Phayao Province Research Articles

Factors influencing quality of life (QOL) amongst elderly caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS in Phayao province, Thailand: a cross-sectional study

Background: There are many impacts on quality of life among elderly people living with HIV patients. This study aimed to assess factors influencing quality of life among elderly people living with HIV/AIDS in a northern province of Thailand. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Phayao province, Thailand. A systematic sampling technique was employed to select study participants. 152 elderly participants aged 60 years and older with a family member living with HIV/AIDS were recruited to the study. They were interviewed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Older Adults Module (WHOQOL-OLD) questionnaire. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the factors influencing quality of life among elderly people affected by family member living with HIV/AIDS. Results: The results of the study showed the mean age of elderly participants was 67.20 + 52 years, most of which were female (97 persons, 63.8%). The mean time taking care of HIV/AIDS patients was 6.61 + 4.96 years. In term of health status among the elderly participants, the majority did not have chronic diseases (61.4%), amongst those with chronic diseases (38.6%), hypertension and diabetes were the most common. The average quality of life score was at a fair level. The time taking care of HIV/AIDS patients and health status were significant predictors of quality of life among participants 8.1 % ( R 2=.081; p < .05). Conclusion: In order to improve quality of life among elderly caregivers to family member living with HIV/AIDS, time taking care of HIV/AIDS patients and health status should be focused on, amongst other factors. Help and support from the government, community, health organizations, academic research, and family members can help improve quality of life amongst the elderly.

First report of fruit rot on cantaloupe caused by Fusarium equiseti in Thailand

Fruit rot is one of the most important diseases of cantaloupe. In June 2016, fruit rot was found in cantaloupe fruit (Cucumis melo var. cantalupo) in Phayao Province, Thailand. The causal fungus was isolated from lesions and identified as Fusarium equiseti based on both morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA, translation elongation factor 1-alpha and β-tubulin genes. Cantaloupe fruit inoculated with the isolated fungus developed symptoms similar to natural ones in the field. This is the first report of cantaloupe fruit rot caused by F. equiseti in Thailand.

Factors influencing quality of life (QOL) amongst elderly caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS in Phayao province, Thailand: a cross-sectional study.

Background: There are many impacts on quality of life among elderly people living with HIV patients. This study aimed to assess factors influencing quality of life among elderly people living with HIV/AIDS in a northern province of Thailand. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Phayao province, Thailand. A systematic sampling technique was employed to select study participants. 152 elderly participants aged 60 years and older with a family member living with HIV/AIDS were recruited to the study. They were interviewed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Older Adults Module (WHOQOL-OLD) questionnaire. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the factors influencing quality of life among elderly people affected by family member living with HIV/AIDS. Results: The results of the study showed the mean age of elderly participants was 67.20 + 52 years, most of which were female (97 persons, 63.8%). The mean time taking care of HIV/AIDS patients was 6.61 + 4.96 years. In term of health status among the elderly participants, the majority did not have chronic diseases (61.4%), amongst those with chronic diseases (38.6%), hypertension and diabetes were the most common. The average quality of life score was at a fair level. The time taking care of HIV/AIDS patients and health status were significant predictors of quality of life among participants 8.1 % ( R 2 =.081; p < .05). Conclusion: In order to improve quality of life among elderly caregivers to family member living with HIV/AIDS, time taking care of HIV/AIDS patients and health status should be focused on, amongst other factors. Help and support from the government, community, health organizations, academic research, and family members can help improve quality of life amongst the elderly.

