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Background: The importance of evidence-informed health policymaking is widely recognized. However, many low- and middle-income countries lack evidence-informed mental health policies due to insufficient data, stigma or lack of resources. Various policies address adolescent mental health in India, but published knowledge on their evidence-informed nature is limited. In this paper, we report results of our analysis of the role of evidence in adolescent mental health policymaking in India. Methods: This paper reports findings from the document analysis of key policy documentation (n = 10) and in-depth interviews with policy actors including policymakers, researchers, practitioners and intermediaries (n = 13). Framework analysis was used, informed by the components of a conceptual framework adapted from the literature: actors, policy and evidence processes, nature of evidence itself and contextual influences. Results: Results show that adolescent mental health policies in India were generally evidence-informed, with more key evidence becoming generally available from 2010 onwards. Both formal and informal evidence informed mental health policies, particularly agenda-setting and policy development. Mental health policymaking in India is deemed important yet relatively neglected due to competing policy priorities and structural barriers such as stigma. Use of evidence in mental health policymaking reflected differing values, interests, relative powers and ideologies of policy actors. Involvement of government officials in evidence generation often resulted in successful evidence uptake in policy decisions. Policy actors often favoured formal and quantitative evidence, with a tendency to accept global evidence that aligns with personal values. Conclusions: There is a need to ensure a balanced and complementary combination of formal and informal evidence for policy decisions. Evidence generation, dissemination and use for policy processes should recognize evidence preferences by key stakeholders, while prioritizing locally available evidence where possible. To help this, a balanced involvement of policy actors can ensure complementary perspectives in evidence production and policy agendas. This continued generation and promotion of evidence can also help reduce societal stigma around mental health and promote mental health as a key policy priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the coloniality of botany and its transnational genealogy by examining critical questions about agency of representation of botanical nomenclature. We use two examples— Hortus Malabaricus in the seventeenth century, and the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) from the twenty-first century—as bookends to examine the legacies of colonial botany. The Hortus is a comprehensive treatise developed by Hendrik van Rheede, the governor of Dutch Malabar, with the help of local botanists, doctors, and physicians. It remains one of the most comprehensive works on the flora of Asia and the tropics. The impetus for the Hortus was the desire for a catalogue of local plants so colonists could more efficiently extract the rich botanical resources in Asia. The TKDL is a digital repository of traditional knowledge of India. The impetus was to establish prior use of herbs and medicines in India and challenge global biopiracy of traditional Indian knowledge. Both the Hortus and the TKDL are repositories that respond to colonial regimes of power—the former for more efficient colonial extraction, and the latter to thwart it. Yet both are caught up in Western norms of botanical nomenclature. Drawing on feminist, postcolonial, and transnational studies, this paper examines the two moments to explore the enduring and shifting meanings of transnational colonial regimes of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are the industrial “Vitamins” because of the high-technology based modern uses and their anthropogenic inputs in natural environment, this study mainly focused on Geogenic variability and anthropogenic imprints of Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE), in the recently deposited sediments of the Ganga Alluvial Plain. All the Sediment samples were analyzed by using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). LREE comprises about ~91% of total REE in the Gomati River Sediments and Cerium (300 µg/g) was the most abundant LREE in the bedload sediments. Average LREE concentrations in bedload (170 µg/g) and suspended load (184 µg/g) sediments of the Gomati River were observed higher than the Average Sediments and the World Major Rivers Suspended Sediments and therefore, characterizing the LREE contamination in sediments. This contamination level assessed on the basis of Potential Ecological Risk Assessment (PERI), Contamination Factors (CF), Degree of Contamination (CD) and Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), the trend of element contamination showed that Sm>La>Pr>Ce>Nd and PERI shows that LREE pose moderate to strong ecological risk, mostly by Pr and Sm in the study area. The spatial and temporal enrichment of LREE in sediments were observed in the Basin since last two decades. This paper mainly highlights the effects of socio-economic development linked modern high-tech processes on LREE contamination in the river sediments and cycling by the sub-tropical fluvial environment of southern Asia; where rivers supply ~30% of the global sediment input to the world’s ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Wine tourism is spreading from the "old world" wine countries to Asia. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the GLOW framework capturing the tension of homogenization and globalization of touristic experiences, the tourists' rising environmental concerns and their conflict of searching for authentic experience with new sensations. Design/methodology/approach: In a mixed-method procedure, evidence describing the wine tourists' perceptions and motivations is assessed using a quantitative survey and fitting a structural equation model using the PLS algorithm. Complementing evidence through qualitative interviews with Indian entrepreneurs on designing a glocalized experience is analyzed. Findings: Spillover from international travel is the most relevant driver of wine tourism in India. However, types of wines and the experiences are adjusted to the local conditions. The winemakers are remarkably advanced in implementing environmentally sustainable production and avoiding over tourism which perfectly meets their clients' expectations. Research limitations/implications: Entrepreneurial creation theory as described by Alvarez and Barney (2007) is illustrated in the Asian glocalisation context giving special attention to the entrepreneur's individual capabilities as called by Helfat and Peteraf (2015) and Liñán et al. (2020). Practical implications: Conservation of biodiversity and the aesthetics of the local landscape are essential for the vividness of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the attractiveness for the guests. Social implications: Local adaptation of the touristic experience in terms of entertainment, indigenous cuisines and local specialty supports sustainable development of all the stakeholders. Originality/value: Novelty arises from the projection of the visitors considering the wine cellar experience as an alternative to international travels in combination with analyzing how the entrepreneurs create entrepreneurial opportunities by carving out an authentic experience for their guests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the most remarkable events in the world during the last half-century has been the notable economic growth, social transformation and poverty reduction that has taken place in Asia. The March 2002 issue of the 'Journal of Asian & African Studies,' contains nine papers, authored by economists, sociologists and anthropologists, covering five countries in the region including India, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. These papers suggest that rather than making land reform the centerpiece of the strategy for rural development and poverty reduction, the government should give priority to investments in physical and social infrastructures, agricultural research and technology transfer and enforcement of contractual arrangements and property rights. The paper by Saurabh Sinha, Michael Lipton and Shahin Yaqub is closely related to the Baulch and McCulloch paper in that it also is concerned with transitory changes in household welfare.

