Hepatoprotective Effect of Millettia dielsiana: In Vitro and In Silico Study

In silico docking studies of 50 selected compounds from Millettia dielsiana Harms ex Diels (family Leguminosae) were docked into the binding pocket of the PI3K/mTOR protein. In there, compounds trans−3−O-p-hydroxycinnamoyl ursolic acid (1) and 5,7,4′−trihydroxyisoflavone 7−O−β−D−apiofuranosyl−(1→6)−β−D−glucopyranoside (2) are predicted to be very promising inhibitors against PI3K/mTOR. They direct their cytotoxic activity against Hepatocellular carcinoma with binding affinity (BA) values, the pulling work spent to the co-crystallized ligand from the binding site of PI3K/mTOR (W and Fmax), and the non-equilibrium binding free energy (∆GneqJar) as BA values = −9.237 and −9.083 kcal/mol, W = 83.5 ± 10.6 kcal/mol with Fmax = 336.2 ± 45.3 pN and 126.6 ± 21.7 kcal/mol with Fmax = 430.3 ± 84.0 pN, and ∆GneqJar = −69.86074 and −101.2317 kcal/mol, respectively. In molecular dynamic simulation, the RMSD value of the PI3K/mTOR complex with compounds (1 and 2) was in the range of 0.3 nm to the end of the simulation. Therefore, the compounds (1 and 2) are predicted to be very promising inhibitors against PI3K/mTOR. The crude extract, ethyl acetate fraction and compounds (1 and 2) from Millettia dielsiana exhibited moderate to potent in vitro cytotoxicity on Hepatocellular carcinoma cell line with IC50 values of 81.2 µg/mL, 60.4 µg/mL, 23.1 μM, and 16.3 μM, respectively, and showed relatively potent to potent in vitro antioxidant activity on mouse hepatocytes with ED50 values of 24.4 µg/mL, 19.3 µg/mL, 30.7 μM, and 20.5 μM, respectively. In conclusion, Millettia dielsiana and compounds (1 and 2) are predicted to have very promising cytotoxic activity against Hepatocellular carcinoma and have a hepatoprotective effect

CHIẾT XUẤT GLUTEN TỪ BỘT LÚA MÌ CHO SẢN XUẤT BAO BÌ ĂN ĐƯỢC

Two types of wheat flour C1 (high-content gluten) and C2 (low-content gluten) were used for gluten extraction, and the gluten was used to fabricate edible films. The dry and wet gluten content of C1 is higher than that of C2. The extraction solvents are water, water/ethanol (1:1, v/v), and 2% NaCl solution. The extraction time is 7, 14, and 21 minutes. The quantity of glycerol used for film formation is 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 g. The results show that the 2% NaCl solution with a wash time of 21 minutes provides gluten with the highest purity. The tensile strength decreases from 1.630 to 0.628 g/mm2, and the elongation increases from 4.32 to 22.14% with the increasing quantity of glycerol. The film fabricated from C1 has a higher puncture strength than that from C2. When the glycerol quantity increases, the puncture strength decreases, while the rate of evaporation increases. The film fabricated from C1 has lower water and HCl solubility than that fabricated from C2. The gluten content has a significan tinfluence on the tensile strength, elongation, water vapor permeability, puncture strength, and solubility in the HCl solution and water of the membrane fabricated from wheat flour.Hai loại bột lúa mì được sử dụng là C1 (hàm lượng gluten cao) và C2 (hàm lượng gluten thấp) dùng để chiết xuất gluten và sử dụng gluten để chế tạo màng ăn được. Hàm lượng gluten khô và gluten ướt của bột C1 cao hơn so với của bột C2. Loại dung môi chiết xuất lần lượt là nước, nước/etanol (1:1, v.v), nước muối NaCl 2% và thời gian chiết xuất là 7, 14 và 21 phút. Lượng glycerol sử dụng để tạo mànglần lượt là 3, 4, 5, 6 và 7 g cho quá trình tạo màng. Kết quả cho thấy dung dịch nước muối 2% với thời gian rửa là 21 phút cho gluten với độ tinh khiết cao nhất. Độ bền kéo giảm từ 1,630 đến 0,628 g/mm2 và độ giãn dài tăng từ 4,32 đến 22,14% với sự gia tăng lượng glycerol. Màng chế tạo từ loại bột mì C1 có độ bền xuyên thủng cao hơn từ C2. Khi lượng glycerol tăng thì độ bền xuyên thủng của màng giảm, trong khi đó tốc độ truyền hơi nước tăng lên. Độ hòa tan trong nước và HCl của màng chế tạo từ bột lúa mì C1 thấp hơn so với màng chế tạo từ C2. Hàm lượng gluten có ảnh hưởng đáng kể đến các tính chất của màng như độ thấm hơi nước, độ bền kéo và độ giãn dài, độ bền xuyên thủng, độ hòa tan trong HCl và độ hòa tan trong nước

