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Hung Long Nguyen,1,2,* Khoa Tran,1,* Phuong Le Nam Doan,1,2,* Tuyet Nguyen1,3,* 1Department of Youth Lab for Social Innovation, MiYork Research, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 2Department of Biology, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City - High School for the Gifted, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 3Department of Business, Minerva University, San Francisco, CA, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Khoa TranYouth Lab for Social Innovation, MiYork Research, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Email khoa.tran@miyork.orgBackground: Vietnam’s economy and intellectual standards have witnessed significant development, improving conditions for residents to acquire novel mHealth applications. Additionally, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced Vietnamese awareness of healthcare; however, previous studies have only been clinician-centered rather than customer-centered.Methods: This study addresses this literature gap by interviewing 50 Vietnamese participants grouped by age, namely Generation X, Generation Y, and Generation Z, and health conditions, namely whether participants or family members have chronic illness. The study utilized semi-structured and in-depth interviews to collect the data and used thematic analysis to analyze the data under the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology framework.Results: Most participants were willing to adopt this technology and demanded a convenient and user-friendly one-stop-shop solution, endorsements from credible and authoritative sources, and professional customer services. However, each group also had distinctive demands and behaviors.Conclusion: This study contributes theoretically by providing context-rich demand for Vietnamese customers across three generations and healthcare conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and comparing their behavior with pre-COVID literature. While this research provides helpful information for potential app developers, this study also suggests that mHealth developers and policymakers should pay more attention to the differences in the demand of age groups and health conditions.Keywords: digital health, mhealth, pandemic, technology adoption, technology readiness, unified theory of acceptance and use of technology

Nhi Xuan Nguyen,1 Khoa Tran,1 Tuyet Anh Nguyen2 1Faculty of Business Administration, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 2Department of Business, Minerva University, San Francisco, CA, USACorrespondence: Khoa TranFaculty of Business Administration, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh, Ward 13, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamTel +84 562 688 998Email anhkhoatran3007@gmail.comPurpose: Recent literature on healthcare quality demands more contextualized and patient-perspective research, as models from developed countries are not suitable for developing countries. Moreover, research on private healthcare services in Vietnam has long been underestimated by academia, but it has significant economic and commercial value. Hence, this study explores the dimensions of service quality in private healthcare and how they impact in-patient satisfaction, perceived value, and customer loyalty in Vietnam.Methods: This mixed-method study had a sample size of five inpatients for the qualitative phase and 368 inpatients for the quantitative phase from hospitals in Vietnam. The qualitative analysis explores service quality dimensions in private healthcare and incorporates them with the literature to develop a conceptual model. The quantitative phase tests the relationship between each construct in the conceptual model via structural equation modeling.Results: The four dimensions of service quality were emotion, function, social influence, and trust. Most of these dimensions have a significant impact on customer perceived value and satisfaction. However, emotion does not significantly influence customer perceived value, and function does not considerably impact customer satisfaction. In addition, social influence is an underrepresented variable in the service quality literature, but it has the most substantial impact on customer perceived value and customer satisfaction. The quantitative results also confirm that customer satisfaction and customer perceived value significantly impact customer loyalty (word-of-mouth and revisit intention); however, customer perceived value does not significantly impact customer satisfaction.Conclusion: The study suggests that private healthcare providers and the government in Vietnam should allocate resources to improve service quality. Practitioners should invest in social branding and e-services to reach out to their customers. Future research should focus on a cost-benefit analysis and compare the effectiveness of service quality dimensions on customer behavioral intention.Keywords: customer perceived value, customer satisfaction, private healthcare, revisit intention, service quality, word-of-mouth

BackgroundThe relationship between women who are exposed to secondhand smoke and preterm birth is still controversial. The present study aimed to examine the association between maternal secondhand smoking (SHS) during pregnancy and preterm birth.MethodsA 1:1 case-control study was conducted at delivery room of The Women's and Children's Hospital of An Giang, Vietnam. A total of 288 cases of preterm birth and 288 controls included in this study. A structured questionnaire in a face-to-face interview was used to assess SHS and potential confounders (maternal age, body mass index, occupation, education level, parity, antenatal care visits, history of preterm birth, prenatal bleeding and preeclampsia/eclampsia).ResultsSHS was reported more frequently by women who delivered preterm babies compared with women of term deliveries (67.4% vs. 51.0%; P ConclusionsOur findings suggest that exposure to household tobacco smoke during pregnancy is associated with preterm birth.

