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Objective: This study aimed to conduct a scoping review to collect current literature on the knowledge, awareness, and perception (KAP) of sexually transmitted infections/diseases (STIs/STDs) among women in Asia. Methodology: The PRISMA-Scoping methodology was used in this study to extract papers from four databases published between 2018 and 2022. Sixty-eight articles were included after screening and elimination. Results: The studies on KAP of STIs/STDs among women were largely undertaken in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam) and South Asia (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh). Regardless of the specific cohort of women studied, research indicates consistently low levels of knowledge and awareness across Asia. This trend seems to be more prevalent among female commercial sex workers, women with lower educational levels, and those in poorer socioeconomic positions. In South Asia, cultural, sociological, economic, and gender inequalities, particularly male domination, all have a significant impact on KAP levels. Conclusion: As education is a major factor that influences health behaviour, this review underscores the need to allocate more resources to educational initiatives, particularly targeting vulnerable groups such as sex workers, transgender women, pregnant women, and rural housewives. This strategic focus may contribute significantly to preventing STIs/STDs, particularly in less developed regions/countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global value chains for commodity agriculture have been the target of a broad array of sustainability governance efforts led by both public and private actors. In this paper, we ask: how do public policies and private standards interact in commodity‐exporting countries? To answer this question, we examine the interactions between voluntary sustainability standards and domestic public policies in three cases: soybean farming in Brazil, palm oil production in Indonesia, and pangasius aquaculture in Vietnam. We find that in each case, public and private governance interactions go through a period of competition before ending in a state of reluctant complementarity. We argue that this reluctant complementarity results from the need of governments in commodity‐producing countries to maintain export markets for their goods. This finding challenges the idea that complementarity between public and private sustainable commodity governance is driven by goal alignment and tempers expectations that standards and certifications can mitigate deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative studies around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are still limited. This paper explores the question: how has the COVID-19 pandemic affected higher education students, and which ones have been most impacted? Indonesia and Vietnam are our focus. We leveraged a rich set of data collected online from both countries (n = 2600). We used regression analyses to measure students' wellbeing, financial hardships, access to technology, and educational satisfaction. As expected, we found statistically significant differences between both countries except for the wellbeing domain. For within-country comparison, consistent for both countries, low-income students were less likely to access technology and were more likely to experience financial distress than their counterparts. Indonesian first-gen students also showed a similar trend. Lastly, we observed a lower likelihood of satisfaction from rural and low-income students in Indonesia for their education during the pandemic. We provide our policy recommendations for both countries. [This manuscript accompanied a conference presentation at the 50th Annual Conference of Mid-South Education Research Association (MSERA) in New Orleans, Louisiana (November 9-12, 2021).]

It has been argued that successful professional development efforts, especially in assessment-literacy, need to address emotional components and the existence of implicit conceptions in order to raise consciousness and ultimately transform practice (Xu and Brown, 2016: p. 156). Experiential approaches have been shown to be highly effective for adult learning, especially in bringing about and sustaining changes in beliefs and practices. In this paper, I explore the use of an experiential approach in an online language assessment course, describing in depth two formative assessment (FA) activities and the technology tools that were employed. These activities served to (1) develop participants' AL in formative assessment, including online formative assessment; (2) evoke emotions, raise consciousness about conceptions, and prompt a desire for transformation; and (3) bridge the theory-practice gap. This paper offers insights into approaches to FA and teacher development in online settings and seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the field of assessment education.

Background: Southeast Asia is known for its rich linguistic, cultural and biological diversity. While ethnobiology in the west has benefitted greatly from intellectual and methodological advances over the last decades, the status of Southeast Asian ethnobiology is largely unknown. This study aims to provide an analysis of the current status of ethnobiology in Southeast Asia and outlines possibilities for future advancements. Methods: We accessed papers cited in the Scopus and Web of Science databases for the period of 1960 to 2014 using the current as well as previous names of the 11 Southeast Asian countries and various disciplines of ethnobiology as key words. We juxtaposed the number of publications from each country against its number of indigenous groups and languages, to see if ethnobiology research has addressed this full spectrum of ethnical diversity. The available data for the last ten years was analysed according to the five phases concept to understand the nature of studies dominating Southeast Asian ethnobiology. Results and conclusions: A total number of 312 publications were recorded in the databases for the period 1960-2014. Indonesia ranks highest (93 studies), followed by Thailand (68), Malaysia (58) Philippines (42), Vietnam (31), Laos (29), and other Southeast Asian countries (44). A strong correlation was found between the number of publications for each country, the number of indigenous groups, and the number of endangered languages. Comparing the data available for the period 2005-2009 with 2010-2014, we found a strong increase in the number of phase 5 publications. However, papers with bioprospecting focus were also on the rise, especially in Malaysia. Our study indicates that ethnobiologists still need to realise the full potential of the Biocultural Diversity of Southeast Asia, and that there is a strong need to focus more on socially relevant research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During scientific expeditions in Indonesia and Vietnam, several sponge specimens belonging to the genus Cladocroce were collected. The integration of morphological and molecular analyses, incorporating species delimitation models (ABGD, ASAP, and bPTP) and phylogenetic approaches using three molecular markers (COI, 28S, and 18S–ITS1–5.8S–ITS2–28S), allowed us to discriminate three congeneric species. Two of these species (C. burapha and C. pansinii sp. nov.) were supported by morphological and molecular data, whereas a third species (C. lamellata sp. nov.) was delimited by morphological data only. We formally describe two new species, C. pansinii sp. nov. and C. lamellata sp. nov. C. aculeata is a newly recorded species for Indonesia and the first documented finding after the original description. The re-examination of the type material of C. burapha, and indirectly the molecular approach, allowed us to confirm that C. burapha lives in sympatry with C. pansinii sp. nov. in Vietnam and with C. lamellata in Indonesia. Thanks to these findings, we relocated the paratype of C. burapha to the new species described here, i.e., C. pansinii sp. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ASEAN countries committed rice in regional and global trade agreements, but they remain guarded on possible unfavourable effects of trade liberalization on the rice sector. This paper aims to analyse the impact of opening the ASEAN rice sector to a globally liberalized trade environment, i.e. consistent with the WTO agreements. A Spatial Price Equilibrium model was applied in the trade analysis, whose attributes are partial equilibrium and comparative-static. The model included the five major agricultural countries in the ASEAN region (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) and the rest of the world (ROW). The results of the model indicate that the liberalization of rice trade in accordance with the WTO agreements will result in increased demand in the ASEAN region. This will be brought about by the fall in prices in the ASEAN countries. Committing to reduce the soaring level of tariffs is expected to bring about a more positive effect on Indonesian rice sector, but this favourable outcome would not be realized if WTO agreements co-exist with the implementation of the ASEAN Free Frade Area (AFTA ). Finally, the WTO trade liberalization process in the time of the implementation of AFTA will effect trade diversions in the ASEAN rice sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolbachia is a ubiquitous endosymbiotic bacterium that manipulates insect reproduction. A notable feature of Wolbachia is male killing (MK), whereby sons of infected females are killed during development; however, the evolutionary processes by which Wolbachia acquired the MK ability remain unclear. The tea tortrix moth Homona magnanima (Tortricidae) harbours three non‐MK Wolbachia strains (wHm‐a, wHm‐b and wHm‐c) and an MK strain wHm‐t. Although wHm‐t and wHm‐c are closely related, only wHm‐t has an MK‐associated prophage region. To understand the evolutionary processes underlying the emergence of MK wHm‐t, we examined Wolbachia infections and phenotypes in 62 tortricid species collected from 39 localities across Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. PCR assays detected wHm‐c relatives in 51 species and triple infection of wHm‐a, wHm‐b and wHm‐c in 31 species. Apart from Taiwanese H. magnanima, no species exhibited the MK phenotype and were positive for the wHm‐t‐specific prophage. While wHm‐t infection was dominant in Taiwanese H. magnanima, wHm‐a, wHm‐b and wHm‐c were dominant in Japanese H. magnanima populations. These results suggest that wHm‐a, wHm‐b and wHm‐c strains descended from a common ancestor with repeated infection loss and that wHm‐t evolved from the wHm‐c acquiring MK ability in allopatric populations of H. magnanima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on English teachers in Asia in the context of globalization, the global spread of English and the emergence of English as an "Asian language." It highlights the dilemmas facing these teachers in meeting the growing social demands of English proficiency in a technology-influenced, managerial and neoliberal education environment with limited expertise, skills and policy support. We locate the paper in language policy and planning (LPP) within which the concept of micro-level agency provides a critical lens. We draw on insights from several Asian countries including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan and Vietnam. We argue that while English teachers are found to exercise their agency to meet changing demands of English proficiency, this agency can be seen as the result of what we call "policy dumping" at the macro-level--i.e. education policymakers not paying due attention to the requirements of policy implementation but dumping down policies to educational institutions and English teachers for their implementation. We conclude the paper by suggesting implications for English language policies in Asian countries that respond to globalization and the dominant discourses of English in a globalized world.

