Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oils from Zingiber montanum (J. Koenig) Link ex. A. Dietr. against three mosquito vectors / Composición química y actividad larvicida de aceites esenciales de Zingiber montanum (J. Koenig) Link ex. A. Dietr. contra tres vectores de mosquitos

The chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oils derived from the leaves and rhizomes of Zingiber montanum (J. Koenig) Link ex. A. Dietr. were reported. The main compounds in the leaf oil were ß-pinene (13.8%), ß-phellandrene (11.3%) and α-pinene (7.3%) while the rhizome oil was dominated by sabinene (41.1%), terpinen-4-ol (22.7%) and (E)-nerolidol (14.3%). The minimum lethal concentration (larvicidal activity) LC50of the rhizome oil at 24 h against Aedes albopictus was 35.17 µg/mL, while LC50 values of 32.20 µg/mL and 31.12 µg/mL were obtained against Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus respectively. At 48 h the oil displayed larvicidal action with LC50 values of 23.18 µg/mL, 25.58 µg/mL and 18.99 µg/mL respectively towards Ae. albopictus, Ae. Aegyptiand Cx. quinquefasciatus. The leaf oil did not exhibit significant mortality and larvicidal action. The results indicate the potential of rhizome essential oil of Z. montanumas a source of larvicidal agent.

En el presente trabajo se reportan la composición química y actividad larvicida de los aceites esenciales obtenidos de hojas y rizomas de Zingiber montanum (J. Koenig) Link ex. A. Dietr. Los principales compuestos en el aceite de hojas fueron ß-pineno (13.8%), ß-felandrene (11.3%) y α-pineno (7.3%); mientras que los más abundantes en el aceite de rizomas fueron sabineno (41.1%), terpinen-4-ol (22.7%) y (E)-nerolidol (14.3%). La concentración letal mínima (actividad larvicida) LC50 del aceite de riomas ante Aedes albopictus fue 35.17 µg/mL, mientras que los valores de LC50 de 32.20 µg/mL y 31.12 µg/mL fueron obtenidos ante Aedes aegyptiy Culex quinquefasciatus respectivamente. A las 48 horas, el aceite mostró acción larvicida con valores de LC50 de 23.18 µg/mL, 25.58 µg/mL y 18.99 µg/mL respectivamente, ante Ae. albopictus, Ae. Aegyptiand Cx. quinquefasciatus. El aceite de hojas no mostró mortalidad ni acción larvicida significativa. Los resultados indican el potencial del aceite esencial de rizomas de Z. montanum como una fuente de agentes larvicidas.

Effect of Diquafosol on Hyperosmotic Stress-induced Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Interleukin-6 Expression in Human Corneal Epithelial Cells

Quantitative measure of self-perceived gender relations in young women in the mekong delta of vietnam

Background: The conceptualization and measurement of gender-based relations and equity are still challenging to researchers worldwide. Given a growing number of health studies which want to take into account the roles of gender relations, there is a need for quantitative measures of this determinant

Objectives: Based on the theory of gender and power and results from our previous qualitative work, this analysis aims to examine the applicability, reliability, and validity of a set of self-perceived gender-relation measures in the Mekong delta of Vietnam

Methods: Data came from a cross-sectional survey of 1181 undergraduate female students from two universities. Second-order latent variable modeling was used to examine applicability of theoretical structures and validity of measuring items. Single-factor modeling was employed to screen for the most relevant dimensions of self-perceived gender relations

Results: The second-order modeling showed good fit, suggesting that the theory well explained self-perceptions of gender relations. The consistency of models across 500 hypothetical bootstrapping samples further substantiated factorial validity of measures. Students who ever had a boyfriend held slightly different perceptions of gender relations compared to those who never had a boyfriend

Conclusions: The final parsimonious set of measures which had best loadings onto perceived subordination consisted of ten dimensions; this provides a practical application to measure self-perceived gender relations in other health research

The Value of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Vancomycin in Treatment in a Tertiary Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital, Viet Nam.

