Developing Culinary Tourism Experiences for Inbound Travellers in Vietnam

In recent years, the growing popularity of Vietnamese cuisine has become an attraction of the country that motivates an increasing number of travellers to visit Vietnam to taste the cuisine. Together with food tasting, there is a wide variety of activities related to food that have the potentiality to attract international visitors. The main goal of this thesis was to provide suggestions and directions to develop culinary tourism experiences for foreign visitors in Vietnam by finding out their perspective towards current gastronomic experiences in the destination country and discovering how satisfied they were when engaging in food-involved activities. The paper also discussed inbound travellers’ expectations for culinary experiences prior to the travels in Vietnam together with post-travel feelings and behaviours. The thesis used mixed methods, in which qualitative method was primarily adopted to answer the research issue. An electronic survey was conducted and posted on different social channels. Simultaneously, interviews were carried out with the support of two experienced stakeholders working in the tourism sector. The findings of the research revealed that most of the inbound tourists were satisfied with their food experiences in Vietnam. Generally, those experiences met their expectations, yet they still lacked some elements to go beyond what they expected. The results also showed that the country had various potentialities and advantageous opportunities to develop this emerging niche market. On the other hand, several existent problems present a threat to its growth. Amid those controversies, development solutions were suggested in an attempt to tackle the problems as well as to improve the experiences of future international visitors in the country

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

NGHIÊN CỨU SINH TRƯỞNG VÀ DINH DƯỠNG CỦA CÁ ONG CĂNG - Terapon jarbua (Forsskal, 1775) Ở VÙNG VEN BIỂN THỪA THIÊN HUẾ

Nghiên cứu được thực hiện trong năm 2016 và 2017. Mẫu vật sử dụng trong nghiên cứu được thu thập ngoài thực địa vào tháng 6/2016 (Đợt 1) và tháng 12/2016 (Đợt 2) bằng cách sử dụng lưới Surber (kích thước 50 cm x 50 cm, kích thước mắt lưới 0,2 mm) cho mẫu định lượng và vợt tay, vợt ao cho mẫu định tính. Mục đích của nghiên cứu là cung cấp các dẫn liệu về thành phần loài và phân bố của Phù du ở suối tại Trạm đa dạng sinh học Mê Linh, tỉnh Vĩnh Phúc.Kết quả phân tích và định loại mẫu vật đã xác định được 28 loài thuộc 19 giống của 9 họ thuộc bộ Phù du. Trong đó họ Baetidae có số lượng loài nhiều nhất với 10 loài. Tiếp đến là họ Heptageniidae với 5 loài; các họ Leptophlebiidae, Ephemerellidae, Caenidae, Ephemeridae, Polymitacryidae, Teloganellidae và Teloganodidae có số lượng loài ít, dao động từ 1 đến 3 loài. Trong đợt 1 (thuộc mùa mưa), đã xác định được 19 loài, thuộc 13 giống của 6 họ trong bộ Phù du. Trong đợt 2 (thuộc mùa khô), đã xác định được 21 loài thuộc 16 giống của 9 họ trong bộ Phù du. Ba họ: Polymiatacryidae, Teloganellidae,and Teloganodiae chỉ thu được trong mùa khô mà không thu được trong mùa mưa.Nghiên cứu đã xác định được 28 loài Phù du thuộc 4 nhóm dinh dưỡng chức năng: nhóm thu gom, nhóm cào nạo, nhóm ăn thịt và nhóm cắt xé, trong đó nhóm thu gom và nhóm cào nạo chiếm ưu thế.Cá ong căng được thu thập trong 2 năm 2015 và 2016 ở vùng đầm phá Tam Giang – Cầu Hai, với 342 cá thể khác nhau về độ tuổi, kích cỡ, khối lượng ở các vùng sinh thái đầm phá. Cá được bảo quản trong dung dịch Formalin 10% và đưa về phòng thí nghiệm của Viện Công nghệ sinh học phân tích đặc điểm sinh trưởng và dinh dưỡng. Kết quả phân tích cho thấy cá có kích cỡ biến động từ 2,6 – 32,3 cm, khối lượng từ 0,4 – 540,0 g/con. Tương quan giữa chiều dài và khối lượng được biểu thị:với  R2 = 0,923. Kết quả cũng cho thấy, thành phần thức ăn của cá ong căng trong đường tiêu hóa bao gồm cả động và thực vật phù du, các mùn bã và các loài cá nhỏ khác. Đây là là loài cá ăn tạp và dữ, chúng cả các loài cá khác. Phân tích thành phần thức ăn có: 34 loại thức ăn khác nhau, thuộc 8 nhóm thủy sinh vật và mùn bã hữu cơ. Trong đó, chiếm ưu thế là các loài thuộc ngành tảo Silic (chiếm 32,35%), tiếp đến là ngành chân khớp (chiếm 17,65 %), giun đốt và động vật có dây sống cùng chiếm 11,76 %, ngành tảo Lam và Động vật thân mềm đều chiếm 8,82%, tảo Lục chiếm 5,88%

