Correction: Leaf vein patterning is regulated by the aperture of plasmodesmata intercellular channels.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001781.].

Leaf vein patterning is regulated by the aperture of plasmodesmata intercellular channels.

To form tissue networks, animal cells migrate and interact through proteins protruding from their plasma membranes. Plant cells can do neither, yet plants form vein networks. How plants do so is unclear, but veins are thought to form by the coordinated action of the polar transport and signal transduction of the plant hormone auxin. However, plants inhibited in both pathways still form veins. Patterning of vascular cells into veins is instead prevented in mutants lacking the function of the GNOM (GN) regulator of auxin transport and signaling, suggesting the existence of at least one more GN-dependent vein-patterning pathway. Here we show that in Arabidopsis such a pathway depends on the movement of auxin or an auxin-dependent signal through plasmodesmata (PDs) intercellular channels. PD permeability is high where veins are forming, lowers between veins and nonvascular tissues, but remains high between vein cells. Impaired ability to regulate PD aperture leads to defects in auxin transport and signaling, ultimately leading to vein patterning defects that are enhanced by inhibition of auxin transport or signaling. GN controls PD aperture regulation, and simultaneous inhibition of auxin signaling, auxin transport, and regulated PD aperture phenocopies null gn mutants. Therefore, veins are patterned by the coordinated action of three GN-dependent pathways: auxin signaling, polar auxin transport, and movement of auxin or an auxin-dependent signal through PDs. Such a mechanism of tissue network formation is unprecedented in multicellular organisms.

Streptococcus raffinosi sp. nov., isolated from human breast milk samples.

Novel Gram-positive, catalase-negative, α-haemolytic cocci were isolated from breast milk samples of healthy mothers living in Hanoi, Vietnam. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of these strains varied by 0-2 nucleotide polymorphisms. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of one strain, designated as BME SL 6.1T, showed the highest similarity to those of Streptococcus salivarius NCTC 8618T (99.4 %), Streptococcus vestibularis ATCC 49124T (99.4 %), and Streptococcus thermophilus ATCC 19258T (99.3 %) in the salivarius group. Whole genome sequencing was performed on three selected strains. Phylogeny based on 631 core genes clustered the three strains into the salivarius group, and the strains were clearly distinct from the other species in this group. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) value of strain BME SL 6.1T exhibited the highest identity with S. salivarius NCTC 8618T (88.4 %), followed by S. vestibularis ATCC 49124T (88.3 %) and S. thermophilus ATCC 19258T (87.4 %). The ANI and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain BME SL 6.1T and other species were below the cut-off value (95 and 70 %, respectively), indicating that it represents a novel species of the genus Streptococcus. The strains were able to produce α-galactosidase and acid from raffinose and melibiose. Therefore, we propose to assign the strains to a new species of the genus Streptococcus as Streptococcus raffinosi sp. nov. The type strain is BME SL 6.1T (=VTCC 12812T=NBRC 116368T).

In the face and neck, keloid scar distribution is related to skin thickness and stiffness changes associated with movement.

Keloid scars tend to occur in high-tension sites due to mechanical stimuli that are involved in their development. To date, a detailed analysis of keloid distribution focused specifically on facial and neck areas has not been reported, and limited literature exists as to the related mechanical factors. To rectify this deficiency of knowledge, we first quantified the facial and neck keloid distribution observed clinically in 113 patients. Subsequently, we performed a rigorous investigation into the mechanical factors and their associated changes at these anatomic sites in healthy volunteers without a history of pathologic scarring. The association between keloid-predilection sites and sebaceous gland-dense and acne-prone sites was also examined. To assess skin stretch, thickness and stiffness, VECTRA, ultrasound and indentometer were utilised. Baseline skin stiffness and thickness were measured, as well as the magnitude of change in these values associated with facial expression and postural changes. Within the face and neck, keloids were most common near the mandibular angle (41.3%) and lateral submental (20.0%) regions. These areas of increased keloid incidence were not associated with areas more dense in sebaceous glands, nor linked consistently with acne-susceptible regions. Binomial logistic regression revealed that changes in skin stiffness and thickness related to postural changes significantly predicted keloid distribution. Skin stiffness and thickness changes related to prolonged mechanical forces (postural changes) are most pronounced at sites of high keloid predilection. This finding further elucidates the means by which skin stretch and tension are related to keloid development. As a more detailed analysis of mechanical forces on facial and neck skin, this study evaluates the nuances of multiple skin-mechanical properties, and their changes in a three-dimensional framework. Such factors may be critical to better understanding keloid progression and development in the face and neck.

