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This article presents a research approach to enhancing the quality of short-term power output forecasting models for photovoltaic plants using a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network. Typically, time-related indicators are used as inputs for forecasting models of PV generators. However, this study proposes replacing the time-related inputs with clear sky solar irradiance at the specific location of the power plant. This feature represents the maximum potential solar radiation that can be received at that particular location on Earth. The Ineichen/Perez model is then employed to calculate the solar irradiance. To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach, the forecasting model incorporating this new input was trained and the results were compared with those obtained from previously published models. The results show a reduction in the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) from 3.491% to 2.766%, indicating a 24% improvement. Additionally, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) decreased by approximately 0.991 MW, resulting in a 45% improvement. These results demonstrate that this approach is an effective solution for enhancing the accuracy of solar power output forecasting while reducing the number of input variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small wind turbines operating in low wind speed regions have not had any significant success. In addition, small wind speed regions occupy a large area of the world, so they represent a potential area for installing small wind turbines in the future. In this paper, a method to design an efficient airfoil for small wind turbines in low wind speed conditions using XFLR5 and CFD simulations is implemented. Because the impact of the airflow on the blade surface under low Re number conditions can change suddenly for small geometries, designing the airfoil shape to optimize the aerodynamic performance is essential. The tuning of the key geometric parameters using inversion techniques for better aerodynamic performance is presented in this study. A two-dimensional model was used to consider the airflow on the airfoil surface with differences in the angle of attack. The original S1010 airfoil was used to design a new airfoil for increasing the aerodynamic efficiency by using V6.57 XFLR5 software. Subsequently, the new VAST-EPU-S1010 airfoil model was adjusted to the maximum thickness and the maximum thickness position. It was simulated in low wind speed conditions of 4–6 m/s by a computational fluid dynamics simulation. The lift coefficient, drag coefficient, and CL/CD coefficient ratio were evaluated under the effect of the angle of attack and the maximum thickness by using the k-ε model. The simulation results show that the VAST-EPU-S1010 airfoil achieved the greatest aerodynamic efficiency at an angle of attack of 3°, a maximum thickness of 8%, and a maximum thickness position of 20.32%. The maximum value of CL/CD of the new airfoil at 6 m/s was higher than at 4 m/s by about 6.25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seawater intrusion causes many unfavourable effects on crops, especially rice, which is very sensitive to salt. Salinity stress reduces the growth and development of rice, thereby reducing the yield. This is an important issue affecting the food security of many countries in the world. This study focused on using oligochitosans to increase salinity tolerance and improve rice growth at the seedling stage. Methods: Dry and rice-sprouted seeds were treated with oligochitosan solutions of different molecular weights and concentrations and incubated in NaCl solution at a concentration of 0.6%. The salinity tolerance of rice seedlings was assessed through in vitro indices in the plants' shoot length, number of leaves, number of roots (apical and lateral roots) and root length, fresh and dry weight, photosynthetic pigments, proline, total sugar and total protein. Result: Oligochitosan 5994 Da at a concentration of 75 ppm improved the growth of rice seedlings under salinity conditions. Oligochitosan 11126 Da at the concentration of 100 ppm improved the growth of rice seedlings under salinity stress in the investigation of dry seed treatment. The salinity tolerance of rice seedlings was observed through the increase of photosynthetic pigments, proline, and total sugar concentration and morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents a comprehensive framework for assessing design thinking competencies in the context of STE(A)M education, specifically within the Vietnamese educational system. The study, conducted over a period from September 2022 to February 2023, involved 935 high school students in Vietnam. The framework development utilized advanced statistical techniques, including first- and second-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), to ensure a robust psychometric assessment. The framework comprises five competency factors: empathy, problem setting, ideation, modelling, reasoning, and process management. The research findings demonstrated that the developed tool meets the criteria for internal consistency, reliability and validity, providing a valuable instrument for assessing students’ design thinking competencies in the Vietnamese STE(A)M education context. The study’s meticulous and rigorous psychometric evaluation represents a significant contribution to the understanding of design thinking competencies in the Vietnamese educational domain. Furthermore, the implications of the results extend beyond the Vietnamese context and have relevance for international education. The study enriches the understanding of measuring design thinking competencies in the context of STE(A)M education, providing valuable insights for educators and policymakers not only in Vietnam but