Search

COVID-19, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Climate Change, have disrupted work education, rendering sustainability of careers and livelihoods a concern. This paper outlines a collaborative response to that challenge, offering opportunities for sustainable livelihoods in a work education cloud collaboration, Project SLiC (Sustainable Livelihoods Collaboration). We have joined forces across nation states in the Global South/North to share cloud resources, focused on teaching a postgraduate course, Sustainable Livelihoods. Online modules are stored in a secure cloud site, from which local courses draw-down, autochthonously, whichever resources fit workforce development in context. We outline modules, and an evaluative process, in a proof-of-concept trial. Finally, we envisage how this initial collaboration may morph into a whole degree, including research supervision. We close with a call to career development professionals to share their unique expertise and experiences at the work education frontline, on how to develop this sustainable careers project, for the greater good.

This study aimed to investigate the success factors for transforming classrooms into learning communities in digital learning ecosystem (DLE) of Thailand's secondary schools. Quantitative research was conducted by using a questionnaire as the research instrument to measure teachers' evaluation of factors. Purposive sampling was applied to obtain a sample group of secondary schools. The questionnaires were sent to teachers at secondary schools in 20 provinces in Northeast Thailand that were employing the smart learning project for their teaching and learning. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The results revealed that learning support technologies, teachers, and learners were the three most important factors influencing the development of DLE ([X-bar]=4.64, [X-bar]=4.61, and [X-bar]=4.49, respectively). The findings of this study have implications for educators, administrators, and teachers to review and discover appropriate ways to invest the necessary conditions that can enhance the quality of DLEs and improve teaching and learning activities in the digital environment at secondary schools.

Despite receiving increasing attention from mathematics education scholars, there has not yet been any overall understanding of the current state of realistic mathematics education (RME). To address this gap, this study aims to provide a review of 288 studies on realistic mathematics education from the Scopus database between 1972 and 2019. Using descriptive and bibliometric analyses, this study addresses four research issues as follows: (i) the total volume, growth trajectory, and geographic distribution; (ii) the most influencing authors and research groups; (iii) the most influencing sources (i.e., journals, books, conferences); and (iv) the most important topics. Several implications for not only mathematics education scholars but also other stakeholders, including policymakers, school managers, mathematics teachers, may not be considered in this study.

The major analytical research question addressed in this paper is: What are Thailand's strengths and weaknesses as an international education hub for students from the Asian region? The key descriptive research question is: What is the nature of the educational experience of Asian students in Thailand? The two major research methodologies of the study are mixed research methods and comparative case studies, with the use of in-depth interviews of influential experts, surveys, and an autoethnography. In terms of major findings, there has been a dramatic growth of Asian students at Thai universities during the past two decades. Thailand's major advantages relate to low costs, location, quality campus facilities, and a welcoming attitude toward outsiders, while major disadvantages are the quality of many of Thailand's international programs often related to low English language capabilities. The paper concludes by presenting a creative new architecture for thinking about Asian study abroad in Thailand.

As a part of learning process, project-based assessment (PBA) is determined to be a potential approach in higher education evaluation that focuses on developing the important objectives related to critical thinking, team working and problems solving skills. The aim of the paper is to find out students' reflection and teachers' beliefs towards using this project-based assessment method in teaching Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC). To collect the data, a project-based assessment design was applied for 124 English major students at B University in the 9 weeks ICC course. This project was implemented from the beginning of the course, and at the end of the course, learners' products were performed with specific activities regarding culture knowledge competition, online cultural community activities, talent performance, situational judgment ability, and eloquence skills. In addition, a set of questionnaires were delivered to the participants, plus the interviews with 36 teachers who have taught culture-related subjects from the universities in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. The findings revealed that although there were certain challenges, using project-based assessment in teaching culture had satisfactory effects on students' intercultural competence, problem- solving skills, critical thinking, and learning motivation.

This study aimed to compare the levels and relationships between school capacity, teacher capacity, and student experience in Thailand and Taiwan. Moreover, school types and school locations were examined to explore these differences. The secondary data from PISA 2018 were analyzed by quantitative approach. The results revealed that only school types had differences in teacher capacity in Thailand, whereas other demographic information did not. Other results showed different directions of correlations between school capacity, teacher capacity, and student experience. School capacity in both countries was able to predict teacher capacity. Other factors as predictors of the student experience are recommended.

Digital learning ecosystem plays important roles for transforming teaching classroom into learning community. This article used a mixed method to (1) explore the teaching and learning activities and components of a digital learning ecosystem through eighteen in-depth interviews and six observation classroom teachings of three subjects (English, Mathematics, and Science), and (2) measure the factors influencing the success of the ecosystem from a survey of 350 teachers at high schools in Thailand under the KKU Smart Learning Project. The quantitative data is analyzed by using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis; meanwhile, researchers used manually coding method for qualitative data to categorize data into themes and sub-themes. The findings revealed an ecosystem includes four core components: learning community, learning atmosphere, active learning, and teaching and learning support. However, it is important for junior high schools to clarify and improve seven factors affecting the development of this ecosystem to boost classroom transformation into learning community. This study is useful for policy makers, educators, and teachers to issue educational policies and objectives, invest infrastructure, design curriculum, and organize teaching activities to enhance the effectiveness of learning outcomes.

In recent years, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education has become important in many countries around the world. In this study a bibliometric analysis was applied to evaluate the scientific results of STEM education in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, indexed in the Scopus database for the period 2000-2019. A total of 175 publications were taken from the Scopus database for analysis. Our main findings show that the trend of research in this field has shown a dramatic increase in scientific production in the last three years, when the published amount accounted for 67.43% of the collection. Authors with the most publications came from the top 10 universities and research institutes (accounting for 38.44%). Scholars in the ASEAN region tend to submit their works to Q3 and Q4 journals in the SCImago database. Diverse research with basic and cross-cutting topics focus on STEM education for undergraduate students, engineering education, and education computing.

