Isolation and Characterization of a Promising Lignocellulolytic Enzyme Producer Pseudolagarobasidium acaciicola SL3-03 from Mangrove Soil in Thailand.

Lignocellulolytic enzymes isolation from mangrove-derived organisms has many industrial advantages due to their efficiency in dealing with extreme and challenging conditions, such as high temperatures and salt concentrations. This study aimed to isolate fungal enzyme producers from mangrove soil in Thailand to produce lignocellulolytic enzymes (carboxymethyl cellulase: CMCase, xylanase, and laccase) and to characterize these enzymes to support industrial applications. Forty-eight fungi were isolated from the mangrove samples, and their enzyme-producing capabilities were assessed using primary and secondary screening methods.

Understanding gastric metastasis of small cell lung carcinoma: Insights from case reports and clinical implications.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a common type of primary lung cancer that contributes to approximately 15% of cases. It is closely associated with tobacco risk factors. It is also known as a type of lung cancer that has a high mortality rate within a short time due to its rapid growth rate (with tumor doubling time of 30 days) and its tendency to metastasize early in the disease process.

Enhancing global hepatocellular carcinoma management: Bridging Eastern and Western perspectives on dexamethasone and N-acetylcysteine before transarterial chemoembolization.

This article explores the integration of Eastern and Western perspectives on the use of dexamethasone and N-acetylcysteine as premedications in transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). By examining key concerns raised by Western researchers, particularly regarding the different etiologies of liver cirrhosis, and contrasting them with robust clinical data from Asia, this article highlights the necessity for region-specific research and proposes future directions for global HCC management.

Combined Cell-Free DNA Screening for Aneuploidies and Selected Single-Gene Disorders for Pregnancies With Sonographically Detected Fetal Anomalies: Detection Rate and Residual Risk.

Objectives: To determine the additional detection rate (DR) and the residual risk (RR) of combined cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening for aneuploidies (not including copy number variants) and 25 dominant single-gene disorders (SGD) in pregnancies with sonographic abnormalities.

Method: One hundred sixteen singleton pregnant women with abnormal fetal ultrasounds from week 12 were included in the study. They underwent combined cfDNA analysis, while exome sequencing and karyotyping were performed as reference standards.

Public funding and young children vaccination coverage: Evidence from Socialist-Oriented Market Economy.

This study presents empirical evidence on the impact of public funding on the vaccination rate of children under one-year-old in Vietnam from 2014 to 2019. The research findings indicate that, first, the effect of government funding on the vaccination rate of children is positive after addressing endogeneity, cross-sectional dependence, and heteroscedasticity. Second, this impact is more pronounced in underdeveloped regions, particularly those with low female school enrollment rates and underdeveloped infrastructure.

Synthesis of highly activated polybenzene-grafted carbon nanoparticles for supercapacitors assisted by solution plasma.

The growing demand for electronic storage devices with faster charging rates, higher energy capacities, and longer cycle lives has led to significant advancements in supercapacitor technology. These devices typically utilize high-surface-area carbon-based materials as electrodes, which provide excellent power densities and cycling stability. However, challenges such as inadequate electrolyte interaction, hydrophobicity that impedes ion transport, and high manufacturing costs restrict their effectiveness.

A screen-and-treat strategy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori among patients with family history of gastric cancer in a diverse U.S. population.

Background: Screening and eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) reduce the risk of gastric cancer in patients with family history. We assessed patient perspectives on H.

Laparoscopic total pancreatectomy with total mesopancreas dissection using counterclockwise technique and tail-first approach.

Laparoscopic total pancreatectomy (LTP) is technically challenging and infrequently documented in the literature. In this paper, we present a new approach for performing fully LTP, a pancreatic tail-first approach with a counterclockwise technique, to accomplish total mesopancreas dissection and standard lymphadenectomy en bloc. Firstly, the tail and body of the pancreas without the spleen were dissected retrogradely, starting from the lower border of the body of pancreas and then from left to right.

Community-Engaged Approaches for Improving the Inclusion of Diverse Communities in a Nutrition Clinical Trial.

Background: Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) disproportionately affects African American/Black (AA) and Latino communities. CMD disparities are exacerbated by their underrepresentation in clinical trials for CMD treatments including nutritional interventions. The study aimed to (1) form a precision nutrition community consultant panel (PNCCP) representative of Latino and AA communities in Los Angeles to identify barriers and facilitators to recruitment and retention of diverse communities into nutrition clinical trials and (2) develop culturally informed strategies to improve trial diversity.

Neuroendocrine tumours and pregnancy: Real-world data from an European Neuroendocrine Tumour Centre of Excellence.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) arise from the diffuse endocrine system and have been considered to be rare. However, the incidence and prevalence of these tumours have increased in recent years, and they are being seen in younger patients including women in the reproductive age group. Due to the paucity of data, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in managing such tumours during pregnancy can be challenging to both treating physicians and patients.

Single-step hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide nanorods for potential use as nano-antibiotics without seeding or bases.

The alarming global rise in antibiotic resistance, driven by the widespread overuse of traditional antibiotics, has created an urgent demand for new antimicrobial solutions. This study presents zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods as a potential nano-antibiotic agent. ZnO nanorods, with a 2:3 aspect ratio, were synthesized using an efficient one-step hydrothermal method at a low temperature of 100°C, reducing the synthesis time to just 5 hours.

Predicting deterioration in dengue using a low cost wearable for continuous clinical monitoring.

