Abstract
α-Thalassemia is a common inherited blood disorder manifested mainly by the deletions of α-globin genes. In geographical areas with high carrier frequencies, screening of α-thalassemia ...carrier state is therefore of vital importance. This study presents a novel method for identifying female carriers of common α-thalassemia deletions using samples routinely taken for non-invasive prenatal tests for screening of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies. A total of 68,885 Vietnamese pregnant women were recruited and α-thalassemia statuses were determined by gap-PCR, revealing 5344 women (7.76%) carried deletions including αα/−−
SEA
(4.066%), αα/−α
3.7
(2.934%), αα/−α
4.2
(0.656%), and rare genotypes (0.102%). A two-stage model was built to predict these α-thalassemia deletions from targeted sequencing of the HBA gene cluster on maternal cfDNA. Our method achieved F1-scores of 97.14–99.55% for detecting the three common genotypes and 94.74% for detecting rare genotypes (−α
3.7
/−α
4.2
, αα/−−
THAI
, −α
3.7
/−−
SEA
, −α
4.2
/−−
SEA
). Additionally, the positive predictive values were 100.00% for αα/αα, 99.29% for αα/−−
SEA
, 94.87% for αα/−α
3.7
, and 96.51% for αα/−α
4.2
; and the negative predictive values were 97.63%, 99.99%, 99.99%, and 100.00%, respectively. As NIPT is increasingly adopted for pregnant women, utilizing cfDNA from NIPT to detect maternal carriers of common α-thalassemia deletions will be cost-effective and expand the benefits of NIPT.
Vietnam has a high thalassemia burden. We collected blood samples from 5880 pregnant Vietnamese women during prenatal health checks to assess thalassemia carrier frequency using combined ...gap-polymerase chain reaction (gap-PCR) and targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). Thalassemia carriers were identified with prevalence of 13.13% (772), including 7.82% (460) carriers of α-thalassemia (α-thal), 5.31% (312) carriers of β-thalassemia (β-thal), and 0.63% (37) concurrent α-/β-thal carriers. Deletional mutations (368) accounted for 80.0% of α-thal carriers, of which, --
SEA
(Southeast Asian) (n = 254; 55.0%) was most prevalent, followed by the -α
3.7
(rightward) (n = 66; 14.0%) and -α
4.2
(leftward) (n = 45; 9.8%) deletions. Hb Westmead (HBA2: c.369C>G) (n = 53) and Hb Constant Spring (Hb CS or HBA2: c.427T>C) (in 28) are the two most common nondeletional α-globin variants, accounting for 11.5 and 6.0% of α-thal carriers. We detected 11 different β-thal genotypes. Hb E (HBB: c.79G>A) (in 211) accounted for 67.6% of β-thal carriers. The most common β-thal genotypes were associated with mutations at codon 17 (A>T) (HBB: c.52A>T), codons 41/42 (-TTCT) (HBB: c.126_129delCTTT), and codon 71/72 (+A) (HBB: c.217_218insA) (prevalence 0.70%, 0.68%, and 0.2%, respectively). Based on mutation frequencies calculated in this study, estimates of 5021 babies in Vietnam are affected with clinically severe thalassemia annually. Our data suggest a higher thalassemia carrier frequency in Vietnam than previously reported. We established that combining NGS with gap-PCR creates an effective large-scale thalassemia screening method that can detect a broad range of mutations.
There are shortcomings in studying tourist satisfaction from the direct effect of travel motivation. The current study constructed an integrated model of motivation-satisfaction towards a heritage ...destination with the addition of experience-related factors and destination image. Unlike previous studies mainly focusing on pre or after the experience, this research employed a survey aiming at tourists during their on-site experiences. By using Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling, the proposed structural model was tested with a sample of 352 visitors at Hoi An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vietnam. Motivation had significant effects on visitor engagement, visitor experience, and heritage destination image, which in turn led to heritage tourists' satisfaction. The indirect link between motivation and satisfaction was also confirmed, contributing to a better understanding of the formation of satisfaction in the context of heritage tourism. Practical implications are provided for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) of heritage sites.
•Constructs a model of tourist satisfaction towards a heritage destination.•Tests a structural model using PLS-SEM.•Validates the indirect relationship between motivation and satisfaction.•Provides heritage destination organizations with practical implications.