Nowadays, language errors are viewed as indicators of learners' existing knowledge of the target language. Several studies have thus been conducted on the types and sources of these errors in order to help learners effectively acquire language skills. This is not an exception in Thailand where students' English writing has been reported to be a chronic problem. However, there has been little research on the ways to help Thai students improve their English writing skills. Adopting the combined peer-teacher feedback model developed by Nguyen (2017, 2018) and employing a survey and a focus group semi-structured interview, this study reports on how this feedback model helped reduce Thai university students' writing errors and how they responded to each error for the improvement of their writing accuracy. In addition to confirming the effectiveness of this feedback model in assisting Thai students, the study also discussed their evaluations of each error difficulty level, their revision strategies and the frequencies of their accurate corrections. The results of this study are therefore expected to shed more light on how to help Thai students overcome their English writing difficulties, reduce their writing errors and improve their writing skills. Furthermore, the study is hoped to partly reflect how in-service teachers tailor teaching approaches and materials to enhance the writing ability of EFL learners.

Lifelong learning (LLL) is an evolving field that is expected to contribute to attaining Sustainable Development Goals in education in the 21st century. In line with this expectation, research on LLL in Southeast Asia has been promoted in recent years. The main objective of this study was to investigate the development of scientific publications on LLL in Southeast Asia. We assessed 491 articles and books published between 1972 and 2019, located in the Scopus database, using bibliometric analysis. The results illustrated the current status of LLL research in Southeast Asia and described the research topics investigated during those 47 years. Publications on LLL in Southeast Asia have grown steadily in the 21st century, especially since 2015. Besides the contributions from Anglo-American scholars, indigenous researchers have also played an essential role in developing LLL in Southeast Asia. In recent years, e-learning, education for sustainable development, and the learning society are the dominant topics that have reshaped LLL research in Southeast Asia.

During the first half of the nineteenth century, Vietnam was considered the "center" of the "tributary system" in mainland Southeast Asia. As a major country in the region at that time, Vietnam tried to fulfill its responsibilities in the role of mediator to settle disputes and conflicts between countries, typically conflicts between Siam and Chenla and Siam and Van Tuong. In the context of being an equal country with Siam in terms of potential, and a "superior" country in relation to the "vassals" of Chenla and Van Tuong, it was not easy for the Nguyen Dynasty to find a suitable countermeasure to mediate these conflicts. However, with the policy of "positive neutrality," the Nguyen Dynasty achieved great success in dissolving the contradictions between these relationships at that time. These successes have left many valuable lessons for Vietnam in its diplomatic behavior with countries in the region and in the world today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Writing is one of the essential skills that EFL students, specifically in Thailand, need to achieve while their learning English during tertiary education. However, Thai EFL students have few chances to practice writing skills while learning. This study was conducted to develop an instructional design model for assisting students in learning collaboratively using Facebook groups to enhance their English writing skills at the beginning stage of their university education. In this study, collaborative learning and writing, the theory of instructional design, and five previous instructional design models were analyzed, and synthesized. In addition, the seven steps model for designing an instructional model by Brahmawong and Vate-U-Lan (2009) was adapted to develop the instructional design model. Experts in the fields of technology and English Language Teaching then evaluated the model. The results of the study showed that the elements of the FBCL Model was satisfactory and appropriate for giving EFL writing instruction in Facebook groups. The FBCL Model may also be beneficial in providing an instructional framework to EFL writing instructors and instructional designers.

