Predicting deterioration in dengue using a low cost wearable for continuous clinical monitoring.

Close vital signs monitoring is crucial for the clinical management of patients with dengue. We investigated performance of a non-invasive wearable utilising photoplethysmography (PPG), to provide real-time risk prediction in hospitalised individuals. We performed a prospective observational clinical study in Vietnam between January 2020 and October 2022: 153 patients were included in analyses, providing 1353 h of PPG data.

High photocatalytic efficiency of a ZnO nanoplate/FeO nanospindle hybrid using visible light for methylene blue degradation.

In this work, ZnO nanoplates and FeO nanospindles were successfully fabricated a simple hydrothermal method using inorganic salts as precursors. The ZnO/FeO hybrid was fabricated using a mechanical mixture of two different ZnO : FeO weight ratios to investigate the effect of weight ratio on catalytic properties. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that ZnO nanoplates (NPls) are about 20 nm thick with lateral dimensions of 100 × 200 nm, and FeO nanospindles (NSs) are about 500 nm long and 50 nm wide.

Clinical evaluation of AI-assisted muscle ultrasound for monitoring muscle wasting in ICU patients.

Muscle ultrasound has been shown to be a valid and safe imaging modality to assess muscle wasting in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This typically involves manual delineation to measure the rectus femoris cross-sectional area (RFCSA), which is a subjective, time-consuming, and laborious task that requires significant expertise. We aimed to develop and evaluate an AI tool that performs automated recognition and measurement of RFCSA to support non-expert operators in measurement of the RFCSA using muscle ultrasound.

Magnitude, Patterns, and Associated Predictors of Cardiovascular Events in Tetanus: A 2-Year, Single-Center, Ambidirectional Cohort Study Involving 572 Patients.

Background: Cardiovascular events (CEs) remain the leading cause of death in patients with tetanus. We examined the incidence, patterns, and associated predictors of CEs among patients with tetanus in Vietnam.

Methods: An ambidirectional cohort study was conducted on hospitalized adult patients with tetanus at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases between 2019 and 2020.

Green, facile and fast synthesis of silver nanoparticles by using solution plasma techniques and their antibacterial and anticancer activities.

We herein present a simple, fast, efficient and environmentally friendly method for preparing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the solution plasma method in the presence of extracts from (). The effects of extract concentrations and the applied voltage on the formation of AgNPs were investigated. Surface plasmon resonance spectra show a strong peak at 413 nm for the prepared samples.

Clinical benefit of AI-assisted lung ultrasound in a resource-limited intensive care unit.

Background: Interpreting point-of-care lung ultrasound (LUS) images from intensive care unit (ICU) patients can be challenging, especially in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) where there is limited training available. Despite recent advances in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate many ultrasound imaging analysis tasks, no AI-enabled LUS solutions have been proven to be clinically useful in ICUs, and specifically in LMICs. Therefore, we developed an AI solution that assists LUS practitioners and assessed its usefulness in  a low resource ICU.

Synthesis of cuprous oxide/silver (CuO/Ag) hybrid as surface-enhanced Raman scattering probe for trace determination of methyl orange.

Recently, there have been publications on preparing hybrid materials between noble metal and semiconductor for applications in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates to detect some toxic organic dyes. However, the use of cuprous oxide/silver (CuO/Ag) to measure the trace amounts of methyl orange (MO) has not been reported. Therefore, in this study, the trace level of MO in water solvent was determined using a SERS substrate based on CuO microcubes combined with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs).

Anti-cancer activity of green synthesized silver nanoparticles using Ardisia gigantifolia leaf extract against gastric cancer cells.

Using extracts from herbs for silver nanoparticle synthesis is attracting attention for its anticancer activity. Ardisia gigantifolia is a herb used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating stomach ailments, and some compounds isolated from this plant exhibit the inhibitory activity against different cancer cells. However, the synthesis of silver nanoparticle using extract of Ardisia gigantiflia leaves and their anti-cancer activity was not reported.

Urinary catecholamine excretion, cardiovascular variability, and outcomes in tetanus.

Severe tetanus is characterized by muscle spasm and cardiovascular system disturbance. The pathophysiology of muscle spasm is relatively well understood and involves inhibition of central inhibitory synapses by tetanus toxin. That of cardiovascular disturbance is less clear, but is believed to relate to disinhibition of the autonomic nervous system.

vital_sqi: A Python package for physiological signal quality control.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmogram (PPG) are commonly used to determine the vital signs of heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation in patient monitoring. In addition to simple observation of those summarized indexes, waveform signals can be analyzed to provide deeper insights into disease pathophysiology and support clinical decisions. Such data, generated from continuous patient monitoring from both conventional bedside and low-cost wearable monitors, are increasingly accessible.

