Effects of different fibre sources in pig diets on growth performance, gas emissions and slurry characteristics

The effects of different fibre sources in pig diets on growth performance, ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and slurry characteristics was studied on 20 crossbred pigs [Duroc x F1 (Landrace x Yorkshire)]. The experimental diets included one low-fibre (LF) diet without maize distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), brewer’s grain (BG) and coconut cake (CC) and 3 high-fibre (HF) diets with maize DDGS or BG or CC. The experiment was conducted according to a completely randomized design with 5 replications and lasted 62 days. In the growing period and the overall, pigs fed diets LF and HF-DDGS had higher average daily gain (ADG) compared to pigs fed diets HF-BG and HF-CC (P 0.05), while N and P excretions (g/head/day) were greater for diet HF-CC than for diet LF (P < 0.05). The CO2 emission was greater for diets HF-BG and HF-CC than for diets LF and HF-DDGS (P 0.05). In both periods, CH4 emission was lower in diet LF than in diet HF-BG and HF-CC (P < 0.05), while NH3 emission was higher for pigs fed diet LF than pigs fed HF-BG and HF-CC (P < 0.05). The H2 S emission was not affected by diets in both periods. In conclusion, different fibre sources in pig diets may be a practical method to alter growth performance, slurry characteristics and NH3, GHG emissions

Safe haven for Asian equity markets during financial distress: Bitcoin versus Gold

This study aims to analyse the role of bitcoin and gold as safe haven assets for Asian equity markets during periods of high market uncertainty related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, high volatility and extreme stock market conditions. Our empirical analysis employs the DCC-GARCH methodology to estimate the time-varying relationship between bitcoin/gold and the Asian stock market from 2016 to 2023. Our findings reveal that bitcoin serves as a strong hedge for Taiwan and Pakistan, whereas gold can be considered a strong hedge for Japan, Singapore, India, Thailand and Vietnam. Interestingly, we observe that bitcoin does not exhibit safe haven properties in any of the Asian countries observed. In contrast, gold demonstrates strong safe haven abilities for Singapore, India and Thailand. These results remain consistent across various measures of market turmoil, including the volatility index, COVID-19-related periods and low quantiles on the stock market. Furthermore, our results suggest that the perception and adoption of gold as a safe haven asset in Japan and Vietnam is mainly influenced by global events and uncertainties, rather than localized stock market conditions. These findings offer valuable information for investors, financial institutions as well as policy makers and regulators as to how cryptocurrency and gold have evolved as hedge and safe haven assets in Asia during uncertainty periods.Ton Duc Thang UniversityTon Duc Thang University [FOSTECT.2023.18

Infection status and molecular identification of digenean cercariae in snails in Kim Son district, Ninh Binh Province and Ba Vi district, Ha Noi

In this study, the molecular method was used to identify digenean cercariae from freshwater snails in Kim Son District (Ninh Binh Province) and Ba Vi District Ha Noi. A total of 9 snail species were collected and examined for cercarial infection. Three snail species (Radix swinhoei, Angulyagra polyzonata and Pomacea canaliculata) were not infected, while the other 6 species (Austropeplea viridis, Gyraulus convexiusculus, Parafossarulus striatulus, Bithynia fuchsiana, Melanoides tuberculata and Tarebia granifera) were infected with digenean cercariae at low infection rates, ranging from 2.3% to 6.3%. Seven cercarial groups were identified: Echinostome, Monostome, Parapleurophocercaria, Xiphidiocercaria, Fucocercaria, Gymnocephalous and Megalurous. Snails M. tuberculata and P. striatulus were infected with 4 cercarial groups, A. viridis and G. convexiusculus snails were infected with 2 groups, 2 snail species B. fuchsiana and T. granifera were infected with one group of cercaria. The results of ITS2 sequences analyses of the cercarial groups identified the larvae of 9 trematode species, namely Echinostoma revolutum, Echinochasmus japonicus, Notocotylus intestinalis, Philophthalmus gralli, Haplorchis pumilio, Procerovum cheni, Fasciola gigantica, Australapatemon burti and Cyathocotyle prussica. Among them the last three species, P. cheni, A. burti and C. prussica, were found for the first time in Vietnam. In addition, the ITS-2 sequence of Gymnocephalous cercariae which was previously identified as Sphaeridiotrema monorchis, from P. striatulus snail was 97% similar to that of Sphaeridiotrema pseudoglobulus. Likewise, ITS-2 sequence of Echinostome cercaria from B. fuchsiana snail was 93% similar to that of E. japonicus and that of Xiphidiocercaria cercaria from M. tuberculata snail was 93% similar to Lecithodendrium spathulatum.