Abstract Background Considerable interest exists in the potential therapeutic value of dietary supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acids. Given the interplay between pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, and the less pro-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, it has been thought that the latter could play a key role in treating or preventing asthma. The purpose was to systematically review the scientific-medical literature in order to identify, appraise, and synthesize the evidence for possible treatment effects of omega-3 fatty acids in asthma. Methods Medline, Premedline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CAB Health, and, Dissertation Abstracts were searched to April 2003. We included randomized controlled trials (RCT's) of subjects of any age that used any foods or extracts containing omega-3 fatty acids as treatment or prevention for asthma. Data included all asthma related outcomes, potential covariates, characteristics of the study, design, population, intervention/exposure, comparators, and co interventions. Results Ten RCT's were found pertinent to the present report. Conclusion Given the largely inconsistent picture within and across respiratory outcomes, it is impossible to determine whether or not omega-3 fatty acids are an efficacious adjuvant or monotherapy for children or adults. Based on this systematic review we recommend a large randomized controlled study of the effects of high-dose encapsulated omega-3 fatty acids on ventilatory and inflammatory measures of asthma controlling diet and other asthma risk factors. This review was limited because Meta-analysis was considered inappropriate due to missing data; poorly or heterogeneously defined populations, interventions, intervention-comparator combinations, and outcomes. In addition, small sample sizes made it impossible to meaningfully assess the impact on clinical outcomes of co-variables. Last, few significant effects were found.

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disorder in clinical practice. It is necessary to rule out physical causes to diagnose this condition. However, the diagnosis is challenging particularly in resourcelimited areas. The aim of this consensus is to update international and regional guidelines on the management of FD. The consensus panel included 32 experts from major Vietnamese universities and institutes. This consensus study was conducted using the Delphi method. The grade of recommendation and level of evidence were assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. The consensus level was defined as ≥80% for agreement on the proposed statements. The expert panel approved 14 statements after two rounds of voting, which were related to two sections: (1) diagnostic tests for FD and (2) treatment of FD. This consensus is expected to help physicians in identifying and managing FD appropriately in daily clinical practice and to contribute FD data to Asian regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the southeastern US, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is widely used as a feedstock in the wood, pulp and paper industry. In loblolly pine, the oleoresin is composed of terpenes and has long been a valuable source for a variety of chemicals, and has recently attracted interest from a biofuel perspective for the production of advanced cellulosic biofuels. To date, there have been very few examples where a single conversion process has enabled recovery of both terpenes and fermentable sugars in an integrated fashion. We have used the ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [C2C1Im][OAc] at 120°C and 160°C in conjunction with analytical protocols using GC-MS, to extract α-pinene and simultaneously pretreat the pine to generate high yields of fermentable sugars after saccharification. Compared to solvent extraction, the IL process enabled higher recovery rates for α-pinene, from three tissues type of loblolly pine, i.e. pine chips from forest residues (FC), stems from young pine (YW) and lighter wood (LW), while also generating high yields of fermentable sugars following saccharification. We propose that this combined terpene extraction/lignocellulose pretreatment approach may provide a compelling model for a biorefinery, reducing costs and increasing commercial viability. Our preliminary techno-economic analysis (TEA) revealed that the α-pinene recovery based on hexane extraction after IL pretreatment could reduce the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP) of ethanol generated from fermentation of sugars recovered from pine by $0.6-1.0 per gal.

