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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]

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]

Reports that thousands of students from four Asian countries are to be barred from taking part in the Graduate Record Examination general test online after their compatriots were found cheating. Examination test skills administered by the Educational Testing Service to graduate school entrants in the U.S.; Administration of paper versions of the test to the graduates.

Focuses on what will happen if a flu pandemic arose in Asia according to Neil Ferguson. Research conducted by Ferguson; Model simulating an outbreak.

In line with the recent shift of R&D internationalization towards developing Asia, this Perspective paper reviews, contextualises, and evaluates the evolving patterns of creation, transfer, and assimilation of knowledge in multinational enterprises (MNEs). A typology is proposed consisting of four stylized nodes: West (industrialized mature economies), East One (emerging industrializing economies of developing Asia), East Two (Asian economies at an earlier stage of industrialization), and East Three (Asian economies with limited visible signs of industrialization). Within these nodes, this paper applies an institution-based view to discuss their diverse national innovation environment (with particular attention paid to governments, indigenous firms, and institutional conditions), and the network perspective to propose an intra-regional knowledge hierarchy, reflecting dynamic knowledge links. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies that consider all dimensions of sustainable development (well-being of communities, protection of natural environment, and the competitive economy) are scarce. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate relationships between socio-eco-financial inputs and outputs and investigate high-tech companies' dynamic efficiency. Relationships were assessed by estimating Spearman as well as canonical correlations. Changes in socio-eco-efficiency through 2010–2016 were calculated using the panel data variant of data envelopment analysis – Malmquist index. High-tech companies were split into manufacturing (HTM) and knowledge-intensive services (HTKIS) sectors and, for additional insights, into Europe, North America, Asia & Pacific, and other regions. Findings indicate tight interrelatedness of socio-eco aspects and their weak relationship to the financial situation, where undesirable socio-eco situation reduces sales and return on assets only in HTM sector. Technological changes reveal post-crisis market recovery with increasing competition bringing fluctuating socio-eco-efficiency changes during the period analyzed. Pharmaceuticals in HTM and renewable energy in HTKIS had the highest efficiency changes of 0.73% and 0.81% on average, respectively, but these changes were not statistically significant. Meanwhile, for a few NACE categories significantly negative changes were found. North America featured a non-significantly positive socio-eco-efficiency change on average (only in HTM), whereas the Asia & Pacific region featured the most stable efficiency dynamics. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first research that recognizes all three dimensions of sustainable development to investigate high-tech companies' correlation patterns and dynamic efficiency throughout different sectors and world regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronaviruses (CoV) are ubiquitous pathogens found in wide variety of hosts that constantly pose a threat to human and animal health as a result of their enormous capacity to generate genetic changes. Constant monitoring of virus reservoirs can constitute an early-warning tool and control the spread and evolution of the virus. Coronaviruses are common in wild birds, globally, and birds of the Charadriiformes in particular have been demonstrated to be carriers of delta- (dCoV) and gammacoronaviruses (gCoV). In this paper, we present the genetic characterisation of five CoV strains from black-headed (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) and common (Larus canus) gulls. Whole genome sequence analysis showed high similarity of detected dCoV in gulls to previously identified strains from falcon, houbara, pigeon and gulls from Asia (UAE, China). However, phylogenetic analysis revealed bifurcation within a common branch. Furthermore, the accumulation of numerous amino acid changes within the S-protein was demonstrated, indicating further evolution of dCoV within a single gull host. In turn, phylogenetic analysis for the most of the structural and non-structural genes of identified gCoV confirmed that the strain belongs to the duck coronavirus 2714 (DuCoV2714) species within Igacovirus subgenera, while for the spike protein it forms a separate branch not closely related to any gCoV species known to date. The current study provides new and significant insights into the evolution and diversification of circulating coronaviruses in members of Laridae family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid developm the application of digital ent of the new generation of information and communication technologies (ICT), the state-level governance model has undergone profound changes. It is worth pondering whether this change will have an impact on the carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. Therefore, we collected data from 51 global economies that have proposed carbon neutrality targets from 2003 to 2020 to build a series of spatial measurement models and explored the impact of e-government construction on carbon emission intensity (CEI). Then, we further considered regional heterogeneity factors, grouped the selected countries into Asian, European, and American countries, and verified the differences between e-government construction and CEI in different regions. Additionally, on the basis of the spatial mediation effect model, this paper analyzed the industrial structure which played an intermediary role in achieving target for reducing CEI through e-government construction. The main findings are as follows. (1) A higher level of e-government construction will result in lower-carbon emissions intensity. (2) Spatial spillover effect regression results showed that the construction of e-government in neighboring countries also significantly inhibits the carbon emission intensity of the host country. (3) There was significant regional heterogeneity in the impact of e-governments on CEI; in Asia, the construction of e-governments significantly reduced CEI, but no significant reductions were observed in Europe and America. (4) E-governments influenced CEI by optimizing the industrial structure. The construction of e-governments was effective in Asia and Europe, while intermediary effect test was failed to pass in the Americas. This study mainly focused on the environmental benefits brought by the construction of e-governments, and the obtained results would provide an important reference for the achievement of the dual-carbon goals in countries worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum computing holds the potential to deliver great economic prosperity to the European Union (EU). However, the creation of successful business in the field is challenging owing to the required extensive investments into postdoctoral-level workforce and sophisticated infrastructure without an existing market that can financially support these operations. This commentary paper reviews the recent efforts taken in the EU to foster the quantum-computing ecosystem together with its current