-purification processes. The test is designed so that it can indicate whether or not adaptation to the toxic substances occurs and is based on comparing measurements of the reduction of the dehydrogenase activity of a system when treated with known toxic standards and effluents of unknown toxicity.The effect of known toxic standards, such as Ag⁺, Hg⁺⁺, Cr VI, formaldehyde, phenol and of some industrial effluents on the dehydrogenase activity, was determined under standardized conditions and the results are presented graphically. The method may be modified to suit particular local requirements. The advantage of this method is that it does not require dilution as is the case with the BOD bottle technique nor does it require expensive or elaborate equipment as the Warburg Apparatus and the method is suitable for series analysis.

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Zusammenfassung Es wurde eine Methode beschrieben zur Bestimmung der qualitativen und quantitativen Giftwirkung von Abwässern auf biochemische Reinigungs- und Selbstreinigungsprozesse.Die Methode gestattet ausserdem die Feststellung, ob Anpassung der biochemischen Aktivität an die toxischen Inhaltsstoffe möglich ist.Die Methode begründet sich auf die Bestimmung der Dehydrogenaseaktivität eines biochemischen Systems, das mit bekannten toxischen Standarden und Abwässern unbekannter Giftwirkung behandelt ist.Die Wirkung bekaanter Standarde wie Ag⁺, Hg⁺⁺, Cr^VI, Formaldehyd, Phenol und einiger industrieller Abwässer auf die Dehydrogenaseaktivität wurde unter Standardbedingungen bestimmt und die Ergebnisse graphisch dargestellt.Die Methode kann für besondere Erfordernisse modifiziert werden. Der Vorteil der Methode besteht darin, dass keine Verdünnung, wie dies beim BOD-Flaschentest erforderlich ist, stattfindet und dass keine kostspielige und komplizierte Apparatur erforderlich ist.