Disparities in Gynecological Healthcare Service Utilization Among Ethnic Minority Women in Vietnam.

The study aimed to investigate differences in the prevalence of gynecological healthcare service utilization in 12 ethnic minority groups and associated socio-demographic correlates with gynecological healthcare service utilization in Vietnam. Based on the national survey on healthcare utilization among 6912 people in 12 ethnic minorities, 900 women aged 21-49 years were included in the final analysis. Prevalence of gynecological healthcare service utilization in 12 ethnic minority groups was measured, based on the question "Have you ever used any gynecological healthcare services?" Socio-demographic characteristics including region, ethnicity, age, marital status, literacy level, education level, languages spoken, occupation, religion, household economy status, using contraception, and distance to the nearest healthcare facility were examined. The association between gynecological healthcare service utilization and socio-demographic characteristics was assessed by using logistic regression. The results showed that the prevalence of gynecological healthcare service utilization was 62.0% (95% CI: 58.7-65.2%), which ranged from 36.5 (Mnong) to 87.7% (Bru Van Kieu). Bru Van Kieu women had significantly higher odds of gynecological healthcare service utilization (OR = 9.42, 95% CI = 3.71-23.91), compared to those in Khmer ethnicity. Besides, Ba Na, Cham Ninh Thuan, and Dao women also had significantly higher odds of gynecological healthcare service utilization (Ba Na: OR = 5.73, 95% CI = 2.15-15.26; Cham Ninh Thuan: OR = 4.24, 95% CI = 1.79-10.06; Dao: OR = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.49-7.90), compared to those in Khmer ethnicity. Getting married, being older, being not poor, and using contraception had significantly higher odds of using gynecological healthcare services. Health education specialists and healthcare workers should be aware of these issues so that they can provide appropriate gynecological healthcare services and ensure high coverage of routine gynecological exams in ethnic minority women in reproductive age.

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Inhibits Basal Lipolysis by Activating PPAR-Gamma and Increasing Lipid Droplet-Associated Perilipin in Mature Rat Adipocytes.

Abnormal lipolysis is correlated with metabolic syndrome. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a natural product from honeybee hives, has been reported to improve metabolic syndrome. However, the effects of CAPE on lipolysis and perilipin-1 (the major lipid droplet-associated protein) in mature adipocytes were not clarified. In this study, mature adipocytes were isolated from the epididymal fat pads of male rats and incubated with CAPE to estimate lipolysis by measuring glycerol release. It was found that the basal lipolysis was inhibited by CAPE in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The lipid droplet-associated perilipin-1 and phosphorylated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma levels increased following CAPE treatment by Western blot analysis. Moreover, a specific PPAR-gamma inhibitor (T0070907) could partly reverse the effect of CAPE on basal lipolysis. Furthermore, treatment of adipocytes with dibutyryl-cAMP (db-cAMP) or isoproterenol (ISO) increased lipolysis, but the drug-induced lipolysis was abrogated by combination treatment with CAPE. The lipid droplet-associated perilipin-1 level was also decreased in the drug-induced groups but increased when combined treatment with CAPE. In conclusion, our results revealed that a decrease in basal lipolysis and an increase in lipid droplet-associated perilipin-1 levels induced by CAPE may be involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism through activation of PPAR-gamma in mature adipocytes.

PMMA Bone Cements Modified with Silane-Treated and PMMA-Grafted Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals: Preparation and Characterization.

In this study, vinyltrimethoxysilane-treated hydroxyapatite (vHAP) and PMMA-grafted HAP (gHAP) were successfully prepared from original HAP (oHAP). Three kinds of HAP (oHAP, vHAP and g HAP) were used as additives for the preparation of three groups of HAP-modified PMMA bone cements (oHAP-BC, vHAP-BC and gHAP-BC). The setting, bending and compression properties of the bone cements were conducted according to ISO 5833:2002. The obtained results showed that the maximum temperature while curing the HAP-modified bone cements (HAP-BCs) decreased from 64.9 to 60.8 °C and the setting time increased from 8.1 to 14.0 min, respectively, with increasing HAP loading from 0 to 15 wt.%. The vHAP-BC and gHAP-BC groups exhibited higher mechanical properties than the required values in ISO 5833. Electron microscopy images showed that the vHAP and gHAP nanoparticles were dispersed better in the polymerized PMMA matrix than the oHAP nanoparticles. FTIR analysis indicated the polar interaction between the PO4 groups of the HAP nanoparticles and the ester groups of the polymerized PMMA matrix. Thermal gravimetric analysis indicated that mixtures of ZrO2/HAPs were not able to significantly improve the thermal stability of the HAP-BCs. DSC diagrams showed that the incorporation of gHAP to PMMA bone cement with loadings lower than 10 wt.% can increase Tg by about 2.4 °C.

