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Purpose: To describe the reflectance adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) findings in different stages of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease and correlate them to visual gain post treatment. Confocal (cAOSLO) and non-confocal split-detector AOSLO (sdAOSLO) were used to assess longitudinally the status of the photoreceptors in a patient with VKH managed on corticosteroid and immunomodulatory therapy. Observation: A 32-year-old Japanese American female presented with a 2-week history of blurred vision in both eyes (OU) and worsening headache previously diagnosed as a case of VKH and treated with high dose oral prednisone. At the time of presentation, though vision was improving, and frank serous retinal detachments were absent, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed presence of residual subretinal fluid with disruption of the photoreceptor inner segments and outer segments (IS/OS) involving OU. The photoreceptor mosaic at the foveal center appeared very sparse with large areas devoid of visible photoreceptors on cAOSLO, in agreement with the SD-OCT data. sdAOSLO imaging over the same location shows a higher number of contiguous photoreceptors. After imaging, the patient was started on mycophenolate mofetil as steroid-sparing long-term therapy. Three months later, visual acuity improved to 20/20 OU, and SD-OCT showed almost complete resolution of subretinal fluid with significant improvement of the IS/OS SD-OCT signal, OU. cAOSLO imaging revealed a contiguous photoreceptor mosaic without gaps and of normal appearance. Conclusions and Importance: VKH patients may demonstrate transient photoreceptor abnormalities on SD-OCT and cAOSLO imaging. sdAOSLO imaging revealed intact photoreceptor segments in areas that appeared as voids on cAOSLO, which later showed structural recovery on SD-OCT and cAOSLO. Therefore, sdAOSLO may predict potential for improvement in patients wherein there appears to be photoreceptor loss in cAOSLO and/or SD-OCT.

Ho Duc Hung,1 Duong Dinh Chinh,2 Pham Van Tan,3 Nguyen Viet Duong,1 Nguyen Quoc Anh,3 Nguyen Huu Le,4 Ho Xuan Tuan,5 Nguyen Tuan Anh,6 Nguyen Thi Thuy Duong,7 Vu Duy Kien8 1Quynh Lap National Leprosy Dermatology Hospital, Hoang Mai Town, Nghe An, Vietnam; 2Nghe An Department of Health, Vinh City, Nghe An, Vietnam; 3Vietnam National Eye Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 4Nghe An Eye Hospital, Vinh City, Nghe An, Vietnam; 5School of Medicine and Pharmacy, The University of Da Nang, Da Nang City, Vietnam; 6Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 7National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam; 8OnCare Medical Technology Company Limited, Hanoi, VietnamCorrespondence: Ho Duc HungQuynh Lap National Leprosy Dermatology Hospital, Quynh Thien Ward, Hoang Mai, Nghe An, VietnamTel +84 912287851Email hoduchung0905@gmail.comPurpose: To assess the prevalence of myopia and associated factors among secondary school children in a rural area of Vietnam.Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study of children in grades six to nine was conducted in four secondary schools in Hoang Mai town, Nghe An Province, Vietnam, during December 2018 and January 2019. The status of myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent objective refractive error of − 0.50 D or worse in either eye. A case–control study was conducted to explore factors associated with myopia, where children with myopia were considered to be cases, and children without myopia were considered to be controls. Factors associated with myopia were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.Results: The prevalence of myopia among secondary school children was 14.2% (95% CI: 12.7– 15.7%) and tended to increase with grade, from 10.5% in grade six to 17.7% in grade nine. Myopia prevalence in girls was significantly higher than in boys. Factors associated with myopia were a mother with a college/university education (OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.2– 5.3), parents who wore spectacles (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.1– 3.8), distance from near work (OR = 5.2, 95% CI = 3.5– 7.9), and taking breaks after 30 minutes of continued reading (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1– 2.5). However, there were inverse associations with myopia for children belonging to the wealthiest households (OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1– 0.5) and time spent performing outdoor activities (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4– 0.9).Conclusion: Our study showed that the prevalence of myopia is considerable among secondary children in rural areas of Vietnam. The prevalence of myopia tended to increase among children in higher grade levels. Thus, appropriate interventions should be developed and conducted to deal with the issue of school-age myopia.Keywords: myopia, vision impairment, prevalence, secondary school children, rural, Vietnam

