Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the pilosebaceous unit in which skin microbiome dysbiosis plays a key pathogenic role. This study, based on full-length 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (V1-V9), characterized facial microbial diversity in 45 participants classified as healthy (n=15), mild acne (n=15), and moderate-severe acne (n=15), using pooled samples for downstream microbiome analyses. Samples from the skin surface and sebaceous follicles were analyzed by 16S rRNA (V1-V9) sequencing using Illumina MiniSeq and processed via QIIME2. Alpha diversity (observed taxa, Shannon index), beta diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity, permutational multivariate analysis of variance [PERMANOVA]), and biomarker taxa (linear discriminant analysis effect size [LEfSe]) were assessed. Bacillota, mainly Staphylococcus spp., predominated on the skin surface, with relative abundance increasing with acne severity, whereas follicles were dominated by Cutibacterium acnes (Actinomycetota). Follicular samples showed lower richness and Shannon diversity than surface samples, though intergroup differences were not significant. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) explained >65% of variation, revealing greater dispersion among surface communities but no clear clustering by severity (PERMANOVA p>0.3). LEfSe identified distinct bacterial biomarkers across clinical groups. Overall, site-specific microbial shifts - particularly C. acnes and Staphylococcus dysbiosis - appear central to acne development, suggesting microbiome-targeted interventions as potential therapeutic strategies.

ABSTRACT This study investigates how structural inputs and contextual barriers influence learning engagement, skill gain, and employment outcomes among rural women participating in e-learning tourism vocational training. Drawing on the survey data from 390 women in the Mekong Delta Vietnam, the research develops and empirically tests a structural model linking digital access, content quality, and trainer support to learning engagement and decent work outcomes. Using the logic model framework, the study identifies both direct and moderating effects of support policies and socio-cultural barriers. Findings underscore that input factors play a critical role in enhancing rural women’s learning engagement and post-training employment. Moreover, policy and cultural contexts significantly moderate these relationships, shaping women’s digital inclusion and work readiness. The study advances theoretical understanding of digital capacity building in marginalised settings. It offers practical policy implications for designing flexible, gender-responsive, and sustainable vocational programmes that align with Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 8.

Impact of foreign language anxiety and expectancy for success on English outcomes: Mediating role of self-regulated learning among university freshmen.

We report the draft genome sequence of Enterobacter cloacae TG-C5.2 isolated from shrimp aquaculture water in Vietnam. The genome harbors multiple antimicrobial resistance genes, including blaCTX-M-15.

Optimizing Agricultural Logistics Networks: Evidence from the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Bacillary necrosis of Pangasius (BNP) is a recurrent bacterial disease that poses a major threat to Vietnam's striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) aquaculture industry. Although BNP has traditionally been attributed to Edwardsiella ictaluri, its etiology remains unresolved due to limitations of species-specific diagnostics. In this study, we investigated acute BNP cases reported at 19 geographically distinct catfish farms across the Mekong River Delta from December 2023 to July 2024. While initial 16S rRNA PCR assays implicated E. ictaluri, whole-genome sequencing of isolates from 15 of 19 farms (79%) confirmed that all strains belonged to Edwardsiella tarda. Experimental challenge in a striped catfish infection model demonstrated that all 15 E. tarda strains were highly virulent, with reisolation of the pathogen fulfilling Koch's postulates. Phylogenetic analysis identified six distinct clonal lineages, indicating a polyclonal population structure consistent with multiple introductions or diversification of endemic strains. Comparative genomics revealed conserved core genomes within lineages, with diversity in accessory regions driven by prophages and plasmids. Twelve prophages were identified across the genomes, clustering into conserved syntenic pairs and integrating at shared chromosomal hotspots. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed multidrug-resistant phenotypes in multiple lineages, genetically linked to plasmid-borne resistance determinants. Plasmid analyses identified conjugative plasmids with conserved backbones that mediate horizontal transfer of multidrug resistance cassettes, including determinants conferring resistance to β-lactams, enrofloxacin, doxycycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Collectively, these findings redefined E. tarda as the etiologic agent of recent BNP cases in Vietnam and revealed the genomic features underpinning its virulence and multidrug resistance.IMPORTANCEBacillary necrosis of Pangasius (BNP) is a serious disease affecting Vietnam's striped catfish industry, one of the world's largest freshwater aquaculture industries. For many years, BNP was attributed to Edwardsiella ictaluri, influencing how the disease was diagnosed and treated. In this study, we found that recent BNP outbreaks were instead caused by multiple strains of the related bacterium Edwardsiella tarda. Experimental infections confirmed that these strains can cause severe disease in striped catfish under controlled laboratory conditions. Some strains also carried multidrug resistance plasmids that were experimentally shown to transfer between bacteria, demonstrating a potential mechanism for the spread of antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture systems. We additionally developed a new PCR test that more accurately distinguishes E. tarda from closely related species. Together, these findings improve understanding of BNP and provide new tools for its disease diagnosis, surveillance, and management in aquaculture.

