Outcomes of laparoscopic choledochotomy using cholangioscopy via percutaneous-choledochal tube for the treatment of hepatolithiasis and choledocholithiasis: A preliminary Vietnamese study

Loi Van Le,Quang Van Vu,Thanh Van Le,Hieu Trung Le,Khue Kim Dang,Tuan Ngoc Vu,Anh Hoang Ngoc Nguyen,Thang Manh Tran 한국간담췌외과학회 2024 Annals of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery Vol.28 No.1

Backgrounds/Aims: Hepatolithiasis and choledocholithiasis are frequent pathologies and unfortunately, with the current treatment strategies, the recurrence incidence is still high. This study aimed to assess the outcomes of laparoscopic choledochotomy using cholangioscopy via the percutaneous-choledochal tube for the treatment of hepatolithiasis and choledocholithiasis in Vietnamese patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study of patients with hepatolithiasis and/or choledocholithiasis who underwent laparoscopic choledochotomy using intraoperative cholangioscopy via percutaneous-choledochal tube at the Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, 108 Military Central Hospital, from June 2017 to March 2020. Results: A total of 84 patients were analyzed. Most patients were females (56.0%) with a median age of 55.56 years. Among them, 41.8% of patients had previous abdominal operations, with 33.4% having choledochotomy. All patients underwent successful laparoscopic common bile duct exploration followed by T-tube drainage without needing to convert to open surgery. Most patients (64.3%) had both intrahepatic and extrahepatic stones. The rate of stones ≥ 10 mm in diameter was 64.3%. Biliary strictures were observed in 19.1% of patients during cholangioscopy. Complete removal of stones was achieved in 54.8% of patients. Intraoperative complications were encountered in two patients, but there was no need to change the strategy. The mean operating time was 121.85 ± 30.47 minutes. The early postoperative complication rate was 9.6%, and all patients were managed conservatively. The residual stones were removed through the T-tube tract by subsequent choledochoscopy in 34/38 patients, so the total success rate was 95.2%. Conclusions: Laparoscopic choledochotomy combined with cholangioscopy through the percutaneous-choledochal tube is a safe and effective strategy for hepatolithiasis and/or choledocholithiasis, even in patients with a previous choledochotomy.

Factors Affecting FDI Intentions of Investors: Empirical Evidence from Provincial-Level Data in Vietnam

Van Loi TA,Anh Duc DO,To Uyen PHAN,Quang Huy NGUYEN,Thi Thuy Hong NGUYEN,Thuy Duong LE,Thanh Phong NGUYEN 한국유통과학회 2021 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.8 No.4

This study aimed to explore the factors affecting the foreign direct investment (FDI) intentions of investors into Quang Ninh province, located in the north-eastern of Viet Nam. Researchers used two main methods, namely, Exploratory Factors Analysis (EFA) and the Structural Equation Model (SEM) based on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS SEM) to explore and measure the impact of factors affecting the investors’ FDI intentions into Quang Ninh province. The empirical analysis used data from the survey of 206 domestic and foreign investors into Quang Ninh province, including representatives of the Board of Directors, members, and management representatives at the department level, with reliable tools (SPSS 26 and SmartPLS 3.0 software). The research results identified the following factors affecting investment into Quang Ninh: FDI attraction policies have the strongest impact on the investors’ FDI intentions; it is followed by infrastructure, public services and human capital with strong effects on intentions of investors’ FDI; and finally the standards of living that affects the investors’ FDI intentions. There is also a positive relationship between all the factors and the investors’ FDI intentions. Several recommendations are further suggested to enhance attraction of foreign direct investment into Quang Ninh province.

Investigating Foreign Direct Investment Attractive Factors of Korean Direct Investment into Vietnam

TA, Van Loi,LE, Quoc Hoi,NGUYEN, Thi Lien Huong,PHAN, Thuy Thao,DO, Anh Duc Korea Distribution Science Association 2020 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.7 No.6

This paper aims to investigate FDI attractive factors, which are important to formulate policies to attract Korean direct investment into Vietnam. Based on the literature review and the results of interview with 27 Korean investors in Vietnam, we determined the model of variables attracting Korea's FDI into Vietnam. It is used to assess the impact of attractive factors belonging to three groups of variables to support investment decision; they are macroeconomics variables (including market size factor, labor cost factor, and market openness factor), policies variables (including monetary policy factor and tax rate gap factor), and microeconomics variables (geographic advantage factor representative by location). This research also utilized a relatively new quantitative research method based on the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model (ARDL) with the time data chain from 1995 to 2017 of Korean FDI into Vietnam. It analyzes long-term relationships between dependent variables and independent variables. The result of this study indicates that there are three positive factors (low wages, trade openness and government policy) explaining the FDI flows in the long term. The result also shows that incentive tax policy has had a positive impact on Korean FDI, which has satisfied the aim of seeking efficiency of Korean investors.

