Bacteriology of Dehydrated Space Foods

The initial bacteriological requirement established in 1964 for space foods by the U.S. Army Natick Laboratories are: a total aerobic plate count ( 300,000), chocolate ice cream cubes (20,000), and each of four samples of chocolate candy (12,000 to 61,000); (ii) coliforms: two out of three vanilla milk drinks (16 and 127) and one beef hash bar (14); (iii) fecal coliforms: one sample of chicken soup and gravy base positive; (iv) fecal streptococci: two samples of peanut cubes (40 and 108), coconut cubes (75), chicken soup and gravy base (2,650), beef soup and gravy base (33), and five out of six flavored milk drinks (23 to 300); (v) salmonellae: one each of chicken and beef soup and gravy base were positive.     

Metabolic network alignment in large scale by network compression

Metabolic network alignment is a system scale comparative analysis that discovers important similarities and differences across different metabolisms and organisms. Although the problem of aligning metabolic networks has been considered in the past, the computational complexity of the existing solutions has so far limited their use to moderately sized networks. In this paper, we address the problem of aligning two metabolic networks, particularly when both of them are too large to be dealt with using existing methods. We develop a generic framework that can significantly improve the scale of the networks that can be aligned in practical time. Our framework has three major phases, namely the compression phase, the alignment phase and the refinement phase. For the first phase, we develop an algorithm which transforms the given networks to a compressed domain where they are summarized using fewer nodes, termed supernodes, and interactions. In the second phase, we carry out the alignment in the compressed domain using an existing network alignment method as our base algorithm. This alignment results in supernode mappings in the compressed domain, each of which are smaller instances of network alignment problem. In the third phase, we solve each of the instances using the base alignment algorithm to refine the alignment results. We provide a user defined parameter to control the number of compression levels which generally determines the tradeoff between the quality of the alignment versus how fast the algorithm runs. Our experiments on the networks from KEGG pathway database demonstrate that the compression method we propose reduces the sizes of metabolic networks by almost half at each compression level which provides an expected speedup of more than an order of magnitude. We also observe that the alignments obtained by only one level of compression capture the original alignment results with high accuracy. Together, these suggest that our framework results in alignments that are comparable to existing algorithms and can do this with practical resource utilization for large scale networks that existing algorithms could not handle. As an example of our method's performance in practice, the alignment of organism-wide metabolic networks of human (1615 reactions) and mouse (1600 reactions) was performed under three minutes by only using a single level of compression.     

Chronic hepatitis B and IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism: preliminary study

The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism on pegylated interferon (peg IFN) and oral antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and to investigate the relationship between the severities of illness with this polymorphism. 74 CHB patients who are received treatment, 61 asymptomatic carriers and 40 healthy controls were recruited in this study. Genomic DNA of controls and patients were extracted from whole blood using High Pure PCR Template Preparation Kit (Roche, Mannheim, Germany) according to the manufacturer’s instructions and stored at 4 °C. Genotype distribution of the IL-28B polymorphism at position ?3176C/T (rs12979860) (LightMix Kit IL28B, Cat.-No. 40-0588-32 TIB MOLBIOL, Berlin, Germany) was detected by real time PCR (Roche Diagnostics, Manheim, Germany). Thirty of the patients with CHB received peg IFN-α treatment. There were no significant difference between groups by means of age, gender and IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism (p = 0.122, p = 0.07, p = 0.376 respectively). Patients with chronic hepatitis were categorized as grade and stage (minimal, moderate and severe) and then were analyzed for the polymorphism. There was no effect of IL28B ?3176 C/T polymorphism on severity of illness (p = 0.293 for grade, p = 0.911 for stage). When the CHB treatment monitored in different time arrivals (beginning, 3th, 6th and 12th months of the treatment) in order to see if there was an effect on virological and biological response none of the genotypes of IL28B ?3176C/T polymorphism altered peg IFN or oral antiviral treatment process. There are conflicting results about the role of IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism in CHB in the literature. In this preliminary study, we observed that IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism was not related with severity of illness and also was not effective on treatment response.     

Identification and characterization of novel senescence-associated genes from barley (Hordeum vulgare) primary leaves

Leaf senescence is the final developmental stage of a leaf. The progression of barley primary leaf senescence was followed by measuring the senescence-specific decrease in chlorophyll content and photosystem II efficiency. In order to isolate novel factors involved in leaf senescence, a differential display approach with mRNA populations from young and senescing primary barley leaves was applied. In this approach, 90 senescence up-regulated cDNAs were identified. Nine of these clones were, after sequence analyses, further characterized. The senescence-associated expression was confirmed by Northern analyses or quantitative RealTime-PCR. In addition, involvement of the phytohormones ethylene and abscisic acid in regulation of these nine novel senescence-induced cDNA fragments was investigated. Two cDNA clones showed homologies to genes with a putative regulatory function. Two clones possessed high homologies to barley retroelements, and five clones may be involved in degradation or transport processes. One of these genes was further analysed. It encodes an ADP ribosylation factor 1-like protein (HvARF1) and includes sequence motifs representing a myristoylation site and four typical and well conserved ARF-like protein domains. The localization of the protein was investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy of onion epidermal cells after particle bombardment with chimeric HvARF1-GFP constructs. Possible physiological roles of these nine novel SAGs during barley leaf senescence are discussed.     

