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This study focuses on detecting and mitigating soil salinization in four coastal areas of the Mekong Delta (Vietnam). Salinity patterns in the soils of the Mekong River Delta are not random but linked to land use practices and distance to the sea. We examine two quick yet reliable remote sensing-based techniques to detect the coastal aquaculture area and separate it from the inland freshwater farmland. These techniques can eventually be used to identify locations with an elevated risk of salinization in other coastal regions. Finally, we investigate a salinization mitigation solution based on creating a managed aquifer recharge system along the buffer zone that separates the coastal aquaculture area from the inland freshwater agriculture area. The implementation of an infiltration pond system is technically feasible in the Mekong Delta provided that hydrogeological characteristics, the fresh-saline interface position, and freshwater demands are considered. The transitional zone between freshwater agriculture and brackish water aquaculture in Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh and Ben Tre provinces is optimal for implementing an aquifer recharge/freshwater barrier scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Specialists in poison information are responsible for following-up with exposure cases managed at healthcare facilities. However, the amount of time, call components, and barriers met when completing an initial healthcare facility follow-up call in which a large amount of data and clinical recommendations are shared is not well described. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted by randomizing healthcare facility initial follow-up calls from January to April 2022. One hundred and thirty calls that met the inclusion criteria were randomly selected. We recorded seven unique time intervals within each call. Day of the week, time of day, and variability amongst specialists in poison information were also assessed. Results: Initial follow-up calls took a median of 7.2 min. Most (67%) follow-up calls were directed to emergency departments. Barriers to completion of calls were most commonly due to the healthcare reporter being busy (37%) and specialists in poison information being placed on terminal hold (30%). There was variability between specialists in poison information in the time for healthcare reporter to share data (P < 0.0001), time for specialists in poison information recommendations (P = 0.0076), and total time (P = 0.0003). Discussion: Variability exists amongst specialists in poison information during periods of information exchange, particularly when the healthcare reporter is providing information and subsequently when the specialist in poison information is providing recommendations. Barriers to completing calls centered around healthcare reporter being busy or the specialist in poison information being placed on a terminal hold. There was no correlation with the time or day of the week. Conclusions: With notable variability in these calls during periods of intense communication of data and treatment recommendations, there are likely opportunities for specialists in poison information and poison center directors to work together to address variability and overcome barriers to completing initial hospital follow-up calls. Further studies to evaluate variability amongst specialists in poison information are the next steps in understanding this complex topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationalisation of the curriculum (IoC) is typically approached very differently across national, institutional and disciplinary contexts. This paper reports on research on internationalisation of the curriculum in Latin America and discusses its potential to provoke disruptive innovation in higher education internationalisation. Traditionally, approaches to internationalisation of the curriculum in Latin American universities have been focused almost solely on student mobility programs. The research reported in this paper was conducted by a project team from Brazil and Australia in 2021–2022. A qualitative methodology was used. Methods included a tri-lingual literature review of scholarly publications on curriculum internationalisation in English, Portuguese and Spanish and a modified e-Delphi methodology with a panel of experts comprising international higher education scholars and practitioners working in Latin America (and conducted in Spanish, Portuguese and English). The purpose of the research was to identify ways in which existing approaches to internationalising the curriculum in Latin America might be enhanced in order to provide more students with opportunities to develop international perspectives and intercultural knowledge and skills. The research found that there is significant potential to achieve this outcome if the process of internationalising the curriculum is approached as a long-term project involving complex collaborative boundary work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grounded in social information processing and social exchange theories, this study explores the effect of team power distance orientation on the indirect relationship between ethical leadership and affective commitment through workplace bullying. Based on a sample of 289 public servants nested in 59 teams in Vietnam, the affective commitment of public servants is positively related to ethical leadership while having a negative association with workplace bullying. We found evidence for the moderation effect of high team power-distance orientation. The findings highlight the importance of contextual values in understanding how ethical leadership mitigates the adverse impacts of workplace bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) approaches to drug discovery for G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) is a rapidly expanding area. Artificial intelligence can be used at multiple stages during the drug discovery process, from aiding our understanding of the fundamental actions of GPCRs to the discovery of new ligand‐GPCR interactions or the prediction of clinical responses. Here, we provide an overview of the concepts behind artificial intelligence, including the subfields of machine learning and deep learning. We summarise the published applications of artificial intelligence to different stages of the GPCR drug discovery process. Finally, we reflect on the benefits and limitations of artificial intelligence and share our vision for the exciting potential for further development of applications to aid GPCR drug discovery. In addition to making the drug discovery process "faster, smarter and cheaper," we anticipate that the application of artificial intelligence will create exciting new opportunities for GPCR drug discovery. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue Therapeutic Targeting of G Protein‐Coupled Receptors: hot topics from the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists 2021 Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v181.14/issuetoc [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) have higher cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates and lower screening coverage compared with the United States. This is likely because of economic, geographical, health care delivery, and cultural barriers for women living in these resource‐constrained, isolated regions. The most recent U.S. and World Health Organization cervical cancer screening guidelines recommended primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as one screening option or the preferred screening modality. Primary HPV screening-based strategies offer several advantages over current screening methods in the USAPI. However, adoption of this newer screening modality has been slow in the United States and not yet incorporated into USAPI screening programs. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and partners initiated the Pacific Against Cervical Cancer (PACe) project in 2019 to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and cost‐effectiveness of primary HPV testing-based strategies in Guam and in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. This report provides an overview of the PACe project and outlines the approaches we took in implementing primary HPV testing as a new cervical cancer screening strategy (including the option of self-sampling in Yap), encompassing four core components: (1) community engagement and education, (2) medical and laboratory capacity building, (3) health information and system improvement, and (4) modeling and cost-effectiveness analysis. The PACe project provides examples of systematic implementation and resource appropriate technologies to the USAPI, with broader implications for never screened and under-screened populations in the United States and Pacific as they face similar barriers to accessing cervical cancer screening services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vietnam is experiencing an increasing prevalence of hypertension in its adult population. In addition to medical therapy, modifying adverse lifestyle practices is important for effective blood pressure control. There are limited data on unhealthy lifestyle practices in patients with chronic diseases, however, particularly among hypertensive patients living in rural Vietnam. Our study objectives were to examine the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle practices and associated factors among rural Vietnamese adults with uncontrolled hypertension. Methods: Data from the baseline survey of a cluster randomized trial among hypertensive Vietnamese adults (2017–2022) were utilized. Information on unhealthy lifestyle practices including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and inadequate fruit and vegetable intake was collected from study participants. The primary study outcome was having ≥2 unhealthy lifestyle practices. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to examine factors associated with the primary study outcome. Results: The mean age of the 671 patients was 67 years and 45.0% were men. Nearly three out of every four participants had one or fewer unhealthy practices, 24.0% had two, and 3.3% had three or all four unhealthy lifestyle practices. Men, individuals who did unpaid work or were unemployed, and individuals with hypertension level III were more likely to have ≥2 unhealthy lifestyle practices, whereas individuals with higher education were less likely to have ≥2 unhealthy lifestyle practices compared with respective comparison groups. Conclusions: We observed a high prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle practices among rural Vietnamese patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Several demographic factors were associated with a greater number of unhealthy lifestyle practices. Newer interventions and educational programs encouraging lifestyle modification practices are needed to control hypertension among adults living in rural settings of Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the moderating role of social media influence before and after the trip in Vietnam and Czech Republic. Primary data, gathered during time lag data surveys conducted among international tourists travelling to the Czech Republic and Vietnam, was analyzed with the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) in R. The findings revealed that social media influence with higher level positively strengthened the connection between tourist motivation and the post trip destination image. Furthermore, social media had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between tourist satisfaction and ecotourism loyalty. However, there are strong differences between the destinations of developed and emerging economies. For Czech Republic, as developed economy, social media influence plays a more important role as a value-expressive mechanism at the post-trip stage whereas for the developing economy of Vietnam, social media plays a more important role as an information source before the trip. This study extends the Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT) by introducing the moderating effect of social media influence, which first time measures this moderating effect before and after the trip accounting for the dynamic nature of the destination image as an antecedent of ecotourism loyalty. Limitations, theoretical implications, and recommendations for practice and further research are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a significant public health concern worldwide. Women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA) have the additional and unique need to seek sexual and reproductive health services. WLHA's maternal health journeys can be shaped by the cultural norms and resources that exist in their society. This study sought to understand if and how WLHA's family planning, pregnancy, and motherhood experiences could be influenced by the patriarchal culture, gender roles, and HIV stigma in Vietnam, specifically. Methods: Between December 2021 and March 2022, 30 WLHA with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and childbirth experiences were interviewed in Hanoi, Vietnam. These semi-structured interviews covered topics including HIV stigma, gender norms, pregnancy experiences, and child-rearing challenges. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using ATLAS.ti. Results: Qualitative analyses of participant quotes revealed how limited information on one's health prospects and reproductive options posed a significant challenge to family planning. Societal and familial expectations as well as economic circumstances also influenced reproductive decision-making. WLHA often encountered substandard healthcare during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Stigma and lack of provider attentiveness resulted in cases where women were denied pain relief and other medical services. Communication breakdowns resulted in failure to administer antiretroviral therapy for newborns. Motherhood for WLHA was shadowed by concerns for not only their own health, but also the wellbeing of their children, as HIV stigma affected their children at school and in society as well. Many WLHA highlighted the constructive or destructive role that family members could play in their childbirth decision-making and care-giving experiences. Conclusions: Overall, this study underscores the complex ways that cultural expectations, family support, and stigma in healthcare impact WLHA. Efforts to educate and engage families and healthcare providers are warranted to better understand and address the needs of WLHA, ultimately improving their reproductive and maternal health. Plain language summary: HIV-related stigma and discrimination have consequential impacts on health and quality of life for women living with HIV (WLHA). WLHA in Vietnam must navigate the additional challenges of a traditionally patriarchal and hierarchical society. Women typically face less educational and occupational opportunities and are often expected to defer to expectations of family and virtue. Stigma among family members, friends, employers, and healthcare providers poses a significant challenge to WLHA autonomy, especially as it relates to their reproductive health decision-making and maternal health experiences. This study aims to better understand the experiences of WLHA throughout family planning, pregnancy, and motherhood. The findings will hopefully shed light on strategies to empower WLHA and