The role of attitude, preference conflict, norms, and family identity in explaining intention/behavior toward fish consumption in Vietnamese families

The main objective of the thesis is to explore and test the roles of attitude, preference conflict, norms and family identity in explaining intention/behavior toward fish consumption in Vietnamese families. This study utilizes a theoretical framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, but more focused on some other variables (ambivalence, family conflict and identity) in an extended model. The study reveals that attitude, family conflict, and family identity influence intention, while family norms factor do not exhibit a direct relationship with the intention to consume fish in Vietnam. In addition, ambivalence was negatively correlated with attitude, while interpersonal conflict was unrelated to attitude. Moreover, although social variables seem to be of vital importance in predicting attitude, only family identity and attitude enjoy positive correlation with high statistical significance. Family norms have a low impact on attitude while family conflict has no significance in predicting attitude towards fish. Also, family norm and family conflicts were mutually related. Further, the result does not support the hypothesis that family identity represents a moderator in the family norm-intention relationship. Finally, intention to eat fish is highly positively correlated to behavior to consume. However, there is no direct relationship between family identity and fish consumption behavior. The results of this study will shed some light on discovering the role of attitude, preference conflict, family norms, and family identity in explaining intention/behavior toward fish consumption in Vietnamese families. It will allow academics to better understand the complication of social variables and further develop future research in this area. Keywords: Fish consumption; attitude; preference conflict; ambivalence; family norms; family identity

Kinematic and dynamic modelling for a class of hybrid robots composed of m local closed-loop linkages appended to an n-link serial manipulator

Recently, more and more hybrid robots have been designed to meet the increasing demand for a wide spectrum of applications. However, development of a general and systematic method for kinematic design and dynamic analysis for hybrid robots is rare. Most publications deal with the kinematic and dynamic issues for individual hybrid robots rather than any generalization. Hence, in this paper, we present a novel method for kinematic and dynamic modelling for a class of hybrid robots. First, a generic scheme for the kinematic design of a general hybrid robot mechanism is proposed. In this manner, the kinematic equation and the constraint equations for the robot class are derived in a generalized case. Second, in order to simplify the dynamic modelling and analysis of the complex hybrid robots, a Lemma about the analytical relationship among the generalized velocities of a hybrid robot system is proven in a generalized case as well. Last, examples of the kinematic and dynamic modelling of a newly designed hybrid robot are presented to demonstrate and validate the proposed method

Artificial intelligence-based solutions for coffee leaf disease classification

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages and the quantity and quality of coffee beans depend significantly on the health and condition of coffee plants, particularly their leaves. The automation of coffee leaf disease classification using AI is an essential need, providing not only economic benefits but also contributing to environmental conservation and creating better conditions for sustainable coffee cultivation. Through the application of AI, early disease detection is facilitated, thereby reducing pest and disease control costs, minimizing crop losses, increasing coffee productivity and product quality, and promoting environmental preservation. Many studies have proposed AI algorithms for coffee disease classification. However, numerous algorithms employ classical algorithms, while some utilize deep learning, the current state-of-the-art in computer vision. The challenge lies in the fact that when using deep learning, a substantial amount of data is required for training. The design of deep learning architectures to enhance model accuracy while still working with a small training dataset remains an area of ongoing research. In this study, we propose deep learning-based method for coffee leaf disease classification. We propose the combination of different deep convolutional neural networks to further improve overall classification performance. Early and late fusion have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the pre-trained model. Our experimental results demonstrate that the ensemble method outperforms single-model approaches, achieving high accuracy and precision in BRACOL coffee disease leaf

