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Objective@#This study aimed to compare the efficacy of physiological intracytoplasmic sperm injection (PICSI) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in terms of the fertilization rate and embryo quality using sibling oocyte cycles. @*Methods@#This prospective, cross-sectional study collected data from 76 couples who underwent their first cycle at the Hue Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Vietnam, between May 2019 and November 2021. The inclusion criteria were cycles with at least eight oocytes and a sperm concentration of 5×106/mL. Sperm parameters, sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), fertilization, and the quality of cleavage-stage embryos on day 2 and blastocysts on day 5 were examined. @*Results@#From 76 ICSI cycles, 1,196 metaphase II (MII) oocytes were retrieved, half of which were randomly allocated to either the PICSI (n=592) or ICSI (n=604) treatment group. The results showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of fertilization (72.80% vs. 75.33%, p=0.32), day 2 cleavage rate (95.13% vs. 96.04%, p=0.51), blastulation rate (52.68% vs. 57.89%), and high-quality blastocyst rate (26.10% vs. 31.13%, p=0.13). However, in cases where SDF was low, 59 cycles consisting of 913 MII oocytes produced a considerably higher blastulation rate with PICSI than with ICSI (50.49% vs. 35.65%, p=0.00). There were no significant differences between the pregnancy outcomes of the PICSI and ICSI embryo groups following embryo transfer. @*Conclusion@#Using variable sperm quality provided no benefit for PICSI versus ICSI in terms of embryo outcomes. When SDF is low, PICSI appears to be able to produce more blastocysts.
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As the associations of sperm DNA fragmentation with morphology have not been examined in detail, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between abnormalities of morphological details and DNA integrity in human sperm. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, men from infertile couples were enrolled at Hue Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Vietnam. Conventional semen parameters, including morphological details, were analyzed following the World Health Organization 2010 criteria. Sperm DNA fragmentation was evaluated using a sperm chromatin dispersion assay. The relationships and correlations between semen parameters, sperm morphology, and the type of halosperm and the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were analyzed. Results: Among 130 men in infertile couples, statistically significant differences were not found in the sperm halo type between the normal and abnormal sperm morphology groups. The percentage of round-head spermatozoa was higher in the DFI >15% group (16.98%±12.50%) than in the DFI ≤15% group (13.13% ±8.82%), higher values for amorphous heads were found in the DFI >15% group, and lower values for tapered heads were observed in the DFI ≤15% group; however, these differences were not statistically significant. Small-halo sperm and the DFI were positively correlated with round-head sperm (r=0.243, p=0.005 and r=0.197, p=0.025, respectively). Conclusion: The rate of general sperm morphological abnormalities in semen analysis was not related to sperm DNA integrity. However, round sperm heads were closely associated with sperm DNA fragmentation.
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Ischemic diseases are conditions associated with the restriction or blockage of blood supply to specific tissues. These conditions can cause moderate to severe complications in patients, and can lead to permanent disabilities. Since they are blood vessel-related diseases, ischemic diseases are usually treated with endothelial cells or endothelial progenitor cells that can regenerate new blood vessels. However, in recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown potent bioeffects on angiogenesis, thus playing a role in blood regeneration. Indeed, MSCs can trigger angiogenesis at ischemic sites by several mechanisms related to their trans-differentiation potential. These mechanisms include inhibition of apoptosis, stimulation of angiogenesis via angiogenic growth factors, and regulation of immune responses, as well as regulation of scarring to suppress blood vessel regeneration when needed. However, preclinical and clinical trials of MSC transplantation in ischemic diseases have shown some limitations in terms of treatment efficacy. Such studies have emphasized the current challenges of MSC-based therapies. Treatment efficacy could be enhanced if the limitations were better understood and potentially resolved. This review will summarize some of the strategies by which MSCs have been utilized for ischemic disease treatment, and will highlight some challenges of those applications as well as suggesting some strategies to improve treatment efficacy.
