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Background: Existing research on health equity falls short of identifying a comprehensive set of indicators for measurement across health systems. Health systems in the ASEAN region, in particular, lack a standardised framework to assess health equity. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework to measure health equity in the ASEAN region and highlights current gaps in data availability according to its indicator components. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was undertaken to map out a core set of indicators to evaluate health equity at the health system level. Secondary data collection was subsequently conducted to assess current data availability for ASEAN states in key global health databases, national health accounts, and policy documents. Results: A robust framework to measure health equity was developed comprising 195 indicators across Health System Inputs and Processes, Outputs, Outcomes, and Contextual Factors. Total indicator data availability equated to 72.9% (1423/1950). Across the ASEAN region, the Inputs and Processes sub-component of Health Financing had complete data availability for all indicators (160/160, 100%), while Access to Essential Medicine had the least data available (6/30, 20%). Under Outputs and Outcomes, Coverage of Selected Interventions (161/270, 59.63%) and Population Health (350/350, 100%) respectively had the most data available, while other indicator sub-components had little to none (≤ 38%). 72.145% (384/530) of data is available for all Contextual Factors. Out of the 10 ASEAN countries, the Philippines had the highest data availability overall at 77.44% (151/195), while Brunei Darussalam and Vietnam had the lowest data availability at 67.18% (131/195). Conclusions: The data availability gaps highlighted in this study underscore the need for a standardised framework to guide data collection and benchmarking of health equity in ASEAN. There is a need to prioritise regular data collection for overlooked indicator areas and in countries with low levels of data availability. The application of this indicator framework and resulting data availability analysis could be conducted beyond ASEAN to enable cross-regional benchmarking of health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to do a thorough literature review to assess the current status of corporate sustainability (CS) practices, issues and challenges in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and based on literature suggest a model that can improve and strategically manage their sustainability practices in the emerging market context of Asia. Design/methodology/approach: After setting the theoretical background on why the corporations need to shoulder the responsibility of sustainable development, the authors did a high level literature review to estimate the gap area and based on the findings formulated some research questions on why the SMEs, more specifically those in Asian emerging market, are lagging behind in terms of CS practices. Next, using the "literature survey" as the methodology the authors did a thorough in-depth literature review to answer the above research questions and organised the findings in light of those research questions. Considering the research gap and the crucial role of SMEs in a country's economic progress the authors restricted the literature search on CS in the case of SMEs only. Findings: CS is a well-practiced area in big organisations. However, the literature suggests that in the case of SMEs the situation is different. Social and environmental practices are grossly neglected in SMEs more specifically in emerging markets. Existing literature mentions that collaborative mode of operation, government policy and facilitation, supporting organisation culture can positively influence SME's sustainability performance, and hence, improve their financial performance. Research limitations/implications: The conceptual model has been developed based on suggestions and recommendations in western countries context. To establish the validity of the model in the Asian business scenario it needs to be tested with a sizable sample of SMEs in the Asian market. Practical implications: The current paper has practical implications both for academic research on sustainable development and also in business development. The proposed model in the current form is based on the literature survey only. Once such a model is empirically established this can be proved beneficial for providing guidance to SMEs to enhance the sustainability of their business operations. Moreover, environmental and social best practices adopted by SMEs will also have a positive influence on society and the environment in the long run. Originality/value: This paper had done a country-wise comparison of sustainable practices in SMEs and based on the recommendations and suggestions of different scholars as found in the detailed literature review, the authors developed few research propositions and also presented a conceptual model. Finally, to address the gap it mentions some future research possibilities to test and validate the proposed model in the context of SMEs in emerging markets of Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Decision-makers tend to make connections with researchers far too late in the game of public policy, expecting to find a retail store in which researchers are busy filling shop-front shelves with a comprehensive set of all possible relevant studies that a decision-maker might some day drop by to purchase. This linear type of relation between research and policy needs to be replaced by a more interactive model that facilitates both researchers obtaining a better understanding of policy processes and policymakers being more aware and involved in the conceptualisation and conduct of research. This paper explores the role of governance in facilitating the research-policy nexus, testing a typology of research utilisation based on Murray's (Soc Policy Society 10(4):459-70, 2011) analysis that considers various degrees of researcher-policymaker deliberation in decision-making processes. The projects were all part of various evaluation efforts carried out by the researchers to explore the use of governance in health promotion activities.Methods: Three case studies were chosen to provide some specific examples that illustrate each level of Murray's typology. The examples involve intersectoral health promotion collaborations that combine evidence-based research in health policy initiatives with various levels of researcher involvement. For all three projects, interview data was collated in the same way, coded thematically and analysed to consider the relationship between researchers and policymakers.Results: Comparing the three models and their applicability to health promotion interventions, it