Influence of Spray Rate on Structural and Optical Properties of Sprayed ZnO Films

In this report, the ZnO nanostructure films have been deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique (USP) on fluorine doped tinoxide~(FTO) substrate using zinc acetate and aqueous 2-propanol as reactants. The effects of solution spray rate on structural, morphological and optical properties of ZnO nanostructure films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV-Vis measurements. ZnO films were crystallized in the hexagonal wurtzite phase and preferential orientation changed with changing of spray rate. Grain size and roughness of films depended on spray rate. Increasing spray rate made the films grown with bigger grain size and higher roughness. Band gap energy was determined from the UV-Vis. Its value was found to be of 3.25 eV and was almost independent on the spray rate

H2_{2}O2_{2} production in Lactobacillus strains isolated from the intestinal microbiome of healthy people

Lactobacillus sp. in the digestive tract are capable of producing H2O2 to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and balance the gut microflora. In this study, we have isolated 115 strains of Lactobacillus spp. from stool samples of healthy people in Ha Noi. Of the 50 tested Lactobacillus strains, 9 strains were capable of producing H2O2, of which the Lac.VFE-14 strain produced highly H2O2 with a concentration of 2.183 mM, followed by Lac.VFE-08 strains (2.081 mM) and Lac.VFE-04 (2.067 mM). All three strains grew well in MRS medium supplemented with bile salts or adjusted to low pH value. With 0.3% of bile salt, the survival rates of these 3 strains were 99%, 95% and 97%, respectively. At pH 3.0, after 3 hours of cultivation, the survival rates of the three strains were 98.54%, 94.15% and 95.27%, respectively. In addition, each of the cell-free culture supernatants of these three strains that inhibit the growth of S. aureus ATCC-23235. The inhibition zone diameters of the three strains were 19.0±1.0 mm, 14.0±1.0 mm and 11.7±1.3 mm, respectively. The results of 16S rRNA gene analyses showed that Lac.VFE-14, Lac.VFE-08 and Lac.VFE-04 had high similarity scores with L. plantarum ZZU 23 (100%), L. rhamnosus JCM 1136 (99%) and L. plantarum S7 (98.65%), respectively. This study indicates that all three strains have the potential to be used as probiotics in the future. 

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

Étude de la constitution des films d'oxyde anodique par absorption infrarouge

The alumina and gallium oxide formed by anodic oxidation has been studied by infra-red absorption spectrometry. The spectra have shown that the anions constituting the electrolyte are included in the oxide layer and can be characterised by bands very near those presented by the anions in the solid state. The infra-red absorption spectrum is also given for the anodic oxides of niobium and zirconium.L'étude de l'alumine et de la galline formées par oxydation, anodique a été effectuée par spectrométrie d'absorption infrarouge. Les spectres ont montré que les anions constitutifs de l'électrolyte se trouvent inclus dans la couche d oxyde et peuvent être caractérisés par des bandes qui sont très voisines de celles que présentent les anions en question à l'état solide. On donne également le spectre d'absorption infrarouge des oxydes anodiques de niobium et de zirconium

Extra classes and learning outcomes of eight-year-old children in Vietnam

Although primary school enrolment in Vietnam is high (91 per cent), most primary school students receive little more than half the annual teaching time defined by international norms. The Vietnamese school year is very short by international standards, covering only 33 weeks. In addition, only around 20 per cent of children in Vietnam receive a full-day of schooling, 5 or 6 hours according to international standards. Extra classes, outside of the normal school system, have proliferated in all regions of Vietnam. These classes fall into two categories. Legal classes, organised by schools themselves, include those provided for low-score performers or for outstandingly talented children. Illegal classes are taught by teachers who deliberately reduce the duration and content of their school-based classes to encourage students to take private tuition. The Vietnamese government is committed to providing full shifts of primary education by 2015 and has banned extra classes provided outside the normal school system. Nonetheless, the availability of and enrolment in illegal extra classes continue to increase. Young Lives research examined the extent and effects of extra classes for eight-year-old children in Vietnam. It tested for association between extra classes and numeracy, reading and writing skills. The paper presents statistical data on the amount of time and money spent on extra classes. The authors argue that such classes should be restricted because of the financial pressure that they place on poor households –without improving the attainment of children who take them

Maternal social capital and child health in Vietnam.

In Vietnam there is growing concern about the potential social impact of rapid economic changes. The extent and type of social connectedness within communities, or social capital, may be changing. Studies from other developing countries have demonstrated that social capital is often independently associated with various indicators of well-being, including such aspects of human capital as health and education. Social capital can be thought of as the ‘value’ of social relationships, reflecting the quality and quantity of relationships in a given population, most commonly those within a community. Most research acknowledges that high levels of social capital can be associated with exclusion of outsiders, restrictions on individual freedoms and reinforcement of harmful norms. This paper offers the first quantitative examination of maternal social capital and its effects upon child health in Vietnam. It shows that high levels of maternal social capital may positively affect child health by enabling mothers to access more services and more assets, such as jobs, money, and goods. It may also improve maternal physical and/or mental health. While previous research in developed and developing countries has demonstrated positive associations between adult social capital and adult indicators of well-being, the association between maternal social capital and child health has not been previously examined

