Background: Prostatic Specific Antigen (PSA), a helpful tumor maker in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, may rise due to many causes such as Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), Acute Urinary Retention (AUR), ect. Objective: To evaluate on the influences of some factors on the serum PSA level in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Subjects and method: This study included 122 men who were diagnosed BPH with a mean age of 71.18 +/- 7.19 years (ranged 54-92). The patients were divided into 3 groups: DRE group included 60 patients, their blood samples were obtained before and after 24 hours; catheterization group included 35 patients who presented with AUR, their PSA values were determined before 48 hours and 2 weeks after elevation; the inflammation group consisted of 27 patients with symptoms of acute urinary tract infections, the PSA levels were evaluated before 48 hours and 4 weeks after anti-inflammatory therapy. Results: The PSA levels increased significantly in patients with larger prostate sizes (p<0.01, r = 0.492). PSA level tended to increase with age (p<0.05, r = 0.29). The PSA values changed 14.72 +/- 10.85% after DRE (p<0.05). After relief of urethral catheterization, PSA levels decreased 50.77 +/- 20.42% (p<0.05). After anti-inflammatory therapy, 51.59 +/- 21.87% (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggested that it may be the best way to perform DRE after obtaining serum PSA for analysis. Serum PSA concentration should not be determined when AUR and acute urinary tract infection.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia ; PSA

Background: Recently, microplate almar blue assay has been used commonly in detecting gen related to tuberculosis drug resistance, which provides results after 5-7 days with lower cost compared to traditional methods. Objective: To evaluate the application of microplate almar blue assay for rapid detection of drug resistance of M. tuberculosis strains. Subject and Method: A microplate-based assay which uses Alamar blue reagent - an oxidation reduction dye (MABA), was used for the determination of the anti-tuberculosis drug (isoniazid-INH, rifampicine-RIF, streptomycine-STR and ethabuton=EMB) resistance of 96 M. tuberculosis strains isolated from Vietnamese patients in comparison to those obtained by conversional method. Result: MABA showed to have high sensitivity and specificity in testing the sensitivity to individual anti-tuberculosis drugs (from 82.4% for STR to 93.3% for - INH and from 82.5% for EMB to 98.4% for STR; respectively), as well as for the multi-drug resistant M.tuberculosis (86.4% of sensitivity), highly correlated with the result determined by proportion method. Conclusion: MABA reveals the advantage in shortening test time, in simple performance and lower cost compared with the conversional culture based methods.
Microplate almar blue assay ; M. tuberculosis ; drug resistance

Objectives: The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased, particularly among individuals who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Health literacy is considered a “social vaccine” that helps people respond effectively to the pandemic. We aimed to investigate the association between long COVID-19 and PTSD, and to examine the modifying role of health literacy in this association. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 18 hospitals and health centers in Vietnamfrom December 2021 to October 2022. We recruited 4,463 individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 infection for at least 4 weeks. Participants provided information about their sociodemographics, clinical parameters, health-related behaviors, health literacy (usingthe 12-item short-form health literacy scale), long COVID-19 symptoms and PTSD (Impact Event Scale-Revised score of 33 or higher). Logistic regression models were used to examine associations and interactions. Results: Out of the study sample, 55.9% had long COVID-19 symptoms, and 49.6% had PTSD.Individuals with long COVID-19 symptoms had a higher likelihood of PTSD (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63–2.12; p < 0.001). Higher health literacy was associated with a lower likelihood of PTSD (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97–0.99; p = 0.001). Compared to those without long COVID-19 symptoms and the lowest health literacy score, those with long COVID-19 symptoms and a 1-point health literacy increment had a 3% lower likelihood of PTSD (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96–0.99; p = 0.001). Conclusion Health literacy was found to be a protective factor against PTSD and modified the negative impact of long COVID-19 symptoms on PTSD.