Lactose intolerance: genetics of lactase polymorphisms, diagnosis and novel therapy

Lactose intolerance is a common disorder affecting an individual's ability to digest lactose present in milk or any food product. Lactose intolerance is caused by the deficiency of β-galactosidase (lactase) in the digestive tract. Diagnosis of lactose intolerance is not so simple and straightforward clinically. Many biochemical and genetic tests have been developed for the determination of lactose intolerance. Several case reports indicate wherein subjects have self-diagnosed being lactose intolerant. There is an emerging link of this disorder with human gene polymorphism, where genetic basis has been used as a diagnostic tool. The high prevalence of this condition among children and adults has compelled the production of lactose-free foods. Additionally, external enzyme supplementation has been looked at as an alternative protective mechanism in lactose intolerant subjects. This review highlights the genetic variants of lactase polymorphism and theranostic (therapeutic and diagnostic) strategies for lactose intolerance.Biomedical Reviews 2014; 25: 35-44

The role of peptides in bone healing and regeneration: A systematic review

Background: Bone tissue engineering and the research surrounding peptides has expanded significantly over the last few decades. Several peptides have been shown to support and stimulate the bone healing response and have been proposed as therapeutic vehicles for clinical use. The aim of this comprehensive review is to present the clinical and experimental studies analysing the potential role of peptides for bone healing and bone regeneration. Methods: A systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Articles presenting peptides capable of exerting an upregulatory effect on osteoprogenitor cells and bone healing were included in the study. Results: Based on the available literature, a significant amount of experimental in vitro and in vivo evidence exists. Several peptides were found to upregulate the bone healing response in experimental models and could act as potential candidates for future clinical applications. However, from the available peptides that reached the level of clinical trials, the presented results are limited. Conclusion: Further research is desirable to shed more light into the processes governing the osteoprogenitor cellular responses. With further advances in the field of biomimetic materials and scaffolds, new treatment modalities for bone repair will emerge

Developing manufacturing control software: A survey and critique

The complexity and diversity of manufacturing software and the need to adapt this software to the frequent changes in the production requirements necessitate the use of a systematic approach to developing this software. The software life-cycle model (Royce, 1970) that consists of specifying the requirements of a software system, designing, implementing, testing, and evolving this software can be followed when developing large portions of manufacturing software. However, the presence of hardware devices in these systems and the high costs of acquiring and operating hardware devices further complicate the manufacturing software development process and require that the functionality of this software be extended to incorporate simulation and prototyping.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45542/1/10696_2005_Article_BF01328739.pd

Therapeutic roles of antioxidant and nutraceuticals in the prevention and management of Alzheimer’s disease: A systematic review

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has emerged as a serious and challenging neurological disorder in the ageing population worldwide. The progressive decline of mental health in AD patients causes memory loss, cognition decline, and motor impairment, which impacts adversely on the quality of life of afflicted individuls. Health care costs of mental diseases, dementia and AD are escalating globally, because the AD patients need continuous attention either by the family members or by the health care providers. Also, pharmaceutical treatment and hospital cost of AD is very expensive for the society. Therefore,  there is an urgent need to develop cost-effective, affordable, and safe alternative remedies for the prevention/mitigation and management of AD. Plant-derived anti-oxidant/anti-inflammation macromolecules (e.g., curcumin, genistein, melatonin, resveratrol, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, berberine) and nutraceuticals (Gingko Biloba) appear to be the safer and cost-effective promising options for the prevention/progression and management of AD patients. The underlying causes and pathological mechanisms of AD are multiple and complex, which include genetic, epigenetic, non-genetic and environmental risk factors. Lifestyle aspects (e.g., excessive tobacco smoking and alcohol abuse), unhealthy dietary habits, accumulation of heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cobalt, mercury) in CNS, and chronic viral infections are considered some other risk factors in memory loss and AD. Brain has relatively low levels of antioxidants and low repair capacity of neuronal cells. Reduced blood supply and impaired mitochondria promote lesser ATP synthesis and energy support in the brain. Many studies have suggested that excessive oxidative stress in the brain leads to the overproduction of free radicals like reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) from mitochondrial damage and reduction of ATP synthesis. The unabated over production of ROS/RNS cause insults to brain lipids by intiating lipid peroxidation and damage to cellular molecules, resulting in pathological injury and neuronal death. Antioxidant and anti-inflammation phytomolecules, dietary flavonoids, and nutraceuticals have gained significant importance for scavenging the free radicals and producing neuro-protective and memory-enhancing effects. Systematic searches were done using PUBMED, EMBASE, Scopus, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and Web of Science databases. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that dietary antioxidant/anti-inflammation flavonoids, micronutrients (vitamins, trace metals, amino acids), and plant-derived polyphenols synergistically exhibit neuroprotective activity in AD animal models by stimulating transcription of the endogenous antioxidant system in the brain. The aims and objectives of this review are to recapitulate the current knowledge about the pathophysiology of AD and to shed light on the therapeutic strategies being used for slowing down the progression of dementia and cognitive decline.  We will also provide an overview of the proposed underlying mechanisms of different neutraceuticals and their recommended dosages in the prevention/mitigation of AD along with a summary of the antioxidant/anti-inflammation ingredients present in patented formulations

Fabrication of Thin Films of Multi-Cation Oxides (YBa2Cu3O7-delta) Starting from Nanoparticles of Mixed Ions

A new route, starting from nanoparticles of mixed ions, has been used to synthesize high-quality thin films of a complex perovskite (YBa2Cu3O7-delta, YBCO). Currently, the most promising approach for making YBCO films uses metal trifluoroacetates. In comparison, the present method using a colloidal dispersion of nanoparticles is seen to produce crystalline, well textured films at much faster heating rates and having much lower porosity. Whereas there is scope for further optimization, this effort has rapidly yielded superconducting films with transition temperature of 89.5 K and self-field critical current density up to 2.4 MA cm(-2) at 77 K