GSH-doped GQDs using citric acid rich-lime oil extract for highly selective and sensitive determination and discrimination of Fe3+ and Fe2+ in the presence of H2O2 by a fluorescence “turn-off” sensor

Synthesis and characterization of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) simultaneously doped with 1% glutathione (GSH-GQDs) by pyrolysis using citric acid rich-lime oil extract as a starting material. The excitation wavelength (λ_max = 337 nm) of the obtained GSH-GQD solution is blue shifted from that of bare GQDs (λ_max = 345 nm), with the same emission wavelength (λ_max = 430 nm) indicating differences in the desired N and S matrices decorating the carbon based nanoparticles, without any background effect of both ionic strength and masking agent. For highly Fe³⁺-sensitive detection under optimum conditions, acetate buffer at pH 4.0 in the presence of 50 μM H₂O₂, the linearity range was 1.0–150 μM (R² = 0.9984), giving its calibration curve: y = 34.934x + 169.61. The LOD and LOQ were found to be 0.10 and 0.34 μM, respectively. The method’s precisions expressed in terms of RSDs for repeatability (n = 3 × 3 for intra-day analysis) were 2.03 and 3.17% and for reproducibility (n = 5 × 3 for inter-day analysis) were 3.11 and 4.55% for Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺, respectively. The recoveries of the method expressed as the mean percentage (n = 3) were found in the ranges of 100.1–104.1 and 98.08–102.7% for Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺, respectively. The proposed method was then implemented satisfactorily for trace determination of iron speciation in drinking water.

Synthesis and characterization of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) simultaneously doped with 1% glutathione (GSH-GQDs) by pyrolysis using citric acid rich-lime oil extract as a starting material.     

Scapular fractures and concomitant injuries

Objective: The association of scapular fractures with other life-threatening injuries including blunt thoracic aortic injury is widely recognized.Few studies have investigated this presumed association...     

Influenza‐associated mortality in Thailand, 2006–2011

Background

Influenza-associated mortality in subtropical or tropical regions, particularly in developing countries, remains poorly quantified and often underestimated. We analyzed data in Thailand, a middle-income tropical country with good vital statistics and influenza surveillance data.

Methods

We obtained weekly mortality data for all-cause and three underlying causes of death (circulatory and respiratory diseases, and pneumonia and influenza), and weekly influenza virus data, from 2006 to 2011. A negative binomial regression model was used to estimate deaths attributable to influenza in two age groups (<65 and ≥65 years) by incorporating influenza viral data as covariates in the model.

Results

From 2006 to 2011, the average annual influenza-associated mortality per 100 000 persons was 4·0 (95% CI: −18 to 26). Eighty-three percent of influenza-associated deaths occurred among persons aged > 65 years. The average annual rate of influenza-associated deaths was 0·7 (95% CI: −8·2 to 10) per 100 000 population for person aged <65 years and 42 (95% CI: −137 to 216) for person aged ≥ 65 years.

Discussion

In Thailand, estimated excess mortality associated with influenza was considerable even during non-pandemic years. These data provide support for Thailand''s seasonal influenza vaccination campaign. Continued monitoring of mortality data is important to assess impact.     

Physicochemical properties of Terminalia catappa seed oil as a novel dietary lipid source

Terminalia catappa Linn (TC) is an ornamental tree planted extensively in many countries. It has been known for a long time that the seeds are edible but no research has focused on the realm of its use as food. Our previous data showed that the seed contains high levels of oil content (600 g/kg) and possesses the optimum fatty acid balance indicated in fat dietary guidelines. This study aims to investigate the physical and chemical properties and the possibility of using TC seed oil as a new dietary lipid. The effects of extraction conditions, partial refining process, and storage stability on TC oil properties were conducted compared with soybean oil. The results showed that physicochemical properties including the density, refractive index, melting point, acidity, free fatty acid, saponification value, unsaponifiable, peroxide, and fatty acid composition of the extracted oil were comparable with soybean oil and their values followed the dietary standard of edible oil.     

