Sugar sensing in C4 source leaves: a gap that needs to be filled.

Plant growth depends on sugar production and export by photosynthesising source leaves and sugar allocation and import by sink tissues (grains, roots, stems, young leaves). Photosynthesis and sink demand are tightly coordinated through metabolic (substrate, allosteric) feedback and signalling (sugar, hormones) mechanisms. Sugar signalling integrates sugar production with plant development and environmental cues. In C3 plants (e.g., wheat, rice), it is well documented that sugar accumulation in source leaves, due to source-sink imbalance, negatively feedbacks on photosynthesis and plant productivity. However, we have a limited understanding about the molecular mechanisms underlying those feedback regulations, especially in C4 plants (e.g., maize, sorghum, sugarcane). Recent work with the C4 model Setaria viridis suggested that C4 leaves have different sugar sensing thresholds and behaviours relative to C3 counterparts. Addressing this research priority is critical because improving crop yield requires a better understanding of how plants coordinate source activity with sink demand. Here we review the literature, present a model of action for sugar sensing in C4 source leaves and suggest ways forward.

Electrochemical Lipolysis Induces Adipocyte Death and Fat Necrosis: In Vivo Pilot Study in Pigs.

BACKGROUND: Current minimally invasive fat reduction modalities use equipment that can cost thousands of U.S. dollars. Electrochemical lipolysis (ECLL), using low-cost battery and electrodes (approximately $10), creates acid/base within fat (width, approximately 3 mm), damaging adipocytes. Longitudinal effects of ECLL have not been studied. In this pilot study, the authors hypothesize that in vivo ECLL induces fat necrosis, decreases adipocyte number/viability, and forms lipid droplets. METHODS: Two female Yorkshire pigs (50 to 60 kg) received ECLL. In pig 1, 10 sites received ECLL, and 10 sites were untreated. In pig 2, 12 sites received ECLL and 12 sites were untreated. For ECLL, two electrodes were inserted into dorsal subcutaneous fat and direct current was applied for 5 minutes. Adverse effects of excessive pain, bleeding, infection, and agitation were monitored. Histology, live-dead (calcein, Hoechst, ethidium homodimer-1), and morphology (Bodipy and Hoechst) assays were performed on day 0 and postprocedure days 1, 2, 7, 14 (pig 1 and pig 2), and 28 (pig 2). Average particle area, fluorescence signal areas, and adipocytes and lipid droplet numbers were compared. RESULTS: No adverse effects occurred. Live-dead assays showed adipocyte death on the anode on days 0 to 7 and the cathode on days 1 to 2 (not significant). Bodipy showed significant adipocyte loss at all sites ( P < 0.001) and lipid droplet formation at the cathode site on day 2 ( P = 0.0046). Histology revealed fat necrosis with significant increases in average particle area at the anode and cathode sites by day 14 (+277.3% change compared with untreated, P < 0.0001; +143.4%, P < 0.0001) and day 28 (+498.6%, P < 0.0001; +354.5%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In vivo ECLL induces fat necrosis in pigs. Further studies are needed to evaluate volumetric fat reduction. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: In vivo ECLL induces adipocyte death and fat necrosis. ECLL has the potential to be utilized in body fat contouring.

Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Produces Sex-Specific Long-term Hyperalgesia via Changes in Central Amygdala Circuit Function.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to alcohol during adolescence produces many effects that last well into adulthood. Acute alcohol use is analgesic, and people living with pain report drinking alcohol to reduce pain, but chronic alcohol use produces increases in pain sensitivity. METHODS: We tested the acute and lasting effects of chronic adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure on pain-related behavioral and brain changes in male and female rats. We also tested the long-term effects of AIE on synaptic transmission in midbrain (ventrolateral periaqueductal gray [vlPAG])-projecting central amygdala (CeA) neurons using whole-cell electrophysiology. Finally, we used circuit-based approaches (DREADDs [designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs]) to test the role of vlPAG-projecting CeA neurons in mediating AIE effects on pain-related outcomes. RESULTS: AIE produced long-lasting hyperalgesia in male, but not female, rats. Similarly, AIE led to a reduction in synaptic strength of medial CeA cells that project to the vlPAG in male, but not female, rats. Challenge with an acute painful stimulus (i.e., formalin) in adulthood produced expected increases in pain reactivity, and this effect was exaggerated in male rats with a history of AIE. Finally, CeA-vlPAG circuit activation rescued AIE-induced hypersensitivity in male rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are the first, to our knowledge, to show long-lasting sex-dependent effects of adolescent alcohol exposure on pain-related behaviors and brain circuits in adult animals. This work has implications for understanding the long-term effects of underage alcohol drinking on pain-related behaviors in humans.

