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Vietnam tourism has been affected negatively by Covid 19 pandemic, the number of international and domestic tourists and visitors has been declining sharply, forcing the tourism industry has to figure out new directors for tourism development and change business strategies in coming time. This study mainly use qualitative analysis, synthesis and inductive methods, combined with explanatory and dialectical materialism methods. Research results found out that because loss from civid 19: from statistic of General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO), in 2020, international visitors to Vietnam only reached 3.8 million arrivals, down 78.7% compared to 2019 and reached only 3.8 million arrivals. 19 - 22.3% of the target of 17 - 20 million international visitors and total revenue from tourists in 2020 is about 13 billion USD (assessment of damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic is 23 billion USD). We also suggest proper policies such as Promulgating policies to support tourism businesses such as tax support, loan support, etc. so that businesses can promptly have solutions to develop and find the right direction in the current context from now on.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) is a rare syndrome characterized by the presence of medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, hyperparathyroidism and sometimes cutaneous lichen amyloidosis. This syndrome is caused by a germline activation mutation in the rearranged during transfection (RET) proto-oncogene transmitted by an autosomal dominant inheritance. In this study, we reported a rare case of a 44-year-old man from Vietnam with medullary thyroid carcinoma and pheochromocytoma as the symptom of MEN2A. Genetic testing indicated a nucleotide substitution located in exon 11 of the RET proto-oncogene (c.1900T>C, p.C634R), which was reported as a known pathogenic mutation of MEN2A. Further genetic tests on the other family members found the same mutation in his daughter (currently 14 years-old) and his son (currently 8 years-old). Although these 2 children do not yet have any manifestations of MEN2A, this data emphasizes their high risks of this disease. Therefore, this case draws attention to the importance of genetic counselling in C634R carriers, as well as rigorous follow-up appointments to reduce incidence and mortality since the mutation is classified as a high-risk group within the medullary thyroid carcinoma guidelines.

Warfarin is a well-known anticoagulant that capable of reducing the activity of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. It has been widely used for cardiovascular patients. However, patient’s genotype of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 remarkably affects the metabolism of warfarin. This study aims to identify the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotypes of 96 Vietnamese patients suffering cardiodynia or myocardial infarction and establish their daily warfarin dose. The PCR-RFLP method was used to identified the CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3 and VKORC1 alleles. The result indicated that allelic frequencies for CYP2C9*3 were observed at 3% of investigated patients while CYP2C9*2 alleles and genotypes were not detected in this study population. Allele frequency of VKORC1 (c. -1639G>A) was observed at 84%. Base on the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotypes, we recommended the daily warfarin dose for of these patients.

Coronary artery disease is the most common type of cardiovascular disease, due to the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque inside the arterial wall which leads to block blood supply to the heart muscle. A number of clinical trials have demonstrated that Clopidogrel is able to inhibit platelet aggregation in patients with acute coronary syndromes, reduce mortality and cardiovascular events. However, the antiplatelet effectiveness of Clopidogrel significantly depends on CYP2C19 genotypes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the CYP2C19*2, *3 and allele frequencies in Vietnamese coronary artery patients by using PCR-RFLP method. Total genomic DNA were extracted from peripheral blood of 96 patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Thereafter, single nucleotide polymorphism sites in the CYP2C19 gene were identified by PCR with specific primers. The amplified products were then digested by restriction enzymes SmaI, BamHI, and MnlI, respectively. The results showed that the proportion of heterozygous individuals for CYP2C19*2 (c. 681G>A, rs4244285), CYP2C19*3 (c. 636G>A, rs4986893), and CYP2C19*17 (g. -3402C>T, rs11188072) accounted for 39.58%, 6.25%, and 2.08%, respectively. Among 96 subjects, 41.67% of patients were predicted for intermediate metabolic phenotype CYP2C19*1/*2 (37.50%) and CYP2C19*1/*3 (4.17%). Approximately 10.42% of total patients represented poor metabolizers in which 8.34% had two copies of the same allele *2/*2 and 2.08% had *2/*3 genotype. Particularly, two individuals (2.08%) detected with CYP2C19*1/*17 genotype were able to increase CYP2C19 activity (ultrarapid metabolizers). The results of this study generate a foundation for introducing individualized antiplatelet therapy in Vietnam based on genetic testing.

