bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cranio-oro-facial features and masticatory function in patients with craniosynostosis
Authors:   , Wongbanthit Yanisa
Published: September 2023

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate cranio-oro-facial features and masticatory function in Thai subjects with craniosynostosis. 

Methods: Thirteen craniosynostosis (CS) patients aged between 6 - 17 years old who had treatment at the Princess Sirindhorn Craniofacial (PSC) Center, King Chulalongkorn memorial hospital and thirty age-matched non-CS subjects were recruited. Inform consents were obtained. Medical records were retrieved. Craniofacial and oral examination, radiographic evaluation, photograph, and masticatory function were recorded and compared with data of control subjects and that of Thai norms. 

Results: Among thirteen CS patients, four cases had cleft palate (30.8%), five had anterior openbite (38.5%), seven had anterior crossbite (53.8%), and one had supernumerary tooth (7.7%). 61.5% of CS patients (8/13) exhibited posterior crossbite, congenital missing teeth, Class III malocclusion and maxillary tooth crowding. Mandibular tooth crowding and tooth eruption failure were observed in six patients (46.2%). Nine patients had high caries risk (69.2%). The simplified oral hygiene index, caries prevalence, lateral cephalometric analysis (e.g. SNA, ANB, Wits, FMA, IMPA, L1-NB, U1-NA, Maxillary depth, Convexity of point A, Mandibular arc, Posterior facial height, and U1 to APog), masticatory performance, and food intake ability test showed significant differences between patient and control groups. 

Conclusions: The study shows that CS patients have poor oral hygiene, high caries risk, and compromised masticatory function. The anomalies of craniofacial and oral structures might affect oral hygiene care and mastication of CS patients. We suggest that strict oral hygiene care and frequent dental check-up together with the collaboration of multidisciplinary team are necessary for CS patients to maintain optimal oral and medical health.
Optimizing energy efficiency projects in Bangkok large commercial buildings
Authors:   , Morgan Angelica
Published: September 2023

As a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the Asia Pacific region, Thailand has pledged to lower its GHG emissions by 555 million tCO2e by the year 2030. In Bangkok, energy efficiency projects in the large commercial buildings sector are an integral method by which to reduce emissions and to support a lower carbon future. Besides carbon dioxide emissions, energy efficiency projects also have the potential for other benefits including electricity and cost savings. This study develops a methodology to quantify the emissions reduction, electricity savings, and cost savings potential of various energy efficiency methods in this sector, and to optimize decision making in CO2 emissions reduction project planning over the next five years. The study results from Marginal Abatement Cost Curves indicate that among the energy efficiency methods considered for large commercial buildings, LED projects offer the most carbon dioxide emissions reduction and electricity savings potential whereas Chiller and Air Conditioning installations seem to be the most cost effective. Regarding project planning, the goal programming linear program indicates that the current emissions, electricity, and cost savings returns from energy efficiency projects in Thailand are more than sufficient to meet the country’s long-term targets.
Exploring roles of MiR-372-3p in proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors:   , Thamjamrassri Pannathon
Published: September 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer. HCC has a replicative immortality and sustained proliferation rate. In addition, cell cycle-related protein regulating proliferation in cancer are often found dysregulated, allowing cancer cells to proceed their proliferation uncontrollably. Recently, a small non-coding RNA, microRNA (miRNA), was found to play an important role in numerous biological functions. Specific miRNA may ameliorate or promote cancer progression through different target mRNA. MiR-372-3p has been explored in various cancers such as colon cancer, colorectal cancer, and glioma. However, its functions have been rarely studied in HCC, especially in the aspect of cancer proliferation. This study, thus, aims to investigate its role in HCC cell line proliferation by introducing miR-372-3p overexpression vector into these cell lines. Results indicated that normal hepatocyte exhibited higher expression of miR-372-3p compared to that of HCC cells. Decelerated proliferation rate was detected in miR-372-3p overexpressing HCC cells. BrdU incorporation assay also indicated that miR-372-3p expression in HCC cells interfere the transition from G1 to S phase. G1-S phase cell cycle-related mRNA expression was different in miR-372-3p overexpressing cells compared to that of control. Dual-luciferase assay revealed that CCND1 was one of the miR-372-3p target mRNAs. Moreover, cyclin D1 protein level in miR-372-3p overexpressing cell lines was found downregulated compared to that of control. Therefore, it can be concluded that miR-372-3p interacts with CCND1 mRNA to prevent translation and to impede the cell cycle progression from G1 to S phase in HCC cell lines.
The requested record is temporarily suppressed.
Authors:   , Withdraw Thesis
Published: September 2023

The requested record is temporarily suppressed.
Development of end-to-end test phantom for stereotactic radiosurgery using alanine dosimeter
Authors:   , Intang Aungsumalin
Published: September 2023