Quantitative evaluation of corneal irregularity and scarring after infectious keratitis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE: Corneal scars after infectious keratitis lead to insufficient transparency and irregular astigmatism, affecting visual acuity; therefore, they should be accurately evaluated to estimate visual function. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate corneal irregularity and scarring after infectious keratitis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). METHODS: This was an observational clinical study. We included patients who had corneal scarring after treatment of infectious keratitis between 2014 and 2021 at University of Tokyo Hospital. We retrospectively examined best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), average keratometric power, central corneal thickness (CCT), and four components of the Fourier harmonic analysis including spherical and asymmetry components, as well as regular astigmatism and higher-order irregularity. We included anterior and posterior corneal data and compared results with those of contralateral healthy eyes. Additionally, we quantitatively evaluated the densitometry of the cornea obtained using AS-OCT. RESULTS: A total of 122 eyes of 61 patients were examined; male predominance was observed (n = 37), and the mean patient age was 55.3 ± 19.4 years. Comparisons with contralateral healthy eyes showed that BSCVA worsened (0.30 ± 0.83 and 0.93 ± 1.36 logMAR, respectively, P = 0.003), and CCT (531.1 ± 46.2 and 591.8 ± 132.4 µm, respectively, P < 0.001) and corneal densitometry (84.4 ± 11.8 and 111.9 ± 19.2 grayscale units, respectively, P < 0.001) increased significantly in affected eyes. The asymmetry component and higher-order irregularities that were not corrected with spectacles significantly increased (both P < 0.001), and there were no significant differences in the changes among the bacterial, fungal, herpetic, and acanthamoeba types of keratitis. CONCLUSION: Corneal scarring persisted after treatment for infectious keratitis, and the asymmetry and irregularities of corneal astigmatism increased as visual acuity deteriorated. AS-OCT with the Fourier harmonic analysis was useful for evaluating corneal topographic changes in patients with corneal scarring after keratitis.

Risk factors and outcomes of melanoma in children and adolescents: A retrospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric melanoma presents with distinct clinical features compared to adult disease. OBJECTIVE: Characterize risk factors and negative outcomes in pediatric melanoma. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective study of patients under 20 years diagnosed with melanoma between January 1, 1995 and June 30, 2015 from 11 academic medical centers. RESULTS: Melanoma was diagnosed in 317 patients, 73% of whom were diagnosed in adolescence (age ≥11). Spitzoid (31%) and superficial spreading (26%) subtypes were most common and 11% of cases arose from congenital nevi. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in 68% of cases and positive in 46%. Fatality was observed in 7% of cases. Adolescent patients with melanoma were more likely to have family history of melanoma (P = .046) compared to controls. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective nature, cohort size, control selection, and potential referral bias. CONCLUSION: Pediatric melanoma has diverse clinical presentations. Better understanding of these cases and outcomes may facilitate improved risk stratification of pediatric melanoma.

Mortality Associated With Proportionality of Secondary Mitral Regurgitation After Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair: North American Mitraclip for Functional Mitral Regurgitation Registry.

