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Tung Nguyen Thanh,1,* Duc Minh Nguyen,2,* Tuan Dinh Le,3 Lan Ngoc Do,1 Son Tien Nguyen,3 Phuong Nguyen Minh,1 Phong Nguyen Van,4 Tien Minh Bui,5 Tuyen Thanh Thi Bui,5 Hung Nguyen Dao,6 Kien Trung Nguyen5 1Military Institute of Clinical Embryology and Histology, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam; 2Andrology and Fertility Hospital of Hanoi, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam; 3Department of Rheumatology and Endocrinology, Military Hospital 103, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam; 4Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam; 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Binh, 410000, Vietnam; 6Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Military Hospital 103, Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Kien Trung Nguyen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Binh, 410000, Vietnam, Tel +84989281982, Email trungkiendhytb@gmail.comBackground: To assess the relationship between oocytes with smooth endoplasmic reticulum cluster (SERc) and embryological and birth outcomes in infertile couples.Methods: This was a descriptive study that included 231 infertile patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with a total of 2447 mature oocytes (MII), of which 279 oocytes with SERc(+) from 100 patients, the remaining 2168 oocytes with SERc(-). Oocytes were evaluated for the presence or absence of the SERc simultaneously with intracytoplasmic sperm injection at 200x magnification using inverted microscopy – Observe D1.Results: The mean age of patients was 32.05 ± 5.56 years. One hundred patients had at least one SERc(+) oocyte (with 279 SERc(+) and 956 SERc(-) oocytes). One hundred and thirty-one patients had 1212 SERc(-) oocytes. Fertilization outcomes and the rates of good-quality embryos on day 2 and day 5 did not differ between the SERc(+) and the SERc(-) groups. In the first frozen embryo transfer cycles, the clinical pregnancy rate in the group of patients with SERc(+) was not different with the SERc(-) group (61.1% vs 48.78%, p = 0.074, respectively). The live birth rate in the SERc(+) group was statistically significantly higher than the SERc(-) group (57.7% vs 43.9%, p = 0.045, respectively).Conclusion: The fertilization rate, the quality of embryos on days 2 and 5 from oocytes with SERc(+) are similar to those with SERc(-). The live birth rate in the patients with SERc(+) group is statistically significantly higher than the SERc(-) group. There is no difference in clinical pregnancy rate between patients with and without SERc. Therefore, the exclusion of oocytes with SERc should not be recommended.Keywords: Smooth reticulum endoplasmic cluster, SERc, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, In vitro fertilization, IVF

Bimetallic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit outstanding performance in a wide range of applications, including gas catalysis, adsorption, and luminescence sensor. The structure and properties of materials can be designed based on the variation of different metal ions, so this MOFs material system has unique properties. In this study, M/Fe-MOF bimetallic materials (M = Co, Cu, and Mg) were synthesized by solvothermal method and evaluated for photocatalytic activity in the degradation reaction of rhodamine B (RhB) organic pigments. The as-synthesized materials were characterized by using several physicochemical methods such as X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The results show that the Co/Fe-MOF, Cu/Fe-MOF, and Mg/MOF materials have uniform grain grade, high crystallinity, with the surface area of 26.1, 25.9, and 25.9 m2/g, respectively. When modified with Co, Cu, and Mg, the crystal structure of Fe-MOF materials was unchanged, and all metal ions are inserted inside the structure of the material, as well as replacing Fe ions in the lattice crystals. At the same time, the modification also increases the light absorption in the visible light region and gives a high photocatalytic degradation of RhB organic pigments under visible light in the range of 85–92%.

Purpose: The paper aims to identify the factors that impact the budget revenues of countries in ASEAN economies. Design/methodology/approach: The paper applies fixed effect and random effect models on a 25-year database of ASEAN economies from 1991 to 2020. Findings: The research reveals that various factors such as trade openness, industry structure, inflation, and tax payment time have a significant impact on tax collection. However, no linkages between tax revenue and foreign direct investment demand and education levels. Factors including industrial proportion (IND), inflation rate (INF), trade openness (IMP), time to pay tax (TIME), and Agricultural added value (AGR) together significantly and statistically affect the tax revenue (TAX). Of these, variables that have a positive relationship with TAX include AGR, IND and TIME while INF is negatively related to tax. Research limitations/implications: The data from 2021 onwards has not been analyzed due to a lack of necessary data, which could show the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on production and business and its effect on tax revenue. Originality/value: After a comprehensive and thorough variable selection and research design tailored for ASEAN economies, other than estimates on IND, IMP, and INF which are significantly consistent with most of the precedent literature, our research has reached some interesting findings recorded in our new variable (TIME), AGR, and FDI.

Abstract Grangea maderaspatana is a valuable medicinal plant growing in salt-affected areas, but its tolerance capability, physiological and biochemical responses to salinity is still unclear. To understand these traits, this study examined effects of salinity at different levels (50-400 mM NaCl) on plant growth and its responses. The results shown that the plant’s dry biomass decreased with increasing salinity levels of 100-400 mM NaCl, but its growth was maintained at 400 mM NaCl level with a dry biomass equal to 0.45 times that of the control, indicating that G. maderaspatana had a tolerance ability to high salinity. The plant also had adaptive responses to the salinity. The content of leaf chlorophylls and carotenoids were retained, even enhanced by 50-200 mM NaCl, suggesting a high adaptation of photosynthesis. Proline, Na+, and Cl- was highly accumulated while the accumulation of K+ and NO3 - was maintained with 200-400 mM NaCl, indicating that the plant had adaptive mechanisms for osmotic adjustment and ion homeostasis. Antioxidative activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase were enhanced by the salinity. These findings are useful information for understanding salt tolerance mechanisms and for utilization of this medicinal plant in saline agriculture.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder involving marked immunological changes. IL-17-targeting biologics have been successful in reducing the disease burden of psoriasis patients with moderate-to-severe disease. Unfortunately, the stratum corneum prevents penetration of large molecule weight proteins, including monoclonal antibodies. Thus, for the majority of psoriasis patients ineligible for systemic treatments, a small molecule targeting RORγt, the master regulator of IL-17 family cytokines, may represent an alternative topical medicine with biologic-like efficacy.The preclinical studies described in this manuscript bridge the gap from bench to bedside to provide the scientific foundation for a compound entering clinical trials for patients with mild to moderate psoriasis. In addition to several ex vivo reporter assays, primary T cell cultures, and the imiquimod mouse model, we demonstrate efficacy in a newly developed human ex vivo skin assay, where Th17-skewed cytokine expression is induced from skin-resident immune cells. Importantly, the skin barrier remains intact allowing for the demonstration of topical drug delivery. With the development of this novel assay, we demonstrate potent compound activity in the target tissue: human skin. Finally, target engagement by this small molecule was confirmed in ex vivo lesional psoriatic skin.Our work describes a progressive series of assays to demonstrate the potential clinical value of a novel RORγ inverse agonist small molecule with high potency and selectivity, which will enter clinical trials in late 2015 for psoriasis patients.

