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In the 21st century, there is a growing Brazilian academic interest from professors and students in researching realities from Asia, especially in postgraduate courses in Language Arts, Philosophy and Human Science. The paper aims not only to point to a broader panorama of Centers, Nuclei, Programs, Research, Study and Work Groups, Thematic Sessions and Events with Asian themes in the aforementioned academic areas in Brazil, but also to make a brief analysis of the papers carried out in Work Groups and Thematic Sessions of the ANPTECRE and PPCIR (CONACIR) national congresses dedicated to realities of Asian origin, taking into account three criteria, i.e. Religious Studies methodologies used, the genres of authorship, and the religious traditions that were approached by these papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Code-switching is especially common within the Southeast Asian region which is home to a large number of bilinguals and multilinguals. Over the years, code-switching has been studied extensively, both in and out of Asia, via sociolinguistics, structural linguistics, and psycholinguistics. From the psycholinguistic perspective, code-switching is said to be the result of the co-activation of languages during the process of speech production for bilinguals. Grosjean's Language Mode and Green's Control Process Model are two psycholinguistic frameworks focusing on the psycholinguistic as well as interactional factors behind code-switching. However, past studies in this area were mostly experimental in nature. It is necessary to consider authentic production data to develop a greater understanding of the code-switching phenomenon especially within the Southeast Asian context due to its bilingual and multilingual communities. This conceptual paper aims to demonstrate how the interactional and psycholinguistic factors behind code-switching can be examined using authentic production data. In particular, a review of the literature pointed to the Conversation Analysis (CA) approach to code-switching as well as the concepts of triggered code-switching and primed code-switching as being relevant. Accordingly, this paper describes each construct in detail and provides suggestions on how they can be brought together in a single study on code-switching based on authentic production data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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With the growing demand for aquatic products, aquaculture has become a prominent means of meeting this demand. However, the selection of suitable sites for aquaculture remains a key factor in the success of any aquaculture operation. While various methods exist for site selection, geographic information system (GIS)-based multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) methods have emerged as the most widely utilized approach to identifying potential aquaculture sites. Following the guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), this paper presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of GIS-based MCE methods used in aquaculture sites selection. The objective of this study is to offer a comprehensive overview of existing research in this field and develop a general model for selecting sites for fish and shellfish aquaculture. The main findings indicate a growing number of studies utilizing GIS-based MCE in aquaculture site selection in recent years, with Asia being the leading continent in terms of publications in this domain. Among the journals publishing in this field, the Aquaculture journal stands out as the top publisher. Using consistent criteria across the reviewed studies, two models have been generated, each consisting of four sub-models: water quality, soil quality, infrastructure, and socioeconomic factors; and topography, environment, and physical parameters. These models can aid future researchers and assist decision-makers in identifying optimal locations for aquaculture development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 735 research papers on geomorphological mapping published in English between 2000 and 2021 using the Web of Science database. The analysis focuses on key metrics such as annual publication rates, journal distribution, common keywords, and frequently cited papers. The results demonstrate sustained investment in geomorphological mapping research over the past two decades, driven by advancements in data analysis, GIS technologies, and cross-institutional and cross-country collaboration. While European universities and research centers lead the field, researchers from Latin America and Asia are also making noteworthy contributions. However, research concentration remains largely in Europe, particularly at low altitudes. The study highlights the vital importance of investment in geomorphological mapping research and the benefits of collaboration to advance understanding and knowledge production. It also emphasizes the need for greater geographic and cultural diversity among researchers to ensure a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the recent developments in the delivery of teaching-learning processes when COVID-19 hit the world with a health crisis and pandemic, it is crucial to look into the quality of courses delivered via online means or through distance education modality. This paper examines implementation and application of quality assurance (QA) landscape in Distance Education (DE). A documentary review using bibliographic inquiry is used as a methodology approach to gather relevant information to address the study questions. Previous studies on QA in DE are examined and arranged into themes using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that most of the literature on QA in DE in Africa and Asia based on the reviewed Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institutions are basically dealing with frameworks, outcomes and performance, instructional design, student services and challenges as well as parity in terms of quality with the traditional institutions. Therefore, this paper concludes that more studies are needed for QA in DE to match the post-COVID-19 trends on improving QA. This implies that there is a need to expand research on QA in DE to include areas of artificial intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alternative energy source such as solar is one of the most important renewable resources. A reliable solar radiation prediction is essential for various applications in agriculture, industry, transport, and the environment because they reduce greenhouse gases and are environmentally friendly. Solar radiation data series have embedded fluctuations and noise signals due to complexity, stochasticity, non-stationarity, and nonlinearity with uncertain and time-varying nature. Aside from being highly nonlinear, solar radiation is highly influenced by the environment and environmental parameters such as air temperature, cloud cover, surface reflectivity, and aerosols. In addition, the spatial measurements of these variables are not readily available. To tackle these challenges, it is necessary to consider data preprocessing techniques and to develop and test precise solar radiation predicting models at different forecast horizons. There is, however, controversy regarding the performance of such models in various studies. Comparisons are not conducted systematically among the different studies. Using a critical literature review, the authors hope to answer these questions and believe that further investigation of solar radiation can benefit researchers and practitioners alike. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of solar radiation modeling using artificial intelligence in the last 15 years and provides a novel detailed analysis of the available models. The studies conducted in different climates of the world that were published in distinguished journals were considered (i.e., 90 papers in total) for this purpose. Newly discovered procedures for optimizing forecasts, data cleaning, feature selection, classification methods, and stand-alone or hybrid data-driven models for solar radiation prediction and modeling were evaluated. The results strikingly showed that the most used artificial intelligence methods were artificial neural network, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system, and decision tree family of models. In addition, the extreme learning machine, support vector machine, and particle swarm optimization were the most used optimization techniques in solar radiation modeling. In terms of forecast horizons, the most common forecast horizon found in papers was on the daily scale (51% of studies), followed by the hourly scale (26%), and the least common was the monthly scale (18%). Based on the regional studies, the highest number of solar radiation papers originated from Asia, with Europe in second place and African countries in third place. An increasing trend in the number of papers from 2011 to 2015 was noted, and the second peak started from 2018 till the present. Under each section, a summary of findings is provided. The paper concludes with future thoughts and directions on solar radiation modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the growth of local-currency bond markets in Emerging Asia and the institutional and policy challenges facing the region's economies for their further development. It presents an empirical analysis of the relationship between local-currency government bond (LCGB) market development and the components of financial development, using panel data for selected Emerging Asian economies. The analysis seeks to identify the key determinants for the development of LCGB markets. The results show that the depth of and access to both financial markets and financial institutions have a significantly positive impact on LCGB market development. Critical factors associated with local-currency bond market depth include macroeconomic variables, the exchange-rate regime, capital account openness and creditor rights. Based on these results, the paper offers policy directions for fostering the development of local-currency bond markets in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a comparative study of top-ranked Asiatic region journals of Library and Information Science discipline. SCImago Journal and the country rank was used to determine the top-ranked Asiatic journals in the domain of library and information science. Initially, top 10 journals were considered which filtered based on the coverage and SJR Ranked. A total of 6 Journals were considered for further evaluation and comparison, which meets different parameters and criteria. A comprehensive scientometric study was also presented of these six journals. Further, the paper presents the publication patterns of these six top-ranked journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sugar apple (Annona squamosa) is valued for its taste, nutritional richness, and versatility, making it suitable for fresh consumption and medicinal use with significant commercial potential. Widely found in the tropical Americas and Asia's tropical or subtropical regions, it faces challenges in post-harvest ripeness assessment, predominantly reliant on manual inspection, leading to inefficiency and high labor costs. This paper explores the application of computer vision techniques in detecting ripeness levels of harvested sugar apples and proposes an improved deep learning model (ECD-DeepLabv3+) specifically designed for ripeness detection tasks. Firstly, the proposed model adopts a lightweight backbone (MobileNetV2), reducing complexity while maintaining performance through MobileNetV2′s unique design. Secondly, it incorporates the efficient channel attention (ECA) module to enhance focus on the input image and capture crucial feature information. Additionally, a Dense ASPP module is introduced, which enhances the model's perceptual ability and expands the receptive field by stacking feature maps processed with different dilation rates. Lastly, the proposed model emphasizes the spatial information of sugar apples at different ripeness levels by the coordinate attention (CA) module. Model performance is validated using a self-made dataset of harvested optical images categorized into three ripeness levels. The proposed model (ECD-DeepLabv3+) achieves values of 89.95% for MIoU, 94.58% for MPA, 96.60% for PA, and 94.61% for MF1, respectively. Compared to the original DeepLabv3+, it greatly reduces the number of model parameters (Params) and floating-point operations (Flops) by 89.20% and 69.09%, respectively. Moreover, the proposed method could be directly applied to optical images obtained from the surface of the sugar apple, which provides a potential solution for the detection of post-harvest fruit ripeness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Welfare is a fundamental aspect of animal management and conservation. In light of growing public awareness and welfare concerns about captive elephants, there is an urgent need for comprehensive, globally coordinated efforts for Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) that participate in religious, logging, or tourist activities in range countries where the majority reside, and where welfare issues have been identified but not addressed. This review provides a comparative analysis of available animal assessment tools. Each offers distinct features for assessment that allow institutions to select criteria for specific needs and available resources. Most are applied to general animal welfare assessments, although some are tailored to particular species, including elephants. The tools span diverse formats, from digital to primarily paper-based assessments. Assessments operate at individual and institutional levels and across multiple welfare domains. Methodologies rely on keeper ratings or expert evaluations, incorporate numerical scoring and Likert scales for welfare grading, and encompass inputs including behaviors, health, and physiological indicators. For tourist camp elephants, one challenge is that the tools were developed in zoos, which may or may not have application to non-zoological settings. Digital tools and assessment methodologies such as keeper ratings face logistical challenges when applied across tourist venues. As with any tool, reliability, validity, and repeatability are essential and must address the unique welfare challenges of diverse captive settings. We propose that a holistic, context-specific, evidence-based, and practical tool be developed to ensure high elephant welfare standards in non-zoological facilities throughout Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging pollutant in the aquatic environment, and this has gradually been recognized in the Asian region. This systematic review study, using the Scopus database, provides an insightful understanding of the spatial distribution