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The current narrative review aims to summarize the relation of mitochondrial content (MC) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (MDCN) in spermatozoa with sperm penetrability, and to discuss the various determining factors during the process of spermatogenesis in mammals. There are many potential factors associated with the quantitative alteration of MC and MDCN in male gametes from spermatogenesis to ejaculation. Particularly, spermatogenesis may be the first step to jointly contribute to an incomplete reduction of MC and MDCN in spermatozoon. It appears to be now quite clear that some abnormalities during spermatogenesis and oxidative stress are the main factors highly associated with the quantitative change of MC and MDCN in spermatozoa, consequently affecting sperm quality and their penetrability into oocytes. Currently, a series of proteins contributing to form sperm midpiece during spermatogenesis and cytoplasmic elimination during spermiation have been currently identified. The present review provides insight into how these factors interact with sperm MC and MDCN, and handholds to gain a better understanding of their roles. This review also highlights the uniqueness of normal fertile spermatozoa which have relatively lower MC and MDCN, but have mitochondria that function completely in multiple pivotal physiological pathways. • Mitochondrial content (MC) and DNA copy number (MDCN) in sperm are summarized. • Higher sperm MC and MDCN reduce the penetrability. • Abnormal spermatogenesis and oxidative stress may also increase sperm MC and MDCN. • Some genes to induce cytoplasmic elimination at spermiation may affect sperm MC and MDCN. • This study provides insights into the mechanisms of how these factors interact with MC/MDCN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives of the current study were to examine the effects of exogenous expression of PGC-1α, which is a transcription factor responsive for controlling mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication, mitochondria quantity control, mitochondrial biogenesis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) maintenance, in porcine oocytes during in-vitro maturation (IVM) on the developmental competence, as well as mitochondrial quantity and function. Exogenous over-expression of PGC-1α by injection of the mRNA construct into oocytes 20 h after the start of IVM culture significantly increased the copy number of mtDNA in the oocytes, but reduced the incidences of oocytes matured to the metaphase-II stage after the IVM culture for totally 44 h and completely suppressed the early development in vitro to the blastocyst stage following parthenogenetic activation. The exogenous expression of PGC-1α also significantly induced spindle defects and chromosome misalignments. Furthermore, markedly higher ROS levels were observed in the PGC-1α-overexpressed mature oocytes, whereas mRNA level of SOD1, encoded for a ROS scavenging enzyme, was decreased. These results conclude that forced expression of PGC-1α successfully increase mtDNA copy number but led to increased ROS production, evidently by downregulation of SOD1 gene expression, inducement of spindle aberration/chromosomal misalignment, and consequently reduction in the meiotic and developmental competences of porcine oocytes. • Microinjection of PGC-1α mRNA into porcine oocytes achieved the successful exogenous expression and increased mtDNA copy number. • Microinjection of PGC-1α mRNA made aberrant spindles and misaligned chromosomes and reduced the meiotic and developmental competences. • In the oocytes overexpressed PGC-1α, significantly higher ROS and lower SOD1 expression levels were also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish species of the genus Amphiprion (Perciformes: Pomacentridae) seek protection from predators among the tentacles of sea anemones as their natural habitat, where they live essentially unharmed from stinging by the host's nematocysts. The skin mucus of these anemonefish has been suggested as a protective mechanism that prevents the discharge of the nematocysts upon contact. Whereas some anemonefish species seem to produce their own protective mucous coating, others may acquire mucus (or biomolecules within) from the sea anemone during an acclimation period. In controlled experiments, we show that Amphiprion ocellaris acclimated successfully to their natural host anemone species Stichodactyla gigantea, and also to Stichodactyla haddoni, and in some cases Heteractis crispa, neither of which are natural host species. No symbiosis was observed for three other anemone species tested, Entacmaea quadricolor, Macrodactyla doreensis, and Heteractis malu. We explored the skin mucous protein profile from naive and experienced A. ocellaris during their acclimation to natural and unnatural host anemones. We confidently report the presence of metabolic and structural proteins in the skin mucus of all samples, likely involved in immunological defense, molecular transport, stress response, and signal transduction. For those anemonefish that established symbiosis, there was a clear increase in ribosomal‐type proteins. We additionally provide evidence for the presence of anemone proteins only in the skin mucus of individuals that established symbiosis. Our results support previous speculation of the role of skin mucous–associated proteins in anemonefish–anemone symbiosis. Further exploration