X-Message-Number: 26427
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 19:23:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: 181'st update on fly longevity experiments

     This is the 181'st update of my fly longevity experiments. Average
 temperature was 22.7 C during this run. Estimated maximal longevity using
 the formula (363 - T*11.2) is 109 days.
     Here a fermented soybean product called natto is tested. I also try
 adding baciilus natto directly to the fly food. Natto is regarded as a
 health food in Japan. It is a source of vitamin K2 or menaquinone,
 and also contains a fibrolytic enzyme called nattokinase. Bacillus natto
 also contains K2, but has little nattokinase.
     High doses of natto mixed with fly food reduced the ability of the
 food to hold water, so that the surface became somewhat wet. Possibly for
 this reason, natto turned out to be mildly toxic. On the other hand
 bacillus natto had no effect on food hydration, and a high dose even gave
 the appearance of being beneficial. Bacillus natto is being retested in
 run #188.

 Run #181                     Percent Survival on Day
 supplement               11 19 28 36 46 54 60 67 75 83 93
 _________________________________________________________
 control one              96 80 61 47 37 24 20 12  4  0  -
 control two             100 85 60 60 48 27 15  8  2  0  -
 natto 2.5%               94 74 62 48 28 14  8  2  2  0  -
   "   5%                100 85 80 59 44 31  8  0  -  -  -
   "  10%                 91 94 88 72 44 31  3  3  0  -  -
   "  20%                 96 91 85 67 20 15  7  0  -  -  -
 bacillus natto 1/16 tsp  98 81 67 65 49 30 14  7  5  0  -
   "            1/8 tsp   98 88 74 52 48 26 10  5  5  0  -
   "            1/4 tsp  100 93 64 53 42 33 22 11  4  2  0
   "            1/2 tsp  100 97 76 74 74 74 66 42 24  5  0

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=26427