Avenanthramide C as a novel candidate to alleviate osteoarthritic pathogenesis

( Thanh-tam Tran ),( Won-hyun Song ),( Gyuseok Lee ),( Hyung Seok Kim ),( Daeho Park ),( Yun Hyun Huh ),( Je-hwang Ryu ) 생화학분자생물학회 2021 BMB Reports Vol.54 No.10

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disorder that can result in the loss of articular cartilage. No effective treatment against OA is currently available. Thus, interest in natural health products to relieve OA symptoms is increasing. However, their qualities such as efficacy, toxicity, and mechanism are poorly understood. In this study, we determined the efficacy of avenanthramide (Avn)-C extracted from oats as a promising candidate to prevent OA progression and its mechanism of action to prevent the expression of matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) in OA pathogenesis. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), a proinflammatory cytokine as a main causing factor of cartilage destruction, was used to induce OA-like condition of chondrocytes in vitro. Avn-C restrained IL-1β-mediated expression and activity of MMPs, such as MMP-3, -12, and -13 in mouse articular chondrocytes. Moreover, Avn-C alleviated cartilage destruction in experimental OA mouse model induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery. However, Avn-C did not affect the expression of inflammatory mediators (Ptgs2 and Nos) or anabolic factors (Col2a1, Aggrecan, and Sox9), although expression levels of these genes were upregulated or downregulated by IL-1β, respectively. The inhibition of MMP expression by Avn-C in articular chondrocytes was mediated by p38 kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling, but not by ERK or NF-κB. Interestingly, Avn-C added with SB203580 and SP600125 as specific inhibitors of p38 kinase and JNK, respectively, enhanced its inhibitory effect on the expression of MMPs in IL-1β treated chondrocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that Avn-C is an effective candidate to prevent OA progression and a natural health product to relieve OA pathogenesis. [BMB Reports 2021; 54(10): 528-533]

Disruption of cholesterol homeostasis triggers periodontal inflammation and alveolar bone loss

Tran Thanh-Tam,Lee Gyuseok,Huh Yun Hyun,Chung Ki-Ho,Lee Sun Young,Park Ka Hyon,Kwon Seung-Hee,Kook Min-Suk,Chun Jang-Soo,Koh Jeong-Tae,Ryu Je-Hwang 생화학분자생물학회 2023 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.55 No.-

Oral diseases exhibit a significant association with metabolic syndrome, including dyslipidemia. However, direct evidence supporting this relationship is lacking, and the involvement of cholesterol metabolism in the pathogenesis of periodontitis (PD) has yet to be determined. In this study, we showed that high cholesterol caused periodontal inflammation in mice. Cholesterol homeostasis in human gingival fibroblasts was disrupted by enhanced uptake through C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16), upregulation of cholesterol hydroxylase (CH25H), and the production of 25-hydroxycholesterol (an oxysterol metabolite of CH25H). Retinoid-related orphan receptor α (RORα) mediated the transcriptional upregulation of inflammatory mediators; consequently, PD pathogenesis mechanisms, including alveolar bone loss, were stimulated. Our collective data provided direct evidence that hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for PD and supported that inhibition of the CXCL16-CH25H-RORα axis is a potential treatment mechanism for PD as a systemic disorder manifestation.

Organic Photocatalysts Based on Dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyrrole for Photoinduced Metal-Free Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Nhung Thanh Thi Truong,Tam Huu Nguyen,Bao Kim Doan,Le-Thu T. Nguyen,Tam Hoang Luu,Chau Duc Tran,Thiet Quoc Nguyen,Ha Tran Nguyen 한국고분자학회 2021 Macromolecular Research Vol.29 No.11

In this research, three organic photocatalysts, 4-(4H-dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'- d]pyrrol-4-yl)-N,N-diphenylaniline, 4-(pyren-1-yl)-4H-dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyrrole and 4-(6b,10-dihydroperylen-3-yl)-4H-dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]pyrrole have been successfully synthesized through C-N coupling reactions. The chemical structures and the optical properties of the obtained organic photocatalysts have been characterized via 1H NMR,13C NMR, elemental analysis, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Next, these dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]pyrrole-based photocatalysts have been used for the polymerization of methyl methacrylate, 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate and tert-butyl methacrylate monomers under 365 nm UV irradiation, resulting in (meth)acrylate polymers with controlled molecular weights and low polydispersity indexes.

