Service users’ participation in mental health community-based organizations

Une grande proportion de personnes aux prises avec des problèmes de santé mentale vit dans l’isolement social. Les infirmières en santé communautaire sont interpellées au premier rang pour accompagner ces personnes dans leur processus de rétablissement et pour atténuer leur isolement social. La participation au sein d’organismes communautaires optimise l’expérience de rétablissement, diminue l’isolement social et renforce les réseaux sociaux de personnes ayant des problèmes de santé mentale. Toutefois, la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services dans la structure d’organisation des organismes communautaires est encore peu documentée. Afin de pallier cette lacune, cette étude avait pour objectifs de documenter, décrire la nature de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services en santé mentale et d’explorer des facteurs facilitatants et des barrières à cette participation. Un devis de méthodes mixtes, qualitatif et quantitatif, a été utilisé. Dans le premier de deux volets, une enquête impliquant la réalisation d’entretiens semi-dirigés a été menée auprès de douze directeurs d’organismes communautaires œuvrant dans le domaine des services en santé mentale. Une version française du questionnaire « Adapted User Involvement » (Diamond, Parkin, Morris, Bettinis, & Bettesworth, 2003) a été administrée afin de documenter l’étendue de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services dans les organismes visés. Pour le deuxième volet, deux organismes communautaires ont été sélectionnés à partir des résultats du questionnaire et de l’analyse documentaire de documents publics de ces organismes. Les scores obtenus au questionnaire ont ainsi permis de sélectionner des organismes présentant des résultats contrastés en matière de participation des personnes utilisatrices de services. Les entretiens semi-dirigés ont été menés avec différents groupes de répondants (membres de conseil d’administration, personnes utilisatrices de services, employés, directeurs) afin de recueillir de l’information sur les thèmes suivants: la nature de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services, ainsi que les facteurs facilitants et les défis qui y sont associés. Les résultats de l’analyse montrent que: (1) les facteurs qui favorisent la participation des personnes utilisatrices sont: l’accès à un espace de participation pour les personnes utilisatrices et l’accompagnement de celles-ci par les intervenants de diverses disciplines pendant leur participation au sein des organismes communautaires, (2) les barrières de la participation des personnes utilisatrices au sein des organismes communautaires sont la stigmatisation sociale et les caractéristiques personnelles reliées aux problèmes de santé mentale chez les personnes utilisatrices, et (3) les avantages principaux de la participation des personnes utilisatrices de services se déclinent en services mieux adaptés à leurs besoins et leurs demandes, en leur appropriation du pouvoir (dans leur participation dans l’organisme communautaire) et en leur sentiment d’appartenance à l’organisme. À la lumière des ces constats, l’accompagnement des personnes utilisatrices de services dans leur participation apparaît une avenue prometteuse pour les infirmières en santé mentale communautaire afin de faciliter leur appropriation du pouvoir et d’améliorer leur bien-être.A large proportion of individuals with mental health problems are affected by social isolation. In the front line, community mental health nurses are called upon to accompany these individuals in their recovery process, and reduce their social isolation. User participation in community-based organizations (CBO) optimizes the recovery process, decreases feelings of social isolation, and consolidates the social support networks of individuals living with mental health problems. However, relatively little is documented on user participation within the organizational structure of mental health CBOs. To address this knowledge gap, the objectives of this study were to document, describe the nature of user participation and explore facilitating and inhibiting factors associated with user participation. A mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) design, broken into two phases, was used in this study. In the first phase, a survey of twelve directors from CBOs providing services to individuals with mental health problems was conducted using the format of semi-structured interviews. The French version of the “Adapted User Involvement Questionnaire” (Diamond et al., 2003) was administered in order to document the extent of user participation in the targeted CBOs. In the second phase, two CBOs were selected on the basis of the results of the questionnaire and the findings of the archival data analysis. The scores obtained by the administration of this questionnaire made it possible to choose CBOs with constrasting results on user participation. Different groups of key informants (members of the governing board of the CBO, service users, CBO staff and directors) from the two CBOs participated in semi-structured interviews to collect detailed information about the following themes: the nature of user participation and facilitators and inhibitors for user participation. Results of the analysis show that: (1) factors that facilitate user participation are : access to participatory space for service users and professionals of different disciplines supporting service users in user participation activities; (2) factors that inhibit user participation are : social stigmatization of individuals with mental health problems and service users’ personal characteristics associated with their mental health problems; and (3) advantages of user participation are: services adapted to users’ needs and requests, service user empowerment (in participating in organization of CBO services) and service users’ sense of belonging to the CBO. Consequently, the study’s findings suggest that accompanying service users in their participation in CBOs, in order to facilitate their empowerment and improve their well-being, is a promising avenue for community mental-health nurses

