PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF OPHIOCORDYCEPS SOBOLIFERA

The aim of study was to determine preliminary phytochemical analysis and the antioxidant potential of Ophiocordyceps sobolifera. The antioxidant activity of Ophiocordyceps sobolifera was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and total antioxidant activity methods. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of steroids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, phenolics, flavoinods, protein, carbohydarte and saponins. The antioxidant activity of the ethanol extracts and water extracts showed high antioxidant activity with the lowest half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values to 0.70 from 0.95mg/mL, realtively. Total antioxidant capacity of the O. sobolifera showed contained from 5.52 ± 0.14 to 12,71 ± 0.23 mg GA/g or from 3.55 ± 0.15 to 7.87 ± .05 μmol AS/g. These data suggest that O. sobolifera is a natural source of antioxidants

Anxiety and its risk factors among non-Japanese residents living in Japan undergoing COVID-19 situation: A cross-sectional survey

Introduction In the context of collective efforts taken in Japan to control the spread of COVID-19, the state of emergency and social distancing have caused a negative impact on the mental health of all residents, including foreign communities in Japan. This study aimed to evaluate the level of anxiety and its associated factors among non-Japanese residents residing in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A web-based survey in 13 languages was conducted among non-Japanese residents living in Japan during the COVID-19 situation. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory assessed the level of anxiety–State (STAI-S) scores prorated from its six-item version. The multivariable logistic regression using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) method was performed to identify the associated factors of anxiety among participants. Results From January to March 2021, we collected 392 responses. A total of 357 valid responses were analyzed. 54.6% of participants suffered from clinically significant anxiety (CSA). In multivariable logistic model analysis, the CSA status or the high level of anxiety was associated with three factors, including having troubles/difficulties in learning or working, decreased sleep duration, and decreased overall physical health (p<0.05). Conclusion Our study suggests several possible risk factors of anxiety among non-Japanese residents living in Japan undergoing the COVID-19 pandemic, including the troubles or difficulties in learning or working, the decrease in sleep duration, and the decrease in overall physical health.Revisión por pare

The global response: How cities and provinces around the globe tackled Covid-19 outbreaks in 2021

Background: Tackling the spread of COVID-19 remains a crucial part of ending the pandemic. Its highly contagious nature and constant evolution coupled with a relative lack of immunity make the virus difficult to control. For this, various strategies have been proposed and adopted including limiting contact, social isolation, vaccination, contact tracing, etc. However, given the heterogeneity in the enforcement of these strategies and constant fluctuations in the strictness levels of these strategies, it becomes challenging to assess the true impact of these strategies in controlling the spread of COVID-19.Methods: In the present study, we evaluated various transmission control measures that were imposed in 10 global urban cities and provinces in 2021 Bangkok, Gauteng, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, London, Manila City, New Delhi, New York City, Singapore, and Tokyo.Findings: Based on our analysis, we herein propose the population-level Swiss cheese model for the failures and pit-falls in various strategies that each of these cities and provinces had. Furthermore, whilst all the evaluated cities and provinces took a different personalized approach to managing the pandemic, what remained common was dynamic enforcement and monitoring of breaches of each barrier of protection. The measures taken to reinforce the barriers were adjusted continuously based on the evolving epidemiological situation.Interpretation: How an individual city or province handled the pandemic profoundly affected and determined how the entire country handled the pandemic since the chain of transmission needs to be broken at the very grassroot level to achieve nationwide control

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

Silver-modification of ZnO thin films deposited on Zn-electroplated Cu substrate by thermal shock method for the enhanced photocatalytic performance

Ag-modified ZnO thin films on Zn-electroplated Cu substrate with different Ag-contents were prepared via a simple sol–gel spin-coating procedure followed by a thermal shock method with AgNO3, and then characterized by XRD, Raman, FTIR, FESEM, EDX, and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Their photocatalytic performance was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue. Due to the sol–gel spin-coating process, the film was successfully immobilized on mechanically robust Zn/Cu plates, making it promising for applications in harsh practical conditions and facilitating recovery. When our ZnO thin films were surface-modified with AgNO3 at 1 and 2 mol%, they exhibited the best photocatalytic activity under UVA light and visible light, respectively, which can be explained by the appearance of maze-like architecture on their surface with vertical ZnO walls, surface defects and metallic silver nanoparticles. However, when the Ag-content was increased to 3 mol%, the maze-like structure collapsed, leading to decreases in photocatalytic performance