BackgroundExtended spectrum beta-lactamases-producing (ESBL-P) and/or carbapenem-resistant (CR) Klebsiella pneumoniae have severely restricted available treatment options in healthcare settings in Vietnam. Understanding the diversity and transmission mechanisms of ESBL- and carbapenemase-encoding K. pneumoniae is important in both hospital and community settings for patient management.MethodsWe conducted a 6-month prospective cohort study of 69 Intensive care unit (ICU) patients from two hospitals in Hanoi, Vietnam. Longitudinally collected samples from patients and the ICU environment were cultured on selective media, and 357 K. pneumoniae colonies were whole genome sequenced. We performed phylogenetic analyses, and correlated phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing with genotypic features of K. pneumoniae isolates. We constructed transmission networks of patient samples, relating ICU admission times and locations with genetic similarity of infecting K. pneumoniae.FindingsDespite being geographically and clinically separated, the two hospitals shared closely related strains carrying the same array of antimicrobial resistance genes. Many patients carried the same resistant K. pneumoniae clone from admission to discharge. 45.9% of total isolates carried both ESBL- and carbapenemase-encoding genes, with high minimum inhibitory concentrations. We found a novel co-occurrence of blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-1 in 46. 6% of samples from the globally successful ST15 lineage.InterpretationThese results highlight the high prevalence of ESBL-positive carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae in Vietnamese ICUs. Through studying K. pneumoniae ST15 in detail, we illustrated how important resistance genes are coalescing in stains carried broadly by patients entering the two hospitals directly or through referral.FundingThis study was supported by the Medical Research Council Newton Fund, United Kingdom (grant MR/N029399/1); the Ministry of Science and Technology, Vietnam (grant HNQT/SPÐP/04.16); This research was funded in whole by the Wellcome Trust (grant 206194). For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission.

Background An endotracheal tube cuff pressure between 20 and 30 cmH2O is recommended to prevent ventilator-associated respiratory infection (VARI). We aimed to evaluate whether continuous cuff pressure control (CPC) was associated with reduced VARI incidence compared with intermittent CPC. Methods We conducted a multicenter open-label randomized controlled trial in intensive care unit (ICU) patients within 24 hours of intubation in Vietnam. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either continuous CPC using an automated electronic device or intermittent CPC using a manually hand-held manometer. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of VARI, evaluated by an independent reviewer blinded to the CPC allocation. Results We randomized 600 patients; 597 received the intervention or control and were included in the intention to treat analysis. Compared with intermittent CPC, continuous CPC did not reduce the proportion of patients with at least one episode of VARI (74/296 [25%] vs 69/301 [23%]; odds ratio [OR] 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] .77–1.67]. There were no significant differences between continuous and intermittent CPC concerning the proportion of microbiologically confirmed VARI (OR 1.40; 95% CI .94–2.10), the proportion of intubated days without antimicrobials (relative proportion [RP] 0.99; 95% CI .87–1.12), rate of ICU discharge (cause-specific hazard ratio [HR] 0.95; 95% CI .78–1.16), cost of ICU stay (difference in transformed mean [DTM] 0.02; 95% CI −.05 to .08], cost of ICU antimicrobials (DTM 0.02; 95% CI −.25 to .28), cost of hospital stay (DTM 0.02; 95% CI −.04 to .08), and ICU mortality risk (OR 0.96; 95% CI .67–1.38). Conclusions Maintaining CPC through an automated electronic device did not reduce VARI incidence. Clinical Trial Registration NCT02966392.

