Chiang Rai Province Research Articles

Epidemiology of prediabetes mellitus among hill tribe adults in Thailand.

Prediabetes is a major silent health problem that leads to the development of diabetes within a few years, particularly among those who have a low socioeconomic status. Hill tribe people are vulnerable to prediabetes due to their unique cultural cooking methods and their hard work on farms, as well as their low economic status and educational levels. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of prediabetes among hill tribe people in Thailand and identify the related factors. This cross-sectional study included participants who belong to one of the six main hill tribes: Akah, Lahu, Hmong, Yao, Karen, and Lisu. The study was conducted in 30 hill tribe villages in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. A validated questionnaire was administered, and 5-mL blood specimens were collected. Data were collected between November 2019 and March 2020. Logistic regression was used to determine the associations between independent variables and prediabetes. A total of 1,406 participants were recruited for the study; 67.8% were women, 77.2% were between 40 and 59 years old, and 82.9% were married. The majority worked in the agricultural sector (57.2%), had an annual income ≤ 50,000 baht (67.5%), and had never attended school (69.3%). The prevalence of prediabetes was 11.2%. After controlling for age and sex, five factors were found to be associated with prediabetes. Members of the Akha and Lisu tribes had 2.03 (95% CI = 1.03-3.99) and 2.20 (95% CI = 1.10-4.42) times higher odds of having prediabetes than Karen tribe members, respectively. Those with hypertension (HT) had 1.47 (95% CI = 1.03-2.08) times higher odds of having prediabetes than those with normal blood pressure. Those with a normal total cholesterol level had 2.43 (95% CI = 1.65-3.58) times higher odds of having prediabetes than those with a high total cholesterol level. Those with a high triglyceride level had 1.64 (95% CI = 1.16-2.32) times higher odds of having prediabetes than those with a normal triglyceride level. Those with a high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level had 1.96 (95% CI = 1.30-2.96) times higher odds of having prediabetes than those with a normal LDL-C level. Appropriate dietary guidelines and exercise should be promoted among hill tribe people between 30 and 59 years old to reduce the probability of developing prediabetes.

Additions to the genus Periconia from northern Thailand

Pineapple is one of the economically important fruits in Chiang Rai Province but few studies have been carried out on fungal saprobes on this plant. During a survey of fungal saprobes on pineapple, several dead leaves covered by hyphomycetous fungi with effuse colonies, dark brown to black on the host substrate were collected. Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU, SSU, and TEF1-α sequence data revealed that our fungal collections are members of Periconia. Based on morphological comparisons and multi-locus phylogeny we introduce a new species (Periconia ananasi sp. nov.) and a new host and geographic record for Periconia epilithographicola. The results expand our knowledge of microfungi on pineapple. Full descriptions, illustrations, and multi-locus phylogeny of the taxa studied are provided.

Acceptance and accessibility to the early phase COVID-19 vaccination among the healthcare workers and hill tribe population in Thailand

