CTU Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development

Effects of foliar application of zinc sulfate on growth, yield and essential oil of Perilla (Perilla frutescens L.) and holy basil (Ocimum sanctum L.)

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study was conducted on gray soil at the research station of the Faculty of Agronomy, Nong Lam University - Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of foliar zinc sulfate application on perilla and holy basil cultivation. For perilla, several morphological characteristics, including plant height, stem diameter, leaf length, leaf width, and leaf number on the main stem, showed statistically significant differences between the control and the 2.0 g/L ZnSO₄.7H₂O treatment. In contrast, only plant height in holy basil was significantly affected by ZnSO₄.7H₂O spray at 30 days after cutting. Regarding other physiological traits, both perilla and holy basil were able to maintain high levels of chlorophyll, carotenoid, total protein, and essential oil content. These findings suggest that zinc supplementation via foliar nutrition is a promising approach to improve not only agricultural yield but also the economic efficiency of medicinal plant cultivation.

Study on fabrication and application of unsaturated polyester composite materials reinforced with Eucalyptus/Melaleuca wood shavings

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

A novel strategy combining Eucalyptus/Melaleuca shavings and unsaturated polyester resin was used to fabricate composite materials with outstanding aesthetics and good mechanical strength by using a hot press and manual method. The composite material produced has a flexural strength of 49.15/49.32 MPa, tensile strength of 22.38/23.83 MPa, and impact strength of 4.89/4.76 kJ.m^-2 under optimal processing conditions of 120^oC, 3 minutes, 150 kg.cm^-2 pressure, and 40% shaving content by volume. Treating the shavings with a 2% NaOH solution improves the interface between the shavings and resin, increasing the flexural strength of the Eucalyptus/Melaleuca shavings composite material to 77.06/77.12 MPa. Some of the manufactured products, such as table and chair tops, plant pots, desk cabinets, and wall shelves, highlight the possibilities of employing scrap shavings to create new materials for use in municipal and industrial applications.

Study on catalytic activity of bimetallic CuZn-ZIFs for Rhodamine B decomposition in the presence of potassium peroxymonosulfate

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Rhodamine B (RhB) is a highly toxic dye that poses significant health risks. In this study, CuZn-ZIFs was synthesized and analyzed by various techniques such as Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). In clearly defined technical parameters, CuZn-ZIFs exhibited a notable heat resistance up to 600°C and featured a distinct polygonal structure. Furthermore, an assessment revealed a Specific Surface Area of 1242.7 m²·g^-1, accompanied by a pore volume of 0.47 cm³·g^-1, a pore size measuring 11.53 Å, and an average particle size of 28.67 nm. Not only that, it was found to be effective in promoting the oxidation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for RhB treatment. The results showed that over 90% of RhB concentration 40 mg·L^-1 was degraded within 50 minutes in the presence of PMS and 0.15 g·L^-1of CuZn-ZIFs catalyst at room temperature. Additionally, the catalyst demonstrated remarkable reusability, maintaining high removal efficiency after five cycles. It indicated that this material has great potential as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for removing toxic dyes from aqueous solutions.

Activated carbon synthesis from durian peel for ammonium ion adsorption

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

In this study, activated carbon (AC) used as a high-efficiency and low-cost for ammonium ion (NH₄⁺) adsorbent was synthesized, for the first time from durian peel by a one-step chemical activation process using phosphoric acid. The effects of pH, contact time, initial concentration, and adsorbent dose on the NH₄⁺ adsorption in aqueous solution were investigated in detail. The as-synthesized AC was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method (BET). As a result, AC from durian peel was successfully synthesized at a calcination temperature of 600^oC, phosphoric acid concentration of 20% and an activation temperature of 50℃. The optimal condition for the NH₄⁺ adsorption in aqueous solution was at pH 7.0, adsorption time of 60 min., initial concentration of 40 mg/L, with an adsorbent mass of 0.1 g. The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm of NH₄⁺ adsorption process showed that the adsorption process was fitted to pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich adsorption isotherm, indicating a physical and multilayer adsorption process. In general, this study provides an efficient, cost-effective adsorbent for NH₄⁺ removal from aqueous solution.

Interrelationship of community and community-based enterprises: A case of cooperatives in Hue, Viet Nam

Doan Khanh Hung, Tran Thi Nhung — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Communities play a significant role in stimulating entrepreneurship and contributing substantially to promoting, connecting, and cooperating in developing entrepreneurship and local development. However, the connection between communities and entrepreneurship remains a multifaceted topic that is not easily defined or fully understood. While certain studies have acknowledged how communities can encourage entrepreneurial activity by leveraging various aspects of their structure and culture, a thorough and comprehensive examination of the community’s overall role and impact on entrepreneurship is still lacking. This article presents the roles and relationships between communities and community-based enterprises (CBE). Using qualitative interviews, the study investigates community-based enterprise managers’ perceptions of the community role in CBE development. The results show that there is a significant difference in the perception of the community's role in the CBE and the local development of the interviewees. Additionally, the coordination and contributions of the community to CBE are also different. Despite the differences, it is important to note that communities all have a role to play in entrepreneurship and local development. This study emphasizes the importance of community development research to foster and encourage future CBE. This knowledge can inform strategies for community and CBE development.

The effect of customer satisfaction, green switching costs and alternative attractiveness on customer loyalty to green products in Viet Nam

Sang Tang My — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study evaluates the impact of green switching costs on loyalty to green products in Viet Nam. The study surveyed 960 consumers who have been using green products in Viet Nam. The research employs quantitative techniques for analysis, and the findings indicate that customer loyalty is positively impacted by satisfaction and green switching costs. The results show that alternative attractiveness has an effect and negatively affect customer loyalty. The influence of alternative attractiveness on customer loyalty can also be altered by green switching costs. The novelty of this study is to provide insight into customer loyalty to green products by increasing green switching costs and reducing alternative attractiveness. The results are useful for businesses and managers of green product manufacturing enterprises in their efforts to promote customer loyalty sustainably.

Entrepreneurship and innovation in business economics: A global bibliometric analysis from 2015 to 2024

Anh-Tin Ngo — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study systematically examines global research trends on entrepreneurship and innovation in business economics. A dataset of 858 publications indexed on Web of Science from 2015 to 2024 was analyzed. The methodology applies Microsoft Excel for statistical aggregation and CiteSpace for citation network and keyword clustering analysis. Key findings reveal a steady annual increase in publications, with the United States leading both in output (215 publications) and academic influence (H-index 43). Core research fields include Management, Business, and Economics, with emerging topics such as entrepreneurial ecosystems, digital transformation, and open innovation. Policy and managerial implications suggest fostering comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystems, strengthening corporate–startup collaborations, encouraging business model innovation through digital transformation, and aligning entrepreneurship strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Examining EFL university lecturers' self-perceived assessment roles in classroom formative assessment: A study in the Mekong Delta of Viet Nam

Ly Thi Bich Phuong, Phuong Hoang Yen — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Drawn on Looney et al. (2017) framework of teacher assessment identity, this study investigated how EFL university lecturers perceived and developed their assessment identity across six dimensions: knowledge, conceptions, self-efficacy, emotional response, reported practice, and contextual factors. The study surveyed 81 EFL lecturers from seven universities in Viet Nam's Mekong Delta region. Results revealed that lecturers' assessment identity is significantly shaped by teaching experience and educational qualifications, with the strongest correlation between teacher confidence and assessment implementation (r= .82). While lecturers demonstrated high competence in communication-focused practices (M= 4.32, SD= 0.59) and strong positive attitudes toward assessment's instructional value (M = 4.44, SD = 0.61), they showed lower performance in theoretical understanding (M = 3.19, SD = 0.95). Teaching experience emerged as a crucial factor, with experienced teachers (>15 years) showing significantly higher assessment knowledge scores. Institutional context influenced assessment practices, with public sector teachers (80.2%) demonstrating more standardized approaches than their private sector counterparts. These findings contribute to understanding assessment identity development in EFL contexts and provide implications for designing professional development programs that address both technical and psychological aspects of assessment literacy tailored to Vietnamese higher education contexts.

Aligning teaching methods to learning outcomes at Can Tho University: Perspectives of undergraduate students

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates the effectiveness of common teaching methods (TMs) in meeting learning outcomes (LOs) at Can Tho University (CTU) from the students' perspective. A survey was conducted among 373 students across 13 training units to assess their perceptions of the alignment between LOs and TMs. The survey included questions on students' understanding of LOs, the role of lecturers in achieving LOs, and the effectiveness of various TMs in developing specialized knowledge, skills, soft skills, and character. Data were analysed using Excel and SPSS, revealing that students recognize the importance of understanding LOs and appreciate lecturers' efforts in facilitating this through diverse instructional strategies. The findings indicate that practical sessions, use of IT for simulations, and community-based learning are particularly effective in achieving LOs. The study underscores the critical role of aligning TMs with LOs to enhance educational outcomes and suggests that universities should prioritize professional development for lecturers and clear communication of LO to students. Future research should expand the sample to multiple institutions and explore the long-term impact of these TMs on student outcomes. These insights contribute to improving teaching practices and ensuring students acquire the necessary skills and knowledge for their future endeavours.

