RESEARCH TRENDS ON COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM IN THE PERIOD 2013 - 2023

Community-based tourism (CBT) has been around since the 1970s and so far, has grown in popularity in most continents. This study systematically evaluates and generalizes theoretical and practical issues on CBT based on 87 related articles published in scientific journals under the Scopus system from 2013 to 2023 through the application of content analysis methods. The results also show that research in this area has different research areas and mainly uses qualitative methods. The literature review identified a number of key themes including: (1) benefits of CBT development, (2) community and stakeholder engagement, (3) advantages and barriers in CBT development, (4) community perceptions about CBT, and (5) sustainable CBT development. The article has analyzed research trends on CBT: theory and application.  Article visualizations

Towards Green Tourism Development: Customers’ Perception of Using Plastic Products in the 5-star Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City

In recent years, green tourism has become a development trend, attracting the attention of the community, tourism businesses and tourists in many countries around the world. However, the approach of green tourism development in Vietnam is still limited in terms of scale and participants. This article examines the situation of using plastic products and the plastic waste treatment in the 5-star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City. Specifically, this study aims to explore the perception of customers of the use of plastic products. By doing so, the study contributes to clarifying the current situation of green tourism development in the hotel sector in the study area. The authors used the research methods of questionnaire, semi-structured interview and non-participant observation to conduct this study. Research results show that although the use of plastic products in hotels is still high, the plastic waste treatment is not thorough because of high treatment costs. But, the hotels tend to change policy on the treatment of plastic waste in an environmentally friendly manner. Besides, customers’ perception of plastic products is completely positive related to their attitudes when using, the willingness to pay and the desire to access more environmentally friendly services and products in the hotel sector. Based on the results, the article also discusses and suggests implications and approaches to developing products and services in hotels towards the development of green tourism and sustainable tourism in the future

Spatial Variation of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in Agricultural Soils Collected from Different Geographical Regions in Vietnam

Rare earth elements (REEs) exist commonly in minerals, such as carbonates, silicates, fluorides, and phosphates. REEs are also found in coals, animals, algae, and plants which were proven to increase the growth, development, yield, and quality of crops. In the present study, a preliminary assessment of REEs contents in soils collected from different areas in Vietnam was performed using the methods of Fe(OH)3 and Mg(OH)2 co-precipitation to exclude interferences from the sample matrix before analyzing REEs on ICP-MS system. The contents of REEs (mg kg-1) were in descending of Ce > Nd > La > Pr > Sm > Gd > Dy > Tb > Er > Yb > Lu. The light REEs contents were always higher than the heavy REEs, accounting for more than 70% of the total contents. In addition, the REEs also differed in total contents between areas. The contents of REEs were as follows Northwest > Northeast > Central Highland > Southeast. These differences could be related to influences during the natural weathering processes for soil formation and human activities such as mining and cultivation via fertilizers

