IMPACT OF THE EVFTA AGREEMENT: A STUDY ON VIETNAM'S EXPORTED GOODS

Abstract The research aims to assess the quantitative impact of the Vietnam-European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) on Vietnam's export growth to the EU market. The study employs quantitative analysis using the SMART model with data on export turnover and scenarios of tariff reduction to 0% when EVFTA takes effect. Based on the export turnover data and necessary parameters, the analysis results show an increase in Vietnam's exports to the EU market when EVFTA becomes effective. As a result, the research proposes some implications to promote Vietnam's export activities to the EU in the future

Oral contraceptive use in girls and alcohol consumption in boys are associated with increased blood pressure in late adolescence

Aims: Lifestyle behaviours established during adolescence may adversely affect blood pressure (BP) and contribute to gender differences in cardiovascular risk in adulthood. We aimed to assess the association of health behaviours with BP in adolescents, using data from the Western Australian Pregnancy (Raine) Study. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis on 1248 Raine Study adolescents aged 17 years, to examine associations between lifestyle factors and BP. Results: Boys had 8.97 mmHg higher systolic BP, as compared with girls. The 30% of girls using oral contraceptives (OC) had 3.27 and 1.74 mmHg higher systolic and diastolic BP, respectively, compared with non-users. Alcohol consumption in boys, increasing body mass index (BMI) and the sodium-potassium ratio were associated with systolic BP. We found a continuous relationship between BMI and systolic BP in both genders; however, the gradient of this relationship was significantly steeper in boys, compared with girls not taking OC. In boys, systolic BP was 5.7 mmHg greater in alcohol consumers who were in the upper quartile of BMI and the urinary sodium-potassium ratio compared with teetotallers in the lowest quartile. In girls, systolic BP was 5.5 mmHg higher in those taking OC, in the highest BMI and urinary sodium-potassium ratio quartile as compared to those not taking the OC pill and in the lowest quartile. Conclusion: In addition to gender-related differences in the effects of adiposity on BP, we found lifestyle-related health behaviours such as high salt intake for both sexes, consumption of alcohol in boys, and OC use in girls were important factors associated with BP measurements in late adolescence. This suggests that gender-specific behavioural modification in adolescence may prevent adult hypertension

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2_{2}-Fe@CNTs Nanocomposite for Methylene Blue Degradation under Visible Light Irradiation

TiO2 is one of the most attractive metal oxides because of the excellent chemical and photocatalytic properties. However, a problem in the application of TiO2 is the large band gap energy of 3.2 eV, corresponding to its photocatalytic activity under UV-light irradiation of wavelengths 387 nm. In this work, TiO2 nanoparticles doped with iron were grown on the surface of functionalized carbon nanotubes (TiO2-Fe@CNTs) to expand the photoabsorbance of the nanocomposite materials in the visible light region and improve their photocatalytic activity. TiO2-Fe@CNTs nanocomposite materials were synthesized by hydrothermal route in Teflon-sealed autoclave at 180oC for 10h. The FE-SEM and X-Ray diffraction measurements were taken for morphology and structural analysis of TiO2 nanoparticles doped with Fe coating on CNTs. The effects of the iron and CNTs on the enhanced photocatalytic activity for methylene blue degradation under AM 1.5 illumination of 100 mW.cm−2 were investigated

Optical Imaging and Radiometric Modeling and Simulation

OPTOOL software is a general-purpose optical systems analysis tool that was developed to offer a solution to problems associated with computational programs written for the James Webb Space Telescope optical system. It integrates existing routines into coherent processes, and provides a structure with reusable capabilities that allow additional processes to be quickly developed and integrated. It has an extensive graphical user interface, which makes the tool more intuitive and friendly. OPTOOL is implemented using MATLAB with a Fourier optics-based approach for point spread function (PSF) calculations. It features parametric and Monte Carlo simulation capabilities, and uses a direct integration calculation to permit high spatial sampling of the PSF. Exit pupil optical path difference (OPD) maps can be generated using combinations of Zernike polynomials or shaped power spectral densities. The graphical user interface allows rapid creation of arbitrary pupil geometries, and entry of all other modeling parameters to support basic imaging and radiometric analyses. OPTOOL provides the capability to generate wavefront-error (WFE) maps for arbitrary grid sizes. These maps are 2D arrays containing digital sampled versions of functions ranging from Zernike polynomials to combination of sinusoidal wave functions in 2D, to functions generated from a spatial frequency power spectral distribution (PSD). It also can generate optical transfer functions (OTFs), which are incorporated into the PSF calculation. The user can specify radiometrics for the target and sky background, and key performance parameters for the instrument s focal plane array (FPA). This radiometric and detector model setup is fairly extensive, and includes parameters such as zodiacal background, thermal emission noise, read noise, and dark current. The setup also includes target spectral energy distribution as a function of wavelength for polychromatic sources, detector pixel size, and the FPA s charge diffusion modulation transfer function (MTF)

