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The current study aims to valorize Ceratophyllum demersum, a common aquatic plant in lakes, ponds, and quiet streams with little use. FeCl3-impregnated C. demersum was directly pyrolyzed to yield iron oxide-loaded biochar (IO/BC). Analytical results revealed that 3.19 wt% Fe existed in the resulting composite, including predominant hematite (α-Fe2O3) and minor magnetite (Fe3O4). Moreover, the total pore volume (Vtotal) and the specific surface area (SBET) of IO/BC were 0.091 cm3/g and 113 m2/g, respectively. IO/BC was subsequently explored for catalytic rhodamine B (RhB) degradation using H2O2. At pH 3.0, 30 oC, 1.00 g/L IO/BC partly eliminated 18% RhB (20 ppm), corresponding to an adsorption capacity of 3.6 mg/g. Upon the addition of 120 ppm H2O2, total RhB removal reached 92% after 90 min. Furthermore, RhB treatment was consistent with the pseudo-first-order kinetics. The rate constant (k) at 30 oC was 0.0260 min-1, and the activation energy (Ea) was 72 kJ/mol. Overall, the findings highlighted the catalytic potential of IO/BC prepared from C. demersum for Fenton-like degradation of RhB.

Abstract This study explored how teachers adapt their agentic teaching practices in the context of online distance education programmes in Vietnam. A single-institution case study design was used to collect data through online individual semistructured interviews that were conducted via Zoom with five teachers from a variety of disciplines who had been teaching in online distance education programmes at the Centre for E-Learning at a Vietnamese higher education institution. Data analysis highlighted the role of teachers’ agentic teaching presence in the pedagogy used in online distance education programmes. Specifically, the teachers exhibited acceptance of an approach to organising their practice that involved adherence to course outlines that had previously been designed and approved without questioning and modifications. However, the results further revealed the agentic direct instruction strategies used by teachers in terms of the varied delivery of course content, student feedback and assessments, which exhibited a stronger emphasis on facilitating online classroom discourse and interactions via various channels with the goal of enhancing students’ learning support, experience, and engagement. The findings of this research thereby affirm the pivotal role played by teaching presence in the setting investigated in this research in particular as well as in the context of online distance education in general. The study highlights the need for further interconnections to be established to link multiple aspects of social, cognitive and teaching presence to the practices that teachers use to enhance students’ engagement and learning experience. The study also has pedagogical implications with regard to teaching in online distance education programmes that pertain not only to teachers’ classroom practices but also to their professional development.

E-learning in the context of Industry 4.0 and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed traditional education. However, the smooth transition from face-to-face education to e-learning remains a challenging task, given concerns about e-learning quality. This study aims to explore the quality criteria and the adoption of e-learning via the spherical fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (SF-AHP). The extended technical acceptance model is used as a theoretical framework for constructing quality in an adoption hierarchical model. The input data derived from in-depth interviews of 20 experts in the field and the SF-AHP calculator have generated the priority weights of quality criteria in the model of e-learning adoption. The findings confirm the role of three major criteria, in order of importance, as follows: system, resources and core factors. The results highlight system factors as most crucial, including aspects such as governmental policies and institutional leadership, which are essential for setting a conducive environment for e-learning. Resource factors are ranked second, emphasizing the importance of IT applications, human capital and facilities to support e-learning infrastructure. Core factors, though ranked lower, are vital in ensuring the effectiveness of e-learning through course materials, instruction, and learner support. The weights of 14 sub-criteria have further shed light on policies to promote e-learning quality and its adoption. The implied priority of each weight a valuable guideline for the stakeholders’ actions to reach the targeted goals under the constraint resources.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute around 97% of the total number of businesses in Vietnam, which contributes to 60% of the national growth. In a dynamic and uncertain business environment, both domestically and internationally, the resilience of SMEs has become a topic of significant interest among researchers and practitioners. Resilience, however, is a multifaceted concept that depends on the specific context in which it is applied. Therefore, this study aims to construct a measurement model for assessing the resilience of SMEs in Vietnam. Drawing from a dataset collected from 500 SMEs and employing the PLS-SEM technique. the findings of this research indicate that the resilience index is a combination of reflective and formative models. Resilience at level three is a formative construct comprising four prioritized components: agility, anticipatory capability, flexibility, and adaptability. The reflective measurement model of agility, anticipation, flexibility, and adaptability confirms its reliability and validity. These findings form the basis for the effective allocation of resources to enhance resilience within SMEs. Understanding the nuanced aspects of resilience can benefit in developing targeted strategies to bolster SMEs against the challenges posed by an ever-changing business landscape.

The ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is a significant concern, especially with the decrease in clinical sequencing efforts, which impedes the ability of public health sectors to prepare for the emergence of new variants and potential COVID-19 outbreaks. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been proposed as a surveillance program to detect and monitor the SARS-CoV-2 variants being transmitted in communities. However, research is limited in evaluating the effectiveness of wastewater collection at sentinel sites for monitoring disease prevalence and variant dynamics, especially in terms of inferring the epidemic patterns on a broader scale, such as at the state/province level. This study utilized a multiplexed tiling amplicon-based sequencing (ATOPlex) to track the longitudinal dynamics of variant of concern (VOC) in wastewater collected from municipalities in Queensland, Australia, spanning from 2020 to 2022. We demonstrated that wastewater epidemiology measured by ATOPlex exhibited a strong and consistent correlation with the number of daily confirmed cases. The VOC dynamics observed in wastewater closely aligned with the dynamic profile reported by clinical sequencing. Wastewater sequencing has the potential to provide early warning information for emerging variants. These findings suggest that WBE at sentinel sites, coupled with sensitive sequencing methods, provides a reliable and long-term disease surveillance strategy.

