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A new species of Xenophrys is described from Truong Son Range in Central Vietnam based on morphological and molecular differences. The new species is distinguishable from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: Size medium (SVL 58.8–71.4 mm in males, 65.6–87.3 mm in females); tympanum distinct; vomerine teeth present; tongue notched posteriorly; external vocal sac absent; toes with rudimentary webbing; subarticular tubercles absent, lateral fringes narrow along toes; nuptial pads absent in males; dorsal skin of body with weak granules; flank with small tubercles; dorsum with a dorsal ridge in >-< shape; dorsolateral folds prominent; dorsal surface from reddish brown to grayish brown with a brown triangle between the eyes, and a dark brown marking edged along dorsal ridge on the back; and small white spots present on flank and back of thigh. In the phylogenetic analyses, the new species is nested within the genus Xenophrys with interspecific uncorrected genetic p-distances (16S rRNA gene) from 2.2–2.8% (compared with Xenophrys maosonensis) to 14.4–14.7% (compared with Xenophrys yeae).

IntroductionThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of the helmet law on the changes in potential years of life lost (PYLL) due to traffic mortality and to examine modification effects of socioeconomic factors on the impacts in Vietnam.MethodsWe applied an interrupted time series design using the Bayesian framework to estimate the impact of the law at the provincial level. Then, we used random effects meta-analysis to estimate the impact of the law at the country level and to examine the modification effects of socioeconomic factors.ResultsThe results indicate that the impacts varied among the provinces. These impacts could be classified by four main groups comprising positive impact, and positive impact without sustainability, possible positive impact, negative or inconsistent impact. For the country-level impact, the results reveal a significantly consistent change in monthly PYLLs at the level of 18 per 100 000 persons, and the post-trend was stable without significant change. The results of meta-regression show that 1 unit increase in the population density (persons/km2), migration rate (%) and income (×1000 dong) are non-significantly associated with increases of PYLLs at 1.3, 27 and 27 per 100 000 person-months, respectively, whereas 1% increase in literacy associated with a decrease of PYLL at 44 per 100 000 person-months.DiscussionFurther studies should be warranted to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the law implementation, including its acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

Achalinus, commonly known as odd-scaled snakes due to their unique scutellation, are a fascinating group of xenodermid snakes distributed throughout east Asia. Currently, northern Vietnam is known to host six species of Achalinus, three of which are considered endemic. During recent herpetofaunal surveys conducted in the Bac Me District of Ha Giang Province, we collected a single specimen of Achalinus in a lowland region surrounded by secondary forest on karst. We conducted Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses using multiple mitochondrial protein-coding loci and a ribosomal subunit to ascertain the phylogenetic position of the Ha Giang specimen among currently recognized odd-scaled snake species. The results of those analyses along with morphological differences support this specimen as representing a new species, which we describe as Achalinus zugorum, new species. We provide detailed morphological descriptions and comparisons of the new species as well as brief comments on the biogeography and conservation of Achalinus in northern Vietnam.

Despite silicosis being one of the oldest occupational diseases, it continues to be a leading occupational disease worldwide and in Vietnam. The study aims to determine the prevalence and associated factors for the development of silicosis among workers directly exposed to silica dust. In a cross-sectional survey of 4,002 workers in five provinces, social-demographic and occupational health characteristics were collected through a face-to-face interview and a chest X-ray performed by medical staff and pneumoconiosis radiologists. Logistic multivariate regression was applied to analyze risk factors associated with silicosis. The overall prevalence of silicosis was 12.27%. The prevalence was higher in male (13.2%) than female (7.9%) with p < 0.001; prevalence also increased with older age group, and was higher in exploiting and processing stones and granite quarrying. ‘Workers’ exposure with silica dusts more than 15 years were more likely positive with silicosis. Male, older age groups, type of work such as exploiting and processing stones and granite quarrying, workers who unknown silicosis can be preventive, and the long distance to health facilities were significantly associated with silicosis. Our findings indicate the importance of reviewing the silicosis diagnosis, particularly time exposure. Further intervention to prevent silicosis must be prioritized for male, older workers, tailored by type of work, and improving of knowledge and practices against silicosis of the workers.

