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Purpose. To introduce a minimally invasive procedure, endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), to obtain a pathologic evidence of a definite ocular sarcoidosis in a patient who initially presented with presumed ocular sarcoidosis with pulmonary involvement. Methods. An EBUS-TBNA procedure was performed at perihilar lymph nodes, subcarina, and right paratrachea of the patient and specimen obtained was sent for histocytopathological studies. Result. Histocytopathological findings revealed aggregates of epithelioid histiocytes forming a noncaseous granuloma, a hallmark of sarcoidosis. Conclusion. EBUS-TBNA should be considered an alternative procedure to provide cytohistopathology proven diagnosis of definite ocular sarcoidosis.

Abstract Background The area along the Thai-Cambodian border is considered an epicenter of anti-malarial drug resistance. Recently, parasite resistance to artemisinin-based therapies has been reported in the area. The artemisinin resistance containment project was initiated in November 2008, with the aim to limit resistant parasites and eliminate malaria in this region. This study describes the response to artemisinin-based therapy among falciparum malaria patients in the area, using data from the malaria surveillance programmed under the containment project. Methods The study was conducted in seven provinces of Thailand along the Thai-Cambodian border. Data of Plasmodium falciparum-positive patients during January 2009 to December 2011 were obtained from the electronic malaria information system (eMIS) Web-based reporting system. All P. falciparum cases were followed for 42 days, as the routine case follow-up protocol. The demographic characteristics of the patients were described. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the cure rate of the current standard anti-malarial drug regimen--mefloquine-artesunate combination therapy (MAS). The proportion of patients who remained parasite-positive at each follow-up day was calculated. In addition, factors related to the delayed parasite clearance on day-3 post-treatment, were explored. Results A total of 1,709 P. falciparum-positive cases were reported during the study period. Almost 70% of falciparum cases received MAS therapy (n = 1,174). The majority of cases were males, aged between 31 and 50 years. The overall MAS cure rate was >90% over the three-year period. Almost all patients were able to clear the parasite within 7 to 14 days post-treatment. Approximately 14% of patients undergoing MAS remained parasite-positive on day-3. Delayed parasite clearance was not significantly associated with patient gender, age, or citizenship. However, delayed parasite clearance varied across the study area. Conclusion Anti-malarial drug-resistant parasites should be closely monitored in the area along the Thai-Cambodian border. Although the MAS cure rate in this study area was above 90%, an increasing trend of treatment failure has been reported in neighboring parts. Effective malaria surveillance is an important component to monitor drug-resistance in the malaria containment project.

Abstract Background The Bureau of Vector-borne Diseases, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, has implemented an electronic Malaria Information System (eMIS) as part of a strategy to contain artemisinin resistance. The attempt corresponds to the WHO initiative, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to contain anti-malarial drug resistance in Southeast Asia. The main objective of this study was to demonstrate the eMIS’ functionality and outputs after implementation for use in the Thailand artemisinin-resistance containment project. Methods The eMIS had been functioning since 2009 in seven Thai-Cambodian border provinces. The eMIS has covered 61 malaria posts/clinics, 27 Vector-borne Disease Units covering 12,508 hamlets at risk of malaria infections. The eMIS was designed as an evidence-based and near real-time system to capture data for early case detection, intensive case investigation, monitoring drug compliance and on/off-site tracking of malarial patients, as well as collecting data indicating potential drug resistance among patients. Data captured by the eMIS in 2008–2011 were extracted and presented. Results The core functionalities of the eMIS have been utilized by malaria staff at all levels, from local operational units to ministerial management. The eMIS case detection module suggested decreasing trends during 2009–2011; the number of malaria cases detected in the project areas over the years studied were 3818, 2695, and 2566, with sero-positive rates of 1.24, 0.98, and 1.16%, respectively. The eMIS case investigation module revealed different trends in weekly Plasmodium falciparum case numbers, when classified by responsible operational unit, local and migrant status, and case-detection type. It was shown that most Thai patients were infected within their own residential district, while migrants were infected either at their working village or from across the border. The data mapped in the system suggested that P. falciparum-infected cases and potential drug-resistant cases were scattered mostly along the border villages. The mobile technology application has detected different follow-up rates, with particularly low rates among seasonal and cross-border migrants. Conclusion The eMIS demonstrated that it could capture essential data from individual malaria cases at local operational units, while effectively being used for situation and trend analysis at upper-management levels. The system provides evidence-based information that could contribute to the control and containment of resistant parasites. Currently, the eMIS is expanding beyond the Thai-Cambodian project areas to the provinces that lie along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Abstract Background To assess the application of cell phone integrating into the healthcare system to improve antenatal care (ANC) and expanded programme on immunization (EPI) services for the under-served population in border area. Methods A module combining web-based and mobile technology was developed to generate ANC/EPI visit schedule dates in which the healthcare personnel can cross-check, identify and update the mother's ANC and child's EPI status at the healthcare facility or at the household location when performing home visit; with additional feature of sending appointment reminder directly to the scheduled mother in the community. Results The module improved ANC/EPI coverage in the study area along the country border including for both Thai and non-Thai mothers and children who were either permanent resident or migrants; numbers of ANC and EPI visit on-time as per schedule significantly increased; there was less delay of antenatal visits and immunizations. Conclusions The module integrated and functioned successfully as part of the healthcare system; it is proved for its feasibility and the extent to which community healthcare personnel in the low resource setting could efficiently utilize it to perform their duties.

We identified a novel mastadenovirus, herein referred to as colobus adenovirus (CoAdV), as the likely cause of fatal respiratory and enteric diseases in multiple black-and-white colobuses (Colobus guereza) imported into Thailand in 2022. Among 9 affected colobuses, 4 died. Viral antigen was abundant in respiratory and enteric tissues, where prominent lesions and clinical signs were observed. We successfully cultivated CoAdV in Vero cells and characterized the complete viral genome, which indicated the virus is genetically distinct from other simian adenoviruses. We also conducted a retrospective study of archival samples from 7 other unrelated colobuses that had respiratory distress or diarrhea and found similar viral strains in 4 of those colobuses. Although we could not determine the potential harm to humans or other nonhuman primates from current information, the zoonotic and spillover potential of this virus to other related hosts should not be neglected. Veterinarians should consider CoAdV when pneumonia is diagnosed in colobuses.

