When Intervention Becomes Imperative: A Case Report of Spontaneous Vulvar Edema During Pregnancy

Spontaneous idiopathic vulvar edema during the second trimester is a rare condition. The approach to managing this condition involves relieving symptoms, identifying underlying causes, and implementing appropriate treatment. Managing such cases during pregnancy is challenging because of concerns for potential adverse fetal outcomes. Conservative management expects the condition to be relieved spontaneously postpartum, whereas invasive treatment offers a more rapid resolution. Treatment choices are controversial because each method has its pros and cons and influences the delivery process to a certain extent. Surgical drainage becomes a viable option when patients are not responsive to medications. We report a case of spontaneous massive vulvar edema in a 22-year-old primigravida in her 23rd week of pregnancy. After ruling out other notable causes of vulvar edema, we decided to intervene using an invasive procedure because she complained of progressive symptoms and discomfort. Subsequently, the edema subsided postprocedure, and the patient experienced successful labor with no complications. This report aims to alert clinicians that drainage attempts should be considered in pregnant patients with worsening symptoms

ベトナム国南部における稲遺伝資源の探索収集

Collaborative exploration between Japan and Vietnam was conducted in the Mekong Delta area of Southern Vietnam from November 17 to December 16, 1998. A total of 124 landraces and 12 wild relatives, including Oryza rufipogon and O. officinalis were collected. Land races which are adapted to deep water conditions, acid sulfurate soils, aluminum soil, or salinity were found in various locations. Some land races were grown for their high quality as aromatic rice and glutinous rice. Twelve accessions of wild relatives of rice, which include Oryza rufipogon and O. officinalis, were also collected near former fields. Oryza officinalis was collected in Ca Mau province, which is the first accession of that species from that province

Alterations of lipid-related genes during anti-tuberculosis treatment: insights into host immune responses and potential transcriptional biomarkers

BackgroundThe optimal diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) are challenging due to underdiagnosis and inadequate treatment monitoring. Lipid-related genes are crucial components of the host immune response in TB. However, their dynamic expression and potential usefulness for monitoring response to anti-TB treatment are unclear. MethodologyIn the present study, we used a targeted, knowledge-based approach to investigate the expression of lipid-related genes during anti-TB treatment and their potential use as biomarkers of treatment response. Results and discussionThe expression levels of 10 genes (ARPC5, ACSL4, PLD4, LIPA, CHMP2B, RAB5A, GABARAPL2, PLA2G4A, MBOAT2, and MBOAT1) were significantly altered during standard anti-TB treatment. We evaluated the potential usefulness of this 10-lipid-gene signature for TB diagnosis and treatment monitoring in various clinical scenarios across multiple populations. We also compared this signature with other transcriptomic signatures. The 10-lipid-gene signature could distinguish patients with TB from those with latent tuberculosis infection and non-TB controls (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.7 for most cases); it could also be useful for monitoring response to anti-TB treatment. Although the performance of the new signature was not better than that of previous signatures (i.e., RISK6, Sambarey10, Long10), our results suggest the usefulness of metabolism-centric biomarkersConclusionsLipid-related genes play significant roles in TB pathophysiology and host immune responses. Furthermore, transcriptomic signatures related to the immune response and lipid-related gene may be useful for TB diagnosis and treatment monitoring

Effects of water scarcity awareness and climate change belief on recycled water usage willingness: Evidence from New Mexico, United States

The global water crisis is being exacerbated by climate change, even in the United States. Recycled water is a feasible alternative to alleviate the water shortage, but it is constrained by humans’ perceptions. The current study examines how residents’ water scarcity awareness and climate change belief influence their willingness to use recycled water directly and indirectly. Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics was employed on a dataset of 1831 residents in Albuquerque, New Mexico, an arid inland region in the US. We discovered that residents’ willingness to use direct recycled potable water is positively affected by their awareness of water scarcity, but the effect is conditional on their belief in the impacts of climate change on the water cycle. Meanwhile, the willingness to use indirect recycled potable water is influenced by water scarcity awareness, and the belief in climate change further enhances this effect. These findings implicate that fighting climate change denialism and informing the public of the water scarcity situation in the region can contribute to the effectiveness and sustainability of long-term water conservation and climate change alleviation efforts

Overseas Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in US-Bound Immigrants.

Seventy percent of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the United States occur among non-US-born persons; cases usually result from reactivation of latent TB infection (LTBI) likely acquired before the person's US arrival. We conducted a prospective study among US immigrant visa applicants undergoing the required overseas medical examination in Vietnam. Consenting applicants >15 years of age were offered an interferon-γ release assay (IGRA); those 12-14 years of age received an IGRA as part of the required examination. Eligible participants were offered LTBI treatment with 12 doses of weekly isoniazid and rifapentine. Of 5,311 immigrant visa applicants recruited, 2,438 (46%) consented to participate; 2,276 had an IGRA processed, and 484 (21%) tested positive. Among 452 participants eligible for treatment, 304 (67%) initiated treatment, and 268 (88%) completed treatment. We demonstrated that using the overseas medical examination to provide voluntary LTBI testing and treatment should be considered to advance US TB elimination efforts

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Plagiarism detection for computer programs

Programming is an essential skill for engineering students. Programming courses are included in the curriculum of most engineering degrees in the universities. Online submission of programming assignments has become the norm, but plagiarism needs to be properly handled. Hence, there is a need to develop an automatic tool for plagiarism detection to help instructors check students’ honesty and manage their assignments. This project has two objectives. The first objective is to build a Plagiarism Detection Add-on Tool over an existing Online Program Submission System (OPSS) – an automatic system for grading computer programs submitted by students. The tool should be able to assess the similarity of computer programs and detect plagiarism attempts from a set of submitted programs. The second objective is to re-design the existing OPSS using modern frameworks such as Bootstrap, AngularJS instead of older techniques such as jQuery, plain HTML and CSS. I have successfully developed a Plagiarism Detection Add-on Tool that is capable of calculating the similarity of program source codes and detecting plagiarism attempts. The Plagiarism Detection Add-on Tool employs various plagiarism detection techniques such as Attribute-counting system and Structure-metric system. Presentation of detection results is also implemented and integrated into the OPSS. Moreover, the front-end of the OPSS is re-designed using modern frameworks such as AngularJS and Bootstrap, to create a professional, responsive and dynamic single-page application.Bachelor of Engineerin

Assessment of E-Waste Management and Potential for Laptop Reuse and Recycling

Reusing and recycling laptops has many positive benefits, both environmentally and economically. Therefore, this study was conducted with the objectives of assessing (1) the current state of ownership, (2) the current state of use and disposal, and (3) quantifying the potential reuse and recycling of laptops for students at Can Tho University, Vietnam. Based on data collected by document review and face-to-face interviews with students, with a usage rate of 1 laptop per student, it is estimated that the whole of Can Tho University has 42,918 laptops in use. The actual use lifespan of the laptop is 5.28 years, lower than the expected lifespan of 6.8 years. The results of the correlation analysis show that the actual usage life does not have any correlation with the consumption behavior of students. In addition, the study estimates that 96.67% of laptops will be disposed of before 2031. In which, the potential for direct reuse is 2.33%, reuse with support is 88.33%, and recycling is 9.33%. The results show that universities have great potential to implement safe e-waste collection and treatment activities. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2023-09-06-013 Full Text: PD