First-aid training for primary Healthcare providers on a remote Island: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Ensuring ongoing first-aid training for primary healthcare providers (PHPs) is one of the critical strategies for providing quality health services and contributing to achieving universal health coverage. However, PHPs have received insufficient attention in terms of training and capacity building, especially in the remote areas of low-to-middle-income countries. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a first-aid training program for PHPs on a Vietnamese island and explored their perspectives and experiences regarding first-aid implementation. METHODS: A mixed-methods study was conducted among 39 PHPs working in community healthcare centers. The quantitative method utilized a quasi-experimental design to evaluate participants' first-aid knowledge at three time points: pre-training, immediately post-training, and three months post-training. Sixteen of the PHPs participated in subsequent semi-structured focus group interviews using the qualitative method. Quantitative data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: The quantitative results showed a significant improvement in both the overall mean first-aid knowledge scores and the subdimensions of the first-aid knowledge scores among healthcare providers post-training. There was a statistically significant difference between the baseline and immediate posttest and follow-up knowledge scores (p < 0.001). However, the difference in knowledge scores between the immediate posttest and three-month follow-up was not significant (p > 0.05). Three main themes emerged from the focus group discussions: perception of first-aid in remote areas, facilitators and barriers. Participants identified barriers, including infrastructure limitations, shortage of the primary healthcare workforce, inadequate competencies, and insufficient resources. Conversely, receiving considerable support from colleagues and the benefits of communication technologies in implementing first aid were mentioned as facilitators. The training bolstered the participants' confidence in their first-aid responses, and there was a desire for continued education. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing periodic first-aid refresher training for PHPs in a nationwide resource-limited setting can contribute significantly to achieving universal health coverage goals. This approach potentially enhances the preparedness of healthcare providers in these areas to deliver timely and effective first aid during emergencies, which may lead to more consistent primary healthcare services despite various challenges.

Hexa Histidine-Tagged Recombinant Human Cytoglobin Deactivates Hepatic Stellate Cells and Inhibits Liver Fibrosis by Scavenging Reactive Oxygen Species.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Antifibrotic therapy remains an unmet medical need in human chronic liver disease. We report the antifibrotic properties of cytoglobin (CYGB), a respiratory protein expressed in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the main cell type involved in liver fibrosis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Cygb-deficient mice that had bile duct ligation-induced liver cholestasis or choline-deficient amino acid-defined diet-induced steatohepatitis significantly exacerbated liver damage, fibrosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. All of these manifestations were attenuated in Cygb-overexpressing mice. We produced hexa histidine-tagged recombinant human CYGB (His-CYGB), traced its biodistribution, and assessed its function in HSCs or in mice with advanced liver cirrhosis using thioacetamide (TAA) or 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC). In cultured HSCs, extracellular His-CYGB was endocytosed and accumulated in endosomes through a clathrin-mediated pathway. His-CYGB significantly impeded ROS formation spontaneously or in the presence of ROS inducers in HSCs, thus leading to the attenuation of collagen type 1 alpha 1 production and α-smooth muscle actin expression. Replacement the iron center of the heme group with cobalt nullified the effect of His-CYGB. In addition, His-CYGB induced interferon-ß secretion by HSCs that partly contributed to its antifibrotic function. Momelotinib incompletely reversed the effect of His-CYGB. Intravenously injected His-CYGB markedly suppressed liver inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative cell damage in mice administered TAA or DDC mice without adverse effects. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed the down-regulation of inflammation- and fibrosis-related genes and the up-regulation of antioxidant genes in both cell culture and liver tissues. The injected His-CYGB predominantly localized to HSCs but not to macrophages, suggesting specific targeting effects. His-CYGB exhibited no toxicity in chimeric mice with humanized livers. CONCLUSIONS: His-CYGB could have antifibrotic clinical applications for human chronic liver diseases.

New frontiers in the plant extract mediated biosynthesis of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles and their potential applications: A review.

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are one of the most widely used nanomaterials nowadays. CuO NPs have numerous applications in biological processes, medicine, energy devices, environmental remediation, and industrial fields from nanotechnology. With the increasing concern about the energy crisis and the challenges of chemical and physical approaches for preparing metal NPs, attempts to develop modern alternative chemistry have gotten much attention. Biological approaches that do not produce toxic waste and therefore do not require purification processes have been the subject of numerous studies. Plants may be extremely useful in the study of biogenic metal NP synthesis. This review aims to shed more light on the interactions between plant extracts and CuO NP synthesis. The use of living plants for CuO NPs biosynthesis is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process. To date, the findings have revealed many aspects of plant physiology and their relationships to the synthesis of NPs. The current state of the art and potential challenges in the green synthesis of CuO NPs are described in this paper. This study found a recent increase in the green synthesis of CuO NPs using various plant extracts. As a result, a thorough explanation of green synthesis and stabilizing agents for CuO NPs made from these green sources is given. Additionally, the multifunctional applications of CuO NPs synthesized with various plant extracts in environmental remediation, sensing, catalytic reduction, photocatalysis, diverse biological activities, energy storage, and several organic transformations such as reduction, coupling, and multicomponent reactions were carefully reviewed. We expect that this review could serve as a useful guide for readers with a general interest in the plant extract mediated biosynthesis of CuO NPs and their potential applications.

