Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mpho Sebabiki Maleke, Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo
Summary: This study investigated the effect of fermentation conditions on the nutritional composition and health-promoting properties of amasi. The results showed that fermentation significantly affected the ash contents, amino acids, mineral composition, and increased TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activities.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dunyaporn Trachootham, Kanyawee Whanmek, Kemika Praengam, Piya Temviriyanukul, Chalat Santivarangkna
Summary: The study demonstrates that intake of LGG fermented milk before drinking alcohol can reduce acetaldehyde levels and duration of flushing in individuals with wild-type and heterozygous mutant ALDH2. This could potentially alleviate the toxic effects associated with acetaldehyde exposure in alcohol drinkers.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Wilfred Ouma Otambo, Patrick O. Onyango, Kevin Ochwedo, Julius Olumeh, Shirley A. Onyango, Pauline Orondo, Harrysone Atieli, Ming-Chieh Lee, Chloe Wang, Daibin Zhong, Andrew Githeko, Guofa Zhou, John Githure, Collins Ouma, Guiyun Yan, James Kazura
Summary: The study conducted in western Kenya reveals that clinical malaria remains a significant public health issue, with a lack of accurate diagnosis and effective treatment posing a major challenge.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Paula Braitstein, Allison DeLong, David Ayuku, Mary Ott, Lukoye Atwoli, Omar Galarraga, Edwin Sang, Joseph Hogan
Summary: The study showed no association between care environment and HIV incidence or death among institutional vs family-based settings, but living in a street setting was associated with higher risks of both. Strengthening child protection systems and investing in evidence-based family support are crucial for preventing HIV and death among orphaned and separated youth.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Lin Li, Linxuan Zhang, Tingting Zhang, Yuanfa Liu, Xin Lue, Oscar P. Kuipers, Yanglei Yi
Summary: The bacterial composition of traditional fermented milk samples from western China was analyzed using 16S metagenomic analysis. Forty lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated from each sample and tested for their ability to inhibit Listeria. The genetic diversity of the isolated LAB strains and their antilisterial activity was investigated using RAPD analysis. Whole genome sequencing and mining revealed novel biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in selected LAB strains, including Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TXZ2-35, Limosilactobacillus fermentum TZ-22, and Companilactobacillus crustorum QHS-4. These LAB strains were used as adjunct cultures in Cheddar cheese to control the growth of Listeria and improve cheese quality. Overall, this study demonstrates the efficacy of using metagenomic and genomic approaches to identify novel antilisterial LAB strains and enhance the safety and quality of cheese.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Emily V. Merchant, Martins Odendo, Norah Maiyo, Ramu Govindasamy, Xenia K. Morin, James E. Simon, Daniel J. Hoffman
Summary: Interventions in agriculture and nutrition can improve the consumption frequency and market availability of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIV) among smallholder farmers, thus enhancing nutrition security. The study emphasizes the importance of considering seasonal variations and incorporating nutrition and culinary interventions in training programs for smallholder farmers.
FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Ivan J. Obare, Miriam K. Charimbu, Joseph Mafurah, Christine K. Mutoni, Vincent W. Woyengo, Trushar Shah, Morag E. Ferguson
Summary: Cassava is a crucial food crop in western Kenya, but the landraces and farmer knowledge associated with it have not been conserved. This study found low genetic variability in cassava germplasm from western Kenya and emphasized the urgent need for varieties with dual virus resistance.
GENETIC RESOURCES AND CROP EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Dorothy Apedaile, Allison DeLong, Edwin Sang, David Ayuku, Lukoye Atwoli, Omar Galarraga, Joseph Hogan, Paula Braitstein
Summary: This study compares the incidence of HIV, death, and abuse between orphaned and nonorphaned children living in households caring for orphans in Western Kenya. The results show that orphaned children have a higher risk of HIV infection and death than nonorphaned children.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mpho Sebabiki Maleke, Martins Ajibade Adefisoye, Wesley Doorsamy, Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo
Summary: Amasi is a traditional Southern African fermented dairy product made from unpasteurised milk, relying on specific microorganisms for its taste, aroma, consistency, and texture. More research is needed to uncover the nutritional and health benefits of Amasi due to the insufficient information on its composition and microbiota.
