Exploring the potential of flour, starch concentrate, and protein concentrate from Richlea lentils in the development of lentil based extruded puffs.

Lentil puffs were developed from a mixed design of varying weight fractions of lentil flour (x1), lentil starch concentrate (x2), and lentil protein concentrate (x3) using a twin-screw pilot scale extruder at a dry feed rate of 20 kg/h (d.b.), a water feed rate of 2 kg/h, and an extruder screw speed of 350 rpm.

UB-612 pan-SARS-CoV-2 T cell immunity-promoting vaccine protects against COVID-19 moderate-severe disease.

UB-612 pan-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine targets the monomeric Spike S1-receptor binding domain (RBD) subunit protein along with five sequence-conserved T cell epitopes found on Spike S2 and non-Spike M and N proteins. UB-612 vaccination safely induces potent, broad, and long-lasting immunity against SARS-CoV-2. A phase-2 trial-extended observational study during the Omicron BA.

A microwell platform for high-throughput longitudinal phenotyping and selective retrieval of organoids.

Organoids are powerful experimental models for studying the ontogeny and progression of various diseases including cancer. Organoids are conventionally cultured in bulk using an extracellular matrix mimic. However, bulk-cultured organoids physically overlap, making it impossible to track the growth of individual organoids over time in high throughput.

Observation of Same-Sign WW Production from Double Parton Scattering in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV.

The first observation of the production of W^{±}W^{±} bosons from double parton scattering processes using same-sign electron-muon and dimuon events in proton-proton collisions is reported. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. Multivariate discriminants are used to distinguish the signal process from the main backgrounds.

Developing a culturally acceptable peanut nutrition bar with smallholder women farmers in Kaffrine, Senegal using response surface methodology.

To increase farm income and food security, a collaboration was made with smallholder women farmers in Kaffrine, Senegal to develop a culturally acceptable peanut nutrition bar using healthy indigenous and local ingredients and feasible manufacturing methods. This study aimed to use response surface methodology to optimize the bar's formulation and characterize the texture, nutrient profile, sensory qualities, and water activity. The bars were made by varying the ratio of cowpea flour to corn flour (w/w, d.

A method for intelligent allocation of diagnostic testing by leveraging data from commercial wearable devices: a case study on COVID-19.

Mass surveillance testing can help control outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. However, diagnostic test shortages are prevalent globally and continue to occur in the US with the onset of new COVID-19 variants and emerging diseases like monkeypox, demonstrating an unprecedented need for improving our current methods for mass surveillance testing. By targeting surveillance testing toward individuals who are most likely to be infected and, thus, increasing the testing positivity rate (i.

High Neutralizing Antibody Levels Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 After UB-612 Vaccine Booster.

The highly transmissible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant has caused high rates of breakthrough infections in those previously vaccinated with ancestral strain coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. Here, we demonstrate that a booster dose of UB-612 vaccine candidate delivered 7-9 months after primary vaccination increased neutralizing antibody levels by 131-, 61-, and 49-fold against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and the Omicron BA.1 and BA.

Hematopoietic differentiation persists in human iPSCs defective in de novo DNA methylation.

Background: DNA methylation is involved in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression during developmental processes and is primarily established by the DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) and 3B (DNMT3B). DNMT3A is one of the most frequently mutated genes in clonal hematopoiesis and leukemia, indicating that it plays a crucial role for hematopoietic differentiation. However, the functional relevance of Dnmt3a for hematopoietic differentiation and hematological malignancies has mostly been analyzed in mice, with the specific role for human hematopoiesis remaining elusive.

Hamsters Protected from SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant Challenge after Two Doses of Adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 Recombinant Spike Protein (S-2P) and One Dose of Beta S-2P.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern negatively impact the effectiveness of vaccines. In this study, we challenge hamsters with the delta variant after 2- or 3-dose inoculations with SARS-CoV-2 vaccines constructed from stabilized prefusion spike proteins (S-2P) of Wuhan (W) and beta (B) variants. Compared to 3 doses of W S-2P, 2 doses of W S-2P followed by a third dose of B S-2P induced the highest neutralizing antibody titer against live SARS-CoV-2 virus and enhanced neutralization of omicron variant pseudovirus.