status. Importantly, we propose concrete actions for the EU to take to enable future growth of this field towards the desired goals. In particular, we suggest ways to enable the creation of EU-based quantum-computing unicorns which may act as key crystallization points of quantum technology and its commercialization. These unicorns may provide stability to the otherwise scattered ecosystem, thus pushing forward global policies enabling the global spread of EU innovations and technologies. The unicorns may act as a conduit, through which the EU-based quantum ecosystem can stand out from similar ecosystems based in Asia and the United States. Such strong companies are required because of the level of investment currently required in the marketplace. This paper suggests methodologies and best practices that can enhance the probability of the creation of the unicorns. Furthermore, we explore future scenarios, in which the unicorns can operate from the EU and to support the EU quantum ecosystem. This exploration is conducted focusing on the steps to be taken and on the impact the companies may have in our opinion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a widely used non-conventional machining technique in manufacturing industries, capable of accurately machining electrically conductive materials of any hardness and strength. However, to achieve low production costs and minimal machining time, a comprehensive understanding of the EDM system is necessary. Due to the stochastic nature of the process and the numerous variables involved, it can be challenging to develop an analytical model of EDM through theoretical and numerical simulations alone. This paper conducts an extensive review of the various experimental (or empirical) modeling techniques used by researchers over the past two decades, including a geographic and temporal analysis of these approaches. The major methods employed to describe the EDM process include regression, response surface methodology (RSM), fuzzy inference systems (FIS), artificial neural networks (ANN), and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS). Additionally, the optimization methods used in conjunction with these methods are also discussed. Although RSM is the most commonly used empirical modeling technique, recent years have seen an increase in the use of ANN for providing the most accurate predictions of EDM process responses. The review of the literature shows that most of the investigations on experimental EDM modeling were conducted in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Ghats (WG) is one of the important biodiversity hotspots and rainfall intense regions in south Asia. In this paper, the long-term trend analysis is carried out during southwest monsoon rainfall over different latitudinal regions of the WG. Further, the gridded daily rainfall data (0.25 × 0.25 spatial grid resolution) is classified into six intensity bins: dry, low, moderate, heavy, very heavy, and extreme, from 1951 to 2015. A detailed trend and variability analysis of rainfall and its frequency in different intensity bins along with their relative contribution were carried out. The results of different rainfall intensity bins depict that the moderate and low intensity bins contribute a maximum share in seasonal rainfall with 45% and 20%, respectively, from the 30% and 50% rainy days in all the regions. Heavy and very heavy intensity bins together contribute about 30% of the seasonal rainfall from about 9% rainy days. Extreme intensity bin recorded an alarming share of 6% with only 1% rainy day occurrences. In general, the relative contribution shows an ascending pattern of moderate, low, very heavy, heavy, extreme, and dry intensity bins. A decreasing trend in rainfall was observed in heavy and very heavy intensity bins, while other intensity bins illustrated mixed trends in different study regions. Extreme rainfall events marked a major shift upward in the WG region during the study period. Overall, our result portrays a negative trend in rainfall during the southwest monsoon season over all the study regions during the study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aedesalbopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) is a mosquito from Asia that can transmit a variety of diseases. This paper aimed to explore the effects of temperature, relative humidity, and illumination on the entomological parameters related to the population growth of Aedes albopictus, and provide specific parameters for developing dynamic models of mosquito-borne infectious disease. We used artificial simulation lab experiments, and set 27 different meteorological conditions to observe and record mosquito's hatching time, emergence time, longevity of adult females, and oviposition amount. We then applied generalized additive model (GAM) and polynomial regression to formulate the effects of temperature, relative humidity, and illumination on the biological characteristics of Aedes albopictus. Our results showed that hatchability closely related to temperature and illumination. The immature stage and the survival time of adult female mosquitoes were associated with temperature and relative humidity. The oviposition rate related to temperature, relative humidity, and illumination. Under the control of relative humidity and illumination, ecological characteristics of mosquitoes such as hatching rate, transition rate, longevity, and oviposition rate had an inverted J shape with temperature, and the thresholds were 31.2 °C, 32.1 °C, 17.7 °C, and 25.7 °C, respectively. The parameter expressions of Aedes albopictus using meteorological factors as predictors under different stages were established. Meteorological factors especially temperature significantly influence the development of Aedes albopictus under different physiological stages. The established formulas of ecological parameters can provide important information for modeling mosquito-borne infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cortical deafness is an unusual occurrence caused by injury to the central auditory pathway but not to the hearing organ. This paper reports the first case of cortical deafness as a sequel of recurrent stroke in a patient with prosthetic heart valves and atrial fibrillation in Asia. Case presentation: A 40-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation and valvular heart disease comes with weakness on the right side of the body and slurred speech. Examination showed hemiplegia with increased d-dimer and activated partial thromboplastin time. (APTT). Brain MRI showed multiple subacute infarctions in the temporal lobe. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) tractography showed no visible auditory tract. Pure tone audiogram and brainstem auditory evoked potential test was normal, but speech reception threshold test was very poor. The patient has been diagnosed with recurrent ischemic stroke with sequel cortical deafness and received anticoagulant therapy and speech therapy. The patient reported minimal subjective impairment 1 month later with no further neurological deterioration. Conclusions: A multidisciplinary clinical approach is needed in patients with cortical deafness, especially distinguishing it from other central hearing losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic development may have distinct implications for the environment based on gender-differentiated employment in various sectors of the economy. This is the first major attempt to incorporate gender in environmental modeling using sector-wise female employment status and gender parity index. In this study, we investigate the environment-gender nexus through the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis in 36 Asian countries for the period 1991–2017 by panel data estimations. We find in all estimations through panel FMOLS that (a) per capita GDP positively affects CO2 emissions and (b) per capita CO2 is affected by per capita GDP squared negatively, thus confirming EKC for panel Asian data with 971 observations. The estimations of the paper also confirm the EKC hypothesis through panel data models in which GDP and GDP squared variables. Our findings suggest male and female labor market participation impacts the environment differently, particularly in the agricultural sectors. We also find that an increased schooling ratio (gender parity index) negatively impacts environmental degradation. The findings of the present study are expected to give insights into policymakers for understanding the theoretical and statistical association between environmental quality and male/female labor force in agricultural and industrial sectors for 36 Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is an invasive pest that can cause serious crop loss to various important food crops and risk to global food security. FAW can cause damage to over 350 plant species by feeding on vegetative and reproductive stages of crops. Currently, chemical pesticides and transgenic maize are widely used to safeguard crops from this serious pest. However, biological control is a safer and more sustainable alternative in the long term for FAW management. Of the various natural enemies of FAW, egg parasitoids of genus Trichogramma have been used in augmentative biological control of FAW in the Americas and invaded regions such as Africa and Asia. Main body: Several species of Trichogramma have been reported naturally parasitizing FAW eggs and emerged as important biocontrol agents. This paper presents a comprehensive review of potential and challenges associated with Trichogramma in biological control of FAW. A total of 11 species of trichogrammatids occurred naturally on FAW eggs. This review includes the occurrence of Trichogramma species on FAW, biological attributes, mass rearing, release techniques, field efficacy and interaction and integration with other parasitoids. Integration of Trichogramma with other parasitoids can resolve the problem related to its penetrative ability against scaled and multi-layered FAW eggs which were discussed. Conclusion: Invasion of FAW in Africa and Asia has provided a prospect for augmentative biological control of FAW using Trichogramma for sustainable production, especially in maize which is used as food and fodder. Integrating Trichogramma with safer and selective green pesticides and their conservation with other natural enemies could help in sustainable and environment-friendly FAW control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing management practices for the control of invasive species can be a complex task with multiple dimensions, where the identification of stakeholders and drivers of those practices is of paramount importance. The invasive hornet Vespa velutina has spread across Europe and Asia from its native range in SE Asia in recent years. A common control method is the removal and destruction of its nests on citizens' request to call centers. In this paper we have explored the knowledge and main factors that influence the perceptions of the citizens on the species in an invaded municipality in NW Spain, as well as the management practices of the municipal emergency unit responsible for nest removal activities. Our analysis brings out multiple drivers of management practices that derive both from the citizens' and practitioners' knowledge, and highlights several points of conflict between both stakeholder groups connected to (1) the degree of service provided to the local population, (2) the risk of allergic reactions as a motive to urge removals, or (3) the quality of information provided by mass media. Our results support the crucial importance of environmental education programs that seek to increase the knowledge of the general public about the threats of invasive species. Such programs might be incorporated to implement and optimize management plans of V. velutina by enhancing communication between experts and local population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical Asia (i.e. the Oriental biogeographic region) is the most densely populated and degraded region on Earth with the highest deforestation rates in the tropics. Flow regulation is a significant threat to riverine biodiversity in the region, and its impacts are combined with overharvesting, pollution and other sources of habitat degradation. In addition to these immediate threats, the potential impacts of exotic species and climate change are difficult to predict. Uncertainty about impact effects arises also from the fact that knowledge of the rich freshwater biodiversity of tropical Asia is incomplete, and up-to-date national or regional inventories are lacking. In part, this reflects taxonomic constraints, and a limited representation of Asian science in the international limnological and conservation literature. A survey of recent (1992–2001) international journals dealing with freshwater ecology and limnology in general, on one hand, and conservation biology on the other, reveal that the representation of scientists based in tropical Asia was extremely low. Scientists from tropical Asia authored fewer than 2% of more than 4500 papers dealing with freshwater biology; 57% of them were published in Hydrobiologia. Less than 0.1% of freshwater biology papers dealt with the conservation of biodiversity in tropical Asian fresh waters. The representation of Asian freshwater science in the conservation biology literature was also poor; 0.6% of 1880 papers surveyed. Such limited dissemination of information reflects a variety of constraints (e.g. manpower, funding, language, and entrenched attitudes), arising from sources both within and outside the region. Even the data that are published are not effectively deployed toward conservation ends. Awareness of some of the more egregious examples of overharvesting (e.g. of river turtles) in the region has increased, but strategies for the protection of riverine biodiversity remain underdeveloped. Where legislation to protect water resources has been put in place, it has been directed towards enhancing human use of water – not biodiversity conservation – and enforcement is weak. Exceptionally, the Chinese government has produced national `Red Data Books' for endangered freshwater vertebrates, and legislation aimed at protecting species at risk, particularly from overharvesting, are in place. Huge obstacles remain, especially in the management of rivers crossing international boundaries. The Mekong River Commission (MRC) provides an example of a model for an international drainage basin that has made significant progress in establishing appropriate structures and mechanisms for sustainable development in a challenging political landscape. Not all of the Mekong riparian states participate in the MRC, and this will be essential for sustainable management. However, even within national borders, local interests can override drainage-basin perspectives. In many places in Asia, preservation of near-pristine freshwater environments is not a realistic option. Sustaining human livelihoods is an over-riding concern, and recognition of this fact must be built in to biodiversity conservation efforts. This has special implications for the management of exotic species, as the example of fish introductions to the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea shows. Notwithstanding the various factors that constrain publication by scientists in tropical Asia, we must recognise that poor dissemination research results will have consequences for the long-term preservation of the habitats and biodiversity that we study. A change in research strategy that establishes priorities, recognises the inevitability of trade-offs, and includes greater emphasis on engagement and partnerships – as in the MRC – is mandated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the achievements and potential of Asian management research in shaping the body of management knowledge. Applicability of organization theories in Asian management research; Challenges of Asian management research; Limitations of Asian management research.

