Graphitic carbon nitride supported silver nanoparticles (AgNPs/g-C3N4): synthesis and photocatalytic behavior in the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.

Graphitic carbon nitride supported silver nanoparticles (AgNPs/g-C3N4) with 1%, 3%, and 5% AgNPs were successfully synthesized by an "ex situ" method with ultrasound of a mixture of AgNP solution and g-C3N4. The AgNP solution was prepared by chemical reduction with trisodium citrate, and g-C3N4 was synthesized from the urea precursor. The supported nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption (BET), Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) Nyquist plots. The visible light-driven photocurrent measurement was performed by three on-off cycles of intermittent irradiation. The analyses show that AgNPs were evenly dispersed on g-C3N4, and have sizes ranging from 40 to 50 nm. The optical properties of the AgNPs/g-C3N4 material were significantly enhanced due to the plasmonic effect of AgNPs. The photocatalytic activity of catalysts was evaluated by 2,4-D degradation under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). In the reaction conditions: pH 2.2; C o (2,4-D) 40 ppm; a m/v ratio of 0.5 g L-1, AgNPs/g-C3N4 materials exhibit superior photocatalytic activity compared to the pristine g-C3N4. The studies on the influence of free radicals and photogenerated holes, h+, show that ˙OH, O2˙-, and h+ play decisive roles in the photocatalytic activity of AgNPs/g-C3N4. The TOC result indicates the minimal toxicity of the by-products formed during the 2,4-D degradation. In addition, the AgNPs/g-C3N4 catalytic activity under direct sunlight irradiation was similar to that under artificial UV irradiation. Based on these results, a possible mechanism is proposed to explain the enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability of AgNPs/g-C3N4. Theoretical calculations on the interaction between 2,4-D and g-C3N4, Ag/g-C3N4 was also performed. The calculated results show that the adsorption of 2,4-D on Ag-modified g-C3N4 is significantly more effective compared to pristine g-C3N4.

Antioxidant activity of an inclusion complex between rutin and ß-cyclodextrin: experimental and quantum chemical studies.

This study aims to synthesize a guest-host complex derived from rutin (Rut) and ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) (denoted as [Rut⊂ß-CD]). The obtained substance was characterized by the FT-IR and DSC methods, signifying the formation of an inclusion complex between Rut and ß-CD. Complex formation increased the antioxidant activity of rutin corresponding to the decrease of EC50 values from 1.547 × 10-5 mol L-1 to 1.227 × 10-5 mol L-1 according to the DPPH free radical scavenging test. The rutin-ß-CD interaction energies were calculated in the vacuum and various solvents (e.g., water, ethanol, and dimethylsulfoxide) utilizing an accurate and broadly parametrized self-consistent tight-binding quantum chemical method (GFN2-xTB). The calculation results reveal the influence of solvent on the structural formation of the rutin-ß-CD complex. In both the vacuum and aqueous solution, rutin can enter into the small-sized empty cavity of ß-CD, albeit through different terminals, resulting in distinct preferential structures. The presence of organic solvents appears to reduce the interaction between rutin and ß-CD, with the interaction strength following the order: water > ethanol > dimethyl sulfoxide.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Reproductive Health Among Abortion Adolescents in Vietnam.

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a global issue. The majority of these adolescents experience unintended pregnancy ending in abortion. Knowledge gaps and misconceptions about reproductive health are the main reasons for unintended pregnancy among adolescents. Objective: This study aims to identify knowledge, attitudes, practices, and related factors of reproductive health among adolescent post-abortion or those seeking abortion at Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (HOGH), a tertiary hospital in Vietnam. Methods: Ours was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 103 adolescents who sought induced abortions between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. Participants were interviewed directly via questionnaires to collect information. Results: The mean age of participants was 16.3 years. 64.1% of the population did not have general knowledge regarding reproductive health, 42.7% of subjects displayed incorrect attitudes regarding reproductive health. As a result, lack of knowledge and incorrect attitudes led to unsafe sex. The percentage of adolescents practicing unsafe sex is incredibly high (90.3%) thus causing unintended pregnancies. Education levels and family economic status were the main factors linked to knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding reproductive health. Conclusion: Most adolescents seeking abortion had poor KAP regarding reproductive health. Their KAP of reproductive health were linked to levels of education and family economic status. The findings emphasize the need to provide reproductive health care information and services for adolescents, and the need for appropriate attention from both family and society to the target group. We believe this will result in the improvement of their health and the avoidance of unfortunate consequences.