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Ischemic diseases are conditions associated with the restriction or blockage of blood supply to specific tissues. These conditions can cause moderate to severe complications in patients, and can lead to permanent disabilities. Since they are blood vessel-related diseases, ischemic diseases are usually treated with endothelial cells or endothelial progenitor cells that can regenerate new blood vessels. However, in recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown potent bioeffects on angiogenesis, thus playing a role in blood regeneration. Indeed, MSCs can trigger angiogenesis at ischemic sites by several mechanisms related to their trans-differentiation potential. These mechanisms include inhibition of apoptosis, stimulation of angiogenesis via angiogenic growth factors, and regulation of immune responses, as well as regulation of scarring to suppress blood vessel regeneration when needed. However, preclinical and clinical trials of MSC transplantation in ischemic diseases have shown some limitations in terms of treatment efficacy. Such studies have emphasized the current challenges of MSC-based therapies. Treatment efficacy could be enhanced if the limitations were better understood and potentially resolved. This review will summarize some of the strategies by which MSCs have been utilized for ischemic disease treatment, and will highlight some challenges of those applications as well as suggesting some strategies to improve treatment efficacy.
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Background@#Hereditary diseases are considered one of the most common causes of death and morbidity in infants and children. It significantly burdens the health system, family, and society. Pre-marital testing is one of the most proactive and effective ways to prevent hereditary diseases, infectious diseases, and congenital abnormalities.@*Purpose@#To examine the level of knowledge and attitudes regarding pre-marital testing and the intention to practice pre-marital testing; and, To identify the correlation between knowledge, attitudes, and intention to practice pre-marital testing among midwifery students.@*Methods@#Adescriptive correlational study was conducted from May to July 2020 among 150 midwifery students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The research consists of a questionnaire with four main parts: demographic characteristics, knowledge about pre-marital testing, attitudes toward pre-marital testing, and intention to practice pre-marital testing. Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis were used for data analysis. The significance level of the statistical test was set up at α = .05.@*Results@#The average age of students was 21.73 years old, most of them were unmarried (98%). More than three-quarters (80.7%) of them had good knowledge about pre-marital testing and (88.7%) of them had a positive attitude towards pre-marital testing. Most students (94.7%) have an intention to use a pre-marital test and believe in its benefits. Knowledge was positively correlated with intention to practice pre-marital testing (X2 = 5.10, p = 0.02). Likewise, attitude toward pre-marital testing was positively correlated with the intention to practice pre-marital testing (X2 = 12.57, p < 0.001). @*Conclusions@#The findings emphasized the important role of health education which is a keystone in improving pre-marital knowledge, attitudes, and the practice of pre-marital testing to prevent hereditary diseases and improve people's health.
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Knowledge , AttitudeABSTRACT
Unfolded protein response (UPR) is a stress response that is specific to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). UPR is activated upon accumulation of unfolded (or misfolded) proteins in the ER's lumen to restore protein folding capacity by increasing the synthesis of chaperones. In addition, UPR also enhances degradation of unfolded proteins and reduces global protein synthesis to alleviate additional accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. Herein, we describe a cell-based ultra-high throughput screening (uHTS) campaign that identifies a small molecule that can modulate UPR and ER stress in cellular and
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Objectives@#Although the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative “My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene” has been lauded as effective in preventing hospital-associated infections, little is known about healthcare workers (HCWs)’ hand hygiene behavior. In this study, we sought to assess knowledge and attitudes towards the concepts in this initiative, as well as associated factors, among Vietnamese HCWs at a general hospital. @*Methods@#A structured questionnaire was administered to HCWs at a central Vietnamese general hospital in 2015. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with HCWs’ knowledge and attitudes towards hand hygiene. @*Results@#Of 120 respondents, 65.8% and 67.5% demonstrated appropriate knowledge and a positive attitude, respectively, regarding all 5 hand hygiene moments. Logistic regression indicated better knowledge of hand hygiene in workers who were over 30 years old, who were direct HCWs (rather than managers), who had frequent access to clinical information, and who received their clinical information from training. Those who worked in infectious and tropical disease wards, who had frequent access to clinical information, and who received information from training were more likely to have a positive attitude towards hand hygiene than their counterparts. @*Conclusions@#Although many Vietnamese HCWs displayed moderate knowledge and positive attitudes towards the WHO hand hygiene guidelines, a key gap remained. Regular education and training programs are needed to increase knowledge and to improve attitudes and practices towards hand hygiene. Furthermore, a combination of multimodal strategies and locally-adapted interventions is needed for sustainable hand hygiene adherence.
