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•Embarks on novel nanocomposite electrocatalyst syntheses from biomass and transition metal oxide.•The nanocomposite demonstrates high electrocatalytic activity and durability for the ...hydrogen evolution reaction.•Biowaste-derived carbon promotes fast charge transfer and well-dispersed sulfur-modified metal oxide creates abundant active sites.•Sulfur incorporation modulates the adsorption energy of water molecules on the catalyst surface.•The energy barrier for water dissociation is lowered and the activity is enhanced over the sulfur-incorporated metal oxide surface.
In the pursuit of a more sustainable future and to combat the environmental impact of fossil fuels, green hydrogen production through water electrolysis is gaining traction. While noble metals currently dominate electrocatalyst design, their expense limits widespread adoption. This study proposes a solution by outlining a method for designing efficient and affordable electrocatalysts based on non-precious metals. Herein, we introduce a novel S-incorporated Ni2O3 supported on biowaste-derived activated carbon (S-Ni2O3@AC) synthesized from pumpkin shells. This facile and sustainable approach utilizes readily available resources. The S-Ni2O3@AC nanocomposite demonstrates excellent HER performance with low overpotential and high durability. This is attributed to a high surface area of the composite, fast charge transfer, optimal hydrogen adsorption, and lowered energy barrier for water dissociation facilitated by sulfur incorporation, which is demonstrated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This research paves the way for cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
In this paper, we present a tourism recommender framework based on the cooperation of ontological knowledge base and supervised learning models. Specifically, a new tourism ontology, which not only ...captures domain knowledge but also specifies knowledge entities in numerical vector space, is presented. The recommendation making process enables machine learning models to work directly with the ontological knowledge base from training step to deployment step. This knowledge base can work well with classification models (e.g., k-nearest neighbours, support vector machines, or naıve bayes). A prototype of the framework is developed and experimental results confirm the feasibility of the proposed framework.
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FFLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, UL, UM, UPUK
To demonstrate the process for establishing or refuting validity for the Limbs and Things hysterectomy model.
Prospective study using Kane's framework for establishing validity (Canadian Task Force ...classification: II-2).
Total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) assessments completed in the operating room (OR) and simulation at 3 academic medical centers.
Obstetrics and gynecology residents (n = 26 postgraduate years 3-4), a gynecologic oncology fellow (postgraduate year 5), and a gynecology oncology attending.
Participants were rated with the myTIPreport feedback application by nonblinded faculty in the OR after TLH. In-person, simulation-based assessments were provided by 2 faculty members blinded to experience level using myTIPreport and Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS). Videos of simulated TLHs were rated by 2 minimally invasive gynecology fellows.
OR scores for TLH steps were significantly higher than simulation assessments (p < .001) with "competent" marked more frequently in the OR. Number of robotic + conventional TLHs performed as primary surgeon was not significantly correlated with OR myTIPreport rating (Spearman r = .30, p = .14) but was significantly correlated with myTIPreport and GOALS in-person simulation ratings (Spearman r = .39-.58, p = .001-.04). Agreement between in-person simulation rater 1 and 2 myTIPreport assessments was 71.4% (weighted κ, .68; 95% confidence interval, .45-.90), and intraclass correlation for the GOALS overall assessment was .71 (95% confidence interval, .46-.85), indicating substantial agreement. Blinded video reviews showed similar agreement (73.1%) between raters but less correlation with experience (Spearman r = .32-.42, p = .11-.03) than in-person reviews. Using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, mean score for the individual components of GOALS that best differentiated myTIPreport noncompetent and competent levels of performance was 4.3. Feedback acceptability and model realism were rated highly.
The scoring and generalization validity inferences for Limbs and Things and myTIPreport are supported when global assessments of performance are evaluated but not for individual components of the assessment instruments.
Upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries worldwide face a critical shortage of human resources in the health sector. Medical students are a potential task force with the capability to ...support the stretched health sector. This study aims to evaluate their training need for epidemic control in order to employ them effectively. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based survey from December 2019 to February 2020. There were 5,786 observations collected using the snowball sampling technique. Logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with training participation in epidemic prevention and disaster prevention. Multiple Poisson regression model was constructed to examine factors associated with the number of times they participated in sanitation training and disaster prevention activities in the previous 12 months. Sanitation and health education communication activities had the highest proportion of participants, with 76.5 and 38.4%, followed by examining and treating diseases in the community (13.4%). Those who participated in community activities had a higher number of times to participate in epidemic sanitation training and be involved in disaster prevention. This study informed the need for training programs to prepare medical students for COVID-19 epidemic responses. The training curriculum should include both theoretical approaches and contextual approaches to achieve efficient epidemic control.
Due to the shared border with China, Vietnam faced risks from the COVID-19 pandemic at the early stages of the outbreak. Good hygiene practices were considered an effective prevention method, but ...there were only minimal data on the effectiveness of hygiene practices against the pandemic at the community level. Thus, this study aims to assess hygiene practices in society by using a community-based survey. A cross-sectional study using survey monkey was conducted from December 2019 to February 2020. The Snowball sampling technique was used to recruit participants and exploratory factor analysis was applied to scrutinize the construct validity of the measurement. We used the Tobit regression model to assess the association. Hygiene in a high-risk environment and hygiene in the social and educational environment were two main factors after applying the EFA method. Participants grade community sanitation quite low (around 6 out of 10). Furthermore, the mean score of hygiene practice at a local level in a high-risk environment was slightly low at 6.0. The score of sanitation in the Central region (5.3) was quite low compared to the North (5.8) and the South (6.2). The most high-risk environment was construction, industrial zone and food safety. Moreover, younger respondents were more likely to report poorer hygiene practices in high-risk environments (Coefficient = -1.67; 95% CI = -3.03; -0.32) and social and educational environment (Coefficient = -1.29; 95% CI = -2.54; -0.04). Our study gives an insight into pandemic preparedness at the grassroots level. The findings suggest the necessity of specific communication education for society to improve the compliance of hygiene practices to prevent the spreading of COVID-19.
