VELOCITY-DEPENDENT TUNING OF MOTOR STRATEGY DURING 3D ARM MOVEMENT AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO COMPOSITE COST FUNCTIONS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the link between composite cost functions, within the framework of optimal control, and the velocity-dependent tuning of motor strategy observed during the control of unconstrained 3D arm movements. We considered an arm pointing task at three different speeds. Experimental results indicated a change of rotation axis for most subjects from the geometrical shoulder-elbow (SE) axis toward the minimum principal inertia (e3) axis as velocity increased. These findings were interpreted based on a numerical inverse optimal control approach, assuming a total cost composed of kinematic, energetic and dynamic elements. While the kinematic cost predominated at low speed, the contribution of energetic/dynamic costs was reinforced for speeded movements, likely to exploit the inertial properties of the arm

Groundwater Use Habits and Environmental Awareness in Ca Mau Province, Vietnam: Implications for Sustainable Water Resource Management

The Vietnamese Mekong Delta including Ca Mau province (CMP) is seriously affected by land subsidence. Groundwater over-extraction is considered to be a major driver for this process. To address the reduction of groundwater (GW) extraction as a potential counter measure for further subsidence, this study focuses on understanding the importance of GW in people\u27s life and water using habits as well as their awareness with current environmental problems in Ca Mau. Therefore, GW sampling campaigns and surveys were conducted in all 9 districts of Ca Mau province in 2019 and 2020. The analyzed water samples showed a connection with information from questionnaires and created a general picture of water using habits. GW plays an important role in people\u27s lives, it is used for washing, cooking, drinking and other activities. People use GW for different purposes depending on their perception of water quality. For important and direct health related purposes, such as cooking or drinking, people prepare to treat water more carefully or choose another alternative water resource. The analytical approach to evaluation results based on viewpoints from general to detail helped to dig deeper into people\u27s stories to explain research results with their behavior in each situation. When people are dependent on GW and have no option to use alternative water resources, the importance level of GW in their life increases and their awareness of GW over-extraction becomes less. If people have another water source to use such as tap water (TW), habits of using GW change. This opens up the idea that a potential alternative water will reduce the dependence of people on GW and protect GW from over-exploitation. Besides, people in Ca Mau do not have much awareness of land subsidence or the reason leading to environmental problems. Therefore, raising the awareness of people by well-design education campaigns should be strongly considered

Green synthesis and crystal structure of 3-(benzo-thia-zol-2-yl)thio-phene.

The title compound, C11H7NS2, was prepared in high yield (87%) using a solvent-free microwave-assisted synthesis. The structure shows whole-mol-ecule disorder with occupancies for two orientations (A and B) of 0.4884 (10) and 0.5116 (10), respectively. The thio-phene and benzo-thia-zole rings are almost planar and make dihedral angles of 10.02 (18) and 12.54 (19)° for orientations A and B, respectively. Slipped π-π stacking between the aromatic rings, together with C-H⋯π, C-H⋯S and C-H⋯N inter-actions, result in a herringbone motif in the crystal packing

The Association Between Ambient Temperatures and Hospital Admissions Due to Respiratory Diseases in the Capital City of Vietnam

This study aimed to examine the short-term effects of ambient temperature on hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases among Hanoi residents. We collected 34,653 hospital admissions for 365 days (November 1, 2017, to November 31, 2018) from two hospitals in Hanoi. A quasi-Poisson regression model with time series analysis was used to explore the temperature-health outcome relationship's overall pattern. The non-linear curve indicated the temperatures with the lowest risk range from 22 degrees (Celcius) to 25 degrees (Celcius). On average, cold temperatures showed a higher risk than hot temperatures across all genders and age groups. Hospital admissions risk was highest at 13 degrees (Celcius) (RR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.26–1.54) for cold effects and at 33 degrees (Celcius) (RR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.04–1.39) for the hot effects. Temporal pattern analysis showed that the most effect on respiratory diseases occurred at a lag of 0 days for hot effect and at a lag of 1 day for cold effect. The risk of changing temperature among women and people over 5 years old was higher than other groups. Our results suggest that the risk of respiratory admissions was greatest when the temperature was low. Public health prevention programs should be enhanced to improve public awareness about the health risks of temperature changes, especially respiratory diseases risked by low temperatures

EFFECT OF PRO-OXIDANT ADDITIVES ON DEGRADATION OF MULCH FILM BASED ON RECYCLED POLYETHYLENE

The effect of pro-oxidant additives (Iron, Cobalt and Manganese stearates) on the biodegradation of recycle polyethelene mulching films was studied in both accelerated weather and natural exposure conditions. The degradation degree of film was determined by measuring mechanical properties and scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The results showed that the mechanical properties of film samples with pro-oxirant additives decreased rapidly, and that surface film with additives was degraded clearly compared to the films without additives after 30 cycles of accelerated weather. Reliability in terms of acceleration are 28 - 30 cycles of exposure and in the natural conditions reached 10-12 months

ĐẶC ĐIỂM DÒNG CHẢY VEN BỜ BẮC TRUNG BỘ (HÀ TĨNH - THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ) THỜI KỲ 4/2016

