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(1) Background: Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) has been considered as a biomarker of airway inflammation. The measurement of fractional exhaled NO (FENO) is a valuable test for assessing local inflammation in subjects with allergic rhinitis (AR). (2) Objective: To evaluate (a) the correlation between nasal FENO with anthropometric characteristics, symptoms of AR and nasal peak flows in children without and with AR, and (b) the cut-off of nasal FENO for diagnosis of AR in symptomatic children. (3) Methods: The study was a descriptive and cross-sectional study in subjects with and without AR &lt, 18 years old. All clinical and functional characteristics of the study subjects were recorded for analysis. They were divided into healthy subjects for the control group and subjects with AR who met all inclusion criteria. (4) Results: 100 subjects (14 ± 3 years) were included, including 32 control subjects and 68 patients with AR. Nasal FENO in AR patients was significantly higher than in control subjects: 985 ± 232 ppb vs. 229 ± 65 ppb (p &lt, 0.001). In control subjects, nasal FENO was not correlated with anthropometric characteristics and nasal inspiratory or expiratory peak flows (IPF or EPF) (p &gt, 0.05). There was a correlation between nasal FENO and AR symptoms in AR patients and nasal IPF and EPF (p = 0.001 and 0.0001, respectively). The cut-off of nasal FENO for positive AR diagnosis with the highest specificity and sensitivity was ≥794 ppb (96.7% and 92.6%, respectively). (5) Conclusion: The use of nasal FENO as a biomarker of AR provides a useful tool and additional armamentarium in the management of allergic rhinitis.

This paper presents a modeling method of cutting force and a combination approach of theory and experimental methods in the determination of cutting force coefficients in the face milling process using a parallelogram insert. By the theoretical method, the cutting forces were modeled by a mathematical function of cutting cutter geometry (Cutter diameter, the number of inserts, the insert nose radius, insert cutting edge helix angle, etc.), cutting conditions (depth of cut, feed per flute, spindle speed, etc.), and cutting force coefficients (shear force coefficients, edge force coefficients). By the theoretical method, the average cutting forces in three directions (feed – x, normal – y, and axial – z) were modeled as the linear functions of feed per flute. By the experimental method, the average cutting forces in these three directions were also regressed as the linear functions of feed per flute with quite large determination coefficients (R2 were larger than 92 %). Then, the relationship of average cutting forces and feed per flute was used to determine all six cutting force coefficient components. The validation experiments were performed to verify the linear function of average cutting forces, to determine the cutting force coefficients, and to verify the cutting force models in the face milling process using a cutter with one parallelogram insert. The cutting force models were successfully verified by comparison of the shape and the values of predicted cutting forces and measured cutting forces. These proposed methods and models can be applied to determine the cutting force coefficients and predict the cutting force in the face milling process using a parallelogram insert and can be extended with other cutting types or other insert types

Objective: The aim of the present study was to measure the correlation between the level of exhaled Nitric Oxide (NO) and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) severity and to evaluate its modification after Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment in severe OSA patients. Methods: It was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Subjects were classified by mild-moderate or severe OSA. CPAP was used for severe OSA patients and followed up for 3 months. Exhaled NO was measured in the morning after the previous night of Respiratory Polygraphy (RPG) recording. Results: This study recruited 123 subjects, including 40 mild-moderate and 83 severe OSA patients. The level of maximum bronchial NO production (J’awNO) in patients with severe OSA was significantly higher than mild-moderate OSA [36.2 (6.1–92.2) vs. 19.6 (1.6-73.0) ppb; p=0.001)]. The level of concentration of NO in the gas phase of the alveolar (CANO) in patients with severe OSA was lower than mild-moderate OSA [5.2 (1.2-12.7) vs. 6.9 (0.8-14.0) ppb; p=0.002). The total flux of NO in the conducting airway compartment (J’awNO) and CANO were correlated with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (rho=0.25 and p=0.02; rho= 0.18 and p=0.04, respectively). There was a weak significant correlation between J’awNO and nadir SpO2 in patients with OSA (rho = -0.22 and p= 0.023). After 3-month treatment with CPAP, the level of J’awNO was significantly reduced in patients with severe OSA [23.4 (12.9-44.5) vs. 33.1 (21.2-55.0); p Conclusion: J’awNO is proportionally increased in patients with severe OSA and reduced after treatment with CPAP. Thus, J’awNO may be used as a relevant and surrogate biomarker of severe OSA.

BACKGROUND: In patients co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis, antiretroviral therapy options are limited due to drug—drug interactions with rifampicin. A previous phase 2 trial indicated that raltegravir 400 mg twice a day or efavirenz 600 mg once a day might have similar virological efficacy in patients given rifampicin. In this phase 3 trial, we assessed the non-inferiority of raltegravir to efavirenz. METHODS: We did a multicentre, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised, phase 3 trial at six sites in Côte d'Ivoire, Brazil, France, Mozambique, and Vietnam. We included antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive adults (aged ≥18 years) with confirmed HIV-1 infection and bacteriologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed tuberculosis who had initiated rifampicin-containing tuberculosis treatment within the past 8 weeks. Using computerised random numbers, we randomly assigned participants (1:1; stratified by country) to receive raltegravir 400 mg twice daily or efavirenz 600 mg once daily, both in combination with tenofovir and lamivudine. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with virological suppression at week 48 (defined as plasma HIV RNA concentration

In July 2018, the Vietnam Commodity Exchange (VNX) was transferred into the Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam (MXV) to hedge price risks through futures on international commodity exchanges. This research aimed to verify the efficiency of futures on ICE EU and ICE US under the perspective of hedging for Vietnamese coffee, determine optimal hedging ratios and the optimal number of each futures contract, and investigate the feasibility of introducing domestic commodity exchanges in Vietnam. Using the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), the results show that (1) Robusta futures with expiration dates of January, March, May, and July on ICE EU are efficient hedging tools, but the adverse result is justified for Arabica futures on ICE US; (2) Robusta futures with the expiration date of January are the best in terms of risk management for Vietnamese coffee market; (3) optimal hedge ratio of Robusta futures of around 34% is much lower than ratios showed by previous researches; (4) in the short term, introducing coffee futures into the domestic commodity exchanges is still not feasible in the short term, but should be considered in the long term in Vietnam. This is the first study providing empirical evidence about the hedging role of futures contracts on ICE EU and ICE US, contributing to enrich the existing empirical evidence on the hedging role of futures for the agricultural sector.