Background WHO estimates that seasonal influenza epidemics result in three to five million cases of severe illness (hospitalisations) every year. We aimed to improve the understanding of influenza-associated hospitalisation estimates at a national and global level. Methods We performed a systematic literature review of English- and Chinese-language studies published between 1995 and 2020 estimating influenza-associated hospitalisation. We included a total of 127 studies (seven in Chinese) in the meta-analysis and analyzed their data using a logit-logistic regression model to understand the influence of five study factors and produce national and global estimates by age groups. The five study factors assessed were: 1) the method used to calculate the influenza-associated hospitalisation estimates (rateor time series regression-based), 2) the outcome measure (divided into three envelopes: narrow, medium, or wide), 3) whether every case was laboratory-confirmed or not, 4) whether the estimates were national or sub-national, 5) whether the rates were based on a single year or multiple years. Results The overall pooled influenza-associated hospitalisation rate was 40.5 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 24.3-67.4) per 100 000 persons, with rates varying substantially by age: 224.0 (95% CI = 118.8-420.0) in children aged 0-4 years and 96.8 (95% CI = 57.0-164.3) in the elderly aged >65 years. The overall pooled hospitalisation rates varied by calculation method; for all ages, the rates were significantly higher when they were based on rate-based methods or calculated on a single season and significantly lower when cases were laboratory-confirmed. The national hospitalisation rates (all ages) varied considerably, ranging from 11.7 (95% CI = 3.8-36.3) per 100 000 in New Zealand to 122.1 (95% CI = 41.5-358.4) per 100 000 in India (all age estimates). Conclusions Using the pooled global influenza-associated hospitalisation rate, we estimate that seasonal influenza epidemics result in 3.2 million cases of severe illness (hospitalisations) per annum. More extensive analyses are required to assess the influence of other factors on the estimates (e.g. vaccination and dominant virus (sub)types) and efforts to harmonize the methods should be encouraged. Our study highlights the high rates of influenza-associated hospitalisations in children aged 0-4 years and the elderly aged 65+ years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is about transnational cancer care in Asia. People with terminal diseases such as cancer increasingly escape devastating prognosis of their local regimes of clinical diagnostic truth by traveling to destinations where medicine is more advanced, yet affordable for them, and hence offers a broader scope for hope. The paper suggests that transnational cancer care provides an instructive case of the enormous geographical disparities in the availability of therapies and how this, combined with economies of hope and the marketization of health care, affects patients and their family caregivers. The primary contribution of the paper is the introduction of the concept of relational subjectivities to the health mobilities literature. The findings presented proof that the concept provides a fruitful analytical lens, yielding not only fresh empirical insights but prompting re-conceptualizations of medical travel itself as hopeful, yet risky transnational acts of family care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors and most significant reasons leading to supply chain inefficiency with respect to high cost, high lead time and poor quality at wholesale stage of mango supply chain in India, and also to find out the measures which may be taken to improve supply chain efficiency. Design/methodology/approach: The paper opted for an exploratory study using the quantitative and qualitative method of research. The study was conducted at Asia's largest and world's second largest fruits and vegetable wholesale market (Mandi) in Azadpur, Delhi. Factors have been identified using factor analysis and the measures to improve supply chain efficiency in fruits sector have been found out through semi-structured interviews with agri- and food-supply chain experts. Findings: Based on the factor analysis, three factors were identified for high cost, namely, operational charges, labour and resources; four factors were identified for high lead time, namely, operational issues, labour, resources and infrastructure; and four factors were identified for poor quality, namely, operational issues, infrastructure, resources and poor ambience. It was also found that operational factor is the most significant factor leading to supply chain inefficiency. The study also highlighted the measures for improving supply chain efficiency based on the outcome of the interviews. Research limitations/implications: This study is limited to the wholesale stage of fruit supply chain with the focus on Azadpur Mandi, Delhi, India, with specific reference to mango. Also, the measures have been identified for only the most significant reasons under each factor leading to supply chain inefficiency with respect to cost, time and quality. Originality/value: There is a dearth of literature on improving the supply chain efficiency pertaining to the wholesale stage of fruits and vegetable sector in India. This paper tries to fulfil the gap and contributed to the literature on agriculture supply chain, which may be helpful for the researchers as well as the practitioners to improve food supply chain pertaining to developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to explore the connections between expanding female education and the participation of women in paid employment in Japan, China and India, three of Asia's largest economies. Analysis based on existing data and literature shows that despite the large expansion in educational access in these countries in the last half century, women have lacked egalitarian labour market opportunities. A combination of social discouragement and individual choice largely explains the withdrawal, non-participation or intermittent female presence in the labour force, notwithstanding increased educational access. In taking stock of these issues and debates across these countries, it is argued that the parallel experiences of women in these countries can be traced back to persistent gender norms which, amongst other things, imply the centrality of marriage and non-market unpaid labour for women. The paper argues that there is a need for gender-sensitive public policy in order for increased education to translate to labour market gains for women, leading to sustainable development outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Reports in the British media over the last 4 years have highlighted the schisms and contestations that have accompanied the reports of gender selective abortions amongst British Asian families. The position that sex-selection may be within the terms of the 1967 Abortion Act has particularly sparked controversy amongst abortion campaigners and politicians but equally among medical practitioners and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service who have hitherto tended to stay clear of such debates. In what ways has the controversy around gender-based abortion led to new framings of the entitlement to service provision and new ways of thinking about evidence in the context of reproductive rights? We reflect on these issues drawing on critiques of what constitutes best evidence, contested notions of reproductive rights and reproductive governance, comparative work in India and China as well as our involvement with different groups of campaigners including British South Asian NGOs. The aim of the paper is to situate the medical and legal provision of abortion services in Britain within current discursive practices around gender equality, ethnicity, reproductive autonomy, probable and plausible evidence, and policies of health reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infant massage is a highly prevalent traditional practice in India and other parts of Asia. Clear