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Three yeast strains (Hue-1, Hue-8, and Hue-19) with strong heavy metal tolerance were isolated from mangosteen from Hue city, Vietnam. They exhibited identical phenotype and phylogeny. Sequence analysis of the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region demonstrated that the closest relative of these strains is Papiliotrema sp. with 2.12% and 3.55–3.7% divergence in the D1/D2 domain, and ITS domain, respectively. Based on the physiological, biochemical, and molecular data, the three strains belong to a novel species of Papiliotrema genus, for which the namePapiliotrema huenov sp. nov. is proposed. These strains are highly tolerant of heavy metals compared to other yeasts, being able to grow in the presence of 2 mM Pb (II), 2 mM Cd (II), and up to 5 mM Ni (II), but no growth was observed in the presence of 1 mM As (III).
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OBJECTIVE: Sperm cryopreservation has been widely used in assisted reproductive technology, as it offers great potential for the treatment of some types of male infertility. However, cryopreservation may result in changes in membrane lipid composition and acrosome status, as well as reductions in sperm motility and viability. This study aimed to evaluate sperm DNA fragmentation damage caused by conventional freezing using the sperm chromatin dispersion test. METHODS: In total, 120 fresh human semen samples were frozen by conventional methods, using SpermFreeze Solution as a cryoprotectant. Routine semen analysis and a Halosperm test (using the Halosperm kit) were performed on each sample before freezing and after thawing. Semen parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation were compared between these groups. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in sperm progressive motility, viability, and normal morphology after conventional freezing (32.78%, 79.58%, and 3.87% vs. 16%, 55.99%, and 2.55%, respectively). The sperm head, midpiece, and tail defect rate increased slightly after freezing. Furthermore, the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) was significantly higher after thawing than before freezing (19.21% prior to freezing vs. 22.23% after thawing). Significant increases in the DFI after cryopreservation were observed in samples with both normal and abnormal motility and morphology, as well as in those with normal viability. CONCLUSION: Conventional freezing seems to damage some sperm parameters, in particular causing a reduction in sperm DNA integrity.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Acrosome , Chromatin , Cryopreservation , DNA Fragmentation , DNA , Freezing , Infertility, Male , Membranes , Reproductive Techniques, Assisted , Semen , Semen Analysis , Sperm Head , Sperm Motility , Spermatozoa , TailABSTRACT
Despite their being uncommon, severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs) result in a very great burden of disease. These reactions not only carry with them a high mortality (10%–50%) and high morbidity (60%) with severe ocular complications, alopecia, oral and dental complications and development of autoimmune diseases, but also create a substantial economic burden for patients' families and society. SCARs are, therefore, an important medical problem needing a solution in many countries, especially in Asia. The clinical spectrum of SCARs comprises Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, DRESS (drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms) (also known as drug hypersensitivity syndrome or drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome) and acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis. Recent crucial advances in determining genetic susceptibility and understanding how T cells recognise certain medications or their metabolites via the major histocompatibility complex and the effects of cofactors, have led to the implementation of cost-effective screening programs enabling prevention in a number of countries, and to further understanding of the patho-mechanisms involved in SCARs and their significance. In this review, we document comprehensively the journey of SCARs from bedside to bench and outline future perspectives in SCARs research.
Subject(s)
Humans , Alopecia , Asia , Autoimmune Diseases , Cicatrix , Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions , Eosinophilia , Exanthema , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Hypersensitivity , Leukocytes , Major Histocompatibility Complex , Mass Screening , Mortality , Stevens-Johnson Syndrome , T-LymphocytesABSTRACT
Anaplasma marginale and A. platys were detected and characterized (16S rDNA sequence analysis) from dairy and indigenous cattle, and the latter in domestic dogs in Vietnam. A phylogenetic tree was inferred from 26 representative strains/species of Anaplasma spp. including 10 new sequences from Vietnam. Seven of our Vietnamese sequences fell into the clade of A. marginale and 3 into A. platys, with strong nodal support of 99 and 90%, respectively. Low genetic distances (0.2–0.4%) within each species supported the identification. Anaplasma platys is able to infect humans. Our discovery of this species in cattle and domestic dogs raises considerable concern about zoonotic transmission in Vietnam. Further systematic investigations are needed to gain data for Anaplasma spp. and members of Anaplasmataceae in animal hosts, vectors and humans across Vietnam.