also in other countries. The rigorous methodology and statistical analyses employed in the study contribute to the broader discourse on design thinking competencies in international educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, pomelo (Citrus grandi) trees grown in Tuyen Quang and Phu Tho in northern Vietnam suffered from leaf yellowing, gummosis on stems, brown rot on fruit, and black rot on roots. Based on morphological and sequence analysis of the ITS and cox 1 gene regions, the pathogen causing gummosis and root rot of citrus trees was identified as Phytophthora parvispora. Pathogenicity assays using mycelial plugs and zoospore suspension showed that P. parvispora induces disease symptoms on both the upper and lower parts of various citrus trees, including pomelo, orange (C. sinensis), and lime (C. aurantiifolia). This is the first report of P. parvispora as the causative agent of gummosis and root rot on various citrus trees in South-East Asia as well as in Vietnam. Further, P. parvispora was sensitive to all tested fungicides, including mancozeb, chlorothalonil, fosetyl aluminium, potassium phosphonate, and dimethomorph. These findings will have important implications for the effective management of gummosis and root rot disease of citrus trees. • First report of Phytophthora parvispora causing gummosis and root rot of citrus trees. • P. parvispora inducing disease symptoms on different parts of different citrus trees. • P. parvispora showing varying degrees of susceptibility to oomycota fungicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to provide a reliable strategy for the diagnosis of sarcopenia based on a complementary combination of biomarkers from various approaches. A total of 30 C57BL/6J mice were used for the experiment, in which 15 young mice (YM) at 24 weeks old and 15 aged mice (AM) at 88 weeks old. Extracted features-based digital biomarkers from the electromyography activity of tibialis anterior muscles were evaluated by using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Extracted tissular proteins and circulating hormones based chemical biomarkers were investigated by using immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In terms of digital biomarkers, the feature-based classification of mice groups showed good performance (Feature A: AUC = 0.986, accuracy = 0.928) and (Feature B: AUC = 0.999, accuracy = 0.990). On the other hand, muscle-specific protein levels based chemical biomarkers (e.g. MuRF1, FoxO1, and perilipin2) were observed significantly increase with age. Pro-inflammatory cytokines based biomarkers extracted from muscle tissue and circulating plasma (e.g. TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8) were significantly higher in case of AM group compared to YM group. Circulating hormone-based chemical biomarkers (e.g. cortisol/DHEA ratio and cathepsin D) presented a significant increase in concentrations with age. Circulating neurotransmitter based biomarkers (e.g. acetylcholine, serotonin, and histamine) also increased significantly in concentrations from YM to AM. A complementary combination of digital and chemical biomarkers covers multiple domains of sarcopenia to provide an effective strategy for the early diagnosis of sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eating behaviors, which are shaped during childhood, are one of the important factors influencing children's growth. This study aimed to investigate the variations in eating behaviors among Vietnamese preschool children aged 3 to 6 years using the Children Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) and their association with anthropometric Z -scores. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 10 172 children from 36 to 72 months old, recruited from three different socioeconomic regions of Hanoi. Differentiation of eating behaviors between two sexes was observed across all age groups, but most obvious at 36 to 48 months of age. The subscales of emotional overeating (EOE), enjoyment of food (EF), and desire to drink (DD) were higher in 60- to 72-month age groups and vice versa for slowness in eating (SE) and emotional undereating (EUE) subscales. Analyses using the general linear model showed that CEBQ subscales were associated with anthropometric Z -scores in both girls and boys., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a primary cardiac disorder characterized by myocardial hypertrophy without increased afterload. This study set out to describe the cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging characteristics of HCM and to evaluate correlations of selected CMR parameters with echocardiography., Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 46 patients diagnosed at the Vietnam Heart Institute with HCM and underwent CMR at the Radiology Center, Bach Mai Hospital, from July 2021 to September 2022., Results: A left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT)/aortic valve (AO) diameter ratio of ≥0.38 on CMR was consistent with an LVOT pressure gradient (PG) of <30 mmHg on echocardiography. The LVOT diameter and the LVOT/AO diameter ratio differed significantly between obstructive and non-obstructive HCM. The predominant phenotypes were diffuse asymmetric HCM (32.6%) and septal HCM (37%), followed by apical HCM (6.5%). Most late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) lesions were observed in the mid-wall of the hypertrophic segments. The mean LGE mass was significantly higher in the obstructive group than in the non-obstructive HCM group ( p < 0.05). A strong negative correlation (r = -0.66) was found between the LVOT/AO diameter ratio on the CMR and the LVOT PG via echocardiography. Moreover, echocardiography detected morphologic risk factors for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in 80.4% of patients, whereas the corresponding proportion detected by CMR was 91.3%. Patients with systolic anterior motion (SAM) had a risk for a LVOT/AO diameter ratio <0.38, which was 5.7 times the risk observed in their counterparts without SAM., Conclusions: The LVOT/AO diameter ratio detected by CMR is a precise index for classifying hemodynamic HCM groups. CMR was better than echocardiography for SCD risk stratification., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Yung Liang Wan is serving as Guest Editor of this journal. We declare that Yung Liang Wan had no involvement in the peer review of this article and has no access to information regarding its peer review. Full responsibility for the editorial process for this article was delegated to Sophie Mavrogeni and John Lynn Jefferies., (Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

