Mimosa pudica L. extract ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis via modulation of MAPK signaling pathways and FOXO3 stabilization

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrosing pulmonary disorder that has a poor prognosis and high mortality. Although there has been extensive effort to introduce several new anti-fibrotic agents in the past decade, IPF remains an incurable disease. Mimosa pudica L., an indigenous Vietnamese plant, has been empirically used to treat respiratory disorders. Nevertheless, the therapeutic effects of M. pudica (MP) on lung fibrosis and the mechanisms underlying those effects remain unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study investigated the protective effect of a crude ethanol extract of the above-ground parts of MP against pulmonary fibrogenesis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Inflammatory responses triggered by TNFα in structural lung cells were examined in normal human lung fibroblasts and A549 alveolar epithelial cells using Western blot analysis, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays, and immunocytochemistry. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was examined via cell morphology observations, F-actin fluorescent staining, gene and protein expression measurements, and a wound-healing assay. Anti-fibrotic assays including collagen release, differentiation, and measurements of fibrosis-related gene and protein expression levels were performed on TGFβ-stimulated human lung fibroblasts and lung fibroblasts derived from mice with fibrotic lungs. Finally, in vitro anti-fibrotic activities were validated using a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

RESULTS

MP alleviated the inflammatory responses of A549 alveolar epithelial cells and lung fibroblasts, as revealed by inhibition of TNFα-induced chemotactic cytokine and chemokine expression, along with inactivation of the MAPK and NFκB signalling pathways. MP also partially reversed the TGFβ-promoted EMT via downregulation of mesenchymal markers in A549 cells. Importantly, MP decreased the expression levels of fibrosis-related genes/proteins including collagen I, fibronectin, and αSMA; moreover, it suppressed collagen secretion and prevented myofibroblast differentiation in lung fibroblasts. These effects were mediated by FOXO3 stabilization through suppression of TGFβ-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation. MP consistently protected mice from the onset and progression of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

CONCLUSION

This study explored the multifaceted roles of MP in counteracting the pathobiological processes of lung fibrosis. The results suggest that further evaluation of MP could yield candidate therapies for IPF.

Measuring Orthographic Knowledge of L2 Chinese Learners in Vietnam Using a Handwriting Task - A Preliminary Report

In the current study, the orthographic knowledge required for writing Chinese characters was assessed among participants with L1 Vietnamese background who learn Chinese as a foreign language. A total of 42 undergraduates were recruited. They were invited to participate in a delayed Chinese character copying task consisting of 32 characters. Their Chinese character reading abilities were also obtained using a character naming task. All the tests were conducted online during the pandemic in 2021. Results indicated that the participants' accuracy in the copying task was affected by the familiarity of the characters and the number of strokes of the characters. These effects minimized as reading performance increased. In the inter-stroke interval (ISI) analysis, results indicated a significant boundary effect where ISIs between orthographic units were longer than ISIs within orthographic units, showing the participants' tendency to chunk Chinese characters into functional units when they write. Only high achievers in the reading task demonstrated the use of both large and small grain-size units in writing (i.e., radical-boundary ISI > logographeme-boundary ISI > non-boundary ISI), while the low achievers only used small grain-size units in their writing. We suggest that the delayed copying task incorporated with handwriting measures is an effective method to assess orthographic knowledge of L2 Chinese learners.

