Gender Analysis of the Tuna Value Chain's Purchasing Stage in the South Central Provinces of Vietnam-Case Study of Binh Dinh Province

peer reviewedThis study aims to identify the gender disparities between men and women as purchasing actors in the tuna value chain in South Central provinces, thereby suggesting gender-sensitive policies towards gender equity, women’s empowerment, and sustainable tuna fisheries management. The study was conducted with the aid of a set of structured questionnaires executed through personal interview surveys. Tam Quan and Quy Nhon fishing ports in Binh Dinh province were chosen as study sites for conducting gender analysis at the tuna value chain's purchasing stage in the South Central provinces of Vietnam. Forty respondents were directly interviewed at their home or at the fishing ports in Binh Dinh province in May 2020, of which are ten middlemen and nine middlewomen purchasing yellowfin and bigeye tunas at Tam Quan fishing port; and twelve middlewomen and nine female traders purchasing skipjack tuna at Quy Nhon fishing port. This study used gender analysis tools such as the Harvard, Moser, and the USAID's six gender dimensions to identify gender differences between men and women in the tuna purchasing stage in productive, reproductive, and community managing roles. Some policy recommendations for improving gender equity, women's empowerment, and sustainable tuna fisheries management were proposed, including (i) describe the importance of women's reproductive role in gender-responsive strategies; (ii) establish tuna trading management board at the fishing port to collect information on the needs, issues, and interests of purchasing actors; (iii) organize training courses on tuna business and management skills at the fishing ports during the low season for the full participation of middle-actors, especially women; (iv) provide access to savings, credit, and microfinance for female traders to create opportunities for expanding their business; (v) improve facilities at the fishing ports to increase the overall well-being of the fish trading communities; (vi) introduce alternative job opportunities for laborers in the tuna purchasing stage during the low season; (vii) support laborers trading yellowfin and bigeye tuna in seeking other ways to make a living due to the depletion of these tuna resources

Synthesis and Characterization of Ag/PEDOT:PSS Films Used for NH3_3 Selective Sensing

Nano-Ag/PEDOT-PSS films were prepared by spin-coating technique. SEM surface morphology, Raman spectra and gas sensing of methanol, humidity and NH3 were studied. The obtained results showed that the resistance of Ag/PEDOT:PSS sheets exposed to gases related to the generation of electrons from the gases adsorption that eliminated holes as the major carriers in PEDOT:PSS. For NH3 gas the largest change of the resistance of Ag/PEDOT:PSS was observed. The less sensitivity of humidity and ethanol sensing was explained due to less dedoping reaction between H2O and ethanol vapor with Ag/PEDOT:PSS, respectively. This suggests a potential application of the nano-Ag/PEDOT-PSS sensors for  the selective monitoring NH3 gas in environment

Investigation of Thermal Annealing Condition on the Optical and Electrical Properties of Hybrid Silver Nanowires/Reduced Graphene Oxide (AgNWS/rGO) Films

Herein we report a electrode in the hybrid  structure of the silver nanowires (AgNWs) with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) deposited on glass or PET substrate. The assembly and contacting in procedures of this hybrid film have been strongly affected by preparation conditions, especially annealing temperature. In this work, we have investigated the effects of thermal annealing on interconnected at nanowire junctions and between AgNWS network and rGO films via their sheet resistance and transmission. The annealing temperature was varied from 120$^{\circ}$C to 180$^{\circ}$C with 10$^{\circ}$C step to find out optimal temperature at which the wires can be joined together. The results show that at 170$^{\circ}$C, the sheet resistance and transmission of the hybrid rGO/Ag NW film are $R_{s} = 10.7\;\Omega$ sq$^{ - 1 }$ and $T = 77$% (at wavelength 550 nm) corresponding to the ratio of direct conductivity to optical conductivity $\sigma _{DC}/\sigma _{OP} = 126$ which is the best obtained value. It is expected that the hybrid AgNWS/rGO film can replace ITO film in the near future

Effect of Silver Nanowire Dimension to Ammonia Adsorption of Graphene-silver Nanowires Hybrid

In this report, we study the effect of silver nanowires (AgNws) dimension to electrical properties of rGO/AgNws hybrid. The alteration of these electrical properties leads the difference of ammonia sensibility of the rGO/AgNws hybrid based sensing devices. When the rGO is accompanied by AgNws of different sizes from \sim 500$~\text{nm to } 10\;\mum, the ammonia sensitivity of these hybrids change from 60% to 340% alteration compared with the bare rGO material