SOME METEO - HYDRO - DYNAMICAL FEATURES IN MEKONG RIVER MOUTH AREA

This paper provides some meteo-hydro-dynamical features in Mekong River Mouth area which were based on statistical results from longtime measurement data such as wind, wave, sea water level, and river discharge. Study results show that distribution features of wind and wave characteristics are corresponding to seasonal variation. Predominant wind and wave directions during NE Monsoon period is NE, and in W, SW directions during SW Monsoon period. NE Monsoon period is from November to April (strongest in December and January), SW Monsoon period is from June to September (strongest in August). During NE Monsoon period the wind velocity and wave height were higher than that of SW Monsoon period. Variation of SWL at Vungtau Station shows that the tide is semi-diurnal with maximum value occurred during NE monsoon period (highest in November), and minimum value occurred during SW Monsoon period (lowest in June). Variation of river discharge is similarly at two stations (Mythuan and Cantho). During flood season (from July to December) average monthly discharge was ranged from 4,000 to 15,800 m3/s. During dry season (from January to May) average monthly discharge at both stations was less than 4,000 m3/s. Statistical data show that Mekong River Mouth area is a region of strong and complicated hydro-dynamical interaction processes between river and sea. Key words: Monsoon, North-East (NE), South-West (SW), Sea Water Level (SWL), River discharge, Mekong River

Antibiotic Resistance Profile and Methicillin-Resistant Encoding Genes of Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Bloodstream Infection Patients in Northern Vietnam

Background:  Evaluating the antibiotic susceptibility and resistance genes is essential in the clinical management of bloodstream infections (BSIs). Nevertheless, there are still limited studies in Northern Vietnam. AIM: This study aimed to determine the antibiotic resistance profile and methicillin-resistant encoding genes of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) causing BSIs in Northern Vietnam. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was done from December 2012 to June 2014 in two tertiary hospitals in Northern Vietnam. Tests performed at the lab of the hospital. RESULTS:  In 43 S. aureus strains isolating, 53.5 % were MRSA. Distribution of gene for overall, MRSA, and MSSA strains were following: mecA gene (58.1 %; 95.7%, and 15%), femA gene (48.8%, 47.8%, and 50%), femB gene (88.4%, 82.6%, and 95%). Antibiotic resistance was highest in penicillin (100%), followed by erythromycin (65.1%) and clindamycin (60.5%). Several antibiotics were susceptible (100%), including vancomycin, tigecycline, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin. Quinolone group was highly sensitive, include ciprofloxacin (83.7%), levofloxacin (86%) and moxifloxacin (86%). CONCLUSION:  In S. aureus causing BSIs, antibiotic resistance was higher in penicillin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. All strains were utterly susceptible to vancomycin, tigecycline, linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin

Antibiotic Resistance Profile and Diversity of Subtypes Genes in Escherichia coli Causing Bloodstream Infection in Northern Vietnam

BACKGROUND: Evaluating the antibiotic susceptibility and resistance genes is essential in the clinical management of bloodstream infections (BSIs). But there are still limited studies in Northern Vietnam. AIM: The aim of the study was to determine the antibiotic resistance profile and characteristics of subtypes genes in Escherichia coli causing BSIs in Northern Vietnam. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was done in the period from December 2012 to June 2014 in two tertiary hospitals in Northern Vietnam. Tests were performed at the lab of the hospital. RESULTS: In 56 E. coli strains isolating 39.29 % produced ESBL. 100% of the isolates harbored blaTEM gene, but none of them had the blaPER gene. The prevalence of ESBL producers and ESBL non-producers in blaCTX-M gene was 81.82%, and 73.53%, in blaSHV gene was 18.18% and 35.29%. Sequencing results showed three blaTEM subtypes (blaTEM 1, 79, 82), four blaCTX-M subtypes (blaCTX-M-15, 73, 98, 161), and eight blaSHV subtypes (blaSHV 5, 7, 12, 15, 24, 33, 57, 77). Antibiotic resistance was higher in ampicillin (85.71%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (64.29%) and cephazolin (50%). Antibiotics were still highly susceptible including doripenem (96.43%), ertapenem (94.64%), amikacin (96.43%), and cefepime (89.29%). CONCLUSION: In Escherichia coli causing BSIs, antibiotic resistance was higher in ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and cephazolin. Antibiotics was highly susceptible including doripenem, ertapenem, amikacin, and cefepime

ĐẶC ĐIỂM DÒNG CHẢY VEN BỜ BẮC TRUNG BỘ (HÀ TĨNH - THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ) THỜI KỲ 4/2016

