Consumption of Water Similar to Martian Water in Terms of Deuterium Content by Mammals Leads to the Development of an Adaptation Syndrome and Activation of Protective Mechanisms Against Stress.

The purpose of this work was to study the influence of new synthesized organotellurium compounds (TOCs) on the intensity of oxidative processes in the body of mammals – in this case, the blood and liver of rats.The experiments were performed on white outbred rats, which were given a single dose of various TOC derivatives (0.01 g/kg). The next day, the animals were decapitated, blood was collected and the liver was isolated. The content of products of oxidative modification of lipids and proteins, as well as the low molecular weight antioxidant glutathione, was determined in blood plasma, erythrocytes and liver homogenate.It was found that all TOC derivatives studied significantly increase the intensity of lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes and hepatocytes, as evidenced by a multiple increase in the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in them. At the same time, TOC suppresses the levels of oxidative damage to liver proteins, which is expressed in a significant decrease in the content of carbonyl groups. A study of glutathione content in the rat erythrocytes showed the absence of any significant effects of TOS on this antioxidant in erythrocytes.However, changes in its concentration were found in the liver, which depend on the nature of TOS (for TOS1 and TOS3 a decrease and for TOS2 a slight increase). Newly synthesized TOC demonstrate pronounced prooxidant properties, significantly increasing the intensity of oxidative processes in lipids, which makes them promising agents for antibacterial, antiviral and antitumor therapy.

The activity of the main enzymes of antioxidant defense: peroxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase and the content of TBA-active compounds as indicators of lipid peroxidation in cells of oxidative stress in shoots of dominant epigeal moss species of forest ecosystems of the Ukrainian Roztochia Atrichum undulatum (Hedw.) P. Beauv. and Plagiomnium elatum (Bruch & Schimp.) T.J. Kop. depending on the environmental conditions of the growing sites were investigated. The experimental areas from which moss samples were taken differed in water, temperature regimes, and light intensity: the zone of complete preservation of old-growth beech forests of the Roztochia Nature Reserve, the 40-year-old logging area of the Stradchiv Forestry Combine, and the Vereshchytsia stationary recreation area of the Yavoriv National Nature Park. Under unfavorable conditions of hydrothermal regime and high insolation of anthropogenically disturbed areas of forest ecosystems, compared to the zone of complete conservation, the activity of enzymes and the content of TBA-active compounds increased in the cells of dominant moss species Atrichum undulatum and Plagiomnium еlatum, which indicates the activation of protective mechanisms and increased resistance of mosses to environmental stress factors. It was found that the activity of antioxidant enzymes depends on the species characteristics of the studied mosses, and it is significantly higher for Atrichum undulatum, which turned out to be more resistant to abiotic stress factors, in particular, unfavorable temperature and water conditions, which indicates a high level of antioxidant protection and the ability of plants to effectively neutralize reactive oxygen species. The results obtained indicate that changes in enzyme activity and the content of TBA-active products in the gametophyte of mosses largely depend on microclimatic conditions of the habitat and are a manifestation of protective reactions of bryophytes to the influence of unfavorable environmental factors. It was noted that peroxidation processes and the level of antioxidant activity are interconnected and are an important indicator of the impact of various factors, in particular water deficit and increased insolation, on plants.

As was found in our previous works, when Nafion swells in water, polymer fibers unwind into the bulk of the surrounding liquid. This effect is controlled by the content of deuterium in water. Here, we present the results of studying the dynamics of methylene blue (MB) adsorption on the Nafion surface for MB solutions based on natural water (deuterium content is 157 ppm, the unwinding effect occurs) and based on deuterium-depleted water (DDW; deuterium content is 3 ppm, there is no unwinding). In addition, we studied the dynamics of water desorption during drying of the Nafion polymer membrane after soaking in MB solution based on natural water and DDW. It turned out that in the case of natural water, the rate of MB adsorption and water desorption is higher than in the case of DDW. It also turned out that the amount of MB adsorbed on the membrane in the case of natural water is greater than in the case of DDW. Finally, it was found that the desorption of water during drying is accompanied by a rearrangement of the absorption spectrum of Nafion. This rearrangement occurs earlier in the case of DDW. Thus, by infinitesimal changes in the deuterium content (from 3 to 157 ppm) in an aqueous solution, in which a polymer membrane swells, we can control the dynamics of adsorption and desorption processes. A qualitative model, which connects the observed effects with the slowing down of diffusion processes inside the layer of unwound fibers, is proposed.

