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Rapid internet penetration and technological advancements have facilitated accessibility to internet-enabled devices globally. Since Asia lacks comprehensive data on internet addiction among college students, this review aims to estimate its pooled prevalence. This was a systematic review and meta-analysis. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and MEDLINE from their inception through August 2022 using terms appropriate to internet addiction and Asian countries/territorial for publications in English peer-reviewed journals. The studies included those done on current college students and provided unambiguous indicators of the threshold of internet addiction. The pooled prevalence was calculated through a random-effects meta-analysis by RStudio software, and I 2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist was used for quality assessment. Overall, between 2007 and 2021, 39 papers comprising 45 effect sizes and totaling 58,058 participants met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of internet addiction among Asian college students was 24.3% (95% confidence interval: 19.8%–29.5%, Q = 6234, df = 44, τ2 = 0.79, I 2 = 99.29%), and strikingly, this percentage increased over time. A high degree of heterogeneity was seen, and no publication bias was found. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review report on Asian college students, which found that one-fifth suffer from internet addiction. The findings emphasize the significance of multidisciplinary prevention and management strategies to mitigate the harmful effects of internet addiction. Further research is warranted to develop a standardized diagnostic tool for a more precise estimation of internet addiction among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecosystem services (ES) approach has been widely applied for assessing nature's values and human-nature links. Over the past two decades, this research approach has experienced remarkable growth, exerting global influence on the sustainability policy agenda. Recent literature indicates that North America, Europe, East Asia, and Australia are major contributors to ES research, while other regions are progressing at a slower pace. Many countries in these regions remain under-represented due to various factors, including but not limited to knowledge transfer gaps, disparities in research capacities, as well as distinct needs and challenges among researchers in the Global North and South. Although the ES literature in Asia is growing in topics, methodologies, quality and quantity, many Asian researchers, especially Early Career Researchers (ECRs), still face problems typical of the Global South while conducting ES research. In this paper, we outline four major challenges from the perspective of ECRs. They include: 1) Inequality in career prospects and capacity-building, 2) Inequality and challenges in data access & knowledge transfer, 3) Circulation of research findings in global scientific publishing, 4) Challenges in funding. This perspective paper draws special attention to the challenges faced by ECRs in ES research in Asia. By presenting recommendations, we strongly advocate that the research community work together to make ES research a level playing field for ECRs like ourselves working in Asia and elsewhere. • We provide an overview of the inequalities in scientific production on Ecosystem Services in Asia. • From an early career perspective we highlight four key categories young researchers face difficulties in. • These include: career prospects & capacity-building, data access & knowledge transfer, access to publishing, and funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper measures environmental efficiency and productivity change to then carry out a decomposition analysis of an environmental efficiency index and a productivity change index. The paper includes a novel comparative assessment to determine the drivers of environmental efficiency and the sources of productivity change of the manufacturing sector in Europe, Asia and the whole world. We explore the capability to convert in an environmentally efficient way, selected inputs into desirable and undesirable outputs. Our estimation results of environmental efficiency confirm that Europe is ahead the world's average. Our analysis shows, however, a slowdown of Europe compared with the productivity growth of Asia. The latter shows a better performance in management capabilities, optimal resource allocation, and economies of scale. The analysis carried out in a second stage using the dynamic effects of the generalized method of moments also shows that the annual growth rate of manufacturing value added and manufacturing exports positively influence the level of environmental efficiency in both Asia and Europe. Therefore, the internationalization and extroversion of manufacturing can be crucial for sustainable development in Europe and Asia. • Benchmarking the strategy for sustainable development in Asia and Europe. • Decomposition of environmental efficiency indices and productivity change. • Effect of