Circulation of Selenium in the Environment

In order to function properly, every living organism must have favourable conditions for its operation, i.e. it must be systematically supplied with the necessary nutrients. On the example of selenium (Se), it can be seen how important is the right balance between providing the right amount of it, without exceeding the level above which it is toxic. The amount of Se in soil is closely correlated with its content in the parent rock; therefore, it differs depending on the soil type and may change even in a small area. Considerable dispersion of the element in the soils of Poland is related to their formation, mainly from dump materials of various glaciations. The problem of maintaining the balance between deficiency and excess of Se in the diet of humans and animals is related primarily to the uneven distribution of this element in nature. In this paper, on the basis of scientific literature, the current issues related to the deficiency and excess of Se in the soil and its possible sources are presented. The relationship between the content in the soil and the supply of Se in plants, animals and humans was also shown. The aim of this study was to summarise the state of knowledge on the complexity of Se occurrence in the environment and its importance in the soil-plant-animals-human system.

Hyaluronic Acid Allows Enzyme Immobilization for Applications in Biomedicine

Enzymes are proteins that control the efficiency and effectiveness of biological reactions and systems, as well as of engineered biomimetic processes. This review highlights current applications of a diverse range of enzymes for biofuel production, plastics, and chemical waste management, as well as for detergent, textile, and food production and preservation industries respectively. Challenges regarding the transposition of enzymes from their natural purpose and environment into synthetic practice are discussed. For example, temperature and pH-induced enzyme fragilities, short shelf life, low-cost efficiency, poor user-controllability, and subsequently insufficient catalytic activity were shown to decrease pertinence and profitability in large-scale production considerations. Enzyme immobilization was shown to improve and expand upon enzyme usage within a profit and impact-oriented commercial world and through enzyme-material and interfaces integration. With particular focus on the growing biomedical market, examples of enzyme immobilization within or onto hyaluronic acid (HA)-based complexes are discussed as a definable way to improve upon and/or make possible the next generation of medical undertakings. As a polysaccharide formed in every living organism, HA has proven beneficial in biomedicine for its high biocompatibility and controllable biodegradability, viscoelasticity, and hydrophilicity. Complexes developed with this molecule have been utilized to selectively deliver drugs to a desired location and at a desired rate, improve the efficiency of tissue regeneration, and serve as a viable platform for biologically accepted sensors. In similar realms of enzyme immobilization, HA’s ease in crosslinking allows the molecule to user-controllably enhance the design of a given platform in terms of both chemical and physical characteristics to thus best support successful and sustained enzyme usage. Such examples do not only demonstrate the potential of enzyme-based applications but further, emphasize future market trends and accountability.

Are there any gender differences in pain perception? Clinical and experimental studies in oncology

The review considers and analyzes scientific literature on gender differences in the incidence of pain syndromes, perception of clinical pain, including that in cancer patients and in experimental oncology. The literature highlights theoretical basis, some biological mechanisms and practical results associated with gender differences. Chronic pain no longer performs a protective function and is not biologically appropriate. The review presents results of experimental studies demonstrating the important role of sex hormones and regulatory systems of a living organism in the mechanisms of development, distribution and perception of pain. Some aspects of sexual dimorphism in the processes of nociception and antinociception are covered. We present the data on the causes of chronic pain syndrome and its perception in cancer patients of both sexes indicating genetically determined sexual reactivity of the body which causes an imbalance in the function of peripheral nervous system and CNS under the influence of prolonged permanent pain in a living organism. Various pain effects have been shown to cause changes in the main types of metabolism, mobilization of adaptive metabolic mechanisms, and tissue damage. Conclusions. The high prevalence of chronic pain in both women and men with cancer, heavy humanitarian and social and economic burden explains a significant increase in fundamental and clinical research in this direction.