could be observed that all programmes demonstrated successful examples of research translation. Strong governance imperatives structuring relationships led to more successful outcomes, whereby research was successfully translated into a public policy initiative that also led to improved health outcomes. The key idea across all of these models was that strong governance arrangements mitigated some of the barriers evidenced by the varying degrees of deliberation and researcher involvement in processes.Conclusions: The paper demonstrates that successful research utilisation is related to strong governance agendas and that early and ongoing involvement of relevant decision-makers and researchers in the governance processes, that is both the conceptualisation and conduct of a study, tend to be the best predictors of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I Kondratjeva i , using panel data from nationally representative household surveys in Nepal, investigated how borrowing from different channels and for different purposes is associated with household investment and consumption expenditure. Consumer wellbeing refers to safety, fairness, satisfaction, sustainability, emotional positivity, security, freedom, and healthfulness which may be sought through consumer products and services obtained from marketplaces. I Warmath i , I Grable i , I Chen i , and I Kwak i examined cultural differences in the role of willingness to take financial risk in an individual's objective financial outcomes and subjective financial wellbeing. [Extracted from the article]

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INTRODUCTION While most Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries have adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), implementation and enforcement of measures are lacking in some low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the region. This study aimed to describe: 1) how the tobacco industry has undermined tobacco control efforts and adapted its tactics in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other external factors, 2) the political factors that hinder progress, and 3) the expert recommendations to overcome challenges of tobacco control in the ASEAN region. METHODS During the COVID-19 pandemic, qualitative interviews were conducted with tobacco control experts to explore their perspectives and recommendations to address the barriers and challenges of tobacco control in ASEAN LMICs. RESULTS Eleven tobacco control experts participated in interviews. Five themes emerged from the data: 1) a shift to below-the-line marketing and digital technologies to target youth; 2) industry develops new tactics to undermine tobacco control; 3) cigarette packet branding -- the last remaining marketing channel; 4) political factors hindering tobacco control; and 5) broader involvement and collaboration in tobacco control. CONCLUSIONS The tobacco industry continues to undermine tobacco control in ASEAN LMICs, shifting its marketing, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and lobbying tactics in response to changing regulations, digital technologies, and the COVID-19 pandemic. While lack of government leadership also hinders progress, full adoption of the FCTC and increased collaboration in tobacco control are recommended to overcome these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Fortification of food-grade (edible) salt with iodine is recommended as a safe, cost-effective and sustainable strategy for the prevention of iodine-deficiency disorders. The present paper examines the legislative framework for salt iodization in Asian countries.Design: We reviewed salt iodization legislation in thirty-six countries in Asia and the Pacific. We obtained copies of existing and draft legislation for salt iodization from UNICEF country offices and the WHO's Global Database of Implementation of Nutrition Actions. We compiled legislation details by country and report on commonalities and gaps using a standardized form. The association between type of legislation and availability of iodized salt in households was assessed.Results: We identified twenty-one countries with existing salt iodization legislation, of which eighteen were mandatory. A further nine countries have draft legislation. The majority of countries with draft and existing legislation used a mandatory standard or technical regulation for iodized salt under their Food Act/Law. The remainder have developed a 'stand-alone' Law/Act. Available national surveys indicate that the proportion of households consuming adequately iodized salt was lowest in countries with no, draft or voluntary legislation, and highest in those where the legislation was based on mandatory regulations under Food Acts/Laws.Conclusions: Legislation for salt iodization, particularly mandatory legislation under the national food law, facilitates universal salt iodization. However, additional important factors for implementation of salt iodization and maintenance of achievements include the salt industry's structure and capacity to adequately fortify, and official commitment and capacity to enforce national legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the sharp food price increases of 2007-2008 food security has once again become a major issue of global concern. When that food price spike was followed by the global financial crisis of 2008, a large increase in the number of food insecure people in Asia was widely expected. But Asian countries managed to avoid such a sharp increase in food insecurity, even though sharp price spikes have recurred since then. In this paper we show how government policy measures largely insulated consumers from severe price increases and maintained food security, but note that this success came at a price. In particular, the global food trading system was weakened, producer incentives were further distorted, and policies that may impose high long-term efficiency costs became more deeply entrenched. Major policy challenges need to be addressed to ensure Asia's food security over the coming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the project "Internal Conflicts and State-Building Challenges in Asia." The project is a part of the larger East-West Center project on state building and governance in Asia. The project began in July 2005 and investigates the causes and consequences of internal conflicts in Burma, Thailand, Nepal, northeast India, and Sri Lanka. The project attempts to explore the solutions and strategies for their peaceful management and eventual settlement. It examines how the conflicts have affected the vitality of the state. A study group has been organized for each of the five conflicts investigating in the study. The project will publish twenty to twenty-five policy papers providing a detailed examination of particular aspects of each conflict.

