Exploring tourism business model importance with the emergence of blockchain system: directions for tourism industry of China.

The study aims to explore the importance of the tourism business model with the emergence of the blockchain platform in China. The study focused on the importance of the tourism business model of china, studied the need to improve the tourism business infrastructure, and traced the value of the blockchain system in the tourism industry of china. For this, the researchers used a semi-structured interview approach to conduct a qualitative research design. About nine Chinese tourism and travel industry experts were interwar after initial screening using purposive sampling techniques. The respondents' responses were analyzed by applying a thematic analysis approach, and by this, the researchers extracted the main themes on study topicality to fill the gap in the literature. The study's novelty is in its topicality and context, for which it also provides viable, practical directions for stakeholders.

Monkeypox Virus Infection in 2 Female Travelers Returning to Vietnam from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2022.

Mpox was diagnosed in 2 women returning to Vietnam from the United Arab Emirates. The monkeypox viruses belonged to an emerging sublineage, A.2.1, distinct from B.1, which is responsible for the ongoing multicountry outbreak. Women could contribute to mpox transmission, and enhanced genomic surveillance is needed to clarify pathogen evolution.

Large-Scale Synthesis of Nanosilica from Silica Sand for Plant Stimulant Applications.

Nanosilica is a versatile nanomaterial suitable as, e.g., drug carriers in medicine, fillers in polymers, and fertilizer/pesticide carriers and potentially a bioavailable source of silicon in agriculture. The enhanced biological activity of nanosilica over quartz sand has been noted before; it is directly related to the altered physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles compared to those of the bulk material. Therefore, it is feasible to use nanosilica as a form of plant stimulant. Nanosilica synthesis is a relatively cheap routine process on the laboratory scale; however, it is not easily scalable. Largely for this reason, studies of nanosilica fertilizers are scarce. This study will focus on industrial-scale silica nanoparticle production and the application of nanosilica as a plant stimulant in maize. A variant of the sol-gel method is used to successfully synthesize nanosilica particles starting from silica sand. The resulting particles are in the size range of 16-37 nm with great purity. The potential of nanosilica as a plant stimulant is demonstrated with the increased quantity and quality of maize crops.

Design, Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evalufation of Substituted Benzimidazole Conjugated 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles.

Two series of 2-substituted benzimidazole conjugated 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against the three human cancer cell lines (cervical cancer (HeLa), breast cancer (MCF-7) and lung cancer (A549)). As the results 14 compounds demonstrated consistent to stronger cytotoxicities compared to the control 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) towards the tested cell lines including 4c (HeLa); 4b, 4e, 4h, 7i-j, 7m-n, 7s (MCF-7); 7b (MCF-7, A549); 7h (HeLa, MCF-7); and 4d, 4i, 7c (HeLa, MCF-7, A549), with the IC50 ranging from 2.7 to 38 µM. Notably, compound 4b illustrated almost 5-fold activity against the MCF-7 while 4d, 4i were 9- and 8-fold (HeLa), 4.5- and 13-fold (MCF-7), 4.7- and 4-fold (A549) increase in activity compared to 5-FU, respectively, and were found as lead compounds. These findings suggest that compounds 4b, 4d and 4i merit further characterization and can serve as promising scaffolds in the discovery of new potent anticancer agents.

Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis for cancer treatment: a review on nanotechnology.

Although nanomedicines have been in the oncology field for almost three decades with the introduction of doxil, only a few nanomedicine products have reached approval. Can nanotechnology be a realistic tool to reduce the number of hospital beds? At present, several clinically approved anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies or CAR T cell-based therapies are available; however, the immunotherapy field is far from mature. Will immunotherapy be the fourth pillar of cancer treatment? In this review, we summarized the current status of immunotherapy using PD-1/PD-L1-targeting nanocarriers. The knowledge on material science, therapeutic agents and formulation designs could pave the way for high-efficacy treatment outcomes.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an Undifferentiated Embryonal Sarcoma of the Liver in a 37-Week Pregnant Woman: A Case Report.