Carbon flow and management in regional rice production in Thailand

This research aims to study the Carbon (C) flow, stock and management in rice production system, including rice cultivation, rice processing and management of rice by-products. The study boundaries are the rice production systems of four districts in Phayao province and the assessment technique is Material Flow Analysis (MFA). The results show that there was a positive C stock each year from large input of biomass residue. However, C loss from soil respiration still was very high because of the long fallow period. Straw was plowed back to the soil and tilled just a few days before flooding time causing high methane emissions at the beginning of cultivation. The recommendations for technology and management practices include harvesting straw for composting and returning the compost to soil, plowing the rest of the straw back to soil more than 30 days before the flooding period, accepting crop rotation practice instead of leaving the land fallow and finally, setting up a gasification or pyrolysis plant using straw to produce energy and by-product of bio-char for farmer to return it back to the soil. Applying feed-in-tariff or incentives like C-credit for reducing methane and C-credit for increasing C stock in the soil are also recommended.

The Guideline for Shopping Tourism Development to Promote Tourism in Phayao, Thailand

This research aims to study the situation of shopping tourism in Phayao province, to examine factors affecting decision making for product and service purchasing of Thai tourists and to present the shopping guideline of shopping tourism for tourism promotion in Phayao Province. Qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to this research. By interview was implemented as a qualitative approached instrument to collect data from 30 shopping tourism stakeholders. In addition, questionnaires were applied to this research as quantitative method in order to verify data between two approaching techniques. 400 Thai tourists were asked about the factors affecting the decision to purchase goods and services for tourism among Thai tourist in Phayao Province. The results have illustrated that. The factors affecting their decision to purchase the souvenir is the taste and the quality of the product. They tend to buy the products from the shop they have bought before. The majority amount of money of the respondents was spent on food. Product, Price, Place, Promotion, and Package factors are respectively ranged in high level. The Guideline Shopping Tourism Development for Promotion Tourism in Phayao Province has established the goals based on 5 marketing components which are product, price, place, promotion, and package. Qualitative data was collected from 9 tourism entrepreneurial representatives in both government and private sectors using focus group technique. The factors considered in the findings of this study include accommodation business, restaurant and beverage business, souvenir business, and local community business producing souvenir.

The effect of the behavior modification program Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) on reducing the risk of hypertension among elderly patients in the rural community of Phayao, Thailand.

AimThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) program with self-efficacy on reducing the risk of hypertension among elderly patients in the rural community of Phayao Province in Northern Thailand.Patients and methodsA quasi-experimental study was employed among elderly patients in the rural community of Phayao. Multistage random sampling was used to select a study area with similar characteristics. Ninety elderly participants were placed in the intervention group and 85 elderly participants from the same village were placed in the control group. The intervention group used the behavior modification guidelines of the DASH program with self-efficacy for 3 months, including 45-minute weekly group education meetings, 25-minute group activity training sessions, and a 15-minute individual checklist. A control group received no intervention. Data were collected by using self-administered questionnaires. The analyses included descriptive statistics, the Mann−Whitney U-test, and sample t-testing. Three different time periods were examined using repeated measures ANOVA.ResultsMore than half of the participants (65.7%) were aged 60–69 years. The results from comparison of the intervention and control groups showed that the perceived severity of hypertension and self-efficacy had increased and preventive behaviors toward hypertension had improved in both groups. There were statistically significant differences after the intervention and at 3-month follow-up (P<0.001). After the intervention, the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure of the elderly people in the intervention group had decreased (P<0.001)ConclusionThe behavior modification guidelines of the DASH program with self-efficacy, were effective in improving the mean score of perceived severity, self-efficacy, and preventive behaviors among elderly participants with a high risk of hypertension. Furthermore, the program was effective in lowering blood pressure and it may be useful in controlling stage 1 hypertension in elderly people.

Pulmonary tuberculosis screening and quality of life among migrant workers, Northern Thailand.