Ru Diep and the Quynh Van culture of central Vietnam

Excavations in 2015 at the site of Ru Diep in north-central Vietnam (Ha Tinh Province) raise significant questions about the transition into the Neolithic in this region, more than 5000 years ago. The material culture from the site reveals a mixture of both pre-Neolithic (Quynh Van culture) and Neolithic elements, in a shell mound context. The C14 dates for the site suggest that the surviving layers were deposited between outer limits of 3200 and 2900 cal. BC, but Bayesian analysis indicates a likely accumulation in less than 50 years. This date is almost one millennium older than expected for Neolithic-related materials in north-central Vietnam.The research of Peter Bellwood and Philip Piper was funded by ARC Discovery Project Grant No. 140100384

Ru Diep and the Quynh Van culture of central Vietnam

Excavations in 2015 at the site of Ru Diep in north-central Vietnam (Ha Tinh Province) raise significant questions about the transition into the Neolithic in this region, more than 5000 years ago. The material culture from the site reveals a mixture of both pre-Neolithic (Quynh Van culture) and Neolithic elements, in a shell mound context. The C14 dates for the site suggest that the surviving layers were deposited between outer limits of 3200 and 2900 cal. BC, but Bayesian analysis indicates a likely accumulation in less than 50 years. This date is almost one millennium older than expected for Neolithic-related materials in north-central Vietnam

Enhancing Competence in Preventing Childhood Diseases for Preschool Teachers in Vietnam

This study aims to evaluate the current competence of preschool teachers in preventing childhood diseases in Vietnam and provide recommendations for their development in effectively addressing these issues. The research employed consulting methods, including telephone and email consultations, as well as a Google Form questionnaire. The questionnaire utilized a 5-level rating scale (Good, Fair, Average, Weak, Poor). The study involved 25 administrators (Education and Training officers, Kindergarten Principals, and Vice Principals) and 118 preschool teachers from Lao Cai city, Lao Cai province. The research was conducted from April 2021 to November 2021. Results of the study revealed several limitations in the current ability of preschool teachers to prevent childhood diseases in the study area. These limitations included inadequate competence among certain members of the Board of Education and management staff, particularly the principals. Furthermore, there was incomplete awareness among some management staff and teachers regarding the significance of fostering skills in preventing contagious diseases among Kindergarten teachers. The training activities related to preventing contagious diseases in children for Kindergarten teachers in Lao Cai city and province were also found to be inadequate. The schools predominantly followed an experiential approach rather than a systematic one. Based on the research findings, the study team proposes recommendations for enhancing the competence of preschool teachers in preventing childhood diseases

Controllable growth of ZnO nanowires grown on discrete islands of Au catalyst for realization of planar-type micro gas sensors

The proper engineering design of gas sensors and the controlled synthesis of sensing materials for the high-performance detection of toxic gas are very important in the fabrication of handheld devices. In this study, an effective design for gas sensor chips is developed to control the formation of grown ZnO nanowires (NWs).The design utilizes the dendrite islands of Au catalyst deposited on and between Pt electrodes of a planar-type micro gas sensor so that NWs can grow on instead of a continuous Au seed layer. This method results in an increase of NW-NW junctions on the device and also eliminates current leakage through the seed layer, which results in a higher sensitivity. The results show that the developed gas-sensing devices could be used to monitor NO2 at moderate temperature (~250 °C) and/or ethanol at a high temperature (~400 °C)

Study of Nasal Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FENO) in Children with Allergic Rhinitis

