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Vegf signaling specifies arterial fate during early vascular development by inducing the transcription of Delta-like 4 (Dll4), the earliest Notch ligand gene expressed in arterial precursor cells. Dll4 expression precedes that of Notch receptors in arteries, and factors that direct its arterial-specific expression are not known. To identify the transcriptional program that initiates arterial Dll4 expression, we characterized an arterial-specific and Vegf-responsive enhancer of Dll4. Our findings demonstrate that Notch signaling is not required for initiation of Dll4 expression in arteries and suggest that Notch instead functions as a maintenance factor. Importantly, we find that Vegf signaling activates MAP kinase (MAPK)-dependent E26 transformation-specific sequence (ETS) factors in the arterial endothelium to drive expression of Dll4 and Notch4. These findings identify a Vegf/MAPK-dependent transcriptional pathway that specifies arterial identity by activating Notch signaling components and illustrate how signaling cascades can modulate broadly expressed transcription factors to achieve tissue-specific transcriptional outputs.

Those studying the genus Brassica will be among the early beneficiaries of the now-completed Arabidopsis sequence. The remarkable morphological diversity of Brassica species and their relatives offers valuable opportunities to advance our knowledge of plant growth and development, and our understanding of rapid phenotypic evolution.

Abstract Scientific integrity stands as a fundamental principle and benchmark for the conduct of research and the dissemination of scholarly content. The objective of this research aims to explore the impact of research, new and emerging areas of research, and to identify potential research collaborators and journals of scientific integrity for scholarly publishing over the last 20 years. Utilizing data sourced from the Scopus database, this research gathers publications linked to scientific integrity in scholarly publishing spanning from 2004 to 2023. These records were subjected to bibliometric analysis through Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. The findings indicate that research articles are the predominant mode of publication, constituting a substantial 67.27% of the total. Moreover, this content has been contributed by a diverse group of 2,596 authors. The Journal of Science and Engineering Ethics distinguishes itself with an outstanding record of publishing 62 articles and an impressive H-index of 19. The USA possesses the most extensive collaborative network, followed by Australia and the United Kingdom. Another significant discovery from this research underscores that over 20 years, dominant research trends have revolved around topics concerning scientific integrity, such as academic integrity, research integrity, and research misconduct.

This research aimed to examine the factors that impact the financial planning for retirement among employees in Thai Rajabhat universities. To validate the theoretical framework and the collected empirical data, we utilized the confirmation factor analysis method, which allowed us to assess the relationship between the factors and examine how well the data fits the proposed model. We collected data from a sample of 433 employees by administering a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The collected data was subsequently analyzed using the Lavaan package in R Studio software. The research findings revealed that knowledge and understanding, financial status assessment, expected return or investment strategy, risk acceptance or risk tolerance, setting goals in life or goals’ clarity, and alternative sources of income or other income played important roles in shaping retirement financial planning among our study participants. To evaluate the theoretical structural model, we conducted statistical analyses and found that it fitted the empirical data at a significance level of 0.05. The statistical results of CMIN/df = 11, GFI = 0.941, AGFI = 0.848, FI = 0.946, and RMSEA = 0.000 provided evidence for the validity and reliability of the proposed model. Going forward, the resulting model will serve as a guideline to evaluate the efficiency of financial planning for the retirement of employees, provide solutions to identified problems, and inform policies and programs that aim to improve retirement financial planning for employees in the higher education sector. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-04-08 Full Text: PDF

In the context of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending, risk controls are required, and they usually refer to a set of procedures and operations that aim to protect the integrity of data, particularly for accurate financial representation within the platform. Risk control procedures need to be in place to ensure accountability and fairness in risk and return trade-offs on federated platforms. This will foster trust among participants, especially when multiple fraud cases in the past, such as Enron, Madoff Investment Securities, and WorldCom, have accentuated the importance of a robust internal control mechanism in maintaining the credibility of the financial ecosystem. Stakeholders in the P2P lending industry are becoming increasingly concerned about the issue of trust, necessitating a re-evaluation of internal control frameworks to uphold objectivity and reliability. With the growth of the P2P lending industry as an alternative lending and borrowing platform and the requirement of an autonomous P2P lending platform, complexity arises, and autonomous entities (i.e., MAS) working together to assess, monitor, and mitigate risks is the only solution for such complexities. The orchestration of MAS plays a pivotal role in facilitating and mitigating risks. This study aims to provide a process methodology for fostering collaborative dynamics within the P2P lending domain. A state diagram approach is presented, where state orders (SO), lending approvals, risk graphs, risk ordering relations, and risk bands (RB) are introduced for MAS to assume certain roles or tasks. For each task, controls for the segregation of duties are presented as well. Given the absence of proper autonomous systems for decision-making, robust internal control methods are necessary for controls to execute federated trust on lending platforms. Our approach will significantly improve investors’ confidence meant to achieve this goal. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-04-024 Full Text: PDF

Digital technologies have been used for a vast amount of bibliometric analysis research. Although these technologies have made scientific investigation more accessible and efficient, scholars now face the daunting task of sifting through an overwhelming number of documents. This study aims to identify bibliometric research analysis's primary topics, categories, and latent topics from a global perspective. This study utilized topic modeling techniques to analyze the abstracts of 16,039 eligible papers published between 1977 and 2023 in the Scopus database. Through the use of Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling, the study was able to identify four distinct research topics and observe how they have evolved over time. The research topic has shifted its focus from individual concepts and words to relationships between nodes and conceptual, intellectual, and social structures. The study’s findings have significant implications for bibliometric analysis-related research, providing valuable insights into trends and patterns in bibliometric analysis content within large digital article archives. The LDA has proven to be an efficient tool for analyzing these trends and patterns quickly. This study's novel approach considers factors for word embedding usage and optimal topic numbers. It focuses on a full understanding of the LDA results and combines statistical analysis, domain knowledge, and temporal exploration to better understand how data structures work. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2024-05-02-07 Full Text: PDF

