Search

Abstract This phase 3 trial compared safety, tolerability, immunogenicity and efficacy of the self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, ARCT-154, with ChAdOx1-S adenovirus-vector vaccine. In four centers in Vietnam adult participants aged 18‒85 years were randomly assigned to receive two doses, 28 days apart, of either ARCT-154 (n = 1186) or ChAdOx1-S (n = 1180). Both vaccines were well tolerated with similar safety and reactogenicity profiles consisting of mainly mild-to-moderate solicited adverse events and few related serious adverse events. Higher neutralizing antibody responses persisting to one-year post-vaccination after ARCT-154 compared with ChAdOx1-S were associated with a generally higher efficacy against COVID-19. In an exploratory analysis relative vaccine efficacy of ARCT-154 vs. ChAdOx1-S against any COVID-19 from Day 36 to Day 394 was 19.8% (95% CI: 4.0–33.0). Self-amplifying mRNA vaccine offers potential immunological advantages in terms of immunogenicity and efficacy over adenovirus-vector vaccine without compromising safety.

Abstract Combination of waning immunity and lower effectiveness against new SARS-CoV-2 variants of approved COVID-19 vaccines necessitates new vaccines. We evaluated two doses, 28 days apart, of ARCT-154, a self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, compared with saline placebo in an integrated phase 1/2/3a/3b controlled, observer-blind trial in Vietnamese adults (ClinicalTrial.gov identifier: NCT05012943). Primary safety and reactogenicity outcomes were unsolicited adverse events (AE) 28 days after each dose, solicited local and systemic AE 7 days after each dose, and serious AEs throughout the study. Primary immunogenicity outcome was the immune response as neutralizing antibodies 28 days after the second dose. Efficacy against COVID-19 was assessed as primary and secondary outcomes in phase 3b. ARCT-154 was well tolerated with generally mild–moderate transient AEs. Four weeks after the second dose 94.1% (95% CI: 92.1–95.8) of vaccinees seroconverted for neutralizing antibodies, with a geometric mean-fold rise from baseline of 14.5 (95% CI: 13.6–15.5). Of 640 cases of confirmed COVID-19 eligible for efficacy analysis most were due to the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant. Efficacy of ARCT-154 was 56.6% (95% CI: 48.7– 63.3) against any COVID-19, and 95.3% (80.5–98.9) against severe COVID-19. ARCT-154 vaccination is well tolerated, immunogenic and efficacious, particularly against severe COVID-19 disease.

In the era of globalization and internationalization, students have many choices when pursuing their educational paths. Students today are more mobile and willing to leave their homes to study at their desired university. Building a brand name in this increasingly competitive landscape can be the primary tool for higher education institutions, particularly universities, to differentiate themselves and gain a competitive advantage. However, research on university branding is scarce, and the concept of university branding remains largely unexplored in the Vietnamese context. This study explores how a university can use banding strategies to build its brand name. The analysis utilizes an organizational perspective to gather valuable information and insights into a university’s activities to build and enhance its brand name. Ho Chi Minh City Open University (OU), a top-tiered public university with its main campuses and learning precincts in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is selected to conduct this study. The nature of the study is qualitative, and data is collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with current leaders and staff at the University. The sample utilized in this study includes staff from various departments within the university and current and former executives to gain a comprehensive understanding and capture diverse perspectives. The key findings can be summarized as follows. First, primary stakeholders such as students, parents, staff, and others targeted by the University require different branding strategies. Second, OU can build its brand name through its students and alumni who have studied at the university. Third, OU needs a comprehensive strategy concerning brand name-building and enhancing activities with a focus on students’ affairs and communication. Recommendations have emerged based on these findings for building and enhancing the brand name of Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Vietnam.