Close vital signs monitoring is crucial for the clinical management of patients with dengue. We investigated performance of a non-invasive wearable utilising photoplethysmography (PPG), to provide real-time risk prediction in hospitalised individuals. We performed a prospective observational clinical study in Vietnam between January 2020 and October 2022: 153 patients were included in analyses, providing 1353 h of PPG data.

Cerebral and myocardial kinetics of [C]acetoacetate and [C]β-hydroxybutyrate: A comparative crossover study in healthy rats.

Background: Ketone metabolism has been studied using positron emission tomography (PET) with the radiotracers [C]acetoacetate and [C]β-hydroxybutyrate. However, whether these two radiotracers actually yield equivalent estimates of cerebral and myocardial ketone metabolism has not yet been investigated. This study aimed to investigate and compare the kinetics of both tracers in the brain and heart of healthy rats under varying levels of circulating ketones at baseline and after a single-dose exogenous ketone ester (KE) supplement.

ZA-II-05, a novel NMDA-receptor antagonist reverses vanadium-induced neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans).

Introduction: Vanadium is a widely used transition metal in industrial applications, but it also poses significant neurotoxic and environmental risks. Previous studies have shown that exposure to vanadium may lead to neurodegenerative diseases and neuropathic pain, raising concerns about its impact on human health and the ecosystem. To address vanadium neurotoxicity, through targeting NMDA glutamate and dopamine signaling, both involved in neurodegenerative disorders, shows promise.

Alterations in aortic elasticity indices among type 2 diabetes patients in a low and middle income country using M-mode echocardiography: A cross-sectional comparative study.

Background: Diabetes is one of the leading causes of noncommunicable diseases worldwide. It is known to induce cardiovascular remodeling, which can result in a variety of complications, including a considerable increase in aortic stiffness. While studies in Western populations have explored these effects, data on Asians, mainly Vietnamese, are limited.

Paclitaxel Drug-Drug Interactions in the Military Health System.

Background: Paclitaxel is an antineoplastic agent used to treat breast, lung, endometrial, cervical, pancreatic, sarcoma, and thymoma cancer. However, drugs that induce, inhibit, or are substrates of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes 2C8 or 3A4 may alter the metabolism of paclitaxel, potentially impacting its effectiveness. The purposes of this study are to provide an overview of paclitaxel use, identify potential drugs that interact with paclitaxel, and describe their clinical manifestations.

Laparoscopic and thoracoscopic whole-stomach esophagectomy with preoperative pyloric balloon dilatation for esophageal cancer: a prospective multicenter case-series outcome.

Introduction: To mitigate gastroparesis as well as other post-operative complications, we undertook a prospective multicenter study to assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy in the short-term outcomes of laparoscopic and thoracoscopic whole stomach esophagectomy with preoperative pyloric balloon dilatation.

Methods: A prospective descriptive study on 37 patients with laparoscopic and thoracoscopic whole stomach esophagectomy with preoperative pyloric balloon dilatation from January 2019 to March 2023. The perioperative indications, clinical data, intra-operative index, pathological postoperative specimens, postoperative complications, and follow-up results were retrospectively evaluated.

Prediction of pancreatic cancer in patients with new onset hyperglycemia: A modified ENDPAC model.

Background/objectives: The Enriching New-Onset Diabetes for Pancreatic Cancer (ENDPAC) model relies primarily on fasting glucose values. Health systems have increasingly shifted practice towards use of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) measurement. We modified the ENDPAC model using patients with new onset hyperglycemia.

A consultation and work-up diagnosis protocol for a multicancer early detection test: a case series study.

The emergence of multicancer early detection (MCED) tests holds promise for improving early cancer detection and public health outcomes. However, positive MCED test results require confirmation through recommended cancer diagnostic imaging modalities. To address these challenges, we have developed a consultation and work-up protocol for definitive diagnostic results post MCED testing, named SPOT-MAS.

Size-dependent As(V) adsorption of reduced graphene oxide/magnetite nanocomposites.

Arsenic (As(V)) contamination in aqueous resources poses a significant environmental, and public health risk due to its high toxicity. To address this challenge, we synthesized and characterized novel reduced graphene oxide/magnetite (rGO/FeO) nanocomposites, which are efficient adsorbents for removing As(V). Using a co-precipitation method, we obtained three distinct sizes of rGO/FeO nanocomposites by controlling the salt concentration (Fe: Fe) ratios.

Chronic mistimed feeding results in renal fibrosis and disrupted circadian blood pressure rhythms.

Circadian disruption is a disturbance in biological timing, which can occur within or between different organizational levels, ranging from molecular rhythms within specific cells to the misalignment of behavioral and environmental cycles. Previous work from our group showed that less than 1 wk of food restriction to the light (inactive) period is sufficient to invert diurnal blood pressure rhythms in mice. However, kidney excretory rhythms and functions remained aligned with the light-dark cycle.

Three Weeks on a Ketogenic Diet Reduces Free Testosterone and Free Estradiol in Middle-Aged Obese Men and Women.

Background: Beta-hydroxybuturate (-OHB) supplements are commonly utilized in sports by both recreational and professional athletes. In a recent study, we observed a drop in testosterone levels following the oral ingestion of racemic sodium--OHB. In this investigation, we aim to determine whether a single oral dose of ketone ester (study I) and prolonged endogenous ketosis (study II) also reduces testosterone levels.