Digital Commons Network^™

Thailand’S Party Financing Regulation: A U-Turn To Patronage System, Punchada Sirivunnabood

Asian Review

Money is important for the development of political parties. To support the development of parties along with preventing overt corporate influence over parties, the Thai state allocates subsidies from the Political Party Development Fund (PPDF) to eligible party organizations. Beyond the limited PPDF budget, political parties are also allowed to seek their own revenues from other sources such as merchandise sales, fundraisers, and private donations with the maximum of 10 million baht per donor. Based on the qualitative analysis, a series of six focus groups were conducted with party branch members, party MPs, candidates, party staff and ECT officers in …

Chineseness And The Cold War:Contested Cultures And Diaspora In Southeast Asia And-Hong Kong, Nuttawadee Jensiripon

Asian Review

Deviating from that mainstream and rethinking the Cold War within Asian historical contexts, Chineseness and the Cold War: Contested Cultures and Diaspora in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong, edited by Jeremy E. Taylor and Lanjun Xu, can be recognized as an extraordinary TV series which offers a significant shift from the traditional Euro-centric perspectives on Cold War studies. Instead, it provides a groundbreaking Sino-centric viewpoint that explores the complex and contested notions of “Chineseness” in Southeast Asia and Hong Kongduring the Cold War period.

A “Bangladeshi” Descendant Muslim Community In Northern Thailand Its Formation Process, Mineo Takada

Asian Review

Thailand is a majority Buddhist country. However, there is a Muslim population in some parts of the country. One such community is a so-called "Indian" Muslim community in northern Thailand. In fact, they originally came from East Bengal, now Bangladesh, not India. A large community of such Bangladeshi descendants can be found in Chiang Mai and other groups of them live in some smaller towns in northern Thailand.  This paper discusses the migration processes, routes, and settlement processes of a group in northern Thailand. When the author started researching them, they declared themselves "Bangladee" (Thai pronunciation of Bangladesh), but they …

Liquid Biopsy For Spinal Tumors: On The Frontiers Of Clinical Application, Sze Kiat Tan, Matthew L Goodwin, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

STUDY DESIGN: Narrative review.

OBJECTIVES: This article aims to provide a narrative review of the current state of research for liquid biopsy in spinal tumors and to discuss the potential application of liquid biopsy in the clinical management of patients with spinal tumors.

METHODS: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases, and the review was limited to articles of English language. All the relevant articles which were identified to be related to liquid biomarker study in spinal tumors, were studied in full text.

RESULTS: Liquid biopsy has revolutionized the field …

Characterization Of Plasma At(N) Biomarkers Among A Racial And Ethnically Diverse Community-Based Cohort: An Habs-Hd Study, Melissa E Petersen, Beau M Ances, Et Al

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers of Amyloid(A), Tau(T), and Neurodegeneration(N) have been increasingly studied to fill the gap in our understanding of racial and ethnic differences. This study aimed to examine the relationship between plasma AT(N) biomarkers and (1) AT(N) neuroimaging biomarkers, (2) demographics, (3) medical comorbidities, and (4) cognitive diagnosis.

METHODS: Data were analyzed from

RESULTS: Differences in the AT(N) biomarkers were found across racial/ethnic groups. Plasma Aβ42/40 was found to be associated with PET amyloid positivity only among NHW participants, while plasma NfL was found to correlate with Meta-ROI among NHB and Hispanic participants. Ptau181 was associated with …

Stated Preference Research In Otolaryngology: A Scoping Review, Lucy Xu, Molly N Huston, Victoria S Lee, John D Cramer, Deborah Goss, Matthew R Naunheim

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Stated preference research methods, including discrete choice experiments (DCEs), conjoint analysis (CA), best-worst scaling (BWS), and willingness-to-pay/contingent valuation (WTP/CV) studies, are excellent tools for understanding patient preferences in healthcare. Their application in otolaryngology has yet to be described. This work encompasses a scoping review assessing the field of stated preference research in otolaryngology, to identify gaps in the current literature and identify areas of future applications of such methodologies.

