Utveckling av nya växtbaserade livsmedel - effekt av mjölksyrafermentering

Mjölksyrafermentering är en traditionell metod att påverka ett livsmedels kemi och förlänga hållbarheten. Detta arbete fokuserar på effekten av fermentering av ett växtbaserat livsmedel med avseende på proteinkvalitet och B-vitaminer

Quantum and frustration effects on fluctuations of the inverse compressibility in two-dimensional Coulomb glasses

We consider interacting electrons in a two-dimensional quantum Coulomb glass and investigate by means of the Hartree-Fock approximation the combined effects of the electron-electron interaction and the transverse magnetic field on fluctuations of the inverse compressibility. Preceding systematic study of the system in the absence of the magnetic field identifies the source of the fluctuations, interplay of disorder and interaction, and effects of hopping. Revealed in sufficiently clean samples with strong interactions is an unusual right-biased distribution of the inverse compressibility, which is neither of the Gaussian nor of the Wigner-Dyson type. While in most cases weak magnetic fields tend to suppress fluctuations, in relatively clean samples with weak interactions fluctuations are found to grow with the magnetic field. This is attributed to the localization properties of the electron states, which may be measured by the participation ratio and the inverse participation number. It is also observed that at the frustration where the Fermi level is degenerate, localization or modulation of electrons is enhanced, raising fluctuations. Strong frustration in general suppresses effects of the interaction on the inverse compressibility and on the configuration of electrons.Comment: 15 pages, 18 figures, To appear in Phys. Rev.

High-pressure cryogelation of nanosilica and surface properties of cryosilicas

Silica cryogels (cryosilicas) in a powder state were synthesized with different concentrations of fumed silica A-300 (CA-300 = 5-20 wt.%), sonicated in aqueous suspension, then frozen at -14 oC at different pressures in a high-pressure stainless steel reactor (a freezing bomb), and dried in air at room temperature. To analyze the effects of low temperature and high pressure, samples were also prepared at -14 oC or room temperature and standard pressure. The structural and adsorption properties of the powder materials were studied using nitrogen adsorption, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, low-temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy and thermally stimulated depolarization current. The structural, textural, adsorption and relaxation characteristics of high-pressure cryogel hydrogels and related dried powders are strongly dependent on the silica content in aqueous suspensions frozen at 1, 450 or 1000 atmospheres and then dried. The largest changes are found with CA-300 = 20 wt.% which are analyzed with respect to the interfacial behavior of nonpolar, weakly polar and polar adsorbates using low temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy

Transcriptional Regulation of Multi-Drug Tolerance and Antibiotic-Induced Responses by the Histone-Like Protein Lsr2 in M. tuberculosis

Multi-drug tolerance is a key phenotypic property that complicates the sterilization of mammals infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Previous studies have established that iniBAC, an operon that confers multi-drug tolerance to M. bovis BCG through an associated pump-like activity, is induced by the antibiotics isoniazid (INH) and ethambutol (EMB). An improved understanding of the functional role of antibiotic-induced genes and the regulation of drug tolerance may be gained by studying the factors that regulate antibiotic-mediated gene expression. An M. smegmatis strain containing a lacZ gene fused to the promoter of M. tuberculosis iniBAC (PiniBAC) was subjected to transposon mutagenesis. Mutants with constitutive expression and increased EMB-mediated induction of PiniBAC::lacZ mapped to the lsr2 gene (MSMEG6065), a small basic protein of unknown function that is highly conserved among mycobacteria. These mutants had a marked change in colony morphology and generated a new polar lipid. Complementation with multi-copy M. tuberculosis lsr2 (Rv3597c) returned PiniBAC expression to baseline, reversed the observed morphological and lipid changes, and repressed PiniBAC induction by EMB to below that of the control M. smegmatis strain. Microarray analysis of an lsr2 knockout confirmed upregulation of M. smegmatis iniA and demonstrated upregulation of genes involved in cell wall and metabolic functions. Fully 121 of 584 genes induced by EMB treatment in wild-type M. smegmatis were upregulated (“hyperinduced”) to even higher levels by EMB in the M. smegmatis lsr2 knockout. The most highly upregulated genes and gene clusters had adenine-thymine (AT)–rich 5-prime untranslated regions. In M. tuberculosis, overexpression of lsr2 repressed INH-mediated induction of all three iniBAC genes, as well as another annotated pump, efpA. The low molecular weight and basic properties of Lsr2 (pI 10.69) suggested that it was a histone-like protein, although it did not exhibit sequence homology with other proteins in this class. Consistent with other histone-like proteins, Lsr2 bound DNA with a preference for circular DNA, forming large oligomers, inhibited DNase I activity, and introduced a modest degree of supercoiling into relaxed plasmids. Lsr2 also inhibited in vitro transcription and topoisomerase I activity. Lsr2 represents a novel class of histone-like proteins that inhibit a wide variety of DNA-interacting enzymes. Lsr2 appears to regulate several important pathways in mycobacteria by preferentially binding to AT-rich sequences, including genes induced by antibiotics and those associated with inducible multi-drug tolerance. An improved understanding of the role of lsr2 may provide important insights into the mechanisms of action of antibiotics and the way that mycobacteria adapt to stresses such as antibiotic treatment

