Search Results (2,205)

Background: Polygonatum sibiricum (PS), a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Liliaceae family, is widely distributed in China and other East Asian countries. PS has been used as food and medicine for thousands of years, and its rhizomes are rich in Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides (PSP), which exhibit various bioactivities, yet their structural features and therapeutic mechanisms against ulcerative colitis (UC) remain unclear. Methods: A homogeneous polysaccharide, PSP-1b (57.45 kDa), was isolated from the rhizomes of PS via ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography and structurally characterized using chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. In vivo, its effects were evaluated in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model of UC, while in vitro mechanisms were explored using macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Results: PSP-1b was identified as a neutral polysaccharide with minimal branching. Its primary structural backbone was largely composed of →4)-β-D-Galp-(1→ residues. A portion of these backbone residues was substituted at the O-6 position by side chains primarily composed of β-D-Galp-(1→ units. In vivo, PSP-1b significantly alleviated DSS-induced colitis by reducing inflammatory cytokine secretion, suppressing colonic macrophage infiltration, and reversing neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) deposition. In vitro, PSP-1b directly interacted with TLR4, inhibited the MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway, and attenuated LPS- and NET-induced macrophage polarization and inflammation. Conclusions: PSP-1b as a promising candidate for functional foods or therapeutic agents targeting inflammatory bowel disease. Full article

The fashion industry’s business is becoming increasingly complicated and active. This industry is expected to be highly competitive, particularly in the retail sector. Therefore, this research aims to examine the impact of supply chain information sharing and quality management on firm performance, with supply chain agility as a mediating variable, in the Asian fashion industry. A total of 169 participants from the fashion sector in a developing country were surveyed. The proposed hypotheses were examined using a quantitative approach, employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS to assess and validate the measurement model. The results indicate that supply chain information sharing and quality management have a significant impact on a firm’s performance. Similarly, the sharing of supply chain information and quality management has a significant impact on firm performance by mediating supply chain agility. The study offers actionable insights for managers in volatile fashion supply chains. Firms can enhance performance by sharing real-time demand and inventory information, strengthening key quality practices, and adopting flexible, data-driven production processes. Integrating information sharing, quality management, and agility enables faster responses to shifting consumer trends, thereby improving overall competitiveness in fast-fashion environments. This study offers valuable guidance for supply chain professionals seeking to enhance practices within their networks. The results underscore the strategic importance of information sharing and quality management in promoting agility, an essential capability for achieving a competitive advantage. Additionally, the insights generated are relevant to practitioners, policymakers, and industry leaders aiming to strengthen supply chain responsiveness and resilience. Full article

This research investigates the influence of economic, energy, and institutional variables on sustainable economic growth for Pacific Asian countries using Adjusted Net Savings (ANS) as a more refined measure of sustainable development. Using an unbalanced panel dataset for the period 1996 to 2021, second-generation panel data analysis is conducted to capture both long-run and distributional relationships, addressing potential concerns about cross-sectional dependence. The results indicate the presence of long-run relationships that are stable for both sustainable development itself and for its defining factors. Foreign direct investments (FDI) are found to have the most significant influence on sustainable development for all quantile values, underlining their central importance to long-run capital accumulation efforts. Renewable energy consumption helps increase sustainability outcomes for countries with lower savings performance values, while renewable energy production is found to have a modest but positive influence for each quantile of the distribution of outcomes. Natural resource wealth is seen to have non-linear effects on outcomes, with countries with lower savings values being adversely affected, while countries with higher savings values are beneficially affected. The presence of institutional factors is an enabler for countries with lower values of sustainable development performance. Full article

