Influence of germination on lectin in Lens culinaris seeds

The effect of germination conditions on the lectin of Lens culinaris var. Magda 20 seeds was studied. The seeds were germinated at 20 °C under different conditions of watering and light and for different periods of time. The seed lectin was assayed by haemagglutination and quantified by competitive ELISA. Changes in lectin content during germination were also monitored by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Haemagglutinating activity and lectin content in the seeds were not changed during the first three days regardless of the conditions of the germination. However, lectin concentration was significantly higher after six days of germination; relative lectin levels being particularly high when germination was carried out in the light and with daily watering. The results of SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting have also shown that the lectin was not degraded during the first six days of germination however, other storage-proteins were broken down by proteolysis

Changes in Protein, Nonnutritional Factors, and Antioxidant Capacity during Germination of L. campestris

The changes in SDS-PAGE proteins patterns, oligosaccharides and phenolic compounds of L. campestris seeds, were evaluated during nine germination days. SDS-PAGE pattern showed 12 bands in the original protein seeds, while in the samples after 1–9 germination days, the proteins located in the range of 28–49 and 49–80 kDa indicated an important reduction, and there was an increase in bands about 27 kDa. On the other hand, oligosaccharides showed more than 50% of decrease in its total concentration after 4 germination days; nevertheless after the fifth day, the oligosaccharides concentration increases and rises more than 30% of the original concentration. Phenolic compounds increased their concentration since the first germination day reaching until 450% more than the original seed level. The obtained results are related with liberation or increase of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties, allowing us to suggest that the germination would be used to produce legume foods for human consumption with better nutraceutical properties

A Reversible Low Frequency Alternating Current Nerve Conduction Block Applied to Mammalian Autonomic Nerves

Electrical stimulation can be used to modulate activity within the nervous system in one of two modes: (1) Activation, where activity is added to the neural signalling pathways, or (2) Block, where activity in the nerve is reduced or eliminated. In principle, electrical nerve conduction block has many attractive properties compared to pharmaceutical or surgical interventions. These include reversibility, localization, and tunability for nerve caliber and type. However, methods to effect electrical nerve block are relatively new. Some methods can have associated drawbacks, such as the need for large currents, the production of irreversible chemical byproducts, and onset responses. These can lead to irreversible nerve damage or undesirable neural responses. In the present study we describe a novel low frequency alternating current blocking waveform (LFACb) and measure its efficacy to reversibly block the bradycardic effect elicited by vagal stimulation in anaesthetised rat model. The waveform is a sinusoidal, zero mean(charge balanced), current waveform presented at 1 Hz to bipolar electrodes. Standard pulse stimulation was delivered through Pt-Black coated PtIr bipolar hook electrodes to evoke bradycardia. The conditioning LFAC waveform was presented either through a set of CorTec® bipolar cuff electrodes with Amplicoat® coated Pt contacts, or a second set of Pt Black coated PtIr hook electrodes. The conditioning electrodes were placed caudal to the pulse stimulation hook electrodes. Block of bradycardic effect was assessed by quantifying changes in heart rate during the stimulation stages of LFAC alone, LFAC-and-vagal, and vagal alone. The LFAC achieved 86.2±11.1% and 84.3±4.6% block using hook (N = 7) and cuff (N = 5) electrodes, respectively, at current levels less than 110 µAp (current to peak). The potential across the LFAC delivering electrodes were continuously monitored to verify that the blocking effect was immediately reversed upon discontinuing the LFAC. Thus, LFACb produced a high degree of nerve block at current levels comparable to pulse stimulation amplitudes to activate nerves, resulting in a measurable functional change of a biomarker in the mammalian nervous system

Study of the effect of instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) treatment on IgE-reactive legume-protein patterns by electrophoresis and immunoblot

Détente Instantanée Contrôlée (DIC) technology was used to reduce immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivity of legume proteins. Soybean, roasted peanut, chickpea and lentil seeds were treated at three or six bars for 60 or 180s. The effect of this treatment on the IgE-binding pattern of the legume proteins - separated by sodium-dodecyl-sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - was monitored by five individual paediatric legume allergic and - two individual negative control human sera. A highly cross-reactive legume positive serum was selected for the two-dimensional electrophoreses immunoblots to compare the IgE reactive protein patterns, before and after the DIC treatment. The number of the identified IgE reactive spots was highly reduced for soybean (0/7) and chickpea (2/7), and moderately reduced for lentil (4/7) when the seeds were treated at a higher pressure (6 bar) and for a longer time (180 s), but this treatment was not effective for roasted peanut (6/8) where the intensity of the IgE reactive resistant spots were even stronger. © 2013 Taylor & Francis

