Tropical Country Research Articles

Fog and rain augmentation for license plate recognition in tropical country environment

Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) is a critical component in modern traffic management systems. However, ALPR systems often face challenges in accurately recognizing license plates under adverse weather conditions, such as fog and rain, prevalent in tropical regions. Deep learning ALPR models necessitate huge and diverse datasets for robustness, but data availability remains a concern since unpredictable fog and rain patterns hinder data collection. In this study, we address the issue of enhancing ALPR's robustness by introducing a novel augmentation strategy that combines traditional and weather augmentation techniques. By augmenting the dataset with weather-induced variations, we aim to improve the generalization capability of ALPR models, enabling them to handle a wider range of weather-related challenges. We also investigate the synergy between these weather augmentations and established scene text recognition (STR) methods, such as convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN), TPS-ResNet BiLSTM-attention (TRBA), autonomous bidirectional iterative scene text recognition (ABINet), vision transformer (ViTSTR), and permutated autoregressive sequence (PARSeq), to determine their impact on recognition accuracy. Experiments using different training data sets show that training data containing a combination of traditional and weather augmentation produces the best accuracy and 1-NED performance compared to training data without augmentation and traditional augmentation only. The average increase accuracy of all STR model is 1.13% with the best increase accuracy of 3.68% using TRBA.

Seasonal Factors and The Potential of Artificial Insemination (AI) in Dairy Cattle

Dairy cattle are dominant milk producer in Indonesia. Several programs have been carried out to increase the population of dairy cattle and milk production, one of which is Artificial Insemination (AI). Indonesia is a tropical country that has two seasons, namely the rainy season and the dry season. This study was conducted in the KPSBU Lembang working area, West Java, from November 2019 to January 2020. Rainfall data from the BMKG Dramaga Climatology Station and artificial insemination (AI) records of Frisian Holstein dairy cattle from 2017 to 2019 were collected. AI success was assessed using the Service per Conception (S/C) and Conception Rate (CR) parameters, obtained through pregnancy checks two months after insemination. Pregnancy checks were conducted using rectal palpation to confirm conception. Statistical analysis focused on seasonal differences in reproductive performance based on these metrics. Highest S/C value was 2.02 with CR Value 53.27% on rainy season with rainfall 253.67 mm month-1. The analysis showed a strong correlation (α = 0.005) between S/C and CR value (0.89*), very weak correlation between rainfall with S/C (r = -0.05) and CR (r = -0.08). The results of the research show that the rainy season and the dry season are not the main factors affecting the AI in dairy cattle, however they didn’t directly affect the season to increase the productivity of saplings.

The efficacy of prebiotic supplementation in mitigating heat stress and improving the survival of antibiotic-free broilers’ production in hot climates

BackgroundBangladesh is a hot tropical country, and various antibiotics have been included in broiler feed for many years to manage, prevent, and treat illnesses and improve production performance, like many other developing countries. This study mainly evaluates the efficacy of prebiotic supplementation in mitigating heat stress and improving the survival of antibiotic-free broiler production in hot climates.Materials and methodsA cocktail of banana peel, papaya peel, and watermelon rind was used as a prebiotic. A total of 350 one-day-old chicks (Ross-308) were allotted into five treatment groups each with 7 replicates: T1 (prebiotics, 15 ml/L), T2 (commercial probiotics Lactolase P, 1 g/L), T3 (synbiotics, 7.5 ml/L prebiotics + 0.5 g/L probiotics), T4 (freshwater), and T5 (antibiotics, 1 g/L). Besides other treatments, the aqueous extracts of banana peels, papaya peels, and watermelon rinds were prepared as prebiotics, and these were provided to the experimental birds through drinking water from 5 to 32 days of age.ResultsThe findings revealed nonsignificant (P > 0.05) variations in water intake, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), dressing weight, dressing percentage, heart and gizzard weights, and thigh meat yield. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed in body weight, body weight gain, and breast meat yield. It was observed that birds consumed five times more water than feed when the environmental temperature was above 38 °C. Significant (p < 0.05) differences in the survival rates of birds were observed among treatment groups. The highest rate of survival was obtained in T1 (100%), followed by T2 (93.3%), and T3 (90%), and the lowest percentage was recorded in T4 (66.6%) and T5 (73.3%).ConclusionPrepared prebiotics could mitigate heat stress, promote growth rate under hot climates, and be used as substitutes for antibiotics to safely produce broilers in hot climates.

