Updated molecular phylogenetic data for Opisthorchis spp. (Trematoda: Opisthorchioidea) from ducks in Vietnam

Background: An opisthorchiid liver fluke was recently reported from ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) in Binh Dinh Province of Central Vietnam, and referred to as "Opisthorchis viverrini-like". This species uses common cyprinoid fishes as second intermediate hosts as does Opisthorchis viverrini, with which it is sympatric in this province. In this study, we refer to the liver fluke from ducks as "Opisthorchis sp. BD2013", and provide new sequence data from the mitochondrial (mt) genome and the nuclear ribosomal transcription unit. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted to clarify the basal taxonomic position of this species from ducks within the genus Opisthorchis (Digenea: Opisthorchiidae). Methods: Adults and eggs of liver flukes were collected from ducks, metacercariae from fishes (Puntius brevis, Rasbora aurotaenia, Esomus metallicus) and cercariae from snails (Bithynia funiculata) in different localities in Binh Dinh Province. From four developmental life stage samples (adults, eggs, metacercariae and cercariae), the complete cytochrome b (cob), nicotinamide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) genes, and near-complete 18S and partial 28S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences were obtained by PCR-coupled sequencing. The alignments of nucleotide sequences of concatenated cob + nad1 + cox1, and of concatenated 18S + 28S were separately subjected to phylogenetic analyses. Homologous sequences from other trematode species were included in each alignment. Results: Phylogenetic trees were inferred from concatenated (cob + nad1 + cox1) nucleotide sequences and combined 18S + 28S nucleotide sequences of five Opisthorchis sp. BD2013 samples and additional reference taxa. Both trees demonstrated the anticipated clustering of taxa within the superfamily Opisthorchioidea, the paraphyly of the genus Opisthorchis and the sister-species relationship of Opisthorchis sp. BD2013 with O. viverrini. Conclusions: While it is likely that Opisthorchis sp. BD2013 is distinct from O. viverrini, it is clearly a sister taxon of O. viverrini within the limited number of Opisthorchis species for which appropriate sequence data are available. The new sequences provided here will assist the diagnosis and the taxonomic clarification of the opisthorchiid species

Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 4-[3-(4-hy-droxy-phen-yl)-4,5-di-hydro-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]-2-meth-oxy-phenol monohydrate.

In the title pyrazoline derivative, C16H16N2O3·H2O, the pyrazoline ring has an envelope conformation with the substituted sp 2 C atom on the flap. The pyrazoline ring makes angles of 86.73 (12) and 13.44 (12)° with the tris-ubstituted and disubstituted benzene rings, respectively. In the crystal structure, the mol-ecules are connected into chains running in the b-axis direction by O-H⋯N hydrogen bonding. Parallel chains inter-act through N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking of the tris-ubstituted phenyl rings. The major contribution to the surface contacts are H⋯H contacts (44.3%) as concluded from a Hirshfeld surface analysis

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

An economic analysis of big data in the European health insurance industry

Objectives The main objective of this study was to identify the intersection between Big Data and the health insurance industry under the influence of GDPR. More specifically, the thesis aims to explore the benefits of Big Data technology in the health insurance industry and how the European data protection law challenges this practice. Summary Based on the content analysis of success stories from insurance companies who apply Big Data technology and GDPR policy papers, the thesis has found the main benefits that insurers can acquire from Big Data and the challenges created by GDPR. From these findings, recommendations for companies in question are proposed and further implications for international business are also discussed. Conclusions Big Data has been approved as an effective tool in improving efficiency for various industries including the insurance sector. As part of the industry, health insurers also benefit from the technology yet they still encounter certain challenges regarding the GDPR rules on personal data privacy and security. It is recommended that insurance companies should be customer-oriented, incorporate GDPR in early stages of development, and maintain effective communication within the organization

Deep Level Markov Chain Model for Semantic Document Retrieval

The task of researching and developing information retrieval systems is becoming important in the big data age. Current search methods try to mention to fast searching based on keyword matching or similar semantic between query and documents but have not got a really effective engine for semantic search . In this paper, we propose a method for information retrieval based on probability inference with the DLMC model to search by semantic equivalents and a topic word with score for fast searching. Results of the experimental with 952 Vietnamese documents show that our method is really effective for Vietnamese document retrieval system

First Molecular Evidence of Pathogens in Fleas Collected from Dogs in Northern Vietnam

Fleas are considered as hosts for a wide range of pathogens that cause emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases worldwide. Data on fleas and flea-borne pathogens (FBPs) in the international literature are limited in Vietnam. This study aimed to investigate the species of fleas and the presence of pathogens of interest in fleas in northern Vietnam using PCR and sequence analysis. Out of 200 dogs enrolled in this study, 20% were infested by the flea species Ctenocephalides felis felis. In total, 62 fleas (35 females and 27 males) collected from domestic dogs were molecularly screened for the detection of pathogens. Out of the screened fleas, 39 were positive for Rickettsia felis (62.9%), 9 for Candidatus Mycoplasma hemobos (14.52%), and 6 for Mycoplasma wenyonii (9.68%). This study shows the first molecular detection of the above-mentioned pathogens in fleas collected from the studied areas and the potential risk of infection with examined FBPs in northern Vietnam

Ticks and associated pathogens from dogs in northern Vietnam

The medical and veterinary significance of ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in tropical and subtropical zones is well recognized. Although ticks and TBPs are known to occur in Southeast Asia, limited data is available in the international literature for some countries, such as Vietnam. The aim of this study was to investigate the species of ticks and TBPs associated with dogs in northern Vietnam. Out of 359 dogs enrolled in this study, 26.2% (n = 94) were infested by 466 ticks (i.e., 287 males, 139 females, 30 nymphs, and 10 larvae). All ticks were morphologically identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, and some of them genetically characterized as belonging to the tropical lineage. A total of 302 ticks were molecularly screened for the detection of selected TBPs. Three ticks were positive for Hepatozoon canis, one for Ehrlichia canis, and one for Babesia vogeli, representing the first molecular characterization of these pathogens in Vietnam. In conclusion, the tropical lineage of R. sanguineus s.l. is the dominant tick taxon infesting dogs from northern Vietnam, where different TBPs are circulating