Modeled health economic and equity impact on dental caries and health outcomes from a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax in Australia.

Dental caries is the most prevalent oral disease across the life course. This study modeled the population health and economic impact of a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax (SSB) for preventing dental caries compared to no intervention (societal and healthcare perspective). A cost-effectiveness analysis according to quintiles of area-level socioeconomic disadvantage was performed for the 2020 Australian population (0-100 years old) using a closed cohort Markov model. A qualitative assessment of implementation considerations (e.g., acceptability, equity, sustainability) was undertaken. Health outcomes were modeled as decayed teeth prevented and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. The 10-year and lifetime scenarios were modeled with probabilistic sensitivity analysis (Monte Carlo simulation, 2000 cycles). The 10-year scenario from a societal perspective yielded cost-savings of AUD$63.5M, healthcare cost-savings of AUD$42.2M, 510,977 decayed teeth averted and 98.1 DALYs averted. The lifetime scenario resulted in societal cost savings of AUD$176.6M, healthcare cost-savings of AUD$122.5M, 1,309,211 decayed teeth averted and 254.9 DALYs averted. Modeling indicated 71.5% and 74.5% cost-effectiveness for the 10-year and lifetime scenarios, respectively. A three-fold health benefit for the least advantaged was found compared to the most advantaged. A 20% SSB tax in Australia is cost-effective and promotes health equity.

Mental health systems modelling for evidence-informed service reform in Australia.

Australia's Fifth National Mental Health Plan required governments to report, not only on the progress of changes to mental health service delivery, but to also plan for services that should be provided. Future population demand for treatment and care is challenging to predict and one solution involves modelling the uncertain demands on the system. Modelling can help decision-makers understand likely future changes in mental health service demand and more intelligently choose appropriate responses. It can also support greater scrutiny, accountability and transparency of these processes. Australia has an emerging national capacity for systems modelling in mental health which can enhance the next phase of mental health reform. This paper introduces concepts useful for understanding mental health modelling and identifies where modelling approaches can support health service planners to make evidence-informed decisions regarding planning and investment for the Australian population.

Characteristics and Relationships between Total Polyphenol and Flavonoid Contents, Antioxidant Capacities, and the Content of Caffeine, Gallic Acid, and Major Catechins in Wild/Ancient and Cultivated Teas in Vietnam.

Vietnam has diverse and long-established tea plantations but scientific data on the characteristics of Vietnamese teas are still limited. Chemical and biological properties including total polyphenol and flavonoid contents (TPCs and TFCs), antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC), as well as the contents of caffeine, gallic acid, and major catechins, were evaluated for 28 Vietnamese teas from North and South Vietnam. Higher values of TPCs and TFCs were found for green (non-oxidised) and raw Pu'erh (low-oxidised) teas from wild/ancient tea trees in North Vietnam and green teas from cultivated trees in South Vietnam, as compared to oolong teas (partly oxidised) from South Vietnam and black teas (fully oxidised) from North Vietnam. The caffeine, gallic acid, and major catechin contents depended on the processing, geographical origin, and the tea variety. Several good Pearson's correlations were found (r2 > 0.9) between TPCs, TFCs, the four antioxidant capacities, and the content of major catechins such as (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate. Results from principal component analysis showed good discriminations with cumulative variances of the first two principal components varying from 85.3% to 93.7% among non-/low-oxidised and partly/fully oxidised teas, and with respect to the tea origin.

The efficiency of government finanical expenditures before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-country investigation.

This paper examines the way government spending affected productivity and its decomposition before and during the COVID-19 outbreak. Using panel data from 158 economies, the research shows that spending on health care increases productivity, while spending on the military slows down productivity and its decompositions. These effects are even greater in the context of COVID-19, showing that spending on health care and avoiding conflict and military escalation will be important for future economies to grow in a sustainable way.

Results from Viet Nam's 2022 report card on physical activity for children and youth.

