Asia Research Articles

Application of Coffee Grounds Organic Fertilizer on The Growth and Production of Cucumber Plants (Cucumis sativus L)

Cucumis sativus L, commonly known as cucumber, is a creeping vine plant and a member of the Cucurbitaceae family known for producing fruit-bearing vegetables. Cucumis sativus plants originate in the Asian continent, specifically in North and South Asia. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the development and yield of cucumber plants, focusing particularly on the impact of varying doses of organic fertilizer derived from liquid coffee grounds. Specifically, the study seeks to assess the effects of these treatments on plant height, time to flowering, time to harvest, and the weight of the fruit produced by cucumber plants. This study was conducted within the idyllic housing complex from March to May 2024. The research used a factorial randomized block design (RAK) with a single factor. The dosage parameters for coffee grounds fertilizer are as follows: P0 serves as the control group, P1 involves a dosage of 25 ml per plant, P2 utilizes a dosage of 50 ml per plant, and P3 applies a dosage of 75 ml per plant. The findings indicated that the various fertilizer treatments had a noteworthy impact on plant height, flowering age, harvest time, and fruit weight, suggesting a significant interaction between the two variables. Applying 75 ml of coffee grounds fertilizer per cucumber plant yields the best outcomes in promoting increased plant height, earlier flowering, shortened harvest time, and greater fruit weight in cucumber plants.

Development Of E-Commerce Transactions And Its Influence On Labor Absorption

Global online retail is experiencing rapid growth, as reflected in the value of e-commerce, which is estimated to have grown by over 230 percent to $4.48 trillion, or Rp60.467 trillion, in 2021, from just $1.8 trillion in 2014. Online shopping has now become a popular pastime worldwide, particularly among young people. In addition to exciting new experiences, the prices of purchased items are also cheaper compared to traditional shopping. This sort of research is qualitative, utilizing secondary data obtained through literature reviews and statistical data. The research findings indicate that the value of e-commerce grew by over 230 percent to $4.48 trillion, or Rp60.467 trillion, in 2021, from just $1.8 trillion in 2014. In 2020 alone, the total turnover of the Asian continent reached $1.7 trillion USD. Moreover, this growth is projected to continue increasing in 2025, with an expected 51% increase to $2.5 trillion. China had sales of $1.3 trillion and is projected to grow to nearly $2 trillion by 2025. These figures exceed sales in Europe and North America. In 2020, the turnover of the European continent was $460 billion and North America was $588 billion. These values are significantly lower compared to China's sales. E-commerce in Indonesia also experienced strong growth since the beginning of 2020 due to the pandemic. The trading business grew by around 33% in 2020, and its main value increased rapidly from Rp 253 billion to Rp 337 billion. The role of business law in e-commerce transactions applies similarly to other purchasing and trading activities. With regulations in place regarding this matter, legal certainty is provided for the conduct of electronic transactions in Indonesia and internationally.

Global trends in prevalence of maternal overweight and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of routinely collected data retrospective cohorts

