Stunting predictors among children aged 0-24 months in Southeast Asia: a scoping review / Preditores de nanismo entre crianças de 0 a 24 meses no Sudeste Asiático: Uma revisão do escopo / Indicadores de la desnutrición crónica entre niños de 0 a 24 meses en el Sudeste Asiático: Una revisión del alcance

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify predictors of stunting among children 0-24 months in Southeast Asia. Methods: This scoping review focused on articles with observational study design in English published from 2012 to 2023 from five international databases. The primary keyword used were: "stunting" OR "growth disorder" AND "newborn" AND "predict" AND "Southeast Asia". Results: Of the 27 articles selected for the final analysis there are thirteen predictors of stunting in seven Southeast Asia countries. The thirteen predictors include the child, mother, home, inadequate complementary feeding, inadequate breastfeeding, inadequate care, poor quality foods, food and water safety, infection, political economy, health and healthcare, water, sanitation, and environment, and social culture factor. Conclusion: All these predictors can lead to stunting in Southeast Asia. To prevent it, health service providers and other related sectors need to carry out health promotion and health prevention according to the predictors found.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar preditores de nanismo entre crianças de 0 a 24 meses no Sudeste Asiático. Métodos: Esta revisão de escopo se concentrou em artigos com desenho de estudo observacional em inglês publicados de 2012 a 2023 em cinco bases de dados internacionais. As palavras-chave primárias usadas foram: "stunting" (nanismo) OU "growth disorder" (distúrbio de crescimento) E "newborn" (recém-nascido) E "predict" (previsão) E "Southeast Asia" (Sudeste Asiático). Resultados: Dos 27 artigos selecionados para análise final, existem treze preditores de nanismo em sete países do Sudeste Asiático. Os treze preditores incluem a criança, a mãe, a casa, a alimentação complementar inadequada, a amamentação inadequada, os cuidados inadequados, os alimentos de má qualidade, a segurança alimentar e da água, a infeção, a economia política, a saúde e os cuidados de saúde, a água, o saneamento e o meio ambiente, e o fator cultura social. Conclusão: Todos estes preditores podem levar ao nanismo no Sudeste Asiático. Para preveni-lo, os prestadores de serviços de saúde e outros setores relacionados precisam realizar a promoção e a prevenção da saúde de acordo com os preditores encontrados.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Identificar indicadores de desnutrición crónica entre niños de 0 a 24 meses en el Sudeste Asiático. Métodos: Esta revisión de alcance se centró en artículos con diseño de estudio observacional publicados en inglés, entre los años 2012 y 2023 de cinco bases de datos internacionales. Las principales palabras clave utilizadas fueron: "stunting (Desnutrición crónica)" o "growth disorder (Desorden del crecimiento)", y "newborn (Recién nacido)", y "predict (Predecir)", y "Southeast Asia (Sudeste Asiático)". Resultados: De los 27 artículos seleccionados para el análisis final, se encontraron trece indicadores que influyen en la desnutrición crónica en siete países del Sudeste Asiático. Los trece indicadores incluyen el niño, la madre, el hogar, la alimentación inadequada complementaria, la lactancia materna inadecuada, la atención inadecuada, los alimentos de mala calidad, la seguridad de los alimentos y el agua, la infección, la economía política, la salud y la asistencia sanitaria, el agua, el saneamiento y el medio ambiente, y por último el factor sociocultural. Conclusión: Todos estos indicadores pueden provocar desnutrición crónica en niños del Sudeste Asiático. Para poder prevenirlo los prestadores de servicios de salud y otros sectores relacionados, necesitan realizar actividades de promoción y prevención de la salud de acuerdo con los indicadores encontrados en este artículo.

Enfermedad tiroidea posterior a vacunación contra SARS-COV-2 / Thyroid disease following SARS- COV-2 vaccination

Introducción: parte esencial del manejo y control de la pandemia por SARS-CoV-2 ha sido la vacunación. Sin embargo, las sales de aluminio usadas en las vacunas para potenciar el sistema inmune, pueden asociarse con el síndrome autoinmune/autoinflamatorio inducido por adyuvantes (ASIA). Esta condición se ha relacionado con otros factores, como agentes infecciosos, implantes de silicona e inoculación de aceites minerales. Hay poca información acerca de enfermedades endocrinas autoinmunes y ASIA después de la vacunación para SARS-CoV-2. Objetivo: reportar los casos relacionados con enfermedad tiroidea posterior a la vacunación para COVID-19, en pacientes que asistieron a la consulta de endocrinología en la clínica Imbanaco, Cali, Colombia, en 2021. Métodos: descripción clínica, de laboratorio e imágenes de 8 pacientes que acudieron a la consulta de endocrinología. Resultados y discusión: 87.5% eran de sexo femenino de 46.8 ± 10 años, el tiempo entre la aplicación de la vacuna y la aparición de los síntomas fue 13.8 días y la vacuna más relacionada fue Pfizer/BioNTech seguida por Sinovac-CoronaVac y AstraZeneca/AZD1222. La presentación de tiroiditis subaguda estuvo presente en el (37.5%), enfermedad de Graves (37.5%), tiroiditis silente (12.5%) e hipotiroidismo (12.5%). Los síntomas más comunes fueron mialgias y palpitaciones. El hallazgo ecográfico más común fue tiroiditis subaguda. Conclusiones: en esta seria de casos, reportamos una relación entre la vacunación y la aparición de enfermedad tiroidea por SARS-CoV-2. dado que estos eventos son motivo de controversia, serán necesarios otros estudios que ayuden a establecer si existe o no causalidad

