Northeastern Region Of Thailand Research Articles

Ideating A Sustainable Swine Feed Prototype: A Qualitative Approach in Farmers’ Pain Point Identification and Product Development

There is a growing interest and trend in new product development (NPD) from food waste. However, most qualitative approaches rarely use the lean entrepreneur concept in the context of new product development (NPD), which allows for understanding customer insight rather than the traditional qualitative approach. Therefore, this study aims to (1) explore the swine farmer behaviors, desired outcomes, and pain points in using swine feedstuffs, (2) select three representative segments and identify high-value customers of swine feeds, and (3) develop a sustainable swine feed prototype from the fermented fish industrial residues. The target users, 24 pig farmers from 11 provinces across the Northeastern Region of Thailand, were recruited to participate in this research. Qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis were conducted to analyze their behaviors, desired outcomes, and pain points towards pig feed usages. The framework was combined with in-depth qualitative interviews and the customer, problem, and solution zoom tools. The results revealed that household farmers were the target customer segment of swine feed made from fermented fish industrial wastes. In addition, the findings showed that the household farmers typically fed their pigs with instant feeds and alternative feeds. Moreover, their desired outcomes were the pellet feed with nutrients. Furthermore, the pain points of the household farmers were the expensive cost of feeds and mold in feeds. Therefore, this segment needs to minimize the cost of feeds by using other sustainable alternatives.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Wind Energy Potential in North-Eastern of Thailand

Thailand's alternative power development plan attempts to reduce the dependence of electrical power generation on fossil fuels by setting a goal of generating electricity from wind energy resources of 3,002MW within year 2,036. Moreover, the shortage of electricity in the North-eastern region of Thailand needs to be cared for to create stability of energy in Thailand. Therefore, the assessment of wind power resource potential in the north-eastern part of Thailand needs to be studied. This paper presents a technical and economic analysis of the wind power potential for five stations in the north-eastern part of Thailand: Buriram, Roi Et, Sri Sa Ket, Surin, and Ubon Ratchathani within 4 years (2017-2020) at a 10-minute interval. The data was collected from Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) at a 10m height above ground level. This paper focuses on the wind climate at 60m and 80m above ground level by using WAsP to simulate the mean wind speed and power density of each station. Moreover, this study uses Vestas V52-850kW and Vestas V90-2,000kW wind turbine generators to calculate the net annual energy production of each station. In addition to evaluating the economic analysis of investment, this study uses economic tools to evaluate the feasibility of investment. The result showed that Roi Et is the most suitable location for a wind farm. The mean wind speeds and power densities are 5.95 m/s and 265 W/m2 at 60m and 6.15 m/s and 311 W/m2 at 80m. The AEP can be generated at 18.932 GWh and 56.322 GWh at 60m and 80m heights respectively for Roi Et with a cost per unit of 0.09 $/kWh and 0.07 $/kWh. The other provinces have an AEP of 10.674 GWh for Buriram, 12.152 GWh for Sri Sa Ket, 12.969 GWh for Surin, and 8.508 GWh for Ubon Ratchathani at 60m height level, with a cost per unit of 0.15 $/kWh, 0.14 $/kWh, 0.13 $/kWh, and 0.2 $/kWh respectively. At 80m height, the AEP is 33.437 GWh with 0.11 $/kWh for Buriram, 45.737 GWh with 0.09 $/kWh for Sri Sa Kat, 41.189 GWh with 0.09 $/kWh for Surin, and 27.524 GWh with 0.14 $/kWh for Ubon Ratchathani.

The Factor of Association of Diabetes Knowledge in Diabetes Mellitus type 2 patients

Background: T2DM is a chronic illness associated with numerous comorbidities and leads to chronic complications, resulting in high morbidity and mortality, rising health care costs. However, patients with this disease, through self-care, can significantly mitigate the risk, or delay the onset of these T2DM complications Objective: To investigate factors along with Diabetes Knowledge Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out among T2DM patients living in both rural and urban areas from the Central and Northeastern regions of Thailand were recruited from outpatient diabetes clinics of both community and university hospitals in both the Khon Kaen and Bangkok provinces of Thailand. Patients were sampled using a stratified sampling design where strata were based on locality (Province) - hospital size combinations. Firstly, we had translated all questionnaires from English to the local language then again back translated simultaneously. Then, the third step was to perform psychometric testing of the DK instrument Lastly, binary logistics mixed effect regression was used to investigate the clustering effect of the participant’s characteristic on this study. Results: After adjust for covariates derivate that age, KK and smaller hospitals, higher education, monthly income, underweight and overweight, DM treatment, and smoking nor alcohol where all found to be associated with various DK Conclusion: In future DK measurement is likely to provide valuable insights in to the epidemiology of diabetes self-management and may also be used to evaluate interventions to reduce poor self-care in T2DM patients, in turn, politically reducing the incidence of, and mortality from, type 2 diabetes mellitus complications.

Gut microbiome profiles in Thai healthy pregnant women and its association with types of foods

BackgroundGut microbiome colonization during early life is significant for immunological and physiological development. Maternal microbiome is associated with proper development of infants. The aim of this study was to determine the gut microbiome profiles among Thai healthy pregnant women and its associated factors.MethodsA multicenter, open trial prospective study was performed at three hospitals in Northern, Central, and Northeastern regions of Thailand. Thai healthy pregnant women attending antenatal clinics were recruited. Fecal samples of subjects at the third trimester of pregnancy were collected with sterilized techniques. The gut microbiome profiles and bacterial diversity were assessed using 16Ss RNA gene sequencing. Demographic data, dietary intake, and anthropometric data were recorded and analyzed.ResultsThere were 86 healthy pregnant women. The dominant of gut microbiome profiles were Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Pregnant women in the Central region had significantly higher of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae than those in other regions (p < 0.001). Pregnant women in the Northern region significantly consumed more glutinous rice than those in other regions (p < 0.001). Glutinous rice intake was positively correlated with Bacteroidetes (rho = 0.405, p = 0.01) and negatively correlated with Firmicutes (rho = − 0.440, p = 0.001). Alpha diversity was not correlated with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) or gestational weight gain.ConclusionsThe gut microbiome profiles mainly found in Thai healthy pregnant women were Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. The gut microbiome profiles in pregnant women found in this study possibly depended on dietary patterns. Glutinous rice with high amylopectin is probably related to abundance of Bacteroidetes.

The effect of Entrepreneurial Orientation Market Orientation, Marketing Capabilities on Firm Performance of entrepreneurs in the Northeastern region of Thailand

The effect of Entrepreneurial Orientation Market Orientation, Marketing Capabilities on Firm Performance of entrepreneurs in the Northeastern region of Thailand

The traits of success according to those who made it: a survey of successful entrepreneurs in northeastern Thailand

One of the most common questions business students have is what characteristics successful business people possess. This study interviewed 200 successful entrepreneurs in Northeast Thailand between 2010 and 2011 to find their common, vital characteristics. Atlas.ti software, frequency-weighted average scores (FWA), the Pareto method, and Venn diagrams were used to determine five important categories of characteristics. Results reveal three characteristics with high FWA scores at the intersection namely, joy of developing, integrity, and striving. These three characteristics are a common personality trait among all successful business people (regardless of gender, age, education, length of time in business and type of business). Smaller replications of the study were carried out in 2012-2013 and 2014-2015, respectively to validate the findings. The findings demonstrated the same three characteristics as outstanding personality traits of successful entrepreneurs in the North-eastern region of Thailand.