Herein, abundant and underutilized rubber seed shell (RSS) was valorized for one-pot production of multifunctional magnetic biochar (MBC) through one-pot FeCl3 activation. Fe3O4 and Fe0 crystals were formed in MBC, providing a saturation magnetization of 6.83 emu/g. In addition, the material also had a specific surface area of 378 m2/g and a total pore volume of 0.22 cm3/g. MBC was subsequently explored for catalytic ozonation of Ponceau 4R (P4R). As a result, MBC enhanced P4R ozonation in a broad pH range of 3.0–9.0. At pH 5.8, the pseudo-first-order rate constant of P4R decolorization with MBC improved by 50% compared to that without MBC. Summarily, RSS-derived MBC is a potential catalyst for enhanced ozonation of Ponceau 4R thanks to its low cost, eco-friendliness, relative effectiveness, and magnetic separability.

الملخص: أهداف البحث: لتحديد الأداء التشخيصي والعوامل المؤثرة في التصوير الوعائي المقطعي المحوسب للشريان التاجي المكون من 128 شريحة مقارنة بتصوير الأوعية التاجية المجتاحة في مرضى الشريان التاجي. طريقة البحث: سجلت دراسة تحليلية مقطعية 139 مريضا يشتبه في إصابتهم بمرض الشريان التاجي والذين خضعوا لـ 128 شريحة للتصوير المقطعي المحوسب للأوعية وكذلك تصوير الأوعية التاجية المجتاحة. النتائج: أظهر النموذج المعتمد على المريض حساسية عالية بنسبة 93.2٪ وقيمة تنبؤية إيجابية بنسبة 95.3٪ للتضيق ≥ 50٪. ومع ذلك ، كانت هذه القيم أقل عند تحليلها من خلال النماذج المستندة إلى الشرايين (حساسية عالية بنسبة 85.6٪ وقيمة تنبؤية إيجابية بنسبة 81.1٪) والقطاعات (حساسية عالية بنسبة 73.9٪ وقيمة تنبؤية إيجابية بنسبة 66.6٪). كانت الخصوصية والقيمة التنبؤية السلبية هي الأعلى في النموذج المعتمد على القطعة ، وانخفضت في النماذج المستندة إلى الأوعية والمرضى بنسبة 96.4٪ و 95.4٪ ؛ 90.5٪ و 90.0٪ ؛ و 36.4٪ و 42.1٪ على التوالي (للتضيق ≥ 70٪). انخفضت جميع القيم التشخيصية عندما كانت درجة الكالسيوم 400 وحدة أغاتستون. الاستنتاجات: يظهر التصوير الوعائي المقطعي المحوسب للشريان التاجي المكون من 128 شريحة الطريقة المثلى وذات الحد الأدنى من الاجتياح وعالي الأداء لتشخيص تضيق وتشكل آفات الشريان التاجي. كان الأداء التشخيصي لتصوير الأوعية المقطعي المحوسب للشريان التاجي المكون من 128 شريحة مرتفعا جدا. لم يؤثر معدل ضربات القلب ومؤشر كتلة الجسم على دقة التشخيص، بينما تم العثور على درجة الكالسيوم البالغة 400 وحدة أغاتستون كعامل يتسبب في انخفاض الأداء التشخيصي. Abstract: Objectives: To determine the diagnostic performance and influencing factors of 128-slice coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) compared with invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: A cross-sectional analysis study enrolled 139 patients suspected of having CAD, who underwent and received a 128-slice CCTA and ICA. Results: The patient-based model showed high sensitivity and a positive predictive value of 93.2% and 95.3%, respectively (for stenosis ≥50%). However, these values were lower when analyzed using vessel-based (85.6% and 81.1%) and segment-based (73.9% and 66.6%) models. Specificity and negative predictive value were highest in the segment-based model, decreasing in vessel- and patient-based models at 96.4% and 95.4%, 90.5% and 90.0%, and 36.4% and 42.1%, respectively (for stenosis ≥70%). All diagnostic values were reduced when the calcium score was ≥400 Agatston units. Conclusion: 128-slice CCTA is an optimal, minimally invasive, and high-performance method to diagnose the stenosis and morphology of coronary artery lesions. The diagnostic performance of 128-slice CCTA is very high. Heart rate and body mass index do not affect diagnostic accuracy, whereas a calcium score ≥400 Agatston units is a factor that causes a decrease in diagnostic performance.

Teratoma is an uncommon germ cell tumor and develops from at least 2 of the 3 germ cell layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. The origin of teratoma is primordial germ cells that migrate from the allantois to the gonadal ridges during embryogenesis. The teratomas can be intragonadal or extragonadal. Primary extragonadal teratoma is defined as if there is no evidence of a primary tumor in the testicles or ovaries. Common extragonadal sites include the anterior mediastinum, retroperitoneum, sacral region, and intracranial cavity. Primary intrahepatic teratomas are extremely rare, accounting for less than 1% of all teratoma cases. Hepatic teratomas are more common in children than in adults. We present a case of an immature primary hepatic teratoma in an adult woman.

This study aims to make traditional books that were packaged electronically with an ethnomathematics approach to traditional snacks, which was adapted from Bruner's theory by presenting three stages of Bruner's theory as enactive, iconic, and symbolic by incorporating elements of traditional snacks as an ethnomathematics approach as an effort to build students' mathematical understanding abilities. The method used the 4-D concept by using questionnaires and test instruments so that this media was valid and suitable for use as a medium in learning mathematics. The results showed a score of 3.86 for material experts and 3.74 for media experts, with 82% eligibility criteria to improve students' mathematical understanding abilities. The response to the ethnomathematics-based e-book was 91% with the "Very Eligible" criteria. It can be concluded that this e-book was developed to meet valid criteria and is practical and effective in use.

