Distribution patterns and potential suitable habitat prediction of Ceracris kiangsu (Orthoptera: Arcypteridae) under climate change- a case study of China and Southeast Asia.

Ceracris kiangsu (Orthoptera: Arcypteridae), is greatly affected by climatic factors and exhibits strong adaptability, posing a serious threat to the ecological environment. Therefore, predicting its potential suitable habitat distribution provides a proactive theoretical basis for pest control. This study using the Biomod2 package of R simulated and predicted the current and future potential distribution, area changes, changes in the center points of suitable habitats, and niche shifts of C. kiangsu under two different greenhouse gas emission scenarios, SSP1-26 and SSP5-85. The results show that: (1) Currently, the high suitability areas for C. kiangsu are mainly distributed in Yunnan, Jiangxi, Hunan provinces in southern China and phongsaly province in northern Laos. In the future, the center of the suitable habitat distribution pattern of C. kiangsu will remain unchanged, primarily expanding outward from medium and high suitability areas. Additionally, significant suitable habitats for C. kiangsu were discovered in Southeast Asian countries without previous pest records. (2) Compared to the present, the overall suitable habitat area for C. kiangsu is expected to expand, particularly under the SSP5-85 climate change scenario. (3) In the SSP1-26 and SSP5-85 climate scenarios, the geometric center of the suitable habitat generally shows a trend of gradually shifting northeast. (4) Under different climate scenarios, the suitable habitat of C. kiangsu has highly overlapping, indicating that the suitable habitat of C. kiangsu in the invaded areas is broader than in its native regions. In conclusion, the research findings represent a breakthrough in identifying the potential distribution areas of C. kiangsu, which is of great practical significance for the monitoring and control of C. kiangsu pest infestation in China and Southeast Asian countries.

Organisational models for managing Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs) in the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) nations: protocol for a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The current literature suggests that the frequency and complexity of public health emergencies are rising and this trend will likely continue. From 2000 to 2023, seven events have been declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO). Organisational models such as the Incident Management System, Incident Response System and Incident Command System or country-specific models are essential in managing PHEIC.The review aims to achieve four key objectives. First, identify and describe the organisational models used in the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) nations defined by WHO as Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste and DPR Korea for managing PHEICs. Second, explore the indicators used to gauge the effectiveness of these models. Third, assess how these indicators impact the overall success of organisational models. Finally, the review will delve into the implementation aspects gaining a deeper understanding of how the organisational models are put into practice to manage PHEICs in the SEAR region. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines, a qualitative evidence synthesis will be conducted. A defined search strategy will be employed to conduct a comprehensive literature search of the following academic databases: PubMed (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane CENTRAL, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, WHO Library Database, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and Web of Science; as well as non-academic databases including Google Scholar, Evidence Aid, Epistemonikos, Shodhganga and ResearchGate. This review will employ the SPIDER-D tool for searching qualitative studies. Two reviewers will check the quality of included studies and will be appraised using standard critical appraisal tools. In case of any difference between the two reviewers, a third reviewer will take the decision. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval is required. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated through a workshop for stakeholders and policymakers. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023394418.

Incidence and Prognostic Values in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Low Expression Metastatic Breast Cancer in Southeast Asian Population: A 10-Year Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer progression varies across molecular subtypes, and treatment options for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low expression tumors are limited compared with those of HER2 overexpression tumors. Comprehensive information regarding the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of metastatic HER2-low expression breast cancer in a Southeast Asian population is lacking. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze data from patients with de novo advanced breast cancer, including HER2 expression, tumor stage, and metastatic pattern. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and survival analyses, were used to compare HER2-low expression and HER2-negative groups. RESULTS: Of the 491 patients, 21.2% had HER2-low expression, 30% had HER2 overexpression, and 50% had HER2-negative expression. Among the hormone receptor (HR)-positive patients, 34% had HER2-low expression; in the triple-negative patients, the HER2-low incidence was 20.6%. No significant differences in clinical characteristics between HER2-low and HER2-negative groups were observed, except for more HR-positive patients in the HER2-low group. HER2-low patients had a longer overall survival (OS) than HER2-negative patients (43 v 23 months; hazard ratio, 0.7; P < .001), especially in HR-positive patients. After adjusting for HR status, HER2-low patients maintained improved outcomes. HR-positive HER2-low patients showed nonsignificant OS gains compared with HR-positive HER2-negative patients, regardless of first-line chemotherapy or endocrine therapy. CONCLUSION: This study revealed the incidence and clinical outcomes of HER2-low expression in de novo advanced breast cancer, suggesting favorable outcomes, particularly in HR-positive breast cancer. These findings may inform personalized treatment strategies. Further research into the mechanisms and implications of HER2-low expression in breast cancer is required.

