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With the phenomenal expansion of distance education in Asia during the past three decades, there has been growing public demand for quality and accountability in distance education. This study investigates the national quality assurance systems for distance education at the higher education level in Asia with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of the current level of development of quality assurance in Asian distance education and to offer potential directions for policy makers when developing and elaborating quality assurance systems for distance education. The analysis of the existing quality assurance frameworks in the 11 countries/territories selected reveals that the level of quality assurance policy integration in the overall national quality assurance in higher education policy framework varies considerably. The purpose of quality assurance, policy frameworks, methods, and instruments in place are generally tailored to each country's particular circumstances. There are, however, obvious commonalities that underpin these different quality assurance efforts. (Contains 2 tables.)

Cancer remains a significant global challenge, with escalating incidence rates and a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Herein, we present an in-depth exploration of the intricate interplay between cancer cell death pathways and tumor immunity within the tumor microenvironment (TME). We begin by elucidating the epidemiological landscape of cancer, highlighting its pervasive impact on premature mortality and the pronounced burden in regions such as Asia and Africa. Our analysis centers on the pivotal concept of immunogenic cell death (ICD), whereby cancer cells succumbing to specific stimuli undergo a transformation that elicits robust anti-tumor immune responses. We scrutinize the mechanisms underpinning ICD induction, emphasizing the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) as key triggers for dendritic cell (DC) activation and subsequent T cell priming. Moreover, we explore the contributions of non-apoptotic RCD pathways, including necroptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis, to tumor immunity within the TME. Emerging evidence suggests that these alternative cell death modalities possess immunogenic properties and can synergize with conventional treatments to bolster anti-tumor immune responses. Furthermore, we discuss the therapeutic implications of targeting the TME for cancer treatment, highlighting strategies to harness immunogenic cell death and manipulate non-apoptotic cell death pathways for therapeutic benefit. By elucidating the intricate crosstalk between cancer cell death and immune modulation within the TME, this review aims to pave the way for the development of novel cancer therapies that exploit the interplay between cell death mechanisms and tumor immunity and overcome Challenges in the Development and implementation of Novel Therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brucea javanica (L.) Merr, has a long history to be an anti-dysentery medicine for thousand of years, which is commonly called "Ya-Dan-Zi" in Chinese. The common liquid preparation of its seed, B. javanica oil (BJO) exerts antiinflammatory action in gastrointestinal diseases and is popularly used as an antitumor adjuvant in Asia. However, there is no report that BJO has the potential to treat 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced chemotherapeutic intestinal mucosal injury (CIM). Aim of the study: To test the hypothesis that BJO has potential intestinal protection on intestinal mucosal injury caused by 5-FU in mice and to explore the mechanisms. Materials and methods: Kunming mice (half male and female), were randomly divided into six groups: normal group, 5-FU group (5-FU, 60 mg/kg), LO group (loperamide, 4.0 mg/kg), BJO group (0.125, 0.25, 0.50 g/kg). CIM was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 5-FU at a dose of 60 mg/kg/day for 5 days (from day 1 to day 5). BJO and LO were given orally 30 min prior to 5-FU administration for 7 days (from day 1 to day 7). The ameliorative effects of BJO were assessed by body weight, diarrhea assessment, and H&E staining of the intestine. Furthermore, the changes in oxidative stress level, inflammatory level, intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis, and proliferation, as well as the amount of intestinal tight junction proteins were evaluated. Finally, the involvements of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway were tested by western blot. Results: BJO effectively alleviated 5-FU-induced CIM, as represented by the improvement of body weight, diarrhea syndrome, and histopathological changes in the ileum. BJO not only attenuated oxidative stress by upregulating SOD and downregulating MDA in the serum, but also reduced the intestinal level of COX-2 and inflammatory cytokines, and repressed CXCL1/2 and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Moreover, BJO ameliorated 5-FU-induced epithelial apoptosis as evidenced by the downregulation of Bax and caspase-3 and the upregulation of Bcl-2, but enhanced mucosal epithelial cell proliferation as implied by the increase of crypt-localized proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) level. Furthermore, BJO contributed to the mucosal barrier by raising the level of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1). Mechanistically, these antiintestinal mucositis pharmacological effects of BJO were relevant for the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 in the intestinal tissues. Conclusion: The present study provides new insights into the protective effects of BJO against CIM and suggests that BJO