manufacturing value added and exports on environmental efficiency. • Benchmarking the manufacturing sector in Asia and Europe. • Showing Asia's best practices and European pillar of industrial restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motivation for developing a rehabilitation lower-limb exoskeleton robot was to provide functional robot-assisted therapy for assisting physiotherapists in improving hemiplegic patients' walking recovery. Rehabilitation tasks required robust and precise trajectory-tracking performance, mainly achieved with exoskeleton robots. This paper presents a study on the gait trajectory cycles of a rehabilitation lower-limb exoskeleton robot controlled by an Admittance Swarm Initialized Adaptive (ASIA). The aim of this paper was to develop a robust adaptive controller integrated with admittance model to overcome human–robot interaction forces generated by the wearer. The parameters of the ASIA controller were efficiently initialized using swarm beetle antenna searching. An experiment was conducted on a prototype lower limb exoskeleton with four degrees of freedom, involving a healthy human subject for gait trajectory analysis. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of control performance, steady-state error reduction, and robustness. The statistical analysis revealed that the ASIA performed 63 %, 53 % and 48 % less in average error compared to adaptive conventional controllers used in the same exoskeleton platform. The findings ascertained the potential of the ASIA controller in improving human mobility through lower limb exoskeleton applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian monsoon has progressively become a megamonsoon system since the early Cenozoic. To improve our understanding of the complex nature of the Asian monsoon system, involving strong interactions between atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial systems across different timescales, we present this special issue, entitled Cenozoic climate change in Asia. The special issue is dedicated to Prof. Zhengtang Guo in honour of his distinguished contributions as Editor-in-Chief of Global and Planetary Change to our understanding of the long-term evolution of the Asian monsoon system. The special issue consists of nineteen papers, grouped into three categories, that address Cenozoic climate change, mainly in Asia. The first category focuses on the plate tectonic-scale and considers how changes in palaeogeography and palaeotopography have shaped climate evolution. The second category addresses orbital- to suborbital-scale climate change and, in particular, explores the links between low-latitude insolation, high-latitude ice sheets and the Asian climate. The third category addresses millennial- to decadal-scale climate changes. In addition, past human-environment interactions are also discussed. These studies provide important insights into our understanding and prediction of both natural variability and human-induced climate changes in Asia and their linkages with global climate within the Earth System. • This special issue dedicated to Prof. Zhengtang Guo. • Asian climate variabilities across multiple time scales. • Past human-environment interactions in monsoonal East Asia. • Integration of Earth's interior and surface tectonic-climatic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the applicability of the Just Transition Transaction (JTT), initially developed as a financial mechanism for South Africa's energy transition, to Southeast Asian (SEA) countries, including Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, which heavily rely on coal. Utilizing South Africa as a reference case study, we deconstruct the JTT and develop a novel framework of necessary and conducive features for evaluating its suitability for supporting a just energy transition in SEA. Our findings suggest that the JTT is well-suited for Indonesia and Vietnam but not as well suited for the Philippines. Recommendations for specific research avenues in estimating baselines and aligning emissions trajectories are provided. Finally, we propose a tiered JTT model to encourage a supranational transition in SEA and suggest the potential application of our methods for assessing similar mechanisms in other coal-reliant developing countries. • Use South Africa as Case Study to investigate JTT transition finance mechanism • Develop framework of necessary and conducive features of JTT • Use this framework to evaluate JTT's suitability for energy transition in SEA • JTT suitable for Indonesia and Vietnam, not as suitable for Philippines • Tiered JTT a suitable model to encourage transition at supranational level in SEA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To optimize the scheduling scheme of tramp vessels between Asia and Europe, considering the opening of the Arctic route, a vessel scheduling management optimization model is developed from the perspective of shipping companies. Based on meeting the shippers' requirements for transportation between Asian and European ports, minimizing the total cost of multi-period operation of tramp vessels, the specific