Background: Pediatric closed abdominal trauma is a common disease in surgical practice, in which spleen is the most vulnerable organ. As adults, diagnosis of pediatric splenic trauma is not difficult but treatment attitude of splenic trauma in children having more important differences compared with in adults, tending to conservative treatment without surgery. Objectives: To assess the results of pediatric splenic trauma treatment in Hue Central Hospital from 2001 to 2005. Subjects and method: To study on 43 pediatric patients (23 male, 20 female), mean age 11.35\xb13.51 years, were diagnosed with splenic trauma due to closed abdominal trauma, treated in Hue Central Hospital from September, 2001 to September, 2006. Results: 72.1% hospitalized patients with maximum blood pressure in normal limitation. There was not a statistic significant association between hypotension and indicated surgery. The rate of patients with splenic trauma due to traffic accidents, living accidents and sport activities were 62.8%, 32.6% and 4.7%, respective. 2 patients with combined traumatic brain injury without surgery (4.65%), 3 patients with combined hand fracture (6.97%). 3 patients in conservative treatment group changed to surgery (8.33%). A total of 76.7% patients treated with successful conservation. Conclusion: More than 60% patients with splenic trauma caused by traffic accidents and having stable hemodynamic index during hospitalization. The difference between position of splenic trauma and rupture degree of spleen both in surgical treatment group and successful conservative treatment group is statistically significant.
Spleen/ injuries ; Child ;

Panax ginseng is a medicinal herb that is used worldwide. Its medicinal effects are primarily attributable to ginsenosides located in the root, leaf, seed, and flower. The flower buds of Panax ginseng (FBPG) are rich in various bioactive ginsenosides, which exert immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of 18 ginsenosides isolated from steamed FBPG on the transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-stimulated target genes in liver-derived cell lines. Noticeably, the ginsenosides Rk3 and Rs4 exerted the strongest activity, inhibiting NF-kappaB in a dose-dependent manner. SF and Rg6 also showed moderately inhibitory effects. Furthermore, these four compounds inhibited the TNF-alpha-induced expression of IL8, CXCL1, iNOS, and ICAM1 genes. Consequently, ginsenosides purified from steamed FBPG have therapeutic potential in TNF-alpha-mediated diseases such as chronic hepatic inflammation.
Cell Line ; Cotyledon ; Flowers* ; Ginsenosides* ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-8 ; NF-kappa B* ; Panax* ; Plants, Medicinal ; Steam* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Panax ginseng is a medicinal herb that is used worldwide. Its medicinal effects are primarily attributable to ginsenosides located in the root, leaf, seed, and flower. The flower buds of Panax ginseng (FBPG) are rich in various bioactive ginsenosides, which exert immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of 18 ginsenosides isolated from steamed FBPG on the transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-stimulated target genes in liver-derived cell lines. Noticeably, the ginsenosides Rk3 and Rs4 exerted the strongest activity, inhibiting NF-kappaB in a dose-dependent manner. SF and Rg6 also showed moderately inhibitory effects. Furthermore, these four compounds inhibited the TNF-alpha-induced expression of IL8, CXCL1, iNOS, and ICAM1 genes. Consequently, ginsenosides purified from steamed FBPG have therapeutic potential in TNF-alpha-mediated diseases such as chronic hepatic inflammation.
Cell Line ; Cotyledon ; Flowers* ; Ginsenosides* ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-8 ; NF-kappa B* ; Panax* ; Plants, Medicinal ; Steam* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Gastrointestinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a rare disease. Sigmoid-anorectal AVM has only been reported in a few cases. The condition is usually detected when patients have gastrointestinal bleeding complications. The diagnosis and treatment of colorectal AVMs are still challenging. This paper presents a case of an Asian 32-year-old female patient admitted to hospital because of lower gastrointestinal bleeding lasting 17 years. The patient was diagnosed with sigmoid-rectal arteriovenous malformation and failed with other medical treatments. The damaged gastrointestinal tract was removed by a laparoscopic low anterior resection. The results were positive after a three-month follow-up; the bleeding was resolved, and the anal sphincter function was intact. Laparoscopic low anterior resection is a safe, less invasive, and effective approach for managing patients with digestive tract bleeding due to extensive colorectal AVM and preservation of the anal sphincter.

