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Objectives: To determine the composition of lean mass (LM), fat mass (FM), and bone mineral density by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in people over 40 years old with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study on 199 subjects with or without MetS (defined by the 2005 update NCEP ATP III criteria) who were examined and treated at Hai Phong Medical University Hospital from 2017 to 2022. The composition of LM, FM and bone mineral density were measured using DXA. Results: Total FM, total LM in individuals with MetS were higher than those in non-MetS (p < 0.01). FM regions (trunks, android, arms) and A/G FM ratio, LM regions (trunks, android, gynoid), and FM% regions (trunks, android) of MetS subjects were higher than those without MetS (p < 0.01). Nevertheless, legs FM, legs FM%, arms FM%, gynoid FM%, total FM %, legs LM, and arms LM were not different between both groups (p > 0.05). The bone mineral density (BMD) of people with MetS was higher than that of subjects without MetS (p < 0.05) at several positions: ribs and arms, however, stratified by BMI, there was no significant difference in BMD (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Total LM and total FM in MetS subjects were higher than in non-MetS. FM regions (arms, android, trunks) and A/G FM ratio, LM regions (trunks, android, gynoid), and FM% regions (trunks, android) of MetS subjects were higher than those without MetS. Total and regional BMD (ribs, arms) of MetS subjects were higher than those without MetS. However, there was no difference in BMD stratified by BMI between the two groups.

The development of aquaculture in An Giang province posed a risk of lowering the surface water quality of the Mekong River. This study assessed the pollution level of surface water affected by aquaculture areas in the province and the efficiency of the floating raft of native aquatic plants on aquaculture wastewater quality improvement. Water samples were analyzed for SS, COD, BOD5, N-NH4+, Total N, and Total P. The Water Quality Index was calculated according to the Vietnamese technical guidelines (VN_WQI). The quadrat method was applied to determine the density of aquatic plants. The result showed that surface water quality affected by aquaculture areas in An Giang province did not meet national standards, and the WQI ranged from heavy to good pollution. Experimental results showed that when using the treatment tank, including floating rafts of Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), Morning glory plants (Ipomoea aquatica), and Climbing dayflower (Commelina diffusa), the removal percentages of SS, COD, BOD5, N-NH4+, Total N, and Total P were 92.6%, 89.6%, 93.9%, 93.4%, 64.3%, and 94.6%, respectively, in the first three months of the farming season. The removal percentages of SS, COD, BOD5, N-NH4+, Total N, and Total P were 92.7%, 89.9%, 91.5%, 93.6%, 67.8%, and 94%, respectively, in the fourth month until fish harvest in the treatment tank. Therefore, floating rafts of native aquatic plants could absorb nutrients and quickly remove pollutants. The quality of aquaculture wastewater after treatment was significantly improved.

This study assessed the potential health risks of five elements (Ni, Cr, As, Cd, and Pb) in rice collected from three provinces in North-Central Vietnam, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh. These provinces comprise areas with and/or without mining and industrial activities, focusing on two local population groups (adults and children under five years old). Trace elements were determined by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The potential health risks were evaluated for different age groups using the estimated daily intakes (EDI), target hazard quotients (THQ), non-carcinogenic hazard quotients (HI), and target carcinogenic risks (TR). The highest element levels (mg kg−1 dry weight) were observed in Thanh Hoa for Cr (0.30 ± 0.106), As (0.13 ± 0.034) and for Pb (0.05 ± 0.015), and in Ha Tinh for Cd (0.06 ± 0.022). The highest estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of Cr (4.1 μg d−1), Ni (3.3 μg d−1), As (2.3 μg d−1), Cd (1.2 μg d−1), and Pb (0.32 μg d−1) were observed in several sites. The THQ of rice in three provinces showed a risk trend in the following order: Thanh Hoa > Ha Tinh > Nghe An. The HIs of trace elements revealed that As is a key component, with Cr and Cd as secondary risk factors in adults and children, with HIs being 1.5 times higher in girls under five than in other groups. The TR of Ni was much greater than that of Pb, and it was higher in children than adults, with the maximum risk levels of Ni and Pb were 3.0 x 10-3 and 2.7 x 10-6 for baby girls under the age of five in Ha Tinh and Thanh Hoa, respectively. The risk assessment of trace element dietary intake suggests that rice consumption poses significant health risks to the local population, both in non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic effects.