This paper presents two sets of arguments: one theoretical and one analytical. The theoretical arguments concern the relationship between regional ordering and systemic change. The paper questions the usefulness of the unipolar conception of the contemporary system arguing that the interaction of the Great Powers cannot be understood without reference to regional dynamics. Thus, a unipolar system implies considerable potential for U.S. hegemonic intervention at the regional level but in East Asia, we find an equilibrium constructed out of both material and normative forces, defined as a concert, which presents a considerable restraint on all powers, including the U.S. The paper then proceeds to examine these claims through an analysis of the foreign policies of the U.S., Russia, and China over the North Korean nuclear problem that emerged after 2002. It finds that China and Russia have substantive common interests arising from internal and external re-ordering in which they look to strategic partnerships, regional multilateralism, and systemic multipolarization as inter-locking processes. The paper finds that they have collaborated over the Korean crisis to prevent a U.S. unilateral solution but that this should not be construed as a success for an open counterhegemonic strategy as it was only under the constraining conditions of East Asian concert, including the dynamics within the U.S. alliance systems, that this collaboration was successful. Nevertheless, the paper concludes that regional multipolarity and systemic unipolarity are contradictory: a system that exhibits multipolarization at the regional level cannot be characterized as unipolar at the global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper advances our understanding of complex interdependence among countries. Existing research has found that total factor productivity (TFP), the residual from the economic growth function, is hindered in the absence of a country's strong political and legal institutions or if a country does not already have a sufficiently high level of TFP. We also know that regional efforts to eliminate pollution are complex. Bridging these two areas while focusing on a high polluting yet high innovating region, the following research questions are posed: Are Northeast Asian countries key collaborators in pursuit of green R&D? Are Northeast Asian countries collaborating extensively with each other? What are the implications for other regions 'attempts to establish these kinds of relations? To answer the above questions, biofuels-related technology as defined in the International Patent Classification's "green inventory" of environmentally sound technologies is examined. Patent data is drawn from the USPTO and inventors' country origin as the unit of analysis. For the 1990-2013 period, the Northeast Asian countries are in the core of a small set of collaborating countries. There is evidence that their centrality has increased in recent years. Most importantly, East Asia is becoming a singular research hub in terms of biofuels-related R&D, offering a counter in the foreseeable future to the dominance of the American and European research network hubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burma's first well known welfare plan was entitled Pyidawtha or Happy Land, and it was launched in 1952. In vernacular terms, the literal meaning of Pyidawtha is 'Prosperous Royal Country'. The government's attempt to sustain tradition and culture and to instil modern aspirations in its citizens was reflected in its choice of the word Pyidawtha. The Plan failed and its implications still overshadow the development framework of Burma. This paper discusses how the country's major decisions, including whether or not to join the Commonwealth, have been influenced by language; how the term and concept of 'development' were conceived; how the Burmese translation was coined to attract public support; and how the detailed planning was presented to the masses by the government. The paper also discusses the concerns and anxieties of the democratic government led by U Nu in introducing Burma's first major development plan to a war-torn and bitterly divided country, and why it eventually failed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has always been a compromise formulation that papered over real conflict between environment and development. Twenty years after Rio, the geopolitical climate is far less conducive to easy compromises. Given an embattled North and a rising South, particularly Asia, the language of zero sum conflict rather than positive sum cooperation is likely to prevail. Green growth offers one way to paper over these conflicts yet again, but it would be prudent to resist this temptation. There is incomplete buy-in to the green growth story, and some in the South are also concerned that this narrative will downgrade poverty alleviation and equity considerations from the sustainable development triad of environment, growth and distribution. In this context, Rio+20 can play a positive role by focusing on national and sub-national institutions and embracing a diversity of national political, institutional and legal contexts; seeking to impose uniformity is likely to chafe. Global efforts can play a supporting role by inducing normative change, stimulate national processes, and provide hooks for domestic policy actors. In addition, Rio+20 should ensure that inclusion of the weakest should remain firmly on the agenda. While the conversations may be difficult, Rio+20 will be most productive if it leads to engagement with fraught geopolitical issues than if, once again, these are papered over. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among young people, identifying intersecting factors that create inequities in access to services, health-seeking behaviour, and ultimately health outcomes. Based on qualitative interviews with young people in the Maldives, it demonstrates how these intersectional experiences are contrary to what is often assumed in official data, policies, and services. Three factors were found to shape young people's experiences: marital status, gender, and urban/rural differences. Non-marital sexual activity is illegal in the Maldives, but it is somewhat expected of unmarried men, while unmarried women are stigmatised for being sexually active. Although access to SRH services is restricted for all unmarried people, young women face additional difficulties, as the risk of being exposed is much greater in small island communities. Maldivian island communities are extremely small and characterised by an inward-looking culture that exerts considerable social pressure, particularly on unmarried women. For an unmarried woman, being known to be sexually active, or worse, pregnant outside of marriage, has severe social consequences including stigma and isolation from the community, and their own family. This concern is more prevalent among rural young women, as they live in smaller communities where stigma is inescapable. The need to avoid public scrutiny and humiliation contributes to making unsafe abortion a common solution for many unintended pregnancies. Failure to acknowledge these intersecting factors in SRHR experience and access has led to inequities among an already overlooked population, shaping their experiences, knowledge, health-seeking behaviour, and health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to extend the theory of services-led industrial policy in services dominated but industrially lagging developing Asian economies and discuss its implications for employment, competitiveness, and diversification. Design/methodology/approach -- An inductive approach using qualitative methodology is adopted reviewing the available literature and evidence from Pakistan. The critical synthesis of the history of economic growth and industrial policy has followed Kuhn's paradigm approach. Findings -- Focusing on Pakistan, the paper synthesizes the history of industrial policy to identify the major paradigm shifts, especially the structural reforms era of the 1990s. The evidence suggests that the reforms under the structural adjustment program (SAP) have proved to be the necessary but not sufficient conditions for inclusive growth and industrial competitiveness in services dominated economies. Services-led growth without an integrated and competitive industrial sector can lead to severe external accounts deficits and unemployment. The traditional role of services as "driver of demand/growth" is extended as "driver of productivity/competitiveness" through forward linkages with other sectors of the economy. The services sector's enabling role as the "software" of the economy and its impact on total factor productivity growth, diversification, and inclusive growth is postulated. Research limitations/implications -- A quantification of forward and backward linkages is needed to identify the potential of services sub-sectors in driving growth and productivity, respectively. Originality/value -- The paper identifies the need to match the existing industrial policy regimes with the economic structures in services-dominated developing economies. The role of forward linkages in the productivity growth has implications for measurement of services output in national accounts in order to fully capture the contribution of this sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laws and institutions governing electric power in Asia are in the midst of an uncertain transition. After decades of state control of electricity, in the 1990s Asian nations began transforming their power sectors to align with globally prevalent neoliberal trends. Following an initial burst of market-oriented reforms, electricity liberalization in Asia has slowed and sometimes dramatically changed course, responding to international events and to country-specific battles over the sector's future. The struggle over the institutional arrangements of electricity is of fundamental economic, political and symbolic importance in Asian societies, and also constitutes an important specific instance of Asia's response to globalization. This paper describes the broad regional context of Asian electricity, with emphasis on the international forces that have shaped the sector's evolution. It starts with an historical sketch of the electricity industry in Asia during the Cold War, followed by a discussion of the origins of electricity reform as a global phenomenon. It then describes the course of electricity reform within Asia, with particular attention to the role of international actors such as foreign investors and the World Bank, and catalytic events such as the Asian financial crisis and the California electricity crisis. The paper shows how, from origins to outcomes, the