Search

Vietnamese Americans experience significant health disparities compared with other groups, but their health care utilization is suboptimal. Boat People SOS (BPSOS), a nationwide Vietnamese-serving community-based organization, implemented a community health worker and community-clinical linkage electronic referral system to improve health care utilization. Three sites (in Alabama, California, and Virginia) received the intervention; Mississippi was the comparison site. The intervention included bridging between communities and health systems, culturally appropriate health education, informal counseling and social support, advocating for individual and community needs, direct services, and building individual and community capacity through partnerships with service providers. Compared with the comparison site, clients at the intervention sites reported better overall perceived health after the intervention. Past-year medical checkups declined in both groups during the COVID-19 pandemic but declined less in the treatment group. The intervention did not reduce emergency room visits. Findings suggest that this intervention can improve health care utilization and health status among Vietnamese Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the relationship between nature relatedness (NR) on subjective positive well-being (life satisfaction) and mental disorders (depression, stress, and anxiety) in Vietnamese university students. 340 Hue University students voluntarily took part in the survey. The Nature Relatedness Scale, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and Satisfaction with Life Scale were used. Bivariate correlation, single regression, and moderation analysis were conducted to investigate the relationship between NR and the mental health of university students and the moderating role of NR. Higher levels of NR significantly predicted higher levels of life satisfaction but did not significantly predict fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. NR significantly moderated the link between life satisfaction and depression, anxiety, and stress. The findings of this study imply that efforts to enhance students' mental health should include efforts to promote their NR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intonation is an instrument for structuring discourse and emphasizing different types of information. In German, for example, pitch is used to highlight focus, while in Vietnamese, different pitch contours distinguish lexical tones. As of yet, the interplay between intonation and lexical tone in relation to information structure has not been sufficiently investigated across languages. Vietnamese has six lexical tones and is particularly interesting for investigating the influence of different intonation strategies on the realization of tones. Here, we present a production study with 70 Northern Vietnamese speakers. The participants read six sentences under two conditions. In each sentence, a word occurring in the final position of the sentence and carrying one of the six tones was pronounced in two different discourse contexts. Acoustic analyses of the intonation contours showed that Vietnamese speakers realized the words with significant differences in pitch at the onset. Yet, the strategies for raising or lowering the pitch varied depending on the tone. Our results show the use of prosodic cues in a complex tone system across a large number of speakers. In addition, the study can serve as a starting point for educational programs that include training on intonation patterns in specific contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION In non-male factor infertile couples, are there any differences in the developmental outcomes between children born through ICSI and conventional IVF (cIVF)? SUMMARY ANSWER In this preliminary study, ICSI and cIVF seem to have a comparable effect on developmental outcomes after 12 months in children born to non-male factor infertile couples. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY ICSI, an invasive technique, has raised concerns about potential developmental abnormalities in children. Limited data are available regarding the developmental outcomes of ICSI-conceived infants born to non-male factor infertile couples. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This prospective cohort study involved a follow-up of all children aged 12 months or older who were born from pregnancies resulting from either ICSI or cIVF as part of a previous randomized controlled trial (RCT) (NCT03428919). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS In the original RCT, 1064 women were randomly assigned to the ICSI or cIVF groups (532 women for each group). Follow-up was conducted with 155 couples (195 children) in the ICSI group and 141 couples (185 children) in the cIVF group. The Vietnamese version of the Ages & Stages Third Edition Questionnaires (ASQ-3) and the Development Red Flags questionnaires were completed by the participants. A total of 141 (90.1%) women (177 children) in the ICSI group and 113 (80.1%) women (145 children) in the cIVF group returned fully completed questionnaires. The primary outcomes were the developmental outcomes based on responses to the ASQ-3 and the Red Flags questionnaire. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The mean age of children at follow-up was 19.5 ± 5.0 months in the ICSI group and 19.3 ± 5.5 months in the cIVF group. The mean height and weight of children in both groups were similar. The overall proportion of children with any abnormal ASQ-3 score did not differ significantly between the ICSI and cIVF groups (16.9% vs 13.1%, P  = 0.34). The proportion of children with Red Flag signs was also comparable between the two groups (6.2% vs 9.2%, P  = 0.36, ICSI vs cIVF, respectively). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Despite a reasonably high follow-up response rate, there is a potential risk of sampling bias, and overall, the number of children with developmental abnormalities was very small. The study relied solely on questionnaires as screening tools, rather than incorporating additional behavioral observations or physical developmental tests; this may have affected the statistical power and the significance of between-group comparisons. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The current findings contribute to the existing evidence and support the comparative safety of ICSI and cIVF regarding early childhood development. However, more extensive and prolonged follow-up data for these children are needed to draw definitive conclusions. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) No external funding was received for this study, and no authors reported conflicting interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04866524 (clinicaltrials.gov). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the interaction between sentiment analysis and expressive elements in Vietnamese. We examine how the co-occurrence of various expressive elements, such as racial slurs and honorifics, influences the overall sentiment conveyed. By employing Sentic analysis, we categorize these elements based on their inherent sentiment (positive, negative, or neutral) and examine how their co-occurrence adheres to, or deviates from, the principles of Conditional Autonomy. We address two key questions: first, can expressive elements co-occur freely? While multiple occurrences of identical expressives are possible, the study investigates if different expressives, especially conflicting ones, interact freely or under specific constraints. The Compatibility Condition Model (CCM) and the Compatibility Condition Index (CCI) are introduced to explain these potential limitations. Second, if limitations exist, how precisely do they have an impact on each other? What happens if the restrictions are violated? We show how people sometimes disregard these constraints to achieve a particular communicative effect. This analysis supports the notion of multidimensionality (Potts 2005) onwards and the newfound hybrid nature of Conditional Autonomy. This concept suggests that expressive elements have some level of independence while still influencing each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refugee livelihood studies have mostly focused on policy and international aid programming and have yet to explore refugee people's long-term development beyond the initial resettlement period. This article examines the experiences of Vietnamese, Bosnian, and Tamil refugees resettled in Australia during the height of the multicultural agenda in the 1980s and 1990s. Drawing on fifty oral histories, the article argues that refugees' struggle and transformation of trauma in the past fuelled civic engagement in their new host communities. It explores the nexus of refugee lived experiences, livelihoods, and post-traumatic growth in the context of multicultural Australia to consider refugee livelihood as a long-term process. Crossing disciplinary