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This study reports on the as-cast microstructures of AlCrFeMnV, AlCrFeTiV, and AlCrMnTiV equimolar multi-principal element alloys. Thermodynamic modeling predicts that these alloys solidify as BCC solid solutions, with additional phases forming at lower temperatures. We present the measured densities, the elastic modulus values measured by nanoindentation, and the Vickers microhardness of the alloys. These properties are correlated to the underlying microstructures, as measured by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atom-probe tomography. The densities of the alloys range from 5.53 to 6.42 × 10 3 kg m − 3 . The elastic modulus of AlCrFeMnV, AlCrFeTiV, and AlCrMnTiV are 211, 194, and 175 GPa, respectively, and their Vickers microhardness values are 3.9, 6.1, and 5.7 GPa, respectively. After arc-melting, AlCrFeMnV and AlCrFeTiV are BCC solid solutions while AlCrMnTiV has two phases: a BCC phase and a minor hexagonal C14 Laves phase that is enriched in V and Cr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The research aims to address the challenges posed by the integration of diverse methods, focusing on data collection techniques and level of detail (LoD) considerations, which facilitates the creation of detailed 3D models. The CityGML standard is employed for its ability to represent complex urban features, adapted here for mining environments. Methodology. Combining Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) technologies to collect data for open-pit and underground coal mines. These data are processed to generate point clouds, which are then used to create 3D models of mining structures using Sketchup and REVIT. Finally, these models are converted into the CityGML standard using FME SAFE software. Findings. Through the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Terrestrial Laser Scanning technologies, precise point cloud data for open-pit and underground structures are acquired. CityGML serves as a suitable framework for digital mine representation, offering standardized data organization and exchange. The proposed methodology optimizes data collection and processing procedures, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in model creation. Notably, the study introduces a nuanced approach to LoD selection, considering the complexity and specific requirements of different mining structures. Originality. The article innovatively combines UAV and TLS technologies with the CityGML standard to create comprehensive 3D GIS models for coal mines operating with both open-pit and underground methods, addressing the unique challenges of modeling diverse mining structures and terrain features. Practical value. The practical value of the article lies in its provision of a systematic approach using UAV and TLS technologies, coupled with the CityGML standard, to create accurate 3D GIS models for coal mines employing both open-pit and underground methods. This methodology enhances mine management efficiency, resource estimation accuracy, and safety assessment capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterized the spatial distribution of drug-susceptible (DS) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) cases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a major metropolis in southeastern Asia, and explored demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with local TB burden. Hot spots of DS and MDR TB incidence were observed in the central parts of Ho Chi Minh City, and substantial heterogeneity was observed across wards. Positive spatial autocorrelation was observed for both DS TB and MDR TB. Ward-level TB incidence was associated with HIV prevalence and the male proportion of the population. No ward-level demographic and socioeconomic indicators were associated with MDR TB case count relative to total TB case count. Our findings might inform spatially targeted TB control strategies and provide insights for generating hypotheses about the nature of the relationship between DS and MDR TB in Ho Chi Minh City and the wider southeastern region of Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressure-driven phase transformation in polycrystalline BaTi 1 − x FexO3 (x = 1 %), synthesized by a solid-state reaction method, was investigated using synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. All measurements were performed at room temperature within a large pressure range up to 36.5 GPa. The results clearly demonstrate a phase transformation from the ferroelectric tetragonal structure of P4mm symmetry to the paraelectric cubic structure of Pm-3m symmetry in the studied sample at the pressure of about 18 GPa. This phase transformation pressure is much higher than those previously reported for BaTiO3-based systems, indicating the stabilization of the ferroelectric phase by doping 1% Fe into BaTiO3. Feature modes of the tetragonal phase still persist while some new modes appear in the Raman spectra at pressures above 18 GPa. This is probably due to accumulated stress and/or local microscopic disorders in the sample, which are associated with the displacement of the Ti atoms along unit-cell diagonals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modelling phenomena with interval differential equations (IDEs) is an effective way to consider the uncertainties that are unavoidable when collecting data. Similarly to the theory of ordinary differential equations, IDEs have been parallelly investigated with the interval difference equations from the beginning. These two branches can be regarded as one when unifying continuous and discrete solution domains. A conspicuous advantage when merging these areas is that the proof of several analogous properties in both theories need not be repeated. The paper provides a common and efficient tool for studying IDEs not only with continuous or discrete solution domains but also with more general ones. We propose the diamond-α derivative for interval-valued functions (IVFs) on time scales with respect to the generalized Hukuhara difference. Differently from most of the studies on the derivatives of functions on time scales, using the language of epsilon-delta, the novel concept is naturally studied according to the limit of IVFs on time scales as in classical mathematics. A particular class of IDEs on time scales is then considered with respect to the diamond-α derivative. Numerical problems are elaborated to illustrate the necessity and efficiency of the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genomic prediction describes the use of SNP genotypes to predict complex traits and