Phylogeography of horseshoe bat sarbecoviruses in Vietnam and neighbouring countries. Implications for the origins of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2.

Previous studies on horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus spp.) have described many coronaviruses related to SARS-CoV (SARSCoVr) in China and only a few coronaviruses related to SARS-CoV-2 (SARSCoV2r) in Yunnan (southern China), Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Here, we report the results of several field missions carried out in 2017, 2021 and 2022 across Vietnam during which 1218 horseshoe bats were sampled from 19 locations. Sarbecoviruses were detected in 11% of faecal RNA extracts, with much more positives among Rhinolophus thomasi (46%). We assembled 38 Sarbecovirus genomes, including 32 SARSCoVr, four SARSCoV2r, and two recombinants of SARSCoVr and SARSCoV2r (RecSar), one showing a Spike protein very similar to SARS-CoV-2. We detected a bat co-infected with four coronaviruses, including two sarbecoviruses. Our analyses revealed that Sarbecovirus genomes evolve in Vietnam under strong geographical and host constraints. First, we found evidence for a deep separation between viruses from northern Vietnam and those from central and southern Vietnam. Second, we detected only SARSCoVr in Rhinolophus thomasi, both SARSCoVr and SARSCoV2r in Rhinolophus affinis, and only RecSar in Rhinolophus pusillus captured close to the border with China. Third, the bias in favour of Uracil in synonymous third codon positions of SARSCoVr extracted from R. thomasi showed a negative correlation with latitudes. Our results also provided support for an emergence of SARS-CoV in horseshoe bats from northern Yunnan and emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in horseshoe bats from northern Indochina subtropical forests (southern Yunnan, northern Laos and north-western Vietnam).

The role of fingernail selenium in the association between arsenic, lead and mercury and child development in rural Vietnam: a cross-sectional analysis.

As, Pb and Hg are common environmental contaminants in low- and middle-income countries. We investigated the association between child toxicant exposure and growth and development and determined if this association was mitigated by Se concentration. Toxicant concentrations in fingernail samples, anthropometry and Bayley's Scales of Infant Development, 3rd edition domains were assessed in 36-month-old children whose mothers had been part of a randomised controlled trial in rural Vietnam. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to estimate the effect of toxicant exposure on clinical outcomes with adjustments for potential confounders and interaction with fingernail Se concentration. We analysed 658 children who had data for at least one physical or developmental outcome, and at least one toxicant measurement, and each of the covariates. Fingernail As concentration was negatively associated with language (estimate per 10 % increase in As: -0·19, 95 % CI: (-0·32, -0·05)). Pb was negatively associated with cognition (estimate per 10 % increase in Pb: -0·08 (-0·15, -0·02)), language (estimate per 10 % increase in Pb: -0·18 (-0·28, -0·10)) and motor skills (estimate per 10 % increase in Pb: -0·12 (-0·24, 0·00)). Hg was negatively associated with cognition (estimate per 10 % increase in Hg: -0·48, (-0·72, -0·23)) and language (estimate per 10 % increase in Hg -0·51, (-0·88, -0·13)) when Se concentration was set at zero in the model. As Se concentration increased, the negative associations between Hg and both cognition and language scores were attenuated. There was no association between toxicant concentration and growth. As, Pb and Hg concentrations in fingernails of 3-year-old children were associated with lower child development scores. The negative association between Hg and neurological development was reduced in magnitude with increasing Se concentration. Se status should be considered when assessing heavy metal toxicants in children and their impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Risk factors for disease severity and mortality of children with Covid-19: A study at a Vietnamese Children's hospital.

