JSPS-1 Overview of Foot and Mouth Disease Control in Thailand and Southeast Asia

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in many countries of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and FMD-free countries face greater risk of incursions due to increased global movement and trade of livestock and animal [1]. In the Southeast Asia and China (SEACFMD) roadmap, the framework supports member countries to consider and improve their Progressive Control Pathway (PCP-FMD) stages (0-5) of FMD control and applies the FMD Official Control Programme recognized by OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health)

Assessment of Flood Dynamics in Lower Mekong Delta Using Modeling Approach

The assessment of flood dynamics is essential in supporting the nation and all stakeholders for the better flood management and adaptation. Climate change and hydropower dam operation pose threat to water resources in the Lower Mekong Delta. Cambodia is vulnerable to the flood impact due to its low adaptive capacity. Historically, flood has big impact on Cambodian society, economics and environment. This research was conducted by using the 2D HEC-RAS Modeling Application to study the flood dynamics under the influence of climate change, hydropower operation and irrigation expansion. The analysis is based on the observed flow and water level of 5 years from 2015 to 2019 and digital elevation model (6 m x6 m). The indices indicated satisfactory performance for the simulation model with the value of NSE between 0.78 and 0.97 and R2 between 0.80 and 0.96. The impact of climate change, hydropower operation and irrigation expansion, on the Cambodian Mekong floodplain area in forms of the flood inundation characteristics using the above well-configured hydraulic model framework. The results show that the flood extent increases around 74% in dry season and decrease around 20% in rainy season. Comparing to the baseline, the results of the scenario study suggest that the study area is likely to experience larger floodplain area in dry season (October to April), and flood extent in rainy season is lesser (May to October). The simulated results will provide important hydraulic information to respond to the future change of flood extent. The increase of water level in the dry season will provide water availability in the water supply sector and agriculture

Evaluation of Entamoeba histolytica Acetyl Co-A Synthetase Recombinant Protein (rEhACS) for Serodiagnosis of Acute Amoebic Liver Abscess in Humans

Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) caused by Entamoeba histolytica is the most common and potentially fatal extra-intestinal manifestation of amoebiasis. At Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), diagnosis of ALA includes detection of antibodies using a commercial kit based on crude soluble antigens (CSA) of E. histolytica. CSA consist of a cocktail of E. histolytica proteins that are not well-defined in terms of the characteristics of the proteins and their masses. This study was done to evaluate the diagnostic potential of a well-defined recombinant protein of E. histolytica acetyl-Co-A synthetase (rEhACS) using serum samples from patients warded in HUSM who were diagnosed with ALA based on clinical symptoms, ultrasound imaging, and positive serology with commercial indirect haemagglutination kit, IHA (Cellognost® Amebiasis Kit, Dade Behring Marburg GmbH, Germany). The rEhACS was expressed in E. coli BL21 AI and purified using Ni-NTA resin column under optimized parameters. Presence of the purified rEhACS protein was ascertained based on observation of the prominently expressed -77 kDa on SDS-PAGE gel stained with Coomassie brilliant blue. The specificity and sensitivity of the purified protein were evaluated via enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using 30 ALA-positive serum samples and 30 ALA-negative serum samples with IHA seronegative obtained from patients infected with pathogens other than E. histolytica. The sensitivity and specificity for rEhACS/total anti-human IgG-ELISA were 500/o and 96.67% respectively. Meanwhile, for rEhACS/anti-human IgG4-ELISA were 36.67% and 96.67% respectively. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that rEhACS was highly specific for serodiagnosis of ALA. Interestingly, 50% (IgG-ELISA) or 36.6% (lgG4-ELISA) of the positive serum samples were probably obtained from patients with acute ALA. Future studies should focus on identifying new acute ALA cases based on rEhACS antigen followed by performing a battery of ALA examinations such as ultrasonography and molecular detection of biopsied liver abscess samples to confirm the infection

Plasma Cystatin C in decompensated cirrhosis

Introduction : Cystatin C (CysC) is biomarker for early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, there is limited evidence in decompensated cirrhotic patients without AKI at admission. This study aimed to assess CysC as a predictor of 90-day mortality. Methods : Decompensated cirrhotic patients without AKI were prospectively enrolled. CysC and creatinine were measured within 24 hours of admission and compared between patients with in-hospital complications (AKI, hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF)) vs. those without, and survivors vs. non-survivors. The AUROC and cut-off point of CysC in predicting 90-day mortality were determined. Results : Of 137 decompensated cirrhotic patients, 46 without AKI at admission were included (58.7% male, age 60.8 ± 11.2years, MELD 13.1 ± 5.1, ChildA / B / C 43.5% / 39.1% / 17.4%). The mean CysC level tended to be higher in patients with ACLF (1.52 ± 0.60 vs. 1.11 ± 0.28, p = 0.05), and significantly higher in non-survivors than survivors (1.61 ± 0.53 vs. 1.08 ± 0.28, p = 0.013). The 90-day mortality rate was 21.7%. After adjusting with age and bacterial infection on admission, CysC level ≥ 1.25 mg / L was significantly associated with 90-day mortality. The CysC cut-off level ≥ 1.25 mg / L provided 80% sensitivity and 75% specificity for predicting 90-day mortality. Conclusion : Plasma CysC within 24 hours could be used as a predictor for 90-day mortality and development of ACLF in decompensated cirrhotic patients

Free-grazing Ducks and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Thailand

Free-grazing ducks in rice paddies are a critical factor in the spread and persistence of avian influenza

Development and application of the Ecological Risk due to Flow Alteration (ERFA) methodology in Cambodia – progress on the TEFRIC project

The hydrological characteristics of a river exert critical controls on aquatic ecosystems. A river’s flow regime (characterised by variability, magnitude, frequency, duration, timing and rate of change of discharge) is central to sustaining aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. All elements of this regime influence some aspect of riverine ecosystems. Changes in river discharge due to climate change or water resources management have the potential for ecological impacts. The science of environmental flows has developed in order to determine flow regimes necessary to maintain economically, socially and ecologically important ecosystem services

Clinical improvements in temporospatial gait variables after a spinal tap test in individuals with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus

Background: Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a neurological condition that often presents gait disturbance in the early stages of the disease and affects other motor activities. This study investigated changes in temporospatial gait variables after cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) removal using a tap test in individuals with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH), and explored if the tap test responders and non-responders could be clinically identified from temporospatial gait variables. Methods: Sixty-two individuals with iNPH were recruited from an outpatient clinic, eleven were excluded, leaving a total of 51 who were included in the analysis. Temporospatial gait variables at self-selected speed were recorded at pre- and 24-hour post-tap tests which were compared using Paired t-tests, Cohen’s d effect size, and percentage change. A previously defined minimal clinical important change (MCIC) for gait speed was used to determine the changes and to classify tap test responders and non-responders. A mixed model ANOVA was used to determine the within-group, between-group, and interaction effects. Results: Comparisons of the data between pre- and post-tap tests showed significant improvements with small to medium effect sizes for left step length, right step time, stride length and time, cadence, and gait speed. Gait speed showed the largest percentage change among temporospatial gait variables. Within-group and interaction effects were found in some variables but no between-group effect was found. Tap test responders showed significant improvements in right step length and time, stride length and time, cadence, and gait speed while non-responders did not. Conclusions: Some individuals with iNPH showed clinically important improvements in temporospatial gait variables after the tap test, particularly in step/stride length and time, cadence, who could be classified by gait speed. However, gait-related balance variables did not change. Therefore, additional treatments should focus on improving such variables

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1, Thailand, 2004

Early detection and control curtail outbreaks