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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

Challenges for ticks and tick-borne diseases research in Southeast Asia: Insight from the first international symposium in Cambodia.

BACKGROUND: Ticks, as critical vectors of a variety of pathogens, pose a significant public health challenge globally. In Southeast Asia (SEA), ticks are responsible for transmitting a diverse array of pathogens affecting humans and animals. The geographical and ecological diversity of SEA provides a unique environment that supports a wide range of tick species, which complicates the management and study of tick-borne diseases (TBDs). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This article synthesizes findings from the first international symposium on ticks and TBDs in Southeast Asia, held in Phnom Penh on June 22 and 23, 2023. It highlights regional efforts to understand tick ecology and pathogen transmission. This paper proposes to present a summary of the various presentations given during the symposium following 3 main parts. The first one is devoted to the state of knowledge regarding ticks and TBDs in SEA countries, with presentations from 6 different countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The second part focuses on the development of new research approaches on tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) and TBDs. The last part is a summary of the round table discussion held on the final day, with the aim of defining the most important challenges and recommendations for researches on TBP and TBD in the SEA region. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Key topics discussed include advancements in diagnostic tools, such as MALDI-TOF MS and proteomics, and the development of sustainable strategies for tick management and disease prevention. The symposium facilitated the exchange of knowledge and collaborative networks among experts from various disciplines, promoting a unified approach to tackling TBDs in the region. The symposium underscored the need for enhanced surveillance, diagnostics, and inter-regional cooperation to manage the threat of TBDs effectively. Recommendations include the establishment of a regional database for tick identification and the expansion of vector competence studies. These initiatives are crucial for developing targeted interventions and understanding the broader implications of climate change and urbanization on the prevalence of TBDs.

Ecotourism and mangrove conservation in Southeast Asia: Current trends and perspectives.

Mangroves in Southeast Asia provide numerous supporting, provisioning, regulating, and cultural services that are crucial to the environment and local livelihoods since they support biodiversity conservation and climate change resilience. However, Southeast Asia mangroves face deforestation threats from the expansion of commercial aquaculture, agriculture, and urban development, along with climate change-related natural processes. Ecotourism has gained prominence as a financial incentive tool to support mangrove conservation and restoration. Through a systematic literature review approach, we examined the relationships between ecotourism and mangrove conservation in Southeast Asia based on scientific papers published from 2010 to 2022. Most of the studies were reported in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, respectively, which were associated with the highest number of vibrant mangrove ecotourism sites and largest mangrove areas compared to the other countries of Southeast Asia. Mangrove-related ecotourism activities in the above countries mainly include boat tours, bird and wildlife watching, mangrove planting, kayaking, eating seafood, and snorkeling. The economic benefits, such as an increase in income associated with mangrove ecotourism, have stimulated infrastructural development in ecotourism destinations. Local communities benefited from increased access to social amenities such as clean water, electricity, transportation networks, schools, and health services that are intended to make destinations more attractive to tourists. Economic benefits from mangrove ecotourism motivated the implementation of several community-based mangrove conservation and restoration initiatives, which attracted international financial incentives and public-private partnerships. Since mangroves are mostly located on the land occupied by indigenous people and local communities, ensuring respect for their land rights and equity in economic benefit sharing may increase their intrinsic motivation and participation in mangrove restoration and conservation initiatives. Remote sensing tools for mangrove monitoring, evaluation, and reporting, and integrated education and awareness campaigns can ensure the long-term conservation of mangroves while sustaining ecotourism's economic infrastructure and social amenities benefits.

Exploring the uses of digital health in palliative care in Southeast Asia.

BACKGROUND: This integrative review explores the use of digital health technologies in palliative care within Southeast Asia. Despite extensive documentation of digital health in palliative care in Western nations, its application in Southeast Asia remains underdeveloped. METHOD: The review includes a total of four papers meeting the eligibility criteria. FINDINGS: The findings reveal limited studies of digital health adoption in palliative care. Key technologies include mobile health applications, electronic health records and telemedicine platforms. Challenges, such as health inequities, data security and the need for technology validation were identified. The review underscores the necessity for region-specific research to address these challenges and improve the integration of digital health in palliative care. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the potential of digital health to enhance palliative care delivery and patient outcomes in Southeast Asia, advocating for increased adoption and tailored implementation strategies.