ULTRAFILTRATED FRACTION OF KOREAN RED GINSENG EXTRACT IMPROVES MEMORY IMPAIRMENT OF TG2576 MICE VIA INHIBITION OF SOLUBLE AÎ’ PRODUCTION AND ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY

Objective: The goal of this study was to research for an effective fraction on memory improvement of Korean red ginseng.Methods: In this study, 80 % ethanol red ginseng extract (RE) was divided into inner fluid (REUI) and outer fluid (REUO) by the ultrafiltration and then REUO was further separated into four fractions namely, REUO-00, REUO-30, REUO-50 and REUO-70, respectively, by Diaion HP-20 column chromatography.Results: REUO has protected more significantly the H2O2-induced SHSY-5Y cell death than REUI. Interestingly, the hydrophobic parts of the REUO (REUO-EtOHs) such as REUO-30,-50 and-70 decreased more significantly the H2O2-induced cell death than its hydrophilic part (REUO-00) in a dose-dependent manner. Then, we focused on the activity of a candidate for cholinergic functions, because memory deficits of neurodegenerative diseases are closely associated with cholinergic dysfunctions. The REUO-EtOHs (1.25 mg/ml) inhibited the activity of the acetylcholinesterase and its half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was about 2.358 mg/ml. Additionally, we investigated whether the intake of the REUO (50 mg/kg/d) during 12 w could improve memory impairment of 12-month old Tg2576 mice and decrease total soluble amyloid-β (Aβ) proteins in the mouse brain cortex. The REUO alleviated significantly the memory impairment and successfully reduced the levels of the soluble Aβ proteins in the mouse cortex.Conclusion: We finally suggest that the REUO, including majorly its hydrophobic part that may be considered as more effective for memory improvement, will be highly considered as valuable candidate for the memory-enhancing ingredients against cholinergic dysfunctions and cognitive impairments of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease.Keywords: Ginseng, Alzheimer's disease, Acetylcholinesterase, Ultrafiltration, MemoryÂ

Post-Coring Entrapment Of Modern Air In Some Shallow Ice Cores Collected Near the Firn-Ice Transition: Evidence From Cfc-12 Measurements In Antarctic Firn Air and Ice Cores

In this study, we report measurements of CFC-12 (CCl2F2) in firn air and in air extracted from shallow ice cores from three Antarctic sites. The firn air data are consistent with the known atmospheric history of CFC-12. In contrast, some of the ice core samples collected near the firn-ice transition exhibit anomalously high CFC-12 levels. Together, the ice core and firn air data provide evidence for the presence of modern air entrapped in the shallow ice core samples that likely contained open pores at the time of collection. We propose that this is due to closure of the open pores after drilling, entrapping modern air and resulting in elevated CFC-12 mixing ratios. Our results reveal that open porosity can exist below the maximum depth at which firn air samples can be collected, particularly at sites with lower accumulation rates. CFC-12 measurements demonstrate that post-drilling closure of open pores can lead to a change in the composition of bubble air in shallow ice cores through purely physical processes. The results have implications for investigations involving trace gas composition of bubbles in shallow ice cores collected near the firn-ice transition