Association of Fecal and Plasma Levels of Short-Chain Fatty Acids With Gut Microbiota and Clinical Severity in Patients With Parkinson Disease.

Background And Objectives: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are gut microbial metabolites that promote the disease process in a rodent model of Parkinson disease (PD), but fecal levels of SCFAs in patients with PD are reduced. Simultaneous assessments of fecal and plasma SCFA levels, and their interrelationships with the PD disease process, are scarce. We aimed to compare fecal and plasma levels of different SCFA subtypes in patients with PD and healthy controls to delineate their interrelations and link to gut microbiota changes and clinical severity of PD.

Estimation of the Effect of Accelerating New Bone Formation of High and Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid Hybrid: An Animal Study.

Osteoconduction is an important consideration for fabricating bio-active materials for bone regeneration. For years, hydroxyapatite and β-calcium triphosphate (β-TCP) have been used to develop bone grafts for treating bone defects. However, this material can be difficult to handle due to filling material sagging.

DNA methylation changes during long-term in vitro cell culture are caused by epigenetic drift.

Culture expansion of primary cells evokes highly reproducible DNA methylation (DNAm) changes. We have identified CG dinucleotides (CpGs) that become continuously hyper- or hypomethylated during long-term culture of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and other cell types. Bisulfite barcoded amplicon sequencing (BBA-seq) demonstrated that DNAm patterns of neighboring CpGs become more complex without evidence of continuous pattern development and without association to oligoclonal subpopulations.

New targeted approaches for epigenetic age predictions.

Background: Age-associated DNA methylation changes provide a promising biomarker for the aging process. While genome-wide DNA methylation profiles enable robust age-predictors by integration of many age-associated CG dinucleotides (CpGs), there are various alternative approaches for targeted measurements at specific CpGs that better support standardized and cost-effective high-throughput analysis.

Results: In this study, we utilized 4647 Illumina BeadChip profiles of blood to select CpG sites that facilitate reliable age-predictions based on pyrosequencing.

A multi-dimensional search for new heavy resonances decaying to boosted , , or boson pairs in the dijet final state at 13 .

A search in an all-jet final state for new massive resonances decaying to , , or boson pairs using a novel analysis method is presented. The analysis is performed on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 77.3 recorded with the CMS experiment at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13  .

Randomized controlled trial of -acetylcysteine therapy for -related myopathies.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of -acetylcysteine (NAC) for decreasing elevated oxidative stress and increasing physical endurance in individuals with ryanodine receptor 1-related myopathies (-RM).

Methods: In this 6-month natural history assessment (n = 37) followed by a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 33 eligible participants were block-randomized (1:1) to receive NAC (n = 16) or placebo (n = 17), orally for 6 months (adult dose 2,700 mg/d; pediatric dose 30 mg/kg/d). The primary endpoint was urine 15-F2t isoprostane concentration and the clinically meaningful co-primary endpoint was 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance.

Changing Indications for Corneal Transplantations in Southern Taiwan From 2008 to 2018.

Objectives: To investigate the changing indications for corneal transplantations in southern Taiwan from 2008 to 2018 and compare the results with those of other previous studies.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent corneal transplantations from January 2008 to December 2018 at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital. The patients' age, sex, indication for corneal transplantation, and the surgical technique were recorded and analyzed.

Inhibition of VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor)-A or its Receptor Activity Suppresses Experimental Aneurysm Progression in the Aortic Elastase Infusion Model.

Objective: We examined the pathogenic significance of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)-A in experimental abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and the translational value of pharmacological VEGF-A or its receptor inhibition in aneurysm suppression. Approaches and Results: AAAs were created in male C57BL/6J mice via intra-aortic elastase infusion. Soluble VEGFR (VEGF receptor)-2 extracellular ligand-binding domain (delivered in Ad [adenovirus]-VEGFR-2), anti-VEGF-A mAb (monoclonal antibody), and sunitinib were used to sequester VEGF-A, neutralize VEGF-A, and inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase activity, respectively.

