INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF SOME RELATED SOCIO-ECONOMIC PARAMETERS UNDER THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AT DISTRICT 8 IN HO CHI MINH CITY

About 7.9 % of population is living in poverty at District 8, which is one of the most vulnerable areas to climate change in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). The impacts of climate change (CC) on some related socio-economic parameters at District 8 were assessed using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and livelihood vulnerability index (LVI). For this, four Asian Development Bank’s criteria including public health, transport, energy, and water supply and drainage (WSD) were used. In addition, however, six World Bank’s criteria including land use, population, gross domestic product (GDP), urban expansion, agriculture and wetland were also used just for initially trying whether or to what extent they can be useful for such downscaled application. Results of this study show that the level of CC impacts on the residential areas is rather high, with an average LVI of 0.056. In addition, the results of AHP shown that the impact levels on the study fields are determined to follow a decreasing order as: first level group including energy, water supply and drainage, transport, and public health (with total score 0.22); the second level group including land use and wetland (with total score 0.14); the third level group including population and urban expansion (with total score 0.1); and at last the fourth level group including GDP and agriculture (with total score 0.09)

LIMITATIONS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SOLVING A TYPE OF TASK RELATING TO THE EQUATION OF A CIRCLE: AN INVESTIGATION IN VIETNAM

In Vietnam, secondary school students learn the equation of a circle in Grade 10. Based on how to present this equation in the textbook “Geometry 10” and types of task for students, we believe that some limitations happen to students when they solve problems related to the equation of a circle. This paper reports the investigation of 845 students from the Mekong Delta-Vietnam. The results show that our prediction is correct.  Article visualizations

Lower and upper bound intercept probability analysis in amplifier-and-forward time switching relaying half-duplex with impact the eavesdropper

In this paper, we proposed and investigated the amplifier-and-forward (AF) time switching relaying half-duplex with impact the eavesdropper. In this system model, the source (S) and the destination (D) communicate with each other via a helping of the relay (R) in the presence of the eavesdropper (E). The R harvests energy from the S and uses this energy for information transferring to the D. For deriving the system performance, the lower and upper bound system intercept probability (IP) is proposed and demonstrated. Furthermore, the Monte Carlo simulation is provided to justify the correctness of the mathematical, analytical expression of the lower and upper bound IP. The results show that the analytical and the simulation curves are the same in connection with the primary system parameters

A SURVEY OF STUDENTS’ ABILITY OF IDENTIFYING ERRORS IN WRONG SOLUTIONS FOR THE MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE MONOTONICITY OF FUNCTIONS

The monotonicity of a function plays an important role in the general mathematics curriculum in Vietnam, because it is considered as an effective tool for solving mathematical problems involved with the monotonic intervals of functions, their extreme, absolute maximum value and absolute minimum value. Normally, students commit errors in solving these problems because of their complexity and difficulty. In addition, specific characteristics of knowledge also make children make mistakes. The sample consisted of 362 students, and they had the task of identifying errors in false assumptions. From the results of the survey, it was found that when dealing with the monotonicity of the functions, students were still misled.  Article visualizations

Outage performance analysis of cell-center/edge users under two policies of energy harvesting

In this paper, two energy harvesting policies deploying in cooperative non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) systems are considered. After period of wireless power transfer, the NOMA users including cell-edge and cell-center users simultaneously transmit the superposition coded symbols to the base station (BS). In the last time slot, the BS decodes to achieve its signal based on superposition coded symbol with corresponding power allocation factors. This paper provides exact expressions of outage probability in two schemes. Performance gap of two NOMA users can be raised by providing different power allocation factors. It is confirmed by numerical result. Distance and data rate are main factors affecting outage performance. Scheme I exhibit scenario where power beacon transmits energy signal to NOMA user while the BS feeds energy to NOMA user in Scheme II. It is shown that outage performance of Scheme I is better than that of Scheme II.Web of Science254807

Fragmented understanding: exploring the practice and meaning of informed consent in clinical trials in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Background The informed consent process in clinical trials has been extensively studied to inform the development processes which protect research participants and encourage their autonomy. However, ensuring a meaningful informed consent process is still of great concern in many research settings due to its complexity in practice and interwined socio-cultural factors. Objectives This study explored the practices and meaning of the informed consent process in two clinial trials conducted by Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in collaboration with the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Methods We used multiple data collection methods including direct observervations, in-depth interviews with study physicians and trial participants, review of informed consent documents from 2009 to 2018, and participant observation with patients’ family members. We recruited seven physicians and twenty-five trial participants into the study, of whom five physicians and thirteen trial participants completed in-depth interviews, and we held twenty-two direct observation sessions. Results We use the concept “fragmented understanding” to describe the nuances of understanding about the consent process and unpack underlying reasons for differing understandings. Conclusions Our findings show how practices of informed consent and different understanding of the trial information are shaped by trial participants’ characteristics and the socio-cultural context in which the trials take place

Small-scale commercial chicken production: A risky business for farmers in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.

