Diterpenoids from Fokienia hodginsii.

In continuous research on the chemical constituents of the twigs and leaves of Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) A. Henry et Thomas growing in Highland, Lam Dong province 4 diterpenoids, including 3-oxo-totarol (totarolone, 1), 3β-hydroxytotarol (2), 15-nor-labda-8(17),12E-diene-14-carboxaldehyde-19-oic acid (3) and 13-oxo-15,16-dinorlabda-8(17),11E-diene-19-oic acid (4) were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by the spectroscopic methods and comparison with reported data. This is the first report on the isolation of compounds 1, 2 and 3 from this plant. Keywords. Fokienia hodginsii; totarane; nor-labdane diterpenoid

Terpenoids from Dacrycarpus imbricatus.

The phytochemical investigation of the hexane extract from the twigs and leaves of Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) de Laub led to the isolation of a rare sesquiterpene, spathulenol (1) along with three diterpenes named pimaric acid (2), trans-communic acid (3) and cis-communic acid (4). Their structures were determined by combination of spectral analysis and comparison with reported data. This is the first report on isolation of compound 1 from the Podocarpaceae family. Keywords. Dacrycarpus imbricatus, spathulenol, pimaric acid, communic acid

Targeted next-generation sequencing on hirschsprung disease: A pilot study exploits DNA pooling

To adopt an efficient approach of identifying rare variants possibly related to Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), a pilot study was set up to evaluate the performance of a newly designed protocol for next generation targeted resquencing. In total, 20 Chinese HSCR patients and 20 Chinese sex-matched individuals with no HSCR were included, for which coding sequences (CDS) of 62 genes known to be in signaling pathways relevant to enteric nervous system development were selected for capture and sequencing. Blood DNAs from eight pools of five cases or controls were enriched by PCR-based RainDance technology (RDT) and then sequenced on a 454 FLX platform. As technical validation, five patients from case Pool-3 were also independently enriched by RDT, indexed with barcode and sequenced with sufficient coverage. Assessment for CDS single nucleotide variants showed DNA pooling performed well (specificity/sensitivity at 98.4%/83.7%) at the common variant level; but relatively worse (specificity/sensitivity at 65.5%/61.3%) at the rare variant level. Further Sanger sequencing only validated five out of 12 rare damaging variants likely involved in HSCR. Hence more improvement at variant detection and sequencing technology is needed to realize the potential of DNA pooling for large-scale resequencing projects. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/University College London.postprin

Experience in Using Mobile Laboratory for Monitoring and Diagnostics in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

The aim was to present the experience of using mobile laboratory for monitoring and diagnostics (MLMD) during the epizootiological monitoring of the northern provinces of Vietnam. MLMD was transferred by Federal Service for Surveillance in the Sphere of Consumers Rights Protection and Human Welfare to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as part of implementation of cooperation programs on combating infectious diseases. The use of MLMD made it possible to obtain new information on the circulation of pathogens of natural-focal infectious diseases on the territory of Vietnam. It also provided the necessary conditions for conducting research using methods of express diagnostics, bacteriological analysis, performing a full cycle of work – from the receipt of samples to the disinfection and destruction of infected material in compliance with the requirements of biological safety in the field. The effectiveness of using mobile laboratories in response to the emergencies of sanitary and epidemiological nature, both to strengthen stationary laboratory bases and to organize diagnostic studies in remote regions, has been shown. The use of MLMD for the diagnosis of COVID‑19 has been an effective component of countering the new coronavirus infection in Vietnam and significantly increased the volume of testing in the country

De novo copy number variations in candidate genomic regions in patients of severe autism spectrum disorder in Vietnam

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder with a prevalence of around 1% children worldwide and characterized by patient behaviour (communication, social interaction, and personal development). Data on the efficacy of diagnostic tests using copy number variations (CNVs) in candidate genes in ASD is currently around 10% but it is overrepresented by patients of Caucasian background. We report here that the diagnostic success of de novo candidate CNVs in Vietnamese ASD patients is around 6%. We recruited one hundred trios (both parents and a child) where the child was clinically diagnosed with ASD while the parents were not affected. We performed genetic screening to exclude RETT syndrome and Fragile X syndrome and performed genome-wide DNA microarray (aCGH) on all probands and their parents to analyse for de novo CNVs. We detected 1708 non-redundant CNVs in 100 patients and 118 (7%) of them were de novo. Using the filter for known CNVs from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) database, we identified six CNVs (one gain and five loss CNVs) in six patients (3 males and 3 females). Notably, 3 of our patients had a deletion involving the SHANK3 gene–which is the highest compared to previous reports. This is the first report of candidate CNVs in ASD patients from Vietnam and provides the framework for building a CNV based test as the first tier screening for clinical management

Anatomic variability of the vascularized composite osteomyocutaneous flap from the medial femoral condyle: an anatomical study

Aim: The anatomical study and clinical application for the vascularized corticoperiosteal flap from the medial femoral condyle have been performed and described previously. Although prior studies have described the composite osteomyocutaneous flap from the medial femoral condyle, a detailed analysis of the vascularity of this region has not yet been fully evaluated.Methods: This anatomical study described the variability of the arteries from the medial femoral condyle in 40 cadaveric specimens.Results: The descending genicular artery (DGA) was found in 33 of 40 cases (82.5%). The superomedial genicular artery (SGA) was present in 10 cases (25%). All 33 cases (100%) of the DGA had articular branches to the periosteum of the medial femoral condyle. Muscular branches and saphenous branches of the DGA were present in 25 cases (62.5%) and 26 cases (70.3%), respectively.Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that the size and length of the vessels to the medial femoral condyle are suffi cient for a vascularized bone flap. A careful preoperative vascular assessment is essential prior to use of the vascularized composite osteomyocutaneous flap from the medial femoral condyle, because of the considerable anatomical variations in different branches of the DGA

Autologous Bone Marrow Stem Cells combined with Allograft Cancellous Bone in Treatment of Nonunion

Autologous cancellous bone graft is currently used as a gold standard method for treatment of bone nonunion. However, there is a limit to the amount of autologous cancellous bone that can be harvested and the donor site morbidity presents a major disadvantage to autologous bone grafting. Embedding viable cells within biological scaffolds appears to be extremely promising. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcome of autologous bone marrow stem cells combined with a cancellous bone allograft as compared to an autologous bone graft in the treatment of bone nonunion. Bone marrow aspiration concentrate (BMAC) was previously produced from bone marrow aspirate via a density gradient centrifugation. Autologous cancellous bone was harvested in 9 patients and applied to the nonunion site. In 18 patients of the clinical trial group after the debridement, the bone gaps were filled with a composite of BMAC and allograft cancellous bone chips (BMAC-ACB). Bone consolidation was obtained in 88.9%, and the mean interval between the cell transplantation and union was 4.6 ± 1.5 months in the autograft group. Bone union rate was 94.4% in group of composite BMAC-ACB implantation. The time to union in BMAC-ACB grafting group was 3.3 ± 0.90 months, and led to faster healing when compared to the autograft. A mean concentration of autologous progenitorcells was found to be 2.43 ± 1.03 (x106) CD34+ cells/ml, and a mean viability of CD34+ cells was 97.97 ± 1.47 (%). This study shows that the implantation of BMAC has presented the efficacy for treatment of nonunion and may contribute an available alternative to autologous cancellous bone graft. But large clinical application of BM-MSCs requires a more appropriate and profound scientific investigations.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe