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Turmeric, extensively cultivated across Southeast Asia, especially in Vietnam, harbors active polyphenols, primarily curcumin (2–5%), renowned for its diverse health benefits. Pharmacopoeias recognize turmeric, yet it lacks standardized quality assessments and encounters challenges in extraction and identification due to natural variations and adulteration. This analytical method is vital for verifying the authenticity, purity, and quality of turmeric products in both the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. This study successfully developed an efficient extraction process for curcumin (CUR), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) from Curcuma longa L. rhizomes. The herbal powder was extracted with methanol (1:30, w/v) by the ultrasound-assisted method for 10 minutes, and this process was repeated three times. A high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method was validated for the simultaneous quantification of three analytes, following the AOAC guideline and achieving a correlation coefficient (R2) value greater than 0.9950. Utilizing the HPLC-DAD method, the study developed a chemical fingerprint analysis for three analytes to identify the characteristic chemical components distinguishing turmeric from each region. Nineteen samples collected from various provinces across Vietnam were subjected to analysis. In all analyzed samples, the concentrations of CUR, DMC, and BDMC ranged from 0.77–10.30%, 0.33–6.92%, and 0.03–3.23%, respectively. CUR was determined to be the dominant compound in most samples, while BDMC consistently exhibited the lowest levels of content. Utilizing the findings derived from the analysis of RRT and RPA metrics, the research assessed variances across sample batches. It is suggested that this newly established approach can be applied to construct and develop raw material areas to serve the needs of each field.

Introduction Providers across multiple specialties may be called upon to perform brain death assessments at hospitals that lack specialty neurology or critical care services. To address this need, we developed a brain death curriculum involving simulation and group discussion to prepare medical trainees for brain death testing and communication with surrogate decision-makers. Methods A 1-hour session was delivered to trainees rotating through the intensive care unit at William Beaumont University Hospital. One trainee per session participated in a simulation involving a brain-dead patient (SimMan 3G Mannequin) and spouse (confederate) while the remainder of the cohort observed from a separate room. The trainee briefed the spouse about the brain death examination, performed the examination, and communicated their findings. Afterward, the cohort discussed the history, law, and common ethical and communication issues that surround brain death. Results A total of 35 trainees participated from August 2022 to March 2023. After the session, trainees were more comfortable performing brain death testing (p < .001), responding to ethical issues (p < .001), and communicating with families (p < .001). However, the session did not change their frustration with family members who have a circulatory (p = .72) or high brain (p = .52) view of death. Discussion The simulation had a positive impact on medical trainees’ ability to perform brain death testing and their comfort level in discussing complex ethical issues that surround brain death. Our results support continued simulation training for medical trainees to better prepare them for clinical practice.

Abstract Vietnam as a nation is deeply rooted in the wet-rice agricultural civilization, which is characterized by the Yin (female) principle and the religion worshiping Mother Goddess. However, Chinese Confucianism significantly influenced Vietnam throughout the feudal dynasties (10–19th centuries). Confucian kingship propagates symbols of virtuous women to establish the moral order of a male-dominated society. In contrast, by practicing lived religion and spreading folk narratives, Vietnamese people turn virtuous women into Mother Goddess with a liberal, creative and patronage identity. This study, thus, examines the position of women in Confucian Nguyễn Dữ’s The Young Woman from Nam Xuong, a canonical story reconstructed from legend. It is important to address the main concern about metaphors of a duality culture and a conflict discourse of Confucian politics and Vietnamese lived religion through the issue of Goddess spirituality. This article uses an interdisciplinary approach to demonstrate that resistance to Chinese Dominance and anti-Sinicization were significant issues of Vietnamese medieval literature and culture.