Effect of surfactant on the in vitro dissolution and the oral bioavailability of a weakly basic drug from an amorphous solid dispersion

This study aimed to investigate the effect of a surfactant on the liquid-liquid phase separation, dissolution, diffusion, and the oral bioavailability of a weakly basic drug (l-tetrahydropalmatine; l-THP) from an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD). The carrier used in the ASD was optimized by the application of casting film, solvent shift, and pH shift methods. The interaction between the optimized carrier (HPMCP) and l-THP was then evaluated by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. The impact of the surfactant on ASD prepared by the spray-drying method was evaluated by both in vitro and in vivo studies. The results of in vitro studies, including liquid-liquid phase separation, drug diffusion, and pH-shift dissolution, indicated that the addition of a surfactant at a certain concentration below critical micelle concentration to ASD caused the precipitation of and a reduction in the membrane diffusion of l-THP in pH 6.8. This observation was confirmed in an in vivo study in which the drug concentration of l-THP in rabbit plasma was determined by the LC-MS/MS analysis method. Then the absolute and relative bioavailability of l-THP was calculated from the obtained pharmacokinetic parameters. Specifically, the addition of 1.5% surfactant (Poloxamer 188) to the binary ASD decreased the relative bioavailability of l-THP by approximately 2.4 times compared with the original binary ASD. Besides, the study proved that l-THP had low absolute bioavailability (around 1.24%), and the application of binary ASD was meaningful in enhancing the oral bioavailability of l-THP by around 334.77% compared to the raw material. The study is expected to provide a better understanding of how different dosage forms influence the bioavailability of l-THP, thereby allowing the selection of the optimal approach for this weakly basic drug.

Risk comparison of beta-lactam-induced anaphylaxis: Therapeutic stratification analysis in a Vietnamese pharmacovigilance database

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

There is limited data on the specific risks of anaphylaxis induced by beta-lactam drugs. The aim of this study was to compare the risks of reporting beta-lactam-induced anaphylaxis using the national pharmacovigilance database of Vietnam (NPDV).

METHODS

The multivariate generalised linear regression model was applied for signal generation and comparison of beta-lactams.

RESULTS

Between 2010 and 2016, there were 2,921 reports of anaphylaxis (19.93%) from 14,655 spontaneous reports of beta-lactam use in the NDPV. Anaphylaxis signal generation was also found for the subgroup J01D (cephalosporins and carbapenems) (ROR = 1.27 [1.16-1.39]) and beta-lactamase-sensitive penicillins (ROR = 1.74 [1.27-2.35]). In the third generation cephalosporin subgroup, different risks were identified for the following combinations of beta-lactams: 1) cefotaxime with cefoperazone+sulbactam; 2) cefixime/cefpodoxime/cefdinir with cefoperazone+sulbactam or ceftizoxime/cefoperazone/ceftazidime/ceftriaxone/cefotaxime. For the second generation cephalosporin subgroup, different risks were found for cefotiam compared to cefmetazole, cefaclor, cefamandole and cefuroxime.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

These findings identified and highlighted the different anaphylactic risks caused by various beta-lactams in the main subgroups.

Persistent Blood Flow inside the Woven EndoBridge Device More Than 6 Months after Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment: Frequency, Mechanisms, and Management-A Retrospective Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Due to its high safety and great efficacy, flow disruption with the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device is increasingly used to treat intracranial aneurysms. We recently identified patients with intracranial aneurysm treated with the WEB who presented with residual blood flow inside the device ("contrast-in-WEB" phenomenon) more than 6 months posttreatment. This series reports the frequency and underlying mechanisms and discusses management of this phenomenon.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients presenting with the contrast-in-WEB phenomenon in the prospectively collected data base of patients with aneurysm treated with the WEB were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

From June 2011 to February 2019, one hundred twenty-seven patients with 133 aneurysms were treated with the WEB and had DSA follow-up at 6 months or later. Eight patients (6.3%) presented with the phenomenon. All aneurysms were wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms, including 7 unruptured and 1 ruptured aneurysm located at the MCA (5 aneurysms), anterior communicating artery (2 aneurysms), and basilar artery (1 aneurysm). All except 1 patient received dual-antiplatelet therapy preprocedure. All except 1 patient received dual-antiplatelet therapy postoperatively for at least 1 month. The most likely mechanism of the phenomenon is the absence of intradevice thrombosis related to perioperative dual-antiplatelet medication. The phenomenon is also likely associated with a low risk of bleeding except when there is residual blood flow against the aneurysm wall or in the dome.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrast-in-WEB is a relatively rare phenomenon possibly induced by dual-antiplatelet therapy continued post-WEB procedure. In most cases, no additional treatment is required.

