Moringa
Charles Wambebe in African Indigenous Medical Knowledge and Human Health, 2018
Furthermore, in 2005, Mathur reported that Moringa stenopetala leaves contain seven times the vitamin C of oranges, four times the vitamin A of carrots, four times the calcium of milk, three times the potassium of bananas, and two times the protein of yogurt. In addition, Moringa stenopetala leaves contain all the essential amino acids (Mathur, 2005). Raw leaves of M. stenopetala contain 9% crude protein on a dry matter basis (Abuye et al., 2003) and a higher percentage of carbohydrates, crude fiber, and calcium compared to kale and Swiss chard (Abuye et al., 2003). Vitamins are present at nutritionally significant levels with mean values of 28 mg/100 g of vitamin C and 160 μg/100 g of ß-carotene. However, significant differences were observed in the proximate composition, mineral, and vitamin contents of the leaves of M. stenopetala reported by different authors due to different ecotypes and varieties of the plant used for the studies. In 2005, Beyene reported the findings of his study, which assessed the genetic diversity of 19 Moringa stenopetala accessions collected from southern Ethiopia. The study revealed the existence of genetic variability within and between populations. Evidently, further studies are indicated using the various ecotypes and varieties of Moringa stenopetala vis-à-vis phytochemistry, pharmacology, macronutrients, and micronutrients.
Introduction to energy aspects of nutrition
Geoffrey P. Webb in Nutrition, 2019
It must be borne in mind when using figures such as those in Table 7.1 that these are estimates of average requirements. They are not intended to be used as an accurate statement of the requirements of individuals. Many different factors will affect the energy expenditure and thus the energy requirements of an individual listed as follows. Size – in general, the bigger the body, the greater the energy expenditure. Body composition – lean tissue is metabolically more active and uses more energy than adipose tissue. Activity level. Environmental conditions such as the ambient temperature. Physiological factors like hormone levels. Rate of growth in children. Individual genetic variability.
Evolutionary Biology of Parasitism
Eric S. Loker, Bruce V. Hofkin in Parasitology, 2023
Microevolutionary studies are largely involved with monitoring changes in the distribution and frequency of genes in populations (Box 7.1) and with investigating the causes of those changes. You will recall that we have already discussed parasite populations both from the standpoint of being reservoirs of parasite diversity (Chapter 2) and from their complex structure (Chapter 6). Changes in the distribution and frequency of genes in populations are the essence of evolutionary change. Often changes in the abundance of variant forms (called alleles) of particular genes are followed over space and time by evolutionary biologists. Of particular interest is the extent to which basic evolutionary processes such as mutation, gene flow, genetic drift and natural selection can combine to influence the degree of genetic variability within and among populations. The more populations become differentiated from one another, the more structure they are said to possess. Understanding the microevolutionary process and how it affects parasite populations is important because it helps us to gauge the evolutionary or adaptive potential of these populations. For example, how readily might a particular parasite population evolve drug resistance or withstand a control program? Population genetics studies can also provide unique insights into patterns of transmission, host range, reproductive strategies and pathogenicity of parasites. As we will see, what happens at the microevolutionary scale has considerable potential to impact macroevolutionary events such as speciation as well.
A new perspective on the genetics of keratoconus: why have we not been more successful?
Published in Ophthalmic Genetics, 2018
Hanne Valgaeren, Carina Koppen, Guy Van Camp
The previously described genetic techniques all look at small genomic variations, either in the frame of a monogenic or complex form of KC. A substantial part of the genetic variability is however generated by structural variations. Copy number variations (CNVs) are defined as structural variations due to deletion, inversion, duplication or translocation of a DNA segment (135). These can be very large, often affecting many different genes or small, affecting a single gene. Smaller insertions and deletions also exist, affecting less than 100 base pairs (imprecise cut-off), which are called indels. The techniques described above aim to identify variations altering only a limited number of base pairs. Since CNVs are much larger, other research strategies need to be applied. CNVs can be studied using SNP arrays where SNPs present across the complete genome are genotyped. In addition, by determining the intensity for each position, it is possible to detect regions of the genome having a normal copy number as well as regions that have been deleted or duplicated. The SNP arrays are usually able to detect CNVs with a resolution in the kb-magnitude. Indels can be detected using the above described sequencing methods (e.g. Sanger sequencing), but they are often limited in resolution to a maximum of tens of bases; leaving the mid-length CNVs unstudied. Even though the SNPs on SNP arrays are widespread across the entire genome, for CNVs in regions that are not well understood (e.g. most of the non-coding regions) the pathogenic nature cannot be predicted and their role thus remains unclear.
Genetics of endometriosis: a comprehensive review
Published in Gynecological Endocrinology, 2019
Danilo Deiana, Stefano Gessa, Michela Anardu, Angelos Daniilidis, Luigi Nappi, Maurizio N. D’Alterio, Alessandro Pontis, Stefano Angioni
In endometriosis pathogenesis, the contribution of genetics is well supported by many studies (Figure 1). Human genetic variability can cause a large number of mutations; these mutations are able to alter cellular and molecular mechanisms that, on different levels, are able to facilitate the development and maintenance of the illness. Genetics studies cannot provide a simple and univocal answer on the etiology of the endometriosis. Until now, studies on candidate genes have revealed inconsistent and contradictory evidence, providing more new questions than clear answers. Through GWASs, it has been possible to identify loci that can be explored and, due to NGS, rare genetic variants with a possible association to the illness have been found. Rapid technological advancements in genetics can open doors to meaningful developments in the future, in terms of understanding the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis, the development and maintenance of endometriosis, and determining the search key for a new therapeutic target in this highly debilitating disease [59].
From animal studies into clinical trials: the relevance of animal models to develop vaccines and therapies to reduce disease severity and prevent hRSV infection
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, 2022
J.A Soto, N.M.S Galvez, D.B Rivera, F.E Díaz, C.A Riedel, S.M Bueno, A.M Kalergis
Although each model described in this article has advantages and disadvantages, it is still complicated to predict the degree of certainty and standardization these models can project against future human tests. In this sense, exploring at least two of these different models could be a better alternative before starting human trials since each of these models can contribute valuable information when scaling up preclinical studies to clinical studies. In addition, given that humans show much greater genetic variability and different phenotypes based on the environment, diet, and multiple other factors. It is difficult to extrapolate the protective and safe results obtained in controlled conditions in animal models compared to human evaluations. The main reason is that clinical trials cannot be fully controlled since factors such as feeding, environmental exposure, and genetic variability cannot be controlled when performing clinical vaccination tests.