of scientific studies on MPs in freshwater conducted across the Asian region, utilized sampling methods, and a detailed assessment of the effects of MPs on different biotic components in freshwater ecosystems, with special focus on its potential risks on human health. The results of this review indicate that research on microplastics in Asia has gained attention since 2014, with a significant increase in the number of studies in 2018, and the number of scientific studies quadrupled in 2021 compared to 2018. Results indicated that despite a significant amount of research has been conducted in many Asian countries, they were not distributed evenly, as multiple studies selected specific rivers and lakes. Additionally, around two-thirds of all the papers focused their studies in China, followed by India and South Korea. It was also found that most of the studies focused primarily on reporting the occurrence levels of MPs in freshwater systems, such as water and sediments, and aquatic organisms, with a lack of studies investigating the human intake of MPs and their potential risks to human health. Notably, comparing the results is a challenge because diverse sampling, separation, and identification methods were applied to estimate MPs. This review study suggests that further research on the dynamics and transport of microplastics in biota and humans is needed, as Asia is a major consumer of seafood products and contributes significantly to the generation of plastic litter in the marine environment. Moreover, this review study revealed that only a few studies extended their discussions to policies and governance aspects of MPs. This implies the need for further research on policy and governance frameworks to address this emerging water pollutant more holistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the Special Issue "Systematic Approach to Agroforestry Policies and Practices in Asia". This Special Issue contains eleven papers on agroforestry at national, regional, and global levels. These papers discuss research trends; dominant services and functions of agroforestry; multiple case studies from Asian countries including Nepal, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Timor-Leste; and the benefits of agroforestry including income generation and carbon sequestration. They also interpret the goals, challenges, and social and cultural norms in agroforestry policies in national and local contexts. The research results can support policy design for the systematization and stabilization of agroforestry. This Special Issue provides us with scientific evidence and practical lessons on agroforestry policies and practices in Asia. It contributes to expanding the knowledge base for agroforestry and towards establishing and implementing agroforestry policies and practices in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost overrun has remained a key risk of construction projects that can be prevented by utilizing new technologies. This paper aims to identify the gap in the literature, which can potentially be addressed by using digital tools and technologies, by reviewing the current and state of the art practices. The paper presents the results of a systematic and critical content reviews on cost overruns, to address the question of what factors are affecting the cost overrun. This paper also reviews how building information modeling (BIM) in conjunction with other tools, such as the common tools in the Asia and Asia Pacific regions, are used for cost estimation and monitoring. The paper presents the results of the content review, including their contributions and limitations, which are also used to set key directions for future investigations. A total of 176 papers was identified to develop the construction cost management (CCM) dataset. The method was a mix of systematic reviews, including co-authorship network analyses, co-occurrence analytical map development covering 5671 keywords, and content analysis including theme identification and a critical review of selected papers. The paper critically reviewed 63 selected papers from CCM, which are divided into four clusters based on their scopes: BIM adoption for cost estimation and quantity surveying; BIM implementation for a bill of quantity, risk paths, and cost overruns; cost control and management; and, finally, BIM, virtual design, and value management. A trend analysis using a set of 16 themes (e.g., 3D model, BIM, Decision, Energy, and Life Cycle) for all the papers over the past ten years was developed. The content of each cluster of papers was reviewed based on the frequency of the selected themes in each cluster. The content of each cluster of papers was also reviewed critically and gaps were identified, so a set of directions for future investigations are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The height of the F2 peak electron density (hmF2) is an essential parameter in studying ionospheric electrodynamics and high-frequency wireless communication. Based on ionosphere ray propagation theory, the physical relationship between M3000F2 and hmF2 is derived and visualized. Furthermore, based on the above physical theory and the machine learning method, this paper proposes a new model for determining hmF2 using propagation factor at a distance of 3000 km from the ionospheric F2 layer, time, and season. This proposed model is easy to understand and has the characteristics of clear principles, simple structure, and easy application. Furthermore, we used six stations in east Asia to verify this model and compare it with the other three models of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model. The results show that the proposed model (PRO) has minor error and higher accuracy. Specifically the RMSE of the BSE, AMTB, SHU, and the PRO models were 20.35 km, 31.51 km, 13.59 km, and 5.68 km, respectively, and the RRMSE of the BSE, AMTB, SHU, and PRO models were 8.17%, 11.88%, 4.96%, and 2.12%, respectively. In addition, the experimental results show that the PRO model can better predict the trend of the hmF2 inflection point. This method can be further extended to add data sources and provide new ideas for studying the hmF2 over global regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and purpose. Hendra and Nipah are two highly dangerous zoonotic viruses belonging to the group of henipaviruses. Although they have been known for over 20 years, no human drug or vaccine has been invented. This paper aims to to describe the epidemiology of the reported paramyxoviruses, the pandemic potential of henipaviruses, and a standardised action plan to counter their spread. This paper reviews scientific articles from 2012-2023 published in scientific databases such as Pubmed, Researchgate, and Google Scholar. The keywords used were pandemic potential of henipaviruses, Hendra virus, Nipah virus, and henipavirus epidemics. State of knowledge description. The mortality rate of henipaviruses varies between 50 and 100%. The Nipah virus is particularly dangerous, with epidemics recurring virtually every year in Asia since 1998. The Hendra virus situation may be manageable because there is an effective vaccine for horses most vulnerable to infection. Due to human activity, the habitats and climate of the animals serving as virus reservoirs are changing. Because of frequent henipavirus outbreaks in Asia and Australia, extensive efforts are being made to contain and neutralise them rapidly. Conclusions. As henipaviruses pose a high