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Introduction: Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels might inaccurately represent long-term glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) owing to anaemia. Fructosamine, which reflects glycaemic control, remains unaffected by anaemia. Material and methods: This study sought to assess whether fructosamine levels or fructosamine-albumin (FA) ratios could be biomarkers for glycaemic control in T2DM patients, with and without CKD. HbA1c and fructosamine levels were measured, and comparisons were made using the area under the curve and receiver operating characteristic curves. Youden's index was utilized to pinpoint the cut-off points. Predictive values for complications were also assessed. Results: Our study underscores the close association between HbA1c and blood glucose concentrations among T2DM patients, regardless of kidney function status (r = 0.758). Conversely, fructosamine levels and FA ratios only displayed moderate correlations with FBG among those without CKD (r = 0.466 and r = 0.436, respectively). In a similar manner, the estimated blood glucose (eBG) levels derived from HbA1c were better than the ones from fructosamine levels and FA ratios in terms of comparation to actual fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels across various eGFR levels. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HbA1c remains a conventional gauge for glycaemic control among T2DM outpatients, regardless of CKD status. However, for short-term glycaemic monitoring in T2DM outpatients with CKD and low eGFR levels, fructosamine, and FA ratios emerge as potential biomarkers worthy of consideration.

Taking that higher education is career-oriented, this study examines how Vietnamese undergraduate students engage with their study and how the factors related to the training program and occupation’s prospects contribute to students’ engagement with their study. The study applies a mixed-method approach. Self-administered questionnaire survey is used to collect data from 973 Vietnamese undergraduate students, of which 48.2% are social work students and 51.8% are non-social work students. In addition, the study conducts 27 semi-structured interviews with students and lecturers to explore their perspective and experiences with regard to students’ study engagement and the factors involved. The results show that social work students are more engaged with their study than non-social work students, even though they feel more worried about job opportunity and income. Approximately one-third of social work students consider not to pursue social work profession when they graduate mostly because they believe that working in social work cannot provide them the income they need for their living. However, the results also show that students’ satisfaction/dissatisfaction with income in their field was not statistically related to their study engagement. Instead, feeling of personal growth, opportunity to perform personal ability, sense of significance, convenient access to study materials and activities, and feeling proud of their school and lecturers’ prestige are found positively associated with students’ level of study engagement. The study hence provides some recommendations for educators to strengthen students’ study engagement at higher education level.

(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.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally, necessitating effective early detection methods. Traditional diagnostics like low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) often yield high false positive rates. SHOX2 gene methylation has emerged as a promising biomarker. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel semi-nested real-time PCR assay enhancing sensitivity and specificity for detecting SHOX2 methylation using extendable blocking probes (ExBPs). The assay integrates a semi-nested PCR approach with ExBPs, enhancing the detection of low-abundance methylated SHOX2 DNA amidst unmethylated sequences. It was tested on spiked samples with varied methylation levels and on clinical samples from lung cancer patients and individuals with benign lung conditions. The assay detected methylated SHOX2 DNA down to 0.01%. Clinical evaluations confirmed its ability to effectively differentiate between lung cancer patients and those with benign conditions, demonstrating enhanced sensitivity and specificity. The use of ExBPs minimized non-target sequence amplification, crucial for reducing false positives. The novel semi-nested real-time PCR assay offers a cost-effective, highly sensitive, and specific method for detecting SHOX2 methylation, enhancing early lung cancer detection and monitoring, particularly valuable in resource-limited settings.