The association, if any, between the effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) to left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) ratio and 1-year mortality is controversial in patients who undergo mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (m-TEER) with the MitraClip system (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA). This study's objective was to determine the association between EROA/LVEDV and 1-year mortality in patients who undergo m-TEER with MitraClip. In patients with severe secondary (functional) mitral regurgitation (MR), we analyzed registry data from 11 centers using generalized linear models with the generalized estimating equations approach. We studied 525 patients with secondary MR who underwent m-TEER. Most patients were male (63%) and were New York Heart Association class III (61%) or IV (21%). Mitral regurgitation was caused by ischemic cardiomyopathy in 51% of patients. EROA/LVEDV values varied widely, with median = 0.19 mm2/ml, interquartile range [0.12,0.28] mm2/ml, and 187 patients (36%) had values <0.15 mm2/ml. Postprocedural mitral regurgitation severity was substantially alleviated, being 1+ or less in 74%, 2+ in 20%, 3+ in 4%, and 4+ in 2%; 1-year mortality was 22%. After adjustment for confounders, the logarithmic transformation (Ln) of EROA/LVEDV was associated with 1-year mortality (odds ratio 0.600, 95% confidence interval 0.386 to 0.933, p = 0.023). A higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score was also associated with increased mortality. In conclusion, lower values of Ln(EROA/LVEDV) were associated with increased 1-year mortality in this multicenter registry. The slope of the association is steep at low values but gradually flattens as Ln(EROA/LVEDV) increases.

International study of the Complex Stress Reaction Syndrome: Implications for transdiagnostic clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: The debate regarding diagnostic classification systems in psychiatry (categorial vs dimensional systems) has essential implications for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of stress reactions. We previously found a unique pattern of stress reaction in a study executed during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic using large representative samples in two countries, and termed it the Complex Stress Reaction Syndrome (CSRS). AIM: To investigate CSRS, Type A (psychiatric symptoms, spanning anxiety, depression, stress symptoms, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), with or without long-coronavirus disease (COVID) residuals (CSRS, Type B, neuropsychiatric symptoms spanning cognitive deficits and fatigue, excluding systemic symptoms). Our two-tailed hypothesis was that CSRS is a condition related to an unrecognized type of stress reaction in daily life in the general population (Type A) or that it is related to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and its long-COVID residuals (Type B). METHODS: 977 individuals in four continents (North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East) completed the online study questionnaire in six languages using the Qualtrics platform. The study was managed by six teams in six countries that promoted the study on social media. The questionnaire assessed anxiety, depression, stress symptoms and PTSD (CSRS, Type A), cognitive deficits and fatigue (CSRS, Type B). The data were analyzed using Proportion Analyses, Multivariate Analysis of Co-Variance (MANCOVA), linear regression analyses and validated clinical cutoff points. RESULTS: The results of the Proportion Analyses showed that the prevalence of 4 symptoms spanning anxiety, depression, stress symptoms, and PTSD was significantly higher than the most prevalent combinations of fewer symptoms across 4 continents, age groups, and gender. This supports the transdiagnostic argument embedded in the CSRS (Type A). The same pattern of results was found in infected/recovered individuals. The prevalence of the 4 psychiatric symptoms combination was significantly greater than that of 5 and 6 symptoms, when adding cognitive deficits and fatigue, respectively. MANCOVA showed a significant three-way interaction (age × gender × continent). Further analyses showed that the sources of this three-way interaction were threefold relating to two sub-populations at-risk: (1) Individuals that self-identified as non-binary gender scored significantly higher on all 4 psychiatric symptoms of the CSRS, Type A at young age groups (< 50 years old) in North America compared to (self-identified) women and men located in the 4 continents studied, and to other ages across the adult life span; and (2) This pattern of results (CSRS, Type A) was found also in women at young ages (< 40 years old) in North America who scored higher compared to men and women in other continents and other ages. Linear regression analyses confirmed the MANCOVA results. CONCLUSION: These results show a combined mental health risk factor related to stress reactivity, suggesting that the CSRS is sensitive to populations at risk and may be applied to future identification of other vulnerable sub-populations. It also supports the transdiagnostic approach for more accurate prevention and treatment. Time will tell if such transdiagnostic syndromes will be part of the discussions on the next revisions of the traditional classification systems or whether the crisis in psychiatry further evolves.

Parainfectious Brown-Séquard syndrome associated with COVID-19.