Alanine dosimeters are generally used in high-dose dosimetry, while accurate and precise dose delivery verification procedures are important in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Hence, an end-to-end test is required. In addition, no end-to-end SRS test employing an alanine dosimeter has been established in Thailand. The objective of this study was to determine the dose accuracy of SRS VMAT plans in end-to-end test phantom using alanine dosimeter. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters were optimized in the 1-2000 cGy dose range. Following that, suitable parameters were used to investigate the alanine characteristics and estimate the uncertainty in radiation therapy dose range. The alanine dosimeter system was then validated for output measurements in eight radiotherapy centers in Thailand at 1000 cGy at 6MV-FFF energy. Finally, a head phantom was fabricated and validated using an alanine dosimeter for end-to-end test in SRS. The optimized EPR parameters are microwave power of 2 mW, modulation amplitude of 7.018 G, and time constant of 40.96 ms. The expanded uncertainty (k=2) was 2.2% in the 100-2000 cGy dose range. The uniformity and reproducibility of the alanine dosimeter was studied in 6MV-FFF, with the percentage of CV being 0.61 and 0.22, respectively. The EPR Intensity demonstrated a linear proportion to the dose from 0 to 3000 cGy (R2 = 0.9998). The repetition rate response, energy dependence, and directional dependence were 0.80%, 0.80%, and 0.30%, respectively. Furthermore, the fading in three months was 0.98%. The output survey in nine machine radiotherapy facilities was accurate to within ±1%. The phantom was made of cast nylon since it has a CT number of about 80-100 HU, which is close to soft tissue and is also a more commercially priced phantom. Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) SRS plans target percentage dose differences were ranging from 0.01% to 1.16%, while the percentage dose difference in the brain stem (OAR) ranged from 3.65% to 11.95%. A high variation of dose was found in Position 3 of TPS were SD=19.7, 17.8 and 21.5 in plan 1, plan 2 and plan 3, respectively. This contributes to a large dose difference when low dose at brainstem were performed. In conclusion, this study presented the fabricated cast nylon end-to-end test head phantom suitably designed to image and irradiate during an end-to-end test for stereotactic radiosurgery using alanine dosimeter.
Effect of Inter-observer Delineation Variability on Radiomics Features in Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Authors:   , Panyura Pongpitch
Published: September 2023

Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a type of head and neck cancer that is prevalent in China and Southeast Asia. The standard treatment for NPC is radiation therapy (RT), which requires accurate target volume delineation (TVD) to ensure an effective radiation dose while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues. However, TVD is subject to intra- and inter-observer variability, which can affect the accuracy of RT and lead to unstable results in radiomics analysis. Radiomics is a technique that extracts quantitative data from medical images, but it is currently limited by the manual process of tumor delineation. This study aims to investigate the impact of inter-observer variability in manual tumor delineation on the stability of radiomic features in NPC. CT images were collected from patients who were diagnosed with Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and were manually contoured by radiation oncologists to determine gross tumor volume (GTV) of the primary tumor.  CT images were then analyzed to extract radiomic features using Pyradiomics. The extracted features were classified into four feature classes, and the binwidth parameter was varied into three values. To measure inter-observer variability, Dice similarity coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and coefficient of variation (CV) were used. The ICC threshold of 0.8 was selected to determine stable features, and the CV threshold of 10% was selected for excellent reproducibility. The results showed that the shape and first-order classes were stable in all binwidths with an ICC value greater than 0.8, indicating good performance in tumor delineation. Additionally, the wavelet class had the most robust feature with respect to ICC and %CV, which can be used for prediction models in the future.
Accuracy of small-field high energy photon using plastic scintillation detector in heterogenous media compared with model-based algorithm calculation
Authors:   , Kaewsuksri Thanat
Published: September 2023

Some radiotherapy techniques such as stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has the challenges in small field dosimetry in heterogenous media. This study aims at evaluating the accuracy of W2 plastic scintillation detector (PSD) compared with the calculation from algorithms for small-field high energy photon in heterogenous media. The characteristics of W2-PSD were studied. The percentage depth dose (PDD) of 6 FFF and 10 FFF with various field sizes ranging from 1x1 to 4x4 cm2 were measured in solid water phantom with low-density inhomogeneities slabs of air (Styrofoam) and lung (cork) and high-density inhomogeneity slab of aluminum. The characteristics of W2 plastic scintillator were very good in terms of repeatability and linearity. The maximum deviation of repetition rate and energy dependence were within 1%. The PDD results showed the same trend in both air and lung heterogeneity which presented the dose drop in heterogeneous media region and re-buildup after that. On the contrary, in aluminum heterogenity the dose increased at upper interface. The large difference of PDD curve inside heterogeneous media was presented with higher energy, smaller field size and lower density medium. From the SBRT clinical application results, the differences between measured and calculated doses were within 5%. Hence, the W2-PSD is possible to be used for small-field dosimetry in heterogeneous media according to IAEA TRS 430.
The association of genetic variations in PNPLA3, TM6SF2 and HSD17B13 genes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients with and without HIV infection.
Authors:   , Ruamviboonsuk Varis
Published: September 2023

