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Robin Imperial,1 Osama Mosalem,1 Umair Majeed,1 Nguyen H Tran,2 Mitesh J Borad,3 Hani Babiker1 1Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; 2Department of Medical Oncology, Rochester, MN, USA; 3Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, USACorrespondence: Hani Babiker, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd S, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA, Tel +904 953 2000, Fax +904-953-2315, Email babiker.hani@mayo.eduAbstract: Despite improvements in overall cancer mortality, deaths related to pancreatic cancer continue to rise. Following first-line treatment, second-line options are significantly limited. Classically, first-line treatment consisted of either gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil based systemic chemotherapy. Upon progression of disease or recurrence, subsequent second-line treatment is still gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil based chemotherapy, depending on what was used in the first line and the timing of progression or recurrence. A better understanding of the molecular underpinnings of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has led to new treatment strategies including specifically targeting the desmoplastic stroma, cytokine signaling and actionable mutations. Furthermore, efforts are also directed to enhance the immunogenicity profile of PDAC’s well-established immunologically “cold” tumor microenvironment. More recently, the outstanding response rates of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells in hematologic malignancies, have led to clinical trials to evaluate the treatment modality in PDAC. In this review, we summarize recently presented clinical trials for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with novel treatment approaches in the second line and beyond.Keywords: pancreatic adenocarcinoma, immunotherapy, CAR-T, KRAS

Hong Loi Nguyen,1 Nhat Huy Tran,2 Van Khanh Nguyen1 1Odonto-Stomatology Center, Hue Central Hospital, Hue City, 530000, Vietnam; 2Oncology Center, Hue Central Hospital, Hue City, 530000, VietnamCorrespondence: Hong Loi Nguyen, Odonto-stomatology Center, Hue Central Hospital, 16 Le Loi Street, Hue City, 530000, Vietnam, Tel +84913498549, Email drloivietnam@yahoo.com.vnAbstract: We report three clinical cases using a submental flap to reconstruct the half-tongue defects after tongue cancer surgery at Hue Central Hospital (Hue city, Vietnam). The size of the flap ranged 30– 60mm. The time to take flap ranged 50– 60 minutes. All three patients did not have liquid accumulation, wound infection and bleeding after surgery; the flap survived well. All patients were taken the nasogastric tube out after ten days and discharged after two weeks. Postoperative functional (speech, swallowing) and tongue aesthetic assessments (symmetry) were good. These cases highlight that the submental flap is a choice for patients with flaws in the tongue. It ensures both functional and aesthetic for the regenerative tongue and donor site.Keywords: tongue reconstruction, hemiglossectomy, submental flap

Syed Reefat Aziz,1 Daryl I Smith,2 Rose N Mbaye,1 Jacob T Gusman,1 Estefania I Garza,1 Bokai Wang,3 Changyong Feng,3 Nobuyuki-Hai Tran2 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA; 2Department of Anesthesiology, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA; 3Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA Background and objectives: Limitations in manpower in health care facilities, both in civilian and military settings, can severely affect patient safety as well as overall outcomes. Regional anesthesia via neural blockade is an effective means of managing uncontrolled acute pain, which has been associated with cardiopulmonary, endocrine, immunologic, and hematologic derangement in addition to the development of potentially life-threatening coagulopathy. We have designed a remote-controlled injection device that may expedite the performance of regional nerve blocks in these situations. Methods: This work examines how the device affects the ability of the operator to act independently with respect to various block component times by statistically comparing device-assisted blockade with usual or clinically relevant techniques. The classic or two-person technique was compared with the foot-controlled technique. Results: The results validated the hypothesis that the novel mechanism of performing a nerve block is not inferior to the classic technique with regard to the specified endpoints within our experimental design. Conclusion: This confirmation indicates that the use of this device may be feasible when the use of another technique could be cumbersome, or otherwise untenable. Keywords: regional anesthesia, neuromuscular blockade, medical device, non-inferiority trial, biomedical engineering

