Lactic Acid Fermentation of Radish and Cucumber in Rice Bran Bed

The Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) strain XK1.4 isolated from pickled vegetables was applied for cucumber and radish fermentation using rice bran. Fermented radish and cucumber pickles are the lactic acid fermentation products formed through the influence of microorganisms present in the environment. The main objective of the study is to select the appropriate rice bran type (white/yellow rice bran) and treatment methods (roasting time), and also choose suitable fermentation conditions (initial microbial population and added salt content) for traditional pickled cucumber and white radish with appropriate lactic acid content and high acceptability by consumers. The results showed that the quality of white bran was better than yellow bran and less oxidized, the total free fatty acid was also much lower than that of yellow bran. It was found that the lactic acid content analyses provided significant different results for the samples, compared to the control (without inoculant addition). The pickled samples for which L. plantarum strain XK 1.4 was used displayed a better fermentation process. The lower concentration of bacteria added in the initial stage, the lower the acid content of the rice bran medium and the fermented products where L. plantarum strains were added. L. plantarum grew rapidly in rice bran fermenting bed of 10 CFU g at 25-26 °C and 3% NaCl. With the appropriate selection of fermentation parameters, it only takes about 4 days for the fermentation process (2 days of preparing rice bran medium and 2 days of fermenting white radish and cucumber) with high lactic acid content and consumer’s acceptability

Effect of calcium chloride treatment by vacuum infiltration method on texture and shelf life of black cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum cv. OG)

The use of vacuum infiltration in the food industry has several advantages, such as improving the quality, eliminating chemical treatment requirements, stabilizing products, and retaining nutrients during storage and processing. This study was performed to optimize the vacuum level (516-684 mmHg), treatment time (10-20 min), and calcium chloride (CaCl2) concentration (0.58- 1.42%) using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The firmness of black cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum cv. OG) reached an optimum value (1477.81 g/cm2) when fruits were treated at a vacuum level of 637 mmHg with a concentration of CaCl2 1.09% for 17 min. Meanwhile, the firmness was 746 g/cm2 for the control sample, which was dipped in 1.42% CaCl2 solution for 20 min at the atmospheric condition. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of stomata of two samples with/without vacuum treatment were also significantly different. The sample after vacuum treatment at optimum parameters was put into PE and PP bags for storage at 10-12°C. Vacuum-infiltrated tomatoes contained in PE and PP bags had a corresponding storage time of 30 and 28 days. The control samples were maintained for shorter periods, only 22 and 20 days, respectively

Validation and utilization of an internally controlled multiplex Real-time RT-PCR assay for simultaneous detection of enteroviruses and enterovirus A71 associated with hand foot and mouth disease

BACKGROUND: Hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a disease of public health importance across the Asia-Pacific region. The disease is caused by enteroviruses (EVs), in particular enterovirus A71 (EV-A71). In EV-A71-associated HFMD, the infection is sometimes associated with severe manifestations including neurological involvement and fatal outcome. The availability of a robust diagnostic assay to distinguish EV-A71 from other EVs is important for patient management and outbreak response. METHODS: We developed and validated an internally controlled one-step single-tube real-time RT-PCR in terms of sensitivity, linearity, precision, and specificity for simultaneous detection of EVs and EV-A71. Subsequently, the assay was then applied on throat and rectal swabs sampled from 434 HFMD patients. RESULTS: The assay was evaluated using both plasmid DNA and viral RNA and has shown to be reproducible with a maximum assay variation of 4.41 % and sensitive with a limit of detection less than 10 copies of target template per reaction, while cross-reactivity with other EV serotypes was not observed. When compared against a published VP1 nested RT-PCR using 112 diagnostic throat and rectal swabs from 112 children with a clinical diagnosis of HFMD during 2014, the multiplex assay had a higher sensitivity and 100 % concordance with sequencing results which showed EVs in 77/112 (68.8 %) and EV-A71 in 7/112 (6.3 %). When applied to clinical diagnostics for 322 children, the assay detected EVs in throat swabs of 257/322 (79.8 %) of which EV-A71 was detected in 36/322 (11.2 %) children. The detection rate increased to 93.5 % (301/322) and 13.4 % (43/322) for EVs and EV-A71, respectively, when rectal swabs from 65 throat-negative children were further analyzed. CONCLUSION: We have successfully developed and validated a sensitive internally controlled multiplex assay for rapid detection of EVs and EV-A71, which is useful for clinical management and outbreak control of HFMD. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12985-015-0316-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

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

Physicochemical Characteristics and Bioactive Compounds of New Black Cherry Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Varieties Grown in Vietnam