Introduction: Estimating the probability of obstructive coronary artery disease in patients undergoing noncoronary cardiac surgery should be considered compulsory. Our study sought to evaluate the prevalence of obstructive coronary artery disease in patients undergoing valvular heart surgery and to utilize predictive methodology of concomitant obstructive coronary artery disease in these patients. Methods: The retrospective study cohort was derived from a tertiary care hospital registry of patients undergoing coronary angiogram prior to valvular heart operations. Decision tree, logistic regression, and support vector machine models were built to predict the probability of the appearance of obstructive coronary artery disease. A total of 367 patients from 2016 to 2019 were analyzed. Results: The mean age of the study population was 57.3±9.3 years, 45.2% of the patients were male. Of 367 patients, 76 (21%) patients had obstructive coronary artery disease. The decision tree, logistics regression, and support vector machine models had an area under the curve of 72% (95% CI: 62% - 81%), 67% (95% CI: 56% - 77%), and 78% (95% CI: 68% - 87%), respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that hypertension (OR 1.98; P=0.032), diabetes (OR 2.32; P=0.040), age (OR 1.05; P=0.006), and typical angina (OR 5.46; P

The Provincial Competitiveness Index is increasingly being studied in scholarly articles. In 2021, the index was completed and added new indicators to increase the overview, comprehensiveness, and support of the state apparatus in the provinces and cities in public administration and investment attraction. Using the Provincial Competitiveness Index 2021 Report, the authors have made statistics and analyzed the competitiveness indicators of Vinh Long Province. With theoretical synthesis and analysis of secondary data, the study concentrates on transparency indicators, aiming to detect the positive aspects as the limitations of the province in the context of comparison in the Mekong Delta. Through the results, the authors have proposed the UTAUT2 model to create a theoretical framework to increase the participation and use of electronic information in the business community, which improves PCI and determines the direction of public administration in the coming time.

Despite the growing interest in Blockchain Innovation (BI), there is a lack of research on its predictors. This study draws on the policy uncertainty literature to hypothesize the positive influence of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and cryptocurrency policy uncertainty (UCRY Policy) on country-level BI, determined by the total number of blockchain patents in a country. We tested our hypotheses using a two-level sample of 126 quarterly observations nested in five countries: Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and the United States. The results confirm our expectation that the EPU and UCRY Policy lead to an enhanced BI. Moreover, we found that the UCRY Policy is more impactful on BI than EPU, and that when examining the two policy uncertainty indicators simultaneously, the effect of EPU on BI becomes insignificant. This study has important implications for policymakers and investors.

Project performance is assessed using various criteria. Quality is one of the typical triangle criteria used to assess the performance of any office building project. However, office projects in Vietnam have faced numerous quality risks, particularly during their construction periods. This can cause the building projects to be delayed and over budget. As a result, identifying quality risk factors throughout the construction phase of office projects is essential. Therefore, this paper applies the analytical hierarchy process to prioritize critical risk factors affecting project quality during the construction phase of the Biconsi Tower project in Vietnam. The research results show that the five top risk factors affecting the quality of the Biconsi Tower project from most to least impact are as follows: (1) inspection and approval work are not in accordance with regulations and procedures, (2) lack of coordination between project stakeholders, (3) poor quality design documents and drawings, (4) poor construction methods, and (5) poor quality input materials.

Objectives To end tuberculosis (TB), the vast reservoir of 1.7–2.3 billion TB infections (TBIs) must be addressed, but achieving global TB preventive therapy (TPT) targets seems unlikely. This study assessed the feasibility of using interferon-γ release assays (IGRAs) at lower healthcare levels and the comparative performance of 3-month and 9-month daily TPT regimens (3HR/9H).Design, setting, participants and intervention This cohort study was implemented in two provinces of Viet Nam from May 2019 to September 2020. Participants included household contacts (HHCs), vulnerable community members and healthcare workers (HCWs) recruited at community-based TB screening events or HHC investigations at primary care centres, who were followed up throughout TPT.Primary and secondary outcomes We constructed TBI care cascades describing indeterminate and positivity rates to assess feasibility, and initiation and completion rates to assess performance. We fitted mixed-effects logistic and stratified Cox models to identify factors associated with IGRA positivity and loss to follow-up (LTFU).Results Among 5837 participants, the indeterminate rate was 0.8%, and 30.7% were IGRA positive. TPT initiation and completion rates were 63.3% (3HR=61.2% vs 9H=63.6%; p=0.147) and 80.6% (3HR=85.7% vs 9H=80.0%; p=0.522), respectively. Being male (adjusted OR=1.51; 95% CI: 1.28 to 1.78; p

Vaccines are strongly recommended globally as an effective measure to prevent serious illness from and spread of COVID-19. Concerns about safety following vaccination continue to be the most common reason that people do not accept the vaccine. This retrospective study was carried out on 4341 people who received the first dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, BBIBP-CorV, or mRNA-1273 vaccine at Jio Health Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Post-injection side effects were either reported by participants or actively collected by health care staff by means of telemedicine. Local side effects were reported by 35.5% of all individuals, with pain being the most common symptom (33.3%). Systemic side effects were reported by 44.2% of individuals, with fever (25.3%) and fatigue (21.4%) being the most common. Age ≤60 years, female gender, and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 were significant independent risk factors for both local and systemic side effects, while a history of allergy was significant as a risk factor for local side effects. A total of 43 individuals (1.0%) reported concerning symptoms of rare severe complications, which were addressed and treated by physicians via Jio Health app.