Introduction: Vaccines have been an essential part of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic management and control. However, aluminum salts in vaccines, used to enhance the immune response, may be associated with autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA). This syndrome has been linked to other factors, such as infectious agents, silicone implants, and mineral oil inoculation. Data on autoimmune endocrine disorders and ASIA following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is scant. Objective: to report cases of thyroid disorders following COVID-19 vaccination, in patients who attended the endocrinology clinic at Clínica Imbanaco, Cali, Colombia, in 2021. Methods: clinical, laboratory and imaging description of 8 patients who attended the endocrinology service. Results and discussion: 87.5% were females, aged 46.8 ± 10 years. Time between vaccine administration and symptoms onset was 13.8 days and the most related vaccine was the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine followed by Sinovac-CoronaVac and AstraZeneca/AZD1222 vaccines. Subacute thyroiditis presented in 37.5%, Graves ́ disease in 37.5%, silent thyroiditis in 12.5% and hypothyroidism in 12.5%. Myalgias and palpitations were the most common symptoms. Subacute thyroiditis was the most common ultrasound finding. Conclusions: our case series evidences a relationship between thyroid disease and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Given controversy remains, further studies will be necessary to establish causality.

Síndrome de Asia: revisión sistemática de literatura

Ha habido muchos casos de aparición de autoanticuerpos y síntomas de enfermedad después de la exposición a adyuvantes, no solo después del aumento de senos con implantes de silicona, sino también como un efecto secundario muy raro de la vacunación, como el síndrome de la guerra del Golfo o el síndrome de miofascitis macrofágica. Las enfermedades cuyos síntomas se desarrollaron después de dicha exposición adyuvante se denominan síndrome autoinmune/inflamatorio inducido por adyuvantes (ASIA). El grupo de adyuvantes incluye no solo implantes de silicona, sílice, escualeno y aluminio, sino también componentes de tinta utilizados para hacer tatuajes. Analizando los informes disponibles sobre la influencia de los adyuvantes en el desarrollo de enfermedades autoinmunes, se concluye que, además de la exposición prolongada a la silicona, también es necesaria la coexistencia de otros factores, como genéticos o ambientales. Los análisis claramente no confirman un mayor riesgo de desarrollar una enfermedad autoinmune después del aumento de senos con implantes de silicona o tatuajes, pero parece que entre estas pacientes hay un grupo que está más predestinado a desarrollar síntomas de la enfermedad. En la población general, los beneficios de la vacunación son obvios, y el riesgo de eventos adversos graves después de la inmunización es incomparablemente menor que el riesgo de desarrollar una enfermedad específica y sus complicaciones, también para pacientes con enfermedades autoinmunes diagnosticadas. Debido a la heterogeneidad de los datos en estudios previos y las dificultades para diagnosticar ASIA, parece necesario realizar más análisis de la influencia de los adyuvantes en el desarrollo de enfermedades autoinmunes y refinar los criterios de diagnóstico de ASIA, que ahora permiten un diagnóstico demasiado fácil de esta enfermedad. (provisto por Infomedic International)

There have been many cases of occurrence of autoantibodies and disease symptoms after adjuvant exposure, not only after breast augmentation with silicone implants, but also as a very rare side effect of vaccination, such as Gulf War syndrome or macrophagic myofasciitis syndrome. Diseases whose symptoms developed after such adjuvant exposure are called adjuvant-induced autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome (ASIA). The adjuvant group includes not only silicone, silica, squalene and aluminum implants, but also ink components used to make tattoos. Analyzing the available reports on the influence of adjuvants on the development of autoimmune diseases, it is concluded that, in addition to prolonged exposure to silicone, the coexistence of other factors, such as genetic or environmental, is also necessary. The analyses clearly do not confirm an increased risk of developing an autoimmune disease after breast augmentation with silicone implants or tattoos, but it seems that among these patients there is a group that is more predestined to develop symptoms of the disease. In the general population, the benefits of vaccination are obvious, and the risk of serious adverse events after immunization is incomparably lower than the risk of developing a specific disease and its complications, also for patients with diagnosed autoimmune diseases. Due to the heterogeneity of data in previous studies and the difficulties in diagnosing ASIA, further analysis of the influence of adjuvants on the development of autoimmune diseases and refinement of the diagnostic criteria for ASIA, which now allow too easy diagnosis of this disease, seems necessary. (provided by Infomedic International)

Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA), medical treatment of severe systemic compromise: case report