The study successfully synthesized nano-SiO2 and Nd2O3 materials applying as fertilizers for growth of the Paramignya trimera (Oliv.) Guill. (Rutaceae), a well-known medicinal plant in Vietnam and Thailand for treatment of numerous cancers. The cultivation results indicated that the individual uses of nano-SiO2 and Nd2O3, respectively, induced stem and root growth of the P. trimera. Therefore, applications of nano-Nd2O3 and SiO2 mixture exhibited synergic effects to greatly enhance stem and root growth of the P. trimera. The plant height, root length, stem and root weight of the mixture Nd2O3 and SiO2 exposed plant were greatly higher than those of the individual nano-material exposed plants. The extraction experiments indicated that ostruthin, a valuable medicinal substance, accumulated in the roots of the P. trimera rather than in its stems. The ostruthin content in the root of the Nd2O3 exposed P. trimera was also greatly higher than those in the control and SiO2-exposed plants. This indicated that the Nd2O3 nano-materials not only induced root growth but also aided the accumulation of ostruthin in the roots of the P. trimera. This open new era on combination application of nano-SiO2 and Nd2O3 for growth of the P. Trimera as well as other medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last twenty years, there has been swift growth in industrialization and technological advancements, driving economic progress. Nevertheless, it is inevitable that these sectors will bring about environmental shifts. Thus far, endeavors have been undertaken to assess the influence of industrialization and technological advancements on environmental deterioration. Additionally, the extensive discussion surrounding the impact of financial development, trade openness, and technological innovation on the environment has not yielded conclusive empirical findings. Studies often operate under the assumption of symmetric relationships, potentially leading to biased results. Adding to the discussion on the drivers of carbon neutrality, the time-dependent effects of critical aspects such as financial development and technological innovation should inform meaningful policies for environmental management. This article explores the time-varying causal association between trade openness, industrialization, financial development, technological innovation, and CO2 emissions in Thailand using novel time-varying Granger causality tests. The time-varying causality outcomes demonstrate that the associations change significantly over time, in contrast to the results of Toda-Yamamoto causality. Overall, there exists a bidirectional relationship between industrialization, financial development, trade openness, technological innovation, and CO2 emissions over different time sequences. These outcomes have implications for both policy and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new γ-butenoid, (Z)-6-acetylsphaerodol (2), along with seven known compounds, (4E)-7- benzoyloxy-6-hydroxy-2,4-heptadien-4-olide (1), (6S)-melodorinol (3), (6S)-acetylmelodorinol (4), (Z)- sphaerodiol (5), (Z)-7-acetylsphaerodol (6), dichamanetin (7), and pinocembrin (8), were isolated and structurally elucidated from Uvaria siamensis growing in Thailand. Their chemical structures were assigned by extensive spectroscopy (NMR and HRESIMS), as well as comparisons with the previous literature. Compounds 1-8 were evaluated for the antimicrobial activity against two multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains, 23Sa1 and SA-ATCC. Compounds 4 and 6 displayed moderate activity with inhibitory zones of 13 and 12 mm against 23Sa1 and SA-ATCC strains, respectively. Compounds 3 and 7 exhibited significant efficacy, displaying IC50 values of 157.7 and 94.2 μM, respectively, against α-glucosidase. According to the docking data, compounds 3 and 7 have a greater influence on binding contacts with the α-glucosidase active pocket, thereby affecting the inhibitory activity of the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of a mechanically stabilized earth wall (MSE wall) is prevalent due to its stability and cost-effectiveness compared to conventional earthwork construction methods. In addition, the railway transportation infrastructure has played a vital role in connecting Thailand's numerous regions. The behavior of a 6-m-high MSE wall constructed on a hard ground foundation, which was reinforced with high-density polyethylene on one side and a metallic strip on the other side, was studied in this research. The purpose of this MSE wall is to support the railway structure under dynamic train loads at 100, 150, and 200 km/h. The three-dimensional finite-element method was used to simulate and investigate the behavior of the MSE wall in terms of lateral displacement, settlement, and strain of reinforcement materials. The findings of the study demonstrate that there is a positive correlation between train speed and both lateral displacement and settlement. This relationship is most pronounced at the top of the MSE wall, which is primarily attributable to the influence of surface waves. The MSE wall's behavior under the influence of dynamic train loads was most prominently displayed by the surface waves, which were a curved wavefront at 150 km/h and a Mach cone at 200 km/h. The settlement profile increased when the speed of dynamic train loads increased. The impact of velocity fluctuations on the strain of the reinforcement material was insignificant. Due to the hard ground foundation, the behavior of the MSE wall on both types of reinforcement materials exhibited similar tendencies. Moreover, it was observed that the maximum tension lines closely follow the bilinear coherent gravity method with a standard distance of 0.3H from the facing, where H represents the equivalent height of the MSE wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Thailand's cross-border trade of electricity with Laos has positive impacts on the national economy, its local livelihood effects remain uncertain. This study evaluates livelihood impacts of electricity consumption in the border trade area of Nong Khai, Thailand by conducting a survey with 339 local households and key informant interviews with six local leaders and residents based on the sustainable livelihood framework. The data were analyzed mainly using descriptives and inferential statistics with some insights from content analysis. The results revealed moderate levels of livelihood outcomes. The lowest impact area was the creation of job opportunities, while the highest impact area was well-being and individual capabilities. Households' participation in border electricity trade policies was at low level. Multiple regression analysis indicated that perceived benefits of border electricity trade, participation in policy processes, and community-level fixed effect contributed to livelihood outcomes, while income, expenditure, energy expenditure, and policy awareness did not have significant effects. While the direct impacts on job opportunities and poverty reduction were limited, perceived benefits had a positive influence on well-being, adaptation, and collaborative natural resource sustenance. The findings suggest a need to increase local participation in border electricity trade policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcuma zedoaroides Chaveer. & Tanee (Vietnamese name: Nghệ đắng) belongs to the Zingiberaceae family which is the new Curcuma species discovered in Thailand and Vietnam in recent years. This study aimed to determine the chemical compositions and the cytotoxic activities of C. zedoaroides rhizome essential oil for the first time. The essential oil was obtained from the rhizomes through hydro-distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Results showed that the majority of the rhizome essential oil of C. zedoaroides was dominated by oxygenated sesquiterpenes (61.54%) mainly curdione (27.45%), followed by widdrol (8.03%) and trans-β-elemenone (5.47%). Notably, the essential oil of C. zedoaroides rhizomes exhibited cytotoxic activities using the MTT assay with the IC50 (half-maximal effective concentration) values of 75.16 ± 2.79, 77.08 ± 1.98, 81.35 ± 1.55, 83.67 ± 2.26, 32.74 ± 1.95, 23.14 ± 1.43, 73.35 ± 2.20 μg/mL against A549, MCF-7, HepG2, HT29, HL-60, K562 and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. In addition, three major compounds targeting specific proteins related to essential oil's anti-cancer activity were assessed using molecular docking simulation. From the results observed, widdrol was suggested to have the highest binding affinity for both EGFR and HER2, with ΔG values of -6.246 kcal/mol and -6.916 kcal/ mol, respectively. These results suggest the potential of the rhizome essential oil of C. zedoaroides to provide leads for the development of anti-cancer agents as well as considered a valuable source of bioactive components. [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.