Dry eye rate and its relationship with disease stage in patients with primary hypertension: a cross-sectional study in Vietnam.

AIM: To determine the dry eye (DE) rate and its relationship with disease stage in patients with primary hypertension. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included 432 patients with primary hypertension (with an equal number of patients in each group: 144 in stage I, II, and III hypertension) and 144 healthy subjects as a control group. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and Schirmer I test without anesthetics were conducted on all 576 subjects. Subjects with OSDI scores <13 and Schirmer I values equal to or under 10 mm were diagnosed with DE. RESULTS: The ratio of DE in hypertension patients was higher than in the control group (41.7% versus 18.8%; P<0.001). The proportion of patients with DE increased gradually according to the hypertension stage: 27.1% in stage I, 40.3% in stage II, and 57.6% in stage III, P<0.001. Age, duration of hypertension, plasma urea, creatinine, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP-hs) levels in hypertension patients with DE were higher than those without DE, P<0.001. Advanced age, a long duration of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, elevated plasma creatinine, and CRP-hs levels were independent factors associated with DE in primary hypertension patients, P<0.001. CONCLUSION: DE is a common disorder associated with advanced age, a long duration of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, elevated plasma CRP-hs, and creatinine levels in patients with primary hypertension.

Comprehensive Study on the Adsorption and Degradation of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane on Bifunctional Adsorption-Photocatalysis Material TiO2/MCM-41 Using Quantum Chemical Methods.

The adsorption and degradation capacities of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) on a photocatalyst composed of TiO2 supported on the mesoporous material MCM-41 (TiO2/MCM-41) were investigated using density functional theory and real-time density functional theory methods. The van der Waals interactions within the PBE functional were adjusted by using the Grimme approach. The adsorption of DDT was evaluated through analyses involving adsorption energy, Hirshfeld atomic charges, Wiberg bond orders, molecular electrostatic potential, noncovalent interaction analysis, and bond path analysis. The findings reveal that DDT undergoes physical adsorption on pristine MCM-41 or MCM-41 modified with Al or Fe due to the very small bond order (only about 0.15-0.18) as well as the change in total charge of DDT after adsorption is close to 0. However, it chemically adsorbs onto the TiO2/MCM-41 composite through the formation of Ti···Cl coordination bonds because the maximum bond order is very large, about 1.0 (it can be considered as a single bond). The adsorption process is significantly influenced by van der Waals interactions (accounting for approximately 30-40% of the interaction energy), hydrogen bonding, and halogen bonding. MCM-41 is demonstrated to concurrently function as a support for the TiO2 photocatalyst, creating a synergistic effect that enhances the photocatalytic activity of TiO2. Based on the computational results, a novel photocatalytic mechanism for the degradation of DDT on the TiO2/MCM-41 catalyst system was proposed.

Neutrophil: Lymphocyte and Platelet: Lymphocyte ratios measured before transplantation and their correlation with new-onset diabetes post-transplantation in renal transplant recipients.