Drug-Induced Anaphylaxis in a Vietnamese Pharmacovigilance Database: Trends and Specific Signals from a Disproportionality Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Despite the numerous studies investigating drug-induced anaphylaxis (DIA), understanding and quantitative data analysis in developing countries remain limited. The aim of our study is to describe and quantify DIA using the National Pharmacovigilance Database of Vietnam (NPDV).

METHODS

Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) recorded between 2010 and 2016 were retrospectively analysed to identify DIA reports. The trend and characteristics of DIA cases were described. Multivariate disproportionality analysis was used for signal generation.

RESULTS

Overall, 4873 DIA cases (13.2% of total ADRs) were recorded in the NPDV, 111 of which resulted in death (82% of total ADR-induced deaths) over a 7-year period. There was a remarkable increase in DIA reporting over time (p < 0.001). The incidence rates of DIA reporting per total ADRs and per 100,000 inhabitants remained high (mean rates [95% CI] of 12.06 [9.88-14.24] and 0.77 [0.33-1.20], respectively). Concerning suspected drugs, systemic antibiotics (n = 3318, 68%) were mostly reported with a reporting odds ratio (ROR) and 95% CI of 2.35 [2.20-2.51]. In the case of antibiotic-induced anaphylaxis, the third-generation cephalosporins were predominant (n = 1961, 40.2%, ROR 2.39 [2.24-2.55]). We also noted drugs generally associated with DIA such as contrast agents (ROR 2.43 [2.04-2.88]) and anaesthetics (ROR 4.02 [3.30-4.89]). Furthermore, unexpected signals were observed for alpha-chymotrypsin (ROR 1.75 [1.23-2.44]) and amoxicillin/sulbactam (ROR 1.59 [1.18-2.10]), uncommonly reported in western countries.

CONCLUSION

In recent years, cases of drug-induced DIA have increased in Vietnam, mostly due to antibiotics and third-generation cephalosporins. The inappropriate use of these drugs should be taken into account. Our findings also highlighted typical Vietnamese signals for alpha-chymotrypsin- and amoxicillin/sulbactam-induced anaphylaxis, which may relate to a specific sociological context in resource-limited countries.

Drug-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in vietnamese spontaneous adverse drug reaction database: A subgroup approach to disproportionality analysis

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Despite the numerous studies investigating drug-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), the understanding and quantitative data in developing countries remain limited. The study aimed to describe and quantify the drug-related risk of SJS/TEN in a resource-limited context using the Vietnamese spontaneous reporting database (VSRD) of adverse drug reactions.

METHODS

Spontaneous reports relating to medium- and late-onset severe cutaneous adverse reactions (MLOSCAR) and SJS/TEN recorded in the VSRD from 2010 to 2015 were retrospectively analysed. The demographic characteristics and drug information were described and compared between SJS/TEN and other MLOSCAR reports. The drug-induced SJS/TEN signals were estimated using subgrouped disproportionality analysis with calculation of the reporting odds ratio (ROR) and the respective 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

The VSRD received 2,849 MLOSCAR reports, 136 of which focus on SJS/TEN over a 6-year period. About 60% of SJS/TEN patients were male, and the majority of them were adults (mean age 42.5 ± 22.9). Up to 91.8% of drugs induced SJS/TEN within 1-28 days, and 45% SJS/TEN cases were evaluated as life-threatening. Positive signals were generated with carbamazepine (n = 25, ROR [95% CI] = 11.99 [7.07-19.92]), allopurinol (n = 15, ROR [95% CI] = 4.2 [2.20-7.59]), traditional/herbal medicines (n = 7, ROR [95% CI] = 2.76 [1.12-5.86]), colchicine (n = 4, ROR [95% CI] = 6.22 [1.69-18.72]), valproic acid (n = 3, ROR [95% CI] = 8.71 [1.89-30.19]) and meloxicam (n = 3, ROR [95% CI] = 7.09 [1.55-24.29]), which are well known for SJS/TEN. Cefixime (n = 5, ROR [95% CI] = 3.34 [1.13-8.00]) and paracetamol (n = 22, ROR [95% CI] = 5.23 [3.10-8.49]) also generated positive signals despite their popularity in Vietnam.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

