In recent years, the versatile phototrophic protist
has emerged as an interesting candidate for application-driven research and commercialisation, as it is an excellent source of dietary protein, ...pro(vitamins), lipids, and the β-1,3-glucan paramylon only found in euglenoids. From these, paramylon is already marketed as an immunostimulatory agent in nutraceuticals. Bioproducts from
can be produced under various cultivation conditions discussed in this review, and their yields are relatively high when compared with those achieved in microalgal systems. Future challenges include achieving the economy of large-scale cultivation. Recent insights into the complex metabolism of
have highlighted unique metabolic pathways, which could provide new leads for product enhancement by genetic modification of the organism. Also, development of molecular tools for strain improvement are emerging rapidly, making
a noteworthy challenger for microalgae such as
spp. and their products currently on the market.
The lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a group of inherited metabolic disorders that are caused for the most part by enzyme deficiencies within the lysosome resulting in accumulation of undegraded ...substrate. This storage process leads to a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations depending on the specific substrate and site of accumulation. Examples of LSDs include the mucopolysaccharidoses, mucolipidoses, oligosaccharidoses, Pompe disease, Gaucher disease, Fabry disease, the Niemann-Pick disorders, and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses. This review summarizes the main clinical features, diagnosis, and management of LSDs with an emphasis on those for which treatment is available.
Before the 1920s, most Asian immigrants were from Japan and China. Since the immigration law reforms after World War II, there has been a large influx of immigration from many Asian countries, with ...the exception of Japan, mostly due to socioeconomic and geopolitical reasons. ...most Japanese Americans and many Chinese Americans (CAs) come from families that have resided in the U.S. for several generations, whereas other Asian subgroups are more recent immigrants.
Long-term stress experienced by caregivers is often overlooked, as is their pre-planning for senior life, but helping middle-aged and older caregivers to prepare for senior life is the foundation for ...active aging. The purpose of this study is to elucidate middle-aged and older caregivers' attitudes toward aging, proactive coping, and the need to learn life safety and to identify the factors influencing their need for life safety instruction. In this study, a questionnaire survey was administered to middle-aged and older caregivers with 1 year of experience or more in caring for older adults. In total, 500 questionnaires were distributed using a snowball sampling method, of which 415 valid questionnaires were recovered. The research tools included a personal information questionnaire, attitude toward aging scale, proactive coping scale, and need for life safety instruction scale. The results of this study were that: 1. Middle-aged and older caregivers had a low psychological evaluation of aging and a weak response to aging. 2. Respondents demonstrated a strong need to learn life safety. 3. Average monthly salary, aging awareness, aging behavior, attitude toward proactive coping, and proactive coping ability were strong predictors of the need to learn life safety. The principal conclusion was that the need for life safety instruction increased concurrently with unemployment, a decrease in aging awareness and behavior, an improvement in attitude toward proactive coping, and a decrease in proactive coping ability. Therefore, life safety education can be provided to the aforementioned group to satisfy their learning needs adequately.
Both Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) and mental fatigue are becoming increasingly prevalent as global demographics shifts indicate our aging populations. SCD is a reversible precursor for ...Alzheimer's disease, and early identification is important for effective intervention strategies. We aim to investigate the association between mental fatigue-as well as other factors-and SCD. A total of 707 old adults (aged from 60 to 99) from Shanghai, China, participated in this study and completed self-reported instruments covering their cognitive and mental status as well as demographic information. Mental fatigue status was assessed by using four items derived from the functional impairment syndrome of the Old Adult Self Report (OASR). SCD was assessed by using the Memory/Cognition syndrome of OASR. A total of 681 old adults were included in the current study. The means of SCD significantly differed between each group of factors (age, gender, and mental fatigue). The general linear regression models showed that SCD increased with age, females scored higher than males, and SCD was positively associated with mental fatigue factors including difficulty getting things done, poor task performance, sleeping more, and a lack of energy among old adults. The study also found that SCD is negatively associated with the high-income group among young-old (aged from 60 to 75) males and associated with good marital/living status with the companion of spouses/partners among young-old females. These results suggest that gender, income level, marital/living status, and mental fatigue are crucial factors in preventing SCD among old adults and are pivotal in developing early intervention strategies to preserve the mental health of an increasingly aging population.
Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is the transplantation of multiple tissues such as skin, muscle, bone, nerve, and vessels, as a functional unit (i.e., hand or face) to patients ...suffering from major tissue trauma and functional deficits. Though the surgical feasibility has been optimized, issues regarding graft rejection remains. VCA rejection involves a diverse population of cells but is primarily driven by both donor and recipient lymphocytes, antigen-presenting cells, macrophages, and other immune as well as donor-derived cells. In addition, it is commonly understood that different tissues within VCA, such as the skin, elicits a stronger rejection response. Currently, VCA recipients are required to follow potent and lifelong immunosuppressing regimens to maximize graft survival. This puts patients at risk for malignancies, opportunistic infections, and cancers, thereby posing a need for less perilous methods of inducing graft tolerance. This review will provide an overview of cell populations and mechanisms, specific tissue involved in VCA rejection, as well as an updated scope of current methods of tolerance induction.
