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Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) affecting populations is considered a public health issue in South/Southeast Asia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the scientometric characteristics and research trends of OSF. All the papers on OSF were comprehensively retrieved from the Scopus database. Regional comparison (India versus outside of India) and chronological comparison (before 2015 versus after 2015) were performed. Among all the 1357 papers on OSF, 930 (68.5%) were from India. In India, biology research on antioxidant, oxidative stress, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix were distinctive keywords. Risk factors of smokeless tobacco and gutkha and the roles of saliva and blood sampling were also distinctive keywords in India. In outside of India, biology research on myofibroblast, alpha smooth muscle actin, microRNA, long untranslated RNA, and protein p53 were distinctive keywords. The trend of biology research on connective tissue, genotype, genetic predisposition, messenger RNA, and cytology before 2015 has changed to research on myofibroblast, biological marker, microRNA, epithelial mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix, and oxidative stress after 2015. The trend of clinical aspects of surgery and mouth hygiene before 2015 has changed to the aspects of adverse event/effects, complication, and quality of life after 2015. This scientometric study elucidated the current scenario and research trends of OSF, and would help in improving in reciprocal collaboration and communication for this disease control in South/Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead acetate, a pervasive environmental toxin, poses significant threats to reproductive health due to its ability to induce toxicity in both males and females. Mechanisms of lead acetate-induced reproductive toxicity involve oxidative stress, inflammation and endocrine disruption. Neem (Azadirachta indica), a tree native to India and other parts of Southeast Asia, has long been revered for its medicinal properties and is increasingly recognized for its potential in mitigating various health concerns. This review paper provides a comprehensive examination of the potential of nanoparticles derived from Azadirachta indica (Neem) in countering lead acetate-induced reproductive toxicity. We explore the historical uses and traditional knowledge surrounding neem, its chemical composition and pharmacological properties relevant to reproductive health. Additionally, we discuss the sources and mechanisms of lead acetate-induced reproductive toxicity, highlighting the adverse effects on male and female reproductive systems. Finally, we discuss future research directions and the potential of neem nanoparticles as a natural remedy for mitigating lead acetate-induced reproductive toxicity, offering insights into the development of innovative strategies to safeguard reproductive health in the face of environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most significant agricultural pests in Southeast Asia is Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). It is the most destructive pest in India, followed by B. zonata (Saunders) and B. correcta (Bezzi). Baits and sprays of conventional insecticides affect non-target beneficial fauna. For the management of this pest, sterile insect technique (SIT) has been proposed as an alternate and environmentally friendly method. The prerequisites for SIT, however, include biology and the mass rearing of fruit flies on semi-artificial diets. In this context, an attempt was made to investigate the biology of B. dorsalis on two novel hosts, Jamun and Sweet orange, as well as the development of a semi-synthetic diet. According to B. dorsalis biology, the egg, larval, and pupal periods on Jamun were 1.8±0.78, 7.6±0.51 and 8.9±0.87 days, respectively. Whereas, on sweet orange, the egg, larval, and pupal periods were 2.9±0.73, 8.7±0.82 and 9.8±0.78 days, respectively. Adult longevity of female files was more as compared to males. Banana powder based diet has yielded the highest egg hatchability (82.66±2.51%), pupal recovery (75.32±2.33%) and adult emergence (91.15±3.05%). This paper concluded that banana based diet was the best suitable larval diet for mass rearing B. dorsalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative research paper was designed to explore Tai Phake music in Assam State, India, and examine its role in the formation of Tai Phake ethnic identity. Data was gathered from documents and field investigation. The results show that Tai Phake music can be thought of as cultural capital, which propels ethnic identity through the use of language, dress, beliefs, and traditions that help create a collective awareness among people in the community. The construction of Tai Phake ethnic identity through music is carried out via singers, musicians, dancers, traditional costumes, melodies, and the use of Tai Phake language in the lyrics. These processes reproduce Tai Phake ethnic identity through ritual music, entertainment, and traditions, helping to preserve the Tai Phake ethnic identity. The results demonstrate the power of both traditional and modern Tai Phake music in the preservation of local identity, strengthening community