A Cross Biome Synthesis on Pollination Systems in a Megadiverse Tropical Country

A Cross Biome Synthesis on Pollination Systems in a Megadiverse Tropical Country

Distribution and seasonality of viral respiratory infections in pediatric oncologic patients in a tropical country

Abstract Background Comprehension of the distribution and seasonality viral respiratory infections pediatric oncologic patients in tropical localities remains poor. Due to lack mandatory report of all viruses and limitations in access to molecular biology techniques there is currently few data published on this topic. We report the distribution and seasonality of pediatric viral respiratory infections at a tertiary care oncological hospital in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Methods The laboratory database with results of real time PCR panel (Biofire® respiratory panel 2.1) from January to December 2021 was reviewed to collect the relative frequency and seasonality of identifiable viral infections in pediatric (ages &amp;lt; 18 years) patients. The frequency of infection according to sample characteristics including sex and age was compared using chi square test with a significance of 0.05. The frequency of detection was organized per month within the year. Percentage of coinfections was also determined. Results Out of 217 included PCR results, 143 (65.8%) tested positive for detectable viral organisms. Mean age was 7.3 years SD 4.8 years. The infection frequency for girl samples was higher than that of boy samples, X2 (1, N=217) = 4.16, p 0.041. The relation between age groups and the frequency of infection was not statistically significant X2 (2, N=217) = 5.24, p 0.073. The most prevalent viruses included Rhinovirus/Enterovirus 53 cases (relative frequency 37.0%), Parainfluenza virus 3 42 cases (relative frequency 29.3%) and Respiratory syncytial virus 19 cases (relative frequency 13.2%). Rhinovirus/Enterovirus, Paramyxovirus and Adenovirus respiratory infections occurred throughout the year while other respiratory viruses including Coronaviruses showed a higher detection rate during the rainy season (December – April). A total of 13 (5.9%) patients were coinfected with two up to four viruses. The most common combination was Parainfluenza virus 3 with Rhinovirus/Enterovirus. No bacterial targets were detected. Conclusion Larger and more complex studies are necessary to understand the burden of viral respiratory infections in pediatric oncological patients. In Ecuador, detection was higher in girls and school aged children. Rhinovirus/Enterovirus, Paramyxovirus and Adenovirus were present all year long while seasonality was common for other viruses following dry/rainy season pattern in the region. More understanding of seasonality will aim for preventive measures during more difficult months and to distribute resources accordingly. Figure 1. Seasonality of respiratory viral infections.

Performance Evaluation of a Pilot-Scale Constructed Wetland with Typha latifolia for Remediation of Domestic Wastewater in Zimbabwe

The management of wastewater remains a challenge, particularly in developing countries. The potential use of constructed wetlands to treat wastewater is promising but their contaminant removal efficiencies, particularly in a tropical country such as Zimbabwe, are not fully understood. A pilot-scale study was undertaken in Zimbabwe to evaluate the efficiency of vertical-flow constructed wetlands planted with Typha latifolia in the treatment of domestic wastewater. Four pilot subsurface vertical-flow constructed wetland units (measuring 1 m × 1 m × 1.1 m) were built from concrete. The units were filled with waste rock from a nickel mine. Three units were planted with Typha latifolia while the fourth one was left unplanted, acting as the control. Each unit was loaded with wastewater at a rate of 220 dm3/day. Physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters were analyzed during the winter season. Physico-chemical and bacterial contaminant concentrations were significantly lower in the effluent than in the influent, and the system achieved maximum removals for BOD5, COD, TDS, TSS, nitrates, phosphates, phosphate pentoxide, phosphorus, and E. coli of 56.01%, 82.87%, 30.61%, 90.40% 17.26%, 35.80%, 36.19%, 40.64%, and 90.28%, respectively. The study shows that constructed wetland systems can be successfully established for the removal of physical, chemical, and microbial contaminants from domestic wastewater.