Investigating the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from Gymnema sylvestre and Curcuma longa in Vietnam

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are soil eukaryotes that belong to phylum Glomeromycota and have symbiosis with the vast majority of higher plants’ roots. AM fungi are believed to be coevolved with terrestrial plants, the abundance and diversity of AM fungal communities as a result are host plant dependent. A survey of AM fungi from the rhizospheres of medicinal plants in Northern Vietnam including gurma Gymnema sylvestre and turmeric Curcuma longa was carried out. From the extracted total DNAs of the medicinal plants’ rhizosphere soil samples, 35 mycorrhizal fungal species were identified by analyzing small subunit rRNA gene sequences. Result revealed that genus Glomus is the most abundant in the AM communities of G. sylvestre and C. longa, followed by Gigaspora and Acaulospora. Besides, AM species belonging to genera Scutellospora, Diversispora and Rhizophagus were observed in almost all rhizosphere soil samples. The spore counting by wet sieving and decanting method uncovered a variation in AM spore density of gurma and turmeric rhizosphere. In general, AM species were found more abundantly and more diverse in collected rhizome soil samples of C. longa (27 species belonging to 10 genera) than of G. sylvestre (17 species found belonging to 7 genera). The observed difference in AM communities of G. sylvestre and C. longa supports evidence for the dependence of AM fungal species on host plants, and indicates that AM fungi may have relation to the host plants’ secondary metabolite production

Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in Investigating Consumption Behavior in Vietnam

This study explored the consumer behavior based on TPB model in Vietnam. The hypotheses are empirically tested using survey data obtained from consumer who purchased green products of household appliances in Hanoi– the capital of Vietnam. During the study, the research team added the “trend” variable which is a characteristic variable in Vietnam. The results of the multiple regression analysis show that attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, trend have significant and positive effect on household appliances product. The research findings are discussed and implications for government, manufacturing businesses, retail businesses to embrace green consumption behavior Keywords: Consumption Behavior; Vietnam; TPB; Household appliances DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-18-16 Publication date:June 30th 202

Nanocomposite Thin Film TiO2/CdS Electrodes Prepared by Thermal Evaporation Process for Photovoltaic Applications

The incorporation of cadmium sulfide (CdS) into TiO2 nanoparticle thin films was investigated. The nanoparticle TiO2 thin film onto an indium doped–tin oxide (ITO) substrate was deposited by Electron Beam Deposition (EBD) combined with thermal process. Then a CdS thin film was vacuum-deposited onto the pre-deposited TiO2 film by a thermal evaporation technique. The obtained TiO2/CdS was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The TiO2/CdS nanocomposite film was used in a photo-electrochemical (PEC) cell as a working electrode and a platinum electrode as a counter electrode. The electrolyte solution contains 1 M KCl and 0.1M Na2S. The results show that the cell with TiO2/CdS composite film electrode has significantly improved photoelectric capability in comparison with that of the pure TiO2 thin films

Spectroscopic and Photoluminescent Properties of Nanostructured Polyfluorenes/TiO2 Composite Films used for OLEDs

In this work we present spectroscopic and photoluminescent properties of nanostructured polymeric composite films of nanocrystalline TiO2 and polyfuorenes (PF+nc-TiO2). The films were deposited onto glass and KBr substrates by spin-coating PF-in-toluene solution with embedding of 5-nm thick nc-TiO2 particles. The nc-TiO2 wt concentration embedded in PF was chosen as 1%, 2% and 4%. The FTIR, FTR, UV-VIS-NIR and photoluminescence characterization were carried-out to study the influence of oxide nanoparticles on the absorption spectra, molecular structures and emissive luminescence of the composites. It was shown that the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles results in improvement of charge separation of carriers generated by light excitation. Under a short wavelength excitation, in some samples a PL enhancement was observed. Under normal or long wavelength excitation, PF fluorescence quenching occurred for all the composites. Aging process of the composites was also investigated

Structure and Electrochemical Impedance of LiNix_{x}Mn2−x_{2 - x}O4_{4}

Ni-substitution spinel LiNixMn2−xO4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2) materials were synthesized by the sol--gel method. The structure and  morphology of the samples were characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD)  and the scanning electron microscopy. The ac conduction of the materials was  investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements.  The refinement results showed that the substitution of Ni decreased the  lattice constant and Mn--O distance, while increased Li--O bond length and  16c octahedral volume. The EIS results confirmed the decrease of  conductivity with increasing Ni substitution content. Based on XRD and EIS  results, the relationship between the crystal structure and electrochemical  behavior of the materials was discussed and explained