β-Glucosidases (3.2.1.21) play essential roles in the removal of nonreducing terminal glucosyl residues from saccharides and glycosides. However, the full potential and different applications of recombinant high-yield microbial β-glucosidase-producing systems remain to be tackled.

A β-glucosidase gene designated as Mg132 was isolated from a coral microorganism by high-throughput sequencing and functional screening. The deduced amino acid sequences of Mg132 showed a highest identity of 97% with β-glucosidase predicted in the GenBank database. This gene was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) for the first time. The optimal pH and temperature of purified recombinant Mg132 were 8.0 and 50 °C respectively. It exhibited a high level of stability at high concentration of glucose and ethanol, and glucose concentrations below 300 mmol L

distinctly stimulated p-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside hydrolysis, reaching 200% at 15% ethanol. The K

and V

values were 0.293 mmol L

and 320 μmol min

mg

respectively while using p-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside as a substrate. Wine treated with Mg132 had an obvious positive catalytic specificity for glycosides, which give a pleasant flavor of temperate fruity and floral aromas. The total concentration of fermentative volatiles was 201.42 ± 10.22 μg L

following Mg132 treatment and 99.21 ± 7.72 μg L

in control samples.

Good tolerance of winemaking and aroma fermentative properties suggest that Mg132 has potential application in aroma enhancement in wine and warrants further study. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Good tolerance of winemaking and aroma fermentative properties suggest that Mg132 has potential application in aroma enhancement in wine and warrants further study. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.Core Facilities and Technology Platforms are increasingly important components of the science research landscape. However, data on facility operations and staff careers are lacking to inform their development. Here we have surveyed 114 people working in 46 light microscopy (LM) facilities within the United Kingdom. Our survey explores issues around career progression, facility operations and funding. The data show that facilities are substantial repositories of equipment and knowledge which adapt to meet the needs of their local environments. Our report highlights the challenges faced by facility managers, institutions and funders in evaluating facility performance and devising strategies to maximise the return on research funding investment.

Clinical pharmacists’ involvement in the care of solid organ transplant recipients has been discussed worldwide given its potential to improve clinical outcomes. As thoracic transplant activity grows in Brazil, it is important to understand how pharmacists are inserted in transplant programmes nationwide. We conducted a survey to explore clinical pharmacy activities in thoracic transplant centres in Brazil and compared them with accredited programmes in the United States.

An electronic questionnaire was distributed to all 40heart and lung transplant centres registered in the Brazilian Organ Transplantation Agency (ABTO) in May 2019. Survey findings were compared to previously published data from accredited U.S. centres.

From 22 centre respondents, ten (45.5%) declared not to have a pharmacist at any part of the transplantation process, which translated into 158 (37.6%) transplant recipients without any direct pharmaceutical care. In centres with pharmacists (n=12), none had a full-time professional dedicated to their heart and/or lung programmes. When compared to U.S. centres, there was a significantly lower insertion of clinical pharmacist activities among Brazilian centres.

Our findings point to an unmet need related to clinical pharmacy activity within thoracic transplant programmes, especially in a developing country, and highlight a call for action in order to reach higher accredited regulatory standards regarding pharmacist-driven workforce in transplant care worldwide.

Our findings point to an unmet need related to clinical pharmacy activity within thoracic transplant programmes, especially in a developing country, and highlight a call for action in order to reach higher accredited regulatory standards regarding pharmacist-driven workforce in transplant care worldwide.Antrodia cinnamomea is a well-known medicinal mushroom in Taiwan that exhibits anti-inflammatory biological activities. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronic inflammation and angiogenesis driven by proinflammatory cytokines reflect the severity of the disease. Although biological treatments have improved the outlook for RA, no healing exists. Moreover, the available pharmacotherapies do not work for all patients and drug safety is a major consideration. Investigations into plant-based medicines hope to reveal better, more tolerable agents. We examined whether Antcin K, a phytosterol isolated from A. cinnamomea, has anti-angiogenic activity in RA. The GSE12021 gene dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was examined for levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in 10 RA and 10 osteoarthritis (OA) synovial tissue samples. In clinical samples, VEGF expression was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and ELISA in normal and RA synovial tissue, as well as OA and RA synovia K markedly suppressed VEGF expression in human RA synovial fibroblasts and inhibited the migration and tube formation of epithelial progenitor cells (EPCs) by downregulating the phospholipase C-γ/protein kinase C-α pathway. Further investigations are warranted to examine the effects of Antcin K in other angiogenesis-associated disorders.