B-215 Evaluating RT-qPCR for Dengue Virus Detection: Outcomes of a Brazilian External Quality Assessment Program

Abstract Background Dengue virus (DENV), responsible for a prevalent arthropod-borne viral illness, poses a substantial public health challenge worldwide. Clinically, DENV's manifestation often resembles that of other arboviruses, resulting in frequent healthcare visits and complicating the early diagnosis, which is critical for patient management. While virus isolation is a viable method, RT-qPCR assays yield significantly quicker results. Rapid immunochromatographic tests are available; yet, RT-qPCR not only matches their sensitivity but also provides distinct advantages in clinical laboratory settings. These include higher throughput and integrated, traceable quality control within each routine, offering less subjective and more dependable results. Maintaining high diagnostic standards for DENV is imperative. External quality assessment programs (EQAP) play a key role in enhancing laboratory diagnostic capabilities by monitoring and assessing diagnostic methods. This study evaluates the diagnostic efficacy of RT-qPCR for DENV using data from an EQAP conducted by a Brazilian provider, accredited by ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17043:2011. Methods The quality control samples comprised lyophilized suspensions containing viable DENV particles, grown on vero cells (BCRJ 0245/ATCC CCL-81) under BSL-3 conditions. From February 2017 to November 2022, twenty-four EQAP survey rounds were carried out, each encompassing three samples, culminating in 1,153 data points. The evaluation metrics included participant numbers, adequacy percentage, sensitivity, specificity, and the incidence of false positives and negatives. The Mann-Kendall test assessed trends in these metrics over the survey rounds. The RT-qPCR kits employed by participants were classified either as in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) or as laboratory-developed tests (LDT). Kits that demonstrated high performance in terms of adequacy, sensitivity, and specificity were identified and listed. Results The number of laboratories participating has increased. Starting with four in 2017, the program expanded to 28 by 2022. Laboratory accuracy was high during the evaluation period, with a median of 99% (97.8% in 2017 and 99.2% in 2022). The Mann-Kendall test indicated a significant trend of increased accuracy (p&amp;lt;0.001). Specificity remained stable at 98.8%, while sensitivity improved, with a median of 99.4%—rising from 93.3% in 2017 to 100% in 2022 (p&amp;lt;0.001). Only three false negatives were reported over three separate rounds, and six false positives were reported across four rounds. Both LDT and IVD RT-qPCR kits demonstrated high accuracy (99.4% and 98.4%, respectively). Biomanguinhos ZDC, Viasure ZDC, and ZDC Multiplex kits all showed 100% adequacy, sensitivity, and specificity. Conclusions This study highlights the increasing adoption of RT-qPCR for DENV detection, as evidenced by the growing number of laboratories in the EQAP program and the consistently high adequacy rates from 2017 to 2022. Nonetheless, the number of participating laboratories remains relatively small for a vast tropical country like Brazil. The high sensitivity and specificity, along with the infrequency of false results, underscore its effectiveness. The superior performance of certain kits suggests possible advancements in DENV diagnosis, contributing to global public health initiatives against this arboviral disease.

