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This study evaluates the performance of the Internal Circulation eXperience (ICX) reactor in treating high-strength paper mill wastewater in the south of Vietnam. The ICX reactor effectively managed organic concentrations (sCOD) of up to 11,800 mg/L. Results indicate a volumetric loading rate (VLR) of 26.8 kg/m 3 × day, achieving processing efficiency exceeding 81% while consistently maintaining volatile fatty acids (VFA) below 300 mg/L. The study employed Monod and Stover-Kincannon kinetic modeling, revealing dynamic parameters including K s = 56.81 kg/m 3 , Y = 0.121 kgVSS/kgsCOD, K d = 0.0242 1/day, μ max = 0.372 1/day, U max = 151 kg/m 3 × day, and K B = 175.92 kg/m 3 × day, underscoring the ICX reactor's superior efficiency compared to alternative technologies. Notably, the reactor's heightened sensitivity to VFA levels necessitates influent concentrations below 1,400 mg/L for effective sludge treatment. Furthermore, the influence of calcium on treatment efficiency requires post-treatment alkalinity maintenance below 19 meq/L to stabilize MLVSS/MLSS concentration. Biogas production ranged from 0.6 to 0.7 Nm 3 biogas/kg sCOD; however, calcium impact diminished this ratio, reducing overall treatment efficiency and biogas production. The study contributes valuable insights into anaerobic treatment processes for complex industrial wastewaters, emphasizing the significance of controlling VFA, calcium, and alkalinity for optimal system performance., Competing Interests: The authors declare there is no conflict., (© 2024 The Authors This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY 4.0), which permits copying, adaptation and redistribution, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

In this research, I established an energy benchmark for the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam. I, therefore, focus on three major paper product families, including packaging paper, printing and writing paper, and tissue paper. In this research, I use specific energy consumption (SEC) as the energy performance indicator (EnPI) for computing energy benchmarks for the main sub-sectors in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam. The factories in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam are divided into three production scales, and the energy benchmarks are specified by production scales. Energy surveys and energy audits have been used to calculate energy benchmarks. Here, I establish the energy benchmark for the main sub-sectors in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam according to the three production scales. I also estimate the energy saving potential for the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam based on surveying and auditing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Paper Writing (RPW) plays a key role in completing all research work. Poor writing could lead to the postponement of publications. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a program of (RPW) to improve RPW ability for EFL/ESL writers, especially for undergraduate students in Higher Education (HE) institutions, which has caught less attention of curriculum developers so far. Therefore, this study aims to determine the core components of (RPW) program perceived as essential for EFL/ESL undergraduate students using Process Genre Approach (PGA) to develop a program of RPW. The Delphi Technique (DT) was used to validate those components through the interviews of experts including two boards of ten experienced and qualified lecturers of TESOL and curriculum studies in Can Tho University (CTU) in Vietnam and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The results revealed that the core components of RPW program for EFL/ESL undergraduate students were determined and confirmed. This paper is therefore believed to make a great contribution to practical applications for RPW program developers, lecturers, undergraduate and postgraduate students in EFL/ESL contexts.

This essay understands what it meant and what it means to read The Pentagon Papers in a few related ways. First, when it appeared in 1971, there were at least three different versions of the Papers available. Because, in other words, the reader had to choose between versions from the very start, The Pentagon Papers had to be read both as a text and as a textual event. Second, although the Papers are often remembered as an unmediated document dump, the whole was, in fact, a highly mediated and intensely narrative document, an effort to present the incoherent story—the violence—of Vietnam as a coherent discourse. As a result, they not only demand but also assume interpretation. Finally, the fact that Leslie Gelb, the Department of Defense editor of the Papers, officially introduced its more than seven thousand pages with a pointed reference to Moby‐Dick encourages us to look for and to understand how something unexpectedly novelistic supports and maybe subverts the documentary force of The Pentagon Papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The electronic National Immunization Information System (NIIS) was introduced nationwide in Vietnam in 2017. Health workers were expected to use the NIIS alongside the legacy paper-based system. Starting in 2018, Hanoi and Son La provinces transitioned to paperless reporting. Interventions to support this transition included data guidelines and training, internet-based data review meetings, and additional supportive supervision visits., Objective: This study aims to assess (1) changes in NIIS data quality and use, (2) changes in immunization program outcomes, and (3) the economic costs of using the NIIS versus the traditional paper system., Methods: This mixed methods study took place in Hanoi and Son La provinces. It aimed to analyses pre- and postintervention data from various sources including the NIIS; household and health facility surveys; and interviews to measure NIIS data quality, data use, and immunization program outcomes. Financial data were collected at the national, provincial, district, and health facility levels through record review and interviews. An activity-based costing approach was conducted from a health system perspective., Results: NIIS data timeliness significantly improved from pre- to postintervention in both provinces. For example, the mean number of days from birth date to NIIS registration before and after intervention dropped from 18.6 (SD 65.5) to 5.7 (SD 31.4) days in Hanoi (P<.001) and from 36.1 (SD 94.2) to 11.7 (40.1) days in Son La (P<.001). Data from Son La showed that the completeness and accuracy improved, while Hanoi exhibited mixed results, possibly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data use improved; at postintervention, 100% (667/667) of facilities in both provinces used NIIS data for activities beyond monthly reporting compared with 34.8% (202/580) in Hanoi and 29.4% (55/187) in Son La at preintervention. Across nearly all antigens, the percentage of children who received the vaccine on time was higher in the postintervention cohort compared with the preintervention cohort. Up-front costs associated with developing and deploying the NIIS were estimated at US $0.48 per child in the study provinces. The commune health center level showed cost savings from changing from the paper system to the NIIS, mainly driven by human resource time savings. At the administrative level, incremental costs resulted from changing from the paper system to the NIIS, as some costs increased, such as labor costs for supportive supervision and additional capital costs for equipment associated with the NIIS., Conclusions: The Hanoi and Son La provinces successfully transitioned to paperless reporting while maintaining or improving NIIS data quality and data use. However, improvements in data quality were not associated with improvements in the immunization program outcomes in both provinces. The COVID-19 pandemic likely had a negative influence on immunization program outcomes, particularly in Hanoi. These improvements entail up-front financial costs., (©Thi Thanh Huyen Dang, Emily Carnahan, Linh Nguyen, Mercy Mvundura, Sang Dao, Thi Hong Duong, Trung Nguyen, Doan Nguyen, Tu Nguyen, Laurie Werner, Tove K Ryman, Nga Nguyen. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 18.03.2024.)

The INDDEX24 Dietary Assessment Platform (INDDEX24) was developed to facilitate the collection of 24-h dietary recall (24HR) data. Alongside validation studies in Viet Nam and Burkina Faso in 2019-2020, we conducted activity-based costing studies to estimate the cost of conducting a 24HR among women of reproductive age using INDDEX24 compared with the pen-and-paper interview (PAPI) approach. We also modelled alternative scenarios in which: (1) 25-75 % of dietary reference data were borrowed from the INDDEX24 Global Food Matters Database (FMDB); (2) all study personnel were locally based and (3) national-scale surveys. In the primary analysis, in Viet Nam, the 24HR cost US $111 004 ($755/respondent, n 147) using INDDEX24 and $120 483 ($820/respondent, n 147) using PAPI. In Burkina Faso, the 24HR cost $78 105 ($539/respondent, n 145) using INDDEX24 and $79 465 ($544/respondent, n 146) using PAPI. In modelled scenarios, borrowing dietary reference data from the FMDB decreased the cost of INDDEX24 by 17-34 % (Viet Nam) and 5-15 % (Burkina Faso). With all locally based personnel, INDDEX24 cost more than PAPI ($498 v . $448 per respondent in Viet Nam and $456 v . $410 in Burkina Faso). However, at national scales ( n 4376, Viet Nam; n 6500, Burkina Faso) using all locally based personnel, INDDEX24 was more cost-efficient ($109 v . $137 per respondent in Viet Nam and $123 v . $148 in Burkina Faso). In two countries and under most circumstances, INDDEX24 was less expensive than PAPI. Higher INDDEX24 survey preparation costs (including purchasing equipment) were more than offset by higher PAPI data entry, cleaning and processing costs. INDDEX24 may facilitate cost-efficient dietary data collection.