Mothers’ Lived Experiences in Caring for Adolescents with Leukemia in the Northeast of Thailand

Aim: This research was to explored the lived experiences of the mothers caring for adolescents with leukemia, using a qualitative research method based on the concept of interpretative phenomenology/ hermeneutic phenomenology. Methods: Data were collected by in-depth interviews with 15 mothers of the adolescents with leukemia who had been treated or followed up for treatment in the pediatric cancer ward and the pediatric outpatient department in a tertiary hospital in the northeastern region of Thailand. The qualitative data were analyzed based on the technique of Diekelmann and Allen. Results: The study results revealed the meanings of mothers caring for adolescents with leukemia and experience of leukemia, which can be summarized into the following key points. 1) The meaning of life as mothers of adolescents with leukemia was defined as a suffer life. 2) The lived experiences of mothers of adolescents with leukemia consisted of 3 sub-themes: (1) caring with patience (providing care based on the symptoms, strengthening the mind, need to be the ones who suffer instead of seeing their children suffer), (2) a life of struggle (financial struggles, psychological struggles, supporting received) and (3) beliefs and care (beliefs -based care and beliefs -based parenting). Conclusion: The results of this research led to a clearer understanding about the experiences of mothers of adolescents with leukemia. The data from the study can be used to support practice and management of nursing education and research in the future. Keywords: Mothers’ Lived Experiences, Caring, Adolescents with Leukemia, Phenomenology

COMPETENCY PREDICTION EQUATION FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF ACADEMIC HEALTH PERSONNEL IN SUB-DISTRICT HEALTH PROMOTING HOSPITALS IN THE NORTHEASTERN REGION OF THAILAND

This cross-sectional analytical study aimed to investigate the competency prediction equation for the performance of academic health personnel in sub-district health-promoting hospitals in the northeastern region of Thailand. There were 712 participants in the study. A questionnaire was used for data collection, and stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data with a set statistical significance level of 0.05. The results from the study revealed that the competency prediction equation for the performance of academic health personnel offered the rough value by 23.80%, R2= 0.238, AdjR2 = 0.227) from 10 variables (from the total of 20 variables). The values with the highest statistical significance were arranged in order as follow: there are 4 variables with p-value &lt; 0.001, i.e., age, the number of training related to tasks in responsibility within the past one year, the highest education level (Bachelor's degree), and gender (female) and another 6 variables consisting of a length of time working in sub-district health promoting hospitals, p-value = 0.001; the number of job training within the past one year, p-value = 0.013; the training related to tasks in responsibility within the past one year, p-value = 0.008; public health administration, p-value = 0.038; public health academic affairs, p-value = 0.028; epidemiology service, disease prevention, and control, and health risk, p-value = 0.019. The findings of this research would be applied as the guidelines to prepare a plan to develop the competency of academic health personnel in Sub-district health-promoting hospitals to promote operational expertise.

Four new species of troglomorphic Coecobrya Yosii, 1956 (Collembola, Entomobryidae) from Thailand based on morphological and molecular evidence, with an updated key of Thai troglomorphic species

Four new species of troglomorphic Coecobrya Yosii, 1956 are described from caves located in the central and northeastern regions of Thailand. Coecobrya whittenisp. nov. and C. troglobiasp. nov. are from Khon Kaen province, C. ellisisp. nov. is from Phetchabun province and C. phitsanulokensissp. nov. is from Phitsanulok province. They all exhibit remarkable troglobitic characters i.e. elongated antennae, legs and furca, slender claw complex and large body size. Coecobrya whittenisp. nov. is similar to C. troglobiasp. nov. and they were found a distance of only 3.4 km from each other. However, they are mainly different in the number of An mac on dorsal head and number of chaetae of Th. II. Likewise, C. ellisisp. nov. is similar to C. phitsanulokensissp. nov.. However, they differ in the number of An mac on the dorsal head, the number of central mac on Abd. II, central mac on Abd. IV, lateral mac on Abd. IV and the number of inner teeth of the claw. Moreover, C. ellisisp. nov. has orange pigment dots on the body, a unique character, considering that all other troglomorphic Coecobrya species in Thailand are devoid of pigmentation. The results of the molecular approach based on two partial mitochondrial markers (COI and 16S rDNA) and a nuclear gene fragment (28S rDNA) supported the results of morphological species discrimination in separating the four nominal populations as valid species. An updated dichotomous key of Thai troglomorphic Coecobrya species is also given.