Background: Up to 30% of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) have evidence of sensitization, with a similar proportion experiencing severe pain during procedures. Most patients with KOA are elderly and often develop side effects from intravenous sedation. Our study investigated the effectiveness of a methoxyflurane inhaler combined with local anesthesia in reducing procedural pain from genicular nerve block compared with local anesthesia alone., Methods: 42 adults with refractory KOA were randomized into two groups. Methoxyflurane group received a self-titrated methoxyflurane inhaler with local anesthesia whereas lidocaine group received local anesthesia only. The primary outcome was pain score on a 0-10 verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS) during the procedure. Secondary outcomes included changes in VNRS and behavioral pain scale (critical care pain observational tool) during the procedure, hemodynamic changes, anxiety level, sedation score, and adverse events., Results: 42 patients with a mean age of 66±12 years participated in this study. There were no significant baseline differences. During the procedure, the methoxyflurane group experienced a significantly greater VNRS pain reduction from baseline (2 (1, 4) vs -1 (-2, 0); p<0.01) and greater VNRS reduction over time (p=0.01) compared with the lidocaine group, with a higher sedation score (p<0.01). Immediately postprocedure, anxiety levels were lower in the methoxyflurane group compared with the lidocaine group (median State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score 21 (IQR 20, 24) vs 27 (23, 29); p=0.02), but the median reduction in anxiety level was not significant (6 (1, 12) vs 5 (0, 14); p=0.61). There were no differences in behavioral pain scores, hemodynamic parameters, recovery or discharge times, and adverse effects between the two groups., Conclusion: A methoxyflurane inhaler combined with local anesthesia provided better procedural pain control than local anesthesia alone with no observable differences in adverse effects. Future studies evaluating the impact of a methoxyflurane inhaler on different types of painful procedures are warranted., Competing Interests: Competing interests: SPC is a consultant for Avanos, SPR Therapeutics, Persica, and SWORD, and has previously served as a consultant for Clearing and Scilex in the past 3 years. Currently, SPC is the editorial board member of RAPM. SS, PK, WI, NT, SL, RS, and KP have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© American Society of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. Published by BMJ.)

This study investigated the gross morphology of reproductive organs and oxytocin receptor distribution across different parities in hyperprolific sows. A total of thirty-two reproductive organs from Landrace × Yorkshire crossbred sows were categorized into three groups based on parity numbers: 1 ( n = 10), 2-5 ( n = 12), and ≥6 ( n = 10). All sows were culled due to management problems, and none had reproductive disorders. A gross morphology examination of the ovaries, uterus, and the rest of the reproductive tract was conducted. Using immunohistochemistry, the levels of oxytocin receptor were evaluated in five layers of the uterus, the epithelial, superficial glandular, deep glandular, and circular and longitudinal smooth muscles of the myometrium, and were quantified using an H-score. On average, the age and body weight of sows and the total number of piglets born per litter were 799.8 ± 327.8 days, 213.2 ± 31.7 kg, and 15.5 ± 4.8, respectively. The numbers of ovulations in sows in parity number 1 (19.9 ± 2.4) were lower than those in sows in parity numbers 2-5 (29.7 ± 2.0, p = 0.004) and ≥6 (27.7 ± 2.1, p = 0.022). The uterine weights of sows in parity number 1 (902.9 ± 112.5 g) were lower than those of parity numbers 2-5 (1442.1 ± 111.8 g, p = 0.001) and ≥6 (1394.3 ± 125.1 g, p = 0.004). The length of the uterus in sows with parity number 1 (277.9 ± 26.1 cm) was shorter than those in sows with parity numbers 2-5 (354.6 ± 25.9 cm, p = 0.033) and tended to be shorter than those in sows with parity numbers ≥ 6 (346.6 ± 29.0 cm, p = 0.068). The immunolocalization of oxytocin receptors could be detected in various parts of the porcine endometrium and myometrium. Among the five tissue layers of the uterus, the H-score of oxytocin receptors in the deep uterine glands was greater than in the superficial uterine glands ( p = 0.023) and the circular muscle layer of the myometrium ( p = 0.011), but it did not differ from the epithelial layer of the endometrium ( p = 0.428) or the longitudinal muscle layer of the myometrium ( p = 0.081). Sows with parity numbers ≥ 6 had a lower oxytocin receptor H-score than those with parity numbers 1 ( p < 0.001) and 2-5 ( p < 0.001). In conclusion, these data emphasize the notable variations in several reproductive parameters and the levels of oxytocin receptor within the uterus of hyperprolific sows. Across the majority of uterine tissue layers, there was a marked decrease in the H-score of the oxytocin receptor in the older sows., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: Anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) poisoning was diagnosed in 3 Patagonian maras (Dolichotis patagonum) raised in the mara farm in Thailand. To date, there have been no reports of maras with diagnosed AR poisoning., Case Presentation: The first clinical sign of the sickening maras was anorexia. Fifteen from 50 maras were dead over a 3-5 day period after the clinical signs had occurred. Positive results to AR were detected in all of the maras' liver specimens by screening test using thin layer chromatography and spectrophotometry methods. Supportive therapy was selected for the treatment of the 35 surviving maras. During the follow - up observation period of 12 months, all of the surviving maras were healthy and no reproductive loss., Conclusions: This is the first report on suspected AR poisoning in maras in Thailand based on history taking, clinical signs, gross pathology lesions and chemical analysis. AR poisoning in the present report is possibly from contaminated animal food. Therefore, quality control of food should be fastidious when feeding maras., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Instances of reverse zoonosis involving severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been documented in both controlled experiments and spontaneous cases. Although dogs are susceptible to infection, clinical significance is limited to mild or asymptomatic. Here, we investigate the fatal cases of natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs in Thailand. Pathological findings of SARS-CoV-2-infected dogs reveal severe diffuse alveolar damage, pulmonary hyalinization and fibrosis, and syncytial formation, together with minor lesions in brain and kidney. Employing reverse transcription-digital PCR, substantial viral loads of SARS-CoV-2 were detected in lung, kidney, brain, trachea, tonsil, tracheobronchial lymph node, liver, and intestine, respectively. Localization of SARS-CoV-2 within various tissues was examined through immunohistochemistry (IHC), where the co-localization of the viral spike protein and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor was illustrated using double IHC. SARS-CoV-2 localization was markedly identified in the epithelial cells of the lung, trachea, intestine and kidneys, and moderately presented in the salivary gland and gall bladder, where the co-localization with the ACE2 was also evident. Neurons in the brainstem where exhibited lymphocytic perivascular cuffing were also found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 in IHC testing, despite lacking ACE2 receptor expression. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 replication within the lungs of infected dogs was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, visualizing free viral particles within the cytosol or the endoplasmic reticulum of syncytial cells within the lung. This study considerably expanded on the knowledge of the pathology associated with natural SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs, a scenario that is relatively infrequent but occasionally leads to fatal outcome. Furthermore, these findings suggest the potential utility of dogs as a model for studying SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans, warranting further investigation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Authors declare no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of self-directed, case-based learning in cancer pain management via a digital learning platform (e-CBL) in interdisciplinary residents' knowledge and critical thinking skill level., Methods: The prospective observational study was conducted on 51 first- and second-year residents from anesthesiology, surgery, and family medicine who had not received training in the management of cancer pain and were invited to participate by their Program Director. Participants voluntarily underwent e-CBL in cancer pain management using four modules (pain assessment, principles of pain management, pharmacological techniques, and non-pharmacological techniques) at their convenience within seven days via the Moodle platform. All participants underwent pre-and post-test assessments of knowledge and rated their satisfaction with the training on a 0-10 scale. Thirty-two residents completed Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level Z. Paired t-tests assessed changes, and the effect size was estimated by Cohen's d. A p-value < .05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Knowledge and critical thinking test results significantly improved after the training (M=68, SD=16.99 to M=86, SD=13.96 correct responses; t (50) =11.24, p<.001, Cohen's d=1.56 for knowledge) and (M=39.8, SD=13.7 vs. M=46.1, SD=10.2 correct responses; t (31) =-3.67, p=.001, Cohen's d=0.65 for critical thinking test). Satisfaction of learning experiences for convenience and understandability was high (M=9.4, SD=0.8)., Conclusions: Use of the e-CBL improved knowledge in cancer pain management and critical thinking skills. This digital platform could play an important role in the future of pain education. Further investigation, including a control group, is warranted.