Aims: To evaluate the value of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of vancomycin in clinical practice. Methods: To review retrospectively on 292 hospital cases (111 females, 181 males) treated with vancomycin, July to October 2014, at ChoRay Hospital. The main evaluating parameters were TDM criteria for vancomycin (dose, dosing interval, times of monitoring), trough level, dose adjustment, renal function follow-up, minimum inhibitory concentration of infectious agents, clinical response. Results: Two hundred seventy-five patients (94.2%) received routine dose of 1 g vancomycin per IV infusion time. Dosing interval was given correctly to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level 80.8% (235/291). The 1st monitoring after 9th dose was in 139 cases (47.6%). Trough level was lower than 10 mg/L in 86 patients (29.5%), higher than 20 mg/L in 96 (32.9%), and 110 in optimal range 10-20 mg/L (37.7%). Age and eGFR were 2 independent predictors for trough level. Dose adjustment were done in 6.9% (6/86) patients ≤ 10 mg/L, 20.8% (20/96) ones >20 mg/L, and 11.8% (13/110) ones 10-20 mg/L. Vancomycin concentrations in young patients were lower than those in elderly ones with OR = 5.9 [95%CI: 2.6 – 14.0], p = 0.0001. Response sensitivity was 69.3% (13/19) for dose reduction, and 83.3% (5/6) for dose increase. Dose adjustment did not make change in trough level compared to unadjusted ones. Nephrotoxicity rate was found as 8.4%. Treatment failure was 50% in patients with trough concentration/minimum inhibition concentration ratio ≤ 10 compared to 15% in ones with higher ratio > 10, p = 0.034. The failure rate was highest in patients received vancomycin ≤ 7 days (22/70: 31.4%), OR: 4 (2.0-7.7) p=0.002. The clinical AUC/MIC ratio cut-off, 190 mg/L/day, had 75.9% and 66.7%, respectively for sensitivity and specificity to predict the success result in treatment. Conclusion: The criteria of TDM on vancomycin were not applied strictly, especially for dosing intervals, dosing adjustment and follow-up thereafter. The clinical pharmacodynamics of vancomycin is dependent on both concentration and duration of treatment.

Development of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for dietary studies--focus on vitamin C intake.

The present work aimed to provide a basis for examination of intake of selected food items determined with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) and planned-food selection (PFS). From February to July of 2003, ninety one cancer patients and 90 matched (same sex and age within 5 years) non-cancer patients were directly interviewed by trained interviewers using the designed questionnaire at the inpatient-department of Viet Duc hospital, Ha Noi City, Viet Nam. Study subjects consumed more SQFFQ-food items than PFS-food items, so that the latter method might not accurately reflect dietary habits regarding estimation of nutrient intake, especially vitamins. Because these are beneficial factors acting against cancer development at many sites, the absence of food items selected by SQFFQ may result in a poor database regarding possible confounding factors. For futher clarification we then focused on vitamin C contributions of Vietnamese food and analyzed data of the National Nutritional Household Survey in 2000: 7,686 households throughout the country (vitamin C intake status) and 158 households with 741 persons of the population of Hanoi city (individual food items contributing to vitamin C). Direct interview using a validated questionnaire with an album of current Vietnamese food items-recipes and weighing checks was conducted to obtain information regarding all types of food intake over the last 24-hours. Contribution analysis using the Nutritive Composition Table of Vietnamese Foods, revision 2000, and stepwise regression analysis was applied. Average intake adjusted by ages of vitamin C per person per day was estimated. In total, the study subjects were found to currently consume 184 food items. Average intake of vitamin C was 72.5 mg per person per day at the national level: 57.9% from leafy vegetables, 33.4% from fresh fruits, and 6.4% from non-leafy vegetables. For vitamin C contribution, the highest 25 food items contributed to a cumulative 95.3% of vitamin C intake with a cumulative R2=0.99.

Gastric and colo-rectal cancer mortality in Viet Nam in the years 2005-2006.

