Status of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) and other emerging diseases of penaeid shrimps in Viet Nam

Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), formerly called early mortality syndrome (EMS), was first reported in 2010 among penaeid shrimps cultivated in the Mekong Delta Region of Viet Nam albeit without any laboratory confirmation. The disease subsequently spread to a wide range of shrimp production areas in the same region (Soc Trang: 1,719 ha; Bac Lieu: 346 ha; and Ca Mau: 3,493 ha), so that the Government of Viet Nam requested for technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2011. In 2012, FAO supported Viet Nam through the project TCP/VIE/3304 Emergency assistance to control the spread of an unknown disease affecting shrimps in Viet Nam, under which the Department of Animal Health of Viet Nam (DAH) collaborated with the University of Arizona and FAO experts to carry out indepth studies to identify the etiologic agent of the disease. As a result, unique isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was identified as the causative agent of AHPND in 2013. Viet Nam has been vigilant and transparent with regard to aquatic animal diseases through official notifications to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA). AHPND outbreaks have no clear temporal pattern with black tiger (Penaeus monodon) and whiteleg (P. vannamei) shrimps showing similar incidence risk. The disease occurs at any stage of shrimp cultivation, i.e. on average about 35 days after stocking. To date, unwarranted outbreaks of AHPND in major shrimp-producing provinces in Viet Nam have been apparently regulated. Aside from AHPND, white spot disease (WSD) has also been a persistent problem responsible for serious economic losses in many shrimp-producing areas in Viet Nam. To prevent and control the further spread of infectious diseases of shrimps including AHPND and WSD, multiple control measures have been implemented including guidance of farmers to improve production conditions, facilities and biosecurity application, active surveillance of shrimp production areas for early warning, screening of broodstock and postlarvae for any OIE listed diseases, regulation on movement of stocks, and collaboration with regional and international organizations in carrying out in-depth epidemiological studies that will be needed in the formulation of pragmatic and holistic disease interventions

Lignin and Cellulose Extraction from Vietnam’s Rice Straw Using Ultrasound-Assisted Alkaline Treatment Method

The process of cellulose and lignin extraction from Vietnam’s rice straw without paraffin pretreatment was proposed to improve economic efficiency and reduce environmental pollution. Treatment of the rice straw with ultrasonic irradiation for 30 min increased yields of lignin separation from 72.8% to 84.7%. In addition, the extraction time was reduced from 2.5 h to 1.5 h when combined with ultrasonic irradiation for the same extraction yields. Results from modern analytical methods of FT-IR, SEM, EDX, TG-DTA, and GC-MS indicated that lignin obtained by ultrasound-assisted alkaline treatment method had a high purity and showed a higher molecular weight than that of lignin extracted from rice straw without ultrasonic irradiation. The lignin and cellulose which were extracted from rice straw showed higher thermal stability with 5% degradation at a temperature of over 230°C. The ultrasonic-assisted alkaline extraction method was recommended for lignin and cellulose extraction from Vietnam’s rice straw

Can a Short Food Supply Chain Create Sustainable Benefits for Small Farmers in Developing Countries? An Exploratory Study of Vietnam

A number of studies have indicated that short food supply chains could create economic, social, and environmental benefits, but most of those chains were implemented in developed countries. This research aims to find out the characteristics of short food supply chains and their benefits to small farmers in Vietnam, which is a developing country, based on the survey results from 338 small farmers in the third quarter of 2020, with the support of Stata 14 software. The results showed that the short food supply chains in the survey sample in Vietnam were characterized by two main actors: small farmers and distributors. Farmers could sell products flexibly at the local market. There was some initial evidence to prove that these chains helped to stabilize the input, output price, and revenue; formulated sustainable income; and increased the satisfaction and confidence of farmers. They eliminated gender discrimination in rural areas and improved livelihood for ethnic minorities. These chains also enhanced the mindset on green, organic, and clean production of farmers, which in turn created environmental benefits. COVID-19 has posed a negative impact on the income of farmers and made them change their production and sales method. Therefore, the research could suggest some policies to sustainably develop the short food supply chains in Vietnam in the future

COVID-19 Social Science and Public Engagement Action Research in Vietnam, Indonesia and Nepal (SPEAR): Protocol for a mixed methods study exploring the experiences and impacts of COVID-19 for healthcare workers and vulnerable communities

