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Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vietnam experience disproportionate rates of HIV infection. To advance understanding of how structural barriers may shape their engagement with HIV prevention services, we draw on 32 in-depth interviews and four focus groups (n = 31) conducted with MSM in Hanoi between October 2015- March 2016. Three primary factors emerged: (1) Diversity, both in relation to identity and income; Vietnamese MSM described themselves as segregated into Bóng kín (hidden, often heterosexually-identified MSM) and Bóng lộ ('out,' transgender, or effeminate MSM). Lower-income, 'hidden' MSM from rural areas were reluctant to access MSM-targeted services; (2) Stigma: MSM reported being stigmatized by the healthcare system, family, and other MSM; and (3) Healthcare access: this was limited due to economic barriers and lack of MSM-friendly services. Our research suggests the need for multiple strategies to reach diverse types of MSM as well as to address barriers in access to health services such as stigma and costs. While a great deal has been written about the diversity of MSM in relation to gender performance and sexual identities, our research points to the substantial structural-level barriers that must be addressed in order to achieve meaningful and effective HIV prevention for MSM worldwide.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vietnam experience disproportionate rates of HIV infection. To advance understanding of how structural barriers may shape their engagement with HIV prevention services, we draw on 32 in-depth interviews and four focus groups (n = 31) conducted with MSM in Hanoi between October 2015- March 2016. Three primary factors emerged: (1) Diversity, both in relation to identity and income; Vietnamese MSM described themselves as segregated into Bóng kín (hidden, often heterosexually-identified MSM) and Bóng lá» ('out,' transgender, or effeminate MSM). Lower-income, 'hidden' MSM from rural areas were reluctant to access MSM-targeted services; (2) Stigma: MSM reported being stigmatized by the healthcare system, family, and other MSM; and (3) Healthcare access: this was limited due to economic barriers and lack of MSM-friendly services. Our research suggests the need for multiple strategies to reach diverse types of MSM as well as to address barriers in access to health services such as stigma and costs. While a great deal has been written about the diversity of MSM in relation to gender performance and sexual identities, our research points to the substantial structural-level barriers that must be addressed in order to achieve meaningful and effective HIV prevention for MSM worldwide.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex disorder with an unclear aetiology and an estimated global prevalence of 1%. However, studies of ASD in the Vietnamese population are limited. Here, we first conducted whole exome sequencing (WES) of 100 children with ASD and their unaffected parents. Our stringent analysis pipeline was able to detect 18 unique variants (8 de novo and 10 ×-linked, all validated), including 12 newly discovered variants. Interestingly, a notable number of X-linked variants were detected (56%), and all of them were found in affected males but not in affected females. We uncovered 17 genes from our ASD cohort in which CHD8 , DYRK1A , GRIN2B , SCN2A , OFD1 and MDB5 have been previously identified as ASD risk genes, suggesting the universal aetiology of ASD for these genes. In addition, we identified six genes that have not been previously reported in any autism database: CHM , ENPP1 , IGF1 , LAS1L, SYP and TBX22 . Gene ontology and phenotype-genotype analysis suggested that variants in IGF1 , SYP and LAS1L could plausibly confer risk for ASD. Taken together, this study adds to the genetic heterogeneity of ASD and is the first report elucidating the genetic landscape of ASD in Vietnamese children.