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a serious emerging disease and an extreme threat to human life. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of hill tribe people living in the border areas of Thailand-Myanmar and health workers regarding the acceptability and accessibility of the COVID-19 vaccine and health workers’ perceptions of the readiness to implement the vaccination program during the early period of national COVID-19 vaccination. A qualitative method was applied to elicit information from key informants who lived in hill tribe villages and the health professionals who served them. The study was conducted in seven hill tribe villages located along the Thailand-Myanmar borders in Mae Fah Luang District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. The participants were hill tribe villagers aged 20 years and over; public health care professionals working in village health centers who had primary roles in implementing disease prevention and control measures; and public health care professionals working in districts and provincial public health offices who had primary roles in policy development and implementation. A total of 63 participants (26 men and 37 women) from seven hill tribe villages provided information. Three acceptance choices regarding receiving the COVID-19 vaccine were found among the hill tribes: definite acceptance, likely acceptance, and no preference. Two factors related to obtaining access to the new COVID-19 vaccine were found: Thai citizenship and the level of literacy related to the vaccine. There was no process or protocol in place for implementing the new vaccine among health professionals working at the district, subdistrict, or community levels, but the national expanded immunization program (EPI) system was clearly demonstrated to extend throughout the health service chain in Thailand. During the early period of national COVID-19 vaccine implantation in Thailand, not all members of the hill tribes accepted the vaccine; participant acceptance depended on several factors, including a participant’s previous experience with vaccination, whether he or she required more information before making a decision, etc. While acceptance of the vaccine depended on the individual’s background, not everyone had an equal opportunity to access the vaccine. The new COVID-19 vaccine should be available at the village level, including in hill tribe villages, to reduce the systemic threat to the country.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hyperglycemia among Myanmar Migrant Workers in Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand: a Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hyperglycemia and identify factors associated with hyperglycemia among Myanmar migrant workers, aged over 18 years, in Mueang district, Chiang Rai province, Thailand.Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 402 Myanmar migrant workers aged over 18 years in Mueang District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. A questionnaire was used to collect research data, and blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, and fasting blood glucose levels were measured. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the association between variables at a significance level of a=0.05.Results: Among all the participants, 42.0% were male and 58.0% were female, with a mean age of 38.9 years (standard deviation=10.4). The prevalence of hyperglycemia was 13.4%. Six factors were found to be significantly associated with hyperglycemia in multivariate analysis; including: ethnicity (adjusted odd ratio (AOR)=4.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.25-18.14), high blood pressure (AOR=3.83, 95% CI=1.82–8.03), overweight (AOR=5.19, 95% CI=2.28-11.81), obese (AOR=3.87, 95% CI=1.17–12.79), parent's history of diabetes mellitus (DM) (AOR=6.86, 95% CI=1.45–32.46), smoking (AOR=6.24, 95% CI=2.08–18.69), and depression (AOR=4.21, 95% CI=2.00–8.89).Conclusion: The prevalence of hyperglycemia among Myanmar migrant workers was 13.4%. Ethnicity, high blood pressure, body mass index, parental history of DM, smoking and depression were significantly associated with hyperglycemia. The findings of this study are useful for the development of policies and measures for preventing and controling hyperglycemia and DM among Myanmar migrant workers.

Implementation and evaluation of the peer-training program for village health volunteers to improve chronic disease management among older adults in rural Thailand

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the effect of a peer-training program for village health volunteers (VHVs) to improve chronic disease management among older adults in rural Thailand. MethodsThe study was guided by community-based participatory research (CBPR). The peer-training program was developed by engaging diverse stakeholders, including community organizations, healthcare services, VHVs, older adults with chronic illnesses, and folk scholars in remote communities with high healthcare needs. The peer-training program comprised a three-day training workshop that convened once a week for three weeks with the following six sessions: knowledge sharing, peer support and empowerment, health literacy and health behavior, the general caring procedure for older adults with chronic illnesses, information sharing and communication, and home visit. From January to April 2021, a total of 28 VHVs completed the peer training program in a rural area in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. The Health Literacy and Health Behavior-3E2S (HLHB-3E2S), the Management of Non-Communicable Diseases Questionnaire (MNCDQ), and a self-confidence questionnaire were used to survey pre (week 1) and post-intervention (week 12), respectively. Then VHVs were interviewed to collect attitudes, and opinions about the intervention. ResultsAfter the intervention, the HLHB-3E2S scores (49.39 ± 5.54 vs. 52.35 ± 4.26, P = 0.001), the MNCDQ scores (44.10 ± 6.27 vs. 50.60 ± 4.84, P < 0.001), and the self-confidence questionnaire scores (22.28 ± 2.46 vs. 23.21 ± 1.81, P = 0.01) of VHVs significantly increased. VHVS also reported that the peer-training program enhanced their healthcare services, including health education, chronic disease management, leadership skills, and improving their relationship with healthcare providers. ConclusionPeer training programs are a practical strategy to improve VHVs’ capacities.Healthcare professionals should provide a continuous training program for VHVs with their peers to increase capacities, confidence, and satisfaction in caring for the older adults with chronic diseases in the community.

