How To Motivate Language Learning Environment: CALL Before And After The Pandemic Of Covid-19

Integrating information technology into teaching and learning foreign languages holds significant importance for the education system of our country. This serves as a crucial foundation for shaping the core generation of the future, aiding the nation's development, and advancing on the path of international integration. However, the application of information technology in foreign language education is currently prevalent primarily in schools located within major cities. To achieve the good effectiveness of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), suitable solutions tailored to specific localities are necessary, which is the motivation for this study. I conducted this study focusing on high school students in Nha Trang to understand their attitudes towards the use of information technology in learning English before and after the pandemic Covid 19. This understanding was then used to discuss and propose several appropriate solutions aimed at cultivating a self-directed, creative, and engaging learning environment. This research has the potential to contribute towards generating general solutions for the implementation of information technology in teaching and learning across Vietnam

MULTI-PIXEL PHOTON COUNTER FOR OPERATING A TABLETOP COSMIC RAY DETECTOR UNDER LOOSELY CONTROLLED CONDITIONS

The multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) has recently emerged as a great type of silicon photomultiplier to replace or compensate for conventional vacuum-based photomultiplier tubes. An MPPC provides many advantageous features, such as high electrical gain, outstanding photon detection efficiency, fast timing response, immunity to magnetic fields, low-voltage operation, compactness, portability, and cost-effectiveness. This article examines the electrical and optical characteristics of an MPPC under loosely controlled environmental conditions. We also report a measurement of the light yield captured by the MPPC when a cosmic ray passes through the plastic scintillator, demonstrating that such a setup is suitable as a simple, cost-effective tabletop cosmic ray detector for educational and research purposes

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

Mapping child growth failure across low- and middle-income countries

Child growth failure (CGF), manifested as stunting, wasting, and underweight, is associated with high 5 mortality and increased risks of cognitive, physical, and metabolic impairments. Children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face the highest levels of CGF globally. Here we illustrate national and subnational variation of under-5 CGF indicators across LMICs, providing 2000–2017 annual estimates mapped at a high spatial resolution and aggregated to policy-relevant administrative units and national levels. Despite remarkable declines over the study period, many LMICs remain far from the World Health 10 Organization’s ambitious Global Nutrition Targets to reduce stunting by 40% and wasting to less than 5% by 2025. Large disparities in prevalence and rates of progress exist across regions, countries, and within countries; our maps identify areas where high prevalence persists even within nations otherwise succeeding in reducing overall CGF prevalence. By highlighting where subnational disparities exist and the highest-need populations reside, these geospatial estimates can support policy-makers in planning locally 15 tailored interventions and efficient directing of resources to accelerate progress in reducing CGF and its health implications

Mapping 123 million neonatal, infant and child deaths between 2000 and 2017

Since 2000, many countries have achieved considerable success in improving child survival, but localized progress remains unclear. To inform efforts towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.2—to end preventable child deaths by 2030—we need consistently estimated data at the subnational level regarding child mortality rates and trends. Here we quantified, for the period 2000–2017, the subnational variation in mortality rates and number of deaths of neonates, infants and children under 5 years of age within 99 low- and middle-income countries using a geostatistical survival model. We estimated that 32% of children under 5 in these countries lived in districts that had attained rates of 25 or fewer child deaths per 1,000 live births by 2017, and that 58% of child deaths between 2000 and 2017 in these countries could have been averted in the absence of geographical inequality. This study enables the identification of high-mortality clusters, patterns of progress and geographical inequalities to inform appropriate investments and implementations that will help to improve the health of all populations

Global, regional, and national cancer incidence, mortality, years of life lost, years lived with disability, and disability-Adjusted life-years for 29 cancer groups, 1990 to 2017 : A systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study