Aspergillus capibaribensis (Eurotiales, Trichocomaceae), a new species in section Cremei

In this study we describe a new species of Aspergillus in section Cremei deposited in the URM culture collection (Micoteca URM Profa. Maria Auxiliadora Cavalcanti) of the Departamento de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil). Another strain was obtained from samples taken from pollen pots inside nests of Melipona scutellaris (stingless bee). Morphological and phylogenetic evidence based on sequencing of ITS rDNA, BenA, CaM and rpb2 markers supported the description of taxonomic novelty. Aspergillus capibaribensis sp. nov. is morphologically similar and phylogenetically close to A. flaschentraegeri - the distinctive features are uniseriate and hyaline conidiophores, short and smooth conidia and smaller vesicles compared to the micromorphological structures of A. flaschentraegeri. This record also expanded the knowledge of species in Aspergillus section Cremei in a tropical country such as Brazil.

FORMULASI DAN UJI FISIK SALEP KOMBINASI EKSTRAK PUTRI MALU (Mimosa Pudica) DAN DAUN JARAK PAGAR (Jatropha Curcas)

Indonesia is a tropical country that has the potential to experience skin diseases. The development of drugs from natural ingredients can be used to treat skin diseases. One of the appropriate pharmaceutical preparations for treating skin infections is ointment. Putri Malu (Mimosa Pudica) and Jatropha Leaves (Jatropha Cuscas) are plants that contain flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins and phenols which have the potential to inhibit bacterial growth. The aim of this research is to formulate an ointment preparation from the extract of putrimalu (mimosa pudica) and jatropha curcas leaves (jatropha curcas) which meets the requirements of an ointment preparation by means of a physical test of the ointment. This type of research was experimental, which was carried out by making 3 ointment formulations combining Putri Malu and Jatropha leaves using the ointment base Vasellin Album and Adeps Lanae. Physically tested ointment preparations include organoleptic tests, homogeneity tests, pH tests, viscosity tests, spreadability tests, and adhesiveness tests. Based on testing of a combination of ointment preparations from the extract of putrimalu (mimosa pudica) and jatropha leaves (jatrooha cuscas) with a base of vasellin album and adeps lanae, the organoleptic results were blackish brown, distinctive odor, semi-solid consistency, homogeneous ointment with a Ph value of 5 and viscosity test. adhesion and spreading power in accordance with ointment preparation standards. The best formulation of the ointment combination of the extract of the mollusk (mimosa pudica) and jatropha curcas (jatropha cusrcas) leaves is formulation 2 with a ratio of (2:2).

Village Government's Role in Advancing Agricultural Development Through Supportive Policies

Background: Indonesia, a tropical country with rich agricultural potential, faces challenges in optimizing its agricultural sector. Specific Background: Despite significant contributions to the economy and employment, issues like low human resource capacity and dependency on food imports hinder productivity. Knowledge Gap: The role of village governments in facilitating agricultural development, particularly in rural areas like Grabagan Village, remains underexplored. Aims: This study analyzes the village government's role in agricultural development in Grabagan Village, focusing on key success indicators. Results: Findings indicate that the village government functions effectively as a facilitator, mobilizer, and regulator, yet faces challenges in resource mobilization and farmer engagement. Novelty: This research enhances understanding of local governance's influence on agricultural outcomes. Implications: The study highlights the need for improved collaboration between the village government and farmers to optimize resource allocation and align agricultural initiatives with local needs for sustainable development. Highlights: The village government serves as a crucial facilitator in agricultural initiatives, providing necessary infrastructure and budget support. Effective mobilization of resources and farmer involvement in planning processes are essential for enhancing agricultural productivity. Addressing challenges in local governance can significantly improve sustainable agricultural development in rural areas. Keywords: Village Government, Agricultural, Farmer Empowerment, Facilitation, Mobilization

Skin Prick Tests and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays among Allergic Patients Using Allergenic Local Pollen Extracts.