Nanocovax is a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 subunit vaccine composed of full-length prefusion stabilized recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins (S-2P) and aluminium ...hydroxide adjuvant.
We conducted a dose-escalation, open label trial (phase 1) and a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (phase 2) to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the Nanocovax vaccine (in 25 mcg, 50 mcg, and 75 mcg doses, aluminium hydroxide adjuvanted (0·5 mg/dose) in 2-dose regime, 28 days apart (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04683484). In phase 1, 60 participants received two intramuscular injection of the vaccine following dose-escalation procedure. The primary outcomes were reactogenicity and laboratory tests to evaluate the vaccine safety. In phase 2, 560 healthy adults received either vaccine doses similar in phase 1 (25 or 50 or 75 mcg S antigen in 0·5 mg aluminium per dose) or adjuvant (0·5 mg aluminium) in a ratio of 2:2:2:1. One primary outcome was the vaccine safety, including solicited adverse events for 7 day and unsolicited adverse events for 28 days after each injection as well as serious adverse event or adverse events of special interest throughout the study period. Another primary outcome was anti-S IgG antibody response (Index unit/ml). Secondary outcomes were surrogate virus neutralisation (inhibition percentage), wild-type SARS-CoV-2 neutralisation (dilution fold), and T-cell responses by intracellular staining for interferon gamma (IFNg). Anti-S IgG and neutralising antibody levels were compared with convalescent serum samples from symptomatic Covid-19 patients.
For phase 1 study, no serious adverse events were observed for all 60 participants. Most adverse events were grade 1 and disappeared shortly after injection. For phase 2 study, after randomisation, 480 participants were assigned to receive the vaccine with adjuvant, and 80 participants were assigned to receive the placebo (adjuvant only). Reactogenicity was absent or mild in the majority of participants and of short duration (mean ≤3 days). Unsolicited adverse events were mild in most participants. There were no serious adverse events related to Nanocovax. Regarding the immunogenicity, Nanocovax induced robust anti-S antibody responses. In general, there humoral responses were similar among vaccine groups which reached their peaks at day 42 and declined afterward. At day 42, IgG levels of vaccine groups were 60·48 CI95%: 51·12–71·55, 49·11 41·26–58·46, 57·18 48·4-67·5 compared to 7·10 6·32-13·92 of convalescent samples. IgG levels reported here can be converted to WHO international standard binding antibody unit (BAU/ml) by multiplying them to a conversion factor of 21·8. Neutralising antibody titre of vaccine groups at day 42 were 89·2 52·2–152·3, 80·0 50·8–125.9 and 95·1 63·1–143·6, compared to 55·1 33·4-91·0 of the convalescent group.
Up to day 90, Nanocovax was found to be safe, well tolerated, and induced robust immune responses.
This work was funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, and Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
In the isolated Aluoi Valley of central Viet Nam, very high levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin (TCDD) were measured in soil, fish fat, duck fat, pooled human blood and breast milk samples ...collected from A So village between 1996 and 1999. The village was situated on a former military base occupied by US Special Forces between 1963 and 1966. TCDD was a contaminant of the herbicide “Agent Orange”, aerially sprayed in the valley between 1965 and 1970, and stored at the A So base. Measured levels were lower near the sites of two other former US bases in the valley which had been occupied for shorter periods of time. In areas where Agent Orange had been applied by low-flying aircraft, levels of TCDD in soil, food and human samples were elevated, but lower than those near the three former US bases.
We confirm the apparent food chain transfer of TCDD from contaminated soil to cultured fish pond sediments to fish and duck tissues, then to humans as measured in whole blood and breast milk. We theorize that the Aluoi Valley is a microcosm of southern Viet Nam, where numerous reservoirs of TCDD exist in the soil of former military installations south of the former demilitarized zone. Large quantities of Agent Orange were stored at many sites, used in ground and aerial applications, and spilled. TCDD, through various forms of soil disturbance, can be mobilized from these reservoirs after decades below the surface, and subsequently, introduced into the human food chain.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Rodents and bats are now widely recognised as important sources of zoonotic virus infections in other mammals, including humans. Numerous surveys have expanded our knowledge of diverse viruses in a ...range of rodent and bat species, including their origins, evolution, and range of hosts. In this study of pegivirus and human hepatitis-related viruses, liver and serum samples from Vietnamese rodents and bats were examined by PCR and sequencing. Nucleic acids homologous to human hepatitis B, C, E viruses were detected in liver samples of 2 (1.3%) of 157 bats, 38 (8.1%), and 14 (3%) of 470 rodents, respectively. Hepacivirus-like viruses were frequently detected (42.7%) in the bamboo rat,
, while pegivirus RNA was only evident in 2 (0.3%) of 638 rodent serum samples. Complete or near-complete genome sequences of HBV, HEV and pegivirus homologues closely resembled those previously reported from rodents and bats. However, complete coding region sequences of the rodent hepacivirus-like viruses substantially diverged from all of the currently classified variants and potentially represent a new species in the
genus. Of the viruses identified, their routes of transmission and potential to establish zoonoses remain to be determined.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
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