Case description: A 42-year-old woman with severe pulmonary and mediastinal inflammatory involvement, secondary to infiltration of a silicone-related allogenic material with systemic migration. Clinical findings: The patient developed esophageal and bronchial stenosis, recurrent infections, malnutrition, and respiratory deterioration, making surgical removal of the allogenic material impossible. Treatment and outcome: Clinical and radiological improvement was achieved after treatment with multiple intravenous and oral immunomodulators. Clinical relevance: Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) is a heterogeneous disease resulting from exposure to allogenic substances in a susceptible subject. These substances cause autoimmune or autoinflammatory phenomena. Since ASIA was described ten years ago, its diagnostic criteria are still under discussion, with an uncertain prognosis. The ideal therapy is based on eliminating the causative substance, but this is not always possible. Therefore, it is necessary to start an immunomodulatory treatment, using it in this patient, a scheme that had not been previously reported in the literature.

Descripción del caso: Mujer de 42 años con compromiso inflamatorio pulmonar y mediastinal severo, secundario a infiltración de un material alogénico relacionado con la silicona con migración sistémica. Hallazgos clínicos: La paciente desarrolló estenosis esofágica y bronquial, infecciones recurrentes, desnutrición y deterioro respiratorio, imposibilitando la extracción quirúrgica del material alogénico. Tratamiento y resultado: Mejoría clínica y radiológica lograda tras un tratamiento con múltiples inmunomoduladores intravenosos y orales. Relevancia clínica: El síndrome autoinmune / inflamatorio inducido por adyuvantes (ASIA) es una enfermedad heterogénea que resulta de la exposición a sustancias alógenas en un sujeto con susceptibilidad genética. Estas sustancias inducen fenómenos autoinmunitarios o autoinflamatorios. Desde que ASIA fue descrito hace 10 años, sus criterios diagnósticos continúan en discusión, con un pronóstico incierto. El tratamiento idóneo se basa en eliminar la sustancia causante, pero no siempre es posible, por lo cual se hace necesario iniciar un tratamiento inmunomodulador, empleándose en esta paciente un esquema que no había sido reportado previamente en la literatura.

Clinicopathological features and prognosis of pyoderma gangrenosum in Korea: A single centre, retrospective, observational study over 20 years

Background: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare autoinflammatory neutrophilic dermatosis that rapidly evolves. However, little is known about the clinicopathological features and prognosis of pyoderma gangrenosum. Aims: We aimed to document clinicopathologic and prognostic data of the patients with pyoderma gangrenosum. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we reviewed case records of patients diagnosed with pyoderma gangrenosum between 1999–2019. Results: Fifty-three patients were identified by reviewing medical records for skin biopsy; of these, 37 were men and 16 were women. Mean age at onset was 43.3 ± 18.5 years. The most frequently affected area was the lower extremities (60.4%), followed by the head and neck (17.0%). The most common subtype was ulcerative (47.2%), followed by bullous (22.6%). 30 cases had underlying diseases and the most common were malignancy (24.5%), followed by inflammatory bowel diseases (18.9%). The proportion of cases with history of trauma were significantly higher in post-operative type (100%) as compared to the bullous type (8.3%). Histologic features of granulation tissue were frequently found in post-operative type (66.7%) and bullous type (58.3%). Granulomas were predominantly found in bullous type (58.3%). Age <60 years appeared to be significantly associated with multiple lesions. Partial-to-complete remission was observed in 40 cases (75.5%). Nine (17.0%) cases experienced recurrence with a median progression-free period of six months (interquartile range of 3.0–9.0 months). Cases with underlying hematologic disorders and the bullous subtype were significantly associated with early recurrence. Limitations: This study was a single-centre study with a retrospective design. Conclusion: Pyoderma gangrenosum appears to have ethnic differences. Underlying haematologic disorders and bullous subtype have a worse prognosis. However, the type of histopathology did not correlate with the clinical outcome of pyoderma gangrenosum.

Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Boesenbergia rotunda, Pinostrobin, and Their Derivatives: Dominance of Southeast Asian Researchers

Pinostrobin, marker compounds from Boesenbergia rotunda with various pharmacological activities, have been studied extensively, including synthesizing its derivatives, which have potent pharmacological activities. This study aims to describe research related to B. rotunda, pinostrobin, and their derivatives. Metadata information was collected from Scopus in August 2022, with three keywords searched for article titles, abstracts, and keywords. Analysis and research mapping were carried out with VOSviewer. The most widely used synonym for the plant name was "Boesenbergia rotunda", in which Norzulaani Khalid from the University of Malaya, Malaysia, mostly reported research with the keywords "Boesenbergia rotunda", "pinostrobin", and "derivative". The majority of researchers come from institutions in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Interestingly, no Chinese researchers have reported studies on this topic. The journals and publishers that publish the most articles with these three keywords are Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters and Elsevier, respectively. This information will make it easier for researchers on this topic to find partners for collaboration and determine journals to publish their research results.

