The Potential Effect of Endogenous Antimicrobial Peptides in Cancer Immunotherapy and Prevention.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are crucial constituents of inherent immunity and serve as vital components of human host defense, playing a pivotal role in combating invading microbial pathogens. Beyond their antimicrobial functions, AMPs also exhibit various other biological activities including apoptosis induction, wound healing promotion, and immune modulation. These peptides are found in various exposed tissues or surfaces throughout the body, such as eyes, skin, mouth, ears, respiratory tract, lungs, digestive, and urinary system.

Spatial and seasonal abundance and characteristics of microplastics along the Red River to the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam.

This study aimed to examine the occurrence of microplastics in surface water and sediment samples collected from Hanoi to the Ba Lat estuary along the Red River, the second-largest river in Vietnam (surface area: 156,451 km). 21 stations were sampled during the dry (March 2023) and rainy (September 2023) seasons. The analytical procedure involved: digestion with hydrogen peroxide, flotation with potassium carbonate, and overflow filtration.

Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationship studies of 6-benzo[]indeno[1,2-]thiophen-6-one derivatives as DYRK1A/CLK1/CLK4/haspin inhibitors.

A series of sulfur-containing tetracycles was designed and evaluated for their ability to inhibit protein kinase DYRK1A, a target known to have several potential therapeutic applications including cancers, Down syndrome or Alzheimer's disease. Our medicinal chemistry strategy relied on the design of new compounds using ring contraction/isosteric replacement and constrained analogy of known DYRK1A inhibitors, thus resulting in their DYRK1A inhibitory activity enhancement. Whereas a good inhibitory effect of targeted DYRK1A protein was observed for 5-hydroxy compounds 4i-k (IC = 35-116 nM) and the 5-methoxy derivative 4e (IC = 52 nM), a fairly good selectivity towards its known DYRK1B off-target was observed for 4k.

Alkaloids from Piper longum L and their Anti-inflammatory Properties.

Piper longum L. (PL) is considered one of the most important species traditionally used for treating various ailments and has indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, and steroids. In this study, we isolated the chemical compounds of PL leaves, and measured NO, IL-6, iNOS, as well as COX-2 protein levels.

Semi-diurnal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons bound to PM and PM during pollution episode in the urban area of Hanoi.

Every year, Hanoi suffers from several episodes (periods with daily concentration of PM higher than 50 µg m during at least two consecutive days). These episodes are of health concern because of the high concentration of PM and/or PM and the presence of PM-bound toxic components, such as, PAHs. In this study, the concentrations of PAHs bound to PM and PM in night-time and day-time samples during episode and non-episode periods in December 2021 were determined.

Simple and Rapid Method of Microwell Array Fabrication for Drug Testing on 3D Cancer Spheroids.

Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to mimic the complex process of angiogenesis in cancer, providing more accurate and physiologically relevant data than traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems. Microwell systems are particularly useful in this context as they provide a microenvironment that more closely resembles the in vivo environment than traditional microwells. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) microwells are particularly advantageous due to their bio-inertness and the ability to tailor their material characteristics depending on the PEG molecular weight.

Improved synthesis, molecular modeling and anti-inflammatory activity of new fluorinated dihydrofurano-naphthoquinone compounds.

A series of new fluorinated dihydrofurano-napthoquinone compounds were sucessfully synthesized in good yields using microwave-assisted multi-component reactions of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, fluorinated aromatic aldehydes, and pyridinium bromide. The products were fully characterized using spectroscopic techniques and evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells.

Disentangling fine particles (PM) composition in Hanoi, Vietnam: Emission sources and oxidative potential.

A comprehensive chemical characterization of fine particulate matter (PM) was conducted at an urban site in one of the most densely populated cities of Vietnam, Hanoi. Chemical analysis of a series of 57 daily PM samples obtained in 2019-2020 included the quantification of a detailed set of chemical tracers as well as the oxidative potential (OP), which estimates the ability of PM to catalyze reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in vivo as an initial step of health effects due to oxidative stress. The PM concentrations ranged from 8.

Anti-inflammatory effect of L. fruit methanolic extract on lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages.

Context: The species was studied several potential properties such as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. However, the specific anti-inflammatory activity of the extract from the fruits of L. has not been investigated.