Background: Rare diseases, also referred to as orphan diseases, are characterised by their low prevalence with majority of them are chronically debilitating and life threatening. Given the low prevalence and the widely dispersed but very small patient base for each disease, there may often be a disproportion in the availability of treatments and resources to manage patients, spur research and train experts. This is especially true in Southeast Asian countries that are currently in the process of implementing or revising their universal health coverage schemes. This paper aims to examine the status of rare disease management in Southeast Asian countries. It will serve as the basis for a more active discussion on how countries in the region can address an under-recognised rare disease burden and enhance national and regional capacities.Methods: The study consists of literature reviews and key stakeholders interviews in six focus countries, including the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand and five countries as best practice, comprising of France, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and South Korea. Rare disease management initiatives across each country were examined based on the World Health Organization's framework for action in strengthening health systems.Results: The results suggest rare disease management remains challenging across Southeast Asia, as many of the focus countries face fundamental issues from basic healthcare systems to funding. Nonetheless, there are substantial improvement opportunities, including leveraging best practices from around the world and organising a multi-stakeholder and regional approach and strategy.Conclusions: Southeast Asian countries have made significant progress in the management of rare disease, but there remain key areas for substantial development opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To make a tentative assessment of the consumption of cassava in three countries in South-east Asia and the cyanogenic potential (CNp) of the crop as a possible food safety issue.Design: We used data from the Ministry of Health in Vietnam and Statistics Authorities in Indonesia and Philippines (mean household consumption per province) to assess cassava consumption. Conversions of units were needed to facilitate the comparison of cassava consumption between countries. The most up-to-date data available regarding both cassava consumption and the CNp of cassava grown in the respective countries were assessed.Settings: Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines.Participants: Respondents from provinces in Vietnam (nineteen), Indonesia (thirty-three) and Philippines (eighty-one) were asked to complete a recall questionnaire detailing either the previous 24-h' or the 7-d' cassava consumption.Results: Among the three countries, available data indicated that the highest median cassava-consumption figures percapita were from Indonesia and the Philippines (9·01 and 7·28 g/capita per d, respectively), with Vietnam having the least (1·14 g/capita per d). Published information regarding the CNp of cassava in the three countries was limited.Conclusions: While the findings of the present study are somewhat limited by a lack of available information regarding both the extent of cassava consumption and the CNp of cassava consumed in the three countries, it appears likely that cyanogen intake arising from cassava consumption among the three countries exceeds the FAO/WHO Provisional Maximum Tolerable Daily Intake, although any risk to public health appears limited to a minority of provinces in each country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complementary feeding period is a critical stage of child development when micronutrient needs are high and challenging to meet. Understanding if specific micronutrient gaps exist during this period is critical for effective programming. A Comprehensive Nutrient Gap Assessment (CONGA) was conducted in seven countries in Southeast Asia to estimate gaps in micronutrients commonly lacking in the diets of children aged 6–23 months and to establish the certainty of available evidence for each identified gap. Sixty‐eight evidence sources were identified during this analysis, and 310 micronutrient‐specific data points were identified across all seven countries. Data points varied in recency, representativeness and evidence type. The CONGA methodology enabled the estimation of a gap burden rating for each micronutrient in each country, as well as a rating of their evidence certainty. Micronutrient gaps were identified in vitamin D, zinc and iron and a potential gap was identified in calcium during the complementary feeding period in the region. Evidence relevant to intake and deficiency of folate, vitamin B12, thiamine, niacin, vitamin C and vitamin B6 was limited across the region. Proven strategies to address these gaps include increasing the availability and consumption of nutrient‐dense foods, micronutrient supplementation, large‐scale fortification of staple foods and condiments and point‐of‐use fortification through multiple micronutrient powders and fortified speciality foods. More recent data on micronutrient availability, intake and deficiency is urgently needed in Southeast Asia. Key messages: Older infants and young children aged 6–23 months experience micronutrient gaps during the complementary feeding period in Southeast Asia. Synthesis of evidence compiled across seven countries in the region identified gaps in vitamin D, zinc and iron and a potential gap in calcium during this critical period.National nutrition policies and programmes should consider multiple strategies to address these micronutrient gaps.Over half of the data points relevant to nutrient deficiency and intake compiled from the seven countries are over a decade old. More recent data on micronutrient availability, intake and deficiency is urgently needed in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Southeast Asia, the increasing availability of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF), including dry or instant cereals (CPCF cereals), has been noted, however, concerns exist around their nutrient profile and labelling practices. This 2021 study assessed the nutrient composition, labelling practices, and micronutrient content of CPCF cereals sold in the capital cities of seven Southeast Asian countries: Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), Bangkok (Thailand), Vientiane (Lao PDR), Hanoi (Vietnam), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The study adapted a nutrient profiling model from the WHO Regional Office for Europe to determine the proportion of products suitable for promotion for older infants and young children. Micronutrient content of fortified CPCF cereals was assessed against fortification levels specified in the Codex Alimentarius guideline for formulated complementary foods. Of the 484 products assessed, 184 (38.0%) met all nutrient composition requirements. Around one‐third of CPCF cereals contained added sugars and/or sweeteners (37.2%) and high levels of sodium (28.9%). None of the CPCF cereals met all labelling requirements, primarily due to the presence of inappropriate claims on the labels. Most fortified CPCF cereals contained adequate amounts of critical micronutrients, such as calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin D. However, rates of fortification varied across the seven countries, and almost a third (30.8%) of CPCF cereals were not fortified with any micronutrients. To support the appropriate promotion of CPCF in the region, Southeast Asian countries need to strengthen and enforce national binding legal measures, including national standards for the composition, labelling, and fortification