South East Research Articles

Deep ensemble learning for chickenpox detection from clinical images

Chickenpox caused by the varicella-zoster virus is an extremely contagious viral infection common in children and quickly develops into a severe problem. Over 90% of unvaccinated people have been infected. Still, infection occurs at different ages in different parts of the world- Over 70 % of people become infected by the age of 10 years in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, and by the age of 20 in India, West Indies, and South East Asia. Automatic classification of the specific disease is a challenging task to present clinicians to distinguish between different kinds of skin conditions and recommend suitable treatment. Convolutional Neural Networks have recently achieved great success in many machines learning purposes and have presented a state-of-the-art performance in various computer-assisted diagnosis applications. This study proposes a deep neural network-based method that follows an ensemble approach by combining VGG-16, VGG-19, and ResNet-50 architectures to distinguish chickenpox from other skin conditions. Experimental test results have achieved accurate classification with an assuring test accuracy up to 93%.

Pilot robotic mastectomy in Singapore (PRoMiSing I) study: first safety and feasibility prospective cohort trial in South East Asia.

Robotic mastectomy has been performed worldwide since 2015. The advantages of the robotic approach in nipple-sparing mastectomy have been proven with better visualization and preservation of blood supply to the nipple-areolar complex (NAC), with a lower incidence of necrosis. It also allows smaller incisions for both mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction. To date, no centers in Singapore and Southeast Asia offer robotic mastectomy. We believe that robotic mastectomy is a feasible and safe technique that can be utilized by our population. This study aimed to ascertain the surgical outcomes and perform a learning curve analysis in patients undergoing robotic mastectomy in a multi-ethnic South East Asian population. A single arm prospective pilot study of eligible patients aged 21-70 years old with early breast cancer or high-risk patients indicated for risk reducing mastectomy who were eligible and consented for robotic mastectomy were enrolled in this trial from 22nd December 2022 to 15th December 2023. A total of 29 consecutive robotic mastectomies were performed. The mean total operative time was 95±10.2 minutes. The average blood loss was 5.7±1.9ml and the average length of stay was 1.05 days. The mean mastectomy specimen weight was 251 g, and there was no conversion to conventional mastectomy in any case. Furthermore, there were no 30-days morbidity or complications in terms of wound infection requiring intervention, flap and nipple-areolar complex (NAC) necrosis, and postoperative hematoma/bleeding requiring intervention. This study contributes to the current evidence that robotic mastectomy is a safe and feasible option, and could prove to be a great alternative to conventional mastectomy. Further prospective trials examining the long-term oncological outcomes of robotic mastectomy will be performed to establish the oncologic safety of this technique in breast cancer treatment.

The Vegetation of Kudiraimoli Teri, Tirunelveli District, Madras State

A detailed floristic and ecological study of Kudiraimoli Teri has been made during 1961-62. The whole range of forest is divided into South West and North East zones. The vegetation of North East zone is formed by pure formation of Borassus flabellifer and that of the South West zone is formed by the scrub jungle type.The vegetative analysis of the scrub vegetation has been made by quadrat study. The quantitative analytic characters of the species of the type have been worked out.Among the 105 species distributed under 45 families studied from this region, the family Leguminosae forms the physiognomic family dominance.

Application of multiplatform remote sensing data over East Asia Ocean: aerosol characteristics and aerosol types.

