Development of chitosan coating loaded with solvothermal-prepared cerium oxide for banana preservation.

In this work, cerium oxide nanoparticles prepared through the solvothermal route (sCeO NPs) are integrated into chitosan (CH) matrices to serve as an efficient coating for banana preservation. The morphological, structural, mechanical, and water-barrier properties of nanocomposite films integrated with various sCeO concentrations were investigated to determine the optimal sCeO NPs concentration within the film matrix. Furthermore, the sensory evaluation and physicochemical properties of the coated and uncoated bananas, including visual attributes, peel browning, CO production, firmness, weight loss, ripening rate (based on total soluble solids and titratable acidity), and pH, are considered during storage.

Activity and access of surgical abortion in metropolitan France.

Objective: To report the territorial distribution and characteristics of healthcare centres performing surgical abortion in France, along with the accessibility of these centres.

Material And Methods: A nationwide population-based cohort study of all women hospitalized for surgical abortion was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2022 in metropolitan France. Number, location, activity volume and use of local anaesthesia rate of surgical abortion centres were reported as distribution activity across metropolitan France.

Tactile force sensor based on a modified acoustic reflection principle for intraoperative tumor localization in minimally invasive surgery.

Purpose: Localization of abdominal tissue, such as tumors, in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is crucial but challenging due to the lack of tactile sensation. This study aims to develop a tactile force sensor that provides tactile sensation for surgeons, enabling accurate tumor localization while ensuring surgical safety.

Methods: This study proposes an acoustic reflection-based tactile force sensor, with preliminary theoretical analyses and fundamental experiments performed to assess its response to applied forces.

Screening and eradication of or gastric cancer prevention: Taipei Global Consensus II.

Objective: To convene a global consensus on () screening and eradication strategies for gastric cancer prevention, identify key knowledge gaps and outline future research directions.

Methods: 32 experts from 12 countries developed and refined consensus statements on management, using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework to assess evidence and the Delphi method to achieve ≥80% agreement.

Results: Consensus was achieved on 28 statements.

Improving sludge dewaterability through freeze-thaw pretreatment: Ice crystal morphology controls consolidation and rheological enhancement.

Municipal sludge, characterized by its high-water-content and viscous texture, poses significant environmental challenges due to inefficient dewatering and poor flowability. The freeze-thaw (F/T) method is an effective and environmentally friendly pretreatment approach. It is crucial to apply rheological analysis to examine the influence of refrigeration temperature on dewatering effects and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Indolicidin derivatives as potent dual-action antifungal and antibacterial agents for the treatment of skin infections: A comprehensive study from in vitro to in vivo evaluation.

As listed by the WHO, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, particularly Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, highlights the urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. In parallel, fungal infections, especially those caused by Candida albicans, have also become increasingly prevalent and clinically challenging, further emphasizing the necessity for broad-spectrum therapeutic strategies. In particular, skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by these bacteria and fungal are common in humans and can lead to severe complications if left untreated.

Bank complexity and core competence of commercial banks in Vietnam: The buffer role of corporate social responsibility.

Based on stakeholder theory, socially responsible practices may help firms gain competitive advantages by lowering operational costs and enhancing their core competencies. From the perspective of the conglomerate hypothesis, we further suggest that CSR can act as a mechanism to reduce hidden risks, as firms, particularly banks, tend to diversify their activities more extensively. Using a sample of 26 commercial banks in Vietnam from 2010 to 2023, we test a set of hypotheses and find that engaging in CSR and diversifying operations are associated with lower risk exposure, greater financial stability, and improved asset quality.

Addressing Frailty in Cardiology: Identifying Barriers Faced by Cardiologists and Health Care Professionals in Asia.

Background: Preventing frailty is crucial for improving outcomes in aging populations at heightened cardiovascular risk, yet implementation in real-world practice remains challenging. The authors previously reported low use of frailty strategies among cardiologists in Asia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the barriers to frailty implementation among cardiologists, other physicians, and nurses.

Influence of maternal dietary diversity during pregnancy on infant atopic dermatitis: Exploring the microbiome link in a Taiwanese birth cohort.

Background: Maternal diet during pregnancy plays a critical role in shaping infant immune development, potentially influencing the risk of atopic dermatitis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined the association between maternal dietary diversity during pregnancy and the incidence of atopic dermatitis in early childhood and explored the potential mediating role of the infant gut microbiome.

Elevated Soluble HLA-G Levels Associate With Dengue Severity in Vietnamese Patients.

The pathogenesis of dengue remains complex and incompletely understood. One proposed mechanism involves the virus evading host immune responses through the upregulation and/or secretion of immune-inhibitory molecules. This study investigates the association between plasma levels of soluble human leukocyte antigen G (sHLA-G), a known immunoregulatory molecule, and dengue severity in hospitalized patients.

Effect of Preoperative Budesonide on Postoperative Sore Throat: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Postoperative sore throat (POST) is a common complication following endotracheal intubation. Various pharmacological interventions have been explored for POST prevention, with budesonide emerging as a promising option due to its anti-inflammatory properties. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched following PRISMA guidelines.

Dual Detection of Glucose Using Commercial Potassium Permanganate and Glucose Oxidase: Colorimetric and Absorbance-Based Approaches.

Accurate and accessible glucose detection is essential for clinical diagnostics, point-of-care testing, food safety, and biosensing applications. In this study, we present a simple, scalable, and dual-mode glucose sensor that integrates commercial potassium permanganate (KMnO) with glucose oxidase to enable sensitive and selective detection in the clinically critical range of 1-5 mM. Leveraging the strong oxidative power and distinct optical characteristics of KMnO, the sensor operates via both absorbance measurement at 400 nm and visual colorimetric analysis, displaying a clear color change from purple to pink and yellow upon reaction with glucose.