The progress in pharmacotherapy that has been made in recent years, including the introduction of very effective and safe lipid-lowering and antihypertensive drugs, has not yet translated into the expected universal control of blood pressure, lipid disorders and diabetes. In the STRUGGLE FOR Italian- -Polish-Spanish-Uzbek-Vietnamese Expert Forum Position Paper 2023, experts from five countries recounted several points about the paradigms of cardiological and cardiometabolic care for better control of classical modifiable risk factors in the year 2023. It is believed herein, that the need to intensify treatment, actively search for patients with cardiovascular risk factors, especially with arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes, should go hand in hand with the implementation of the latest therapy, based on single pill combinations including proven, effective antihypertensive, lipid-lowering and antidiabetic molecules, many of which are listed in the present document. There is a need to use both new technological concepts, completely new drugs, as well as novel treatment concepts such as metabolic treatment in coronary artery disease, try to intensify the fight against smoking in every way, including the available range of drugs and procedures reducing the harm. This approach will provide substantially better control of the underlying cardiovascular risk factors in countries as varied as Italy, Poland, Spain, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Every year, the Vietnamese people reportedly burned thousands of tons of votive paper in the hope of pleasing the dead and getting spiritual peace in mind and material rewards. The discourses surrounding the practices lay great emphasis on burning votive offerings, or the excessive forms of this practice as superstitious. Findings from the study of burning votive paper in Vietnamese Buddhist Temples reveal that the practice has become associated with wastefulness, fire hazard, and environmental concerns. For this reason, the present study firstly traces the origins of votive paper burning of the ancient people. Secondly, the study focuses on its introduction into Vietnam as an act of worship in Vietnamese folk tradition and its current negative impacts. Finally, the author then tries to analyze based on Buddhist perception on life and death in order to reject this practice as its incompatibility with Buddhism. Despite the fact that a single case does not aim at generalization, research outcomes raises-some viewpoints of the relevant agencies on the practice of burning votive paper that contribute to the protection of the spiritual tradition and natural environment of Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Ropalidia daklak Bui, Mai & Nguyen, sp. nov., belonging to the plebeja-group of the genus Ropalidia Guérin-Méneville, 1831 is described and figured based on females and males from Vietnam. The nest structure of the new species is described, and an updated key is provided to all known species of the group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Lai Xá Village, Vietnam, studio photography is the village handicraft. Counter to Walter Benjamin's characterization of the click of a button, privileging eye over hand, but typical of many craft traditions, photographers there describe painstaking apprenticeships through which they learned to master the tools and materials of their craft. They learned to compensate for the shifting properties of light, climate, humidity, and irregular supplies of electricity, chemicals and printing paper, and adapted to changing regimes of technique and labor organization. As in many other craft traditions, apprentices often acquired their most valuable knowledge by stealth. We argue that studio photography belongs within contemporary discussions of craft as a handed, adaptive, engaged, small-scale social practice, and that craft awareness enables a richer ethnographic understanding of the work of studio photographers, both material and social. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although in a critical position in the economy, the paper industry releases a lot of wastewater that requires adequate treatment for sustainable development. This study presents an application of Life cycle assessment (LCA) with the ReCiPe tool on the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of a paper factory in Vietnam to evaluate the environmental effect of the individual techniques in WWTP, especially the internal circulation (IC) reactor, a pioneer and practical anaerobic technology. Both Midpoint and Endpoint categories results demonstrated that chemical use and electricity consumption mainly contributed to the environmental impact in the WWTP. The Dissolved air flotation (DAF) and Moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) are classified as effective techniques to reduce the impacts on the environment. Moreover, the comparison of LCA between IC and up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) shows that IC is the better practically green technique for the environment.