This paper presents the modeled results of general current pattern (daily average value) in Northern Central Vietnam Coast (Ha Tinh - Thua Thien-Hue) during April 2016. Study results show that in general, current flowed from the North to the South with small and instable velocity (V ≈ 0.1 - 0.2 m/s). From 2nd to 6th April current flowed from the South to the North. From 7th to 29th April current flowed from the North to the South. During 13rd to 16th April current velocity was weak (V ≤ 0.1 m/s). In the southern region of Thua Thien-Hue province, the direction of current was instable (from 6th to 9th and from 20th to 22nd April current flowed from the South to the North). Current distribution pattern from modeled results was in accordance with the propagation characteristics of surface water temperatures in the studied area through data analysis of satellite images.Bài báo trình bày kết quả tính toán trường dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày cho khu vực ven bờ Bắc Trung Bộ (Hà Tĩnh - Thừa Thiên-Huế) thời kỳ 4/2016. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy trong thời gian nghiên cứu nhìn chung dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày có hướng từ bắc xuống nam, tốc độ tương đối nhỏ V ≈ 0,1 - 0,2 m/s và không ổn định. Từ 2-6/4/2016 dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày ven bờ có hướng từ nam lên bắc. Từ 7-29/4/2016 dòng chảy ven bờ có hướng từ bắc xuống nam. Các ngày 13-16/4/2016 dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày có tốc độ nhỏ (V ≤ 0,1 m/s). Khu vực phía nam Thừa Thiên-Huế dòng chảy tổng hợp trung bình ngày có hướng bị biến động mạnh nhất (các ngày 6-9/4 và 20-22/4 hướng dòng từ nam lên bắc). Đặc điểm phân bố dòng chảy tính toán tương đối phù hợp với đặc điểm lan truyền nhiệt độ nước tầng mặt tại khu vực nghiên cứu qua số liệu phân tích ảnh vệ tinh

Prevalence of HBV infection among different HIV-risk groups in Hai Phong, Vietnam

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Hai Phong, northern Vietnam, was characterized by analyzing the prevalence and genotype distribution of HBV as well as co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) among five different risk groups for HIV infection. Plasma samples were collected from intravenous drug users (n=760, anti-HIV-1 antibody positive rate: 35.9%), female sex workers (FSWs; n=91, 23.1%), seafarers (n=94, 0%), pregnant women (n=200, 0.5%), and blood donors (n=210, 2.9%) in 2007 [Ishizaki et al. (2009): AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 25:175-182]. Samples were screened for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HBs antibody and analyzed genetically. The cumulative HBV incidence rate (HBsAg+anti-HBs) was 53.2% (10.7+42.5%) in intravenous drug users, 51.6% (11.0+40.6%) in FSWs, 54.3% (9.6+44.7%) in seafarers, 50.5% (12.5+38.0%) in pregnant women, and 51.0% (18.1+32.9%) in blood donors; there was no significant difference among these groups. Of 163 HBsAg-positive samples, 113 could be analyzed genetically. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the preS1 region, revealed genotype B4 was most prevalent (90/113; 79.6%), followed by C1 (17.7%), I1 (1.8%), and B2 (0.9%). There was no significant difference in HBV genotype distribution among different HIV infection-risk groups. The prevalence of HBsAg was 10.3% (31/301) in HIV-1-infected individuals and 12.5% (132/1,054) in non-HIV-1-infected individuals, which was not significant. In addition, no significant difference in HBV genotype distribution was observed between HBV/HIV-1 co-infected and HBV mono-infected groups. These results suggest that, although HBV and HIV-1 share modes of transmission, major transmission routes of HBV have been different from those of HIV-1 in Hai Phong, Vietnam. J. Med. Virol. 83:399-404, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Physical therapy for sleep apnea: a smartphone application for home-based physical therapy for patients with obstructive sleep apnea

PurposeIn this study, we described “PT for Sleep Apnea”, a smartphone application for home-based physical therapy of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).MethodsThe application was created in a joint program between the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP), Vietnam, and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Taiwan. Exercises maneuvers were derived from the exercise program previously published by the partner group at National Cheng Kung University. They included exercises for upper airway and respiratory muscle training and general endurance training.ResultsThe application provides video and in-text tutorials for users to follow at home and a schedule function to assist the user in organizing the training program, which may improve the efficacy of home-based physical therapy in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.ConclusionIn the future, our group plans to conduct a user study and randomized-controlled trials to investigate whether our application can benefit patients with OSA

An Update on Anti-CD137 Antibodies in Immunotherapies for Cancer

The selective expression of CD137 on cells of the immune system (e.g., T and DC cells) and oncogenic cells in several types of cancer leads this molecule to be an attractive target to discover cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, specific antibodies against CD137 are being studied and developed aiming to activate and enhance anti-cancer immune responses as well as suppress oncogenic cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that anti-CD137 antibodies can be used separately to prevent tumor in some cases, while in other cases, these antibodies need to be co-administered with other antibodies or drugs/vaccines/regents for a better performance. Thus, in this work, we aim to update and discuss current knowledge about anti-cancer effects of anti-CD137 antibodies as mono- and combined-immunotherapies