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Animals , Cattle , Dogs , Humans , Anaplasma marginale , Anaplasma , Anaplasmataceae , Asian People , DNA, Ribosomal , Phylogeny , Trees , VietnamABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of the extract and fractions from Vietnamese red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea. Methods: The seaweed Laurencia dendroidea was extracted by using microwave-assisted extraction method in 80% methanol. The seaweed extract was then fractionated using different solvents (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and water). These obtained fractions were evaluated for α -glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. Antioxidant activities were tested using DPPH, nitric oxide radical scavenging and metal chelating assays. The enzyme inhibition mode was determined using Lineweaver-Burk plot. For acidic and thermal stabilities, the ethyl acetate fraction was treated at pH 2.0 and 100 °C, respectively. The residual inhibitory activity of the fraction was calculated based on the initial inhibitory activity. For in vivo antidiabetic activity, mice were divided into four groups, including normal control, diabetic control, diabetic mice treated with ethyl acetate fraction and diabetic mice treated with gliclazide. Blood glucose level of treated mice during acute and prolonged treatments was measured. To evaluate the toxicity of the ethyl acetate fraction, the body weight changes and activities of liver function enzymes (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and gamma-glutamyl transferase) were carried out. Results: The extract of Laurencia dendroidea showed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Methanolic concentrations affected both α-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. A 80% aqueous methanol was the suitable solvent for extraction of enzyme inhibitors and antioxidants. Among solvent fractions, ethyl acetate fraction had the highest inhibitory activities against α -glucosidase with a mixed type of inhibition and the strongest antioxidant activities, and was stable under acidic and thermal conditions. The ethyl acetate fraction treated diabetic mice significantly reduced blood glucose level compared with the diabetic control group (13.16 mmol/L vs. 22.75 mmol/L after 3 hours of treatment). Oral administration of ethyl acetate fraction did not exhibit toxicity at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight as determined by body weight changes and liver biochemical parameters. Conclusions: Laurencia dendroidea could be a potential source for production of antidiabetic and antioxidative agents.
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AbstractDengue fever is perhaps the most important viral re-emergent disease especially in tropical and sub-tropical countries, affecting about 50 million people around the world every year. In the Central Highlands regions of Vietnam, dengue fever still remains as a major public health issue. Although four viral serotypes have been currently identified, dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) was involved in the most important outbreaks during 2010-2012, especially, 2010 when the fatality rate highly increased. Detection of genotype of DENV2 provided information on origin, distribution and genotype of the virus. In this study, DEN-2 isolated from dengue patients during the 2010-2012 epidemics was amplified and sequenced with E gene. The consensus sequences were aligned with reference E gene sequences of globally available Genbank. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using Neighbor-joining and Kimura 2-parameter model to construct phylogenetic tree. A total of 15 isolates (seven from 2010; one from 2011 and seven from 2012) were obtained from human serum samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Asian genotype 1 is currently circulating locally in Central Highlands region. Isolates of this genotype were closely related to viruses from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. It indicated that these epidemics maybe imported into the Central Highlands region from South-East Asia neighbor countries. The study results would help in planning for prevention and control of dengue virus in Vietnam. Continuous monitoring of DENV genotypes is necessary to confirm the current findings and detect possible genotype shifts within the dengue viruses in the future.
