Evaluation Of Allelopathic Potential Of Cissus sicyoides Against the Growth Of Echinochloa Crus-Galli And Some Tested Plants

Many plant species in nature exert significant allelopathic potential as part of the defense mechanism system, many among their secondary metabolites (allelochemicals), including mineral constituents, which are responsible for the suppression of weeds and enhancing crop yield when directly incorporated into paddy fields. Cissus sicyoides is considered a high-potential allelopathic plant because of its invasion in nature and detected allelochemicals from the plant parts in some studies. The objective of this research was to exploit the allelopathic properties of C.sicyoides against paddy weeds and some indicator plants under laboratory bioassays and greenhouse conditions. The results demonstrated that C. sicyoides had significant inhibition on E. crus-galli, tested plants, and other paddy weeds. In the laboratory conditions, the extracts from C.sicyoides leaves inhibited the growth of Echinochloa crus-galli by 54.3%. The powders from C.sicyoides leaves inhibited the emergence of paddy weeds by approximately 100.0%. In the greenhouse conditions, the powders from C.sicyoides leaves by adding after 3 and 13 days inhibited the growth of E. crus-galli and the emergence of paddy weeds by 64.4%. Remarkably, negligible harmful effects on rice growth were observed. The findings of the study may provide useful information for the exploitation of this plant species to effectively control weeds in the rice fields for sustainable agriculture production

Crystal structure of two <i>N</i>'-(1-phenyl-benzyl-idene)-2-(thio-phen-3-yl)acetohydrazides.

The synthesis, spectroscopic data, crystal and mol-ecular structures of two N'-(1-phenyl-benzyl-idene)-2-(thio-phen-3-yl)acetohydrazides, namely N'-[1-(4-hy-droxy-phen-yl)benzyl-idene]-2-(thio-phen-3-yl)acetohydrazide, C13H10N2O2S, (3a), and N'-[1-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)benzyl-idene]-2-(thio-phen-3-yl)acetohydrazide, C14H14N2O2S, (3b), are described. Both compounds differ in the substituent at the para position of the phenyl ring: -OH for (3a) and -OCH3 for (3b). In (3a), the thio-phene ring is disordered over two orientations with occupancies of 0.762 (3) and 0.238 (3). The configuration about the C=N bond is E. The thio-phene and phenyl rings are inclined by 84.0 (3) and 87.0 (9)° for the major- and minor-occupancy disorder components in (3a), and by 85.89 (12)° in (3b). Although these dihedral angles are similar, the conformation of the linker between the two rings is different [the C-C-C-N torsion angle is -ac for (3a) and -sc for (3b), while the C6-C7-N9-N10 torsion angle is +ap for (3a) and -sp for (3b)]. A common feature in the crystal packing of (3a) and (3b) is the presence of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, resulting in the formation of chains of mol-ecules running along the b-axis direction in the case of (3a), or inversion dimers for (3b). The most prominent contributions to the surface contacts are those in which H atoms are involved, as confirmed by an analysis of the Hirshfeld surface

Factors affecting consumer’s bargaining behavior: The case of fashionable clothing

Shopping is one of the current trends of the Vietnamese. According to Nielsen’s research results about consumer confidence in the fourth quarter of 2017, more than half of Vietnamese people (51%) use their spare money to buy new clothes at modern business models such as supermarkets, shopping centers, or at very traditional models like street vendors and wet markets where haggling (also known as bargaining) is considered as a common habit for Vietnamese. This is due to business characteristics from a very long time ago in Viet Nam. The bargaining behavior is not so hard to recognize in shopping. Even now, a large part of foreign tourists is familiar with the bargaining culture. This study aimed to discover bargaining behavior, the factors affecting such a behavior in buying fashionable clothing of the consumers in Ho Chi Minh City, and to consider whether the differences in bargaining behavior exist among different groups of gender, age, and income. The research was conducted using mixed methods concluding qualitative research (in-depth interview and focus group) and quantitative one (survey). The results showed that Attitude towards bargaining, Perceived behavioral control, Interest in bargaining affect Consumer’s bargaining behavior when buying fashionable clothes. Results were validated in Ho Chi Minh City context, and some conclusions were also presented