The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) and to assess the quality of life and depression among the migrant workers in northern Thailand. A cross-sectional study was conducted to elicit information among migrant workers in Chiang Rai and Pha Yao provinces, northern Thailand. Several standard forms including GeneXpert were used for data collection. A simple random sampling was used to select the companies and the study sample. Interview was conducted in a confidential room. Chi-square was used to detect the association between variables at the significant level α = 0.05. Totally 467 migrant workers were recruited into the study, 97.9% were Myanmar national, 55.7% were males, and 51.4% were aged > 32 years. Only 2.1% were living in Thailand illegally, 23.8% had no health insurance, and 92.1% had monthly income at < 20,000 baht. Eight cases (1.71%) were at risk of TB disease from the screening, only one case was positive for TB disease from GeneXpert, and no multi-drug resistant detected. 47.5% had a low level of knowledge and 28.7% had a negative attitude on TB prevention and care. 10.7% were in a moderate to severe stage of depression. Six variables were found the significant associated with quality of life; ethnicity, sex, marital status, income, length of working in Thailand, and insurance. Besides active TB surveillance system, inter-country public health policy should be developed to cope with depression problem and improve quality of life among the migrant in Thailand.

Molecular epidemiology and clinical features of hand, foot and mouth disease in northern Thailand in 2016: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundHand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a major communicable disease in children ≤6 years old, particularly in several countries in the Asia-Pacific Region, including Thailand. HFMD impacts public health and the economy, especially in northern Thailand.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted to estimate the incidence rate and to identify the serotype and clinical features of HFMD among children in northern Thailand. A validated questionnaire and throat swab were used for data collection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect human enterovirus and identify its serotypes. Participants were recruited from 14 hospitals in two provinces in northern Thailand, specifically, Chiang Rai and Pha Yao Province, between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test was used to detect the associations of signs and symptoms with HFMD serotype. Logistic regression was used to detect the associations of variables with a positive enterovirus at alpha = 0.05.ResultIn total, 612 children aged ≤6 years from Chiang Rai and Pha Yao Province who were diagnosed with HFMD by a throat swab were recruited for the analysis. Approximately half of the cohort was male (57.2%), 57.5% was aged < 2 years, and 57.5% lived in rural areas. The incidence rate was 279.72/100,000 person-years in Chiang Rai Province and 321.24 per 100,000 person-years in Pha Yao Province. Additionally, 42.5% of children were positive for human enterovirus; among these children, 56.1% were positive for enterovirus-A (EV-A), 17.7% were positive for coxsackievirus (CV), and 26.2% were positive for other human RNA enteroviruses. During the study period, 21 distinct outbreaks of HFMD were recognized. Four to five patients (total 92 patients) were selected from each outbreak for identifying its serotype; enterovirus-A71 (EV-A71) was detected in 34.8% of HFMD cases, coxsackievirus-A16 (CV-A16) in 26.1%, coxsackivirus-A6 (CV-A6) in 15.2%, coxsackievirus-A10 (CV-A10) in 10.9%, coxsackievirus-A4 (CV-A4) in 2.2%, coxsackievirus-B2 (CV-B2) in 2.2%, human rhinovirus in 2.2%, and unknown serotype in 6.4%. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that a history of breastfeeding for ≤6 months was associated with a higher chance of enterovirus infection than a history of breastfeeding > 6 months, and children who had mother who worked as farmers, daily wage employees, and unprofessional skilled jobs had a greater chance of enterovirus infection than those who had unemployed mothers. Coxsackievirus-infected children had a higher rate of rashes on the buttocks, knee, and elbow and fever but a lower rate of lethargy and malaise than EV-A71-infected children.ConclusionsEV-A71 is a major cause of HFMD in children < 6 years old in northern Thailand, but rash, fever, and mouth ulcers are mostly found in participants with coxsackievirus infection. Breastfeeding should be promoted during early childhood for at least 6 months to prevent HFMD particularly those mother who are working in unprofessional skill jobs.