THỰC VẬT PHÙ DU VÙNG BIỂN VEN BỜ ĐÀ NẴNG

Phytoplankton, especially community characteristics, in coastal waters of Da Nang have not been well studied. This present study analyzed data of phytoplankton for diversity and abundance from surveys from 2002 to 2016 at 44 stations in the coastal Da Nang waters. A total of 316 taxa from 9 classes were identified: Dinophyceae (134 taxa), Mediophyceae (77 taxa), Coscinodiscophyceae (44 taxa), Bacillariophyceae (36 taxa), Cyanophyceae (3 taxa), Dictyochophyceae (2 taxa), Bacillariophyta classis incertae sedis (1 taxon), Conjugatophyceae (1 taxon) and Thecofilosea (1 taxon). A list of 36 species of potentially harmful microalgae was recorded in coastal waters of Da Nang. In which, Pseudo-nitzschia spp. often had higher cell densities in some locations during the northeast monsoon. Analyzing diversity indices in different locations showed that there were significance differences of Margalef and Shannon indices, low in estuarine area (CS) and higher in the south of Son Tra peninsula (NST). Meanwhile no strong differences of Pielou and Simpson indices were found among the locations. However, there were strong differences of Margalef, Simpson and Pielou indices, which were found over the three studied years (2004, 2005, and 2006), mainly in NST, the northeast of Son Tra peninsula (DBST) and Da Nang bay (VDN). Analysis of species accumulation curves indicated that only 56–95% of species  was found compared to maximal expected species richness in all studied locations. DMS analysis showed that there was year-based similarity among the years (ca. 50% of similarity) of phytoplankton communities. Among the studied years, average phytoplankton cell densities in Da Nang bay and the northeast of Son Tra were higher than those in other years and locations. This present study on species richness, expected species richness and variation in phytoplankton abundance suggested that there is a need of increasing sampling efforts, especially in riverine area and DBST for better understanding of characteristics of phytoplankton communities in coastal Da Nang waters.Thực vật phù du là đối tượng ít được nghiên cứu ở vùng biển ven bờ Đà Nẵng, nhất là những đặc trưng về thành phần loài và cấu trúc quần xã. Trong bài báo này, chúng tôi phân tích số liệu về đa dạng loài và sự phong phú của thực vật phù du thu thập được trong các chuyến khảo sát từ năm 2002 đến năm 2016 ở 44 trạm trong vùng biển ven bờ Đà Nẵng. Kết quả phân tích đã xác định được 316 loài và dưới loài thuộc 9 lớp tảo khác nhau. Trong các loài thực vật phù du ghi nhận được, có 36 loài tảo có khả năng gây hại, trong đó mật độ của Pseudo-nitzschia spp. cao hơn tại một số khu vực trong thời kỳ gió mùa Đông Bắc. Phân tích các chỉ số theo từng khu vực, có thể thấy chỉ số giàu có loài Margalef và chỉ số đa dạng Shannon khác nhau đáng kể giữa các khu vực, thấp ở cửa sông trong vịnh Đà Nẵng và cao ở nam bán đảo Sơn Trà. Trong khi các chỉ số cân bằng Pielou và đa dạng Simpson lại không khác biệt giữa các khu vực. Tuy nhiên, sự đa dạng và độ giàu có loài lại có sự khác biệt giữa các năm 2004, 2005 và 2016, chủ yếu ở nam bán đảo Sơn Trà, đông bắc bán đảo Sơn Trà và vịnh Đà Nẵng. Phân tích độ giàu có loài cho thấy hầu hết các khu vực đều chỉ ghi nhận được từ 56% đến 95% số loài mong đợi. Phân tích cấu trúc quần xã thực vật phù du thu thể hiện sự biến động giữa các năm nghiên cứu với mức độ tương đồng trong năm xấp xỉ 50%. So sánh trung bình mật độ thực vật phù du thu của từng khu vực cho thấy mật độ vào năm 2005 cao hơn hẳn so với các năm khác ở vịnh Đà Nẵng và đông bắc Sơn Trà. Các phân tích về độ giàu có loài, loài mong đợi và biến động mật độ thực vật phù du thu cho thấy dù vùng biển nghiên cứu được ghi nhận thành phần loài thực vật phù du thu cao, nhưng số lượng trạm và thời gian thu mẫu ở vùng biển Đà nẵng nhất là khu vực cửa sông cần được thu thập nhiều hơn, vẫn cần thu thập thêm vật mẫu ở tất cả các khu vực, nhất là vùng cửa sông trong vịnh Đà Nẵng và đông bắc bán đảo Sơn Trà

Performance of Sampling/Resampling-based Particle Filters Applied to Non-Linear Problems

In this work, we propose a wireless body area sensor network (WBASN) to monitor patient position. Localization and tracking are enhanced by improving the effect of the received signal strength (RSS) variation. First, we propose a modified particle filter (PF) that adjusts resampling parameters for the Kullback-Leibler distance (KLD)-resampling algorithm to ameliorate the effect of RSS variation by generating a sample set near the high-likelihood region. The key issue of this method is to use a resampling parameter lower bound for reducing both the root mean square error (RMSE) and the mean number of particles used. To determine this lower bound, an optimal algorithm is proposed based on the maximum RMSE between the proposed algorithm and the KLD-resampling algorithm or based on the maximum mean number of particles used of these algorithms. Finally, PFs based on KLD-sampling and KLD-resampling are proposed to minimize the efficient number of particles and to reduce the estimation error compared to traditional algorithms

Child stunting is associated with child, maternal, and environmental factors in Vietnam