This paper presents a methodology for combined usage of data envelopment analysis (DEA), analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and extended goal programming (EGP) in order to provide managerial decision support. The methodology allows the three techniques to be used in a coordinated manner to give an enhanced level of holistic decision support. DEA is first used in a descriptive sense in order to provide information regarding the efficiency of a set of units. The AHP is then used in order to determine the importance of criteria arising from decision problem(s) related to the improvement of unit efficiency. Finally, EGP is used in a prescriptive sense in order to select a set of specific actions for improving unit efficiency. Two specific multi-objective situations arising from the Thai Silk industry are used as case studies for the proposed methodology. These involve supplier selection and inventory management system management in the presence of multiple conflicting goals and objectives. In the case studies, DEA is used to provide efficiency estimates of current suppliers and processes. AHP is then used in order to determine the relative importance of criteria for supply chain efficiency improvement. Adaptations are made to an automated inconsistency reduction algorithm in order to resolve high levels of inconsistency found. The relation between decision maker confidence and consistency is investigated. Finally, an EGP model is built in order to suggest improvement actions to the supply chain processes. Results are given for a set of eight Thai silk manufacturers and conclusions are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asia Pacific Journal of Management (APJM) has been an outlet for the publication of research on the Asia Pacific for 14 years. This paper seeks to track the range of papers that have been published in this time to identify research trends and issues. This is done to provide a broad overview of research done in the region, serve as a reference for APJM's editors and potential contributors for future research, and also traces the evolution of managment scholarship in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the financial inclusion index and development variables in the least developed countries in Asia and Africa by using annual data of 42 countries for the period 2000–2019. The pooled panel regression and panel data analysis technique are used to explore this relationship. The empirical finding indicates that economic growth leads to financial inclusion. Unemployment and literacy rates are among the factors contributing to financial inclusion, and it is observed that women are more vulnerable than men are to lack financial inclusion. In less developed countries, the economy relies heavily on agriculture, and people are less financially inclusive when they live in rural areas of these countries. Also, pay inequality reduces financial inclusion rates and has a negative impact on development. The low financial inclusion rate reduces the levels of development in these countries. The results of this study can lead to the development and empowerment of vulnerable groups in the studied countries. In order to improve the conditions for development, policymakers should consider policies that enhance literacy, eliminate gender inequality and increase pay equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine language translation (MLT) has acquired a substantial quantity of investigation consideration in Europe and Asia, but works on African languages, especially the Yoruba language, are rare. There is, however, a communication barrier between the people who solely speak Yoruba and foreign visitors and places where the language is not being said or understood. There is a necessity to focus on the glitches of English to Yoruba machine translations to bridge the communication gap. This study, therefore, implemented the rule-based machine translation technique. The method used involved formulating 20 computational rules for the translation process. Offline Android-based English to Yoruba short message service application was developed using the Android Studio IDE and the some of the available inbuilt android plugins alongside a locally produced bilingual dictionary. This paper also examined translations done by the developed mobile app contrary to human translation to explore why machine translation systems still give faults in interpreting natural human language. A questionnaire was designed for the translations; they were distributed to one hundred individuals. Eighty-one participants gave their feedbacks. The responses were dispensed to statistical examination using SPSS. Discoveries showed that human translation handled best-concerning precision and eloquence, which are knowledgeable by the quality and the quantity of the computational rules formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asia is a geographical region with a cultural emphasis on power distance, paternalism, collectivism, and social relations. Leadership in this area plays an important role in organizational processes and outcomes; however, whether this role is similar to that outlined in the mainstream leadership research and non-Asian settings is yet to be confirmed. In this Special Issue on 'Leadership in Asia,' we selected six papers and identified four emerging themes. First, several mainstream leadership theories are applicable in Asia. On the other hand, we also identified processes and effects that are unique in Asia. Second, leadership in Asia affects organizational outcomes. Third, a strong emphasis on families and social ties among Asian corporations highlights intriguing leadership dynamics in this part of the world. Finally, new context-specific leadership constructs are identified and discussed. In light of these findings, we discuss the future directions of leadership research in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether changes in U.S. and Japanese banks’ risk aversion, measured by changes in the relative risk aversion (RRA) coefficient, are associated with the 1997 Asian financial crisis. It finds that an increase in U.S. banks’ risk aversion is unambiguously associated with the Asian crisis, while an increase in Japanese banks’ risk aversion is only weakly associated. The results suggest that, in addition to deteriorating fundamentals of the affected countries, investors’ (banks’) increased risk aversion appears to have reinforced observed capital outflows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the processing of language in Asia. It is stated that language processing presents challenges in achieving multilingualism and multiculturalism in the society, including the multitude and diversity of languages. An overview and an integrated and unified perspective on the research issues and technological developments of Asian language processing are provided.

