The determinants of liquidity risk of commercial banks in Vietnam

This research identifies factors that explain the liquidity of commercial banks in the Vietnam banking system from 2010 to 2015. Using the OLS regression method for analysis, it was found that: the interbank market helps commercial banks improve their liquidity; the larger the loan size, the higher the liquidity risk; good credit risk management has a positive impact on liquidity risk management; and long-term interest rate is negatively related to the liquidity of commercial banks. The research also makes recommendations on liquidity risk management policies to banks and policy-makers from the Government and the State Bank of Vietnam

SEASONAL VARIATION OF PHYTOPLANKTON FUNCTIONAL GROUPS IN TUYEN LAM RESERVOIR, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, VIETNAM

Seasonal changes in freshwater phytoplankton assemblages at Tuyen Lam Reservoir in the Central Highlands of Vietnam were classified into 23 functional groups based on physiological, morphological, and ecological characteristics. A total of 168 species were recorded during 10 surveys from 2015 to 2019 at 7 sampling sites, with Chlorophyta dominating in number of species. Phytoplankton abundance varied from 0.18×105 to 21.2×105 cells/L during the study period, mainly due to cyanobacteria. Seven of the 23 functional groups were considered to be dominant (relative density > 5%).  The dominant functional groups were groups M and G in the dry season and groups M, G, P, and E in the rainy season. Group M (Microcystis aeruginosa) was the most common in both seasons, while group P (Closterium, Staurastrum, Aulacoseira), group E (Dinobryon, Synura), and group G (Sphaerocystis, Eudorina) were more common in the rainy season. The Shannon diversity index (H¢) showed that phytoplankton communities were relatively diverse and that most of the study sites were lightly polluted. However, the ecological status has deteriorated at some locations due to the overgrowth of group M, leading to eutrophication in this reservoir. This study highlights the usefulness of functional groups in the study of seasonal changes in phytoplankton dynamics. Functional groups are applied for the first time at Tuyen Lam Reservoir and can be used to predict early-stage cyanobacterial blooms in future studies

Isolation, Identification, and Characterization of Tetrodotoxin Producing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B1 Originated from Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda

This study isolated and identified Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B1 from Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda by carrying out the 16S rRNA sequence analysis, reconstructing the phylogenetic tree based on the Environment for Tree Exploration (ETE3) v3.1.1 belonging to the GenomeNet. By an indirect competitive enzyme-labeled immunoassay, B1 could produce tetrodotoxin (TTX) in MRS was more highly than LB media. After purification, TTX producing ability in B1 could be detected in ELISA assay, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The gel permeation chromatography and gas chromatography were applied to determine the molecular weight of EPS and the concentration of glucose in EPS. The results indicated the highest molecular weight of exopolysaccharides (EPS) estimated 1.33 × 106 Da consisted of glucose (150.09 µg/g). TTX yield was proportional to EPS production in the bacterium. The antimicrobial activities of EPS were determined by agar well diffusion method. Diameter of inhibition zone (mm) of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens EPS on the test microorganisms. The EPS could inhibit against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Vibrio parahaemolyticus ATCC 17802 and Micrococcus luteus ATCC 10240. In silico prediction, TTX might interact with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens via the extracellular domain of noncanonic ABC-type transporter from gram positive bacteria. TTX might also interact with peptidase S54, mistic, metal binding protein of Bacillus subtilis and tryptophan-rich sensory protein of Bacillus cereus. This study provides the understanding of TTX producing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens B1 isolated from Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda

Gauge Bosons in the 3-3-1 Model with Three Neutrino Singlets

We show that the mass matrix of electrically neutral gauge bosons in the recent proposed  model based on $\mathrm{SU}(3)_C\otimes \mathrm{SU}(3)_L\otimes \mathrm{U}(1)_X$ group with three neutrino singlets [9] has two exact eigenvalues and corresponding eigenvectors. Hence the neutral non-Hermitian gauge boson $X^0_\mu$ is properly determined.With extra vacuum expectation values of the Higgs fields, there are mixings among charged gauge bosons $W^\pm$ and $Y^\pm$ as well as amongneutral gauge bosons $Z, Z'$ and $X^0$. From the $W$ boson decay width, we get lower bound on  scale of the model about few TeVs

In-band pumped conical refraction Nd:KGW laser

We have demonstrated an in-band pumped conical refraction (CR) Nd: KGW laser. The CR laser was diode-pumped at 910 nm and produced an output power of 1.15 W at 1069 nm

Determinants of antibiotic prescribing in primary care in Vietnam: a qualitative study using the Theoretical Domains Framework

Background: To formulate effective strategies for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in primary care, it is crucial to gain a thorough understanding of factors influencing prescribers' behavior within the context. This qualitative study utilizes the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to uncover these influential factors. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with primary care workers in two provinces in rural Vietnam. Data analysis employed a combined inductive and deductive approach, with the deductive aspect grounded in the TDF. Results: Thirty-eight doctors, doctor associates, and pharmacists participated in twenty-two interviews and two focus group discussions. We identified sixteen themes, directly mapping onto seven TDF domains: knowledge, skills, behavioral regulation, environmental context and resources, social influences, social/professional role and identity, and optimism. Factors driving unnecessary prescription of antibiotics include low awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), diagnostic uncertainty, prescription-based reimbursement policy, inadequate medication supplies, insufficient financing, patients’ perception of health insurance medication as an entitlement, and maintaining doctor-patient relationships. Potential factors facilitating AMS activities include time availability for in-person patient consultation, experience in health communication, and willingness to take action against AMR. Conclusion: Utilizing the TDF to systematically analyze and present behavioral determinants offers a structured foundation for designing impactful AMS interventions in primary care. The findings underscore the importance of not only enhancing knowledge and skills but also implementing environmental restructuring, regulation, and enablement measures to effectively tackle unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in this context

