Laccase-mimicking Mn-Cu hybrid nanoflowers for paper-based visual detection of phenolic neurotransmitters and rapid degradation of dyes.

BACKGROUND: Laccase-based biosensors are efficient for detecting phenolic compounds. However, the instability and high cost of laccases have hindered their practical utilization. RESULTS: In this study, we developed hierarchical manganese dioxide-copper phosphate hybrid nanoflowers (H-Mn-Cu NFs) as excellent laccase-mimicking nanozymes. To synthesize the H-Mn-Cu NFs, manganese dioxide nanoflowers (MnO2 NFs) were first synthesized by rapidly reducing potassium permanganate using citric acid. The MnO2 NFs were then functionalized with amine groups, followed by incubation with copper sulfate for three days at room temperature to drive the coordination interaction between the amine moieties and copper ions and to induce anisotropic growth of the petals composed of copper phosphate crystals, consequently yielding H-Mn-Cu NFs. Compared with those of free laccase, at the same mass concentration, H-Mn-Cu NFs exhibited lower Km (~ 85%) and considerably higher Vmax (~ 400%), as well as significantly enhanced stability in the ranges of pH, temperature, ionic strength, and incubation periods evaluated. H-Mn-Cu NFs also catalyzed the decolorization of diverse dyes considerably faster than the free laccase. Based on these advantageous features, a paper microfluidic device incorporating H-Mn-Cu NFs was constructed for the convenient visual detection of phenolic neurotransmitters, including dopamine and epinephrine. The device enabled rapid and sensitive quantification of target neurotransmitters using an image acquired using a smartphone. CONCLUSIONS: These results clearly show that H-Mn-Cu NFs could be potential candidates to replace natural laccases for a wide range of applications in biosensing, environmental protection, and biotechnology.

Community-based Interventions to Prevent Dental Caries among Kindergarten Children in Vietnam: A 12-month Study of Field Trial.

AIM: To investigate the status of dental caries and assess the effectiveness of dental caries prevention interventions in children from 3 to 5-year-old in Hue City, Vietnam. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were 464 children and their direct caregivers at some kindergartens in Hue City from June 2020 to October 2021. The study included two consecutive phases: the first one was a cross-sectional study to identify the rate of dental caries and related factors in the studied kindergartens, and phase 2 was a controlled comparative interventional study for a period of 12 months. RESULTS: The mean of decayed, missing, filled, and DMFT index was 8.25, 0.09, 0.48, and 8.82, respectively, with no statistically significant difference in these figures between the living areas. The multivariable logistic regression model revealed some factors related to dental caries, including age, frequency of toothbrushing per day, parent-assisted toothbrushing, and eating and drinking sweets. Results showed the effectiveness of a community-based intervention for preventing dental caries, gingivitis, and plaque in the intervention group, compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The rate of dental caries among Vietnamese children was remarkably high. A comprehensive intervention to prevent early childhood dental caries was effective and might be considered a necessary program in healthcare prophylaxis. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This intervention was consistent with the guidelines of WHO and based on evidences of related factors of dental caries identified in a previous cross-sectional study.

A step toward reducing air pollution in top Asian economies: The role of green energy, eco-innovation, and environmental taxes.

Environmental degradation is significantly studied both in the past and the current literature; however, steps towards reducing the environmental pollution in carbon emission and haze pollution like PM2.5 are not under rational attention. This study tries to cover this gap while considering the carbon emission and PM2.5 through observing the role of renewable energy, non-renewable energy, environmental taxes, and ecological innovation for the top Asian economies from 1990 to 2017. For analysis purposes, this research considers cross-sectional dependence analysis, unit root test with and without structural break (Pesaran, 2007), slope heterogeneity analysis, Westerlund and Edgerton (2008) panel cointegration analysis, Banerjee and Carrion-i-Silvestre (2017) cointegration analysis, long-short run CS-ARDL results, as well as AMG and CCEMG for robustness check. The empirical evidence in both the short- and long-run has confirmed the negative and significant effect of renewable energy sources, ecological innovation, and environmental taxes on carbon emissions and PM2.5. Whereas, non-renewable energy sources are causing environmental degradation in the targeted economies. Finally, various policy implications related to carbon emission and haze pollution like PM2.5 are also provided to control their harmful effect on the natural environment.

