Penicillium vietnamense sp. nov. was isolated from Nha Trang Bay, Vietnam in June 2017. It is phylogenetically distinct from the sister species of Penicillium section Charlesia series Indica based on multi-locus sequence typing results using internal transcribed spacer, large subunit ribosomal RNA, β-tubulin, calmodulin, and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit regions. It showed strong growth on Czapek yeast autolysate agar at 37 C, a strong acid production on Creatine sucrose agar, and produced short stipes, small vesicles, and subglobose to globose conidia delicately roughened with very short ridges. As the first novel marine fungi species described from Vietnam and discovered in a unique environment, the data could be significant for understanding the taxonomy and geographical distribution of marine fungi in tropical coastal systems such as Vietnam.

Background: Sodium bicarbonate is highly alkaline and may be helpful in relieving symptoms of gout. Sodium bicarbonate helps to adjust your body's pH level, slightly creating an alkaline-forming state that lessens the likelihood of gout attacks. We can prepare sodium bicarbonate in several ways to treat gout symptoms. Objective: To examine the efficacy of sodium bicarbonate for treatment of gout. Subjects and method: A study was conducted in 54 patients with gout at Department of Rheumatology of Bach Mai hospital, from September 2006 to March 2007. Patients were divided into two groups, group 1 included 29 patients treated with intravenous sodium bicarbonate and group 2 included 25 patients treated with oral sodium bicarbonate. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Results: No significant changes showed between serum uric acid level, 24-hour urine uric acid level at before and after treatment in 2 groups. Gout patients with renal failure had increased level of 24-hour urine uric acid after treatment (p < 0.05). There were significantly increased level of urine volume, urine pH and decreased level of urine specific gravity after treatment. The effect of sodium bicarbonate was not different between intravenous usage and oral usage. Conclusion: Sodium bicarbonate could change urine environment, limit crystallization of urine uric acid of gout patients.
Gout/ therapy

The coastal marine ecosystems of Vietnam are one of the global biodiversity hotspots, but the biodiversity of marine fungi is not well known. To fill this major gap of knowledge, we assessed the genetic diversity (ITS sequence) of 75 fungal strains isolated from 11 surface coastal marine and deeper waters in Nha Trang Bay and Van Phong Bay using a culturedependent approach and 5 OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units) of fungi in three representative sampling sites using next-generation sequencing. The results from both approaches shared similar fungal taxonomy to the most abundant phylum (Ascomycota), genera (Candida and Aspergillus) and species (Candida blankii) but were different at less common taxa. Culturable fungal strains in this study belong to 3 phyla, 5 subdivisions, 7 classes, 12 orders, 17 families, 22 genera and at least 40 species, of which 29 species have been identified and several species are likely novel. Among identified species, 12 and 28 are new records in global and Vietnamese marine areas, respectively. The analysis of enzyme activity and the checklist of trophic mode and guild assignment provided valuable additional biological information and suggested the ecological function of planktonic fungi in the marine food web. This is the largest dataset of marine fungal biodiversity on morphology, phylogeny and enzyme activity in the tropical coastal ecosystems of Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Biogeographic aspects, ecological factors and human impact may structure mycoplankton communities in such aquatic habitats.

Background: Auricular pressure method is a non-medication method which has been applied for a long time. This method significantly improved the clinical symptoms in premenopausal women. Objectives: to evaluate the effects of auricular pressure method on some hemological and endocrinal indices of the patients with pre-menopausal syndrome. Subjects and methods: 30 patients with menopausal syndrome aged 40- 55 were treated by applying continuously auricular method on Shen men, endocrine, sympathetic nerve points for 30 days. An open-clinical trial was conducted with a comparison of the results before and after treatment. Results: After 30 days of treatment there were no change in hemological indices while serum Estradiol concentration increased to 199,33 \xb1 299,83pnol/l and FSH decreased to 16,33 \xb1 108,70 UL/I compared with those before treatment.The increased levels of estrogen explained partly the improvement of clinical symptoms after treatment. Number of erythrocyte, leukocyte, platelet, haemoglobin, hematocrit did not change. Conclusions: Auricular pressure method produced an influence on the levels of serum Estradiol and FSH. However, it caused no effects on hemological indices in the patients with menopausal syndrome. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Premenopause

Background: Recently Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus type 1 has surfaced and is co-circulated with JE virus type 3 in the northern areas of Viet Nam, so a sensitivity of JE viral antigen genotype 3 to detect IgM is required. Objectives: To compare the sensitivity of JE viral antigen genotype 1 and 3 to detect IgM against the JE virus. Materials and method: 783 cerebrospinal fluid and serum samples from viral encephalitis cases from 1999-2005 were collected and examined by MAC-ELISA for JE viral antigen genotype 1 and 3. Results: The agreement on the diagnosis of these kinds of antigen was 99.7% and the sensitivity of JE viral antigen genotype 3 was higher than that of genotype 1. Thus, JE viral antigen genotype 3 could be considered as the selected antigen for JE diagnosis in Viet Nam. IgM titer determined by JE viral antigen genotype 1 was higher than that of genotype 3 in 2003 and 2005 and lower in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004. Conclusion: The dominant phenomenon of JE viral genotypes differing over the years might be due to the interaction of the virus and its vectors. Further study is required to clarify this observation.
Japanese Encephalitis ; antigen

Background: In recent year, Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) genotype 1 has been detected among isolates from mosquitoes and pig\u2019s blood samples in northern Viet Nam, but there has been no information on the presence of this genotype in the Central, Southern and Highland regions. Objectives: This study aims to detect the Japanese encephalitis genotype 1 in various different geographic regions of Viet Nam. Material and method: Sequence analysis\u2019s of whole E gene of 18 strains isolated from human, mosquitoes and pig\u2019s blood during 2001-2007. Results: 7 strains isolated from pig\u2019s blood and mosquito samples in the Northern, Central, Southern and Highland fell into genotype 1, but 11 others isolated from humans in the Northern and Central regions belonged to genotype 3. Conclusion: This is the first time that JEV genotype 1 was detected in the central, northern, highland Viet Nam and further studies on genotype 1 causing human diseases needs to be carried out.\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Virus ; Japanese Encephalitis ; genotype 1 ; E gene.