Environmental entitlements: institutional influence on mangrove social-ecological systems in Northern Vietnam

Environment and development issues are complex and interdependent. Institutions underpinning state, private sector and civil society actions at various levels must address complexity to ensure social-ecological system integrity. However, responses often operate at only one governance level, with limited interactions with other levels, restricting their ability to support communities who depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. This paper explores institutional factors influencing household entitlements to mangrove system provisioning goods on Vietnam’s northern coast. The environmental entitlements framework is used to identify: (1) current formal and informal institutional structures relating to mangrove systems; (2) the influence of state, private sector and non-governmental organisation actors at various levels; and (3) how actions occurring at and among various levels of governance shape mangrove system entitlements at the local level. Employing a case study approach, this research utilises qualitative methods and a multi-level governance approach to understand prevailing institutional contexts. Results indicate that reforms occurring within weak regulatory frameworks led to the concentration of power at the meso level, reducing the endowments of marginalized households. Market forces facilitated inequality and environmental degradation, negatively impacting household entitlements. Finally, a lack of formally recognised civil society constrained household capabilities to participate in mangrove planning. Mangrove dependent households must be integrated into mangrove planning at the local level, as processes at higher institutional levels affect household environmental entitlements and threaten sustainable outcomes. Ensuring views from the local level feed into the multi-level governance process is vita

Adjunctive dexamethasone for the treatment of HIV-uninfected adults with tuberculous meningitis stratified by Leukotriene A4 hydrolase genotype (LAST ACT): Study protocol for a randomised double blind placebo controlled non-inferiority trial [version 1; referees: 2 approved]

Background: Tuberculosis kills more people than any other bacterial infection worldwide. In tuberculous meningitis (TBM), a common functional promoter variant (C/T transition) in the gene encoding leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H), predicts pre-treatment inflammatory phenotype and response to dexamethasone in HIV-uninfected individuals. The primary aim of this study is to determine whether LTA4H genotype determines benefit or harm from adjunctive dexamethasone in HIV-uninfected Vietnamese adults with TBM. The secondary aim is to investigate alternative management strategies in individuals who develop drug induced liver injury (DILI) that will enable the safe continuation of rifampicin and isoniazid therapy.  Methods: We will perform a parallel group, randomised (1:1), double blind, placebo-controlled,  multi-centre Phase III non-inferiority trial, comparing dexamethasone versus placebo for 6-8 weeks in addition to standard anti-tuberculosis treatment in HIV-uninfected patients with TBM stratified by LTA4H genotype. The primary endpoint will be death or new neurological event. The trial will enrol approximately 720 HIV-uninfected adults with a clinical diagnosis of TBM, from two hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 640 participants with CC or CT- LTA4H genotype will be randomised to either dexamethasone or placebo, and the remaining TT- genotype participants will be treated with standard-of-care dexamethasone. We will also perform a randomised comparison of three management strategies for anti-tuberculosis DILI. An identical ancillary study will also be perfomed in the linked randomised controlled trial of dexamethasone in HIV-infected adults with TBM (ACT HIV).  Discussion: Previous data have shown that LTA4H genotype may be a critical determinant of inflammation and consequently of adjunctive anti-inflammatory treatment response in TBM. We will stratify dexamethasone therapy according to LTA4H genotype in HIV-uninfected adults, which may indicate a role for targeted anti-inflammatory therapy according to variation in LTA4H C/T transition. A comparison of DILI management strategies may allow the safe continuation of rifampicin and isoniazid

On Sustainable Aquaculture

peer reviewe

Nutritional value of sesame oil cake and lysine utilization efficiency in plant protein-based diets for rainbow trout

