Bacterial blight of rice is an important disease in Asia and Africa. The pathogen, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), secretes one or more of six known transcription-activator-like effectors ...(TALes) that bind specific promoter sequences and induce, at minimum, one of the three host sucrose transporter genes SWEET11, SWEET13 and SWEET14, the expression of which is required for disease susceptibility. We used CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing to introduce mutations in all three SWEET gene promoters. Editing was further informed by sequence analyses of TALe genes in 63 Xoo strains, which revealed multiple TALe variants for SWEET13 alleles. Mutations were also created in SWEET14, which is also targeted by two TALes from an African Xoo lineage. A total of five promoter mutations were simultaneously introduced into the rice line Kitaake and the elite mega varieties IR64 and Ciherang-Sub1. Paddy trials showed that genome-edited SWEET promoters endow rice lines with robust, broad-spectrum resistance.
Tuberculosis transmission continues to be a major public health challenge. In this cluster-randomized, controlled trial conducted in Vietnam, active community-wide screening for tuberculosis over 4 ...years is shown to decrease the prevalence of tuberculosis.
Current in vitro pancreatic lipase inhibitor screenings are based on previous spectrophotometric lipase assays. Nevertheless, they are with little evaluation of assay conditions. This study focuses ...on the impacts of experimental factors on enzyme activity in the assay with p-nitrophenyl palmitate as substrate by monitoring their effects on the hydrolysis rates. On the results, experimental conditions for lipase inhibitory assay were proposed. Notably, 5 mM sodium deoxycholate as emulsifier not only maintains the assay homogeneity but also enhances lipase activity. Organic co-solvents to dissolve organic inhibitors including DMSO, EtOH, MeOH, IPA, AcCN 0–30% (v/v) was found well tolerated by the enzyme. With 10% (v/v) glycerol, lipase solutions can be stored at –20°C for up to one month without significant loss of activity. The results reported here provide researchers the assay condition sets in which most inhibitors can be dissolved, and lipase activity is not severely affected. This could accelerate the rational development of novel lipase inhibitors.
Purpose
This study aims to answer the following questions: How do consumers’ perceptions of brand coolness affect brand relationship outcomes and how do brand coolness effects differ between product ...brands and service brands?
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative survey was used to collect data from 1,500 consumers assigned to assess one of 20 popular product and service brands in Vietnam. Partial least square structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.
Findings
Data analysis reveals that both dimensions of brand coolness (i.e. self-oriented and other-oriented coolness) exert positive impacts on brand relationship outcomes (i.e. brand satisfaction, brand love and brand advocacy) through brand attitude (i.e. the evaluative mechanism) and self-brand connection (i.e. the identity mechanism). While the identity mechanism of brand coolness effects is more prominent in product brands, the evaluative mechanism is more pronounced for service brands.
Practical implications
This research provides practical guidance for brand managers to build strong customer relationships by leveraging their brand coolness and the mechanisms underlying coolness effects. This study suggests a tailored application of brand coolness dimensions to different branded entities.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the brand coolness literature by validating a two-dimensional brand coolness structure encompassing self-oriented and other-oriented coolness, in accordance with a value-based conceptualization of the concept. For mass brand studies, this study recommends the exclusion of rebellious and subcultural attributes, as well as the utility of pre-determined brands as evaluated objects, in measuring brand coolness. This study also illuminates dual mediation mechanisms and moderation of the branded entity underlying brand coolness effects on consumer–brand relationships.
Genetic transformation is crucial for both investigating gene functions and for engineering of crops to introduce new traits. Rice (
L.) is an important model in plant research, since it is the ...staple food for more than half of the world's population. As a result, numerous transformation methods have been developed for both
and
rice. Since breeders continuously develop new rice varieties, transformation protocols have to be adapted for each new variety. Here we provide an optimized transformation protocol with detailed tips and tricks for a new African variety Komboka using immature embryos. In Komboka, we obtained an apparent transformation rate of up to 48% for GUS/GFP reporter gene constructs using this optimized protocol. This protocol is also applicable for use with other elite
rice varieties.
Most of the extraordinary biodiversity richness of South-East Asian countries is concentrated in the national parks and other Protected Areas, with species-rich turtle communities surviving mostly in ...these reserves where their natural habitats are better preserved. However, very few studies have documented the turtle species richness of the various Protected Areas in Vietnam, which is not only one of the hotspots of chelonian diversity in the world but also one of the countries where their exploitation is the highest. Here, the diversity of turtles is studied in the Bach Ma National Park in central Vietnam, mainly characterised by forested hills and mountains, with ponds and streams of various shapes and structures. The study was carried out by conducting (i) semi-structured interviews of hunters recruited through a snow-ball procedure in local villages, (ii) inspection of turtle individuals in their hands, (iii) field surveys along random transects inspecting the various microhabitats used by these reptiles. We observed a total of 15 species, out of which 14 (93.3%) are threatened, based on IUCN Red List. A natural hybrid of Cuora bourreti × C. mouhotii obsti (Cuora «serrata») was observed. Three species (Cuora bourreti, Manouria impressa, Platysternon megacephalum) were the most frequently encountered species according to our interviewees. We conclude that, in order to enhance the conservation status of the turtle communities at the local level, it would be important (i) to increase the number of rangers patrolling the study area in the rainy season (from April to September) and (ii) to list the hunter's names in the villages surrounding the Bach Ma National Park and to convince them to sign an agreement with the local authorities to avoid hunting turtles within the Protected Area.
