Records of birds in Quang Nam Chau proposed Species and Habitat conservation area, Quang Ninh province, northeastern Vietnam

Quang Nam Chau is a proposed species and habitat conservation area located in Quang Ninh province, northeastern Vietnam. The area is covered by primary forest and plays an important role in watershed protection. However, there has not been any previous ornithological study conducted in the area. This study was carried out in October and November 2021 to investigate the diversity of bird species and identify the current threats to avifauna and biodiversity in Quang Nam Chau. A total of 121 bird species belonging to 47 families and 17 orders were identified, with Passeriformes (73 species, 60.3%) and Muscicapidae (11 species, RDi = 9.09) being the most diverse order and family, respectively. Five of the 121 recorded species were globally threatened, and 29 were nationally rare and/or threatened. The avifauna and general biodiversity of the region are threatened by illegal hunting and trapping, agriculture expansion, grazing, and non-timber resource exploitation

TÌNH HÌNH BỆNH TRÊN CÁ BÓP (Rachycentron canadum) VÀ CÁ MÚ (Epinephelus sp.) NUÔI LỒNG BIỂN Ở QUẦN ĐẢO NAM DU, HUYỆN KIÊN HẢI, TỈNH KIÊN GIANG

The study was conducted to investigate the current status of marine fish diseases in cobia and grouper cage culture in Nam Du islands, Kien Hai district, Kien Giang province. Cobia cage culture (n = 25) and grouper cage culture farmers (n = 25) were directly interviewed from October to December 2013. The results showed that the diseases on cobia and grouper yearly occurred but mainly in two periods of April - May and July to September. The main diseases were reported during cobia culture including ulceration (72%), hemorrhage (64%) and exophthalmia (100%). Parasitic infection was also reported. Chemical was not commonly used during culture period, but antibiotics were used to treat the bacterial diseases. The most common antibiotics were tetracycline, streptomycin, rifamycin and oxytetracycline. Farmers reported grouper diseases comprising ulceration (50%), hemorrhage (38.4%), exophthalmia (11.5%) and parasite infections (23.1%). During husbandry practices, some chemicals (Potassium permanganate, Iodine, Copper sulfate) and antibiotics (rifamycin, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, ampicillin, nutroplex) were limitedly used.Tình hình bệnh trên cá bóp và cá mú nuôi lồng biển ở quần đảo Nam Du, huyện Kiên Hải, tỉnh Kiên Giang được khảo sát thông qua phỏng vấn trực tiếp 25 hộ nuôi cá bóp và 25 hộ nuôi cá mú từ tháng 10-12/2013. Kết quả khảo sát cho thấy, bệnh trên cá bóp và cá mú xuất hiện quanh năm nhưng tập trung chủ yếu vào tháng 4-5 và tháng 7-9. Các bệnh xuất hiện trên cá bóp gồm bệnh lở loét chiếm 72%, xuất huyết 64%, mù mắt 100% và trong quá trình nuôi không có sử dụng hóa chất, chỉ sử dụng các loại kháng sinh dùng để trị bệnh như tetracycline, streptomycin, rifamycin, oxytetracycline. Các bệnh xuất hiện trên cá mú gồm bệnh lở loét chiếm 50%, xuất huyết 38,4%, mù mắt 11,5% và 23,1% bệnh do ký sinh trùng và trong quá trình nuôi cá mú các loại hóa chất (thuốc tím, iodine, sunfat đồng) và các loại kháng sinh (rifamycin, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, ampicillin, nutroplex) rất ít được sử dụng. Hầu hết người nuôi còn thiếu kiến thức về chẩn đoán và phòng, trị bệnh trên cá nuôi

The status of southern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus siki) in Truong Son key biodiversity area

The Southern white-cheeked crested gibbon, Nomascus siki, is an endemic primate to Vietnam and Laos, and has been identified as a nationally and globally endangered species (EN). However, little information is known on the status of the species in Vietnam generally and in the Truong Son key biodiversity area (Truong Son KBA) particularly. In order to explore the current status of the species in the Truong Son KBA, we conducted field surveys in 2018 and 2019. Analysis of the survey data shows 149 groups of gibbon in the 4 study areas. Combined with results of similar-techniqued survey in 2016 on the same species in Khe Nuoc Trong forest, we identified at least 252 gibbon groups and estimated 425 gibbon groups in the entire Truong Son KBA. These gibbon groups are mainly distributed in medium-rich evergreen closed forests in mountainous areas of the west Truong Son KBA, adjacent to the Vietnam-Laos border.