transport scheduling scheme for ships is obtained. We found that shipping companies building their Vessels with Ice-breaking Ability (VIA) can reduce the total cost of ships operating Asia-Europe routes throughout the year. Furthermore, in the event of a half increase in fuel prices, opting for Arctic routes during the winter season proves to be more cost-effective for shipping companies. • This paper studies the tramp vessel scheduling of the NSR/SCR. • Building vessels with or without ice-breaking ability is considered. • A nonlinear integer programming model is proposed. • A linearization method is developed. • A case study is conducted to analyze the studied problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian Forensic Sciences Network was formed in 2008 by a small group of six forensic institutes from six countries in Asia, with the vision to create a common platform for scientists in the region to come together to advance forensic science, raise quality standards, and foster collaboration. Since its inception, the network has experienced remarkable growth, now comprising 70 member institutes from 18 countries across Asia. An Annual Meeting & Symposium, hosted by a member institute each year, serves as a cornerstone event for the network. In addition, the network runs nine technical workgroups covering areas in Crime Scene Investigation, Digital Forensics, DNA, Fingerprint, Forensic Medicine, Illicit Drugs, Questioned Document, Toxicology, and Trace Evidence, alongside a dedicated Quality Assurance and Standards Committee. These workgroups and committee work in tandem with the AFSN Board to formulate strategies aligned with the network's core objectives. This paper chronicles AFSN's journey over the past fifteen years, highlighting the pivotal role of the Board and the Workgroups, as well as the dedicated passion and unwavering commitment of the members in shaping the network through numerous activities. • AFSN was formed in 2008 by 6 forensic institutes from 6 countries in Asia. • It now comprises 70 member institutes from 18 countries. • It has 9 Technical Workgroups and 1 Quality Assurance and Standards Committee. • AFSN publishes peer-reviewed newsletter ForensicAsia. • Different member institutes host the AFSN Annual Meeting & Symposium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics pose a significant environmental threat, with potential implications for toxic chemical release, aquatic life endangerment, and human food chain contamination. In Asia, rapid economic growth coupled with inadequate waste management has escalated plastic pollution in rivers, positioning them as focal points for environmental concern. Despite Asia's rivers being considered the most polluted with plastics globally, scholarly attention to microplastics in the region's freshwater environments is a recent development. This study undertakes a systematic review of 228 scholarly articles to map microplastic hotspots in Asian freshwater systems and synthesize current research trends within the continent. Findings reveal a concentration of research in China and Japan, primarily investigating riverine and surface waters through net-based sampling methods. Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) emerge as the predominant microplastic types, frequently observed as fibers or fragments. However, the diversity of sampling methodologies and reporting metrics complicates data synthesis, underscoring the need for standardized analytical frameworks to facilitate comparative analysis. This paper delineates the distribution of microplastic hotspots and outlines the prevailing challenges and prospects in microplastic research within Asian freshwater contexts. [Display omitted] • Comprehensive review in Asian freshwater environments, based on 228 publications. • Microplastic hotspots identified in Asian rivers, highlighting pollution concerns. • Most studies use nets to sample rivers and surface waters. • PE, PP, and PET are the prevalent types, mainly as fibers or fragments. • Need for standardization of analytical methods for enhanced quantitative comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast (SE) Asia is situated at the convergent region between the Eurasian, Philippine Sea, and Indo-Australian plates. The dynamic interplay of these plates has shaped the geological landscape of the region, resulting in a diverse array of tectonic features, including subduction zones, volcanic arcs, marginal basins, and continental deformation. Its unique tectonic setting provides a rare opportunity to investigate the plate convergence processes and their impacts on the Earth's interior dynamics. Understanding the intricate relationships between these processes is crucial for unraveling the tectonic evolution of SE Asia and its role in the global geodynamic framework. This special issue presents a collection of original research papers covering a wide range of topics, including the lithospheric structure and strength of the SE Asia convergent system, magmatic processes and geochemical variations in subduction zones, the formation and evolution of the subduction-derived microplates, the deep