Environmental Policy Update 2012: Development Strategies and Environmental Policy in East Africa

The seven chapters that comprise this report explore ways to integrate sustainability goals and objectives into Ethiopia's current development strategies

Three Decades of the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning

This editorial describes the current status and trends in the past three decades (1990–2019) of the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning (JFCP). Since its first issue published in 1990, JFCP has become a major research outlet in consumer finance. The journal publishes cutting-edge, peer-reviewed, original research papers on consumer financial counseling, planning, and education that have broad impacts on both academic research and business practices in the field of consumer finance. It is included in many major indexes such as Scopus, Emerging Source Citation Index, EconLit, among others. It has published influential papers on consumer financial well-being, financial capability, financial education, financial counseling, financial planning, retirement planning, risk tolerance, and financial behavior change

Separation and Analysis of Lactosylceramide, Galabiosylceramide, and Globotriaosylceramide by LC-MS/MS in Urine of Fabry Disease Patients

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by α-galactosidase A (α-GAL A) deficiency. This enzyme contributes to the cellular recycling of glycosphingolipids such as galabiosylceramide (Ga₂), globotriaosylceramide (Gb₃), and globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb₃) by hydrolyzing the terminal α-galactosyl moiety. Urine and plasma α-GAL A substrates are currently analyzed as biomarkers for the detection, monitoring, and follow-up of Fabry disease patients. The sensitivity of the analysis of Ga₂ is decreased by the co-analysis of its structural isomer, lactosylceramide (LacCer), which is not an α-GAL A substrate. A normal-phase ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) methodology, allowing the baseline separation of 12 Ga₂ isoforms/analogues from their lactosylceramide counterparts, was developed and validated in urine. The method was multiplexed with the analysis of 12 Gb₃ isoforms/analogues having the same fatty acid moieties as those of Ga₂ for comparison, and with creatinine for sample normalization. Urine samples were studied from 34 untreated and 33 Fabry males treated by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and 54 untreated and 19 ERT-treated Fabry females, along with 34 male and 25 female healthy controls. The chromatographic separation of Ga₂ from LacCer increased the sensitivity of analysis, especially in women. One untreated Fabry female and two treated Fabry females presented abnormal levels of Ga₂ but normal levels of Gb₃, supporting the importance of analyzing Ga_2, in addition to Gb₃. Our results show that urine LacCer levels from females were significantly higher than those from males. Moreover, LacCer levels were not affected by Fabry disease for both males and females

Separation and Analysis of Lactosylceramide, Galabiosylceramide, and Globotriaosylceramide by LC-MS/MS in Urine of Fabry Disease Patients

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by α-galactosidase A (α-GAL A) deficiency. This enzyme contributes to the cellular recycling of glycosphingolipids such as galabiosylceramide (Ga₂), globotriaosylceramide (Gb₃), and globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb₃) by hydrolyzing the terminal α-galactosyl moiety. Urine and plasma α-GAL A substrates are currently analyzed as biomarkers for the detection, monitoring, and follow-up of Fabry disease patients. The sensitivity of the analysis of Ga₂ is decreased by the co-analysis of its structural isomer, lactosylceramide (LacCer), which is not an α-GAL A substrate. A normal-phase ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) methodology, allowing the baseline separation of 12 Ga₂ isoforms/analogues from their lactosylceramide counterparts, was developed and validated in urine. The method was multiplexed with the analysis of 12 Gb₃ isoforms/analogues having the same fatty acid moieties as those of Ga₂ for comparison, and with creatinine for sample normalization. Urine samples were studied from 34 untreated and 33 Fabry males treated by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and 54 untreated and 19 ERT-treated Fabry females, along with 34 male and 25 female healthy controls. The chromatographic separation of Ga₂ from LacCer increased the sensitivity of analysis, especially in women. One untreated Fabry female and two treated Fabry females presented abnormal levels of Ga₂ but normal levels of Gb₃, supporting the importance of analyzing Ga_2, in addition to Gb₃. Our results show that urine LacCer levels from females were significantly higher than those from males. Moreover, LacCer levels were not affected by Fabry disease for both males and females