Background: The Active Healthy Kids 2022 Viet Nam Report Card provides an evidence-based assessment of 10 indicators of community and government-led initiatives that impact the physical activity levels of children and youth in Vietnam. Methods: A systematic framework developed by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance was used. Each indicator: Overall Physical Activity, Organized Sport Participation, Active Play, Active Transportation, Sedentary Behaviors, Physical Fitness, Family and Peers, School, Community and Environment, and Government, and a new indicator: Obesity was assessed against predefined benchmarks. EBSCOhost databases and Google Scholar were searched for relevant academic and grey literature (e.g., government reports) respectively to inform indicator grading. Results: The School indicator received the highest grade 'A', followed by the Government indicator which was graded as 'B-'. Three indicators (Sedentary Behaviors, Family and Peers, Community and Environment) received 'C' grades. Active Transportation was graded 'D+'. Overall Physical Activity received the lowest grade of 'F'. Organized Sport and Physical Activity, Active Play, and Physical Fitness were not graded due to lack of data. Obesity was graded B-. Conclusions: This is the first physical activity report card for children and adolescents in Viet Nam. Evidence suggests that Vietnamese children and adolescents have low physical activity levels and high levels of sedentary behaviors. Initiatives to promote physical activity in children predominantly focus on promoting physical education in schools. Increased community-based programs promoting physical activity outside of school settings are required. Future research should address the surveillance gap in Organized Sport and Physical Activity, Active Play, and Physical Fitness.

Human gestational N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor autoantibodies impair neonatal murine brain function.

OBJECTIVE: Maternal autoantibodies are a risk factor for impaired brain development in offspring. Antibodies (ABs) against the NR1 (GluN1) subunit of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) are among the most frequently diagnosed anti-neuronal surface ABs, yet little is known about effects on fetal development during pregnancy. METHODS: We established a murine model of in utero exposure to human recombinant NR1 and isotype-matched nonreactive control ABs. Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected on embryonic days 13 and 17 each with 240µg of human monoclonal ABs. Offspring were investigated for acute and chronic effects on NMDAR function, brain development, and behavior. RESULTS: Transferred NR1 ABs enriched in the fetus and bound to synaptic structures in the fetal brain. Density of NMDAR was considerably reduced (up to -49.2%) and electrophysiological properties were altered, reflected by decreased amplitudes of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents in young neonates (-34.4%). NR1 AB-treated animals displayed increased early postnatal mortality (+27.2%), impaired neurodevelopmental reflexes, altered blood pH, and reduced bodyweight. During adolescence and adulthood, animals showed hyperactivity (+27.8% median activity over 14 days), lower anxiety, and impaired sensorimotor gating. NR1 ABs caused long-lasting neuropathological effects also in aged mice (10 months), such as reduced volumes of cerebellum, midbrain, and brainstem. INTERPRETATION: The data collectively support a model in which asymptomatic mothers can harbor low-level pathogenic human NR1 ABs that are diaplacentally transferred, causing neurotoxic effects on neonatal development. Thus, AB-mediated network changes may represent a potentially treatable neurodevelopmental congenital brain disorder contributing to lifelong neuropsychiatric morbidity in affected children. ANN NEUROL 2019;86:656-670.

Progress on maternal health care in Vietnam: Findings from Vietnam Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2000, 2006, 2011, and 2014.

This paper aims to describe a trend in coverage of maternal care services, and provides a detailed analysis of socio-economic correlations to the existing inequities. The paper uses data from the Vietnam Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2000, 2006, 2011, and 2014. In the MICS, there were 9,117 women in 2000, 9,473 women in 2006, 11,614 women in 2011, and 9,827 women in 2014 participated in. We found the coverage of antenatal care increase from 68.6% in 2000 to 95.9% in 2014. Similarly, the percentages of women who gave birth with the assistance of skilled staff increased during the studied period ( from 69.9% in 2000, 87.7% to 94.5% in 2014). However, improvements in antenatal care and skilled birth attendance in Vietnam have been uneven across different segments of the population. In all the four surveys, the proportions of women who received ANC by a skilled staff and percentages of women who gave birth with the assistance of a skilled health personnel were much higher among those with higher education, belonged to Kinh majority tribe, had better economic status, and lived in an urban area. The degrees of inequity in both antenatal and delivery care in Vietnam are likely to increase over time.

