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Background and Aims: Highly cited papers (HCPs) can influence both research and clinical practice. They help to identify core literature and important advances in a field. This study aimed to assess the current status and prospects of South Asia COVID-19 research from the HCPs using bibliometric indicators. Methodology: COVID-19 literature from South Asia published between December 2019 and 29 November 2023 in the Scopus database was analysed. The top HCPs, having more than 200 citations, were evaluated. Information about citation counts, authors and organisations and their affiliations, year of publication, source journal, geographical origin, subject, article type, funding details, etc. were retrieved and analysed. Data and visualisation analysis was undertaken using Microsoft Excel and other bibliometric software. Results: The 298 South Asia HCPs were published from 2020 to 2023 and were cited 200–3,596 times, with a mean average of 413.9 citations per paper (CPP). Around 24.5% and 51.3% of HCPs received external funding support and were involved in international collaboration, respectively. The most productive organisations were the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, while the most impactful organisations were Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, Mumbai, and Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute, Mumbai. The most productive journals were Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews. Conclusions: This study has identified core and significant authors, organisations, journals, subject fields and significant keywords, collaborators and funding agencies involved in South Asia's COVID-19 research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-regulation has been found to be integral to academic learning in traditional classroom environments. Social cognition theory highlights the significant relationships between academic self-efficacy, internet self-efficacy, and work experience in years on self-regulation in the context of traditional classroom learning. However, there is a lacuna in the literature on the significance of these relationships in the context of e-learning. The exponential growth of e-learning and changes in business environment necessitate a study to examine the effect on self-regulation in the context of e-learning. This research is based on a sample of 525 management students from a business school in South Asia. The findings highlight that academic and internet self-efficacy have a positive effect on self-regulation even in an e-learning environment. e-learning here refers to interactive online learning, in a university setting. The findings have significant implications for both theory and practice as they build on the existing literature. We suggest use of training-based interventions for promoting self-regulation which subsequently would facilitate higher e-learning efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three unrelated girls, all born to consanguineous parents had respiratory distress, severe hypotonia at birth along with prominent fatigable muscle weakness and characteristic myopathic facies. In addition, patient 1 had fatigable ptosis, ophthalmoparesis and profound bulbar weakness and required nasogastric feeding from birth. A feeding gastrostomy was inserted at 9 months of age. She continued to have severe bulbar and limb weakness with dropped head at 5 years of age. Patient 2 and 3 did not have ocular signs at the time of initial presentation during infancy and at 2 years of age respectively. None of the patients attained independent walking. Patient 3, currently aged 16 years continues to be wheelchair bound and has only mild non-progressive bulbar weakness with normal cognitive development. Muscle biopsy in patient 1 and 3 showed predominant myopathic features admixed with small sized (atrophic/hypoplastic) fibres. Next generation sequencing confirmed the presence of a homozygous loss of function VAMP1 mutations in all three patients: A single nucleotide deletion resulting in frameshift: c.66delT (p.Gly23AlafsTer6) in patient 1 and nonsense mutations c.202C>T (pArg68Ter) and c.97C>T (p.Arg33Ter) in patient 2 and 3 respectively. Minimal but definite improvement in muscle power with pyridostigmine was reported in patients 1 and 2. This is the first report of VAMP1 mutations causing CMS from the Indian subcontinent, describing a clinically recognizable severe form of VAMP1 -related CMS and highlighting the need for a strong index of suspicion for early genetic diagnosis of potentially treatable CMS phenotypes. • Recessive VAMP-1 mutations cause a severe congenital form of CMS. • Severe congenital hypotonia with prominent fatigable weakness and myopathic facies are characteristic findings. • Respiratory distress is common with variable ocular symptoms. • Severe bulbar involvement with PEG feeding in one patient. • Improvement observed with Pyridostigmine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds are the major production constraint in direct seeded rice (DSR) due to the concurrent emergence of competitive weeds and absence of water at initial growth stages to smother weed growth, leading to decreased crop yield. DSR has emerged as an alternative to the conventional water, labour and energy–intensive puddled transplanted rice (PTPR) in the eastern Indo–Gangetic Plains (IGP) of India. Hence, three field experiments were conducted (2008–2010) to evaluate integrated weed management options that included transplanted rice under puddled and unpuddled conditions, zero till DSR with or without residue retention and cover crops, zero till transplanted rice (ZTTPR) (experiment I); different combination of herbicides with or without cover crops (experiment II and III). Results revealed that during 1st year of study, zero–till direct seeded rice (ZTDSR) with (ZTDSR + R) or without (ZTDSR–R) residue retention and ZTDSR after the cover crops of sesbania [ Sesbania aculeata (Willd.) Pers.] (ZTDSR + SB) or cowpea [ Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] (ZTDSR + CP) had greater weed density and dry matter accumulation than puddled transplanted rice (PTPR). However, in the 2nd and 3rd years, similar or lower weed density and dry matter accumulation was recorded in zero–tilled (ZT) plots. In 3rd year, plots under ZTDSR–R, ZTDSR + R, ZTDSR + SB, and ZTDSR + CP accumulated 14.3, 33.3, 23.1, and 60%, respectively, less weed dry matter over PTPR. Plots under ZTDSR produced almost similar or