CD11b Expression and the Innate Immune System

Why CD11b is important in Immunity: (Ref: Novus Biologicals)

CD11b is an integrin - Integrins are receptors that mediate attachment between a cell and the tissues surrounding it.
CD11b is expressed on the surface of many leukocytes including monocytes, neutrophils, natural killer cells, granulocytes and macrophages, as well as on 8% of spleen cells and 44% of bone marrow cells.
Functionally, CD11b regulates leukocyte adhesion and migration to mediate the inflammatory response.
CD11b antibody studies have shown the protein to be directly involved in cellular adhesion, although migration can only take place in the presence of the CD18 subunit.
As well as playing a role in various adhesion reactions, CD11b is a receptor for complement C3bi, mediating complement-coated particle uptake. Research using CD11b antibodies has identified CD11b as a receptor for fibrinogen gamma chain peptides, factor X and ICAM1, with possible roles in cell-mediated cytotoxicity, chemotaxis and phagocytosis.
Until recently, mouse CD11b expression had only been reported in detail for neutrophils and monocytes. In 2005, Kawai et al. undertook a CD11b antibody study to clarify CD11b function in B cells. Flow cytometry was used to isolate peripheral CD19+ B cells, and their migratory function was verified via transwell assays. Using CD11b antibody preparations, the contribution of Cd11b to migratory ability was then determined. It was seen that naïve B cells had little migratory capability and were CD11b negative. Memory B cells, however, had a high degree of motility and expressed CD11b. Given these findings, the authors suggested that CD11b plays an essential role in memory cell migration.

Nk Cells - Natural Killers

See Science Daily for their definition and explanation of Nk Cells.

Key points:

• NK cells play a major role in the elimination of both tumours and virally infected cells.
• NK cells are cytotoxic; small granules in their cytoplasm contain special proteins such as perforin and proteases known as granzymes.  Granzymes are enzymes that break down proteins and are released by natural killer cells. Their purpose is to induce cell-death within virus-infected cells, thus destroying them.
• Upon release in close proximity to a cell slated for killing, perforin forms pores in the cell membrane of the target cell through which the granzymes and associated molecules can enter, inducing cell-death (apoptosis).
• The distinction between apoptosis and cell lysis is important in immunology - lysing a virus-infected cell would only release the virions, whereas apoptosis leads to destruction of the virus inside. NK cells are activated in response to interferons or macrophage-derived cytokines.

Check the video out on NK cells

A small fraction (~2%) of the lymphocytes circulating in the blood are neither T cells nor B cells.  Most of these are called natural killer (NK) cells because they are already specialized to kill certain types of target cells, especially

• host cells that have become infected with virus;

• host cells that have become cancerous.

Advice to writers of blogs, articles and books

From WORLD WIDE WORDS (Issue 763 Sat 19 Nov).
Let your conversation possess a clarified conciseness, 
   compacted comprehensibleness, coalescent consistency, and 
   a concatenated cogency. Eschew all conglomerations of 
   flatulent garrulity, jejune babblement, and asinine 
   affectations. Let your extemporaneous descantings and 
   unpremeditated expatiations have intelligibility, without 
   rhodomontade or thrasonical bombast. Sedulously avoid all 
   polysyllabical profundity, pompous prolixity, and 
   ventriloquial vapidity. Shun double-entendre and prurient 
   jocosity, whether obscure or apparent. In other words, 
   speak truthfully, naturally, clearly, purely, but do not 
   use large words.
   [Notes and Queries, 11 Feb. 1893.]

Sugar, Fat & Insulin

Insulin (from HowStuffWorks)

When you eat a meal, the presence of sugars, amino acids or fatty acids in the intestine stimulates the pancreas to secrete a hormone called insulin. 

Insulin tells the cells to do the following:

• Absorb glucose, fatty acids and amino acids.
• Stop breaking down glucose, fatty acids and amino acids; glycogen into glucose; fats into fatty acids and glycerol; and proteins into amino acids.
• Start building glycogen from glucose; fats (triglycerides) from glycerol and fatty acids; and proteins from amino acids.

The activity of lipoprotein lipases depends upon the levels of insulin in the body. If insulin is high, then the lipases are highly active; if insulin is low, the lipases are inactive.  This means that Fat will potentially build up!

The fatty acids are then absorbed from the blood into fat cells, muscle cells and liver cells. In these cells, under stimulation by insulin, fatty acids are made into fat molecules and stored as fat droplets.

Fat cells can absorb glucose and amino acids from the bloodstream after a meal, and convert those into fat molecules. 

