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This study reports the construction and validation of a CAFLUX (Chemically Activated Fluorescent Expression) HepG2 reporter cell line engineered to express a histone H2B–green fluorescent protein (H2B–GFP) fusion protein under the control of a dioxin-responsive cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) promoter. A lentiviral construct containing a synthetic promoter with multiple dioxin-responsive elements (DREs) upstream of the H2B–EGFP coding sequence was cloned into the pFUGW vector, packaged in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293FT cells, and used to transduce HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Stable clones obtained by limiting dilution were screened for GFP expression in response to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The resulting CAFLUX HepG2 cells exhibited dose-dependent nuclear GFP fluorescence when exposed to aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists, with limits of detection of approximately 0.01 pM for TCDD and 0.1 pM for benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). This reporter activity correlated with endogenous CYP1A1 mRNA expression as determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), confirming that GFP signals reflected native transcriptional responses. In functional assays, curcumin suppressed GFP expression in a concentration-dependent manner and induced apoptotic morphology at higher doses, while extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) significantly reduced both GFP fluorescence and CYP1A1 mRNA levels, suggesting an inhibitory effect on AhR-driven transcription. The CAFLUX HepG2 reporter system therefore provides a sensitive and reproducible platform for real-time, nuclear-localized monitoring of AhR-mediated gene expression. Its responsiveness to both agonists and antagonists underscores its potential utility in toxicological evaluation, drug discovery, and the investigation of EV-mediated signaling in liver cancer models.

This study investigated the biomass production process from the laboratory to the pilot scale in order to use the nutrient-rich biomass of the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii as live feed for white-leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) at larval stages (zoeal, mysis, and postlarval) and in commercial production in hatcheries in Vietnam. Our results showed that T. weissflogii was successfully cultured in 1–2 L Erlenmeyer flasks, 0.2–3.5 m3 composite tanks, and 6.5 m3 tubular photobioreactors, with the highest cell density of 1.6 × 106 cells mL−1 reached after 6 days of culture. Under optimal culture conditions, the protein, lipid, and carbohydrate contents in this algal biomass were 13.2%, 20.0%, and 10.0% of dry cell weight, respectively. The fatty acid composition contains high amount of palmitic acid (C16:0, 43.11% of total fatty acid), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5ω-3), approximated 16.5% of total fatty acid. In a 50 L larval rearing tank, at the optimal stocking density of 125 nauplii L−1, the survival percentage (75.55%), the total body length (from 5.376 ± 0.007 to 10.860 ± 0.030 mm), and weight (at from PL1 to PL12 stages) (from 0.145 ± 0.002 to 1.158 ± 0.005 g) of the white-leg shrimp larvae reached the highest values but the metamorphosis time (234 h) was shortest compared with the other stocking densities. Further, adding living T. weissflogii biomass to the diet of white-leg shrimp larvae at the nauplii 6 stage led to an increase in the body length, weight, and survival percentage of white-leg shrimp larvae of 21.17%, 35.7%, and 33% higher compared with those of larvae fed the control diet (without the addition of T. weissflogii), respectively. At the same time, the metamorphosis time of larvae (from Z1 to PL1) decreased by 4 h compared to the control group. In intensive ponds (area of 6400 m2 pond−1), using seed stocks at the postlarvae 12 stage that had been fed T. weissflogii, the final weight, yield, and survival percentage of the shrimp were increased by 7.3%, 14.2%, and 16.3%, respectively, compared with those of the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in the protein and carbohydrate contents in the shrimp flesh among the experimental and control group (p > 0.05). The lipid, omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acid contents of shrimp flesh in experiment formula (per 100 g shrimp) were 1.21 g, 72.9 mg, 114 mg, and 86.1 mg, 11%, 29%, 21.6%, and 17.7% higher than that those in control, respectively. The obtained results show the great potential of using T. weissflogii as live feed on white-leg shrimp farms in Vietnam.