DATA SOURCES: Embase, Medline, and Web of Science.

REVIEW METHODS: A search of three databases for all relevant publications through 2023 was performed using relevant search terms. Eligibility criteria for …

Association Of Item-Level Responses To Cognitive Function Index With Tau Pathology And Hippocampal Volume In The A4 Study, Idris Demirsoy, Elham Ghanbarian, Babak Khorsand, Bhargav T Nallapu, Kellen K Petersen, Richard B Lipton, S Ahmad Sajjadi, Laura A Rabin, Ali Ezzati

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a long preclinical phase in which individuals may accumulate amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau pathology without noticeable cognitive impairment. Subjective cognitive impairment reports can provide early insights into cognitive decline.

METHODS: In the A4 Study, 339 cognitively unimpaired, Aβ-positive individuals underwent tau positron emission tomography imaging. Tau status was classified based on medial temporal lobe tau standardized uptake value ratios (tau

RESULTS: Higher tau

DISCUSSION: These findings support the utility of participant- and study partner-reported concerns as early indicators of preclinical AD pathology, with potential value for early detection and trial enrichment strategies.

HIGHLIGHTS: Higher …

Protocol For The Asian Cohort For Alzheimer's Disease (Acad) Study, Pei-Chuan Ho, Walter A Kukull, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: To address knowledge gaps in Alzheimer's disease (AD) research, the Asian Cohort for Alzheimer's Disease (ACAD) Study will recruit over 5000 participants of Asian descent aged 60 or older in the United States and Canada. The current focus is on participants with Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese ancestry, with the goal of characterizing both genetic and non-genetic risk factors. ACAD has assembled a culturally and linguistically appropriate data collection protocol, as well as a biosample collection protocol. Recruitment strategies follow community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches to encourage research participation and engage Asian communities in brain health education.

METHODS: The ACAD …

Domain-Specific Customization For Language Models In Otolaryngology: The Ent Gpt Assistant, Brenton T Bicknell, Nicholas J Rivers, Adam Skelton, Delaney Sheehan, Charis Hodges, Stevan C Fairburn, Benjamin J Greene, Bharat Panuganti

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate the effectiveness of domain-specific customization in large language models (LLMs) by assessing the performance of the ENT GPT Assistant (E-GPT-A), a model specifically tailored for otolaryngology.

STUDY DESIGN: Comparative analysis using multiple-choice questions (MCQs) from established otolaryngology resources.

SETTING: Tertiary care academic hospital.

METHODS: Two hundred forty clinical-vignette style MCQs were sourced from BoardVitals Otolaryngology and OTOQuest, covering a range of otolaryngology subspecialties (n = 40 for each). The E-GPT-A was developed using targeted instructions and customized to otolaryngology. The performance of E-GPT-A was compared against top-performing and widely used artificial intelligence (AI) LLMs, including …

Discovering Subtypes With Imaging Signatures In The Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome Consortium Using Weakly Supervised Clustering, Bhargav Teja Nallapu, Kellen K Petersen, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Understanding the heterogeneity of brain structure in individuals with the Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR) may improve the current risk assessments of dementia.

METHODS: We used data from six cohorts from the

RESULTS: Three subgroups (Groups A, B, and C) were identified through MRI-based clustering with significant differences in regional brain volumes, gait speeds, and performance on Trail Making (Part-B) and Free and Cued Selective Reminding Tests.