Effect of Electrolyzed Cassava Starch-Gelatin Coating on Biochemical Properties and Ripening of Banana (<i>Musa acuminata</i> L.) Fruits

In this study, cassava starch oxidized by the electrolysis was used as an edible coating to improve the shelf life of banana fruits. The effects of coating in solutions of electrolyzed starch with 1, 2 and 3% (w/v) gelatin and without gelatin addition on respiratory rate and biochemical properties of banana during 8 days of storage at room temperature (75-80% relative humidity) were evaluated. The micrographs of scanning electron microscopy showed very thin coating layers (w/v) of gelatin demonstrated the highest efficiency as it delayed the respiratory peak 4 days more than in the uncoated bananas. This study results suggest that electrolyzed starch-gelatin coating could be a potential material to extend the shelf life of fruits

Research as a Base for Sustainable Development of Universities: Using the Delphi Method to Explore Factors Affecting International Publishing among Vietnamese Academic Staff

In recent years, the Vietnamese government has put significant effort into the internationalization of research in the higher education system via the use of international publications (i.e., publications indexed by citation databases such as ISI Web of Science and Scopus) in evaluating their academic staff and doctoral students. Academic staff in Vietnam, who traditionally have low numbers of international publications, have thus been pushed to improve their competencies in order to meet the new requirements for research productivity. However, we have little understanding of the factors influencing international publication as perceived by Vietnamese academic staff. This study aims to fill the gap by using the Delphi method. Academic staff with at least one international publication were invited, via purposeful sampling, to participate in a two-round Delphi survey. The survey revealed 14 key factors, which were further classified into three dimensions: &ldquo;policy-related factors,&rdquo; &ldquo;capability-related factors,&rdquo; and &ldquo;networking-related factors&rdquo;. These factors were the key determinants in the success of international publishing, according to the study participants. The findings provide implications for policymakers and university leaders for enhancing the research capacities of Vietnamese universities, forming a basis for the sustainable development of the higher education sector in Vietnam

Crack Identification on the Fresh Chilli (Capsicum) Fruit Destemmed System

Destemming fresh chilli fruit (Capsicum) in large productivity is necessary, especially in the Mekong Delta region. Several studies have been done to solve this problem with high applicability, but a certain percentage of the output consisted of cracked fruits, thus reducing the quality of the system. The manual sorting results in high costs and low quality, so it is necessary that automatic grading is performed after destemming. This research focused on developing a method to identify and classify cracked chilli fruits caused by the destemming process. The convolution neural network (CNN) model was built and trained to identify cracks; then, appropriate control signals were sent to the actuator for classification. Image processing operations are supported by the OpenCV library, while the TensorFlow data structure is used as a database and the Keras application programming interface supports the construction and training of neural network models. Experiments were carried out in both the static and working conditions, which, respectively, achieved an accurate identification rate of 97 and 95.3%. In addition, a success rate of 93% was found even when the chilli body is wrinkled due to drying after storage time at 120 hours. Practical results demonstrate that the reliability of the model was useful and acceptable

Space law in Vietnam: outer space policy, legal development and its future pathway