of these mucosal proteins could reveal the mechanism of anemonefish acclimation to host anemones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, for the first time, has investigated the relationships between alterations of mangiferin contents in mango leaves at different maturity stages and their antibacterial properties. Leaves were classified into six different maturity stages based on their color: (1) young dark reddish brown, (2) young yellow, (3) young light green, (4) mature green, (5) old dark green, and (6) old yellow leaves. Ethanol extracts were then examined against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, applying broth dilution and agar well diffusion methods. In addition, we also measured the mangiferin contents in leaves at different stages for the purpose of evaluating how the changes in this phytochemistry value affects their activities against bacteria. The results showed that extracts from leaves at young ages had better antibacterial properties than those from old leaves, as evidenced by the lower minimum inhibitory concentrations and larger inhibitory zones. In addition, we also found that the contents of mangiferin were significantly decreased followed the maturation process. These results suggest that mango leaves at young stages, especially dark reddish brown and young yellow leaves, are preferable for application in bacterial infections and other therapies related to mangiferin's constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the evidence of productivity spillover from foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) to local firms through horizontal, backward, and forward spillover channels, using establishment-level data from Vietnam in 2006–2017. The paper also considers the effects of foreign ownership types on the existence and magnitude of the productivity spillover. In addition, the paper examines whether the involvement of domestic firms in global production networks (GPNs) impacts on the nature of the spillover. The findings indicate that productivity from FIEs spills over to local firms through backward and forward channels, but not horizontal channels. Ownership structures of FIEs serve as an important determinant of productivity spillover: joint ventures tend to generate more significant positive productivity spillover to domestic firms than fully owned foreign firms. Lastly, local firms operating within GPNs benefit more from the presence of FIEs compared to those involved in horizontal specialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processing with heat treatment has been reported to alter several therapeutic effects of turmeric. In Vietnamese traditional medicine, turmeric has been long used for bacterial infections, and roasting techniques are sometimes applied with this material. However, there have been no studies investigating the effects of these thermal processes on the plant's antibacterial properties. Our study was therefore performed to examine the changes that roasting produced on this material. Slices of dried turmeric were further subjected to light-roasting (80 °C in 20 min) or dark-roasting (160 °C in 20 min) processes. Broth dilution and agar-well diffusion methods were applied to examine and compare the effects of ethanol extracts obtained from non-roasted, light-roasted and dark-roasted samples, on a set of 6 gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. In both investigations, dark-roasted turmeric was significantly less antibacterial than non-roasted and light-roasted materials, as evident by the higher values of minimum inhibitory concentrations and the smaller diameters of induced inhibitory zones. In addition, dark-roasting was also found to clearly reduce curcumin contents, total polyphenol values and antioxidant activities of the extracts. These results suggest that non-roasting or light-roasting might be more suitable for the processing of turmeric materials that are aimed to be applied for bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between mitochondrial content of commercial frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa and motility. Firstly, mitochondrial DNA copy number per spermatozoon (MDCN), mitochondrial content (MC), the percentage of spermatozoa with high mitochondrial membrane potential (HMMP), intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and motility parameters of frozen-thawed spermatozoa derived from five bulls were determined by using qPCR, flow cytometry and CASA, respectively, and analyzed the relationships. Results showed that all parameters examined, including MDCN, MC, HMMP, ROS and motility indicators, significantly differed among frozen spermatozoa from different bulls. Both MDCN and MC were negatively correlated with HMMP and motility indicators, but positively with ROS, of course, whereas there was a highly positive relationship between MDCN and MC. Secondly, when MDCN and MC were examined in frozen spermatozoa prepared at different points in the lives of four bulls, those did not correlate overall throughout their lives (1.3–14.3 years old), but did correlate significantly in two sires. From these results, we conclude that MDCN and MC of frozen spermatozoa differ among sires, and are negatively correlated with HMMP and sperm motility parameters, probably due to mitochondrial oxidative stress resulted in the presence of ROS, demonstrating that these appear to be useful markers to assess sires' spermatozoa. It should be noted that