Preparation and characterization of spiked gold nanobipyramids and its antibacterial effect on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus.

Background: This paper reports the preparation of a new family of spiked gold nanoparticles, spiked gold nanobipyramids (SNBPs). This protocol includes the process to synthesize gold nanobipyramids (NBPs) using combined seed-mediated and microwave-assisted method and procedure to form spikes on whole surface of gold nanobipyramid. We also evaluated the antibacterial activity against both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) in various concentrations of SNBPs and NBPs by well diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) determination.

Lessons for Vietnam on the Use of Digital Technologies to Support Patient-Centered Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries in the Asia-Pacific Region: Scoping Review.

Background: A rapidly aging population, a shifting disease burden and the ongoing threat of infectious disease outbreaks pose major concerns for Vietnam's health care system. Health disparities are evident in many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, and the population faces inequitable access to patient-centered health care. Vietnam must therefore explore and implement advanced solutions to the provision of patient-centered care, with a view to reducing pressures on the health care system simultaneously.

Expanding control of the tumor cell cycle with a CDK2/4/6 inhibitor.

The CDK4/6 inhibitor, palbociclib (PAL), significantly improves progression-free survival in HR/HER2 breast cancer when combined with anti-hormonals. We sought to discover PAL resistance mechanisms in preclinical models and through analysis of clinical transcriptome specimens, which coalesced on induction of MYC oncogene and Cyclin E/CDK2 activity. We propose that targeting the G kinases CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6 with a small-molecule overcomes resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition.

Dissecting the molecular determinants of clinical PARP1 inhibitor selectivity for tankyrase1.

Poly-ADP-ribosyltransferases play a critical role in DNA repair and cell death, and poly(ADP-ribosyl) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a particularly important therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer because of its synthetic lethal relationship with breast cancer susceptibility proteins 1 and 2. Numerous PARP1 inhibitors have been developed, and their efficacy in cancer treatment is attributed to both the inhibition of enzymatic activity and their ability to trap PARP1 on to the damaged DNA, which is cytotoxic. Of the clinical PARP inhibitors, talazoparib is the most effective at trapping PARP1 on damaged DNA.

A case of Trypanosoma evansi in a German Shepherd dog in Vietnam.

A 2.5-year-old male German Shepherd was presented to a private veterinary clinic in Hanoi, Vietnam showing anorexia, weakness, lethargy, reluctant to go for walks with a recent history of intermittent fever. Clinical examination of the dog showed pale mucous membrane, impaired eyesight, edema of the back legs.

"I can make more from selling medicine when breaking the rules" - understanding the antibiotic supply network in a rural community in Viet Nam.

Background: As in many other low and middle income countries (LIMCs), Vietnam has experienced a major growth in the pharmaceutical industry, with large numbers of pharmacies and drug stores, and increasing drug expenditure per capita over the past decade. Despite regulatory frameworks that have been introduced to control the dispensing and use of prescription-only drugs, including antibiotics, compliance has been reported to be strikingly low particularly in rural parts of Vietnam. This qualitative study aimed to understand antibiotic access and use practices in the community from both supplier and consumer perspectives in order to support the identification and development of future interventions.

Design and measurement in a study of war exposure, health, and aging: protocol for the Vietnam health and aging study.

Background: Survivors of war throughout the world experience illnesses and injuries that are crucial to understand, given the ongoing treatment and adaptation they demand. In developing countries like Vietnam, where population aging and chronic disease burdens are rapidly rising, aging populations have seen a disproportionate share of armed conflict and related casualties. This paper describes the Vietnam Health and Aging Study (VHAS), a unique resource for investigating mechanisms of association between diverse exposures to armed conflict during the Vietnam War and multiple dimensions of older adult health among survivors of that war.

Perspectives of Engineered Marine Derived Polymers for Biomedical Nanoparticles.

Marine environment exhibits an enormous diversity of organisms which contains an abundant source of polysaccharides. As polymer matrix carriers, marine-based polymers possess several valuable properties including high stability, non-toxicity, hydrophilicity, biodegradability, with low production cost. Despite notable biological activities of these natural polymers, there are certain limitations in exploring their functions in applications of nano-sized drug delivery systems.

Amorphous isradipine nanosuspension by the sonoprecipitation method.

The aims of this study are to increase and explain the mechanism of dissolution enhancement of isradipine using the sonoprecipitation method for stable nanosuspensions. There have been still few of published researches on formulation of isradipine using nanoparticle engineering. Nanosuspension systems were prepared upon various factors including amplitude and the time length of ultrasonication.

Breastfeeding practices in urban and rural Vietnam.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe and compare breastfeeding practices in rural and urban areas of Vietnam and to study associations with possibly influencing person and household factors. This type of study has not been conducted in Vietnam before.

Methods: Totally 2,690 children, born from 1st March 2008 to 30th June 2010 in one rural and one urban Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, were followed from birth to the age of 12 months.

Design and synthesis of novel N-hydroxy-dihydronaphthyridinones as potent and orally bioavailable HIV-1 integrase inhibitors.

HIV-1 integrase (IN) is one of three enzymes encoded by the HIV genome and is essential for viral replication, and HIV-1 IN inhibitors have emerged as a new promising class of therapeutics. Recently, we reported the synthesis of orally bioavailable azaindole hydroxamic acids that were potent inhibitors of the HIV-1 IN enzyme. Here we disclose the design and synthesis of novel tricyclic N-hydroxy-dihydronaphthyridinones as potent, orally bioavailable HIV-1 integrase inhibitors displaying excellent ligand and lipophilic efficiencies.

Azaindole N-methyl hydroxamic acids as HIV-1 integrase inhibitors-II. The impact of physicochemical properties on ADME and PK.

HIV-1 integrase is one of three enzymes encoded by the HIV genome and is essential for viral replication, and HIV-1 IN inhibitors have emerged as a new promising class of therapeutics. Recently, we reported the discovery of azaindole hydroxamic acids that were potent inhibitors of the HIV-1 IN enzyme. N-Methyl hydroxamic acids were stable against oxidative metabolism, however were cleared rapidly through phase 2 glucuronidation pathways.

Azaindole hydroxamic acids are potent HIV-1 integrase inhibitors.

HIV-1 integrase (IN) is one of three enzymes encoded by the HIV genome and is essential for viral replication. Recently, HIV-1 IN inhibitors have emerged as a new promising class of therapeutics. Herein, we report the discovery of azaindole carboxylic acids and azaindole hydroxamic acids as potent inhibitors of the HIV-1 IN enzyme and their structure-activity relationships.