Recombinant Fungal Aspartic Endopeptidases: Insights into Protein Hydrolysis and Combined Effect with Pepsin for Animal Feed Application.

Protein hydrolysis under acidic conditions can improve the product quality, nutrient availability, and cost efficiency, particularly when neutral or alkaline enzymes are ineffective. Six fungal aspartic endopeptidases (FAPs) were recombinantly expressed as active enzymes in , with peak activity between 30-50 °C and pH 3.0-4.

Efficacy of attractive targeted sugar bait stations against malaria in Western Province Zambia: epidemiological findings from a two-arm cluster randomized phase III trial.

Background: Attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) stations containing bait (to attract) and ingestion toxicant (to kill) sugar-foraging mosquitoes are hypothesized to reduce malaria transmission by shortening the lifespan of Anopheles vectors.

Methods: A two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) was conducted in Western Province Zambia. Seventy clusters of 250-350 households were assigned (1:1) by restricted randomization to an intervention arm (ATSB) or control arm (no ATSB) in the context of standard of care vector control (insecticide-treated nets and/or indoor residual spraying).

Association between sick child facility readiness and quality of care at the individual and facility level in five low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Raising the quality of health services is key to continued progress in improving child health, however, data on service quality are limited and difficult to interpret. The relationship between facility readiness and the quality of care is complex.

Methods: Using publicly available data sets from five low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), we assessed the relationship between structural factors and the clinical quality of care for managing sick children.

Ion chromatography coupled with optical emission spectrometry (IC-ICP-OES) methodology for the analysis of inositol phosphates in food and feed.

This study presents the development of ion chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (IC-ICP-OES) for the simultaneous determination and quantification of inositol phosphates (InsP). Using a CarboPac PA100 column with a nitric acid-water gradient, 28 InsP isomers (InsP to InsP) were separated within 33 min. The method eliminates baseline drift and post-column derivatization thereby simplifying detection and quantification.

Why does malaria transmission continue at high levels despite universal vector control? Quantifying persistent malaria transmission by Anopheles funestus in Western Province, Zambia.

Background: Some settings continue to experience a high malaria burden despite scale-up of malaria vector control to high levels of coverage. Characterisation of persistent malaria transmission in the presence of standard control measures, also termed residual malaria transmission, to understand where and when individuals are exposed to vector biting is critical to inform refinement of prevention and control strategies.

Methods: Secondary analysis was performed using data collected during a phase III cluster randomized trial of attractive targeted sugar bait stations in Western Province, Zambia.