A Strategic Review on Use of Polyhydroxyalkanoates as an Immunostimulant in Aquaculture

Background and Objective: Increasing concerns over the use of antibiotics in aquaculture have emerged researchers to focus on short chain fatty acids and other biocompatible molecules as alternatives for disease prophylaxis and treatment. Polyhydroxyalkanoates well studied as biopolymeric materials for using in packaging and biomedicine were not focused much for their abilities to act as antimicrobial agents in aquaculture until recent years. Application studies of polyhydroxyalkanoates as aquafeed additives have highlighted their promising roles as eco-friendly alternatives for commercial antibiotics with strong immunomodulatory effects in fish-es and shrimps. The major aim of this review was to explore up-to-date scientific research studies on use of polyhydroxyalkanoates as aquafeed additives and their immunomodulatory effects. Results and Conclusion: Up-to-date, limited scientific literatures have been published on the use of polyhydroxyalkanoates and their copolymers as alternatives to antibiotics in aquaculture. This research field includes a great scope of development due to the promising immu-nomodulatory and antimicrobial activity of polyhydroxyalkanoates against common pathogens in aquaculture, as reported in literatures. Although several hypothesis and research data for explaining the mechanisms behind their immunostimulatory effects were suggested by various researchers, genetic and molecular bases underlying these phenomena are yet to be explored. Further research and development in this area can introduce these biopolymers as the most promising eco-friendly alternatives for antibiotics in aquaculture. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interes

Protection from neuropathy in extreme duration type 1 diabetes

A proportion of individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus for more than 50 years (medallists) may be protected from developing nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy. Detailed neuropathy phenotyping was undertaken in a cohort of 33 medallists aged 63.7 ± 1.4 years with diabetes for 58.5 ± 0.8 years and HbA1c of 65.9 ± 2.1 mmol/mmol. Medallists had a significantly higher HbA1c (P <.001), lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (P =.005) and higher albumin creatinine excretion ratio (ACR) (P =.01), but a lower total cholesterol (P <.001), triacylglycerols (P =.001), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P <.001) and higher high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P =.03), compared to controls. Twenty-four percent of participants were identified as “escapers” without confirmed diabetic neuropathy. They had a lower neuropathy symptom profile (P =.002), vibration perception threshold (P =.02), warm threshold (P =.05), higher peroneal amplitude (P =.005), nerve conduction velocity (P =.03), heart rate variability (P =.001), corneal nerve fibre density (P = 0.001), branch density (P <.001) and length (P =.001), compared to medallists with diabetic neuropathy. Escapers had a shorter duration of diabetes (P =.006), lower alcohol consumption (P =.04), lower total cholesterol (P =.04) and LDL (P =.02), higher eGFR (P =.001) and lower ACR (P <.001). Patients with extreme duration diabetes without diabetic neuropathy have a comparable HbA1c, blood pressure and body mass index, but a more favourable lipid profile and consume less alcohol compared to those with diabetic neuropathy.</p