Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase regulates mitophagy by maintaining PINK1 stability.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in glycolysis. Glucose metabolism is closely implicated in the regulation of mitophagy, a selective form of autophagy for the degradation of damaged mitochondria. The PPP and its key enzymes such as G6PD possess important metabolic functions, including biosynthesis and maintenance of intracellular redox balance, while their implication in mitophagy is largely unknown.

Targeted gene panel sequencing of liquid and tissue biopsies reveals actionable genomic alterations in Ghanaian metastatic breast cancer cases.

Purpose: Breast cancer is a major cause of cancer-related mortality among African women. The adoption of molecular genomic technologies in the management of cancer cases is limited in Africa. To provide much-needed insights on the feasibility and utility of such precision medicine paradigms in Africa, we conducted a prospective, non-interventional study involving combined tissue and plasma Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based testing in cancer patients in Ghana.

Hourly step recommendations to achieve daily goals for working and older adults.

Background: The widespread use of physical activity trackers enables the collection of high-resolution health data, such as hourly step counts, to evaluate health promotion programmes. We aim to investigate how participants meet their daily step goals.

Methods: We used 24-h steps data from the National Steps Challenge Season 3, wherein participants were rewarded with vouchers when achieving specified goals of 5000, 7500, and 10,000 steps per day.

Outcomes of Flap Reconstruction for Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Studies.

Background: People with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are at risk of major amputation, which is associated with a high mortality rate (exceeding 50% at 5 years) and reduced quality of life. The authors hypothesized that flap reconstruction of DFUs improves patient outcomes in comparison with standard treatment modalities, including major amputation.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and gray literature were searched on February 9, 2022.

Injectable liposomal docosahexaenoic acid alleviates atherosclerosis progression and enhances plaque stability.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease that is characterized by the accumulation of lipids and immune cells in plaques built up inside artery walls. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), which exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has long been purported to be of therapeutic benefit to atherosclerosis patients. However, large clinical trials have yielded inconsistent data, likely due to variations in the formulation, dosage, and bioavailability of DHA following oral intake.

Physical Activity Trends Among Adults in a National Mobile Health Program: A Population-Based Cohort Study of 411,528 Adults.

Physical inactivity is a global public health challenge, and effective, large-scale interventions are needed. We examined the effectiveness of a population-wide mobile health (mHealth) intervention in Singapore, National Steps Challenge Season 3 (NSC3) and 2 booster challenges (Personal Pledge and Corporate Challenge). The study includes 411,528 participants.

Evaluation of a Population-Wide Mobile Health Physical Activity Program in 696 907 Adults in Singapore.

Background Evidence of scaled-up physical activity interventions is scarce. This study evaluates the uptake, engagement, and effectiveness of one such intervention program. Methods and Results The program was open to individuals aged ≥17 years in Singapore.

Negative Urgency Exacerbates Relapse to Cocaine Seeking After Abstinence.

Background: The mechanisms through which drug-cue-induced negative affective states are involved in relapse have not been defined. We tested the hypothesis that in individuals having developed a dorsolateral striatum (DLS)-dependent cue-controlled cocaine-seeking habit, the loss of the opportunity to enact the drug-seeking response during abstinence results in an urge to act that exacerbates relapse severity mediated by negative urgency.

Methods: Eighty-seven male Sprague Dawley rats were trained to seek cocaine under the influence of the conditioned reinforcing properties of drug-paired cues or not.

Number of daily measurements needed to estimate habitual step count levels using wrist-worn trackers and smartphones in 212,048 adults.

Daily step count is a readily accessible physical activity measure inversely related to many important health outcomes. However, its day-to-day variability is not clear, especially when measured by recent mobile devices. This study investigates number of measurement days required to reliably estimate the weekly and monthly levels of daily step count in adults using wrist-worn fitness trackers and smartphones.

Imbalances in the eye lens proteome are linked to cataract formation.

The prevalent model for cataract formation in the eye lens posits that damaged crystallin proteins form light-scattering aggregates. The α-crystallins are thought to counteract this process as chaperones by sequestering misfolded crystallin proteins. In this scenario, chaperone pool depletion would result in lens opacification.