Retinoblastoma (Rb) is a malignant retinal tumor on young children which is often founded before the age of 5. This cancer disease appears when both of RB1 alleles on 13q14.2 chromosome are mutated. The aim of this research is to evaluate the ability of Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) in screening of RB1 gene insertion/deletions in Vietnamese patients with Rb. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood of the research subjects and subsequently analyzed by MLPA technique. To prove the results of MLPA, quantitative real-time PCR was used for determining the RB1 gene copy number for all samples. Two significant deletion mutations were identified on two different Rb patients, one is the deletion from exon 4 to exon 27 recorded on KVM38 sample, and the other is the complete removal of an allele on KVM21 sample. The MLPA showed a complete correlation with real-time PCR results. These are the disease causing mutations, can be inherited and they are important evidences for genetic counseling and clinical management. Those results have proven the high speed and reliability of MLPA method in identifying deletion/duplication mutations on Rb patients.

In this study, a model of the friction force of dampers in a horizontal washing machine is proposed. A MATLAB program is used to determine the parameters for force-velocity relation curve according to Tustin model based on the experimental data of dampers. The two degree of freedom system of horizontal washing machines with new friction model is simulated. The validation of the model with the proposed friction force was verified by comparison with experimental results and previous studies. The result shown that the damping model with the force-velocity relations proposed for more accurate results especially when examining the vibration properties of the suspension when the washing machine works at high speed.

Background Early‐onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD) refers to that of patients who have been diagnosed or had onset of motor symptoms before age 50, accounting for 4% of Parkinson's disease patients. The PRKN and PINK1 genes, both involved in a metabolic pathway, are associated with EOPD. Methods To identify variants associated with EOPD, coding region of PARKIN and PINK1 genes in 112 patients and 112 healthy individuals were sequenced. Multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification kit was used to determine EOPD patients that carried mutations in PRKN and PINK1 genes. Results and Conclusion Three rare and three novel mutations in total of 14 variants of PARKIN and PINK1 were detected in the EOPD cohorts. Mutations of PRKN and PINK1 genes were found in five (4.4%) patients, which were four patients with compound heterozygous variants in the PRKN and one case with a homozygous mutation of the PINK1 gene. The novel mutations might reduce the stability of the PRKN and PINK1 protein molecules. The frequency of homozygous mutant genotype p.A340T of the PINK1 in the EOPD cohort was higher than in control (p = 0.0001, OR = 5.704), suggesting this variant might be a risk factor for EOPD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of PRKN and PINK1 genes conducted on Vietnamese EOPD patients. These results might contribute to the genetic screening of EOPD in Vietnam., To identify variants associated with Vietnamese EOPD, we performed sequence analysis of coding region of PARKIN and PINK1 in 112 patients and 112 healthy individuals. Three rare and three novel mutations in total of 14 variants of PARKIN and PINK1 were detected. The novel mutations might reduce the stability of the PRKN and PINK1 protein molecules.

INTRODUCTION: Here we show the results of two clinical projects carried out in Vietnamese patients suffering from low back pain or stroke aftermath comparing with our protocols with and without ozone therapy. MATERIAL and METHODS: We did a first evaluation (project 1 - 179 patients) of adding ozone therapy in our protocols for low back pain and stroke aftermath. After realizing of the positive results, we started the second proyect (207 patients), comparing directly our old and new protocols that include ozone therapy. The treatment from low back pain were executed with classical paraverteberal injections of ozone. The treatment of stroke were executed with intramuscular injections of ozone in the affected area. RESULTS: Comparing with our traditional treatment methods, ozone can improve the speed and the efficacy of the treatment. CONCLUSION: Due to the small sample size, the results has limitations. However the primary evaluation is a reference which requires to have better collaboration with other physicians in order to increase the sample size and validite strongly this technique.

