Abstract. We describe remarkable success in controlling dengue vectors, Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse), in 6 communes with 11,675 households and 49,647 people in the northern provinces of Haiphong, Hung Yen, and Nam Dinh in Vietnam. The communes were selected for high-frequency use of large outdoor concrete tanks and wells. These were found to be the source of 49.6-98.4% of Ae. aegypti larvae, which were amenable to treatment with local Mesocyclops, mainly M. woutersi Van der Velde, M. aspericornis (Daday) and M. thermocyclopoides Harada. Knowledge, attitude, and practice surveys were performed to determine whether the communities viewed dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever as a serious health threat; to determine their knowledge of the etiology, attitudes, and practices regarding control methods including Mesocyclops; and to determine their receptivity to various information methods. On the basis of the knowledge, attitude, and practice data, the community-based dengue control program comprised a system of local leaders, health volunteer teachers, and schoolchildren, supported by health professionals. Recycling of discards for economic gain was enhanced, where appropriate, and this, plus 37 clean-up campaigns, removed small containers unsuitable for Mesocyclops treatment. A previously successful eradication at Phan Boi village (Hung Yen province) was extended to 7 other villages forming Di Su commune (1,750 households) in the current study. Complete control was also achieved in Nghia Hiep (Hung Yen province) and in Xuan Phong (Nam Dinh province); control efficacy was Ն 99.7% in the other 3 communes (Lac Vien in Haiphong, Nghia Dong, and Xuan Kien in Nam Dinh). Although tanks and wells were the key container types of Ae. aegypti productivity, discarded materials were the source of 51% of the standing crop of Ae. albopictus. Aedes albopictus larvae were eliminated from the 3 Nam Dinh communes, and 86-98% control was achieved in the other 3 communes. Variable dengue attack rates made the clinical and serological comparison of control and untreated communes problematic, but these data indicate that clinical surveillance by itself is inadequate to monitor dengue transmission.

Panax stipuleanatus Tsai is a type of medicinal plant within north-west Vietnam. In this study, inter simple sequence repeat markers were employed to investigate the genetic diversity of naturally distributed populations classified by habitat for this species. Genetic diversity at the species level was moderate (H eT D 0.254; PPB T D 96.02%). Genetic diversity was not equal in two populations. The result showed higher population genetic diversity in the Lao Cai region (H eBX D 0.266; PPB BX D 91.48%) as compared to those located in Lai Chau region (H eHT D 0.235; PPB HT D 84.66%). The interpopulation gene differentiation was small (G STP D 0.03) with the genetic distance among populations was D P D 0.0103. Gene flow within populations was as high as Nm D 7.36.

Provider payment arrangements are currently a core concern for Vietnam's health sector and a key lever for expanding effective coverage and improving the efficiency and equity of the health system. This study describes how different provider payment systems are designed and implemented in practice across a sample of provinces and districts in Vietnam. Key informant interviews were conducted with over 100 health policy-makers, purchasers and providers using a structured interview guide. The results of the different payment methods were scored by respondents and assessed against a set of health system performance criteria. Overall, the public health insurance agency, Vietnam Social Security (VSS), is focused on managing expenditures through a complicated set of reimbursement policies and caps, but the incentives for providers are unclear and do not consistently support Vietnam's health system objectives. The results of this study are being used by the Ministry of Health and VSS to reform the provider payment systems to be more consistent with international definitions and good practices and to better support Vietnam's health system objectives.

Schizostachyum langbianense is a new woody bamboo from a high mountain, Lang Bian, in southern Vietnam, which is being described and illustrated. It is similar to S. ninhthuanense in having short ultimate inflorescence branchlets on which clusters of a few pseudospikelets are borne. However, it differs in its culm leaves with a horizontal or only slightly concave apical portion, culm leaf blades that are narrowly lanceolate, and a palea that is not apically bifid and dorsally sulcate with 2 keels. Both species occur in the same mountain region, but separated by distinct elevations.

