The Robustness of Strong Stability of Positive Homogeneous Difference Equations

We study the robustness of strong stability of the homogeneous difference equation via the concept of strong stability radii: complex, real and positive radii in this paper. We also show that in the case of positive systems, these radii coincide. Finally, a simple example is given

The Role of Serial NT-ProBNP Level in Prognosis and Follow-Up Treatment of Acute Heart Failure after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

BACKGROUND: After coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, heart failure is still major problem. The valuable marker for it is needed. AIM: Evaluating the role of serial NT-proBNP level in prognosis and follow-up treatment of acute heart failure after CABG surgery. METHODS: The prospective, analytic study evaluated 107 patients undergoing CABG surgery at Ho Chi Minh Heart Institute from October 2012 to June 2014. Collecting data was done at pre- and post-operative days with measuring NT-proBNP levels on the day before operation, 2 hours after surgery, every next 24 h until the 5th day, and in case of acute heart failure occurred after surgery. RESULTS: On the first postoperative day (POD1), the NT-proBNP level demonstrated significant value for AHF with the cut-off point = 817.8 pg/mL and AUC = 0.806. On the second and third postoperative day, the AUC value of NT- was 0.753 and 0.751. It was statistically significant in acute heart failure group almost at POD 1 and POD 2 when analyzed by the doses of dobutamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline (both low doses and normal doses). CONCLUSION: Serial measurement of NT-proBNP level provides useful prognostic and follow-up treatment information in acute heart failure after CABG surgery

Awareness and preparedness of healthcare workers against the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey across 57 countries.

BACKGROUND: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been concerns related to the preparedness of healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to describe the level of awareness and preparedness of hospital HCWs at the time of the first wave. METHODS: This multinational, multicenter, cross-sectional survey was conducted among hospital HCWs from February to May 2020. We used a hierarchical logistic regression multivariate analysis to adjust the influence of variables based on awareness and preparedness. We then used association rule mining to identify relationships between HCW confidence in handling suspected COVID-19 patients and prior COVID-19 case-management training. RESULTS: We surveyed 24,653 HCWs from 371 hospitals across 57 countries and received 17,302 responses from 70.2% HCWs overall. The median COVID-19 preparedness score was 11.0 (interquartile range [IQR] = 6.0-14.0) and the median awareness score was 29.6 (IQR = 26.6-32.6). HCWs at COVID-19 designated facilities with previous outbreak experience, or HCWs who were trained for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, had significantly higher levels of preparedness and awareness (p<0.001). Association rule mining suggests that nurses and doctors who had a 'great-extent-of-confidence' in handling suspected COVID-19 patients had participated in COVID-19 training courses. Male participants (mean difference = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.22, 0.46; p<0.001) and nurses (mean difference = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.53, 0.81; p<0.001) had higher preparedness scores compared to women participants and doctors. INTERPRETATION: There was an unsurprising high level of awareness and preparedness among HCWs who participated in COVID-19 training courses. However, disparity existed along the lines of gender and type of HCW. It is unknown whether the difference in COVID-19 preparedness that we detected early in the pandemic may have translated into disproportionate SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease by gender or HCW type

Musielak-Orlicz-Hardy Spaces Associated with Operators Satisfying Reinforced Off-Diagonal Estimates

Let X be a metric space with doubling measure and L a one-to-one operator of type ω having a bounded H∞ -functional calculus in L2(X) satisfying the reinforced (pL; qL) off-diagonal estimates on balls, where pL ∊ [1; 2) and qL ∊ (2;∞]. Let φ : X × [0;∞) → [0;∞) be a function such that φ (x;·) is an Orlicz function, φ(·;t) ∊ A∞(X) (the class of uniformly Muckenhoupt weights), its uniformly critical upper type index l(φ) ∊ (0;1] and φ(·; t) satisfies the uniformly reverse Hölder inequality of order (qL/l(φ))′, where (qL/l(φ))′ denotes the conjugate exponent of qL/l(φ). In this paper, the authors introduce a Musielak-Orlicz-Hardy space Hφ;L(X), via the Lusin-area function associated with L, and establish its molecular characterization. In particular, when L is nonnegative self-adjoint and satisfies the Davies-Gaffney estimates, the atomic characterization of Hφ,L(X) is also obtained. Furthermore, a sufficient condition for the equivalence between Hφ,L(ℝn) and the classical Musielak-Orlicz-Hardy space Hv(ℝn) is given. Moreover, for the Musielak-Orlicz-Hardy space Hφ,L(ℝn) associated with the second order elliptic operator in divergence form on ℝn or the Schrödinger operator L := −Δ + V with 0 ≤ V ∊ L1loc(ℝn), the authors further obtain its several equivalent characterizations in terms of various non-tangential and radial maximal functions; finally, the authors show that the Riesz transform ∇L−1/2 is bounded from Hφ,L(ℝn) to the Musielak-Orlicz space Lφ(ℝn) when i(φ) ∊ (0; 1], from Hφ,L(ℝn) to Hφ(ℝn) when i(φ) ∊ (; 1], and from Hφ,L(ℝn) to the weak Musielak-Orlicz-Hardy space WHφ(ℝn) when i(φ)=is attainable and φ(·; t) ∊ A1(X), where i(φ) denotes the uniformly critical lower type index of

