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

Objective: To investigate antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of the extract and fractions from Vietnamese red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea. Methods: The seaweed Laurencia dendroidea was extracted by using microwave-assisted extraction method in 80％ methanol. The seaweed extract was then fractionated using different solvents (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and water). These obtained fractions were evaluated for α-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. Antioxidant activities were tested using DPPH, nitric oxide radical scavenging and metal chelating assays. The enzyme inhibition mode was determined using Lineweaver-Burk plot. For acidic and thermal stabilities, the ethyl acetate fraction was treated at pH 2.0 and 100 ℃, respectively. The residual inhibitory activity of the fraction was calculated based on the initial inhibitory activity. For in vivo antidiabetic activity, mice were divided into four groups, including normal control, diabetic control, diabetic mice treated with ethyl acetate fraction and diabetic mice treated with gliclazide. Blood glucose level of treated mice during acute and prolonged treatments was measured. To evaluate the toxicity of the ethyl acetate fraction, the body weight changes and activities of liver function enzymes (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and gammaglutamyl transferase) were carried out. Results: The extract of Laurencia dendroidea showed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Methanolic concentrations affected both α-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities. A 80％ aqueous methanol was the suitable solvent for extraction of enzyme inhibitors and antioxidants. Among solvent fractions, ethyl acetate fraction had the highest inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase with a mixed type of inhibition and the strongest antioxidant activities, and was stable under acidic and thermal conditions. The ethyl acetate fraction treated diabetic mice significantly reduced blood glucose level compared with the diabetic control group (13.16 mmol/L vs. 22.75 mmol/L after 3 hours of treatment). Oral administration of ethyl acetate fraction did not exhibit toxicity at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight as determined by body weight changes and liver biochemical parameters. Conclusions: Laurencia dendroidea could be a potential source for production of antidiabetic and antioxidative agents.

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) is a perennial plant belonging to the Asteraceae family originating from the Mediterranean region. In Vietnam, there are some varieties of artichoke which are extensively cultivated and propagated in highland areas, however, there have been limited detailed scientific publications on the chemical composition and biological activity of artichoke grown in Vietnam. Therefore, this study provides a detailed description of the extraction, isolation, and structural determination of 20 natural secondary metabolites present in harvested artichoke. The antioxidant activity of the extract and the 9 isolated compounds are tested in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and ex vivo malondialdehyde model. Among the selected compounds, 1-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-caffeoylquinic acid, chlorogenic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, cynarin, 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-di-caffeoylquinic acid, cynaroside, and scolymoside exhibited strong radical scavenging activity with IC50 values ranging from 5.7 to 61.6 µM. In the malondialdehyde assay, 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid (or cynarin) showed the strongest activity with an IC50 value of 24.7 µM, followed by 1,5-di-caffeoylquinic acid (66.8 µM), and 4,5-di-caffeoylquinic acid (127.3 µM). This outcome contributes to establishing a database on the phytochemical and antioxidant activity of the Vietnamese artichoke.

Melanogenesis is the production of melanin from tyrosine by a series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, in which tyrosinase and DOPA oxidase play key roles. The melanin content in the skin determines skin pigmentation. Abnormalities in skin pigmentation lead to various skin pigmentation disorders. Recent research has shown that the expression of EMP2 is much lower in melanoma than in normal melanocytes, but its role in melanogenesis has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the role of EMP2 in the melanogenesis of MNT1 human melanoma cells. We examined TRP-1, TRP-2, and TYR expression levels during melanogenesis in MNT1 melanoma cells by gene silencing of EMP2. Western blot and RT-PCR results confirmed that the expression levels of TYR and TRP-2 were decreased when EMP2 expression was knocked down by EMP2 siRNA in MNT1 cells, and these changes were reversed when EMP2 was overexpressed. We verified the EMP2 gene was knocked out of the cell line (EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9) by using a CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that the expression levels of TRP-2 and TYR were significantly lower in the EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9 cell lines. Loss of EMP2 also reduced migration and invasion of MNT1 melanoma cells. In addition, the melanosome transfer from the melanocytes to keratinocytes in the EMP2 KO cells cocultured with keratinocytes was reduced compared to the cells in the control coculture group. In conclusion, these results suggest that EMP2 is involved in melanogenesis via the regulation of TRP-2 expression.

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.

Objective: To investigate the antitumor effect of maesopsin 4-O-β-glucoside (TAT2) isolated from the leaves of Artocarpus tonkinensis (A. tonkinensis) A. Chev. ex Gagnep. Methods: The antitumor activity of TAT2 was evaluated in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumor-bearing mice. BALB/c mice had tumors induced by implantation with 2 × 10

Backgrounds: Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) is commonly used in colorectal cancer screening programs. Many studies have compared different FOBT methods, but the correlation between traditional red cell microscopy and FOBT remains unclear. Objectives: 1) To evaluate the rate of positive FOBT in patients with different disease groups; 2) To compare the sensitivity and specificity of red blood cells detection in fresh stool by microscopy technique and FOBT. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 120 patients from Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital who requested a stool test from 4/2021 to 4/2022. Fresh stool samples were examined for the presence of red blood cells using traditional microscopy and FOBT technique. Results: The overall positivity rate of FOBT was 20%, and in the group of gastrointestinal diseases (n = 24), clinical anemia (n = 21), hepatobiliary diseases (n = 26) and other diseases (n = 49), it was 37.5%, 23.8%, 11.5% and 14.3%, respectively. In comparison with the FOBT technique, microscopic RBC detection had a sensitivity of 33.3% and a specificity of 100%. Conclusions: A high rate of fecal occult blood tests was observed in patients with gastrointestinal disorders. Microscopic erythrocyte detection has low sensitivity and many disadvantages compared to the rapid test. This rapid test should be widely used in clinical practice to aid in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding

Aims: To isolate and characterize the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains from the “mam chua ca ro” (sour fermented fish) in the South of Vietnam and investigate their potential anti-bacterial properties. Methodology and results: Four LAB strains (MCR1, MCR2, MCR3 and MCR4) were isolated from the "mam chua ca ro" product and their anti-bacterial activity was determined using the spot assay and the paper disc diffusion method. The isolated LABs can inhibit Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphyloccocus aureus ATCC 25923 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus BV016 and produce bacteriocin to control the growth of E. coli ATCC 25922 and S. aureus ATCC 25923, except V. parahaemolyticus. MCR2 was chosen to sequence 16S rRNA of Pediococcus acidilactic. Conclusion, significance and impact of study On the basis of their prominent anti-pathogenic bacteria activity, LAB strains isolated from Vietnamese sour-fermented fish products were verified as prospective probiotics.
Lactobacillales--isolation & ; purification ; Pediococcus acidilactici