BackgroundLarge cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare subtype of prostate cancer. The pathogenesis, clinical manifestation, treatment options, and prognosis are uncertain and underreported.Materials and methodsA systematic search was conducted in April 2022 through PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. We reviewed cases of LCNEC developed either from de novo or transformation from prostate adenocarcinoma and summarized the relevant pathophysiological course, treatment options, and outcomes.ResultsA total of 25 patients with a mean age of 70.4 (range 43 87 years old) from 18 studies were included in this review. 13 patients were diagnosed with de novo LCNEC of the prostate. 12 patients were from the transformation of adenocarcinoma post-hormonal therapy treatment. Upon initial diagnosis, patients diagnosed with de novo prostatic LCNEC had a mean serum PSA value of 24.6 ng/ml (range: 0.09-170 ng/ml, median 5.5 ng/ml), while transformation cases were significantly lower at 3.3 ng/ml (range: 0-9.3 ng/ml, median 0.05 ng/ml). The pattern of metastasis closely resembles prostate adenocarcinoma. Six out of twenty-three cases displayed brain metastasis matching the correlation between neuroendocrine tumors and brain metastasis. Three notable paraneoplastic syndromes included Cushings syndrome, dermatomyositis, and polycythemia. Most patients with advanced metastatic disease received conventional platinum-based chemotherapy with a mean survival of 5 months. There was one exception in the transformation cohort with a somatic BRCA2 mutation who was treated with a combination of M6620 and platinum-based chemotherapy with an impressive PFS of 20 months. Patients with pure LCNEC phenotype have worse survival outcomes when compared to those with mixed LCNEC and adenocarcinoma phenotypes. It is unclear whether there is a survival benefit to administering ADT in pure pathologies.ConclusionLCNEC of the prostate is a rare disease that can occur de novo or transformation from prostatic adenocarcinoma. Most patients present at an advanced stage with poor prognosis and are treated with conventional chemotherapy regimens. Patients who had better outcomes were those who were diagnosed at an early stage and received treatment with surgery or radiation and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). There was one case with an exceptional outcome that included a treatment regimen of M6620 and chemotherapy.

This paper examines the effect of shadow banking activities on the performance and risk-taking of 339 Vietnamese nonfinancial firms listed on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE). Using manually gathered data on firms' shadow banking activities from 2009 to 2021, the expansion of shadow banking is found to have a negative effect on the overall financial soundness of the securities companies, in particular negatively affecting performance and increasing the risk tolerance of companies. We present empirical findings about several aspects of shadow banking activities, including entrusted loans, entrusted investments, private lending, leasing, and commercial credit in this study. While the majority of shadow banking operations could have a negative impact on a firm's performance, we have discovered that commercial credit grants were crucial in reducing the COVID-19 pandemic's adverse effects on businesses, highlighting the need for financial stability in times of crisis. According to our results, the risk of shadow banking activities, which have consequences for policymakers and caution for nonfinancial enterprises, must be taken into consideration.

Background Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are major barriers of clinical management and further development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer therapy. Therefore, biomarkers associated with the onset of severe irAEs are needed. In this study, we aimed to identify immune features detectable in peripheral blood and associated with the development of severe irAEs that required clinical intervention.Methods We used a 43-marker mass cytometry panel to characterize peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 28 unique patients with melanoma across 29 lines of ICI therapy before treatment (baseline), before the onset of irAEs (pre-irAE) and at the peak of irAEs (irAE-max). In the 29 lines of ICI therapy, 18 resulted in severe irAEs and 11 did not.Results Unsupervised and gated population analysis showed that patients with severe irAEs had a higher frequency of CD4+ naïve T cells and lower frequency of CD16+ natural killer (NK) cells at all time points. Gated population analysis additionally showed that patients with severe irAEs had fewer T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT+) regulatory T cells at baseline and more activated CD38+ CD4+ central memory T cells (TCM) and CD39+ and Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR Isotype (HLA-DR)+ CD8+ TCM at peak of irAEs. The differentiating immune features at baseline were predominantly seen in patients with gastrointestinal and cutaneous irAEs and type 1 diabetes. Higher frequencies of CD4+ naïve T cells and lower frequencies of CD16+ NK cells were also associated with clinical benefit to ICI therapy.Conclusions This study demonstrates that high-dimensional immune profiling can reveal novel blood-based immune signatures associated with risk and mechanism of severe irAEs. Development of severe irAEs in melanoma could be the result of reduced immune inhibitory capacity pre-ICI treatment, resulting in more activated TCM cells after treatment.

