Japan’s ODA and the economic development of Vietnam

『Expanding ASEAN and the Future of Japan : A variety of angles for analysis』, 資料編6-1-1～6-3-10ASEAN & Japan Academic Exchange Program 2013based on comprehensive exchange agreements between KWANSEI GAKUIN UNIVERSITY and Universities in member countries of ASEA

Effects of Changes in Public Policy on Efficiency and Productivity of General Hospitals in Vietnam

The health sector reform programme which began in Vietnam in 1989 in order to improve the efficiency of the health system has altered the way in which Vietnamese hospitals operate. The programme put the spotlight on input savings. This study aims to examine the relative efficiency of hospitals during the health reform process and assess - by looking at the relative efficiency of hospitals - the effects of the regulatory changes. The study employs the DEA two-stage approach referring to data from 101 general public hospitals over the period 1998-2006. The study revealed that there was evidence of improvement in the productivity of Vietnamese hospitals over the period 1998-2006, with a progress in total factor productivity of 1.4% per year. Furthermore, the differences in hospital efficiency can be attributed to both the regulatory changes and hospital-specific characteristics. The user fees and autonomy measures were found to increase technical efficiency. Provincial hospitals were revealed to be more technically efficient than their central counterparts and hospitals located in the North East, South East and Mekong River Delta regions performed better that hospitals from other regions

Historical Change of Seagrasses in the Mississippi and Chandeleur Sounds

Seagrasses are important coastal resources facing numerous stressors, and losses have been documented from local to global assessments. Under the broad theme of habitat loss and fragmentation, a study of historical change in total area and landscape configuration of seagrasses in the Mississippi and Chandeleur Sounds was conducted. Mapping data was collated from a multitude of previous projects from 1940 to 2011. Comparisons of seagrass area among various studies that used different mapping methods can result in overestimation of area change and misleading conclusions of change over time. The vegetated seagrass area (VSA) data were generalized to a common resolution for further analysis. Spatial configuration of the seagrass landscape was examined through: (1) an exploratory spatial data analysis using seagrass patch size distribution and hot spot analysis, and (2) a core set of seagrass landscape FRAGSTATS metrics and a principal component analysis to identify major pattern. This study demonstrated a comprehensive analysis across spatial and temporal scales and used multiple landscape indices (from habitat, species composition, VSA, patch size distribution, to spatial configuration at patch- and landscape-levels) to provide insights on the pattern and dynamics of the seagrass landscape. A conceptual model of seagrass landscape change based on two principal factors, overall landscape lushness and continuity, was proposed for the Mississippi Sound. Overall the study area lost seagrasses with contracted spatial extent over the 71-year period, ostensibly due to loss or reduction of protective island barriers and reductions in water quality. The seagrass landscape in the Mississippi Sound exhibited signs of area loss and fragmentation as far back as the 1940-1950s. The landscape in the 1970s was characterized by loss of habitat, loss of seagrass species, the lowest VSA, a faster rate of decline and a higher loss in VSA than before 1970, a low proportion of large-sized patches and their low contribution to VSA, a reduced intensity of hot spots, and a high degree of fragmentation. Recovery of seagrass occurred during the 1980s and 1990s, with the landscape exhibiting characteristics of a more contiguous and more vegetated condition throughout the early 2000s

Relationship Between Obesity and Periodontal Status in Vietnamese Patients

This study aims to investigate periodontal status, and the relationship between obesity and periodontal status in patients who first visited the Institute of Traditional Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 118 patients aged 18 or older, including 56 obese subjects (BMI≥27.5, mean age: 33.8, males: 11, females: 45) and 62 non-obese subjects (BMI<27.5, mean age: 34.3, males: 4, females: 58) were enrolled for a period of 5 months from February 2014 to June 2014. The information on socio-demographic characteristics and dental habits were collected by questionnaire. Periodontal status (PLI, GI, BOP, PD, CAL) was examined and the anthropometric index was measured. There was significantly higher prevalence of periodontitis (39.3%) in the obese group than the non-obese group (16.4%). Means of GI, BOP, PD, and CAL in obese subjects were significantly higher than those in non-obese subjects. Significantly higher percentages of subjects who had lower education, visited dental offices, scaled and polished their teeth regularly were in the non-obese group than in the obese group. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR=3.10), routine of dental visit (OR=3.34) and obesity (OR=2.79) were risk factors significantly related to periodontitis. Periodontal status in obese subjects was poorer than non-obese subjects. Obesity might be the risk factor for periodontitis in Vietnamese patients