Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices Regarding Assessment in English as a Foreign Language Classrooms in Vietnam

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has generated worldwide popularity as a curriculum innovation, and extensive research has investigated various aspects of the approach. However, little is known about the implementation of classroom assessment in TBLT curricula. This study investigated high school English as a foreign language teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding assessment in a curriculum innovation context in Vietnam. Data comprised in-depth interviews with six teachers, as well as testing documents. The findings revealed a strong impact of the high-stakes exams on teachers’ testing beliefs in that they focused explicitly on linguistic items in the assessed content and forms of assessment. These beliefs were accurately reflected in their testing practices. However, both the teachers’ beliefs and practices were contradictory to teaching principles and the expectations of the intended curriculum. These findings suggest that in-service teacher professional development programs are necessary for innovations like TBLT to have a real change in the classroom

Conception optimale d’une centrale électrique virtuelle intégrant des énergies renouvelables

The present work deals with the necessary development of a virtual power plant allowing managing energy production systems and promoting renewable energy for the Perpignan Méditerranée agglomeration community (Pyrénées-Orientales, France). First, are presented the worldwide energy context, the state of the art about virtual power plants as well as the proposed approach for managing energy resources. Next, a methodology allowing forecasting the electric load and meteorological parameters, such as both the mean average wind speed and the global solar irradiation, are proposed and integrated as a module in the virtual power plant. Scenarios and energy strategies were developed with the purpose of satisfying the electricity demand, using renewable energy. Storing energy as well as buying or selling on the Powernext market was also considered. Finally, the proposed tool opens the possibility of optimally sizing new production systems. According to both the intensive growth of the electricity market and the greenhouse gas emissions, the developed virtual power plant focuses on improving energy efficiency and favouring environmental protection.Le travail réalisé et présenté dans ce manuscrit répond au nécessaire développement d’une centrale électrique virtuelle, permettant de gérer les systèmes de production d’électricité et de promouvoir les énergies renouvelables au sein de la communauté d’agglomération Perpignan Méditerranée (Pyrénées-Orientales). Dans un premier temps, sont présentés le contexte énergétique global, l’état de l’art concernant l’implantation de centrales électriques virtuelles dans le monde ainsi que l’approche proposée pour la gestion des ressources énergétiques de la communauté d’agglomération. Dans un deuxième temps, des modules de prédiction à court terme de la charge du réseau électrique et de paramètres météorologiques, tels que la vitesse moyenne de vent et l’irradiation solaire globale, ont été développés et intégrés à l’outil développé. Des scénarios prévisionnels et plusieurs stratégies de gestion énergétique ont été proposés afin de répondre au mieux à la demande d’électricité. Est considérée la possibilité de stocker de l’énergie ainsi que de vendre ou d’acheter sur le marché Powernext. Enfin, l’outil développé offre la possibilité de dimensionner de façon optimale de nouveaux systèmes de production et d’étudier la pertinence de leur implantation. Avec le développement rapide du marché concurrentiel de l'électricité et la nécessaire réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre, la centrale électrique virtuelle proposée a pour objectif principal d’améliorer l’efficacité économique et de favoriser la protection de l'environnement

Genetic diversity of local rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.) in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta based on SSR markers and morphological characteristics

Based on target traits, use of the genetic diversity of rice is beneficial for crop improvement. In this study, 41 rice varieties local to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta were evaluated on the basis of 11 quantitative morphological traits, along with the assessment of genetic diversity according to 50 SSR markers. The actual yield had a significance level of 0.05, while plant height and panicles per square meter had a high significance level of 0.001. Cluster analysis based on 11 quantitative traits also revealed that two were the optimal number of clusters used in this study. The highest polymorphic information content (PIC) value obtained was for RM286 (0.49), with a range of 0.00 to 0.49 and an average PIC of 0.14. Both structure and phylogenetic tree analyses as inferred from 50 SSR markers by the unweighted pair‐group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) also indicated that the 41 local rice varieties could be divided into two major groups. This study provides a useful information for Mot bui do cao CM, and Mot bui five varieties for improvements in the yield and intermediate amylose content of local rice‐breeding programs in future, especially for the Mekong Delta region

Detection of novel transcripts and evaluation of expression levels of Igf2 in mouse placenta

The imprinted Igf2 gene (Insulin-like growth factor 2) encodes a growth factor that plays an important role in the formation of the placenta and embryonic development. This study results showed that several new transcripts of the Igf2 gene were detected in the placenta of mice, and the new promoter in the placenta P0L and PU2 were found. Expression levels of these promoters as well as of the Igf2 gene were evaluated in the placentas of mice. The expression levels of these two promoters were investigated in different tissues; P0L is very well expressed in the brain and is clearly expressed in the placenta, tongue, and kidney; P0 is well expressed in the placenta, but also in the kidney and heart; PU2 is expressed in addition to the placenta, tongue, and muscles