guidance on safe and effective uses of infant massage is lacking especially in the contemporary times when the traditional knowledge is on the verge of extinction and preparations may differ from in the past. This paper presents a consensus guidance in the form of a standardized protocol for routine massage of infants in home settings. Furthermore, a feasible method to develop an integrative protocol involving traditional and modern medicine experts is described. A modified e-Delphi method was used to develop the protocol. A group of seventeen experts, including academicians and practitioners from disciplines as modern paediatrics, Ayurveda paediatrics, Physiotherapy and Naturopathy participated in three rounds of a Delphi study to evolve the consensus guidance. The present protocol for massage of infants born beyond 34 weeks of gestation and weighing above 1.8 kg is recommended for use by care givers. This provides guidance on the preparation for infant massage such as when to begin massaging the infant, checking fitness of the infant for massage, the appropriate time, environment, person and substance for infant massage and a detailed description of the procedure for infant massage. Paediatricians, obstetricians and other child care practitioners can use this protocol to guide care givers on how to peform infant massage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In South Asia, women often experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and have limited access to maternal health services (MHS). However, the effects of IPV on antenatal care (ANC) visits remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the impact of IPV of different forms and severities on ANC visits in South Asia. Methods This cross-sectional study used the latest available data from demographic and health surveys conducted in Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Maldives, and Pakistan. The study sampled 4467 women who had given birth within the past 12 months and were interviewed for IPV. IPV was measured by binary variables indicating the presence of physical violence (PV), categorised into less severe (LSPV) and severe physical violence (SPV), emotional violence (EV), and sexual violence (SV). ANC utilization was measured using binary variables indicating whether respondents had any, at least four, or at least eight ANC visits, as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). Logistic regressions adjusted for survey weights were used to assess associations between ANC utilization and exposure to IPV during pregnancy and lifetime. Results The prevalence of LSPV, SPV, EV, and SV during pregnancy were 14.5%, 4.4%, 11.6%, and 4.1%. LSPV experience during pregnancy was associated with decreased likelihoods of at least four ANC visits (odds ratio (OR) = 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.40-0.76) and eight ANC visits (OR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.31-0.90). Results of lifetime exposure to IPV followed similar patterns. Lifetime exposure to LSPV was associated with decreased likelihoods of at least four ANC visits (OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.41-0.74) and eight ANC visits (OR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.29-0.77). Conclusion This study highlights the negativities of LSPV on the frequency of women seeking ANC visits. Policies are necessary to identify women at risk of the often-overlooked LSPV early and provide protective interventions to promote maternal health in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trade in health services for foreign patients, often termed 'medical tourism' or medical travel, is a growing industry being aggressively marketed across Asia. This paper explores the industry development in four countries: Thailand, India, Malaysia, and Singapore, providing a preliminary review of the political economy of the industry, marketing strategies, and linkages. As yet, there has been neither academic work considering the implications of this trade for public health, nor studies on the medical travellers themselves and their experiences. The final part of this paper contemplates some of the implications for public health in the region, and the ethical issues this globalized trade presents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author responds to comments by Monica Das Gupta on a research paper previously circulated by the author. In the paper the author attempted to link gender imbalance in Asia to the prevalence of the hepatitis B virus. The author argues that women who are carriers of the virus give birth to more male children than those who do are not. She also argues that 45 percent of the gender imbalance can be attributed to hepatitis B. Das Gupta argues that the hepatitis B explanation is unlikely to be significant, since sex ratios in China differ over time, and among families in ways that evidence the couple's preferences.

The widespread notion that the city is secular and that therefore society’s future is secular is in need of serious reconsideration. This paper argues that religion does not melt away but rather morphs into modern forms of aspiration, speculation, and contention. Religion is therefore crucial to social inquiry into the nature of the urban. The paper argues that in Asia the Christian modern is close to the secular modern with fragments of rational planning and calculation in constant interplay with fragments of the magic of speculative modernity. Both communism and market capitalism are ideological cousins of Christian millenarianism. In a comparison of India, China, and Singapore it argues that the Christian form of modernity has been much better able to penetrate and coalesce with Sinic civilizational traditions than with Indic civilizational traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background & Aims: Diabetes and related metabolic syndromes represent a significant global health challenge, with the global burden of diabetes increasing considerably since 1990. In this article, we examined the trend of publications in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism between 1996 and 2021, focusing on Asian countries. Methods: We obtained and used the data from the Scopus database from the SCImago website (https://www.scimagojr.com/), on 1 April 2023, related to the subspecialty of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism for country rankings between 1996 and 2021. We did not include any data related to other medical specialties or other fields. Results: There has been a steady rise in global publications on these subspecialties over the past decade, with the number of publications from Asian countries increasing significantly. Western Europe recorded the highest number of publications, followed by North America and Asia. The COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to a surge in publications in this field. In Asian countries, China and India have notably increased their global contribution to publications, with China emerging as the top Asian nation in 2021. Conclusion: Our findings provide valuable insights into the research output from various countries and the productivity trends in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism-related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Problems of Sustainable Development / Problemy Ekorozwoju is the property of Faculty of Environmental Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Asymptomatic Leishmania donovani infections outnumber clinical presentations, however the predictors for development of active disease are not well known. We aimed to identify serological, immunological and genetic markers for progression from L. donovani infection to clinical Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL). Methods: We enrolled all residents >2 years of age in 27 VL endemic villages in Bihar (India). Blood samples collected on filter paper on two occasions 6–12 months apart, were tested for antibodies against L. donovani with rK39-ELISA and DAT. Sero converters, (negative for both tests in the first round but positive on either of the two during the second