A valveless microfluidic pump using a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) diaphragm actuated synthetic jet is developed and fabricated. For this present design, a valveless pump structure is developed in which the pump chamber is sealed on one side and connected to an emitting nozzle at another side. The design is simulated using the multiphysics approach and then successfully investigated with a prototype produced by a low-cost additive fabrication technique. The device's parameters, including the liquid pumping characteristics and the size of the PZT membrane, are optimized based on its desired performance. The developed device can be applied over a wide range of applications from micromixing to fluidic controlling.

Transgender women are at higher risk of HIV infection, however, there is a lack of information about HIV infection and related factors among transgender women in Vietnam. From February 2018 to June 2018, 456 transgender women were recruited in the study using Respondent-Driven Sampling technique. Participants completed the computer-based questionnaire and were tested for HIV serostatus. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors related to HIV infection. The prevalence of HIV infection was 77 (16.5%), of which 19 (24.7%) were not aware of their HIV-positive status prior to the study. Factors associated with HIV infection included popper use (aOR 2.01, p = 0.044) and having regular male partner(s) (aOR 0.42, p = 0.006). More efforts are needed to reduce the high prevalence of HIV infection, such as expanding the reach of HIV screening and prevention programs to the transgender women population, particularly for substance users. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10461-020-02867-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

To evaluate the impact of comorbidity and predicting value of the modified Elixhauser comorbidity index score on the outcome of burn patients.A retrospective study was conducted on 5480 patients admitted during 24 h after burn to the National Burn Hospital from 1/1/2016 to 31/12/2018. Demographic data and pre-existing medical conditions were collected. Modified Elixhauser comorbidity index (ECI) score developed by Walravel et al. was calculated for each patient. The score was the weighted sum of comorbid conditions. Outcomes measured included hospitalization, complication and mortality.Among 5480 patients, 345(6.3%) had at least one pre-existing medical condition. Most common comorbidities were neurological disorder, diabetes, hypertension and psychoses. Pre-existing medical conditions were more common in elderly (25% vs. 4.8%; p .001) and female (7.5% vs. 5.8%; p .05). Moreover, significantly larger burn extent, higher rate of inhalation injury (p .01) and complication (12.8% vs. 6.1%; p .001), longer time of hospitalization (21.4 vs. 17.1 days; p .001) were recorded in comorbidity group. It is noted that higher ECI score was remarkably higher in patients who developed complication (.6 vs. .3 respectively, p .05) and death (.5 vs. .3; p .05). Multivariate analysis indicated that apart from presence of inhalation injury, increased burn extent, full thickness burn area, ECI score was an independently predicted factor for prolonging the time of staying, for the development of complication and death. Each score of ECI results in increased probability unit of complication to .13 and probability unit of death to .11.Pre-existing medical conditions lead to more severe and worse outcomes among burn patients. Modified Elixhauser comorbidity index score should be used as a prognosis factor for outcomes of burn patients.

Background and Purpose: Burn patients are at a higher risk of infections caused by different organisms. This study aimed to address the prevalence, causative species, and factors related to fungal colonization or infection in patients with acute severe injuries admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a burn hospital in northern Vietnam. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 400 patients in a burn ICU between 2017 and 2019. Clinical samples were weekly collected and screened for fungi, and relevant clinical information was obtained from medical records. Results: According to the results, 90% of the patients were colonized with fungi. Out of this group, 12.75% of the cases had invasive fungal infection (IFI). Eleven yeasts and six mold species were isolated from the patients, with the most common species being Candida tropicalis (45.56%) and C. albicans (41.94%). Among the eleven species causing fungal wound infection (FWI), the most common agents were Candida (66.7% of FWI patients) and Aspergillus (38.5%) species. Three Candida species isolated from blood were C. tropicalis (66.7%), C. albicans (20.0%), and C. parapsilosis (14.3%). No factors were found to expose the patients to a higher risk of fungal colonization. However, hyperglycemia, prolonged ICU stay, and heavy Candida species colonization were found to be independently predictive of IFI. Conclusion: Burn patients are at the risk of fungal infection with Candida species (especially C. tropicalis) and Aspergillus as the most frequently responsible agents. Continuous surveillance of fungi and appropriate management of pathophysiological consequences are essential to prevent fungal infection in burn patients.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility and influence of opening the lung strategy ventilation on burned patients complicated with ARDS. Methods A prospective study was carried out in 66 moderate to severe burned patients also presented with ARDS who were randomly divided into the control group (ventilated as ARDS net) and the study group (ventilated with open lung strategy). All patients were ventilated with volume control mode until weaning. Results Opening the lung procedure was safe in all patients with optimal PEEP of 14.8 ± 1.8 cmH2O. After 24 h of lung recruitment and PEEP titration, oxygenation significantly improved (PaO2/FiO2 ratio increased from 119.8 ± 7.4 to 263.4 ± 11.6; p 0.05). In addition, duration time from ADRS onset to death and from admission to death were also remarkably longer in the study group (p Conclusion It is necessary to conduct further trials to find out the effectiveness of this ventilation strategy on burns injury induced ARDS.

Cloud computing is currently considered the most cost-effective platform for offering business and consumer IT services over the Internet. However, it is prone to new vulnerabilities. A new type of attack called an economic denial of sustainability (EDoS) attack exploits the pay-per-use model to scale up the resource usage over time to the extent that the cloud user has to pay for the unexpected usage charge. To prevent EDoS attacks, a few solutions have been proposed, including hard-threshold and machine learning-based solutions. Among them, long short-term memory (LSTM)-based solutions achieve much higher accuracy and false-alarm rates than hard-threshold and other machine learning-based solutions. However, LSTM requires a long sequence length of the input data, leading to a degraded performance owing to increases in the calculations, the detection time, and consuming a large number of computing resources of the defense system. We, therefore, propose a two-phase deep learning-based EDoS detection scheme that uses an LSTM model to detect each abnormal flow in network traffic, however, the LSTM model requires only a short sequence length of five of the input data. Thus, the proposed scheme can take advantage of the efficiency of the LSTM algorithm in detecting each abnormal flow in network traffic, while reducing the required sequence length of the input data. A comprehensive performance evaluation shows that our proposed scheme outperforms the existing solutions in terms of accuracy and resource consumption.