Nguyen Duy Hung,1,2,* Nguyen Duy Linh,3,4,* Nguyen Ha Vi,1 Nguyen Thi Van Anh,5 Nguyen Dinh Hieu,1,6 Duong Dai Ha,3,7 Nguyen Minh Duc8 1Department of Radiology, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 2Department of Radiology, Viet Duc Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 3Department of Surgery, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; 4Department of Surgery, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Can Tho, Vietnam; 5Department of Radiology, Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 6Department of Radiology, Ha Dong General Hospital, Ha Noi, Vietnam; 7Neurosurgery Center, Viet Duc Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam; 8Department of Radiology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Nguyen Minh Duc, Department of Radiology, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, 2 Duong Quang Trung Ward 12 District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam, Email bsnguyenminhduc@pnt.edu.vnObjective: This study aimed to assess the predictive value of preoperative diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data for surgical outcomes of patients with supratentorial glioma in the motor function area.Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study of 43 patients receiving navigation-guided surgery for histopathologically demonstrated supratentorial glioma in the motor function area. All patients underwent preoperative 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging examinations with conventional and DTI sequences. Data on preoperative imaging and pre- and postoperative clinical characteristics of patients were retrospectively collected. Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were applied to analyze the relationships between preoperative parameters and pre- and postoperative muscle strength and the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score.Results: Fourteen patients had low-grade gliomas and 29 had high-grade gliomas. Although the corticospinal tract (CST) score did not differ significantly between tumor grades, edema and deviation were common in low-grade gliomas (64.3%), while destroyed and infiltrated lesions were common in high-grade gliomas (58.6%). Muscle strength improved after surgery in the deviated tract group (40%) more than in the infiltrated tract group (33.3%). Two independent indices, preoperative muscle strength (p = 0.000) and glioma-to-CST distance (p = 0.001), were linearly related to postoperative muscle strength. The preoperative KPS score was the only indicator that affected the postoperative KPS score (p = 0.000).Conclusion: DTI should be considered in surgical management of supratentorial gliomas in the motor function area to determine the appropriate surgical strategy and predict the nature of the tumor and postoperative motor function.Keywords: diffusion tensor imaging, supratentorial glioma, preoperative planning, surgical outcomes, motor cortex

To evaluate the effects of fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA) on semiautomated aqueous flare measurements Laser flare photometer (LFP) measurements was performed at baseline, 30 min, and 4 h after the intravenous administration of sodium fluorescein dye. FFA was performed immediately after the baseline LFP measurement. LFP values at 30 min and 4 h after FFA were compared to baseline values. Mean change in LFP measurements at 30 min and 4 hafter baseline was compared between FFA arm and controls. The mean flare measurement in the FFA and control arm dropped 6% (p value = 0.002) and 9% (p value = 0.04), respectively. Mean change in LFP measurement at 30 min and 4 h after baseline was not significant between FFA arm and controls. Administration of fluorescein dye does not increase LFP values. The decrease in the LFP measurement following FFA may be attributed to dilation drops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various support and self-help groups for people living with HIV and their families have developed in Viet Nam in recent years. This paper reports on a case study of Sunflowers, the first support group for HIV positive mothers in Hanoi, begun in 2004, and a sister group begun in 2005 in Thai Nguyen province. From April 2004 to early 2007, we carried out semi-structured interviews with 275 health care workers and 153 HIV-positive women and members of their families, as well as participant observation of group meetings and activities. Sunflowers have successfully organised themselves to access vital social, medical and economic support and services for themselves, their children and partners. They gained self-confidence, and learned to communicate with their peers and voice their needs to service providers. Based on personal development plans, they have accessed other state services, such as loans, job counselling and legal advice. They have also gained access to school and treatment for their children, who had previously been excluded. Although the women were vulnerable to HIV as wives and mothers, motherhood also provided them with social status and an identity they used to help build organisations and develop strategies to access the essential services that they and their families need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In connection with our interest in the phytochemical investigation of Elaeocarpus hainanensis Oliv. (Elaeocarpaceae) growing in Vietnam, two new sulphated oleanane triterpenes were obtained herein and structurally identified. Based on the combination of the extensive 1D-, 2D NMR and HR ESI MS spectroscopic data analysis, their chemical structures have been elucidated as 1 α ,3 β -dihydroxy-olean-18-ene 1-sulphate ( 1 ) and 1 α ,3 β -dihydroxy-olean-12-ene 1-sulphate ( 2 ). Notably, compounds 1 and 2 are corroborating the proposition that triterpenoid sulphates serve as chemosystematic markers of the Elaeocarpus genus. Additionally, all these two new compounds 1 and 2 strongly inhibited α -glucosidase in vitro with the respective IC 50 values of 3.81 ± 0.33 µM and 21.27 ± 0.48 µM, which were significantly better than that obtained from positive control, acarbose (IC 50 247.73 ± 11.85 µM).

We studied a community cluster of 25 mpox cases in Vietnam caused by emerging monkeypox virus sublineage C.1 and imported into Vietnam through 2 independent events; 1 major cluster carried a novel APOBEC3-like mutation. Three patients died; all had advanced HIV co-infection. Viral evolution and its potential consequences should be closely monitored.

Intravenous misplacement of the nephrostomy catheter following percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is severe and extremely rare, and little information is available about this complication. Because the patient's prognosis may be poor, sufficient attention should be paid to early identification and treatment of this complication. We report a case with intravenous misplacement of nephrostomy catheter and severe bleeding from the catheter after PCNL was transferred to our hospital. The patient was successfully managed using a two-step intervention. First, the patient underwent embolization of the pseudoaneurysms in renal parenchyma, then underwent catheter withdrawal under digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and control bleeding by pushing the absorbable hemostatic material (Surgicel) into the tunneled renal drainage. There were no severe complications. Withdrawal could be performed by open surgery or under the supervision of imaging modalities. Some reports showed that minimally invasive management was safer and less invasive than open surgery., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of University of Washington.)