Abstract Mining industrial areas with anthropogenic engineering structures are one of the most distinctive features of the real world. 3D models of the real world have been increasingly popular with numerous applications, such as digital twins and smart factory management. In this study, 3D models of mining engineering structures were built based on the CityGML standard. For collecting spatial data, the two most popular geospatial technologies, namely UAV-SfM and TLS were employed. The accuracy of the UAV survey was at the centimeter level, and it satisfied the absolute positional accuracy requirement of creating all levels of detail (LoD) according to the CityGML standard. Therefore, the UAV-SfM point cloud dataset was used to build LoD 2 models. In addition, the comparison between the UAV-SfM and TLS sub-clouds of facades and roofs indicates that the UAV-SfM and TLS point clouds of these objects are highly consistent, therefore, point clouds with a higher level of detail and accuracy provided by the integration of UAV-SfM and TLS were used to build LoD 3 models. The resulting 3D CityGML models include 39 buildings at LoD 2, and two mine shafts with hoistrooms, headframes, and sheave wheels at LoD 3.

Three novel hierarchical Ni-based metallosupramolecular cages were constructed from nickel ions, pyridine dicarboxylates and isophthalate derivative ligands (the substituents on C5 of isophthalate are methyl, tert-butyl and bromo groups). In every cage, two multinuclear nickel clusters, assembled from four nickel atoms and three pyridine dicarboxylate ligands, are interlinked by three isophthalate-derivative ligands to form a nickel-based triple-stranded helicate (TSH), which then becomes the supramolecular building block for the fabrication of a metallocage. Six homochiral TSH supramolecular building blocks, either left (M)-handed or right (P)-handed, are connected by four linking nickel atoms to generate M6 and P6 discrete racemic cage molecules (M6 – cage with six M-TSHs; P6 – cage with six P-TSHs). The crystal packing of the racemic cages was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. An additional cobalt-based molecular cage with 5-methylisophthalate bridging ligands was synthesized for host–guest interaction studies. The methyl groups in Co- and Ni-TSH can act as guest units to be accommodated in the cone-shaped metal clusters (host) of an adjacent cage.

Background: In middle-income countries such as Vietnam, where healthcare resources are already constrained, protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) is essential for ensuring the sustainability of COVID-19 response in Vietnam. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practices regarding the prevention of the COVID-19 among the HCWs in Vietnam to identify the ways of disseminating information to maximize the safety of these essential workers.Methods: An online cross-sectional study, using respondent-driven sampling, was conducted in Vietnam with 742 participants within 2 weeks. The validity of the questionnaire was examined by exploratory factor analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the level of knowledge and practices among the HCWs to prevent the COVID-19. Inferential statistics and regression modeling were used to identify the associated factors with results.Results: Vietnamese HCWs had a high level of knowledge with more than 75% of the participants demonstrating awareness of all the modes of transmission aside from air. The mean knowledge score was 3.7 ± 0.8 (range 1–5). Nearly all the participants relied on the Ministry of Health (98.3%) and the internet (95.5%) for information regarding the COVID-19. The participants endorsed a moderately high level of self-protective practices with mean scores of 4.2 and 3.6 (band score 1–5) for the precautionary and psychological measures, respectively. Nurses were more likely to practice the precautionary measures than doctors and the HCWs at the central level were more likely to practice the psychological measures than those at the district level.Conclusion: Future education initiatives should consolidate the latest literature in an accessible format, focusing initially on the gaps of knowledge regarding aerosol transmission. These initiatives should primarily focus on the doctors, especially those in emergency and intensive care departments.

