The thesis addresses the challenges of face recognition in digital videos, particularly in collaborative learning environments. It introduces several methods to improve accuracy and speed, including face prototypes, sampling, K-means clustering, active sets, group face detection, face DeID, and data augmentation. The approach was tested on the AOLME dataset, showing significant improvements in recognition accuracy and speed compared to baseline methods.

The study presents the synthesis and characterization of Germanium(II) dithiolene complexes through various reactions and conditions. The monoanionic dithiolene radical is converted to a dithiolate, which reacts with GeCl2 to form a colorless crystalline solid. Further reactions with imidazole-based monothiolate and NHCiPr yield additional complexes. X-ray diffraction and DFT computations are used to analyze the molecular structure, bond angles, and distances, revealing details about the geometry and electronic structure of the complexes. The oxidation states and charges of germanium and sulfur atoms in the complexes are discussed, along with molecular orbital studies that highlight the HOMOs of the models. The experimental section details the procedures for synthesizing the compounds, including the conditions and solvents used.

Ion channels are crucial in human physiology and drug discovery, with their atomic-scale structures providing key insights into molecular mechanisms. Recent advancements in deep learning-based methods like AlphaFold, RoseTTAFold, and ESMFold have revolutionized protein structure prediction. This review examines the application of these methods to model human voltage-gated ion channels (NaV1.8, CaV1.1, KV1.3) and compares their models with cryo-EM structures, highlighting the strengths and limitations of these computational approaches for future ion channel research.

The study examines trends in psychotropic polypharmacy among youths aged 17 years or younger enrolled in Medicaid from 2015 to 2020. It identifies a 4% annual increase in the odds of psychotropic polypharmacy, with higher prevalence among disabled youths and those in foster care. The findings highlight the need for monitoring psychotropic medication use, especially among vulnerable populations. The study is limited by its focus on a single US state, which may affect the generalizability of the results.

The study explores the lived experiences of people living with multimorbidity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), highlighting the physical, mental, and social consequences of their conditions. It emphasizes the significant treatment burden due to lack of healthcare coordination, leading to duplicated care and increased costs. The study advocates for a more integrated and people-centred healthcare approach, considering the unique needs and concerns of individuals with multimorbidity. It also discusses the importance of patient agency and the need for healthcare systems to involve patients in decision-making, promote care coordination, and address social determinants of health. The study is part of the larger COSMOS project and uses a phenomenological approach to capture subjective experiences, aiming to inform more effective healthcare strategies.

Kidney failure is a growing concern among the elderly in Vietnam, with many opting for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) due to its perceived ease and quality of life benefits. This retrospective study at Thong Nhat Hospital analyzed the survival rates and factors affecting elderly patients on CAPD from 2012 to 2020. The study found that the average survival time was 45.59 months, with survival rates of 85%, 75%, and 45% at 12, 24, and 60 months, respectively. Key factors impacting survival included concomitant cardiovascular diseases and low baseline serum albumin levels. Peritonitis was identified as the leading cause of death, followed by cardiovascular diseases and malnutrition. The study highlights the need for improved long-term care and management strategies for elderly patients on CAPD in Vietnam.

Asian American women experienced a significant increase in racial discrimination and hate crimes during the COVID-19 lockdown, leading to emotional strain, social anxiety, and changes in racial identity. The study highlights the need for systematic advocacy to combat anti-Asian racism and support the well-being of Asian American women. The findings underscore the long-lasting impacts of racial discrimination on mental health and the dynamic development of racial identity, calling for solidarity and proactive measures against racism.

International conferences are crucial for global health research, but researchers from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face significant challenges, even when based in high-income nations. These challenges include funding disparities, restrictive visa policies, and the inherent advantages enjoyed by researchers from high-income countries. The article highlights the experiences of Carlos Rojas and Phuong Tran, who face financial and bureaucratic obstacles despite their valuable contributions. It calls for collective efforts to provide financial support, reform visa policies, and promote inclusivity in conference participation. Additionally, it addresses the need for climate-conscious practices in academic travel, advocating for a balanced approach to conference attendance.

A study investigated the structure-activity relationships of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists, focusing on 5F-pentylindoles. A minor modification, adding a methyl group to 5F-MMB-PICA, resulted in 5F-MDMB-PICA, which showed significantly increased efficacy and potency at the CB1 receptor compared to the reference agonist CP55940. Molecular modeling supported the pharmacological findings, indicating the importance of monitoring structural modifications of such compounds for potential toxic effects in humans.