The use of low-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) is considered to be an effective technique to reduce the power consumption and hardware complexity of wireless transceivers. However, in systems with low-resolution ADCs, obtaining channel state information (CSI) is difficult due to significant distortions in the received signals. The primary motivation of this paper is to show that learning techniques can mitigate the impact of CSI unavailability. We study the blind detection problem in multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems with low-resolution ADCs using learning approaches. Two methods, which employ a sequence of pilot symbol vectors as the initial training data, are proposed. The first method exploits the use of a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to obtain more training data, which helps improve the detection accuracy. The second method is based on the perspective that the to-be-decoded data can itself assist the learning process, so no further training information is required except the pilot sequence. For the case of 1-bit ADCs, we provide a performance analysis of the vector error rate for the proposed methods. Based on the analytical results, a criterion for designing transmitted signals is also presented. Simulation results show that the proposed methods outperform existing techniques and are also more robust.

Cân đa đầu được xem là giải pháp cân nhanh và chính xác, được sử dụng rộng rãi trong nhiều lĩnh vực. Tuy nhiên, chi phí đầu tư cho hệ thống cân này khá cao nên khó áp dụng cho các doanh nghiệp vừa và nhỏ. Do đó, việc nghiên cứu và tự chủ trong việc thiết kế và chế tạo hệ thống cân đa đầu là rất cần thiết. Nghiên cứu này trình bày việc thiết kế và chế tạo toàn bộ một hệ thống cân đa đầu từ phần cứng đến phần mềm để cân sản phẩm có khối lượng trong khoảng 1 kg. Hệ thống đã được thử nghiệm bằng việc cân khối lượng của hạt đậu ngự với sai số trong khoảng 1%. Ngoài ra, một màn hình cảm ứng với giao diện trực quan đã được thiết kế để điều khiển và giám sát hệ thống cân. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy hệ thống cân đa đầu đã được thiết kế và thử nghiệm thành công. Điều này giúp cho các doanh nghiệp dễ dàng làm chủ công nghệ chế tạo hệ thống cân nhanh và chính xác này.

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).

To research workplace happiness and share knowledge that affects pharmacists' creativity and working efficiency in pharmaceutical companies in Ho Chi Minh City, the topic combines qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative research is conducted through a survey of related research, building an initial research model, and then using group discussion techniques to adjust the research scale. Quantitative research is carried out through SmartPLS software, which is used to analyze the linear structural model. The research results show that the influence of the factors in the research model is in the following order: Knowledge sharing has the strongest and positive influence on Creativity at work; Knowledge sharing has the second strongest influence and the same direction on Work Efficiency; Happiness in the workplace has the third strongest influence and has the same direction on Creativity at work; Creativity at work has the fourth strongest influence and the same direction on Work Performance and finally, Happiness in the workplace has the fifth most substantial influence and the same direction on Work Performance. The research results propose managerial implications of workplace happiness, knowledge sharing, and work Creativity for pharmacists' effectiveness.

Nhiều nghiên cứu gần đây cho thấy cảm biến đa phổ giá thành thấp được quan tâm nhiều trong việc phát triển các ứng dụng trong nông nghiệp. Nghiên cứu này đánh giá tiềm năng sử dụng cảm biến đa phổ giá thành thấp trong việc dự đoán độ ngọt của xoài, loại trái cây có giá trị xuất khẩu cao. Để phát triển được mô hình dự đoán chính xác, một số giải thuật tiền xử lý và lựa chọn bước sóng đã được áp dụng. Kết quả cho thấy dữ liệu phổ không qua tiền xử lý trích xuất từ mười bốn bước sóng được chọn bởi giải thuật “hệ số hồi quy” là phù hợp để xây dựng mô hình hồi quy bình phương tối thiểu từng phần có hệ số tương quan bằng 0,703 và sai số RMSE là 1,439 °Brix. Kết quả này có thể so sánh được với các nghiên cứu gần đây sử dụng cùng loại cảm biến đa phổ vì thế khẳng định tiềm năng sử dụng cảm biến đa phổ giá thành thấp trong việc phát triển ứng dụng và thiết bị cầm tay để đánh giá chất lượng trái cây.