This study aimed to assess the economic-trade sustainability of crab exports from Canada, Vietnam and China by contrasting frozen (HS 030614) and non-frozen (HS 030633) segments in terms of destination diversification and revealed competitiveness. In this study, economic-trade sustainability is interpreted as the structural coherence between destination diversification, revealed competitiveness, and the trade conditions that support export continuity in perishable products. A quantitative, descriptive within-country design was implemented using ITC Trade Map secondary data for 2020–2024. Destination concentration was measured with the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI), competitiveness with symmetric revealed comparative advantage (SRCA), structural orientation with a Relative Specialization Index (RSI), and an integrated positioning matrix combined mean HHI and SRCA with export-weighted centering and confidence intervals. The results indicated persistently high concentration in Canada across both segments, with frozen exports locked into a United States corridor and non-frozen exports becoming increasingly China-dependent. China exhibited moderate concentration and a more regionally dispersed portfolio, alongside stable competitive advantages in several Asian markets, while showing selective disadvantages in some Western destinations. Vietnam displayed the highest structural vulnerability, particularly in the non-frozen segment, with extremely high HHI, abrupt destination shifts and competitiveness confined to a narrow corridor. Overall, preservation-form segmentation shaped distinct risk architectures, and sustainability depended on the joint configuration of diversification and competitive strength. Full article

Background/Objectives: The medical mushroom Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Caterpillar Fungus), known for its ability to enhance “vitality,” is one of the most popular medicines in Asian traditional medical systems. According to the Chinese Pharmacopeia, O. sinensis is standardized for its adenosine content, the precursor of ATP, which mediates numerous physiological and pathological processes in many diseases. The related fungus of order Hypocreales, Cordyceps militaris, and its major bioactive constituents, 3′-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin), also exhibit pleiotropic biological activities. This review aims to provide a rationale for the adaptogenic and resilience-supporting effects of these medicinal fungi and to align food and drug regulation in Western countries. Methods: In this narrative review, we integrated results from chemical, pharmacokinetic, network pharmacology, preclinical, and clinical studies of O. sinensis, C. militaris, and cordycepin using network pharmacology and bioinformatics tools. Results: Across studies, recurrent mechanistic hubs included PI3K–Akt, AMPK–mTOR, MAPK, NF-κB, apoptosis, and adaptive stress-response signaling pathways, linking immune regulation and metabolic homeostasis. Experimental studies confirmed modulation of cytokine production, kinase signaling, and mitochondrial regulators. Clinical meta-analyses demonstrate consistent adjunctive benefits in renal and pulmonary disorders, although heterogeneity in preparation and methodological limitations remains significant. The review reveals controversy regarding the bioavailability of cordycepin in vivo and its concentration in vitro studies, raising the hypothesis that cordycepin may act as a driver, triggering the organism’s adaptive stress response in stress-induced and aging-related diseases. Pharmacokinetic data indicate that systemic cordycepin concentrations after oral administration remain in the nanomolar range, suggesting that some predicted molecular interactions may occur indirectly or through systems-level mechanisms. The review, for the first time, suggests establishing a regulatory category for resilience-supporting physiological modulators to align food and drug regulation in the EU with contemporary systems biology, thereby complementing the work of EFSA, EMA, FDA, and Asian authorities. Conclusions:O. sinensis, C. militaris, and 3-deoxyadenosine share a common adaptogenic mechanism for maintaining homeostasis of cellular and integrated biological system functions. The systems-level network analysis and reductionistic molecular ligand preceptor pharmacology provide complementary approaches for understanding the multi-target bioactivity of these fungi. This review clarifies conceptual and regulatory barriers to recognizing resilience-supporting interventions and informs future regulatory innovation. Full article

The transition from cash-based transactions to digital wallet usage represents a structural change in the business practices of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in emerging economies. This study aims to synthesize scientific evidence on digital wallet adoption among microentrepreneurs, analyze the geographical distribution of research, and consolidate key empirical findings, with a specific focus on Asia and Latin America. These regions are of particular interest because they share high levels of economic informality, strong reliance on cash-based transactions, and rapid expansion of digital financial technologies, while also facing institutional, regulatory, and infrastructural constraints that shape technology adoption among microentrepreneurs. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, including open access empirical studies published between 2021 and 2025 in English or Spanish. After applying predefined eligibility criteria and removing duplicates, 39 studies were included in the final analysis. The results indicate that most publications originate from Asian countries, particularly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, whereas Latin America is mainly represented by Colombia and Peru. Across both regions, digital wallet adoption is consistently influenced by trust, perceived security, perceived usefulness, and ease of use, while perceived risk and institutional weaknesses emerge as contextual barriers. Although several primary studies adopt a consumer-level analytical perspective, their findings are extrapolated to microentrepreneur contexts by emphasizing transaction-related behaviors directly linked to business operations. This review acknowledges that the predominance of consumer-focused evidence represents a limitation when interpreting firm-level outcomes. Overall, the findings suggest that digital wallet adoption among microentrepreneurs is a socio-technical process shaped by behavioral, institutional, and regulatory factors rather than technology alone. Full article