PURPOSE: Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver (UESL) is a rare malignant lesion in adults. Here, we present an extremely rare case of UESL in a pregnant woman. However, this was the first case, wherein one surgery covered all the procedures needed to be performed, including delivery of the neonate, hysterectomy, and resection of the left liver lobe to ensure the safety of both the mother and the newborn. CASE PRESENTATION: A 32-year-old woman at 37-weeks age of gestation was admitted at Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi, Vietnam) due to epigastric pain, chest pain, and breathing difficulty. Blood tests showed an increased total alpha-fetoprotein level of 1085 ng/mL. Fetal ultrasound showed a fetal heart rate of 127 beats/minute, biparietal diameter of 92 mm, femur length of 70 mm, and fetal weight of 3287 g. Magnetic resonance imaging indicated a large tumor (12 × 14 × 18 mm) in the left liver, with organ signals increased on T2-weighted and decreased on T1-weighted. The mass was lobulated, developed along a downward pattern, and did not invade the portal vein. The surgeries performed were cesarean section, hysterectomy due to the inelasticity of the uterus, and left hepatectomy to ensure the safety of both the mother and newborn. The operation was performed safely and without any complications, and the patient was discharged from the hospital after 10 days. CONCLUSION: This case report with distinct characteristics has been the first case ever reported in Vietnam, as well as in the literature. We believe that this case report will be useful for the clinical evidence pool and for educational purposes.

Formation of the upper gastrointestinal tract for patients who underwent total esophago-gastrectomy due to caustic ingestion: Case series.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: No case has been reported regarding esophago-gastrectomy due to caustic chemicals in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: The first case was a 43-year-old woman with BMI 28.5. After one month of taking a weight loss drug called HERBAL, the patient experienced vomiting, and signs of progressive dysphagia, while being unable to eat any solid food. Endoscopy results revealed many scars causing the narrowing of the esophagus, starting from the upper third of the esophagus, 25cm from the dental arch. After 2 months, she lost 26kg (BMI 18.3). Endoscopic reexamination showed the esophagus's stricture, 25cm from the dental arch. X-ray also showed that the esophagus and stomach were completely narrow and atrophied. The second case was a 37-year-old woman who suffered from domestic violence and drunk about 50 ml of toilet detergents to commit suicide. After one month, the patient went through dysphagia and was unable to eat. Esophageal endoscopy showed that the esophagus was narrowed in the upper third part, 20cm from the dental arch, which led to the inaccessibility of the conventional insertion tube that required nasoscope instead. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The results demonstrated many ulcer scars, retraction inside the esophagus and stomach, abnormally small volume of stomach, narrowing cardia, and pyloric stenosis. In both cases, thoracoscopic surgery was performed for esophago-gastrectomy, and the upper gastrointestinal tract was subsequently reconstructed using the ileum-right colon. CONCLUSIONS: The ileum-right colon segment is a part that can be used to reconstruct the upper gastrointestinal tract following esophago-gastrectomy.

Metal salt-modified biochars derived from agro-waste for effective congo red dye removal.

Anionic Congo red dye (CR) is not effectively removed by conventional adsorbents. Three novel biochars derived from agro-waste (Acacia auriculiformis), modified with metal salts of FeCl3, AlCl3, and CaCl2 at 500 °C pyrolysis have been developed to enhance CR treatment. These biochars revealed significant differences in effluents compared to BC, which satisfied initial research expectations (P < 0.05). The salt concentration of 2 M realized optimal biochars with the highest CR removal of 96.8%, for AlCl3-biochar and FeCl3-biochar and 70.8% for CaCl2-biochar. The modified biochars were low in the specific surface area (137.25-380.78 m2 g-1) compared normal biochar (393.15 m2 g-1), had more heterogeneous particles and successfully integrated metal oxides on the surface. The CR removal increased with a decrease in pH and increase in biochar dosage, which established an optimal point at an initial loading of 25 mg g-1. Maximum adsorption capacity achieved 130.0, 44.86, and 30.80 mg g-1 for BFe, BCa, and BAl, respectively. As magnetic biochar, which is easily separated from the solution and achieves a high adsorption capacity, FeCl3-biochar is the preferred biochar for CR treatment application.

