Design, fabrication, and testing of a microfluidic system for cardiac cell culture.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for nearly 1,372,000 deaths each year. In addition, ~81 million Americans suffer from some form of CVD. Understanding the molecular basis of various manifestations of CVD requires cellular-level studies. However, current technologies for cell culture, fail to recreate the in-vivo environment where cells are subject to pressure and stretch as a consequence of normal hemodynamic loading and unloading. Therefore, to study cardiac cells with physiological relevance, the mechanical loading environment needs to be accurately replicated in-vitro. In order to create an appropriate platform for cardiac cell culture, a micro fluidic cardiac cell culture model (µCCCM) was designed and fabricated. This system consists of a pump, cell culture chamber, pneumatically actuated collapsible valve and a tunable resistance element in series. By varying the pump flow rate, valve closure frequency and the outflow resistance, various conditions associated with normal and dysfunctional heart function were recreated. A rat left ventricle heart muscle cell line (H9c2) was used to establish proof-of-concept and demonstrate the ability of the µCCCM to sustain cell culture under normal physiological conditions. Microscopic evaluation of these cells using phase contrast and immunofluoresence demonstrated that cells cultured within the µCCCM achieved an in-vivo like phenotype in comparison to static unloaded controls

The second generation of the CCCM system for in-vitro cardiac tissue engineering.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. When a myocardial infarction occurs, scar tissue compensates the damaged myocardial tissue. This scar tissue increases the stiffness of the heart tissue, reduces the heart’s function, and finally leads to the heart failure (HF) disease. To have the tissue engraftment, in-vitro cardiac tissue should have the same properties as the native mature cardiac tissue. However, current in-vitro cell culture technologies fail to accurately recreate the in-vivo like mechanically physiological environment for in-vitro cardiac tissue culture, and therefore, fail to regenerate the in-vivo like mature cardiac tissue. Hence, a microfluidic cardiac cell culture model (CCCM) system was developed to better recreate the cellular environment and advance cardiac regeneration. CCCM system replicates the hemodynamic loading and unloading conditions occurring inside the left ventricle of a heart. With this system, different pressures of human heart conditions may be replicated for a variety of clinical and physiologic conditions. For proof-of-concept, embryonic chick cardiac cells with normal heart condition were applied. Compared to the tissue cultured in a static condition, tissues stimulated in the CCCM system achieved an in-vivo like cardiac matured phenotype, had higher proliferating rate, showed more maturity, and expressed more contractile proteins. These results demonstrated that the CCCM system can be used to study the behavior of cardiomyocytes in different mechanical heart conditions and to create mature cardiac tissue which will benefit cardiac tissue transplant for HF

Petrography and geochemistry of Permian basalts of the Cam Thuy formation and their relation to Song Da and Emeishan magmatic rocks

Cam Thuy Permian basalts consisting of thick lava flows and pyroclastic layers appear along both sides of the Song Ma fault zone in Thanh Hoa and in Son La and Ninh Binh provinces, NW Vietnam. The magmatism has been thought to have genetic relationship with Permian volcanism in the Song Da rift zone, which is believed to be part of the Emeishan large igneous province, having been extruded along the Red River shear zone following Paleogene India-Eurasian collision. A set of Cam Thuy volcanic samples including olivine and alkaline basalts was collected in the Lam Son area (Tho Xuan, Thanh Hoa province) to analyze for geochemical major, trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic composition. The Cam Thuy basalts are high-TiO2, CaO, FeO*, moderate MgO and SiO2 that plot between the Song Da and Emeishan high- and low-Ti basalt distribution fields and closely overlap that of Song Da’s high-Ti field. The primitive mantle and chondrite normalized trace element patterns of Cam Thuy basalts are essentially enriched oceanic island basalt (OIB)-like; this feature, together with crustal contamination-free, chondritic Sr, Nd and Pb initial (255Ma) isotopic composition are certainly of asthenospheric origin. These geochemical and isotopic characteristics are closely analogous to those features observed for the Song Da high-Ti basalts, suggesting similarity in their source of origin. Nevertheless, while the Song Da (and Emeishan) magmatism is signified by the presence of both high- and low-Ti basalts, with the latter being derived from heterogeneous and partially crustal-material contaminated sources in the lithospheric mantle, this low-Ti volcanic rock type has yet to be discovered in the Cam Thuy formation.ReferencesAnders, E., Grevesse, N., 1989. Abundances of the elements: meteorite and solar. 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Student Satisfaction with Quality of Accounting and Auditing Education: The Case of Vietnam

This research is conducted to examine and evaluate determinants influencing the level of student satisfaction in the quality of auditing and accounting training at Vietnamese universities. Data were collected from 213 students of accounting and auditing field in three universities of National Economics University, University of Commerce and Academy of Finance. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and linear regression models were employed to determine the determinants influencing student satisfaction about quality of accounting and auditing. The findings show that the strongest impact on student satisfaction was the ability to serve; then training program; infrastructure component, and the last of teaching team. Based on the results, some recommendations are proposed for improving the satisfaction levels of students of accounting and auditing. Keywords: Quality of service; Quality of training; Satisfactio

Aspects of Life Insurance Agents' Performance in Vietnam: A Study from the Impact of Customer-Oriented Behavior