Carnosine supplementation protects rat brain tissue against ethanol-induced oxidative stress

Ethanol causes oxidative stress and tissue damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of antioxidant carnosine on the oxidative stress induced by ethanol in the rat brain tissue. Forty male rats were divided equally into four groups as control, carnosine (CAR), ethanol (EtOH), and ethanol plus carnosine (EtOH + CAR). Rats in the control group (n = 10) were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 0.9% saline; EtOH group (n = 10) with 2 g/kg/day ethanol, CAR group (n = 10) received carnosine at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day and EtOH + CAR group (n = 10) received carnosine (orally) and ethanol (i.p.). All animals were sacrificed using ketamine and brain tissues were removed. Malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO) and tissue carnosine levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured. Endogenous CAR levels in the rat brain tissue specimens were significantly increased in the CAR and EtOH groups when compared to the control animals. MDA and PCO levels in the EtOH group were significantly increased as compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). CAR treatment also decreased MDA levels in the CAR group as compared to the control group. Increased SOD activities were obtained in the EtOH + CAR group as compared to the control (P < 0.05). CAR levels in the rat brain were significantly increased in the CAR, EtOH and CAR + EtOH groups when compared to the control animals. These findings indicated that carnosine may appear as a protective agent against ethanol-induced brain damage.     

Effects of alpha tocopherol and ascorbic acid on Helicobacter pylori colonization and the severity of gastric inflammation

Background and Aim: We aimed to evaluate the changes in histopathologic features, concentrations of vitamins C and E in gastric mucosa, and total antioxidant capacity of the body after ingestion of ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol in patients with Helicobacter pylori. Material and Method: Patients with H. pylori‐positive nonulcer dyspepsia were included in this study. Tissue samples were taken from the lesser and greater curvature in both prepyloric antrum and corpus for histopathologic examination and measurement of vitamins C and E concentrations. Blood samples were obtained for measurement of the total antioxidant capacity of the body. The patients were given vitamin C 500 mg BID and vitamin E 200 IU BID for 4 weeks orally. At the end of the 4th week, the initial procedures were repeated. Histopathologic examination of the tissue samples were carried out by two pathologists. Results: The mean vitamins C and E concentrations in gastric mucosa at the 4th week were higher than those at the beginning (p = .000 and p = .006, respectively). Mean total antioxidant capacity of the body at the beginning and that at the 4th week were similar (p = .689). H. pylori intensity in the antrum at the beginning was higher than that at the 4th week for both pathologists (p = .007 and p = .039). Neutrophilic activity in the antrum at the beginning was higher than that at the 4th week for both pathologists (p = .000 and p = .025). Neutrophilic activity in the corpus at the beginning was higher than that at the 4th week for pathologist 1 (p = .033), and they were similar for pathologist 2 (p = .763). Conclusion: The findings that H. pylori intensity and neutrophilic activity decrease through increasing gastric ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol concentrations suggest that supplementation with vitamins C and E increases the eradication rates via impairing the microenvironment created by the bacteria and facilitating the diffusion of antibiotics into gastric mucosa.     

Similarities and differences of hyperbaric oxygen and medical ozone applications

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment is based on the principle of having the patient breath 100% oxygen in an environment above atmospheric pressure. Ozone (O(3)) is a colourless gas with a specific odour and consists of three oxygen atoms. The classical scientific understanding is that the world has become a place suitable for life for aerobic organisms with the increasing oxygen in the atmosphere billions of years ago. The formation of ozone after oxygen has then protected aerobic creatures from harmful rays. We now use these two gases for treatment purposes. It is noteworthy that the oxygen and ozone molecules that are formed by the same atom in different numbers are used for similar medical indications. We will try to emphasize the similarities and differences of HBO and medical ozone applications in this article.     

Physiological and growth responses of Cedrus libani seedlings to cold storage

The effects of cold storage duration on the physiological characteristics and growth of two-year-old Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich) seedlings were studied. Taurus cedar seedlings were lifted in December, January and February and stored at +4 °C (cold storage) for 0, 2, 3 and 4 months. Xylem water potential (Ψ), shoot (SMC) and root moisture (RMC) contents, root growth potential (RGP), root electrolyte leakage (REL) and total carbohydrate contents were determined before and after the cold storage. The survival and growth were also evaluated at the end of the first growing season. Ψ, SMC and RMC, RGP and total carbohydrate contents were dramatically affected by the storage duration. The decrease in total carbohydrate contents during the storage showed a parallelism with RGP and survival. It was also found that storage duration had important effects on survival and growth. While survival was above 85 % even after storage of 4 months in seedlings that were lifted in December and January, this rate was reduced to 30 % after storage of 4 months in seedlings that were lifted in February. Total carbohydrate content and RGP can be used as an indicator of survival after cold storage.     

Investigation of Botanical Origin,Phenolic Compounds,Carotenoids, and Antioxidant Properties of Monofloral and Multifloral Bee Bread

Bee bread is a unique natural product made by bees and good for human health. It has many bioactive molecules that can treat or prevent diseases. In this study, melissopalynological methods were used to examine five bee bread samples. Major plant sources found in bee bread were Lotus spp., Trifolium spp., and Xeranthemum spp., which are from the Fabaceae and Asteraceae families. Then, the amount of phenolic compounds and major carotenoids in bee bread (BB) samples were quantified. Gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol were found in all BB samples, with β-carotene being the most abundant carotenoid in all but BB1. In addition, the total phenolic/flavonoid content and antioxidant activities of all BB samples were determined. Total flavonoid, total phenolic, DPPH⋅, and ABTS⋅⁺ values were varied between 5.6–10.00 mg GAE/g DW, 1.2–4.3 mg QE/g DW, 1.2–5.5 mg TEAC/g DW, and 2.6–15.4 mg TEAC/g DW, respectively.