to combat HIV- and gender-based stigma not only in Vietnam, but also globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the critical role of frequency selection in Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT), a non-invasive imaging technique that reconstructs internal conductivity distributions through injected electrical currents. Empirical frequency selection is paramount to maximizing the fidelity and specificity of EIT images. The study explores the impact of distinct frequency ranges—low, medium, and high—on image contrast and clarity, particularly focusing on differentiating conductive materials from non-conductive materials. The findings reveal distinct empirical frequency bands for enhancing the respective contrasts: 15–38 kHz for conductive materials (copper) and 45–75 kHz for non-conductive materials (acrylic resin). These insights shed light on the frequency-dependent nature of material contrast in EIT images, guiding the selection of empirical operating ranges for various target materials. This research paves the way for improved sensitivity and broader applicability of EIT in diverse areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) human infections are a global concern, with many A(H5) human cases detected in Vietnam, including a case in October 2022. Using avian influenza virus surveillance from March 2017–September 2022, we described the percent of pooled samples that were positive for avian influenza A, A(H5), A(H5N1), A(H5N6), and A(H5N8) viruses in live bird markets (LBMs) in Vietnam. Methods: Monthly at each LBM, 30 poultry oropharyngeal swab specimens and five environmental samples were collected. Samples were pooled in groups of five and tested for influenza A, A(H5), A(H5N1), A(H5N6), and A(H5N8) viruses by real‐time reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction. Trends in the percent of pooled samples that were positive for avian influenza were summarized by LBM characteristics and time and compared with the number of passively detected avian influenza outbreaks using Spearman's rank correlation. Results: A total of 25,774 pooled samples were collected through active surveillance at 167 LBMs in 24 provinces; 36.9% of pooled samples were positive for influenza A, 3.6% A(H5), 1.9% A(H5N1), 1.1% A(H5N6), and 0.2% A(H5N8). Influenza A(H5) viruses were identified January–December and at least once in 91.7% of sampled provinces. In 246 A(H5) outbreaks in poultry; 20.3% were influenza A(H5N1), 60.2% A(H5N6), and 19.5% A(H5N8); outbreaks did not correlate with active surveillance. Conclusions: In Vietnam, influenza A(H5) viruses were detected by active surveillance in LBMs year‐round and in most provinces sampled. In addition to outbreak reporting, active surveillance for A(H5) viruses in settings with high potential for animal‐to‐human spillover can provide situational awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is integrating itself throughout the medical community. AI's ability to analyze complex patterns and interpret large amounts of data will have considerable impact on all areas of medicine, including pediatric endocrinology. In this paper, we review and update the current studies of AI in pediatric endocrinology. Specific topics that are addressed include: diabetes management, bone growth, metabolism, obesity, and puberty. Becoming knowledgeable and comfortable with AI will assist pediatric endocrinologists, the goal of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clonal hematopoiesis is associated with 8.6-fold higher risk of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. PURPOSE: The main dose-limiting toxicity of anthracyclines is cardiotoxicity. Clonal hematopoiesis (CH), somatic mutations in hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells in patients without hematologic malignancy, is also associated with risk for adverse cardiovascular events and worse outcomes overall. We hypothesize that CH increases risk for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in patients treated with doxorubicin for cancer (N = 100). Patients (n = 25) had incident symptomatic heart failure, decline in left ventricular ejection fraction, or arrhythmia. CH was identified using paired peripheral blood and tumor DNA. RESULTS: After adjusting for age at doxorubicin initiation, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and chest radiation, high cumulative dose of doxorubicin (>240 mg/m2; odds ratio [OR], 7.00; 95% CI, 1.77 to 27.74; P =.0056), CH (OR, 8.58; 95% CI, 2.05 to 35.99; P =.0033), and history of smoking (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.00 to 9.93; P =.0495) were associated with DIC. CONCLUSION: This study provides preliminary evidence for CH as a predictive risk factor for DIC, which, with further investigation, could serve as an important precision medicine biomarker for the large number of patients with cancer who have CH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent the target for approximately a third of FDA-approved small molecule drugs. The adenosine A1 receptor (A1R), one of four adenosine GPCR subtypes, has important (patho)physiological roles in humans. A1R has well-established roles in the regulation of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, where it has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for a number of conditions, including cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury, cognition, epilepsy, and neuropathic pain. A1R small molecule drugs, typically orthosteric ligands, have undergone clinical trials. To date, none have progressed into the clinic, predominantly due to dose-limiting unwanted effects. The development of A1R allosteric modulators that target a topographically distinct binding site represent a promising approach to overcome current limitations. Pharmacological parameters of allosteric ligands, including affinity, efficacy and cooperativity, can be optimized to regulate A1R activity with high subtype, spatial and temporal selectivity. This review aims to offer insights into the A1R as a potential therapeutic target and highlight recent advances in the structural understanding of A1R allosteric modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes how employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and ownership structure affect bank performance. The study employs the generalized method of moments to examine data from 39 Vietnamese commercial banks from 2009 to 2020. The findings indicate that banks with ESOP improve ROA by 57% more than banks without ESOP. However, a percentage increase in state and domestic ownership reduces the ROA by 0.7% and 0.4%, respectively. The study has important implications for governments and regulators. While the findings do not support the cherry‐picking and free‐rider theories, they align with agency theory and prior literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the impact of capital structure and bank liquidity on the performance of commercial banks in Vietnam, a transition market in Asia. This research is unique because it is the first study to employ the Bayesian Estimation methods in banking studies. The data includes 463 annual bank-year observations from 37 commercial banks in Vietnam from 2003 to 2020. The Bayesian linear regressions indicate that a higher leverage ratio reduces ROA and ROE while positively empowering EPS. Our findings also document the positive impacts of bank funding liquidity on the performance of commercial banks in Vietnam. Our results are also robust even when employing the Generalized Least Squares estimations. While our results are consistent with the Pecking Order Theory and and prior literature, they do not align with the trade-off theory. Finally, our study contributes implications for policymakers