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Objectives: This retrospective observational study conducted in the district of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Western India, over the past 9 years aimed to comprehensively investigate the epidemiology of chickenpox. The objectives were to analyze demographic and clinical characteristics, examine temporal trends, identify outbreak locations, assess outbreak intensity and duration, determine laboratory-confirmed cases, and provide insights for public health interventions. Materials and Methods: The study employed a retrospective approach, gathering data on chickenpox cases in the region. Demographic information, clinical profiles, and outbreak details were analyzed. Temporal variations and seasonal trends were assessed. Laboratory confirmation was achieved through serology and molecular methods. Locations of outbreaks were identified, and their characteristics were evaluated. Results: The study revealed that the 6-10 age groups were most vulnerable, with mild-to-moderate symptoms predominantly observed. Significant variations in cases occurred year round, with peaks between November and February. Out of 25 recorded outbreaks and three early warning signals, Aganwadis, play schools, and schools were common outbreak locations. Most outbreaks were low intensity, and laboratory confirmation identified Clade-1 Varicella-Zoster virus as the causative agent. Conclusion: These findings provide essential insights for public health officials. Identifying the vulnerable age group and high-risk locations allows for targeted vaccination campaigns. Moreover, the study underscores the need for continuous monitoring and surveillance to detect outbreaks early and mitigate their spread effectively, emphasizing the importance of proactive prevention and control measures for chickenpox in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that usually starts in middle age and is characterized by involuntary movements (chorea), personality changes and dementia, leading to death within 10–20 years. The defective gene in HD contains a trinucleotide CAG repeat expansion within its coding region that expresses a polyglutamine repeat in the protein huntingtin. Together with the characteristic formation of aggregates in HD, aberrant protein interactions and several post-translational modifications affect huntingtin during disease progression and lead to the dysfunction and death of selective neurons in the brains of patients. The exact molecular mechanisms by which mutant huntingtin induces cell death are not completely understood but may involve the gain of new toxic functions and the loss of the beneficial properties of huntingtin. This review focuses on the cellular functions in which huntingtin is involved and how a better understanding of pathogenic pathways can lead to new therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inhibitory impacts of the bioconversion of l-phenylalanine (l-Phe) to 2-phenylethanol (PEA), a very important natural aroma compound, on the metabolism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Giv 2009 were investigated in batch and chemostat cultures. The bioconversion was found to be completely growth associated and lead to a maximal final PEA concentration of 3.8 g/l of PEA. This was attained in a fed-batch procedure on glucose in order to prevent the formation of ethanol, which generally reduced the final achievable PEA concentration by its synergistic inhibitory effect. Chemostat cultures revealed that the bioconversion uncoupled the catabolism from anabolism of S. cerevisiae especially under oxidative growth conditions and thereby reduced the critical dilution rate Dcrit. In addition, higher specific oxygen uptake rates qO2 were found in the presence of the bioconversion at oxidative growth than the maximal respiratory capacity qO2max found in continuous cultures without bioconversion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]