Polymorphisms of SP110 are associated with both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis among the Vietnamese

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet the reasons why only 10% of people infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis go on to develop clinical disease are poorly understood. Genetically determined variation in the host immune response is one factor influencing the response to M. tuberculosis. SP110 is an interferon-responsive nuclear body protein with critical roles in cell cycling, apoptosis and immunity to infection. However association studies of the gene with clinical TB in different populations have produced conflicting results. Methods: To examine the importance of the SP110 gene in immunity to TB in the Vietnamese we conducted a case-control genetic association study of 24 SP110 variants, in 663 patients with microbiologically proven TB and 566 unaffected control subjects from three tertiary hospitals in northern Vietnam. Results: Five SNPs within SP110 were associated with all forms of TB, including four SNPs at the C terminus (rs10208770, rs10498244, rs16826860, rs11678451) under a dominant model and one SNP under a recessive model, rs7601176. Two of these SNPs were associated with pulmonary TB (rs10208770 and rs16826860) and one with extra-pulmonary TB (rs10498244). Conclusion: SP110 variants were associated with increased susceptibility to both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB in the Vietnamese. Genetic variants in SP110 may influence macrophage signaling responses and apoptosis during M. tuberculosis infection, however further research is required to establish the mechanism by which SP110 influences immunity to tuberculosis infection. © 2014 Fox et al

Mainstreaming Grassroots Adaptation and Building Climate Resilient Agriculture in SAT Vietnam

Vietnam has a population of more than 86 million people, and an inland surface of 33,115,000 ha. Forest and agricultural lands, cover 44.7% and 28.4%, respectively. The agricultural sector, including crops, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture accounts for more than 20% of the national GDP, 65% of employment and 30% of export value. The agricultural sector has a considerable influence on the national economic growth, poverty eradication and malnutrition elimination (GSO 2010)...

Performance and livestock producers’ integration into cattle and pig farmer groups in NWH Vietnam

Farmer groups in Vietnam have undergone considerable transformations following the enforcement of the 2012 Law on Cooperatives. Under the new regulations, the old cooperative model became obsolete, which led to the disintegration or stop operation of numerous organisations. This gave way to a developing process of new forms of association in agricultural production, a field open to exploration. Within an evolving economy with greater exposure to international markets, adopting a scheme based on collective voluntariness reveals a challenging path for agricultural production’s social organisation, even more so if the individual perspectives of stakeholders on the performance and convenience of these groups are considered. Previous interventions have promoted the creation of farmer groups in Vietnam’s Northwest Highlands (NWH) to foster associativity, facilitating connection to markets and economies of scale for services, technologies, and knowledge transfer to livestock farmers. This research thus provides an assessment of the functioning and capacities of farmer groups engaged in cattle and pig production. To this end, five components were defined based on tools commonly used for strengthening farmer groups: 1) democratic, inclusive, and participatory management, 2) service offer and capacity building, 3) economic and financial sustainability, 4) managerial and administrative capacity, and 4) market connections and trading capacity. This approach integrates the analysis of behavioural elements from members, non-members, men, women, and local authorities on the perceived trust and commitment to participate in existing forms of cooperation. Information was collected through focus groups discussion and key informant interviews. The findings are currently being analysed and will allow researchers to design interventions aimed at strengthening farmer groups. They will too serve as input for current efforts to develop innovative models to deliver and scale innovations towards sustainable livestock production, replicable in other regions.Farmer groups in Vietnam have undergone considerable transformations following the enforcement of the 2012 Law on Cooperatives. Under the new regulations, the old cooperative model became obsolete, which led to the disintegration or stop operation of numerous organisations. This gave way to a developing process of new forms of association in agricultural production, a field open to exploration. Within an evolving economy with greater exposure to international markets, adopting a scheme based on collective voluntariness reveals a challenging path for agricultural production’s social organisation, even more so if the individual perspectives of stakeholders on the performance and convenience of these groups are considered. Previous interventions have promoted the creation of farmer groups in Vietnam’s Northwest Highlands (NWH) to foster associativity, facilitating connection to markets and economies of scale for services, technologies, and knowledge transfer to livestock farmers. This research thus provides an assessment of the functioning and capacities of farmer groups engaged in cattle and pig production. To this end, five components were defined based on tools commonly used for strengthening farmer groups: 1) democratic, inclusive, and participatory management, 2) service offer and capacity building, 3) economic and financial sustainability, 4) managerial and administrative capacity, and 4) market connections and trading capacity. This approach integrates the analysis of behavioural elements from members, non-members, men, women, and local authorities on the perceived trust and commitment to participate in existing forms of cooperation. Information was collected through focus groups discussion and key informant interviews. The findings are currently being analysed and will allow researchers to design interventions aimed at strengthening farmer groups. They will too serve as input for current efforts to develop innovative models to deliver and scale innovations towards sustainable livestock production, replicable in other regions

Detection of potentially novel paramyxovirus and coronavirus viral RNA in bats and rats in the Mekong Delta region of southern Viet Nam.