Objectives: We studied the immunogenicity after primary and booster vaccinations of the Abdala COVID-19 vaccine, a receptor-binding domain protein subunit vaccine, in Vietnamese people by determining the level of neutralization and cross-neutralization activities against the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and its variants and SARS-CoV-1., Methods: We performed a prospective observational study, enrolling adults aged 19-59 years in Dong Thap province, southern Vietnam, and collected blood samples from baseline until 4 weeks after the booster dose. We measured anti-nucleocapsid, anti-spike, and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and assessed the cross-neutralization against 14 SARS-CoV-2 variants and SARS-CoV-1. Complementary antibody data came from Vietnamese health care workers fully vaccinated with ChAdOx1-S., Results: After primary vaccination, anti-spike antibody and neutralizing antibodies were detectable in 98.4% and 87% of 251 study participants, respectively, with neutralizing antibody titers similar to that induced by ChAdOx1-S vaccine. Antibody responses after a homologous (Abdala COVID-19) or heterologous (messenger RNA BNT162b2) booster could neutralize 14 SARS-CoV-2 variants (including Omicron) and SARS-CoV-1., Conclusions: Abdala COVID-19 vaccine is immunogenic in Vietnamese people. Enhanced antibody response after a booster dose could cross-neutralize 14 SARS-CoV-2 variants and SARS-CoV-1. Our results have added to the growing body of knowledge about the contribution of protein subunit vaccine platforms to pandemic control., Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Austronesian (AN) is the second-largest language family in the world, particularly widespread in Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) and Oceania. In Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA), groups speaking these languages are concentrated in the highlands of Vietnam. However, our knowledge of the spread of AN-speaking populations in MSEA remains limited; in particular, it is not clear if AN languages were spread by demic or cultural diffusion. In this study, we present and analyze new data consisting of complete mitogenomes from 369 individuals and 847 Y-chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 170 individuals from all five Vietnamese Austronesian groups (VN-AN) and five neighboring Vietnamese Austroasiatic groups (VN-AA). We found genetic signals consistent with matrilocality in some, but not all, of the VN-AN groups. Population affinity analyses indicated connections between the AN-speaking Giarai and certain Taiwanese AN groups (Rukai, Paiwan, and Bunun). However, overall, there were closer genetic affinities between VN-AN groups and neighboring VN-AA groups, suggesting language shifts. Our study provides insights into the genetic structure of AN-speaking communities in MSEA, characterized by some contact with Taiwan and language shift in neighboring groups, indicating that the expansion of AN speakers in MSEA was a combination of cultural and demic diffusion., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Thao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