Background: Currently, tracking, monitoring insecticide resistance of mosquitoes transmitting disease is an urgent need.\r\n', u'Objectives: To evaluate resistance to insecticide of three mosquito species: Aedes Aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus and culex tritaenyorhynchus in Ha Noi\r\n', u'Subject and method: Aedes Aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus culex tritaenyorhynchus mosquito species was collected from some districts of Ha Noi city. These mosquito species was tested sensitivity with 4 insecticides: permethrin 0.75%, lambda-cyhalothrin 0.05%, alpha-cypermethrin 30mg/m2 and DDT 4.0%.\r\n', u'Results: Three main vectors of Dengue fever, Japanese Encephalic and Filariasis mosquitoes were found in a very high density in some areas of Ha Noi City. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the districts of Thanh Xuan (TX), Dong Da (DD) and Hoang Mai (HM) was found highly resistant to permethrin, alpha - cypermethrin, lambda - cyhalothrin and DDT with the mortalities rates of 51 % (TX) and 59%(DD); 70%(HM); 90%, 82% and 96%; 74%, 54% and 59%; 1 %, 8% and 32%, respectively. \r\n', u'Culex tritaenyorhynchus was found also highly resistant to permethrin with the mortality rate of 29%, alphacypermethrin - 18%, lambdacyhalothrin - only 3% and DDT x36%. Culex quinquefasciatus was found also highly resistant to those insecticides. \r\n', u'Conclusion: Other insecticides should choose to replace the chemicals used in this experiment to control, kill mosquitoes when epidemics occur.\r\n', u'
Insecticides ; resistance ; Aedes Aegypti ; Culex quinquefasciatus ; culex tritaenyorhynchus

Background: Mosquitoes and pigs play important roles in maintaining and increasing the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus in nature and which is then transmitted to humans. Thus, surveillance of the JE infection frequency in the pig population may predict the human JE cases. \r\n', u'Objectives: The study aimed to determine IgG antibody against the JE virus in the pig population in Hanam province \r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The study included 1791 pig serum samples collected from 3 districts of Hanam province from Apr 2006 to Mar 2007. GAC-ELISA technique was used to determine the JE virus infection in the swine population.\r\n', u'Results: The average positive rate in pig population was 34.9 % (626/1791); with the highest frequency occurring in the summer (37.7%- 84.0 %), co-incident with the JE season in Northern Vietnam. On the contrary, in winter JE case are rare, frequency of IgG antibody against JE virus in the swine population was low, ranging from 9.2% to 22.0.%. \r\n', u'Conclusions: These results have shown the ecologically close relationship between the amplification of the JE virus in the swine population, vector and JE cases in northern Vietnam. \r\n', u'
Japanese encephalitis ; pig population ; GAC-ELISA.

Background: IgM antibody capture ELISA (MAC-ELISA) technique has been widely applied for Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) diagnosis. So far rare internationally commercial kits are available. Thus, the international evaluation of the kit is required as per the recommendation of the WHO. Objectives: To evaluate the quality of the IgM antibody capture ELISA diagnostic kit for JEV produced by the Vietnam National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE). Subjects and method: In this study, NIID kit was used as control to check the kit from NIHE. Both NIHE and NIID kits were used to detect JEV IgM among 38 serum and 6 CFS samples, which belongs to 5 sample groups (JE patients group, dengue patients group, other viral encephalitis patients group, Tick Born Encephalitis (TBE) patient group and healthy JE vaccinated donors group). Results: The detection of JEV IgM by NIHE kit was concurrent with the NIID kit. There is no positive with the JE in the groups of Dengue patients, TBE, other virus encephalitis patients and JE vaccinated donors. Conclusion: MAC-ELISA kit of NIHE can be used for different diagnosis of JEV and Dengue virus (both viruses are in Flavivirus genus), as well as other viruses caused by encephalitis.
IgM antibody ; ELISA diagnostic kit ; Japanese encephalitis virus

OBJECTIVES: To identify trends in percentage body fat (PBF) in adolescents to determine gender-specific classification thresholds for being overweight and obese. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 899 adolescents (11 to 14.5 years) from Hanoi and Nam Dinh was conducted in Vietnam. PBF, subcutaneous fat and percentage of lean mass were measured directly using OMRON HBF 375 scales to measure bioelectrical impedance. RESULTS: PBF decreased in boys with increasing age (p < 0.001). The difference in PBF between boys and girls, significantly increased with age after 12.5 years (p < 0.001). There was a stronger correlation between PBF and fat content (Pearson's r = 0.860, p < 0.0001) than that between (BMI) and fat content (Pearson's r = 0.521, p < 0.0001). The prevalence of being overweight or obese in girls was similar when determined by PBF or BMI. Hanoi had higher rates of adolescents being overweight or obese compared with Nam Dinh. CONCLUSION: PBF provides a more accurate body assessment for being overweight or obese in adolescents compared with BMI.
Adipose Tissue ; Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Classification ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Vietnam ; Weights and Measures