Background: Capgras syndrome is a special psychotic feature of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease (AD). It is the most common disorder among 4 primary delusional misidentification syndromes in AD. However, there\u2019s not been that much research done into this syndrome in Vietnam. Objectives: To describe the clinical appearances of Capgras syndrome and its effect on the severity and progress of AD. Subjects: 35 patients with diagnoses of AD according to DSM-4 criteria, treated at the National Institute of Mental Health, National Psychiatric Hospital and Hanoi Psychiatric Hospital over a period of 5 years (1997-2002). They were divided into 2 groups with and without Capgras syndrome. Method: Descriptive, prospective and longitudinal study. This was small size clinical study, so p\u2013value was used to compare 2 groups of patients. Results: Of the 35 AD patients, 8 patients (22.8%) had Capgras syndrome. Capgras syndrome was seen more frequently in women (6/8 patients) at the late episode of the disease. Its features were similar to descriptions by journals on the subject, 5 out of 8 patients had delusions. Disability on daily life and psychotic, conductive, affective disorders were seen more frequent and severe on patients with Capgras syndrome. Paraclinical findings showed that in patients with Capgras syndrome, the lesions were more predominant in the right hemisphere. Conclusion: Capgras syndrome was usually accompanied with behavioral, affective disorders. Especially, it increases cognitive impairment of patients. Further studies on the relationships between Capgras syndrome and special lesions in the brain are required.
Alzheimer\u2019s disease ; Capgras syndrome

So far, in Viet Nam, there aren't systematic research on the role of psychological and imaging tests for diagnosis of AD. Objectives: To study the role of brain MMSE and CT findings in diagnosis of AD. Methods: 35 patients with AD were diagnosed according to criteria of ICD.10 and DSM.4; Descriptive, prospective and followed up investigation was applied. Results: MMSE could be used for all patients (100%), MMSE scores coresponded with dementia severity. Reduction in scores more than 3 points per year presented in 93.3%. On CT, general atrophy of brain presented in 100% patients, temporal lobe atrophy was seen in 65.7% of patients. The difference of brain atrophy level has been significant at all patients after 2.5 to 3 years follow up. Conclusion: MMSE was considered as appropriate test to measure dementia severity and to define AD. On CT, great speed of brain atrophy after 2.5 to 3 years follow up could confirm diagnosis of AD.
Alzheimer Disease ; Tomography ; Brain ; Diagnosis

Background: To improve the physical fitness of athletes is one of the essential requirements of the Vietnam Sports associations. Research to discover the functional foods to improve the physical fitness of athletes in general, in particular athletic athletes is an interest to scientists. Objective: Evaluation of effect of Phunamine on some of the male, female athlete\u2019s biomedicine and physical fitness standards. Subject and methods: A controlled, double-blind, randomized, clinical experiment was conducted on 30 athletes of the Hanoi Athletic Group. They were then divided into 2 groups: research group: 20 athletes (10 men, 10 women) were administered with 4 phunamine pills per day; control group: 10 athletes (5 men, 5 women) were each administered with 4 placebo pills per day. The 2 groups had tests performed and followed up 30 days pre and post administration. Results: Max-min blood pressure change between the two groups was not significant (t(\u03b1)>0.5). Testosterone concentration change and physical fitness test (run 100m, 400m) of Phunamine dosed group were higher than the placebo group (t(\u03b1)<0.5). Conclusion: Phunamine has the effects of increasing testosterone concentration and improving physical fitness of athletes however the drug has no effect on blood pressure index of athletic athletes.
Phunamine ; functional foods ; athletes

Background: The fitness of athletes is always the top priority of each coach. Therefore, studying to discover the products that are really effective and appropriate for each sport is an urgent matter. Previous research showed biochemical standard is one of the important standards to assess the fitness of athletes. \r\n', u'Objectives: To study the effects of Phunamine on various biochemical standards of male and female weight-lifters. \r\n', u'Method: The self-control clinical experiment was applied in 19 weight-lifters at the Sport University 1 (TuSon) from May to July 2006. The research material was the functional food Phunamine with major component being anchovy combined with Syngnathiformes powder. Results: Testosterone concentration after taking Phunamine was higher than before the research (t(alpha)<0.025 in males; <0.01 in females); activity of LDH enzyme after taking Phunamine was higher than before the research, but the significant difference was only found in female with t(alpha)<0.025; cortisol concentration was also higher than before the research. \r\n', u'Conclusions: Phunamine has the effect of increasing testosterone, cortisol concentration and LDH enzyme activity.\r\n', u'
Phunamine ; biochemical standards

Background: Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is common in the plains and mountainous areas in Asia \u2013 Pacific. Japanese encephalitis vaccine shows effectiveness in protecting children from JE in some countries such as Japan and Korea. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination in Thai Binh province during 2003-2007. Subject and Method: Prospective, retrospective and sero-epidemiological methods were carried out on 329 samples collected from viral encephalitis patients and tested by JE MAC-ELISA, the positive average was 41.6% (137/329). Result: It had dramatically dropped from 85.2% in 2003 to 8.5 % in 2007 related to the rate of JE vaccination for children from 1 to 5 years old increasing from 49 % in 2003 to 77 % in 2007. Most of JE confirmed cases were un-vaccinated. Conclusion: JE etiology cause viral encephalitis in children in Thai Binh province was reduced thanks to JE vaccination in EPI program for 1 to 5 year old children. But more than 96% (131/136) of viral encephalitis in 15 years old upward was unknown etiology, the need for further study of the etiology cause viral encephalitis in adults.
Japanese encephalitis ; virus encephalitis ; MAC-ELISA ; Vaccine