has been widely applied in humans and agricultural species. Genotyping-by-sequencing, a method which uses low-coverage sequence data paired with genotype imputation, is becoming an increasingly popular SNP genotyping method for genomic prediction. The development of Oxford Nanopore Technologies' (ONT) MinION sequencer has now made genotyping-by-sequencing portable and rapid. Here we evaluate the speed and accuracy of genomic predictions using low-coverage ONT sequence data in a population of cattle using four imputation approaches. We also investigate the effect of SNP reference panel size on imputation performance. Results: SNP array genotypes and ONT sequence data for 62 beef heifers were used to calculate genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) from 641 k SNP for four traits. GEBV accuracy was much higher when genome-wide flanking SNP from sequence data were used to help impute the 641 k panel used for genomic predictions. Using the imputation package QUILT, correlations between ONT and low-density SNP array genomic breeding values were greater than 0.91 and up to 0.97 for sequencing coverages as low as 0.1 × using a reference panel of 48 million SNP. Imputation time was significantly reduced by decreasing the number of flanking sequence SNP used in imputation for all methods. When compared to high-density SNP arrays, genotyping accuracy and genomic breeding value correlations at 0.5 × coverage were also found to be higher than those imputed from low-density arrays. Conclusions: Here we demonstrated accurate genomic prediction is possible with ONT sequence data from sequencing coverages as low as 0.1 × , and imputation time can be as short as 10 min per sample. We also demonstrate that in this population, genotyping-by-sequencing at 0.1 × coverage can be more accurate than imputation from low-density SNP arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, cellulose aerogel (CA) was synthesized from coir by the sol-gel method and applied for methylene blue (MB) removal in water. The CA materials have relatively low densities of 46.36–58.53 mg/cm3. In particular, the CA material with a coir content of 30 g/L composed of many porous fibers had the highest porosity of 96.97% and methylene blue (MB) adsorption capacity of 142.02 mg/g. In order to improve the adsorption capacity, the CA was then pyrolyzed in N2 gas and activated by KOH to produce activated carbon cellulose aerogel (ACCA). The adsorption capacity of ACCA material was 3.6 times higher than the CA precursor. The adsorption process of MB using CA and ACCA follows the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic. The study results show the potential to activate carbon cellulose aerogel for dye treatment in industrial wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, As-resistant endophytic bacteria (AEB) from four different ferns (i.e., Pteris vittata, Pityrogramma calomelanos, Blenchum orientale, and Nephrolepis exaltata) collected from the polymetallic mine (Nui Phao) in Vietnam were isolated and characterized. The sampling locations were contaminated with As concentration within the range of 316–1606 mg kg–1. A total of 5 arsenite(III)- and 26 arsenate(V)-resistant endophytic bacterial strains that belonged to 13 different genera were obtained. The most predominant isolate (accounting for 36% of the total isolated AEB in root ferns) was identified as Bacillus sp. The isolates were more resistant to As(V) than to As(III). Among As(V)-resistant strains, 26 were resistant to As(V) at concentrations of 80–320 mM, whereas 5 As(III)-resistant strains were able to tolerate As(III) of up to 160 mM. Although all the isolates had the ability to produce indole acetic acid (IAA), only three strains (i.e., Sporosarcina luteola R3.3.1, Paenibacillus sp. R3.8.3, and Acinetobacter sp. L2.5.1) had the phosphate-solubilizing ability. The pot experiments using P.vittata and inoculation of the four selected AEB (i.e., Priestia megaterium R2.5.2, Micrococcus luteus S3.4.1, P. megaterium R3.4.5, and P. megaterium L3.5.1) confirmed the important role of AEB in plant growth promotion and phytoremediation potential of As-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This report identified if gingival gene expression transcriptomes demonstrated unique profiles that discriminated periodontitis‐susceptible (PDS) and periodontitis‐resistant (PDR) animals in health and disease. Background: Nonhuman primates generally organize their social groups based upon matriline origin. We have used a multi‐generational colony of rhesus macaques to identify matrilines presenting with significant differences in periodontitis (e.g., earlier age onset, greater prevalence, and severity). Methods: Animals from 12 to 23 years of age (n = 17; 8 – PDR, 9 – PDS) were entered into a ligature‐induced periodontitis trial. Gingival biopsies were taken at baseline and 0.5, 1, 3, and 5 months post‐ligation, and microarray analysis was used to quantify gene expression in samples at each time point. Results: Over 1000 genes showed significant (p <.01) differences in the PDR versus PDS animals at baseline. The frequency of differences generally decreased during the disease process, and increased with resolution (i.e., 5 months). A nearly 2:1 ratio of elevated gene levels was noted in baseline PDR samples that included up‐regulated MMPs, Fc receptors, chemokines, interleukins, and innate immune receptors, and down‐regulated genes particularly related to epithelial biology. Most dramatically, there was a skewed differential expression of adaptive immune response genes in the PDR and epithelial cell structure/function genes in PDS samples. Conclusions: The results demonstrate substantive differences in gingival tissue response capacity/programming in PDR and PDS samples that may contribute to the differences in clinical outcomes related to the heritability of disease risk through matrilines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examined the microbiome features specifically related to host macrophage polarization in health, initiation and progression of periodontitis, and in resolution samples using a nonhuman primate model of ligature‐induced periodontitis. Background: The oral microbiome is a complex of bacterial phyla, genera, and species acquired early in life into the individual autochthonous oral ecology. The microbiome changes overtime in response to both intrinsic and extrinsic stressors, and transitions to a dysbiotic ecology at sites of periodontal lesions. Methods: Comparisons were made between the microbial and host features in young (≤7 years) and adult (≥12 years) cohorts of