Ubon Ratchathani Research Articles

Phylogenetic affinities of the sequestrate genus Rhodactina (Boletaceae), with a new species, R. rostratispora from Thailand.

Rhodactina is a small sequestrate genus in Boletaceae with two described species, R. himalayensis and R. incarnata. Phylogenetic analyses of a three-gene dataset including atp6, tef1 and rpb2 of Rhodactina species along with selected Boletaceae species showed that all Rhodactina species formed a monophyletic clade, sister to the genera Spongiforma and Borofutus in subfamily Leccinoideae with high support. All of the taxa in the clade have a similar chemical reaction in which basidiospores turn purplish, purplish red to violet or violet grey when in contact with potassium hydroxide. The molecular analyses also showed that all Rhodactina specimens collected from Ubon Ratchathani province, northeastern Thailand, belong to a new species. Morphologically, the new species is different from others by having a markedly prominent hilar appendage and a terminal hilum on its basidiospores. Thus, the new species, Rhodactina rostratispora, is introduced with detailed macroscopic and microscopic descriptions and illustrations.

Area Based Management Extension for Sustainable Rice Production: Lessons Learned from Sustainable Rice Farmers Groups in Det Udom District, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Area Based Management Extension for Sustainable Rice Production: Lessons Learned from Sustainable Rice Farmers Groups in Det Udom District, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Using hair and fingernails in binary logistic regression for bio-monitoring of heavy metals/metalloid in groundwater in intensively agricultural areas, Thailand

In this study, the hair and fingernails of the local people in an intensively cultivated agricultural area in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand, were used as biomarkers of exposure to arsenic (As) and heavy metals. The study area has shallow acidic groundwater that is contaminated with As and heavy metals. The local people often consume this shallow groundwater; thus, they are exposed to As and heavy metals. Hair and fingernail samples were collected to characterize the differences between shallow groundwater drinking (SGWD) and tap water drinking (TWD) residents. The concentrations of As and the heavy metals Cd, Pb and Hg were significantly higher in the hair samples from the SGWD group than those from the TWD group, especially for As (0.020–0.571 vs. 0.024–0.359µg/g) and Cd (0.009–0.575 vs. 0.013–0.230µg/g). Similarly, the concentrations of As and the heavy metals in the fingernail samples collected from the SGWD group were larger than those of the TWD group, especially for As (0.039–2.440µg/g vs. 0.049–0.806µg/g). The χ2 statistic and binary logistic regression were used to find the associated factors and assess the associated probabilities. The regression results show that the factors associated with the concentrations of As and the heavy metals in the hair samples were drinking water source, rate of water consumption, gender, bathing water source, education, smoking and underlying disease, whereas the factors associated with the concentrations of these species in the fingernail samples were drinking water source, gender, occupation, work hours per day, alcohol consumption, and the use of pesticides.

Treatment effects of renin-angiotensin aldosterone system blockade on kidney failure and mortality in chronic kidney disease patients

BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a leading cause of death before and after onset of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Knowing treatments that can delay disease progression will lead to reduced mortality. We therefore aimed to estimate the effectiveness of renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade on CKD progression.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective CKD cohort at Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand from 1997 to 2011. ESRD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <15 ml/min/1.73 m2, dialysis, or kidney transplantation. All-cause mortality was verified until December 31, 2011. A counterfactual-framework was applied to estimate the effectiveness of RAAS blockade on outcomes, i.e., ESRD, death before and after ESRD. RAAS blockade was categorized according to duration of use <0.25 year, 0.25–1 year (RAAS1), and >1 year (RAAS2). An augmented inverse-probability weighting (AIPW) method was used to estimate potential-outcome mean (POM) and average treatment-effect (ATE). Multi-logit and Poisson regressions were used for treatment and outcome models, respectively. Analyses were stratified by ESRD, death before/after ESRD for diabetic and non-diabetic groups. STATA 14.0 was used for statistical analyses.ResultsAmong 15,032 diabetic patients, 2346 (15.6%), 2351 (18.5%), and 1607 (68.5%) developed ESRD, died before ESRD, and died after ESRD, respectively. Only RAAS2 effect was significant on ESRD, death before and after ESRD. The ESRD rates were 12.9%, versus 20.0% for RAAS2 and non-RAAS, respectively, resulted in significant risk differences (RD) of −7.2% (95% CI: -8.8%, −5.5%), and a numbers needed-to-treat (NNT) of 14. Death rates before ESRD for these corresponding groups were 14.4% (12.9%, 15.9%) and 19.6% (18.7%, 20.4%) with a NNT of 19. Death rates after ESRD in RAAS2 was lower than non-RASS group (i.e., 62.8% (55.5%, 68.9%) versus 68.1% (65.9%, 70.4%)) but this was not significant. RAAS2 effects on ESRD and death before ESRD were persistently significant in non-diabetic patients (n = 17,074) but not for death after ESRD with the NNT of about 15 and 16 respectively.ConclusionsReceiving RAAS blockade for 1 year or longer could prevent both CKD progression to ESRD and premature mortality.