INTRODUCTION: To find out risk factors for disease severity and mortality of pediatric COVID-19 in the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Vietnam. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was performed at Children's Hospital 1 from July to December 2021. All children with COVID-19 confirmed by a positive Realtime RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 result and treated at COVID-19 department for at least 72 h were included. RESULTS: Of the 850 cases admitting to COVID-19 department, 555 children with COVID-19 confirmed by positive RT-PCR and treated at our center for more than 72 h. Median age of confirmed cases was 22.3 (IQR: 3.2-88.6) months, 55.1% were male, and 84.5% had a history of close contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients. The rate of mild, moderate and severe/critical cases was 73,7%, 9.0% and 17.3%, respectively. One hundred ninety-two children (34.6%) had underlying diseases, in which, neurologic disease was the most common underlying disease (7.9%). Underlying disease, dyspnea, elevated CRP >20 mg/L and elevated ferritin were independent factors related to severe illness. Twenty-point two percent of patients in our study needed respiratory support, including 22 invasive mechanical ventilation cases. Eighteen cases (3.2%) died because of severe comorbidities, poor response to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the severe/critical and mortality rates in pediatric COVID-19 cases were relatively high. All fatal cases had severe comorbidities. Underlying disease, dyspnea, and elevated inflammatory markers were independent factors related to severity in pediatric COVID-19 cases.

Alzheimer's diagnosis using deep learning in segmenting and classifying 3D brain MR images.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dementia is one of the brain diseases with serious symptoms such as memory loss, and thinking problems. According to the World Alzheimer Report 2016, in the world, there are 47 million people having dementia and it can be 131 million by 2050. There is no standard method to diagnose dementia, and consequently unable to access the treatment effectively. Hence, the computational diagnosis of the disease from brain Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) scans plays an important role in supporting the early diagnosis. Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a common type of Dementia, includes problems related to disorientation, mood swings, not managing self-care, and behavioral issues. In this article, we present a new computational method to diagnosis Alzheimer's disease from 3D brain MR images. METHODS: An efficient approach to diagnosis Alzheimer's disease from brain MRI scans is proposed comprising two phases: I) segmentation and II) classification, both based on deep learning. After the brain tissues are segmented by a model that combines Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), a new model combining Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used to classify Alzheimer's disease based on the segmented tissues. RESULTS: We present two evaluations for segmentation and classification. For comparison, the new method was evaluated using the AD-86 and AD-126 datasets leading to Dice 0.96 for segmentation in both datasets and accuracies 0.88, and 0.80 for classification, respectively. CONCLUSION: Deep learning gives prominent results for segmentation and feature extraction in medical image processing. The combination of XGboost and SVM improves the results obtained.

Can complex programs be sustained? A mixed methods sustainability evaluation of a national infant and young child feeding program in Bangladesh and Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Poor early-life nutrition is a major barrier to good health and cognitive development, and is a global health priority. Alive & Thrive (A&T) was a multi-pronged initiative to improve infant and young child feeding behaviors. It aimed to achieve at-scale child health and nutrition improvements via a comprehensive approach that included nutrition counseling by health workers, policy change, social mobilization and mass media activities. This study evaluated the sustainability of activities introduced during A&T implementation (2009-2014) in Bangladesh and Vietnam. METHODS: This was a mixed methods study that used a quasi-experimental design. Quantitative data (surveys with 668 health workers, and 269 service observations) were collected in 2017; and analysis compared outcomes (primarily dose and fidelity of activities, and capacity) in former A&T intervention areas versus areas that did not receive the full A&T intervention. Additionally, we conducted interviews and focus groups with 218 stakeholders to explore their impressions about the determinants of sustainability, based on a multi-level conceptual framework. RESULTS: After program conclusion, stakeholders perceive declines in mass media campaigns, policy and advocacy activities, and social mobilization activities - but counseling activities were institutionalized and continued in both countries. Quantitative data show a persisting modest intervention effect: health workers in intervention areas had significantly higher child feeding knowledge, and in Bangladesh greater self-efficacy and job satisfaction, compared to their counterparts who did not receive the full package of A&T activities. While elements of the program were integrated into routine services, stakeholders noted dilution of the program focus due to competing priorities. Qualitative data suggest that some elements, such as training, monitoring, and evaluation, which were seen as essential to A&T's success, have declined in frequency, quality, coverage, or were eliminated altogether. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of multiple activities in A&T and efforts to integrate the program into existing institutions were seen as crucial to its success but also made it difficult to sustain, particularly given unstable financial support and human resource constraints. Future complex programs should carefully plan for institutionalization in advance of the program by cultivating champions across the health system, and designing unique and complementary roles for all stakeholders including donors.

Novel Drug Delivery System Based on Ginsenoside Rb1 Loaded to Chitosan/Alginate Nanocomposite Films.

