EFFECTS OF TASK BASED SPEAKING ACTIVITIES ON EFL LEARNERS’ ORAL PERFORMANCE

Task-based speaking activities have attracted considerable attention of many researchers in teaching and learning speaking skills. The current study is aimed at investigating the effects of Task-based speaking activities on non-English major students’ and examining their attitude towards the implication of speaking activities based on tasks. The study was conducted at a university in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam in the second semester of the school year 2020-2021. Fifty-eight non-English major students who are all studying the second course of the General English subject at the university were recruited as participants of the study. A pre-test and post-test were used to measure the participants’ oral performance and a questionnaire was employed to examine the experimental group’s attitude towards the use of task-based speaking activities. The findings indicate that EFL students in the experimental group gained more development in oral performance than their peers in the control group which was instructed in the traditional method. Furthermore, EFL students not only express their completed agreement on the benefits which they receive from speaking lessons practiced with task-based speaking activities. Article visualizations

The Factors of Consumer Intension of Using Mobile Payment in Vietnam

Purpose: Within the context of emerging mobile technologies, Mobile payment or M-payment has been introduced as the new trend for payment methods bringing more value and convenience to consumers. However, the development of M-payment services is still quite timid in some Southeast Asia countries including Vietnam. This is also the reason and motivation for the author to do this research.   Theoretical framework: The goal of this study is to spot some factors that affect the use behavior (UB) of M-payment consumers in five major metropolises that were most influential on the economy in Vietnam.   Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative questionnaire was used to measure the responses of participants and Partial Least Squares (PLS) method was employed to analyze the collection data as well as test all hypotheses.   Findings: The results indicated that SI has been the important factor leading to the BI to use M-payment followed by SV and SC issues and BI also had a strong influence on the UB of consumers. Since M-payment is still in the infancy stage and is one of the most exciting mobile applications for the next few years in Vietnam, the identification of important factors concerning M-payments.   Research, Practical & Social Implications: To investigate the factors affecting UB of Vietnamese M-payment consumers, the researcher proposed a research model which analyzes the impact of various variables extracted from system quality (ST), service quality (SV), security (SC), social influence (SI) on behavioral intention (BI) to use and BI on M-payment UB.   Originality/value: This study will assist merchants and software developers to design and improve the systems and services to ensure the full acceptance and continuous use of the systems. Finally, a set of suggestions for the subsequent research works also was listed at the end of this study

COUNTERFEITS AND THEIR COSTS

Counterfeiting is increasing and becoming a complicated issue across different countries in the world and Vietnam is not exceptional, so the policy makers and managers always try to find ways to face with the counterfeiting and reduce counterfeit products in the market. This paper attempts to investigate determinants that impact on consumers’ attitude toward non-deceptive counterfeit products and behavioral intention to purchase them. Using a data set collected from a sample of 176 consumers we found that social cost has an impact on consumers’ attitude and purchase intentiontoward counterfeit products. Moreover, the result indicates that intention to buy counterfeit products is influenced by consumers’ attitude toward these products. These findings suggest that companies should rely on the social cost as the main component of marketing communication messages to discourage consumption of fake products by implying the seriously harmful consequences of these goods to society and economy

The Impact of Personal Financial Literacy on the Choice of Lending Channel by Vietnamese Householders Who Just Escaped Poverty

