The aims of this study was to assess nutritional status, situation of intestinal helminthic infection and their relationships. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 827 pupils at Dong My of Thanh Tri district and Thuong Cat primary school of Tu Liem district, Hanoi suburban. Nutritional status was assessed by using anthropometry indicators and classification with NCHS reference population. Worm infection was examined by using Kato-Kart method. 1. The prevalence of malnutrition according to weigh for age, height for age and weight for height indicators were 26.8%; 28.3% and 6% at Dong My and 41.4%, 34% and 14.5% at Thuong Cat primary school, repectively. 2. The positive rates of worm infection were 80.2%, Ascaris 65.8%, Trchuris 63.8%, multi-worm infection 49.0% at Dong My and 88.4%, Ascaris 61.7%. There was a significant relationship between the situation of worm infection and nutritional status of pupils.
Nutrition ; Schools ; Micronutrients

This study was conducted on biscuit had been fortified with vitamin A and iron that was produced at the H¶i Hµ factory during Sep - Oct 1997. Fortified biscuit was analyzed for sensory aspects (color, odor, taste), chemical composition (energy value, protein, fat, carbohydrate, iron and vitamin A contents), level of micro-organism and mould at time of production and after 4 months of preservation. The results showed that 100 g of fortified biscuit contained 6.9 g of protein, 22.4g of fat and 51.2g of carbohydrate, given 434 kcal, 3600 UI retinol and 17.17 mg iron. After 4 months, it remained to contain 3100 UI retinol and 17 mg iron per 100g. The microorganism and mould indices complied with standards. The product had good color, odor and taste and caused no digestive problem after eating. This biscuit product is inexpensive. With only 600 VND, the children will be able receive 5.1mg of elemental iron, 356mcg of vitamin A, 2.1g of protein, 6.7g of fat and 130kcal. (Auth)
vitamin A ; Iron

The study aims to investigate whether any change the prevalence of anaemia at primary school. Two cross-sectional studies were conducted on the pupils at Dong my school, Thanh Tri distric of Hanoi suburban in 1997 and 1999. Haemoglobin concentration determination was used by cyanmethemoglobin method. The dietary food intake by 3 days repeated 24 hours recall method. The classification of nutritional anaemia base on the levels of haemoglobin recommened by WHO. The results showed that: the prevalence of nutritional anaemia of the pupils in 1997 was 37.7%, boys 41%, girls 33.3% and 13.1%, boys 15.5% girls 12.2%. The dietary food intake: energy 1,118 +/- 279.9 kcal, protid 41.6 +/- 15.3 g, vitamin C 62.4 +/- 98.6 mg, higher than in 1997 (962+/- 136 Kcal, 34.0 +/- 7.5 g protid and 27.8 +/- 16.5 mg vitamin C). There was no difference of the avarage of haemoglobin concentration between boys and girls group. The average of haemoglobin concentration was statistic significantly higher in 1999 than in 1997 as well as the prevalence of nutritional anaemia in 1998 than 1999.
Anemia ; pupil

Background: Food poisoning and diseases caused by food are pressing problems in Viet Nam.\r\n', u'Objectives: To contribute towards discovering suitable approaches for preventing food poisoning. \r\n', u'Subjects and methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in 2005 to assess the practice of food safety of 423 housewives in Bavi district, Hatay province. \r\n', u'Results:Almost all of them did not purchase tainted foods. Two thirds of them considered and looked for information on the label when buying tinned or packed foods. 52.2% of subjects reheated cooked foods before eating them. 87.2% of housewives washed their hands before they prepared food for their household. More than 86% of the subjects washed vegetables 3 times before cooking. Percentage of housewives who soak vegetables properly is 51.8%. Chopping board was used for processing both cooked and fresh foods by 55.6%. For containing foods, tools were used separately for cooked and un-cooked food by 98.6%. For preserving foods, dish-covers were used by 74.9%, lids by 72.8%, fridge by 1 % while 1.25% was not preserved by any tools. As for sources of water, deep well accounted for 71.6% while water well and rain water accounted for 18% and 9%, respectively. 88.7% of households have the foundation of kitchen dried. 68.6% of households did not have rubbish bins and 14.7% have daily emptied ones. \r\n', u'Conclusions: Housewives had initial improvements in good practice of food hygiene.\r\n', u'
food safety practice ; situation

Background: Pesticides have been used widely in not only around the world but also Vietnam; however, their misuse can cause many serious health problems. For this reasons, it is necessary to closely monitor the use of pesticides and their effects on the health of farmers. Objectives: To describe the kinds of pesticides, the symptoms and related factors of acute pesticide poisoning among flowers planters. Subjects and method: A cross-sectional analytic design was applied with a sample of 107 households in the Hong Ha 1 and Hong Ha 2 village of My Tan commune, My Loc district, Nam Dinh province from November 2005 to February 2006. \r\n', u'Results: There were various types of pesticide that were being sprayed in the flower planting villages. Almost all types were moderately hazardous. 85% of farmers experienced at least 1 symptom of acute poisoning after spraying pesticides. The most common symptoms were headache, dizziness, rash (accounting for 45-58%), followed by red eyes and musculoskeletal symptoms (approximate 40%). The effects of pesticides to the farmer\u2019s health were proved with the typical symptoms of toxicity, especially headache, irritation of the face, red eyes. The percentages of self-reported toxicity symptoms were associated with sex, age groups, following manual and pesticide exposure. Conclusion: The results suggested that various interventions is required in order to change the knowledge, attitude and practice of pesticide use among farmers in general and flowers planters in particularly.\r\n', u'
pesticide ; acute pesticide poisoning ; flowers planter