Weighted hardy spaces associated with operators satisfying reinforced off-diagonal estimates

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Safety and Immunogenicity of the Live Attenuated Varicella Vaccine in Vietnamese Children Aged 12 Months to 12 Years: An Open-Label, Single-Arm Bridging Study

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the SKYVaricella vaccine in healthy Vietnamese children aged 12 months to 12 years. Methods: This open-label, single-arm study involved 201 children divided into two groups: 60 children aged 12 months to 5 years and 141 children aged 6 to 12 years. Safety was assessed through immediate reactions, solicited adverse events within 7 days, and unsolicited events up to Day 42. Immunogenicity was evaluated by seroconversion rates (SCR) and geometric mean titer (GMT) increments using fluorescent antibody-to-membrane antigen (FAMA) on the day of vaccination (D0) and 42 days after vaccination (D42). Results: All participants completed the follow-up. Immediate adverse events included pain (8.0%), redness (8.0%), and swelling (20.9%) at the injection site. Within 7 days, pain (17.9%) and swelling (12.4%) were mild and self-resolving. Unsolicited adverse events were infrequent and mild. Both age groups achieved 100% SCR. GMT of varicella-zoster virus antibodies increased from 1.37 (SD 1.97) at D0 to 18.02 (SD 2.22) at D42, a 13.12-fold rise. No Grade 3 adverse events were observed. Conclusion: The SKYVaricella vaccine shows a robust immunogenic response and favorable safety profile in Vietnamese children aged 12 months to 12 years. These findings endorse its potential inclusion in pediatric vaccination programs as a reliable preventive option against varicella

Opioid Therapy for Cancer Pain in Vietnam: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceived Barriers Among Health Care Professionals, Policymakers, and Regulators

PURPOSEWe aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers among health care professionals (HCPs), policymakers, and regulators in Vietnam related to opioid therapy for cancer pain.METHODSWe conducted a cross-sectional study in Vietnam from June to August 2022. Participants completed a questionnaire on their demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes toward opioid therapy, and barriers to accessing opioids for cancer pain.RESULTSTwo hundred seven HCPs and 15 policymakers/regulators completed the questionnaire. Poor knowledge about opioids in cancer pain was found in 63.3% of HCPs and 80.0% of policymakers/regulators. Poor knowledge was associated with a lack of training in cancer pain management or palliative care (PC; prevalence ratio [PR], 1.14 [95% CI, 1.04 to 1.24]). Negative attitudes toward opioid therapy in cancer pain were held by 64.7% of HCPs and 80.0% of policymakers/regulators. Negative attitudes were associated with the unavailability of oral morphine in the workplace (PR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20]). The most common major barriers reported were the absence of national policy on pain management and PC (34.7%), inadequate training in opioid use for cancer pain (33.8%), lockdown of health facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic (32.4%), limited opioid availability in local health facilities (32.4%), and excessively restrictive regulation of opioid dispensing in pharmacies (32.4%).CONCLUSIONThis study found a knowledge deficit and negative attitudes toward opioid therapy for cancer pain among HCPs and policymakers/regulators. Improving education and training in opioid therapy is essential. Recognizing major barriers can guide strategies to enhance safe opioid accessibility for cancer pain management in Vietnam

Application of short tandem repeats (STRs) in the preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of α-thalassemia

Objectives: α-thalassemia is an autosomal recessive monogenic blood disorder, affecting up to 5% of the world's population. The occurrence rate of the disease in Vietnam varies up to up to 51.5%, with high rate of mutation carriers, of couples consisting of two carriers at risk of bearing a child with fetal Hb Bart, which can develop into hydrops fetalis syndrome, threatening the well-being of the mother and the child. Our study aims to facilitate birth of healthy/asymptomatic children of α-thalassemia carrier couples who received reproductive service at our centre during the period of 2019–2022. Materials and methods: 89 couples at risks of having α-thalassemia offsprings requested IVF procedures and PGD at Post Hospital during 2019–2022 were recruited for investigation. Couple and additional family members’ peripheral blood samples of couples and additional family members were subjected to haemoglobin electrophoresis, DNA extraction for α-thalassemia gene mutation detection and STRs linkage analysis. Data were observed and analysed on GeneMarker software. Results: 91 cycles of PGD for α-thalassemia were carried out for 89 couples. α-thalassemia large deletion (--SEA/αα) was the most common mutation identified in 88 couples, in which 4 cases also carried β-thalassemia point mutations. Combining results of PGS and PGD, 278/424 amplified embryos were transferable (HBA-mutation free or carriers of single heterozygous HBA mutation, without chromosomal abnormality). 64/89 couples have been transferred with the embryos (prioritizing mutation free ones over carriers), resulting in the birth of 36 α-thalassemia disease-free children, 17 ongoing pregnancies, and 11 with miscarriages. Conclusion: Successful application of microsatellite-based method in PGD facilitated the birth of 36 healthy children and 17 ongoing pregnancies for 53/64 couples with embryo-transferred. All resulted clinical births displayed confirmation results in line with the PGD results, thus demonstrating the feasibility and credibility of the use of STR markers in PGD