Recently, drug delivery using natural and biodegradable nanoparticles has attracted huge attention. This study focused to deliver an anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory drug Ginsenoside Rb1 through chitosan-Alginate nanocomposite film prepared by solution method. Ginsenoside Rb1 is a dammaran saponin group, which is extracted from an herbaceous plant Panax notoginseng. Ginsenoside loaded alginate-chitosan nanocomposite films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) methods. The FTIR spectra of alginate/chitosan/ginsenoside Rb1 nanocomposite films show that chitosan, alginate, and ginsenoside Rb1 are linked through the hydrogen bonding and dipolar-dipolar interactions. The FESEM image indicates that the chitosan and ginsenoside Rb1 dispersed well in the alginate matrix. The DSC diagrams display that melting temperature of alginate/chitosan/ginsenoside Rb1 nanocomposite films higher than that of chitosan and lower than that of alginate. It means that alginate and chitosan interact together. Investigation of the ginsenoside Rb1 release from alginate/chitosan/ginsenoside Rb1 nanocomposite films at different pH solutions and different ginsenoside Rb1 content has been carried out by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy method. The rate of drug release is proportional to the increase in pH solution and inversely proportional to the content of loaded ginsenoside Rb1. The Rb1 release process includes two stages: burst release in the first 10 hours, then constant release afterwards. The suitable ratio of alginate/chitosan to prepare the alginate/chitosan/ginsenoside Rb1 nanocomposite films for further investigations was found out to be 8:2. Ginsenoside Rb1 release process from alginate/chitosan/ginsenoside Rb1 nanocomposite films was believed to be first-order kinetics in the first stage, and then the Rb1 release complies with Higuchi kinetic model in the slow release stage. This study demonstrated the novel synthesis methodology to design drug delivery system based on ginsenoside Rb1 loaded to chitosan/alginate nanocomposite films.

Inhibition of Phagocytic Killing of Escherichia coli in Drosophila Hemocytes by RNA Chaperone Hfq.

An RNA chaperone of Escherichia coli, called host factor required for phage Qß RNA replication (Hfq), forms a complex with small noncoding RNAs to facilitate their binding to target mRNA for the alteration of translation efficiency and stability. Although the role of Hfq in the virulence and drug resistance of bacteria has been suggested, how this RNA chaperone controls the infectious state remains unknown. In the present study, we addressed this issue using Drosophila melanogaster as a host for bacterial infection. In an assay for abdominal infection using adult flies, an E. coli strain with mutation in hfq was eliminated earlier, whereas flies survived longer compared with infection with a parental strain. The same was true with flies deficient in humoral responses, but the mutant phenotypes were not observed when a fly line with impaired hemocyte phagocytosis was infected. The results from an assay for phagocytosis in vitro revealed that Hfq inhibits the killing of E. coli by Drosophila phagocytes after engulfment. Furthermore, Hfq seemed to exert this action partly through enhancing the expression of σ(38), a stress-responsive σ factor that was previously shown to be involved in the inhibition of phagocytic killing of E. coli, by a posttranscriptional mechanism. Our study indicates that the RNA chaperone Hfq contributes to the persistent infection of E. coli by maintaining the expression of bacterial genes, including one coding for σ(38), that help bacteria evade host immunity.

A Dysregulated Balance of Proinflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Host Cytokine Response Early During Therapy Predicts Persistence and Mortality in Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia.