Regional and National Trends in Tuberculosis Research in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Countries: Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Machine Learning Factorial Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The number of tuberculosis (TB)-related morbidities and mortalities is still high in the South-east Asian region. This study was performed to characterize and visualize the post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) TB research in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). METHODS: The Web of Science Core Collection database was utilized. A total of 4822 documents were included in the final analysis according to the predefined eligibility criteria. The data were exported to the R package and VOSviewer software for factorial analysis and network visualization, respectively. RESULTS: The included documents were published in English between 2020 and 2024 in 1255 journals. These documents were authored by 17005 authors (3.53 authors/document). The authors collaboration index was noticed 3.61. In total, 74.16% documents were published as the article. The highest number of documents were published in 2022 (n = 1089). The documents published in 2020 received the highest number of mean total citations per article (n = 8.64). The most published journal was Cureus Journal of Medical Science (n = 228). The most prolific author was Gupta A (n = 115). The most active institution was the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (n = 587). The top most trending topics were Mycobacterium tuberculosis, TB elimination, molecular docking, extrapulmonary TB, Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test, and multidrug resistance. India was the most productive country and had the strongest research collaboration with the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), and South Africa. Pakistan was mainly collaborating with the USA, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and China. The India and Pakistan collaboration was observed only in 66 documents. CONCLUSION: There is a poor output of scientific publication on TB in most SAARC countries. However, it is recognized that India has produced the highest number of scientific publications. The detection of undiagnosed post-COVID-19 pandemic TB cases is crucial to control further cases in the region. An effective regional cooperation should be established among institutions, universities, and countries to achieve the World Health Organization End TB goals.

Challenges of regulating commercial use of marine elapid snakes in the Indo-Pacific.

Marine elapid snakes are a diverse, predominantly Indo-West Pacific species group. The persistent removal of some species has an unquantified but potentially dire impact on populations. We conducted the first comprehensive review of the trade in marine elapid snakes based on published literature (1974-2022) and trade data from the only species (i.e., Hydrophis [Lapemis] curtus) whose trade is monitored internationally. Some species and populations were subjected to targeted harvest for their meat and skins for at least the last century; fisheries are possibly the most significant threat to populations of marine elapids, with the highest numbers being exploited either accidentally, incidentally, or opportunistically in Southeast Asian fisheries targeting other seafood, including demersal trawl and squid fisheries. Southeast Asia is the core region for exploitation of marine elapids. Annual offtake is >225,000 individuals of at least 8 species in the Gulf of Thailand. Of 72 recognized marine elapids (all non-CITES [Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora] species), Hydrophis curtus and Hydrophis cyanocinctus dominate the skin trade. Skins of H. curtus are traded mainly in East and Southeast Asia and, to some extent, Europe. Despite some baseline information on the trade of these species, the sustainability of their harvests, particularly in the context of the burgeoning and unmanaged nature of fisheries in the region, remains the major challenge. In an era of declining fish stocks, there has been an increasing trend to commercialize the harvest and use marine elapids that were once considered accidental bycatch and discarded. This trend will continue to pose a significant risk to these snakes unless appropriate fisheries and trade regulations are enforced. Applying the precautionary principle to prevent the overexploitation of sea snakes is an indispensable measure in which trade in regional populations should be regulated through CITES. Accordingly, management plans to identify core distribution regions of exploited species would be crucial for assigning national responsibilities to sustain species and populations in the long term.