Microplastics (MPs) are small (< 5 mm) plastic particles that are widely found in marine, freshwater, terrestrial and atmospheric environments. Due to their prevalence and persistence, MPs are ...considered an emerging contaminant of environmental concern. The separation and quantitation of MPs from freshwater sediments is a challenging and critical issue. It is necessary to identify the fate and sources of MPs in the environment, minimise their release and adverse effects. Compared to marine sediments, standardised methods for extracting and estimating the amount of MPs in freshwater sediments are relatively limited. The present study focuses on MP recovery efficiency of four commonly used salt solutions (NaCl, NaI, CaCl
2
and ZnCl
2
) for isolating MPs during the density separation step from freshwater sediment. Known combinations of artificial MP particles (PS, PE, PVC, PET, PP and HDPE) were spiked into standard river sediment. Extraction using NaI, ZnCl
2
and NaCl solutions resulted in higher recovery rates from 37 to 97% compared to the CaCl
2
solution (28–83%) and varied between polymer types. Low-density MPs (PE, HDPE, PP and PS) were more effectively recovered (> 87%) than the denser polymers (PET and PVC: 37 to 88.8%) using NaCl, NaI and ZnCl
2
solutions. However, the effective flotation of ZnCl
2
and NaI solutions is relatively expensive and unsafe to the environment, especially in the context of developing countries. Therefore, considering the efficiency, cost and environmental criteria, NaCl solution was selected. The protocol was then tested by extracting MPs from nine riverine sediment samples from the Red River Delta. Sediments collected from urban rivers were highly polluted by MPs (26,000 MPs items·kg
−1
DW) compared to sediments located downstream. Using a NaCl solution was found to be effective in this case study and might also be used in long-term and large-scale MP monitoring programmes in Vietnam.
The development of natural phospholipids for nanostructured drug delivery systems has attracted much attention in the past decades. Lecithin that was derived from naturally occurring in soybeans (SL) ...has introduced some auspicious accomplishments to the drug carrying aspect, like effectual encapsulation, controlled release, and successful delivery of the curative factors to intracellular regions in which they procure these properties from their flexible physicochemical and biophysical properties, such as large aqueous center and biocompatible lipid, self-assembly, tunable properties, and high loading capacity. Despite the almost perfect properties as a drug carrier, liposome is known to be quite quickly eliminated from the body systems. The surface modification of liposomes has been investigated in many studies to overcome this drawback. In this review, we intensively discussed the surface-modified liposomes that enhancing the targeting, cellular uptake, and therapeutic response. Moreover, the recent applications of soy lecithin-derived liposome, focusing on cancer treatment, brain targeting, and vaccinology, are also summarized.
Background
Effective management strategies are crucial in minimizing the adverse consequences associated with the leafhopper,
Amrasca devastans
(Dist.) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). Economic limitations ...to entomopathogenic fungi production present a substantial challenge, particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate a cost-effective solid-state fermentation (SSF) for large-scale production of
Purpureocillium lilacinum
PL1 conidia to manage
A. devastans
infestations in okra cultivation.
Results
Rice and maize were demonstrated as highly suitable substrates for producing conidia densities of over 2 × 10
10
conidia g
−1
. Furthermore, the influence of agricultural phytosanitary agents on the growth rates of
P. lilacinum
PL1 was evaluated. Certain pesticides were ineffective on the expansion of
P. lilacinum
PL1 colonies, while fungicides exhibited complete inhibition. The laboratory investigation revealed that 1 × 10
7
conidia ml
−1
of
P. lilacinum
PL1 exhibited a success rate of 88.66% in decreasing the population of
A. devastans
nymphs in vitro. Furthermore, field investigations carried out in okra plantations demonstrated that the utilization of
P. lilacinum
PL1 at the concentration of 1 × 10
7
conidia ml
−1
of resulted in a significant reduction of the pest nymph population by 72.87% subsequent to the 2 applications.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the cost-effective mass production of
P. lilacinum
PL1 conidia through SSF presents a promising solution for managing
A. devastans
infestations in okra farming, particularly in economically challenged regions.
Vaginal candidiasis is frequent in women of reproductive age. Accurate identification Candida provides helpful information for successful therapy and epidemiology study; however, there are very ...limited data from the Vietnam have been reported. This study was performed to determine the prevalence, species distribution of yeast causing vaginal discharge and antifungal susceptibility patterns of Candida albicans among symptomatic non-pregnant women of reproductive age. Vaginal discharge samples were collected from 462 women of reproductive age in Hanoi, Vietnam between Sep 2019 and Oct 2020. Vaginal swabs from these patients were examined by direct microscopic examination (10% KOH). CHROMagarTM Candida medium and Sabouraud dextrose agar supplemented with chloramphenicol (0.5 g/l) were used to isolate yeast, and species identification was performed using morphological tests and molecular tools (PCR and sequencing). Antifungal susceptibility testing was determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines (M27-A3 and M27-S4). The prevalence of vaginal yeast colonization in non-pregnant women was 51.3% of 462 participants. Nine different yeast species were identified. Among these isolates, C. albicans (51.37%) was the most frequent, followed by C. parapsilosis (25.88%), C. glabrata (11.37%), C. tropicalis (4.31%), C. krusei (3.92%), C. africana (1.57%), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (0.78%), C. nivariensis (1 isolates, 0.39%), and C. lusitaniae (1 isolates, 0.39%), respectively. Among C. albicans, all 46 isolates were 100% susceptible to micafungin, caspofungin, and miconazole. The susceptibility rates to amphotericine B, 5-flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole were 95.65, 91.30, 91.30, 82.61 and 86.95%, respectively. The prevalence of VVC among symptomatic non-pregnant women of reproductive age in Vietnam was higher than many parts of the world. The high frequency of non-albicans Candida species, which were often more resistant to antifungal agents, was a notable feature. Resistance rates of vaginal C. albicans isolates to antifungal agents was low. Our findings suggest that continued surveillance of changes in species distribution and susceptibility to antifungals should be routinely screened and treated.
