The present study assessed the effect of different feed ingredients on nutrient apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC), nitrogen/energy balance and morphology changes in the intestine of Nile ...tilapia; using a control diet and six test diets, in which the following six ingredients were included at 30%: hydrolysed feather meal (HFM), soybean meal (SBM), rice bran (RB), rapeseed meal (RM), sunflower meal (SFM) and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). The proximal, middle and distal intestine was processed for quantitative histology counting the number of goblet cells (GC), and measuring the thickness of lamina propria (LP) and submucosa (SM). The study showed that the ADC of protein in raw materials were highest in SBM (92.2%), followed by SFM (90.2%), DDGS (89.2%), RM (87.8%), HFM (86.9%) and RB (84.0%). The nutrient ADCs had no correlation with intestinal morphology changes. Only the SBM diet caused noticeable changes in intestinal morphology such as an increase the thickness of SM and LP and the number of GC. The diet composition, however, altered the protein efficiency and the maintenance energy requirement. Protein retention efficiency was the lowest in fish fed HFM and the highest in RB. The highest maintenance energy requirements were observed in HFM and SBM treatments.
In this study, the features of resistive random access memory (RRAM) employing a straightforward Cr/MAPbI3/FTO three-layer structure have been examined and clarified. The device displays various ...resistance switching (RS) behavior at various sweep voltages between 0.5 and 5 V. The RS effect has a conversion in the direction of the SET and RESET processes during sweeping for a number of cycles at a specific voltage. The directional change of the RS processes corresponds to the dominant transition between the generation/recombination of iodide ion and vacancy in the MAPbI3 perovskite layer and the electrochemical metallization of the Cr electrode under the influence of an electric field, which results in the conductive filament (CF) formation/rupture. At each stage, these processes are controlled by specific charge conduction mechanisms, including Ohmic conduction, space-charge-limited conduction (SCLC), and variable-range hopping (VRH). By identifying the biased voltage and the quantity of voltage sweep cycles, one can take a new approach to control or modulate the pathways for effective charge transport. This new approach is made possible by an understanding of the RS characteristics and the corresponding mechanisms causing the variation of RS behavior in the structure.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative cartilage disease that is characterized by a local inflammatory reaction. Consequently, many studies have been performed to identify suitable prevention and ...treatment interventions. In recent years, both arthroscopic microfracture (AM) and stem cell therapy have been used clinically to treat OA. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of AM in the presence and absence of a stromal vascular fraction (SVF) injection in the management of patients with OA. Thirty patients with grade 2 or 3 (Lawrence scale) OA of the knee participated in this study. Placebo group patients (n = 15) received AM alone; treatment group patients (n = 15) received AM and an adipose tissue‐derived SVF injection. The SVF was suspended in platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) before injection into the joint. Patient groups were monitored and scored with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), Lysholm, Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS), and modified Outerbridge classifications before treatment and at 6, 12, and 18 months post‐treatment. Bone marrow edema was also assessed at these time points. Patients were evaluated for knee activity (joint motion amplitude) and adverse effects relating to surgery and stem cell injection. Treatment efficacy was significantly different between placebo and treatment groups. All treatment group patients had significantly reduced pain and WOMAC scores, and increased Lysholm and VAS scores compared with the placebo group. These findings suggest that the SVF/PRP injection efficiently improved OA for 18 months after treatment. This study will be continuously monitored for additional 24 months. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:187–195
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•Nitrification was successfully activated by salt tolerant bacteria (STB).•STB enhanced COD and TKN removal by 11% and 23%.•The produced NO2–-N and NO3–-N was co-fitted with the ...logistic function.•Free ammonia and high C/N ratio reduced the nitrite oxidation when using STB.
Conventional biological treatment has been reported to be ineffective for pollutant removal in tannery wastewater due to high salinity. To overcome it, this work used salt-tolerant bacteria (STB) isolated from a membrane bioreactor to evaluate the organic and nutrient removal through a series of batch experiments. Compared with the control, the STB reactor enhanced the reduction of persistent organics by 11% based on the double exponential decay model. Besides, the removal of NH4+-N is 26% higher, satisfying the first-order decay model. The nitrification was inhibited entirely in control during 48 h, whilst the assimilation process involved 55% of total nitrogen removal. In the STB reactor, nitrification occurred after 12 h, resulting in significantly increased NO2–-N and NO3–-N concentrations according to the logistic function. Although nitrification was successfully activated, C/N ratios and free ammonia were identified as limiting factors for STB activity, requiring mitigation strategies in further studies.
Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. Ex Kunth is widely used in folk medicine. In ethnomedicine, it is applied as a cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, antiarthritic, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and ...antimicrobial. The aqueous extract is considered antidiabetic, and is used as a traditional remedy in Mexico. More than 120 chemical constituents have been identified in its leaves, barks, and roots. However, less is known about the phytochemical properties of T. stans flower extracts. The herbal plant Nervilia concolor (Blume) Schltr. is native to Vietnam, and is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diseases such as bronchitis, stomatitis, acute pneumonia, and laryngitis. Only two previous reports have addressed the chemical content of this plant. Bouea macrophylla Griff., commonly known as marian plum or plum mango, is a tropical plant that is used to treat a range of illnesses. Phytochemical analysis of B. macrophylla suggests the presence of volatile components and flavonoids. However, existing data have been obtained from screening without isolation. As part of our ongoing search for alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from Vietnamese medicinal plants, we conducted bioactive-guided isolation of the whole plant N. concolor, the flowers of T. stans, and the leaves of B. macrophylla. We isolated and structurally elucidated five known compounds from T. stans: ursolic acid (TS1), 3-oxours-12-en-28-oic acid (TS2), chrysoeriol (TS3), ferulic acid (TS4), and tecomine (TS5). Three known compounds were isolated from Nervilia concolor: astragalin (NC1), isoquercitrin (NC2), and caffeic acid (NC3). From B. macrophylla, betullinic acid (BM1), methyl gallate (BM2), and 3-O-galloyl gallic acid methyl ester (BM3) were isolated. All compounds showed promising alpha-glucosidase inhibition, with IC50 values ranging from 1.4 to 143.3 µM. The kinetics of enzyme inhibition showed BM3 to be a competitive-type inhibitor. An in silico molecular docking model confirmed that compounds NC1, NC2, and BM3 were potential inhibitors of the α-glucosidase enzyme. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out with compound BM3 demonstrating the best docking model during simulation up to 100 ns to explore the stability of the complex ligand–protein.
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•Hybrid CS-GO based RRAM exhibits bipolar resistive switching with the endurance of ~103 and the On/Off ratio of ~102.•Interactions between CS and GO through chemical peptide and ...hydrogen bonds.•Unoccupied levels in both isolated state and hybrid CS-GO system as trap sites for resistive switching mechanism.
Recently, nanocomposite materials that consist of chitosan (CS) and graphene oxide (GO) have received immense attention in many fields of research, such as biomedicine, environmental studies, energy and electronics. In this paper, we study resistive memory devices in capacitor-like Ag/CS-GO/FTO structures, with the CS-GO nanocomposites acting as the memory layer. The devices showed a bipolar resistive-switching effect under an external electric field, with the endurance of 103 and ON/OFF ratio around 102. The calculated results confirmed by using density-function-theory (DFT) calculations show the stability of CS-GO nanocomposites through the presence of peptide and hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the calculated HOMO–LUMO gap (HLG) of GO is within the HLG of CS, so several unoccupied levels of GO can serve as electron traps in CS-GO nanocomposites. Based on these results above, a resistive-switching mechanism in Ag/CS-GO/FTO devices can be proposed because of the trap/de-trap process of injected electrons under external electric field.
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•Multi-modificated ZnO NRs as photoanode for water splitting•Doping Cu ions into ZnO NRs shifts the absorbed edge toward visible region due to the narrowed optical band gap•Decorating ...Au NPs on ZnO NRs doping enhances the light absorption in the visible region based on LSPR effect•Improved the visible-light-driven PEC water splitting performance due to enhance the visible light harvesting•Clarified the photoelectrochemical water splitting mechanism
Converting solar energy into chemical fuels is important to develop renewable energy. Here, Cu-doped ZnO nanorods (NRs) decorated with Au nanoparticles (NPs) are used as an efficient semiconductor catalyst for visible-light-driven water splitting. Doping Cu into ZnO NRs narrows the bandgap and shifts the absorbance toward red light; decorating Au NPs onto the ZnO:Cu NRs enhances the absorbance in the visible region and improves the solar energy conversion. The band gap of the ZnO:Cu NRs is optimized at 3% Cu doping, which presents a minimum value of 3.09 eV. Furthermore, the surface plasmon resonance effect, which is caused by decorating 10-nm Au NPs on the Cu-doped ZnO NRs, enhances the optical absorption and improves the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance. The presence of Au NPs on the surface of the NRs also reduces charge recombination, increasing the photocurrent. Under visible illumination (λ > 420 nm), the considerable photocurrent density of this device reaches 10.2 μA cm−2 at 0.581 V, which is about 7.3 times higher than that of a pure ZnO NRs sample. The simple and cost-effective fabrication process of this design provides an innovative approach for water splitting and future optoelectronic devices.