more grain yield to PTPR in all the three years of experimentation. On the basis of 3 years' average data, the highest grain yield was recorded in plots under ZTDSR + R or –R followed by ZTTPR and ZTDSR + CP. While in experiment II, mungbean [ Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek] as cover crop fb bispyribac–Na at 25 g ha−1 resulted in the highest grain yield in 2008; but in 2009, weed free plots were superior–most. With regard to herbicides, pre–emergence application of pendimethalin EC at 1000 g ha−1; effectively controlled aerobic grassy weeds such as Eragrostis tenella var. japonica (Thunb.) Roem. & Schult. but was ineffective against Echinochloa colona (L.) Link. Similarly, bispyribac–Na at 25 g ha−1 was most effective for control of E. colona and Commelina benghalensis L., but incompetent against E. tenella. Overall, from the weed management viewpoint, this study recommends combination of pendimethalin at 1000 g ha−1 fb bispyribac–Na at 25 g ha−1 for effective control of diverse weed flora encountered in DSR. •Tillage, residues, cover crops & herbicides effects on weeds of direct seeded rice (DSR). •DSR had more weeds than puddled transplanted rice in 1st year but, similar and less weeds in 2nd & 3rd years. •Pendimethalin fb bispyribac–Na effectively controlled diverse weed flora in DSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Anticipation embeds different ideas of the future and how to act in the present. • Hybrid approaches are used across the globe. • Much anticipation intends to open up to diverse worldviews and alternative futures. • But possibilities for actions close down towards existing policy frames. • Diverse cultural, social and political futures need to be more fully engaged with. There is an urgent need to understand how anticipation processes such as scenario planning impact governance choices in the present. However, little empirical research has been done to analyze how anticipation processes frame possibilities for action. This paper investigates how assumptions about the future open up or close down anticipatory governance actions in a large number of climate-focused anticipation processes. We focused on four Global South regions: West Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Central America. We apply an analytical framework that identifies four diverse approaches to anticipatory governance and connect this to the notion of opening up or closing down of possibility spaces for action. Across the four regions, we find that many anticipation processes open up dialogue about deep uncertainties and pluralistic worldviews but end up informing mostly technocratic and linear planning actions in the present. We also observe that anticipation processes in the Central American context more often break this trend, particularly when transformative ambitions are formulated. The focus on more technocratic futures and linear planning strategies and reliance on a mostly North-based global futures industry may close down more culturally, socially and politically diverse and regionally relevant future worldviews in anticipation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal changes in land surface temperature (LST) over South Asia were estimated using MODIS (moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer) data from 2000 to 2021. We calculated the monthly and annual LST trends and magnitudes by applying the Mann–Kendall test and Sen's slope estimator at both ecoregion and pixel level. More ecoregions experienced daytime cooling than warming. Central and west South Asia showed the highest daytime cooling in December compared to the nighttime warming in the central and northwest in July and September. Nineteen ecoregions demonstrated monthly daytime cooling trends at the 99% confidence level (CL), with the highest record observed in ecoregion 'Indus Valley desert' in March with the magnitudes of −0.26 °C/yr. While the monthly and annual nighttime warming magnitude was the maximum in 'Gissaro-Alai open woodlands' in December (0.19 °C/yr at 95% CL), and 'Indus River Delta-Arabian Sea mangroves' at annual scale (0.06 °C/yr at 99% CL). To understand the influence of large-scale atmospheric oscillations on the trends, we also correlated the estimated LST trends with the selected oscillation indices. Sea surface temperature (SST) Niño 3.4 showed the most significant influence on the trends, where it was positively correlated with 38 ecoregions during nighttime over the year. A better understanding of temperature trends and impacts on South Asia would guide sustainable development and ensures the excessive demands on food, water, and energy supplies coping with the growing population. • Annual cooling magnitudes were more than warming in the ecoregions of South Asia. • Most ecoregions of South Asia exhibited significant daytime cooling in December. • Significant nighttime warming ecoregions was observed in July and September. • Natural vegetation and irrigated agriculture could be the influential factors of cooling. • PDO, SST, DMI and NAO exhibited positive correlations with the cooling trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparative research output in S&T of four South Asia countries, namely Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal has been analyzed during 2001-11. It focused on their publication growth, publication share in global output share of international collaborative publications and broad and narrow subject areas of focus. The data covered in this study has been derived from SCImago Journal and Country Rank website (http://www.scimagojr.com), which is based on Scopus database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rice and wheat are the staple food crops occupying nearly 13.5 million hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) of South Asia covering Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. These crops contribute more than 80% of the total cereal production and are critically important to employment and food security for hundreds of millions of rural families. The demand for these two cereals is expected to grow between 2% and 2.5% per annum until 2020, requiring continued efforts to increase productivity while ensuring sustainability. Starting from the 1960s, expansion of area and intensification of rice–wheat productions system based on the adoption of Green Revolution (GR) technologies, incorporating the use of high-yielding varieties, fertilizers and irrigation, led to increased production and productivity of both these