Background: In recent years, there has been an increase in reports of perioral vascular complications resulting from filler injections, such as necrosis of the lip or alar rim, occlusion, and in severe cases, blindness. Conversely, the use of perioral arterial flaps is becoming more prevalent in the treatment of cleft lips, cancer, and trauma. A thorough understanding of perioral arteries is essential to minimize complications and maximize the success of these flaps. However, the course of the facial artery (FA) in the perioral region remains incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to describe the variations of the FA in the perioral region. Methods: We dissected 52 embalmed and formaldehyde-fixed Vietnamese cadavers. We then studied the size and distribution of perioral arteries in 102 specimens. Results: The superior labial artery (SLA) was the most common branch, occurring in 87.25% of cadavers, followed by the inferior labial artery (ILA) at 78.43%. The SLA primarily originated above the mouth corner (cheilion), accounting for 91.01% of cases, and predominantly exhibited a tortuous course within the submucosa (78.65%). The ILA’s branching pattern varied, but it was primarily located below the cheilion (91.25%). The ILA also followed a twisted path, generally within the submucosa. The ILA exhibited two patterns: the typical pattern, distributed at the vermilion border of the lower lip (8.82%), and the horizontal labiomental artery pattern, which ran horizontally in the middle of the lower lip area (69.61%). At their origin, the SLA and ILA had average external diameters of 1.29 mm and 1.28 mm, respectively. Conclusion Numerous anatomical variations in the FA in the perioral region were found. A detailed anatomic description, suggested landmarks, and angiography before the procedure will be useful to help doctors avoid complications.

Background: The facial artery is an important blood vessel responsible for supplying the anterior face. Understanding the branching patterns of the facial artery plays a crucial role in various medical specialties such as plastic surgery, dermatology, and oncology. This knowledge contributes to improving the success rate of facial reconstruction and aesthetic procedures. However, debate continues regarding the classification of facial artery branching patterns in the existing literature. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive anatomical study, in which we dissected 102 facial arteries from 52 embalmed and formaldehyde-fixed Vietnamese cadavers at the Anatomy Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Results: Our investigation revealed eight distinct termination points and identified 35 combinations of branching patterns, including seven arterial branching patterns. These termination points included the inferior labial artery, superior labial artery, inferior alar artery, lateral nasal artery, angular artery typical, angular artery running along the lower border of the orbicularis oculi muscle, forehead branch, duplex, and short course (hypoplastic). Notably, the branching patterns of the facial artery displayed marked asymmetry between the left and right sides within the same cadaver. Conclusion The considerable variation observed in the branching pattern and termination points of the facial artery makes it challenging to establish a definitive classification system for this vessel. Therefore, it is imperative to develop an anatomical map summarizing the major measurements and geometric features of the facial artery. Surgeons and medical professionals involved in facial surgery and procedures must consider the detailed anatomy and relative positioning of the facial artery to minimize the risk of unexpected complications.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To compare the performance of a modified Glasgow Blatchford score (mGBS) to the Glasgow Blatchford score (GBS) and the pre-endoscopic Rockall score (RS) in predicting clinical interventions in Vietnamese patients with acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AN-VUGIB). METHODS: A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted in five tertiary hospitals from May 2013 to February 2014. The mGBS, GBS, and pre-endoscopic RS scores were prospectively calculated for all patients. The accuracy of mGBS was compared with that of GBS and pre-endoscopic RS using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Clinical interventions were defined as blood transfusions, endoscopic or radiological intervention, or surgery. RESULTS: There were 395 patients including 128 (32.4%) needing endoscopic treatment, 117 (29.6%) requiring blood transfusion and two (0.5%) needing surgery. In predicting the need for clinical intervention, the mGBS (AUC, 0.707) performed as well as the GBS (AUC, 0.708; p=0.87) and outperformed the pre-endoscopic RS (AUC, 0.594; p<0.001). However, none of these scores effectively excluded the need for endoscopic intervention at a threshold of 0. CONCLUSIONS: mGBS performed as well as GBS and better than pre-endoscopic RS for predicting clinical interventions in Vietnamese patients with ANVUGIB.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Blood Transfusion ; Cohort Studies* ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies* ; ROC Curve ; Tertiary Care Centers

