ABSTRACT This article examines the ways in which gender, motherhood, and ethnicity shape the lived experiences of South and Southeast Asian mothers in Hong Kong. Through in-depth interviews with 54 mothers, we examine, what we term, ‘dialectical social imaginaries’ to understand how these mothers imagine their social surroundings and navigate challenges in this multicultural city, where traditional and progressive gender expectations coexist alongside ethnic diversity and discrimination. ‘Dialectical social imaginaries’ capture how individuals envision living together and interacting with different cultures, highlighting the tensions between following established norms and striving for change. The findings identify three types of ‘dialectical social imaginaries’, which are dialectical in that they swing between conformance to gender norms and transformation, between silence and resistance, and between distancing and belonging. Analyzing the reproductive and creative dimensions of these social imaginaries reveals diverse and often opposing forces of gendered expectations and cultures, demonstrating how socio-cultural forces facilitate and/or restrict individuals’ experiences of migration. This study contributes new insights to gender and migration studies by providing an analysis of the dialectic between social reproduction and transformation, and that of self/other entanglements. It highlights the conceptual utility of ‘dialectical social imaginaries’ for future sociological understandings of gender, migration, and culture.

Chronic diseases—including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and autoimmune disorders—remain the leading causes of global morbidity and mortality. While biomedical pathophysiology defines the etiology and progression of these conditions, cultural factors significantly modulate how patients perceive illness, engage in treatment, and adhere to medical recommendations. This review synthesizes evidence from cross-cultural studies, with a specific focus on medical manifestations and therapeutic challenges, to examine how sociocultural determinants intersect with biological disease processes. We highlight nuanced case comparisons between South Asian, East Asian, Middle Eastern, African, Latinx, and Indigenous populations, illustrating how cultural constructs such as collectivism, fatalism, stigma, reliance on traditional medicine, and health literacy directly influence outcomes in chronic disease management. Importantly, we integrate evidence-based recommendations for healthcare professionals, emphasizing culturally tailored interventions, precision medicine approaches, and the role of interdisciplinary care teams.

Abstract Comprising eight nations and over one-fifth of the world’s population, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an important bloc. Its green-economy transition relies on coordinated efforts by national and local governments, private firms, community groups, and international agencies, and is supported by renewable-energy incentives, carbon-pricing mechanisms, sustainable land-use policies, and green-finance initiatives. This study aims to identify effective strategies and policy recommendations that support economic sustainability and carbon neutrality in the SAARC region through a thorough analysis of the causal relationships between economic indicators and carbon emissions. The study utilizes the Panel cointegration tests (the Kao test and the Pedroni tests), and the Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to examine the interconnections between economic growth, use of renewable energy, social entrepreneurship, and carbon emission in SAARC countries. The current study aims to examine the short-term dynamics and long-term equilibrium between important variables like Gross Domestic Product (GDP), natural resources (NR), globalization index (GI), industrial structure (IS), renewable energy consumption (REC), and carbon dioxide emissions (CO₂). Our results show that a 1 percent increase in globalization raises GDP by 2.61 percent, a 1 percent increase in the sustainable development index raises GDP by 0.10 percent, and a 1 percent increase in industrial structure raises GDP by 0.56 percent. Also, a 1percent increase in natural resources causes CO₂ emissions to go up by 0.057 percent in the long term, while a 1 percent rise in globalization and industrial structure causes CO₂ emissions to go up by 0.278 percent and 0.222 percent, respectively. The results show that REC and carbon emissions are inversely related to each other, suggesting that a 1 percent increase in REC may lead to a long-term reduction in CO₂ emissions of 0.316 percent. Our findings imply that SAARC policymakers should boost REC, realign industrial structures, and implement carbon‐pricing mechanisms to drive economic growth while achieving carbon neutrality. With the help of these findings, policymakers can make informed choices that will advance sustainable development and help the SAARC nations become carbon neutral. Graphical Abstract

Ethno-cultural risk of ante-natal lead exposure among South Asian women in the UK.

Ethnic differences in the relationship between greenspace deprivation and emotional, behavioural, and cognitive development in early-to-middle childhood.

Interventions to improve cancer screening adherence in migrants and ethnic minorities in the European Region: A systematic review.

Barriers and facilitators to implementing clinical genome-wide sequencing: A scoping review of the global landscape.

