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

Understanding the morphology of teeth is crucial in restorative dentistry in terms of restoring teeth’ anatomy, aesthetics, and function. Objectives: (1) this study describes an innovative method of teaching and learning tooth anatomy that applied shading techniques to 3D drawing the molar occlusal surfaces; (2) the study aims to survey learners’ opinions about the method’s effectiveness. Materials and methods: This study was conducted on 118 third-year dental students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, from March to May 2022. The 3D occlusal surface drawing was developed and applied in teaching, and feedback was received from students. All statistical analysis was analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Results: Instructions for 3D drawing were detailed and explained step-by-step, from forming to shading the occlusal surfaces. Subsequently, 57.3% - 90.9% of students self-assessed their proficiency in comprehending the characteristics of the occlusal anatomy. 73.3% - 95.8% of students agreed on the utility. 73.1% of students agreed to be willing to apply the 3D drawing method in learning other subjects. Conclusion: Instructions for 3D drawing were built step-by-step, from forming to shading the occlusal surfaces. After completing the course, a high percentage of students agreed on the advantages of this method. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the 3D drawing method in clinical practice

Objective: To examine the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of the alkaloid enriched extract (ELA) from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia. Methods: The in vitro antiinflammatory effects of ELA were evaluated by examining its inhibitory activities against nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expressions in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The level of NO produced in the culture media was determined by Griess method. The iNOS and COX-2 protein expressions were analyzed by Western blot. The in vivo effect of ELA was evaluated on LPS-induced septic shock in mice model. Mice mortality was monitored for 5 days after injection of LPS. The chemical contents of the ELA were determined by using various chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Results: The ELA was found to exhibit a significant anti-inflammatory effect in both in vitro and in vivo models. The results demonstrated that ELA dose-dependently inhibited LPS-induced NO production as well as the protein iNOS and COX-2 expressions. In the septic shock model, ELA dose-dependently protected mice from LPS-induced mortality. Further study on the isolated components of ELA indicated that 9,10-dimethoxycanthin-6-one may contribute significantly to the anti-inflammatory effects of the extract. Conclusions: These results suggest that ELA exhibits the anti-inflammatory activity via suppression of pro-inflammatory mediators such as NO, iNOS, and COX-2 and protects mice from LPS-induced mortality in septic shock model.

Health financing has been considered as an important building block of a health system and has a key role in promoting universal health coverage in the Vietnam. This paper aims to describe the pattern of health expenditure, including total health expenditure and composition of health expenditure, over the last two decades in Vietnam. The paper mainly uses the data from Vietnam National Health Account and Vietnam Living Standards Survey. We also included data from other relevant published literature, reports and statistics about health care expenditure in Vietnam. The per capita health expenditure in Vietnam increased from US$ 14 in 1995 to US$ 86 in 2012. The total health expenditure as a share of GDP also rose from 5.2% in 1995 to 6.9% in 2012. Public health expenditure as percentage of government expenditure rose from 7.4% in 1995 to nearly 10% in 2012. The coverage of health insurance went up from 10% in 1995 to 68.5% in 2012. However, health financing in Vietnam was depending on private expenditures (57.4% in 2012). As a result, the proportion of households with catastrophic expenditure in 2012 was 4.2%. The rate of impoverishment in 2012 was 2.5%. To ensure equity and efficient goal of health system, policy actions for containing the health care out-of-pocket payments and their poverty impacts are urgently needed in Vietnam.
Developing Countries/*economics ; Financing, Government/economics/trends ; Health Expenditures/*statistics & numerical data/*trends ; *Healthcare Financing ; Insurance, Health/*economics/*trends ; Vietnam/epidemiology

Background: Dengue virus infection is a major public health problem. A hypothesis put forward for severe dengue is the cytokine storm, a sudden increase in cytokines that induces vascular permeability. Previous studies and our recent meta-analysis showed that IL-6, IL-8, IFNγ, TNFα, VEGF-A and VCAM-1 are associated with dengue shock syndrome. Therefore, in this study we aim to validate the association of these cytokines with severe dengue. Methods & Findings: In a hospital based case control study in Vietnam, children with dengue fever, other febrile illness and healthy controls were recruited. Dengue virus infection was confirmed by several diagnostic tests. Multiplex Immunoassay using Luminex technology was used to measure cytokines simultaneously. A positive association with dengue shock syndrome was found for VCAM-1, whereas a negative association was found for IFNγ. Furthermore, the multivariate logistic analysis also showed that VCAM-1 and IFNγ were independently correlated with dengue shock syndrome. Conclusion: IFNγ and VCAM-1 were associated with dengue shock syndrome, although their role in the severe dengue pathogenesis remains unclear. Additional studies are required to further investigate the function of these cytokines in severe dengue.

