Samples of the bimetallic-based NH2-MIL-125(Ti) at a ratio of Mn+/Ti4+ is 0.15 (Mn+: Ni2+, Co2+ and Fe3+) were first synthesized using the solvothermal method. Their fundamental properties were ...analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption–desorption measurements, and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS). The as-acquired materials were used as high-efficiency heterogeneous photocatalysts to remove Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light. The results verified that 82.4% of the RhB (3 × 10−5 M) was degraded within 120 min by 15% Fe/Ti−MOFs. Furthermore, in the purpose of degrading Rhodamine B (RhB), the rate constant for the 15% Fe/Ti-MOFs was found to be 2.6 times as fast as that of NH2-MIL-125(Ti). Moreover, the 15% Fe/Ti-MOFs photocatalysts remained stable after three consecutive cycles. The trapping test demonstrated that the major active species in the degradation of the RhB process were hydroxyl radicals (HO∙) and holes (h+).
The relationship between age and seroprevalence can be used to estimate the annual attack rate of an infectious disease. For pathogens with multiple serologically distinct strains, there is a need to ...describe composite exposure to an antigenically variable group of pathogens. In this study, we assay 24,402 general-population serum samples, collected in Vietnam between 2009 to 2015, for antibodies to eleven human influenza A strains. We report that a principal components decomposition of antibody titer data gives the first principal component as an appropriate surrogate for seroprevalence; this results in annual attack rate estimates of 25.6% (95% CI: 24.1% - 27.1%) for subtype H3 and 16.0% (95% CI: 14.7% - 17.3%) for subtype H1. The remaining principal components separate the strains by serological similarity and associate birth cohorts with their particular influenza histories. Our work shows that dimensionality reduction can be used on human antibody profiles to construct an age-seroprevalence relationship for antigenically variable pathogens.
Seventy percent of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the United States occur among non-US-born persons; cases usually result from reactivation of latent TB infection (LTBI) likely acquired before the ...person's US arrival. We conducted a prospective study among US immigrant visa applicants undergoing the required overseas medical examination in Vietnam. Consenting applicants >15 years of age were offered an interferon-γ release assay (IGRA); those 12-14 years of age received an IGRA as part of the required examination. Eligible participants were offered LTBI treatment with 12 doses of weekly isoniazid and rifapentine. Of 5,311 immigrant visa applicants recruited, 2,438 (46%) consented to participate; 2,276 had an IGRA processed, and 484 (21%) tested positive. Among 452 participants eligible for treatment, 304 (67%) initiated treatment, and 268 (88%) completed treatment. We demonstrated that using the overseas medical examination to provide voluntary LTBI testing and treatment should be considered to advance US TB elimination efforts.
This study, using C57BL/6J mice with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes, aimed to determine whether Bifidobacterium species (spp.) both induces the expressions of proteins in the insulin signaling ...pathway and enhances the expressions of certain adipocytokines. The protein expressions of IκB kinase alpha (IKKα), IκB kinase beta (IKKβ), nuclear factor-kappaB inhibitor alpha (IκBα), and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway were also investigated. Oral administration of Bifidobacterium spp. reduced blood glucose levels significantly and increased the protein expressions of insulin receptor beta, insulin receptor substrate 1, protein kinase B (Akt/PKB), IKKα, and IκBα. Extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) showed increased expression. Bifidobacterium spp. also induced the adiponectin expression and decreased both macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression. In addition, IKKβ, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase expressions showed no significant changes in both groups. In conclusion, Bifidobacterium spp. may be the promising bacteria for treating diabetes.
In this study, MCM-41 mesoporous silica nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by the condensation of a tetraorthosilicate precursor on a template self-assembled by cetyltrimethylammonium ...bromide in alkaline. The small-angle x-ray diffraction patterns of MCM-41 indicate that silica nanoparticles possess hexagonal structures with a high degree of structural ordering. Transmission electron microscopy images show that the size of the MCM-41 particles is around 100-120 nm, and the pore sizes range from 2 nm to 4 nm. In addition, the specific surface area of MCM-41 obtained by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis is as high as 987 m
2
.g
−1
and the pore size extracted from nitrogen physical adsorption isotherms is in accordance with the TEM result. Thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Zeta potential measurements and photoluminescence measurements show that 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and doxorubicin were grafted and loaded successfully onto MCM-41 nanoparticles. An assay on fibroblasts, A549 and doxorubicin-resistant A549/DOX cells indicates that the prepared MCM41 grafting APTES nanoparticles are safe to normal cells and toxic to cancer cells
in vitro
.
Graphic abstract
Data on breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infections in vaccinated individuals are limited.
We studied breakthrough infections among Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccinated healthcare workers in an ...infectious diseases hospital in Vietnam. We collected demographic and clinical data alongside serial PCR testing, measurement of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and viral whole-genome sequencing.
Between 11th–25th June 2021 (7-8 weeks after the second dose), 69 staff tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. 62 participated in the study. Most were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and all recovered. Twenty-two complete-genome sequences were obtained; all were Delta variant and were phylogenetically distinct from contemporary viruses obtained from the community or from hospital patients admitted prior to the outbreak. Viral loads inferred from Ct values were 251 times higher than in cases infected with the original strain in March/April 2020. Median time from diagnosis to negative PCR was 21 days (range 8–33). Neutralizing antibodies (expressed as percentage of inhibition) measured after the second vaccine dose, or at diagnosis, were lower in cases than in uninfected, fully vaccinated controls (median (IQR): 69.4 (50.7-89.1) vs. 91.3 (79.6-94.9), p=0.005 and 59.4 (32.5-73.1) vs. 91.1 (77.3-94.2), p=0.043). There was no correlation between vaccine-induced neutralizing antibody levels and peak viral loads or the development of symptoms.
