cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.328
title: Synthesis of avicequinone c and analogs toward the study of 5α-reductase inhibitory activity

description: Steroid 5α-reductase (5α-R) or 3-oxo-5α-steroid ∆4-reductase, is an enzyme having 3 isozymes, which involves in steroid metabolism. It converts testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with the aid of NADPH as a cofactor. 5α-R plays an important role in several human diseases such as prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, acne, hirsutism and androgenic alopecia. To date, the three-dimensional structure of 5α-R has not been available due to structural unstability during the protein crystallization. In this study, we performed the in silico three-dimensional 5α-R1 and 5α-R2 homology modeling using SWISS-MODEL and the isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT, PDB code: 4A2N) was selected as a homologous protein template. The catalytic site of 5α-R was verified by molecular docking simulation with 5α-R inhibitors including the known drugs such as finasteride and dutasteride and a series of reported 5α-R inhibitors. According to the previous study, avicequinone C, which is a furanonaphthoquinone, showed 5α-R1 inhibitory activity with IC50 = 9.94 µg/ml. Therefore, we hypothesized that furanonaphthoquinone moiety potentially an essential pharmacophore controlling 5α-R inhibitory activity. A series of avicequinone C and analogs and natural napthoquinones were studied to evaluate for 5α-R1 inhibiting potency by molecular docking simulations using Autodock Vina in conjugation with the resulting in silico three-dimensional 5α-R1 and 5α-R2. The results showed that avicequinone C displayed the best protein-ligand binding interactions at 5α-R catalytic region. Next, avicequinone C and analogs were synthesized by chemical process for in vitro 5α-R inhibitory assay along with natural naphthoquinones. HaCaT cell line was used for 5α-R inhibitory activity investigation. The results showed that 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone was the most potent 5α-R inhibitor. It exhibited 82.73 ± 14.42 %inhibition at 40 µM with IC50 = 23.93 µM. Importantly, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone showed stronger 5α-R inhibition than avicequinone C. Considering molecular docking together with the in vitro 5α-R inhibitory assay toward HaCaT cell line, we found that the naphthoquinone motif is crucial for 5α-R inhibitory activity. Moreover, the resulting in silico three-dimensional 5α-R1 would be used for virtual screening and development of 5α-reductase (5α-R) in the future.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.329
title: Role of nitric oxide on integrin expression and migration in human lung cancer cell

description: Nitric oxide (NO), a highly reactive free radical gas involving in vascular control and inflammatory response, has influenced on cancer metastasis, but the understanding of its regulation on integrin, an important protein functioning in adhesion and motility, is still largely unknown. Alteration of integrin pattern has been shown to have a dramatic impact on cancer cell migratory activities as well as the survival during dissemination. This study has revealed that the human lung cancer cell lines (H460, H292 and H23) exposed to non-toxic concentrations of NO (0-50 μM) had higher level of integrin αv and β1, and such an increase of the specific integrins correlated with augmented ability of cells to motile. The known migratory proteins downstream of integrins including focal adhesion kinase (FAK), active RhoA (Rho-GTP), active cell division control 42(Cdc42-GTP) were found to be significantly activated in response to NO. Besides, this study observed the augmented motile morphology of NO-treated cells indicated by the dramatic increase of filopodia (actin protrusion) per cell. In terms of underlying mechanism, this study also found that NO-treated cells exhibited increased active protein kinase G (PKG), protein kinase B (AKT) and FAK. Using pharmacological approach, as AKT is downstream target of PKG, the results proved that integrin modulating effect of NO was mediated through PKG/AKT-dependent mechanism as the change in integrin as mentioned were completely diminished by AKT inhibitor, but not FAK inhibitor. These findings indicate a novel role of NO on integrin regulation and its importance in migratory cancer behavior.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.330
title: Taxonomy and secondary metabolites of selected marine actinomycetes