Background: Dengue virus infection is a major public health problem. A hypothesis put forward for severe dengue is the cytokine storm, a sudden increase in cytokines that induces vascular permeability. Previous studies and our recent meta-analysis showed that IL-6, IL-8, IFNγ, TNFα, VEGF-A and VCAM-1 are associated with dengue shock syndrome. Therefore, in this study we aim to validate the association of these cytokines with severe dengue. Methods & Findings: In a hospital based-case control study in Vietnam, children with dengue fever, other febrile illness and healthy controls were recruited. Dengue virus infection was confirmed by several diagnostic tests. Multiplex immunoassay using Luminex technology was used to measure cytokines simultaneously. A positive association with dengue shock syndrome was found for VCAM-1, whereas a negative association was found for IFNγ. Furthermore, multivariate logistic analysis also showed that VCAM-1 and IFNγ were independently correlated with dengue shock syndrome. Conclusion: IFNγ and VCAM-1 were associated with dengue shock syndrome, although their role in the severe dengue pathogenesis remains unclear. Additional studies are required to shed further light on the function of these cytokines in severe dengue.

Background: Heparan-sufate interacting protetin (HIP) has been known to be up-regulated and expressed in various human cancer cell lines at both transcript and protein levels. HIP\u2019s expression was related to the differentiation status and cancer development. Objective: Using a semi-quantitative PCR method to determine HIP transcript levels in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate cancer tissues. Subjects and methods: 30 samples of BPH, 12 samples of high-grade PIN, and 40 samples of prostate cancer were collected from patients at Viet Duc Hospital and Friendship Hospital. Total RNA was extracted from BPH, PIN and prostate cancer tissues; cDNA synthesis by reverse transcript - polymerase chain reaction (RT - PCR); HIP transcript determination using semi-quantitative PCR. Results: There was significant difference in HIP transcript levels. HIP transcript was very highly up-regulated in the prostate cancer tissues. The up-regulation of HIP transcript was lower in PIN, and lowest in BPH. HIP transcript levels in benign samples were 1/2 and 2/3 compared with cancer and PIN samples, respectively (P< 0.05). These indicated that up-regulation of HIP transcript may be an early event in tumorigenesis. Conclusions: Levels of HIP transcript were different between tissues of prostate cancer, PIN, and BPH. HIP may be a marker for pre-cancer of the prostate.
HIP/L29 ; prostate cancer ; Transcript

Background: Heparansulfate Interacting Protein (HIP) is up-regulated in various human cancer cell lines at both transcript and protein levels. HIP expression is related to the differentiation status and cancer development. Objectives: To determine HIP in benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer tissues. Materials and method: Western blot method was used to determine HIP expression in 3 different types of prostate tissue, including 11 prostate cancer samples, 2 benign prostatic hyperplasia samples and 11 prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia samples. Results. HIP was particularly up-regulated in prostate cancer and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, indicating that up-regulation of HIP expression may be an early event in tumorgenesis. Conclusion: The expression of HIP was different between cancer, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia tissue and benign prostatic hyperplasia. HIP may serve as a prognostic marker for prostate carcinoma.
HIP expression ; Prostate cancer ; Prostatic hyperplasia.

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

Background: Down syndrome is a developmental disorder caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, is a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops, both mentally and physically. It affects about 1 in every 700 babies. The fetus having high risk for Down syndrome (OS) can be detected early by ultrasound. Objectives: The aim of the study is to find out some ultrasound markers that relate to OS fetus. Subjects and method: A descriptive study was carried out on 612 pregnant women with fetus \ufffd?12 weeks by ultrasound to detect abnormal markers in fetus. The fetus were diagnosed Down syndrome by analysis chromosome from amniocyte and monitor up to the neonate. Then, finding out association between OS fetus and ultrasound markers. Results: Among 612 pregnant women,36/12 pregnant women had abnormal imaging in fetus, 11/12 pregnant women had OS fetus. There were 12 pregnant women detected OS fetus. 6/12 OS fetus associated with the maker of nuchal skin fold (cut off 2: 3mm at the first trimester and 2: 6 mm at the second trimester): Detection rate (DR) was 50%; false positive rate (FOR): 0,83%. 3/12 OS fetus associated with the marker of duodenal atresia. DR was 25%; FOR: 0%. Conclusions: The two common markers associated with OS fetus: \r\n', u'the first marker was nuchal skin fold (with cut off 2: 3mm at the first trimester and > 6 mm at the second trimester) and the second marker was duodenal atresia. \r\n', u' \r\n', u'
Down Syndrome ; Fetus/ anatomy & ; histology ; abnormalities ; physiopathology ; ultrasonography