Pregnant women with obesity are at greater risk of complications during pregnancy, peripartum and post-partum, compared to women with healthy BMI. Worldwide data demonstrating the changes in trends of maternal overweight and obesity prevalence informs service development to address maternal obesity, while directing resources to areas of greatest need. This systematic review and meta-analysis of population level data sought to evaluate global temporal changes in prevalence of maternal obesity and overweight/obesity, and compare trends between regions. Pooled prevalence of obesity and overweight/obesity was estimated using random effects meta-analysis. Temporal and geographical trends in prevalence of obesity and overweight/obesity were examined using linear regression. From 11,684 publications, 94 met inclusion criteria representing 121 study cohorts (Europe n = 71; North America n = 23; Australia/Oceania n = 10; Asia n = 5; South America n = 12), totalling 49,009,168 pregnancies. No studies from Africa met the inclusion criteria. Eighty studies (85.1%) were evaluated as having a low risk of bias and 14 studies (14.9%) moderate. In the most recent full decade (2010-2019), global prevalence of maternal obesity was estimated as 16.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 15.1-17.5%), or approximately one in six pregnancies. Combined overweight/obesity in pregnancy had a pooled prevalence of 43.8% (95%CI: 42.2-45.4%), approaching half of all pregnancies. In each continent, an upward trend similar to the global trend was observed. North America demonstrated the highest prevalence (obesity: 18.7% (95%CI: 15.0-23.2%)); overweight/obesity: 47.0% (95%CI: 45.7-48.3%)) and Asia demonstrated the lowest prevalence (obesity: 10.8% (95%CI: 7.0-16.5%)); overweight/obesity: 28.5% (95%CI: 18.3-41.5%)). Both maternal obesity and combined overweight/obesity prevalence increased annually by 0.34% and 0.64% (p < 0.001), respectively. Our linear regression model estimates current global prevalence of maternal obesity as 20.9% (95%CI 18.6-23.1%) and projects that this will increase to 23.3% (95%CI 20.3-26.2%) by 2030. Globally, maternal obesity and overweight/obesity prevalence is high and increasing, but varies greatly between regions, being highest in North America and lower in Asia. Maternity services across the globe should be adequately resourced to cope with the complexity of needs of pregnant women living with obesity. Future public health interventions should focus on reversing the high prevalence of maternal obesity observed across the globe. The availability of population-level data and research varies between regions, with more data required to understand the needs of maternal populations in the continents of Africa and Asia. Globally, there is a need for improved harmonisation and publication of data for monitoring and improvement of maternal inequalities.

Contamination status, source analysis and exposure assessments of quinolone antibiotics in the south of Yancheng Coastal Wetland, China.

Yancheng coastal wetland, the largest coastal wetland in the west coast of the Pacific Ocean and the margin of the Asian continent, has significant environmental, economic and social effects on local human beings. The extensive contamination and potential risk of quinolone antibiotics (QNs) on local aquaculture and human health are still not clear until now. In this study, 52 surface sediment samples were collected to investigate the contamination status and polluted sources, and evaluate ecological risks of QNs in the south of Yancheng coastal wetland. The total contents of QNs ranged from 0.33 to 21.60ng/g dw (mean value of 4.51ng/g dw), following the detection frequencies of QNs ranging from 19.23 to 94.23%. The highest content of QNs occurred around an aquaculture pond dominated by flumequine. The total organic carbon contents of sediment were positively correlated with sarafloxacin and lomefloxacin (p < 0.05), indicating the enhanced absorption of these QNs onto sediments. Partial QNs, such as lomefloxacin, enrofloxacin, sarafloxacin and flumequine, presented the homology features originating from the emission of medical treatment and aquaculture. There was no potential risk of QNs to human beings but a potential risk to aquatic organisms (algae > plant > invertebrate). Totally, the management and protection of Yancheng coastal wetland should be of concern with aquaculture as the important industry.

The origin and insecticide resistance of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes established in southern Mozambique

BackgroundThe Aedes albopictus mosquito is of medical concern due to its ability to transmit viral diseases, such as dengue and chikungunya. Aedes albopictus originated in Asia and is now present on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. In Mozambique, Ae. albopictus was first reported in 2015 within the capital city of Maputo, and by 2019, it had become established in the surrounding area. It was suspected that the mosquito population originated in Madagascar or islands of the Western Indian Ocean (IWIO). The aim of this study was to determine its origin. Given the risk of spreading insecticide resistance, we also examined relevant mutations in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC).MethodsEggs of Ae. albopictus were collected in Matola-Rio, a municipality adjacent to Maputo, and reared to adults in the laboratory. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences and microsatellite loci were analyzed to estimate origins. The presence of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations within domain II and III of the VSSC were examined using Sanger sequencing.ResultsThe COI network analysis denied the hypothesis that the Ae. albopictus population originated in Madagascar or IWIO; rather both the COI network and microsatellites analyses showed that the population was genetically similar to those in continental Southeast Asia and Hangzhou, China. Sanger sequencing determined the presence of the F1534C knockdown mutation, which is widely distributed among Asian populations, with a high allele frequency (46%).ConclusionsThese results do not support the hypothesis that the Mozambique Ae. albopictus population originated in Madagascar or IWIO. Instead, they suggest that the origin is continental Southeast Asia or a coastal town in China.Graphical

Does Political Stability Matter to the Profitability of Banks?

