Changes of benthic macroinvertebrates in Thi Vai River and Cai Mep Estuaries under polluted conditions with industrial wastewater

The pollution on the Thi Vai River has been spreading out rapidly over the two lasted decades caused by the wastewater from the industrial parks in the left bank of Thi Vai River and Cai Mep Estuaries. The evaluation of the benthic macroinvertebrate changes was very necessary to identify the consequences of the industrial wastewater on water quality and aquatic ecosystem of Thi Vai River and Cai Mep Estuaries. In this study, the variables of benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality were investigated in Thi Vai River and Cai Mep Estuaries, Southern Vietnam. The monitoring data of benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality parameters covered the period from 1989 to 2015 at 6 sampling sites in Thi Vai River and Cai Mep Estuaries. The basic water quality parameters were also tested including pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. The biodiversity indices of benthic macroinvertebrates were applied for water quality assessment. The results showed that pH ranged from 6.4 – 7.6 during the monitoring. The DO concentrations were in between 0.20 – 6.70 mg/L. The concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorous ranged from 0.03 – 5.70 mg/L 0.024 – 1.380 mg/L respectively. Macroinvertebrate community in the study area consisted of 36 species of polychaeta, gastropoda, bivalvia, and crustacea, of which, species of polychaeta were dominant in species number. The benthic macroinvertebartes density ranged from 0 – 2.746 individuals/m2 with the main dominant species of Neanthes caudata, Prionospio malmgreni, Paraprionospio pinnata, Trichochaeta carica, Maldane sarsi, Capitella capitata, Terebellides stroemi, Euditylia polymorpha, Grandidierella lignorum, Apseudes vietnamensis. The biodiversity index values during the monitoring characterized for aquatic environmental conditions of mesotrophic to polytrophic. Besides, species richness positively correlated with DO, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. The results confirmed the advantage of using benthic macroinvertebrates and their indices for water quality assessment

Endogenous Fiscal Policies, Environmental Quality, and Status-Seeking Behavior.

This paper analyzes endogenous fiscal policy and public decision in an endogenous growth model where agents care about social status and environmental quality. The quest for a higher status is assimilated to a preference for capital wealth. The government uses income tax to finance infrastructure and environmental protection, and maximizes individual welfare. We find that accounting for preferences for social status and environmental quality may lead to an allocation of tax revenue in favor of cleanup effort to the detriment of infrastructure. It does not necessary have a negative impact on growth. Status seeking can however harm economic growth and environmental quality when its motive is important enough. Finally, we show that economic growth is consistent with environmental preservation but is not necessarily welfare-improving as in the case of absence of status-seeking behavior.Endogenous policy; endogenous growth; environmental quality; status-seeking; public expenditure; Wagner's law.

Framing and fundraising: Emotional language and money raised in a Vietnamese newspaper column

This exploratory study examined Vuot Len So Phan , a Vietnamese philanthropy newspaper column in Sai Gon Tiep Thi, a Vietnamese newspaper from April to December 2009. Guided by framing literatures, 39 episodic frames stories portraying financially disadvantaged people were content analyzed in terms of demographics of the featured subjects and emotional phrases used in the stories. The hypothesis predicting a positive correlation between emotional phrases and money raised was supported. This means the more emotional phrases used in an episodically framed story, the more money it was likely to raise. This study found an unexpected result that donations were declining over time and stories that ran earlier in the series had a tendency to receive more donations than stories that ran later on. Photographs and demographics variables of featured subjects did not have a significant relationship with money raised with the exception of the variable of ethnicity. A moderate, positive correlation between the number of donors and the amount of donations received was found

Regional growth disparities in Vietnam.

Growth inequality is a pressing issue for Vietnam, one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia. This dissertation examines potential factors contributing to the regional economic growth disparities of Vietnam and their effects on the development process. The Extreme Bound Analysis approach was used for estimating growth equations to identify the robust determinants of the model. Using the data from 42 provinces in Vietnam from 1998 to 2003, the analysis confirms the importance of good economic governance, initial GDP level, human capital, and population. The analysis suggests that provincial governance such as State Sector Bias and Proactivity of Provincial Leadership are robust and economically important factors related to regional economic growth

Transport Mechanism of Methionine In The Intestinal Tract Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