Non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) has multiple risk factors, including genetic risk factors. Patients with certain genetic variants are more susceptible to the disease. People living with HIV (PLWH) have higher prevalence of NAFLD compared to those without HIV infection. But, the evidence on genetic factors in PLWH with NAFLD is limited. We aim to investigate whether carriers of PNPLA3 rs738409, TM6SF2 rs58542926, and HSD17B13 rs6834314 had association with the risk of NAFLD, and whether PLWH with NAFLD also had similar genetic risk factors as those with NAFLD alone. These SNPs were determined by using allelic discrimination in blood samples of 531 individuals. The NAFLD group showed a higher frequency of PNPLA3 GG genotype compared to healthy controls, associated with increased odds of NAFLD (OR 3.778; 95%CI 1.72-8.28). Comparing the NAFLD and NAFLD+HIV groups, the NAFLD group had higher frequencies of CG and GG genotypes of PNPLA3 and lower frequency of GG genotype of HSD17B13. The multivariate analysis revealed several factors that remained significantly different between the two groups, including age, CAP, BMI, ALT, HDL, gender, PNPLA3 GG genotype, and HSD17B13 GG genotype. In conclusion, PNPLA3 rs738409 was associated with NAFLD development while other SNPs were not significantly associated with NAFLD. The genotypes for NAFLD+HIV were not significantly different from healthy controls.
Comparison of Extubation Success between Prophylactic Helmet NIV and Facemask NIV in High Risk Postextubation Patients;A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors:   , Jirawat Napat
Published: September 2023

Background: Post-extubation respiratory failure is a common complication in planned extubated patients, which increases mortality, particularly in high-risk patients. Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) with a facemask effectively prevents post-extubation respiratory failure, but helmet NIV use immediately after extubation is still unproven.

Objective: To compare the success rates of extubation with prophylactic helmet NIV and facemask NIV in the first 48 hours in patients at high risk of developing post-extubation respiratory failure.

Methods: The study was a single-center randomized controlled trial. The data were analyzed for 114 patients at high risk of extubation failure between June 2022 and June 2023. Patients were randomly assigned to either helmet NIV or facemask NIV for 24 hours after extubation. The primary outcome was successful extubation within the first 48 hours. Secondary outcomes included the rate of reintubation within seven days, the rate of NIV intolerance, complications, comfort score, and hemodynamic and gas exchange parameters during the study period.

Results: During the study, 114 patients met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: facemask NIV or helmet NIV. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics, including underlying diseases, severity scores, and baseline hemodynamic and gas exchange parameters. The extubation success rate was similar in both groups: 85.96% in the helmet group and 87.72% in the facemask NIV (p = 0.782). In helmet NIV, pressure support and PEEP level were higher than in facemask NIV (12.28±2.23 versus 8.58±2.05, p <0.001, 6.14±1.42 versus 5.54±1.18, p = 0.016). Compared with facemask NIV, helmet NIV had lower air leakage from baseline to 24 hours after extubation (p <0.001). The helmet group had a significantly higher rate of NIV intolerance than the control group (75.44% versus 21.05%, p <0.001). There were no intergroup differences in the reintubation rate within seven days and gas exchanges, including pH, PaO2/FiO2, and PaCO2. Compared with the facemask NIV, the adverse events, namely pressure sore and asynchrony, were lower in the helmet group, but the noise was higher (p <0.001).

Conclusion: The success rates of extubation in mechanically ventilated patients at high risk of extubation failure did not differ between helmet NIV and facemask NIV.
Evaluation of tissue adequacy in patients with malignant intrathoracic lymphadenopathy undergoing combined endobronchial ultrasound-guided miniforceps biopsy (EBUS-MFB) and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) compared to EBUS-TBNA alone
Authors:   , Tavornshevin Pipu
Published: September 2023