of CPCF cereals. Key messages: Despite most commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) cereals available in Southeast Asia met the majority of nutrient composition requirements, a considerable number of products contained added sugars/sweeteners (37.2%) and high levels of sodium (28.9%). Regulations that prohibit the use of added sugars/sweeteners and establish an upper limit for sodium in CPCF cereals are a policy priority in the region.None of the 484 CPCF cereals studied met all labelling requirements. Inappropriate claims were the most common. Three‐quarters of the products failed to meet labelling requirements on the protection and promotion of breastfeeding. National regulations on labelling must be strengthened and enforced to protect against inappropriate marketing of CPCF.Approximately two‐thirds or more of fortified CPCF cereals contained adequate amounts of micronutrients critical for older infants and young children (IYC), such as calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin D. Nonetheless, the fortification of CPCF cereals varied greatly by country, and almost a third (30.8%) of CPCF cereals were not fortified with any micronutrients. This is a missed opportunity to provide essential micronutrients to older IYC in contexts where nutrient‐poor diets are common. Future policies that stipulate mandatory minimum micronutrient levels for CPCF cereals are recommended for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of tourism to economic development is an open secret but it is a double-edged sword. The opportunity cost for this significant share is environmental degradation without required measures to protect the environment. Using the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squared approach from 1995 to 2014, this study aims to explore the nexus between tourism and environmental pollution for three lower middle-income Southeast Asian economies: Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. This paper uses carbon emissions as a proxy for environmental pollution against tourist arrivals with a few control variables for analysis. The Zivot-Andrews unit root test is applied to deal with structural breaks in data and the Gregory-Hansen test for robustness. The results confirm a negative impact of tourism on the environment for Indonesia and the Philippines; however, tourism improves the environmental quality of Vietnam. This implies that the relationship varies for different countries in the same region, depending on the country-specific characteristics and corresponding policies to protect the environment. The impact of governmental policies also differs for high and lower middle-income countries as one size cannot fit all. This study provides a comprehensive milieu of the impact of tourism on the environment. The identified dominant factors can guide Southeast Asian and other developing countries' governments at all levels in systematically formulating policies; by using these policies, carbon emissions from tourism can be reduced efficiently, resulting in sustainable development in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several million children currently live in transnational families, yet little is known about impacts on their health. We investigated the psychological well-being of left-behind children in four Southeast Asian countries. Data were drawn from the CHAMPSEA study. Caregiver reports from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were used to examine differences among children under age 12 by the migration status of their household (N = 3,876). We found no general pattern across the four study countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Multivariate models showed that children of migrant fathers in Indonesia and Thailand are more likely to have poor psychological well-being, compared to children in nonmigrant households. This finding was not replicated for the Philippines or Vietnam. The paper concludes by arguing for more contextualized understandings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on designing a comprehensibility test and a questionnaire for spoken world Englishes in Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, and utilizing the test to investigate the comprehension of Burmese, Cambodians, Indonesians, Laotians, Thais and Vietnamese. We reviewed the demarcation of users of English based on Kachru's (1984, 1985) three concentric models within the bloc's context where two circles--Outer Circle and Expanding Circle are present. The findings established a moderate comprehensibility level of Expanding Circle listeners toward the speakers of the Outer Circle. The variations of comprehensibility scores paved way for the exploration of the comprehension scores' possible relationships with language proficiencies, attitudes toward speakers, familiarity of spoken variety, historical origins of languages, and political ambiance between and among ASEAN nations. (Contains 8 tables and 1 figure.) [Work on this paper was partly supported by Prince of Songkla University's Graduate School Grant.]

The predicted widespread use of English as a lingua franca following ASEAN's 2015 integration mushroomed intelligibility studies between and among Asean nationals including Bruneians, Burmese, Cambodians, Filipinos, Indonesians, Laotians, Malaysians, Singaporeans, Thais and Vietnamese. Previous studies regarding ASEAN nationals' intelligibility and/or comprehensibility were reviewed. This paper presents a study of five exposures that relate to the intelligibility and/or comprehensibility within world Englishes speaker-listener paradigm. They are exposures to English through education, work experiences, outside the classroom (non-educational settings), social media, and travel and stay abroad. The Comprehensibility Testing Flowchart was used as the main framework of the study and data analysis. The findings show that there are positive correlations and significances between the five variables and the comprehensibility levels Aseans gained in the comprehensibility test. Questionnaire is appended. (Contains 1 note, 1 figure, and 6 tables.) [Work on this paper was partly supported by Prince of Songkla University's Graduate School Grant.]

Worldwide, innovation in education is highly perceived as an effectual approach to promote awareness for sustainability. International organizations interested in education, research and training support projects seeking modernization of Higher Education (HE) and put much emphasis on developing new curricula, teaching methods or materials to respond to current needs. Building ties and promoting cooperation between institutions around the world through Universities and academic arenas are central in innovative educational approaches. This paper reflects on one of such projects; the Center for Natural Resources and Development (CNRD) which aims at supporting achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 7. Eleven University faculties in Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Jordan, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, and Vietnam form part of the CNRD, covering natural, engineering, and social sciences disciplines. To develop solutions for one of the most pressing problems of today; creating sustainable cities, students, teachers and researchers work together in a trans-disciplinary approach. The paper principally deals with the question of how international research and education networks can narrow the distance between countries and promote awareness of sustainability. It discusses approaches in joint education, using modern media and e-learning activities and their contribution to raise awareness of sustainability among young researchers. (Contains 3 tables, 1 figure, and 4 notes.)

