Continuous reference intervals for plasma cystatin C and creatinine in Vietnamese children.

Background: Serum (plasma) creatinine and cystatin C are widely used in pediatric clinical practice to assess glomerular filtration rate. Both markers have limitations due to the low index of individuality, which affects the clinical sensitivity of population-based reference intervals, especially when wide age ranges are considered. This study aimed to establish age-related reference intervals for plasma cystatin C and creatinine in Vietnamese children.

Association of smartphone and internet addiction with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Excessive use of smartphones and the Internet can lead to addiction and may increase the risk of developing mental disorders, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized the existing literature reporting the impact of smartphone and Internet addiction on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A systematic search was performed on two databases, PubMed and EMBASE, following the PRISMA guidelines to identify articles conducted from December 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic began to emerge.

Role of 5-aminosalicylic acid in ulcerative colitis management in 8 Asian territories: a physician survey.

Clinical guidelines typically endorse conventional therapies such as 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) as the mainstay of ulcerative colitis management. However, the degree of adoption and application of guideline recommendations by physicians within Asia remains unclear. This study aims to understand the prescribing patterns of 5-ASA and implementation of current guideline recommendations across Asian clinical practice.

Extreme temperature increases the risk of COPD morbimortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: This systematic review examines how extreme temperatures impact chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) morbidity and mortality, focusing on identifying vulnerable subpopulations.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search from January 1, 2000, to November 6, 2024, across databases like PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus, focusing on observational studies that quantitatively defined extreme temperatures and their impacts on COPD morbidity and mortality. Out of 3140 records, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria.

Multi-clustering study on the association between human leukocyte antigen and hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis in Viet Nam.

Background: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules are cell surface receptor proteins found on antigen-presenting cells. Polymorphisms and mutations in the gene can affect the immune system and the progression of hepatitis B.

Aim: To study the relation between rs2856718 of , rs3077, and rs9277535 of , hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Doxycycline prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infection prevention in Vietnam: Awareness, attitudes, and willingness to use among men who have sex with men using HIV-PrEP.

Objectives: Doxycycline prophylaxis shows promise for sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, but data primarily come from high-income countries. This study assessed awareness, willingness and factors associated with willingness to use doxycycline for STI prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM) using HIV-PrEP in Vietnam.

Methods: Between January 25 and February 4, 2024, a cross-sectional study recruited males aged ≥18 years who reported sex with men in the past 12 months from 11 PrEP clinics in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Intimate Partner Violence Experiences among Men Who Have Sex in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is a pressing issue among men who have sex with men (MSM) and has profound health implications. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of IPV and identify factors associated with its occurrence among MSM in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2023 at an MSM-friendly sexual health clinic in Hanoi.

A new species of the genus Scincella (Squamata: Scincidae) from Mount Fansipan, Hoang Lien Son Range, northwestern Vietnam.

We describe a new species of the genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950 from northwestern Vietnam, based on a new collection of ground skinks from Mount Fansipan of the Hoang Lien Son Range in Lao Cai Province. Scincella fansipanensis sp. nov.

Preferences and Acceptability of Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections in an HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis clinic in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) using HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) are a vulnerable population with a high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Self-collection of specimens could improve STI testing, yet implementation in low-resource settings is limited. The study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of self-collection for STI testing and to understand STI testing preferences among PrEP clients in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Antimicrobial susceptibilities of oral Neisseria from men on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) is an urgent global health concern. Commensal Neisseria species in the oropharynx are an important reservoir of AMR genes that are transferred to N.

Combined diet and exercise training decreases serum lipids associated with insulin resistance.

Objective: Circulating lipids are linked with insulin resistance and increased cardiovascular disease risk. We previously reported that dihydroceramides, a specific type of sphingolipid, are elevated in insulin-resistant individuals; however, little is known regarding whether insulin-sensitizing lifestyle interventions can improve profiles of sphingolipids and other lipid species.

Methods: A total of 21 individuals with obesity participated in a 3-month lifestyle intervention of combined weight loss and exercise training.

