Application of Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction for Serotype Determination of Dengue Virus Strains Isolated in North Vietnam, 1991 to 1993

Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to determine serotypes of 20 dengue virus strains isolated in north Vietnam in the years of 1991 and 1993. There were 10 strains of dengue type 1 (D1), 9 strains of dengue type 2 (D2) and a single strain of dengue type 4 (D4), respectively. The results completely agreed with the serotypes determined by the immunofluorescent staining (IFA) of the infected cells using dengue type-specific monoclonal antibodies

Vietnamese Dalbergia tonkinensis: A Promising Source of Mono- and Bifunctional Vasodilators

Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which are the main cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. In the search for new molecules capable of targeting KCa1.1 and CaV1.2 channels, the expression of which is altered in hypertension, the in vitro vascular effects of a series of flavonoids extracted from the heartwoods, roots, and leaves of Dalbergia tonkinensis Prain, widely used in traditional medicine, were assessed. Rat aorta rings, tail artery myocytes, and docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to analyse their effect on these channels. Formononetin, orobol, pinocembrin, and biochanin A showed a marked myorelaxant activity, particularly in rings stimulated by moderate rather than high KCl concentrations. Ba2+ currents through CaV1.2 channels (IBa1.2) were blocked in a concentration-dependent manner by sativanone, 3′-O-methylviolanone, pinocembrin, and biochanin A, while it was stimulated by ambocin. Sativanone, dalsissooside, and eriodictyol inhibited, while tectorigenin 7-O-[β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside], ambocin, butin, and biochanin A increased IKCa1.1. In silico analyses showed that biochanin A, sativanone, and pinocembrin bound with high affinity in target-sensing regions of both channels, providing insight into their potential mechanism of action. In conclusion, Dalbergia tonkinensis is a valuable source of mono- and bifunctional, vasoactive scaffolds for the development of novel antihypertensive drugs. © 2022 by the authors

Factors Influence on Promotion Mix in E-marketing: Case of Technology Services Enterprise in Vietnam

Purpose: The objective of this study is to clarify factors affecting the promotion mix in E-Marketing, with specific target audience being enterprises operating in the technology service industry in Vietnam.   Theoretical framework: Based on the promotion theory and social exchange theory, this study focuses on the factors that influence on the promotion decision in firms.   Design/Methodology/Approach: This study applies both qualitative and quantitative methods with data collected from a questionnaire survey.   Findings: There are 4 factors respectively Sales Promotion, Advertising, Public Relations and Personal Selling that affect the mixed promotion activities in E-Marketing of technology service enterprises in Vietnam.   Research, practical & social implications: This study propose solutions to improve the promotion activities in the e – marketing of firms in Vietnam.   Originality/Value: This study is one of the early studies that have focused in this field in Vietnam.Propósito: El objetivo de este estudio es aclarar los factores que afectan la combinación de promoción en E-Marketing, con un público objetivo específico que son las empresas que operan en la industria de servicios de tecnología en Vietnam. Marco teórico: Basado en la teoría de la promoción y la teoría del intercambio social, este estudio se centra en los factores que influyen en la decisión de promoción en las empresas. Diseño/metodología/enfoque: este estudio aplica métodos cualitativos y cuantitativos con datos recopilados de una encuesta de cuestionario. Hallazgos: Existen 4 factores, respectivamente, Promoción de Ventas, Publicidad, Relaciones Públicas y Ventas Personales que afectan las actividades mixtas de promoción en E-Marketing de las empresas de servicios de tecnología en Vietnam. Implicaciones de investigación, prácticas y sociales: este estudio propone soluciones para mejorar las actividades de promoción en el marketing electrónico de las empresas en Vietnam. Originalidad/valor: Este estudio es uno de los primeros que se han centrado en este campo en Vietnam.Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo é esclarecer os fatores que afetam o mix de promoção no E-Marketing, tendo como público-alvo específico as empresas que operam no setor de serviços de tecnologia no Vietnã.. Referencial teórico: Com base na teoria da promoção e na teoria das trocas sociais, este estudo se concentra nos fatores que influenciam a decisão de promoção nas empresas.. Desenho/metodologia/abordagem: Este estudo aplica métodos qualitativos e quantitativos com dados coletados de uma pesquisa por questionário. Resultados: Existem 4 fatores, respectivamente, Promoção de Vendas, Publicidade, Relações Públicas e Vendas Pessoais que afetam as atividades de promoção mista em E-Marketing de empresas de serviços de tecnologia no Vietnã. Pesquisa, implicações práticas e sociais: Este estudo propõe soluções para melhorar as atividades de promoção no e – marketing de empresas no Vietnã. Originalidade/valor: Este estudo é um dos primeiros estudos que se concentraram neste campo no Vietnã. Palavras-chave:  Mix de promoção; E-Marketing; Serviços de tecnologia; Vietn

Prevalence and correlates of zinc deficiency in pregnant Vietnamese women in Ho Chi Minh City

