Co-Morbidity of Pituitary Adenoma and Frontal Convexity Meningioma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Instruction: The current study reports a woman with pituitary adenoma and frontal convexity meningioma that was detected accidentially. To the best of our knowledge, this case is considered as a rare clinical scenario.Case presentation: A 37 years old woman suffering from amenorrhea and galactorrhea had her detail investigation showed hyperprolactinemia. The patient was diagnosed with a prolactinoma, and a frontal convexity meningioma was discovered on MRI. The prolactinoma controlled with Bromocriptine therapy, while the meningioma monitored through medical observation. After two months of pharmaceutical medication, her symptoms improved with the decrease in serum prolactin.Conclusion: Thanks to sophisticated MRI techniques, meningioma and prolactinoma were incidentally detected. It should be noted that co-morbidity of prolactinoma and meningioma is very rare. The mechanism of the association between these two familiar types of intracranial tumors has not yet been clarified, which indicates the need for further studies to offer possible targeted treatment for patients.Keyword: Meningiomas; Prolactinomas; Pituitary adenomas

Maize in Vietnam: Production Systems, Constraints, and Research Priorities

Crop Production/Industries,

Information searching behaviors among Vietnamese students during first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

This study aims to describe the COVID-19 related information searching behaviors and the relationship between those behaviors and the satisfaction with the COVID-19 related information searched on the Internet among university students during first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam

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

Application of endophytic bacterium Bacillus velezensis BTR11 to control bacterial leaf blight disease and promote rice growth

Abstract Background Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is one of the most destructive pathogens responsible for severe yield losses in rice. Application of bacterial biocontrol agent (BCA) with plant growth promotion (PGP) abilities is a promising method that alternates current conventional practices to manage BLB disease and increase crop yield. Hence, this study aimed to isolate and identify BCA with PGP abilities from internal plant tissues and rhizosphere soil of healthy and Xoo-infected rice and evaluate their antagonistic and PGP properties under greenhouse and field conditions. Results A total of 14 bacterial isolates were isolated and presented in vitro antagonistic ability against the Xoo. The rice endophytic bacterium strain Bacillius velezensis (BTR11) had the highest antagonistic activity against the Xoo, produced indole acetic acid (IAA), and mineralized nutrients (K and P). The greenhouse experiment revealed that culture broth of strain BTR11 had a high protective effect (72.1%) against the BLB when applied at the protective-fighting mode, i.e., before and after the Xoo infection. Preliminary results of the field experiment showed that a protective effect against the bacterial blight disease was obtained as high as 75–85%, if the strain was used as an additive to the soil for the seedlings in combination with spraying when the disease began in the field. In addition, using the strain BTR11 also increased the rice yield to about 12% more than the un-treatment control. Conclusions The study showed a significant potential for the application of endophytic bacteria in controlling BLB disease, while stimulating plant growth, thus reducing the use of agrochemicals in rice cultivation

A Study on Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in Ethanol Fuel Blend

The main aim of this study is to investigate Aganonerion polymorphum leaf-ethyl acetate extract (APL-EAE) and its inhibiting effect for steel in ethanol fuel blend. The immersion test, electrochemical and surface analysis techniques were successfully carried out in this research. Scanning electron microscope images indicated that the ethanol fuel blend induced pitting corrosion of steel. Remarkably, the surface of the sample containing 1000 ppm APL-EAE is smoother than the others submerged in different conditions. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy result shows that APL-EAE has formed a good protective layer, preventing corrosive factors from hitting the steel surface. The potentiodynamic polarization data argue that the corrosion inhibition efficiency was strengthened with the increase of APL-EAE concentration. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated less intensity of Fe peaks, higher intensity of C1s peak and the appearance of organic peaks (N1s, P2p, O1s) from specimens with and without APL-EAE addition. Therefore, the results suggest the formation of the protective film on steel surface and affirm that APL-EAE has served as an effective corrosion inhibitor for steel in ethanol fuel blend

Design Considerations for Brushwood Fences Concerning Bathymetry and Fence Locations

Wooden fences are nature-based supporting structures to restore mangroves in the Mekong Delta. The hydraulic functioning of wooden fences was studied in previous studies. However, the role of bathymetry in the dissipation and damping of waves by wooden fences has not been studied yet. Thus, in this study, a numerical approach is used to find the effect of the position of fences and the foreshore bathymetry, including two particular slopes of 1/200 and 1/500, on wave damping due to wooden fences. The results show that the bottom slope significantly influences the dissipation of incoming waves, the so-called pre-dissipation, before damping by the wooden fences. Differences in pre-dissipation occur between fence locations along the cross-shore slopes. The higher pre-dissipation takes place for wooden fences closer to the land, as the depth-limited wave height at the fence reduces. The efficiency in wave damping of wooden fences is also increasing as the freeboard is becoming larger for the fence located closer landward.</p

Triterpene saponins with <i>α</i>-glucosidase inhibition and cytotoxic activity from the leaves of <i>Schefflera sessiliflora</i>

<p>From the leaves of <i>Schefflera sessiliflora</i> De P. V., two new triterpene saponins including one oleanane-type saponin, named scheffleraside C (<b>1</b>) and one lupane-type saponin scheffleraside D (<b>2</b>), together with six known triterpene saponins (<b>3–8</b>), were isolated by various chromatography methods. Among them, <b>3</b> was found for the first time from natural sources, while <b>6–8</b> were isolated for the first time from the genus <i>Schefflera</i>. Their structures were elucidated by IR, UV, HR-ESI-MS, NMR 1D and 2D experiments, and comparison of their NMR data with previously reported data. Their <i>α</i>-glucosidase inhibition and cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines were evaluated. The isolates (<b>1</b>, <b>3–5, 8</b>) showed stronger <i>α</i>-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 5.99–76.58 μM) than the standard drug acarbose (IC₅₀ = 214.50 μM). At the concentration of 100 μg/ml, the isolates (<b>1</b>, <b>2</b>) showed appreciable cytotoxic activity (67.92, 63.83%, respectively).</p