Bioactive glass-ceramics (BGCs) with the composition of 60SiO2-30CaO-10P2O5 (wt. %) have been synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The BGC samples were prepared at two reaction temperatures of 150 and 220°C, named BGC-150 and BGC-220. The XRD and FTIR analyses highlighted that the degree of crystallinity of BGCs increased linearly with hydrothermal reaction temperature. FE-SEM and TEM results indicated that the surface of BGC samples is covered by the nanosized particles which grow into larger sizes as a function of reaction temperature. The bioactivity of BGCs was investigated by the immersion of powder samples in the SBF solution. The results confirmed the dissolution and the interaction of BGC samples in the SBF solution which led to the formation of a new apatite phase on their surface.

Environmental changes and human impact can alter biodiversity in negative manners that affect mankind’s sustainable development. Particularly, such effects on inland waters are even more concerning, as those ecosystems play essential roles in sustaining human life as well as relevant wildlife. Thus, in this study, we investigated such effects on microbial diversity in inland waters in Vietnam using bacterial communities in sediment as indicators. To do this, we collected sediment samples from various locations in three respective regions (Red river in the north, Ba river in the central area, and Mekong delta flood zone in the south) using standard methods, extracted their total DNA, sequenced their V3-V4 16S rRNA gene fragments using an Illumina Miseq platform and analyzed the sequences to infer the diversity of the bacterial communities in the samples. These communities were compared in terms of richness (alpha diversity) and composition (beta diversity), and the correlations between their diversity levels and environmental factors, as well as human activities, were analyzed by using standard statistical tools. Our results showed that the communities were different from each other solely by region, in richness and critically in composition, although there were some communities distinctively different from all the others. Among environmental factors, only water salinity (and conductivity) had negative correlations with alpha-diversity indices of the bacterial communities, and phosphate concentration and turbidity had positive correlations, while the other factors had almost no correlations, which partially explains the region-specific diversity. These results also suggest that climate change incidences, especially sea intrusion, can have significant effects on microbial diversity in inland waters. The impact of human activities did not appear severe, solely affecting bacterial community richness, but not significantly affecting bacterial community composition. However, apparently reduced bacterial diversity in several sites with intense human impacts and distinct environmental conditions should be noted and deserve further investigation.

Abstract Background Congenital ichthyosis (CI) is a collective group of rare hereditary skin disorders. Patients present with epidermal scaling, fissuring, chronic inflammation, and increased susceptibility to infections. Recently, there is increased interest in the skin microbiome; therefore, we hypothesized that CI patients likely exhibit an abnormal profile of epidermal microbes because of their various underlying skin barrier defects. Among recruited individuals of Southeast Asian ethnicity, we performed skin meta-genomics (i.e., whole-exome sequencing to capture the entire multi-kingdom profile, including fungi, protists, archaea, bacteria, and viruses), comparing 36 CI patients (representing seven subtypes) with that of 15 CI age-and gender-matched controls who had no family history of CI. Results This case–control study revealed 20 novel and 31 recurrent pathogenic variants. Microbiome meta-analysis showed distinct microbial populations, decreases in commensal microbiota, and higher colonization by pathogenic species associated with CI; these were correlated with increased production of inflammatory cytokines and Th17- and JAK/STAT-signaling pathways in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In the wounds of CI patients, we identified specific changes in microbiota and alterations in inflammatory pathways, which are likely responsible for impaired wound healing. Conclusions Together, this research enhances our understanding of the microbiological, immunological, and molecular properties of CI and should provide critical information for improving therapeutic management of CI patients.

Abstract Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by muscle mass decline, is one of the leading health problems in the elderly. This study determined the rate of sarcopenia according to criteria by Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) and related factors in elderly people. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 632 people aged 60 years or over in Ho Chi Minh City. Data were collected through a predefined questionnaire and direct measurement. Sarcopenia was identified based on the Inbody 770 machine and AWGS criteria. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 32.0%. Participants with advanced age, low education, unemployment, low level of family economics and frailty were more likely to have sarcopenia. Among these, frailty had the highest impact on sarcopenia, with significantly higher odds of having sarcopenia found in participants with pre-frailty (OR = 4.80, 95% CI 2.75–8.38, p

Abstract Background De novo variations are a primary cause of Rett syndrome and Tubulinopathy, accounting for over 90% of cases. Some studies have identified and documented parental inheritance by mosaicism in these two disorders, albeit with limited data. Methods Clinical characteristics and diagnosis, including genetic tests of members of two families, were obtained from medical reports. Results The first family with Rett syndrome (RTT) presented with two offspring carrying FOXG1 c.460dup. Both affected RTT pregnancies did not show anomalies within the first trimester, preventing prenatal recognition at an early stage. The second family had two of three offspring confirmed with TUBA1A c.172G>A related to Tubulinopathy. Both young couples from the two families harbored none of the variants correlating to their children's conditions. Diagnosis of parental mosaics with higher rates of recurrence was reasonably determined, and genetic counseling played a major role in guiding and managing their subsequent pregnancies. Conclusion In genetic disorders with a high penetration of de novo variants, the risk of having a recurrent baby is an important topic to discuss with affected families. By examining variants that siblings share, clinical diagnosis can offer valuable information about the presence of mosaic inheritance. To effectively manage in the long term, adequate genetic counseling and strategic planning for future pregnancies should be emphasized to mitigate the risk of recurrent offspring.

Abstract Introduction Psoriasis is a multi-faceted, immune-mediated inflammatory disease associated with a wide range of comorbidities. Real-world data on treatment patterns, comorbidities, and economic burden in patients with psoriasis are needed for comprehensive patient care in Vietnam. Methods A retrospective chart review study was conducted using secondary data extracted from patients’ medical records of two hospitals in Vietnam, with the aim of identifying adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of psoriasis. The index date was defined as the date of first diagnosis between 1 January 2020 and 31 October 2021. Sociodemographic factors, disease characteristics, comorbidities, medication usage, drug survival, and medication costs were analyzed. Results A total of 661 patients were identified (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age 43.5 ± 14.8 years). The most prevalent comorbidity was dyslipidemia (49.6% of patients), followed by hypertension (23.4%), and psoriatic arthritis (10.4%). In total, 44% of patients received biologic therapies. Overall, 66.7% and 54.3% of patients receiving biologic and non-biologic therapies, respectively, had ≥ 1 comorbidity. Only 23.2% of patients with psoriasis-related comorbidities stopped therapy with biologics. Biologics had a longer retention time (17.0 months) than non-biologics (6.0 months) in patients with comorbidities. Patients with comorbidities had significantly higher total annual healthcare costs than those without comorbidities (in US dollars: USD901 vs. USD304; p

The food and beverage industry in Vietnam has developed dramatically, resulting in a highly competitive market. To win the competition, the restaurant managers not only strive to increase customer satisfaction but also create customers’ positive electronic Word-Of-Mouth (eWOM). This study aims to investigate the relationship between customer satisfaction, customer trust, customer loyalty, and eWOM. The quantitative method was implemented to examine the hypotheses in the research model. Data were collected from Ho Chi Minh City respondents using a convenient sampling method. Self-administrated questionnaires were delivered via the Internet for data collection. After data screening, 299 responses were qualified for analysis. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was employed by SmartPLS software version 3.0. The measurement model test showed that one item of customer trust has a factor loading of less than 0.7 as a result, this item was removed from the research model. The structural model evaluation revealed the highly predictive accuracy of the model as all dependent variables have R2 values above 0.5. A bootstrapping test with 5,000 subsamples also showed that customer loyalty significantly influences eWOM, but customer trust does not. Customer satisfaction directly and significantly impacts customer trust and loyalty but has little influence on eWOM. However, the relationship between customer satisfaction and eWOM is significant without the presence of customer loyalty and trust. The indirect effect test also determines the full mediation role of customer loyalty in the relationship between customer satisfaction and eWOM.

