SUMMARIZING STRATEGY: POTENTIAL TOOL TO PROMOTE ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL) STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION AT A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL, VIETNAM

This paper reports a study which examines how students perceived the effects of the implementation of the summarizing strategy on English as a foreign language (EFL) reading comprehension at a Vietnamese university. Using a descriptive design, a survey and interviews were undertaken with students who were learning English at a vocational school of law at a province in the Mekong Delta,Vietnam. The findings indicated how students recognized the role of the summarizing strategy although there were some problems they had to encounter while reading, namely vocabulary and grammar. The findings of this study give rise to pedagogical implications for teachers with regard to designing timely and effective techniques for optimizing students’ text comprehension ability over time.  Article visualizations

Recherche de la fonction de protéines riches en hydroxyproline dans les parois végétales

La paroi primaire végétale est une enveloppe dynamique impliquée dans le développement ainsi que la réponse aux contraintes environnementales. Elle est composée de réseaux de polysaccharides et de protéines dans lesquels interviennent des protéines multi-domaines de type LRX et des protéines à domaine PAC. Ce travail de thèse a consisté à rechercher la fonction de ces protéines dans les parois. Des analyses protéomiques réalisées sur des extraits de protéines pariétales de racines de plantes sauvages ou mutantes lrx1 d'A. thaliana ont permis d'identifier 424/434 protéines pariétales de plantes sauvages/lrx1 respectivement et 25 protéines candidates pouvant jouer un rôle dans la morphogenèse des poils absorbants. Par ailleurs, des protéines à domaine PAC ont été identifiées dans toutes les plantes terrestres étudiées. L'apparition des protéines à domaine PAC a pu être associée à la terrestrialisation. Une analyse phylogénique a permis de grouper les domaines PAC en 10 clades, chacun comportant un domaine PAC d'Amborella trichopoda. Outre les 6 résidus Cys caractérisant le domaine PAC, des motifs conservés ont été repérés dans les clades, ouvrant la voie pour des études fonctionnelles. Des tests in vitro ont montré que les domaines PAC interagissent avec différents types de polysaccharides pariétaux et permis de définir trois types de spécificité vis-à-vis de polysaccharides tels que les ß(1,4) galactanes/RGI, les mannanes, les xyloglucanes et/ou la cellulose. Un nouveau modèle d'interactions supramoléculaires dans les parois végétales faisant intervenir des protéines à domaine PAC et des polysaccharides pariétaux a été proposéThe plant primary cell wall is a dynamic envelope involved in development and in response to environmental constraints. It is composed of networks of polysaccharides and proteins to which multi-domain proteins like LRX (Leucine-Rich repeat Extensin) and PAC (Proline-rich Arabinogalactan Protein Cys-containing) domain proteins contribute. This work aimed at finding partners of such proteins in cell walls using different experimental approaches. Proteomics analyses have been performed on proteins extracted from cell walls of roots of wild type or lrx1 plants. They have allowed the identification of 424/434 cell wall proteins of wild type/lrx1 roots respectively as well as of 25 candidate proteins which could play a role in root hair morphogenesis. Besides, PAC domain proteins have been identified in all the studied terrestrial plants using a bioinformatic approach. The appearance of PAC domain proteins could be associated to terrestrialisation. A phylogenic analysis has allowed to group PAC domains in 10 clades, each of them containing a PAC domain of Amborella trichopoda, an ancestor of angiosperms. In addition to the 6 Cys residues which define the PAC domain, conserved motifs have been identified in each clade. This finding opens the way to functional studies. In vitro tests have shown that the PAC domains could interact with different kinds of cell wall polysaccharides. Three types of specificity could be defined towards ß(1,4) galactans/RGI, mannans, xyloglucans and/or cellulose. A new model of molecular interactions in plant cell walls including PAC domain proteins and polysaccharides has been propose

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ CHALLENGES OF ONLINE INSTRUCTION IN READING CLASSES

Research into online instruction as an alternative to traditional teaching has indicated its role in facilitating student learning with the use of technology in times of COVID-19 pandemic. However, an intriguing question is how to conduct this mode of teaching English reading within the Vietnamese context. In Vietnam, little information has examined the challenges that high school teachers and students encountered in implementing online English reading classes to meet the needs and interests of the student and facilitate instructional practices. This study is therefore aimed to look into this area of interest. A mixed-methods study was used with fifty teachers and one hundred high school students. Data were collected from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings show that online instruction in reading classes challenged teachers and students to use technology, prepare lesson contents, and assess student comprehension. Implications are provided to teachers and students for the sake of the quality of online instruction.  Article visualizations

A critical review on computer vision and artificial intelligence in food industry

Emerging technologies such as computer vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are estimated to leverage the accessibility of big data for active training and yielding operational real time smart machines and predictable models. This phenomenon of applying vision and learning methods for the improvement of food industry is termed as computer vision and AI driven food industry. This review contributes to provide an insight into state-of-the-art AI and computer vision technologies that can assist farmers in agriculture and food processing. This paper investigates various scenarios and use cases of machine learning, machine vision and deep learning in global perspective with the lens of sustainability. It explains the increasing demand towards the AgTech industry using computer vision and AI which might be a path towards sustainable food production to feed the future. Also, this review tosses some implications regarding challenges and recommendations in inclusion of technologies in real time farming, substantial global policies and investments. Finally, the paper discusses the possibility of using Fourth Industrial Revolution [4.0 IR] technologies such as deep learning and computer vision robotics as a key for sustainable food production

Molecular docking screening, dynamics simulations, ADMET, and semi-synthesis prediction of flavones and flavonols from the COCONUT database as potent bifunctional neuraminidase inhibitors