pandemic threat, more research into drugs and vaccines is required. It is also essential to develop effective bio-assurance plans, introduce controls on their operation and educate the population on the issue. Reservoir animals, through anthropogenic environmental changes, are changing habitats and feeding sites, making more and more territories vulnerable to the disease. New species of henipaviruses constantly emerge and pose an epizootic challenge to public health. Hence, an essential action is to increase the amount of research into the virus's epidemic development and conduct it as widely as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The No.4 tailings pond of the Dexing Copper Mine is the second largest in Asia. The tailing pond is a dangerous source of man-made debris flow with high potential energy. In view of the lack of effective and low-cost global safety monitoring means in this region, in this paper, the time-series InSAR technology is innovatively introduced to monitor the deformation of tailings dam and significant key findings are obtained. First, the surface deformation information of the tailings pond and its surrounding areas was extracted by using SBAS-InSAR technology and Sentinel-1A data. Second, the cause of deformation is explored by analyzing the deformation rate, deformation accumulation, and three typical deformation rate profiles of the representative observation points on the dam body. Finally, the power function model is used to predict the typical deformation observation points. The results of this paper indicated that: (1) the surface deformation of the tailings dam can be categorized into two directions: the upper portion of the dam moving away from the satellite along the Line of Sight (LOS) at a rate of −40 mm/yr, whereas the bottom portion approaching the satellite along the LOS at a rate of 8 mm/yr; (2) the deformation of the dam body is mainly affected by the inventory deposits and the construction materials of the dam body; (3) according to the current trend, deformation of two typical observation points in the LOS direction will reach the cumulative deformation of 80 mm and −360 mm respectively. The research results can provide data support for safety management of No.4 tailings dam in the Dexing Copper Mine, and provide a method reference for monitoring other similar tailings dams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change impacts occur at varying spatial scales requiring appropriately scaled responses. In impoverished rural areas, adapting to or mitigating the effects of climate change is challenging, with any short-term impairment to precarious livelihoods likely triggering negative community responses even if people are aware of long-term benefits. The paper will discuss a community-based carbon sequestration project in eastern Iran. It started in 2003 and since then has been expanded widely. It was nominated by UNDP as one of 10 transformative projects in Asia/Pacific in 2016. Over the past 20 years, the project has targeted improving the livelihood of the local communities while addressing local measures to adapt to/mitigate climate change. The paper elaborates on the formation of village development groups as pivotal drivers of success by highlighting local income-generating schemes and project documentation. Key lessons for climate change adaptation can be learnt and are applicable to other developing countries. Extreme poverty in rural areas facing climate change could be tackled through implementing bottom-up approaches in which local communities can be respected and engaged in co-leadership and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is expected that the usage of LIS in research papers will continue to expand in the coming years. This expansion may be seen throughout a wide range of scientific disciplines as well. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 1,127 papers on the use of LIS research, which were published in 206 scientific publications and authored by 1,685 authors (245 single-authored documents and 1,440 multi-authored documents). The purpose of this investigation is to determine which issue in LIS is currently trending. To analyze the data, we extracted it from the Scopus database and ran it using R software's Bibliometrix program, which was then imported into VOSviewer. According to criteria derived from citation analysis, we have identified the most important papers, journals, authors, countries, and affiliations in the world. However, even though keywords and phrases are likely to be the most relevant subjects and findings of the research, it is possible that some of the main patterns and concerns that have been covered in the entire text are not well represented in our investigation. In addition, future studies should examine relevant research clusters for developing patterns in LIS in order to provide scientific information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online marketplaces are growing rapidly globally. They have the potential to significantly benefit women; however, these benefits are not guaranteed. A lack of information on the benefits of or how to participate in online marketplaces could mean womenʼs participation is at an inefficiently low level. Participation could also bring about unintended consequences. We introduce this special issue of Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies on the social and economic benefits of online marketplaces for women in Asia. In this introduction, we set the context for the special issue, then provide an overview of its seven papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to achieve bedrock geologic mapping in the overburden area using big data, distributed computing, and deep learning techniques. First, the satellite Bouguer gravity anomaly with a resolution of 2'x2' in the range of E66°E96°, N40°-N55° and 1:5000000 Asia-European geological map are used to design a dataset for bedrock prediction. Then, starting from the gravity anomaly formula in the spherical coordinate system, we deduce the non-linear functional between rock density ρ and rock mineral composition m, content p, buried depth h, diagenesis time t and other variables. We analyze the feasibility of using deep neural network to approximate the above nonlinear generalization. The problem of solving deep neural network parameters is transformed into a non-convex optimization problem. We give an iterative, gradient descentbased solution algorithm for the non-convex optimization problem. Utilizing neural architecture search (NAS) and human-designed approach, we propose a geological-geophysical mapping network (GGMNet). The dataset for the network consists of both gravity anomaly and a priori geological information. The network has fast convergence speed and stable iteration during the training process. It also has better performance than a single neural network search or human-designed architectures, with the mean pixel accuracy (MAP) = 63.1% and the frequency weighted intersection over union (FWIoU) = 42.88. Finally, the GGMNet is used to predict the rock distribution of the Junggar Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate snow depth estimation is of significant importance, particularly for preventing avalanche disasters and predicting flood seasons. The predominant approaches for such snow depth estimation, based on deep learning methods, typically rely on passive microwave remote sensing data. However, due to the low