Using two waves (2013, 2015) of the Micro, Small, and Medium sized Enterprises (MSMEs) survey of Vietnamese manufacturing firms, this paper first explores what drives firms' decision to have a domestic standards certificate, taking into account a rich number of factors related to the cost and expected benefits of certification as well as institutional factors. It further explores the presence of a positive and significant effect of domestic certificates on firm growth, testing whether these serve as signalling devices for desirable attributes under information asymmetry. Evidence is indeed found for a signalling effect of domestic standards certification, being stronger for female-run businesses. Results hold even when controlling for international certifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice paper prepared from non-glutinous rice commonly found in Southeast Asia is used very often in the making spring rolls. Moringa oleifera is one of the most important herbs having high antioxidant and pharmacological properties. In order to improve the functional properties of rice paper, it’s necessary to enrich rice paper with moringa. This research was conducted during 2020 at Soc Trang Nanotech laboratory, Soc Trang province, Vietnam to examine the feasibility of Moringa oleifera extract in different enrichments (2.5, 4.0, 5.5, 7.0, 8.5%) to the rice paper quality in respect of firmness (N), total phenolic content (TPC, µg/mL), total flavonoid content (TFC, µg/mL), free radical scavenging activity (% DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP, µg/mL) and sensory characteristic (score). Results revealed that there was a reduction of firmness (from 27.23±0.02 N to 11.75±0.00 N) but increment of antioxidant activities such as TPC (from 64.75±0.00 µg/ mL to 79.54±0.01 µg/mL), TFC (from 11.63±0.01 µg/mL to 18.66±0.03 µg/mL), % DPPH (from 26.11±0.02 % to 32.45±0.01 %), FRAP (68.47±0.00 µg/mL 76.14±0.02 µg/mL) and enrichment of organoleptic property (from 6.85±0.03 to 8.29±0.00) by adding Moringa oleifera extract. Firmness, TPC, TFC, % DPPH, FRAP and sensory score were shown the acceptable values at 7.0% Moringa oleifera extract supplementation. Rice paper enriched with Moringa oleifera extract showed promising antioxidant potential. Moringa oleifera extract could be applied as a phytochemical source suitable in rice paper preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To survey the knowledge, attitude, and practices of Vietnamese pharmacists regarding the COVID-19 pandemic., Method: This cross-sectional, paper-based study was conducted from June to August 2020. A validated questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha = 0.84) was used to interview 1,023 pharmacists in nine provinces of Vietnam. Analysis of covariance was employed to identify factors associated with the knowledge of pharmacists. The best model was chosen by using the Bayesian Model Averaging method in R software version 4.0.4., Results: The mean knowledge score was 12.02 ± 1.64 (range: 6-15), which indicated that 93.4% of pharmacists had good knowledge of COVID-19. There was no difference in the average score between males and females (p > 0.05). The multivariate linear regression model revealed that the knowledge was significantly associated with pharmacists' age, education level, and residence (p < 0.001). About attitude and practices, pharmacists daily sought and updated information on the COVID-19 pandemic through mass media and the internet (social network and online newspapers). Nearly 48% of them conceded that they communicated with customers when at least one person did not wear a face mask at the time of the COVID-19 outbreak. At medicine outlets, many measures were applied to protect pharmacists and customers, such as equipping pharmacists with face masks and hand sanitizers (95.0%), using glass shields (83.0%), and maintaining at least one-meter distance between two people (85.2%)., Conclusion: The pharmacists' knowledge of COVID-19 transmission, symptoms, and prevention was good. Many useful measures against the spread of this perilous virus were applied in medicine outlets. However, pharmacists should restrict forgetting to wear face masks in communication with medicine purchasers. The government and health agencies should have practical remedies to reduce the significant differences in the COVID-19 knowledge of pharmacists among provinces and education-level groups., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Purpose: The JAOC has reached an important milestone. It is now 15 years old! This study aims to provide an understanding of the key achievements of the Journal. Design/methodology/approach: This paper reports the findings of a bibliometric analysis of the Journal. Findings: The Journal has made significant contributions towards understanding the various purposes or roles of accounting and the context within which it operates in diverse societies. Case studies in the Third Sector and in countries that tend to be unrepresented in many other journals, such as Laos and Vietnam, represent some of the critical contributions of papers published in the JAOC. Originality/value: This paper provides a review of the Journal. Key achievements are noted along with trends in the usage of theories and topics. Gaps between the aims of the Journal and what it has achieved are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One species of the genus Polistes, Polistes (Polistella) caobangensis Nguyen, sp. nov. is described from the northern part of Vietnam. In addition, males of two other species, Polistes (Polistella) gilvus Nguyen, Kojima and Saito and Polistes (Polistella) brunus Nguyen and Carpenter are also described for the first time.