Scytovirin (SVN) is a lectin from cyanobacteria which has a strong inhibitory activity against Ebola virus infection. We engineered scytovirin as the inhibitor for surface display of lactic acid bacteria to block Ebola virus infection. Two different bacterial strains (Lactobacillus casei and Lactococcus lactis) were successfully engineered for scytovirin expression on the bacterial surface. These bacteria were found to be effective at neutralizing pseudotyped Ebolavirus in a cell-based assay. This approach can be utilized for prophylactic prevention, as well as for treatment. Since lactic acid bacteria can colonize the human body, a long-term efficacy could be achieved. Furthermore, this approach is also simple and cost-effective and can be easily applied in the regions of Ebola outbreaks in the developing countries.

In line with modern era, it is a high demand of renewable energies due to fossil fuels crisis. This study applies food garbage to produce biogas - an alternative renewable energy source - under lab-scale batch and semi-continuous reactors. Designing with four loading total solid rates of 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, and 2.5%, the batch and the semi-continuous testing set up in 1.5 L and 21 L plastic reactors, respectively. Both testing was run in 60 days, produced biogas volume and compositions were recorded daily in semi-continuous reactors, and every ten days in the batch reactors. The results show that in batch testing, the biogas yields of treatments 1.0%TS, 1.5%TS, and 2.0%TS were better than those for treatment of 2.5%TS; however, %CH4 concentrations were better for treatments 2.0%TS and 2.5%TS. For the semi-continuous testing, the loading rate of 2.5% total solid food garbage produced the highest biogas yield which could meet the household demand of daily gas. Up to the day of 60, the %CH4 concentration was nearly 45% which proof the biogas can be used for cooking. H2S concentration in biogas was high which must be reduced to use produced biogas for cooking purpose. Further study needs to avoid accumulation of soluble organic acids, leading the low pH and inhibits methane-producing microorganisms in food garbage anaerobic reactor.

Background Aquatic plants play a crucial role in nature-based wastewater treatment and provide a promising substrate for renewable energy production using anaerobic digestion (AD) technology. This study aimed to examine the contaminant removal from AD effluent by water lettuce (WL) and produce biogas from WL biomass co-digested with pig dung (PD) in a farm-scale biogas digester. Methods The first experiment used styrofoam boxes containing husbandry AD effluent. WLs were initially arranged in 50%, 25%, 12.5%, and 0% surface coverage. Each treatment was conducted in five replicates under natural conditions. In the second experiment, WL biomass was co-digested with PD into an existing anaerobic digester to examine biogas production on a farm scale. Results Over 30 days, the treatment efficiency of TSS, BOD5, COD, TKN, and TP in the effluent was 93.75–97.66%, 76.63–82.56%, 76.78–82.89%, 61.75–63.75%, and 89.00–89.57%, respectively. Higher WL coverage increased the pollutant elimination potential. The WL biomass doubled after 12 days for all treatments. In the farm-scale biogas production, the biogas yield varied between 190.6 and 292.9 L kg VSadded−1. The methane content reached over 54%. Conclusions WL removed AD effluent nutrients effectively through a phytoremediation system and generated significant biomass for renewable energy production in a farm-scale model.