resolution of passive microwave remote sensing data, it often results in low-accuracy outcomes, posing considerable limitations in application. To further improve the accuracy of snow depth estimation, in this paper, we used active microwave remote sensing data. We fused multi-spectral optical satellite images, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and land cover distribution images to generate a snow remote sensing dataset (SRSD). It is a first-of-its-kind dataset that includes active microwave remote sensing images in high-latitude regions of Asia. Using these novel data, we proposed a multi-scale feature perception and aggregation neural network (MFPANet) that focuses on improving feature extraction from multi-source images. Our systematic analysis reveals that the proposed approach is not only robust but also achieves high accuracy in snow depth estimation compared to existing state-of-the-art methods, with RMSE of 0.360 and with MAE of 0.128. Finally, we selected several representative areas in our study region and applied our method to map snow depth distribution, demonstrating its broad application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan exports sophisticated capital goods. Since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), Japanese companies have offshored the production of lower-end goods and parts and components to Asian countries. Because of this, several researchers argued that a weaker yen no longer stimulates machinery exports much because an increase in Japanese exports increases parts and components imports from overseas Asian subsidiaries. This paper finds that, after the GFC, a weaker yen no longer increases Japanese machinery exports to Asia but continues to stimulate exports outside of Asia. Thus, the weaker yen since 2020 does not help Asian firms to import vital Japanese capital goods but does increase the profitability of Japanese manufacturers and their exports to non-Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders worldwide. Clinical characteristics of migraine may be somewhat different across ethnic groups. Although factors such as stress, lack of sleep, and fasting are known as migraine triggers, the discussion about geographical differences of migraine triggers in Asia is lacking. Methods: In this study, we performed a narrative review on migraine triggers in Asia. We searched PubMed for relevant papers published between January 2000 and February 2022. Results: Forty-two papers from 13 Asian countries were included. Stress and sleep are the most frequently reported migraine triggers in Asia. There were some differences in migraine triggers in Asian countries: fatigue and weather common in Eastern Asia and fasting common in Western Asia. Conclusion: Majority of the common triggers reported by patients with migraine in Asia were stress and sleep, similar to those reported globally, thus showing they are universally important. Some triggers linked to internal homeostasis are influenced by culture (e.g., alcohol, food/eating habit), and triggers related to environmental homeostasis, such as weather, are highly heterogenous between regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: South and South-East Asian countries report a great liability for the world's road traffic injuries (RTIs) and deaths. A vast number of research studies tested various interventions including specific protective devices to prevent accidents, but no review papers have been conducted to find out the prevalence of RTIs in South-East and South Asian countries. Objective: This review paper was an attempt to find out the prevalence of RTIs and their associated factors in South-East and South Asian countries. Methods: Following the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), we searched the articles in the electronic databases of PubMed/Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Web of Science. Articles were selected if they reported the prevalence of RTI, or road traffic accident (RTA) deaths. In addition, a data quality assessment was done. Results: Out of the 10,818 article hits from the literature search, ten articles found the eligibility and inclusion criteria. Most of the studies reported that males are involved in the RTIs more than females. The male mortality rate is more than the female mortality in RTI mortality. Young adult males are the major victims when compared with the different age groups of male victims. Two-wheelers are the major contributors to the accident rate. Religious or national festivals are not free from accident-prone times. Climatic seasons and nighttime have a major influence on the RTIs. RTIs are increasing due to the sudden and huge increase in the number of motor vehicles and the development of cities and towns. Conclusion: Accidents are non-predictable but controllable disasters in society. Overspeeding, bad conditions on road, the vulnerability of the vehicles, and careless driving are the major reported reasons for RTIs. Making and implementing strict laws can help us to control RTAs. The major effect on the reduction of RTI can be assured only with the presence of responsible people. That can be achieved only by creating awareness in society about traffic rules and responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: The globalization trend has inevitably enhanced the connectivity of global financial markets, making the cyclicality of financial activities and the spread of market imbalances have received widespread attention, especially after the global financial crisis. Purpose of the article: To reduce the negative effects of the contagiousness of the financial cycles, it is necessary to study the persistence of financial cycles and carve out the total connectedness, spillover paths, and sources of risks on a global scale. In addition, understanding the relationship between the financial cycle and economic development is an important way to prevent financial crises. Methods: This paper adopts the nonlinear smoothing transition autoregressive (STAR) model to extract cyclical and phase characteristics of financial cycles based on 24 countries during 1971Q1-2015Q4, covering developed and developing countries, the Americas, Europe, and Asia regions. In addition, the frequency connectedness approach is used to measure the connectedness of financial cycles and the relationship between the global financial cycle and the global economy. Findings & value added: The analysis reveals that aggregate financial cycles persist for 13.3 years for smoothed and 8.7 years for unsmoothed on average. The national financial cycles are asynchronous and exhibit more prolonged expansions and faster contractions. The connectedness of financial cycles is highly correlated with systemic crises and contributes to the persistence and harmfulness of shocks. It is mainly driven by short-term components and exhibits more pronounced interconnectedness within regions than across regions. During the financial crisis, the global financial cycle movements precede and are longer than the business fluctuations. Based on the study, some policy implications are presented. This paper emphasizes the impact of systemic crises on the persistence of financial cycles and their connectedness, which contributes to refining research related to the coping mechanisms of financial crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, online marketplaces such as Nifty and Opensea gained popularity, and digital art creations, including