This paper contributes to smart greenhouses and IoT (Internet of Things) research. Our pioneering achievement centers on successfully designing, constructing, and testing a 30m2 smart greenhouse, explicitly focusing on the cultivation and development of Brassica Juncea, a mustard variety commonly grown in Vietnam. The construction phase entailed the meticulous integration of diverse IoT technologies and systems, culminating in the creation of a finely tuned environment to meet the unique needs of Brassica Juncea cultivation. Notably, our research team has realized the physical infrastructure and developed and implemented a robust web interface. This interface empowers users to monitor and remotely control the smart greenhouse conveniently. It provides real-time visualization of critical parameters, including temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and light intensity, enabling precise monitoring and supporting informed decision-making in crop management. In addition to the web interface, we have meticulously designed and completed an Android mobile application, further enhancing accessibility and convenience. This mobile app allows users to monitor and control the smart greenhouse while on the move. It is imperative to underscore that this work marks a significant milestone as the first complete smart greenhouse IoT solution dedicated to developing Brassica Juncea. Our pioneering accomplishments not only advance the frontiers of innovative greenhouse and IoT research but also contribute substantially to the progress of intelligent agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomy of the paper wasps of the subgenus Gyrostoma of the polistine genus Polistes from Vietnam is treated, with a key to all the five species occurring in Vietnam, including one described herein as new to science under the name Polistes longus sp. nov. Nests of P. gigas and P. longus sp. nov. are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant essential oils have been used for hundreds of years as natural medicines to combat a multitude of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The paper reports the chemical compositions of essential oil hydrodistilled from the leaves and rhizomes of Amomum unifolium Gagnep. from Vietnam. The main classes of compounds present in the essential oils were monoterpene hydrocarbons (10.1% and 23.9%, respectively), oxygenated monoterpenes (14.5% and 4.9%, respectively), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (40.9% and 21.9%, respectively), and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (20.1% and 26.8%, respectively). Diterpenes (16.1%) were identified in sizeable proportion in the rhizome essential oil. The constituents occurring in higher amounts in the leaf essential oil were aromadendrene (6.9%), occidenol (6.8%), β-phellandrene (6.2%), β-elemene (5.7%), and δ-elemene (5.0%). However, the main compounds of the rhizome essential oil were β-phellandrene (18.5%), torulosol (16.1%), germacrene D (5.7%), α-cadinol (5.5%) and (6S, 7R)-bisabolene (5.1%). The leaf essential oil of A. unifolium displayed higher antibacterial activity than the rhizome oil. The leaf oil showed activity towards S. aureus ATCC 6538, and B. pumilus ATCC 14884, with MIC values of 75.0 μg/mL and 37.5 μg/mL, respectively. On the other hand, the rhizome essential oil displayed activity against the organisms at MIC value of 150.0 μg/mL. Both essential oils exhibited antibacterial activity to E. coli ATCC 8739, with MIC value of 150.0 μg/mL. The antimicrobial activity of A. unifolium essential oils are being reported for the first time as a confirmation of the ethnomedical uses of A. unifolium in the treatment of diseases especially antimicrobial infections. Furthermore, the paper discusses the chemotaxonomy of Amomum oil samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the collaboration between the Chinese and Vietnamese communists in the socialist transformation of their shared borderlands after the First Indochina War. It both complicates and clarifies the volatile bilateral relationship between the two emerging communist states as they solidified their power in the 1950s. Departing from traditional narratives of Sino-Vietnamese relations which focus on wars and conflicts, this article examines how the timely convergence of Cold War and state expansion transformed the Sino-Vietnamese borderlands from 1954 to 1957. Using both Chinese and Vietnamese archival sources, it contends that the Chinese and Vietnamese communists pursued two interrelated goals in carrying out the political projects at the territorial limits of their countries. First, they wanted to build an inward-looking economy and society at the respective borders by consolidating the national administration of territory. Second, they wanted to impose a contrived Cold War comradeship between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) in place of the organic interdependence of people within the borderlands that had existed in the area for centuries. The Sino-Vietnamese border, therefore, was the focus of joint state-building by the two communist governments, which made the cross-border movement of people and goods more visible, manipulable, and, more importantly, taxable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a possible framework for the cooperation of mathematics and physics education research domains. Moreover, the potential topics for such a scientific collaboration are explained by means of a structuring qualitative content analysis of current handbooks and conference proceedings in Germany and Vietnam. These topics can form a basis for further projects on the connection of subject-related didactics. One of these projects is an interdisciplinary course in teacher training at the Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE) as part of the Inter TeTra project between the HNUE and the University of Siegen.