Quality of life and factors associated with a good quality of life among diabetes mellitus patients in northern Thailand

BackgroundQuality of life (QOL) is a good indicator of lifespan, especially for individuals who are suffering from a particular illness. QOL among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) could be used for further implementations in addition to improving patient care and disease management, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to assess QOL and identify factors associated with a good QOL among DM patients in northern Thailand.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted to gather information from DM patients attending six randomly selected hospitals in the Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand. A validated questionnaire and the 26-item quality of life brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) were used to collect socioeconomic factors and assess QOL, respectively. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to detect the associations between variables at a significance level of α = 0.05.ResultsA total of 967 participants were enrolled in the study: 58.8% were female, 52.3% were aged ≥ 60 years, 79.7% graduated primary school and had no additional education, 68.7% had an annual income ≤ 50,000 baht, and 29.3% were unemployed. The majority of patients had a poor-to-moderate overall QOL (49.4%); 90.1% reported a moderate QOL in the physical domain, 54.7% reported a moderate QOL in the mental domain, 63.4% reported a good QOL in the social relationship domain, and 50.6% reported a good QOL in the environmental domain. In multivariate analysis, seven variables were found to be associated with good QOL among the participants. Those aged ≤ 59 years had 1.90 times (95% CI 1.32–2.73) greater odds of having good QOL than those aged ≥ 60. Those who had annual income ≥ 100,001 baht had 2.16 times (95% CI 1.17–3.96) greater odds of having good QOL than those who had annual income ≤ 50,000 baht. Those who lived alone and with spouses had 3.38 times (95% CI 1.42–8.02) and 2.20 times (95% CI 1.20–4.02) greater odds of having good QOL, respectively, than those who lived with relatives. Those who exercised regularly had 4.72 times (95% CI 2.71–8.19) greater odds of having good QOL than those who never exercised. Those who had a high level of knowledge regarding prevention and care had 3.26 times (95% CI 1.22–5.55) greater odds of having good QOL than those who had low knowledge. Those who did not have diabetic nephropathy had 7.41 times (95% CI 4.99–11.01) greater odds of having good QOL than those who were diagnosed with diabetic nephropathy, and those whose medical fees were supported by the government under the universal scheme had 4.31 times (95% CI 1.15–16.7) greater odds of having good QOL than those who had to support themselves.ConclusionsAlmost a half of DM patients in northern Thailand reported having a low-to-moderate QOL, which can be improved by focusing on socioeconomic factors, family support as well as improving knowledge regarding DM prevention and care, including the support of medical fees.

The Elemental Characteristics and Human Health Risk of PM2.5 during Haze Episode and Non-Haze Episode in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand

Fine particle matter (PM2.5) was directly related to seasonal weather, and has become the influencing factor of air quality that is harmful for human health in Chiang Rai province. The aims were determining the elemental composition in PM2.5 and human health risk in haze (March 2021) and non-haze episodes (July–August 2021). Nine elements in PM2.5 were measured by using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, and an enrichment factor was used to identify the emission source. The results showed that the average concentration of PM2.5 was 63.07 μg/m3 in haze episodes, and 25.00 μg/m3 in a non-haze episode. The maximum concentration was 116.7 μg/m3 in March. The majority of elements originated from anthropogenic sources. In haze episodes, PM2.5 mean concentration was approximately 4.2 times that of the WHO guidelines (15 μg/m3 24 h), and 1.3 times that of the Thai Ambient Air Quality Standard (50 μg/m3). The analysis of backward air mass trajectory showed that transboundary and local sources significantly influenced PM2.5 at the monitoring site in the sampling period. In the health risk assessment, the non-carcinogenic risk of Cd was the highest, with a Hazard Quotient (HQ) of 0.048, and the cancer risk of Cr was classified as the highest cancer risk, with the values of 1.29 × 10−5, higher than the minimum acceptable level.

A community-based participatory approach to increase public knowledge of stroke among ethnic minorities in the northern mountains of Thailand

This study examines a stroke education program about knowledge of stroke among community partners that aims to increase the public knowledge of stroke in ethnic minorities. A one-group pre-test/post-test experimental design based on a community-based participatory approach was used in four steps following established community collaboration, planned intervention, community partner recruitment and training, implementation, and evaluation. The study was conducted between September 1, 2019 and February 28, 2020 in Chiang Rai province of Thailand. Purposive sampling was used to select 50 community partners, and cluster random sampling was used to select 419 participants from ethnic minorities. The 50 community partners already trained by researchers in the stroke education program proffered their knowledge of stroke to the ethnic minorities over a period of 1 month. A stroke knowledge questionnaire was used to test stroke knowledge among ethnic minorities before intervention (baseline) and 1 month later (post-intervention). At post-intervention, 60.6% of ethnic minorities could correctly recall more than 3 warning signs of stroke, while 51.3% correctly identified more than 3 risk factors for stroke. The score differed among 159 participants who could not speak Thai pre-intervention (mean=0.03, SD=0.39) and post-intervention (mean=7.52, SD=1.33). There were significant differences in pre-intervention and post-intervention overall stroke knowledge scores of 4 major ethnic groups (mean 0.57, SD=1.63 versus mean 7.62, SD=1.39; t=−67.38, p&lt;.001). The stroke educational program based on community-based participatory research can increase public stroke knowledge and help to overcome cultural and language barriers in ethnic minorities.

