Evaluation of aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index and fibrosis 4 scores for hepatic fibrosis assessment compared with transient elastography in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Background And Aim: Fibrotic stage (FS) assessment is essential in chronic hepatitis C treatment cascade. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using transient elastography (TE) is reliable and correlated with liver biopsy. However, TE may not be widely available.

Poroma: A case report of pulsatile papule visualized on dermoscopy.

Poroma, a benign sweat tumor, commonly presents with a nontender papule on the extremities. It can appear with a blinking light appearance on dermoscopy in real time.

Data on dissolved metals in Terengganu waters of South China Sea during pre-, post-, and Northeast Monsoon season.

Metals are natural elements existed in the environment. However, due to the rapid development of urbanisation and economic, high content of anthropogenic metals are being perceived in polluting the environment. The oceans are known to be a part of the sinking basin for anthropogenic metals ends.

Optimization of gelatin and gum arabic capsule infused with pandan flavor for multi-core flavor powder encapsulation.

This study aims to create multi-core encapsulated flavor powder (MEFP) using gelatin, gum arabic infused with pandan flavor to capture Michelia Alba D.C. flavor powder (MADFP).

Green and sustainable zero-waste conversion of water hyacinth () into superior magnetic carbon composite adsorbents and supercapacitor electrodes.

Troublesome aquatic weed, water hyacinth () was converted into solid and liquid fractions green and energy-saving hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The solid product, hydrochar, was employed as a precursor to prepare magnetic carbon materials by simple activation and magnetization using KOH and Fe ions, respectively. The obtained magnetic adsorbent possessed good magnetic properties and presented outstanding capacities to adsorb methylene blue (524.

Ten newly recorded species of xyleborine ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae, Xyleborini) from Thailand.

Ten species of ambrosia beetles of the tribe Xyleborini, (Eggers, 1930), (Schedl, 1937), (Schedl, 1939), Schedl, 1969, (Eggers, 1923), (Eggers, 1930), (Schedl, 1942), Browne, 1950, (Schedl, 1951) and (Schedl, 1939), are recorded here for the first time in Thailand. Diagnostic characters, illustrations, distribution and biological data are provided for each species. (Schedl, 1957), is removed from synonymy with and reinstated as a valid species.

The hydrophobic C-terminal sequence of transthyretin affects its catalytic kinetics towards amidated neuropeptide Y.

Transthyretin (TTR) is a transporter for thyroid hormone and retinol binding protein that has recently been reported to have proteolytic activity against certain substrates, including amidated neuropeptide Y (NPY). However, the proteolytic activity of TTR towards NPY is not fully understood. Here, we used fluorescence-based assays to determine the catalytic kinetics of human TTR towards human amidated NPY.

Optimization on production of konjac oligo-glucomannan and their effect on the gut microbiota.

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a polysaccharide extracted from and its degradation product is konjac oligo-glucomannan (KOG). The aim of this study was to produce KOG from KGM and to evaluate its effect on the gut microbiota in fecal batch culture. KOG was produced by enzymatic hydrolysis using β-mannanase.

Systematics, genetics, and biogeography of intertidal mites (Acari, Oribatida) from the Andaman Sea and Strait of Malacca.

This study demonstrates for the first time the presence of marine-associated mites in the Andaman Sea and Strait of Malacca and reveals a relatively high diversity of these taxa with six species from two different families: Selenoribatidae and Fortuyniidae. , a new genus of Selenoribatidae, is described from Thailand and Malaysia, with two new species, n. sp.

sp. n., the most highly troglomorphic Collembola in Southeast Asia (Collembola, Entomobryidae).

The most highly troglomorphic Collembola of Southeast Asia, , is described from a cave in Satun province, Thai Peninsula. It is characterised by its large size, extremely elongated antennae, relatively long legs and furca, reduced macrochaetotaxy, very long and slender claw, pointed tenent hair, four sublobal hairs on outer maxillary lobe, and the absence of eyes and pigmentation. A checklist of Thai species and a key to the troglomorphic species of Thailand are provided.

Investigation of a gold quantum dot/plasmonic gold nanoparticle system for improvement of organic solar cells.

Light management allows enhancement of light harvesting in organic solar cells (OSCs). In this paper, we describe the investigation of OSCs enhanced by the synergistic effect of gold quantum dots (AuQDs) and localized surface plasmons, obtained by blending a AuQD layer and plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in a hole-transport layer (HTL). Different AuQDs emitting blue, green, and red fluorescence were examined in this study.

Robust colorimetric detection based on the anti-aggregation of gold nanoparticles for bromide in rice samples.

Inorganic bromide (Br) is an important contaminant ion as it can originate from the overuse of illegal methyl bromide as a fumigant in stored rice samples. Herein, we developed a simple and highly sensitive colorimetric sensor for bromide ion detection in rice samples. The sensor is based on the anti-aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by Br in the presence of Cr, which made the method more selective than other typical aggregations of nanoparticles.

Increasing the length and hydrophobicity of the C-terminal sequence of transthyretin strengthens its binding affinity to retinol binding protein.