Background: Pesticides safety, plant protection chemicals are widely used around the world, especially in agriculture to protect crops. \r\n', u'Objectives: To describe the real statute of knowledge and practice of safe pesticide use among flowers planters and various other related factors. \r\n', u'Subjects and method: The cross sectional analytic study was carried out in 2006 to evaluate the current situation of knowledge and practice of safe pesticide use in 2 flower planting villages: Hong Ha 1 and Hong Ha 2, My Tan commune, My Loc district, Nam Dinh Province. Results:The results showed that knowledge on determining toxicity levels and the absorption routes of pesticides to the human body through land and water is insufficient. As for pesticide use practice, the percentage of planters fully utilizing safety work clothes and other equipments was low. Multivariate analysis found that there was a significant correlation between good practice and knowledge. In addition, some predictors of good knowledge were: highly educated, male and age. Conclusion: The findings also discovered the priority of improving direct communication on safe pesticide use among planters. \r\n', u'
safe pesticide use ; flowers planters

Background: Identifying the factors which affect the invasion and metastasis process takes a vital role in the treatment of cancer. This is the first study on the relationship between the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP \u2013 9), invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Vietnam. Objectives: To evaluate the significance of matrix metalloproteinase \u2013 9 in predicting the metastasis potential of NPC. Subject and Method: The expression of MMP \u2013 9 was studied by immunohistochemical analysis in 33 nasopharyngeal carcinoma sections and the associations of MMP-9 with lymph nodes metastasis and clinical features. Results: Positive immunostaining for MMP-9 was observed in 94.94% of the NPCs, 39.4% of the cases being extensively positive (+++). The expression of MMP-9 correlated significantly with cervical lymph nodes metastasis (p<0.05). 5/16 cases (31.25% of the cases) without cervical lymph nodes metastasis expressed MMP-9 with 2+ or 3+ level, non-significant of MMP-9 expression with T classification and clinical stage. Conclusions: The expression of MMP-9 often goes along with lymph nodes metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
MMP-9 ; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The ability of the total extract from Physalis angulata; three fractions after partitioning with n-hexane, ethyl acetate (TBE), and water; and four withanolides (compounds 1 – 4) to phosphorylate 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in HepG2 cells was evaluated. The TBE fraction (50 μg/mL) activated p-ACC and p-AMPK expression most strongly. Compounds 1 – 4 (10 μM) upregulated p-ACC expression at different levels. Compound 4 induced the most significant changes in p-AMPK expression, followed by 1 and 2. Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) play a functional role in the transcriptional regulation of the lipogenic pathway, including fatty acid synthase (FAS) and ACC. The effects of compounds 2 and 4 (10 μM) on FAS and SREBP-1c expression under high glucose conditions (30 mM) in HepG2 cells were evaluated further. Both dose-dependently inhibited FAS and SREBP-1c expression as well as lipid accumulation (1 – 10 μM) were compared to high-concentration glucose control, which upregulated FAS and SREBP-1c. These results suggest that compounds 2 and 4 upregulate AMPK, suppress FAS and SREBP-1c, and have potential effects on glucose and lipid metabolism.

Endophytic fungi are promising sources for the production of podophyllotoxin-an important anticancer compound, replacing depleted medical plants. In this study, the endophytes associated with Dysosma difformis-an ethnomedicinal plant species were isolated to explore novel sources of podophyllotoxin. Fifty-three endophytic fungi were isolated and identified by morphological observation and ITS-based rDNA sequencing, assigning them to 27 genera in 3 divisions. Fusarium was found the most prevalent genus with a colonization frequency of 11.11%, followed by Trametes (9.26%) and Penicillium (7.41%). Phylogenetic trees were constructed for the endophytic fungi community in two collection sites, Ha Giang and Lai Chau, revealing the adaptation of the species to the specific tissues and habitats. Cytotoxic activity of endophytic fungal extracts was investigated on cancer cell lines such as SK-LU-1, HL-60, and HepG2, demonstrating strong anti-cancer activity of six isolates belonging to Penicillium, Trametes, Purpureocillium, Aspergillus, and Ganoderma with IC 50 value of lower than 10 10 µg/mL. The presence of podophyllotoxin was indicated in Penicillium, Trametes, Aspergillus and for the first time in Purpureocillium and Ganoderma via high-performance liquid chromatography, which implied them as a potential source of this anticancer compound.

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.