The article focuses on studying the UK's new strategy, “Global Britain”, after the UK left the European Union (EU). The study has shown the adjustments in the UK's global policy towards regions such as Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East and defined the critical role of the Indo-Pacific area. Thereby, the author has an assessment of the impact of this strategic adjustment on Vietnam as a basis for policymaking to enhance the effectiveness of cooperation in the relationship between Vietnam and the United Kingdom in the near future.

From 2011 to 2012, Northern Vietnam suffered its first large-scale hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) epidemic. Two sets of official guidelines were issued during the outbreak to handle the HFMD crisis. The city of Hai Phong was used as a model to analyze the impact of the released guidelines. A total of 9621 HFMD cases were reported in Hai Phong city from April 2011 to December 2012. Three distinct waves of HFMD occurred. Enterovirus A71 and Coxsackievirus A16 were successively associated with the epidemics. Two periods, before and after the guidelines’ release, could be distinguished and characterized by different patient patterns. The time to admission and severity changed notably. Guideline publications help the health system refocus on the 0.5–3 years age group with the highest incidence of the disease. The three waves showed different special distribution, but the main routes of infection were rivers and local secondary roads, most likely through local trade and occupational movements of people.

Objective: Medicinal herbs with a phytonutrient background has been applied globally as major alternatives to ameliorate the continuous increase in rheumatoid arthritis cases worldwide. We herein aimed to critically examine the bioactive components of the medicinal herb Piper sarmentosum Roxb leaf fractionated extract for its potential to inhibit the influx of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in rheumatoid arthritis.Methods: The Schrödinger platform was employed as the main computational acumen for the screening of bioactive compounds identified and reference compounds subjected to molecular simulation (MDS) for analyzing the stability of docked complexes to assess fluctuations and conformational changes during protein–ligand interactions.Results: The values of the simulatory properties and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed the good stability of these phytochemicals in the active pocket of interleukin-6 (IL-6).Discussion: Our findings reveal new strategies in which these phytochemicals are potential inhibitory agents that can be modified and further evaluated to develop more effective agents for the management of rheumatoid arthritis, thereby providing a better understanding and useful model for the reproduction and/or discovery of new drugs for the management of rheumatoid arthritis and its complications.

Using the valence framework, this study examined the effect of perceived benefit (utilitarian value and convenience) and perceived risk (privacy & security barrier and usage constraints) to purchase intention of consumers towards online travel agencies (OTAs). Furthermore, the impacts of personality traits (openness to change and compatibility) to perceived benefit, perceived risk, and purchase intention of consumers towards OTAs are also put under consideration. A research sample, including 494 observations from 18 years old and above who have used OTAs, was collected and used in empirical analyzing, the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is a suitable choice for assessing the validation of measurement model and construct model. The results of this study indicate that, being consistent to the valence framework, perceived benefit and perceived risk significantly affect purchase intention towards OTAs. Additionally, openness to change and compatibility has positive influence on perceived benefits and negative influence on perceived risk. Openness to chance is also proven to positively impact OTAs purchase intentions. Based on these findings and their implications, OTAs providers and tourism enterprises could plan suitable strategies for attracting customers.

Tinh dầu của lá húng chanh (còn được gọi là tần dầy lá) Plectranthus Amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng thu hái ở tỉnh Hậu Giang được nghiên cứu về thành phần hóa học và hoạt tính sinh học trong bài báo này. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy, thành phần chính trong tinh dầu lá húng chanh có 18,81% p-cymene, 11,88% carvacrol và 10,56% δ-cadinene, 9,41% β-Caryophyllene và một số cấu tử khác. Phương pháp DPPH cho biết tinh dầu này có khả năng kháng gốc tự do với giá trị IC50 = 118,587 µg.mL-1 Phương pháp khuếch tán đĩa giấy cho thấy, tinh dầu thể hiện hoạt tính kháng tốt đối với các chủng vi sinh vật thử nghiệm bao gồm Bacillus cereus ATCC® 10876TM; Listeria innocua ATCC® 33090TM; Escherichia coli ATCC® 25922TM; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC® 27853TM; Staphylococcus aureus ATCC® 25923TM; Salmonella typhimurium ATCC® 13311TM và nấm Candida Albicans HS1.