Breakthrough Delta variant infections following Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccination may cause asymptomatic or mild disease, but are associated with high viral loads, prolonged PCR positivity and low levels of vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies. Epidemiological and sequence data suggested ongoing transmission had occurred between fully vaccinated individuals.
Wellcome and NIH/NIAID
This study reports a simple process to synthesize and separate of 2-(substituted-phenyl) benzimidazole derivatives with high yield and efficiency. Specifically, by reacting ortho-phenylenediamines ...with benzaldehydes using sodium metabisulphite as an oxidation agent in a mixture of solvent under mild condition, twenty-three compounds of benzimidazoles were obtained and separated easily using hexane and water to wash, respectively. The structure of all obtained compounds was identified by FTIR, NMR and HRMS. The SAR analysis of synthesized benzimidazoles on human lung (A549), breast (MDA-MB-231) and prostate (PC3) cancer cell lines showed that the presence of methyl group at 5(6)-position on benzimidazole scaffold was a contributing factor influencing the anticancer activity. The presence of electron-donating groups (OH, OMe, –NMe
2
, –O–CH
2
–C
6
H
5
) also caused significant increase of anticancer activity, while the presence of electron-withdrawing groups (–NO
2
, –CF
3
) on the phenyl group at 2-position of benzimidazole ring decreased the ability of inhibition of synthesized benzimidazoles. The compounds
2f
and
2g
displayed the significant anticancer activity on both A549 and PC3 cell lines.
Graphic abstract
Two series of 2-phenylbenzimidazoles were synthesized by simple process with high yield and efficiency and they were illumiated the effect of substituent groups in their structures on the bioactivity against three cancer cell line A549, MDA-MB-231 and PC3.
We studied the development and persistence of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain, and Delta and Omicron (BA.1 and BA.2) variants in Vietnamese healthcare workers (HCWs) up to ...15 weeks after booster vaccination. We included 47 HCWs, including group 1 (G1, N = 21) and group 2 (G2; N = 26) without and with breakthrough Delta variant infection before booster immunization, respectively). The study participants had completed primary immunization with ChAdOx1-S and booster vaccination with BNT162b2. Neutralizing antibodies were measured using a surrogate virus neutralization assay. Of the 21 study participants in G1, neutralizing antibodies against ancestral strain, Delta variant, BA.1, and BA.2 were (almost) abolished at month 8 after the second dose, but all had detectable neutralizing antibodies to the study viruses at week 2 post booster dose. Of the 26 study participants in G2, neutralizing antibody levels to BA.1 and BA.2 were significantly higher than those to the corresponding viruses measured at week 2 post breakthrough infection and before the booster dose. At week 15 post booster vaccination, neutralizing antibodies to BA.1 and BA.2 dropped significantly, with more profound changes observed in those without breakthrough Delta variant infection. Booster vaccination enhanced neutralizing activities against ancestral strain and Delta variant compared with those induced by primary vaccination. These responses were maintained at high levels for at least 15 weeks. Our findings emphasize the importance of the first booster dose in producing cross-neutralizing antibodies against Omicron variant. A second booster to maintain long-term vaccine effectiveness against the currently circulating variants merits further research.
A number of studies have indicated that short food supply chains could create economic, social, and environmental benefits, but most of those chains were implemented in developed countries. This ...research aims to find out the characteristics of short food supply chains and their benefits to small farmers in Vietnam, which is a developing country, based on the survey results from 338 small farmers in the third quarter of 2020, with the support of Stata 14 software. The results showed that the short food supply chains in the survey sample in Vietnam were characterized by two main actors: small farmers and distributors. Farmers could sell products flexibly at the local market. There was some initial evidence to prove that these chains helped to stabilize the input, output price, and revenue; formulated sustainable income; and increased the satisfaction and confidence of farmers. They eliminated gender discrimination in rural areas and improved livelihood for ethnic minorities. These chains also enhanced the mindset on green, organic, and clean production of farmers, which in turn created environmental benefits. COVID-19 has posed a negative impact on the income of farmers and made them change their production and sales method. Therefore, the research could suggest some policies to sustainably develop the short food supply chains in Vietnam in the future.
Accurate profiling of population‐specific recessive diseases is essential for the design of cost‐effective carrier screening programs. However, minority populations and ethnic groups, including ...Vietnamese, are still underrepresented in existing genetic studies. Here, we reported the first comprehensive study of recessive diseases in the Vietnamese population. Clinical exome sequencing data of 4503 disease‐associated genes obtained from a cohort of 985 Vietnamese individuals was analyzed to identify pathogenic variants, associated diseases and their carrier frequencies in the population. A total of 118 recessive diseases associated with 164 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were identified, among which 28 diseases had carrier frequencies of at least 1% (1 in 100 individuals). Three diseases were prevalent in the Vietnamese population with carrier frequencies of 2–12 times higher than in the world populations, including beta‐thalassemia (1 in 23), citrin deficiency (1 in 31), and phenylketonuria (1 in 40). Seven novel pathogenic and two likely pathogenic variants associated with nine recessive diseases were discovered. The comprehensive profile of recessive diseases identified in this study enables the design of cost‐effective carrier screening programs specific to the Vietnamese population.
Prevalent recessive diseases in Vietnam.
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