Metabolites Produced by Fungi against Fungal Phytopathogens: Review, Implementation and Perspectives

Many fungi, especially endophytes, have been found to produce multiple benefits in their plant hosts, with many of these benefits associated with the protection of plants against fungal diseases. This fact could be used in the development of new bio-products that could gradually reduce the need for chemical fungicides, which have been associated with multiple health and environmental problems. However, the utilization of the living organism may present several issues, such as an inconsistency in the results obtained and more complicated management and application, as fungal species are highly influenced by environmental conditions, the type of relationship with the plant host and interaction with other microorganisms. These issues could be addressed by using the bioactive compounds produced by the fungus, in cases where they were responsible for positive effects, instead of the living organism. Multiple bioactive compounds produced by fungal species, especially endophytes, with antifungal properties have been previously reported in the literature. However, despite the large amount of these metabolites and their potential, extensive in-field application on a large scale has not yet been implemented. In the present review, the main aspects explaining this limited implementation are analyzed, and the present and future perspectives for its development are discussed.

On Ultra-High Dilutions: Global Effects Caused by Minimal Quantities

Introduction: The role played by minimum quantities, generating large scale effects, and even of catastrophic consequence, is very commonly observed in many areas of science. In Physics, for example, the doping of impurities in materials like silicon (as low as one atom per billion) results in spectacular semiconductor properties. In Biology, the effects of pheromones produced by insects and other animals are so dramatic that females of the emperor moth can attract mating males from kilometers away. And, concerning human health, severe body reactions may occur following the ingestion of very diminutive quantity of some allergic food. In this paper, the question of how Nature provides mechanisms for developing such dramatic and many times unexpected results, from very faint stimulus, will be proposed and discussed. In particular, a model for the controversial issue of how homeopathic remedies can influence and impose organic responses will also be addressed. This model particularly rely on the here named infotrans mechanism, which is based on a type of resonant property that may induce living organisms to promptly over-react after a pseudo environmental aggression. Finally, arguments will be provided to demonstrate that water, mainly due to its very high dielectric constant, can be considered a very good mediator for the infotrans. The Role of Water in Important Biological Mechanisms: Assuming that water molecules can indeed rearrange themselves to form larger clusters, it is reasonable to accept that different external excitations might induce these structures to assemble in distinctive ways. As matter of fact, experimental evidences already exist in literature showing that ultra-high dilutions of different substances, when compared to pure water, do exhibit relevant physico-chemical differences. More recently, investigations have shown that water plays a crucial role in biological systems such as the protein folding process or the twisting of DNA helixes. Thus, it is reasonable to accept that water, having the possibly of structuring itself in an almost endless variety of ways, it will impact in a unique and own peculiar way the individual cells and even entire organs. That is, the codified information related to the specific architecture of the water cluster, in result to previous stimulus (infotrans), will be passed on to the living organism through the nervous system and induce, in consequence, a prompt reaction. The specific type of response commanded by the mind, after detecting a particular infotrans, will depend on the array of experiences the living being had previously undergone. In some circumstances, however, the mind may mistake the information received from the nervous system, treating a harmless organic process as a dangerous attack. In this situation the overall body reaction can be very dramatic, as the reported cases of children that had to be hospitalized in serious health conditions (even with some fatal occurrences) after the ingestion of only residual amounts of allergic foods like peanut, wheat and milk. The Transfer of Information (InfoTrans) and the Placebo Effect: Interestingly, the mechanism of infotrans is much more extensive and does not restrict itself to transference of information by material means. All our five senses are channels that bring information to the mind and which might cause global body reactions. The picture of a grotesque insect, for example, may induce a sensitive (entomophobic) person to sweat, feel dizzy and, sometimes, even trigger severe emotional reactions like panic and terror. Moreover, different persons that listen to a playing music are observed to react in different ways. Of course, it is not the music being played that causes, by itself, these reactions. What happens is that each individual’s mind will process the same stimulus (the music) differently, based on the various situations experienced throughout the person’s existences, and which had been stored in his sub-conscience. To finalize, it is not difficult to conclude, from the discussion above, that the ‘placebo effect’ can be easily understood in terms of the here proposed infotrans mechanism. By accepting the suggestion from any health personnel, and/or truly believing that a prescribed healing procedure will be effective, the mind eventually triggers many sorts of organic reactions that turn out to be efficient enough to resolve a person’s medical problem. Conclusions: In this work the mechanism of infotrans (transferred information) is proposed as an explanation of how homeopathic remedies are very successful in restoring people’s health. It is based on the innumerous experiences a person has undergone throughout his lives and which have been imprinted in his sub-conscience. After receiving the information from an homeopathic preparation (codified by the way the water clusters structured themselves), if the corresponding infotrans does resonate with some archetypal experience the patient has stored in his sub-conscience (related to an ancient case in which he had suffered a type of illness which has caused the same kind of symptoms he is now experiencing), his defensive immune system will automatically receive from the mind a command to counterattack the (hypothetical) aggression by strongly intensifying the defensive measurements already on course and/or initiating new ones.