Mycology laboratory diagnostic capacity for invasive fungal diseases in public hospitals in Vietnam.

This was a cross-sectional study on the availability of laboratory infrastructure and capacity for the diagnosis of invasive fungal diseases in 24 public hospitals in Vietnam in 2023. Among the hospitals surveyed, 66.7% (14/21) had specialized personnel assigned for mycology testing, and 95.8% (23/24) had a separate microbiology laboratory space. Microscopy and culture methods are available in nearly all laboratories for isolate identification. Antifungal susceptibility testing is only performed for yeasts in 16/24 (66.7%) laboratories. Non-culture methods are hardly used in laboratories. Strengthening local laboratory capacities is essential to meeting health needs in these endemic regions.

There was a need for investment in fungal diagnostics to improve health services in the settings with a burden of endemic fungal infections.

Corrosion inhibition ability of L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan for mild steel: a combination of experimental and theoretical methods.

An investigation into the corrosion inhibition properties of L-tryptophan (TP) and 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (5-OH-TP) for mild steel in a 1.0 M HCl acidic medium was conducted using experimental and theoretical methods. Results obtained from polarization curve measurements reveal that TP and 5-OH-TP are effective mixed-type inhibitors, exhibiting the highest inhibition efficiencies of 91.22% and 94.05%, respectively, at a temperature of 293 K and a concentration of 10-2 M. However, their inhibition efficiencies gradually decline with increasing temperature, reaching the lowest values of 70.65% for TP and 73.55% for 5-OH-TP at a concentration of 10-4 M and a temperature of 323 K. The adsorption of TP and 5-OH-TP on the steel surface follows the Langmuir isotherm, suggesting monolayer adsorption. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis indicates that the adsorbed inhibitors form a protective film, effectively shielding the steel from corrosive agents in the solution. Notably, 5-OH-TP consistently exhibits superior inhibition efficiency compared to TP, attributed to the presence of polar OH groups that facilitate stronger bonding of the inhibitor molecule with the metal surface. Quantum chemical parameters and molecular dynamics simulations further confirm the superior corrosion inhibition ability of 5-OH-TP over TP in acidic environments. In particular, the binding energies of protonated TP at the N3 position and 5-OH-TP at the N4 position are 556.40 and 579.27 kJ mol-1, respectively.

Secondary metabolites from marine fungus Penicillium chrysogenum VH17 and their antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential.

One new compound, methyl 3-((1-((2-carbamoylphenyl)amino)-1-oxopropan-2-yl)amino)-3-oxopropanoate (1), along with nine known secondary metabolites (2-10) were isolated and elucidated chemical structures from the methanol extract of the marine-derived fungus Penicillium chrysogenum VH17. Subsequent bioassays showed the antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential of the isolated compounds. All compounds 1-10 displayed antimicrobial effects against at least one tested reference microorganism with MIC values ranging from 32 to 256 µg mL-1. Furthermore, compound 4 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against all tested cell lines HepG2, A549, and MCF7 with IC50 values of 29.43 ± 1.37, 33.02 ± 1.53, and 36.72 ± 1.88 µM, respectively, whereas compound 3 exhibited weak cytotoxicity against MCF7 and HepG2 cell lines with IC50 values of 87.17 ± 6.31 and 97.32 ± 5.66 µM, respectively.

Suicide risk among young people who use drugs in Hanoi, Vietnam: Prevalence and related factors.

AIM: Adolescents and young adults are vulnerable to suicidality, especially those at high risk such as young people who use drugs (YPUD). This study aimed to assess the prevalence and related factors of suicide risk among this population. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study on YPUD aged 16-24 in the community in Hanoi, Vietnam. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, drug use, and adverse childhood experiences were collected using face-to-face questionnaires by research assistants. YPUD were screened by psychiatrists for depression, psychotic symptoms, and suicide risk, using the MINI questionnaire. RESULTS: Three hundred-seven YPUD (250 males, 57 females) participated in the study; of those, 86 (28.0%) were at risk of suicide. Gender (female), adverse childhood experiences, depression, and psychosis were relevant factors. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of suicide risk among young people using drugs was high. Therefore, suicide risk should be screened and monitored in the clinical assessment of this population. In addition, the intervention efforts to detect and intervene in adverse events during childhood may be one way to prevent mental health and suicide in later life.