RATIONALE: EBUS-TBNA has become an effective way of tissue assessment for evaluating mediastinal lymph nodes. Identifying molecular mutations is a key to personalized management in malignant disease. The success of molecular analysis depends on adequate tissue specimens consisting of an absolute number of tumor cell counts and the neoplastic cell percentage (NCP) estimation. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of EBUS-MFB added on EBUS-TBNA to improve the tissue adequacy and the overall diagnostic yield. In this prospective study, patients with enlarged intrathoracic lymph nodes underwent EBUS-TBNA followed by EBUS-MFB. The tissue adequacy for molecular analysis required that the tissue samples met both a tumor cell count of more than 100 cells and an NCP estimation of more than 25%. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients (57 nodes) with enlarged intrathoracic lymphadenopathy were enrolled. Twenty-one of fifty-seven nodes were diagnosed with malignant disease by both EBUS-TBNA and EBUS-MFB. The tissue adequacy of EBUS-TBNA was 19/21 (90.5%) comparable to EBUS-MFB added on EBUS-TBNA, which was 20/21 (95.2%) with no statistical significance (p=0.317). EBUS-TBNA resulted in higher tumor cell counts; more than 1,000 cells were shown in 17/21 (80.9%) compared to EBUS-MFB 10/21 (47.6%) (p=0.039). The EBUS-MFB added on EBUS-TBNA significantly improved the overall diagnostic yield compared to EBUS-TBNA alone (98.2% vs 87.7%; p=0.031). The discordant cases between EBUS-TBNA and EBUS-MFB were 19 of the 29 nodes (65.5%). Within these, 6/29 (20.7%) nodes were misdiagnosed with EBUS-TBNA, but EBUS-MFB demonstrated a valid diagnosis including three anthracotic lymph node, two granulomatous nodes, and one silicotic node. No serious adverse events were observed, only 2 patients out of 52 (3.84%) had minor bleeding. CONCLUSION: The tissue adequacy for molecular analysis by EBUS-TBNA and EBUS-MFB added on EBUS-TBNA were not different. However, EBUS-TBNA showed better tumor cell counts of specimens. Also, the EBUS-MFB added on EBUS-TBNA is a feasible and safe procedure which may provide more diagnostic yield, particularly in nonmalignant disease.
Effects of using self-directed learning to foster lifelong learning attitudes of functional literacy facilitators
Authors:   , Orn Leakhena
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to 1) investigate the effects of self-directed learning on lifelong learning attitudes of functional literacy facilitators; and to 2) propose recommendations for using self-directed learning to foster lifelong learning. The research used quantitative method by employing quasi-experimental design where pre-test and post-test are employed to explore whether self-directed learning activities would foster lifelong learning attitudes of functional literacy facilitators in the five aspects. With subject group consisted of 37 functional literacy facilitators who were working as teachers in functional literacy programs in Cambodia. Moreover, an in-depth interview with 5 adult educators has been employed to propose recommendations on using self-directed learning according to their practical experiences. The recommendations were significant to adult educators, trainers, or mentors who were interested to apply self-directed learning in their practice.

The research findings were as follow:

1. Self-directed learning significantly enhanced functional literacy instructors' attitudes towards lifelong learning on the five aspects as 1) inquiring mind, 2) setting learning plan, 3) learning skills, 4) information literacy, and 5) belief in learning benefit professional development. With one group paired sample t-test, the result indicated that the pre-test score of the participants' inquiring mind to learn (X̅ =3.3475) was lower than the post-test (X̅ =4.2734), with p=0.00, which indicated that it was perfectly different. The result of the study revealed that self-directed learning activities positively affected lifelong learning attitudes and had positive impacts on the professional development of functional literacy facilitators.

2. Recommendations on using self-directed learning were proposed by the adult educators based on practical experiences such as 1) the crucial role of facilitators, 2) setting climate of trust and respect, 3) diagnosing learning needs, 4) setting learning goals, 5) planning resources, 6) planning learning strategies, 7) monitoring the learning process, and 8) evaluating outcomes. Moreover, the research also indicated that effective self-directed learning required literacy, language proficiency, understanding of learning styles, ICT skills, and good communication, with a supportive mentor to guide learners through the process.
A path analysis model of mobility among persons with hip fracture after surgery
Authors:   , Yoryuenyong Chanipa
Published: September 2023

This correlational study aimed to 1) investigate mobility and 2) examine direct and indirect paths of relationships among comorbidity, cognitive function, social support, pain, fatigue, and sleep quality on mobility among persons with hip fracture after surgery. The hypothesized model was constructed based on the theory of unpleasant symptoms and the literature reviewed.  A three-stage random sampling approach was utilized to recruit 260 persons with hip fracture after surgery aged 50 years old and older who visited four hospitals in three health regions of Thailand. Research measurements consisted of the demographic data form, Charlson Comorbidity Index, General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition, Groningen Orthopedic Social Support Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Numerical rating scale, and de Morton Mobility Index. Data were collected from July 2022 to February 2023. The data analysis using SPSS and Mplus program

The study findings revealed that 1) the average mean of mobility was 47.51 (SD 15.63) and 2) the hypothesized model fit the empirical and could explain 90.4 % of the variance of the mobility (Chi-square= 415.198, df= 372, p=0.0605, Chi-square/df= 1.116, RMSEA= 0.021, CFI= .993, TLI= .991, SRMR= .036). Sleep quality was the most the influential factor affecting mobility by having both negative direct and indirect effect on mobility through fatigue (β = -1.385, p < .001). Cognitive function had a positive direct and indirect effect on mobility through sleep (β = .792, p < .001). Fatigue only had a negative direct effect on mobility (β = -.674, p < .001). Pain only had a negative direct effect on mobility (β = -.182, p < .05). Comorbidity had a positive indirect effect on mobility through pain (β = .164, p < .05). However, social support had a non-significant direct effect on mobility (β = .109, p > .05).

