South Asian Region Research Articles

Decision Support Systems Based on a Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis to Promote a Whole-of-Resource Approach for Water Management, with a Case Study of Rural Bengaluru in India

The sustainable availability and resilient supply of safe drinking water remains a challenge that is far from fulfilled. As of 2024, around 2 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water. The regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are the most vulnerable regions in this regard. This is despite the fact that these regions are home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies. However, economic growth and rapid urbanization may also be connected to the increasing water stress in the suburban and rural areas. We propose addressing the two main challenges in this regard, which are the selection of the suitable treatment and distribution systems for different contexts using a decision support system following a Whole-of-Resource Approach (WORA). This approach considers the different water sources and sinks as contributing to a positive or negative change in the single resource, irrespective of whether the resource, in this case water, is used for domestic, industrial, or agricultural purposes. In this regard, this paper presents an illustrative proof of concept for such a decision support tool based on a multiple-criteria decision analysis. The decision support tool is aimed at facilitating water management within a WORA by providing recommendations regarding rainwater harvesting and savings in agricultural water consumption, in addition to suggesting water treatment and distribution systems, enabling systemic water resource management adapted to local context-specific conditions and needs.

Epidemeiology of Burns in Peadiatric Patients in Pakistan: A Systemic Review

Burns are graded as the fourth most common trauma type globally followed by other traumas including accidents, interpersonal violence and falls. South Asian regions account for 187- 243 incidences of burns in adults per hundred thousand annually. Moreover, about 22.5% of all burns occur in children and youth. 42% of those in children between the ages of 5 to 16 years old. Whereas Pakistan lacks national data and cannot measure the burn burden annually. Due to the lack of clinical and epidemiological studies on burns in pediatrics patients in Pakistan, we performed this study. This systemic review study aimed at summarizing available Pakistan’s epidemiological data, based on national studies in the past 32 years. The data of our systemic review were collected from six search engines, i.e. PubMed, Google Scholar, PakMediNet, Scopus, Springer and DOAJ. The studies which were reviewed for the article were from 1990 to 2022. The articles of nonhuman participants, duplication and lacking in primary focus were excluded. The PRISMA guidelines were used. A total of 11 articles were included out of which 4 are from Islamabad ICT, 2 from Sindh, 1 from Balochistan and 4 from Punjab. The overall gender ratio shows male dominance of 55.83 %. Scald burn were recorded at a higher percentage of 48.7%. The mean TBSA recorded in this research was 17%. The mean mortality rate of all the studies shows a percentage of 14.84%. More research studies are needed to be done in the areas lacking information about the victims of burn injuries so that policymakers know the actual figure of the injuries with whom they have to deal.

Public Health Impacts on Economic Growth in Developing Countries: An Analytical Review of Research

This paper identifies an analytical review of the study on how public health impacts economic growth in developing countries of South Asia such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka by using the data from 2009 to 2023 by WDI. This research used the panel data framework for data analysis. Overall panel regression finding shows that the effect of public health such as capital stock and life expectancy on sustainable economic growth is positive. Furthermore, fertility rate and mortality rate negative impact on GDP or sustainable economic growth in South Asia region of developing countries. These findings suggest that sustainable economic growth can be improved by increasing public health facilities as a result, sustainable economic growth improves. The study also suggested recommendations for policy options and innovative solutions that lead to improved economic growth.

Building-SAT: a whole building life cycle assessment tool framework to quantify the global warming potential of buildings in South Asian Region

Building-SAT: a whole building life cycle assessment tool framework to quantify the global warming potential of buildings in South Asian Region

Control Of Corruption In Moderating The Effect Of Per Capita Income And Shadow Economy On Tax Revenue

The less optimal tax revenue, the low level of income, the large proportion of shadow economy in the economies and the high level of corruption are problems for development. This study tries to revisit the linkage of these four development problems, and find out how corruption control conducted by the government can strengthen or weaken the impact of per capita income and shadow economy activities on tax revenue. A dataset of eighteen countries in the South Asia and Asia-Pacific region from 2002 to 2017 is analyzed using panel data regression. It was found that per capita income and government efforts to control corruption significantly have a positive effect on tax revenue, while the shadow economy significantly has a negative effect on tax revenue. Furthermore, as a moderating variable, government efforts to control corruption can significantly reduce the negative effect of the shadow economy on tax revenue. This finding suggests the urgency of controlling corruption by the government to optimize tax revenue, thereby overcoming development problems.

Global, regional and national burdens of nutritional deficiencies, from 1990 to 2019.

