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

Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dye under UV‐A Irradiation Using TiO2‐Vetiver Multifunctional Nano Particles

The properties and photocatalytic performance of anatase nanoparticles of pure TiO2 and a core–shell structure of TiO2 on calcined vetiver grass leaves have been compared. Samples were fabricated by sol‐gel and heating at 450 °C for 5h.The comparison was based on data for X‐ray diffraction(XRD), UV‐Vis spectrophotometry, photoluminescence, transmission electron microscopy, specific surface area measurement, pore volume assessment, and methylene blue degradation testing. The results showed that the pure TiO2 consisted of agglomerated equiaxed nanoparticles of individual grain sizes in the range 10–20 nm. In contrast, the TiO2‐vetiver composite exhibited a core–shell structure consisting of a carbonaceous core and TiO2 shell of thickness 10–15nm. These features influenced the photocatalytic performance in such a way that the lower crosssectional area, greater surface area, and higher pore volume of the TiO2 shell increased the number of active sites, reduced the charge carrier diffusion distance, and reduced the recombination rate, thereby improving the photocatalytic activity. This improvement derived from morphological characteristics rather than crystallographic, semiconducting, or optical properties. The improved performance of the TiO2‐vetiver core–shell was unexpected since the X‐ray diffraction data showed that the crystallinity of the TiO2 was lower than that of the pure TiO2. These outcomes are attributed to the reducing effect of the carbon on the TiO2 during heating, thereby facilitating the formation of oxygen vacancies, which enhance charge separation and hence photocatalysis by TiO2

Novel Strategy for the Development of Antibacterial TiO2 Thin Film onto Polymer Substrate at Room Temperature

This work demonstrates a novel method to deposit an antibacterial TiO2 thin film on a polymer substrate at room temperature. A combination of sol–gel and photon assistance was used in the experiment in order to avoid any thermal processes of thin film crystallization. The morphological photograph of samples indicated that the TiO2 thin film was perfectly coated on the PVC substrate without any cracks or pinholes. Chemical analysis by EDS and XPS reported that the thin film consisted of titanium (Ti), oxygen (O), and carbon (C). The Raman spectrum proved that the thin film was the anatase phase of TiO2 and, furthermore, that it was contaminated with carbon remaining from the photon assistance process. In addition, the optical band gap of the thin film was 3.35 eV, suggesting that the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 should occur under UV-A radiation. The bacteria viability assay was examined using E. coli and S. typhimurium as indicator strains under UV-A irradiation (365 nm) at different times. The data from OD and CFU count revealed that &gt;97% of bacteria were killed after 60 min of irradiation, and the bacteria were completely killed at 120 min for E. coli and 180 min for S. typhimurium

A Model-Based Approach for Improving Surface Water Quality Management in Aquaculture Using MIKE 11: A Case of the Long Xuyen Quadangle, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

This study utilized MIKE 11 to quantify the spatio-temporal dynamics of water quality parameters (Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and temperature) in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle area of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Calibrated for the year of 2019 and validated for the year of 2020, the developed model showed a significant agreement between the observed and simulated values of water quality parameters. Locations near to cage culture areas exhibited higher BOD5 values than sites close to pond/lagoon culture areas due to the effects of numerous point sources of pollution, including upstream wastewater and out-fluxes from residential and tourism activities in the surrounding areas, all of which had a direct impact on the quality of the surface water used for aquaculture. Moreover, as aquacultural effluents have intensified and dispersed over time, water quality in the surrounding water bodies has degraded. The findings suggest that the effective planning, assessment and management of rapidly expanding aquaculture sites should be improved, including more rigorous water quality monitoring, to ensure the long-term sustainable expansion and development of the aquacultural sector in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle in particular, and the Vietnamese Mekong Delta as a whole

A Model-Based Approach for Improving Surface Water Quality Management in Aquaculture Using MIKE 11: A Case of the Long Xuyen Quadangle, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

This study utilized MIKE 11 to quantify the spatio-temporal dynamics of water quality parameters (Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and temperature) in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle area of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. Calibrated for the year of 2019 and validated for the year of 2020, the developed model showed a significant agreement between the observed and simulated values of water quality parameters. Locations near to cage culture areas exhibited higher BOD5 values than sites close to pond/lagoon culture areas due to the effects of numerous point sources of pollution, including upstream wastewater and out-fluxes from residential and tourism activities in the surrounding areas, all of which had a direct impact on the quality of the surface water used for aquaculture. Moreover, as aquacultural effluents have intensified and dispersed over time, water quality in the surrounding water bodies has degraded. The findings suggest that the effective planning, assessment and management of rapidly expanding aquaculture sites should be improved, including more rigorous water quality monitoring, to ensure the long-term sustainable expansion and development of the aquacultural sector in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle in particular, and the Vietnamese Mekong Delta as a whole