An exploration of the gut and environmental resistome in a community in northern Vietnam in relation to antibiotic use.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a major global public health threat. Antibiotic use can directly impact the antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) profile of the human intestinal microbiome and consequently the environment through shedding. Methods: We determined the resistome of human feces, animal stools, human food and environmental (rain, well, and irrigative water) samples (n = 304) in 40 households within a community cohort and related the data to antibiotic consumption. Metagenomic DNA was isolated and qPCR was used to determine presence of mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes, genes encoding extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBL), carbapenemases and quinolone resistance genes. Results: Nearly 40 % (39.5%, 120/304) of samples contained ESBL genes (most frequent were CTX-M-9 (23.7% [72/304]), CTX-M-1 (18.8% [57/304]). Quinolone resistance genes (qnrS) were detected in all human and 91% (41/45) of animal stool samples. Mcr-1 and mcr-3 were predominantly detected in human feces at 88% (82/93) and 55% (51/93) and animal feces at 93% (42/45) and 51% (23/45), respectively. Mcr-2, mrc-4 and mcr-5 were not detected in human feces, and only sporadically (< 6%) in other samples. Carbapenemase-encoding genes were most common in water (15% [14/91]) and cooked food (13% [10/75]) samples, while their prevalence in human and animal stools was lower at 4% in both human (4/93) and animal (2/45) samples. We did not find an association between recent antibiotic consumption and ARGs in human stools. Principal component analysis showed that the resistome differs between ecosystems with a strong separation of ARGs profiles of human and animal stools on the one hand versus cooked food and water samples on the other. Conclusions: Our study indicated that ARGs were abundant in human and animal stools in a rural Vietnamese community, including ARGs targeting last resort antibiotics. The resistomes of animal and human stools were similar as opposed to the resistomes from water and food sources. No association between antibiotic use and ARG profiles was found in a setting of high background rates of AMR.

Economic Burden Attributed to Children Presenting to Hospitals With Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has become a major public health concern in the Asia-Pacific region. Knowledge of its economic burden is essential for policy makers in prioritizing the development and implementation of interventions. METHODS: A multi-hospital-based study was prospectively conducted at 3 major hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, during 2016-2017. Data on direct and productivity costs were collected alongside clinical information and samples and demographic information from study participants. RESULTS: A total of 466 patients were enrolled. Two hundred three of 466 (43.6%) patients lived in Ho Chi Minh City, and 72/466 (15.5%) had severe HFMD. An enterovirus was identified in 74% of 466 patients, with EV-A71, CV-A6, CV-A10, and CV-A16 being the most common viruses identified (236/466, 50.6%). The mean economic burden per case was estimated at US$400.80 (95% confidence interval [CI], $353.80-$448.90), of which the total direct (medical) costs accounted for 69.7%. There were considerable differences in direct medical costs between groups of patients with different clinical severities and pathogens (ie, EV-A71 vs non-EV-A71). In Vietnam, during 2016-2017, the economic burden posed by HFMD was US$90 761 749 (95% CI, $79 033 973-$103 009 756). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are of public health significance because for the first time we demonstrate that HFMD causes a substantial economic burden in Vietnam, and although multivalent vaccines are required to control HFMD, effective EV-A71 vaccine could substantially reduce the burden posed by severe HFMD. The results will be helpful for health policy makers in prioritizing resources for the development and implementation of intervention strategies to reduce the burden of HFMD.