This first Vietnamese population-based study has highlighted original characteristics and signals of drug-induced SJS/TEN, which are relatively consistent with other worldwide data and typical for a developing country.

Hepatitis B surface antigen loss and sustained viral suppression in Asian chronic hepatitis B patients: A community-based real-world study

Community-based real-world outcomes on effectiveness of antiviral therapies for chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) in Asians are limited. Whether hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss correlates with undetectable virus and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization on treatment or what predicts risk of seroreversion or detectable virus after stopping therapy is unclear. We aim to evaluate rates and predictors of HBsAg loss, seroconversion, ALT normalization and undetectable HBV DNA, including HBsAg seroreversion or re-emergence of HBV DNA among Asian CHB patients. We retrospectively evaluated 1072 CHB adults on antiviral therapy at two community gastroenterology clinics from 1997 to 2015. Rates of HBsAg loss, ALT normalization, achieving undetectable HBV DNA and developing surface antibody (anti-HBs) were stratified by HBeAg status. Following HBsAg loss, HBsAg seroreversion or re-emergence of detectable HBV DNA was analysed. With median treatment of 76.7 months, the overall rate of HBsAg loss was 4.58%, with similar HBsAg loss rates between HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative patients (4.44% vs 4.71%, P=.85) in a predominantly Asian population (98.1%). Among HBsAg loss patients, 33.3% developed anti-HBs, 95.8% achieved undetectable virus and 66.0% normalized ALT. No significant baseline or on-treatment predictors of HBsAg loss were observed. While six patients who achieved HBsAg loss had seroreversion with re-emergence of HBsAg positivity, viral load remained undetectable, demonstrating the sustainability of viral suppression. Among a large community-based real-world cohort of Asian CHB patients treated with antiviral therapy, rate of HBsAg loss was 4.58%. Despite only 33.3% of HBsAg loss patients achieving anti-HBs, nearly all patients achieved sustained undetectable virus.

Strain-Gradient Position Mapping of Semiconductor Quantum Dots

We introduce a nondestructive method to determine the position of randomly distributed semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) integrated in a solid photonic structure. By setting the structure in an oscillating motion, we generate a large stress gradient across the QDs plane. We then exploit the fact that the QDs emission frequency is highly sensitive to the local material stress to map the position of QDs deeply embedded in a photonic wire antenna with an accuracy ranging from ±35  nm down to ±1  nm. In the context of fast developing quantum technologies, this technique can be generalized to different photonic nanostructures embedding any stress-sensitive quantum emitters.

Protection of Penaeus monodon against white spot syndrome by continuous oral administration of a low concentration of Bacillus subtilis spores expressing the VP28 antigen