crops. However, continued intensive use of GR technologies in recent years has resulted in lower marginal returns and, in some locations to salinization, overexploitation of groundwater, physical and chemical deterioration of the soil, and pest problems. This paper presents findings from recent research on resource conservation technologies involving tillage and crop establishment options that are enabling farmers to sustain productivity of intensive rice–wheat systems. Field results show that the resource conserving technologies, an exponent of conservation agriculture, improve yields, reduce water consumption, and reduce negative impacts on the environmental quality. The paper considers contributions of innovative inter-institutional collaboration in international agricultural research and socio-economic changes in the IGP countries that led to rapid development and adoption of these technologies by farmers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives First, to examine the experience of menopause and quality of life in a migrated Asian population from the Indian subcontinent living in Birmingham, UK, and, second, to compare their experience with a matched sample of Caucasian women living in the same geographical area and also with a sample of Asian women with similar socioeconomic background living in Delhi, India. Methods In this cross-sectional study of 153 peri- and postmenopausal women aged 45–55 years, 52 Asian women originating from the Indian subcontinent living in Birmingham (UKA, mean age 51.4 years), 51 Caucasian women (UKC, mean age 52.3 years) and 50 Asian women living in Delhi, India (DEL, mean age 49.72 years) were interviewed to collect information about their lifestyle, general health, menopause experience and help-seeking behavior. The Women's Health Questionnaire and the Menopause Representation Questionnaire (both translated and linguistically validated in Hindi) were used to examine the prevalence of physical and emotional symptoms and the extent to which these were attributed to the menopause. Results The two Asian groups (UKA, DEL) reported poorer health and generally more physical and emotional symptoms than the UKC group. However, for menopausal symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) there was a different pattern; the DEL group reported significantly fewer symptoms compared to the UKA and UKC groups (hot flushes: UKC 60.8%, UKA 75%, DEL 32% ( p < 0.001); night sweats: UKC 50%, UKA 56.9%, DEL 24% ( p = 0.002)). The prevalence of vaginal dryness was highest in the UKA group and lowest in the DEL group (UKC 21.6%, UKA 38.2%, DEL 7.3% ( p = 0.005)). The number of symptoms attributed to menopause was significantly lower in the DEL group (9.3 ± 7.8) compared to the two UK groups (UKC 18.9 ± 7.4, UKA 19.8 ± 10.7), but the UKA women tended to attribute some physical symptoms to the menopause such as breathlessness, weight gain and stiff joints that might have other causes. Conclusions The UK Asian women's experience of the menopause is more similar to the Caucasian women in the UK than that of the women in Delhi. However, Asian women living in the UK and the Indian subcontinent shared the experience of poor health and reports of more physical and emotional symptoms in general. The possible reasons for these differences are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of p53 protein expression as a marker for determining which oral precancerous lesions may transform to malignancy with time was assessed. We compared the p53 expression in archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 22 baseline biopsies of precancerous lesions that transformed to cancer in 4-25 years against that in 68 similar lesions that did not transform over the same time period. Twenty-nine percent of precancers that transformed were p53-positive at baseline, compared to 31% of the biopsies that did not transform to malignancy. When examined by immunohistochemical methods p53 expression failed to detect potential malignant status of oral precancer. Non-specificity of the assay may account for this result but overexpression of p53 due to DNA damage by tobacco/betel-quid in non-progressive lesions needs further study. Nine precancerous lesions became p53-immunoreactive from precancer to cancer. This may suggest p53 overexpression peaks close to the time of transition from precancer to cancer rather than early in the natural history of oral precancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light-absorbing organic aerosols, also known as brown carbon (BrC), enhance the warming effect of the Earth's atmosphere. The seasonal and spatial variability of BrC absorption properties is poorly constrained and accounted for in the climate models resulting in a substantial underestimation of their radiative forcing estimates. This study reports seasonal and spatial variability of absorption properties and simple forcing efficiency of light-absorbing water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC, SFE WSOC) by utilizing current and previous field-based measurements reported mostly from Asia along with a few observations from Europe, the USA, and the Amazon rainforest. The absorption coefficient of WSOC at 365 nm (b abs-365) and the concentrations of carbonaceous species at Kanpur were about an order of magnitude higher during winter than in the monsoon season owing to differences in the boundary layer height, active sources and their strengths, and amount of seasonal wet precipitation. The WSOC aerosols during winter exhibited ∼1.6 times higher light absorption capacity than in the monsoon season at Kanpur site. The assessment of spatial variability of the imaginary component of the refractive index spectrum (k λ) across South Asia has revealed that it varies from ∼1 to 2 orders of magnitude and light absorption capacity of WSOC ranges from 3 to 21 W/g. The light absorption capacity of WSOC aerosols exhibited less spatial variability across East Asia (5–13 W/g) when compared to that in the South Asia. The photochemical aging of WSOC aerosols, indicated by the enhancement in WSOC/OC ratio, was linked to degradation in their light absorption capacity, whereas the absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) remained unaffected. This study recommends the adoption of refined climate models where sampling regime specific absorption properties are calculated separately, such that these inputs can better constrain the model estimates of the global effects of BrC. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]