The study presents the crystal structure of periplasmic α-amylase MalS from E. coli, revealing unique structural features such as circularly permutated domains and a possible CBM69. The enzyme's domain architecture shows a complete circular permutation of C-A-B-A-C in domain order. MalS has a substrate binding pocket suitable for six glucose units and two Ca2+ binding sites contributing to thermostability. The study also found that MalS exhibits a high binding affinity for polysaccharides like glycogen and amylopectin. The N domain, predicted to be CBM69 by AlphaFold2, might have a binding site for polysaccharides. This structural analysis provides new insights into the structure-evolution relationship in GH13 subfamily 19 enzymes and the molecular basis for understanding the catalytic function and substrate binding of MalS.

The study develops a finite element modelling framework to evaluate the ballistic performance of bio-inspired body armours, including nacre, conch, fish scales, and crustacean exoskeletons. The bio-inspired panels demonstrated superior multi-hit resistance compared to monolithic panels. The research highlights the effectiveness of nacre-like and conch-like architectures in confining damage zones and reducing projectile residual velocity, emphasizing the potential of bio-inspired designs in enhancing ballistic protection.

The study investigates the use of red- and near-infrared-excited autofluorescence as a non-invasive method to detect acute oxidative stress in skin exposed to cigarette smoke. Experiments were conducted ex vivo on porcine skin and in vivo on human volunteers. The results indicate that cigarette smoke exposure leads to a dose-dependent increase in autofluorescence intensity, suggesting oxidative stress. The method could be used to assess the protective effects of anti-pollution skin care products.

This study examines the livelihood resilience of Vietnamese upland households, focusing on the intersection of ethnicity and gender. Using a bottom-up 'subjective' resilience approach, the research highlights differences in resilience among the Pa Cô and Tà Ôi ethnic minorities in Central Vietnam. Findings indicate that ethnic women and poor households have lower resilience due to limited access to resources and cultural norms. The study underscores the importance of considering gender and poverty in resilience-building efforts and offers insights for future programs in multi-ethnic developing countries.

The study evaluates the effects of HT080, an herbal extract of Cinnamomum cassia and Rosa laevigata, on testosterone propionate-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in rats. The results show that HT080 significantly reduces prostate weight, prostate index, epithelial thickness, and serum testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels compared to the BPH group. HT080 also down-regulates androgen receptor expression and induces apoptosis by regulating Bcl-2 and Bax expression without exhibiting liver toxicity or androgenic/antiandrogenic activities. These findings suggest that HT080 could be a potential candidate for BPH treatment by modulating androgen receptor signaling and apoptosis.

The article investigates the performance of multihop full-duplex nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) systems, focusing on outage probability (OP) and potential throughput (PT) under the impact of imperfect interference cancellation and near-field path-loss. It derives closed-form expressions for these metrics, considering the effects of total transmit power and self-interference. The study highlights the benefits of the proposed systems compared to baseline models through rigorous mathematical frameworks and computer-based simulations, confirming the accuracy and advantages of the proposed systems.

The study evaluates the accuracy of three AI-based models—classification, detection, and segmentation—for distal radius fracture analysis using wrist radiographs. The models, including a commercial AI solution (BoneView) and custom networks, demonstrated high performance with good accuracy and interrater agreement. BoneView showed balanced specificity and sensitivity, while custom models achieved slightly higher accuracy with optimized thresholds. The study highlights the interchangeability of these AI approaches for clinical application, emphasizing the importance of considering the intended role of AI tools in clinical workflows.

The 2016 FDA label changes restricting the use of oral quinolones for acute, uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTI), acute sinusitis (AS), and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) led to significant reductions in their use. The study, using data from the IBM MarketScan Database, found immediate decreases in quinolone prescriptions for uUTI and less robust decreases for AS and AE-COPD. Despite these reductions, quinolones still accounted for a notable proportion of treatments for uUTI and AE-COPD by the end of the study period, indicating room for further improvement. The study highlights the impact of regulatory actions on prescribing behaviors and the need for continued efforts to optimize antibiotic use.

Approximately 10 million people contract tuberculosis (TB) annually, with 2.9 million cases unreported. The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes active case-finding (ACF) to identify undiagnosed TB cases, which is crucial in countries like Vietnam, where TB prevalence is high. This study explores the facilitators and barriers to ACF implementation in six districts of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) under the IMPACT TB project. Key findings include the importance of a supportive social and organizational context, the dedication and skills of employees and volunteers, and addressing patient-level barriers such as stigma and mistrust. The study emphasizes the need for improved communication, preparation, logistics, and incentives to enhance ACF effectiveness. Collaboration among various stakeholders, including local authorities and health organizations, is vital for successful implementation. The study provides actionable insights for future ACF strategies in Vietnam and other high TB burden countries.