Extraction and Characterization of Cellulose from Agricultural By-Products of Chiang Rai Province, Thailand.

Cellulose is an abundant component of the plant biomass in agricultural waste valorization that may be exploited to mitigate the excessive use of synthetic non-biodegradable materials. This work aimed to investigate the cellulose utilized by alkaline extraction with a prior bleaching process from rice straw, corncob, Phulae pineapple leaves, and Phulae pineapple peels. The bleaching and alkaline extraction process was performed using 1.4% acidified sodium chlorite (NaClO2) and 5% potassium hydroxide (KOH) in all the samples. All the samples, without and with the alkaline process, were characterized for their physico-chemical, microstructure, thermal properties and compared to commercial cellulose (COM-C). The extraction yield was the highest in alkaline-extracted cellulose from the corncob (AE-CCC) sample (p < 0.05), compared to the other alkaline-treated samples. The undesired components, including mineral, lignin, and hemicellulose, were lowest in the AE-CCC sample (p < 0.05), compared to raw and alkaline-treated samples. The microstructure displayed the flaky AE-CCC structure that showed a similar visibility in terms of morphology with that of the alkaline-treated pineapple peel cellulose (AE-PPC) and COM-C samples compared to other alkaline-treated samples with a fibrous structure. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) of AE-CCC samples showed the lowest amorphous regions, possibly due to the elimination of hemicellulose and lignin during bleaching and alkaline treatment. The highest crystallinity index obtained in the AE-CCC sample showed a close resemblance with the COM-C sample. Additionally, the AE-CCC sample showed the highest thermal stability, as evidenced by its higher Tonset (334.64 °C), and Tmax (364.67 °C) compared to the COM-C and alkaline-treated samples. Therefore, agricultural wastes after harvesting in the Chiang Rai province of Thailand may be subjected to an alkaline process with a prior bleaching process to yield a higher cellulose content that is free of impurities. Thus, the extracted cellulose could be used as an efficient, eco-friendly, and biodegradable material for packaging applications.

Hmong women's rights and the Communist Party of Thailand

Between 1967 and 1969, thousands of Hmong in northern Thailand became aligned with the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) and resided in mountainous strongholds near the border with Laos in Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Phetchabun, and Phitsanulok provinces, and in Tak province near the border with Burma. They stayed in these strongholds until the early 1980s, when the CPT fell apart. During the CPT period, some important transformations in Hmong gender relations occurred, especially relative to the traditional strongly male-dominated society. We describe the most important changes, as reported by Hmong women. The legacy of the CPT period remains today. However, there has been some reversion to pre-CPT patriarchal practices. Some Hmong women feel nostalgic about the rights they enjoyed during the CPT period, although the leadership of the CPT was male dominated, and despite the fact that some progress has been made, for example, in convincing clan leaders to allow divorced women to return to their birth clans. This study applies a feminist geography and social memory theoretical framework to examine Hmong women's life stories about their time with the CPT.

Epidemiology of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus among hill tribe adults in Thailand

A community-based cross-sectional study was performed to estimate the prevalence of and determine factors associated with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among hill tribe adults aged 30 years and over. Data were collected from the target hill tribe people living in the 30 selected villages in Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. A total of 2365 people were invited to participate in the study; 65.9% were female, 72.4% were aged 40–69 years, 0.9% regularly received preventive healthcare, and only 41.2% understood Thai. The overall prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM was 7.5%. After adjusting for age and sex, two factors were found to be associated with T2DM: triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Those with high triglyceride levels were 2.80 (95% CI 1.99–3.94) times more likely to be suffering from T2DM than those with a normal triglyceride level. Those with low HDL-C levels were 1.65 (95% CI 1.16–2.34) times more likely to be suffering from T2DM than those with normal HDL-C. Appropriate public health interventions should be developed and implemented to reduce T2DM by providing regular preventive healthcare, educating patients on DM prevention and control, and encouraging regular exercise and reduced consumption of fatty food.

