Emerging viral diseases of South-East Asia and the Western Pacific: A brief review

Over the past 6 years, a number of zoonotic and vectorborne viral diseases have emerged in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. Vectorborne disease agents discussed in this article include Japanese encephalitis, Barmah Forest, Ross River, and Chikungunya viruses. However, most emerging viruses have been zoonotic, with fruit bats, including flying fox species as the probable wildlife hosts, and these will be discussed as well. The first of these disease agents to emerge was Hendra virus, formerly called equine morbillivirus. This was followed by outbreaks caused by a rabies-related virus, Australian bat lyssavirus, and a virus associated with porcine stillbirths and malformations, Menangle virus. Nipah virus caused an outbreak of fatal pneumonia in pigs and encephalitis in humans in the Malay Peninsula. Most recently, Tioman virus has been isolated from flying foxes, but it has not yet been associated with animal or human disease. Of nonzoonotic viruses, the most important regionally have been enterovirus 71 and HIV.

Epidemiology of Opisthorchis viverrini

Opisthorchis viverrini is a food home trematode, important because of the sheer numbers of people infected and its serious morbidities such as hepatobiliary diseases and cholangiocarcinoma (CHCA). Although infections are identified throughout Southeast Asia, the epi-center is northeast Thailand, where high prevalence coexists with a high incidence of CHCA. In this review, we present the basic population features and the factors influencing transmission between the different hosts. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The prevalence of childhood obesity in primary school children in urban Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand

Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem because of its strong association with adulthood obesity and the related adverse health consequences. The published literature indicates a rising prevalence of childhood obesity in both developed and developing countries. However no data exists on the prevalence in Northeast Thailand, one of the poorest regions of the country and one that has experienced a recent economic transition. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of obesity in seven to nine year old children in urban Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand. A cross-sectional school based survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of obesity in children of urban Khon Kaen, Thailand. Multi-staged cluster sampling was used to select 12 school clusters of 72 children each between the ages of 7 and 9 years, in primary school grades 1, 2 and 3 from government, private and demonstration schools. A total of 864 seven to nine year old school children were studied. Anthropometric measurements of standing height and weight were taken for all subjects to the nearest tenth of a centimetre and tenth of a kilogram respectively. Childhood obesity was defined as a weight-for-height Z-score above 2.0 standard deviations of the National Center for Health Statistics/World Health Organisation reference population median. The prevalence of childhood obesity was 10.8% (95% CI: 7.6, 13.9). Obesity was significantly more prevalent in boys than girls. The biggest difference was observed between the three school types, with the highest prevalence of obesity found at teacher training demonstration schools and the lowest at the government schools. This study provides the first data on childhood obesity prevalence in Northeast Thailand. The prevalence of 10.8 per cent is lower than that found in two other urban areas of Thailand but slightly higher than expected for this relatively poor region. If this prevalence rate increases, as observed in other countries in economic transition, the incidence of non-communicable diseases associated with obesity is also likely to increase, thus raising cause for concern and reason for intervention to both control and prevent obesity during childhood.

Motivation of Chinese investment in Vietnam

China attracted a record of US$52.7×109 in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the year 2002, surpassing the United States to become the world’s largest FDI recipient. China’s success in attracting FDI has received significant attention from academics. Several theoretical approaches have been developed to explain the determinants of FDI in China. However, it seems to be ignored that China has also become a growing provider of significant FDI to the rest the world. According to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s 2004 report, as a developing country, replacing Japan, China has made the list of the expected top five home countries worldwide for the first time in terms of geographical coverage (2004–2005). Vietnam is second largest market and another emerging transition tiger in Southeast Asia. Both China and Vietnam were and are experiencing transitions from centrally planned economy to free market economy. This paper, therefore, attempts to explore the development of Chinese investment in Vietnam, analysing the main motives for, and characteristics of, Chinese Multinational Enterprises’ (MNEs) investment in Vietnam.

Internationale Konjunkturverbunde

After conceptual clarification of international business cycle and a review of the literature, a new indicator is proposed. This indicator refers to two time series only and allows for an internationally comparable quantification of a country's position in the business cycle. We then calculate times series of this indicator for 30 countries from 1970-2000. After some plausibility checks, we refer to these series to test a number of hypotheses. Cross correlations reveal a high degree of interconnectedness. Moreover, the number of highly positive correlations has increased over time, whereas the number of low and moderate correlations has decreased. A principal components analysis yields a first component that can be interpreted as the world business cycle. The further components suggest the existence of a Scandinavian-Anglo-Saxon business cycle as well as of another, smaller group of Anglo-Saxon countries that move together. This finding is replicated by a hierarchical cluster analysis, which in addition suggests a closely integrated group of non-Scandinavian and non-English speaking European countries plus Japan and Israel. Furthermore, there is indication for some, albeit weak business cycle integration in Southeast Asia and in South America. The international business cycle is thus found to have a hierarchical structure.

Use of drought response index for identification of drought tolerant genotypes in rainfed lowland rice

Drought is a major constraint for rice production in the rainfed lowlands in Southeast Asia and Eastern India. The breeding programs for tainted lowland rice in these regions focus on adaptation to a range of drought conditions. However, a method of selection of drought tolerant genotypes has not been established and is considered to be one of the constraints faced by rice breeders. Drought response index (DRI) is based on grain yield adjusted for variation in potential yield and flowering date, and has been used recently, but its consistency among drought environments and hence its usefulness is not certain. In order to establish a selection method and subsequently to identify donor parents for drought resistance breeding, a series of experiments with 15 contrasting genotypes was conducted under well-watered and managed drought conditions at two sites for 5 years in Cambodia. Water level in the field was recorded and used to estimate the relative water level (WLREL) around flowering as an index of the severity of water deficit at the time of flowering for each entry. This was used to determine if DRI or yield reduction was due to drought tolerance or related to the amount of available water at flowering, i.e. drought escape. Grain yield reduction due to drought ranged from 12 to 46%. The drought occurred mainly during the reproductive phase, while four experiments had water stress from the early vegetative stage. There was significant variation for water availability around flowering among the nine experiments and this was associated with variation in mean yield reduction. Genotypic variation in DRI was consistent among most experiments, and genotypic mean DRI ranged from -0.54 to 0.47 (LSD 5% = 0.47). Genotypic variation in DRI was not related to WLREL around flowering in the nine environments. It is concluded that selection for DRI under drought conditions would allow breeders to identify donor lines with high drought tolerance as an important component of breeding better adapted varieties for the rainfed lowlands; two genotypes were identified with high DRI and low yield reduction and were subsequently used in the breeding program in Cambodia. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A short note on starch and xylem of Colocasia esculenta (taro) in archaeological deposits from Pitcairn Island, southeast Polynesia

We present results of starch analysis of archaeological deposits from Pitcairn Island. High concentrations of starch grains preserved in cell membranes, and xylem tracheary elements, consistent with introduced Colocasia esculenta (taro) were found. Because of limited age control, we are uncertain if the microfossils are prehistoric. Problems associated with identifying taxa with small starch grains in extractions from weathered deposits are highlighted. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.