Shanshan An

Microbial Cells Harboring a Mitochondrial Gene Are Capable of CO2 Capture

Global warming is escalating with increased temperatures reported worldwide. Given the enormous land mass on the planet, biological capture of CO2 remains a viable approach to mitigate the crisis as it is economical and easy to implement. In this study, a gene capable of CO2 capture was identified via selection in minimal media. This mitochondrial gene named as OG1 encodes the OK/SW-CL.16 protein and shares homology with cytochrome oxidase subunit III of various species and PII uridylyl-transferase from Loktanella vestfoldensis SKA53. CO2 capture experiments indicate that δ13C was substantially higher in the cells harboring the gene OG1 than the control in the nutrition-poor media. This study suggests that CO2 capture using engineered microorganisms in barren land can be exploited to address the soaring CO2 level in the atmosphere, opening up vast land resources to cope with global warming.

How to choose medicinally more valuable yogurt products for the prevention of heart disease and colorectal cancer

Yogurt is rich in essential amino acids. Numerous virulence factors in highly pathogenic viruses are rich in one or more particular essential amino acids, which may be crucial in their pathogenicity. Food sweeteners such as sugar increase glycogenesis and gluconeogenesis, increasing the generation of oxaloacetate and eventually oxalate. Calcium oxalate has been proposed as one of the major causative factors of heart disease. Diluted yogurt free of sugar additives reduces the risk of heart disease via the effects of lactic acid. It also helps to establish a microbiota in the gut that is beneficial in the prevention of colorectal cancer. Chinese vinegar factories have reported a near-absence of cases of cancer over long periods of time; the few reported cases of cancer were found in factories where the workers had long lifespans or developed less-severe forms of malignancies than workers elsewhere. This suggests that using weak acids such as acetic or lactic acid in a number of different ways, such as bathing the feet in a footbath of dilute acetic acid, may prolong lives and reduce mortality by counteracting the effects of strong acids and/or calcium oxalate. This strategy minimizes the financial burdens of patients with cancer or heart disease and opens up new avenues for the treatment of disease.

The intake of potassium-rich food by the potassium-requiring heart disease patients and potential mechanism

Potassium ions are essential for the homeostasis of living cells. Potassium deficiency and excess can lead to various diseases. The absorption of dietary potassium increases serum potassium levels, shifting potassium from outside to intracellular compartments and enhancing potassium excretion by the kidneys. Lower or higher than normal potassium levels in the human body exacerbate the condition of heart disease patients. Diarrheal can lead to low potassium levels in affected individuals, which might result in an increased build-up of calcium oxalate. This is due to the fact that potassium oxalate is soluble in water and may counteract the above process by competing in the formation of some soluble monovalent and insoluble divalent cation/oxalate salts. The insoluble and rigid calcium oxalate has been proposed to be one of the major causes of heart disease, since the intake of the structurally similar compounds ethanol and acetic acid relieves cardiovascular disease and extends lifespan. Oxalate is produced from the shunt of the Krebs cycle and other metabolic pathways. It has modest median lethal doses in animals. Being structurally similar to oxalate, glycolic acid is widely used in skincare products to remove agerelated wrinkles. Foods rich in potassium include tomatoes, beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, peanuts, spinach, and so on. The weak organic acids in a plant-based diet also help dissolve calcium oxalate and further enhance the beneficial effects. Other conditions can also lead to the reduction of potassium levels in humans, such as the use of diuretics. In conclusion, the intake of potassium-rich fruits and vegetables should be modest for a period of several days. Patients should consult a doctor when discomfort appears. Excessive intake of potassium should be avoided, as adverse reactions may appear. The antagonism of insoluble calcium oxalate by potassium warrants future investigation. Author contributions

Tapping the resources of Tibetan medicine for the prevention of heart disease

Plants and fungi growing in high plateau regions have to cope with harsh environmental conditions (e.g. low oxygen levels, low atmospheric pressures and freezing temperatures). Some plants and fungi have developed elaborate mechanisms to counteract the potential overdrive or shunting of the Krebs cycle at very low temperatures, minimizing the generation of oxalate and reducing cellular damage. Calcium oxalate has been proposed as a causal factor in heart disease. Other evolved compounds in these plants and fungi may antagonize low oxygen levels and low atmospheric pressures and are valuable in Tibetan medicine. Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Cordyceps sinensis), for example, is an entomopathogenic fungus with diverse functions, including antiarrhythmic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue and anticancer properties. It contains about 7% cordycepic acid, which helps to dissolve insoluble and solid calcium oxalate, and can be used to treat myocardial infarction. It also contains biogenic amines and other compounds of medicinal value that display physiological functions. Some alpine plants and fungi therefore have unique attributes and can be harnessed for medicinal purposes, although heavy metals and perhaps some other compounds or molecules carried by them are of concern in human consumption.

Recovery at low altitude regions of patients from high altitude neighbourhood

Mountain sickness patients often experience heart problems as low oxygen and low atmospheric pressure collectively generate stresses to the body. Low oxygen reduces the activity of the respiratory chain and builds up protons and oxalate from the normally ongoing Krebs cycle or the shunt of the Krebs cycle. Oxalate has been proposed as one of the major causes of heart disease. Low atmospheric pressure triggers cell volume increases and cell swelling, reducing blood flow and further reducing oxygen supply to the cells. In principle, heart disease patients can experience cell volume decreases and relieved cell swelling when they move from high altitude places to low altitude regions, which helps the recovery of disease sufferers. A warm neighbourhood is beneficial to patients in general, whereas non-humid areas are preferred for rheumatic heart disease patients.

