Pursuing environmental sustainability in the fast fashion industry: A qualitative exploratory research

Objectives: The main objectives of this study were to explore processes associated with producing fast fashion apparels that negatively impact the environment, to explore the sustainability initiatives that big clothing manufacturers and retailers in the fast fashion industry have adopted, and to explore the reporting practice of fast fashion firms concerning their environmental performance. Summary: For this study, a qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyze a sample of five corporate reports or sustainability reports of fast fashion companies for the fiscal year of 2016. The findings related to the environmental impact of fast fashion industry were addressed by the literature review, while findings on environmental initiatives and reporting practices on environmental performance of fast fashion companies were based on the content analysis of the reports. Conclusions: The environmental impact of the fast fashion industry stems from transportation, cultivation of raw materials, processing of fibers, and textile waste. Environmental initiatives taken by fast fashion companies can be categorized into product design, process design, supply chain, and customer engagement and awareness. Reporting practices of fast fashion firms on their performance are found to be focused on certain indicators; putting the environmental indicators within the context of the sustainability measures taken, it can be concluded that the measures bring about positive environmental performance outcomes for companies

NEW DISSIMILARITY MEASURES ON PICTURE FUZZY SETS AND APPLICATIONS

The dissimilarity measures between fuzzy sets/intuitionistic fuzzy sets/picture fuzzy sets are studied and applied in various matters. In this paper, we propose some new dissimilarity measures on picture fuzzy sets. This new dissimilarity measures overcome the restrictions of all existing dissimilarity measures on picture fuzzy sets. After that, we apply these new measures to the pattern recognition problems. Finally, we introduce a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method that used the new dissimilarity measures and apply them in the supplier selection problems

VIETNAMESE STUDENT RESEARCHERS’ EXPECTATIONS OF THEIR SUPERVISOR AND SUPERVISION PROCESS

In Vietnam, scientific research is no longer just the work of scientists, graduate students, scholars, or lecturers; tertiary students are also encouraged to conduct scientific research. Therefore, the scientific research work of students receives more attention from educators. The research on carrying out scientific research of students is also therefore increasing. However, researchers do not seem to have paid enough attention to the role of supervisors during the supervision process. The evidence is that there are few studies on supervisors in Vietnam. Therefore, this study was conducted to learn about the role of supervisors from the student's perspective and expectations. Specifically, this study was conducted quantitatively with the use of a questionnaire consisting of 49 questions with a 5-point Likert scale. A total of 100 English-major students at a university in Southwest Vietnam participated in this study by answering the questionnaire. The results from the questionnaire show that students had high expectations from their supervisors. Specifically, students expect their supervisor to be someone who respects their opinions, has good scientific research knowledge, can give constructive comments, and is always willing to help them when needed. Based on research findings, supervisors are encouraged to participate in professional development training related to scientific research to improve their research knowledge and skills. Along with that, supervisors need to be aware of their role during the process of guiding students to do scientific research.  Article visualizations

Bioefficacy of leaf extracts from Pouzolzia zeylanica (L.) Benn against diamondback moth plutella xylostella in Viet Nam

In Viet Nam, Pouzolzia zeylanica (L.) Benn is a native plant and has been demonstrated its applicability as a medical plant. Additionally, Pouzolzia zeylanica was used to control fly larvae during food processing due to insecticidal activity. We optimized the extraction of Pouzolzia zeylanica by ethanol at different conditions: concentration, the ratio of solid (material) - liquid (ethanol volume) (mg/ml) and the extraction time (hour). Results indicated that extraction yield was effected by all of the factors. The optimized extraction yield was 6.85% (Y) with ethanol concentration at 96 percent ethanol (Z1), the ratio solid to liquid is 1: 25 (mg/ml) (Z2) and extraction time is 4 days (Z3). We tested the efficiency of leaf extracts from Pouzolzia zeylanica and antifeedant activity against diamondback moth Plutella xylostella at different leaf extract concentrations. Results indicated that 80% mortality induced by those compounds was recorded on Plutella xylostella second instars at 30% leaf extract concentration and had significant difference compared to the control (P=0.0000); the leaf extract affected the ratio of pupation, adult emergence and antifeedant activity of P. xylostella (P=0.0000). The obtained results promise a potential of using Pouzolzia zeylanica as biopesticide in Viet Nam

Structure elucidation off seven steroids from Sinularia conferta.

