Essays on the impact of microcredit on women’s empowerment.

This thesis consists of four studies exploring whether microcredit alleviates poverty and enhances women’s empowerment. The first three main chapters carefully replicate two influential studies in the field: Pitt and Khandker (1998) and Pitt, Khandker, and Cartwright (2006) and their respective replications, including Duvendack & Palmer-Jones (2012) and Roodman & Morduch (2014). These two studies have been controversial and have spawned several replications, which themselves have produced mixed results. My research attempts to reconcile the different findings from these studies. After conducting an in-depth replication of these studies, my last main chapter provides new evidence on the impact of microcredit on empowering women, using a nationally representative survey from Vietnam. The ultimate goal is to gain better understanding of the effect of microcredit on women’s empowerment in developing countries. Overall, I find weak evidence that microcredit improves families’ well-being, especially women’s well-being. In addition, microcredit has the potential to improve women’s empowerment if loans are given to women, but the effects are small

How does financial development interact with economic growth in five ASEAN countries

This study examines the causal relationship between financial development, liberalization and economic growth through technological innovation channel in five South East Asia countries during the period 1980–2012, using a fully modified ordinary least square estimation technique. We find that technological deepening is driven by deepening in the financial system and financial liberalization rather than changes in a country’s market capitalization. We also find a negative effect from the financial openness, and a positive effect from financial deregulation

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Does export destination affect firm productivity? Evidence from small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Vietnamese manufacturing sector

This study investigates the impact of export destinations on the productivity of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Vietnamese manufacturing sector (2007-2013), using fixed effects and instrumental variables to control for possible endogeneity of export in our estimation. Empirical results indicate that export does not significantly improve the productivity of SMEs. In addition, we also consider whether export to developed (and developing) countries differently affects firm productivity in our exercise, and our results suggest no evidence of learning by exporting to developed (and developing) countries. For other factors, firm age and capital intensity are found to have negative impacts on firm productivity, while human capital-related factors, innovation activities, and government assistances show positive and significant productivity effects

How does financial development interact with economic growth in five ASEAN countries

This study examines the causal relationship between financial development, liberalization and economic growth through technological innovation channel in five South East Asia countries during the period 1980–2012, using a fully modified ordinary least square estimation technique. We find that technological deepening is driven by deepening in the financial system and financial liberalization rather than changes in a country’s market capitalization. We also find a negative effect from the financial openness, and a positive effect from financial deregulation

Spatial Analysis For Simulation The Changing Of Inland Water Depth: A Case Study In The Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Vietnam is one of the most affected countries by the global sea-level rise, in which the Mekong Delta is the most heavily impacted area due to the low-lying position. By combining spatial geostatistics and Kriging interpolation techniques to delineate the elevation maps with the assumption of inland water level increasing under sea-level rise by interpolating 967 elevations geo-rectified data from the topographic map at 1/250,000 scale. The inland water level maps with different inundated inland water level scenarios from 0.2 to 2.8m were delineated.The result showed that the exponential model selected for interpolation of elevation data, distance A0 = 585.900 meters; coefficiency R2 = 0,985; and Residue Sum of Square RSS = 0,0011; which were suitable and thus was used for interpolation. Inland inundated water levels maps of 14 sea level rise scenarios from 0.2 to 2.8m were delineated. They also evaluated the Impact on inland water level rise, based on the pressure of sea-level rise on land lost, population migration, and food security of the Mekong River Delta. As a result, the Mekong Delta has initially affected water levels rise at 0.6m, and the whole region will be affected due to sea-level rise up to 2.8m. In these scenarios, part of the Ca Mau peninsula such as Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, and Kien Giang provinces will be most affected

Exploration of the Optimum Rice Husk Biochar for Atrazine and 2,4-D Removal: Different Pyrolysis and Modification Conditions

In this study, the best RHB (rice husk biochar) was investigated through the effect of pyrolysis synthesis processes and modifications. Five biochars were synthesized from rice husk waste materials at different pyrolysis temperatures (400 to 600 °C) in oxygen-limited conditions. The biochars were modified by acids to remove minerals on the surface area. The characteristics of the biochars were determined including surface morphology, specific surface area, and functional groups. The herbicide adsorption was accomplished by the batch equilibration method. The result indicated that the biochar that synthesized 500 °C for 6 h had the highest maximum adsorption capacity. The optimum RHB was biochar modified with HF acid. The optimum biochar had less or no minerals and it achieved abundant functional groups on the surface areas. The pore volume distributions in pore sizes of micropores and narrow mesopores played an important role to perform the uptake of the herbicides, they were in the range of 7.90 % and 59.26 %, respectively. The high-efficiency removals of atrazine and 2,4-D by optimum biochar were 82.70 % and 95.10 %, respectively. The rice husk biochar is a suitable adsorbent to remove herbicides from the aqueous environment.Ostrav

The management of tetanus in adults in an intensive care unit in Southern Vietnam

Background: Tetanus remains common in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) yet the evidence base guiding management of this disease is extremely limited, particularly with respect to contemporary management options. Sharing knowledge about practice may facilitate improvement in outcomes elsewhere. Methods: We describe clinical interventions and outcomes of 180 adult patients ≥16 years-old with tetanus enrolled in prospective observational studies at a specialist infectious diseases hospital in Southern Vietnam. Patients were treated according to a holistic management protocol encompassing wound-care, antitoxin, antibiotics, symptom control, airway management, nutrition and de-escalation criteria. Results: Mortality rate in our cohort was 2.8%, with 90 (50%) patients requiring mechanical ventilation for a median 16 [IQR 12-24] days. Median [IQR] duration of ICU stay was 15 [8-23] days. Autonomic nervous system dysfunction occurred in 45 (25%) patients. Hospital acquired infections occurred in 77 (43%) of patients. Conclusion: We report favourable outcomes for patients with tetanus in a single centre LMIC ICU, treated according to a holistic protocol. Nevertheless, many patients required prolonged intensive care support and hospital acquired infections were common