Aims: Microorganisms play a vital role in the breakdown of natural organic compounds and are valuable objects for worldwide enzyme production. The aim of this study was to identify favorable production conditions for Bacillus amyloliquefaciens D19 protease, followed by the purification and chemical characterization of this novel enzyme to assess its potential applications in various fields. Methodology and results: In this study, favorable conditions of protease production from B. amyloliquefaciens D19 were determined using a medium containing soluble starch (1.5%), earthworm extract (1.0%), yeast extract (0.5%), NaCl (1.0%), at pH 7.0-8.0, 37 °C for 36 h with 150 rpm shaking condition. The protease was purified and had a molecular weight of about 23 kDa. The optimum condition for casein hydrolysis was at 40 °C and pH 6.5-7.0 in the presence of 1.0 mM Na+ or 5.0 mM Zn2+. The enzymatic activity was maintained at 75-100% at 30-50 °C and in pH 6.0-10.0. The values of Vmax and KM were also determined as 1547 U/mg and 6.33 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusion, significance and impact of study The identified optimal conditions will serve as the foundation for the production of the 23 kDa B. amyloliquefaciens D19 protease, one of the smallest proteases within the Bacillus genus. Moreover, its notable heat resistance, broad pH tolerance, high substrate catalysis and moderate substrate binding affinity make this enzyme a promising candidate for various applications in the food-feed and brewing industries.

The optimal condition for Moringa oleifera root barks extraction was determined using response surface methodology and Box-Behnken Design. The actual optimal condition of the factors was 65 o C, ethanol 60%, 40 (mL/g) liquid-to-solid ratio with 240 minutes extraction time. The enrichment of phenolic compounds sharply affected the antioxidant, and inhibitions of α-amylase enzyme, as well as, the anti-inflammatory effect of the extract from M. oleifera root barks. The extract in the optimal condition exhibited better 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and α-amylase inhibitory activities than those of positive controls.Also, the extract showed weak hydroxyl free radical scavenging and nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory effects. These revealed a simple and promising method for the preparation of bioactive products from the root bark of M. oleifera.

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.

Background: The rate of abortion in Vietnam is still high and is dependent on the personal factors of the women as well as the supply of contraceptive services. Objectives: To evaluate some of the factors that influenced the abortion decisions of the women admitted to the National Hospital for Obstetric and Gynecology. Subjects and method: There were 334 unwanted pregnancies in women with a gestation age of less than 12 weeks, who have aborted at the National Hospital for Obstetric and Gynecology between June 2006 and December 2006, participated in this cross-sectional study. They were interviewed according to a questionnaire. Data was analyzed by SPSS software version 10.0. Results: The mean age was 28.93+/-6.57 years. Among all participants, 61.4% were civil servants, 25.7% housewives, 8.1 % students. For 54.8% of all subjects this was the first abortion, and 45.2% had at least one abortion in the past. Age, occupation, educational level, marital status and numbers of children were associated with the history of abortion. Conclusion: The main reasons of abortion were having enough children, unmarried. Determinant factors of abortion decision were older age, low level of education, marital status and having enough children.
abortion

Background: In vitro fertilization cycle often have redundant embryos. These redundant embryos will be frozen and used for the next embryos transfer. Objective: To evaluate clinical pregnancy rate and factors affecting pregnancy outcomes after frozen embryos transfer. Subjects and method: 1013 frozen embryos were cultured until day 2 or 3 and then frozen by the slow freezing procedure. The embryos were thawed and transferred when indicated. Data was processed by SPSS software. Results: The mean age of patients was 32.81 +/- 5.4 years. 70% of patients were infertile due to ovarian diseases. Clinical pregnancy rate after frozen embryos transfer was 28.1%, pregnancy rate on day 3 higher than on day 2, pregnancy rate on day 1 was 40%. Miscarriage rate was 22.3%, multiple pregnancies was 44.4%. Age of patient did not affect pregnancy outcome. Endometrial thickness, quality of embryos had affected pregnancy rate. Conclusions: Clinical pregnancy rate after frozen embryos transfer was 28.1%. Quality of embryo, endometrial thickness and time of transfer had affected pregnancy rate after frozen embryos.
Frozen embryo ; pregnancy