SCIENTIFIC AFRICAN
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Gloria P. Gomez-Perez, Richard de Groot, Amanuel A. Abajobir, Caroline W. Wainaina, Tobias F. Rink de Wit, Estelle Sidze, Menno Pradhan, Wendy Janssens
Summary: In Kenya, the utilization of health care services decreased for respiratory infections, enteric illnesses, and malaria/fever after the implementation of COVID-19 containment measures. This decrease was mainly observed in children. Meanwhile, the incidence of public health issues increased. The study indicates that the reduction in health care utilization was not due to decreased accessibility, but rather to a lower incidence of these infections.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Leticia Donkor, Nicole Sharon Affrifah, Angela Parry-Hanson Kunadu, Samuel Kwofie, Stephen Yeboah, Bernard Kuditchar
Summary: This study investigated the combined effect of storage temperature and time on the survival of acid-adapted and acid-non-adapted E. coli O157:H7 in Burkina. The results showed that storage time had the most significant effect on the survival of E. coli, regardless of acid adaptation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Family Studies
Samuel Ayaya, Allison DeLong, Lonnie Embleton, David Ayuku, Edwin Sang, Joseph Hogan, Allan Kamanda, Lukoye Atwoli, Dominic Makori, Mary A. Ott, Caroline Ombok, Paula Braitstein
Summary: The effect of different care environments on the experiences of abuse among orphaned and separated children and adolescents (OSCA) in sub-Saharan Africa is uncertain. This study compared recent child abuse between OSCA living in institutional environments and those in family-based care and found that OSCA, regardless of care environment, reported high levels of recent physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Street-connected participants had the highest prevalence of all forms of abuse.
CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT
(2023)
Article
Religion
Julius M. Gathogo
Summary: This article examines the reception of Western science and technology in the Mbeere Mission of central Kenya since 1912. The introduction of Western knowledge did not erase African indigenous knowledge, but rather complemented it. Although there was some resistance, Mbeere Mission did not strongly oppose Western science and technology.
HTS TEOLOGIESE STUDIES-THEOLOGICAL STUDIES
(2023)
Review
Toxicology
Eliud N. Wafula, Christabel N. Muhonja, Josiah O. Kuja, Eddy E. Owaga, Huxley M. Makonde, Julius M. Mathara, Virginia W. Kimani
Summary: Cereals are vital for global food security but are prone to contamination by toxigenic fungi. Traditional control methods using chemical preservatives have drawbacks. Fermentation technique using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can inhibit fungal growth and mycotoxin production, while improving nutrient bioavailability and functional properties of cereal-based products.
JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Arun Beniwal, Amit Gaurav, Rekha Sharma, Tamoghna Ghosh, Piyush Kumar, Urmila Netter, Ranjana Pathania, Naveen Kumar Navani
Summary: The draft genome sequence of Limosilactobacillus fermentum strain NKN-51 was isolated from naturally processed yak cheese in the western Himalayas of India. The genome is 1,879,705 bp in length with 1,730 protein-coding genes and 50 tRNA genes predicted.
MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Hamideh Rashidian, Maryam Hadji, Mahin Gholipour, Ahmad Naghibzadeh-Tahami, Maryam Marzban, Elham Mohebbi, Roya Safari-Faramani, Mahdieh Bakhshi, Monireh Sadat Seyyedsalehi, Bayan Hosseini, Reza Alizadeh-Navaei, Habib Emami, Ali Akbar Haghdoost, Abbas Rezaianzadeh, Abdolvahab Moradi, Alireza Ansari-Moghaddam, Azim Nejatizadeh, Soodabeh ShahidSales, Alireza Rezvani, Mohammad Hasan Larizadeh, Farid Najafi, Hossein Poustchi, Mohammad Ali Mohagheghi, Paul Brennan, Elisabete Weiderpass, Joachim Schuz, Eero Pukkala, Neal D. Freedman, Paolo Boffetta, Reza Malekzadeh, Arash Etemadi, Afarin Rahimi-Movaghar, Farin Kamangar, Kazem Zendehdel
Summary: Opium use is strongly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, particularly small cell carcinoma. Regular opium users have a 3.6-fold higher risk of developing lung cancer compared to non-users, with a dose-response relationship observed. Female opium users have a higher risk than male users. The risk is further increased for individuals who use both opium and tobacco.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hilary A. Robbins, Karine Alcala, Elham Khodayari Moez, Florence Guida, Sera Thomas, Hana Zahed, Matthew T. Warkentin, Karl Smith-Byrne, Yonathan Brhane, David Muller, Xiaoshuang Feng, Demetrius Albanes, Melinda C. Aldrich, Alan A. Arslan, Julie Bassett, Christine D. Berg, Qiuyin Cai, Chu Chen, Michael P. A. Davies, Brenda Diergaarde, John K. Field, Neal D. Freedman, Wen-Yi Huang, Mikael Johansson, Michael Jones, Woon-Puay Koh, Stephen Lam, Qing Lan, Arnulf Langhammer, Linda M. Liao, Geoffrey Liu, Reza Malekzadeh, Roger L. Milne, Luis M. Montuenga, Thomas Rohan, Howard D. Sesso, Gianluca Severi, Mahdi Sheikh, Rashmi Sinha, Xiao-Ou Shu, Victoria L. Stevens, Martin C. Tammemaegi, Lesley F. Tinker, Kala Visvanathan, Ying Wang, Renwei Wang, Stephanie J. Weinstein, Emily White, David Wilson, Jian-Min Yuan, Xuehong Zhang, Wei Zheng, Christopher I. Amos, Paul Brennan, Mattias Johansson, Rayjean J. Hung
Summary: The INTEGRAL program aims to develop tools for optimizing LDCT lung cancer screening. It includes the Risk Biomarker and Nodule Malignancy projects, which investigate circulating protein markers for identifying individuals likely to benefit from screening and distinguishing benign versus malignant nodules. A total of 1161 and 1078 proteins were measured, and 21 proteins were selected for performance evaluation in the Risk Biomarker and Nodule Malignancy projects.
ANNALS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jihyoun Jeon, Maki Inoue -Choi, Yoonseo Mok, Timothy S. McNeel, Jamie Tam, Neal D. Freedman, Rafael Meza
Summary: The study examines the age-specific mortality rates associated with cigarette smoking among different sociodemographic groups in the U.S. It finds that the impact of smoking on mortality varies significantly by factors such as race/ethnicity, gender, and educational attainment.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
(2023)
Letter
Medicine, General & Internal
Maki Inoue-Choi, Yesenia Ramirez, Neal D. Freedman, Erikka Loftfield
ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Aiah Khateb, Sara Gago, Michael Bromley, Malcom Richardson, Paul Bowyer
Summary: Azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus is increasing, and non-target-mediated mechanisms contribute to resistance in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). This study used whole-genome sequencing to investigate resistance mechanisms. Sixteen azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolates from CPA were sequenced, and genome rearrangements were assessed. Among them, seven CPA isolates showed genomic duplications, including the cyp51A region, which led to increased gene expression. Our findings suggest that aneuploidy is a resistance mechanism in CPA.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Arash Etemadi, Christian C. Abnet, Sanford M. Dawsey, Neal D. Freedman
Summary: Biomarkers can provide unique information about cancer risk factors by measuring the internal dose of carcinogens. Smoke-related biomarkers, including tobacco-specific biomarkers and those from exposure to tobacco and non-tobacco pollutants, are commonly studied in relation to cancer. Biomonitoring is superior to self-reported exposure assessment and will continue to be essential to cancer research.
CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY BIOMARKERS & PREVENTION
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Wayne R. Lawrence, Jasmine A. McDonald, Faustine Williams, Meredith S. Shiels, Neal D. Freedman, Ziqiang Lin, Jared W. Magnani
Summary: Chronic stress is hypothesized to be associated with breast cancer, but previous studies have shown mixed results. This study examined the association between self-reported stressful life events and incident breast cancer in postmenopausal women, taking into account estrogen receptor (ER) status and social support. The results showed that there was no relationship between stressful life events and ER-positive breast cancer, but there was an increased risk of ER-negative breast cancer in women with higher levels of stressful life events. This association was stronger in widowed women. Social support did not modify the relationship between stressful life events and ER-negative breast cancer.