Il existe actuellement dans l'industrie aquicole de la fabrication des aliments pour poisson un besoin urgent de remplacement des farines de poisson coûteuses et rares par des protéines durables d'origine végétale adéquatement supplémentées par des acides aminés produits industriellement. Dans ce contexte, le présent travail s'est penché sur l'étude de la valeur nutritionnelle, digestive et métabolique, du tourteau de sésame (Sesamum indicum L.) et sur l'efficience d'utilisation de la lysine dans des régimes à base de protéines végétales chez la truite arc-en-ciel (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Le tourteau de sésame est un candidat potentiellement intéressant pour remplacer les farines de poisson dans les aliments aquicoles. Cette protéine végétale constitue une excellente source d'acides aminés indispensables, particulièrement en arginine et en méthionine, mais elle est profondément carencée en lysine. Sa valeur nutritionnelle et sa digestibilité apparente sont élevées (93 et 76% pour la protéine et l'énergie). Cette étude montre que le tourteau de sésame peut substituer au moins 52% de la farine de poisson sans nécessité de supplémentation en acides aminés. En particulier, cette source protéique améliore de façon marquée l'ingestion volontaire et les performances de croissance de la truite comparativement à un témoin à base de farine de poisson. Néanmoins, le coefficient d'utilisation alimentaire diminue avec l'augmentation du taux d'incorporation du tourteau de sésame. L'efficience d'utilisation des protéines ingérées n'est significativement réduite que quand plus de 39% de la farine de poisson est remplacée par le tourteau de sésame. Cela est probablement lié à une déficience alimentaire en lysine, problème qui pourrait être résolu par une supplémentation en L-lysine.HCl. L'utilisation du tourteau de sésame aussi bien que d'autres protéines végétales nécessite souvent une supplémentation en lysine de synthèse (habituellement sous la forme de L-lysine.HCl) afin de répondre aux besoins des poissons. L'efficience d'utilisation de la lysine est un des facteurs clés déterminant l'apport alimentaire optimal en lysine. En pratique, les régimes commerciaux contiennent de nombreuses sources différentes de protéines végétales et les fabricants d'aliments pour poissons formulent des régimes contenant une large gamme de niveaux protéiques. Lorsque l'on supplémente de tels régimes en L-lysine.HCl, on fait l'hypothèse que l'efficience d'utilisation de la lysine est constante pour tous les régimes et quelles que soient les conditions. En réalité, il pourrait bien en être tout autrement du fait des influences possibles sur l'efficience d'utilisation de la lysine de la source de protéine végétale utilisée et du niveau protéique retenu. Le présent travail révèle pour la première fois que la source alimentaire de protéine végétale conditionne l'efficience d'utilisation de la lysine au-dessus de l'entretien avec une valeur supérieure chez les poissons nourris d'un régime à base de gluten de blé (75%) comparativement à des régimes à base de gluten de maïs ou d'un mélange composé de gluten de blé et de tourteau de sésame (63%). Dès lors, il devrait être tenu compte de cet effet dans la formulation des aliments pour poissons à base de protéines végétales. A l'opposé, le niveau protéique alimentaire ne paraît pas influencer l'efficience d'utilisation de la lysine au-dessus de l'entretien puisque cette dernière s'est révélée constante chez la truite nourrie d'aliments contenant une large gamme de niveaux protéiques (250-650 g/kg d'aliment sec). Les conclusions générales de cette étude est d'une part que le tourteau de sésame est une source de protéine végétale potentiellement importante dans l'alimentation des poissons, même chez des espèces carnivores telles que la truite arc-en-ciel, et d'autre part, que l'efficience d'utilisation de la lysine au-dessus de l'entretien est affectée chez cette espèce par la source protéique végétale qui est supplémentée mais pas par le niveau protéique. Ce travail aura un certain nombre de répercussions importantes sur la nutrition aquicole par ses implications pratiques ; il ouvre également des perspectives intéressantes dans la modélisation de l'utilisation et des besoins en acides aminés chez les poissons. / Presently, in the aquaculture industry, there is a need to replace costly and scarce fish meals by sustainable plant proteins often supplemented with industrially produced amino acids in cost-effective aquafeeds. In this context, the present study focused on the digestive and metabolic nutritional evaluation of sesame (Sesamum indicum, L.) oil cake and lysine utilization efficiency in plant protein-based diets for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Sesame oil cake is a potential plant protein to replace fish meal in aquafeeds, but it has never been studied in a carnivorous fish species like trout. This plant protein is an excellent source of indispensable amino acids, particularly arginine and methionine, but is deeply deficient in lysine. It appears to have a high apparent digestibility (93 and 76% for protein and energy, respectively) and nutritional value. This study showed that sesame oil cake can substitute at least 52% of fish meal in trout diets without any amino acid supplementation. In particular, this protein source markedly improves voluntary feed intake and growth performance of trout as compared to a fish meal control diet. However, feed efficiency is reduced with increasing inclusion level. Nitrogen retention efficiency is significantly decreased only when more than 39% of the fish meal is replaced by sesame oil cake. This is probably due to a lysine deficiency in the diet and to solve this problem a supplementation with L-lysine.HCl is suggested. The use of sesame oil cake as well as other plant proteins often necessitates the supplementation with synthetic lysine (usually in the form of L-lysine.HCl) in order to meet the requirements of fish. Lysine utilization efficiency is one of the key factors determining the optimal dietary lysine supply. In practice, commercial diets include many different plant protein sources and aquafeeds manufacturers formulate diets with a wide range of protein levels. When supplying L-lysine.HCl in these diets, it is assumed that the utilization efficiency of lysine is constant for all diets and under all conditions. However, this may not be so, with respect to the possible influence of dietary plant protein source and protein level on lysine utilization efficiency. The present work revealed that the dietary plant protein source affects lysine utilization efficiency above maintenance: it was higher for fish fed the wheat gluten diets (75%) as compared to the maize gluten diets and wheat gluten and sesame oil cake mixture diets (63%). Thus, this effect should be taken into account in the formulation of plant protein-based diets. By contrast, the dietary protein level did not influence the lysine utilization efficiency above maintenance: it was constant (71%) in trout fed diets containing a wide range of protein levels (250-650 g/kg dry diet). The overall conclusions drawn from this study are that sesame oil cake is an important potential plant protein source even in carnivorous fish species like trout and that lysine utilization efficiency is affected by the dietary protein source that is supplemented but not by the dietary protein level in this fish species This work will lead to some important practical applications in aquaculture nutrition and opens interesting future prospects in the modelling of amino acid requirements and utilization in fish.Doctorat en sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique (AGRO 3)--UCL, 200