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to emphasize that procedural justice has a contribution to parent-subsidiary links within multinational enterprises (MNEs). Design/methodology/approach -- A mailed survey is adopted in this study. A total of 152 valid and complete questionnaires were returned from the respondents. Structural equation modeling and Chow test are used in this research paper. Findings -- Based on structural equation modeling, three significant dimensions of the parent-subsidiary links are found to contribute to the financial performance of the subsidiaries (resource commitment, information flow, and control flexibility). Based on Chow test, these dimensions can lead to better financial performance under greater procedural justice in the decision-making processes of MNEs. Research limitations/implications -- This study only collected information from Taiwanese multinational firms in East Asia and the Pacific countries, including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Generally, these regions are the emerging market, with structurally volatile but fast-growing economies. In addition, further studies can extend the research to other countries, Environmental interferences, such as culture and legal rules, were not considered in this study. Practical implications -- In reality, although the due process is sometimes neglected because of time limitations or lack of patience, superior managers still should pay more attention to the processes of strategic decision making to keep the procedure fair and transparent. Originality/value -- This paper underlines the importance and value of the procedural justice in MNE management. The exercise of the procedural justice motivated subsidiary managers to aim for better financial performance with voluntary effort and their best ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper will explore the challenges students from selected South East Asian countries (Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia) face while studying English in Australia before entering into Australian University courses. These students must contend not only with different styles of teaching and learning, but also with the challenge of adapting to a new culture. The study was conducted at one of the largest language institutions in Melbourne (affiliated with a major University), and the results collected draw on the English learning experiences of nine students (three Vietnamese, three Thai and three Indonesian) and two language teachers. Semi-structured interviews were adopted as the primary data collection method, and this allowed the major problems that these students experience while studying English for University entry to be identified. The findings of this paper include reasons why Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian students find it difficult to study in Australia, and possible solutions for overcoming these difficulties and improving the English proficiency of students from these countries.

Primaquine for radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria poses a potentially life-threatening risk of haemolysis in G6PD-deficient patients. Herein, we review five events of acute haemolytic anaemia following the administration of primaquine in four malaria trials from Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, and Vietnam. Five males aged 9 to 48 years were improperly classified as G6PD-normal by various screening procedures and included as subjects in trials of anti-relapse therapy with daily primaquine. Routine safety monitoring by physical examination, urine inspection, and blood haemoglobin (Hb) assessment were performed in all those trials. Early signs of acute haemolysis, i.e., dark urine and haemoglobin drop >20%, occurred only after day 3 and as late as day 8 of primaquine dosing. All patients were hospitalized and fully recovered, all but one following blood transfusion rescue. Hb nadir was 4.7 to 7.9 g/dL. Hospitalization was for 1 to 7 days. Hb levels returned to baseline values 3 to 10 days after transfusion. Failed G6PD screening procedures in these trials led G6PD-deficient patients to suffer harmful exposures to primaquine. The safe application of primaquine anti-relapse therapy requires G6PD screening and anticipation of its failure with a means of prompt detection and rescue from the typically abrupt haemolytic crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both Indonesia and Vietnam provide English as foreign language instruction. In contrast to Indonesia, where English proficiency is low, Vietnam has a moderate level of English proficiency. Although Vietnam has a moderate level of English proficiency, its curriculum is nearly identical to that of Indonesia, making it suitable for comparative research. This research aimed to identify the significant differences between Indonesian and Vietnamese universities' English language teacher education curricula. This study employed a qualitative methodology to compare the English as a foreign language teacher education curriculum in Vietnam and Indonesia. In this study, descriptive analysis was utilized. The English education curricula documents obtained from the university's website were used for data analysis. The research settings were Universitas Pasifik Morotai in Indonesia and the Giao Su-IESUS Evangelical School of Universal Studies in Vietnam. The finding showed that Vietnamese Universities stressed the dimension of content knowledge, communication competence, contextual knowledge, and professionalism practice theory. However, teaching competence, research knowledge, Community Practice Membership, and general knowledge are often overlooked. Compared to the EFL curriculum in Vietnam, the Indonesian curriculum, particularly at Universitas Paisfik Morotai, emphasized communication skills, content knowledge, research knowledge, and teaching competence/pedagogical aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rate of international migration for the primary purpose of employment has increased exponentially in recent decades. A significant proportion of this global movement takes place across East and Southeast Asia as workers move on a temporary basis from lower-middle-income home countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to high-income host destinations including Hong Kong and Singapore. Relatively little is known about the unique and long-term health needs of this heterogeneous group of people. This systematic review presents an analysis of recent research into the experiences