Abstract 21329: Derivation and Validation of Simple Stroke Risk Score in a Thai Population

Introduction: Most stroke risk prediction equations were developed in Western populations. These risk scores perform less well in Asian populations, who have different background risk. Hypothesis: This study aimed to develop and validate a new stroke risk algorithm for estimating 5-year risk of developing stroke in a Thai general population using large electronic health records. Methods: This retrospective cohort was derived from the linkage of health checks data with diagnostic information from electronic health records of 483,285 men and women residing in Ubon Ratchathani. It was randomly and evenly divided into the derivation and validation cohorts. An outcome of interest was first recorded diagnosis of stroke over a period of 6 years between January 2006 and December 2012. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate effects of risk factors on stroke risk and to derive a risk equation in the derivation cohort. Measures of discrimination, global model fits and calibration were calculated in the validation cohort. Results: The derivation cohort comprised of 241,643 individuals aged ≥30 years, who contributed 1,393,990 person-years of follow-up and 1,884 incident cases of stroke, while the validation cohort comprised of 241,642 individuals (1,393,420 person-years), with 1,915 incident cases of stroke. The risk equation was 0.0584 x Age (years) + 0.4538 x Sex (Male=1) + 0.0040 x Systolic BP (mmHg) + 0.2886 x Hypertension (present=1) + 0.5214 x Diabetes (present=1) + 0.0266 x Body mass index (kg/m 2 ) - 0.0039 (if exercise 1-2 days/week) or -0.2827 (if exercise 3-5 days/week) or -0.3179 (if exercise &gt;5 days/week). The stroke risk equation had a reasonably good discriminatory ability in the validation cohort, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.756 (95%CI 0.750-0.772). The risk equation had good global model fit as measured by Bayesian information criteria. The Gronnesby and Borgan test showed good calibration, with chi-square statistic of 701.43 (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: This simple stroke risk score is the first risk algorithm to estimate the 5-year risk of stroke in a Thai general population. The risk score does not need laboratory tests and can therefore be used in clinical settings and also by the public.

Abundance and distribution of Anopheles mosquitoes in a malaria endemic area along the Thai-Lao border.

Malaria is an important public health problem in Thailand, especially along international borders. In this study, we conducted a longitudinal entomological survey in six villages and rubber plantation sites to address the spatio-temporal abundance and behavior of malaria vectorsin Ubon Ratchathani Provincealong the Thailand-Laosborder. Adult female mosquitoes were collected by human landing collections (indoor and outdoor) and by cattle bait collections twice per year, during rainy and dry seasons. Mosquitoes were morphologically identified and sibling species were determined byallele-specific PCR. Of the 10,024Anopheles, 9,328 (93.1%) and 696 (6.9%) were collected duringtherainy and dry seasons, respectively. A total of 9,769 (97.5%) and 255 (2.5%) was collected on cattle and human baits, respectively. Very few primary and secondary malaria vectors were collected, consisting of 12 specimens of An. dirus, eight An. minimus, and seven An. aconitus. Of the 152 specimens of the Maculatus Group, only three were identified to An sawadwongporni by molecular methods. The others were 112 An. rampae, a non-vector, that were not amplified or were misidentified as other non-vectors. Theverylow density of primary malaria vectors found in the study villages suggeststhat entomological risk and malaria transmission is higher in neighboring forest areas. Further studies on malaria vector distribution, as well as human behaviors, are needed to understand malaria transmission dynamics intheprovince and to develop suitable vector control methods.