Rice production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Reducing GHG emissions in this sector is essential for achieving the climate targets. However, little is known about the effectiveness of monetary incentives for promoting low-emission practices. This study investigated whether conditional monetary incentives could drive behavioral changes and GHG emission reductions among rice farmers in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. A field experiment was conducted with 200 farmers, applying difference-in-differences regression and inverse-probability-weighted regression adjustment models alongside behavioral indicators, namely, a change scale and a best practice scale. The results showed that monetary incentives had a limited effect on reducing GHG emissions as no statistically significant differences were observed between the treatment and control groups. However, moderate improvements were observed in low-emission practices, such as reducing the seed rate, nitrogen fertilizer, and pesticide spraying within the treatment group. The findings suggest that incentive-based programs should be combined with technical support, local stakeholder engagement, behavioral nudges, and robust monitoring systems. This study provides valuable insights into the limitations and design considerations of incentive interventions for low-emission rice production. • Behavioral changes measured using change and best practice scales • Farmers in the treatment group reduced seed, nitrogen, and pesticide use • Monetary incentives had limited effects on reducing GHG emissions • Effective incentives require support, nudges, and strong monitoring

Land subsidence dynamics in the Mekong Delta: Insights from local high-resolution geomechanical parameterization, numerical modelling, and geodetic observations.

DFT-guided engineering of hydroxylated Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene for efficient arsenic removal and electrochemical monitoring in vietnamese groundwater

Feeding ecology and seasonal variation of Zenarchopterus clarus Mohr, 1926 (Hemiramphidae) in a mangrove estuary of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

AI-assisted surface water dynamics analysis in the Indochina Peninsula integrating Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 imagery

Coastal hydrodynamics and wave mechanisms along the West coast of the Mekong Delta

Dataset on Generation Z's green purchase intentions toward packaged non-alcoholic beverages: Evidence from Vietnam

ABSTRACT Droughts have been reported to cause socio-economic disruption in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), threatening the region’s sustainable development. However, it is difficult to monitor droughts in the VMD due to the lack of ground-based rainfall stations. Alternatively, remote-sensing technologies that provide regular temporal and spatial data are analysed. We verify the correlation between the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) 3B42 product and rainfall data collected from meteorological (gauged) stations in the VMD. Next, we assess the reliability of TRMM for monitoring meteorological drought and quantifying the drought characteristics based on the standardised precipitation index (SPI) at a wide range of time scales (1-12 months) during the period 1998-2018. TRMM shows a good match to station data at the monthly scale, as evidenced through biases < 5% and RMSE < 80 mm at selected sites. The driest episode was from 2014 to 2016, with a widespread drought area, most severely (with SPI < –1.5) in the northern part (Dong Thap, Tien Giang and parts of adjacent provinces). We also show that drought severity follows an increasing trend during 1998-2018, as indicated through Mann-Kendall tests on SPI time series, potentially due to changes in regional climate variability.

In the Mekong Delta region, Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) is a globally serious threat to shrimp farming. AHPND is mainly caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus carrying a plasmid that encodes virulence genes, namely, Photorhabdus insect-related (pir). One of the best measures to control outbreaks in shrimp is to rapidly and accurately determine V. parahaemolyticus carrying virulence gene. In this study, we developed a fully-integrated molecular diagnostic device that combines a Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card-embedded tube for nucleic acid extraction and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to detect the pirA gene of causative V. parahaemolyticus, with a pH-based colorimetric readout realized by the use of phenol red. To improve the usability of the LAMP assay, a palm-sized three-dimensional (3D)-printed heater operated by batteries was employed to apply heat for the amplification reaction on site. The strategy showed high specificity and sensitivity, with a limit of detection as low as 102 CFU mL-1. The assay can be completed within 75 min at 65 °C. Next, to prove the feasibility of the test for real samples, shrimp collected from a shrimp farm were used and spiked with bacteria. The strategy was proven to be capable of performing three main steps of molecular diagnosis such as sample extraction, amplification, and detection at the point of care for detecting the toxic pirA gene in V. parahaemolyticus. This strategy can also serve as a cost-effective and rapid tool and can be a potential candidate for on-site disease control in low-resource areas.

