Production of affordable coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in low- and middle-income countries is needed. NDV-HXP-S is an inactivated egg-based Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccine ...expressing the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Wuhan-Hu-1. The spike protein was stabilized and incorporated into NDV virions by removing the polybasic furin cleavage site, introducing the transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail of the fusion protein of NDV, and introducing six prolines for stabilization in the prefusion state. Vaccine production and clinical development was initiated in Vietnam, Thailand, and Brazil. Here the interim results from the first stage of the randomized, dose-escalation, observer-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2 trial conducted at the Hanoi Medical University (Vietnam) are presented. Healthy adults aged 18–59 years, non-pregnant, and with self-reported negative history for SARS-CoV-2 infection were eligible. Participants were randomized to receive one of five treatments by intramuscular injection twice, 28 days apart: 1 μg +/- CpG1018 (a toll-like receptor 9 agonist), 3 μg alone, 10 μg alone, or placebo. Participants and personnel assessing outcomes were masked to treatment. The primary outcomes were solicited adverse events (AEs) during 7 days and subject-reported AEs during 28 days after each vaccination. Investigators further reviewed subject-reported AEs. Secondary outcomes were immunogenicity measures (anti-spike immunoglobulin G IgG and pseudotyped virus neutralization). This interim analysis assessed safety 56 days after first vaccination (day 57) in treatment-exposed individuals and immunogenicity through 14 days after second vaccination (day 43) per protocol. Between March 15 and April 23, 2021, 224 individuals were screened and 120 were enrolled (25 per group for active vaccination and 20 for placebo). All subjects received two doses. The most common solicited AEs among those receiving active vaccine or placebo were all predominantly mild and included injection site pain or tenderness (<58%), fatigue or malaise (<22%), headache (<21%), and myalgia (<14%). No higher proportion of the solicited AEs were observed for any group of active vaccine. The proportion reporting vaccine-related AEs during the 28 days after either vaccination ranged from 4% to 8% among vaccine groups and was 5% in controls. No vaccine-related serious adverse event occurred. The immune response in the 10 μg formulation group was highest, followed by 1 μg + CpG1018, 3 μg, and 1 μg formulations. Fourteen days after the second vaccination, the geometric mean concentrations (GMC) of 50% neutralizing antibody against the homologous Wuhan-Hu-1 pseudovirus ranged from 56.07 IU/mL (1 μg, 95% CI 37.01, 84.94) to 246.19 IU/mL (10 μg, 95% CI 151.97, 398.82), with 84% to 96% of vaccine groups attaining a ≥ 4-fold increase over baseline. This was compared to a panel of human convalescent sera (N = 29, 72.93 95% CI 33.00–161.14). Live virus neutralization to the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of concern was reduced but in line with observations for vaccines currently in use. Since the adjuvant has shown modest benefit, GMC ratio of 2.56 (95% CI, 1.4–4.6) for 1 μg +/- CpG1018, a decision was made not to continue studying it with this vaccine. NDV-HXP-S had an acceptable safety profile and potent immunogenicity. The 3 μg dose was advanced to phase 2 along with a 6 μg dose. The 10 μg dose was not selected for evaluation in phase 2 due to potential impact on manufacturing capacity. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04830800.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Recently, graphene-based material as a catalyst has crucially shown a novel strategy in furfural synthesis from biomass resources. In this study, sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) was studied within ...five different graphene oxide to sulfanilic acid mass ratios of 1:1.5, 1:2.0, 1:2.5, 1:3.0, and 1:3.5 for facile synthesis of furfural from sugarcane bagasse. The structural investigation of those samples was proceeded through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The appropriate sample with the sulfur mass percentage of 3.51 %, corresponding to the ratio of 1:3.5, gives out the highest furfural yield was then, conducted with X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller for further morphological analysis. The influence of catalyst dose, reaction temperature, and time on the yield of furfural using this catalyst revealed that under reaction conditions of 190 °C for 90 min, reaction in a low dose of 5 wt% of SGO solution gave out the highest conversion of furfural (20.6 %). According to the results, SGO showed high application potential for the synthesis of furfural from sugarcane bagasse.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
In this study, the zinc oxide-decorated graphitic carbon nitride composite (ZnO/gC3N4 – ZCN) was synthesized for photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in aqueous media. Particularly, ZnO was ...fabricated by the calcination method with the assistance of Garcinia mangostana pericarp extract as a stabilizer and reducing agent, while graphitic carbon nitride (gC3N4 – CN) was prepared by the calcination method and exfoliated using a strong oxidizer mixture. Characterization results showed ZnO possesses a spherical shape with an average diameter of 30–80 nm and is distributed evenly on the CN sheets. Subsequently, ZCN was subjected to photodegradation towards methylene blue (MB), which indicated that under optimal conditions of 50 mg of catalyst, pH 9, and 10 mg/L of MB concentration, the overall efficiency reached up to 99.16 % after 180 min of visible irradiation. Additionally, ZCN also possesses the degradation ability for other organic dyes, for instance, malachite green (MG) and methyl orange (MO) with an overall efficiency of 96.42 and 57.57 %, respectively. Moreover, the radical scavenging experiments elucidated that the major responsible component for the photodegradation was the photogenerated holes, while other radicals also facilitated the process. Besides, the reusability of the material was excellent as only 10 % of the yield decreased after five cycles. The aforementioned findings reveal the notable potential applications of the ZCN material in the environmental remedial field.