CANCER PREVENTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Vicky C. C. Chang, Jongeun Rhee, Sonja I. I. Berndt, Steven C. C. Moore, Neal D. D. Freedman, Rena R. R. Jones, Debra T. T. Silverman, Gretchen L. L. Gierach, Jonathan N. N. Hofmann, Mark P. P. Purdue
Summary: In this nested case-control study, prediagnostic serum levels of PFOS and PFOA were found to be associated with breast cancer risk, particularly for hormone receptor-positive tumors, providing evidence of a possible positive association.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Anika T. Haque, Amy Berrington de Gonzalez, Yingxi Chen, Emily A. Haozous, Maki Inoue-Choi, Wayne R. Lawrence, Jennifer K. McGee-Avila, Anna M. Napoles, Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, Kekoa Taparra, Jacqueline B. Vo, Neal D. Freedman, Meredith S. Shiels
Summary: The study estimated cancer death rates among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States from 2018 to 2020. The results found significant disparities in cancer death rates, with the highest rates observed among Black individuals and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) individuals. Separating NHPI and Asian individuals revealed large differences in cancer mortality between the two groups that were previously combined in vital statistics data.
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Xiaoshuang Feng, Wendy Yi-Ying Wu, Justina Ucheojor Onwuka, Zahra Haider, Karine Alcala, Karl Smith-Byrne, Hana Zahed, Florence Guida, Renwei Wang, Julie K. Bassett, Victoria Stevens, Ying Wang, Stephanie Weinstein, Neal D. Freedman, Chu Chen, Lesley Tinker, Therese Haugdahl Nost, Woon-Puay Koh, David Muller, Sandra M. Colorado-Yohar, Rosario Tumino, Rayjean J. Hung, Christopher Amos, Xihong Lin, Xuehong Zhang, Alan A. Arslan, Maria-Jose Sanchez, Elin Pettersen Sorgjerd, Gianluca Severi, Kristian Hveem, Paul Brennan, Arnulf Langhammer, Roger L. Milne, Jian-Min Yuan, Beatrice Melin, Mikael Johansson, Hilary A. Robbins, Mattias Johansson
Summary: This study aimed to develop a proteomics-based risk model for lung cancer and compare its performance with a smoking-based risk model and a commercially available autoantibody biomarker test. We conducted a case-control study in 6 prospective cohorts, involving 624 lung cancer participants and 624 smoking-matched cancer free participants. The protein-based risk model showed promise in predicting incident lung cancer and outperformed the standard risk prediction model and the commercialized EarlyCDT-Lung.
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Robert K. Parker, Kemunto Otoki, Kimutai Sylvester, Luke Roberts, Heath R. Many, Grace J. Kim, Michael M. Mwachiro, Andrea S. Parker
Summary: This study aims to assess whether meaningful trainee autonomy is associated with patient outcomes. The results suggest that meaningful trainee autonomy is associated with mortality rate and complications in emergency gastrointestinal operations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jongeun Rhee, Erikka Loftfield, Demetrius Albanes, Tracy M. Layne, Rachael Stolzenberg-Solomon, Linda M. Liao, Mary C. Playdon, Sonja I. Berndt, Joshua N. Sampson, Neal D. Freedman, Steven C. Moore, Mark P. Purdue
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the biological effects of PFOS and PFOA on the human body. Through metabolomic analysis, several metabolites associated with PFOS and PFOA were identified, with lipids and xenobiotics being the most common types. These findings provide insights into the potential hazards of PFOS and PFOA.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Christopher P. Eades, Ahmed Rafezzan Bin Ahmed Bakri, Jeffrey C. Y. Lau, Caroline B. Moore, Lilyann Novak-Frazer, Malcolm D. Richardson, Riina Rautemaa-Richardson
Summary: This study compared the performance of five biomarker assays for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis. The results suggest that the C. albicans IgM assay may assist antifungal stewardship.
Meeting Abstract
Oncology
Courtney D. Dill, Dontray Trump, Rebecca Landy, Li Cheung, Wen-Yi Huang, Sonja Berndt, Neal Freedman, Hormuzd Katki
CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY BIOMARKERS & PREVENTION
(2023)