genesis of heat flow anomalies, and the crustal structure and magmatism in the South China Sea. These advances have been made possible through multidisciplinary approaches, incorporating techniques such as seismic imaging, gravity analysis, numerical modeling, geochemistry, and geochronology. The findings presented in this special issue provide new insights into the complex tectonic history and geodynamic processes of the Southeast Asia and its surrounding regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agronomy–livestock–forestry nexus is critical as it influences ecosystem services, food production, and land use. Asia, a diverse and technologically dynamic region, faces disparities in agronomy tech adoption. Studies emphasize agronomy and forestry's pivotal role in determining livelihoods in the region. Challenges like rising food demand, land scarcity, climate change, and biodiversity loss require innovative solutions. Digital technologies offer enhanced productivity, sustainability, and resource management opportunities, defining the era of smart agriculture and forestry. This work presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), which examines the potential for using digital technology in agronomy and forestry across Asian countries and evaluates evidence of the potential benefits for practitioners and the environment. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method guided the choice of relevant publications. Of the 375 papers located in Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases, only 24 were considered relevant to the research questions. In the agronomy and forestry sectors in Asia, the adoption of digital technologies has the potential to contribute toward the promotion of biodiversity, the preservation of ecosystem services, improved labor efficiency, risk reduction, and the promotion of climate change resilience. Geospatial tools, modeling tools, decision support systems, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and the Internet of Things (IoT) have emerged as prominent technologies driving these positive outcomes. The study lists evidence from various articles supporting these benefits, although most demonstrate indirect causation. This underscores the need for more direct experiments to establish the broader contribution of digital technologies as well as provide evidence showing farmer uptake and the potential negative impacts of implementation. The findings from this study offer a comprehensive view of the potential use of digital technologies for agronomy and forestry in Asia, as well as evidence of their potential benefits. It gives stakeholders valuable information on digital technologies and provides a springboard for future studies regarding the application of digital technology in agronomy, animal husbandry, and forestry. [Display omitted] • Digital solutions can mitigate the impact of uneven tech adoption on livelihoods in Asia's agronomy and forestry sectors. • Presents SLR provide the evidence of benefits for practitioners and environment. • Key technologies include geospatial tools, modeling tools, decision support systems, UAS, IoT. • Digital tech enhances Asia's agronomy/forestry by improving biodiversity, labor and risk management. • Provides information for stakeholders and highlighting research potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme climate events are hotspots in global change. However, research on the changes in future compound events and population exposure is still limited. Leveraging from the data of the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), this paper aims to analyze the temporal and spatial changes of global compound temperature and precipitation extreme events in the future. We also predict the risk of population exposure and quantify the contribution of different factors to exposure. The results show that: (1) In the next 80 years, compound hot-dry event (CHDE) will increase at a rate of 0.02, 0.03, and 0.08 days per decade under the three scenarios of SSP1–2.6, SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5, respectively. By comparison, compound hot-humidity event (CHHE) shows a downward trend under the three scenarios, with a downward rate of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.11 days per decade, respectively. (2) Under the SSP1–2.6 and SSP2–4.5 scenarios, CHDE and CHHE have two or more mutation points. Under the SSP5–8.5 scenario, CHDE shows a significant upward and CHHE shows a significant downward trend in the middle and late 21st century. These two indices exhibit periodic changes in all three scenarios (3) South Asia, West Asia, and Northeast Africa have higher CHDE values, while regions with higher CHHE values are located in North Asia and Greenland. (4) Climate change is a major factor affecting population exposure. For CHDE, climate, population, and their synergistic effects contribute about 75%, 20%, and 5% to the exposure, respectively. For CHHE, the contributions of these three factors are 85%, 10%, and 5% respectively. These findings provide scientific guidance for the rational formulation of population policies, the