Potentiation of Sphingolipids and TGF-β in the human corneal stroma reveals intricate signaling pathway crosstalks.

Corneal haze brought on by fibrosis due to insult can lead to partial or complete vision loss. Currently, corneal transplantation is the gold standard for treating severe corneal fibrosis, which comes with the risk of rejection and the issue of donor tissue shortages. Sphingolipids (SPLs) are known to be associated with fibrosis in various tissues and organs, including the cornea.

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness is common in Hanoi, Vietnam: Asthma probably underdiagnosed.

Background: Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) is a key pathophysiological feature of asthma. Methacholine challenge test (MCT) is a common bronchoprovocation test useful for confirming a diagnosis of asthma. Studies of BHR in the general population of Asian countries are rare.

Cellular Contractility Profiles of Human Diabetic Corneal Stromal Cells.

Diabetic keratopathy is a corneal complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Patients with diabetic keratopathy are prone to developing corneal haze, scarring, recurrent erosions, and significant wound healing defects/delays. The purpose of this study was to determine the contractility profiles in the diabetic human corneal stromal cells and characterize their molecular signatures.

The Surface Microbiome of Clinically Unaffected Skinfolds in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Cross-Sectional Culture-Based and 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Sequencing Study in 60 Patients.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin associated with specific lesional dysbiotic features. We studied the microbiome of clinically unaffected typical HS sites (armpits, inguinal folds, and gluteal clefts) in 60 patients with HS and 17 healthy controls. A total of 192 samples obtained by swabbing were analyzed by bacterial cultures.

Rifampin-moxifloxacin-metronidazole combination therapy for severe Hurley stage 1 hidradenitis suppurativa: prospective short-term trial and 1-year follow-up in 28 consecutive patients.

Background: Severe Hurley stage 1 hidradenitis suppurativa (HS1) is a difficult-to-treat form of the disease.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and tolerance of the oral combination of rifampin (10 mg/kg once daily)/moxifloxacin (400 mg once daily)/metronidazole (250-500 mg 3 times daily) (RMoM) treatment strategy in patients with severe HS1.

Methods: Prospective, open-label, noncomparative cohort study in 28 consecutive patients.

Effects of a Bioactive SPPEPS Peptide on Chondrogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

A synthetic 'chondroinductive' biomaterial that could induce chondrogenesis without the need for growth factors, extracellular matrix, or pre-seeded cells could revolutionize orthopedic regenerative medicine. The objective of the current study was thus to introduce a synthetic SPPEPS peptide and evaluate its ability to induce chondrogenic differentiation. In the current study, dissolving a synthetic chondroinductive peptide candidate (100 ng/mL SPPEPS) in the culture medium of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) elevated collagen type II gene expression compared to the negative control (no growth factor or peptide in the cell culture medium) after 3 days.

Enhancement of Rhodamine B Degradation by Ag Nanoclusters-Loaded g-C₃N₄ Nanosheets.

In this paper, silver (Ag) nanoclusters-loaded graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) nanosheets are synthesized and their physical properties as well as photocatalytic activities are systematically investigated by different techniques. The existence of Ag atoms in the form of nanoclusters (NCs) rather than well-crystallized nanoparticles are evidenced by X-ray diffraction patterns, SEM images, and XPS spectra. The deposition of Ag nanoclusters on the surface of g-C₃N₄ nanosheets affect the crystal structure and slightly reduce the band gap energy of g-C₃N₄.

Encapsulation of tagitinin C in liposomes coated by pectin.

Tagitinin C, a sesquiterpene lactone compound from is known to have various bioactivities including anticancer effects. The disadvantages of tagitinin C which make its therapeutic application limited are low water solubility and poor stability. In this work, we encapsulated tagitinin C in the form of liposomal nanoparticles to overcome its limitations and evaluated its anticancer activity.

The Microbiological Landscape of Anaerobic Infections in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Prospective Metagenomic Study.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a frequent and severe disease of the skin, characterized by recurrent or chronic skinfold suppurative lesions with a high impact on quality of life. Although considered inflammatory, antimicrobial treatments can improve or lead to clinical remission of HS, suggesting triggering microbial factors. Indeed, mixed anaerobic microbiota are associated with a majority of HS lesions.

Monosodium glutamate is not associated with overweight in Vietnamese adults.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of and associated factors for overweight, especially to determine the relationship between the intake of monosodium glutamate (MSG) as a seasoning and overweight in Vietnam.

Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of Vietnamese adults aged ≥20 years in 2008. Dietary intake was assessed by the 24 h recall method for 3 d.

Microbiologic characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridium tetani isolated from wounds of patients with clinically diagnosed tetanus.

Clostridium tetani is the etiologic agent of the muscle-spasming disease tetanus. Despite an effective vaccine, tetanus is an ongoing problem in some developing countries. Diagnosis by bacterial culture is not done because it is generally unnecessary and the entry of route of the bacteria can be inapparent.

Pesticide poisoning of farm workers-implications of blood test results from Vietnam.

Information on the health impacts of pesticides is quite limited in many developing countries, with many surveys relying solely on farmer self-assessments of their health status. To test the reliability of self-reported data, an acetyl cholinesterase enzyme (AChE) blood test was conducted for 190 rice farmers in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Results reveal a high prevalence of pesticide poisoning by organophosphate and carbamate exposure, where over 35% of test subjects experienced acute pesticide poisoning (a reduction of AChE >25%), and 21% chronically poisoned (>66% AChE reduction).

Covalent linkages between cellulose and lignin in cell walls of coniferous and nonconiferous woods.

Covalent linkages between wall polysaccharides and lignin, especially linkage between cellulose and lignin were discussed by carboxymethylation technique of whole cell walls of coniferous and nonconiferous woods. Hydroxyl groups of plant cell walls polysaccharides were highly substituted, but not those of lignin by carboxymethyl groups under the used conditions, and separated into water-soluble and insoluble fractions by water extraction. Carboxymethylated wall polysaccharides linked covalently with lignin were distributed into the water-insoluble fractions.

Volume replacement in infants with dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome.

Volume replacement was studied prospectively in 208 infants with dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). The mean volume of intravenous fluid used was 110.4 mL/kg administered over a mean period of 25.

Association between sex, nutritional status, severity of dengue hemorrhagic fever, and immune status in infants with dengue hemorrhagic fever.

The association between sex, nutritional status, and the severity of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS), and immune status was investigated in 245 Vietnamese infants with predominantly primary infections with dengue virus. Male and female infants were at equal risk of developing DHF/DSS. However, infants of low height and weight for age were under-represented among DHF/DSS cases compared with 533 healthy baby clinic infant controls.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever in infants: a study of clinical and cytokine profiles.

A prospective study of clinical and cytokine profiles of 107 infants with dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)/dengue shock syndrome (DSS) was conducted. Fever, petechiae on the skin, and hepatomegaly were the most common clinical findings associated with DHF/DSS in infants. DSS occurred in 20.

Hot alkali-labile linkages in the walls of the forage grass Phalaris aquatica and Lolium perenne and their relation to in vitro wall digestibility.

The factors affecting in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of fully mature internodes of 150 lines of the forage grass, Phalaris aquatica, and internodes of 100 lines of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), harvested just after anthesis, were investigated. The relationships between IVDMD and the contents of acetyl bromide lignin, and ester-ether linkages between lignin and wall polysaccharides, measured by hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) released by 4 M NaOH at 170 degrees C respectively, were determined. The regression analysis gave r(2)=0.