(1) Background: The detection of methylated SEPT9 (mSEPT9) in plasma is a promising approach to non-invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Traditional approaches have limitations in sensitivity and cost-effectiveness, particularly in resource-limited settings. (2) Methods: We developed a semi-nested realtime PCR assay utilizing extendable blocking probes (ExBP) to enhance the detection of low-level mSEPT9 based on DNA melting. This assay allows for the discrimination of mSEPT9 in the presence of high concentrations of non-methylated SEPT9 (up to 100,000 times higher). (3) Results: The assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 73.91% and specificity of 80%, showcasing its ability to detect very low levels of methylated DNA effectively. The innovative use of ExBP without costly modified probes simplifies the assay setup and reduces the overall costs, enhancing its applicability in diverse clinical settings. (4) Conclusions: This novel assay significantly improves the detection of mSEPT9, offering a potential advance in CRC screening and monitoring. Its cost-efficiency and high sensitivity make it particularly suitable for the early detection and management of CRC, especially in settings with limited resources. Future studies are encouraged to validate this assay in larger populations to establish its clinical benefits and practical utility.

ObjectiveThe prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Vietnam has doubled from 3% to 6% over the last decades, with potential consequences for persons with diabetes and their caregivers. This study aimed to assess caregiver burdens and factors associated with caregiver burden.MethodA cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019, using data from 1,241 informal caregivers (ICGs). Caregiver burden was scored from 0-32 using 8 questions from the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Quantile regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with caregiver burden.ResultsThe median score of the ZBI was 7.0 (Q1-Q3: 2.0-10.0), indicating that the burden among caregiver of persons with T2DM is not high. Quantile regression showed that the higher the monthly income, the lower the burden among caregivers (50% quantile and 75% quantile of burden: -0.004). Lower educational level (25%Q: 4.0, 50%Q; 3.0, 75%Q: 2.16), being a farmer (25%Q: 2.0) and providing care to other people besides the person with T2DM (25%Q: 2.0, 50%Q; 2.54, 75%Q: 1.66) were associated with higher burden on caregivers.ConclusionThe study found that caregivers facing additional life stressors, such as low income or other caregiving responsibilities, reported higher levels of burden. These findings could inform the development of interventions targeted at supporting informal caregivers in rural areas in low- and middle-income countries.

Abstract Influenza virus is a main cause of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in children. This is the first double-blind, randomized, and controlled clinical trial examining the efficacy of nasal-spraying probiotic LiveSpo Navax, which contains 5 billion of Bacillus subtilis and B. clausii spores in 5 mL, in supporting treatment of influenza viral infection in pediatric patients. We found that the nasal-spraying Bacillus spores significantly shortened the recovery period and overall treatment by 2 days and increased treatment effectiveness by 58% in resolving all ARTIs’ symptoms. At day 2, the concentrations of influenza virus and co-infected bacteria were reduced by 417 and 1152 folds. Additionally, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-6 in nasopharyngeal samples were reduced by 1.1, 3.7, and 53.9 folds, respectively. Compared to the standard control group, treatment regimen with LiveSpo Navax demonstrated significantly greater effectiveness, resulting in 26-fold reduction in viral load, 65-fold reduction in bacterial concentration, and 1.1–9.5-fold decrease in cytokine levels. Overall, nasal-spraying Bacillus spores can support the symptomatic treatment of influenza virus-induced ARTIs quickly, efficiently and could be used as a cost-effective supportive treatment for respiratory viral infection in general. Clinical trial registration no: NCT05378022 on 17/05/2022.

One of the financially vulnerable groups is older people, who receive little attention in the financial inclusion literature. The elderly is financially excluded in Thailand, an emerging economy with high financial inclusion and rapid aging of the population. Using the Findex survey data 2017, we construct financial inclusion (FI) scores with five measures and explore the influence of aging, mobile phones, and mobile money, controlling for individual characteristics. Among non-account holders, more than half are older than 55 years old. A significantly negative association between FI and age/age group is confirmed. We also prove the positive effect of mobile phones and mobile money on FI scores, by 0.48–0.49 percentage points. This study sheds light on the drivers of mobile banking among the elderly with Thai ICT data, showing that low internet access and mobile phone use are the biggest barriers to financial inclusion. No gender disparity in FI is found.

Abstract Background To evaluate the safety and efficacy of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMNC) infusion in the management of neurological sequelae in children with spina bifida (SB). Methods BMMNCs were harvested from bilateral anterior iliac crests. Two intrathecal BMMNC administrations were performed with an interval of 6 months. The measurements of outcomes included clinical assessments, cystomanometry and rectomanometry. Results Eleven children with SB underwent autologous BMMNC infusions from 2016 to 2020. There were no severe adverse events during the study period. The number of patients requiring assistance to expel stools decreased from 11 before cell infusion to 3 after the second cell infusion. The number of patients who had urine leakage decreased from 9 patients at baseline to 3 patients after the second BMMNC infusion. The mean bladder capacity increased from 127.7 ± 59.2 ml at baseline to 136.3 ± 54.8 ml at six months and to 158.3 ± 56.2 ml at 12 months after BMMNC infusions. Detrusor pressure (pdet) decreased from 32.4 ± 22.0 cm H2O at baseline to 21.9 ± 11.8 cm H2O after 12 months of follow-up. At baseline, six patients could walk independently. After the 2nd infusion, eight patients could walk independently. Conclusion Intrathecal infusions of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells are safe and may improve bowel, bladder, and motor function in children with SB. Trial registration: NCT, NCT05472428. Registered July 25, 2022- Retrospectively registered, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05472428 .

