The aim of this study is first to identify the major phenolic compound of a crude ethanol extract of Psidium guajava leaves collected in Vietnam and to develop validated methods for quantification of ...phenolic and triterpenic components by HPLC-PDA-HRMS. The major phenolic compound was determined as quercetin-3-O-sulfate which is isolated and quantified for the first time in P. guajava. Validated HPLC-DAD quantification methods were developed to quantify the major triterpenic and phenolic derivatives of this extract and found to be accurate in the concentration range of 2–50 μg/mL for phenolic, and 5–100 μg/mL for triterpenic compounds. Four crude ethanol extracts of guava leaves collected at different periods of the year were analyzed using the developed methods and were found to be richer in triterpenic than phenolic derivatives. We also observed that the weather or rainfall influenced the richness in bioactive compounds in guava leaves.
•Quercetin-3-O-sulfate was isolated from Psidium guajava for the first time.•A new validated method to quantify both triterpenic aromatic esters and acids in P. guajava leaves.•Ethanol extract of guava leaves collected in September is the richest in bioactive metabolites in our research.•Ethanol crude extracts contain more triterpenic derivatives than phenolic compounds.
This study aimed to identify major phytochemical constituents, as well as compare the immunomodulatory effects of Psidium guajava L. and Phyllanthus amarus Schun and Thonn crude ethanol extracts and ...their fractions on striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) head kidney leukocytes (HKLs). Moreover, pure constituents were also investigated for their effects on those cells: hypophyllanthin, identified as a major constituent of P. amarus crude extracts and its hexane fraction; corosolic acid, ursolic acid, and oleanolic acid, identified in P. guajava crude extract, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane fractions; with other terpenic derivatives, as well as guajaverin and avicularin, identified with other flavonoids by LC-UV-MS in the crude P. guajava extract and its ethyl acetate fraction. Cell viability, respiratory burst assay (RBA), nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and lysozyme activity in HKLs were analyzed after 24 h stimulation with each extract (10, 20 and 40 μg/mL) or pure compound (7.5, 15 and 30 μM). Our results show that the hexane fraction of both plant extracts inhibited the viability of HKLs, while several other fractions enhanced the cell viability. All P. guajava fractions at all or some concentration considerably enhanced the RBA production in HKLs. Similarly, NOS production was also significantly increased by some or all concentrations of P. guajava dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions. However, the NOS production was dose-dependently inhibited in HKLs treated with Pa ethyl acetate and both plants aqueous fractions at 10 or 10 and 40 μg/mL respectively. The lysozyme activity in cells treated with P. guajava crude extracts and all its organic solvent fractions were stronger than those in P. amarus treatments. Pure compounds including corosolic acid, guajaverin, ursolic acid, hypophyllanthin inhibited the HKLs viability according to concentration and type of compound. All pure compounds except avicularin significantly stimulated, at certain or all concentrations, the RBA production and/or the lysozyme activity in HKLs. The NOS production was significantly reduced in HKLs treated with oleanolic acid (30 μM) and hypophyllanthin (7.5 μM) while its level was increased by hypophyllanthin at 30 μM. These results highlighted that the crude ethanol extracts of P. guajava and P. amarus, their fractions and some of their pure components at certain concentrations can potentially act as immunomodulators, and could be considered as valuable candidates in fishery sciences.
•P. amarus and P. guajava ethanol extracts and their fractions modulate the HKLs viability, RBA, NOS and lysozyme activities.•Hypophyllanthin was a major component in P. amarus crude extracts before and after removing tannins, and its hexane fraction.•The major components of the crude ethanol leaf extract of P. guajava were mainly flavonoids and triterpenic derivatives.•Pure compounds identified in P. amarus and P. guajava extracts potentially modulate the striped catfish HKLs immune response.
A rapidly aging population, a shifting disease burden and the ongoing threat of infectious disease outbreaks pose major concerns for Vietnam's health care system. Health disparities are evident in ...many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, and the population faces inequitable access to patient-centered health care. Vietnam must therefore explore and implement advanced solutions to the provision of patient-centered care, with a view to reducing pressures on the health care system simultaneously. The use of digital health technologies (DHTs) may be one of these solutions.
This study aimed to identify the application of DHTs to support the provision of patient-centered care in low- and middle-income countries in the Asia-Pacific region (APR) and to draw lessons for Vietnam.
A scoping review was undertaken. Systematic searches of 7 databases were conducted in January 2022 to identify publications on DHTs and patient-centered care in the APR. Thematic analysis was conducted, and DHTs were classified using the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evidence standards framework for DHTs (tiers A, B, and C). Reporting was in line with the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines.
