Exploring the contribution of lifestyle to the impact of education on the risk of cancer through Mendelian randomization analysis.

Educational attainment (EA) has been linked to the risk of several types of cancer, despite having no expected direct biological connection. In this paper, we investigate the mediating role of alcohol consumption, smoking, vegetable consumption, fruit consumption and body mass index (BMI) in explaining the effect of EA on 7 cancer groupings. Large-scale genome wide association study (GWAS) results were used to construct the genetic instrument for EA and the lifestyle factors. We conducted GWAS in the UK Biobank sample in up to 335,024 individuals to obtain genetic association data for the cancer outcomes. Univariable and multivariable two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses and mediation analyses were then conducted to explore the causal effect and mediating proportions of these relations. MR mediation analysis revealed that reduced lifetime smoking index accounted for 81.7% (49.1% to 100%) of the protective effect of higher EA on lower respiratory cancer. Moreover, the effect of higher EA on lower respiratory cancer was mediated through vegetable consumption by 10.2% (4.4% to 15.9%). We found genetic evidence that the effect of EA on groups of cancer is due to behavioural changes in avoiding well established risk factors such as smoking and vegetable consuming.

Exploring disease-causing traits for drug repurposing in critically ill COVID-19 patients: A causal inference approach.

Despite recent development of vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients remains an important goal. In principle, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) provide a shortcut to the clinical evidence needed to repurpose existing drugs; however, genes identified frequently lack a causal disease link. We report an alternative method for finding drug repurposing targets, focusing on disease-causing traits beyond immediate disease genetics. Sixty blood cell types and biochemistries, and body mass index, were screened on a cohort of critically ill COVID-19 cases and controls that exhibited mild symptoms after infection, yielding high neutrophil cell count as a possible causal trait for critical illness. Our methodology identified CDK6 and janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors as treatment targets that were validated in an ex vivo neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation assay. Our methodology demonstrates the increased power for drug target identification by leveraging large disease-causing trait datasets.

A Comparative Study on Immobilization of Fructosyltransferase in Biodegradable Polymers by Electrospinning.

Commercial application of biocatalysts depends on the efficiency of the immobilization method and residual enzyme activity. Electrospinning offers a simple and versatile route to immobilize enzymes in submicron-sized fibers and thus improved mass transfer characteristics. Performance of encapsulation of fructosyltransferase from Bacillus subtilis by emulsion, suspension, and coaxial electrospinning was compared. We particularly focused on the effect of hydrophilic properties of a set of biodegradable polymers on support's activity. Bioactivity of electrospun support in aqueous medium increased in order of the matrix hydrophilicity. Additionally, the efficiency of electrospun fibers was compared with Sepabeads®, commercial epoxy-activated resins. In fibers, enzyme loading of 68.1 mg/g and specific enzyme activity of 5.5 U/mg was achieved compared to 49.5 mg/g and 2.2 U/mg on Sepabeads. Fructosyltransferase exhibited high sensitivity towards organic solvents and covalent attachment, respectively. Immobilization of native enzyme in coaxial fibers increased the specific activity to approx. 30 U/mg which corresponds to 24% of that of the free enzyme. Finally, operational stability of fiber supports was examined in a plug-flow reactor and 5% of initial substrate conversion remained after > 2000 cycles. The efficiency of core-shell immobilizates compared to one-dimensional fibers was both in batch and continuous reaction at least 4.4-fold higher.