Trichinellosis in Vietnam

Trichinellosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease with a worldwide distribution. The aim of this work was to describe the epidemiological and clinical data of five outbreaks of trichinellosis, which affected ethnic minorities living in remote mountainous areas of northwestern Vietnam from 1970 to 2012. Trichinellosis was diagnosed in 126 patients, of which 11 (8.7%) were hospitalized and 8 (6.3%) died. All infected people had consumed raw pork from backyard and roaming pigs or wild boar at wedding, funeral, or New Year parties. The short incubation period (average of 9.5 days), the severity of the symptoms, which were characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, myalgia, edema, weight loss, itch, and lisping, and the high mortality, suggest that patients had ingested a high number of larvae. The larval burden in pigs examined in one of the outbreaks ranged from 70 to 879 larvae/g. These larvae and those collected from a muscle biopsy taken from a patient from the 2012 outbreak were identified as Trichinella spiralis. Data presented in this work show that the northern regions of Vietnam are endemic areas for Trichinella infections in domestic pigs and humans

Impacts of Economic Development on the Awareness of Cultural Preservation of Ethnic Minority People in the Border Region of Northern Vietnam

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine how the Vietnamese government's economic development strategies affect ethnic minority people's knowledge of cultural preservation in the border area of Northern Vietnam.   Theoretical framework: The study focuses on three main driven factors of the awareness of cultural preservation that are economic changes, societal changes, and environmental changes from three economic fields: agriculture, industry, and trade and services.   Design/methodology/approach: The research sample was taken from ethnic minorities in Northern Vietnam's border area. For questionnaire administration, interviewees are selected at random from the population. Face-to-face, drop-off, and phone-calling approaches were used to disseminate the questionnaire. We received 544 completed returns out of 725 surveys sent out. The data was then cleaned and analyzed with SPSS 20 software using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).   Findings: The results of a study of ethnic minority communities in seven provinces in Northern Vietnam's border region show that the development of agriculture, industry, trade and service significantly impacts ethnic minority people's awareness of cultural preservation issues due to environmental changes. In contrast, economic and sociological developments appear to have little influence on ethnic minority people's attention to cultural preservation. This phenomenon may be due to the long-term effects of economic and sociological changes, which mostly affect intangible cultural heritages. In contrast, environmental impats are felt swiftly and primarily on physical cultural heritages that can be seen.   Research, Practical &amp; Social implications: The findings of the research provide policymakers with valuable insights on the effects of economic development on cultural preservation. The study's recommendations can inform policies that promote sustainable economic development while preserving the cultural heritage of ethnic minority communities.   Originality/value: The research focuses on the border region of Northern Vietnam, which is an area of strategic importance for economic development and cultural preservation. The study's unique focus on this region provides insights into the cultural and economic dynamics of a specific area that has not been extensively studied

Review of Literature of Faculty Motivation for Doing Research in Universities

Faculty research in the universities plays a very important role in the education and development of every country in the world. The purpose of this research is to review studies in this field, different approaches in studies, and fundamental theories used for studies. The results obtained from the literature review show that many scholars have conducted researches on the determinants influencing the faculty productivity to do research. Most of studies apply the theories of working motivation. However, not many scholars conduct research on the faculty motivation to do research. The final result of this research provides follow-up suggestions for studies of the motivation for conducting research on the side of lecturers, thereby guiding managers to enhance faculty motivation to do research. Keywords: Motivation, productivity, research, lecturer/faculty. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-20-10 Publication date:July 31st 201

Effects of calpastain (CAST) polymorphisms on carcass and meat quality traits in Mongcai pigs

Calpastain (CAST) activity plays a major role in muscle growth and proteolytic changes post-mortem and the CAST gene has been considered as a candidate gene for carcass and pork quality characteristics. The aim of this study was to analyze the association of two polymorphisms namely CAST_HinfI (allele A and B) and CAST_MspI (allele C and D) with carcass and meat quality traits in Mongcai, a Vietnamese indigenous pig breed. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to genotype the animals at these loci. Results indicate that the CAST_HinfI single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) had a low frequency of allele A as compared to allele B, while the C and D allele distribution was almost the same for the CAST_MspI SNP. In the association analysis, significant effects on dressing percentage of carcass were detected. The CAST_HinfI locus was associated with the pH24, while the CAST_MspI position was in association with pH45 min, drip loss48 and redness color. Additional analysis showed a variation in muscle fiber type composition with higher proportion of IIx fiber in pigs with AB genotype (P &lt; 0.05). Three constructed haplotypes namely AB/CD, AB/DD and BB/CC also had significant effects on carcass, type IIa and IIb fiber percentages.Keywords: Association, carcass, pork quality, Vietnamese local pi