ResumenPosiblemente, la fiebre del dengue es la enfermedad viral recurrente más importante en los países tropicales y subtropicales que afecta cerca de 50 millones de personas cada año en todo el mundo. En las regiones del Altiplano Central de Vietman, la fiebre del dengue aun se considera como una gran preocupación de salud pública. Aunque los cuatro serotipos virales han sido identificados, el virus del dengue tipo 2 (DENV-2) estuvo involucrado en el brote más importante durante el 2010-2012, especialmente en el 2010 cuando los índices de mortalidad aumentaron considerablemente. El descubrimiento del genotipo DENV-2 proporcionó información del origen, distribución y genotipo del virus. En este estudio, el serotipo DENV-2 identificado de pacientes con dengue durante las epidemias de 2010-2012 se amplificaron y secuenciaron con E gene. Las secuencias consenso se alinearon con secuencias de referencia mundiales de E gene disponibles en GenBank. El análisis filogenético se llevó a cabo utilizando el modelo Neighbor-joining y Kimura 2-parámetros para construir el árbol filogenético. Un total de 15 cepas (siete de 2010, una de 2011 y 7 de 2012) se obtuvieron de las muestras de suero humano. El análisis filogenético reveló que el genotipo asiático 1 circula localmente en la región del Altiplano Central. Las cepas de este genotipo estan muy relacionadas con los virus de Tailandia, Laos y Camboya. El análisis también indicó que estas epidemias pudieron migrar a la región del Altiplano Central desde los países vecinos del sureste asiático. Los resultados de este estudio pueden ayudar en la planificación de la prevención y el control del virus del dengue en Vietnam. Un monitoreo contante de los genotipos DENV es necesario para confirmar los hallazgos recientes y detectar los posibles cambios del genotipo de los virus del dengue en el futuro.
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The HLA B*58:01 allele has been worldwide reported as a pharmacogenetic susceptibility to allopurinol-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs). To prevent these life-threatening conditions, the American College of Rheumatology hingly recommended that the HLA-B*58:01 be screened prior to the initiation of allopurinol therapy. Therefore, we developed a rapid, robust, inexpensive screening method using SYBR® Green real time PCR to detect the HLA-B*58:01 allele. A total of 119 samples were tested. The assay has a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 69.15%-100%), a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 96.67%-100%), a positive predictive value of 100% (95% CI: 69.15%-100%) and a negative predictive value of 100% (95% CI: 96.67%-100%). HLA-B*58:01 genotyping results showed 100% agreement with those obtained from Luminex SSO/SBT/SSP. The lowest limit of detection of this method is 0.8 ng/µL of DNA. The unit cost of the test is only $3.8 USD. This novel screening test using SYBR® real time PCR would be appropriate to identify individuals with the HLA-B*58:01 allele for the prevention of allopurinol-induced SCARs.
Subject(s)
Alleles , Allopurinol , Cicatrix , DNA , HLA-B Antigens , Limit of Detection , Mass Screening , Methods , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Rheumatology , Sensitivity and Specificity , Stevens-Johnson SyndromeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In Vietnam, we observed a high incidence of carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs)-Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug-induced hypersensitivity rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). In other Asian countries, HLA-B*1502 is an established risk factor for SCARs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of HLA-B*1502 in SCARs patients at a large University Medical Center in Hanoi, Vietnam. METHODS: Thirty-eight cases of SCARs caused by CBZ and 25 patients with epilepsy tolerating CBZ were enrolled in a case-controlled study. Clinical manifestations and laboratory findings were recorded for each subject. Genomic DNA was isolated using the QIAamp DNA purification system. The combination of polymerase chain reaction and sequence specific oligonucleotide probes with the Luminex 100×MAP flow cytometry dual laser system was then used to quantitate fluorescently labelled oligonucleotides attached to colour-coded microbeads. RESULTS: Cases comprised 20 SJS (52.6%), 7 TEN (18.4%), 8 overlap syndrome (21.1%), and 3 DRESS patients (7.9%). A strong association between HLA B*1502 and bullous skin reactions such as SJS/TEN and overlap was confirmed with an odds ratio (OR) of 33.78 (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.55-151.03), p < 0.0001, Sensitivity 91.4%, Specificity 76.0%, positive predictive value 84.2%, and negative predictive value 86.4%. We did not, however, observe any correlation between the presence of this allele and CBZ-induced nonbullous skin reactions (DRESS) (OR, 6.33; 95% CI, 0.48-82.74; p = 0.1592). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate the presence of HLA-B*1502 in Vietnamese is a pharmacogenetic risk factor for developing CBZ-induced SJS/TEN.