Water is critical for agriculture in developing countries and climate change has created more extreme weather events. In this study, we examine the role of villages' year-round irrigation in ensuring households' irrigation to cope with weather shocks and investigate the effects of irrigation on income and poverty of rural households. Our results show that the availability of villages' year-round irrigation significantly increases the share of irrigated land area at the household level, which leads to higher crop income and household income, and lower poverty. Therefore, developing year-round irrigation is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents in Thailand's Deep South are growing up amid protracted instability, yet limited research has left a critical gap in understanding their strengths, stressors, and unmet support needs. This study aimed to gain understanding of daily lives and well-being of orphaned adolescents in the Deep South to inform future intervention efforts. In total, 10 orphaned adolescents and their primary caregivers were recruited for study participation. Adolescents participated in a visual ethnography study over the course of 2 days to " show us a day in your life with photos," with follow-up interviews to discuss their photos. Caregivers participated in a focus group discussion about the challenges of caring for orphaned adolescents and supports that would be helpful in alleviating these challenges. Qualitative transcripts were coded by five researchers from multiple disciplines to identify emergent themes using a grounded theory approach. Themes included tension related to technology use, limited caregiver-adolescent communication, social isolation, financial hardship, and future aspirations. Lacking in peer social interaction, exploration, and opportunities to take risks, the atmosphere of restricted mobility has important implications for adolescents' social development. Caregivers and their children have little family time for recreation and leisure that would provide opportunities to connect and navigate these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the roles of land and labor diversification in mitigating the effects of covariate and idiosyncratic shocks in the two middle-income countries Thailand and Vietnam. We use an unbalanced panel dataset of rural households obtained from five survey waves during 2007–2016 (9291 households for Thailand and 9255 households for Vietnam). We employ the System-Generalized Method of Moments estimators to control for endogeneity. Our study finds that (i) rural households in both countries are able to maintain per capita consumption in the face of idiosyncratic shocks but not covariate shocks; (ii) labor diversification in Thailand and land diversification in Vietnam are used as ex-post coping strategies against covariate shocks but their shock-mitigating roles are insignificant; and (iii) land diversification in Thailand and labor diversification in Vietnam are helpful in improving per capita consumption when households face covariate shocks. Our findings suggest that facilitating access to credit, enhancing farm mechanization, and improving road quality in Thailand as well as promoting the development of local rural nonfarm sectors in Vietnam would benefit rural households in dealing with covariate shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic and morphological analyses delimit and diagnose, respectively, a new population of a karst-dwelling Cyrtodactylus from extreme northern Thailand. The new species, Cyrtodactylus phamiensis sp. nov., of the chauquangensis group inhabits karst caves and outcroppings and karst vegetation in the vicinity of Pha Mi Village in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. Within the chauquangensis group, Cyrtodactylus phamiensis sp. nov. is the earliest diverging species of a strongly supported clade composed of the granite-dwelling C. doisuthep and the karst-dwelling sister species Cyrtodactylus sp. 6 and C. erythrops. The nearly continuous karstic habitat between the type locality of Cyrtodactylus phamiensis sp. nov. and its close relatives Cyrtodactylus sp. 6 and C. erythrops, extends for approximately 200 km along the border region of Thailand and the eastern limit of the Shan Plateau of Myanmar. Further exploration of this region, especially the entire eastern ~ 95% of the Shan Plateau, will undoubtably recover new populations whose species status will need evaluation. As in all other countries of Indochina and northern Sundaland, the continual discovery of new karst-dwelling populations of Cyrtodactylus shows no signs of tapering off, even in relatively well-collected areas. This only highlights the conservation priority that these unique karstic landscapes still lack on a large scale across all of Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the effects of salinity on the egg fertilization, hatching, and tadpole growth and survival rates of the Thailand frog (Rana tigerina Dubois, 1981), an introduced species that is commonly cultured in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Salinity levels of 2, 6, and 4% significantly affected the fertilization and hatching rates of the eggs, as well as the tadpole survival rates from the newly hatched to yolk sac exhaustion stages, respectively p < 0.05 . Notably, during the stage from yolk sac exhaustion to juvenile tadpole, a salinity of 3% resulted in an increase in the final weight of the tadpoles throughout the stage and a significant increase in Phase 1 (the tadpole stage from yolk sac exhaustion to the onset of foreleg emergence) and Phase 2 (the tadpole stage from the onset of foreleg emergence to the onset of hind leg emergence); however, it did not show a significant effect on tadpole survival rates in Phases 1 and 2 of this stage p > 0.05 . A salinity level of up to 5% showed no significant effect on the growth performance but caused a significant reduction in the survival rates of the tadpoles during this stage. We recommend that the artificial reproduction process of Thai frogs should be performed using salinities of <2%, with salinities of ≤2 and 3% being suitable for rearing tadpoles from the newly hatched to yolk sac exhaustion stage and from the yolk sac exhaustion to juvenile stage, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken is a major reservoir and source of human infections from zoonotic Campylobacter. In southern Thailand, chicken is the most popular meat consumed; however, little is known about the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Campylobacter spp. in chicken production systems. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of AMR in Campylobacter isolates from commercial broiler and native chicken farms in southern Thailand. A total of 286 Campylobacter isolates (adjusted prevalence: 60.3%, SE ± 0.01) were recovered, of which 268 were identified as Campylobacter jejuni and 18 as Campylobacter coli. The adjusted prevalence of resistance was highest for nalidixic acid (98.6%), followed by ciprofloxacin (97.2%), enrofloxacin (96.4%), tetracycline (74.6%), tylosin (38.3%), and erythromycin (10.6%). Commercial broilers had resistance levels 7–11% higher to quinolones and 35–47% lower to macrolides and tetracycline (all P ≤ 0.025) compared to native chickens. Genotypic resistance analyses revealed high prevalence rates (>86%) for gyrA mutant, efflux pump CmeABC, and point mutation A2075G in the 23S rRNA gene. High homogeneity was observed among isolates within study farms. Commercial broilers exhibited higher homogeneity in AMR patterns than native chickens. The best agreement was observed between tetracycline resistance and tet(O) genes (Kappa: k = 0.811, P < 0.001), while the fair agreement was found for quinolone resistance and gyrA mutant genes (k = 0.260–0.271, P < 0.001). No association was detected between macrolide resistance and point mutations in the 23S rRNA gene. These findings fill knowledge gaps on AMR in Campylobacter in Thailand, emphasizing the need for targeted AMR mitigation strategies in both commercial broilers and native chickens. High Campylobacter prevalence in chickens; C. jejuni more prevalent than C. coli. Susceptibility to macrolides but resistance to quinolones/tetracyclines in isolates. Homogeneous resistance patterns within farms; higher in broilers than in native birds. Partial association between phenotypic and genotypic resistance among isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For integers k ≥1 and m ≥2, let g(k,m) be the least integer n ≥1 such that every graph with chromatic number at least n contains a (k + 1)-connected subgraph with chromatic number at least m. Refining the recent result of Gir\~ao and Narayanan [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc., 54 (2022), pp. 868--875] that g(k 1, k) ≤ 7k + 1 for all k≥ 2, we prove that g(k,m) ≤ max(m + 2k 2, (3 + 1/16)k≤) for all k ≥ 1 and m≥2. This sharpens earlier results of Alon et al. [J. Graph Theory, 11 (1987), pp. 367-371], of Chudnovsky [J. Combin. Theory Ser. B, 103 (2013), pp. 567-586], and of Penev, Thomass'e, and Trotignon [SIAM J. Discrete Math., 30 (2016), pp. 592--619]. Our result implies that g(k, k + 1) (3 + 1/16)k for all k \geq 1, making a step closer towards a conjecture of Thomassen [J. Graph Theory, 7 (1983), pp. 261--271] that g(k, k +1)≤3k +1, which was originally a result with a false proof and was the starting point of this research area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Sciences: Education - Research - Innovation / Neveléstudomány: Oktatás - Kutatás - Innováció is the property of Education Sciences: Education - Research - Innovation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Groundwater pollution from nickel (Ni) has been a severe concern in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. Recent assessments revealed that the Ni concentration in groundwater, particularly in urban areas, often exceeded the permissible limit. The challenge for groundwater agencies is therefore to delineate regions with high susceptibility to Ni contamination. In this study, a novel modeling approach was applied to a dataset of 117 groundwater samples collected from Kanchanaburi Province between April and July 2021. Twenty site-specific initial variables were considered as influencing factors to Ni contamination. The Random Forest (RF) algorithm with Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) function was used to select the fourteen most influencing variables. These variables were then used as input features to train a ME model to delineate the Ni contamination susceptibility at a high confidence (Area Under the Curve (AUC) validation value of 0.845). Ten input variables of the altitude, geology, land use, slope, soil type, distance to industrial areas, distance to mining areas, electric conductivity, oxidation–reduction potential, and groundwater depth were discovered in the most explaining the variation of spatial Ni contamination at very high (95.47 km2) and high (86.65 km2) susceptibility. This study devises the novel machine learning approach to identify the conditioning factors and map Ni contamination susceptibility in the groundwater, which provides a baseline dataset and reliable methods for the development of a sustainable groundwater management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that over a 100 anopheline mosquito species have been identified as human malaria vectors, little is known about ungulate malaria vectors. Consequently, we focused on investigating the bionomics and genetic characterizations of anopheline mosquitoes in goat malaria‐endemic regions. We also attempted to screen for ungulate malaria potential vectors. A total of 1019 female anopheline mosquitoes were collected from six goat farms in four provinces of Thailand from 2020 to 2021. Mosquitoes were morphologically identified and subsequently confirmed using the mitochondrial DNA barcoding region‐cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (MtDNA‐COI), mitochondrial DNA‐cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (MtDNA‐COII), and ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (rDNA‐ITS2) sequences. The current study reveals the genetic characteristics and distribution of nine mosquito species within the Anopheles and Cellia subgenera. Four dominant species, including Anopheles peditaeniatus, Anopheles subpictus, Anopheles vagus, and Anopheles aconitus exhibited significant intraspecific gene flow within their corresponding species. Although malaria parasites were not found in 126 mosquito pools, meaning more investigation is necessary, the current study adds to the existing DNA barcoding data collection and improves the current understanding of the genetic structure and distribution of anopheline mosquito species, which could be useful for effective control of mosquito‐borne diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the energy targets of the Vietnamese government, solar energy is expected to become the main source of renewable energy in the future. Solar energy is moving forward, with Vietnam outstripping Thailand and becoming the country that installed the largest capacity of solar power generation in Southeast Asia, reaching 16,362 MW in new installations in December 2021. In this study, we have experimentally analyzed and designed a capacity of 47.5 MW grid-connected photovoltaic plant mounted on the floatation system at Da Mi hydropower reservoir in Binh Thuan province. This was selected to be utilized as the first effort to develop the first large-capacity floating solar power plant on a hydroelectric reservoir in Vietnam. A detailed examination of the electrical analysis, including DC to DC converters, AC inverters to the transmission network, and PV module connectivity configurations, are in scope. The present research has the potential to make a contribution to the design of the DC electrical part, the AC electrical part, and the layout PV modules—Inverter—Floatation system—Floating bridge of FPV plants which are less described in the former articles. The performance of the plant after the first 2 years of operation has confirmed that it has met the expectations and exceeded the investor's target, with the power output of the first 2 years being higher than the design by 102.58% to 105.59% and no serious damage has occurred to the equipment from 1 June 2019 to 31 August 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Eastern Economic Corridor" is a development plan under the Thailand 4.0 scheme to revitalize the economy. However, it has influenced the environment through numerous infrastructural and industrial projects. The ecological environment is the most fragile component since it is susceptible to land use, land cover changes (LULCC) and rapid development. Meanwhile, there is currently a lack of comprehensive studies on spatial heterogeneity and future simulation of ecological environment quality (EEQ). Therefore, this study aims to analyze changes in EEQ and controlling factors and to predict near‐future EEQ by adopting an integrated approach of remote sensing and spatial analyses. It revealed that the regional EEQ has considerably fluctuated in the period 2013–2021. The dynamic areas, accounting for nearly half of the area, include ecologically degraded areas in coastal urban and surrounding areas and ecologically improved areas in the eastern forest and perennial plantations. Chonburi is the most vulnerable province due to its long coast with extensive urban infrastructures and industrial estates. These changes are an integrated consequence of natural and socioeconomic impacts. Particularly, LULCC, infrastructural projects, and climate are the most crucial contributors since they directly regulate the functions of the ecological environment, which will amplify the future changes of EEQ reflected via the near‐future prediction. This research identified key controlling factors and spatial heterogeneities that are useful for policymakers and local authorities to have appropriate local‐oriented plans for each area relevant to their uniqueness. Besides, regional plans should be also considered along with regional concerns such as LULCC, crop structures, water management, and green infrastructure, as well as legal interventions to promote sustainable development in this special economic zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is minimal data of health outcomes for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in Southeast Asia (SEA) where government funding of insulin and blood glucose monitoring either do not exist or is limited. The full impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the national economies of SEA remain unknown. In the midst of the pandemic, in 2021, HelloType1 was developed by Action4Diabetes (A4D), a non-government organisation charity in collaboration with Southeast Asia local healthcare professionals as an innovative digital educational resource platform of T1D in local languages. HelloType1 was launched in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia in 2021 to 2022 with Memorandums of Understandings (MOUs) signed between A4D and each country. Internet data analytics were undertaken between the 1st of January 2022 to 31st of December 2022. Aims: The aims of this study were to explore the usability and internet data analytics of the HelloType1 online educational platform within each country. Methods: The data analytics were extracted Google analytics