This study examined the influence of life insurance agents' customer-oriented action research on aspects of agents' personal sales performance. In particular, the agent's performance is considered in terms of behavioral effectiveness and outcome performance. The research was conducted through interviews and surveys of insurance agents of life insurance businesses in Hanoi city, with 158 feedback forms received. Data collection is group processed through supporting software support SPSS and PLS-SEM. The study results show that customer-oriented behavior substantially impacts life insurance agents' behavioral performance more than outcome performance. At the same time, behavioral performance also plays a mediating role in providing the performance of customer-oriented behavior to the performance outcomes of life insurance agents. The research results are the basis for the authors to propose some key tips for life insurance businesses in the current context of Vietnam's insurance market

Optimization of the leaching process of the printed circuit boards production’s sludge for copper recovery via electrolysis

Copper is the main component of printed circuit boards (PCBs) which is the main part of an electronic device. The manufacture of PCBs often releases huge amount of sludge which contained copper. Derived from the demand of the industrial park about the wasted sludge treatment and the reducing of the plantation of natural mineral resources, the copper recovery process from PCBs manufacture's wasted sludge was studied. The process of copper leaching by sulfuric acid solution was studied using experimental planning methods using the simulation software Modde 5.0. The parameters were calculated and simulated to evaluate the effect of the acid concentration, leaching time, and the ratio between the solid and liquid phases on the leaching efficiency. The obtained results by simulation were compared with real experimental results. The obtained results from this study are planning in the actual deployment of the Hanoi Urban Environment One Member Limited Company in Vietnam. Keywords. Printed circuit board, copper sludge, leaching

Livestock policies in Son La Province, Vietnam - a review

Since the market-oriented Doi Moi reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, Vietnam’s livestock sector has experienced rapid growth. Although policies have been implemented at the national and provincial levels to guide this growth in a sustainable manner, blind spots and implementation gaps remain. Through a review of policy documents, grey literature, peer-reviewed journal articles, and key informant interviews, this research seeks to summarize livestock-related policies at the national and provincial levels in Son La, Vietnam. Policies related to land-use, livestock feed, animal breed development, credit provision, epidemiology, agricultural extensions services, public investment, and sectoral master planning are examined. Based on this review, the authors recommend greater support for smaller actors in Son La’s livestock value chains, mainly in the form of additional research and development, increased credit provision and agricultural insurance, improved agricultural extension services, and strengthened local processing capacity. These policy interventions and investments, among others, will be critical to achieving the government’s ambitious livestock production targets over the coming decade. Notably, more robust public intervention and support is required to unlock this growth. Additional funding for locallevel Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) initiatives and improved coordination between its national and provincial offices will be a key determinant in achieving sustainable intensification in Son La’s livestock sector

Differential Cytotoxicity of Curcumin-Loaded Micelles on Human Tumor and Stromal Cells

peer reviewedAlthough curcumin in the form of nanoparticles has been demonstrated as a potential anti-tumor compound, the impact of curcumin and nanocurcumin in vitro on normal cells and in vivo in animal models is largely unknown. This study evaluated the toxicity of curcumin-loaded micelles in vitro and in vivo on several tumor cell lines, primary stromal cells, and zebrafish embryos. Breast tumor cell line (MCF7) and stromal cells (human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells, human fibroblasts, and human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells) were used in this study. A zebrafish embryotoxicity (FET) assay was conducted following the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Test 236. Compared to free curcumin, curcumin PM showed higher cytotoxicity to MCF7 cells in both monolayer culture and multicellular tumor spheroids. The curcumin-loaded micelles efficiently penetrated the MCF7 spheroids and induced apoptosis. The nanocurcumin reduced the viability and disturbed the function of stromal cells by suppressing cell migration and tube formation. The micelles demonstrated toxicity to the development of zebrafish embryos. Curcumin-loaded micelles demonstrated toxicity to both tumor and normal primary stromal cells and zebrafish embryos, indicating that the use of nanocurcumin in cancer treatment should be carefully investigated and controlled.3. Good health and well-bein

CSA: Thực hành nông nghiệp thông minh với khí hậu ở Việt Nam

During the last five years, Vietnam has been one of the countries most affected by climate change. Severe typhoons, flooding, cold spells, salinity intrusion, and drought have affected agriculture production across the country, from upland to lowland regions. Fortunately for Vietnam, continuous work in developing climate-smart agriculture has been occurring in research organizations and among innovative farmers and entrepreneurs. Application of various CSA practices and technologies to adapt to the impact of climate change in agriculture production have been expanding. However, there is a need to accelerate the scaling process of these practices and technologies in order to ensure growth of agriculture production and food security, increase income of farmers, make farming climate resilient, and contribute to global climate change mitigation. This book aims to provide basic information to researchers, managers, and technicians and extentionists at different levels on what CSA practices and technologies can be up scaled in different locations in Vietnam

Some preliminary results of paleo-tsunami study in the coastal region of the Nghe An province, Vietnam

In the coastal region of the Nghe An province, the geomorphology is characterized by appearances of fields of arca granosa with placura placenta and hills of placura placenta with arca granosa, namely: The hills of placura placenta with the arca granosa shells in the Quynh Van and Nghi Tien communes; the fields of arca granosa with the placura placenta: deep-seated in the Quynh Nghia, Dien Chau and along the Nghi Yen coast  which have age of 4,500 - 4,300 yrs.; The appearance of the placura placenta-arca granosa shell’s fields and hills which do not originate from either marine transgression in the Holocene epoch, tectonic movement or artificiality; Our results suggest that there were three tsunami events occurring in the past during the periods of 4,500 - 4,300; 4,100 - 3,900 and 900 - 600 yrs., respectively in the region