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Despite their promise, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based assays for multi-cancer early detection face challenges in test performance, due mostly to the limited abundance of ctDNA and its inherent variability. To address these challenges, published assays to date demanded a very high-depth sequencing, resulting in an elevated price of test. Herein, we developed a multimodal assay called SPOT-MAS (Screening for the Presence Of Tumor by Methylation And Size) to simultaneously profile methylomics, fragmentomics, copy number, and end motifs in a single workflow using targeted and shallow genome-wide sequencing (∼0.55X) of cell-free DNA. We applied SPOT-MAS to 738 nonmetastatic patients with breast, colorectal, gastric, lung and liver cancer, and 1,550 healthy controls. We then employed machine learning to extract multiple cancer and tissue-specific signatures for detecting and locating cancer. SPOT-MAS successfully detected the five cancer types with a sensitivity of 72.4% at 97.0% specificity. The sensitivities for detecting early-stage cancers were 62.3% and 73.9% for stage I and II, respectively, increasing to 88.3% for nonmetastatic stage IIIA. For tumor-of-origin, our assay achieved an accuracy of 0.7. Our study demonstrates comparable performance to other ctDNA-based assays while requiring significantly lower sequencing depth, making it economically feasible for population-wide screening.

Water pollution within and nearby different livestock farm types was assessed comprehensively for the first time in Vietnam. The samples of wastewater, ground water, and surface water were collected from 130 pig farms, 80 poultry farms, and 40 cow farms. Water quality was first assessed by individual parameter evaluation method in which measured values of water quality parameters were compared with the permissible limits in the national technical regulations on livestock’s effluent (QCVN 62), surface water quality, and ground water quality. Subsequently, the overall quality of surface and ground water samples was evaluated by mean of water quality index (WQI). The results showed the large variations in effluent’s quality, implying the considerable differences in wastewater treatment efficiency within and among farm types. Effluent from livestock farms was highly polluted by organic matters (expressed as BOD5 and COD) and especially by microorganisms (expressed as total coliform—CF). Almost all wastewater samples contained higher number of CF than QCVN 62 (3900 MPN/100ml), with mean concentration of CF in effluent from cow farms, pig farms, and poultry farms were 1.2e+07 ± 5.0e+07 MPN/100ml, 8.8e+04 ± 7.1e+04 MPN/100ml, 1.5e+06 ± 4.2e+06 MPN/100ml, respectively. Improperly treated livestock’s waste was likely to have impacts on quality of ground water and receiving surface water bodies. High CF contamination in effluent leads to 70% of the ground water samples in cow farms and poultry farms classified as unsuitable for drinking water supply by WQI values. Although effluent from poultry farms had smaller quantity and better quality, their receiving surface water bodies exhibited the worst quality, with average WQI of 37.5 ± 16.2 compared to 49.9 ± 12 of pig farms and 50.3 ± 20.8 of cow farms. This result suggests that livestock’s effluent was not only pollution source of surface water bodies nearby livestock farms.

Fabrication and high-rate performance of a safe lithium ion-sulfur battery (LISB) with sulfur-copolymer [poly(S-co-divinylbenzene (DVB)] cathode having a sulfur content higher than 90 wt %, a carbon-fiber interlayer, and a prelithiated hard-carbon (Li-HC) anode are reported, which mitigates problems of lithium-sulfur cells such as performance fade and safety issues due to dissolution of polysulfides and lithium-dendrite growth. The poly(S-co-DVB) cathode offers scalability owing to the abundance and low cost of DVB. The Li-HC anode, the surface of which is passivated by a solid electrolyte interphase, inhibits the deposition of polysulfides. As a result, the LISB exhibits reversible and stable cycling performance at high rates up to 3 C, which enables quick charging within 20 min, and delivers a reversible capacity of approximately 400 mAh g-1 at 3 C for 500 cycles. The results give insight into the design principle of promising, quickly charged, and safe LISBs.

This research developed an agent-based model (ABM) for simulating pollutant loads from pig farming. The behavior of farmer agents was captured using concepts from the Theory of Planned Behavior. The ABM has three basic components: the household or farmer agent, the land patches and global parameters that capture the environmental context. The model was evaluated using a sensitivity analysis, and then validated using data from a household survey, which showed that the predictive ability of the model was good. The ABM was then used in three scenarios: a baseline scenario, a positive scenario in which the number of pigs was assumed to remain stable but supporting policies for environmental management were increased, and a negative scenario, which assumed the number of pigs increases but management measures did not improve relative to the baseline. The positive scenario showed reductions in the discharged loads for many sub-basins of the study area while the negative scenario indicated that increased loads will be discharged to the environment. The scenario results suggest that to maintain the development of pig production while ensuring environmental protection for the district, financial and technical support must be provided to the pig producers. The experience and education level of the farmers were significant factors influencing behaviors related to the manure reuse and treatment, so awareness raising through environmental communication is needed in addition to technical measures.

