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The objective of this investigation was to assess the inhibitory effects of extracts derived from Pterospermum heterophyllum on bacteria and fungi, as well as their capacity to impede the proliferation and migration of HepG2 liver cancer cells. Extracts from the leaves and stems of P. heterophyllum revealed the ability to resist all three bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus aureus (p < 0.05). Additionally, P. heterophyllum also inhibited the growth of three fungal strains: Aspergillus brasiliensis, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus flavus. Evaluation of anticancer activity showed that extracts from P. heterophyllum significantly reduced the proliferation of HepG2 cells, with IC50 values for leaf and stem extracts being 35.5 and 47.17 µg/mL, respectively. Remarkably, the extract of this herbal species inhibited the migration ability of HepG2 cells after 24 h of treatment. Fluorescence analysis of cells using 2-HDCFDA showed a considerable elevation in reactive oxygen species production within HepG2 cells treated with extracts, which is hypothesized to contribute to a reduction in cell viability. Subsequent chemical compound analysis utilizing GC-FID spectra identified some main compounds present in the extracts from P. heterophyllum. This study highlights the potential antimicrobial and anticancer activities of P. heterophyllum.

Droughts are among the most costly hazards in Tay Nguyen (known as Vietnamese Central Highlands), causing significant threats to agriculture and vegetation ecosystems. This study investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of vegetation-based drought in the Tay Nguyen Provinces of Dak Lak and Dak Nong, using a long-term series of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) from 2000 to 2023. The results exhibited a high positive correlation (R=0.73) between VCI and soil moisture-based drought index in drought-detected areas. Monthly analysis revealed severe drought events during the dry months, notably in 2005, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019. In contrast, wetter conditions were primarily observed during 2017-2018 and 2022-2023. Despite temporal variability of drought, larger trends of decreasing and increasing vegetation-based drought were detected during the dry season. These trends remained a relatively stable during the rainy season. Among vegetation types, shrubland exhibited the lowest VCI trends. This research offers valuable insights for stakeholders and policymakers to develop targeted strategies for sustainable land management and regional drought resilience.

ABSTRACT Swinhoe's (or Yangtze) giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is a large, critically endangered freshwater turtle and considered among the rarest species in the world. As of 2024, only two individuals have been confirmed to remain alive, one at the Suzhou Zoo in China and one in Xuan Khanh Lake, Viet Nam. The only hope for the long‐term survival of R. swinhoei is finding additional, as yet undiscovered, animals that have thus far eluded detection by traditional survey methods. In recent years, numerous studies have been published on the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for species detection and monitoring. This method takes advantage of the persistence of DNA in the environment, such as in water, soil, and air. An organism's DNA is shed into the environment through urine, feces, and the sloughing of skin. Species‐specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) testing can be used to detect eDNA in samples collected from the environment. eDNA trials to detect R. swinhoei were initiated by the Asian Turtle Program and Washington State University in 2013. To expand the use of eDNA for species detection by conservationists, we developed and validated a first‐of‐its‐kind innovative point‐of‐detection (POD) qPCR platform for the rapid, onsite detection of R. swinhoei from water samples. Here we show that the portable eDNA test kit can be used for the successful detection of R. swinhoei in a large body of water and that pooling filters may be a useful strategy to reduce test costs and improve detection efficiency. Use of this test can expand the search for R. swinhoei in unexplored and understudied lakes, reservoirs, and other bodies of water where this species may be present and could inform field surveys utilizing eDNA for other threatened species that are rare in nature.

This study examines the effects of stick-out, welding current, welding speed, and voltage on the mechanical characteristics and microstructure of MIG welding on SUS 304 stainless steel and S20C steel. The Taguchi method was used to maximize the experiment’s outcomes. Fine columnar dendrites formed at fusion sites, and δ-ferrite phases with dark lines and shapes accumulated between the fusion line and the austenite phases. A welding current of 110 A, voltage of 15 V, welding speed of 500 mm/min, and stick-out of 12 mm were the optimal settings for the ultimate tensile strength (UTS). The UTS value confirmation was 469.4 MPa, which agrees with the estimated value determined using the Taguchi technique. The tensile test revealed that welding current had a far greater impact on mechanical qualities than welding voltage, speed, and stick-out distance. The ideal welding parameters for flexural strength were as follows: stick-out of 12 mm, arc voltage of 15 V, welding speed of 450 mm/min, and welding current of 110 amp. The Taguchi method is useful, as evidenced by the validation of the flexure strength of 1937.45 MPa, which is much greater than the other samples. The impact of the thermal annealing process on the mechanical characteristics of the dissimilar weld joints could be the subject of future research. The investigation results may offer more insightful information about the dissimilar welding field.