The Utilization of Maternal Healthcare Services Among Ethnic Minority Populations in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have observed lower utilization of maternal healthcare services by ethnic minority groups in Vietnam compared with the majority Kinh community. This study sought to assess the utilization of maternal healthcare service-associated factors within 12 ethnic minority groups. METHOD: The cross-sectional study enrolled 996 women from 12 ethnic minority groups in Vietnam in 2019. Women had pregnancy outcomes in the last 5 years. The two variables for maternal healthcare utilization were [1] a minimum of four antenatal contacts and [2] health facility-based delivery. We examined the association of individual characteristics of maternal healthcare services using multilevel modeling. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. RESULTS: This nationally representative study found that 34.1% of women from ethnic minority backgrounds had four or more antenatal contacts during pregnancy, ranging from 8.3% in Mong community to 80.2% in Cham An Giang. Most of the women (94.4%) delivered at health facilities. Factors independently correlated with having fewer than four antenatal contacts included being illiterate, early marriage, unemployment, religious affiliation, household economy, and distance to the nearest health facility. Factors significantly associated with home delivery were living in the most disadvantaged areas and having fewer than four antenatal contacts. CONCLUSION: Substantial inequity exists in antenatal coverage both within ethnic minority groups and between socio-economic groups. The low coverage of having at least four antenatal contacts and its' correlates with facility-based delivery suggests that the government should focus efforts on increasing the number of antenatal contacts for ethnic minority women.

Self-reported non-communicable diseases and associated socio-demographic status among ethnic minority populations in Vietnam, 2019.

The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of self-reported non-communicable diseases among ethnic minority populations in Vietnam and related factors. A total of 5033 individuals aged 15 years and older who belonged to ethnic minority populations from 12 provinces in Vietnam completed a household survey. The overall prevalence of self-reported non-communicable diseases was 12.4% (95% CI: 11.5%-13.4%). Cardiovascular diseases were the most prevalent, followed by diabetes. Ethnicity was shown to have an independently significant correlation to having any non-communicable diseases. Older people, near-poor and non-poor people had significantly higher odds of having non-communicable diseases as compared to younger and poor people.

Access to Improved Water Sources and Sanitation in Minority Ethnic People in Vietnam and Some Sociodemographic Associations: A 2019 National Survey.

BACKGROUND: Achieving access to clean water and basic sanitation remains as major challenges in Vietnam, especially for vulnerable groups such as minority people, despite all the progress made by the Millennium Development Goal number 7.C. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to describe the access to improved water sources and sanitation of the ethnic minority people in Vietnam based on a national survey and to identify associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019 with a sample size of 1385 ethnic minority households in 12 provinces in Vietnam. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was performed to examine the probability of having access to improved water sources and sanitation and sociodemographic status at a significance level of P < .05. RESULTS: The access to improved water sources and sanitation was unequal among the ethnic minority people in Vietnam, with the lowest access rate in the northern midland and mountainous and Central Highland areas and the highest access rate in the Mekong Delta region. Some sociodemographic variables that were likely to increase the ethnic minority people's access to improved water sources and/or sanitation included older age, female household heads, household heads with high educational levels, religious households, and households in not poor status. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The study suggested more emphasis on religion for improving the ethnic minority's access to improved water sources and sanitation. Besides, persons of poor and near-poor status and with low educational levels should be of focus in future water and sanitation intervention programs.

Lycopene Inhibit IMQ-Induced Psoriasis-Like Inflammation by Inhibiting ICAM-1 Production in Mice.

Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes, which has been identified to have the properties of anti-inflammation in addition to the capability to inhibit the expression of adhesion molecules. Intercellular adhesion molecules play a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Here, we report that the topical use of a lycopene decreased imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like inflammatory responses, the progress of which was based on adhesion molecules. In vitro analysis showed that lycopene decreased keratinocyte and monocyte adhesion. Evidence suggests that intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a main mediator of psoriasis pathogenesis. Therefore, it will be interesting to investigate the factors that contribute to the lycopene-mediated inhibition of ICAM-1 expression in psoriasis. We expect that lycopene will with potential value in the treatment of psoriasis.