Aims: This study aimed to describe clinical characteristics and sleep quality of Parkinson's Diseases (PD) patients and identify associated factors with sleep quality., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Geriatric Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam, from December 2022 to April 2023. A total of 130 Parkinson's disease patients undergoing treatment at the hospital were invited. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained. The diagnosis of sleep disorders was based on the standards outlined in the DSM-V. A multivariate logistic regression model was employed., Results: 90.9 % experienced sleep disorder, with the significant types including insomnia (76.2 %) and restless legs syndrome (56.2 %). The majority of patients suffered two (33.1 %) and one kind of sleep disorder (32.3 %). Most patients experienced sleep disorders after diagnosis of PD (80.0 %). Only having shoulder and neck pain was positively associated with a likelihood of having sleep disturbances (OR=4.87, 95 %CI=1.18-20.15)., Conclusion: This study found a high rate of sleep disorders among PD patients in our sample. Shoulder and neck pain was found to be associated with a risk of sleep disorders. Pain management should be performed to improve the sleep quality of PD patients., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted individual health, potentially increasing the demand for home medicine storage. However, inappropriate household medicine storage can lead to drug waste and unnecessary hazards. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of and identify the factors that predict medicine storage in Vietnamese households., Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 800 households in Danang, Vietnam. A multi-stage sampling method was applied in this study. The data collection tool was modified from previous studies and consisted of three sections: household head characteristics, household characteristics, and medicine storage practice. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors influencing medicine storage at a p -value of less than 0.05., Results: Among 800 households surveyed, 71.6% stored medicine. Analgesics-antipyretics were the most common type of medicine stored (80.8%). 90.1% of households obtained their medicines from private pharmacies, 68.1% of households stored medicine for future use and 58.8% had a home medicine cabinet. 9.4% of households did not store medicine in the appropriate packaging and 19.4% of households did not check the expiry date of their medicine. Educational level (AOR = 2.74; 95% CI = 1.84-4.06), income (AOR = 11.38; 95% CI = 1.46-88.79), presence of chronic illnesses (AOR = 12.44; 95% CI = 7.20-21.21), presence of children (AOR = 2.36; 95% CI = 1.56-3.58), presence of healthcare professionals (AOR = 2.14; 95% CI = 1.28-3.56) were predictors of the medicine storage., Conclusions: The current study found a high prevalence of household medication storage and some inappropriate storage behaviors. Therefore, attention should be given to develop effective interventions and policies to promote safe and appropriate storage practices., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) is a tyrosine kinase that is involved in the initiation of responses to a number of different cytokine receptor families. The JAK1-dependent pathway is a therapeutic target, and several JAK inhibitors have been developed thanks to intensive research. However, since the ATP binding sites of JAK family members are quite alike, JAK1 inhibitors can thus be less selective, resulting in unanticipated adverse effects. Despite this, minor variations in the ATP-binding site have been extensively used to find a variety of small compounds with different inhibitory properties. Stronger binding affinity of JAK1 inhibitors is believed to be able to reduce the negative effects, leading to better treatment results. Therefore, a thorough computational search that can effectively identify ligands with extremely high binding affinity for JAK1 to serve as promising inhibitors is required. Here, a method combining steered-molecular dynamic (SMD) simulations with a modified linear interaction energy (LIE) model has been developed to evaluate the binding affinities of known JAK1 inhibitors. The correlation coefficient between the estimated and experimental values was 0.72 and a root-mean-square error was 0.97 kcal•mol -1 , revealing that the SMD/LIE method can precisely and quickly predict the binding free energies of JAK1 inhibitors. Furthermore, three marine fungus-derived compounds, namely hansforesters E, hansforesters G and tetroazolemycins B, were identified to be particularly promising JAK1 inhibitors, accordingly. These findings show that the SMD/LIE method has a lot of promise for in silico screening of possible JAK1 inhibitors from a vast number of compounds that are now accessible.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