First report of gummy stem blight caused by Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum on cantaloupe in Thailand

Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. cantalupo) has become an economically important crop in Thailand and the fruit is popular among consumers. In June 2016, gummy stem blight, an important disease of cucurbits, was found on cantaloupe in Phayao Province, Thailand. The causal fungus was isolated from lesions and identified as Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of combined sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and large subunit regions of ribosomal DNA, and β-tubulin genes. The isolated fungus caused symptoms of gummy stem blight on inoculated cantaloupe, which were similar to the natural symptoms observed in the field. This is the first report in Thailand of gummy stem blight disease on cantaloupe caused by S. cucurbitacearum.

The Guidelines of Product Design from the Vetivers Grass Fiber Innovation (Case Study of the Handicraft Product Group, Phayao Province)

This research aims to study the process and the physical property of the vitiate grass fiber by spinning vetiver grass with other natural fibers such as cotton, SamiaRicini, silk and plastic fiber such as plastic rope, wire rope and straw rope. The exploration was conducted by Ban KoSoa women group cooperative settlement, Ban Kae Mai handicraft product group and Ban Don Chai handicraft product group in Pusang District, Phayao Province. The physical properties examination, namely: ASTMD 1059:2001 Standard Test Method for Fiber Size, ASTM D 2256: 2002 Standard Test Method for Fiber Toughness with Hardness and Flexibility fiber Equipment, the results of examination would be brought to determinate for the handicraft product development design. The results from this exploration revealed that the fiber size was 0.73-0.15Ne, the tenacity (toughness) as maximum tensile strength was 4.75-9.97 kgf and the elongation at break was 7.73-11.48 percentages. The vetiver grass fiber mixed with straw rope had the tenacity as maximum tensile strength with differently at the statistically significant level of .05, the tenacity as maximum tensile strength average at 9.9 kgf, the vetiver grass fiber mixed with cotton fiber had the tenacity as maximum tensile strength with differently at the statistically significant level of .05, the tenacity as maximum tensile strength average at 6.60 kgf. The vetiver grass fiber mixed with wire rope had the highest elongation at break with differently at the statistically significant level of .05 by with the elongation break was 11.48 percentage. The vetiver grass fiber mixed with SamiaRicini fiber had the elongation break point with differently at the statistically significant level at .05, the elongation at break was 11.6 percentage. According to the handicraft product development guideline from the physical property of the vetiver grass fiber on the basis of this finding, the strength fiber as the vetiver grass fiber mixed with straw rope fiber or cotton fiber could be used for supporting weight product requirement, the elasticity fiber as the vetiver grass fiber mixed with straw rope fiber or SamiaRicini could be used for product which soft and flexibility requirement, the utility from using fiber color that spinning for beauty could be used the vetiver grass fiber that spinning and mixed with other fiber.

Herbidospora soli sp. nov., isolated from soil.

A novel actinomycete strain PS42-9T, which formed short chains of spores borne on the tip of long sporophores arising from the substrate mycelium, was isolated from soil in Phu-Sang National Park, Phayao province, Thailand. The isolate contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The whole-cell sugars of strain PS42-9T were glucose, madurose, mannose, rhamnose and ribose. The characteristic phospholipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine and ninhydrin-positive glycophospholipids. The major menaquinone was MK-10(H4). The main cellular fatty acids were C17 : 1ω8c and C17 : 0. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 71.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain PS42-9T should be classified in the genus Herbidospora and was closely related to Herbidospora sakaeratensis DMKUA 205T (99.10 %) and Herbidospora yilanensis NBRC 106371T (98.61 %). The result of DNA-DNA hybridization and some physiological and biochemical properties indicated that strain PS42-9T could be readily distinguished from its closest phylogenetic relatives. On the basis of these phenotypic and genotypic data, this strain represents a novel species, for which the name Herbidospora soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PS42-9T (=BCC 46909T=NBRC 108780T).