A cluster topology was proposed with the assumption of zero noise to improve the performance of wireless body area networks (WBANs). However, in WBANs, the transmission power should be reduced as low as possible to avoid the effect of electromagnetic waves on the human body and to extend the lifetime of a battery. Therefore, in this work, we consider a bit error rate for a cluster‐based WBAN and analyze the performance of the system while the transmission of sensors and cluster headers (CHs) is controlled. Moreover, a hierarchical topology is proposed for the cluster‐based WBAN to further improve the throughput of the system; this proposed system is called as the hierarchical cluster WBAN. The hierarchical cluster WBAN is combined with a transmission control scheme, that is, complete control, spatial reuse superframe, to increase the throughput. The proposed system is analyzed and evaluated based on several factors of the system model, such as signal‐to‐noise ratio, number of clusters, and number of sensors. The calculation result indicates that the proposed hierarchical cluster WBAN outperforms the cluster‐based WBAN in all analyzed scenarios.

Electron scattering rate and electron mobility limited by LO-phonons are calculated for a cylindrical polar semiconductor quantum wire with core-shell structure. Longitudinal optical phonons modes are developed within a dielectric continuum model. The influence of the thickness of the shell on the electron scattering rate by phonons is studied. Numerical calculations performed for a GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wire show that the electron–LO-phonon scattering rate changes with the thickness of the shell layer and is reduced considerably in the quantum wires having thicker shell, leading to higher electron mobility. The mobility can be improved up to several orders of magnitude.

Objectives: Investigating characteristics and outcome of epileptic related burn injuries. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all burn patients admitted to the National Burn Hospital during three year period (1/1/2016 to 31/12/2018). Patients were divided into two groups including epilepsy group with 137 patients and non-epilepsy group (9809 patients). Recorded criteria included patients’ demographics, burn and epilepsy features relating to burn injuries and treatment outcomes. Results: Epileptic patients accounted for 1.38% total burn admission. More proportion of adult (81.75% vs. 51.09%; p 0.05). Higher surgical number (2.35 vs. 1.03; p

Evidence of health service use and access across different target groups is essential for policy development, health promotion, and promotion of equity in healthcare. This study aims to look at ethnic variations in health service use and access among residents in mountainous areas of Vietnam. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 321 adults from two mountainous communes in Bac Kan province. Healthcare service use and access were evaluated by using a structured questionnaire. Zero-inflated Poisson regression was used to examine the ethnic variations in the healthcare service use and access. Of 321 mountainous residents, 63.6% used health services in the previous 12 months, of which 24.9% respondents used inpatient services and 47.9% used outpatient services. The number of outpatient medical services used by the Tay participant was higher than that of the Kinh and other ethnic groups ( p < 0.05 ). Multivariate regression results showed that compared to Kinh people, Tay people had a higher number of outpatient service use (Coef. = 0.25, p = 0.04 ), while people in other ethnicities had a lower number of service use (Coef. = −0.64, p = 0.01 ). Meanwhile, no difference was found among groups regarding the number of inpatient service use ( p > 0.05 ). This study showed the ethnic differences in outpatient use of health services among communities living in the northern mountainous setting of Vietnam.

Objectives This study investigated safety and effect of propranolol on adult patients with severe burn. Methods A prospective study was conducted on 124 severely adult burn patients who were randomly divided into propranolol and non-propranolol group. Propranolol was given by nasogastric tube to achieve the target of lowering 15–20% of initial heart rate. Results Average dose of propranolol was 1,9 ± 0.5 mg/kg/day ranging from 0.9 to 3.3 mg/kg/day and was not affected by burn extent and inhalation injury. Mean heart rate reduced by 21.2% during a period of 28 days. Recorded adverse events included hypotension (11.9%), bradycardia (1.6%), hypoglycemia (17.7%) and total number of held events was 8 occurring in 7 (11.3%) patients. Serum levels of glucose, total protein, albumin, cholesterol and triglyceride at different times were not significantly different between two groups. Significantly lower resting energy expenditure on the 7th and 14th day were seen in propranolol group (p 0.05). Conclusion For severely adult burn, propranolol could be safe and effective on reducing energy expenditure, limited hepatomegaly, accelerate partial burn wound and donor site but does not affect length of stay in ICU, hospitalization, complication and mortality rate.

Despite silicosis being one of the oldest occupational diseases, it continues to be a leading occupational disease worldwide and in Vietnam. The study aims to determine the prevalence and associated factors for the development of silicosis among workers directly exposed to silica dust. In a cross-sectional survey of 4,002 workers in five provinces, social-demographic and occupational health characteristics were collected through a face-to-face interview and a chest X-ray performed by medical staff and pneumoconiosis radiologists. Logistic multivariate regression was applied to analyze risk factors associated with silicosis. The overall prevalence of silicosis was 12.27%. The prevalence was higher in male (13.2%) than female (7.9%) with p < 0.001; prevalence also increased with older age group, and was higher in exploiting and processing stones and granite quarrying. ‘Workers’ exposure with silica dusts more than 15 years were more likely positive with silicosis. Male, older age groups, type of work such as exploiting and processing stones and granite quarrying, workers who unknown silicosis can be preventive, and the long distance to health facilities were significantly associated with silicosis. Our findings indicate the importance of reviewing the silicosis diagnosis, particularly time exposure. Further intervention to prevent silicosis must be prioritized for male, older workers, tailored by type of work, and improving of knowledge and practices against silicosis of the workers.