Background: Healthcare workers are frontline responders facing a disproportionate increase in occupational responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Added work-related stress among healthcare personnel may lead to personal and work-related repercussions, such as burnout or decreased quality of care for patients; however, little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the daily work and life of these workers. This study aimed to evaluate the personal and occupational impacts of the COVID-19 induced partial lockdown in Vietnam among hospital staff.Methods: A cross-sectional web-based study was carried out to collect demographic data and the personal and job impacts of respondents during the second week of national lockdown in April 2020. Snowball sampling technique was applied to recruit 742 hospital staff. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to examine the validity of the instrument.Results: Of the 742 respondents, 21.2% agreed that “working attitude well-maintained,” followed by 16.1% of respondents who reported that there were “enough employees at work.” Only 3.2% of respondents agreed that “their work was appreciated by society.” Furthermore, healthcare workers in the central region were less likely to have experienced “Avoidance of disclosure and discrimination related to COVID-19” than other areas (Coef. = – 0.25, CI: −0.42 to −0.07). Being women also had a negative association with scores in “Avoidance of disclosure and discrimination related to COVID 19” domain (Coef. = −0.27, CI: −0.43 to −0.12) while having a positive association with “negative attitude towards working conditions” domain (Coef. = 0.19, CI: 0.09 to 0.3). In addition, working in administrative offices (Coef. = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.36) and infectious departments (Coef. = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.09 to 0.63) had a positive association with “Increased work pressure due to COVID 19” domain.Conclusion: These findings revealed marginal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work and life of hospital staff in Vietnam. Furthermore, this study highlighted the importance of implementing preventive strategies during the nationwide partial lockdown to manage hospital admissions and the burden on healthcare workers. Finally, this study characterizes targeted demographics that may benefit from appreciation by employers and society during a national pandemic.

Background: The psychosocial impact of COVID-19 is greater among healthcare workers (HCWs) than the general population. This study aims to identify psychosocial problems faced by HCWs in Vietnam during the national partial lockdown between 1 and 22 April 2020 and to identify risk factors associated with psychosocial issues among this population.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the second week of April 2020 during the national lockdown in Vietnam. Snowball sampling technique was used to recruit participants through web-based surveys. The Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) was used to assess the impact of COVID-19 on HCWs through online surveys.Results: Of the 349 HCWs, we found 22.6% reported psychosocial problems. Most of participants reported having exposure to COVID-19 daily (48.7%). The majority of them also felt that their job put them at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections (90.3%) and expressed fear of potential infection (85.7%). Despite COVID-19 risks, 95.4% of participants, however, expressed their willingness to continue working at their current health facility. In addition, 94.8% of participants believed if they or their family members had been infected, their agency leaders would have provided them with appropriate medical care. Lastly, HCWs who worked in the internal medicine department who did not take care of COVID-19 patients or expressed fear of becoming infected were more likely to have higher total IES-R scores.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the support of healthcare leaders and assurance of care might be helpful in mitigating the psychological effects of COVID-19 among HCWs in Vietnam. These resources should be tailored to HCWs who are working in different areas of health services, including staff who are not working directly with COVID-19 patients. In addition, psychosocial health resources should be provided for not only physicians but also nursing staff.

This is the first time in Vietnam that people have undergone “social distancing” to minimize the spreading of infectious disease, COVID-19. These deliberate preemptive strategies may have profound impacts on the mental health of the population. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the psychological impacts of COVID-19 on Vietnamese people and associated factors. We conducted a cross-sectional study during a one-week social distancing and isolation from April 7 to 14, 2020, in Vietnam. A snowball sampling technique was carried out to recruit participants. Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) was utilized to assess the psychological impacts of the COVID-19. Of all participants, 233 (16.4%) reported low level of PTSS; 76 (5.3%) rated as moderate, and 77 (5.4%) reported extreme psychological conditions. Being female, above 44 years old, or having a higher number of children in the family were positively associated with a higher level of psychological distress. Being self-employed/unemployed/retired was associated with a higher score of intrusion and hyperarousal subscale. Individuals who have a history of touching objects with the possibility of spreading coronavirus (utensils) were related to a higher level of avoidance. There were relatively high rates of participants suffering from PTSS during the first national lockdown related to COVID-19. Comprehensive strategies for the screen of psychological problems and to support high-risk groups are critical, especially females, middle-aged adults and the elderly, affected laborers, and health care professionals.

