Three Essays on Clean Water State Revolving Funds: Determinants of State Leveraging and Measurement of Debt Affordability

Leveraging is a popular option among Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRFs). Most states choose to issue bonds to meet the requirement of the state match contribution, and to provide additional funding into the pool of funds available for community loan assistance. Leveraging offers short-term remedies to fill a financial resources gap; however, this raises concern about any costs associated with leveraging that might negatively influence the sustainability of CWSRFs in the long run. This dissertation comprises three essays that examine the different factors that motivate CWSRFs to leverage, and it offers a look at how they measure their affordability leveraging. Chapter Two borrows the assumptions of pecking order theory to build CWSRF’s leverage model. It focuses on the internal set of factors, and it analyses how the entity’s size, profitability, growth, reserve, and risk affect its leveraging. Chapter Three examines the relationship between leveraging and an external set of indicators, including socioeconomic, demographic, political, and institutional factors. The findings suggest that, in leveraging, internal factors appear to be more influential than external ones. The entity’s size and growth (entity-based factors) are found to be significant with both total and annual leveraging, while state wealth, state politics, and environmental needs also indicate some connection to debt share or debt per capita. Chapter Four particularly scrutinizes how leveraged states measure their debt affordability; it replicates the regression method and predicts the future debt service for New York state. The findings suggest that the regression method can be a good tool for predicting the debt affordability level for CWSRFs. The predicted values from that method can also serve as a supplemental reference source for states before they consider additional leveraging

Ethnobotany on a Roll!: Access to Vietnam

This article describes the research and experiences of an ethnobotanist with a physical disability working in Vietnam. Due to a spinal cord injury, the ethnobotanist uses a wheelchair and walking canes to explore the bustling food markets of Vietnam. Information and recommendations are provided for equipment and traveling to and in Vietnam, particularly for those interested in conducting scientific research and for travelers with physical disabilities. Success is largely due to the mutual respect and kindness shared by people along the way, and by accepting and accommodating to given situations. Appendices of resources for travel in Vietnam and educational granting sources for people with disabilities provided

The Current Adoption of Dry-Direct Seeding Rice (DDSR) in Thailand and Lessons Learned for Mekong River Delta of Vietnam

The paper documents the joint study trip, organized by CCAFS Southeast Asia for Vietnamese rice researchers, extension workers, as well as local decision makers, to visit Thailand in April 2018. The goal of the study trip was to observe and learn the experience of Thai farmers on the large-scale adoption process of dry-direct seeding rice (DDSR), a viable alternative to address regional scarcity of fresh water in irrigation caused by the drought and salinity intrusion in the Mekong River Delta

TAXONOMY OF SOCIAL WASPS OF THE POLlSTINE TRIBE ROPALlDIINI (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE) IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE LESSER SUNDA ISLANDS

The taxonomy of social wasps of the poiistine tribe Ropalidiini in the eastern part of ti,e Lesser Sunda Islands (viz., Sumba, Flores and Timor as included major islands) was studied based mainly on specimens recently collected by ourselves and those deposited in the Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Bogor. Parapolybia varia (Fabricius) and 11 species of Ropalictia are recognized ill tile region and their faunal characteristics are discussed. Nomenclatural changes included are: synonymy of Ropalidia laticincta floresinana van der vecht, 1962 underR. laticincta van der vecht, 1962; synonymies of Icaria nigroplagiata Cameron, 1900, R. mathematica binotata uau der vecin, 1941 and R. mathematica sumbaensis van der vecht, 1962, all under R. mathematica(Smith: 1860); revised status of R. socialis trimarulata van der vecht, 1962, and R. variegata dichrorna van der vecht, 1941, both being raised to species milk. New locality records are R. cyathiformis from Lombok and Flores Islallds, R. laticincta from Sobu (or Sawu) Island, R. rufoplagiata (Cameron) from Timor Island, and R. javanica van der vecht from Sumbawa island.Key words: Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae, Ropalidiini, distribution, Indonesia, synonym

Childhood hospitalisation and related deaths in Hanoi, Vietnam: a tertiary hospital database analysis from 2007 to 2014

To describe hospital admission and emergency visit rates and potential risk factors of prolonged hospitalisation and death among children in Hanoi.; A retrospective study reviewed 212 216 hospitalisation records of children (aged 0-17) who attended the Vietnam National Children's Hospital in Hanoi between 2007 and 2014. Four indicators were analysed and reported: (1) rate of emergency hospital visits, (2) rate of hospitalisation, (3) length of hospital stay and (4) number of deaths. The risk of prolonged hospitalisation was investigated using Cox proportion hazard, and the risk of death was investigated through logistic regressions.; During 2007-2014, the average annual rate of emergency visits was 2.2 per 1000 children and the rate of hospital admissions was 13.8 per 1000 children. The annual rates for infants increased significantly by 3.9 per 1000 children during 2012-2014 for emergency visits and 25.1 per 1000 children during 2009-2014 for hospital admissions. Digestive diseases (32.0%) and injuries (30.2%) were common causes of emergency visits, whereas respiratory diseases (37.7%) and bacterial and parasitic infections (19.8%) accounted for most hospital admissions. Patients with mental and behavioural disorders remained in the hospital the longest (median=12 days). Morbidities related to the perinatal period dominated mortality causes (32.5% of deaths among those admitted to the hospital. Among the respiratory diseases, pneumonia was the leading cause of both prolonged hospitalisation and death.; Preventable health problems, such as common bacterial infections and respiratory diseases, were the primary causes of hospital admissions in Vietnam

Appropriate Antibiotic Use and Associated Factors in Vietnamese Outpatients

Background: Inappropriate antibiotic use among outpatients is recognized as the primary driver of antibiotic resistance. A proper understanding of appropriate antibiotic usage and associated factors helps to determine and limit inappropriateness. We aimed to identify the rate of appropriate use of antibiotics and identify factors associated with the inappropriate prescriptions. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study in outpatient antibiotic use at a hospital in Can Tho City, Vietnam, from August 1, 2019, to January 31, 2020. Data were extracted from all outpatient prescriptions at the Medical Examination Department and analyzed by SPSS 18 and Chi-squared tests, with 95% confidence intervals. The rationale for antibiotic use was evaluated through antibiotic selection, dose, dosing frequency, dosing time, interactions between antibiotics and other drugs, and general appropriate usage. Results: A total of 420 prescriptions were 51.7% for females, 61.7% with health insurance, and 44.0% for patients with one comorbid condition. The general appropriate antibiotic usage rate was 86.7%. Prescriptions showed that 11.0% and 9.5% had a higher dosing frequency and dose than recommended, respectively; 10.2% had an inappropriate dosing time; 3.1% had drug interactions; and only 1.7% had been prescribed inappropriate antibiotics. The risk of inappropriate antibiotic use increased in patients with comorbidities and antibiotic treatment lasting >7 days (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The study indicated a need for more consideration when prescribing antibiotics to patients with comorbidities or using more than 7 days of treatment