Facile Green Synthesis of Ag/AgCl Nanocomposite Using Durian Shell Extract and its Activity Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

The green synthesis of Ag/AgCl nanocomposite using the durian shell extract was carried out under the sunlight illumination at room temperature, showing the face-centered cubic crystalline structures of both Ag and AgCl with nanosizes in the range of 15–25 nm. The high negative potential value of the Ag/AgCl solution (–21.1 mV) established the high dispersion of Ag/AgCl, long-term stability, and good colloidal nature. The antibacterial activity of Ag/AgCl nanocomposite against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria was highly appreciated with average inhibition zone diameter of 12.0 mm, minimum inhibitory concentration of 8.27 mg/L, and minimum bactericidal concentration of 66.1 mg/L. The present work designed a cost-effective, convenient, eco-friendly protocol to synthesize Ag/AgCl nanocomposite and its efficient antibacterial activity against MRSA was evidenced as well

Assessing the Impacts of Dike Systems on Water Quality in Natural Reserves of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

Protected places such as nature reserves (NRs) are used to maintain ecological balance, biodiversity, and support surrounding ecosystems. However, the development and operation of infrastructure such as dikes and sluice gates in NRs, as seen in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), often adversely affects the hydrological regime and water quality at both local and regional scales. This study analyzes the consequences of a constructed dike system on the hydrological regime and water quality in the NRs through an integrated approach including hydrochemical analysis (using descriptive statistics and weighted arithmetic water quality index (WAWQI) analysis), traditional interviews (face to face), using semi-structured questionnaires, field surveys, and secondary data. Results show that constructed infrastructure has helped maintain water supplies for both livelihoods and forest fire prevention. However, considerable impacts on the hydrological regime and water quality have occurred. From water quality assessments in three NRs, 29% of sampling sites in the My Phuoc melaleuca forest (MPMF) had WAWQI values over 100, while all sites in Lung Ngoc Hoang NR (LNHNR) and Mua Xuan Agriculture Center (MXAC) had WAWQI values over 100. This was to a large extent due to elevated concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), and phosphate (PO43&minus;). Meanwhile, during the wet season, pollution was marginally reduced by dilution, with 42.86% of sites at Lung Ngoc Hoang NR, 28.57% of sites at MXAC, and 78.57% of sites at MPMF having WAWQI values of less than 100. These results show the issue of water pollution at spatio-temporal scales, and call for better holistic management options for improving the hydrological regime and water quality

Assessing the Impacts of Dike Systems on Water Quality in Natural Reserves of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

Protected places such as nature reserves (NRs) are used to maintain ecological balance, biodiversity, and support surrounding ecosystems. However, the development and operation of infrastructure such as dikes and sluice gates in NRs, as seen in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), often adversely affects the hydrological regime and water quality at both local and regional scales. This study analyzes the consequences of a constructed dike system on the hydrological regime and water quality in the NRs through an integrated approach including hydrochemical analysis (using descriptive statistics and weighted arithmetic water quality index (WAWQI) analysis), traditional interviews (face to face), using semi-structured questionnaires, field surveys, and secondary data. Results show that constructed infrastructure has helped maintain water supplies for both livelihoods and forest fire prevention. However, considerable impacts on the hydrological regime and water quality have occurred. From water quality assessments in three NRs, 29% of sampling sites in the My Phuoc melaleuca forest (MPMF) had WAWQI values over 100, while all sites in Lung Ngoc Hoang NR (LNHNR) and Mua Xuan Agriculture Center (MXAC) had WAWQI values over 100. This was to a large extent due to elevated concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), and phosphate (PO43−). Meanwhile, during the wet season, pollution was marginally reduced by dilution, with 42.86% of sites at Lung Ngoc Hoang NR, 28.57% of sites at MXAC, and 78.57% of sites at MPMF having WAWQI values of less than 100. These results show the issue of water pollution at spatio-temporal scales, and call for better holistic management options for improving the hydrological regime and water quality