It is important to explore the characteristics and rules of atmospheric aerosol in the East Asian Sea for monitoring and evaluating atmospheric environmental quality. Based on Aerosol Robot Network (AERONET), Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer (VIIRS), and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data, the temporal and spatial variation characteristics and differences of aerosol parameters and types in the East Asian Sea were studied by using figure classification method (FIGCM), aerosol optical depth (AOD)440-Angstrom exponent (AE)440-870 method (AA1M), and AOD550-AE490-670 method (AA2M). The results show that the seasonal variation trend of aerosol characteristics and types is obvious in East Asia Sea. AOD, volume concentration (Cv), and aerosol effective radius (reff) in the Bohai-Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan in autumn are lower than those in other seasons, and the occurrence frequency of ocean-type aerosols is high. Different from the Bohai-Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan, human activities in winter, summer, and autumn seriously affect the air quality in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Especially at the Taipei CWB site, from aerosol parameters and high biomass burning/urban industrial (BB/UI) aerosol, human activity is an important factor for high pollution at the Taipei CWB site. Aerosol types of AA1M, FIGCM, AA2M, and CALIPSO were compared at Anmyon and Yonsei University sites in the Bohai-Yellow Sea in March 2020. The results show that aerosol types based on threshold classification methods generally have higher mixed aerosol results, and the marine (MA) results of AA1M, FIGCM, and AA2M are close to the clean marine aerosol results of CALIPSO. Comparing the results of AA 2M and CALIPSO on a spatial scale, it is found that the clean marine aerosol proportion identified by CALIPSO (0.38, 0.48, 0.82) is consistent with the MA proportion identified by AA 2M (0.43, 0.46, 0.97) in the East China Sea, South China Sea, and Western Pacific Ocean.

Dietary intake, obesity, and metabolic risk factors among children and adolescents in the SEACO-CH20 cross-sectional study

We investigated the association between dietary intake and metabolic risk factors in children and adolescents within a semi-rural Malaysian community. Using an interviewer-led questionnaire, we surveyed 623 participants aged 7–18 from the South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO). Anthropometric and blood pressure data were collected from all participants, while a subset (n = 162) provided blood samples for biomarker analysis, including fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Metabolic syndrome was determined using the International Diabetes Federation’s Definition of Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents. Most participants were Malay (66.8%), with a median household income of MYR1,500 and a balanced sex distribution. Cereals, processed foods, beverages, fruits, and vegetables were commonly consumed. Obesity and abdominal obesity were prevalent, affecting more than a third of participants. Adherence to dietary recommendations was generally poor (ranging from 19.9 to 58.1%) and varied across age, sex, and ethnicity. Notably, some food groups displayed unexpected associations with health markers; for instance, fruit consumption was linked to abdominal obesity in children (abdominal obesity vs. normal: 2.4 servings/day vs. 1.6 servings/day). These findings emphasise the necessity of longitudinal studies to explore the complex relationship between diet and long-term health outcomes, including cardiometabolic diseases, while acknowledging the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on data collection and analysis.

The ongoing transformational journey of Australia’s oldest and largest oil and gas operation

For over 50 years Gippsland Basin Joint Venture (GBJV) has been producing oil and gas from the Gippsland Basin. Through hard work, challenging the status quo and innovation, the business, the operation and the people have been on a transformational journey. You may have heard about our conventional expansion opportunities, Kipper-Tuna-Turrum development and Longford Gas Conditioning Plant, but have you heard about how GBJV is progressing carbon dioxide (CO2) to sales with BOC and Air Liquide or how the team has reduced flare by 46% since 2018? Have you heard how the team increased Longford’s capacity by 11% in 2022 to deliver the highest gas production since 2017 to meet market demand. Or about how we are transforming the operation through our Gippsland Asset Streamlining Project, where we will no longer have a Crude Stabilisation Plant or a Gas Plant 1 at Longford? We continue to focus on our reliable gas operation through upcoming projects such as Hastings Generation Project, and Kipper Compression Project while also pursuing meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions such as South East Australia Carbon Capture and Storage Project in the Gippsland Basin. Our transformation to a ‘Modern Australian Gas Business’ has not only meant change for our facilities but also change for our people in how we work and the culture we have built. Every day, our teams work to supply essential energy to Australian homes and businesses while also being on a transformational journey to improve the sustainability of our operation and contribute to the energy transition.

