Determining key research areas for healthier diets and sustainable food systems in Viet Nam

Vietnamese food systems are undergoing rapid transformation, with important implications for human and environmental health and economic development. Poverty has decreased, and diet quality and undernutrition have improved significantly since the end of the Doi Moi reform period (1986-1993) as a result of Viet Nam opening its economy and increasing its regional and global trade. Yet poor diet quality is still contributing the triple burden of malnutrition, with 25 percent stunting among children under age 5, 26 percent and 29 percent of women and children, respectively, anemic, and 21 percent of adults overweight. Agricultural production systems have shifted from predominantly diverse smallholder systems to larger more commercialized and specialized systems, especially for crops, while the ‘meatification’ of the Vietnamese diet is generating serious trade-offs between improved nutrition and sustainability of the Vietnamese food systems. The food processing industry has developed rapidly, together with food imports, resulting in new and processed food products penetrating the food retail outlets, trending towards an increase in the Westernized consumption patterns that are shifting nutrition-related problems towards overweight and obesity and, with it, an increase of non-communicable disease-related health risks. While regulatory policies exist across the food system, these are not systematically implemented, making food safety a major concern for consumers and policy makers alike. Where data exists, it is not easy to aggregate with data from across food system dimensions, making it difficult for Viet Nam to make an informed analysis of current and potential food system trade-offs. In our research, we reviewed existing literature and data, and applied a food systems framework to develop an initial food systems profile for Viet Nam and to identify a comprehensive set a of research questions to fill current data gaps identified through the review. Insights on these would provide the comprehensive evidence needed to inform policy makers on how to develop new food systems policies for Viet Nam, and further refine and improve existing policies to achieve better quality diets and more sustainable food systems in Viet Nam. Based on these, we then engaged with stakeholders to develop research priorities in the Viet Nam context and identified 25 priority research questions. This paper aims to stimulate such reflections by clearly outlining key areas for research, government policy, and development programs on priority investment to build the evidence base around inclusive food systems interventions that aim to result in healthier diets and more sustainable food systems for Viet Nam

Global Perspectives on Educational Innovations for Emergency Situations

This open access book focuses on making the transition from in-person, classroom education to other feasible alternative modes and methodologies to deliver education at all levels. The book presents and analyzes research questions to explore in this arena, including pedagogical issues relating to technological and infrastructure challenges, teacher professional development, issues of disparity, access and equity, and impact of government policies on education. It also provides unique opportunities and vehicles for generating scholarship that helps explain the varied educational needs, perspectives and solutions that arise during an emergency and the different roles educational institutions and educators may play during this time. Developed from a highly successful Presidential Session at the annual meeting of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), this edited volume presents AECT and its membership as the premier organization focusing on the provision of educational communications and technology leadership. In addition, it functions as a contemporary document of this global crisis as well as a rich resource for possible future emergency scenarios in the educational arena

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation - 2007 Annual Report

Contains president's essay, program information, grant summaries, profiles of MacArthur Fellows Program award recipients, timeline of the year in review, financial statements, and list of officers and staff

Socio-Life Science and the COVID-19 Outbreak

This open access book presents the first step towards building socio-life science, a field of science investigating humans in such a way that both social and life-scientific factors are integrated. Because humans are both living and social creatures, a human action can never be understood fully without knowing both the biological traits of a person and the social scientific environments in which he exists. With this consideration, the editors of this book have initiated a research project promoting a deeper and more integrated understanding of human behavior and human health. This book aims to show what can, and could be, achieved through our interdisciplinary project. One important product is the newly formed three-party collaboration between Pasteur Institut, Kyoto University, and the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry. Covering many different fields, including medicine, epidemiology, anthropology, economics, sociology, demography, geography, and policy, researchers in these institutes, and many others, present their studies on the COVID-19 pandemic. Although based on different methodologies, the studies show the importance of behavioral change and governmental policy in the fight against a huge pandemic. The book explains the unique genome cohort–panel data that the project builds to study social and life scientific aspects of humans

University and School Collaborations during a Pandemic

Based on twenty case studies of universities worldwide, and on a survey administered to leaders in 101 universities, this open access book shows that, amidst the significant challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, universities found ways to engage with schools to support them in sustaining educational opportunity. In doing so, they generated considerable innovation, which reinforced the integration of the research and outreach functions of the university. The evidence suggests that universities are indeed open systems, in interaction with their environment, able to discover changes that can influence them and to change in response to those changes. They are also able, in the success of their efforts to mitigate the educational impact of the pandemic, to create better futures, as the result of the innovations they can generate. This challenges the view of universities as “ivory towers” being isolated from the surrounding environment and detached from local problems. As they reached out to schools, universities not only generated clear and valuable innovations to sustain educational opportunity and to improve it, this process also contributed to transform internal university processes in ways that enhanced their own ability to deliver on the third mission of outreach

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation - 2006 Annual Report

Contains president's essay, grant summaries, profiles of MacArthur Fellows Program award recipients, timeline of the year in review, financial statements, and list of officers and staff