Allergic respiratory diseases are prevalent in the Philippines, with allergic rhinitis and asthma occurring at 20% and 8.7% of the population, respectively. The diagnosis of respiratory allergies is achieved by a combination of patient history and different screening tools, especially for the identification of the allergic triggers such as allergy skin prick test (SPT) and serum-specific IgE enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (sIgE ELISA). The Philippines, being a tropical country, have a wide variety of plant species with potential to produce allergenic pollen grains. Knowledge of the sensitization profiles of Filipino allergic patients to our local pollen allergens is currently limited. The aim of this study is to determine the sensitization profile of patients with respiratory allergies (allergic rhinitis and/or asthma) through the allergy skin prick test (SPT) using allergenic local pollen extracts. It also aimed to determine if there is a positive agreement between the SPT and sIgE ELISA positivity rate and whether the results have relationship with the pollen purity and the protein content of the extracts. Pollen allergens were extracted from Amaranthus spinosus (pigweed), Mimosa pudica (makahiya), Tridax procumbens (wild daisy), Imperata cylindrica (cogon), Oryza sativa (rice), Pennisetum polystachion (foxtail grass), Sorghum halepense (Johnson grass), Albizia saman (acacia), Cocos nucifera (coconut), Leucaena leucocephala (ipil-ipil), and Mangifera indica (mango). SPT was performed at the Allergy Clinic of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital on patients with allergic rhinitis and/or bronchial asthma. Blood samples were collected from patients who developed wheal diameters of 3 mm or more than the negative control. Sera were tested against the same pollen extracts using ELISA. Of the one hundred sixty-five (165) patients who submitted for skin prick test, 129 showed positive SPT results to the pollen extracts. Weeds were the most sensitizing (51.9%-58.1%). Blood samples were collected from these patients and tested for sIgE ELISA and among them, 71 were positive in the sIgE ELISA. Highest sensitization rates in sIgE ELISA were found in coconut, pigweed, Johnson grass, and rice. The highest positive agreements or the proportion of patients with positive sIgE ELISA among those with positive SPT were in coconut, followed by Johnson grass, pigweed, and rice. Most of the pollen sensitized patients on SPT are polysensitized. SPT is a safe, simple, and rapid method for the diagnosis of IgE-mediated allergy. The lower number of positive patients in sIgE ELISA may be attributed to the low serum IgE levels and low quantities of effectual allergen components in extracts. Results of both SPT and ELISA must be correlated with a patient's clinical history, particularly the patient's exposures, and physical examination.

Exposing illegal hunting and wildlife depletion in the world's largest tropical country through social media data.

Globally, illegal sport hunting can threaten prey populations when unregulated. Due to its covert nature, illegal sport hunting poses challenges for data collection, hindering efforts to understand the full extent of its impacts. We gathered social media data to analyze patterns of illegal sport hunting and wildlife depletion across Brazil. We collected data for 2years (2018-2020) across 5 Facebook groups containing posts depicting pictures of illegal sport hunting events of native fauna. We described and mapped these hunting events by detailing the number of hunters involved, the number of species, the mean body mass of individuals, and the number and biomass of individuals hunted per unit area, stratified by Brazilian biome. We also examined the effects of defaunation on hunting yield and composition via regression models, rank-abundance curves, and spatial interpolation. We detected 2046 illegal sport hunting posts portraying the hunting of 4658 animals (∼29t of undressed meat) across all 27 states and 6 natural biomes of Brazil. Of 157 native species targeted by hunters, 19 are currently threatened with extinction. We estimated that 1414 hunters extracted 3251kg/millionkm2. Some areas exhibited more pronounced wildlife depletion, in particular the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga biomes. In these areas, there was a shift from large mammals and reptiles to small birds as the main targeted taxa, and biomass extracted per hunting event and mean body mass across all taxonomic groups were lower than in other areas. Our results highlight that illegal sport hunting adds to the pressures of subsistence hunting and the wild meat trade on Brazil's wildlife populations. Enhanced surveillance efforts are needed to reduce illegal sport hunting levels and to develop well-managed sustainable sport hunting programs. These can support wildlife conservation and offer incentives for local communities to oversee designated sport hunting areas.