Abstract Introduction Low‐ and middle‐income countries have rapidly increasing numbers of people with dementia, yet little evidence on family caregiving interventions. We tested the preliminary efficacy and feasibility of a family caregiving intervention in northern Vietnam. Methods Nine clusters comprising 60 family caregivers were randomized to a culturally adapted version of a four‐ to six‐session, multicomponent intervention delivered in‐home over 2 to 3 months, or enhanced control. Eligible caregivers were ≥18 years of age and scored ≥6 on the Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI). Results Fifty‐one caregivers (85%) completed the study. Using analysis of covariance with 3‐month assessment as the outcome and baseline assessment as a covariate, intervention group caregivers had an average ZBI (primary outcome) score 1.2 standard deviation (SD) lower (P = .02) and Patient Health Questionnaire‐4 (psychological distress) score 0.7 SD lower (P = .03) than controls. Discussion In the first study of its kind in Vietnam, a culturally adapted, manualized, family caregiver intervention was both efficacious and feasible.

Crotamine, a toxin found in the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, has been reported to have antinociceptive effects. We purified recombinant crotamine expressed in Escherichia coli and investigated its antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects using the hot-plate test, acetic-acid-induced writhing method, and formalin test in mice. Recombinant crotamine was administered intraperitoneally (0.04–1.2 mg kg−1) or intraplantarly (0.9–7.5 μg 10 μL−1) before the tests. The paw volume was measured with a plethysmometer. To evaluate the antagonistic and anti-inflammatory effects of naloxone, subcutaneous naloxone (4 mg kg−1) or intraplantar naloxone (5 μg 10 μL−1) was administered before recombinant crotamine. For tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α assays, blood was drawn 3 h after formalin injection and measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Intraperitoneal and intraplantar recombinant crotamine had antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects, neither of which were affected by pre-treatment with naloxone. The mean serum TNF-α levels were significantly lower in the intraperitoneal recombinant crotamine (0.4 and 1.2 mg kg−1) or intraplantar (2.5 and 7.5 μg 10 μL−1) recombinant crotamine groups than in the saline group and were not affected by naloxone pre-treatment. In conclusion, recombinant crotamine possesses significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects that do not appear to be related to the opioid receptor. The antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of intraperitoneal or intraplantar recombinant crotamine are related to TNF-α.

Abstract Human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) is a well-known cytokine for neutropenia treatment. However, daily injections are required due to the short circulating half-life of the protein. To overcome this bottleneck, we fused GCSF with the Fc domain of IgG1 at the C terminus (GCSF-Fc) and with the maltose binding protein (MBP) tag at the N-terminus and expressed it as a soluble protein in the cytoplasm of E. coli. We also conjugated PEG aldehyde to GCSF to make PEG-GCSF. The bioactivities of GCSF-Fc and PEG-GCSF were similar to native GCSF using the mouse M-NFS-60 myelogenous leukemia cell line. The EC50 dose-response curves for GCSF, GCSF-Fc and PEG-GCSF were 37 ± 12 pM, 75 ± 13.5 pM and 46 ± 5.5 pM, respectively. When the proteins were injected into neutropenic rats, the group injected with PEG-GCSF showed the highest and fastest recovery of neutrophils, followed by GCSF-Fc and GCSF. ELISA assay revealed the PEG-GCSF had the longest plasma circulation (>72 h), followed by GCSF-Fc (>48 h) and GCSF (~24 h), which is consistent with the in vivo activities of the proteins. In summary, the GCSF-Fc purified from E. coli was not as efficient as PEG-GCSF in treating neutropenic rats.