Using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) method for bacterial diagnosis, rapid urine sample preparation can reduce time relapsing of diagnosis and improve discriminatory power in coinfection cases. We aimed to evaluate rapid urine preparation procedures before MALDI-TOF MS application using dog clinical urine samples in comparison with standard microbiological diagnostic methods by agreement analysis. We determined the frequency and distribution of bacteria and bacterial resistance and their correlations to clinical history. Three experimental procedures comprising direct centrifugation, 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate digestion, and ultrasonic preparation were performed for method validation and sensitivity. Sterile urine containing Escherichia coli and/or Staphylococcus aureus were used as simulated samples. By ultrasonic preparation, the microorganisms could be detected 1.46-1.51 × 10 5 CFU, which was considered the most suitable technique. This preparation was significantly consistent with the routine method based on data from Hospital Information Systems for 50 urine samples from canine cystitis. By standard protocol, Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius were found in most of the 155 urine samples with cystitis. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae was found in 25-30% of the samples. Imipenem resistance was found in 70% of Acinetobacter baumannii cases; almost all were resistant to second-generation fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines. The most efficient antibiotic for treating bacterial urinary tract infection was amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid. A. baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were susceptible to pradofloxacin. Prolonged urine catheterization was linked to lower urinary tract infections by Enterobacter spp., which also correlated with chronic kidney disease., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Influenza A virus causes respiratory disease in many animal species as well as in humans. Due to the high human-animal interface, the monitoring of canine influenza in dogs and the study of the transmission and pathogenicity of canine influenza in animals are important., Methods: Eight-week-old beagle dogs (Canis lupus familaris) (n = 13) were used for the intraspecies transmission model. The dogs were inoculated intranasally with 1 ml of 10 6 EID 50 per ml of canine H3N2 influenza virus (A/canine/Thailand/CU-DC5299/2012) (CIV-H3N2). In addition, 4-week-old guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) (n = 20) were used for the interspecies transmission model. The guinea pigs were inoculated intranasally with 300 µl of 10 6 EID 50 per ml of CIV-H3N2., Results: For the Thai CIV-H3N2 challenged in the dog model, the incoculated and direct contact dogs developed respiratory signs at 2 dpi. The dogs shed the virus in the respiratory tract at 1 dpi and developed an H3-specific antibody against the virus at 10 dpi. Lung congestion and histopathological changes in the lung were observed. For the Thai CIV-H3N2 challenge in the guinea pig model, the incoculated, direct contact and aerosol-exposed guinea pigs developed fever at 1-2 dpi. The guinea pigs shed virus in the respiratory tract at 2 dpi and developed an H3-specific antibody against the virus at 7 dpi. Mild histopathological changes in the lung were observed., Conclusion: The result of this study demonstrated evidence of intraspecies and interspecies transmission of CIV-H3N2 in a mammalian model., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Murine spleen has been shown to harbour stromal cells that support hematopoiesis with production of myeloid antigen-presenting cells. Similar stromal lines have now been isolated from long-term cultures (LTC) of human spleen. When human progenitor populations from spleen, bone marrow and cord blood were employed as a source of progenitors for co-culture above splenic stromal lines, myelopoiesis was supported. Human splenocytes gave production of predominantly myeloid dendritic-like cells, with minor subsets resembling conventional dendritic cells (cDC) cells, and myeloid or monocyte-derived DC. Human bone marrow progenitors gave rise to myelopoiesis from hematopoietic progenitors, while human cord blood supported limited myelopoiesis from existing myeloid precursors. Transcriptome analysis compared two stromal lines differing in myelopoietic support capacity. Gene profiling revealed both stromal lines to reflect perivascular reticular cells with osteogenic characteristics. However, the 5C6 stroma which failed to support hematopoiesis uniquely expressed several inhibitors of the WNT pathway. Combined data now show that splenic stroma of both human and murine origin provides a mesenchymal stromal cell microenvironment which is WNT pathway-dependent, and which supports in vitro myelopoiesis with production of specific subsets of myeloid and dendritic-like cells., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

To investigate an outbreak of African horse sickness (AHS) on a horse farm in northeastern Thailand, we used whole-genome sequencing to detect and characterize the virus. The viruses belonged to serotype 1 and contained unique amino acids (95V,166S, 660I in virus capsid protein 2), suggesting a single virus introduction to Thailand.

This study aims to o uncover how employees' normative commitment (sense of obligation) to their organization is experienced in terms of dual normative commitment (moral imperative or indebted obligation) and to describe the potential for different mindsets arising through the dynamic combination of the various components in the commitment profile. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants. The interviews were designed to identify the respondents' perceptions of obligation to their organisation, and their underlying motivational mindset associating with dual nature of normative commitment The interview findings for the affective-normative commitment dominant and the continuance commitment dominant participants were consistent with normative commitment experienced as either moral imperative or an indebted obligation, depending on the relative levels of affective and continuance commitment. All participants irrespective of their commitment profile noted that they had commitment to multiple foci, however, the alignment between commitment to these various foci differed by commitment profile. The qualitative differences among the commitment profiles indicated that the interaction of the commitment components is more complex than current commitment profile propositions suggest and that further theory development beyond the mindsets associated with continuance commitment and affective-normative commitment dominant profiles is required., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Circular economy (CE) has attracted so much attention around the world as it can contribute to the balance between economic development and environmental sustainability, to address the increasing critical resources scarcity and environmental issues. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China are a major driving force in the economy with 43 million SMEs in 2020. Most of them maintain the traditional economic development method of "take-use", without considering the environment. This has caused great harm to the environment and resource availability. Therefore, Chinese SMEs must adopt CE in their business to address this issue. The current study aims to explore the key barriers (lack of time, lack of human resources and finance) and enablers (e.g., network, innovation, and reputation) for Chinese SMEs CE adoption. The current study employs a systematic review approach with thematic analysis to identify the internal and external barriers and enablers of CE adoption among SMEs. Moreover, a CE ecosystem has been proposed for identifying the key actors in the CE system, which will be beneficial for policy-makers to take into account when drafting and adjusting CE laws and regulations.