the MDCN and MC of bull spermatozoa may not vary overall with the age of the sire, whereas those changes with age in some individuals and may affect sperm motility. • Both mitochondrial DNA copy number and mitochondrial content in frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa are negatively correlated with high mitochondrial membrane potential and sperm motility indicators. • There is a significant positive relationship between mitochondrial DNA copy number and mitochondrial content. • Mitochondrial DNA copy number and mitochondrial content of bull spermatozoa do not vary overall with the age of the sire, whereas significant change with age was found in some individual bulls and may affect the sperm motility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sun's ultraviolet radiation, toxic chemicals from industry, and other factors can cause problems to human skin. These factors have boosted the risk of humans contracting skin cancer. In identifying and detecting signals of skin cancer diseases, recent advancements in deep learning techniques significantly improve the accuracy of diagnosis. This work delves into processing techniques for human skin images with MorphologyEx (blackhat), thresholding, semantic segmentation with UNET, and several famous convolutional neural network architectures to improve skin classification performance. If skin cancer can be stopped in the first stage, the survival rate of the patient could be more than 95%, while it drops to just 5% if the detection is carried lately in Stage IV4. Due to its seriousness, the healthcare and research community has received considerable attention, and its most important goal is to be able to diagnose it at an early stage. However, the challenge due to the similarity in melanocytic and non‐melanoma skin lesions is inevitable. We achieved skin classification performances of 0.8560, 0.9672, 0.8063, and 0.8560 measured by overall accuracy, area under curve, Matthews correlation coefficient, and F1‐score, respectively. The proposed approach has been deployed into applications on Mobile and Web platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(d) The contacted fish exhibited severely attenuated and flattened epithelium (yellow arrow) and alteration in their pigment layer on the dorsal skin (black arrow, H&E stain) gl Field observations suggested that the sea anemone may be the cause of the acute death of the snubnose pompano and permit. Keywords: broodstock; mortality; permit; red drum; snubnose pompano EN broodstock mortality permit red drum snubnose pompano 1799 1803 5 10/14/22 20221101 NES 221101 In February 2022, unusual acute mortalities were observed in snubnose pompano ( I Trachinotus blochii i ) and permit ( I T. falcatus i ) broodstock held in sea cages in Nha Phu lagoon, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. Thirty fish ( I n i = 30) were divided evenly among three groups: high density (25 sea anemones per 100 ml), low density (5 sea anemones per 100 ml) and control (no sea anemone). [Extracted from the article]

The association between anemonefish and anemone is a classical example of mutualism in coral reefs. Although mutualism is probably the key innovation that triggered the adaptive radiation of anemonefish into a wide range of habitats, the coevolutionary history between the groups has not been thoroughly tested in a phylogenetic framework. We examined the evolutionary history of the association via distance-based (Parafit and PACo) and event-based methods (Core-PA, Jane). Mitochondrial DNA sequences (COI mtDNA, Cytb, 16S rDNA and 12S rDNA) were used to reconstruct the phylogenies of tropical Amphiprion species and their host anemones by using maximum likelihood with best-fit models selected. Neither distance-based analyses nor event-based analyses revealed global significant congruence between the phylogenies of the hosts and the symbionts, and thus no evidence for coevolution between anemone-anemonefish. However, at the individual pair level, the fish showed some dependence on anemone hosts. Even though living in close association and benefiting from each other, the change of genetic composition of one species (anemonefish) does not always evolve in response to changes in the other (anemones). These findings expand our understanding of the pattern and the role of evolutionary events to allow a better prediction of the future of the anemonefish-anemone relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the host choice of naïve Amphiprion ocellaris, a specialist, at two different stages of development (newly settling juveniles and post‐settlement juveniles). The fish were exposed to their natural and unnatural host species in the laboratory and their fitness was assessed in terms of activity and growth rate. Newly settling juveniles exhibited little host preference, while post‐settlement juveniles immediately associated with their most common host in the wild. The analysis of fish activity confirmed that A. ocellaris is diurnal; they are most active in the morning, less at midday and barely move at night. The average travelling distance of juveniles was shorter in the groups living with their natural host, increasing in the groups living with an unnatural host and was highest in groups that did not become associated with any other unnatural host species. Post‐settlement juveniles living with the natural host species grew better than those living with unnatural hosts or without anemone