Oculo-facio-cardio-dental (OFCD) syndrome: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Oculo-facio-cardio-dental (OFCD) syndrome is a rare condition that affects the eyes, face, heart, and teeth of patients. One notable dental characteristic of OFCD is radiculomegaly, or root gigantism, which highlights the role of dentists in detecting this syndrome. OFCD is an X-linked dominant syndrome that results from a variant in the BCOR gene. Our study presents the first documented case of OFCD in Vietnam and reports a novel BCOR gene variant observed in this case. CASE PRESENTATION: A 19-year-old Vietnamese female patient with an extremely long root with an abscess was clinically examined for the expression of OFCDs. The radiograph and the variant in BCOR gene were also evaluated. We identified abnormalities in the teeth, as well as ocular, facial, and cardiac features, with radiculomegaly of the canines being a specific symptom for OFCDs. The patient's genetic analysis revealed a pathogenic heterozygous deletion at intron 11 of the BCOR gene, representing a novel variant. CONCLUSION: Oculo-facio-cardio-dental syndrome (OFCD) is an extremely rare condition characterized by abnormalities in the eyes, face, heart, and teeth, often caused by variants in the BCOR gene. Radiculomegaly, or enlarged dental roots, is a key diagnostic feature of OFCD, and early detection is crucial for preventing future dental complications.

A cross-sectional study on sleep disturbances and associated factors among nurses.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have measured sleep disturbances among nurses globally, but none have addressed this issue in Vietnam. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of sleep disturbance and identify associated factors among staff nurses in Vietnam. To identify sleep disturbances and associated factors among staff nurses in Vietnam. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used in this study. Participant nurses (n = 420) completed a general information questionnaire, the Vietnamese version of the General Sleep Disturbance Scale (GSDS), the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Short Form 12. Data were collected between July and September 2019 from three public hospitals located in southwestern Vietnam. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, independent Student's t-test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The average GSDS score was 41.10 (SD = 19.48), indicating sleep disturbances among 46.9% of nurses. Age, health condition, stress, and quality of life had an impact on sleep disturbance. Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that nurses with high stress and poor physical health status were more likely to experience sleep disturbances. CONCLUSION: Vietnamese nursing staff suffers from a high rate of sleep disturbances. Significant predictors included high stress and poor physical health status. Administrators of healthcare services should carefully consider how to conduct interventions to help the nurses handle their sleep disturbances such as stress management and physical health promotion.

Awaji criteria for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The aim of the article was to evaluate the role of electromyography and the value of Awaji criteria for the diagnosis of ALS in the early stage. The study involves 48 patients (27 male and 21 females from 41 to 84 years old) who went to Bach Mai Hospital and Dong Do Clinic in Hanoi and were diagnosed with ALS according to Awaji criteria. All patients underwent clinical examination for ALS. The patients were examined for nerve conduction (motor and sensory conduction) using needle electromyography (EMG). Upper motor neuron (UMN) signs and lower motor neuron (LMN) signs were most common in the cervical region (89.58%), the lumbosacral region (70.83%), and the bulbar region (56.25%). The sensory nerve conduction was normal. The spontaneous activities (fasciculation, fibrillation, positive wave) accounted for more than 50% in all 4 regions: bulbar, cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral regions. The abnormality of both clinical and electrodiagnosis was seen in the cervical region (87.5%) and lumbosacral one (70.83%) while the bulbar region and thoracic one usually had abnormal electrodiagnosis before clinical. There were 60.42% of patients with "definite ALS" by Awaji criteria. It allowed to make an earlier diagnosis cause the sensitivity of Awaji criteria (93.75%) was higher than the revised El Escorial criteria (85.42%) (p < 0.05). The needle EMG makes it possible to detect the early-stage symptoms of ALS in a situation where there are no clinical manifestations, especially in bulbar and thoracic regions.

Sealing Treatment of Plasma-Sprayed Cr3C2-NiCr/Al2O3-TiO2 Coating by Aluminum Phosphate Sealant Containing Al2O3 Nanoparticles.