Of the 264 publications identified, 45 (17%) met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the DHTs were classified as tier C (15/33, 45%), followed by tier B (14/33, 42%) and tier A (4/33, 12%). At an individual level, DHTs increased accessibility of health care and health-related information, supported individuals in self-management, and led to improvements in clinical and quality-of-life outcomes. At a systems level, DHTs supported patient-centered outcomes by increasing efficiency, reducing strain on health care resources, and supporting patient-centered clinical practice. The most frequently reported enablers for the use of DHTs for patient-centered care included alignment of DHTs with users' individual needs, ease of use, availability of direct support from health care professionals, provision of technical support as well as user education and training, appropriate governance of privacy and security, and cross-sectorial collaboration. Common barriers included low user literacy and digital literacy, limited user access to DHT infrastructure, and a lack of policies and protocols to guide the implementation and use of DHTs.
The use of DHTs is a viable option to increase equitable access to quality, patient-centered care across Vietnam and simultaneously reduce pressures on the health care system. Vietnam can take advantage of the lessons learned by other low- and middle-income countries in the APR when developing a national road map to digital health transformation. Recommendations that Vietnamese policy makers may consider include emphasizing stakeholder engagement, strengthening digital literacy, supporting the improvement of DHT infrastructure, increasing cross-sectorial collaboration, strengthening governance of cybersecurity, and leading the way in DHT uptake.
Despite their promise, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based assays for multi-cancer early detection face challenges in test performance, due mostly to the limited abundance of ctDNA and its inherent ...variability. To address these challenges, published assays to date demanded a very high-depth sequencing, resulting in an elevated price of test. Herein, we developed a multimodal assay called SPOT-MAS (screening for the presence of tumor by methylation and size) to simultaneously profile methylomics, fragmentomics, copy number, and end motifs in a single workflow using targeted and shallow genome-wide sequencing (~0.55×) of cell-free DNA. We applied SPOT-MAS to 738 non-metastatic patients with breast, colorectal, gastric, lung, and liver cancer, and 1550 healthy controls. We then employed machine learning to extract multiple cancer and tissue-specific signatures for detecting and locating cancer. SPOT-MAS successfully detected the five cancer types with a sensitivity of 72.4% at 97.0% specificity. The sensitivities for detecting early-stage cancers were 73.9% and 62.3% for stages I and II, respectively, increasing to 88.3% for non-metastatic stage IIIA. For tumor-of-origin, our assay achieved an accuracy of 0.7. Our study demonstrates comparable performance to other ctDNA-based assays while requiring significantly lower sequencing depth, making it economically feasible for population-wide screening.
Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) are national health burdens in Vietnam. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of rifampicin (RIF) and/or isoniazid (isonicotinic ...acid hydrazide, INH) resistance in patients with suspected TB, and applied appropriate techniques to help rapidly target DR-TB. Methods: In total, 1,547 clinical specimens were collected and cultured using the BACTEC MGIT system (Becton Dickinson and Co.). A resazurin microtiter assay (REMA) was used to determine the proportions of RIF and/or INH resistance. A real-time polymerase chain reaction panel with TaqMan probes was employed to identify the mutations of rpoB and katG associated with DR-TB in clinical isolates. Genotyping of the identified mutations was also performed. Results: A total of 468 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were identified using the REMA. Of these isolates, 106 (22.6%) were found to be resistant to 1 or both antibiotics. Of the resistant isolates, 74 isolates (69.8%) were resistant to isoniazid (INH) only, while 1 isolate (0.94%) was resistant to RIF only. Notably, 31 isolates (29.24%) were resistant to both antibiotics. Of the 41 phenotypically INH-resistant isolates, 19 (46.3%) had the Ser315Thr mutation. There were 8 different rpoB mutations in 22 (68.8%) of the RIF-resistant isolates. The most frequently detected mutations were at codons 531 (37.5%), 526 (18.8%), and 516 (6.3%). Conclusion: To help prevent new cases of DR-TB in Vietnam, it is crucial to gain a comprehensive understanding of the genotypic DR-TB isolates.