PURPOSE: Our goal was to evaluate the neutrophil:lymphocyte (NLR) and platelet:lymphocyte (PLR) ratios measured before transplantation and their correlation with new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) in renal transplant recipients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted our study in 324 adult patients consecutively admitted to Military Hospital 103, Ha Noi, Viet Nam, who received kidney allografts from living donors. These patients were followed-up during the first 2 years post-transplantation for NODAT. We examined the association between NLR and PLR measured prior to transplantation in patients with NODAT: NLR and PLR were calculated based on the results of the complete blood count. The criteria for diagnosis of a fully symptomatic NODAT case were based on the guidelines established by the American Diabetes Association and included fasting venous blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, with or without an oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: The overall rate of NODAT during the two years after kidney transplantation was 13.6%. We found mean values of age and body mass index (BMI), and median values of NLR, PLR, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, and the arteriosclerosis ratio in the NODAT group to be significantly higher than those of the non-NODAT group (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, an adjusted multivariate regression analysis showed that age (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.727, p < 0.001), BMI (AUC = 0.846, p < 0.001), serum hs-CRP levels (AUC = 0.884, p < 0.001), NLR (AUC = 0.888; p < 0.001), and PLR (AUC = 0.818; p < 0.001) had predictive value for NODAT. CONCLUSION: NLR and PLR measured before transplantation were good predictors for NODAT in the first 2 years post-renal transplantation.

Health staff perceptions of patient safety and associated factors in hospitals in Vietnam.

Introduction: Patient safety is a global challenge of preventing and mitigating medical errors which might harm patients during their course of treatment and care. This study was employed to contribute to the existing literature aimed to assess patient safety culture among health staff and to determine predictors of health staff perceptions of patient safety in hospitals in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three hospitals of Vietnam with a total of 763 participants. This study used the Hospital Patient Safety Scale developed by the American Health and Quality Research Organization. Results: In general, 8 of 12 patient safety dimensions in two hospital; and 10 of 12 dimensions in a third hospital had average scores of 60% and above positive responses. The communication openness and organizational learning dimensions were found to be significant different when comparing hospitals. Regarding sample characteristics, department (subclinical department) and health staff positions (nurses/technicians, pharmacists) were significant predictors in the total model including three hospitals (R2 = 0.07). Conclusion: This study reported that communication openness and organization learning are two aspects that need to be improved they are strongly related to patient safety culture and to knowledge exchange among health staff. It has been suggested that hospitals should deliver patient safety training courses and establish a supportive learning environment to improve these challenges.

Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Ethanol Extract and Chemical Constituents Isolated from Homotrigona apicalis Propolis-In Vitro and Molecular Docking Studies.

The chemical investigation of Homotrigona apicalis propolis collected in Binh Dinh province, Vietnam, led to the isolation of nine compounds, including four sesquiterpenes: spathulenol (1), 1αH,5ßH-aromandendrane-4ß,10α-diol (2), 1ß,6α-dihydroxy-4(15)-eudesmene (3), and 1ßH,5ßH-aromandendrane-4α,10ß-diol (4); three triterpenes: acetyl oleanolic acid (5), 3α-hydroxytirucalla-8,24-dien-21-oic acid (6), and ursolic acid (7); and two xanthones: cochinchinone A (8) and α-mangostin (9). Sesquiterpens 1-4 and triterpene 6 were isolated for the first time from stingless bee propolis. Plants in the Cratoxylum and Aglaia genus were suggested as resin sources of the propolis sample. In the antibacterial activity evaluation, the EtOH extract only showed moderate activity on S. aureus, while the isolated compounds 7-9 showed good antibacterial activity, with IC50 values of 0.56 to 17.33 µg/mL. The EtOH extract displayed selective cytotoxicity against the A-549 cancer cell line, with IC50 values of 22.82 ± 0.86 µg/mL, and the xanthones 8 and 9 exhibited good activity against the KB, HepG-2, and A-549 cancer cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 7.55 ± 0.25 µg/mL to 29.27 ± 2.07 µg/mL. The cytotoxic effects of xanthones 8 and 9 were determined by the inhibition of the EGFR and HER2 pathways using a molecular docking study. Compounds 8 and 9 displayed strong binding affinity with EFGR and HER2, with values of -9.3 to -9.9 kcal/mol. Compounds 5, 8, and 9 showed potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, which were further confirmed by computational studies. The binding energies of compounds 5, 8, and 9 were lower than that of arcabose.

