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1.
J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater ; 112(10): e35486, 2024 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39295151

ABSTRACT

Hydrogels have emerged as potential materials for bone grafting, thanks to their biocompatibility, biodegradation, and flexibility in filling irregular bone defects. In this study, we fabricated a novel NAH hydrogel system, composed of N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (NOCC), aldehyde hyaluronic acid (AHA), and hydroxyapatite (HAp). To improve the mechanical strength of the fabricated hydrogel, a porous polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix was synthesized and used as a three-dimensional (3D) support template for NAH hydrogel loading, forming a novel PCL/NAH hybrid scaffold. A mixture of monosodium glutamate (M) and sucrose (S) at varied weight ratios (5M:5S, 7M:3S, and 9M:1S) was used for the fabrication of 3D PCL matrices. The morphology, interconnectivity, and water resistance of the porous PCL scaffolds were investigated for optimal hydrogel loading efficiency. The results demonstrated that PCL scaffolds with porogen ratios of 7M:3S and 9M:1S possessed better interconnectivity than 5M:5S ratio. The compressive strength of the PCL/NAH hybrid scaffolds with 9M:1S (561.6 ± 6.1 kPa) and 7M:3S (623.8 ± 6.8 kPa) ratios are similar to cancellous bone and all hybrid scaffolds were biocompatible. Rabbit models with tibial defects were implanted with the PCL/NAH scaffolds to assess the wound healing capability. The results suggest that the PCL/NAH hybrid scaffolds, specifically those with porogen ratio of 7M:3S, exhibit promising bone healing effects.


Subject(s)
Bone Regeneration , Chitosan , Durapatite , Hyaluronic Acid , Hydrogels , Polyesters , Tissue Scaffolds , Chitosan/chemistry , Chitosan/pharmacology , Chitosan/analogs & derivatives , Animals , Rabbits , Durapatite/chemistry , Durapatite/pharmacology , Tissue Scaffolds/chemistry , Bone Regeneration/drug effects , Polyesters/chemistry , Hyaluronic Acid/chemistry , Hyaluronic Acid/pharmacology , Hydrogels/chemistry , Hydrogels/pharmacology , Materials Testing , Male
2.
BMC Public Health ; 24(1): 2579, 2024 Sep 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39334085

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The increasing incidence and prevalence of childhood overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) are major global health challenges. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-year healthy lifestyle intervention program in reducing the incidence of OW and OB among schoolchildren aged 11-12 years in Vietnam. METHODS: Study design: Randomized controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: In total, 733 students participated in this study. Participants were included from four schools in Hanoi based on a random cluster sampling method. Students' health outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 2 years. MAIN OUTCOMES: The primary outcomes were the incidence of OW and OB, and the secondary outcomes were the prevalence and remission of OW and OB. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to determine the outcomes and risk factors. RESULTS: After the intervention, the prevalence of OW decreased by 9.24% in the intervention group and 3.01% in the control group. After adjustment for age and sex, the odds of overweight were 36.7% lower in the intervention group than in the control group (OR = 0.633; 95% CI: 0.434-0.925; P = 0.018). The incidence of OW was 1.31% in the intervention group compared with 5.33% in the control group. After adjustment for age and sex, the odds of incident overweight in the intervention group were 77.4% lower than in the control group (OR = 0.226; 95% CI: 0.063-0.813; P = 0.023). The proportion of patients who achieved OW remission was 41.22% in the intervention group and 28.68% in the control group. After adjustment for age and sex, the odds of OW remission of overweight were 2.219 times greater in the intervention group than in the control group (OR = 2.219; 95% CI: 1.220-4.036; P = 0.009). For most OB-related factors, there were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups. CONCLUSION: A multicomponent healthy lifestyle intervention was effective in reducing the incidence of OW; however, it had no significant effect on OB among children aged 11-12 years in Hanoi, Vietnam. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered number: UMIN000014992, 20/08/2023.