This article studies the linkage between financial inclusion, monetary policy and financial stability in 58 countries including 31 high financial development countries (HFDCs) and 27 low financial development countries (LFDCs) from 2004 to 2020 using the PVAR method. Results of impulse - response function suggest that in LFDCs, while financial inclusion and financial stability are positively correlated, they are negatively correlated with the inflation rate and the money supply growth rate. In HFDCs, financial inclusion is positively corelated with inflation rate and money supply growth rate, while financial stability is negatively correlated with financial inclusion, inflation rate and money supply growth rate. These findings imply that in LFDCs, financial inclusion increases financial stability and reduces inflation. In HFDCs, on the contrary, financial inclusion increases financial instability, leading to long-term inflation. The results of the variance decomposition confirm the above outcomes, specifically, this relationship is clearer in HFDCs. From the above findings, we propose some policy recommendations on financial inclusion and monetary policy for financial stability for each group of countries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The regulatory T (Treg) and T helper 17 (Th17) cells modulate the immune response in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection by promoting immune tolerance and restricting liver damage or stimulating inflammatory response and rendering hepatocyte injury. These cells act through signaling transcription factors and secreting cytokines. We aimed to observe the percentages of Treg, Th17 cells, and their messenger RNA (mRNA) level of forkhead box protein 3 (Foxp3) and retinoid orphan receptor γt (RORγt) in the chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-infected group and CHB patients with hepatitis flare (HF). We recruited 103 participants, including 88 CHB-infected cases and 15 healthy controls (HCs) in Ho Chi Minh City. CHB cases were enrolled into two groups: HBeAg+ CHB infection (e+CHBI; n  = 42) and HF (including 20 mild HF and 26 severe HF [sHF]). The Foxp3(+)Treg and Th17 cells were measured by flow cytometry. The mRNA levels of Foxp3 and RORγt were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The percentages of Foxp3(+)Treg, of Th17, and the Foxp3(+)Treg/Th17 ratio were significantly higher in the sHF compared to the e+CHBI group. The sHF and e+CHBI groups had significantly higher mRNA levels of Foxp3 and RORγt compared to the HC group. Furthermore, a special subset, interleukin 17A(+)Foxp3(+)Treg cells, were observed with a significantly higher percentage in the sHF compared to the e+CHBI group. This finding revealed the contributions of this new subset on the severe flare cases. Our results explained the diversity of T cells and their subsets in the immune response in CHB. This subset should be further investigated as a specific tool in HBV immune response.

The objectives of this study are to identify the proportion of atopic dermatitis adult patients having anxiety and depression disorder and to measure the relationship between anxiety and depression disorder and characteristics of atopic dermatitis. A cross-sectional study with convenience sampling was conducted. Diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis were based on modified Hanifin and Raijka criteria and the severity of anxiety-depression disorder was evaluated using the hospital anxiety and depression scale. In this study, 208 patients were enrolled. The percentage of patients with anxiety and subthreshold anxiety were 11.1% and 34.1%, respectively. 5.3% of patients had depression and 39.4% of patients suffered from subthreshold depression. The proportion of patients with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder was 1.44%. Patients with severe atopic dermatitis were more likely to endure anxiety but not depression. Allergies or autoimmune diseases and scoring atopic dermatitis C were two independent risk factors of depression whereas edema and excoriation were two independent risk factors related to anxiety in atopic dermatitis patients. These findings suggest that atopic dermatitis is associated with anxiety and depression. Allergies, autoimmune diseases, pruritus, and insomnia had a correlation with anxiety and depression disorder., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors declare no potential conflict of interest., (©Copyright: the Author(s).)

This study estimates the dietary exposure to cadmium (Cd), and associated potential health risks, for individuals living and working in a metal recycling community (n=132) in Vietnam in comparison to an agricultural (reference) community (n=130). Individual-level exposure to Cd was estimated through analysis of staple foodstuffs combined with information from a food frequency questionnaire. Individual-level exposure estimates were compared with published 'safe' doses to derive a Hazard Quotient (HQ) for each member of the study population. Looking at the populations as a whole, there were no significant differences in the diets of the two villages. However, significantly more rice was consumed by working age adults (18-60 years) in the recycling village compared to the reference village (p<0.001). Rice was the main staple food with individuals consuming 461±162g/d, followed by water spinach (103±51kg/d). Concentrations of Cd in the studied foodstuffs were elevated in the metal recycling village. Values of HQ exceeded unity for 87% of adult participants of the metal recycling community (39% had a HQ>3), while 20% of adult participants from the reference village had an HQ>1. We found an elevated health risk from dietary exposure to Cd in the metal recycling village compared to the reference community. WHO standard of 0.4mg Cd/kg rice may not be protective where people consume large amounts of rice/have relatively low body weight., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)