Leveraging and adapting global health systems and programs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Overview -- Surveillance, Information, and Laboratory Systems -- Workforce, Institutional, and Public Health Capacity Development -- Clinical and Health Services Delivery and Impact -- Commentaries -- About the Cover.Overview: Partnerships, Collaborations, and Investments Integral to CDC\u2019s International Response to COVID-19 / R. P. Walensky -- Global Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic / C. H. Cassell et al. -- Surveillance, Information, and Laboratory Systems: Lessons Learned from CDC\u2019s Global COVID-19 Early Warning and Response Surveillance System / P. M. Ricks et al. -- Enhancing Respiratory Disease Surveillance to Detect COVID-19 in Shelters for Displaced Persons, Thailand\u2013Myanmar Border, 2020\u20132021 / B. Knust et al. -- Leveraging International Influenza Surveillance Systems and Programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic / P. Marcenac et al. -- Incorporating COVID-19 into Acute Febrile Illness Surveillance Systems, Belize, Kenya, Ethiopia, Peru, and Liberia, 2020\u20132021 / D. C. Shih et al. -- Extending and Strengthening Routine DHIS2 Surveillance Systems for COVID-19 Responses in Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, and Uganda / C. Kinkade et al. -- Leveraging PEPFAR-Supported Health Information Systems for COVID-19 Pandemic Response / M. Mirza et al. -- Contribution of PEPFAR-Supported HIV and TB Molecular Diagnostic Networks to COVID-19 Testing Preparedness in 16 Countries / E. Rottinghaus Romano et al. -- A Nationally Representative Survey of COVID-19 in Pakistan, 2021\u20132022 / S. Aheron et al. -- SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence in Malawi Based on Data from Survey of Communities and Health Workers in 5 High-Burden Districts, October 2020 / J. Theu et al. -- Determining Gaps in Publicly Shared SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance Data by Analysis of Global Submissions / E. C. Ohlsen et al. -- Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic Waves in 10 Countries in Southern Africa, 2020\u20132021 / J. Smith-Sreen et al. -- Using Population Mobility Patterns to Adapt COVID-19 Response Strategies in 3 East Africa Countries / R. D. Merrill et al. -- Community-Based Surveillance and Geographic Information System\u2012Linked Contact Tracing in COVID-19 Case Identification, Ghana, March\u2012June 2020 / E. Kenu et al. -- The Future of Infodemic Surveillance as Public Health Surveillance / H. Chiou et al. -- Workforce, Institutional, and Public Health Capacity Development: Continuing Contributions of Field Epidemiology Training Programs to Global COVID-19 Response / E. Bell et al. -- India Field Epidemiology Training Program Response to COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020\u20132021 / S. Singh et al. -- COVID-19 Response Roles among CDC International Public Health Emergency Management Fellowship Graduates / S. Krishnan et al. -- Exploratory Literature Review of the Role of National Public Health Institutes in COVID-19 Response / A. Zuber et al. -- Adapting Longstanding Public Health Collaborations between Government of Kenya and CDC Kenya in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020\u20132021 / A. Herman-Roloff et al. -- Effect of Nigeria Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Pandemic, Nigeria / O. Bolu et al. -- Use of Epidemiology Surge Support to Enhance Robustness and Expand Capacity of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Response, South Africa / R. Taback-Esra et al. -- Building on Capacity Established through US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Global Health Programs to Respond to COVID-19, Cameroon / E. Dokubo et al. -- Use of Project ECHO in Response to COVID-19 in Countries Supported by US President\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief / J. Wright et al. -- Faith Community Engagement to Mitigate COVID-19 Transmission Associated with Mass Gathering, Uman, Ukraine, September 2021 / L. Erickson-Mamane et al. -- Clinical and Health Services Delivery and Impact: Effects of COVID-19 on Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance Systems in the World Health Organization African Region, 2020 / J. Bigouette et al. -- CDC\u2019s COVID-19 International Vaccine Implementation and Evaluation Program and Lessons from Earlier Vaccine Introductions / H. M. Soeters et al. -- Effects of Decreased Immunization Coverage for Hepatitis B Virus Caused by COVID-19 in World Health Organization Western Pacific and African Regions, 2020 / H. J. Kabore et al. -- Past as Prologue\u2014Use of Rubella Vaccination Program Lessons to Inform COVID-19 Vaccination / M. G. Dixon et al. -- Leveraging Lessons Learned from Yellow Fever and Polio Immunization Campaigns during COVID-19 Pandemic, Ghana, 2021 / K. Amponsa-Achiano et al. -- Effectiveness of Whole-Virus COVID-19 Vaccine among Healthcare Personnel, Lima, Peru / C. S. Arriola et al. -- Leveraging HIV Program and Civil Society to Accelerate COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake, Zambia / P. Bobo et al. -- Adopting World Health Organization Multimodal Infection Prevention and Control Strategies to Respond to COVID-19, Kenya / D. Kimani et al. -- Infection Prevention and Control Initiatives to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Transmission of SARS-CoV-2, East Africa / D. J. Gomes et al. -- Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Services for HIV Prevention, Sub-Saharan Africa, 2020 / M. E. Peck et al. -- Sexual Violence Trends before and after Rollout of COVID-19 Mitigation Measures, Kenya / W. Ochieng et al. -- Clinical and Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Agricultural Workers, Guatemala / D. Olson et al. -- Outcomes after Acute Malnutrition Program Adaptations to COVID-19, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Somalia / T. Shragai et al. -- Commentaries: Lessons from Nigeria\u2019s Adaptation of Global Health Initiatives during the COVID-19 Pandemic / C. Ihekweazu -- About the Cover: A United Response to COVID-19\u2014an Artist\u2019s Perspective / B. Breedlove et al