A typical structure of thermal spray coatings consisted of molten particles, semi-molten particles, oxides, pores, and cracks. These factors caused the porosity of sprayed coatings, leading to a significant influence on the coating properties, especially their wear-corrosion resistance. In this study, a post-spray sealing treatment of Cr3C2-NiCr/Al2O3-TiO2 plasma-sprayed coatings was carried out, and then, their corrosion properties were evaluated, before and after the treatment. For the sealing process, aluminum phosphate (APP) containing Al2O3 nanoparticles (~10 nm) was used. The permeability of APP into the sprayed coating was analyzed by SEM-EDS. The treatment efficiency for porosity and corrosion resistance of sprayed coatings was evaluated by electrochemical measurements, such as the potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The wear-corrosion resistance of the coating was examined in 3.5 wt.% NaCl circulation solution containing 0.25% SiO2 particles. The sealing efficiency was evaluated by the percentage of the treated open pores in the coating. The obtained results showed that APP penetrated deeply through the coating and the incorporation of Al2O3 nanoparticles into APP sealant improved the sealing efficiency by 20% of open pores in comparison with the sealant without nano-Al2O3. The effect of the post-treatment on corrosion protection of the sprayed coating has been discussed.

WS2-WC-WO3 nano-hollow spheres as an efficient and durable catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), transition metal carbides (TMCs), and transition metal oxides (TMOs) have been widely investigated for electrocatalytic applications owing to their abundant active sites, high stability, good conductivity, and various other fascinating properties. Therefore, the synthesis of composites of TMDs, TMCs, and TMOs is a new avenue for the preparation of efficient electrocatalysts. Herein, we propose a novel low-cost and facile method to prepare TMD-TMC-TMO nano-hollow spheres (WS2-WC-WO3 NH) as an efficient catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The crystallinity, morphology, chemical bonding, and composition of the composite material were comprehensively investigated using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results confirmed the successful synthesis of the WS2-WC-WO3 NH spheres. Interestingly, the presence of nitrogen significantly enhanced the electrical conductivity of the hybrid material, facilitating electron transfer during the catalytic process. As a result, the WS2-WC-WO3 NH hybrid exhibited better HER performance than the pure WS2 nanoflowers, which can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the W-S, W-C, and W-O bonding in the composite. Remarkably, the Tafel slope of the WS2-WC-WO3 NH spheres was 59 mV dec-1, which is significantly lower than that of the pure WS2 NFs (82 mV dec-1). The results also confirmed the unprecedented stability and superior electrocatalytic performance of the WS2-WC-WO3 NH spheres toward the HER, which opens new avenues for the preparation of low-cost and highly effective materials for energy conversion and storage applications.

Factors associated with the critical thinking ability of professional nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To measure the level of critical thinking among Vietnamese professional nurses and to identify the related factors. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used. METHODS: The total sample included 420 professional nurses. Data were collected from July to September 2019 in three public hospitals located in Southwestern Vietnam. The level of critical thinking was measured using the Vietnamese version of the Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire. The data were analysed using the independent Student's t tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and regression analysis. RESULTS: Most of the participants had a low (48.3%) or moderate (45.5%) level of critical thinking. Age, gender, ethnicity, education level, health condition, duration of working as a nurse, duration of working in the current hospital, having heard the term "critical thinking" and work position had an impact on the critical thinking ability. Work position and gender explained 11% of the total variance in critical thinking ability.

Child and adolescent psychiatry in the Far East: A 5-year follow up on the Consortium on Academic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Far East (CACAP-FE) study.

AIM: Data pertaining to child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) training systems are limited as extant research has mostly been derived from one-time data collection. This 5-year follow-up survey collects updated information on CAP training systems in the Far East, allowing for the tracking of system changes over the past 5 years. METHODS: Data were obtained from 18 countries, or functionally self-governing areas, in the Far East, 17 of which were also included in the original study. An online questionnaire was completed by leading CAP professionals in each country. Questions were expanded in the present study to capture the contents of CAP training. RESULTS: When compared to data from the original study, there has been progress in CAP training systems in the last 5 years. Specifically, there has been an increase in the number of countries with CAP training programs and national guidelines for the training. In addition, the number of CAP departments/divisions affiliated with academic institutions/universities has increased. Findings from 12 of 18 countries in the present study provide data on clinical contents. All informants of the present study reported the need for more child and adolescent psychiatrists and allied professionals. CONCLUSION: Despite progress in CAP training systems over the last 5 years, the need for more professionals in child and adolescent mental health care in all the relevant areas in this region have yet to be adequately addressed. Continued national efforts and international collaborations are imperative to developing and sustaining new CAP training systems while facilitating improvements in existing programs.