This paper presents the new vibration model of the horizontal washing machine (HWM) using a nonlinear geographic of the suspension system with nonlinear friction force - velocity (F-V) relationship of dampers obtained from experiment. Furthermore, using the dissipated energy function of dampers (Ed) criteria, some results of the effect of the spring stiffness on the dampers’ loading level are achieved. The simulation was done in Matlab/Simulink® environment. The results were then compared with experimental validation results to determine the suitability of the model. The conclusions can provide some available evidences for the design and improvement of nonlinear dampers.

Barriers preventing parents from accessing healthcare services affect the effectiveness of maternal care in mountainous areas of Vietnam. Aim This study aimed to examine the current knowledge, attitudes, and practice of parents about maternal care in a mountainous region of Cao Bang province. Method With the participation of 18 individuals (mothers, fathers, and pregnant women), six semi-structured interviews and three group discussions were conducted at different commune health centers. Result This study emerged three themes, including knowledge, attitude, and practice of parents. Overall, parental knowledge about maternal care was at a basic level. While they showed positive attitudes towards the importance of maternal healthcare, unexpected behaviors such as homebirth or poor attendance at maternal health visits were still evident. These behavior patterns reflect incorrect cultural beliefs about health along with geographical and economic barriers.

The selective detection and classification of NH3 and H2S gases with H2S gas interference based on conventional SnO2 thin film sensors is still the main problem. In this work, three layers of SnO2/Pt/WO3 nanofilms with different WO3 thicknesses (50, 80, 140, and 260 nm) were fabricated using the sputtering technique. The WO3 top layer were used as a gas filter to further improve the selectivity of sensors. The effect of WO3 thickness on the (NH3, H2, and H2S) gas-sensing properties of the sensors was investigated. At the optimal WO3 thickness of 140 nm, the gas responses of SnO2/Pt/WO3 sensors toward NH3 and H2 gases were slightly lower than those of Pt/SnO2 sensor film, and the gas response of SnO2/Pt/WO3 sensor films to H2S gas was almost negligible. The calcification of NH3 and H2 gases was effectively conducted by machine learning algorithms. These evidences manifested that SnO2/Pt/WO3 sensor films are suitable for the actual NH3 detection of NH3 and H2S gases.

BACKGROUND: β-thalassemia is one of the most common monogenic diseases worldwide. Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) of β-thalassemia is performed to avoid affected pregnancies has become increasingly popular worldwide. In which, the indirect analysis using short tandem repeat (STRs) linking with HBB gene to detect different β-globin (HBB) gene mutation is a simple, accurate, economical and also provides additional control of contamination and allele-drop-out ADO. AIM: This study established microsatellite markers for PGT of Vietnamese β-thalassemia patient. METHODS: Fifteen (15) STRs gathered from 5 populations were identified by in silico tools within 1 Mb flanking the HBB gene. The multiplex PCR reaction was optimized and performed on 106 DNA samples from at-risk families. RESULTS: After estimating, PIC values were ≥ 0.7 for all markers, with expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity values ranged from 0.81 to 0.92 and 0.53 to 0.86, respectively. One hundred percent of individuals had at least seven heterozygous markers and were found to be heterozygous for at least two markers on either side of the HBB gene. The STRs panel was successfully performed on one at-risk family. CONCLUSION: In general, a pentadecaplex marker (all < 1 Mb from the HBB gene) assay was constituted for β-thalassemia PGT on Vietnamese population.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. It is also the leading cause of death among women globally.