Since 2013, Vietnam has implemented a plan to reform the whole education sector. However, there is little understanding on the status of educational research in Vietnam, which may lay the foundation for such plan. Thus, this research aims to analyze the whole picture of educational research from Vietnam, as seen from the Clarivate Web of Science (WOS) database: 215 publications were recorded, ranging from 1991 to 2018. These 215 publications were further analyzed from five perspectives: 1) number of publications by year; 2) research fields and levels of education; 3) top institutions with the highest number of publications; 4) international collaboration; and 5) quality. Some of the most notable results are: 1) the educational sciences in Vietnam have been still under-developed until recently; 2) among different research topics research among educational sciences, some (e.g., Vocational Education and Training or Early Childhood Education) seemed to be overlooked whereas others (e.g., Higher Education and Teaching and Learning) seemed to receive more attention from educational scholars; 3) all the most major education -- specialized universities did not appear among the top five institutions with highest number of publications; 4) Australia, Thailand, the USA, New Zealand and China were the countries with the highest number of co-publications with Vietnamese researchers; and 5) The majority of publications belonged to low-ranked journals. Implications would be withdrawn for Vietnamese policymakers, education leaders, educational researchers and teachers in order to adjust their policies and/or action plans; thus, enhancing the performance and impacts of educational research in the future.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have attracted great concern because of their great recalcitrant nature and harmful environmental health effects. Eight PFASs in wastewater from craft villages and industrial environments of Vietnam were analyzed using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with negative electrospray ionization interface. For analysis of PFASs, percent recoveries ranged from 87 to 112, and MQL varied from 0.19 ng/L to 0.49 ng/L. Treated wastewater samples from eight metal-plating and eight textile-dyeing factories were collected for analysis of PFASs. Concentrations of PFOS in wastewater samples obtained from metal-plating factories with decorative plating stage were found at a range of 0.73–18.91 ng/L. For textile-dyeing factories, PFOA and/or PFHxA, which were present in all effluent wastewater samples, varied from 0.37 to 15.96 ng/L and 1.07 to 43.58 ng/L, respectively. Sixty surface water samples in four locations of the textile dyeing craft villages, a recycling plastic village, a paper recycling village, and 10 river water samples in the control area (a rural area without specific waste sources) were collected and analyzed for PFASs. The total concentrations of eight PFASs in surface water samples of craft villages ranged from 0.83 to 58.2 ng/L, which were significantly higher than those in the control area. PFOA, PFHxA, and PFOS are the three most dominant congeners in wastewater taken from craft villages with the highest concentrations of 27.4, 23.8, and 7.36 ng/L, respectively. The environmental risks posed by PFASs in surface water from craft villages were mainly in a range of extremely low to low level, particularly a few points have high ecological risks of PFDoA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notes on the paper wasp of the genus Polistes, Polistes delhiensis Das and Gupta, 1989 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) from Vietnam are presented. The species has two color forms of the clypeus: brightly colored specimens were collected in the southern part of the range and darker colored specimens were collected in the northern part. Based on morphological and DNA data analysis, it is confirmed that both color forms belong to Polistes delhiensis. The male of this species is described for the first time and its fully-developed nest is also described.

This paper reports the chemical constituents of essential oils from various parts of Decaspermum parviflorum (Lam.) J. Scott. (Myrtaceae) from Vietnam. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The main constituents of the oils were β-elemene (1.68-4.14%), caryophyllene (14.53-43.98%), humulene (3.99-10.74%), eudesma-4(14),(11)-diene (4.83-17.46%), a-selinene (3.65-13.60%), cadina- 1(10),4-diene (1.0-3.17%), and seline-3,7(11)-diene (1.13-3.20%). Caryophyllene oxide (2.38-3.63%), ylangene (1.22-3.20%), guaia-3,9- diene(1.46-4.50%), eudesma-4(14)-en-11-ol (2.07-2.24%), neointermedeol (1.39-3.25%), aromadendrene oxide-(2) (1.05-1.65%), and naphthalene,1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7-octahydro-4a,8-dimethyl-2-(1-methylethenyl)- (0.73-2.47%), which were identified only in the flower and fruit. Ocimene (11.87%) and -elemene (37.02%) were identified only in the flower. Copaene (8.27%) was identified only in the leaf. This is the first report of the chemical constituents of essential oils from the leaf, fruit, and flower of D. parviflorum, and these constituents differ from those reported for other Decaspermum oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International merchandise trade statistics plays a substantial role in governing cross-border trade in goods at both global and national levels. In relation to one flow of goods crossing borders, there are two trade data compilations--in the exporting and importing countries--which are to be made in compliance with various regulations and standards. This paper analyses Vietnam's mirror statistics, focusing on the significant disparities of cross-border trade statistics in 2013-2016 between Vietnam--the reporting country--and its trade partners. The paper investigates the major reasons for the large discrepancies between Vietnam and its partners in cross-border trade