Abstract Background In recent times, there has been acknowledgment of the prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Comprehensive Rheumatologic Assessment of Frailty (CRAF) stands out as a dependable tool grounded in synthesis and clinical judgment. Despite this, a validated Vietnamese rendition of the CRAF is currently unavailable. This study seeks to assess the reliability and validity of the CRAF in a patient with RA in Vietnam. Methods A cross-sectional investigation was carried out with 402 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, encompassing both inpatients and outpatients at the Centre for Rheumatology at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. CRAF was employed to gauge the extent of frailty. To establish convergent validity, the scores from the CRAF were correlated with those from the Fried phenotype. Discriminant validity was ascertained through the utilization of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Additionally, a multivariate logistic regression model was applied to evaluate the individual determinants’ relative impact on the CRAF. Results In testing for convergent validity, a significant correlation was found between CRAF and Fried phenotype (p

Microplastic pollution has been deemed a serious environmental concern for many developing countries, including Vietnam. Thus, bioplastics produced from sustainable materials by microorganisms have been sourced as an alternative to mitigating microplastic pollution. This study conducted the screening of 47 strains of microalgae and cyanobacteria sourced from various locations and environmental conditions in Vietnam for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as a source of bioplastics. The experimental results demonstrate that 15 out of the total 47 screened microalgae and cyanobacteria strains could produce PHAs, and they exhibited diverse PHAs production despite being grown under the same incubation conditions. Furthermore, amongst these 15 strains, Arthrospira platensis NLHT3, Microcystis aeruginosa DTB1, Arthrospira platensis NLNA2, and Arthrospira platensis NBQN1 exhibited the highest PHAs accumulation rates of 4.18 %, 3.46 %, 3.01 %, and 2.82 % of cell dry weight, respectively. The analysis of polymer granules accumulated inside the cell biomass by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirms that the accumulated biopolymers were PHAs.

Objectives: This study used repeated cross-sectional data from three national surveys in Vietnam to determine tobacco smoking prevalence from 2010 to 2020 and disparities among demographic and socioeconomic groups.Methods: Tobacco smoking temporal trends were estimated for individuals aged 15 and over and stratified by demographic and socioeconomic status (SES). Prevalence estimates used survey weights and 95% confidence intervals. Logistic regression models adjusted for survey sample characteristics across time were used to examine trends.Results: Tobacco smoking prevalence dropped from 23.8% in 2010 to 22.5% in 2015 and 20.8% in 2020. The adjusted OR for 2015 compared to 2010 was 0.87, and for 2020 compared to 2010 was 0.69. Smoking decreased less for employed individuals than unemployed individuals in 2020 compared to 2010. Smoking was higher in the lower SES group in all 3 years. Higher-SES households have seen a decade-long drop in tobacco use.Conclusion: This prevalence remained constant in lower SES households. This highlights the need for targeted interventions to address the specific challenges faced by lower-SES smokers and emphasizes the importance of further research to inform effective policies.

Background: Lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in 2020, representing approximately one in 10 (11.4 %) cancers diagnosed and one in 5 (18.0 %) deaths. There are currently very few studies evaluating the prevalence and related factors of lung cancer detected using low-dose CT scans. Objective: Evaluate the prevalence and related factors of lung cancer using low-dose CT scans in high-risk populations in Vietnam. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional analysis study of 169 high-risk patients was conducted to assess the lung cancer prevalence and related factors. Enrolled patients received a physical examination, low-dose computerized tomography scan, and biopsy if abnormalities were found through the CT scan. Univariable and Multivariable analysis through Odd Ratio (OR) to assess the related risk of lung cancer. Results: A total of 169 high-risk patients with a mean age of 62.93 ± 9.31 (years), and the majority were male (91.7 %). Of which 4 cases (2.37 %) were recorded with lung cancer, 3 cases of adenocarcinoma, and 1 case of squamous cell carcinoma. A history of smoking and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) were associated with an increased risk of abnormalities on lung CT scans. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that smoking over 30 pack-years and COPD significantly increased the risk of abnormalities on lung CT scans, p

Objectives The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased, particularly among individuals who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Health literacy is considered a “social vaccine” that helps people respond effectively to the pandemic. We aimed to investigate the association between long COVID-19 and PTSD, and to examine the modifying role of health literacy in this association. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at 18 hospitals and health centers in Vietnam from December 2021 to October 2022. We recruited 4,463 individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 infection for at least 4 weeks. Participants provided information about their sociodemographics, clinical parameters, health-related behaviors, health literacy (using the 12-item short-form health literacy scale), long COVID-19 symptoms and PTSD (Impact Event Scale-Revised score of 33 or higher). Logistic regression models were used to examine associations and interactions. Results Out of the study sample, 55.9% had long COVID-19 symptoms, and 49.6% had PTSD. Individuals with long COVID-19 symptoms had a higher likelihood of PTSD (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63–2.12; p

In a world increasingly marked by ideological and theological divisions, this paper aims to foster intercultural and interfaith dialogue by examining the resonances and dissonances between Charles Taylor’s communitarianism and Confucian philosophy. Focusing particularly on their theological and spiritual dimensions, the paper explores how both traditions conceptualize selfhood in terms of authenticity, community, and transcendence. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach, the study incorporates Warren G. Frisina’s critique of Taylor, shedding light on the interconnections among value, identity, and theological beliefs. Ultimately, this paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of selfhood across different cultural and theological contexts and offers constructive insights for bridging the existing epistemological and ethical divides that separate Eastern and Western religious and philosophical thought.

The bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum (Rps) colonizes plant xylem vessels and blocks the flow of xylem sap by its biofilm (comprising of bacterial cells and extracellular material), resulting in devastating wilt disease across many economically important host plants including tomatoes. The technical challenges of imaging the xylem environment, along with the use of artificial cell culture plates and media in existing in vitro systems, limit the understanding of Rps biofilm formation and its infection dynamics. In this study, we designed and built a microfluidic system that mimicked the physical and chemical conditions of the tomato xylem vessels, and allowed us to dissect Rps responses to different xylem-like conditions. The system, incorporating functional surface coatings of carboxymethyl cellulose-dopamine, provided a bioactive environment that significantly enhanced Rps attachment and biofilm formation in the presence of tomato xylem sap. Using computational approaches, we confirmed that Rps experienced linear increasing drag forces in xylem-mimicking channels at higher flow rates. Consistently, attachment and biofilm assays conducted in our microfluidic system revealed that both seeding time and flow rates were critical for bacterial adhesion to surface and biofilm formation inside the channels. These findings provided insights into the Rps attachment and biofilm formation processes, contributing to a better understanding of plant-pathogen interactions during wilt disease development.

Taking that higher education is career-oriented, this study examines how Vietnamese undergraduate students engage with their study and how the factors related to the training program and occupation’s prospects contribute to students’ engagement with their study. The study applies a mixed-method approach. Self-administered questionnaire survey is used to collect data from 973 Vietnamese undergraduate students, of which 48.2% are social work students and 51.8% are non-social work students. In addition, the study conducts 27 semi-structured interviews with students and lecturers to explore their perspective and experiences with regard to students’ study engagement and the factors involved. The results show that social work students are more engaged with their study than non-social work students, even though they feel more worried about job opportunity and income. Approximately one-third of social work students consider not to pursue social work profession when they graduate mostly because they believe that working in social work cannot provide them the income they need for their living. However, the results also show that students’ satisfaction/dissatisfaction with income in their field was not statistically related to their study engagement. Instead, feeling of personal growth, opportunity to perform personal ability, sense of significance, convenient access to study materials and activities, and feeling proud of their school and lecturers’ prestige are found positively associated with students’ level of study engagement. The study hence provides some recommendations for educators to strengthen students’ study engagement at higher education level.

The food and beverage industry in Vietnam has developed dramatically, resulting in a highly competitive market. To win the competition, the restaurant managers not only strive to increase customer satisfaction but also create customers’ positive electronic Word-Of-Mouth (eWOM). This study aims to investigate the relationship between customer satisfaction, customer trust, customer loyalty, and eWOM. The quantitative method was implemented to examine the hypotheses in the research model. Data were collected from Ho Chi Minh City respondents using a convenient sampling method. Self-administrated questionnaires were delivered via the Internet for data collection. After data screening, 299 responses were qualified for analysis. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was employed by SmartPLS software version 3.0. The measurement model test showed that one item of customer trust has a factor loading of less than 0.7 as a result, this item was removed from the research model. The structural model evaluation revealed the highly predictive accuracy of the model as all dependent variables have R2 values above 0.5. A bootstrapping test with 5,000 subsamples also showed that customer loyalty significantly influences eWOM, but customer trust does not. Customer satisfaction directly and significantly impacts customer trust and loyalty but has little influence on eWOM. However, the relationship between customer satisfaction and eWOM is significant without the presence of customer loyalty and trust. The indirect effect test also determines the full mediation role of customer loyalty in the relationship between customer satisfaction and eWOM.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and severe hemorrhagic transboundary swine viral disease with up to a 100% mortality rate, which leads to a tremendous socio-economic loss worldwide. The lack of safe and efficacious ASF vaccines is the greatest challenge in the prevention and control of ASF. In this study, we generated a safe and effective live-attenuated virus (LAV) vaccine candidate VNUA-ASFV-LAVL3 by serially passaging a virulent genotype II strain (VNUA-ASFV-L2) in an immortalized porcine alveolar macrophage cell line (3D4/21, 50 passages). VNUA-ASFV-LAVL3 lost its hemadsorption ability but maintained comparable growth kinetics in 3D4/21 cells to that of the parental strain. Notably, it exhibited significant attenuation of virulence in pigs across different doses (103, 104, and 105 TCID50). All vaccinated pigs remained healthy with no clinical signs of African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection throughout the 28-day observation period of immunization. VNUA-ASFV-LAVL3 was efficiently cleared from the blood at 14–17 days post-infection, even at the highest dose (105 TCID50). Importantly, the attenuation observed in vivo did not compromise the ability of VNUA-ASFV-LAVL3 to induce protective immunity. Vaccination with VNUA-ASFV-LAVL3 elicited robust humoral and cellular immune responses in pigs, achieving 100% protection against a lethal wild-type ASFV (genotype II) challenge at all tested doses (103, 104, and 105 TCID50). Furthermore, a single vaccination (104 TCID50) provided protection for up to 2 months. These findings suggest that VNUA-ASFV-LAVL3 can be utilized as a promising safe and efficacious LAV candidate against the contemporary pandemic genotype II ASFV.

Lycopene, the pigment principally responsible for the red color of tomatoes, is well-known for its strong antioxidant property and substantial health benefits. In this study, the optimal combination of factors for lycopene extraction from tomato pomace was identified using response surface methodology. The best practically feasible results maximizing both lycopene yield and antioxidant activity of the extract were obtained by applying a ratio of ethyl acetate to tomato waste of 35:1 (v/w), at a temperature of 55ºC for 100 min of extraction. The extract was then added to the peanut oil to evaluate its oxidative stability during 60 days of storage at 40ºC. It was shown that the addition of 2 g extract/kg oil offered the lowest level of peroxide value, p-anisidine value, and total oxidation value, followed by the oils with 50 mg butylated hydroxytoulene/kg oil and 1 g extract/kg oil, indicating the effect of lycopene-rich extract on enhancing the oxidative stability of peanut oil. The results in this study suggest that incorporation of extract rich in lycopene from tomato waste products may be an effective method to reduce oxidation and extend the shelf-life of peanut and other vegetable oils.