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•The ZnO/gC3N4 composite was biosynthesized with the aid of sonication.•The spherical ZnO distributed evenly on the gC3N4 exfoliation sheet.•The composite exhibited great methylene blue photodegradation under visible light.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Between 2016 and 2019, 265 cases of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection were reported in Vietnam, predominantly in southern Vietnam. In 2016, a case of ZIKV-associated microcephaly was confirmed in the ...Central Highlands, and several members of the infant's family were confirmed to be infected with ZIKV. The study aims to determine the level of immunity to ZIKV in the general population of the ZIKV epidemic region.
A total of 879 serum samples were collected from 801 participants between January 2017 and July 2018, during and after the ZIKV epidemic in Vietnam. The samples were tested for anti-ZIKV immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG), and anti-dengue virus (DENV) IgG antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Plaque-reduction neutralization test (PRNT) for ZIKV was performed on all samples, and for DENV on the samples that ZIKV neutralizing antibody positive.
A total of 83 (10.3%) participants had anti-ZIKV IgM. Of the 83, 6 were confirmed to be ZIKV antibodies positive using PRNT and anti-ZIKV IgG ELISA. Of the 718 participants who were anti-ZIKV IgM negative, a further 3 cases were confirmed as positive for antibodies against ZIKV. Of the 9 participants with ZIKV infection, 5 lived in the same village as the infant with ZIKV-associated microcephaly and the other 4 lived in 2 neighboring communes. Repeat samples were collected from the 83 ZIKV IgM positive participants 1.5 years after the first collection. No new cases of ZIKV infection were detected. In addition, 2 of 3 participants with anti-ZIKV NS1 IgG demonstrated a 4- to 8-fold increase in ZIKV neutralizing antibody titer.
ZIKV was present in the area around Krong Buk, with the rate of ZIKV-specific antibodies was 1.1% in the community since at least 2016. While the low levels of circulation together with low seroprevalence suggests a limited outbreak in the region, the results also reflect on low levels of protective immunity to Zika within the population. These results provide a better understanding of the current ZIKV epidemic status in the region and demonstrate a need for implementation of more effective ZIKV infection control measures.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of respiratory disorders during sleep in children, especially those with severe asthma. However, optimal treatment of asthma might significantly ...improve OSA severity.
It was a cohort study including children aged >5 years old and diagnosed with asthma according to GINA (Global Initiative for Asthma). The data related to age, gender, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), clinical symptoms and medical history of asthma, spirometry (FEV
: forced expiratory in 1 s), and exhaled nitric oxide (F
NO) were recorded for analysis. Respiratory polygraphy (RPG) was done for each study subject to diagnose OSA and its severity.
Among 139 asthmatic children, 99 patients with OSA (71.2%) were included in the present study (9.3 ± 0.2 years): 58.6% with uncontrolled asthma and 32.3% with partial controlled asthma. The mean ACT (asthma control testing) score was 19.0 ± 3.4. The most frequent night-time symptoms were restless sleep (76.8%), snoring (61.6%), sweating (52.5%), and trouble breathing during sleep (48.5%). The common daytime symptoms were irritable status (46.5%) and abnormal behavior (30.3%). The mean AHI (apnea-hypopnea index) was 3.5 ± 4.0 events/h. There was a significant correlation between BMI and snoring index (
= 0.189 and
= 0.027), bronchial and nasal F
NO with AHI (
= 0.046 and
< 0.001;
= 0.037 and
< 0.001; respectively). There was no significant correlation between asthma level, FEV
and AHI. The severity of asthma and respiratory function were improved significantly after 3 months and 6 months of asthma treatment in combination with leukotriene receptor antagonist (LRA) treatment. The symptoms related to OSA were significantly improved after treatment with LRA. The severity of OSA was decreased significantly after 3 months and 6 months of treatment.
The treatment of asthmatic children with comorbid OSA by LRA in combination with standard therapy for asthma could improve the control of asthma and the symptoms and severity of OSA.
