Hematological parameters of red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) fed lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon citratus) after challenge with Streptococcus agalactiae

The study involved feeding lemongrass essential oil (LEO) supplements to red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) at concentrations including Control - 0 mg, T1 – 200 mg, T2 – 300 mg, and T3 – 400 mg per kg of feed. The research investigated changes in hematological (HCT, Hb, RBC, WBC & thrombocytes) and erythrocyte’s morphological (major/minor axis; perimeter, and area of erythrocyte) parameters before infection, 5- and 10-days post-infection (DPI). According to analytical findings, a diet containing LEO enhanced the synthesis of both erythrocytes and leukocytes in the peripheral blood of red tilapia after 20 days of being used. Therefore, the indicators of this group of fish showed better performance than those that did not use LEO supplement five days after bacterial infection. Fish fed 200 mg/kg of LEO after being challenged with S. agalactiae for ten days showed an improved effect on red blood cell production. White blood cells decreased at all concentrations because of citral’s immunomodulatory properties

Vietnamese children and adults' perceptions of genealogy's role in family tradition education

When one studies their ancestors, they acquire information and documentation about their marriages, births, and deaths as far back as possible, through their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents, as well as information and documentation about their children and grandchildren. In particular, the purpose of this study is to examine the perspectives of Vietnamese children and adults regarding the significance of genealogy in traditional family education in the country of Vietnam. One hundred and ninety-nine persons participated in the survey. In a questionnaire, they answered eight questions regarding the lives of their forefathers and foremothers. When this research came to a close, it was determined that the perceptions of Vietnamese children and adults about the function of genealogy in traditional family education fell into one of two categories: "below average" and "above average." All of the findings from this research are critical in terms of establishing family traditions in the minds of future generations

Straightforward Procedure for Laboratory Production of DNA Ladder

DNA ladder is commonly used to determine the size of DNA fragments by electrophoresis in routine molecular biology laboratories. In this study, we report a new procedure to prepare a DNA ladder that consists of 10 fragments from 100 to 1000 bp. This protocol is a combination of routinely employed methods: cloning, PCR, and partial digestion with restriction enzymes. DNA fragments of 100 bp with unique restriction site at both ends were self-ligated to create a tandem repeat. Once being cloned, the tandem repeat was rapidly amplified by PCR and partially digested by restriction enzymes to produce a ladder containing multimers of the repeated DNA fragments. Our procedure for production of DNA ladder could be simple, time saving, and inexpensive in comparison with current ones widely used in most laboratories

Determinants of electronic word of mouth in the restaurant industry: An evidence from Vietnam

The food and beverage industry in Vietnam has developed dramatically, resulting in a highly competitive market. To win the competition, the restaurant managers not only strive to increase customer satisfaction but also create customers’ positive electronic Word-Of-Mouth (eWOM). This study aims to investigate the relationship between customer satisfaction, customer trust, customer loyalty, and eWOM. The quantitative method was implemented to examine the hypotheses in the research model. Data were collected from Ho Chi Minh City respondents using a convenient sampling method. Self-administrated questionnaires were delivered via the Internet for data collection. After data screening, 299 responses were qualified for analysis. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was employed by SmartPLS software version 3.0. The measurement model test showed that one item of customer trust has a factor loading of less than 0.7 as a result, this item was removed from the research model. The structural model evaluation revealed the highly predictive accuracy of the model as all dependent variables have R2 values above 0.5. A bootstrapping test with 5,000 subsamples also showed that customer loyalty significantly influences eWOM, but customer trust does not. Customer satisfaction directly and significantly impacts customer trust and loyalty but has little influence on eWOM. However, the relationship between customer satisfaction and eWOM is significant without the presence of customer loyalty and trust. The indirect effect test also determines the full mediation role of customer loyalty in the relationship between customer satisfaction and eWOM

Status of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) and other emerging diseases of penaeid shrimps in Viet Nam

Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), formerly called early mortality syndrome (EMS), was first reported in 2010 among penaeid shrimps cultivated in the Mekong Delta Region of Viet Nam albeit without any laboratory confirmation. The disease subsequently spread to a wide range of shrimp production areas in the same region (Soc Trang: 1,719 ha; Bac Lieu: 346 ha; and Ca Mau: 3,493 ha), so that the Government of Viet Nam requested for technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2011. In 2012, FAO supported Viet Nam through the project TCP/VIE/3304 Emergency assistance to control the spread of an unknown disease affecting shrimps in Viet Nam, under which the Department of Animal Health of Viet Nam (DAH) collaborated with the University of Arizona and FAO experts to carry out indepth studies to identify the etiologic agent of the disease. As a result, unique isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was identified as the causative agent of AHPND in 2013. Viet Nam has been vigilant and transparent with regard to aquatic animal diseases through official notifications to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA). AHPND outbreaks have no clear temporal pattern with black tiger (Penaeus monodon) and whiteleg (P. vannamei) shrimps showing similar incidence risk. The disease occurs at any stage of shrimp cultivation, i.e. on average about 35 days after stocking. To date, unwarranted outbreaks of AHPND in major shrimp-producing provinces in Viet Nam have been apparently regulated. Aside from AHPND, white spot disease (WSD) has also been a persistent problem responsible for serious economic losses in many shrimp-producing areas in Viet Nam. To prevent and control the further spread of infectious diseases of shrimps including AHPND and WSD, multiple control measures have been implemented including guidance of farmers to improve production conditions, facilities and biosecurity application, active surveillance of shrimp production areas for early warning, screening of broodstock and postlarvae for any OIE listed diseases, regulation on movement of stocks, and collaboration with regional and international organizations in carrying out in-depth epidemiological studies that will be needed in the formulation of pragmatic and holistic disease interventions

Language Learning Strategies Employed by Non-English Majors at Nong Lam University, Vietnam

Learning strategies have a strong effect on students’ success in foreign language learning. In fact, they are considered tools for active and self-directed engagement, which is vital for developing communicative competence. Language learning strategies also enable students to take responsibility for their own learning progress. This study was carried out to identify the preferred language learning strategies which are most frequently employed by non-English major students at Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The research was conducted with 725 undergraduate students with a descriptive quantitative method. The data was collected using a Vietnamese questionnaire adapted from Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) originally developed by Oxford (1990). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 software was used to analyze the data obtained from the questionnaire. The findings revealed that non-English majors used language learning strategies at a medium level of frequency. They didn’t equally use all 6 strategies in their learning, which probably impeded their progress of language learning. The most frequently used strategies by the learners were metacognitive strategies, followed by memory, affective, cognitive compensation and social strategies as the least preferred ones. Pedagogical recommendations for lecturers are also discussed in the paper

Factors Contributing to Academic Boredom among English-Major Students at Nong Lam University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Academic boredom can detrimentally impact students' motivation, engagement, and academic performance. Recognizing the challenges faced by English-major students at Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh city, the authors of this paper conducted a study to investigate the underlying factors contributing to academic boredom within this specific academic context. A quantitative research method was employed in the current study to investigate the antecedents of academic boredom among the English-majored students. The population of this study consists of 427 English language majors at Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A convenience sampling method was utilized. Correlation and regression analyses were used to explore the relationships between the antecedent factors and academic boredom among students. The findings reveal a combination of internal and external factors contributing to boredom. It was also found that the most common causes of boredom are the students’ attitude toward their learning and the university’s environment while no significant correlation was observed between the level of boredom and teaching contents, teaching methods and pedagogical style. Some implications concerning how to reduce EFL classroom boredom are also presented in this paper

Microscopic Observation Drug Susceptibility Assay (MODS) for Early Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Children

MODS is a novel liquid culture based technique that has been shown to be effective and rapid for early diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). We evaluated the MODS assay for diagnosis of TB in children in Viet Nam. 217 consecutive samples including sputum (n = 132), gastric fluid (n = 50), CSF (n = 32) and pleural fluid (n = 3) collected from 96 children with suspected TB, were tested by smear, MODS and MGIT. When test results were aggregated by patient, the sensitivity and specificity of smear, MGIT and MODS against “clinical diagnosis” (confirmed and probable groups) as the gold standard were 28.2% and 100%, 42.3% and 100%, 39.7% and 94.4%, respectively. The sensitivity of MGIT and MODS was not significantly different in this analysis (P = 0.5), but MGIT was more sensitive than MODS when analysed on the sample level using a marginal model (P = 0.03). The median time to detection of MODS and MGIT were 8 days and 13 days, respectively, and the time to detection was significantly shorter for MODS in samples where both tests were positive (P<0.001). An analysis of time-dependent sensitivity showed that the detection rates were significantly higher for MODS than for MGIT by day 7 or day 14 (P<0.001 and P = 0.04), respectively. MODS is a rapid and sensitive alternative method for the isolation of M.tuberculosis from children