Aim: To adapt the provider version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) for Vietnam and determine its internal consistency and validity. Background: There is a growing need to measure and explore the impact of various characteristics of health care systems on the quality of primary care. It would provide the best evidence for policy makers if these evaluations come from both the demand and supply sides of the health care sector. Comparatively more researchers have studied primary care quality from the consumer perspective than from the provider’s perspective. This study aims at the latter. Method: Our study translated and adapted the PCAT provider version (PCAT PE) into a Vietnamese version, after which a cross-sectional survey was conducted to examine the feasibility, internal consistency and validity of the Vietnamese PCAT provider version (VN PCAT PE). All general doctors working at 152 commune health centres in Thua Thien Hue province had been selected to participate in the survey. Findings: The VN PCAT PE is an instrument for evaluation of primary care in Vietnam with 116 items comprising six scales representing four core primary care domains, and three additional scales representing three derivative domains. From the translation and cultural adaptation stage, two items were combined, two items were removed and one item was added. Six other items were excluded due to problems in item-total correlations. All items have a low non-response or ‘don’t know/don’t remember’ response rate, and there were no floor or ceiling effects. All scales had a Cronbach’s alpha above 0.80, except for the Coordination scale, which still was above the minimum level of 0.70. Conclusion: The VN PCAT PE demonstrates adequate internal consistency and validity to be used as an effective tool for measuring the quality of primary care in Vietnam from the provider perspective.

This study focuses on setting up a simulation program using Matlab/Simulink for a simplified vibrational model of a horizontal washing machine with 2 degrees of freedom. A reliable experiment was carried out to define the orbit of the tub’s vibration in symmetry plane that consists of the suspension system. The comparison between experimental and simulation results is used to analyze and evaluate the reliability and application scope of the model.

This paper focuses on constructing a Matlab/Simulink program of vibration model with 2 DOF horizontal washing machine. The key point of this paper is using a strong nonlinear friction force - velocity (F-V) relationship of dampers which is obtained from experiment as an input for the simulation. The suitability and high reliability of the model were proved by comparing simulation and experimental results. The model was used to study the effect of damper configurations on the vibration characteristics of horizontal washing machines and then to propose several suitable damper configurations.

Implementing new strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change may influence an economy’s vulnerability to natural disasters. It is thus important to develop mechanisms for evaluating the impact of these changes prior to their implementation. Recent works have demonstrated the effectiveness of inoperability input–output models in assessing the impact of natural disasters on interconnected economic systems. This study develops a multi-criteria framework that measures the vulnerability of economic sectors by considering plausible disaster scenarios and the resulting “ripple effects” of such disruptions. The approach proposed here uses three metrics: average propagation length, economic loss, and inoperability. The model then uses the analytic hierarchy process to measure the importance of each component in a hierarchical framework to derive a composite vulnerability index. The method is used to assess the implications of implementing the mandatory bioethanol blending program in Vietnam, using cassava and sugarcane as bioethanol feedstocks. The disaster scenarios assessed include the incidence of typhoons, floods, and pest infestation. Results show that the cassava, sugarcane, and other manufacturing sectors are the key economic sectors which are most affected by these disasters. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis on different bioethanol blend rates indicates that a 5 % bioethanol blend policy does not significantly affect Vietnam’s economy, while raising the blend to 10 % bioethanol or more may considerably change the country’s economic structure and disaster vulnerability.

OBJECTIVE: To adapt the consumer version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) for Vietnam and determine its internal consistency and validity. DESIGN: A quantitative cross sectional study. SETTING: 56 communes in 3 representative provinces of central Vietnam. PARTICIPANTS: Total of 3289 people who used health care services at health facility at least once over the past two years. RESULTS: The Vietnamese adult expanded consumer version of the PCAT (VN PCAT-AE) is an instrument for evaluation of primary care in Vietnam with 70 items comprising six scales representing four core primary care domains, and three additional scales representing three derivative domains. Sixteen other items from the original tool were not included in the final instrument, due to problems with missing values, floor or ceiling effects, and item-total correlations. All the retained scales have a Cronbach's alpha above 0.70 except for the subscale of Family Centeredness. CONCLUSIONS: The VN PCAT-AE demonstrates adequate internal consistency and validity to be used as an effective tool for measuring the quality of primary care in Vietnam from the consumer perspective. Additional work in the future to optimize valid measurement in all domains consistent with the original version of the tool may be helpful as the primary care system in Vietnam further develops. ispartof: Plos One vol:13 issue:1 ispartof: location:United States status: Published online