Forensic entomology cases in Thailand: a review of cases from 2000 to 2006

This paper presents and discusses 30 cases of cadavers that had been transferred for forensic entomology investigations to the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, northern Thailand, from 2000 to 2006. Variable death scenes were determined, including forested area and suburban and urban outdoor and indoor environments. The fly specimens found in the corpses obtained were the most commonly of the blow fly of family Calliphoridae, and consisted of Chrysomya megacephala (F.), Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) Chrysomya villeneuvi Patton, Chrysomya nigripes Aubertin, Chrysomya bezziana Villeneuve, Chrysomya chani Kurahashi, Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann), and two unknown species. Flies of the family Muscidae [Hydrotaea spinigera Stein, Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp)], Piophilidae [Piophila casei (L.)], Phoridae [Megaselia scalaris (Loew)], Sarcophagidae [Parasarcophaga ruficornis (F.) and three unknown species], and Stratiomyiidae (Sargus sp.) were also collected from these human remains. Larvae and adults of the beetle, Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), were also found in some cases. Chrysomya megacephala and C. rufifacies were the most common species found in the ecologically varied death scene habitats associated with both urban and forested areas, while C. nigripes was commonly discovered in forested places. S. nudiseta was collected only from corpses found in an indoor death scene.     

Growth and Phytoremediation Efficiency of Winged Bean in Fluorene- and Pyrene-Contaminated Soil

Winged bean is a tropical legume that has been reported to enhance polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) biodegradation in soil. However, there is insufficient information about the susceptibility of winged bean to PAH toxicity in long term study. In this study, winged bean was planted in soil contaminated with either fluorene (124.5 mg/kg) or pyrene (98.4 mg/kg) for 90 days. Plant growth parameters and PAH disappearances from soil were measured every 30 days. Neither fluorene nor pyrene led to decreased shoot and root length of winged bean and all the winged bean plants flowered on day 90. However, the chlorophyll b content in the leaves decreased since day 60 and further decreased significantly by day 90 when winged bean was grown in the presence of fluorene or pyrene. The presence of fluorene and pyrene led to reduced root nodule formation at 30 and 60 days. Despite the reduced chlorophyll b content and decreased number of root nodules, winged bean could enhance pyrene removal significantly on day 30 compared to unplanted soil. Subsequently, pyrene degradation in the unplanted soil caught up and there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatments at 60 or 90 days. Negligible amounts of PAHs were accumulated in the shoot and root tissues of winged bean. These results showed that winged bean can speed up the removal of high MW PAHs from contaminated soil and we conclude that this plant is suitable for PAH phytoremediation.     

Effects of hexahydrocurcumin in combination with 5-fluorouracil on dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer in rats