Mastitis is a common and distressing maternal postpartum condition, but the relationship between mastitis timing and antibiotic treatment and breastfeeding outcomes and postnatal mental health is unclear.

To describe the incidence of mastitis and treatment with antibiotics in first 6months postpartum, and to investigate the impact of mastitis timing and antibiotic treatment on breastfeeding practices and postnatal mental health.

This study is based on 79,985mother-infant dyads in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Women were classified according to self-reported mastitis within first month (’early’) or 1-6months (’later’) postpartum and antibiotic treatment. Breastfeeding outcomes included predominant or any breastfeeding and abrupt breastfeeding cessation until 6months postpartum. Maternal mental health was assessed by self-report at 6months postpartum.

The incidence of mastitis was 18.8%, with 36.8% reporting treatment with antibiotics. Women reporting early mastitis were lelth.

Lactational mastitis and its associated treatment with antibiotics are common. Early ( less then 1 month postpartum) mastitis appears to be a modest risk factor for suboptimal breastfeeding outcomes. In addition, mastitis is associated with poorer mental health.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is often preceded by a recent history of an acute infection and influenza is the most implicated virus.

We identified two cases of TTP, which were preceded by influenza between 2010 and 2021. In one patient, we epitope mapped the binding specificity of antibodies using an overlapping peptide approach of the stalk protein of Influenza B and the cysteine-rich spacer domain (CRSD) of ADAMTS13. A literature search was performed for reports of influenza-associated TTP over the period 1980-2021.

Two patients were identified in which TTP was preceded by influenza, one Influenza A and the other Influenza B. Epitope mapping of the latter’s plasma identified target epitopes in both the stalk protein of Influenza B and CRSD of ADAMTS13. The literature review revealed only seven case reports, all but one from Europe or Asia and associated with Influenza A. Severe ADAMTS13 deficiency was demonstrated in only four cases.

We report the first small case series of influenza-associated TTP. Moreover, it is the first case implicating Influenza B and a mechanism favouring polyclonal B-cell proliferation rather than molecular mimicry as the stimulus to form anti-ADAMTS13 auto-antibodies is suggested.

We report the first small case series of influenza-associated TTP. Moreover, it is the first case implicating Influenza B and a mechanism favouring polyclonal B-cell proliferation rather than molecular mimicry as the stimulus to form anti-ADAMTS13 auto-antibodies is suggested.Crocodylians today live in tropical to subtropical environments, occupying mostly shallow waters. Their body size changes drastically during ontogeny, as do their skull dimensions and bite forces, which are associated with changes in prey preferences. Endocranial neurosensory structures have also shown to change ontogenetically, but less is known about the vestibular system of the inner ear. Here we use 30 high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans and three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to investigate the size and shape changes of crocodylian endosseous labyrinths throughout ontogeny, across four stages (hatchling, juvenile, subadult and adult). We find two major patterns of ontogenetic change. First, the labyrinth increases in size during ontogeny, with negative allometry in relation to skull size. Second, labyrinth shape changes significantly, with hatchlings having shorter semicircular canal radii, with thicker diameters and an overall dorsoventrally shorter labyrinth than those of more mature individuals. We argue that the modification of the labyrinth during crocodylian ontogeny is related to constraints imposed by skull growth, due to fundamental changes in the crocodylian braincase during ontogeny (e.g. verticalisation of the basicranium), rather than changes in locomotion, diet, or other biological functions or behaviours.

Studies show that food insecurity is associated with adverse health behaviors for children and adults. However, published data among adolescents are limited. The objective of this study was to examine the association between food insecurity and substance use behaviors among US high school students.

Data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 10 states were combined to examine the association between household food insecurity and adolescent use of alcohol, marijuana, prescription opioid misuse, and illicit drugs using logistic regression.

Among surveyed respondents, 12.3% of high school students reported experiencing food insecurity. In unadjusted analyses, the prevalence of substance use was higher among students with food insecurity compared to food secure students current binge drinking (16.2% vs 11.5%), current marijuana use (24.0% vs 16.2%), lifetime prescription opioid misuse (21.3% vs 12.6%), and lifetime use of illicit drugs (12.3% vs 5.0%) (all p < .05). In adjusted models, food insecurity was associated with lifetime prescription opioid misuse and lifetime use of illicit drugs (aPR 1.38 and 1.70, respectively).

Students with food insecurity are a potential group at a higher rise of substance misuse and may benefit from prevention programs designed to address their needs.

Students with food insecurity are a potential group at a higher rise of substance misuse and may benefit from prevention programs designed to address their needs.