Importance: Cancer and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are now widely recognized as a threat to global development. The latest United Nations high-level meeting on NCDs reaffirmed this observation and also highlighted the slow progress in meeting the 2011 Political Declaration on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases and the third Sustainable Development Goal. Lack of situational analyses, priority setting, and budgeting have been identified as major obstacles in achieving these goals. All of these have in common that they require information on the local cancer epidemiology. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study is uniquely poised to provide these crucial data. Objective: To describe cancer burden for 29 cancer groups in 195 countries from 1990 through 2017 to provide data needed for cancer control planning. Evidence Review: We used the GBD study estimation methods to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-Adjusted life-years (DALYs). Results are presented at the national level as well as by Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator of income, educational attainment, and total fertility rate. We also analyzed the influence of the epidemiological vs the demographic transition on cancer incidence. Findings: In 2017, there were 24.5 million incident cancer cases worldwide (16.8 million without nonmelanoma skin cancer [NMSC]) and 9.6 million cancer deaths. The majority of cancer DALYs came from years of life lost (97%), and only 3% came from years lived with disability. The odds of developing cancer were the lowest in the low SDI quintile (1 in 7) and the highest in the high SDI quintile (1 in 2) for both sexes. In 2017, the most common incident cancers in men were NMSC (4.3 million incident cases); tracheal, bronchus, and lung (TBL) cancer (1.5 million incident cases); and prostate cancer (1.3 million incident cases). The most common causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for men were TBL cancer (1.3 million deaths and 28.4 million DALYs), liver cancer (572000 deaths and 15.2 million DALYs), and stomach cancer (542000 deaths and 12.2 million DALYs). For women in 2017, the most common incident cancers were NMSC (3.3 million incident cases), breast cancer (1.9 million incident cases), and colorectal cancer (819000 incident cases). The leading causes of cancer deaths and DALYs for women were breast cancer (601000 deaths and 17.4 million DALYs), TBL cancer (596000 deaths and 12.6 million DALYs), and colorectal cancer (414000 deaths and 8.3 million DALYs). Conclusions and Relevance: The national epidemiological profiles of cancer burden in the GBD study show large heterogeneities, which are a reflection of different exposures to risk factors, economic settings, lifestyles, and access to care and screening. The GBD study can be used by policy makers and other stakeholders to develop and improve national and local cancer control in order to achieve the global targets and improve equity in cancer care. © 2019 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Global, regional, and national progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 for neonatal and child health: all-cause and cause-specific mortality findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 has targeted elimination of preventable child mortality, reduction of neonatal death to less than 12 per 1000 livebirths, and reduction of death of children younger than 5 years to less than 25 per 1000 livebirths, for each country by 2030. To understand current rates, recent trends, and potential trajectories of child mortality for the next decade, we present the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 findings for all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in children younger than 5 years of age, with multiple scenarios for child mortality in 2030 that include the consideration of potential effects of COVID-19, and a novel framework for quantifying optimal child survival. Methods We completed all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality analyses from 204 countries and territories for detailed age groups separately, with aggregated mortality probabilities per 1000 livebirths computed for neonatal mortality rate (NMR) and under-5 mortality rate (USMR). Scenarios for 2030 represent different potential trajectories, notably including potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact of improvements preferentially targeting neonatal survival. Optimal child survival metrics were developed by age, sex, and cause of death across all GBD location-years. The first metric is a global optimum and is based on the lowest observed mortality, and the second is a survival potential frontier that is based on stochastic frontier analysis of observed mortality and Healthcare Access and Quality Index. Findings Global U5MR decreased from 71.2 deaths per 1000 livebirths (95% uncertainty interval WI] 68.3-74-0) in 2000 to 37.1 (33.2-41.7) in 2019 while global NMR correspondingly declined more slowly from 28.0 deaths per 1000 live births (26.8-29-5) in 2000 to 17.9 (16.3-19-8) in 2019. In 2019,136 (67%) of 204 countries had a USMR at or below the SDG 3.2 threshold and 133 (65%) had an NMR at or below the SDG 3.2 threshold, and the reference scenario suggests that by 2030,154 (75%) of all countries could meet the U5MR targets, and 139 (68%) could meet the NMR targets. Deaths of children younger than 5 years totalled 9.65 million (95% UI 9.05-10.30) in 2000 and 5.05 million (4.27-6.02) in 2019, with the neonatal fraction of these deaths increasing from 39% (3.76 million 95% UI 3.53-4.021) in 2000 to 48% (2.42 million; 2.06-2.86) in 2019. NMR and U5MR were generally higher in males than in females, although there was no statistically significant difference at the global level. Neonatal disorders remained the leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years in 2019, followed by lower respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases, congenital birth defects, and malaria. The global optimum analysis suggests NMR could be reduced to as low as 0.80 (95% UI 0.71-0.86) deaths per 1000 livebirths and U5MR to 1.44 (95% UI 1-27-1.58) deaths per 1000 livebirths, and in 2019, there were as many as 1.87 million (95% UI 1-35-2.58; 37% 95% UI 32-43]) of 5.05 million more deaths of children younger than 5 years than the survival potential frontier. Interpretation Global child mortality declined by almost half between 2000 and 2019, but progress remains slower in neonates and 65 (32%) of 204 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, are not on track to meet either SDG 3.2 target by 2030. Focused improvements in perinatal and newborn care, continued and expanded delivery of essential interventions such as vaccination and infection prevention, an enhanced focus on equity, continued focus on poverty reduction and education, and investment in strengthening health systems across the development spectrum have the potential to substantially improve USMR. Given the widespread effects of COVID-19, considerable effort will be required to maintain and accelerate progress. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Ocena zanieczyszczenia metalami ciężkimi wód powierzchniowych rzek Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc w Wietnamie

