44 research outputs found
Blood pressure percentiles and systemic hypertension-associated factors among children aged between 6 and 15 years in Southern Vietnam
Background: The present study determined blood pressure percentiles in children aged between 6 and 15 years in Southern Vietnam.
Material and methods: Blood pressure was measured in a random sample of 1080 students aged 6â15 years who was studying at primary and secondary high schools in My Tho city, Vietnam. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 to June 2020. To diagnose children systemic hypertension, the blood pressure must be above the 95th percentile. Data were analyzed by IBM SPSS statistics software version 20.0. The Chi-squared test was employed to evaluate the relationship between systemic hypertension and child demographic characteristics including gender and obesity.
Results: The results showed that the 95th percentiles of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the children was 110/70 mm Hg in the 6-year-old group, 120/75 mm Hg in the 7 to12-year-old group and 125/80 mm Hg in the 13 to 15-year-old group, respectively. The rate of systemic hypertension in the children was 10% whereas boys had a 1.2 time higher risk of systemic hypertension than girls (p > 0.05). Obese children had an 8.6 time higher risk of systemic hypertension than non-obese ones (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The blood pressure percentile chart of school children aged 6â15 years were reported here for the first time in Vietnam. The results provided useful information in early diagnosis and timely treatment of systemic hypertension in children
Rebellious youth and ineffective advice: A study of Vietnamese adolescentsâ capability to deal with digital threats
The digital era brings various benefits to adolescents. However, operating on the digital environment without sufficient knowledge and skills will expose them to multiple types of risks, especially in the country with low digital safety education rate like Vietnam. The current study examines factors that can contribute to cultivating adolescentsâ digital resilience using the information-processing reasoning of the Mindsponge Theory. A UNESCO dataset of 1061 Vietnamese high school students was analyzed using the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework analytics. It is found that adolescentsâ daily Internet usage frequency, parentsâ Internet safety guidance, and teachersâ safety guidance are positively associated with digital resilience. However, the effects of parentsâ and teachersâ Internet safety guidance on digital resilience are conditional on the daily Internet usage frequency. Parentsâ guidance only enhances adolescentsâ digital resilience if they use the Internet less than four hours per day. In contrast, the positive effect of teachersâ guidance on adolescentsâ digital resilience becomes stronger when the students spend more time on the Internet (more than 1 hour). Based on these findings, we suggest that adolescents can learn to minimize risks and protect themselves by exposing more to the digital environment. Parentsâ and teachersâ supports are important in enhancing adolescentsâ capability to deal with digital threats, but types of supports need to be carefully considered to avoid reverse impacts on adolescentsâ resilience
THIáșŸT LáșŹP CHá» Sá» CHáș€T LÆŻá»ąNG NÆŻá»C Dá»°A VĂO PHĂN TĂCH THá»NG KĂ: ĂP DỀNG CHO SĂNG HÆŻÆ NG, Tá»NH THá»ȘA THIĂN HUáșŸ
Huong Riverâs water quality was preliminarily assessed by comparing the parameters monitored with the Vietnam Technical Regulation on Surface Water Quality. The river water quality was then assessed based on Water Quality Index (WQI). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to the river water quality data during 2017â2020 to determine the weighting (wi) of the ith water quality parameter for WQI calculation. The WQI was calculated both from wi and subindex (qi). The parameters selected (n = 11) for WQI calculation consisted of pH, EC (electric conductivity), DO, TSS, BOD5, COD, N-NH4+, N-NO3â, P-PO43â, Fe (total dissolved iron), and TC (total coliform). The parameters were monitored at 8â10 sites in 4â5 sessions (February, May, August, and November). The results show that 95% of WQI at 90â100 corresponds to water quality level âgoodâ and âexcellentâ; only 5% of WQI values at 49â77 (mainly in November 2020) corresponds to the level from âbadâ to âgoodâ. In the flood-rainy season, the increase in concentrations of TSS and Fe and the decrease in DO concentration lead to a reduction in WQI. The river water quality was not significantly differed by space/monitoring sites (p > 0,05) with median WQIs of 97â100 but varied over time: the years 2017 and 2019 had median WQIs (99), higher than that in the years 2018 and 2020 (97) with p < 0,01.Cháș„t lÆ°á»Łng nÆ°á»c (CLN) sĂŽng HÆ°ÆĄng ÄÆ°á»Łc ÄĂĄnh giĂĄ sÆĄ bá» qua so sĂĄnh cĂĄc thĂŽng sá» quan tráșŻc vá»i quy Äá»nh ká»č thuáșt Viá»t Nam vá» CLN máș·t. Tiáșżp theo, CLN sĂŽng ÄÆ°á»Łc ÄĂĄnh giĂĄ qua Chá» sá» cháș„t lÆ°á»Łng nÆ°á»c (WQI). PhÆ°ÆĄng phĂĄp phĂąn tĂch thĂ nh pháș§n chĂnh (PCA) ÄÆ°á»Łc ĂĄp dỄng cho dữ liá»u CLN sĂŽng giai ÄoáșĄn 2017â2020 Äá» xĂĄc Äá»nh trá»ng sá» (wi) của thĂŽng sá» CLN i trong tĂnh toĂĄn WQI. Chá» sá» cháș„t lÆ°á»Łng nÆ°á»c ÄÆ°á»Łc tĂnh từ cáșŁ trá»ng sá» vĂ chá» sá» phỄ (qi). CĂĄc thĂŽng sá» ÄÆ°á»Łc lá»±a chá»n Äá» tĂnh WQI gá»m (n = 11): pH, EC (Äá» dáș«n Äiá»n), DO, TSS, BOD5, COD, N-NH4+, N-NO3â, P-PO43â, Fe (tá»ng sáșŻt tan) vĂ TC (tá»ng coliform). CĂĄc thĂŽng sá» ÄĂł ÄÆ°á»Łc quan tráșŻc á» 8â10 vá» trĂ trong 4â5 Äợt (thĂĄng 2, 5, 8 vĂ 11). Káșżt quáșŁ cho tháș„y, 95% cĂĄc giĂĄ trá» WQI náș±m trong khoáșŁng 90â100, ứng vá»i CLN loáșĄi âtá»tâ vĂ âráș„t tá»tâ; chá» 5% cĂĄc giĂĄ trá» WQI náș±m trong khoáșŁng 49â77 (chủ yáșżu vĂ o thĂĄng 11/2020), ứng vá»i CLN loáșĄi âxáș„uâ Äáșżn âtá»tâ. VĂ o mĂča mÆ°a lĆ©, ná»ng Äá» TSS vĂ Fe tÄng lĂȘn, ná»ng Äá» DO giáșŁm, dáș«n Äáșżn lĂ m giáșŁm WQI. Cháș„t lÆ°á»Łng nÆ°á»c sĂŽng khĂŽng khĂĄc nhau cĂł Ăœ nghÄ©a thá»ng kĂȘ theo khĂŽng gian/vá» trĂ quan tráșŻc (p > 0,05) vá»i WQI trung vá» 97â100 nhÆ°ng khĂĄc nhau theo thá»i gian: nÄm 2017 vĂ 2019 cĂł WQI trung vá» (99) lá»n hÆĄn nÄm 2018 vĂ 2020 (WQI trung vá» 97) vá»i p < 0,01
Spatiotemporal evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants during large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19, Vietnam, 2021
We analyzed 1,303 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from Vietnam, and found the Alpha and Delta variants were responsible for a large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021. The Delta variant was confined to the AY.57 lineage and caused >1.7 million infections and >32,000 deaths. Viral transmission was strongly affected by nonpharmaceutical interventions
Impact of varicocele repair on semen parameters in infertile men: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose: Despite the significant role of varicocele in the pathogenesis of male infertility, the impact of varicocele repair (VR) on conventional semen parameters remains controversial. Only a few systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs) have evaluated the impact of VR on sperm concentration, total motility, and progressive motility, mostly using a before-after analytic approach. No SRMA to date has evaluated the change in conventional semen parameters after VR compared to untreated controls. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of VR on conventional semen parameters in infertile patients with clinical varicocele compared to untreated controls. Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed using Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases following the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICOS) model (Population: infertile patients with clinical varicocele; Intervention: VR [any technique]; Comparison: infertile patients with clinical varicocele that were untreated; Outcome: sperm concentration, sperm total count, progressive sperm motility, total sperm motility, sperm morphology, and semen volume; Study type: randomized controlled trials and observational studies). Results: A total of 1,632 abstracts were initially assessed for eligibility. Sixteen