Beeple's pieces, made headlines worldwide. This attracted traditional fine art practitioners, artists, dealers, digital content creators, and crypto entrepreneurs who wanted to participate in this trend. Several significant investment and token-funded projects took place in Asia, fueling high hopes of revolutionizing the art market with nonfungible token (NFT) technology. However, the numbers suggest a different story, as NFT transactions have reached a historical low. Critics from both sides challenge the value of NFTs, and there is minimal empirical research on the topic of blockchain technologies in the art market. This paper explores the challenges and misunderstandings in the art market through the lens of the researcher's insight as an art tech entrepreneur. Its aim is to provide an explorative account of the use cases of NFT and blockchain technology vis-a-vis the traditional art market. The paper discusses the current work in progress at the Art ID Standard consortium, covering decentralized identity, blockchain, and use cases, and provides insights into the implications of these challenges for artists, collectors, and the broader art ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) are a very efficient system for space heating and cooling, and it was established in 1904. GSHPs can minimize the environmental effect of buildings by using the ground as a renewable energy source. The ground will act as a heat sink or heat source. The research collection aims at finding the various possible opportunities for the effective integration of shallow geothermal energy (SGE) to decrease the fossil energy in the built environment and to reduce emission associated with it. The direct utilization of SGE using a ground source heat pump (GSHP) has been reviewed in detail for global north and global south countries, with a primary focus on heating application. The punctual information of results of various authors have been extensively summarized. This review discusses the GSHP installation status, SGE availability, GSHP system simulation, feasibilities, and performance. Worldwide more than one million GSHP systems have been installed, and the system is prevalent in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Most of the systems are installed for heating-dominated buildings in the global north. This paper also contains the research details pertaining to the last two decades about refrigerants and compressors for the development of GSHP. Finally, the feasibility study and the performance of the GSHP unit for different climatic conditions are reviewed and it is found that the technique is more feasible for cold and dry climatic conditions. This paper highlights the recent research findings and a potential gap in the above components for further research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A region's population growth inevitably results in higher water consumption. This persistent rise in water use increases the region's wastewater production. Consequently, due to this increase in wastewater (influent), Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are required to run effectively in order to handle the huge demand for treated/processed water (effluent). Knowing in advance the influent and effluent parameters increases the operational efficiency and enables cost-effective utilization of diverse resources at wastewater treatment plants. This paper is based on a prediction/forecasting of an influent quality parameter, namely total MLD, as well as effluent quality parameters, namely MPN, BOD, DO, COD and pH for the real-time data collected pre-, during and post-COVID-19 at the Bharwara WWTP in Lucknow, India. It is the largest UASB-based wastewater treatment facility in Uttar Pradesh and the second largest in Asia. In this paper, we propose a novel model namely, wPred comprising extensions of SARIMA with seasonal order and ANN-based ML models to estimate the influent and effluent quality parameters, respectively, and compare it with the existing machine learning models. The lowest sMAPE error for the influent parameters using wPred is 2.59%. The findings of the paper show a strong correlation (R-value), up to 0.99, between the effluent parameters actually measured and predicted. As a result, the model designed in this paper has an acceptable level of accuracy and generalizability which efficiently predicts/forecasts the performance of Bharwara WWTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the two main viewpoints on Australia's relationship with Asia; first, the highly visible informed pro-Asia protagonists, and second, pervasive public opinion as informed by history and the Australian self-image. The purpose is to present the polemic internal to Asian Studies and Business Schools currently. This paper postulates that only an (uncomfortable) whole-of-sector introspection would result in an authentic national narrative to drive mutual respect and business between Asia and Australia. Design/methodology/approach: The current dismembering of Asian Studies degrees and Asian Business specialisations at Australian universities indicates a waning national support to the production of Asian specialists able to link the Australian economy into the advancing Asian commercial dominance. But such an assessment would not be completely accurate. The authors argue that as an important component of Asian business and economics, understanding the current situation is vital to breathing life back into the Asian Studies and Asian Business Studies disciplines at Australian national universities. Findings: This paper concludes that the responsibility for creating specialists should fall to the university sector but is currently defaulting to the business sector. This paper proposes that business schools need to be more active participants in Asian engagement strategies. Thus, Australian universities and disciplines such as Asian Studies and Asian Business must have the academic will and the business support to take up a major role in positive evolution of the Eurocentric elements that currently hold back meaningful engagement. Originality/value: This is a current issue that needs to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-time delivery of documentation and contracts has been recognized as a crucial requirement for the successful delivery of projects. However, the construction industry still depends on time-consuming traditional contract processes, which negatively affect the overall productivity of projects in the industry. The use of Smart Contracts (SCs) is highlighted as a suitable novel technology to expedite the contract processes and establish a reliable payment environment in the construction industry. Whilst there has been an increase in the debate about the use of SCs in construction in recent years, their use in practice still seems to be in its infancy. As such, the topic will benefit from a thorough review of benefits, drivers, barriers and strategies that can enhance the implementation of SCs in construction. This article presents the key findings from a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on SCs in the construction industry, critically assessing existing studies on the topic. The study initially involved 171 research papers for the SLR process, and out of that 49 research papers were filtered for further analysis after reading their abstracts. A total of 30 papers were finally filtered after the full-text reading for the SLR. Descriptive