animals. Footprints of macrophage‐related genes in the gingival tissues were evaluated using expression profiles including M0, M1, and M2 related genes. Results: Within the gingival tissues, similar macrophage‐related gene patterns were observed with significant increases with disease initiation and continued elevation throughout disease in both age groups. Approximately, 70% of the taxa were similar in relative abundance between the two groups; however, the adults showed a large number of OTUs that were significantly altered compared with the younger animals. Developing a correlation map identified three major node levels of interactions that comprised approximately ⅓ of the Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) that dominated the microbiomes across the samples. Also noted was a much greater frequency of significant correlations of individual OTUs with the macrophage phenotype markers, compared with disease and resolution samples in both age groups, with a greater frequency in the younger group. Moreover, these correlations were assigned to differentially expressed genes representing M0, M1, and M2‐related phenotypes. A cluster analyses across the macrophage‐related transcriptome and the OTUs demonstrated multiple somewhat distinct bacterial consortia, incorporating both commensal and putative pathogens, linked to the gene responses that differed in health, disease, and resolution samples. Finally, there were minimal alterations in the OTUs in individual clusters with specific macrophage‐related responses in the younger group, while in the adult samples substantial variations were noted with genes from all macrophage phenotypes. Conclusions: The results confirmed important features that could reflect macrophage polarization in periodontal lesions, and provided some initial data supporting specific members of the oral microbiome feature prominently related to specific gene response patterns consistent with macrophages in the gingival tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the structural condition of sewer pipes plays a vital role in the predictive maintenance of sewer pipes and renewal plans of many water utilities. This study explores the simultaneous utilization of physical and environmental features of sewer pipes in sewer structural condition prediction. Three (3) hybrid machine learning models which are the combination of Bagging (BG), Dagging (DG), and Rotation Forest (RotF) ensembles with a J48 Decision Tree (J48DT) based classifier were used to predict sewer pipe conditions in Ålesund city, Norway. The classification performance of the machine learning models was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) and the area under the precision-recall (AUC-PRC) curves. The RotF-J48DT model had the highest (AUC-ROC = 0.857, AUC-PRC = 0.918) values, followed by the BG-J48DT, and the base classifier J48DT. The RotF-J48DT hybrid model should be considered when predicting the condition of sewer pipes in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital transformation, modern technologies to enable autonomous production capabilities, and smart logistical systems are prerequisite strategies to gain competitive advantages in developing countries. Additive manufacturing (AM) or three-dimensional printing offering more significant advantages, can manufacture complex geometries of products with various materials. AM plays a main role in reducing the number of parts, helping reduce and eliminate assembly time and cost. However, the application is still limited, especially in developing countries like Vietnam. This research paper aims to identify and assess the challenges associated with applying additive manufacturing in Southeast Vietnam. This study is conducted in three phases. Step one identifies challenges by reviewing previous studies. Step two applies semi-structured interviews with experts to consolidate these challenges to build a multi-level hierarchical structure of challenges. The third stage is to use a multi-hierarchical process method to rank these issues in order to organize the necessary resources for a successful response. The results show that there are five main challenges and 25 sub-challenges in implementing additive printing technology. Using the Average AHP method, financial and strategic challenges are ranked first and second significant, respectively. This paper contributes by identification of Additive Manufacturing implementation challenges based on the literature review and semi-structured interview with the experts. It provides an assessment of the challenges to help the practitioners robust the addictive manufacturing implementation in the manufacturing industry in Vietnam with limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective is to calculate the derivatives of data corrupted by noise. This is a challenging task as even small amounts of noise can result in significant errors in the computation. This is mainly due to the randomness of the noise, which can result in high-frequency fluctuations. To overcome this challenge, we suggest an approach that involves approximating the data by eliminating high-frequency terms from the Fourier expansion of the given data with respect to the polynomial-exponential basis. This truncation method helps to regularize the issue, while the use of the polynomial-exponential basis ensures accuracy in the computation. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach through numerical examples in one and two dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reconstruction of physical properties of a medium from boundary measurements, known as inverse scattering problems, presents significant challenges. The present study aims to validate a newly developed convexification method for a 3D coefficient inverse problem in the case of buried unknown objects in a sandbox, using experimental data collected by a microwave scattering facility at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Our study considers the formulation of a coupled quasilinear elliptic system based on multiple frequencies. The system can be solved by minimizing a weighted Tikhonov-like functional, which forms our convexification method. Theoretical results related to the convexification are also revisited in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient ammonia gas (NH3(g)) was continuously measured for one year, from March 2018 to February 2019, using a passive sampling method in a source-specific monitoring campaign in Hanoi, Vietnam, providing an unprecedented picture of the spatiotemporal characteristics of NH3(g) in this city. The four survey sites (three urban