Epilepsy self-management mobile health application: A needs assessment in people with epilepsy and caregivers in Viet Nam.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine (1) the needsof Vietnamese people with epilepsy (PWE) and their caregivers for self-management mobile health applications and (2) the self-management features expected to be included in an application. METHODS: The survey consisted of an anonymous self-administered questionnaire that was distributed to PWE and caregivers from the age of 18 in Vietnam through online platforms and onsite at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital and University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, from February 2022 to May 2022. The questionnaire assessed the participants' attitudes toward epilepsy self-management mobile applications, their willingness to use applications, and their expectations of the contents of an application. RESULTS: Responses from 103 participants were submitted. Eighty-one participants (78.6%) reported using a smartphone, but only 50.6% of those claimed to know about self-management applications. Most respondents (70.9%) thought the applications would be useful for disease self-management, and 68.9% were willing to use epilepsy self-management applications. In addition, the most expected features to be included in self-management applications were epilepsy information, seizure first aid, connecting with medical professionals, and a seizure diary. CONCLUSION: Most Vietnamese PWE and caregivers had a willingness to use epilepsy self-management applications.The expected features are related to all aspects of self-management, including information, seizure, medication, and safety management.

Influences of Agrochemicals on Health and Ecology in Vietnamese Mango Cultivation.

The study aims to identify risks of agrochemicals that impact farmworkers, consumers, and ecology in Vietnamese mango cultivation to enhance safety and friendly production. The study finds out the total numbers of root fertilizers (N-P-K) of the noncooperative and cooperative farmers are similar, approximately 1,400 kg/ha/year higher than those in other countries. Excessive fertilizer usage is a potential threat to soil, water, and air pollution. In addition, the findings indicate that the ecology component is undergoing the most negative impact from excessive agrochemical use in mango farming. The vast majority of agrochemicals in mango cultivation are fungicide and paclobutrazol over 90% of the total number of agrochemicals used in both noncooperative and cooperative farmer groups among the three seasons. Total field EIQ of the cooperative grower category is less than that of the noncooperative grower category. These results show that mango cultivation should consider rejecting the banned active ingredients of glyphosate, paraquat, and carbendazim as well as reducing fungicide and paclobutrazol usage and encouraging cooperative participation to safeguard the environment and human health. Moreover, science information needs to be closely linked and fed back to policy development to boost the management of the awareness of the ecological risks for farmers associated with reducing agrochemical use in mango cultivation.

Engineered therapeutic proteins for sustained-release drug delivery systems.

Proteins play a vital role in diverse biological processes in the human body, and protein therapeutics have been applied to treat different diseases such as cancers, genetic disorders, autoimmunity, and inflammation. Protein therapeutics have demonstrated their advantages, such as specific pharmaceutical effects, low toxicity, and strong solubility. However, several disadvantages arise in clinical applications, including short half-life, immunogenicity, and low permeation, leading to reduced drug effectiveness. The structure of protein therapeutics can be modified to increase molecular size, leading to prolonged stability and increased plasma half-life. Notably, the controlled-release delivery systems for the sustained release of protein drugs and preserving the stability of cargo proteins are envisioned as a potential approach to overcome these challenges. In this review, we summarize recent research progress related to structural modifications (PEGylation, glycosylation, poly amino acid modification, and molecular biology-based strategies) and promising long-term delivery systems, such as polymer-based systems (injectable gel/implants, microparticles, nanoparticles, micro/nanogels, functional polymers), lipid-based systems (liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers), and inorganic nanoparticles exploited for protein therapeutics. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In this review, we highlight recent advances concerning modifying proteins directly to enhance their stability and functionality and discuss state-of-the-art methods for the delivery and controlled long-term release of active protein therapeutics to their target site. In terms of drug modifications, four widely used strategies, including PEGylation, poly amino acid modification, glycosylation, and genetic, are discussed. As for drug delivery systems, we emphasize recent progress relating to polymer-based systems, lipid-based systems developed, and inorganic nanoparticles for protein sustained-release delivery. This review points out the areas requiring focused research attention before the full potential of protein therapeutics for human health and disease can be realized.