Chromium, Cadmium, Lead, and Arsenic Concentrations in Water, Vegetables, and Seafood Consumed in a Coastal Area in Northern Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Heavy metal contamination and related risks for the environment and human health are matters of increasing concern. METHODS: The levels of 4 heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Pb, and As) were evaluated in 2 water types (surface and well), 4 types of seafood (tiger shrimp, stuffed snail, snake-head fish, and catfish), and 27 types of vegetables (12 leafy vegetables, 4 pea plants, 4 tuber vegetables, and 7 herbs) that are commonly consumed in northern coastal communes located in Vietnam. Atomic absorption spectrometry was employed for quantification. RESULTS: The mean concentrations of heavy metals detected in water, seafood, and vegetable samples exceeded the national permitted standards and World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation values by at least 2-fold, 2.5-fold, and 5-fold for surface water, vegetables, and well water, respectively. The concentrations of all 4 heavy metals detected in seafood samples were higher than the standards. The levels of heavy metals decreased with increasing distance between the sample collection point and the pollution source. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of heavy metal contamination of common sources of food and water in the northern coastal area of Vietnam. Significantly, the concentrations of heavy metals detected in study samples exceeded the regulatory limits. These results underscore the importance of continued monitoring and the development of intervention measures to ensure that the quality of food and water meets established standards and protects the health of the local population.

Tensile, Thermal, Dielectric and Morphological Properties of Polyoxymethylene/Silica Nanocomposites.

This paper presents the tensile, thermal, dielectric and morphological properties of composites based on polyoxymethylene (POM) and nanosilica (NS) prepared by melt mixing method at 190 °C. Based on the torque readings, the processing of POM/NS composites were found to be easier in comparison to only POM. The FT-IR spectra analysis of the POM/NS nanocomposites showed the presence of peak at approximately 910 cm-1, attributed to the Si-O and C-O groups in NS and POM on the POM/NS nanocomposite. The absorption at these peaks increased on gradually increasing the content of NS. Tensile property testing (tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young's modulus) indicated that the tensile strength of POM/NS nanocomposites increases as the NS content increases from 0.5 wt.% to 1.5 wt.%, and sharply dropped when the NS content was more than 2 wt.%. A similar trend was observed for Young's modulus and elongation at break of the nanocomposites. The DSC analysis of the nanocomposites showed that the melting temperature (Tm) of POM/NC composites increased in the presence of low weight % of NS which can be attributed to the interaction between POM and NS leading to the rising crystallinity of all nanocomposites. POM/NS have a slightly higher temperature resistance as confirmed from the TGA analysis and POM/NS 1.5 wt.% had the maximum degradation temperature (Tmax) value and consequently the lowest weight loss. The dielectric constant of the nanocomposites increased from 3.26 to 3.56, while the dielectric loss tangent and volume resistivity were dropped, corresponding to the NS content from 0.5 to 2 wt.%. The SEM images of POM/NS nanocomposites demonstrated that the NS particles were dispersed relatively regularly into POM with a size in the range of 100 to 500 nm. They were dispersed more regularly into the polymer matrix at 1.5 wt.% NS. Based on the obtained results, the suitable NS content for the preparation of the POM/NS nanocomposites was found to be 1.5 wt.%.

Polylactic Acid/Chitosan Nanoparticles Loading Nifedipine: Characterization Findings and In Vivo Investigation in Animal.

This paper presents the results of zeta potential, water contact angle, atomic force microscopy image, in vitro solubility, and content of heavy metals in polylactic acid (PLA)/chitosan (CS) nanoparticles loading nifedipine. In addition, the In Vivo test of the PLA/CS nanoparticles loading nifedipine in the mice is also one of highlights of this work. The Zeta potential result shows that the charged surface of the PLA/CS nanoparticles loading nifedipine is neutral, negative or complex depending on nifedipine content. Nifedipine plays a role in increase of hydrophobic property, swelling degree and regular surface as well as decrease of surface rough of the nanoparticles. The PLA/CS/nifedipine nanoparticles are dissolved in the solutions with pH 6.8, pH 4.5 and pH 1.2. The In Vivo test of PLA/CS nanoparticles loading nifedipine on mice was evaluated by the change in diastolic pressure, systolic pressure, arterial pressure and heart rate. The obtained results confirm that the PLA/CS nanoparticles loading nifedipine is suitable to apply in the treatment of hypertension patients lately.

Effect of Porous Structure and Acidity of ZSM-5/SBA-15 Catalyst on 1,3,5-Triisopropylbenzene Cracking Catalytic Activity.

ZSM-5/SBA-15 composite materials with different acidities and mesoporous system formations were successfully synthesized by three-step method. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, HR-TEM, BET, EDX and TPD-NH3 methods. It showed that the Si/Al molar ratio had effect on the formation and property of materials. Among synthesized catalysts with the different Si/Al molar ratios of 30 (HZSC-30), 50 (HZSC-50), 70 (HZSC-70), HZSC-50 catalyst had better mesoporous system formation and acidity. These properties helped this catalyst to have higher catalytic activity in 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene cracking reaction than other studied catalysts in term of higher benzene product yield. In comparison to HZSM-5 microporous material that had the similar Si/Al molar ratio of 50, it showed that the formation of mesopore system of HZSC-50 catalyst had a major improvement on the cracking catalytic activity.