and one rural) were representative of a typical downtown area, a polluted river, a crossroad, and a rural area. Regarding spatial distribution, a distinctly high concentration (79.8 ± 61.2 ppb) was indicated at the polluted river, an important source unheard of in urban areas, followed by the crossroad (38.6 ± 18.8 ppb) and the downtown (36.5 ± 20.0 ppb); the lowest concentration (35.6 ± 36.0 ppb) was observed in the rural area. Seasonal variation was thoroughly discussed, together with meteorological parameters as driving factors. The strong dependence of NH3(g) concentration on the change in temperature and relative humidity at polluted river and rural area due to the strong impact of these meteorological factors on the volatilization of NH3(g) from wastewater and agriculture, respectively, causes the highest concentration in summer at these sites. The NH3(g) intensely emitted from the polluted river in summer was, furthermore, transferred to the surrounding area under the impact of the local wind direction. However, basically, in downtown, the concentration was higher in the cooler seasons than in the warmer seasons, which was found different compared with the conventional results in most of former studies, suggesting the major impact of vehicular emission on the rise of NH3(g) in urban area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α-Amylase inhibitors represent a drug target for lowering postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. According to traditional medicines, Panax plants have been utilised to treat diabetes and considered as a valuable source to develop anti-diabetic supplementary products. The current study aimed to evaluate the α-amylase inhibitory activities of Panax bipinnatifidus root cultivated in Vietnam and its main chemical constituents. The two major saponins, Araloside A and Stipuleanoside R2 were confirmed by ultra performance liquid chromatography quadruple-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLCQ-TOF/MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Then, the results indicated that Araloside A and Stipuleanoside R2, were shown to moderately inhibit the α-amylase activity in an enzymatic assay with IC50 values of 781.46 and 2746.90 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, Araloside A (Vmax ~ 0.0635 μM/min, Km ~ 4.691 μM) was displayed as a completive inhibitor of α-amylase in the kinetic study whereas Acarbose (Vmax ~ 0.053 μM/min, Km ~ 6.521 μM) showed a mixed inhibition. This study suggested the posibility of Araloside A acting as an α-amylase inhibitor. Also, it supports the traditional use of P. bipinnatifidus in antidiabetic dietary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aimed to investigate the effect of pectinase supplementation on the quality of red-fleshed dragon fruit juice. Pectinase (400 ppm) was added at different concentrations (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9%) and hydrolysis times (0, 15, 25, 35, and 45 min). The quality of fruit juice was monitored and evaluated by recovery efficiency, pectin content, betacyanin content, viscosity, and total phenolic content. Results showed that pectinase concentration of 5% and hydrolysis time for 25 min produced the highest hydrolysis efficiency (88.16 ± 0.05%), with low residual pectin content (0.49 ± 0.02 g), low viscosity (1.15 ± 0.06 cP), and high betacyanin content (20.06 ± 0.02 mg/100 mL) and total phenolic content (88.68 ± 0.46 mg/100 mL) in the recovered solution. These findings provided essential insights for beverage processing of dragon fruit juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case study of a fetus with homozygous alpha-thalassemia, a type of inherited anemia prevalent in Southeast Asians. The condition leads to inadequate production of alpha-globin chains, resulting in the formation of abnormal hemoglobin and causing severe anemia and tissue hypoxia. The fetus in the case study exhibited limb defects, an enlarged heart, and cortical malformations. The study suggests that homozygous alpha-thalassemia should be considered in fetuses with cortical malformations and limb defects, particularly in Southeast Asian couples with signs of anemia during pregnancy. [Extracted from the article]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Water security for food production in the deltas of international river basins has become the top concern of the basin countries. Numerous efforts were made to develop frameworks for the assessment of water security at different scales. However, no framework could be directly applied to the deltas of the transboundary basins because they have not fully addressed the characteristics of the deltas. This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework for the assessment of water security for the international river basin deltas and applied it to the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. METHODS: The water security assessment framework was developed on the basis of the concept of water security defined by the United Nations Water following the "Driving forces-Pressure-State-Impact-Response" approach. The developed framework is then used to evaluate the water security conditions for 22 subregions of the Mekong Delta. FINDINGS: The proposed water security assessment framework comprises the following six dimensions: water resources, domestic water supply, water for economic development, water-related disasters, ecological and environmental protection, and water governance, which contain 21 indicators and 5 sub-indicators. The results of applying this framework to the Mekong Delta showed that the overall water security conditions in most subregions in 2018 were only at the medium level. The degree of water security in flood season is higher than that in the dry season. The main reasons that lead to the medium-level water security of the region have been identified, including high dependence on external water resources (more than 90%) and transboundary water cooperation between the basin countries and rather low water productivity in economic sectors. The study suggests that improvement in transboundary water cooperation and water productivity would help enhance future water security in the Mekong Delta. CONCLUSION: Assessment of the water security for the deltas of the transboundary river basins requires a comprehensive assessment framework. The framework developed in this study was successfully applied to the case of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. The proposed framework will help policymakers of the Mekong riparian countries to monitor the impact of the basin development plans and policies on water security conditions jointly and determine appropriate solutions to enhance water security for the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dragon fruit branches are an abundant and underutilized waste released from the annual pruning of dragon fruit. In this study, dragon fruit branches were used for the first time as a raw material for producing magnetic biochar through one-pot pyrolysis. The results showed that zero-valent iron and magnetite particles were generated in the carbon matrix, providing a saturation magnetization of 5.92 emu/g. Due to FeCl3 activation, magnetic biochar possessed a total pore volume of 0.15 cm³/g and a specific surface area of 203 m²/g. Subsequently, magnetic biochar was explored as a catalyst for enhanced ozonation of sunset yellow. 