This study investigates the digital technology capacity of women with disabilities and the impact of access to digital business opportunities on their entrepreneurial satisfaction. A sample of 50 women with disabilities in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam provided 35 valid responses, which were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. The results showed that five key factors, including course relevance, course expectancy, instructor quality, learning outcomes, and course satisfaction, accounted for 78.39 % of the variance in the data. The proposed model explained 61.3 % of the amount of variation and the study's findings supported the predicted relationships among the factors, except for two hypotheses. H1, which postulated a positive relationship between course relevance and instructor quality, and H5, which predicted a positive relationship between learning outcomes and course satisfaction. Possible reasons for these non-significant relationships were discussed, highlighting the need for further research in these areas. The findings contribute to our understanding of the factors that affect the digital technology capacity of women with disabilities and their satisfaction with digital business opportunities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Twelve compounds were isolated from Mussaenda saigonensis aerial parts through phytochemical analysis and the genus Mussaenda is the first place where the compounds 4-6 and 11-12 have been found. Based on the ability to inhibit NO production in RAW264.7 cells, compound 2 has demonstrated the strongest anti-inflammatory activity in vitro with an IC 50 of 7.6 μM, as opposed to L-NMMA's IC 50 of 41.3 μM. Compound 12 was found to be the most effective inhibitor of alpha-glucosidase enzyme in vitro , with an IC 50 value of 42.4 μM (compared to 168 μM for acarbose). Compounds 1-12 were evaluated in vitro for antimicrobial activity using the paper dish method. Compound 11 demonstrated strong antifungal activity against M. gypseum with a MIC value of 50 μM. In silico docking for antimicrobial activity, pose 90 or compound 11 docked well to the 2VF5 enzyme, PDB, which explains why compound 11 had the highest activity in vitro . Entry 2/pose 280 demonstrated excellent anti-inflammatory activity in silico . The stability of the complex between pose 280 and the 4WCU enzyme for anti-inflammatory activity has been assessed using molecular dynamics over a simulation course ranging from 0 to 100 ns. It has been found to be stable from 60 and 100 ns. The Tyr 159 (95%, H-bond via water bridge), Asp 318 (200%, multiple contacts), Met 273 (75%, hydrophobic interaction via water bridge), and Gln 369 (75%, H-bond via water bridge) interacted well within the time range of 0 to 100 ns. It has more hydrophilic or polar pharmacokinetics., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The study was conducted to assess the effects of nitrogen (N)-fixing purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) Rhodopseudomonas palustris TLS06, VNW02, VNW64, and VNS89 on soil fertility, N uptake, essential oil (EO) content, growth, and yield of lemon balm. The experiment followed a completely randomized block design with 9 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments consisted of (i) applying 100% N as the recommended fertilizer rate (RFR), (ii) applying 85% N as RFR, (iii) applying 70% N as RFR, (iv) applying 55% N as RFR, (v) the treatment ii combined with N-PNSB, (vi) the treatment iii combined with N-PNSB, (vii) the treatment iv combined with N-PNSB, (viii) 0% as RFR combined with N-PNSB, and (ix) 0% N as RFR. The results showed that applying N-PNSB increased the plant height, and the number of primary branches in both seasons. In addition, the treatment without N fertilizer combined with N-PNSB increased stem leaf biomass by 41.2 and 50.3% in both seasons as compared with the treatment without neither N fertilizer nor N-PNSB. For soil properties, among treatments without N fertilizer, the treatment with N-PNSB increased concentrations of NH 4 + , soluble P, and exchangeable K + by 41.3, 41.4, and 26.8%, respectively, as compared with the treatment without N-PNSB at the end of the second season. Applying 85% N as RFR combined with N-PNSB had a greater yield by 5.78-11.8% as compared with the treatment with 100% N as RFR, and a greater EO content by 23% as compared with the treatment with 85% N as RFR., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been regarded as a highly promising substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors. In this study, we focused on the electrochemical synthesis method by developing three kinds of AgNPs using three different electrolytes: citrate (e-Ag-C), oleic acid (e-Ag-O) and fish mint ( Houttuynia cordata Thunb.) extract (e-Ag-bio). The as-prepared AgNPs were characterized and then employed as SERS substrates to detect the pesticide thiram. The obtained results show that e-Ag-O exhibits the best SERS performance. The effect of the coating agent was explained by chemical and electromagnetic enhancements (CM and EM). Although thiram could absorb onto e-Ag-C at the highest level, allowing its Raman signal to be best enhanced via the CM, the smallest interparticle distance of e-Ag-O could have resulted in the largest improvement in the EM. Using e-Ag-O to develop SERS-based sensors for thiram, we obtain the impressive detection limit of 1.04 × 10 -10 M in standard samples and 10 -9 M in tea leaves. The linear ranges are from 10 -4 M to 10 -7 M and from 10 -7 M to 10 -9 M, covering the maximum residue levels for plant commodities established by the United States Environment Protection Agency and European Food Safety Authority (2-13 ppm ∼7.7 × 10 -6 M to 5 × 10 -5 M)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is highly prevalent in the Asia Pacific region, particularly in Vietnam. To develop effective interventions and efficient vaccination programs, we inferred the age-time-specific transmission patterns of HFMD serotypes enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6), coxsackievirus A10 (CV-A10), coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from a case data collected during 2013-2018 and a serological survey data collected in 2015 and 2017. We proposed a catalytic model framework with good adaptability to incorporate maternal immunity using various mathematical functions. Our results indicate the high-level transmission of CV-A6 and CV-A10 which is not obvious in the case data, due to the variation of disease severity across serotypes. Our results provide statistical evidence supporting the strong association between severe illness and CV-A6 and EV-A71 infections. The HFMD dynamic pattern presents a cyclical pattern with large outbreaks followed by a decline in subsequent years. Additionally, we identify the age group with highest risk of infection as 1-2 years and emphasise the risk of future outbreaks as over 50% of children aged 6-7 years were estimated to be susceptible to CV-A16 and EV-A71. Our study highlights the importance of multivalent vaccines and active surveillance for different serotypes, supports early vaccination prior to 1 year old, and points out the potential utility for vaccinating children older than 5 years old in Vietnam., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phytochemical investigation of the trunks from Gnetum latifolium led to the isolation of a novel phenolic glucoside, 2 E -2,4-di-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)but-2-en-1-yl- O - β -D-glucopyranoside ( 1 ), along with five known stilbene derivatives ( 2-6 ). Their structures were determined mainly using high-resolution electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analyses, followed by comparisons of observed spectral data with reported values. The novel compound 1 in G. latifolium was found to be useful as a chemotaxonomic marker. Biological evaluation revealed that compound 6 had remarkable inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) value of 4.85 ± 0.20 µM, which was much higher than that of the positive control dexamethasone (IC 50 = 14.20 ± 0.54  µ M).

We report on a 2023 outbreak of severe hand, foot, and mouth disease in southern Vietnam caused by an emerging lineage of enterovirus A71 subgenogroup B5. Affected children were significantly older than those reported during previous outbreaks. The virus should be closely monitored to assess its potential for global dispersal.