In this paper, the results show an algorithm to detect the presence of smoke and flame using image sequences captured by Internet Protocol (IP) cameras is represented. The important characteristics of smoke such as color, motion and growth properties are employed to detect fire. For the efficient smoke and fire detection in the captured images by the IP camera, a detection algorithm must operate directly in the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) domain to reduce computational weigh, avoiding a complete decoding process required for algorithms that operate in spatial domain. In order to assess the possibility and the accuracy of proposed algorithm, the author used the video sequences which are captured by IP camera from control forest fire at different spatial location and levels of fire intensity. Evaluation results illustrated the efficiency of the proposed algorithm in effectively detecting forest fires with accuracy at 97%.

Introduction: Neisseria gonorrhoea (NG) is gaining resistance to last line cephalosporins; conferring resistance to almost all antimicrobials used to treat it since the 1930s. NG disproportionately affects men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and sex workers. Neisseria are particularly apt at horizontal gene transmission within the genus. Genetic analysis of resistant NG found fragments from N. cinerea and N. perflava , common commensals of the oropharynx. Nearly all global cases of ceftriaxone resistant NG are reported from pharyngeal samples. Self-medication with antibiotics is prevalent in Vietnam and MSM of Hanoi have high rates of STIs. Methods MSM from Hanoi, Vietnam were surveyed regarding health seeking behaviours, including antibiotic usage. Pharyngeal swabs from a subset of participants were collected and assessed for commensal Neisseria prevalence, as well as characterisation of antimicrobial susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, cefixime, ceftriaxone, and cefpodoxime. Results Thirty-nine MSM were surveyed. Median age was 23, 72.7% have sex only with men, and 18.2% have exchanged sex to receive food, money, or work. Any antibiotic use was 82% in the past 6 months and 33% in the past 30 days. In the past 6 months, use of cefixime and ceftriaxone was 15% and 9%, respectively. Ever use of antibiotics without a prescription was 64%.At least one commensal Neisseria was isolated from every participant, with prevalence of N. cinerea (14.3%), N. flavescens (57.1%), N. mucosa (28.6%), N. subflava (50%). Using CLSI MIC breakpoints for N. gonorrhoea as a proxy, “reduced susceptibility” to ciprofloxacin, cefixime, ceftriaxone, and cefpodoxime was found among 47.1%, 11.8%, 11.8%, and 29.4% of all isolates, respectively; 52.9% were “resistant” to ciprofloxacin. Conclusion MSM of Hanoi were likely to take antibiotics without a prescription. Commensal Neisseria were very prevalent from pharyngeal samples; some may have reduced susceptibility or resistance to common antibiotics. More data is needed to appropriately interpret antimicrobial susceptibility for these commensals.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious, debilitating, and globally significant viral disease typically affecting cloven-hoofed hosts. The diagnosis of FMD in bears in Vietnam is described. The current study describes a confirmed case of FMD in a bear species, and the clinical signs compatible with FMD in a Malayan sun bear. Thirteen Asiatic black bears ( Ursus thibetanus) and 1 Malayan sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus) were apparently affected. In August 2011, an adult bear became lethargic, and developed footpad vesicles. Over 15 days, 14 out of 17 bears developed similar signs; the remaining 3 co-housed bears and another 57 resident bears did not. All affected bears developed vesicles on all footpads, and most were lethargic for 24–48 hr. Nasal and oral lesions were noted in 6 and 3 cases, respectively. Within 1 month, all looked normal. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, classified as serotype O, and isolated by virus isolation techniques. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated clustering of 3 bear isolates, in a branch distinct from other FMDV type O isolates. The outbreak likely occurred due to indirect contact with livestock, and was facilitated by the high density of captive bears. It showed that Asiatic black bears are capable of contracting FMDV and developing clinical disease, and that the virus spreads easily between bears in close contact.