La pinostrobina, compuesto de marcadores de Boesenbergia rotunda con diversas actividades farmacológicas, se ha estudiado ampliamente, incluida la síntesis de sus derivados que tienen potentes actividades farmacológicas. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir investigaciones relacionadas con B. rotunda, pinostrobina y sus derivados. La información de metadatos se recopiló de Scopus en agosto de 2022, con tres palabras clave buscadas para títulos de artículos, resúmenes y palabras clave. El análisis y el mapeo de la investigación se realizaron con VOSviewer. El sinónimo más utilizado para el nombre de la planta fue "Boesenbergia rotunda", en el que Norzulaani Khalid de la Universidad de Malaya, Malasia, informó principalmente sobre investigaciones con las palabras clave "Boesenbergia rotunda", "pinostrobina" y "derivado". La mayoría de los investigadores provienen de instituciones del sudeste asiático como Malasia, Tailandia e Indonesia. Curiosamente, ningún investigador chino ha informado de estudios sobre este tema. Las revistas y editoriales que más artículos publican con estas tres palabras clave son Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters y Elsevier. Esta información facilitará a los investigadores sobre este tema encontrar colaboraciones y determinar las revistas para publicar los resultados de sus investigaciones.

Development of Palliative Care Services and impact of COVID-19 Pandemic: Situation analysis from five Asian Countries

@#Palliative care provides active holistic care for people with serious health-related suffering due to illness, especially near the end of life. In the Asia-Pacific region, there is variability in palliative care services and access to drugs, with a predominant focus on hospitals and cancer. The COVID-19 pandemic also disrupted the development and provision of palliative services. In this situation analysis, palliative services and the impact of the pandemic in five Asian countries (Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Myanmar and Thailand) are described. Overall, palliative care is an underserved specialty despite an obvious need for the services in each locality. While the pandemic significantly interrupted palliative services, palliative care providers adapted by developing guidelines and using teleconferencing. Overall, much work still needs to be done to improve palliative care in the region.

Treatment and outcomes of high-risk neuroblastoma in Southeast Asia: a single-institution experience and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION@#In Europe and North America, the majority of children with high-risk neuroblastoma survive the disease. Elsewhere, the treatment outcomes are poor.@*METHODS@#A retrospective review of children treated for high-risk neuroblastoma in a single institution in Singapore from 2007 to 2019 was carried out. Treatment consisted of intensive chemotherapy, surgery aimed at gross total resection of residual disease after chemotherapy, consolidation with high-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell rescue, and radiotherapy to the primary and metastatic sites followed by maintenance treatment with either cis-retinoic acid or anti-disialoganglioside monoclonal antibody therapy. Survival data were examined on certain clinical and laboratory factors.@*RESULTS@#There were 57 children (32 male) treated for high-risk neuroblastoma. Their mean age was 3.9 (range 0.7-14.9) years. The median follow-up time was 5.5 (range 1.8-13.0) years for the surviving patients. There were 31 survivors, with 27 patients surviving in first remission, and the five-year overall survival and event-free survival rates were 52.5% and 47.4%, respectively. On log-rank testing, only the group of 17 patients who were exclusively treated at our centre had a survival advantage. Their five-year overall survival rate compared to patients whose initial chemotherapy was done elsewhere was 81.6% versus 41.1% (P = 0.011), and that of event-free survival was 69.7% versus 36.1% (P = 0.032). Published treatment results were obtained from four countries in Southeast Asia with five-year overall survival rates from 13.5% to 28.2%.@*CONCLUSION@#Intensified medical and surgical treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma proved to be effective, with superior survival rates compared to previous data from Southeast Asia.

Evaluation of Screening Model for Advanced Colorectal Adenoma and Traditional Chinese Medicine Tongue Image Analysis Based on Real World Data / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness and consistency of three commonly used early colorectal cancer screening models for advanced colorectal adenoma as a noninvasive means， and to assess the predictive value of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） tongue images in the models. MethodsPatients diagnosed with colorectal adenoma who underwent colonoscopy and pathological examination were selected as the study participants. Basic clinical data and tongue image were collected. The prediction models of Asia-Pacific colorectal screening （APCS） model， its revision （M-APCS） and colorectal neoplasia predict （CNP） model were applied to compare the predictive effects of the three models on advanced stage adenomas of the colon， the differences in clinical data and traditional Chinese medicine tongue characteristics among patients with different degrees of adenomas， and the similarities and differences in tongue characteristics among the models. The discriminative ability of the three risk models was evaluated using the area under the curve （AUC） and receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curves. The calibration was assessed using the Kuder-Richardson coefficient and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test for consistency analysis. ResultsA total of 227 patients with adenoma were analyzed， including 104 patients （45.82%） with advanced adenoma. In the detection of advanced adenoma， those with greasy coating （70 cases， 67.3%） were higher than those without greasy coating （34 cases， 32.7%， P＜0.05）. After multivariate analysis， the odds ratio （OR） value of non-greasy coating was 0.371 （0.204~0.673， P＜0.01）， indicating that non-greasy coating was a protective factor for advanced adenomas. Among the three risk models， the detection rate of advanced adenoma in the high-risk group with APCS was the highest （63.3%）， which was 1.49 times and 2.04 times that of the medium-risk group （42.6%） and the low-risk group （31.1%， P＜0.01）. The detection rate of advanced adenomas in high-risk groups of M-APCS and CNP was slightly higher than that in moderate or low risk groups （P＞0.05）. The proportion of yellow and greasy coating in high-risk group was higher than that in the medium-risk or low-risk group （P＜0.05）. For the ability to distinguish advanced and non-advanced adenomas， the AUC of APCS was 0.629 （95% CI： 0.556~0.702） and was higher than that of M-APCS （0.591） and CNP （0.586）. In calibration evaluation， Cronbach's alpha was 0.919 （＞0.7）， which indicated that the three models were consistent. In the correlation matrix， the correlation coefficients between APCS model and M-APCS model， and CNP model were 0.794 and 0.717， respectively， and the correlation coefficients between M-APCS model and CNP model were 0.873， Hosmer-Lemeshow χ2 =2.552， P＞0.05， which suggested that the three models had good calibration ability. ConclusionAll three models demonstrate the efficiency to identify advanced colorectal adenoma， and their calibration ability is considered to be good. Among the three models， the APCS exhibits the highest recognition efficiency， however， the recognition accuracy of the APCS model needs improvement. The presence of a greasy coating is identified as one of the potential predictors of advanced adenoma. Consequently， it can be considered for inclusion in the risk model of advanced colorectal adenoma to enhance the accuracy.