This paper aims to investigate the impact of the integration of technological approaches, particularly English online conversation rooms on Google Meet and English chatting, in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) with particular reference to the enhancement of students' English communication skills. A mixed-method approach was adopted with 120 EFL freshmen at Van Lang University (VLU) participating in an experimental study, followed by an interview for some of them. A mixed method of both quantitative and qualitative was employed to collect data. The result is that learning Speaking via the Google Meet platform and English texting can substantially enhance their English communication abilities. In addition, texting in English and practicing with friends via the online-based app are effective ways to revise their English communication skills during the COVID pandemic with social distancing requirements.

The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has spread worldwide, affecting almost all countries and territories. Various social-economic and environmental factors influence the outbreak and spread of the epidemic. Many modern techniques have been widely employed to study the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to give an overview of applications offered by remote sensing techniques to study the COVID-19 pandemic through summarising a total of 55 scientific papers. Three different issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic is presented under three sub-sections; namely (1) applications of remotely sensed images on monitoring environmental changes and (2) the analysis of social and economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and (3) the use of remote sensing in studies of the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. The findings of this study provide important insights into how to apply such an advanced techniques as remote sensing in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The varied applications of remote sensing affirms the value of this advanced technique to the study of small-to-large scale disasters in general and of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular.&nbsp

The development of residential areas in the trend of urbanization and the development of industrial parks and clusters have caused risks to reduce the surface water quality of the Mekong River in An Giang province. This study was conducted by sampling surface water affected by urban areas and affected by industrial parks/clusters (seven sampling points) in June 2021 and analyzing the parameters of temperature, pH, DO, TSS, COD, BOD5, N-NO3-, N-NH4+, P-PO43-, Coliform, As, Pb, Hg, Benzene hexachloride, Dieldrin. The analytical results of water samples were compared with the National Technical Regulation of Vietnam. The water quality index was calculated according to the technical guidelines of the Vietnam Environment Administration (VN_WQI). The results show that domestic and industrial wastewater has polluted the surface water of the Tien River and the Hau River, two important rivers of the downstream Mekong River, flowing through An Giang province. The pollution shows in parameters of TSS, DO, BOD5, COD, N-NH4+, and Coliform that exceeds allowable limits. However, other parameters such as temperature, pH, N-NO3-, P-PO43- are mostly at the acceptable range and within allowable limits. Based on the WQI, most of the water quality at the sampling points is poor. Therefore, it is recommended that people not directly use the Tien River and Hau River water in An Giang for drinking and domestic purposes. It is necessary to apply appropriate water treatment measures. In the coming time, authorities need to monitor and take appropriate measures to treat and manage wastewater from urban areas and industrial parks/clusters.

This paper reports the hemicellulose content in three rice straw types (OM5451, IR50404, and 6976 commons from An Giang province, Vietnam). Alkaline extraction assisted with ultrasound was employed. In this process, samples were mixed with 2 M sodium hydroxide and ultrasonicated for 30 min at 90oC. Then, the mixture was continuously heated at 90oC and stirred at 40 rpm for 1.5 h. Ethanol was used to precipitate hemicellulose. The highest yields obtained of crude hemicellulose were 23.17% in OM5451, 23.1% in IR50404, and 22.94% in 6976 at pH 4.0, however, there was no significant difference at a 95% confidence level as determined by a two-way ANOVA with p-values >0.05. The extracted hemicellulose was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA).

In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced most activities around the world, especially EFL education. Due to the pandemic, all schools and colleges must turn traditional education into online education through online learning platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and so forth. The research aims to investigate the concentration challenges that EFL students at Van Lang University are encountering while they are studying online. The paper used quantitative and qualitative methods by conducting questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews with 100 second-year, third-year, and four-year students at the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Van Lang University (VLU). Based on the data collection, the results of this research have demonstrated that most EFL students faced some common distractions like external noises, unstable internet connections, the harmful effects of too much screen time, and so on. After the investigation, this study suggests that lecturers at the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Van Lang University look for numerous positive solutions to solve EFL students' trouble in order to enhance the quality of online courses.