Prevalence of and factors associated with anxiety among school going adolescents analysis from 59 countries.

Background: The rising consumption of Western-style fast food—high in carbohydrates, sugar, and fat—together with a fast-paced lifestyle, occupational stress, and physical inactivity, represents a major risk factor for fatty liver disease, which can progress to hepatitis, cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. Evidence linking fatty liver and cholelithiasis is growing globally, yet data from Thailand and Southeast Asia remain scarce, despite both conditions being increasingly prevalent. Cholelithiasis, a common gastrointestinal disorder affecting 5–10% of the Thai population, particularly females and older adults, may also be associated with fatty liver disease. Objectives: This study investigated the correlation between cholelithiasis and fatty liver disease using ultrasonographic data from patients at Vajira Hospital, aiming to address this regional knowledge gap and inform preventive strategies. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 311 patients aged ≥50 years who underwent upper abdominal ultrasonography at Vajira Hospital between 2023 and 2024. Collected data included gender, age, gallstone size, and diagnostic findings. Patients were classified into two groups: 132 with cholelithiasis and 179 without. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics (mean, SD, frequency, percentage) and inferential tests (t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression). Results: Of the 311 patients, 162 (52.1%) had fatty liver, with a mean age of 62±8.46 years; 62.3% were female and 37.7% were male. Among these, 73 patients (45.1%) had concurrent cholelithiasis (66% female, 34% male), with a mean gallstone size of 1.09±0.53 cm. The remaining 89 patients (54.9%) had fatty liver disease without cholelithiasis (60% female, 40% male). A significant inverse association was observed between age and fatty liver disease (p=0.003), indicating that younger patients within this ≥50-year cohort were more likely to be affected. Conclusion: Cholelithiasis was not significantly associated with fatty liver disease. However, fatty liver showed a novel inverse correlation with age, with higher prevalence among younger adults within the ≥50-year cohort. This finding, which contrasts with previous reports of increasing prevalence with age, may reflect methodological factors and lifestyle influences in Thailand’s urban population. These results emphasize the need for early screening and targeted public health interventions for working-age adults, while acknowledging limitations related to study design, absence of key confounders, and restricted age range.

Abstract Understanding long-term precipitation changes in Southeast Asia (SEA) is important because the region is highly vulnerable to precipitation-related disasters. This study examines typhoon and non-typhoon heavy precipitation over SEA during 1960–2024 using a typhoon track dataset and three high-resolution precipitation products. Results show a significant decrease in typhoon-precipitation contribution to total precipitation across the entire SEA, both in its continental and maritime regions, especially during the boreal summer half-year. This trend persists under heavy precipitation conditions (95th and 99th percentiles). In contrast, based on tracking results, non-typhoon heavy precipitation shows increases in precipitation area but decreases in lifespan intensity, yielding more total precipitation per event. Our findings indicate a shifting hazard regime: a decrease in typhoon-related rainfall is being offset by a spatial expansion of non-typhoon heavy precipitation, introducing a new regional risk. The findings provide critical insights into the change of regional precipitation patterns and have implications for disaster management and adaptation in SEA.

Background: Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a dengue virus (DENV) infection through the bite of an infected mosquito that manifests clinically in the form of high fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, and rash. Research shows that several regions in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, will experience an increase in the incidence of dengue infection in 2050 and 2080. Objective: This study aims to determine the correlation between platelet distribution width (PDW) and mean platelet volume (MPV) with hematocrit (Hct) in patients with Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) at the Prof. Dr. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Teaching Hospital, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Methods: This study was conducted with a cross-sectional design. The subjects of this study were 142 DHF patients aged > 17 years obtained from medical record data at the Prof. Dr. Chairuddin Panusunan Lubis Hospital, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Statistical analysis using the Pearson Correlation Test. Results: In 142 study subjects, it was found that the majority of patients were in the age range of 18-39 years (83,8%) and were male (51.4%). The majority of patients had normal PDW values ​​(85.2%), normal MPV values ​​(91.5%), and normal hematocrit values ​​(59.1%). Conclusion: No significant correlation was found between PDW and MPV with Hct in DHF patients.

Ethnicity-based variations in biological reference interval- A systematic scoping review.

Trends and health inequalities of hepatitis virus-associated liver cancer mortality during 1990-2050.

Hepatoprotective potential of Diospyros melanoxylon (Roxb.) leaf extract by inhibition of IL-6, COX-2, and 5-LOX expression in paracetamol intoxicated rats.

Spatial concurrence risk of extreme precipitations in Southeast Asia under climate change using temporally dynamic complex networks

Unveiling the origins of Northern Thailand's haze: comprehensive chemical characterization and source apportionment of PM2.5 using targeted molecular markers.