Review of recommended energy and nutrient intake values in Southeast Asian countries

@#This review summarises the officially published recommended energy and nutrient intake values in five Southeast Asia (SEA) countries namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The background information, general approaches and references used for setting up recommendations and the recommended intakes levels for energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate, dietary fibre, sugars,14 vitamins and 15 minerals of these countries were tabulated and compared. The recommended intake values show remarkable similarities in terms of approaches and principles taken, as well as references used as the basis for the recommendations development and the application of the recommendations in respective country. There are nevertheless some differences in age groupings, reference height and weight used, as well as the final recommendations of the intake levels for some nutrients, after adjustment to suit local situations. All five countries had provided recommendations in terms of recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) or recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for almost all the nutrients. Due to the limited availability of local data and resources, countries in the region have referred to several references, including those from Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) consultation report and recommendations from research organisations in United States and Europe and adapted the values for local uses. Opportunities should be created to enable closer dialogue and collaboration regarding future developments in nutrient recommendations for populations in the region. These could include consideration of establishing more appropriate nutrient recommendations and the call for setting up harmonised approaches to establishing recommended nutrient intake values for the region.

Effectiveness of Social Media Interventions to Improve Nutrition Behaviour among Adolescents in Asia: A Systematic Review

@#Aims: The purpose of this review is to evaluate the social media intervention’s efficacy, as well as the intervention’s theory, model, and framework. Design: Systematic review. Data sources: Five databases- PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar were searched systematically from June 18 to July 12, 2022. Methods: Predefined keywords of “social media”, “nutrition”, “behaviour” and “adolescents” were used. The inclusion criteria: (1) 10 to 24 years old participants; (2) social media or website as intervention platform; (3) intervention outcomes related to improvement in nutrition behaviour, anthropometric measures, knowledge and awareness; (4) is a randomized controlled trial, non-randomized controlled trial, cluster controlled, cohort, case control or before and after study design; (5) published in 2000 until 2022; (6) written or translated is English; and (7) conducted in Asia. Results: Review eligibility included nine studies. Three research were web- or website-based, while the other six used social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and LINE. Post-intervention outcomes showed significant gains, however some studies found no differences between the intervention and control groups. Conclusion: Social media is a widely accepted platform for educating adolescents about nutrition for behaviour change. However, the evidence shows that the interventions are lack of significant improvement between groups and the used of digital or technological-related theory, model and framework. This review demonstrated the progress of healthy behaviours in nutrition and health literacy among adolescents that can be spread through social network and the value of new technological techniques in managing the targeted population.

Antimicrobial Activities of Mangrove Species in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review (Aktiviti Antimikrob Spesies Bakau di Asia Tenggara: Tinjauan Sistematik) / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

@#Antimicrobial resistance in Southeast Asia is a macro-level health dilemma that may cause substantial casualties annually. Fortunately, Southeast Asian mangroves are potent reservoirs of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties in correlation to their traditional usage. Hence, this study aimed to systematically review studies concerning antimicrobial activities of mangroves in Southeast Asia as well as provide a technological overview of its prospective use in pharmaceutical industry applications through patents. Through the PRISMA protocol, the search for peerreviewed studies originated from Southeast Asia and published between 2010 to 2022 were conducted over databases such as CORE, Google Scholar, PubMed (MedLine), Science Direct, Semantic Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. Additionally, a patent search was also performed on the Espacenet Patent Search, Google Patents, National Institute of Industrial Property, and United States Patent and Trademark Office. The studies and patents were collated on Mendeley Reference Manager as well as tabulated and assessed on Microsoft Office Excel 2016. After the four-phase screening, 59 studies and one patent regarding antimicrobial activities of Southeast Asian mangroves passed the criteria for the systematic review. It was inferred that Southeast Asia constitutes potentially most species-diverse mangroves with highly varied antimicrobial properties and can form synergism with drugs. The existing studies and patents may provide enlightenment on the future path of studies and inventions which must be continually substantiated in animal and clinical experiments for prospective pharmaceutical industry use. In this way, mangroves can be conserved while antimicrobial resistance and anthropogenic activities can be lowered.