The conversion of carbohydrates or protein into fat is 10 times less efficient than simply storing fat in a fat cell, but the body can do it. If you have  just 100 extra calories in fat (about 11 grams) floating in your bloodstream, fat cells can store it using only 2.5 calories of energy. On the other hand, if you have 100 extra calories in glucose (about 25 grams) floating in your bloodstream, it takes 23 calories of energy to convert the glucose into fat and then store it. Given a choice, a fat cell will grab the fat and store it rather than the carbohydrates because fat is so much easier to store.

How nerves work part 1

Cholinesterases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid.
This reaction necessary to allow a neuron to return to its resting state after activation.

Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter be be identified. It was discovered by Henry Hallett Dale in 1914 and its existence was later confirmed by Otto Loewi. Both individuals were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1936 for their discovery.

The development of acetylcholinesterase (AChe) inhibitor drugs has followed the finding that pathways in the cerebral cortex and basal forebrain are compromised in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). 


There is a resultant cholinergic deficit which contributes to the cognitive impairment of patients with this disease.  

An interesting article can be found on "How Stuff Works" about how Acetycholine receptors work (and how nicotine is implicated in this process).


Although many believe this ‘cholinergic hypothesis’ to be important, others feel it represents a less significant component of the disease process. Many other neurotransmitters are affected in AD, and the relative importance of each in relation to clinical findings has not been fully elucidated.

Heart Warming Terms

More evidence about traditional ingredients and their positive effects on health is gathering.  Here at InnOrbit we thought we'd update you on a couple of terms we've seen recently which may help in understanding.

Cardiac Hypertrophy:


Cardiac hypertrophy is a thickening of the heart muscle (myocardium) which results in a decrease in size of the chamber of the heart, including the left and right ventricles. A common cause of cardiac hypertrophy is high blood pressure (hypertension).


Telomere:

A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration. The telomere regions deter the degradation of genes.

Telomere Attrition:
Telomeres–the terminal caps of chromosomes–become shorter as individuals age. There is significant interest in determining what causes telomere "attrition" or shortening since this process may play a role in biological aging. One hypothesis is that telomere attrition is due to inflammation, exposure to infectious agents, and other types of oxidative stress, which damage telomeres and impair their repair mechanisms.


Cardiac Mycocyte Apoptosis:  
Mycocytes: There is a portion of the heart muscle known as the SA Node.  This is located in the right atrium of the heart. It is made up of a group of cells (myocytes) positioned on the wall of the right atrium, at the center of the heart and near the entrance of the superior vena cava. These cells contract at a rate of about 70-80 times per minute, which make up the natural heart beat.
Myocyte apoptosis may be a causal mechanism of heart failure.  Remember Apoptosis is programmed cell death - sometimes this is a good thing (e.g. differentiation of cells) and sometimes bad.

InnOrbit drinks still Helping with Sport & Energy:

NO - Molecule of the year 1992 - they're having a laugh?

Each year Science, the prestigious science journal, awards a prize for the most significant development in scientific research. Originating in 1989 as the Molecule of the Year.

In 1992 Nitric Oxide (No, not laughing gas - that's Nitrous oxide N₂O) was awarded the prize.  So what's the fuss about Nitric Oxide.  Turns out it is produced in the body during biochemical processes in extremely small amounts but can be detected by cells and cell recognition processes to initiate and control important interactions - that is - an important cellular messenger molecule.  And it's important in maintaining the human species!

Some interesting and relevant functions

• Nitric oxide is also known as the endothelium-derived relaxing factor, or EDRF. The endothelium (inner lining) of blood vessels uses nitric oxide to signal the surrounding smooth muscle to relax, thus resulting in vasodilation and increasing blood flow.
• Nitric oxide (NO) inhibits vascular smooth muscle contraction and growth, platelet aggregation, and leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium. Humans with atherosclerosis, diabetes, or hypertension often show impaired NO pathways.
• Nitric oxide is also generated by monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils as part of the human immune response. 
• Nitric oxide secreted as an immune response is toxic to bacteria.  In response, however, many bacterial pathogens have evolved mechanisms for nitric oxide resistance. 
•  Nitric oxide may serve as an indicator for inflammation in conditions such as asthma. There has been increasing interest in the use of exhaled nitric oxide as a breath test in diseases with airway inflammation. 
• Reduced levels of exhaled NO have been associated with exposure to air pollution.
• Nitric oxide is elevated in populations living at high altitudes, which helps to avoid inadequate oxygen supply by aiding the cells in the lungs to dilate.

Check out this article HERE on how Nitric Oxide can be used to deliver more oxygen in the blood to tissue.