studies were finally included with a total of 2,420 infertile men with clinical varicocele (1,424 patients treated with VR vs. 996 untreated controls). The analysis showed significantly improved post-operative semen parameters in patients compared to controls with regards to sperm concentration (standardized mean difference [SMD] 1.739; 95% CI 1.129 to 2.349; p<0.001; I2=97.6%), total sperm count (SMD 1.894; 95% CI 0.566 to 3.222; p<0.05; I2=97.8%), progressive sperm motility (SMD 3.301; 95% CI 2.164 to 4.437; p<0.01; I2=98.5%), total sperm motility (SMD 0.887; 95% CI 0.036 to 1.738; p=0.04; I2=97.3%) and normal sperm morphology (SMD 1.673; 95% CI 0.876 to 2.470; p<0.05; I2=98.5%). All the outcomes showed a high inter-study heterogeneity, but the sensitivity analysis showed that no study was sensitive enough to change these results. Publication bias was present only in the analysis of the sperm concentration and progressive motility. No significant difference was found for the semen volume (SMD 0.313; 95% CI -0.242 to 0.868; I2=89.7%). Conclusions: This study provides a high level of evidence in favor of a positive effect of VR to improve conventional semen parameters in infertile men with clinical varicocele. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first SRMA to compare changes in conventional semen parameters after VR with changes in parameters of a control group over the same period. This is in contrast to other SRMAs which have compared semen parameters before and after VR, without reference to a control group. Our findings strengthen the available evidence and have a potential to upgrade professional societiesâ practice recommendations favoring VR to improve conventional semen parameters in infertile men
Technical Aspects and Clinical Limitations of Sperm DNA Fragmentation Testing in Male Infertility: A Global Survey, Current Guidelines, and Expert Recommendations
PURPOSE: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is a functional sperm abnormality that can impact reproductive potential, for which four assays have been described in the recently published sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The purpose of this study was to examine the global practices related to the use of SDF assays and investigate the barriers and limitations that clinicians face in incorporating these tests into their practice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to complete an online survey on practices related to SDF diagnostic and treatment approaches. Their responses related to the technical aspects of SDF testing, current professional society guidelines, and the literature were used to generate expert recommendations via the Delphi method. Finally, challenges related to SDF that the clinicians encounter in their daily practice were captured.
RESULTS: The survey was completed by 436 reproductive clinicians. Overall, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) is the most commonly used assay chosen by 28.6%, followed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (24.1%), and the sperm chromatin dispersion (19.1%). The choice of the assay was largely influenced by availability (70% of respondents). A threshold of 30% was the most selected cut-off value for elevated SDF by 33.7% of clinicians. Of respondents, 53.6% recommend SDF testing after 3 to 5 days of abstinence. Although 75.3% believe SDF testing can provide an explanation for many unknown causes of infertility, the main limiting factors selected by respondents are a lack of professional society guideline recommendations (62.7%) and an absence of globally accepted references for SDF interpretation (50.3%).
CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the largest global survey on the technical aspects of SDF testing as well as the barriers encountered by clinicians. Unified global recommendations regarding clinician implementation and standard laboratory interpretation of SDF testing are crucial
Technical aspects and clinical limitations of sperm DNA fragmentation testing in male infertility: a global survey, current guidelines, and expert recommendations.