Background: Houttuynia cordata Thunb. has long been widely used as a daily vegetable and traditional medicine. The flavonoid component of H. cordata has plenty of pharmacological effects, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. In this study, we applied the aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) combined with ultrasonic extraction for extracting H. cordata leaves. Methods: We optimized the extraction process to improve the extraction efficiency of the two flavonoids, hyperin and quercitrin, by Surface Method Response - Central Composite Design (RSM-CCD). Next, we investigated the antibacterial ability of H. cordata ATPS extract from optimal conditions against two bacterial strains, Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Results: The results showed that using 10% (NH4)2SO4 and 35% ethanol for ATPS extraction resulted in the highest hyperin and quercitrin contents. From the RSM-CCD results, the optimal extraction conditions were determined to be ultrasonic extraction at 50 °C for 30 min, giving results consistent with the predicted model and obtaining hyperin and quercitrin contents at 1.5681 ± 0.0114 and 4.6225 ± 0.0327 mg/g, respectively.Furthermore, ATPS extract has excellent antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 250 μg/mL on both C. acnes and S. epidermidis. This MIC is significantly lower than the H. cordata ultrasound-assisted (UA) extract, with MICs of 1500.00 and 156.25 μg/mL on C. acnes and S. epidermidis, respectively. In addition, the results from the disk diffusion assay also showed that ATPS extraction has superior internal antibacterial activity with a zone of inhibition diameter at 250 μg/mL of 8.67 ± 1.15 and 5.00 ± 2.00 mm. Meanwhile, those of UA extract on C. acnes is 5.67 ± 1.53 mm (at 1500 μg/mL), and on S. epidermidis is 1.34 ± 0.58 mm (at 156.25 μg/mL). Conclusion: To sum up, our research highlights the potential of H. cordata ATPS extracts as the starting material for topical preparations for effectively treating acne.

Improving cruise ports of call is essential for enhancing the overall cruise experience for passengers, promoting tourism, and supporting the economic development of the regions served by these ports. Therefore, this article aims to assess selection factors (SFs) for the cruise port of call from the perspective of cruise operators (COs) and port operators (POs). In doing so, this paper first identifies SFs for the cruise port of call and establishes their hierarchical structure thanks to the extensive literature and expert brainstorming. Afterwards, The Modified Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (MFAHP) is developed to gauge the discrepancy in SFs between COs and POs. Empirical results from MFAHP pinpoint two significant SFs for POs to improve and attract their customers: customs, immigration control and quarantine (CIQ), and incentive measures. Besides, theoretical and managerial implications, and potential limitations for the next research are discussed.

Summary: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) empowers epithelial cells with mesenchymal and stem-like attributes, facilitating metastasis, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal (E/M) cells, retaining both epithelial and mesenchymal traits, exhibit heightened metastatic potential and stemness. The mesenchymal intermediate filament, vimentin, is upregulated during EMT, enhancing the resilience and invasiveness of carcinoma cells. The phosphorylation of vimentin is critical to its structure and function. Here, we identify that stabilizing vimentin phosphorylation at serine 56 induces multinucleation, specifically in hybrid E/M cells with stemness properties but not epithelial or mesenchymal cells. Cancer stem-like cells are especially susceptible to vimentin-induced multinucleation relative to differentiated cells, leading to a reduction in self-renewal and stemness. As a result, vimentin-induced multinucleation leads to sustained inhibition of stemness properties, tumor initiation, and metastasis. These observations indicate that a single, targetable phosphorylation event in vimentin is critical for stemness and metastasis in carcinomas with hybrid E/M properties.

Antimicrobial pectin/chitosan composite films have potential as wound dressing and food packaging. However, almost biofilms were synthesized through chemical routes, causing eco-unfriendliness, and negative impacts on the environment and human health. Green synthesis of composite films incorporating with biosynthesized AgNPs is therefore necessary to enhance mechanical and antimicrobial activities. This study focused on the influence of biosynthesized AgNPs on characteristics of passion fruit peel pectin/chitosan (P/CH) biofilms. Characterization, mechanical, antimicrobial activities of P/CH/AgNPs biofilms were evaluated. Incorporating AgNPs into P/CH-based films significantly exerted apparent color and optical properties of biofilms. As AgNPs concentration increased, P/CH/AgNPs biofilms had higher water content (20.1%), better water vapor permeability (1.28 × 10–9 g/mm h Pa), but lower mechanical, water solubility (43.98%), swelling (630.29 ± 11.79%) indexes. P/CH/AgNPs biofilms exhibited outstanding antibacterial properties against S. aureus, B. cereus, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumonia. As expected, in vivo results consolidated the evidence of excellent wound closure (100%) of P/CH/AgNPs biofilms after 15 days. Our findings recommend P/CH/AgNPs antibacterial biofilms have promising biomedical applications.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the antibiotic-resistant profile and to identify molecular characterization of some virulence genes of Klebsiella spp. isolated from mastitis samples in Vietnam. Materials and Method: A total of 468 samples from clinical mastitis cases were collected and submitted to the Laboratory. All samples were cultured, and Klebsiella spp. was identified through biochemical reactions and confirmed by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antimicrobial resistance was tested by disk diffusion method, and virulence and resistance genes were tested by PCR. Results: An antibiogram study showed that a high proportion of isolates are multidrug-resistant (94%). All isolates were resistant to lincomycin and sulfamethoxazole, followed by ampicillin (94%), sulphonamide (66%), amoxicillin (56%), streptomycin (52%), polymyxin B (28%), colistin sulfate (12%), tetracycline (6%), ciprofloxacin (4%), florfenicol (4%), enrofloxacin (4%), piperacillin (2%), trimethoprim (2%), nalidixic acid (2%), imipenem (2%), and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (2%). In contrast, all isolates showed sensitivity to gentamicin and ceftiofur. The appearance of an efflux pump system, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), tetracycline, and sulphonamides-resis¬tant genes was reconfirmed using different specific primers. Capsular serotype K1 and virulence genes magA, fimH, and entB, responsible for hypermucoviscosity production, adherence, and enterobactin production, were confirmed in isolates. Multidrug resistance and virulence potential in Klebsiella spp. are changing this mastitis pathogen into a superbug and making its management harder. Conclusions: Klebsiella spp. associated with bovine mastitis in Nghe An province were mostly multidrug-resistant and carried virulence genes including fimH, entB, and antimicrobials resistant genes (blaSHV, acrAKp, tetA, etc.), but these isolates were not ESBL producers. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2023; 10(1.000): 132-143]

