The Red River shear zone (RRSZ) is a major left-lateral strike-slip shear zone, containing a ductilely deformed metamorphic core bounded by brittle strike-slip and normal faults, which stretches for >1000 km from Tibet through Yunnan and North Vietnam to the South China Sea. The RRSZ exposes four high-grade metamorphic core complexes along its length. Various lithologies from the southernmost core complex, the Day Nui Con Voi (DNCV), North Vietnam, provide new constraints on the tectonic and metamorphic evolution of this region prior to and following the initial India-Asia collision. Analysis of a weakly deformed anatectic paragneiss using P-T pseudosections constructed in the MnO-provides prograde, peak and retrograde metamorphic conditions, and in situ U-Th-Pb geochronology of metamorphic monazite yields texturally controlled age constraints. Tertiary metamorphism and deformation, overprinting earlier Triassic metamorphism associated with the Indosinian orogeny and possible Cretaceous metamorphism, are characterized by peak metamorphic conditions of~805°C and~8.5 kbar between c. 38 and 34 Ma. Exhumation occurred along a steep retrograde P-T path with final melt crystallizing at the solidus at !~5.5 kbar at~790°C. Further exhumation at~640-700°C and~4-5 kbar at c. 31 Ma occurred at subsolidus conditions. U-Pb geochronological analysis of monazite from a strongly deformed pre-kinematic granite dyke from the flank of the DNCV provides further evidence for exhumation at this time. Magmatic grains suggest initial emplacement at 66.0 AE 1.0 Ma prior to the India-Asia collision, whereas grains with metamorphic characteristics indicate later growth at 30.6 AE 0.4 Ma. Monazite grains from a cross-cutting post-kinematic dyke within the core of the DNCV antiform provide a minimum age constraint of 25.2 AE 1.4 Ma for the termination of fabric development. A separate and significant episode of monazite growth at c. 83-69 Ma is suggested to be the result of fluid-assisted recrystallization following the emplacement of magmatic units. GeochronologyInsight into the tectonothermal evolution of the DNCV region has been obtained through multisystem geochronology performed on various lithological

BackgroundAs a tropical depression in the East Sea, Vietnam is greatly affected by climate change and natural disasters. Knowledge of the current capacity of the primary healthcare system in Vietnam to respond to health issues associated with storms and floods is very important for policy making in the country. However, there has been little scientific research in this area.ObjectiveThis research was to assess primary healthcare system capacities in a rural district in central Vietnam to respond to such health issues.DesignThis was a cross-sectional descriptive study using quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative methods used self-administered questionnaires. Qualitative methods (in-depth interviews and focus groups discussions) were used to broaden understanding of the quantitative material and to get additional information on actions taken.Results1) Service delivery: Medical emergency services, especially surgical operations and referral systems, were not always available during the storm and flood seasons. 2) Governance: District emergency plans focus largely on disaster response rather than prevention. The plans did not clearly define the role of primary healthcare and had no clear information on the coordination mechanism among different sectors and organizations. 3) Financing: The budget for prevention and control of flood and storm activities was limited and had no specific items for healthcare activities. Only a little additional funding was available, but the procedures to get this funding were usually time-consuming. 4) Human resources: Medical rescue teams were established, but there were no epidemiologists or environmental health specialists to take care of epidemiological issues. Training on prevention and control of climate change and disaster-related health issues did not meet actual needs. 5) Information and research: Data that can be used for planning and management (including population and epidemiological data) were largely lacking. The district lacked a disease early-warning system. 6) Medical products and technology: Emergency treatment protocols were not available in every studied health facility.ConclusionsThe primary care system capacity in rural Vietnam is inadequate for responding to storm and flood-related health problems in terms of preventive and treatment healthcare. Developing clear facility preparedness plans, which detail standard operating procedures during floods and identify specific job descriptions, would strengthen responses to future floods. Health facilities should have contingency funds available for emergency response in the event of storms and floods. Health facilities should ensure that standard protocols exist in order to improve responses in the event of floods. Introduction of a computerized health information system would accelerate information and data processing. National and local policies need to be strengthened and developed in a way that transfers into action in local rural communities.