Aquaculture can suffer from heavy losses caused by vibriosis, which denotes diseases caused by Vibrio bacteria. Due to disadvantages of available measures, mostly involving the use of antibiotics, to control these bacteria, novel measures are still needed. Therefore, aiming at an innovative solution for that issue in a long term, we investigated the inhibitory effects of the sediment bioelectrochemical system (SBES) on a V. harveyi strain (Vh) and a V. parahaemolyticus strain (Vp). SBESs were installed in test pond models that were lab-scale plastic tanks containing artificial brackish water, while the resembling systems not having SBESs were used as the controls. Once the SBES stably generated electricity (at ca. 0.5 mA), the tests with the Vibrio strains were conducted by: (i) supplementing the Vibrio cell suspensions directly into the tank waters, (ii) immersing the Vibrio cells suspensions each in an isolated axenic space into the tank environments, and (iii) adding the filtered tank waters after taken out of the tanks to the Vibrio cells. Based on plate enumeration to evaluate the inhibitory effects of such treatments on the Vibrio strains, we discovered that almost 100% of both Vh and Vp cells could not grow after 5 min in contact with the SBES water while more than 80% of them could still grow after 1–2 h in contact with the water from the control tanks. Paralleling tests showed that the SBES water was also toxic to an Escherichia coli strain but only slightly inhibited a Bacillus pumilus strain and a Lactobacillus plantarum strain, reducing their growths by only about 60% and 30%, respectively. Further tests revealed that the effects were not due to suspected proteinacous components or metal contents or peroxides in the SBES water. On the other hand, applying a redox potential of 20 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl), which was the anode potential measured in the SBES, onto a graphite rod immersed in Vh cell suspension led to the growth inhibition to 90% of the cells, although the unpoised graphite rod also seemed toxic, inhibiting ca. 60% of Vh cells. A similar experiment with titanium (known to be non-toxic to bacteria), instead of graphite, clearly showed the vibrio-inhibiting effect of the applied redox potential. Altogether, the results directly evidence the inhibitory effect of the SBES on V. harveyi and V. parahaemolyticus. This effect, together with the mild effect on the beneficial bacilli, implies that SBES integration in aquaculture ponds can be a promising novel technological option that allow controlling vibriosis in-situ while minimizing the uses of antibiotics or other chemicals, toward more sustainable aquaculture practices.

Telosma cordata has long been consumed as foods and herbal medicine. The aim of this research is to investigate the potential biological activities of Telosma cordata flower (TCF) extracts and their molecular mechanisms in the treatment of neurological diseases, especially dementia. In general, the plant samples were successfully identified through DNA barcoding regions, utilizing matK, trnH-psbA, and rbcL markers. The ethanol extract and its fraction exhibited significantly high acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. Moreover, hexane extract of T. cordata displayed the most potent neurotrophic activity in a preliminary cell-based screening based on C6 cells neurite outgrowth. Additionally, hexane extract of T. cordata demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity. Finally, the hexane extract of T. cordata upregulated the expression of BDNF, NGF and acetyl H3 in C6 cells, affecting both mRNA and protein levels. These findings indicate that Telosma cordata could be a strong candidate for developing pharmacological drugs to treat dementia and neurodegenerative diseases.

We theoretically investigated the nitrogen substitution effect on the molecular structure and π-electron delocalization in linear nitrogen-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (N-PAHs). Based on the optimized molecular structures and magnetic field-induced parameters of fused bi- and tricyclic linear N-PAHs, we found that the local π-electron delocalization of subcycles (e.g., mono- and bicyclic constituent moieties) in linear N-PAHs is preserved, despite deviation from ideal structures of parent monocycles. The introduction of a fused five-membered ring with a pyrrolic N atom (N-5MR) in linear N-PAHs significantly perturbs the π-electronic condition of the neighboring fused six-membered ring (6MR). Monocyclic pyrrole exhibits substantial bond length alternations, strongly influencing the π-electronic systems of both the fused N-5MR and 6MR in linear N-PAHs, depending on the location of shared covalent bonds. A fused six-membered ring with a graphitic N atom in an indolizine moiety cannot generate monocyclic π-electron delocalization but instead contributes to the formation of polycyclic π-electron delocalization. This is evidenced by bifurcated diatropic ring currents induced by an external magnetic field. In conclusion, the satisfaction of Hückel’s 4n + 2 rule for both mono- and polycycles is crucial for understanding the overall π-electron delocalization. It is crucial to consider the unique characteristics of the three types of substituted N atoms and the spatial arrangement of 5MR and 6MR in N-PAHs.

Abstract Coherent control of individual atomic and molecular spins on surfaces has recently been demonstrated by using electron spin resonance (ESR) in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Here, a combined experimental and modeling study of the ESR of a single hydrogenated Ti atom that is exchange‐coupled to a Fe adatom positioned 0.6–0.8 nm away by means of atom manipulation is presented. Continuous wave and pulsed ESR of the Ti spin show a Rabi rate with two contributions, one from the tip and the other from the Fe, whose spin interactions with Ti are modulated by the radio‐frequency electric field. The Fe contribution is comparable to the tip, as revealed by its dominance when the tip is retracted, and tunable using a vector magnetic field. The new ESR scheme allows on‐surface individual spins to be addressed and coherently controlled without the need for magnetic interaction with a tip. This study establishes a feasible implementation of spin‐based multi‐qubit systems on surfaces.

This dataset provides insightful data on the reality of the new national curriculum implementation from primary and secondary school teachers’ perspectives. The dataset addresses four main aspects of the new curriculum implementation from teachers’ perspectives: (a) teachers' capacity in implementing the new curriculum, (b) teaching conditions in implementing the new curriculum, (c) challenges for teachers in implementing the new curriculum, and (d) teachers' desires to implement the new national curriculum successfully. The survey tools used to collect the data were developed based on a literature review of implementing a new curriculum from teachers’ assessment. The survey was conducted online via Google Forms from November to December 2022, with 29,026 primary and secondary school teachers in five provinces of Vietnam participating. The dataset is expected to benefit policymakers and educational administrators by providing information on key areas where teachers require support and training to improve the implementation of the new curriculum. Additionally, the dataset contributes to developing evidence-based policies and interventions to support teachers in implementing the new curriculum. Educational managers and researchers can benefit from this dataset by gaining insights and preparing adequately for implementing new curriculum or developing plans to improve curriculum development. Overall, this dataset provides valuable information for improving the effectiveness of implementing the new national curriculum.

Students’ learning experiences are considered useful indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching in tertiary education. With limited theory-driven research, this study aimed to examine whether the educational environment is able to mediate the relationship between student workload and generic skills. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1347 nursing students in ten nursing schools across Vietnam from November 2021 to January 2022. The results showed that the total score of the students’ workload and the generic skills were 3.25 ± 0.59 and 3.84 ± 0.56 (possible score: 1-5), respectively. Students were at an “agree” level with statements like “the sheer volume of work to be got through in this course means you can’t comprehend it” and “as results of doing this course, I feel more confident about tackling unfamiliar problem”. Most nursing students rated the educational environment at levels of “more positive educational environment” (N=1018, 75.58%), with a total score of 120.75 ± 20.78 (possible score: 0-200). The educational environment was identified as a mediator in the relationships between the workload and the generic skills. The direct effect on workload was -0.00035 which was not significant (p=0.987) with the generic skills. The indirect effect of workload that passes through the educational environment was -0.07 and is also statistically significant, at p= 0.002. As such, the study suggests that, to enhance students’ generic skills, it is necessary to instruct students in efficient learning strategies to help them manage their academic workload, particularly during unexpected situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, despite the occurrence of a high level of student workload, nursing schools could focus on efficient tactics and interventions to improve the educational environment, which subsequently helps to improve students’ outcomes.