The targets and challenges of the sustainable city of tomorrow are wide. In Hanoi city (Vietnam), the sustainable aspects of the urban landscape evolution are affected by a rapid urbanization, inefficient urban spatial planning, and the pressures of contemporary socioeconomic growth. This paper describes the evolution of urban landscape in Hanoi during the period 1990–2030. The background is the urbanization and the changes in urban planning. Urban land use/land cover of Hanoi city in 1993, 2000, 2007, 2012, and 2015 is described using LANDSAT satellite images. Land use/land cover of Hanoi in 2030 is projected by the Markov–cellular automata, which are a hybrid model of Markov chain analysis, multi-criteria evaluation, and cellular automata. The results show that Hanoi is becoming a metropolis, gradually having more dynamics and more diversity, but having less green in its pattern until 2030. All over Hanoi city, the built-up areas expanded, while the non-built area and water bodies narrowed. Residential, industrial, commercial, and service areas grow increasingly faster and become dense in the southwestern and southeastern parts of the city. New lakescapes and water corridors orient new urban development. Green areas become smaller and more fragmented. Agricultural rings have been cleared and replaced by new urban areas. Planning and managing the urban evolution toward sustainable development are imperative in Hanoi. The methods described in this paper can be effective tools expected to help planners, managers, and residents to deal with these concerns in the future. Moreover, socioeconomic development, environmental protection, improving urban planning efficiency, and integrating local governance into urban planning should be prioritized for a sustainable Hanoi city in the future.

Background: Afatinib’s efficacy and dose-adjustment strategies have been validated in clinical trials and increasingly supported by real-world evidence. Objectives: This study aimed to provide additional real-world insights into afatinib use and to assess the impact of initial dosing and subsequent dose modifications on treatment outcomes and tolerability in patients with advanced epidermal-growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Design: We conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis of patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC who received first-line afatinib between April 2018 and June 2022. Methods: Patients were categorized into four subgroups based on their starting and optimal afatinib doses. The primary endpoints were to analyze the association between afatinib dosing and time-to-treatment failure (TTF), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Results: A total of 343 patients were included. The most common starting afatinib dose was 30 mg (58.6%), followed by 40 mg (39.9%). The optimal dose maintained during treatment was 30 mg in 62.1% of patients, 40 mg in 33.2%, and 20 mg in 4.7%. Dose reductions due to toxicity occurred in 23.6% of cases. Regarding four subgroups: 53.1% of patients started and remained on <40 mg, 25.4% started and maintained 40 mg, 14.6% started at 40 mg but de-escalated to <40 mg, and 7.0% started <40 mg and escalated to 40 mg. After a median follow-up of 36.8 months, the median OS for all patients was 31.3 months (95% confidence interval: 29.3–33.1). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified smoking status, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and EGFR mutation subtype as independent prognostic factors for OS. Notably, patients who initiated treatment at 40 mg but de-escalated to <40 mg had the longest median TTF and OS. In terms of safety, the highest incidence of adverse events was observed in this group, followed by those who started and remained at <40 mg. Conclusion: In this real-world cohort, flexible afatinib dosing—either by initiating at 40 mg followed by dose reduction or starting at <40 mg with later escalation—was associated with favorable survival outcomes and manageable tolerability. These findings support the use of individualized afatinib dosing strategies to optimize both efficacy and safety in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC.

A second cluster of COVID-19 cases imported from Europe occured in Vietnam from early March 2020. We describe 44 SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive patients (cycle threshold value <30) admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi between March 6 and April 15 2020. Whole SARS-CoV-2 genomes from these patients were sequenced using Illumina Miseq and analysed for common genetic variants and relationships to local and globally circulating strains. Results showed that 32 cases were Vietnamese with a median age of 37 years (range 15–74 years), and 23 were male. Most cases were acquired outside Vietnam, mainly from the UK (n = 15), other European countries (n = 14), Russia (n = 6) and countries in Asia (n = 3). No cases had travelled from China. Forty-one cases had symptoms at admission, typically dry cough (n = 36), fever (n = 20), sore throat (n = 14) and diarrhoea (n = 12). Hospitalisation was long with a median of 25 days, most commonly from 20–29 days. All SARS-CoV-2 genomes were similar (92–100% sequence homology) to the reference sequence Wuhan_1 (NC_045512), and 32 strains belonged to the B.1.1 lineage. The three most common variants were linked, and included C3037T, C14408T (nsp12: P323L) and A23403G (S: D614G) mutations. This group of mutations often accompanied variant C241T (39/44 genomes) or GGG 28881..28883 AAC (33/44 genomes). The prevalence of the former reflected probable European origin of viruses, and the transition D614G was dominant in Vietnam. New variants were identified; however, none could be associated with disease severity.