India-China's Strategic-Contest for Supremacy in Central Asia

There has long been a relationship between India, China, and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). The Silk Route served as this triad's conduit to Europe and other western countries historically as well. The major declarations made during the first fictitious India-Central Asia conference under Prime Minister Modi and the competition for the same from his Chinese counterpart show how important Central Asia is to both India and China even now. Even though Central Asian countries and both China and India are members of the S.C.O., there is still a geopolitical struggle and a tremendous game going on. India and China's engagements are still influenced by Afghanistan in distinct ways. This research will discuss the historical and contemporary patterns of Indian and Chinese interactions in Central Asia. By obtaining access to the world's supply systems via Central Asia, it would also draw attention to the struggle for supremacy. As both India and China have enormous production facilities, the huge and untapped market and the availability of raw resources will eventually strengthen these interactions

Dissimilar Associations Between Stunting and Low Ponderosity Defined Through Weight for Height (Wasting) or Body Mass Index for Age (Thinness) in Under-Five Children

Background: Wasting and stunting commonly coexist, supposedly due to biological and social mechanisms. In under-five children, low-ponderosity is defined as <–2SD of WHO standards for either weight for height (wasted) or body mass index for age (thin) metrics. Unlike body mass index for age, weight for height ignores physiological changes in ponderosity with age, resulting in overestimation of wasting in comparison to thinness in under-5 populations with high stunting prevalence. This suggests a plausible statistical explanation for the wasting-stunting association. Aim: To test the null hypothesis that wasting-stunting (WaSt) and thinness-stunting (ThSt) associations are similar. Methods: Demographic Health Survey datasets (2010-2020) from South and South-East Asia (7 countries) and Sub-Saharan Africa (13 countries) were evaluated. WaSt and ThSt associations were estimated as odds ratio (OR) for individual datasets, which was pooled (random-effects meta-analysis). Stratified analyses were done for sex, age and region. Results: Young infants (0-6 months) comprised 8-14% of underfive children, with equal representation of boys and girls. Participants, especially Asians, were mostly shorter with lower ponderosity than WHO standards. WaSt prevalence was higher than ThSt in the 6-59 months age group, but lower in young infants. Pooled WaSt estimates were not significant: Asia (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.75-1.14), Africa (1.17; 0.95-1.40), and combined (1.09; 0.93-1.24). In contrast, pooled ThSt associations were significantly negative: Asia (0.63; 0.50-0.76), Africa (0.82; 0.68-0.96), and combined (0.75; 0.65-0.85). In girls, these associations were attenuated for WaSt (0.96; 0.8-1.1), but enhanced for ThSt (0.6; 0.5-0.7). Conclusion: WaSt and ThSt associations are dissimilar. This suggests a primary statistical explanation for the reported wasting-stunting association, originating from ignoring physiological changes with age.

Campylobacter diarrhea in children in South Asia: A systematic review

Background: Campylobacter spp. are one of the commonest causes of diarrhea in children under five and in resource poor settings also lead to malabsorption and stunting. The purpose of this systematic review was to understand the burden of Campylobacter spp. associated diarrhea among children in the South Asian countries. Methods: This systematic review followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Databases were searched with defined keywords for publications from the years 1998–2018. Data on proportion of positive samples was extracted to compare the rates of Campylobacter infection among children (under the age of 19) from different study populations. Results: Of the 359 publications screened, 27 eligible articles were included in this systematic review and categorized based on study design. In 8 case-control studies, Campylobacter spp. was detected more frequently among diarrheal cases (range, 3.2–17.4%) than non-diarrheal cases (0–13%). Although there were variations in the study population, overall, children under the age of two years experienced Campylobacter diarrhea more often than older children. Most studies reported stool culture as the method used to detect Campylobacter spp. however retesting using PCR-based methods significantly increased detection rates. Limited data were available on Campylobacter species. In 4 studies that provided species data, C. jejuni (3.2–11.2%) was shown to be the most common species, followed by C. coli. Conclusion: In South Asia, Campylobacter spp. are one of the most common bacterial diarrheal pathogens affecting children but there is a paucity of data on species, risk factors and attributable sources. Although a few studies were available, the epidemiology of campylobacteriosis remains uncertain. To understand the true burden and sources of infection, more detailed studies are needed collecting data from human, animal and environmental sources and using both culture and genomic tools.