Introduction. Human resources are likened to the backbone of any organization ensuring its sustainable development and competition. Investment in the workforce through training programs brings back the best fruitful achievements. This study investigated six basic factors affecting the training effectiveness in Vietnam, which is considered as burdensome matters to any organization in terms of having a skilled workforce to meet the current working situation. Materials and Methods. The study employed a mixed-methods approach involving a sample of 370 with e = ±5% over the population of 10,000 civil servants in Hanoi City. The quantitative data from the 5-Likert scale questionnaire among 370 respondents were addressed by IBM SPSS v.25. The semi-structured interviews relative to the same factors in the questionnaire were conducted with another 79 respondents to verify the validity of the research using NVivo v.12 for data treatment. Results. The results of the study revealed the dissatisfaction of employees with the training programs of professional development. The authors recommend to create a competent system of motivation to improve the effectiveness of training and development of employees. The leaders should conduct needs analysis seriously to comprehend the real expections of employees so that they could satisfy what lack of expertise skills and knowledge employees want to be updated. Besides, the incentive schemes and job promotion feasibilities are availed to any employee who is successfully performed well at work after the training courses. Discussion and Conclusion. The conclusions made by the authors contribute to the development of innovative training technologies in the system of professional development of the company staff. The results of the study will help HR professionals in the development of effective training programs that meet the expectations of employees.

Root biomass and distribution are influenced by abiotic factors, such as topography and soil physicochemical properties, determining belowground productivity. Hence, we investigated the variation in root biomass and vertical root distribution based on the topography, soil physicochemical properties, and tree influence index, and their relationships, across soil depths (0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm) and topographical gradients in a warm-temperate forest in Mt. Duryun, Republic of Korea. Two contrasting research sites were established: a lower slope oriented at ≤3° and an upper slope with a slope of 30°. Each site comprised eleven 400 m2 sampling plots from which root samples from various diameter classes (10 mm) were collected. While the bulk density increased with soil depth in the lower slope, the organic matter, available phosphorus, Ca2+, and Mg2+ showed a reversed pattern. Linear mixed-effects models generally revealed significant negative correlations between root biomass and soil pH, total nitrogen, and cation exchange capacity, particularly in small roots (βstd = −1.03 to −1.51) and coarse roots (βstd = −6.30). Root biomass exhibited a 10–15% increase in the upper slope compared to the lower slope, particularly in fine (median = 52.0 g m2–65.64 g m2) and medium roots (median = 56.04 g m2–69.52 g m2) at a 0–20 cm soil depth. While no significant correlation between root biomass and the tree influence index was found on the lower slope, a different pattern was found on the upper slope. Our results indicate that the variation in root biomass and distribution can also be explained by the differences in the soil environment and topographical positions.

In recent years, online teaching has gained significant traction in higher education institutions across the globe, primarily due to the widespread impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, online teaching was mainly associated with distance learning which aims to provide further education for in-service learners. In this context, our study aims to explore the pedagogical obstacles encountered by Vietnamese university teachers when implementing online teaching in social sciences. Employing qualitative research methods, such as snowball sampling and semi-structured in-depth interviews, the researchers gathered data from 23 university teachers specializing in social sciences across 12 public and private universities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The findings of this investigation shed light on various pedagogical barriers that impede the teaching process, encompassing aspects such as lesson plan preparation, lecture delivery (limited interactions, teaching methods and activities, students’ distraction and passive participation, managing virtual classrooms), student assessment, and overall teaching ineffectiveness. This study contributes to the existing literature on contextualized online instructions in higher education, specifically focusing on the social sciences domain. Furthermore, the discussion delves into the critical points, providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by educators in the online teaching landscape.

Background: Since 2016, the Securities Commission (SC) in Malaysia has given licenses to only eleven P2P lending platforms. Such lending platforms are expected to disrupt the lending services of traditional lenders in the coming years. However, being still in their infant stages, it is essential to know the extent to which such platforms are made known to potential investors out there. This study aims to examine the awareness level of the eleven P2P lending platforms among Malaysian adults. The study also explores if past investment experience and financial knowledge would influence such awareness from Malaysian adults. Methods: A sample of 335 Malaysian individuals was used for this study. An online questionnaire was designed with three main parts: demographic, financial literacy, and P2P lending awareness. Using IBM SPSS Statistics 26, frequency, descriptive, normality, Pearson coefficients and multiple regression analyses were carried out. Results: Although seven out of ten respondents have good knowledge in three areas of finance: compounding rate, inflation and diversification, only 14.33% had a good and excellent awareness level of P2P lending. Thus, one would expect lesser awareness about P2P lending among Malaysian adults whose financial literacy is poor or zero. Test results from multiple regression analysis suggest that past lending experiences positively affect the awareness of P2P lending in Malaysia, but not the financial literacy. Conclusions: The awareness about P2P lending among Malaysian adults is too low, despite their high level of education and financial literacy. No investing experience and not knowing any existing P2P lending in the country may be the reason for this low awareness. Therefore, for P2P lending to thrive in Malaysia, the eleven P2P lending platforms need to be promoted aggressively in various social media outlets.