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia: clinical features, incidence, and risk factors.

Symptoms of Parkinson's disease have been controlled with levodopa for many years; however, motor complications consisting of wearing off of medication effect and dyskinesias tend to occur within a few years of starting levodopa. Motor complications can begin a few months after taking levodopa, with the average time to onset estimated to be 6.5 years. Dyskinesias can be troublesome and require intervention. Levodopa-induced dyskinesia can be composed of a variety of movement disorders including chorea, dystonia, ballism, myoclonus, and akathisia. Based on the clinical pattern, the most common dyskinesia is chorea and choreoathetosis. The clinical manifestations can be divided into three main categories based on their clinical movement patterns and the temporal correlation between the occurrence of dyskinesia and the levodopa dosing: on or peak-dose dyskinesias, biphasic dyskinesias, and Off dyskinesias. Severe cases of dyskinesia have been reported, with the extreme being dyskinesia-hyperpyrexia syndrome. The prevalence of LID has been reported in many studies, but the reported incidence varies. The rate of LID development is from 3 to 94%. The prevalence of LID mainly depends on age at onset, disease duration, and severity, and duration of levodopa therapy. Some of the risk factors for the development of dyskinesia are modifiable. Modifiable risk factors include levodopa dose and body weight. Non-modifiable risk factors include age, gender, duration of disease, clinical subtype, disease progression, disease severity, and genetic factors.

Gender Differences in Physical Performance Characteristics of Elite Surfers.

Parsonage, JR, Secomb, JL, Tran, TT, Farley, ORL, Nimphius, S, Lundgren, L, and Sheppard, JM. Gender differences in physical performance characteristics of elite surfers. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2417-2422, 2017-The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the gender differences in physical performance characteristics of elite surfers. Twenty competitive female surfers (CFS) and 20 competitive male surfers (CMS) performed a battery of physical performance tests: squat jump (SJ), isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), 15-m sprint paddle, and 400-m endurance paddle during a single testing session. All performance measures were significantly different between CFS and CMS (p < 0.01). Specifically, CMS produced greater peak force production (28.5%) and jumped higher (27.7%) in the SJ and produced greater normalized peak force during the IMTP (18.9%) compared with CFS. For paddling performance, CMS were faster over 5, 10, and 15 m (12.4%, 9.7%, and 10.9%), possessed a higher peak paddling velocity (11.3%), and recorded faster paddle times over 400 m (11.8%). The results of this study suggest that CMS exhibit superior physical performance characteristics than CFS, in relation to both the lower and upper body. Strength and conditioning practitioners should therefore implement a structured and periodized program to facilitate strength qualities that underpin surfing performance for all participants, but as highlighted in the current investigation, female surfers may have a greater window for adaptation and therefore vast benefit of targeting their underdeveloped physical qualities.

Maximal Strength Training Improves Surfboard Sprint and Endurance Paddling Performance in Competitive and Recreational Surfers.

