Central Asia Research Articles

A review on ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the genus Duhaldea DC

The botanical drugs of genus Duhaldea DC. have been traditionally utilized in folk medicine for the treatment of a wide array of illnesses, encompassing fractures, bone wounds, carbuncles and poisoning, bronchitis, bruises, giddy with hypertension of qi, and lung deficiency cough. The genus Duhaldea DC. comprises 15 species widespread in Central, East, and Southeast Asia and 7 species (2 endemic) in China. The review aims to provide a systematic overview of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Duhaldea DC. and to explore the future therapeutic potential and scientific potential of this genus. The data were systematically collected from books and scientific databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CNKI, and doctoral and master’s theses. To date, a total of 352 metabolites have been isolated from this genus, and terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and inositol angelates are the primary contributors to the pharmacological activities of Duhaldea DC. The crude extracts and isolated phytochemical metabolites from this genus have been shown to exhibit various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-osteoporotic, anticancer, and antioxidant activities. Despite notable advancements in our understanding of the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of Duhaldea DC., it is absolutely crucial to conduct additional research into the pharmacology and toxicology of these species to definitively ascertain their safety, efficacy, and quality.

An extended review of Maura Dykstra, Uncertainty in the Empire of Routine: The Administrative Revolution of the Eighteenth-Century Qing State. (Harvard East Asian Monographs Series.) Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center, 2022. xxxv, 262 pp. ISBN 978 0 674 27095 4.

Abstract Maura Dykstra's 2022 monograph Uncertainty in the Empire of Routine: The Administrative Revolution of the Eighteenth-Century Qing State (Harvard Asia Center, 2022) has attracted controversy in the academic community. This paper analyses the book's use of documents from the Ba County Archive, held in the SIchuan Provincial Archive. While reviewing the monograph's arguments drawn from these materials, the paper also introduces the Ba Archives and the methodologies that may be employed to interpret them.

What innovation and technology delivers to internationalization? The case of European and Central Asia regions

Purpose This study aims to analyze the impact of technology and innovation on businesses’ internationalization process as well as the relationship between innovation and technology and internationalization. Design/methodology/approach The study was based on quantitative analysis of secondary data from 30 economies in Europe and Central Asia, extracted from the Enterprise Surveys – The World Bank database, using the multivariate statistical techniques of multiple linear regression and cluster analysis. Findings The results suggest that innovation and technology (I&T) mutually and positively influence the internationalization of firms. In this sense, innovative firms are more successful in competing internationally and exposure to alternative business contexts culminates in innovation. The results suggest a positive relationship between the percentage of firms that introduced a process innovation, the percentage of firms with websites and the businesses’ internationalization. Originality/value The originality of this research is based on the methodological approach that allowed the identification of the most significant variables for stimulating the internationalization of firms based on innovation and technology. Given the predominance of economies with higher I&T and internationalization in Europe, it is proposed as future research projects to ascertain the reasons for such a phenomenon.

Burden of Parkinson's disease in Central Asia from 1990 to 2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease study.

Central Asia is known to face various ecological challenges that constitutes major risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD). This study examines the burden of PD in Central Asia, a region where data on neurological disorders is notably sparse. Building on the latest Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD 2021), this study investigates the Years of Life Lost (YLLs), Years Lived with Disability (YLDs), and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) associated with PD in Central Asia and its countries from 1990 to 2021. The authors calculated average annual percent change (AAPC) to analyze trends, and compared individual country estimates to global figures. Additionally, incorporating data from the World Bank, both Bayesian hierarchical and non-hierarchical frequentist regression models were employed to assess their impact on DALYs. The DALYs varied across the study period, primarily driven by YLLs. While YLLs showed a uniform trend, YLDs were mostly incremental. Kazakhstan had the highest estimates across all metrics and was the only country aligned with global patterns. Age- and sex-specific estimates revealed substantial variations, with notably high figures found in male subjects from Tajikistan. The YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan saw a significant increase in AAPCs. In contrast, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan saw declines, likely attributable to civic conflict and inter-country differences in population structure. Further comparison of DALY trends revealed significant deviations for all countries from the global pattern. This study showed an overall increase in PD burden from 1990 to 2021. These findings underscore the need for targeted strategies to reduce PD burden, with a particular focus on Kazakhstan. Integrating historical information is crucial for discussing the plausible mechanisms in studies sourced from the GBD.