Effect of Anti-CD4 Antibody UB-421 on HIV-1 Rebound after Treatment Interruption.

Background: Administration of a single broadly neutralizing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific antibody to HIV-infected persons leads to the development of antibody-resistant virus in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART). It is possible that monotherapy with UB-421, an antibody that blocks the virus-binding site on human CD4+ T cells, could induce sustained virologic suppression without induction of resistance in HIV-infected persons after analytic treatment interruption.

Methods: We conducted a nonrandomized, open-label, phase 2 clinical study evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics, and antiviral activity of UB-421 monotherapy in HIV-infected persons undergoing analytic treatment interruption.

Gelatin/Nanohyroxyapatite Cryogel Embedded Poly(lactic--glycolic Acid)/Nanohydroxyapatite Microsphere Hybrid Scaffolds for Simultaneous Bone Regeneration and Load-Bearing.

It is desirable to combine load-bearing and bone regeneration capabilities in a single bone tissue engineering scaffold. For this purpose, we developed a high strength hybrid scaffold using a sintered poly(lactic--glycolic acid) (PLGA)/nanohydroxyapatite (nHAP) microsphere cavity fitted with gelatin/nHAP cryogel disks in the center. Osteo-conductive/osteo-inductive nHAP was incorporated in 250⁻500 μm PLGA microspheres at 40% (/) as the base matrix for the high strength cavity-shaped microsphere scaffold, while 20% (/) nHAP was incorporated into gelatin cryogels as an embedded core for bone regeneration purposes.

Dietary or supplemental fermentable fiber intake reduces the presence of Clostridium XI in mouse intestinal microbiota: The importance of higher fecal bacterial load and density.

Objectives: Clostridium difficile infection is a public health concern. C. difficile was found in healthy human intestine as a member of Clostridium XI.

Pancreatic differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells in activin A-grafted gelatin-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticle scaffolds with induction of LY294002 and retinoic acid.

The differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in biomaterial scaffolds is an emerging area for biomedical applications. This study proposes, for the first time, the production of pancreatic cells from iPSCs in gelatin-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticle (PLGA NP) scaffolds. The porosity and swelling ratio of the scaffolds decreased with increases in gelatin and PLGA NP concentrations.

Overlapping and Divergent Actions of Structurally Distinct Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in Cardiac Fibroblasts.

Inhibitors of zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) profoundly affect cellular function by altering gene expression via changes in nucleosomal histone tail acetylation. Historically, investigators have employed pan-HDAC inhibitors, such as the hydroxamate trichostatin A (TSA), which simultaneously targets members of each of the three zinc-dependent HDAC classes (classes I, II, and IV). More recently, class- and isoform-selective HDAC inhibitors have been developed, providing invaluable chemical biology probes for dissecting the roles of distinct HDACs in the control of various physiologic and pathophysiological processes.

San Huang Shel Shin Tang beta-cyclodextrin complex augmented the hepatoprotective effects against carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats.

Background: San Huang Shel Shin Tang (SHSST) is a traditional herbal decoction used as a hepato-protective agent and is composed of Rheum officinale Baill, Scutellaria baicalnsis Geprgi and Coptis chinensis Franch (2:1:1 w/w). Beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) modification may potentially increase the solubility and spectral properties of SHSST.

Methods: In this research, the hepato-protective effects of unmodified SHSST, β-CD modified SHSST complex (SHSSTc) and silymarin were evaluated in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcal periprosthetic joint infections can be effectively controlled by systemic and local daptomycin.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus remains a serious problem in the treatment of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Higher failure rates were reported when vancomycin was used in 2-stage exchange arthroplasty. Therefore a better therapeutic drug is needed to treat PJI caused by methicillin-resistant organisms.

Effect of Age on Working Memory Performance and Cerebral Activation after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Functional MR Imaging Study.

Purpose: To evaluate the age effect on working memory (WM) performance and functional activation after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).

Materials And Methods: This study was approved by the local research ethics committee. All participants provided written informed consent.