The epidemiological and burden characteristics of nutritional deficiencies (ND) have been evolving, and it is crucial to identify geographical disparities and emerging trends. This study aimed to analyse the global, regional and national trends in the burden of ND over the past 30 years. Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 database for the period 1990-2019. The study examined the incidence rates and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) of ND at various levels. Globally, the incidence rate of ND decreased from 2226·2 per 100000 in 2019 to 2096·3 per 100000 in the same year, indicating a decline of 5·8 %. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) was -0·21 (-0·31, -0·11). Similarly, DALY, prevalence and mortality rates of ND exhibited significant declines (AAPC = -3·21 (-3·45, -2·96), AAPC = -0·53 (-0·55, -0·51) and AAPC = -4·97 (-5·75, -4·19), respectively). The incidence rate of ND varied based on age group, sex, cause and geographical area. Moreover, a negative association was observed between incidence and the sociodemographic index. At the regional level, the South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa regions had the highest incidence rates of ND. In conclusion, the global incidence rate of ND showed a mixed pattern, while the DALY rate consistently declined. Additionally, prevalence and mortality rates of ND decreased between 1990 and 2019.

Demographic and Clinicopathological Spectrum of Gallbladder Carcinoma in a Tertiary Care Centre in Jharkhand: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Gallbladder carcinoma is a rare but aggressive cancer of adults that affects females more than males. Its occurrence is more common in the regions of South America and Asia. Chronic inflammation and cholelithiasis are frequently associated risk factors of gallbladder carcinoma. The incidental discovery of a gallbladder carcinoma during cholecystectomy, gross or microscopic examination of the unsuspected gallbladder specimens is termed incidental gallbladder carcinoma (IGBC). Considering the lack of extensive studies on gallbladder carcinoma in the Eastern region of India, especially in Jharkhand, this study has been done to present the demographic and clinicopathological characteristics of gallbladder carcinoma in this region. Methods A retrospective and descriptive study was done at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, a tertiary care center in Jharkhand. The study sample comprised 2386 gall bladder casesreceived in the Department of Pathology over five years, from December 2018 to December 2023. Results Of 2368 specimens, 25 cases (n=25) were reported as primary gallbladder carcinoma. The female-to-male ratio was 4:1. Pain was the most common complaint by the patients. Of the 25 cases, 12 were suspected intra-operatively or diagnosed microscopically (IGBC). Most showed a mass at the neck. In six cases, no gross mass/lesion was seen. Cholelithiasis is present in 19/25 cases.Most cases showed adenocarcinoma (not otherwise specified). Out of the adenocarcinoma cases, most were well differentiated. At the time of diagnosis, most were at the pT2 stage. Twelve cases of IGBC were found. Eight out of 12 IGBC were early-stage carcinoma when diagnosed. Conclusion Twenty-five cases of gallbladder carcinoma were diagnosed in the last five years in our center, with 19 (76%) of them associated with cholelithiasis. Twelve (48%) of the cases were incidentally diagnosed either preoperatively or during gross/microscopic examination, and eight (66%) of those were discovered early, out of which five (62.5%) were observed to be in the T1b stage. At this stage, there is a diversion from the general surgical management of gallbladder carcinoma for a better prognosis. This underscores the significance of routine histopathological examination of gallbladder specimens, even if there is no preoperative suspicion of gallbladder carcinoma.

Causative Analysis of Domestic Violence against Women in Punjab, Pakistan

Domestic violence against women is a significant issue globally, particularly in developing regions of Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. Many movements have been initiated to preserve human rights, advocating for women in developing countries like Pakistan. Despite addressing this issue, the desired outcomes have not been achieved. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the causative patterns of Domestic Violence against Women (DVAW) in Punjab, Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the divisional districts of Punjab, Pakistan, using snowball sampling. Data were collected using an interview schedule among 216 married and divorced/separated victims of DVAW. Cross tabulation and logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze data. Results showed that economic exploitation was a significant cause of domestic violence (56%), leading to separation/divorce (27.8%). Women often experienced threats of divorce (50%), killing (44%), and kicking out (50%). Younger women, particularly those aged less than 20 years, 21–25, and 26–30, were more vulnerable to domestic violence. Education was a protective factor, with illiterate women experiencing a higher probability of domestic violence (OR = 14.693, p = 0.001) compared to highly educated women. Extended family patterns and unemployment were associated with an increased probability of domestic violence. The present study also concluded that immediate and multidimensional actions are needed to address this issue.