Effects of water scarcity awareness and climate change belief on recycled water usage willingness: Evidence from New Mexico, United States

The global water crisis is being exacerbated by climate change, even in the United States. Recycled water is a feasible alternative to alleviate the water shortage, but it is constrained by humans’ perceptions. The current study examines how residents’ water scarcity awareness and climate change belief influence their willingness to use recycled water directly and indirectly. Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics was employed on a dataset of 1831 residents in Albuquerque, New Mexico, an arid inland region in the US. We discovered that residents’ willingness to use direct recycled potable water is positively affected by their awareness of water scarcity, but the effect is conditional on their belief in the impacts of climate change on the water cycle. Meanwhile, the willingness to use indirect recycled potable water is influenced by water scarcity awareness, and the belief in climate change further enhances this effect. These findings implicate that fighting climate change denialism and informing the public of the water scarcity situation in the region can contribute to the effectiveness and sustainability of long-term water conservation and climate change alleviation efforts

Effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine fixed-dose combination in the treatment of hypertension: a systematic review

Background: Uncontrolled blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapy offers a promising approach to addressing this challenge by providing a convenient single-tablet solution that enhances the effectiveness of blood pressure control. In our systematic review, we assess the effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine FDC in managing blood pressure.Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search across four primary electronic databases, namely, PubMed, Virtual Health Library (VHL), Global Health Library (GHL), and Google Scholar, as of 8 February 2022. Additionally, we performed a manual search to find relevant articles. The quality of the selected articles was evaluated using the Study Quality Assessment Tools (SQAT) checklist from the National Institute of Health and the ROB2 tool from Cochrane.Results: Our systematic review included 17 eligible articles. The findings show that the use of perindopril/amlodipine FDC significantly lowers blood pressure and enhances the quality of blood pressure control. Compared to the comparison group, the perindopril/amlodipine combination tablet resulted in a higher rate of blood pressure response and normalization. Importantly, perindopril/amlodipine FDC contributes to improved patient adherence with minimal side effects. However, studies conducted to date have not provided assessments of the cost-effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine FDC.Conclusion: In summary, our analysis confirms the effectiveness of perindopril/amlodipine FDC in lowering blood pressure, with combination therapy outperforming monotherapy and placebo. Although mild adverse reactions were observed in a small subset of participants, cost-effectiveness assessments for this treatment remain lacking in the literature

Awareness and preparedness of healthcare workers against the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey across 57 countries.

BACKGROUND: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been concerns related to the preparedness of healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to describe the level of awareness and preparedness of hospital HCWs at the time of the first wave. METHODS: This multinational, multicenter, cross-sectional survey was conducted among hospital HCWs from February to May 2020. We used a hierarchical logistic regression multivariate analysis to adjust the influence of variables based on awareness and preparedness. We then used association rule mining to identify relationships between HCW confidence in handling suspected COVID-19 patients and prior COVID-19 case-management training. RESULTS: We surveyed 24,653 HCWs from 371 hospitals across 57 countries and received 17,302 responses from 70.2% HCWs overall. The median COVID-19 preparedness score was 11.0 (interquartile range [IQR] = 6.0-14.0) and the median awareness score was 29.6 (IQR = 26.6-32.6). HCWs at COVID-19 designated facilities with previous outbreak experience, or HCWs who were trained for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, had significantly higher levels of preparedness and awareness (p<0.001). Association rule mining suggests that nurses and doctors who had a 'great-extent-of-confidence' in handling suspected COVID-19 patients had participated in COVID-19 training courses. Male participants (mean difference = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.22, 0.46; p<0.001) and nurses (mean difference = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.53, 0.81; p<0.001) had higher preparedness scores compared to women participants and doctors. INTERPRETATION: There was an unsurprising high level of awareness and preparedness among HCWs who participated in COVID-19 training courses. However, disparity existed along the lines of gender and type of HCW. It is unknown whether the difference in COVID-19 preparedness that we detected early in the pandemic may have translated into disproportionate SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease by gender or HCW type

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Do female leaders influence bank profitability and bank stability? Evidence from Vietnamese banking sector