This paper identifies potential barrier factors affecting effectiveness and development (ED) of ITS projects as well as criteria for measuring ED of ITS projects in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study discovers the barrier constructs, and analyzes data using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling method (PLS-SEM). The results provides a general and comprehensive overview of the main issues of ITS, and identifies 28 barrier factors with five main constructs affecting ED of ITS projects, namely the lack of undivided attention from the government (AG), financial constraints for ITS (FC), inadequate transport infrastructure (ITI), the over-development of urbanization (ODU), and the readiness and integration for ITS (RI). This paper fill the knowledge gap by discovering the causal relationships between barrier constructs and ED of ITS projects in Vietnam. Also it proposes several solutions for these issues, which are also a useful measurement tool for government agencies, planners, and traffic system designers to help them self-assess and make action plans now or in the near future.

Industry 4.0 has challenged the quality of higher education by demanding more employability besides the academic and vocational skills of undergraduate laborers. Previous studies have addressed this issue unidimensionally. This study explores the measurement model of higher education quality multidimensionally under this circumstance by (1) Confirming the factors to measure higher education quality functionally and technically and (2) Ranking the factors in the quality measurement model. The qualitative Delphi method based on twenty in-depth interviews was conducted to fulfill the study’s objectives. The findings show that both the functional and technical dimensions of education quality have been integrated into the Vietnamese Higher Education Institution (HEIs) quality model including: (1) output; (2) critical thinking and problem-solving; (3) organizing and managing ability; (4) adaptability; (5) lifelong learning; (6) teaching process; (7) creativity and innovation; (8) expertise and digitalization; (9) administrative process; (10) learning process; (11) foreign language; and (12) input. The priority of output and learners’ competencies over input and education process in the model highlights the need for proper policies to effectively improve Vietnamese HEIs quality.

Oil-based plastics, a popular material in the packaging industry with inexpensive and long-lasting durability, have become a significant threat to the ecosystem due to their single-use, recalcitrant nature. Therefore, finding biodegradable plastic to replace oil-based plastics has attracted more interest. Nanocellulose and chitosan, an abundant polymer in nature, have remarkable properties such as biodegradability, bioavailability, and biocompatibility. Both materials can be produced from low-cost sources such as lignocellulosic biomass and crustacean waste, respectively. Hence, in this study, nanocellulose from agro-waste and chitosan from shrimp waste were combined to create a biofilm food packaging. The biofilms were characterized using FTIR, TGA, SEM, while the physical properties of the biofilm demonstrated the role of nanocellulose in biofilm reinforcement. As a result, PVA/CS/CNC film exhibited tensile strength up to 18.25 MPa and water resistance up to 160 % compared to the control sample. This biodegradable film offers a potential alternative to synthetic materials like food packaging.

The paper presents research results of efficiency of tourism sector in certain European countries and regions obtained by applying DEA method. The primary goal of the paper is to determine to what extent tourism sector in certain European countries and regions is efficient in relation to set parameters, while the secondary goal is aimed at providing recommendations for its improvement. In relation to this, the methodology of the DEA analysis is based on the input and output parameters which were used to determine the efficiency. The input parameters included: number of hotels and similar accommodation capacities, number of rooms and number of bed places, whereas the output parameters included: number of inbound tourists, number of bed-nights and tourism expenditure during their stay abroad. One of the conclusions of the paper is that the total efficiency was shown in Croatia, Belgium, and Denmark, while the technical efficiency was also present in North Macedonia, France, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.

Abstract Customer retention is a major challenge in several business sectors and diverse companies identify the customer churn prediction (CCP) as an important process for retaining the customers. CCP in the telecommunication sector has become an essential need owing to a rise in the number of the telecommunication service providers. Recently, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models have begun to develop effective CCP model. This paper presents a new improved synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) with optimal weighted extreme machine learning (OWELM) called the ISMOTE-OWELM model for CCP. The presented model comprises preprocessing, balancing the unbalanced dataset, and classification. The multi-objective rain optimization algorithm (MOROA) is used for two purposes: determining the optimal sampling rate of SMOTE and parameter tuning of WELM. Initially, the customer data involve data normalization and class labeling. Then, the ISMOTE is employed to handle the imbalanced dataset where the rain optimization algorithm (ROA) is applied to determine the optimal sampling rate. At last, the WELM model is applied to determine the class labels of the applied data. Extensive experimentation is carried out to ensure the ISMOTE-OWELM model against the CCP Telecommunication dataset. The simulation outcome portrayed that the ISMOTE-OWELM model is superior to other models with the accuracy of 0.94, 0.92, 0.909 on the applied dataset I, II, and III, respectively.

Abstract Background Drug-resistant falciparum malaria is an increasing public health burden. This study examined the magnitude of Plasmodium falciparum infection and the patterns and predictors of treatment failure in Vietnam. Methods Medical records of all 443 patients with malaria infection admitted to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases between January 2015 and December 2018 were used to extract information on demographics, risk factors, symptoms, laboratory tests, treatment, and outcome. Results More than half (59.8%, 265/443, CI 55.1–64.4%) of patients acquired Plasmodium falciparum infection of whom 21.9% (58/265, CI 17.1–27.4%) had severe malaria, while 7.2% (19/265, CI 4.6–10.9%) and 19.2% (51/265, CI 14.7–24.5%) developed early treatment failure (ETF) and late treatment failure (LTF) respectively. Among 58 patients with severe malaria, 14 (24.1%) acquired infection in regions where artemisinin resistance has been documented including Binh Phuoc (11 patients), Dak Nong (2 patients) and Gia Lai (1 patient). Under treatment with intravenous artesunate, the median (IQR) parasite half-life of 11 patients coming from Binh Phuoc was 3 h (2.3 to 8.3 h), two patients coming from Dak Nong was 2.8 and 5.7 h, and a patient coming from Gia Lai was 6.5 h. Most patients (98.5%, 261/265) recovered completely. Four patients with severe malaria died. Severe malaria was statistically associated with receiving treatment at previous hospitals (P

In the current market of integration and globalization, the competition between engineering and construction companies is increasing. Construction contractors can improve their competitiveness by evaluating and selecting qualified personnel for the construction engineering manager position for their company’s civil engineering projects. However, most personnel evaluation and selection models in the construction industry rely on qualitative techniques, which leads to unsuitable decisions. To overcome this problem, this paper presents evaluation criteria and proposes a new model for selecting construction managers based on the evaluation based on the distance from the average solution approach (EDASA). The research results showed that EDASA has many strengths, such as solving the problem faster when the number of evaluation criteria or the number of alternatives is increased.