Epidemic Peaks Forecasting on Re-emerging Diseases in Elderly People using the Grey Disaster Model

Climate change causes the spread of non-vector diseases due to the influence of climate uncertainty. The elderly group, which is vulnerable, is affected by such disasters. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to forecast epidemic peaks of food poisoning, which was found as one of the re-emerging diseases in elderly people in Khon Kaen Province, Maha Sarakham Province, and Roi Et Province, which are in the Northeastern region of Thailand by using 2 types of Grey Model: GM(1,1) and Discrete Grey Model (DGM). The monthly rate of food poisoning incidence per 100,000 elderly people from January 2017 to December 2020 i.e., 48 months in total were used in the study. The study result revealed that the DGM had higher forecasting effectiveness than that of the GM(1,1) in all three provinces. The food poisoning incidences in elderly people were forecasted to re-emerge from August to September 2021 in Khon Kaen Province, from August to September 2022 in Maha Sarakham Province, and from May to June 2022 in Roi Et Province. The results of this study are useful and helpful for the government, the Ministry of Public Health and related cooperatives to effectively help services planning resource preparation and prevention measures. Doi: 10.28991/esj-2021-01325 Full Text: PDF

Preventive behavior of Opisthorchiasis among people in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand

Background: Although we are in the era of the 21st-century, some people's lifestyles are still unchanged. People are still eating crude or undercooked fish, which puts them at risk for opisthorchiasis infection. This study aimed to measure knowledge and prevention behavior regarding opisthorchiasis among people resident in Ubon Ratchathani, the northeastern region of Thailand.&#x0D; Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2nd October 2018 to 26th December 2018. The data was collected via a self-administered household survey using a systematic random sampling technique. Univariate and bivariate analyses such as the chi-square test were performed. SPSS version 16 was used to analyze the data, and the significance of less than 0.05 was considered.&#x0D; Results: Four hundred and fifteen households have completed the questionnaire. Most of the participants were female (50.1%), aged 15-59 years old (75.3%), married (64.8%), had completed elementary school (46.3%), worked in agriculture (31.6%), and had a monthly salary of on average of 6,525 baht. Most of the respondents reported excellent behavior (94.2%) and good knowledge (80.5%) to prevent opisthorchiasis, respectively. However, there was no significant association between participants' characteristics and the related behavior to prevent opisthorchiasis (p&gt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: Despite efforts to educate the community, some people lack preventive knowledge and exhibit behavior associated with a higher risk of opisthorchiasis.

Challenges to obtain halal certification among restaurants in northeast Thailand

PurposeThis study aims to explore the challenges of getting halal certification for restaurants in north-eastern Thailand.Design/methodology/approachQualitative research approach was adopted to analyse the collected data. The research procedures and the interview questions were examined by the Ethics Committee for Research involving human subjects. In total, 10 restaurant owners were interviewed. Then, the interviews were transcribed, coded and grouped by using thematic analysis while the ATLAS ti. software was used for qualitative data analysis. The theme was finalised by three intercoder agreements.FindingsThe three challenges of obtaining halal certification among restaurants in north-eastern Thailand were the complicated process of getting halal certification, lack of restaurant owner commitment and high halal certification fee.Research limitations/implicationsThe number of halal-certified restaurants are limited. Some restaurants refused to renew halal status but their information is still displayed on the halal authority website. Not only the number of restaurants but also time-limited. Further, a quantitative phase for prioritising was suggested.Practical implicationsThe study can be beneficial to the halal authority and business holders as the two main stakeholders. The findings can be used to plan or develop halal strategies to increase the quality of halal restaurants. As informants mentioned common challenges, the findings could be applied as guidelines for a new business holder keen on halal implementation.Originality/valueThis research demonstrated the challenges of halal certification in a non-Muslim country, focussing on the north-eastern region of Thailand. The findings will add value to a potential business area. Therefore, the highlighted challenges could provide a novelty and be useful for Muslim marketing.