This study examines the impact of net interest margin, non-interest income, non-performing loans, and Political Stability Index on the banks’ profitability regarding return on assets in developing Asian countries, focusing on how political stability affects the bank’s profitability. The secondary data from 14 developing countries used in this study are collected from the World Bank and World Financial Studies Report. The dataset includes 154 data points spanning from 2012 to 2022, focusing on 14 underdeveloped countries of Asia. Exploratory and analytical research designs are utilized. Data are analyzed by using EViews 12. Econometric tools such as descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, panel unit root testing, Fisher-Johnsen combined co-integration test, panel vector error correction model, and Wald test investigate the relationship between response and predictor variables. The net interest margin, non-interest income, non-performing loan, and Political Stability Index are jointly integrated to determine the bank’s profit of developing countries of the Asia continent. Interest margin, non-interest revenue, non-performing loans, and the Political Stability Index all show a 38.6 percent variance in bank profit. It has been discovered that for every unit that rises in net interest margin and Political Stability Index, the bank profitability of developing Asian countries increases by 0.4867 and 0.2221 percent, respectively. Non-interest income has little bearing on the profitability of banks. Meanwhile, non-interest income exhibits minimal influence, suggesting a need for a strategic focus on interest margin enhancement and fostering political stability to optimize banking sector profitability in the region.

Sulfate runoff processes during rainfall events in a small forested catchment on the sea of Japan side recovering from acidification under climate change

AbstractChanges in rainfall patterns due to climate change may accelerate the runoff of sulfate (SO42−), which is anthropogenically emitted and deposited as an air pollutant, cycled in forest ecosystems, and partly accumulated in forest soils. A forested catchment on the Sea of Japan side in central Japan is significantly affected by transboundary air pollution from the Asian continent due to northwesterly seasonal winds in winter. In this study, intensive 24‐h observations were conducted every hour eight times from 2019 to 2020 to clarify changes in stream water quality and runoff processes during rainfall events. The pH, electrical conductivity, and SO42− concentration in stream water decreased with increasing hourly average discharge rate (L sec−1). The SO42− concentration was negatively correlated with discharge rate. Hydrograph separations using the water isotopic parameter (deuterium excess, d‐excess = δ2H – 8 × δ18O) showed that most of the stream flow during the rain events was derived from pre‐storm water. A significant negative correlation between the d‐excess and stream water discharge was found for all six events where the water isotope analysis was applied. However, the S isotope ratio (δ34S) in stream water was not correlated with discharge rate during rainfall events and was obviously different (&gt;1.5‰) from rainwater δ34S in the same month. This suggests that rainwater SO42− during rainfall events did not directly flow to the stream but was retained in the forest ecosystem. The isotopically well homogenized internal SO42− appeared to be mainly released into the stream during rainfall events. Future climate change may further accelerate SO42− runoff from forest catchments and disrupt material cycles in the ecosystem if warming causes more intense rainfall.

A South Asian Identity Constructed By The Indo-Pacific Discourse: India

It has been estimated that by 2050, four of the top five economies in the world will all be in Asia, with India, Japan and Indonesia all taking a spot alongside China in surpassing the United States, and revealing a global shift toward the Asian axis. While the Asia-Pacific discourse that has emerged since the Cold War promotes a China-centered understanding of Asia, a South Asian country, India, is emerging as a second rising power on the Asian continent and is taking a central position in the region. The continuing discourse will play an active role in the construction of a South Asian identity and its acceptance in the international arena.

