COMPARISON EFFICACY OF ITS AND 18S rDNA PRIMERS FOR DETECTION OF FUNGAL DIVERSITY IN COMPOST MATERIAL BY PCR-DGGE TECHNIQUE

Through composting process, biosolid wastes are gradually transformed into compost material which can be used as soil fertilizer. Among microorganisms involved in composting process, fungi play important roles because they break down complex substrates, such as ligno-cellulose. Recently, PCR-DGGE technique has been considered as a useful tool for analysis of fungal diversity in environmental samples. Among other factors, primer set selection is necessary for successful of the PCR-DGGE analysis. There are several PCR primer sets targeting fungal variable regions of 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) for the use in community analyses, however there exist just few reports on efficacy of these primers in studying fungal communities in compost materials. In this study, four different primer sets were tested, including EF4/Fung5 (followed by EF4/NS2-GC), EF4/ITS4 (followed by ITS1F-GC/ITS2), NS1/GC-Fung, and FF390/FR1-GC. Extracted DNA from compost materials often contains co-extracted humic substances and other PCR inhibitors. Therefore, the primers were tested for (i) tolerance to the PCR inhibitors presenting in the DNA extracted from compost materials, and (ii) efficacy and specificity of the PCR. The results showed that of the four primer sets, only FF390/FR1-GC achieved both criteria tested whereas the other three did not, i.e. primer EF4/ITS4 had low tolerance to PCR inhibitors, primers EF4/Fung5 was low in PCR amplification efficacy, whereas primers EF4/ITS4 created unspecific products. DGGE analyses of PCR products amplified with the primer set FF390/FR1-GC showed single bands for reference pure cultures Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Trichoderma sp., as well as distinctly separated bands for the fungal communities of three different composting materials. Thus, the primer set FF390/FR1-GC could be suitable for studying structure and dynamic of fungal communities in compost materials

Is genital tract infection related to tubal diseases in infertile Vietnamese women?

Introduction: The goal of this study was to identify the profile of genital tract infections and their relationship with clinical and demographic parameters as well as tubal diseases among infertile women in Vietnam. Methodology: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, we enrolled 597 women undergoing infertility treatment at the Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Hue University Hospital, Vietnam. All of the study participants were interviewed and examined by a gynecologist. Consecutive tests were then conducted including direct microscopy examination (wet mount and Gram stain), vaginal culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for chlamydia diagnosis from a cervical canal swab, and a blood test for syphilis detection. A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) was carried out to examine the uterine cavity and Fallopian tubes. Results: A gynecologic infection was diagnosed in 43.4% (259/597) of the infertile women. Bacterial vaginosis was the most common condition at 19.6% of the cases. Candida spp., Chlamydia trachomatis, and Trichomonas vaginalis infections accounted for 17.4%, 3.7%, and 0.3%, respectively. Normal HSG results accounted for 87.4% of the women while 5.5% had 2-sided tubal occlusions, 5.4% had 1-sided tubal occlusions, 1.0% had 1-sided hydrosalpinx, and 0.7% had 2-sided hydrosalpinx. There was no significant association between tubal diseases and current infections; however, aerobic vaginitis increased the risk of tubal diseases by 2.4 times. Conclusions: A marked proportion of infertile Vietnamese women have genital tract infections that can significantly influence their reproductive function and performance. These infections should be routinely screened and treated properly to prevent their consequences, such as infertility, which is especially important in developing countries.Peer reviewe

Bringing social and cultural considerations into environmental management for vulnerable coastal communities: Responses to environmental change in Xuan Thuy National Park, Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam

This paper elaborates the importance of considering social and cultural factors within management responses to environmental change in coastal areas. The case study taken is Xuan Thuy National Park in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam. This is a marginalised coastal area where rising sea levels, increasing storm surges and saltwater intrusion place pressure on coastal ecosystems, yet where communities continue to rely on these same ecosystems for agriculture- and aquaculture-related livelihoods. We interview stakeholders in Xuan Thuy National Park, connecting these with a narrative review of existing research into social and environmental change in the park to understand research gaps and challenges for vulnerable coastal areas like the Nam Dinh coast. Based on our findings, we suggest that whilst the effects of a changing environment on physical health and economic activity are increasingly well understood, effects on wellbeing and social relations can be even more immediate and profound in daily living. In turn, we argue environmental management has a crucial role to play not only for ecosystem-based adaptation, but also in sustaining wellbeing and allowing culturally meaningful practices to continue – especially in coastal regions where changes can be even more intense and immediate. However, we caution that whilst techno-scientific solutions grounded in environmental management do have significant potential in reducing impacts of extreme events and slower-onset environmental changes, they must not divert attention away from structural issues that can make some people or areas more vulnerable in the first instance

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

Patients’ perspectives and experiences of patient-centered care in some communes of Thua Thien Hue Province

Patient-centered care is widely acknowledged as an important goal in healthcare delivery. Research has demonstrated that patient perceptions of patient-centred care can be linked to clinical and long-term outcomes in addition to being a useful metric for quality improvement efforts. Objectives: 1) To identify patients' perspectives and experiences of patient-centered care in some communes in Thua Thien Hue province; 2) To determine the association between the patients' perspectives, experiences on patient-centered care and utilization of the health services. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in 313 patients living in Thua Thien Hue province. A structured questionnaire was used to investigate 4 main domains of patient-centered care: Information and Education, Relationships with doctors and other health professionals, making decisions, motivating patients about self-management. We used ANOVA test to analyze the association between patient-centered care and health care utilization among participants (p < 0.05). Results: The percentage of good patient-centered care (≥ 3.75 points) was 43.1% (Mean = 3.58 (0.57)). Patients using health services at the commune health centers had a higher experience in patient-centered care compared to district, province and central hospital (p < 0.005). Domains “Encourage patients to take care of themselves” and “Relationship factor with doctors” were evaluated low. There were significant associations between patient-centered care and primary health care facilities, quality of life utilization of periodic health checkup, and patient activation in health care (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Out study illustrates that patients' perspectives and experiences of patient-centered care are still low. There is a need to improve communication and counseling skills of health care providers and increase patient motivation for self-car

