New Frontiers: Precise Editing of Allergen Genes Using CRISPR

Genome engineering with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology offers the unique potential for unequivocally deleting allergen genes at the source. Compared to prior gene editing approaches, CRISPR boasts substantial improvements in editing efficiency, throughput, and precision. CRISPR has demonstrated success in several clinical applications such as sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia, and preliminary knockout studies of allergenic proteins using CRISPR editing show promise. Given the advantages of CRISPR, as well as specific DNA targets in the allergen genes, CRISPR gene editing is a viable approach for tackling allergy, which may lead to significant disease improvement. This review will highlight recent applications of CRISPR editing of allergens, particularly cat allergen Fel d 1, and will discuss the advantages and limitations of this approach compared to existing treatment options.

The Role of miRNA in Regulating the Fate of Monocytes in Health and Cancer

Monocytes represent a heterogeneous population of blood cells that provide a link between innate and adaptive immunity. The unique potential of monocytes as both precursors (e.g., of macrophages) and effector cells (as phagocytes or cytotoxic cells) makes them an interesting research and therapeutic target. At the site of a tumor, monocytes/macrophages constitute a major population of infiltrating leukocytes and, depending on the type of tumor, may play a dual role as either a bad or good indicator for cancer recovery. The functional activity of monocytes and macrophages derived from them is tightly regulated at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. This review summarizes the current understanding of the role of small regulatory miRNA in monocyte formation, maturation and function in health and cancer development. Additionally, signatures of miRNA-based monocyte subsets and the influence of exogenous miRNA generated in the tumor environment on the function of monocytes are discussed.

Non-Conventional Yeasts to Produce Aroma Compounds by Using Agri-Food Waste Materials

Nowadays, biotechnological applications are emphasized to ensure sustainable development by re-utilizing of waste materials to prevent ecological problems and to produce or recover compounds that may have positive effects on health. Yeasts are fascinating microorganisms that play a key role in several traditional and innovative processes. Although Saccharomyces is the most important genus of yeasts, and they are major producers of biotechnological products worldwide, a variety of other yeast genera and species than Saccharomyces, which called ‘non-Saccharomyces’ or ‘non-conventional’ yeasts also have important potential in order to use in biotechnological applications. Some of the non-conventional yeast strains offer a unique potential for biotechnological applications to produce valuable secondary metabolites due to their characteristics of surviving and growing in such extreme conditions, e.g. wide substrate range, rapid growth, thermotolerance, etc. In this review, we aimed to summarize potential biotechnological applications of some non-conventional yeasts (Kluyveromyces spp., Yarrowia spp., Pichia spp., Candida spp., etc.) to produce industrially important aroma compounds (phenylethyl alcohol, phenylethyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, diacetyl, etc.) by re-utilizing agri-food waste materials in order to prevent ecological problems and to produce or recover compounds that may have positive effects on health.

Implications of Sea Toll Programs to National Development Economy: Reinterpretation of Marine Verses In Al-Quran

Indonesia, as an archipelago with a coastline of 81,000 km, is a coastal and marine area that has a variety of vast and diverse resources. With the unique potential and economic value of development, coastal areas are also faced with a high threat, so special handling is needed so that this region can be managed sustainably. Economic development in this framework is realized through the sea toll program. This article will aim to discuss how the sea toll program has an impact on the national development economy and the reinterpretation of marine verses in Al-Quran. This study uses qualitative research methods that are literature research. The sources of data in this study were sourced from books, journals, scientific articles, research reports, laws, and internet websites related to the sea toll program. After all, data have been collected, the data are analyzed by data analysis methods, namely data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Findings. The results showed that the use of marine wealth by humans is justified in Al-Quran even it is recommended for the benefit of humans. On the other hand, the development of defense forces requires strong economic capabilities as a form of an effort to realize Indonesia’s ideals as a world maritime nation. Indonesia’s maritime potential can create a dominant economic development power for the Indonesian state to face global or international competition.

Reclaiming Social Space: Adapting Neighbourhoods to Support an Ageing Population

<p>The age structure of New Zealand’s population is expected to undergo a dramatic change in the next few decades. By 2050, it is thought that approximately one quarter of the population will be aged 65+. Research indicates that the overwhelming preference of older adults is to age in their own homes and communities if possible. However, loneliness among community-dwelling older adults is widespread. Architecture as a discipline has unique potential to critique existing neighbourhood design and generate creative solutions to provide a more socially fulfilling environment for residents to age in place. Architecture for ageing must combat loneliness and enable continued contact in later life. This research explores the sensitive adaptation of inner suburban Wellington neighbourhoods with the aim of empowering inhabitants to age positively in the community.</p>