Some physicochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds of three varieties of black cherry tomato (Indigo Rose, OG, F1:001) grown in Vietnam were investigated. The results showed that the two varieties OG and F1:001 have roughly the same size with weight, height, diameter, geometric diameter and surface area ranging from 21.62 to 22.25 g, 25.69 to 26.40 mm, 24.46 to 25.11 mm, 24.86 to 25.53 mm and 19.47 to 20.51 cm2, respectively. Meanwhile, the Indigo variety is twice as large with the corresponding parameters as 45.2 g, 48.03 mm, 55.18 mm, 52.69 mm and 87.20 cm2. All three varieties are in a spherical shape with sphericity and aspect ratios ranging from 96.72 to 109.69% and 0.951 to 1.149, respectively. The variety of OG contained higher levels of bioactive compounds, especially anthocyanin, not only in the skin but also in the outer tissue. Six anthocyanin compounds were identified in the two varieties of OG and Indigo Rose while only four anthocyanin compounds were found in the variety of F1:001. Among them, two new compounds (delphinidin-3-(p-coumaroyl)-glucoside and delphinidin-3-(p-coumaroyl)-glucoside-arabinoside) were discovered in all three varieties. The finding of this study will be a basis for consumers to better understand the nutritious properties of black cherry tomatoes grown in Vietnam, thereby promoting the need to grow and consume this beneficial fruit. The study also provides the important physicochemical parameters of black cherry tomatoes, which are the initial basis for fruit preservation and processing

Pilot-scale Culture of adventitious Root for the Production of pharmacology active from medicinal plants: a Mini Review

Plant tissue culture technology is a technique for aseptic culture of plant tissues under artificial culture conditions. It can be used as a means to directly mass-produce of bioactive compounds from different culture systems such as adventitious roots (ARs), hairy root, callus, somatic embryogenesis of medicinal plants. ARs cultures show high root proliferation, biomass production and have the potential to synthesize specific bioactive compounds. ARs can be induced in vitro from various explants, such as leaves, roots, stem, petiole callus, etc. Various parameters such as auxins, nitrous oxide, and light have shown to affect the morphogenesis of ARs. Air-lift bioreactors appear to be ideal for plant cell and organ cultures. They are suitable for the ARs culture of various medicinal plants. To scale-up ARs cultures, the Balloon type bubble bioreactor (BTBB) is reported to be a suitable system for the accumulation of both biomass and bioactive compounds production in numerous various medicinal plants. BTBB provides optimum conditions for growth and bioactive compound accumulation by efficiently controlling the culture environment, foam generation, reducing shear stress, and supplying optimal oxygen. This review summarized a strategy and approach for ARs culture for the production of biomass and secondary metabolites from laboratory to industrial scales by using air-lift bioreactor culture systems

Identification of Anthocyanin Compounds in Butterfly Pea Flowers (Clitoria ternatea L.) by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography/Ultraviolet Coupled to Mass Spectrometry

Butterfly pea flower have great sensory attraction, but they have not yet been used widely in Vietnam. Extracts of butterfly pea flowers can be used conveniently as a natural blue colorant for food products. In this study, the identification of anthocyanin compounds in butterfly pea flowers was performed by UPLC coupled with a UV and Mass spectrometer instrument. Positive and negative ion electrospray MS/MS chromatograms and spectra of the anthocyanin compounds were determined. By analyzing the chromatograms and spectra for each ion, five anthocyanins were identified in the butterfly pea flower extract; these were delphinidin-3-(6″-p-coumaroyl)-rutinoside, cyanidin 3-(6″-p-coumaroyl)-rutinoside, delphinidin-3-(p-coumaroyl) glucose in both cis- and trans- isomers, cyanidin-3-(p-coumaroyl-glucoside) and delphinidin-3-pyranoside. Additionally, based on their intensity, it was determined that cyanidin-3-(p-coumaroyl-glucoside) was the most abundant anthocyanin, followed by cyanidin 3-(6″-p-coumaroyl)-rutinoside, delphinidin-3-(p-coumaroyl-glucoside), delphinidin-3-(6″-p-coumaroyl)-rutinoside and delphinidin-3-pyranoside. In this study, cyanidin derivatives were discovered in butterfly pea flower extract, where these compounds had not been detected in previous studies

Depressive Symptoms, Suicidal Ideation, and Mental Health Service Use of Industrial Workers: Evidence from Vietnam

Background: Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation substantially reduce industrial workers&rsquo; productivity and performance. This study was performed to examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation and identify associated factors among industrial workers in different provinces of Vietnam. Materials and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study in industrial zones of four provinces of Vietnam. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was employed to screen depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine factors related to depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. Results: Of 1200 industrial workers, 30.5% and 33.6% industrial workers had positive depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in the last two weeks, respectively. There were 38.3% ever using mental health services in the last 12 months. High school education (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.44&ndash;0.95); living in dormitory (OR = 3.07, 95% CI = 1.51&ndash;6.24), living with siblings (OR = 2.98; 95% CI = 1.32&ndash;6.75), having two children or more (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.03&ndash;2.03), high years of experience (OR = 0.94; 95% CI = 0.89&ndash;0.98), suffering from burnout, alcohol use disorder (OR = 2.38; 95% CI = 1.72&ndash;3.28), and smoking status (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.23&ndash;0.61) were associated with positive depressive symptoms. Living with children, working in mechanical/metallurgy/electronics factories, completely exhausted and often thinking of quitting, and alcohol use disorder were positively related to suicidal ideation. Conclusions: This study found a high prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among industrial workers in Vietnam. Regular screening and detecting high-risk groups, along with interventions to reduce health risk behaviors, burnout and on-site medical service quality improvement, are recommended to alleviate the burden of depression in industrial workers