Subject(s)
Humans , Academic Medical Centers , Alleles , Asian People , Carbamazepine , Case-Control Studies , Cicatrix , DNA , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions , Eosinophilia , Epilepsy , Exanthema , Flow Cytometry , HLA-B Antigens , Hypersensitivity , Incidence , Microspheres , Odds Ratio , Oligonucleotide Probes , Oligonucleotides , Pharmacogenetics , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Risk Factors , Sensitivity and Specificity , Skin , VietnamABSTRACT
Background Cost-effective interventions are needed to control the transmission of viral respiratory tract infections [RTIs] in mass gatherings. Facemasks are a promising preventive measure, however, previous studies on the efficacy of facemasks have been inconclusive. This study proposes a large-scale facemask trial during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabiaandpresents this protocol to illustrate its feasibility and to promote both collaboration with other research groups and additional relevant studies. Methods/design A cluster-r and omised controlled trial is being conducted to test the efficacy of st and ard facemasks in preventing symptomatic and proven viral RTIs among pilgrims during the Hajj season in Mina, Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The trial will compare the 'supervised use of facemasks' versus 'st and ard measures' among pilgrims over several Hajj seasons. Cluster-r and omisation will be done by accommodation tents with a 1:1 ratio. For the intervention tents, free facemasks will be provided to be worn consistently for 7 days. Data on flu-like symptoms and mask use will be recorded in diaries. Nasal samples will be collected from symptomatic recruits and tested for nucleic acid of respiratory viruses. Data obtained from questionnaires, diaries and laboratory tests will be analysed to examine whether mask use significantly reduces the frequency of laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infection and syndromic RTI as primary outcomes. Conclusions This trial will provide valuable evidence on the efficacy of st and ard facemask use in preventing viral respiratory tract infections at mass gatherings. This study is registered at the Australian New Zeal and Clinical Trials Registry [ANZCTR], ACTRN: ACTRN12613001018707 [http://www.anzctr.org.au]
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Falls are the most frequently reported adverse events in inpatient settings. We conducted a retrospective case-control study of inpatient falls within aged care wards in a tertiary hospital to investigate the associated characteristics of elderly patients suffering from falls and fall-related characteristics.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Consecutive retrospective cross-sectional design spanned July 2006 to December 2008.</p><p><b>PATIENT GROUP</b>Information on all aged care inpatients who suffered from 1 or more falls was extracted from Incident Information Management System (IIMS). Further details about the particular admission(s) were obtained from patients' medical records, e.g., patients' characteristics and circumstances surrounding the falls. Randomly selected aged care patients who did not suffer from a fall and who were discharged from the hospital in the same period served control group. Characteristics among patients with single fall and recurrent falls, as well as non-fallers were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 438 falls evaluated, 71.9% occurred in patients' room and 18.9% in patients' bathroom/toilet. The common activities were moving/transferring and taking shower/toileting, respectively, 70.3%, 12.1% while occurring falls; and time of falls had a high peak during 9:00-11:00 a.m. Many were unassisted while falling. The common contributing factors for fall were intrinsic factors. Patients with recurrent falls were more likely to have lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. Logistic regression analysis showed length of stay longer than five weeks, dementia and stroke were independent risk factors for recurrent falls; and living in hostel/nursing home preadmission, needing assistance with mobility, cognitive impairment, stroke, incontinence and arthritis/osteoporosis were independent risk factors for fall.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In an aged care ward, falls are independently associated with recurrent factors. Cognitive impairment/dementia was a strong risk factor for falls, and main causes leading to fall were intrinsic factors. For patients with cognitive impairment/dementia and behavioral disorder providing special and effective interventions is of paramount importance for reducing the incidence of fall in an aged care ward in hospital settings.</p>
Subject(s)
Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Accidental Falls , Case-Control Studies , Nursing Homes , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Anopheles minimus A and C and several closely related species of mosquitoes have been identified in Vietnam, where some have been implicated in malaria transmission. Morphological variation within and between Anopheles minimus A and C makes identification using alpha taxonomy difficult and several molecular techniques have been developed to separate them. However the difficulties of applying these techniques and the benefits of morphological identification in the field have seen morphological characteristics, such as the humeral pale spot on the costa, being used to separate these two species. In this study, the morphological and molecular examinations of 2,206 specimens collected in Vietnam indicate that pale scaling on the proboscis reliably separates An. aconitus from An. minimus s.l., but hind tarsal banding cannot separate An. jeyporiensis from An. minimus s.l., and the presence or absence of the humeral pale spot is not a reliable characteristic for differentiating An. minimus A from C due to variation of this characteristic in An. minimus C.