(1) Background: Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) has been considered as a biomarker of airway inflammation. The measurement of fractional exhaled NO (FENO) is a valuable test for assessing local inflammation in subjects with allergic rhinitis (AR). (2) Objective: To evaluate (a) the correlation between nasal FENO with anthropometric characteristics, symptoms of AR and nasal peak flows in children without and with AR; and (b) the cut-off of nasal FENO for diagnosis of AR in symptomatic children. (3) Methods: The study was a descriptive and cross-sectional study in subjects with and without AR < 18 years old. All clinical and functional characteristics of the study subjects were recorded for analysis. They were divided into healthy subjects for the control group and subjects with AR who met all inclusion criteria. (4) Results: 100 subjects (14 ± 3 years) were included, including 32 control subjects and 68 patients with AR. Nasal FENO in AR patients was significantly higher than in control subjects: 985 ± 232 ppb vs. 229 ± 65 ppb (p < 0.001). In control subjects, nasal FENO was not correlated with anthropometric characteristics and nasal inspiratory or expiratory peak flows (IPF or EPF) (p > 0.05). There was a correlation between nasal FENO and AR symptoms in AR patients and nasal IPF and EPF (p = 0.001 and 0.0001, respectively). The cut-off of nasal FENO for positive AR diagnosis with the highest specificity and sensitivity was ≥794 ppb (96.7% and 92.6%, respectively). (5) Conclusion: The use of nasal FENO as a biomarker of AR provides a useful tool and additional armamentarium in the management of allergic rhinitis

Knowledge, attitudes, practices and emotional reactions among residents of avian influenza (H5N1) hit communities in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Awareness of individuals' knowledge and predicting their behavior and emotional reactions is crucial when evaluating clinical preparedness for influenza pandemics with a highly pathogenic virus. Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) relating to avian influenza (H5N1) virus infection among residents in communities where H5N1 patients occurred in Vietnam has not been reported. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Face-to-face interviews including KAP survey were conducted in Bac Kan province, located in the northeast mountainous region of Vietnam. Participants were residents who lived in a community where H5N1 cases have ever been reported (event group, n = 322) or one where cases have not been reported (non-event group, n = 221). Data on emotional reactions of participants and healthcare-seeking behavior after the event in neighboring areas were collected as well as information on demographics and environmental measures, information sources, and KAP regarding H5N1. These data were compared between two groups. Higher environmental risk of H5N1 and improper poultry-handling behaviors were identified in the event group. At the time of the event, over 50% of the event group sought healthcare for flu-like symptoms or because they were scared. Awareness of the event influenced KAP scores. Healthcare-seeking behavior and attention to H5N1 poultry outbreaks diminished in the event group as time passed after the outbreak compared with the non-event group. Factors that motivated participants to seek healthcare sooner were knowledge of early access to healthcare and the risk of eating sick/dead poultry, and perception of the threat of H5N1. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of H5N1 patients in neighboring areas can provoke panic in residents and influence their healthcare-seeking behavior. Periodic education to share experiences on the occurrence of H5N1 patients and provide accurate information may help prevent panic and infection and reduce mortality. Local conditions should be taken into account when emphasizing the need for early access to healthcare

Taming electromagnetic metamaterials for isotropic perfect absorbers

Conventional metamaterial absorbers, which consist of a dielectric spacer sandwiched between metamaterial resonators and a metallic ground plane, have been inherently anisotropic. In this paper, we present an alternative approach for isotropic perfect absorbers using symmetric metamaterial structures. We show that by systematically manipulating the electrically and magnetically induced losses, one can achieve a desired absorption without breaking the structural homogeneity. Finite integration simulations and standard retrieval method are performed to elaborate on our idea

Relationship between aboveground biomass and measures of structure and species diversity in tropical forests of Vietnam

Tropical forests play an important role in storing carbon through aboveground biomass (AGB) and are considered the highest biodiversity ecosystem on earth. However, the quantitative relationship between AGB and structure–species diversity is poorly understood. Twenty-eight 1-ha plots from old-growth tropical evergreen broadleaf forests and dry dipterocarp deciduous forests, distributed in six ecological regions throughout Vietnam, were used for large tree census (diameter at breast height ⩾ 10 cm). Measures of biodiversity (species richness, Shannon index, and evenness) and of structure–species diversity (biomass–species and abundance–biomass–species diversities) were used to determine the patterns and strengths of relationship between each measure and AGB. The linear, logarithmic, and exponential patterns were found, however the former dominated. Negative linear and exponential patterns represented relationship between evenness and AGB, while positive linear and logarithmic relationships were most suitable for others. In general, site – specific relationships (R2 \u3e 0.6) were much stronger than inter – site relationships (R2 \u3c 0.6). Meanwhile, relationships between measures of biodiversity and AGB (the lowest R2 = 0.14) were generally weaker than that between measures of structure–species diversity and AGB (the lowest R2 = 0.31). This finding indicates that structure–species diversity is a sound index representing the role of tropical forest in storing biomass and may suggest that uneven-aged and multistoried plantations should be encouraged for carbon sequestration