Many medicinal plants have been shown to possess biological effects, including immuno-modulatory activities on human and other mammals. However, studies about the potential mechanisms of plant ...extracts on the humoral and tissular immunities in fish have received less attention. This study aimed to screen the immunestimulating properties of 20 ethanol plant extracts on striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus leukocytes. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and head kidney leukocytes (HKLs) of striped catfish (50 ± 5 g per fish) were stimulated at 10 and 100 μg of each plant extract per mL of cell culture medium. Several humoral immune parameters (lysozyme, complement and total immunoglobulin) were examined at 24-h post stimulation (hps). Furthermore, the responses of four cytokine genes, namely il1β, ifrγ 2a and b, and mhc class II were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hps. The results showed that lysozyme, complement as well as total immunoglobulin levels in both PBMCs and HKLs were regulated by some of the plant extracts tested in a concentration-dependent manner; some plant extracts induced the highest immune responses at the low dose (10 μg mL−1) while others were more efficient at high dose (100 μg mL−1). Among the extracts, five extracts including garlic Allium sativum L. (As), neem Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Ai), asthma-plant Euphorbia hirta L. (Eh), bhumi amla Phyllanthus amarus Schum. et Thonn (Pa), and ginger Zingiber officinale Rosc (Zo) induced significant changes in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine (il1β), antiviral cytokines (ifrγ 2a and b) and adaptive immune cytokine (mhc class II) in striped catfish cells. Pa always modulated the strongest expression of the four cytokines in PBMCs and HKLs over the whole experimental period (p < 0.05), whereas Zo did not stimulate the mhc class II expression in striped catfish leukocytes throughout experimental periods. These in vitro results demonstrated that some plant extracts could differently modulate great potential immune response in fish, supporting their applications in further in vivo experiments.
•Plant extracts modulated humoral immune parameters in striped catfish leukocytes by in vitro test.•Different plant extracts regulated differently potential immune response in striped catfish.•Ethanol plant extracts stimulated striped catfish immune system by affecting PBMCs and HKLs.•il1β, ifrγ 2a and b, and mhc class II genes were regulated in leukocytes during in vitro extract-stimulation.
The interplay between mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) and preservation conditions is critical to maintain the viability and functionality of these cells before administration. We observed that ...Ringer lactate (RL) maintained high viability of bone marrow–derived MSCs for up to 72 h at room temperature (18°C–22°C), whereas adipose‐derived and umbilical cord‐derived MSCs showed the highest viability for 72 h at a cold temperature (4°C–8°C). These cells maintained their adherence ability with an improved recovery rate and metabolic profiles (glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration) similar to those of freshly harvested cells. Growth factor and cytokine analyses revealed that the preserved cells released substantial amounts of leukaemia inhibitory factors (LIFs), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor‐A (VEGF‐A), as well as multiple cytokines (eg IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8, MPC‐1 and TNF‐α). Our data provide the simplest clinically relevant preservation conditions that maintain the viability, stemness and functionality of MSCs from perinatal and adult tissue sources.
ZnO/CuO nanocomposites were derived from a metal-organic framework (MOF) using a simple precipitation method. The mesoporous nature, crystallinity, and fine particle size of the synthesized ZnO/CuO ...nanocomposites varied with CuO amounts, affecting the gas sensing ability of different gases (H2S, CO, C6H6, and C7H8 gases). It was found that the ZnO/CuO (40 mol%) gas sensor showed the highest sensing capacity in terms of response, selectivity, and repeatability on low concentrations of H2S gas (10 ppm). The strong sensing performance, short response time (58 s) and recovery time (273 s) were explained in terms of the texture coefficients (phase percentage, crystal size, and crystallinity) of the ZnO and CuO phase compositions, resulting in the formation of a high number of p-n junctions and quantum confinement effects in the nanocomposite, as well as the lower binding energy of H2S. The fast sensing ability of a low H2S concentration highlights the practical importance of these MOF-derived ZnO/CuO nanocomposites.
•H2S sensors were made with MOF-derived ZnO/CuO (M-ZnO/CuO) nanocomposites.•M-ZnO/CuO nanocomposites with different compositions were synthesized at low temperature.•M-ZnO/CuO nanocomposites with 40 mol% CuO showed the highest sensing performance to H2S gas.•M-ZnO/CuO nanocomposites with 40 mol% CuO selectivity detected to 10 ppm H2S gas.•Enhanced response and selectivity to H2S gas were explained.
Vietnam is among the countries with the highest prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and individuals who suffer from CHB oftentimes perceive high levels of stigma and discrimination. Our study ...aimed to provide evidence on the prevalence of stigma against hepatitis B virus (HBV), HBV infection, and social determinants of stigma and discrimination in patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Viet-Tiep Hospital, Hai Phong, Vietnam. Stigma and discrimination against CHB in the last month were measured via four dimensions: (1) Blame/Judgment; (2) Shame; (3) Discrimination in different settings; (4) Disclosure of CHB status. Multivariate Logistic and Tobit regressions were used to identify factors associated with CHB-related stigma and discrimination. Among 298 enrolled patients, 4.8% experienced blame/judgement, 10.2% perceived shame, 48.5% felt discriminated in healthcare facilities, and 90.6% disclosed their health status with spouses/partners. Factors associated with lower odds of CHB-related stigma/discrimination included living with spouses/partners, old age, being employed, and the existence of comorbidities was linked with higher odds of stigma. Anti-stigma programs should target those who are younger and have comorbidities. This could be done by community-based interventions which focus on inaccurate beliefs about viral hepatitis. Furthermore, families, healthcare providers, and society should play a crucial role in supporting CHB patients.