and bank managers to develop the banking system sustainably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community health workers (CHW) can play an active role in providing integrated HIV and harm reduction services. We used social media to create a virtual network among Vietnamese CHW. This paper reports CHW's social media engagement and the relationships with other work-related indicators. Sixty CHW participated in an intervention for integrated HIV/drug use service delivery. Following two in-person sessions, Facebook groups were established for CHW to share information, seek consultation, and refer patients. CHW's levels of online engagements were tracked for six months and linked to their service provision confidence, interaction with patients and other providers, and job satisfaction. The CHW made 181 posts, which received 557 comments and 1,607 reactions during the six months. Among the 60 CHW, 22 (36.6%) had three or more posts, 19 (31.7%) had one or two posts, and 19 (31.7%) had no post. Comparing the baseline and 6-month follow-up data, we observed that those who posted three or more times showed better service provision confidence (p = 0.0081), more interaction with providers in other settings (p = 0.0071), and higher job satisfaction (p = 0.0268). Our study suggests using social media to engage CHW in virtual communications to improve service provision in communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although essential tremor (ET) patients have greater odds of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia than age-matched controls, the functional consequences of these enhanced odds are unknown. We examined associations between cognitive diagnosis and the occurrence of near falls, falls, use of a walking aid or a home health aide, non-independent living, or hospitalizations within a prospective, longitudinal study of ET patients. Methods: A total of 131 ET patients (mean baseline age = 76.4 ± 9.4 years) completed a battery of neuropsychological tests and questions about life events and were assigned diagnoses of normal cognition (NC), MCI, or dementia at the baseline and at 18-, 36-, and 54-month follow-ups. Kruskall-Wallis, chi-square, and Mantel-Haenszel tests assessed whether the diagnosis was associated with the occurrence of these life events. Results: Patients with final diagnoses of dementia were more often reported as living non-independently than NC or MCI patients and more often used walking aids thanNCpatients, with a p-value of<0.05. Patients with a finalMCI or dementia diagnosis more often employed a home health aide than NC patients, with a p-value of <0.05. Moreover, Mantel-Haenzsel tests revealed linear associations between the occurrence of these outcomes and the level of cognitive impairment, with a p-value of <0.001 (i.e., dementia > MCI > NC). Conclusion: Cognitive diagnosis was associated with reported life events of ET patients, including the use of a mobility aid, employment of a home health aide, and removal froman independent living situation. These data provide rare insights into the important role cognitive decline plays in the experiences of ET patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace mistreatment is common in healthcare, especially among nurses, who may experience mistreatment from different sources, yet must carry out essential, public-facing duties. However, researchers have typically studied forms of mistreatment in isolation. This paper investigates the combined relationship between abusive supervision (i.e., vertical mistreatment) and workplace bullying (i.e., horizontal mistreatment) on job satisfaction and public service motivation among nurses. Drawing from self-determination theory, we examine how experiencing workplace mistreatment can thwart the fulfilment of psychological needs, operationalised as job satisfaction. Experiencing workplace bullying alongside abusive supervision is predicted to worsen this relationship. In turn, nurses are less likely to internalise their organisation's values, leading to less public service motivation. We tested our hypotheses on 219 Australian public sector nurses via an online survey, with a temporal separation of six weeks. Results suggest that abusive supervision has an indirect negative association with public service motivation, via job satisfaction. Workplace bullying moderated the indirect relationship at high and low levels, though the indirect relationship was stronger at low levels. Our study contributes to a well-rounded understanding of workplace mistreatment, particularly within the context of self-determination theory, and to our understanding of how public service motivation is affected by employees' social environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Decentralising methadone maintenance treatment to primary care improves patients' access to care and their drug and HIV treatment outcomes. However, primary care providers (PCP), especially those working in limited‐resource settings, are facing great challenges to provide quality methadone treatment. This study explores the challenges perceived by PCP providing methadone treatment at commune health centres in a mountainous region in Vietnam. Method: We conducted in‐depth interviews with 26 PCP who worked as program managers, physicians, counsellors, pharmacists and medication dispensing staff at the methadone programs of eight commune health centres in Dien Bien, Vietnam, in November and December 2019. We used the health‐care system framework in developing the interview guides and in summarising data themes. Results: Participants identified major challenges in providing methadone treatment in commune health centres at the individual, clinic and environmental levels. Individual‐level challenges included a lack of confidence and motivation in providing methadone treatment. Clinic‐level factors included inadequate human resources, lack of institutional support, insufficient technical support, lack of referral resources and additional support for patients. Environment‐level factors comprised a lack of reasonable policies on financial support for providers at commune health centres for providing methadone treatment, lack of regulations and mechanisms to ensure providers' safety in case of potential violence by patients and to share responsibility for overdose during treatment. Discussion and Conclusion: PCP in Vietnam faced multi‐level challenges in providing quality methadone treatment. Supportive policies and additional resources are needed to ensure the effectiveness of the decentralisation program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe the clinical evaluation course, treatments, and outcomes of patients with a primary complaint of hoarseness due to suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients with a primary complaint of hoarseness with acid reflux as the suspected cause at a single institution between October 2011 and March 2020 who underwent clinical evaluation, treatment, and follow-up. Data collected included diagnostic procedures and treatments received, subjective symptom outcomes, and final diagnosis as determined by the treating physician. Results: A total of 134 patients met the inclusion criteria. Videostroboscopy was the most performed procedure (n = 59, 44%) followed by endoscopy (n = 38, 28%) and pH monitoring (n = 28, 21%). Three patients were removed for statistical analysis of treatment differences and outcomes due to variant treatment plans. Most patients received sole medical management (n = 86, 66%), 7 patients received only voice therapy (5%), and 10 patients underwent surgical management (8%). Several patients received combined medical management and voice therapy (n = 21, 16%). Final diagnoses included gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (25%), followed by multifactorial causes (17%) and dysphonia with unclear etiology (13%). Among all patients, 82 (61%) reported symptom improvement. Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed with LPR or LPR with GERD (21%), and 22 reported symptom improvement (79%). There was a statistically significant relationship between a final diagnosis with a reflux component and symptom improvement (p =.038). There was no statistically significant difference between treatment types and symptom outcomes both within the total patient population (p =.051) and patients diagnosed with a reflux condition (p =.572). Conclusion: LPR remains a difficult diagnosis to establish and represents a minority of patients with voice complaints. Despite varying evaluation and treatment modalities, most patients with LPR improved during their treatment and evaluation period without a clear association with any specific type of treatment. Further studies should explore diagnostic criteria for LPR, the necessary and efficient clinical evaluation to establish a diagnosis, and possible beneficial treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is expressed by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PSMA PET/CT has potential as an imaging agent for the detection of HCC including early diagnosis and monitoring for recurrence following surgical resection. This study aims to compare PSMA PET to standard surveillance imaging in the detection of HCC. Patients with suspected or treated HCC were prospectively recruited from a tertiary hospital outpatient clinic. In addition to routine surveillance imaging as recommended by the multidisciplinary team, a PSMA PET/CT was performed. Imaging and clinical characteristics were compared over a follow-up period of up to 12 months. In a cohort of 19 patients with known HCC or suspected recurrent HCC, PSMA PET/CT had similar efficacy to MRI for the detection of HCC, with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 70% and sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 73% for PSMA PET/CT and MRI, respectively. PSMA PET/CT had a higher negative predictive value of 90%. In this relatively large single centre study, PSMA is shown to have promising equivalence in performance and its role should be further evaluated in multi-centre prospective trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Vietnam, Macrosolen tricolor is used for the treatment of bloating, broken bones, cough, diarrhea, diuretic, rheumatism, and laxative effects. The study aimed to identify the in vitro antiproliferation and anti-inflammation of all fractions and purified compounds from the M. tricolor whole plants, as well as the in silico molecular docking of the potentially cytotoxic compounds. As the results, fractions (MTH.I, MTH.II, MTE.I, and MTE.II) strongly demonstrated antiproliferative properties against three tested cells, MDA-MB-231, RD, and HepG2 (IC50 values ranged from 4.00 ± 0.20 to 70.60 ± 1.44 μg/mL), as well as anti-inflammatory effects (IC50 values ranged from 4.45 ± 0.08 to 23.00 ± 1.18 μg/mL), whereas other fractions meaningfully evidenced selective cytotoxicity and/or anti-inflammation. Therefore, the phytochemical compositions of the active fractions were illuminated, leading to the characterization of eighteen compounds. Compounds (3–5) revealed the most cytotoxic effects towards all examined cells (IC50 values ranged from 6.88 ± 0.12 to 71.64 ± 1.17 μM) and the strongest anti-inflammatory properties (IC50 values of 16.30 ± 0.92, 7.31 ± 0.55, and 9.23 ± 0.60 μM, respectively). Compound 11 showed potential cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231, RD, and HepG2 cells (IC50 values of 24.42 ± 0.28, 20.60 ± 0.25, and 3.20 ± 0.02 μM, respectively). Furthermore, compounds (4, 5, and 11) interacted with the active site of the apoptosis regulator Bcl-2 protein (PDB ID: 2O2F), were comparable to PAC, and were compatible with their anticancer activity. This project suggests that M. tricolor is a good source of natural antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory agents and contributes to understanding the biological activities of Macrosolen species in traditional Vietnamese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although public employees' innovative behavior is essential for ongoing improvement of public services and thereby development of public organizations, limited research has examined this topic—especially in transition countries. Drawing on social cognitive theory, this study theorizes that servant leadership fosters public sector employees' innovative behavior through the sequential mediation roles of public service motivation and learning goal orientation. Results from structural equation modelling with multi-source data from Vietnam's public sector employee and manager surveys support the hypothesized model. Our study sheds light on the drivers of public employees' innovative behavior in a less researched context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulations are performed to determine the angular dependence of the MIe scattering cross-section intensities of pure water droplets and pollutants such as contaminated water droplets and black carbon as a function of the wavelength of the incident laser light, complex refractive index, and size of the scatterer. Our results show distinct scattering features when varying the various scattering parameters, thereby allowing the identification of the scattering particle with specific application to the identification of atmospheric pollutants including black carbon. Regardless of the type of scatterer, the scattering intensity is nearly uniform with a slight preference for forward scattering when the size of the particle is within 20% of the incident laser's wavelength. The scattering patterns start to exhibit distinguishable features when the size parameter equals 1.77, corresponding to an incident laser wavelength of 0.355 μm and a particle radius of 0.1 μm. The patterns then become increasingly unique as the size parameter increases. Based on these calculations, we propose a time-gated lidar scheme consisting of multiple detectors that can rotate through a telescopic angle and be placed equidistantly around the scattering particles to collect the backscattered light and a commercially available Q-switched laser system emitting at tunable laser wavelengths. By using a pulsed laser with 10-ns pulse duration, our scheme could distinguish scattering centers that are at least 3 m apart. Our scheme called MIe Scattering Time-gated multi-Static LIDAR (MISTS–LIDAR) would be capable of identifying the type of atmospheric pollutant and mapping its location with a spatial resolution of a few meters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Essential tremor (ET) is a highly prevalent neurological disease. Age of onset can occur anytime between childhood and advanced age. Tremor generally starts insidiously. Age of onset is a particularly important data item in clinical and epidemiological research. In general, these data are self-reported by ET cases. A fundamental question is whether ET cases reliably report their age of onset. Methods: In this prospective, epidemiological study of 125 ET cases, self-reported age of onset data were collected at regular 18 months intervals over four time points. Results: The correlation between self-reported age of onset was high – intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.972 (95% confidence interval = 0.962–0.980, p < 0.001). However, agreement was not perfect. Approximately 20–25% of participant's reports at different time intervals differed by as much as 10 years, and approximately 10% of participant's reports differed by as much as 20 years. Conclusions: There was a robust correlation between self-reports of age of onset. Yet in a not-insignificant number of cases, there were considerable differences, some of which were substantial. These findings have broad implications for development of diagnostic algorithms, data stratification schemes, and analyses that assess correlations between biomarker data and clinical features (e.g., disease duration). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile service providers (MSPs) are particularly vulnerable to roaming frauds, especially ones that exploit the long delay in the data exchange process of the contemporary roaming management systems, causing multi-billion dollars loss each year. In this paper, we introduce BlockRoam, a novel blockchain-based roaming management system that provides an efficient data exchange platform among MSPs and mobile subscribers. Utilizing the Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism and smart contracts, BlockRoam can significantly shorten the information exchanging delay, thereby addressing the roaming fraud problems. Through intensive analysis, we show that the security and performance of such PoS-based blockchain network can be further enhanced by incentivizing more users (e.g., subscribers) to participate in the network. Moreover, users in such networks often join stake pools (e.g., formed by MSPs) to increase their profits. Therefore, we develop an economic model based on Stackelberg game to jointly maximize the profits of the network users and the stake pool, thereby encouraging user participation. We also propose an effective method to guarantee the uniqueness of this game’s equilibrium. The performance evaluations show that the proposed economic model helps the MSPs to earn additional profits, attracts more investment to the blockchain network, and enhances the network’s security and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the downlink of an ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) system in which a base station (BS) serves multiple single-antenna users in the short (finite) blocklength (FBL) regime with the assistance of a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS). In the FBL regime, the users' achievable rates are complex functions of the beamforming vectors and of the RIS's programmable reflecting elements (PREs). We propose the joint design of the transmit beamformers and PREs to maximize the geometric mean (GM) of these rates (GM-rate) and show that this approach provides fair rate distribution and thus reliable links to all users. A novel computational algorithm is developed, which is based on closed forms to generate improved feasible points. Simulations show the merit of our solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores bilingual investments of dual-language immersion program alumni through an intersectional narrative analysis. Focusing on the experiences of bilingualism of six alumni, we investigate how they continue to be invested in bilingualism, the factors that shape their self-positionings as bilinguals, and the extent to which race is implicated in their experiences as bilingual speakers of Spanish and English. The analysis revealed that investment is not always agentive and is obligatory, and habitual – less conscious linguistic behavior. While individual efforts sustain bilingual investment, biculturalism requires a collective practice. Bilingual experiences are racialized, and raciolinguistic ideologies at home school, and society at large shape alumni's bilingual investments. Across all findings, we discuss individual and collective similarities and differences among Hispanic/Latinx and White alumni. The article ends with implications for future research and practical recommendations for designing equitable bilingual programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a novel framework to defeat a super-reactive jammer, one of the most difficult jamming attacks to deal with in practice. Specifically, the jammer has an unlimited power budget and is equipped with the self-interference suppression capability to simultaneously attack and listen to the transmitter’s activities. Consequently, dealing with super-reactive jammers is very challenging. Thus, we introduce a smart deception mechanism to attract the jammer to continuously attack the channel and then leverage jamming signals to transmit data based on the ambient backscatter communication technology. To detect the backscattered signals, the maximum likelihood detector can be adopted. However, this method is notorious for its high computational complexity and requires the model of the current propagation environment as well as channel state information. Hence, we propose a deep learning-based detector that can dynamically adapt to any channels and noise distributions. With a Long Short-Term Memory network, our detector can learn the received signals’ dependencies to achieve a performance close to that of the optimal maximum likelihood detector. Through simulation and theoretical results, we demonstrate that with our approaches, the more power the jammer uses to attack the channel, the better bit error rate performance the transmitter can achieve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance has silently turned into one of the biggest threats to global health, marking the fall of the Golden age of antibiotics. In the search for antibiotic replacement or enhancement, plant‐derived natural compounds have attracted lots of interest. Even though firmly believed, the low‐resistance tendency of pathogenic bacteria against plant extracts has been scarcely demonstrated. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activities of diethyl ether extracts from six medicinal plants grown in Viet Nam against Staphylococcus aureus and its variants, which were in vitro adapted to the same extracts. After 30 passages of S. aureus growing under sub‐lethal concentrations of plant extracts or antibiotics, the bacteria slowly adapted to the extracts while rapidly resisting the antibiotics. Most of the resulting strains obtained from the adaptation to plant extracts were collaterally sensitive to antibiotics. In contrast, antibiotic‐adapted strains showed cross‐resistance to both antibiotics and extracts. The findings provided evidence of the low‐resistance tendency of S. aureus to antimicrobial plant extracts. It is the first time a collateral antibiotic sensitivity of S. aureus adapted to natural compounds has been observed, suggesting an alternative approach to fight antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nguyen et al. (Prog Earth Planet Sci 7:1, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40645-019-0311-0) suggest that Landsat 8 OLI can be used to map and monitor soil salinity in the coastal zone of the Mekong River Delta. The authors use empirical correlations between the near-infrared (NIR) band, or vegetation indexes containing the NIR band, and soil salinity. We show that within the coastal portion of the Mekong Delta, extensively ponded due to widespread shrimp farming, about 90% of Landsat 8 pixels are fully or partially covered by water. We then find that, due to strong NIR radiation absorption, NIR reflectance from ponded pixels decreases linearly with increasing water percentage cover, while no significant correlation is found between reflectance and soil salinity. Through detailed new analyses, we conclude that NIR reflectance attenuation cannot be ascribed to vegetation stress caused by soil salinity, but rather to the presence of water ponds. We also show that a similar behavior exists in ponded freshwater inland areas, confirming that the NIR absorption exerted by water is independent of salinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a novel economic-efficiency framework for