Effect of Supports and Promoters on the Performance of Ni-Based Catalysts in Ethanol Steam Reforming

Ethanol steam reforming (ESR) is one of the potential processes to convert ethanol into valuable products. Hydrogen produced from ESR is considered as green energy for the future and can be an excellent alternative to fossil fuels with the aim of mitigating the greenhouse gas effect. The ESR process has been well studied, using transition metals as catalysts coupled with both acidic and basic oxides as supports. Among various reported transition metals, Ni is an inexpensive material with activity comparable to that of noble metals, showing promising ethanol conversion and hydrogen yields. Additionally, different promoters and supports were utilized to enhance the hydrogen yield and the catalyst stability. This review summarizes and discusses the influences of the supports and promoters of Ni-based catalysts on the ESR process.</p

Bacterial Cellulose Aerogels Derived from Pineapple Peel Waste for the Adsorption of Dyes

Valorization of pineapple peel waste is an attractive research topic because of the huge quantities of this byproduct generated from pineapple processing industries. In this study, the extract from pineapple waste was collected to produce a hydrogel-like form containing bacterial cellulose fibers with a three-dimensional structure and nanoscale diameter by the Acetobacter xylinum fermentation process. The bacterial cellulose suspension was subsequently activated by freeze-drying, affording lightweight aerogels as potential adsorbents in wastewater treatment, in particular the adsorptive removal of organic dyes. Intensive tests were carried out with the adsorption of methylene blue, a typical cationic dye, to investigate the influence of adsorption conditions (temperature, pH, initial dye concentration, time, and experiment scale) and aerogel-preparation parameters (grinding time and bacterial cellulose concentration). The bacterial cellulose-based aerogels exhibited high adsorption capacity not only for methylene blue but also for other cationic dyes, including malachite green, rhodamine B, and crystal violet (28-49 mg/g). However, its activity was limited for most of the anionic dyes, such as methyl orange, sunset yellow, and quinoline yellow, due to the repulsion of these anionic dyes with the aerogel surface, except for the case of congo red. It is also an anionic dye but has two amine groups providing a strong interaction with the hydroxyl group of the aerogel via hydrogen bonding. Indeed, the aerogel has a substantially large congo red-trapping capacity of 101 mg/g. Notably, the adsorption process exhibited similar performances, upscaling the solution volume to 50 times. The utilization of abundant agricultural waste in the simple aerogel preparation to produce a highly efficient and biodegradable adsorbent is the highlight of this work

The mixture of Ganoderma lucidum and Cordyceps militaris: Chemical composition and protective effect against oxidative stress

There is a growing demand for the consumption of medicinal mushrooms and their products. Ganoderma lucidum and Cordyceps militaris are two important medicinal mushrooms with significant pharmacological activities. In this study, we aim to develop a preparation of the extracts of these two mushrooms, and investigate its composition, antioxidant activities, and protective effects against oxidative damage. Liquid chromatography equipped with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF MS) was employed to analyze the chemical profiles of the mixture. A total of 94 compounds were identified as belonging to phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenes, and nucleosides. In addition, HPLC-DAD was used to quantify major compounds. Ferulic and cinnamic acids were predominant in the phenolic acid groups, with corresponding concentrations of 0.41 and 0.29 mg/g. The concentration of ganoderic acid A was 0.08 mg/g, and the contents of adenosine and cordycepin were 0.53 and 0.14 mg/g, respectively. The mixture could scavenge free radicals and reduce ferric ions in vitro. The preparation also showed nontoxic but proliferative effects on human fibroblast cells. In addition, it could protect fibroblasts against oxidative stress, reducing 21–22% of cell death in the presence of H2O2. These findings provide more information on the applications of medicinal mushrooms in the functional food and pharmaceutical industries