The adoption of online learning modalities has increasingly become prevalent, particularly with the advent of COVID-19, aiming to ensure student access to learning materials. This significant shift towards offering online educational formats compels educational institutions to alter their approach and develop curricula to guarantee an optimal student experience and satisfaction within the online environment. The aim of this research is to comprehensively examine the key factors that significantly impact the satisfaction of undergraduate students with online learning in Vietnamese universities. The quantitative research methodology was implemented through the collection of surveys from a total of 437 Vietnamese students. Utilizing the PLS-SEM statistical approach, the findings reveal that technology, communication, course, outcome, and motivation for learning have significant positive influences on students’ satisfaction with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the effect of instructors’ attitude and the sudden change from traditional to online classes have been found with as nonsignificant. Valuable implications and practical recommendations are suggested for educational organizations and institutions in Vietnam to enhance specific activities that promote students’ satisfaction with online learning and improve teaching methods provided by instructors.

AbstractThis study empirically investigates a relationship between MAX and lottery-type stocks in the Chinese stock markets. We find that the lottery-type stocks, which are preferred for lottery demand of investors, are negatively priced in the Chinese market. Moreover, the MAX effect as a proxy for lottery stock is not strongly exhibited as the lottery behavior in the Chinese stock market. Our results show that the higher MAX stocks in the lowest price stocks are stronger than those in the highest price ones. This can explain why the MAX phenomenon of the Chinese market is different from that in the developed market regarding the candidate of the IVOL puzzle explanation.

This paper investigates the influences of efficiency, concentration and market power on the shareholder value of 73 Australian authorised deposit‐taking institutions over the 2000–15 period. Four alternative proxies for shareholder value (net interest margin, return on equity, Tobin's q ratio and economic value‐added ratio) are employed to test two competing hypotheses, the structure–conduct–performance hypothesis and the efficient structure hypothesis. Results from panel data analysis show that both hypotheses are applicable to varying degrees to the different aspects of shareholder value. First, the inference that high concentration results in oligopolistic behaviour and collusive arrangements may not apply to the Australian banking sector. Second, enhancement of market power tends to promote economic returns but impedes other facets of performance. Third, technical efficiency has a positive impact on returns on equity, while scale efficiency has a positive influence on market value and a negative influence on interest and returns on equity. Finally, the outcomes indicate that additional control factors, such as size, non‐interest income, operating costs, capitalisation, credit risk, inflation, and GDP growth rate, impact significantly on different views of shareholder value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionIt is assumed that host defense systems eliminating the pathogen and regulating tissue damage make a strong impact on the outcome of tuberculosis (TB) disease and that these processes are affected by rifampicin (RIF) resistance–conferring mutations of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). However, the host responses to the pathogen harboring different mutations have not been studied comprehensively in clinical settings. We analyzed clinico-epidemiological factors and blood transcriptomic signatures associated with major rpoB mutations conferring RIF resistance in a cohort study.MethodsDemographic data were collected from 295 active pulmonary TB patients with treatment history in Hanoi, Vietnam. When recruited, drug resistance–conferring mutations and lineage-specific variations were identified using whole-genome sequencing of clinical Mtb isolates. Before starting retreatment, total RNA was extracted from the whole blood of HIV-negative patients infected with Mtb that carried either the rpoB H445Y or rpoB S450L mutation, and the total RNA was subjected to RNA sequencing after age-gender matching. The individual RNA expression levels in the blood sample set were also measured using real-time RT-PCR. Logistic and linear regression models were used to assess possible associations.ResultsIn our cohort, rpoB S450L and rpoB H445Y were major RIF resistance–conferring mutations [32/87 (36.8%) and 15/87 (17.2%), respectively]. H445Y was enriched in the ancient Beijing genotype and was associated with nonsynonymous mutations of Rv1830 that has been reported to regulate antibiotic resilience. H445Y was also more frequently observed in genetically clustered strains and in samples from patients who had received more than one TB treatment episode. According to the RNA sequencing, gene sets involved in the interferon-γ and-α pathways were downregulated in H445Y compared with S450L. The qRT-PCR analysis also confirmed the low expression levels of interferon-inducible genes, including BATF2 and SERPING1, in the H445Y group, particularly in patients with extensive lesions on chest X-ray.DiscussionOur study results showed that rpoB mutations as well as Mtb sublineage with additional genetic variants may have significant effects on host response. These findings strengthen the rationale for investigation of host-pathogen interactions to develop countermeasures against epidemics of drug-resistant TB.

