Transcriptomic analysis reveals three important carbohydrate-active enzymes contributing to starch degradation of oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi.

The oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi has a high capacity for starch assimilation, but the genes involved and specific mechanisms in starch degradation remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the critical carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) genes contributing to starch degradation in L. starkeyi.

The Impact of a Commensality Intervention on Physician Burnout.

Commensality, the act of eating together, when organized around facilitated discussion is an evidence-based intervention that can promote engagement and reduce physician burnout. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptance, and impact of a commensality intervention for physicians. The Commensality Intervention was based on a Mayo Clinic model that consisted of 6, 2-hour dinner meetings at local restaurants over 6 months with facilitated discussion.

Nineteenth Century Amorphous Calcium Carbonate.

The work of the English anatomist George Rainey is compared with that of the Dutch naturalist Pieter Harting. While the latter is regarded as a pioneer in biomimetic inorganic crystallography for precipitating unusual crystallographic forms that mimic the products of living organisms, the work of Rainey largely has been forgotten. In fact, Rainey first prepared amorphous calcium carbonate, a material that can be molded by organisms to form biogenic crystals.

Improvements in the utilization of calcium carbonate in promoting sustainability and environmental health.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO) is an incredibly abundant mineral on Earth, with over 90% of it being found in the lithosphere. To address the CO crisis and combat ocean acidification, it is essential to produce more CaCO using various synthetic methods. Additionally, this approach can serve as a substitute for energy-intensive processes like cement production.

Biomanufacturing of value-added chemicals from lignin.

Lignin valorization faces persistent biomanufacturing challenges due to the heterogeneous and toxic carbon substrates derived from lignin depolymerization. To address the heterogeneous nature of aromatic feedstocks, plant cell wall engineering and 'lignin first' pretreatment methods have recently emerged. Next, to convert the resulting aromatic substrates into value-added chemicals, diverse microbial host systems also continue to be developed.

Describing the Medical Needs of Hawai'i's Houseless Population During COVID at Free Student Run Outpatient Clinics (Hawai'i HOME Project).

Hawai'i experiences some of the highest rates of houselessness per capita in the country. COVID-19 has exacerbated these disparities and made it difficult for these individuals to seek medical care. Hawai'i's Houseless Outreach in Medical Education (HOME) clinic is the largest student run free clinic in the state, which provides medical services to this patient population.

Spatial detection of mitochondrial DNA and RNA in tissues.

Background: Mitochondrial health has gained attention in a number of diseases, both as an indicator of disease state and as a potential therapeutic target. The quality and amount of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and RNA (mtRNA) can be important indicators of mitochondrial and cell health, but are difficult to measure in complex tissues.

Methods: mtDNA and mtRNA in zebrafish retina samples were fluorescently labeled using RNAscope™ hybridization, then mitochondria were stained using immunohistochemistry.

A bicarbonate-rich liquid condensed phase in non-saturated solutions in the absence of divalent cations.

Bicarbonate (HCO ) and sodium (Na)-containing solutions contain droplets of a separate, bicarbonate-rich liquid condensed phase (LCP) that have higher concentrations of HCO relative to the bulk solution in which they reside. The existence and composition of the LCP droplets has been investigated by nanoparticle tracking analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, refractive index measurements and X-ray pair distribution function analysis. The bicarbonate-rich LCP species is a previously unaccounted-for, ionic phenomenon which occurs even in solutions with solely monovalent cations.

Employment needs of and barriers for Chinese youth and young adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions in Ontario, Canada.

Background: Cultural-based literature focusing on Asian autistic immigrants living in Western countries is very limited.

Aims: The present study is a quality improvement exercise aiming to fill the gap by investigating the employment needs of and barriers for Chinese autistic youth and young adults in Ontario, Canada.

Methods & Procedures: 71 individuals diagnosed with autism and 24 diagnosed with other mental illnesses, aged 12-29, participated in an online survey regarding their work readiness, work skills, interests, health and cultural concerns.