Finding new neuraminidase (N) inhibitors to improve anti-influenza treatment is necessary because of the high mutation rates of N protein. Over 3,000 flavones/flavonols and their synthesized products from the COCONUT database were performed in silico docking screening with N1-H274Y-oseltamivir protein (PDB ID: 3CL0). Several derivatives containing nitrogen heterocyclic groups or aromatic rings showed higher anti-neuraminidase potential than that of laninamivir. Especially, the linker groups between the flavone aglycone and nitrogen heterocyclic group created the interactions with the triad of arginine residues Arg118-Arg292-Arg371, which suggested these compounds could become bifunctional inhibitors against the influenza virus strains at the sialic acid binding site and the adjacent 430-cavity position through triad of arginine residues binding. ADMET indicators and the synthesis design strategy of the most suitable compound, ethyl 4-{2-[(5-hydroxy-4-oxo-2-phenyl-4H-chromen-7-yl)oxy]acetyl}piperazine-1-carboxylate, were also successfully predicted and it could be a concerned candidate for further wet-lab synthesis, in vivo and clinical study

Prophylactic and Therapeutic Efficacy of Avian Antibodies against Influenza Virus H5N1 and H1N1 in Mice

Background: Pandemic influenza poses a serious threat to global health and the world economy. While vaccines are currently under development, passive immunization could offer an alternative strategy to prevent and treat influenza virus infection. Attempts to develop monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been made. However, passive immunization based on mAbs may require a cocktail of mAbs with broader specificity in order to provide full protection since mAbs are generally specific for single epitopes. Chicken immunoglobulins (IgY) found in egg yolk have been used mainly for treatment of infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Because the recent epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) strain H5N1 has resulted in serious economic losses to the poultry industry, many countries including Vietnam have introduced mass vaccination of poultry with H5N1 virus vaccines. We reasoned that IgY from consumable eggs available in supermarkets in Vietnam could provide protection against infections with HPAIV H5N1. Methods and Findings: We found that H5N1-specific IgY that are prepared from eggs available in supermarkets in Vietnam by a rapid and simple water dilution method cross-protect against infections with HPAIV H5N1 and related H5N2 strains in mice. When administered intranasally before or after lethal infection, the IgY prevent the infection or significantly reduce viral replication resulting in complete recovery from the disease, respectively. We further generated H1N1 virus-specific IgY by immunization of hens with inactivated H1N1 A/PR/8/34 as a model virus for the current pandemic H1N1/09 and found that such H1N1-specific IgY protect mice from lethal influenza virus infection. Conclusions: The findings suggest that readily available H5N1-specific IgY offer an enormous source of valuable biological material to combat a potential H5N1 pandemic. In addition, our study provides a proof-of-concept for the approach using virus-specific IgY as affordable, safe, and effective alternative for the control of influenza outbreaks, including the current H1N1 pandemic

NGHIÊN CỨU VI SINH VẬT SỐNG CÙNG MỘT SỐ LOÀI SAN HÔ CỨNG TẠI HANG RÁI NINH THUẬN BẰNG PHƯƠNG PHÁP NHUỘM HUỲNH QUANG KẾT HỢP NUÔI CẤY TỚI HẠN

Coral associated bacteria and their host are currently one of the interested issues for research and scientists worldwide. The densities of zooxanthellae and bacteria associated with three most prevalent species Acropora hyacinthus, Acropora muricata and Acropora robusta in Hang Rai, Ninh Thuan was evaluated over time by staining with SYBR Gold and direct counting with epifluorescence method. The most dominant bacteria were isolated by culture dependent method. The densities of zooxanthellae and bacteria ranged from 0.39–1.83×107 cell/g, and 0.83–2.52×108 cell/g, respectively. Bacterial density in the 3 months was significantly different compared to the density of the bacteria in ambient water. Total heterotrophic bacteria, comma shaped bacteria and bacillus form showed negatively correlated with pH, PO4, while zooxanthellae showed no correlation with all factors.Rạn san hô trên toàn thế đang đối mặt với sự huỷ diệt nghiêm trọng, một trong những nguyên nhân chính là do vi khuẩn gây bệnh và những tác động của môi trường. Chính vì vậy, nghiên cứu về hệ vi khuẩn sống cùng san hô và mối tương quan giừa vi khuẩn, san hô và các yếu tố môi trường là quan trọng và cấp thiết. Trong nghiên cứu này, mật độ vi tảo Symbiodinium sp., vi khuẩn sống cùng 3 loài san hô cứng Acropora hyacinthus, Acropora muricata và Acropora robusta phổ biến tại Ninh Thuận được đánh giá vào các thời điểm trước, trong, và sau khi san hô bị tẩy trắng bằng phương pháp đếm huỳnh quang và pha loãng tới hạn. Kết quả cho thấy mật độ tảo Symbiodinium khác nhau có ý nghĩa thống kê (dao động 0,39-1,83x107tb/g) ở các loài san hô khác nhau. Tuy nhiên, mật độ tảo cộng sinh không có khác biệt lớn giữa các tháng nghiên cứu. Mật độ vi khuẩn dao động từ 0,83-2,52x108tb/g và có sự sai khác có ý nghĩa thống kê không chỉ giữa các loài san hô mà còn ở các thời điểm trước trong và sau tẩy trắng. Tổng vi khuẩn, phẩy khuẩn và trực khuẩn có tương quan nghịch và có ý nghĩa về mặt thống kê với chỉ số pH và hàm lượng PO4. Ngược lại, mật độ tảo hoàn toàn không tương quan với các yếu tố môi trường