Human health risks arising from nitrate in potatoes consumed in Iran and calculation nitrate critical value using risk assessment study

Because of the low amount of nitrogen and organic matter in most soils of Iran, it is recommended to use nitrogen fertilizers in potato fields. Nitrate accumulates in plants naturally and if it enters into the human body it can threaten human health. There is not enough information about nitrate distribution in potatoes in Iran and a scientific value of critical level of nitrate in potatoes in Iran. The objective of this study, then, is to: determine the amount of nitrate in potatoes produced in different parts of Iran, assess the human health risks arising from potatoes nitrate, and calculate the critical concentration of nitrate in potato, using a risk assessment study and Iranian food basket. Two hundred and seventy-seven samples were collected from main provinces producing potatoes in Iran. Concentration of nitrate was measured in all samples. Results showed that Kerman province has more nitrate pollution and non cancer risk arising from nitrate. The most sensitive group to nitrate was boys 7–14 years old residing in Kerman province. Critical value of nitrate in potato for this receptor group, then for Iranian society in conservative conditions, was calculated using intake equations introduced by the USEPA and considering Iranian food basket as 246 mg kg^–1.     

Response surface optimized peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence of octahydro‐Schiff base derivative as new luminophor and study of the quenching effect of some cations,amino acids and cholesterol

We report the first detailed study of the characteristics of an octahydro‐Schiff base derivative as a new luminophor in the peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (POCL) system. The effect of reagents on this new POCL system was investigated. In addition, the response surface methodology was used for evaluating the relative significance of variables in this POCL system, establishing models and determining optimal conditions. The quenching effect of some cations and compounds such as Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Hg²⁺, imidazole, histidine and cholesterol on an optimized POCL reaction were studied. The dynamic ranges were up to approximaterly 100 and 175 × 10^?6 M for Cu²⁺ and cholesterol respectively. The detection limits were 3.3 × 10^?6 m and 2.58 × 10^?6 m for Cu²⁺ and histidine, respectively. In all cases the relative standard deviations were 4–5% (n = 4). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fatty acid and carotenoid production by Sporobolomyces ruberrimus when using technical glycerol and ammonium sulfate

The production of carotenoids, lipid content, and fatty acid composition were all studied in a strain of Sporobolomyces ruberrimus when using different concentrations of technical glycerol as the carbon source and ammonium sulfate as the nitrogen source. The total lipids represented an average of 13% of the dry weight, and the maximum lipids were obtained when using 65.5 g/l technical glycerol (133.63 mg/ g). The optimal conditions for fatty acid production were at 27 degrees C using 20 g of ammonium sulfate and a pH range from 6 to 7, which produced a fatty acid yield of 32.5+/-1 mg/g, including 1.27+/- 0.15 mg of linolenic acid (LNA), 7.50+/-0.45 mg of linoleic acid (LLA), 5.50+/-0.35 mg of palmitic acid (PA), 0.60+/-0.03 mg of palmitoleic acid (PAL), 1.28+/-0.11 mg of stearic acid (SA), 9.09+/-0.22 mg of oleic acid, 2.50+/-0.10 mg of erucic acid (EA), and 4.25+/-0.20 mg of lignoceric acid (LCA), where the palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids combined formed about 37% of the total fatty acids. The concentration of total carotenoids was 2.80 mg/g when using 20 g of ammonium sulfate, and consisted of torularhodin (2.70 mg/g) and beta-carotene (0.10 mg/ g), at 23 degrees C and pH 6. However, the highest amount with the maximum specific growth rate was obtained (micromax=0.096 h(-1)) with an ammonium sulfate concentration of 30 g/l.     

Proteomics investigation of molecular mechanisms affected by EnBase culture system in anti-VEGF fab fragment producing E. coli BL21 (DE3)

Aggregation of recombinant proteins, a major problem in E. coli expression system, is improved by using EnBase culture system based on slow release of glucose. In the present study, to understand the intracellular mechanisms involved in increased solubility of the target recombinant protein through EnBase system, the effect of this system was investigated on E. coli cells proteome profile. The proteome profile of E. coli cells cultured in EnBase and conventional batch mode was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The proteins with significant expressional changes were identified through MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. In EnBase system, the expressions of carbon metabolism-related proteins, sugar transport system-related proteins, and amino acids metabolism-related proteins were significantly altered. Furthermore, the expression of Thioredoxin 1 as the facilitator of protein folding was up-regulated in EnBase system that could be related to the increased solubility of recombinant protein.

The proteomics analysis of E. coli cells cultured in EnBase system revealed that Thioredoxin 1 can be a potential candidate for future studies aiming at increased anti-VEGF fab fragment solubility. Studying proteomics is a valuable tool for revealing the target proteins that play the central role in EnBase culture system for increasing the solubility.     

