Abstract-Introductions:Joint replacements have considerably improved the quality of life of patients with damaged joints. Over the past 30 years, there has been much effort and investigations in ways to repair damages in joints, including knee and hip joints. Materials for joint production have also been developed. Many improvements have been made in the joint replacement materials to increase their biocompatibility and longevity. This study is aimed at evaluating the in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy and UHMWPE polymer used in total hip replacements. Methods: Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy and UHMWPE polymer were carefully washed with sterile distilled water then autoclaved. The materials were used directly or indirectly to evaluate pyrogens, endotoxins, animal cell cytotoxicity, gene mutation, animal cell transformation, DNA synthesis, immunogenicity, histology reactions, and immune response. All assays were performed according to ISO10993 guidelines. Results: The results showed that Ti6Al-4V titanium alloy and Chirulen 1020 UHMWPE polymer satisfied all criteria for implantable materials.

Biofertilizers produced from organic materials help to promote the growth, and yield quality of crops and is more environmentally friendly than chemical fertilizers. Moringa oleifera is a leafy vegetable whose leaves are also used to make biofertilizers. The use of moringa non-edible parts in biofertilizer preparation remains under-explored. In this study, a procedure to produce moringa foliar biofertilizer (MFB) from non-edible parts was developed. The effect of composting time (3 to 4 months) on the quality of MFB was investigated, and four-month incubation was found suitable for biofertilizers yield with the highest nitrogen content and optimal pH. Furthermore, the influences of MFB doses (20 to 100 mL per Litre) on the growth of lettuce and mustard spinach were studied. The yield of these leafy vegetables was the highest at 100 mL per Litre of MFB spray. Finally, MFB was compared with other commercial foliar sprays, including chitosan fertilizer and seaweed fertilizer. Each foliar treatment was applied every five days until five days before harvest. Plant height, the number of leaves, canopy diameter, leaf area index, actual yield, ascorbic acid content, and Brix were found to be similar in lettuce sprayed with MFB, chitosan, and seaweed fertilizers. In conclusion, the application of MFB promoted the growth and yield of mustard spinach.

Introduction: The in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes is an essential step in the in vitro embryo production. This study aimed to improve the efficacy of IVM by supplementing with granulocytemacrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the culture medium. Methods: The combinatorial effects of GM-CSF and porcine follicular fluid (pFF) were also investigated in porcine cumulusoocyte complex (COC) models. COCs were obtained by aspirating follicles with an 18 G needles. Small and medium follicles were used in this study. COCs from two kinds of follicles were divided into 13 groups to investigate the maturation of COCs at different concentrations of pFF (0, 10%) and GM-CSF (0, 2, 10, 20 ng/mL). The maturation of COCs was evaluated by different variables including cumulus expansion, the appearance of the first polar body, lipid droplet localization, mitochondrial distribution, and cortical granule distribution. Results: The results showed that GM-CSF improves the cumulus expansion, and stimulate the mitochondrial and cortical granule movement. However, GM-CSF did not increase nuclear maturation or lipid droplet localization rates in the porcine oocyte. Conclusion: In conclusion, porcine GM-CSF had some positive effects on the porcine oocyte maturation.

Stem cell research and therapy are one of the most attractive studies in the biomedicine. Not only in the bench, nowadays stem cells but also become the bustling industry. In Vietnam, biomedical scientists started to study and apply stem cells since 1995. From that, Vietnamese scientists got some significant achievements in stem cell research and therapy, especially in stem cell therapy for disease treatment. This report aimed to provide an overview of stem cell research and therapy from 1995 to date. Stem cell research activities were collected and analyzed based on the publications, projects about stem cells in some databases including Web of Science, Google Scholar, Embase, and national scientific information. The results showed that stem cell research and therapy significantly increased from 2009 to date with more publications about stem cells and more clinical applications. With this growth rate, we hope that Vietnam can develop the stem cell industry and become one the stem cell center in the Asian and the world.