description: A total of 75 actinomycetes isolated from marine samples collected from Chumphon, Chonburi, Krabi, Phuket, Prachuap-Khiri-Khan, Samut-Songkhram and Trang provinces were taxonomically studied based on their morphology, chemotaxonomy and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses. The isolates were identified as members of Family Micromonosporaceae including Jishengella (1 isolate), Micromonospora (25 isolates), Salinispora (13 isolates) and Verrucosispora (2 isolates); Family Nocardiaceae including Nocardia (2 isolates); and Family Streptomycetaceae including Streptomyces (32 isolates). On the basis of phenotypic properties and DNA-DNA hybridization, 4 new actinomycete species were proposed including Streptomyces chumphonensis (isolates KK1-2T and CPB4-7), Streptomyces verrucosisporus (isolates CPB1-1T, CPB2-10, BM1-4, CPB3-1 and CPB1-18), Micromonospora fluostatini (isolate PWB-003T) and Micromonospora sediminis (isolate CH3-3T). Secondary metabolites from culture broth of two new species M. fluostatini PWB-003T, S. chumphonensis KK1-2T and a known species Streptomyces sanyensis C10-9-1 were investigated based on their interesting chemical profiles analyzed by an in-house HPLC database. The chemical structures of isolated secondary metabolites were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. A new diastereomer of fluostatin C, fluorenone, was isolated from M. fluostatini PWB-003T. It showed cytotoxicity against Vero cell line (IC50, 48.5 µg/ml) but did not show cytotoxicity against KB and MCF-7 and antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778, Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra and Pseudomonas aeruginosa K2733. Piericidin A1, a polysubstituted pyridine alkaloid, was obtained from S. chumphonensis KK1-2T. However, the compound at concentration 50µg/ml showed no biological activities such as antimicrobial activity against B. cereus ATCC 11778, M. tuberculosis H37Ra and P. aeruginosa K2733 and cytotoxicity against KB, MCF7 and Vero cell lines. Finally, 4 indolocarbazole alkaloids, staurosporine, staurosporine aglycone, K-252D and 4'-demethylamino-4',5'-dihydroxystaurosporine, were isolated from S. sanyensis C10-9-1. The four alkaloids exhibited cytotoxicity against KB, MCF-7 and Vero cell lines at IC50s ranged from 0.2-45.4 µg/ml. Furthermore, staurosporine, staurosporine aglycone and K-252D exhibited anti-M. tuberculosis H37Ra activity at the MICs ranged from 6.25 to 12.5 µg/ml. In addition, K-252D exhibited anti-B. cereus ATCC 11778 activity (IC50 25.0 µg/ml).
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.331
title: Isolation, purification, characterization and antimicrobial activity of antimicrobial peptides isolated from Lentinus squarrosulus cultivated in Thailand

description: The emergence of microbial pathogenic resistance to current antibiotic drugs has increased the interest in developing alternative antibiotics from natural resources. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a family of proteins from various organisms with antimicrobial activity, may be potential new antibiotic drugs which can be utilized to overcome the antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study is to isolate, purify and characterize the AMP from Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.), the common edible mushroom cultivated in Thailand. Crude proteins were extracted from fresh fruiting body by homogenization with 10 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.4 and the proteins were precipitated by solid ammonium sulfate at the final concentration of 40-80% (w/v). The crude protein extracts were further purified by anion exchange chromatography using DEAE - cellulose column. The partial purified protein collecting from anion exchange column using the elution buffer (0.5 M NaCl in 10 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.4) showed the antifungal activity. After further purification by Sephadex G-25 gel filtration, the active protein was eluted in the fourth peak. The antimicrobial activity test using agar disc diffusion method exhibited the strong activity against various species of human fungal pathogen including Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida tropicalis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton Rubrum which the last 3 species were clinical isolates. However, the activity against Aspergillus niger was low. Furthermore, it had no activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria as well as no synergistic effect with antibiotic drugs (ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline). The antifungal activity of protein was completely lost in the presence of proteases, the pH above or below the range of 3.0 - 9.0 and the temperature above 40 oC. The nuclease activity was also detected on both genomic DNA and plasmid DNA. The purified protein had the molecular mass of approximately 17 kilodalton determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing condition. Amino acid sequence determined by MALDI-TOF/MS showed high similarity to the conserved sequences of cyclophilin, the protein with the antifungal property. The findings from this study suggested that antifungal protein/peptide from L. squarrosulus (Mont.) may have potential clinical application which need further investigation.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.332
title: Comparative clinical efficacy of wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer versus medicated paraffin gauze dressing in the treatment of split-thickness skin graft donor sites