This paper discusses how the Nippon Foundation-funded project “Opening University Education to Deaf People in Viet Nam through Sign Language Analysis, Teaching, and Interpretation,” also known as the Dong Nai Deaf Education Project, has been implemented through sign language studies from 2000 through 2012. This project has provided deaf adults in Viet Nam with their first opportunity for higher educational programs (junior high school, senior high school, and university). Major topics for discussion include the impact of the project, the high level of success of the project, and how the findings of sign language studies have been specifically utilized to ensure the success of the project.

The global garment and textile industries face changing international trade regimes, concerns with labour standards, new competitors and forms of competition. These challenges have a differentiated impact on developing-country producers and workers. One potential 'winner' is Vietnam. This paper uses a global value-chain framework to analyse the Vietnamese experience. It maps Vietnam's changing position in the global industry, and probes ties between Vietnamese firms and global buyers. It explores links within the Vietnamese garment and textiles sectors, and considers the impact of global challenges on Vietnamese firms and workers. This helps distinguish who are the potential 'winners' and 'losers'. © 2004 Taylor and Francis Ltd.

Background: The health benefits of breast-feeding are widely acknowledged and breast-feeding is crucial for the survival of the infants in developing countries. The present study aims to elucidate the prevalence of breast-feeding and the possible risk factors affecting the breast-feeding of infants at the age of 3 months in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam after the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund launched ‘the Baby-Friendly Hospital’ Initiative in 1989. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the urban areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in February, 2000. Two hundred and sixty mother-infant pairs were conveniently recruited in three child health centers in Ho Chi Minh City. Mothers of infants aged 6–12 months were interviewed and completed a well-structured questionnaire regarding the feeding types of the infant, the maternal knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to breast-feeding. Results: The results indicated that although about 86.4% newborns in the maternity wards and 88.5% infants at 3 months were at least partially fed with breast milk, the prevalence of breast-feeding were 57.4 and 53.1%, respectively. About 47.5% newborns were fed with breast milk in the first feeding. The multivariate logistic regression analysis shows that the risk factors for the introduction of breast milk substitutes at 3 months of age were maternal antenatal plan of mixed or artificial feeding (odds ratio (OR) = 6.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.18–13.64, P

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study of women's perceptions of reproductive tract infection in two communes in northern Viet Nam. The objective of the study was to gain information concerning women's perceptions of reproductive tract infection and their associated symptoms and help seeking behaviours. Focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, free listings and pile sortings were conducted with approximately 230 women. Although infections are perceived to be common and to cause much discomfort, there is little consistency in the reporting of symptoms, causes and consequences of infection. Perceived causes are predominantly associated with dampness and exposure to dirty water, although there is also a perceived association with medical procedures such as IUD insertion and abortion. Little attention is paid to the risk of sexual transmission. Treatment is generally with guava liquid and 'hygienic washes' at home, with women only consulting a health care provider if symptoms persist or ...

Background Ingestion of contaminated water or food is a major contributor to childhood diarrhea in developing countries. In Vietnam, the use of community-based information, education and communication (IEC) activities could be a sustainable strategy to improve food hygiene and food safety behaviors. This study thus examined the long-term impact of community-based IEC activities on food hygiene and food safety behaviors. Methods In this longitudinal study, we interviewed caregivers of children aged between six months and four years in suburban Hanoi. Baseline data were collected in January 2006 (n = 125). After conducting IEC interventions, we collected a 1st set of evaluation data in January 2007 (n = 132). To examine the long-term impact of the interventions, we then collected a 2nd set of evaluation data in January 2008 (n = 185). Changes in childhood diarrhea prevalence, IEC coverage, and food hygiene and food safety behaviors were assessed over a two-year period using bivariate and logistic regression analyses. Effective IEC channels were determined through multiple linear regression analysis. Results Childhood diarrhea was significantly reduced from 21.6% at baseline to 7.6% at the 1st post-intervention evaluation (P = 0.002), and to 5.9% at the 2nd evaluation. Among 17 food hygiene and food safety behaviors measured, a total of 11 behaviors were improved or maintained by the 2nd evaluation. Handwashing after toilet use was significantly improved at both evaluation points. Overall, 3 food safety behaviors and 7 food hygiene behaviors were found to have significantly improved at the 1st and at the 2nd evaluations, respectively. Flip chart communication administered by community groups was identified to be the most effective IEC channel for effecting behavior change (P = 0.018). Conclusions Flip chart communication administered by community groups is effective for improving multiple food hygiene and food safety behaviors in sustainable ways, and should be included in water and health promotion programs.