Retos para la regulación del uso comercial de serpientes elápidas marinas en el Indo­Pacífico Resumen Las serpientes elápidas marinas son un grupo diverso de especies, predominante en el Indo­Pacífico Occidental. La eliminación persistente de algunas especies tiene un impacto no cuantificado pero potencialmente negativo sobre las poblaciones. Realizamos la primera revisión exhaustiva del comercio de serpientes elápidas marinas con base en la bibliografía publicada (1974­2022) y en los datos comerciales de la única especie (Hydrophis [Lapemis] curtus) cuyo mercado tiene monitoreo internacional. Algunas especies y poblaciones fueron objeto de capturas selectivas por su carne y pieles durante al menos el siglo pasado, las pesquerías son posiblemente la amenaza más importante para las poblaciones de elápidos marinos, ya que el mayor número se explota de forma accidental, incidental u oportunista en las pesquerías del sudeste asiático enfocadas en otros mariscos, incluidas las pesquerías demersales de arrastre y de calamar. El sudeste asiático es la principal región de explotación de elápidos marinos. La captura anual es >225,000 individuos de al menos ocho especies en el Golfo de Tailandia. De los 72 elápidos marinos reconocidos (ninguna especie está en CITES [Convención sobre el Comercio Internacional de Especies Amenazadas de Fauna y Flora Silvestres]), Hydrophis curtus e H. cyanocinctus dominan el mercado de pieles. La piel de H. curtus se comercializa principalemnte en el este y sudeste asiático y, hasta cierto punto, en Europa. Aunque se dispone de cierta información de referencia sobre el comercio de estas especies, la sostenibilidad de sus capturas, sobre todo en el contexto del auge y la falta de gestión de la pesca en la región, sigue siendo el principal reto. En una época de disminución de las poblaciones de peces, ha aumentado la tendencia a comercializar la captura y el uso de elápidos marinos que antes se consideraban capturas accidentales y se descartaban. Esta tendencia seguirá representando un riesgo importante para estas serpientes a menos que se apliquen las regulaciones pesqueras y comerciales adecuadas. La aplicación del principio de precaución para evitar la sobreexplotación de las serpientes marinas es una medida indispensable para regular el comercio de las poblaciones regionales a través de CITES. Por lo tanto, los planes de gestión para identificar las regiones núcleo de distribución de las especies explotadas serían cruciales para asignar responsabilidades nacionales para mantener las especies y las poblaciones a largo plazo.

Composition, pharmacology, and pathophysiology of the venom of monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia)- a medically crucial venomous snake of southeast Asia: An updated review.

The Monocled Cobra (Naja kaouthia), a category one medically significant snake from the Elapidae family, inflicts severe envenomation in South and Southeast Asian countries. N. kaouthia is distributed throughout the eastern and northeastern parts of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and southwestern China. Envenomation by N. kaouthia is a medical emergency, and the primary clinical symptoms are neurotoxicity and localized tissue destruction. Unfortunately, data on the actual magnitude of N. kaouthia envenomation is scarce due to poor record keeping, lack of diagnostic kits, and region-wise well-coordinated epidemiological surveys. The present review highlights the diversity in the composition of N. Kaouthia venom (NKV) across various geographical regions, as revealed through biochemical and proteomic analyses. The qualitative and quantitative differences in the toxin isoforms result in differences in lethality and pathophysiological manifestation that may limit the effectiveness of antivenom therapy. Studies on commercial polyvalent antivenom (PAV) effectiveness against distinct NKV samples have revealed varying toxicity and enzymatic activity neutralization. Additionally, the identification of snake venom's poorly immunogenic toxins by mass spectrometry, quantification of venom-specific antibodies, and implications for antivenom therapy against snakebites are highlighted. Future directions involve clinical studies on NK envenomation where the snake is frequently encountered and the correlation of this data with NKV composition in that region. For more efficient and superior hospital management of NK envenomation, research should enhance the current immunization procedure to boost the development of antibodies against less immunogenic venom components of this snake.