There are growing concerns on stress among nurses in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in South-East Asia. It is important to improve mental health among nurses in these countries. The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of two types of newly developed smartphone-based stress management programs in improving depressive and anxiety symptoms among hospital nurses in Vietnam. This study was a three-arm (including two intervention groups and one control group) randomized trial. Participants were recruited from nurses in a large general hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. Two types (free-choice and fixed sequential order) of smartphone-based stress management programs were developed. Participants were randomly allocated to Program A (a free-choice, multimodule stress management), Program B (a fixed-order, internet cognitive behavioral therapy, iCBT), or a control group (treatment as usual). The depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured by using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales at baseline, 3-, and 7-month follow-up surveys. 951 participants were randomly allocated to each of the three groups. Program B showed a statistically significant effect on improving depressive symptoms at 3-month (p = 0.048), but not at 7-month (p = 0.92); Cohen’s d was − 0.18 (95% CI − 0.34 to − 0.02) and 0.03 (95% CI − 1.00 to 1.05), respectively. Program A failed to show a significant intervention effect on any of the outcomes at 3- or 7-month follow-up (p > 0.05). Despite the small effect size, the present fixed-order iCBT program seems effective in improving depression of hospital nurses in Vietnam. A public health impact of the intervention can be scalable, when considering its accessibility and minimal cost.Trial registration number: The study protocol is registered at the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMINCTR; ID = UMIN000033139). Registered date of the protocol is 1st Jul. 2018. https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000037796

BACKGROUND Work engagement is important for employee well-being and work performance. However, no intervention study has investigated the effect of an eMental Health intervention on work engagement among workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a newly developed smartphone-based stress management program (ABC Stress Management) on improving work engagement among hospital nurses in Vietnam, an LMIC. METHODS Full-time registered nurses (n=949) were randomly assigned to one of 2 intervention groups or a control group. The intervention groups were a 6-week, 6-lesson program offering basic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-based stress management skills), provided in either free-choice (program A) or fixed order (program B). Work engagement was assessed at baseline and 3-month and 7-month follow-ups in each of the 3 groups. RESULTS The scores of work engagement in both intervention groups improved from baseline to 3-month follow-up, and then decreased at the 7-month follow-up, while the score steadily increased from baseline to 7-month follow-up in the control group. Program B showed a significant intervention effect on improving work engagement at the 3-month follow-up (P=.049) with a small effect size (Cohen d= 0.16; 95% CI 0.001 to 0.43]). Program A showed nonsignificant trend (d=0.13; 95% CI –0.014 to 0.41; P=.07) toward improved engagement at 3 months. Neither program achieved effectiveness at the 7-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrated that a fixed order (program B) delivery of a smartphone-based stress management program was effective in improving work engagement in nurses in Vietnam. However, the effect was small and only temporary. Further improvement of this program is required to achieve a greater effect size and more sustained, longer lasting impact on work engagement. CLINICALTRIAL University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000033139; tinyurl.com/55gxo253 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025138

Objectives The present study investigated the reliability and validity of a newly developed Vietnamese version of the 9‐item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES‐9‐V) in a sample of hospital nurses in Hanoi, Vietnam. Methods The UWES‐9 was translated into Vietnamese following a standard procedure. A survey was conducted of 949 registered nurses in a large tertiary general hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2018, using a self‐administered questionnaire including the Vietnamese UWES‐9, other scales measuring health status, work performance, job demand, job control, and workplace social support, and questions pertaining to demographic variables. Cronbach’s alpha and interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to assess reliability. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to assess factorial validity. Convergent validity was tested based on associations between the UWES‐9‐V and subscales and other scales. Results The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of the UWES‐9‐V and the Vigor, Absorption, and Dedication subscales were 0.93, 0.86, 0.77, and 0.90, respectively. ICC of the UWES‐9‐V in a subsample after 3 months was 0.48. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated an acceptable fit of both one‐factor and three‐factor structures, with the three‐factor model having the better fit. The UWES‐9‐V and its subscales correlated with depression, anxiety and stress, health‐related quality of life and health condition, job performance, and psychosocial work environment. Conclusions The study findings suggest that the UWES‐9‐V is a reliable and valid instrument to measure work engagement among hospital nurses in Vietnam, a low‐ and middle‐income country. Future studies should confirm the validity and reliability of the UWES‐9‐V among various occupations.

The present study investigated the internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and item response characteristics of a newly developed Vietnamese version of the Kessler 6 (K6) scale among hospital nurses in Hanoi, Vietnam. The K6 was translated into the Vietnamese language following a standard procedure. A survey was conducted of nurses in a large general hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, using a questionnaire including the Vietnamese K6, other scales (DASS21, health-related QOL, self-rated health, and psychosocial work environment), and questions about demographic variables. Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient) was calculated. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Eleven hypotheses were tested (as Pearson's correlations with the K6) to assess the scale's construct validity. Item response theory (IRT) analysis was conducted to identify the item response characteristics. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.864. The explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated a one-factor structure. Most hypotheses tested for construct validity were supported. IRT analysis indicated that response categories were located in order according to severity. K6 provided reliable information regarding higher levels of psychological distress. The findings suggest that the Vietnamese version of the K6 is a reliable and valid instrument to measure psychological distress among hospital nurses in Vietnam.

