Validity and reproducibility of the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS) against a four-day food diary in adults at risk of cardiovascular disease on the island of Ireland.

There is an increasing need for valid, rapid diet screening tools. A significant association between the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS) and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been demonstrated in the US but evidence of its use in Europe is lacking. The aim of this study was to amend the PDQS for a UK/Irish population and determine validity and reliability in those at risk of CVD.

Identification of Potential Sepsis Therapeutic Drugs Using a Zebrafish Rapid Screening Approach.

In the military, combat wound infections can progress rapidly to life-threatening sepsis. The discovery of effective small-molecule drugs to prevent and/or treat sepsis is a priority. To identify potential sepsis drug candidates, we used an optimized larval zebrafish model of endotoxicity/sepsis to screen commercial libraries of drugs approved by the U.

Expanding the HP1a-binding consensus and molecular grammar for heterochromatin assembly.

The recruitment of Heterochromatin Protein 1 (HP1) partners is essential for heterochromatin assembly and function, yet our knowledge regarding their organization in heterochromatin remains limited. Here we show that interactors engage the Drosophila HP1 (HP1a) dimer through a degenerate and expanded form of the previously identified PxVxL motif, which we now term HP1a Access Codes (HACs). These HACs reside in disordered regions, possess high conservation among Drosophila homologs, and contain alternating hydrophobic residues nested in a cluster of positively charged amino acids.

Digging deep for nutrients and metabolites derived from high dietary protein intake and their potential functions in metabolic health.

Intake of high quantities of dietary proteins sourced from dairy, meat or plants can affect body weight and metabolic health in humans. To improve our understanding of how this may be achieved, we reviewed the data related to the availability of nutrients and metabolites in the faeces, circulation and urine. All protein sources (≥20% by energy) increased faecal levels of branched chain fatty acids and ammonia, and decreased the levels of butyrate.