Effects of steel corrosion to BFRP Strengthened columns under eccentric loading

The experiment consists of twenty-four mid-scale rectangular RC columns (200x200x800mm) strengthening by BFRP sheets and research variables include: BFRP layer (0, 1, and 3 layers); eccentricity (25mm and 75mm); and 4 levels of steel corrosion. The results reveal that SEL (ratio of ultimate load of strengthened member to that of corresponding controlled member) is direct proportion with steel corrosion while SEV (ratio of ultimate vertical displacement of strengthened member to that of corresponding controlled member) is inverse proportion with steel corrosion; SEL slightly increases with the increase of BFRP layer and eccentricity; but SEV decreases noticeably with the increase of BFRP layer and eccentricity. In addition,the interaction between FRP sheets, stirrups, and longitudinal reinforcement in steel degraded BFRP strengthened columns is very strong.However, column design basing on current design manuals and codes as ACI 440.2R and CNR DT 200R1 has not mentioned this affect. Thus, the load capacity prediction of column being strengthened by BFRP sheets should include levels of steel corrosion for reality, reasonable, and integral of the design

Effects of steel corrosion to BFRP Strengthened columns under eccentric loading

The experiment consists of twenty-four mid-scale rectangular RC columns (200x200x800mm) strengthening by BFRP sheets and research variables include: BFRP layer (0, 1, and 3 layers); eccentricity (25mm and 75mm); and 4 levels of steel corrosion. The results reveal that SEL (ratio of ultimate load of strengthened member to that of corresponding controlled member) is direct proportion with steel corrosion while SEV (ratio of ultimate vertical displacement of strengthened member to that of corresponding controlled member) is inverse proportion with steel corrosion; SEL slightly increases with the increase of BFRP layer and eccentricity; but SEV decreases noticeably with the increase of BFRP layer and eccentricity. In addition,the interaction between FRP sheets, stirrups, and longitudinal reinforcement in steel degraded BFRP strengthened columns is very strong.However, column design basing on current design manuals and codes as ACI 440.2R and CNR DT 200R1 has not mentioned this affect. Thus, the load capacity prediction of column being strengthened by BFRP sheets should include levels of steel corrosion for reality, reasonable, and integral of the design

Synthesis of 2,7,8-trioxaspiro[4,5]decan-1-ones by manganese(III)-based reaction

Some new spiro bicyclic compounds possessing one 1,2-dioxane ring and one γ-lactone ring were successfully synthesized by manganese(III)-based reaction of 1,1-diarylethenes and 2-acetylbutyrolactone under air. The procedure was simple and the product yield was high.   The NMR spectrometric features of the products were analyzed and the reaction mechanism is briefly discussed. Keywords. Manganese(III)-based reaction, spiro bicyclic compound, 1,2-dioxane ring, γ-lactone ring

A preliminary study to establish the transfected CHO cell lines which highly express Trastuzumab - A biosimilar product of Herceptin

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) has been identified as a molecular target for breast cancer therapy, such as Trastuzumab (Herceptin®). This has been shown to improve patient survival substantially. The current study is aiming to locally produce an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody (named Trastuzumab) which has an equivalent biological properties in comparison with the original version, Herceptin®). In silico design and construction of recombinant vectors, as well as the establishment of transfected cell lines with high expression of Trastuzumab were performed. Based on the protein sequences obtained from the Drugbank, the DNA sequences encoding for the light chain (Tras-Lc) and heavy chain (Tras-Hc) of Trastuzumab were optimized and integrated into pNanogen-Hygro and pNanogen-Puro vectors, respectively. The Neon Transfection System was used to co-transfect the pNanogen-Tras-Lc-Hygro and pNanogen-Tras-Hc-Puro constructs into CHO cells. Different co-transfected single-cell-colonies selected on media supplemented with hygromycin and puromycin were used for ELISA and SDS-PAGE assays to identify the CHO cell lines which highly express Trastuzumab. Based on the present results, 30μg of both constructs were suitable for DNA co-transfection. After 07 days of culture, the highest amount of Trastuzumab (561 µg/ml) was obtained from the H06LD68 cell line

THÀNH PHẦN HÓA HỌC VÀ HOẠT TÍNH KHÁNG VI SINH VẬT GÂY BỆNH CỦA TINH DẦU TỪ VỎ BƯỞI DA XANH (Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.)