OBJECTIVES: The contribution of individual immune response to Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia on outcome has not been well studied. The objective was to relate the host cytokine response to outcome of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Three U.S. university-affiliated medical centers. PATIENTS: Adult patients infected with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia hospitalized between July 2012 and August 2014. INTERVENTIONS: Blood specimens were obtained at Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia onset and 72 hours after therapy initiation. Levels of tissue necrosis factor, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-17A, and interleukin-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at each time point and compared between those with persistent bacteremia (≥ 4 d) and resolving bacteremia. Primary outcome was persistent bacteremia after 4 days of effective therapy. Secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day recurrence. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 196 patients were included (mean age, 59 yr); of them, 33% had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Forty-seven percent of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains were staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec IV. Persistent bacteremia occurred in 24% of patients (47/196); they were more likely to die than resolving bacteremia group (28% vs 5%; p < 0.001). Compared with resolving bacteremia group, persistent bacteremia patients had higher initial median levels of tissue necrosis factor (44.73 vs 21.68 pg/mL; p < 0.001), interleukin-8 (124.76 vs 47.48 pg/mL; p = 0.028), and interleukin-10 (104.31 vs 29.72 pg/mL; p < 0.001). Despite 72 hours of treatment, levels remained higher for the persistent bacteremia group than for the resolving bacteremia group (tissue necrosis factor: 26.95 vs 18.38 pg/mL, p = 0.02; interleukin-8: 70.75 vs 27.86 pg/mL, p = 0.002; interleukin-6: 67.50 vs 21.81 pg/mL, p = 0.005; and interleukin-10: 30.98 vs 12.60 pg/mL, p < 0.001). Interleukin-17A levels were similar between groups at both time points. After controlling for confounding variables by multivariate analysis, interleukin-10/tissue necrosis factor ratio at 72 hours most significantly predicted persistence (odds ratio, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.39-6.39; p = 0.005) and mortality (odds ratio, 9.87; 95% CI, 2.64-36.91; p < 0.001) at values more than 1.00 and more than 2.56, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Sustained elevation of interleukin-10/tissue necrosis factor ratio at 72 hours suggests a dysregulated immune response and may be used to guide management to improve outcomes.

Role for σ38 in prolonged survival of Escherichia coli in Drosophila melanogaster.

Bacteria adapt themselves to host environments by altering the pattern of gene expression. The promoter-recognizing subunit σ of bacterial RNA polymerase plays a major role in the selection of genes to be transcribed. Among seven σ factors of Escherichia coli, σ(38) is responsible for the transcription of genes in the stationary phase and under stressful conditions. We found a transient increase of σ(38) when E. coli was injected into the hemocoel of Drosophila melanogaster. The loss of σ(38) made E. coli rapidly eliminated in flies, and flies infected with σ(38)-lacking E. coli stayed alive longer than those infected with the parental strain. This was also observed in fly lines defective in humoral immune responses, but not in flies in which phagocytosis was impaired. The lack of σ(38) did not influence the susceptibility of E. coli to phagocytosis, but made them vulnerable to killing after engulfment. The changes caused by the loss of σ(38) were recovered by the forced expression of σ(38)-encoding rpoS as well as σ(38)-regulated katE and katG coding for enzymes that detoxify reactive oxygen species. These results collectively suggested that σ(38) contributes to the prolonged survival of E. coli in Drosophila by inducing the production of enzymes that protect bacteria from killing in phagocytes. Considering the similarity in the mechanism of innate immunity against invading bacteria between fruit flies and humans, the products of these genes could be new targets for the development of more effective antibacterial remedies.

Decision Making Based on Fuzzy Aggregation Operators for Medical Diagnosis from Dental X-ray images.

Medical diagnosis is considered as an important step in dentistry treatment which assists clinicians to give their decision about diseases of a patient. It has been affirmed that the accuracy of medical diagnosis, which is much influenced by the clinicians' experience and knowledge, plays an important role to effective treatment therapies. In this paper, we propose a novel decision making method based on fuzzy aggregation operators for medical diagnosis from dental X-Ray images. It firstly divides a dental X-Ray image into some segments and identified equivalent diseases by a classification method called Affinity Propagation Clustering (APC+). Lastly, the most potential disease is found using fuzzy aggregation operators. The experimental validation on real dental datasets of Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Vietnam showed the superiority of the proposed method against the relevant ones in terms of accuracy.