Efficacy of Oral Low-Dose Isotretinoin in the Treatment of Acne Vulgaris in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Oral isotretinoin is an effective therapy for acne. However, isotretinoin can induce hyperhomocysteinemia and decreased serum folic acid level, which may be a risk for cardiovascular disease and thrombosis, as well as psychoses. Besides, many recent types of research emphasise the safety and effects of the low dose isotretinoin therapy. AIM: The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of the low-dose isotretinoin on the plasma homocysteine and serum folic acid level in the Vietnamese population. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal study to evaluate the effectiveness of the low-dose therapy on the plasma homocysteine and serum folic acid level of 52 acne patients after 6-8-week treatment at University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Patients had moderate-severe acne with the prolonged course, and most of them had a scar. RESULTS: With a low dose of oral isotretinoin (0.37 ± 0.11 mg/kg/day), after 6-8-week treatment, patients dropped the severity of disease, increased the plasma homocysteine level and decreased the serum folic acid level with significant differences in comparison to those before treatment. However, these changes do not exceed the normal range. CONCLUSION: In overall, low dose isotretinoin treatment had effectiveness in decrease the severity of disease and no increasing the plasma homocysteine level as well as the serum folic acid level.

Emerging Coxsackievirus A6 Causing Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, Vietnam.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a major public health issue in Asia and has global pandemic potential. Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) was detected in 514/2,230 (23%) of HFMD patients admitted to 3 major hospitals in southern Vietnam during 2011-2015. Of these patients, 93 (18%) had severe HFMD. Phylogenetic analysis of 98 genome sequences revealed they belonged to cluster A and had been circulating in Vietnam for 2 years before emergence. CV-A6 movement among localities within Vietnam occurred frequently, whereas viral movement across international borders appeared rare. Skyline plots identified fluctuations in the relative genetic diversity of CV-A6 corresponding to large CV-A6-associated HFMD outbreaks worldwide. These data show that CV-A6 is an emerging pathogen and emphasize the necessity of active surveillance and understanding the mechanisms that shape the pathogen evolution and emergence, which is essential for development and implementation of intervention strategies.

Assessment of injection safety in Ha Dong General Hospital, Hanoi, in 2012.

Background: Injection is one of the most frequently used medical methods to introduce drugs or other substances into the body for purposes of treatment or prevention. Unsafe injection can cause adverse outcomes, such as abscess and anaphylactic shock, and increases the risk of blood-borne transmission of viruses to patients and health care workers, as well as the community. Recognizing the importance of injection safety, in 2000 the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MOH) collaborated with the Vietnam Nurses Association to launch the "Safe injection" program throughout the country, including Hanoi. Methods: This cross-sectional study, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, was conducted from February to August 2012 in Ha Dong General Hospital using a structured questionnaire and observation checklist. The target population of the study was 109 nurses working in clinical departments and 436 injections were observed. Results: The percentage of nurses who are familiar with injection safety standards was found to be 82.6%. The proportion of practical injections that met the 23 standards of injection safety set by the MOH amounted to 22.2%. The factors related to safe injection practice of nurses who were younger age group (OR=3.1; p<0.05) and fewer number of years working as a nurse (OR=2.8; p<0.05). Conclusions: While nurses have high level of knowledge about safe injections but a small proportion actually practiced. Experience may not always guarantee safe practices.  Injection safety training should be regularly imparted upon all categories of nurses.

Combined photothermal and photodynamic therapy by hyaluronic acid-decorated polypyrrole nanoparticles.

AIM: To develop a nanoparticle-based platform using polypyrrole and IR-780 for effective combined photothermal and photodynamic therapy. MATERIALS & METHODS: IR-780 was loaded in a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) core, decorated with polypyrrole shells and hyaluronic acid (IPPH). Physicochemical properties and in vitro and in vivo anticancer effects of these nanoparticles were evaluated. RESULTS: The resulting IPPHs were spherical, small and negatively charged. Under near-infrared laser irradiation, the IPPHs generated reactive oxygen species and heat and synergistically improved therapeutic efficacy. The antitumor effects were confirmed by in vitro cellular reactive oxygen species detection and cytotoxicity assays, and in vivo in a xenograft tumor model, with no damage to body organs. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate the potential of applying IPPH in oncology nanomedicine.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase rates in aerobic gram-negative bacteria causing intra-abdominal infections in Vietnam: report from the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART 2009-2011).