Agricultural waste is one of the biggest concerns related to agronomy. The most effective approach dealing with agricultural waste is compositing. In particular, composting is a biological process in ...which organic waste is recycled under aerobic conditions into a value-added product that can be safely utilized for crop cultivation or livestock feed. Many factors such as temperature, pH, moisture, oxygen, particle size, and C/N ratio influence the biodegradation rate of the composting process. Temperature ranging from 45 to 55 °C in thermophilic phase, pH in 5.0–7.0, moisture 50–60%, as well as C/N ratio ranging from 25 to 35% has been indicated as the optimum conditions for composting. However, the formation of humic substances, which are by-products of the composting process, plays an important role in improving the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soil that increases crop productivity. Composting has showed its application in the improvement of crop productivity and acid and sality soil cultivation. Primary microbial communities that play key roles during different phases of the composting process and the formation and importance of humic substances has been highlighted. Factors effect on composting process and potential applying their product on soil cultivation has been reviewed, giving a guideline for composting application in the sustainable growth of global agriculture through recycling.
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•Discuss about factors effect on composting process.•Compost improves the acid soil and salinity cultivation.•Compost effects on crop quantity and quality.•Compost sink greenhouse gases (GHGs) in soil cultivation.•Factors effect on compost process will effect on compost product.
The impact of two dietary organic acids (OAs) on nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology was determined in Nile tilapia under conditions of dissolved oxygen in the water: normoxia and ...hypoxia. Four diets designated as control (0 g/kg organic acid salt), KDF (2 g/kg potassium diformate), CAB (2 g/kg calcium butyrate) and their combination (4 g/kg of a mixture of KDF and CAB, ration 1:1) were formulated with 520 g/kg of soybean meal in order to produce soybean meal enteritis‐like symptoms. The four diets were tested first under normoxic conditions (6 mg/L) for a period of 5 weeks, followed by a test period under hypoxic conditions (3 mg/L). The results showed that OAs were unable to significantly improve growth and nutrient digestibility under normoxic conditions but under hypoxic conditions, there was a significant enhancement of the growth and nutrient digestibility. Fish fed OA‐supplemented diets showed improvements in the intestinal morphology under the normoxic conditions, and these effects were more pronounced under the hypoxic conditions. Experimental findings suggest that OAs can improve the nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology under hypoxic conditions. A synergistic effect by the combination of formic and butyric acid on growth, digestibility and intestinal morphology was not found.
Little information is available on the costs of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Vietnam or other low- and middle-income countries. Our study estimated the costs of LRTIs associated with RSV ...infection among children in southern Vietnam.
We conducted a prospective cohort study evaluating household and societal costs associated with LRTIs stratified by RSV status and severity among children under 2 years old who sought care at a major pediatric referral hospital in southern Vietnam. Enrollment periods were September 2019-December 2019, October 2020-June 2021 and October 2021-December 2021. RSV status was confirmed by a validated RT-PCR assay. RSV rapid detection antigen (RDA) test performance was also evaluated. Data on resource utilization, direct medical and non-medical costs, and indirect costs were collected from billing records and supplemented by patient-level questionnaires. All costs are reported in 2022 US dollars.
536 children were enrolled in the study, with a median age of 7 months (interquartile range IQR 3-12). This included 210 (39.2%) children from the outpatient department, 318 children (59.3%) from the inpatient respiratory department (RD), and 8 children (1.5%) from the intensive care unit (ICU). Nearly 20% (105/536) were RSV positive: 3.9 percent (21/536) from the outpatient department, 15.7% (84/536) from the RD, and none from the ICU. The median total cost associated with LRTI per patient was US$52 (IQR 32-86) for outpatients and US$184 (IQR 109-287) for RD inpatients. For RSV-associated LRTIs, the median total cost per infection episode per patient was US$52 (IQR 32-85) for outpatients and US$165 (IQR 95-249) for RD inpatients. Total out-of-pocket costs of one non-ICU admission of RSV-associated LRTI ranged from 32%-70% of the monthly minimum wage per person (US$160) in Ho Chi Minh City. The sensitivity and the specificity of RSV RDA test were 88.2% (95% CI 63.6-98.5%) and 100% (95% CI 93.3-100%), respectively.
These are the first data reporting the substantial economic burden of RSV-associated illness in young children in Vietnam. This study informs policymakers in planning health care resources and highlights the urgency of RSV disease prevention.
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