Impact of Rainfall-Induced Landslide Susceptibility Risk on Mountain Roadside in Northern Thailand

Landslide incidents frequently occur in the upper northern region of Thailand due to its topography, which is mostly mountainous with high slopes. In the past, when landslides happened in this area, they affected traffic accessibility for rescue and evacuation. For this reason, if the risk of landslides could be evaluated, it would help in the planning of preventive measures to mitigate the damage. This study was carried out to create and develop a risk estimation model using the artificial neural network (ANN) technique for landslides at the edge of the roadside, by collecting field data on past landslides in the study areas in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai Provinces. A total of 9602 data points were collected. The variables for forecasting were: (1) land cover, (2) physiographic features, (3) slope angle, and (4) five-day cumulative rainfall. Two hidden layers were used to create the model. The number of nodes in the first and second hidden layers were five and one, respectively, which were derived from a total of 25 trials, and the highest accuracy achieved was 96.74%. When applying the model, a graph demonstrating the relationship between the landslide risk, rainfall, and the slopes of the road areas was obtained. The results show that high slopes result in more landslides than low slopes, and that rainfall is a major trigger for landslides on roads. The outcomes of the study could be used to create risk maps and provide information for developing warnings for high-slope mountain roads in the upper northern region of Thailand.

A new species of Neoroussoella peltophora in Roussoellaceae, from Thailand

In this study, we introduce an asexual morph of a novel species Neoroussoella peltophora (Roussoellaceae) on Peltophorum vogelianum (Fabaceae) collected from Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. Morphologically the new species resembles Neoroussoella species. Phylogenetic analyses of concatenated LSU, SSU, ITS, tef1-α and rpb2 sequence data revealed that (MFLU 21–0113) is phylogenetically distinct (91% MLBS/1.00 BYPP). Neoroussoella peltophora differs from N. fulvicomae in having thinner peridium and differs from N. alishanense in having thicker peridium. Further, N. peltophora is distinct from N. alishanense in having shorter conidiogenous cells and differs from N. fulvicomae in having longer conidiogenous cells. The base pair comparison of ITS, tef1-α and rpb2 gene regions also support that our isolate is distinctive from the other species in Neoroussoella.

Planning rice cultivation in a large plot agricultural system

This research aimed to study the approach of the community toward the decision to grow rice and economic crops, including appropriate resource allocation for use on a farm under a large plot agricultural system. The study areas were in Phan district, Chiang Rai province, Thailand, and the data were collected from a sampling of 400 field agriculturalists. The method used was to develop a mathematical model for growing crops with multi-objectives and in multi-periods, together with an agriculturist representative and experts in multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM). This was to prioritize the importance of alternative crops and find the appropriate allocation of the resources to achieve the targeted goal. The results showed that agriculturists prioritized most toward the criteria for growing Japanese rice with a weight of 0.179 Kg., followed by transplanted rice, transplanted glutinous rice, garlic, sown paddy rice, and sown glutinous paddy rice, respectively. The study’s results also showed that the price fluctuation of the crop products resulted in more use of land and labor in order to increase the production to compensate for the low price, and this also resulted in the higher opportunity cost of growing transplanted rice. Therefore, growing transplanted rice during in season planting was considered the most effective way, while during the off season, either garlic or Japanese rice could be grown. A collective pattern for planning for using resources together in large plot agricultural areas, together with a clear marketing target would bring about effective use of the resources and reduce the risk in revenue from the fluctuation in prices and uncertainty of yields from drought. Moreover, technology development to solve the problem of the lack of labor would be deemed an important approach toward the enhancement of the competitiveness of agriculturists in the future as well.