Transthyretin (TTR) is a transporter for thyroid hormone (TH) and retinol, the latter via binding with retinol binding protein (RBP). Both the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of the TTR subunit are located in close proximity to the central binding channel for ligands. During the evolution of vertebrates, these regions changed in length and hydropathy.

Pollination by the locally endangered island flying fox () enhances fruit production of the economically important durian ().

Fruit bats provide valuable pollination services to humans through a unique coevolutionary relationship with chiropterophilous plants. However, chiropterophily in the Old World and the pollination roles of large bats, such as flying foxes ( spp., spp.

Toxoplasma gondii - Prevalence and Risk Factors in HIV-infected Patients from Songklanagarind Hospital, Southern Thailand.

Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common opportunistic parasitic diseases in patients living with HIV/AIDS. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection in HIV-infected patients and to identify associated risk factors in Toxoplasma seropositive patients. This study was conducted at a regional public hospital in Hat Yai, southern Thailand during October 2009 to June 2010.

Improvement of the quantitation method for the tdh (+) Vibrio parahaemolyticus in molluscan shellfish based on most-probable- number, immunomagnetic separation, and loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine microorganism that can cause seafood-borne gastroenteritis in humans. The infection can be spread and has become a pandemic through the international trade of contaminated seafood. Strains carrying the tdh gene encoding the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) and/or the trh gene encoding the TDH-related hemolysin (TRH) are considered to be pathogenic with the former gene being the most frequently found in clinical strains.

Knowledge and practice on Toxoplasma infection in pregnant women from Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand.

Toxoplasma gondii, is one of the infectious agents of congenital TORCH infections, causes severe clinical outcomes in fetus and newborns. Nevertheless this life-threatening parasitic disease is preventable by simple preventive measures related to lifestyle during pregnancy. We aim to study on the knowledge about toxoplasmosis and practices that prevents this infection among the pregnant women.

Purification and characterization of bacteriocin produced by oral Lactobacillus paracasei SD1.

The present study aimed to purify and characterize the antimicrobial protein from Lactobacillus paracasei SD1, which is a strain from the human oral cavity. Antimicrobial activity was obtained from purifying the culture supernatant of L. paracasei SD1.

Vibrio campbellii hmgA-mediated pyomelanization impairs quorum sensing, virulence, and cellular fitness.

Melanization due to the inactivation of the homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase gene (hmgA) has been demonstrated to increase stress resistance, persistence, and virulence in some bacterial species but such pigmented mutants have not been observed in pathogenic members of the Vibrio Harveyi clade. In this study, we used Vibrio campbellii ATCC BAA-1116 as model organism to understand how melanization affected cellular phenotype, metabolism, and virulence. An in-frame deletion of the hmgA gene resulted in the overproduction of a pigment in cell culture supernatants and cellular membranes that was identified as pyomelanin.

Comparative study on chemical compositions and properties of protein isolates from mung bean, black bean and bambara groundnut.

Background: Different legume seeds may have different protein compositions and properties, thereby affecting applications in food systems. This study aimed to extract and characterize protein isolates from legumes grown in Thailand, including mung bean (MBPI), black bean (BBPI) and bambara groundnut (BGPI).

Results: All protein isolates had a protein content in the range of 85.

Precocious pubarche in Thai children.

Objective: To describe the etiologies, clinical characteristics, and laboratory investigations of young Thai children being evaluated for precocious pubarche.

Material And Method: The medical records of 41 children referred for evaluation of precocious presence of pubic hair at Songklanagarind Hospital between 1995 and 2011 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: The etiologies of precocious pubarche in young Thai children were congenital adrenal hyperplasia (n = 19, 46.

Androgen-producing adrenocortical carcinoma: report of 3 cases with different clinical presentations.

Adrenocortical carcinoma is extremely rare in children. The majority of cases presented with a combination of clinical features of Cushing syndrome and hyperandrogenism. The authors report three cases of isolated androgen-producing adrenocortical carcinoma with different clinical presentations.

Effects of estrogen via estrogen receptors on parvalbumin levels in cardiac myocytes of ovariectomized rats.

The study investigated the effects of estrogen on parvalbumin (PV) levels in cardiac myocytes of ovariectomized rats, which is a model system for postmenopausal woman. Parvalbumin acts as a relaxing factor in cardiac myocytes. Adult female Wistar rats, 12 weeks old, were randomly divided into 5 groups of 10: sham-operated (SHAM), ovariectomized (OVX), and OVX receiving estrogen replacement of 10 μg/kg (Es10), 20 μg/kg (Es20) and 40 μg/kg (Es40).

Predictors of the residual disease of high-grade lesions and microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix following conization.

Objective: To determine the predictors of residual disease of high-grade lesion (HGL) and microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (MICA) in subsequent hysterectomy following conization.

Material And Method: The medical records of women who underwent any conizations diagnosed of HGL and MICA and followed by subsequent hysterectomy within 6 months were retrospectively reviewed. A case and control was defined as whether or not a residual disease of HGL or more was detected in cervical tissue from hysterectomy after conization.