Exclusive breast feeding in early infancy reduces the risk of inpatient admission for diarrhea and suspected pneumonia in rural Vietnam: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections and diarrhea remain the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality, with a high burden of both pneumonia and diarrhea in South-East Asia. The aim of the study was to determine antenatal and early infant predictive factors for severe morbidity episodes during the first 6 months of life in Ha Nam province, Vietnam. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 1049 infants, born to women who had previously participated in a cluster randomized controlled trial of antenatal micronutrient supplementation in rural Vietnam, was undertaken between 28th September 2010 and 8th Jan 2012. Infants were followed until 6 months of age, and the outcome measure was inpatient admission for suspected pneumonia or diarrheal illness during the first 6 months of life. Risk factors were assessed using univariable logistic regression and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 1049 infants seen at 6 months of age, 8.8 % required inpatient admission for suspected pneumonia and 4 % of infants required inpatient admission for diarrheal illness. One third of infants (32.8 %) were exclusively breast fed at 6 weeks of age. Exclusive breast feeding at 6 weeks of age significantly reduced the odds of inpatient admission for suspected pneumonia (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.39, 95 % Confidence Interval (CI) 0.20 to 0.75) and diarrheal illness (OR 0.37, 95 % CI 0.15 to 0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Exclusive breast feeding in early infancy reduces the risk of severe illness from diarrhea and suspected pneumonia. Public health programs to reduce the burden of inpatient admission from diarrheal and respiratory illness in rural Vietnam should address barriers to exclusive breast feeding.

Postnatal growth outcomes and influence of maternal gestational weight gain: a prospective cohort study in rural Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal weight gain during pregnancy may result in adverse outcomes for both the mother and child, including increased risk of pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes, delivery of low birth weight and small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants, and preterm delivery. The objectives of this study were to identify maternal predictors of rate of weight gain in pregnancy, and to evaluate the association of gestational weight gain with infant postnatal growth outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of infants born to women who had previously participated in a double-blind cluster randomized controlled trial of antenatal micronutrient supplementation, in Ha Nam province, Vietnam. Pregnant women (n = 1258) were seen at enrolment and 32 weeks gestation, and infants (n = 965) were followed until 6 months of age. Primary outcome was infant anthropometric indicators at 6 months of age (weight for age, length for age, weight for height z scores), and infant weight gain velocity during the first 6 months of life. RESULTS: Low body mass index (<18.5 kg/m2) was present in 26% of women, and rate of gestational weight gain was 0.4 kg per week [SD 0.12]. Rate of weight gain during pregnancy was significantly associated with infant weight-for-age (MD 1.13, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.68), length-for-age (MD 1.11, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.55), weight-for-length z scores (MD 0.63, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.19), and infant weight gain velocity during the first 6 months of life (MD 93.6 g per month, 95% CI 8.2 to 179.0). CONCLUSIONS: Rate of gestational weight gain is predictive of postnatal growth at six months of age in this setting. Public health programs should be targeted towards improving body mass index and weight gain in pregnant women in rural Vietnam.

A Hyper-Transformer model for Controllable Pareto Front Learning with Split Feasibility Constraints.

Controllable Pareto front learning (CPFL) approximates the Pareto optimal solution set and then locates a non-dominated point with respect to a given reference vector. However, decision-maker objectives were limited to a constraint region in practice, so instead of training on the entire decision space, we only trained on the constraint region. Controllable Pareto front learning with Split Feasibility Constraints (SFC) is a way to find the best Pareto solutions to a split multi-objective optimization problem that meets certain constraints. In the previous study, CPFL used a Hypernetwork model comprising multi-layer perceptron (Hyper-MLP) blocks. Transformer can be more effective than previous architectures on numerous modern deep learning tasks in certain situations due to their distinctive advantages. Therefore, we have developed a hyper-transformer (Hyper-Trans) model for CPFL with SFC. We use the theory of universal approximation for the sequence-to-sequence function to show that the Hyper-Trans model makes MED errors smaller in computational experiments than the Hyper-MLP model.

A framework for controllable Pareto front learning with completed scalarization functions and its applications.

Pareto Front Learning (PFL) was recently introduced as an efficient method for approximating the entire Pareto front, the set of all optimal solutions to a Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) problem. In the previous work, the mapping between a preference vector and a Pareto optimal solution is still ambiguous, rendering its results. This study demonstrates the convergence and completion aspects of solving MOO with pseudoconvex scalarization functions and combines them into Hypernetwork in order to offer a comprehensive framework for PFL, called Controllable Pareto Front Learning. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our approach is highly accurate and significantly less computationally expensive than prior methods in term of inference time.

Progress towards health equity in Vietnam: evidence from nationwide official health statistics, 2010-2020.

