Evolution and transmission of antibiotic resistance is driven by Beijing lineage in Vietnam.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) infection is a growing and potent concern, and combating it will be necessary to achieve the WHO's goal of a 95% reduction in TB deaths by 2035. While prior studies have explored the evolution and spread of drug resistance, we still lack a clear understanding of the fitness costs (if any) imposed by resistance-conferring mutations and the role that genetic lineage plays in determining the likelihood of resistance evolution. This study offers insight into these questions by assessing the dynamics of resistance evolution in a high-burden Southeast Asian setting with a diverse lineage composition.

Uniform Silver Nanowire Patterned Electrode on Robust PEN Substrate Using Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Underlayer.

Silver nanowire (AgNW) electrodes are among the most essential flexible transparent electrodes (FTEs) emerging as promising alternatives to brittle indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. The polymer comprising the plastic substrate to which the AgNWs are applied must also satisfy the mechanical requirements of the final device and withstand the device processing conditions. However, AgNW-based FTEs have some limitations, such as poor adhesion to coated plastic substrates, surface roughness, and difficulty in patterning.

Patterned Sandwich-Type Silver Nanowire-Based Flexible Electrode by Photolithography.

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) are one of the important flexible electrode material candidates that can replace brittle indium tin oxide (ITO). In this work, we demonstrated novel patterned sandwich-type AgNW-based transparent electrodes easily prepared using the photolithography method for application in flexible devices. A cross-linked underlayer was introduced to increase the adhesion properties between a poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate and AgNWs, and as a result, a uniform AgNW layer was easily deposited.

Improved Stability of All-Polymer Solar Cells Using Crosslinkable Donor and Acceptor Polymers Bearing Vinyl Moieties in the Side-Chains.

Crosslinkable polymers have attracted tremendous attention in various fields of science and technology, owing to their potential utilization in applications requiring dimensional and morphological stability under thermal and mechanical stress. In this study, random terpolymers were successfully synthesized by introducing thiophene-based monomers bearing vinyl functional groups in the side-chain of the polymer donor () and polymer acceptor () structures. The physical properties of the blend films of and before and after thermal crosslinking were extensively investigated and compared to those of the homogeneous individual polymer films.

Development of a comprehensive screening method for more than 300 organic chemicals in water samples using a combination of solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry.

A comprehensive screening method for 311 organic compounds with a wide range of physicochemical properties (log Pow -2.2-8.53) in water samples was developed by combining solid-phase extraction with liquid chromatography-high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial of Lactobacillus acidophilus for the Treatment of Acute Watery Diarrhea in Vietnamese Children.

Background: Probiotics are the most frequently prescribed treatment for children hospitalized with diarrhea in Vietnam. We were uncertain of the benefits of probiotics for the treatment of acute watery diarrhea in Vietnamese children.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of children hospitalized with acute watery diarrhea in Vietnam.

A universal genome sequencing method for rotavirus A from human fecal samples which identifies segment reassortment and multi-genotype mixed infection.

Background: Genomic characterization of rotavirus (RoV) has not been adopted at large-scale due to the complexity of obtaining sequences for all 11 segments, particularly when feces are used as starting material.

Methods: To overcome these limitations, we developed a novel RoV capture and genome sequencing method combining commercial enzyme immunoassay plates and a set of routinely used reagents.

Results: Our approach had a 100% success rate, producing >90% genome coverage for diverse RoV present in fecal samples (Ct < 30).

Screening of 1300 organic micro-pollutants in groundwater from Beijing and Tianjin, North China.

Groundwater contamination in China has become a growing public concern because of the country's rapid economic development and dramatically increasing fresh water demand. However, there is little information available on groundwater quality, particularly with respect to trace organic micro-pollutants contamination. This study was undertaken to investigate the occurrence of 1300 pollutants at 27 groundwater sites in Beijing and Tianjin, North China.

The impact of albendazole treatment on the incidence of viral- and bacterial-induced diarrhea in school children in southern Vietnam: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Anthelmintics are one of the more commonly available classes of drugs to treat infections by parasitic helminths (especially nematodes) in the human intestinal tract. As a result of their cost-effectiveness, mass school-based deworming programs are becoming routine practice in developing countries. However, experimental and clinical evidence suggests that anthelmintic treatments may increase susceptibility to other gastrointestinal infections caused by bacteria, viruses, or protozoa.

Drug Authorization for Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir (Harvoni) for Chronic HCV Infection in a Real-World Cohort: A New Barrier in the HCV Care Cascade.

Background: New treatments for hepatitis C (HCV) infection hold great promise for cure, but numerous challenges to diagnosing, establishing care, and receiving therapy exist. There are limited data on insurance authorization for these medications.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients receiving sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LED) from October 11-December 31, 2014 to determine rates and timing of drug authorization.

Groundwater screening for 940 organic micro-pollutants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Groundwater is the main source of drinking water for more than half of the residents of Hanoi (HN). It also provides about one third of the total water demand for residents of Ho Chi Minh City (HCM). However, due to rapid urbanization and frequent discharges of untreated urban wastewater to surface water, freshwater is widely contaminated by man-made chemicals, which may result in groundwater pollution.

Occurrence of perfluoroalkyl acids in environmental waters in Vietnam.

This is the first nationwide study of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in environmental waters in Vietnam. Twenty-eight river water and 22 groundwater samples collected in four major cities and 14 river water samples from the Red River were screened to investigate the occurrence and sources of 16 PFAAs. Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were the most prevalent of 11 detected PFAAs with maximum concentrations in urban river water of 5.

Monitoring of 1300 organic micro-pollutants in surface waters from Tianjin, North China.

In spite of the quantities and species of chemicals dramatically increased with rapid economic growth in China in the last decade, the focus of environmental research was mainly on limited number of priority pollutants. Therefore, to elucidate environmental pollution by organic micro-pollutants, this work was conducted as the first systematic survey on the occurrence of 1300 substances in 20 surface water samples of Tianjin, North China, selected as a representative area of China. The results showed the presence of 227 chemicals.

Common polymorphisms in the CD43 gene region are associated with tuberculosis disease and mortality.

CD43, a surface glycoprotein, regulates Mycobacterium tuberculosis macrophage binding, replication, and proinflammatory cytokine induction in a murine model. We hypothesized that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CD43 gene region are associated with human tuberculosis (TB) susceptibility. We performed a case-population study in discovery (352 TB cases and 382 control subjects) and validation cohorts (339 TB cases and 376 control subjects).

Most cases of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV-uninfected patients in Vietnam are due to a distinct amplified fragment length polymorphism-defined cluster of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii VN1.

Cryptococcal disease most commonly occurs in patients with an underlying immune deficit, most commonly HIV infection, and is due to Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. Occasionally disease due to this variety occurs in apparently immunocompetent patients.

AIDS‐associated Cryptococcus neoformans and Penicillium marneffei coinfection: a therapeutic dilemma in resource‐limited settings.

AIDS‐associated Cryptococcus neoformans and Penicillium marneffei coinfection has not been adequately studied and poses unique therapeutic challenges in resource‐limited settings. Itraconazole poorly penetrates the central nervous system, whereas fluconazole has poor activity against P. marneffei.

A simple score to predict the outcome of severe malaria in adults.

Background: World Health Organization treatment guidelines recommend that adults with severe malaria be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). However, ICU facilities are limited in the resource-poor settings where most malaria occurs. Identification of patients at greater risk of complications may facilitate their triage and resource allocation.