This paper presents the modeled results of general current pattern (daily average value) in Northern Central Vietnam Coast (Ha Tinh - Thua Thien-Hue) during April 2016. Study results show that in general, current flowed from the North to the South with small and instable velocity (V ≈ 0.1 - 0.2 m/s). From 2nd to 6th April current flowed from the South to the North. From 7th to 29th April current flowed from the North to the South. During 13rd to 16th April current velocity was weak (V ≤ 0.1 m/s). In the southern region of Thua Thien-Hue province, the direction of current was instable (from 6th to 9th and from 20th to 22nd April current flowed from the South to the North). Current distribution pattern from modeled results was in accordance with the propagation characteristics of surface water temperatures in the studied area through data analysis of satellite images.Bài báo trình bày kết quả tính toán trường dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày cho khu vực ven bờ Bắc Trung Bộ (Hà Tĩnh - Thừa Thiên-Huế) thời kỳ 4/2016. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy trong thời gian nghiên cứu nhìn chung dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày có hướng từ bắc xuống nam, tốc độ tương đối nhỏ V ≈ 0,1 - 0,2 m/s và không ổn định. Từ 2-6/4/2016 dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày ven bờ có hướng từ nam lên bắc. Từ 7-29/4/2016 dòng chảy ven bờ có hướng từ bắc xuống nam. Các ngày 13-16/4/2016 dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày có tốc độ nhỏ (V ≤ 0,1 m/s). Khu vực phía nam Thừa Thiên-Huế dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày có hướng bị biến động mạnh nhất (các ngày 6-9/4 và 20-22/4 hướng dòng từ nam lên bắc). Đặc điểm phân bố dòng chảy tính toán tương đối phù hợp với đặc điểm lan truyền nhiệt độ nước tầng mặt tại khu vực nghiên cứu qua số liệu phân tích ảnh vệ tinh

Real time inverse kinematics of a general 5-axis CNC machine

In most of the previous investigations, the kinematics model of five-axis computer-numerical control (CNC) centers was formulated just at the position level, and the differential kinematic relationships (velocity, acceleration and jerk of the five joints of a five-axis center) that are necessary for several purposes, especially for investigating the relationship between the limits of a machine’s drives and the feed rate maximization (the productivity maximization), have been overlooked. Therefore, this paper addresses the differential kinematic modelling and analysis for the five-axis CNC centers. In particular, the differential kinematic equations are formulated in a parametric domain so that they are useful for investigating the kinematic behaviors of the five-axis centers in real time

Spatiotemporal evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants during large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19, Vietnam, 2021

We analyzed 1,303 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from Vietnam, and found the Alpha and Delta variants were responsible for a large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021. The Delta variant was confined to the AY.57 lineage and caused >1.7 million infections and >32,000 deaths. Viral transmission was strongly affected by nonpharmaceutical interventions

A Systematic Screen for Micro-RNAs Regulating the Canonical Wnt Pathway

MicroRNAs (miRs) and the canonical Wnt pathway are known to be dysregulated in human cancers and play key roles during cancer initiation and progression. To identify miRs that can modulate the activity of the Wnt pathway we performed a cell-based overexpression screen of 470 miRs in human HEK293 cells. We identified 38 candidate miRs that either activate or repress the canonical Wnt pathway. A literature survey of all verified candidate miRs revealed that the Wnt-repressing miRs tend to be anti-oncomiRs and down-regulated in cancers while Wnt-activating miRs tend to be oncomiRs and upregulated during tumorigenesis. Epistasis-based functional validation of three candidate miRs, miR-1, miR-25 and miR-613, confirmed their inhibitory role in repressing the Wnt pathway and suggest that while miR-25 may function at the level of â-catenin (β-cat), miR-1 and miR-613 act upstream of β-cat. Both miR-25 and miR-1 inhibit cell proliferation and viability during selection of human colon cancer cell lines that exhibit dysregulated Wnt signaling. Finally, transduction of miR-1 expressing lentiviruses into primary mammary organoids derived from Conductin-lacZ mice significantly reduced the expression of the Wnt-sensitive β-gal reporter. In summary, these findings suggest the potential use of Wnt-modulating miRs as diagnostic and therapeutic tools in Wnt-dependent diseases, such as cancer