The findings indicated that comorbidity, cognitive function, fatigue, sleep quality, and pain were important factors influencing mobility among persons with hip fracture after surgery. Therefore, future nursing interventions should enhance cognitive function, and sleep quality. Managing comorbidity, fatigue, and pain to maintain or enhance mobility among persons with hip fracture after surgery.
Awareness of medical doctor on medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw in osteoporosis patients
Authors:   , Supanumpar Nachapol
Published: September 2023

Antiresorptive drugs are widely used to treat osteoporosis. A serious adverse effect of these drugs is medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). By informing and educating patients about MRONJ, providing proper dental referral, and monitoring the oral health of patients who receive antiresorptive agents, physicians can reduce the risk of MRONJ. We investigated the awareness and clinical practices of physicians in Thailand with regard to MRONJ. Physicians who prescribed antiresorptive drugs for osteoporosis filled out an online self-administered questionnaire about demographic characteristics, awareness, and practices related to MRONJ. Most respondents agreed that antiresorptive drugs may cause MRONJ (92.3%), that poor oral health increased the risk of MRONJ (84%), and that MRONJ is an important consideration in patients with osteoporosis (85%). Of the respondents, 48.1% and 15.5% always referred patients to dentists before and during antiresorptive therapy, respectively; the majority, however, referred only patients considered at risk for MRONJ. Approximately 60% informed patients of the risk for MRONJ before antiresorptive therapy began, and 30% inquired about patients’ oral symptoms at the follow-up visit after antiresorptive therapy began. Forty-four percent advised patients to receive oral health care; the most common reason for not advising this was that respondents did not consider themselves knowledgeable enough to detect oral health problems. Most respondents were aware of MRONJ and accounted for it in their practice; many, however, did little to prevent MRONJ. Physicians prescribing antiresorptive drugs should adhere to clinical practice guidelines for reducing the risk of MRONJ.
The Effects of Decellularized Extracellular Matrix Derived from Jagged1-treated Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells on Biological Responses of Stem Cells Isolated from Apical Papilla
Authors:   , Phothichailert Suphalak
Published: September 2023

Objective: Indirect Jagged1 immobilization efficiently activates canonical Notch signaling in hDPSCs. This study aimed to investigate the characteristic of the Jagged1-treated hDPSCs-derived dECM and its biological activity on odonto/osteogenic differentiation SCAPs. Methods: Bioinformatic database of Jagged1-treated hDPSCs was analyzed by NetworkAnalyst. hDPSCs seeded on Jagged1 immobilized surface were maintained with N or OM followed by decellularization procedure, dECM-N or dECM-OM, respectively. SCAPs were reseeded on each dECM with either normal medium or OM. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Characteristics of dECMs and SCAPs were evaluated by SEM, EDX, immunofluorescent staining and alcian blue staining. A Multipotential differentiation assay. Statistical significance was considered at p<0.05. Results: RNA-seq database revealed upregulation of several genes involved in ECM organization, ECM-receptor interaction, and focal adhesion in Jagged1-treated hDPSCs. Immobilized Jagged1 increased the osteogenesis of hDPSCs culture with OM. dECMs showed fibrillar-like network structure and major ECM proteins, as well as glycosaminoglycans. A decrease in calcium and phosphate components was observed in dECMs after the decellularized process. Cell viability on dECMs did not alter by 7 days. Cell attachment and f-actin cytoskeletal organization of SCAPs proliferated on Jagged1-treated dECMs were comparable to those of the control dECMs. SCAPs exhibited significantly higher mineralization on dECM-N in OM and markedly enhanced on dECM-OM with normal medium or OM conditions. Jagged1-treated hDPSCs-derived dECMs have biocompatible and increase odonto/osteogenic differentiation of SCAPs. The results suggested the potential of Jagged1 dECMs, which could be further developed into ECM scaffolds for application in regenerative medicine.
Protein expression after gingival injection of messenger RNA encoding platelet-derived growth factor-bb in ligature-induced rat periodontitis
Authors:   , Meekhantong Pimphorn
Published: September 2023

As a new class of medicines, mRNA platform has proven to be safe and effective. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of local inflammation on platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) expression after gingival injection of PDGF-BB mRNA in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in ligature-induced rat periodontitis and to examine the dose-dependent effect of gingival delivery of mRNA.  3-0 silk was placed around maxillary left second molar for two weeks and removed, while the corresponding molar on the right was non-ligated. Under stereomicroscope, a significant bone loss at ligature sites was observed as compared to the non-ligature sites, indicating established periodontitis. However, there were no differences in inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-17a) and cellular infiltrates between the two sites. The local inflammation may occur at earlier time point in this ligature model. Different doses of PDGF-BB mRNA (low (3 µg), medium (10 µg), high (30 µg)), DPBS (control) and LNPs alone were injected into palatal gingiva upon ligature removal. After 24 hour of mRNA delivery, we found high levels of translated PDGF-BB protein at both ligature and non-ligature sites, demonstrating a trend of dose response.  In addition, some amount of inflammatory cytokine including IL-1β, and IL-17a was detected. In conclusion, this study of 24 hour-local delivery of PDGF mRNA-LNPs into gingiva using ligature-induced rat periodontitis model results in high translated PDGF protein. Even though, local gingival inflammation was not detected in this established periodontitis model, this model may be useful for future testing of mRNA therapeutic effects.
Compounds with anti-neuroinflammatory activity from aerides falcata
Authors:   , Rivai Bachtiar
Published: September 2023