Efficacy of Annona glabra extract against acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease in white-leg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei).

This study aims to investigate the use of pond apple (Annona glabra) compounds as a novel strategy to prevent and treat acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) as well as to better understand the mechanism of health improvement in shrimp. The A. glabra leaf extracts were extracted using various solvents and examined for in vitro and in vivo activity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains. In comparison with ethanol and water extracts, methanol extract showed the strongest bactericidal effect (MBC/MIC ratio of 2.50 ± 1.00), with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.023 ± 0.012 mg ml-1 and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 0.065 ± 0.062 mg ml-1. White leg shrimp (P. vannamei, body weight 10.37 ± 0.27 g) fed A. glabra methanol extracts-containing diets (AMEDs) at 1 %, 1.5 %, and 2.0 % demonstrated no deleterious effects on survival and were significantly increased in length and weight after 30 days of feeding. The level of total haemocyte, hyaline haemocyte on day 15 and granulocyte on day 30 remarkably increased (p < 0.05) in shrimps fed AMEDs groups compared to those in the control group. The finding demonstrates that granulocyte was induced time dependently. In particular, the survival rate of V. parahaemolyticus challenged shrimps under medication with AMEDs at 1.5 % and 2.0 % was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the control group. The decrease in bacterial load of Vibrio spp. and V. parahaemolyticus was obviously recorded in hepatopancreas shrimp given AMEDs 1.5 % and 2.0 % and may be linked to herb characteristics such as antibacterial activity, enhancing innate immunity, and its potential to maintain the integrity of hepatopancreatic tissue. Our findings suggest that A. glabra extract might be used as a health enhancer in commercial farmed shrimp.

Effects of Shrimp Shell-Derived Chitosan on Growth, Immunity, Intestinal Morphology, and Gene Expression of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Reared in a Biofloc System.

Chitosan (CH) shows great potential as an immunostimulatory feed additive in aquaculture. This study evaluates the effects of varying dietary CH levels on the growth, immunity, intestinal morphology, and antioxidant status of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in a biofloc system. Tilapia fingerlings (mean weight 13.54 ± 0.05 g) were fed diets supplemented with 0 (CH0), 5 (CH5), 10 (CH10), 20 (CH20), and 40 (CH40) mL·kg-1 of CH for 8 weeks. Parameters were assessed after 4 and 8 weeks. Their final weight was not affected by CH supplementation, but CH at 10 mL·kg-1 significantly improved weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) compared to the control (p < 0.05) at 8 weeks. Skin mucus lysozyme and peroxidase activities were lower in the chitosan-treated groups at weeks 4 and 8. Intestinal villi length and width were enhanced by 10 and 20 mL·kg-1 CH compared to the control. However, 40 mL·kg-1 CH caused detrimental impacts on the villi and muscular layer. CH supplementation, especially 5-10 mL·kg-1, increased liver and intestinal expressions of interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 8 (IL-8), LPS-binding protein (LBP), glutathione reductase (GSR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione S-transferase (GST-α) compared to the control group. Overall, dietary CH at 10 mL·kg-1 can effectively promote growth, intestinal morphology, innate immunity, and antioxidant capacity in Nile tilapia fingerlings reared in biofloc systems.

Droplet digital PCR for fish pathogen detection and quantification: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study provides a comprehensive summary of the findings regarding the application and diagnostic efficacy of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in detecting viral and bacterial pathogens in aquaculture. Utilizing a systematic search of four databases up to 6 November 2023, we identified studies where ddPCR was deployed for pathogen detection in aquaculture settings, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy guidelines. From the collected data, 16 studies retrieved, seven were included in a meta-analysis, encompassing 1121 biological samples from various fish species. The detection limits reported ranged markedly from 0.07 to 34 copies/µL. A direct comparison of the diagnostic performance between ddPCR with quantitative PCR (qPCR) proved challenging due to limited data, thus only a pooled sensitivity analysis was feasible. The results showed a pooled sensitivity of 0.750 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.487-0.944) for ddPCR, compared to 0.461 (95% CI: 0.294-0.632) for qPCR, with no statistically significant difference in sensitivity between the two methods (p = .5884). Notably, significant heterogeneity was observed among the studies (I2 = 93%-97%, p < .01), with the year of publication significantly influencing this heterogeneity (p < .001), but not the country of origin (p = .49). No publication bias was detected, and the studies generally exhibited a low risk of bias according to QUADAS-C criteria. While ddPCR and qPCR showed comparable sensitivities in pathogen detection, ddPCR's capability to precisely quantify pathogens without the need for standard curves highlights its potential utility. This characteristic could significantly enhance the accuracy and reliability of pathogen detection in aquaculture.