Restoring South Asian Forests: Key lessons, research gaps and the way forward

Spatial Genetic Structuring and Divergence in Labeo rohita Across South Asian Rivers: Insights for Conservation Management

Unravelling decisive attributes for yield maximization in conservation agriculture: A five-year analysis of rice-chickpea system in South Asian rice ecologies

"We are left alone": A qualitative study of life satisfaction of older adults in rural Nepal.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that remains one of the most pressing threats to public health, especially in South Asian countries. Despite being curable, it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, driven by factors such as poverty, lack of nutrition, HIV infection, and overcrowding of individuals. Among modifiable risk factors, tobacco smoking has long been established as a major contributor to TB incidence. However, the increasing use of vapes/e-cigarettes, perceived as a safer alternative to traditional smoking, can pose as an underrecognized threat to TB control, particularly in high-burden regions. Vaping exposes individuals to nicotine, flavoring agents, and toxic substances that compromise lung immunity. Evidence shows that vaping impairs alveolar macrophage function, reduces cytokine signaling, and suppresses defense peptides in the host. All of these factors enhance Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis. Radiologically, vaping-induced injury can resemble features of military TB, such as ground-glass opacities, complicating diagnosis and eventually leading to misdiagnosis. Despite these concerns, South Asian countries fail to enforce strategies to ban the use of e-cigarettes. To address this important public health concern, vaping must be incorporated into TB risk assessments and recognized as a modifiable risk factor to strengthen public health efforts and accelerate progress towards TB elimination in South Asian countries.

Climate change adaptation in south Asian cities: A scoping review of literature from 2008 to 2022

Climatological characteristics of ITCZ over the South Asian monsoon domain: Using multivariate probabilistic approach

Within the context of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, this look at checked out socioeconomic and demographic predictors of interpersonal desires and suicide hazard amongst Pakistani College students. A pattern of 522 college students changed into decided on from universities legal with the aid of using the Higher Education Commission the use of a cross-sectional survey technique. Along with demographic and socioeconomic data, members crammed out questionnaires measuring emotions of hopelessness, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and suicide thoughts. The findings confirmed that interpersonal misery and pessimism had been drastically better amongst scholars from lower-profits houses and people whose fathers had much less training. Perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation all confirmed sturdy fine correlations, with hopelessness displaying the very best correlation with suicidal hazard, in line with correlation studies. The theoretical speculation that socioeconomic inequality will increase suicide susceptibility thru interpersonal and cognitive pathways is supported with the aid of using those data. The look at emphasizes how institutional injustices and person mental problems have an effect on college students` suicidal hazard. Early detection of high-hazard college students can be more advantageous with the aid of using inclusive of socioeconomic evaluation into campus intellectual fitness services. The outcomes spotlight the need for socially aware suicide prevention strategies in South Asian better training settings and guide the cross-cultural validation of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide.

The main focus of this research Article was to identify the dynamic strength and weakness of Pakistan’s South Asian foreign policy on economic development since its creation from 1947 to June 2025 through development of an appropriate theoretical framework in light of recent close defense and strategic ties with China. This study analyzed the foreign policy of Pakistan in emerging perception of geo-economics trends in order to identify opportunities and challenges to innovate for the future course for fulfillment of inspiration need of the country. To address this gap, the study adopted theoretical framework followed by a conceptual framework which combine different theories related to foreign policy in the light of that the Pakistan’s South Asia foreign policies were analyzed on economic development. The conceptual framework identified the major internal and external factors directing the Pakistan Geo-economics policy of South Asia were evaluated to find opportunities and mitigating the challenges for prosperity and better future of its people. The last few decades have resulted in multi-polar world order and Pakistan’s historic opportunity to bring balance in foreign policy with superpowers on basis of mutual benefits, respect, equity and equality. The trade has been improved with Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. On the other hand, the trade with India was influenced by events and diplomatic complexities in different periods from 1947 to 2025. In order to overcome the trade imbalance as well as to bring peace and to improve the economic development by effective utilization of resources.

This paper examined feminist discourses in South Asian languages, focusing on Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, and Punjabi texts. Through a qualitative comparative analysis, it explored how gender, power, and resistance were articulated across linguistic and cultural contexts. Texts including literary works, essays, and media content were purposively selected to identify recurring themes, rhetorical strategies, and language-specific expressions of feminism. Data were analyzed using discourse analysis and feminist literary criticism, allowing for the identification of both shared and divergent patterns across languages. The findings revealed that while common themes such as female agency, resistance to patriarchy, and social inequality appeared across all languages, the modes of expression differed. Urdu and Bengali texts often employed poetic and metaphorical strategies, whereas Hindi and Punjabi texts favored direct socio-political commentary. Linguistic structures, culturally embedded idioms, and narrative techniques shaped how feminist ideas were conveyed, highlighting the influence of language on discourse. These results underscore the importance of considering linguistic and cultural contexts in feminist studies and demonstrate how comparative analyses can enrich understanding of gendered narratives in South Asia. The study contributes to feminist scholarship by providing insights into the intersection of language, culture, and gendered expression, offering a foundation for future research in multilingual feminist discourse.