Coyne, JOC, Tran, TT, Secomb, JL, Lundgren, LE, Farley, ORL, Newton, RU, and Sheppard, JM. Maximal strength training improves surfboard sprint and endurance paddling performance in competitive and recreational surfers. J Strength Cond Res 31(1): 244-253, 2017-Upper-body (UB) strength has very high correlations with faster surfboard paddling speeds. However, there is no research examining the effects of improving UB strength has on surfboard paddling ability. This study aimed to determine the influence that improvements in UB closed-kinetic chain maximal strength have on surfboard paddling in both competitive and recreational surfers. Seventeen competitive and recreational male surfers (29.7 ± 7.7 years, 177.4 ± 7.4 cm, 76.7 ± 9.9 kg) participated in a repeated-measures, parallel control study design. Anthropometry; 5-, 10-, and 15-m sprint; and 400-m endurance surfboard paddling tests along with pull-up and dip 1 repetition maximum strength tests were assessed pre- and postintervention. Subjects in the training group performed 5 weeks of maximal strength training in the pull-up and dip. Differences between the training and control groups were examined postintervention. The training group increased their speed over the 5-, 10-, and 15-m sprint, whereas the control group became slower (d = 0.71, 0.51, and 0.4, respectively). The training group also displayed faster endurance paddling performance compared with the control group (d = 0.72). Short-term exposure to maximal strength training elicits improvements in paddling performance measures. However, the magnitude of performance increases seems to be dependent on initial strength levels with differential responses between strong and weaker athletes. Although a longer maximal strength training period may have produced more significant paddling improvements in stronger subjects, practitioners are unlikely to have any more than 5 weeks in an uninterrupted block with competitive surfing athletes. This study reveals that a "threshold" level of maximal strength that if possessed, short-term maximal strength training may only provide little improvement in paddling performance.

Determination of Vertical Jump as a Measure of Neuromuscular Readiness and Fatigue.

Watkins, CM, Barillas, SR, Wong, MA, Archer, DC, Dobbs, IJ, Lockie, RG, Coburn, JW, Tran, TT, and Brown, LE. Determination of vertical jump as a measure of neuromuscular readiness and fatigue. J Strength Cond Res 31(12): 3305-3310, 2017-Coaches closely monitor training loads and periodize sessions throughout the season to create optimal adaptations at the proper time. However, only monitoring training loads ignores the innate physiological stress each athlete feels individually. Vertical jump (VJ) is widely used as a measure of lower-body power, and has been used in postmatch studies to demonstrate fatigue levels. However, no pretraining monitoring by VJ performance has been previously studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of VJ as a measure of readiness and fatigue on a daily sessional basis. Ten healthy resistance-trained males (mass = 91.60 ± 13.24 kg; height = 179.70 ± 9.23 cm; age = 25.40 ± 1.51 years) and 7 females (mass = 65.36 ± 12.29 kg; height = 162.36 ± 5.75 cm; age = 25.00 ± 2.71 years) volunteered to participate. Vertical jump and BRUNEL Mood Assessment (BAM) were measured 4 times: pre-workout 1, post-workout 1, pre-workout 2, and post-workout 2. Workout intensity was identical for both workouts, consisting of 4 sets of 5 repetitions for hang cleans, and 4 sets of 6 repetitions for push presses at 85% 1 repetition maximum (1RM), followed by 4 sets to failure of back squats (BSs), Romanian deadlift, and leg press at 80% 1RM. The major finding was that VJ height decrement (-8.05 ± 9.65 cm) at pre-workout 2 was correlated (r = 0.648) with BS volume decrement (-27.56 ± 24.56%) between workouts. This is important for coaches to proactively understand the current fatigue levels of their athletes and their readiness to resistance training.

Comparison of impact forces, accelerations and ankle range of motion in surfing-related landing tasks.

This study aimed to describe the impact forces, accelerations and ankle range of motion in five different landing tasks that are used in training and testing for competitive surfing athletes, to assist coaches in the prescription of landing task progression and monitoring training load. Eleven competitive surfing athletes aged 24 ± 7 years participated, and inertial motion sensors were fixed to the anterior aspect of the feet, mid-tibial shafts, sacrum and eighth thoracic vertebrae on these athletes. Three tasks were performed landing on force plates and two tasks in a modified gymnastics set-up used for land-based aerial training. Peak landing force, resultant peak acceleration and front and rear side ankle dorsiflexion ranges of motion during landing were determined. The peak acceleration was approximately 50% higher when performing aerial training using a mini-trampoline and landing on a soft-density foam board, compared to a similar landing off a 50 cm box. Furthermore, the ankle ranges of motion during the gymnastic type landings were significantly lower than the other landing types (P ≤ 0.05 and P ≤ 0.001), for front and rear sides, respectively. Conclusively, increased task complexity and specificity of the sport increased the tibial peak acceleration, indicating greater training load.