Heavy metals are a pressing concern in terms of their pollution in aquatic ecosystems because of their persistence, environmental toxicity, bioaccumulation. Aquatic environments receive heavy metals in untreated or inadequately treated wastewater from domestic, industrial, agricultural, and navigation sources. The Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc Rivers play the key roles of irrigation, navigation and ecological restoration. It is crucial to ascertain the pollution status, influencing factors, ecological risks, and possible sources of heavy metals in the surface water of the Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc Rivers. In this study, surface water from 7 sampling sites over was collected from the Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc Rivers, over 7 consecutive periods from April 2019 to October 2021. Each surface sample was analyzed for 9 heavy metals including Fe, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, As. The sampling technique and sample treatment were done based on the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. The time and space variation of heavy metal concentrations were examined to test the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation among all the parameters using R statistical software. The results suggest a spatial homogeneity of heavy metals in the surface water the studied rivers. Among all nine examined heavy metals in the studied area, the concentrations of Fe (1.00 ÷ 5.06 mg/L) and Mn (0.14 ÷ 0.28 mg/L) are the highest, and the concentrations of Cr, Cd and As are the lowest that lower limit of detection. The results suggested that the mean concentrations of Fe and Mn were above the acceptable limits of the National technical regulation on surface water quality (QCVN 08-MT: 2015/BTNMT). While the concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni do not meet the Water quality criteria for aquatic life (United State Environmental Protection Agency). Anthropogenic activities can be the main source of heavy metals in in the surface water of the Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc Rivers. Among the heavy metals, a significant positive correlation was observed between Fe, Mn, Zn and Ni (0.64 ÷ 0.87), whereas Cu exhibited a significant positive correlation with Ni (0.51). While Cu and Pb showed a not too strong correlation with Fe, Mn, Zn and Ni (0.25 ÷ 0.48). The distribution of heavy metals may also be influenced by properties of heavy metals and fluctuations in water flows. The results provide guidance for controlling heavry metal pollution and protectting water sources in the Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc Rivers.Metale ciężkie stanowią palący problem zanieczyszczenia w ekosystemach wodnych ze względu na ich trwałość, toksyczność dla środowiska i bioakumulację. Środowiska wodne sa zasilane w metale ciężkie z nieoczyszczonych lub nieodpowiednio oczyszczonych ścieków ze źródeł domowych, przemysłowych, rolniczych i żeglugowych. Rzeki Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc odgrywają kluczową rolę w nawadnianiu terenów, transporcie odnym i odbudowie ekologicznej. Kluczowe znaczenie ma ustalenie stanu zanieczyszczenia, czynników wpływających, zagrożeń ekologicznych i możliwych źródeł metali ciężkich w wodach powierzchniowych rzek Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc. W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badania wód powierzchniowych, próbki pobrano z 7 punktów pomiarowych z rzek Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc przez 7 kolejnych okresów od kwietnia 2019 r. do października 2021 r. Każda próbka została przeanalizowana pod kątem zawartości 9 metali ciężkich: Fe, Mn, Cr , Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, As. Metodyka pobierania próbek i obróbki próbek zostały opracowane w oparciu o Standardowe Metody Badania Wód i Ścieków. Zbadano zmienność w czasie i przestrzeni stężeń metali ciężkich, do analizyy wyników wykorzystano analizę wariancji (ANOVA) i korelacji między wszystkimi parametrami przy użyciu oprogramowania statystycznego. Wyniki sugerują przestrzenną jednorodność zawartości metali ciężkich w wodach powierzchniowych badanych rzek. Spośród wszystkich dziewięciu badanych metali ciężkich w badanym terenie najwyższe są stężenia Fe (1,00 ÷ 5,06 mg/L) i Mn (0,14 ÷ 0,28 mg/L), a najniższe Cr, Cd i As (wartości odpowiadające dolnej granicy wykrywalności). Wyniki wskazują, że średnie stężenia Fe i Mn były powyżej dopuszczalnych limitów, opisanych w krajowych normach dotyczących jakości wód powierzchniowych (QCVN 08-MT: 2015/BTNMT). Natomiast stężenia Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni nie spełniają kryteriów jakości wody dla organizmów wodnych (Agencja Ochrony Środowiska Stanów Zjednoczonych). Działalność antropogeniczna może być głównym źródłem metali ciężkich w wodach powierzchniowych rzek Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc. Wśród metali ciężkich zaobserwowano istotną dodatnią korelację między zawartością Fe, Mn, Zn i Ni (0,64 ÷ 0,87), natomiast Cu wykazywała istotną dodatnią korelację z Ni (0,51). Zawartości Cu i Pb wykazywały niezbyt silną korelację z Fe, Mn, Zn i Ni (0,25 ÷ 0,48). Na rozmieszczenie metali ciężkich mogą mieć również wpływ właściwości metali ciężkich oraz wahania przepływów wody. Wyniki dostarczają wskazówek dotyczących kontrolowania zanieczyszczenia metalami ciężkimi i ochrony źródeł wody w rzekach Doi-Cho Dem-Ben Luc