Acute myelitis encompasses syndromes associated with inflammation of the spinal cord. In cases of inflammatory lesions that only involve a unilateral portion of the axial plane of the cord, Brown-Séquard syndrome may occur, resulting in potential ipsilateral corticospinal, dorsal spinocerebellar, or dorsal column dysfunction or contralateral spinothalamic dysfunction below the level of the lesion. We report a case of an adult male who presented with Brown-Séquard syndrome and with a positive SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab PCR test. Neurological symptoms rapidly resolved after initiation of high-dose methylprednisolone. The findings reported not only contribute to documenting a new presentation of neurological complications associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection but also non-exclusively supports the body of literature suggesting the immune-mediated response to this infection as a mechanism of neuropathogenesis. In this case, COVID-19-related acute myelitis responded to treatment with a short regimen of high-dose glucocorticoids.

The Impact of Food-Shaping Techniques on Nutrition, Mealtime Experiences, and Quality of Life for Older Adults in Aged Care Settings: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Food-shaping methods, particularly for texture-modified foods, present numerous opportunities to improve the visual appeal of food and potentially the nutrition of older people with dysphagia (swallowing difficulty). This review appraises and synthesizes the evidence on the use of food-shaping methods to enhance nutrition in older adults with swallowing difficulties. METHODS: In August 2022, five electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched for original research related to the intersection of nutrition, food shaping, and older adults with swallowing difficulties. Characteristics of included studies were described and data from results and findings extracted for analysis across studies. RESULTS: Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria and encompassed a variety of settings, including aged care settings (n = 15) and food science laboratories (n = 3). Qualitative and quantitative findings demonstrated a variety of impacts of food shaping for the older adult with swallowing difficulty, including enhanced nutrition and wellbeing. The content themes identified across studies were: links between food shaping and nutrition, shaping food for individual choice, food shaping for enjoyment, a combination of supporting factors, collaborative inter-disciplinary teams and roles, and implementation aligns with local contexts. CONCLUSION: With recent growth in research on food shaping, the body of studies reviewed identified an influence of food-shaping methods on the nutritional status of older adults with swallowing difficulties. Given the identified potential benefit of food shaping and attention to the visual appeal of food for older people, further research examining links between food shaping and nutrition are warranted.

Recommendations From a Chinese-Language Survey of Knowledge and Prevention of Skin Cancer Among Chinese Populations Internationally: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of studies assessing awareness and prevention of skin cancer among Chinese populations. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to compare attitudes and practices regarding skin cancer risks and prevention between Chinese Asian and North American Chinese populations and between Fitzpatrick scores. METHODS: A cross-sectional, internet-based, 74-question survey in Chinese was conducted focusing on Han Chinese participants internationally. The survey included Likert-type scales and multiple-choice questions. All participants were required to read Chinese and self-identify as being 18 years or older and Chinese by ethnicity, nationality, or descent. Participants were recruited on the internet over a 6-month period from July 2017 through January 2018 via advertisements in Chinese on popular social media platforms: WeChat, QQ, Weibo, Facebook, and Twitter. RESULTS: Of the 113 completed responses collected (participation rate of 65.7%), 95 (84.1%) were ethnically Han Chinese, of which 93 (96.9%) were born in China and 59 (62.1%) were female. The mean age of these 95 participants was 35.8 (SD 13.3) years; 72 (75.8%) participants were born after 1975. Few but more North American Chinese reported that Chinese Asian populations received annual skin checks (4/30, 4.2% vs 0/65, 0%; P=.009) and believed that their clinician provided adequate sun safety education (13/30, 43.3% vs 15/65, 23.1%; P=.04). Participants with higher Fitzpatrick scores less frequently received sun safety education from a clinician (4/34, 11.8% vs 22/61, 36.1%; P=.02). More participants with lower Fitzpatrick scores used sunscreen (41/61, 67.2% vs 16/34, 47.1%; P=.05), but alternative sun protection use rates are similar across groups. CONCLUSIONS: Cultural differences and Fitzpatrick scores can affect knowledge and practices with respect to sun protection and skin cancer among social media-using Chinese Asian and North American Chinese communities based on respondent demographics. Most participants in all groups understood that people of color have some risk of skin cancer, but >30% of all groups across regions and Fitzpatrick scores are unaware of current skin protection recommendations, receive insufficient sun safety education, and do not use sunscreen. Outreach efforts may begin broadly with concerted public and private efforts to train and fund dermatologists to perform annual total body skin exams and provide more patient education. They should spark community interest through mass media and empower Chinese people to perform self-examinations and recognize risks and risk mitigation methods.