Association of family history of cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) and individual health behaviours: Analysis of CARRS study from South Asia

Objectives: Family history is considered as an important predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes. Available research findings suggest that family history of chronic diseases is associated with perceived risk of disease and adoption of healthy behaviours. We examined the association between family history of cardio-metabolic diseases (CMDs) and healthy behaviours among adults without selfreported CMDs. Methods: Cross-sectional data of 12,484 adults, without self-reported CMDs, from the baseline survey of Centre for cArdiometabolic Risk Reduction in South-Asia (CARRS) cohort study were analysed. Results: Family history was positively associated with non-smoking and high fruits & vegetables consumption in the age group of 45e64 years and moderate to high physical activity in the age group _x0001_65 years after adjusting for sex, education, wealth index, city and body mass index. Conclusions: Understanding perceived risks and cultural or psychological factors related to family history through ethnographic studies may deepen understanding of these associations.

Entorno laboral saludable en Asia y América del Norte revisión de alcance

Objetivos Realizar una revisión de alcance sobre entorno laboral saludable (ELS) en países de Asia y América del Norte. Métodos Revisión de documentos de diversos diseños metodológicos resultantes de la matriz PRISMA obtenidos en bases de datos como Scopus, PubMed, Biblioteca Virtual de la Salud (BVS) y otros motores de búsqueda entre los años 2015 y 2020 empleando los descriptores Healthy, Workplace, Enviroment Work y conectores AND y OR. Resultados Se obtuvo un total de 36 documentos finales. El 66,7% de los estudios encontrados fueron en países de América del Norte. El 44,4% de las publicaciones se realizaron en el año 2019 y 2020. Se halló que la base de datos que más arrojó publicaciones acerca de ELS fue Scopus y la revista que más publicó fue BVS; igualmente los temas más relevantes para alcanzar ELS fueron la promoción de la salud en el lugar de trabajo mediante la intervención de estrategias encaminadas a los estilos de vida saludables y el impacto de la productividad. Conclusiones Las estrategias de ELS permiten que los programas de promoción de la salud sean implementados en las empresas con el fin de mejorar los estilos de vida y las condiciones laborales de los trabajadores, incentivando la actividad física, la alimentación balanceada, disminuyendo la ingesta de bebidas alcohólicas y el tabaquismo. Los ELS se relaciona con la mejora continua debido a que favorece el aumento de la productividad y por ende es importante que se puedan implementar en el contexto de la educación, negocios, comercio y desarrollo económico.

Objectives Conduct a scope review on Healthy Working Environment (ELS, by its initials in Spanish) in Asian and North American countries. Methods Review of documents of various methodological designs resulting from the PRISMA matrix obtained in databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Virtual Health Library (VHL) and other search engines from the years 2015 to 2020 using the following descriptors: Healthy, Workplace, Enviroment Work and the connectors AND and OR. Results A total of 36 final documents were obtained. 66.7% of the studies found were in North American countries. 44.4% of publications were made between 2019 and 2020. It was found that the database that yielded the most publications about ELS was Scopus and the magazine that published the most was VHL; also, the most relevant issues to achieve ELS were the promotion of health in the workplace through the intervention of strategies aimed at healthy lifestyles, and the impact of productivity. Conclusions ELS strategies allow health promotion programs to be implemented in companies in order to improve the lifestyles and working conditions of workers, encou-raging physical activity, balanced eating, and reducing alcohol intake and smoking. The ELS are related to the continuous improvement because it favors the increase of productivity and therefore it is important that they can be implemented in the context of education, business, trade, and economic development.

Ecological impacts of climate change on the snow leopard (Panthera unica) in South Asia / Impactos ecológicos da mudança climática no leopardo-da-neve (Panthera uncia) no sul da Ásia

Snow leopard (Panthera unica) is a felid which lives in the highly rugged areas of alpine regions in different mountain ranges of South and Central Asia. This solitary animal needs large spaces for its ranges but due to climate change and relatively faster rate of global warming in South Asian mountain ranges, its habitat is going to shrink and fragment by tree-line shifts and change in hydrology of the area. Vegetative modification of montane flora and competition with domestic goats will create its prey's population to decline along with a chance of a direct conflict and competition with the common leopard. Common leopard being more adaptable, grouped, and larger in size can be a significant stressor for a smaller and solitary snow leopard. Habitat would shrink, and snow leopard can possibly move upslope or northward to central Asian ranges and their predicted migratory patterns are unknown.

O leopardo-das-neves (Panthera uncia) é um felídeo que vive nas áreas altamente acidentadas das regiões alpinas, em diferentes cadeias de montanhas do sul e do centro da Ásia. A revisão atual tem o objetivo de abordar a questão da possível perda de hábitat do leopardo da neve em razão da interferência humana nas montanhas do sul e do centro da Ásia. Esse animal solitário precisa de grandes espaços para suas faixas, mas, devido às mudanças climáticas e à taxa relativamente mais rápida de aquecimento global nas cadeias montanhosas do sul da Ásia, seu hábitat vai encolher e fragmentar-se por mudanças nas linhas de árvores e na hidrologia da área. Este artigo teve o objetivo de rever vários estudos sobre os impactos das mudanças climáticas em um futuro próximo e distante sobre os hábitats do leopardo-da-neve. O estudo revelou que a modificação vegetativa da flora da montanha e a competição com cabras domésticas poderiam ocasionar na diminuição da população de suas presas, com a chance de um conflito direto e competição com leopardo comum. Leopardo comum sendo mais adaptável, agrupado e maior em tamanho pode ser um estressor significativo para um leopardo-da-neve menor e solitário. Conclusão: devido ao encolhimento do hábitat, o leopardo-da-neve pode, possivelmente, mover-se para cima ou para o norte, para faixas da Ásia Central com padrões migratórios não previstos.