Impact of Health and Non-health Inputs on Health Outcomes: A Comparative Study of South Asia, Southeast Asia, BRICS and ASEAN Regions

This study assessed the impact of health and non-health factors on crude death rate, infant mortality rate and life expectancy at birth across 21 developing and emerging countries. Utilising panel regression and Z-score methods, it identified two country clusters based on the relationship between health input augmenting factors and health outcomes. Findings revealed variations in health outcomes among emerging countries like the Russian Federation, Brazil, China, and India compared to some developing countries. The study emphasised the significant role of health input augmenting factors and noted varied influences of socio-economic, environmental and health factors on health outcomes. Additionally, a notably stronger elasticity of health outcomes was observed concerning non-health determinants. JEL: I12; I13; I15

The atmospheric aerosol spatial distribution and tropical intra-seasonal oscillations over the South Asian region

Intra-seasonal oscillations (ISO) are well known to modulate the weather phenomena which in turn are known to influence the atmospheric aerosol loading. This study investigates how aerosol loading is modulated in ISO spatio-temporal scales over the Indian region using long-term satellite aerosol optical depth data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor, onboard Terra Satellite. It is shown that Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and Equatorial Rossby waves (ER) have the highest effect (15–20% of the mean) followed by Mixed-Rossby-gravity and Tropical depressions (MT), and Kelvin wave (KE) (5–15%). Further, a dipolar pattern in aerosol loading was observed, with poles over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. These variabilities were found to be mainly driven by anomalous winds associated with the ISOs. Similar to aerosol, dipolar signatures in the atmospheric aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) were also observed with clearer patterns. However, the forcing poles are not centered exactly where aerosol poles were observed, indicating the effect of differential properties of aerosols on the aerosol radiative forcing. Quantitatively, at the surface level, modulation in ARF is up to 3 Wm-2 (15%) for MJO and ER, and up to 2 Wm-2 (5%) for KE and MT; in the atmosphere and at the top of the atmosphere, modulation is up to 2 Wm-2 (15%) for MJO and ER, and up to 1 Wm-2 (5%) for KE and MT.

Role of governance in attracting foreign direct investment inflow: empirical evidence from South Asia region

Role of governance in attracting foreign direct investment inflow: empirical evidence from South Asia region

Energy Dependency of South Asian Economies: A Comparative Analysis

The main purpose of this research study is to assess and compare energy dependency (ED) performance scores by focusing on South Asian economies within the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) framework. Data is utilized for the period 2003 to 2021. The results indicate that the energy sectors of Pakistan and India exhibited inefficient performance within the South Asian region. Both countries faced challenges in effectively using and producing energy from their primary energy resources, leading to a remarkable growth rate in ED. Considering these findings, it is crucial for Pakistan and India to critically review their existing energy policies based on scientific principles. The primary objective should be to develop and implement an appropriate energy policy that effectively reduces their dependency on energy imports and addresses the inefficiencies within their energy systems.

Humanizing the Line: Indo-Pak Border in Ashvin Kumar’s Little Terrorist

India and Pakistan are neighboring countries in the South Asian region, bearing centuries of united history, culture and collective struggle against colonial rule. The end of the colonial era of this subcontinent with partition to adhere to the separate nation demanded for Hindus and Muslims created massive havoc to these countries that were once united. Furthermore, the partition of the sub-continent has become the genesis of the severed relationship between these nations. This article delves into discussing the idea of the India and Pakistan border visualized in Ashvin Kumar’s critically acclaimed Hindi short film Little Terrorist (2004). The film presents an alternative viewpoint to the presence of borders and the separation of humans based on nationality by showing the border villages of India and Pakistan. The short film forges a path for friendship between the two nations by reminiscing the shared history through the characters Jamal and Bhola. The film, by showing the border village, is subverting the idea of the Indo-Pak border for the people who once lived together. This article analyzes the concept of borders in the film using the research on Indo-Pak border studies.

Investigating the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis with urbanization, industrialization, and service sector for six South Asian Countries: Fresh evidence from Driscoll Kraay standard error

South Asia is the most polluted region in the world and is struggling to deal with the effects of growing CO2 emissions and the ecological impact it has left. The region needs to identify the variables that are most effective in reducing pollution in order to achieve long-term sustainable growth. The current study aims to investigate the environmental impacts of the current and projected urbanization rate, the service sector, and the availability of natural resources to test the environmental Kuznets-curve (EKC) theory in six South Asian countries (SAARC). With cross-sectional dependence present, this research examines panel data from 1972 to 2021 using the newly developed Driscoll Kraay Standard Error (DKSE) approach. To check the robustness of DKSE estimation, the study employs a novel Cross Sectional Autoregressive Distributive Lag (CS-ARDL) method. The results of DKSE show that GDP significantly minimizes CO2 emissions in both the short and long run. At the same time, GDP2, urbanization, and the service sector increase CO2 emissions in the South Asian region. The DKSE estimator also shows that industrialization and abundant natural resources have insignificant impacts on CO2 emissions. Inconsistent with the EKC hypothesis, the findings show that higher economic growth leads to increased environmental pollution and CO2 levels. Meanwhile, the CS-ARDL analysis found that GDP and industrialization reduce CO2 emissions, while urbanization, GDP2, and natural resource availability increase CO2 emissions. This research emphasizes the need for establishing appropriate industrialization and urbanization strategies and promoting cleaner energy adoption to reduce CO2 emissions.