effective avoidance of climate disaster risks and the protection of human health. • Frequency of hot-dry events and hot-humidity events will increase and decrease, respectively, in the future. • There are abrupt points and periodicity in the future time series of compound temperature and precipitation extremes. • Asia is projected to have the greatest exposure and climate change contributes the most to exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Digital gamification techniques are reshaping the logics and practices of intermediation that are core to FinTech economies. • Gamification involves new socio-technical knowledges, such as behavioral science, digital marketing, and user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design. • Gamification features specialist firms that are presently overlooked by research into the roles of changing APS complex in contemporary finance. • Gamification mobilises different logics of FinTech intermediation through a focus on attention or user engagement rather than efficiency and cost savings. This paper examines how digital gamification techniques, which incorporate video gaming elements (rather than full-fledged games) into apps, are reshaping the logics and practices of intermediation that are core to FinTech economies. First, we argue gamification brings into view socio-technical knowledges, such as behavioral science, digital marketing, and user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, which are increasingly important to constituting FinTech intermediation. Second, gamification features specialist firms that are presently overlooked by research into the roles of changing advanced producer services (APS) complexes in FinTech and financial intermediation. Third, gamified apps are deployed to advance competitive intermediary positions which playfully capture user attention and configure user behavior, contrasting with FinTech strategies that typically promise users' ease of access, reduced transaction costs and personalized products and services. We illustrate these arguments through three firm-level case studies from across Asia, where the development of gamified FinTech apps has been especially prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Lake evolution of Sumxi Co has been reconstructed from lacustrine carbonate isotopes. • Hydrological conditions were mainly dominated by regional precipitation on the northwestern QTP. • Millennial hydroclimate events were responding to globally cooling events and solar irradiance. Climatic and hydrological changes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) are controlled by the Asian summer monsoon and the mid-latitude westerlies, which directly affect a large population in Asia. However, the millennial temporal and spatial patterns of Holocene hydroclimate variations on the QTP remain unclear due to the lack of high-quality paleoclimatic records. This paper examines high-resolution stable oxygen and carbon isotopes of authigenic carbonate (δ18O carb and δ13C carb) covering the past 5,000 years taken from Sumxi Co, a hydrologically closed lake lies outside the direct influence of the large ice caps on the northwestern QTP. The hydrological environment of Sumxi Co inferred from the covariance between δ18O carb and δ13C carb values was unstable during the middle to late Holocene, with abrupt increases in lake-levels during the 5.0–4.0 cal ka BP, 3.2–3.1 cal ka BP, 1.8–1.3 cal ka BP, and 0.7 cal ka BP to present. Past millennial hydrological fluctuations coincide temporally with the occurrences of glacier advances on the northwestern QTP, implying increased regional moisture and precipitation during cold periods in the region. The 'cold and wet' hydroclimatic pattern is comparable in other records to the arid areas of central Asia dominated by westerlies before the current anthropogenic warming. The four millennial-scale humid events are synchronous with reduced solar irradiance within dating errors, supporting the hypotheses that the regional pattern of hydroclimatic evolution in arid central Asia responds dominantly and directly to changes in solar activity. This external forcing may be amplified by North Atlantic cooling events and southward shifts of the intertropical convergence, which have further modulated the position of mid-latitude westerlies and the strength of the Indian summer monsoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterocytozoon bieneusi (E. bieneusi), which is one of the most common microsporidia, has been identified as an important obligate intracellular pathogen that commonly colonizes in a variety of animal species and humans worldwide, including humans. In this study, the statistical analyses of E. bieneusi infection and prevalence were performed to clarify the relationship between different genotypes in different countries. The databases Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Chinese Journal Database, Wanfang Data, PubMed, Web of Science and ScienceDirect were used for data collection. The research data were subjected to subgroup, univariate regression, and correlation, to reveal factors related to the high