Prévention des troubles musculo-squelettiques chez les infirmiers d'un hôpital de province au Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: To study the situation of MSDs among nursing staff and the barriers to implementing an MSD preventive intervention in Vietnamese hospitals. METHODS: A mixed design has been devised. The quantitative component aimed to study the prevalence of MSDs, the associations between MSDs and potential risk factors and consequences of MSDs; the qualitative component focused on the study of facilitators/barriers to the implementation of a MSDs prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals. RESULTS: The prevalence of lower back, neck and shoulders MSDs, over the past 12 months, was the highest in the neck (59%) and then in lower back (49%), shoulders (40%). Factors associated with these disorders are mainly the presence of stress, being a woman and work intensity. MSD-related pain has an impact on the ability to work and the quality of life. The lack of knowledge on MSDs by health care administrators inside and outside the hospitals and the lack of human resources with expertise in MSD management are important barriers to the implementation of an MSD prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: MSDs represent a serious occupational health problem in hospitals. Reducing the prevalence of MSDs requires not only an increased awareness about this serious problem among administrators, but also the development of expertise in MSD management.

[Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders among nurses of a provincial hospital in Vietnam: Issue and health policy context]. / Prévention des troubles musculo-squelettiques chez les infirmiers d'un hôpital de province au Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: To study the situation of MSDs among nursing staff and the barriers to implementing an MSD preventive intervention in Vietnamese hospitals. METHODS: A mixed design has been devised. The quantitative component aimed to study the prevalence of MSDs, the associations between MSDs and potential risk factors and consequences of MSDs; the qualitative component focused on the study of facilitators/barriers to the implementation of a MSDs prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals. RESULTS: The prevalence of lower back, neck and shoulders MSDs, over the past 12 months, was the highest in the neck (59%) and then in lower back (49%), shoulders (40%). Factors associated with these disorders are mainly the presence of stress, being a woman and work intensity. MSD-related pain has an impact on the ability to work and the quality of life. The lack of knowledge on MSDs by health care administrators inside and outside the hospitals and the lack of human resources with expertise in MSD management are important barriers to the implementation of an MSD prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: MSDs represent a serious occupational health problem in hospitals. Reducing the prevalence of MSDs requires not only an increased awareness about this serious problem among administrators, but also the development of expertise in MSD management.

Organ and tissue-dependent effect of resveratrol and exercise on antioxidant defenses of old mice.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress has been considered one of the causes of aging. For this reason, treatments based on antioxidants or those capable of increasing endogenous antioxidant activity have been taken into consideration to delay aging or age-related disease progression. AIM: In this paper, we determine if resveratrol and exercise have similar effect on the antioxidant capacity of different organs in old mice. METHODS: Resveratrol (6 months) and/or exercise (1.5 months) was administered to old mice. Markers of oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation and glutathione) and activities and levels of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and transferase and thioredoxin reductases, NADH cytochrome B5-reductase and NAD(P)H-quinone acceptor oxidoreductase) were determined by spectrophotometry and Western blotting in different organs: liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, heart and brain. RESULTS: Both interventions improved antioxidant activity in the major organs of the mice. This induction was accompanied by a decrease in the level of lipid peroxidation in the liver, heart and muscle of mice. Both resveratrol and exercise modulated several antioxidant activities and protein levels. However, the effect of resveratrol, exercise or their combination was organ dependent, indicating that different organs respond in different ways to the same stimulus. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that physical activity and resveratrol may be of great importance for the prevention of age-related diseases, but that their organ-dependent effect must be taken into consideration to design a better intervention.

Symptoms, Mental Health, and Quality of Life Among Patients After COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-sectional Study in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to characterize the symptoms, mental health, quality of life (QoL), and associated factors following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 394 participants previously infected with COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Mental health was assessed using the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Participants self-reported health-related QoL was measured with the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) scale. RESULTS: Among the participants, 76.4% reported experiencing at least one symptom following COVID-19 infection. The most common symptoms were fatigue (42.1%), cognitive dysfunction (42.9%), and hair loss (27.9%). According to the DASS-21 results, the proportions of depression, anxiety, and stress were 28.7%, 26.4%, and 20.6%, respectively. The mean scores on the EQ-5D-5L and the EuroQol Visual Analog Scale were 0.94±0.11 and 84.20±13.11, respectively. Regarding QoL issues, the highest proportion of participants (32.7%) reported experiencing anxiety or depression, followed by pain or discomfort (25.4%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that factors associated with the presence of symptoms following COVID-19 infection included female (odds ratio [OR], 2.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65 to 4.91) and having QoL issues (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.71 to 6.19). CONCLUSIONS: The study investigated the prevalence rates of various symptoms following COVID-19 infection. These findings underscore the need to prioritize comprehensive care for individuals recovering from COVID-19 and to implement strategies to mitigate the long-term impact of the disease on mental health and QoL.