Economic Load Dispatch with Multiple Fuel Options and Valve Point Effect Using Cuckoo Search Algorithm with Different Distributions

Cuong Dinh Tran,Tam Thanh Dao,Ve Song Vo,Thang Trung Nguyen 보안공학연구지원센터 2015 International Journal of Hybrid Information Techno Vol.8 No.1

Cuckoo Search Algorithm (CSA), a new meta-heuristic algorithm based on natural phenomenon of Cuckoo species and Lévy flights random walk has been widely and successfully applied to several optimization problems so far. In the paper two modified versions of CSA, where new solutions are generated using two distributions including Gaussian and Cauchy distributions in addition to imposing bound by best solutions mechanism are proposed for solving economic load dispatch (ELD) problem with multiple fuel options. The advantages of CSA with Gaussian distribution (CSA-Gauss) and CSA with Cauchy distribution (CSA-Cauchy) over CSA with Lévy distribution and other meta-heuristic are fewer parameters. The proposed CSA methods are tested on two systems with several load cases and obtained results are compared to other methods. The result comparisons have shown that the proposed methods are highly effective for solving ELD problem with multiple fuel options and/nor valve point effect.

Reliability–security Tradeoff Analysis of a Cooperative Cognitive Radio Network under an Eavesdropping Attack

Tam-Thanh Pham,Anh-Tuan Dinh,Hong-Ha Tran,Dang-Khanh Le 대한전자공학회 2019 IEIE Transactions on Smart Processing & Computing Vol.8 No.3

In this paper, we consider a cooperative cognitive radio network with multiple relays under an eavesdropping attack. We first propose a novel relay selection scheme to improve network security and reliability. Then, we derive accurate closed-form expressions of the network outage and intercept probabilities. Finally, several representative simulation results are provided to validate our analyses. We show that network reliability is completely irrelevant to the channels’ statistical characteristics between relays and the eavesdropper, while network security is independent of the channel statistical characteristics for relays to the destination. We also point out that network security is first improved from increasing the number of relays; however, when the number of relays reaches a certain point, the increased network reliability is not proportional to the number of relays any more.

Micropropagation from root segments to improve seedling quality in Chinese foxglove crops

Thanh Loan Pham,Van Huy Nguyen,Thi Le Thu Hoang,Thi Tam Tien Ha,Trung Kien Tran,Xuan Duong Vu,Phi Bang Cao,Quang Trung Nguyen 한국식물생명공학회 2020 JOURNAL OF PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY Vol.47 No.3

This is the first study to establish a complete protocol for micropropagation of Rehmannia glutinosa from root segments. The study involved investigating the effect of plant growth regulators on in vitro shoot regeneration and rooting and identifying substrates supporting survival and growth performance of ex vitro seedlings. A Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 30 g/L sucrose for shoot induction and 0.2 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 1 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and 1 g/L polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) for shoot multiplication resulted in the highest number of shoots per explant and shoot height. Applying a medium containing 0.5 mg/L IAA and 1 g/L PVP yielded optimal rooting of the shoots grown in vitro. Compost enriched with microbial inoculants and perlite enhanced seedling growth better than that with organic biofertilizer-free substrates (soil and sand). We recommend the continuous production of micropropagated R. glutinosa seedlings from root segments under the aforementioned conditions as a possible propagation technique for crops of this species.

Determinants of Operational Self-Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions in Vietnam

LE, Thanh Tam,DAO, Lan Phuong,DO, Ngoc Mai,TRUONG, Thi Hoai Linh,NGUYEN, Thi Thuy Duong,TRAN, Chung Thuy Korea Distribution Science Association 2020 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.7 No.10

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of the Operational Self-Sustainability (OSS) of Vietnamese microfinance institutions (MFIs). This research uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods: (i) qualitative research was via in-depth interviews with ten microfinance practitioners, policymakers and researchers; (ii) quantitative research was conducted by using panel data of 34 MFIs in the period 2011-2015 with binary logistics and OLS regressions. Results are as follows: (i) MFIs' OSS in Vietnam are mainly determined by five key factors: portfolio at risk (PAR>30), capital structure, gross loan portfolio, scope of activities and legal form; (ii) OSS are most affected by legal status (social organizations have better OSS than formal MFIs or programs/projects), location (MFIs focus in one province have higher OSS than working nationwide or just in one district), capital structure (MFIs with more equity proportion have higher OSS); (iii) surprisingly, average loan size per borrower and age of MFIs do not have statistically significant correlation with OSS. The key recommendations are: (i) MFIs should focus on its professionality and increase its equity; (ii) related stakeholders such as State Bank of Vietnam should promote the enabling ecosystem for microfinance development to enhance poverty reduction and economic development.