PURPOSE: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is a functional sperm abnormality that can impact reproductive potential, for which four assays have been described in the recently published sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The purpose of this study was to examine the global practices related to the use of SDF assays and investigate the barriers and limitations that clinicians face in incorporating these tests into their practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to complete an online survey on practices related to SDF diagnostic and treatment approaches. Their responses related to the technical aspects of SDF testing, current professional society guidelines, and the literature were used to generate expert recommendations via the Delphi method. Finally, challenges related to SDF that the clinicians encounter in their daily practice were captured. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 436 reproductive clinicians. Overall, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) is the most commonly used assay chosen by 28.6%, followed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (24.1%), and the sperm chromatin dispersion (19.1%). The choice of the assay was largely influenced by availability (70% of respondents). A threshold of 30% was the most selected cut-off value for elevated SDF by 33.7% of clinicians. Of respondents, 53.6% recommend SDF testing after 3 to 5 days of abstinence. Although 75.3% believe SDF testing can provide an explanation for many unknown causes of infertility, the main limiting factors selected by respondents are a lack of professional society guideline recommendations (62.7%) and an absence of globally accepted references for SDF interpretation (50.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the largest global survey on the technical aspects of SDF testing as well as the barriers encountered by clinicians. Unified global recommendations regarding clinician implementation and standard laboratory interpretation of SDF testing are crucial
Impact of Varicocele Repair on Semen Parameters in Infertile Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Purpose:Despite the significant role of varicocele in the pathogenesis of male infertility, the impact of varicocele repair (VR) on conventional semen parameters remains controversial. Only a few systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs) have evaluated the impact of VR on sperm concentration, total motility, and progressive motility, mostly using a before-after analytic approach. No SRMA to date has evaluated the change in conventional semen parameters after VR compared to untreated controls. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of VR on conventional semen parameters in infertile patients with clinical varicocele compared to untreated controls.Materials and Methods:A literature search was performed using Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases following the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICOS) model (Population: infertile patients with clinical varicocele; Intervention: VR [any technique]; Comparison: infertile patients with clinical varicocele that were untreated; Outcome: sperm concentration, sperm total count, progressive sperm motility, total sperm motility, sperm morphology, and semen volume; Study type: randomized controlled trials and observational studies).Results:A total of 1,632 abstracts were initially assessed for eligibility. Sixteen studies were finally included with a total of 2,420 infertile men with clinical varicocele (1,424 patients treated with VR vs. 996 untreated controls). The analysis showed significantly improved post-operative semen parameters in patients compared to controls with regards to sperm concentration (standardized mean difference [SMD] 1.739; 95% CI 1.129 to 2.349; pConclusions:This study provides a high level of evidence in favor of a positive effect of VR to improve conventional semen parameters in infertile men with clinical varicocele. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first SRMA to compare changes in conventional semen parameters after VR with changes in parameters of a control group over the same period. This is in contrast to other SRMAs which have compared semen parameters before and after VR, without reference to a control group. Our findings strengthen the available evidence and have a potential to upgrade professional societies' practice recommendations favoring VR to improve conventional semen parameters in infertile men.</p
Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Background
Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population.
Methods
AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged â„18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2â15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921.
Findings
Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76â1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months.
Interpretation
Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke
Technical aspects and clinical limitations of sperm DNA fragmentation testing in male infertility: A global survey, current guidelines, and expert recommendations
Purpose
Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is a functional sperm abnormality that can impact reproductive potential, for which four assays have been described in the recently published sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The purpose of this study was to examine the global practices related to the use of SDF assays and investigate the barriers and limitations that clinicians face in incorporating these tests into their practice.
Materials and Methods
Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to complete an online survey on practices related to SDF diagnostic and treatment approaches. Their responses related to the technical aspects of SDF testing, current professional society guidelines, and the literature were used to generate expert recommendations via the Delphi method. Finally, challenges related to SDF that the clinicians encounter in their daily practice were captured.
Results
The survey was completed by 436 reproductive clinicians. Overall, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) is the most commonly used assay chosen by 28.6%, followed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (24.1%), and the sperm chromatin dispersion (19.1%). The choice of the assay was largely influenced by availability (70% of respondents). A threshold of 30% was the most selected cut-off value for elevated SDF by 33.7% of clinicians. Of respondents, 53.6% recommend SDF testing after 3 to 5 days of abstinence. Although 75.3% believe SDF testing can provide an explanation for many unknown causes of infertility, the main limiting factors selected by respondents are a lack of professional society guideline recommendations (62.7%) and an absence of globally accepted references for SDF interpretation (50.3%).
Conclusions
This study represents the largest global survey on the technical aspects of SDF testing as well as the barriers encountered by clinicians. Unified global recommendations regarding clinician implementation and standard laboratory interpretation of SDF testing are crucial