Design and simulation of automotive radar for autonomous vehicles

Modern automobile technology is pushing towards maximizing road safety, connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles, etc. Automotive RADAR is core sensor technology used for ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Technology), ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking System), traffic assistance, parking aid, and obstacle/pedestrian detection. Despite being inexpensive, RADAR technology provides robust results in harsh conditions such as harsh weather, extreme temperature, darkness, etc. However, the performance of these systems depends on the position of the RADAR and its characteristics like frequency, beamwidth, and bandwidths. Moreover, the characterization of varied materials like layers of paint, polish, primer, or layer of rainwater needs to be analyzed. This performance can be predicted through real-time simulation using advanced FEM software like Altair FEKO&WinProp. These simulations can provide valuable insight into the performance of the system, allowing engineers to optimize the system for specific use cases. For example, simulation can be used to determine the optimal parameters of the RADAR system for a given application. This information can then be used to design and build a physical model or prototype that is optimized for the desired performance. These simulations play a prominent role in determining appropriate data collection and sensor fusion, which reduces the cost and time required for the development of a physical model or prototype. The continued growth and demand for advanced safety features in vehicles further highlight the importance of RADAR technology in modern automobile technology. By accurately characterizing the environment and simulating the system's behavior in real time, engineers can optimize RADAR systems for specific use cases, contributing to safer and more efficient driving experience

Gauge Bosons in the 3-3-1 Model with Three Neutrino Singlets

We show that the mass matrix of electrically neutral gauge bosons in the recent proposed  model based on $\mathrm{SU}(3)_C\otimes \mathrm{SU}(3)_L\otimes \mathrm{U}(1)_X$ group with three neutrino singlets [9] has two exact eigenvalues and corresponding eigenvectors. Hence the neutral non-Hermitian gauge boson $X^0_\mu$ is properly determined.With extra vacuum expectation values of the Higgs fields, there are mixings among charged gauge bosons $W^\pm$ and $Y^\pm$ as well as amongneutral gauge bosons $Z, Z'$ and $X^0$. From the $W$ boson decay width, we get lower bound on  scale of the model about few TeVs

Geographic isolation created distinct pelage characters in Finlayson’s squirrel on isolated island offshore of the Indochina Peninsula in Central Vietnam

We found distinct pelage characters in Finlayson’s squirrel (Callosciurus finlaysonii) population, which is endemic to Lao Island of the Cham Islands, located off the coast of central Vietnam. Among squirrels of the ‘C. erythraeus-finlaysonii complex’, which consists of all forms of C. erythraeus and C. finlaysonii, mitochondrial cytochrome-b sequences show that the Lao Island squirrel forms a cluster with C. finlaysonii with external characters of C. erythraeus flavimanus, defined previously as ‘C. finlaysonii morpha flavimanus’. Both squirrel forms, however, differed in pelage colour. This different colouration may have arisen from the effect of geographic isolation

Sintering behavior and physical properties of Bi0.5(Na1–xKx)0.5SnO3 lead-free ceramics

In this study, Bi0.5(Na1–xKx)0.5SnO3 (BNKS) ceramics (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) were fabricated via ultrasound wave before milling. The time of ball milling decreased from 20 to 1 h. The X-ray diffraction patterns show that the BNKS has a single-phase structure. When the potassium content increases, the phase structure of the ceramics changes from rhombohedral to tetragonal. When sintered at 1100 °C and x = 0.2, the ceramics’ physical properties are the best with the mass density of 5.59 g/cm3, the electromechanical coupling constants kp of 0,31 and kt of 0.27, the remanent polarization of      11.9 µC/cm; the dielectric constant εr of 1131, and the highest dielectric constant emax of 4800