Phylogenetic evidence clarifies the history of the extrusion of Indochina.

The southeastward extrusion of Indochina along the Ailao Shan-Red River shear zone (ARSZ) is one of two of the most prominent consequences of the India-Asia collision. This plate-scale extrusion has greatly changed Southeast Asian topography and drainage patterns and effected regional climate and biotic evolution. However, little is known about how Indochina was extruded toward the southeast over time. Here, we sampled 42 plant and animal clades (together encompassing 1,721 species) that are distributed across the ARSZ and are not expected to disperse across long distances. We first assess the possible role of climate on driving the phylogenetic separations observed across the ARSZ. We then investigate the temporal dynamics of the extrusion of Indochina through a multitaxon analysis. We show that the lineage divergences across the ARSZ were most likely associated with the Indochinese extrusion rather than climatic events. The lineage divergences began at ~53 Ma and increased sharply ~35 Ma, with two peaks at ~19 Ma and ~7 Ma, and one valley at ~13 Ma. Our results suggest a two-phase model for the extrusion of Indochina, and in each phase, the extrusion was subject to periods of acceleration and decrease, in agreement with the changes of the India-Asia convergence rate and angle from the early Eocene to the late Miocene. This study highlights that a multitaxon analysis can illuminate the timing of subtle historical events that may be difficult for geological data to pinpoint and can be used to explore other tectonic events.

Ecological Changes Exacerbating the Spread of Invasive Ticks has Driven the Dispersal of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus Throughout Southeast Asia.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a tick-borne virus recognized by the World Health Organization as an emerging infectious disease of growing concern. Utilizing phylodynamic and phylogeographic methods, we have reconstructed the origin and transmission patterns of SFTSV lineages and the roles demographic, ecological, and climatic factors have played in shaping its emergence and spread throughout Asia. Environmental changes and fluctuations in tick populations, exacerbated by the widespread use of pesticides, have contributed significantly to its geographic expansion. The increased adaptability of Lineage L2 strains to the Haemaphysalis longicornis vector has facilitated the dispersal of SFTSV through Southeast Asia. Increased surveillance and proactive measures are needed to prevent further spread to Australia, Indonesia, and North America.

Prison mental health in South-East Asia: A narrative review.

BACKGROUND: South-East Asia is a densely populated region with a considerable, however, under-prioritized mental health burden. Little is known about the mental health burden and services status in the prisons of the region. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the individual country-wise prison mental health status in South-East Asian region. METHODS: We performed a narrative review based on the evidence available in PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Google, and Google Scholar considering the review objectives. We highlighted country perspectives on total population, prison numbers, prisoner numbers, the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and suicide among prisoners, prison mental health services, current challenges, and ways ahead. RESULTS: We discussed the prison mental health of five countries (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka). We found overcrowding (131.4%-215.6%) in the prisons, a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the prisons (40%-100%), negligible prison mental health services, and a lack of data on prison suicide with some variations among the five countries. Among the countries, Bangladesh has the highest prevalence (66.4%-100%) of psychiatric morbidity with an absence of a mental health system. CONCLUSIONS: Prison mental health in tSouth-East Asia is a neglected domain and warrants attention regarding ensuring adequate mental health services to the prisoners as there are high unmet mental health needs and an absence of poorly supported mental health needs.

"OpenWHO" SEARO NCD PEN-HEARTS Courses: Training 10000 Health Care Providers in 100 Countries in 100 Days.

