Enhancing β-Galactosidase Performance for Galactooligosaccharides Preparation via Strategic Glucose Re-Tunneling.

This study focuses on the characterization and re-engineering of glucose transport in β-galactosidase (BglD) to enhance its catalytic efficiency. Computational prediction methods were employed to identify key residues constituting access tunnels for lactose and glucose, revealing distinct pockets for both substrates. In silico simulated saturation mutagenesis of residues T215 and T473 led to the identification of eight mutant variants exhibiting potential enhancements in glucose transport.

Finally Freed- in South Africa: A Review Contextualised within Global History, Diversity, and Chemical Profiles.

L. is a monotypic genus belonging to the family Cannabaceae. It is one of the oldest species cultivated by humans, believed to have originated in Central Asia.

Secretory expression of amylosucrase in Bacillus licheniformis through twin-arginine translocation pathway.

Unlabelled: Amylosucrase (EC 2.4.1.

Neuroquantification enhances the radiological evaluation of term neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic cerebral injuries.

Background: Injury patterns in hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury (HIBI) are well recognised but there are few studies evaluating cerebral injury using neuroquantification models.

Objectives: Quantification of brain volumes in a group of patients with clinically determined cerebral palsy.

Method: In this retrospective study, 297 children with cerebral palsy were imaged for suspected HIBI with analysis of various cerebral substrates.

Bayesian spatial modelling of intimate partner violence and associated factors among adult women and men: evidence from 2019/2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a global public health concern for both men and women. Spatial mapping and clustering analysis can reveal subtle patterns in IPV occurrences but are yet to be explored in Rwanda, especially at a lower small-area scale. This study seeks to examine the spatial distribution, patterns, and associated factors of IPV among men and women in Rwanda.

Hen egg white bovine colostrum supplement reduces symptoms of mild/moderate COVID-19: a randomized control trial.

Aim: The ability of a hen egg white bovine colostrum supplement to prevent severe COVID-19 was tested in a double-blind randomized control study.

Methods: Adults with mild/moderate COVID-19, risk factors for severe disease, and within 5 days of symptom onset were assigned to the intervention (n = 77) or placebo (n = 79) arms. Symptoms were documented until day 42 post-enrollment and viral clearance was assessed at 11-13 days post-symptom onset.

Phenotypic Array for Identification and Screening of Antifungals against Isolates from Respiratory Infections in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

The rapid emergence of invasive fungal infections correlates with the increasing population of immunocompromised individuals, with many cases leading to death. The progressive increase in the incidence of isolates is even more severe due to the clinical challenges in treating invasive infections in immunocompromised patients with respiratory conditions. Rapid detection and diagnosis are needed to reduce mortality in individuals with invasive aspergillosis-related infections and thus efficient identification impacts clinical success.

Draft Genome Sequence of Pectobacterium brasiliense Isolated from Potato in South Africa.

This study reports a draft genome of a phytopathogenic bacterium, Pectobacterium brasiliense, isolated from potato in South Africa. The total reported length of the genome is 4,897,858 bp, contained in 172 contigs with 4,378 genes. The GC content of the genome is 51.

Accelerated Breeding for (Sunflower) through Doubled Haploidy: An Insight on Past and Future Prospects in the Era of Genome Editing.

The aim of any breeding process is to fully express the targeted, superior/desirable parent characteristic in the progeny. Hybrids are often used in this dynamic, and complex process for which homozygous parents-which may require up to eight generations of back crossing and selection-are required. Doubled haploid (DH) technologies can facilitate the production of true breeding lines faster and in a more efficient manner than the traditional back crossing and selection strategies.

Pullulanase with high temperature and low pH optima improved starch saccharification efficiency.

Pullulanase, a starch debranching enzyme, is required for the preparation of high glucose/maltose syrup from starch. In order to expand its narrow reaction conditions and improve its application value, Bacillus naganoensis pullulanase (PulA) was mutated by site-directed mutagenesis and the biochemical characteristics of the mutants were studied. The mutant PulA-N3 with mutations at asparagine 467, 492 and 709 residues was obtained.

Using joint models to study the association between CD4 count and the risk of death in TB/HIV data.

Background: The association structure linking the longitudinal and survival sub-models is of fundamental importance in the joint modeling framework and the choice of this structure should be made based on the clinical background of the study. However, this information may not always be accessible and rationale for selecting this association structure has received relatively little attention in the literature. To this end, we aim to explore four alternative functional forms of the association structure between the CD4 count and the risk of death and provide rationale for selecting the optimal association structure for our data.