Background: Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are among the widespread everchanging threats to public health. Web-based queries using information gathered from social media can enhance global syndromic surveillance to trace EIDs activity. This systematic review aimed to investigate the correlation of web-based queries to outbreak of EIDs. Methods: Nine electronic databases were systematically searched and updated in August 2018 including; PubMed, Virtual Health Library (VHL), WHO Global Health Library (GHL), Scopus, ISI, Google Scholar, POPLINE, and Systems for Information of Grey Literature in Europe (SIGLE), New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM Grey Literature Report). A prior protocol was registered at Prospero (CRD42016038104). In a total five included articles, 47 datasets were included for reviewing. The correlation was assessed through Spearman and Pearson tests using either google trends or number of tweets. Results: Meta-analysis of influenza-like illness data revealed that correlation was significant (0.784 (0.743-0.820, 0.964 (0.918-0.985) for both Spearman and Pearson tests respectively. Conclusions: Web-based surveillance systems could serve as a good method in predicting events of EIDs.

Candida species is the most common cause of invasive fungal infection. With the wide variation in species distribution and antifungal susceptibility of causative agents, local epidemiological profiles are needed to provide effective guidelines for the treatment of invasive candidiasis. To find out the species distribution and antifungal susceptibilities of Candida strains isolated from patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) of Vietnam. All patients in ICU of Vietnam National Hospital of Burn with Candida isolation reported from January 2017 to December 2019 were retrospectively studied. Species identification and antifungal susceptibility testing were performed using VITEK 2 Compact. The identification was reconfirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer regions when needed. A total of 186 yeasts belonging to ten species were collected. The most common agent was C. tropicalis (45.7%), followed by C. albicans (42.4%), and C. parapsilosis (7.53%). The isolated yeasts showed less susceptibility to fluconazole (resistant rate R 10.7%) than to micafungin, caspofungin, flucytosine and amphotericin B (R 0%, 0.6%, 2.3% and 3.4%, respectively, p

Cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of death globally: more people die annually from these diseases than from any other causes. These diseases are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels that appears silently but lead to many serious consequences for life. Vascular diseases including atherosclerosis, aneurysm, peripheral artery disease... affect the arteries, veins, or capillaries throughout the body and around the heart. Therefore, assessment of the quality of blood vessels early is extremely necessary in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Bioimpedance analysis is a non-invasive, safe, and low-cost technique that is widely used for diagnosing various diseases. This study conducts a novel method to evaluate the status of the blood vessels in two cases: stenosis and aneurysm based on bioimpedance signals. A 3D model of the forearm with several layers (skin, fat, muscle, bone, and blood vessel) and electrodes is simulated by using Comsol Multiphysics software. The electric impedance in different vascular conditions is examined. The results show that vessel impedance changed substantially because of vascular disorders. The bioimpedance signals vary according to the sizes of plaque and aneurysm wall. Consequently, bioimpedance analysis is reliable to detect vascular diseases and able to be applied in the near future.

Background. FeNO has been used as a marker for Th2-mediated airway inflammation in asthma. There is evidence which recommends the use of this biomarker in asthma management. Little is known about whether the FeNO test alone or in combination with the ACT score can reflect asthma control in Vietnamese patients. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in asthmatic patients (≥18 years old) recruited at the University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from March 2016 to March 2017. Asthma control levels were assessed following the GINA 2017 guidelines, and FeNO was measured by a Niox Mino device. FeNO cut-offs predicting asthma control status were determined using the ROC curve analysis. The combination of FeNO and ACT was investigated in detecting well-controlled and uncontrolled asthma. The results of the study are as follows: 278 patients with 68% females, mean age of 44 years, and mean asthma duration of 10 years were analyzed. All patients were treated following step 2 to 4 of GINA guidelines. Mean (SD) FeNO was 30.6 (24) ppb. Patients with uncontrolled (16%), partly controlled (29%), and well-controlled asthma (55%) had a median (IQR) FeNO of 50.0 (74), 25.0 (23), and 21.0 (22.3) ppb, respectively, and the mean of FeNO in the uncontrolled group was significantly higher than that in other groups (p<0.001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for FeNO detecting uncontrolled asthma was 0.730 with an optimal cut-off point of FeNO > 50 ppb, and this AUC increased to 0.89 when combining FeNO and ACT. The AUC for FeNO detecting well-controlled asthma was 0.601 with an optimal cut-off point of FeNO Conclusions. FeNO can predict asthma control status with an estimated cut-off point of 50 ppb for uncontrolled asthma. The combination of FeNO and ACT provides better information regarding asthma control than FeNO alone, and this combination is useful to predict asthma control statuses in asthmatic patients in Viet Nam.

Imperfect channel state information (I-CSI) and imperfect transceiver hardware often happen in wireless communication systems due to the time-varying and random characteristics of both wireless channels and hardware components. The impacts of I-CSI and hardware impairments (HI) reduce not only the system performance but also the self-interference cancellation (SIC) capability of full-duplex (FD) devices. To investigate the system performance in realistic scenarios, in this paper, we consider the performance of an FD multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) relay system under the effects of I-CSI, imperfect SIC (I-SIC), and imperfect transceiver hardware. We mathematically derive the exact closed-form expressions of the outage probability (OP) and ergodic capacity of the considered HI-FD-MIMO relay system over Rayleigh fading channels with the existence of I-CSI, I-SIC, and HI. Numerical results indicate that the performance in terms of OP and capacity reaches saturation faster, especially when the channel estimation error, the residual self-interference (RSI), and HI levels are remarkable. Therefore, various solutions for effectively reducing the channel estimation error, RSI, and HI levels in the HI-FD-MIMO relay system should be carried out to improve the system performance. All derived mathematical expressions are verified through Monte-Carlo simulations.

BACKGROUND: The fungal disease caused by invasive fungus Saprochaete capitata is becoming an increasingly popular infection. Fungal pathogens mainly occur in patients with immunocompromised disorders such as hematologic malignancies, acute myeloid leukemia, transplant patients. CASE REPORT: In this study, we presented a COPD patient infected with S. capitata. At the first check, the patient showed cough, dyspnea, chest pain on both sides. The clinical laboratory test result was characterized with high White blood cell (12.8 G/L), HIV negative. The X ray showed bronchitis and emphysema. Bronchoscopy illustrated bronchial mucositis. CT scanner demonstrated pneumonia with fuzzy nodular lesions and thick interstitial organization in both lungs. The patient was treated with ciprofloxacin 800 mg/day; cefuroxime 2250 mmg/day. However, the fever appeared 2 weeks thereafter. The S. capitata was discovered in the bronchial fluid. The patient was then treated with fluconazole 400 mg/day for 14 days. At the end of treatment, all signs and symptoms of S. capitata infection disappeared and the patient recovered. CONCLUSION: This case study showed that S. capitata infection can occur in the COPD patients and fluconazole is a pertinent drug for treatment of the infection.