deserves to be applied as a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of CIM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien plants posed a significant threat to natural ecosystems, biodiversity, agricultural production, as well as human and livestock health. Lolium temulentum, an annual invasive alien weed with fibrous roots, can reduce wheat production and cause economic losses. Moreover, the consumption of grains or cereal products mixed with darnel can cause dizziness, vomiting, and even death. Therefore, darnel is regarded as one of the worst weeds around the world?. In the present study, we predicted the potential global geographical distribution of L. temulentum using an optimal MaxEnt model, based on occurrence records and related environmental variables. The mean AUC, TSS, and KAPPA were 0.95, 0.778, and 0.75, indicating the MaxEnt model accuracy was excellent. The significant environmental variables, including the mean temperature of coldest quarter (bio 11), precipitation of coldest quarter (bio 19), temperature annual range (bio 7), and annual precipitation (bio 12), produced a great impact on the potential global geographical distribution of L. temulentum. Under the current climate, L. temulentum was primarily distributed in south-eastern Asia, Europe, and south-eastern North America. The widest total suitable habitat was distributed in Asia, covering nearly 796 × 104 km2. By the 2050s, the potential geographical distribution of L. temulentum was expected to decrease in the Northern Hemisphere, and shrink gradually in southern America, Africa, and Oceania. Moreover, the distribution center of L. temulentum was expected to shift from Asia to Europe. Based on these predictions, changes in the suitable habitats for L. temulentum between Europe and Asia warrant close attention to prevent further spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient management has increasingly become important in producing quality medicinal plant materials. Vitex negundo is an important perennial medicinal plant widely distributed in tropical Asia and Africa. This study aimed to examine the effects of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization on the biomass, polyphenol contents, and essential oil yield and composition in field cultivated V. negundo. Two field experiments were conducted; one was performed on three different rates of N fertilizer (50, 100, and 200 kg-N ha−1), and the other was on different P fertilizer rates (50, 100, and 200 kg-P ha−1), with their respective control groups receiving no fertilization under field conditions. The results showed that at 200 kg-P ha−1, V. negundo had the highest biomass and essential oil yield, the highest number of volatile components (45 compounds), and the content of bioactive ingredients (β-caryophyllene and eremophilene). Polyphenol contents were not significantly different between treatments. This study indicates that 200 kg-P ha−1 (NPK ratio of 1:2:1) treatment positively affects the yield of biomass, essential oils, and bioactive compounds in field cultivated V. negundo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus, also known as the Asian tiger mosquito, is a mosquito which originated in Asia. In recent years, it has become increasingly rampant throughout the world. This mosquito can transmit several arboviruses, including dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses, and is considered a public health threat. Despite the urgent need of genome engineering to analyze specific gene functions, progress in genetical manipulation of Ae. albopictus has been slow due to a lack of efficient methods and genetic markers. In the present study, we established targeted disruptions in two genes, kynurenine hydroxylase (kh) and dopachrome conversion enzyme (yellow), to analyze the feasibility of generating visible phenotypes with genome editing by the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR‐associated protein 9 (Cas9) system in Ae. albopictus. Following Cas9 single guide RNA ribonucleoprotein injection into the posterior end of pre‐blastoderm embryos, 30%–50% of fertile survivors produced alleles that failed to complement existing kh and yellow mutations. Complete eye and body pigmentation defects were readily observed in G1 pupae and adults, indicating successful generation of highly heritable mutations. We conclude that the CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated gene editing system can be used in Ae. albopictus and that it can be adopted as an efficient tool for genome‐scale analysis and biological study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acteoside is one kind of phenylethanoid glycoside, which has shown a lot of biological activities. This article reviewed the study progress of acteoside, such as distribution, preparation, identification, and bioactivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WorldFish Center and its research partners have recently made efforts to develop genetically improved carp strains. This paper analyses the comparative performance of the genetically improved carp strains on both average and efficient farms in four carp-dominating Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Vietnam). The results show superior performance of improved strains in terms of body weight and survival rate on both average and efficient farms. On an average farm, the improved carp strain gives 15% higher body weight at harvest in India to 36% higher in Bangladesh. On an efficient farm also, the improved carp strain gives similar higher body weight at harvest. The improved carp strain has a higher survival rate on average farms, ranging from 7% in Thailand to about 27% in India. A higher carp yield is predicted for