Bats and rodents are being increasingly recognized as reservoirs of emerging zoonotic viruses. Various studies have investigated bat viruses in tropical regions, but to date there are no data regarding viruses with zoonotic potential that circulate in bat and rat populations in Viet Nam. To address this paucity of data, we sampled three bat farms and three wet markets trading in rat meat in the Mekong Delta region of southern Viet Nam. Faecal and urine samples were screened for the presence of RNA from paramyxoviruses, coronaviruses and filoviruses. Paramyxovirus RNA was detected in 4 of 248 (1%) and 11 of 222 (4.9%) bat faecal and urine samples, respectively. Coronavirus RNA was detected in 55 of 248 (22%) of bat faecal samples; filovirus RNA was not detected in any of the bat samples. Further, coronavirus RNA was detected in 12 of 270 (4.4%) of rat faecal samples; all samples tested negative for paramyxovirus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the bat paramyxoviruses and bat and rat coronaviruses were related to viruses circulating in bat and rodent populations globally, but showed no cross-species mixing of viruses between bat and rat populations within Viet Nam. Our study shows that potentially novel variants of paramyxoviruses and coronaviruses commonly circulate in bat and rat populations in Viet Nam. Further characterization of the viruses and additional human and animal surveillance is required to evaluate the likelihood of viral spillover and to assess whether these viruses pose a risk to human health

Nitrogen-Functionalized Graphene Nanoflakes (GNFs:N): Tunable Photoluminescence and Electronic Structures

This study investigates the strong photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray excited optical luminescence observed in nitrogen-functionalized 2D graphene nanoflakes (GNFs:N), which arise from the significantly enhanced density of states in the region of {\pi} states and the gap between {\pi} and {\pi}* states. The increase in the number of the sp2 clusters in the form of pyridine-like N-C, graphite-N-like, and the C=O bonding and the resonant energy transfer from the N and O atoms to the sp2 clusters were found to be responsible for the blue shift and the enhancement of the main PL emission feature. The enhanced PL is strongly related to the induced changes of the electronic structures and bonding properties, which were revealed by the X-ray absorption near-edge structure, X-ray emission spectroscopy, and resonance inelastic X-ray scattering. The study demonstrates that PL emission can be tailored through appropriate tuning of the nitrogen and oxygen contents in GNFs and pave the way for new optoelectronic devices.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures (including toc figure

Experience in Using Mobile Laboratory for Monitoring and Diagnostics in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

The aim was to present the experience of using mobile laboratory for monitoring and diagnostics (MLMD) during the epizootiological monitoring of the northern provinces of Vietnam. MLMD was transferred by Federal Service for Surveillance in the Sphere of Consumers Rights Protection and Human Welfare to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as part of implementation of cooperation programs on combating infectious diseases. The use of MLMD made it possible to obtain new information on the circulation of pathogens of natural-focal infectious diseases on the territory of Vietnam. It also provided the necessary conditions for conducting research using methods of express diagnostics, bacteriological analysis, performing a full cycle of work – from the receipt of samples to the disinfection and destruction of infected material in compliance with the requirements of biological safety in the field. The effectiveness of using mobile laboratories in response to the emergencies of sanitary and epidemiological nature, both to strengthen stationary laboratory bases and to organize diagnostic studies in remote regions, has been shown. The use of MLMD for the diagnosis of COVID‑19 has been an effective component of countering the new coronavirus infection in Vietnam and significantly increased the volume of testing in the country

New technologies to improve healthcare in low- and middle-income countries: Global Grand Challenges satellite event, Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, 17th-18th September 2019

We report the outputs of a satellite event in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, organized as part of the "2 nd Global Grand Challenges of Engineering Summit". The event considered challenges and potential solutions for improving low- and middle-income country (LMIC) healthcare systems, with particular reference to critical care. Participants from key regional and local stakeholders in healthcare and engineering discussed how new advances in technology, especially in the field of Artificial Intelligence, could be of potential benefit. This article summarizes the perspectives and conclusions of a group of key stakeholders from LMICs across South and South East Asia