Machine learning-based evaluation and dimensionality optimization of groundwater quality indices for drinking and irrigation in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta.

ABSTRACT Sand is the most heavily extracted resource in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), and its mining has caused growing community concern. Consequently, mining companies are recognising the need to obtain both a Social Licence to Operate (SLO) and a Legal Licence to Operate (LLO). Our study applied an SLO scale and an integrative model to assess influencing factors, gathering data from 163 participants, including scientists, officials, and local residents. Our findings show that river sand mining currently holds an Acceptable SLO level (2.51 ± 0.88 on a four-point scale), notably below the global average, indicating significant room for improved social engagement and trust-building. The results also underscore the need for strong community engagement, active government participation, and sustainable practices to strengthen community trust. A strong SLO enhances social relations, builds stakeholder trust, and increases community support, helping mining companies promote sustainable sand extraction in the VMD.

Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in commercial clams: Implications for environmental and human health.

ABSTRACT Climate change and development constitute the key drivers of environmental change, challenging contemporary human-environment relations, especially in riverine deltas. In the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, the compounding effects of climate change, hydropower development, and agricultural development have drastically transformed local waterscapes, deteriorating the agroecosystems that serve vital sources of livelihoods for rural communities. This paper critically examines how these interwoven dynamics are empirically understood through the lenses of ecological grief and livelihood precarity, as grounded in place-based adaptation. Drawing on empirical data gathered from thirty-seven in-depth interviews with government officials, environmental experts, and senior farmers, together with twelve focus group discussions with local farmers and government officials, we argue that the disrupting agroecosystems in the Mekong floodplains are intertwined with the outcomes of place-based adaptation characterised by state-led agricultural development policies (e.g. dykes) and rural communities’ exploitation of local agroecosystems (e.g. soil and fish) to support their livelihoods. The findings reveal how these place-based adaptation practices embrace the myriad aspects of maladaptation, making the livelihoods of rural communities more precarious. This paper foregrounds the overlooked nature of place-based adaptation and its relevance to livelihood precarity in the Mekong floodplains, where the rural communities are seen as both agents and victims of their own actions. Navigating these challenges suggests exigencies for just transitions that help promote community-based recognition of local agroecosystem values while reinforcing their moral and legal accountability for ecological stewardship to secure livelihood sustainability.

&lt;p&gt;Grounded in mindset theory, this study investigated the predictive effect of growth language mindsets on L2 (learners’ foreign or second language) achievement among gifted EFL high school students in Vietnam. While previous research has shown mixed evidence regarding the role of mindsets in L2 learning, little is known about their influence in populations characterized by exceptional academic aptitude. A sample of 147 students, aged 15 to 17, from three gifted high schools in the Mekong Delta region completed a growth language mindset questionnaire, which included beliefs about general language intelligence, L2 aptitude, and age sensitivity in L2 learning. Self-reported final exam scores were employed as the indicator of L2 achievement. Following rigorous data screening, 135 valid cases were analyzed using Pearson correlation and linear regression. The results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between growth language mindsets and L2 achievement (&lt;em&gt;r&lt;/em&gt; = 0.32, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt; &amp;lt; 0.001). Regression analysis further revealed that growth language mindsets explained 40.5% of the variance in students’ L2 performance (β = 0.64, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt; &amp;lt; 0.001). These findings underscore the essential role of growth-oriented beliefs in shaping high-ability students’ language outcomes, extending prior work by situating mindset theory within the underexplored context of gifted EFL education in Vietnam. The study contributes empirical evidence to the ongoing debate on the predictive power of growth mindsets, while also offering practical implications for fostering resilience, sustained effort, and mastery-oriented learning in advanced language classrooms.&lt;/p&gt;