Flexible paper-based Ag dendritic SERS chips for rapid detection of thiram residues on pear skin.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful, highly efficient analytical technique capable of providing label-free, non-invasive, rapid, and ultrasensitive molecular detection down to the single-molecule level. Despite its advantages, SERS remains largely confined to laboratory settings due to the complexities of substrate fabrication and challenges in analyzing real-world samples. Developing flexible SERS substrates that achieve both high fabrication efficiency and high sensing performance, while being practical for field applications, is critical for advancing SERS toward broader, real-world use.

What could be the low-temperature limit of atomic layer deposition of platinum using MeCpPtMe and oxygen?

We explore the low-temperature limit of atomic layer deposition of Pt using MeCpPtMe and O. We reveal that by supplying a sufficiently high O exposure, highly dispersed and thermally stable Pt sub-nanometer clusters can be deposited onto the surface of P25 TiO nanoparticles even at room temperature by atmospheric-pressure ALD.

Facile Synthesis of 1,2-Disubstituted Benzimidazoles as Potent Cytotoxic Agents.

Benzimidazoles have a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological properties, including anticancer activity. This study reports the facile synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of twenty-eight 1,2-disubstituted benzimidazoles (6a-β), based on condensation reactions between N-benzyl o-phenylenediamine and benzylamine. The reactions were solvent-free, with the use of NaSO as an inexpensive and environmentally friendly oxidizing agent, and progressed rapidly.

Optimizing 5-aminosalicylate for moderate ulcerative colitis: expert recommendations from the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa Inflammatory Bowel Disease Coalition.

The lack of clear definition and classification for "moderate ulcerative colitis (UC)" creates ambiguity regarding the suitability of step-up versus top-down treatment approaches. In this paper, experts address crucial gaps in assessing and managing moderate UC. The Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa Inflammatory Bowel Disease Coalition comprised 24 experts who convened to share, discuss and vote electronically on management recommendations for moderate UC.

Osteosarcoma patient with Li-Fraumeni syndrome: the first case report in Vietnam.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a hereditary disorder characterized by an increased risk of developing multiple early-onset cancers, primarily due to germline mutations. Women and men with this mutation face lifetime cancer risks of 90% and 70%, respectively. This report describes the first documented case of LFS with clinical information in Vietnam involving a 9-year-old child diagnosed with osteosarcoma who had multiple first- and second-degree relatives with cancer.

Flexible SERS chips for rapid on-site detection of tricyclazole pesticide in agricultural products.

A flexible, ultrasensitive, and practical SERS chip is presented based on a paper/f-TiO/Ag structure. The chip enhances the self-assembly of Ag nanoparticles on a cellulose fiber matrix, facilitated by smart functionalized TiO nanomaterials (f-TiO). This design enables superior detection of the hazardous pesticide tricyclazole (TCZ) on crops using an advanced, simple, and efficient analytical method.

Milk exosome-infused fibrous matrix for treatment of acute wound.

To provide an advanced therapy for wound recovery, in this study, pasteurized bovine milk-derived exosomes (mEXO) are immobilized onto a polydopamine (PDA)-coated hyaluronic acid (HA)-based electrospun nanofibrous matrix (mEXO@PMAT) via a simple dip-coating method to formulate an mEXO-immobilized mesh as a wound-healing biomaterial. Purified mEXOs (∼82 nm) contain various anti-inflammatory, cell proliferation, and collagen synthesis-related microRNAs (miRNAs), including let-7b, miR-184, and miR-181a, which elicit elevated mRNA expression of keratin5, keratin14, and collagen1 in human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and fibroblasts (HDF). The mEXOs immobilized onto the PDA-coated meshes are gradually released from the meshes over 14 days without burst-out effect.

Developmental Competence of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Embryos and Interspecies ICSI Zygotes From Bovine Small Antral Follicles.

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) play a crucial role in conserving threatened wildlife species such as Bos gaurus. ART requires a large number of mature oocytes, and small antral follicles (SAFs) in the ovary are often used to obtain abundant sources of bovine oocytes. However, oocytes from SAFs often experience difficulty completing maturation and obtaining high quality and quantity of blastocyst formation compared to fully grown oocytes.

Enhancement of Bioactive Compounds and Survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus Grown in the Omega-6, -7 Riched Cyanobacteria Spirulina platensis.

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a probiotic commonly used in aquaculture to enhance the growth and immune system of aquatic species through the synthesis of various enzymes, and antimicrobial compounds like lactic acid. Traditional method of growing L. acidophilus involes using the De Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS) medium.