One of the explanations for global imbalances is the self-financing behavior of credit-constrained firms in rapidly growing emerging markets. The paper uses an extensive firm-level data set from several Asian countries during 2002-11, and tests the micro foundation of this theory by estimating the effect of an exogenous change in credit constraints, resulting from financial reforms, on firms' saving behavior. As predicted, after financial reforms, firms who were credit constrained previously decreased their savings more (or increased their savings less) relative to unconstrained firms. However, this firm-level effect did not lead to a decrease in aggregate corporate savings as conjectured by the theory. The sector-level regressions show that corporate savings increased after financial reforms, and more so for sectors more dependent on external finance. The current account surpluses also did not register a significant deterioration after financial reforms, consistent with the paper's findings on sectoral and aggregate corporate savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phones are the most accessible information and communication technology today, and they serve as the gateway to high-speed internet for large populations in developing economies. However, despite the progress, there remains a persistent disparity in mobile phone usage among users, and between users and non-users, in developing countries. However, the literature on the digital divide has paid limited attention to the multi-level nature of this gap in mobile phone adoption and use, particularly in developing countries. This research paper provides a comparative analysis of this divide in mobile phone usage in eight developing nations from Africa and Asia. Broadly, the study categorises individuals into three groups: mobile phone non-users, mobile phone users who do not use internet applications and mobile phone users who use applications that need internet access. The disparity between these users was analysed using micro-level survey data from each country. The study results show that the nature of the divide varies across countries and that the influence of socio-demographic factors is not consistent. Further, we find that there is a larger digital divide in terms of mobile phone usage in Asian countries when compared to African countries. The study recommends that policymakers and international agencies exercise caution while developing one-size-fits-all cross-country policies to address the multi-level digital divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccines against Japanese encephalitis (JE) have been available for decades. Currently, most JE-endemic countries have vaccination programs for their at-risk populations. Even so, JE remains the leading recognized cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. In 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and PATH co-convened a group of independent experts to review JE prevention and control successes, identify remaining scientific and operational issues that need to be addressed, discuss opportunities to further strengthen JE vaccination programs, and identify strategies and solutions to ensure sustainability of JE control during the next decade. This paper summarizes the key discussion points and recommendations to sustain and expand JE control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates and assesses the capability of the advanced three-dimensional (3-D) ionosphere tomography technique, during severe conditions. The study area is northeast Asia and quasi-Japan-centred. Reconstructions are based on total electron content data from a dense ground-based global navigation satellite system receiver network and parameters from operational ionosondes. We used observations from ionosondes, Swarm satellites and radio occultation (RO) to assess the 3-D picture. Specifically, we focus on St. Patrick's day geomagnetic storm (17–19 March 2015), the most intense in solar cycle 24. During this event, the energy ingested into the ionosphere resulted in Dst and Kp and reaching values ~ − 223 nT and 8, respectively, and the region of interest, the East Asian sector, was characterized by a ~ 60% reduction in electron densities. Results show that the reconstructed densities follow the physical dynamics previously discussed in earlier publications about storm events. Moreover, even when ionosonde data were not available, the technique could still provide a consistent picture of the ionosphere vertical structure. Furthermore, analyses show that there is a profound agreement between the RO profiles/in-situ densities and the reconstructions. Therefore, the technique is a potential candidate for applications that are sensitive to ionospheric corrections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granitoids of the Uda complex are distributed within the southeastern marginal part of the Siberian craton and its folded framing. Geochemical, isotope (Nd, Sr), and geochronological (U–Pb ID TIMS) studies of two massifs (Chalbuk-Yakon and Uyan-Tavitchak) of this complex of the Dzhugdzhur Block of the Stanovoy suture were carried out; the results are presented in this paper. It is found that formation of these massifs took place in the Early Cretaceous (116 ± 1 Ma) in the geodynamic setting of lithospheric extension. The initial magma for these granitoids was formed from a mixed source: Early Precambrian lower crust and mantle, with a clear predominance of the crustal component. The granitoids of the Uda complex of the Dzhugdzhur block most likely represent the eastern end of the Udsko-Zeya (Stanovoy) post-collision magmatic belt, stretching for more than 1000 km along the southern framing of the Siberian craton parallel to the Mongol–Okhotsk suture zone and stitching various tectonic blocks of the northeastern part of the Central Asian fold belt. There is every reason to believe that, further to the west, the Udsko-Zeya (Stanovoy) belt passes into the West Transbaikal rift system, the formation of which took place in the interval of 170–110 Ma. In other words, it can be assumed that in the Mesozoic, in the southern framing of the Siberian craton, there was a giant unified rift system stretching for more than 2000 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Luminescent films obtained by the capillary method on the basis of inorganic, organometallic, and hybrid organo-inorganic powder materials were deposited on surfaces of different nature and roughness and exposed to the tropical climate of Southeast Asia for one year. The hybrid films showed high stability, comparable to commercial inorganic phosphors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luffa spp. is readily available and widely grown in Asia and Africa and is a rich source of natural fibres for composite development. This paper reviews research findings on Luffa fibres and their composites. The progress of