documentation and suggest an operational model of mirror statistics to support cross-border trade administration by Vietnam Customs in future years. Cross-border statistics were collected from the General Department of Vietnam Customs and from the United Nations (UN) Comtrade database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the structure of the households' social capital of rural Vietnam households with secondary data from 2008 to 2018. This paper applied the fundamental theories (resource and network theories) and the Bayesian network to estimate the interaction of proxies to explore the structure of social capital. Results showed that the triangle structure in household social capital with the core point is organization participation. The connections show the tendency from organization participation, linking to household networks. Alongside that, linking social capital and Organization participation are determinants of social capital indicators (social events, social cost). Therefore, this paper suggests employing proxies such as structured indicators for integrating social capital into the livelihood papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper scrutinizes the relationship between idiosyncratic risks and stock returns at different quantiles, especially the extremely low and high ones, to explore the applicability of the Prospect Theory's rationale in Vietnam's stock market. Design/methodology/approach: The Prospect Theory demonstrates that investors' attitudes towards risks can change from risk-seeking in the loss domain to risk-averse in the gain domain. This can be observed by the negative (positive) connection between idiosyncratic risks and returns for the losing (winning) stocks. To explore if the aforesaid patterns occur in Vietnam's stock market, this paper employs the quantile regression method which is suitable for inspecting the relationship at the high and low tails of the stock returns. Findings: The estimation results acknowledge the changes in attitudes towards risks as mentioned by the Prospect Theory. Practical implications: The negative relationship between idiosyncratic risks and stock returns confirms investors' risk-seeking behavior in the loss domain, which is in line with the prediction of the Prospect Theory. This behavior may cause worse investment performance as the losing stocks in investors' portfolios remain overvalued, leading to subsequent negative returns. Therefore, investors should establish and follow their investment disciplines to protect themselves from larger losses. Originality/value: Existing research found little evidence for the Prospect Theory's rationale in Vietnam's stock market, which can stem from the usage of the conditional-mean regression methods. Different from the prior studies, this paper is the first to apply the quantile regression method and provide new evidence supporting the Prospect Theory's rationale in Vietnam's stock market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the composition and the weight of individual single-use items (SUIs) generated in the selected fast-food restaurants (FFRs) in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data of SUIs consumed per day from 126 FFRs covering six popular fast food companies (FFCs). At the same time, waste from 30 FFRs was collected, and its composition and weight were determined. Consequently, the amount and composition of the waste varied among the studied FFCs and is dependent on the food menu, the number of franchises for each FFC, customer number, size, and the type of SUIs used at these restaurants. Total waste collected across the six FFCs was 6 t.d-1 and was equivalent to 1560 t.yr-1 in HCMC. Of which, singleuse plastic items (SUPIs) waste and single-use paper items (SUPaIs) waste accounted for 39% and 28%, respectively. The total weight of unnecessary SUPIs (condiment containers, straws, and forks) generated was about 44 t.yr-1. The results suggest that the necessity of standardizing the type and size of the SUIs used at the FFRs, phasing out the use of unnecessary SUPIs, improving the local waste management practices through material recovery and recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bibliometric analysis was performed to study the development of publications related to Industry 4.0 and its key technologies in Vietnam. Comparisons with data from other ASEAN countries, and with global data have been done to identify distinctive characteristics of Industry 4.0 literature from Vietnam. The collection of 1,470 retrieved papers was analysed to answer seven research questions. Our results highlighted some valuable insights of Industry 4.0 literature in Vietnam. The number of papers in Industry 4.0 in Vietnam increased rapidly in recent years, mostly focused on Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics. Iran, China, and South Korea were the most productive partner countries with Vietnam in Industry 4.0. Machine learning, artificial intelligence, big data, deep learning, Internet of things, neural networks, and data mining were among the most popular research themes in Industry 4.0 in Vietnam. Vietnam ranked third among 10 Southeast Asian countries, based on the number of published papers in Industry 4.0, but the gap with the two top countries was large. Compared to the global data, the annual growth rate of Industry 4.0 papers in Vietnam, and other Southeast Asian countries was lower. Findings from this work can be helpful for other scholars in establishing potential future research lines related to Industry 4.0 in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of concerned persistent toxic substances, especially for their application or unintentional formation in food contact materials (FCMs). However, information about the occurrence, sources, and fate of these pollutants in food packaging materials from Vietnam as well as Southeast Asian countries is probably still obscured. In this study, levels