To evaluate the clinical usefulness of rapid exome sequencing (rES) in critically ill children with likely genetic disease using a standardized process at a single institution. To provide evidence ...that rES with should become standard of care for this patient population.
We implemented a process to provide clinical-grade rES to eligible children at a single institution. Eligibility included (a) recommendation of rES by a consulting geneticist, (b) monogenic disorder suspected, (c) rapid diagnosis predicted to affect inpatient management, (d) pretest counseling provided by an appropriate provider, and (e) unanimous approval by a committee of 4 geneticists. Trio exome sequencing was sent to a reference laboratory that provided verbal report within 7-10 days. Clinical outcomes related to rES were prospectively collected. Input from geneticists, genetic counselors, pathologists, neonatologists, and critical care pediatricians was collected to identify changes in management related to rES.
There were 54 patients who were eligible for rES over a 34-month study period. Of these patients, 46 underwent rES, 24 of whom (52%) had at least 1 change in management related to rES. In 20 patients (43%), a molecular diagnosis was achieved, demonstrating that nondiagnostic exomes could change medical management in some cases. Overall, 84% of patients were under 1 month old at rES request and the mean turnaround time was 9 days.
rES testing has a significant impact on the management of critically ill children with suspected monogenic disease and should be considered standard of care for tertiary institutions who can provide coordinated genetics expertise.
•This is the first VOC biomonitoring study among female hairdressers of color.•Higher VOC biomarker concentrations in hairdressers serving Black versus Latino clientele.•Select salon services were ...associated with higher VOC biomarker concentrations.•Hairdressers had higher concentrations for several VOC biomarkers than office workers.•Hairdressers had higher concentrations for several VOC biomarkers than U.S. women.
Hairdressers are exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), many of which have been linked to acute and chronic health effects. Those hairdressers serving an ethnic clientele may potentially experience disproportionate exposures from frequent use of products containing VOCs or different VOC concentrations contained in products which are marketed to the specific needs of their clientele. However, no biomonitoring studies have investigated occupational exposures in this population. In the present pilot study, we sought to characterize concentrations and exposure determinants for 28 VOC biomarkers in post-shift urine samples among 23 hairdressers primarily serving an ethnic clientele. VOC biomarker concentrations among hairdressers of color were compared to concentrations among a comparison group of 17 office workers and a representative sample of women participating in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. VOC biomarkers were detected in all hairdressers with higher concentrations observed among hairdressers serving a predominantly Black versus Latino clientele, and among hairdressers overall versus office workers and women in the U.S. general population. Median biomarker concentrations for acrolein,1,3-butadiene, and xylene in hairdressers were more than twice as high as those observed among office workers. Median concentrations for 1-bromopropane, acrolein and 1,3-butadiene were more than four times higher among all hairdressers compared to those reported among women in the U.S. general population. Select salon services (e.g., sister locs, flat ironing, permanent hair coloring, permanent waves or texturizing, Brazilian blowout or keratin treatment, etc.) were also associated with higher VOC biomarker concentrations among hairdressers. This pilot study represents the first biomonitoring analysis to characterize VOC exposures among women hairdressers of color and to provide evidence that this occupational population may experience elevated VOC exposures compared to women in the U.S. general population. Results from our study represent an important first step in elucidating occupational VOC exposures in this understudied occupational group. Larger studies among a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of hairdressers are warranted to confirm our findings and inform future exposure interventions in this understudied occupational population.
Euglena gracilis is a unicellular microalga studied for the production of nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and biofuel. Full exploitation of the organism requires the development of genetic engineering ...tools including a method for obtaining genetically stable transformants. In this work, Agrobacterium mediated transformation, biolistic bombardment and electroporation were explored to obtain stable nuclear E. gracilis transformants. Two 3′UTR fragments of the E. gracilis gapC gene were added at the 5′and 3′ ends of the pCambia1302 T-DNA to promote homologous integration of the transforming DNA into the genome. E. gracilis transformants growing on hygromycin plates and expressing the mgfp5 gene coding for green fluorescent protein were obtained from all three approaches. Maintenance of the transforming DNA in the nucleus was confirmed by PCR. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation yielded 10 transformants, biolistic bombardment seven and electroporation one transformant per 10,000 cells plated. Transformants from biolistic bombardment and electroporation were able to transiently express the hptII gene based on their growth on hygromycin containing plates, but this property was lost during repeated rounds of cultivation suggesting lack of (stable) integration of the transforming DNA into the Euglena genome. In contrast, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation produced stable nuclear transformants growing on hygromycin plates even after 12 rounds of cultivation. This work will pave the way for further improvement of E. gracilis strains for the production of valuable compounds.
•Stable nuclear transformation of Euglena gracilis was achieved using the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method.•Inclusion of 3’UTR fragments of the nuclear gapC gene at the 5’and 3’ ends of pCambia1302 T-DNA enabled stable transformation.•Biolistic bombardment and electroporation produced transient transformants.•GFP was efficiently expressed under the heterologous CaMV35 promoter.
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