Abstract The UV light-mediated metal-free polymerizations of 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) have been successfully performed by using 10-(pyren-1-yl)-10H-phenothiazine (PPTh) and pyrene as photocatalysts. The preparation of narrow polydispersity poly (4-vinyl pyridine) (P4VP) with high conversions was enabled in both protic as well as unprotic reaction media at ambient temperature. Additionally, copolymerizations of 4VP with acrylate and methacrylate monomers were also demonstrated, affording metal-free copolymer products.

Wastewater contains a large range of biological and chemical markers of human activity and exposures. Through systematic collection and analysis of these markers within wastewater samples it is possible to measure the public health of whole populations. The analysis of effluent and biosolids can also be used to understand the release of chemicals from wastewater treatment plants into the environment. Wastewater analysis and comparison with catchment specific data (e.g. demographics) however remains largely unexplored. This manuscript describes a national wastewater monitoring study that combines influent, effluent and biosolids sampling with the Australian Census. An archiving program allows estimation of per capita exposure to and consumption of chemicals, public health information, as well as per capita release of chemicals into the environment. The paper discusses the study concept, critical steps in setting up a coordinated national approach and key logistical and other considerations with a focus on lessons learnt and future applications. The unique combination of archived samples, analytical data and associated census-derived population data will provide a baseline dataset that has wide and potentially increasing applications across many disciplines that include public health, epidemiology, criminology, toxicology and sociology. Keywords: Census, Wastewater, Influent, Effluent, Biosolids, Australia

As an abundant biomass of surface water, water hyacinth was used as an input material to produce bioethanol in this study. Steam explosion and alkaline pre-treatment were applied on the material before simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process was carried out. Experimental data suggested the optimal enzyme dosage be 1.0 wt% of the dry mass of the biomass, and the mass of the material be up to 8.0 wt% of the whole mixture in a one-step loading procedure to obtain the climax efficiency after 78 h. The process does not need additional nitrogen nutrition, such as corn steep liquor (CSL), as those in other common lignocellulosic bioethanol processes, because water hyacinth itself contains much protein in its chemical composition. Protein content analysis showed that it was 17.2 wt% (on dry basis), similar to what reported in some published studies. The SSF efficiency was positively 72.8 % at the optimal conditions resulted out from the experiments. Such a convenient conversion of water hyacinth to bioethanol is not only meaningful in term of biofuel production but also in term of environmental treatment.

Nowadays, the power systems are getting more and more complicated because of the delays introduced by the communication networks. The existence of the delays usually leads to the degradation and/or instability of power system performance. On account of this point, the traditional load frequency control (LFC) approach for power system sketches a destabilizing impact and an unacceptable system performance. Therefore, this paper proposes a new LFC based on adaptive integral second-order sliding mode control (AISOSMC) approach for the large-scale power system with communication delays (LSPSwCD). First, a new linear matrix inequality is derived to ensure the stability of whole power systems using Lyapunov stability theory. Second, an AISOSMC law is designed to ensure the finite time reachability of the system states. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the AISOSMC is designed for LFC of the LSPSwCD. In addition, the report of testing results presents that the suggested LFC based on AISOSMC can not only decrease effectively the frequency variation but also make successfully less in mount of power oscillation/fluctuation in tie-line exchange.

Abstract The synthesis of poly(L-glutamic acid) (PG) was investigated. Reduction of poly(benzyl-L-glutamate) by the palladium/charcoal catalyst proved to be an effective method for obtaining polyglutamic acid pure and particularly exhibiting in the α-helix secondary structure. The structure of this synthetic polypeptide was assessed by infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle powder X-ray diffraction methods. The α-helical PG was, for the first time, combined with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The obtained PG was demonstrated to be a promising matrix to disperse MWCNTs, forming MWCNT/PG biocomposites.

Southern Vietnam was reclaimed by the Vietnamese in the mid-seventeenth century. They first brought their folk Buddhism and various popular religions to new land; however, the bureaucratic system then forced the Chinese Han–Song dynasties’ institutionalized and politicalized Confucianism on the population. The arrival of the Chinese from overseas since the late seventeenth century marked the introduction of Qing Confucianism into Southern Vietnam, shaping the pro-Yangming studies among local literati. Many writers claim that Qing Confucianism had no impact on Vietnam. Obviously, however, these writers ignored the diversity of Vietnamese Confucianism in the new frontiers in the South. Qing Confucianism was truly absorbed into many aspects of life among the local gentry, popularizing the so-called pro-Yangming studies. The article aims to study the transmission, contestation, transformation, and manipulation of Qing Confucianism in Southern Vietnam by penetrating deeper into the life, career, mentality, merits, and influence of local Confucianists and reviving the legacies of practical learning in local scholarship. The research discovers that the practical learning of Qing Confucianism dominated the way of thinking and acting of local elites, affecting ideological, educational, cultural and socio-economic domains of local society. However, the domination of the classical Confucian orthodoxy and the lack of state-sponsored institutionalization in late feudal periods, as well as the later overwhelming imposition of Western civilization under French colonial rule, seriously challenged and downgraded the impacts of Qing Confucianism in Vietnam. Therefore, Yangming studies were once transmitted but had limited impact on Vietnam.

