Phytochemicals and antimicrobial properties of Thai edible plant extracts and their prebiotic-like effects

In this study, the phytochemicals and antimicrobial activities of ethanolic extracts of Thai edible plants, green tea, red cotton tree flower, fingerroot and ginger were evaluated. The plant extracts were taken for evaluation of antimicrobial activities against Cutibacterium acnes DMST 14916, Staphylococcus epidermidis TISTR 518, and Staphylococcus aureus TISTR 746. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of green tea, fingerroot, and ginger extracts against C. acnes DMST 14916 were 3.92, 0.49, and 7.85 mg cm-3, respectively and the minimum bacteriostatic concentrations (MBCs) were 3.92, 0.49, and 7.85 mg cm-3, respectively. The MICs and MBCs of fingerroot extract against S. epidermidis TISTR 518 were 0.12 and 0.49 mg cm-3, respectively, while those against S. aureus TISTR 746 were 0.12 and 0.98 mg cm-3, respectively. Red cotton tree flower extract showed no antimicrobial activity against the acne-causing bacteria. By scanning electron microscopy (SEM) evaluation, the bacterial cells treated with the plant extracts revealed visible shrinkages compared to the smooth cell surfaces of the controls. The phytochemicals in the plant extracts were analysed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Well-known antimicrobial compounds like azelaic acid, embelin and kaempferol 3-rutinoside-4’-glucoside were identified in all extracts. The cytotoxic effects of the plant extracts on human cell lines were further investigated. The green tea extract was slightly toxic to HaCaT cells found at the initial concentration of 62.5 mg cm-3, but not toxic to MRC-5 cells. The fingerroot and ginger extracts had no cytotoxicity on HaCaT cells, but promoted the MRC-5 cell proliferation. The combination effects of the plant extracts were prebiotic-like and indifferent effects. Regarding all results, the ethanolic extracts of green tea, fingerroot, and ginger could be used individually as natural anti-acne ingredients capable of further product development to improve human skin health

Overgrowth of rhodium on gold nanorods

[Image: see text] This study focuses on the deposition and growth mode of rhodium (Rh) on gold (Au) seed nanorods (NRs). Using a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, we show that Rh deposition results in an uneven overlayer morphology on the Au NR seeds, with a tendency for Rh deposition to occur preferentially on the Au NR ends. The results suggest that complex and kinetically driven metal–metal interactions take place in this system

A Grounded Theory Study of Thai Family Caregiving Process for Relatives with First Episode Psychosis

This grounded theory study explored the family caregiving process for relatives with first-episode psychosis related to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The study was conducted during May 2013-March 2014 in lower northeastern region of Thailand using semi-structured interviews and observations, and involved 31 participants from 18 Thai families. The data were analyzed by using Strauss and Corbin\u27s constant comparative method until theoretical saturation was achieved. The core category emerging from the data was Balancing family life, which consisted of three phases: 1) Communicating to gain support and understanding, 2) Capturing solution, and 3) Engaging in the family caregiving role. To keep balance in their family life, family members needed to encourage and support each other and gain understanding toward the illness on Phase I. They also consulted one another; got suggestions from older or senior person; or depended on the primary caregiver\u27s decision for capturing solutions for care for their relatives in Phase 2. Finally, in Phase 3 they developed their sense of caring; shared care responsibility; provided essential care and controlling illness symptoms once they engage in the family caregiving role. These rich findings provide insight into caregiving in the Thai family context, especially in how they interacted and helped each other in order to provide care for relatives with first episode psychosis. Understanding of this process can assist with the development of interventions to enhance family members\u27 abilities to take on the caregiver role and to provide effective care for their relatives with first-episode psychosis

Reconstructing the evolutionary history of pandemic foot-and- mouth disease viruses: the impact of recombination within the emerging O/ME-SA/Ind-2001 lineage

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of livestock affecting animal production and trade throughout Asia and Africa. Understanding FMD virus (FMDV) global movements and evolution can help to reconstruct the disease spread between endemic regions and predict the risks of incursion into FMD-free countries. Global expansion of a single FMDV lineage is rare but can result in severe economic consequences. Using extensive sequence data we have reconstructed the global space-time transmission history of the O/ME-SA/Ind-2001 lineage (which normally circulates in the Indian sub-continent) providing evidence of at least 15 independent escapes during 2013-2017 that have led to outbreaks in North Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, the Far East and the FMD-free islands of Mauritius. We demonstrated that sequence heterogeneity of this emerging FMDV lineage is accommodated within two co-evolving divergent sublineages and that recombination by exchange of capsid-coding sequences can impact upon the reconstructed evolutionary histories. Thus, we recommend that only sequences encoding the outer capsid proteins should be used for broad-scale phylogeographical reconstruction. These data emphasise the importance of the Indian subcontinent as a source of FMDV that can spread across large distances and illustrates the impact of FMDV genome recombination on FMDV molecular epidemiology