This study aims to assess the hypoglycemic effects of Ngu-Vi-Tieu-Khat (NVTK) decoction, a traditional Vietnamese medicine, in a rat model of type-2 diabetes. The NVTK decoction was prepared using the maceration method and tested for its hypoglycemic effects by measuring blood glucose levels, insulin resistance indicators, and pancreatic mass. The results showed that NVTK decoction improved diabetes symptoms, increased insulin levels, reduced insulin resistance, restored pancreatic mass, and decreased total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The hypoglycemic effects of NVTK were comparable to those of gliclazide at a dose of 10 mg/kg. In conclusion, NVTK decoction possesses hypoglycemic properties and could be explored as a potential traditional medicine for treating type-2 diabetes in humans.

Ngò gai còn gọi mùi tàu hay ngò tàu, có tên khoa học là Eryngium foetidum L. thuộc họ Hoa Tán. Trong nghiên cứu này, hạt ngò gai được thu mua ở Thành phố Cần Thơ được nghiên cứu về thành phần hóa học và hoạt tính sinh học. Kết quả xác định thành phần hóa học bằng GC-MS cho biết, thành phần hóa học trong tinh dầu hạt ngò gai gồm a-Pinene (83,04%), o-Cymene (5,66%), duraldehyde (5,64%), g-Terpinene (3,55%) và carotol (2,11%). Kết quả đánh giá hoạt tính kháng vi sinh vật cho thấy, tinh dầu hạt ngò gai kháng được 7 trên 7 chủng vi sinh vật thử nghiệm bao gồm Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 13311, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Bacillus cereus ATCC 10876, Listeria innocua ATCC 33090 và nấm Candida albicans HS1. Kết quả thử hoạt tính kháng oxy hóa bằng phương pháp DPPH cho biết tinh dầu hạt ngò gai có khả năng kháng gốc tự do với giá trị IC50 = 170,90 µg.mL-1

The success rate of start-up firms in Vietnam could be low 20.8%. To address this issue, improving start-up performance through technological innovation and business model innovation is crucial. The relationship between technological innovation, business model innovation (BMI), and start-up performance has yet to be widely examined in developing countries like Vietnam. This study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data from 425 entrepreneurs. The findings reveal that technological innovation has a positive impact on business model innovation and start-up performance; business model innovation also has a positive impact on start-up performance; and the study identifies the partial mediating role of business model innovation between technological innovation and start-up performance. The results have practical implications for entrepreneurs, start-up founders, and policymakers. It emphasizes investing in technological and business model innovations to improve start-up performance. Lastly, the study highlights some limitations and suggests future research directions. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2023-04-03-01 Full Text: PDF

An HFMD outbreak spread over the city of Hải Phòng from summer 2011 to autumn 2012. This epidemic was chosen because it was the very first HFMD epidemic in North Vietnam, eliminating thus interferences with previous outbreaks. This epidemic displayed three separate waves. A complete dataset was collected for more than 9500 patients during this period, which enabled us to analyze this epidemic at different scales. Access to the healthcare system was crucial during this period, which was possible due to a reorganization of the system in February–March 2012. An analysis at the commune level enabled us to track the epidemic along certain communication routes. The three-waves structure reveals a wide disparity at the district level. We developed a mathematical model showing high accuracy at the adjustment of data for both the total number of cases and for the number of cases per week. As a consequence, the model was able to accurately determine the dates of the beginning and end of each wave and to show that they overlapped. Using mathematical functions associated with this model, it was possible to calculate the probability for a patient to belong to a specific wave.