Objective: To describe the burden of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and the infrastructure and current practices of SARI management in hospitals in Viet Nam. Methods: We conducted a short observational study at critical care units (CCUs) in 32 district hospitals and 16 provincial hospitals in five provinces in Viet Nam from March to July 2019. We collected data on hospital equipment and medicines used in SARI management. At the patient level, data were collected for 14 consecutive days on all patients presenting to CCUs, including information on demographics, intervention and treatment within 24 hours of CCU admission and 7-day outcome. Results: There were significant differences between district and provincial hospitals in the availability of microbial culture, rapid influenza diagnostic tests, inflammatory markers and mechanical ventilation. Among 1722 eligible patients admitted to CCUs, there were 395 (22.9%) patients with SARI. The median age of SARI patients was 74 (interquartile range: 58–84) years; 49.1% were male. Although systemic antibiotics were available in all hospitals and were empirically given to 93.4% of patients, oseltamivir was available in 25% of hospitals, and only 0.5% of patients received empiric oseltamivir within 24 hours of admission. The 7-day mortality was 6.6% (26/395). Independent factors associated with 7-day mortality were septic shock and requiring respiratory support within 24 hours of admission. Discussion: SARI is a major burden on CCUs in Viet Nam. Barriers to delivering quality care include the limited availability of diagnostics and medication and non-protocolized management of SARI in CCUs.

Three yeast strains (Hue-1, Hue-8, and Hue-19) with strong heavy metal tolerance were isolated from mangosteen from Hue city, Vietnam. They exhibited identical phenotype and phylogeny. Sequence analysis of the D1/D2 region of the LSU rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region demonstrated that the closest relative of these strains is Papiliotrema sp. with 2.12% and 3.55–3.7% divergence in the D1/D2 domain, and ITS domain, respectively. Based on the physiological, biochemical, and molecular data, the three strains belong to a novel species of Papiliotrema genus, for which the namePapiliotrema huenov sp. nov. is proposed. These strains are highly tolerant of heavy metals compared to other yeasts, being able to grow in the presence of 2 mM Pb (II), 2 mM Cd (II), and up to 5 mM Ni (II), but no growth was observed in the presence of 1 mM As (III).

The Omicron variant caused a surge of infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Viet Nam in early 2022, signalling community transmission. We report on active whole-genome sequencing surveillance of positive SARS-CoV-2 samples collected at that time in northern Viet Nam from international arrivals and community clusters. We used an amplicon protocol developed with 14 polymerase chain reaction products and the Illumina iSeq 100 platform. Overall, 213 nasopharyngeal or throat swabs were analysed, of which 172 samples were identified with the Omicron variant. Of these, 80 samples were collected from community cases in February 2022, among which 59 samples were sublineage BA.2 and one sample was the recombinant XE variant. Our results indicated that Omicron had replaced Delta as the dominant variant in a very short period of time and that continuously conducting active whole-genome sequencing surveillance is necessary in monitoring the evolution and genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in Viet Nam.

Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam undertook a series of measures in response to the fourth and largest wave of COVID-19. The care pathway was continuously reconfigured through leadership from all levels of government and engagement of the community. This resulted in a shift towards integrated severity-based care consisting of multiple levels of health-care facilities and home care. This flexible approach based on the rapidly changing local context enabled Ho Chi Minh City to limit the extent to which health-care capacity was overwhelmed.

Background: Shigella-induced diarrhea has been considered a major health problem leading to high morbidity and mortality. This disease can lead to dire consequences; however, the true burden of the disease, including the costs and sequalae associated with shigellosis is not yet known. Objectives: (1) To describe the health seeking behavior and the way of payment of population when suffering Shigella; (2) To identify and analyze the direct household costs associated with the treatment of diarrhea due to Shigella. Subjects and method: 290 patients of all ages with positive Shigella diarrhea admitted to public health facilities in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province in the period from August 2002 to January 2004 were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three age groups, the first 0-5, second 5-18 and the last one was over 18 years old. Patients and their relatives were interviewed at three stages - day 7, day 14 and day 90 - to obtain all the required information. Results: 134 of 290 patients (47%) paid for using the other health care services before admission to the study\u2019s facilities. The average direct cost per episode for the patients at group aged 0-5 was 129,000 VND, group aged 6-18 was 59,267 VND and over 18 years old was 173,531 VND; it was 131.960 VND for three groups. Comparison with the average household expenditure for health care, it was higher in the poorer group and it was lower three times than the richest group. The average direct medical cost per episode was higher the average direct non-medical cost per episode for all groups. Conclusions: The average direct cost per episode of Shigellosis treatment was rather high especially the average direct cost for the treatment at the health facility. It was also high compared with the average expenditure for health per capita so that it becomes large economic burden for households.
Direct cost ; Shigella ; treatment