HALL EFFECTS IN TOPOLOGICAL INSULATORS

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Reliability and validity of the Vietnamese version of the Hamilton D-17 scale

BackgroundWhile depression is a common mental disorder, the diagnosis of this condition is still challenging. Thus, there is a need to have a validated tool to help evaluate symptoms of depression. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Vietnamese version of the Hamilton D-17 scale.MethodsA cross-sectional, descriptive, and validation study was conducted on 183 patients including 139 depressed and 44 non-depressed patients at the University Medical Center of Medicine and Pharmacy University at Ho Chi Minh City. Internal reliability and inter-rater reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate construct validity. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) was used to measure concurrent validity of the Hamilton D-17. Area under the ROC curve was used to measure criterion validity.ResultsBoth Cronbach alpha coefficient and ICC were at good level at alpha = 0.83 and ICC = 0.83. CFA with a second-order model consisting of four factors fitted the data at good to excellent level. The SRMR (Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual) was 0.066, RMSEA (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) (90% CI) was 0.053 (0.036–0.069), CFI (comparative fit index) was 0.93, TLI (Tucker Lewis index) was 0.92. The Hamilton D-17 and the PHQ-9 had a correlation coefficient of r = 0.77 (p < 0.001). The Hamilton D-17 had a very high level of criterion validity with AUC of 0.93 (0.88–0.98).ConclusionThe Vietnamese version of the Hamilton D-17 scale has a high level of validity and reliability. The scale should be used to assess symptoms of depression among Vietnamese patients

Level of Factors Effects on Customers’ Satisfaction of State Health Insurance in Developing Countries: The Case of Vietnam

The article aims to assess the level of factors effecting on customer’s satisfaction with The State Health Insurance, study the case of Vietnam. Parasuraman's SERVQUAL model is utilized to measure the influence of five factors on the customers’ satisfaction with the Vietnam’s State Health Insurance. Five factors are (1) Tangibles, (2) Reliability, (3) Empathy, (4) Assurance and (5) Responsiveness. The data is surveyed by questionnaire by sampling selection method from three Vietnamese largest cities with a total of 764 respondents. Based on the results of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and multiple regression analysis, five factors have positive effects on the customers’ satisfaction. The level of responsiveness effect is highest, whereas the level of empathy effect is lowest. This empirical result demonstrates that the service quality is essential to create high customers’ satisfaction with The State Health Insurance although it is compulsory for all Vietnamese citizens. Improving service quality is the key to maintain a high covered rate of state health insurance, which contributes to ensuring social security. Keywords: customer’s satisfaction, The State Health Insurance. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-24-08 Publication date: December 31st 201

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach as a novel technique for pediatric populations: Results from a single surgeon

BackgroundThe transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) is increasingly being adopted worldwide because of its many advantages. However, there are few reports on the effectiveness and safety of TOETVA in children. In this study, we report the results of the application of TOETVA on 27 pediatric patients in Vietnam. To the best of our knowledge, this is also the largest sample size of the TOETVA technique performed by a single surgeon on pediatric patients worldwide. Patients and methods: From June 2020 to February 2022, we performed TOETVA on 27 pediatric patients (≤ 18 years old). The outcomes of the procedure were retrospectively reviewed.ResultsOur study was conducted on 27 pediatric patients, of whom 24 were female (88.9%). The mean age was 16.3 ± 2 (range 10-18). Fifteen patients had benign thyroid nodules with a mean nodule size of 31.6 ± 7.1 (range 20-50mm), and 12 patients had papillary thyroid carcinoma with a mean nodule size of 10.2 ± 5.6 (range 4-19mm). All 27 patients underwent successful TOETVA without any conversion to open surgery. The 15 patients with benign thyroid nodules had lobectomies with a mean operative time of 83.3 ± 10.5 (range 60-105 minutes). Among the 12 patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer, ten had a lobectomy, isthmusectomy, and central neck dissection, with a mean operative time of 89.8 ± 5.7 (range 80-100 minutes). The other two underwent total thyroidectomy with central lymph node dissection with a mean operative time of 132.5 minutes. The mean hospital stay was 4.7 ± 0.9 (range 3-7 days). No patient had permanent complications, such as hypocalcemia, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, or mental nerve injury. The rates of temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and mental nerve injury were 3.7% and 11.1% respectively.ConclusionsTOETVA may be a feasible and safe surgical method for children with thyroid disease. However, we recommend that only high-volume thyroid surgeons with experience in TOETVA should perform TOETVA on the pediatric population