and content analysis were used to analyse the full-text findings. The study graphically mapped the bibliographic materials by using the Visualization of Similarities (VoS) Viewer software. As per the findings, the topic has mostly been researched in Asia and the Pacific as a region and China as a country. It was noted that there were more empirical articles than theoretical studies related to SCs, evidencing the industry relevance of the issue. A total of 55% of the articles reviewed have been published in journals with a Q1 ranking. All the articles were written by multiple authors, with 30% of the journal articles having international co-authors and benefitting from the collaboration between authors. Key advantages identified in the literature go beyond contract and payment provisions and include aspects such as logistic handling, decentralized applications, business process management, automated payments, etc. Key drivers for adoption are supply chain pressure, competitive pressure, top management support, simple layout, reduction in risks of clients, clarity in responsibility and risk allocation, whereas the key barriers include insecurity, limited observability, incompatibility, inactive government collaboration and limited storage capacity. Key strategies to enhance the application of SC in construction include integrating theorems proving symbolic execution, using the selective transparency method and lock fund system, testing the integration of SCs with other systems at the initial stage, incorporating semi-automated consensus mechanisms for payments, constructing a mechanism to actively engage with government bodies, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), is one of the most important rice pests in Asia rice regions. BPH has monophagy, migration, rapid reproduction and strong environmental adaptability, and its control is a major problem in pest management. Adult BPH exhibit wing dimorphism, and the symbiotic microbiota enriched in the gut can provide energy for wing flight muscles as a source of nutrition. In order to study the diversity of symbiotic microbiota in different winged BPHs, this paper takes female BPH as the research object. It was found that the number of symbiotic microbiota of different winged BPHs would change at different development stages. Then, based on the 16S rRNA and ITS sequences, a metagenomic library was constructed, combined with fluorescent quantitative PCR and high-throughput sequencing, the dominant symbiotic microbiota flora in the gut of different winged BPHs was found, and the community structure and composition of symbiotic microbiota in different winged BPHs were further determined. Together, our results preliminarily revealed that symbiotic microbiota in the gut of BPHs have certain effects on wing morphology, and understanding the mechanisms underlying wing morph differentiation will clarify how nutritional factors or environmental cues alter or regulate physiological and metabolic pathways. These findings also establish a theoretical basis for subsequent explorations into BPH-symbiont interplay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique P-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instrument, BIOMASS, is scheduled for launch in 2024. This satellite will enhance the estimation of subcanopy topography, owing to its strong penetration and fully polarimetric observation capability. In order to conduct global-scale mapping of the subcanopy topography, it is crucial to calibrate systematic errors of different strips through interferometric SAR (InSAR) DEM (digital elevation model) block adjustment. Furthermore, the BIOMASS mission will operate in repeat-pass interferometric mode, facing the atmospheric delay errors introduced by changes in atmospheric conditions. However, the existing block adjustment methods aim to calibrate systematic errors in bistatic mode, which can avoid possible errors from atmospheric effects through interferometry. Therefore, there is still a lack of systematic error calibration methods under the interference of atmospheric effects. To address this issue, we propose a block adjustment model considering atmospheric effects. Our model begins by employing the sub-aperture decomposition technique to form forward-looking and backward-looking interferograms, then multi-resolution weighted correlation analysis based on sub-aperture interferograms (SA-MRWCA) is utilized to detect atmospheric delay errors. Subsequently, the block adjustment model considering atmospheric effects can be established based on the SA-MRWCA. Finally, we use robust Helmert variance component estimation (RHVCE) to build the posterior stochastic model to improve parameter estimation accuracy. Due to the lack of spaceborne P-band data, this paper utilized L-band Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS)-1 PALSAR data, which is also long-wavelength, to emulate systematic error calibration of the BIOMASS mission. We chose climatically diverse inland regions of Asia and the coastal regions of South America to assess the model's effectiveness. The results show that the proposed block adjustment model considering atmospheric effects improved accuracy by 72.2% in the inland test site, with root mean square error (RMSE) decreasing from 10.85 m to 3.02 m. Moreover, the accuracy in the coastal test site improved by 80.2%, with RMSE decreasing from 16.19 m to 3.22 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shuangjianzishan silver polymetallic deposit is located in the copper–tin–lead–zinc–silver polymetallic metallogenic belt in the Southern Great Xing'an Range, with silver resources of more than 18,000 t, which is the largest silver polymetallic deposit in Asia. Early studies concluded that the Shuangjianzishan deposit is typically an epithermal Ag-Pb-Zn deposit that lacks a high-temperature mineralization stage. In recent years, with the deepening of research, a large amount of Cu-Sn mineralization has been found in the deep part of the Shuangjianzishan deposit, but it is less studied. The laser-ablation inductively coupled mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) technique is used to investigate the distribution and substitution of trace elements in chalcopyrite and cassiterite. In this paper, the trace element study of chalcopyrite and cassiterite from the Shuangjianzishan deposit reveals that Sn, In, As, Se, Sb, and Tl mainly exist in chalcopyrite in isomorphic form, while Pb, Bi, and Ni mainly exist in chalcopyrite in the form of mineral inclusions. The enrichment of the high-temperature elements Sn and Se in chalcopyrite, and the deficit of the middle- and low-temperature elements Ga, Sb, etc., reflect that the chalcopyrite in the Shuangjianzishan deposit was formed in a middle- and high-temperature environment, and it also indicates that the early ore-forming hydrothermal solution may be rich in Sn. Fe, In, Co, and Ni mainly exist in cassiterite in isomorphic form, and the content of W in cassiterite is high. There are two main forms, one is isomorphic and the other is wolframite inclusion. Cassiterite has Fe-rich and W-U-poor characteristics, indicating that cassiterite from the Shuangjianzishan deposit was formed under relatively oxidized conditions, and the relative enrichment of elements such as Fe, W, Zr, and Hf indicates that the temperature of cassiterite formation was high. The elemental content and inter-ionic coupling relationships suggest that the cassiterite from the