If geography teachers appreciate the important role of spatial thinking in their disciplines, they can proactively explore educational interventions to improve the spatial thinking of their students. Our understanding of geography teachers' perceptions around spatial thinking is still in its infancy. Until now almost all studies investigating spatial thinking in teachers have focused on pre-service teachers. Therefore, this study attempts to expand our understanding by exploring the perceptions of in-service geography teachers towards spatial thinking, spatial thinking instruction, and the factors that impact enactment of spatial thinking instruction. To achieve this goal, we conducted interviews with 15 geography teachers in Vietnam. The results show that teachers' understandings reflect three components of spatial thinking (concepts of space, tools of representation, and reasoning). However, their responses also reflect ambiguous and unclear understandings about spatial thinking. These findings can inform professional development for teachers in Vietnam.

Objective: 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. Participants: 340 Hue University students voluntarily took part in the survey. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusions: The findings of this study imply that efforts to enhance students' mental health should include efforts to promote their NR.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156296.].

Human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key regulator of angiogenesis and plays a central role in the process of tumor growth and metastatic dissemination. Escherichia coli is one of the most common expression systems used for the production of recombinant proteins; however, expression of human VEGF in E. coli has proven difficult because the E. coli-expressed VEGF tends to be misfolded and forms inclusion bodies, resulting in poor solubility. In this study, we successfully produced semi-preparative amounts of soluble bioactive human VEGF165 (hVEGF). We created seven N-terminal fusion tag constructs with hexahistidine (His6), thioredoxin (Trx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose-binding protein (MBP), N-utilization substance protein A (NusA), human protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), and the b'a' domain of PDI (PDIb'a'), and tested each construct for soluble overexpression in E. coli. We found that at 18°C, 92.8% of the MBP-tagged hVEGF to be soluble and that this tag significantly increased the protein's solubility. We successfully purified 0.8 mg of pure hVEGF per 500 mL cell culture. The purified hVEGF is stable after tag cleavage, contains very low levels of endotoxin, and is 97.6% pure. Using an Flk1+ mesodermal precursor cell (MPC) differentiation assay, we show that the purified hVEGF is not only bioactive but has similar bioactivity to hVEGF produced in mammalian cells. Previous reports on producing hVEGF in E. coli have all been based on refolding of the protein from inclusion bodies. To our knowledge, this is the first report on successfully expressing and purifying soluble hVEGF in E. coli.

This paper presents a new approach to assess the soil quality by aggregate indices using the Relative Soil Quality Index (RSQI) proposed by Ho Ngoc Pham. RSQI is integrated from the individual indices into a simple formula for overall assessment of the soil quality. RSQI is different from other approaches. Particularly, the individual indices and the weighting factors of Pham are calculated from the analytical laboratory data and the environmental standards, respectively, and not self-regulated as in methods of some other authors. In this paper, the authors applied the RSQI to assess the Soil Environmental Quality of rice intensive cultivation areas through a case study in Haiduong province in 2013. The RSQI is calculated for sampling points in 12 districts and simulated the Soil Environmental Quality on GIS map. The results show that the Soil Environmental Quality of rice intensive cultivation areas in Haiduong is predominantly divided into three levels: good, moderate, and poor. According to the report of General Statistics Office for Haiduong province, rice intensive cultivation areas in 2013 achieved a relatively high average rice yield of 5.90 tonnes per hectare; it means actual soil properties are in line with results of the research.

Numerous studies have also revealed that students with a high level of nomophobia have an increased risk of depression. However, few researchers are interested in examining how the association between nomophobia and depressive symptoms mediates loneliness and self-control. This study aimed to investigate, among Vietnamese high school students, the association between nomophobia and depressive symptoms, specifically focusing on the role that loneliness and self-control play as potential mediators of that relationship. The Nomophobia Scale (NMP-Q), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21), The UCLA loneliness scale version 3 (UCLA III), and The Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS) were completed by 556 Vietnamese high school students. Using the PROCESS macro, mediation analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between variables. According to our findings, nomophobia was positively associated with symptoms of depression, and loneliness and self-control partially mediated this relationship. It is suggested that methods for preventing claustrophobia and depressive symptoms be taken seriously in order to increase self-control and decrease loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]