Materiabio: for Health and Vitality / Para Salud y Vitalidad

Hoy he visitado Materiabio en la Roca del Vallés.

La propietaria, Eva-Ruth González, no es sólo una entusiasta de las terapias naturales, sino también una experta en cómo el cuerpo reacciona ante las emociones. Eva-Ruth incluso ha creado un tratamiento novedoso llamado Terapia de alineación emocional (TAE) que centra la atención en cómo el cuerpo reacciona ante ciertos tipos de estrés y emociones. Su conclusión es que mente, cuerpo y emociones pueden ser tratados como un todo y que cada persona puede recibir una ayuda personalizada.

 Eva-Ruth utiliza determinados aceites esenciales sobre puntos concretos del cuerpo para desbloquear y reequilibrar a 3 niveles: emocional, físico y energético.

Tiene la suficiente información y pruebas como para explicarme cómo, gracias a su sistema único y novedoso, es posible sentirse en paz con uno mismo, y que las emociones y la mente pueden ser alineadas correctamente para poder vivir en armonía con nosotros mismos.

En su herboristería, Materiabio, en La Roca del Vallés- también pude ver una gran variedad de productos altamente nutritivos hechos con ingredientes tradicionales y naturales. Estos productos pueden ayudar a mantenerse sanos y a tratar una variedad de afecciones y desórdenes, gracias al consejo del experimentado equipo de Materiabio. El establecimiento está bien surtido de productos como aceites esenciales y tratamientos florales (Flores de Bach), entre otros.

"Materiabio también ha escogido las bebidas ayurvédicas de InnOrbit, y una selección y muestras de bebidas están ya disponibles"

Connect with InnOrbit on Facebook!

Today I visited Materiabio in Roca de Vallés.  

The owner, Eva-Ruth Gonzalez, is not only an enthusiastic practitioner of natural therapies but also an expert in how the body reacts to emotion.  Eva-Ruth has even developed a novel treatment called Emotional Alineation Therapy that taps into how the body reacts to certain types of stresses and emotions.  Her conclusion was that the mind, body and emotions can be treated as an integrated one and that every person can be helped in this respect on an individual basis.

Eva-Ruth uses determined essential oils on certain points of the body to unblock and re-equilibrate on 3 levels – emotional, physical and energetic.

She had plenty of evidence to tell me how, using her unique and novel system, it is possible to feel at one and that emotions and mind can be aligned correctly and we can learn to live in harmony with ourselves.

In her herbalist, Materiabio in Rocal Vallés, I also saw a wide range of highly nutritional products made with traditional and natural ingredients.  With advice from the team at Materiabio these products can be used to stay healthy and to treat a variety of ailments and conditions.  The shop is well-stocked with products like essential oils and flower remedies (Bach Flowers), amongst others.

Materiabio have also kindly selected InnOrbit ayurvedic drinks and a selection of drinks and samples are currently available.

Understanding some Heart changing terms

We recently have written articles about research taking place on the cardiovascular improving properties of certain traditional ingredients.  Traditional ingredients like Cardamom, amongst others, are key ingredients in the Ayurvedic beverages produced by InnOrbit and can have positive health benefits on heart and blood health.

There are a couple of terms that probably need some extra explanation and that are implicated in Cardiovascular health.


1. Fibrinogen is explained very well by Dr Jeremy Kaslow here and summarised below:

Fibrinogen is:

• a protein found in the blood that plays a key role in clotting.  
• a sticky coagulant that appears to significantly increase the risk of experiencing one of the leading causes of death and disability - stroke.
• a powerful predictor of a "stroke" (when measured in the blood).

"Fibrinogen's association with increased mortality is probably directly related to its ability to promote thromboses, or clots, by causing platelets to clump inside blood vessels.  This is one of the main mechanisms underlying ischemia and heart attack. Exercise, quitting smoking, and certain medications have been shown to lower fibrinogen in the short term." Dr J. Kaslow

2. Fibrinolysis is the  the process by which a fibrin clot (the product of coagulation) is broken down. The enzyme plasmin hydrolyses the fibrin mesh at various places, leading to the production of circulating fragments that are cleaved by other proteases and eliminated.

Fibrinolytic drugs are often given after a heart attack to dissolve the plaque blocking the coronary artery.

Antifibrinolytics, such as aminocaproic acid (ε-aminocaproic acid) and tranexamic acid are used as inhibitors of fibrinolysis. Their application may be beneficial in patients with hyperfibrinolysis because they arrest bleeding rapidly if the other components of the haemostatic system are not severely affected.