Dietary fiber extraction from citrus peel pomace: Yield optimization and evaluation of its functionality, rheological behavior, and microstructure properties.

Citrus fruits were widely used in processing and production, generating a large amount of peel pomace and a low utilization rate, resulting in substantial economic losses and environmental risks. It was important to extract compounds from citrus peel pomaces and find suitable preparation methods to improve their yield and physicochemical properties. Grapefruit peel pomace (GP) and navel orange peel pomace (OP) were used as raw materials in this study to prepare green and edible soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF). Analysis was done on the effects of solid-liquid ratio, cellulase hydrolysis time, cellulase dosage, and ultrasonic time on dietary fiber (DF) yield. To obtain the best DF preparation conditions, we used range analysis, variance analysis, and orthogonal experimental design. We also analyzed the structural, physicochemical, and rheological characteristics of SDF and IDF. According to the study's findings, SDF and IDF showed a loose and expansive structure with reduced particle size, higher specific surface area, and noticeably better physical and chemical properties after treating GP and OP with ultrasound-assisted composite enzyme method. Both SDF solution and IDF suspension were discovered through rheological analysis to be non-Newtonian pseudoplastic fluids, which was advantageous for expanding their applications in the field of food packaging. In conclusion, DF prepared using the ultrasound-assisted composite enzyme method was an excellent source of edible packaging materials, offering a benchmark for the recycling of other citrus peel wastes and ultimately paving the way for new methods of recycling citrus waste.

The Investigation of Copolymer Composition Sequence on Non-Isothermal Crystallization Kinetics of Bio-Based Polyamide 56/512.

A new bio-based polyamide 56/512 (PA56/512) has been synthesized with a higher bio-based composition compared to industrialized bio-based PA56, which is considered a lower carbon emission bio-based nylon. In this paper, the one-step approach of copolymerizing PA56 units with PA512 units using melt polymerization has been investigated. The structure of the copolymer PA56/512 was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). Other measurement methods, including relative viscosity tests, amine end group measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), were used to analyze the physical and thermal properties of the PA56/512. Furthermore, the non-isothermal crystallization behaviors of PA56/512 have been investigated with the analytical model of Mo's method and the Kissinger method. The melting point of copolymer PA56/512 exhibited a eutectic point at 60 mol% of 512 corresponding to the typical isodimorphism behavior, and the crystallization ability of PA56/512 also displayed a similar tendency.

Spatial expression patterns of genes encoding sugar sensors in leaves of C4 and C3 grasses.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The mechanisms of sugar sensing in grasses remain elusive, especially those using C4 photosynthesis even though a large proportion of the world's agricultural crops utilize this pathway. We addressed this gap by comparing the expression of genes encoding components of sugar sensors in C3 and C4 grasses, with a focus on source tissues of C4 grasses. Given C4 plants evolved into a two-cell carbon fixation system, it was hypothesized this may have also changed how sugars were sensed. METHODS: For six C3 and eight C4 grasses, putative sugar sensor genes were identified for target of rapamycin (TOR), SNF1-related kinase 1 (SnRK1), hexokinase (HXK) and those involved in the metabolism of the sugar sensing metabolite trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) using publicly available RNA deep sequencing data. For several of these grasses, expression was compared in three ways: source (leaf) versus sink (seed), along the gradient of the leaf, and bundle sheath versus mesophyll cells. KEY RESULTS: No positive selection of codons associated with the evolution of C4 photosynthesis was identified in sugar sensor proteins here. Expressions of genes encoding sugar sensors were relatively ubiquitous between source and sink tissues as well as along the leaf gradient of both C4 and C3 grasses. Across C4 grasses, SnRK1ß1 and TPS1 were preferentially expressed in the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells, respectively. Species-specific differences of gene expression between the two cell types were also apparent. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive transcriptomic study provides an initial foundation for elucidating sugar-sensing genes within major C4 and C3 crops. This study provides some evidence that C4 and C3 grasses do not differ in how sugars are sensed. While sugar sensor gene expression has a degree of stability along the leaf, there are some contrasts between the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells.

