Color dipole cross section and inelastic structure function

Instead of starting from a theoretically motivated form of the color dipole cross section in the dipole picture of deep inelastic scattering, we start with a parametrization of the deep inelastic structure function for electromagnetic scattering with protons, and then extract the color dipole cross section. Using the parametrizations of $F_2(\xi=x \ {\rm or}\ W^2,Q^2)$ by Donnachie-Landshoff and Block et al., we find the dipole cross section from an approximate form of the presumed dipole cross section convoluted with the perturbative photon wave function for virtual photon splitting into a color dipole with massless quarks. The color dipole cross section determined this way reproduces the original structure function within about 10\% for $0.1$ GeV$^2\leq Q^2\leq 10$ GeV$^2$. We discuss the large and small form of the dipole cross section and compare with other parameterizations.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figure

The impact of corruption on the performance of newly established enterprises : empirical evidence from a transition economy

This paper investigates the effects of corruption on the performance of newly established enterprises. Using longitudinal data from enterprise surveys containing virtually all firms over the period from 2011 to 2015 in Vietnam, we find that corruption deteriorates firm financial performance, and subsequently exposes them to a greater failure probability. We further find that, while corruption imposes more harmful effects on the performance and survival of private domestic firms, it exerts no significant impact on state-owned firms. On the other hand, foreign firms are also able to take advantage of corruption to enhance their performance and survivability. In addition, our results suggest that the more mature firms are better at dealing with corruption and can eventually take advantage of it to enhance their performance. The results are robust after various model specifications as well as alternative classifications of newly established firms.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

USING A MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION-MAKING MODEL TO EVALUATE AND SELECT AN E-COMMERCE PLATFORM

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruptions in consumers' lifestyles and purchases, as well as businesses' online business models. Online platforms are increasingly used for shopping purposes. To evaluate and choose an e-commerce platform requires using many criteria and decision makers. Therefore, the process of evaluating and selecting an e-commerce platform is viewed as a multi-criteria decision-making problem. The objective of this study is to develop a multi-criteria decision-making model to help consumers evaluating the e-commerce platforms. In the proposed model, the ratings of alternatives and the weights of the criteria are evaluated using the linguistic variable. Simulation examples are used to show the effectiveness of the model in practice.  Keywords: Fuzzy TOPSIS, E-Commerce Platform, Mcdm, Fuzzy Sets

Validation of Mesocyclops (Copepoda) and community participation as an effective combination for Dengue control in Northern Vietnam