Biological Characteristics of Some Fish Species in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Vietnam, with a rich river system, many lagoons, and a long coastline, the fish fauna comprises both brackish and freshwater fish. The system of Mekong river is an extensive river located in the south of Vietnam. There are all kinds of brackish and freshwater fish in this river system. This chapter reveals data on the fish species composition and their roles in the Vietnamese Mekong delta. Moreover, the growth pattern and condition factor of some commercial fishes are also presented in this chapter. Their population structure and fishing status are also reported in this chapter

KINETIC STUDY OF SYNTHESIS REACTION OF LIGNOSULFONATE USING ISOTHERMAL DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY METHOD

The kinetics of lignin methylsulfonation were studied in solution by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques under an isothermal program, at 55, 65, 75 and 85°C, respectively. It was found that activation energy, Eα =  41.26 kJ/mol, and preexponential factor A was 1.85×103 s-1

COPPER-MODIFIED MCM-22 AS CATALYSTS FOR HYDROCARBON SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION OF NOX

Joint Research on Environmental Science and Technology for the Eart

Taxonomic assignment for large-scale metagenomic data on high-perfomance systems

Metagenomics is a powerful approach to study environment samples which do not require the isolation and cultivation of individual organisms. One of the essential tasks in a metagenomic project is to identify the origin of reads, referred to as taxonomic assignment. Due to the fact that each metagenomic project has to analyze large-scale datasets, the metatenomic assignment is very much computation intensive. This study proposes a parallel algorithm for the taxonomic assignment problem, called SeMetaPL, which aims to deal with the computational challenge. The proposed algorithm is evaluated with both simulated and real datasets on a high performance computing system. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm is able to achieve good performance and utilize resources of the system efficiently. The software implementing the algorithm and all test datasets can be downloaded at http://it.hcmute.edu.vn/bioinfo/metapro/SeMetaPL.html

ẢNH HƯỞNG CỦA NGUỒN THỨC ĂN ĐẾN SỰ SINH TRƯỞNG CỦA GIUN ĐẤT Amynthas rodericensis (Grube, 1879) TRONG ĐIỀU KIỆN NUÔI THỬ NGHIỆM

Amynthas rodericensis is a common earthworm species in Vietnam. The feeding material and substrate affect the growth and reproduction of earthworms. The individual size, total number, weight, and gain weight of earthworms under laboratory conditions were investigated. The experiment was designed with four treatments (100% pig manure; 75% pig manure and 25% substrate; 50% pig manure and 50% substrate; 25% pig manure and 75% substrate) with six replicates in a completely randomized design; the experiments lasted ten weeks. The maximum growth and reproduction of A. rodericensis are observed with 75% pig manure and 25% substrate.Amynthas rodericensis là loài giun đất phổ biến ở Việt Nam. Nguồn thức ăn và cơ chất là những yếu tố ảnh hưởng đến sự sinh trưởng của giun đất nói chung và A. rodericensis nói riêng. Các yếu tố ảnh hưởng đến sự sinh trưởng bao gồm kích thước, khối lượng cơ thể, số lượng cá thể và tăng trọng cơ thể. Thí nghiệm có bốn nghiệm thức tương ứng với các tỷ lệ phối trộn phân lợn và chất nền khác nhau (NT1: 100% phân lợn; NT2: 75% phân lợn và 25% chất nền; NT3: 50% phân lợn và 50% chất nền; NT4: 25% phân lợn và 75% chất nền); mỗi nghiệm thức lặp lại sáu lần, bố trí theo phương pháp ngẫu nhiên hoàn toàn và được theo dõi đến 10 tuần. Kết quả cho thấy tỷ lệ phối trộn phân lợn với chất nền có ảnh hưởng khác nhau đến khả năng sinh trưởng của giun đất A. rodericensis. Sự sinh trưởng của giun cao nhất ở nghiệm thức NT2 (75% phân lợn và 25% chất nền)

Investigation of anti-inflammatory lignans from the leaves of Symplocos sumuntia Buch-Ham ex D Don (Symplocaceae)

Purpose: To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Symplocos sumuntia Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don and identify the main secondary metabolites responsible for this effect.Methods: The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of the plant extract and isolated compounds was determined in terms of the ability to inhibit the production of nitric oxide (NO), and expressions of iNOS and COX-2 proteins in RAW264.7 cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Compounds were isolated and identified by spectroscopic methods.Results: The methanol extract of S. sumuntia leaves showed strong inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production and expression of iNOS and COX-2 in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. A phytochemical assay-guided fractionation of the methanol extract of S. sumuntia leaves led to the isolation of four lignans which are arctigenin (1), matairesinol (2), monomethylpinoresinol (3) and pinoresinol (4). These compounds were identified for the first time from S. sumuntia. All four compounds inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO), with arctigenin showing the most potent activity with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 4.08 μM.Conclusion: S. sumuntia is a promising source of anti-inflammatory agents, which may clarify to the therapeutic use of this plant in Vietamese traditional medicine.Keywords: Symplocos sumuntia, Symplocos caudata, Lignan, Arctigenin, Anti-inflammator