that tracks data from the website hellotype1.com and Facebook analytics associated with the website. Results: There was a 147% increase in the number of HelloType1 users between the first 6 months versus the latter 6 months in 2022 and a 15% increase in the number of pages visited were noted. The majority of traffic source were coming from organic searches with a significant increase of 80% growth in 2022. Conclusions: The results of the analytics provide important insights on how an innovative diabetes digital educational resource in local languages may be optimally delivered in low-middle income countries with limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture, entwined with climatic conditions, plays a pivotal role in Thailand's sustenance and economy. This study aimed to examine the trends of climate variability and its correlation with crop yields and social and farm factors affecting farm net income in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. Time series climate data (2002–2020) on temperature and rainfall and yields were analyzed using the Mann–Kendall trend test and Sen's slope estimation to investigate the trends and their changes. The Pearson correlation was used to assess the association between climate variability and cultivated crop yields, and multiple linear regression was used to detect the factors influencing the farm net income. The findings show that the total annual rainfall showed an unchanged trend, but the annual temperature increased over time. Higher temperature negatively impacted longan yield but positively affected maize, with no significant impact on rice yield. The rainfall trend had no effect on crop yields. Despite declining trends in some cultivated crops' yield, farm net income was unaffected by individual crop types. Farm income relied on cumulative output and geographic location. This research emphasizes the need for integrating climate data and forecasting models considering agronomic and socio-economic factors and crop suitability assessments for specific regions into adaptation policies and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thailand has the social and economic development policies since 1960s that causes the migration, land change, and population dispersion. The policy effects led to the urbanization in the Chao Phraya River Basin (CPRB) catchment areas, and conceptually synergizes with the water-related disasters by Climate Change. This research aims to highlight the role and influence of urban socio-economic factors on sensitive areas, flood risk exposure, and flood impact in the CPRB. This examination is a multiple-scale analysis based on the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response Framework using data from government agencies. The collected data is utilized in mixed quantitative methods: Principal Component Analysis, Multiple Linear Regression, and K-Means Clustering. The district is a unit of analysis to represent the Meso-level. These data analyses are operated with 17 variables from 295 districts: municipal population, commercial values, water consumption, flood frequency, affected households, and economic losses. As a result, the analysis confirms that urban socioeconomics is necessary for urban expansion into flooded areas, especially the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. This expansion can enhance the urban flood risk and impact the local residences and commercials, especially the traditional town and lower-income communities. The finding implies the social and economic adaptive capacity-building requirement for balancing public infrastructure, compensation and funding mechanisms, and institutionalization. Financial measures to support capacity building are necessary. In conclusion, this scrutiny can lead to a strategic resilience framework essential in policy implication. This framework should include social adaptive capacity building, financial funding, and compensation mechanisms in traditional towns and lower-income communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the annual generation of huge quantities of mercury waste worldwide, mercury exposure is a universal issue. Mercury waste from the oil and gas industry should be of concern, owing to the presence of mercury during the whole oil and gas life cycle, as well as the industry's importance and magnitude. Particular attention should be given to mercury waste from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) oil and gas industry because of the high mercury concentrations in the regional petroleum deposits and the upcoming growth of the upstream and downstream subsectors. Therefore, this study aims to explore: (1) how mercury waste from the ASEAN oil and gas industry is managed and (2) the extent to which waste management facilities in the ASEAN can handle such waste. The paper starts with a description of some mercury forms occurring in oil and gas operations and the current situation of the ASEAN oil and gas sector. It then presents the legal frameworks and facilities for mercury waste management in the region and ends with a case study analysis of Best Mercury Technology (BMT) Thailand—a mercury waste management facility. The findings show that most countries lack specific laws on mercury waste management, while some have not legally identified mercury waste from the oil and gas industry and set thresholds for determining mercury waste as well as specific mercury emission standards for oil and gas activities. Other challenges include the lack of proper mercury waste management facilities or facilities that cannot recover mercury from the waste in some nations, including those having a strong oil and gas industry. The case study analysis demonstrates that BMT Thailand's operations adhere to the national legal requirements as well as many international standards and conventions, indicating the availability of a world-class facility in the ASEAN to cater for the regional demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) was first described in Thailand in 2009 and has since been identified as a significant threat to the shrimp aquaculture industry. Recently, intracellular microsporidia were identified as a causative agent of hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis (HPM). To date, HPM has been listed as an emerging threat to shrimp farming industries because of reduced shrimp growth and survival rates which are considered to be a wasting disease. This study investigated the outbreaks of HPM in farmed Penaeus vannamei in Taiwan. Sixty-five shrimp samples were collected from Taiwan. The proportion of HPM-positive cases was 48% (31/65). Additionally, the gross signs in infected shrimp were stunted growth, sloughed hepatopancreas (HP), and lethargy. The smear impression on the HP also revealed the existence of large EHP spores. Nested-PCR findings identified that 9 cases were confirmed to be positive for the EhSWP1 gene in the first step and 22 cases tested positive for the second step. Phylogenetic analysis of EHP from Taiwan showed 100% similarity to EHP from Thailand, India, and the United States. Histopathological analysis of the HP revealed haemocyte infiltration and the presence of EHP spores in the hepatopancreatic tubule epithelial cells. These results demonstrated that EHP is the main cause in shrimp farms in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colistin is one of the last resort therapeutic options for treating carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, which are resistant to a broad range of beta-lactam antibiotics. However, the increased use of colistin in clinical and livestock farming settings in Thailand and China, has led to the inevitable emergence of colistin resistance. To better understand the rise of colistin-resistant strains in each of these settings, we characterized colistin-resistant Enterobacterales isolated from farmers, swine, and hospitalized patients in Thailand. Methods: Enterobacterales were isolated from 149 stool samples or rectal swabs collected from farmers, pigs, and hospitalized patients in Thailand between November 2014–December 2017. Confirmed colistin-resistant isolates were sequenced. Genomic analyses included species identification, multilocus sequence typing, and detection of antimicrobial resistance determinants and plasmids. Results: The overall colistin-resistant Enterobacterales colonization rate was 26.2% (n = 39/149). The plasmid-mediated colistin-resistance gene (mcr) was detected in all 25 Escherichia coli isolates and 9 of 14 (64.3%) Klebsiella spp. isolates. Five novel mcr allelic variants were also identified: mcr-2.3, mcr-3.21, mcr-3.22, mcr-3.23, and mcr-3.24, that were only detected in E. coli and Klebsiella spp. isolates from farmed pigs. Conclusion: Our data confirmed the presence of colistin-resistance genes in combination with extended spectrum beta-lactamase genes in bacterial isolates from farmers, swine, and patients in Thailand. Differences between the colistin-resistance mechanisms of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in hospitalized patients were observed, as expected. Additionally, we identified mobile colistin-resistance mcr-1.1 genes from swine and patient isolates belonging to plasmids of the same incompatibility group. This supported the possibility that horizontal transmission of bacterial strains or plasmid-mediated colistin-resistance genes occurs between humans and swine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe malaria in pregnancy causes maternal mortality, morbidity, and adverse foetal outcomes. The factors contributing to adverse maternal and foetal outcomes are not well defined. We aimed to identify the factors predicting higher maternal mortality and to describe the foetal mortality and morbidity associated with severe falciparum malaria in pregnancy. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of severe falciparum malaria in pregnancy, as defined by the World Health Organization severe malaria criteria. The patients were managed prospectively by the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) on the Thailand-Myanmar border or were included in hospital-based clinical trials in six Southeast Asian countries. Fixed-effects multivariable penalised logistic regression was used for analysing maternal mortality. Results: We included 213 (123 SMRU and 90 hospital-based) episodes of severe falciparum malaria in pregnancy managed between 1980 and 2020. The mean maternal age was 25.7 (SD 6.8) years, and the mean gestational age was 25.6 (SD 8.9) weeks. The overall maternal mortality was 12.2% (26/213). Coma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 7.18, 95% CI 2.01–25.57, p = 0.0002), hypotension (aOR 11.21, 95%CI 1.27–98.92, p = 0.03) and respiratory failure (aOR 4.98, 95%CI 1.13–22.01, p = 0.03) were associated with maternal mortality. Pregnant women with one or more of these three criteria had a mortality of 29.1% (25/86) (95%CI 19.5 to 38.7%) whereas there were no deaths in 88 pregnant women with hyperparasitaemia (> 10% parasitised erythrocytes) only or severe anaemia (haematocrit < 20%) only. In the SMRU prospective cohort, in which the pregnant women were followed up until delivery, the risks of foetal loss (23.3% by Kaplan–Meier estimator, 25/117) and small-for-gestational-age (38.3%, 23/60) after severe malaria were high. Maternal death, foetal loss and preterm birth occurred commonly within a week of diagnosis of severe malaria. Conclusions: Vital organ dysfunction in pregnant women with severe malaria was associated with a very high maternal and foetal mortality whereas severe anaemia or hyperparasitaemia alone were not associated with poor prognosis, which may explain the variation of reported mortality from severe malaria in pregnancy. Access to antenatal care must be promoted to reduce barriers to early diagnosis and treatment of both malaria and anaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava is an economically important food crop in Thailand. Leaf spot is important disease on cassava, could cause yield loss up to 30%. The fungicides play an important role for control plant disease but it showed high potential for residue problem, phytopathogens resistance and environmental pollution. The nanoparticles (NPs) are an ecologically promising way to manage plant disease. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of chitosan nanoparticle (CS-NP) formulations on reducing (1) cassava leaf spot by applying methods (pre-inoculation and post-inoculation) at net-house and (2) potential virulence of Alternaria alternata in detached leaves. The results showed that the control efficacy of the mean both applying methods was 39.79–43.62% in CS-NP formulations, which similar with flutriafol (39.66%) and significantly higher than other solutions. Moreover, the CS-NP loaded salicylic acid 400 ppm (T8) and CS-NP loaded silver 200 ppm (T9) could inhibit conidial germination by 32.51 and 23.25%, respectively. The soaking of A. alternata H-Vi 7 plugs into these two solutions could inhibit mycelia growth and their potential virulence causing rot lesions in detached leaves by 42.26 and 51.11%. While spraying T8 and T9 inhibited rot diameter by 44.95 and 42.79%, respectively. However, the flutriafol fungicide was the highest inhibition, with 70.02% in soaking, 58.41% in spraying. Furthermore, these solutions caused higher cell death/live rate than the zinc oxide NP but lower than flutriafol fungicide. These results indicated CS-NPs loaded salicylic acid and silver can be used as promising solution in cassava leaf spot management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity peak load forecasting plays an important role in electricity generation capacity planning to ensure reliable power supplies. To achieve high forecast accuracy, multiple machine learning models have been implemented to forecast the monthly peak load in Thailand over the past few years, yielding promising results. One approach to further improve forecast accuracy is to effectively select the most accurate forecast value for each period from among the forecast values generated by these models. This article presents a novel reinforcement learning approach using the double deep Q-network (Double DQN), which acts as a model selector from a pool of available models. The monthly electricity peak load data of Thailand from 2004 to 2017 are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. A hyperparameter tuning methodology using a fractional factorial design is implemented to significantly reduce the number of required experimental runs. The results indicate that the proposed selection model using Double DQN outperforms all tested individual machine learning models in terms of mean square error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has notably influenced how library services are conceived and provided to their users. This research aims to examine the management of services in university libraries in Thailand and Vietnam during three critical phases of crisis management: prior to the pandemic, throughout the pandemic, and after its occurrence. The quantitative methodology was conducted to collect data from administrators and library staff at eight university libraries in Thailand and six universities in Vietnam through a questionnaire. Consequently, we got 67 and 61 valid questionnaires respectively in both countries. The findings showed that in the pre-pandemic, academic libraries mainly focused on building a plan to integrate e-resources and library services into university learning management system to deliver to users. During the pandemic, there was a focus on collaborative endeavors aimed at negotiating with database providers to ease access restrictions to their resources; leveraging digital platforms to improve current library services ensuring the reliable and practical development and upkeep of digital resources. Post-pandemic emphasis on assessment and recovery endeavors, including evaluating the competence of library staff to enhance their knowledge and skills in providing library services. Efforts are being made to improve and formulate a strategic plan for future library services. The findings offer crucial information for university library administrators and librarians, offering them extensive strategies to address and surmount challenges. These insights support the creation of tailored library services that cater to the varied needs of users at various stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the challenges facing public school leadership in southern Thailand, a region destabilized by renewal of a longstanding insurgency. Seeking to implement national educational reforms on shifting social, political and cultural terrain, educators in this region face extraordinary challenges as they reconsider and renegotiate an institutional position once perceived as secure. Focusing on two schools in one province, this article offers an account of the variety of challenges reported by principals working in this difficult environment. We find the principals employing number of bridging and buffering strategies as improvisational efforts to re-organize, re-establish and re-position the schools in their respective communities. In the concluding discussion, we surface concerns regarding the nature and naturalness, reason and reasonableness of these strategies within local administrative hegemony premised on market and colonial ideologies that may obscure impending legitimation issues.