research, novel findings that affect the paradigm of the research area, recent trends, knowledge gaps and future perspectives are evaluated. It was found that the average chemical composition of Luffa fibres ranges from 57–74% cellulose, 14–30% of hemicellulose, 1–22% of lignin and 0–12.8% of the other components. Luffa fibres were usually extracted by drying. Furthermore, the most common modification technique was found to be by alkali mercerisation. About 53% of the research studies made use of epoxy resins for their base polymer making it the most popular polymer type for Luffa fibre reinforced composites. The composites are fabricated usually by manual mixing and hand layup and the most common curing technique was found to be compression moulding (about 63% of the research studies). The mechanical, thermal, crystalline and other properties of the composites are also considered in this review. Further interesting areas suggested for future work include investigation of the effect of drying, more trials with L. acutangula and utilisation of multi-resin ternary systems. It is concluded that Luffa is a promising material for composite development and based on its favourable properties is likely to continue playing an important role for the years to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Uyandina–Yasachnaya volcanoplutonic belt (UYVB) is located in Northeast Asia. As one of the largest volcanic belts in the region, it extends for 900 km from the headwaters of the Kolyma River in the northwesterly direction. The Late Jurassic UYVB overlaps the folds of the Cherskii collision belt. The UYVB rocks are characterized by highly variable facies indicating the heterogeneous nature of the belt. The UYVB has been studied at the cross section of the Indigirka River. This paper reports the first data on U–Pb dating of zircons and the geochemical features of rocks. The concordant U–Pb age of volcanic rocks is 150 ± 2–152 ± 2 Ma (Kimmeridgian–Volgian of the Late Jurassic). It is concluded that the formation conditions of the volcanic rocks change upward through the section, from those typical of mature island arcs to those more typical of active continental margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of the International Journal for Dharma Studies emerges from the 2014 meetings of the American Academy of Religion in San Diego, California. Antoinette DeNapoli, the editor of these articles, organized that panel through the AAR's Comparative Studies in Religion Section and with the specific theme: 'Religion at the Crossroads: Experimentation, Innovation, and Change in Hinduisms and Buddhisms as Practiced in Contemporary Asia.' I would like to bear record that the papers on that morning were given by Antoinette DeNapoli, June McDaniel, Jessica Starling, and John Nelson, with John Hawley offering a response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can government ownership of a firm spur innovation? While a robust body of empirical and theoretical work suggests that government ownership suppresses innovation, the increasing global competitiveness of government-owned firms coupled with the transition of these firms' competitive advantage from low-cost labor-focused to innovation-focused suggests we reconsider the relationship between government ownership and innovation. This paper develops and tests a theory that a minority level of government ownership has a positive influence on firm-level innovation, by substituting for a better-developed financial market and alleviating financial constraints. By combining the incentives and monitoring benefits of private ownership with the more 'patient' shareholders of and protection from failure by the state, minority government ownership can provide an environment for firms to pursue otherwise risky innovative projects. The testing of this theory makes use of a large sample of Asian firms, and the results with respect to matched minority government-owned and privately held firms show that minority government ownership increases the likelihood of innovation among financially constrained firms; moreover, it especially increases the likelihood of process innovation (as opposed to product innovation), which is traditionally difficult to finance. The study's results-which stand to benefit firms and governments worldwide-remain robust to alternative mechanisms and controls, as well as to a variety of sensitivity tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy and Resources use efficiency in industrial sector holds the key in achieving sustainable development. Networking among industries to use by-product and waste product streams as input sources to the other industrial units, which is termed as Eco-industrial Networking holds the key for Eco-industrial development which is a building block of sustainable development of cities. Based on the Korean eco-industrial park (EIP) experience, the present paper reviews the key drivers to such a networking, identifies what are the conditions and strategies required at different levels, and barriers for their implementation. The paper further contextualizes the same to Asian region by linking EIPs to urban systems and that evolves into Eco-city concepts. Ability of such eco-efficiency imbibing network towards decarbonizing the development paths is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 'rediscovery' of the Selden map of China, an early seventeenth century map of Asia, in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, the importance of the map in our understanding of globalisation in the early seventeenth century has been recognised. One of the unresolved questions is the origin of the map. This paper addresses the question through material evidence provided by a holistic approach using a suite of complementary analytical techniques. The map was examined in situ and non-invasively by a remote spectral imaging instrument (PRISMS) modified for close range imaging, which was followed by a range of complementary techniques applied to a number of detached fragments, though most of the techniques are non-invasive and can be applied to the map directly in the future. The binding medium was found to be a gum, almost certainly gum Arabic, rather than the animal glue commonly used in Chinese paintings. Some of the pigments and their usage were found to be at odds with the common practice in paintings from China. The detection of gum Arabic, a binding medium used by the Europeans, South and West Asians and the use of a mixture of orpiment and indigo, commonly found in European, South and West Asian paintings gives further evidence on the unusual origins of this map. The likely detection of a basic copper chloride, such asatacamite, in the green areas suggests an influence from the South and West Asian rather than the European tradition. Detailed analysis of the various spectral bands of the spectral image cube along with visual inspection of the large scale colour image showed that the map was not fully planned at the beginning but rather painted in stages, at times by trial and error and that it was unfinished. A new hypothesis for the origin of the Selden map in Aceh Sumatra is proposed based on the new evidences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