Subject(s)
Animals , Anopheles/classification , VietnamABSTRACT
Background: Adolescent is a special period in life with the transition from childhood to adulthood. At this age period, adolescent experience physical and psychological changes with typical characteristics of puberty is the first ejaculation in male and first menstrual cycle in female. Objective: To explore the onset of puberty and knowledge on pubertal changes, sexuality and contraception in adolescent and various related factors. Subject and methods: A longitudinal study of adolescent health is conducted on 12.447 subjects (including 6.108 males, 6.339 females), living in Chi Linh district, Hai Duong province. Data used in this article is from the baseline survey of the adolescent health research project \u2013 a field site of the Hanoi School of Public Health. Results and Conclusion: The pubertal age is 15.6 years for male and 14.6 years for female. The onset of puberty in girls is earlier than that in their boy counterpart and is earlier in younger age groups, that suggest the trend of earlier onset of puberty in adolescent. The pubertal age is earlier in urban adolescent compared to the rural ones and is earlier among those having better economical conditions compared to poorer ones. The difference is statistically significant (p<0.05). Adolescent lack of knowledge on puberty, sexuality and contraception. 57.8% of adolescent knows at least one of the pubertal characteristics and only 6.5% of males and 17.6% of females knows the time most fertile in the female menstrual cycle. 49.6% of adolescents have heard about contraception, in which 56% of them (53% males and 58% females) heard about condoms. In general, the knowledge on puberty, sexuality and contraception is higher in female, urban adolescent, higher education and older adolescent. The difference is statistically significant (p<0.05 or <0.001).
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Puberty , Contraception , KnowledgeABSTRACT
Background: Rotavirus type A is the most common cause of acute gastrointestinal inflammatory in children under 5 years old, especially in age groups 6 and 36 months. Some rotavirus strains are common; seen recently in Vietnam are G1, G2, G3, G4 and G9, P4, P6 and P8. Objective: Surveillance of epidemiological characteristics of rotavirus induced diarrhea in the National Pediatric Hospital from September, 2007 to March, 2008. Subject and methods: Collection of 322 stool specimens of pediatric patients with acute diarrhea (including 213 specimens from male, 109 specimens from female), who were treated in the National Pediatric Hospital. All of these specimens were determined for causes of rotavirus with the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Results and Conclusion: Among these 322 stool specimens, there were 195 rotavirus positive specimens, accounted for 60.56%. The rate of monthly distribution of rotavirus diarrhea from September, 2007 to March, 2008 were 76%, 56%, 62%, 61%, 64%, 56% and 44%, respectively. Number of rotavirus positive cases in male and female was 56 (26.29%) and 79 (72.48%), respectively. The rate of rotavirus positive children compared to total number of specimens with the age 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months, 24-36 months and over 36 months was 7.69%, 15.9%, 41.54%, 32.82%, 1.54% and 0.51%, respectively. The results of type identification indicated that phenotypes of 37 among 40 specimens were identified (92.5%) in which there were 5 specimens of G1P8 (12.5%), 20 specimens of G3P8 (50%), 1 specimen of G9P8 (2.5%), 2 specimens of G1Pmixed (5%), 9 specimens of G3Pmixed (22.5%), 1 specimen of G unidentified-type P8 (2.5%) and 2 specimens of G3 P unidentified-type (5%).