Background This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of first-line afatinib treatment in a real-world setting in Vietnam. Methods This retrospective study was conducted across nine hospitals in Vietnam. Advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received afatinib as first-line therapy between April 2018 and June 2022 were included, and patient medical records were reviewed. Key outcomes were overall response rate (ORR), time-to-treatment failure (TTF), and tolerability. Results A total of 343 patients on first-line afatinib were eligible for the study. EGFR exon 19 deletion (Del19) alone was detected in 46.9% of patients, L858R mutation alone in 26.3%, and other uncommon EGFR mutations, including compound mutations, in 26.8%. Patients with brain metastases at baseline were 25.4%. Patients who received 40 mg, 30 mg, and 20 mg as starting doses of afatinib were 58.6%, 39.9%, and 1.5%, respectively. The ORR was 78.1% in the overall population, 82.6% in the Del19 mutation subgroup, 73.3% in the L858R mutation subgroup, and 75.0% in the uncommon mutation subgroup ( p  > 0.05). The univariate and multivariate analyses indicate that the ORR increased when the starting dose was 40 mg compared to starting doses below 40 mg (83.9% vs. 74.3%, p  = 0.034). The median TTF (mTTF) was 16.7 months (CI 95%: 14.8–18.5) in all patients, with a median follow-up time of 26.2 months. The mTTF was longer in patients in the common EGFR mutation subgroup (Del19/L858R) than in those in the uncommon mutation subgroup (17.5 vs. 13.8 months, p  = 0.045) and in those without versus with brain metastases at baseline (17.5 vs. 15.1 months, p  = 0.049). There were no significant differences in the mTTF between subgroups based on the starting dose of 40 mg and < 40 mg (16.7 vs. 16.9 months, p  > 0.05). The most common treatment-related adverse events (any grade/grade ≥ 3) were diarrhea (55.4%/3.5%), rash (51.9%/3.2%), paronychia (35.3%/5.0%), and stomatitis (22.2%/1.2%). Conclusions Afatinib demonstrated clinical effectiveness and good tolerability in Vietnamese EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. In our real-world setting, administering a starting dose below 40 mg might result in a reduction in ORR; however, it might not have a significant impact on TTF.

Background: Afatinib is indicated for patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, including uncommon mutations. However, the differences in survival benefits between patients with different types of EGFR mutations remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of afatinib treatment in patients harboring the EGFR-G719X mutation with that in patients carrying other uncommon EGFR mutations. Design: This was a retrospective study. Methods: Ninety-two patients with locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC, of whom 49 patients with EGFR-G719X mutations that were both single and compound, and 43 patients harbored other uncommon EGFR mutations, who were treated with afatinib as first-line treatment. The patients were followed up and evaluated every 3 months or when there were symptoms of progressive disease. The endpoints were the objective response rate (ORR), time-to-treatment failure (TTF), and overall survival (OS). Results: The average ages of patients with the EGFR-G719X and uncommon EGFR mutations were 62.7 years and 63.1 years, respectively. There were no significant differences in sex or smoking history between the two groups. In total, 28.6% of patients with the G719X mutation and 23.3% of patients with other mutations had brain metastases. The ORR of patients with the G719X mutation was 79.6%, which was 10% higher than that of patients with other EGFR mutations. Patients harboring the EGFR-G719X mutation had median TTF and median OS periods of 19.3 months and 31.4 months, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of patients carrying other mutations at 11.2 months. Subgroup analysis showed that TTF and OS benefits were observed in female patients, patients without brain metastasis, and patients with good performance status who harbored the G719X mutation. Conclusion: Patients with the EGFR-G719X mutation achieve significantly better TTF and OS benefits than those with other uncommon EGFR mutations.

Elimination of chemically synthesized pesticides, such as fungicides and nematicides, in agricultural products is a key to successful practice of the Vietnamese agriculture. We describe here the route for developing successful biostimulants based on members of the Bacillus subtilis species complex. A number of endospore-forming Gram-positive bacterial strains with antagonistic action against plant pathogens were isolated from Vietnamese crop plants. Based on their draft genome sequence, thirty of them were assigned to the Bacillus subtilis species complex. Most of them were assigned to the species Bacillus velezensis . Whole genome sequencing of strains BT2.4 and BP1.2A corroborated their close relatedness to B. velezensis FZB42, the model strain for Gram-positive plant growth-promoting bacteria. Genome mining revealed that at least 15 natural product biosynthesis gene clusters (BGCs) are well conserved in all B. velezensis strains. In total, 36 different BGCs were identified in the genomes of the strains representing B. velezensis, B. subtilis, Bacillus tequilensis , and Bacillus. altitudinis . In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated the potential of the B. velezensis strains to enhance plant growth and to suppress phytopathogenic fungi and nematodes. Due to their promising potential to stimulate plant growth and to support plant health, the B. velezensis strains TL7 and S1 were selected as starting material for the development of novel biostimulants, and biocontrol agents efficient in protecting the important Vietnamese crop plants black pepper and coffee against phytopathogens. The results of the large-scale field trials performed in the Central Highlands in Vietnam corroborated that TL7 and S1 are efficient in stimulating plant growth and protecting plant health in large-scale applications. It was shown that treatment with both bioformulations resulted in prevention of the pathogenic pressure exerted by nematodes, fungi, and oomycetes, and increased harvest yield in coffee, and pepper.