A bacterial effector counteracts host autophagy by promoting degradation of an autophagy component

Beyond its role in cellular homeostasis, autophagy plays anti- and promicrobial roles in host-microbe interactions, both in animals and plants. One prominent role of antimicrobial autophagy is to degrade intracellular pathogens or microbial molecules, in a process termed xenophagy. Consequently, microbes evolved mechanisms to hijack or modulate autophagy to escape elimination. Although well-described in animals, the extent to which xenophagy contributes to plant-bacteria interactions remains unknown. Here, we provide evidence that Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) suppresses host autophagy by utilizing type-III effector XopL. XopL interacts with and degrades the autophagy component SH3P2 via its E3 ligase activity to promote infection. Intriguingly, XopL is targeted for degradation by defense-related selective autophagy mediated by NBR1/Joka2, revealing a complex antagonistic interplay between XopL and the host autophagy machinery. Our results implicate plant antimicrobial autophagy in the depletion of a bacterial virulence factor and unravel an unprecedented pathogen strategy to counteract defense-related autophagy in plant-bacteria interactions

Insulin Receptor and the Kidney: Nephrocalcinosis in Patients with Recessive INSR Mutations.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Donohue and Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome are rare autosomal recessive disorders caused by mutations in the insulin receptor gene, INSR. Phenotypic features include extreme insulin resistance, linear growth retardation, paucity of fat and muscle, and soft tissue overgrowth. The insulin receptor is also expressed in the kidney, where animal data suggest it plays a role in glomerular function and blood pressure (BP) regulation, yet such a role in the human kidney is untested. Patients with biallelic INSR mutations provide a rare opportunity to ascertain its role in man. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with INSR mutations. Data for BP, renal imaging, plasma creatinine and electrolyte levels, as well as urine protein, albumin and calcium excretion were sought from the treating clinicians. RESULTS: From 33 patients with INSR mutations, data were available for 17 patients. Plasma creatinine was low (mean ± SD: 25 ± 9 μmol/l) and mean plasma electrolyte concentrations were within the normal range (n = 13). Systolic BP ranged between the 18th and 91st percentile for age, sex, height and weight (n = 9; mean ± SD: 49 ± 24). Twenty-four-hour urinary calcium data were available from 10 patients and revealed hypercalciuria in all (mean ± SD: 0.32 ± 0.17 mmol/kg/day; normal <0.1). Nephrocalcinosis was present in all patients (n = 17). Urinary albumin excretion (n = 7) ranged from 4.3-122.5 μg/min (mean ± SD: 32.4 ± 41.0 μg/min; normal <20). CONCLUSIONS: INSR dysfunction is associated with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis. No other consistent abnormality of renal function was noted. Normotension and stable glomerular function with only moderate proteinuria is in contrast to genetically modified mice who have elevated BP and progressive diabetic nephropathy

Enhancing Specific Disruption of Intracellular Protein Complexes by Hydrocarbon Stapled Peptides Using Lipid Based Delivery

Linear peptides can mimic and disrupt protein-protein interactions involved in critical cell signaling pathways. Such peptides however are usually protease sensitive and unable to engage with intracellular targets due to lack of membrane permeability. Peptide stapling has been proposed to circumvent these limitations but recent data has suggested that this method does not universally solve the problem of cell entry and can lead to molecules with off target cell lytic properties. To address these issues a library of stapled peptides was synthesized and screened to identify compounds that bound Mdm2 and activated cellular p53. A lead peptide was identified that activated intracellular p53 with negligible nonspecific cytotoxicity, however it still bound serum avidly and only showed a marginal improvement in cellular potency. These hurdles were overcome by successfully identifying a pyridinium-based cationic lipid formulation, which significantly improved the activity of the stapled peptide in a p53 reporter cell line, principally through increased vesicular escape. These studies under score that stapled peptides, which are cell permeable and target specific, can be identified with rigorous experimental design and that these properties can be improved through use with lipid based formulations. This work should facilitate the clinical translation of stapled peptides