Introduction

The June 2023 issue of our journal brings together our valuable readers with six different articles. In this issue, there are two research articles, one focusing on the continent of Europe and one on the Asian continent, two opinion articles focusing on the migration issue, which is one of the most important agenda items of Turkey and indeed the world, and two book reviews. The first research paper, authored by John Conrad Masabo, examines the potential repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the future of European Union (EU) integration and its global impact. Exploring different views on whether the EU can become the most influential power in the post-COVID-19 world, the author suggests that while this possibility exists, there are significant hurdles that the EU must overcome before achieving such status. Merve Özten Yıldız, the author of the second research article, which aims to reveal how India is trying to construct a South Asian identity with Indo-Pacific discourses, examines the rise of India as the second most influential power in Asia. In his article, the author analyzes the official and practical discourse of India to understand its role in shaping regional identity and its growing influence on the international scene. The first review essay, authored by Müzeyyen Okyay, focuses on the issue of migration. The author dealt with the refugee and migrant problem, which has recently become the primary agenda item in EU-Turkey relations. In this study, the situation of people who have to migrate from their homeland, which is a common problem of Turkey and the EU and requires joint efforts to solve, has been examined within the framework of local laws and international agreements, and the effects of migration on the relations between Turkey and the EU have been analyzed. The second review essay belongs to Ufuk Tok. In this article, Tok examines the uncertainties that arose in Afghanistan following the US withdrawal and the Taliban takeover in August 2021. The author, who has the expectation that the integration of the country under the rule of the Taliban with the contemporary world will not be easy and quick, but will be gradual, also analyzes the effect of the long-lasting war on irregular migration from Afghanistan to the west and explores the possibilities of preventing the migration movement towards Turkey. The first review in the publication review section belongs to Selin Çınar. Çınar presents a comprehensive review of the compilation book The Routledge Handbook of Ideology and International Relations, edited by Jonathan Leader Maynard and Mark L. Haased and published in 2022. The second publication evaluation was made by Ahmet Emin Yıldız and is on the book titled Post-Cold War China-India Relations, written by Nezir Oğuş, the first edition of which was published in 2021. We would like to thank all the authors who have contributed to this issue of our journal by sending their works, and all the referees who have put effort in the evaluation process of these works; we hope that the continuing interest in our journal from the national and international academic community will continue.

Pengaruh Misi Abad XVII terhadap Perspektif Misi CM di Madagaskar

The focus of this study explores the influence of the Church's mission perspective on the Congregatio Missionis (CM) mission perspective in Madagascar in 1648. The mission of the Church in the context of that time had a negative meaning. The motivation for the proclamation of faith overlapped with the political motivation of Western imperialism. The process of colonization of countries in the Asian, American and African continents is difficult to separate from the influence of Christianity in them. The mission of the Church coupled with the practice of colonization and Western imperialism influenced the perspective of mission and spirituality of the congregation at that time. Every congregation has a constitution and basis for its ministry. This foundation has a distinctive charismatic character. The signs of the times and the pressing needs of the Church affect the spirituality and charismatic character of a congregation. This study wants to examine the extent to which the missionary state of the Church at that time affected the charism of the Congregatio Missionis (CM). The method used in this study is the qualitative-comparative method. The letter of St. Vincent to the Congregatio Missionis missionaries in Madagascar in 1648 is analyzed and assessed in the perspective of the mission of the Church in the XVII century. The study found that the mission perspective of the XVII century emphasized the spread of the faith, the conversion of unbelievers, the expansion of the reign of God, and the establishment of new churches. In particular, the study found that the mission perspectives of the XVII century Church were similar to those of the Congregatio Missionis (CM) in Madagascar based on St. Vincent's letter to his missionaries. If traced further, the seeds of the Church's current mission perspective and the principle of inculturation in the understanding of mission according to St. Vincent are also found.