AIM: To investigate the effects of hexahydrocurcumin (HHC), and its combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon cancer in rats.METHODS: Male Wistar rats weighing 100-120 g were used as subject models. Aberrant crypt foci (ACF), early preneoplastic lesions of colon cancer, were induced by subcutaneous injection of DHM (40 mg/kg) twice a week for two weeks. After the first DMH injection, rats were treated daily with vehicle (n = 12), curcumin (CUR) (50 mg/kg) (n = 12), HHC (50 mg/kg) orally (n = 12), and treated weekly with an intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU (50 mg/kg) (n = 12), or a combination of 5-FU plus CUR (n = 12) and HHC (n = 12) at the same dosage(s) for 16 wk. The total number of ACF and large ACF were assessed. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 expression were detected by immunohistochemistry in colon tissues. The quantitative data of both COX-1 and COX-2 expression were presented as the percentage of number of positive-stained cells to the total number of cells counted. Apoptotic cells in colon tissues were also visualized using the dUTP-biotin nick end labeling method. Apoptotic index (AI) was determined as the percentage of labeled nuclei with respect to the total number of nuclei counted.RESULTS: The total number of ACF was highest in the DMH-vehicle group (1558.20 ± 17.37), however, the number of ACF was significantly reduced by all treatments, 5-FU (1231.20 ± 25.62 vs 1558.20 ± 17.37, P < 0.001), CUR (1284.20 ± 25.47 vs 1558.20 ± 17.37, P < 0.001), HHC (1086.80 ± 53.47 vs 1558.20 ± 17.37, P < 0.001), DMH-5-FU + CUR (880.20 ± 13.67 vs 1558.20 ± 17.37, P < 0.001) and DMH-5-FU + HHC (665.80 ± 16.64 vs 1558.20 ± 17.37, P < 0.001). Interestingly, the total number of ACF in the combined treatment groups, the DMH-5-FU + CUR group (880.20 ± 13.67 vs 1231.20 ± 25.62, P < 0.001; 880.20 ± 13.67 vs 1284.20 ± 25.47, P < 0.001) and the DMH-5-FU + HHC group (665.80 ± 16.64 vs 1231.20 ± 25.62, P < 0.001; 665.80 ± 16.64 vs 1086.80 ± 53.47, P < 0.001) were significantly reduced as compared to 5-FU or each treatment alone. Large ACF were also significantly reduced in all treatment groups, 5-FU (111.00 ± 7.88 vs 262.20 ± 10.18, P < 0.001), CUR (178.00 ± 7.33 vs 262.20 ± 10.18, P < 0.001), HHC (186.60 ± 21.51 vs 262.20 ± 10.18, P < 0.001), DMH-5-FU + CUR (122.00 ± 5.94 vs 262.20 ± 10.18, P < 0.001) and DMH-5-FU + HHC (119.00 ± 17.92 vs 262.20 ± 10.18, P < 0.001) when compared to the vehicle group. Furthermore, in the DMH-5-FU + CUR and DMH-5-FU + HHC groups the formation of large ACF was significantly reduced when compared to CUR (122.00 ± 5.94 vs 178.00 ± 7.33, P < 0.005) or HHC treatment alone (119.00 ± 17.92 vs 186.60 ± 21.51, P < 0.001), however, this reduction was not statistically different to 5-FU monotherapy (122.00 ± 5.94 vs 111.00 ± 7.88, P = 0.217; 119.00 ± 17.92 vs 111.00 ± 7.88, P = 0.619, respectively). The levels of COX-1 protein after all treatments were not different from normal rats. A marked increase in the expression of COX-2 protein was observed in the DMH-vehicle group. Over-expression of COX-2 was not significantly decreased by 5-FU treatment alone (95.79 ± 1.60 vs 100 ± 0.00, P = 0.198). However, over-expression of COX-2 was significantly suppressed by CUR (77.52 ± 1.68 vs 100 ± 0.00, P < 0.001), HHC (71.33 ± 3.01 vs 100 ± 0.00, P < 0.001), 5-FU + CUR (76.25 ± 3.32 vs 100 ± 0.00, P < 0.001) and 5-FU + HHC (68.48 ± 2.24 vs 100 ± 0.00, P < 0.001) in the treated groups compared to the vehicle group. Moreover, CUR (77.52 ± 1.68 vs 95.79 ± 1.60, P < 0.001), HHC (71.33 ± 3.01 vs 95.79 ± 1.60, P < 0.001), 5-FU + CUR treatments (76.25 ± 3.32 vs 95.79 ± 1.60, P < 0.001) and 5-FU + HHC (68.48 ± 2.24 vs 95.79 ± 1.60, P < 0.001) markedly decreased COX-2 protein expression more than 5-FU alone. Furthermore, the AI in all treated groups, 5-FU (38.86 ± 4.73 vs 23.56 ± 2.12, P = 0.038), CUR (41.78 ± 6.92 vs 23.56 ± 2.12, P < 0.001), HHC (41.06 ± 4.81 vs 23.56 ± 2.12, P < 0.001), 5-FU + CUR (49.05 ± 6.75 vs 23.56 ± 2.12, P < 0.001) and 5-FU + HHC (53.69 ± 8.59 vs 23.56 ± 2.12, P < 0.001) significantly increased when compared to the DMH-vehicle group. However, the AI in the combination treatments, 5-FU + CUR (49.05 ± 6.75 vs 41.78 ± 6.92, P = 0.192; 49.05 ± 6.75 vs 38.86 ± 4.73, P = 0.771) and 5-FU + HHC (53.69 ± 8.59 vs 41.06 ± 4.81, P = 0.379; 53.69 ± 8.59 vs 38.86 ± 4.73, P = 0.245) did not reach significant levels as compared with each treatment alone and 5-FU monotherapy, respectively.CONCLUSION: The combined effects of HHC with 5-FU exhibit a synergistic inhibition by decreasing ACF formation mediated by down-regulation of COX-2 expression.     

Care of patients with schizophrenia in the community

There has been a worldwide paradigm shift for community care in Psychiatric treatment, and it has been successfully implemented in many developing countries, including Thailand. This qualitative study aimed to explore the care of patients with schizophrenia in the rural areas of Northeastern Thailand based on the community context. Eighty-three informants were interviewed and group discussions were conducted. Five themes were identified from the caregivers' perspectives, which reflected the practices of the caregiving for patients with schizophrenia within the community as follows: (1) care assistance, (2) care services, (3) strengthening, (4) potential development, and (5) welfare and other services. This study highlights the importance of developing and implementing community-based care for patients with schizophrenia within the community.