Garcimckeans A-C, three new xanthones from the stems of Garcinia mckeaniana, and their cytotoxic activity.

Three new xanthones, garcimckeans A-C (1-3) were isolated from the methanol extract of the stems of Garcinia mckeaniana (Clusiaceae). Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis (HR-ESI-MS and 1 D and 2 D NMR) and by comparison of the spectral data with those reported in the literature. Compounds 1-3 displayed weak cytotoxic activity toward KB, Lu, HepG2, and MCF7 cell lines using the MTT assay with IC50 values ranging from 71.03 ± 2.93 to 90.40 ± 7.13 µM compared to that of the positive control compound, ellipticine (IC50: 1.22 ± 0.10 ∼ 2.44 ± 0.2 µM).

Chemical Profile and Biological Activities of Fungal Strains Isolated from Piper nigrum Roots: Experimental and Computational Approaches.

The current report describes the chemical investigation and biological activity of extracts produced by three fungal strains Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium simplicissimum, and Fusarium proliferatum isolated from the roots of Piper nigrum L. growing in Vietnam. These fungi were namely determined by morphological and DNA analyses. GC/MS identification revealed that the EtOAc extracts of these fungi were associated with the presence of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. These EtOAc extracts showed cytotoxicity towards cancer cell lines HepG2, inhibited various microbacterial organisms, especially fungus Aspergillus niger and yeast Candida albicans (the MIC values of 50-100 µg/mL). In α-glucosidase inhibitory assay, they induced the IC50 values of 1.00-2.53 µg/mL were better than positive control acarbose (169.80 µg/mL). The EtOAc extract of F. oxysporum also showed strong anti-inflammatory activity against NO production and PGE-2 level. Four major compounds linoleic acid (37.346 %), oleic acid (27.520 %), palmitic acid (25.547 %), and stearic acid (7.030 %) from the EtOAc extract of F. oxysporum were selective in molecular docking study, by which linoleic and oleic acids showed higher binding affinity towards α-glucosidase than palmitic and stearic acids. In subsequent docking assay with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), palmitic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid could be moderate inhibitors.

Are sustainable investments interdependent? The international evidence.

The rising concerns about climate change and environmental degradation have urged various stakeholder to focus on sustainable investments that are facing a drag from the Covid-19 pandemic. Since environmental and Covid-19 challenges are global, it is critical to assess the interlinkages of sustainable investments. In this research, we employ the dependence, centrality, and dynamic network approach to examine the interdependence and its determinants across multiple countries between January 2009 and March 2021. The findings indicate France as the lead risk transmitter while Japan and Taiwan show risk reception among international markets. We observe an increase in dependence during economic turmoil notably in Covid-19 episode. The centrality network revealed the prominent significance of sustainable investments in the European countries that can be attributed to their exceptional efforts to combat the climate change. Finally, our results suggest that the volatility in gold prices is the key driver of interdependence of sustainable investments.

Stepwise Reduction of Mycophenolate Mofetil with Conversion to Everolimus for the Treatment of Active BKV in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Single-Center Experience in Vietnam.

Background: No specific antiviral drug can effectively treat BKV reactivation after kidney transplantation. Thus, we evaluated stepwise-reduced immunosuppression to treat BKV reactivation. Methods: 341 kidney-transplant recipients were monitored for BKV infection (BKV-viremia, BKV-viruria). Positive samples with a significant virus load were nested PCR-genotyped in the VP1 region. In 97/211 patients presenting BKV viremia ≥104 copies/mL and/or BKV viruria ≥107 copies/mL, or BKV-nephropathy immunosuppression (i.e., mycophenolate mofetil [MMF]) was reduced by 50%. If viral load did not decrease within 28 days, MMF dose was further reduced by 25%, although calcineurin-inhibitor (CNI) therapy remained unchanged. If BKV viral load did not decrease within another 28 days, MMF was withdrawn and replaced by everolimus combined with reduced CNIs. Results: Only 41/97 BKV (+) cases completed the 6-month follow-up. Among these, 29 (71%) were in the BKV-I group and 12 (29%) were in BKV-IV. BKV viruria and BKV viremia were significantly decreased from 9.32 to 6.09 log10 copies/mL, and from 3.59 to 2.45 log10 copies/mL (p < 0.001 and p = 0.024, respectively). 11/32 (34.4%) patients were cleared of BKV viremia; 2/32 (6.3%) patients were cleared of BKV in both serum and urine, and 9/9 (100%) only had BKV viruria but did not develop BKV viremia. eGFR remained stable. No patient with BKV-related nephropathy had graft loss. There was a significant inverse relationship between changes in eGFR and serum BKV load (r = −0.314, p = 0.04). Conclusions: This stepwise immunosuppressive strategy proved effective at reducing BKV viral load in kidney transplant recipients that had high BKV loads in serum and/or urine. Renal function remained stable without rejection.