contact. These results suggest that the welfare of A. ocellaris in captivity will be optimized by keeping them with their natural anemone host species, although more generalist Amphiprion species may survive in association with other hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper is known to easily react with oxygen in air to form oxide layer on the surface. In order to address the issue, we examined polymeric molecular coatings of copper surfaces by using thiol-terminated polystyrenes with various molecular weights. The polymeric molecular coatings were simply deposited by immersion of the copper specimens in the corresponding polymer solutions. The obtained specimens showed low surface electrical resistance despite the presence of the coatings. These high surface conductivities were retained even after heat treatment at 150 °C in air for several hours, which indicates high thermal stability of the coatings. It was observed that the higher thermal stability was supplied by longer chain of the polymeric coating. The results of quantitative analyses by electrochemical approach indicate that the higher air oxidation resistance property was provided by longer polymer chain of the coating, whereas shorter chain gave higher electrochemical oxidation resistance properties on the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the antagonistic effects of Gingko biloba leaf (GB) and Sophora japonica L. flower bud (SJ) extracts on cerebral vasoconstriction in response to KCl, extracellular Ca, histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 9,11-dideoxy-9,11-methanoepoxy prostaglandin (PG) F(U46619) and bradykinin (BK), in order to explain their traditional application for diseases associated with cerebral vasospasm. Isolated porcine basilar arteries (PBA) and endothelial cells from them were used as the study materials. Neither SJ nor GB had any effect on the contractions induced by KCl and extracellular Ca. SJ significantly inhibited the contraction induced by histamine, 5-HT, U46619 and BK, whereas GB inhibited histamine-induced contraction, but had no effects on the contractions induced by 5-HT, U46619 and BK. In the presence of diphenhydramine (a H1 receptor antagonist), ketanserin (a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist) and ONO-3708 (a thromboxane (TX) A2/PG receptor antagonist), the inhibitory effects of these extracts on the contractions induced by histamine, 5-HT and U46619 were abolished. SJ significantly inhibited the contractions induced by BK and PGF, but in the presence of ONO-3708 (10 M) had no effect on them. BK enhanced the production of PGF from cultured PBA endothelium cells, and SJ significantly attenuated this enhancement. These results suggest that SJ and GB have a H1-antagonistic effect, and that SJ also attenuates cerebral vasoconstriction mediated via 5-HT2 and TXA2/PG receptors. These findings appear to explain why SJ has been used traditionally as a therapeutic medication for cerebral vasospasm after cerebral hemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance In Vietnamese traditional herbalism, there are conflicting opinions about the effect of Artemisia vulgaris L. (AVL, English name: mugwort) on hypertension. Some ethnic doctors recommend the use of AVL for treatment of hypertension, whereas others advise against it. The purpose of this study was to clarify the pharmacological characteristics of AVL in isolated arteries to explain the conflicts surrounding the use of AVL for treatment of hypertension. Materials and methods We initially performed a functional study using an organ bath system to investigate the effect of AVL extract on isolated porcine basilar artery. We then measured the change in intracellular free Ca 2+ concentration elicited by AVL using cultured smooth muscle cells loaded with the Ca 2+ indicator fluo-4. Finally, using HPLC, we determined the active components in AVL. Results and discussion AVL induced vasoconstriction at resting tension, and endothelial removal enhanced this effect significantly. Pretreatment with PD123319 (an AT 2 receptor antagonist), Nω - nitro - L - arginine (a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), or both, also enhanced this effect. AVL-induced contraction was competitively inhibited by methiothepin (a 5-HT 1 and 5-HT 2 receptor antagonist) in the presence of ketanserin (a 5-HT 2 receptor antagonist). Removal of extracellular calcium with nifedipine (an L-type Ca 2+ channel blocker) or ruthenium red (a ryanodine receptor blocker) significantly reduced AVL-induced contraction, whereas losartan (an AT 1 receptor antagonist) and diphenhydramine (a H 1 receptor antagonist) had no effect on this contraction. AVL increased the intracellular free Ca 2+ concentration in cultured cells, and this increment was inhibited by methiothepin. HPLC analysis revealed that the retention time of the first peak in the AVL profile was similar to that of the 5-HT standard, and that addition of 5-HT to the AVL sample enhanced this peak. On the other hand, AVL induced endothelium-independent relaxation under precontracted conditions with 60 mM KCl. Captopril (an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor), atenolol (a β 1 receptor antagonist) and cimetidine (a H 2 receptor antagonist) had no effect on this relaxation. In Ca 2+ -free 60 mM KCl-containing solution, pretreatment with AVL significantly inhibited CaCl 2 -induced contraction. Conclusion For the first time, the present study has demonstrated that AVL has two opposite effects, contraction and relaxation, on isolated artery, which may help to explain the conflicting indications for AVL in traditional herbalism. 