Subject(s)
Healthy Lifestyle , Pediatric Obesity , Humans , Vietnam/epidemiology , Male , Female , Child , Incidence , Pediatric Obesity/epidemiology , Pediatric Obesity/prevention & control , Overweight/epidemiology , Overweight/prevention & control , Health Promotion/methods , School Health Services , Program Evaluation
3.
Infect Drug Resist ; 17: 4113-4123, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39319038

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain, can become resistant to all classes of clinically available antibiotics and causes skin infections and severe infections in the lungs, heart, and bloodstream. The study aimed to evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and MRSA exhibiting multidrug resistance obtained through a microbiological culture of clinical specimens at Bac Ninh Provincial General Hospital in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam. Methods: We employed a cross-sectional analysis at Bac Ninh Provincial General Hospital in Vietnam. 15,232 clinical samples from inpatients were examined. S. aureus isolates were identified using established protocols and tested for MRSA and antibiotic susceptibility. Data was analyzed using R software, with statistical calculations to assess associations between variables. Results: Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 417 samples (2.7%), with 77.2% being MRSA and 22.8% methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Significant sources of MRSA were wounds (64.6%) and the surgical unit (50%) according to sample types and hospital wards, respectively. S. aureus showed high resistance rates, the highest being azithromycin (83.2%), and was fully susceptible to vancomycin. Among 294 multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, the prevalence was 82.0% in MRSA and 18.0% in MSSA. Conclusion: The study highlights widespread antimicrobial resistance among MRSA isolates from a provincial hospital in Vietnam, emphasizing the urgent need for antibiotic surveillance, formulation of antibiotic policies, and preventive measures to tackle the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant MRSA.

4.
Biodivers Data J ; 12: e133721, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39206124

ABSTRACT

Background: There has been a series of bird surveys conducted in Vietnam over the last 20 years. However, most of these studies and surveys have focused on sites in Tonkin, the Red River Delta, Cochinchina (Mekong Delta), the Central Highlands and mountainous areas of Central Annam (Central region of Vietnam). The central coastal plain as well as the mountainous region of North Annam have rarely been comprehensively investigated. New information: As a result of our field surveys in 2023 and 2024, a total of 15 species of birds are recorded for the first time from North, Central and South Annam, comprising one Frigate-Bird species (Fregatidae), one ibis (Threskiornithidae), one reed-warbler (Acrocephalidae), one Treecreeper (Certhiidae), two buntings (Emberizidae), one chat (Muscicapidae), one yuhina (Zosteropidae), two nuthatches (Sittidae), two members of the laughingthrush family (Leiothrichidae) and three bulbuls (Pycnonotidae). In addition to photographs confirming the new records, we provide information on the distribution and conservation status of these newly-recorded bird species from Central Vietnam.

5.
Cureus ; 16(6): e61955, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38978943

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In reconstructive plastic surgery, the need for comprehensive research and systematic reviews is apparent due to the field's intricacies, influencing the evidence supporting specific procedures. Although Chat-GPT's knowledge is limited to September 2021, its integration into research proves valuable for efficiently identifying knowledge gaps. Therefore, this tool becomes a potent asset, directing researchers to focus on conducting systematic reviews where they are most necessary. METHODS: Chat-GPT 3.5 was prompted to generate 10 unpublished, innovative research topics on breast reconstruction surgery, followed by 10 additional subtopics. Results were filtered for systematic reviews in PubMed, and novel ideas were identified. To evaluate Chat-GPT's power in generating improved responses, two additional searches were conducted using search terms generated by Chat-GPT. RESULTS: Chat-GPT produced 83 novel ideas, leading to an accuracy rate of 83%. There was a wide range of novel ideas produced among topics such as transgender women, generating 10 ideas, whereas acellular dermal matrix (ADM) generated five ideas. Chat-GPT increased the total number of manuscripts generated by a factor of 2.3, 3.9, and 4.0 in the first, second, and third trials, respectively. While the search results were accurate to our manual searches (95.2% accuracy), the greater number of manuscripts potentially diluted the quality of articles, resulting in fewer novel systematic review ideas. CONCLUSION: Chat-GPT proves valuable in identifying gaps in the literature and offering insights into areas lacking research in breast reconstruction surgery. While it displays high sensitivity, refining its specificity is imperative. Prudent practice involves evaluating accomplished work and conducting a comprehensive review of all components involved.