Ultraviolet-B radiation (biologically effective dose 2.6 kJ m-2 d-1) had negative influence on morphology and physiology of the young triticale plants. Plants exposed to UV-B were of lower height than control plants, their leaves were narrow, and the rate of net photosynthesis was decreased. The line RAH 336, which wax cover is lesser than that of traditional cultivar Magnat, was more susceptible to UV-B radiation, considering primary photosynthesis reactions, recorded by chlorophyll a fluorescence. An activation of protective mechanisms was observed: plants responded to UV-B by an increase of the content of UV-B absorbing compounds, and changes of antioxidant enzyme activities.

The paper describes the experiments with the irradiation in the near UV range of a swollen surface of Nafion polymer membrane in the grazing-incidence pumping geometry. The pump radiation caused a photoluminescence from the Nafion interface in a certain spectral range. The photoluminescence signal proved to be an important parameter for describing the swelling of the polymer in water. It is shown that luminescence is generated due to the presence of sulfonic groups, anchored to the ends of the perfluorovinyl ether groups forming a tetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) base. The dynamics of Nafion swelling was studied depending on the content of deuterium in water. In the case where the polymer is swollen in water with different deuterium content, isotopic effects appeared to be largely manifested.

Chapter 5 - Natural Abundance 2H-NMR Spectroscopy. Application to Food Analysis

Acclimatory responses in enzymatic activity and metabolite concentrations in the tropical scorpion Heterometrus fulvipes

Environmental metabolomics is an emerging field that is promoting new understanding in how organisms respond to and interact with the environment and each other at the biochemical level. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is one of several technologies, including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), with considerable promise for such studies. Advantages of NMR are that it is suitable for untargeted analyses, provides structural information and spectra can be queried in quantitative and statistical manners against recently available databases of individual metabolite spectra. In addition, NMR spectral data can be combined with data from other omics levels (e.g. transcriptomics, genomics) to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the physiological responses of taxa to each other and the environment. However, NMR is less sensitive than other metabolomic techniques, making it difficult to apply to natural microbial systems where sample populations can be low-density and metabolite concentrations low compared to metabolites from well-defined and readily extractable sources such as whole tissues, biofluids or cell-cultures. Consequently, the few direct environmental metabolomic studies of microbes performed to date have been limited to culture-based or easily defined high-density ecosystems such as host-symbiont systems, constructed co-cultures or manipulations of the gut environment where stable isotope labeling can be additionally used to enhance NMR signals. Methods that facilitate the concentration and collection of environmental metabolites at concentrations suitable for NMR are lacking. Since recent attention has been given to the environmental metabolomics of organisms within the aquatic environment, where much of the energy and material flow is mediated by the planktonic community, we have developed a method for the concentration and extraction of whole-community metabolites from planktonic microbial systems by filtration. Commercially available hydrophilic poly-1,1-difluoroethene (PVDF) filters are specially treated to completely remove extractables, which can otherwise appear as contaminants in subsequent analyses. These treated filters are then used to filter environmental or experimental samples of interest. Filters containing the wet sample material are lyophilized and aqueous-soluble metabolites are extracted directly for conventional NMR spectroscopy using a standardized potassium phosphate extraction buffer. Data derived from these methods can be analyzed statistically to identify meaningful patterns, or integrated with other omics levels for comprehensive understanding of community and ecosystem function.