5-HT is a significant factor affecting artery contraction in the presence of AVL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oils from Cinnamomum cassia bark and Eucalyptus globulus leaves have been traditionally applied for bacterial infections, through both of aromatherapy and oral application. (E)-cinnamaldehyde and 1,8 cineole have been identified as their major secondary metabolites, and are also generally considered as the main active ingredients responsible for their medicinal applications. However, ethnobotanical doctors still prefer to use whole essentials oils over purified compounds in bacterial infections. We therefore hypothesized that multi-compound extracts might exert better effects than isolated ingredients. In order to verify the hypothesis about advantages of whole materials, we examined antibacterial properties of the 2 plant essential oils in the comparison with their isolated major compounds, such as (E)-cinnamaldehyde and 1,8 cineole. Effects of liquid- and vapor-phase were examined on a set of 6 gram-positive and -negative bacteria, applying broth dilution, agar well diffusion and disc volatilization methods. In all 3 investigations, we observed that whole cinnamon and eucalyptus oils, with the lower concentrations of (E)-cinnamaldehyde (89.1%) and 1,8 cineole (61.2%), were able to induce better effects than the purified active compounds (≥ 99%). These results partly explain the advantages of using whole essential oils over isolated ingredients, and therefore support the application of traditional dosage forms for bacterial infections in ethnomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives of the present study were to investigate the characteristics including glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, as determined by Brilliant Cresyl Blue (BCB) staining, of suboptimal porcine oocytes and to enhance the meiotic competence of those through pre-culture with cumulus cell masses (CCMs). Percentage of oocyte-cumulus complexes (OCCs) derived from small follicles (SF; <3 mm in diameter) containing the oocytes that were assessed as BCB-negative (BCB-) was significantly higher than those derived from medium follicles (MF; 3–6 mm in diameter). Degrees of dead cumulus cells were significantly higher in OCCs containing BCB- oocytes, regardless of the origin of OCCs (MF vs. SF), than those containing BCB-positive (BCB+) ones. Exposing OCCs containing BCB+ oocytes to the apoptosis inducer, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, for 20 h significantly induced the transition to BCB- and meiotic progression of exposed OCCs were significantly reduced in both SF and MF derived ones. Transit of BCB- oocytes to BCB+ was induced when OCCs were pre-cultured with CCMs of MF derived OCCs containing BCB+ oocytes for 20 h before IVM. This pre-culture also significantly increased the meiotic competence of BCB- oocytes, particularly in SF derived ones. However, reactive oxygen species levels were significantly higher in BCB+ oocytes as compared with BCB- ones, regardless of pre-culture with CCMs, whereas no significant differences were found in the ATP contents among the treatment groups. In conclusion, the BCB result of oocytes could be regulated by the healthy status and content of surrounding cumulus cells and the meiotic competence of suboptimal BCB- porcine oocytes is improved by pre-culture with healthy CCMs. • BCB assessment is effective to select SF-derived porcine oocytes with relatively high meiotic competence in vitro. • The incidence of BCB- oocytes increases when apoptosis of the oocyte-cumulus complexes is induced by CCCP. • Preculture of SF-derived BCB- oocytes results in the conversion of those to BCB+ and enhances their meiotic competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the four neighboring fields tended to show slightly higher contamination of radioactive cesium in rice grain soon after Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. In order to understand the reason, the oxidative/reductive atmosphere in the paddy field was investigated using 57Fe Mӧssbauer spectroscopy. The iron concentration variation was also investigated based on soil size distribution. It was suggested that the oxidative/reductive condition of iron state may reflect the features of the soils and then affect the solubility of potassium and radioactive cesium in the field. Oxidative atmosphere and in particular more abundant iron in larger size soil may affect the transfer of radioactive cesium from soil to rice grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the second most important vegetable crop after potatoes, and global demands have been steadily increasing in recent years. Conventional and modern breeding techniques have been applied to breed and domesticate tomato varieties to meet the need for higher yield or superior agronomical traits that allow them to sustain under different climatic conditions. In the current study, we applied bulk population breeding by crossing eight tomato accessions procured from the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center with three heat-resistant tomato inbred lines from Vietnam and generated ten elite tomato (ET) lines in the F8 generation. The individual F8 lines exhibited robust vigor and adaptability to climatic