Review of quorum-quenching probiotics: A promising non-antibiotic-based strategy for sustainable aquaculture.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs) and genes (ARGs) in aquaculture underscores the urgent need for alternative veterinary strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These measures are vital to reduce the likelihood of entering a post-antibiotic era. Identifying environmentally friendly biotechnological solutions to prevent and treat bacterial diseases is crucial for the sustainability of aquaculture and for minimizing the use of antimicrobials, especially antibiotics. The development of probiotics with quorum-quenching (QQ) capabilities presents a promising non-antibiotic strategy for sustainable aquaculture. Recent research has demonstrated the effectiveness of QQ probiotics (QQPs) against a range of significant fish pathogens in aquaculture. QQ disrupts microbial communication (quorum sensing, QS) by inhibiting the production, replication, and detection of signalling molecules, thereby reducing bacterial virulence factors. With their targeted anti-virulence approach, QQPs have substantial promise as a potential alternative to antibiotics. The application of QQPs in aquaculture, however, is still in its early stages and requires additional research. Key challenges include determining the optimal dosage and treatment regimens, understanding the long-term effects, and integrating QQPs with other disease control methods in diverse aquaculture systems. This review scrutinizes the current literature on antibiotic usage, AMR prevalence in aquaculture, QQ mechanisms and the application of QQPs as a sustainable alternative to antibiotics.

Chemical Compositions and Antimicrobial and Mosquito Larvicidal Activities of the Leaf Essential Oils of Goniothalamus yunnanensis W.T.Wang and G. touranensis Ast: Experimental and In Silico Approaches.

The current research describes a phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of essential oils extracted from the leaves of two Vietnamese Annonaceae species Goniothalamus yunnanensis W.T.Wang and G. touranensis Ast. By the GC-FID/MS (gas chromatography-flame ionization detection/mass spectrometry) analyses, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons accounted for the highest percentage of 68.22% in G. yunnanensis leaf essential oil with bicyclogermacrene (31.03%) and (E)-caryophyllene (21.12%) being the main compounds. G. touranensis leaf essential oil was dominated by monoterpene hydrocarbons (57.08%) with p-cymene (19.95%) and α-pinene (16.82%) being the major compounds. Two oil samples showed strong antibacterial effects on the Gram-positive bacteria Enterococcus faecalis ATCC51299, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC29213, and Bacillus cereus ATCC11778 with the MIC values of 16-64 µg/mL. They also inhibited the growth of the yeast Candida albicans ATCC 60193 with the same MIC value of 128 µg/mL. Both two oil samples showed strong mosquito larvicidal activity against four-instar larvae of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus with the 24-h LC50 values of 16.75-27.60 µg/mL and 24-h LC90 values of 24.31-46.18 µg/mL. Docking results indicated that bicyclogermacrene and p-cymene exhibited the highest ΔG (binding affinity) values of -8.208 and -6.799 kcal/mol with the olfactory binding proteins (OBPs) of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, respectively.