Trajectories of mental health across the primary to secondary school transition

AbstractBackgroundAdolescence is a period of profound developmental change during which the prevalence of mental health problems starts to increase. It also typically coincides with a school transition. Understanding mental health trajectories through school transition is important to inform interventions to support young people's mental health during this period.MethodsIn a longitudinal study with three assessment points spaced six months apart spanning the transition from primary (T1 = end of primary school [Year 6]) to secondary school (T2 = beginning of the first year secondary school [Year 7]; T3 = end of first year of secondary school [Year 7]) we carried out a latent class growth analysis of symptoms of common mental health problems. Young people (mean age at baseline of 11.2 years, standard deviation 0.29; 46.8% female; 53.2% male) from South East England (n = 1861) were included. We modelled emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems in parallel over the transition period. Individual‐level variables: socioeconomic status (SES), special educational need(s) (SEN), gender, negative life events (NLEs) and being worried about transition were tested as predictors of trajectory class membership using multinomial logistic regression.ResultsA model with four trajectory classes provided the best fit to the data: ‘persistently elevated’ mental health problems, ‘emotional and peer problems’, ‘hyperactivity and conduct problems’ and ‘persistently low’ mental health problems. Class membership was differentially predicted by the individual‐level variables.ConclusionsYoung people from low SES backgrounds, those with SEN and those who have experienced two or more NLEs are more likely to exhibit trajectories with elevated mental health difficulties through the transition to secondary school. Young people who were worried about transition were more likely to belong to a trajectory class characterised by elevated emotional problems.

Climate‐driven runoff variability in semi‐mountainous reservoirs of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: Insights for sustainable water management

AbstractThe Mekong Delta, South East Asia's ‘rice bowl’, sustains more than 18 million people through its agricultural output. This yield is secured by efficient water management systems but is susceptible to climatic changes. As Vietnam's policies aim to optimize the delta's semi‐mountainous regions reliant on rain‐fed agriculture, this study investigates drought risks and climate change impacts on runoff in the O Ta Soc and O Tuk Sa reservoirs, An Giang Province, Vietnam. Using simulation models, we determined runoff volumes for specific rainfall return periods and climate scenarios for the 2030s and 2050s. Using the storm water management model (SWMM), we simulated the reservoir water balance considering rainfall, evaporation and infiltration. Our findings suggest potentially increased runoff and reservoir storage due to intensified monsoons and reduced off‐season rainfall. The 4.77 km2 drainage of the O Ta Soc reservoir could benefit from this, while the 2.55 km2 drainage of the O Tuk Sa watershed may require alternative water‐sourcing strategies. This research offers insights for drought predictions, flood management and water strategies in An Giang. To refine these predictions, future research should consider upcoming rainfall patterns.

Women and Reproductive Health Challenges in Igboland: A Historical Study

The objective of the work is women and reproductive health challenges in south east, Nigeria. The research also treats the nature of reproductive health challenges in Igboland before and after 1970, and the official reaction to reproductive health challenges in contemporary Igboland. The research method employed was the qualitative analytical method which involved content analysis of relevant documentary data on the subject. The approach adopted was also thematic. The research findings indicate that reproductive health challenges in Igboland before and after 1970 can be classified into five, namely: genetic reproductive health challenge, witchcraft and curses, labor and accident, harmful socio-cultural practices, as well as infectious and communicable disease. The government response to reproductive health challenges includes the different frameworks for the protection of the reproductive health rights of women. These include the domestic instruments as well as the international instruments ratified by the government. The study observed that a number of factors inhibit the provision and availability of reproductive health rights in south east Nigeria, and it includes the social and economic factors as well as cultural and religious factors. It also argues that in spite of these challenges, some successes have been recorded as a result of the official responses to reproductive health challenges in Igboland. These include the elimination of child marriages, reduction in the violence against women and reduction of the harmful cultural practices, such as female genital mutilation (known as women circumcision) and polygamy.

Storage implications on the microbiological quality of some locally manufactured pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutical products non-sterile are expected to have a minimal microbial load which must not exceed the limits as stated in pharmacopoeia monographs. This study attempted to evaluate storage implications on the microbiological quality of some non-sterile pharmaceutical products manufactured locally in some states in south east Nigeria. Twenty brands of pharmaceutical products comprising 13 tablets, 5 capsules and 2 suspension procured from patent medicine and local drug markets in Aba and Enugu states were stored at room temperature (25oC) for 6 months. Microbial growth was evaluated at 0 and 6 months using standard microbiological procedures including Total aerobic bacteria plate count, isolation, characterization and identification of microbial contaminants. The results from the study showed that 55% and 30% of the pharmaceutical products had bacteria and fungi contamination at 0 month which increased to 70% and 50% at 6 months storage period respectively. Statistical analysis showed there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in growth of micro-organisms at 6 months for both bacteria and the fungi/moulds (p < 0.05). The isolated bacteria were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli while the fungi include Trichosporonasahii, Curvularia bothriochloae, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis. All contaminated samples had microbial counts above the British Pharmacopoeia (BP) acceptabl limit of 103 and 102 CFU/ml for bacteria and fungi respectively. This can be attributed to poor adherence to current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) by the manufacturers. Thus, it is recommended that manufacturers adhere strictly to cGMP and storage conditions stated on these pharmaceutical products followed strictly during distribution and storage to reduce the levels of microbial contamination.