Portion of energy employed by a single, tightly focused laser pulse in various transparent dielectrics was demonstrated versus the incident energy fluence or alternatively, intensity. The measurements were conducted for both the femtosecond and nanosecond laser pulses. Moreover, the energy scattered during the long-lived breakdown process was estimated within the integrating sphere. It appeared that the recorded strongly non-linear dependence of absorptance on the energy fluence (intensity) can be well approximated by the sigmoidal Hill function. The stationary points of the absorptance curve were used to determine threshold-like values characterizing breakdown development. In this way, we defined threshold for the non-linear absorption which can be considered as an empirical laser-induced breakdown threshold (LIBT). Additionally, the fitting parameters of the experimental data substantiated the absorption character for short and long laser pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corymbia (a eucalypt) is an important forestry genus and a potential lignocellulosic bioenergy feedstock. The composition of the lignocellulosic cell wall significantly impacts pretreatment efficiency and conversion to biofuel but is variable and changes with age. In this study, we estimated Klason lignin content, composition, and monosaccharide (glucose and xylose) release after enzymatic saccharification of untreated and hydrothermally pretreated biomass from Corymbia parental species Corymbia torelliana (CT), Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata (spotted gum; CCV), and interspecific F1 hybrids (CT × CCV) at ages 9 and 12 years from planting. Analysis of lignin composition derived from syringyl/guaiacyl monolignols (S/G) found significant differences among taxa, with CT S/G ratios (2.2 and 2.0) being significantly lower than CCV (2.6 and 2.3) or hybrids (2.5 and 2.3) at ages 9 and 12 respectively. In general, enzymatic saccharification yields from untreated biomass were significantly different among taxa, with CT (113 and 75 mg g−1) and hybrids (108 and 81 mg g−1) yielding significantly higher glucose from untreated biomass than CCV (82 and 56 mg g−1) at ages 9 and 12 respectively. Comparison of traits within taxa between ages 9 and 12 found S/G ratios and glucose yields from untreated biomass were significantly lower in CT, CCV and hybrid taxa. In conclusion, the formation of lignocellulosic cell walls is complex, influenced by genetics and age of material, requiring optimization of rotation age for biofuel production and other industrial processes.

Signaling through growth factor receptors controls such diverse cell functions as proliferation, migration, and differentiation. A critical question has been how the activation of these receptors is regulated. Most, if not all, of the known ligands for these receptors are soluble factors. However, as matrix components are highly tissue-specific and change during development and pathology, it has been suggested that select growth factor receptors might be stimulated by binding to matrix components. Herein, we describe a new class of ligand for the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) found within the EGF-like repeats of tenascin-C, an antiadhesive matrix component present during organogenesis, development, and wound repair. Select EGF-like repeats of tenascin-C elicited mitogenesis and EGFR autophosphorylation in an EGFR-dependent manner. Micromolar concentrations of EGF-like repeats induced EGFR autophosphorylation and activated extracellular signal-regulated, mitogen-activated protein kinase to levels comparable to those induced by subsaturating levels of known EGFR ligands. EGFR-dependent adhesion was noted when the ligands were tethered to inert beads, simulating the physiologically relevant presentation of tenascin-C as hexabrachion, and suggesting an increase in avidity similar to that seen for integrin ligands upon surface binding. Specific binding to EGFR was further established by immunofluorescence detection of EGF-like repeats bound to cells and cross-linking of EGFR with the repeats. Both of these interactions were abolished upon competition by EGF and enhanced by dimerization of the EGF-like repeat. Such low affinity behavior would be expected for a matrix-tethered ligand; i.e., a ligand which acts from the matrix, presented continuously to cell surface EGF receptors, because it can neither diffuse away nor be internalized and degraded. These data identify a new class of insoluble growth factor ligands and a novel mode of activation for growth factor receptors.