Objectives. The study was designed to explore the current State of social service provision for Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children and their families, analyze the existing problems in the process of providing services to children and their families from the perspective of facility managers and service providers. The research results serve as a basis for reviewing and providing recommendations to promote the effectiveness of social work services in this field. Material and methods. This study applied both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. It employed the quantitative method with surveying of 133 front line social service providers from 15 public and private institutions, and qualitative with desk review and 30 in-depth interviews. Participants were voluntary participating in the study with informed consent. Results. Vietnamese children with ASD and their families have faced many problems and risks, including the lack of opportunities and resources to access support and care services. However, social work services for children with ​​ASD and their families in Vietnam were under-developed compared to special education field and faced many limitations, including a shortage of in-depth intervention and outreach programs, inequality of supportive policies between the public and private service providers. Conclusions. Developing a holistic social work support services to meet the ADS children and families is key to address their current problems and contributing to improving the parents’/ caregivers’ care and education for children with ASD. In addition, the Government plays an essential role in issuing guaranteed policies and social security programs.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cancer with very high incidence and mortality and low survival rate in Vietnam and worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the survival outcome and its prognostic factors among HCC patients. Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study on patients newly diagnosed with HCC at Hanoi Oncology Hospital, Vietnam from January 2018 to December 2020. Overall survival (OS) was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test and Cox regression were used to investigate the association among patients’ OS and their diagnosis and treatment factors. Results: A total of 674 patients were included. The median OS was 10.0 months. The survival rates at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months were 57.3%, 46.6%, 34.8%, and 29.7%, respectively. The initial performance status (PS), Child-Pugh score, and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage at the time of diagnosis are prognostic factors of HCC OS. A total of 451 (66.8%) patients have died, most of them (375 equally 83.1%) died at home, and only 76 (16.9%) died at hospital. Hepatocellular carcinoma patients living in the rural area more likely died at home than those living in the urban area (85.9% vs 74.8%, P = .007). Conclusions: Hepatocellular carcinoma has a poor prognosis with low OS. Performance status, Child-Pugh score, and BCLC stage were the independent prognostic factors for the survival outcome of HCC patients. The fact that most HCC patients died at home suggested that home-based hospice care needs to be paid special attention.

Urbanization and associated forest conversions have given rise to a continuum of native (forest fragments) and modified (artificial grasslands and perennial ecosystems) land-use types. However, little is known about how these shifts affect soil and fine-root compartments that are critical to a functioning carbon and nutrient circulation system. In this study, soil physicochemical properties, fine-root mass, and vertical distribution patterns were investigated in four representative urban land-use types: grassland (ZJ), perennial agroecosystem (MP), broadleaf deciduous forest patch (QA), and coniferous evergreen forest patch (PD). We quantified the fine-root mass in the upper 30 cm vertical profile (0–30 cm) and at every 5 cm depth across three diameter classes (−2) > PD (487.2 g m−2) > ZJ (440.1 g m−2) > MP (98.3 g m−2). The fine-root mass of ZJ and MP was correlated with soil nutrients, which was attributed to intensive management operations, while the fine-root mass of QA and PD had a significant relationship with soil organic matter due to the high inputs from forest litter. Very fine roots (

Abstract Objectives In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of a mixture of advanced platelet‐rich fibrin (A‐PRF) and xenogenic bone substitute material (XBSM) on the proliferation and migration of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) based on the in vitro release of growth factors. Material and Methods The concentrations of platelet‐derived growth factor‐AB (PDGF‐AB) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) released by the A‐PRF‐XBSM mixture were estimated using enzyme‐linked immunoassay for up to 7 d. The A‐PRF‐XBSM mixture exudate was incubated with hPDLSCs. At Days 1, 3, 5, and 7, cell proliferation and migration were investigated by cell counting and wound‐healing assays. Results PDGD‐AB and VEGF were released from the A‐PRF‐XBSM mixture exudate for up to 7 days. hPDLSCs were cultured in media with various concentrations of the A‐PRF‐XBSM mixture exudate and exhibited their proliferation and migration ability. Furthermore, the factors released from the 100% A‐PRF‐XBSM mixture exudate had a substantial effect on cell migration, whereas those released from 4% and 20% A‐PRF‐XBSM mixture exudates stimulated hPDLSC proliferation. Conclusions A‐PRF‐XBSM mixture continuously released growth factors over 7 days and enhanced hPDLSC proliferation and migration. Therefore, A‐PRF in combination with XBSM might provide potential advantages for periodontal tissue regeneration.

Objectives. Ethnic minority youth with disabilities have been experiencing multi-challenges in maintaining their wellbeing and social integration. This study was designed to capture the status of ethnic minority youth with disabilities’ vocational training and job placement. Importantly, it analyzed different social influential factors this group has to encounter in the process of being included in the community. Materials and methods. This study employed a mixed method of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A triangulation data collection strategy was used to generate a broad range of information. It included a survey of 76 ethnic youth with disabilities, qualitative in-depth interviews of six ethnic youth with disabilities and six local officers, and two group discussions among the youth with disabilities and support staff. Results. The key findings show the challenging status of this vulnerable group and their limited involvement in vocational training and fewer opportunities in job seeking. Important social determinants, such as psychosocial problems, limited support from family, lack of accessibility to information, and social support system limitation, including local social services, have been identified as main obstacles for ethnic minority youth with disabilities. Conclusions. Ethnic minority youth with disabilities in Vietnam have experienced multi-social challenges that hinder their personal development and often are excluded from many social activities, including vocational training and job placement. In order to support them, it is vital to provide an appropriate support service system in solving their psychosocial challenges as well as the development of policies that support the families’ livelihood and sustainable development.