Effectiveness and Pharmacokinetic Exposures of First-Line Drugs Used to Treat Drug-Susceptible Tuberculosis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Optimal doses of first-line drugs for treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis in children and young adolescents remain uncertain. We aimed to determine whether children treated using World Health Organization-recommended or higher doses of first-line drugs achieve successful outcomes and sufficient pharmacokinetic (PK) exposures. METHODS: Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were screened. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and trial registries from 2010 to 2021. We included studies in children aged <18 years being treated for drug-susceptible tuberculosis with rifampicin (RIF), pyrazinamide, isoniazid, and ethambutol. Outcomes were treatment success rates and drug exposures. The protocol for the systematic review was preregistered in PROSPERO (no. CRD42021274222). RESULTS: Of 304 studies identified, 46 were eligible for full-text review, and 12 and 18 articles were included for the efficacy and PK analyses, respectively. Of 1830 children included in the efficacy analysis, 82% had favorable outcomes (range, 25%-95%). At World Health Organization-recommended doses, exposures to RIF, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol were lower in children than in adults. Children ≤6 years old have 35% lower areas under the concentration-time curve (AUCs) than older children (mean of 14.4 [95% CI 9.9-18.8] vs 22.0 [13.8-30.1] µg·h/mL) and children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) had 35% lower RIF AUCs than HIV-negative children (17.3 [11.4-23.2] vs 26.5 [21.3-31.7] µg·h/mL). Heterogeneity and small sample sizes were major limitations. CONCLUSIONS: There is large variability in outcomes, with an average of 82% favorable outcomes. Drug exposures are lower in children than in adults. Younger children and/or those with HIV are underexposed to RIF. Standardization of PK pediatric studies and individual patient data analysis with safety assessment are needed to inform optimal dosing.

Downregulation of Odd-Skipped Related 2, a Novel Regulator of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, Enables Efficient Somatic Cell Reprogramming.

Somatic cell reprogramming proceeds through a series of events to generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The early stage of reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts is characterized by rapid cell proliferation and morphological changes, which are accompanied by downregulation of mesenchyme-associated genes. However, the functional relevance of their downregulation to reprogramming remains poorly defined. In this study, we have screened transcriptional regulators that are downregulated immediately upon reprogramming, presumably through direct targeting by reprogramming factors. To test if these transcriptional regulators impact reprogramming when expressed continuously, we generated an expression vector that harbors human cytomegalovirus upstream open reading frame 2 (uORF2), which reduces translation to minimize the detrimental effect of an expressed protein. Screening of transcriptional regulators with this expression vector revealed that downregulation of (odd-skipped related 2 [Osr2]) is crucial for efficient reprogramming. Using a cell-based model for epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), we show that Osr2 is a novel EMT regulator that acts through induction of transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) signaling. During reprogramming, Osr2 downregulation not only diminishes TGF-ß signaling but also allows activation of Wnt signaling, thus promoting mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) toward acquisition of pluripotency. Our results illuminate the functional significance of Osr2 downregulation in erasing the mesenchymal phenotype at an early stage of somatic cell reprogramming.

Synthetic peptides derived from predicted B cell epitopes of nervous necrosis virus (NNV) show antigenicity and elicit immunogenic responses in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer).

Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) has spread throughout the world, affecting more than 120 freshwater and marine fish species. While vaccination effectively prevents disease outbreaks, the difficulty of producing sufficient viruses using cell lines continues to be a significant disadvantage for producing inactivated vaccines. This study, therefore, explored the application of synthetic peptides as potential vaccine candidates for the prevention of NNV in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer). Using the epitope prediction tool and molecular docking, three predicted immunogenic B cell epitopes (30-32 aa) derived from NNV coat protein were selected and synthesised, corresponding to amino acid positions 5 to 34 (P1), 133 to 162 (P2) and 181 to 212 (P3). All the predicted peptides interact with Asian sea bass's MHC class II by docking. The antigenicity of these peptides was determined through ELISA and all peptides were able to react with NNV-specific antibodies. Subsequently, the immunogenicity of these synthetic peptides was investigated by immunisation of Asian seabass with individual peptides (30 µg/fish) and a peptide cocktail (P1+P2+P3, 10 µg each/fish) by intraperitoneal injection, followed by a booster dose at day 28 post-primary immunisation. There was a subset of immunised fish that were able to induce upregulation of immune genes (IL-1ß, TNFα, MHCI, MHCII ß, CD4, CD8, and IgM-like) in the head kidney and spleen post immunization. Importantly, antibodies derived from fish immunised with synthetic peptides reacted with whole NNV virions, and sera from P1 group could neutralise NNV in an in vitro assay. Taken together, these findings indicate that synthetic linear peptides based on predicted B cell epitopes exhibited both antigenic and immunogenic properties, suggesting that they could be potential vaccine candidates for the prevention of NNV in fish.