Abstract Background Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) are clinical syndromes characterized by acute lung inflammation, pulmonary edema and hypoxemia, with up to 50% mortality rate without effective pharmacological therapy. Following the acute inflammation, repair and remodeling occurs which in some cases resulting in lung fibrosis. The pathophysiology of ALI/ARDS remains incompletely understood. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in mice have been widely used as a model to study human ALI/ARDS. Isthmin 1 (ISM1) is a secreted protein highly abundant in mouse lung. We have previously reported that upon intratracheal LPS instillation, ISM1 expression in the lung is further upregulated. Recently, we also reported that ISM1 is an anti-inflammatory protein in the lung with Ism1 -/- mice presenting spontaneous chronic low-grade lung inflammation and obvious emphysema at young adult stage. However, what role ISM1 plays in ALI/ARDS and lung fibrosis remain unclear. Methods Using Ism1 -/- mice and intratracheal LPS-induced ALI, and local delivery of recombinant ISM1 (rISM1), we investigated the role ISM1 plays in ALI and post-ALI lung fibrosis using flow cytometry, Western blot, antibody array, immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescent and other histological staining. Results We reveal that ISM1 deficiency in mice led to an intensified acute lung inflammation upon intratracheal LPS challenge, with a heightened leukocyte infiltration including neutrophils and monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages, as well as upregulation of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Although innate immune cells largely subsided to the baseline by day 7 post-LPS challenge in both wild-type and Ism1 −/− mice, Ism1 −/− lung showed increased post-ALI fibrosis from day 9 post-LPS treatment with increased myofibroblasts, excessive collagen accumulation and TGF-β upregulation. The heightened lung fibrosis remained on day 28 post-LPS. Moreover, intranasal delivered recombinant ISM1 (rISM1) effectively suppressed LPS-induced acute lung inflammation and ALI, and rISM1 suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB activation in cultured mouse alveolar macrophages. Conclusion Together with our previous report, this work further established ISM1 as an endogenous anti-inflammation protein in the lung, restraining excessive host inflammatory response to LPS-triggered ALI and suppressing post-ALI lung fibrosis likely through suppressing NF-κB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine/chemokine production.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition that most frequently affects older adults. It is currently the most common disability. The cost of treating an aging population places pressure on the healthcare budget. As a result, it is imperative to evaluate medicines’ cost-effectiveness and, accordingly, their influence on health resource allocation. Our study aims to summarize the cost and outcome of utilizing glucosamine in OA treatment. Databases like Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus were searched as part of the identification process up until April 2023. Our primary inclusion criteria centered on the economic evaluation of glucosamine in OA treatments, providing an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument was applied to grade the quality of the studies. Seven qualified studies that discussed the cost-effectiveness of glucosamine with or without other formulations were selected. All of them demonstrated that glucosamine was cost-effective. There was an increase in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) when incorporating glucosamine in conventional care. Moreover, patented crystalline glucosamine sulfate (pCGS) was more cost-effective than the other formulations of glucosamine (OFG). Overall, utilizing pCGS was more beneficial than using OFG in terms both of cost and quality of life.

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Knee osteoarthritis is the most popular type of osteoarthritis that causes extreme pain in the elderly. Currently, there is no cure for osteoarthritis. To lessen clinical symptoms, glucosamine was suggested. The primary goal of our systematic review study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of glucosamine based on recent studies. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane were used to assess the randomized controlled trial (RCT). From the beginning through March 2023, the papers were checked, and if they fulfilled the inclusion criteria, they were then examined. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scales were considered the main outcome measures. A total of 15 studies were selected. Global pain was significantly decreased in comparison to placebo, as measured by the VAS index, with an overall effect size of standardized mean difference (SMD) of −7.41 ([95% CI] 14.31, 0.51). The WOMAC scale confirmed that pain, stiffness, and physical function had improved, however the effects were insufficient. A statistical update also revealed that there were no reports of serious medication interactions or significant adverse events. To summarize, glucosamine is more effective than a placebo at reducing pain in knee osteoarthritis patients. In long-term treatment, oral glucosamine sulfate 1500 mg/day is believed to be well tolerated.