Introduction: Fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix in tissues due to abnormal wound healing, leading to organ dysfunction and high morbidity and mortality across multiple organs. Vitex negundo L. (Verbenaceae), commonly known as the Chinese chaste tree or "Huangjing," is an aromatic shrub native to South and Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and East Africa. It is widely recognised in traditional medicine systems for its diverse pharmacological actions. The plant exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifibrotic, hepatoprotective, and antimicrobial properties. These effects are primarily attributed to its rich phytochemical constituents, such as luteolin, casticin, and negundoside. Owing to its multifaceted bioactivity, Vitex negundo serves as a promising source for the development of novel therapeutic agents. Aim: To evaluate the antifibrotic potential of Vitex negundo bioactive compounds through in-silico methods, including molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity) profile analysis, focusing on their interaction with key fibrotic signaling pathways. Materials and Methods: This in-silico analysis was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, over a period of one month, from June 2025 to July 2025. The study focused on the molecular docking of casticin, luteolin, and negundoside with TGFβR1 and SMAD3. Optimised ligand and protein structures were sourced from public databases, and ADMET properties were predicted using SWISSADME and ProTox 3.0. Molecular docking (AutoDock Vina) and visualisation (PyMOL) were used to assess binding, while 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations (AMBER ff19SB) evaluated complex stability using Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Molecular Mechanics/Generalised Born Surface Area (MM/ GBSA) binding energy calculations. Results: Casticin, luteolin, and negundoside from Vitex negundo showed strong binding to TGFβR1 and moderate to strong binding to SMAD3, with casticin having the highest affinities. Molecular dynamics confirmed stable, rigid proteinligand complexes for casticin and luteolin. ADMET analysis indicated high gastrointestinal absorption and low toxicity for all three compounds; however, casticin and luteolin may cause drug-drug interactions due to Cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibition, while negundoside showed lower absorption but minimal metabolic risk. Conclusion: Vitex negundo demonstrates significant antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antifibrotic activities. These findings support its potential as a safe and effective therapeutic agent with anti-inflammatory properties, justifying further investigation into its antifibrotic activity

Emerging adaptation of BJ/94 lineage H9N2 viruses to waterfowl: insights into enhanced replication and immune activation in the host cells.

Characterisation of erythrocyte binding activity of Plasmodium cynomolgi duffy binding protein haplotypes from Macaca fascicularis in Peninsular Malaysia.

The future of HIV prevention in southeast Asia.

Unveiling oral cancer's molecular blueprint: A novel classification to guide precision therapy.

Compound drought-heatwave events accelerate the potential risk on rice yield over Southeast Asia

Previous Asian studies have reported a substantial decline in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) prevalence following the adoption of the Rome IV diagnostic criteria. However, comparative data on IBS prevalence using Rome III and Rome IV criteria remain sparse, especially in Southeast Asia. We analyzed household survey data from the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study conducted in Malaysia and Indonesia, the only Southeast Asian countries included in the study, utilizing household-based sampling. We compared diagnostic sensitivity between Rome III and Rome IV criteria for IBS and examined demographic characteristics, symptom severity, psychological distress, quality of life (QoL), healthcare utilization, and dietary habits among identified IBS participants. Of 3411 participants (Malaysia: 2072; Indonesia: 1339), 177 (5.2%) fulfilled IBS criteria according to either Rome III or IV criteria. Among these, 115 (65%) met only the Rome III criteria, 50 (28%) met both the Rome III and IV criteria, and 12 (7%) exclusively met the Rome IV criteria. Compared with those diagnosed by Rome III, individuals identified by Rome IV criteria were younger and predominantly female. Only 31% of the Rome III IBS cases remained classified as IBS under the Rome IV criteria, while others were reclassified as unspecified bowel disorder (24%) or functional constipation (17%). While healthcare utilization rates were similar across groups, Rome IV IBS participants exhibited significantly higher symptom severity, lower anxiety levels, and poorer mental health-related QoL. Dietary assessments revealed significantly lower intake of milk, meat products, fish, eggs, vegetables and legumes, fruit, bread, and pasta among Rome IV IBS participants. The Rome IV criteria for IBS demonstrate reduced diagnostic sensitivity compared with the Rome III criteria in the Southeast Asian populations. Individuals meeting the Rome IV criteria displayed distinct demographic and clinical characteristics, including greater symptom severity and reduced mental health-related QoL.

Performance validation and bias correction of IMERG precipitation data under foggy meteorological conditions in Southeast Asia

From regional alliances to global aspirations: University perspectives from East and Southeast Asia

Jasminum sambac: Progress in research on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological actions and other applications.

Integration of blaOXA-48 into a Col156 plasmid drove a carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli ST131 outbreak in New Zealand: Global genomic evidence for the gene's multilayered dissemination.