In this study, Bacillus subtilis spores expressing a chimeric protein, CotB-VP28, were used as a probiotic vaccine to protect black tiger shrimps (Penaeus monodon) against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. Oral administration of pellets coated with CotB-VP28 spores (at ≥1 × 10⁹  CFU per g pellet) to shrimps induced immune-relating phenoloxydase activity (PO) in shrimps after 14 days of feeding (prior challenge) and at day 3 post challenge (1·26 and 1·70 fold increase respectively). A 75% protection rate was obtained by continuous feeding of the spore-coated pellets at ≥1 × 10⁹  CFU per g for 14 days prior to WSSV challenge and during all the postchallenge period. Even when the amount of CotB-VP28 spores in feed pellets was reduced down to ≥5 × 10⁷  CFU per g and ≥1 × 10⁶  CFU per g, relatively high protection rates of 70 and 67·5%, respectively, were still obtained. By contrast, feeding pellets without spores (untreated group) and with naked spores (PY79 group) at ≥1 × 10⁹  CFU per g could not protect shrimps against WSSV. These data suggest that supplementation of CotB-VP28 spores at low dose of ≥1 × 10⁶  CFU per g could be effective as a prophylactic treatment of WSS for black tiger shrimps.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study reports the protective efficacy of Bacillus subtilis CotB-VP28 spores on black tiger shrimps (Penaeus monodon) against white spot syndrome virus infection. Oral administration of pellets coated with CotB-VP28 spores (≥1 × 10⁹  CFU per g) conferred 75% protection after white spot syndrome virus challenge. Even after reducing CotB-VP28 spores in feed pellets to ≥1 × 10⁶  CFU per g, 67·5% protections was still obtained. These data indicate that supplementation of CotB-VP28 spores at a low dose of ≥1 × 10⁶  CFU per g could be effective in prophylaxis against white spot syndrome in black tiger shrimps.

Community-based real-world treatment outcomes of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir in Asians with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 6 in the United States

Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LDV) is the first all-oral ribavirin-free treatment approved for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6, offering a safe and highly efficacious treatment option. Large studies evaluating real-world outcomes of this regimen are lacking. We aim to evaluate real-world treatment outcomes for HCV genotype 6. A retrospective cohort study evaluated 65 adults (age ≥18) with chronic HCV genotype 6 treated with SOF/LDV without ribavirin at a community gastroenterology clinic in the United States from November 2014 to May 2016. Rates of undetectable virus at week 4 on treatment, at end of treatment (EOT) and SVR12 were stratified by the presence of cirrhosis and prior treatment (treatment naïve vs treatment experienced). Among 65 patients with chronic HCV genotype 6 treated with SOF/LDV (52.3% male, mean age 66.3 years [SD 9.7], 41.5% cirrhosis and 15.4% treatment experienced), 97.3% had undetectable virus at week 4 on treatment, 96.9% had undetectable virus at EOT and 95.3% achieved SVR12. SVR12 was 100% in females vs 91.2% in males, P=.096, and 92.3% in patients with cirrhosis vs 97.4% in those without cirrhosis, P=.347. Resistance testing of treatment failures was attempted but unsuccessful due to lack of conforming primers to define the possible resistance mutations. Among the largest U.S. community-based real-world cohort of Asian chronic HCV genotype 6 patients treated with all-oral SOF/LDV without ribavirin, SVR12 was similar to SVR12 reported in clinical trials, confirming the safety and effectiveness of this regimen and validating current HCV genotype 6 treatment guideline recommendations.

Precore and basal core promoter mutations in Asian American patients with hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have shown that precore mutations abolish and basal core promoter (BCP) mutations down-regulate hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) production. Thus, the presence of precore and BCP mutations in HBeAg-positive patients indicates an infection with a mixed viral population of wild-type and precore and/or BCP mutant hepatitis B virus (HBV). To date, there has been limited study of the prevalence and clinical significance of precore and BCP mutations in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.

AIM

To determine the prevalence, predictors and clinical characteristics of mixed wild-type and precore/BCP HBV infection, through a cross-sectional study, in a US cohort of patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of 828 chronic hepatitis B patients with HBV genotype and mutation panel testing seen at three US gastroenterology and liver clinics from June 2005 to September 2009.

RESULTS

A majority of our patients (92.3%) were either Vietnamese or Chinese American. In the HBeAg-positive cohort, 17% of patients had precore mutations only, 28% had BCP mutations only and 5% had both BCP and precore mutations. On multivariate analyses, HBV genotype C, increasing age, lower HBV DNA level and an ALT quotient >2 were independent predictors for the presence of precore and/or BCP mutations.

