EFFECTS OF AMINOREDUCTONE AGAINST THE GROWTH OF FOOD-BORNE BACTERIA IN MEDIUM AND IN MILK

The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial potential ofaminoreductone (AR), a product formed in the initial stages of the Maillardreaction, against common food-borne bacteria included food-spoilage andfood-pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcusfaecalis, Listeria innocua, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli,Salmonella Typhimurium). AR showed strong inhibitory effects against allbacteria by disc susceptibility assay with inhibition zones ranged from 17 mm (B. subtilis) to 24.3 mm (S. aureus) indiameter. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of AR ranged from 20 to26 mM. Among test strains, AR possessed bactericidal action to five isolates(S. aureus, B. subtilis, L. innocua, L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium) atthe concentration of less than 10 ´ MIC. AR also showedstrong inhibitory effect against food-borne bacteria even in milk (UHT milk andraw milk). These findings suggest that AR, a naturally formed antimicrobialagent present in thermally processed foods, has a promising potential for foodpreservation

EFFECTS OF OXYGEN ON THE MAILLARD REACTION OF LACTOSE

The effects of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the Maillardreaction of lactose were investigated. In the model solution of lactose andbutylamine, the aminoreductone (AR), Galactose (Gal) concentration, Maillardreaction products, in deaerated sample were significantly higher than that innon-deaerated sample. The browning of deaerated sample at 420nm which indicatedthe formation of melanoidin, Maillard reaction products, was also higher thanthat in in non-deaerated sample. The decrease in the oxygen concentration inthe samples during heating at different heating conditions was recognizedcorrelated with the formation of Maillard reaction products (AR, Gal andbrowning compounds). Our results might give more insight in the discovery ofMaillard reactions in food because it suggested tendency of the Maillardreaction during food processing base on the control of oxygen content exceptingfor the initial constituents and reaction conditions. During processing, themanufacturer should concern to the participation of oxygen to receive thehighest quality and nutritive value of the final products

Workload doesn’t mean exhaustion: Antecedents of teacher burnout

Workload has consistently been found to be a predictor of burnout in teachers.  However, while academia considers workload a psychological concept, the public tends to simplify workload as the number of tasks assigned. This study seeks to provide further evidence of the psychological nature of workload by examining if workload understood in terms of quantity of work had any effect on teacher burnout and whether this relationship was moderated by psychological processes such as self-efficacy and mediated by stress. 117 primary and high school teachers holding at least two roles at school participated in the study. Teacher burnout was measured using MBI-ES, self-efficacy was measured by OSTES and stress and workload were measured by single-item questions. Results showed that workload (i.e., the number of roles assigned) did not have a main effect on burnout. Perceived stress and self-efficacy had direct effects on teacher burnout: stress increased burnout while self-efficacy reduced burnout. Self-efficacy had a significant moderation effect on workload-burnout interaction. Workload increased burnout only in teachers with low self-efficacy  while stress did not moderate the workload-burnout relationship. These findings support the psychological nature of the relationship between workload and burnout among teachers. They also point out the importance of enhancing teacher stress management and self-efficacy in protecting them from burnout

Working in response to managerial controls under the influences of national culture: Vietnamese academics’ lived experiences

This study investigates the nature of academic work in contemporary academia, which is set in an under-researched context, Vietnam. The research context is unique in its blending between long and rich cultural values and Western ideologies in management. The study examines how Vietnamese academics practice their academic roles in response to the interactions of those two domains. Avoiding the approach of seeking for evidence of negative impacts of managerial controls on aspects of academic life as commonly used in the existing literature, this study focuses on analysing the complexities in relationships of individual academics with management and other actors including managers, colleagues, students and scholar community. This approach is advanced in understanding both social and individual meanings in academic work as well as the social and cultural values which shape their perception of academic roles. The research enquiry of producing an insight into academics’ work life and experience in contemporary academia informs a qualitative and interpretive research. The findings suggest that the application of managerial controls is less challenged whilst highly accepted in Vietnamese higher education as a context under the influence of Confucianism. The evidence of academics’ compliance and collective actions underpinned by Vietnamese cultural values in this study offers to reconsider the discrepancy of the nature of these phenomena in the belief of the West and the East. The study’s exploration of being an academic as multi-layered meanings expanding from within and outside of university roles proposes academics’ potential strengths in coping with insecurity and ambiguity at work. It then sharpens the suggestion that contemporary management in higher education needs to be mindful of the emotional-related and meaningful nature of academic profession for the best outcomes of both individual work and organisational aims rather than relying on either soft or hard controls

