Covid-19 Pandemic and Performance of Economic Sectors in Vietnam

Purpose of the paper: This study aims to consider the Covid impact on stock – price volatility of different industry groups in Vietnam by using the M-GARCH model

Covid-19 Pandemic and Performance of Economic Sectors in Vietnam

Purpose of the paper: This study aims to consider the Covid impact on stock – price volatility of different industry groups in Vietnam by using the M-GARCH model

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

Early Pandemic Influenza (2009 H1N1) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: A Clinical Virological and Epidemiological Analysis

Rogier van Doorn and colleagues analyze the initial outbreak, attempts at containment, and establishment of community transmission of pandemic H1N1 influenza in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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

Factors affecting calcining temperatures of BZT–BCT ceramics

Piezoelectric ceramic 0.48Ba[Zr0.2Ti0.8]O3 – 0.52[Ba0.7Ca0.3]TiO3 (BZT–BCT) with nanostructure was manufactured with traditional ceramic technology. The nanostructure and the sintering aid reduce the calcining temperature from 1250 to 1170 °C and the sintering temperature from 1450 to 1350 °C. The piezoelectric properties of BZT–BCT at the optimal calcining and sintering temperature are discussed in detail

ẢNH HƯỞNG CỦA NHIỆT ĐỘ THIÊU KẾT ĐẾN MỘT SỐ TÍNH CHẤT VẬT LÝ CỦA HỆ GỐM (K0,5Na0,5)NbO3

This paper reports the synthesis of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN) ceramics by using an improved conventional method. The influence of sintering temperatures of the fabricated ceramics on the piezoelectric and dielectric properties was studied. It was found that density increases greatly within a narrow temperature range, and reaches the highest value of 4.2 g/cm3 at 1090 °C, corresponding to a dense microstructure with the tetragonal grain shape. However, when sintering temperature slightly exceeds the optimal one, the density tends to decrease, accompanied by the appearance of abnormal grain growth, which is considered to be due to the intensified volatilization of alkali metal oxides. At a sintering temperature of 1090 °C, the highest values of electromechanical coupling factor (kp) and the piezoelectric coefficient (d33) of the ceramics being 0.22 and 61 pC/N, respectively, may be related to homogenous grains size of orthorhombic phase.Hệ gốm K0,5Na0,5NbO3 (KNN) được chế tạo thành công bằng phương pháp phản ứng pha rắn. Ảnh hưởng của nhiệt độ thiêu kết đến tính chất điện môi và áp điện của hệ gốm KNN đã được nghiên cứu. Kết quả thực nghiệm cho thấy mật độ gốm biến thiên khi tăng nhiệt độ thiêu kết và đạt giá trị cao nhất là 4,2 g/cm3 khi thiêu kết tại 1090 °C, tương ứng với sự hình thành các hạt gốm có dạng tứ giác phân bố khá đồng đều. Tại nhiệt độ thiêu kết 1090 °C, gốm có hệ số liên kết điện cơ theo phương bán kính (kp) và hệ số áp điện (d33) đạt giá trị cao nhất, lần lượt là 0,22 và 61 pC/N, ứng với kích thước các hạt gốm khá đồng đều

Effectiveness and Safety of Glucosamine in Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review

Knee osteoarthritis is the most popular type of osteoarthritis that causes extreme pain in the elderly. Currently, there is no cure for osteoarthritis. To lessen clinical symptoms, glucosamine was suggested. The primary goal of our systematic review study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of glucosamine based on recent studies. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane were used to assess the randomized controlled trial (RCT). From the beginning through March 2023, the papers were checked, and if they fulfilled the inclusion criteria, they were then examined. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scales were considered the main outcome measures. A total of 15 studies were selected. Global pain was significantly decreased in comparison to placebo, as measured by the VAS index, with an overall effect size of standardized mean difference (SMD) of −7.41 ([95% CI] 14.31, 0.51). The WOMAC scale confirmed that pain, stiffness, and physical function had improved, however the effects were insufficient. A statistical update also revealed that there were no reports of serious medication interactions or significant adverse events. To summarize, glucosamine is more effective than a placebo at reducing pain in knee osteoarthritis patients. In long-term treatment, oral glucosamine sulfate 1500 mg/day is believed to be well tolerated

Cost-Effectiveness of Glucosamine in Osteoarthritis Treatment: A Systematic Review

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition that most frequently affects older adults. It is currently the most common disability. The cost of treating an aging population places pressure on the healthcare budget. As a result, it is imperative to evaluate medicines’ cost-effectiveness and, accordingly, their influence on health resource allocation. Our study aims to summarize the cost and outcome of utilizing glucosamine in OA treatment. Databases like Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus were searched as part of the identification process up until April 2023. Our primary inclusion criteria centered on the economic evaluation of glucosamine in OA treatments, providing an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument was applied to grade the quality of the studies. Seven qualified studies that discussed the cost-effectiveness of glucosamine with or without other formulations were selected. All of them demonstrated that glucosamine was cost-effective. There was an increase in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) when incorporating glucosamine in conventional care. Moreover, patented crystalline glucosamine sulfate (pCGS) was more cost-effective than the other formulations of glucosamine (OFG). Overall, utilizing pCGS was more beneficial than using OFG in terms both of cost and quality of life