Trong nghiên cứu này, lá và cành gần lá của tràm cừ Melaleuca Cajuputi Powell thu hái ở An Giang được rửa sạch và để ráo. Phần lá và cành được giải phẩu bằng phương pháp nhuộm màu và quan sát dưới kính hiển vi điện tử để biết bộ phận nào của cây chứa nhiều tinh dầu nhất. Lấy bộ phận chứa nhiều tinh dầu đem chưng cất tinh dầu bằng phương pháp lôi cuốn hơi nước. Quá trình chưng cất được khảo sát các thông số thích hợp cho hiệu suất chưng cất tinh dầu cao nhất. Tinh dầu sau chưng cất được loại nước, xác định các chỉ số hóa lý và thành phần hóa học. Thành phần hoá học chính của tinh dầu lá tràm cừ gồm Eugenol methyl ether (34,64%), Caryophyllene oxide (9,08%), b – Cymene (8,53%), α-Eudesmol (7,34%), γ-Terpinene (6,86%), Terpinolene (5,88%) và champaca camphor (5,23%).

Abstract Background Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) differs in its spatio-temporal distribution in Vietnam with the highest incidence seen during the summer months in the northern provinces. AES has multiple aetiologies, and the cause remains unknown in many cases. While vector-borne disease such as Japanese encephalitis and dengue virus and non-vector-borne diseases such as influenza and enterovirus show evidence of seasonality, associations with climate variables and the spatio-temporal distribution in Vietnam differs between these. The aim of this study was therefore to understand the spatio-temporal distribution of, and risk factors for AES in Vietnam to help hypothesise the aetiology. Methods The number of monthly cases per province for AES, meningitis and diseases including dengue fever; influenza-like-illness (ILI); hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD); and Streptococcus suis were obtained from the General Department for Preventive Medicine (GDPM) from 1998–2016. Covariates including climate, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), elevation, the number of pigs, socio-demographics, JEV vaccination coverage and the number of hospitals were also collected. Spatio-temporal multivariable mixed-effects negative binomial Bayesian models with an outcome of the number of cases of AES, a combination of the covariates and harmonic terms to determine the magnitude of seasonality were developed. Results The national monthly incidence of AES declined by 63.3% over the study period. However, incidence increased in some provinces, particularly in the Northwest region. In northern Vietnam, the incidence peaked in the summer months in contrast to the southern provinces where incidence remained relatively constant throughout the year. The incidence of meningitis, ILI and S. suis infection; temperature, relative humidity with no lag, NDVI at a lag of one month, and the number of pigs per 100,000 population were positively associated with the number of cases of AES in all models in which these covariates were included. Conclusions The positive correlation of AES with temperature and humidity suggest that a number of cases may be due to vector-borne diseases, suggesting a need to focus on vaccination campaigns. However, further surveillance and research are recommended to investigate other possible aetiologies such as S. suis or Orientia tsutsugamushi.

Community-based ecotourism (CBE) has been adopted for the preservation and restoration of the ecosystem in the four local communities in Binh Son district of Quang Ngai province in Vietnam. This study investigates the causal links that exist between socioeconomic development, the protection of biodiversity, environment and natural resources, and the institutional responses necessary for successful CBE development. In order to understand the complexities of the CBE model and how the stakeholders engaged in the CBE at local communities, a mix of the Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat (SWOT) analysis and Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework was employed for qualitative and quantitative data analysis using key informant interviews and household surveys. The study findings include important implications for both policy and management for promoting the sustainable growth of ecotourism in the region. Regarding theoretical contribution, various challenges to sustainably developing CBE have been identified while a DPSIR conceptual framework is proposed to assist future research in CBE in this area.