In this study, a plant from the Orchidaceae family, Aerides falcata, was investigated for its chemical constituents and anti-neuroinflammatory activity. A total of ten compounds were isolated and characterized. The isolated compounds included a new compound which was named aerifalcatin and nine known compounds: n-eicosyl-trans-ferulate, denthyrsinin, 2,4-dimethoxy-3,7-dihydroxyphenanthrene, 2,7-dihydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenanthrene, 3,7-dihydroxy-2,4,6-trimethoxyphenanthrene, agrostonin, syringaresinol, trans-n-feruloyltyramine, and trans-n-coumaroyltyramine. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-neuroinflammatory activity, except for trans-n-coumaroyltyramine, which was excluded due to its insufficient amount. In vitro testing was conducted on LPS-induced BV2 microglia cells to evaluate their potential anti-neuroinflammatory activity using NO inhibition model. Minocycline, a neuroinflammatory modulator, was used as a positive control. Four compounds demonstrated significant deference to inhibit NO production compared to positive control minocycline (IC50 value of 3.41 ± 0.30 µM): aerifalcatin (IC50 value of 0.87 ± 0.45 µM), 2,7-dihydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenanthrene (IC50 value of 2.47 ± 0.73 µM), agrostonin (IC50 value of 2.55 ± 0.32 µM), and syringaresinol (IC50 value of 1.40 ± 0.17 µM). An ELISA experiment was performed to determine the levels of cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) for the most potent compounds. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in their expression in activated microglia in a dose-dependent manner, indicating their potential as anti-neuroinflammatory agents.
Stimulation of immune response in mice using the plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit protein linked to the fc region
Authors:   , Panapitakkul Chalisa
Published: September 2023

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 made a devastating impact worldwide, and virus management is challenging owing to a lack of specific therapies or affordable vaccines, especially in low-and middle-income countries. Hence a low-cost and efficient vaccine is necessary. In the present study, the immunogenicity of the plant-produced S1 subunit protein of SARS-CoV-2 was investigated in order to utilize it as a subunit vaccine. The SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit protein was fused with the Fc region of human immunoglobulin (IgG1) and expressed in tobacco plants in species of Nicotiana benthamiana plants by agroinfiltration. The SARS-CoV-2 S1-Fc protein was generated within 4 days of infiltration with 30 µg/gram of fresh-weight leaves. Afterward, plant-produced S1-Fc protein from the crude extract was purified using protein A chromatography. The S1-Fc fusion protein was observed in an expected band at 100-150 kDa under reducing conditions and 250 kDa under non-reducing conditions by analysis of SDS-PAGE gel and western blot.  The S1-Fc fusion protein was formulated with alum as an adjuvant. The S1-Fc protein from plants induced a significant immune response in mice and an interferon-gamma (IFN-g) enzyme-linked immunospot test revealed that the S1-Fc protein vaccine enhanced antigen-specific T-lymphocyte responses. Hence the plant-derived SARS-CoV-2 S1-Fc may provide a candidate strategy for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Chemometric attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy method for routine screening of paracetamol, ibuprofen, and aspirin adulteration in herbal medicines
Authors:   , Theodore Mario
Published: September 2023

Simple and reliable screening tools for herbal medicine drug adulteration are required, especially in rural areas where complex instrumental methods like HPLC face challenges such as logistics and complex operational processes. Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) is a good identification tool in drug quality control, and its operation is much simpler compared to HPLC, as it requires less sample preparation and has a simple operation. To improve its selectivity in analyzing multicomponent samples like herbal medicine, ATR-FTIR could be combined with chemometric methods such as Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). In order to establish itself as a routine testing method, ATR-FTIR combined with LDA will be compared against the currently validated HPLC method. The model's overall % correct classification results are 99.2% with cross-validation at 95.8% in the training set samples. Comparative testing shows 100% correct results (16 out of 16) in classification compared to the HPLC method. The results of the testing set samples' predictions are consistent with the cross-validation of the training set samples. Against the HPLC method, the model shows over 90% correct classification and could become a good candidate for routine screening tools for detecting adulteration of herbal products with paracetamol, ibuprofen, and aspirin.
Development of surrogate SARS-Cov-2 virus neutralization test method using plant-produced recombinant proteins
Authors:   , Jirarojwattana Perawat
Published: September 2023

Detecting immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is vital for evaluating vaccine response and natural infection, but a conventional virus neutralization test (cVNT) requires BSL3 and live viruses, and a pseudo-virus neutralization test (pVNT) needs specialized equipment and trained professionals in BSL2. The surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) was developed to overcome these limitations. This study explored the use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE2) produced from Nicotiana benthamiana for the development of an affordable neutralizing antibodies detection assay. The results showed that the plant-produced ACE2-His can bind to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2, and was used to develop sVNT with plant-produced RBD protein. The sVNT developed using plant-produced proteins showed high sensitivity and specificity when validated with a group of 30 RBD-Fc vaccinated mice sera and the results were correlated with cVNT titer. This preliminary finding suggests that the plants could offer a cost-effective platform for establishing antibody detection assays.
Free radical scavengers from dendrobium virgineum
Authors:   , Panuthai Pongsawat
Published: September 2023