Newly synthesised oxime and lactone derivatives from Dipterocarpus alatus dipterocarpol as anti-diabetic inhibitors: experimental bioassay-based evidence and theoretical computation-based prediction.

Dipterocarpus alatus-derived products are expected to exhibit anti-diabetes properties. Natural dipterocarpol (1) was isolated from Dipterocarpus alatus collected in Quang Nam province, Vietnam; afterwards, 20 derivatives including 13 oxime esters (2 and 3a-3m) and 7 lactones (4, 5, 6a-6e) were semi-synthesised. Their inhibitory effects towards diabetes-related proteins were investigated experimentally (α-glucosidase) and computationally (3W37, 3AJ7, and PTP1B). Except for compound 2, the other 19 compounds (3a-3m, 4, 5, and 6a-6d) are reported for the first time, which were modified at positions C-3, C-24 and C-25 of the dipterocarpol via imidation, esterification, oxidative cleavage and lactonisation reactions. A framework based on docking-QSARIS combination was proposed to predict the inhibitory behaviour of the ligand-protein complexes. Enzyme assays revealed the most effective α-glucosidase inhibitors, which follow the order 5 (IC50 of 2.73 ± 0.05 µM) > 6c (IC50 of 4.62 ± 0.12 µM) > 6e (IC50 of 7.31 ± 0.11 µM), and the computation-based analysis confirmed this, i.e., 5 (mass: 416.2 amu; polarisability: 52.4 Å3; DS: -14.9 kcal mol-1) > 6c (mass: 490.1 amu; polarisability: 48.8 Å3; DS: -13.7 kcal mol-1) > 6e (mass: 549.2 amu; polarisability: 51.6 Å3; DS: -15.2 kcal mol-1). Further theoretical justifications predicted 5 and 6c as versatile anti-diabetic inhibitors. The experimental results encourage next stages for the development of anti-diabetic drugs and the computational strategy invites more relevant work for validation.

Selective overexpression of cytoglobin in stellate cells attenuates thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis in mice.

Cytoglobin (CYGB), discovered in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), is known to possess a radical scavenger function, but its pathophysiological roles remain unclear. Here, for the first time, we generated a new transgenic (TG) mouse line in which both Cygb and mCherry reporter gene expression were under the control of the native Cygb gene promoter. We demonstrated that the expression of Cygb-mCherry was related to endogenous Cygb in adult tissues by tracing mCherry fluorescence together with DNA, mRNA, and protein analyses. Administration of a single dose (50 mg/kg) of thioacetamide (TAA) in Cygb-TG mice resulted in lower levels of alanine transaminase and oxidative stress than those in WT mice. After 10 weeks of TAA administration, Cygb-TG livers exhibited reduced neutrophil accumulation, cytokine expression and fibrosis but high levels of quiescent HSCs. Primary HSCs isolated from Cygb-TG mice (HSCCygb-TG) exhibited significantly decreased mRNA levels of α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), collagen 1α1, and transforming growth factor ß-3 after 4 days in culture relative to WT cells. HSCsCygb-TG were resistant to H2O2-induced αSMA expression. Thus, cell-specific overexpression of Cygb attenuates HSC activation and protects mice against TAA-induced liver fibrosis presumably by maintaining HSC quiescence. Cygb is a potential new target for antifibrotic approaches.

Temporal hemodynamic classification of two hands tapping using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

In recent decades, a lot of achievements have been obtained in imaging and cognitive neuroscience of human brain. Brain's activities can be shown by a number of different kinds of non-invasive technologies, such as: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and ElectroEncephaloGraphy (EEG; Wolpaw et al., 2002; Weiskopf et al., 2004; Blankertz et al., 2006). NIRS has become the convenient technology for experimental brain purposes. The change of oxygenation changes (oxy-Hb) along task period depending on location of channel on the cortex has been studied: sustained activation in the motor cortex, transient activation during the initial segments in the somatosensory cortex, and accumulating activation in the frontal lobe (Gentili et al., 2010). Oxy-Hb concentration at the aforementioned sites in the brain can also be used as a predictive factor allows prediction of subject's investigation behavior with a considerable degree of precision (Shimokawa et al., 2009). In this paper, a study of recognition algorithm will be described for recognition whether one taps the left hand (LH) or the right hand (RH). Data with noises and artifacts collected from a multi-channel system will be pre-processed using a Savitzky-Golay filter for getting more smoothly data. Characteristics of the filtered signals during LH and RH tapping process will be extracted using a polynomial regression (PR) algorithm. Coefficients of the polynomial, which correspond to Oxygen-Hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) concentration, will be applied for the recognition models of hand tapping. Support Vector Machines (SVM) will be applied to validate the obtained coefficient data for hand tapping recognition. In addition, for the objective of comparison, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) was also applied to recognize hand tapping side with the same principle. Experimental results have been done many trials on three subjects to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.