and perceptions of health of temporary migrant workers in the East and Southeast Asian regions. Methods: Five electronic databases CINAHL Complete (via EbscoHost), EMBASE (including Medline), PsycINFO (via ProQuest), PubMed and Web of Science, were systematically searched for qualitative or mixed methods, peer-reviewed literature published in print or online between January 2010 and December 2020. Quality of the studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research published by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Findings from the included articles were extracted and synthesised using qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Eight articles were included in the review. Findings from this review indicate that multiple dimensions of workers' health is impacted by the processes of temporary migration. In addition, the research reviewed indicated that migrant workers used various strategies and mechanisms to attempt to address their health-related issues and to take better care of themselves. Such agentic practices could help them manage and maintain their health and wellbeing across physical, psychological and spiritual dimensions within the structural constraints of their employment. Conclusions: Limited published research has focused on the health perceptions and needs of temporary migrant workers in East and Southeast Asia. The studies included in this review focused on female migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines. These studies provide valuable insights but do not reflect the heterogeneity of migrants moving within these regions. The findings of this systematic review highlight that temporary migrant workers experience high and sustained levels of stress and are exposed to certain health risks which may compromise long-term health outcomes. These workers demonstrate knowledge and skills in managing their own health. This suggests that strength-based approaches to health promotion interventions may be effective in optimising their health over time. These findings are relevant to policy makers and non-government organisations supporting migrant workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) is an essential component for TB elimination. In order to be successfully implemented on a large scale, TPT needs to be safe, affordable and widely available in all settings. Short TPT regimens, that are less burdensome than longer regimens, to patients and health systems, are needed. Doses of rifampin higher than the standard 10mg/kg/day were tolerated in studies to reduce duration of treatment for tuberculosis disease (TBD). The objective of this trial is to test the safety of high dose rifampin monotherapy to shorten the duration of the currently recommended TPT of 4 months rifampin. Methods and analysis: This is a phase 2b, randomised, controlled, parallel group, superiority, partially-blind trial. Primary outcomes are completion of treatment (as a proxy measure of tolerability) and safety. The two experimental arms comprise 60 days of (i) 20mg/kg/day or (ii) 30mg/kg/day rifampin; the control arm comprises 120 days of 10mg/kg/day rifampin as TPT. Participants are adults and children 10 years or older, eligible for TPT. Completion is the primary outcome, measured by pill count and is defined as taking minimum of 80% of treatment in 120% of allowed time; it will be tested for superiority by logistic regression. Safety outcome comprises proportion of grade 3–5 adverse events and grade 1–2 rash, adjudicated related to study drug, and resulting in permanent drug discontinuation; compared for non-inferiority between each of the two high dose arms and the standard arm, using Poisson regression. A sample size of 1,359 participants will give 80% power to detect a 10% difference in completion rates and a 1% difference in the safety outcome. The study is conducted in Canada, Indonesia and Vietnam. Enrolment is ongoing at all sites. Ethics and dissemination: Approvals from a local research ethics board (REB) have been obtained at all participating sites and by the trial coordinating centre. Approval has been given by drug regulatory agencies in Canada and Indonesia and by Ministry of Health in Vietnam; participants give written informed consent before participation. All data collected are non-nominal. Primary results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal when all participants have completed treatment; results of secondary outcomes will be submitted for publication at the end of study; all sites will receive the final data of participants from their sites. Trial registration: Trial registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03988933). Coordinating center is the study team working at McGill University Health Center-Research Institute (MUHC-RI); sponsor is the MUHC-RI; funding has been granted by Canadian Institute of Health Research (FDN-143350). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is presenting 2 examples of using English to teach history and economic subjects in universities and colleges. Another goal of this study is that we aim to enhance teaching quality in schools, colleges and universities through case teaching methods which can help students to expand discussion via open mind method. Al-Issa (2006) stated that for five decades there is an important international activity, that is English language teaching (ELT), which became a big business. And dominated by USA, it shows that English roles has been increasing on the world arena in the postcolonial/neocolonial age. For using English to teach History subjects we have to not only catch the historical terms and topics very well but we also combine language teaching with images, ICT tools, LCDs with effective history languages. For using English to teach economic subjects, we have to note there are key economic terms for each economic subjects as well as practice speaking and listening very often in order to deliver effective messages to students and facilitate effective communication inside classrooms. Huy, D.T.N., Hanh, N.T.T, Thao, N.T.P et al (2021) mention there is psychological and pedagogy issues when teaching at schools. We present a typical case teaching in economic subject: analyze stock price and beta CAPM determinants in a single case study of Vietinbank -- CTG in Vietnam financial market during operation period 2011-2020. Next, we will present a case teaching in Indonesian revolution for history subject. Authors also present a process of applying English in teaching history and economic via 2 specific case examples.

