Changes in Dental Biofilm Proteins' Secondary Structure in Groups of People with Different Cariogenic Situations in the Oral Cavity and Using Medications by Means of Synchrotron FTIR-Microspectroscopy.

This work unveils the idea that the cariogenic status of the oral cavity (the presence of active caries lesions) can be predicted via a lineshape analysis of the infrared spectral signatures of the secondary structure of proteins in dental biofilms. These spectral signatures that work as natural markers also show strong sensitivity to the application in patients of a so-called modulator-a medicinal agent (a pelleted mineral complex with calcium glycerophosphate). For the first time, according to our knowledge, in terms of deconvolution of the complete spectral profile of the amide I and amide II bands, significant intra- and intergroup differences were determined in the secondary structure of proteins in the dental biofilm of patients with a healthy oral cavity and with a carious pathology. This allowed to conduct a mathematical assessment of the spectral shifts in proteins' secondary structure in connection with the cariogenic situation in the oral cavity and with an external modulation. It was shown that only for the component parallel ß-strands in the amide profile of the biofilm, a statistically significant (p < 0.05) change in its percentage weight (composition) was registered in a cariogenic situation (presence of active caries lesions). Note that no significant differences were detected in a normal situation (control) and in the presence of a carious pathology before and after the application of the modulator. The change in the frequency and percentage weight of parallel ß-strands in the spectra of dental biofilms proved to be the result of the presence of cariogenic mutans streptococci in the film as well as of the products of their metabolism-glucan polymers. We foresee that the results presented here can inherently provide the basis for the infrared spectral diagnosis of changes (shifts) in the oral microbiome driven by the development of the carious process in the oral cavity as well as for the choice of optimal therapeutic treatments of caries based on microbiome-directed prevention measures.

Effects of climate and land-use changes on fish catches across lakes at a global scale.

Globally, our knowledge on lake fisheries is still limited despite their importance to food security and livelihoods. Here we show that fish catches can respond either positively or negatively to climate and land-use changes, by analyzing time-series data (1970-2014) for 31 lakes across five continents. We find that effects of a climate or land-use driver (e.g., air temperature) on lake environment could be relatively consistent in directions, but consequential changes in a lake-environmental factor (e.g., water temperature) could result in either increases or decreases in fish catch in a given lake. A subsequent correlation analysis indicates that reductions in fish catch was less likely to occur in response to potential climate and land-use changes if a lake is located in a region with greater access to clean water. This finding suggests that adequate investments for water-quality protection and water-use efficiency can provide additional benefits to lake fisheries and food security.

Immobilization of inulinase on KU-2 ion-exchange resin matrix.

We develop a technique for the sorption of inulinase from Kluyveromyces marxianus on the KU-2 matrix cation-exchanger. The most appropriate conditions for immobilization are: 25 °C, pH 4.5, incubation time 1.5 h, protein content during immobilization 10 mg/g of carrier. At higher (20-100 mg/g) concentrations, inulinase forms local high-concentration domains on the ion-exchanger surface, the enzyme is adsorbed on the protein, not on the carrier. 62% of the initial catalytic activity of inulinase is immobilized on KU-2 by the adsorption method. Upon the enzyme immobilization on KU-2, the number of unordered structures in the protein is reduced by ~10%, that points to the compaction of the molecule. Hydrogen bonds are formed only between the sulfo groups of carrier and the protein molecule, without affecting other structures of the cation exchanger. The highest activity of the inulinase immobilized on KU-2 was observed at 70 °C (cf. 50 °C for the native enzyme). Heating of the solution for 60 min in the temperature range of 50-80 °C failed to inactivate completely the immobilized enzyme; the complete loss of its ability to hydrolyze inulin was achieved only after more than 1 h incubation at 90 °C.

Hydrocarbon products and their derivatives in fish of the Pechora River, North-Eastern European Russia.

Analysis of one of the major surface oil spill consequences, which took place in 1994 on the territory of the Pechora River (Russia) catchment area, was carried out. Data on hydrocarbon products and their derivatives concentrations in muscle and liver tissues of several fish species living in the Pechora's Delta and the river tributaries were obtained. Comparative analysis of OCCs, PCBs and PAHs concentrations in 1997 and 2008 showed that levels of all examined pollutants in fish tissues are very low. At the same time, in 2008 OCCs and PCBs concentrations in fish were lower compared to 1997, except for PAHs concentrations in Pechora Delta whitefish, which demonstrate the opposite tendency in relation to two compounds for the last 11 years.