6.
Asian J Neurosurg ; 19(1): 82-86, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38751397

ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus aureus is found in the normal skin and mucosa of approximately 30% of healthy populations and is the most common pathogen in human disease associated with bacteria. They are divided into methicillin-sensitive S . aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The S. aureus strains carrying the Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes (SA-PVL) were initially believed to belong to the MRSA group; however, recent reports showed they also belonged to the MSSA group (MSSA-PVL). SA-PVL is common in skin and soft-tissue infections but rare in musculoskeletal infections, especially in spondylodiscitis. We are reporting a case suffering from cervical spondylodiscitis and epidural abscess associated with MSSA carrying the Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes.

8.
Materials (Basel) ; 17(8)2024 Apr 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38673132

ABSTRACT

Antibacterial coatings are becoming increasingly attractive for application in the field of biomaterials. In this framework, we developed polymer coating zirconia with antibacterial activity using the "grafting from" methodology. First, 1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-3-butylimidazolium chloride monomer was synthesized. Then, the surface modification of zirconia substrates was performed with this monomer via surface-initiated photo atom transfer radical polymerization for antibacterial activity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ellipsometry, static contact angle measurements, and an atomic force microscope were used to characterize the films for each step of the surface modification. The results revealed that cationic polymers could be successfully deposited on the zirconia surfaces, and the thickness of the grafted layer steadily increased with polymerization time. Finally, the antibacterial adhesion test was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the modified zirconia substrates, and we successfully showed the antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains.

9.
Front Microbiol ; 15: 1332448, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38505547

ABSTRACT

Previously, we pointed out in P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm cells the accumulation of a hypothetical protein named PA3731 and showed that the deletion of the corresponding gene impacted its biofilm formation capacity. PA3731 belongs to a cluster of 4 genes (pa3732 to pa3729) that we named bac for "Biofilm Associated Cluster." The present study focuses on the PA14_16140 protein, i.e., the PA3732 (BacA) homolog in the PA14 strain. The role of BacA in rhamnolipid secretion, biofilm formation and virulence, was confirmed by phenotypic experiments with a bacA mutant. Additional investigations allow to advance that the bac system involves in fact 6 genes organized in operon, i.e., bacA to bacF. At a molecular level, quantitative proteomic studies revealed an accumulation of the BAC cognate partners by the bacA sessile mutant, suggesting a negative control of BacA toward the bac operon. Finally, a first crystallographic structure of BacA was obtained revealing a structure homologous to chaperones or/and regulatory proteins.

10.
World Neurosurg ; 185: e461-e466, 2024 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38369107

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative neuroelectrophysiology monitoring (IONM) has been used to decrease complications and to increase the successful rate of microvascular decompression (MVD) MVD for hemifacial spasm (HFS). Still, it is not available at limited resource centers. We report the outcome of patients undergoing MVD for HFS without using IONM. METHODS: The variables concerning the patients' demographics (age and gender), clinical characteristics, offending vessels (vertebral artery type and non-vertebral artery type), postoperative grade of HFS, and postoperative complications of HFS patients undergoing MVD were retrospectively reviewed and collected. The scoring system provided by the Japan Society for MVD was used to evaluate the postoperative outcome of HFS. Postoperative hearing ability was evaluated according to a subjective assessment of the patients. RESULTS: A total of 228 patients were recruited. Their median age was 51.0 (44.0-57.0) years old. The total cure effect was observed in 207 (90.8%) patients within the first week after the surgery and in 200 (96.1%) patients in a 2-year follow-up. Permanent hearing disturbance happened in 2 patients (0.9%). No patient had permanent unilateral deafness (0%). No postoperative permanent facial paralysis was reported. CONCLUSIONS: MVD without IONM may be performed safely and effectively to treat patients with HFS.