Geochemical Study of the Osumi Granodiorite, Southwestern Japan

The Osumi Granodiorite, located on the Osumi Peninsula in southwest Japan, is an example of outer zone granites that were formed during a limited period (13–15 Ma) in response to the subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate. This event, which is linked to the separation of southwest Japan from continental Asia, resulted in unique igneous activity. The Osumi Granodiorite is the largest Miocene granite body in the region. It intrudes into the Mesozoic to Paleogene accretionary complex of the Shimanto Belt and affects contact metamorphism. Despite considerable research on the Osumi Granodiorite, limited geochemical studies, especially on trace and rare earth element (REE) analyses, have been conducted. Furthermore, there are insufficient data on the Rb–Sr isotopic system, leaving the formation process unclear. This study presents whole-rock geochemical and Rb-Sr isotopic data to investigate the petrogenesis of the Osumi Granodiorite. The results suggest a common magma origin for this pluton, as indicated by linear trends on the Harker diagrams and similar REE patterns. The presence of a relatively large Eu anomaly implies formation under a reducing environment. The AKF diagram indicates predominant contamination by pelitic rocks of the Shimanto Belt during magma formation. The Rb–Sr whole-rock isochron diagram and SrI–1000/Sr diagram suggest that the Osumi Granodiorite body was formed by heterogeneous assimilation of magma into the Shimanto Belt. Furthermore, the whole-rock isochron age is 64.3 Ma, which differs by approximately 50 My from the previously reported biotite K–Ar age (14–22 Ma). This age is considered to be a pseudo-isochron age, rather than the consolidation age. During the middle Miocene, the compressive stress field in the outer zone south of the Butsuzo Tectonic Line made it difficult for magma to rise. As a result, it reacted with the sedimentary rocks of the Shimanto Belt to various degrees. The Osumi Granodiorite underwent magma differentiation upon intrusion into the Shimanto Belt. It subsequently ascended, cooled, and interacted with pelitic rocks under stable geological conditions.

A significant exploration on meta-heuristic based approaches for optimization in the waste management route problems

In metropolitan cities, it is very complicated to govern the optimum routes for garbage collection vehicles due to high waste production and very dense population. Furthermore, wrongly designed routes are the source of wasting time, fuel and other resources in the collection of municipal trash procedure. The Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) published between 2011 and 2023 was systematically analysed. The majority of the surveyed research compute the waste collecting problems using metaheuristic approaches. This manuscript serves two purposes: first, categorising the VRP and its variants in the field of waste collection; second, examining the role played by most of the metaheuristics in the solution of the VRP problems for a waste collection. Three case study of Asia continent has been analysed and the results show that the metaheuristic algorithms have the capability in providing good results for large-scale data. Lastly, some promising paths ranging from highlighting research gap to future scope are drawn to encourage researchers to conduct their research work in the field of waste management route problems.

Exploring the biogeography, morphology, and phylogeny of the condylostomatid ciliates (Alveolata, Ciliophora, Heterotrichea), with establishment of four new Condylostoma species and a revision including redescriptions of five species found in China

Species of the ciliate class Heterotrichea Stein, 1859 are a cosmopolitan group of unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms, many of which have been widely used as models in various fields of research such as regenerative biology, functional ecology, environmental toxicology, and symbiotic behavior. However, species identification in the heterotrich family Condylostomatidae, especially the most species-rich and type genus Condylostoma Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1824, remains challenging due to incomplete original descriptions, few reliable distinguishing characters, and overlapping features between different species. This study presents an updated revision of Condylostoma and its related genus Condylostomides da Silva Neto, 1994 based on descriptions of five species, including nine populations collected from China, using both morphological and molecular methods. The main findings are as follows: (1) 43 nominal species and about 130 populations are reviewed, resulting in the recognition of 30 valid species of Condylostoma and eight valid species of Condylostomides; (2) keys, synonyms, biogeographic distributions and amended/improved diagnoses of all valid species are provided; (3) based on the available data, four new Condylostoma species (C. marinum sp. nov., C. petzi sp. nov., C. villeneuvei sp. nov., and C. microstomum sp. nov.), one new combination (Condylostomides minimus (Dragesco, 1954) comb. nov. & nom. corr.), and two corrected names (Condylostoma ancestrale Villeneuve-Brachon, 1940 nom. corr. and Condylostomides nigrus (Dragesco, 1960) nom. corr.) are suggested; (4) cryptic species are detected and proposed for the first time to form the Condylostoma curvum species complex; (5) three highly confusing Condylostoma species, C. kris, C. spatiosum, and C. minutum, are redefined for the first time based on modern taxonomic methods; (6) a ‘flagship’ species, Condylostomides coeruleus, is recorded for the first time from the continent of Asia, substantially expanding its biogeography; (7) ciliature adjacent to the distal end of the paroral membrane within the family Condylostomatidae is uniformly defined as frontal membranelles and is classified into three patterns according to the arrangement of kinetosomes, which serve as important key features.