Primary hepatic schwannoma is an extremely rare tumor with a good prognosis. Preoperative diagnosis is often challenging due to nonspecific clinical symptoms and its rarity. Here, we report a case of a 56-year-old male patient misdiagnosed with malignant liver tumor, later identified as primary hepatic schwannoma. Furthermore, clinical and histopathological features of 19 cases of primary hepatic schwannoma are also documented. The age of the patients ranged from 38 to 72 years, with a mean age of 56.4 years, and the disease was more common in females. Patients typically presented without clinical symptoms and were not associated with neurofibromatosis type 1. Histopathological features of the tumor were similar to soft tissue schwannoma, characterized by a thick capsule consisting of Antoni A and Antoni B areas. Immunohistochemically, the tumor showed strong positivity and diffusely stained with S-100, while being negative for CD34, CD117, and SMA. Complete resection of the tumor was achieved in all patients. The prognosis was favorable, with no signs of recurrence. Follow-up examinations revealed disease-free survival ranging from 6 to 27 months. Differential diagnosis of primary hepatic schwannoma from malignant liver tumors and metastatic liver tumors can be made based on histopathological features and immunohistochemical staining with S-100.

The pandemic in Vietnam is increasingly escalating and spreading across provinces and cities. Therefore, Vietnam needs to implement preventive measures to control the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the influencing factors, such as COVID-19 knowledge, behavior control, moral and subjective norms, the government's preventive e-guidelines, domestic social media, and environmental factors, on the intention to prevent COVID-19 and risk aversion. The study surveyed 201 Vietnamese citizens and utilized the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method to estimate path coefficients. The results indicate that COVID-19 knowledge, morals, and subjective norms positively impact the intention to prevent COVID-19 and risk aversion. The theoretical contribution of this study reveals that the intention to prevent the spread of COVID-19 partially mediates COVID-19 knowledge, moral and subjective norms, and risk aversion. Regarding practical implications, knowledge of COVID-19 transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures guided by healthcare experts and social networks (family, friends, and colleagues) is highly beneficial in Vietnam's efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. Lastly, the study proposes some limitations and suggestions for further research. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2023-04-01-06 Full Text: PDF

Based on social network theory, the study explained the digital transformation process of startups in Vietnam during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examined the relationship between social capital, human capital, access to resources, and digital transformation of startups in Vietnam. The study used Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with a sample size of 230 startups managers. The results show that there are positive and statistically significant relationships between social capital, human capital, access to resources, and digital transformation. The results also reveal the partial mediating roles of access to resources and human capital in the relationship between social capital and digital transformation. The results proposed some managerial implications for startups managers in building relationship networks with stakeholders such as government agencies and business partners (customers, competitors, suppliers, and providers of digital platform services). Through managers' social capital, accessible resources and the improvement of human capital have accelerated digital transformation for startups to escape the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the study presented some limitations and directions for further research.

The burden of human schistosomiasis, a known but neglected tropical disease in Sub-Saharan Africa, has been worrisome in recent years. It is becoming increasingly difficult to tackle schistosomiasis with praziquantel, a drug known to be effective against all Schistosoma species, due to reports of reduced efficacy and resistance. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the antischistosomal potential of phytochemicals from Azadirachta indica against proteins that have been implicated as druggable targets for the treatment of schistosomiasis using computational techniques. In this study, sixty-three (63) previously isolated and characterized phytochemicals from A. indica were identified from the literature and retrieved from the PubChem database. In silico screening was conducted to assess the inhibitory potential of these phytochemicals against three receptors (Schistosoma mansoni Thioredoxin glutathione reductase, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, and Arginase) that may serve as therapeutic targets for schistosomiasis treatment. Molecular docking, ADMET prediction, ligand interaction, MMGBSA, and molecular dynamics simulation of the hit compounds were conducted using the Schrodinger molecular drug discovery suite. The results show that Andrographolide possesses a satisfactory pharmacokinetic profile, does not violate the Lipinski rule of five, binds with favourable affinity with the receptors, and interacts with key amino acids at the active site. Importantly, its interaction with dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, an enzyme responsible for the catalysis of the de novo pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthetic pathway rate-limiting step, shows a glide score and MMGBSA of −10.19 and −45.75 Kcal/mol, respectively. In addition, the MD simulation shows its stability at the active site of the receptor. Overall, this study revealed that Andrographolide from Azadirachta indica could serve as a potential lead compound for the development of an anti-schistosomal drug.