relationships and network building between Tai Phake people and other Tai groups in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian military strategy has tended to neglect the link between the conventional and nuclear domains in a nuclear weapons environment. We argue that this anomaly is evident in two broad areas: the conception of "war," and the complexity produced by new technologies that span the two domains. First, we show with empirical evidence that "limited war" in a nuclear environment is misnomer: the reality is more appropriately called "marginal conflict" owing to its extremely restricted nature. It follows that strategic planning and posture must be tailored accordingly. We then highlight the risk of escalation produced by conventional technologies that carry potential cross-domain nuclear effects, noteably with respect to cyber, artificial intelligence, missile defence and space. We note that the complex strategic effects produced also complicate military-strategic interactions traversing geographic domains, noteably South, Southeast Asia, and Northeast Asia. The paper concludes with some reflections on the reasons for these lacunae in Indian strategic thinking and what might be done about them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic resistance in rice through native traits is an important tactic to manage Brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens Staal (Homoptera: Delphacidae) which is one of the most dreaded pests in the farmer's field causing serious crop losses. Many sources of resistance, both from cultivated and wild accessions, are known with almost 36 resistance genes mapped to different chromosomes through phenotypic and genotypic selections. A majority of resistance genes identified are effective for BPH biotypes prevailing in Southeast Asia and China. For South Asia, very few BPH resistance genes are effective but without their utilization for the development of commercial hybrids and varieties. A new source of resistance HSPP 6417 has been identified in the present paper, which displayed resistance to 11 populations of BPH collected from different rice ecologies of India. The new source HSPP 6417 had an adverse effect on the population dynamics of BPH by inhibiting the population build-up on the plants. The resistance of HSPP 6417 was equivalent to the only source of resistance in India, G7253 used to develop a commercial rice hybrid AZ8433 DT. On crossing HSPP 6417 with other prolific restorer lines of the commercial hybrids, the major genes were found to control its modes of inheritance. Field trials with F4 generation revealed that resistance was stable with good agronomic performance under infestations. The implications of using such a source of resistance for developing BPH resistant hybrids are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has been engaging the South East Asian nations actively as a result of its 'Look East Policy' started in 1990. India and ASEAN have mutual interests in a wide range of areas which include Commerce, Tourism, Foreign Affairs, Renewable Energy and Telecommunications, Agriculture, and Renewable Energy. It indicates the deepening and strengthening friendship of India and ASEAN. In this context, the present study attempts to throw light upon the evolution of Indo-ASEAN relations from a historical perspective. It dwells upon the developments that took place after the end of the Second World War and subsequent tectonic shifts in the geo-political equations across South East Asia. The study provides an account of the key events that shaped the Indo-ASEAN relations over a period of time. It also discusses the challenges posed to this relationship in the backdrop of China's emergence in Asia and makes policy suggestions to deal with these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For healthcare delivery to be optimally effective, health systems must possess adequate levels and we must ensure a fair distribution of human resources aimed at healthcare facilities. We conducted a scoping review to map the current state of human resources for health (HRH) in India and the reasons behind its shortage. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in various electronic databases, from the earliest available date till February 2024. We applied a uniform analytical framework to all the primary research reports and adopted the "descriptive-analytical" method from the narrative paradigm. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted to arrange the retrieved data into categories based on related themes after creating a chart of HRH problems. Results: A total of 9675 articles were retrieved for this review. 