BACKGROUND: The International Collaborative Epidemiological Study of Host and Environmental Factors for Stomach and Colorectal Cancers in Southeast Asian Countries (SEACs) has been conducted in Viet Nam from 2003 to 2008 on a case-control basis. For further effective primary prevention, we examined gastric and colorectal cancer mortality nationwide in eight regions of Viet Nam in 2005-06. METHODS: Both demographic data and lists of all deaths in 2005-06 were obtained from all 10,769 commune health stations in Viet Nam. Five indicators included name, age, sex, date of death and cause of death was collected for each case. We selected only communes having the list of deaths with clear cause for each case and crude mortality rate for all causes from 300-600/100,000 as published by the Ministry of Health for a reasonable accuracy and completeness. Obtained data for all causes, all cancers, stomach and colorectal cancer deaths as well as demographic information were processed using Excel software and exported to STATA 8.0 for estimation of world age-standardized cancer mortality rates per 100,000. RESULTS: Data were available for 1,246 gastric cases, (819 male and 427 female) with age-standardized mortality rates from 12.7 to 31.3 per 100,000 in males and from 5.9 to 10.3 per 100,000 in females in the 8 regions of the country. For colorectal cancers, 542 cases (268 male and 274 female) gave mortality rates from 4.0 to 11.3 per 100,000 in males and from 3.0 to 7.8 per 100,000 in females. DISCUSSION: Stomach cancer mortality in males in the region of North East in the North Viet Nam (2005-06) was higher than that in Japan (2002) (31.3 versus 28.7 per 100,000) while colorectal cancer in Viet Nam was lower. While prevalence of Helicobacter pyloris infection in Viet Nam was from 70-75% in both males and females, the stomach cancer rate in males was significantly higher than in females, 31.3 versus 6.8 per 100,000, suggesting an influence of other environmental risk factors. Whether protective factors are operating against colorectal cancer in Viet Nam now needs to be explored.

Results of medical arthropod surveys in the natural conserve zone- Can Gio mangrove forests, Ho Chi Minh city

Background: Can Gio mangrove forest is bio-diversified area. There is few studies on medical arthropod in Can Gio mangrove forest until now. Objective: To study bio-diversified feature and identify species with disease transmitting role. Subject and Method: In 2007, medical arthropod surveys were conducted at 3 sites located in the natural conserve zone- Can Gio mangrove forest. A cross-sectional study was used. Results and Conclusions: A total of samples of 6178 individuals of medical arthropod belonging to 65 species have been collected, including 3 species of flea (Siphonaptera), 1 species of ticks (Ixodidae), 6 species of chiggers (Trombiculidae), 6 species of mites (Gamasoidea), 25 species of flies (Muscoidea) and 24 species of mosquitoes (Culicidae). They belong to 37 genus, 17 families, 3 orders (Siphonaptera, Acarina and Diptera), and 2 classes (Insecta and Arachnida). 20 species having epidemiological role were found in Can Gio mangrove forest. The rate of Anopheles epiroticus biting human at night indoor, outdoor and daytime indoor is rather high, especially at the end of dry season at centre of the forest.

Result of investigation on medical arthropod in some place along Ho Chi Minh road in Cao Bang province

Background: In the period 2006-2010, a investigation on medical arthropod has been conducted\r\n', u'Objective: 1) To determine species composition and distribution of medical arthropod. 2) To find species transmitted disease \r\n', u'Subject and method: The cross sectional, descriptive and analytic investigation was conducted in 3 communes along the Ho Chi Minh road in Cao Bang province. \r\n', u'Results and conclusion: : A total of 3.437 of samples of medical arthropod belonging to 96 species have been collected including: three species of flea (Siphonaptera), two species of tick (Ixodoidea), four species of chigges (Trombiculidae), ten species of mites (Gamasoidea), twenty four species of flies (Muscoidea), and fifty-three species of mosquito (Culicidae). They belong to 39 genuses, 17 families, 3 orders: (Siphonaptera, Acarina and Diptera); two classes (Insecta and Arachnida). \r\n', u'Some species having epidemiological role such as Aedes albopictus, Culex tritaeniorhyncus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. vishnui ... were predominant at all study sites. Anopheles minimus, the main malaria vector, was mainly collected in cattle- sheds in Truong Ha and Bach Dang communes. \r\n', u'

Investigation on flavonoids extracted from Pericarpium

5 flavonoids, named He,Hg (genin of He), A, C, and D were isolated from the peel of Citrus reticu-lata. By comparing with melting points, UV and IR spectra of reference substances, the structure of He, Hg, C and D were shown to be hesperidin, hesperetin, tangeretin and nobiletin