VOLATILE COMPOSITION, ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTY AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES AGAINST FOOD-BORNE BACTERIA OF VIETNAMESE THYME (Thymus vulgaris L.) ESSENTIAL OIL

The essential oil (EO) obtained from the leaves of the thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) grown in Vietnam was found to contain thymol (39.79%), cymene (17.33%), and γ-terpinene (13.45%) as the main volatile components. The antimicrobial activities of this oil were screened against several food-borne bacteria and fungi species. Significant growth inhibition effects against food-borne bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella Typhimurium were observed using the standard disc diffusion method. Thyme EO showed the antibacterial effect against all the test pathogenic strains with the inhibition zones were 23.3 ± 0.4 mm, 24.7 ± 0.4 mm, 29.0 ± 0.7 mm, 32 ± 0.7 mm in diameter against B. subtilis,  E. coli, S. Typhimurium and S. aureus, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determined by micro-dilution method in MHB liquid medium was 1.56 µl/ml. The bactericidal concentrations (MBC) was 3.13 µl/ml for three isolates from B. subtilis,  E. coli, and S. aureus, while the MBC tested for S. typhi was 1.56 µl/ml. The antifungal properties of the thyme EO were also determined in this study against three important pathogenic fungi such as Candida albicans, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum with the inhibition zones ranging approximately from 23.20 ± 0.06 to 44.10 ± 0.03 mm. On the other hands, the results also showed the antioxidant activity of Vietnamese thyme EO and suggested that thyme EO can be applied in food industries as natural flavoring preservatives/additives to control food spoilage and food born bacteria and fungi

Barriers and Coping Strategies of Students with Disability During Inclusive Learning in Higher Education

Abstrak: JJumlah penyandang disabilitas yang mengikuti sistem Pendidikan inklusi di perguruan tinggi semakin meningkat seiring dengan adanya Kartu Indonesia Pintar (KIP) Kuliah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan tantangan hambatan yang dihadapi mahasiswa disabilitas selama mengikuti kuliah inklusi dan strategi koping mahasiswa dalam mengatasinya. Penelitian ini bersifat deskriptif kualitatif dan data dikumpulkan dengan teknik interview, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Data dianalisis dengan metode analisis studi kasus. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mahasiswa tunanetra menghadapi hambatan belajar terkait teks, gambar atau simbol/angka, sedangkan mahasiswa tunadaksa memiliki hambatan terkait aktiVitas fisik. Strategi koping yang dilakukan oleh mahasiswa adalah dengan menggunakan Assistive Technology (AT), meningkatkan komunikasi dengan dosen, dan melakukan diskusi kelompok. Dari temuan di atas, disimpulkan bahwa teknik pengajaran dan materi perkuliahan harus beaptasi dengan kebutuhan murid dan dapat digunakan secara universal.Abstract: The number of disabled students enrolled in the inclusive system in higher education has increased due to a card used to access colleges issued by the Indonesian government known as Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah (KIP Kuliah). The research aims to describe learning barriers encountered by students with visual and physical disabilities during inclusive class and their coping strategies to overcome this predicament. The research is qualitative descriptive, and data were collected by interview, class observation, and documentation. The data were analyzed by using the case study analysis method. The results indicate that written material containing text, pictures, and symbols/numbers are barriers for visually disabled students, while physically disabled students have barriers in terms of class that requires physical activities. Students’ coping strategies are using Assistive Technology (AT), increasing communication frequency with the lecturers, and conducting study groups after class. It is concluded that the lecturer’s teaching technique and material should be adapted to meet the students’ needs and should be universal