88 full texts were included for the final data analysis. The shortage was addressed in 30.6% studies (n = 27) whereas 69.3% of studies (n = 61) addressed reasons for the shortage. The thematic analysis of data regarding reasons for the shortage yielded five kinds of HRH-related problems such as inadequate HRH production, job dissatisfaction, brain drain, regulatory issues, and lack of training, monitoring, and evaluation that were causing a scarcity of HRH in India. Conclusion: There has been a persistent shortage and inequitable distribution of human resources in India with the rural expert cadres experiencing the most severe shortage. The health department needs to establish a productive recruitment system if long-term solutions are to be achieved. It is important to address the slow and sporadic nature of the recruitment system and the issue of job insecurity among medical officers, which in turn affects their other employment benefits, such as salary, pension, and recognition for the years of service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As far as human life, cultures, and economies are concerned, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is likely the largest worldwide pandemic in more than a century. The global spread of COVID-19 has been exponential, especially when compared to other global pandemics. There have been 3,386,825 fatalities and 163,312,429 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported to WHO as of 18 May 2021. There have been a total of 1,407,945,776 doses of vaccination given as of May 18, 2021. Reported cases included more than 65,054,067 in the Americas and more than 53,704,835 in Europe, more than 9,705,215 in the eastern Mediterranean and 2,763,608 in the western Pacific, 3,412,133 in Africa, and 28,671,811 in Southeast Asia. The 2019 coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) has triggered significant societal and economic shifts (WHO). These changes have also affected many aspects of India. As of May 18, India has a total of 2,55,13,398 confirmed cases and the death toll exceeds 2,83,572 (covid19india.org n.d.). Even after the advent of vaccines, this global dilemma seems to have no end, as it is evident that the virus is getting stronger with each mutation. For a country like India, with a population in the billions, the second wave had a harsh impact. The country suffers from a shortage of medical equipment, with the number of infected increasing every day. Mandatory lockdowns have had a crippling effect on organizations and their performance. This article focuses primarily on the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on organizational culture in total quality management. This paper assesses the impact of COVID-19 on Total Quality Management (TQM) and traces the shift in organizational culture after COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of India's "Act East Policy" on regional cooperation-which includes economic integration, connectivity, people-to-people contacts, the expansion of commercial linkages, collaborations for research and development (R&D), and regional security-is critically examined in this research study. Formerly known as the "Look East Policy" during the 1990s, the Act East Policy, which was implemented in 2014, is a strategic shift in India's interactions with countries in East and Southeast Asia. The study looks at how the policy encourages connectedness through infrastructure initiatives, builds cultural linkages through people-to-people encounters, and supports economic integration through trade agreements and lower obstacles. An evaluation of the expansion of economic ties is conducted, with a focus on trade, investments, and the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The article explores R&D partnerships as well, emphasizing programs for technology transfer and skill development. Additionally, it assesses how the Act East Policy, including defence cooperation and participation in programs such as the Quad, enhances regional security. The results highlight the policy's significant benefits to the Indo-Pacific region's increased security, economic growth, and regional integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines China and India's status-seeking efforts in Southeast Asia through the lens of disaster relief cooperation. It explores status-seeking processes and the region's responses, as well as how these shape the regional security order in the Asia-Pacific. We argue that the outcomes of China and India's status-seeking are determined by their own behaviours and the region's interpretations of them. Our analysis reveals that China seeks to elevate its status to become a leading security partner of Southeast Asia, which has only been partially accepted by the region, as demonstrated by its active and institutionalized cooperation with ASEAN but its haphazard bilateral HADR engagement with individual Southeast Asian countries. Meanwhile, India has gone from a low-key player to an important partner, primarily in military terms, as shown by its membership in regional multilateral institutions, the holding of regular bilateral exercises and an acceptance by Southeast Asian states of the deployment of its military for HADR missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the current and future dynamics of Southeast Asia's maritime cooperation with China and India. Southeast Asian states do not only have diverse agendas when it comes to non-traditional and traditional maritime security issues, but their prioritization of these threats also vary. Those variations primarily define Southeast Asian interests for partnerships with actors such as India and China. Given China's geographical centrality, its strong economic relationship with countries in the region and the proximity of its military power, Southeast Asia states will remain far more invested in maritime security cooperation with China than India. Yet, China's territorial and maritime jurisdictional