Here, we describe a motorized cam-driven system for the cyclic stretch of aortic endothelial cells. Our modular design allows for generating customized spatiotemporal stretch profiles by varying the profile and size of 3D printed cam and follower elements. The system is controllable, compact, inexpensive, and amenable for parallelization and long-term experiments. Experiments using human aortic endothelial cells show significant changes in the cytoskeletal structure and morphology of cells following exposure to 5 and 10% cyclic stretch over 9 and 16 h. The system provides upportunities for exploring the complex molecular and cellular processes governing the response of mechanosensitive cells under cyclic stretch.

Aim: To define the optimal cutoff point for determining methylation status of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) by pyrosequencing in glioblastoma. Patients & methods: A retrospective study of 109 glioblastoma patients was performed to determine the optimal cutoff point for MGMT methylation status. Results: Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed 21% as the optimal cutoff (sensitivity: 68%; specificity: 59%) for MGMT methylation corresponding with the highest likelihood ratio of 1.66 and accuracy of 0.65. Methylation status (hazard ratio: 0.453; 95% CI: 0.279–0.735; p = 0.001) was associated with better overall survival. The crude model indicated linearity between methylation percent and survival rate; an increase of 10% of methylation resulted in a reduction of risk of death by 20% (p = 0.004). Conclusion: ROC analysis determined 21% as the optimal cutoff point for MGMT methylation status by pyrosequencing.

Pfs25 is a transmission-blocking vaccine candidate for Plasmodium. Here, McLeod et al. analyze the antibody response to Pfs25 in sera from a clinical trial evaluating a Pfs25 vaccine candidate, identify a potent transmission-blocking antibody and determine recognized epitopes on Pfs25.

Background: Acute viral infections induce a rapid and transient increase in antibody-secreting plasmablasts. At convalescence, memory B cells (MBC) and long-lived plasma cells (LLPC) are responsible for long-term humoral immunity. Following an acute viral infection, the specific properties and relationships between antibodies produced by these B cell compartments are poorly understood. Methods: We utilized a controlled human challenge model of primary dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2) infection to study acute and convalescent B-cell responses. Findings: The level of DENV2 replication was correlated with the magnitude of the plasmablast response. Functional analysis of plasmablast-derived monoclonal antibodies showed that the DENV2-specific response was dominated by cells producing DENV2 serotype-specific antibodies. DENV2-neutralizing antibodies targeted quaternary structure epitopes centered on domain III of the viral envelope protein (EDIII). Functional analysis of MBC and serum antibodies from the same subjects six months post-challenge revealed maintenance of the serotype-specific response in both compartments. The serum response mainly targeted DENV2 serotype-specific epitopes on EDIII. Interpretation: Our data suggest overall functional alignment of DENV2-specific responses from the plasmablast, through the MBC and LLPC compartments following primary DENV2 inflection. These results provide enhanced resolution of the temporal and specificity of the B cell compartment in viral infection and serve as framework for evaluation of B cell responses in challenge models. Funding: This study was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Keywords: Dengue, Viral infection, Humoral immunity, Antibody

A minor subset of individuals infected with HIV-1 develop antibody neutralization breadth during the natural course of the infection, often linked to chronic, high-level viremia. Despite significant efforts, vaccination strategies have been unable to induce similar neutralization breadth and the mechanisms underlying neutralizing antibody induction remain largely elusive. Broadly neutralizing antibody responses can also be found in individuals who control HIV to low and even undetectable plasma levels in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, suggesting that high antigen exposure is not a strict requirement for neutralization breadth. We therefore performed an analysis of paired heavy and light chain B-cell receptor (BCR) repertoires in 12,591 HIV-1 envelope-specific single memory B-cells to determine alterations in the BCR immunoglobulin gene repertoire and B-cell clonal expansions that associate with neutralizing antibody breadth in 22 HIV controllers. We found that the frequency of genomic mutations in IGHV and IGLV was directly correlated with serum neutralization breadth. The repertoire of the most mutated antibodies was dominated by a small number of large clones with evolutionary signatures suggesting that these clones had reached peak affinity maturation. These data demonstrate that even in the setting of low plasma HIV antigenemia, similar to what a vaccine can potentially achieve, BCR selection for extended somatic hypermutation and clonal evolution can occur in some individuals suggesting that host-specific factors might be involved that could be targeted with future vaccine strategies.