improved strains as compared to local strains under average as well as efficient farms. Genetically improved carp strains are generally neutral to feed use, and can be reared with the existing endowments of farmers and harvested for higher yield per unit area. It is expected that farmers would be able to sell the genetically improved carp fish at a lower market price. The study suggests that countries engaged in selective breeding program should continue their efforts in stock improvement and production of fish at lower cost to benefit both producers and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a newly found virus that seriously threatens the economic crustacean aquaculture, the susceptible host range of Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1) plays a critical role in both epidemic prevention and international trade. The swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus , is widely distributed in the coastal waters of Asia and has become an important economic species in China. In the present study, healthy swimming crabs Po. trituberculatus were artificially infected with DIV1 (isolate SHIV 20141215) through intramuscular injection and per os pathways. The infected individuals showed symptoms with decreased vitality, retarded reaction, anorexia, and mortalities of 100% and 50%, respectively. Nested PCR showed that all the moribund individuals and some surviving individuals were DIV1-positive. Histological examination revealed that eosinophilic inclusions and karyopyknosis existed in hemocytes of gills, hepatopancreas, ovaries, and muscles of diseased Po. trituberculatus , which was also verified by the positive signal of in situ DIG-labeling loop-mediated isothermal amplification (ISDL) at the same location of these tissues. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of ultrathin sections showed that typical DIV1 virions, the virogenic stroma, and the process of nucleocapsid formation existed in hemocytes. Quantitative detection results showed that gills and epidermis of the diseased Po. trituberculatus had the highest DIV1 load, while the gonads and hepatopancreas had the lowest DIV1 load. The above-mentioned results support that Po. trituberculatus is a newly confirmed susceptible host for infection with DIV1. Furthermore, the epidemiological survey showed that the DIV1 detection rates of farmed Po. trituberculatus , wild Helice tientsinensis , and wild Hemigrapsus penicillatus were relatively high, from 6.9% (2/29) to 42% (22/53). The findings warn that polyculture with shrimps and crabs has a nonnegligible risk of cross-species transmission of pathogens, and wild crabs are very likely to be vectors of DIV1 to an aquaculture system. • Portunus trituberculatus was firstly confirmed as susceptible to iDIV1. • DIV1 could infect hemocytes of many tissues of the swimming crab. • Farmed swimming crab and two wild crab species had relatively high DIV1 positive rates. • The findings warn of the risk of cross-species transmission of DIV1 in polyculture with shrimps and crabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between depression and cognition in middle-aged adults is a topic of interest. Whether poor cognitive function exacerbates depression remains controversial. We clarified the association between cognitive decline and depression based on six nationwide cohorts., Methods: 89,056 participants were retrieved from six cohorts in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. Each two consecutive interviews were collected as a sample set with a total of twenty-eight sample sets to assess changes in depression and cognitive function. Multiple linear regression was conducted within each sample set to evaluate the association between cognitive decline and depression. A two-stage meta-analysis was performed to obtain the average effect within each cohort and the overall effect excluding population and regional heterogeneity. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were used to explore heterogeneity and potential effect modifiers., Results: Almost all sample sets indicated negative association between changes in cognitive function and depression scores. The average effects varied across regions: Korea (-0.150 [-0.175, -0.126]), Europe (-0.130 [-0.149, -0.112]), South Africa (-0.090 [-0.129, -0.060]), China (-0.083 [-0.137, -0.030]), Mexico (-0.063 [-0.084, -0.042]), and North America (-0.048 [-0.056, -0.040]). The overall effect excluding population and regional heterogeneity was -0.094 [-0.129, -0.060], and was robust across populations of different age, sex, alcohol consumption, daily living activities and marital status., Limitations: The cross-sectional design limited our ability to determine causal relationships., Conclusion: Cognitive decline was associated with the exacerbation of depression status in middle-aged and older adults worldwide. Country-level factors, rather than individual-level factors, are more likely to modify this effect., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The plants of the Trigonostemon sp. genus(Euphorbiaceae family) comprising about 50 species worldwide are mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia, 10 species of which can be found in southern of China. Phytochemical studies on the plants in the genus have demonstrated a large amount of terpenoids and alkaloids. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated cytotoxicity, antivirus, antibacterial, anti-inflammation and other pharmacological activities. In this paper, chemical compositions and biological activities of Trigonostemon genus at home and abroad over the past decade were summarized, in order to provide scientific basis for the further development and utilization of Trigonostemon plants.