conditions of North Vietnam. Among the ten lines, ET1 and ET3 displayed indeterminate growth. ET2 showed semi-determinate, while all the other lines had determinate growth. The different ET lines showed distinctive superior agronomical traits, including early maturing (ET4, ET7, and ET10), highly efficient fruit set (ET1), higher yield (ET1, ET8, ET10), jointless pedicels (ET2), and partial parthenocarpy (ET9). Molecular analysis revealed that the ET3 line consisted of Ty-1 and Ty-3 loci that positively contribute to Tomato yellow leaf curl virus resistance in tomato plants. The elite tomato lines developed in this study would contribute significantly to the Vietnamese and Asian gene pool for improved tomato production and would be a valuable resource for various breeding goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of clinical pharmacist‐led interventions on the switch from intravenous (IV) to oral (PO) antibiotics among inpatients with infectious diseases. Methods: A before‐and‐after study was conducted among inpatients aged 18 or older who were diagnosed with infectious diseases and received IV antibiotics for at least 24 h at the Thong Nhat Hospital during the pre‐intervention (between January 2021 and June 2021) and intervention (between January 2022 and June 2022) periods. Information on patient characteristics, antibiotic usage, length of hospital stay and treatment outcomes was obtained from medical records. The interventions included introducing IV‐to‐PO switch guidelines to physicians and clinical pharmacists' feedback on eligible cases. The impact of the pharmacists' interventions was evaluated by comparing primary outcomes (switch rate and appropriateness of switching) and secondary outcomes (duration of IV therapy, length of hospital stay and treatment outcomes) between the two study periods. Results: We included 99 patients in the pre‐intervention and 80 patients in the intervention period. The proportion of patients who switched from IV‐to‐PO antibiotics increased from 44.4% in the pre‐intervention period to 67.8% in the intervention period (p = 0.008). The overall rate of appropriate conversion increased significantly from 43.8% to 67.5% (p = 0.043). There were no statistically significant differences between the two periods with respect to the median duration of IV therapy (9 days vs. 8 days), length of hospital stay (10 days vs. 9 days) and treatment outcomes. Logistic regression analysis showed that the interventions resulted in a higher switch rate, whereas age was negatively associated with the switching rate. Conclusions: The implementation of clinical pharmacist‐led interventions was effective in promoting IV‐to‐PO antibiotic conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacological studies have yielded valuable insights into the role of the serotonin 2A (5-HT 2A ) receptor in major depressive disorder (MDD) and antidepressant drugs (ADs) response. However, it is still unknown whether genetic variants in the HTR2A gene affect the therapeutic outcome of ADs and the mechanism underlying the regulation of such response remains poorly described. In this context, a translational human-mouse study offers a unique opportunity to address the possibility that variations in the HTR2A gene may represent a relevant marker to predict the efficacy of ADs. In a first part of this study, we investigated in depressed patients the effect of three HTR2A single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), selected for their potential functional consequences on 5-HT 2A receptor (rs6313, rs6314 and rs7333412), on response and remission rates after 3 months of antidepressant treatments. We also explored the consequences of the constitutive genetic inactivation of the 5-HT 2A receptor (i.e. in 5-HT 2A −/− mice) on the activity of acute and prolonged administration of SSRIs. Our clinical data indicate that GG patients for the rs7333412 SNP were less prone to respond to ADs than AA/AG patients. In the preclinical study, we demonstrated that the 5-HT 2A receptor exerts an inhibitory influence on the neuronal activity of the serotonergic system after acute administration of SSRIs. However, while the chronic administration of the SSRIs escitalopram or fluoxetine elicited a progressive increased in the firing rate of 5-HT neurons in 5-HT 2A +/+ mice, it failed to do so in 5-HT 2A −/− mutants. These electrophysiological impairments were associated with a decreased ability of the chronic administration of fluoxetine to stimulate hippocampal plasticity and to produce antidepressant-like activities. Genetic loss of the 5-HT 2A receptor compromised the activity of chronic treatment with SSRIs, making this receptor a putative marker to predict ADs response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) is an extremely rare neurological condition characterized by muscle stiffness and painful muscle spasms. The symptoms often progress slowly and can cause disability. Antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (anti-GAD) have been reported in up to 80% of the classic type of SPS. Paraneoplastic syndrome comprises 5% of SPS cases. These patients present with different malignancies including lung, thymus, breast, colon, and lymph nodes. In this paper, we report a case of a 25-year-old Vietnamese female patient with SPS presenting with unusual clinical manifestations of sudden onset, rapidly progressive spinal, abdominal, and lower limb rigidity accompanied by painful spasms, autonomic