The role of SWEET4 proteins in the post-phloem sugar transport pathway of Setaria viridis sink tissues.

In the developing seeds of all higher plants, filial cells are symplastically isolated from the maternal tissue supplying photosynthate to the reproductive structure. Photoassimilates must be transported apoplastically, crossing several membrane barriers, a process facilitated by sugar transporters. Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs) have been proposed to play a crucial role in apoplastic sugar transport during phloem unloading and the post-phloem pathway in sink tissues. Evidence for this is presented here for developing seeds of the C4 model grass Setaria viridis. Using immunolocalization, SvSWEET4 was detected in various maternal and filial tissues within the seed along the sugar transport pathway, in the vascular parenchyma of the pedicel, and in the xylem parenchyma of the stem. Expression of SvSWEET4a in Xenopus laevis oocytes indicated that it functions as a high-capacity glucose and sucrose transporter. Carbohydrate and transcriptional profiling of Setaria seed heads showed that there were some developmental shifts in hexose and sucrose content and consistent expression of SvSWEET4 homologues. Collectively, these results provide evidence for the involvement of SWEETs in the apoplastic transport pathway of sink tissues and allow a pathway for post-phloem sugar transport into the seed to be proposed.

Discovery and Enzymatic Screening of Genome-Mined Microbial Levanases to Produce Second-Generation ß-(2,6)-Fructooligosaccharides: Catalytic Properties.

Evidence suggests that ß-(2,6)-levan-type fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) possess higher prebiotic potential and selectivity than their ß-(2,1)-inulin-type counterparts. The focus of the present work was to develop an enzymatic approach for the synthesis of levan-type FOSs, employing levanases (EC 3.2.1.65), specifically those performing endo-hydrolysis on levans. To identify new levanases, a selection of candidates was obtained via in silico exploration of the levanase family biodiversity through a sequence-driven approach. A collection of 113 candidates was screened according to their specific activities on low- and high-molecular-weight (MW) levan as well as thermal stability. The most active levanases were able to hydrolyze both types of levan with similar efficiency. This ultimately revealed 10 active, highly evolutionary distant and diverse candidate levanases, which demonstrated preferential hydrolysis of levan over inulin. The end-product profile differed significantly depending on levanase with levanbiose, levantriose, and levantetraose being the major FOSs. Among them, the catalytic properties of 5 selected potential new levanases (LEV9 from Belliella Baltica, LEV36 from Dyadobacter fermentans, LEV37 from Capnocytophaga ochracea, LEV79 from Vibrio natriegens, LEV91 from Paenarthrobacter aurescens) were characterized, especially in terms of pH and temperature profiles, thermal stability, and kinetic parameters. The identification of these novel levanases is expected to contribute to the production of levan-type FOSs with properties surpassing those of commercial preparations.

UbiA prenyltransferase domain-containing protein 1 (UBIAD1) variant c.695 A > G identified in a multigenerational Japanese family with Schnyder corneal dystrophy.

PURPOSE: We aimed to identify pathogenic variations in the UbiA prenyltransferase domain-containing protein 1 (UBIAD1) gene in a Japanese family with Schnyder corneal dystrophy (SCD). STUDY DESIGN: Clinical study METHODS: Three clinically diagnosed SCD patients from a single pedigree participated. Patients 1 and 2 were 69- and 65-year-old sisters, and patient 3 was the 42-year-old daughter of patient 1. Blood samples from the patients were obtained for genetic analysis. Mutation screening of the two UBIAD1 exons was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based DNA sequencing. RESULTS: All participants were found to be heterozygous for the pathogenic missense variation c.695 A > G (p.Asn232Ser) in exon 2 of UBIAD1. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the pathogenic UBIAD1 variation c.695 A > G (p.Asn232Ser) in a Japanese population. SCD is a rare corneal dystrophy, and further research on additional cases will aid in the elucidation of disease mechanisms and development of therapeutic strategies.