Health risk assessment of chlorpyrifos inhalation exposure among chilli-growing farmers in Na-Krasaeng Sub-District, Det Udom District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand

The paper reports a health risk assessment of pesticide exposure among chilli-growing farmers living in Na-Krasaeng Sub-District, Det Udom District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. Personal air samples were collected from 46 participants spraying pesticide. These samples were analysed to investigate the farmers’ exposure by inhalation of the organophosphate, chlorpyrifos, which is the predominant pesticide used in the study area. The potential health risk of the farmers through inhalation was estimated by calculating the Hazard Quotient (HQ). The results showed that chlorpyrifos concentrations in inhaled air samples from the farmers ranged from less than the limit of detection, <LOD, to 0.041 mg/m3 with an average of 0.0072 mg/m3. Average daily doses (ADD) of exposure were calculated to be in the range 0–0.007 mg/kg/day with a mean value of 0.0014 mg/kg/day. The estimated risk quotient was 0 to 2.35 and the mean value was 0.84. Accordingly, the chilli-growing farmers were not considered to be a population at risk (mean value of HQ ≤ 1). But, the estimated risk of 17.38% of the study population was higher than the acceptable level (HQ > 1). This indicated that some participants were considered as an individual risk which should be of concern.

Using Plickers Cooperate with Peer Instruction to Promote Students' Discussion in Introductory Physics Course

In decades Peer Instruction (PI) has been confirmed that it can improve students' conceptual understanding. Anyway the main problem for using PI is an audience responding system which required for gathering students' answer, to enhance learning process of PI instead of using Clickers which cost about 40 USD per item. In this work we decided to use Plickers: the free application in smartphones. The purpose of this research is to develop the students' conceptual understanding in work and energy by using PI strategy. The sample for this study came from the different academic year at Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand. There were 50 first year chemistry students who have enrolled in introductory physics course in academic year of 2016 and 119 first year engineering students who have enrolled in introductory physics course in academic year of 2017. The pre-posted test was the conceptual understanding test in work and energy there were 6 items with 4 choices. The items were a part of the Multiple-choice Test of Energy and Momentum Concepts developed by Chandralekha Singh and David Rosengrant. The pre-posted score had escalated about 13% (chemistry students) and 25% (engineering students). Furthermore both groups of students also had a positive attitude to teaching and learning physics with PI and Plickers approach.

Natural Plasmodium vivax infections in Anopheles mosquitoes in a malaria endemic area of northeastern Thailand.

There was recently an outbreak of malaria in Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand. In the absence of information on malaria vector transmission dynamics, this study aimed to identify the anopheline vectors and their role in malaria transmission. Adult female Anopheles mosquitoes were collected monthly by human-landing catch in Na Chaluai District of Ubon Ratchathani Province during January 2014-December 2015. Field-captured mosquitoes were identified to species using morphology-based keys and molecular assays (allele-specific polymerase chain reaction, AS-PCR), and analysed for the presence of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of circumsporozoite proteins (CSP). A total of 1,229 Anopheles females belonging to 13 species were collected. Four anopheline taxa were most abundant: Members of the Anopheles barbirostris complex, comprising 38% of the specimens, species of the Anopheles hyrcanus group (18%), Anopheles nivipes (17%) and Anopheles philippinensis (12%). The other nine species comprised 15% of the collections. Plasmodium infections were detected in two of 668 pooled samples of heads/thoraces, Anopheles dirus (1/29) and An. philippinensis (1/97). The An. dirus pool had a mixed infection of P. vivax-210 and P. vivax-247, whereas the An. philippinensis pool was positive only for the latter protein variant. Both positive ELISA samples were confirmed by nested PCR. This study is the first to incriminate An. dirus and An. philippinensis as natural malaria vectors in the area where the outbreak occurred. This information can assist in designing and implementing a more effective malaria control programme in the province.

A semi-empirical model for estimating diffuse solar near infrared radiation in Thailand using ground- and satellite-based data for mapping applications

This work has developed a semi-empirical model for estimating monthly average hourly diffuse solar near infrared (NIR) radiation in Thailand. Diffuse NIR radiation data were recorded at four stations in Thailand namely, Chiang Mai (18.78oN, 98.98oE), Ubon Ratchathani (15.25oN, 104.87oE), Nakhon Pathom (13.82oN, 100.04oE) and Songkhla (7.20oN, 100.60oE). Our analysis has shown that diffuse NIR radiation is related to cloud, precipitable water and cosine of solar zenith angle in terms of an exponential function. Therefore, the model was formulated with these parameters and validated with independent diffuse NIR measurements. The result showed that diffuse NIR radiation from the model and that from the measurements were in reasonable agreement with root mean square difference and mean bias difference of 16.7% and 1.5%, respectively. The semi-empirical model was used to generate diffuse maps of NIR for the country which displayed both diurnal and seasonal variations.

