Search

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is an autoicous and decorous vine cultivated in many local regions of Gia Lai. Black pepper is one of the most commonly consumed spices, and its pungency is due to the presence of alkaloids, such as piperine. This compound represents diverse biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, anti-larvicidal, pesticide, anti-alzheimer’s activities, etc. However, due to its poor solubility as well as its toxic effects at high use concentration, piperine is still in limit of pharmaceutical applications. In this study, we have used black pepper seed collected at Chu Se - Gia Lai to extract piperine. The compound extracted efficiency was approximately 18% with 96.7% of purity. Based on the obtained pure piperine, the hybrid nanopiperine-CD133 monoclonal antibody (mAb^CD133) complexes were fabricated with the nanoparticle size of about 170 nm, the polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.23 and the zeta potential of -9.4 mV. The nanocomplex was subjected for growth inhibitory activities against cancer colorectal cells (HT-29 cell line). The results showed that the nanopiperine-mAb^CD133 complex exhibited significant in vitro growth inhibition HT-29 colorectal cancer cells (46.56 ± 2.78%), while the viability of healthy cells remained unaffected (17.77 ± 0.82 %). The nanocomplex could also label 12.17% of HT-29 cells, which was rather higher than 3.83% from mAb^CD133 conjugated phycoerythrin (PE) as positive control. The fabricated nanopiperine-mAb^CD133 complex has proved the enhanced cytotoxic activities against colorectal cancerous cells as well as promising biopharmaceutical potency.

Nanotechnology is the key technology that brings many important applications in biomedical research.Nanolantanites present high stability, easy fabrication and functionalization. Tb3+ ion-containing nanomaterial, a specific type of nanolantanites, possess great prospects. In addition, cancer stem cells (CSCs) are directlyrelated to drug resistance, metastasis, recurrent cancer, etc. Therefore, CSCs are considered as the target forcancer researching and for discovery of more effective therapies. CD133, a trans-membrane glycoprotein, isone of the typical markers that are found to appear very commonly on the surface of many types of CSCs. Inthis study, CD133 monoclonal antibody (MAb) was cojugated with nanomaterials containing Tb3+. Thecoupling between fluorescented nanomaterials containing Tb3+ ions and CD133 MAb was then incubated withhuman colon cancer cells (HT-29) to evaluate its ability to label CSCs in vitro. The results showed thatnanorods containing rare-earth based Tb3+ ions which were fabricated by hydrothermal method, present thelength of about 300 - 800 nm and the diameter in range of 40 - 50 nm. The Tb3+ nanoparticals also havehexagonal structure of terbium phosphate monohydrate and green illuminant. Tb3+ nanorods were also furthersurface silica coated and amino-silane functionalized. This nanostructure was successfully combined withmonoclonal antibodies against CD133 which labelled the surface marker of HT-29 human colon cancer cells.As a result, the combination of CD133+TbPO4@Silica-NH2 (functionalized surface) showed strongerluminescence than the CD133+TbPO4 unfunctionalized combination.

Influenza virus B belongs to the family Orthomyxoviridae with segmented negative-sense RNA genomes. Since 1970s, influenza B has diverged intoVictoria and Yamagata, which differs in antigenic and evolutionary characteristics. Yet, molecular-epidemiological information of influenza B from developing nations is limited. In central Vietnam, influenza A subtype-specific circulation pattern and clinical characteristics were previously described. However, molecular evolutionary characteristics of influenza B has not been discussed to date. We utilized the influenza B positives obtained from paediatric ARI surveillance during 2007?2013. Influenza B HA and NA genes were amplified, sequenced, and phylogenetic/molecular evolutionary analysis was performed using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian MCMC. Phylodynamics analysis was performed with Bayesian Skyline Plot (BSP). Furthermore, we performed selection pressure analysis and estimated N-glycosylation sites. In the current study, overall positive rate for influenza B was 3.0%, and Victoria lineage immediately became predominant in post-A/H1N1pdm09 period. The noticeable shift in Victoria lineage WHO Group occurred. With respect to the evolutionary rate (substitutions/site/year), Victoria lineage HA gene was evolving faster than Yamagata lineage (2.43 × 10?3 vs 2.00 × 10?3). Furthermore, the evolutionary rate of Victoria Group 5 was greater than Group 1. BSP presented the rapid growth in Effective Population Size (EPS) of Victoria lineage occurred soon after the 1st A/H1N1pdm09 case was detected whereas the EPS of Yamagata lineage was stable for both genes. N-glycosylation pattern between lineages and among WHO Groups were slightly different, and HA gene had a total of 6 amino acid substitutions under positive section pressure (4 for Victoria and 2 for Yamagata). The current results highlight the importance of Victoria lineage in post-A/H1N1pdm09 period. Difference in evolutionary characteristics and phylodynamics may indicate lineage and WHO Group-specific evolutionary dynamics. It is necessary to further continue the molecular-epidemiological surveillance in local setting to gain a better understanding of local evolutionary characteristics of influenza B strains., Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 81, art.no.104264; 2020

Alkaline pretreatment has been known as the most popular method to process lignocellulosic materials for bioethanol production due to its simplicity and high efficiency. However, the waste water of the process has a very high basicity, which requires neutralization with acids upon further disposal. In this study, rubber wood saw dust (Hevea brasiliensis) was employed as lignocellulosic material and its pretreatment was inspected with both diluted H2SO4 and NaOH in different combination ways. Hereby, acid was used not only for waste water neutralization but also to contribute to lignin removal. Analysis results showed that an aqueous solution of 2.0 - 2.5 wt.% H2SO4 can be used to treat the biomass followed by alkaline pretreatment. By this so-called combo-pretreatment technique, cellulose was well preserved without significant hydrolysis while the final pretreatment efficiency was up to 63.0%, compared to 48.2% of using only the alkaline solution and 13.7% of using only the acidic solution. Finally, alkaline waste water can be mixed to be neutralized with acidic waste water from the two previous steps. This innovated technique improved the pretreatment efficiency almost without increasing in chemical cost.

