Dielectric Properties of BAT Collagen in the Temperature Range of Thermal Denaturation

Biological wires, communication systems, and implications for disease

Microtubules, actin, and collagen are macromolecular structures that compose a large percentage of the proteins in the human body, helping form and maintain both intracellular and extracellular structure. They are biological wires and are structurally connected through various other proteins. Microtubules (MTs) have been theorized to be involved in classical and quantum information processing, and evidence continues to suggest possible semiconduction through MTs. The previous Dendritic Cytoskeleton Information Processing Model has hypothesized how MTs and actin form a communication network in neurons. Here, we review information transfer possibilities involving MTs, actin, and collagen, and the evidence of an organism-wide high-speed communication network that may regulate morphogenesis and cellular proliferation. The direct and indirect evidence in support of this hypothesis, and implications for chronic diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases are discussed.

The effect of different methods of cross-linking of collagen on its dielectric properties

This paper reports on the effect of different methods of collagen cross-linking on its dielectric properties. In order to obtain collagen-hyaluronic acid (HA) scaffolds, collagen was first dehydrated by a combination of thermal and vacuum drying (DHT) and then treated with the chemical reagent carbodiimide (EDC/NHS) for final cross-linking. The measurements of the relative permittivity epsilon' and the dielectric loss epsilon'' for all materials were carried over the frequency range of 10 Hz-100 kHz and at temperatures from 22 to 260 degrees C. The results for these samples reveal distinct relaxation processes at low temperatures, below 140 degrees C and at higher temperatures as broad peak around 230 degrees C. The first and second relaxation are associated with changes in the secondary structure of collagen accompanied by the release of water and with the denaturation of dry collagen, respectively. The influence of cross-linking on the permittivity of collagen is significant over the entire temperature range.

The acupuncture system and the liquid crystalline collagen fibers of the connective tissues

We propose that the acupuncture system and the DC body field detected by western scientists both in here in the continuum of liquid crystalline collagen fibers that make up the bulk of the connective tissues. Bound water layers on the collagen fibers provide proton conduction pathways for rapid intercommunication throughout the body, enabling the organism to function as a coherent whole. This liquid crystalline continuum mediates hyperreactivity to allergens and the body's responsiveness to different forms of subtle energy medicine. It constitutes a "body consciousness" working in tandem with the "brain consciousness" of the nervous system. We review supporting evidence from biochemistry, cell biology, biophysics and neurophysiology, and suggest experiments to test our hypothesis.

Dielectric relaxation of air-dried horn keratin

Dielectric measurements as a function of temperature and frequency are reported for horn keratin. The measurements of dielectric constant epsilon' and loss factor epsilon", in keratin, were made in an electric field. This was done in the frequency range 10(1)-10(5) Hz and at temperatures from 22 to 220 degrees C. The samples contained 8% water by mass at room temperature at a relative humidity of 40%. A remarkable dispersion observed in the range of lower frequencies was attributed to interfacial polarization. The temperature dependences of the dielectric constants of horn keratin revealed the occurrence of two main molecular processes. The first process corresponded to the removal of water in the temperature range 22-170 degrees C. The activation energy associated with the release of loosely and strongly bound water, was about 35 and 7 kcal/mol, respectively. The second process, above 170 degrees C, was related to the denaturation of the alpha-helical phase in keratin.

Dielectric studies of proton transport in air-dried fully calcified and decalcified bone

Measurements of dielectric properties of calcified and decalcified bone were made in the electric field frequency range of 10(1)-10(5) Hz and at temperatures from 22 to 250 degrees C. The temperature dependencies of the complex dielectric constant of bone revealed two main molecular processes. The first process corresponds to the loss of water in the temperature ranges 22-160 degrees C and 22-210 degrees C for calcified and decalcified bone, respectively. The second is associated with the decomposition of collagen in bone, but this occurs only for decalcified bone above 210 degrees C. Analysis of polarization and conduction mechanisms for bone in the alpha-dispersion region was explained in terms of dielectric relaxation time and activation energy.

Temperature variation of the relaxation time of alpha-dispersion for gamma-irradiated collagen

The effect of gamma irradiation, with doses from 10(2) to 10(3) kGy, on the dielectric relaxation time of solid-state collagen was studied. Temperature measurements of the relaxation time were made over a range of frequency of the electric field from 10(1) to 10(5) Hz and at temperatures from 298 to 480 K. The samples contained 0.06 g H2O/g dry collagen. The dependencies obtained indicate that values for the relaxation time decrease with increasing temperature for all samples of collagen. In addition, an increase in the irradiation dose resulted in a decreased relaxation time for collagen at each temperature studied. These changes can be interpreted on the basis of proton conduction processes. Such effects occurring in a heterogeneous medium such as a collagen-water system are caused by the localized jumping of free protons between neighbouring sites. In the system of irradiated collagen studied, the sites are formed by structural water molecules, the products of its radiolysis and also by elements of the damaged first-order structure of the collagen macromolecule.