Prospects for the development of inbound medical tourism in Russia from Central Asian countries

Prospects for the development of inbound medical tourism in Russia from Central Asian countries

Evolution and Transformation of Security Patterns in Central Asia in the Context of Chinese Institutional Building

The regional security system in Central Asia is complex. The geopolitical conflict between Russia and the West around Ukraine has had a serious strategic shift in the balance of power and, as a consequence, changes in the architecture of the regional security system. Strategically, this means that Central Asia, as part of the wider post-Soviet space, is undergoing a transition from a Euro-centric to an Asia-centric model with the increasing role of China. Russia and China, as two leading geopolitical actors, have their own security patterns, and at the moment, these security patterns are evolving, in the context of the formation of new regional security mechanisms with the strengthening of the role of China as a leading regional power and security provider.

New herb gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aulacideini) from Kyrgyzstan, with description of a new genus and a review of the genus Panteliella Kieffer, 1901

We describe three new aulacideine herb gall wasp species (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aulacideini) from Kyrgyzstan, a country from which only two Aulacideini species were previously known. One of our new species represents a new genus, which we describe here as Soparia oshensis Nastasi gen. and sp. nov. We describe Panteliella rugosa Nastasi sp. nov., representing a new genus record for Kyrgyzstan. To further facilitate species recognition in Panteliella, we redescribe the genus and the species P. fedtschenkoi; provide a translated description of P. bianchii Vyrzhikovskaya, 1962; comment on complications affecting this genus; and provide a key to Panteliella species. Lastly, we describe Isocolus barakus Nastasi sp. nov., a species with morphology atypical of Isocolus. We provide a key to the Kyrgyz genera of Aulacideini to ensure that they remain diagnosable for future study. Our findings illustrate the continued unveiling of a diverse herb cynipid fauna in Central Asia and a need for further taxonomic study in the region.

Social protection comparison across the world: a study of fiscal, structural and institutional performance discrepancies

PurposeSocial protection states the public-mandated (strategies and programmes) to address the vulnerability and risk among poor and near-poor households. Social protection must not only help people meet their basic needs but also contribute to the long-term well-being and broader societal goals of equity, social justice and empowerment. The role of social protection in achieving these goals has not been adequately documented. This paper examines the performance of the social protection mechanism from the perspective of the regional structural and institutional performance indicators. Social protection outlay dynamics are synthesized in the structural and institutional conducts.Design/methodology/approachA world regional comparability is made by considering the panel dataset for the time interval 1995–2020. In empirics, the unconditional and conditional ranks are constructed, and regression analyses are made subject to (1) the fiscal constraint of social protection, (2) structural performance indicators and (3) the institutional performance indicators of the targeted regions across the globe. The fully modified-ordinary least square (FM-OLS) method is used to construct the ranks.FindingsThe rank analysis demonstrates that the developed regions (i.e. Europe, Central Asia and North America) have relatively good welfare standards and fiscal capacity for social protection drives compared to the developing/underdeveloped regions (i.e. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia). The structural/institutional performance indicators have shown their significance in determining/utilizing their budget for social protection and maintaining welfare standards. Interestingly, most developed regions are relatively reluctant to maintain the structural/institutional performance for the determination/execution of the funds for social protection as compared to the developing and underdeveloped regions.Practical implicationsIn policy discourse, this research suggests that governments must make some market operations to enhance their regions’ structural and institutional performance to get better outcomes of social protection spending in the form of attractive welfare standards.Originality/valueMultiple studies have been done considering the social protection dynamics at nano, micro and macro levels, while this study considered the mega dataset across the globe to analyse the social protection dynamics in consideration of structural and institutional performances.