Of the blue carbon sinks, mangroves have one of the highest organic matter (OM) storage capacities in their soil due to low mineralization processes resulting from waterlogging. However, mangroves ...are disappearing worldwide because of demographic increases. In addition to the loss of CO2 fixation, mangrove clearing can strongly affect soil characteristics and C storage. The objectives of the present study were to quantify the evolution of soil quality, carbon stocks and carbon fluxes after mangrove clearing. Sediment cores to assess physico-chemical properties were collected and in situ CO2 fluxes were measured at the soil-air interface in a mangrove of Northern Vietnam. We compared a Kandelia candel mangrove forest with a nearby zone that had been cleared two years before the study. Significant decrease of clay content and an increase in bulk density for the upper 35cm in the cleared zone were observed. Soil organic carbon (OC) content in the upper 35cm decreased by >65% two years after clearing. The quantity and the quality of the carbon changed, with lower carbon to nitrogen ratios, indicating a more decomposed OM, a higher content of dissolved organic carbon, and a higher content of inorganic carbon (three times higher). This highlights the efficiency of mineralization processes following clearing. Due to the rapid decrease in the soil carbon content, CO2 fluxes at sediment interface were >50% lower in the cleared zone. Taking into account carbonate precipitation after OC mineralization, the mangrove soil lost ~10MgOCha−1yr−1 mostly as CO2 to the atmosphere and possibly as dissolved forms towards adjacent ecosystems. The impacts on the carbon cycle of mangrove clearing as shown by the switch from a C sink to a C source highlight the importance of maintaining these ecosystems, particularly in a context of climate change.
Display omitted
•Soil properties, C stock and CO2 fluxes were studied two years after mangrove clearing.•Soil properties evolved down to 35cm depth.•Mangrove clearing resulted in an acidification and a winnowing of fine particles.•Increased decomposition resulted in a loss of ~10MgOCha−1yr−1.•CO2 emissions and carbonate precipitation were suggested to be the main OC sinks.
Key message
The field survey in this article showed in ‘KU50’, a popular variety and late-branching type of cassava in Southeast Asia, that flowering rarely occurs in normal-field conditions in ...Southeast Asia but is strongly induced in the dry season in the mountainous region. Flowering time is correlated with the expression patterns of
MeFT1
and homologs of
Arabidopsis GI
,
PHYA,
and
NF-Ys
.
Cassava (
Manihot esculenta
Crantz) is a tropical crop that is propagated vegetatively rather than sexually by seed. Flowering rarely occurs in the erect-type variety grown in Southeast Asia, but it is known that cassava produces flowers every year in mountainous regions. Data pertaining to the effect of environmental factors on flowering time and gene expression in cassava, however, is limited. The aim of the present study was to determine the kinds of environmental conditions that regulate flowering time in cassava and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The flowering status of KU50, a popular variety in Southeast Asia and late-branching type of cassava, was monitored in six fields in Vietnam and Cambodia. At non-flowering and flowering field locations in North Vietnam, the two
FLOWERING LOCUS T
(
FT
)-like genes,
MeFT1 and MeFT2,
were characterized by qPCR, and the pattern of expression of flowering-related genes and genes responsive to environmental signals were analyzed by using RNA sequencing data from time-series samples. Results indicate that cassava flowering was induced in the dry season in the mountain region, and that flowering time was correlated with the expression of
MeFT1
, and homologs of
Arabidopsis GI
,
PHYA,
and
NF-Ys
. Based upon these data, we hypothesize that floral induction in cassava is triggered by some conditions present in the mountain regions during the dry season.
Rutin and flavonoids derived from Sophora japonica hold significant potential for various bioactivities. The objective of this study is to improve the ultrasonic-assisted extraction procedure for ...obtaining rutin and total flavonoids from Sophora japonica. Moreover, the purification of these total flavonoids from the ethanol extract was accomplished using macroporous resins. Under optimal conditions, the extraction efficiency of rutin and total flavonoids were 32.49% and 48.40%, respectively. Out of the 11 macroporous resins tested for purification, the results indicated that DAX-8 and ADS-7 were the two most efficient resins. Under meticulously optimized purification conditions, the highest flavonoid content attained in the final product was 93.13% for DAX-8 and 92.20% for ADS-7, respectively. Based on the findings, the extraction and purification technique explored in this research provides a solid basis for improving industrial procedures related to extracting and purifying flavonoids from Sophora japonica.
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