Background: Alloanti-Di a can be implicated in mild to severe blood transfusion reactions. Given the concomitance of a high prevalence of the Di a antigen and antibody circulating in some populations, an anti-Di a typing reagent is required in order to enable safe blood transfusions. Limitations of hybridoma technology to produce such a reagent led to the use of phage display technology to generate an anti-Di a monoclonal antibody., Materials and Methods: A library of phages displaying murine single-chain variable fragment antibody (scFv-phages) was consecutively adsorbed with different panels of Di(a-b+) red cells to eliminate scFc-phages that potentially bind irrelevant blood group antigens. Thereafter, the subtractive library was specifically selected for the scFv-phages that bound Di a antigen by sequentially biopanning the library with Di(a+b+) cell ghosts and Di(a+b-) intact red cells. A specific interaction between the selected scFv-phages and Di a epitope was validated with the Di a peptide by a competitive haemagglutination inhibition assay and confirmed with the red cells by flow cytometry., Results: An scFv-phage clone specifically bound the Di a epitope, as shown by its binding competition with the human anti-Di a to the Di a peptide in a haemagglutination inhibition test. Moreover, it was highly reactive to Di(a+b+) red cells but not to Di(a-b+) red cells, as determined by flow cytometry., Discussion: In this study, a Di a -specific scFv-phage antibody was successfully produced. The selection protocol might be a prototypic platform for producing monoclonal antibodies to relevant blood group antigens. The scFv-phage produced in this way warrants further development for use as a reagent for Di a red cell typing.

The current study developed a dynamic model which identified a pattern of change in small business owner-managers' job autonomy and job satisfaction separately through the trend analyses (linear, quadratic, and cubic trends). The current study then tested the associations between the growth models of job autonomy and job satisfaction. The study utilized data from an Australian sample over 9 years with a total sample of 1,044 self-employed individuals. In brief, the findings illustrate a curvilinear relationship (cubic and non-monotonic) between changes in job autonomy and job satisfaction. Further, the change rate of job satisfaction was faster among small business owner-managers who perceived greater fluctuation of job autonomy, compared to those who perceived lesser shifts in job autonomy., (Copyright © 2020 Sawang, O’Connor, Kivits and Jones.)

Background: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Malay version of the decisional balance (DB-M) for exercise (i.e. perceived benefits and perceived barriers) using a cross-sectional design. Also, this study assessed the measurement and structural invariance of the DB-M across gender., Methods: The study sample consisted of 750 students (female: 51.7%, male: 48.3%), with a mean age of 20.2 years (SD = 1.2). Decision balance (DB) scale was assessed with the 10-item DB-M. Standard forward-backward translation was performed to translate the English version of the DB into Malay version (DB-M)., Results: The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results based on the hypothesised measurement model of two factors and ten items demonstrated adequate factor structure after the addition of some correlated item residuals (comparative fit index (CFI) = .979, Tucker and Lewis index (TLI) = .969, standardised root mean square residual (SRMR) = .037, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .047). The construct reliability and average variance extracted values were .850 and .839, and .542 and .538, for perceived benefits and perceived barriers, respectively. Meanwhile, the Cronbach's alpha was .857 and .859, and the intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was .979 and .960 for perceived benefits and perceived barriers respectively. The findings provided evidence for measurement invariance of DB-M for the male and female samples. The final CFA model fit the data well for both male sample (CFI = .975, TLI = .964, SRMR = .040, RMSEA = .052) and female sample (CFI = .965, TLI = .949, SRMR = .044, RMSEA = .058)., Conclusions: The translated version of the DB-M was valid and reliable for assessing the level of perceived benefits and perceived barriers in exercise among university students in Malaysia., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore the molecular basis and to develop a simple sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP) technique for screening genotypes associated with the human neutrophil antigen-2 (HNA-2) null phenotype among Thai blood donors., Background: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) c.787A>T of the CD177 gene is well known to be primarily demonstrated as a genetic determinant for HNA-2 deficiency., Methods: The SNPs in the CD177 gene (exons 7 and 9) of 49 Thai blood donors with the known percentage of CD177 expression by flow cytometry including 48 HNA-2 positive and 1 HNA-2 null individuals were identified by long-range PCR amplification and sequencing. Moreover, screening for the c.1254G>A mutation was developed using an in-house PCR-SSP technique and tested among 771 unrelated donor samples., Results: A HNA-2 null sample from the first cohort was heterozygous for c.787A/T and homozygous for c.1291G/G, namely, a 787A-1291G/787T-1291G (AG/TG) genotype. Interestingly, we could identify SNP c.1254G>A (rs188387562, p. Trp418Ter) that caused a nonsense mutation of the CD177 gene in exon 9. This individual might have the 787A-1254A-1291G/787T-1254G-1291G genotype. From the second cohort (771 unrelated donors), the 1254GG homozygote was the most common (96.37%), followed by the 1254GA heterozygote (3.50%) and 1254AA homozygote (0.13%). Blood samples of two individuals with 787AT-1254GA-1291GG and 787AA-1254AA-1291GG genotypes were tested and the HNA-2 antigen expressions were 0.03% and 0.16% in rank., Conclusions: The c.787A>T is a primary genetic hallmark to determine the HNA-2 null phenotype. Additional screening of the novel c.1254G>A in combination with c.787A>T is a suitable, convenient and effective diagnosis among Thais., (© 2019 British Blood Transfusion Society.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the perception of crowding by medical staff and patients impacts patients' perceived service quality (SQ), overall satisfaction and emotional well-being., Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 258 matched pairs of medical staff members and their patients at six public hospitals., Findings: Medical staff-perceived crowding negatively influences patients' perceived SQ. The perceived SQ then impacts patients' overall satisfaction and emotional well-being. Patients' perceived crowding does not significantly impact their perceived SQ but increases the positive emotional well-being of patients., Originality/value: Scant research has investigated a matched pair of service providers and their customers. This study concentrates on how individuals' perceived human crowding and medical staff SQ affect consumers' emotional well-being. This research leads to the formulation of theoretical and public policy suggestions to improve the quality of interactive services with minimal cost and disruption.

After a dramatic decline in the annual malaria incidence in Thailand since 2000, the Thai government developed a National Malaria Elimination Strategy (NMES) to end local malaria transmission by 2024. This study examines the expected costs and benefits of funding the NMES (elimination scenario) versus not funding malaria elimination programming (resurgence scenario) from 2017 to 2036. Two case projection approaches were used to measure the number of malaria cases over the study period, combined with a set of Thailand-specific economic assumptions, to evaluate the cost of a malaria case and to quantify the cost-benefit ratio of elimination. Model A projects cases based on national historical case data using a log-normal regression and change-point analysis model. Model B projects cases based on periodic Yala Province-level outbreak cycles and incorporating NMES political and programmatic goals. In the base case, both models predict that elimination would prevent 1.86-3.11 million malaria cases from 2017 to 2036, with full NMES implementation proving to be cost-saving in all models, perspectives, and scenarios, except for the health system-only perspective in the Model A base case and all perspectives in the Model A worst case. From the societal perspective, every 1 US dollars (US$) spent on the NMES would-depending on case projections used-potentially result in a considerable return on investment, ranging from US$ 2 to US$ 15. Although the two case projection approaches resulted in different cost-benefit ratios, both models showed cost savings and suggest that ending local malaria transmission in Thailand would yield a positive return on investment.

