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Introduction: The mortality rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) has significantly decreased with the implementation of vaccination programs. However, the real-world information on the impact of vaccinations, particularly in resource limited settings in Asia, is still limited. Methods: The Thai Transplant Society conducted a prospective multicenter cohort registry, including KTR diagnosed with COVID-19. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine factors associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes and complications, including death, COVID-19 pneumonia, and superimposed bacterial infection. Results: A total of 413 patients from 17 transplant centers who developed COVID-19 were analyzed. The COVID-19 mortality rate was 5.6 % and the incidence of pneumonia was 18.8 %. With each 10-year increase in age, the risk of death, pneumonia, and bacterial infection increased by 61 %, 32 %, and 43 %, respectively. A total of 11.4 % of KTR received one dose of COVID vaccination (incomplete vaccination), 25.7 % received two doses (complete primary vaccination), 42.6 % received three doses (first booster dose), and 10.4 % received four doses of vaccination (second booster dose). Even a single dose of vaccination significantly decreased the risk of death, pneumonia, and superimposed bacterial infection among KTR compared to those who remained unvaccinated. Completing the primary vaccination (2-dose) reduced the risk of death by 89 %, pneumonia by 88 %, and bacterial infection by 83 % compared to unvaccinated KTR. Receiving a booster dose (third or fourth dose) further reduced the risk of death by 94 %, pneumonia by 95 %, and bacterial infection by 96 % compared to unvaccinated individuals. Conclusions: This Asian cohort demonstrated that the mortality and complications of COVID-19 significantly decreased in KTR after the national immunization. Our study suggests that any type of COVID-19 vaccine can be beneficial in preventing adverse outcomes. Administering booster vaccinations is strongly recommended.

BackgroundCytomegalovirus (CMV) infection continues to negatively affect outcomes for solid organ transplant recipients, despite the advent of strategies for preemptive surveillance and prophylaxis. The impact is especially great for CMV seronegative recipients of donor seropositive organs, who typically lack the ability to control CMV infection at the time of transplantation.MethodsWe reviewed episodes of CMV DNAemia in a modern cohort of kidney transplant recipients over a 3-year period at a high-volume transplant center to investigate the frequency of DNAemia during antiviral prophylaxis.ResultsDespite receipt of antiviral prophylaxis per current guidelines, 75 cases of CMV DNAemia were observed in the first 100 days after transplantation. For high risk patients, median time to DNAemia was 75 days after transplantation, and the majority of patients had experienced dose-reduction of valganciclovir due to renal insufficiency. Review of CMV seropositive intermediate risk patients demonstrated DNAemia occurring earlier after transplantation compared with high risk patients with a median time of 64 days (P = .029). The impact of valganciclovir dose adjustment was less notable in the intermediate risk group.ConclusionsGuidelines recommend beginning routine surveillance for CMV after the completion of antiviral prophylaxis. Our findings suggest that closer monitoring may be beneficial, especially for high risk patients at risk for DNAemia. Patients requiring dose adjustment of valganciclovir due to renal insufficiency may be at increased risk for CMV DNAemia. Improved methods for CMV prophylaxis and evaluation of immunologic risk for CMV DNAemia and disease are needed to improve patient outcomes after kidney transplantation.

This study evaluates a cross-cultural experience in science and mathematics teaching in Thailand--an internship program. In this study, qualitative data sources including semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and pre-post questionnaire were collected from five groups of participants, which were: (a) administrators; (b) Thai cooperating teachers; (c) Thai students; (d) Thai graduate students; and (e) American graduate students. The results of data analysis from this study can be classified into six categories including: (a) role of participants; (b) value in teaching; (c) value in learning language; (d) value in learning different cultures; (e) value in professional and personal change; and (f) suggestions for the program. The research findings suggest that the future cross-cultural internship program can be developed as a school professional development program. The benefits and value that the participants have experienced are beyond the language learning.

This study is aimed to develop the interdisciplinary SoSTI (science of sound in traditional Thai musical instruments) course for Thai non-science upper secondary school students to study the students' attitudes toward science before and after studying from the course. The SoSTI course development is based on the interdisciplinary concept model and constructivist theory. The research study is divided into five phases: (1) pre-developing the course, (2) developing the course, (3) conducting the pilot study, (4) implementing and evaluating, and (5) analyzing data and writing the conclusion, respectively. The SoSTI course is an elective course corresponding to the Basic Education Core Curriculum B.E. 2551 (A.D. 2008). This course was conducted with 35 12th-grade non-science students in the second semester of the 2010 academic year at a school in Bangkok, Thailand, for a whole semester. The research instruments were students' attitude toward science questionnaire, and students' opinions toward the SoSTI course questionnaire. The results of this study presented that, after completing the SoSTI course, the students' attitudes toward science comparing before and after studying the SoSTI course were not significantly different at the 0.05 level. However, they have positive opinions toward the course. [This work was financially supported by the Institute for Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST), Bangkok, Thailand.] (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

Background: The loosening of the glenoid baseplate component is one of the most common complications after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. The mismatch between size of baseplate and glenoid in Thai People may result in improper baseplate screw fixation and lead to early loosening of the glenoid component. Knowing of the glenoid size will guide the surgeon in placing or choosing the proper size glenoid baseplate to improve screw fixation strength., Objective: Study the size ofglenoid in Thai people and compare with previous studies., Material and Method: The authors measured the glenoid size in anteroposterior and superoinferior directions, the data were recorded in term of mean and standard deviation. The present data were then compared with the previous glenoid studies to identify the differences in size between Thai people and others., Results: Among 160 patients with the mean age of 58.2 +/- 14.2 years, the overall glenoid sizefor the entire study group were 32.3 +/- 3.2 mm and 24.4 +/- 3.2 mm in superoinferior (SI) and anteroposterior (AP) directions, respectively. The male glenoid size were 35.6 +/- 2.6 mm and 26.7 +/- 2.5 mm in SI andAP directions, respectively. The female glenoid SI diameter were 31.0+1.9 mm and in AP diameter were 22.0 +/- 1.7 mm. The glenoid size in Thai people was significantly smaller than the glenoid size from previous studies in Caucasians., Conclusion: The overall glenoid size in Thai people was significantly smaller than the previous studies in Caucasians. The female glenoid was also smaller than with the male. These findings alert surgeons to choose the proper glenoid baseplate design to avoid an overhang problem and improve screw fixation, especially in Thaifemale patients.