round) and controls (negative on both tests on both occasions) were followed for three years. At the start of follow-up venous blood was collected for the following tests: DAT, rK39- ELISA, Quantiferon assay, SNP/HLA genotyping and L.donovani specific quantitative PCR. Results: Among 1,606 subjects enrolled,17 (8/476 seroconverters and 9/1,130 controls) developed VL (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.1–8.3). High DAT and rK39 ELISA antibody titers as well as positive qPCR were strongly and significantly associated with progression from seroconversion to VL with odds ratios of 19.1, 30.3 and 20.9 respectively. Most VL cases arose early (median 5 months) during follow-up. Conclusion: We confirmed the strong association between high DAT and/or rK39 titers and progression to disease among asymptomatic subjects and identified qPCR as an additional predictor. Low predictive values do not warrant prophylactic treatment but as most progressed to VL early during follow-up, careful oberservation of these subjects for at least 6 months is indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe form of the leishmaniasis-disease complex. Its importance to public health relies on its high fatality rate in non-treated cases, the socio-economic impact related to its morbidity, and its endemicity on different continents. The estimated burden of disease of VL varies from 1,969,000 to 2,357,000 Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). VL is classified as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), and is strongly related to poverty and its consequences. Visceral leishmaniasis calls for the development of cost-effective technologies for diagnosis and treatment. Objective: The main objective of this study was to identify, describe, classify and analyze the scientific health economic evidence of VL-related technologies. Methods: A web search of combinations of free text and Mesh terms related to the economic evaluation of visceral leishmaniasis was conducted on scientific publication databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Medline via the Pubmed and Lilacs). A manual search of references lists of articles previously identified by the authors was also included. Articles written in English, Portuguese, Spanish or French were considered suitable for inclusion. Articles that matched the inclusion criteria were screened by at least two researchers, who extracted information regarding the epidemiologic scenario and methodological issues on a standardized form. Results: The initial search retrieved 107 articles, whose abstracts were inspected according to the inclusion criteria leading to a first selection of 49 (46%) articles. After the elimination of duplicates, the list was reduced to 21 (20%) articles. After careful reading and application of exclusion criteria, 14 papers were eligible according to the description, classification and analysis process proposed by the study. When classified by type of economic evaluation, articles were 7 (50%) cost-effectiveness, 5 (36%) cost-minimization, 1(7%) cost-benefit, and 1(7%) budget impact. When classified by methodology, studies were mainly nested to clinical-trials ("piggy back") 8(57%). Discount rates for outcomes and costs were present in 3 (43%) of the cost-effectiveness studies, and according to WHO's recommendations, the discount rate of 3% was used in all studies. Conclusions: This article showed that health economic evaluations on visceral leishmaniasis used a wide range of technologies and methods. Nevertheless it is important to point out the geographic concentration of studies, which makes their transferability uncertain to different epidemiological scenarios, especially those concerning visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum. Author Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala azar, is a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus Leishmania. VL is related to poverty and its consequences, which leads to its status of neglected disease. For that reason, cost-effective forms of diagnoses and treatment are very important and still needed. This research aimed at a better understanding of the publications about the technologies currently available, from the standpoint of their economic value. For that purpose, we conducted a systematic review of the literature in order to identify the papers that conducted economic evaluations of technologies used in VL. We initially retrieved 107 articles, which were inspected according to specific guidelines for systematic reviews. After that process, 14 articles matched the inclusion criteria in our review. We classified those studies according to the type of economic evaluation they made, and the methodology used in each one. We found evaluations about a variety of technologies, but the studies were geographically concentrated in Asia, more specifically in India. This concentration is not good because the disease also affects other continents and it is not possible to transfer the economic evaluation from one country or epidemiologic scenario to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the promising growth of Organic Food in the Asia region, this paper attempts to identify and understand the factors influencing the Purchase Intention and Actual Purchase of Organic Food in the Indian Urban market. The research was done starting with an extensive literature review followed by conducting a survey by administrating a structured questionnaire in the city of Mumbai. Empirical results reinforced the findings of few earlier studies of the countries of the emerging economies and challenged a few. The results indicate that Health, Environment friendly processes and Quality are the primary factors influencing the Purchase Intentions of the customers, however when it comes to Actual purchase the factor of the product being produced through environmentally friendly process is not influencing the consideration of the customer. Further research can be undertaken to identify the factors which will build the confidence and trust of the customer regarding adherence to environmentally friendly processes for production of organic food. This will help the marketers to convert the Purchase intention of the customers to Actual Purchase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian Uprising of 1857 was the largest colonial insurrection the British had to face in the nineteenth century. Indian troops of the Bengal Native Army rose up in revolt, as did many Indian civilians, making 1857 both a military mutiny and a civil rebellion. This paper examines how the British authorities stationed at Benares (the modern city of Varanasi) managed to see off the multiple threats to their local governance. Not only were these dangers overcome, but Benares itself was to play a vital role in ensuring that the British possessed the military resources needed to defeat the insurgency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the last decade, declining son preference in Asia has given rise to gender-equitable fertility preferences. These include daughter preference, gender indifference, and gender balance. Using five rounds of the India National Family Health Surveys, I investigate the sources of the trends in shifting parental preferences for the gender of their children. Over more than a quarter-century period (1992-1993 to 2019-2021), I find a significant decline in son preference from 40 to 18 percent and an increase in gender-equitable preferences among most subpopulations. Multivariate analysis shows that for all survey years, education and frequent exposure to television significantly increased the odds of gender-equitable preferences. In the last decade, community norms supporting women's employment are also associated with gender-equitable preferences. In addition, decomposition analysis shows that compared to compositional change, social norm change accounts for two-thirds of the rise in gender-equitable preferences. These findings suggest that rising norms of gender equality have the potential to dismantle gender-biased preferences in India., (© 2023 The Population Council, Inc.)