The increase in technogenic load on agroecosystems, particularly the contamination of the feed base with heavy metals, represents a significant risk to the health and productivity of young cattle. Lead and cadmium, accumulating in feeds, can disrupt hematopoiesis, immune reactivity, protein and enzymatic metabolism, which is reflected in changes in morphological and biochemical blood parameters. Therefore, assessment of the hematological and biochemical blood profile of young cattle kept in areas with different levels of technogenic load is an informative approach for the early detection of functional disorders and justification of preventive measures. The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of morphological and biochemical blood parameters of young cattle kept in different zones of technogenic load and to evaluate their relationship with the functional state of the hematopoietic system, immune defense, and liver. The study was conducted at the facilities of the agricultural cooperatives “Nyva” and “Ukraina” in the Rivne region. A high content of lead and cadmium in feeds was detected at “Ukraina”, with different accumulation intensities depending on feed type: the highest cadmium levels were found in grain and concentrated feeds (exceeding the maximum permissible levels by 1.23–1.39 times), whereas lead predominantly accumulated in succulent feeds and green forage (exceeding the MPL by 69.2–79.1 %). Black-and-white breed bull calves were selected for the experiment considering age and live weight (n = 10 in each group). In stabilized blood, hemoglobin content and the number of erythrocytes and leukocytes were determined using a Mythic-18 hematology analyzer. In blood serum, total protein, protein fractions, and aminotransferase activity were assessed according to the method of Vlislo V. (2012). In young cattle kept under conditions of increased technogenic load (“Ukraina”), compared with animals from “Nyva”, a decrease in erythrocyte count by 7.4% and hemoglobin concentration by 7.1 % was observed, indicating suppression of erythropoiesis and reduced oxygen-transport function of the blood under technogenic stress. The leukocyte count was higher by 13.5 %, which may indicate immune system tension and activation of protective mechanisms in response to environmental stress. Protein metabolism parameters were characterized by a decrease in serum total protein concentration by 5.9 % and a reduction in albumin fraction by 5.7 %, reflecting impairment of the protein-synthesizing function of the liver. At the same time, an increase in the γ-globulin fraction by 8.6 % was noted, indicating activation of the humoral immune response. Aminotransferase activity in the blood of animals from “Ukraina” was significantly higher than in cattle from “Nyva”: AST activity increased by 9.1 % and ALT by 11.9 %, indicating functional liver strain and intensification of metabolic processes under technogenic load. Keeping young cattle in areas with increased technogenic load is associated with reduced erythrocyte indices and protein metabolism markers, increased leukocyte count and γ-globulin fraction, as well as elevated aminotransferase activity, which together reflect the development of adaptive-compensatory responses and functional liver stress. The obtained data substantiate the expediency of regular hematological and biochemical monitoring of young cattle in technogenically loaded areas.

Bronchial asthma is a serious problem of pediatric pulmonology. The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial obstruction during the period of exacerbation of the disease. Therefore, the concentration of VIP in the serum of children with asthma has important clinical significance. <b>Objective:</b> to evaluate the role of VIP in the pathogenesis of bronchial obstruction in children with asthma. <b>Materials and methods:</b> 30 patients (aged 5 to 18 years) with asthma were examined. The control group consisted of 30 children. All patients underwent a comprehensive clinical examination. The content of VIP in blood plasma were determined using the test system EIA for VIP Penisula Laboratories, USA. <b>Results:</b> It was found that the concentration of VIP in the serum at patients with asthma in the period of exacerbation of the disease (110,60±11,89 nmol/l) significantly higher than children in the control group (53,26±16,08 nmol/l) [p=0,016]. Moreover, the concentration of VIP in serum increased depending on the severity of asthma: concentration of VIP in the blood in patients with a light attack of asthma was 88,81±31,14 nmol/l, with moderate - 100,27±16,27 nmol/l, severe - 107,34±22,70 nmol/L. Taking into account the fact that VIP has endogenous bronchodilator action, it can be assumed that the increase of its concentration indicates of mobilization of body defenses aimed at relief of bronchial obstruction in children with asthma. <b>Conclusion:</b> the increased concentration of VIP in the serum of children with asthma indicates the activation of protective mechanisms in the period of exacerbation.