Enhancing health-care workforce capacity in primary care settings is critical for delivering quality care to individuals with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Despite significant resources allocated to traditional face-to-face training methods, challenges persist in terms of scale, coverage, training material standards, and availability of trainers across different domains. Self-paced learning through an accessible platform with evaluation is a feasible option to overcome these challenges. Taking advantage of the technology and reach of the OpenWHO platform, the WHO South-East Asia Region developed four SEARO NCD PEN-HEARTS courses. Content was adapted from WHO guidance to low- or middle-income countries context. These courses cover NCD service planning, primary health-care interventions, diabetic foot care, and palliative care. The courses target primary health-care managers tasked with planning, training, implementing, and monitoring NCD health services. This is the first set of OpenWHO courses on NCD services for primary health-care launched on October 26, 2023. Courses were rolled out through WHO country offices in SEAR. WHO staff in HQ and regions were also informed. SEAnetNCD network which includes 10 institutions from eight countries of Southeast Asia, with more than 100 members were appraised of the courses through a web-based meeting. In addition, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp groups were used extensively. We observed a high level of interest and uptake for the courses. Within 100 days, the four courses had 18,250 enrolments with 12,090 unique users. More than 75% of users were in the 20-39 age group and covered diverse areas of work, ranging from health professionals, students, public health experts, national health ministries, and United Nations staff. Over 7,000 certificates have been awarded through graded assessments with average scores of 75%. Such courses of short duration focusing on specific skills and built with WHO guidance can be a solution to addressing gaps in capacity building.

Outbreak response capacity of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network across WHO's South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network's (GOARN) mechanism used to rapidly deploy technical support for international responses and highlighted areas that require strengthened capacity within the Network. GOARN's partners in the World Health Organization's (WHO) South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions were engaged to explore their levels of preparedness, readiness and ability to respond to international public health emergencies. Methods: Consultative discussions were held and a survey was conducted with GOARN's partners from the two WHO regions. Discussion topics included partners' capacity to support and participate in a GOARN deployment, training, research and collaboration. Descriptive and content analyses were conducted. Results: Barriers to engaging in GOARN's international outbreak response efforts included limited numbers of personnel trained to respond to outbreaks; institutional, financial and administrative hurdles; and limited collaboration opportunities. Partners identified innovative solutions that could strengthen their engagement with deployment, such as financial subsidies, mentorship for less experienced staff, and the ability to provide remote support. Discussion: GOARN plays an important role in enabling WHO to fulfil its international alert and response duties during disease outbreaks and humanitarian crises that have the potential to spark disease outbreaks. Yet without systematic improvement to strengthen national outbreak capacity and regional connectedness, support for international outbreak responses may remain limited. Thus, it is necessary to integrate novel approaches to support international deployments, as identified in this study.

Systematic review of bovine and zoonotic tuberculosis in the Western Pacific and the Southeast Asia regions of the World Health Organization.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide. We conducted this systematic review to understand the distribution of bovine and zoonotic tuberculosis in the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Southeast Asia Region (SEAR) and Western Pacific Region (WPR) to inform our understanding of the risk posed by this disease. Methods: A two-pronged strategy was used by evaluating data from peer-reviewed literature and official reports. A systematic search was conducted using a structured query in four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Medline, and PubMed) to identify any reports of the occurrence of zoonotic TB. No language and time constraints were used during the search, but non-English language articles were later excluded. The official data were sourced from the World Organization for Animal Health's (WOAH) World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) and WHO's global TB database. Results: The retrieved records from SEAR and WPR (n = 113) were screened for eligibility, and data about disease occurrence were extracted and tabulated. In SEAR, all of the five studies that conducted Mycobacterium speciation (5/6) in humans were from India, and the reported Mycobacterium species included M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. scrofulacium, M. kansasii, M. phlei, M. smegmatis and M. orygis. In WPR, Mycobacterium speciation investigations in humans were conducted in Australia (8), China (2), Japan (2), NewZealand (2) and Malaysia (1), and the reported Mycobacterium species included M. bovis, M. africanum and M. tuberculosis. Seven countries in WHO's SEAR have officially reported the occurrence of Mycobacterium bovis in their animals: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. In WPR, the WAHIS information system includes reports of the identification of M. bovis from 11 countries - China, Fiji, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Tonga and Viet Nam. In contrast, human zoonotic TB cases in the WHO database were only listed from Australia, Brunei Darussalam and Palau countries. Discussion: The available data suggests under-reporting of zoonotic TB in the regions. Efforts are required to strengthen zoonotic TB surveillance systems from both animal and human health sides to better understand the impact of zoonotic TB in order to take appropriate action to achieve the goal of ending the TB epidemic.

The Elimination Status of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Southeast Asia Region.

