Background: Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) patients with acute obstructive hydrocephalus (AOH) who require external ventricular drainage (EVD) are at high risk for poor outcomes. Intraventricular fibrinolysis (IVF) with low-dose recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) can be used to improve patient outcomes. Here, we evaluated the impact of IVF on the risk of death and the functional outcomes in IVH patients with AOH. Methods: This prospective cohort study included IVH patients with hypertensive intracranial haemorrhage complicated by AOH who required EVD. We evaluated the risk of death and the functional outcomes at 1 and 3 months, with a specific focus on the impact of combined EVD with IVF by low-dose rtPA. Results: Between November 30, 2011 and December 30, 2014, 80 patients were included. Forty-five patients were treated with EVD alone (EVD group) and 35 received IVF (EVD+IVF group). The 30- and 90-day mortality rates were lower in the EVD+IVF group than in the EVD group (42.2 vs. 11.4%, p = 0.003, and 62.2 vs. 20%, p < 0.001, respectively). The Graeb scores were significantly lower in the EVD+IVF group than in the EVD group (p ≤ 0.001) during the first 3 days and on day 7 after assignment. The 30-day good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score 0–3) was also higher in the EVD+IVF group than in the EVD group (6.7 vs. 28.6%, p = 0.008). However, the 90-day good functional outcome (mRS score 0–3) did not significantly increase in the EVD+IVF group (30.8% in the EVD group vs. 51.6% in the EVD+IVF group, p = 0.112). Conclusions: In our prospective observational study, EVD+IVF was associated with a lower risk of death in IVH patients. EVD+IVF improved the chance of having a good functional outcome at 1 month; however, this result was no longer observed at 3 months.

A woman in her 50s who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 developed deep vein thrombosis in the left femoral vein extending into inferior vena cava (IVC). An IVC filter was placed to prevent fatal pulmonary embolism. Her respiratory failure subsequently deteriorated despite optimal mechanical ventilation and required venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) as a rescue therapy. Femoro-jugular VV-ECMO configuration was not suitable due to the IVC filter, hence a single-site venous cannulation using bicaval dual lumen (AvalonElite) cannula was selected. Placement of the Avalon cannula conventionally requires guidance by fluoroscopy or transoesophageal echocardiography, which were not feasible in COVID-19 patients. Hence, transthoracic echocardiography guidance was chosen. Guidewire looping into the right ventricle might lead to cannula malposition and imminent right ventricular rupture, but these could be detected by ‘bending’ sign. Transthoracic echocardiography could be a feasible guidance method for Avalon cannulation, nonetheless a thorough protocol should be followed to avoid cannula malposition during the procedure.

Multi-frequency acoustic data collected during ex situ target strength measurements in Catba Island, Vietnam was used to calculate frequency response for Japanese scad, Indian mackerel and Yellowtail scad. Total of 168 echotraces of Yellowtail scad, 291 of Japanese scad and 53 of Indian mackerel were generated for frequency response analysis. Results indicated significantly different in r(f) of three species (Post Hoc Tukey Test, p < 0,001). A discriminant function analysis used frequency response at 38, 120 and 200 kHz and backscattering cross section at 38 kHz as independent variable was able to differentiate between species. Approximatly of 87% echotraces of these species was classified correctly. Frequency responses at 38 kHz, 120 kHz and backscattering cross section at 38 kHz were the most important independent variables. This study revealed that Japanese scad, Yellowtail scad and Indian mackerel could be identified acoustically; a finding may be important for acoustic surveys for small pelagic fish in Vietnam.

Demersal and semi-demersal fishes were the important species which contributed a relatively high ration in the total marine catches. Research on standing stock omass of fishes are now considered as an urgent need to give advices for fisheries planning management and sustainable use of the marine resources. However, the accuracy and precise estimate have limitations and need to be improved. There are a number of methods used to estimate the stock size of fishes, swept-area method using bottom trawlnet is one of the most popular approaches used in the world. This paper reviews the use of this method in estimation of fish stock size in Vietnam.