trajectory of electricity reform in Asian countries has reflected the complex interactions of international and domestic political economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-range dependency of the volatility of exchange-rate time series plays a crucial role in the evaluation of exchange-rate risks, in particular for the commodity currencies. The Australian dollar is currently holding the fifth rank in the global top 10 most frequently traded currencies. The popularity of the Aussie dollar among currency traders belongs to the so-called three G's—Geology, Geography and Government policy. The Australian economy is largely driven by commodities. The strength of the Australian dollar is counter-cyclical relative to other currencies and ties proximately to the geographical, commercial linkage with Asia and the commodity cycle. As such, we consider that the Australian dollar presents strong characteristics of the commodity currency. In this study, we provide an examination of the Australian dollar–US dollar rates. For the period from 18:05, 7th August 2019 to 9:25, 16th September 2019 with a total of 8481 observations, a wavelet-based approach that allows for modelling long-memory characteristics of this currency pair at different trading horizons is used in our analysis. Findings from our analysis indicate that long-range dependence in volatility is observed and it is persistent across horizons. However, this long-range dependence in volatility is most prominent at the horizon longer than daily. Policy implications have emerged based on the findings of this paper in relation to the important determinant of volatility dynamics, which can be incorporated in optimal trading strategies and policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemics in Asia have been initially driven through injection drug use and the use of shared needles and syringes. Molecular epidemiological work has shown that where there is heroin trafficking and use, there is also HIV. Given the often strict enforcement of national antinarcotic laws, harm reduction responses to HIV infections driven by injection drug use have been historically slow. As it became clear that preventing HIV meant embracing harm reduction, many countries in the region have adopted harm reduction as part of their national acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) strategy and increasingly as part of their national drug strategy. Initial successes have proven that harm reduction, as it pertains to HIV among injection drug users (IDUs), can and does work in Asia. These initial successes have led to more comprehensive scale-up of other essential components of HIV prevention among IDUs, including increased availability of opiate substitution programs. Still, multiple challenges remain because overall coverage of services in the region remains poor. Changes in the availability and patterns of use of drugs, including the exponential increase in the use of amphetamine-type stimulants, are providing ongoing challenges to both the law enforcement and public health sectors. This paper reflects on the history of harm reduction in Asia and the shifting trends forcing policy makers to adapt and expand harm reduction strategies to include an ever widening approach to criminal justice, policing, public health, and human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prime objective of this paper is to estimate from a cross-country perspective the willingness to pay for marine turtle conservation using the contingent valuation method. A secondary objective is to investigate two methodological issues about contingent valuation study: scope effect and payment vehicle effect. Using a uniform survey instrument and protocol, a sample of 3680 respondents from Beijing (China), Davao City (Philippines), Bangkok (Thailand) and Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi (Vietnam) were interviewed. Results indicate that the respondents in all cities have a positive willingness to pay for marine turtle conservation. The type of scope effect and payment vehicle effect considered did not seem to be significant in Beijing, Davao City and Bangkok. But some evidence show that there are scope effect and payment vehicle effect in Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi sample. Our study offers practical insights into Asian household preferences for marine turtle conservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Information about the first conference hosted by Melbourne School of Government, the University of Melbourne on the theme "Public Policy in the Asian Century" held December 9, 2013, at Langham Hotel in Melbourne, Victoria, is presented. Topics include opportunities and challenges for Australian policy-makers in Asia, Australian government's policy towards Asia, growth of urbanization in Asia, and emergence of Asia as a research powerhouse.

The article focuses on a workshop on emerging pandemic infections research in Europe organized by the European Public Health Association section of Infectious Disease Control. One study focused on the differences in risk perception of infectious diseases in Europe and Asia. Another paper discussed the efforts of the international community to control the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), presenting an inventory of European health policies for the control of pandemic infections.