In this paper are submitted data on longevity factors and mountain water in factorial research of phenomenon of longevity in mountainious and field areas of Bulgaria. The dependence was established among various internal and external factors on a phenomenon of longevity - residence area, health status, gender and heredity. It was shown that water is among the most important factors for longevity. Natural waters derived from various Bulgarian water springs were investigated by non-equilibrium energy (NES) and differential non-equilibrium energy spectrum of water (DNES) method. The biological effects of water with varrying content of deuterium are also discussed. It was shown, that the increased content of deuterium leads to physiological, morphological and cytology alterations of the cell, and also renders negative influence on cellular metabolism, while deuterium depleted water with reduced deuterium content on 20-30 % has beneficial effects on health. By using IR-spectroscopy were investigated various samples of water with varying contents of deuterium, received from Bulgarian water springs and blood serum of cancer patients as well. As estimation factor was measured the values of the average energy of hydrogen bonds (∆EH...O) among H2O molecules, as well as local maxima in the IR-spectra of various samples of water and human blood serum at -0,1387 eV and wavelength 8,95 μm. For a

The study aims to determine the differences in metabolic parameters in blood serum between asymptomatic animals with small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) and uninfected goats. Pearson correlations were also estimated between biochemical parameters. The study included 26 goats which were divided into SRLV-infected and SRLV-free groups. Blood samples were taken at four points of lactation (days 14, 45, 85, and 240, reflecting perinatal period, early lactation, the peak of lactation, the end of lactation). Hepatic, kidney, bone, cardiac, pancreatic, lipid profiles and CRP concentrations were analyzed. Choline esterase (CHE), calcium (Ca*), creatine kinase (CK), and triglyceride (TRI) levels differed between groups, on day 240 (p≤0.05). Some parameters varied during lactation, with similar patterns observed in both groups. Mainly positive correlations between biochemical parameters were observed in the SRLV-free and SRLV-infected groups both within organ profiles and between them. CRP was not correlated with any biochemical parameters in the SRLV-free group but was negatively correlated with parameters of the liver, kidney, cardiac, and lipid profiles in the SRLV-infected group. The correlations suggest that SRLV may affect the kidneys, liver and heart, even in asymptomatic animals. Some differences were found between asymptomatic SRLV-infected and SRLV-free goats in the last stage of lactation; however, the nature of these changes requires further detailed studies.

Comparison of IRMS and NMR spectrometry for the determination of intramolecular 13C isotope composition: Application to ethanol

Carbon metabolism and the sign of control coefficients in metabolic adaptations underlying K- ras transformation

Aim. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the influence of treatment of partial adentia by means of the dental implantation over the changes in antioxidant-prooxidant balance of oral liquid.Materials and methods. The study was performed on 40 testees divided into 2 groups: the control group (conditionally healthy people) and the test group (patients with adentia of 1-4 teeth). During the initial examination all the testees underwent the sampling of oral liquid. The oral liquid of patients was sampled at three stages of treatment: at the suture release after the dental implantation, at the installation of the healing abutment and at the installation of orthopedic constructions. The concentration of the products of oxidative modifications of biomolecules was determined in oral liquid as well as the state of the system of antioxidant protection.Results. As a result of a study, it was revealed that the antioxidant activity decreased by 20,7% against the background of the increase in intensity of oxidative processes in oral liquid of patients with partial adentia by 1,8 times. During the treatment it was revealed that the tendency of the gradual increase in general antioxidant potential to the control indices and the decrease in oxidative stress in oral liquid took place. The activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in oral liquid of patients of the 2nd group sampled at the initial examination was higher than the control indices by 71,6% and 53,4% respectively. At the second stage of the treatment the activity of superoxide dismutase remained increased by 59,1% while the catalase activity decreased by 2,4 times up to the indices 1,6 times lower than the control indices. At this stage it may be noted that the catalase insufficiency is relative which can lead to the increased concentration of hydrogen peroxide against the background of the increased activity of superoxide dismutase. At the 3rd and the 4th stages of the treatment the catalase activity increased by 25,9% in comparison with the indices of the previous stage of the study while the activity of superoxide dismutase decreased to the control indices. The correlation of changes in enzymatic activity of antioxidant protection was close to one.Conclusion. The imbalance of antioxidant-prooxidant system at early stages of treatment may provoke the complications development that’s why the attention must be paid to the perspectives of possible antioxidant correction. In general, the results of the study proved the absence of negative influence of the material used in the dental implant on metabolic systems of oral liquid.