In this contribution we present an experimental study of 3D opal photonic crystals. The samples are opals constituted by colloidal silica spheres, realized with self-assembly technique. The sphere diameter is selected in order to obtain coupling of the photonic band gap with the emission from CdSe/ZnS colloidal quantum dots. The quantum dots infiltrated in the opals is expected to be enhanced or suppressed depending on the detection angle from the photonic crystal. The structural and optical characterization of the SiO2 opal photonic crystals are performed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and reflectivity spectroscopy. Measurements performed on samples permits to put into evidence the influence of the different preparation methods on the optical properties. Study of self-activated luminescence of the pure opals is also presented. It is shown that the luminescence of the sample with QDs have original QD emission and not due to the photonic crystal structure. The optical properties of colloidal core-shell semiconductor quantum dots of CdSe/ZnS which are prepared in our lab will be mention.

This survey aims to evaluate first aid knowledge for the management of burns cases amongst high risk groups. Methods: A survey was conducted on 674 workers including fire fighters, and workers in electrical power and oil industries. The contents of the survey focused on demographic criteria, first aid measure for burn accidents and source of information. Results: 29.5% of participants achieved the desirable score over 75%. The incidence of participants who reported knowing to use cool fresh water to reduce the temperature of the burn wound was 86.1%. In addition, a higher knowledge level was significantly seen in a sub-group of younger, male workers, as well as those who took part in training courses (p

Among comic elements including panels, balloons, comic characters, texts, etc. panels play an important role in content adaptation and story animation for small devices such as mobile phones or tablets. Different panel extraction techniques have been investigated over the last ten years; most of the existing approaches rely on the assumption that a comic panel is either simple as a rectangle or more complex as a polygon having 4 edges. In this paper, we re-examine the definition of comic panels, is a 4-edge polygon really sufficient to represent integral information of a comic panel? We suggest using a modern definition of comic panels, together with a strong panel extraction baseline method for the approach.

This descriptive study describes clinical and subclinical symptoms of neonatal pneumonia and evaluates the results of its treatment in Bac Ninh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. In this study, 200 children diagnosed with neonatal pneumonia were treated in the hospital from May 1, 2018 to May 1, 2019. Among the patients, 57.0% were male; the male/female ratio was 1.33. There were 67/200 (33.5%) patients aged 0-7 days with 13.5% of whom were preterm neonates. In preterm infants, the most common clinical signs were cough (96.4%), tachypnea (42.9%), wheezing (89.3%), recessive (35.7%), scattered bibasilar rales (85.7%), cyanosis (32.1%), and apnea (21.4%). In full-term infants, the most common symptoms were cough (89.5%), cyanosis (6.9%), recessive (18.6%), and scattered bibasilar rales (77.9%). There were 28.5% of the patients with unstable white blood cells; 26.0% of the children had increased CRP. The most common antibiotic formula was Cefalosporin + Amikacin used in 30% of the cases. 121/200 cultured cases were positive, of which 35.5% was K. pneumoniae, 27.3% was H.influenzae, 21.5% was E.coli, and 14.0% was S.aureus. The average duration of treatment was 8.6 ± 3.8 days. The study concludes that neonatal pneumonia was more common in male children; the main clinical manifestations were coughing, rapid breathing, small granules; and a combination of antibiotics was effective in treating neonatal pneumonia. Keywords Neonatal pneumonia, tachypnea, apnea, use of antibiotics. References [1] Khu Thị Khánh Dung, Nghiên cứu đặc điểm lâm sàng vi khuẩn và một số yếu tố liên quan đến viêm phổi sơ sinh, Luận án Tiến sĩ Y học, Trường Đại học Y Hà Nội, (2003).[2] Nguyễn Tuấn Ngọc, Cơ cấu và căn nguyên nhiễm khuẩn sơ sinh tại Khoa Nhi Bệnh viện Đa khoa Trung ương Thái Nguyên, Tạp chí Y học thực hành. 678 (2009) 7-10.[3] Friedrich Reiterer, Neonatal Pneumonia, in: B.Resch, Neonatal Bacterial Infection, Intech Open, London, 2013, pp.20 - 32.[4] Chao-Jen Lin and et.al, Radiographic, clinical, and prognostic features of complicated and uncomplicated community-acquired lobar pneumonia in children, J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 39 (2007) 489-495.[5] David Martin le Roux, Heather Zar, Community-acquired pneumonia in children - a changing spectrum of disease, Pediatric Radiology. 47 (2017) 1392 – 1398. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-017-3827-8.[6] Sreekumaran Nair, Leslie Edward Lewis, and et.al, Factors associated with neonatal pneumonia in India: protocol for a systematic review and planned meta-analysis, BMJ Open. 8 (2018) 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018790.[7] Nguyễn Thị Kim Anh, Phạm Thị Minh Hồng, Đặc điểm viêm phổi sơ sinh tại bệnh viện Nhi Đồng 2 từ 3/2007 đến 10/2007, Tạp chí Y học Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh. 13 (2009), 1-7.[8] Lihong Yang and et.al, Prevalence and risk factors of neonatal pneumonia in China: A longitudinal clinical study, Biomedical Research. 29 (2018) 57 - 60.[9] Shah Shetal and et.al, Factors associated with mortality and length of stay in hospitalised neonates in Eritrea, Africa: a cross-sectional study, BMJ Open. 2 (2012) 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000792.[10] Đỗ Thị Bích Vân và cộng sự, Nhận xét kết quả của vỗ rung liệu pháp trong điều trị viêm phổi sơ sinh không thở máy tại Bệnh viện Nhi Trung ương, Tạp chí Y học Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh. 16 (2012) 93-97.[11] Vũ Thị Phương, Nghiên cứu nguyên nhân vi khuẩn gây bệnh, kết quả điều trị và một số yếu tố liên quan đến tử vong trong viêm phổi sơ sinh tại bệnh viện Trẻ em Hải Phòng năm 2011, Luận văn Thạc sĩ y học, Trường Đại học Y Hải Phòng (2012).