NGHIÊN CỨU TỐI ƯU ĐIỀU KIỆN BIỂU HIỆN INTERLEUKIN-3 NGƯỜI DUNG HỢP VỚI PelB TRONG E. coli

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) is a multifunctional cytokine which modulates the proliferation, differentiation and maturation of various types of hematopoietic cells. Gene coding for IL-3 linked with pelB signal were incorporated into pET22b(+) for  expression of il3 gene in E. coli BL21; but IL-3 was synthesized at very low levels and still in fusion with PelB. To facilitate purification process, finding the appropriate fermentation conditions plays a key role in order to enhance gene il-3 expression and cleavage of PelB. In this study, we have optimized the conditions for the expression of IL-3, which included E. coli host strain JM109, LB cultivation medium, induction temperature was 25oC; induction with 0.05 mM IPTG at OD600 = 1. The cell biomass increases at about 2.3 times after optimization. IL-3 protein was expressed in the form of inclusion body and the PelB signal was cleaved. This result is conducive for purification of large amount of IL-3 to determine characteristics of protein. Interleukin-3 người (IL-3) là một cytokine đa chức năng tham gia vào các quá trình tự đổi mới, nhân lên, biệt hóa và trưởng thành của nhiều loại tế bào máu. Sau khi đưa gen il-3 gắn thêm tín hiệu tiết pelB vào vector pET22b(+) và tiến hành biểu hiện ở chủng E. coli BL21, chúng tôi nhận thấy IL-3 được tổng hợp ở mức rất thấp và còn gắn với PelB. Để thuận tiện cho khâu tinh sạch thì vấn đề then chốt là nghiên cứu tìm ra các điều kiện phù hợp làm tăng lượng IL-3 được tổng hợp, đồng thời cắt được PelB. Trong nghiên cứu này, chúng tôi so sánh khả năng sinh tổng hợp IL-3 của các chủng E. coli BL21, JM109, Soluble và Rossetta2; sau đó tối ưu hóa điều kiện biểu hiện gen il-3 về thành phần môi trường, nhiệt độ, nồng độ IPTG, thời điểm cảm ứng và kiểm tra trạng thái tồn tại của IL-3. Kết quả thu được cho thấy gen il-3 biểu hiện tốt và ổn định nhất ở chủng E. coli JM109. Dưới các điều kiện lên men thích hợp trong môi trường LB, ở 25oC, cảm ứng 0,05 mM IPTG tại OD600=1, IL-3 biểu hiện tốt, cắt khỏi PelB và tồn tại ở trạng thái không tan trong tế bào chất. Sinh khối tế bào tăng lên khoảng 2,3 lần sau khi tối ưu. Kết quả này là tiền đề cho bước tinh sạch lượng lớn IL-3 cho nghiên cứu tính chất của protein