an electric vehicle (EV) network to maximize the profits (i.e., the amount of money that can be earned) for charging stations (CSs). To that end, we first introduce an energy demand prediction method for CSs leveraging federated learning approaches, in which each CS can train its own energy transactions locally and exchange its learned model with other CSs to improve the learning quality while protecting the CS's information privacy. Based on the predicted energy demands, each CS can reserve energy from the smart grid provider (SGP) in advance to optimize its profit. Nonetheless, due to the competition among the CSs as well as unknown information from the SGP, i.e., the willingness to transfer energy, we develop a multi-principal one-agent (MPOA) contract-based method to address these issues. In particular, we formulate the CSs’ profit maximization as a non-collaborative energy contract problem under the SGP's unknown information and common constraints as well as other CSs’ contracts. To solve this problem, we transform it into an equivalent low-complexity optimization problem and develop an iterative algorithm to find the optimal contracts for the CSs. Through simulation results using a real CS dataset, we demonstrate that our proposed framework can enhance energy demand prediction accuracy up to 24.63 percent compared with other machine learning algorithms. Furthermore, our proposed framework can outperform other economic models by 48 and 36 percent in terms of the CSs’ utilities and social welfare (i.e., the total profits of all participating entities) of the network, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With outstanding features, machine learning (ML) has become the backbone of numerous applications in wireless networks. However, the conventional ML approaches face many challenges in practical implementation, such as the lack of labeled data, the constantly changing wireless environments, the long training process, and the limited capacity of wireless devices. These challenges, if not addressed, can impede the effectiveness and applicability of ML in wireless networks. To address these problems, transfer learning (TL) has recently emerged to be a promising solution. The core idea of TL is to leverage and synthesize distilled knowledge from similar tasks and valuable experiences accumulated from the past to facilitate the learning of new problems. By doing so, TL techniques can reduce the dependence on labeled data, improve the learning speed, and enhance the ML methods’ robustness to different wireless environments. This article aims to provide a comprehensive survey on the applications of TL in wireless networks. Particularly, we first provide an overview of TL, including formal definitions, classification, and various types of TL techniques. We then discuss diverse TL approaches proposed to address emerging issues in wireless networks. The issues include spectrum management, signal recognition, security, caching, localization, and human activity recognition, which are all important to next-generation networks, such as 5G and beyond. Finally, we highlight important challenges, open issues, and future research directions of TL in future wireless networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers conducting small-scale cluster randomized controlled trials (RCTs) during the pilot testing of an intervention often look for evidence of promise to justify an efficacy trial. We developed a method to test for intervention effects that is adaptive (i.e., responsive to data exploration), requires few assumptions, and is statistically valid (i.e., controls the type I error rate), by adapting masked visual analysis techniques to cluster RCTs. We illustrate the creation of masked graphs and their analysis using data from a pilot study in which 15 high school programs were randomly assigned to either business as usual or an intervention developed to promote psychological and academic well-being in 9th grade students in accelerated coursework. We conclude that in small-scale cluster RCTs there can be benefits of testing for effects without a priori specification of a statistical model or test statistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, ecotourism has become more common and attractive for tourists who love to explore nature and experience the cultural heritage. In the 4.0 age of technology, social networking not only helps visitors find suitable destinations to visit easily but also provides visitors with a place to leave comments or reviews after the trips. This study aims to qualify the relationships between electronic-worth-of-mouth (eWOM), social influence (SI), destination image (DI), tourist satisfaction (SAT), and ecotourism loyalty (EL). The study applied the PLS-SEM model to estimate 499 observations at ecotourism sites in Vietnam as empirical evidence. The research results show that all the factors in the research model have positive and significant effects on EL. In particular, DI and SAT, directly and indirectly, affect EL; while eWOM and SI only have direct effects on EL. Additionally, it was found that the effect of eWOM on EL increased with the moderating role of SI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correct detection of peaks in electroencephalogram (EEG) signals is of essence due to the significant correlation of those potentials with cognitive performance and disorders. This paper proposes a novel and non-parametric approach to detect prediction error negativity (PEN) in cognitive conflict processing. The PEN candidates are first located from the input signal via an adaptation of a recent effective method for local maxima extraction, processed in a multi-scale manner. The found candidates are then fused and ranked based on their shape and location-based features. False positives caused by candidates’ magnitude are eliminated by rotating the sorted candidate list where the one with the second-best ranking score will be identified as PEN. The EEG data collected from a 3D object selection task have been used to verify the efficacy of the proposed approach. Compared with the state-of-the-art peak detection techniques, the proposed method shows an improvement of at least 2.67% in accuracy and 6.27% in sensitivity while requires only about 4 ms to process an epoch. The accuracy and computational efficiency of the proposed technique in the detection of PEN in cognitive conflict processing would lead to promising applications in performance improvement of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most significant achievements of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in commerce is e-shopping, which changes shopping behavior in the retail sector. This research examines how Generation Z's perceptions of e-shopping benefits and drawbacks and A qualitative method through in-depth interviews and a quantitative method via a questionnaire survey is employed to assess the Generation Z-ers' attitudes, perceptions, and psychology toward the benefits and drawbacks of e-shopping and their intention of choosing this channel for repurchasing. PLS-SEM will be associated to discover the relationships between Generation Z-ers' psychological ownership, perceptions of eshopping benefits and drawbacks, and their online repurchase intention. Findings suggest that Generation Z-ers' online repurchase intention is due to perceived benefits, psychological ownership, and is regardless of perceived drawbacks. Furthermore, as a moderator of the effect of perceived drawbacks on repurchase intention, psychological ownership may lessen the Generation Z-ers' concerns of e-shopping drawbacks and enhance their online repurchase intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroretinography (ERG) is a clinical test employed to understand