Illegal lotteries and a large outlaw economy in a developing country

This study aims to understand the illegal lottery businesses from economic, political, and social perspectives in Chiang Rai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Rayong, and Phuket provinces of Thailand, which have contributed to the outlaw economy. The study used qualitative methodologies to determine why illegal lotteries continue to exist and if members of the lower class, such as farmers, workers, and vendors in marketplaces with low incomes and education, were the primary contributors to their unlawful existence. The results showed that the cash flow of the illegal lottery was 0.91% of 2019 Thailand’s GDP and 0.93% of 2021 Thailand’s GDP (Center for Gambling Studies, 2019; Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council [NESDC], 2022), 5.10% of the government fiscal year in 2019, and 4.56% of the government fiscal year in 2021. The Budget Bureau has been the main source of revenue for community leaders such as politicians, government officials, and national or local authorities. In Thailand, large hidden organizations have administered and regulated illegal lotteries. Because of this, policy changes or flexibility are very important for the domestic market mechanism and the gambling industry in terms of the global setting

Phylotype, sequevar and pathogenicity of Ralstonia solanaceaum species complex from Northern Thailand

AbstractRalstonia solanacearum species complex is a group of vascular soil‐borne plant pathogens that causes bacterial wilt on various host plants and has caused great yield losses in Thailand. In 2020 and 2021, bacterial wilt diseases were observed in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. Approximately 19 bacterial wilt strains that were infecting 10 plant species were identified. The different bacterial wilt strains were characterized based on biovar test, phylotypes and DNA sequence of egl gene to determine their sequevar classification. The results of biovar tests by oxidation of disaccharides and hexose alcohols showed the strains belong to biovars 2T, 3 and 4. The partial egl gene sequence analysis of the strains clustered into five type groups that included phylotype IIA sequevar 1 as R. solanacearum and phylotype I, which included 4 sequevars (13, 17, 30 and 47) as R. pseudosolanacearum. The results showed that tomato, Thai eggplant and marigold were susceptible to all bacterial wilt strains. Furthermore, R. pseudosolanacearum biovar 2T phylotype I sequevar 17 was specifically pathogenic to pumpkin and cucumber, but sequevar 13 produced bacterial wilt symptoms on cucumber, and the two sequevars were non‐symptomatic on Patumma and turmeric. R. pseudosolanacearum biovar 4 phylotype I sequevar 30 was specifically pathogenic to Patumma and turmeric. This new report expands the knowledge on genetic analysis and host range diversity of the R. solanacearum species complex in Thailand.

Actinomadura violacea sp. nov., a madurastatin A1-producing strain isolated from lichen in Thailand.

An actinomycete strain, LCR2-06T, isolated from a lichen sample on rock collected from Chiang Rai Province (Pong Phra Bat Waterfall), Thailand, was characterized using a polyphasic approach. The strain grew at 25-45 °C, pH 6-11 and on International Streptomyces Project 2 agar plate with 5 % (w/v) NaCl. It contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diamino acid in whole-cell hydrolysates. Rhamnose, ribose, xylose, madurose, glucose and galactose were detected as whole-cell sugar hydrolysates. Mycolic acids were absent. The N-acyl type of muramic acid was acetyl. The strain contained C16 : 0, TBSA 10-methyl C18 : 0 and 2-hydroxy C16 : 0 as the predominant fatty acids and MK-9(H6), MK-9(H4) and MK-9(H8) as the major menaquinones. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and unidentified phospholipid. The draft genome of strain LCR2-06T was closely related to Actinomadura barringtoniae TBRC 7225T (99.2 %), Actinomadura nitritigenes NBRC 15918T (98.8 %), Actinomadura montaniterrae TISTR 2400T (98.5 %) and Actinomadura physcomitrii JCM 33455T (97.9 %). The draft genome of LCR2-06T was 11.1 Mb with 10 588 coding sequences with an average G+C content of 72.7 mol%. Results of genomic analysis revealed that the ANIb and ANIm values between strain LCR2-06T and A. montaniterrae TISTR 2400T were 90.0 and 92.0 %, respectively. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization value was 43.9 % in comparison with the draft genome of A. montaniterrae TISTR 2400T. The strain produced an antibacterial compound active against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 and Kocuria rhizophila ATCC 9341. The results of taxonomic analysis suggested that strain LCR2-06T represented a novel species of the genus Actinomadura for which the name Actinomadura violacea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LCR2-06T (=JCM 33065T=KCTC 49547T=NBRC 114810T=LMG 32136T=TISTR 2935T).