A Case of Legionella pneumophila Serogroup 13 Pneumonia Based on the Detection of Serogroup-Specific Genes in Culture-Negative Sputum.

Legionella pneumophila serogroup (SG) 1, the main cause of Legionnaires' disease, can be diagnosed using urinary antigen testing kits. However, lower respiratory tract specimen cultures are required to identify L. pneumophila SG 2-15.

Asian American Women's Experiences of Discrimination and Health Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated racism experienced by Asian Americans, especially women and older individuals. Little is known about how discriminatory experiences during the pandemic have influenced health behaviors among Asian Americans. Between 10/2021 and 6/2022, we surveyed 193 Asian American women in the San Francisco area.

Validation of a bluetooth-enabled load cell for objective and accessible assessment of lower extremity strength.

High magnitude loading from performing resistance-based exercise has been found to improve tendon strength and reduce symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy (AT) but is difficult to quantify without specialist equipment. Here, we assess the validity and reliability of a novel AT rehabilitation tool (the "PhysViz" system) compared to a "gold-standard" dynamometer for assessing plantarflexion maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC). 41 participants aged 18-60 completed the study.

Efficacy and muscle safety assessment of fukutin-related protein gene therapy.

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type R9 (LGMDR9) is a muscle-wasting disease that begins in the hip and shoulder regions of the body. This disease is caused by mutations in fukutin-related protein (FKRP), a glycosyltransferase critical for maintaining muscle cell integrity. Here we investigated potential gene therapies for LGMDR9 containing an FKRP expression construct with untranslated region (UTR) modifications.

An observational human study investigating the effect of anabolic androgenic steroid use on the transcriptome of skeletal muscle and whole blood using RNA-Seq.

Background: The effects of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) are largely illustrated through Androgen Receptor induced gene transcription, yet RNA-Seq has yet to be conducted on human whole blood and skeletal muscle. Investigating the transcriptional signature of AAS in blood may aid AAS detection and in muscle further understanding of AAS induced hypertrophy.

Methods: Males aged 20-42 were recruited and sampled once: sedentary controls (C), resistance trained lifters (RT) and resistance trained current AAS users (RT-AS) who ceased exposure ≤ 2 or ≥ 10 weeks prior to sampling.

Measles Outbreak Response Activity in Japan, and a Discussion for a Possible Strategy of Outbreak Response Using Cycle Threshold Values of Real-Time Reverse Transcription PCR for Measles Virus in Measles Elimination Settings.

Measles is a highly contagious, but vaccine-preventable disease caused by the measles virus (MeV). Although the administration of two doses of measles vaccines is the most effective strategy to prevent and eliminate measles, MeV continues to spread worldwide, even in 2022. In measles-eliminated countries, preparedness and response to measles outbreaks originating from imported cases are required to maintain elimination status.

The Distal Free Achilles Tendon Is Longer in People with Tendinopathy than in Controls: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

Objectives: The free Achilles tendon is defined as the region of tendon distal to the soleus which is "unbuttressed," i.e., unsupported by muscular tissue.

The MMAAS Project: An Observational Human Study Investigating the Effect of Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Use on Gene Expression and the Molecular Mechanism of Muscle Memory.

Objective: It remains unknown whether myonuclei remain elevated post anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) usage in humans. Limited data exist on AAS-induced changes in gene expression.

Design: Cross-sectional/longitudinal.

Monitoring silver diamine fluoride application with optical coherence tomography and thermal imaging: An in vitro proof of concept study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to show that optical coherence tomography (OCT) and thermal imaging can be used to monitor changes in the structure and activity of caries lesions over time after treatment with silver diamine fluoride (SDF).

Methods: Artificial caries lesions were formed on enamel and dentin bovine blocks. Each block was partitioned into five windows with the central three windows exposed to a demineralization solution to create lesions: one sound window served as a sound control (SC), one sound window was exposed to SDF to serve as a test control (SCT), one lesion window served as a lesion control (LC), one lesion window received one application of SDF (L1), while the other lesion window received two applications of SDF (L2).