Purpose: The Newly-Escaped-Poverty-List householders (NEPLH) in Vietnam served as the survey subjects for this study, which sought to determine the impact of "Personal Financial Literacy" on "The Probability of Using Lending Services of Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (P_VBSP)" and "The Probability of Using Informal Private Lending Services (P_ILC)".   Design/methodology/approach: Survey data were collected from 186 respondents, by structured online questionnaire with convenient non-probability sampling technique.  Aspects of personal financial literacy (FLi) such as personal financial knowledge (FL1), personal financial skills (FL2), personal financial attitude (FL3), and personal financial behavior (FL4) are measured. When respondents were divided into groups based on subgroup criteria (CVj), such as gender, age, marital status, role in the family, career, education level, religion, and number of years since being removed from the list of poor households, ANOVA techniques were used to examine differences in various aspects of personal financial literacy. The impact of FLi and subgroup variables (CVj) on P_VBSP and P_ILC was assessed using the binary logistic regression analysis technique.   Findings: Research results show that  there is a statistical difference in the average score of FL1, FL2, FL3 and FL4. The research findings also show that FL2, FL4, and "Career Status – CAR" have a positive impact on P_VBSP, while "Aged group - AGE", "Education level - EDU", and "Number of years since being removed from the list of poor households - YEAR" have a negative impact on P_VBSP. Meanwhile, the P_ILC is positive influenced by the AGE factor and moves in the opposite direction of FL2, FL4, EDU, and YEAR.   Research, Practical & Social implications: The research findings provide the basis for governance implications as well as policy recommendations to promote financial literacy among the NEPLH in Vietnam, encouraging them access policy lending services from the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, and at the same time help them stay away from informal private lending services, thereby helping them to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable economic development family.   Originality/value: A theoretical framework for personal finance literacy, including (i) financial knowledge, (ii) financial attitude, (iii) financial skills, and (iv) financial behavior, has been developed by the authors after reviewing earlier studies. At the same time, it is more significant to measure financial literacy by objective assessment than relying on the subjective self-assessment of each respondent in the context of actual study in Vietnam. In the model analyzing the influence of personal financial literacy on the decision of Newly-Escaped-Poverty-List householders in choosing the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies or Informal Private Credit Channels, the authors also took into account additional factors including gender, age group, marital status, role in the family, career, education level, religion, and number of years since being removed from the list of poor households

Optimization of Total Flavonoid Extraction From the Helicteres hirsuta Lour. Roots by Bath Ultrasound Assisted method and cytotoxic activities of these Flavonoids

This study was carried out to optimize the various approaches to analyze the effects of various variables on the total flavonoid content extraction from the roots of Helicteres hirsuta L. The existence of various compounds in the methanol fraction was accessed by using LC-MS/MS analysis. The results of the study identified the ideal parameters such as times (30 minutes); methanol solvent concentration (50%); ultrasonic frequency (12 Hz); and material/solvent ratio [1:30 (w/v)] for extracting the highest total flavonoids from the roots of H. Hirsuta. The study's results suggested that the total flavonoid value was 3.52684 (mg Catechin/g extract). The verified experiment obtained an actual value of 5.205 (mg Catechin/g extract). Further, the results of the study suggested the presence of 20 compounds of a flavonoid nature (66.667%) appearing in the purified methanol fractional extract. These compounds can inhibit DPPH free radicals at 50%, with an IC50 value of 536.760 g/mL, and they also have inhibitory activity on the growth of cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 115.81 and 219.17g/mL. The human leukemia cell line (HL-60) exhibits the most significant cytotoxic response to a methanol extract from H. hirsuta root with an IC50 value of 115.81 g/mL

Differentiation Effect of Two Alkaloid Fractions from Vietnamese Lycopodiaceae on Mouse Neural Stem Cells

Various Lycopodium alkaloids have been studied for their various biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective activities. Moreover, these alkaloid compounds have high potential in the treatment of neuron degenerative disease. This study has been carried out to test the effect of Huperzia serrata (Thunb.) Trevis, and Lycopodium clavatum L alkaloid fractions on the mouse neural stem cells (NSCs). Firstly, the alkaloid fractions were used to verify its toxicity on NSCs. The multiple concentrations of alkaloid fractions from H. serrata (0.044; 0.088; 0.175; 0.35; 0.7; 1.4 mg/ml) and L. clavatum (0.031; 0.063; 0.125; 0.25; 0.50; 1.0; 2.0 mg/ml) have been used for the treatment of NSCs at period of 48h incubation. Results of the study suggested that the IC50 value of H. serrata and L. clavatum was 0.56 mg/ml and 0.50 mg/ml, respectively. Then, the NSCs were differentiated in the presence of 5 and 10 µg/ml of alkaloid fraction from H. serrata; 0.625 and 1.25 µg/ml of alkaloid fraction from L. clavatum for 6 days. Here, we observed the primary NSCs treated with alkaloid fraction extract from H. serrata showed the increased gene expression level of early neuron TUBB3 and neuron-specific cytoskeleton MAP2. On the other hand, the L. clavatum alkaloid fraction increased the expression of neural stem cell marker genes (Nestin and PAX6) and decreased neuron marker genes. In conclusion, these results established that alkaloid fraction from H. serrata promoted differentiation of the mouse NSCs to neuron cells, and L. clavatum extract had a capacity for stemness maintenance