Neuronal Uptake and Neuroprotective Properties of Curcumin-Loaded Nanoparticles on SK-N-SH Cell Line: Role of Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) Polymeric Matrix Composition.

Curcumin, a neuroprotective agent with promising therapeutic approach has poor brain bioavailability. Herein, we demonstrate that curcumin-encapsulated poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) 50:50 nanoparticles (NPs-Cur 50:50) are able to prevent the phosphorylation of Akt and Tau proteins in SK-N-SH cells induced by H2O2 and display higher anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities than free curcumin. PLGA can display various physicochemical and degradation characteristics for controlled drug release applications according to the matrix used. We demonstrate that the release of curcumin entrapped into a PLGA 50:50 matrix (NPs-Cur 50:50) is faster than into PLGA 65:35. We have studied the effects of the PLGA matrix on the expression of some key antioxidant- and neuroprotective-related genes such as APOE, APOJ, TRX, GLRX, and REST. NPs-Cur induced the elevation of GLRX and TRX while decreasing APOJ mRNA levels and had no effect on APOE and REST expressions. In the presence of H2O2, both NPs-Cur matrices are more efficient than free curcumin to prevent the induction of these genes. Higher uptake was found with NPs-Cur 50:50 than NPs-Cur 65:35 or free curcumin. By using PLGA nanoparticles loaded with the fluorescent dye Lumogen Red, we demonstrated that PLGA nanoparticles are indeed taken up by neuronal cells. These data highlight the importance of polymer composition in the therapeutic properties of the nanodrug delivery systems. Our study demonstrated that NPs-Cur enhance the action of curcumin on several pathways implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Overall, these results suggest that PLGA nanoparticles are a promising strategy for the brain delivery of drugs for the treatment of AD.

The impact of green finance on green growth: The role of green energy and green production.

This study examines the linkage of green finance and green growth under the regulatory role of green energy and green production in 52 countries worldwide from 2005 to 2019. Applying the Bayesian regression and GMM regression, the results of these two methods are similar. When ignoring the regulatory role of green energy and green production, green finance negatively impacts green growth. This result is entirely opposite when considering the regulatory role of green energy and green production, green finance impacts green growth positively. However, Bayesian regression is more effective when providing different posterior probability intervals and probability ranges for independent variables to affect the dependent variable. Specifically, the probability that green financial growth has a negative impact on green growth is above 75.86 %. Similarly, under the role of green energy, the probability that green finance growth has a positive impact on green growth is 80.45 % and under the role of green production, this probability is 76.64 %. These findings imply that countries should build a financial system associated with the goal of green energy and green production, thereby helping the economy become greener.

The Urban-Rural Difference in Child Mental Health in Vietnam: The Continuing Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the difference between rural and urban children's mental health and quality of life after the pandemic. METHODS: A total of 200 parents and their 11- to 15-year-old children were interviewed face to face in October 2022. This study measures child mental health and quality of life using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Child Health Utility 9 Dimensions tools. The unadjusted effect sizes on health outcomes among demographic groups are calculated using Cohen's d. The school-specific fixed effects linear regression model with bootstrapped standard errors is applied. RESULTS: Rural children have significantly higher mean internalizing behavior scores than urban children (emotional problems, Cohen's d score = 0.38; peer difficulties, Cohen's d score = 0.39; P < .05). Although children living in urban areas who had COVID-19 had significantly higher peer problem scores (Cohen's d score = 0.82, P < .05), the result was not found in those residing in rural areas. After controlling all variables, the econometrics method confirms that infection status significantly affects children's peer problems, obviously in the urban sample. CONCLUSIONS: Children may experience the consequences of the pandemic on their mental health related to peer difficulties, differently between urban and rural areas. Further research is required to investigate the different impacts of COVID-19 on health in urban and rural areas.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Psychosocial Interventions Following Self-Harm in Australia.

