The use of linguistic units and their implicatures in the listening section of TOEFL iBT test

Implicature is a means of conveying what speakers mean linguistically, and it is most commonly used in spoken language. Identifying the possible interpretations and discovering the implied meanings of the information, nevertheless, are really challenging for non-native English speakers, especially for ESL/EFL test-takers who are under testing pressure. This descriptive study, therefore, aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively explore the language units and their implicatures used in the listening section of TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language versioned Internet-based test). A corpus consisting of 87 lectures, 97 long conversations, and 31 short conversations/adjacency pairs that were sourced from TOEFL iBT materials was developed. The framework employed to analyze data was based on the initial lists of triggers proposed by Gazdar (1979), Grice (1978), Levinson (1993), and Yule (1996). The findings reveal that linking words are the most common linguistic units while set phrases are the least common ones that are used to trigger implicatures in the listening section of TOEFL iBT materials. Additionally, diverse implicatures of linguistic units used in the listening section of TOEFL iBT are uncovered

GENETIC POLYMORPHISM OF 23 Y-CHROMOSOME SHORT TANDEM REPEAT LOCI IN THE KINH POPULATION OF VIETNAM

Y-chromosome microsatellites or short tandem repeats (STRs) have been proved to be ideal markers to delineate the differences between individuals in human population. Nowadays, Y-STR testing using the PowerPlex® Y23 amplification kit is considered as an extremely sensitive analysis method and has the potential to be used to perform forensic caseworks, and to explore the complexity in population substructures. However, little is known about the forensic Y-chromosome databases in the Vietnam population. In this study, 23 Y-STR loci (DYS576, DYS389I, DYS389 II, DYS448, DYS19, DYS391, DYS481, DYS549, DYS533, DYS438, DYS437, DYS570, DYS635, DYS390, DYS439, DYS392, DYS393, DYS458 DYS456, DYS643, YGATAH4, and DYS385a/b) were investigated in 120 non-related males of the Kinh population in Northern Vietnam using PowerPlex® Y23 system kit (Promega). Our results showed that allele frequencies of 23 loci in the sample population, with the calculated average gene diversity (GD) for each locus, ranged from 0.24 (DYS438) to 0.92 (DYS385a/b). In addition, a total of 120 different haplotypes were found, all of them were unique. Therefore, we found that the haplotype diversity was 1 with a discrimination capacity of 100%, which serves as an essential prerequisite for using Y-chromosomal STR with PowerPlex® Y23 System kit in forensic application in Vietnam. We also compared genetic distances between Kinh population and 10 other neighboring populations from Y-chromosome haplotype reference database (YHRD). The Kinh population is significantly different from other populations. In conclusion, it was indicated that the 23 Y-STR loci were highly genetically polymorphic in the Kinh population in Vietnam and might be of great value in forensic application

Characterization of cassava production systems in Vietnam.

Using a nationally representative survey of cassava-growing households in Vietnam and a robust method of varietal identification based on DNA fingerprinting, this paper provides a broad picture of cassava production and socio-economic characteristics of cassava producers in the country. It presents a descriptive analysis of cassava production practices, varietal use, varietal preferences, as well as cassava utilization, and marketing. Results indicate that more than 85% of the cassava area in Vietnam is planted to improved varieties. The average yield at national level is 19 tons per hectare. About 69% of total cassava produced per household is sold as either fresh roots and/or dried chips. The remaining 31% is either for own consumption or for livestock feed. Of all the six regions surveyed, the Southeast is characterized by the most intensive cassava production practices. It also has the largest average cassava area per household, the highest percentage of tractor use, and a higher percentage of fertilizer application on cassava fields. The findings suggest that there are huge challenges for sustainable cassava intensification, specifically in identifying the needs for market diversification, dealing with emerging pests and diseases, and implementing adequate soil management practices. This is particularly challenging in a system that is driven by the need to maximize output with minimum investment. Future research and development should focus on integrated value chain development with multiple actors focusing attention on integrated pest and disease management, seed systems development, breeding for resistance and earliness, and climate change adaptation, among others

Structure of general-population antibody titer distributions to influenza A virus.