CONCLUSIONS

The current distinction and management recommendations for HBeAg-positive vs. HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B should be reassessed. Additional biomarkers and treatment endpoints should be studied for their usefulness in predicting continued viral suppression after treatment discontinuation.

The efficacy of entecavir therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients with suboptimal response to adevofir

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) have experienced treatment failure to adefovir (ADV) and their management poses a growing challenge. Very limited data are available on the efficacy of entecavir (ETV) in patients previously treated with ADV.

AIM

To examine the effect of ETV monotherapy on HBV DNA and ALT levels in CHB patients previously treated with ADV, but switched to ETV due to suboptimal response.

METHODS

Study candidates were enrolled from five community gastroenterology clinics in the U.S. Each completed at least 12 months of ETV treatment after being previously treated with ADV and experiencing suboptimal response. Primary and secondary outcome measurements were complete viral suppression (CVS, HBV DNA <100 IU/mL) and biochemical response (BR, ALT < 40 U/L), respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 60 patients were included in this analysis. Twelve were lamivudine (LAM)-experienced and none were LAM-resistant. At time of switch to ETV, no patients had experienced CVS. The CVS rate was 68% after 12 months of ETV therapy. The BR rate was 67% at switch to ETV and 80% after 12 months. There was no significant difference in response rates between LAM-experienced and naïve patients. Among the eight patients with ADV resistance, each achieved CVS after 12 months of ETV therapy and seven achieved BR.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with suboptimal response to adefovir, complete viral suppression and biochemical response can be achieved in the majority by 12 months after switching to entecavir, including patients with prior exposure to lamivudine and those with adefovir resistance.

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase mutations in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B

BACKGROUND

One of the most important factors in treatment failure using nucleos(t)ide analogues in chronic hepatitis B is anti-viral resistance. Primary drug resistance refers to amino acid changes in the hepatitis B virus polymerase/reverse transcriptase (rt) that result in reduced susceptibility to anti-viral agents. Pre-existing drug resistance mutations may occur in untreated patients and may affect their treatment outcomes.

AIM

To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B DNA polymerase mutations in treatment-naïve patients.

METHODS

We used a direct PCR sequencing test to detect DNA polymerase mutations in 472 consecutive treatment-naïve patients at two community gastroenterology clinics in Northern California.

RESULTS

A majority of patients were Asians (>95%), had either genotype B or C (95%) and had no evidence of cirrhosis or liver cancer (94%). Mean age was 45 +/- 13 and mean hepatitis B virus DNA was 5.3 +/- 1.8 log(10) IU/mL. Most patients did not have any detectable mutations (82.4%). Some (16.7%) had mutations of unknown clinical significance (rtV207M/L/I) and only 4 patients had rtA181A/S, rtA194S or M250I.

CONCLUSIONS

No rtM204V/I or rtN236T mutations were observed in our study. Less than 1% of our patients had mutations that can be associated with primary resistance to existing anti-viral therapies for hepatitis B virus.

Health professionals' and consumers' views on the role of the pharmacy personnel and the pharmacy service in Hanoi, Vietnam--a qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the views of health professionals and consumers concerning (i) the role of the pharmacy personnel and (ii) the pharmacy service in Hanoi, Vietnam.

METHOD

A qualitative approach influenced by both content analysis and phenomenography was used. The different groups of participants were selected by purposive sampling, whereas the representatives from each group were selected based on availability. Data were collected by means of face-to-face interviews. Pre-tested, semi-structured interview guides were used. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed. The analysis followed commonly applied procedures in qualitative research. The views of the respondents were categorized and described concerning the main issues.