Effects of hyperoxia during oxygen nanobubble treatment on innate immunity, growth performance, gill histology, and gut microbiome in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus.

Oxygen nanobubble (NB-O2) technology has been introduced to the aquaculture industry in recent years. This treatment usually results in a tremendously high level of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water. However, little is known about the possible negative effects of hyperoxia due to NB-O2 treatment (hyper-NB-O2) on farmed fish. Here, we investigated i) the effect of short-term hyper-NB-O2 exposure (single treatment) on the innate immunity in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, and ii) the effect of long-term hyper-NB-O2 exposure (26-day treatments) on survival, growth performance, gill histology, and gut microbiome in Nile tilapia. A single treatment with NB-O2 for 10 min in 50 L of water resulted in 24.2 ± 0.04 mg/L DO (approximately 2-3 × 107 nanoscale oxygen bubbles/mL). This treatment did not result in differences in expression of several immune-related genes (e.g., TNF-α, LYZ and HPS70) in various tissues (e.g., gill, head kidney, and spleen) compared to the non-treated control. Over a 26-day period of exposure, no significant differences were observed in survival and growth performance of the fish, but minor histological changes were occasionally noted on the gills. Analysis of the gut microbiome revealed a significant increase in the genera Bosea, Exiguobacterium, Hyphomicrobium, and Singulisphaera in the group receiving NB-O2. Moreover, no signs of "gas bubble disease" were observed in the fish throughout the duration of the experiment. Overall, these results suggest that both short- and long-term hyper-NB-O2 exposure appears to be benign and has no obvious adverse effects on fish.

Mussel - Inspired biosorbent combined with graphene oxide for removal of organic pollutants from aqueous solutions.

In this work, we develop a mussel-inspired biosorbent combined with graphene oxide for removal of organic dyes in water sources. The composite was prepared via self-polymerization of dopamine in weak alkaline solution containing graphene oxide at ambient condition. Morphological and structural studies revealed that polydopamine has gradually grown to cover the surface of graphene oxide flakes, partially reduced these flakes, and somehow form many grains (size around 20 nm) on the flakes instead of making very large aggregates as usual. The mass ratio between two components of the composite was also investigated to find the optimal one which provides enough surface area (20 m2.g-1) and maintain adhesive sites in order to ensure high-efficiency removal of organic molecules. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of as-prepared adsorbent towards methylene blue were found to fit well with pseudo-first order kinetics model and Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity (qm) and Langmuir constant (kL) were estimated to be 270 mg.g-1 and 0.49 L. mg-1. The as-prepared bio-sorbent is very promising for remediation of water sources contaminated with cationic organic molecules and heavy metal ions.

Four New Stilbene Derivatives Isolated from Gnetum latifolium var. funiculare Markgr. and Their Inhibition of NO Production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 Cells.

Gnetum latifolium var. funiculare Markgr. is a medicinal plant and widely distributed in mountainous areas of Vietnam. Phytochemical investigation on the trunks of this plant afforded eight stilbene derivatives (1-8) including for new compounds (1-4). Their structures were determined based on extensive analyses of HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra. Among the isolates, compounds 1-3 showed moderate NO production inhibition in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells with the IC50 values ranging from 46.81 to 68.10 µM, compounds 4 and 6 showed weak effects with the IC50 values of 96.57 and 79.46 µM, respectively, compared to that of the positive control compound, dexamethasone (IC50 14.20 µM).

New Dibenzocyclooctadiene Lignans and Phenolics from Kadsura heteroclite with Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

A chemical investigation of K. heteroclite led to isolation of two new dibenzocyclooctadienes (1 and 2) together with 14 known compounds (3-16) by using multiple chromatographic techniques. New compounds (1 and 2) were obtained and identified by spectroscopic methods (HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR, and ECD) as well as by comparison of their experimental data with those reported in the literatures. All the isolates were evaluated for their ability to modulate TNF-α production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Among them, compound 5 displayed the most inhibition against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production with IC50 value of 6.16±0.14 µM. Whereas, compounds (1, 3, and 6) showed the significant inhibition (IC50 values ranging from 9.41 to 14.54 µM), and compounds (2, 4, 9, 10, 13, 15, and 16) exhibited moderate inhibition (IC50 values ranging from 19.27 to 40.64 µM) toward TNF-α production, respectively.