Vietnamese learners' mindsets about EFL speaking and role of demographic factors: A survey of university students

Nguyen Thi Bich Nhi, Nguyen Van Loi — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Language mindsets - beliefs about whether language learning ability is immutable or malleable - have received much attention in psychology and education research due to their vital role in learners’ motivation and achievement. Despite this, research on the language mindsets regarding specific language skills has been under-explored. This study aims to fill this gap by focusing on mindsets about EFL speaking of Vietnamese tertiary students and examining the role of demographic factors in their mindsets. The study employed the mixed-methods approach using a language mindset survey and a semi-structured interview. 226 EFL students at a public university were recruited, using a convenient sampling technique, to respond to the survey. Purposive sampling was also employed for the interviews. Findings revealed that most students endorsed a growth mindset about EFL speaking while over one-third held a mixed mindset. Female students endorsed greater growth mindsets about EFL speaking than male counterparts, whereas more male students demonstrated a mixed mindset than did female students. However, there was no statistical relation between the language mindsets and demographic variables. The study implies that foreign language pedagogy should foster growth mindsets while cultivating mixed mindsets to promote EFL speaking among students.

From online learning to in-person teaching internship: Lived experiences of pre-service education students

James Liven B. Amoro, Ma. Kristel O. Amoro, Gino G. Sumalinog — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Teaching internship improves teaching abilities and prepares pre-service teachers for the challenges of the profession. This descriptive phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of twelve education teaching interns who completed online training before working in-person at public elementary and secondary schools. This study was conducted at a local college in Cebu, Philippines. The informants have completed the 360-hour internship program at the cooperating school where they were assigned for the internship. To analyze the data, the seven steps of Colaizzi's method were used. After intensive analysis of the data, four themes emerged from this study: emotional and pedagogical challenges, support mechanisms, adaptive teaching, and personal and academic growth. The teaching internship program presents challenges and opportunities for teaching interns that contribute to their personal and professional growth, thereby facilitating adaptive teaching strategies that promote student engagement and learning.

Hematological parameters and hypoglycemia in dogs with canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus infections: Study in veterinary clinics in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

Nguyen Vu Thuy Hong Loan, Nguyen Thi Lan Anh — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates hypoglycemic symptoms and physiological/ biochemical markers in dogs with parvovirus or distemper in Ho Chi Minh City. The survey of 10 cases of dogs with brown bloody diarrhea showed decreased red blood cell counts of 3.99 million/mm³ (8/10 samples), decreased and increased white blood cell counts (4/10 and 4/10, respectively), and eight cases had extremely elevated AST. The AST, ALT, urea, and creatinine indexes rose in dogs exhibiting neurological symptoms; in contrast, the quantity of red and white blood cells dropped. Findings from the blood physiological index study of dogs infected with the parvovirus reveal that aberrant white blood cell indices (increased or decreased) were present in 50% of blood samples. According to survey results, of the 20 cases that tested positive for parvovirus, 14 cases (70%) had an increased AST index, while 4/20 (20%) had an increased ALT. Thirty cases (58.8%) of reduced blood sugar levels were found in a survey of fifty-one dogs who tested positive for the parvovirus and Carré. Of these, six cases had a minor fall in the blood sugar index, and twenty-four cases had a significant decrease.

The effects of different levels of vitamin E supplementation in the diet on the reproductive performance of crossbred rabbits using artificial insemination technique

Truong Thanh Trung, Pham Thi Cam Nhung, Nguyen Thi Kim Dong, Tran Long Hai — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation in female rabbits on reproductive performance and economic efficiency, monitored across three consecutive litters using artificial insemination. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with 32 crossbred doe rabbits (New Zealand White × local), aged 8-8.5 months, with an average body weight of 2.693 ±115 g, and they were divided into 4 treatments, each consisting of 8 replicates. The diet of all rabbits in the experiment was the same, contained 21% crude protein (CP) and 10.5 MJ/KgDM of metabolizable energy (ME). The experimental treatments were as follows: Treatment 1 served as the control, without vitamin E supplementation (E0), while the other treatments included dietary supplementation with vitamin E at levels of 40 mg/kg DM (E40), 80 mg/kg DM (E80), and 120 mg/kg DM (E120). Artificial insemination was used for all experimental rabbits. The experiment results showed that the E80 performed better than the others in terms of conception rate, mean weight at birth, milk yield of doe, mean weight at weaning (P>0.05), and produced the highest economic efficiency.