DL-Methionine (DL-Met) and its corresponding hydroxy analogue (DL-MHA) have been increasingly used in animal feeds. In mammalian and avian species, DL-Met is known to be transported by amino acid transporters, while DL-MHA is transported by monocarboxylate transporters. However, the characterization of transporters responsible for transport of these Met products in the fish intestine has not been studied. Therefore, this thesis focuses on understanding the transport mechanism of DL-Met and DL-MHA in different intestinal segments of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) using radiolabeled substrates and gene expression. Firstly, both sodium-dependent and independent DL-Met transport were characterized in Ussing chambers at low (µM) and high concentrations (mM) in triploid and diploid trout intestine at pyloric caeca (PC), midgut (MG), and hindgut (HG) regions. DL-[14C]Met radiolabeled isotope fluxes demonstrated a Na+-dependent high-affinity (Km in µM ranges) and low-affinity (Km in mM ranges) transport mechanism across the intestine, associated with apical ASCT2 and B0AT1-like transporters at low and high concentrations, respectively. Gene expression detected the presence of transporters y+LAT1 and LAT4, which might play a role in facilitating re-influx/efflux Met from the basolateral side of intestinal epithelial cells. Secondly, the dependence of DL-MHA transport was investigated in both sodium and proton conditions. The results indicated that there was intestinal segmental segregation of DL-[14C]MHA flux, revealing different transport mechanisms along trout intestine. Specifically, the apical DL-MHA influx was mediated by sodium-requiring systems in all regions, which associated with SMCTs. Basolateral efflux in PC and MG regions seemed to be proton-independent, but basolateral efflux in HG tended to be proton-dependent, which associated with MCT9 and MCT1, respectively. Thirdly, the transport rates of radioisotopic DL-Met and DL-MHA were compared to partially explain the effectiveness of the use of these Met sources in animal feeds. The comparison showed that DL-Met flux rates were significantly higher than DL-MHA throughout the intestinal segments at both low and high concentrations in physiological conditions. This probably has economic implications in selecting a suitable Met form to supplement in fish diets. Overall, DL-Met and DL-MHA transport in trout intestine followed different pathways along the intestinal tract. Similar to mammals, the transport of both Met substrates were dependent on sodium. In addition, DL-Met transport was more efficient than DL-MHA. These findings are of importance from both a physiological and nutritional perspective

Simulation of proton-induced and iron-induced extensive air showers at extreme energies

The development of extensive air showers at extreme energies is studied using a simulation model much simpler and cruder, but also more transparent and flexible, than existing sophisticated codes. Evidence for its satisfactory performance is presented. As an illustration, shower elongation rates are evaluated in the $10^{18}$ to $10^{20}$ eV region and compared with recently published data. Lateral distribution functions of both muons and electrons/photons are also briefly discussed. Reliable results are obtained in the comparison between proton-induced and iron-induced showers.Comment: 22 pages, Preprint submitted to Astroparticle Physic

Blended Learning for Secondary Schools in Nam Dinh Province to Satisfy New Standards: The Current Situation and Proposed Models

We offered blended learning models for high schools in Nam Dinh province to satisfy Vietnam's new criteria. These models were based on general approaches to issues, theoretical research, and field research based on surveys and anket questionnaires conducted throughout the area. The results of a survey demonstrate that high school teachers in Nam Dinh have gained a fundamental grasp of blended learning and have, in practice, embraced both online and face-to-face instruction, particularly during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak. However, there was not a standard model for blended learning, therefore it was only used by a few persons. In other contexts, the concept of "blended learning" referred to what was effectively a face-to-face session that was broadcast over the Internet without the necessary adjustments being made to the content, methodology, or evaluation. As a result, we offer a number of different ways to blended learning for high schools in Nam Dinh in order to improve the quality of education provided throughout the province

An evaluation of economic viability of small scale slaughterhouses in Vietnam: Implication for pig value chain development

Slaughterhouse plays important role in pig value chain in Vietnam, not only for the functions it plays and economic added value it generates, but also for product quality relates to food safety standards that is much affected under slaughtering activity. The study is aimed to get a better understanding of structure, conduct, performance and economic viability of small scale slaughter houses in the pig value chain, and draw key implications for pig value chain development in Vietnam. Nghe An and Hung Yen are selected as study site. Data is collected from 51 small scale slaughterhouses in 18 communes. Descriptive and comparative statistics are employed with t-test for mean comparison. Results show that slaughterhouse plays multiple functions in the pig value chain, generate permanent jobs for at least 2 family labors, and provides an income of about 18 USD/working day for family labor, contributing about threefourths of total family income. Slaughtering activity generates an added value of 165 USD/one ton of live pig, accounting from 24%-44% total value added in the pig value chain. Upstream and downstream linkages of slaughterhouses in the chain are quite loose with no formal contract. The majority of small scale slaughterhouses do not meet the standards for pig slaughterhouse as required by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The setting up as well as slaughtering practices are perceived to contribute to exposure of meat to contamination that could lead to higher incidence of salmonella in pork, a common cause of foodborne illness for consumers. Rising concerns of consumers about food safety as well as increasing level of economic integration of Vietnam are factors potentially having great impacts on economic viability of small scale slaughterhouse in Vietnam. Several recommendations for upgrading slaughterhouse are proposed accordingly