95% of sunset yellow (50 ppm) was treated within 80 min at pH 7.0. From the calculation results using pseudo-first-order kinetics, the sunset yellow decolorization constant was improved by 79% by using the magnetic biochar catalyst compared to ozone alone. Overall, dragon fruit branch-derived magnetic biochar is a promising material, especially as a green catalyst, because of its magnetic separability and potential catalytic activity for the treatment of sunset yellow by ozone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Genotyping-by-sequencing, the use of sequence reads to genotype single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), has seen an increase in popularity as a tool for genomic prediction. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (Nanopore) sequencing is an emerging technology that produces long sequence reads in real-time. Recent studies have established the ability for low-coverage Nanopore sequence data to be used for genomic prediction. However, the value proposition of Nanopore sequencing for individuals could be improved if both genotyping and disease diagnosis are achieved from a single sample. Aims: This study aimed to demonstrate that Nanopore sequencing can be used for both rapid genotyping and as a disease diagnostic tool using the same sample in livestock. Methods: Total DNA extracts from nasal swabs collected from 48 feedlot cattle presenting with clinical signs of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) were sequenced using the Nanopore PromethION sequencer. After 24 h of sequencing, genotypes were imputed and genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) for four traits were derived using 641 163 SNPs and corresponding SNP effects. These GEBVs were compared with GEBVs derived from SNP array genotypes and calculated using the same SNP effects. Unmapped sequence reads were classified into taxa using Kraken2 and compared with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results for five BRD-associated pathogens of interest. Key results: Sequence-derived genotypes for 46 of the 48 animals were produced in 24 h and GEBV correlations ranged between 0.92 and 0.94 for the four traits. Eleven different BRD-associated pathogens (two viruses and nine bacterial species) were detected in the samples using Nanopore sequence data. A significant (P < 0.001) relationship between Nanopore and qPCR results was observed for five overlapping species when a maximum threshold cycle was used. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that 46 cattle genomes can be multiplexed and accurately genotyped for downstream genomic prediction by using a single PromethION flow cell (ver. R9.4) in 24 h. This equates to a cost of AUD35.82 per sample for consumables. The concordance between qPCR results and pathogen proportion estimates also indicated that some pathogenic species, in particular bacterial species, can be accurately identified from the same test. Implications: Using Nanopore sequencing, routine genotyping and disease detection in livestock could be combined into one cost-competitive test with a rapid turnaround time. Genotyping, to test an animal or herd genetic merit, has become a routine part of most livestock production systems. New genotyping methods offer the potential to significantly decrease the turnaround time of genotyping and also incorporate new genetic information into the analysis. In this study, we have demonstrated that one such genotyping method can be used to genotype cattle and detect bacterial bovine respiratory pathogens in 24 h at a cost similar to that of existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphagneticola calendulacea (L.) Pruski, a member of the Asteraceae family, is commonly found growing in India, Sri Lanka, China, and Southeast Asian countries. It has been utilized in traditional medicine for treating various illnesses in many Asian nations. The objective of this research was to compare the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase of S. calendulacea leaf extracts obtained through conventional solvent, ultrasound, and enzyme-assisted methods. Eight phenolic compounds were quantified in the extracts, and the results revealed that the methanol extract comprised the greatest amount of phenolic compounds (228.10 µg/ml) in comparison with the other extracts. The extract from the ultrasound method exhibited the highest ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) antioxidant activity. The ethanol extract presented the strongest inhibition of α-glucosidase. Generally, the applications of ultrasound and enzyme to extraction helped enhance phenolic content and bioactivities of the resulting extracts. These findings give a deeper insight into the phenolics and health endorsing activities of S. calendulacea leaves, which is beneficial for the development of new drugs for disease prevention and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, Acrostichum aureum Linn. (AAL) was proved as an accumulator of iron and a potential candidate to remove iron pollutants from groundwater. The iron-loaded biochar converted from the iron-contaminated AAL plants was determined the characterization and photocatalytic activity to demonstrate the potential for reusing the AAL biomass enriched with iron. In a 47-day hydroponic experiment, AAL plants could steadily grow in 20.0 mg L−1 Fe(NO3)3 solutions and pH ranging from 6.0 to 7.0. The total amount of iron introduced into the phytoremediation system is 240 mg iron, of which the AAL plants accumulate about 70%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the iron-enriched biochar (named Fe-Bio-C) mainly consists of α-Fe2O3, and the Fe content determined by EDX is around 23 wt%. BET results revealed that the iron-enriched biochar possesses a higher specific surface area, around 266.9 m2 