disorders, and severe, multiple bone fractures. Serologic tests detected high-titer anti-GAD, combined with anti-SOX1 antibodies, suggesting paraneoplastic SPS. Intravenous immunoglobulin has been employed as the main treatment therapy, and the patient has had a complete remission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We investigated the characteristics of prophylactic antimicrobial use in clean and clean‐contaminated surgical procedures and assessed the efficacy of a prophylactic antimicrobial stewardship intervention at Thong Nhat Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 354 patients who underwent either clean or clean‐contaminated surgical procedures at Thong Nhat Hospital. Eligible patients were classified with respect to three periods of intervention from 2017 to 2020. Data collection included surgical procedures, patient characteristics, and prophylactic antimicrobial usage. We determined the efficacy of antimicrobial stewardship intervention based on comparisons among the primary outcome (the appropriateness of prophylactic antimicrobials) and secondary outcomes (postoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis (AP) prolongation, length of postoperative hospital stay, and cost of antimicrobials). Results: The mean age of patients in periods 1, 2, and 3 was 54.5 ± 16.6, 50.2 ± 16.5, and 52.8 ± 17.3 years, respectively, with an overall male/female ratio of 1.1/1. No significant differences were detected in basic patient characteristics during the three periods. Majority of the surgical procedures were clean (56%–59%) and scheduled (85%–86%). Prophylactic antimicrobial stewardship intervention enhanced AP appropriateness (by 12.7%, 12.7%, and 39.0% in periods 1, 2, and 3, respectively, p < 0.001), decreased postoperative prophylactic antimicrobial duration [3.0 (0–6), 1.5 (0–5), and 0.0 (0–1) days, respectively, p < 0.001], and reduced average antimicrobial expenses (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The prophylactic antimicrobial stewardship interventions introduced at Thong Nhat Hospital had several positive impacts on the appropriateness of prophylactic antimicrobial use and treatment costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown Planthopper (BPH) is one of the most dangerous insects that cause damage to rice. Aphids infected rice fields with low productivity can be lost even. Dealing with this situation, the Plant Protection industry has invented the light trap - a device based on the specific activity of insects phototaxis. These measures are considered effective and less costly today. However, the current light traps are usually installed next to the home of the staff assigned to manage light traps for easy tracking without attention to the impact of environmental factors around. Currently, the plant protection industry wants more scientific basis in light traps arranged so they want to review and make the factors of climate and geography in the light traps installed but not yet performed. In this paper, we propose an approach to find appropriate positions to replace light traps based on a combination between weather factors and geographical factors with data on infected areas by BPH with various infection levels exhibited on the maps based on Cellular Automata method. We present the simulation results with 8 considered cases to determine positions for light traps in an area of more than 1400 square kilometres including 84 communes in Can Tho city, one of the largest rice granaries in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, oxygenated graphene nanosheets (OGNs) were successfully synthesized using a simple electrochemical exfoliation approach and applied to remove methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution. The surface morphology and structure of the OGNs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The adsorption performance of OGNs towards aqueous MB was tested by batch experiments. Results showed that a large number of functional groups in OGNs enhanced the removal of MB from the aqueous solution due to the electrostatic interactions between the electrochemically oxygenated groups (e.g. C–OH, C–O, and C=O) and dye molecules. Using Langmuir adsorption isotherm, the maximum MB adsorption capacity (qmax) was determined as high as 476.19 mg g−1. These results suggested that the as-prepared OGNs is an effective and promising adsorbent for removing MB, which could be studied extensively for color removal in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of pain in early onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD) remain under appreciated even though pain may exert an increasingly negative impact on patient quality of life as motor and non-motor symptoms worsen. In this prospective study, we investigate the prevalence and severity of pain in 135 Vietnamese patients with EOPD from three medical centers using the King's PD Pain Scale (KPPS), the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE), the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS). Pain was reported by 79.3%. The most common subtype of pain was musculoskeletal (70.1%), followed by nocturnal (43.9%), radicular (43.0%), chronic (42.1%), fluctuation-related (34.6%) and orofacial pain (16.8%). Most patients (74.8%) experienced more than one pain subtype. Fluctuation-related pain and orofacial pain were significantly more prevalent among patients with higher Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) stages (3–5) versus lower H&Y stages (1–2). Pain subtype and severity were not significantly related to gender or age of PD onset. Patients with H&Y stages 3–5 had statistically significantly higher KPPS scores for fluctuation-related pain (p = 0.018) and radicular pain (p = 0.026). Independent associations were found between pain severity and age (p = 0.028), depression severity (p = 0.018), perceptual problems/hallucinations (p = 0.033) and sexual function (p = 0.024). Patients with depression and higher H&Y stages (3–5) had statistically significantly higher mean KPPS scores versus patients without depression and at lower H&Y stages (1–2). Pain may be more common and severe in EOPD patients than previously appreciated. Older age, depression, perceptual problems/hallucinations and sexual dysfunction were independently associated with higher pain severity. • Few studies have assessed pain in early-onset Parkinson's disease. • In this study, 79.3% of 135 early-onset Parkinson's disease patients reported pain. • Older age and depression were associated with higher pain severity. • Perceptual and sexual problems were associated with higher pain severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The genetic diversity of Pyricularia oryzae populations was elevated in Vietnam. • Six genetic clusters were defined: 4 pandemic and 2 endemic. • Blast population structure in Vietnam was shaped by a combination of three factors. • Mating types were unevenly distributed in the whole population and among clusters. • Recombination signals were detected in some restricted areas of Northern mountains. We characterized the genetic structure of 609 strains of Pyricularia oryzae, the fungal pathogen causing rice blast disease, in three main regions in Vietnam using microsatellites (SSR) markers. From the 447 distinct multilocus genotypes identified, six genetic clusters were defined, all of them showing elevated genetic and genotypic diversities. Four of these clusters were related to rice-attacking lineages already described at the worldwide scale, whereas the two remaining clusters were endemic to Vietnam. Strains were unevenly distributed into the six clusters depending on their groups of rice variety (indica / japonica) or type of varieties (traditional / modern) of origin, but none of the clusters was specifically related to these two factors. The highest diversity of blast population was found in Northern mountainous area, and the lowest in Red River Delta in both terms of genetic diversity and gene diversity. Hierarchical AMOVAs confirmed that all three factors considered (rice variety group, type of variety origin and geography) significantly contributed to the population structure of P. oryzae in Vietnam, with highest contribution from rice variety group. Mating types were unevenly distributed among clusters. Combined with results of female fertility and linkage disequilibirum, we hypothesized that clonal reproduction probably occurred in all clusters, but that sexual reproduction likely took place at least in some restricted areas in the Northern mountainous area for strains belonging to the cluster related to the previously described recombinant lineage (worldwide lineage 1). Our study pictures the genetic diversity, population structure and reproductive mode of the blast fungus in central and north Vietnam, and shows that the observed population structure is explained by several factors, the most important one being the variability of rice variety. All these new information might help for elaborating appropriate strategies to controlling the blast disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Selective serotonin (5-HT) re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in Humans. However, because only few animal models display overt anxious-like behavior, detailed preclinical studies of the anxiolytic properties of antidepressants are still lacking. Here, we studied the neurochemical and behavioral effects of a double 5-HT1A/1B receptor knockout in mice (5-HT1A/1B−/−) as compared to their wild-type littermates (5-HT1A/1B+/+). It is known that single deletion of either 5-HT1A or 5-HT1B receptor induces behavioral changes that are not correlated with differences in brain serotonergic tone. Deletion of both receptors resulted in (i) higher emotionality of animals, as observed in three unconditioned paradigms of anxiety (open field, elevated plus maze and novelty suppressed feeding tests); (ii) a ≈200% increase in the mean spontaneous firing rate of 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) compared to 5-HT1A/1B+/+ mice; (iii) elevated basal dialysate levels of 5-HT in the DRN and frontal cortex; (iv) an exaggerated response to acute paroxetine administration in microdialysis experiments, and (v) increased basal core body temperature. These findings suggest that the deletion of both autoreceptors induces a strong anxious-like behavioral state associated with increased 5-HT neurotransmission. Interestingly, 5-HT1A/1B−/− mice are still sensitive to the acute administration of diazepam. Moreover, while deletion of both receptors impacted on the response to acute SSRI treatment in the forced swim test, anxiolytic-like effects of a chronic SSRI treatment were still observed in 5-HT1A/1B−/− mice. Thus, the 5-HT1A/1B−/− mouse model could be of great interest to unveil the mechanisms of action of the anxiolytic effects of SSRIs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]