Pomelo is a Vietnam’s plant species with high nutritional and economic value. Besides, pomelo essential oil contains numerous compounds with high biological activity. The essential oil is extracted by using steam distillation, and its chemical composition is determined by means of GC-MS. The major components are limonene (91.19%), b-myrcene (2.92%), a-phellandrene (1.98%), and a-pinene (1.19%). The antimicrobial activity of essential oils is tested against pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), and Aspergillus flavus at different concentrations with the agar well diffusion method. This essential oil is active against B. cereus, S. aureus, and E. coli with inhibition diameter zones at 8.3–11.3, 10.3–18.7, and 9.0–11.7 mm, respectively, and inhibits A. flavus mold with 18.9–65.0% efficiency.Bưởi là loài cây không chỉ có giá trị cao về mặt dinh dưỡng mà còn có giá trị cao về mặt kinh tế và được trồng phổ biến ở Việt Nam. Ngoài ra, tinh dầu bưởi chứa nhiều hợp chất có hoạt tính sinh học cao. Tinh dầu bưởi được chiết xuất bằng phương pháp chưng cất lôi cuốn hơi nước và thành phần hóa học được phân tích bằng phương pháp GC-MS. Thành phần chính của tinh dầu gồm limonene (91,19%), b-myrcene (2,92%), a-phellandrene (1,98%) và a-pinene (1,19%). Hoạt tính kháng vi sinh vật của tinh dầu được khảo sát với vi khuẩn Gram dương (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus), Gram âm (Escherichia coli) và nấm mốc Aspergillus flavus ở nồng độ 5, 10, 25 và 50% bằng phương pháp khuếch tán giếng thạch. Tinh dầu có khả năng kháng B. cereus, S. aureus và E. coli với đường kính vòng kháng khuẩn lần lượt là 8,3–11,3, 10,3–18,7 và 9,0–11,7 mm và ức chế sự phát triển của A. flavus (18,9–65,0%)

Kinetics of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron variant in Vietnamese healthcare workers after primary immunization with ChAdOx1-S and booster immunization with BNT162b2

We studied the development and persistence of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain, and Delta and Omicron (BA.1 and BA.2) variants in Vietnamese healthcare workers (HCWs) up to 15 weeks after booster vaccination. We included 47 HCWs, including group 1 (G1, N = 21) and group 2 (G2; N = 26) without and with breakthrough Delta variant infection before booster immunization, respectively). The study participants had completed primary immunization with ChAdOx1-S and booster vaccination with BNT162b2. Neutralizing antibodies were measured using a surrogate virus neutralization assay. Of the 21 study participants in G1, neutralizing antibodies against ancestral strain, Delta variant, BA.1, and BA.2 were (almost) abolished at month 8 after the second dose, but all had detectable neutralizing antibodies to the study viruses at week 2 post booster dose. Of the 26 study participants in G2, neutralizing antibody levels to BA.1 and BA.2 were significantly higher than those to the corresponding viruses measured at week 2 post breakthrough infection and before the booster dose. At week 15 post booster vaccination, neutralizing antibodies to BA.1 and BA.2 dropped significantly, with more profound changes observed in those without breakthrough Delta variant infection. Booster vaccination enhanced neutralizing activities against ancestral strain and Delta variant compared with those induced by primary vaccination. These responses were maintained at high levels for at least 15 weeks. Our findings emphasize the importance of the first booster dose in producing cross-neutralizing antibodies against Omicron variant. A second booster to maintain long-term vaccine effectiveness against the currently circulating variants merits further research

Age-time-specific transmission of hand-foot-and-mouth disease enterovirus serotypes in Vietnam: a catalytic model with maternal immunity

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is highly prevalent in the Asia Pacific region, particularly in Vietnam. To develop effective interventions and efficient vaccination programs, we inferred the age-time-specific transmission patterns of HFMD serotypes enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6), coxsackievirus A10 (CV-A10), coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from a case data collected during 2013–2018 and a serological survey data collected in 2015 and 2017. We proposed a catalytic model framework with good adaptability to incorporate maternal immunity using various mathematical functions. Our results indicate the high-level transmission of CV-A6 and CV-A10 which is not obvious in the case data, due to the variation of disease severity across serotypes. Our results provide statistical evidence supporting the strong association between severe illness and CV-A6 and EV-A71 infections. The HFMD dynamic pattern presents a cyclical pattern with large outbreaks followed by a decline in subsequent years. Additionally, we identify the age group with highest risk of infection as 1-2 years and emphasise the risk of future outbreaks as over 50% of children aged 6-7 years were estimated to be susceptible to CV-A16 and EV-A71. Our study highlights the importance of multivalent vaccines and active surveillance for different serotypes, supports early vaccination prior to 1 year old, and points out the potential utility for vaccinating children older than 5 years old in Vietnam