boundaries of history and psychology, the article shows how some refugees re-interpret their trauma as motivation for positive change, a manifestation of post-traumatic growth, expressed as civic engagement, including becoming political actors in response to their histories of trauma, resistance, and growth beyond resettlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is aimed to examine Vietnamese students' deviations in sound segments when they speak English. To its end, two research questions were raised: (1) what pronunciation deviations on English sounds are empirically made by Vietnamese students in English speaking? (2) what deviations appear to resemble those found in other countries? Mixed research methods, including the recordings of oral interactions among learners and between the teacher and learners, were used by the present study. Quantitative data were empirically cumulatively documented over two successive academic years 2021/22, and 2022/23. Results showed that being synthesized with deviations from prior research across countries, two prominent pronunciation deviation processes on English sounds shared by Vietnamese students and others worldwide are: (A) dropping sounds and (B) altering/substituting sounds. However, the process of adding/inserting sounds reported in some previous studies is not evident from the present data. Accordingly, detailed discussions are delivered about the role of the first language in benefiting or impeding the mastery of English pronunciation. Further studies are also suggested for deeper insights into the related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of online learning modalities has increasingly become prevalent, particularly with the advent of COVID-19, aiming to ensure student access to learning materials. This significant shift towards offering online educational formats compels educational institutions to alter their approach and develop curricula to guarantee an optimal student experience and satisfaction within the online environment. The aim of this research is to comprehensively examine the key factors that significantly impact the satisfaction of undergraduate students with online learning in Vietnamese universities. The quantitative research methodology was implemented through the collection of surveys from a total of 437 Vietnamese students. Utilizing the PLS-SEM statistical approach, the findings reveal that technology, communication, course, outcome, and motivation for learning have significant positive influences on students' satisfaction with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the effect of instructors' attitude and the sudden change from traditional to online classes have been found with as nonsignificant. Valuable implications and practical recommendations are suggested for educational organizations and institutions in Vietnam to enhance specific activities that promote students' satisfaction with online learning and improve teaching methods provided by instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing ethnography and the theoretical paradigm of language ideology (Silverstein, M. 1979. "Language structure and linguistic ideology." In The Elements: A Parasession on Linguistic Units and Levels, edited by P. Clyne, W. Hanks, and H. Carol, 193–247. Chicago Linguistic Society), this article examines how ideologies of language inform language practices among migrant workers in a Vietnamese restaurant in South Texas. Data is drawn from participant observations, audio-recorded interactions, semi-structured interviews with participants, and collection of artifacts. Findings suggest that the participants hold certain ideologies, namely, (1) standardised English as an impediment or a resource, (2) polite language as access to community membership and career opportunities, and (3) multilingualism as a marketable commodity. Those beliefs, in turn, shape their trajectory of language practices and socialisation patterns. The participants' language ideologies, therefore, do not exist separately as a theoretical divide, nor a static social construct, but constantly evolve, mutually inform, and contest each other, dynamically transformed during their socialisation process. The paper concludes with the emphasis on exploring linguistic dynamics, such as language ideologies and multilingual turn in language socialisation, across similar transnational communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to determine whether bilinguals activate the figurative meaning of an idiom that is specific to one language when they are exposed to its translation in their other language. We used a cross-modal priming task in which participants heard L2 English sentences that ended with an idiom translated from their L1. They then saw a visually presented stimulus that was either related to the meaning of the L1 idiom, a matched control word, or a nonword, and made a lexical decision. Three experiments were run, each with a different group of bilinguals (French–English, Vietnamese–English, and Indonesian–English), and each with a monolingual English control group. In all three studies, the effect of relatedness for bilinguals and monolinguals differed, demonstrating cross-language activation of idiom meanings. Evidence was obtained that suggested that culture-specific information in idioms influenced processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noun phrases play a crucial role and appear in almost all sentences of any languages, including English and Vietnamese. Understanding the meaning of noun phrases therefore facilitates the understanding of sentences. The structures of noun phrases are usually complicated as they consist of many constituents and layers, especially for noun phrases used in research articles published in high-ranking business and economic journals. In this article, based on the theories of Greenbaum (1989) on the structures of noun phrases, the authors aim to analyze the constituents or the structures of noun phrases used in English and Vietnamese business and economic articles, compare these constituents to identify the similarities and differences between the two languages, then propose some implications for the study and translation of noun phrases from one language to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hồ Chí Minh's extended essay Fixing the Way We Work, written in 1947 after he and other high‐ranking members of the recently formed DRV (Democratic Republic of Vietnam; Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), had been forced to retreat from Hanoi to the uplands of Thái Nguyên province, elaborates on organizational and practical problems within the party and obstacles to mass mobilization. The final chapter describes a way of speaking HCM refers to as ba hoa and which he sees as a "speech sickness" afflicting many low and middle ranking cadres who are in direct contact with the masses. In the first part of this essay, I argued that the largely proscriptive and negatively formulated instructions articulated in this context cohere by virtue of a common focus on problems of action. Specifically, ba hoa names a stereotyped speech register in which the connection between speaking and doing comes undone. In what follows, the second part of the essay, I describe the other, positively formulated half of the larger project of register formation: the elevation of HCM's own mode of expression (phong cách diễn đạt) to the status of an exemplary model that all Vietnamese people are expected to emulate. This involved extensive metasemiotic elaboration and (re)framing which was accomplished, in large part, through the writings of contemporaries and later interpreters. A consideration of this literature along with an analysis of the continued spectral presence of HCM in contemporary Vietnam allows for a specification of the semiotics of exemplarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of how to understand the relation between language and action lies at the heart of both philosophical pragmatics and linguistic anthropology. This same question, although framed in a very different way, also emerged as a basic concern for communist revolutionaries in Vietnam in the mid 1940s and, I contend, continues to exercise the imagination of party members and others up until the present day. Drawing inspiration from Asif Agha's definition of a (semiotic) register as a "cultural model of action," in this essay, I consider the ways in which Hồ Chí Minh along with other high‐ranking party members sought to reform Vietnamese through a project of register formation, and thereby to transform the language into an effective instrument of mass mobilization. I suggest that this project centrally involved reconceptualizing the relationship between language and action and was pursued by, on the one hand, identifying and proscribing ways of speaking in which the connection with action was seen to be broken such that speech amounted to "mere words" and, on the other, by promoting a