Can a multi-level intervention approach, combining behavioural disciplines, novel technology and incentives increase physical activity at population-level?

Background: Despite a global call for action and growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) associated with physical inactivity, effective interventions to increase community-wide physical activity (PA) remain few. NCDs accounted for 80% of Singapore's disease burden (2015) and yet 40% of Singaporeans did not meet minimum recommended weekly PA despite evidence of the benefits to cardiorespiratory health, diabetes and cancer prevention.

Methods: A large-scale public health intervention was initiated in 2015 to increase population-level PA through incidental daily walking.

The Impact of Different Writing Systems on Children's Spelling Error Profiles: Alphabetic, Akshara, and Hanzi Cases.

The importance of literacy in academics and the predominantly digital world cannot be understated. The literacy component of writing is less researched than that of reading, even though it holds equal significance for modern success. Spelling is an important aspect of the construct of literacy, and is more difficult to acquire than reading.

Using quality improvement strategies to strengthen regional systems for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health in the Northern Territory.

Problem: In the Katherine region, Northern Territory, barriers to eye care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people include unclear eye care referral processes, challenges coordinating patient eye care between various providers, complex socioeconomic determinants and a lengthy outpatient ophthalmology waiting list.

Design: Mixed methods participatory approach using a regional needs analysis, clinical file audit and stakeholder survey, to develop, implement and monitor quality improvement strategies.

Setting: Collaboration with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and regional eye care stakeholders in the Katherine region.

Heart Rate Measures From Wrist-Worn Activity Trackers in a Laboratory and Free-Living Setting: Validation Study.

Background: Wrist-worn activity trackers are popular, and an increasing number of these devices are equipped with heart rate (HR) measurement capabilities. However, the validity of HR data obtained from such trackers has not been thoroughly assessed outside the laboratory setting.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the validity of HR measures of a high-cost consumer-based tracker (Polar A370) and a low-cost tracker (Tempo HR) in the laboratory and free-living settings.

Comparing outcomes of pediatric and adult external dacryocystorhinostomy in Nepal: Is age a prognostic factor?

We determine whether age is a prognostic factor for surgical outcomes of external dacryocystorhinostomy (Ex-DCR). This retrospective cohort study conducted at Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (Kathmandu, Nepal) compared pediatric Ex-DCR procedures (age ≤ 15 years) to adult Ex-DCR procedures (age > 15 years) and was performed between January 2013 and December 2013, with a minimum follow-up period of 6 months. Primary outcome measure was rate of success, defined as complete resolution of subjective symptom(s) of epiphora (subjective success), combined with patent lacrimal passage on syringing (anatomical success) at last follow-up visit.

Knotting and unknotting of a protein in single molecule experiments.

Spontaneous folding of a polypeptide chain into a knotted structure remains one of the most puzzling and fascinating features of protein folding. The folding of knotted proteins is on the timescale of minutes and thus hard to reproduce with atomistic simulations that have been able to reproduce features of ultrafast folding in great detail. Furthermore, it is generally not possible to control the topology of the unfolded state.

DDX5/p68 RNA helicase expression is essential for initiating adipogenesis.

Background: DDX5/p68 RNA helicase is a member of the DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box proteins. Apart from RNA unwinding, DDX5 is an important transcriptional factor and co-activator in cell proliferation and differentiation.

Findings: Here, we have characterised the role of DDX5 in adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells using siRNA mediated suppression.

Molecular knots in biology and chemistry.

Knots and entanglements are ubiquitous. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these fascinating topological entities can be either useful or cumbersome. In recent decades, the importance and prevalence of molecular knots have been increasingly recognised by scientists from different disciplines.

Mechanistic insights into the folding of knotted proteins in vitro and in vivo.

The importance of knots and entanglements in biological systems is increasingly being realized and the number of proteins with topologically complex knotted structures has risen. However, the mechanism as to how these proteins knot and fold efficiently remains unclear. Using a cell-free expression system and pulse-proteolysis experiments, we have investigated the mechanism of knotting and folding for two bacterial trefoil-knotted methyltransferases.