Project DyAdd: Fatty acids and cognition in adults with dyslexia, ADHD, or both

Both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia are suggested to co-occur with altered fatty acid (FA) metabolism, but it is unknown how FAs are associated with the cognitive domains that characterize these disorders. In the project DyAdd, we investigated the associations between FAs in serum phospholipids and phonological processing, reading, spelling, arithmetic, executive functions, and attention. Healthy controls (n=36), adults with ADHD (n=26), dyslexia (n=36), or both (n=9) were included in the study. FAs included saturated, monounsaturated, total polyunsaturated, n-3, and n-6 FAs, together with n-6/n-3, AA/EPA, and LA/ALA ratios. When all the study subjects were included in the analyses, especially polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) were positively associated with cognition, but reading was least associated with FAs. These associations were modulated by gender, intelligence, n-3 PUFA intake, and group. Accordingly, within the ADHD group, only few associations emerged with PUFAs, n-6 PUFAs, and cognitive domains, whereas in the dyslexia group the more prevalent associations appeared with PUFAs and n-3 PUFAs.     

Fishery of Lake Ladoga — past, present and future

The post-war fishery of Lake Ladoga can be divided according to its catch level into four periods. In the years 1945–1954 the total annual catch increased, and reached the level of 4000 tonnes. In this period the fish stocks that had increased during the war years were intensively exploited. However, this fishery was not in balance with the stocks during the period 1955–1963. As a consequence, the catch decreased drastically, being sometimes less than 2000 tonnes.Controlling the fishery restored the abundance of whitefish Coregonus lavaretus (L.) and zander Stizostedion lucioperca (L.). This increased the total annual catch to about 5500 tonnes in 1964–1989. However, the fishery control measures have not been sufficient to achieve the conservation of salmon Salmo solar L. m. sebago, brown trout Salmo trutta L. and the migratory lake whitefish stocks.A decrease in the total fish catch has been observed since 1990. This decrease may be related to the deterioration of the environment of Lake Ladoga, caused by anthropogenic factors. The unfavourable state of the ecosystem has led to decline of the whitefish stocks and, especially during the last few years, to drastical decline of zander.Acute problems, to be faced in the near future, are connected with the hatchery maintenance of several river-spawning stocks, e.g. salmon, brown trout and migratory whitefish, because the existing fish hatcheries are insufficient in capacity and technically outdated.     

Enhanced Production of Trichoderma reesei Endoglucanases and Use of the New Cellulase Preparations in Producing the Stonewashed Effect on Denim Fabric

Trichoderma reesei strains were constructed for production of elevated amounts of endoglucanase II (EGII) with or without cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI). The endoglucanase activity produced by the EGII transformants correlated with the copy number of the egl2 expression cassette. One copy of the egl2 expression cassette in which the egl2 was under the cbh1 promoter increased production of endoglucanase activity 2.3-fold, and two copies increased production about 3-fold above that of the parent strain. When the enzyme with elevated EGII content was used, an improved stonewashing effect on denim fabric was achieved. A T. reesei strain producing high amounts of EGI and -II activities without CBHI and -II was constructed by replacing the cbh2 locus with the coding region of the egl2 gene in the EGI-overproducing CBHI-negative strain. Production of endoglucanase activity by the EG-transformant strain was increased fourfold above that of the host strain. The filter paper-degrading activity of the endoglucanase-overproducing strain was lowered to below detection, presumably because of the lack of cellobiohydrolases.     

Comparison between the preservation of chloroplast structure in the dark and the turnover rate of chlorophyll-protein complexes in a moss and two varieties of pea

The senescence and preservation of the structure of the chloroplastin the dark was studied in the protonema of Ceratodon purpureusand in two varieties of pea, a tall variety "Dippe Maj" anda dwarf variety "Early low". The latter variety is better ableto survive in darkness, probably because of the larger amountof starch in its chloroplasts. The integrity of the chloroplastswas better preserved in the moss than in the peas. During isolationof the chlorophyll-protein complexes, there was no decreasein the specific activity of the total lamellar extract in anyof the dark-grown materials. This contrasts with the turnoverof chlorophyll-protein complex (CP) II in the dark-grown moss.In the light, CP II had a half life of two weeks in both themoss and the higher plants, whereas no turnover was evidentin CP I. The lack of turnover for CP I is connected with itsdecrease in senescence. ¹Present address: Department of Botany, University of Turku,20500 Turku 50, Finland. (Received July 13, 1979; )     