Over the span of several years, 3 Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins died and were necropsied in Thailand. These 3 animals were all captive-bred at Oasis Sea World (Chanthaburi, Thailand), and displayed similar macroscopic progressive cutaneous lesions diagnosed as squamous cell carcinomas. In 2 of the 3 animals, necropsy revealed a severe fibrinosuppurative tracheitis and pneumonia secondary to metastasis of a cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma which extended from the head throughout the trunk and flippers. The tumors were characterized by coalescing botryoid masses with severe areas of cutaneous erosion, ulceration and necrohemorrhagic dermatitis. There was evidence of metastasis to the lungs and hilar lymph nodes. Necropsy of the third animal revealed similar progressive cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas but without evidence of metastasis. DNA molecular analysis of homogenized neoplastic tissue was conducted using polymerase chain reaction for both herpesvirus and papillomavirus in 2 of the 3 cases. In the first case, the tissues were positive for a herpesvirus alone, and this was phylogenetically classified as an alphaherpesvirus. This new herpesvirus has been tentatively named Sousa chinensis alphaherpesvirus. The second animal was negative for this novel herpesvirus and the third was not analyzed. In addition to the captive population, there is photographic evidence from 2 separate wild populations of Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins in the Gulf of Thailand, of a macroscopically identical proliferative and ulcerative process suspected to be squamous cell carcinomas.

The Chinese highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) has caused a severe threat to the pig population in Southeast Asian countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a type 2 PRRSV modified live vaccine (PrimePac™ PRRS, lineage 7) against a Thai HP-PRRSV (10PL01, lineage 8). Three-week-old PRRSV-free pigs were randomly assigned into three groups. Vaccinated challenged group (group 1, n = 16) was immunized with PrimePac™ PRRS vaccine at 3 weeks old. The unvaccinated challenged group (group 2, n = 16) was injected with PBS at 3 weeks old, and unvaccinated unchallenged group (group 3, n = 10) was served as a negative control. At 9 weeks old, all groups, except the negative control group, were challenged with the Thai HP-PRRSV. All pigs were monitored daily during 10 days post-infection (dpi) and were necropsied at 10 and 17 dpi. The results revealed that vaccinated challenged pigs showed significantly lower (p < 0.05) mean rectal temperatures, clinical respiratory scores, lung lesion scores, and levels of virus load in serum and lung tissue compared with the unvaccinated challenged pigs. Moreover, vaccinated challenged pigs exhibited PRRSV-specific serum neutralizing antibodies at the end of the experiment. Our findings indicated that the studied type 2 PRRSV vaccine provided partial protection against the Thai HP-PRRSV infection based on the body temperature, levels of viremia, and the severity of lung lesions. These results demonstrated that partial protection of PrimePac™ PRRS vaccine might be useful for controlling HP-PRRSV infection in the endemic area.

Data from both the laboratory and clinic in the last decade indicate that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are widely regarded as potential sources of future antibiotics owing to their broad-spectrum activities, rapid killing, potentially low-resistance rate and multidirectional mechanisms of action compared to conventional antibiotics. Defensins, a prominent family of AMPs, have been found in a wide range of organisms including plants. Thailand is a rich source of plants including medicinal plants used therapeutically, however there is no report of defensin from among these plants. In this study, a novel plant defensin gene, BcDef, was successfully cloned from Brugmansia x candida (Bc). BcDef cDNA was 237 bp in length, encoding 78 amino acids with a putative 31-amino acid residue signal peptide at the N-terminal followed by the mature sequence. BcDef shared high sequence identity (78-85%) with Solanaceae defensins and belonged to the class I plant defensins. From homology modeling, BcDef shared a conserved triple stranded β-sheet (β1-β3) and one α-helix (α1) connected by a loop (L1-L3). BcDef1 peptide, designed from the γ-core motifs of BcDef located in loop 3, showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens with the lowest MIC (15.70 μM) against Staphylococcus epidermidis. This peptide affected cell membrane potential and permeability, and caused cell membrane disruption. Moreover, BcDef1 also exhibited antioxidant activity and showed low cytotoxicity against mouse fibroblast L929 cells. These findings may provide an opportunity for developing a promising antibacterial agent for medical application in the future., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Genetic mutations in genes encoding critical component of RNA splicing machinery including SF3B1 are frequently identified and recognized as the pathogenesis in the development of myelodysplatic syndrome (MDS). In this study, PCR sequencings specific for SF3B1 exon 13, 14, 15, and 16 were performed to analyse genomic DNA isolated from bone marrow samples of 72 newly diagnosed MDS patients. We found that 10 of 72 (14%) patients harbor SF3B1 missense mutations including E622D (1/72), R625C/G (2/72), H662Q (1/72), K666T (1/72), K700E (4/72) and G740E (1/72), respectively. Mutations were predominantly located on exon 14 and 15 of SF3B1 coding sequence. Interestingly, patients with SF3B1 mutations exhibited higher platelet counts (195×109/L VS. 140×109/L, p-value = 0.025) as well as lower hemoglobin levels (81 g/L VS. 92 g/L, p-value = 0.009) and associated with ring sideroblast phenotype (p-value < 0.001) when compared with patients without the SF3B1 mutation. In summary, we reported the frequency of SF3B1 mutations in Thai patients with different subtypes of MDS. SF3B1 mutations were predominantly occurred in MDS-RS and considered as favourable prognosis value. This study further highlighted the clinical important of SF3B1 mutations analysis for the classification of MDS., (Creative Commons Attribution License)