Free radicals are unstable, highly reactive, molecules which can cause several degenerative diseases such as mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. This research aims to study the chemical constitutents of Dendrobium virgineum and their antioxidant activity in 3 different test models including DPPH radical scavenging assay, superoxide radical scavenging activity assay and oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay. Nine compounds were isolated and determined to be two new compounds named 2,8-dimethoxy-9,10-dihydro-4,5-phenanthrenediol and 2,5-dimethoxy-7-hydroxy-9,10-dihydro-1,4-phenanthrenequinone, together with seven known compounds, which are 2-methoxy-9,10-dihydro-4,5-phenanthrenediol, gigantol, 5-methoxy-7-hydroxy-9,10-dihydro-1,4-phenanthrenequinone, p-coumaric acid, tristin, 2,5,7-trihydroxy-4-methoxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene and 9,10-dihydro-2,4,7-phenanthrenetriol. The result obtained from the three testing models revealed that 2,5,7-trihydroxy-4-methoxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene showed strongest antioxidant activity. This compound has potential for further development as a preventive agent for free radical-related diseases.
Production of PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor in nicotiana benthamiana
Authors:   , Phetphoung Thareeya
Published: September 2023

Immune checkpoint antibodies disrupt the binding of receptor-ligand pairs which regulate immune response in cancer treatment. PD-1/PD-L1 pathway has become one target of the cancer immunotherapy approaches. Atezolizumab, the first FDA-approved antibody to PD-L1 in the treatment of metastatic urothelial, non-small cell lung, small cell lung, and hepatocellular cancers, is expressed in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines with several limitations, i.e., high costs of production, limited-capacity yields, and pathogen risks. To overcome these drawbacks, the transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, which provide expandable scalability and inexpensive costs, was investigated by co-infiltration of Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 cultures harboring Atezolizumab heavy chain and light chain in the genes of interest sites. The transient expression of Atezolizumab produced up to 86.76 micrograms/gram of fresh leaf weight after agroinfiltrated with OD 600 nm = 0.4 and 1:1 heavy chain to light chain ratio, then harvested on 6 days post-infiltration. The plant-produced anti-PD-L1 was assessed for physicochemical and functional properties compared to commercially available Tecentriq® from CHO cells, which showed similar binding efficacies to PD-L1 receptors. In conclusion, this research provides plants with an alternative cost-effective platform for producing functional monoclonal antibodies for cancer therapy.
Comparison of compressive strength between two mini implants :an in vitro study
Authors:   , Weerasubpong Anchisa
Published: September 2023

Objective: To observe and evaluate the difference in static and dynamic loadings between two mini-implant systems (RetenDent and MS denture® system, OSSTEM).
Materials and Methods:  Fifty mini-implant from two companies were included in the study. The compressive force was applied to the mini-implants at 30 degrees from its vertical axis. Ten specimens from each group were subjected to static load tests. Subsequently, five cyclic loadings were calculated from static compressive strength. These loads include 320N, 275N, 230N, 185N, and 140N. Three specimens from each group were randomly selected and tested at each loading condition. The Independent T- test was utilized to obtain the statistical differences of the static compressive strength, while descriptive statistics was utilized to compare the difference of dynamic loading between two mini-implant systems.
Results: The average static compressive strengths of RetenDent and OSSTEM mini-implants were 462.969 + 16.73 N and 403.407 + 25.55 N, respectively. Overall, RetenDent demonstrated a higher number of survived cycles except at 320N loading condition compared to OSSTEM. The fatigue limit of RetenDent and OSSTEM mini-implants was defined at 185N and 140N, respectively.
Conclusion: RetenDent has higher static and dynamic compressive strength compare to OSSTEM. Both RetenDent and OSSTEM’s static and dynamic compressive strength were greater than maximum bite force of implant-retained overdenture. RetenDent mini-implants is likely to has capabilities in need for application in clinical practice to retain prostheses.
Influence of CAD/CAM materials on damping behavior of implant-supported crown
Authors:   , Sukkasam Charnikan
Published: September 2023