Drug-related problems (DRPs) are common in clinical practice and occur at all stages of the medication process. The major factor contributing to DRPs is prescription, although patients' poor adherence to treatment is also a significant factor. This study evaluated type 2 diabetes outpatients in a hospital in Vietnam for drug-related problems (DRPs) and related variables. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 495 outpatients who met the criteria and 157 people agreed to participate in the interview. Medication order review and medication adherence review were used to identify DRPs. The types of DRP were based on the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) categories version 9.0. The identification and assessment DRPs were carried out by clinical pharmacists and get agreed upon by physicians who had not directly prescribed patients who participated in the study. A total of 762 DRPs were identified via prescribing review process, the average number of DRP on each prescription was 1.54±1.07, while 412 DRPs were determined through patient interviewing. The most frequent DRPs were \"ADR (Adverse Drug Reaction) occurring\" (68.8%). The main causes were \"patient is unable to understand instructions properly\" or \"patient is not properly instructed\", \"patient stores insulin inappropriately\", \"patient decides to use unnecessary drugs\" and \"patient intentionally uses/takes less drug than prescribed or does not take the drug at all for whatever reason\" which accounted for 65.0%, 41.4%, 38.2%, and 28.7%, respectively. From the prescribing review, the most observed DRPs were \"Inappropriate drug according to guidelines/formulary\" and \"No or incomplete drug treatment in spite of existing indication\", accounting for 45.0% and 42.9%, respectively. There was a significant association between age (OR 3.38, 95% CI: 1.01-11.30), duration of diabetes (OR 3.61, 95%CI: 1.11-11.74), presence of comorbidity (OR 5.31, 95%CI: 1.97-14.30), polypharmacy (OR: 2.95, 95%CI: 1.01-8.72) and DRPs. In patients, poor knowledge of antidiabetic agents was the main reason to lack adherence and occurring ADR (OR 2.73, 95%CI: 1.32-5.66, p = 0.007 and OR 2.49, 95%CI: 1.54-4.03, p = 0.001 respectively). DRPs occurred in the prescribing stage and relating to patient's behavior of drug administration was high. Clear identification of DRPs and the associated factors are essential for building the intervention process to improve effectiveness and safety in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine doctors’ level of adherence to the natriuretic peptide testing guideline and to identify the factors influencing their adherence.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingWeb-based survey.ParticipantsFull-time doctors involved in heart failure (HF) treatment in Vietnam.Primary and secondary outcome measuresDoctors using natriuretic peptide testing for diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment assessment and prognosis of patients with HF were classified as adhering to the guidelines. We assessed the practice of natriuretic peptide testing and stratified the doctors based on their professional qualifications. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the Odds Ratio (ORs) and 95% CIs for associations between guideline adherence and selected covariates.ResultsOver half of the participants adhered to the natriuretic peptide testing guidelines (57.4%). Cardiologists adhered more closely to the guidelines than other professionals; they had approximately four times higher odds of adherence than other doctors (univariate model, OR: 3.88, 95% CI: 2.56 to 5.89, p<0.001; multivariate model, OR: 4.24, 95% CI: 2.64 to 6.82, p<0.001). Cardiologists also had significantly higher rates of using natriuretic peptide testing for diagnosis (93.8% vs 84.1%, p<0.002), differential diagnosis (71.4% vs 53.5%, p<0.001), treatment assessment (87% vs 64.2%, p<0.001) and prognosis (68.2% vs 50.4%, p<0.001) than other professionals. More years of professional experience correlated with higher guideline adherence (<2 years was used as a reference point; >5 to <10 years, OR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.45 to 4.60, p<0.001; ≥10 years, OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.30 to 4.09, p<0.004).ConclusionThe level of adherence to natriuretic peptide testing guidelines among doctors treating patients with HF varies across Vietnam. Targeted interventions are needed to enhance understanding and proficiency, especially among non-cardiologists and those with limited experience. A dedicated fact sheet focusing on natriuretic peptide testing in HF management, separate from the existing guidelines, could bridge this gap.

During a 2023 outbreak of Mycoplasma pneumoniae-associated community-acquired pneumonia among children in northern Vietnam, we analyzed M. pneumoniae isolated from nasopharyngeal samples. In almost half (6 of 13) of samples tested, we found known A2063G mutations (macrolide resistance) and a novel C2353T variant on the 23S rRNA gene.

The bottlenecks in photocatalytic materials primarily center on light absorption capacities and rapid charge recombination. Thus, many gigantic effects have been undertaken by worldwide scientists to address the issues. In this concept, carbon‐based photocatalysts, such as graphene or graphitic carbon nitrides (g‐C3N4), would frequently capture scientific fascination due to their distinct properties in catalytic applications. However, traditional materials would possess the drawbacks mentioned above. In the current era, nitrogen‐rich graphitic carbon nitrides (g‐C3N5) have emerged as a promising star for photocatalytic applications due to the significant enhancements in light absorption properties, which can activate in ultraviolet, visible, and even under near‐infrared irradiations. This review will summarize the recent progress in the fabrication of g‐C3N5 and the photocatalytic application of these based materials by thoroughly investigating current literature studies. Thus, updating the current trend in state‐of‐the‐art materials would motivate researchers to explore the field further. This study summarized the recent development of g‐C3N5‐based photocatalysts with five main applications: water reduction, oxygen reduction, nitrogen fixation, CO2 reduction, and water and air purification. This research would give insights into the new low‐bandgap carbon materials in the field, which would be promising for practical uses owing to the significant improvements in catalytic outcomes.