Identification of Trombiculid Chigger Mites Collected on Rodents from Southern Vietnam and Molecular Detection of Rickettsiaceae Pathogen

Minh Doan Binh,Sinh Cao Truong,Dong Le Thanh,Loi Cao Ba,Nam Le Van,Binh Do Nhu 대한기생충학ㆍ열대의학회 2020 The Korean Journal of Parasitology Vol.58 No.4

Trombiculid “chigger” mites (Acari) are ectoparasites that feed blood on rodents and another animals. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 7 ecosystems of southern Vietnam from 2015 to 2016. Chigger mites were identified with morphological characteristics and assayed by polymerase chain reaction for detection of rickettsiaceae. Overall chigger infestation among rodents was 23.38%. The chigger index among infested rodents was 19.37 and a mean abundance of 4.61. A total of 2,770 chigger mites were identified belonging to 6 species, 3 genera, and 1 family, and pooled into 141 pools (10–20 chiggers per pool). Two pools (1.4%) of the chiggers were positive for Orientia tsutsugamushi. Ricketsia spp. was not detected in any pools of chiggers. Further studies are needed including a larger number and diverse hosts, and environmental factors to assess scrub typhus.

Green Supply Chain Management in Vietnam Industrial Zone: Province-Level Evidence

Do, Anh Duc,NGUYEN, Quang Vinh,LE, Quoc Hoi,TA, Van Loi Korea Distribution Science Association 2020 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.7 No.7

The main purpose of this paper is to explore how green supply chain management (GSCM) and its evaluative factors have affected green supply chain management practice and performance in industrial zone. This study proposes a structural equation model of the relationships among four factors: internal awareness (IA); suppliers' pressure (SP); customers' awareness (CA); and regulations pressure (RP) and their effect on GSCM practice (PA) and GSCM performance (PE). We used a survey questionnaire to elicit perceptions/opinions about GSCM from three level of managers of 322 companies in Bac Ninh Province's industrial zones, Vietnam. PLS-SEM 3.0 software was applied to analyze and verify the gathered data, and the proposed hypothesis model. The results of path analysis show that internal awareness and customers' awareness are positively related to the GSCM practice and GSCM performance. However, suppliers' pressure and regulations pressure just impacted on GSCM practice. As a result, the testing of the relationship between GSCM practice and GSCM performance has been verified and supported. The findings of this study can help manager of companies in industrial zone understand the structure of GSCM, associate with the green supply chain management practice and green supply chain management performance, and be successful in green management organizations.

Degradation of Triazole Fungicides by Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria from Contaminated Agricultural Soil

Luong Thi Tham,Nguyen Thi Hong Tham,Nguyen Tien Dat,Le Van Toan,Pham Thi Hong Trang,Ho Thanh-Tam,Nguyen Ngoc-Loi 한국미생물·생명공학회 2024 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.34 No.1

The widespread application of triazole fungicides (TFs) in agricultural practices can result in the considerable accumulation of active compound residues in the soil and a subsequent negative impact on the soil microbiota and crop health. In this study, we isolated three TF-degrading bacterial strains from contaminated agricultural soils and identified them as Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Citrobacter sp. based on analysis of morphological characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequences. The strains used three common TFs, namely hexaconazole, difenoconazole, and propiconazole, as their only sources of carbon and energy for growth in a liquid mineral salt medium, with high concentrations (~ 500 mg/l) of each TF. In addition to the ability to degrade fungicides, the isolates also exhibited plant growth-promoting characteristics, such as nitrogen fixation, indole acetic acid production, phosphate dissolution, and cellulose degradation. The synergistic combination of three bacterial isolates significantly improved plant growth and development with an increased survival rate (57%), and achieved TF degradation ranging from 85.83 to 96.59% at a concentration of approximately 50 mg/kg of each TF within 45 days in the soil-plant system. Based on these findings, the three strains and their microbial consortium show promise for application in biofertilizers, to improve soil health and facilitate optimal plant growth.