The major objective of this work was to investigate the shedding of porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) in sow colostrum. PCV3 titers in the serum and colostrum samples of 38 sows were determined using qPCR. Interestingly, this is the first report regarding the identification of PCV3 from the colostrum samples. In the studied farm, the prevalence of PCV3 in the colostrum samples was 44.74% (17/38). When sows were grouped based on the PCV3 titers in the serum into the "High-viremic", "Low-viremic" and "Non-viremic" sows, it was shown that the High-viremic sows showed significantly higher PCV3 colostrum prevalence (100%; 9/9) with the PCV3 titers ranging from 4.01 to 7.33 genomic copies/mL. The results indicated that PCV3 in the colostrum might be partly influenced by the viremic stage of the infection. However, the results also showed that approximately 41% of sows shedding PCV3 with low titers in the colostrum (7/17) were non-viremic sows. In conclusion, this study identified the presence of PCV3 in sow colostrum. Clinical impacts and mechanisms of colostrum shedding of PCV3 should be further investigated., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Antibodies specific to human neutrophil antigen (HNA), especially HNA-2, are implicated in various conditions, including neonatal alloimmune neutropenia, febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions, and transfusion-related acute lung injury. The distribution of the HNA-2 phenotype frequencies in the Thai population remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate HNA-2 phenotype frequencies in Thai blood donors and to compare the relationships of sex and age with HNA-2 expression., Methods: EDTA blood samples were collected from 220 unrelated healthy Thai blood donors, including 150 males and 70 females, with ages ranging from 20 to 57 years. Polymorphonuclear cells were isolated and stained with monoclonal antibodies clone MEM-166 and clone 2D1, which are specific to human CD177 (HNA-2) and CD45, respectively. HNA-2 expression according to sex and age was analyzed by flow cytometry., Results: Among the 220 donors, HNA-2-positive and HNA-2-null-phenotype frequencies were 0.995 and 0.005, respectively. Mean antigen expression was significantly higher in women (71.01±15.46%) than in men (64.59±18.85%; P <0.05). No significant differences in HNA-2 expression were found between different age groups. HNA-2 phenotype frequencies were similar to those in Asian, African, American, and Brazilian populations, but were significantly different from those in eastern Japanese, Korean, and French populations (P <0.001)., Conclusions: This is the first report of HNA-2 phenotype frequencies in a Thai population, and the data will be helpful in predicting the risk of HNA-2 alloimmunization and in recruiting granulocyte panel donors., Competing Interests: No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported., (© The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine.)

Background: Splenic stroma overlaid with hematopoietic progenitors supports in vitro hematopoiesis with production of dendritic-like cells. Co-cultures of murine lineage-depleted bone marrow over the 5G3 stromal line produce two populations of cells, characterised as CD11b + CD11c + MHC-II - dendritic-like 'L-DC', and CD11b + CD11c + MHC-II + cells, resembling conventional dendritic cells (cDC). To date, the functional capacity of these two subsets has not been clearly distinguished., Results: Here we show both the L-DC and cDC-like subsets can be activated and induce proliferation of OT-I CD8 + T cells, being strong inducers of IL-2 and IFN-γ production. Both subsets lack ability to induce proliferation of OT-II CD4 + T cells. The cDC-like population is shown here to resemble regulatory DC in that they induce FoxP3 expression and IL-10 production in OT-II CD4 + T cells, in line with their function as regulatory DC. L-DC did not activate or induce the proliferation of CD4 + T cells and did not induce FoxP3 expression in CD4 + T cells. L-DC can be distinguished from cDC-like cells through their superior endocytic capacity and expression of 4-1BBL, F4/80 and Sirp-α. A comparison of gene expression by the two subsets was consistent with L-DC having an activated or immunostimulatory DC phenotype, while cDC-like cells reflect myeloid dendritic cells with inflammatory and suppressive properties, also consistent with functional characteristics as regulatory DC. When a Transwell membrane was used to prevent hematopoietic cell contact with stroma, only cDC-like cells and not L-DC were produced, and cell production was dependent on M-CSF production by stroma., Conclusion: Co-cultures of hematopoietic progenitors over splenic stroma produce two distinct subsets of dendritic-like cells. These are here distinguished phenotypically and through gene expression differences. While both resemble DC, there are functionally distinct. L-DC activate CD8 + but not CD4 + T cells, while the cDC-like population induce regulatory T cells, so reflecting regulatory DC. The latter can be enriched through Transwell co-cultures with cell production dependent on M-CSF.

Canine circoviruses (CanineCV's), belonging to the genus Circovirus of the Circoviridae family, were detected by next generation sequencing in samples from Thai dogs with respiratory symptoms. Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of nearly complete CanineCV genomes suggested that natural recombination had occurred among different lineages of CanineCV's. Similarity plot and bootscaning analyses indicated that American and Chinese viruses had served as major and minor parental viruses, respectively. Positions of recombination breakpoints were estimated using maximum-likelihood frameworks with statistical significant testing. The putative recombination event was located in the Replicase gene, intersecting with open reading frame-3. Analysis of nucleotide changes confirmed the origin of the recombination event. This is the first description of naturally occurring recombinant CanineCV's that have resulted in the circulation of newly emerging CanineCV lineages.

Porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) is a newly emerging virus with unknown pathogenesis. The major objective of this study was to investigate the presence of PCV3 in pigs from a farm in Thailand suffering from porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). Initially, a Thai PCV3 strain (PCV3/Thailand/PB01/17) was identified from a pig originated from a farm with PRDC problem during grower period and whole genome analysis showed that the Thai PCV3 shared highest nucleotide identity of 99.60% with the South Korean strain PCV3/KU-1602. The presence of PCV3 infection in PRDC-affected pigs was then investigated in this farm. Serum samples from clinically healthy pigs and pigs showing PRDC-related clinical signs during 5-18 weeks were used in PCV3 detection by PCR. The results showed that the PRDC-affected pigs exhibited higher prevalence of PCV3 infection and higher PCV3 titers comparing with the clinically healthy pigs. These results confirmed the presence of PCV3 in a Thai farm with PRDC problem. The pathogenesis of PCV3 on PRDC should be clarified in further studies., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Since the pandemic H1N1 emergence in 2009 (pdmH1N1), many reassortant pdmH1N1 viruses emerged and found circulating in the pig population worldwide. Currently, commercial human subunit vaccines are used commonly to prevent the influenza symptom based on the WHO recommendation. In case of current reassortant swine influenza viruses transmitting from pigs to humans, the efficacy of current human influenza vaccines is of interest. In this study, influenza A negative pigs were vaccinated with selected commercial human subunit vaccines and challenged with rH3N2. All sera were tested with both HI and SN assays using four representative viruses from the surveillance data in 2012 (enH1N1, pdmH1N1, rH1N2 and rH3N2). The results showed no significant differences in clinical signs and macroscopic and microscopic findings among groups. However, all pig sera from vaccinated groups had protective HI titers to the enH1N1, pdmH1N1 and rH1N2 at 21DPV onward and had protective SN titers only to pdmH1N1and rH1N2 at 21DPV onward. SN test results appeared more specific than those of HI tests. All tested sera had no cross-reactivity against the rH3N2. Both studied human subunit vaccines failed to protect and to stop viral shedding with no evidence of serological reaction against rH3N2. SIV surveillance is essential for monitoring a novel SIV emergence potentially for zoonosis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Booreana mice carrying the c-Myb308G point mutation were analyzed to determine changes in early hematopoiesis in the bone marrow and among mature cells in the periphery. This point mutation led to increased numbers of early hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), with a subsequent reduction in the development of B cells, erythroid cells, and neutrophils, and increased numbers of myeloid cells and granulocytes. Myelopoiesis was further investigated by way of particular subsets affected. A specific question addressed whether booreana mice contained increased numbers of dendritic-like cells (L-DC subset) recently identified in the spleen, since L-DCs arise in vitro by direct differentiation from HSPCs co-cultured over splenic stroma. The non-lethal c-Myb mutation in booreana mice was associated with significantly lower representation of splenic CD8- conventional dendritic cells (cDCs), inflammatory monocytes, and neutrophils compared to wild-type mice. This result confirmed the bone marrow origin of progenitors for these subsets since c-Myb is essential for their development. Production of L-DCs and resident monocytes was not affected by the c-MybE308G mutation. These subsets may derive from different progenitors than those in bone marrow, and are potentially established in the spleen during embryogenesis. An alternative explanation may be needed for why there was no change in CD8+ cDCs in booreana spleen since these cells are known to derive from common dendritic progenitors in bone marrow.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection is one of the most important swine pathogens, and causes a major economic impact worldwide. Recently, a new variant type 2 PRRSV, highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) has emerged and continued to circulate in Southeast Asia region. Currently, commercially available PRRSV vaccines, modified live PRRS vaccines (MLV) are not able to provide complete protection against HP-PRRSV and been reported to induce negative immunomodulatory effects. Interestingly, a novel DNA vaccine was developed and successfully used to improve PRRSV-specific immune responses following MLV vaccination. To investigate the efficacy of a heterologous DNA-MLV prime-boost immunization against the HP-PRRSV infection, an experimental vaccinated-challenged study was conducted. Two-week-old, PRRSV-seronegative, crossbred pigs (5-8 pigs/group) were allocated into 5 groups. At day -14 (D-14), the treatment group (DNA-MLV) was immunized with a DNA vaccine encoding PRRSV-truncated nucleocapsid protein (pORF7t), followed by a commercial modified live type 2 PRRS vaccine (MLV) at D0. The other groups included the group that received PBS at D-14 followed by MLV at D0 (MLV), pORF7t at D-14 (DNA), PBS at D0 (PBS) and the negative control group. At D42, all groups, except the negative control group, were challenged with HP-PRRSV (strain 10PL1). The results demonstrated that pigs that received MLV, regardless of the DNA priming, exhibited less clinical signs and faster viral clearance. Following HP-PRRSV challenge, the DNA-MLV group exhibited improved PRRSV-specific immunity, as observed by increased neutralizing antibody titers and PRRSV-specific IFN-γ production, and reduced IL-10 and PRRSV-specific Treg productions. However, neither the prime-boost immunization nor the MLV was able to induce complete clinical protection against HP-PRRSV infection. In conclusion, improved immunological responses, but not clinical protection, were achieved by DNA-MLV prime-boost immunization. This study highlights the potential use of heterologous prime-boost vaccination regimen, where DNA can be incorporated with other vaccine candidates, for improving anti-PRRSV immunity that may eventually lead induction of complete PRRSV protection., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Recently, the Chinese highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) (HP-PRRSV) belonging to lineage 8 causes severe symptom with high morbidity and high mortality rates to the Asian pig industry. A recent study showed that pigs immunized with Fostera® PRRS modified live virus (MLV) of lineage 8 could provide a degree of protection against a Vietnamese HP-PRRSV infection. It should be noted that PRRSV commonly found after weaning causes porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). Vaccination strategy should be evaluated in each farm scenario. Eighty-one PRRSV-free piglets obtained from a PRRS-free herd were divided into two experiments with the major difference of infection timing after vaccination, 42 days in experiment 1 (n = 42) and 28 days in experiment 2 (n = 39). Each experiment had similar protocol containing three groups including a negative control, unvaccinated challenged, and vaccinated challenged groups. Pigs in vaccination groups were immunized with Fostera® PRRS MLV vaccine at 3 weeks of age. Then, unvaccinated challenged and vaccinated challenged groups were intranasally inoculated with a Thai HP-PRRSV (10PL01). Vaccinated challenged pigs showed significantly lower levels of mean rectal temperatures, clinical severity, lung lesion scores, and viral titers in serum and lung tissue compared to the unvaccinated challenged pigs (p < 0.05). Vaccinated challenged pigs had higher survival rate than those of unvaccinated challenged pigs in both experiments. It should be noted that pigs challenged 42 days after vaccination showed a better performance than pigs challenged 28 days after vaccination. In conclusion, Fostera® PRRS MLV vaccine was able to improve the survival rate against the Thai HP-PRRSV infection in both 42- and 28-day vaccination-to-infection protocols.

Background: American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) clinical practice guidelines on the evaluation of pulmonary nodules may have low adoption among clinicians in Asian countries. Unique patient characteristics of Asian patients affect the diagnostic evaluation of pulmonary nodules. The objective of these clinical practice guidelines was to adapt those of CHEST to provide consensus-based recommendations relevant to practitioners in Asia., Methods: A modified ADAPTE process was used by a multidisciplinary group of pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons in Asia. An initial panel meeting analyzed all CHEST recommendations to achieve consensus on recommendations and identify areas that required further investigation before consensus could be achieved. Revised recommendations were circulated to panel members for iterative review and redrafting to develop the final guidelines., Results: Evaluation of pulmonary nodules in Asia broadly follows those of the CHEST guidelines with important caveats. Practitioners should be aware of the risk of lung cancer caused by high levels of indoor and outdoor air pollution, as well as the high incidence of adenocarcinoma in female nonsmokers. Furthermore, the high prevalence of granulomatous disease and other infectious causes of pulmonary nodules need to be considered. Therefore, diagnostic risk calculators developed in non-Asian patients may not be applicable. Overall, longer surveillance of nodules than those recommended by CHEST should be considered., Conclusions: TB in Asia favors lesser reliance on PET scanning and greater use of nonsurgical biopsy over surgical diagnosis or surveillance. Practitioners in Asia are encouraged to use these adapted consensus guidelines to facilitate consistent evaluation of pulmonary nodules., (Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dendritic cells (DCs) and monocyte subpopulations present in the human spleen were analyzed by flow cytometry in an attempt to identify the presence of a novel dendritic-like cell subset described previously in mice and named L-DCs. In this study, an equivalent of this novel murine subset was characterized in the human spleen, thus increasing our knowledge of the antigen-presenting cell types present in the human spleen. Human L-DCs were identified as a hCD11c(+)hCD11b(+)HLA-DR(-)hCD86(+) subset in the spleen, along with the previously described subsets of hCD1c(+) DCs, hCD123(+) plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), hCD16(+) DCs and hCD141(+) DCs. Three subsets of monocytes were also characterized. DC and monocyte subsets in human spleen had phenotypes similar to those of subsets in human blood. In line with murine studies, the presence of L-DC progenitors within the spleen was also investigated. When human splenocytes depleted of T and B cells were cocultured with the murine stromal line 5G3, hematopoiesis ensued and hCD11c(+)HLA-DR(+) and hCD11c(+)HLA-DR(-) cells were produced. The latter resemble L-DCs, which are also produced in murine spleen cocultures. Both subsets expressed hCD80 and hCD86, which identifies them as antigen-presenting cells, particularly DCs, and were highly endocytic. It is noteworthy that murine splenic stroma can serve as a support matrix for human hematopoiesis and DC production. These results support the hypothesis that 5G3 must express both cell-associated and soluble factors that can signal hematopoiesis in human and murine progenitors.