Anticancer Activities of &lt;i&gt;Phlogacanthus pulcherrimus &lt;/i&gt;T. Anderson Leaves Extract on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Phlogacanthus pulcherrimus T. Anderson (PPT) is an edible plant found in the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand. There is limited information about the anti-breast cancer activity of the ethanolic leaf extract of PPT. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an ethanolic leaf extract of PPT on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The biological effects, including cytotoxicity, cell apoptosis, colony formation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and cell migration, were determined by a means of sulforhodamine B (SRB), acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining, a clonogenic assay, flow cytometry and a scratch wound healing assay, respectively. The results demonstrated that the PPT extract showed cytotoxic on MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 119.9 ± 12.1 and 51.3 ± 4.7 μg/mL at 24 h and 48 h incubation, respectively. In addition, the extract exhibited cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner when used at a concentration of 50–100 μg/mL and inhibited colony formation with an IC50 value of 26.0 ± 2.0 μg/mL when compared with the control group. The extract induced ROS formation in a dose-dependent manner when used at a concentration of 50–100 μg/mL. The extract suppressed MCF-7 cell migration, with significant effect at 25 μg/mL. These results indicate that PPT ethanolic leaf extract has an anticancer activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells and may be useful for prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

Inconvenient truth: unsafely managed fecal sludge after achieving MDG for decades in Thailand

Abstract In most low- and middle-income countries, due to financial constraints and improper management practices, the expansion of conventional centralized systems to enhance wastewater management services is not practical. Despite the fact that the majority of the world population has met the Millennium Development Goals 7c (MDG7c) targets, more than 2.5 billion are still using unimproved sanitation facilities and affecting the safety of drinking water and public health. Because of this problem, a novel approach on ‘Non-Sewered Sanitation’ with decentralized treatment systems is being recognized as a promising alternative to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goal No. 6 (SDG6) targets on ‘Safe Water and Sanitation’ and bringing health benefits to the people. This study aimed to investigate the current status of access to improved sanitation facilities in relation to the MDG7c and SDG6 in Thailand and comparing with other countries, including the effects of unsafely managed fecal sludge (FS) on the prevalence of diarrhea and liver fluke infections. The prevailing constraints and weaknesses were identified, and effective sanitation management measures to accomplish SDG6 targets were recommended. Based on data collected from 20 cities located in the north and northeastern regions of Thailand during the period of 2015–2020, the sanitation facilities data on conventional centralized systems and FS management facilities that affect the prevalence of diarrhea and liver infections were analyzed and interpreted using statistical and response surface methodology techniques. The findings showed that most of the surveyed cities have achieved the MDG7c targets, but 70% of the FS generated from on-site sanitation systems are still unsafely managed, caused by limited expansion of sewage systems for wastewater collection and conveyance (with inadequate operation and maintenance) as well as the financial constraints, especially in areas outside of urban neighborhoods. The effective sanitation management practices to accomplish the SDG6 targets were proposed such as increasing the capacity of sanitation facilities to be 55,000 m3/day/30,000 households, designing appropriate FS collection program and treatment technology, and providing more awareness programs for safe sanitation management and health risk protection.

Evaluation of Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Measures for Sediment Yield in a Tropical Watershed in Thailand

Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) can potentially mitigate watershed degradation problems. In this study, various EbA measures were evaluated using a bio-physical model called the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), in a small, forested watershed named Hui Ta Poe, in the northeastern region of Thailand. The developed watershed model was first used to investigate the effect of various degraded watersheds due to land-use changes on the sediment yield in the study area. The most degraded watershed produced an annual average sediment yield of 13.5 tons/ha. This degraded watershed was then used to evaluate the effectiveness of various EbA measures such as reforestation, contouring, filter strips, and grassed waterways in reducing the sediment yield. Under all individual and combined EbA scenarios analyzed, there was a significant reduction in sediment yield; however, the maximum reduction of 88% was achieved with a combined scenario of reforestation, grassed waterways, and filter strips. Reforestation alone was found to be the second-best option, which could reduce the sediment yield by 84%. Contouring alone was the least effective, with a reduction in sediment yield of only 23%. This study demonstrates the usefulness of implementing EbA measures for sediment management strategies to address watershed degradation, which is a severe problem across the globe.