Cardio-ventilatory coupling in young healthy resting subjects

In this work, cardio-ventilatory coupling (CVC) refers to the statistical relationship between the onset of either inspiration (I) or expiration (E) and the timing of heartbeats (R-waves) before and after these respiratory events. CVC was assessed in healthy, young (<45 yr), resting, supine subjects (n = 19). Four intervals were analyzed: time from I-onset to both the prior R-wave (R-to-I) and the following R-wave (I-to-R), as well as time from E-onset to both the prior R-wave (R-to-E) and following R-wave (E-to-R). The degree of coupling was quantified in terms of transformed relative Shannon entropy (tRSE), and χ(2) tests based on histograms of interval times from 200 breaths. Subjects were studied twice, from 5 to 27 days apart, and the test-retest reliability of CVC measures was computed. Several factors pointed to the relative importance of the R-to-I interval compared with other intervals. Coupling was significantly stronger for the R-to-I interval, coupling reliability was largest for the R-to-I interval, and only tRSE for the R-to-I interval was correlated with height, weight, and body surface area. The high test-retest reliability for CVC in the R-to-I interval provides support for the hypothesis that CVC strength is a subject trait. Across subjects, a peak ~138 ms prior to I-onset was characteristic of CVC in the R-to-I interval, although individual subjects also had earlier peaks (longer R-to-I intervals). CVC for the R-to-I interval was unrelated to two separate measures of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), suggesting that these two forms of coupling (CVC and RSA) are independent.     

Health Risks of Metals in Soil,Water, and Major Food Crops in Hamedan Province,Iran

Food, drinking water, soil, and air are the main routes of exposure to trace metals, thus the assessment of the risks posed to humans by these elements is important. Wheat, potatoes, and maize are very important parts of the Iranian diet. The objectives of this study were to estimate the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Se, As, and Ni to adults and children via soil, water, and major food crops consumed in Hamedan Province, northwest Iran, using the total non-cancer hazard quotient (THQ) and cancer risk assessment estimates. Total non-cancer hazard of Ni and Hg, were greater than 1, and total cancer risk of As and Pb was greater than 1 × 10^?6. Food consumption was identified as the major route of human exposure to metals, and consuming foodstuff threatens the health of the studied population. In Hamedan Province, consumption of wheat is the main source of intake of metals from foodstuff for adults, and in children, the soil ingestion route is also important.     

Connexin 43 phosphorylation and degradation are required for adipogenesis

Connexin-43 (Cx43) is a membrane phosphoprotein that mediates direct inter-cellular communication by forming gap junctions. In this way Cx43 can influence gene expression, differentiation and growth. Its role in adipogenesis, however, is poorly understood. In this study, we established that Cx43 becomes highly phosphorylated in early adipocyte differentiation and translocates to the plasma membrane from the endoplasmic reticulum. As preadipocytes differentiate, Cx43 phosphorylation declines, the protein is displaced from the plasma membrane, and total cellular levels are reduced via proteosomal degradation. Notably, we show that inhibiting Cx43 degradation or constitutively over-expressing Cx43 blocks adipocyte differentiation. These data reveal that transient activation of Cx43 via phosphorylation followed by its degradation is vital for preadipocyte differentiation and maturation of functional adipocytes.     

Complete genome sequence of Oceanimonas sp. GK1, a halotolerant bacterium from Gavkhouni Wetland in Iran

Oceanimonas sp. GK1 (IBRC-M 10197) is a marine halotolerant gammaproteobacterium which was characterized as producing large amounts of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate. Here we present the whole-genome sequence of Oceanimonas sp. GK1, which consists of a single circular chromosome of 3,514,537 bp and two plasmids 8,462 and 4,245 bp in length.     

Draft Genome Sequence of Ureibacillus thermosphaericus Strain Thermo-BF, Isolated from Ramsar Hot Springs in Iran

Ureibacillus thermosphaericus strain Thermo-BF is an aerobic, thermophilic bacillus which has been characterized to biosynthesize gold nanoparticles. Here we present the draft genome sequence of Ureibacillus thermosphaericus strain Thermo-BF which consists of a 2,864,162-bp chromosome. This is the first report of a shotgun sequenced draft genome of a species in the Ureibacillus genus.     

Combination of dietary phytosterols plus niacin or fenofibrate: effects on lipid profile and atherosclerosis in apo E-KO mice

Patients with mixed dyslipidemias (increased LDL cholesterol and triglyceride as well as low HDL cholesterol levels) benefit from a combination of lipid-modifying drugs such as statins, niacin, fibrates and ezetemibe. However, safety, tolerability and cost are a concern in drug combination therapy. Dietary phytosterols reduce LDL cholesterol, and niacin or fenofibrate primarily reduces triglyceride and increases HDL-cholesterol levels. Thus, we hypothesized that a combination of phytosterols with niacin or fenofibrate will synergistically impact lipoprotein profile and atherogenesis in apo E-KO mice. Phytosterols alone significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol levels (14.1 vs. 16.9 mmol/L, P < .05) and the extent of atherosclerosis (0.42 vs. 0.15 mm(2), P < .05). The addition of fenofibrate to phytosterols increased plasma total cholesterol levels by >50% (14.1 vs. 21.6 mmol/L, P < .05) and decreased HDL-cholesterol concentrations by 50% (0.8 vs. 0.4 mmol/L). These changes were accompanied by slight reductions in the extent of atherosclerosis (0.42 vs. 0.34 mm(2), P > 0.05) as compared to controls, suggesting other potential anti-atherogenic effects of fenofibrate. Unlike fenofibrate, niacin caused an increase of 150% (P < .05) in HDL-cholesterol concentrations and a decrease of 22% (P < .05) in total cholesterol levels which were associated with significant reductions (65%, P < .05) in atherosclerotic lesion size as compared to controls. Neither the addition of niacin nor of fenofibrate reduced plasma triglyceride levels. In conclusion, the addition of niacin to phytosterols synergistically increases HDL-cholesterol levels, while a combination of phytosterols and fenofibrate results in no synergistic effects in apo E-KO mice. Further studies in other animal models are needed to establish synergetic effects between these lipid-modifying dietary and pharmacological agents.