prevalence of E. bieneusi. A total of, 34 of the 498 articles published before April 2022 met the inclusion criteria. The global prevalence of E. bieneusi in pigs was 37.69% (5175/12672). The prevalence of E. bieneusi in nursery pigs was 58.87% (588/946). In developing countries and Asia, the highest prevalence of E. bieneusi in pigs were 37.62% (4752/11645) and 40.14% (4715/11345), respectively. Moreover, humans and pigs have been found to be infected with the same genotype of E. bieneusi in some cases, as evidenced by the consolidation of genotype information. The results showed that pigs are susceptible to E. bieneusi during the nursery period. The prevalence of E. bieneusi is high in developing countries, and its genotype prevalence varies in each country. Thus, it is essential to strengthen the health inspection of vulnerable groups and customs quarantine inspection. • A total of 34 papers containing 12672 pigs from 12 countries were analyzed, and the prevalence was 37.69%. • The prevalence of E. bieneusi pigs in developing countries is higher than that in developed countries. • Higher positive rates were observed in pigs raised in scale farms. • A total of 265 ITS genotypes of E. bieneusi were found in investigated pigs • Pig is one of the important potential sources of E. bieneusi infection in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision agriculture (PA) has recently employed as an innovative agriculture to increase the profitability through enhancing the crop yields. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is widely used in PA to measure the agricultural parameters. However, the main challenges of using WSNs in PA are to improve the measurement accuracy and to increase the network lifetime of WSNs. A novel scheme is developed in this paper to measure soil moisture and temperature in heterogeneous farms called Adaptive heterogeneous precision agriculture (AHPA). As well as the Extended kalman filter (EKF), AHPA contains two invented algorithms, named Optimally sensor selection algorithm (OSSA) and Adaptive sampling interval algorithm (ASIA). As part of the EKF, agricultural state is proactively predicted and then it is updated through measuring it using WSN so that the noises associated with sensor measurements are eliminated. OSSA employs the Genetic algorithm (GA) for selecting a group of sensor nodes that are used to sense the agricultural state, in order to enhance network lifetime and crop yields. The root system is modeled and used in the OSSA to select the nodes inside the area covered by the root system. In the prediction stage, the ASIA is used to calculate an adaptive sampling interval based on the predicted state of agricultural parameters. The simulation results show that the total energy consumption and the reduction of the agricultural parameters are improved in the proposed ASIA, compared with other fixed sampling interval schemes. Moreover, the number of dead nodes, the time of the first node death, the energy balance, the neighbors count, and the number of evolved nodes in sensing activities are enhanced in the proposed OSSA, compared with other schemes. Hence, the network lifetime and crop yields are enhanced. Moreover, the proposed OSSA selects the sensor nodes based on the root age so that the agricultural parameters of the whole soil of the plants are sensed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananasa Duch.) is the most economically important soft fruit worldwide. While self- and wind-pollination is possible for strawberry, without biotic pollination (animal pollinators, including artificial pollination by humans) rate of strawberry flowers rarely exceeds 60% and thus fruit production is decreased. At a time of widely recognized decline of pollinators and increasing global demand for balanced food, we need a comprehensive understanding of the worldwide valuation of these ecosystem services. In this paper, we use a transparent and systematic review process to detect gaps in the available literature. By applying multilevel meta-analytic models, we quantified the contribution of biotic pollinators and different pollinator types to strawberry fruits. Our review showed that research on strawberry pollination is clearly concentrated in European countries, with limited information for Asia – the largest strawberry producer. Additionally, we detected disproportions across research topics, stressing the need for further research on pollinator preferences between strawberry cultivars and the occurrence of managed and wild bee communities. The overall estimate of pollination benefit to strawberry crops is on average a 25% reduction in fruit weight for plants not receiving a biotic pollination treatment. This benefit is similar regardless of the pollinating species. The mean amount globally (2011–2020) receivable by producers from purchasers due to biotic pollination is $5.36 billion per year. Moreover, we demonstrated that strawberry plants that are dependent on self- or wind-pollination set on average 43% fewer seeds (fertilized achenes) than biotically pollinated plants. Such a huge reduction in seed set can cause fruit