Genetic and seasonal determinants of vitamin D status in Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) participants

Background: Vitamin D is a hormone produced in the skin upon ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Vitamin D is a crucial regulator of calcium and phosphate levels for bone mineralization and other physiological roles. Vitamin D levels vary globally in human populations due to genetics, geography, and other demographic factors. It is estimated that 20-85 % of the variability in vitamin D levels is driven by genetic variation. To improve our understanding of contributors to vitamin D levels, we conducted a candidate-gene study in partnership with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). Methods: We recruited 472 CSKT study participants on the Flathead Reservation in Montana. Demographic factors included age, BMI, and gender (185 male and 287 female; ≥ 18 years old). Genomic DNA and plasma were isolated from whole blood. We sequenced 14 vitamin D regulatory candidate genes: CASR, CUBN, CYP2R1, CYP3A4,CYP24A1, CYP27B1, DHCR7, GC, RXRA, RXRB, RXRG, SULT2A1, UGT1A4, and VDR. We also measured plasma levels of vitamin D and vitamin D metabolites by liquid chromatography/mass-spectrometry (LC/MS), including the clinical marker of vitamin D status, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3]. We tested demographic factors as well as common and rare genetic variants for statistical associations with vitamin D levels using bioinformatics software and R statistical programming language code. Results: We identified 7,370 total genetic variants with 8% (n = 585) of them being novel. We identified 60 genetic variants that may be of clinical significance (disease associated or predicted to influence medication response). Vitamin D levels were below sufficiency [25(OH)D3 + 25(OH)D2 levels \u3c 20 ng/mL] in 56 % of CSKT participants across the year. We observed seasonal vitamin D and metabolite level fluctuations in a seasonal, sinusoidal statistical model with peak concentrations in June – August and trough concentrations in December – February. In linear regression analysis, we found that age, BMI, season, and 5 variants in CUBN and CYP3A4 were significantly associated with 25(OH)D3 concentration (p-value\u3c 0.05). In logistic regression, we found that 4 variants in CUBN, CYP3A4, and UGT1A4 were associated with 25(OH)D sufficiency status [25(OH)D3 + 25(OH)D2 levels of 20 ng/mL] (p-value\u3c 0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that genetic variation alone explained ~13% of the variability in 25(OH)D3 concentration in CSKT participants. Genetic variation and environmental factors together explained ~23 % of the variability in 25(OH)D3 concentration in CSKT participants. It is likely that genetic variation in additional genes and other environmental factors (e.g., dietary vitamin D intake) that were not included in this study explain the remaining variability in 25(OH)D3 concentration. Conclusion: This research addresses the need for increased inclusion of American Indian and Alaska Natives in precision medicine health research. We are the first to describe the contribution of season and genetics to vitamin D levels in an American Indian population. Our next steps will be to use these findings to perform mechanistic studies and develop interventional strategies for the CSKT people

Tolerancia a diferentes factores antinutritivos en lechones alimentados con guisantes de invierno (Pisum sativum) y alberjón (Vicia narbonensis) en la fase estárter