Comparative Analysis of Essential Oil Profiles From Emprit Ginger Rhizome (Zingiber officinale var. amarum) Grown in Different Locations and Antibacterial Activity Againts Staphylococcus aureus

Indonesia, as a tropical country, boasts significant biodiversity, particularly regarding its flora and fauna. The country's medicinal plants are one inherited natural resource passed down through generations. The "emprit ginger” (Zingiber officinale var. amarum), a native Indonesian medicinal plant, is often employed in treating various diseases. Scientifically, the primary constituent of emprit ginger is the phenolic ketone homolog compound, gingerol, known for its antioxidant activity. In addition to its antioxidant potential, emprit ginger exhibits potential as an antibacterial agent. However, herbal substances used for therapeutic purposes often yield inconsistent effects due to the fluctuating chemical composition in the plants, typically a result of varying growing locations. These location differences can cause discrepancies in the content of active metabolites. Therefore, data on the chemical profile of medicinal plants is paramount for the standardization process. This study was conducted by obtaining essential oils from the rhizomes of emprit ginger, extracted via steam distillation obtained from various cultivation lands in Ponorogo, Magetan, Pacitan, Wonogiri, Karanganyar, Boyolali, Semarang, Magelang, Purworejo, Temanggung, Wonosobo, Banyumas, Bantul, and Kulonprogo. One of the efforts in standardizing natural materials involves the analysis of their metabolite profiles. The emprit ginger essential oil profile was obtained through Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) testing. The emprit ginger essential oil profile was analyzed using a multivariate calibration of Principal Component Analysis utilizing SIMCA 17 software. Antibacterial activities were assessed using the microdilution method on Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The analysis of antibacterial activity was determined using the Probit analysis method to ascertain the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) 50 value. This study also involved the extraction of essential oils from emprit ginger rhizomes. The individual profiles of these essential oils were determined via Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. The essential oil profiles of emprit ginger were subjected to a multivariate calibration using Principal Component Analysis facilitated by the SIMCA 17 software. Antibacterial activity tests were conducted using the microdilution method on Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The antibacterial activity was ascertained using probit analysis to derive the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration 50 (MIC 50) values. The highest MIC 50 of emprit ginger rhizome on Staphylococcus aureus bacteria was found in samples from Wonogiri, with a concentration of 0.3408%. Compounds displaying significant discriminative influence on Staphylococcus aureus bacteria included Z-Citral, Geranyl acetate, Zingiberenol, Beta-Myrcene, (1S0-2,6,6-Trimethylbicyclo [3.1.1] hept-2-ene, and Bicyclo [2.2.1]heptan-2-ol, 1,7,7-trimethyl, exo-(CAS)

Review Article: Study of The Toxicity of Herbal Plants on Vital Organs of Experimental Animals

Background: Indonesia is a tropical country with many natural resources, including flora and fauna. Herbs are natural plants with therapeutic qualities but can also be harmful. As a result, many studies evaluate the toxicity of herbal plants because conducting clinical trials for herbal medicines requires safe treatment. Purpose: This article aims to learn more about the harmful effects of compounds not found in acute and subchronic toxicity tests. The method of writing the article was found through searches in Google Scholar, Science Direct, Research Gate, Garuda, and Pubmed, which are online publications of scientific journals. Several nationally accredited scientific papers, including Sinta 4 and Sinta 5, were accepted. Fifteen literary journals are all relevant to this topic. The toxicity test results reveal that certain plants are classified as non-toxic, slightly toxic, or highly hazardous.