DISCUSSION: Based on structural MRI, our results reflect heterogeneity in the population with moderate and slow gait, including those with MCR. Such a data-driven approach could help pave new pathways toward dementia …

Variations In Greater Trochanter Height As A Relation To Patient Demographics: Implications For Femoral Nail Design, Jordan A Haber, Amogh I Iyer, Matthew Dulas, Douglas Weaver, Jason A Strelzow

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Intramedullary nail fixation is the "gold standard" for surgical intervention of femoral fractures. While many aspects of nail design and patient anatomy have received specific focus, anatomic variations in proximal femoral geometry and greater trochanteric height variation have been poorly studied. Understanding the potential relationship of the greater trochanter to patient demographics may provide an opportunity to improve implant placement. Retrospective review of x-ray and computed tomography images of the proximal femur was performed. Inclusion criteria consisted of skeletally mature patients over 18 years old with imaging of the proximal femur. Inclusion criteria identified 296 patients. Mean age of included …

Slc35a2 Gene Product Modulates Paramyxovirus Fusion Events During Infection, Yanling Yang, Yuchen Wang, Danielle E. Campbell, Heng-Wei Lee, Wandy Beatty, Leran Wang, Megan Baldridge, Carolina B. López

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Paramyxoviruses are significant human and animal pathogens that include mumps virus (MuV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and the murine parainfluenza virus Sendai (SeV). Despite their importance, few host factors implicated in paramyxovirus infection are known. Using a recombinant SeV expressing destabilized eGFP (rSeVCdseGFP) in a loss-of-function CRISPR screen, we identified the CMP-sialic acid transporter (CST) gene SLC35A1 and the UDP-galactose transporter (UGT) gene SLC35A2 as essential for paramyxovirus infection. As expected, SLC35A1 knockout (KO) cells showed drastic reduction in infections with SeV, NDV and MuV due to the lack of cell surface sialic acids receptors. However, SLC35A2 KO cells revealed …

Enhanced Co2 Capture Performance Using Methyl Diethanolamine-Functionalized Silica Gels: Assessing Co2 Capture Capacity, Petpitcha Boonmatoon, Pacharapol Nokpho, Pornpote Piumsomboon, Benjapon Chalermsinsuwan

Applied Environmental Research

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a significant greenhouse gas. This causes harm to the environment and to humans. In 2023, atmospheric CO2 levels rose to 420 ppm, marking a new record high. Therefore, technology for capturing CO2 has been developed. At present, a wide variety of technologies have been proposed to capture CO2. Adsorption technology is more affordable and requires less energy for regeneration. There are many potential solid adsorbents for CO2 capture, such as zeolites, alumina, metal‒organic frameworks (MOFs), and mesoporous silicas. Silica materials possess unique properties that make them promising candidates as solid sorbents for CO2 capture. They provide …

Investigation And Health Risk Assessment Of Indoor And Outdoor Nitrogen Dioxide At Preschools In Haze Areas Of Lampang Province And Industrial Areas Of Rayong Province, Thailand, Susira Bootdee, Sawaeng Kawichai, Suganya Phantu, Sopittaporn Sillapapiromsuk

Applied Environmental Research

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a major indoor air pollutant and a significant ambient air contaminant associated with health effects, especially for students and teachers who attend schools in the areas of traffic, roads and industry. This study aims to assess the impacts of NO2 exposure on the health of students in haze and industrial areas from November 2023 to March 2024. Researchers utilized tube-type passive samplers to collect indoor and outdoor NO2 samples, which were subsequently analyzed via spectrophotometry. The results revealed that the weekly mean indoor and outdoor NO2 concentrations in the haze areas (HA1–HA5) ranged between 4.4–29.0 and …

Examining The Variability In Planetary Boundary Layer Height Over Thailand: Correlations With Enso And Aerosol Optical Depth, Sirapong Sooktawee, Khwanruthai Renuhom, Siriwan Kaewket, Aduldech Patpai, Pramet Kaewmesri, Thongchai Kanabkaew, Pichnaree Lalitaporn

Applied Environmental Research

Thailand has been facing air pollution, e.g., PM2.5, and impacts from climate phenomena, e.g., the El Niño‒Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Both air pollution and climate interact with each other. Changes in the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) can affect PM2.5, represented by the aerosol optical depth (AOD), and are influenced by ENSO related to changes in the PBLH. The relationships among the PBLH, ENSO, and AOD were investigated via an empirical orthogonal function (EOF), which decomposes the spatiotemporal data of the PBLH into spatial patterns and corresponding time series. Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationships between the PBL variability …