Abstract Introduction Psoriasis (PsO), an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder, has substantial negative impact on patients’ quality of life. Secukinumab, an approved treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque PsO, has an established long-term efficacy and safety profile. This study aims to provide real-world evidence of long-term effectiveness and retention rate of secukinumab in Vietnamese patients with PsO. Methods This retrospective, observational study collected medical records of adult patients with moderate-to-severe PsO receiving secukinumab treatment from Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Dermato-Venereology. The primary objective was to evaluate secukinumab effectiveness in PsO as measured by 75% improvement in psoriasis area and severity index (PASI 75) at month 12. Secondary objectives were PASI 90/100, absolute PASI ≤ 3 and ≤ 5, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and retention rate over 48 months. Results In total, 232 patients with moderate-to-severe PsO met inclusion criteria; 68.1% were male, with median age and age of onset of 39 and 27.5 years, respectively. Median time from onset of PsO to secukinumab treatment was 120 months, 95.3% were prior biologics/disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs naive and 41.4% received concomitant therapies for PsO; 82.3% had national insurance coverage. At month 12, 93.9% of patients achieved PASI 75 (primary endpoint); 80.2/56.9% achieved PASI 90/100; 91.4 and 84.8% patients achieved absolute PASI ≤ 5 and ≤ 3, respectively. The response was sustained over 48 months, with 91.9%/78.0%/52.0% of patients achieving PASI 75/90/100, 89.5% and 82.1% patients achieving absolute PASI ≤ 5 and ≤ 3, respectively. At month 12, 61.4% of patients achieved DLQI 0/1 which was sustained up to month 48 (69.2%). Secukinumab adherence rate of 84.9% at month 12 dropped to 34.2% at month 48. Patients receiving concomitant therapy and national insurance showed higher adherence rate. Conclusion Secukinumab demonstrated long-term effectiveness in real-world Vietnamese patients with moderate-to-severe PsO, with treatment adherence being higher in patients having concomitant therapies and national insurance.

Squamous cell carcinoma admixed with large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix is an extremely rare malignancy with a poor prognosis. We report a 50-year-old woman with mixed squamous cell carcinoma and large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix with an individual history of early-stage breast cancer. She was diagnosed preoperatively with cervical cancer stage FIGO 1B2. However, during surgery, a lesion was found in Douglas’s peritoneum. The histopathological result of surgical specimens was mixed squamous cell carcinoma and large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Then, she received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Currently, after 3 months of treatment, she has not developed recurrent lesions.

Abstract Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of Acute Respiratory Tract Infections (ARTIs) in young children. However, there is currently no vaccine or treatment available for children. Here, we demonstrated that nasal-spraying probiotics containing 5 billion of Bacillus spores (LiveSpo Navax) is an effective symptomatic treatment in a 6-day randomized controlled clinical study for RSV-infected children (n = 40–46/group). Navax treatment resulted in 1-day faster recovery-time and 10–50% better efficacy in relieving ARTI symptoms. At day 3, RSV load and level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in nasopharyngeal samples was reduced by 630 folds and 2.7–12.7 folds respectively. This showed 53-fold and 1.8–3.6-fold more effective than those in the control-standard of care-group. In summary, nasal-spraying Bacillus spores can rapidly and effectively relieve symptoms of RSV-induced ARTIs while exhibit strong impacts in reducing viral load and inflammation. Our nasal-spraying probiotics may provide a basis for simple-to-use, low-cost, and effective treatment against viral infection in general.

Atezolizumab (a PD-L1 inhibitor) has shown remarkable efficacy and tolerability in various cancer types. Despite its efficacy and safety, atezolizumab monotherapy has limitations, such as acquired resistance and adverse events. Bojungikki-tang (BJIKT) is an herbal decoction widely prescribed in Asian countries and used to treat cancer-related symptoms including fatigue, appetite loss, gastrointestinal disorders, and other side effects from cancer therapy. Due to its immunomodulatory effects, Bojungikki-tang has been investigated as a combined treatment with anticancer agents. We evaluated the potential drug-drug interaction (DDI) between Bojungikki-tang and the anti-PD-L1 antibody based on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines. In the study, we conducted an in vivo drug-drug interaction study using a syngeneic mouse model of CMT-167 in C57BL/6. We then determined the antibody concentrations to evaluate the pharmacokinetic (PK) drug-drug interaction and measured variable biomarkers related to therapeutic efficacy and immune response. The pharmacodynamic (PD) drug-drug interaction study investigated changes in response between anti-PD-L1 antibody monotherapy and combination therapy. Using the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data, we conducted a statistical analysis to assess drug-drug interaction potential. In the presence of Bojungikki-tang, the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the anti-PD-L1 antibody were not changed. This study suggested that combination treatment with Bojungikki-tang and atezolizumab is a safe treatment option for non-small cell lung cancer. Clinical studies are warranted to confirm this finding.

This study aims to investigate, the effect of organic loading rates (OLRs), nutrient ratio addition, and sludge retention time (SRT) on treating dairy wastewater in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system. This investigation is verified by experiments conducted in 3 phases at 3 different OLRs (1.8, 1.2, and 0.9 kg/m3d, respectively). Urea ((NH2)2CO) is added to make a suitable (COD:N:P) ratio of (100:5:1) in dairy wastewater. The SRT is adjusted from 50 days to an appropriate value of 18 days. The obtained results show that the COD, TN, and TP removal efficiencies are increased with decreasing OLRs. Sludge concentration in the SBR tank is stable at 1100 mg/L after adding (NH2)2CO. In addition, the SBR operated at a suitable SRT (i.e. 18 days) helps the biomass stably, resulting in enhancement of COD, TN, and TP removal. The results are helpful to the design of SBR for treating dairy wastewater.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) directly affects human health. The increase in PM and CO2 concentration indoors caused an increase in the prevalence of sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms. Plants could contribute to reducing particulate matter (PM) and CO2. This study identifies the most efficient evergreen plant species for improving indoor air quality by assessing the ability of five different indigenous Korean evergreen plant species to reduce PM and CO2 and regulate humidity and temperature under indoor environmental conditions in acrylic chambers. The clean air delivery rates (CADR) were calculated to evaluate the efficacy of plants in reducing PM and CO2. We assessed the performance of removing the five study plants on PM1 (~0.68–3.01 m3/h/leaf area), PM2.5 (~0.73–3.08 m3/h/leaf area), PM10 (~0.67–3.04 m3/h/leaf area), and CO2 (~0.48–1.04 m3/h/leaf area). The species Ilex pedunculosa, Pittosporum tobira, and Gardenia jasminoides were the most effective at reducing PM. The CADR of CO2 also differed among the five plant species and corresponded to their photosynthetic rate. Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki, which had the high photosynthetic rate, was most effective at reducing CO2. By contrast, PM reduction was correlated with plant leaf structure. Plants with a high leaf density can accumulate more PM. The plants were also able to control temperature and humidity. The average temperature of the control chamber was higher, and the humidity was lower than that of the plant chambers. In this study, the five evergreen species effectively reduced air pollutants and can be used to improve IAQ.