Oxygen inhalation of heart disease patients at home

Many heart disease patients experience tight chest or breathing difficulties in summer or in winter in houses with heating, when the carbon dioxide level may be increased in the ground level. The use of oxygenerator and oxygen inhalation by patients can be beneficial to relieve the symptoms as respiratory chain activity is back to normal with the supply of oxygen, consequently there is no build-up of oxalate or protons from the ongoing Krebs cycle or the shunt of the Krebs cycle. The accumulation of oxalate has been proposed as one of the major causes of heart disease. The build-up of protons can increase cell volumes and lead to cell swelling, blocking oxygen supply and generating stresses in the heart. As the price of oxygenators goes down, heart disease patients will have one additional option to cope with tight chest at home without medical aid being on standby.

How to best use acetic acid for the prevention of heart disease and cancer

It has been reported previously that numerous Chinese vinegar factories have shown a near-absence of cases of cancer over a number of decades. Vinegar has also been reported to have preventive effects on cardiovascular diseases. Acetic acid counteracts strong acids, such as HCl, which is postulated to underlie carcinogenesis. It also inhibits the generation of oxalate, a potential causative molecule of heart disease in the form of calcium salts. Therefore acetic acid boasts dual preventive functions for both cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Food-grade vinegar contains NaCl, which cancels out some positive effects of acetic acid because it may give rise to HCl. A dilute acetic acid solution free of salts yields favourable effects. Soaking your feet in a foot-bath containing a solution of acetic acid enables the body to absorb the weak acid. Smearing the highly diluted acid on some parts of the skin also allows entry into cells. Opening a bottle of acetic acid or vinegar indoors for long periods of time results in evaporation because acetic acid is volatile and it can then be absorbed via the lungs and nasal cavities. Commercially available beverages with dilute acetic acid may also be beneficial. However, people with stomach problems should be cautious in consuming acetic acid beverages. Clinical trials should be conducted to confirm the favourable effects of this remarkable molecule.

The gut microbiota and heart disease prevention

Dear Sirs, The insoluble and rigid salt calcium oxalate was proposed as one of the major causes of heart disease. Being structurally similar to oxalate, ethanol and acetic acid extend lifespans. The gut microbiota produces short chain fatty acids. Jie et al. reported lower levels of propionic acid and butyric acid in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease patients. With structural similarity to oxalate or oxaloacetate, acetate can inhibit oxaloacetate hydrolase or its modest homologues with similar function and the generation of oxalate and butyrate may be capable of inhibiting pyruvate carboxylase in the first step of gluconeogenesis and the biogenesis of oxaloacetate. The beneficial gut bacteria can overproduce acetate or butyrate and so on to ultimately counteract the buildup of oxalate, thus benefiting the human host. The weak acids also antagonize the local formation of strong acids, and reduce cancer risks. Therefore, introducing a beneficial gut microbiota is favorable for patients with cardiovascular diseases.

How to prevent secondary infections by bacteria in heart disease patients

Dear Sirs, Some viral virulence factors are capable of lysing human cells and releasing nutrients which allow bacterial growth and spawn secondary infections. Carbohydrate diet or intermittent fasting do not give rise to essential amino acids or nutrients respectively, consequently the dietary regimens may reduce the risks of secondary bacterial infections. Drugs enhancing autophagy help recycle protein wastes and reduce cell debris, and are beneficial to the patient to curb secondary infections. The use of antibiotics or cocktails of antibiotics is necessary when the situation becomes dire. Infections may increase the levels of oxalate or calcium oxalate, which worsen the conditions of heart disease patients. Excessive intake of valine, glycine and basic amino acids needs to be avoided as they augment the buildup of oxalate or calcium oxalate. These protein building blocks are either essential or semi-essential amino acids, whose intake can be minimized by the aforementioned dietary regimens.

How to design non-essential amino acid-based diet for rheumatic heart disease patients

Dear Sirs, Reported risk factors for rheumatic heart disease include bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II, glucokinase, interleukin 10 and brain natriuretic peptide. These proteins possess over 5% certain amino acids with potent hydrogen bonding, including asparagine, glutamine, serine, proline, threonine, et cetera. This feature enables hydrogen bonding of amino acid residues with water and protons as well as other substances. Potent hydrogen bonding also promotes the manifestation of disease symptoms, such as hypersensitivity to high humidity, heart pain and breathing difficulties. Cell volume changes and cell swelling are triggered by water influx into the cells and cause breathing and heart problems. As these amino acids are non-essential, alternative strategies are required to treat the disorder. Non-essential amino acid-based diet with supplement of vitamins can be formulated, excluding asparagine, glutamine, serine, proline, threonine and isoleucine. It is preferable for the diet to be taken for a short period of time. Transient low expression of risk factors alleviates the disease symptoms at least temporarily after long-term buildup of pathogenic factors or oxalate in the patients. Methionine, an essential amino acid, is excluded from the formula as its metabolite homocysteine is associated with atherosclerosis, a major cause of coronary heart disease. To further enhance the effects of the aforementioned diet, short chain organic acids, such as acetic acid, lactic acid, butyric acid, can be supplemented to potentially partially inhibit the biogenesis of certain non-essential amino acids in vivo via their structural similarities to metabolic intermediates. The risk factors mentioned above also possess high basic amino acid content, augmenting the traffic of negatively charged oxalate, which is proposed as one of the major causes of heart disease. Therefore, lysine, arginine and histidine are excluded from the diet. Animal experiments and clinical trials should be first conducted to confirm the efficacy of the regimen. A teaspoon of sugar may be provided to increase the palatability of the regimen. Parenteral formulation can be designed to deliver the necessary nutrients to the patients via injections.