Storage fungi and ochratoxin A associated with arabica coffee bean in postharvest processes in Northern Thailand

Arabica coffee is one of the most popular varieties globally; however, during postharvest and storage, it can be contaminated by fungi which produce mycotoxins such as ochratoxin A (OTA). The goal of this study was to determine fungal contamination and OTA levels of arabica coffee produced from Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces in Northern Thailand. Aspergillus and Penicillium were mainly isolated and evaluated from coffee samples in the postharvest process. Coffee cherries, parchment coffee, and green coffee beans were commonly found contaminated with fungi. Coffee beans were contaminated with Penicillium, Aspergillus section Flavi, Aspergillus section Nigri, and Aspergillus section Circumdati at 1.2–10%. Fungal contamination in parchment coffee was studied using three drying methods. The results showed that coffee dried in a greenhouse had higher fungal contamination than samples dried on concrete ground or on a bamboo table. Whether basic storage packaging of green coffee beans affects fungal contamination was also investigated. Green coffee beans in three packaging types showed similar levels of Penicillium, while of the three packaging types, coffee in a polypropylene woven bag showed significantly less Aspergillus than those in a ramie sack or a plastic mesh bag. Fourteen strains of Aspergillus section Circumdati were isolated from coffee samples and 5 isolates showed green-blue fluorescence under ultraviolet light suggesting a potential of OTA production. The morphology of Aspergillus section Circumdati isolates were studied and five isolates with similar morphological characters were further identified to the species level based on ITS and the β-tubulin gene regions. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis suggested that four isolates were grouped with A. westerdijkiae and one isolate with A. melleus. Analysis of OTA in parchment coffee, green coffee beans, and roasted coffee was performed using HPLC. The results showed that OTA was detected in only one sample of roasted coffee at 0.39 μg kg−1.

Particulate matter (PM10) prediction based on multiple linear regression: a case study in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand

BackgroundThe northern regions of Thailand have been facing haze episodes and transboundary air pollution every year in which particulate matter, particularly PM10, accumulates in the air, detrimentally affecting human health. Chiang Rai province is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations as well as an important economic hub. This study aims to develop and compare the best-fitted model for PM10 prediction for different seasons using meteorological factors.MethodThe air pollution and weather data acquired from the Pollution Control Department (PCD) spanned from the years 2011 until 2018 at two stations on an hourly basis. Four different stepwise Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) models for predicting the PM10 concentration were then developed, namely annual, summer, rainy, and winter seasons.ResultsThe maximum daily PM10 concentration was observed in the summer season for both stations. The minimum daily concentration was detected in the rainy season. The seasonal variation of PM10 was significantly different for both stations. CO was moderately related to PM10 in the summer season. The PM10 summer model was the best MLR model to predict PM10 during haze episodes. In both stations, it revealed an R2 of 0.73 and 0.61 in stations 65 and 71, respectively. Relative humidity and atmospheric pressure display negative relationships, although temperature is positively correlated with PM10 concentrations in summer and rainy seasons. Whereas pressure plays a positive relationship with PM10 in the winter season.ConclusionsIn conclusion, the MLR models are effective at estimating PM10 concentrations at the local level for each seasonal. The annual MLR model at both stations indicates a good prediction with an R2 of 0.61 and 0.52 for stations 65 and 73, respectively.

Bonding and bridging social capital towards collective action in participatory irrigation management. Evidence in Chiang Rai Province, Northern Thailand

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of social capital with bonding and bridging distinction in promoting higher participation in collective action in participatory irrigation management.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 304 farmers was surveyed using a structured questionnaire. A focus group discussion was also carried out with randomly selected water users, leaders and irrigation officers. A confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to test the hypothesised relationship of bonding and bridging social capital towards collective action.FindingsThe findings show that social capital has a significant direct effect on collective action and an indirect effect on joint irrigation management's perceived performance through collective action (mediator). It implies the need to complement the participatory irrigation management programme with an understanding of the social aspects for a higher farmer's participation over the shared resource.Originality/valueThe paper emphasises social capital's role in facilitating a real participatory engagement in shared resource management. Also, it is the first scholarly work linking social capital with bonding and bridging distinction towards collective action in a joint resource management context.