Exploring the Origins of Hexaploid Wheats: Typification of Archaeological Triticum vulgare var. antiquorum and Description of Modern Triticum sphaerococcum subsp. antiquorum (Poaceae: Triticeae)

This study addresses a critical issue in plant taxonomy and phylogeny: the relationship between archaeological materials and potentially analogous living populations. Given the current limitations in definitively establishing the identity between archaeological and contemporary materials, we propose an intermediate approach. This approach serves as a useful framework while scientific methods advance towards definitively assessing whether an archaeological wheat sample, approximately 5000 years old from Central Europe, belongs to the same species as a modern wheat currently endemic to Central Asia. This approach consolidates the taxonomic validity of both archaeological and living materials, allowing them to be treated as distinct taxa while preserving the possibility of future identification convergence. Triticum vulgare var. antiquorum, an archaeobotanical small-grained, free-threshing wheat, was originally described in 1865. The 1982 discovery of morphologically similar living wheat in Tajikistan raised questions about their taxonomic relationship. Our study reviews the nomenclature of both taxa, designating an illustration from the original description of T. vulgare var. antiquorum as the lectotype to align with the traditional concept of the name. We address the ambiguity surrounding “Triticum antiquorum” as used by Russian agronomists and botanists, proposing a more precise circumscription within the current systematic framework of the genus based on cytogenetic data. Consequently, we describe a new taxon, Triticum sphaerococcum subsp. antiquorum. The holotype, selected from material with available cytogenetic data and grown from Professor Udachin’s original Pamir (Tajikistan) collection, is preserved in the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (WIR) collection. It is deposited at the I.M. Krasnoborov Herbarium of Central Siberian Botanical Garden SB RAS (NS), with an isotype at the WIR. This taxonomic revision and new subspecies designation provide a robust framework for reconciling archaeological and contemporary wheat diversity, advancing our understanding of wheat evolution and agricultural history.

Development of a regionally consistent and fully probabilistic earthquake risk model for Central Asia

Abstract. A fully probabilistic earthquake risk model was developed for five countries in Central Asia, providing updated earthquake loss estimates with a higher level of detail on all components with respect to previous studies in the region. Additionally, a regionally consistent approach that, on the one hand, allows for direct comparisons at different disaggregation levels (e.g., country and oblast) was used. On the other hand, this updated earthquake risk assessment aims to facilitate initiating a policy dialogue regarding national and regional disaster risk financing and insurance applications. This earthquake risk model made use of a regional probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and a comprehensive exposure database on which different types of assets and sectors were included and for which two scenarios (the years 2020 and 2080) were modeled. For each type of asset, a unique vulnerability function was derived and later used for convolution with the hazard data, which allowed for the estimation of the loss exceedance curve, at different disaggregation levels, from where other risk metrics such as the average annual loss (AAL) and specific return period losses were obtained. The regional earthquake AAL for the five countries and for the 2020 exposure scenario has been estimated to be around USD 2 billion, with the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan being the countries with the highest earthquake risk levels in the region. Besides the probabilistic earthquake risk results, as-if scenarios were modeled using a pseudo-deterministic approach to assess the human and economic losses for realistic and representative earthquakes for the main cities within earthquake-prone regions in the five countries of the study area.

Assessment of Morphological Changes in the Oral Mucosa of Laboratory Rats when Exposed to Salt

