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BackgroundLow-and middle-income countries mostly have ageing populations with many unmet economic, social, or health-related needs, Vietnam being an example. Community-based support in Vietnam, organized as Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs (ISHCs) based on the Older People Associations (OPA) model, can help to meet these needs by the provision of services for various aspects of life. This study aims to assess the implementation of the ISHCs and whether successful implementation is associated with more member-reported positive health.MethodsWe used the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework to evaluate the implementation using multiple data sources: ISHC board surveys (n = 97), ISHC member surveys (n = 5,080 in 2019 and n = 5,555 in 2020), focus group discussions (6; n = 44), and interviews with members and board leaders (n = 4).ResultsReach ranged between 46 and 83% of ISHCs reaching target groups, with a majority of women and older people participating. Regarding Effectiveness, members indicated high satisfaction with the ISHCs. Adoption scores were high, with 74%–99% for healthcare and community support activities, and in 2019, higher adoption scores were associated with more members reporting good positive health. In 2020, reported positive health slightly decreased, probably due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 61 ISHCs had consistent or improving Implementation from 2019 to 2020, and confidence in Maintenance was high.ConclusionThe implementation of the OPA model in Vietnam is promising regarding its promotion of health and may help to tackle the needs of an ageing population. This study further shows that the RE-AIM framework helps to assess community health promotion approaches.

Endolichenic fungi are considered a promising source of new materials. For further evaluation of some biological activities of the Trichoderma strains isolated from lichens Dirinaria spp. and Cryptothecia spp., their antifungal and antibacterial activities were screened by the methods of dual culture and environmental toxicity. Substrate degradation was evaluated using the qualitative enzyme assays. Fourteen strains of Trichoderma spp. were isolated from 60 lichen samples. All the isolates were able to inhibit the radial growth of tested fungal strains (Bipolaris spp., Colletotrichum spp., Corynespora cassiicola, and Fusarium spp.). Otherwise, only 12/14 isolates were found capable of competing for substrates with Ralstonia solanacearum. The cell-free supernatant obtained from the cultures possessed both antifungal and antibacterial activities. The antagonistic activity of the isolates was selective. Most of the isolates were able to degrade at least one of the investigated substrates, namely cellulose, pectin, and starch. All strains could produce peroxidase; none of the isolates possessed laccase and tyrosinase. A potential antagonistic fungal strain VDT6 has been identified as Trichoderma harzianum. The assessment results indicated that the Trichoderma isolates could be used in agriculture as biological control agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics of suppressed relaxation oscillation of a distributed feedback dye laser (DFDL) based on the energy transfer process in a mixture of spherical gold nanoparticles-doped solid-state polymethylmetacrylate dissolved 4-(Dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran dye was theoretically and experimentally studied. Single pulse generation regime of the DFDL can be obtained with a suitable gold nanoparticle concentration and ratio of pump power over lasing threshold. Numerical analysis and experimental approach showed that in this regime, the first-pulse laser pulsewidth is rather unchanged while varying the gold nanoparticles concentration in the range of 2.0 x 109–2.0 x 1010 par cm-3. The enhancement of first pulse and the suppression of the secondary pulses by bi-direction energy transfer of spherical gold nanoparticles were experimentally observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, SrAl2O4:Mn4+ phosphor is prepared by co-precipitation. The phase structure, morphology, composition and luminescent performance of the phosphor are investigated in detail with x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, steady-state photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and temperature-dependent PL measurements. The phosphor shows a strong red emission peak at ∼ 690 nm, which is due to the transition between electronic levels and the electric dipole transition 2Eg to 4A2g of Mn4+ ions located at the sites with D3d local symmetry. The sample doped with 0.04 mol.% Mn4+ exhibits intense red emission with high thermal stability and appropriate International Commission on Illumination (CIE) coordinates (x = 0.6959, y = 0.2737). It is also found that the phosphor absorption in an extended band from 250 nm to 500 nm has three peaks at 320 nm, 405 nm, and 470 nm, which match well with the emission band of ultraviolet (UV) lighting emission diode (LED) or blue LED chips. These results demonstrate that SrAl2O4:Mn4+ phosphor can play the role of activator in narrow red-emitting phosphor, which is potentially useful in UV (∼ 320 nm) or blue (∼ 460 nm) LED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newly hatched larvae of Clarias gariepinus were exposed to malathion concentrations ranging from 0.3 mg/l to 5.0 mg/l. Their development was observed through five days posthatch, i.e., the stage in which the vertebral elements are not yet present and the notochord is the only functional body axis. A significant higher proportion of C. gariepinus larvae with deformed notochord and pericardial edema was detected at 2.5 mg/l malathion and higher. The results suggested that (1) deformed notochord was the result of the uncontrolled contractions of the body musculature due to malathion toxicity and (2) the vertebral deformities observed in the fish which have been exposed to malathion from the notochord-stage onwards were the result of a deformed notochord instead of the deformation of the vertebral elements themselves.

Previous studies showed that the inferior colliculus (IC) and the pontine reticular nucleus (RPO) are involved in the initiation and propagation of seizure activity in genetically epilepsy-prone rats (GEPR-9s), respectively. Bilateral knife cuts in the coronal plane were made in the midbrain to determine what effect the disruption of efferent fibers of the IC would have on seizure activity. In addition, some lesions were injected with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to trace the interrupted fibers and identify the neurons of origin. Consistent with previous results, lesions that involved the central nucleus of the IC or the lateral lemniscus blocked audiogenic seizures. Seizures were also blocked with lesions located between the external and central nuclei of the IC. In contrast, lesions located between the IC and superior colliculus and those within the superior colliculus reduced the audiogenic response score, but did not completely block audiogenic seizures. In the cases with intercollicular lesions, HRP-labeled axons were observed to arise from neurons in both the external nucleus and dorsal cortex of the IC, but not the central nucleus, and they entered the deep layers of the superior colliculus. These results indicate that the projection from the central nucleus to the external nucleus of the IC is important for the propagation of seizure activity in GEPR-9s. Also, these data show that projections from the IC to the superior colliculus play a role in seizure propagation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Songarosaponin A, B and C isolated from the aerial parts of Verbascum songaricum were shown to be 3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----3)]-[b eta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----2)-beta-D-fucopyranosyl]-olea-11,13-die ne-3 beta-23,28-triol, 3-0-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----3)]-[b eta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----2)]-beta-D-fucopyranosyl]-olea-1 1-ene-3 beta-13,23,28-tetrol and 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----4)]-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----3)]-[b eta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----2)]-beta-D-fucopyranosyl]-13 beta,28-epoxyolea-11-ene-3 beta,23-diol.

The occurrence of iridoids from 16 VERBASCUM species was investigated. The negative ion mass spectroscopy of the acetylated compounds was very useful concerning the appearance of a molecular ion. The fragmentation behaviour of the iridoids under positive and negative ionization is compared and discussed.

From the roots of VERBASCUM PULVERULENTUM Vill. two iridoids of the 6- O-alpha- L-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol-type have been isolated and structural elucidated.