Synthesis and cytotoxicity evaluation of thiazole conjugated amino acid derivatives

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This paper presents the three-step synthesis and cytotoxicity evaluation of the thiazole-conjugated amino acid derivatives. Starting from the commercially available benzophenone and thiourea, the thiazole structure was successfully constructed bearing the free amino groups at the C-2 position, which was then coupled with the carboxyl functionality of N-Boc L-phenylalanine, N-Boc L-proline and N-Boc L-tryptophane using CDI as the coupling reagent under mild basic conditions to provide the hybrid thiazole/N-Boc amino acid derivatives 5a-c. Finally, the acidic promoted deprotection of the Boc groups afforded the desired hybrid thiazole/amino acid derivatives 6a-c in reasonable total yields. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that the hybrids thiazole/L-proline (6a) and thiazole/L-tryptophan (6c) exhibited rather good cytotoxicity on the cervical cancer cell line (IC₅₀=18.86 and 18.25 µM, respectively). Notably, compound 5a having the thiazole conjugated with unprotected N-Boc L-phenylalanine showed very good activity towards the lung cancer (IC_{50 =}15.72 µM), the cervical cancer (IC_{50 =}8.98 µM) and the breast cancer cell lines (IC_{50 =}8.07 µM), which were 1.3-, 1.2- and 2.5-fold, respectively, stronger activity than 5-FU (IC₅₀ = 20.73, 10.67 and 20.43 µM, respectively).

Development the gummy candies made from passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and moringa leaf (Moringa oleifera)

Phan Nguyen Trang, Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Thi Kieu Lam — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study aimed to develop gummy candies made from passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and moringa leaf (Moringa oleifera). Three main sections were conducted, including (i) the ratio of ground fresh moringa leaves, (ii) the ratio of gelatin, (iii) the ratios of sugar and citric acid in terms of physical properties (moisture content, hardness, and color), nutrients (vitamin C, crude fiber), and sensory values of gummy candies. The results were found that the gummy candies which 1% ground fresh moringa leaves, 8% gelatin, 30% sugar, and 0.5% citric acid, showed high nutrition and sensory evaluation. The statistical results showed that the ratio of ground fresh moringa leaves had a strong negative relationship with moisture content, a*, b*, and had a strong positive relationship with crude fiber, vitamin C, and hardness. Moreover, the increase in the gelatin ratio caused a decrease in moisture content and an increase in hardness of the candies. Besides, the ratio of sugar had a significant effect on moisture content and hardness while the ratio of citric acid had a great influence on hardness and vitamin C content. Therefore, the results are expected to encourage the utilization of natural materials in confectionery products.

Optimizing aquaculture land-use: A case study in Dam Doi district, Ca Mau province, Viet Nam

Truong Chi Quang, Nguyen Van Chieu, Nguyen Hong Thao, Pham Thanh Vu — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Land-use planning for aquaculture in accordance with natural and socio-economic conditions in each locality is a necessity for the economic development of the region. This study aims to build a model to optimize the area of aquaculture land for the development of local aquaculture land-use plans. The implementation method relies on the land evaluation, as outlined by FAO (1981), and the linear optimization model. We built the model with the goal of optimizing profit, taking into account factors such as the suitability of the land, the capacity to utilize the land area, the constraints on the desired area of land-use types, labors, and local capital. We built and applied the model in the Dam Doi district of Ca Mau province, optimizing the area for five aquaculture land-use types: ecological shrimp, traditional extensive shrimp, extensive shrimp farming, intensive shrimp, and super intensive shrimp. The three optimal options proposed include: (i) no capital limit; (ii) a limited total investment capital of 4,000 billion VND; and (iii) a limited total investment capital of 3,500 billion VND. In particular, the plan to limit capital to 4,000 billion VND was in line with the district's investment capacity and conditions. The results are references for managers to analyze many solutions for local seafood production development.