In this paper, a staggered Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) coherent integration based on phase/time compensation algorithm in the receiver is proposed. Two staggered PRFs are used to extend blind Doppler frequency. The phase/time compensation algorithm is applied for coherent integration of non-coherent pulse-trains. As a result, the Doppler frequencies of targets are determined.

This study assessetailers’ satisfaction with Procter and Gamble (P&G) brands distribution policy at Tuan Viet Co.,Ltd., Hue Branch concerning the supply of goods, sales policy, information forcustomers, facilities and equipment support, personal relationships, and sales staffs. On the basis ofthe factor analysis method and the ENTER method for regression analysis, the study shows that the factor "Sales policy" ha the greatest impact on retailers’ satisfaction. The study also provides possible solutions to improve retailers’ satisfaction with Tuan Viet company's P&G brands distribution policy. Especially, the study emphasizesseveral issues that Tuan Viet should address, including promoting market surveys to have appropriate distribution policies and basis for appropriate proposals to the producers, and recruiting and training sales staff carefully. In addition to professional skills, it is necessary to pay more attention toestablishingrelationships with clients and navigating sales staffs to work for the company. The company needs to improve its warehousing system,while goods need to be better stocked. Furthermore, the lack of propercoordination between the salesmen and the delivery staffs should be tackled thoroughly. Eventually, the company should set appropriate working principles to avoid conflicts, disunity, and work inefficiency.Keywords: retailer, satisfaction, distribution policy

Physical layer security (PLS) approach for wireless communication can prevent eavesdropping without upper layer data encryption. In this paper, we consider the transmission of confidential message over wireless channel with the help of multiple cooperating relays in the Decode-and-Forward cooperative scheme. Based on an information-theoretic formulation of problem we take into account a wireless network system, in which an one-way relay wireless system including a source, a legitimate destination, multiple trusted relays and multiple eavesdroppers. For decode-and-forward beamforming protocol in the presence of one eavesdropper, the closed-form optimal solution is derived for the relay weights. For another case, when the communication system has the presence of multiple eavesdroppers, it becomes more difficult to find the optimal solution of the secrecy rate maximization problem. Hence, there are several criteria were considered leading to a suboptimal but simple solution. Specifically, nulling out the message signals completely at all eavesdroppers results in a simpler form of this problem and a suboptimal solution is explicitly obtained. In this paper, we propose a new approach based on the well known method, DC programming and DCA to solve the original problem, without considering any additional constraints.

In this paper, we propose and analyze two important secure performance metrics of cluster-based multi-hop relay networks with friendly jamming nodes under the presence of multi-eavesdroppers in condition of imperfect channel estimation. At each hop, partial relay and jammer selection are used to improve the network security. The close-form expressions of secrecy outage probability and the probability of non-zero secrecy capacity of the considered system are derived as criteria to evaluate system security performance. The system performance is analyzed for Rayleigh fading channels with imperfect channel state information. Monte Carlo simulations are also performed to verify the correctness of the analytical results.

Background HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) in Vietnam is high, whereas coverage of effective HIV prevention services has been inadequate. Studies have measured MSM and TGW demand for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services, which led to the design of the first ever PrEP program in Vietnam, Prepped for PrEP (P4P). Methods: In March 2017, PrEP services were offered in Ho Chi Minh City as part of the P4P demonstration project, enabling same-day enrolment in three key population (KP)-led clinics and four public clinics. P4P aimed to assess acceptability and feasibility of PrEP services through calculating the rate of PrEP enrolment over time, and quarterly measures of continuation and adherence over an 18-month period. Results: A total of 1069 MSM and 62 TGW were enrolled in P4P. Average monthly PrEP enrolment among MSM increased five-fold from the first 3 months (March–June 2017) to the last 3 months of active enrolment (March–June 2018), whereas for TGW, no increased trend in PrEP enrolment per quarter was seen. Self-reported PrEP adherence was >90% at all time points among MSM, but varied from 11.1% to 88.9% among TGW. PrEP continuation was calculated at months 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18. For MSM, it was 88.7% at month 3, 68.8% at month 12 and 46.6% at month 18, whereas for TGW, it was 87.1%, 54.8% and 52.8%, respectively. Multivariable regression identified that MSM with lower-than-average income (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.38 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.59–3.54), P = 0.000), aged >30 years (aOR 2.03 (95% CI: 1.30–3.40), P = 0.007) and with an increasing number of sex partners (aOR: 1.06 (1.01–1.11), P = 0.011) had greater odds of remaining on PrEP. For TGW, being aged >30 years was associated with continuing on PrEP (aOR 5.62 (95% CI: 1.05–29.9), P = 0.043). Conclusions: We found PrEP to be highly acceptable among MSM and moderately acceptable among TGW. Continuation rates were relatively high for the first roll-out of PrEP; however, those aged ≤30 years were much more likely to discontinue services. Scaling-up PrEP through differentiated and community-led and engaged PrEP service delivery will be key to effectively increase access and uptake over the next 5 years.

In recent years, electronic payment is becoming more popular in businesses worldwide. The purpose of this study is to analyse the factors affecting the intention to use the electronic payment of individual and household retailers in Vietnam by using an extended technology acceptance model adopted from the study of Venkatesh and Davis (2000). We collected data from 773 individual and household retailers through an online self-administered questionnaire survey in the three largest cities of Vietnam, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was used to test the research hypotheses. Research findings prove that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, security, cost, and effort expectancy positively influence the intention to use the electronic payment of individuals and household retailers. However, there is not enough statistical evidence to conclude about the relationship between social influence and the intention to use electronic payment.