According to a report by the World Health Organization on July 31, 2023, the tobacco epidemic remains one of the main threats to the health of the world’s population, more than 7 million people die from tobacco exposure and 1.3 million deaths are caused by exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. In Central Asia, the most popular form of smokeless tobacco use is nasvai. To study histological changes in the oral mucosa in laboratory rats when exposed to salt. 40 male laboratory rats weighing 170-240 g were selected for the study. The animals involved in the experiment were divided into two groups: experimental and intact, with twenty individuals in each. The restoration of the methodology in the experimental group included protective placement of tobacco, the dose of tobacco products was determined depending on the body weight of laboratory rats. The rodents were fed with ordinary feed pellets and kept in ventilated cages with controlled humidity and temperature. Nasvai was placed in the oral cavity between the cheek and gum once a day two hours before meals. According to the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrates ETSN no. 123, after a 30-day experiment, laboratory animals were removed from the experiment by overdosing on general anesthesia. Oral tissue samples were extracted and fixed in a 10% formalin solution with further routine degreasing and dehydration methods. During the further stage of the experiment, sections with a thickness of 7 microns were prepared and hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to identify the characteristics of the tissues of the oral cavity by microscopy. When studying the histological structure of the oral mucosa of laboratory rats, as a result of exposure to nasvai, obvious signs of the immuno-inflammatory process and hyperkeratosis were revealed.

Essays of Chokan Valikhanov as a Reflection of the History of Central Asia in the Second Half of the 19th Century

Provides a comprehensive examination of the personal documents of Chokan Valikhanov, reflecting the rich history of Central Asia during the second half of the 19th century. Valikhanov, a prominent Kazakh scholar and explorer, significantly contributed to the understanding of this region through his extensive research and numerous expeditions. The article delves into Valikhanov's biography, highlighting the milestones of his academic journey and the critical impact of his work. Special emphasis is placed on the value of his personal documents in unveiling the ethnographic, geographic, and socio-historical nuances of Central Asia. These documents offer unique insights into the cultural and historical context of the time, providing a deeper understanding of the region’s development. The analysis underscores the scholarly importance of Valikhanov’s findings and their enduring relevance in contemporary studies of Central Asia. Furthermore, the article discusses the methodological approaches used by Valikhanov in his work, noting their innovation and relevance. In conclusion, the significance of Valikhanov's contributions to the historical narrative of Central Asia is affirmed, alongside the potential avenues for future research that his legacy opens up. The enduring value of his personal documents continues to influence modern scholarship, inviting renewed interest and further exploration in the field.

Assessment of Vegetation Drought Loss and Recovery in Central Asia Considering a Comprehensive Vegetation Index

In the context of drought events caused by global warming, there is limited understanding of vegetation loss caused by drought and the subsequent recovery of vegetation after drought ends. However, employing a single index representing a specific vegetation characteristic to explore drought’s impact on vegetation may overlook vegetation features and introduce increased uncertainty. We applied the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), fraction of vegetation cover (FVC), gross primary production (GPP), leaf area index (LAI), and our constructed remote sensing vegetation index (RSVI) to assess vegetation drought in Central Asia. We analyzed the differences in drought experiences for different climatic regions and vegetation types and vegetation loss and recovery following drought events. The results indicate that during drought years (2012 and 2019), the differences in vegetation drought across climatic regions were considerable. The vegetation in arid, semiarid, and Mediterranean climate regions was more susceptible to drought. The different indices used to assess vegetation loss exhibited varying degrees of dynamic changes, with vegetation in a state of mild drought experiencing more significantly during drought events. The different vegetation assessment indices exhibited significant variations during the drought recovery periods (with a recovery period of 16 days: EVI of 85%, FVC of 50%, GPP of 84%, LAI of 61%, and RSVI of 44%). Moreover, the required recovery periods tended to decrease from arid to humid climates, influenced by both climate regions and vegetation types. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the primary climatic factors leading to vegetation loss varied depending on the assessment indices used. The proposed RSVI demonstrates high sensitivity, correlation, and interpretability to dry–wet variations and can be used to assess the impact of drought on vegetation. These findings are essential for water resource management and the implementation of measures that mitigate vegetation drought.