Effects of different irrigation methods and mulching on yield, growth and water use efficiency of strawberry

ABSTRACT A greenhouse experiment was conducted from 2015–2016 to 2017–2018 on an Aeric Haplaquept to evaluate the effect of irrigation (surface irrigation at furrows at irrigation water: cumulative pan evaporation = 1, drip irrigation to meet 100%, 80% and 60% of actual crop evapotranspiration demand), and mulch (nonwoven jute agro textile, biodegradable plastic film, rice straw and no mulch) regimes on strawberry. Average soil water storage in root zone (86 mm) and fraction of potential plant available water (61%) was highest in jute agrotextile mulched and drip irrigated at 80% actual evapotranspiration. This combination of mulch and irrigation regime increased belowground (root length density, 7.15 × 103 mm−3) and above ground (leaf area index, 9.4) crop growth and emerged as the best option with three- and four-times higher yield (31.1 Mg ha −1) and water use efficiency (23.1 kg m−3), respectively than surface irrigated unmulched strawberry. Results suggest that these findings be incorporated into packages and practices of strawberry cultivation in the moist tropical sub-humid region of Bengal basin and other similar agroecological regions of South Asia.

Westerlies-driven transboundary transport of atmospheric mercury to the north-central Tibetan Plateau

The transboundary mercury (Hg) pollution has caused adverse effects on fragile ecosystems of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Yet, knowledge of transport paths and source regions of atmospheric Hg on the inland TP remains poor. Continuous measurements of atmospheric total gaseous mercury (TGM) were conducted in the central TP (Tanggula station, 5100 m a.s.l., June–October). Atmospheric TGM level at Tanggula station (1.90 ± 0.30 ng m−3) was higher than the background level in the Northern Hemisphere. The identified high-potential source regions of atmospheric TGM were primarily located in the northern South Asia region. TGM concentrations were lower during the Indian summer monsoon (ISM)-dominant period (1.81 ± 0.25 ng m−3) than those of the westerly-receding period (2.18 ± 0.40 ng m−3) and westerly-intensifying period (1.91 ± 0.26 ng m−3), contrary to the seasonal pattern in southern TP. The distinct TGM minima during the ISM-dominant period indicated lesser importance of ISM-transported Hg to Tanggula station located in the northern boundary of ISM intrusion, compared to stations in proximity to South and Southeast Asia source regions. Instead, from the ISM-dominant period to the westerly-intensifying period, TGM concentrations showed an increasing trend as westerlies intensified, indicating the key role of westerlies in transboundary transport of atmospheric Hg to the inland TP.

Circulating cell-free DNA as a biomarker for molecular diagnosis of Neurocysticercosis

Taenia solium is a widespread zoonotic tapeworm that predominantly affects regions of Latin America, South and South-East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Neurocysticercosis (NCC), the presence of T. solium cysts in the brain is associated with diverse clinical manifestations, such as epilepsy, seizures, and neurological deficits. It is a significant cause of preventable epilepsy globally, accounting for approximately 30% of cases in endemic regions. The diagnosis of neurocysticercosis relies on neuroimaging techniques, but these resources are often limited in low-income countries, resulting in an underestimation of the disease burden. The present study enrolled 141 patients who were clinically suspected and radiologically confirmed for NCC at the Neurology OPD of PGIMER, Chandigarh. Additionally, 98 control subjects attending the PGIMER OPD for investigation were also included. Plasma and urine samples were collected from all participants for further analysis. Cell-free DNA extraction was performed using specific kits, and the quality of the extracted DNA was assessed. The RT-LAMP assay targeted the cox1 gene. Real-time RT-LAMP results were evaluated using a fluorescence graph obtained with the Genei III fluorimeter. Among a group of patients diagnosed with NCC, the gene was identified in 74.4% of plasma samples and 67.3% of urine samples. In comparison, the T. solium cox1 gene was found in 6.1% of control subjects in plasma and urine samples using the LAMP assay. In conclusion, the study emphasises the need for improved diagnostic methods for NCC and presents promising alternatives, such as RT-LAMP and urine-based cell-free DNA analysis. These approaches offer advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness, simplicity, and diagnostic accuracy.