PURPOSE: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by an intracellular parasite that is transmitted to humans by sandfly bites. It is prevalent throughout Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Mediterranean area, where 147 million people are at risk of contracting the illness. The manifestation of heterotrophic illness relies on both Leishmania implicated and the host's immunological response, ranging from asymptomatic to severe leishmaniasis with potentially lethal effects. METHOD: We reviewed the literature (published till 31st December 2023) on the worldwide situation of leishmaniasis, standard and novel detection techniques, and traditional and modern treatment strategies and endeavors to eliminate VL. Moreover, epidemiological data was collected from the World Health Organization's publicly available databases. GraphPad Prism Version 8 was used to analyze and produce figures based on the epidemiological data. RESULTS: Diagnosis of parasites in tissues or serology is commonly employed. Diagnosis by identifying parasite DNA using molecular techniques is becoming more popular. Despite recent findings of L. donovani resistance to pentavalent antimoniate medications, it continues to be the cornerstone in the medical management of VL. Amphotericin B and its lipid formulations, injectable paromomycin, and oral miltefosine are among the new therapy options being researched. The number of reported VL cases has reduced remarkably over the last decade due to human interventions made to eliminate VL. Particularly countries from the South East Asian region have experienced momentous progress in reducing VL cases and eliminating this disease from this region. Owing to the robust elimination programs, countries such as Bangladesh has eliminated VL as a public health concern. India and Nepal are on the verge of its elimination. CONCLUSION: Rapid diagnosis, effective and inexpensive treatment, simple access to newly discovered medications, appropriate vector control, and a well-designed vaccine are all required for the elimination of this disease burden in impoverished areas of the globe.

A scoping review on socioeconomic factors affecting tuberculosis loss to follow-up in Southeast Asia.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) is a global public health issue. The Southeast Asian region grapples with numerous challenges in TB management, with loss to follow-up (LTFU) emerging as a critical barrier to effective control of the disease. This review synthesised published articles to identify socioeconomic factors contributing to the burden of TB losses for follow-up in Southeast Asia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This scoping review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). A total of 10 studies were identified as eligible from the title and abstract review. The mixed method quality appraisal tool (MMAT) version 2018 was used to assess the quality of the included quantitative studies. RESULTS: The results showed that poverty, unemployment, low education levels, migrant status, community support, male gender, substance abuse, and regional disparities significantly impact the occurrence of TB LTFU in Southeast Asia. CONCLUSION: The findings have significant implications for public health in Southeast Asia. Addressing these socioeconomic barriers through community-based strategies, educational initiatives, and policy reforms is vital for improving treatment outcomes and overall public health.

Content analysis of policy documents related to non-communicable diseases prevention and control in Sri Lanka: a developing country in the South-East Asia.

Background: Health policies form the foundation for provisioning best level care and are important for all stakeholders including patients and healthcare providers. Health policy analysis and evaluation allows policy makers to improve an existing policy, terminate a non-effective policy and to successfully implement future policies.The objective was to assess the coherence between the two local policy documents on NCD prevention and control in Sri Lanka, the national NCD policy (NCD policy) and the multisectoral action plan (MSAP), and to assess the consistency of MSAP with the global action plan for NCDs. Methods: The content analysis of the NCD policy and MSAP of Sri Lanka was conducted based on the modified criteria developed to the 'Analysis of determinants of policy impact' model, by two reviewers independently. Coherence between MSAP and the global NCD action plan were also assessed by two reviewers independently. Consensus for discrepancy was achieved through discussion. Results: Accessibility was the strongest criteria for the NCD policy, while, resources and obligations were the weakest. Goals and monitoring and evaluation criteria were the strongest in the MSAP. Requirement for improvement were identified in policy background, goals, monitoring and evaluation, and public opportunities for the NCD policy. Accessibility, policy background, resources, public opportunities and obligations require further improvement in the MSAP. The MSAP is well coherent with the global road map for NCD prevention and control. Conclusion: Policy documents related to NCD prevention and control in Sri Lanka are coherent with the global action plan, while, there are areas within the local policy documents that need to be improved to enhance the coherence between the local documents. Lessons learnt by this activity need to be utilized by Sri Lanka and other countries to improve the uniformity between the NCD policy documents within the country as well as internationally.