disputes in the South China Sea, and its overpowering shadow on the region, have contributed to anxiety among Southeast Asian states and their search for other security partners. The evolving threat of China's rise and polarization within the region gives New Delhi opportunities to engage. India-China rivalry is also a significant motivation for New Delhi to engage in Southeast Asia's maritime security. Two avenues for this include naval arms transfers and training for sea denial missions to claimant countries in the South China Sea, and cooperation in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast Asian states face numerous security challenges that require the assistance of external partners. China and India, two Indo-Pacific powerhouses, could offer potential solutions but their relations with Southeast Asian states vary considerably. At the same time, escalating tensions between China and India increase the risks of their engagement with Southeast Asian states leading to greater polarization in the region. By utilizing the "4-C Calculus", which comprises cost, complexity, credibility and capacity, this special issue seeks to understand how Southeast Asian states evaluate China and India as potential security cooperation partners, and whether cooperation with both--together or individually--can help address the region's security needs. The articles in this special issue employ the 4-C framework to analyse five key security concerns: defence modernization; health security; the post-coup crisis in Myanmar; humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; and maritime security. They contribute to the literature on security partnerships by providing fresh insights into our understanding of why and how smaller states partner with larger powers over shared security challenges, as well as by illustrating how certain policy considerations can influence the direction and quality of security partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South Asian and East Asian summer monsoons are globally significant meteorological features, creating a strongly seasonal pattern of precipitation, with the majority of the annual precipitation falling between June and September. The stability the monsoons is of extreme importance for a vast range of ecosystems and for the livelihoods of a large share of the world's population. Simulations are performed with an intermediate-complexity climate model in order to assess the future response of the South Asian and East Asian monsoons to changing concentrations of aerosols and greenhouse gases. The radiative forcing associated with absorbing aerosol loading consists of a mid-tropospheric warming and a compensating surface cooling, which is applied to India, Southeast Asia, and eastern China both concurrently and independently. The primary effect of increased absorbing aerosol loading is a decrease in summer precipitation in the vicinity of the applied forcing, although the regional responses vary significantly. The decrease in precipitation is not ascribable to a decrease in the precipitable water and instead derives from a reduction in the precipitation efficiency due to changes in the stratification of the atmosphere. When the absorbing aerosol loading is added in all regions simultaneously, precipitation in eastern China is most strongly affected, with a quite distinct transition to a low precipitation regime as the radiative forcing increases beyond 60 W m -2. The response is less abrupt as we move westward, with precipitation in southern India being least affected. By applying the absorbing aerosol loading to each region individually, we are able to explain the mechanism behind the lower sensitivity observed in India and attribute it to remote absorbing aerosol forcing applied over eastern China. Additionally, we note that the effect on precipitation is approximately linear with the forcing. The impact of doubling carbon dioxide levels is to increase precipitation over the region while simultaneously weakening the circulation. When the carbon dioxide and absorbing aerosol forcings are applied at the same time, the carbon dioxide forcing partially offsets the surface cooling and reduction in precipitation associated with the absorbing aerosol response. Assessing the relative contributions of greenhouse gases and aerosols is important for future climate scenarios, as changes in the concentrations of these species has the potential to impact monsoonal precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The administration of President Moon Jae-In introduced the Republic of Korea's 'New Southern Policy' (NSP-K) in 2017 to pursue a more diversified foreign policy by fostering stronger diplomatic and economic ties with Southeast Asia and India. However, the 2022 presidential election resulted in the victory of Yoon Suk-yeol and a shift in administration. President Yoon has expressed the need to deepen South Korea's engagement with ASEAN and India to reduce reliance on China and adopted a new 'Strategy for a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region' built on the 'Global Pivotal State' (GPS) Initiative. This article provides a brief overview and assessment of South Korea's NSP-K under the Moon administration, examines its transition under the new Yoon administration, and analyses policy implications