In parts of Asia, the South Caucasus, and the Balkans, son preference is strong enough to trigger significant levels of sex selection, resulting in the excess mortality of girls and skewing child sex ratios in favor of boys. Every year, an estimated 1.8 million girls go "missing" because of the widespread use of sex selective practices in these regions. The pervasive use of such practices is reflective of the striking inequities girls face immediately, and it also has possible negative implications for efforts to improve women's status in the long term. Recognizing this as a public policy concern, governments have employed direct measures such as banning the use of prenatal sex selection technology, and providing financial incentives to families that have girls. This study reviews cross-country experiences to take stock of the direct interventions used and finds no conclusive evidence that they are effective in reducing the higher mortality risk for girls. In fact, bans on the use of sex selection technology may inadvertently worsen the status of the very individuals they intend to protect, and financial incentives to families with girls offer only short-term benefits at most. Instead, what seems to work are policies that indirectly raise the value of daughters. The study also underscores the paucity of causal studies in this literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the capability of stock from various industries to act as an inflation-hedge instrument, specifically in eight emerging-market Asian countries. By using monthly data for the period from 2001 to 2014, this study focuses on the relation between stock returns and inflation. The results of this study indicate that stocks from some non-cyclical industries have the capability to act as inflation-hedge instruments. Stocks that have the capability to inflation-hedge are come from industries with the natural characteristic of being a defensive industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents news briefs on the health related issues in Asia as of December 2012 including hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has been identified as the likely cause of death of 54 children in Cambodia, the Pakistani government has introduce a programme of pneumococcal immunisation in the country and more than 500000 children across Myanmar will be protected against five major childhood diseases under a government plan.

Rapid population ageing and economic transformation in Asia underline the policy challenges associated with ensuring income security in old age. This article examines the potential role of social pensions in securing old-age income security in Asia. It assesses the main policy trade-offs associated with adopting alternative social pension designs, especially around two critical policy points: the comparative advantages of social assistance and social pensions; and the integration of non-contributory transfers within advanced contributory pension schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asia is home to almost half of the global urban population and is urbanising at a pace faster than any other region, leading to greater environmental challenges that are already serious. This article offers a balanced assessment on the relationship between urbanisation and the environment from the Asian perspective. It concludes that urbanisation is a cause of, but more importantly, a solution to environmental degradation. Policy-makers should take an optimistic and proactive, rather than conservative, approach to unprecedented urbanisation in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper uses a content analysis of the published literature to take stock of current understanding of key social and policy drivers of migration to cities in 11 Asian and African mega-deltas and identifies commonalities and differences among them. The analysis shows that migration to urban centers in mega-deltas is an outcome of many forces: economic policies and incentives, local and destination institutions, government policies to develop small towns, and the geographic concentration of investments. Massive influx of capital to many deltas has transformed the local economic base from a primarily agricultural one to a manufacturing and processing economy. This has created uneven spatial economic development which is the underlying driver of migration to cities in the mega-deltas regardless of geographic context or size. Going forward to 2060, one critical challenge for all the deltas is to increase the labor skill of their workforce and foster technology innovation. Continued economic growth in these regions will require substantial investments in education and capacity building and the ability of urban centers to absorb the migrant labor pool. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Genotype I (GI) Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) that replaced GIII virus has become the dominant circulating virus in Asia. Currently, all registered live and inactivated JEV vaccines are derived from genotype III viruses. In Taiwan, the compulsory JEV vaccination policy recommends that children receives four doses of formalin-inactivated Nakayama (GIII) JEV vaccine. Methodology/Principal Findings: To evaluate the influence of genotype replacement on the post-vaccination viral neutralizing ability by GIII and GI viruses, the small panel of vaccinated-children serum specimens was assembled, and the reciprocal 50% plaque-reduction neutralizing antibody titers (PRNT50) were measured against Nakayama vaccine strain, CJN GIII human brain isolate and TC2009-1 GI mosquito isolate. The seropositivity rate (PRNT50≥1:10) and geometric mean titers (GMT) against the TC2009-1 virus were the lowest among the three viruses. The protective threshold against the CJN and TC2009-1 viruses could only be achieved when the GMT against Nakayama virus was ≥1:20 or ≥1:80, respectively. Using undiluted vaccinees' sera, the enhancement of JEV infection in K562 cells was observed in some low or non-neutralizing serum specimens. Conclusions/Significance: Our preliminary study has shown that neutralizing antibodies, elicited by the mouse brain-derived and formalin-inactivated JEV Nakayama vaccine among a limited number of vaccinees, have reduced neutralizing capacity against circulating GI virus, but more detailed studies are needed to address the potential impact on the future vaccine policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses policy that has been enacted regarding the fishing areas of the Lower Mekong Basin, located in Southeast Asia. The impact which this policy has had on the basin and the people who live near it is mentioned. Divisions which exists between the capture and aquaculture fisheries in this areas are discussed. The involvement that different governmental and non-governmental organizations often play in establishing policies relating to natural resources is mentioned. The impact that environmental regulations have had on aquatic animals in the area is discussed.