Background: Afatinib is indicated for advanced-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and uncommon mutations. However, real-world studies on this topic are limited. This study aimed to evaluate afatinib as first-line therapy for locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC with uncommon EGFR mutations. Patients and methods: A retrospective study included 92 patients with advanced NSCLC with uncommon and compound EGFR mutations, treated with afatinib as first-line therapy. Patients were followed up and evaluated every 3 months or when symptoms of progressive disease arose. The endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), time-to-treatment failure (TTF), and adverse events. Results: The G719X EGFR mutation had the highest occurrence rate (53.3% for both monotherapy and the compound). By contrast, the compound mutation G719X–S768I was observed at a rate of 22.8%. The ORR was 75%, with 15.2% of patients achieving complete response. The overall median TTF was 13.8 months. Patients with the G719X EGFR mutation (single and compound) had a median TTF of 19.3 months, longer than that of patients with other mutations, who had a median TTF of 11.2 months. Patients with compound EGFR mutations (G719X and S768I) demonstrated a median TTF of 23.2 months compared to that of 12.3 months for other mutations. Tolerated doses of 20 or 30 mg achieved a longer median TTF of 17.1 months compared to 11.2 months with 40 mg. Median TTF differed between patients with and without brain metastasis, at 11.2 and 16.9 months, respectively. Rash (55.4%) and diarrhea (53.3%) were the most common adverse events, primarily grades 1 and 2. Other side effects occurred at a low rate. Conclusion: Afatinib is effective for locally advanced metastatic NSCLC with uncommon EGFR mutations. Patients with G719X, compound G719X–S768I mutations, and tolerated doses of 20 or 30 mg had a longer median TTF than those with other mutations.

In Vietnam, dengue has been endemic for many years, with most cases reported in children. Recently, epidemiological data show an increasing frequency in adults, especially for severe dengue. An unprecedented post-COVID-19 surge resulted in an exceptionally high number of hospitalized dengue cases. We aim to describe the clinical phenotypes and outcomes in Vietnamese adults with severe dengue during the 2022 outbreak and explore host-related factors associated with disease variability and severity, through a retrospective study. A total of 891 cases were included, with mean age 29 ± 10 years. 284/891 (31.9%) patients had a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, and 240/891 (26.9%) had comorbidities. The predominant severe clinical phenotype was dengue shock syndrome (DSS): 737/891 (82.7%) patients. 107/891 (12%) DSS cases were associated with other severe manifestations. Severe hemorrhage accounted for 90/891 (10.1%) patients. Among cases with organ involvement (211/891 - 23.7%), hepatic impairment was observed in 196/891 (22%) patients, renal impairment 25/891 (2.8%), cardiac impairment 14/891 (1.6%) and neurological impairment 13/891 (1.5%). 250/737 (33.9%) DSS patients developing ≥ 1 episode of recurrent shock. They were younger than those without recurrent shock (25.3 vs 28.4 years, p = 0.007). Factors associated with recurrent shock episodes were: having BMI ≥ 25 (OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.18; 2.3), day of illness ≤ 5 (OR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.51; 3.09) and prior COVID-19 infection (OR: 2.57; 95% CI: 1.62-4.06). Indicators for the \"associated severe phenotypes\" (DSS associated with severe hemorrhage, with organ impairment, or both) were older age (p = 0.018) and presence of comorbidities (p < 0.001) compared to the DSS alone phenotype. Overall, 98.1% of patients had a good recovery. Understanding the variability and complexity of severe dengue clinical manifestations, along with the different host factors associated with these features, will contribute to formulating suitable treatment guidelines for this at-risk population.