Relationships Between Lower-Body Muscle Structure and Lower-Body Strength, Power, and Muscle-Tendon Complex Stiffness.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether any relationships were present between lower-body muscle structure and strength and power qualities. Fifteen elite male surfing athletes performed a battery of lower-body strength and power tests, including countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), and had their lower-body muscle structure assessed with ultrasonography. In addition, lower-body muscle-tendon complex (MTC) stiffness and dynamic strength deficit (DSD) ratio were calculated from the CMJ and IMTP. Significant relationships of large to very large strength were observed between the vastus lateralis (VL) thickness of the left (LVL) and right (RVL) leg and peak force (PF) (r = 0.54-0.77, p < 0.01-0.04), peak velocity (PV) (r = 0.66-0.83, p < 0.01), and peak jump height (r = 0.62-0.80, p < 0.01) in the CMJ and SJ, as well as IMTP PF (r = 0.53-0.60, p = 0.02-0.04). Furthermore, large relationships were found between left lateral gastrocnemius (LG) pennation angle and SJ and IMTP PF (r = 0.53, p = 0.04, and r = 0.70, p < 0.01, respectively) and between LG and IMTP relative PF (r = 0.63, p = 0.01). Additionally, large relationships were identified between lower-body MTC stiffness and DSD ratio (r = 0.68, p < 0.01), right (LG) pennation angle (r = 0.51, p = 0.05), CMJ PF (r = 0.60, p = 0.02), and jump height (r = 0.53, p = 0.04). These results indicate that greater VL thickness and increased LG pennation angle are related to improved performance in the CMJ, SJ, and IMTP. Furthermore, these results suggest that lower-body MTC stiffness explains a large amount of variance in determining an athlete's ability to rapidly apply force during a dynamic movement.

Relationships Between Lower-Body Muscle Structure and, Lower-Body Strength, Explosiveness and Eccentric Leg Stiffness in Adolescent Athletes.

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether any relationships were present between lower-body muscle structure and, lower-body strength, variables measured during a countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ), and eccentric leg stiffness, in adolescent athletes. Thirty junior male (n = 23) and female (n = 7) surfing athletes (14.8 ± 1.7 y; 1.63 ± 0.09 m; 54.8 ± 12.1 kg) undertook lower-body muscle structure assessment with ultrasonography and performed a; CMJ, SJ and an isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP). In addition, eccentric leg stiffness was calculated from variables of the CMJ and IMTP. Moderate to very large relationships (r = 0.46-0.73) were identified between the thickness of the vastus lateralis (VL) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) muscles, and VL pennation angle and; peak force (PF) in the CMJ, SJ and IMTP. Additionally, moderate to large relationships (r = 0.37-0.59) were found between eccentric leg stiffness and; VL and LG thickness, VL pennation angle, and LG fascicle length, with a large relationship (r = 0.59) also present with IMTP PF. These results suggest that greater thickness of the VL and LG were related to improved maximal dynamic and isometric strength, likely due to increased hypertrophy of the extensor muscles. Furthermore, this increased thickness was related to greater eccentric leg stiffness, as the associated enhanced lower-body strength likely allowed for greater neuromuscular activation, and hence less compliance, during a stretch-shortening cycle. Key pointsGreater thickness of the VL and LG muscles were significantly related to an enhanced ability to express higher levels of isometric and dynamic strength, and explosiveness in adolescent athletes.Isometric strength underpinned performance in the CMJ and SJ in these athletes.Greater lower-body isometric strength was significantly related to eccentric leg stiffness, which is potentially the result of greater neuromuscular activation in the muscle-tendon unit.