Exposure to phthalates is a public health concern. In this study, we collected both urine and wastewater samples from 2012 to 2017 and analysed for 14 phthalate metabolites to assess human exposure to phthalates in Southeast Queensland (SEQ), and for associations between phthalate metabolites in urine and wastewater samples. Twenty-four pooled urine samples were prepared from 2400 individual specimens every two years (stratified by age, gender and collection year). Wastewater samples were collected from the three major wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) representing locations in the SEQ region including a regional city, part of the state capital city and a third major urban WWTP in the region. Over the period, decreases for most phthalate metabolites, i.e. mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), monocyclohexyl phthalate (MCHP), mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate (MCPP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), and monomethyl phthalate (MMP), but an increase in monoethyl phthalate (MEP, particularly in young children) were observed in urine. In general, temporal changes were smaller in urine pools representing older age groups. We also found substantial variation in per capita mass loads of phthalate metabolites between samples from the three WWTPs with generally higher concentrations of most phthalates in the metropolitan areas. Per capita mass loads of most phthalate metabolites in wastewater were higher than would be expected from the per-capita excretion in urine, suggesting there are additional sources contributing to the majority of the observed phthalate metabolites in wastewater. For MEHHP and MEOHP we estimate that the urinary excretion accounts for a substantial fraction (average about 50%) of the mass load observed in the wastewater hence wastewater data may provide useful for monitoring trends in exposure. Keywords: Phthalate ester, Biomonitoring, Biomarker, Wastewater, South East Queensland

The construction industry has played an essential role in the process of modernization and industrialization and it has also been a major factor in determining the development of the infrastructure for other economic sectors. Construction companies consider the measurement of work progress, which often wastes time and has a low resolution, to be one of the most challenging problems faced by project management. Therefore, this research aimed to propose practical solutions by applying recent technological achievements of the 4.0 industrial revolution to improve the efficiency of the quantity management process. By utilizing the advantages and features of a BIM model and 3D laser scanning, this paper proposes that adopting a BIM model and 3D laser scanning has the potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the quantity management process. The case study demonstrated some typical tasks to evaluate accuracy and efficiency as well as to showcase the research proposal.

Vietnam encountered the unexpected trade deficit with China in the recent years. Upon establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community on December 31st, 2015, the import tax rates of the regional countries have been reduced significantly. This facilitates the quality goods from the ASEAN countries overflowing into Vietnam. Nevertheless, a few research and analysis on the challenge of importing goods from China under the regional economic integration. To settle these issues, this paper analyzes the China‘s market expansion into Vietnam. In addition, it also compares the Vietnam’s import structure from China and other countries in ASEAN. The results showed that China is always the top export partner of Vietnam, particularly, machinery and raw materials.

The length of the mitotic spindle scales with cell size in a wide range of organisms during embryonic development. Interestingly, in C. elegans embryos, this goes along with temporal regulation: larger cells speed up spindle assembly and elongation. We demonstrate that, similarly in fission yeast, spindle length and spindle dynamics adjust to cell size, which allows to keep mitosis duration constant. Since prolongation of mitosis was shown to affect cell viability, this may resemble a mechanism to regulate mitosis duration. We further reveal how the velocity of spindle elongation is regulated: coupled to cell size, the amount of kinesin-6 Klp9 molecules increases, resulting in an acceleration of spindle elongation in anaphase B. In addition, the number of Klp9 binding sites to microtubules increases overproportionally to Klp9 molecules, suggesting that molecular crowding inversely correlates to cell size and might have an impact on spindle elongation velocity control.

To provide a more practical method of controlling the frequency and tie-line power flow of a multi-area interconnected power system (MAIPS), a state observer based on sliding mode control (SOboSMC) acting under a second-order time derivative is proposed. The proposed design is used to study load frequency control against load disturbance, matched and mismatched uncertainty and parameter measurement difficulties of power systems that exist in the modern power plant, such as multi-area systems integrated with wind plants. Firstly, the state observer is designed to optimally estimate system state variables. The estimated states are applied to construct the model of the MAIPS. Secondly, a SOboSMC is designed with an integral switching surface acting on the second-order time derivative to forcefully drive the dynamic errors to zero and eliminate chattering, which can occur in the first-order approach to sliding mode control. In addition, the stability of the total power system is demonstrated with the Lyapunov stability theory based on a new linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique. To extend the validation of the proposed design control for practical purposes, it was tested in a New England system with 39 bus power against random load disturbances. The simulation results confirm the superiority of the proposed SOboSMC over other recent controllers with respect to overshoot and settling time.

In multi-area interconnected power systems (MAIPS), the measurement of all system states is difficult due to the lack of a sensor or the fact that it is expensive to measure. In order to solve this limitation, a new load frequency controller based on the second-order sliding mode is designed for MAIPS where the estimated state variable is used fully in the sliding surface and controller. Firstly, a model of MAIPS integrated with disturbance is introduced. Secondly, an observer has been designed and used to estimate the unmeasured variables with disturbance. Thirdly, a new second-order sliding mode control (SOSMC) law is used to reduce the chattering in the system dynamics where slide surface and sliding mode controller are designed based on system states observer. The stability of the whole system is guaranteed via the Lyapunov theory. Even though state variables are not measured, the experimental simulation results show that the frequency remains in the nominal range under load disturbances, matched and mismatched uncertainties of the MAIPS. A comparison to other controllers illustrates the superiority of the highlighted controller designed in this paper.

The implementation of the sliding mode control (SMC) for load frequency control of power networks becomes difficult due to the chattering phenomenon of high-frequency switching. This chattering problem in SMC is extremely dangerous for actuators used in power systems. In this paper, a continuous control strategy by combining a second-order mode and integral siding surface is proposed as a possible solution to this problem. The proposed second-order integral sliding mode control (SOISMC) law not only rejects chattering phenomenon in control input, but also guarantees the robustness of the multi-area power network, which has an effect on parametric uncertainties such as the load variations and the matched or mismatched parameter uncertainties. Moreover, the reporting of the simulation indicates that the proposed controller upholds the quality requirement by controlling with operating conditions in the larger range, rejects disturbance, reduces the transient response of frequency, eliminates the overshoot problem, and can better address load uncertainties compared to several previous control methods. The simulation results also show that the proposed SOISMC can be used for practical multi-area power network to lessen high parameter uncertainties and load disturbances.