Background: Psychosocial interventions following self-harm in adults, in particular cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can be effective in lowering the risk of repeated self-harm. Aims: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CBT for reducing repeated self-harm in the Australian context. Method: The current study adopted the accessing cost-effectiveness (ACE) approach using return-on-investment (ROI) analysis. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses (Sas) tested the robustness of the model outputs to changes in three assumptions: general practitioner referral pathway (SA1), private setting intervention delivery (SA2), and training costs (SA3). Results: The intervention produced cost savings of A$ 46M (95% UI -223.7 to 73.3) and A$ 18.3M (95% UI -86.2 to 24.6), subject to the effect of intervention lasting 2- or 1-year follow-up. The ROI ratio reduced to 5.22 in SA1 (95% UI -10.1 to 27.9), 2.5 in SA2 (95% UI -4.8 to 13.3), and 5.1 in SA3 (95% UI -9.8 to 27.8). Limitations: We assumed that the effectiveness would reduce 50% within 5 years in the base case, and we used Australian data and a partial social perspective. Conclusions: The current study demonstrated cost-effectiveness of CBT for adults who have self-harmed with the return-on-investment ratio of A$ 2.3 to $6.0 for every A$ 1 invested.

Secondhand Smoke and Socio-Demographic Associated Factors: Results From the Vietnam Population-Based Provincial Global Adult Tobacco Survey in 2022.

Background: Secondhand smoke (SHS) has detrimental effects on community health, including coronary heart diseases, stroke, lung cancer etc. This manuscript exploited data from the Vietnam Population-based Provincial Global Adult Tobacco Survey (PGATS) in 2022 to update the prevalence of adult exposure to SHS and associated socio-demographic factors. Methods: With the sample size of 71,981 adults aged 15+ throughout 30 provinces and cities in Vietnam, data was collected using the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) questionnaire. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression modelling were performed. Results: In the past 30 days, 44.4% (95% CI: 44.0%-44.9%) adults aged 15+ exposed to SHS at home while 23.1% (95% CI: 22.6%-23.6%) exposed to SHS at work. Female exposure to SHS in the past 30 days was higher at homes but lower at indoor workplaces. Participants aged 15-24 were likely to have higher odds of SHS exposure in the past 30 days to other age groups. Those living in the urban areas had 1.15 times higher odds (95% CI: 1.08-1.22) of exposure to SHS than those in the rural areas. Current smokers tended to have 2.2 times higher odds of exposure to SHS at the indoor workplaces compared to non-smokers (95% CI: 2.05-2.37). Conclusions: The prevalence of exposure to SHS at home was still relatively high amongst the adult population. While there was a significant reduction of SHS exposure at indoor workplaces, there was a higher prevalence of women being exposed to SHS at home. The Government of Vietnam should continue to strictly implement the smoke-free environment resolution at indoor workplaces and appropriate communication campaigns to protect people, especially women from SHS exposure at homes.

Smartphone-based digital images as a low-cost and simple colorimetric approach for the assessment of total phenolic contents in several specific Vietnamese dried tea products and their liquors.

The total phenolic contents (TPCs) represent the bioactive substances and antioxidant capacities of flora products. The present study employed digital images from a smartphone to determine the TPCs in tea products and their liquors. Various parameters related to the portable home-made colorimetric analysis box design were optimized to achieve the most favorable capturing condition. The proposed method performance was evaluated, which agreed with the Appendix F of AOAC (2016). In comparison with the standard UV-vis, no statistical differences (t-tests, P = 95 %) were observed, and there were advantages of simplicity, portability, sample volume reduction, decreased analysis time, low-cost operation, especially the potential to be used by tea producers, managers, and consumers to quickly analyze the TPCs. The results demonstrate the descending TPCs orders of green > white > oolong > black teas (recoveries of 95-98 %) and the increase of TPCs in tea liquors regarding the rising brewing temperature and duration.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of depression and apathy frequency in adult-onset Huntington's disease.