Diagnostic value of vietnamese smell identification test in Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: The Vietnamese Smell Identification Test (VSIT) has been validated in determining olfactory dysfunction in the Vietnamese population; however, its value in diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been established. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted at University Medical Center HCMC, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study sample included non-demented PD patients and healthy controls (HC) who were gender- and age-matched. All participants were evaluated for odor identification ability using the VSIT and the Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT). RESULTS: A total of 218 HCs and 218 PD patients participated in the study. The median VSIT and BSIT scores were significantly different between PD and HC groups (VSIT, 5 (3) vs. 9 (2), P < 0.0001; BSIT, 6 (3) vs 8 (2), P < 0.0001). Using the cut-off of <8 for correct answers out of 12 odorants, the VSIT had higher sensitivity (84.4%) and specificity (86.2%) than those of the BSIT (sensitivity of 81.7% and specificity of 69.3%) for the diagnosis of PD. The area under the curve (AUC) value was greater for the VSIT than for the BSIT (0.909 vs 0.818). The smell identification scores were not significantly correlated with disease duration, disease severity, or LEDD (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The VSIT can be a valuable ancillary tool for supporting the diagnosis of PD in Vietnam. Olfactory dysfunction in PD was unrelated to the disease duration and severity. The VSIT can be applied to improve the accuracy of clinical PD diagnosis.

A comparison of effectiveness between Posisep and Merocel nasal packing after endoscopic sinus surgery: Findings from a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of nonabsorbable and biodegradable nasal packing is still controversial, and the choice of nasal packing type can alter the outcome of endoscopic sinus surgery. This study compared the effectiveness of Posisep and Merocel as nasal packing materials with regard to hemostasis, adhesion, wound healing, patient's satisfaction and health-related quality of life after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). METHODS: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial was conducted in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis refractory undergoing symmetrical bilateral ESS. At the completion of surgery, a nasal packing (either Merocel or Posisep) was randomly chosen and placed into the middle meatus of each nasal cavity. All patients were scheduled for follow-up visits at 24 hours, 5 days, 3 weeks, and 5 weeks days after surgery. Health-related quality of life was measured using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22). The overall inflammatory burden of chronic rhinosinusitis was measured by the Lund-Mackay postoperative endoscopic score (LMES). RESULTS: Among 62 patients included in data analysis (n = 31 for each group), the mean age was 42.4 years and 54.8% were females. Patients with Posisep after ESS had more improvement and better symptoms measured through SNOT-22 and LMES at 24 hours, 5 days, and 3 weeks than those with Merocel after ESS. While some aspects measured by LMES such as discharge and scarring were still better until 5 weeks after surgery, all symptoms measured by SNOT-22 were similar between the 2 groups 5 weeks after surgery. CONCLUSION: Posisep containing chitosan provided patients with a better quality of life throughout the early recovery period compared with Merocel. Although more studies are needed, our findings support the use of Posisep after ESS.

Clinical and genetic analysis of Vietnamese patients diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Genetic factors play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no comprehensive study has described genetic alterations in Vietnamese patients diagnosed with PD. This study aimed to identify genetic causes and their association with clinical phenotypes in a Vietnamese PD cohort. METHODS: A total of 83 patients with early-onset PD (disease onset before the age of 50) were recruited for genetic analysis using a combination of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and next-generation sequencing for a panel of 20 PD-associated genes. RESULTS: It was found that 37 out of 83 patients carried genetic alterations, with 24 pathogenic/likely pathogenic/risk variants and 25 variants of uncertain significance. The pathogenic/likely pathogenic/risk variants were mostly detected in LRRK2, PRKN, and GBA, while the variants of uncertain significance were identified in 12 different genes that were studied. The most common genetic alteration was LRRK2 c.4883G>C (p.Arg1628Pro), and patients with PD carrying this variant were found to have a distinct phenotype. Participants carrying pathogenic/likely pathogenic/risk variants had a significantly higher rate of a family history of PD. CONCLUSION: These results provide a further understanding of genetic alterations associated with PD in a South-East Asian population.