Better Resolved Orography Improves Precipitation Simulation Over the Tibetan Plateau in High‐Resolution Models

AbstractRegarded as the Asian Water Tower, the Tibetan Plateau (TP) collects atmospheric precipitation from a vast area of land and feeds into major rivers that sustain the livelihood of billions of people in East, South and Central Asia. It is critical to reasonably simulate the hydrological cycle over the TP in order to assess future climate risks to agriculture, water resources and ecosystem services. To address the chronic wet biases over the TP in state‐of‐the‐art climate models, we have compared 12 high‐resolution (HR) climate models (25–50 km) to their corresponding low‐resolution versions (100–200 km) with respect to the 1979–2014 climatology. It is found that the HR models consistently reduce about half of the wet biases over the TP, mainly from better resolved orography. The wet biases are reduced by 41% over the northern and western TP, mainly contributed by decreased frequency of light precipitation (0.1–10 mm day−1), which is attributed to reduced evaporation because of weakened surface wind by raised orography. The most significant reduction of biases (53%) rising from decreased frequency of mid‐heavy precipitation (10–50 mm day−1), appears over the southern and eastern TP, on the leeside of elevated orography where steeper orography enhances rain shadow effect by stronger downward motion along the sharper slope, while partly compensated by air column convergence due to vertical stretching of the downward flow for potential vorticity conservation. This study highlights the importance of surface processes and resolving complex orography in simulating precipitation and large‐scale hydrology around the TP which potentially benefits the future hydrological projection.

Farmers' Participation in Messenger‐Based Social Groups And Its Effects on Performance in Irrigated Areas of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

ABSTRACTThe penetration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in farming communities is increasing the use of smartphone‐based instant messaging apps. Despite this, the reasons behind participation and the impact on farm productivity in developing countries remain unexplored. This study uses survey data of cotton growers in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to explore factors explaining participation in social media groups and its impact on farm performance. The results show that the factors and benefits differ across these two countries. Participation in social media groups has a positive effect on cotton yields in both countries, but increases revenue only in Kazakhstan. We discuss possible reasons for contrasting results and policy implications for improving agricultural extension and advisory services in Central Asia. Scaling up smartphone‐based e‐extension should focus on younger, more educated farmers. Emphasizing associated economic benefits and fostering decision‐making autonomy among farmers will be crucial for creating conducive environment for benefiting from e‐extension services.

Characteristics of the Rock Paintings of Paaluu and Ikh Durulj

The region of Central Asia, especially the lands of Mongolia today, is rich with parietal art including rock paintings. Research regarding these rock paintings has been carried out to a certain extent from the second half of the 20th century, mainly from the point of view of archeology. In the study of rock paintings in Mongolia, Altai, Baga Oigor, and Tsagaan Gol rock paintings have been widely studied and exhibited on the international stage by international archaeological research teams, which can be considered to be a major contribution to the study of rock paintings of the western region. Additionally, a considerable number of studies were carried out on the rock paintings of the Gobi region of Mongolia, in Gobi-Altai, Bayankhongor, and Umnugobi provinces and a certain number of books and publications have been published. At the intersection of the northern end of the Gobi region and the southern edge of the Khangai mountains, Guchin Us [Lit.Tr: Thirty Waters] soum or subprovince of Ovorkhangai Province is located. The rock paintings sites by the name of Paaluu and Ikh Durulj are located 25 kilometers northwest of the Guchin Us soum center (sub-province seat). They are the main targets of our current research.

Emerging trends in cognitive impairment and dementia among older populations in Asia: A systematic review.

Dementia and cognitive impairment rates in Asia have significant policy implications. Contrary to the existing literature, which primarily focused on the Western region, in this study, we provide novel insights into previously unexplored geographical contexts. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in Asia. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, we searched six bibliographic databases: Web of Science, Medline, Science Direct, Ovid, Google Scholar, and PubMed. We targeted cross-sectional studies on dementia and cognitive impairment in Asia, published between 2019-23. Our extensive search yielded 2593 original articles, of which 39 met eligibility criteria. This selection unveiled a significant rise in dementia and cognitive impairment prevalence in Asia, aligning now with trends observed in Western countries - a novel finding that challenges previous assumptions about regional prevalence disparities. The studies predominantly conducted in East Asia (n = 29), along with limited research from Southeast (n = 2), South (n = 7), and Central Asia (n = 1), underscore the geographical gaps in current research. This shift in prevalence patterns is potentially linked to demographic changes, urbanisation, environmental factors, ethnic diversity, and neuroimaging advancements. Identifying modifiable risk factors associated with dementia in these regions presents new avenues for prevention and intervention strategies. Current dementia research in Asia is concentrated in East Asia, with limited data from Southeast, South, and Central Asia. Comprehensive studies across all parts of Asia are crucial to establishing robust data collection methods and identifying modifiable risk factors. This can help manage and mitigate the growing burden of dementia in these societies.