Investigating the Properties and Hydrolysis Ability of Poly-Lactic Acid/Chitosan Nanocomposites Using Polycaprolactone.

Poly-lactic acid (PLA) has been widely applied in the medical field (in biomedicines such as medical capsules, surgical sutures and suture wounds) owing to its high biodegradability, good biocompatibility and ability to be dissolved in common solvents. Chitosan (CS) is an abundant polysaccharide and a cationic polyelectrolyte present in nature. In this study, the combination of PLA and CS has been used to form PLA/CS nanocomposites having the advantages of both the original components. To enhance the dispersibility and compatibility between PLA and CS in the PLA/CS nanocomposites, polycaprolactone (PCL) is added as a compatibilizer. The Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopies prove the existence of the interactions of PCL with PLA and CS. A more regular dispersion of CS of 200-400 nm particle size, is observed in the PLA matrix of the PLA/CS nanocomposites containing PCL, through the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy images. The appearance of one glass transition temperature (T(g)) value of PLA/CS/PCL nanocomposites occuring between the T(g) values of PLA and CS in DSC diagrams confirms the improvement in the compatibility between PLA and CS, due to the presence of PCL. The TGA result shows that PCL plays an important role in enhancing the thermal stability of PLA/CS/PCL nanocomposites. The hydrolysis of PLA/CS/PCL nanocomposites in alkaline and phosphate buffer solutions was investigated. The obtained results show that the PLA/CS/PCL nanocomposites have slower hydrolysis ability than the PLA/CS composites.

Electrodeposition and Characterization of Hydroxyapatite on TiN/316LSS.

The deposition of TiN on stainless steel substrates may improve the stability and compatibility of this material with bone, which may be advantageously exploited for the elaboration of advanced pros- thetic devices. In this work, TiN-coated 316LSS (by way of DC magnetron sputtering) was used as a starting material for investigating the electrochemical post-deposition of hydroxyapatite (HAp) which has a composition close to that of bone. Electrodeposition was carried out starting from an aqueous medium containing solubilized Ca(NO3)2 and NH4H2PO4 in the presence of H2O2. We report the influence of experimental conditions on the morphology of the obtained HAp coating on TiN/316LSS. The effect of applied potential, temperature, H2O2 concentration, pH and duration of reaction were thoroughly discussed on the basis of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) results. This method appears advantageous for producing HAp-coated implant materials.

Study on the Synthesis and Characterization of Nano Silver Loaded ZSM-5 Zeolite for Bacterial Elimination.

The synthesis of nano silver coated ZSM-5 zeolite (Ag/ZSM-5) by ion exchange method combined with anaerobic thermal treatment and its bacterial elimination performance were studied. The various Ag content of different samples was analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy method. The Ag/ZSM-5 sample with 0.251 wt% Ag (denoted as ZAg3) was characterized by using atomic absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and pulsed CO chemisorption methods. The results showed that silver nanoparticles with a small nano-size of 2-3 nm were formed and distributed on the surface of ZSM-5 zeolite with a dispersion value of 59%. The samples denoted as ZAg1, ZAg2, ZAg3, ZAg4 correspond to a Ag content of 0.064; 0.128; 0.251; 0.253 wt% Ag. In the evaluation series, after 10 min of contact time between bacterial and Ag/ZSM-5, over 99% of E.coli (initial concentration was 10(6) cfu/ml) could be eliminated by Ag/ZSM-5 with the Ag content of at least 0.251 wt% (ZAg3). In addition, over 99% of Coliform (initial concentration was 10(5) cfu/ml) could be eliminated by Ag/ZSM-5 with Ag content of at least 0.128 wt% (ZAg2). In a further evaluation series varying the contact time, ZAg3 sample could eliminate over 99% and 100% of Ecoli after 10 min and 60 min, respectively (initial concentrations of both E.coli and Coliform were 10(5) cfu/ml). In addition, it could eliminate 100% of Coliform in only 10 min of contact time.

Characterization of Fly Ash Modified with Vinyltriethoxysilane.