The ribosomal transcription units of five echinostomes and their taxonomic implications for the suborder Echinostomata (Trematoda: Platyhelminthes).

Five newly obtained nuclear ribosomal transcription unit (rTU) sequences from Echinostomatidae and Echinochasmidae are presented. The inter- and intrafamilial relationships of these and other families in the suborder Echinostomata are also analyzed. The sequences obtained are the complete rTU of Artyfechinostomum malayanum (9,499 bp), the near-complete rTU of Hypoderaeum conoideum (8,076 bp), and the coding regions (from 5'-terminus of 18S to 3'-terminus of 28S rRNA gene) in Echinostoma revolutum (6,856 bp), Echinostoma miyagawai (6,854 bp), and Echinochasmus japonicus (7,150 bp).

Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: From Uncovered Resistance Mechanisms to Current Treatments.

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Despite recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains a significant medical challenge. Prostate cancer cells can develop mechanisms to resist androgen deprivation therapy, such as AR overexpression, AR mutations, alterations in AR coregulators, increased steroidogenic signaling pathways, outlaw pathways, and bypass pathways.

Insights into Structural Behaviors of Thiolated and Aminated Reduced Graphene Oxide Supports to Understand Their Effect on MOR Efficiency.

It is essential to develop novel catalysts with high catalytic activity, strong durability, and good stability for further application in methanol fuel cells. In this work, we present for the first time the effect of the chemical functional groups (thiol and amine) with different electron affinity in reduced graphene oxide supports on the morphology and catalytic activity of platinum nanoparticles for the methanol oxidation reaction. Hydroxyl groups on graphene oxide were initially brominated and then transformed to the desired functional groups.

Assessing the bioavailability of black carbon-derived dissolved organic matter for marine heterotrophic prokaryotes.

Here we investigated the bioavailability of black carbon (BC)-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) for a natural mixed community of marine heterotrophic prokaryotes. We ran an in vitro biodegradation experiment that took place over 3 months and exposed a community of organisms collected in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Bay of Marseille, France) to three different soluble fractions of BC prepared in the laboratory from various fossil fuel combustion particulates: standard diesel (D), oxidized diesel (D), and natural samples of ship soot (D). Over the course of the three months, we observed significant decreases in the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC; from 9 to 21 %), dissolved BC (DBC; from 22 to 38 %) and dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (d-PAH; from 24 to 64 %) along with variability in the growth dynamics and activity of the heterotrophic prokaryotic community.

Preparation and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals from corncob ionic liquid [Bmim][HSO] hydrolysis: effects of major process conditions on dimensions of the product.

In this study, cellulose nanocrystals were prepared the hydrolysis of corncob (CC) biomass using Brønsted acid ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate [Bmim][HSO]. The corncob was subjected to alkaline pretreatment, and was then hydrolysed by [Bmim][HSO], which acted as both solvent and catalyst. The effects of process conditions, including mass percent of CC (1.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Air and Dust Samples from Vietnamese End-of-life Vehicle Processing Workshops: Contamination Status, Sources, and Exposure Risks.

Concentrations of 18 unsubstituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 11 methylated derivatives (Me-PAHs) were measured in polyurethane foam-based passive air (PUF-PAS) and settled dust samples collected from end-of-life vehicle (ELV) processing workshops in northern Vietnam. Concentrations of total 29 PAHs ranged from 42 to 95 (median 57) ng/m and from 860 to 18,000 (median 5700) ng/g in air and dust samples, respectively. PAH levels in ELV air and dust samples were 1.

A 10-km CMIP6 downscaled dataset of temperature and precipitation for historical and future Vietnam climate.

High-resolution climate projections are mandatory for many applications and impact assessments in environmental and management studies. In response to the needs in Vietnam, this study constructs a new precipitation and temperature daily dataset for Vietnam, at a high spatial resolution of 0.1° × 0.

Electrochemical interface based on polydopamine and gold nanoparticles/reduced graphene oxide for impedimetric detection of lung cancer cells.

The use of non-invasive approaches for monitoring therapy processes in cancer patients at late stages is truly needed. In this work, we aim to develop an electrochemical interface based on polydopamine combined with gold nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide for impedimetric detection of lung cancer cells. Gold nanoparticles (around 75 nm) were dispersed onto reduced graphene oxide material pre-electrodeposited onto disposable fluorine doped tin oxide electrodes.