Pain is common in early onset Parkinson's disease and pain severity is associated with age and worsening of motor and non-motor symptoms.

The consequences of pain in early onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD) remain under appreciated even though pain may exert an increasingly negative impact on patient quality of life as motor and non-motor symptoms worsen. In this prospective study, we investigate the prevalence and severity of pain in 135 Vietnamese patients with EOPD from three medical centers using the King's PD Pain Scale (KPPS), the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE), the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS). Pain was reported by 79.3%. The most common subtype of pain was musculoskeletal (70.1%), followed by nocturnal (43.9%), radicular (43.0%), chronic (42.1%), fluctuation-related (34.6%) and orofacial pain (16.8%). Most patients (74.8%) experienced more than one pain subtype. Fluctuation-related pain and orofacial pain were significantly more prevalent among patients with higher Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) stages (3-5) versus lower H&Y stages (1-2). Pain subtype and severity were not significantly related to gender or age of PD onset. Patients with H&Y stages 3-5 had statistically significantly higher KPPS scores for fluctuation-related pain (p = 0.018) and radicular pain (p = 0.026). Independent associations were found between pain severity and age (p = 0.028), depression severity (p = 0.018), perceptual problems/hallucinations (p = 0.033) and sexual function (p = 0.024). Patients with depression and higher H&Y stages (3-5) had statistically significantly higher mean KPPS scores versus patients without depression and at lower H&Y stages (1-2). Pain may be more common and severe in EOPD patients than previously appreciated. Older age, depression, perceptual problems/hallucinations and sexual dysfunction were independently associated with higher pain severity.

Accuracy of Subthalamic Nucleus Electrode Implantation in Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery for Parkinson's Disease Treatment and Affecting Factors: Outcomes at Two Centers in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson's Disease (PD) has become more and more popular in Vietnam. However, the accuracy of implantation and affecting factors are under investigation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of the subthalamic nucleus (STN)-DBS electrode implantation technique for treatment PD at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital and University Medical Center. To investigate factors related to accuracy. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of 58 patients with advanced PD who underwent STN-DBS surgery at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital and University Medical Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam between June 2014 and July 2021 (115 leads total). All patients underwent the procedure with standard frame-based techniques under local anesthesia with microelectrode recording and macrostimuation test. RESULTS: Twenty-six female (44.8%) and thirty-two male (55.2%) patients with a mean age of 60.4 ± 8.3 years old (40-76 years) were included. Of total of 115 electrodes implanted, the mean target error (ΔT), radial error (ΔR), angle error (Δθ) were 1.94 ± 0.73 mm; 1.16 ± 0.69 mm; 2.22 ± 4.24 degrees, respectively. Vector error on each coordinate axis ΔX, ΔY, ΔZ were -0.35 ± 1.02 mm, +0.99 ± 0.82 mm, +0.73 ± 0.99 mm, respectively. There was a statistically significant correlation between subdural air volume, cortical shift, intracranial electrode bending, and accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: The current STN-DBS electrode implantation technique applied in our centers was quite accurate with acceptable error. More clinical trials are necessary to directly compare affecting factors to the accuracy of electrode implantation.

Normative data for the Vietnamese smell identification test.