Depression and apathy are associated with decreased functional capacity in Huntington's disease (HD) but frequency of depression and apathy in HD is largely unknown. Systematic literature searching was conducted across 21 databases until 30 June 2021. Inclusion criteria was limited to clinician-rated assessments of depression and apathy and adult-onset HD. Inverse-variance heterogeneity meta-analyses were conducted exploring depression and apathy frequency within individuals from families affected by HD, and within individuals with confirmed HD gene-positive status. Screening identified 289 articles for full-text review; nine remained for meta-analysis. Depression frequency in the lifetime in adults affected by or at-risk for HD was 38%, I2 = 99%. Apathy frequency in the lifetime in adults affected by or at-risk for HD was 40%, I2 = 96%. The robustness of the findings improved when limiting the analysis to gene-positive individuals only where apathy was found to be slightly more common than depression, 48% and 43% respectively. Future studies may consider reporting results from juvenile-onset HD and adult-onset HD cohorts separately to further explore phenotypic profiles.

Improving the diagnosis of endometriosis in Asia-Pacific: Consensus from the Asia-Pacific Endometriosis Expert Panel for Endometriosis.

Endometriosis should be diagnosed as early as possible in the continuum of care; but substantial delays of approximately 6-8 years between symptom onset and endometriosis diagnosis have been widely reported. With the purpose of improving the prompt diagnosis of endometriosis, the Asia-Pacific Endometriosis Expert Panel (APEX) sought to address the reasons for diagnostic delays across the region, and formulate a multi-pronged approach to overcoming these challenges. In the first instance, clinical diagnosis is preferable to surgical diagnosis, in order to facilitate earlier empirical treatment and minimize the negative sequelae of undiagnosed/untreated disease. There should be a high clinical index of suspicion in women presenting with cyclical symptoms, including those involving extrapelvic organs. Diagnostic delays in Asia-Pacific countries are attributable to a variety of patient, physician, and healthcare factors, including poor awareness, normalization/trivialization of pain, individual/cultural attitudes toward menstruation, default use of symptom-suppressing treatments, misdiagnosis, and a lack of diagnostic resourcing or adequate referral pathways in some areas. Suggested initiatives to reduce diagnostic delays are geared toward improving public awareness, improving clinical diagnostic skills, streamlining multidisciplinary care pathways for timely referral, updating and implementing diagnostic guidelines, lobbying policymakers and insurance companies for endometriosis support, and increasing efforts to bridge data gaps and perform further research in this field. Formulating specific action plans and gathering traction are the responsibility of individual countries within local parameters. The APEX group advocates for any initiatives and policies that support the unmet needs of women with endometriosis, to improve patient experience and outcomes.

Hematohidrosis induced by separation anxiety disorder during COVID-19 quarantine: a case report and brief literature review.

Here, we report a case involving a 10-year-old Vietnamese girl who developed hematohidrosis during the coronavirus disease quarantine. She was hospitalized with a 3-week recurrent bleeding on the abdominal skin. Physical examination revealed no signs of injuries on the skin. Hematological and biochemical test results and coagulation profiles were all within normal ranges. No abnormal findings were observed on abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography. Numerous erythrocytes were observed during the microscopic examination of fluid samples from the abdominal skin. It was speculated that hematohidrosis was precipitated by separation anxiety disorder, because the onset and remission of symptoms correlated with the beginning and end of the local quarantine, respectively. Our case report and brief literature review highlight the transient and benign nature of hematohidrosis. Although specific guidelines are not well established, hematohidrosis is a transient phenomenon that is treatable with pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions, and its overall prognosis is favorable.