This study aims at identifying and ranking social capital indicators in the measurement model for Vietnam context. The analytic hierarchy process is adopted to explore the relative importance of each dimension in the integrated social capital index. The opinions from the in- depth interviews with experts, scholars and practitioners in social capital theory in Vietnam are employed to calculate the indicators’ weights in the model. The empirical findings indicate the superior impact of trust to network in the integrated index. Moreover, bridging and bridging-link are found to be more important than bonding and bonding-link. The result implies the potential of leveraging this resource for the development of individuals and community.

The main goal of this paper is to propose a Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach that will facilitate decision-making in the field of logistics—i.e., in the selection of the optimal equipment for performing a logistics activity. For defining the objective weights of the criteria, the correlation coefficient and the standard deviation (CCSD method) are applied. Furthermore, for determining the semi-objective weights of the considered criteria, the indifference threshold-based attribute ratio analysis method (ITARA) is used. In this way, by combining these two methods, the weights of the criteria are determined with a higher degree of reliability. For the final ranking of the alternatives, the measurement of alternatives and ranking according to the compromise solution method (MARCOS) is utilized. For demonstrating the applicability of the proposed approach, an illustrative case study pointing to the selection of the best manual stacker for a small warehouse is performed. The final results are compared with the ones obtained using the other proved MCDM methods that confirmed the reliability and stability of the proposed approach. The proposed integrated approach shows itself as a suitable technique for applying in the process of logistics equipment selection, because it defines the most influential criteria and the optimal choice with regard to all of them in a relatively easy and comprehensive way. Additionally, conceiving the determination of the criteria with the combination of objective and semi-objective methods enables defining the objective weights concerning the attitudes of the involved decision-makers, which finally leads to more reliable results.

The development of information and communication technologies has revolutionized and changed the way we do business in various areas. The field of education did not remain immune to the mentioned changes; there was a gradual integration of the educational process and the mentioned technologies. As a result, platforms for distance learning, as well as the organization of e-learning courses of various types, have been developed. The rapid development of e-learning courses has led to the problem of e-learning course selection and evaluation. The problem of the e-learning course selection can be successfully solved by using multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to propose an integrated approach based on the MCDM methods and symmetry principles for e-learning course selection. The pivot pairwise relative criteria importance assessment (PIPRECIA) method is used for determining the weights of criteria, and the interval-valued triangular fuzzy additive ratio assessment (ARAS) method is used for the ranking of alternatives i.e., e-learning courses. The suitability of the proposed integrated model is demonstrated through a numerical case study.

As East-West contacts led to tumultuous times, the old culture tended to fade out as a new one arose. This changed not only the social system but also the way of thinking of many in the affected countries, particularly scholars. While traditional culture is proudly honored in Asian societies, the resulting changes and adaptations from Western contact often led to humiliation, dishonor, conflicts, and social disturbances. Taking Vietnam as the example, this essay examines the works of one of the earliest French scholars and colonial administrators, Gustave Dumoutier (1850–1904), to understand how the colonial educational system affected artistic and academic disciplines and changed the intellectual order in the country forever.

Hazard investigation education plays a crucial role in equipping students with adequate knowledge and skills to avoid or eliminate construction hazards at workplaces. With the emergence of various visualization technologies, virtual photoreality as well as 3D virtual reality have been adopted and proved advantageous to various educational disciplines. Despite the significant benefits of providing an engaging and immersive learning environment to promote construction education, recent research has also pointed out that virtual photoreality lacks a 3D object anatomization tools to support learning, while 3D-virtual reality cannot provide a real-world environment. In recent years, research efforts have studied virtual reality applications separately, and there is a lack of research integrating these technologies to overcome limitations and maximize advantages for enhancing learning outcomes. In this regard, the paper develops a construction hazard investigation system leveraging object anatomization on an Interactive Augmented Photoreality platform (iAPR). The proposed iAPR system integrates virtual photoreality with 3D-virtual reality. The iAPR consists of three key learning modules, namely Hazard Understanding Module (HUM), Hazard Recognition Module (HRM), and Safety Performance Module (SPM), which adopt the revised Bloom’s taxonomy theory. A prototype is developed and evaluated objectively through interactive system trials with educators, construction professionals, and learners. The findings demonstrate that the iAPR platform has significant pedagogic methods to improve learner’s construction hazard investigation knowledge and skills, which improve safety performance.