Analysis of the H-Ras mobility pattern in vivo shows cellular heterogeneity inside epidermal tissue

Developments in single-molecule microscopy (SMM) have enabled imaging individual proteins in biological systems, focusing on the analysis of protein mobility patterns inside cultured cells. In the present study, SMM was applied in vivo, using the zebrafish embryo model. We studied dynamics of the membrane protein H-Ras, its membrane-anchoring domain, C10H-Ras, and mutants, using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM). Our results consistently confirm the presence of fast- and slow-diffusing subpopulations of molecules, which confine to microdomains within the plasma membrane. The active mutant H-RasV12 exhibits higher diffusion rates and is confined to larger domains than the wild-type H-Ras and its inactive mutant H-RasN17. Subsequently, we demonstrate that the structure and composition of the plasma membrane have an imperative role in modulating H-Ras mobility patterns. Ultimately, we establish that differences between cells within the same embryo largely contribute to the overall data variability. Our findings agree with a model where the cell architecture and the protein activation state determine protein mobility, underlining the importance of SMM imaging to study factors influencing protein dynamics in an intact living organism.

A human body as an energy source

The article deals with the actual problems of using the energy released by the human body. The question arises how much energy can the human body generate? Is it possible to use this energy for domestic and industrial needs? In the 18th and 19th centuries, the first scientific works on this topic appeared. It turned out that the charge carriers in the proteins of a living organism are protons and electrons, which, together with the electron-hole conduction system, create a single conductivity inherent only in a living organism. The electrical activity of the brain is assessed by voltage pulses with an amplitude of 500 μV of various frequencies from 0.5 to 55 Hz. It is impossible to receive pulses with such a frequency and such an amplitude from only ionic-type charge carriers. Electrochemical current sources are inertial; therefore, this fact can be direct evidence of the presence of electronic movement of charge carriers in the brain and the nervous system as a whole. It is quite realistic to use the thermal energy of the human body. Currently, the central building of the Stockholm railway station has been turned into a kind of experimental testing ground. Every day about 250 thousand people pass through the station building, who emit up to 25 MW of thermal energy. Most of it in the form of heated air is collected in ventilation and through heat exchangers energy is transferred to heat water in the heating system of another building. According to rough estimates, the efficiency of such a system can save up to 25% of the energy spent on heating the building. Inside a person, electric currents of various frequencies are generated in 7 biological power plants: in the heart, in the brain and in the five sense organs. All the electricity that is generated inside the human body is absorbed by its own tissues. Not a single electron produced inside a living organism leaves the human body, and does not pass into the environment, but is absorbed by the skin. This is the reason for the closure of the human electrical system. The body itself absorbs all the electricity that it previously produced. The energy generated by the human body is divided into mechanical, thermal, and electrical. The thermal energy of the human body can be used most effectively. Mechanical energy can also be used, but with much less efficiency. The electrical energy of the human body at this stage in the development of science and technology is practically impossible to use. Its use is likely to become real in the very distant future