Size distribution, characterization and risk assessment of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during haze periods in Phayao Province, northern Thailand

This study aims to investigate the concentrations and distributions of particulate matters and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (p-PAHs) in different inhalable fractions during haze periods in Phayao Province, northern Thailand and identify their possible emission sources through the characteristic ratios of selected PAHs, then determine an estimate of the potential lung cancer risk. The particulate samples were collected during haze periods between February 18 and April 8, 2014 and non-haze period from June 17 to 22, 2014 using an eight-stage cascade impactor. Each filter sample was weighed, ultrasonically extracted with acetonitrile, and then analyzed by SIM-GC-MS to identify 16 PAHs. The experimental results show that the concentrations of ultrafine (d ae < 0.4 μm), fine (0.4 μm < d ae < 2.1 μm), and coarse (d ae > 2.1 μm) particles during haze periods were in the range of 14.98–26.52 μg m−3, 62.57–101.52 μg m−3, and 55.27–89.68 μg m−3, respectively; whereas, their concentrations of 16 PAHs were in the range of 7.82–36.06 ng m−3, 26.66–61.89 ng m−3, and 9.35–30.93 ng m−3, respectively. The p-PAH distribution profiles during the haze periods were bimodal in coarse and accumulation modes, which are closely related to their particle size distributions. The characteristic ratios of BaP/BgP and INP/(BgP+InP) adsorbed on ultrafine and fine particles were 0.81–0.88 and 0.38–0.86 and 0.54–0.57 and 0.44–0.52, respectively. The values of B[a]Peq observed during haze periods varied from 9.57 to 29.05 ng m−3. Estimated lifetime cancer risks during haze periods ranged from 8.324 to 25.27 additional cases per 10,000 people exposed, which is about 10 times higher than that during non-haze period.

Impact of a Food Safety Campaign on Streptococcus suis Infection in Humans in Thailand.

AbstractStreptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen in swine and humans that causes sepsis and meningitis. Our previous study in Thailand showed that the prevalence of S. suis infection in humans, especially in northern areas of Thailand, and the transmission of the pathogen occurred mainly through the consumption of traditional raw pork products. Considering the high incidence proportion and mortality rate of the disease as an important public health problem, we implemented a food safety campaign in the Phayao Province in northern Thailand in 2011. We evaluated the effects of a food safety campaign by comparing the sociodemographic, clinical, and bacteriological characteristics of cases before and after the campaign. The follow-up study showed a marked decrease of the incidence proportion in the first 2 years, indicating the effectiveness of the campaign. In the third year, however, the incidence proportion slightly increased again, indicating the existence of deep-rooted cultural behaviors and the necessity of continuous public health intervention. Furthermore, epidemiological analysis of the cases made it possible to estimate the infectivity of the pathogen via the oral route of infection. In the present study, we showed the effectiveness of the food safety campaign for controlling the S. suis infection, and we present a role model public health intervention for prevalent areas affected by S. suis infection in humans.

Forecasting the Spread of Seasonal Influenza Epidemics by Neural Networks with Spatial Data

Influenza is considered a seasonal disease in humans that should be closely monitored annually. Although most influenza sufferers can recover within a week without requiring medical attention for the fever and other symptoms, it can cause serious illness or death especially in young, old or weak people. An influenza surveillance system is one of the principle methods used for detecting influenza epidemics, using short-period monitoring. However, these networks providently present information on the activities of influenza, acquiring completed surveillance data from every medical station is profusely difficult by many factors. This research aims to propose a performance model of multi-layer neural networks for influenza epidemic forecasting in Phayao province, Thailand in 2013. The spatial data and non-spatial data are used to implement the model. The conducted experiments showed that the model gave a forecasting accuracy of 96.20% and produced an improved performance when compared with other algorithms. The proposed forecasting model was developed to be of advantage to health authorities in the planning and administration of a suitable strategy to treat and reduce the number of influenza cases in Thailand.