Improving the efficiency of n-Si/PEDOT:PSS hybrid solar cells by incorporating AuNP-decorated graphene oxide as a nanoadditive for conductive polymers.

A gold nanoparticle-decorated graphene oxide (GO-AuNP) hybrid material was prepared by using the chemical reduction method. The obtained results showed that the AuNPs of about of 15 nm are well bound on the surface of GO. The GO-AuNP hybrid material was used for transparent conductive film (TCF) and organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells.

A modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score for dengue: development, evaluation and proposal for use in clinical trials.

Background: Dengue is a neglected tropical disease, for which no therapeutic agents have shown clinical efficacy to date. Clinical trials have used strikingly variable clinical endpoints, which hampers reproducibility and comparability of findings. We investigated a delta modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (delta mSOFA) score as a uniform composite clinical endpoint for use in clinical trials investigating therapeutics for moderate and severe dengue.

Direct Medical Costs of Tetanus, Dengue, and Sepsis Patients in an Intensive Care Unit in Vietnam.

Background: Critically ill patients often require complex clinical care by highly trained staff within a specialized intensive care unit (ICU) with advanced equipment. There are currently limited data on the costs of critical care in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to investigate the direct-medical costs of key infectious disease (tetanus, sepsis, and dengue) patients admitted to ICU in a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam, and explores how the costs and cost drivers can vary between the different diseases.

Enhanced power conversion efficiency of an n-Si/PEDOT:PSS hybrid solar cell using nanostructured silicon and gold nanoparticles.

Herein, the effect of nanostructured silicon and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of an n-type silicon/poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (n-Si/PEDOT:PSS) hybrid solar cell was investigated. The Si surface modified with different nanostructures including Si nanopyramids (SiNPs), Si nanoholes (SiNHs) and Si nanowires (SiNWs) was utilized to improve light trapping and photo-carrier collection. The highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.

Effectiveness of Continuous Endotracheal Cuff Pressure Control for the Prevention of Ventilator-Associated Respiratory Infections: An Open-Label Randomized, Controlled Trial.

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.

Risk factors associated with mechanical ventilation, autonomic nervous dysfunction and physical outcome in Vietnamese adults with tetanus.

Background: Tetanus remains common in many low- and middle-income countries, but as critical care services improve, mortality from tetanus is improving. Nevertheless, patients develop severe syndromes associated with autonomic nervous system disturbance (ANSD) and the requirement for mechanical ventilation (MV). Understanding factors associated with worse outcome in such settings is important to direct interventions.

Facile synthesis of graphene oxide from graphite rods of recycled batteries by solution plasma exfoliation for removing Pb from water.

We herein present a simple, fast, efficient and environmentally friendly technique to prepare graphene oxide (GO) from graphite rods of recycled batteries by using solution plasma exfoliated techniques at atmospheric pressure. The prepared GO with an average 3 nm-thickness and 1.5 μm-length, having large surface area and high porosity, has been used to remove Pb(ii) ions from the water.

Association of the Quick Sequential (Sepsis-Related) Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) Score With Excess Hospital Mortality in Adults With Suspected Infection in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Importance: The quick Sequential (Sepsis-Related) Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score has not been well-evaluated in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objective: To assess the association of qSOFA with excess hospital death among patients with suspected infection in LMICs and to compare qSOFA with the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria.

Design, Settings, And Participants: Retrospective secondary analysis of 8 cohort studies and 1 randomized clinical trial from 2003 to 2017.

Ventilator-associated respiratory infection in a resource-restricted setting: impact and etiology.

Background: Ventilator-associated respiratory infection (VARI) is a significant problem in resource-restricted intensive care units (ICUs), but differences in casemix and etiology means VARI in resource-restricted ICUs may be different from that found in resource-rich units. Data from these settings are vital to plan preventative interventions and assess their cost-effectiveness, but few are available.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study in four Vietnamese ICUs to assess the incidence and impact of VARI.

In vitro activity of colistin in antimicrobial combination against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia in Vietnam.

Acinetobacter baumannii has become one of the major infection threats in intensive care units (ICUs) globally. Since 2008, A. baumannii has been the leading cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in our ICU at an infectious disease hospital in southern Vietnam.

Lovastatin for adult patients with dengue: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Dengue is the most important vector-borne viral infection of man, with approximately 2 billion people living in areas at risk. Infection results in a range of manifestations from asymptomatic infection through to life-threatening shock and haemorrhage. One of the hallmarks of severe dengue is vascular endothelial disruption.