Background: When the novel coronavirus – SARS-CoV-2 – started to spread globally, there was a call for social and behavioral scientists to conduct research to explore the wider socio-cultural contexts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to understand vulnerabilities, as well as to increase engagement within communities to facilitate adoption of public health measures. In this manuscript, we describe the protocol for a study conducted in Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam. In the study, we explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting individuals and their communities. We focus on the wider health and economic impacts of COVID-19, in particular emerging and increased burden on mental health, as well as new or deepened vulnerabilities in the communities. The introduction of vaccines has added another layer of complexity and highlights differences in acceptance and inequalities around access.  Methods: We use mixed methods, combining survey methods and social media surveillance to gain a picture of the general situation within each country, with in-depth qualitative methods to gain a deeper understanding of issues, coupled with a synergistic engagement component. We also include an exploration of the role of social media in revealing or driving perceptions of the pandemic more broadly. Participants include health workers and members of communities from 13 sites across the three countries. Data collection is spread across two phases. Phase 1 is concerned with exploring lived experiences, impacts on working lives and livelihoods, mental health and coping strategies. Phase 2 is concerned with acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines, factors that increase and reduce acceptance, and factors that influence access. Conclusions: We will disseminate findings in multiple ways including short reports and policy briefs, articles in peer-reviewed journals, and digital diaries will be edited into short films and uploaded onto social media sites.</ns3:p

Department of Animal Health (DAH) report of emergency diseases - prevention and control of shrimp diseases in from 2016 to 2018

Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND), known as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) before 2013, was first reported in Vietnam from the Mekong River Delta without laboratory confirmation in the end of 2010. Vibrio parahaemolyticus was recognized as the causative agent of AHPND reported by Dr. Tran Loc in 2013. From 2010 to 2015, AHPND spread quickly to a wide range of shrimp production areas in Viet Nam. White Spot Disease (WSD), in dual infection with AHPND, cause serious disease, each year nearly 1 % in total culture area stopped operation. Although the diseases decreased significantly from 2013 to 2018, AHPND and WSD are still the most serious problem encountered by shrimp farmers in main shrimp production areas. Both tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) and whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) have been infected with AHPND and WSD; most cases occur 15–60 days after stocking. AHPND and WSD occur year round; however, it is most frequently observed between March to September. Vietnam has alleviated the effect of AHPND and WSD effectively in the current year. This can be attributed to the application of multiple solutions to prevent and control AHPND and WSD such as (1) improve farmers’ production conditions, awareness, facilities and bio-security measures; (2) implement active surveillance in main shrimp production areas for early warning; (3) broodstock and postlarvae are not accepted if positive for any OIE listed diseases; (4) movement control to prevent spreading disease; (5) encourage developing disease-free farms; (6) improve capacities and complete aquatic animal health system

Financial resource mobilization for high-speed railway projects in the world, lessons for Vietnam

In the railway network plan for the period of 2021 – 2030, with a vision to 2050, the Vietnamese Government aims to complete the North – South high-speed railway route – the first phase (from 2025 – 2030) and invest in Hanoi – Vinh and Nha Trang – Ho Chi Minh City routes. In order to realize the above goal, the Ministry of Transport has agreed with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to submit the “Project of investment policy on construction of North – South high-speed railway” to the Politburo in 2023. However, in reality, it is extremely difficult to mobilize enough resources to complete the “super project”. Choosing the right financing mechanism is critical to the success of the project. The article studies the experience of capital mobilization in a number of countries with developed high-speed railway systems or whose economies and societies have many similarities with Vietnam; analyzes achievements and difficulties. Based on the actual conditions of Vietnam, we can draw important lessons and recommend forms of implementation consistent with actual policies and resources, in order to invest on schedule and achieve the results in accordance with the tasks set forth by the Government

Fabrication and application of graphene-based silicone grease

With the increasing power requirements of integrated circuits, the demand for efficient cooling has followed suit. Silicone grease is commonly used due to its thermal stability and ability to fill in airgaps between the electronic components and radiators. Previous works attempted to increase the grease’s thermal conductivity by adding various additives such as boron nitride or functionalized carbon nanotubes. Functionalized graphene was chosen in this study due to its exceptional physical and chemical properties. Results show that the functionalization with several acid mixtures combined with ball milling resulted in a compound chemically equivalent to graphene and thoroughly dispersed in silicone grease. An optimal grease was produced, containing 1 wt% Gr-COOH and possessing a thermal conductivity of 6.534 W mK ^−1 . The resulting grease’s performance in thermal dissipation and approximated lifespan improvements was compared to a commercially available silicone grease using a 200 W LED. Results indicated a 4.5 °C decrease in saturation temperature of LED chip along with a 257% increase in thermal conductivity