Effects of cellulose nanofibers on soil water retention and aggregate stability

Innovative solutions that address global challenges such as water scarcity and soil erosion are critical for maintaining sustainable agriculture. Due to their water-absorbing and soil-binding properties, cellulose nanofibers (CNF) can be applied to soil to enhance soil water retention and aggregate stability. In this study, we analyzed the effects of the drying temperature, dosage, irrigation water quality, and soil type on the efficacy of CNFs. Our results revealed that CNF dried at 5 degrees C is more effective at absorbing water than others, and adding 1% CNF enhanced soil water content up to 98%. The CNF samples absorbed water due to their hydrophilic molecular groups and morphological structure, as confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. CNF addition increased the soil volumetric water content and prolonged water retention by 22 days in the paddy soil samples, highlighting its potential for drought-prone areas. Furthermore, irrigation water quality, such as pH and cation values, influenced the interactions between CNF and water molecules, suggesting adjustments to the water retention curve. In its hydrated state, CNF promotes colloid flocculation and binds to soil particles, thereby strengthening the bonds crucial for aggregate formation and stability. CNF enhanced macro-aggregate formation by up to 48% and 59% in the masa and paddy soil samples, respectively. Our study emphasizes the potential of CNF for water conservation, soil health, and overall agricultural sustainability

TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT OF GAMMA-AMINO BUTYRIC ACID (GABA) PRODUCTION FROM RICE BRAN

This research focused on technical assessment of GABA production from rice bran through fermentation by Lactobacillus brevis. Influence of operating pressure on separation of GABA by nanofiltration membrane was investigated and 4 bar was suitable for the nanofiltration process. The purification of GABA by nanofiltration with constant feed volume was carried out and purity of GABA reached 4.8 folds, compared to feed, at 5 volumes of added water. At 40 of concentration factor in concentration of GABA solution by nanofiltration with full recycle of retentate, content of GABA reached 49.8 g/L. The production of GABA from defatted rice bran at pilot scale was carried out at 1,000 L/batch (equal to 200 kg of rice bran) of fermentation. Estimation of mass balance showed that, with 200 kg of defatted rice bran, 7.0 kg of GABA powder was obtained. Results indicated that, it is potential to produce GABA from rice bran through the fermentation by Lactobacillus brevis

MORPHOLOGICAL AWARENESS OF STUDENTS MAJORING IN ENGLISH STUDIES TOWARDS VOCABULARY LEARNING

For those learning a second language, vocabulary plays a vital role in mastering the new one, and possessing a colossal vocabulary is extremely necessary. The paper aims to look into and assess students' awareness of morphology and the effectiveness of this approach through vocabulary learning. The subjects in this study were juniors majoring in English at a university in the south of Vietnam. The test, questionnaire, and interview were the three instruments used in this study to triangulate the results. A total of 49 students majoring in English Studies took the test, 40 students completed the questionnaire, and four students participated in an interview to evaluate their proficiency and morphological knowledge. The results of the study showed that students' awareness levels were average, and they were knowledgeable enough to employ this strategy for acquiring vocabulary. Additionally, it also enables students to comprehend morphology's benefits and drawbacks during their learning vocabulary process.  Article visualizations

Predicting water allocation trade prices using a hybrid Artificial Neural Network-Bayesian modelling approach

This paper proposes an integrated (hybrid) Artificial Neural Network-Bayesian (ANN-B) modelling approach to improve the accuracy of predicting seasonal water allocation prices in Australia’s Murry Irrigation Area, which is part of one of the world’s largest interconnected water markets. Three models (basic, intermediate and full), accommodating different levels of data availability, were considered. Data were analyzed using both ANN and hybrid ANN-B approaches. Using the ANN-B modelling approach, which can simulate complex and non-linear processes, water allocation prices were predicted with a high degree of accuracy (RBASIC = 0.93, RINTER. = 0.96 and RFULL = 0.99); this was a higher level of accuracy than realized using ANN. This approach can potentially be integrated with online data systems to predict water allocation prices, enable better water allocation trade decisions, and improve the productivity and profitability of irrigated agriculture

Phlogacanthus cornutus: chemical profiles and antioxidant effects

Phlogacanthus cornutus is a rare species and the chemical profiles and the bioactivities of this plant are unknown. In present study, the chemical components of the acetone extract as well as the antioxidant activity of acetone extract and its fractions such as n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate of P. cornutus were firstly reported. A total of 33 constituents were identify in the acetone extract of this plant using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry assay, in which trans-cinnamic acid (21.26%), neophytadiene (6.36%), linolenic acid (5.86%), dihydroagathic acid (5.71%), n-hexadecanoic acid (5.53%), phytol (4.14%) and cis-cinnamic acid (3.23%) were the major compounds. The acetone extract and its fractions such as n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate of P. cornutus showed DPPH radical scavenging activity with IC50 value of 234.31, 185.95, 758.65 and 458.52 µg/mL respectively