RESULTS

A total of 21 interviews were conducted with six pharmacists, five medical doctors, five pharmacy students and five pharmacy customers. An interpreter was used in 16 cases. The role of the pharmacy personnel was viewed in three different ways, as: counsellor, doctor's assistant or businessman. It was also believed that sometimes the pharmacy personnel might play a double role--both as doctor and pharmacist. They were considered to have a passive or active role in the provision of information to the customers. Some of the subjects put emphasis on the quality of the information given, and some others considered the information given at the pharmacies as merely a reiteration of the doctor's instruction. Concerning the pharmaceutical field in general, three different categories could be discerned, which describe the interviewee's perspective on the main actors influencing pharmacy practice: a mutual, a central and an individual perspective.

CONCLUSION

This study describes different ways of viewing the role of the pharmacy personnel and the pharmacy service in Hanoi. The estimation of the impact of the different views on the pharmacy profession in Hanoi requires another kind of study.

DNA inversion in the tail fiber gene alters the host range specificity of carotovoricin Er, a phage-tail-like bacteriocin of phytopathogenic Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora Er

Carotovoricin Er is a phage-tail-like bacteriocin produced by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora strain Er, a causative agent for soft rot disease in plants. Here we studied binding and killing spectra of carotovoricin Er preparations for various strains of the bacterium (strains 645Ar, EC-2, N786, and P7) and found that the preparations contain two types of carotovoricin Er with different host specificities; carotovoricin Era possessing a tail fiber protein of 68 kDa killed strains 645Ar and EC-2, while carotovoricin Erb with a tail fiber protein of 76 kDa killed strains N786 and P7. The tail fiber proteins of 68 and 76 kDa had identical N-terminal amino acid sequences for at least 11 residues. A search of the carotovoricin Er region in the chromosome of strain Er indicated the occurrence of a DNA inversion system for the tail fiber protein consisting of (i) two 26-bp inverted repeats inside and downstream of the tail fiber gene that flank a 790-bp fragment and (ii) a putative DNA invertase gene with a 90-bp recombinational enhancer sequence. In fact, when a 1,400-bp region containing the 790-bp fragment was amplified by a PCR using the chromosomal DNA of strain Er as the template, both the forward and the reverse nucleotide sequences of the 790-bp fragment were detected. DNA inversion of the 790-bp fragment also occurred in Escherichia coli DH5alpha when two compatible plasmids carrying either the 790-bp fragment or the invertase gene were cotransformed into the bacterium. Furthermore, hybrid carotovoricin CGE possessing the tail fiber protein of 68 or 76 kDa exhibited a host range specificity corresponding to that of carotovoricin Era or Erb, respectively. Thus, a DNA inversion altered the C-terminal part of the tail fiber protein of carotovoricin Er, altering the host range specificity of the bacteriocin.

Effects of arteether on an auditory radial-arm maze task in rats

We evaluated the behavioral and neural toxicity of the artemisinin antimalarial compound, arteether (AE), using a novel radial-arm maze procedure. We have previously shown that AE can produce a distinctive pattern of neurotoxicity in the brainstem and that auditory nuclei are particularly vulnerable. Thus, we assessed performance which depended upon auditory processing. We trained rats to choose one of eight arms of a radial maze, depending upon which arm served as the source of a white noise stimulus. Correct responses produced food reinforcement while incorrect choices had no programmed consequences. When the task was acquired, AE (25 mg/kg/day; n=7) or oil vehicle (n=7) was administered (intramuscularly) for seven consecutive days. Behavioral sessions were conducted during the days of drug administrations and for 7 days following drug administrations. Subsequently, histopathology was conducted and a quantitative assessment of the nucleus trapezoideus was made. AE produced a progressive deficit in performance on the maze task. That is, accuracy decreased, choice latency increased, and the number of trials completed decreased. Moreover, the greatest deficits were observed during the period following drug administrations. AE-treated rats revealed marked damage in the nucleus trapezoideus. The damage included chromatolysis, necrosis, and gliosis. Vehicle-treated rats did not show performance deficits or neuropathology. These results extend earlier studies and show that AE can produce damage in the n. trapezoideus of rats, which is associated with performance deficits on a complex auditory task. Thus, the auditory radial-arm maze task is a useful tool for assessing AE-induced toxicity.