Ecological impacts of climate change on the snow leopard (Panthera unica) in South Asia / Impactos ecológicos da mudança climática no leopardo-da-neve (Panthera uncia) no sul da Ásia

Snow leopard (Panthera unica) is a felid which lives in the highly rugged areas of alpine regions in different mountain ranges of South and Central Asia. This solitary animal needs large spaces for its ranges but due to climate change and relatively faster rate of global warming in South Asian mountain ranges, its habitat is going to shrink and fragment by tree-line shifts and change in hydrology of the area. Vegetative modification of montane flora and competition with domestic goats will create its prey's population to decline along with a chance of a direct conflict and competition with the common leopard. Common leopard being more adaptable, grouped, and larger in size can be a significant stressor for a smaller and solitary snow leopard. Habitat would shrink, and snow leopard can possibly move upslope or northward to central Asian ranges and their predicted migratory patterns are unknown.

O leopardo-das-neves (Panthera uncia) é um felídeo que vive nas áreas altamente acidentadas das regiões alpinas, em diferentes cadeias de montanhas do sul e do centro da Ásia. A revisão atual tem o objetivo de abordar a questão da possível perda de hábitat do leopardo da neve em razão da interferência humana nas montanhas do sul e do centro da Ásia. Esse animal solitário precisa de grandes espaços para suas faixas, mas, devido às mudanças climáticas e à taxa relativamente mais rápida de aquecimento global nas cadeias montanhosas do sul da Ásia, seu hábitat vai encolher e fragmentar-se por mudanças nas linhas de árvores e na hidrologia da área. Este artigo teve o objetivo de rever vários estudos sobre os impactos das mudanças climáticas em um futuro próximo e distante sobre os hábitats do leopardo-da-neve. O estudo revelou que a modificação vegetativa da flora da montanha e a competição com cabras domésticas poderiam ocasionar na diminuição da população de suas presas, com a chance de um conflito direto e competição com leopardo comum. Leopardo comum sendo mais adaptável, agrupado e maior em tamanho pode ser um estressor significativo para um leopardo-da-neve menor e solitário. Conclusão: devido ao encolhimento do hábitat, o leopardo-da-neve pode, possivelmente, mover-se para cima ou para o norte, para faixas da Ásia Central com padrões migratórios não previstos.

Ecological impacts of climate change on the snow leopard (Panthera unica) in South Asia

Abstract Snow leopard (Panthera unica) is a felid which lives in the highly rugged areas of alpine regions in different mountain ranges of South and Central Asia. This solitary animal needs large spaces for its ranges but due to climate change and relatively faster rate of global warming in South Asian mountain ranges, its habitat is going to shrink and fragment by tree-line shifts and change in hydrology of the area. Vegetative modification of montane flora and competition with domestic goats will create its preys population to decline along with a chance of a direct conflict and competition with the common leopard. Common leopard being more adaptable, grouped, and larger in size can be a significant stressor for a smaller and solitary snow leopard. Habitat would shrink, and snow leopard can possibly move upslope or northward to central Asian ranges and their predicted migratory patterns are unknown.

Resumo O leopardo-das-neves (Panthera uncia) é um felídeo que vive nas áreas altamente acidentadas das regiões alpinas, em diferentes cadeias de montanhas do sul e do centro da Ásia. A revisão atual tem o objetivo de abordar a questão da possível perda de hábitat do leopardo da neve em razão da interferência humana nas montanhas do sul e do centro da Ásia. Esse animal solitário precisa de grandes espaços para suas faixas, mas, devido às mudanças climáticas e à taxa relativamente mais rápida de aquecimento global nas cadeias montanhosas do sul da Ásia, seu hábitat vai encolher e fragmentar-se por mudanças nas linhas de árvores e na hidrologia da área. Este artigo teve o objetivo de rever vários estudos sobre os impactos das mudanças climáticas em um futuro próximo e distante sobre os hábitats do leopardo-da-neve. O estudo revelou que a modificação vegetativa da flora da montanha e a competição com cabras domésticas poderiam ocasionar na diminuição da população de suas presas, com a chance de um conflito direto e competição com leopardo comum. Leopardo comum sendo mais adaptável, agrupado e maior em tamanho pode ser um estressor significativo para um leopardo-da-neve menor e solitário. Conclusão: devido ao encolhimento do hábitat, o leopardo-da-neve pode, possivelmente, mover-se para cima ou para o norte, para faixas da Ásia Central com padrões migratórios não previstos.