In our search for natural soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors from plants, an extract of the dried whole plants of Euphorbia supina Rafin was found to significantly inhibit sEH activity in vitro. Phytochemical investigation of E. supina resulted in isolation of 17 compounds (1 - 17), including triterpenes (1 - 4), phenolic compounds (5 - 8), and flavonoid derivatives (9 - 17). The structures of the isolated compounds were established mainly by extensive analysis of the 1D and 2D NMR, and MS data. All of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their sEH inhibitory activity. Among the isolated phenolic compounds, 8 was identified as a significant inhibitor of sEH, with an IC50 value of 15.4 +/- 1.3 microM. Additionally, a kinetic analysis of isolated compounds (2, 5, 8 - 11, 13, and 17) indicated that the inhibitory effects of flavonoid derivatives 10 and 11 were of mixed-type, with inhibitory constants (Ki) ranging from 3.6 +/- 0.8 to 21.8 +/- 1.0 microM, whereas compounds 2, 5, 8, 9, 13, and 17 were non-competitive inhibitors with inhibition Ki values ranging from 3.3 +/- 0.2 to 39.5 +/- 0.0 microM.
Euphorbia* ; Euphorbiaceae ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Phenol ; Triterpenes

(1S,2S,3E,7E,11E)-3,7,11,15-cembratetraen-17,2-olide (LS-1), a marine cembrenolide diterpene, has anticancer activity against colon cancer cells such as HT-29, SNU-C5/5-FU (fluorouracil-resistant SNU-C5) and SNU-C5. However, the action mechanism of LS-1 on SNU-C5 human colon cancer cells has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether the anticancer effect of LS-1 could result from apoptosis via the modulation of Wnt/β-catenin and the TGF-β pathways. When treated with the LS-1, we could observe the apoptotic characteristics such as apoptotic bodies and the increase of sub-G1 hypodiploid cell population, increase of Bax level, decrease of Bcl-2 expression, cleavage of procaspase-3 and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase in SNU-C5 cells. Furthermore, the apoptosis induction of SNU-C5 cells upon LS-1 treatment was also accompanied by the down-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via the decrease of GSK-3β phosphorylation followed by the decrease of β-catenin level. In addition, the LS-1 induced the activation of TGF-β signaling pathway with the decrease of carcinoembryonic antigen which leads to decrease of c-Myc, an oncoprotein. These data suggest that the LS-1 could induce the apoptosis via the down-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the activation of TGF-β pathway in SNU-C5 human colon cancer cells. The results support that the LS-1 might have potential for the treatment of human colon cancer.
Apoptosis* ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Caspase 3 ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Down-Regulation ; Extracellular Vesicles ; Humans* ; Phosphorylation

Little is known about antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) intestinal carriage among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Vietnam. All HCWs at a tertiary intensive care units were asked to undertake weekly rectal swabs. Among 40 participants, 65% (26/40) carried extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)/AmpC β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli. Two HCWs colonized with ESBL/AmpC β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. One HCW colonized with Acinetobacter baumannii. No one carried Pseudomonas spp.. A quarter (10/40) of HCWs were identified as persistent and frequent carriers. There is an urgent need to screen antibiotic-resistant GNB among HCWs and improve HCWs' hand hygiene compliance to reduce the transmission of antibiotic-resistant GNB in the hospital.