Shuangjianzishan deposit may have an elemental replacement mechanism of W6+ + Fe2+ ↔ 2Sn4+ or Fe3+ + OH− ↔ Sn4+ + O2−. The trace elements in cassiterite of the Shuangjianzishan deposit are rich in Fe and Mn and depleted in Nb and Ta, according to the Fe-W diagram, and the tin mineralization of the Shuangjianzishan deposit belongs to cassiterite–sulfide-type tin mineralization. Chalcopyrite Co/Ni ratios >1 are consistent with the characteristics of chalcopyrite genesis in hydrothermal deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations have revealed that the deadly "hot eastern‐pluvial western" climate pattern in Asia in summer 2022 is by no means an exception. In recent decade this pattern is becoming much more frequent owing to the notable westward extension and enhancement of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH). The anomalously enhanced WPSH fills the gap in geopotential heights between the Arabian Sea‐Iranian Plateau and the western Pacific, produces a heat dome over eastern Asia and intensifies the moisture convergence over western Asia by changing the water vapor transportation path. Projections of 19 CMIP6 models show that both the temperature in eastern Asia and precipitation in western Asia will remarkably increase under Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 2‐4.5, SSP 3‐7.0, and SSP 5‐8.5 scenarios, with temperature anomalies 0.8°C, 1.5°C, and 2.4°C higher and the percentages of precipitation anomaly 6.3%, 9.4%, and 12.5% larger than the reference period in the near, middle, and long terms under the moderate emission scenario (SSP2‐4.5). Therefore, the "hot eastern‐pluvial western" Asia is becoming a new normal and exacerbating the risk of compound disasters. Plain Language Summary: In summer 2022, eastern Asia experienced the most extensive and long‐lasting heatwave since 1951, while exceptional floods hit western Asia during the same period. It is found that this "hot eastern‐pluvial western" pattern has occurred more and more frequently since 1981. This could be attributed to the linear trend of the westward extension and enhancement of the western Pacific subtropical high. In this paper, we assess the expected changes by using the latest generation of global climate model projections. The "hot eastern‐pluvial western" climate pattern and the associated atmospheric circulations are projected to increase from 2020s to the end of the 21st century under different greenhouse gas emission scenarios, suggesting more fatal heatwaves in eastern Asia and floods in western Asia in the future. Key Points: The catastrophic climate pattern of "hot eastern‐pluvial western" Asia occurred frequently in recent decades especially in summer 2022The increasing trend of this pattern could be attributed to the westward extension and enhancement of the western Pacific subtropical highProjections of CMIP6 models show that the "hot eastern‐pluvial western" will occur normally in future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine potential diversification benefits between Eurozone (i.e. EURO STOXX 50) and key Asia markets: HSI (Hong Kong), KOSPI (South Korea), NIKKEI 225 (Japan) and TSEC (Taiwan). The sample covers the period from 04-01-2008 to 19-10-2023 in daily frequency. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical investigation is based on the wavelet coherence analysis, which is a localized correlation coefficient in the time and frequency domain. Findings: The results provide evidence that long-term diversification benefits exist between EURO STOXX and NIKKEI, EURO STOXX and KOSPI (after 2015) and there are signs for the pair and EURO STOXX-TSEC (after 2014). During the short term, there are signs of diversification benefits during the sample period. However, during the medium term, the diversification benefits seem to diminish. Originality/value: These results have crucial implications for investors regarding the benefits of international portfolio diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past half a century many countries have witnessed a rapid fall in total fertility rates, particularly in the world's most advanced economies including the industrial powerhouses of Eastern Asia and Europe. Such nations have now passed through the first and second demographic transitions and are currently exhibiting fertility rates well below the replacement threshold of 2.1, with no sign of recovery. This paper examines the factors responsible for driving these demographic transitions and considers their impact on both fertility and fecundity (our fundamental capacity to reproduce). I argue that because the first demographic transition was extremely rapid and largely driven by socioeconomic factors, it has had no lasting impact on the genetic/epigenetic underpinnings of human fecundity. However, the second demographic transition will be different. A series of conditions associated with low fertility societies, including relaxed selection pressure for high-fertility genotypes, the indiscriminate use of assisted reproductive technologies to treat human infertility, and environmental contamination with reproductive toxicants, may impact our genetic constitution in ways that compromise the future fecundity of our species. Since any fundamental change in the genetic foundations of human reproduction will be difficult to reverse, we should actively pursue methods to monitor human fecundity, as sub-replacement fertility levels become established across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilisation of box girders with corrugated steel webs (CSWs) represents an innovative approach to bridge superstructure design that has garnered substantial popularity worldwide, with a notable prevalence in both Asia and Europe. Compared with traditional box girders, they avoid web cracking, improving the prestressing efficiency and bridge spanning ability. As an innovative box girder, a corrugated web can increase the cantilever length and transverse stiffness, and at the same time, it reduces the dead weight of the bridge deck. However, little research has been conducted on the mechanical properties of this novel spine-like box girder with CSWs, especially its transverse performance, although it has been used in many applications. In this paper, the effect of the web form on the behaviour of box girders is introduced. Therefore, three representative three-dimensional (3D) finite-element models (i.e., corrugated web box girder, flat web box girder, and ordinary equivalent concrete web box girder) have been established to quantitatively investigate the influence of corrugated web stiffness on transverse stress under the action of gravity and vehicle loads. Generally, significant differences in the mechanical performance of box girders with CSWs have been observed compared with conventional box girders with concrete webs. Additionally, parametric studies to investigate the influences of the corrugation dimensions (in term of the corrugation height, web thickness, panel width, web height and elastic modulus) on the transverse stiffness of such bridges are analyzed. The results show that a new stiffness formula can be put forward to consider the effect of web height, and a high-strength steel web needs to be developed urgently for box girders with CSWs in the near future. Overall, the results of this investigation can be used as a reference for transverse designing and segmental construction of similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]