Background: Generally, there are many methods for the treatment of urinary stones, of which percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is a minimally invasive and highly effective method, and now become the first-line management for urinary stones, especially in the cases of complex stones and staghorne calculi. Accurate assessment of stone location, stone morphology, degree of hydronephrosis as well as urinary system abnormalities is extremely important in the percutaneous nephrolithotomy strategy., Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the S.T.O.N.E score as well as other factors that influenced the effectiveness of PCNL., Methods: Descriptive study on 71 patients with kidney stones, who underwent multi-slice CT scan of the urinary system before PCNL and then PCNL at Hanoi Medical University Hospital from July 2022 to July 2023. All patients received the informed consent and agreed to participate in the study. The factors included the stone area, the track length (from the skin surface to the stone central), the degree of urinary tract dilatation, the number of involved calyces, the density of stone, the renal parenchyma thickness, the ureteral wall thickness and fat infiltration measured on MSCT non-contrast phase. These factors were used to predict the effectiveness of PCNL including the stone clearance rate (SCR) and the operation time., Results: The mean age of the patient group was 53.8±12.3. The male/female ratio was 1.54. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the following factors and the operation time: the stone area (<400, 400-799, 800-1599 and >1600 mm2), the degree of urinary tract dilatation (no or might and moderate or severe dilatation), the number of involved calyces (≤ 2, 3 and staghorne calculi), the renal parenchyma thickness (<18 mm and ≥18mm). In contrast, there were no significant differences between the following factors and the surgery time (p>0.05): the track length (<100 and ≥100 mm), and the stone density (<950 and ≥950 HU). Regarding the S.T.O.N.E score (included five factors: Size, Track length, Obstruction, Number of involved calyces, and Evaluation of stone density), there was a strong correlation between S.T.O.N.E score and the surgery time (p<0.001, r=0.94), and the SCR (p=0.001, r=-0.97)., Conclusion: The evaluation of these factors played an important role in the prediction of the effectiveness of PCNL., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interests., (© 2024 Tran Quoc Hoa, Than Thi Minh Nguyet, Nguyen Thanh Van Anh, Le Tuan Linh, Nguyen Minh Duc, Hoang Dinh Au.)

In this study, we fabricated a composite of NiO-ZnO/PANI-CNTs on a fluorine tin oxide (FTO) electrode and examined the electrochemical sensing behavior of the modified electrode to detect methanol in aqueous solution. The structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of the composite were characterized using various methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), EDS, FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The composite-based electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity and selectivity for methanol oxidation. The calibration equation obtained was Δ I = 0.0003 × C MeOH + 0.02811, with a high correlation coefficient of 0.9993, over a wide detection range of 0 to 500 mM. The material exhibits great potential for the fabrication of sensors to detect methanol in commercial products. Real gasoline samples have been selected to evaluate the practical performance and feasibility of this as-prepared sensor. The experimental data indicated that the recovery of gasoline samples is about 98%, indicating this to be an appropriate detection procedure for effective electrochemical determination of MeOH in real gasoline samples., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

From the n -hexane extract of the liverwort Porella perrottetiana collected in Sapa (North Vietnam), a new sacculatane diterpenoid (perrottetianal E ( 1 )) and a new oplopanone sesquiterpenoid ((+)-oplopanone C ( 2 )), along with two known sesquiterpenes ( 3 and 4 ), and two known phaeophytins ( 5 and 6 ) have been isolated. Their structures were elucidated based on the analysis of NMR spectroscopic data, in combination with HR-ESIMS and the reported data. Compounds 1-4 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against three cancer cell lines: KB (human carcinoma in the mouth), HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), and A549 (human lung carcinoma).

