Natural infection by Trichinella sp. has been reported in humans and more than 150 species of animals, especially carnivorous and omnivorous mammals. Although the presence of Trichinella sp. infection in wild boars (Sus scrofa) has been documented worldwide, limited information is known about Trichinella circulation in farmed wild boars in China. This study intends to investigate the prevalence of Trichinella sp. in farmed wild boars in China. Seven hundred and sixty-one (761) muscle samples from farmed wild boars were collected in Jilin Province of China from 2017 to 2020. The diaphragm muscles were examined by artificial digestion method. The overall prevalence of Trichinella in farmed wild boars was 0.53% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.51–0.55]. The average parasite loading was 0.076 ± 0.025 larvae per gram (lpg), and the highest burden was 0.21 lpg in a wild boar from Fusong city. Trichinella spiralis was the only species identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The 5S rDNA inter-genic spacer region of Trichinella was amplified and sequenced. The results showed that the obtained sequence (GenBank accession number: OQ725583) shared 100% identity with the T. spiralis HLJ isolate (GenBank accession number: MH289505). Since the consumption of farmed wild boars is expected to increase in the future, these findings highlight the significance of developing exclusive guidelines for the processing of slaughtered farmed wild boar meat in China.

Bentonite cake is usually formed on the excavated trench surface that is supported by the bentonite slurry during construction of slurry cutoff walls. The lower hydraulic conductivity of bentonite cakes formed during construction of slurry cutoff walls in comparison to backfill materials provides an additional benefit. In the present study, the hydraulic conductivities of bentonite cakes made using three different bentonites were estimated using the modified fluid-loss test under various pressures. Both the hydraulic conductivities of bentonite cakes and cutoff-wall backfill are important in evaluating the in situ hydraulic performance of slurry cutoff-wall construction. Three bentonite slurry concentrations of 4, 6, and 8% were used to fabricate bentonite cakes that represent common field conditions. X-ray diffraction, cation exchange capacity, and swell-index data were collected to characterize the bentonites. Two modified methods for analyzing fluid-loss test results were used to estimate bentonite cake hydraulic conductivities. In addition, the viscosity as a function of time was measured to explain the sealing capacities of the bentonite slurries. The bentonite-cake hydraulic conductivities ranged from 2.15×10−11 m/s to 2.88×10−10 m/s, which were 10 to 500 times lower than the cutoff wall backfill design. Experimental results for 4 and 6% bentonite slurries were relatively similar, but the 8% slurries were noticeably different. Calculated bentonite-cake thickness and stress distribution indicated that the local void ratio and hydraulic conductivity may vary across the cake thickness. The considerably lower bentonite-cake hydraulic conductivities compared to the cutoff wall backfill design show its significance in slurry cutoff-wall construction practices.