Subject(s)
Hemifacial Spasm , Microvascular Decompression Surgery , Humans , Hemifacial Spasm/surgery , Microvascular Decompression Surgery/methods , Female , Male , Middle Aged , Adult , Retrospective Studies , Treatment Outcome , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring/methods , Monitoring, Intraoperative/methods
11.
Clin Cancer Res ; 30(10): 2121-2139, 2024 May 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38416404

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Mutations in the ATM gene are common in multiple cancers, but clinical studies of therapies targeting ATM-aberrant cancers have yielded mixed results. Refinement of ATM loss of function (LOF) as a predictive biomarker of response is urgently needed. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We present the first disclosure and preclinical development of a novel, selective ATR inhibitor, ART0380, and test its antitumor activity in multiple preclinical cancer models. To refine ATM LOF as a predictive biomarker, we performed a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of ATM variants in patient tumors and then assessed the ATM variant-to-protein relationship. Finally, we assessed a novel ATM LOF biomarker approach in retrospective clinical data sets of patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy or ATR inhibition. RESULTS: ART0380 had potent, selective antitumor activity in a range of preclinical cancer models with differing degrees of ATM LOF. Pan-cancer analysis identified 10,609 ATM variants in 8,587 patient tumors. Cancer lineage-specific differences were seen in the prevalence of deleterious (Tier 1) versus unknown/benign (Tier 2) variants, selective pressure for loss of heterozygosity, and concordance between a deleterious variant and ATM loss of protein (LOP). A novel ATM LOF biomarker approach that accounts for variant classification, relationship to ATM LOP, and tissue-specific penetrance significantly enriched for patients who benefited from platinum-based chemotherapy or ATR inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: These data help to better define ATM LOF across tumor types in order to optimize patient selection and improve molecularly targeted therapeutic approaches for patients with ATM LOF cancers.


Subject(s)
Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins , Neoplasms , Animals , Humans , Mice , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins/genetics , Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Loss of Function Mutation , Neoplasms/genetics , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/pathology , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
12.
Skeletal Radiol ; 53(7): 1287-1293, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38217703

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe femoroacetabular posterior translation (FAPT) using dynamic hip ultrasonography (DHUS), and to determine the inter- and intra-rater reliability of hip ultrasound measurements of FAPT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study design was a feasibility study of 13 healthy young adults (26 hips) using test-retest analysis. The data was collected prospectively over a 2-week time period. Three DHUS measurements (posterior neutral (PN), flexion, adduction, and internal rotation (PFADIR), and stand and load (PStand) were measured by four independent raters (2 senior who divided the cohort, 1 intermediate, 1 junior) at two time points for bilateral hips of each participant. Reliability was assessed by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each rater and across all raters. RESULTS: A total of 468 US scans were completed. The mean age of the cohort was 25.7 years (SD 5.1 years) and 54% were female. The inter-rater reliability was excellent for PFADIR (ICC 0.85 95% CI 0.76-0.91), good for PN (ICC 0.69 95% CI 0.5-0.81), and good for PStand (ICC 0.72 95% CI 0.55-0.83). The intra-rater reliability for all raters was good for PFADIR (ICC 0.60 95% CI 0.44-0.73), fair for PN (ICC 0.42 95% CI 0.21-0.59), and fair for PStand (ICC 0.42 95% CI 0.22-0.59). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to present a protocol using dynamic ultrasonography to measure FAPT. DHUS measure for FAPT was shown to be reliable across raters with varying levels of ultrasound experience.