Next-generation point-of-care testing in pediatric human immunodeficiency virus infection facilitates diagnosis and monitoring of treatment.

Point-of-care (PoC) testing facilitates early infant diagnosis (EID) and treatment initiation, which improves outcome. We present a field evaluation of a new PoC test (Cepheid Xpert® HIV-1 Qual XC RUO) to determine whether this test improves EID and assists the management of children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We compared 2 PoC tests with the standard-of-care (SoC) test used to detect HIV infection from dry blood spots in newborn infants at high risk of in utero infection.

Mapping Evidence on the Burden of Breast, Cervical, and Prostate Cancers in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review.

Background: Cancer remains a major public health problem, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where the provision of health care is poor. This scoping review mapped evidence in the literature regarding the burden of cervical, breast and prostate cancers in SSA.

Methods: We conducted this scoping review using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, with five steps: identifying the research question; searching for relevant studies; selecting studies; charting the data; and collating, summarizing, and reporting the data.

Prevalence and factors associated with self-reported HIV testing among adolescent girls and young women in Rwanda: evidence from 2019/20 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey.

Background: HIV/AIDS remains a major public health problem globally. The majority of people living with HIV are from Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15-24 years. HIV testing is crucial as it is the gateway to HIV prevention, treatment, and care; therefore this study determined the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported HIV testing among AGYW in Rwanda.

Thalamus L-Sign: A Potential Biomarker of Neonatal Partial, Prolonged Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury or Hypoglycemic Encephalopathy?

Background And Purpose: Considerable overlap exists in the MR imaging features of hypoglycemic injury and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, with similar predilections for the occipital and parietal lobes. In partial, prolonged hypoxia-ischemia, there is cortical destruction at the interarterial watershed zones, and in concomitant hypoglycemia and hypoxia-ischemia, an exaggerated final common pathway injury occurs. We interrogated secondary white matter tract-based thalamic injury as a tool to separate pure injuries in each group.

High-efficiency chromosomal integrative amplification strategy for overexpressing α-amylase in Bacillus licheniformis.

Bacillus licheniformis is a well-known platform strain for production of industrial enzymes. However, the development of genetically stable recombinant B. licheniformis for high-yield enzyme production is still laborious.

Point-of-care CD4 testing: Differentiated care for the most vulnerable.

Background: South Africa, with the highest burden of HIV infection globally, has made huge strides in its HIV/ART programme, but AIDS deaths have not decreased proportionally to ART uptake. Advanced HIV disease (CD4 < 200 cells/mm) persists, and CD4 count testing is being overlooked since universal test-and-treat was implemented. Point-of-care CD4 testing could address this gap and assure differentiated care to these vulnerable patients with low CD4 counts.

A proposed magnetic resonance imaging grading system for the spectrum of central neonatal parasagittal hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury.

Aim: To describe the spectrum of parasagittal injury on MRI studies performed on children following severe perinatal term hypoxia-ischaemia, using a novel MRI grading system, and propose a new central pattern correlated with neuropathologic features.

Methods: MR scans of 297 patients with perinatal term hypoxia-ischaemia were evaluated for typical patterns of brain injury. A total of 83 patients that demonstrated the central/basal ganglia-thalamus and perirolandic pattern of injury were categorised according to the degree of severity.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor associated cutaneous adverse drug reactions: A systematic review of case reports and case series.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) cause cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADRs). However, there is limited information on the factors associated with these occurrences. In this study, we aimed to describe the demographic, clinical and pharmacological characteristics associated with CADRs encountered by patients administered SSRIs and/or SNRIs for psychiatric diagnoses and to compare the differences in these factors between severe and non-severe CADRs.

Second-generation mother-to-child HIV transmission in South Africa is characterized by poor outcomes.

Objective: The worldwide incidence of pregnancy for women living with perinatal HIV infection is increasing. Subsequently, there is growing risk of second-generation mother-to-child HIV transmission. The infant clinical outcomes for such a phenomenon have yet to be described.

Enhancing the expression of recombinant small laccase in Pichia pastoris by a double promoter system and application in antibiotics degradation.

Low-expression levels remain a challenge in the quest to use the small laccase (rSLAC) as a viable catalyst. In this study, a recombinant Pichia pastoris strain (rSLAC-GAP-AOX) producing rSLAC under both AOX and GAP promoters (located in two different plasmids) was generated and cultivated in the presence of methanol and mixed feed (methanol:glycerol). Induction with methanol resulted in a maximum laccase activity of 1200 U/L for rSLAC-GAP-AOX which was approximately 2.