A bite closer: Using 3D food printing to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3, 9 and 17.

PURPOSE: This commentary paper focuses on four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): zero hunger (SDG 2), good health and well-being (SDG 3), industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9), and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17). Each bite of food has the potential to impact on nutrition and well-being, particularly for the older adult aged over 65 years with swallowing disability. Better attention to the shape of the foods presented for consumption may help improve access to food and nutrition through food shaping methods such as 3D food printing. Target objectives across these four SDGs should help to improve the physical and emotional health of older people with swallowing disability who need texture-modified foods. RESULT: We discuss the potential for methods to improve food shaping and influence better health outcomes for older people, particularly those with swallowing disability. Texture-modified food should be both nourishing and enjoyable while being safe to swallow without coughing or choking; to improve nutrition, health, and quality of life. CONCLUSION: Along with temperature and taste, the shape of texture-modified foods influences the appeal of the food as important elements of food design. The link between the enjoyment of food and nutrition sets the foundation for a good quality of life for older people. 3D food printing, among other food shaping methods, helps establish this link through the creation of nutritious and appealing foods. Applying the targets for SDGs relating to food shaping techniques will involve innovation and collaboration with older people and multiple disciplines.

Pocket CLARITY enables distortion-mitigated cardiac microstructural tissue characterization of large-scale specimens.

Molecular phenotyping by imaging of intact tissues has been used to reveal 3D molecular and structural coherence in tissue samples using tissue clearing techniques. However, clearing and imaging of cardiac tissue remains challenging for large-scale (>100 mm3) specimens due to sample distortion. Thus, directly assessing tissue microstructural geometric properties confounded by distortion such as cardiac helicity has been limited. To combat sample distortion, we developed a passive CLARITY technique (Pocket CLARITY) that utilizes a permeable cotton mesh pocket to encapsulate the sample to clear large-scale cardiac swine samples with minimal tissue deformation and protein loss. Combined with light sheet auto-fluorescent and scattering microscopy, Pocket CLARITY enabled the characterization of myocardial microstructural helicity of cardiac tissue from control, heart failure, and myocardial infarction in swine. Pocket CLARITY revealed with high fidelity that transmural microstructural helicity of the heart is significantly depressed in cardiovascular disease (CVD), thereby revealing new insights at the tissue level associated with impaired cardiac function.

Regular and irregular astigmatism of bullous keratopathy using Fourier harmonic analysis with anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

Bullous keratopathy (BK) is known to present with corneal edema and Descemet's folds, which can cause corneal astigmatism. However, no report quantitatively evaluated BK astigmatism by separating it into regular and irregular astigmatism. This study investigated the regular and irregular astigmatism of the anterior and posterior corneal surface with Fourier harmonic analysis and anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Preoperative data from 43 eyes of 41 BK patients who received corneal endothelial transplantation were compared with the data from 43 eyes of 43 subjects without corneal disease. Anterior and posterior cylinder power, central corneal thickness (CCT) and thinnest corneal thickness were significantly greater in BK. With Fourier harmonic analysis, BK eyes were found to have significantly larger anterior and posterior regular astigmatism, asymmetry component and higher-order irregularity. Asymmetry component and higher-order irregularity that accounted for the posterior irregular astigmatism increased as CCT increased in BK. Higher-order irregularity in the posterior cornea also positively correlated with worsening best corrected visual acuity. Subgroup analysis found significant correlations between CCT and posterior higher-order irregularity for intraocular surgery and laser iridotomy, but not Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy. This study has significance in that it revealed the characteristics of the corneal posterior irregular astigmatism of BK.