Quản trị giáo dục đại học (GDĐH) đề cập đến sự hợp pháp về quyền quyết định trong các trường đại học giữa các cấu trúc quản trị (governance structures) khác nhau (khoa, hội đồng khoa học và hội đồng trường) và cấu trúc tổ chức (administrative structures) (Các bộ môn, chương trình đào tạo, Hiệu trưởng và các phó hiệu trưởng). Mục đích của quản trị GDĐH là làm rõ các lợi ích chung và nhận ra các mục tiêu của chúng trong khi xác định các giới hạn của thẩm quyền trong lý luận và thực tiễn - ai sẽ quyết định và trọng tâm của quyết định là gì. Sử dụng phương pháp nghiên cứu giáo dục so sánh, bài viết này phân tích vấn đề quản trị đại học của Hoa Kỳ và Israel, từ đó, đề xuất một số khuyến nghị cho quản trị GDĐH Việt Nam đối với bộ chủ quản, vai trò trách nhiệm của Hội đồng trường và hiệu trưởng các cơ GDĐH.

Background Work engagement is important for employee well-being and work performance. However, no intervention study has investigated the effect of an eMental Health intervention on work engagement among workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objective The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a newly developed smartphone-based stress management program (ABC Stress Management) on improving work engagement among hospital nurses in Vietnam, an LMIC. Methods Full-time registered nurses (n=949) were randomly assigned to one of 2 intervention groups or a control group. The intervention groups were a 6-week, 6-lesson program offering basic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-based stress management skills), provided in either free-choice (program A) or fixed order (program B). Work engagement was assessed at baseline and 3-month and 7-month follow-ups in each of the 3 groups. Results The scores of work engagement in both intervention groups improved from baseline to 3-month follow-up, and then decreased at the 7-month follow-up, while the score steadily increased from baseline to 7-month follow-up in the control group. Program B showed a significant intervention effect on improving work engagement at the 3-month follow-up (P=.049) with a small effect size (Cohen d= 0.16; 95% CI 0.001 to 0.43]). Program A showed nonsignificant trend (d=0.13; 95% CI –0.014 to 0.41; P=.07) toward improved engagement at 3 months. Neither program achieved effectiveness at the 7-month follow-up. Conclusions The study demonstrated that a fixed order (program B) delivery of a smartphone-based stress management program was effective in improving work engagement in nurses in Vietnam. However, the effect was small and only temporary. Further improvement of this program is required to achieve a greater effect size and more sustained, longer lasting impact on work engagement. Trial Registration University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000033139; tinyurl.com/55gxo253 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025138

Tyrosinase là một đích phân tử quan trọng tham gia vào quá trình hình thành các sắc tố melanin. Ức chế enzym tyrosinase có thể làm hạn chế việc sản sinh quá nhiều các sắc tố melanin từ đó giúp điều trị các rối loạn liên quan đến tăng sắc tố da. Nghiên cứu tìm kiếm hoạt chất có tác dụng ức chế enzym này có ý nghĩa lớn trong khoa học y dược và mỹ phẩm. Trong nghiên cứu này chúng tôi tích hợp phương pháp tính toán lý thuyết (in silico) và thực nghiệm in vitro nhằm tìm kiếm hợp chất có tác dụng ức chế tyrosinase từ cơ sở dữ liệu hóa học Spectrum Collection. Cụ thể, sau khi sàng lọc in silico tìm được19 hợp chất dự đoán có tác dụng ức chế tyrosinase. Dựa trên kết quả này, 4 hợp chất hóa học bao gồm dibenzoylmethan, 2,2’,4’-trihydroxychalcon, 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid và acetosyringon được lựa chọn nhằm sàng lọc và đánh giá tác dụng ức chế tyrosinase in vitro. Kết quả thu được 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid có hoạt tính mạnh nhất và ức chế tyrosinase theo cơ chế không cạnh tranh.

Rechargeable Mg battery is one of the most attractive candidates among the next-generation batteries because of the abundance, good safety and high volumetric capacity (3383 mAhcm-2) of magnesium. Despite its advantages, commercialization of Mg metal battery has been hindered by critical issues such as the formation of surface blocking layer on Mg metal anode and the limited selection of cathode material against Mg metal anode and electrolyte. Recently, we reported that Mg2Sn has a great potential as a Mg2+-insertion type anode for enabling an Mg-ion battery with high theoretical capacity (641 mAhg-1). The low working voltage (~0.2V versus Mg/Mg2+) of Mg2Sn anode gives a big advantage to obtain a high cell voltage in the full-cell with an Mg-free cathode. However, challenges to overcome low capacity in early cycles remain, even though Mg2Sn anode delivered a high reversible capacity in half-cell. Herein, we report the control of anode-electrolyte interfacial reaction during initial cycles of half-cell through the formation process and resultant improvement of cycling performance. Mechanistic studies of how the formation process influences structure, surface properties and particle morphology of Mg2Sn anode would be discussed. Preliminary cycling ability of full-cell with Mg2Sn anode combined with Mg-free cathode would be presented. Acknowledgments This work was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea (2015062107) and Creative Human Resource Development Consortium for Fusion Technology of Functional Chemical/Bio Materials of BK Plus program by Ministry of Education of Korea.