Substantial population structure of Plasmodium vivax in Thailand facilitates identification of the sources of residual transmission.

BackgroundPlasmodium vivax transmission in Thailand has been substantially reduced over the past 10 years, yet it remains highly endemic along international borders. Understanding the genetic relationship of residual parasite populations can help track the origins of the parasites that are reintroduced into malaria-free regions within the country.Methodology/ResultsA total of 127 P. vivax isolates were genotyped from two western provinces (Tak and Kanchanaburi) and one eastern province (Ubon Ratchathani) of Thailand using 10 microsatellite markers. Genetic diversity was high, but recent clonal expansion was detected in all three provinces. Substantial population structure and genetic differentiation of parasites among provinces suggest limited gene flow among these sites. There was no haplotype sharing among the three sites, and a reduced panel of four microsatellite markers was sufficient to assign the parasites to their provincial origins.Conclusion/SignificanceSignificant parasite genetic differentiation between provinces shows successful interruption of parasite spread within Thailand, but high diversity along international borders implies a substantial parasite population size in these regions. The provincial origin of P. vivax cases can be reliably determined by genotyping four microsatellite markers, which should be useful for monitoring parasite reintroduction after malaria elimination.

Clinical Epidemiology of Septic Arthritis Caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei and Other Bacterial Pathogens in Northeast Thailand.

.Septic arthritis is a medical emergency, and if not treated appropriately, it can be associated with high morbidity and mortality. Melioidosis, a serious infectious disease caused by the Gram-negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei, is highly endemic in South and Southeast Asia and northern Australia. We reviewed the medical charts of adult patients admitted with bacterial septic arthritis at Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital, Ubon Ratchathani, northeast Thailand from January 2012 to December 2014. Bacterial septic arthritis was defined as one or more hot swollen joints with isolation of a pathogenic organism from an affected joint or from blood. A total of 154 patients with septic arthritis were retrospectively evaluated. The most common causes were B. pseudomallei (48%, N = 74), Streptococcus spp. (29%, N = 44), and Staphylococcus aureus (10%, N = 16). Prevalence of diabetes, bacteremia, and pneumonia was higher in B. pseudomallei septic arthritis than in septic arthritis caused by the other bacteria (all P < 0.01). Seventy three percent (54/74) of patients infected with B. pseudomallei and 69% (55/80) of patients with the other bacteria received effective antimicrobials on the first day of admission (P = 0.60), but in-hospital mortality of the former group was considerably higher (34% versus 14%, P = 0.004). In conclusion, B. pseudomallei septic arthritis is common and associated with high mortality in northeast Thailand. Emergence of Streptococcus arthritis is observed. Difficulty in diagnosing melioidosis and identifying B. pseudomallei in areas where health care workers are not familiar with the disease is discussed. In melioidosis-endemic regions, parenteral ceftazidime could be considered as empirical antimicrobial therapy for patients with septic arthritis and underlying diseases.

Presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in Soil and Paddy Rice Water in a Rice Field in Northeast Thailand, but Not in Air and Rainwater.

.Environmental Burkholderia pseudomallei has been postulated to be aerosolized during ploughing and heavy rain, and could result in inhalational melioidosis. Here, we determined the presence of B. pseudomallei in soil, paddy field water (PFW), air, and rainwater samples in a single rice paddy field in Ubon Ratchathani, northeast Thailand. In 2012, we collected 100 soil samples during the dry season, 10 PFW samples during the monsoon season, 77 air samples during ploughing (N = 31) and heavy rains (N = 46), and 60 rainwater samples during 12 rain events. We found that 32 soil samples (32%), six PFW samples (60%), and none of the air and rainwater samples were culture positive for B. pseudomallei. Other soil bacteria were isolated from air and rainwater samples. Mean quantitative count of B. pseudomallei estimated from two culture-positive PFW samples was 200 colony forming units/mL. Our findings suggest that the risk of melioidosis acquisition by inhalation in Thailand might be low.