Marine diatoms play a very crucial role in carbon export, and current food-web and become an important factor in global silica cycle. This then has made the mechanism of their biosilicification interesting to be a research subject. The classical theory states that the silica metabolism has been originated from the absorption of silicate ions, which might not give a suitable explanation for the solid silica silicification. In this study, mono-disperse Si/SiO2 fluorescent submicron-spheres were synthesized in aqueous solution, and applied in monitoring the extracellular solid silica accumulation of Chaetoceros sp. diatom. The Si/SiO2 submicron particles emitted light-blue color with the spectrum centered at 440 nm under the excitation of 365 nm UV light, similar to the typical excitation/emission pair of the DAPI fluorophore (excitation/emission: 358 nm/461 nm). The fluorescence-microscopic investigation showed that the Si/SiO2 particles delocalized on the diatoms’ surface and increased a silicic-acid-level surrounding the microalgae. As a consequence, the growth rate of the diatoms increased as the concentration of the SiO2 particles was at 120 mg/L, and reached 1.5 times higher than the growth rate calculated from the F2 media. The study not only introduces a new aspect to the extracellular metabolism of microalgae biosilicification corresponding to the global silica cycle, but also presents a new-type of culturing media using SiO2 nanoparticles for diatom cultivation, which increases the growth rate of artificial diatom-culturing for further applications.

The results of in silico screening of the 50 isolated compounds from Millettia dielsiana against the target proteins PDE4 (PDE4A, PDE4B, and PDE4D) showed binding affinity ranges from −5.81 to −11.56, −5.27 to −13.01, and −5.80 to −12.12 kcal mol−1, respectively, with median values of −8.83, −8.84, and −8.645 kcal mol−1, respectively. Among these compounds, Millesianin F was identified as the most promising PDE4A inhibitor due to its strongest binding affinity with the target protein PDE4A. (−11.56 kcal mol−1). This was followed by the compound 5,7,4′-trihydroxyisoflavone 7-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranoside (D50) with the binding affinity value of −11.35 kcal mol−1. For the target protein PDE4B, compound D50 exhibited the strongest binding affinity value of −13.01 kcal mol−1, while showing poorer inhibition ability for PDE4D. The 100 ns MD simulation examination (radius of gyration, Solvent Accessible Surface Area (SASA), Root-Mean-Square Deviation (RMSD), Root-Mean-Square Fluctuation (RMSF), and hydrogen bonding) was carried out to examine the overall stability and binding efficiency of the protein–ligand complex between compounds (Millesianin F, Millesianin G, Claclrastin-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 7-hydroxy-4′,6 dimethoxyisoflavone-7-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranoside, 7-hydroxy-4′,8-dimethoxyisoflavone 7-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranoside, Odoratin-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and 5,7,4′-trihydroxyisoflavone 7-O-β-d-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-d-glucopyranoside) and PDE4 (A, B) subtype proteins. Compound D50 has shown strong anti-inflammatory activity, as evidenced by experimental results. It effectively inhibits PDE4B and PDE4D, with IC50 values of 6.56 ± 0.7 µM and 11.74 ± 1.3 µM, respectively. Additionally, it reduces NO production, with an IC50 value of 5.40 ± 0.9 µM. Based on these findings, it is promising and considered a potential novel anti-inflammatory drug for future development.

Abstract Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has different features depending on different geographic areas. We collected Mtb strains from patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in Da Nang, central Vietnam. Using a whole genome sequencing platform, including genome assembly complemented by long-read-sequencing data, genomic characteristics were studied. Of 181 Mtb isolates, predominant Vietnamese EAI4_VNM and EAI4-like spoligotypes (31.5%), ZERO strains (5.0%), and part of EAI5 (11.1%) were included in a lineage-1 (L1) sublineage, i.e., L1.1.1.1. These strains were found less often in younger people, and they genetically clustered less frequently than other modern strains. Patients infected with ZERO strains demonstrated less lung infiltration. A region in RD2bcg spanning six loci, i.e., PE_PGRS35, cfp21, Rv1985c, Rv1986, Rv1987, and erm(37), was deleted in EAI4_VNM, EAI4-like, and ZERO strains, whereas another 118 bp deletion in furA was specific only to ZERO strains. L1.1.1.1-sublineage-specific deletions in PE_PGRS4 and PE_PGRS22 were also identified. RD900, seen in ancestral lineages, was present in majority of the L1 members. All strains without IS6110 (5.0%) had the ZERO spoligo-pattern. Distinctive features of the ancestral L1 strains provide a basis for investigation of the modern versus ancestral Mtb lineages and allow consideration of countermeasures against this heterogeneous pathogen.