within the larger geopolitical context, especially concerning South Korea's ability to establish an independent agenda as a middle power amid growing Sino-American tension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The present study provides the first genetic data on Hipposideros nicobarulae, an endangered and endemic leaf-nosed bat in the Nicobar Islands, India. Preliminary data sheds light on the phylogenetic relationship of H. nicobarulae and other closely related species (H. cf. antricola and H. cf. einnaythu) from South and Southeast Asia. Additionally, the distribution modelling provides information on suitable habitats for H. nicobarulae in the insular biogeography of Nicobar Island. Further integrated studies are needed to clarify the evolution, population genetics, distribution, and diversification of the Hipposideros species in the world. The Nicobar leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros nicobarulae) was described in the early 20th century; however, its systematic classification has been debated for over 100 years. This endangered and endemic species has achieved species status through morphological data in the last 10 years. However, the genetic information and phylogenetic relationships of H. nicobarulae remain neglected. The generated mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (mtCytb) sequences (438 bp) of H. nicobarulae contains 53.42–53.65% AT composition and 1.82% variable sites. The studied species, H. nicobarulae maintains an 8.1% to 22.6% genetic distance from other Hipposideros species. The genetic divergence estimated in this study is congruent with the concept of gene speciation in bats. The Bayesian and Maximum-Likelihood phylogenies clearly discriminated all Hipposideros species and showed a sister relationship between H. nicobarulae and H. cf. antricola. Current mtCytb-based investigations of H. nicobarulae have confirmed the species status at the molecular level. Further, the MaxEnt-based species distribution modelling illustrates the most suitable habitat of H. nicobarulae (294 km2), of which the majority (171 km2) is located on Great Nicobar Island. The present study suggests rigorous sampling across the range, taxonomic coverage, the generation of multiple molecular markers (mitochondrial and nuclear), as well as more ecological information, which will help in understanding population genetic structure, habitat suitability, and the implementation of appropriate conservation action plans for H. nicobarulae and other Hipposideros species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of a lineage is intertwined with the history of the landscape it inhabits. Here we showcase how the geo-tectonic and climatic evolution of South Asia and surrounding landmasses have shaped the biogeographical history of Indoplanorbis exustus , a tropical Asian, freshwater snail. We amplified partial COI gene fragments from all over India and combined this with a larger dataset from South and Southeast Asia to carry out phylogenetic reconstruction, species delimitation analysis and population genetic analyses. Two nuclear genes were also amplified from a few individuals per putative species to carry out divergence dating and ancestral area reconstruction analyses. The results suggest that I. exustus dispersed out of Africa into India during the Eocene. Furthermore, molecular data suggest I. exustus is a species complex consisting of multiple putative species. Primary diversification took place in the Northern Indian plains or in Northeast India. The speciation events appear to be primarily allopatric caused by a series of aridification events starting from the late Miocene to early Pleistocene. None of the species appears to have any underlying genetic structure suggestive of high vagility. All the species underwent population fluctuations during the Pleistocene, probably driven by the Quaternary climatic fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to Southeast Asia's geopolitical, economic, and commercial significance, world powers have focused on this region. China and India, the two neighboring nations of Southeast Asia, both with aspirations to become the dominating force in the Indo-Pacific region, have been employing all means to draw Southeast Asia into their sphere of influence. Controlling Southeast Asia would confer immense strategic gains on both nations. The goal of this study is to assess the policy of India and China toward Southeast Asia utilizing pertinent data and documents, official comments from the respective governments, and the research of Vietnamese and foreign researchers. The analysis reveals that India and China seek benefits by promoting close ties with Southeast Asia, but their methods for achieving this objective are distinct. Suppose India employs flexible diplomatic measures to develop its good relations with Southeast Asia. In that case, China has the upper hand when pursuing a diplomatic strategy that is both flexible and assertive to advance its objectives, particularly in East Sea-related problems. This provides Southeast Asia/ASEAN with difficult choices and decisions about India and China to balance their respective interests and, more significantly, to maintain ASEAN's central position in regional and international concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]