Heart rate variability measured from wearable devices as a marker of disease severity in tetanus

Tetanus is a disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an objective clinical marker with potential value in tetanus. This study aimed to investigate the use of wearable devices to collect HRV data and the relationship between HRV and tetanus severity. Data were collected from 110 patients admitted to the intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital in Vietnam. HRV indices were calculated from 5-minute segments of 24-hour electrocardiogram recordings collected using wearable devices. HRV was found to be inversely related to disease severity. The standard deviation of NN intervals and interquartile range of RR intervals (IRRR) were significantly associated with the presence of muscle spasms; low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) indices were significantly associated with severe respiratory compromise; and the standard deviation of differences between adjacent NN intervals, root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats, LF to HF ratio, total frequency power, and IRRR, were significantly associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The findings support the potential value of HRV as a marker for tetanus severity, identifying specific indices associated with clinical severity thresholds. Data were recorded using wearable devices, demonstrating this approach in resource-limited settings where most tetanus occurs

High prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants in commensal members of the Enterobacteriaceae in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Antimicrobial-resistant pathogenic members of the Enterobacteriaceae are a well-defined global problem. We hypothesized that one of the main reservoirs of dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes in Vietnam is non-pathogenic intestinal flora, and sought to isolate antimicrobial-resistant organisms from hospitalized patients and non-hospitalized healthy individuals in Ho Chi Minh City. The results identified substantial faecal carriage of gentamicin-, ceftazidime- and nalidixic acid-resistant members of the Enterobacteriaceae in both hospitalized patients and non-hospitalized healthy individuals. A high prevalence of quinolone resistance determinants was identified, particularly the qnrS gene, in both community- and hospital-associated strains. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that a combination of quinolone resistance determinants can confer resistance to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin, even in the apparent absence of additional chromosomal resistance mutations in wild-type strains and laboratory strains with transferred plasmids. These data suggest that intestinal commensal organisms are a significant reservoir for the dissemination of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in Ho Chi Minh City

Alterations of lipid-related genes during anti-tuberculosis treatment: insights into host immune responses and potential transcriptional biomarkers

BackgroundThe optimal diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) are challenging due to underdiagnosis and inadequate treatment monitoring. Lipid-related genes are crucial components of the host immune response in TB. However, their dynamic expression and potential usefulness for monitoring response to anti-TB treatment are unclear. MethodologyIn the present study, we used a targeted, knowledge-based approach to investigate the expression of lipid-related genes during anti-TB treatment and their potential use as biomarkers of treatment response. Results and discussionThe expression levels of 10 genes (ARPC5, ACSL4, PLD4, LIPA, CHMP2B, RAB5A, GABARAPL2, PLA2G4A, MBOAT2, and MBOAT1) were significantly altered during standard anti-TB treatment. We evaluated the potential usefulness of this 10-lipid-gene signature for TB diagnosis and treatment monitoring in various clinical scenarios across multiple populations. We also compared this signature with other transcriptomic signatures. The 10-lipid-gene signature could distinguish patients with TB from those with latent tuberculosis infection and non-TB controls (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.7 for most cases); it could also be useful for monitoring response to anti-TB treatment. Although the performance of the new signature was not better than that of previous signatures (i.e., RISK6, Sambarey10, Long10), our results suggest the usefulness of metabolism-centric biomarkersConclusionsLipid-related genes play significant roles in TB pathophysiology and host immune responses. Furthermore, transcriptomic signatures related to the immune response and lipid-related gene may be useful for TB diagnosis and treatment monitoring

Effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine fixed-dose combination in the treatment of hypertension: a systematic review

Background: Uncontrolled blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapy offers a promising approach to addressing this challenge by providing a convenient single-tablet solution that enhances the effectiveness of blood pressure control. In our systematic review, we assess the effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine FDC in managing blood pressure.Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search across four primary electronic databases, namely, PubMed, Virtual Health Library (VHL), Global Health Library (GHL), and Google Scholar, as of 8 February 2022. Additionally, we performed a manual search to find relevant articles. The quality of the selected articles was evaluated using the Study Quality Assessment Tools (SQAT) checklist from the National Institute of Health and the ROB2 tool from Cochrane.Results: Our systematic review included 17 eligible articles. The findings show that the use of perindopril/amlodipine FDC significantly lowers blood pressure and enhances the quality of blood pressure control. Compared to the comparison group, the perindopril/amlodipine combination tablet resulted in a higher rate of blood pressure response and normalization. Importantly, perindopril/amlodipine FDC contributes to improved patient adherence with minimal side effects. However, studies conducted to date have not provided assessments of the cost-effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine FDC.Conclusion: In summary, our analysis confirms the effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine FDC in lowering blood pressure, with combination therapy outperforming monotherapy and placebo. Although mild adverse reactions were observed in a small subset of participants, cost-effectiveness assessments for this treatment remain lacking in the literature