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between internationally educated nurses’ (IENs’) performance in a registered nurse competency assessment process and the outcomes of their nursing registration applications. Assessments of nursing practice competencies, IEN applicant characteristics and registration outcomes were explored.Design/methodology/approach This is a secondary statistical analysis of a subset of IEN application data from a previous study in combination with assessment data from an additional database. Application data between 2008 and 2011 were analyzed using univariate/bivariate analyses and regression models to explore the relationship of performance in the assessment process and outcomes of the registration process.Findings Competency categories IEN applicants had difficulties with (from least to most) were Professional Responsibility and Accountability, Ethical Practice, Self-Regulation, Service to the Public, Knowledge-Based Practice: Specialized Body of Knowledge and Knowledge-Based Practice: Competent Application of Knowledge. IENs educated in the UK and USA had the highest scores and odds of meeting competencies. Applicants educated in India and Asia had lower scores and odds ratios. All national entry-to-practice examination and registration eligibility competencies were significantly related to registration outcomes. Applicants passing the exam had higher competency scores while applicants ineligible for registration had lower competency scores.Research limitations/implications Limitations include integrity of data extracted from active databases, IEN motivation to complete the RN registration process and conversion of assessment scales for research analysis.Originality/value Results inform regulation policies that improve IEN registration processes and may be informative to regulators, assessment centers, educational institutions and IENs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private equity, as an asset class, is probably one of the less well-understood segments of today's financial markets though it is one of the most specialised asset classes. Private equity investments in companies involve considerable risk at an individual company level, and are broadly comparable with other asset classes at the portfolio level. Continuous improvement in savings, abundant liquidity propelled by petrodollars, sovereign wealth funds as well as hedge funds and an accommodative monetary policy that enabled a low interest rate environment accelerated the growth of private equity investment in the world as well as in Asiapacific countries including India. Over the years, Venture capital and private equity (VC/PE) industry made their presence felt in the Indian economy as a conduit to finance young entrepreneurial firms which require substantial capital to drive growth and innovation. This paper is an attempt to explore the trend, progress and prospect of VC/PE industry in India in comparison with the other countries in Asia -pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aggregates the state of India–China economic relations with a specific focus on trade at the borders. It explicates the potential for economic activity at the border regions to generate self-sustaining and/or externally linked local development for both countries. By an examination of the existing trade and investment policies and practices, it shows how geographical contiguity is yet to be transformed into opportunity along the India–China border, a practice consistent both with the history of these regions as well as with the blueprints being drawn up for the future of these regions. Informed by the Liberal school of IR theory, the paper studies border trade through the paradigmatic optic of being an important, yet underutilized, avenue of dyadic interaction, and makes a case for upgrading the status of border trade in the overall schema of bilateral trade relations between India and China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Economics / Ekonomia is the property of Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wroclawiu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper readdresses the assertion found in much secondary literature that Greek medicine was adopted in Tibet in the seventh and eighth centuries. I discuss some of the traces of Galenic medical knowledge in early Tibetan medicine, and raise the question of why Tibetan medical histories who mention Galen give Galenic medicine a much more significant place than is evidenced in the Tibetan medical literature itself. I discuss some historiographical considerations and argue that the centrality given to Galenic medicine is more indicative of the period in which these sources are written than of the period which they presumably describe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the century following their conquest of the province, the British in Punjab erected an administrative apparatus that, like those of precolonial regimes, relied heavily upon the support of the province's landed class. The relationship between the landed class and the colonial state was one of mutual benefit, with the latter using the former to ensure the maintenance of order and collection of revenue in exchange for state patronage. In this paper, it is argued that this administrative framework gave rise to a path-dependent process of institutional development in Punjab, allowing for the different fractions of the province's landowning class to increasingly entrench themselves within the political order in the postcolonial epoch. This paper outlines the mechanisms underlying this process of institutional development, focusing, in particular, on the strategies adopted by the landowning class to reproduce its power. This paper also considers the potentialities for institutional change in Punjab, allowing for the creation of a more democratic and participatory politics in the province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of ethnic minority peoples in Asia have long focussed on the relations between ethnic minority communities and the modern state and on the role of development in shaping these relations. This paper is concerned with how ethnic minorities respond to the state-led development. While there are numerous studies focussing on the collective agency of ethnic minorities opposing development projects, few studies consider the agency of pro-development actors. Pro-development actors are usually dismissed as co-opted, manipulated, inauthentic, or elite-driven, yet they can offer crucial insights into understanding state-ethnic minority relations and particularly intra-ethnic minority relations. This paper concentrates on pro-dam actors from the Lepcha minority in the Indian state of Sikkim to make four interlinked arguments. First, examining pro-development actors breaks the homogenous view of state-ethnic minority relations and shifts the focus to intra-ethnic relationships. Second, collective agency of ethnic minorities is not fixed in a particular relationship with the state nor does it have a particular position on development. Third, the long-term experience of development is vital in understanding how ethnic minorities manoeuvre and alter their position on contentious projects. Lastly, analysis of pro-development actors creates major dilemmas for researchers which are not easily overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a survey-based study of perceptions of ethical business practices in 13 countries of Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Responses from more than 23,000 managers and employees were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and post-hoc comparisons, aimed at identifying homogenous sets of countries. Anglo countries (US, UK, Australia, and Canada) clustered together, and were joined by India in most cases. Japan and Italy formed a homogenous subset significantly different from all other countries. Countries of continental Europe, China, Mexico, and Brazil formed various mid-range groupings. The paper discusses some salient differences between groups of countries and presents implications for human resource management (HRD) practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In both its focus and conception, much of the research on tourism remains Anglo-Western centric. The ongoing growth of Non-Western forms of travel, most notably in Asia, renders this situation unsustainable. Our understandings of 'the tourist', 'the modern tourism industry' and the conceptual paraphernalia, which surrounds these two, are all firmly rooted in the empirical histories of Western Europe and North America. English language scholarship on tourism rarely rips up these 'Western' roots to interpret 'Non-Western' practices and industries. This paper focuses on the ongoing rise of Asian tourism to argue that in its current form the field of tourism studies is institutionally and intellectually ill equipped to understand and interpret the new era we are now entering. Accordingly, it is suggested that the core-periphery dynamics which characterizes the field today should give way to cultural and political pluralism. The rapid growth in Asian tourism provides ample evidence for this position. This paper concludes by considering the future development of tourism studies in Asia. It is argued that the cultivation of critical scholarship within the region itself will not only help overcome the field's Anglo-Western centrism, but also help us better comprehend the profound societal changes now occurring through Asian mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines India's role in services outsourcing within Asia. It provides a brief overview of the global as well as Indian services outsourcing industry. The core section examines India's relationship with other Asian countries such as China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia in service outsourcing. It examines the extent to which these countries pose a competitive challenge to India and concludes that at this time, India is far ahead although it is likely to face growing competition as its costs rise. The paper highlights the need to move beyond this comparative paradigm and to examine the complementary and collaborative opportunities that exist between India and other Asian countries in services outsourcing. It concludes that there is considerable scope for such synergies and that India and other Asian countries can form different parts of a larger regional or global delivery model. Regional and bilateral agreements within Asia can also facilitate this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines if the Indian stock market moves with other markets in Asia and the United States in an era of capital market reforms and the sustained interest of foreign investors in that market. By using techniques of cointegration, vector autoregression, vector error-correction models, and Granger causality, we find that, though there is definite information leadership from the U.S. market to all Asian markets, the U.S. indexes do not uniquely influence the integration of Asian markets, while Japan is found to play a unique role in the integration of Asian markets. The U.S. market is seen not only to influence, but also to be influenced by information from most of the major Asian markets. The Indian stock return in recent times is definitely led by major stock index returns in the United States, Japan, as well as other Asian markets, such as Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore. More important, returns on the Indian market are also seen to exert considerable influence on stock returns in major Asian markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is written from the perspective of a historian who is aware of the 20th century roots of current problems between the two Asian giants, as well as their tremendous contributions to world civilization and Asian prosperity in the past, and hopefully in the future. The paper analyzes issues troubling India-China relations, such as the unresolved boundary question, sensitivity on matters of international status, and mutual perceptions of threat arising from fears of encirclement. It shows how the two governments have made tremendous progress in overcoming or mitigating these problems, and in establishing strong human and economic ties between the two fastest growing economies in the world. Pakistan continues to be a wild card with a negative impact on India-China as well as India-U.S. relations, but its capacity to create trouble may have been reduced by its own internal problems, as well as progress in the India-Pakistan composite peace process. The United States remains the preponderant military and economic global power, despite recent damage to its moral influence, and all countries, including China and India, try to cultivate close relations with it. Both India and China are engaged with Southeast Asia and with other Asian countries, and each has close and complex relations with the United States. The author sees a low risk of military conflict between India and China and a high desirability of international cooperation among all three in tackling the many facets of human security in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper makes an attempt to describe the status and role of elderly within the family and community institutions as a source of wisdom and knowledge, particularly to have an understanding of the intergenerational relationships in the Indian context. As the countries and areas of Asia develop economically and become more heavily urban, the familial support of the elderly has eroded. There are a number of reasons to think that traditional systems of familial care for the elderly in Asia have started to reflect this changing scenario in terms of increasing problems for the elderly. The Indian subcontinent too has experienced these transitional changes. But despite the changes in the structures and functions of Indian societies, families do preserve the norms of social hierarchy (of which the elderly are an important part), cultural styles and mode of living. At the same time elderly who are regarded as the sources of wisdom and knowledge are given due respect and place in the society within the ambit of the family and community contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Research capacity is scarce in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. Social determinants of health research (SDH) is an area in which research capacity is lacking, particularly in Asian countries. SDH research can support health decision-makers, inform policy and thereby improve the overall health and wellbeing of the population. In order to continue building this capacity, we need to know to what extent training exists and how challenges could be addressed from the perspective of students and staff. This paper aims to describe the challenges involved in training scholars to undertake research on the SDH in four Asian countries - China, India, Oman and Vietnam.Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with research scholars, research supervisors and principal investigators (n = 13) at ARCADE partner institutions, which included eight universities and research institutes. In addition, structured questionnaires (n = 70) were used to collect quantitative data relating to the courses available, teaching and supervisory capacity, and related issues for students being trained in research on SDH. Simple descriptive statistics were calculated from the quantitative data and thematic analysis applied to the qualitative data.Results: We identified a general lack of training courses focusing on SDH. Added to this, PhD students studying related areas reported inadequate supervision, with limited time allocated to meetings and poor interpersonal communication. Supervisors cited interpersonal communication problems and student lack of skills to perform high quality research as challenges to research training. Further challenges reported included a lack of research funding to include SDH-related topics. Finally, it was suggested that there was a need for institutions to define clear and appropriate standards regarding admission and supervision of students to higher education programs awarding doctoral degrees.Conclusions: There are gaps in training