This study delves into the advanced integration of a ternary heterogeneous Z-scheme photocatalyst, TiO 2 /CuInS 2 /OCN (OCN: O-g-C 3 N 4 ), with carbon quantum dot (CQD) to improve the degradation efficiency of reactive yellow 145 (RY145) dye in water. Through a systematic examination, we elucidated the photocatalytic mechanisms and the role of radicals, electrons, and holes in the treatment process. Our findings revealed that this novel catalyst integration significantly boosted RY145 degradation efficiency, achieving 98.2%, which is markedly higher than the efficiencies which could be achieved using TiO 2 /CuInS 2 /OCN alone. Moreover, the TiO 2 /CuInS 2 /OCN/CQD photocatalyst demonstrated superior rate performance over its components. Comprehensive evaluations, including photoelectrochemical and radical tests, further confirmed the efficiency of the integrated system, adhering to Z-scheme principles. The catalyst showcased remarkable stability, with over 94% reusability after five reaction cycles. These findings pave the way for the potential use of the TiO 2 /CuInS 2 /OCN/CQD photocatalyst as an innovative solution for water pollutant treatment via photocatalytic technology., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In this study, crystalline spinel zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFe 2 O 4 NPs) were successfully prepared and proposed as a high-performance electrode material for the construction of an electrochemical sensing platform for the detection of paracetamol (PCM). By modifying a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPE) with ZnFe 2 O 4 NPs, the electrochemical characteristics of the ZnFe 2 O 4 /SPE and the electrochemical oxidation of PCM were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), chronoamperometry (CA), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods. The calculated electrochemical kinetic parameters from these techniques including electrochemically active surface area (ECSA), peak-to-peak separation (Δ E p ), charge transfer resistance ( R ct ), standard heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constants ( k 0 ), electron transfer coefficient ( α ), catalytic rate constant ( k cat ), adsorption capacity ( Γ ), and diffusion coefficient ( D ) proved that the as-synthesized ZnFe 2 O 4 NPs have rapid electron/mass transfer characteristics, intrinsic electrocatalytic activity, and facilitate the adsorption-diffusion of PCM molecules towards the modified electrode surface. As expected, the ZnFe 2 O 4 /SPE offered excellent analytical performance towards sensing of PCM with a detection limit of 0.29 μM, a wide linear range of 0.5-400 μM, and high electrochemical sensitivity of 1.1 μA μM -1 cm -2 . Moreover, the proposed ZnFe 2 O 4 -based electrochemical nanosensor also exhibited good repeatability, high anti-interference ability, and practical feasibility toward PCM sensing in a pharmaceutical tablet. Based on these observations, the designed electrochemical platform not only provides a high-performance nanosensor for the rapid and highly efficient detection of PCM but also opens a new avenue for routine quality control analysis of pharmaceutical formulations., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Eight new caffeyl hydrazide derivatives ( 4a-4h ) were synthesised via a convenient esterification of caffeic acid with some substituted aryl acid hydrazides. The synthesised caffeyl derivatives were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 macrophages. The fluorobenzoylhydrazide derivatives 4f , 4 g and 4h were found to be the most powerful anti-inflammatory compounds with IC 50 values ranging from 11.90 to 24.17 μM, which were more potent than the reference compound L-NMMA (IC 50 32.8 μM). Additionally, synthesised compounds have been rationalised by using molecular docking studies which were performed in order to understand insights on the action mechanism of newly synthesised inhibitors against inflammatory mediator (iNOS). Obtained data indicate that compounds 4f, 4h , 4a and 4 g were observed to effectively bind to iNOS receptor with dock score values of -11.62, -10.81, -10.78 and -10.51 kcal/mol, respectively.

Background: Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death globally. Vietnam's 2012 Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms establishes all healthcare facilities as smoke-free environments. We aimed to evaluate the implementation of these policies within health facilities across Vietnam., Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken at 40 central, provincial, district and commune healthcare facilities in four provinces of Vietnam. The presence of tobacco sales, smoke-free signage, evidence of recent tobacco use and smoking behaviours by patients and staff were observed over a 1-week period at multiple locations within each facility. Adherence with national regulations was reported using descriptive statistics., Results: 23 out of 40 facilities (57.5%) followed the requirements of the national smoke-free policy regarding tobacco sales, advertising and signage. Smoking was observed within health facility grounds at 26 (65%) facilities during the observation period. Indirect evidence of smoking was observed at 35 (88%) facilities. Sites where smoking was permitted (n=2) were more likely to have observed smoking behaviour (relative risk (RR) 2.16, 95% CI 1.83 to 2.56). Facilities where tobacco was sold (n=7) were more likely to have smoking behaviour observed at any of their sites (RR 1.53, 95% CI 0.93 to 2.51)., Conclusions: Implementation of current smoke-free hospital regulations remains incomplete, with widespread evidence of smoking observed at three levels of the Vietnamese healthcare facilities. Further interventions are required to establish the reputation of Vietnamese healthcare facilities as smoke-free environments., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

A chemical investigation of K. heteroclite led to isolation of two new dibenzocyclooctadienes (1 and 2) together with 14 known compounds (3-16) by using multiple chromatographic techniques. New compounds (1 and 2) were obtained and identified by spectroscopic methods (HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR, and ECD) as well as by comparison of their experimental data with those reported in the literatures. All the isolates were evaluated for their ability to modulate TNF-α production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Among them, compound 5 displayed the most inhibition against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production with IC 50 value of 6.16±0.14 μM. Whereas, compounds (1, 3, and 6) showed the significant inhibition (IC 50 values ranging from 9.41 to 14.54 μM), and compounds (2, 4, 9, 10, 13, 15, and 16) exhibited moderate inhibition (IC 50 values ranging from 19.27 to 40.64 μM) toward TNF-α production, respectively., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Three new rotenoids, named derieliptosides A-C ( 1 - 3 ), were isolated from the stems of Derris elliptica (Wall.) Benth. Their structures were determined by HR-ESI-MS and NMR spectroscopic methods. Absolute configurations of them were elucidated by analysis of ECD spectra in comparison with TD-DFT calculation. Compounds 1 - 3 inhibited the growth of fungus Candida albicans and selectively inhibited bacterial strains. Of these, compound 1 showed selective inhibition on the growth of Enterococcus faecalis (MIC: 37.5 µM and IC 50 : 10.6 µM), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC: 75 µM and IC 50 : 22.7 µM), and C. albicans (MIC: 37.5 µM and IC 50 : 11.2 µM).