network of think tanks-the ASEAN-Institutes of Strategic and International Studies and their researchers-have played a proactive and sometimes influential role in regional debates on Asian economic integration and security cooperation through informal diplomacy. This paper contributes to the literature on knowledge utilisation, specifically debates on the role of policy research institutes in policy-making. Paying attention to the debates and research on economic and security cooperation which preceded attempts at institutionalisation drives analytical attention to scholars, think tanks and others in the 'interpretive community' who were engaged in a long term learning activity to shape domestic and regional agendas and institutionalise discourses of regional cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we discuss relationship between export diversity and economic performance, focusing on Brazil, China, India and South Africa (BCIS). Using time data on exports over the period 1962–2000 and Applied General Equilibrium (AGE) models for each country, we note the similarities as well as differences in the patterns of diversification in these countries. We find evidence of a U-shape relationship between per capita income and export specialization in at least China and South Africa, and given that the results from Granger causality testing are inconclusive and not robust with regards to export diversification measures, some preliminary evidence from the results suggest that export diversification Granger causes GDP per capita in Brazil, China and South Africa, but not in India, where it is rather GDP per capita changes that are driving export diversification. From AGE modeling we find that South Africa differs from the other economies in that it is the only case where export diversification has an unambiguously positive impact on economic development while in contrast in Brazil, China and India, it is rather export specialization that is preferred. We show that the manner in which export diversification is obtained may be important: if it is obtained with less of a reduction in traditional exports, the impacts are better (less negative). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structurally inert firms suffer elevated failure risks in the face of environmental change because inertia makes it difficult to keep pace with the speed of such change. Traditionally, this ecology theory based outlook focuses on the risks of mortality, treating the make-up of an organization's architecture as uniform and thus relatively inconsequential for understanding this hazard. Renewing recent debates on inertia and on structure, in this paper we examine the specifics of the make-up of structural inertia in the context of failure hazards—the measurable survival risks associated with failure. Developing a classification of structural inertia, we test a sample of 755 firms listed on the Taiwanese Security Exchange across 52 industries to develop a convention on organizational structure, ratifying that structural inertia differs by type in incorporating failure hazards. Findings differentiate between and elaborate the validating environmental and resource conditions for these different categories, detailing the extent to which failure hazards are related to the specifics of each type. This variation is helpful in explaining better why, despite conditions leading to failure, inert organizations continue to thrive over time. Discussing this logic addresses the narrow representation of structural inertia and limitations to its theoretical development over several decades. It also shows that traditional organizational ecology measures can be legitimately underplayed in organizations dealing with increased failure hazards in favor of the characteristics of different structural inertia types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How farmers perceive climate change is linked to whether they are responding and adapting to it. However, often this perception does not correspond with what actually happens. Based on a search of empirical studies carried out in Africa and Asia, this paper analyzes two factors that can influence farmers' perception regarding climate change: expected utility maximization and availability heuristic. While expected utility maximization refers to an expected change in farmers' well-being, the availability heuristic is a mental shortcut based on the memory of occurrence of events. Generally, empirical studies show that farmers' perceptions are aligning with meteorological records regarding an increase in temperature. However, while there are no significant variations in rainfall trends, farmers perceive a reduction in rainfall in the last few years. The recent increase in drought frequency and severity may cause this divergence, because it affects farmers' well-being, and extreme droughts have a central position in peoples' memory. In this context, our findings suggest that farmers' perceptions are influenced by economic and psychological issues. Policymakers, extension workers and developers of climate projects need to pay attention to farm and farmers' characteristics in order to develop mitigation and/or adaptation practices regarding climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A widely held consensus view claims that East Asia has been shifting recently from a market-led to an institution-based form of regional economic integration, primarily as a result of the 1997–1998 financial crisis. Next to post-crisis financial cooperation schemes under the ASEAN+3, the surge of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) involving East Asian countries is thought by some to further substantiate this claim. The objective of the paper is to question the validity of this claim. By examining the current state of play of economic cooperation, in the financial and monetary areas as well as in the trade sphere, the paper highlights the limitations of the formal regional integration movement in East Asia to date, as well as the vastly different dynamics underlying the financial and trade developments. It also explores the changing nature of intra-regional trade and investment linkages and concludes that this new form of interdependence may be instrumental in changing the trade-offs of formal regional economic schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of economic regionalism, East Asia lags far behind other major regions. It was only recently that institutionalization of regional economic integration was started among East Asia countries. However, functional economic