The International Code of Marketing of Breast‐milk Substitutes (the Code) adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 1981 and regularly updated through subsequent WHA resolutions, represents the international policy framework for protecting breastfeeding against inappropriate marketing practices. By March 2016, at least 135 countries had some measures covering provisions of the Code in their legislation. The translation of the International Code into national measures was investigated in the context of the advocacy efforts undertaken by the Alive & Thrive (A&T) initiative with UNICEF and partners. A real‐time evaluation was carried out over 22 months in seven Southeast Asian countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic [Lao PDR], Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor‐Leste) and two African countries (Burkina Faso and Ethiopia). Drivers of policy change and progress were examined. Two theory‐based approaches were used: developmental evaluation and contribution analysis. Data collection methods included participant observation, key informant meetings, in‐depth interviews, reflective practice, and desk review. Overall, countries made significant progress in translating the International Code into national measures and in moving forward throughout the policy cycle. The main driver of policy change was the creation of a strategic group, which engaged key relevant actors and supported the government in the performance of 15 critical tasks, which the analysis reveals is a second driver. Those critical tasks are described in this paper and could help public health advocates to anticipate the stages and challenges of policy change and develop more effective strategies to translate the Code into their legal framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrageenan is a polysaccharide derived from red algae (seaweed) with enormous economic potential in a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, printing, and textiles. Carrageenan is primarily produced through aquaculture-based seaweed farming, with Eucheuma and Kappaphycus species accounting for more than 90% of global output. There are three major types of carrageenan found in red algae: kappa (κ)-, iota (ι)-, and lambda (λ)-carrageenan. Kappaphycus alvarezii is the most common kappa-carrageenan source, and it is primarily farmed in Asian countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Carrageenan extracted from K. alvarezii has recently received a lot of attention due to its economic potential in a wide range of applications. This review will discuss K. alvarezii carrageenan in terms of metabolic and physicochemical structure, extraction methods and factors affecting production yield, as well as current and future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of avian flu outbreaks in 2004, Cambodia received $45 million in commitments from international donors to help combat the spread of animal and human influenza, particularly avian influenza (H5N1). How countries leverage foreign aid to address the specific needs of donors and the endemic needs of the nation is a complex and nuanced issue throughout the developing world. Cambodia is a particularly compelling study in pandemic preparedness and the management of avian influenza because of its multilayered network of competing local, national, and global needs, and because the level of aid in Cambodia represents approximately $2.65 million per human case -- a disproportionately high number when compared with neighbors Vietnam and Indonesia. This paper examines how the Cambodian government has made use of animal and human influenza funds to protect (or fail to protect) its citizens and the global community. It asks how effective donor and government responses were to combating avian influenza in Cambodia, and what improvements could be made at the local and international level to help prepare for and respond to future outbreaks. Based on original interviews, a field survey of policy stakeholders, and detailed examination of Cambodia's health infrastructure and policies, the findings illustrate that while pandemic preparedness has shown improvements since 2004, new outbreaks and human fatalities accelerated in 2011, and more work needs to be done to align the specific goals of funders with the endemic needs of developing nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relationship between internal migration and economic growth and development in Asia, concentrating on four countries: China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. Levels of internal migration in Asia are high and rising. Despite being negatively regarded by many policy makers, internal migration can contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction. For example, remittances sent home by internal migrants can reduce poverty at the household level, stimulate economic growth in both the receiving and sending areas and reduce social inequalities. Until now, the potential of internal migration has been severely limited by policies designed to discourage it, However, policy makers are now beginning to recognise the benefits, In order to maximise these benefits, the article argues, effective partnerships between governments, civil society, the private sector and donors will have to be formed. Better data on the various Factors stimulating and affecting internal migration will also be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stakeholders in global value chains (GVCs) commonly argue that factory managers will choose humane working conditions if they can be persuaded that social compliance improves firm performance. Yet, despite evidence that humane conditions increase productivity, product quality and on‐time delivery, inhumane conditions in GVCs persist. Evidence from a sample of factories in the Better Work programme in Indonesia, Jordan and Viet Nam indicates that achieving social compliance may be costly, offsetting productivity benefits. A positive impact on profits depends on international buyer sourcing practices, including higher output prices. The COVID‐19 pandemic has confirmed the key role played by buyers in determining working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We explore stakeholders perceptions on REDD+ finance in Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam. • Actors agree that the lack of finance is not the most significant challenge. • Addressing funding gaps alone will not help to advance REDD+ policies. • Effective REDD+ implementation requires improved forest governance. • Recognizing and addressing drivers of deforestation are essential for REDD+ success. Financing REDD+ is complex, due to the need to seek answers not only to the question of who should finance REDD+, but also who should benefit from it. This paper examines the perceptions of REDD+ stakeholders in Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam on different aspects of financing: who should finance REDD+ and who should receive REDD+ benefits for what. Our findings show these issues are political, driven by economic considerations at national level and – despite the narrative of inclusive, participatory decision making – are largely determined by governments. Lack of finance was thereby not always considered by national policy actors to be the most significant challenge during 2010–2019; rather other issues – like lack of knowledge on REDD+ by relevant actors; ineffective coordination between state agencies, the private sector and civil society; unclear tenure rights; ineffectively addressing the main deforestation drivers; low law enforcement capacity; and unclear benefit-sharing mechanisms – have also been perceived to impede REDD+ implementation and payment distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like all organisations, good governance is a fundamental requirement for the responsible and accountable management of universities in general and open universities in particular. This is to ensure that these (open) universities remain relevant to their mission of facilitating unfettered access to higher education for citizens and at the same time continue being reliable contributors to personal and institutional developments, the vital ingredients to maintaining sustained national development. While several studies have, in the past, been conducted on governance of universities, almost all of them have centred around conventional, face-to-face institutions. Not much published literature is in evidence on the governance of Open Universities. This paper, drawing from a study on the governance of a few open universities in Asia, tries to discuss the nature of their challenges, and the lessons that can be drawn from their practices and experience. The study focused on aspects relating to institutional autonomies such as curriculum, budgeting and financial management, admission standards, conferment of qualifications, academic staff appointments, development and promotions and research policies. Our findings indicate that, similar to conventional systems, the state plays a crucial role in many aspects of governance both in publicly funded and privately supported institutions. Recent attempts at governance transformation towards greater institutional autonomies is beginning to show limited changes in some but not all jurisdictions studied.

