title: The effects of honey compared with sucrose and a sugar-free diet on neutrophil phagocytosis and lymphocyte numbers after long-term feeding in rats

authors: Chepulis, Lynne Merran

subjects: honey

abstract: To determine whether honey and sucrose would have differential effects on levels of neutrophil phagocytosis after long-term feeding 36 2-month old Sprague Dawley rats were fed a powdered diet that was either sugar-free or contained 7.9% sucrose or 10% honey (honey is 21% water) ad libitum for 52 weeks. The percent of neutrophils exhibiting phagocytosis, and the percentage of leukocytes that were lymphocytes were then measured by flow cytometry after 52 weeks. Results: Neutrophil phagocytosis was similar between sucrose- and honey-fed rats, and lower in rats fed the sugar-free diet (79.2%, 74.7% and 51.7 %, respectively). The percentage of leukocytes that were lymphocytes differed significantly between all three treatments, the levels being highest in honey-fed rats (53% vs 40.1% and 29.5% for sucrose- and sugar-free fed rats). In conclusion: Honey may have a beneficial effect on immune activity, possibly attenuating the decline seen in older age.

text: The effects of honey compared with sucrose and a sugar-free diet on neutrophil phagocytosis and lymphocyte numbers after long-term feeding in rats To determine whether honey and sucrose would have differential effects on levels of neutrophil phagocytosis after long-term feeding 36 2-month old Sprague Dawley rats were fed a powdered diet that was either sugar-free or contained 7.9% sucrose or 10% honey (honey is 21% water) ad libitum for 52 weeks. The percent of neutrophils exhibiting phagocytosis, and the percentage of leukocytes that were lymphocytes were then measured by flow cytometry after 52 weeks. Results: Neutrophil phagocytosis was similar between sucrose- and honey-fed rats, and lower in rats fed the sugar-free diet (79.2%, 74.7% and 51.7 %, respectively). The percentage of leukocytes that were lymphocytes differed significantly between all three treatments, the levels being highest in honey-fed rats (53% vs 40.1% and 29.5% for sucrose- and sugar-free fed rats). In conclusion: Honey may have a beneficial effect on immune activity, possibly attenuating the decline seen in older age.

year: 2007-10

title: Some characteristics of a proteinase from a thermophilic Bacillus sp. expressed in Escherichia coli: comparison with the native enzyme and its processing in E. coli and in vitro.

authors: Peek, Keith

subjects: biology

abstract: Proteinase Ak.1 was produced during the stationary phase of Bacillus sp. Ak.1 cultures. It is a serine proteinase with a pI of 4.0, and the molecular mass was estimated to be 36.9 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The enzyme was stable at 60 and 70 degrees C, with half-lives of 13 h and 19 min at 80 and 90 degrees C, respectively. Maximum proteolytic activity was observed at pH 7.5 with azocasein as a substrate, and the enzyme also cleaved the endoproteinase substrate Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-NH-Np (succinyl-alanyl-alanyl-prolyl-phenylalanine p-nitroanalide). Major cleavage sites of the insulin B chain were identified as Leu-15-Tyr-16, Gln-4-His-5, and Glu-13-Ala-14. The proteinase gene was cloned in Escherichia coli, and expression of the active enzyme was detected in the extracellular medium at 75 degrees C. The enzyme is expressed in E. coli as an inactive proproteinase at 37 degrees C and is converted to the mature enzyme by heating the cell-free media to 60 degrees C or above. The proproteinase was purified to homogeneity and had a pI of 4.3 and a molecular mass of 45 kDa. The NH2-terminal sequence was Ala-Ser-Asn-Asp-Gly-Val-Glu-, showing the exact signal peptide cleavage point. Heating the proenzyme resulted in the production of active proteinase with an NH2-terminal sequence identical to that of the native enzyme. The characteristics of the cloned proteinase were identical to those of the native enzyme.