integration has continuously proceeded among East Asian economies even without a region-wide RTA. This paper analyzes the trends of functional economic integration both in terms of trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) among East Asian economies, and reviews recent developments of economic regionalism in East Asia. It also addresses the prospects for a region-wide FTA in East Asia and draws some policy implications for East Asian countries at this juncture of economic regionalism in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of financial markets development on the financing choice of firms in developing and developed Asian market economies. The panel data regression models were used for a mean total of 6506 non-financial listed companies during 1995–2016 for 12 Asian economics. The estimated econometric models included short-term, long-term and total debt-equity ratios as dependent variables which were regressed on financial markets development variables (such as banking sector development and stock market development indicators) along with macroeconomic variables (such as inflation, GDP growth, FDI and firm-specific variables (such as ratio of total assets to GDP, ratio of dividends to total assets and ratio of net sales to net fixed assets) as control variables. Also, financing choice of firms in developed and developing stock markets was estimated by splitting the sample into subsamples of developing and developed stock markets. The financial development indicators such as domestic credit to private sector by banks and stock market capitalization exhibited contrasting differences between the selected developing and developed Asian economies. The econometric results indicated that the banking sector and stock market development indicators significantly have opposite effects on the financing choice of the selected firms: banking variable is associated with a rise in the debt-equity ratio whereas stock market variable is associated with a fall in leverage ratio. The econometric effects of stock market development on firms financing choices in developing and developed stock markets showed a remarkable divergence. The evidence indicated that the estimated coefficient of the banking sector indicator in the developed stock market subsample was consistently negative for all the three leverage ratios whereas the coefficient in the developing stock market subsample was positive and significant. The important conclusion of the study is that though banking sector and stock market play different roles are however, complementary to each other suggesting that the policymakers should aim to develop banking sector and stock market simultaneously which will help firms to design their optimal financing choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most Asian countries have a strong third sector and a rich tradition of philanthropy. The varied array of social, economic, political, and third sector variables across the many countries of the region make Asia an ideal site for testing and developing third sector theory. The research infrastructure needed to sustain such a venture is beginning to form. The five papers published in this issue of Voluntas indicate some of the product, and the variety, of this growing body of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is rising but far from complete. This special issue (SI) aims to enhance our understanding of how firms in Asia and beyond strategically respond to the BRI and what new theories and investigations are needed to better elucidate this new environment. In this editorial, we present a brief description of BRI, a review of related studies in the international business (IB) domain, a summary of the articles included in the SI and their contributions to the study of BRI, and an agenda for future research. We suggest that more attention should be given to examination of organizational heterogeneity under the BRI theme. In particular, there exists a variety of players like the governments of the host countries, non-government institutions, firms with different ownership structures, managers with different backgrounds, and their idiosyncratic characteristics should be incorporated in BRI studies. Moreover, future studies should find fine-grained ways to theorize and operationalize the policy effects of BRI. We call for further investigation of the consequences of BRI, including but not limiting to different aspects of IB activities, innovation, entrepreneurship, and corporate social responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Korea experienced a steep increase in wage inequality between the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the global financial crisis in 2008. This paper investigates the causes of the sharp change during that time period by looking at the contributions of changes in the distributions of schooling and unionization. The effects are estimated applying two robust distributional function based decomposition methods on Korean Labor and Panel Survey data for the time period 1998-2007. The results suggest changes in the distribution of schooling can explain about 10 % of the changes in the 90/50 percentile wage gap. The declining unionization rate does not have much impact on the upward trend of Korean wage inequality. In addition, aggregate decomposition results suggest that changes in labor force composition can explain a significant proportion of the total wage changes in the upper-tail of the distribution. Based on our findings we provide a list of policy recommendations to address the wage inequality issue in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in ERCC8 or ERCC6. Most pathogenic variants in ERCC8 are single nucleotide substitutions. Structural variants (SVs) have been reported in patients with ERCC8-related CS. However, comprehensive molecular detection, including SVs of ERCC8, in CS patients remains problematic. Herein, we present three Japanese patients with ERCC8-related CS in whom causative SVs were identified using whole-exome-based copy number variation (CNV) detection tools. One patient showed compound heterozygosity for a 259-kb deletion and a deletion of exon 4 which has previously been reported as an Asia-specific variant. The other two patients were homozygous for the same exon 4 deletion. The exon 4 deletion was detected only by the ExomeDepth software. Intrigued by the discrepancy in the detection capability of various tools for the SVs, we evaluated the analytic performance of four whole-exome-based CNV detection tools using an exome data set from 337 healthy individuals. A total of 1,278,141 exons were predicted as being affected by the 4 CNV tools. Interestingly 95.1% of these affected exons were detected by one tool alone. Thus, we expect that the use of multiple tools may improve the detection rate of SVs from aligned exome data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]