TÍNH TOÁN KHẢ NĂNG TIẾP NHẬN CHẤT Ô NHIỄM CỦA ĐẦM THỊ NẠI (TỈNH BÌNH ĐỊNH)

Based on the surveys at Thi Nai lagoon in rainy season (October, 2013) and dry season (May, 2014) and the documents on natural conditions, socio-economic status of Thi Nai lagoon, receiving capacity of pollutants in the lagoon was calculated on the basis of environmental standards, using Delft3D model. Calculation results showed that at present Thi Nai lagoon no longer has capacity to receive ammonium and nitrate. Until 2025, besides two parameters, Thi Nai lagoon will no longer have capacity to receive phosphate. In addition, the receiving capacity of the lagoon will be reduced for most of parameters while receiving capacity of lagoon for BOD5 and TSS will increase. Regarding heavy metals, receiving capacity of lagoon will be reduced, especially for Zn (12.18%).Dựa trên các số liệu khảo sát về chất lượng nước tại đầm Thị Nại mùa mưa (tháng 10/2013) và mùa khô (tháng 5/2014), các tài liệu thu thập về điều kiện tự nhiên, kinh tế - xã hội ven đầm và các tiêu chuẩn môi trường, đã tính toán khả năng tiếp nhận các chất ô nhiễm trong đầm thông qua sử dụng mô hình Delft3D. Kết quả tính cho thấy, hiện tại đầm Thị Nại không còn khả năng tiếp nhận amoni, nitrat. Tới năm 2025, ngoài 2 thông số này đầm Thị Nại sẽ không còn khả năng tiếp nhận phosphat. Ngoài ra, khả năng tiếp nhận của đầm sẽ giảm đi đối với hầu hết các thông số (3,44%, 1,84%, 0,02%, 12,18%, 0,46% đối với COD, Cu, Pb, Zn và As, tương ứng), trong khi khả năng tiếp nhận BOD5 và vật lơ lửng tăng lên. Liên quan đến các kim loại nặng, khả năng tiếp nhận của đầm cũng giảm đi nhiều nhất là Zn (12,18%)

RESEARCH ON THE MANUFACTURING MAGNESIUM FROM THANHHOA DOLOMITE BY PIDGEON PROCESS

The magnesium and magnesium alloys has applied widely in different industrial aspects in Vietnam in the modern life. Especially, the products from magnesium alloys implementing in the automotive have increased rapidly since the car elements tend to be generated by the light alloys in order to save the fuel. However, in the current time, Vietnam has no factories to produce the magnesium to adapt the domestic demand although it owns an enrich resource of raw materials. This research indicates the possibility of using the dolomite ore in Thanhhoa – Vietnam to make the magnesium as well as evaluate the primary factors like recovering temperature, reducing agent rate, recovering time having effect on the reduction efficiency of Thanhhoa dolomite by metallothermic method in vacuum (Pidgeon Process). This is basic process, low investment and suitable for the small and medium scales in Vietnam. The experiment includes heating, indicating the chemical ingredients and recovering experiment on the dolomite after calcination (dolime) by using ferrosilicon. The thermodynamic model is created to estimate the recovering efficiency in the Pidgeon. The result shows that the CaO/MgO molar ratio of calcination dolomite in Thanhhoa is nearly 1.5 which is suitable to produce magnesium in the case of highly-required efficiency and pureness. Besides, the result from the furnace of the experiment is lower than the one in the model. The samples are set up to check the influence of the rate of ferrosilicon in the compound. The result indicates that the ideal efficiency reaches 85 % with 30 % ferrosilicon. Moreover, the study confirms that the optimal operating conditions in this process are recovering during three hours at 1200 °C and 100 Pa pressure. This result proves the potential application of Thanhhoa dolomite in the industry suitable with the current condition in Vietna