Factors affecting the creativity of high school students

Creativity is a vital personality quality of each individual. Each person has their potential for creativity, and it can be nurtured and developed in an appropriate and safe environment. The purpose of the study was to find out which factors from schools and students themselves affect creativity as well as the association between creativity and age, gender and giftedness of students, which then a basis to adjust and establish appropriate methods from schools, families, and students themselves to develop elements and their creativity. The study was conducted on 108 high school students in three grades from giftedness and non-giftedness schools. The data was collected through a survey method using a self-constructed questionnaire and drawing creativity test TCT-DP to determine students' creativity levels and personal information. The study's finding, which uses mathematical methods and one-way analysis of variance, reveals that factors affecting elements and creativity level are objective factors including education environment from school; behavior of teachers, and subjective factors including interests, perspectives, and thoughts of students. It was also found that there were no significant differences in the components of creativity and creativity among students in different grades, gender, and groups of giftedness schools

Differential Cytotoxicity of Curcumin-Loaded Micelles on Human Tumor and Stromal Cells

peer reviewedAlthough curcumin in the form of nanoparticles has been demonstrated as a potential anti-tumor compound, the impact of curcumin and nanocurcumin in vitro on normal cells and in vivo in animal models is largely unknown. This study evaluated the toxicity of curcumin-loaded micelles in vitro and in vivo on several tumor cell lines, primary stromal cells, and zebrafish embryos. Breast tumor cell line (MCF7) and stromal cells (human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells, human fibroblasts, and human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells) were used in this study. A zebrafish embryotoxicity (FET) assay was conducted following the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Test 236. Compared to free curcumin, curcumin PM showed higher cytotoxicity to MCF7 cells in both monolayer culture and multicellular tumor spheroids. The curcumin-loaded micelles efficiently penetrated the MCF7 spheroids and induced apoptosis. The nanocurcumin reduced the viability and disturbed the function of stromal cells by suppressing cell migration and tube formation. The micelles demonstrated toxicity to the development of zebrafish embryos. Curcumin-loaded micelles demonstrated toxicity to both tumor and normal primary stromal cells and zebrafish embryos, indicating that the use of nanocurcumin in cancer treatment should be carefully investigated and controlled.3. Good health and well-bein

Evaluation of factors related to entrepreneurial intentions among young pharmacists in the Mekong Delta region: a cross - sectional study in Vietnam

At present, a new wave of entrepreneurship has emerged and made a significant impact in Vietnam despite challenges. The study aims to assess the factors related to the entrepreneurial intentions of young pharmacists in 2023 in the Mekong Delta region. A cross-sectional descriptive method was conducted, involving interviews with 815 young pharmacists living in the Mekong Delta region, via a pre-designed research questionnaire. Results showed that 6 out of 43 variables were eliminated after Cronbach’s alpha was run. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient (0.5–0.923) indicated statistical significance and suitable conditions for Exploratory Factor Analysis. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling results were consistent with market data. With the impact of difficulties, attitude, perception of behavioral control, subjective norms, achievement needs on knowledge, and knowledge on entrepreneurial intentions (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the study successfully collected samples and gained a deeper understanding of the factors influencing the entrepreneurial intentions of young pharmacists