Objectives: In Vietnam, although surveillance and control of multidrug-resistant organisms is a national priority, information on the burden of these pathogens remains scarce. At the University Medical Center in Ho Chi Minh City, we assessed the proportion of carbapanemase-producing carbapenem-resistant organisms (CP-CRO) and evaluated an intervention package to prevent transmission of carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterieacea (CP-CRE) in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: All gram-negative isolates collected between November 2018 to April 2019 were tested for carbapenem resistance using the disc-diffusion method. Carbapenem-resistant bacteria, defined as meropenem resistant, were tested for phenotypic carbapenemase-production using the Becton Dickinson Phoenix CPO Detect assay. An intervention package, including placement of patients in cohorts, enhanced barrier precautions, enhanced discharge environmental cleaning, and CP-CRE rectal screening, was implemented from July 2019 through December 2020. During this period, all ICU patients were screened on admission, and negative patients were rescreened every 2 days or 7 days until discharge, death, or CRE-positive result. Admission prevalence and incidence of CP-CRE transmission was calculated among CP-CRE infected or colonized patients. Results: Among 599 gram-negative isolates collected, 108 were carbapenem-resistant isolates, of which 107 (99%) were CP-CRO by the phenotypic method. Most CP-CRO were Acinetobacter baumannii (42%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (36%). Of 1,206 patients, 433 (35.9%) were already colonized or infected with CP-CRE before admission to the ICU. The incidence rate (cases per 100 risk days) of CP-CRE colonization or infection during ICU treatment decreased from 11.5 before the intervention to 2.9 after the implementation of the intervention package. The average number of days to change from a negative to positive screening result in the intervention phase was 7.4, compared with 4.9 days during preintervention phase. Conclusions: Nearly all CROs isolated from our ICU are carbapenemase-producing CROs, with high presence on admission as well as new acquisition during an ICU stay. An intervention package containing enhanced infection control measures was effective in reducing CP-CRE transmission.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria are an urgent threat to healthcare safety around the world. In Vietnam, Although surveillance and control of multidrug-resistant organisms is a national priority, information on the burden of these resistant pathogens is still scarce. At University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, we aimed to better understand carbapenem-resistance through 2 phases: (1) assess proportion of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative organisms that are carbapanemase-producing (CP-CRO) and (2) assess transmission burden of carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterieacea (CP-CRE) in the general intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: In the first phase, all gram-negative clinical isolates collected between November 2018 and April 2019 were tested for carbapenem-resistance using the disc-diffusion method and were defined as meropenem resistant using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute 2018 break point (M100-Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing, 28th Edition). Carbapenem-resistant bacteria were tested for phenotypic carbapenemase-production using the Becton Dickinson Phoenix CPO Detect assay. In the second phase, we instituted CP-CRE rectal screening using CHROMagar mSuperCARBA media for all ICU patients from July through September 2019. Patients were screened on admission, and negative patients were rescreened every 2 days until discharge, death, or CRE-positive screening or culture. Admission prevalence and incidence of CP-CRE transmission was calculated among CP-CRE infected or colonized patients. Results: From November 2018 through April 2019, 599 gram-negative clinical isolates from 543 patient samples were identified. Of these, 108 were carbapenem-resistant; 107 (99%) of carbapenem-resistant isolates were carbapenemase-producing by phenotypic method. Most CP-CRO were Acinetobacter baumannii (45 of 107, 42%) or Klebsiella pneumoniae (39 of 107, 36%). During ICU CP-CRE colonization screening, the July positivity rate on admission was 40% (32 of 81), the August positivity rate on admission was 30% (21 of 71), and the September positivity rate on admission was 40% (30 of 75). Of those with negative admission screen, the proportion of new CP-CRE colonization in July was 45% (22 of 49), the proportion of new CP-CRE colonization in August was 64% (32 of 50), and the proportion of new CP-CRE colonization in September was 44% (20 of 45). Across all 3 months of screening, the proportions of CP-CRE that were Klebsiella, Citrobacter, or Enterobacter were 68% (118 of 174) and the proportion of CP-CRE that were Eschericia coli was 37% (56 of 174). The average number of days to turn from negative to positive screening result was 4.1. Conclusions: Our analysis demonstrates that nearly all carbapenem-resistant organisms at our hospital are carbapenemase producing. In the ICU, we identified a high burden of CP-CRE, attributable to high presence on admission and new acquisition in the ICU. An intervention package based on CDC-recommended enhanced infection control measures is being implemented to decrease CP-CRE transmission in the ICU.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None

The transfection of Cryptosporidium represents a major challenge, and current protocols are based on electroporation of freshly excysted sporozoites using a rather large amount of plasmid DNA which typically has a very poor yield. In this study, we report a fast and simple protocol for transfection of Cryptosporidium parvum that takes advantage of the DNA condensing power of the poly cationic polymer polyethylenimine (PEI) and the gene delivery property of the short cell-penetrating peptide octaarginine. Our novel protocol requires a very low amount of plasmid DNA and does not necessitate special laboratory equipment to be performed. Transfection appears to be more efficient in oocysts just triggered for excystation than the excysted sporozoites. Altogether, the application of octaarginine with PEI allows efficient transfection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on an electroporation-free protocol for transfection of sporozoites of a Cryptosporidium species.