Objectives. As a a country with a high percentage of Internet users, the Internet plays a vital role in personal and family life in Vietnam. However, the abuse of the Internet has becoming a concerning issue with visual consequences. Therefore, this study reviews and examines relevant International and domestic publications to provide scientific evidences and foundation for the research on the influence of Internet use behaviour upon communication Vietnamese families and provides recommendations for improving parent and children communication via proper Internet usage. Material and methods. This study is based on the synthesis and analysis of documents related to communication and the behaviour of using the Internet in Vietnamese families. Seventy-six valuable studies related to the research topic were selected to provide important qualitative and quantitative data for making an appropriate and relevant assessment, ensuring the science and reliability of the research. Results. Internet use has relationships with communication in the family—Internet influences communication in the family positively and negatively. The positive change in communication manifests in diversifying forms of communication, the flexibility and convenience of communication is also increased. Negative changes focus on the limitation of direct interaction and chat that grows the generation gap and changes communication structure. In addition, the Internet is also linked to mental health problems. Conclusions. Internet utilization closely relates to the quality and effectiveness of communication between Vietnamese family members. Internet is ordinary and necessary in the current globalization context, but using the Internet effectively, is required to understand and master it. Family members need to properly understand the needs, purpose, and ways of using the Internet and its impacts on their family communication.

Background - With the recent evolution of Financial Technology (FinTech), 11 peers to peer (P2P) lending platforms have been regulated by the Securities Commission in Malaysia since 2016. P2P lending platforms offer new investment opportunities to individual investors to earn higher rates on return than what traditional lenders usually provide. However, individual investors may face higher potential risks of default from their borrowers. Therefore, individual investors need to understand the potential exposure to such P2P lending platforms to make an effective investment decision. This study aims to explore the potential risk exposures that individual investors may experience at Malaysia's licensed P2P lending platforms. Methods - Based on data collected manually from nine P2P lending platforms over five months, relationships between interest rates and various risk classifying factors such as credit rating, industry, business stage, loan purpose, and loan duration are examined. Results- This study shows that loans with a similar credit rating and with or without similar loan purpose; and a business stage may offer investors significantly different interest rates. In addition, loans with shorter durations may provide investors with higher interest rates than those with longer durations. Finally, loans issued by companies from the same industry appeared to be charged with similar interest. These findings are valuable to investors to prepare themselves before making their investments at the P2P lending platforms. Conclusion- With first hand-collected data, this study provides an original insight into Malaysia's current P2P lending platforms. Findings obtained for relationships between interest rates and risk classifying factors such as credit rating, industry, business stage, loan purpose and loan duration are valuable to investors of Malaysian P2P lending platforms.

Digital learning ecosystem plays important roles for transforming teaching classroom into learning community. This article used a mixed method to (1) explore the teaching and learning activities and components of a digital learning ecosystem through eighteen in-depth interviews and six observation classroom teachings of three subjects (English, Mathematics, and Science), and (2) measure the factors influencing the success of the ecosystem from a survey of 350 teachers at high schools in Thailand under the KKU Smart Learning Project. The quantitative data is analyzed by using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis; meanwhile, researchers used manually coding method for qualitative data to categorize data into themes and sub-themes. The findings revealed an ecosystem includes four core components: learning community, learning atmosphere, active learning, and teaching and learning support. However, it is important for junior high schools to clarify and improve seven factors affecting the development of this ecosystem to boost classroom transformation into learning community. This study is useful for policy makers, educators, and teachers to issue educational policies and objectives, invest infrastructure, design curriculum, and organize teaching activities to enhance the effectiveness of learning outcomes.

Abstract African swine fever virus (ASFV), the causative agent of contagious hemorrhagic disease in domestic pigs and wild boars, has temporally regulated gene expression kinetics. The p30 and p72 major structural proteins are involved in viral entry each with different expression kinetics, but neither of their chronological expressions and distribution have been identified in virus-infected animals. Here, we found that both transcription and translation levels of p30 were significantly higher than those of p72 in target organs during the earlier infection-phase. Lymphocyte apoptosis/necrosis and angiectasia were observed as signs of early infection with acute African swine fever. These results show that the chronologically differential expression of ASFV structural proteins tends to be prominent in infected animals, and the p30 protein could play a role in the indication of acute lesions during early infection compared to the late-expressed p72 protein. In conclusion, we propose to consider the chronological expression dynamics of ASFV structural proteins in infected animals to understand virus pathogenesis and antigen targeting for vaccine development.

Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) involves feeding a newborn with the mother’s breast milk within the first hour of delivery. The prevalence of EIBF in Vietnam has recently shown a downward trend. The present study aimed to demonstrate the current prevalence of EIBF practices and identify factors associated with EIBF among Vietnamese mothers with children under 24 months of age. This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Viet Nam Sustainable Development Goal Indicators on Children and Women (SDGCW) survey 2020–2021. The study participants included 1495 mothers extracted from the SDGCW dataset. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed. The prevalence of EIBF practice was 25.5% among all mothers, 31.9% among vaginal-delivery mothers groups, and 9.0% among cesarean-section mothers groups. Factors negatively associated with EIBF were younger age (0.18 times), cesarean delivery (0.25 times), and absence of skin-to-skin contact with newborns immediately after birth (0.43 times). The prevalence of EIBF among Vietnamese mothers was found to be substantially low, especially among those who underwent cesarean delivery. EIBF should be promoted among younger mothers and those who underwent cesarean delivery.

