Hue University Journal of Science: Natural Science

An in silico study on the anti-diabetic potential of some compounds from the genus Cordyceps

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study was designed to evaluate the inhibitory potential of nine representative compounds, belonging to the nucleoside, flavonoid, and steroid classes from Cordyceps species, against two protein targets: α-amylase (PDB ID: 4W93) and α-glucosidase (PDB ID: 3W37) by means of an in-silico approach. Molecular docking simulations identified sites 1 and 2 as the optimal sites for ligand interaction with the two respective proteins. The docking results were validated, with RMSD values of less than 2.0 Å for all complexes. Compound C3 was identified as the most potent inhibitor for protein 4W93, while C2 was the most effective against protein 3W37. According to Lipinski’s rule of five, all compounds exhibited favourable “drug-likeness” characteristics, and the pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of these compounds were further evaluated via ADMET parameter predictions. The complexes, C3-4W93 and C2-3W37, were selected for molecular dynamics simulations. The two complexes are structurally stable throughout the simulation, and the C3 ligand forms the most favourable and persistent interactions with the 4W93 protein.

Synthesis of Cu- and Ag-modified flower-like Ni(OH)₂ nanocomposites

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In this report, a simple template-free hydrothermal method was used to synthesise flower-like Ni(OH)₂ structures modified with Ag and Cu. The Ni(OH)₂ microflowers were formed via the self-assembly of ultrathin nanosheets with a thickness of approximately 2–3 nm. The incorporation of Ag and Cu at appropriate concentrations preserved the three-dimensional flower-like architecture of Ni(OH)₂. For the Ag-Ni(OH)₂ composite, Ag nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on the Ni(OH)₂ nanosheets. In contrast, no Cu(OH)₂ phase was detected in the Cu-Ni(OH)₂ composite, likely because of Cu substituting the Ni sites within the Ni(OH)₂ lattice. Owing to their unique three-dimensional (3D) flower-like structure, large specific surface area, and enhanced physicochemical properties introduced by metal modification, these materials are potentially suitable for applications in electrochemical sensing, catalysis, and biomedical fields.

Green-Synthesized NiFe₂O₄-CQDs Composite for Sensitive Electrochemical Detection of Acetaminophen and Caffeine

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In this study, a NiFe₂O₄-CQDs composite was synthesized and utilized to modify a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the simultaneous electrochemical detection of acetaminophen (ACP) and caffeine (CFE). The composite material was characterized using various techniques, including FTIR and PL spectroscopy, confirming its suitability for electrochemical applications. The DP-ASV method was employed to determine the limit of detection (LOD) for ACP and CFE, which were found to be 0.35 μM and 0.34 μM, respectively. The electrochemical method exhibited a wide linear range from 0.5 μM to 11.9 μM for both analytes. Optimized experimental conditions, including accumulation potential, accumulation time, and pulse amplitude, contributed to high sensitivity, reproducibility, and accuracy in detecting these compounds. Recovery studies in pharmaceutical samples demonstrated reliable results, with recoveries ranging from 94.2% to 103.2%. These findings suggest that the NIF-CQDs-modified GCE is a promising candidate for rapid and accurate electrochemical analysis of ACP and CFE in real-world applications.

Free amino acid production in response to selenium nanoparticles in rice plants

Nga T.P. Mai* — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the primary food source for nearly half of the world’s population. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have emerged as promising agents in plant science because of their ability to mitigate both biotic and abiotic stresses, thereby enhancing plant productivity. Free amino acids (FAA) are key metabolites involved in plant stress responses and homeostatic regulation. The present study investigated the FAA profiles in response to SeNP treatment doses ranging from 0 to 25 ppm in two-week-old rice plants. The content of FAA was determined by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. The results demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in FAA accumulation, with the highest content when treated with 25 ppm of SeNPs. The maximum FAA content in shoots is approximately 33 mg/g dry weight, compared with 11–13 mg/g in roots. Moreover, increased concentration of SeNPs stimulated total FAA production more significantly. The aspartate family constituted the largest fraction of total FAA, comprising approximately 50% in the 25 ppm treatment. Additionally, essential amino acid levels increased dramatically with higher SeNP concentrations, reaching approximately 23 mg/g in shoots when treated with 25 ppm of SeNPs. The accumulation of lysine, threonine, and serine was notably enhanced in response to SeNP treatment, suggesting their involvement in protective or compensatory metabolic pathways under stress conditions. Among the FAAs, lysine exhibited the highest level of accumulation, indicating a potentially prominent role in the plant’s adaptive response to SeNP-induced stress. These findings highlight the SeNP-induced modulation of FAA metabolism in rice, suggesting a potential mechanism for enhancing stress resilience through targeted amino acid biosynthesis.