Preventable Deaths Attributable to Second-Hand Smoke in Southeast Asia-Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Objectives: In addition to harms caused to individuals who smoke, second-hand smoke (SHS or passive smoke) is an important public health issue. We aim to estimate the extent of preventable deaths due to tobacco and SHS exposure in Southeast Asia. Methods: Data were from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. We analysed data from Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. Results: In 2019, there were 728,500 deaths attributable to tobacco in Southeast Asia, with 128,200 deaths attributed to SHS exposure. The leading causes of preventable deaths were ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer. Among deaths attributable to tobacco, females had higher proportions of deaths attributable to SHS exposure than males in Southeast Asia. Conclusion: The burden of preventable deaths in a year due to SHS exposure in Southeast Asia is substantial. The implementation and enforcement of smoke-free policies should be prioritized to reduce the disease burden attributed to passive smoking in Southeast Asia.

Understanding the factors related to how East and Southeast Asian immigrant youth and families access mental health and substance use services: A scoping review.

The objective of the review is to identify factors related to how East and Southeast Asian immigrant youth aged 12-24 and their families access mental health and substance use (MHSU) services. To address how East and Southeast Asian youth and their families access mental health and substance use services, a scoping review was conducted to identify studies in these databases: PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), PsychINFO, CINAHL, and Sociology Collection. Qualitative content analysis was used to deductively identify themes and was guided by Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, the process-person-context-time (PPCT) model, and the five dimensions of care accessibility (approachability, acceptability, availability and accommodation, appropriateness, affordability). Seventy-three studies met the inclusion criteria. The dimensions of healthcare accessibility shaped the following themes: 1) Acceptability; 2) Appropriateness; 3) Approachability; 4) Availability and Accommodation. Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and the PPCT model informed the development of the following themes: 1) Immediate Environment/Proximal Processes (Familial Factors, Relationships with Peers; 2) Context (School-Based Services/Community Resources, Discrimination, Prevention, Virtual Care); 3) Person (Engagement in Services/Treatment/Research, Self-management); 4) Time (Immigration Status). The study suggests that there is a growing body of research (21 studies) focused on identifying acceptability factors, including Asian cultural values and the model minority stereotype impacting how East and Southeast Asian immigrant youth access MHSU services. This review also highlighted familial factors (16 studies), including family conflict, lack of MHSU literacy, reliance on family as support, and family-based interventions, as factors affecting how East and Southeast Asian immigrant youth access MHSU care. However, the study also highlighted a dearth of research examining how East and Southeast Asian youth with diverse identities access MHSU services. This review emphasizes the factors related to the access to MHSU services by East and Southeast Asian immigrant youth and families while providing insights that will improve cultural safety.

Identification of Southeast Asian Anopheles mosquito species using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Malaria elimination in Southeast Asia remains a challenge, underscoring the importance of accurately identifying malaria mosquitoes to understand transmission dynamics and improve vector control. Traditional methods such as morphological identification require extensive training and cannot distinguish between sibling species, while molecular approaches are costly for extensive screening. Matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has emerged as a rapid and cost-effective tool for Anopheles species identification, yet its current use is limited to few specialized laboratories. This study aimed to develop and validate an online reference database for MALDI-TOF MS identification of Southeast Asian Anopheles species. The database, constructed using the in-house data analysis pipeline MSI2 (Sorbonne University), comprised 2046 head mass spectra from 209 specimens collected at the Thailand-Myanmar border. Molecular identification via COI and ITS2 DNA barcodes enabled the identification of 20 sensu stricto species and 5 sibling species complexes. The high quality of the mass spectra was demonstrated by a MSI2 median score (min-max) of 61.62 (15.94-77.55) for correct answers, using the best result of four technical replicates of a test panel. Applying an identification threshold of 45, 93.9% (201/214) of the specimens were identified, with 98.5% (198/201) consistency with the molecular taxonomic assignment. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS holds promise for malaria mosquito identification and can be scaled up for entomological surveillance in Southeast Asia. The free online sharing of our database on the MSI2 platform (https://msi.happy-dev.fr/) represents an important step towards the broader use of MALDI-TOF MS in malaria vector surveillance.