This paper explores the role of local knowledges and wisdoms in educational research and theorizing, drawing examples from Oceania and Asia. It draws on Chen's idea of "internationalist localism" as a lens to explore relationships between local wisdom and traditional cultures in Oceania and Asia, and Western theories of education. Examples are drawn from the island nations of Oceania (including Papua New Guinea), Asia (including Indonesia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh) as well as Australia (including Indigenous Australian settings). In each of these examples, researchers grounded their studies in local wisdoms and traditions, albeit embedding them in broader global contexts, thus achieving, at least to some extent, the internationalist localism advocated by Chen.

A good and quality education system will produce quality human resources who can compete in the international world. Education is the main foundation in the formation of human resources so that it can strength then the resilience of the nation and state. However, it cannot be denied that the quality of education in Indonesia is still far from expectations when compared to other more developed countries. The results of the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) survey conducted in 2000 regarding the quality of education in the Asian region, Indonesia was ranked 12th behind Vietnam. Based on the Human development index Ranking 2019, Indonesia is ranked 111 out of 189 countries. This article will present the problems faced in the world of higher education in Indonesia. Several factors that affect the level of education quality include curriculum, educational policies, educational facilities, application of information and communication technology in education, affordable education costs, education management, and human resources. So that the solution to the solution is to make efforts to improve the curriculum, educational facilities, and educational management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with increasing pressure to generate more of their own budgets, universities in low and middle income countries are increasingly banding together as country and regional-level networks to bid on and subsequently implement externally funded development projects (a pattern already seen in high income countries). While working as a network may offer a competitive advantage in bidding on international contracts, it also introduces a new set of dynamics in cross border collaboration among higher education institutions. This paper examines the dynamics of university networks, drawing on the experience of one regional and four country-level networks in South East Asia which were created to promote better national preparation and response to pandemic threats. Findings suggest that, in many universities, university efforts to work through networks is a source of considerable controversy as it pushes institutions and individuals into new roles and often conflicts with existing institution-level incentive systems.

In a context of rapid economic growth, skills development systems have become increasingly important to countries in Southeast Asia in response to skills gaps generated by changing labour-market conditions. Countries in the region have no alternative but to invest in the development and maintenance of these systems. This paper asserts that in doing so they should recognise the importance of adopting a definition of skills that encompasses cognitive and soft skills as well as technical skills, they should regard as being essential to the development of effective labour market information systems, and they should adopt and institutional frameworks that are adequate to the task of managing complex and effective national skills development systems.

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The Malaysian government is rigorously drawing up strategies to increase the already existing 60,000 foreign students currently studying in the country (The Star, 2009). With the influx of more foreign students and with English as the medium of instruction in local higher education, it is felt that a study to investigate international students' orientation, attitudes and aspects that drive and/or deter them in learning English would be beneficial. The sample for this study (N = 115) comprised of international students from China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, Maldives and the Middle East undertaking an Intensive English course at a local private college. Data collection was done via questionnaire which was designed based on a review of existing instruments in the field. Results show that orientation towards learning English does not vary according to nationality and gender; however, students from China and Korea tend to be more inclined towards instrumental orientation, while students from Kazakhstan and Iran are more inclined towards integrative orientation. Based on the findings, this paper also proffers recommendations for local higher education institutions to enhance ELT practices for incoming international students.

Objective: Vietnam, Indonesia, and Ukraine have major burdens of IDU and HIV. We estimated the prevalence of depressive symptoms at baseline among people living with HIV who inject drugs, evaluated associations between depression at baseline and 12-month HIV care outcomes and medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and evaluated the study intervention effect by baseline depression subgroups., Design: HPTN 074 was a randomized study. The study intervention included psychosocial counseling, systems navigation, and antiretroviral treatment (ART) at any CD4+ cell count., Methods: Moderate-to-severe depression was defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of 10 or above. ART and MAT were self-reported. Eligibility criteria were: 18-60 years of age, active IDU, and viral load of at least 1000 copies/ml. Adjusted probability differences (aPD) were estimated using inverse-probability weighting., Results: A total of 502 participants enrolled from April 2015 to June 2016. Median age was 35 years; 85% identified as men. Prevalence of baseline moderate-to-severe depression was 14% in Vietnam, 14% in Indonesia, and 56% in Ukraine. No evident associations were detected between baseline depression and ART, viral suppression, or MAT at 12-month follow-up. The study intervention improved the proportions of people who inject drugs achieving 12-month viral suppression in both the depressed [intervention 44%; standard of care 24%; estimated aPD = 25% (95% confidence interval: 4.0%, 45%)] and nondepressed subgroups [intervention 38%; standard of care 24%; aPD = 13% (95% confidence interval: 2.0%, 25%)]., Conclusion: High levels of depressive symptoms were common among people living with HIV who inject drugs in Ukraine but were less common in Vietnam and Indonesia. The study intervention was effective among participants with or without baseline depression symptoms., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)