deformation and reduce the commercial value of strawberries. Together, these findings indicate the critical role of biotic pollination in strawberry production and quality. To ensure pollination services in strawberry farms and produce the best-quality fruits, growers should take action to sustain healthy pollinator communities and utilize them with the optimal cultivar. • Biotic pollination has fundamental importance to strawberry production and quality. • Besides honeybees, a huge diversity of species are involved in strawberry pollination. • Pollination benefits are comparable regardless of the pollination species. • Without biotic pollination fruits are smaller and produce fewer fertilized achenes. • Growers should take action to sustain healthy pollinator communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Crataegus (hawthorn), a member of the Rosaceae family, encompasses several species with broad geographical distribution across the Northern Hemisphere, including Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Hawthorn is recognized as an edible medicinal plant with applications related to strengthening the digestive system, promoting blood circulation, and resolving blood stasis. This study critically summarized the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties to provide a theoretical basis for further studies on hawthorn and its applications in medicine and food. The available information on hawthorn was gathered from scientific databases (including Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, online ethnobotanical databases, and ethnobotanical monographs, and considered data from 1952 to 2023). Information about traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety concerns of the collected data is comprehensively summarized in this paper. The literature review revealed that hawthorn includes more than 1000 species primarily distributed in the northern temperate zone. Traditional uses of hawthorn have lasted for millennia in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Within the past decade, 337 chemical compounds, including flavonoids, lignans, fatty acids and organic acids, monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, terpenoids and steroids, have been identified from hawthorn. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed numerous bioactivities, such as cardiovascular system influence, antitumor activity, hepatoprotective activity, antimicrobial properties, immunomodulatory functions, and anti-inflammatory activities. Additionally, evaluations have indicated that hawthorn lacks toxicity. Based on its traditional uses, chemical composition, and pharmacological studies, hawthorn has significant potential as a medicinal and edible plant with a diverse range of pharmacological activities. Traditional uses of the hawthorn include the treatment of indigestion, dysmenorrhea, and osteoporosis. However, modern pharmacological research primarily focuses on its cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system effects, antitumor effects, and liver protection properties. Currently, there is a lack of correlative research involving its traditional uses and pharmacological activities. Moreover, phytochemical and pharmacological research has yet to focus on many types of hawthorn with traditional applications. Therefore, it is imperative to research the genus Crataegus extensively. [Display omitted] • Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety concerns of hawthorn. • The medicinal uses and edible value of hawthorn. • The application and medicinal value of hawthorn in ethnopharmacology. • The challenges and opportunities of hawthorn were envisioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AMD did not induce higher mortality of P. akamusi. • P. akamusi can accumulate Fe, Ni, and Zn from AMD. • AMD leachates changed the expression of the four stress-related genes. • Eno1 and Hb VII may play important roles in the AMD tolerance of P. akamusi larvae. • P. akamusi could be applied for AMD bioremediation. Acid mine water (AMD) is a global environmental problem caused by coal mining with the characteristics of low pH and high concentrations of metals and sulfates. It is a pertinent topic to seek both economical and environmentally friendly approaches to minimize the harmful effects of AMD on the environment. Insect larvae are considered a promising solution for pollution treatment. Chironomidae is the most tolerant family to contaminants in pools and its larvae have a strong capacity for metal accumulation from sediment. This paper aimed to evaluate the larvae of Propsilocerus akamusi , a dominant species in the chironomid community, as a new species for entomoremediation in AMD-polluted areas. We detected the toxic effects of AMD on P. akamusi larvae based on their survival and the trace metals bioaccumulation capabilities of P. akamusi larvae. Moreover, we analyzed the expression patterns of four stress-response genes, HSP70, Eno1, HbV, and Hb VII in P. akamusi larvae. Our results revealed that AMD exposure did not significantly affect the survival of the P. akamusi larvae and individuals exposed to some AMD gradients even exhibited higher survival. We also observed the significantly accumulated concentrations of Fe, Ni, and Zn as well as higher bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) for Ni and Zn in the P. akamusi larvae exposure to AMD. Induced expression of Eno1 and Hb VII may play important roles in the AMD tolerance of P. akamusi larvae. This study indicated the potential application of P. akamusi larvae in the metal bioremediation of AMD-polluted areas. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a global environmental problem related to coal mining activities. AMD pollution has become a long-term, worldwide issue for its interactive and complex stress factors. Bioremediation is an effective method to remove the metals of AMD from wastewater to prevent downstream pollution. However, the disadvantages of the slow growth rate, susceptibility to seasonal changes, difficult post-harvest management, and small biomass of hyperaccumulating plants greatly limit the usefulness of phytoremediation. Insect larvae may be useful candidate organisms to overcome these shortcomings and have been considered a promising pollution solution. Propsilocerus akamusi is a dominant species in the chironomid community and is distributed widely in many lakes of eastern Asia. This species has extraordinary abilities to resist various stresses. This research is the first time to our knowledge to evaluate the application of P. akamusi as a new species in entomoremediation in AMD-contaminated areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huajiao , mainly including Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim (Z. bungeanum) and Zanthoxylum schinifolium Sieb. et Zucc (Z. schinifolium), has long been used for culinary purposes due to its typical pungent flavours throughout Asia, notably in Sichuan Cuisine. Increasing reports have suggest huajiao possess diverse bioactive ingredients and series of health benefits, thus a systematic review on the functional activities and underlying mechanisms of the two species is needed to address their future. This present paper reviews recent and comprehensive information on the botanical characteristics, compositions, biological activities, action mechanisms and application prospects of huajiao. The latest research progresses of huajiao , the present challenges and deficiency of relevant research and possible perspectives are also put forward systematically. Although there are obvious differences in botany and nutrition between the two species, the active substances and related pharmacological effects are basically similar. The compounds of huajiao are mainly divided into alkaloids, coumarins, lignans, flavonoids, terpenoids, and volatile oils, which are accountable for the various effects including attenuating pain, cancer, bacteria invasion, and also play a protective role in the gastrointestinal system, nervous system, cardiovascular system. Additionally, the sensory and functional properties of huajiao are affected by the type and content of chemicals, especially sanshools, flavonoids and volatile oils. Thus it is necessary to establish a reasonable production process and quality control system to ensure the safety and benefits of huajiao , and its efficient industrial development in the future. • Huajiao is widely used as raw material in food, medicine and daily necessities. • Chemicals and functional mechanisms of huajiao are rather various and complex. • Structural properties of compounds influence functions and flavour of huajiao. • Current research limitations and future prospects of huajiao are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing, kinematics, and geodynamic evolution of the India-Asia continental collision are crucial to understanding the geological and geomorphological evolution of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen. However, the debate over how and when the collision occurred persists due to disputes concerning the reliability of paleomagnetic data obtained on both sides of the suture zone. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of paleomagnetic studies to address this controversial issue. The study focuses on well-preserved Cretaceous-Paleocene rocks from the Lhasa and Tethyan Himalaya (TH) terranes over the past two decades. We conclude that: (1) the paleomagnetic data of the Linzizong Group of the Lhasa Terrane and the Zongpu Formation of the TH are in their primary origin and can be used for tectonic reconstruction; (2) the Tethys Himalaya Basin (THB) was generated due to the rifting of the TH from Greater India before the Late Cretaceous; (3) the southern margin of Asia was aligned in the NW-SE direction before the India-Asia collision. The study suggests a quasi-synchronous multi-stage collision where the TH collided with the Trans-Tethyan subduction system in Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene times (∼65 Ma), followed by collision with Asia at 56–59 Ma. Finally, the India Craton collided with the TH, resulting in the synchronous closure of the THB at approximately 40 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]