description: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer in healthy volunteers using a skin patch test and in the treatment of Split-Thickness Skin Graft (STSG) donor sites compared with commercially available medicated paraffin gauze dressing, Bactigras®, a standard treatment. Each back of 110 healthy volunteers was divided into the left and right sides and was randomized to receive the wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer or Bactigras®. Both dressings were left for 3 days. After that, both dressings were changed and left for an additional 3 days. Seven to ten days later, both dressings were applied on the identical areas and left in place for 3 days. There was no evidence of skin irritation measured by Mexameter MX18®. Although, the results obtained from the Repeated Insult Patch Test (RIPT) scale revealed there was evidence of mild and moderate erythema in the wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer group (3.64%), this evidence was comparable to the commercial wound dressing. Each donor site of 30 split-thickness skin graft donor sites from 23 patients was divided into the upper and lower sides and was randomized to receive wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer or Bactigras®. The results showed that the healing time of STSG donor sites treated with the wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer (11.0 ± 6.0 days) was significantly faster than that treated with Bactigras® (14.0 ± 6.0 days) (p=10-6). The sides treated with the wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer showed significantly less pain (p ≤ 10-4) and more rapid recovery in the water barrier function (p = 10-5) than those treated with Bactigras® on all evaluation days. There were no signs of STSG donor site infection in either wound dressing group. AST, ALT, ALP, albumin, BUN and Scr were decreased after operation; however, the median of all parameters was in the normal range. The morphology of epithelial cells attached on the wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer after falling off spontaneously under the microscope showed a definite border of cells, indicating a better shape of epithelial cells. In conclusion, wound dressing containing silk fibroin with bioactive coating layer can be used as optional treatment for STSG donor sites due to an acceptable safety profile in healthy volunteers and its promotion of wound healing and minimizing pain without adverse effects in the treatment of STSG donor sites.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.334
title: FREE RADICAL SCAVENGERS FROM DENDROBIUM SIGNATUM

description: A methanol extract prepared from Dendrobium signatum (Orchidaceae) showed significant free radical scavenging activity in the DPPH assay. Subsequent chemical study led to the isolation of 5 pure compounds, including a new compound, named dendrosignatol, together with 4 known compounds 3,4-dihydroxy-5,4´-dimethoxybibenzyl, dendrocandin B, dendrocandin I and dendrofalconerol A. Their structures were determined through by analysis of spectroscopic data (UV, IR, MS NMR). The DPPH radical scavenging activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated, and their IC50 values were determined to be 13.05, 8.29, 12.91, 62.49 and 9.43 µM, respectively. Quercetin (IC50 6.57 µM) and Trolox® (IC50 10.95 µM) were used as positive controls. In addition, these compounds were further investigated for their activity against superoxide radicals. Their IC50 values were found to be 51.17, 13.85, 58.23, 9.30 and 15.32 µM, respectively (Trolox® IC50 319.61 µM).
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.335
title: WATER MANAGEMENT CONFLICT IN PERI-URBAN AREA: A CASE STUDY OF LANTAKFA, NAKHON CHAISI, NAKHON PATHOM

description: Water is an important resource, although it is a renewable resource. Water is essential not only in our daily life, but also in production activities. Changing pattern of water using led to conflicts among different groups of water users in many areas. Lantakfa’s water using was changing the pattern along the transformation of the area. The purposes of this research are to explain causes of conflict in water management in Lantakfa sub-district and to identify the roles of water management institution in the resolution of water conflict. The study will adopt the concept of peri-urbanization and modern conflict theory to analyze the water management conflict in Lantakfa, Nakhon Chaisri, Nakhon Pathom. To identify how stakeholders respond through water management in Lantakfa, Nakhon Chaisi, Nakhon Pathom the research was based on documentation, participation and observation. Additionally data for the analysis come from interview with various groups of people including rice farmers, lotus farmers, prawn farmers, area experts, and governmental authorities from Tambon Administration Organization to Royal Irrigation Department in Nakhon Chaisi, Nakon Pathom. The study found out that under extension of urban area, water resources have increasingly been used in non-agricultural activities. Since it was previously served for agriculture activities that resulted in water management conflict and environmental threats to the former residents of Latakfa community. In conclusion, changing pattern of water using in Latakfa is associated with the context of urban extension. Although the problem in water management have become more complicated, the government authorities hardly modify the pattern of management along the changing context.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.336
title: Land Dispossession, Access to Justice and The Role of Community Based Organizations (CBOs): A Case Study of Maubin