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

MOLECULAR FUNCTION OF MAMMALIAN TRANSLOCATOR PROTEIN (TSPO)

Translocator protein (TSPO), previously known as the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein highly conserved from bacteria to humans. TSPO is found to be upregulated in many pathological conditions, making it an attractive target for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in human medicine. However, the exact molecular function of TSPO remained unclear. For the past 25 years, TSPO was depicted to transport cholesterol from the cytosol to the inner mitochondrial membrane, the rate-limiting step in steroid hormone biosynthesis. Its critical role in survival and development was reinforced by a report that claimed TSPO knockout (Tspo-/-) mice were embryonic lethal. Therefore, there had been no genetic models to study the function of TSPO and all functional interpretations of TSPO were based on in vitro experiments using pharmacological tools. Our lab generated the first global Tspo-/- mice which surprisingly were healthy with no apparent abnormalities. Deletion of TSPO in different steroidogenic cell lines also did not affect cell viability. Furthermore, steroid hormone production was not affected in Tspo-/- mice or in steroidogenic cells lacking TSPO compared to the controls, indicating that TSPO is not involved in steroidogenesis. The stimulating effect of some TSPO binding chemicals on steroid hormone production that formed the early basis for linking TSPO and steroidogenesis was also found to be inaccurate. Using the TSPO knock out MA-10 Leydig cancer cells, I demonstrated that PK11195, the prototypical ligand of TSPO, could modestly induce steroid hormone production to the same extent regardless of the presence or absence of TSPO. This result indicated that the effect of PK11195 is nonspecific and not mediated by TSPO. My studies subsequently made the first correlation that TSPO is enriched in all tissues rich in lipid droplets including adipose tissues, suggesting a role of TSPO in lipid metabolism. Using both TSPO knockout MA-10 cells and Tspo-/- mice as the models, I demonstrated that deletion of TSPO increased mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO). However, co-immunoprecipitation result showed that TSPO did not have any interacting partners involved in FAO but formed a dimer, which could be induced by protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), the endogenous ligand of TSPO. Levels of free PPIX were found to be high in tissues rich in lipid droplets and directly regulated by TSPO. I also provided the first evidence for a novel function of PPIX in inhibiting FAO, which forms the basis for TSPO in regulation of FAO. Overall, my studies helped amend the current model of steroidogenesis by removing TSPO from its core machinery, and paving the way for the precise cholesterol transport mechanism to be identified. The function of TSPO in PPIX sequestering instead of steroidogenesis urges careful reinterpretation of previous studies using TSPO binding chemicals, and rigorous reevaluation of their applications in human medicine. Studying biological functions of PPIX is poised to uncover potentially new pathways with broad implications in biology, and remains a core topic for future investigation

State Governance of Coal Mining Industry towards Sustainable Development in Vietnam

Coal is one of the most precious mineral resource, mining and mineral processing contributes to the economic development. In Vietnam, coal mining industry is economically profitable. However, this industry shows several disadvantages such as low productivity, wasting resources, negative environmental impact. Therefore, the State of Vietnam need to improve the coal mining governance to raise revenues, avoid wasting resources and meet the requirements of sustainable development. The paper aims to evaluate State governance of coal mining industry in Vietnam, and shows the advantages and disadvantages of this governance. Therefore, this paper proposes the strategies and solutions to improve coal mining governance in Vietnam towards sustainable development. The structure of the paper includes: (i) Literature review of the importance and requirements of state governance of coal mining industry towards sustainable development; (ii) State governance of coal mining industry in Vietnam; (iii) Proposals to improve State governance of coal mining industry towards sustainable development in Vietnam