Seven steroids were isolated from the methanol extract of the soft corals Sinularia conferta. These steroids were elucidated as 7a-methoxyergosta-5,24(28)-diene-3b-ol (1), ergosta-5-ene-3β,7α-diol (2), 3β,7α-dihydroxyergosta-5,24(28)-diene (3), 3β-hydroxyergosta-5,24(28)-diene-7-one (4), ergosta-24(28)-ene-3β,5α,6β-triol-6-acetate (5), ergosta-24(28)-ene-3β,5α,6β-triol (6), and ergosta-3β,5α,6β-triol (7) by 1D and 2D-NMR experiments and comparison with reported data. Keywords. Sinularia conferta, Alcyoniidae, soft coral, steroid

ANTIMICROBIAL COMPOUNDS FROM RHIZOPHORA STYLOSA

(6S,7E,9R)-6,9-dihydroxy-4,7-megastiymadien-3-one 9-O-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(l→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside] (1), blumenol A (2), and kaempferol 3-rutinoside (3) were isolated from the methanol extract of the leaves of mangrove plant Rhizophora stylosa Griff. Structural elucidation of the metabolites was carried out by analysis of their spectroscopic data and by comparison with those reported in the literature. All these compounds exhibited antimicrobial activity and were isolated from this genus for the first time

STRUCTURE ELUCIDATION OF FOUR STEROIDS FROM THE SOFT CORAL SINULARIA NANOLOBATA

Four steroids namely 3β-hydroxyergosta-5,24(28)-diene-7-one (1), dissesterol (2), 16α-hydroxysarcosterol (3), and sarcophytosterol (4) were isolated form the soft coral Sinularia nanolobata using various chromatographic methods. Their structures were elucidated by detailed analysis of the 1D and 2D NMR data and comparison with the reported values

A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial of Lactobacillus acidophilus for the Treatment of Acute Watery Diarrhea in Vietnamese Children.

BACKGROUND: Probiotics are the most frequently prescribed treatment for children hospitalized with diarrhea in Vietnam. We were uncertain of the benefits of probiotics for the treatment of acute watery diarrhea in Vietnamese children. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of children hospitalized with acute watery diarrhea in Vietnam. Children meeting the inclusion criteria (acute watery diarrhea) were randomized to receive either 2 daily oral doses of 2 × 10 CFUs of a local probiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus or placebo for 5 days as an adjunct to standard of care. The primary end point was time from the first dose of study medication to the start of the first 24-hour period without diarrhea. Secondary outcomes included the total duration of diarrhea and hospitalization, daily stool frequency, treatment failure, daily fecal concentrations of rotavirus and norovirus, and Lactobacillus colonization. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty children were randomized into each study group. The median time from the first dose of study medication to the start of the first 24-hour diarrhea-free period was 43 hours (interquartile range, 15-66 hours) in the placebo group and 35 hours (interquartile range, 20-68 hours) in the probiotic group (acceleration factor 1.09 [95% confidence interval, 0.78-1.51]; P = 0.62). There was also no evidence that probiotic treatment was efficacious in any of the predefined subgroups nor significantly associated with any secondary end point. CONCLUSIONS: This was a large double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which the probiotic underwent longitudinal quality control. We found under these conditions that L. acidophilus was not beneficial in treating children with acute watery diarrhea.Supported by The Wellcome Trust and the OAK Foundation. S.B. is funded by a Sir Henry Dale Fellowship from the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society(100087/Z/12/Z