Atmospheric water vapor: Distribution and Empirical estimation in the atmosphere of Thailand

Atmospheric water vapor is a crucial component of the Earth’s atmosphere, which is shown by precipitable water vapor. It is calculated from the upper air data. In Thailand, the data were collected from four measuring stations located in Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Bangkok, and Songkhla during the years 1998-2013. The precipitable water vapor obtained from this investigation were used to define an empirical model associated with the vapor pressure, which is a surface data at the same stations. The result shows that the relationship has a relatively high level of reliability. The precipitable water vapor obtained from the upper air data is nearly equal to the value from the model. The model was used to calculate the precipitable water vapor from the surface data 85 stations across the country. The result shows that seasonal change of the precipitable water vapor was low in the dry season (November-April) and high in the rainy season (May-October). In addition, precipitable water vapor varies along the latitudes of the stations. The high value obtains for low latitudes, but it is low for high latitudes.

Status of insecticide resistance in Anopheles mosquitoes in Ubon Ratchathani province, Northeastern Thailand

BackgroundMalaria is common in hilly, forested areas along national borders in Southeast Asia. Insecticide resistance in malaria vectors has been detected in a few countries in the Greater Mekong sub-region (GMS), representing a threat to malaria control and prevention. This study aims to determine the insecticide resistance status of Anopheles mosquitoes in Ubon Ratchathani province, northeastern Thailand, where increasing number of malaria cases were reported recently.MethodsMosquitoes were collected in 2013–2015 using human landing and cattle bait collections in six sites during both the rainy and dry seasons. Mosquitoes were first morphologically identified to species and their susceptibility status to deltamethrin (0.05%), permethrin (0.75%) and DDT (4%) investigated, according to WHO guidelines. Bioassays with the synergists PBO and DEF were carried out to address the role of detoxifying enzymes in insecticide resistance. DNA sequencing of a fragment of the voltage-gated sodium channel gene was carried out to detect knock-down resistance (kdr) substitutions at position 1014 in resistant species.ResultsDue to low vector abundance, complete bioassays (n ≥ 100 mosquitoes) were only achieved for Anopheles hyrcanus s.l., which was resistant to all insecticides tested (mortality ranged from 45 to 87%). Suspected resistance to DDT was found in Anopheles barbirostris s.l. (mortality 69%), but it was susceptible to deltamethrin (mortality 97–100%) and permethrin (mortality 100%). Although insufficient number of primary vectors were collected, results showed that Anopheles dirus s.l. and Anopheles maculatus s.l. were susceptible to deltamethrin (mortality 100%). Anopheles nivipes and Anopheles philippinensis were susceptible to all three insecticides. PBO significantly increased mortality to deltamethrin and permethrin in pyrethroid-resistant An. hyrcanus s.l. None of the sequenced specimens presented the L1014F or L1014S mutation.DiscussionThis study shows that insecticide resistance is present in potential malaria vectors in northeastern Thailand. The absence of kdr mutations in all Anopheles species tested suggests that metabolic resistance is the main mechanism of pyrethroid resistance. This study provides new findings about insecticide susceptibility status of potential malaria vectors in northeastern Thailand that are deemed important to guide malaria vector control.

Capacity and Utilization of Blood Culture in Two Referral Hospitals in Indonesia and Thailand.

.It is generally recommended that sepsis patients should have at least two blood cultures obtained before antimicrobial therapy. From 1995 to 2015, the number of blood cultures taken each year in a 1,100-bed public referral hospital in Ubon Ratchathani northeast Thailand rose from 5,235 to 56,719, whereas the number received in an 840-bed referral public hospital in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, in 2015 was 2,779. The proportion of patients sampled for blood cultures out of all inpatients in South Sulawesi in 2015 (9%; 2,779/30,593) was lower than that in Ubon Ratchathani in 2003 (13%; 8,707/66,515), at a time when health expenditure per capita in the two countries was comparable. Under-use of bacterial cultures may lead to an underestimate and underreporting of the incidence of antimicrobial-resistant infections. Raising capacity and utilization of clinical microbiology laboratories in developing countries, at least at sentinel hospitals, to monitor the antimicrobial resistance situation should be prioritized.