The effectiveness of peroxymonocarbonate (HCO4−) on the degradation of Reactive Blue 19 (RB19) textile dye was investigated in this study. The formation kinetics of HCO4− produced in situ in a H2O2−HCO3− system was studied to control the experimental conditions for the investigation of RB19 degradation at mild conditions. The effects of metallic ion catalysts, the pH, the input HCO3− and Co2+ concentrations, and UV irradiation were studied. The obtained result showed that Co2+ ion gave the highest efficiency on accelerating the rate of RB19 degradation by the H2O2–HCO3− system. In the pH range of 7–10, the higher pH values resulted in faster dye degradation. The reaction orders of the RB19 degradation with respect to Co2+ and HCO3– were determined to be 1.2 and 1.7, respectively. The UV irradiation remarkably enhanced the radical formation in the oxidation system, which led to high degradation efficiencies. The COD, TOC removal, and HPLC results clearly revealed complete mineralization of RB19 by the H2O2−HCO3−−Co2+ system.

In this work, we fabricated crumpled graphite oxides (CGOs) from discharged electrodes of waste batteries by the cathodic plasma electrolysis process and applied it for arsenic (As) removal from water solutions. Several factors that affect the removal efficiency of As(III) were investigated, including pH, initial concentrations, and contact time. After 120 min of experiment [10 mg of CGO in 40 ml of 1 mg/l As(III) solution], the removal efficiency reached to as high as 98.6%. From the Langmuir isotherm model, the calculated maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) was found to be 47.39 mg/g. The results from this study showed that CGOs could be an effective adsorbent for As(III) removal from the water environment and acts as a promising adsorbent for other heavy metals from contaminated water.

Abstract Background Poor diabetes management prior to conception, results in increased rates of fetal malformations and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. We describe the development of an integrated, pre-pregnancy management strategy to improve pregnancy outcomes among women of reproductive age with diabetes in a multi-ethnic district. Methods The strategy included (i) a narrative literature review of contraception and pre-pregnancy interventions for women with diabetes and development of a draft plan; (ii) a chart review of pregnancy outcomes (e.g. congenital malformations, neonatal hypoglycaemia and caesarean sections) among women with type 1 diabetes (T1D) (n = 53) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) (n = 46) between 2010 and 2015 (iii) interview surveys of women with T1D and T2D (n = 15), and local health care professionals (n = 13); (iv) two focus groups (n = 4) and one-to-one interviews with women with T1D and T2D from an Australian background (n = 5), women with T2D from cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) (n = 7) and indigenous backgrounds (n = 1) and partners of CALD women (n = 3); and (v) two group meetings, one comprising predominantly primary care, and another comprising district-wide multidisciplinary inter-sectoral professionals, where components of the intervention strategy were finalised using a Delphi approach for development of the final plan. Results Our literature review showed that a range of interventions, particularly multifaceted educational programs for women and healthcare professionals, significantly increased contraception uptake, and reduced adverse outcomes of pregnancy (e.g. malformations and stillbirth). Our chart-review showed that local rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes were similarly poor among women with both T1D and T2D (e.g. major congenital malformations [9.1% vs 8.9%] and macrosomia [34.7% vs 24.4%]). Challenges included lack of knowledge among women and healthcare professionals relating to diabetes management and limited access to specialist pre-pregnancy care. Group meetings led to a consensus to develop a district-wide approach including healthcare professional and patient education and a structured approach to identification and optimisation of self-management, including contraception, in women of reproductive age with diabetes. Conclusions Sufficient evidence exists for consensus on a district-wide strategy to improve pre-pregnancy management among women with pre-existing diabetes.