Introduction: The 12-item Vietnamese smell identification test (VSIT) has been developed to evaluate the olfactory function of the Vietnamese population. This study aimed to investigate the normative value of the VSIT in different age groups and sexes. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Ho Chi Minh University Medical Center, Vietnam. All participants were evaluated for odor identification ability using the VSIT. We included healthy participants aged 18 years or older with no history of olfactory disturbances. Results: A total of 391 healthy volunteers were recruited with a mean age of 45.80 years (SD: 17.62; range: 18-86; female: 63.4 %). The tenth percentile of scores on the 0-12 VSIT scale was 8.3 in participants aged 18-29 years, 9.0 in 30-39 years, 8.0 in 40-49 years, 7.8 in 50-59 years, 7.9 in 60-69 years and 6.0 in over 70 years. Young adults (18-39 years old) had better olfactory identification ability than older adults (over 50 years), p < 0.001. There was a significant main effect of sex on VSIT score (p = 0.02), suggesting that females outperformed males. Sensitivity to 8 odors were negatively correlated with age: lemon, garlic, banana, coffee, mango, guava, apple and watermelon (p < 0.05 in all cases) whereas four odors were age-independent including orange, fish sauce, soy sauce, and fish. Conclusion: Normative data provide guidance for assessing individual olfactory function. However, there were significant sex and age effects on olfactory identification scores on the VSIT. Therefore, future studies should be conducted to better adjust for those confounders mentioned above.

Development and validation of the Vietnamese smell identification test.

BACKGROUND: Correct olfactory identification requires familiarity with the odor stimuli and is culturally dependent. Existing smell identification tests (SIT) are not culturally specific and may not be reliable in detecting hyposmia in all populations. This study aimed to develop a smell identification test suitable for Vietnamese patients (VSIT). METHODS: The study included 4 phases: 1) survey-based evaluation of the familiarity of 68 odors to identify 18 odors for subsequent testing (N = 1050); 2) smell identification test of 18 odors in healthy patients (N = 50) to determine which 12 should be included in the VSIT; 3) comparison of VSIT scores on 12 odors in patients with hyposmia (N = 60; Brief smell identification test (BSIT) score <8 and those with normosmia (N = 120; BSIT score ≥8) to establish the validity of the newly developed test; and 4) retest of the VSIT in 60 normosmic patients from phase 3 (N = 60) to determine test-retest reliability. RESULTS: As expected, the mean (SD) VSIT score was significantly higher in the healthy participants than in the hyposmic patients [10.28 (1.34) vs 4.57 (1.76); P < 0.001]. Using a cut-off score at 8, the sensitivity and specificity of the instrument in detecting hyposmia were 93.3% and 97.5% respectively. The test-retest reliability using the intra-class correlation coefficient was at 0.72 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Vietnamese Smell Identification Test (VSIT) demonstrated favorable validity and reliability and will allow for assessment of olfactory function in Vietnamese patients.

Plasma cell-free RNA profiling of Vietnamese Alzheimer's patients reveals a linkage with chronic inflammation and apoptosis: a pilot study.

Introduction: Circulating cell-free RNA (cfRNA) is a potential hallmark for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) as it construes the genetic expression level, giving insights into the pathological progress from the outset. Profiles of cfRNA in Caucasian AD patients have been investigated thoroughly, yet there was no report exploring cfRNAs in the ASEAN groups. This study examined the gap, expecting to support the development of point-of-care AD diagnosis. Methods: cfRNA profiles were characterized from 20 Vietnamese plasma samples (10 probable AD and 10 age-matched controls). RNA reads were subjected to differential expression (DE) analysis. Weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify gene modules that were significantly co-expressed. These modules' expression profiles were then correlated with AD status to identify relevant modules. Genes with the highest intramodular connectivity (module membership) were selected as hub genes. Transcript counts of differentially expressed genes were correlated with key AD measures-MMSE and MTA scores-to identify potential biomarkers. Results: 136 genes were identified as significant AD hallmarks (p < 0.05), with 52 downregulated and 84 upregulated in the AD cohort. 45.6% of these genes are highly expressed in the hippocampus, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex. Notably, all markers related to chronic inflammation were upregulated, and there was a significant shift in all apoptotic markers. Three co-expressed modules were found to be significantly correlated with Alzheimer's status (p < 0.05; R2> 0.5). Functional enrichment analysis on these modules reveals an association with focal adhesion, nucleocytoplasmic transport, and metal ion response leading to apoptosis, suggesting the potential participation of these pathways in AD pathology. 47 significant hub genes were found to be differentially expressed genes with the highest connectivity. Six significant hub genes (CREB1, YTHDC1, IL1RL1, PHACTR2, ANKRD36B, RNF213) were found to be significantly correlated with MTA and MMSE scores. Other significant transcripts (XRN1, UBB, CHP1, THBS1, S100A9) were found to be involved in inflammation and neuronal death. Overall, we have identified candidate transcripts in plasma cf-RNA that are differentially expressed and are implicated in inflammation and apoptosis, which can jumpstart further investigations into applying cf-RNA as an AD biomarker in Vietnam and ASEAN countries.