Background Stepping down treatment for well-controlled mild asthma is challenging to clinicians. The step-down strategy using regularly-intermittent low-dose inhaled corticosteroid has been applied at the University Medical Center (UMC) of Ho Chi Minh City, called as "UMC" approach. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of UMC step-down strategy in well- controlled mild asthma. Methods A real-world retrospective descriptive study was conducted at UMC from 2009 to 2018. All asthmatic patients (age ≥ 12) who received step-down therapy using this UMC approach were evaluated. Results Among 2,072 asthma patients to be treated with UMC step-down strategy, only 112 subjects were eligible. The median age was 38.5 years and female was 62.5%. Most patients at their initial presentation were indicated step 4 treatment (87.5%). The controller medications before initiation of UMC treatment included fluticasone propionate 125 μg once-daily, salmeterol/fluticasone propionate 25/125 μg once-daily, and formoterol/budesonide 4.5/160 μg once-daily. After being treated with the UMC approach, the rates of well-controlled asthma ranged from 67.6% to 91.1%. During 1 year with UMC treatment, pulmonary function remained stable and only 7 subjects (6.3%) developed exacerbation. Conclusion The UMC step-down treatment for well-controlled mild asthma was relatively efficient in maintaining asthma control, stabilization of pulmonary function, and reducing risk of severe exacerbation.

A patient with extensive burn injuries was admitted to the National Hospital of Burns in Hanoi, Vietnam, and diagnosed with fungal wound infection by histological examination of skin biopsy samples. Fusarium solani was isolated and identified by analysis of its morphological features and the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer region. The isolation showed in vitro resistant to fluconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, amphotericin B, and caspofungin. Invasive fusariosis is difficult to treat due to its angioinvasive property and its lacking amenability to treatment with antifungal drugs. This infection is rare and has not been reported so far in Vietnam.

Modelling and analysis of storage system in data centers for availability prediction is of paramount importance. Many studies in literature proposed different architectures and techniques to enhance availability of the storage system. In this paper, we proposed to incorporate virtualization techniques on a network area storage. We used stochastic reward nets to model the system's architecture and operational scenarios. Furthermore, we investigated various measures of interests including steady state availability, downtime and downtime cost, and sensitivity of the system availability with respect to impacting parameters. The analysis results show that the proposed storage system with virtualization can obtain an acceptable level of service availability. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis also points out complicated dependences of service availability upon system parameters. This paper presents a preliminary study to help guide the development of a scalable network area storage with virtualization in practice.

Modern cloud computing systems are prone to disasters. And the true cost due to service outages is reportedly huge. Some of previous works presented the use of hierarchical models: fault tree (FT), reliability block diagram (RBD) along with state-space models: continuous time Markov chain (CTMC) or stochastic petri nets (SPN) to assess the reliability/availability of cloud systems, but with much simplification. In this paper, we attempt to propose a combinatorial monolithic model using reliability graph (RG) for a real-world cloud system called general purpose integrated cloud system (GENESIS). The system is designed in active-active high availability configuration with two geographically distributed cloud sites for the sake of disaster tolerance (DT). We then present the model-based comprehensive analysis of system reliability/availability and their sensitivity. The results pinpoint different findings in which the architecture of active-active and geographically dispersed sites with appropriate interconnections of the cloud apparently enhance the system reliability/availability and assure disaster tolerance for the cloud.

Frequent foodborne outbreaks occurring in large canteens of factories and schools are a public health concern in Vietnam. Potential for contamination of food during the preparation phase has not yet been addressed by public health authorities, particularly the food-handlers' knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding food safety. To identify training needs, we conducted an analytical cross-sectional study assessing KAP of food-handlers in large canteens of schools and factories in 2012. From a sampling frame of 169 large canteens (50 in schools and 119 in factories; a total of 3399 employees) in Southern Vietnam, 40 schools and 26 factories were selected on the basis of type of establishment; all food-handlers (N = 909) in the selected canteens were interviewed by using standard questionnaire. After descriptive analysis, potential confounders were controlled by using logistic regression models to calculate prevalence odds ratios (PORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for differences in KAP between employees in schools and factories. A qualitative study of ten focus groups with participants selected by using maximum variation sampling was also conducted to identify training needs. Of the 909 food-handlers participating the study, 76% were females, 84% had secondary school or higher education; median age and work experience were 38 years and 36 months, respectively. Proportions of all participants whose KAP were considered adequate were 26%, 36%, and 26%, respectively. There were associations between knowledge and attitudes, and knowledge and practices. After controlling for gender, age, educational level, and length of work experience in logistic regression models, the odds of food-handlers in schools reporting adequate KAP were about twice as high as those for food-handlers in factories. Among 66 investigated canteens, 9% did not separate raw food from cooked food area and 52% did not have standard rest rooms. Food-handlers' suggestions for training needs included appropriate location of the training venue at the work place, involvement of managers, fewer trainees per course, more practical exercises, and longer course duration. KAP of food-handlers were generally poor, especially among food-handlers working in factories. Public health authorities in Vietnam should prioritize food-handlers in factories for training courses.

The paper proposes an approach to design optimal receding horizon controller for tracking control a TRMS (twin rotor multiple input multiple output system), which is a nonlinear system with two degrees of freedom, cross couplings and perturbed additionally by system disturbances. On the contrary to all other MPC controllers, which use consistently a finite horizon and discrete time model of controlled object, the here proposed controller uses an infinite horizon and continuous time nonlinear model. Hence it always guarantees the adaptive tracking stability of obtained closed loop systems in real time, without using an additional penalty function in objective function as usual. The obtained simulation results by using this controller have confirmed its promising applicability in practice.

Physical layer security is an alternative approach to guarantee secure communication besides the traditional cryptography method. In the physical layer security literature, most of the studies are centered around the secrecy capacity, but a new approach based on signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) was proposed in recent years. In that approach, they considered the transmission of a confidential message over a wireless channel with the help of multiple cooperating relays in the Amplify-and-Forward cooperative scheme based on an SNR approach with the predefined threshold. The optimization problem with the aim of maximizing the received SNR at a legitimate receiver subjects to the conditions that the received SNR at each eavesdropper is below the target threshold, and the condition about relay power are formulated as a nonconvex problem. This problem was solved by Semi-definite Relaxation method. In this paper, we propose the well known method based on DC programming and DCA to solve this hard problem. The numerical results show that our proposed method give the better results compared with its obtained by the existing ones.