Chociaż Wietnam uczestniczył w licznych operacjach kosmicznych, współpracując z wieloma narodami z całego świata, prawna regulacja sektora kosmicznego jest wciąż w powijakach. W artykule przedstawiono rozwój polityki i prawa kosmicznego, a także współpracy międzynarodowej w zakresie wykorzystania przestrzeni kosmicznej w Wietnamie od 1979 roku do chwili obecnej, z punktem zwrotnym w 2006 roku. Autorzy wskazali także kilka prognoz dotyczących przyszłej ścieżki wietnamskiego prawa kosmicznego w nowej erze, liczonej od 2020 roku.Although Vietnam has participated in numerous outer space operations with many nations worldwide, its legal system in this sector is still in its infancy and consequently has several restrictions. More specifically, this article investigates the establishment and evolution of policies, laws, and international cooperation regarding the utilization of outer space in Vietnam from 1979 to the present, with the turning point in 2006. The authors then give some predictions concerning the future pathway of Vietnamese space law in the new age from 2020

Social Media Addiction among Vietnam Youths: Patterns and Correlated Factors

Background: Prior research has investigated how the excessive use of social media has an impact on one&rsquo;s functioning. Youths are among the most vulnerable subjects to the impacts of social media overuse, especially in Vietnam (a developing country). However, very little evidence has been provided on social media addiction. This work aims to determine the prevalence of social media addiction amongst Vietnamese individuals and the factors associated with social media addiction. Method: An online cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2020 in Vietnam. Participants completed the structured questionnaire, which comprised four main components: (1) social characteristics; (2) The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale; (3) stress associated with neglect and negative reactions by online peers and fear of missing out (FOMO); and (4) status of social media platform usage. Results: Some demographic factors, such as gender, the locality of accommodation, and relationship status affected the overall scores. The results also indicated Facebook, Zalo, and Youtube to be the most popular social media platforms among Vietnamese youths. Individuals who used social media for gaming also had higher BSMAS scores. FOMO and stress associated with neglect by online peers had a high correlation with social media addiction. Conclusions: This study is one of the first studies to examine social media addiction and its associated factors in Vietnam. Interventions for social media addiction need to be developed in different fields: clinical research, policy, and education

Understanding Indigenous Farming Systems in Response to Climate Change: An Investigation into Soil Erosion in the Mountainous Regions of Central Vietnam

Soil erosion is a considerable concern in the upland areas of Central Vietnam. This situation is most serious in regions, where the terrain is sloped and subjected to heavy rainfall. Our research was conducted in a mountainous area, belonging to Central Vietnam, the area of Song Kon commune in the Dong Giang district. The objective of this study is first to estimate the impact of soil erosion risk in these areas, and second to assess the capacity of farming systems which are based on indigenous knowledge (IK) to respond to soil erosion. Our data were collected by Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and processed using Geographical Information System (GIS) methods. We then interpreted this research using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) in order to calculate the soil erosion rate. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) were also used as measurements to compare the difference of land surface covers between different farming systems. The results showed that the lowest soil erosion rate was found in the narrow valley regions, which are populated by both agricultural and residential areas. On the other hand, soil erosion was extremely high in the more northerly quadrant of our research area. Our findings also indicate that local farmers are highly aware of soil erosion, which has positively influenced the adoption of adaptation measures (AMs) in their agricultural activities. The most common AMs are as follows: changes in cropping patterns, the adjustments of their planting calendars, the use of native varieties, and intercropping methods. These AMs are mediated by the cultural observances of the local ethnic minority peoples in relation to their IK. We have concluded that when farmers apply IK in their farming systems, the soil erosion rate tends to decrease as compared with non-indigenous knowledge (NIK) practices. We hope to bring a better understanding of the processes that shape farmers&rsquo; AMs and thereby to develop well-targeted adaptation policies that can then be applied at the local level. Our findings may be instrumental in future adaptation planning and policies in regard to climate change, and that they will help to increase awareness not only in matters of the soil erosion but also in other interconnected aspects of climate change in these areas