Study of the chemical composition of clinopyroxene and garnet megacrysts from the Dak Nong sapphire deposit and model calculations have shown that megacrysts originated from the crystallization of alkali basaltoid magma in a deep-seated intermediate chamber at 14–15 kbar, which is close to the Moho depth (50 km) in this part of southeastern Asia. The chamber was a source of heat and CO2 fluids for the generation of crustal syenitic melts producing sapphires and zircons. The formation conditions of sapphires and zircons are significantly different. The presence of jadeite inclusions in placer zircons points to high pressures during their crystallization, which is confirmed by the ubiquitous decrepitation of CO2-rich melt inclusions. Sapphires crystallized from iron-rich syenitic melt in the shallower Earth’s crust horizons with the participation of CO2 and carbonate–H2O–CO2 fluids. The subsequent eruptions of alkali basalts favored the transportation of garnet and pyroxene megacrysts as well as sapphire and zircon xenocrysts to the surface. It is shown that sapphire deposits can be produced only during multistage basaltic volcanism with deep-seated intermediate chambers in the regions with thick continental crust. The widespread megacryst mineral assemblage (clinopyroxene, garnet, sanidine, ilmenite) and the presence of placer zircon megacrysts can be used as indicators for sapphire prospecting.

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The capacity of the primary care system in Vietnam is still inadequate to serve the NCD-related health needs of the population. There is an urgent need to improve the primary care capacity for NCD prevention and management in Vietnam.

We have shown that the occurrences of Permo-Triassic magmatism in northern Vietnam compose the southwestern and southeastern flanks of the Emeishan large igneous province, shifted along the large-amplitude Ailao Shan-Red River shear zone. Based on new geochronological (U-Pb and Ar/Ar) data, two stages of magmatism related to the Emeishan plume have been recognized. At the first, Permian, stage (260 Ma), abundant picritoids of the Song Da and Song Hien zones formed, and at the second, gabbro-syenite and gabbro-monzodiorite associations of the Lo Gam zone, layered peridotite-gabbro massifs of the Nui Chua complex, high-alumina granites of the Phia Bioc complex, and basalt-rhyolite association of the Song Hien zone were produced. The metallogenic specialization of the Permo-Triassic magmatism of northern Vietnam is considered.

Background: Breast cancer incidence has been increasing consistently in Vietnam. Thus far, there have been no analytical reviews of research produced within this area. Objectives: We sought to analyse the nature andextent of empirical studies about breast cancer in Vietnam, identifying areas for future research and systemsstrengthening. Methods: We undertook a scoping study using a five-stage framework to review published and grey literature in English and Vietnamese on breast cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment. We focused specifically on research discussing the health system and service provision. Results: Our results show that breast cancer screening is limited, with no permanent or integrated national screening activities. There is a lack of information on screening processes and on the integration of screening services with other areas of the health system. Treatment is largely centralised, and across all services there is a lack of evaluation and data collection that would be informative for recommendations seeking to improve accessibility and quality of breast cancer services. Conclusions: This paper is the first scoping review of breast cancer services in Vietnam. It outlines areas for future focus for policy makers and researchers with the objective of strengthening service provision to women with breast cancer across the country while also providing a methodological example for how to conduct a collaborative scoping review.

The annual flood pulse of the Mekong River is crucial to sustain agriculture production, nutrition, and the livelihood of millions of people living in the Vietnamese part of the Mekong Delta (VMD). However, climate change impacts on precipitation, temperature and sea-level combined with land subsidence, upstream hydropower development, and water infrastructures (i.e. high-dykes construction) are altering the hydrological regime of the VMD.This study investigates future changes in flood hazard and agricultural production caused by these different scales of human-induced stresses. A quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) hydrodynamic model was used to simulate eight scenarios representing the individual and compound impacts of these drivers for a baseline and future (2036-2065) period. The scenarios map the most likely future pathway of climate change (RCP 4.5) combined with the best available Mekong upstream hydropower development, and land subsidence scenarios as well as the current delta development plan. We found that sea-level rise and land subsidence would cause the highest changes in flood hazard and damage to rice crop, followed by hydropower and climate change impacts. Expansion of high-dyke areas in two northernmost delta provinces (An Giang and Dong Thap) would have the smallest impact. The combination of all modelled drivers is projected to increase delta inundation extent by 20%, accompanied with prolonging submergence of 1-2 months, and 2-3 times increase in annual flood damage to rice crops in the flood-prone areas of the VMD. These findings of likely increasing risk of tidal induced flood hazard and damage call for well-planned adaptation and mitigation measures, both structural and non-structural. Highlights Climate change, hydropower, dyke development, sea-level rise and delta land subsidence strongly alter the delta future flood hazard and damage.  Higher flood extent (22-26%) and prolong inundation (1-2 months) are mainly driven by effective sea-level 5 rise and climate change.  Hydropower development might counteract the increase flood hazard and damage driven by climate change.  A reliable seasonal flood forecast (by August) would effective help to minimize agriculture flood damage.  Emerging call to develop flood management plan with focus on tidal induce inundation hazard.