The photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4/Ta2O5 composite under visible light irradiation

The g-C3N4/Ta2O5 composites were synthesized by heating mixtures of urea and Ta2O5 at 500 oC. The as-prepared samples were denoted as CN-500/TaO-W, where W is weight ratio of urea/Ta2O5 and equals to 3, 4 and 5. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of CN-500/TaO-W samples was assessed by degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution under visible light. Among them, CN-500/TaO-4 exhibited the best performance. An enhancement in photocatalytic activity of the composites is believed to be the presence of g-C3N4. Keywords. g-C3N4, Ta2O5, photocatalytic activity, methylene blue, g-C3N4/Ta2O5 composite

Fiscal Policies, Inequality, and Poverty in Croatia

In a fiscally expansionary context, policy makers in Croatia must keep in mind the redistributive role of fiscal policies, particularly their impact on inequality and poverty. This paper uses both household survey data and national accounts to estimate how in 2018 the Croatian fiscal system affected income distribution and poverty. Moreover, it assesses the individual and the combined effects of interventions like direct and indirect taxes and social spending. The analysis found that in 2018 the fiscal system helped to reduce inequality but also increased poverty. All fiscal interventions except indirect taxes (VAT and excises) reduced inequality. However, indirect taxes not only widened the income gap between rich and poor but also increased poverty—only direct transfers had poverty reducing effects. Direct taxes (personal income tax [PIT] and property taxes) had no impact on poverty in 2018. A series of reforms introduced between 2018 and 2021 helped reduce poverty slightly, mainly because the VAT on some food items was lowered. However, these reforms pushed up inequality, mostly because PIT reforms reduced the tax burden for those with high incomes

EVALUATING FUTURE WATER QUALITY OF URBAN RIVERS IN HANOI UNDER EFFECT OF URBANIZATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE - THE APPLICATION OF WEAP MODEL FOR CAU BAY RIVER

Every day, up to 750,000 cubic meters of wastewater in Hanoi metropolitan areas is discharged directly into rivers and lake, of which only 10% is treated to the Vietnamese standards. According to the water drainage development master plan for the capital city of Hanoi until 2030, the government aim at dealing with flooding and improve environmental sanitation for local residents. With respect to the baseline and Master plan implementation scenarios, this study evaluates the future water quality of urban rivers in Hanoi under the effect of urbanization and climate change using Water Evaluation And Planning tool (WEAP) and take the Cau Bay catchment as the case study. The result shows that, without implementation of wastewater treatment plant, the water quality of Cau Bay River will be worse with the DO in dry season is 0.2-1.2 mg/l and BOD is 52.0-55.0 mg/l. With the implementation of Master plan, the level of DO and BOD would be 7.1-7.3 mg/l and 7.0-13.8 mg/l respectively in the dry season whereas the values are 3.7 mgO/l and 36.1-41.8 mg/l in the wet season. The degradation of wastewater during the wet season is results from the combine- overflow sewage system as designed in the master plan

A thorough theoretical investigation into complexes formed by interaction of dimethyl sulfoxide with two water molecules

A computational study of the stability and the cooperative effect of hydrogen bonds in the complexes of dimethyl sulfoxide and two water molecules was undertaken at the MP2/6-311++G(2d,2p) level of theory. The cooperative energies of obtained complexes are significantly negative, indicating that there is a large cooperativity between types of hydrogen bonds. The existence of the O−H∙∙∙O hydrogen bond present at dimer of water increases the stability of O−H∙∙∙O and C−H∙∙∙O hydrogen bonds in the ternary complexes compared to relevant binary complexes. By vibrational and NBO analyses, it is found that the magnitude of stretching frequency red shift of O−H bonds in the O−H···O hydrogen bonds is enhanced, whereas the extent of stretching frequency blue shift of C−H bonds in the C−H∙∙∙O hydrogen bonds is weakened when the cooperativity of hydrogen bonds happens in the ternary complexes. Obtained results of AIM analysis and stabilization energies indicate the larger contribution of the O−H∙∙∙O relative to the C−H∙∙∙O hydrogen bond to cooperativity. Keywords. Dimethyl sulfoxide, hydrogen bond, cooperativity

Factors Affecting Consumers’ Intention in Vietnam-China Cross-border E-commerce: An Empirical Study in Hanoi, Vietnam

In the era of innovative technologies, the physical border is no longer a concern in exchanging goods thanks to the widespread use of internet connections. On this basis, the study explores the determinants that impact cross-border online consumers’ purchase intentions in Hanoi, Vietnam. As fundamental ideas, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) are integrated with the influence of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The examined factors consist of Consumer Attitude, Subjective Norms, Perceived Behavioral Control, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Risk, Trust, and RCEP. The research was conducted on a survey questionnaire of 253 online shoppers in Hanoi who have experienced cross-border purchasing. The data was processed using several statistical methods, namely descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The analysis reveals that Consumer Attitude, Subjective Norms, Perceived Behavioral Control, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and Trust have a positive influence on the consumer’s intention to cross-border e-commerce (CBEC), while perceived risk and RCEP do not exert any force on the intention. Among these variables, Risk perception and trust have been demonstrated to have the most significant impact on online purchase intention. The outcomes of the study indicate that online retailers or intermediaries adopt a third-party payment processor and publish policies to protect consumers’ private information. It is also suggested that the government should educate the public on the benefits of RCEP, implement the relevant policies, and provide guidance for the sellers to follow to utilize the advantages of RCEP