"There are a number of assay for measuring fibrinogen levels in plasma  although in practice most laboratories use the Clauss method - A functional assay based upon the time for fibrin clot formation"

Check out the excellent Khan Academy tutorial on how the heart works and how heart attacks and heart failure occurs...at THIS LINK.

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InnOrbit tries its Best to add value to the Small Family Farmers we buy our Herbs and Spices from …


They work hard and often its the younger members of the family who may suffer with a lack of a good education.




How:  Through sales of InnOrbit drinks and products we sponsor girls through 10 years of education.

If you would like to learn more, or can help us to place these young girls in schools any quicker, please contact us via the founder of InnOrbit:  Ketan Joshi at  Ketan@InnOrbit.com.

Alternatively, buy our products and tell your friends and families of these products so they too will want to buy them … and with everyone buying these products, we will be able to add more and more girls to our cause faster …

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All about Cytokines

Natural ingredients in functional drinks (like the ones InnOrbit produce) often have a profound effect on the human body and biochemical processes. Some of the ingredients can even effect programmed cell-death - apoptosis -  and we focussed on this recently.

In our sister blog we have reported the research that investigators are performing in this area.  Many of the ingredients can "control" biochemicals called cytokines.  Take a look at this article on Licorice for an idea of how natural ayurvedic ingredients work on the body.

Cytokines are the communication system of the body's cells of the immune system and beyond.  The cells communicate via cytokines.

 They can mediate long and short range communication between cells.
In many cases Cytokines are produced by one type of cell and have an effect on another type of cell.

The nomenclature has been adopted to simplify them.

Under the microscope: Leukocytes are the fuzzy irregular shaped cells.  The other cells are mostly Red Blood Cells

Any molecule that communicates between leukocytes (or white blood cells) is known as INTERLEUKIN and is given the prefix IL.  However, this has not been adopted universally and there are molecules which have retained their original name: IFNs (Interferons) and TNFs (Tumour Necrosis Factors).  Normal designations are used as follows: IL-1, IL-2, IL-3 etc.

"IL-1β is a major cytokine driving the inflammatory processes leading to the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis and other inflammatory diseases (see this article on Green Tea)"

So, the nomenclature gets worse.  Investigators soon realised that cytokines can be produced by a whole host of other types of cells!  Further it was shown that the same cytokines are muti-functional in a variety of different tissues.

Cytokines: regulate and coordinate cellular responses throughout the body and not just the immune system.

Example of Cytokine Activity:

As a way of an example on how Cytokines work we can look at TNFs (Tumour Necrosis Factor).
TNFs are multi-tasking cytokines that have several biological functions.

TNFs are implicated in the response to injury and/or infection, amongst other roles.
TNFs can:

• Mediate the killing of infected cells making them cells more susceptible to killing by other cells;
• Trigger the production of other molecules (e.g. prostaglandins) which can induce tumour necrosis (the breakdown or lysis of tumour cells);
• Augment the effect of leukocytes and other blood cells (i.e. their stickiness to other cells);
• Stimulate the resorption of bone by ostoclasts (basically part of the essential process of bone remodelling and reshaping);
• Immuno-regulation - play a role in the body's defense against parasitic, viral & bacterial attack.

Sweetness & Liquorice

Liquorice contains a compound called glycyrrhizin, which is known to be 50 times sweeter than sugar.  Due to its sweetness and flavouring properties, it has been used to make more unpalatable or bitter foods tastier. 

It can be used as a sweetener to sweeten foods, such as when cooking fruit like plums and other "tarty" fruits. Also, Diabetics have found liquorice useful for sweetening and flavouring other food items like drinks.  

Liquorice after a meal is a traditional way to help with digestion.

In InnOrbit drinks the effect of sweetness and the actual taste of liquorice can be very subtle and depends on the level of liquorice used.  

In Young&Fun the level of liquorice is physically higher, and our taste experts have found that the overall perception of aniseed flavour, or liquorice flavour is correspondingly higher.  In more lower doses the liquorice flavour is much less and almost disappears but the sweetness is higher.  It really does depend on the level of liquorice used and the balance of other components in the recipe.

"Liquorice flavour can have a subtle sweetening effect or a more pronounced aniseed taste in the InnOrbit drinks"

It is important that the levels of liquorice complement other flavours and can enhance other ingredients in certain cases.

In the InnOrbit drinks we get "2 for the price of 1" in the sense that we get a sensory effect (great taste!) and a bonus of a healthy ingredient (Click HERE for our sister blog which has more information on the health benefits of liquorice).

