External evaluation of intravenous vancomycin population pharmacokinetic models in adults receiving high-flux intermittent haemodialysis.

Aims: Patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) are at greater risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections requiring intravenous vancomycin. Close vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring is warranted in HD patients as renal clearance is the primary elimination pathway. Clinically, population pharmacokinetics (popPK) model-informed dosing is commonly used.

Serial electrocardiogram recordings revealed a high prevalence of QT interval prolongation in patients with tuberculosis receiving fluoroquinolones.

Background: Fluoroquinolones, crucial components of treatment regimens for drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), are associated with QT interval prolongation and risks of fatal cardiac arrhythmias. However, few studies have explored dynamic changes in the QT interval in patients receiving QT-prolonging agents.

Methods: This prospective cohort study recruited hospitalized patients with TB who received fluoroquinolones.

Impact of a dam construction on the intertidal environment and free-living nematodes in the Ba Lai, Mekong Estuaries, Vietnam.

The impact of high siltation and accumulation of organic and waste material in the intertidal of the dammed Ba Lai River in Vietnam as part of the Mekong estuarine system was investigated by means of marine free-living nematodes. Nutrients content (nitrate, ammonium, total phosphorus, total nitrogen), total suspended solids, total organic carbon, coliform, bacteria E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, methane and hydrogen sulfide concentration, and the nematode communities were characterized in sediment at selected stations along the river above and below the dam.

Force Optimization of Elongated Undulating Fin Robot Using Improved PSO-Based CPG.

Biorobotic fishes have a huge impact on the development of underwater devices due to both fast swimming speed and great maneuverability. In this paper, an enhanced CPG model is investigated for locomotion control of an elongated undulating fin robot inspired by black knife fish. The proposed CPG network includes sixteen coupled Hopf oscillators for gait generation to mimic fishlike swimming.

Reinforcement learning-based optimization of locomotion controller using multiple coupled CPG oscillators for elongated undulating fin propulsion.

This article proposes a locomotion controller inspired by black Knifefish for undulating elongated fin robot. The proposed controller is built by a modified CPG network using sixteen coupled Hopf oscillators with the feedback of the angle of each fin-ray. The convergence rate of the modified CPG network is optimized by a reinforcement learning algorithm.

Agrobacterium-mediated cassava transformation for the Asian elite variety KU50.

Cassava genetic transformation has mostly been reported for African cassava varieties, but not for Asian varieties. This is the first report of cassava transformation in Asian elite varieties using friable embryogenic calli. Agrobacterium-mediated cassava transformation via friable embryogenic calli (FEC) has enabled the robust production of transgenic cassava.

Pb(II) adsorption mechanism and capability from aqueous solution using red mud modified by chitosan.

Red mud modified by chitosan (RM/CS) was utilized as an adsorbent to effectively remove Pb(II) from aqueous solution. The surface area of RM/CS was found to significantly increase by more than 50% compared to that of original red mud. Different factors that affected the Pb(II) removal on this material, such as initial Pb(II) concentration, pH, and contact time, were investigated.

Field transcriptome analysis reveals a molecular mechanism for cassava-flowering in a mountainous environment in Southeast Asia.

The field survey in this article showed in 'KU50', a popular variety and late-branching type of cassava in Southeast Asia, that flowering rarely occurs in normal-field conditions in Southeast Asia but is strongly induced in the dry season in the mountainous region. Flowering time is correlated with the expression patterns of MeFT1 and homologs of Arabidopsis GI, PHYA, and NF-Ys. Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a tropical crop that is propagated vegetatively rather than sexually by seed.

Primary biosorption mechanism of lead (II) and cadmium (II) cations from aqueous solution by pomelo (Citrus maxima) fruit peels.

The present work investigates the primary adsorption mechanisms of lead (II) and cadmium (II) cations onto pomelo fruit peel (PFP) from aqueous solution. pH, adsorption time, ion strength, and initial metal cation concentrations, which are factors affecting the uptake of these cations, are investigated. Results show that pH and ion strengths strongly affect the removal of these cations from aqueous solution.

Cassava breeding and agronomy in Asia: 50 years of history and future directions.

In Asia, cassava () is cultivated by more than 8 million farmers, driving the rural economy of many countries. The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), in partnership with national agricultural research institutes (NARIs), instigated breeding and agronomic research in Asia, 1983. The breeding program has successfully released high-yielding cultivars resulting in an average yield increase from 13.

Spatial and temporal variations of PAHs in surface sediments of estuarine and coast of CanGio wetland, Vietnam.

Surface sediments from estuarine and coast of CanGio wetland (CGW) of Hochiminh City, Vietnam, were investigated to identify the spatial and temporal variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The total PAHs showed wide variation but similar to patterns observed (F = 0.901, p = 0.

Insight into the adsorption mechanisms of methylene blue and chromium(iii) from aqueous solution onto pomelo fruit peel.

In this study, the biosorption mechanisms of methylene blue (MB) and Cr(iii) onto pomelo peel collected from our local fruits are investigated by combining experimental analysis with simulations. Factors that affect the adsorption such as pH, adsorption time, adsorbent dosage and initial adsorbate concentration, are fully considered. Five isotherm models-Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich-are employed to estimate the capacity of pomelo peel adsorption, whereas four kinetic models-pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich and intra-diffusion models-are also used to investigate the mechanisms of the uptake of MB and Cr(iii) onto the pomelo fruit peel.

Soil radon gas in some soil types in the rainy season in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Field experiments on soil radon and radium concentrations were carried out in eighteen locations in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Soil radon depth profiles (10-100 cm) of loam, sand and clay soil samples in the rainy season were measured using RAD7 radon detector. Mean concentrations of Rn and Ra were found to be 28.

Sensitivity of a tropical micro-crustacean (Daphnia lumholtzi) to trace metals tested in natural water of the Mekong River.

Metal contamination is one of the major issues to the environment worldwide, yet it is poorly known how exposure to metals affects tropical species. We assessed the sensitivity of a tropical micro-crustacean Daphnia lumholtzi to three trace metals: copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni). Both, acute and chronic toxicity tests were conducted with metals dissolved in in situ water collected from two sites in the lower part of the Mekong River.

Rapid-Onset Thrombocytopenia Following Piperacillin-Tazobactam Reexposure.

Drug-induced thrombocytopenia is a rare but serious adverse event that has been associated with multiple drugs including β-lactams. Although it mostly occurs with prolonged medication use, some cases of rapid-onset thrombocytopenia have been reported. We describe the case of a 69-year-old man who developed severe and immediate thrombocytopenia following reexposure to piperacillin-tazobactam in the critical care setting.

The transformation of phenyltin species during sample preparation of biological tissues using multi-isotope spike SSID-GC-ICPMS.

A multi-isotope spike species-specific isotope dilution (MI-SSID) calibration strategy in connection with gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was applied to evaluate different extraction procedures for the speciation analysis of phenyltin (PhT) compounds in biological materials: mussel tissue BCR CRM-477 and fish tissue NIES-11. Three different isotope-enriched PhT compounds, (118)Sn-enriched monophenyltin (MPhT), (122)Sn-enriched diphenyltin (DPhT), and (124)Sn-enriched triphenyltin (TPhT), were used for the preparation of spikes to follow and correct for six possible interconversion reactions between PhT species that can take place in a sample. The acidity of the extractant, the presence of complexing reagents, and the use of ultrasonic or microwave agitation were found to affect the degradation of PhT compounds.