Levofloxacin for the Prevention of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Vietnam.

Background: Prevention of drug-resistant tuberculosis is a global health priority. However, trials evaluating the effectiveness of treating infection among contacts of persons with drug-resistant tuberculosis are lacking.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial comparing 6 months of daily levofloxacin (weight-based doses) with placebo to treat infection.

Modified hydrothermal method for synthesizing titanium dioxide-decorated multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites for the solar-driven photocatalytic degradation of dyes.

This study aimed to address the issue of rapid electron-hole recombination in photocatalysis by exploiting multi-phase TiO decorated on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to improve the photocatalytic degradation of dyes. A simple and eco-friendly one-pot method was utilized to create the TiO/MWCNT nanostructure using glucose as both a structure-directing agent and a carbon source without requiring any prior covalent or non-covalent functionalization of the MWCNTs at 160 °C. Furthermore, it was found that the average width of the nanocomposites changed from 20 ± 1 and 42 ± 2 nm to 56 ± 3 nm, corresponding to MWCNT contents of 1.

Gold nanoparticle-decorated amorphous carbon for oxidative cyclization of anthranilamide and aryl alcohols.

Herein, gold nanoparticle-decorated amorphous carbon (Au/AC) was prepared by reducing chloroauric acid and layering it on amorphous carbon. The characteristics of Au/AC were examined using FT-IR, XRD, TGA, SEM, EDS, and XPS. To assess its catalytic activity, Au/AC was tested in a reaction involving anthranilamide and benzyl alcohol at 110 °C for 24 hours.

Population-wide active case finding as a strategy to end TB.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Despite available tools for preventing, finding, and treating TB, many people with TB remain undiagnosed. In high-incidence settings, TB transmission is ubiquitous within the community, affecting both high-risk groups and the general population.

Sustainability and impact of an intervention to improve initiation of tuberculosis preventive treatment: results from a follow-up study of the ACT4 randomized trial.

Background: In a cluster randomized trial (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02810678) a flexible but comprehensive health system intervention significantly increased the number of household contacts (HHC) identified and started on tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT). A follow-up study was conducted one year later to test the hypotheses that these effects were sustained, and were reproducible with a simplified intervention.

High-dose, short-duration versus standard rifampicin for tuberculosis preventive treatment: a partially blinded, three-arm, non-inferiority, randomised, controlled trial.

Background: Tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) is a key component of tuberculosis elimination. To improve completion and reduce the burden for people and health systems, short, safe, and effective TPT regimens are needed. We aimed to compare safety and treatment completion of various doses and durations of rifampicin in people who were recommended to receive TPT.

Health system barriers to the implementation of the national action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance in Vietnam: a scoping review.

Background: Vietnam is among 11 countries in the Western Pacific region that has developed a National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance (NAPCA).

Methods: This scoping review characterises health system barriers to the implementation of the Vietnam NAPCA, with reference to the WHO Health Systems Framework.

Results: Over 7 years, between 2013 and 2020, the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Vietnam has been implementing activities to achieve the six NAPCA objectives.

mHealth application for improving treatment outcomes for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Vietnam: an economic evaluation protocol for the V-SMART trial.

Introduction: The Strengthen the Management of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Vietnam (V-SMART) trial is a randomised controlled trial of using mobile health (mHealth) technologies to improve adherence to medications and management of adverse events (AEs) in people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) undergoing treatment in Vietnam. This economic evaluation seeks to quantify the cost-effectiveness of this mHealth intervention from a healthcare provider and societal perspective.

Methods And Analysis: The V-SMART trial will recruit 902 patients treated for MDR-TB across seven participating provinces in Vietnam.

Finding and treating both tuberculosis disease and latent infection during population-wide active case finding for tuberculosis elimination.

In recognition of the high rates of undetected tuberculosis in the community, the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages targeted active case finding (ACF) among "high-risk" populations. While this strategy has led to increased case detection in these populations, the epidemic impact of these interventions has not been demonstrated. Historical data suggest that population-wide (untargeted) ACF can interrupt transmission in high-incidence settings, but implementation remains lacking, despite recent advances in screening tools.

Smoking behaviour, tobacco sales and tobacco advertising at 40 'Smoke Free Hospitals' in Vietnam.

Background: Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death globally. Vietnam's 2012 Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms establishes all healthcare facilities as smoke-free environments. We aimed to evaluate the implementation of these policies within health facilities across Vietnam.

The inclusion of diagnostics in national health insurance schemes in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Viet Nam.

The Lancet Commission on Diagnostics highlighted a huge gap in access to diagnostic testing even for basic tests, particularly at the primary care level, and emphasised the need for countries to include diagnostics as part of their universal health coverage benefits packages. Despite the poor state of diagnostic-related services in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), little is known about the extent to which diagnostics are included in the health benefit packages. We conducted an analysis of seven Asian LMICs-Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Viet Nam-to understand this issue.