Early definitive surgery for Hirschsprung disease (HD) in neonates is increasingly adopted to reduce preoperative morbidity and preserve long term bowel function. However, comparative data across minimally invasive approaches in neonates with short segment disease remain limited. This study compared outcomes of single incision laparoscopic assisted endorectal pull through (SILEP), conventional laparoscopic assisted endorectal pull through (CLEP), and complete transanal endorectal pull through (TERPT) for rectosigmoid HD. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 55 neonates who underwent one stage definitive surgery before 28 days of age at a high volume center between January 2019 and December 2021. The primary outcome was long term bowel function assessed using the Rintala Bowel Function Score (BFS) after a minimum of 4 years of follow up. Secondary outcomes included operative parameters, postoperative complications (Clavien Dindo classification), and cosmetic outcomes using the Manchester Scar Scale (MSS) in the laparoscopic groups. All patients successfully underwent surgery at a mean age of 22.4 ± 4.3 days. Operative time differed across approaches and was shorter for SILEP (53.8 ± 11.9 minutes) and TERPT (52.1 ± 18.3 minutes) than for CLEP (70.2 ± 22.5 minutes, p = 0.036). At follow up (mean 54.0 ± 7.7 months), the overall BFS was 17.5 ± 2.5 with no significant differences among groups (p = 0.32). MSS was numerically lower for SILEP than for CLEP (6.2 ± 1.1 vs 6.8 ± 1.9, p = 0.53). Complications were infrequent, with 14 minor and 7 major events, and there was no mortality or Clavien Dindo grade IV or V morbidity. SILEP, CLEP, and TERPT are feasible one stage options for neonates with rectosigmoid HD, with comparable long term bowel function and low rates of major complications. SILEP and TERPT were associated with shorter operative times, and SILEP showed a trend toward improved cosmetic scores compared with CLEP. These findings support an individualized approach to technique selection based on intraoperative requirements and institutional expertise.

Objective Total laryngectomy, a procedure that permanently separates the upper and lower airways and requires patients to breathe through a stoma, significantly impacts olfactory function owing to the lack of nasal airflow. This prospective cohort study aimed to investigate the reduction in olfactory function following total laryngectomy and determine the association between clinical characteristics and olfactory impairment. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted among 40 patients (aged 44–82 years) undergoing total laryngectomy at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from November 2023 to April 2025. Olfactory ability was assessed before and after surgery using the Sniffin’ Sticks test, including threshold, discrimination, and identification components, which were used to calculate a total threshold, discrimination, and identification score. Additionally, clinical characteristics were analyzed for potential associations with olfactory impairment. Results Prior to surgery, objective olfactory testing revealed that 82.5% of the patients had normosmia, and 17.5% exhibited hyposmia. Following surgery, all patients experienced olfactory impairment, with 87.5% presenting with complete anosmia. There was a statistically significant decline in olfactory function after total laryngectomy (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Multivariable regression analysis revealed no statistically significant associations between the clinical characteristics evaluated and postoperative olfactory impairment. Conclusions Olfactory impairment is a common and significant consequence of total laryngectomy, leading to substantial reductions in patients’ quality of life. The primary causes include loss of nasal airflow and potential structural changes in the olfactory mucosal epithelium. This highlights a universal risk because our analysis did not identify any specific clinical variables that were significantly associated with olfactory impairment. These findings underscore the critical need for standardized preoperative counseling and the implementation of postoperative olfactory rehabilitation strategies for all patients undergoing total laryngectomy.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder with a prevalence of around 1% children worldwide and characterized by patient behaviour (communication, social interaction, and personal development). Data on the efficacy of diagnostic tests using copy number variations (CNVs) in candidate genes in ASD is currently around 10% but it is overrepresented by patients of Caucasian background. We report here that the diagnostic success of de novo candidate CNVs in Vietnamese ASD patients is around 6%. We recruited one hundred trios (both parents and a child) where the child was clinically diagnosed with ASD while the parents were not affected. We performed genetic screening to exclude RETT syndrome and Fragile X syndrome and performed genome-wide DNA microarray (aCGH) on all probands and their parents to analyse for de novo CNVs. We detected 1708 non-redundant CNVs in 100 patients and 118 (7%) of them were de novo . Using the filter for known CNVs from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) database, we identified six CNVs (one gain and five loss CNVs) in six patients (3 males and 3 females). Notably, 3 of our patients had a deletion involving the SHANK3 gene–which is the highest compared to previous reports. This is the first report of candidate CNVs in ASD patients from Vietnam and provides the framework for building a CNV based test as the first tier screening for clinical management.