Background: Carbon monoxide poisoning (COP) has emerged as a significant health issue in Asian countries, including Taiwan. It poses serious risks, including long-term complications such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), neurological disorders, and even death. This study investigated the association of COP with the development of cardiovascular diseases and neurological sequelae, while evaluating all-cause and cause-specific mortality as secondary outcomes. Methods: This retrospective study utilized the National Health Insurance Research Database and included the patients aged ≥ 20 years hospitalized with a COP diagnosis between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2015. The objective was to investigate long-term neurological complications, CVD (such as ischemic heart disease and other cardiac conditions), and associated risk factors. Cox proportional hazard regression was employed to analyze differences in long-term neurological sequelae and cardiovascular outcomes among various groups. Results: A total of 2421 COP patients were enrolled. COP patients with CVD history had a higher incidence of persistent neurological sequelae (PNS) in two different diagnostic codes (8.6%, p < 0.001 and 11.5%, p = 0.018), but COP patients without CVD history had a higher incidence of delayed neurological sequelae (DNS) only in one of the diagnostic codes (6.8%, p < 0.001). The risk from CVD factor was up to 11.92 times. Furthermore, the overall mortality was 8.8%, which is significantly higher than 3.7% in the general population. After adjusting for other factors, the mortality in COP individuals was 7.40 times higher than that of the general population. Conclusions: Patients with COP might be at high risk of developing CVD and have a significantly increased risk of CVD. COP is associated with a higher risk of long-term neurological complications and an increased incidence of CVD. These findings help mitigate the potential long-term health impacts of COP. Full article

Background: Tourists often travel within their own country or abroad for business, leisure or to receive planned healthcare. However, they are often not prepared for unexpected medical emergencies that occur far from home. Seeking emergency healthcare during travel may pose various barriers and challenges to tourists. Aims: This systematic review aimed to identify the challenges and barriers tourists face while seeking emergency healthcare during travel. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect from 1st January 1995 to 31 October 2025. The review included studies focusing on tourists who sought emergency healthcare abroad. Due to the methodological heterogeneity of the studies making meta-analysis impossible, a narrative synthesis of the results was conducted. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (ID CRD420251156975). Results: From 608 initial titles (603 from database searches and 5 additional from similar articles), 10 studies were selected—5 cross-sectional and 5 retrospective. Most (7/10) were conducted in Asian countries, while others were conducted in Europe (1), the U.S.A. (1) and multiple countries (1). The participant number ranged from 37 to 2333. All studies included both genders, apart from one that focused exclusively on pregnant women. The most common challenges identified were language and cultural barriers, limited access to healthcare services in terms of appropriateness and timeliness of care and financial and insurance coverage issues. Conclusions: The findings underscore that tourists face multiple barriers when seeking emergency healthcare abroad, resulting in negative tourist travel experiences. Once identified, specific strategies should be adopted to improve accessibility and the overall quality of care for tourists. Full article

The threat of antimicrobial resistance in aquatic environments, particularly riverine systems, is escalating, in part due to effluents discharged from healthcare facilities. This issue has been recognized not only in Japan but also in other Asian countries such as Indonesia and Nepal. Nevertheless, existing research remains limited, prompting an investigation into the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the upstream and downstream sites of environmental rivers. In 2024, six samples were collected from three rivers in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan; five samples from five river sites in Indonesia; and three samples from downstream sites of rivers in Kathmandu, Nepal. These samples were subjected to selective culture–based Next Generation Sequencing and resistome analyses, based exclusively on the selective culture of bacteria propagated on CHROMagar ESBL plates. In Japan and Indonesia, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas and Acinetobacter were frequently detected, whereas Klebsiella was overwhelmingly predominant in Nepal. Significant differences in the similarity of bacterial community composition among sampling sites across the three countries were observed (p < 0.001). Notably, Nepal exhibited the highest abundance level of antimicrobial resistance genes among the three countries, largely consisting of β-lactam resistance genes. In conclusion, these analyses elucidated substantial differences in bacterial community composition and degrees of environmental contamination. Full article