Association of type 2 diabetes with family history of diabetes, diabetes biomarkers, mental and physical disorders in a Kenyan setting

This study aimed to determine the degree of family relations and associated socio-demographics characteristics, clinical/physical and mental disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Kenyan diabetes clinic. This study was part of a large multicentre study whose protocol and results had been published. It took place at the outpatient diabetes clinic at a County Teaching and Referral Hospital in South East Kenya involving 182 participants. We used a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Hamilton Depression (HAM-D) and PHQ-9 rating scales for depression, the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI; V5 or V6) for DSM-5 diagnoses, the WHO-5 Well-being scale and Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID). We extracted from the notes all physical conditions. We enquired about similar conditions in 1st and 2nd degree relatives. Descriptive, Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, one way ANOVA, and Multinomial logistic regression analysis were conducted to test achievements of our specific aims. Of the 182 patients who participated in the study, 45.1% (82/182) reported a family history of diabetes. Conditions significantly (p < 0.05) associated with a degree of family history of diabetes were retinopathy, duration of diabetes (years), hypertension, and depressive disorder. On average 11.5% (21/182) scored severe depression (≥ 10) on PHQ-9 and 85.2% (115/182) scored good well-being (≥ 13 points). All DSM-5 psychiatric conditions were found in the 182 patients in varying prevalence regardless of relations. In addition, amongst the 182 patients, the highest prevalence was poor well-being on the WHO quality of life tool. This was followed by post-traumatic disorders (current), suicidality, and psychotic lifetime on DSM-5. The least prevalent on DSM-5 was eating disorders. Some type 2 diabetes mellitus physical disorders and depression have increased incidence in closely related patients. Overall, for all the patients, the prevalence of all DSM-5 diagnoses varied from 0.5 to 9.9%.

Can toll prices changes affect the housing market? The case of the Severn crossing toll removal

PurposeSince 1966, the Severn crossing has been connecting England and Wales. In January 2018, its ownership returned to the UK Government, and this marked the start of a toll-free journey across the two countries and made commuting between the regions more affordable. In this paper, we examine the impact of the toll removal on the property market.Design/methodology/approachWe employ property-level data from the Land Registry and a difference-in-differences (DiD) empirical model for the periods 2016–2018 and 2019–2021 to capture the pre- and post-toll removal dynamics. The DiD estimation allows us to examine the causal relationship between policy changes and property prices.FindingsOur findings suggest that property prices in Newport and Monmouthshire (South East Wales) are positively affected by the policy, which results in a statistically significant increase of 5.8% more than those located in the South West England (Bristol and South Gloucestershire) region in the period 2019–2021. The impact can reach up to 13.1% for properties located in a 10 km radius of the bridge. The results indicate that the toll removal enables the ripple effect across the two markets by reducing commuting costs.Originality/valueThis is the first paper that examines the Severn Crossing case study. Its contribution is significant since we provide empirical evidence on how reduced transportation costs increase property prices in the lowest income region and have the opposite effect on the area with higher incomes and economic activity levels.