Developing Paradigms, Patterns, and Mechanisms for Science Teachers’ Professional Development in Area-Based Networks in Thailand

The main purpose of this research was to develop a paradigm, pattern, and mechanism for the professional development of science teachers in area networks that was consistent with the needs of educational institutions according to the key priority agenda for development. The target groups used in this study were teacher production institutions and educational institutions in the northeastern region of Thailand. Research tools included data collection forms and questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed by standard statistical methods, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, priority need index (PNI), and content analysis. The results revealed that the paradigm, pattern, and mechanism for science teachers’ professional development found in the northeastern area–based networks of Thailand were individual-based development (ID), spiral patterns (SP), and multiple networks (MN). Individual-based development was a new paradigm of professional development that emphasized the driving force and quality from within by progressive and individualized programs using students’ outcome-based development. The spiral pattern was a professional development model emphasizing self-paced learning with diversity and an integrated model through blended, action-based learning, both on-the-job training and off-the-job training, using coaching and mentoring from the teacher production institution in the area. The multiple networks were a professional development mechanism cooperating and supported by a school, university, private sector, and local and national affiliation using school-based development. The way forward is to form a professional learning community using a cooperation network in a school which acts as a mechanism to drive policies for cooperative practice. Recommendations are offered as a result of this study. The results revealed that the paradigm, pattern, and mechanism for science teachers’ professional development found in the northeastern area–based networks of Thailand were individual-based development (ID), spiral patterns (PS), and multiple networks (MN). Individual-based development was a new paradigm of professional development that emphasized the driving force and quality from within by progressive and individualized programs using students’ outcome-based development. The spiral pattern was a professional development model emphasizing self-paced learning with diversity and an integrated model through blended, action-based learning, both on-the-job training and off-the-job training, using coaching and mentoring from the teacher production institution in the area. The multiple networks were a professional development mechanism cooperating and supported by a school, university, private sector, and local and national affiliation using school-based development.

A study on Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus isolates from Northeastern Thailand: Identification, antibacterial activity, and association with entomopathogenic nematode hosts.

Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus are gram negative bacteria that can produce several secondary metabolites, including antimicrobial compounds. They have a symbiotic association with entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). The aim of this study was to isolate and identify Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus species and their associated nematode symbionts from Northeastern region of Thailand. We also evaluated the antibacterial activity of these symbiotic bacteria. The recovery rate of EPNs was 7.82% (113/1445). A total of 62 Xenorhabdus and 51 Photorhabdus strains were isolated from the EPNs. Based on recA sequencing and phylogeny, Xenorhabdus isolates were identified as X. stockiae (n = 60), X. indica (n = 1) and X. eapokensis (n = 1). Photorhabdus isolates were identified as P. luminescens subsp. akhurstii (n = 29), P. luminescens subsp. hainanensis (n = 18), P. luminescens subsp. laumondii (n = 2), and P. asymbiotica subsp. australis (n = 2). The EPNs based on 28S rDNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) analysis were identified as Steinernema surkhetense (n = 35), S. sangi (n = 1), unidentified Steinernema (n = 1), Heterorhabditis indica (n = 39), H. baujardi (n = 1), and Heterorhabditis sp. SGmg3 (n = 3). Antibacterial activity showed that X. stockiae (bMSK7.5_TH) extract inhibited several antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on mutualistic association between P. luminescens subsp. laumondii and Heterorhabditis sp. SGmg3. This study could act as a platform for future studies focusing on the discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds from these bacterial isolates.

Opisthorchis viverrini metacercarial infection in cyprinid fish in Nakhon Phanom Province, Northeastern Thailand.