Effects of self-selected music on strength, explosiveness, and mood.

There has been much investigation into the use of music as an ergogenic aid to facilitate physical performance. However, previous studies have primarily focused on predetermined music and aerobic exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of self-selected music (SSM) vs. those of no music (NM) on the mood and performance of the athletes performing bench press and squat jump. Twenty resistance trained collegiate men completed 2 experimental conditions, one while listening to SSM and the other with NM. The subjects reported their profile of mood states (POMS) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) before and after performing 3 sets to failure of the bench press at 75% 1 repetition maximum (1RM) and 3 reps of the squat jump at 30% 1RM. Statistical analyses revealed no differences in squat jump height or relative ground reaction force, but the takeoff velocity (SSM-2.06 ± 0.17 m·s(-1); NM-1.99 ± 0.18 m·s(-1)), rate of velocity development (SSM-5.92 ± 1.46 m·s(-2); NM-5.63 ± 1.70 m·s(-2)), and rate of force development (SSM-3175.61 ± 1792.37 N·s(-1); NM-2519.12 ± 1470.32 N·s(-1)) were greater with SSM, whereas RPE (SSM-5.71 ± 1.37; NM-6.36 ± 1.61) was greater with NM. Bench press reps to failure and RPE were not different between conditions. The POMS scores of vigor (SSM-20.15 ± 5.58; NM-17.45 ± 5.84), tension (SSM-8.40 ± 3.99; NM-6.07 ± 3.26), and fatigue (SSM-8.65 ± 4.49; NM-7.40 ± 4.38) were greater with SSM. This study demonstrated increased performance during an explosive exercise and an altered mood state when listening to SSM. Therefore, listening to SSM might be beneficial for acute power performance.

Peak vertical jump power estimations in youths and young adults.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a regression equation to estimate peak power (PP) using a large sample of athletic youths and young adults. Anthropometric and vertical jump ground reaction forces were collected from 460 male volunteers (age: 12-24 years). Of these 460 volunteers, a stratified random sample of 45 subjects representing 3 different age groups (12-15 years [n = 15], 16-18 years [n = 15], and 19-24 years [n = 15]) was selected as a validation sample. Data from the remaining 415 subjects were used to develop a new equation ("Novel") to estimate PP using age, body mass (BM), and vertical jump height (VJH) via backward stepwise regression. Independently, age (r = 0.57), BM (r = 0.83), and VJ (r = 0.65) were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with PP. However, age did not significantly (p = 0.53) contribute to the final prediction equation (Novel): PP (watts) = 63.6 × VJH (centimeters) + 42.7 × BM (kilograms) - 1,846.5 (r = 0.96; standard error of the estimate = 250.7 W). For each age group, there were no differences between actual PP (overall group mean ± SD: 3,244 ± 991 W) and PP estimated using Novel (3,253 ± 1,037 W). Conversely, other previously published equations produced PP estimates that were significantly different than actual PP. The large sample size used in this study (n = 415) likely explains the greater accuracy of the reported Novel equation compared with previously developed equations (n = 17-161). Although this Novel equation can accurately estimate PP values for a group of subjects, between-subject comparisons estimating PP using Novel or any other previously published equations should be interpreted with caution because of large intersubject error (± >600 W) associated with predictions.