g−1, compared to the original biochar, around 18.2 m2 g−1. The photocatalytic performance of the Fe-Bio-C was studied in the discoloration of methyl orange (MO), with a maximum MO removal capacity of 18.8 mg g−1. These findings show the phytoaccumulation of Acrostichum aureum Linn. plants to remove iron pollutants from groundwater and the potential application of the iron-accumulated biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH) secondary to amyloidosis is a rare condition associated with significant blood pressure (BP) drops and problematic symptoms for patients. There is limited literature on the management of nOH secondary to amyloidosis. In this report, we describe a case on a 60-year-old female with an extensive past medical history, including amyloidosis, pulmonary hypertension, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and episodic hypotension, who presents to the hospital with dizziness and home systolic BP readings in the 80s. Due to hypoperfusion, she eventually developed acute kidney failure and was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) for intermittent continuous renal replacement therapy with pressor support using norepinephrine. She had difficulty maintaining adequate BPs while on midodrine, so fludrocortisone, followed by pseudoephedrine, were added to improve her pressures. She was subsequently transferred out of the ICU, but her BPs still remained low, and she was not able to sit up without getting dizzy. Droxidopa was eventually added on to help treat her refractory nOH. After droxidopa initiation, her BPs improved and she was able to sit up without dizziness and was finally discharged home. This case report demonstrates the therapeutic usefulness of droxidopa in improving both BPs and symptoms in refractory nOH secondary to amyloidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We first provide new sufficient conditions for the existence of minima of functions defined on 0-complete partial metric spaces. We then apply the obtained results to derive some fixed point results for single-valued and set-valued mappings that improve and generalize several well-known results in the literature. Examples are given to illustrate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biodiversity of marine ecosystems is the foundation for the sustainable development of several marine economic sectors based on natural resources such as tourism, fisheries, and marine medicine in marine countries, including Vietnam. Truong Sa Islands (TSIs) is an offshore archipelago located in the southeast of Vietnam, a significant marine zone because of its rich biological resources and diversity of marine life. The study aimed to clarify the spatial distribution of biodiversity in the area using the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, from which a total of 839 species of six groups, including seagrasses, cone snails, reptiles, marine fish, lobsters, and mammals, were extracted. The biodiversity risk index (BRI) map revealed priority areas for conservation. It was calculated by averaging the conservation status of the species on a GIS-based cell-by-cell basis. The results showed the most species-rich area accounts for more than 45% of the total area and ranges from a depth of 400–1050 m, and the most threatened species are located in the coral reef zone. Analytical and comparative results between the six study plots illustrated that Thuyen Chai's area (Barque Canada Reef) has the highest BRI, followed by Toc Tan (Alison Reef) and Nam Yet (Namyit). Based on the BRI, figuring out the order of the sea is an important step in making plans and strategies for marine economic development and protecting marine biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the pollution relating to organic dyes imposes many endangering risk on the aqueous ecosystems and mankind. There is a raising interest in the purification of synthetic dyes-polluted waters by the advanced technologies. Herein, we reported the direct and facile synthesis of N-doped porous carbons by pyrolyzing ZIF-8 as a self-sacrificial precursor for removing a wide range of synthetic dyes involving crystal violet, Congo red, malachite green, methyl orange. N-doped porous carbons were featured by some advanced analytic techniques. Moreover, the influence of pyrolyzing temperature (600–800 °C), adsorption time (0–180 min), and dyes content (10–100 mg/L) on uptake capacity on N-doped porous carbons was optimized. Nonlinearized kinetic and isotherm fittings aided to more understand the nature of organic dyes uptake. The highlight outcome indicated the presence of vital surface functional groups such as phenolic, carboxyl, lactone, and basic groups on N-doped porous carbon. Adsorption kinetics indicated the adherence of both pseudo-first-order equation, and pseudo-second-order equations. Equilibrium uptake of crystal violet, Congo red, as well as methyl orange, obeyed Langmuir model, while that of malachite green followed Freundlich model. With five cycle recyclability and sufficient adsorption capacity, N-doped porous carbon may be a suitable adsorbent for removing organic dyes in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface patterning of inorganic nanoparticles through site-selective functionalization with mixed-ligand shells or additional inorganic material is an intriguing approach to developing tailored nanomaterials with potentially novel and/or multifunctional properties. The unique physicochemical properties of such nanoparticles are likely to impact their behavior and functionality in biological environments, catalytic systems, and electronics applications, making it vital to understand how we can achieve and characterize such regioselective surface functionalization. This Feature Article will review methods by which chemists have selectively modified the surface of colloidal nanoparticles to obtain both two-sided Janus particles and nanoparticles with patchy or stripey mixed-ligand shells, as well as to achieve directed growth of mesoporous oxide materials and metals onto existing nanoparticle templates in a spatially and compositionally controlled manner. The advantages and drawbacks of various techniques used to characterize the regiospecificity of anisotropic surface coatings are discussed, as well as areas for improvement, and future directions for this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The K+ channel activated by the Ca2+, KCNN4, has been shown to contribute to red blood cell dehydration in the rare hereditary hemolytic anemia, the dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis. We report two de novo