Pharmacological and Phytochemical Potential of Andropogon muricatus: A Review

Many medicinal plants have been utilized as medications since ages ago. Chemical components extracted from such plants have been used historically in traditional Unani medicine, the Siddha and other medical systems for a variety of ailments. Among them is Andropogon muricatus, a member of the family Poaceae, better known by its common name, vetiver. It contains a variety of organic components with significant therapeutic benefits for a range of illnesses, including mosquito repellent, anxiolytic, acaricidal, hypoglycaemic, antidepressant, antidiuretic, sedative, antifungal, and nervine effects. This plant’s roots serve as cooling. When it comes to oil extraction—which is used in food and beverages, spas, home appliances, and medicine—root systems are the most valuable parts of the plant. It is indigenous in Bangladesh, China, Japan, the Bonin Islands, Nepal, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka in the Asian continent. Australia and Spain were first exposed to it in Europe and Oceania. Substances of a chemical nature that have been extracted from the plant’s overall various sections have previously been the subject of numerous pharmacologic and medicinal studies.

Overcoming Data Challenges in Population Forecasting at the Subnational Level: A Review

Population forecasts are a vital part of preparing development plans at the subnational level. Appropriate forecasting methods will determine the direction of regional development policy, but limited data regarding demographic issues, geographic issues, time period issues, or a combination of these three issues is a challenge. This research aims to systematically review previous research on population forecasting at the subnational level based on the methods used, challenges faced, and solutions implemented in order to provide recommendations for further research on how to solve the data problems faced. To answer this question, a "systematic literature review" was used to filter the literature using four criteria so that 27 papers were found. As a result, it was found that 71% of papers on the Asian continent experienced challenges with limited data and demographic issues. In comparison, 57% of papers from the Australian continent experienced challenges with a combination of geographic issues and time periods. The solutions used to overcome demographic issues are divided into two, each with 43% of papers completing data using data extrapolation techniques or determining appropriate methods according to data availability. Meanwhile, to overcome the combination of geographic issues with time periods, 43% of papers use a solution to compare methods to determine the appropriate method.

An update on natural bioactive components of traditional preparations for the treatment of nephrolithiasis; a review

Nephrolithiasis is a condition characterized by the formation of crystal concretions within the kidneys or urinary tract. This urological disorder is on the rise globally, affecting both male and female populations. Unfortunately, conventional medicines used in the treatment of nephrolithiasis often lead to certain complications, eventually resulting in end-stage renal disease. As a result, there has been a growing interest in seeking risk-free therapies from nature to address this issue caused by the undesired effects of synthetic drugs. Evidence-based traditional medicine has emerged as a significant approach to treating nephrolithiasis, gaining recognition within the scientific community. In this review, we summarize recent scientific reports on various herbal drugs with clinical relevance in the treatment of nephrolithiasis, utilizing them as part of traditional medicine practices in the Asian continent. Additionally, several traditional medicine formulations from Ayurveda, Unani, and homeopathic systems, known for their potential lithotriptic effects and clinical applications, are highlighted. The primary focus of this review is to explore the mechanisms involved in the formation of kidney stones and provide a concise compilation of therapeutically effective herbs used in nephrolithiasis treatment.

Recognition of Food Ingredients—Dataset Analysis

Nowadays, food waste is seen as a complex problem with effects on the social, economic, and environmental domains. Even though this view is widely held, it is frequently believed that individual acts have little to no impact on the issue. But just like with recycling, there may be a significant impact if people start adopting more sustainable eating habits. We suggest using a cutting-edge convolutional neural network (CNN) model to identify food in light of these factors. To improve performance, this model makes use of several strategies, such as fine-tuning and transfer learning. Additionally, we suggest using the Selenium library to create a dataset by employing the web scraping technique. This strategy solves the problem that many open-source datasets have with the overrepresentation of foods from the Asian continent by enabling the addition of foods to the dataset in a customized way. First, using the PRISMA methodology, a thorough examination of recent research in this field will be carried out. We will talk about the shortcomings of the most widely used dataset (Food-101), which prevent the ResNet-50 model from performing well. Using this information, a smartphone app that can identify food and suggest recipes based on the ingredients it finds could be developed. This would prevent food waste that results from the lack of imagination and patience of most people. The food recognition model used was the ResNet-50 convolutional neural network, which achieved 90% accuracy for the validation set and roughly 97% accuracy in training.