Opisthorchiasis is endemic in parts of Southeast Asia, including the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand. In these regions, the transmission by fish intermediate hosts has received little attention. We investigated the intensity of Opisthorchis viverrini metacercariae (OV MC) in wild cyprinid fishes from five districts within the Nakhon Phanom Province, Northeast Thailand. Fishes were procured from local markets in five districts throughout three different seasons (hot, rainy and cold) between February 2018 and January 2019. The samples were identified, counted and weighed before metacercariae detection was performed via the artificial digestion method. A total of 2,149 freshwater fishes, representing 20 species were collected. The fish most commonly contaminated with OV MC were Anematichthys repasson and Hampala dispar. The intensity of OV MC in Nakhon Phanom was 0.23 OV MC/fish and varied among districts, ranging from 0.07 to 0.52. A low intensity of OV MC/fish (defined as <=1 cyst) was found in all three different seasons in the Nakhon Phanom Province; hot season (0.55), cold season (0.22) and the rainy season (0.13). The intensity of OV MC/fish was moderate (defined as >1 cyst) in the Renu Nakhon district (2.5) in the hot season. By fish species, H. dispar yielded the highest, with a moderate intensity of 2.1. In natural freshwater cyprinid fish in Nakhon Phanom, OV MC infection is endemic with intensity rates varying according to district, season and fish species.

Perceptions of Communities Regarding Look-Twin Sound-Twin Drugs: A Case Study of a Sub-District in the Northeastern Region of Thailand.

Background and ObjectivesLook-twin sound-twin (LTST)-drug-related problems are a worldwide concern because they are associated with safety among medication users. LTST drugs make up one of four types of potentially inappropriate medications circulating within communities. The present study investigates people’s perspectives on characteristics of LTST drugs, their experience of use, and abilities to differentiate LTST drugs.MethodsThe research was conducted via a survey. The data were collected through interviews with individuals aged between 18 and 75 from 330 households during the period November 2017–February 2019.ResultsThe majority of the participants, accounting for 97.9% of the interviewees were found to have experienced or used them previously. The essential features that enabled the participants to identify LTST drug pairs were similarities in terms of their appearance (93.6%), packaging (82.7%), medication names (76.1%), and medication labels (70.6%). The majority of the interviewees were unable to differentiate between the drugs in LTST drug pairs. In fact, while the drugs in one LTST drug pairs were distinguished accurately with the rate of 79.4%, 44 pairs of drugs were separated accurately by less than 35%. Furthermore, drugs in eight LTST drug pairs could not be accurately differentiated.ConclusionLTST-drugs-related problems in communities arise from the lack of a monitoring system and effective law enforcement. In fact, they are associated with people’s safety in medication use, for most people are unable to distinguish differences among LTST drugs due to their similarities in terms of packaging, physical appearances, and drug names.

Screening of Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Fermented Pak-Sian for Use as a Starter Culture

The objective of this research was to evaluate the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from fermented Pak-Sian, a traditional Thai food in the northeastern region of Thailand (Kalasin, Sakon Nakhon, Maha Sarakham, and Khon Kaen Provinces). A total of 61 LAB isolates isolated from selective MRS agar were screened by SDS-PAGE and identified by 16S rDNA analysis. Seventeen bacterial strains were found consisting of Pediococcus pentosaceus (6 strains) Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (5 strains), Levilactobacillus brevis (1 strain), Lactobacillus fermentum (3 strains), and Weissella cibaria (2 strains). A PH tree grouped 17 LAB strains into 5 clusters with three clusters only recorded from Sakon Nakhon Province. All strains were tested for probiotic properties. Results showed that 14 strains had the ability to resist pH 2.5 as resistant to bile salts and survive in gastric juices and the intestinal tract. LAB demonstrated antimicrobial activity against 4 pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus TISTR746, Salmonella typhimurium TISTR1472, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, and Bacillus cereus TISTR1449. Most LAB strains were resistant to all antibiotics tested, while some Lactobacillus strains were moderately susceptible to chloramphenicol, rifampicin, and ampicillin. None of the 14 strains produced biogenic amine and eight showed no hemolysis activity, indicating the safety of these strains. These 8 strains were selected to determine mucin adhesion capacity. Lactobacillus fermentum SK324 and Levilactobacillus brevis SK335 showed the highest adhesion capacity of 2.39 and 2.34%, respectively. These two strains showed promise as alternative starter cultures to improve probiotic health benefits of local fermented Pak-Sian products as a functional food.