Contributory Pension Scheme and Performance of Employee of Unity Schools in South East Nigeria (2005-2019)

This paper critically examines the implementation of the contributory pension scheme in Unity Schools in the south east of Nigeria. The specific objectives were: to determine the extent of implementation of the contributory pension scheme; how it has helped in motivating staff and the challenges confronting the implementation of the scheme in Unity Schools in the South East. Population of the study was 1,091 based on the nominal rolls of the five schools in Enugu and Anambra States. The Sample Size of 293 was determined using the Taro Yamane’s statistical formula of 1964. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested using t-test statistics. Findings of the study revealed that: Contributory Pension Scheme has been fully implemented in Unity Schools; Contributory Pension Scheme has no significant effect on the motivation of workers for efficiency in the discharge of their duties and that Federal Government inconsistency in prompt remittance of its share of the contributions and it’s borrowing from the fund for infrastructural development among others constitute challenges to the implementation of the scheme. Based on the findings, the study recommended that: the Pension Reform Act be further amended to include the payment of gratuity; increase employers contributions from ten percent (10%) to fifteen percent (l5%), and the removal of the 16years limit on pension. The Contributory Pension Scheme is a welcome idea which when properly implemented will eradicate the pensioners’ harsh lives thereby making their dream a reality.

Influence of Natural External Forcings on Interdecadal Variation of Global Land Monsoon over the last millennium in CESM-LME

Abstract Interdecadal variations of the global land monsoon have been previously attributed to internal fluctuations of the climate system, but the role of natural external forcings was under-explored. Here, we investigate this issue by using the Community Earth System Model ensemble simulations over the last millennium (950-1850 A.D.). Our analysis reveals that the surface temperature, with two dominant structures (global cooling/warming and longitudinal sea-surface temperature gradient in the tropical Pacific, which affects the Walker circulation), predominantly shapes the leading forced mode of the global land monsoon. This mode, representing 19% of the total variance, manifests as consistent features across South Asia, the southern part of East Asia, North Australia, South America, and western South Africa, contrasting with other monsoon regions. Under global cooling conditions, the monsoon intensity is enhanced in the northern parts of the East Asian and eastern parts of the North and South African monsoons, but it decreases in the other monsoon regions. Under weak Walker circulation conditions, changes in atmospheric circulation in response to the sea surface temperature gradient in the tropical Pacific are associated with a substantial attenuation of almost all land monsoon regions. It was further shown that the global mean surface temperature and the tropical Pacific temperature gradient jointly account for 75% of the total variance in the leading mode of the global land monsoon, with 29% and 46% as their respective contribution. Furthermore, our results suggest that volcanic eruptions are the dominant external forcing for these variations. These findings provide valuable insights for future research on global monsoon dynamics.

The Lifetime Health and Economic Burden of Smokeless Tobacco use in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan: Results From ASTRAMOD.

Under the current policy landscapes, the lifetime health and economic burden of smokeless tobacco (ST) products, consumed by over 297 million ST users in South Asia, is unknown. The aim of this study was to estimate the lifetime health effects and costs attributable to current and future ST use in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan where the majority of ST users live. We developed a Markov-based state-transition model (ASTRAMOD) to predict the lifetime costs of treatment of four diseases (oral, pharyngeal, esophageal cancers, and stroke) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), attributable to the current and future use of ST under existing ST policy scenario. Country-specific Global Adult Tobacco Surveys, life tables, and meta-analyses of South Asian and South East Asian studies were used to populate the model. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis evaluated the uncertainty in model predictions. If there were no change in the current ST policies, the lifetime ST-attributable treatment costs would be over US$19 billion in India, over US$1.5 billion in Bangladesh, and over US$3 billion in Pakistan. For all countries, the attributable costs are higher for younger cohorts with costs declining with increasing age for those over 50. The model predicted that a typical 15-year-old male adoloscent would gain 0.07-0.18 life years, avert 0.07-0.19 DALYs, and generate a cost-savings of US$7-21 on healthcare spending if ST policies were changed to eliminate ST use. Policy interventions aimed at decreasing the uptake of ST and increasing quitting success have the potential to substantially decrease the economic and health burden of ST. This study provides the most comprehensive estimates of the lifetime health and economic burden of ST by 5-year age and sex cohorts. This is also the first study that highlights the scale of health and economic burden of ST in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan if there were no changes in the current ST policies. Policymakers and practitioners can use the reported data to justify their decisions to improve current ST policies and practices in their country. Researchers can use the ASTRAMOD methodology to estimate the impact of future ST policy changes.