Spatial And Temporal Pattern Assessment Of Agricultural Drought Sensitivity And Its Potential Impact On Economic Crops In Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, Suwit Ongsomwang, Siripon Kamontum

Applied Environmental Research

Agricultural drought sensitivity (ADS) is highly diverse across regions, primarily due to differences in climate, soil types, and farming practices. Agricultural drought impacts depend on drought intensity, severity, duration and timing relative to crop growth stages. Therefore, spatial and temporal pattern assessments of ADS and its potential impact on economic crops in three scenarios via multicriteria decision-making methods were conducted. As a result, the spatial distributions of the ADS index and its classification at 3 m7, 3 m10 and 6 m10, covering the planting and growing periods, displayed different patterns. The percentages of moderate, high and very high severity levels …

Nationwide Household Food Waste Generation Rates In Rural And Urban Settings: Evidence In Thailand, Vilasinee Krutprong, Chanathip Pharino

Applied Environmental Research

To achieve sustainable development goals, addressing food waste requires evidence-based solutions grounded in a nuanced understanding of waste generation rates and the factors influencing them. This study explores the intricate dynamics of food waste generation in Thai households, encompassing both liquid and solid waste streams. Empirical data were collected from 2,700 diverse households across urban and rural areas over a four-week period. The study revealed an average food waste generation rate of 0.332±0.003 kg per capita per day when liquids were included and 0.228± 0.002 kg per capita per day when liquids were excluded. Surprisingly, rural households generated more food …

The Role Of Remittances In Economic Growth And Environmental Sustainability: A Cross-Country Analysis, Bishnu B. Khatri, Omkar Poudel, Pradeep Acharya

Applied Environmental Research

Although remittances significantly influence economic stability, their role in sustainable growth and environmental impact remains uncertain. While these financial inflows enhance household welfare, their effects on gross domestic product (GDP), carbon emissions, and trade openness require further exploration. This study investigates the economic and environmental linkages of remittances in India, Mexico, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan, the top five remittance-receiving countries. Using panel data analysis, this study employs Dumitrescu Hurlin causality tests and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) to assess the long-term and causal relationships between urbanization, trade openness, GDP per capita, carbon emissions, and remittances. Data from the World …

Macroplastic Characteristics And Assessment Of The Plastic Abundance Index (Pai) Of Beach Sediments In Prigi Bay, East Java, Indonesia, Adinda P.A. Nevandhra, Seftiawan S. Rijal, Syarifah H.J. Sari, Defri Yona

Applied Environmental Research

Macroplastics, defined as plastic debris ranging from 2.5 to 100 cm, pose significant threats to aquatic ecosystems, as they can breakdown into smaller particles. These materials are widely dispersed across marine environments, including coastal areas. This study aimed to compare and assess the abundance of macroplastics in the foreshore and backshore zones of four beaches around Prigi Bay, East Java, Indonesia, via the plastic abundance index (PAI). Macro-plastics were collected via a 5×5 m quadrat transect method. The results revealed that single-use plastics, particularly packaging and sachets, dominated both zones, accounting for 86% and 91% of the total number of …

Applying Radom Forest And Support Vector Machine For Land-Use Classification In Phu Giao District Vietnam, Trong Dieu Hien Le, Linh Truong Vinh

Applied Environmental Research

Machine learning algorithms are currently widely used to classify satellite images to create surface maps of the earth. Support vector machines (SVMs) and random forests (RFs) are more effective ML algorithms and more accurate classifications than other methods. The aim of this study is to analyze the performance of these two algorithms in land-use and land cover classification. For this purpose, the Landsat 8 OLI satellite image freely provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) was used to classify land use in the Phu Giao District, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam, where forestland is being strongly converted into rubber plantations …

The Use Of Machine Learning Algorithms For Water Quality Index Prediction In The Sai Gon River, Vietnam, Thuy Nguyen Thi Diem, Mai Nguyen Thi Huynh, Tra Tran Quang