Sense of Home

<p>Quality atmospheric conditions and the ability to empower residents has been overlooked in recent social housing developments as they have been strongly economically focused. The demand for inner city social housing within New Zealand has been a pressing issue since the first worker’s dwellings were built in Petone. Social housing residents are known for their comparatively low incomes and high needs, but this should not mean that they have to dwell in a different standard of housing from other income earners. Social housing is a reality for a growing portion of our society in New Zealand; the location and quality of housing should not be defined by social stigma and hierarchy. Architecture as a discipline has unique potential to critique existing social housing standards and create diversity of atmosphere that evoke a sense of empowerment amongst residents. This research explores the manipulation of hybrid prefabrication systems, with the aim of empowering social housing residents through diverse atmospheric conditions.</p>

Sense of Home

<p>Quality atmospheric conditions and the ability to empower residents has been overlooked in recent social housing developments as they have been strongly economically focused. The demand for inner city social housing within New Zealand has been a pressing issue since the first worker’s dwellings were built in Petone. Social housing residents are known for their comparatively low incomes and high needs, but this should not mean that they have to dwell in a different standard of housing from other income earners. Social housing is a reality for a growing portion of our society in New Zealand; the location and quality of housing should not be defined by social stigma and hierarchy. Architecture as a discipline has unique potential to critique existing social housing standards and create diversity of atmosphere that evoke a sense of empowerment amongst residents. This research explores the manipulation of hybrid prefabrication systems, with the aim of empowering social housing residents through diverse atmospheric conditions.</p>

Reclaiming Social Space: Adapting Neighbourhoods to Support an Ageing Population

<p>The age structure of New Zealand’s population is expected to undergo a dramatic change in the next few decades. By 2050, it is thought that approximately one quarter of the population will be aged 65+. Research indicates that the overwhelming preference of older adults is to age in their own homes and communities if possible. However, loneliness among community-dwelling older adults is widespread. Architecture as a discipline has unique potential to critique existing neighbourhood design and generate creative solutions to provide a more socially fulfilling environment for residents to age in place. Architecture for ageing must combat loneliness and enable continued contact in later life. This research explores the sensitive adaptation of inner suburban Wellington neighbourhoods with the aim of empowering inhabitants to age positively in the community.</p>

The intersection of dwarfism and gender in Alisa’s tale: Raising awareness through graphic narratives.

This note explores how experiences of people with dwarfism are explored in the graphic narrative Alisa’s Tale (A short story) by Al Davison. The purpose of Alisa’s tale is for young people to emphasise the lived experiences of people with dwarfism. This demonstrates how the graphic narrative uses imagery to convey the everyday social and spatial encounters experienced by people with dwarfism and subsequently Alisa’s experiences of psycho-emotional disablism. Unlike conventional forms of awareness raising, the graphic narrative forces the reader to stare at the dwarf body and witness the common reactions towards it through multimodal forms of representations. Graphic narratives provide expressive possibilities for vivid meaning-making through multimodal forms of representations (Garland-Thomson, 2016). Unlike conventional stories, the use of graphics within Alisa’s tale aids in situating the reader within Alisa’s perspective. This helps to demonstrate the world seen through the gaze of a young woman with dwarfism and position the average sized person as problematic. In the narrative, the average sized people who react negatively towards Alisa are depicted as monsters. According to Garland-Thomson (2016), the most distinct representational opportunity comics offer is hyperbole. Presenting average sized people as monsters helps to situate them as villains. How the narrative uses imagery to construct other people, who react negatively to Alisa’s presence, as monsters do two things. Firstly, as a reader with dwarfism, I can relate to the story. For average sized readers, it helps them to question their ableist beliefs and reactions towards people with dwarfism. According to Foss, Gray and Whalen (2016), graphic narratives offer the unique potential for transforming our understanding of disability in truly profound ways. This note will demonstrate how graphic narratives are beneficial in raising awareness about dwarfism.&nbsp;

Effects of size and position of an unconnected aluminum electrode on bipolar anodization in an AC electric field

The effects of the size and position of an aluminum bipolar electrode (BPE) on the uniformity of formation of anodic porous alumina in an alternating current electric field were investigated. Anodized specimens were dyed, and the resistance was measured after the specimens were anodized again. Phenomena observed during film formation indicated that the BPEs had unique potential distributions that strongly depended on their length and width. The color variations and electrical resistance of the BPEs were symmetrical and varied from the centers of the BPEs to their ends. When multiple BPEs were processed at the same time, their position in the non-uniform electric field was demonstrated to be an important factor for controlling the uniformity of film formation. The best results were obtained when the BPE was placed at the center of the defined space.