Background: In recent years the sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam is imbalanced, with the number of male births being higher than that of female births. Objectives: To describe the trend and distribution of sex ratio at birth by time and geography, and investigate the relationship between sex ratio at birth and abortion ratio in 2006. Subjects and method: The study was conducted in 3.840 communal health stations, 723 district hospitals/polyclinics and 132 provincial and central hospitals with total of 1,095,064 births, occupied 78% of births over the nation in 2006. Result: The male/female sex ratio varies between areas, with the ratio being higher in rural than in urban and higher in the North \u2013East and North-Central regions than in the rest of country (p<0.05). Conclusion: There has been the clear imbalance of sex ratio at birth since 2002 (varying from 110 to 113), as well as the significant imbalance of sex ratio at birth by provinces. High imbalance of sex ratio at birth is related to the high abortion rate in these provinces. Viet Nam needs to implement strong measures/actions to avoid the same situation as in China and India.
Sex ratio at birth

Cesarean scar pregnancy is one of the rarest forms of etopic pregnancy. We reported here the case of a 30 year old woman who had a previous preterm delivery with a dead newborn, one live birth with cesarean section and twice MVA after cesarean section. She was presented an with 8-week gestational pregnancy. Diagnosis of cesarean scar pregnancy was made by abdominal and intravaginal ultrasound. We used oocyte retrieval needle to aspirate the gestational sac under ultrasound guidance. The patient was given 4 shots of methotrexate with a dosage of 50mg every other day. Beta HCG level was monitored every 3 days during hospitalization and weekly afterward. It was found that the beta HCG levels normalized after 6 weeks and the woman\u2019s condition was stable. This case showed that the combination of ultrasound-guided gestational sac aspiration and methotrexate injection was successful in management of cesarean scar pregnancy.
Cesarean scar pregnancy ; Gestational reduction

Background: Ovarian stimulation is an important process in IVF. Objectives:To assess the efficacy of low dose GnRH agonist depot in combination with recombinant FSH for ovarian stimulation in IVF and evaluate the clinical pregnancy rate of this protocol. Subject and method: A prospective study recruited 60 patients undergoing IVF. The patients was injected intramuscularly with a single dose of diphereline of 1.25 mg on cycle day 21-23. Then recombinant FSH was given subcutaneously on day 3. hCG was injected intramuscularly when at least one follicle reached 18 mm in diameter. Oocytes retrieval in 36 hours and embryo 2 transfer on day after oocytes retrieval. Results: Duration of stimulation was 10.8 \xb1 0.9, average number of oocytes was 3.3 \xb1 4.7, average number of embryos was 6.5 \xb1 4.1, clinical pregnancy rate was 41.7%. Ovarian hyperstimulation rate was 5%, frozen embryo rate was 40 %. Conclusions: The use of low dose GnRH agonist depot in combination with recombinant ISH is effective for ovarian stimulation in IVF.
In vitro Fertilization (IVF) ; Ovarian stimulation ; Oocytes retrieval ; Embryo transfer ; GnRH agonist

Background: Many research works showed that menstruation is caused by the sudden reduction of the estrogens and progesterone to low levels of secretion at the end of the menstrual cycle. However, it should be investigated to which levels the concentration of these two hormones sharply reduces to cause menstruation. Objective: To determine estradiol concentration at the beginning of menstruation, the second day of menstruation and the ending of menstruation during the menstrual cycle. Subject and methods: 30 women with the normal menstrual cycle and 30 women with the long menstrual cycle were used as subjects to determine estradiol concentration at the day at the beginning of menstruation, the second day of menstruation and the last day of menstruation during the menstrual cycle. Result and Conclusion: In the women group with the normal menstrual cycle, the estradiol concentration: at the day at the beginning of menstruation is 159.93 \xb1 51.29 pmol/L, at the second day of menstruation is 170.58 \xb1 46.54 pmol/L and at the lastday of menstruation is 177.55 \xb1 46.42 pmol/L. In women in the group with long menstrual cycle, the estradiol concentration: at the day of beginning of menstruation is 154.55 \xb1 61.60 pmol/L and at the last day of menstruation is 154.55 \xb1 61.60 pmol/L.
menstrual cycle ; estrogen ; estradiol

138 patients (102 males, 36 females) aged 3-71 years old with 139 deficiencies of various causes in inferior limbs underwent a surgery of free flap transfer with 144 free flaps. Survived rate reached 134/144 flaps (93.05%), full necrosis in 10/144 flaps (6.95%). All cases were sucessfully operated exculding 5/10 cases of second time transfer. Near possible complications such as obstruction of the arterial connection of 4 flap-connect sites, obstruction of the venous connection of 6 flap sites, obstruction of venous-arterial connection of 2 sites, necrotic infection in 1 flap.
Surgical Flaps ; Lower Extremity/abnormalities ; Surgery ; Necrosis