Sea-level rise and resilience in Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific: A synthesis

Climate change induced sea-level rise (SLR) is on its increase globally. Regionally the lowlands of China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and islands of the Malaysian, Indonesian and Philippine archipelagos are among the world’s most threatened regions. Sea-level rise has major impacts on the ecosystems and society. It threatens coastal populations, economic activities, and fragile ecosystems as mangroves, coastal salt-marches and wetlands. This paper provides a summary of the current state of knowledge of sea level-rise and its effects on both human and natural ecosystems. The focus is on coastal urban areas and low lying deltas in South-East Asia and Vietnam, as one of the most threatened areas in the world. About 3 mm per year reflects the growing consensus on the average SLR worldwide. The trend speeds up during recent decades. The figures are subject to local, temporal and methodological variation. In Vietnam the average values of 3.3 mm per year during the 1993-2014 period are above the worldwide average. Although a basic conceptual understanding exists that the increasing global frequency of the strongest tropical cyclones is related with the increasing temperature and SLR, this relationship is insufficiently understood. Moreover the precise, complex environmental, economic, social, and health impacts are currently unclear. SLR, storms and changing precipitation patterns increase flood risks, in particular in urban areas. Part of the current scientific debate is on how urban agglomeration can be made more resilient to flood risks. Where originally mainly technical interventions dominated this discussion, it becomes increasingly clear that proactive special planning, flood defense, flood risk mitigation, flood preparation, and flood recovery are important, but costly instruments. Next to the main focus on SLR and its effects on resilience, the paper reviews main SLR associated impacts: Floods and inundation, salinization, shoreline change, and effects on mangroves and wetlands. The hazards of SLR related floods increase fastest in urban areas. This is related with both the increasing surface major cities are expected to occupy during the decades to come and the increasing coastal population. In particular Asia and its megacities in the southern part of the continent are increasingly at risk. The discussion points to complexity, inter-disciplinarity, and the related uncertainty, as core characteristics. An integrated combination of mitigation, adaptation and resilience measures is currently considered as the most indicated way to resist SLR today and in the near future.References Aerts J.C.J.H., Hassan A., Savenije H.H.G., Khan M.F., 2000. 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preliminary remarks on assembly whole genome sequencing of mdr m tuberculosis isolated in vietnam

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Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Service improvement for a dietetic-led radiologically inserted gastrostomy service using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle

Summary: Background: A dietetic-led gastrostomy tube service can improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital costs. This project aimed to update and evaluate a well-established dietetic-led pre radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) insertion risk assessment and assess the impact on insertion delays and complication-risk in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) attending a tertiary UK centre. Methods: The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle guided the evaluation and improvement of the dietetic-led pre-RIG insertion risk assessment. Benchmarking and stakeholder involvement was conducted before service changes were implemented. A major change to the updated risk assessment removed the mandatory requirement for two weeks of naso-gastric (NGT) feeding prior to RIG insertion for malnourished patients, and changed this to dietitian clinical judgement. A pre- and post- implementation service evaluation was conducted to assess the impact of these changes. Results: Thirty-three patients underwent RIG placement from January 2018 to August 2021. 15 were screened against the pre-implementation risk assessment and 18 against the post-implementation risk assessment. 66.7% patients were male (n=22) with a median age of 62 years (range 20–85 years). Ten malnourished patients (30.3%) required 2 weeks of NGT feeding prior to RIG placement (n=7 in the pre-implementation group; n=3 in the post-implementation group). 7 patients sustained a major RIG complication, higher in the pre-implementation (n=6) than the post-implementation group (n=1). Conclusion: Removal of mandatory NGT feeding in a dietetic-led RIG insertion risk assessment was accepted by the multidisciplinary team after a trial into standard practice. Further research should assess the suitability of this risk assessment in other centres, and impact on cost-savings associated with reducing insertion delays and implementing dietetic led-screening

Students’ Perception Towards Learning Massive Open Online Courses on Coursera Platform: Benefits and Barriers

The advent of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has opened up new possibilities for students to access high-quality educational content worldwide faster and easier. Among these online learning platforms, Coursera is the most popular MOOC provider, with over a thousand courses in various fields of study. This study investigated the perception of students towards learning MOOCs on the Coursera platform, examining the benefits and barriers that influence their engagement in this mode of learning. The data were collected from a private university in Vietnam via online surveys with 200 MOOCS participants using a 7-point Likert scale questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with 30 participants. The findings indicated positive opinions of university students on the Coursera platform, including access to diverse topics, high-quality learning materials, a high level of academic support, flexible learning, and the ability to learn at their own pace. The findings revealed a number of benefits of learning Coursera MOOCs, such as earning high-quality certifications, improving knowledge and skills, enhancing personal development, and having chances for higher education and career advancement. In addition, the study identified some barriers to their learning, for example, a lack of interaction with instructors, an overload of information, a lack of motivation and concentration, and difficulties with study language and time management