Abstract Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is a serious global problem, and pathogen factors involved in the transmission of isoniazid (INH)-resistant TB have not been fully investigated. We performed whole genome sequencing of 332 clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) isolates collected from patients newly diagnosed with smear-positive pulmonary TB in Hanoi, Vietnam. Using a bacterial genome-wide approach based on linear mixed models, we investigated the associations between 31-bp k-mers and clustered strains harboring katG-S315T, a major INH-resistance mutation in the present cohort and in the second panel previously published in South Africa. Five statistically significant genes, namely, PPE18/19, gid, emrB, Rv1588c, and pncA, were shared by the two panels. We further identified variants of the genes responsible for these k-mers, which are relevant to the spread of INH-resistant strains. Phylogenetic convergence test showed that variants relevant to PPE46/47-like chimeric genes were significantly associated with the same phenotype in Hanoi. The associations were further confirmed after adjustment for the confounders. These findings suggest that genomic variations of the pathogen facilitate the expansion of INH-resistance TB, at least in part, and our study provides a new insight into the mechanisms by which drug-resistant Mtb maintains fitness and spreads in Asia and Africa.

Abstract Background Members of the genus Paragonimus require at least three hosts in their life-cycles. The obligatory first intermediate hosts are freshwater snails. In Vietnam, although seven Paragonimus species have been recorded, the natural first intermediate hosts of almost all species have not been confirmed. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate snail hosts of Paragonimus species in Vietnam, and to identify Paragonimus species at intramolluscan stages. Methods Freshwater snails were collected from streams in Yen Bai and Quang Tri Provinces, where high prevalences of Paragonimus metacercariae in crab hosts have been reported. Snails were morphologically identified and then examined individually for Paragonimus cercariae using shedding and crushing methods. Chaetomicrocercous cercariae, the morphological class to which Paragonimus cercariae belong, were collected for morphological description and molecular species identification by analyses of ITS2 sequences. The infected snail species were identified based on analyses of nucleotide sequences of the cox1 gene. Results Three snail species were found to be infected with Paragonimus cercariae at low infection rates, ranging between 0.07–1.0%. The molecular analyses identified them as Sulcospira quangtriensis and 2 species of subfamily Triculinae. In a phylogenetic tree, these two triculine snails were related to the genera Gammatricula and Tricula with low posterior probabilities. Thus we named them as Triculinae sp. 1 and Triculinae sp. 2. Cercariae from the three snail species, Sulcospira quangtriensis, Triculinae sp. 1 and Triculinae sp. 2, were molecularly identified as Paragonimus westermani, P. heterotremus and P. proliferus, respectively. The cercariae of the three species are morphologically similar to each other, but their daughter rediae can be distinguished by the length of the intestine and the number of cercariae per redia. The rediae of P. westermani have a long intestine and each contain 6–8 cercariae. In contrast, those of P. heterotremus and P. proliferus have a short intestine and each redia contain 10–12 and 5–6 cercariae, respectively. Conclusions Three snail species, Sulcospira quangtriensis, Triculinae sp. 1 and Triculinae sp. 2, serve as the first intermediate hosts of P. westermani, P. heterotremus and P. proliferus, respectively, in Vietnam. The length of the intestine of rediae and the number of cercariae per redia are valuable characteristics for distinguishing between larvae of these Paragonimus species.

In this paper, the role of the reference-dependent preference in the relationship between idiosyncratic volatility and future return was investigated in the Korean stock market from July 1990 to June 2018. The capital gains overhang was used as a reference point for a definition of the loss and gains domain. As a consequence, the negative idiosyncratic volatility-return relationship is driven by unrealized capital losses. In addition, this negative relation disappears in the unrealized capital gains domain, suggesting the important role of the reference-dependent preference in the idiosyncratic volatility puzzle interpretation. These findings are robust to control for several factors, such as market beta, return reversal variable, momentum, and liquidity.