Subject(s)
Feasibility Studies , Ultrasonography , Humans , Female , Male , Reproducibility of Results , Ultrasonography/methods , Adult , Prospective Studies , Hip Joint/diagnostic imaging , Range of Motion, Articular/physiology
13.
Jpn J Infect Dis ; 77(3): 144-154, 2024 May 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38296537

ABSTRACT

This cross-sectional study investigated the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of gram-negative pathogens isolated from 4,789 hospitalized patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). Of the collected specimens, 1,325 (27.7%) tested positive for gram-negative bacteria. Acinetobacter baumannii (38.6%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (33.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (18.7%), Escherichia coli (5.6%), and Klebsiella aerogenes (3.5%) were the most prevalent isolates. AMR analysis revealed high resistance rates (79.9%-100%) of A. baumannii isolates to multiple classes of antibiotics except amikacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and colistin. P. aeruginosa displayed low resistance to colistin (< 10%) but high resistance to other antibiotics. K. pneumoniae displayed high resistance rates of 90.0%-100.0% to most penicillins, whereas resistance rates were notably lower for colistin (7.1%) and amikacin (16.7%). K. aerogenes exhibited high resistance to various antibiotics and sensitivity to amikacin (95.1%), ampicillin (100.0%), and colistin (100.0%). E. coli isolates exhibited resistance to ampicillin (96.9%) and maximum sensitivity to several antibiotics. Our study identified significant AMR trends and highlighted the prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains (93.6% for K. aerogenes and 69.1%-92.4% for other isolates). These findings emphasize the urgent need for appropriate antibiotic management practices to combat AMR in gram-negative pathogens associated with LRTIs.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents , Drug Resistance, Bacterial , Gram-Negative Bacteria , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections , Hospitals, Teaching , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Respiratory Tract Infections , Humans , Gram-Negative Bacteria/drug effects , Gram-Negative Bacteria/isolation & purification , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Respiratory Tract Infections/microbiology , Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/microbiology , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Vietnam/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Adult , Male , Female , Aged , Young Adult , Adolescent , Child , Aged, 80 and over , Child, Preschool , Infant
14.
Nat Plants ; 9(10): 1598-1606, 2023 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37735255

ABSTRACT

Nitrogen is an essential macronutrient that is absorbed by roots and stored in leaves, mainly as ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase1,2. During nitrogen deficiency (-N), plants activate leaf senescence for source-to-sink nitrogen remobilization for adaptative growth3-6. However, how -N signals perceived by roots are propagated to shoots remains underexplored. We found that ELF18-INDUCED LONG NONCODING RNA 1 (ELENA1) is -N inducible and attenuates -N-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. Analysis of plants expressing the ELENA1 promoter ß-glucuronidase fusion gene showed that ELENA1 is transcribed specifically in roots under -N. Reciprocal grafting of the wild type and elena1 demonstrated that ELENA1 functions systemically. ELENA1 dissociates the MEDIATOR SUBUNIT 19a-ORESARA1 transcriptional complex, thereby calibrating senescence progression. Our observations establish the systemic regulation of leaf senescence by a root-derived long non-coding RNA under -N in Arabidopsis.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis Proteins , Arabidopsis , RNA, Long Noncoding , Nitrogen/metabolism , Arabidopsis/metabolism , RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics , Plant Senescence , Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics , Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Plant Leaves/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
15.
Int J Pharm ; 643: 123263, 2023 Aug 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37482230

