Background: \u03b2-thalassemia is a hereditary disease caused by disorder in \u03b2-globin chain synthesis process. In this research, multiplex-PCR was used in combination with blood chemistry assays and clinical symptoms to detect \u03b2-globin mutations. Objectives: (1) to identify the \u03b2-thalassemia mutation spectrum in the North of Vietnam; (2) to determine the relation between biochemistry values and types of mutations. Subject and methods: Blood samples collected from 60 pediatric patients were used in screening assays (hemoglobin counting, red blood cell counting, hematocrit\ufffd? and multiplex-PCR to detect 6 point mutations with high prevalence in the region. Results: \r\n', u'(1) Of 60 blood samples collected from pediatric patients, 30 (50%) had mutation in codon 17 (A\u2192T), 6 (10%) had a frameshift mutation in codons 41/42 and 4 (6%) had both types of these mutations; (2) The average onset time in patients with FS 41/42 mutation was earlier than that of patients with codon 17 (A\u2192T) mutation, whereas transfusion interval did not differ significantly among these patients; (3) Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was lower in patients with homozygous mutations (\u03b2o) (average 64.8) than in those with heterozygous mutations (\u03b2+) (average 72.7). Conclusions: (1) multiplex-PCR is an effective technique in identifying the mutation spectrum of \u03b2-globin gene in the North of Vietnam; (2) Biochemistry assays should be associated with molecular techniques in diagnose of \u03b2-thalassemia\r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
beta-Thalassemia ; Thalassemia ; Genetic Diseases ; Inborn ; Mutation

Background: In Vietnam, the HIV/AIDS pandemic is quickly spreading, almost totally in young people and among injecting drug users.The transition phase from smoking to injecting is very important for the life of injecting drug users because it is a risk factor of disease transmission. Objectives: (1) To analyze the transition phase from smoking/sniffing to injecting of the young male heroin users in Ha Noi. (2) To describe some factors related to the transition phase in these people. Subjects and method: A cross-sectional study carried out from September 2004 to September 2005 at 9 districts in Ha Noi city. The subjects were 1115 young men aged 16 to 29 years, who has been living in Ha Noi for over 6 months and smoked/sniffed heroin within the last 30 days. Results and conclusions: The average time of drug user in the 1115 subjects was 4.7 years. The majority started using drug at the age of 18.4 +/- 3.1 years. In which, 71 % consume the drugs by injection. The average time from smoking to injecting is 2.49 +/- 2.2 years. The main reasons for injecting drugs were for being faster \u2018on the height\u2019 (42%) and cheaper (40%). Some factors related to the transition phase included: age of the first heroin use, year of the first heroin use, situation for migrating into Ha Noi, knowledge level, the kind of drug used for the first time. Young people began using heroin in the year 2000 had a quicker transition phase than those using heroin before 1997 (p< 0.01).
injecting drug user ; drug user ; heroin

Background: In many years, National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology conducted collection, storage and preservation of malaria parasites species \r\n', u'Objective: to evaluate some results of malaria parasite species collected from Daknong province and analysis of drug resistance in P.Palciparum by the polymerase chain reaction.\r\n', u'Subject and method: Malaria parasite species collected from Daknong province in 2006. Thirty-five isolates were confirmed to be resistant with chloroquin by in vitro test. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment leng polymorphism were used. \r\n', u'Results: 55 Plasmodium jalciparum. 7 Plasmodium vivax. 4 Plasmodium malariae. 1 Plasmodium ovale samples were collected from the malaria patients. A preliminary analysis of drug-resistant mutations in the Plasmodium jalciparum chloroquine resistance transpory (pfcrt) and P Jalciparummulti-drug resistant genes showed that the change of the order of amino-acid of Plasmodium jalciparum was closely correlated to chloroquine resistance in 35 isolates at the mutant allele 76 of pfcrt gene of chloroquine resistant Plasmodiuntjalciparum isolates. \r\n', u'Conclusion: These results contributed to supplement malaria parasite species that were stored in National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology ad Entomology.\r\n', u'
Malaria parasite species ; polymerase chain reaction ; P.Palciparum ; drug resistance

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a now new, effective approach in diagnosis and treatment of thoracic diseases. Objective: To summarize and evaluate the results of VATS for mediastinal tumors. Subjects and method: A retrospective study included patients with mediastinal tumors who performed VATS in Viet Duc Hospital from March 2006 to August 2007. The measurements about age, sex, hospital-admitted reasons, tumor\u2019s size and location, outcomes and complications were analysed. Results: There were sixteen patients, included 9 males and 7 females. The patients\ufffd?average age was 35.3 years (ranged from 16 to 72 years). Clinical characteristics of mediastinal tumors were chest pain (11 cases), trouble breathing (4 cases), cough (2 cases). CT scanner detected mediastinal tumors in all patients (16 cases). Pathologically, 15 patients had benign tumors and only one had malignant tumor. The average time for postoperative drainage withdrawal was 3.0625 days (ranged from 2 to 5 days). The average time of hospital stay was 5 days (ranged from 3 to 11 days). There was no postoperative complication. Conclusion: VATS for mediastinal tumors obtained good outcomes. This was a selective method with many advantages for mediastinal tumors.
Mediastinal Neoplasms/surgery ; Thoracic Surgery ; Video-Assisted ;

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.
Acrosome ; Chromatin ; Cryopreservation ; DNA Fragmentation ; DNA ; Freezing ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; Male ; Membranes ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Head ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Tail