mutations on KCNN4, We reported two de novo mutations on KCNN4, V222L and H340N, characterized at the molecular, cellular and clinical levels. Whereas both mutations were shown to increase the calcium sensitivity of the K+ channel, leading to channel opening for lower calcium concentrations compared to WT KCNN4 channel, there was no obvious red blood cell dehydration in patients carrying one or the other mutation. The clinical phenotype was greatly different between carriers of the mutated gene ranging from severe anemia for one patient to a single episode of anemia for the other patient or no documented sign of anemia for the parents who also carried the mutation. These data compared to already published KCNN4 mutations question the role of KCNN4 gain-of-function mutations in hydration status and viability of red blood cells in bloodstream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the pollution of heavy metals in the soils around the mined rare-earth mines, this paper used the geoaccumulation index method, the Nemerow pollution index method, and the potential ecological risk index method during the high water period and the withered water period, respectively, to analyze and assess the pollution characteristics and ecological risks of Mn, Cu, Cr, As, Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the soils of the study area. The results showed that all the eight heavy metals in thesoil of the study area have accumulated to varying degrees, and the accumulation indices were Pb > Mn > Zn > Cd > Cu > Ni > Cr > As in descending order, with Pb and Mn accumulating most seriously. According to the results of the Nemerow pollution index, more than 25% of the sampling points in the soil were lightly contaminated, the Nemerow index of heavy metal Pb was greater than 2, which was moderately contaminated, and Cd was lightly contaminated in the withered water period. The potential ecological risk index showed that the heavy metal Cd was moderately ecologically hazardous, while the other seven heavy metals were all mildly ecologically hazardous. The heavy metals Pb and Mn in the soils of the study area were more seriously polluted, and there was also a certain degree of heavy metal Cd pollution during the withered water period, and the more seriously polluted areas were mainly located around the open pit of the rare-earth mines. Based on Java, the software platform of soil heavy metal pollution characteristics and ecological risk assessment around rare-earth mines is realized. The overall structure of the platform is designed, the background development framework is planned based on SSM, and the database is designed with SQL Server. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystallization, formation, and accumulation of defects and mesopores in the ZSM-5 zeolite samples, which are synthesized from the gel composition of 1.2Na2O 0.1Al2O3 0.8 tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH) 6SiO2 400H2O at a temperature of 140 degree Celsius (°C) in 10, 15, and 18 h, are studied by using the Positron annihilation lifetime (PALS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopies. The XRD is used for investigating the crystalline concentration and nano-crystal size of ZSM-5 during the crystallizing process, whereas the PALS is performed in order to determine the presence of templates, defects, and mesopores in the zeolite samples. The latter are calcined in air during 1, 2, and 3 h at a temperature of 600 C before being measured. The results obtained indicate that there exist clusters of small crystals in the early crystalline stages of the samples. The size of these crystals increases with time and reaches approximately 100 nm after 18 h of reaction. In addition, the template (TPAOH) is found to exist not only in the channels inside the framework but also in the mesopores outside it. Finally, by analyzing the Positron lifetime spectra, we have found for the first time the simultaneous existence of defects and mesopores, which are formatted and accumulated during the crystallization of ZSM-5. Those important results contribute significantly to our understanding of the internal structure of the synthetic zeolite ZSM-5 as well as the synthetic processes for producing zeolites with special features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to propose the convolution neural network—VGG16 structure in Keras to classify pavement defects. In this paper, we present a method to build an automated system to classify different types of defects such as block cracks, longitudinal cracks and potholes. A region of interest is found and features are extracted using image processing techniques and machine learning methods. This system includes the following steps. The first step is to detect the defect location (ROI), then the defect is described by its features. Finally, each defect is classified based on these different features. The system ensures stable operation in the presence of limited lighting conditions, shadowing, and complex shaped defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares molecular calculations performed with molecular and periodic codes through an investigation of the solvation structures of alkali and alkaline earth metal ions in tetraglyme solution. The two codes are able to produce equivalent structural and energetic information at the same level of theory, and in the presence of the implicit solvation model or not. This comparison reveals that molecular optimisations can be performed with periodic codes and used directly as input models for interface or electrochemistry calculations in order to preserve the solvent–solute interaction and the cavitation energy. By a rigorous comparison, we have demonstrated that equivalent energetic values can be obtained with the conventional PBE-D3 and the newly developed SCAN-rVV10 functionals. Nevertheless, as far as the vibrational features are concerned and when the molecule possesses a highly conjugated system, the SCAN-rVV10 functional is required to describe the vibrational modes properly. The computed IR/Raman spectra can thus be used as essential information to determine the first solvation shell of metal ions in glyme-based solutions. In tetraglyme solution, the alkali and alkaline earth metal ions exhibit a diverse solvation structure. Small ions like Li+ and Mg2+ tend to adopt a coordination number of five or six, while larger ions, Na+, K+, and Ca2+, prefer an eight-coordinated environment, and the metal–ligand interaction increases in the order K+–O < Na+–O < Li+–O < Ca2+–O < Mg2+–O. The solvation spheres play a significant role in the stability and the reactivity