Background and objective
Data on the prevalence of anti-tuberculous drug resistance and its association with genetic mutations in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
are limited. Our study explores the ...genomics of tuberculosis in Ca Mau, Vietnam.
Methods
Patients ≥15 years in Ca Mau Province, Vietnam, were screened annually for tuberculosis between 2014 and 2017. Isolates underwent drug susceptibility testing (DST) using the breakpoint method. DNA was extracted and whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed.
Results
We identified 365 positive sputum cultures for
M. tuberculosis
and processed 237 for DST and 265 for WGS. Resistance to isoniazid was present in 19.8% (95% CI 14.7 to 24.9%), rifampicin in 3.5% (1.1 to 5.7%) and ethambutol in 2.5% (0.9 to 5.4%) of isolates. Relevant mutations in
rpoB
gene were detected in 3.8% (1.8 to 6.8%).
katG, inhA
or
fabG1
mutations were found in 19.6% (15.0 to 24.9%) with
KatG
being most common at 12.8% (9.1–17.5%). We found 38.4% of isolates were of Beijing lineage, 49.4% East-African-Indian lineage and 8.4% European-American lineage. There were no associations between resistance profiles and clinical features.
Conclusion
The high burden of isoniazid resistance and the
katG
mutation highlights the challenges facing Vietnam in its efforts to achieve its EndTB goals.
The synthesis of a triple tritiated isotopologue of the CRTh2 antagonist NVP‐QAW039 (fevipiprant) with a specific activity >3 TBq/mmol is described. Key to the high specific activity is the ...methylation of a bench‐stable dimeric disulfide precursor that is in situ reduced to the corresponding thiol monomer and methylated with 3H3MeONos having per se a high specific activity. The high specific activity of the tritiated active pharmaceutical ingredient obtained by a build‐up approach is discussed in the light of the specific activity usually to be expected if hydrogen tritium exchange methods were applied.
The synthesis of a triple tritiated isotopologue of the CRTh2 receptor antagonist NVP‐QAW039 (fevipiprant) with a specific activity>3 TBq/mmol is described. The high‐specific activity of the tritiated active pharmaceutical ingredient obtained by a build‐up approach is discussed in the light of the specific activity usually to be expected if hydrogen tritium exchange methods were applied.
The paper presents an improved differential evolution (IDE) and its application for solving shape and size optimization problems of truss structures with frequency constraints. The improvements are ...made in mutation and selection phases but mainly focused on the mutation phase. In the mutation phase of the IDE, a new selection scheme is proposed by using multi-mutation operators that adaptively employ all four popular mutation operators, including “rand/1,” “rand/2,” “best/1,” and “best/2” for selecting target vectors in population. This new scheme helps maintain effectively the balance between the global exploration and local exploitation abilities for searching process of the DE. In the selection phase of the IDE, an elitist selection technique that helps save good individuals for the next generation is suggested to replace traditional selection technique of the original DE. The suggested technique can help increase the convergence rate of the IDE. The efficiency and robustness of the IDE are demonstrated through five benchmark problems. Numerical results show that in most of the cases considered, the optimum design obtained by the IDE and DE are nearly the same and they are better than those gained by some other well-known methods in the literature. However, the IDE is much better than the DE in terms of the computational cost.
•An improved differential evolution (IDE) algorithm is proposed.•The IDE is proposed for optimal design of truss structures with frequency constraints.•In IDE, a new adaptive mutation scheme is proposed for the mutation phase.•In IDE, an elitist selection technique is suggested for the selection phase.•Balancing between the global and local abilities is maintained effectively.
Heavy metal pollution in the mining area is a severe problem in developing countries like Vietnam. This study collected 17 surface soil samples from a lead/zinc mining area in Thai Nguyen Province, ...Vietnam. The concentrations and chemical fractions of heavy metals (copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and arsenic (As)) were investigated. Environmental indices such as geo-accumulation index, enrichment factor, contamination factor, risk assessment code, and individual contamination factor were used to assess the studied metals' risk and degree of contamination. Multivariable statistics were applied to ascertain the relationship between the metals and their deriving sources. The average concentrations of the heavy metals were found in the following order Zn > Pb > Cd > Cu > As > Cr. The quantity of these elements was distributed in the five chemical fractions in the order: bound to carbonates (F2) > bound to Fe–Mn oxides (F3) > residual (F5) > exchangeable (F1) > bound to organic matter (F4). The pollution indices showed that Pb, Zn, Cd were from high to intense contamination, while Cu, As, and Cr were at a mild and moderate pollution level. Statistics showed that Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, and As metals were strongly related to each other, whereas Cr had a weak relationship with the other five metals. It is speculated that the five metals might stem from human activities while Cr might originate from natural sources. The result of this study can provide helpful information for local land managers and environmental protectors.
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