Resorcinol derivatives from two Ardisia species

Besides a series of known sterols and triterpenoids, 2-methyl-5-(Z-nonadec-14-enyl)resorcinol and 5-(Z-nonadec-14-enyl)resorcinol have been isolated from leaves of Ardisia silvestris. The last mentioned diphenol has also been obtained from roots of Ardisia gigantifolia. The structures of these resorcinol derivatives were elucidated.

CD44 positive macrophages take up hyaluronan during lung development

In the present study, we examined the expression and distribution of both hyaluronan and its cell-surface receptor (CD44) during lung development in the mouse. Hyaluronan was detected by a specific binding probe, termed b-PG, which is a biotinylated mixture of proteoglycan and link protein from cartilage. Using this probe in an enzyme-linked assay, the amount of hyaluronan in relation to protein content was found to decrease as lung development progressed. In addition, histochemical staining of the embryonic lungs revealed that during early stages, relatively large amounts of hyaluronan were present in the interstitium. However, as development progressed, much of this was lost, and in the adult, hyaluronan was restricted to the regions surrounding the major blood vessels, bronchi, and bronchioles. In contrast to hyaluronan, the amount of CD44 increased as a function of development, as determined by the rat monoclonal antibody, KM-201. Histochemical staining with this antibody showed that the receptor was primarily associated with macrophages and to a lesser extent with adult bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium, vascular smooth muscle, and endothelial cells. As development progressed, the macrophages expressing CD44 increased in number, and this increase was temporarily correlated with the decrease in hyaluronan content. In addition, histochemical staining revealed that some of these macrophages contained hyaluronan in their cytoplasm, suggesting that macrophages had internalized hyaluronan from the extracellular matrix. This possibility was further supported by the fact that when newborn mice were injected with the KM-201 monoclonal antibody, which blocks the interaction between hyaluronan and the receptor, the number of hyaluronan-containing macrophages in the lungs decreased while the concentration of hyaluronan increased. Taken together, these results suggest that macrophages can internalize hyaluronan during lung development and could possibly play a significant role in its removal.

The hyaluronan receptor (CD44) participates in the uptake and degradation of hyaluronan

The hyaluronan receptor belongs to the polymorphic family of CD44 glycoproteins, which have been implicated in a variety of cellular functions including adhesion to hyaluronan and collagen, the binding of lymphocytes to high endothelial cells during extravasation, and conferring metastatic potential to carcinoma cells. Here, we demonstrate that the receptor also participates in the uptake and degradation of hyaluronan by both transformed fibroblasts (SV-3T3 cells) and alveolar macrophages. These cells were incubated with isotopically labeled hyaluronan for various periods of time, and the extent of degradation was determined by either molecular-sieve chromatography or centrifugation through Centricon 30 microconcentrators. The macrophages degraded the hyaluronan at a faster rate than the SV-3T3 cells, which may reflect the fact that they contained a greater number of receptors. More importantly, in both cell types, the degradation of hyaluronan was specifically blocked by antibodies directed against the receptor. However, the receptor by itself did not have the ability to degrade hyaluronan, since preparations of SV-3T3 membranes containing the receptor did not break down hyaluronan. Subsequent experiments revealed that macrophages can internalize fluorescein-tagged hyaluronan, and this process was blocked by antibodies against the receptor. Furthermore, the subsequent degradation of hyaluronan was inhibited by agents that block the acidification of lysosomes (chloroquine and NH4Cl). Thus, the most likely explanation for these results is that the receptor mediates the uptake of hyaluronan into the cell where it can be degraded by acid hydrolases in lysosomes. The ability of cells expressing the receptor to degrade hyaluronan may be important during tissue morphogenesis and cell migration.