The concept of the Indo-Pacific region: role and significance of India

The term ‘Indo-Pacific region’ (IPR) was first used in international studies by the Indian researcher G.S. Khurana, who included in this concept the maritime space that unites the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific, all Asian (up to the Middle East) and even North African countries, highlighting the connecting elements of ‘energy routes’. Therefore, this article is devoted to the concept of the Indo-Pacific region (IPR), which is a new geopolitical concept in which India is being introduced. This Asian country is now seen as one of the most important elements of the region because of its enormous potential. Therefore, Western countries are trying to ‘win’ it over and bring it into the ‘leading four’ of the ITR (the United States, Japan, India, and Australia). To understand how India has become a "key element" of the RIIT, the authors analyse the main factors that influenced this. It is shown that the US views interaction with India as a ‘bearing axle’ in the American strategy in the Asia-Pacific region. The concept of the Indo-Pacific region has a clear anti-Chinese orientation and is created as a counterweight to the main initiative of the People’s Republic of China ‘One Belt, One Road’. As for India’s participation in the new format, Delhi’s difficult relations with Beijing, the rivalry of the two countries on the Asian continent, and the concerns of India, the United States, Japan and many Asian countries about China’s actions in the South China Sea are taken into account here. The role of the concept of IPR as a key element of the modern India’s foreign policy strategy is considered, the importance of economic, security, civilizational and cultural factors in this process is analyzed.

Direction of research and innovation in modern psychology (from the experience of foreign research)

The article creates a comparative intellectual platform by analyzing research in modern psychology. It is analyzed that analysis of the direction of new foreign modern research is the basis for increasing the intellectual potential of Kazakhstani psychological science. Modern professional research in the new direction of psychological science, research familiar from the results of scientific activity, are examined in detail. It can be noted that almost all the psychological research discussed in the article at congresses and conferences are studies that fully cover the social sphere and the requirements of the time. Foreign research is largely related to effective scientific research in Kazakhstan in the direction of developing the integration of science and knowledge, production in accordance with the requirements of new times. The article presents the foundations of world scientific psychological research, which determine the direction of our research, and analyzes scientific research on the Asian continents and the Pacific Ocean. The authors discuss their research at cognitive behavioral psychology conferences in Singapore, reviewing research from world congresses in Africa, Japan and the prestigious Global Science Technology Forum (GSTF) in Singapore, while witnessing conferences held by that organization. The authors summarize their thoughts that by familiarizing ourselves with many innovation studies, we can increase our own innovation potential.

Ecosystem services provided by orchids: a global analysis

Background: Orchids constitute one of the most diverse group of plants, they provide a large number of benefits to human society. Questions: What are the ecosystem services provided by orchids? Data description: We performed a systematic review based on 413 articles, of which 224 provide relevant information, focusing on publications by ecosystem service category, continent, genus, and quartile of journal. Study site and years studied: studies of orchids on all continents from 2000 to 2021. Methods: databases reviewed were BioOne, CONRICyT, EBSCO, EndNote, Google Scholar, JSTOR, Mendeley, ScienceDirect, Wiley library, as well as reviews of specialized books. Results: We found 75 articles on cultural services, followed by 66 on provisioning services, 64 on supporting and 19 on regulating services. The Epidendroideae subfamily was the most mentioned with 90.9 %, with the genus Dendrobium having the most mentions (39.13 %). Most of the orchid ecosystem service research was conducted on the American and Asian continents, where cultural and provisioning services were prevalent, respectively. Of all the publications, 54.7 % belong to quartile 1, and 2.4 % to quartile 4. Conclusions: This research contributes to our understanding of ecosystem services provided by orchids, which may allow us a more comprehensive understanding of how human society benefits from orchids, and what could be lost if these species are not conserved and used sustainably.