Soluble and immobilized enzyme technology in bioconversion of barley starch

Homogeneous and heterogeneous biocatalysis were both investigated as tools for barley starch syrup production. Barley starch was first liquefied by soluble heat-stable Bacillus sp. α-amylase EC 3.2.1.1 (1,4-α-d-glucan glucanohydrolase) Termamyl 60 L at 95°C, pH 6.5, to obtain slurries of varying DE-values up to ≈37. Alternatively, it was extruded with a Creusot-Loire BC 45 twin-screw extruder at 25% moisture, 150°C, for denaturation. After cooling and adjusting the pH to 4.5 or grinding, respectively, the pretreated starch was saccharified either by soluble or by immobilized Aspergillus niger glucoamylase EC 3.2.1.3 (1,4-α-d-glucan glucohydrolase) at 60°C, pH 4.5, to obtain glucose syrup of up to DE 96. The course of hydrolysis was followed by automated Biogel P-2 chromatographic analysis. Glucoamylase was immobilized either on a phenol-formaldehyde resin Duolite S 761 or on silanized Spherosil porous silica beads. Barley glucose syrup obtained was further continuously converted to high fructose syrup by a packed bed reactor of Actinoplanes missouriensis whole cell glucose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.5) Maxazyme entrapped within α-cellulose beads. We could conclude that barley starch may be used as an alternative raw material for biocatalytic starch syrup production.     

Neuromuscular performance characteristics of open-wheel and rally drivers

The purpose of the present study was to investigate neuromuscular performance characteristics in open-wheel and rally drivers using the cross-sectional study design. The subjects (N = 28) consisted of experienced international-level open-wheel drivers (n = 9), experienced international-level rally drivers (n = 9) and a physically active nondriving male control group (n = 10). In 3 separate test sessions, speed, muscle strength, and endurance tests were performed. The rally drivers had higher (p < 0.05) grip, shoulder flexion, and ankle plantar flexion strength, as compared to the control group. The open-wheel drivers showed higher strengths (p < 0.05) than the controls in neck forces, grip, shoulder flexion, and leg extension. The rally drivers were stronger (p < 0.05) than the open-wheel drivers in grip, plantar flexion, and trunk extension forces, whereas the open-wheel drivers were stronger (p < 0.01) than the rally drivers in neck lateral flexions and extension forces. Thus, competitive long-term open-wheel and rally drivers differ specifically in neuromuscular performance. For practice, these findings suggest that rally drivers should concentrate on training hand, ankle, and trunk muscles, whereas open-wheel drivers should train neck muscles, especially, and all other muscle groups rather equally.     

Circadian phase in adults of contrasting ages

There is evidence that aging may impair phase-shifting responses to light synchronizers, which could lead to disturbed or malsynchronized circadian rhythms. To explore this hypothesis, 62 elder participants (age, 58 to 84 years) and 25 young adults (age, 19 to 40 years) were studied, first with baseline 1-wk wrist actigraphy at home and then by 72 h in-laboratory study using an ultra-short sleep-wake cycle. Subjects were awake for 60 minutes in 50 lux followed by 30 minutes of darkness for sleep. Saliva samples were collected for melatonin, and urine samples were collected for aMT6s (a urinary metabolite of melatonin) and free cortisol every 90 minutes. Oral temperatures were also measured every 90 minutes. The timing of the circadian rhythms was not significantly more variable among the elders. The times of lights-out and wake-up at home and urinary free cortisol occurred earlier among elders, but the acrophases (cosinor analysis-derived peak time) of the circadian rhythm of salivary melatonin, urinary aMT6s, and oral temperature were not significantly phase-advanced among elders. The estimated duration of melatonin secretion was 9.9 h among elders and 8.4 h among young adults (p < 0.025), though the estimated half-life of blood melatonin was shorter among elders (p < 0.025), and young adults had higher saliva melatonin and urinary aMT6s levels. In summary, there was no evidence for circadian desynchronization associated with aging, but there was evidence of some rearrangement of the internal phase-angles among the studied circadian rhythms.     