Status of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) and other emerging diseases of penaeid shrimps in Viet Nam

Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), formerly called early mortality syndrome (EMS), was first reported in 2010 among penaeid shrimps cultivated in the Mekong Delta Region of Viet Nam albeit without any laboratory confirmation. The disease subsequently spread to a wide range of shrimp production areas in the same region (Soc Trang: 1,719 ha; Bac Lieu: 346 ha; and Ca Mau: 3,493 ha), so that the Government of Viet Nam requested for technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2011. In 2012, FAO supported Viet Nam through the project TCP/VIE/3304 Emergency assistance to control the spread of an unknown disease affecting shrimps in Viet Nam, under which the Department of Animal Health of Viet Nam (DAH) collaborated with the University of Arizona and FAO experts to carry out indepth studies to identify the etiologic agent of the disease. As a result, unique isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was identified as the causative agent of AHPND in 2013. Viet Nam has been vigilant and transparent with regard to aquatic animal diseases through official notifications to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA). AHPND outbreaks have no clear temporal pattern with black tiger (Penaeus monodon) and whiteleg (P. vannamei) shrimps showing similar incidence risk. The disease occurs at any stage of shrimp cultivation, i.e. on average about 35 days after stocking. To date, unwarranted outbreaks of AHPND in major shrimp-producing provinces in Viet Nam have been apparently regulated. Aside from AHPND, white spot disease (WSD) has also been a persistent problem responsible for serious economic losses in many shrimp-producing areas in Viet Nam. To prevent and control the further spread of infectious diseases of shrimps including AHPND and WSD, multiple control measures have been implemented including guidance of farmers to improve production conditions, facilities and biosecurity application, active surveillance of shrimp production areas for early warning, screening of broodstock and postlarvae for any OIE listed diseases, regulation on movement of stocks, and collaboration with regional and international organizations in carrying out in-depth epidemiological studies that will be needed in the formulation of pragmatic and holistic disease interventions

Dynamic Relationship among Effective Supply Chain Practices, Income, Exchange Rate, Foreign Direct Investment, and Export Performance

This study has an effort to explore the dynamic relationship among income, exchange rate, foreign direct investment, effective supply chain practices and export performance. Based on quarterly data from Q2/2009 to Q4/2019, constituting 43 observations. To attain dynamic and unvarying relationship among these variables, applying Vector Autoregressive Model, results indicate that, in short run, each variable is highly influenced by changes of value and past value of its and the other variables at different degree. In addition, there does not exist a long run association among exchange rate, income, foreign direct investment and export in Vietnam in the research period

Factors affecting intention to purchase organic agriculture products among Vietnamese

Globally, customer intention to purchase has become the essential part of the product and organization's success in the market. More recently, the idea has captured the attention of academic and policymakers alike. Therefore, the current article analyses product quality features such as agreeableness, emotional stability conscientiousness, openness to experience and extroversion on the intention to purchase organic agricultural products in the context of Vietnam. The study also analyses the mediating role of customer satisfaction between the association of product quality features and intention to purchase organic products in Vietnam. The present study uses questionnaires to collect data pertaining to the health sector of Vietnam. The current study employs the smart-PLS to analyze the constructs and items' reliability as well as the association among constructs. The results show that product quality features except extroversion have a positive and significant association with intention to purchase organic products in Vietnam. The results also reveal that customer satisfaction significantly and positively mediates among the associations of product quality features and intention to purchase organic products in Vietnam. This study is suitable for policymakers while formulating policies that may directly or indirectly affect customers' intention to purchase organic agricultural products.Luong Thu Thuy (Faculty of Economics, Academy of Finance, Vietnam), Tran Thi Phuong Diu (Faculty of Economics, Academy of Finance, Vietnam), Nguyen Dinh Hoan (Faculty of Economics, Academy of Finance, Vietnam), Vu Viet Ninh (Faculty of Economics, Academy of Finance, Vietnam), Nguyen Thi Thuy Nga (Faculty of Economics, Academy of Finance, Vietnam)Includes bibliographical reference

Enhancement of Magnetic Properties of La-substituted Strontium Hexaferrite Particles Prepared by Sol-gel Route

La-substituted strontium hexaferrite particles Sr$_{1 - x}$La$_{x}$Fe$_{12}O_{19}$ $(x = 0 \div 0.2)$ were prepared by using sol-gel method and subsequent calcination at temperatures ranging from 750\rc{}C to 1050\rc{}C for 2h in air. The effects of the initial La concentration and the calcination temperature on the structure, particle morphology and magnetic properties of the hexaferrite samples were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The high magnetic coercivity $(_{i}H_{c}$) of 6.6 - 6.7 kOe and magnetization in maximum applied magnetic field (13.5 kOe) of 68 - 72 emu/g were achieved with the particles of compositions x = 0.1 $\div$ 0.2 and calcination temperatures between 850\rc{}C and 1000\rc{}C. The experimental data indicate that La replacement for Sr improves the crystallinity and inhibits the grain growth of the samples in a wide range of calcination temperature. These factors are important for production of high-coercivity hexaferrites by sol-gel technology