Dental phenotypic shape variation supports a multiple dispersal model for anatomically modern humans in Southeast Asia.

The population history of anatomically modern humans (AMH) in Southeast Asia (SEA) is a highly debated topic. The impact of sea level variations related to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the Neolithic diffusion on past population dispersals are two key issues. We have investigated competing AMH dispersal hypotheses in SEA through the analysis of dental phenotype shape variation on the basis of very large archaeological samples employing two complementary approaches. We first explored the structure of between- and within-group shape variation of permanent human molar crowns. Second, we undertook a direct test of competing hypotheses through a modeling approach. Our results identify a significant LGM-mediated AMH expansion and a strong biological impact of the spread of Neolithic farmers into SEA during the Holocene. The present work thus favors a "multiple AMH dispersal" hypothesis for the population history of SEA, reconciling phenotypic and recent genomic data.

Integration of lornoxicam nanocrystals into hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based sustained release matrix to form a novel biphasic release system.

The study aims to (a) enhance the solubility of a poorly soluble drug by optimization of nanocrystal formulation using the top-down approach and (b) modify the release profile of this drug, which exhibits a short elimination half-life, by the integration of a fast-release phase containing the optimized nanocrystals and a sustained-release phase in a compression-coated tablet. Nanocrystals of the model drug (lornoxicam; LNX) was prepared by simultaneous application of jet-milling and ball-milling techniques. Investigation of the precipitation inhibition capacity, thermal property, and interaction of different polymers with the drug revealed polyvinyl pyrrolidone K30 (PVP) as the most effective stabilizer for nanocrystals. The immediate-release layer containing the optimized nanocrystals (size of 279.5 ± 11.25 nm and polydispersity index of 0.204 ± 0.01) was then compressed on a zero-order sustained-release matrix core using different derivatives of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). Application of the Design of Experiment approach (DoE) was applied to optimize the formulation of tablet. Analysis of drug concentration in dog plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry demonstrated an improvement in the release behavior of LNX from the optimal compression-coated tablet integrating a HPMC-based sustained release matrix core and a PVP-stabilized lornoxicam nanocrystals coating layer compared to the reference product.

Progression of liver fibrosis and associated factors among chronic hepatitis B patients at a general hospital in Northern Vietnam.

Evaluation of liver fibrosis is necessary to make the therapeutic decision and assess the prognosis of CHB patients. The current study aimed to describe the progression and identify some influencing factors in patients with chronic hepatitis B at a General Hospital in Northern Vietnam. The longitudinal study included 55 eligible subjects diagnosed Hepatitis-B-virus. Dependent variable was the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index and we collected some demographic variables and disease related and behaviour variables. Bayesian Model Averaging was used to select variables into model. Mixed-effect linear models were used to evaluate the change of the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index over time and identify related factors. the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index differences between examinations, age of participants, working status were statistically significant. This pattern indicated that the average the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index of the population decreased by 0.005 (95% CI=-0.009; -0.001) after each patient's visit, and increased by 0.013 if the patient's age increased by 1 year (95% CI=0.005; 0.0219). For non-working patients, the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index was lower, coefficient was -0.054 (95% CI=-0.108; 0.001). Other variables such as gender, education level, time for disease detection, drinking tea, alcohol consumption, forgetting to take medicine and the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index were not significantly different. The study showed that the majority of study subjects had average the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index, and were relatively well controlled and treated during the study. Age and working status are factors that influence the the aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index.