Detecting the boundaries of geologic structures is one of the main tasks in interpreting gravity anomalies. Many methods based on the derivatives of gravity anomalies have been introduced to map the source boundaries. The drawbacks of traditional methods are that the estimated boundaries are divergent or false boundaries appear in the output map. Here, we use the exponential transform of the tilt angle of the horizontal gradient to improve the edge detection results. The robustness of the presented method is illustrated using synthetic data and real examples from the Voisey’s Bay Ni-Cu-Co deposit (Canada) and the Tuan Giao (Vietnam). The findings show that the presented technique can produce more precise and clear boundaries.

The medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris is widely exploited in traditional medicine and nutraceuticals in Asian countries. However, fruiting body production in C. militaris is facing degeneration through cultivation batches, and the molecular mechanism of this phenomenon remains unclear. This study showed that fruiting body formation in three different C. militaris strains, namely G12, B12, and HQ1, severely declined after three successive culturing generations using the spore isolation method. PCR analyses revealed that these strains exist as heterokaryons and possess both the mating-type loci, MAT1-1 and MAT1-2. Further, monokaryotic isolates carrying MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 were successfully separated from the fruiting bodies of all three heterokaryotic strains. A spore combination of the MAT1-1 monokaryotic isolate and the MAT1-2 monokaryotic isolate promoted fruiting body formation, while the single monokaryotic isolates could not do that themselves. Notably, we found that changes in ratios of the MAT1-2 spores strongly influenced fruiting body formation in these strains. When the ratios of the MAT1-2 spores increased to more than 15 times compared to the MAT1-1 spores, the fruiting body formation decreased sharply. In contrast, when MAT1-1 spores were increased proportionally, fruiting body formation was only slightly reduced. Our study also proposes a new solution to mitigate the degeneration in the heterokaryotic C. militaris strains caused by successive culturing generations.

Developing highly efficient and durable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts is crucial for addressing the energy and environmental challenges. Among the 2D-layered chalcogenides, MoSe2 possesses superior features for HER catalysis. The van der Waals attractions and high surface energy, however, stack the MoSe2 layers, resulting in a loss of edge active catalytic sites. In addition, MoSe2 suffers from low intrinsic conductivity and weak electrical contact with active sites. To overcome the issues, this work presents a novel approach, wherein the in situ incorporated diethylene glycol solvent into the interlayers of MoSe2 during synthesis when treated thermally in an inert atmosphere at 600 °C transformed into graphene (Gr). This widened the interlayer spacing of MoSe2, thereby exposing more HER active edge sites with high conductivity offered by the incorporated Gr. The resulting MoSe2-Gr composite exhibited a significantly enhanced HER catalytic activity compared to the pristine MoSe2 in an acidic medium and demonstrated a superior HER catalytic activity compared to the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst, particularly at a high current density beyond ca. 55 mA cm−2. Additionally, the MoSe2-Gr catalyst demonstrated long-term electrochemical stability during HER. This work, thus, presents a facile and novel approach for obtaining an efficient MoSe2 electrocatalyst applicable in green hydrogen production.

This dataset provides an insight into the reality and experiences of online learning as perceived by secondary school students in Vietnam during COVID-related school closures. The dataset addresses four main aspects of online learning, namely (a) students’ access to learning devices, (b) their digital skill readiness, (c) their experience with online learning and assessment activities, and (d) their overall evaluation of the effectiveness of online learning. The survey was administered online via Google Form from September to December 2021 with responses received from 5,327 secondary school students in 5 provinces of Vietnam. The dataset is expected to benefit local educators, administrators, and teachers who are interested in COVID educational practices and pedagogical interventions. The dataset can also benefit international researchers who wish to conduct comparative studies on student online learning or who wish to seek further insight into the responsiveness of an educational system to pandemic situations.

Objectives Though menstrual and reproductive factors have been associated with the risk of breast cancer in many populations, very few studies have been conducted among Vietnamese women. This study aimed to assess the association between menstrual and reproductive factors and the risk of breast cancer in Vietnamese women. Methods A retrospective case-control study of 490 breast cancer cases and 468 controls was conducted in Northern Vietnam. Unconditional logistic regression models adjusting for confounders were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of menstrual and reproductive factors with the risk of breast cancer; overall and by cancer subtype. Results Among breast cancer patients, the luminal B subtype was the most frequent (48.6%), followed by HER2-overexpressing (24.5%), luminal A (16.7%), and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC; 10.2%). Among menopausal women, menopausal age at 50 years or older (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.15-2.57 vs.

Particulate matter (PM) is the most dangerous air pollutant that adversely affects health. Increasing PM in urban areas is a big problem that must be solved. This study analyzed the amount of PM that accumulated on plant leaves, as well as the leaf traits that contribute to PM accumulation, to determine the plant’s ability to accumulate PM and the impact of PM on the plants. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis were used to quantitatively assess metal concentrations in the particles that had accumulated on the leaf samples. Eight common plant species that grow on the roadside were used to analyze leaf traits using leaf samples. Specific leaf areas (SLA), leaf extract pH (pH), relative leaf water content (RWC), chlorophyll (Chl), and carotenoids were analyzed. PM accumulation and leaf traits varied among plant species, and Parthenocissus tricuspidata showed the highest PM accumulation on its leaf surface. The leaf’s elemental composition included C, O, Ca, K, Mg, S, P, Al, Si, Na, Cl, and Fe. Among these elements, Ca, K, and Cl made up a relatively large percentage. Fe was only detected in the leaves of Pachysandra terminalis and P. tricuspidata, while C and O were excluded as they are not relevant in determining PM metal content. Plants not only accumulate PM but also heavy metals from the atmosphere. This study found that plants with highly effective PM accumulation, such as P. tricuspidate, should be considered for optimizing the benefits of plants in improving air quality.

With the necessity of diversifying alcoholic beverages, cider has become a kind of drink that can fulfill this demand. This is because the cider will be diversified depending on the kinds of fruit that are chosen to be used for the cider fermentation. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of dilution ratio, Brix, pH, and yeast concentration on the production of cider from king mandarin (Citrus nobilis Lour.), and to evaluate the analytical characteristics and antioxidant activity of the product. After the investigation, it can be claimed that the dilution of the juice causes the ethanol content to decrease, whereas the increase of Brix, pH, and yeast concentration makes the ethanol content increase. However, the proportional increase in the ethanol content with Brix, pH, and yeast concentration has its limitations. Specifically, when the Brix and the yeast concentrations were, respectively, higher than 16°Brix and 0.04%, the ethanol content tended to maintain the same. This is also the same when the pH was lower than 4.5. In addition, by using the DPPH and ABTS●+ methods, the antioxidant activity of cider is estimated to be lower than the one of the juice before fermentation, which is smaller than 3.78 times for the DPPH method and 3.76 times for the ABTS●+ method.