Child stunting in Vietnam has reduced substantially since the turn of the century but has remained relatively high for several years. We analysed data on children 6–59 months (n = 85,932) from the Vietnam Nutritional Surveillance System, a nationally representative cross‐sectional survey. Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to estimate relative risk (RR) of stunting, stratified by child age and ecological region. Covariates at the child, maternal, household, and environmental levels were included based on available data and the World Health Organization conceptual framework on child stunting. Among children 6–23 months, the strongest associations with child stunting were child age in years (RR: 2.49; 95% CI [2.26, 2.73]), maternal height < 145 cm compared with ≥150 cm (RR: 2.04; 95% CI [1.85, 2.26]), living in the Northeast compared with the Southeast (RR: 2.01; 95% CI [1.69, 2.39]), no maternal education compared with a graduate education (RR: 1.77; 95% CI, [1.44, 2.16]), and birthweight < 2,500 g (RR: 1.75; 95% CI [1.55, 1.98]). For children 24–59 months, the strongest associations with child stunting were no maternal education compared with a graduate education (RR: 2.07; 95% CI [1.79, 2.40]), living in the Northeast compared with the Southeast (RR: 1.94; 95% CI [1.74, 2.16]), and maternal height < 145 cm compared with ≥150 cm (RR: 1.81; 95% CI [1.69, 1.94]). Targeted approaches that address the strongest stunting determinants among vulnerable populations are needed and discussed. Multifaceted approaches outside the health sector are also needed to reduce inequalities in socioeconomic status.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151838/1/mcn12826.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151838/2/mcn12826_am.pd

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

Chemical Components of Essential Oils From the Leaves of Seven Species Belonging to Rutaceae Family from Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve, Vietnam

Several plant species of the Rutaceae family are medicinal plants, oil bearing and food crops. To provide more information for utilization of some species of this family in Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve, we extracted essential oils from the leaves of seven species of the Rutaceae family: Acronychia pedunculata (L.) Miq., Atalantia citroides Pierre ex Guillaumin, Clausena excavata Burm.f., Glycosmis pentaphylla (Retz.) DC., Luvunga scandens (Roxb.) Buch.-Ham. ex Wight & Arn, Melicope pteleifolia (Champ. ex Benth.) T.G. Hartley, and Micromelum sp., via hydrodistillation, and identified their components using GC/MS analysis. A total of 60 compounds were identified from essential oils of seven species. The main components of the essential oils isolated from five species, including A. pedunculata, C. excavata, M. pteleifolia, G. pentaphylla, and Micromelum sp., were caryophyllene (57.63% and 55.41% in A. pedunculata and C. excavata, respectively), 1,9-decadiyne (32.59%, M. pteleifolia), β-ocimene (23.10%, G. pentaphylla), and 3-carene (58.03%, Micromelum sp.). Additionally, this study revealed the chemical composition of essential oils of L. scandens and A. citroides for the first time. The main constituent of A. citroides was 7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0] heptane, 3-oxiranyl- (53.91%) and that of L. scandens was caryophyllene (34.66%). These findings provide the basis for further application of these species in medicine

Partial food systems baseline assessment at the Vietnam benchmark sites

Using data collected from a cross-sectional study in Moc Chau, Dong Anh and Cau Giay districts in Vietnam, this report aims to elucidate specific components of local Vietnamese food systems along a rural to urban transect focusing specifically on (i) diets, (ii) nutrition status (anthropometry), (iii) consumer behavior, (iv) food environment, and (v) food flows

Disinfection performance of an ultraviolet lamp: a CFD investigation

Ultraviolet (UV)-based devices have shown their effectiveness on various germicidal purposes. To serve their design optimisation, the disinfection effectiveness of a vertically cylindrical UV lamp, whose wattage ranges from P = 30 − 100 W, is numerically investigated in this work. The UV radiation is solved by the Finite Volume Method together with the Discrete Ordinates model. Various results for the UV intensity and its bactericidal effects against several popular virus types, i.e., Corona-SARS, Herpes (type 2), and HIV, are reported and analysed in detail. Results show that the UV irradiance is greatly dependent on the lamp power. Additionally, it is indicated that the higher the lamp wattage employed, the larger the bactericidal rate is observed, resulting in the greater effectiveness of the UV disinfection process. Nevertheless, the wattage of P ≤ 100W is determined to be insufficient for an effective disinfection performance in a whole room; higher values of power must hence be considered in case intensive sterilization is required. Furthermore, the germicidal effect gets reduced with the viruses less sensitive to UV rays, e.g, the bactericidal rate against the HIV virus is only ∼8.98% at the surrounding walls