Mediation of mammalian olfactory response by presence of odor-evoked potassium current.

It is well understood that odorants interact with specialized G-protein coupled receptors embedded in the ciliary membrane of olfactory sensory neurons (OSN) which initiates a voltage-generating intracellular cascade of signal transduction events that can be recorded at the epithelial level as an electroolfactogram (EOG). While the depolarizing excitatory pathway in vertebrates involving cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-induced Na/Ca influx and calcium-induced Cl efflux is well established, there is evidence of potassium-associated inhibitory currents that correspond with cellular activation. While several Ca-dependent feedback mechanisms contribute to cellular deactivation which have been commonly attributed to these inhibitory currents, the frequently observed positive ionic conductance prior to excitatory depolarization have led many to suggest an additional earlier inhibitory mechanism at the receptor level that may be independent of downstream calcium influx.

Primo Vascular Node in the Bone Marrow and Longevity.

Background: Intra-organic bone marrow node is predicted to be a part of the primo vascular system that plays a critical role in hematopoiesis and generation and regeneration of other cells. Two models of cell regeneration were suggested, one involving DNA synthesis and the other pertaining to DNA recycling. Objectives: The aim of this work is to extract a primo node from bone marrow, characterize its structure, understand its biochemistry and cell composition, and suggest a cell regeneration mechanism.

Endogenous zinc nanoparticles in the rat olfactory epithelium are functionally significant.

The role of zinc in neurobiology is rapidly expanding. Zinc is especially essential in olfactory neurobiology. Naturally occurring zinc nanoparticles were detected in olfactory and nasal respiratory epithelia and cilia in animals.

Hemmule: A Novel Structure with the Properties of the Stem Cell Niche.

Stem cells are nurtured and regulated by a specialized microenvironment known as stem cell niche. While the functions of the niches are well defined, their structure and location remain unclear. We have identified, in rat bone marrow, the seat of hematopoietic stem cells-extensively vascularized node-like compartments that fit the requirements for stem cell niche and that we called hemmules.

Prevention of excessive exercise-induced adverse effects in rats with Bacillus subtilis BSB3.

Aims: To characterize efficacy of the Bacillus subtilis BSB3 (BSB3) strain in the prevention of excessive exercise-induced side effects and in maintaining stability of the gut microbiota.

Methods And Results: Rats were pretreated by oral gavage with B. subtilis BSB3 (BSB3) or with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) twice a day for 2 days, and were either exposed forced treadmill running or remained sedentary.

Yeast fermentate prebiotic improves intestinal barrier integrity during heat stress by modulation of the gut microbiota in rats.

Aims: To evaluate efficacy of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentate prebiotic (EH) in protection of intestinal barrier integrity in rats during heat stress, to analyze the impact of heat stress and preventive treatment with EH on the structure of the gut microbiota.

Methods And Results: Two groups of rats were treated orally with EH or phosphate-buffered saline for 14 days. On day 15, half of the rats in each group were exposed to heat stress conditions, while control animals were kept at room temperature.

Sanal-Cell Cycle and Primo Vascular System: Regeneration via Sanals.

The Primo Vascular System (PVS) is new to most scientists despite that it was discovered in the 1960s by Bonghan Kim. Out of the many physiological functions reported, one of the most important PVS functions appears to be its role in the regeneration via a small (~1 μm) subcellular body called 'sanal.' According to Kim, a cell generates multiple sanals and the sanals arriving at the primo nodes (PNs) via primo vessels (PV) eventually produce new cells, by way of the 'Sanal-Cell Cycle.

PEGylation of zinc nanoparticles amplifies their ability to enhance olfactory responses to odorant.

Olfactory responses are intensely enhanced with the addition of endogenous and engineered primarily-elemental small zinc nanoparticles (NPs). With aging, oxidation of these Zn nanoparticles eliminated the observed enhancement. The design of a polyethylene glycol coating to meet storage requirements of engineered zinc nanoparticles is evaluated to achieve maximal olfactory benefit.

After oxidation, zinc nanoparticles lose their ability to enhance responses to odorants.

Electrical responses of olfactory sensory neurons to odorants were examined in the presence of zinc nanoparticles of various sizes and degrees of oxidation. The zinc nanoparticles were prepared by the underwater electrical discharge method and analyzed by atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Small (1.

Mitigation of heat stress-related complications by a yeast fermentate product.

Heat stress results in a multitude of biological and physiological responses which can become lethal if not properly managed. It has been shown that heat stress causes significant adverse effects in both human and animals. Different approaches have been proposed to mitigate the adverse effects caused by heat stress, among which are special diet and probiotics.

Prevention of Heat Stress Adverse Effects in Rats by Bacillus subtilis Strain.

This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of the Bacillus subtilis strain against complications related to heat stress. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Animals were orally treated twice a day for two days with B.

Primo-Vascular System as Presented by Bong Han Kim.

In the 1960s Bong Han Kim discovered and characterized a new vascular system. He was able to differentiate it clearly from vascular blood and lymph systems by the use of a variety of methods, which were available to him in the mid-20th century. He gave detailed characterization of the system and created comprehensive diagrams and photographs in his publications.

[Biological denoxation of chemical pathogens in aqueous medium].