ABSTRACT

Most nanoparticles produced for drug delivery purposes are spherical. However, the literature suggests that elongated particles are advantageous, notably in terms of cellular uptake. Thus, we synthesized biocompatible polylactide-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) polymers bearing carboxylate moieties, and used them to formulate worm-like nanoparticles by a simple emulsion-evaporation process. Worm-like nanoparticles with variable aspect ratio were obtained by simply adjusting the molar mass of the PLA block: the shorter the molar mass of the PLA block, the more elongated the particles. As PLA molar mass decreased from 80,000 g/mol to 13,000 g/mol, the proportion of worm-like nanoparticles increased from 0 to 46%, in contradiction with the usual behavior of block polymers based on their packing parameter. To explain this unusual phenomenon, we hypothesized the shape arises from a combination of steric and electrostatic repulsions between PEG chains bearing a carboxylate moiety present at the dichloromethane-water interface during the evaporation process. Worm-like particles turned out to be unstable when incubated at 37 °C, above polymer glass transition temperature. Indeed, above Tg, a Plateau-Rayleigh instability occurs, leading to the division of the worm-like particles into spheres. However, this instability was slow enough to assess worm-like particles uptake by murine macrophages. A slight but significant increase of internalization was observed for worm-like particles, compared to their spherical counterparts, confirming the interest of developing biocompatible anisotropic nanoparticles for pharmaceutical applications such as drug delivery.


Subject(s)
Nanoparticles , Polymers , Mice , Animals , Polyethylene Glycols , Polyesters , Drug Delivery Systems , Particle Size
16.
Data Brief ; 49: 109305, 2023 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37346928

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a dataset from a survey of student perceptions and experiences of quality assurance in Vietnamese higher education institutions. Data were collected from July to September 2020 using the online survey via Google Forms. The survey was sent to students via their email and social media, and there were 1323 valid responses. The data collection instrument was developed based on an international survey administered by UNESCO. The survey was designed to elicit data with respect to students' views on institutional quality policy and model, quality assurance procedures and tools, and student survey. The dataset serves as an insightful reference for institutional practitioners and policymakers in quality assurance to revise internal quality assurance policies and instruments to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Moreover, the dataset could be of interest to other educational researchers who can use it to investigate students' understanding and viewpoints on quality assurance.

17.
Antibiotics (Basel) ; 12(6)2023 Jun 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37370385

ABSTRACT

The poor bioavailability of antibiotics at infection sites is one of the leading causes of treatment failure and increased bacterial resistance. Therefore, developing novel, non-conventional antibiotic delivery strategies to deal with bacterial pathogens is essential. Here, we investigated the encapsulation of two fluoroquinolones, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, into polymer-based nano-carriers (nano-antibiotics), with the goal of increasing their local bioavailability at bacterial infection sites. The formulations were optimized to achieve maximal drug loading. The surfaces of nano-antibiotics were modified with anti-staphylococcal antibodies as ligand molecules to target S. aureus pathogens. The interaction of nano-antibiotics with the bacterial cells was investigated via fluorescent confocal microscopy. Conventional tests (MIC and MBC) were used to examine the antibacterial properties of nano-antibiotic formulations. Simultaneously, a bioluminescence assay model was employed, revealing the rapid and efficient assessment of the antibacterial potency of colloidal systems. In comparison to the free-form antibiotic, the targeted nano-antibiotic exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity against both the planktonic and biofilm forms of S. aureus. Furthermore, our data suggested that the efficacy of a targeted nano-antibiotic treatment can be influenced by its antibiotic release profile.

18.
Biomed Phys Eng Express ; 9(4)2023 05 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37137289

ABSTRACT

Ozone depletion has always been a hot crisis around the globe. Its consequence is the increase in ultraviolet radiation at the surface in many regions and countries, which then causes danger to the human immune system, eyes, and especially skin - the part that is directly exposed most to the sunlight. According to the World Health Organization, the number of cases of skin cancer is higher than that of breast, prostate, and lung cancer combined. Therefore, there has been a lot of research to apply deep learning models in solving the problem of skin cancer classification. This paper proposes a novel approach, named MetaAttention, aimed at improving the performance of transfer learning models for skin lesion classification. The method combines image features with patients' metadata features using the attention mechanism, incorporating clinical knowledge related to ABCD signals to better distinguish melanoma cell carcinoma disease, which has long been a significant challenge for researchers. The experimental results indicate that the proposed approach outperforms the state-of-the-art method, EfficientNet-B4, achieving an accuracy of 89.9% with Scale-dot product MetaAttention and 90.63% with Additive MetaAttention. The method has the potential to support dermatologists in diagnosing skin lesions effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, with larger datasets, our method could be further fine-tuned to achieve even better performance on a broader range of labels.