Click on the image for a video on the benefits of Liquorice:

Astringency Explained

Many infusion and tea ingredients are rich in phenolics. Phenolics are found in the leaves and flowers which are used in many natural and traditional food items like InnOrbit drinks.  They give a complex and highly aromatic flavour and are extracted when water is poured over the infusion mix.  Similar phenolic compounds are found in red wine which give it its characteristic astringency.


There are many types of phenolics in infusion ingredients, and, depending on their chemical structure, these substances play a unique part in the way the infusion tastes, looks and feels in the mouth.

For example, catechins are known for their bitterness. Flavanols can be more astringent.

Saliva contains proteins that lubricate the surface of the mouth. When we drink an infusion or a tea, salivary proteins can react with the phenolics found in these drinks.


When a protein reacts with certain phenolics (e.g. tannin), they form a larger structure....effectively glued together by bonds which can react with more proteins and phenolics and like a snowball form even bigger molecules. These large structures are so heavy that they precipitate.  The lubricating proteins therefore are no longer doing there job of lubricating - they are effectively tied up with the phenolics and the mouth  "feels" dry.  The receptors in the mouth signal to the brain the existence of this "rough", drying sensation known as astringency. 

InnOrbit drink astringency can be a positive taste sensation and also change with time and in others it can be a very subtle attribute (due to concentration differences and different phenolics present in the ingredients).


There are several descriptors which can be used and all revolve around the feeling of having a fine powder in the mouth e.g. Powdery, Chalky, Grainy. More subtle descriptions may include Silky, Emery, Velvety, Furry.


Higher levels of astringency, like those found in wine, can cause the sensation to be even stronger e.g. Pucker, Chewy, Grippy and Adhesive. 


In wine and other fine foods a similar reaction occurs with tannins and similar compounds and some terms you may read include Soft, Supple, Fleshy, and Rich.

"The subtle sensation of astringency is an important sensory attribute of InnOrbit Drinks and is an important part of the overall drinking experience."

Excuses....

Seth Godin on:

Excuses are easy to find (but worthless)

"Even good excuses, really good ones, don't help very much.

Explanations, on the other hand, are both scarce and useful.

And accurate forecasts and insightful intuition are priceless."

See Seth Godin´s Blog

The Perfect Snack?

The perfect snack: A handful of almonds and an InnOrbit drink

Hibiscus petals - look good enough to drink!

Check out the latest on the InnOrbit key ingredient HIBISCUS. Click HERE!

Hibiscus petals are packed with functionality that can help the blood, heart and brain!

Top Global Locations which are worth a visit.....if you dare...

"A drive in the country anyone?"

La Paz y Corioco (Bolivia)
80 kilometres of road unites these two places at 4000 metres above sea level.  The Yunga road is known as the most dangerous road in the world.  In places its 3 metres wide and with drops up to 1000 metres.  If the slippy & muddy surface was not enough to contend with the road is used regularly by buses and lorries.  An average of 100 people die every year on this road.

Disguise recommended

Cuidad Juarez (Mexico)
The frontier where the Rio Bravo witnesses the steady flow of drugs and any other marketable goods, including human beings.  According to studies it has 229 murders per 100,000 inhabitants - the most dangerous urban area in the world.  It was the 8th most popular city with tourists in Mexico but they are now recommended to keep a low profile and use a local guide

"A walk in the country anyone?"

Málaga (Spain)
A road between Álora and Ardales, known as the King's Track, is 1 metre wide and 100 metres in the air with vertical drops either side.  Many of died traversing this road - so many, in fact, that the authorities destroyed access to it.  It's neither safe nor legal to use this road with a fine of 6000 Euros!   Use it at your own peril.

Paddling only! with a machine gun....

Hawaii & Florida (USA)
It sounds idyllic but the but the sea just off the beach of Hanakapiai is a death trap.  The currents are treacherous and in the last 5 years nearly 100 people have drowned due to the huge undertows and currents.
The sea not only can be unsavoury due to its dangerous power but also the beasts that live in it.  In Florida (New Smyrna) more than 30 shark attacks have taken place since 2008.

Top up the tan?

El Azizia (Libya) and Death Valley (USA)
Death valley in the USA - temperatures can get over 56ºC.
And in Libya El Azizia the local sirocco (known as el ghibli) can elevate temperatures by 20ºC in a matter of minutes.

A camera probably not recommended

Turkmenistan
Bordered by Afghanistan and Iran, Turkmenistan is one of the worlds most hidden and secretive countries. The local regime has banned taking photographs.  At least you can't bore your friends when you get back home!

Taken from 20 minutes.es (6.6.2011)