Se realizaron dos ensayos para evaluar el efecto de dietas con diferentes niveles de factores antinutritivos: inhibidores de tripsina y quimotripsina (UTI, UQI respectivamente, como unidades) de guisantes de invierno y ¿Glutamyl-S-Ethenyl-Cysteine de alberjón, en el rendimiento de lechones durante el periodo estárter. En cada uno se utilizaron 192 machos castrados, híbridos Duroc x (Large-White x Landrace), con 11,23 y 11,55 kg de peso medio respectivamente, e igual diseño: cuatro tratamientos y ocho réplicas cada una de seis lechones. Los tratamientos del Ensayo 1 fueron: Control: harina de soja 47 y soja extrusionada (0,97 UTI-1,94 UQI/mg de pienso); P-CAR: soja extrusionada y guisante Cartouche (1,62 UTI-3,16 UQI/mg de pienso); P-ICE: soja extrusionada y guisante Iceberg (3,09 UTI-4,95 UQI/mg de pienso); P-LUN: soja extrusionada y guisante Luna (3,19 UTI-5,56 UQI/mg de pienso). Los lechones del tratamiento P-CAR crecieron significativamente más que el resto, con igual consumo y conversión. No hubo diferencias entre Control, P-ICE y P-LUN. El pienso del Ensayo 2 incluía diferentes niveles de alberjón: 0%, 5%, 15% y 25%, y en consecuencia de ¿Glutamyl-S-Ethenyl-Cysteine (1,52% del grano). Los lechones del tratamiento 5% comieron y crecieron más, con igual conversión que los del tratamiento 0%. El rendimiento empeoró con porcentajes del 15% o mayores. Se concluye que lechones de 40 a 61 días de vida mantienen o mejoran el rendimiento con la ingesta de inhibidores de proteasas que exceden 3,28 y 2,86 veces, UTI y UQI respectivamente, los de una dieta de soja, y que la inclusión de 5% de alberjón en el pienso aumenta el consumo y el crecimiento. Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of diets with different levels of anti-nutritional factors: trypsin (TIU) and chymotrypsin (CIU) inhibitors units of peas and ¿Glutamyl-S-Ethenyl-Cysteine (GEC) of narbon vetch, in productive performance of pigs from 40 to 61 days of age. 192 barrows were used in each test, Duroc hybrid x (Large White x Landrace), with 11.23 and 11.55 kg body weight respectively, and the same experimental design: four treatments and eight replicates with six piglets in each case. In trial 1 treatments were: Control: soybean meal 47 and soybean extruded (0.97 TIU-1.94 CIU/mg feed); P-CAR: soybean extruded and pea Cartouche (1.62 TIU-3.16 CIU/mg feed); P-ICE: soybean extruded and pea Iceberg (3.09 TIU-4.95 CIU/mg feed); P-LUN: soybean extruded and pea Luna (3.19 TIU-5.56 CIU/mg feed). The piglets of P-CAR treatment grew significantly faster than the others, with the same intake and feed conversion. No significant differences between Control, P-ICE and P-LUN. In trial 2 the feedstuff had different levels of narbon vetch: 0%, 5%, 15% and 25%, and consequently of ¿Glutamyl-S-Ethenyl-Cysteine (1.52% of the grain). The piglets that consumed the treatment of 5% had higher intake and growth, and the same conversion that piglets feeding with the treatment of 0%. The performance worsened significantly with increasing 15%. We conclude that piglets in starter period maintain or improve the performance with intake of proteases inhibitors in feedstuff that exceed 3.28 (TIU) and 2.86 (CIU) times those of a control diet, and that the inclusion of 5% of narbon vetch in feedstuff increases feed intake and growth

Failing to Make Ends Meet: The Broad Clinical Spectrum of DNA Ligase IV Deficiency. Case Series and Review of the Literature

DNA repair defects are inborn errors of immunity that result in increased apoptosis and oncogenesis. DNA Ligase 4-deficient patients suffer from a wide range of clinical manifestations since early in life, including: microcephaly, dysmorphic facial features, growth failure, developmental delay, mental retardation; hip dysplasia, and other skeletal malformations; as well as a severe combined immunodeficiency, radiosensitivity, and progressive bone marrow failure; or, they may present later in life with hematological neoplasias that respond catastrophically to chemo- and radiotherapy; or, they could be asymptomatic. We describe the clinical, laboratory, and genetic features of five Mexican patients with LIG4 deficiency, together with a review of 36 other patients available in PubMed Medline. Four out of five of our patients are dead from lymphoma or bone marrow failure, with severe infection and massive bleeding; the fifth patient is asymptomatic despite a persistent CD4+ lymphopenia. Most patients reported in the literature are microcephalic females with growth failure, sinopulmonary infections, hypogammaglobulinemia, very low B-cells, and radiosensitivity; while bone marrow failure and malignancy may develop at a later age. Dysmorphic facial features, congenital hip dysplasia, chronic liver disease, gradual pancytopenia, lymphoma or leukemia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal bleeding have been reported as well. Most mutations are compound heterozygous, and all of them are hypomorphic, with two common truncating mutations accounting for the majority of patients. Stem-cell transplantation after reduced intensity conditioning regimes may be curative

An Exploratory Study of the Relationships Between Self-Perceptions of Patriotic Visual Stimuli and the Personality Measures of Authoritarian and Internal/External Control

A research paper exploring self-perceptions between patriotic visual stimuli and the personality measures of authoritarianism and internal/external control by Linda Muzquiz for the Chancellor's Scholars Program