The article examines aspects of government policy in different parts of colonial south-east Asia, and in nominally independent Siam (Thailand) in the first four decades of the twentieth century. The emphasis is on taxation and expenditure policies, and their implications for the development of infrastructure and also for the welfare of indigenous populations. Attention is also given to the impact of government regulation of both factor and product markets. On the basis of the empirical evidence, the article argues that the traditional view of the colonial state as a ‘night watchman’ was not applicable to most parts of south-east Asia after 1900. Governments were increasingly involved in implementing policies that today would be considered developmental, including building infrastructure and improving access to secular education and modern health care for the indigenous populations. But given the resources that they had, or had the potential to mobilize, more could have been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes critical policy issues that economic models and analysis need to address to assess the potential of coexistence systems in developing countries. It will also be used to inform ongoing biotechnology and biosafety policy discussions in Africa and Asia. In discussing coexistence in developing countries, differences between U.S. and European views on the use, production, consumption and importation of genetically modified and branded products in their respective countries are considered.

The Asia Pacific, a region generally recognized for its economic dynamism and geo-strategic importance, contains many on-going and potential conflicts, both at the inter-state and intra-state levels. Instead of yielding peace dividends, the end of the Cold war has brought to the surface traditional rivalries between regional powers, and intensified age-old boundary and territorial disputes. Increasing competition for resources has further complicated the sometime volatile relations between countries in this region. Many inter-state disputes are maritime in nature, both due to the many still unsettled maritime boundaries as a consequence of the enactment of UNCLOS, and the tendency towards a free-for-all exploitation of maritime resources with little regard for territorial jurisdictions. Mutual suspicions have prevented countries in the Asia Pacific from developing region-wide and over-arching security organizations, even at the sub-regional level. Countries in this region have not managed to go beyond confidence-building measures and preventive diplomacy. Fear of regional hegemony by one or more regional powers is likely to hinder support for the establishment of security-oriented ocean governance, particularly among the weaker countries in the Asia-Pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian Pacific region is highly unstable, but not for the reasons usually assumed. Contrary to the assertions of Realists, who argue multipolarity makes Asia 'ripe for rivalry', overwhelming US strategic preponderance should make the balance of power quite stable. Likewise, while much is made by more liberal International Relations theorists of the relative absence of strong international institutions and democracy in Asia, recent trends seem to point in a more positive direction. The real source of instability lies in the beliefs and values held by regional actors. Contested sovereignty on the Korean peninsula and in the Taiwan straits makes military conflict seem a real possibility. Latent isolationism in the US and Japan may lead to a mishandling of a crisis were one to emerge. This Constructivist line of analysis suggests that more attention should be paid to these intangible potential sources of conflict and miscalculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In both African and Asian colonies until the late 19th century, colonial medicine operated pragmatically to meet the medical needs first of colonial officers and troops, immigrant settlers, and laborer responsible for economic development, then of indigenous populations when their ill health threatened the well-being of the expatriate population. Since the turn of the century, however, the consequences of colonial expansion and development for indigenous people's health had become increasingly apparent, and disease control and public health programs were expanded in this light. These programs increased government surveillance of populations at both community and household levels. As a consequence, colonial states extended institutional oversight and induced dependency through public health measures. Drawing on my own work on colonial Malaya, I illustrate developments in public health and their links to the moral logic of colonialism and its complementarity to the political economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determines the factors which influenced the balance of power in Asia. Political and military influences in Asia; Identification of important points in the United States Arms policies during the post-cold war period; Decline of defense industrialism in Asia.