There are considered possibilities and perspectives of denoxation (decontamination) of chemical pathogens by means of biological methods for the environment sanitation and protection from contamination. There are presented numerous examples of successful practical application of the modern biotechnologies in industrial sewage denoxation from xenobiotics.

Oral administration of Bacillus subtilis strain BSB3 can prevent heat stress-related adverse effects in rats.

Aims: To determine the efficacy of Bacillus subtilis strain in prevention of heat stress-related complications in rats.

Methods And Results: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-300 g were treated by oral gavage with B. subtilis BSB3 strain or PBS twice a day for 2 days.

Microscopic evaluation of vesicles shed by erythrocytes at elevated temperatures.

The images of human erythrocytes and vesicles were analyzed by a light microscopy system with spatial resolution of better than 90 nm. The samples were observed in an aqueous environment and required no freezing, dehydration, staining, shadowing, marking, or any other manipulation. Temperature elevation resulted in significant concentration increase of structurally transformed erythrocytes (echinocytes) and vesicles in the blood.

Collection, isolation and characterization of the stem cells of umbilical cord blood.

The umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a rich source of hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells and it can be used for cellular therapy. This article presents data achieved from 50 cord blood samples (46 in utero, four ex utero). The nucleated cells were isolated from the cord blood using a dextran solution.

Biosensor for detection of antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus bacteria.

A structurally transformed lytic bacteriophage having a broad host range of Staphylococcus aureus strains and a penicillin-binding protein (PBP 2a) antibody conjugated latex beads have been utilized to create a biosensor designed for discrimination of methicillin resistant (MRSA) and sensitive (MSSA) S. aureus species (1,2). The lytic phages have been converted into phage spheroids by contact with water-chloroform interface.

Detection and identification of methicillin resistant and sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus using tandem measurements.

Discrimination of methicillin resistant (MRSA) and sensitive (MSSA) strains of Staphylococcus aureus, was achieved by the specially selected lytic bacteriophage with a wide host range of S. aureus strains and a penicillin-binding protein (PBP 2a) specific antibody. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) was employed to analyze bacteria-phage interactions.

Natural biopolymer for preservation of microorganisms during sampling and storage.

Stability of microbial cultures during sampling and storage is a vital issue in various fields of medicine, biotechnology, food science, and forensics. We have developed a unique bacterial preservation process involving a non-toxic, water-soluble acacia gum polymer that eliminates the need for refrigerated storage of samples. The main goal of this study is to characterize the efficacy of acacia gum polymer for preservation of pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus anthracis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-MRSA) on different materials, used for swabbing and filtration: cotton, wool, polyester, rayon, charcoal cloth, and Whatman paper.

Enhancement of odorant-induced responses in olfactory receptor neurons by zinc nanoparticles.

Zinc metal nanoparticles in picomolar concentrations strongly enhance odorant responses of olfactory sensory neurons. One- to 2-nm metallic particles contain 40-300 zinc metal atoms, which are not in an ionic state. We exposed rat olfactory epithelium to metal nanoparticles and measured odorant responses by electroolfactogram and whole-cell patch clamp.

Preservation of bacteria in natural polymers.

A new inexpensive and simple method for preserving microorganisms has been developed. Natural polymers of acacia gum and pullulan were used to preserve model bacteria Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis via immobilization and storage under various conditions. Formulation of E.

Efficient decomposition of shrimp shell waste using Bacillus cereus and Exiguobacterium acetylicum.

Two bacterial cultures were isolated and tested for degradation of shrimp shell waste. According to morphological examination, physiological tests, and applied molecular techniques, isolates were identified as Bacillus cereus and Exiguobacterium acetylicum. Both strains were cultivated separately in flasks with 100 mL of shrimp shell waste broth (3% of washed, dried and ground shrimp shell waste in tap water, pH 7.

Peptide phage display: opportunities for development of personalized anti-cancer strategies.

Personalized medicine is critical for cancer patients, because (1) cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease with major molecular differences in the expression and distribution of tumor cell surface markers among patients with the same type and grade of cancer, (2) cellular mutations tend to accumulate as cancer progresses, further increasing tumor heterogeneity, and (3) currently used cancer therapies often are toxic to normal cells, causing severe side effects rarely seen in other diseases. To prevent side effects and to improve effectiveness, cytotoxic therapies should be targeted and each patient should be profiled for the presence of cancer targets before the therapy is administered. Phage display technology utilizes combinatorial libraries of proteins expressed on phage particles that can be selected for specific binding to cancer cells.

Novel metal clusters isolated from blood are lethal to cancer cells.

Unfolding and subsequent aggregation of proteins is a common phenomenon that is linked to many human disorders. Misfolded hemoglobin is generally manifested in various autoimmune, infectious and inherited diseases. We isolated micrometer and submicrometer particles, termed proteons, from human and animal blood.

Phage matrix for isolation of glioma cell membrane proteins.

Cell-binding ligands for RG2 rat glioma were identified in our recent study from a library of peptides that are displayed as fusion molecules on phage particles. Here, one of the phage clones was used to affinity purify those cell membrane components to which the displayed peptides bind. This phage clone, displaying the ELRGDSLP peptide, was shown to recognize glioma cells specifically in comparison to control phage-expressing peptides of either similar or irrelevant sequences.