Promosi Makanan Tradisional Lokal Untuk Meningkatkan Pariwisata Kuliner Pada Pasar Bojong Pekalongan

Indonesia is a developing country with many potential tourist destinations, natural tourism and cultural tourism in each region because Indonesia has different tribes, customs, cultures and geographical location. Indonesia is a tropical country that produces. Indonesia also has many traditional snacks in each region, Indonesian traditional snacks are one of the legacies of our ancestors that must be preserved and preserved so that they are not forgotten by future generations. However, currently Indonesian people prefer snacks such as pizza, hamburgers and other snacks as they develop. In western culture, it is not uncommon for children to be asked if they don't know the traditional food of their area. Therefore, let's preserve traditional snacks by buying traditional snacks, learning how to make them, practicing recipes, and also helping to market and introduce traditional snacks to the general public. Communication is one of the most important aspects in marketing the tourism industry in an area, according to Soemanagara (2008), this service activity provides various benefits, knowledge and skills to Bojong Pekalongan market traders to increase culinary tourism in the Bojong Pekalongan market. Promotion of local traditional food Bojong Pekalongan market traders are trained to promote local traditional food on social media using mobile media such as Traditional food is apem cake, ball baling and others.

MODELLING STUDY ON CENTRAL COURTYARD SHADING STRATEGY IN TROPICAL CLIMATE REGION MALAYSIA

A courtyard is an open multi-functional space and an effective daylight passive design strategy in a building. However, to have a courtyard in a tropical country, it had to deal with the issue of visual discomfort, which requires some consideration in adaptation to the climate condition. These visual comfort issues include inconsistent light distribution, inappropriate illuminance levels, glare, and a lack of shaded areas. The focus of this research paper is to address the solution of shading strategies towards the visual discomfort issues associated with courtyard spaces. The solution is done by modelling study method on courtyard ratios and courtyard configuration to determine the effect on the internal courtyard percentage shaded area. This research aims to explore the potential benefits of using courtyards as a daylight shading design as a strategy in buildings. Besides, it is also to examine courtyard design variables in enhancing visual comfort, particularly in the context of commercial building design in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is chosen to represent the tropical climate region. The aim is achieved by identifying optimum courtyard ratios that can improve daylight, shading, and visual comfort that make courtyards functional and usable spaces. Results show that a small and deep courtyard is found to be best suited to tropical climate conditions with the configuration of the courtyard’s height being double the size or more than the size of the courtyard’s width. This courtyard ratio is able to produce a full shaded area during daytime. While courtyard length does not have any impact on the percentage of shaded area, wide and narrow courtyard need to adapt to the tropical climate constraint by having aided shading strategies such as multi-layered height of trees, independent covered structures like a canopy or gazebo, shading panels, awnings, and extended roof overhangs.

Mapping Asia Plants: Plant Diversity and a Checklist of Vascular Plants in Indonesia.

Indonesia, located in Southeast Asia, is the world's largest tropical island country. It is globally recognized as a unique center of biodiversity in the Asian-Australian transitional zone. To date, however, no national plant checklist of Indonesia has been published. Here, we collected botanical information on the flora of Indonesia and presented for the first time a checklist of known native species of vascular plants in the country. Our checklist included 30,466 species belonging to 2968 genera and 317 families, representing 8.7% of the 351,180 vascular plant species worldwide. Among the seven regions, Sumatra had the highest number of species at 10,902, followed by Indonesian New Guinea (9935), Java (9289), Kalimantan (9191), Sulawesi (7048), Maluku (5294), and Lesser Sunda Islands (4514). In contrast, Indonesian New Guinea had a much higher proportion of locally endemic species than other regions (59%). The seven regions were divided into three phytogeographical areas: the Sunda Shelf, the Sahul Shelf, and the Wallacea, based on similarities in floristic composition. Our checklist for Indonesia provides basic information for biodiversity conservation and associated research.