In recent years, teaching English, especially English for specific purposes at Vietnam universities has received a lot of attention from students, teachers, and relevant authorities because of not high teaching effectiveness. This results in the fact that students after graduation do not meet English requirements of employers, so unemployment becomes more serious. This is an alarming situation because English is becoming the almost indispensable communication language of young people nowadays. This empirical study consists of a survey of teachers and students at universities in Hanoi by listing the factors related to teaching English for specific purposes. Then, we give some recommendations for improving effectiveness of teaching English for specific purposes so that students can meet the English requirements for their work and lives.

The global garment and textile industries face changing international trade regimes, concerns with labour standards, new competitors and forms of competition. These challenges have a differentiated impact on developing country pro ducers and workers, creating ‘winners’ and ‘losers’. One potential winner is Vietnam. This paper uses a global value chain framework to analyse the Vietnamese experience. It maps Vietnam’s changing position in the global industry, and probes ties between Vietnamese firms and global buyers. It explores links within the Vietnamese garment and textiles sectors, and considers the impact of global challenges on Vietnamese firms and workers. This helps distinguish potential ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ and underlines w ider poverty implications.

Optimization of medium compositions from dewatered wastewater sludge of beer manufactory for delta endotoxin production by Bacillus thuringiensis was investigated in flask fermentation. Its composition consisted of wastewater sludge hydrolysis broth with several agricultural byproducts (rice bran, soybean meal, corn flour) and mineral salts (MgSO4.7H2O; K2HPO4; KH2PO4; MnSO4; CaCl2; NaCl). Rice bran and MgSO4.7H2O, CaCl2 were all found to have a significant influence on delta endotoxin production. The optimal concentration of these three factors were then sequentially investigated using the response surface methodology with a central composite design. The resulting optimal medium components for delta endotoxin production were determined as follows: WWS (20 g/l, dry weight), CaCl2 (0.3 g/l), MgSO4.7H2O (0.32 g/l), and rice bran (5.8 g/l). Using this optimized fermentation media, the yield of delta endotoxin was increased by 34% to 565 mg/l compared with unoptimal medium. Viable cell and spore counts obtained in optimum fermented broth were 1.25x109 CFU/ml, 1.07x109 CFU/ml, respectively. The LC50 value of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar isralensis against Culex quinquefasciatus was 0.056 mg/l and there was no significant difference between LC50 value of bacterium grown in the medium.

The reform of the economic management structure in Vietnam has changed from a planned centralized and subsidized economy to a multielement economy following a controlled market mechanism. It has been implemented step-by-step from the time Resolution 6 was promulgated by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Communist Party, session 6 (September 1979). This reform programme has brought to the Vietnamese economy a new breath of life and helped release a great deal of production energy which was latent in factories, companies, state-owned and non-state enterprises. In Ho Chi Minh City, at the end of 1978 and the beginning of 1979, a number of enterprises appeared that operated well, solving their problems, and making the most of their strengths to stabilize and develop production. Examples include Con Dao Fishing Enterprise, Southern Detergent Company, Thanh Cong Textile Factory, Tobacco Union Enterprise II, etc. These businesses primarily were the starting point of the economic reform process in Vietnam. This paper focuses on the renovation process of Thanh Cong Textile Factory,1 and on the role of female workers in production and business activities, their working conditions, and their training during the renovation process of the factory.