Systematic Surveillance of Rickettsial Diseases in 27 Hospitals from 26 Provinces throughout Vietnam.

In Vietnam, the public health burden of rickettsial infections continues to be underestimated due to knowledge gaps in the epidemiology of these diseases. We conducted a systematic study among 27 hospitals from 26 provinces in eight ecological regions throughout Vietnam to investigate the prevalence, distribution, and clinical characteristics of rickettsial diseases. We recruited 1834 patients in the study from April 2018 to October 2019. The findings showed that rickettsial diseases were common among undifferentiated febrile patients, with 564 (30.8%) patients positive by qPCR for scrub typhus, murine typhus or spotted fever. Scrub typhus (484, 85.8%) was the most common rickettsial disease, followed by murine typhus (67, 11.9%) and spotted fever (10, 1.8%). Rickettsial diseases were widely distributed in all regions of Vietnam and presented with nonspecific clinical manifestations.

A GO/CoMo3S13 chalcogel heterostructure with rich catalytic Mo-S-Co bridge sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)-based materials are extensively studied as promising hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts. In order to bring out the full potential of chalcogenide chemistry, precise control over the active sulfur sites and enhancement of electronic conductivity need to be achieved. This study develops a highly active HER catalyst with an optimized active site-controlled cobalt molybdenum sulfide (CoMo3S13) chalcogel/graphene oxide aerogel heterostructure. The highly active CoMo3S13 chalcogel catalyst was achieved by the synergetic catalytic sites of [Mo3S13]2- and the Mo-S-Co bridge. The optimized GO/CoMo3S13 chalcogel heterostructure catalyst exhibited high catalytic HER performance with an overvoltage of 130 mV, a current density of 10 mA cm-2, a small Tafel slope of 40.1 mV dec-1, and remarkable stability after 12 h of testing. This study presents a successful example of a synergistic heterostructure exploiting both the appealing electrical functionality of GO and catalytically active [Mo3S13]2- sites.

Genomic Mutations of BK Polyomavirus in Patients after Kidney Transplantation: A Cross-Sectional Study in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify the SNP sites and determine the BKV genotype circulating in kidney-transplant Vietnamese recipients based on the VP1 gene region. METHODS: 344 samples were collected from post-kidney-transplant recipients at the 103 Vietnam Military Hospital to investigate the number of BKV infections. Positive samples with a sufficient virus concentration were analyzed by nested PCR in the VP1 region, sequencing detected genotyping and single-nucleotide polymorphism. RESULTS: BKV infection was determined in 214 patients (62.2%), of whom 11 (5.1%) were diagnosed with BKV-associated nephropathy. Among the 90 BKV-I strains sequenced, 89 (98.88%) were strains of I/b-1 and 1 (1.12%) was strain I/b-2. The 60 BKV-IV strains had a greater diversity of subgroups, including 40% IV/a-1, 1.66% IV/a-2, 56.68% IV/c-1, and 1.16% IV/c-2. Additionally, of 11 cases diagnosed with BKVN, seven belonged to subgroup I/b-1 (63.6%) and four to subgroup IV/c-1 (36.4%). Moreover, 22 specific SNPs that were genotype I or IV were determined in this Vietnamese population. Specifically, at position 1745, for the Vietnamese BKV-IV strains, the SNP position (A→G) appeared in 57/60 samples (95%). This causes transformation of the amino acid N→S. This SNP site can enable detection of genotype IV in Vietnam. It represents a unique evolution pattern and mutation that has not been found in other international strains. CONCLUSION: The BKV-I genotype was more common than BKV-IV; however, mutations that occur on the VP1 typing region of BKV-IV strains were more frequent than in BKV-I strains.