Dengue encephalitis is considered as a severe but unusual clinical presentation of dengue infection. Limited molecular information is available on the neurotropism of dengue virus (DENV), ...highlighting the need for further research. During a dengue outbreak in Vietnam in 2013, two DENV-3 strains were isolated, in which one was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from a dengue encephalitis patient and another strain was isolated from a patient with classical dengue fever in Hai Phong, Vietnam. DENV serotype-3 (DENV-3) isolated from these samples belonged to genotype III, marking the first report of this genotype in the country at that time. Genetic variation between both strains was elucidated by using a full genome sequencing by next-generation sequencing (NGS). The infectivity of the isolated DENV-3 strains was further characterized using human and mouse neuronal cell lines. Phylogenetic analysis of the isolates demonstrated high homogeneity between the CSF-derived and serum-derived DENV-3, in which the full genome sequences of the CSF-derived DENV-3 presented a Thr-1339-Ile mutation in the nonstructural 2A (NS2A) protein. The CSF-derived DENV-3 isolate grew preferentially in human neuronal cells, with a significant proportion of cells that were positive for nonstructural 1 (NS1), nonstructural 4B (NS4B), and nonstructural 5 (NS5) antigens. These results suggest that NS2A may be a crucial region in the neuropathogenesis of DENV-3 and its growth in human neuronal cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that a CSF-derived DENV-3 has unique infectivity characteristics for human neuronal cells, which might play a crucial role in the neuropathogenesis of DENV infection.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
is one of the most dangerous foodborne pathogens listed by the World Health Organization. In this study, whole-duck samples were collected at wet markets in five districts in Hanoi, Vietnam, in ...October 2019 to assess their
infection rates and evaluate the susceptibility of the isolated strains to antibiotics currently used in the prophylaxis and treatment of
infection. Based on the antibiotic resistance profiles, eight multidrug resistance strains were whole-genome-sequenced, and their antibiotic resistance genes, genotypes, multi-locus sequence-based typing (MLST), virulence factors, and plasmids were analyzed. The results of the antibiotic susceptibility test indicate that phenotypic resistance to tetracycline and cefazolin was the most common (82.4%, 28/34 samples). However, all isolates were susceptible to cefoxitin and meropenem. Among the eight sequenced strains, we identified 43 genes associated with resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics such as aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, chloramphenicol, lincosamide, quinolone, and tetracycline. Notably, all strains carried the
gene, which confers resistance to third-generation antibiotics including cefotaxime, cefoperazone, ceftizoxime, and ceftazidime, as well as resistance genes of other broad-spectrum antibiotics used in clinical treatment such as gentamicin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and ampicillin. Forty-three different antibiotic resistance genes were predicted to be present in the isolated
strains' genomes. In addition, three plasmids were predicted in two strains, 43_S11 and 60_S17. The sequenced genomes also indicated that all strains carried SPI-1, SPI-2, and SPI-3. These SPIs are composed of antimicrobial resistance gene clusters and thus represent a potential threat to public health management. Taken together, this study highlights the extent of multidrug-resistant
contamination in duck meat in Vietnam.
In this study, polydimethylsiloxane/tetraethyl‐orthosilicate (PDMS/TEOS) hybrid materials with different TEOS ratios were synthesized by cross‐linking method. Ceramic tube‐supported PDMS/TEOS ...membranes were fabricated by dip‐coating method. Effect of TEOS content, feed concentration, and feed temperature through separation of a furfural–water mixture by pervaporation (PV) technology was investigated. The highest PV performance was obtained with the total flux of 1.19 kg/m2h with TEOS content of 1.8 g, furfural feed concentration of 30 wt.%, operating temperature, and vacuum pressure at 100 kPa and 50 °C, respectively. PDMS/TEOS was successfully synthesized and coated on ceramic tube‐supported with a thickness of 15 μm. The ceramic tube‐supported membrane demonstrated good hydrophobicity with a contact angle of 109.5° and excellent thermal stability at 450 °C. The obtained results demonstrated that the ceramic tube‐supported PDMS/TEOS membrane is potent to be utilized for the separation of the furfural‐water mixture by PV technology.
Ceramic tube‐supported polydimethylsiloxane/tetraethyl‐orthosilicate (PDMS/TEOS) membranes with different precursor ratios were successfully prepared. The influences of various factors on the pervaporation (PV) performance of PDMS/TEOS are studied. The optimal PDMS/TEOS active layer demonstrated a good structural interaction between precursor, thermal stability, and hydrophobicity. Ceramic tube‐supported PDMS/TEOS membrane showed excellent PV performance of with low activation energy.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Existing literature does not assess the contagion from emerging Asian stock markets to Vietnam amid the Pandemic. The bivariate VAR and BEKK-GARCH models in this study aim to analyse the return and ...volatility contagion effects between countries. The main findings reveal Philippine, Singapore, and Thai stocks' spread on the Vietnam index during the COVID-19 period. The direction from the Vietnam index towards Malaysia and the Philippines is opposite. This conclusion helps investors with more information to diversify their portfolios, minimize risks during the Pandemic.
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BFBNIB, NUK, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
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