A new species of Megophrys is described from Cao Bang Province, northeastern Vietnam based on morphological and molecular data. Morphologically, the new species is distinguishable from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: Size small (SVL 34.9–38.9 mm in males); tympanum visible; vomerine teeth absent; tongue not notched posteriorly; male with a single vocal sac; toes with rudimentary webbing; subarticular tubercles and lateral fringes absent on all digits; nuptial pads present on fingers I and II in males, with spicules; dorsal skin with scattered granules and tubercles; flank with tubercles; dorsum with a X-shaped dorsal ridge; dorsolateral folds prominent; a small horn-like tubercle present at the outer edge of the eyelid; dorsal surface yellowish brown with a dark brown triangle between the eyes, and a dark brown marking along the X-shaped ridge on the back. In the phylogenetic analyses, the new species is unambiguously nested within the subgenus Panophrys with interspecific uncorrected genetic p-distances (16S rRNA gene) varying from 4.26% (compared with M. rubrimera) to 10.80% (compared with M. acuta).

Based on our recent field research in Lao Cai and Son La provinces, Vietnam, we record Megophrys gigantica for the first time from outside of China. The newly collected specimens from Vietnam slightly differs from the type series from China in having a smaller head width in males (32.4 versus 34–42 mm) and a smaller size in females (SVL 97.3 versus 110.4–115.4 mm). In terms of genetic divergence, the specimens from Vietnam are separated from those from Yunnan, China by 0.1% based on the 16S rRNA fragment. Our finding brings the species number of the genus Megophrys to 20 in Vietnam.

To assess the blood alcohol concentration (BAC; dependent variable) of patients with road traffic injuries (RTIs) presenting at 3 provincial and central hospitals in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam by age, sex, and road user type (independent variables). This survey formed part of the Viet Nam Road Traffic Injury Prevention Project, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.RTIs are a leading cause of death and disability in Viet Nam, with 14,690 deaths and 143,940 injuries reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2010. Research estimates suggest that motorcycle riders and passengers account for 60 percent of fatalities. Alcohol has long been suspected of being a leading cause of road traffic collisions and injuries. However, until now data on this relationship have been limited.A descriptive cross-sectional study measuring BAC in all consenting patients with RTIs presenting at 3 provincial or central hospitals between July 2009 and September 2010. All results were anonymous and summary information on key variables was sent to MOH and the World Health Organization (WHO) on a monthly basis.Of the 36,418 patients with RTIs presenting to these 3 hospitals between July 2009 and September 2010, BAC analysis was completed on 14,990 patients (41.2%), representing all patients with RTIs 15 years of age and above who consented to anonymous testing. BAC results ranged from 0 to 0.589 g/dL blood, with a mean of 0.0441 g/dL being the average concentration among all tested patients. Of all patients tested, 56.8 percent had no detectable alcohol in their system. Motorcycle riders were most commonly represented in the tested sample (70.7%), with 27.8 percent having a BAC above the legal limit (0.05 g/dL). Car or other vehicle drivers represented 2.7 percent of the sample, with 63.4 percent tested having a BAC above 0 g/dL, the legal limit for these road users.The results of this preliminary study indicate that 29.1 percent of all car drivers and motorcycle riders presenting at hospitals with RTIs exceeded the legal BAC limit for operating a motor vehicle. Though further study is required, this is suggestive that strengthening the enforcement of drink-driving laws is an urgent national road safety priority.

ObjectiveTo examine the effects of socioecological factors on multiple communicable diseases across Vietnam.MethodsWe used the Moran's I tests to evaluate spatial clusters of diseases and applied multilevel negative binomial regression models using the Bayesian framework to analyse the association between socioecological factors and the diseases queried by oral, airborne, vector-borne, and animal transmission diseases.Results and significanceThe study found that oral-transmission diseases were spatially distributed across the country; whereas, the airborne-transmission diseases were more clustered in the Northwest and vector-borne transmission diseases were more clustered in the South. Most of diseases were sensitive with climatic factors. For instance, a 1 degrees C increase in average temperature is significantly associated with 0.4% ( 95CI, 0.3 +/- 0.5), 2.5% ( 95% CI, 1.4 +/- 3.6), 0.9% ( 95% CI, 0.6 +/- 1.4), 1.1% ( 95% CI), 5% ( 95% CI, 3-.7.4), 0.4% ( 95% CI, 0.2 +/- 0.7), and 2% ( 95% CI, 1.5 +/- 2.8) increase in risk of diarrhoea, shigellosis, mumps, influenza, dengue, malaria, and rabies respectively. The influences of socio-economic factors on risk of communicable diseases are varied by factors with the biggest influence of population density. The research findings reflect an important implication for the climate change adaptation strategies of health sectors. A development of weather-based early warning systems should be considered to strengthen communicable disease prevention in Vietnam.