In this work, a new design of wireless sensing modules for the wireless sensor network was proposed and the specifications were tested (Received Signal Strength Indicator – RSSI, Packet Reception Ratio – PRR, Link Quality Indicator – LQI) in comparison with some commercial products. Indeed, we focus on the design of wireless sensing nodes and programming of the data transfer protocol for wireless sensing nodes (from the PHYSICAL layer to MAC layer) Experimental results show that the designed wireless sensing modules have the potential for real-world application with read-range (over 150 m), RSSI (bigger than –80 dBm), LQI (bigger than 108) and PRR (over 99%) in the range between 0 and 150 m.

Plasmodium falciparum protein Pfs25 is a promising malaria transmission blocking vaccine antigen. Here, Scally et al. determine the crystal structure of Pfs25 and identify antigenic sites that are recognized by transmission-blocking antibodies elicited in human immunoglobulin loci transgenic mice.

Facile synthetic routes for three 4-substituted 2,2′-bipyridine derivatives, 4-[2-(4-methylphenyl)ethynyl]-2,2′-bipyridine, C19H14N2, (I), 4-[2-(pyridin-3-yl)ethynyl]-2,2′-bipyridine, C17H11N3, (II), and 4-(indol-4-yl)-2,2′-bipyridine, C18H13N3, (III), via Sonogashira and Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions, respectively, are described. As indicated by X-ray analysis, the 2,2′-bipyridine core, the ethylene linkage and the substituents of (I) and (II) are almost planar [dihedral angles between the two ring systems: 8.98 (5) and 9.90 (6)° for the two molecules of (I) in the asymmetric unit and 2.66 (14)° for (II)], allowing π-conjugation. On the contrary, in (III), the indole substituent ring is rotated significantly out of the bipyridine plane [dihedral angle = 55.82 (3)°], due to steric hindrance. The crystal packings of (I) and (II) are dominated by π–π interactions, resulting in layers of molecules parallel to (30-2) in (I) and columns of molecules along the a axis in (II). The packing of (III) exhibits zigzag chains of molecules along the c axis interacting through N—H...N hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions. The contributions of unknown disordered solvent molecules to the diffraction intensities in (II) were removed with the SQUEEZE [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18] algorithm of PLATON. The given chemical formula and other crystal data do not take into account these solvent molecules.

Arterial endothelium experience physical stress associated with blood flow and play a central role in maintaining vascular integrity and homeostasis in response to hemodynamic forces. Blood flow within vessels is generally laminar and streamlined. However, abrupt changes in the vessel geometry due to branching, sharp turns or stenosis can disturb the laminar blood flow, causing secondary flows in the form of vortices. Such disturbed flow patterns activate pro-inflammatory phenotypes in endothelial cells, damaging the endothelial layer and can lead to atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Here, we report a microfluidic system with integrated ridge-shaped obstacles for generating controllable disturbed flow patterns. This system is used to study the effect of disturbed flow on the cytoskeleton remodeling and nuclear shape and size of cultured human aortic endothelial cells. Our results demonstrate that the generated disturbed flow changes the orientation angle of actin stress fibers and reduces the nuclear size while increases the nuclear circularity.

Background. Brown recluse spider (BRS) envenomation can lead to significant morbidity through severe local reaction and systemic illness including acute hemolytic anemia, rhabdomyolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC), and even death. We aim to describe the clinical features and the roles of antibiotics and steroids in the treatment of loxoscelism. Methods. We retrospectively identified nine patients (pts) at our institution who were admitted with moderate to severe loxoscelism. A chart review was performed to highlight important clinical features and effect of interventions. Results. Nine pts (age 18 to 53) presented with fever (6), rash (9), pain/swelling (4), and jaundice (2). Of these, 6 pts had antecedent spider bites documented. Five pts were discharged from Emergency Room (ER) with oral antibiotics for “cellulitis” and were readmitted with severe systemic symptoms, with almost half (45%) of the pts being admitted to the intensive care unit. The most common admission diagnosis was sepsis secondary to cellulitis (6). Four pts developed worsening dermonecrosis, and 3 received prompt incision and drainage (I&D) with debridement. Hemolytic anemia developed around day 5 after spider bite (average); the lowest mean hemoglobin level was 5.8g/dL, with average drop of 3.1 g/dL. Direct antiglobulin test (DAT) (for both complement and surface immunoglobulin) was positive in 4 out of 9 patients. Four pts received glucocorticoid therapy for their hemolytic anemia. The use of steroid and intravenous immunoglobulin (IV Ig) did not seem to show a difference in the time of recovery although those who received steroids required less blood transfusion (2.1 units less). All pts had a complete recovery within two weeks. Conclusion. Treatment of systemic loxoscelism involves aggressive supportive care including appropriate wound management, blood transfusions, intravenous fluid replacement, and appropriate antibiotic coverage. It is unclear at this time if glucocorticoids or IVIg has any beneficial impact on the treatment of severe loxoscelism.

