ß-sitosterol from Clinacanthus nutans Lindau enhances osteoblastogenic activity via upregulation of differentiation related genes and proteins.

ß-sitosterol derived from Clinacanthus nutans Lindau was tested for its in vitro osteogenic activity using MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. Our results indicated that ß-sitosterol was non-toxic to the cells cultured at a concentration <20 µg/mL. Treatment of the cells with ß-sitosterol significantly enhanced the alkaline phosphatase activity up to 210 and 204.6% at 5 and 10 µg/mL, respectively (P < .05). Similarly, the mineralization activity of the ß-sitosterol treated cells was elevated up to 134, 168, 118% at a concentration of 2.5, 5, and 10 µg/mL, respectively (P < .05). In addition, this compound up-regulated several marker genes for osteoblast differentiation, including runx2, osx and col I to 2, 2.5 and 5.6 folds at 10 µg/mL, respectively (P < .05). The expression of p38 and ERK proteins involved in the MAPK signal pathway related to mineralization and differentiation was also enhanced. Thus, the osteoblastogenic activity of ß-sitosterol was fully illustrated for the first time.

Participation, not penalties: Community involvement and equitable governance contribute to more effective multiuse protected areas.

Accelerating ecosystem degradation has spurred proposals to vastly expand the extent of protected areas (PAs), potentially affecting the livelihoods and well-being of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) worldwide. The benefits of multiuse PAs that elevate the role of IPLCs in management have long been recognized. However, quantitative examinations of how resource governance and the distribution of management rights affect conservation outcomes are vital for long-term sustainability. Here, we use a long-term, quasi-experimental monitoring dataset from four Indonesian marine PAs that demonstrates that multiuse PAs can increase fish biomass, but incorporating multiple governance principles into management regimes and enforcing rules equitably are critical to achieve ecological benefits. Furthermore, we show that PAs predicated primarily on enforcing penalties can be less effective than those where IPLCs have the capacity to engage in management. Our results suggest that well-governed multiuse PAs can achieve conservation objectives without undermining the rights of IPLCs.

Case Report: Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy via Vestibular Approach in Pediatric Thyroid Cancer.

Background: Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA) is a new technique that has become more popular worldwide because of its many advantages. However, this novel approach for thyroid cancer treatment in children is highly challenging, even for high-volume surgeons. In our study, we report our experiences with TOETVA for pediatric patients with thyroid cancer. Patients and Methods: This study included four pediatric patients who underwent TOETVA performed by a single surgeon between June and December 2020. Patient demographics and surgical outcomes including operative time, incidence of complications, and length of hospital stay were evaluated. Results: Four patients successfully underwent TOETVA with no complications. All patients were girls, aged from 13 to 18. Three patients underwent lobectomy and isthmusectomy, plus prophylactic unilateral central neck dissection. One patient had a total thyroidectomy, plus prophylactic bilateral central neck dissection. The mean operative time was 85 min for the lobectomy and 120 min for total thyroidectomy plus central neck dissection. The median hospital stay was 4.1 days. No drains were used. The histological examination showed four cases of malignant disease (papillary thyroid carcinoma). The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 4.2 (ranged 3 to 8). Conclusion: In the hands of a high-volume surgeon, TOETVA is a novel, feasible, and safe approach for treating selected pediatric patients with thyroid cancer.

Multiple brown tumors with primary hyperparathyroidism mimicking bone metastases [].

Multiple osteolytic lesions are usually associated with bone metastasis. However, brown tumor should also be included in the differential diagnosis. Brown tumor is a rare benign lesions in skeletal system, encountered in patients with uncontrolled primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. In our case report, we present a 35-year-old female with multifocal brown tumor that difficultiy in differential diagnosis of metastasis of malignant parathyroid. Additionally, the treatment and follow up after parathyroidectomy are also emphasized. METHODS: The SCARE 2020 Guideline [1].

A new species of Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from northern Vietnam.

We describe a new, medium-sized Leptolalax species from Vietnam. Leptolalax petrops sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of having a medium-sized body (23.6-27.6 mm in 21 adult males, 30.3-47.0 mm in 17 adult females), immaculate white chest and belly, no distinct black markings on the head, highly tuberculate skin texture, toes lacking webbing and with narrow lateral fringes, and a call consisting of an average of four notes and a dominant frequency of 5.6-6.4 kHz (at 24.5-25.3 °C). Uncorrected sequence divergences between L. petrops sp. nov. and all homologous DNA sequences available for the 16S rRNA gene are >8%.