While the wound healing activity of curcumin (CUR) has been well-established, its clinical effectiveness remains limited due to the inherently low aqueous CUR solubility, resulting in suboptimal CUR exposure in the wound sites. Previously, we developed high-payload amorphous nanoparticle complex (or nanoplex) of CUR and chitosan (CHI) capable of CUR solubility enhancement by drug-polyelectrolyte complexation. The CUR-CHI nanoplex, however, exhibited poor colloidal stability due to its strong agglomeration tendency. Herein we hypothesized that the colloidal stability could be improved by replacing CHI with its oligomers (OCHI) owed to the better charge distribution in OCHI. The effects of key parameters in drug-polyelectrolyte complexation (i.e. pH, salt inclusion, CUR concentration, and OCHI/CUR charge ratio) on the physical characteristics and preparation efficiency of the CUR-OCHI nanoplex produced were investigated. The in vivo wound healing efficacy of the CUR-OCHI nanoplex and its cytotoxicity towards human keratinocytes cells were examined. The results showed that CUR-OCHI nanoplex exhibited prolonged colloidal stability (72 h versus <24 h for the CUR-CHI nanoplex). At the optimal condition, the CUR-OCHI nanoplex (without ultrasonication) exhibited size, zeta potential, and CUR payload of ≈140 nm, 20 mV, and 78% (w/w), respectively. The nanoplex preparation was simple yet robust at nearly 100% CUR utilization rate. The CUR-OCHI nanoplex exhibited superior wound healing efficacy to the native CUR with wound closure of >90% after 7 days versus 9 days for the native CUR resulting in smaller scars, attributed to its generation of high CUR concentration in the wound sites., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The mechanisms by which various biological effects are triggered by exposure to an electromagnetic field are not fully understood and have been the subject of debate. Here, the effects of exposing typical representatives of the major microbial taxa to an 18 GHz microwave electromagnetic field (EMF)were studied. It appeared that the EMF exposure induced cell permeabilisation in all of the bacteria and yeast studied, while the cells remained viable (94% throughout the exposure), independent of the differences in cell membrane fatty acid and phospholipid composition. The resulting cell permeabilisation was confirmed by detection of the uptake of propidium iodine and 23 nm fluorescent silica nanospheres using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Upon EMF exposure, the bacterial cell membranes are believed to become permeable through quasi-endocytosis processes. The dosimetry analysis revealed that the EMF threshold level required to induce the uptake of the large (46 nm) nanopsheres was between three and six EMF doses, with a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 3 kW/kg and 5 kW/kg per exposure, respectively, depending on the bacterial taxa being studied. It is suggested that the taxonomic affiliation and lipid composition (e.g. the presence of phosphatidyl-glycerol and/or pentadecanoic fatty acid) may affect the extent of uptake of the large nanospheres (46 nm). Multiple 18 GHz EMF exposures over a one-hour period induced periodic anomalous increases in the cell growth behavior of two Staphylococcus aureus strains, namely ATCC 25923 and CIP 65.8T.

The effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposures at the microwave (MW) frequency of 18 GHz, on four cocci, Planococcus maritimus KMM 3738, Staphylococcus aureus CIP 65.8(T), S. aureus ATCC 25923 and S. epidermidis ATCC 14990(T), was investigated. We demonstrate that exposing the bacteria to an EMF induced permeability in the bacterial membranes of all strains studied, as confirmed directly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and indirectly via the propidium iodide assay and the uptake of silica nanospheres. The cells remained permeable for at least nine minutes after EMF exposure. It was shown that all strains internalized 23.5 nm nanospheres, whereas the internalization of the 46.3 nm nanospheres differed amongst the bacterial strains (S. epidermidis ATCC 14990(T) ~  0%; Staphylococcus aureus CIP 65.8(T) S. aureus ATCC 25923, ~40%; Planococcus maritimus KMM 3738, ~ 80%). Cell viability experiments indicated that up to 84% of the cells exposed to the EMF remained viable. The morphology of the bacterial cells was not altered, as inferred from the scanning electron micrographs, however traces of leaked cytosolic fluids from the EMF exposed cells could be detected. EMF-induced permeabilization may represent an innovative, alternative cell permeability technique for applications in biomedical engineering, cell drug delivery and gene therapy.

Objectives: To determine the HIV/sexually transmitted disease (STD) status of male patients at STD clinics and factors associated with frequent visits to commercial sex workers (CSW) in southern Vietnam., Design: Cross-sectional survey., Methods: Confidential interviews and physical and laboratory evaluation of 804 male patients at STD clinics in two semi-rural provinces in the Mekong delta., Results: HIV seroprevalence was 0.5%. The prevalence of urethritis syndrome was 19.3%, gonorrhea 10.2% (Gram-stain positive) and syphilis 2% (reactive rapid plasma reagin test). All the men had visited CSW in the past and 58% had their first sexual experience with a CSW; 73% had visited a CSW in the last 3 years. Married men were equally as likely as single men to have casual partners or to have visited a CSW. The men recruited CSW more from the streets (45%) than from brothels (38%). Factors independently associated with visiting a CSW in the last 3 years included being single [odds ratio (OR), 2.2], age under 20 years (OR, 1.9), having first sexual intercourse with a CSW (OR, 2.1), not having a current girlfriend (OR, 2.1), using alcohol before sex (OR, 2.7) and drug use (OR, 1.8). Only 7% of men used condoms consistently; 70% had never used them. Only 37% had used a condom last time they had intercourse with a CSW., Conclusions: Prevention programs for men in Vietnam, particularly those who are young or single, need to focus on reducing drug and alcohol consumption and improving condom use with CSWs.

Two oral regimens comprising a single dose of 20 mg/kg of artemisinin followed by three days of quinine, 10 mg/kg three times a day (AQ), or doxycycline, 4 mg/kg once a day (AD), were compared with a standard seven-day course of oral quinine, 10 mg/kg three times a day (Q), in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Of 161 treated patients, 157 could be included in the analysis. The mean +/- SD parasite clearance time was 43 +/- 14 hr for AQ and 41 +/- 19 hr for AD, and significantly longer for quinine: 66 +/- 24 hr (P = 0.0001). Treatment failure occurred in one Q and in 3 AD patients. The recrudescence rate was 16% for Q, 28% for AQ, and significantly worse for AD: 67% (P = 0.0001). Adverse effects were mainly limited to cinchonism. The conclusion is that a seven-day course of quinine is still effective in the initial treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Vietnam, but one should pay attention to possible recrudescence. The addition of a single 20 mg/kg per os dose of artemisinin allows for shortening the duration of treatment, with faster parasite clearance, comparable efficacy, and better tolerance, but with no reduction of recrudescence. The combination of artemisinin with three days of doxycycline is also not effective in preventing recrudescence.