Progression of chronic kidney disease: an illness-death model approach

BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major contributor to mortality in the general population. Understanding the factors that drive this process will help delay progression of CKD. The study aimed to estimate the risks of kidney failure and death prior to and after the development of kidney failure among patients with pre-existing CKD, and to identify potential prognostic factors.MethodData were obtained from patients with CKD from Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand from 1997 to 2011. The probability of each transition (i.e., CKD➔death (T1), CKD➔kidney failure (T2), and kidney failure➔death (T3)) was estimated using a competing risk model. A parametric survival model with restricted cubic spline function was applied to assess prognostic factors. Illness-death models were constructed for the 3 transitions. Among 32,106 patients with CKD, 5576 (17.4%), 4768 (14.9%), and 3056 (9.5%) respectively moved through T1, T2, and T3.ResultsDiabetics had 22.6%, 13.5%, and 60.7% higher risks of T1, T2, and T3 than non-diabetics respectively (p < 0.001). Hypertension increased risks of T2 and T3 by 8.7% (p = 0.01) and 27.2% (p < 0.001), whereas cardiovascular disease increased risk of T1 and T3 by 76% and 42.7%, respectively (p = 0.01). Increasing HDL by 10 units respectively decreased risk of T1 and T2 by 0.5% (p = 0.002) and 1.4% (p < 0.001). In addition, renin-angiotensin blockade decreased risk of T2 by 35% (p < 0.001).ConclusionsDiabetes and cardiovascular disease are associated with increasing mortality among CKD patients both before and after the development of kidney failure while hypertension is associated with increasing mortality mainly following kidney failure. Diabetes and hypertension are associated with an elevated risk of kidney failure while elevated HDL levels and renin-angiotensin blockade appear protective.

Beneficial Effects of Adjuvant Melatonin in Minimizing Oral Mucositis Complications in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiation.

Oral mucositis is a major cause of pain and delayed cancer treatment leading to poor survival in head and neck cancer patients receiving concurrent chemoradiation. The study evaluated the effect of adjuvant melatonin on minimizing oral mucositis complications to reduce these treatment delays and interruptions. A randomized, double-blind, double dummy, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Ubon Ratchathani Cancer Hospital, Thailand. Thirty-nine head and neck cancer patients receiving concurrent chemoradiation (5 days/week of radiation plus chemotherapy three or six cycles). Patients were randomized to receive 20 mg melatonin gargle (or matched placebo) before each irradiation, and 20 mg melatonin capsules (or matched placebo) taken nightly during 7 weeks of concurrent chemoradiation. Endpoints were oral mucositis events (incidence and time to grade 3 mucositis or grade 2 xerostomia), pain medication consumption and quality of life (QOL). Melatonin group reported lower incidence of grade 3 oral mucositis (42% vs. 55%) and grade 2 xerostomia (20% vs. 21%); no statistical significance was detected. Melatonin regimen delayed onset of grade 3 mucositis (median 34 days vs. 50 days; p = 0.0318), allowing median time of 16 more patient visits before its onset and fewer interrupted treatments due to oral mucositis were reported (n = 1 vs. n = 5). There was no difference of grade 2 xerostomia (median 32 days vs. 50 days; p = 0.624). Morphine consumption was also reduced (median 57 mg vs. 0 mg; p = 0.0342), while QOL was comparable during the study period. Adjuvant melatonin delayed the onset of oral mucositis, which enables uninterrupted cancer treatment and reduced the amount of morphine used for pain treatment.

FWHM Calculation of Zircon Gem-Materials before and after Thermal Enhancement

Zircon samples from Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand; Rattanakiri, Cambodia and Dak Nong, Vietnam change their color from light brown and reddish-brown to blue color after thermal enhancement at 1000 ๐C in reducing condition for 60 min. The high temperature is one of the factors for the zircon structure to recrystallize. The objective of this study is to describe the crystal structure of zircon samples before and after thermal enhancement. Zircon is a metamict mineral whose structure is destroyed by some trace elements. There are radioactive elements such as U and Th in the zircon structure. In this study, Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the molecular vibration in zircon structure before and after thermal enhancement. As a result, the Raman spectra of zircon samples after thermal enhancement show the Raman shift at peak position of V3(SiO4) stretching around 1008cm-1to higher wavenumber concerning to the full width at half maximum (FWHM) values calculated by PyMCA software. The results could be summarized that the metamict zircon will be recrystallized to the crystalline zircon after thermal enhancement. The advantage of this study is about the identification of zircon before and after thermal enhancement.

The Innovation and Use of Vernonia cinerea Jelly Candies for Smoking Cessation, Ubon Ratchathani Region, Thailand

The Innovation and Use of Vernonia cinerea Jelly Candies for Smoking Cessation, Ubon Ratchathani Region, Thailand