Prognostic Values of Serum Lactate-to-Bicarbonate Ratio and Lactate for Predicting 28-Day IN-Hospital Mortality in Children With Dengue Shock Syndrome

This study aimed to assess the clinical utility of blood lactate-to-bicarbonate (L/B) ratio, as a prognostic factor for 28-day in-hospital mortality in children with dengue shock syndrome (DSS), admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This single-center retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary children hospital in southern Vietnam from 2013 to mid-2022. Prognostic models for DSS mortality were developed, using a predefined set of covariates in the first 24 hours of PICU admission. Area under the curves (AUCs), multivariable logistic and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regressions, bootstrapping and calibration slope were performed. A total of 492 children with DSS and complete clinical and biomarker data were included in the analysis, and 26 (5.3%) patients died. The predictive values for DSS mortality, regarding lactate showing AUC 0.876 (95% CI, 0.807-0.944), and that of L/B ratio 0.867 (95% CI, 0.80-0.934) (P values of both biomarkers \u3c .001). The optimal cutoff point of the L/B ratio was 0.25, while that of lactate was 4.2 mmol/L. The multivariable model showed significant clinical predictors of DSS fatality including severe bleeding, cumulative amount of fluid infused and vasoactive-inotropic score (\u3e30) in the first 24 hours of PICU admission. Combined with the identified clinical predictors, the L/B ratio yielded higher prognostic values (odds ratio [OR] = 8.66, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.96-38.3; P \u3c .01) than the lactate-based model (OR = 1.35, 95% CI, 1.15-1.58; P \u3c .001). Both the L/B and lactate models showed similarly good performances. Considering that the L/B ratio has a better prognostic value than the lactate model, it may be considered a potential prognostic biomarker in clinical use for predicting 28-day mortality in PICU-admitted children with DSS

Investigating the effectiveness of web‐based HIV self‐test distribution and linkage to HIV treatment and PrEP among groups at elevated risk of HIV in Viet Nam provinces: a mixed‐methods analysis of implementation from pilot to scale‐up

Introduction In Viet Nam, key populations (KPs) face barriers accessing HIV services. Virtual platforms can be leveraged to increase access for KPs, including for HIV self-testing (HIVST). This study compares reach and effectiveness of a web-based HIVST intervention from pilot to scale-up in Viet Nam. Methods A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design used cross-sectional and thematic analysis. The pilot launched in Can Tho in November 2020, followed by Hanoi and Nghe An in April 2021. Scale-up included Can Tho and Nghe An, with 21 novel provinces from April to December 2022. After risk assessment, participants registered on the website, receiving HIVST (OraQuick®) by courier, peer educator or self-pick-up. Test result reporting and completing satisfaction surveys were encouraged. Intervention reach was measured through numbers accessing the testing, disaggregated by demographics, and proportion of individuals reporting self-testing post-registration. Effectiveness was measured through numbers reporting self-test results, testing positive and linking to care, and testing negative and using HIVST to manage pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use. Thematic content analysis of free-text responses from the satisfaction survey synthesized quantitative outcomes. Results In total, 17,589 participants registered on the HIVST website; 11,332 individuals ordered 13,334 tests. Participants were generally young, aged <25 years (4309/11,332, 38.0%), male (9418/11,332, 83.1%) and men who have sex with men (6437/11,332, 56.8%). Nearly half were first-time testers (5069/11,332, 44.9%). Scale-up participants were two times more likely to be assigned female at birth (scale-up; 1595/8436, 18.9% compared to pilot; 392/3727, 10.5%, p < 0.001). Fewer test results were reported in scale-up compared with pilot (pilot: 3129/4140, 75.6%, scale-up: 5811/9194, 63.2%, p < 0.001). 6.3% of all tests were reactive (pilot: 176/3129, 5.6% reactive compared to scale-up: 385/5811, 6.6% reactive, p = 0.063); of which most linked to care (509/522, 97.5%). One-fifth of participants with a negative test initiated or continued PrEP (pilot; 19.8%, scale-up; 18.5%, p = 0.124). Thematic analysis suggested that community delivery models increased programmatic reach. Live chat may also be a suitable proxy for staff support to increase result reporting. Conclusions Web-based self-testing in Viet Nam reached people at elevated risk of HIV, facilitating uptake of anti-retroviral treatment and direct linkage to PrEP initiations. Further innovations such as the use of social-network testing services and incorporating features powered by artificial intelligence could increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the approach