XÁC ĐỊNH SỰ CÓ MẶT CỦA CÁC GEN ĐỘC TỐ Ở CÁC CHỦNG Vibrio GÂY BỆNH HOẠI TỬ GAN TỤY CẤP TÍNH TRÊN TÔM THẺ CHÂN TRẮNG TẠI THỪA THIÊN HUẾ

Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) is a disease caused by bacteria, with the death ratio up to 100% in the population of Litopenaeus vannamei and Penaeus monodon, and causes great economic losses to many shrimp‐producing countries in Asia. Previous studies have shown that not all strains of Vibrio can cause AHPND because they contain different toxin genes, such as pirAvp, pirBvb, tlh, trh, and tdh. In this study, we evaluate the presence of several toxic genes on Vibrio isolates from Thua Thien Hue province and analyze the sequence of these genes. The results show that in 14 Vibrio strains carrying pirABvp gene, the tlh and toxR genes occur in 14/14 and 7/14 strains, respectively, while none of them have the two genes of trh and tdh. Analyzing the sequence of four DNA fragments shows that these genes have high similarity (98–100%) compared with the genes announced on the Genbank. Genes pirAvp and pirBvp are less different, while tlh and toxR genes are more different. The results could be used for further studies in the production of bioproducts for the prevention and treatment of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease in shrimp.Bệnh hoại tử gan tụy cấp tính (Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease – AHPND) là một bệnh do vi khuẩn gây ra. Bệnh này dẫn đến tỷ lệ chết lên đến 100% trong quần thể tôm thẻ chân trắng, tôm sú và gây những tổn thất kinh tế đáng kể cho ngành nuôi tôm ở nhiều nước châu Á. Các nghiên cứu trước đây cho thấy không phải chủng Vibrio nào cũng có khả năng gây bệnh do chúng mang các gen độc tố khác nhau. Chúng tôi đã đánh giá sự có mặt của các gen độc tố trên các chủng Vibrio phân lập tại Thừa Thiên Huế đồng thời phân tích trình tự các gen này. Kết quả cho thấy trong 14 chủng Vibrio mang gen pirABvp nghiên cứu, gen tlh xuất hiện ở tất cả các chủng, gen toxR xuất hiện ở 7/14 chủng trong khi đó các gen trh và tdh không xuất hiện trong các chủng vi khuẩn Vibrio phân lập được. Giải trình tự đoạn chỉ thị các gen độc tố cho thấy các gen này đều có độ tương đồng khá cao (98–100%) so với các gen đã công bố trên ngân hàng gen, trong đó 2 gen pirAvp và pirBvp ít sai khác còn các gen tlh và toxR có sự sai khác nhiều hơn. Đây là cơ sở để thực hiện các nghiên cứu tiếp theo trong việc sản xuất các chế phẩm phòng và trị bệnh hoại tử gan tụy cấp tính trên tôm

Preliminary remarks on assembly whole genome sequencing of MDR M. tuberculosis isolated in Vietnam

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HIỆN TRẠNG NUÔI HÀU TẠI ĐẦM LẬP AN, THỊ TRẤN LĂNG CÔ HUYỆN PHÚ LỘC, TỈNH THỪA THIÊN HUẾ

Five species of oysters are cultured in Lap An lagoon, namely Crassotrea rivularis, Crassotrea gigas, Crassotrea sp1., Crassotrea sp2., and Saccostrea cucullata, among them Crassotrea rivularis is dominant. The most common farming method is using wooden stakes with old rubber tires. The total area of farming is 129 ha with an average of 2.08 ha/household. The oysters are farmed in five villages with different farming areas, with 35.8 ha (28%) being the largest and 16.1 ha (12%), the smallest. The highest production is 11.06 tons/crop/household, and the lowest is 5.56 tons/crop/household. The highest productivity is 4.46 tons/ha/crop, and the lowest is 3.81 tons/ha/crop. The highest income is 128.5 million VND/service/household, and the lowest is 37.3 million VND/service/household. The highest rate of return is 7.1, and the lowest is 3.02.Năm loài hàu đang được nuôi ở đầm Lập An bao gồm Hàu Cửa Sông (Crassotrea rivularis), Hàu sữa Thái Bình Dương (Crassotrea gigas), Hàu Mỏ vịt (Crassotrea sp1.), Hàu Ốc (Crassotrea sp2.) và Hàu Đá (Saccostrea cucullata), trong đó Hàu Cửa sông (Crassotrea rivularis) là loài xuất hiện nhiều nhất. Hàu được nuôi phổ biến trên giá thể lốp cao su. Tổng diện tích nuôi là 129 ha với trung bình 2,08 ha/hộ. Hàu đang được nuôi ở năm thôn với diện tích khác nhau: lớn nhất là 35,8 ha (28%) và nhỏ nhất là 16,1 ha (12%). Sản lượng hàu nuôi cao nhất là 11,06 tấn/vụ/hộ và thấp nhất là 5,56 tấn/vụ/hộ. Năng suất cao nhất là 4,46 tấn/ha/hộ và thấp nhất là 3,81 tấn/ha/hộ. Thu nhập cao nhất là 128,5 triệu đồng/vụ/hộ và thấp nhất là 37,3 triệu đồng/vụ/hộ. Tỷ suất lợi nhuận trung bình cao nhất là 7,1 và thấp nhất là 3,02