Abstract Background Ninh Binh province is known as an endemic area of fish-borne zoonotic trematode (FZT) transmission in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gia Minh and Gia Thinh communes of Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province to investigate the infections with different stages of FZT in various host species. Methods Faecal samples from 1,857 humans were examined for trematode eggs using the Kato-Katz method, while faecal samples from 104 dogs, 100 cats, and 100 pigs were examined using the Formalin-ethyl acetate concentration technique (FECT). A total of 483 specimens of freshwater fish, representing 9 species, were examined for metacercariae using the artificial digestion method. Three methods of cercarial detection (shedding, crushing and cutting) were applied for examination of 3,972 specimens of freshwater snails, representing 7 species. All relevant data e.g. location, sex, age group, animal species, and habitat were recorded for statistical analyses. Results Helminth eggs were found in 65.5% of the human faecal samples, including 20.5% of faecal samples containing small trematode eggs. Infection with small trematodes differed among communes, age groups and sexes. Eggs of small trematodes were found in 32.7% of faecal samples from dogs, 49.0% from cats and 13.0% from pigs. The difference in prevalences and intensities were significant among species of animals but did not differ between the two communes. All fish species were infected with FZT, with an average prevalence of 56.1% and a mean intensity of 33.245 metacercariae per gram. Prevalence and intensity in fish differed significantly among cummunes and fish groups. Six species of zoonotic trematodes were identified. Metacercariae of the small liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis, was only found in Hemiculter leucisculus. A total of 9 specimens from two snail species, Melanoides tuberculata and Bithynia fuchsiana, were infected with trematodes and four cercarial types were detected in the study sites. Conclusions We conclude that Gia Minh and Gia Thinh communes are continuing to be hot-spot endemic areas of FZT and other helminths infections where the habit of eating raw fish by the local people is still present.

The purpose of this study is to understand an effect of the logistics service on firm financial performance in textile industry of Da Nang city, Viet Nam. A questionnaire was developed to survey several critical factors in the logistics services. Factor analysis method was applied to find some major configurations for each influential factor, and multi-regression method was employed to analyze the influence of critical factor on the firm financial performance. The results showed that internal logistics, inbound logistics, outbound logistics, support activities, and cost of logistics have significantly positive relationship with the firm financial performance. Interestingly, the cost of logistics becomes the main factor affecting the firm financial performance in the textile industry.

Aim: To determine the mortality rate and the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for all-cause mortality during the 24 months in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer treated with capecitabine., Methods: We conducted a study on 87 stage IV colorectal cancer patients treated with capecitabine. Before the day of treatment, all patients were measured CEA and CRP-hs levels and calculated neutrophil/lympho ratio (NLR) and PNI. Patients were monitored and collected drug side effects and mortality for 24 months., Results: The mortality rate of study subjects was 60.9%. CRP-hs, NLR, and PNI were independent factors associated with 24-month mortality in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01). At a cut-off value of 38.51, PNI was a predictor for mortality, with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.88 and p < 0.001., Conclusions: PNI was a good predictor of all-cause mortality in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer treated with capecitabine for 24 months., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies and ranks third in terms of cancer-related mortality. This study aims to identify the hub genes and potential mechanisms in GC using a bioinformatics approach., Methods: Microarray data GSE54129, GSE79973, GSE55696 were extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was identified using Benjamini-Hochberg method in the limma package. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of the DEGs were conducted. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction network was constructed the STRING platform, and the hub genes were discovered using Maximal Clique Centrality method via cytoHubba. The predictive significance of hub genes was evaluated through GSE15459 dataset., Results: A total of 73 genes was identified as DEGs in GC. Volcano plots and heatmaps of DEGs were visualized. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the genes were mostly enriched in response to xenobiotic stimulus, digestion, cellular hormone metabolic process, extracellular matrix structural constituent, calcium-dependent cysteine-type endopeptidase activity, aromatase activity, apical part of cell, basal part of cell, and apical plasma membrane. Regarding KEGG pathway-enrichment, the genes were mainly involved in Drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, Retinol metabolism, Chemical carcinogenesis-DNA adducts, Gastric acid secretion, and Metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450. By combining the results of Cytohubba, the top five intersecting genes identified were SPP1, INHBA, MMP7, THBS2 and FAP. Kapplan-Meier analysis results showed that these 5 hub genes were highly related to the overall survival of patients., Conclusion: SPP1, INHBA, MMP7, THBS2, and FAP were identified as prospective biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC that might be utilized for prognostic evaluation and scheme selection.