Abstract Background In Vietnam, there is a paucity of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) research on people with depression as well as a lack of evidence on supported self-management (SSM) intervention for depression on HRQoL. This study aimed to compare the HRQoL of people with depression and age-matched people in the Vietnamese population, evaluate the effects of Tele-SSM intervention on HRQoL, and examine the association between the changes in HRQoL score and mental health well-being (depression, anxiety, and stress). Methods This study was a pre- and post-study involving Vietnamese adults aged 18–64 who had depression symptoms (score ≥ 5 points in the PHQ-9). Participants (N = 58) completed Tele-SSM—a supported self-management intervention incorporating cognitive behavioral therapy and non-violent communication and using a task-shifting approach. To compare with the general population, we conducted a 1-to-1 matching by age with an EQ-5D-5L valuation study with a nationally representative sample of the Vietnamese general population. Results HRQoL was significantly impaired in people with depression compared to the age-matched general population. Regarding health profile, participants reported the most difficulties in usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression dimensions. Significant improvements were observed in HRQoL scores post-intervention compared to pre-intervention in both EQ-VAS scores (from 59.84 to 79.48) and utility scores (from 0.79 to 0.90). These results remained lower than the age-matched general population (EQ-VAS score = 83.28, utility score = 0.96). Depression was associated with lower HRQoL while controlling for stress, anxiety symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions These results indicate that HRQoL is significantly impaired in people with depression and contribute to providing empirical evidence of Tele-SSM intervention in improving HRQoL. Further randomized controlled trials should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Tele-SSM intervention.

Internal control plays an important role in managing the risks of banking system activities. Controllers are always under pressure from control activities due to the bank’s diverse activities. The resignation of internal controllers is relatively common in commercial banks. It is also a matter of concern for the banking and finance industry, which coordinates economic resources for the country, especially when the internal control period occurs again with the pandemic. The study aims to explore the turnover intention of internal controllers in the context of COVID-19 in Vietnamese commercial banks. The study uses the convenience sampling method to collect data from 339 respondents who are working or worked as internal controllers in commercial banks. The study was surveyed in 2023. The study uses quantitative methods for exploratory factor analysis. Ordinary least squares process the data to test the hypotheses. Some factors affect the turnover intention of internal controllers, such as occupational awareness, employment conditions, office environment, and career opportunities, in the context of COVID-19. The result is a useful resource for researchers to comprehensively understand issues related to the turnover intention of internal controllers in the banking industry. The study supports managers of commercial banks in planning the strategic objectives of human resource stabilization for the stable growth of the banking system.

This article discusses a case study of a fetus with homozygous alpha-thalassemia, a type of inherited anemia prevalent in Southeast Asians. The condition leads to inadequate production of alpha-globin chains, resulting in the formation of abnormal hemoglobin and causing severe anemia and tissue hypoxia. The fetus in the case study exhibited limb defects, an enlarged heart, and cortical malformations. The study suggests that homozygous alpha-thalassemia should be considered in fetuses with cortical malformations and limb defects, particularly in Southeast Asian couples with signs of anemia during pregnancy. [Extracted from the article]

Voice Assistants have gained more attention in both real-life and academic fields thanks to their roles in the advanced world. This study aims to investigate the Behavioral Intention of Voice Assistants’ users by exploring the mediating role of Subjective Well-being and the moderating role of Innovativeness based on the Utilitarian and Gratification Theory framework. A quantitative study with structural equation modeling was carried out using SPSS and PLS-SEM software to analyze a sample of 230 Voice Assistant users. The findings illustrate that the Subjective Well-being of Voice Assistants’ users is influenced by Utilitarian benefits, Symbolic benefits and Social benefits. Behavioral intention is directly influenced by Utilitarian benefits, Hedonic benefits and Social benefits. The research establishes the moderating role of Innovativeness in the relationship of Subjective Well-being and Behavioral Intention. This study provides deeper insight into the motivations of Voice Assistants’ users from social and psychological viewpoints.