of 13 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and 4 sulfonates (PFSs) were determined in various types of food packaging samples collected from Vietnamese markets. Generally low concentrations of total 17 PFASs (median 0.341; max 624 ng/g) suggested that these compounds were mainly inadvertently produced rather than intentionally added to the packaging materials. A few mochi paper tray samples had relatively high PFAS levels (372–624 ng/g), which were dominated by long-chain (C8–C12) PFCAs. A comprehensive and updated overview of PFASs in FCMs from different countries in the world was also provided. Current database could not provide conclusive trends of PFAS concentrations and profiles in FCMs between continents and countries. The highest levels up to ppm were reported for PFCAs (e.g., PFBA, PFHxA, PFOA, and PFDA) and several fluorotelomer alcohols and carboxylic acids, while PFSs were almost absent in FCMs. FPASs can emit from FCMs, migrate to food, and then contribute to dietary exposure in humans and animals. Additional investigations on the occurrence, sources, behavior and fate, and impacts of PFASs in FCMs are critically needed, especially in emerging and developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A maternal mortality ratio is a sensitive indicator when comparing the overall maternal health between countries and its very high figure indicates the failure of maternal healthcare efforts. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam-CLMV countries are the low-income countries of the South-East Asia region where their maternal mortality ratios are disproportionately high. This systematic review aimed to summarize all possible factors influencing maternal mortality in CLMV countries. Methods: This systematic review applied "The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Checklist (2020)", Three key phrases: "Maternal Mortality and Health Outcome", "Maternal Healthcare Interventions" and "CLMV Countries" were used for the literature search. 75 full-text papers were systematically selected from three databases (PubMed, Google Scholar and Hinari). Two stages of data analysis were descriptive analysis of the general information of the included papers and qualitative analysis of key findings. Results: Poor family income, illiteracy, low education levels, living in poor households, and agricultural and unskilled manual job types of mothers contributed to insufficient antenatal care. Maternal factors like non-marital status and sex-associated work were highly associated with induced abortions while being rural women, ethnic minorities, poor maternal knowledge and attitudes, certain social and cultural beliefs and husbands' influences directly contributed to the limitations of maternal healthcare services. Maternal factors that made more contributions to poor maternal healthcare outcomes included lower quintiles of wealth index, maternal smoking and drinking behaviours, early and elderly age at marriage, over 35 years pregnancies, unfavourable birth history, gender-based violence experiences, multigravida and higher parity. Higher unmet needs and lower demands for maternal healthcare services occurred among women living far from healthcare facilities. Regarding the maternal healthcare workforce, the quality and number of healthcare providers, the development of healthcare infrastructures and human resource management policy appeared to be arguable. Concerning maternal healthcare service use, the provisions of mobile and outreach maternal healthcare services were inconvenient and limited. Conclusion: Low utilization rates were due to several supply-side constraints. The results will advance knowledge about maternal healthcare and mortality and provide a valuable summary to policymakers for developing policies and strategies promoting high-quality maternal healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed and demonstrated an integrated closed eco-system for pollution reduction and prevention in rice-paper producing and livestock farms in a small-scale craft village which is located in a dry region of Vietnam with a lack of available surface water sources. The system is developed on the basis of material and energy exchange potentials between the wastewater and exhaust gas flows, and the use of available firewood ash as material for absorption. Two operation modes were presented aiming at a complete treatment of wastewater and exhaust gases as required by the Vietnamese national standards, and the recovery of valuable components in the system (N, P) for obtaining value-added products (such as fertilizer, irrigation water, etc.). In addition, the maximization of potentials on existing natural conditions at the local family, the avoidance of chemicals used in the system etc. have also helped to lower the investment and operation costs of the treatment facilities. The application of this system also contributes to the "greening" of the rice production chain in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam and is an example for a local closed cycle economy. Several public activities have also been conducted at the demonstration site (at the local family) with the purpose of maintaining and multiplying the system's effectiveness among the local public community. • An integrated closed eco-system for pollution reduction and prevention in rice-paper producing and livestock farms in a small-scale craft village. • The reasonable material and energy exchange potentials between the wastewater and exhaust gas flows were most effective Cleaner Production sollution in the system. • The recovery of valuable components (N, P) for obtaining value-added products (fertilizer, irrigation water, etc.), the maximization of potentials on existing natural conditions at the local family, the avoidance of chemicals used in the system etc give major economic and environmental benefits to the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]