of the solvated ions, and can thus be used as input models to construct the solvation structure in more sophisticated electrolytes, such as polyethylene oxide, or perform electrochemical calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is directly related to the authors' previous study of the remotely operated underwater vehicle's (ROV) motion, where the mathematical model of the ROV motion is derived for laminar flow of water. This solution of the ROV motion has been improved by using the three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation that allows simulating the turbulent flow, which is mainly generated by propellers. Both methods were coupled to obtain more accurate values of hydrodynamic damping coefficients for the improved determination of the ROV motion velocity. Results of the solution are discussed and some of them are compared with the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an example of data fusion in the context of 3D characterization of materials, this article demonstrates the procedures necessary to align and fuse separate imaging modes, traditional backscattered electron imaging (BSE) and electron backscattered diffraction mapping (EBSD), from serial-sectioning data. The fused data form a unified 3D reconstruction of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel processed by laser powder-bed fusion. We show that, by combining the relatively low-information yet high-fidelity BSE image stack with the more data-rich yet spatially distorted EBSD maps, the 3D reconstruction can leverage the strengths of both imaging techniques. The fully automated alignment procedures and frameworks rely on a number of optimized image warping techniques, with the result that spatial alignment errors are on the order of 0–3 μ m within a region of interest that is > 1 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims at developing an applicable methodology to produce the functional land-use map using only free and open-source data. Top-view Sentinel image and ground-view Open Street Map (OSM) data are chosen due to their extensive availability. The three-stage framework, including object-based image analysis, OSM data cleaning, and ontology-based decision fusion, is proposed and implemented with open-source tools. We applied the developed approach to districts 1, 4, and 7 of HoChiMinh city, representing the complexities of the dynamic change in big cities. The result showed a good functional land use map with 78.70% overall accuracy. The outcome presents the mismatch between the data-driven approach and human knowledge, which can be improved by ontology-based fusion with OSM data. The ontology-based framework comprises the common urban land-use classes and OSM attributes, which can be applied and extended in other urban areas. Additional text attributes may be applicable only locally and can be modified in our open-source framework. Object-based image analysis takes advantage of Google Earth Engine computing power, whereas ontology-based processing works well on a local computer. In future studies, adopted natural language processing to pre-process OSM data and ontology-based fusion will be implemented on the cloud-computing platform to enhance computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the cost-effectiveness of cervical pessary vs vaginal progesterone to prevent preterm birth and neonatal morbidity in women with twin pregnancy and a short cervix.Methods: Between 4 March 2016 and 3 June 2017, we performed this economic analysis following a randomized controlled trial (RCT), performed at My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, that compared cervical pessary to vaginal progesterone in women with twin pregnancy and cervical length < 38 mm between 16 and 22 weeks of gestation. We used morbidity-free neonatal survival as a measure of effectiveness. Data on pregnancy outcome, maternal morbidity and neonatal complications were collected prospectively from medical files; additional information was obtained via telephone interviews with the patients. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated as the incremental cost required to achieve one extra surviving morbidity-free neonate in the pessary group compared with in the progesterone group. Probabilistic and one-way sensitivity analyses were also performed.Results: During the study period, we screened 1113 women with twin pregnancy, of whom 300 fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the RCT and gave informed consent to participate. These women were assigned randomly to receive cervical pessary (n = 150) or vaginal progesterone (n = 150), with two women and one woman, respectively, being lost to follow-up. The rate of morbidity-free neonatal survival was significantly higher in the pessary group compared with the progesterone group (n = 241/296 (81.4%) vs 219/298 (73.5%); relative risk, 1.11 (95% CI, 1.02-1.21), P = 0.02). The mean total cost per woman was 3146 € in the pessary group vs 3570 € in the progesterone group (absolute difference, -424 € (95% CI, -842 to -3 €), P = 0.048). The cost per morbidity-free neonate was significantly lower in the pessary group compared with that in the progesterone group (2492 vs 2639 €; absolute difference, -147 € (95% CI, -284 to 10 €), P = 0.035).Conclusion: In women with twin pregnancy and a short cervix, cervical pessary improves significantly the rate of morbidity-free neonatal survival while reducing costs, as compared with vaginal progesterone. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New derivatives of thiacrown ethers were synthesized based on the domino reaction of 1,5‐bis(2‐formylphenthio)‐3‐oxapentane with ketones containing active methylene group and ammonium acetate. After 24 hours at moderate temperature, the reaction afforded new substances containing both polyether chain S(CH2)2−O−(CH2)2−S and heterocyclic piperidone. Particularly when benzyl acetoacetate was used, the three ‐ component reaction provided a final tetrahydropyridine derivative product containing enamine fragment instead of piperidone as expected. Physico‐chemical methods of analyses including IR, 1H &13C‐NMR and HRMS were used to clarify these structures. Subsequently, the cytotoxicity of five novel derivatives were evaluated on four cancer cells including HeLa (HeLa cervical cancer), Hep‐G2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), MCF7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), Lu‐1 (human lung adenocarcinoma) and Vero cell. The result showed the potential application of these compounds in terms of biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]