Levels of glutathione-related antioxidants in some tissues of stressed Wistar rats

Objectives: Oxidative stress (OS)-related pathologic conditions in the tissues of living organism have been linked to exposure to stressful events within the environment. This study examined the impact of different kinds of stress exposure on glutathione (GSH)-related antioxidants. The effect of stress was examined using comparative levels of GSH, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in female Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty-eight adult female Wistar rats with body weights ranging between 150 and 200 g, were used for the study. The animals were distributed into 28 groups of six animals each. The experimental animals were routinely exposed to three different stressors; restraint chamber test, mirror chamber test and intruder chamber test for a duration of 1, 3 or 5 h per day for 1, 2 and 3 weeks, respectively. All animals were allowed free access to food (rat chaws), with water ad libitum. Animals were euthanise through cervical dislocation after the experimental period and the different target tissues were carefully harvested and homogenised for antioxidant estimation following standard procedure. Data obtained were statistically analysed and values expressed as mean ± standard error of mean and P < 0.05 level was considered as statistically significant. Results: Findings from this study elucidated the fact that exposure to stress is capable of causing marked OS and reducing GSH-based antioxidant activities in Wistar rats. A decline in the GSH level and GPx activity as observed in the study is an indication of alterations of kidney and brain tissue cellular integrity by free radicals generated during exposure to the stressors, while the observed significant increase in GST activity level in the affected tissues indicates compromised rapid exhaustion of the cellular system. Conclusion: Hence, we conclude that stress of different nature, intensity and duration can alter the levels of GSH-related antioxidants, especially in the kidney, ovary and brain tissues of stressed Wistar rats. The GSH levels in liver tissues were observed not to have changed significantly despite the oxidative damage caused by the stressors.

The Corporal-oriented approach to Education: a Turn towards the Whole Person

Recent anthropological studies consider the corporal experience as an indispensable attribute of a person’s life world. They declare to go beyond the dichotomy of body and mind and present a modern person as a complex integrity of all systems and characteristics of a living organism. Body and mind are a union of vitality with different forms of their manifestation. The corporal is not regarded as an essential complement to the mental, the corporal is the mental, just in a different form of its manifestation. The implementation of a methodological turn from a rationalcognitive approach to a holistic understanding of human nature and the peculiarities of cognitive processes outlines the problem of education transformation in both theoretical and practical terms. Taking into account the complexity and multiplicity of tasks in solving this problem, the guideline in defining conceptual ideas is the understanding of a person as a multi-temporal being who lives simultaneously in multiple hierarchical levels, ontological time and the scale of processes. It is a question of necessity to construct educational activity in semantic planes: mindbody- culture, mind-body-activity, body-consciousness-reaction and others.

Metaphase-Based Cytogenetic Approach Identifies Radiation-Induced Chromosome and Chromatid Aberrations in Zebrafish Embryos

Metaphase-based cytogenetic methods based on scoring of chromosome aberrations for the estimation of the radiation dose received provide a powerful approach for evaluating the associated risk upon radiation exposure and form the bulk of our current knowledge of radiation-induced chromosome damages. They mainly rely on inducing quiescent peripheral lymphocytes into proliferation and blocking them at metaphases to quantify the damages at the chromosome level. However, human organs and tissues demonstrate various sensitivity towards radiation and within them, self-proliferating progenitor/stem cells are believed to be the most sensitive populations. The radiation-induced chromosome aberrations in these cells remain largely unknown, especially in the context of an intact living organism. Zebrafish is an ideal animal model for research into this aspect due to their small size and the large quantities of progenitor cells present during the embryonic stages. In this study, we employ a novel metaphase-based cytogenetic approach on zebrafish embryos and demonstrate that chromosome-type and chromatid-type aberrations could be identified in progenitor cells at different cell-cycle stages at the point of radiation exposure. Our work positions zebrafish at the forefront as a useful animal model for studying radiation-induced chromosome structural changes in vivo.