description: Land is the most important asset for Myanmar population dependent on access to land for their livelihoods. During the past several years, land dispossession has accelerated causing social, political and economic ramifications. Historical land dispossession also remains a significant challenge until the present day. This has provoked a response from civil society actors and farmers who have engaged with different approaches to battle land disputes. This thesis is a result of a qualitative field research utilizing various methods: documentary research, exploratory research, focus group discussions, in-depth and expert interviews all including 21 people and focused detail on three CBOs based on diverse approaches, having different levels of achievements and failure over the past several years. Maubin Township is one of the most land problem areas in Myanmar and CBOs are working to solve their problems. The analyses are made by looking at land tenure security and land dispossession, farmers’ access to justice for land losses, and the role of civil society organizations in promoting access to justice and eliminating land issues. Even though CBOs’ role in battling land issues and mobilizing farmers to promote their access to justice can be considered to have had positive impact, there are gaps and barriers in process and implementation. Farmers and CSOs have yet to see good results because there are restrictions created by the government’s centralized control and weak legal mechanisms. CBOs have used different approaches to promote farmers’ access to justice; however, their work is affected by their weaknesses, for instance the lack of strong coordination among themselves. There have also been cases where there was friction among themselves because of their political inclinations. Other civil society stakeholders focus their work on pushing forward better land laws and policies for the longer-term benefits. Even though this is a right approach, these groups need the government’s cooperation as the government is still in favor of using a controversial and manipulative mixture of old and new laws in accordance with the problematic constitution. This thesis argues that the work of CBOs has both strengths; using different strategies and awareness providers on land issues to communities, and weaknesses; less influence on land management bodies and companies and limited resources and their informal or casual way of working can affect their performances. To facilitate access to justice, CBOs should have better networking, managing community expectation and harm reduction among stakeholders, and cooperate formal or structured patterns with different level of stakeholders. Furthermore, Myanmar’s current legal mechanisms are struggling with corruption and inefficiency, therefore improving land laws and policies would be the key solution for the long-term gain and for mitigating land issues.
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.337
title: Study on the Current Status and Challenges Encountered in Preparing Thai Accounting Students for ASEAN in the Vocational Education Stream

description: The member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Framework on Accountancy Services in 2009 for the region to enjoy labor mobility of accounting professions. Thailand as one of the members has been tremendously affected, especially in the education sector that is responsible for the labor preparation. Yet, most studies conducted to date put little emphasis on statuses and challenges of the sector in preparing the future ASEAN workforce so as to respond to the provided opportunity. Specifically, vocational education, which its claimed advantage is to connect labor to the labor market, was altogether neglected. The study was conducted using multiple in-depth interviews with main stakeholders in the vocational education stream in 3 layers so as to triangulate and attain comprehensive information: (i) Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) as a national level; (ii) ‘Best Practice’ vocational colleges in Bangkok and the Northeast as an institutional level and (iii) Market perception as an industrial sector. The data were collected by a documentary study, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 24 respondents in total. The result revealed that (i) at the national level, the preparation in the vocational education stream could not adequately prepare vocational accounting students to enter ASEAN confidently. Even though English preparation and employment security were OVEC’s strategic preparations, they took for granted the benefit of MRA; (ii) at the institutional level, the challenges were not location-based but system-based; and (iii) at the market level, despite the career positions that did not require BA graduates’ skills and knowledge, the market preferred vocational graduates in secondary to the general education ones. Based on the study, OVEC is suggested to improve these 5 areas of implementation as follows: (i) Policy should focus on incentive building to call in younger generations of instructors to the stream and close interaction with the industrial sector, especially at the ASEAN level; (ii) Curriculum should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis and should be ASEAN-centric rather than Thai-centric; (iii) Instructor development should be short-term and long-term on a regular basis; (iv) Student development should be career-specific in order to make MRA in Accountancy Services more meaningful to the Thai context and (v) Vocational Qualification Framework should be developed by close collaboration with the Federation of Accounting Professions (FAP) and Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (TPQI).
DOI: 10.14457/cu.the.2015.338
title: STRENGTHENING WATER GOVERNANCE IN VIETNAM: A CASE STUDY OF COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO WATER INSECURITY IN VINH QUANG WARD, RACH GIA CITY, KIEN GIANG PROVINCE, VIETNAM

description: Vinh Quang Ward is a coastal ward of Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province which is located in Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Local people deal with water shortage for their domestic use because of salinity intrusion about one month of April 2016. The purpose of this thesis is to understand and improve water governance so as to strengthen water security in Vinh Quang Ward. There were two major concepts for this thesis, namely water security and water governance. For this research, I interviewed twenty-five people in three different villages to have an overview about the issue throughout two years. I interviewed one academic from An Giang University and one from Southern Institute of Water Resources Research to learn about how severe salinity intrusion was. During drought, the piped water distribution system is insufficient so local people struggled with water to reach their daily demand. I also figured out the impacts on local people’s health, livelihood, and business, especially the poor and women. The poor and women who are located further far from centre of city relied on ground water for their domestic use which was not good at quality. This study also revealed weak water governance in Vietnam. The argument of this thesis is that water governance must be strengthened. In other words, water insecurity is not a result of physical water scarcity alone, but also relates to how decisions are taken towards how to address this issue.