Genetic diversity and variation of three naturally distributed Rhododendron moulmainense populations in the Lam Vien Plateau of Vietnam were analyzed using ISSR and SCoT markers separately and data from the two types of markers were then combined to show the overall results. Based on combined data, the genetic diversity parameters of the Tuyen Lam population were percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) = 28.79%; genetic heterozygosity (He) = 0.1041; Shannon index (I) = 0.1552. The corresponding parameters were PPB = 37.88%; He = 0.1434; I = 0.2131 in the Hon Nga population, and PPB = 46.21%; He = 0.1857; I = 0.2709 in the Bidoup population. At the species level in Lam Dong province, the corresponding parameters were PPB = 62.12%; He = 0.1747; I = 0.2756. The average of pairwise genetic similarity coefficients among investigated individuals of Tuyen Lam population was 0.973, of Hon Nga population was 0.911, and of Bidoup population was 0.895. The genetic differentiation and the number of migrants per generation among investigated populations were GSTS = 0.1735 and Nm = 2.3824 individuals, respectively. Genetic distance between Tuyen Lam and Hon Nga populations was 0.0399, between Tuyen Lam and Bidoup populations were 0.0621, and Bidoup and Hon Nga populations were 0.0670. Data generated by both marker types and the combined revealed similar trends of genetic diversity levels among the studied populations. The SCoT data showed higher values of genetic diversity and population gene differentiation than did the ISSR data, but the latter showed higher gene differentiation among sampled individuals in the study populations. Comparing the values of Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) for discriminatory ability; Effective Multiplex Ratio (EMR) for several revealed loci and/or efficiency of the primer-marker system; Marker Index (MI) for the efficiency of used method; and Resolving Power (Rp) between used techniques indicated that discriminatory ability, efficiency, and ability of the ISSR primer combinations were higher but using SCoT marker system was more efficient than ISSR marker system for evaluating genetic diversity.

Since 1987, Viet Nam has been moving from a centrally planned to a market economy. The public sector became weaker, and public resources were no longer sufficient to respond to all healthcare needs. The government then recognized the need for cost‐sharing, and in August 1992 issued a national Health Insurance Decree calling for compulsory health insurance for salaried workers in both the public and private sectors. Voluntary membership for dependants, farmers and the self‐employed was also encouraged from the start. Currently, the number of insured persons reaches almost 9.5 million. Future challenges include the extension of coverage, especially to the low‐income rural and urban population, modification of provider payment methods so as to enhance cost‐containment, and organizational development in general.

We examined the floristic composition and stand structure of tropical mountain forests containing two pine species, Pinus krempfii Lecomte and Pinus dalatensis Ferré, on the Da Lat Plateau in southern Vietnam. A total of 92 tree species were identified, and the greatest species richness at the family level was found in Lauraceae and Fagaceae. Both pine species grew to more than 25 m in height and spread their crowns over the continuous canopy layer. Under crowns of P. krempfii, Castanopsis chinensis, Trigonobalanus verticillata, Engelhardia roxburghiana, and Dendropanax hainanensis constituted the continuous canopy layer. Under crowns of P. dalatensis, pioneer species such as Schima wallichii, Exbucklandia populnea, and Pentaphylax euryoides along with gymnosperms such as Dacrycarpus imbricatus and Dacrydium elatum constituted the continuous canopy layer. Juveniles of P. krempfii were prevalent on the forest floor, but juveniles of P. dalatensis were scarce. We suggest that two pine species have different regeneration requirements related to disturbance and soil condition.

Morphological leaf traits can be used to assess adaptive responses of plants to environmental conditions. To assess how the representation of Huperzia serrata leaf traits, such as leaf length (LL), leaf width (LW) and leaf area (LA) response to changes in mean annual temperature (MAT), sunshine duration (SuH), mean annual precipitation (MAP), air humidity (Hu), intraspecific variation of the morphological leaf traits of the species was analyzed along a geographical gradient of Vietnam. The results showed that among the three populations at the three sites, leaf sizes increased with MAT and MAP. Huperzia serrata, climatic factors, morphological leaf traits, Vietnam.