Summary Objectives To identify the vehicle, source, and causative agent of a community-wide food-borne outbreak of gastroenteritis. Methods We conducted a case–control study. Cases were city residents diagnosed with gastroenteritis and hospitalized in Ben Tre City from 22 to 25 May 2013; 41 cases were selected randomly from a list of hospitalized patients. Controls were age- and gender-matched healthy neighbours of cases. Participants were interviewed using a standard questionnaire. Samples from patients and food were tested at reference laboratories. We used conditional logistic regression to calculate matched odds ratios (mORs) for the association of gastroenteritis with food items consumed. Results Of the 41 cases enrolled in the study, 61% were males and the median age was 33 years; cases resided in 12 wards of the City. Of 13 food items consumed by the cases, only stuffed bread was significantly associated with gastroenteritis (mOR 21.3, 95% confidence interval 6.3–71.8). Among the 29 cases who ate stuffed bread, the median time to illness onset was 9h. Patient stool samples and bread samples were positive for Salmonella species. Conclusions Stuffed bread was the likely vehicle of the outbreak. The laboratory testing capacity for serotypes of Salmonella should be strengthened in Vietnam. Food-handler training in basic food safety measures should be improved.

Logistics plays an important role in globalized companies and contributes to the development of foreign trade. A large number of external conditions, such as recession and inflation, affect logistics. Therefore, managers should find ways to improve operational performance, enabling them to increase efficiency while considering environmental sustainability due to the industry’s large scale of energy consumption. Based on data collected from the financial reports of top global logistics companies, this study uses a DEA model to calculate corporate efficiency by implementing a Grey forecasting approach to forecast future sustainability values. Consequently, the study addresses the problem of how to enhance operational performance while accounting for the impact of external conditions. This research can help logistics companies develop operation strategies in the future that will enhance their competitiveness vis-à-vis rivals in a time of global economic volatility.

Beside of cryptography - the primary traditional methods for ensuring information security and confidentiality, the appearance of the physical layer security approach plays an important role for not only enabling the data transmission confidentially without relying on higher-layer encryption, but also enhancing confidentiality of the secret key distribution in cryptography itself. In this paper, we mention a technique used in physical layer security, this is relay beamforming strategy with Decode-and-Forward relaying technique. The optimization problems with the aim of maximizing the sum of secrecy rates subject to individual relay power constraints are formulated as a nonconvex problem. These problems can be rewritten as DC (difference of two convex functions) programs. We apply the standard DCA scheme to find solution to this problem. The main benefit of the proposed method is that it provides an optimal value for the system secrecy rate while the previous existing methods only give its upper bound.

In this study, Multi-fidelity analysis is performed to improve the accuracy of analysis result during conceptual design stage. Multidisciplinary Design Optimization(MDO) method is also considered to satisfy the total system requirements. Low-fidelity analysis codes which are based on empirical equations are developed and validated for analyzing the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV) which have unconventional configurations. Analysis codes consist of initial sizing, aerodynamics, propulsion, mission, weight, performance, and stability modules. Design synthesis program which is composed of those modules is developed. To improve the accuracy of the design method for UAV, Vortex Lattice Method is used for the strategy of MFA. Multi-Disciplinary Feasible(MDF) method is used for MDO technique. To demonstrate the validity of presented method, the optimization results of both methods are compared. According to those results, the presented method is demonstrated to be applicable to improve the accuracy of the analyses during conceptual design stage.

An outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred among workers of company X after eating lunch prepared by a catering service. Of 430 workers attending the meal, 56 were hospitalized with abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, according to the initial report. We conducted an investigation to identify the extent, vehicle, and source of the outbreak. In our case-control study, a case was a worker who attended the meal and who was hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis; controls were randomly selected from non-ill workers. Cases and controls were interviewed using a standard questionnaire. We used logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios for the consumption of food items. Catering service facilities and food handlers working for the service were inspected. Food samples from the catering service were tested at reference laboratories. Of hospitalized cases, 54 fulfilled the case definition, but no stool specimens were collected for laboratory testing. Of four food items served during lunch, only "squash and pork soup" was significantly associated with gastroenteritis, with an adjusted odds ratio of 9.5 (95 % CI 3.2, 27.7). The caterer did not separate cooked from raw foods but used the same counter for both. Cooked foods were kept at room temperature for about 4 h before serving. Four of 14 food handlers were not trained on basic food safety principles and did not have health certificates. Although no microbiological confirmation was obtained, our epidemiological investigation suggested that squash and pork soup caused the outbreak. Hospitals should be instructed to obtain stool specimens from patients with gastroenteritis. Food catering services should be educated in basic food safety measures.

Since the 1980s, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), especially E. coli O157:H7, has been an important cause of food borne disease in industrial countries. In France, as there was no routine screening for STEC in clinical laboratories, enhanced surveillance of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in children less than 15 years of age was established in 1996 to monitor trends in the incidence of STEC infections.The surveillance system was based on a voluntary national network of pediatricians of 31 pediatric nephrology units in public hospitals.From 1996 to 2006, the mean annual incidence of HUS was 0.71 cases per 100,000 children less than 15 years of age and 1.87 cases per 100,000 children less than 5 years of age. STEC infections were confirmed in 66% of patients; STEC O157 was the most common serogroup identified in STEC-related HUS (83%). In this 11-year period, 96% of HUS cases were sporadic and only 2 outbreaks caused by STEC O157 and by a dual infection of STEC O26 and O80 were detected.An evaluation of the surveillance of pediatric HUS showed that it is a simple and useful system for monitoring trends in STEC infections in France. It provides the information needed to measure the impact of new and changing vehicles of STEC transmission, and evaluate the effectiveness of prevention measures.

A prospective study to investigate first aid and initial management for 247 paediatric burn patients from 1 June, 2004 to 31 June, 2006 at the Burn Intensive Care Unit, National Institute of Burns (NIB), Hanoi. Data were collected from documents from referring hospitals and direct interview of patients, relative and transport team as guided by the International Society for Burn Injury (ISBI) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Results showed that cooling the burn surface by cold water was applied in 27.17%. Among 132 patients transferred from other hospitals, fluid resuscitation was given in 102 patients (77.28%) before transferring and over a half of these patients were not given intravenous fluid during the time of transfer, especially for children under 1 year of age (p0.05). Dressings were applied in 36.36% of transferred patients. Burn surface area was accurately diagnosed in only 21.90% of total cases. In conclusion, first aid and initial management in Vietnam are still far from ideal. Further public education and continuing medical education should be applied in Vietnam.