Navigating Acculturation: Overcoming Challenges and Creating Pathways to Well-Being for Central Asian Immigrants in the United States

This study explores the adaptations of recent immigrants from Central Asia (CA) to the United States. Using qualitative grounded theory analysis of narratives from 42 immigrants, gathered through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, acculturation, life course development, resilience, and intersectionality frameworks were applied to the analysis. Participants included 21 women and 21 men aged 22 to 45. Three major themes emerged. The first theme highlights acculturative challenges and stress, including shifts in gender roles, professional status, and family values. The second theme addresses barriers to seeking help, stemming from ideological and practical constraints. The third theme emphasizes opportunities and positive outlooks on life in the United States for immigrants and their children. The study underscores implications for practice and policy, along with avenues for future research.

An updated aerosol simulation in the Community Earth System Model (v2.1.3): dust and marine aerosol emissions and secondary organic aerosol formation

Abstract. Aerosols constitute important substance components of the Earth's atmosphere and have a profound influence on climate dynamics, radiative properties, and biogeochemical processes. Here we introduce updated emission schemes for dust, sea-salt, and marine primary organic aerosols (MPOA), as well as augmented secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation pathways within the Community Earth System Model (CESM; version 2.1.3). The modified dust emission scheme shifts the original hotspot-like dust emission to a more continuous distribution, improving the dust aerosol optical depth (DAOD) simulations at stations in north Africa and central Asia. This update also reduces dust residence time from 4.1 to 1.6 d, enhancing concentration simulations downwind of dust source regions. For sea-salt emissions, we incorporate an updated sea surface temperature (SST) modulation and introduce a relative-humidity-dependent correction factor for sea-salt particle size, with SST having a significantly larger impact on sea-salt emissions (16.1 %) compared to the minor effect of humidity (−0.3 %). We then extend our modelling to incorporate emissions of marine primary organic aerosols (MPOA) as mixed externally with sea-salt aerosols, coupled offline with the ocean component Parallel Ocean Program (POP2). The results underscore the substantial influence of phytoplankton diversity on MPOA emissions, with 148 % variability simulated among different phytoplankton types, highlighting the role of biological variability in aerosol modelling. Furthermore, we refine the model's chemical mechanisms by including the irreversible aqueous uptake of dicarbonyl compounds as a new pathway for SOA formation, contributing an additional 37 % to surface SOA concentrations. These improvements enrich the ability of the CESM to use intricate linkages between different components of the Earth system, thereby enabling a more comprehensive description of natural aerosol emissions, chemical processes, and their impacts.

Expanders of the Realm

Abstract The Bīsutūn inscription carries an Old Persian coda dedicated to Darius’ expedition against the Sakā (DBp col. V § 74). The campaign’s geography and the identity of the defeated have been often discussed. Instead, the reasons behind both the campaign and its prominence in the inscription have been neglected. This article contextualizes the episode within its Ancient Near Eastern framework of imperial discourse on universal rulership and the limits thereof. Then, it provides an anthropological reading of the inscription through the prism of sacred (divine) kingship, seeking to account for the paramount importance of Central Asian (border)lands within the mental maps—even the cosmology—of the dawning Empire. This approach puts front stage the proactive role of local élites in negotiating their own position(ality) under, and sometimes—even simultaneously—against, Persian power.