for research on the SDH at the surveyed universities and research institutes, which are likely to also be present in other Asian countries and their higher education institutions. Some of the barriers to high quality research and research training can be addressed by improved training for supervisors, clearly defined standards of supervision, finances for student stipends, and increased use of information and communication technology to increase access to teaching materials. Increased opportunities for online learning could be provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initial collision between Indian and Asian continents marked the starting point for transformation of land-sea thermal contrast, uplift of the Tibet-Himalaya orogen, and climate change in Asia. In this paper, we review the published literatures from the past 30 years in order to draw consensus on the processes of initial collision and suturing that took place between the Indian and Asian plates. Following a comparison of the different methods that have been used to constrain the initial timing of collision, we propose that the tectono-sedimentary response in the peripheral foreland basin provides the most sensitive index of this event, and that paleomagnetism presents independent evidence as an alternative, reliable, and quantitative research method. In contrast to previous studies that have suggested collision between India and Asia started in Pakistan between ca. 55 Ma and 50 Ma and progressively closed eastwards, more recent researches have indicated that this major event first occurred in the center of the Yarlung Tsangpo suture zone (YTSZ) between ca. 65 Ma and 63 Ma and then spreading both eastwards and westwards. While continental collision is a complicated process, including the processes of deformation, sedimentation, metamorphism, and magmatism, different researchers have tended to define the nature of this event based on their own understanding, an intuitive bias that has meant that its initial timing has remained controversial for decades. Here, we recommend the use of reconstructions of each geological event within the orogenic evolution sequence as this will allow interpretation of collision timing on the basis of multidisciplinary methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing, kinematics, and geodynamic evolution of the India-Asia continental collision are crucial to understanding the geological and geomorphological evolution of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen. However, the debate over how and when the collision occurred persists due to disputes concerning the reliability of paleomagnetic data obtained on both sides of the suture zone. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of paleomagnetic studies to address this controversial issue. The study focuses on well-preserved Cretaceous-Paleocene rocks from the Lhasa and Tethyan Himalaya (TH) terranes over the past two decades. We conclude that: (1) the paleomagnetic data of the Linzizong Group of the Lhasa Terrane and the Zongpu Formation of the TH are in their primary origin and can be used for tectonic reconstruction; (2) the Tethys Himalaya Basin (THB) was generated due to the rifting of the TH from Greater India before the Late Cretaceous; (3) the southern margin of Asia was aligned in the NW-SE direction before the India-Asia collision. The study suggests a quasi-synchronous multi-stage collision where the TH collided with the Trans-Tethyan subduction system in Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene times (∼65 Ma), followed by collision with Asia at 56–59 Ma. Finally, the India Craton collided with the TH, resulting in the synchronous closure of the THB at approximately 40 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates various papers focusing on social development in Asia. Land reforms and agrarian change in India; Examination of professional profiles and employment problems in selected countries; Analysis of the political sociology of the process of economic development; Agrarian framework for development.

Whether tectonic strain from the early stage India‐Asia collision has synchronously affected the far‐field margin of the Tibetan Plateau is crucial for understanding plateau deformation and growth processes. However, direct evidence for early far‐field deformation remains scarce. Utilizing illite K‐Ar dating of three fault gouge samples, we established the faulting history of the Leibo fault zone (LFZ) at the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (SEMTP). Consistent authigenic illite ages of 52 ± 2, 54 ± 12 and 55 ± 6 Ma suggest the reactivated thrust faulting of the LFZ in the Early Cenozoic. Positioned ∼700 km east of the collisional boundary and at the intersection of three blocks with distinct lithospheric rheology in strength/viscosity, this event suggests a quasi‐synchronous far‐field tectonic response in the SEMTP to the India‐Asia collision. Plain Language Summary: Understanding how tectonic strain resulting from the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates in the Early Cenozoic can spread to the edges of the Tibetan Plateau is crucial for comprehending the plateau's tectonic development. To investigate this question, we used fault gouge, which resulted from the sliding of brittle faults, to directly reveal faulting information. By conducting illite K‐Ar dating on three samples from the Leibo fault zone (LFZ) at the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (SEMTP), we found consistent ages of newly formed illite, 52 ± 2, 54 ± 12, and 55 ± 6 million years ago. Since this type of minerals form simultaneously with faulting, these ages reveal a reactivated thrust faulting event of the LFZ, suggesting a nearly simultaneous response of faulting in the SEMTP to the early stage of the India‐Asia collision. Key Points: Fault gouge illite K‐Ar dating is used to establish the faulting history of the Leibo fault zone, SE margin of the Tibetan PlateauThree consistent authigenic illite ages of ∼55, ∼54, and ∼52 Ma suggest a reactivated thrust faulting event of the Leibo fault zoneThis event indicates a quasi‐synchronous far‐field response of the SE margin of the Tibetan Plateau to the India‐Asia collision [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the use of regional relaxation ("nudging") experiments carried out in initialised hindcasts to shed light on the contribution from particular regions to the errors developing in the Asian Summer Monsoon. Results so far confirm previous hypotheses that errors in the Maritime Continent region contribute substantially to the East Asia Summer Monsoon (EASM) circulation errors through their effects on the Western North Pacific Subtropical High. Locally forced errors over the Indian region also contribute to the EASM errors. Errors arising over the Maritime Continent region also affect the circulation and sea surface temperatures in the Equatorial Indian Ocean region, contributing to a persistent error pattern resembling a positive Indian Ocean Dipole phase. This is associated with circulation errors over India and the strengthening and extension of the westerly jet across southeast Asia and the South China Sea into the Western Pacific, thereby affecting the ASM circulation and rainfall patterns as a whole. However, errors developing rapidly in the deeper equatorial Indian Ocean, apparently independently of the atmosphere errors, are also contributing to this bias pattern. Preliminary analysis of nudging increments over the Maritime Continent region suggests that these errors may at least partly be related to deficiencies in the convection and boundary layer parametrisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The increased detection of thyroid nodules in the human population has led to an increase in the number of thyroid surgeries without an improvement in survival outcomes. Though the choice for surgery is straightforward in malignant thyroid nodules, the decision is far more complex in those nodules that get categorized into indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITN) by fine needle aspiration. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop a tool that will aid in decision-making among the ITN. In this context, the development of various molecular testing (MT) panels has helped to confirm or rule out malignancy, reducing unnecessary surgeries and potentially guiding the extent of surgery as well. Currently, such tests are widely used among the Western population but these MT panels are not used by the South Asian population because of non-availability of validated panels and the high cost involved. There is a need to develop a suitable panel which is population-specific and validate the same. In this review, we would focus on current trends in the management of ITN among the South Asian population and how to develop a novel MT panel which is cost-effective, with high diagnostic accuracy obviating the need for expensive panels that already exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Gastrodia elata Blume ( Orchidaceae ) is commonly called Tian ma in Chinese and mainly distributed in the mountainous areas of eastern Asia, such as China, Korea, Japan and India. It is an extensively used traditional Chinese herbal medicine in the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine, to treat headache, migraine, dizziness, epilepsy, infantile convulsion, tetany and so on. The present paper reviews the advancements in investigation of botany and ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and quality control of Gastrodia elata Blume. Finally, the possible tendency and perspective for future investigation of this plant are also put forward. Materials and methods The information on Gastrodia elata Blume was collected via piles of resources including classic books about Chinese herbal medicine, and scientific databases including Pubmed, Google Scholar, ACS, Web of science, ScienceDirect databases, CNKI and others. Plant taxonomy was validated by the databases “The Plant List”, and “Mansfeld’s Encyclopedia”. Results Over 81 compounds from this plant have been isolated and identified, phenolics and polysaccharides are generally considered as the characteristic and active constituents of Gastrodia elata Blume. Its active compounds possess wide-reaching biological activities, including sedative, hypnotic, antiepileptic, anticonvulsive, antianxietic, antidepressant, neuroprotective, antipsychotic, anti-vertigo, circulatory system modulating, anti-inflammationary, analgesic, antioxidative, memory-improving and antiaging, antivirus and antitumor effects. Conclusion Despite the publication of various papers on Gastrodia elata Blume, there is still, however, the need for definitive research and clarification of other bioactive compounds using bioactivity-guided isolation strategies, and the possible mechanism of action as well as potential synergistic or antagonistic effects of multi-component mixtures derived from Gastrodia elata Blume need to be evaluated. It is also necessary and important to do more quality control and toxicological study on human subjects in order to maintain its efficacy stable in the body and validate its safety in clinical uses. In addition, more investigations on other parts of this plant beyond the tubers are needed. Further studies on Gastrodia elata Blume will lead to the development of new drugs and therapeutics for various diseases, and how to utilize it better should be paid more attention to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present stock return is significantly related to other global stock markets. The present paper empirically investigates the short run and long run equilibrium relationship between the stock market of India, Japan Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Australia monthly data during January 1995 to December 2013. Researcher employs correlation test, multivariate cointegration framework, Vector Auto Regressive error-correction model and Granger causality test with reference to financial up evils in Asia and world viz., Asian crisis (1997/98), financial crisis (2008) Inflation conditions, Natural disasters, financial up evils etc. of long run relationship. Results find that the Indian stock market return is significantly cointegrated with long run and short run situations/ causalities in Asian Stock returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kangaroo mother care has been highlighted as an effective intervention package to address high neonatal mortality pertaining to preterm births and low birth weight. However, KMC uptake and service coverage have not progressed well in many countries. The aim of this case study was to understand the institutionalisation processes of facility-based KMC services in three Asian countries (India, Indonesia and the Philippines) and the reasons for the slow uptake of KMC in these countries. Methods: Three main data sources were available: background documents providing insight in the state of implementation of KMC in the three countries; visits to a selection of health facilities to gauge their progress with KMC implementation; and data from interviews and meetings with key stakeholders. Results: The establishment of KMC services at individual facilities began many years before official prioritisation for scale-up. Three major themes were identified: pioneers of facility-based KMC; patterns of KMC knowledge and skills dissemination; and uptake and expansion of KMC services in relation to global trends and national policies. Pioneers of facility-based KMC were introduced to the concept in the 1990s and established the practice in a few individual tertiary or teaching hospitals, without further spread. A training method beneficial to the initial establishment of KMC services in a country was to send institutional health-professional teams to learn abroad, notably in Colombia. Further in-country cascading took place afterwards and still later on KMC was integrated into newborn and obstetric care programs. The patchy uptake and expansion of KMC services took place in three phases aligned with global trends of the time: the pioneer phase with individual champions while the global focus was on child survival (1998-2006); the newborn-care phase (2007-2012); and lastly the current phase where small babies are also included in action plans. Conclusions: This paper illustrates the complexities of implementing a new healthcare intervention. Although preterm care is currently in the limelight, clear and concerted country-led KMC scale-up strategies with associated operational plans and budgets are essential for successful scale-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our paper reviews current teaching practices used to support students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the South Asian region, and to what extent these teaching practices reflect key research based effective practices. We have focused our attention on teaching practices at a time when we are witnessing a greater thrust towards achieving inclusive education at both, regional and global levels. Methods: We have used an eclectic approach for the study by employing a scoping review methodology to identify peer reviewed journal articles from South Asian countries. Having identified 10 articles and three dissertations in total from India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, we have used a matrix method to present our data against nine best teaching practices for students with ASD. Results: Results from the review indicate three practices (of the nine best teaching practices) were most frequently used. These are assessments, alternative, and augmentative communication systems, and parent-implemented instruction/program. The other six teaching practices were not widely reported. Conclusions: We identify significant implications for practitioners, educators, and teacher education programs within the Asian region and beyond. The use of an eclectic approach in making choices regarding teaching strategies, incorporating varied research based effective teaching practices, and following a systematic and informed approach of assessments – teaching interventions – ongoing evaluation are key to supporting students with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]