Black pepper ( Piper nigrum L.) is widely grown in the Chu-se district of Gia Lai province in Vietnam. The pepper, used as a spice, also serves as a traditional medicine in many countries. Black pepper contains many different substances; the most active of these is piperine, which exerts anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, piperine is a poorly absorbed alkaloid, and high concentrations may be toxic. Therefore, its medicinal uses remain limited. Here, we extracted piperine from black peppers collected at Chu Se, created piperine and anti-CD133 monoclonal antibodies (mAb^CD133) containing nanoliposomal complexes (PMCs), and evaluated their inhibitory effects on cancer stem cells (CSCs) in vitro. The physical properties of PMCs showed an approximated diamater of 170 nm, a PDI of 0.23, zeta potential of −9.38 mV, and an encapsulated efficiency of 73.33 ± 9.09%. The PMCs significantly inhibited NTERA-2 cell growth (IC50 = 435.3 ± 4.3 µM), but were not toxic to healthy cells (IC50 >500 µM). The PMCs remarkably affected the CSC surface marker expressed level of which the CD44+/CD133+ population was only 2.12% compared with 21.72% for blank nanoliposomes. The NTERA-2 antiproliferative activities of PMCs might be associated with their G2 cell cycle phase arresting and caspase-3 inducible activities (up to 1.51 times) ( P < 0.05). The nanoliposomal complex also significantly inhibited the proliferation of NTERA-2 cells in three dimensional tumorspheroids with an IC50 = 245.82 ± 11.44 µM and reduced the size by up to 41.50 ± 4.31% ( P < 0.05). Thus, the PMCs proved their enhanced potential biomedical and pharmacological applications in targeted cancer therapies.

Highlights • Hospitalizations for respiratory viruses are seasonal in Vietnam • Respiratory syncytial virus peaks in the late summer months, and inuenza A in April to June • No clear seasonality is seen for human rhinovirus • Human parainuenza 3 and human rhinovirus are positively associated with dew point • This work can inform the timing of inuenza and RSV vaccination and the judicious use of antibiotics in Vietnam, Background Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the most common causes of death in children under 5 years of age. While the etiology of most pneumonia and ARI episodes is undiagnosed, a broad range of ARI-causing viruses circulate widely in South East Asia. However, the patterns and drivers of the seasonal transmission dynamics are largely unknown. Here we identify the seasonal patterns of multiple circulating viruses associated with hospitalizations for ARIs in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Methods Hospital based enhanced surveillance of childhood ARI is ongoing at Khanh Hoa General Hospital in Nha Trang. RT-PCR was performed to detect 13 respiratory viruses in nasopharyngeal samples from enrolled patients. Seasonal patterns of childhood ARI hospital admissions of various viruses were assessed, as well as their association with rainfall, temperature, and dew point. Results Respiratory syncytial virus peaks in the late summer months, and influenza A in April to June. We find significant associations between detection of human parainfluenza 3 and human rhinovirus with the month's mean dew point. Using a cross-wavelet transform we find a significant out-of-phase relationship between human parainfluenza 3 and temperature and dew point. Conclusions Our results are important for understanding the temporal risk associated with circulating pathogens in Southern Central Vietnam. Specifically, our results can inform timing of routing seasonal influenza vaccination and for when observed respiratory illness is likely viral, leading to judicious use of antibiotics in the region.

Background Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) including Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infectious disease that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The patterns of aetiological pathogens differ by region and country. Special attention must be paid to CAP in Southeast Asia (SEA), a region facing rapid demographic transition. Estimates burden and aetiological patterns of CAP are essential for the clinical and public health management. The purposes of the study are to determine the incidence, aetiological pathogens, clinical pictures and risk factors of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the Vietnamese adult population. Methods A prospective surveillance for hospitalised adult CAP was conducted in Khanh Hoa Province, Central Vietnam. All adults aged ≥15 years with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) admitted to a provincial hospital from September 2009 to August 2010 were enrolled in the study. Patients were classified into CAP and non-pneumonic LRTI (NPLRTI) according to the radiological findings. Bacterial pathogens were identified from sputum samples by the conventional culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis; 13 respiratory viruses were identified from nasopharyngeal specimens by PCR. Results Of all 367 LRTI episodes examined, 174 (47%) were CAP. Older age, the presence of underlying respiratory conditions, and higher index score of smoking were associated with CAP. The one-year estimated incidence of hospitalised adult CAP in our study population was 0.81 per 1,000 person years. The incidence increased considerably with age and was highest among the elderly. The case fatality proportion of hospitalised CAP patients was 9.8%. Among 286 sputum samples tested for bacterial PCR, 79 (28%) were positive for H. influenzae, and 65 (23%) were positive for S. pneumoniae. Among 357 samples tested for viral PCR, 73 (21%) were positive for respiratory viruses; influenza A (n = 32, 9%) was the most common. Conclusions The current adult CAP incidence in Vietnam was relatively low; this result was mainly attributed to the young age of our study population.