Bí đỏ chứa nhiều carotenoid. Thịt bí đỏ thường được sử dụng trực tiếp hoặc chế biến thành các sản phẩm khác, ví dụ như puree. Việc phát triển sản phẩm puree bí đỏ đóng hộp là cần thiết để phát triển sản phẩm giá trị gia tăng. Với mục tiêu này, nội dung nghiên cứu bao gồm (i) khảo sát sự ảnh hưởng của nhiệt độ (80, 90 và 100oC) và thời gian chần (5, 6 và 7 phút) đến chất lượng nguyên liệu bí đỏ; (ii) xác định nồng độ ascorbic acid (0,025, 0,05 và 0,1%) bổ sung và xây dựng chế độ tiệt trùng phù hợp (121°C trong 5, 7, 9 phút; 118°C trong 20, 23, 26 phút; 115°C trong 45, 50, 60 phút) để đảm bảo chất lượng và an toàn của sản phẩm puree bí đỏ đóng hộp. Mẫu được chần ở nhiệt độ 90oC trong thời gian 7 phút vô hoạt toàn enzyme peroxidase, giữ được màu sắc, hàm lượng carotenoids, cấu trúc mềm phù hợp làm puree. Sản phẩm puree bí đỏ đóng hộp được tiệt trùng ở nhiệt độ 121°C trong 5 phút duy trì hàm lượng chất dinh dưỡng và đảm bảo an toàn về mặt vi sinh (v.d. bào tử Clostridium botulinum).

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious global public health problem. Detecting the changes of adenosine deaminase (ADA), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) released from macrophages and monocytes is greatly valuable in the diagnosis of TB. Hence, this study was designed to determine the optimal cut-off points of ADA, IL-1β, IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, allowing to differentiate pleural TB (PLTB), peritoneal TB (PTB), and meningeal TB (MTB). The study included 386 patients with pleural effusion, 47 patients with peritoneal effusion, and 134 patients with encephalitis and meningoencephalitis suspect of TB. ADA was determined by an enzyme kinetics method; cytokine concentration was measured by a test based on the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay principle. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value were calculated and described. In the aspiration fluid, ADA activity was greatly different between PLTB, PTB, and MTB groups with values of 37.5 U/L, 30.5 U/L, and 8.1 U/L and sensitivity and specificity of 87.7% and 83.4%; 100% and 88.9%; 97.3% and 98.6%, respectively. Similar, IFN-γ concentrations were distinctively different between PLTB, PTB, and MTB patients (with values of 120 pg/mL, 200 pg/mL, and 30 pg/mL with sensitivity and specificity of 80.3% and 80.9%; 80.0% and 92.6%; 98.6% and 61.7%, respectively). The determination of ADA and IFN-γ levels in the aspiration fluid is potentially considered a highly sensitive and specific test for differentiating PLTB, PTB, and MTB.

Accounting information provides the financial state, performance, cash flow, and notes to the enterprise’s financial statements. Information quality plays an essential role for stakeholders in making business decisions. The study examines the impact of government policy and the controller’s connection with relevant parties on the information quality of Vietnamese audit firms in the context of COVID-19. The surveyed subjects include 347 controllers of audit firms in Vietnam. The paper uses quantitative methods, specifically the exploratory factor analysis method, and the ordinary least squares are used to test the model’s hypotheses. Agency and stakeholder theories are used to explain the basis of the study’s theory. The results show that the government policy and the controller’s connection with relevant parties positively affect the information quality of Vietnamese audit firms. The level of correlation between factors is appropriate, between 0.126 and 0.618. Government policy is one of the most influential factors in information quality (0.412). Relevant parties include audit firms, relatives, and the community, and the level of connection between the controller and relatives and the community (0.298) is better than that of audit firms (0.183). The study proposes policies to connect controllers and relevant parties in cooperation and mutual support to ensure strict control activities and improve the information quality of Vietnamese audit firms.