Long-Term Follow-Up Of Anti-Mullerian Hormone Levels After Laparoscopic Endometrioma Cystectomy.

Objective: The study aims to evaluate long-term ovarian reserve change by serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level and determine the factors that affect the changes after laparoscopic endometrioma cystectomy. Methods: In a prospective longitudinal study, 104 patients with unilateral (n=77) and bilateral (n=27) endometrioma underwent laparoscopic endometrioma cystectomy. AMH levels were measured preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine factors related to AMH level changes. Results: Median preoperative AMH levels significantly declined from 3.77 ng/mL to 1.60 ng/mL (P<0.001), 1.66 ng/mL (P<0.001), 1.67 ng/mL (P<0.001), and 1.72 ng/mL (P<0.001) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, respectively. The rate of decrease in AMH was unchanged six months after surgery, 52.2%, 53.7%, 54.8% at 1, 3, 6 months, respectively, and declined to 43.2% at 12 months. Although most factors were associated with AMH level changes in monovariant linear regression, multivariant linear regression analysis showed only three factors that reached the statistical significance, including bilateral endometriomas, mean size of the endometrioma, and preoperative AMH levels. Conclusions: Serum AMH levels decline significantly after laparoscopic cystectomy of endometriomas but recovered at 12 months compared with the first 6 months with unilateral endometrioma. Bilateral endometriomas, size of the cyst, and preoperative AMH levels might independently affect AMH levels at 12 months after surgery.

Successful Treatment of Carbamazepine-Induced Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis With Clinical Gastrointestinal Involvement: A Case Report.

Background: Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) is a rare and life-threatening disease of the skin and mucosal surfaces. Although gastrointestinal manifestations in adults are potential prognostic factors for disease severity, there are limited data on such cases and their standard management in the pediatric population. Case Presentation: We herein report the case of an 8-year-old girl with a 1-year history of epilepsy, who presented with bilateral conjunctivitis and progressively widespread bullous, and pruritic eruption based on erythematous skin after administration of carbamazepine. A diagnosis of carbamazepine-induced TEN was made, and the drug was immediately discontinued. The result of genetic screening showed that the patient was positive for the HLA-B*15:02 allele. Then, her condition got worse by developing gastrointestinal involvement, including hematemesis and severe watery bloody diarrhea. A combination of the intravenous immunoglobulin and the appropriate dose of systemic steroids have contributed to a favorable outcome in this case. Multidisciplinary care of mucocutaneous involvement, supplemental nutrition, and fluid replacement was also critically warranted. This report aims to contribute to the current literature on TEN-related gastrointestinal manifestations in pediatrics and highlights the need for further investigations in determining the optimal treatment in such cases. Conclusion: In conclusion, we reported the successful treatment of TEN-related gastrointestinal manifestations in a pediatric patient, which should be critically considered in patients with SJS/TEN. Since it may significantly contribute to the poor prognosis of the illness, further investigations in determining standard management in such cases are necessary.

Fetoscopic Laser Ablation for the Selective Fetal Reduction in Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Stage II-IV: The Experience of a New Fetal Medicine Center.