Anthrax is a priority zoonosis for control in Vietnam. The geographic distribution of anthrax remains to be defined, challenging our ability to target areas for control. We analyzed human anthrax cases in Vietnam to obtain anthrax incidence at the national and provincial level. Nationally, the trendline for cases remained at ≈61 cases/year throughout the 26 years of available data, indicating control efforts are not effectively reducing disease burden over time. Most anthrax cases occurred in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous regions, and the provinces of Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, and Son La experienced some of the highest incidence rates. Based on spatial Bayes smoothed maps, every region of Vietnam experienced human anthrax cases during the study period. Clarifying the distribution of anthrax in Vietnam will enable us to better identify risk areas for improved surveillance, rapid clinical care, and livestock vaccination campaigns.

Background: To our knowledge, this study is the first report on the seroprevalence of human leptospirosis and its epidemiological profile in 3 different geographical and climatic zones of Vietnam. Methodology: A hospital-based surveillance in 11 public hospitals in 3 provinces in Vietnam enrolled 3,815 patients with suspected leptospirosis. Two consecutive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay IgM and a single microscopic aggregation test were applied at a 1:100 to 1:800 dilution for probable or confirmed cases. Results: The findings showed that of the 3,815 suspected cases, 68 (1.8%) were Leptospira-confirmed and 248 (6.5%) probable cases, whereas more than a third were positive for acute ELISA-IgM sera. Furthermore, 20 different serovars were found, of which Wolffi (14.2%), Hebdomadis (13.8%), and Icterohaemorrhagiae (12.6%) were the most predominant. The ratio of probable and confirmed cases of leptospirosis between females and males was 1.4:1, and their clinical manifestation was not specific. Cases were more likely to be detected in groups that are farmers, pet raising or livestock farming, of working age, practicing either wading in mud or walking barefoot, or exposed to heavy rainfall. Conclusions: Analysis of human leptospirosis has indicated fairly high seroprevalence and diversity of Leptospira serovars circulating in all studied geographical zones in Vietnam. The findings suggest an imperative need for effective measures of disease prevention, especially in high-risk groups.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and adverse events of favipiravir in patients with COVID-19. Methods: Our protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020206305). Fourteen databases were searched until February 8th, 2021. An update search for new RCTs was done on March 2nd, 2022. Meta-analysis was done for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs. Results: Overall, 157 studies (24 RCTs, 1 non-RCT, 21 observational studies, 2 case series, and 106 case reports) were included. On hospitalized patients, in comparison to standard of care, favipiravir showed a higher rate of viral clearance at day 5 (RR = 1.60, p = 0.02), defervescence at day 3–4 (RR = 1.99, p

Bats are a major reservoir of zoonotic viruses, including coronaviruses. Since the emergence of SARS-CoV in 2002/2003 in Asia, important efforts have been made to describe the diversity of Coronaviridae circulating in bats worldwide, leading to the discovery of the precursors of epidemic and pandemic sarbecoviruses in horseshoe bats. We investigated the viral communities infecting horseshoe bats living in Northern Vietnam, and report here the first identification of sarbecoviruses in Rhinolophus thomasi and Rhinolophus siamensis bats. Phylogenetic characterization of seven strains of Vietnamese sarbecoviruses identified at least three clusters of viruses. Recombination and cross-species transmission between bats seemed to constitute major drivers of virus evolution. Vietnamese sarbecoviruses were mainly enteric, therefore constituting a risk of spillover for guano collectors or people visiting caves. To evaluate the zoonotic potential of these viruses, we analyzed in silico and in vitro the ability of their RBDs to bind to mammalian ACE2s and concluded that these viruses are likely restricted to their bat hosts. The workflow applied here to characterize the spillover potential of novel sarbecoviruses is of major interest for each time a new virus is discovered, in order to concentrate surveillance efforts on high-risk interfaces.