Here we report on the modification of fly ash (FA) with vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) in order to enhance the dispersibility and avoid the agglomeration. FA was treated with nitric acid before the modification with VTES. The structure of fly ash particles before and after the modification was characterized by several sophisticated techniques including Fourier transform infra-red spectrum (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and size distribution analysis. The obtained results show that the VTES was grafted successfully onto the surface of FA, which significantly changes the surface properties of FA. It was also found that the thermal stability of modified FA (MFA) is much higher than that of the FA treated only with nitric acid. The size of the FA particles can also be controlled from 0.2 to 1.5 µm with increasing the loading of VTES on the surface of FA from 1 to 2 wt.%, revealing highly mono-distribution and low agglomeration. However, the agglomeration of the particles is observed when the content of VTES on the surface of FA exceeds 2 wt.%.

Preparation and Properties of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer/Silica Nanocomposites in Presence of EVA-g-Acrylic Acid.

Here we report a facile approach to enhance the dispersibility of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/silica nanocomposites (for the EVA/silica nanocomposites and interaction between silica nanoparticles (nanosilica) and EVA by adding EVA-g-acrylic acid (EVAgAA) as a compatibilizer, which was formed by grafting acrylic acid onto EVA chains with the aid of dicumyl peroxide). The above nanocomposites with and without EVAgAA were prepared by melt mixing in a Haake intermixer with different contents of silica and EVAgAA. Their structure and morphology were characterized by Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and the mechanical, rheological, dielectrical, and flammability properties of the nanocomposites were also investigated. The FT-IR spectra of the nanocomposites confirmed the formation of hydrogen bonds between the surface silanol groups of nanosilica and C=O groups of EVA and/or EVAgAA. The presence of EVAgAA remarkably increased the intensity of hydrogen bonding between nanosilica and EVA which not only enhanced the dispersion of nanosilica in EVA matrix but also increased the mechanical, viscosity and storage modulus of EVA/silica nanocomposites. In addition, the flammability of EVA/silica nanocomposites is also significantly reduced after the functionalization with EVAgAA. However, the mechanical properties of EVA/silica nanocomposites tended to level off when its content was above 1.5 wt.%. It has also been found that the dielectric constant value of the EVA/EVAgAA/silica nanocomposites is much lower than that of the EVA/silica nanocomposites, which is another evidence of the hydrogen bonding formation between EVAgAA and nanosilica.

Production of polyclonal anti-dUCH (Drosophila ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase) antibodies.

Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), which is a member of the ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase (UCH) family, is highly expressed in neurons. In vitro, UCH- L1 exhibits both ubiquitin hydrolase and ligase activity. Many studies have suggested that UCH-L1 is involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and some different human cancer diseases, but its role in a living system is still unclear. Recently, Drosophila melanogaster has been shown to be a compatible model for studying human diseases. To investigate the role of UCH-L1 in a living system, the UCH-L1 homologous protein in Drosophila melanogaster (dUCH) is used for analyzing the role of the protein's function in transgenic Drosophila. Here, we used DNA molecular techniques to clone, express, and purify dUCH protein from Escherichia coli. The purified dUCH protein was injected into a rabbit to produce an anti-dUCH antibody, which was shown to have high specificity and sensitivity to the dUCH protein. The affinity of the antibody is 1:320,000 at 7.81 ng/µL antigen concentration. The 1:40,000 dilution-produced antibodies can detect antigen at a low concentration of 0.98 ng/µL. Success in producing this antibody provides good material for further experiments in the study of the role of UCH-L1 by a Drosophila model.

Optimization of an experimental model for the recovery of adult Haplorchis pumilio (Heterophyidae: Digenea).

Recent studies in Vietnam and other Asian countries have shown that fish-borne zoonotic intestinal trematodes (FZT) occur very frequently in humans. The dominant intestinal FZT in Vietnamese fish are species of Haplorchis, in particular H. pumilio. However, basic studies on the biology and pathology of adult H. pumilio are difficult because of the lack of a standardized experimental animal model. The objective of this study was to establish and optimize such an animal-infection model for H. pumilio. Using metacercariae isolated from naturally infected fish, experiments were conducted to identify a suitable experimental animal host species, as well as the optimum metacercariae infection dose, and to determine the post-infection interval for patency. In a series of experiments, mice (Mus musculus) and chickens (Gallus gallus dom.) were infected with different numbers of metacercariae, and worm recoveries were made at varying intervals post-infection (PI). Based on the mean number of adult flukes recovered/number of metacercariae inoculated and the percent of hosts infected, mice were significantly more susceptible to infection than were chickens. The proportion of metacercariae developing to the adult stage increased with dose size. The peak worm recovery (geometric mean) was found to be day 7, although not all recovered flukes were gravid until day 9 PI. These results describe a mouse infection model with good predictability for intestinal flukes, such as H. pumilio, results which could facilitate investigations on important biological and pathological aspects of intestinal fluke infections.