The “Programme Meso-Vietnam” was implemented in Vietnam from October 2007 to December 2010 to reduce dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever incidence and to improve the quality of life in the four project communes. This dengue control project was based on biological control using Mesocyclops, a larvivorous micro-crustacean, as well as on the establishment of a strong community involvement to educate the population on dengue transmission and to reduce Aedes breeding by removal of containers. During three years, a network of collaborators was responsible for introducing Mesocyclops in all the containers defined as key breeding-sites, and regular activities such as community training workshops, school programmes, clean-up campaigns and health promotion through IEC programmess were performed. To make this programme sustainable, local leadership has been strengthened as well. The use of these larvivorous micro-crustaceans as a biological control strategy against dengue over the medium and long term, when combined with community participation and effective health promotion, demonstrated a significant reduction in dengue vector populations and dengue cases.  In Vietnam, this study reconfirms that there is an ecological alternative to systematic use of insecticides to control dengue vector population. (Abstract word count: 186)Le " Programme Meso-Vietnam " a été mis en œuvre au Vietnam entre octobre 2007 et décembre 2010. Ce programme vise à réduire l'incidence de la dengue et de la fièvre hémorragique de la dengue et à améliorer la qualité de vie dans les quatre communes sélectionnées pour le projet. Ce projet de lutte contre la dengue était basé sur un contrôle biologique assuré par des Mésocyclopes, micro-crustacés larvivores, et sur l'établissement d'une forte implication de la communauté pour éduquer la population sur la transmission de la dengue et pour réduire la reproduction des moustiques Aedes par élimination des conteneurs leur servant de site de ponte. Pendant trois ans, un réseau de collaborateurs a été chargé d'introduire des Mésocyclopes dans tous les conteneurs définis comme des sites de reproduction clés, et des activités régulières telles que des ateliers de formation communautaires, des programmes scolaires, des campagnes de nettoyage et des activités de promotion de la santé via les programmes IEC ont été mises en place. En outre, pour assurer la pérennité de ce programme, le leadership local a été renforcé. L'utilisation de ces micro-crustacés larvivores comme stratégie de contrôle biologique de la dengue à moyen et long terme, associée à une participation communautaire et à une promotion efficace de la santé, a permis d'aboutir à une réduction significative des populations vecteurs de la dengue et des cas de dengue. Au Vietnam, cette étude confirme une fois de plus qu'il existe une alternative écologique à l'utilisation systématique d'insecticides pour lutter contre les vecteurs de la dengue.El “Programa Meso-Vietnam” se implementó en Vietnam desde octubre de 2007 hasta diciembre de 2010 para reducir la incidencia del dengue y la fiebre hemorrágica del dengue y para mejorar la calidad de vida en los cuatro municipios del proyecto. Este proyecto de control del dengue se basaba en el control biológico usando Mesocyclops, un microcrustáceo larvívoro, así como en el establecimiento de una fuerte implicación comunitaria para educar a la población sobre la transmisión del dengue y para reducir la cría de Aedes mediante la eliminación de recipientes. Durante tres años, una red de colaboradores fue responsable de la introducción de Mesocyclops en todos los recipientes definidos como sitios clave para la cría, y se realizaron actividades regulares tales como talleres de formación comunitaria, programas escolares, campañas de limpieza y promoción de la salud a través de programas de IEC. Para hacer sostenible este programa, también se reforzó el liderazgo local. El uso de estos microcrustáceos larvívoros como estrategia de control biológico contra el dengue a medio y largo plazo demostró una reducción significativa de las poblaciones de vectores del dengue y los casos de dengue cuando se combinaba con la participación comunitaria y la promoción eficaz de la salud. En Vietnam, este estudio vuelve a confirmar que existe una alternativa ecológica al uso sistemático de insecticidas para controlar la población de vectores del dengue

Multiple Recurrent Acute Ischemic Strokes Treated by Thrombectomy in a Patient with Acute Pulmonary Embolism

BACKGROUND: Thrombectomy is recommended to treat for an acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patient with anterior large vessel occlusion. However, there were neither detailed guidelines nor systematic reviews of acute ischemic stroke patients having multiple times or re-occluded arteries. CASE REPORT: In our case report, we struggled a multiple (4-times) AIS patient underwent by one intravenous r-tpA and 3 remaining of endovascular treatment of thrombectomy. Especially, the finding of both pulmonary embolism and cerebral arteries occlusion in this patient made us difficult to decide the appropriate treatment plan. The patient was considered having multiple cardiac thrombi pumping out to the brain and pulmonary vessels even in treatment with NOAC (New Oral Anticoagulant). Our priority, normally, was to recanalize the brain vessels compared to the pulmonary arteries. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, based on this noticed case study, we want to share our experiences on the diagnosis of ischemic stroke, the strategy in treatment and prevention with anticoagulant therapy

An Evaluation of Programmatic Community-Based Chest X-ray Screening for Tuberculosis in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Across Asia, a large proportion of people with tuberculosis (TB) do not report symptoms, have mild symptoms or only experience symptoms for a short duration. These individuals may not seek care at health facilities or may be missed by symptom screening, resulting in sustained TB transmission in the community. We evaluated the yields of TB from 114 days of community-based, mobile chest X-ray (CXR) screening. The yields at each step of the TB screening cascade were tabulated and we compared cohorts of participants who reported having a prolonged cough and those reporting no cough or one of short duration. We estimated the marginal yields of TB using different diagnostic algorithms and calculated the relative diagnostic costs and cost per case for each algorithm. A total of 34,529 participants were screened by CXR, detecting 256 people with Xpert-positive TB. Only 50% of those diagnosed with TB were detected among participants reporting a prolonged cough. The study's screening algorithm detected almost 4 times as much TB as the National TB Program's standard diagnostic algorithm. Community-based, mobile chest X-ray screening can be a high yielding strategy which is able to identify people with TB who would likely otherwise have been missed by existing health services

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