Five new, microendemic Asian Leaf-litter Frogs (Leptolalax) from the southern Annamite mountains, Vietnam.

The Leptolalax applebyi group of Asian leaf-litter frogs currently comprises four species of particularly small-bodied (<40 mm SVL) species distributed in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and northeastern Cambodia. In addition to their small size, the group is characterized by their morphological and genetic similarities, as well as their breeding habitat at headwaters of small mountain streams and seeps. A recent study suggested that at least two-thirds of the diversity of the group remained hidden within morphologically cryptic lineages. We expand upon the molecular, morphometric, and acoustic data and formally delineate and describe five of these lineages as distinct species: Leptolalax ardens sp. nov., Leptolalax kalonensis sp. nov., Leptolalax pallidus sp. nov., Leptolalax maculosus sp. nov., and Leptolalax tadungensis sp. nov. Due to habitat loss, the current ranges of these species are likely to be a fraction of their historical extent and under continued threat from deforestation.

Undiagnosed cryptic diversity in small, microendemic frogs (Leptolalax) from the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

A major obstacle in prioritizing species or habitats for conservation is the degree of unrecognized diversity hidden within complexes of morphologically similar, "cryptic" species. Given that amphibians are one of the most threatened groups of organisms on the planet, our inability to diagnose their true diversity is likely to have significant conservation consequences. This is particularly true in areas undergoing rapid deforestation, such as Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asian genus Leptolalax is a group of small-bodied, morphologically conserved frogs that inhabit the forest-floor. We examined a particularly small-bodied and morphologically conserved subset, the Leptolalax applebyi group, using a combination of molecular, morphometric, and acoustic data to identify previously unknown diversity within. In order to predict the geographic distribution of the group, estimate the effects of habitat loss and assess the degree of habitat protection, we used our locality data to perform ecological niche modelling using MaxEnt. Molecular (mtDNA and nuDNA), acoustic and subtle morphometric differences revealed a significant underestimation of diversity in the L. applebyi group; at least two-thirds of the diversity may be unrecognised. Patterns of diversification and microendemism in the group appear driven by limited dispersal, likely due to their small body size, with several lineages restricted to watershed basins. The L. applebyi group is predicted to have historically occurred over a large area of the Central Highlands of Vietnam, a considerable portion of which has already been deforested. Less than a quarter of the remaining forest predicted to be suitable for the group falls within current protected areas. The predicted distribution of the L. applebyi group extends into unsurveyed watershed basins, each potentially containing unsampled diversity, some of which may have already been lost due to deforestation. Current estimates of amphibian diversity based on morphology alone are misleading, and accurate alpha taxonomy is essential to accurately prioritize conservation efforts.

Comprehensive analyses and characterization of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in Vietnamese children.

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a fatal haematological disorder with diverse aetiology. This prospective study was undertaken to characterize HLH cases in Vietnamese children. Clinical and laboratory data, genetic analyses and outcome of the HLH patients were analysed. A total of 33 patients were enrolled from March 2007 to December 2008, with a median age of 3 years. Mutations of the SH2D1A (SAP) and PRF1 genes were detected in one patient, respectively. The virus association was high, up to 63.6% (21/33), including Epstein-Barr virus (19/33), cytomegalovirus (2/33) and dengue virus (2/33). Five patients had malignant lymphoma and two had autoimmune diseases. Twenty-eight patients were treated according to the HLH-2004 protocol. The first response rate was 64.3% (18/28), with an early death rate of 35.7% (10/28). High levels of interferon-gamma, interleukin-10, MIG and interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) were associated with early mortality (P < 0.05). Reactivation among the responders was high (9/18) and the uneventful resolution was low (3/18) after a median follow-up of 35 weeks. In conclusion, the majority of HLH cases are associated with virus infections in Vietnamese children. Familial HLH is rare. The frequent reactivation and high mortality demands a more appropriate therapeutic regimen in tropical areas like Vietnam.