way of speaking in which, as the frequently used Vietnamese expression has it, "speaking goes hand‐in‐hand with doing" (nói đi đôi với làm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates how plant metaphors in Vietnamese and English proverbs reflect cultural values through an analysis. It contends that proverbs serve as a means of transmitting cultural knowledge. The essay demonstrates the influence of cultural context on metaphorical language by contrasting proverbs that convey similar meanings ("Every rose has its thorn" and "Hồng nào mà chả có gai"). Additionally, it examines proverbs that convey the same meaning but employ distinct metaphors, such as "Cơm tẻ là mẹ đẻ" versus "Corn is the staff of life." In conclusion, the essay recognizes culture-specific proverbs and asserts that comprehension of them promotes effective intercultural communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Complaints about menopause vary between cultures, and the experience of menopause changes significantly in women living in different countries. Limited evidence is available regarding the menopausal experience among Asian women. This study aims to explore the menopausal transition experiences of Vietnamese women. Methods: A qualitative inquiry was undertaken using the grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed following constructivist grounded theory methods. Results: In the early transition, women's lives underwent many challenges. They had physical manifestations of menopause and difficulty in their sexual life. Later, women identified that their psychosocial impacts were affected, leading to emotional changes and changes in perceptions of others about the menopausal transition. The study also showed that each woman had their own beliefs and religion. Finally, after experiencing physical and mental changes, women found methods for discomfort relief. These methods included seeking information, applying strategies to manage menopausal challenges and consequences, and maintaining balance. Implications for Practice: The diverse perspectives on women's menopausal transition can help nurses and other health care professionals to provide culturally appropriate care for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to identify factors associated with Vietnamese-Australian parents' language use and attitudes towards home language maintenance. Vietnamese-Australian parents (n = 151) with children aged under 18 completed a survey regarding demographic factors and factors conceptualised by Spolsky's language policy theory: language practices, language ideologies, and language management. Bivariate analyses and multiple regression models were conducted to explore associations between parents' language use and their attitudes towards home language maintenance and associated factors. Parents' language use with their child was significantly associated with their language practices (parents' language use in social situations). Parents' language use in social situations was significantly associated with language practices (parents' Vietnamese and English proficiency, parents' language use with their child), language management (frequency of attendance at community events), and one demographic factor (age). Parents' attitudes towards home language maintenance was significantly associated with language ideology factors (perceptions of cultural identity, belief in the importance of English language maintenance, belief that home language strengthens relative bonds and widens career options), and one demographic factor (income). The results can be used to assist families with Vietnamese heritage to maintain their home language by informing targeted approaches to supporting language maintenance at the community and family level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In Vietnam, the prevalence of hypertension is increasing rapidly. Patients need to be conscious of the disease for timely prevention and treatment. The Hypertension Knowledge Level Scale (HK-LS) is commonly used to assess knowledge about hypertension. Methods: Data collection was took place in a hospital in Binh Thuan province, Vietnam in February 2020 with a total of 184 paticipants. Translation and adaptation of the HK-LS, validate the questionnaire through in-person interviews with outpatients diagnosed with hypertension. The translation process followed WHO guidelines. The appraisal process evaluates through reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient) and validity (meaningful relationship between the response results of the scale and the patient's characteristics). Results: The Vietnamese version of the HK-LS was translated and proven to be reliable (Cronbach's alpha=0.72) and valid (statistically significant difference between age groups (P =0.021) and educational background (P =0.007). Conclusion: The HK-LS was translated from English into Vietnamese; the questions are clear, intelligible, and suitable for surveying patients in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spermatogenesis is a process of cell differentiation to produce fertilized sperm. Testis-expressed 15 (TEX15), an important gene in spermatogenesis, has been reported to be linked with male infertility in various populations. This study aimed to assess the association of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) TEX15 rs323347 with male infertile individuals in a Vietnamese cohort and further analyze the haplotypes of TEX15 rs323346 and TEX15 rs323347. A total of 401 unrelated males, including 202 male infertility patients and 199 healthy controls were genotyped for TEX15 rs323347 using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP). Using statistical methods, the results showed that the allele frequencies of TEX15 rs323347 were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) (p-value > 0.05), but its genotype frequencies were not significantly different between male infertility patient and control groups (p-values > 0.05). However, the CA haplotype of the two variants (rs323346 and rs323347) increased the risk of male infertility (p = 0.046, OR = 2.547, 95% CI = 0.982-6.602). Thus, this study would enrich the knowledge of the impact of genetic factors on male infertility in the Vietnamese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an effective method for improving dependency parsing which is based on a graph embedding model. The model helps extract local and global connectivity patterns between tokens. This method allows neural network models to perform better on dependency parsing benchmarks. We propose to incorporate node embeddings trained by a graph embedding algorithm into a bidirectional recurrent neural network scheme. The new model outperforms a baseline reference using a state-of-the-art method on three dependency treebanks for both low-resource and high-resource natural languages, namely Indonesian, Vietnamese and English. We also show that the popular pretraining technique of BERT would not pick up on the same kind of signal as graph embeddings. The new parser together with all trained models is made available under an open-source license, facilitating community engagement and advancement of natural language processing research for two low-resource languages with around 300 million users worldwide in total. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The patellofemoral joint is a complex joint that plays a crucial role in knee joint function and stability. This study aims to describe the MRI characteristics of the patellofemoral joint in Vietnamese adults. Subjects and Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 280 patients at Hue UMP Hospital from May 2020 to May 2021. All patients underwent knee MRI using Siemens Magnetom Amira 1.5 Tesla. The evaluation parameters included the morphology of the patella and the femoral trochlea. Results: The study found that the morphological parameters of the patellar joint varied significantly between genders and age groups. The mean largest patellar transverse diameter was 4.26 ± 0.37 cm, the average length of the lateral joint facet was 2.5 ± 0.26 cm, and the medial joint facet was 2.0 ± 0.25 cm. The patellar height was 4.07 ± 0.35 cm. The indexes of patellar morphology were higher in men than in women, except for the lateral-medial facet ratio. The most common Wiberg classification was type B (63.9%), followed by type C (25.4%), and type A was the least common (10.7%). There was a statistically significant difference in the patellar measurements between different age groups. There was a weak negative linear correlation between the dimensions of the largest transverse diameter, the length of the articular surface, the patellar articular angle, and the age of the patient. Additionally, there was a moderate inverse linear relationship between patellar height and patient age. Conclusion: This study highlights the significant variations in patellar morphology based on gender and age. The findings emphasize the importance of careful assessment and consideration of these variations in the imaging evaluation of the patellofemoral joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the past 5 years, the number of Vietnamese migrant workers in Japan has grown rapidly to become the largest group of migrant workers in the country. They hold various statuses of residence and are subjected to multifactorial stressors. Aims: The current study's aim is to investigate the association between psychological distress experienced by Vietnamese workers and their work environment. Another aim is to discuss issues involving migrant workers by comparing the characteristics of workers in the major statuses of residence. Methods: The study applied a cross-sectional design, and included a nationwide self-administered online questionnaire that was conducted in Vietnamese in 2022. The questionnaire included the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), workplace interpersonal factors as well as factors related to work and health. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate factors associated with psychological distress. Results: Of 933 Vietnamese workers, 37% were grouped as distressed under the K10 cutoff. Fewer opportunities to speak with Japanese co-workers, lower welfare and workload ratings, and the visa statuses including 'Technical Intern Training' were significantly associated with psychological distress. Unexpectedly, those in 'Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services (ESI)' category who are deemed to hold better conditions demonstrated the highest amounts of distress. Conclusion: Outside of unsatisfactory working environments, differing situations depending on status of residence could produce various sources of distress. The difficult aspects of Japan's distinct culture seem to contribute to their distress, especially for those who have more interactions with Japanese co-workers. A push for a multicultural society, where migrant workers can pursue proactive life designs of their own choosing, is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few ideas have figured more centrally in the history of social theory than that of the division of labor. Here we ask whether conversational interaction, like other forms of social activity, exhibits a division of labor and, if so, what functions this serves and how it might be understood in relation to the theories of Marx and Durkheim. We begin by noting that, though conversational participants actively work to achieve and sustain understanding, much of the time this work is invisible and only its products are displayed in the form of sequentially fitted next turns at talk. However, in sequences of other-initiated repair, the work involved in the maintenance of intersubjectivity rises to the surface. On these occasions, we can see and thus describe what participants do to achieve and sustain what they take to be adequate understanding. In our data, which consist of video recordings of casual conversations among Vietnamese same-generation peers, participants continuously display an orientation to relations of relative seniority through the selection of terms used to accomplish interlocutor reference. This pervasive orientation is also reflected in practices of repair initiation. Specifically, seniors regularly initiate repair with so-called "open class" forms such as "huh?" and "ha?" which display a minimal grasp of the talk targeted, require little effort to produce and, at the same time, push responsibility for resolving the problem onto the trouble source speaker (i.e., the junior member of the dyad). In contrast, juniors often initiate repair of a senior participant's talk by displaying a detailed understanding of what has been said, either in the form of a repeat or a reformulation, and inviting the senior to confirm. We suggest then that this asymmetry in the distribution of initiation practices reflects a "division of intersubjective labor". We conclude with some thoughts on the theoretical implications of our findings and relate them not only to the theories of Marx and Durkheimbut also to the writings of feminist sociolinguists who sought to describe the way in which women seemto be burdenedmore thanmen with what Fishman called "interactional shitwork." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the various uses of the Vietnamese morpheme quá which appears in excessive constructions. Unlike most other degree morphemes in Vietnamese, quá can precede or follow its gradable predicate, and we argue that these two different uses convey excess in very different ways: pre-predicate quá encodes purpose-oriented excessive truth conditions, whereas post-predicate quá is a comparative which projects a not-at-issue malefactive inference. We propose that the two constructions trace back to pre- and post-predicate 過 kua' in Middle Chinese, motivated by comparisons with cognate constructions in contemporary Chinese languages. We also describe two other uses of quá, as an intensifier with speaker commitment and as an exclamative marker, and explain how they developed from the excessives. This study thus offers an explanatory account of the various uses of this multifunctional expression and the relationships between them, grounded in the history of the language and in principles of semantic change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test effects of German on anticipation in Vietnamese, we recorded eye-movements during comprehension and manipulated i) verb constraints (different vs. similar in German and Vietnamese) and ii) classifier constraints (absent in German). In each of two experiments, participants listened to Vietnamese sentences like "Mai mặc một chiếc áo." ('Mai wears a [classifier] shirt.'), while viewing four objects. Between experiments, we contrasted bilingual background: L1 Vietnamese–L2 German late bilinguals (Experiment 1) and heritage speakers of Vietnamese in Germany (Experiment 2). Both groups anticipated verb-compatible and classifier-compatible objects upon hearing the verb/classifier. However, when the (verb) constraints differed (e.g., Vietnamese: mặc 'wear (a shirt/#earrings)' – German: tragen 'wear (a shirt/earrings)'), the heritage speakers were distracted by the object (earrings) compatible with the German (but not the Vietnamese) verb constraints. These results demonstrate that competing information in the two languages can interfere with anticipation in heritage speakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Linguistica Asiatica is the property of Acta Linguistica Asiatica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective The NUDT15 variants impact thiopurine dose selection in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. The ability to rapidly detect variants is important in clinical practice. This study aims to develop a simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure for detecting NUDT15 variants in Vietnamese patients. Materials and Methods Sanger sequencing was used to determine NUDT15 variants from 200 patients. We designed primers and optimized the PCR procedure for detection of wild-type and variant alleles and compared with Sanger sequencing results. Results The inserted variant c.55_56insGAGTCG was detected by differences in size through conventional PCR. The tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system PCR was successful in detecting two variations, c.52G > A and c.415C > T. The sensitivity and specificity of PCR procedure achieved 100% when compared to 200 Sanger sequencing results. Conclusion Our PCR procedure is suitable for replacing Sanger sequencing to detect the NUDT15 variants in clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reminiscence therapy (RT) is an evidence-based treatment for alleviating depression and improving life satisfaction among elders, yet less is known about its efficacy in diverse ethnic groups. We report on the evaluation of a cultural adaptation of the RT intervention that combines reminiscence with three innovative elements: including family members in RT; conducting community events for participants to present their artwork and life-story books created during the intervention; and using ethnically matched bilingual community workers. The 12-week intervention with pre- and post-test assessments was completed by 73 Hispanic and 92 Vietnamese elders (mean age = 75 years; 62% female; mostly foreign-born, with limited English proficiency). Paired t -tests indicated statistically significant improvement in depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction. Sixty-two percent of participants noted improved relationships with family/friends through improved communication and shared understanding of the participant's life story. Fifty percent of respondents participated in a community event and the qualitative comments noted improved connection with their community through listening to others' life experiences and sharing their own. Participant perceptions of ethnically matched community workers were positive, but several indicated they could work with someone from a different ethnic background. Similar to general RT findings, the culturally adapted RT intervention demonstrated improvement in depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction among elders from two different ethnic backgrounds. Implications for future projects are discussed based on the findings and experience of conducting this intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new Vietnamese multi-domain task-oriented dialogue corpus which is fully labeled with rich information on dialogue structure and contextual information. The corpus contains 1910 dialogues, with a total of more than 18,000 turns in four domains (i.e., ProductInfo, OrderInfo, Shipping and Chatchit). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first dialogue corpus towards building automated conversations in e-commerce. We describe the rigorous annotation process of labelling rich information about dialogue segmentation, dialogue acts (DAs, a.k.a communicative functions), dependency relations, rhetorical relations and slot-values on both user and system sides. This corpus will alleviate the shortage of dialogue datasets in low-resource languages, namely Vietnamese. It can be exploited in diverse contexts to facilitate research toward building complete dialogue systems. The large size and rich annotation of the corpus make it suitable to investigate a variety of different tasks in conversational systems. In this paper, we perform extensive experiments and report preliminary results for future studies in this interesting yet unexplored field. Specifically, we illustrate the usage of the corpus in developing key modules such as natural language understanding, belief tracking, dialogue policy management and natural language generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide migration represents a major challenge of the 21st century. Despite the strong association between acculturation and mental health, research findings on underlining mechanisms remain inconsistent. Prior research urges to investigate sample characteristics in a more structured manner. Aims: The purpose of this study was to systematically investigate factors impacting acculturation and depressive symptoms in a large, not exclusively clinical, sample of Vietnamese migrants in Germany. Method: This study investigated, with multiple regressions, factors (age at arrival, gender, education, religiousness, language skills, residence status, economic status, occupational status, migration motivation, duration of stay, and depressive symptoms) impacting the two dimensions of acculturation, dominant society immersion (DSI) and ethnic society immersion (ESI), in a not exclusively clinical sample (n = 582) of first-generation Vietnamese migrants in Germany. Further, this study examined the relationship between depressive symptoms, DSI and ESI with correlations and acculturation strategies with an ANOVA. Results: Integration (72.5%) was the most common acculturation strategy, followed by separation (26.8%). In contrast, assimilation (0.5%) and marginalization (0.2%) were very rare acculturation strategies. As predictive factors for DSI lower depressive symptoms scores, male gender, higher education, and better German language skills were found significant. For ESI, less German language skills and older age at arrival were found to be significant. Higher ESI and DSI were correlated to lower depressive symptom scores. Compared to the three other acculturation strategies, integration was linked to the lowest depressive symptoms scores. Conclusions: The current study identified crucial factors in the acculturation process, such as depressive symptoms, language skills, education, gender, and age at arrival. Our findings emphasize that immersion into both the dominant and the ethnic culture plays an essential supportive role in the mental health of migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnancy has major effects that make hematology parameters outside of normal reference ranges. Therefore, we conducted this study to establish reference intervals for Vietnamese pregnant women. Methods: From June 2023 to Augst 2023, blood samples from 879 eligible pregnant women were run on DxH 900 hematology analyzer and ACL TOP 550 coagulation analyzer. The tested parameters are prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), white blood cell (WBC) and its differentials (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils), red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), RBC distribution width (RDW), RBC distribution width standard deviation (RDW-SD), platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV). A non-parametric method was used to establish the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile reference intervals. Results: PT, APTT decrease but fibrinogen increases during pregnancy. Physiological adaptations of pregnancy result in a decrease in RBC count, but an increase in WBC count and no changes in platelet count. The reference intervals for PT (seconds), APTT (seconds), fibrinogen (mg/dL), in the first trimester were 10.30–12.88, 25.40–35.46, 280.28–559.00, in the second trimester were 9.80–11.66, 24.05–33.23, 347.75–593.35, in the third trimester were 9.60–11.40, 23.40–31.80, 330.28–628.56, respectively. The reference intervals for main hematology parameters which are WBC (× 109/L), RBC (× 1012/L), HGB (g/dL), HCT (%), PLT (× 109/L) in the first trimester were 6.33–15.24, 3.73–5.32, 10.33–13.95, 32.22–42.29, 169.66–413.88, in the second trimester were 6.99–15.55, 3.33–4.98, 9.71–13.17, 30.26–40.07, 172.34–372.19, in the third trimester were 6.22–14.14, 3.54–4.98, 9.80–13.97, 31.11–42.70, 151.30–417.14, respectively. Conclusions: Most established referenced intervals from each trimester differ from other trimesters. These trimester-specific reference ranges for Vietnamese pregnant women will aid clinicians in entepreting parameters and help other laboratories adopt these ranges after validating. Trial registration: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05929326. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian and Asian Americans (A/AA) are a group overlooked in general health outcomes but especially occupational safety and health outcomes. In the United States, the beauty service microbusiness industry (e.g., nail salons) predominantly employs immigrant Asian women who regularly encounter a plethora of occupational hazards (e.g., harmful chemical exposures -toluene, formaldehyde, bloodborne pathogens, fungi. However, due to the precariousness of beauty service jobs, cultural and linguistic barriers, and social determinants of health, A/AA beauty service workers face complex occupational safety and health challenges that require interdisciplinary collaboration and cultural competency to address. This commentary will discuss a multi-level approach including specific outreach partners that will offer the required diverse skillsets necessary for improving the occupational safety and health for this worker population in this microbusiness industry. Implications and suggestions for interventions and policy changes are also recommended utilizing the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities' Research Framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male infertility is a growing health problem, which affects approximately 7% of the global male population. Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) is one of the most severe forms of male infertility caused by genetic defects, including chromosome structural abnormalities, Y chromosome microdeletions, or single-gene alterations. However, the etiology of up to 40% of NOA cases is unidentified. By whole-exome sequencing, we detected a homozygous 5-bp-deletion variant in exon 4 of the TEX12 gene (c.196-200del, p.L66fs, NM_031275.4) in two brothers with NOA of a nonconsanguineous Vietnamese family. This deletion variant of 5 nucleotides (ATTAG) results in a premature stop codon in exon 4 and truncation of the C-terminal. Segregation analysis by Sanger sequencing confirmed that the deletion variant was inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. The 1st and 3rd infertile sons were homozygous for the deletion, whereas the 2nd fertile son and both parents were heterozygous. The new deletion mutation identified in TEX12 gene caused loss of function of TEX12 gene. The loss of TEX12 function has already caused infertility in male mice. Therefore, we concluded that the loss of TEX12 function may cause infertility in men. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported so far indicating disruption of human TEX12, which leads to infertility in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored leisure constraints and facilitators of marriage migrant women. Qualitative interviews with 20 Vietnamese marriage migrant women in South Korea were conducted. At the individual level, language skills, financial resources, time, personal leisure orientation and preference, and capacity for individual mobility were identified as the constraints and facilitators of leisure for the marriage migrant women. At the interpersonal level, family served as both the leisure constraint and facilitator of this group. At the context and system level, the Multicultural Family Support Centre was highlighted as a facilitator, while transportation acted as both a facilitator and constraint of the leisure of migrant women. This study sheds light on the impacts of a diverse amalgam of facilitators and constraints of leisure participation among marriage migrant women. Implications for leisure planners, human resources managers of organisations, and the government are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early 1930s, the well-known man of letters Phan Khôi wrote a series of essays about the Vietnamese language in which he advanced a number of proposals for reform. I focus on those arguments that are specifically concerned with the practices for referring to persons and, in particular, the practices for referring to participants in communication (i.e., speaker-addressee, writer-reader). I suggest that these arguments articulate a vision for Vietnamese public life that was imagined as breaking from the legacy of a Confucian past and establishing the conditions for the free flow of discourse among self-abstracted individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decades after the arrival of the Vietnamese boat people (1979-1981), we reassess their economic integration, along with that of a second wave (1982-1990). We compare current occupational locations and weekly earnings across the two waves and between the Vietnamese and immigrants born in China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and North and West Europe (arriving 1979-1990). Occupational and earnings profiles document that the second Vietnamese wave has done less well than the first. Birthplace differences in demographic characteristics and educational attainments help explain labor market inequalities between the two waves and between the Vietnamese and other groups. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15562948.2021.1957190. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A (MDC1A), also known as laminin-a2 chain-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-MD), is an autosomal recessive disease caused by biallelic variants in the LAMA2 gene. In MDC1A, laminin-a2 chain expression is absent or significantly reduced, leading to some early-onset clinical symptoms including severe hypotonia, muscle weakness, skeletal deformity, non-ambulation, and respiratory insufficiency. Methods: Six patients from five unrelated Vietnamese families presenting with congenital muscular dystrophy were investigated. Targeted sequencing was performed in the five probands. Sanger sequencing was carried out in their families. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification was performed in one family to examine an exon deletion. Results: Seven variants of the LAMA2 (NM_000426) gene were identified and classified as pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants using American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics criteria. Two of these variants were not reported in the literature, including c.7156-5_7157delinsT and c.8974_ 8975insTGAT. Sanger sequencing indicated their parents as carriers. The mothers of family 4 and family 5 were pregnant and a prenatal testing was performed. The results showed that the fetus of the family 4 only carries c.4717 + 5G>A in the heterozygous form, while the fetus of the family 5 carries compound heterozygous variants, including a deletion of exon 3 and c.4644C>A. Conclusion: Our findings not only identified the underlying genetic etiology for the patients, but also provided genetic counseling for the parents whenever they have an offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) face challenges in transcription and diagnosis of speech sound disorders (SSD) in multilingual children due to ambient language influences and cross-linguistic transfer. The VietSpeech Multilingual Transcription Protocol, a 4-step process to undertake impressionistic transcription of multilingual speech was tested using data from Vietnamese-Australian children (n = 69) and adult family members (n = 85). The transcription team included an English-speaking SLP, a Vietnamese-English-speaking linguist and accredited interpreter, and two Vietnamese-English-speaking SLPs. (1) Training: The team completed training together in Vietnamese and English phonology. (2) Speech assessment: The participants were assessed using the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP) in English and the Vietnamese Speech Assessment (VSA). (3) Transcription comparison: Inter-rater reliability for 10 children and 12 adults was calculated using consonant-by-consonant agreement. For English the 3-way inter-rater agreement was 92.62% for children and 88.69% for adults. For Vietnamese the 4-way inter-rater agreement was 86.57% for children and 96.05% for adults. There was a significant correlation between speech accuracy and inter-rater reliability for children's consonants in English (r = 0.95) and Vietnamese (r = 0.91), and adults' consonants in English (r = 0.90), but not for Vietnamese (r = 0.49). Reliability was influenced by phoneme class and whether the target consonant was shared between languages. (4) Rule generation and consensus: Rules based on near functional equivalence were implemented to maintain consistency and reach consensus. SLPs who do not speak clients' home languages can be supported to transcribe multilingual speech by working with multilingual teams, and understanding personal limitations during multilingual speech assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are positive correlations between stress, anxiety, depression and poor sleep quality. Recent studies have shown that Facebook users can experience stress, anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality. However, there are very few studies investigating the moderated mediation model of the association between stress and depression symptoms among Facebook users. Using data collected on a sample of 354 Facebook users with the average age of 25.13 years old in Vietnam, our study examines a moderated mediation model to account for the progression from stress symptoms to depression symptoms among Facebook users. The DASS 21 and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used to measure indicators of stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality. After controlling gender and age of Facebook users, the results indicated that Facebook users who experienced stress symptoms tended to be depressed; furthermore, this association was mediated by Facebook users' anxiety symptoms, while the path between Facebook users' anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms was moderated by poor sleep quality. Findings of this study have revealed that interventions and services that help prevent the development of stress and anxiety symptoms, and improve sleep quality are potentially important to decrease depressive symptoms among Facebook users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish and evaluate the validity and reliability of the Vietnamese version of the inhaler use scale for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was conducted with 150 participants who were admitted to the Outpatient Department of Pulmonary Diseases in Vietnam, using a face-to-face interview technique. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test, Bartlett's test, and exploratory factor analysis were used to assess construct validity. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient were used to evaluate the reliability of the scale. RESULTS: In the results of exploratory factor analysis with eigenvalues > 1.00, 3 factors of scale appeared. The total variance of the questionnaire was 78.78%, where variances of each component were 34.16%, 26.88%, and 17.73%, respectively. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of scale in the first test and re-test after 4 weeks were 0.913 and 0.901, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.826. CONCLUSION: The validity and reliability of the Vietnamese version of the inhaler use scale study were found to be equivalent to the original author-developed scale and it can be applied to measure the factors affecting behavioral intention in Vietnamese chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this review is to summarize the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of interventions that utilize mobile health (mHealth) technology to promote health behavior changes or improve healthcare services among the Vietnamese population. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to identify studies published from 2011–2022. Studies utilizing mHealth to promote behavior change and/or improve healthcare services among Vietnamese were included. Studies that included Vietnamese people among other Asians but did not analyze the Vietnamese group separately were excluded. Three independent researchers extracted data using Covidence following PRISMA guidelines. Measures of feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy were synthesized. The ROBINS-I and RoB2 tools were used to evaluate methodological quality. Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria and included 5660 participants. Participants rated high satisfaction, usefulness, and efficacy of mHealth interventions. Short message service was most frequently used to provide health education, support smoking cessation, monitor chronic diseases, provide follow-up, and manage vaccination. Measures of feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy varied across studies; overall findings indicated that mHealth is promising for promoting lifestyle behavior change and improving healthcare services. Cost effectiveness and long-term outcomes of mHealth interventions among the Vietnamese population are unknown and merit further research. Recommendations to integrate mHealth interventions are provided to promote the health of Vietnamese people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to a survey published by the National Center for Health Statistics, depression can affect people of any age, but the prevalence of the condition was shown to be second greatest among people aged 65 and older. The most significant repercussion of late-life depressed syndrome is an increase in the overall death rate, which can be attributed to either suicide or other illnesses. The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the impacts of depression caused by biological factors, interpersonal variables, and other socially linked factors on Vietnamese senior people. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to evaluate and screen the elderly for signs of geriatric depression in the final data set, which included 630 males (40.1% of the total) and 942 females (59.9% of the total). The participants ranged in age from 60 to 80 years and were all older than that. The most important findings revealed that aspects of this study, such as gender and the amount of time spent sleeping each day, had the potential to operate as predictors of elderly depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, causes, medical interventions, and mortality outcome of acute gastrointestinal bleeding (AGIB) among COVID-19 patients hospitalized during the delta pandemic in Vietnam. The medical records of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Vietnam from July to October 2021 were retrospectively collected. Data regarding age, sex, comorbidities, COVID-19 severity, onset time of AGIB, therapeutic interventions for AGIB, and mortality outcome were analyzed. Of 1567 COVID-19 inpatients, 56 (3.6%) had AGIB. The independent risk factors for AGIB in COVID-19 inpatients included age (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.04, p =.003), male sex (OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.06–3.26, p =.03), chronic liver disease (OR = 6.21, 95% CI: 2.97–13.00, p <.001), and chronic kidney disease (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.01–4.65, p =.047). Among 34 AGIB patients undergoing endoscopy, upper AGIB was determined in 24 (70.6%) patients. Peptic ulcer disease and hemorrhagic erosive gastritis were the most common causes (64.7%, 22/34). The therapeutic interventions for AGIB included blood transfusion (76.8%, 43/56), endoscopic hemostasis (23.5%, 8/34), and surgery (1.8%, 1/56). The mortality rate in the AGIB group was significantly higher than that in the non-AGIB group (46.4% vs. 27.7%, OR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.32–3.87, p =.002). However, the majority (76.9%) of deaths in COVID-19 inpatients with AGIB were not bleeding-related. Age, male sex, chronic liver disease, and chronic kidney disease are risk factors for AGIB among COVID-19 inpatients. Peptic ulcer disease is the most common cause. COVID-19 inpatients with AGIB have a higher risk of mortality, but a large percentage of deaths are not bleeding-related. Since there is not enough information of sudden digestive tract bleeding among Asian populations with COVID-19, this study aimed to measure the proportion of existing cases, causes, medical treatments and deaths of sudden digestive tract bleeding in COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized during the Delta-variant pandemic in Vietnam. We collected medical records of 1567 COVID-19 patients from a specialty hospital in Vietnam from July to October 2021. Sudden digestive tract bleeding was present in 3.6% of COVID-19 inpatients. The risk of sudden digestive tract bleeding was higher in COVID-19 patients who were old, male, or had long-term liver or kidney disease. The most common cause of sudden digestive tract bleeding among COVID-19 inpatients were stomach ulcers. In addition, COVID-19 inpatients with sudden digestive tract bleeding had a higher risk of death, but a large proportion of deaths were not bleeding-related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To assemble a core battery of culturally and linguistically appropriate neuropsychological measures that can be administered to Vietnamese-speaking patients with suspected dementia. Methods Test instruments in Vietnamese were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, PsychInfo, and Google Scholar, and in consultation with two Vietnamese-speaking cultural brokers. Results A battery assessing the domains of attention, executive function, verbal and visual episodic memory, basic language abilities, visuospatial/visuoconstruction abilities, and mood/anxiety was assembled that included core measures developed either specifically for a Vietnamese-speaking population, or were validated/normed with a Vietnamese-speaking sample either in Vietnam or Vietnamese-speaking persons in the U.S. Supplemental measures were selected that can be administered using translated instructions with U.S. English normative data. The rationale for test selection and caveats for their clinical use are presented. Conclusions The number of neuropsychological measures identified in Vietnamese and/or with Vietnamese normative data was sparse. Given the large and growing population of Vietnamese-speaking residents in the U.S. and the aging of these communities, it is imperative to develop additional, appropriately designed and normed instruments to provide culturally competent assessments to better serve these individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores have been widely used as the language entry requirements for international students in many English-medium universities. However, research on the predictive validity of IELTS on subsequent academic performance has been inconclusive. Additionally, despite the proliferation of IELTS preparation courses, very few attempts have been made to explore the extent to which these courses support course takers' development of knowledge and skills needed for their subsequent university study. This paper investigated (a) the predictive validity of IELTS results on the subsequent academic performance of Vietnamese international students at UK universities, and (b) the extent to which an IELTS preparation course in Vietnam supported its course takers in their subsequent academic study in the UK. Questionnaires with 80 Vietnamese international students from 31 universities across the UK showed that there was a positive significant correlation between these students' IELTS scores and their academic results. Follow-up interviews with two undergraduates and two postgraduates who had previously studied in the same IELTS preparation course, but were studying different academic disciplines at different institutions in the UK, and analysis of the materials used in their IELTS preparation course and university courses revealed that the course positively supported these students' subsequent academic study, but certain skills and knowledge needed in their academic study were not effectively covered in the IELTS preparation course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aimed at evaluating the survival rate, its associated factors, and the causes of death in elderly patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in Vietnam. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study conducted among patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent CAPD at Thong Nhat Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from April 2012 to December 2020. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative survival rate, and the Log rank test was used to analyze the factors associated with the survival rate of patients. Results: This study enrolled a total of 68 patients with a mean age of 71.93 ± 7.44 years at the initiation of CAPD. The most common complication among kidney failure patients was diabetic nephropathy (39.71%). The rate of concomitant cardiovascular diseases was 58.82%. The average survival rate was 45.59 ± 4.01 months. Peritonitis was the most common factor causing death (31.25%), followed by cardiovascular diseases (28.12%) and malnutrition (25%). The factors that impacted the survival rate included concomitant cardiovascular diseases, low serum albumin (< 35 g/dL), and an indication of CAPD due to exhausted vascular access for hemodialysis at baseline. The main factor associated with a shorter survival time was concomitant cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion: It is necessary to improve the survival time beyond 5 years for elderly patients undergoing CAPD, especially for those with concomitant cardiovascular diseases. Besides the prevention of peritonitis, adequate measures to protect from cardiovascular diseases and malnutrition will reduce the mortality rate in patients on CAPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does queer desire require displacement to become intelligible? Coming-of-age narrative fictions centering queer experiences, desires, and communities often set their formative processes in liminal spaces. The mobility away from home and toward queer sites is extreme when characters leave behind their countries. In the case of two short stories set in the 1970s, Carlos Fuentes's "La pena" (La frontera de cristal, 1995) and Viet Thanh Nguyen's "The Other Man" (The Refugees, 2017), US cities serve as the sites where two young migrants undergoing processes of self-exploration face experiences of cultural shock that force them to reevaluate their assumptions about their sexuality. Their struggles overlap with their negotiation of their national identities: how can they desire same-sex partners and be Mexican or Vietnamese? This study analyzes the formative processes of two young men as they identify (and disidentify) with the heteronormative expectations of their cultures of origin and within the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) gene, which causes Van der Woude syndrome, is associated with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IRF6 gene were identified as susceptibility indicators of this defect in several populations. To further evaluate its role in this birth defect, we conducted this study with the aim of identifying allele frequencies, genotype frequencies, and associations of 5 SNPs (rs2235373, rs2235371, rs2235375, rs2013162, and rs2236907) in the IRF6 gene with NSCL/P in Kinh Vietnamese patients. Methods: A total of 132 patients with NSCL/P and 132 healthy individuals were included in our study group. Direct sequencing was performed to genotype the tag SNPs. Genetic models were used to compare genotype and allele frequencies between the case and control groups. Results: In the recessive model, the genotypes C/C of rs2236907, C/C of rs2013162, G/G of rs2235375, and A/A of rs2235373 were associated with an increased risk of NSCL/P, whereas there was no clear association between rs2235371 and the malformation in any genetic model. When subgroup analysis was performed, we observed a similar risk trend in the cleft lip and palate, cleft palate only and cleft lip only phenotypes. In haplotype analysis, haplotype models of 5 tag SNPs were associated with increased risks of this defect in all phenotypic models (ORGCGCC/CCAA = 23.64, 95% CI 12.28–45.49, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: These findings point to a considerable contribution of rs2236907, rs2013162, rs2235373, and rs2235375 to the NSCL/P defect in Kinh Vietnamese individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study revisited social capital and knowledge sharing processes in virtual communities among university students. The conceptual framework was developed in the form of a hierarchical component model. Two dimensions of social capital (relational and cognitive) as second-order variables reflected sequencing relationships among social capital, outcome expectations, knowledge sharing, and learning performance. Social capital theory was used in support of the study's conceptual framework. The target populations were Vietnamese and Bangladeshi students at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City and Comilla University, respectively. The sample included a total of 465 participants recruited through purposive and quota sampling in the two target populations. We used partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to estimate the hierarchical component model. Our findings suggest that the cognitive dimension of social capital, and outcome expectations (i.e., personal and community-related) had significantly positive impacts on knowledge sharing behaviour; and subsequently that knowledge sharing behaviour had a significantly positive impact on learning performance. Moreover, a multi-group analysis was conducted to deliver new insights when making comparisons among different sub-samples. The study provides theoretical contributions to the fields of social capital and knowledge sharing through delivering related best practices among university students in virtual communities, and outlines promising directions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In-Home Supportive-Services (IHSS) caregivers provide personal care assistance to low-income older adults. According to the California Social Service Department, 20.2% of IHSS caregivers spoke Vietnamese in one county. The purpose of this project was to improve the knowledge and skills among these Vietnamese American caregivers by providing a language-specific and culturally appropriate education on personal care. Methods: The project used a pre- and post-test design. Under the guidance of nursing faculty, four Vietnamese-speaking nursing students provided a 2-hr educational program on personal care (e.g., bathing, oral care) to registered Vietnamese IHSS caregivers. A pre- and post-survey was conducted. Results: Overall, 55 caregivers completed the surveys. The surveys showed significant increases in confidence in knowledge and skills related to personal care topics (all p s <.001). Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that the cultural and language-specific education was effective in increasing knowledge and confidence of Vietnamese IHSS caregivers related to personal care for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infant feeding practices are a key modifiable risk factor for childhood overweight and obesity; and important for lifelong health and wellbeing. Despite the growing Australian immigrant population, it is unclear how infant feeding practices may differ between ethnicities living in Australia. Few studies have examined the infant feeding practices of Vietnamese mothers who migrate and give birth to infants in Australia - termed Vietnamese-born mothers. The aim of this study was to examine differences in infant feeding practices (breastfeeding, formula feeding and complementary feeding (other fluids and solids)) in Vietnamese-born mothers compared with Australian-born mothers living in Australia.Method: This study analysed the Australian National Infant Feeding Survey dataset (2010-11), a large national cross-sectional survey measuring feeding practices of infants aged 0-24 months old. Infant feeding practices of Vietnamese-born mothers (n = 261) and a random sub-sample of Australian-born mothers (n = 261) were compared. Associations between ethnicity and infant feeding practices were examined through logistic and linear regression adjusting for maternal age, socioeconomic status, body mass index (BMI) at start of pregnancy, infant age at survey completion and parity. Compliance with the Australian national infant feeding guidelines was also assessed.Results: Compliance with infant feeding guidelines was low, with differences in infant feeding practices between groups. At the time of survey completion, when infants were on average 7.2 months old, compared with infants of Australian-born mothers, infants to Vietnamese-born mothers were significantly younger when first exposed to fruit juice (b = -2.41, 95%CI: -4.54- -0.28); less likely to be exposed to solids (AOR: 0.15, 95%CI: 0.05-0.44) and more likely to be exposed to formula milks (AOR: 2.21, 95%CI: 1.10-4.43); toddler milks (AOR: 16.72, 95%CI: 3.11-90.09) and fruit juice (AOR: 2.37, 95%CI: 1.06-5.32) (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Low adherence with breastfeeding (low breastfeeding and high infant formula use) and other fluids (toddler milks and fruit juice) recommendations outlined by the Australian infant feeding guidelines were observed in this group of Vietnamese-born mothers. To optimise feeding and growth in Vietnamese-Australian children, culturally appropriate infant feeding support targeting breastfeeding durations, reducing reliance on infant formula, and reducing inappropriate introduction to other fluids should be the focus of infant feeding promotion within these mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]