Seroepidemiological studies aim to understand population-level exposure and immunity to infectious diseases. Their results are normally presented as binary outcomes describing the presence or absence of pathogen-specific antibody, despite the fact that many assays measure continuous quantities. A population's natural distribution of antibody titers to an endemic infectious disease may include information on multiple serological states - naiveté, recent infection, non-recent infection, childhood infection - depending on the disease in question and the acquisition and waning patterns of immunity. In this study, we investigate 20,152 general-population serum samples from southern Vietnam collected between 2009 and 2013 from which we report antibody titers to the influenza virus HA1 protein using a continuous titer measurement from a protein microarray assay. We describe the distributions of antibody titers to subtypes 2009 H1N1 and H3N2. Using a model selection approach to fit mixture distributions, we show that 2009 H1N1 antibody titers fall into four titer subgroups and that H3N2 titers fall into three subgroups. For H1N1, our interpretation is that the two highest-titer subgroups correspond to recent and historical infection, which is consistent with 2009 pandemic attack rates. Similar interpretations are available for H3N2, but right-censoring of titers makes these interpretations difficult to validate

Salt-tolerant rice variety adoption in the Mekong River Delta: Farmer adaptation to sea-level rise.

Rice production in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam (MRD) is endangered by sea-level rise and an associated increase in the incidence of salinity intrusion. This paper examines the diffusion of salt tolerant rice varieties in the MRD that were promoted through Consortium for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE) activities. Factors associated with adoption of CURE-related varieties are estimated using a random utilty model and a dataset of 800 farm households with rice fields in salinity prone areas of the MRD. Results suggest that there has been widespread adoption of CURE-related varieties in salinity-prone areas. Further, multivariate analysis reveals that environment and location characteristics, rather than household characteristics, are the most important determinants of adoption. In particular, CURE-related varieties are more likely to be adopted in high-salinity-risk areas that are not protected by salinity barrier gates. Neighbhors' adoption decisions also strongly influence household decisions to adopt CURE-related varieties. The contracting of mechanization, particularly for land preparation and harvest, requires the coordination of village households in timing of planting, harvest and varietal duration. This coordination appears to extend to choice of CURE-related varieties. Finally, CURE-related varieties and other varieties generate similar net revenues in a year with low salinity exposure, suggesting that CURE-related varieties are a low-cost insurance policy against salinity inundation in high risk areas. Combined, these results highlight the need to address complex factors beyond current economic profits, like environment, community choices, and risk mitigation, when designing technologies and policies that support farmer adaptation to climatic change

Cryptocurrency investment using the analytic hierarchy process

Paired with digital currency, blockchain technology has gained immense popularity due to its transformative effects on traditional business processes. This research relies on secondary data from academic literature to identify influential factors in investors’ cryptocurrency decisions. Financial experts’ judgment employs descriptive analysis and a normative research approach. Addressing gaps, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model contributes to a comprehensive understanding of cryptocurrency indicators, combining fundamental and technical analyses. The outcome is an AHP model with a critical ranking of 15 criteria for multicriteria decision-making, encompassing five groups: crypto profile, economics, technical, social, and risk factors, all drawn from prior research. The paper finds that the technical analysis group is less important than other groups. Moreover, the indicator of market capital is the most significant to consider for cryptocurrency analysis before investment. This approach introduces a psychological dimension to investors’ choices, enhancing rational decisions in the digital currency realm and aiming to maximize investment profits.Đại học Kinh tế Thành phố Hồ Chí Min

Trace Metal Element Analysis in Some Seafood in the Coastal Zone of the Red River (Ba Lat Estuary, Vietnam) by Green Sample Preparation and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Fisheries and aquaculture production in the coastal zone of Vietnam contribute significantly to the national economy. However, seafood quality and safety, especially in terms of metal contents, are of increasing concern, for both domestic and international markets. This paper presents the results of an investigation in some trace metal elements (iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg)) concentrations in some fishes, crustaceans, and molluscs in the coastal zone of the Red River (in the Ba Lat estuary in Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces) during four sampling campaigns in 2020. All samples were treated by a green sample preparation using microwave digestion and then analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed that the trace metal element concentrations in fish, crustacean, and mollusc samples decreased in the following order: Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > As > Cd ∼ Hg. In more details, the ranges of trace metal elements in seafood samples were 13.13–202.73; 7.63–82.71; 0.48–22.73; 0.72–15.58; 0.18–5.12; 0.001–1.114; and 0.001–0.923 mg·kg−1 for Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, As, Cd, and Hg, respectively. The research results contribute to the dataset of the seafood (both fishery and aquacultural seafood) quality in the Red River coastal zone. Although the mean values of different trace metal elements observed in this study were lower than the allowed values of Vietnam’s or European’s threshold for food safety, some high concentrations were detected. The survey results suggest the need to expand the monitoring scope (frequency of monitoring, number of samples, and observed variables) for obtaining a fully comprehensive assessment of seafood quality in this region. Our results also indicate that it is necessary to manage water quality in coastal areas, especially where aquaculture activities are carried out