The Impact of Technological Progress and Climate Change on Food Crop Production: Evidence from Sichuan-China.

Agriculture is an integral sector in China mandated to feed over 1.3 billion of its people and provide essential inputs for many industries. Sichuan, a central grain-producing province in Southwest China, is a significant supplier of cereals in the country. Yet, it is likely to be threatened by yield damages induced by climate change. Therefore, this study examines the effects of technological progress (via fertilizers usage and mechanization) and climatic changes (via temperature and precipitation) on the productivity of main food crops, such as rice (Oryza sativa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and maize (Zea mays) in Sichuan province. We employ the generalized method of moments (GMM) model to analyze Sichuan provincial data from 1980 to 2018. Our findings show a positive nexus between fertilizers use and yields of main food crops. Only rice and maize yields are significantly improved by mechanization. Increased average temperature reduces rice and wheat yields significantly. Rainfall is unlikely to have a significant impact on agricultural production. The study suggests that the Chinese government should consider revising its strategies and policies to reduce the impact of climate change on food crop production and increase farmers' adaptive ability.

Clinical Diagnosis and Early Medical Management for Endometriosis: Consensus from Asian Expert Group.

This work provides consensus guidance regarding clinical diagnosis and early medical management of endometriosis within Asia. Clinicians with expertise in endometriosis critically evaluated available evidence on clinical diagnosis and early medical management and their applicability to current clinical practices. Clinical diagnosis should focus on symptom recognition, which can be presumed to be endometriosis without laparoscopic confirmation. Transvaginal sonography can be appropriate for diagnosing pelvic endometriosis in select patients. For early empiric treatment, management of women with clinical presentation suggestive of endometriosis should be individualized and consider presentation and therapeutic need. Medical treatment is recommended to reduce endometriosis-associated pelvic pain for patients with no immediate pregnancy desires. Hormonal treatment can be considered for pelvic pain with a clinical endometriosis diagnosis; progestins are a first-line management option for early medical treatment, with oral progestin-based therapies generally a better option compared with combined oral contraceptives because of their safety profile. Dienogest can be used long-term if needed and a larger evidence base supports dienogest use compared with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) as first-line medical therapy. GnRHa may be considered for first-line therapy in some specific situations or as short-term therapy before dienogest and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as add-on therapy for endometriosis-associated pelvic pain.

Critical measurement issues in the assessment of social media influence on body image.

Progress towards understanding how social media impacts body image hinges on the use of appropriate measurement tools and methodologies. This review provides an overview of common (qualitative, self-report survey, lab-based experiments) and emerging (momentary assessment, computational) methodological approaches to the exploration of the impact of social media on body image. The potential of these methodologies is detailed, with examples illustrating current use as well as opportunities for expansion. A key theme from our review is that each methodology has provided insights for the body image research field, yet is insufficient in isolation to fully capture the nuance and complexity of social media experiences. Thus, in consideration of gaps in methodology, we emphasise the need for big picture thinking that leverages and combines the strengths of each of these methodologies to yield a more comprehensive, nuanced, and robust picture of the positive and negative impacts of social media.

Challenges associated with curcumin therapy in Alzheimer disease.

Curcumin, the phytochemical agent in the spice turmeric, which gives Indian curry its yellow colour, is also a traditional Indian medicine. It has been used for millennia as a wound-healing agent and for treating a variety of ailments. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and other properties of curcumin have only recently gained the attention of modern pharmacology. The mechanism of action of curcumin is complex and multifaceted. In part, curcumin acts by activating various cytoprotective proteins that are components of the phase II response. Over the past decade, research with curcumin has increased significantly. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that curcumin could target pathways involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer disease (AD), such as the ß-amyloid cascade, tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation or oxidative stress. These findings suggest that curcumin might be a promising compound for the development of AD therapy. However, its insolubility in water and poor bioavailability have limited clinical trials and its therapeutic applications. To be effective as a drug therapy, curcumin must be combined with other drugs, or new delivery strategies need to be developed.