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.

Anaplasma marginale and A. platys were detected and characterized (16S rDNA sequence analysis) from dairy and indigenous cattle, and the latter in domestic dogs in Vietnam. A phylogenetic tree was inferred from 26 representative strains/species of Anaplasma spp. including 10 new sequences from Vietnam. Seven of our Vietnamese sequences fell into the clade of A. marginale and 3 into A. platys, with strong nodal support of 99 and 90%, respectively. Low genetic distances (0.2–0.4%) within each species supported the identification. Anaplasma platys is able to infect humans. Our discovery of this species in cattle and domestic dogs raises considerable concern about zoonotic transmission in Vietnam. Further systematic investigations are needed to gain data for Anaplasma spp. and members of Anaplasmataceae in animal hosts, vectors and humans across Vietnam.
Anaplasma marginale ; Anaplasma ; Anaplasmataceae ; Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cattle ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Dogs ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Trees ; Vietnam

Inflammation is a biological response caused by overactivation of the immune system and is controlled by immune cells via a variety of cytokines. The overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines enhances abnormal host immunity, resulting in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. Inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-12p40, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α might be one way to treat these conditions. Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of compounds isolated from Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim., which is traditionally used as an antipyretic and analgesic in Korea. In primary cell culture assays, 12 compounds were found to inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-12p40, IL-6, and TNF-α) in vitro in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells stimulated with LPS.
Alzheimer Disease ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cimicifuga ; Cytokines ; Dendritic Cells ; Immune System ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukins ; Korea ; Primary Cell Culture ; Ranunculaceae ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Dravet syndrome is a rare and severe type of epilepsy in infants. The heterogeneity in the overall intellectual disability that these patients suffer from has been attributed to differences in genetic background and epilepsy severity. METHODS: Eighteen Vietnamese children diagnosed with Dravet syndrome were included in this study. SCN1A variants were screened by direct sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Adaptive functioning was assessed in all patients using the Vietnamese version of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and the results were analyzed relative to the SCN1A variants and epilepsy severity. RESULTS: We identified 13 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants, including 6 that have not been reported previously. We found no correlations between the presence or type of SCN1A variants and the level of adaptive functioning impairment or severity of epilepsy. Only two of nine patients aged at least 5 years had an adaptive functioning score higher than 50. Both of these patients had a low frequency of convulsive seizures and no history of status epilepticus or prolonged seizures. The remaining seven had very low adaptive functioning scores (39 or less) despite the variability in the severity of their epilepsy confirming the involvement of factors other than the severity of epilepsy in determining the developmental outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our study expands the spectrum of known SCN1A variants and confirms the current understanding of the role of the genetic background and epilepsy severity in determining the developmental outcome of Dravet syndrome patients.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Child* ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic* ; Epilepsy ; Genetic Background ; Humans ; Infant ; Intellectual Disability ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Population Characteristics ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus ; Weights and Measures

In this report we describe a new approach in HIV sentinel surveillance that was piloted in Viet Nam in 2009 and is currently being rolled out in all provinces. It comprises a brief behavioural questionnaire added to the HIV sentinel surveillance surveys conducted routinely among people who inject drugs, female sex workers and men who have sex with men. Timely reporting of data from this system has resulted in improvements to HIV prevention efforts for most at-risk populations.

Freshwater snails of the family Lymnaeidae play an important role in the transmission of fascioliasis worldwide. In Vietnam, 2 common lymnaeid species, Lymnaea swinhoei and Lymnaea viridis, can be recognized on the basis of morphology, and a third species, Lymnaea sp., is known to exist. Recent studies have raised controversy about their role in transmission of Fasciola spp. because of confusion in identification of the snail hosts. The aim of this study is, therefore, to clarify the identities of lymnaeid snails in Vietnam by a combination of morphological and molecular approaches. The molecular analyses using the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA clearly showed that lymnaeids in Vietnam include 3 species, Austropeplea viridis (morphologically identified as L. viridis), Radix auricularia (morphologically identified as L. swinhoei) and Radix rubiginosa (morphologically identified as Lymnaea sp.). R. rubiginosa is a new record for Vietnam. Among them, only A. viridis was found to be infected with Fasciola spp. These results provide a new insight into lymnaeid snails in Vietnam. Identification of lymnaeid snails in Vietnam and their role in the liver fluke transmission should be further investigated.
Animals ; Cluster Analysis ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/chemistry/genetics ; Fasciola/*isolation & purification ; Lymnaea/*anatomy & histology/genetics/*parasitology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid ; Vietnam