This study was to investigate the damping capacity of implant-supported crowns made from various computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) restorative materials. A titanium implant fixture was embedded in epoxy resin. Crown specimens were divided into three groups: Zirconia (Z), Lithium disilicate (E), and Polymethyl methacrylate (P). Each crown was subdivided into Uncement (Un) and Adhesive resin cement (RC) subgroups (n=5). Specimens were loaded (0-200N). Strain gauges were attached to measure microstrains at crestal and apical levels. Damping capacity was determined based on load-time curves, microstrain-time curves, and time required to reach the maximum load. A two-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test and independent t-test were conducted (α=0.05). The results showed that slopes of curves and time to reach maximum load were similar in the Z and E groups (p>0.05), but the P group exhibited less steep slopes and more time to reach maximum load (p<0.05). The UN group had significantly steeper microstrain slopes at crestal level and less time to reach maximum load compared to the AR group (p<0.05). In conclusion, the crown material significantly influenced the damping capacity, with lower modulus of elasticity materials showing higher damping capacity. Cementation enhanced damping capacity in implant-supported crowns.
Effects of Extraversion Personality Compatibility and the Michelangelo Phenomenon via Facebook on Marital Satisfaction
Authors:   , Chawaleemaporn Wanthip
Published: September 2023

Divorce rates in newlywed couples has been rising dramatically globally, particularly Thailand. Young adults who strive for success often seek romantic relationships that promote their personal growth in order to thrive. The Michelangelo phenomenon is a psychological concept which explains how romantic relationships facilitate each other’s goal pursuit via partner affirmation. This research explores the dyadic influence of the similarity effects of the Big Five’s extraversion trait and marital satisfaction mediated by the Michelangelo phenomenon via Facebook in Thai newlyweds who have been married less than 5 years. 70 dyads were collected in two waves with a 6 month interval. The longitudinal modified Actor-partner Interdependence Model (APIM) with the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) suggests that the Michelangelo phenomenon has been found to be more effective in offline or face-to-face interactions as opposed to the online context like Facebook. Highly extraverted husbands benefit from the Michelangelo phenomenon more than wives while extraversion significantly influences marital satisfaction of wives directly in long term. Wives place a greater emphasis on the similarity of extraversion than husbands. The findings imply that collectivism context shapes Thai couples in terms of their perception of their ideal selves and love conceptualization. Partner affirmation is a key component of the Michelangelo phenomenon which helps relationships thrive, facilitates goal pursuit and enhances marital satisfaction. This is the first time that the Michelangelo phenomenon has been replicated in the collectivistic country.
A Comparison of gender equality perception in workplace among different gender-type sport federations in Indonesia
Authors:   , Rachmawati Risha
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to compare the perception of gender equality between male and female staff across three different sport federations. Sports have been stereotyped with genders for decades. In this thesis, three different sport federations were selected as a representative of different genders where football was a representative of masculine, gymnastic was a representative of feminine, and badminton was a representative of neutral. Not only were these three sport federations stereotyped with genders, these three sports were also very famous among Indonesian population. The study employed a mixed-method research design where a survey and an in-depth interview were used. 390 staff between 20-50 years old were recruited to take a survey, while 12 participants was purposively selected for an in-depth interview. The interviewees included members of board of director and key position employees in these three sport federations. A two-way ANOVA was employed for statistical analysis where two main factors were gender and sport federation. The results showed that the overall perception of gender equality had no significant interaction between genders (male or female) and sport federations (football, gymnastic, or badminton), F (2,379) = 0.806, p = 0.447, η2 = 0.004. For the main effect analysis, the results indicated no significant main effect for sport federation, F (2,379) = 0.580, p = 0.560, η2 = 0.003, but significant main effect for gender, F (1,379) = 4.311, p = 0.039, η2 = 0.011. The statistical results echoed the qualitative analysis results where different genders perceived different gender equality differently. Related to the results, gender equality has been shaped by the behaviors and roles of its gender and the perception can be different among the gender types.
Effects of contextual teaching and learning (CTL) approach on analytical exposition writing skills of senior high school students in Indonesia
Authors:   , Rahman Adzkiya
Published: September 2023

The objectives of this study were 1) to explore the effects of analytical exposition writing skills of eleventh grade students after learning with contextual teaching and learning (CTL) approach, 2) to identify eleventh grade students’ opinions of learning with contextual teaching and learning (CTL) approach to improve their analytical exposition writing skills, and 3) to investigate the way in which CTL approach help improve eleventh grade students’ analytical exposition writing skill. The sample of the study were 35 eleventh grade students in the second semester from a public school in Ciawi, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. The study was employed by using mixed method research design. The quantitative instruments consist of one-group analytical exposition writing pretest and posttest and three questionnaires. Meanwhile, the qualitative instruments consist of semi-structured interview, and reflection pages. Paired sample t-test was used to compare students’ analytical exposition writing skill before and after the treatment. The data from questionnaires were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, while the semi-structured interview and reflection page were analyzed with thematic and content analysis.

The findings from eleventh grade students’ English analytical exposition writing test showed that there was a significant improvement of students’ analytical exposition writing skill after implementing the CTL approach on process-based analytical exposition instruction at the significant level of .05. Students also revealed to have a positive perception toward the CTL approach as it could provide them to write analytical exposition text with the topic that was relevant to their real-life experience, thus making them to have strong understanding of the topic and good content knowledge to write according to correct structure of analytical exposition. Lastly, there are four ways that the CTL approach help improve students’ analytical exposition writing skill: making meaningful task, gathering information independently, working with group, and asking some questions.