Background: Although Vietnam is a region with a plant-based diet that has a high zinc deficiency, epidemiological data showing how this affects pregnant women are limited. This study explores the prevalence of zinc deficiency and possible correlates in pregnant Vietnamese women in Ho Chi Minh City. Methods: This was a crosssectional study conducted at a general hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. All pregnant women who came to their first antenatal care visit from November 2011 to June 2012 were recruited. Those taking a vitamin and/or mineral supplement were excluded. Serum zinc concentrations, determined by a standard colorimetric method, of 10.7 mol/L-17.5 mol/L (70.0 g/dL-114 g/dL) were classified as normal and under 10.7 mol/L (70.0 g/dL) as zinc deficient. Results: In total, 254 pregnant women were invited and 107 (42%) participated. The mean age of participants was 29 years, and mean gestational age was 10 weeks. Median zinc concentration in serum was 13.6 mol/L, and the prevalence of zinc deficiency was 29% (95% CI=21%-39%). The daily intake of a milk product supplement was the only significant correlate of zinc deficiency of the items investigated (adjusted OR=0.40, p=0.049). Discussion: This is the first study reporting that more than 25% of pregnant Vietnamese women in Ho Chi Minh City are zinc deficient. Further academic and clinical input is needed to confirm the scale of this neglected issue and to investigate the potential of milk product supplementation in this population

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 ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 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 0·76–1·15; 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

Analyzing RBAC Security Policy of Implementation Using AST

Associated research group: Critical Systems Research GroupSecurity policy is a critical property in software applications which require high levels of safety and security. It has to be clearly specified in requirement documents and its implementation must be conformed to the specification. In this paper, we propose an approach to check if the implementation is in accordance with its security policy specification. We use the Abstract Syntax Tree (AST), another manner of expressing the program, to analyze the source code and specify user permission policy in software systems by Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Prospects for Genetic Improvement in Objective Measurements of Body Colour in Pacific Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Body colour, together with growth and survival, are traits of commercial importance in Pacific whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). However, heritability estimates for objective measurements of body colour are not available in Whiteleg shrimp species, including L. vannamei. Further, the effect of genotype by environment interactions (G &times; E) on this trait (i.e., the objective measures of body colour) and its genetic associations with growth are not known in this species. The present study presented the first attempt at understanding the genetic architecture of this complex character (body colour) that is of economic significance to the shrimp aquaculture sector world-wide. Specifically, we investigated the quantitative genetic basis of shrimp colour, while using the measurement tool (colorimeter) for a Whiteleg shrimp population reared in two contrasting environments. A total of 5464 shrimp had the objective measurements of body colour (lightness, yellowness, and redness) and growth trait records (weight, length and width). They were the offspring of 204 dams and 197 sires. The restricted maximum likelihood mixed model analysis showed that there were heritable additive genetic components for all of the measurements of shrimp colour, with the heritability (h2) ranging from 0.11&ndash;0.55. The h2 estimates for redness and yellowness traits differed between the two environments (h2 = 0.66&ndash;0.82 in Khanhhoa vs. 0.00&ndash;0.03 in Haiphong). However, the heritability for colour traits was moderate (0.11&ndash;0.55) when the two environments were combined. There is existence of (co)-genetic variances between the studied traits. The genetic correlations of body traits with redness or yellowness colour of the shrimp were moderate and positive (a*: 0.13&ndash;0.32 for redness and b*: 0.19&ndash;0.40 for yellowness). The effect of G &times; E interactions on shrimp colours could be important, as the genetic correlations for these traits between the two environments were low (&minus;0.41 to 0.16). Our results showed that the genetic improvement for body colour can be achieved through direct selection and the increased redness colour is also expected to have favorable impacts on growth traits. Breeding programs to improve shrimp colour should account for the effects of environmental factors

A new species of the genusZhangixalus(Amphibia: Rhacophoridae) from Vietnam

A new rhacophorid species is described from Vietnam on the basis of nine specimens collected in Quan Ba District, Ha Giang Province, northeastern Vietnam. The new species is morphologically similar toZhangixalus pinglongensis, Z. dorsoviridis, andZ. nigropunctatus, however, it differs from the latter by having the flank cream with large black blotches on axilla and groin. The genetic distance between the new species andZhangixalus pinglongensis, Z. dorsoviridisandZ. nigropunctatusis >3.57% (16S mtDNA gene fragment).Zhangixalus jodiaesp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species ofZhangixalusand other small rhacophorid species from Southeast Asia by a combination of the following characters: size small (SVL 36.1-39.8 mm in males); head as long as wide; vomerine teeth present; dorsal surface of head and body green without spots; axilla cream with large black blotches, groin and front-rear parts of the thigh, ventral surface of tibia black with orange blotches; lower jaw region greyish, chest and belly cream

Mixed Nanostructured Ti-W Oxides Films for Efficient Electrochromic Windows

With the aim to enhance the electrochromic (EC) efficiency and electrochemical stability of electrochromic devices (ECD), mixed nanostructured TiO2/WO3 films were prepared by an electrochemical deposition method with the purpose of adding WO3 nanoparticles to porous nanocrystalline doctor-blade TiO2 (nc-TiO2) films. The results of the characterization of electrochromic properties in 1 M LiClO4 + propylene carbonate (LiClO4 + PC) of both the nc-TiO2/F-doped tin oxide (FTO) and WO3/TiO2/FTO configurations showed the reversible coloration and bleaching of the ECDs. The response time of the ECD coloration of WO3/TiO2/FTO was found to be as small as 2 sec, and its coloration efficiency (CE) as high as 35.7 cm2 × C−1. By inserting WO3 nanoparticles into the porous TiO2 structures, WO3/TiO2 heterojunctions were formed in the films, consequently enabling both the CE and electrochemical stability of the working electrodes to be considerably enhanced. Since a large-area WO3/TiO2 can be prepared by the doctor-blade technique followed by the electrochemical deposition process, mixed nanostructured Ti-W oxides electrodes constitute a good candidate for smart window applications, taking advantage of the excellent coloration and stability properties as well as the simple and economical fabrication process involved