Trans -free interesterified fats were prepared from blends of hard palm stearin (hPS) and rice bran oil (RBO) at 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, and 80:20 weight % using immobilized Mucor miehei lipase at 60°C for 6 h with a mixing speed of 300 rpm. Physical properties and crystallization and melting behaviors of interesterified blends were investigated and compared with commercial margarine fats. Lipase-catalyzed interesterification modified triacylglycerol compositions and physical and thermal properties of hPS:RBO blends. Slip melting point and solid fat contents (SFC) of all blends decreased after interesterification. Small, mostly β' form, needle-shaped crystals, desirable for margarines were observed in interesterified fats. Interesterified blend 40:60 exhibited an SFC profile and crystallization and melting characteristics most similar to commercial margarine fats and also had small needle-like β' crystals. Interesterified blend 40:60 was suitable for use as a transfree margarine fat.

Background: HIV testing is the gateway to HIV prevention, treatment, and care. Despite the established vulnerability of young Thai people to HIV infection, studies examining the prevalence and correlates of HIV testing among the general population of Thai youth are still very limited. This study investigates socio-demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial factors associated with HIV testing among young Thai people enrolled in Non-formal Education Centers (NFEC) in urban Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand., Methods: This was a cross-sectional quantitative study conducted among young unmarried Thai youth--between the ages of 15 and 24--who were enrolled in NFEC in urban Chiang Mai. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify correlates of "ever tested for HIV" among the sexually active participants., Findings: Of the 295 sexually active participants, 27.3% reported "ever tested for HIV;" 65.4% "did not consistently use condom;" and 61.7% "had at least 2 lifetime partners." We found that "self-efficacy" (AOR, 4.92; CI, 1.22-19.73); "perception that it is easy to find a location nearby to test for HIV" (AOR, 4.67; CI, 1.21-18.06); "having at least 2 lifetime sexual partners" (AOR, 2.05; CI, 1.09-3.85); and "ever been pregnant or made someone pregnant" (AOR, 4.06; CI, 2.69-9.15); were associated with increased odds of having ever been tested. On the other hand, "fear of HIV test results" (AOR, 0.21; CI, 0.08-0.57) was associated with lower odds of ever having been tested for HIV., Conclusion: The main finding is that a substantially high proportion of Thai youth is engaged in risky sexual behaviors--yet reports low rates of ever having been tested for HIV. This highlights an urgent need to develop appropriate interventions--based on the identified correlates of HIV testing. There is also an urgent need to enhance HIV testing and to promote safer sexual behaviors among young Thai people--particularly those who are out-of-school.

The objective of the present study was to determine the number of ovulations in culled Landrace × Yorkshire (LY) crossbred gilts in the tropics associated with age, body weight and growth rate. The genital organs from 316 gilts were examined for gross abnormalities, and those with normal cyclic ovaries (n=155, 307 ± 4.1 days of age, 148 ± 1.6 kg body weight) were included in the analyses. Number of ovulations was defined by a count of the corpora lutea (CL) from both ovaries. On average, the number of ovulations in LY gilts was 15.9 ± 0.3 (range 4 to 27). The number of ovulations correlated with the body weight (r=0.31, P<0.001) and growth rate (r=0.20, P=0.015) of the gilts, but not with their age (P>0.05). Gilts with a body weight of 141 to 150 kg (17.0 CL, n=31) ovulated more than those with a body weight ≤130 kg (14.1 CL, P=0.014, n=23). In conclusion, both the body weight and growth rate of the gilts were significantly correlated with the number of ovulations. The maximum number of ovulations was found in gilts at a body weight of above 141 kg.

Background: Viral-induced interleukin (IL)-10 and regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) are believed to play a major role in shaping the immunological and clinical outcomes following Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection. Recently, it has been shown that PRRSV nucleocapsid (N) protein can induce IL-10 production which is essential for induction of PRRSV-specific Tregs. We hypothesized that immunity to N protein should reduce PRRSV-induced negative immunomodulatory effects which will be essential for establishing proper anti-PRRSV immunity in infected pigs., Objectives: To investigate the immunomodulatory effects of DNA vaccine encoding a linearized, truncated form of PRRSV-N protein (pORF7t) which was designed to preferentially induce cell-mediated immunity against PRRSV N protein., Method: Immunomodulatory effects of the novel DNA vaccine were investigated in an experimental vaccinated-challenged model. In addition, long-term immunomodulatory effects of the DNA vaccine were investigated in vaccinated pigs kept at the PRRSV-positive environment until the end of the fattening period. Pigs were vaccinated either prior to or following natural PRRSV infection., Result: The results indicated that pORF7t could modulate the anti-PRRSV immune responses and promote the control of viral replication in the vaccinated-challenged pigs. Immunized pigs exhibited increased numbers of PRRSV-specific activated CD4(+)CD25(+) lymphocytes, reduced numbers of PRRSV-specific Tregs, and rapid viral clearance following infection. In a long-term study, regardless of the time of vaccination, DNA vaccine could modulate the host immune responses, resulted in enhanced PRRSV-specific IFN-γ producing cells, and reduced numbers of PRRSV-specific Tregs, without evidence of enhanced antibody responses. No vaccine adverse reaction was observed throughout the study., Conclusion: This study revealed the novel concept that PRRSV-specific immunity can be modulated by induction of cell-mediated immunity against the nucleocapsid protein. This concept could potentially benefit the development of PRRSV management and control strategies., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study reported on the validation of the psychometric properties, the factorability, validity, and sensitivity of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX) in 3 clinical and nonclinical samples. A mixed sample of 997 participants--community (n = 663), psychiatric (depressed [n = 92] and anxious [n = 122]), and neurologically impaired (n = 120)--completed self-report questionnaires assessing executive dysfunction, depression, anxiety, stress, general self-efficacy, and satisfaction with life. Before analyses the data were randomly split into 2 subsets (A and B). Exploratory factor analysis performed on Subset A produced a 3-factor model (Factor 1: Inhibition, Factor 2: Volition, and Factor 3: Social Regulation) in which 15 of the original 20 items provided a revised factor structure that was superior to all other structures. A series of confirmatory factor analyses performed on Subset B confirmed that this revised factor structure was valid and reliable. The revised structure, labeled the DEX-R, was found to be a reliable and valid tool for assessing behavioral symptoms of dysexecutive functioning in mixed community, psychiatric, and neurological samples., (2015 APA, all rights reserved)