The first chemical study of the whole Impatiens parvisepala S. X. Yu & Y. T. Hou led to the isolation of a new triterpene saponin, named Iparvisepala-1 ( 6 ) along with ten known compounds, which cover three flavonoid glycosides ( 1 - 3 ), one dihydrochalcone glucoside ( 4 ), one triterpenoid saponin ( 5 ), one triterpene ( 7 ) and four miscellaneous compounds ( 8 - 11 ). Their structures were elucidated by MS, NMR spectroscopic analyses as well as by comparisons of spectra data with those of the related published literatures. Additionally, flavonoid glucoside 2 showed impressive effect on α -glucosidase inhibition with the IC 50 value of 12.53 ± 0.39 µM, much better than that of the positive control acabose (IC 50 = 197.53 ± 2.68 µM).

Background: Despite recent reductions in Vietnam, malaria transmission persists in some areas in forests and farmlands where a high density of Anopheles mosquitoes relative to other environments occurs. To inform effective malaria control measures, it is important to understand vector bionomics and the malaria transmission role of Anopheles spp. in the highland regions of Vietnam. This study was conducted to quantify the abundance, composition and biting behaviour of the Anopheles mosquito population, and the proportion of Plasmodium spp. infected mosquitoes collected from forest and agricultural farm sites in Gia Lai province, Vietnam., Methods: Forest and agricultural farm sites in Gia Lai province were selected for mosquito collections (total eight sites). Mosquito collection was performed by Human-baited Double Net Trap (HDNT), animal-baited traps (ABT) using cattle, and CDC light traps. Captured mosquitoes were identified morphologically, and salivary glands of Anopheles mosquitoes were examined for sporozoites using microscopy. Plasmodium infection was determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and identification of blood meal type was determined by PCR and diffuse serum agglutination assay., Results: A total of 1815 Anopheles mosquitoes belonging to 19 species were collected by ABT (n = 1169), HDNT (n = 471) and CDC light trap (n = 175). Anopheles abundance and diversity varied by district and environment. Capture by HDNT of Anopheles of vectorial concern was observed between early evening and early morning. Plasmodium vivax infection was determined by PCR in two Anopheles dirus specimens captured by HDNT in forest sites. Blood from a range of hosts could, including human blood, could be detected in species considered primary and secondary vectors An. dirus, and Anopheles aconitus, and Anopheles maculatus, respectively., Conclusions: A low number of Anopheles spp. considered primary vectors of concern and very low numbers of Plasmodium spp. infected Anopheles mosquitoes were captured at the end of the rainy season in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. However, capture species of vectorial concern by HDNT throughout the early to late evening demonstrates that use of additional personal protective measures could supplement current preventative measures, such as bed nets to prevent exposure to vectors of concern in this region., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the value of magnetic resonance perfusion (MR perfusion) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MR spectroscopy) in 3.0-Tesla magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI) for differential diagnosis of glioblastoma (GBM) and solitary brain metastasis (SBM)., Material and Methods: This retrospective study involved 36 patients, including 24 cases of GBM and 12 of SBM diagnosed using histopathology. All patients underwent a 3.0-Tesla MRI examination with pre-operative MR perfusion and MR spectroscopy. We assessed the differences in age, sex, cerebral blood volume (CBV), relative CBV (rCBV), and the metabolite ratios of choline/N-acetylaspartate (Cho/NAA) and Cho/creatine between the GBM and SBM groups using the Mann-Whitney U-test and Chi-square test. The cutoff value, area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the significantly different parameters between these two groups were determined using the receiver operating characteristic curve., Results: In MR perfusion, the CBV of the peritumoral region (pCBV) had the highest preoperative predictive value in discriminating GBM from SBM (cutoff: 1.41; sensitivity: 70.83%; and specificity: 83.33%), followed by the ratio of CBV of the solid tumor component to CBV of normal white matter (rCBVt/n) and the ratio of CBV of the pCBV to CBV of normal white matter (rCBVp/n). In MR spectroscopy, the Cho/NAA ratio of the pCBV (pCho/NAA; cutoff: 1.02; sensitivity: 87.50%; and specificity: 75%) and the Cho/NAA ratio of the solid tumor component (tCho/NAA; cutoff: 2.11; sensitivity: 87.50%; and specificity: 66.67%) were significantly different between groups. Moreover, combining these remarkably different parameters increased their diagnostic utility for distinguishing between GBM and SBM., Conclusion: pCBV, rCBVt/n, rCBVp/n, pCho/NAA, and tCho/NAA are useful indices for differentiating between GBM and SBM. Combining these indices can improve diagnostic performance in distinguishing between these two tumors., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 Published by Scientific Scholar on behalf of Journal of Clinical Imaging Science.)