Global variations in funding and use of hemodialysis accesses: an international report using the ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas

BackgroundThere is a lack of contemporary data describing global variations in vascular access for hemodialysis (HD). We used the third iteration of the International Society of Nephrology Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) to highlight differences in funding and availability of hemodialysis accesses used for initiating HD across world regions.MethodsSurvey questions were directed at understanding the funding modules for obtaining vascular access and types of accesses used to initiate dialysis. An electronic survey was sent to national and regional key stakeholders affiliated with the ISN between June and September 2022. Countries that participated in the survey were categorized based on World Bank Income Classification (low-, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high-income) and by their regional affiliation with the ISN.ResultsData on types of vascular access were available from 160 countries. Respondents from 35 countries (22% of surveyed countries) reported that > 50% of patients started HD with an arteriovenous fistula or graft (AVF or AVG). These rates were higher in Western Europe (n = 14; 64%), North & East Asia (n = 4; 67%), and among high-income countries (n = 24; 38%). The rates of > 50% of patients starting HD with a tunneled dialysis catheter were highest in North America & Caribbean region (n = 7; 58%) and lowest in South Asia and Newly Independent States and Russia (n = 0 in both regions). Respondents from 50% (n = 9) of low-income countries reported that > 75% of patients started HD using a temporary catheter, with the highest rates in Africa (n = 30; 75%) and Latin America (n = 14; 67%). Funding for the creation of vascular access was often through public funding and free at the point of delivery in high-income countries (n = 42; 67% for AVF/AVG, n = 44; 70% for central venous catheters). In low-income countries, private and out of pocket funding was reported as being more common (n = 8; 40% for AVF/AVG, n = 5; 25% for central venous catheters).ConclusionsHigh income countries exhibit variation in the use of AVF/AVG and tunneled catheters. In low-income countries, there is a higher use of temporary dialysis catheters and private funding models for access creation.

Migration Activity of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) between China and the South-Southeast Asian Region.

The common cutworm, Spodoptera litura (F.), feeds on a wide variety of food and cash crops and is one of the most widespread and destructive agricultural pests worldwide. Migration is the biological basis of its regional population outbreaks but the seasonal movement of this pest between east and south Asia regions remains unknown. In this study, searchlight traps were used to monitor the seasonal migration of S. litura from 2019 to 2023 in Ruili City (Yunnan, China), located along the insect migratory route between China and the south Asia region. The results showed that migratory activity could occur throughout the year, with the main periods found in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-December). The ovarian development and mating status of the trapped females indicated that most individuals were in the middle or late stages of migration and that Ruili City was located in the transit area of the long-distance migration of the pest. In the migration trajectory simulation, populations of S. litura moved from northeast India, Bangladesh, and northern Myanmar to southwestern China along the southern margin of the Himalayas in spring and returned to the south Asia region in autumn. Our findings clarify the seasonal migration patterns of S. litura in China and South Asia and facilitate the development of regional cross-border monitoring and management systems for this pest.

Variant Analysis of XDR Salmonella Typhi Strains Using Global Alignment Tool Kit in South Asian Region

Objective: To concisely compare genomic profiles of XDR Salmonella Typhi isolates from Lahore withantimicrobial-resistant Salmonella Typhi isolates from other developing nations.Study Design: Comparative analysis of whole genome sequences.Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted from December 2020 to September 2021 at KauserAbdulla Malik (KAM) School Life Sciences, Forman Christian College University, Lahore, Pakistan.Methods: The Galaxy pipeline was run to obtain detailed information at the nucleotide level regardingmutations that lead to the emergence of XDR strains. Whole genome sequences were analyzed to compare thegenomes of selected three developing nations.Results: The Pakistani isolates had a significantly higher mutation rate, higher proportion of modifiers, andsilent mutations as compared to isolates of Bangladesh and India.Conclusion: Cases of Salmonella Typhi XDR are rapidly rising in Asian countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh,and India emphasizing the need to analyze and compare its genome with relevant strains. Our study highlightsthe unique profile of the Lahore (Pakistan) isolate with the highest mutation rate suggesting the potentialregional differences in selective pressure. Further spotlights the necessity to elucidate the functionalconsequences of the identified mutations in S. Typhi isolates. How to cite this: Niaz M, Mumtaz Z, Ahmed M, Ahmad S, Ali A, Yousaf MZ. Variant Analysis of XDR Salmonella Typhi Strains Using Global Alignment Tool Kit in South Asian Region. Life and Science. 2024; 5(2): 244-250. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.432