INTRODUCTION: One of the ultimate goals of strengthening the health system is to achieve health equity. Vietnam is considered one of the 'fast-track countries' to achieve the health-related Millennium Development Goals, but research on its equity strategies remains inadequate. METHODS: Using Vietnamese official health statistics, we investigated inequity in four dimensions including health resources, service delivery, service utilisation and residents' health status from the perspectives of income levels, poverty rates and subnational regions. The Slope Index of Inequality, concentration curve/Concentration Index, absolute difference and Theil Index were used. RESULTS: Four indicators showed 'pro-poor' inequality in health resources, including the per capita health budget, per capita health personnel, per capita health personnel at the community level and per capita hospital beds at the community level, while provincial hospital beds showed 'pro-rich' inequality. Two health service delivery indicators (delivery of antenatal care ≥3 times and proportion of community health service centres with medical doctors) show 'pro-rich' inequality, although two health status indicators, mortality and malnutrition rates for children under five, showed 'pro-poor' inequality. The Northern Midlands and Mountain Areas, and the Central Highlands were disadvantaged regarding service delivery and health status. Intraregional differences were the main factors contributing to the inequalities in delivery of antenatal care ≥3 times, provincial hospital beds and percentage of community health centres with medical doctors, with the Red River Delta and the South East region experiencing the greatest inequalities. CONCLUSION: The overall level of health equity in Vietnam has increased over the past decade, although inequality in health service delivery has hindered progress towards health equity based on income, poverty and subnational regions. Targeted policies need to be introduced to reduce inequities relating to the health workforce and service delivery capacity.

Management of ruptured aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage with multiple basilar trunk aneurysms using a flow-diverter stent: A case report.

Ruptured aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with multiple basilar trunk aneurysms represents a rare clinical condition. Endovascular intervention stands as the preferred therapeutic approach. We present the case of a 35-year-old patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage and three consecutive basilar trunk aneurysms. Utilizing a flow-diverter stent, we achieved simultaneous occlusion of all 3 aneurysms, performed 2 hours post dual antiplatelet therapy (comprising salicylic acid 300 mg and ticagrelor 180 mg). Sustained resistance to clopidogrel necessitated the subsequent 3 months, followed by single antiplatelet therapy. At the 1-month follow-up, the patient demonstrated a favorable clinical course, devoid of cerebral infarction, and evidenced unobstructed stent patency upon brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Niche-specification of aerobic 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid biodegradation by tfd-carrying bacteria in the rice paddy ecosystem.

This study aimed for a better understanding of the niche specification of bacteria carrying the tfd-genes for aerobic 2,4-dichlorphenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) degradation in the rice paddy ecosystem. To achieve this, a dedicated microcosm experiment was set up to mimic the rice paddy system, with and without 2,4-D addition, allowing spatial sampling of the different rice paddy compartments and niches, i.e., the main anaerobic bulk soil and the aerobic surface water, surface soil, root surface and rhizosphere compartments. No effect of 2,4-D on the growth and morphology of the rice plant was noted. 2,4-D removal was faster in the upper soil layers compared to the deeper layers and was more rapid after the second 2,4-D addition compared to the first. Moreover, higher relative abundances of the 2,4-D catabolic gene tfdA and of the mobile genetic elements IncP-1 and IS1071 reported to carry the tfd-genes, were observed in surface water and surface soil when 2,4-D was added. tfdA was also detected in the root surface and rhizosphere compartment but without response to 2,4-D addition. While analysis of the bacterial community composition using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing did not reveal expected tfd-carrying taxa, subtle community changes linked with 2,4-D treatment and the presence of the plant were observed. These findings suggest (i) that the surface soil and surface water are the primary and most favorable compartements/niches for tfd-mediated aerobic 2,4-D biodegradation and (ii) that the community structure in the 2,4-D treated rice paddy ecosystem is determined by a niche-dependent complex interplay between the effects of the plant and of 2,4-D.

Comparing the accuracy of two machine learning models in detection and classification of periapical lesions using periapical radiographs.