Particulate matter (PM) is the most dangerous type of air pollutant and is harmful to human health. Plants can be used as a biofilter to remove PM from the atmosphere and improve air quality. In this study, we used the air pollution tolerance index and four leaf traits of five different plant species commonly used in landscaping in Korea to determine which plants are best suited to remove PM from the atmosphere in roadside areas in spring, summer, and autumn. We found that the PM concentrations in the atmosphere impacted the amount of PM accumulated in the plants, with increased PM accumulation during periods of increased environmental PM levels on the roadside. Euonymus japonicus, and Euonymus alatus accumulated the highest amount of PM and had the highest tolerance levels to air pollution. Thus, these species could be suitable for use in areas with high PM concentrations to improve air quality. We also found that shrubs were more effective in accumulating PM than trees and recommend that shrubs and trees be used together to further increase the amount of PM removed from the atmosphere in urban areas.

BackgroundTrends in the public perception and awareness of COVID-19 over time are poorly understood. We conducted a longitudinal study to analyze characteristics and trends of online information during a major COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang province, Vietnam in July-August 2020 to understand public awareness and perceptions during an epidemic.MethodsWe collected online information on COVID-19 incidence and mortality from online platforms in Vietnam between 1 July and 15 September, 2020, and assessed their trends over time against the epidemic curve. We explored the associations between engagement, sentiment polarity, and other characteristics of online information with different outbreak phases using Poisson regression and multinomial logistic regression analysis. We assessed the frequency of keywords over time, and conducted a semantic analysis of keywords using word segmentation.ResultsWe found a close association between collected online information and the evolution of the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam. Online information generated higher engagements during compared to before the outbreak. There was a close relationship between sentiment polarity and posts' topics: the emotional tendencies about COVID-19 mortality were significantly more negative, and more neutral or positive about COVID-19 incidence. Online newspaper reported significantly more information in negative or positive sentiment than online forums or social media. Most topics of public concern followed closely the progression of the COVID-19 situation during the outbreak: development of the global pandemic and vaccination; the unfolding outbreak in Vietnam; and the subsiding of the outbreak after two months.ConclusionThis study shows how online information can reflect a public health threat in real time, and provides important insights about public awareness and perception during different outbreak phases. Our findings can help public health decision makers in Vietnam and other low and middle income countries with high internet penetration rates to design more effective communication strategies during critical phases of an epidemic.

Particulate matter (PM), an extremely serious type of air pollution, leads to numerous human diseases. Mitigating PM in the urban city, where resident density has been increasing, has been a major challenge. The increase in residents leads to increasing traffic, the primary source of PM in urban areas. Plants play an important role in reducing PM and maintaining an ecological balance. For some Asian countries, such as Korea, with differing seasons and environmental conditions, PM accumulation and plant survival are greatly impacted by environmental conditions. In this study, we analyzed the amount of PM accumulation on the leaf surfaces and wax layers of 24 plant species during four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) to determine the PM accumulation in plants under different environmental conditions. The leaf traits of plant chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll (TChl), relative water content (RWC), leaf extract pH (pH), and leaf specific area (SLA) were analyzed to determine the influence of PM on plants and the relationship between PM and leaf traits. In this study, we found that the amount of PM accumulation differed among plants and seasons. Among the 24 plant species, plants Pinus strobus, P. parviflora, P. densiflora, Euonymus japonicus, and Acer palmatum were most adept at PM accumulation. Leaf structure, environmental conditions, such as PM concentration, and rainfall may be the main factors that impact the ability of plant leaves to accumulate PM. The plant leaf traits differed among the four seasons. PM accumulation on the leaf was negatively correlated with SLA (in all four seasons) and pH (in spring, summer, and autumn). PM was negatively correlated with Chl a, Chl b, and TChl in summer.

Particulate matter (PM) is the most dangerous form of air pollution and is known to cause severe health problems to humans. Plants as biological filters can reduce PM in urban areas by accumulating PM on the surface and epicuticular wax of leaves. The present study determined the amount of PM (large PM (10–100 µm) and coarse PM (2.5–10 µm)) collected on 10 plant species from two sites (urban forest and roadside) of Cheongju City, South Korea. Selected leaf traits (chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll (TChl), carotenoid, relative leaf water content (RWC), specific leaf area (SLA), and pH of these plant species at the two sites were concurrently determined to find about the correlation between the leaf straits and PM accumulation on leaf. Study results showed that the amount of accumulated large PM (10–100 µm) and coarse PM (2.5–10 µm) were different depending on the plant species and the collection site. Plants from the roadside tended to have higher amounts of PM accumulation as compared to the same plant species from the urban forest. In addition, the amount of PM accumulated on the leaf surface was higher than that of the epicuticular wax. PM accumulation on the leaf surface was positively correlated with the amount of PM accumulated on the epicuticular wax. Among the 10 plant species selected, P. strobus, P. densiflora, M. denudata, and S. vulgaris were the most effective plant for PM accumulation, while M. glyptostroboides was the least effective plant ones. Chl a, Chl b, TChl, and carotenoid contents were higher in plants collected along the roadside than in those collected from the urban forest, whereas RWC was higher in plants from the urban forest. No distinct tendency was noted regarding the pH. Coarse PM (2.5–10 µm) was negatively correlated with leaf traits of plants along the roadside. The tolerance of plants to pollution might be due to an increase in chlorophyll content. Features of the leaf were also essential in increasing PM accumulation on the leaf surface.

Access to a reliable and safe domestic water supply is a serious challenge for many developing countries worldwide. In the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, the municipal government is facing a number of difficulties in providing sufficient water in a sustainable manner due to the increasing urban population and the serious pollution of both surface and groundwater resources, but this is also due to a lack of resources to invest in the supply system. This study aimed to investigate water users’ willingness to pay for the improvement of Hanoi’s domestic water supply system. A contingent valuation process based on a survey of 402 respondents was used to explore citizens’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the improvement of their urban water supply. The results show that Hanoi’s urban communities (more than 90%) were generally satisfied with the quantity of their water supply, but tended to be dissatisfied with its quality, with 80% of the respondents using advanced water purifiers before drinking and cooking. Respondents were also concerned about the overall reliability of the service, with 40% of respondents indicating that they received no check and maintenance service. A WTP regression model was developed based on the survey findings. The average WTP is 281,000 dong/household/month (approximately 12.2 USD at the exchange rate of 1 USD to about 23,000 VND), equivalent to 1.4% of the average household income at the end of 2019, indicating the level of affordability of monthly water payments among Hanoi citizens.