and diagnose many retinopathies. ERG is usually performed by placing a macroscopic ring gold wire electrode on the cornea while flashing light onto the eye to measure changes in the transretinal potential. However, macroscopic gold electrodes are severely limiting since they do not provide a flexible interface to contact the sensitive corneal tissue, making this technique highly uncomfortable for the patient. Another major drawback is the opacity of gold electrodes, which only allows them to record the ERG signal on the corneal periphery, preventing central ERG recordings. To overcome the limitations of metal‐based macroscopic ERG electrodes, flexible electrodes are fabricated using graphene as a transparent, flexible, and sensitive material. The transparency of the graphene is exploited to fabricate microelectrode arrays (MEAs) that are able to perform multisite recording on the cornea. The graphene‐based ERG electrodes are benchmarked against the widely used gold electrodes in a P23H rat model with photoreceptor degeneration. This study shows that the graphene‐based ERG electrodes can faithfully record ERGs under a wide range of conditions (light intensity, stage of photoreceptor degeneration, etc.) while offering additional benefits for ERG recordings such as transparency and flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a cutting-edge technology that is changing human life. The rapid and widespread applications of IoT, however, make cyberspace more vulnerable, especially to IoT-based attacks in which IoT devices are used to launch attack on cyber-physical systems. Given a massive number of IoT devices (in order of billions), detecting and preventing these IoT-based attacks are critical. However, this task is very challenging due to the limited energy and computing capabilities of IoT devices and the continuous and fast evolution of attackers. Among IoT-based attacks, unknown ones are far more devastating as these attacks could surpass most of the current security systems and it takes time to detect them and “cure” the systems. To effectively detect new/unknown attacks, in this article, we propose a novel representation learning method to better predictively “describe” unknown attacks, facilitating supervised learning-based anomaly detection methods. Specifically, we develop three regularized versions of autoencoders (AEs) to learn a latent representation from the input data. The bottleneck layers of these regularized AEs trained in a supervised manner using normal data and known IoT attacks will then be used as the new input features for classification algorithms. We carry out extensive experiments on nine recent IoT datasets to evaluate the performance of the proposed models. The experimental results demonstrate that the new latent representation can significantly enhance the performance of supervised learning methods in detecting unknown IoT attacks. We also conduct experiments to investigate the characteristics of the proposed models and the influence of hyperparameters on their performance. The running time of these models is about 1.3 ms that is pragmatic for most applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simulation study was conducted to examine the efficacy of nine frequently-used HOV tests, including Levene's tests with squared residuals and with absolute residuals, Brown and Forsythe (BF) test, Bootstrap BF test, O'Brien test, Z-variance test, Box-Scheffé (BS) test, Bartlett test, and Pseudo jackknife test under comprehensive simulation conditions. The results indicate that O'Brien, Levene's with squared deviations, BS, BF, and Bootstrap BF tests had adequate Type I error control, especially for O'Brien test and Levene's test with squared deviations. Under conditions of adequately controlling for Type I error, BF and Bootstrap BF tests had consistently higher power estimates across simulation conditions. Practical recommendations of guidelines for HOV test selection in factorial ANOVA designs are presented in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the work environment on psychological wellbeing is an important consideration for organisations to motivate and retain older workers. This study examines how organisational factors can enhance older workers' psychological wellbeing. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources Theory, we propose that the interaction of two organisational factors, inclusive leadership, and mature‐age human resource (HR) practices, can foster older workers' psychological wellbeing. Online panel data were collected from a sample of 398 older workers in the Australian public sector. Results showed that mature‐age HR practices positively and partially mediated the relationship between inclusive leadership and psychological wellbeing. More importantly, we found that inclusive leadership acted as an antecedent and moderator by enhancing the ability of mature‐age HR practices to beneficially influence the psychological wellbeing of older workers. Based on the findings, we discuss theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although workplace bullying has been long recognised as an organisational level phenomenon, few studies have explored how different organisational factors come together to influence bullying risk. In this study, we integrate theories on organisational psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and social information processing to understand how PSC is related to bullying exposure, mediated through leadership. We conceptualise and find support for how both organisational and supervisory factors align to shape the likelihood of bullying. Both constructive and laissez-faire leadership are incorporated into the model to explore the positive and negative pathways from PSC to bullying in a high-risk sample: 1,231 employees from 47 New Zealand public sector agencies who face high levels of emotional labour demands in their work. Findings from multilevel modelling corroborate the direct negative effect of PSC on bullying and confirm the predicted mediated pathways through both types of leadership to bullying, which is negatively associated with job satisfaction. Our findings shed light on how organisational factors at different levels combine to influence bullying, highlighting the potential (and need) for a multi-faceted approach to the prevention of bullying and mitigation of its negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of wireless applications, the ever-increasing spectrum crowdedness, as well as cell densification makes the issue of interference increasingly severe in many emerging wireless applications. Most interference management/mitigation methods in the literature are problem-specific and require some cooperation/coordination between different radio frequency systems. Aiming to seek a more versatile solution to counteracting strong interference, we resort to the hybrid array of analog subarrays and suppress interference in the analog domain so as to greatly reduce the required quantization bits of the analog-to-digital converters and their power consumption. To this end, we design a real-time algorithm to steer nulls towards the interference directions and maintain flat in non-interference directions, solely using constant-modulus phase shifters. To ensure sufficient null depth for interference suppression, we also develop a two-stage method for accurately estimating interference directions. The proposed solution can be applicable to most (if not all) wireless systems as neither training/reference signal nor cooperation/coordination is required. Extensive simulations show that more than 65 dB of suppression can be achieved for 3 spatially resolvable interference signals yet with random directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]