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mainly affects individuals aged 60 and older. The proper use of inhalers is crucial for managing COPD. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and factors affecting the appropriate use of inhalers among elderly patients with COPD., Methods: We enrolled 91 elderly patients with COPD admitted to the Department of Respiratory, University Medical Center HCMC between October 2020 and May 2021. Patients who were capable of using the inhaler would have their inhaler usage recorded through video footage. Two respiratory experts carefully analyzed 133 video-recorded demonstrations for evaluation purposes., Results: 18.7% of the patients demonstrated the correct inhaler technique. Pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) and Turbuhaler had the lowest documented correct usage rates (11.9% and 10.0%, respectively). Two critical steps, namely "holding breath for about five seconds or as long as comfortable" and "breathing out gently," were commonly performed incorrectly when using pMDI, Respimat, Breezhaler, or Turbuhaler. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that lower mMRC scores (AOR = 5.3, CI 1.1-25.5, p = 0.037) and receiving inhaler instruction within the past three months (AOR = 5.2, CI 1.3-20.1, p = 0.017) were associated with increased odds of using the inhaler correctly., Conclusions: Our study found that less than 20% of elderly patients with COPD use inhalers correctly. Common errors include inadequate breath-holding and gentle exhalation. mMRC scores and recent inhaler instruction were predictors of proper use. These findings can aid clinicians in improving inhaler management for elderly patients with COPD.

We analyzed 1,303 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from Vietnam, and found the Alpha and Delta variants were responsible for a large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021. The Delta variant was confined to the AY.57 lineage and caused >1.7 million infections and >32,000 deaths. Viral transmission was strongly affected by nonpharmaceutical interventions.

Herein, we report the design, synthesis and evaluation of novel (E)-3-(3-oxo-4-substituted-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-6-yl)-N-hydroxypropenamides (4 a-i, 7 a-g) targeting histone deacetylases. Three human cancer cell lines were used to test the cytotoxicity of the synthesized compounds (SW620, colon; PC-3, prostate; NCI-H23, lung cancer); inhibitory activity towards HDAC; anticancer activity; as well as their impact on the cell cycle and apoptosis. As a result, compounds 4 a-i bearing the alkyl substituents seemed to be less potent than the benzyl-containing compounds 7 a-g in all biological assays. Compounds 7 e-f were found to be the most active HDAC inhibitors with IC 50 of 1.498±0.020 μM and 1.794±0.159 μM, respectively. In terms of cytotoxicity and anticancer assay, 7 e and 7 f also showed good activity with IC 50 values in the micromolar range. In addition, the cell cycle and apoptosis of SW620 were affected by compound 7 f in almost a similar manner to that of reference compound SAHA. Docking assays were carried out for analysis the binding mode and selectivity of this compound toward 8 HDAC isoforms. Overall, our data confirmed that the inhibition of HDAC plays a pivotal role in their anticancer activity., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

The mechanism of indomethacin toxicity at the systemic level is largely unknown. In this study, multi-specimen molecular characterization was conducted in rats treated with three doses of indomethacin (2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg) for 1 week. Kidney, liver, urine, and serum samples were collected and analyzed using untargeted metabolomics. The kidney and liver transcriptomics data (10 mg indomethacin/kg and control) were subjected to a comprehensive omics-based analysis. Indomethacin exposure at 2.5 and 5 mg/kg doses did not cause significant metabolome changes, whereas considerable alterations in the metabolic profile compared to the control were induced by a dose of 10 mg/kg. Decreased levels of metabolites and an increased creatine level in the urine metabolome indicated injury to the kidney. The integrated omics analysis in both liver and kidney revealed an oxidant-antioxidant imbalance due to an excess of reactive oxygen species, likely originating from dysfunctional mitochondria. Specifically, indomethacin exposure induced changes in metabolites related to the citrate cycle, cell membrane composition, and DNA synthesis in the kidney. The dysregulation of genes related to ferroptosis and suppression of amino acid and fatty acid metabolism were evidence of indomethacin-induced nephrotoxicity. In conclusion, a multi-specimen omics investigation provided important insights into the mechanism of indomethacin toxicity. The identification of targets that ameliorate indomethacin toxicity will enhance the therapeutic utility of this drug., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The chemical composition and anti-inflammatory activity of the endemic Lysimachia baviensis were investigated for the first time in this study. A phytochemical fractionation of the methanol extract of L. baviensis resulted in the isolation of a new stilbene (bavienside A , 1 ) and two new chalcone glycosides (baviensides B and C, 2 and 3 ). Their structures were elucidated via the interpretation of NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 - 3 strongly inhibited the production of nitric oxide in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells with the IC 50 values of 6.23, 2.86 and 3.51 μM, respectively. The C -acetylstilbene and carbomethyl chalcone structures in compound 1 and 3 were found for the first time from natural source and could be important markers for chemotaxonomy of Lysimachia baviensis .