Phenothiazine Derivative as Organic Photocatalyst for Metal Free Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

Hoan Minh Tran,Lan Ngoc Tan Phan,Thang Van Le,Thuy Thuy Truong,Tam Huu Nguyen,Khuong Tung Truong,Le-Thu T. Nguyen,Mai Thanh Phong,Ha Tran Nguyen 한국고분자학회 2019 폴리머 Vol.43 No.4

A novel organic photocatalyst, 4-(10H-phenothiazin-10-yl)-N,N-diphenylaniline (PDPA) has been successfully synthesized from triphenylamine and phenothiazine moiety via Buchwald-Hartwig C-N coupling. The chemical structure of catalyst was characterized via proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and the optical properties were investigated via UV-vis spectroscopy. The PDPA has been applied as an organic photocatalyst for metal free atom transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP). The well-controlled molecular weights of polymethacrylates have been obtained with high yield of 95% and narrow polydispersity index (Đ).

A Facile Synthesis of WS2/g-C3N4 Composites with Improved Photocatalytic Activity

Huu Ha Tran,Duy Huong Truong,Thanh Tam Truong,Thi Xuan Dieu Nguyen,Ying-Shi Jin,김성진,Vien Vo 대한화학회 2018 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.39 No.8

Visible-light-driven photocatalysis has received considerable attention in the environmental treatment in recent years. In this paper, WS2/g-C3N4 composite photocatalysts with various contents of WS2 and g-C3N4 were synthesized by a facile method via heating the mixtures of tungstic acid and thiourea, and denoted as nWCN, where n is weight ratio of thiourea to tungstic acid. The composites were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, IR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, TGA, and UV?vis DRS. The characterizations reveal that the composites contain WS2 nanosheets coated by g-C3N4 and the relative content of WS2 in the composites decreases with increasing amount of thiourea in the reaction mixtures. All the composites exhibited the better photocatalytic activity in degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution than the single components, WS2, and g-C3N4. Among them, 7WCN sample performed the highest activity. A synergistic effect between WS2 and g-C3N4 in photocatalytic activity for the composites was observed.

Mental health and its determinants among adolescents living in families with separated or divorced parents in an urban area of Vietnam

Binh Thang Tran,Nguyen Minh Tu,Minh Tam Nguyen,Thanh Gia Nguyen,Vo Nu Hong Duc,Thi Tra My Tran 질병관리본부 2023 Osong Public Health and Research Persptectives Vol.14 No.4

Objectives: We assessed the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression among adolescents living in families with separated or divorced parents in Hue City, Vietnam and identified factors associated with these conditions.Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 309 adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years, living in families with separated or divorced parents in Hue City, Vietnam. The depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21) was used to measure stress, anxiety, and depression. Predictors of overall and individual mental health problems were identified using ordered and binary logistic regression, respectively.Results: The DASS-21 scale revealed a 49.2% prevalence of stress, while anxiety and depression had s prevalence rates of 61.5%. Among participants, 42.4% experienced all 3 mental health issues. Several factors were identified as significant predictors of mental health problems, including poor to average economic status (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–3.31; p=0.007); being in high school (aOR, 5.02; 95% CI, 2.93–8.60; p<0.001); maternal occupation of teacher, healthcare professional, or official (aOR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.13–5.03; p=0.022); longer duration of family separation or divorce (aOR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.05–1.45; p=0.009); living with one’s mother (aOR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.03–2.76; p=0.04); alcohol consumption (aOR, 1.70; 95% CI, 0.99–2.92; p=0.050); and being bullied (aOR, 5.33; 95% CI, 1.10–25.69; p=0.037). Most of these factors were associated with stress, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, smoking was associated with stress.Conclusion: Adolescents with separated or divorced parents were at increased risk of stress, anxiety, and depression. The findings of this study provide important implications for prevention programs.