Role of hydrothermally prepared CeO in developing chitosan-based functional coating for banana preservation.

This work aims to construct a nanocomposite coating made from chitosan (CS) and hydrothermally prepared ceria nanoparticles (hCeO NPs), and thoroughly evaluate its influence on extending the lifespan of post-harvest bananas over a 12-day period. The hCeO NPs were characterized to confirm their synthesis before being integrated within the CS matrix. The morphological, structural, mechanical, water-, and UV-barrier properties of nanocomposite coating films were determined.

Multiscale Risk Spillovers and External Driving Factors: Evidence From the Global Futures and Spot Markets of Staple Foods.

Stable and efficient food markets are crucial for global food security. However, international staple food markets are increasingly exposed to complex risks, including intensified risk contagion and increasing external uncertainties. This paper systematically investigates risk spillovers in global staple food markets and explores the key determinants of these spillover effects, combining innovative decomposition-reconstruction techniques, risk connectedness analysis, and random forest models.

Predicting the Adsorption Behavior of Olaparib on Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Improved pH-Responsive Drug Delivery: Experimental and DFT Insights.

The development of efficient drug delivery systems for hydrophobic anticancer drugs like Olaparib (OLA) remains a critical challenge in cancer therapy. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of OLA-loaded zinc oxide nanoparticles (OLA@ZnO) through integrated experimental and computational approaches to optimize pH-responsive drug delivery. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via a sol-gel method and characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy, revealing successful OLA loading through Zn²⁺-carbonyl coordination and π-stacking interactions.

Outcomes of Allogenic Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell infusion for Liver Cirrhosis due to Biliary Atresia after Kasai Operation.

Background And Aim: Although Kasai surgery has saved many patients with biliary atresia, the long-term survival rate remains low. Recently, cell therapy has been explored as a potential strategy to improve post-surgical survival. This study aims to evaluate the safety and outcomes of allogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) infusion in management of liver cirrhosis due to Biliary Atresia after Kasai Operation.

Enhancing phenolic and flavonoid recovery from Vietnamese balm using green solvent-based ultrasonic-enzymatic-assisted extraction.

The research explored the extraction of phenolic and flavonoids from Elsholtzia ciliata (Vietnamese balm) using a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES)-based ultrasonic-enzymatic-assisted extraction (UAE-EAE) technique. A range of NADESs was evaluated to investigate the most suitable solvent system. The NADES synthesized from lactic acid and choline chloride provided the highest recovery of phenolics and flavonoids.

Transitions and patterns in concurrent use of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes: An intensive longitudinal study of adults who smoke cigarettes and recently initiated e-cigarette use.

Background: There is a knowledge gap in the short- and long-term tobacco use patterns of adults who smoke cigarettes and initiate use of electronic cigarettes. This longitudinal study describes concurrent use transitions following e-cigarette initiation among adults who smoked cigarettes.

Methods: From December 2020-October 2021, US adults who smoked cigarettes and recently (re-)initiated e-cigarette use within the past month (N = 303) were recruited nationally for a one-year online study consisting of weekly surveys for three months followed by three quarterly surveys.

Extreme weather events and dengue in Southeast Asia: A regionally-representative analysis of 291 locations from 1998 to 2021.

Background: Climate change, leading to more frequent and intense extreme weather events (EWEs), could significantly impact dengue transmission. However, the associations between EWEs and dengue remains underexplored in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region. We investigated the association between selected EWEs (i.

TLC-NOSF dressings versus standard of care for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in Vietnam: an economic evaluation.

Objective: This economic evaluation compares two treatment strategies for patients with a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU): a lipido-colloid technology with nano-oligosaccharide factor (TLC-NOSF) dressing versus standard of care (SoC) over a one-year time horizon from the Vietnamese healthcare payer perspective.

Method: A Markov microsimulation model was developed to simulate weekly progression of DFUs over one year, comparing two treatment strategies. Using a willingness-to-pay threshold of VND 305.

Partial Deletion of the Carboxyl-Terminal Signal Sequence of the Cellular Prion Protein Alters Protein Expression via Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation.

Cellular prion protein (PrP) is a glycoprotein tethered to the plasma membrane via a GPI-anchor, and it plays a crucial role in prion diseases by undergoing conformational change to PrP. To generate a knock-in (KI) mouse model expressing bank vole PrP (BVPrP), a KI targeting construct was designed. However, a Prnp gene sequence that encodes PrP lacking seven C-terminal amino acid residues of the GPI-anchoring signal sequence (GPI-SS) was unintentionally introduced into the construct.

One-year mortality rates of fragility fractures of the pelvis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study investigates the 1-year mortality of fragility fractures of the pelvis (FFP) in patients categorized under this system and treated with surgery or conservative methods, aiming to assess the algorithm's effectiveness.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for English studies on the 1-year mortality of FFP, with no publication date restrictions. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

() rs738409 Variant and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Risk in Vietnamese Working-Age Adults: A Case-Control Study with Metabolic Insights.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasing public health concern in Vietnam, particularly among working-age adults (18-60 years). The rs738409 variant (C>G) is a well-established risk factor for NAFLD globally; however, its impact on the Vietnamese population remains inadequately studied. This study investigates its association with NAFLD risk and its interaction with metabolic factors.

Mountainous millipedes in Vietnam. V. The millipede genus Attems, 1914 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), with descriptions of two new species.

The paradoxosomatid genus Attems, 1914 has been reviewed in the context of Vietnam's fauna. A total of six species have been documented in the country, including a new country record, Hoffman, 1963, and two new species, and The genetic distances and the phylogenetic relationship between Vietnamese species based on a fragment of the COI gene were also provided.