Enhanced production of cellobiohydrolases in Trichoderma reesei and evaluation of the new preparations in biofinishing of cotton

In the search for suitable cellulase combinations for industrial biofinishing of cotton, five different types of Trichoderma reesei strains were constructed for elevated cellobiohydrolase production: CBHI overproducers with and without endoglucanase I (EGI), CBHII overproducers with and without endoglucanase II (EGII) and strains overproducing both CBHI and CBHII without the major endoglucanases I and II. One additional copy of cbh1 gene increased production of CBHI protein 1.3-fold, and two copies 1.5-fold according to ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The level of total secreted proteins was increased in CBHI transformants as compared to the host strain. One copy of the cbh2 expression cassette in which the cbh2 was expressed from the cbh1 promoter increased production of CBHII protein three- to four-fold when compared to the host strain. T. reesei strains producing elevated amounts of both CBHI and CBHII without EGI and EGII were constructed by replacing the egl1 locus with the coding region of the cbh1 gene and the egl2 locus with the coding region of cbh2. The cbh1 was expressed from its own promoter and the cbh2 gene using either the cbh1 or cbh2 promoter. Production of CBHI by the CBH-transformants was increased up to 1.6-fold and production of CBHII up to 3.4-fold as compared with the host strain. Approximately similar amounts of CBHII protein were produced by using cbh1 or cbh2 promoters. When the enzyme preparation with elevated CBHII content was used in biofinishing of cotton, better depilling and visual appearance were achieved than with the wild type preparation; however, the improvement was not as pronounced as with preparations with elevated levels of endoglucanases (EG).     

Observation of the main phase transition of dinervonoylphosphocholine giant liposomes by fluorescence microscopy

The phase heterogeneity of giant unilamellar dinervonoylphosphocholine (DNPC) vesicles in the course of the main phase transition was investigated by confocal fluorescence microscopy observing the fluorescence from the membrane incorporated lipid analog, 1-palmitoyl-2-(N-4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol)aminocaproyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (NBDPC). These data were supplemented by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of DNPC large unilamellar vesicles (LUV, diameter approximately 0.1 and 0.2 microm) and multilamellar vesicles (MLV). The present data collected upon cooling reveal a lack of micron-scale gel and fluid phase coexistence in DNPC GUVs above the temperature of 20.5 degrees C, this temperature corresponding closely to the heat capacity maxima (T(em)) of DNPC MLVs and LUVs (T(em) approximately 21 degrees C), measured upon DSC cooling scans. This is in keeping with the model for phospholipid main transition inferred from our previous fluorescence spectroscopy data for DMPC, DPPC, and DNPC LUVs. More specifically, the current experiments provide further support for the phospholipid main transition involving a first-order process, with the characteristic two-phase coexistence converting into an intermediate phase in the proximity of T(em). This at least macroscopically homogenous intermediate phase would then transform into the liquid crystalline state by a second-order process, with further increase in acyl chain trans-->gauche isomerization.     

Atomic resolution structure of the HFBII hydrophobin, a self-assembling amphiphile

Hydrophobins are proteins specific to filamentous fungi. Hydrophobins have several important roles in fungal physiology, for example, adhesion, formation of protective surface coatings, and the reduction of the surface tension of water, which allows growth of aerial structures. Hydrophobins show remarkable biophysical properties, for example, they are the most powerful surface-active proteins known. To this point the molecular basis of the function of this group of proteins has been largely unknown. We have now determined the crystal structure of the hydrophobin HFBII from Trichoderma reesei at 1.0 A resolution. HFBII has a novel, compact single domain structure containing one alpha-helix and four antiparallel beta-strands that completely envelop two disulfide bridges. The protein surface is mainly hydrophilic, but two beta-hairpin loops contain several conserved aliphatic side chains that form a flat hydrophobic patch that makes the molecule amphiphilic. The amphiphilicity of the HFBII molecule is expected to be a source for surface activity, and we suggest that the behavior of this surfactant is greatly enhanced by the self-assembly that is favored by the combination of size and rigidity. This mechanism of function is supported by atomic force micrographs that show highly ordered arrays of HFBII at the air water interface. The data presented show that much of the current views on structure function relations in hydrophobins must be re-evaluated.