Young Lives Preliminary Country Report: Vietnam

This report presents a brief literature review of childhood poverty in Vietnam, reviews national policies affecting childhood poverty, identifies key audiences for the Young Lives study, describes research results and draws provisional conclusions from the first round of data collection from Young Lives in Vietnam. Vietnam is one of the few countries to have seen a significant drop in poverty over the past decade. According to the World Bank, the total poverty rate fell from 57 per cent in 1992-93 to 37 per cent in 1997-98. Despite this achievement, there is growing concern about inequality and the vulnerability of poor children. There are no official data on the numbers of children working, but various NGO reports have shown that many work in very hazardous and difficult conditions. Laws to protect children and prevent exploitation of their labour are poorly enforced. Vietnam has high rates of school enrolment, but disparities exist for children in poorer, rural regions. Other problems include low completion rates, low quality of teaching, and fewer years of schooling compared with regional competitors. While 95 per cent of children have been immunised, fewer children in poorer quintiles have been fully immunised. Infant mortality rates are improving, but the gap between poor and non-poor households has widened and is more severe in poorer provinces. Malnutrition has declined considerably, but is still very prevalent, with rates varying from 28 per cent in relatively prosperous south-eastern Vietnam to 58 per cent in the central highlands. Over the past two decades policymakers in Vietnam have focused on economic growth, poverty reduction, and industrialisation. Social sector reforms have been undertaken, and programmes such as the Hunger Eradication and Poverty Reduction Programme have targeted the most disadvantaged groups. Young Lives data contributes to the formulation of policy and programmes that are more favourable to poor children in Vietnam. From the preliminary findings detailed in this report, the authors make a number of provisional conclusions and outline their implications for policy relating to questions of rural poverty, health, child nutrition, gender inequality, education, income diversification, and access to basic services

Reforming specialized inspection procedures to improve business environment in Vietnam for trade facilitation implementation

Our study aims to analyze and assess the process of reforming the specialized inspection procedures in Vietnam which is included in Vietnam’s trade facilitation implementation program, and suggesting some recommendations for Vietnam to do the reform to improve business environment and enhance Vietnam’s national competitiveness. By synthesizing and analyzing secondary data from creditable sources such as World Bank, UNESCAPE, UNCTAD, WTO, VCCI, General Department of Vietnam Customs, as well as interviewing officials from Ministry of Industry and Trade of Socialist Republic of Vietnam, etc. Ha and Lan (2021) stated Economic regulatory reform in Vietnam started in the early 1990s and accelerated when the country shifted its focus to economic integration policy by acceding to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995 and engaging in regional free trade agreements in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). After analyzing and assessing the real situation of Vietnam’s trade facilitation and specialized inspection reforms, this paper would like to suggest some recommendations to continuously implement specialized inspection reforms, implement trade facilitation, improve Vietnam’s business environment and enhance Vietnam’s national competitiveness

Useful treatment paradigms: Decompressive hemicraniectomy with hematoma evacuation in larger intracranial hemorrhage. Insights from a leading vietnamese hospital

Background and Purpose: Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) bears a poor prognosis, with a 30-day mortality rate of 35%–52%. The mass effects of hematoma and surrounding edema in larger supratentorial SICH lead to an increased intracranial pressure (ICP) and subsequent brain herniation. Multiple trials have failed to prove the superiority of surgical evacuation over conservative methods. However, surgery in a carefully selected set of patients is beneficial in reducing mortality and limiting disability. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) with hematoma evacuation for treating patients with larger supratentorial SICH. Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted at our hospital between December 2016 and April 2020. A total of 55 patients with large supratentorial SICH treated with DHC and hematoma evacuation during this period. Patient characteristics and clinical information were analyzed, including age, sex, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), stroke severity (e.g. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale), computed tomography (CT) scan data (signs of herniation, side and size of hematoma, midline shift), the time interval between ictus and surgery, surgical characteristics, and time of ventilation. Outcome was assessed by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at six months after surgery. Results: Fifty-five patients (82% males) were treated with DHC. The mean age was 55 years. The median NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) score at admission was 26 (range 9–32). Approximately two-thirds of the patients (69.1%) had hematoma located within the basal ganglia, while 30.9% had lobar hematomas. The median midline shift was 10.9 mm (range 4–20 mm). Intraventricular extensions were observed in 23 patients on the pre-operative CT scan. At discharge, the median mRS score was 5 (range 4–6), and 5 patients (9.1%) died. Six months after surgery, 17 patients (31%) had favorable outcomes (mRS scores 0–3), while the remaining patients had poor outcomes (mRS scores 4–6). The mortality rate was 25.5% (n = 14 patients). In comparison to the poor outcome group, those with favorable outcomes had a significantly higher GCS score (mean, 9.5 [SD = 2.5] vs 8.0 [SD = 1.9]; p = 0.013). Conversely, those who had poor outcomes were more likely to be older (mean 57.2 [SD = 10.4] vs 49.7 [SD = 10.7]; p = 0.017) and had a larger hematoma volume (mean 95.8 [SD = 32] vs 71.6 [SD = 33.0]; p = 0.018). Conclusions: Decompressive hemicraniectomy with hematoma evacuation could be beneficial for a selected group of young patients with large SICH