Applied Environmental Research

Accurate prediction of the water quality index (WQI) lays the groundwork for integrated river basins and sustainable water resource management. Recent and accelerated advances in machine learning have led to various promising applications in water quality assessment. The present study leverages the predictive performance of several ML algorithms, including extreme gradient boosting (XGB), the gradient boosting model (GBM), support vector regression (SVR), and the radial basic function (RBF), to predict the WQI at three monitoring sites on the Sai Gon River from 2015–2019. In comparison, the results indicate that the XGB model outperforms the other models when eight parameters, including …

Effects Of Herbicides On 2,4-D-Resistant Soil Microorganisms In Maize Cultivation In Lopburi Province, Thailand, Boontarik Chimchart, Jitra Kokaew, Amnat Eamvijarn, Kanokon Bunpha, Sontaya Khamtib, Monchai Manassila, Tawatchai Inboonchuay

Applied Environmental Research

This study aimed to assess the impact of herbicide application on soil micro-organism density and to identify microorganisms resistant to 2,4-D-dimethyl-ammonium (2,4-D) for potential biodegradation. Research was conducted in maize plots in Lopburi Province, where 2,4-D was applied at a rate of 120 g of active ingredient per 160 m2. The soil samples were collected at various intervals: before application; 2 and 4 hours postapplication; and 1, 3, and 7 days after application. The analyses included soil property and microorganism population analyses. The results indicated that 2,4-D applications significantly increased bacteria and fungi in the treated plots compared with those …

Kinetics Of Hexavalent Chromium Adsorption And Reduction By Living Cells Of The Marine Bacterium Bacillus Cereus, Jittima Charoenpanich, Wachiraphorn Cherdchoo, Jutamas Pantab, Jariya Supakrit

Applied Environmental Research

This study identified Bacillus cereus, an efficient Cr(VI) bioreducer, isolated from marine sediment in Thailand. Batch experiments verified the complete removal of 25 mg L-1Cr(VI) from synthetic wastewater (pH 7.0) after 6 days at 37 °C, 50 rpm,and a biomass concentration of 25% (v/v) culture inoculum. The Freundlich isotherm model demonstrated the best correlation with the Cr(VI) adsorption equilibrium data in the 25–100 mg L-1concentration range (R2= 0.9831). Kinetic analyses indicated that the removal of Cr(VI) by living B. cereusfollowed a pseudo-second-order adsorption model (R2= 0.9875) and a pseudo-second-order reduction model (R2= 0.9807). The adsorption rate can be accuratelycharacterizedvia the …

Nanofiltration-Based Recovery Of Sodium Gluconate From Fermentation Broths Of Oil Palm Solid Residue Hydrolysates, Ayla A. Liswani, Aulya R. Arevin, Naufal Baariq, Ibnu M. Idayatullah, Muhamad Sahlan, Masafumi Yohda, Heri Hermansyah, Apriliana C. Khayrani

Applied Environmental Research

Sodium gluconate (SG), a functional organic salt derived from gluconic acid, is widely utilized in various industrial sectors because of its excellent chelating ability, low toxicity, and biodegradability. SGs can be produced sustainably through the neutralization of gluconic acid, which is obtained from the microbial fermen-tation of lignocellulosic biomass such as oil palm fronds (OPFs) and empty fruit bunches (OPEFBs). To meet commercial demands, SGs must be recovered in concentrated form, and nanofiltration (NF) offers a promising membrane-based approach for this purpose. This study aimed to optimize the SG concentration from the fermentation broths of oil palm residue hydrolysates via …

Community Perception And Attitudes Toward Plastics And Microplastic Pollution: A Case Study In The Red River Delta, Vietnam, Dang Hai Mai

Applied Environmental Research

Plastics and microplastic contamination pose increasing threats to human health, food safety, and environmental sustainability. In Vietnam, rapid urbanization, economic growth, and population expansion have contributed to a surge in plastic waste, intensifying pollution across regions such as the Red River Delta. This study adopts the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explore community perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions regarding plastic and microplastic pollution. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected through structured questionnaires administered to 1,305 respondents via a stratified multistage sampling strategy across four provinces in the Red River Delta. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression …

Evaluating Anambra State's Readiness And Willingness For A Subnational Carbon Market For Climate Change Mitigation And Sustainable Development, Ojiako Godfrey Ogbo, Uchenna Cynthia Okonkwo

Applied Environmental Research

Climate change necessitates innovative strategies, with carbon markets emerging as a key tool for mitigation. This study assesses the readiness and willingness of stakeholders in Anambra State to engage in a subnational carbon market. Using a structured questionnaire distributed across government, industry, and academia, the data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings indicate a moderate level of readiness (M = 3.47) and willingness (M = 3.48) among stakeholders. Correlation analysis revealed a significant alignment between composite willingness indicators and direct willingness to participate (r = 0.406, p = 0.004) but a weak and …

Influence Of Crabgrass Root Exudates On The Hydrocarbons Degrading Microorganisms In Crude Oil Contaminated Soil, Sinha Changsiriwatana, Kwang Mo Yang, Toemthip Poolpak, Prayad Pokethitiyook

Applied Environmental Research

Understanding plant‒microbial interactions in petroleum-contaminated soil is critical for enhancing phytoremediation technology. In this study, the root exudate of crabgrass (Digitaria ciliaris) was collected hydroponically, and its dominant composition was identified via GC‒MS. A soil microcosm study was subsequently conducted to evaluate the influence of crabgrass root exudates on microbial growth, dehydrogenase activity, and biodegradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons by the petroleum-degrading bacteria Micrococcus luteus WN01 and Acinetobacter lwoffii A07. The amendment of crabgrass root exudates significantly promoted microbial degradation in both A. lwoffii A07 (47.98%) and M. luteus WN01 (62.78%), which were 8.47% and 15.78% greater than …

The Philippine Digital Paradox: Challenges, Opportunities, And The Way Forward, Shamir Jakaria

Asian Review

The rapid growth of digital technologies is reshaping public governance. This paper examines the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in Philippine public administration. While digital technologies offer significant benefits such as streamlined services, enhanced transparency, and improved citizen engagement, the Philippines faces critical barriers including infrastructure gaps, cybersecurity risks, and a persistent digital divide. Through a systematic review of academic studies, government reports, and policy documents, the study identifies key strategies for advancing e-governance, such as infrastructure development, cybersecurity reforms, and digital literacy programs. The paper highlights successful local and national initiatives, including the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) and …

Nationalism And Indian Community In Malaya During The Japanese Occupation, 1941-1945, Ji-Eun Lee

Asian Review

This study examines the transformation of the Indian community in Malaya during the Japanese occupation (1941–45), with a focus on the rise of nationalist consciousness and collective identity. Through the formation and activities of the Indian Independence League (IIL) and the Indian National Army (INA), the Indian community experienced significant organizational and ideological changes. Under Subhas Chandra Bose’s leadership, civilian participation and support for the INA increased dramatically, fostering a sense of unity and purpose. Comparative analysis highlights the differing wartime experiences of Malaya’s major ethnic groups: while Malays benefited from Japanese policies, the Chinese faced harsh repression, leading to …

Fluctuating “Indianness” Or “Belonging” : Singapore Indian Dancers And Their Encounter With Southeast Asia At Ramayana Festival, Yoshiaki Takemura

Asian Review

This article investigates the dynamic relationship between cultural heritage and regional identity among the Indian diaspora in Singapore, specifically focusing on the experiences of classical Indian dancers. Historically, the process of “Indianization” deeply influenced the cultural landscape of Southeast Asia, evidenced by the regional prominence of the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Using the context of a regional Ramayana Festival, this paper analyzes how Singaporean Indian dancers, while performing art forms rooted in the Indian subcontinent, negotiate their identity when confronted with diverse Southeast Asian interpretations of the same epic narrative.The study argues that this encounter forces a …