Characterisation of Vibrio spp. isolated from shrimp pond water in Hue City, Vietnam

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study investigates the characteristics of Vibrio strains isolated from shrimp pond water in Hue City, focusing on their biochemical properties, antibiotic resistance, extracellular enzyme production, hemolytic activity, and toxin-encoding genes. Five Gram-negative, oxidase- and catalase-positive, motile bacterial strains forming colonies on TCBS and CHROMagar™ Vibrio were selected and designated as V06, V16, V17, V25, and V29. The analysis of their 16S rRNA sequences revealed 98.78 to 99.99% similarity with four Vibrio species: V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. azureus, and V. sinaloensis. All isolates exhibited multidrug resistance to at least four antibiotics. Notably, all strains exhibited 100% resistance to vancomycin, penicillin, and ampicillin. Hemolytic activity varied among the strains, in which V06 displayed beta-hemolysis; V17 and V29 showed alpha-hemolysis, while V16 and V25 exhibited indeterminate hemolytic activity on blood agar. Additionally, all strains demonstrated the ability to produce extracellular proteases and lipases, which have been formerly demonstrated to be related to virulence in Vibrio species. The molecular analysis revealed the presence of toxR and tlh genes in all strains; however, no trh, tdh, pirA, or pirB genes were detected. These findings suggest that the isolated Vibrio strains possess numerous virulence-associated traits, including enzyme production, the presence of toxR and tlh genes, hemolytic activity, and significant antibiotic resistance, which may enhance their pathogenic potential in aquaculture environments.

Malnutrition status and impact of daily activities and dietary habits on stunting: A study of 4,871 preschool children in Inner-City Hanoi

Le Thi Tuyet*, Dung Nhi Nguyen, Tuan Minh Do — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to investigate malnutrition and the impact of daily activities and dietary habits on stunting in preschool children to identify effective prevention strategies. The study consisted of two phases: a cross-sectional analysis of 4,871 children from nine preschools in Hoang Mai District and a case-control study of 207 stunted children and 2,984 normal-height children, using the WHO criteria for nutritional status classification. The results indicated that the prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was 3.6, 7, and 2.4%, respectively. Underweight and stunting were more common among girls (4.4 vs. 3.0% and 8 vs. 6%, respectively), while wasting was slightly higher in boys (2.5 vs. 2.2%). Significant associations with stunting included less than one hour of moderate and vigorous physical activity (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.71) and meal times exceeding 40 minutes (OR = 1.73). Preferring to eat lean meat reduced the risk of stunting (OR = 0.72, 95% confidence interval is 0.54–0.98). Factors such as nighttime sleep duration, bedtime, active physical activities at school, sedentary behaviours, and preferences for fats, sweets, eggs, vegetables, and milk consumption before sleep were not significantly associated with stunting. The study suggests that monitoring eating times, encouraging more moderate and vigorous physical activity, and increasing lean meat consumption can help reduce the risk of stunting in children.

Determination of the dead time of the TCS-172 gamma survey meter by using the two-source method

Pham Dang Quyet* — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Dead time is one of several major parameters of a nuclear radiation measurement system. To estimate the dead time and its uncertainty for the TCS-172 gamma survey meter at the Training Center of the Nuclear Research Institute, we conducted 240 count rate measurements using the two-source method with the non-paralysable model and two standard radioactive sources, Cs-137 and Co-60. The results indicate that the dead time for this instrument was 11.29 µs, with an uncertainty of ±1.01 µs. These values align closely with those presented in the textbook and several articles.

Existence and linear conditioning for solutions of equilibrium problems in metric spaces

Thi Nhu Bich Le, Thi Thu Nguyen, Nguyen Thai An* — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In this paper, we provide sufficient conditions for the existence and linear conditioning of equilibrium problems in metric spaces. Our results improve and generalise some well-known results in the literature.