This paper investigates the determinants of tourism in selected Asian economies over the period 1995–2024, employing the Augmented Mean Group (AMG) estimator to account for cross-sectional dependence, unobserved common factors, and heterogeneous country-specific dynamics. As a robustness check, method of moments quantile regressions (MMQRs) are applied to examine how the effects of GDP, consumer prices, foreign direct investment (FDI), trade openness, and institutional quality vary across the distribution of tourism inflows. The results indicate that GDP consistently promotes tourist arrivals, particularly in countries with lower to median tourism inflows, while higher consumer prices reduce tourism demand across all quantiles. FDI and trade openness positively influence tourism, with FDI’s impact amplified in countries with stronger institutional quality. The MMQR analysis further highlights substantial heterogeneity: emerging economies benefit more from FDI and institutional reforms, whereas advanced economies rely primarily on GDP growth, trade integration, and high-quality tourism services. Overall, the findings underscore the complementary roles of macroeconomic fundamentals, foreign investment, trade, and governance in supporting sustainable long-run tourism growth in Asia, while demonstrating the value of distributional analysis for capturing heterogeneous effects. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aims to depict trends in Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy research in Asian countries. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was performed in April 2024 utilizing the SCOPUS database. The keywords “Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy” OR “Endo-DCR” OR “Endonasal Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy” were used. Data cleaning was then performed. Microsoft Excel and Vosviewer software were used to analyze data. Results: 730 articles and 37 keywords were yielded after exclusion. Our analysis revealed a notable increase in Endoscopic Dacrycocystorhinostomy publications from the early 2000s, with a significant surge post-2010. India and China were the leading contributors to Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy research in Asia. Keywords such as “endoscopy”, “silicone tube”, and “epiphora” were commonly used. However, keywords like “mitomycin C”, “mucosal flap” and “success rate” were infrequently found. Conclusions: The emergence of Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy publications witnessed a notable increase from 1972 to 2023 with most studies affiliated to India and China. Certain keywords such as “mitomycin C”, “mucosal flap”, “revision”, “laser”, “drill”, and “success rate” were infrequently used. Full article

In countries where Dengue virus is endemic, the occurrence of outbreaks and epidemic events is strongly associated with viral genomic evolution. In addition, the introduction of a new agent, such as Zika virus, in a naive population and its concomitant circulation may increase mutations and virulence. This study aimed to characterize the molecular patterns and circulation of Zika and Dengue viruses inland of midwestern Brazil. Samples from reported cases of zika and dengue fever were subjected to molecular and phylogenetic analyses. Partial genomes of these viruses were recovered and characterized from six samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Zika virus clustered within the American strain of Asian/American lineage and Dengue virus grouped within the Brazilian lineage (BR04) of serotype 2 from the Asian/American genotype. Amino acid substitutions, and consequently nonsynonymous mutations, were identified in the RdRp domain of the NS5 protein coding region in the recovered genomes from both viruses. These findings highlight the importance of molecular epidemiological surveillance, especially in endemic regions with cocirculation and substantial epidemic risk. Ongoing monitoring efforts are crucial to better understand viral evolution and its potential impact on future outbreaks and epidemic dynamics. Full article