Good citizens, perfect patients, and family reputation: Stigma and prolonged isolation in people with drug-resistant tuberculosis in Vietnam.

Stigma and isolation are common in people with tuberculosis (TB). Social isolation contributes to reduced health outcomes and TB treatment adherence. Stigma and the drivers of isolation in people with Drug-Resistant (DR)-TB may include modifiable advice and practices of family and Health Care Workers (HCW).

Mapping access to drug outlets in Vietnam: distribution of drug outlets and the sociodemographic characteristics of the communities they serve.

Background: Drug outlets are a vital first point of healthcare contact in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but they are often poorly regulated and counter staff may be unqualified to provide advice. This introduces the risk of easy access to potentially harmful products, including unnecessary antimicrobials. Over-the-counter antimicrobial sales are a major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in LMICs.

High dose rifampin for 2 months vs standard dose rifampin for 4 months, to treat TB infection: Protocol of a 3-arm randomized trial (2R2).

Introduction: Tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) is an essential component for TB elimination. In order to be successfully implemented on a large scale, TPT needs to be safe, affordable and widely available in all settings. Short TPT regimens, that are less burdensome than longer regimens, to patients and health systems, are needed.

Spin Trapping Analysis of Radical Intermediates on the Thermo-Oxidative Degradation of Polypropylene.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the thermo-oxidative degradation behavior of polypropylene (PP) by comparing three types of pristine PP granules (consisting of homopolymer, random copolymer, and block copolymer) with their corresponding oxidized analogues. These analogues were intensely oxidized under oxygen at 90 °C for 1000 h by using the electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping method that can detect short-lived radical intermediates during the degradation. The degrees of oxidation could be evaluated by chemiluminescence (CL) intensity, which was related to the concentration of hydroperoxide groups generated in the PP chain.

Single-step controlled synthesis of flower-like gold nanoparticles stabilized by chitosan for sensitive detection of heparin using a surface-enhanced Raman scattering method.

A novel single-step and template-free procedure, including controlled synthesis of gold flowers (AuNFs), conjugation to a 4-MBA reporter, and stabilization with chitosan, is proposed to develop the SERS tags-based nanoparticles for trace detection of heparin. This SERS detection assay is based on the aggregation/non-aggregation balance of AuNFs-4-MBA@chitosan nanoparticles, which was induced by adding a very low concentration of heparin in the as-synthesized colloidal solutions. SERS-tag colloids are prepared by mixing chitosan with HAuCl and 4-mercapto benzoic acid before being reduced with ascorbic acid under appropriate pH conditions.

Prevalence and genetic basis of first-line drug resistance of in Ca Mau, Vietnam.

Background And Objective: Data on the prevalence of anti-tuberculous drug resistance and its association with genetic mutations in are limited. Our study explores the genomics of tuberculosis in Ca Mau, Vietnam.

Methods: Patients ≥15 years in Ca Mau Province, Vietnam, were screened annually for tuberculosis between 2014 and 2017.

Facile tuning of tip sharpness on gold nanostars by the controlled seed-growth method and coating with a silver shell for detection of thiram using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

Developing SERS substrates based on individual gold and silver metals, either with rough surfaces or bare nanoparticles, has certain limitations in practical analysis applications. In order to improve the range of applications of the noble metallic substrates, a comprehensive approach has been proposed for preparing non-traditional SERS nano-substrates by combining tip-enhanced gold nanostars and Raman signal amplification of the silver layer. This preparation process is conducted in two steps, including tuning the sharpness and length of tips by a modified seed growth method followed by coating the silver layer on the formed star-shaped nanoparticles.

A new species and a new record of the genus Otostigmus Porat, 1876 (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Scolopendridae) in Vietnam.

Otostigmus consonensis sp. nov. was described from Vietnam, and O.

Stepped treatment algorithm using budesonide-formoterol for chronic respiratory diseases: A single arm interventional study.

Background: While the safety and efficacy of inhaled budesonide-formoterol, used as-needed for symptoms, has been established for patients with asthma, it has not been trialed in undifferentiated patients with chronic respiratory diseases. We aimed to assess the feasibility of a pragmatic intervention that entails a stepped algorithm using inhaled budesonide-formoterol (dry powder inhaler, 160μg/4.5μg per dose) for patients presenting with chronic respiratory diseases to three rural district hospitals in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Harnessing new mHealth technologies to Strengthen the Management of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Vietnam (V-SMART trial): a protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a major public health problem globally. Long, complex treatment regimens coupled with frequent adverse events have resulted in poor treatment adherence and patient outcomes. Smartphone-based mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer national TB programmes an appealing platform to improve patient care and management; however, clinical trial evidence to support their use is lacking.