Introduction: Scabies, caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis, affects over 200 million people globally, with permethrin 5% cream serving as first-line treatment for decades. However, emerging evidence suggests increasing permethrin treatment failures, raising concerns about resistance. This systematic review aims to synthesize evidence on permethrin resistance in scabies and evaluate the effectiveness and safety of alternative therapeutic options. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. We searched multiple databases for studies investigating permethrin resistance or alternative scabies treatments. Included studies comprised randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, case series (≥5 patients), systematic reviews, and meta-analyses reporting clinical outcomes in human patients with confirmed or clinically diagnosed scabies. A total of 144 studies met inclusion criteria and underwent data extraction for resistance evidence, alternative therapy details, comparative effectiveness, safety profiles, and clinical context. Results: Documented permethrin resistance demonstrated significant geographic heterogeneity, with European studies reporting cure rates as low as 27-31% compared to 73-96% in South Asian settings. Global treatment failure prevalence increased by 0.58% annually (95% CI not reported). Resistance mechanisms included voltage-gated sodium channel mutations and enhanced glutathione S-transferase activity. Alternative therapies showed variable effectiveness: two-dose oral ivermectin (200 μg/kg one week apart) achieved 78-100% cure versus 58% for single-dose (P=0.021); topical ivermectin 1% achieved 96-100% cure by four weeks; benzyl benzoate 25% showed 87% cure in some studies but caused burning in 24% of patients; sulfur preparations achieved 94.4-100% cure by four weeks with mild adverse effects. Combination permethrin-ivermectin therapy demonstrated superior efficacy (84.6% vs 67.5-70.7% for monotherapies, P<0.01). Mass drug administration with ivermectin reduced scabies prevalence by 79% (95% CI not reported). Discussion: The geographic disparity in permethrin efficacy likely reflects true biological resistance evolution in regions with prolonged permethrin use, rather than methodological artifacts. Alternative therapies, particularly two-dose oral ivermectin and topical ivermectin, demonstrate excellent effectiveness in permethrin-resistant cases. Treatment selection should consider resistance patterns, patient age, pregnancy status, and resource availability. Combination approaches may offer advantages in refractory cases. Conclusion: Permethrin resistance represents an emerging global challenge requiring revised treatment algorithms. Two-dose oral ivermectin (200 μg/kg one week apart) should be considered first-line in regions with documented resistance, while topical ivermectin offers advantages in young children. Future research should focus on standardized resistance surveillance, novel agents including moxidectin and spinosad, and implementation strategies for resistant populations.

Allopurinol, the most used urate-lowering drug for the treatment of gout, is associated with rare but life-threatening severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) such as Stevens–Johnson Syndrome (SJS), Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), and Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome, but not Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP). They are characterised by severe skin and systemic involvement and are associated with substantial morbidity and a high risk of mortality. This narrative review summarises evidence on the clinical presentation, epidemiology, risk factors, and preventive strategies for allopurinol-induced SCARs. Key risk factors include the presence of the HLA-B*58:01 allele, renal impairment, older age, female sex, heart disease, higher starting doses of allopurinol, and certain ethnicities, e.g., South Asian, Han Chinese, and African populations likely due to the higher prevalence of the HLA-B*58:01 allele. Risk mitigation strategies include genetic testing for HLA-B*58:01 in high-risk ethnic groups and avoiding allopurinol in those that are positive for the HLA-B*58:01 allele, starting allopurinol at a low-dose (e.g., 50–100 mg/day) and up-titrating it gradually at 4-week intervals, and avoiding high-dose allopurinol in those with risk factors (e.g., chronic kidney disease stage ≥3). In addition, risk stratification using prediction tools may enable a safer use of allopurinol.

Abstract Wetlands are the largest natural source of atmospheric methane ($CH_4$), contributing 20–40$\%$ of global emissions. However, significant uncertainties persist in regional $CH_4$ budgets due to difficulties in accurately mapping wetland extent and reliance on coarse or static wetland datasets, which often miss narrow floodplains and seasonal wetlands. The challenge in wetland mapping is particularly critical in India, where wetlands tend to be small, fragmented, and strongly influenced by the seasonal South Asian monsoon. Sparse observation coverage and inadequate modeling further hinder robust emission quantification for India. This study addresses the above limitation by developing a novel approach to generate a 1 km resolution wetland $CH_4$ emission database for India. Wetland extent is mapped directly from Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, Sentinel-2 multi-spectral imagery, and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) indices, providing a fine-scale spatial resolution of 1 km. By applying an inundation factor, we account for seasonal variability and align our model with environmental controls. Integrating wetland extent, heterotrophic respiration, temperature dependence, and precipitation data, we estimate $CH_4$ emission at a 1 km grid over India. The national natural wetland emissions are estimated as $\sim$0.5–2.5 Tg CH$_4$ y$^{-1}$ during 2018–2023. Our estimate is higher than those from commonly used global wetland models ($\sim$0.06–0.5 Tg CH$_4$ y$^{-1}$), but lower than the estimates from the Global Methane Budget 2000–2017 ($\sim$6.0 Tg CH$_4$ y$^{-1}$). By integrating high-resolution remote sensing with regional-specific information tailored to India's unique monsoon-driven wetland system, our method overcomes the structural limitations of existing wetland models and provides the highly resolved and accurate satellite-constrained distribution of wetland emissions for India. These advancements support adequate representation of Indian wetlands in the global methane budget and improve regional greenhouse gas inventories, atmospheric inversions, and climate impact assessments, supporting more effective implementation of climate and conservation strategies.