Treatment options for multidrug-resistant pathogens remain problematic in many regions and individual countries, warranting ongoing surveillance and analysis. Limited antimicrobial susceptibility information is available for pathogens from Vietnam. This study determined the bacterial susceptibility of aerobic gram-negative pathogens of intra-abdominal infections among patients in Vietnam during 2009-2011. A total of 905 isolates were collected from 4 medical centers in this investigation as part of the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends. Antimicrobial susceptibility and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) rates among the appropriate species were determined by a central laboratory using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methods. Among the species collected, Escherichia coli (48.1% ESBL-positive) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (39.5% ESBL-positive) represented the majority (46.4%) of the isolates submitted for this study. Ertapenem MIC90 values were lowest for these 2 species at 0.12 and 0.25µg/mL and remained unchanged for ESBL-positive isolates. Imipenem MIC90 values were also the same for all isolates and ESBL-positive strains at 0.25 and 0.5µg/mL, respectively. Ertapenem MIC90 values for additional species with sufficient numbers for analysis, including Enterobacter cloacae, Proteus mirabilis, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were 1, 0.06, >4, and >4µg/mL, respectively. Analysis of beta-lactamases in a subset of 132 phenotypically ESBL-positive Enterobacteriaceae demonstrated that CTX-M variants, particularly CTX-M-27 and CTX-M-15, were the predominant enzymes. High resistance rates in Vietnam hospitals dictate continuous monitoring as antimicrobial inactivating enzymes continue to spread throughout Asia and globally.

Palbinone from Paeonia suffruticosa protects hepatic cells via up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1.

Paeonia suffruticosa has been traditionally employed for vitalizing blood circulation and alleviating liver and inflammatory diseases. The pathways by which palbinone (PB) isolated from P. suffruticosa mediates heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction were investigated using the specific inhibitors for PI3K and mitogen activated protein kinases pathways. The effect of PB-treatment on Nrf2 translocalization and HO-1-antioxidant response element (ARE) regulation was examined employing Western blot and luciferase assays. PB induced HO-1 expression via the activation of Nrf2 in the hepatic cells, and ARE-dependent genes were stimulated via the PB-mediated Nrf2 activation. PB-mediated HO-1 expression could be involved with PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 pathways. Our study suggests the mechanism by which PB induces HO-1 expression in the hepatic cells. This might substantiate the traditional applications of P. suffruticosa for the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases including oxidant and inflammatory-mediated vascular and liver diseases.

WITHDRAWN: Anti-proliferative effects of compounds from the fruit peel of Wisteria floribunda on vascular smooth muscle cells.

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The selected flavonol glycoside derived from Sophorae Flos improves glucose uptake and inhibits adipocyte differentiation via activation AMPK in 3T3-L1 cells.

Among nine flavonols (1-9) obtained from Sophorae Flos, we first isolated compounds 4, 5, 8, and 9. These isolates (1-9) were evaluated for the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC. Administered at 10 µM, 9 possessed high potent activity. Compound 9 displayed a dose-dependent stimulation of glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 cells, and this increase was obviously attenuated by compound C, an AMPK inhibitor. In addition, 9 also phosphorylated AMPK and its downstream substrate ACC in 3T3-L1 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, we discovered that compound C inhibits 9-stimulated ACC phosphorylation and motivated the 9-inhibited C/EBPα and PPARγ, and FAS gene expression, significantly. These results revealed the role of the AMPK downstream signaling pathway in 9-improved glucose metabolism in 3T3-L1 cells and 9-inhibited adipocyte differentiation. Differentiation was investigated by Oil Red O staining activity after 9 administration (0-20 µM) in 6 days. Compound 9 decreased mean droplet size in a dose-dependent manner. The results revealed that 9 blocked adipogenic conversion in 3T3-L1 cells together with several significant downregulating adipocyte-specific transcription factors, including PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1. It also reduced FAS gene expression in a dose-dependent manner, which is crucial for adipogenesis in vitro.