Life Quality and Way of Life Style of Prototype of Sufficiency Economy at Dokbua Village, Phayao Province, Thailand

Life Quality and Way of Life Style of Prototype of Sufficiency Economy at Dokbua Village, Phayao Province, Thailand

Serotypes of Streptococcus suis isolated from healthy pigs in Phayao Province, Thailand

BackgroundStreptococcus suis (S. suis) is an important swine and human pathogen. There are 33 serotypes that have been described. Zoonotic cases are very common the Northern part of Thailand, especially in Phayao Province. However, the prevalence of S. suis and, more particularly the different serotypes, in pigs in this region is poorly known and needed to be addressed.The context and purpose of the studyDistribution of S. suis serotypes varies depending on the geographical area. Knowledge of the serotype distribution is important for epidemiological studies. Consequently, 180 tonsil samples from slaughterhouse pigs in Phayao Province had been collected for surveillance, from which 196 S. suis isolates were recovered. Each isolate was subcultured and its serotype identified using multiplex PCR. Slide agglutination combined with precipitation tests were used following multiplex PCR to differentiate the isolates showing similar sizes of amplified products specific to either serotype 1 or 14 and 2 or 1/2. Non-typable isolates by multiplex PCR were serotyped by the coagglutination test.ResultsOf the 196 isolates, 123 (62.8%) were typable and 73 (37.2%) were non-typable. This study revealed the presence of serotypes 1, 1/2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, and 30. Serotype 23 was the most prevalent (20/196, 10.2%), followed by serotype 9 (16/196, 8.2%), serotype 7 (16/196, 8.2%), and serotype 2 (11/196, 5.6%). The latter is the serotype responsible for most human cases.ConclusionAlmost all serotypes previously described are present in Northern Thailand. Therefore, this report provides useful data for future bacteriological studies.

The associated factors of HBV and/or HCV with HIV co-infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Northern region of Thailand, 2015

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at higher risk for co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) than the general population . The co-infection accelerates disease progression reciprocally. This study purposed to investigate th e prevalence and the associated factors with HBV and/or HCV co-infection with HIV among MSM in North ern region Thailand in 2015. A case-control study design was conducted by a hospital-based in anti-re troviral (ARV) clinic. 31 of 51 hospitals in the Phayao, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai province were rec ruited in this study. The result was found 374 total participants who were registered patients in ARV clinic inPhayao84 cases (22.5 %), Chiang Mai 17 0 (45.5%) and Chiang Rai120 (32.1%). The participants were 30-43 year old (47.1%), followed by 16–29 years old (29.9%), and 44–57 years old (19.8%). The majority of occupational were employee (50.0%), follow by merchant (24.9%) and agriculturist (9.4%) .The univariate analysis with a significant α level of 0.05were found six factors had significantly associ ation with HBV and/or HCV with HIV co-infection including (1) age range (2) smoking behavior (3) to ngue piercing, (4) Stavudine drug taking, (5) Tenof ivir drug taking and (6) Nevirapine drug taking. Moreove r, the binary logistic regression at a significant α level of 0.05, after controlling for all possible c onfounding factors, were found four factors signifi cantly association with co-infection including (1) age bet ween 30-43 year old had the risk of co-infection 2. 42 times [odds ratio (OR) = 2.42, 95% confidence inter val (CI) = 1.14–5.14] higher than those who had age range 16-29 year old, (2) smoking behavior in the p articipants had the risk of co-infection 2.05 times (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.12–3.76) higher than no smoking behavior. (3)Tongue piercing in the participants ha d the risk of co-infection 6.82 times (OR = 6.70, 95% CI = 1.12–40.19) higher than no tongue piercing an d (4) Tenofivir drug taking had the risk of co-infect ion 4.30 (OR = 4.30, 95% CI = 2.37–7.84) more than no taking drug. Therefore, enhancing the surveillance and targeted prevention of viral hepatitis includin g improved disease prevention, vaccination coverage, sanitation and food safety, safer sex and efficienc y healthcare delivery

Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Raillietina spp. (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) from Domestic Chickens in Thailand.