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is rapidly increasing in Vietnam, particularly among adults aged over 45 years. This study estimated trends in diabetes and prediabetes prevalence and determined risk factors in Vietnamese adults (over 45 years). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on data from an annual diabetes screening program among people aged 45-69 years in an urban city in central Vietnam (Da Nang). Joinpoint regression analyses were performed to calculate the annual percentage change and ptrend-values. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors. RESULTS: In total, 3,765 men and 9,149 women were included in this analysis. The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in 2017 was 11.4% and 52.9%, respectively. The prevalence of diabetes was higher in men (15.1%) than in women (10.3%), but that of prediabetes was similar in both genders (53.4% vs. 52.8%). The prevalence of prediabetes significantly increased during the study period, whereas no upward or downward trend for diabetes was observed. The prevalence of obesity, abdominal obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia showed no obvious trend. Obesity, a high waist-to-hip ratio, hypertension, more severe abdominal obesity, and dyslipidemia were significantly associated with a higher risk of diabetes and prediabetes. CONCLUSIONS Diabetes and prediabetes were more prevalent among people aged over 45 years than in the general population. Da Nang has experienced a marked increase in the prevalence of prediabetes. These findings have significant implications regarding the need for nationwide public health interventions and management aiming at diabetes prevention and control.

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is rapidly increasing in Vietnam, particularly among adults aged over 45 years. This study estimated trends in diabetes and prediabetes prevalence and determined risk factors in Vietnamese adults (over 45 years). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on data from an annual diabetes screening program among people aged 45-69 years in an urban city in central Vietnam (Da Nang). Joinpoint regression analyses were performed to calculate the annual percentage change and ptrend-values. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors. RESULTS: In total, 3,765 men and 9,149 women were included in this analysis. The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in 2017 was 11.4% and 52.9%, respectively. The prevalence of diabetes was higher in men (15.1%) than in women (10.3%), but that of prediabetes was similar in both genders (53.4% vs. 52.8%). The prevalence of prediabetes significantly increased during the study period, whereas no upward or downward trend for diabetes was observed. The prevalence of obesity, abdominal obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia showed no obvious trend. Obesity, a high waist-to-hip ratio, hypertension, more severe abdominal obesity, and dyslipidemia were significantly associated with a higher risk of diabetes and prediabetes. CONCLUSIONS Diabetes and prediabetes were more prevalent among people aged over 45 years than in the general population. Da Nang has experienced a marked increase in the prevalence of prediabetes. These findings have significant implications regarding the need for nationwide public health interventions and management aiming at diabetes prevention and control.

OBJECTIVE: In frozen and thawed embryos, the zona pellucida (ZP) can be damaged due to hardening. Laser-assisted hatching (LAH) of embryos can increase the pregnancy rate. This study compared thinning and drilling of the ZP before frozen embryo transfer (FET). METHODS: Patients were randomly allocated into two groups for LAH using thinning or drilling on day 2 after thawing. Twenty-five percent of the ZP circumference and 50% of the ZP thickness was removed in the thinning group, and a hole 40 µm in diameter was made in the drilling group. RESULTS: A total of 171 in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection FET cycles, including 85 cycles with drilling LAH and 86 cycles with thinning LAH, were carried out. The thinning group had a similar β-human chorionic gonadotropin-positive rate (38.4% vs. 29.4%), implantation rate (16.5% vs. 14.4%), clinical pregnancy rate (36.0% vs. 25.9%), miscarriage rate (5.8% vs. 2.4%), ongoing pregnancy rate (30.2% vs. 23.5%), and multiple pregnancy rate (7.0% vs. 10.6%) to the drilling LAH group. There were no significant differences in pregnancy outcomes between subgroups defined based on age (older or younger than 35 years) or ZP thickness (greater or less than 17 µm) according to the LAH method. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that partial ZP thinning or drilling resulted in similar outcomes in implantation and pregnancy rates using thawed embryos, irrespective of women's age or ZP thickness.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Chorion ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Methods ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy, Multiple ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Spermatozoa ; Zona Pellucida

Background: peripheral vascular wounds/trauma is a severe type of surgical emergency, the increasing rate due to the rapid increase of traffic, labor and living accidents. Subjectives and Method: retrospective study, all patients with peripheral vascular wounds/traumas (alone or combination in multiple trauma) were emergency operated at Viet Duc Hospital from January 2004 to June 2006. Results: A total of 310 patients with peripheral vascular injuries in the study, of which accounted for 62.3% of injury, trauma group accounted for 37.7%. The mean age of 30. In first aid, pressed tape accounted for high rate (71.5%). Rate of popliteal vascular trauma due to fractures around the knee accounted for 65.5%, the rate of brachial vascular trauma with fractures around the elbow was 50%. Rate of late diagnosis of arterial trauma was 14.6%, higher than the arterial wounds (2.6%). The rate of ultrasound for forelimbs - where vessels were many wounds, was lower than that for hindlimbs - where vessels were many traumas (44% vs 67.9%). For vascular wounds, more directly vascular connection and more intervention on veins, whereas, for arterial trauma, more vascular graft. Rate of complications was low (7.4%), with no deaths. Conclusions: Overall, the results of emergency surgery for peripheral vascular wounds/trauma were well. No cases was death from vascular lesions, rate of complications was low.
Blood Vessels/ injuries ; Emergencies ;

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.