Transboundary viral diseases of pigs, poultry and ruminants in Southeast Asia: a systematic review.

Livestock is a strategic part of the small-farm economy in Southeast Asia's society, providing food income, clothing, fertilizer, and draught power. However, incidences or outbreaks of transboundary animal diseases (TADs) are due to converging factors such as the natural hazards' aftermath, climate change, deforestation, urban growth, changing production conditions, and market chains. Therefore, this affects productivity and impacts farmers' livelihoods with small holdings. The literature review was carried out to understand the current situation of TADs in Southeast Asia, identifying knowledge gaps to provide actions for disease control and prevention in the region. We have attempted to summarise the scientific literature in English on the prevalence data of TADs in Southeast Asia between 2011 and March 2022. Relatively few studies evaluated the distribution of TAD, where most of the studies focused on diseases that are important for international trade, such as avian influenza (AI), African swine fever (ASF), classical swine fever (CSF), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and Newcastle disease (ND). Traditional production systems have received little attention in such studies as they belonged to mainly smallholders. The outbreaks of ASF and lumpy skin disease (LSD) in 2019 resulted in increased research activity between 2019-2022, while the other TADs were ignored in this period. For new emerging TADs diseases such as ASF and LSD, there is only information about the first detection without prevalence information. Therefore, further epidemiological investigations are necessary to reduce the gaps in disease surveillance reporting systems and support the prevention and reduction of further outbreaks.

Isolation, genome analysis and tissue localization of Ceratobasidium theobromae, a new encounter pathogen of cassava in Southeast Asia.

In Southeast Asia (SEA) fastidious fungi of the Ceratobasidium genus are associated with proliferation of sprouts and vascular necrosis in cacao and cassava, crops that were introduced from the tropical Americas to this region. Here, we report the isolation and in vitro culture of a Ceratobasidium sp. isolated from cassava with symptoms of witches' broom disease (CWBD), a devastating disease of this crop in SEA. The genome characterization using a hybrid assembly strategy identifies the fungus as an isolate of the species C. theobromae, the causal agent of vascular streak dieback of cacao in SEA. Both fungi have a genome size > 31 Mb (G+C content 49%), share > 98% nucleotide identity of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and > 94% in genes used for species-level identification. Using RNAscope® we traced the pathogen and confirmed its irregular distribution in the xylem and epidermis along the cassava stem, which explains the obtention of healthy planting material from symptom-free parts of a diseased plant. These results are essential for understanding the epidemiology of CWBD, as a basis for disease management including measures to prevent further spread and minimize the risk of introducing C. theobromae via long-distance movement of cassava materials to Africa and the Americas.

Factors affecting behavioral intentions of farmers in Southeast Asia to technology adoption: A systematic review analysis.

Agriculture remains one of the most vital economic sectors in Southeast Asia. However, the progress of this sector has been hindered by small-scale production, limited technology application, decreasing agricultural land size and quality, climate change, rapid urbanization, low productivity, and aging farmers. Technology adoption by rural farmers is still lacking, and the factors affecting farmers' behavioral intentions are still unclear, especially in Southeast Asia. Therefore, this study aims to determine the factors affecting behavioral intentions toward technology adoption among rural Southeast Asian farmers. A systematic literature review was performed to determine the factors affecting behavioral attention to technology adoption among smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia. Approximately 18 related studies were found based on the systematic review. According to the results of the study, farmers' behavioral intentions toward technology adoption can be classified as internal factors or external factors. Internal factors explain behavior, while external factors explain household, institutional, technological, social, and economic factors. The review revealed 21 factors categorized into five subthemes: household-specific factors, institutional factors, economic factors, technology factors, and behavior factors. This study is important because agriculture remains one of the most vital and pillar economic sectors in Southeast Asia. In addition, it has become a guideline for determining farmers' behavioral intentions toward the adoption of new agricultural technology.