Background: Ocular candidiasis is a serious metastatic complication of candidemia that may lead to irreversible visual impairment. Although recent meta-analyses suggest an overall prevalence of approximately 10%, real-world data from Southeast Asia remain limited. Regional differences in Candida species distribution, antifungal resistance patterns, and health-care resources may influence both the incidence of ocular candidiasis and the utilization of ophthalmic evaluation in routine practice. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients aged ≥15 years with candidemia at a 900-bed tertiary-care university hospital in southern Thailand between January 2014 and August 2025. Only the first episode of candidemia per patient was included. Ophthalmic evaluation was defined as a dilated funduscopic examination performed by an ophthalmologist within 4 weeks of candidemia onset. Ocular candidiasis was classified as Candida chorioretinitis or Candida endophthalmitis according to established definitions. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with receipt of ophthalmic evaluation. Results: Among 337 patients with candidemia, 67 (19.9%) underwent ophthalmic evaluation. Ocular candidiasis was diagnosed in 9 of 67 evaluated patients (13.4%), corresponding to an overall incidence of 2.7% in the entire cohort. Five patients (7.5%) had Candida chorioretinitis and four (6.0%) had Candida endophthalmitis, including two concordant and two discordant cases. Visual symptoms were assessable in 35 patients, among whom only 4 (11.4%) reported visual complaints; most patients with ocular candidiasis were asymptomatic at diagnosis. Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis accounted for 55.6% and 44.4% of ocular candidiasis cases, respectively, and bilateral ocular involvement was observed in 77.8%. Ophthalmic findings led to modification of antifungal therapy in 7 of 9 patients with ocular candidiasis (77.8%), most commonly through addition or switching to an azole-based regimen and/or prolongation of treatment duration. In multivariable analysis, vasopressor use at candidemia onset was independently associated with a lower likelihood of ophthalmic evaluation, whereas early infectious diseases consultation was independently associated with increased odds of receiving ophthalmic evaluation. Conclusions: In this Southeast Asian cohort, ophthalmic evaluation was infrequently performed but yielded clinically actionable findings and frequently altered antifungal management. The observed incidence of ocular candidiasis among examined patients was higher than that reported in Western countries. Underutilization of an ophthalmic evaluation appears to reflect illness severity and care pathway factors rather than low disease burden, suggesting that the true incidence of ocular candidiasis may be underestimated. Integrating ophthalmic evaluation into standardized candidemia care pathways may improve detection of ocular involvement, particularly in resource-limited settings. Full article

This article examines the role of Human Resource Management (HRM) in shaping employees’ green behaviour and its contribution to organisational environmental performance through an original bibliometric analysis of the international literature. The analysis is based on 105 scientific publications retrieved from the Scopus database for the period 2009–2025. Bibliometric techniques were applied using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer to map publication trends, co-authorship networks, thematic clusters, and the maturity of research themes. The results indicate a strong increase in research output after 2019, combined with high levels of international collaboration and a geographical concentration of studies in Asian economies. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) and organisational environmental performance as the core conceptual pillars of the field, while employees’ green behaviour emerges as a key mediating mechanism linking HR practices to environmental outcomes. Thematic mapping based on centrality and density suggests that the field has entered a phase of theoretical consolidation, with emerging research directions focusing on behavioural, strategic, and social dimensions of sustainability. Overall, the study provides a structured overview of the GHRM research landscape and highlights important gaps related to causal mechanisms, economic performance, and cross-sectoral and cross-country evidence. The findings also indicate that sectoral applications beyond tourism and hospitality, cross-country comparative studies, and the integration of economic performance indicators with GHRM remain underexplored, highlighting specific directions for future research. The study adopts a bibliometric research design and does not aim to provide a systematic review of empirical findings. Full article

There is great interest in school leadership models, with their potential to explain and interpret leadership structures and processes. Models developed in the Global North, notably in the UK and USA, are now widely cited by scholars, policy-makers, and practitioners in many countries, including in the Global South. This article reviews the origins and development of these models, and their application in African and Asian contexts. It also examines the emergence of indigenous models, notably Ubuntu, Confucianism, and Islamic theory. The problem under scrutiny is why indigenous models appear to be neglected in the Global South, in favour of international models. These specific approaches are chosen because they have wide applicability, beyond nation-states. The paper stresses the importance of context and offers links between global and indigenous models. The topic is important and relevant given the growing concern about post-colonial influences in many Global South countries. Full article