Purpose: Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended to identify intracranial lesions in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP). Yet, the use of routine MRI scans in girls with CPP is still debatable, as pathological findings in girls 6 years of age or older with CPP are limited. Therefore, we aimed to identify the prevalence of brain lessons in CPP patients stratified by age group (0–2, 2–6, and 6–8 years). Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study recruited 257 girls diagnosed with CPP for 6 years (2010–2016). MRI was used to detect brain abnormalities. Levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and sex hormones in blood samples were measured. Results: Most girls had no brain lesions (82.9%, n=213), and of the minor proportion of girls with CPP that exhibited brain lesions (17.1%, n=44), 32 girls had organic CPP. Pathological findings were detected in 33.3% (2 of 6) of girls aged 0–2 years, 15.6% (5 of 32) of girls aged 2–6 years, and 3.6% (8 of 219) of girls aged 6–8 years. Hypothalamic hamartoma and tumors in the pituitary stalk were the most common pathological findings. The likelihood of brain lesions decreased with age. Girls with organic CPP were more likely to be younger (6.1±2.4 vs. 7.3±1.3 years, p<0.01) than girls with idiopathic CPP. Conclusion Older girls appeared to have a lower prevalence of organic CPP. Clinicians should cautiously use cranial MRI for girls aged 6–8 years with CPP.

Background/Aims: Although international guidelines for bronchiectasis management have been published in Western countries, there is a lack of data about their application in Asian populations including patients with different phenotypes. We aimed to investigate the current status of bronchiectasis management in Asian populations. Methods: A nationwide questionnaire survey was performed of Asian respiratory specialists from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. Participants were invited by e-mail to answer a questionnaire comprising 25 questions based on international guidelines for the management of bronchiectasis. Results: A total of 221 physicians participated in the survey. About half of them were Korean (50.2%), with the next most common nationalities being Japanese (23.1%), Taiwanese (13.6%), and Singaporean (7.7%). Only 18 (8.1%) responders had local guidelines for bronchiectasis. While 85 (38.5%) responders checked sputum acid-fast bacillus smear/culture about 1 to 3 times per year, only a small proportion of responders routinely performed a serum immunoglobulin test (36/221, 16.3%) or evaluated for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (41/221, 18.6%). Less than half (43.4%) of responders performed eradication treatment in patients with drug-sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, mainly due to the limited availability of inhaled antibiotics (34.8%). In addition, 58.6% of responders considered physiotherapy such as airway clearance and pulmonary rehabilitation. Conclusions Discrepancies might exist between guideline recommendations and practice for bronchiectasis management in Asian populations, partly due to the limited availability of treatment in each country. The development of local guidelines that consider the phenotypes and situation will help to standardize and improve the management of bronchiectasis.

Introduction: Many people are currently interested in improving and maintaining their health status by changing their dietary habits, like eating more natural foods; thus sprout products are becoming increasingly popular. In this context, sprouted brown rice grains are an excellent example of functional food, because besides their nutritive value, they also lower the risk of various diseases and/or exert healthpromoting effects. In this paper, we focused on the bioactive compound γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in germinated brown rice. GABA is known as an important amino acid that can help reduce hypertension and inhibit cancer cells development. Methods: We investigated the hydration characteristics of brown rice by drying them in a moisture analyser at 130°C until reaching a constant weight. The effects of soaking (duration and pH of soaking solution), as well as incubation conditions (temperature and time) on GABA biosynthesis in MangBuk brown rice of Vietnam were measured. Quantification of GABA was measured using a spectrophotometer. Results: GABA content in MangBuk type 1 brown rice was higher than in type 2. GABA content reached its highest value at 691.88 µg/g for type 1 rice and 596.48 µg/g for type 2 rice when MangBuk brown rice was soaked in a pH 7 water at 30°C for 12 hours, and then incubated at 35°C for 30 hours in aerobic condition. Conclusion: Germination conditions modified the content of biologically active compounds in MangBuk soft and hard rice varieties. GABA was synthesised during germination based on three factors, namely time of incubation, temperature of incubation, and pH of solution.

Objective: To investigate the cause of a foodborne outbreak that occurred in Dong Nai province, Viet Nam, in 2024, and implement control measures. Methods: An initial investigation was conducted to confirm the outbreak, which was followed by epidemiological and environmental investigations to find the plausible causative food item. Clinical specimens and food samples were tested to identify the pathogen. Results: A total of 547 symptomatic cases were recorded, of whom two were in severe condition requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventilation, one of whom died. Among 99 interviewed cases, the mean incubation time was 9 hours (range 2–24 hours), with the main symptoms being fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. All patients had eaten banh mi from a local bakery. Salmonella spp. were identified in food samples and clinical specimens. The bakery halted production, and the outbreak ended after 1 week. Discussion: All the patients were exposed to only one food in common, which facilitated the investigation process. This outbreak is a reminder to small retailers and take-away shops of the importance of food safety management in preventing similar future outbreaks. All food handlers must comply with food hygiene principles, especially in hot temperatures, which boosts bacterial growth.