Raillietina species are prevalent in domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Phayao province, northern Thailand. Their infection may cause disease and death, which affects the public health and economic situation in chicken farms. The identification of Raillietina has been based on morphology and molecular analysis. In this study, morphological observations using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopies (SEM) coupled with molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) gene were employed for precise identification and phylogenetic relationship studies of Raillietina spp. Four Raillietina species, including R. echinobothrida, R. tetragona, R. cesticillus, and Raillietina sp., were recovered in domestic chickens from 4 districts in Phayao province, Thailand. LM and SEM observations revealed differences in the morphology of the scolex, position of the genital pore, number of eggs per egg capsule, and rostellar opening surface structures in all 4 species. Phylogenetic relationships were found among the phylogenetic trees obtained by the maximum likelihood and distance-based neighbor-joining methods. ITS2 and ND1 sequence data recorded from Raillietina sp. appeared to be monophyletic. The query sequences of R. echinobothrida, R. tetragona, R. cesticillus, and Raillietina sp. were separated according to the different morphological characters. This study confirmed that morphological studies combined with molecular analyses can differentiate related species within the genus Raillietina in Thailand.

Propolis extracts from the northern region of Thailand suppress cancer cell growth through induction of apoptosis pathways

The continual increase in mortality rates and number of cancer cases is a matter of serious concern in developing countries. The incorporation of natural products into classical cancer treatment approaches is a promising direction. The mechanisms of A549 and HeLa cancer cell death induction by ethanolic extracts of propolis samples from Phayao, Chiang Mai, and Nan provinces in northern Thailand were investigated in this study. The propolis extract from Chiang Mai showed the highest antioxidant activity and the greatest total phenolic content. The propolis extract from Nan also exhibited the highest total flavonoid content. The proliferation of A549 and HeLa cells grown in the presence of the propolis extracts was suppressed in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment of both cancer cells with the propolis extracts showed DNA fragmentation and significantly increased the number of the apoptotic cells. On A549 cells, the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of caspase enzymes were activated by the propolis extracts from Phayao and Chiang Mai. In the case of the propolis extract from Nan, the mechanisms involved apoptosis on the A549 cells were caspase-independent pathway. The extrinsic pathway of the caspase enzyme was triggered by all of the propolis extracts on HeLa cells. Finally, oral administration of the propolis granule produced from the propolis extract from Nan resulted in extended survival of tumour-bearing mice. Therefore, propolis extracts from the northern region of Thailand demonstrated pharmacological properties, both antioxidant and anticancer activities. From these findings, it is evident that propolis extracts can be considered as a naturally obtained agent extremely useful in cancer treatment.

Predatory thrips species composition, their prey and host plant association in Northern Thailand

A survey of predatory thrips, their prey and associated host plants was carried out from February 2013 to February 2014 in Chiang Rai, Phayao, Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Lampang provinces in Northern Thailand. The survey revealed 10 species of predatory thrips in 5 genera in the Family Phlaeothripidae. They were: Aleurodothrips fasciapennis (Franklin), Androthrips flavipes Schmutz, Androthrips ramachandrai Karny, Karnyothrips flavipes (Jones), two indeterminate Karnyothrips sp.1 and sp.2, Leptothrips sp., Podothrips lucasseni (Krüger), and two indeterminate Podothrips sp. 1, and sp. 2. Eleven species of insect and mite pests serving as prey were found associated with 16 species of host plants in 13 families. They were: scale insects, Coccus viridis (Green) and two Coccus spp.; spiraling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus Russell; unidentified gall-making Hemiptera; coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari); unidentified crambid lepidopterous larvae; Kanzawa spider mite, Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida; santol gall mite, Eriophyes sandorici Nelepa; litchi rust mite, Aceria litchii (Keifer); and bamboo green mite, Aponychus corpuzae Rimando. The findings from this investigation could provide basic information necessary for further investigation in the use of some of these predatory thrips as biological control agents of insect and mite pests of economic importance in Thailand.