Small-scale farming of meat chicken flocks using local native breeds contributes to the economy of many rural livelihoods in Vietnam and many other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These systems are also the target of high levels of antimicrobial use (AMU); however, little is known about the profitability and sustainability of such systems. Since small-scale farms are commercial enterprises, this knowledge is essential to develop successful strategies to curb excessive AMU. Using longitudinal data from 203 small-scale (100-2,000 heads) native chicken flocks raised in 102 randomly selected farms in Dong Thap province (Mekong Delta, Vietnam), we investigated the financial and economic parameters of such systems and the main constraints to their sustainability. Feed accounted for the largest financial cost (flock median 49.5 % [Inter-quartile range (IQR) 41.5-61.8 %]) of total costs, followed by day-old-chicks (DOCs) (median 30.3 % [IQR 23.2-38.4 %]), non-antimicrobial health-supporting products (median 7.1 % [IQR 4.7-10.5 %]), vaccines (median 3.1 % [IQR 2.2-4.8 %]), equipment (median 1.9 % [IQR 0.0-4.9 %]) and antimicrobials (median 1.9 % [IQR 0.7-3.6 %]). Excluding labor costs, farmers achieved a positive return on investment (ROI) from 120 (59.1 %) flocks, the remainder generating a loss (median ROI 124 % [IQR 36-206 %]). Higher ROI was associated with higher flock size and low mortality. There was no statistical association between use of medicated feed and flock mortality or chicken bodyweight. The median daily income per person dedicated to raising chickens was 202,100 VND, lower than alternative rural labor activities in the Mekong Delta. In a large proportion of farms (33.4 %), farmers decided to stop raising chickens after completing one cycle. Farmers who dropped off chicken production purchased more expensive feed (in 1000 VND per kg): 11.1 [10.6-11.5] vs. 10.8 [10.4-11.3] for farms that continued production (p = 0.039), and experienced higher chicken mortality (28.5 % [12.0-79.0 %] vs. 16 [7.5-33.0 %]; p = 0.004). The rapid turnover of farmers raising chickens in such systems represents a challenge to the uptake of messages on appropriate AMU and chicken health. To ensure sustainability of small-scale commercial systems, advisory services need to be available to farmers as they initiate new flocks, and support them in the early stages to help overcome their limited experience and skills. This targeted approach would support profitability whilst reducing risk of emergence of AMR and infectious disease from these systems

Economic assessment of an intervention strategy to reduce antimicrobial usage in small-scale chicken farms in Vietnam.

Antimicrobials are a core aspect of most livestock production systems, especially in low-and middle-income countries. They underpin the efficient use of scarce feed resources and stabilize returns on capital and labor inputs. Antimicrobial use (AMU) contributes to the production of healthy animals, yet AMU in livestock is linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animals, humans and the environment. The Vietnamese Platform for Antimicrobial Reduction in Chicken Production was implemented during 2016-2019 and was one of Southeast Asia's first interventions focused on AMU reductions in livestock production. The project targeted small-scale commercial poultry farms in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam using a "randomized before-and-after controlled" study design. It provided farmers with a locally adapted support service (farmer training plan, advisory visits, biosecurity, and antimicrobial replacement products) to help them reduce their reliance on antimicrobials. A partial budget analysis was performed comparing the control group (status-quo) and intervention group (alternative). The median net farm-level benefit of the intervention strategies with the project's support was VND 6.78 million (interquartile range (IR) VND -71.9-89 million) per farm. Without project support the benefit was reduced to VND 5.1 million (IR VND -69.1-87.2 million) to VND 5.3 million (IR -VND 68.9-87.5 million) depending on the antimicrobial alternative product used. At the project level with a focus on AMU and its reduction, subsequently influence on the resistance reduction, our results showed that achieving resistance reduction benefits with the current knowledge and technologies required investment of at least VND 9.1 million (US$ 395.10) per farm during the project's lifetime. The results highlight the positive net profit for the majority of enrolled farms and a reasonable investments from the project. The recommendation focuses on the implementation of policies on financial support, legislation, and information as potential solutions to facilitate the application of intervention strategies to reduce AMU in poultry production

A comparison between Hydrochloric acid and Trifluoroacetic acid in hydrolysis method of exopolysaccharide from Ophiocordyceps sinensis in Monosaccharide composition analysis by GC-FID

The monosaccharide composition is one of the crucial factors affecting the bioactivity of exopolysaccharide (EPS) in Cordyceps species. Therefore, many scientists have studied, analyzed monosaccharide composition and structure of EPS from Cordyceps species, especially Ophiocordyceps sinensis (O. sinensis). This study aimed to compare hydrochloric acid (HCl) with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the EPS hydrolysis process in monosaccharide composition analysis by Gas Chromatography with Flame-Ionization Detection (GC-FID). The hydrolysis is a crucial step in forming the acetyl derivative, which helps the GC-FID technique to have good results in monosaccharide composition analysis. The results showed that hydrolysis with HCl gave a higher hydrolysis efficiency and was more suitable than hydrolysis by TFA in pretreatment to EPS for GC-FID. Hydrolysis results were analyzed through thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), then Acetyl derivatives were produced and finally analyzed by GC-FID to determine the monosaccharide composition of EPS. For EPS hydrolyzed by HCl, the analytical results presented that this sample had 6 kinds of monosaccharides, including rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose, and galactose; the most monosaccharide was glucose. The EPS hydrolyzed by TFA only detected three kinds of monosaccharides, including mannose, arabinose, and galactose, mainly mannose. The study has set a foundation for further analysis of monosaccharide composition and structure of EPS from O. sinensis