In the title complexes, trans-dichlorido(4-chloroaniline-κN){3-methoxy-4-methoxycarbonylmethoxy-1-[(2,3-η)-prop-2-en-1-yl]benzene}platinum(II) 0.1-hydrate, [PtCl2(C6H6ClN)(C13H16O4)]·0.1H2O, (I), and trans-dichlorido(4-chloroaniline-κN){4-ethoxycarbonylmethoxy-3-methoxy-1-[(2,3-η)-prop-2-en-1-yl]benzene}platinum(II), [PtCl2(C6H6ClN)(C14H18O4)], (II), the PtII metal atom displays a slightly distorted square-planar coordination geometry defined by the aniline N atom, two chloride anions (trans-positioned) and one ethylenic double bond. The least-squares planes through the two aromatic ring systems make an angle of 47.3 (3)° for (I) and 38.6 (2)° for (II). Both structures show disorder for the PtCl2 fragment, in the case of (I) even further extended towards the CH2—CH=CH2 ligand. An intramolecular C—H...Cl hydrogen bond occurs in (I). In the crystal packing of (I), which is dominated by N—H...O and C—H...Cl interactions, a partially occupied water molecule is observed on a twofold rotation axis with a refined site occupancy of 0.10 (1). A C—H...π interaction is also present. In (II), inversion dimers form chains along the b-axis direction by N—H...O hydrogen bonds.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Ni(H2O)6](C11H8NO8S)2·2H2O, features a half-hexaaquanickel(II) complex cation with the NiII ion on an inversion center, one deprotonated 5,6-dihydroxy-3-sulfoquinolin-7-yloxyacetic acid (QOH) molecule appearing in its zwitterionic form and one lattice water molecule. The sulfonate group is disordered over two positions with occupancy factors of 0.655 (5) and 0.345 (5). The hexaaquanickel(II) cation interacts through hydrogen bonding with eight QOH molecules and two water molecules. The six-membered rings of quinoline show π–π stacking [centroid-to-centroid distances of 3.679 (2) Å and 3.714 (2) Å].

In the title complex, [PtCl2(C5H11N)(C6H6N2O2)], the PtII metal atom displays a slightly distorted trans-PtN2Cl2 square-planar coordination geometry. The dihedral angle between the mean plane of the benzene and piperidine rings is 89.03 (3)°. In the crystal structure, inversion dimers are formed via N—H...Cl hydrogen-bond interactions, resulting in chains parallel to the [001] direction. The benzene rings within the chains show π–π stacking interactions [centroid-to-centroid distances of 3.801 (3) Å] and neighbouring chains interact via N—H...O hydrogen bonds.

The title compound, [Pt(C10H6NO2)Cl(C5H11N)], crystallizes with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The PtII cation has a slightly distorted square-planar coordination environment defined by a chloride anion, the quinoline N atom and a carboxylate O atom of the bidentate quinaldate ligand and a piperidine N atom. An intramolecular C—H...Cl hydrogen bond occurs. In the crystal, molecules are stacked into columns along the c axis by the formation of N—H...Cl and C—H...O hydrogen bonds.