Mortality risk and burden of aortic aneurysm and dissection attributable to low temperatures: A nationwide case-crossover analysis in Brazil, a predominantly tropical country

BackgroundLow temperatures are adverse contributors to cardiovascular diseases, but the associations between short-term exposure to cold and the risk of death from aortic dissection and aneurysm remain unclear, particularly in tropical regions. ObjectiveThis study was conducted based on 123,951 records of deaths caused by aortic dissection and aneurysms extracted from the national Mortality Information System in Brazil between 2000 and 2019. MethodsRelative risks and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the aortic-related deaths associated with low ambient temperatures were estimated using the conditional logistic model combined with the distributed lag nonlinear model. Subgroup analyses were performed by age group, sex, race, education level, and residential region. Furthermore, this study calculated the number and fraction of aortic-related deaths attributed to temperatures below the temperature threshold to quantify the cold-related mortality burden of aortic diseases. ResultsDuring the study period, aortic-related deaths and mortality rates in Brazil exhibited a steady increase, rising from 4419 (2.66/100,000) in 2000 to 8152 (3.88/100,000) in 2019. Under the identified temperature threshold (26 °C), per 1 °C decrease in daily mean temperature was associated with a 4.77 % (95 % CI: 4.35, 5.19) increase in mortality risk of aortic-related diseases over lag 0–3 days. Females, individuals aged 50 years or older, Asian and Black race, and northern residents were more susceptible to low temperatures. Low temperatures were responsible for 19.10 % (95 % CI: 17.71, 20.45) of aortic-related deaths in Brazil. ConclusionThis study highlights that low temperatures were associated with an increased risk of aortic-related deaths, with a remarkable burden even in this predominantly tropical country.

AGE, SEX, AND TYPES OF OCCUPATION WITH HISTOPATHOLOGICAL TYPES IN PATIENTS WITH OCULAR SURFACE SQUAMOUS NEOPLASIA (OSSN) IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN SURABAYA, INDONESIA

Highlights The histopathological types of OSSN were significantly associated with age and occupation. The study's findings enhance the understanding of OSSN in Indonesia and emphasize the importance of UV exposure, occupation, and age in its development. Abstract Background: Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia (OSSN) is a spectrum of tumors affecting the conjunctiva and cornea, in which a more invasive type of OSSN has a higher recurrence rate. As a tropical country, Indonesia is constantly exposed to intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the main risk factor for OSSN. Despite this, there are very few studies regarding OSSN in Indonesia. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the association between sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, and types of occupation (outdoor and indoor) and histopathological types of OSSN to fill the gap in research and contribute to early diagnostic strategies. Material and Method: Sociodemographic and histopathological data were extracted from the medical records of patients who were histopathologically diagnosed with OSSN at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital from 2017 to 2021. Data from 88 samples that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were classified and analyzed with descriptive statistics and a two-sided Fisher's exact test using SPSS version 27.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA). Result: The exact test results of the two-sided fisher revealed a statistically significant relationship between age (p = 0.0004) and occupation type (p = 0.049) with histopathological types of OSSN. However, no significant association was found between sex and histopathological types of OSSN (p = 0.130). Conclusion: Age and occupation were found to have a significant association with the histopathological types of OSSN, reinforcing the need for further exploration of its strength and nature to be considered by future researchers.

Legal Efforts of the Indonesian Government for the Protection of Marine Resources Due to Damage to Marine Ecosystems by Fishermen

As a huge maritime country, Indonesia has tremendous potential for marine resources. Indonesia is the largest tropical marine country in the world and has the largest biodiversity in the sea. The potential of marine biological resources in Indonesian waters has always been able to provide optimal benefits for the economic and socio-cultural development of the community. However, many fishermen conduct fishing easily and destructively (destructively fishing) of marine ecosystems using fishing gear that is not environmentally friendly to meet the demand for fish needs. The perpetrators use Dupont Lannate chemicals containing Methomil with mashed fish and then spread it into the sea, then pick up the dead fish. The use of chemical poisons can kill the animals that make up the coral so that the coral becomes discolored which eventually dies and other fish that are not targeted also die. Therefore in this study, the author examines law enforcement in Indonesia’s marine territory to protect the biodiversity of Indonesia’s marine areas. this study uses a Normative research type that examines national and international legal arrangements regarding the protection of the marine environment. Therefore researchers examine the regulation and effectiveness of law enforcement in Indonesia.