Data-driven approach for port resilience evaluation

As pivotal nodes in international trade, ports have faced unprecedented challenges, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the perspective of port congestion, this study investigates port resilience based on a quantitative approach. Port resilience is specifically evaluated using five novel metrics derived from resilience capacities and port congestion indexes, employing data-driven approaches, which are then applied to analyze nine global ports across six regions. The findings of the study indicate that: 1) The ports of Southampton and Shanghai display better resilience levels, whereas New York/New Jersey and Los Angeles/Long Beach show poorer resilience performance during the research period. 2) Ports in West Coast North America demonstrate relatively low resilience levels, while those in South East Asia showcase superior resilience. 3) The changing dynamics and evolution of port resilience rankings across different years underscore the multifaceted nature of port resilience and its capacity to adapt to external factors such as global events. Our study emphasizes the importance of quantifying port resilience, with a specific focus on port congestion. It provides valuable insights that have significant implications for port management and disaster preparedness within the maritime industry.

Ocular disorders in a tertiary Hospital in South East Nigeria

The object of this study was to determine the pattern of ocular disease patients that presented to the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Park Lane, Enugu, Nigeria. A retrospective study was conducted, where the medical case notes of patients who had ocular examinations, other clinical examinations, and investigations from April 2022 through December 2022 were retrieved. There were a total of 1145 patients, with a male population of 476 (41.6%), while females were 669 (58.4%). The mean age of the study population was 40.8 years, with a Standard Deviation (SD) of 22.4. A total of 924 (80.7%) participants were adults while children (aged 16 years and below) were 221 in number and constituted 19.3% of the study population. The most common eye disease was refractive error, which occurred in 266 (23.2%) of the participants; it was followed by allergic eye diseases, 201 (17.6%), cataract, 170 (14.9%), glaucoma, 111 (9.7%), and trauma to the eye, 94 (8.2%). Among the children, the most common eye disease seen were allergic eye diseases, 78 (35.3%), followed by refractive error, 70 (31.7%), trauma, 21 (9.5%), cataract, 11 (5.0%), while infections of the eye were 10 (4.5%). The most common eye disease among the adult participants was refractive error, 196 (21.1%), and then cataract, 159 (17.2%), allergic eye diseases, 123 (13.3%), glaucoma, 105 (11.4%), and retinal pathologies, 82 (8.9%). The most common causes of eye diseases in this study were refractive error, allergic eye diseases, cataracts, glaucoma, and trauma. Health education at community and primary health care level could help to reduce the number of people with avoidable causes of visual impairment.

Linking fear of missing out and psychological well-being: a multi-country study

Linking fear of missing out and psychological well-being: a multi-country study

Continuum of maternal and new-natal health care: empirical evidence from 10 developing countries in South and South East Asia

Maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, particularly in developing countries, are high even in the twenty-first century, which is a cause for concern. Therefore, this paper examines the Continuum of Mother and Neonatal Health Care (MNH), i.e., at least four ante-natal care visits (ANC 4 +), skilled birth attendance at delivery (SBA), post-natal care (PNC), and its determinants in 10 developing countries in Asia. It uses Demographic and Household Survey data (2014–2021) and finds that only 46% of women received all the MNH services, and 8% did not receive any services. In Afghanistan, only 2.8% of women availed complete care of MNH services, followed by Timor-Leste (26.1%), Bangladesh (31.5%), Pakistan (35.1%), and Nepal (38.8%). Empirical analysis shows that women with higher education, those living in urban areas, from wealthy families, and female-headed households have higher odds of availing all MNH. Media exposure, ease of access to MNH services, and the women who have attended the first ANC at less than four months of pregnancy have higher odds of availing all three MNH services. Therefore, the MNH policy should target women in rural areas who have a lower level of education and come from low-income families to improve the mother and neonatal health situation in South and Southeast Asia.

Bacterial growth in patients with low back pain and Modic changes: protocol of a multicentre, case–control biopsy study

IntroductionBacterial infection and Modic changes (MCs) as causes of low back pain (LBP) are debated. Results diverged between two randomised controlled trials examining the effect of amoxicillin with and without...