Subject(s)
Melanoma , Skin Diseases , Skin Neoplasms , Male , Humans , Melanoma/diagnosis , Ultraviolet Rays , Skin Neoplasms/diagnosis , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Skin/pathology
19.
Materials (Basel) ; 16(5)2023 Mar 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36903179

ABSTRACT

Urbanization processes in Asia are still ongoing; thus, aggregate demand is expected to increase in following years. Even though construction and demolition waste is a source for secondary building materials in industrialized countries, it is not yet an alternative construction material source in Vietnam as the urbanization process is still ongoing. Thus, there is a need for river sand and aggregates alternatives in concrete, namely manufactured sand (m-sand) from primary solid rock materials and secondary waste materials. The focus in the present study for Vietnam was on m-sand sand as alternative for river sand, and different ashes as alternatives for cement in concrete. The investigations comprised concrete lab tests according to the formulations of concrete strength class C 25/30 in accordance with DIN EN 206, followed by a lifecycle assessment study in order to identify the environmental impact of the alternatives. In total 84 samples were investigated, consisting of 3 reference samples, 18 samples with primary substitutes, 18 samples with secondary substitutes, and 45 samples with cement substitutes. This kind of holistic investigation approach comprising material alternatives and accompanying LCA was the first study for Vietnam, and even for Asia, and represents a substantial added value for future policy development in order to cope with resource scarcity. The results show that with the exception of metamorphic rocks, all m-sands meet the requirements for quality concrete. In terms of cement replacement, the mixes showed that a higher percentage of ash reduces the compressive strength. The compressive strength values of the mixes with up to 10% coal filter ash or rice husk ash were equivalent to the C25/30 standard concrete formulation. Higher ash contents up to 30% lead to the reduction of the concrete quality. The LCA study's results highlighted the better environmental footprints across environmental impact categories in the 10% substitution material in comparison to the use of primary materials. The LCA analysis results showed that cement as a component in concrete holds the highest footprint. The use of secondary waste as alternative for cement provides significant environmental advantage.

20.
J Infect Dis ; 227(7): 917-925, 2023 04 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36735316

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a major public health problem due to increasing incidence and antimicrobial resistance. Genetic markers of reduced susceptibility have been identified; the extent to which those are representative of global antimicrobial resistance is unknown. We evaluated the performance of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) used to predict susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and other antimicrobials using a global collection of N. gonorrhoeae isolates. METHODS: Susceptibility testing of common antimicrobials and the recently developed zolifodacin was performed using agar dilution to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). We identified resistance alleles at loci known to contribute to antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae from WGS data. We tested the ability of each locus to predict antimicrobial susceptibility. RESULTS: A total of 481 N. gonorrhoeae isolates, collected between 2004 and 2019 and making up 457 unique genomes, were sourced from 5 countries. All isolates with demonstrated susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (MIC ≤0.06 µg/mL) had a wild-type gyrA codon 91. Multilocus approaches were needed to predict susceptibility to other antimicrobials. All isolates were susceptible to zoliflodacin, defined by an MIC ≤0.25 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Single marker prediction can be used to inform ciprofloxacin treatment of N. gonorrhoeae infection. A combination of molecular markers may be needed to determine susceptibility for other antimicrobials.


Subject(s)
Anti-Infective Agents , Gonorrhea , Humans , Neisseria gonorrhoeae , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Gonorrhea/drug therapy , Gonorrhea/epidemiology , Ciprofloxacin/pharmacology , Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Drug Resistance, Bacterial/genetics , Azithromycin/pharmacology
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