The article summarizes the issues and examines the evidence provided to date by transition economy experiences in Europe and Asia with particular reference to Ukraine. It analyses matters about which there is intense debate, in practical and political as well as in scientific and professional circles. A conference titled "Lessons for Ukraine from Experiences of Transition to Market" was held in Kyiv, on May 19-21, 1994. Ukraine offers a pure case study of what happens to a transition economy when reform is delayed. The Supplement begins with a general essay, "Common Fallacies in the Debate on the Transition to a Market Economy," by Leszek Balcerowicz. The radical reforms in Poland and China are being discussed. One of the distinguishing characteristics of Russia federation's economic policy has been the extent to which it has attempted to resort to some of the traditional tools of industrial policy. One of the general issues which arises in all transition experiences is the relationship between liberalization and stabilization. The article finally presents calls for action from Ukrainian reformers, Volodymyr Lanoviy and Victor Pynzenyk who were Vice-Prime Minister for Reform and Minister of Economics in 1992 and 1993, respectively. In "Macro and Microeconomic Crisis in Ukraine: the Social and Political Costs," Lanoviy described the explosion that he saw building up if political forces in the country continued to block reform.

The article focuses on communist China's economic growth. The purpose of this article is to throw light on communist China's asserted economic growth by comparing it with that of the Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Japan. This is not to minimize in any way the Indian development, which has been rapid during the Nineteen Fifties and which has given very encouraging evidence to Asia of what can be accomplished with free institutions. It is merely an attempt to put Communist China's claimed economic progress back into focus. It should be emphasized that this article does not intend to analyze how effective the Chinese communists have been in improving their military potential even though this appears to be a primary aim of their economic policy. Instead this report intends to outline an approach for analyzing the relative effectiveness of the Chinese communist system in promoting economic growth; it is this latter question that appears to be most hotly debated. It appears that many analysts are convinced that just because a regime can hold down consumption, theoretically it should, therefore, be promoting a large volume of sound investment and a huge growth potential.

From Japan to Pakistan, the population far exceeds prior expectations. These countries are beginning to respond to the need and desirability of family planning. Family planning signifies a purposeful effort to space births and limit or control the size of the family. This article discusses the problems associated with the implementation of government policies related to population control in Asia. The author describes the status of various methods of limiting fertility, including abortion and sterilization. The author further evaluates the public sentiments toward birth control.

Background: Alcohol consumption causes an estimated 4% of the global disease burden, prompting governments to impose regulations to mitigate the adverse effects of alcohol. To assist public health leaders and policymakers, the authors developed a composite indicator-the Alcohol Policy Index-to gauge the strength of a country's alcohol control policies.Methods and Findings: The Index generates a score based on policies from five regulatory domains-physical availability of alcohol, drinking context, alcohol prices, alcohol advertising, and operation of motor vehicles. The Index was applied to the 30 countries that compose the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between policy score and per capita alcohol consumption. Countries attained a median score of 42.4 of a possible 100 points, ranging from 14.5 (Luxembourg) to 67.3 (Norway). The analysis revealed a strong negative correlation between score and consumption (r = -0.57; p = 0.001): a 10-point increase in the score was associated with a one-liter decrease in absolute alcohol consumption per person per year (95% confidence interval, 0.4-1.5 l). A sensitivity analysis demonstrated the robustness of the Index by showing that countries' scores and ranks remained relatively stable in response to variations in methodological assumptions.Conclusions: The strength of alcohol control policies, as estimated by the Alcohol Policy Index, varied widely among 30 countries located in Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia. The study revealed a clear inverse relationship between policy strength and alcohol consumption. The Index provides a straightforward tool for facilitating international comparisons. In addition, it can help policymakers review and strengthen existing regulations aimed at minimizing alcohol-related harm and estimate the likely impact of policy changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]