Background: Domestic violence is a common occurrance in every country, culture and all levels of society, and about 20%-50% of women worldwide are victims of domestic violence. In Vietnam, domestic violence had broad range of influences and has serious impacts. Objectives: To identify the factors influencing domestic violence in Yen Phong district, Bac Ninh province. Subjects and method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2006 on 452 married women aged 19 to 45 years, with structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews and focus group discussion. Results and conclusion: the lifetime prevalence of domestic violence was 42% and the prevalence in the past 12 month was 22.6%. The most frequent domestic violence was mental, followed by physical and sexual violence. The first 15 years of marriage was the most turbulent period of violence. There were significant relationships between lifetime violence and the education, occupation, economic status, but there was no relationship for violence in the past 12 months. The women, whose husbands were drunk, gambling and unfaithful, were more likely to be facing domestic violence than the others. The acceptance of violence by women was significantly related to violence. Those who perceived the violence by husbands were very severe then were less likely to be faced by violence than the other. In order to prevent the domestic violence, it is necessary to promote the health education, improving the awareness of women and men on gender equity and equality.
Domestic violence ; Gender equity

Background: Although Hanoi School of Public Health was established in the year 2001, 187 Masters of Public Health (MPH) graduated up to 2006. In order to improve the quality of training and find out the applicability of public health of these people, this study was carried out. Objectives: To assess the applicability as well as the frequency of the public health competencies that the alumni performed at current work. Subjects and method: 187 graduates were invited to complete a self - administered questionnaire and in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 alumni as well as a focus group discussion with 14 alumni, using group nominal technique. Results: In total, 79.1% (148) of the MPH graduates completed and returned the questionnaire. The most commonly selected of the 34 pre - identified public health competencies were: applying computer skills (66.4%), planning and managing health programs (47.9%), communicating with the community and/or mobilizing the community to participate in health care (43.2%). Although giving good comments for training program, ex-graduates still had problems when analyzing data and making decision in public health. Conclusions: These findings suggested that the training program should be reviewed and revised to meet the needs of its graduates who enter diverse situations and positions.
Master of Public Health ; Public health competency

Background: Domestic-related violence against women appears in every country, culture and socioeconomic classes. Yen Phong district of Bac Ninh province is in the economic transformation process from agricultural to industrial and service economic structure. The domestic-related violence trend is increasing, but there are no study on this situation. Objectives: The study was conducted to investigate the situation of domestic violence against women in Yen Phong district, Bac Ninh province. Subjects and method: The study used cross-sectional descriptive design. Participants were married women who were less than 50 years old. The participants were interviewed with structured questionnaires. The group involved the men who have a history of violent activities against women and the women who suffered from violence was thoroughly interviewed and discussed. Results: A total of 452 women had participated in the study. Mean age of participants was 34.6 years old (ranging from 19 to 49 years old). About half of participants have never suffered from domestic violence. The violence in the last 12 months was lower, affected to one out of every 5 women. The mental violence accounted for highest rate, followed by physical and sexual violence (29.2%, 28.3% and 10.4%, respectively). Sharing economy and household responsibility, gambling habit of husbands and talkative habit of wives were main reasons of violence. The consequences of violence were mainly related to mental and social factors. Some women suffered from mental, physical and sexual health consequences (73.2%, 20.5%, and 13.7%, respectively). Conclusion: In order to increase the awareness on domestic violence, it requires improve access to information on gender violence for both men and women.
Gender violence ; Rural women

Background: The incidence of Ectopic Pregnancy (EP) is increasing worldwide, especially in developing countries. It is among main causes of morbidity and mortality in childbearing women. The EP incidence in Chi Linh district, Hai Duong province is about 0.22%. Objectives: To identify the knowledge, attitude and practice of married women for EP in Chi Linh district and propose interventions to improve the early diagnosis of EP. Subjects and method: The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2005, combined questionnaires-based interviews to in-depth interviews and focal group discussion. Results: A total of 998 women participated in the study. Most of them were in 25-34 and 35-44 years old age groups (35.0%). 45.8% have never had surgical abortions and 27.4% has had a surgical abortion at least once. Most of the participants knew only one sign of abnormal pregnancy (abdominal pain: 42.0%, nausea: 41.5% and vaginal hemorrhage: 19.2%). About 2/3 of participants have never heard of EP and bout 2/3 of them considered it as a serious problem. 42.5% of women did not know any sign of EP. 76% did not know about the risk factors of EP. Main information source on EP came from friends (49.6%), television (15.2%), publications (10.8%) and health workers (5.9%).The usage of quick test for pregnancy was not common. Conclusion: Predisposing factors showed that the married women and health workers were aware of the need for early prenatal examination and the dangers of EP. The enabling factors showed that some impacts are needed to improve the knowledge of health workers con prenatal examination and counseling. Reinforcing factors showed that the extensive introduction of available health service is needed to improve the access of local women.
Ectopic pregnancy ; Knowledge ; Attitude ; Behavior ; Women