Mounting religious-ethnic tensions and broad-scale reform have precipitated reconsideration of the mission, traditions, operations and institutional positions of government schools in southern Thailand. The authors report on a study of a dozen schools located in four border provinces adapting to national reforms and regional unrest. The authors find emergent strategies conditioned by reform policies whereby school leaders seek to reorganize, reestablish, and reposition schools in their respective communities. Through a critical analysis of leadership, the authors explore the interplay of local strategies and broader neoliberal reform logics oriented to relegitimate the Thai state. Drawing on work by Robertson and Dale, and James Conroy, we discuss near-term displacement of legitimation crises through neoliberal localization that may prove problematic over the long haul. (Contains 6 notes.)

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

This paper investigates whether and how International Law on Indigenous Peoples (ILIP) can complement protections granted under International Refugee Law (IRL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) to refugees in camps in Thailand. Presently, there are over 90,000 refugees from Myanmar in Thailand, confined to nine camps along the Thailand–Myanmar border. These refugees belong to different ethnic minority groups, but the vast majority are Karen—Indigenous Peoples from the Thailand–Myanmar border regions. They have fled to Thailand due to persecution by Myanmar authorities and segments of the Myanmar population. To date, Thailand has refused to become a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. The country has failed to develop an asylum system and its laws continue to regard refugees as 'illegal migrants'. These refugees have been surviving in conditions of profound rightlessness. I posit that ILIP has a critical role to play in addressing the protection gaps and limitations in IRL and IHRL. In particular, the ILIP system of collective rights is vital in recognising the specific needs of refugees who are indigenous peoples. ILIP therefore provides a potent tool to make IRL and IHRL more responsive to the protection needs of indigenous refugees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family and intergenerational relationships are becoming increasingly important as sources of support and care for the elderly population in rapidly ageing Asian societies. However, this has also raised concerns over reinforcement of cultural preference for sons as a source of old-age security. This paper therefore revisits the question—what determines happiness in old age—by investigating the role of adult children's gender in the context of Thailand, an ageing Asian country with no legacy of sex-preference in fertility. We employ nationally representative data to examine the association between old-age happiness and presence of a co-residing child. Compared to living alone, living with at least one child is found to positively associate with older persons' happiness. However, this result is specific to daughters. Moreover, compared to older men, women systematically benefit from a "daughter effect". Co-residing daughters with university education and those who maintain a good relationship with their parents help explain the positive happiness effect on older persons. Co-residing daughters are also positively linked to reduced loneliness; improved self-rated health; and improved economic conditions of older parents. Our findings suggest that policies that increase human capital of the girl child and enhance family solidarity are likely to have long term intergenerational wellbeing benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnancy and infant outcomes in 670 adolescents and young adult women with perinatally acquired HIV (AYAPHIV), aged 15–24 years, in Thailand and Vietnam. Between January 2013 and December 2018, there were 52 pregnancies, for an incidence of 2.49 (95% CI 1.90-3.27) per 100 person-years. The median age at pregnancy was 17.7 years (IQR 16.8-18.9). Pregnant AYAPHIV had been on cART for a lifetime median of 9.8 years (IQR 7.3-12.4). At the time of conception, the median CD4 was 521 cells/mm3 (IQR 213-760), and 76% had HIV RNA ≤400 copies/ml. Of the 51 pregnancies with available outcomes, 90% resulted in live singleton births at a median gestational age of 38 weeks (IQR 37-39); 77% of mothers (n = 27/35) had HIV RNA ≤400 copies/ml at delivery. Among infants with available data, 50% (n = 21/42) were male and 29% (n = 12/42) were reported to be low birthweight (<2,500gm); none (n = 0/41) were breastfed. One infant was diagnosed with HIV. Our findings emphasize that efforts to strengthen reproductive health education, including contraception, pregnancy-related psychosocial support services, and prevention of vertical HIV transmission interventions, in our region are needed for adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV as they transition to young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Herpes zoster (HZ; i.e., shingles) is caused by the reactivation of varicella zoster virus leading to a painful dermatomal rash. An increasing trend in cases of HZ is evident worldwide; however, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews for Southeast Asian countries. Methods: We performed a systematic literature review of articles published until May 2022 that reported HZ epidemiology, clinical management, and health economic data in six Southeast Asian countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Literature searches were conducted in Medline, Scopus, Embase, and gray literature. Articles written in English or local languages were considered for inclusion. Results: In total, 72 publications were included in the study; 22 were case studies and over 60% originated in Singapore and Thailand. Only two studies (data from Thailand) reported incidence of HZ. The proportion of patients reported with HZ was 0.68–0.7% among dermatology clinics, 0.14% at one emergency department (5.3% of dermatology cases) in Singapore, and 3% of admissions at another hospital in Singapore. Pain was the most common symptom associated with HZ, reported in 74.21–100% of patients. HZ complications were reported in 10.2–21.2% of patients, and the proportions with postherpetic neuralgia and HZ ophthalmicus were 6.3–50% and 4.98–28.57%, respectively. Additionally, there is a lack of comprehensive, up-to-date HZ economic data, with only six studies identified for the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Conclusions: Overall, there are limited data reporting incidence and prevalence of HZ in Southeast Asia at a national level. High rates of complications, symptoms, and abundance of case reports suggest substantial healthcare resource utilization for patients with HZ and highlight the need for further research in Southeast Asia assessing the societal impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Franchising occurred in Vietnam during the implementation of government policy for economic reform and openness in the mid-1990s. The Vietnam-specific franchise law was passed in January 2006 to create a stable growth in the franchise sector in Vietnam. The legal framework in Vietnam generally follows international legal frameworks. However, the legal framework of franchising businesses is still uncertain. This paper explores Vietnam's franchising law and displays a comparison to the legal framework of Thai franchising law and the Republic of Korea franchising law. The paper concludes that while Vietnam's franchising law generally conforms to international standards, some legal issues should be addressed for further development of the Vietnamese franchising sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]