Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine

Plasmodium malariae, a causative agent of quartan malaria, is prevalent across tropical and subtropical regions, but global cases have been usually very rare and sporadic. However, a significant outbreak of quartan malaria caused by P. malariae occurred in Khanh Vinh District, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam in 2023 and the outbreak persists. In this report, we present the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of this unprecedented outbreak of quartan malaria in Vietnam.

Salt stress is a significant challenge that disrupts soybean growth, development, yield, and quality. A few DREB genes in the soybean have been reported to activate downstream genes in response to abiotic stresses; however, the functions of many soybean DREB, including DREB5, remain uncharacterized. This study aimed to determine the expression of the GmDREB5 and its effects on the transcription of the NtP5CS and NtSODFe in tobacco's response to salt stress.

In this study, the construct containing the soybean GmDREB5 gene was transformed into tobacco, and the expression of GmDREB5 and its downstream genes was analyzed using real-time RT-PCR. The results showed that under salt stress, the transcription levels of GmDREB5, NtP5CS, and NtSODFe increased from 8.01-fold to 87.31-fold compared to wild-type (WT) and 4.12-fold to 4.77-fold compared to under no stress conditions. The TG08 line exhibited the highest transcription levels of these genes and proline content, 2.94-fold to 4.50-fold higher compared to the WT and under non-stress conditions. The analysis in silico molecular docking showed that the DNA binding sites of the AP2 region of the DREB transcription factor interacted with the cis-acting motifs, DRE/CRT, and GT-1 of the promoter, which regulate the NtP5CS and NtSODFe.

These findings indicate that overexpression of GmDREB5 could enhance the transcription of NtP5CS and NtSODFe, and the transcriptional activation mechanism of downstream genes was confirmed by the in silico molecular docking. This highlights GmDREB5 as a promising candidate for improving crop salt tolerance in response to salt stress.

Melasma is a benign skin condition characterized by hyperpigmented patches, primarily affecting the face, and significantly reducing patients' quality of life. Treatment is challenging due to its recurrent nature, with no single modality proving universally effective. The combination of Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment and FOB® Tri-White Serum (Hong Nhung Cosmetics Co., Ltd., Can Tho, Vietnam) may represent a promising new therapeutic approach. This cross-sectional descriptive study involved 85 female patients with melasma treated at two dermatological centers between July 2023 and June 2024. Patients underwent four Q-switched Nd:YAG laser sessions (1064 nm, 1.5-1.7 J/cm2) at three-week intervals and applied FOB® Tri-White Serum twice or three times daily. Treatment effectiveness was assessed using the Melasma Area Severity Index (MASI) score and the Felix Von Luschan skin color chart. Data were analyzed using Stata 17.0 MP, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. The mean MASI score improved significantly from 7.5±4.7 to 4.9±3.5 (p<0.05), with a 69.4% response rate. Younger patients (<45 years), individuals with a shorter disease duration (≤36 months), and cases of mild to moderate melasma exhibited more favorable outcomes. Adverse effects from both the laser and serum were mild and transient. The combination of Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and FOB® Tri-White Serum is a safe and effective treatment for melasma, demonstrating significant improvement in pigmentation with minimal side effects. Further research is needed to validate these findings with larger sample sizes and control groups.