Water security is under severe pressures from human interventions and climate change in all over the world and improved water forecast is essential for water management. HYPE is a semi-distributed hydrographic model, running on Windows or Linux operating systems. The code of the model is written by the Fortran programming language and open source as Lesser GNU Public License. HYPE has been becoming a widely used tool in the forecasting of transboundary flows. However, the application of HYPE encounters many difficulties in processing input data and serving the construction, calibration, and validation of the model. This article introduces the development of the V-HYPE tool that helps a couple of global rainfall data and HYPE model for operational use. V-HYPE allows developing a user-friendly interface and setting parameters of the HYPE model as well as evaluating errors and transforming and visually displaying the results of the model. Besides, the V-HYPE has the ability to show related maps (i.e. sub-basins, river network, lake, and dams, etc), set up input data, automatically download global rainfall data, and visually display results on WebGIS. V-HYPE also can generate bulletins supporting for operational water resources warning and forecasting works in Vietnam. The utilities of this tool are demonstrated in the case study of Serepok river basin. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract Satellite remote-sensing products with high spatial and time resolution are expected to provide alternative data sources for data-sparse regions. This study clarifies if the satellite–gauge product outperforms the satellite-only product by comparing remote-sensing precipitation products: one that incorporates rain gauge data (GSMaP-Gauge) and one that uses satellite only (GSMaP-MVK). The appropriateness of those two commonly used high-resolution products as the input to the conceptual hydrological model Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning for stream flow prediction was also investigated. In addition, we also analyzed the deviations of model parameters due to the bias in remote-sensing precipitation inputs compared to standard ground measurements. The results indicated that GSMaP-Gauge was superior, with satisfactory to good performances in predicting stream flow in both temperate and subtropical basins (Hyeonsan, Fuji, and Da). However, its performance was slightly worse than GSMaP-MVK in the Upper-Cau basin, which was explained by the poor quality of the adjusted data source due to sparse data and the satellite–gauge blending algorithm of GSMaP-Gauge. Better parameter agreements with the observations of GSMaP-Gauge than GSMaP-MVK were found in the Hyeonsan and Da river basins where GSMaP-Gauge showed almost consistent relationship of monthly rainfall compared to ground measurements.

Abstract Background There is a paucity of data regarding risk factors associated with suboptimal breastfeeding practices in urbanized areas of low-middle income countries (LMICs). Methods Through a large prospective birth cohort, which enrolled 6706 infants in Vietnam between 2009 and 2013, we investigated the practice of exclusive breastfeeding during hospital stay in urban and semi-rural populations and aimed to identify factors associated with suboptimal breastfeeding practices. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were performed to determine factors associated with not exclusive breastfeeding during hospital stay. Results Of 6076 mothers, 33% (2187) breastfed their infant exclusively before hospital discharge; 9% (364/4248) in urban and 74% (1823/2458) in semi-rural areas. Exclusive breastfeeding up to 4 months was recorded in 15% (959/6210) of participants; this declined to

Background: Data about the risk factors and pancreatic cancer in developing countries remain limited. We investigated for the first time the role of a number of risk factors (family cancer history, smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, inflammation disease, HBV infection) associated with pancreatic cancer among Vietnamese patients. Methods: We included all patients hospitalized at 4 Northern Vietnamese hospitals (Vietnam National Cancer Hospital, Bach Mai, Viet Duc, Thai Nguyen) and diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during the period from 2017 to 2019. Risk factors of eligible patients were collected and assessed the associations using a matched control study and logistic regression model analysis. Results: We identified 196 patients with diagnosis of pancreatic cancer of which 114 males and 82 females. The average age of the patient at the time of diagnosis was 58.28 years (standard deviation of 12.94, ranging from 25 to 87). Most of patients were diagnosed at advanced stage (85%). Smoking, diabetes, inflammation disease significantly increased the cancer risks (OR and 95% CI were 2.42 (1.38-4.37), 3.09 (1.54-6.68), 2.21 (1.42-3.45), respectively). HBV infection demonstrated a significant link with pancreatic cancer in univariate model (OR = 2.94 (1.08-9.36)), but not in multivariate model. However, cancer family history and alcohol drinkers did not show any significantly increased risk related to pancreatic cancer. Conclusions: Our finding showed smoking, diabetes, inflammation disease significantly increased the risk of pancreatic cancer in Vietnam.

ObjectivesPeople with diabetes are at high risk of polypharmacy owing to complex treatment of diabetes and comorbidities. Polypharmacy is associated with increased risk of adverse reactions and decreased compliance. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess polypharmacy in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and associated diabetes-related factors in rural areas in Vietnam.MethodPeople with T2D (n = 806) who had received treatment for diabetes at a district hospital were invited to participate in a questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey. Polypharmacy was defined as ≥5 types of medicine and assessed as a) prescription medicine and non-prescription/over the counter (OTC) medicine and b) prescription medicine and non-prescription/OTC, herbal and traditional medicine, and dietary supplement. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the association between polypharmacy and diabetes specific factors: duration, comorbidities and diabetes-related distress.ResultsOf the people with T2D, 7.8% had a medicine use corresponding to polypharmacy (prescription medicine and non-prescription/OTC), and 40.8% when herbal and traditional medicine, and dietary supplement were included. Mean number of medicine intake (all types of medicines and supplements) were 3.8±1.5. The odd ratios (ORs) of polypharmacy (medicine and supplements) increased with diabetes duration (5 years OR = 1.74; 95%CI: 1.14-2.64 as compared to ≤1-year duration of diabetes), number of comorbidities (1-2 comorbidities: OR = 2.0; 95%CI: 1.18-3.42; ≥3 comorbidities: OR = 2.63;95%CI: 1.50-4.61 as compared to no comorbidities), and suffering from diabetes-related distress (OR = 1.49; 95%CI: 1.11-2.01) as compared to those without distress.ConclusionsIn rural northern Vietnam, persons with longer duration of T2D, higher number of comorbidities and diabetes-related stress have higher odds of having a medicine use corresponding to polypharmacy. A high proportion of people with T2D supplement their prescription, non-prescription/OTC medicine with herbal and traditional medicine and dietary supplements.

In Vietnamese high schools, learning in general and self-study in particular plays a very important role in helping learners to deeply understand, expand, consolidate and memorise lessons profoundly thanks to the ability to self-analyze, synthesize and apply existing knowledge in solving new learning tasks. The article presents some issues on guided self-studying and the method to facilitate students with math instructions at high school. To organize the implementation of guided self-studying for students effectively, teachers are required to invest considerable time as well as flexibility in the design of instructional guides to help them access the question the fastest and most suitable way to their capabilities.

Background: Tumor budding (Bd) has been demonstrated to be a promising prognostic factor in many carcinomas and in gastric cancer. It may represent an optimal additional parameter that is helpful for risk stratification in gastric adenocarcinoma. Hence, the present research was designed to predict the survival outcomes of gastric cancer in Vietnam, applying the tumor budding criteria of the International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) 2016. Methods: The present study was conducted on 109 gastric cancer patients who underwent surgery but did not receive neo-adjuvant chemotherapy from 2012 to 2015. The patients’ clinicopathological features were recorded. Bd was evaluated according to the 2016 ITBCC criteria and classified as Bd1 (0–4 buds), Bd2 (5–9 buds), and Bd3 (≥10 buds) grades, in addition to being categorized into 2 main Bd groups: low (