Objective: To evaluate the surgery outcomes of fetoscopic laser ablation (FLA) for selective umbilical cord in treating twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) with special conditions and neonatal outcomes post-operation. Methods: A prospective study, 21 monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twins diagnosed with TTTS stage II-IV according to Quintero classification from 16 to 26 weeks of gestation, among that, 12 cases of TTTS stage II with selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR), 6 cases of TTTS stage II with proximate cord insertions, 3 cases of TTTS stage IV underwent fetoscopic laser ablation for the selective fetal reduction at Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from September 2019 to July 2021. Complications and surgical outcomes were noted. Prenatal care was carried out every 2 weeks post operation until birth. Newborn neurologic complications were assessed at birth, three months, and six months after birth using Denver II test and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: The mean gestational age at operation was 20.30 weeks. The average operation duration was 39.52 minutes. No complications of operation, such as bleeding or infection, were recorded. The mean gestational age at birth was 34.70 ± 4.33 weeks, with a mean duration of 12.97 ± 6.87 weeks between intervention and delivery. The survival rate of newborns after the operation was 90.48%. There were two stillbirths (9.52%) within seven days after the operation. No short-term neurological complications have been reported with follow-up of the newborn to 6 months after birth. Conclusion: Our study showed that fetoscopic laser ablation of selected fetal reduction surgery for treatment of special conditions of TTTS had no complications of operation, high neonatal survival result (90.48%), no short-term neurological complications. This should be considered for TTTS in cases of indication.

Dinoprostone Vaginal Insert for Induction of Labor in Women with Low-Risk Pregnancies: A Prospective Study.

Background: Induction of labor (IOL) is a technique to establish vaginal delivery when the risks for continuing the pregnancy for mother or baby are higher than the risks of delivery. It is usually performed in high-risk pregnancies, but can also be beneficial in low-risk populations, as shown in the ARRIVE trial. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of slow-release vaginal dinoprostone (prostaglandin E2 10 mg) for labor induction in women with low-risk pregnancies. Methods: A prospective study was performed at Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Vietnam. We recruited women with low-risk pregnancies from 39 weeks + 0 days to 40 weeks + 6 days of gestation and an unfavorable cervix. Women who participated received 10 mg intravaginal slow-release dinoprostone (Propess) for induction of labor. Labor, deliveries, and post-partum management were performed according to the local protocol. Results: From September 2020 to March 2021, 102 low-risk women were eligible to participate in the study. Among these women, 67.6% had vaginal deliveries, 6.9% had postpartum bleeding, and 3.9% experienced tachysystole. All newborns were healthy, with good APGAR scores. None of the women needed respiratory support or intensive care unit admission. All other maternal or fetal complications were explored. The rate of cesarean section was 3.8 higher in nulliparous than multiparous women and 2.2 times higher in women who did not receive epidural analgesia than in those who did. The risk of cesarean section increased if the time between labor induction and active labor was greater than 12.5 hours. Conclusion: Slow-release dinoprostone insert is safe and effective for the induction of labor in low-risk pregnant women. The risk of cesarean section was elevated in nulliparous patients and those who did not receive epidural analgesia during labor. As the time from labor induction to active labor increased, the risk of cesarean section increased.

Physisorption and chemisorption of CO2 on Fe-MIL-88B derivatives: Impact of the functional groups on the electronic properties and adsorption tendency - A theoretical investigation.

The carbon dioxide adsorption process on Fe-MIL-88B-X (X = -H, -OH, -CH3, -CN, -F, -NH2) derivatives was investigated using a combination of the density functional theory approach, taking into account van der Waals (vdW) interactions (DFT-D2) method, conformer search algorithm (CREST) combined with the partially polarizable generic force-field (GFN-FF) and the Climbing Images - Nudge Elastic Band (CI-NEB) method. The results demonstrate that CO2 may be adsorbed on different active sites via chemisorption or physisorption. The contribution of the vdW interactions to chemisorption and physisorption nodes has been determined. The presence of functional groups has been shown to have a substantial effect on the electronic characteristics of the Fe-MIL-88B, such as ionization energy (IP), electron affinity (EA), and the global electrophilic index (GEI), and therefore on CO2 selective adsorption in a certain direction. The correlation between adsorption energy and the parameters IP, EA, and GEI was analyzed through a multivariable linear regression method.