Development of aquaculture in North Vietnam: influence on the living standards and gender division of family labor

During previous years, along with the overall development of Vietnam, the fisheries sector has made great progress in terms of output and has remained as a very important sector of Vietnam’s economy. The average growth rate of this sector has been 7.9% per year –contributing greatly to the industrialization and modernization of the agriculture and rural sectors of the country. Since 2006, Vietnam has been globally ranked among the top 10 leading exporting countries in fisheries. To cope with these new circumstances, the aquaculture sector must grow while reducing emissions and pollution. Moreover, the value they generate should be distributed fairly, in order to improve the living conditions of producers, while the risks must be shared among all stakeholders. In this context, il will be also appropriate to conduct specific research including gender analysis of aquaculture value chain. The main objective of this paper is to present the main results of a field research conducted in the northern Vietnam and related to a specific fresh water aquaculture production system. This study was conducted to (1) describe and understand the division of family labor in aquaculture and (2) make a diagnose about economic situation of the households in aquaculture

New Freshwater Aquaculture Systems in the Red River Delta of Vietnam: Evolution of a Hey Role in Food Systems and Rural Development

peer reviewedFreshwater aquaculture production systems are closely related to Integrated Agriculture Aquaculture systems. The systems are traditionally integrated with crop production, horticulture, and livestock husbandry. Improved aquaculture systems are currently able to not only improve the nutrients of local farmers’ diets and economic conditions, but are also able to create employment opportunities and lead to better resource-utilization and rural development. This paper aims to present the changes in food systems affected by the rapidly developing freshwater aquaculture in northern Vietnam. It will shed light on how the aquaculture system plays various roles in supporting agrarian livelihoods, their relationships to well-being, and food security using a clear example of small-scale aquaculture in a province of the Red River Delta. The challenges and opportunities presented to small-scale producers and culture systems are assessed, and the likely future of small-scale freshwater production systems is discussed and forecast. Combining historical, adaptive, and systematic approaches, the study revealed the features and characteristics of inland aquaculture systems at the household level over a decade of the evolutionary process (1997–2015). By investigating 151 aquaculture households in two representative districts of the region, the three existing systems are identified: VAC system (23%) (whereby V=vuon-gardens (horticulture), A=Ao-ponds (aquaculture) and C=Chuong-animal sheds/pens (livestock husbandry)); aquaculture/livestock (AF) system (43%); and the ommercially intensive fish culture (FS) system (34%). Beyond the positive benefits to the food system and rural development, potential considerably exists for further aquaculture integration within VAC systems in the region, which will contribute to poverty reduction and improvement of the livelihoods of small-scale rural farmers