text: Some characteristics of a proteinase from a thermophilic Bacillus sp. expressed in Escherichia coli: comparison with the native enzyme and its processing in E. coli and in vitro. Proteinase Ak.1 was produced during the stationary phase of Bacillus sp. Ak.1 cultures. It is a serine proteinase with a pI of 4.0, and the molecular mass was estimated to be 36.9 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The enzyme was stable at 60 and 70 degrees C, with half-lives of 13 h and 19 min at 80 and 90 degrees C, respectively. Maximum proteolytic activity was observed at pH 7.5 with azocasein as a substrate, and the enzyme also cleaved the endoproteinase substrate Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-NH-Np (succinyl-alanyl-alanyl-prolyl-phenylalanine p-nitroanalide). Major cleavage sites of the insulin B chain were identified as Leu-15-Tyr-16, Gln-4-His-5, and Glu-13-Ala-14. The proteinase gene was cloned in Escherichia coli, and expression of the active enzyme was detected in the extracellular medium at 75 degrees C. The enzyme is expressed in E. coli as an inactive proproteinase at 37 degrees C and is converted to the mature enzyme by heating the cell-free media to 60 degrees C or above. The proproteinase was purified to homogeneity and had a pI of 4.3 and a molecular mass of 45 kDa. The NH2-terminal sequence was Ala-Ser-Asn-Asp-Gly-Val-Glu-, showing the exact signal peptide cleavage point. Heating the proenzyme resulted in the production of active proteinase with an NH2-terminal sequence identical to that of the native enzyme. The characteristics of the cloned proteinase were identical to those of the native enzyme.

year: 1993

title: Mokena Hou and his wife Rina

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Mokena Hou had a distinguished whakapapa, but as nephew to Hou was subordinate to the latter’s son, Karauna Hou. He was born near the Te Aroha hot pools, and his future wife, Rina, who also had illustrious ancestors, including some Ngati Haua, was born in the same area. Both were affiliated to several hapu. After the Hauraki tribes fled from Ngapuhi in 1821, he would be present at the battle of Taumatawiwi in 1830 (though he did not fight) and participated in a later siege of the Ngati Haua pa at Matamata. During the 1830s and later, he mostly cultivated land and dug gum in the lower Waihou region and as well as cultivating at Te Aroha. 
 After living at Kaitawa before the Thames goldfield opened, nearby, in 1867, he moved to Te Aroha, where he would live continuously, warding off the ambitions of Ngati Haua. When the land court investigated the ownership of blocks of land in Hauraki, he sought to obtain as many interests as possible, not always successfully, and tried to get more than his fair share of both land and revenue. 
A devoted Anglican, he assisted the early missionaries to the Waihou region. Wanting peaceful relations with Pakeha, he assisted both the surveying and the settlement of the Aroha Block. When gold was discovered at Te Aroha in 1880, he assisted the prospectors, opened his land for mining and for a township, and invested in some claims, expecting and obtaining a good financial reward. He may have assisted in making the hot pools a public reserve, and certainly gave sections of land within the settlement for public and religious purposes. When he and his wife died a month apart, they were fondly remembered.

text: Mokena Hou and his wife Rina Mokena Hou had a distinguished whakapapa, but as nephew to Hou was subordinate to the latter’s son, Karauna Hou. He was born near the Te Aroha hot pools, and his future wife, Rina, who also had illustrious ancestors, including some Ngati Haua, was born in the same area. Both were affiliated to several hapu. After the Hauraki tribes fled from Ngapuhi in 1821, he would be present at the battle of Taumatawiwi in 1830 (though he did not fight) and participated in a later siege of the Ngati Haua pa at Matamata. During the 1830s and later, he mostly cultivated land and dug gum in the lower Waihou region and as well as cultivating at Te Aroha. 
 After living at Kaitawa before the Thames goldfield opened, nearby, in 1867, he moved to Te Aroha, where he would live continuously, warding off the ambitions of Ngati Haua. When the land court investigated the ownership of blocks of land in Hauraki, he sought to obtain as many interests as possible, not always successfully, and tried to get more than his fair share of both land and revenue. 
A devoted Anglican, he assisted the early missionaries to the Waihou region. Wanting peaceful relations with Pakeha, he assisted both the surveying and the settlement of the Aroha Block. When gold was discovered at Te Aroha in 1880, he assisted the prospectors, opened his land for mining and for a township, and invested in some claims, expecting and obtaining a good financial reward. He may have assisted in making the hot pools a public reserve, and certainly gave sections of land within the settlement for public and religious purposes. When he and his wife died a month apart, they were fondly remembered.

year: 2016