In this study, rGO/TiO2 hybrid nanostructures (rGO : reduced Graphene Oxide) have been successfully fabricated for the purpose of application in the treatment of volatile organic compound (VOCs) that harmful for the environment through the method of directly measuring the change in concentration of decomposed VOCs in real time under UV-excited conditions using a home-made measuring system. the results showed that hybrids TiO2 : rGONFs (reduced Graphene Oxide nano flake) samples with the weight ratio between two kind of material are 99%:1% and 98%:2% which reduced VOCs faster than 2 time intrinsic TiO2. The phenomenon of 2D materials involved in the hybrids lead to the fact that the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 had been significantly improved, this can be explained as follows: When heterogeneous hybrid was formed, because of the difference in energy levels of conduction band between two materials was negligible, heterojunction barrier is not too high this made the photogenerated electrons from TiO2 easily move through rGONFs under UV stimulation. This thing has significantly reduced the recombination of the generated carrier in TiO2 during irradiation, which lead to an increase in the lifetime of the carrier and make photocatalytic reaction of the assembly become more effective. Copyright © 2024 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

In the last few years, many studies have focused on the behaviour of unsaturated sands subjected to dynamic loading and there is consensus that soils with saturation degree lower than 100% can be liquefied. However, it is still necessary to have systematic studies for better understanding of this phenomenon. In this study, some experiments were carried out to survey the sand mechanical behaviour subjected to cyclic loading as well as the residual strength after liquefaction under monotonic loading. All the samples were prepared by the wet tamping method then the Skempton parameter B was measured to evaluate the saturation degree of the sample. After that, sample consolidation and cyclic loading were conducted step by step. All tests show that the soil liquefaction susceptibility goes up with the increase of the sample saturation degree. Through these tests, the relationship between cyclic stress ratio and Skempton's parameter B is also highlighted. After liquefaction, the samples were loaded monotonically to assess the residual strength. The results show that the sand recuperates its strength when the pore water pressure dissipates after liquefaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is studying the behaviour of dense RF Hostun sand subjected to dynamic loading in the triaxial apparatus. The samples with the same initial conditions (water content, void ratio) were prepared by the wet tamping method. After that, the samples were saturated, and then an effective cell pressure of 100 kPa was used to consolidate the sample. To study the liquefaction behaviour of sand, all the samples were subjected to dynamic deviator loading until liquefaction. The experiments show that the cyclic stress ratio needed to liquefy the sample was significantly affected by the saturation degree. All saturated samples were liquefied by the same level of deviator stress; however, the cycle numbers needed to liquefy the samples are different. The results suggest that besides the void ratio and the saturation degree, the sand liquefaction susceptibility may be affected by the different soil fabrics caused by sample preparation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study conducted at Hung Vuong Hospital in South Vietnam that aimed to assess the effectiveness of a new Delphi consensus definition of Caesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) in predicting clinical outcomes during early gestation. The study included 64 women diagnosed with CSP and categorized them into three subgroups based on the extent of gestational sac penetration. The results showed that Type 3 CSP cases were more likely to require invasive interventions and had higher blood loss compared to Types 2 or 1. The authors conclude that the use of Delphi consensus criteria for defining CSP has significant implications for clinical decision-making and patient management. [Extracted from the article]

Mục tiêu của bài viết là tìm hiểu sự phát triển của kiểm toán nội bộ khu vực công, xác định các trọng tâm nghiên cứu và đề xuất các hướng nghiên cứu trong tương lai. Bài viết lượt khảo 77 bài báo khoa học để thảo luận nguồn dữ liệu, khung lý thuyết, đối tượng cung cấp thông tin, phương pháp nghiên cứu và đánh giá kết quả nghiên cứu. Các nghiên cứu tiếp theo được đề xuất là tập trung vào so sánh nhiều quốc gia, bổ sung lý thuyết nền, bằng chứng thực nghiệm liên quan đến quản lý rủi ro và chi tiêu lãng phí, việc tiếp thu các kỹ năng công nghệ thông tin cho kiểm toán viên, xem xét tác động của các đặc điểm văn hóa, thể chế, nhân khẩu học và thiết kế các mô hình chặt chẽ để dự đoán hiệu quả kiểm toán nội bộ khu vực công.