THỰC TRẠNG NĂNG LỰC KIẾN THỨC CÁN BỘ ĐỊA CHÍNH CẤP XÃ TRONG QUẢN LÝ ĐẤT ĐAI TẠI HUYỆN A LƯỚI, TỈNH THỪA THIÊN HUẾ

Cadastral officials play an important role in land management at the local level. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the knowledge capacity of cadastral officials in A Luoi district. We used secondary and primary data by interviewing 171 people, including cadastral officials, commune leaders, district level staff and households. In parallel, we used the 5-point Likert scale (from 1-5, corresponding to the level of competence of cadastral officials from very poor to very good) for analysis. The results show that the knowledge capacity of the cadastral officials is only average, with a score of 3.4. In particular, 4 out of a total of 4 knowledge capacities in law, procedures, time and authority implementation of cadastral officials in conciliation and land dispute resolution are at an average level. In contrast, 3 out of a total of 4 knowledge capacities in conditions for issuance of land use rights certificate, procedures, and authority implementation of cadastral officials in issuance of land use rights certificate are at a good level, and 1 knowledge capacity in law is at an average level. The research results highlighted reasons and proposed some solutions to improve the knowledge capacity of cadastral officials in the study area.Cán bộ địa chính (CBĐC) cấp xã là lực lượng nòng cốt trong công tác quản lý đất đai tại địa phương. Do vậy, nghiên cứu này nhằm đánh giá năng lực kiến thức của CBĐC cấp xã trong quản lý đất đai tại huyện A Lưới. Nghiên cứu sử dụng số liệu thứ cấp và sơ cấp thông qua phỏng vấn 171 người: cán bộ cấp huyện, lãnh đạo xã, CBĐC cấp xã, và người dân để phân tích. Đồng thời, sử dụng thang đo Likert 5 mức độ (từ 1–5, tương ứng rất chưa tốt – rất tốt) để đánh giá năng lực kiến thức. Kết quả cho thấy, năng lực kiến thức CBĐC chỉ ở mức trung bình với số điểm bình quân là 3,4. Trong đó, thủ tục hoà giải, giải quyết tranh chấp đất đai có 4/4 tiêu chí về năng lực kiến thức pháp luật; trình tự thủ tục; thời gian và thẩm quyền thực hiện của CBĐC đều ở mức độ trung bình. Trái lại, thủ tục đăng ký đất đai, cấp GCN, lập và quản lý HSĐC, 3 tiêu chí kiến thức về điều kiện; trình tự và thẩm quyền thực hiện ở mức tốt, 1 tiêu chí kiến thức pháp luật bị đánh giá ở mức trung bình. Kết quả nghiên cứu đã chỉ ra các nguyên nhân và đề xuất một số giải pháp góp phần nâng cao năng lực kiến thức của CBĐC cấp xã tại địa phương

The comparative analyses of selected aspects of conservation and management of Vietnam’s national parks

The national parks in Vietnam are protected areas in the national system of special-use forests created to protect natural resources and biodiversity. In order to improve the effectiveness of management of national parks, the study assesses some current aspects of conservation and management of natural resources with respect to management plans, financial sources, staff, cooperative activities, causes of limited management capacity and threats to natural resources. Out of the total of 30 national parks, six are under the responsibility of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) and 24 national parks are managed by provincial authorities. It was found that most of the national parks have updated their management plans. Financial sources of funding for national parks mainly originated from the central and provincial budgets, with an average of 51% and 76% respectively. Fifty percent of national parks spent 40–60% of their total funding on conservation activities. About 85% of national parks’ staff had academic degrees, typically in the fields of forestry, agriculture and fisheries. Biodiversity conservation was considered a priority cooperative action in national parks with scientific institutes. Major causes of a limited management capacity of national parks included human population growth and pressure associated with resources use, lack of funding, limited human and institutional capacity and land use conflict/land grab. Illegal hunting, trapping, poaching and fishing, the illegal wildlife trade, illegal logging and firewood collecting appeared to be the most serious threats to the conservation and management of natural resources. In addition to these results, significant differences were found between the VNFOREST and provincial parks in terms of financial sources, staff and the threat of illegal logging and firewood collecting. The authors’ findings offer useful information for national park planners and managers, as well as policy makers and researchers in seeking solutions for the sustainable management of natural resources in national parks

Mortality and failure among tuberculosis patients who did not complete treatment in Vietnam: a cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tuberculosis treatment failure and death rates are low in the Western Pacific Region, including Vietnam. However, failure or death may also occur among patients who did not complete treatment, i.e. reported as default or transfer-out. We aimed to assess the proportion failures and deaths among new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients with reported default or transfer-out.</p> <p>Treatment outcomes rates were 1.4% default, 3.0% transfer-out, 0.4% failure and 2.6% death in northern Vietnam in 2003.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Tuberculosis patients in 32 randomly selected district tuberculosis units in northern Vietnam were followed up 1 to 3 years after treatment initiation for survival, recent treatment history and bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Included were 85 transferred patients and 42 who defaulted. No information was available of 41 (32%), 28 (22%) had died. Fifty-eight were available for follow-up (46%); all had sputum smear results. Tuberculosis was recorded in 11 (13%), including 6 (7%) with positive sputum smears, 3 (3%) with negative smears but positive culture and 2 (2%) who had started re-treatment for bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis. Fifteen (17%, 95%CI 10–27%) had died within 8 months after treatment initiation. Of 86 patients with known study outcomes, 39 (45%, 95%CI 35–56%) had died or had bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis. This was recorded for 29/53 (55%, 95%CI 40–68%) transferred patients and 10/33 (30%, 95%CI 16–49%) patients who defaulted.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The total failure and death rates are 0.6% and 0.8% higher than based on routine reporting in northern Vietnam. Although this was a large proportion of treatment failures and deaths, failure and death rates were low. Defaulting and transfer carry a high risk of failure and in particular death.</p