BACKGROUND: Previous deep learning-based studies were mainly conducted on detecting periapical lesions; limited information in classification, such as the periapical index (PAI) scoring system, is available. The study aimed to apply two deep learning models, Faster R-CNN and YOLOv4, in detecting and classifying periapical lesions using the PAI score from periapical radiographs (PR) in three different regions of the dental arch: anterior teeth, premolars, and molars. METHODS: Out of 2658 PR selected for the study, 2122 PR were used for training, 268 PR were used for validation and 268 PR were used for testing. The diagnosis made by experienced dentists was used as the reference diagnosis. RESULTS: The Faster R-CNN and YOLOv4 models obtained great sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and precision for detecting periapical lesions. No clear difference in the performance of both models among these three regions was found. The true prediction of Faster R-CNN was 89%, 83.01% and 91.84% for PAI 3, PAI 4 and PAI 5 lesions, respectively. The corresponding values of YOLOv4 were 68.06%, 50.94%, and 65.31%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated the potential of YOLOv4 and Faster R-CNN models for detecting and classifying periapical lesions based on the PAI scoring system using periapical radiographs.

Optimization of Multiplex-PCR Technique To Determine Azf Deletions in infertility Male Patients.

Background: To optimize the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR) technique to diagnose microdeletions of azoospermia factors (AZF) on the Y chromosome and initially apply the technique to diagnose male patients with sperm density less than 5×106 million sperm/mL was assigned to do a test to check for AZF microdeletions on the Y chromosome. Methods: Based on the positive control samples which belong to male subjects who have had 2 healthy children without any assisted reproductive technologies, the M-PCR method was developed to detect simultaneously and accurately AZF microdeletions on 32 male patients with sperm densities below 5×106 million sperm/mL of semen at the Department of Biology and Medical Genetics - Vietnam Military Medical University. Results: Successful optimization of the M-PCR technique including 7 reactions arranged according to each AZFabc region using 24 STS/gene on the Y chromosome. Initial application to diagnose AZF deletion on 32 azoospermic and oligospermic men reveals that AZFa deletion accounts for 6.25% (2/32); deletion of all 3 regions AZFa,b,c with 18.75% (6/32 cases); The combined deletion rate of AZFb,c is highest, accounting for 56.24% (18/32 patients). Conclusion: Successfully optimized the M-PCR technique in identifying AZF microdeletions using 24 sequence tagged sites (STS)/gene for azoospermic and oligozoospermic men. The M-PCR technique has great potential in the application of AZF deletion diagnosis.

The effect of intermittent antenatal iron supplementation on maternal and infant outcomes in rural Viet Nam: a cluster randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Anemia affects over 500 million women, and in pregnancy is associated with impaired maternal and infant outcomes. Intermittent antenatal iron supplementation is an attractive alternative to daily dosing; however, the impact of this strategy on infant outcomes remains unclear. We compared the effect of intermittent antenatal iron supplementation with daily iron supplementation on maternal and infant outcomes in rural Viet Nam. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This cluster randomised trial was conducted in Ha Nam province, Viet Nam. 1,258 pregnant women (< 16 wk gestation) in 104 communes were assigned to daily iron-folic acid (IFA), twice weekly IFA, or twice weekly multiple micronutrient (MMN) supplementation. Primary outcome was birth weight. Mean birth weight was 3,148 g (standard deviation 416). There was no difference in the birth weights of infants of women receiving twice weekly IFA compared to daily IFA (mean difference [MD] 28 g; 95% CI -22 to 78), or twice weekly MMN compared to daily IFA (MD -36.8 g; 95% CI -82 to 8.2). At 32 wk gestation, maternal ferritin was lower in women receiving twice weekly IFA compared to daily IFA (geometric mean ratio 0.73; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.80), and in women receiving twice weekly MMN compared to daily IFA (geometric mean ratio 0.62; 95% CI 0.57 to 0.68), but there was no difference in hemoglobin levels. Infants of mothers who received twice weekly IFA had higher cognitive scores at 6 mo of age compared to those who received daily IFA (MD 1.89; 95% CI 0.23 to 3.56). CONCLUSIONS: Twice weekly antenatal IFA or MMN did not produce a clinically important difference in birth weight, when compared to daily IFA supplementation. The significant improvement in infant cognitive outcomes at 6 mo of age following twice weekly antenatal IFA requires further exploration, and provides additional support for the use of intermittent, rather than daily, antenatal IFA in populations with low rates of iron deficiency. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry 12610000944033.