African swine fever (ASF) is a lethal and highly contagious transboundary animal disease with the potential for rapid international spread. Currently, there is no ASF vaccine commercially available. All infected animals must be isolated and culled immediately upon the confirmation of the presence of the virus. Studies leading to the rational development of protective ASF vaccines are urgently needed. Here, we generated a safe and efficacious live-attenuated vaccine (LAV) VNUA-ASFV-LAVL2 by serially passaging a field isolate (VNUA-ASFV-05L1, genotype II) in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs, 65 passages) and an immortalized porcine alveolar macrophage cell line (3D4/21, 55 passages). VNUA-ASFV-LAVL2 can efficiently replicate in both PAMs and 3D4/21 cells. It provides 100% protection, even with the low dose of 102 HAD50, to the vaccinated pigs against the challenge of contemporary pandemic ASFV field isolate. Pigs vaccinated with this LAV in a dose range of 102 to 105 HAD50 remained clinically healthy during both the 28-day observation period of immunization and the 28-day observation period of challenge. VNUA-ASFV-LAVL2 was eliminated from blood by 28 days post-inoculation (DPI), and from feces or oral fluids by 17 DPI. Although the vaccine strain in serum remained a safe and attenuated phenotype after five passages in swine, a reversion-to-virulence study using blood or tissue homogenates at peak viremia will be conducted in the future. ASFV-specific IgG antibodies and significant cellular immunity were detected in vaccinated pigs before the ASFV challenge. These results indicate that the VNUA-ASFV-LAVL2 strain is a safe and efficacious LAV against the genotype II ASFV strain responsible for current ASF outbreaks in Asia.

Among 114 clinical Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates collected in Vietnam during 2019–2020, we detected 15 of subclone sequence type 13871 of the FC428 clonal complex. Fourteen sequence type 13871 isolates with mosaic penA allele 60.001 were ceftriaxone or cefixime nonsusceptible, and 3/14 were azithromycin nonsusceptible. Emergence of this subclone threatens treatment effectiveness.

This paper explored the characteristics of the digital learning ecosystem (DLE) in educational institutions based on the analysis of English scholarly discourse from various sources between 2002 and 2021. The content analysis method was used to examine core conceptual elements from the existing models. Researchers used Google Scholar and other databases to collect sources using relevant keywords. In total, 35 publications were collected and analyzed to provide a general picture of themes, including (1) components/models of DLE, (2) roles of components in DLE, and (3) enabler and barrier factors on DLE. The findings showed that DLE included different components, and the interaction between them played important roles in enhancing the educational quality. Besides, the internal and external factors have influenced the development of a DLE. However, there are some limitations from previous research of the lack of the analysis of (1) the teacher–supporter interaction in learning process, (2) the emerging technologies (i.e., artificial intelligent (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and Internet of things (IoT) applied in the DLE, (3) and some issues pertaining the copyright, intellectual properties of learning contents and the integration of digital contents into learning management system. This study could be considered basic background for future research to select and design a DLE and conduct appropriate studies. In addition, this study has important implications for policy-makers, administrators, teachers, and other staff for educational institutions with respect to using DLEs to deploy effective solutions.

Abstract Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive inflammation and fibrosis of the biliary tree characterized by the obstruction of bile flow, which results in liver failure, scarring and cirrhosis. This study aimed to explore the elusive aetiology of BA by conducting whole exome sequencing for 41 children with BA and their parents (35 trios, including 1 family with 2 BA-diagnosed children and 5 child-mother cases). We exclusively identified and validated a total of 28 variants (17 X-linked, 6 de novo and 5 homozygous) in 25 candidate genes from our BA cohort. These variants were among the 10% most deleterious and had a low minor allele frequency against the employed databases: Kinh Vietnamese (KHV), GnomAD and 1000 Genome Project. Interestingly, AMER1, INVS and OCRL variants were found in unrelated probands and were first reported in a BA cohort. Liver specimens and blood samples showed identical variants, suggesting that somatic variants were unlikely to occur during morphogenesis. Consistent with earlier attempts, this study implicated genetic heterogeneity and non-Mendelian inheritance of BA.

IntroductionThe study aims to examine the trends of 4 metabolic NCDs risk factors including raised blood pressure, increased blood glucose, elevated blood lipids and overweight/obesity over the last 10 years in Vietnam as well as examine these trends among different sub-population by geographical area, gender, and age groups.MethodsThe study combined the national representative data from three rounds of STEPs survey in Vietnam conducted in 2010, 2015, and 2020 on people aged 25–64 years. The overall prevalence of each metabolic factor together with 95% CI for each time point as well as the stratified prevalence by rural/urban, male/female, and 4 separated age groups were calculated and considered the sampling weight. Cochran–Armitage test for trend was used to test for the differences in the prevalence over time.ResultsThe prevalence of hypertension, overweight/obesity, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia among the population aged 25–64 years old was 28.3, 20.57, 6.96, and 15.63%, respectively in the year 2020. All NCD metabolic risk factors examined in this analysis show significantly increasing trends over time. For most age groups, the increasing burden of NCD metabolic risk factors was more significant during the period 2015–2020 compared to the period 2010–2015. Male population and population aged 55–64 experienced the most dramatic changes in the burden of all NCD metabolic risk factors.ConclusionTo reverse the increasing trend of NCD metabolic factors in Vietnam, intervention, and policy need to apply a comprehensive life course approach.

The development of modern technologies facilitated for teachers to integrate and use them in managing their teaching classroom. The aim of this paper is to explore how teachers in the Khon Kaen University (KKU) Smart Learning Project use the smart learning concept and innovation to manage their classroom in the digital learning environment. The qualitative research was conducted to clarify the teaching process of teachers in Grade 7–9 at junior high schools using KKU Smart Learning with three subjects (namely, Mathematics, Science, and English). Consequently, 18 in-depth interviews and six observations were done. The results of this research showed that teachers applied and used the basis of KKU Smart Learning technologies, contents, and guidelines to manage their classroom, including design teaching activities in accordance with the learners’ characteristics; create a pleasant learning atmosphere to enhance their thinking ability, knowledge and skills; organize learning activities and solve problematic situations; promote learning motivation; develop and evaluate learners' competence. However, the classroom management of teachers faced with some problems concerning the limitation of internet connection, lack of digital devices and digital literacy of teachers and learners. The findings of this paper have implications for educators, administrators, teachers and stakeholders to design holistic solutions to enhance the quality of educational activities and academic performance.