A diverse board has been seen as an important factor contributing to the success and sustainability of a company. Therefore, policies to enhance the diversity of the boards have been implemented in many countries around the globe.However, previous findings on the impact of female leaders on firm performance still remain inconclusive. Using a dataset of 20 Vietnamese commercial banks over the period from 2013 to 2019, this paper examines whether the gender of the bank leaders such as CEOs or members of Management Team (MT), Board of Directors (BOD) have an impact on bank profitability and bank stability in Vietnam. Our findings suggest that banks with female CEOs tend to be more profitable and more stable than those with male CEOs. However, more women appointed to MT do not necessarily result in more profitable or more stable banks. More interestingly, the presence of womenon banks’ board of directors implies lower profitability and more vulnerability for banks. Obtained findings imply important bank governance policies toward better performance and stability for commercial banks in Vietnam

Study on biomass and carbon stock of woody floor at several forests in Bach Ma national park, Thua Thien Hue province

The aims of the research are to identify biomass and estimate carbon stock of woody floor at some forest status in Bach Ma National Park and to recommend some solutions in order to improve the effectiveness of forest management toward sustainable development. Collecting the relative data through articles, books, internet information and organizations and inheriting the data from previous research on biomass and carbon stock. Moreover, the research implemented field surveys by designing 31 circular plots (1,256 m2) with three radii including 4 m, 14 m and 20 m for measuring trees from 5 to 20 cm, 20-50 cm and > 50 cm DBH (diameter at breast height), respectively. Correspondingly, D1.3, H were measured. The results showed that biomass of rich, medium and restoration forests are 144.16, 43.17 and 20.31 ton/ ha, respectively. The total average C-stock is calculated as follows: rich forest 264.53 (ton/ha), medium forest (79.21 ton/ha) and restoration forest (37.27 ton/ha). Therefore, the rich forest has the highest CO2 absorption (399.78 ton/ha). Meanwhile, CO2 absorption of medium and restoration forests are 133.13 ton/ha and 46.81 ton/ha.Mục tiêu của đề tài là nghiên cứu sinh khối và trữ lượng carbon của tầng cây gỗ tại một số trạng thái rừng thuộc vườn quốc gia Bạch Mã, tỉnh Thừa Thiên Huế. Để thực hiện được mục tiêu đó, đề tài cần xác định sinh khối của tầng cây gỗ ở một số trạng thái rừng tại vườn quốc gia Bạch Mã, đánh giá trữ lượng carbon của tầng cây gỗ ở một số trạng thái rừng tại vườn quốc gia Bạch Mã, đề xuất một số giải pháp nhằm nâng cao hiệu quả quản lý rừng theo hướng phát triển bền vững. Đề tài tiến hành thu thập các số liệu có liên quan bằng cách tham khỏa tài liệu từ sách báo, internet, tìm kiếm thông tin từ các cơ quan, ban ngành, kế thừa số liệu từ các công trình nghiên cứu sinh khối và trữ lượng carbon. Bên cạnh đó, đề tài còn thực hiện quá trình đi điều tra thực địa lập 31 ô tiêu chuẩn, mỗi ô tiêu chuẩn có diện tích là 1256m2, ô tiêu chuẩn hình tròn với 3 cấp bán kính là 4m, 14m, 20m tương ứng với đường kính cây lần lượt là 5-20cm, 20-50cm và lớn hơn 50 cm. Tiến hành đo các chỉ số sinh trưởng của cây là D1.3, Hvn. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy sinh khối trạng thái rừng giàu chiếm khối lượng lớn nhất khoảng 144,16 tấn/ha, tiếp đến là trạng thái rừng trung bình chiếm 43,17 tấn/ha và rừng phục hồi là 20,31 tấn/ha. Đối với trữ lượng carbon thì rừng giàu là 264,53 tấn/ha, rừng trung bình là 79,21 tấn/ha, rừng phục hồi là 37,27 tấn/ha. Xét về khả năng hấp thụ CO2 thì trạng thái rừng giàu là hấp thụ nhiều nhất khoảng 399,78 tấn/ha, thấp nhất là rừng phục hồi với 46,81 tấn/ha, còn rừng trung bình là 133,13 tấn/ha