The paper presents experimental and theoretical research data on the generation, transport, and extraction of a large cross-section (750 × 150 mm2) electron beam into the air through a thin metal foil in an accelerator with a mesh plasma cathode on the bases of a low-pressure arc and with a multi-aperture two-electrode electron-optical system. When the burning conditions of the arc discharge, responsible for the generation of the emission plasma, is changed, the characteristics of this plasma were investigated, including under the conditions of the selection of electrons from it. Our experiments show that at an accelerating voltage of 200 kV, current in the accelerating gap of up to 30 A, and full width at half maximum of up to 100 µm, the average extracted power is ≈4 kW and the extracted beam current is ≈85% from the common current into the accelerating gap. Our numerical estimates give a good correlation between the arc and emission plasma parameters depending on the electrode configuration in the discharge system and on the mechanism of electron beam generation. Analysis of the emission plasma parameters under different arc conditions and of the mechanisms responsible for the beam energy loss suggests that most of the energy in the accelerator is lost at the support grid and at the output foil due to defocusing of the beam and partial electron reflection from the foil. Other mechanisms that decrease the extracted beam energy are discussed.

The Vietnamese South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS), a cross-sectional study, was undertaken to assess the nutritional status in a nationally representative sample of children aged 0·5–11·9 years. A multi-stage cluster-randomised sampling method was used to recruit 2872 children. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference, and waist and hip circumferences. Blood biochemistry involved analyses of Hb, serum ferritin, and vitamins A and D. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24 h recall questionnaire, and nutrient intakes were compared with the Vietnamese RDA. In children aged < 5 years, approximately 14 % were stunted, 8·6 % underweight and 4·4 % thin. A higher prevalence of stunting (15·6 %) and underweight (22·2 %) was observed in school-aged children. Undernutrition was more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas. In contrast, almost 29 % of the urban children were either overweight or obese when compared with 4 % of the overweight children and 1·6 % of the obese children in rural areas. A higher percentage of children in the age group 0·5–1·9 years and residing in rural areas had low Hb levels than those in the age group 2·0–5·9 years and residing in urban areas. In children aged 6–11 years, a small percentage had low Hb (11–14 %) and vitamin A (5–10 %) levels, but almost half the children (48–53 %) had vitamin D insufficiency. Food consumption data indicated that the children did not meet the RDA for energy, protein, Fe, vitamin A, vitamin B1 and vitamin C. Results from the SEANUTS highlight the double burden of malnutrition in Vietnam. Information from the SEANUTS can serve as an input for targeted policy development, planning and development of nutrition programmes.

Nutrition is a well-known factor in the growth, health and development of children. It is also acknowledged that worldwide many people have dietary imbalances resulting in over- or undernutrition. In 2009, the multinational food company FrieslandCampina initiated the South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS), a combination of surveys carried out in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, to get a better insight into these imbalances. The present study describes the general study design and methodology, as well as some problems and pitfalls encountered. In each of these countries, participants in the age range of 0·5–12 years were recruited according to a multistage cluster randomised or stratified random sampling methodology. Field teams took care of recruitment and data collection. For the health status of children, growth and body composition, physical activity, bone density, and development and cognition were measured. For nutrition, food intake and food habits were assessed by questionnaires, whereas in subpopulations blood and urine samples were collected to measure the biochemical status parameters of Fe, vitamins A and D, and DHA. In Thailand, the researchers additionally studied the lipid profile in blood, whereas in Indonesia iodine excretion in urine was analysed. Biochemical data were analysed in certified laboratories. Study protocols and methodology were aligned where practically possible. In December 2011, data collection was finalised. In total, 16 744 children participated in the present study. Information that will be very relevant for formulating nutritional health policies, as well as for designing innovative food and nutrition research and development programmes, has become available.

We study the shape of the binary tree containing 0 that is created from percolation of coalescing random walks. The key result is a duality lemma describing the shape of the tree. Furthermore, we show that and where A(R0), M(R0), L(R0) are respectively the area, the number of external nodes and the length of the longest path of the tree R0.