Hasil untuk "Unlocalized maps (Asian studies only)"

Anurag Verma, Jennifer E. Huffman, Alex Rodriguez et al.

One of the justifiable criticisms of human genetic studies is the underrepresentation of participants from diverse populations. Lack of inclusion must be addressed at-scale to identify causal disease factors and understand the genetic causes of health disparities. We present genome-wide associations for 2068 traits from 635,969 participants in the Department of Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program, a longitudinal study of diverse United States Veterans. Systematic analysis revealed 13,672 genomic risk loci; 1608 were only significant after including non-European populations. Fine-mapping identified causal variants at 6318 signals across 613 traits. One-third (n = 2069) were identified in participants from non-European populations. This reveals a broadly similar genetic architecture across populations, highlights genetic insights gained from underrepresented groups, and presents an extensive atlas of genetic associations. Editor’s summary The number and size of human genomics datasets have been increasing but not uniformly, and most of the genetic data available to researchers are still derived from individuals of European descent. This shortcoming limits both the biological insights that can be gleaned from these data and their clinical applications to non-European patients, who may not match up well with the traditional study participants. To address this problem, the Million Veterans Program recruited hundreds of thousands of US veterans of various ethnic backgrounds for study. Verma et al. present this resource, as well as a few discoveries of genetic connections to disease that emerged from their diverse dataset (see the Perspective by Williamson and Fatumo). —Yevgeniya Nusinovich INTRODUCTION Findings from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have provided foundational knowledge of the genetic basis of disease, facilitating precision approaches for prevention and treatment. Current GWAS results are limited by underrepresentation of individuals from diverse populations, leading to concerns with generalizability regarding our knowledge of the relationships between genes, traits, and disease. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Million Veteran Program (MVP), one of the largest US-based biobanks, addresses this need; 29% of MVP comprises individuals genetically similar to African (AFR), Admixed American (AMR), and East Asian (EAS) reference populations. With over 635,000 participants and more than 44.3M genotyped variants linked with detailed phenotypic data from the electronic health record (EHR), the MVP has the scale and richness of data to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of genotype-phenotype associations across diverse populations. RATIONALE Leveraging dense MVP data, we conducted GWASs across 2068 traits in four population groups based on genetic similarity to AFR, AMR, EAS, and European (EUR) reference populations. We employed statistical fine-mapping to highlight putative causal variants. This effort allowed us to characterize the genetic architecture of complex traits within diverse populations and compare genetic predisposition between population groups. We also quantified the benefits of including individuals from non-EUR population groups in the study for variant discovery and fine-mapping precision. Fine-mapping provided a foundation for nominating putative effector genes at associated loci mapping the landscape of gene-trait associations across populations to highlight both pleiotropic and heterogeneous associations. RESULTS Among 635,969 participants, we identified 26,049 variant-trait associations across 1270 traits, with 3477 being significant only when individuals from non-EUR populations were included. Fine-mapping revealed 57,601 independent signals across 936 traits, with 15,045 of these signals mapped with high confidence to a single variant. Predominantly resulting from interpopulation allele frequency differences, 2069 high-confidence signals and 549 gene nominations were unique to non-EUR groups. Notably, a signal mapped to rs76024540 implicated SLC22A18/SLC22A18AS as effector genes for keloid scarring, a condition vastly more prevalent in the AFR than the EUR population. Apart from the APOE locus’s association with dementia, we observed few instances of effect size heterogeneity across populations for fine-mapped variants. CONCLUSION This study underscores the enhanced power of GWASs with increased participant diversity, achieving greater variant discovery and fine-mapping precision than possible in the EUR population alone. Our findings reveal more similarities than differences in genetic architectures across populations, with most differences attributable to allele frequency variations between populations. Comprehensive phenome-wide genetic analysis across multiple populations. Meta-analysis of 4045 GWASs comprising 2068 traits from four population groups identified 26,049 locus-trait associations, including 9989 previously unreported. Multi-population fine-mapping prioritized high confidence signals, highlighting shared associations and elucidated pleiotropic genes driving multiple variant-trait associations.

Hong Tran, Quang Dong Lam

This article presents a scoping and semi-bibliometric review of 131 peer-reviewed studies on multimodal discourse analysis (MDA) in textbooks published between 1995 and 2025. The review identifies major research trends, theoretical orientations, methodological approaches, and research gaps by combining quantitative mapping and qualitative thematic coding. The findings reveal a significant expansion in research output since the early 2010s, with over 40% of the studies published between 2020 and 2024. Asia emerges as the dominant region, led by Indonesia and China, yet geographic imbalances persist, with limited contributions from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The review also shows a pronounced disciplinary concentration on English language teaching, accounting for nearly 60% of the corpus, while STEM and arts-related subjects remain underrepresented. Most of the studies adopt qualitative designs, relying heavily on content analysis and visual grammar frameworks, with 88.5% treating textbooks as isolated artefacts. Only 8.4% of the studies engage with textbook users such as teachers or students, signalling a lack of pedagogical contextualisation. Based on these findings, the article highlights five critical axes of discussion: regional asymmetry, disciplinary imbalance, methodological rigidity, theoretical convergence, and user exclusion. By synthesizing these insights, this review provides a comprehensive map of the field and directs future research toward more participatory, interdisciplinary, and digitally responsive studies that account for multimodality in situated educational practice.

Anthony E. Amores, Sophia Aguilar

Abstract. Amores AE, Aguilar SNA. 2026. A quantitative and network analysis of traditional ecological knowledge on seagrass ecosystems in the Philippines. Asian J Ethnobiol 9: y090104. https://doi.org/10.13057/asianjethnobiol/y090104. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) plays a crucial role in sustaining biodiversity, guiding resource stewardship, and supporting the long-term resilience of coastal communities. Within this knowledge system, seagrass ecosystems hold particular importance because they underpin fisheries, carbon storage, and shoreline stability. This study provides a novel quantitative framework for assessing TEK structure, offering insights for its documentation and conservation in rapidly modernizing coastal communities. Focusing on Barangay Lawigan in Davao Oriental, Philippines, the research examines how ecological awareness, traditional practices, and management actions interact to shape seagrass ethnobiology and local trusteeship. Structured surveys were administered to 344 residents and evaluated using a five-point Likert scale. Radar plot and network analysis were employed to map inter-indicator relationships, and demographic correlations were examined. The result revealed that ecological awareness has the highest mean score of 4.7, demonstrating a strong environmental understanding, reflecting a high level of awareness regarding ecological concerns of seagrass, however, moderate management/conservation practices, and lower traditional practices/uses. Ecological awareness was identified as the most central and well-integrated TEK component, whereas other indicators appeared more dispersed. Moreover, long-term residency exhibited only a weak correlation with short-term residency (r = 0.07), but showed a strong association with gender (r = 0.945) and a moderate correlation with income (r = 0.465). It also revealed a strong correlation between ecological awareness and management practices, but weaker ties with traditional uses, suggesting risks of cultural erosion. These findings reveal a core-periphery TEK structure in Lawigan, where high cognitive awareness is not fully translated into traditional practice. To strengthen TEK-based conservation, strategies should promote intergenerational learning programs, participatory policy-making, and gender-inclusive documentation with an adaptive co-management framework could enhance ecological resilience, offering a potential model for seagrass conservation throughout the broader Davao region.

N. Tsumita, Suwanno Piyapong, Ratthanaporn Kaewkluengklom et al.

Beni Suranto, Nataša Kovač, Kholid Haryono et al.

I. Hotopf, Shahreen Chowdhury, Guillermo Robert et al.

Skin neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause physical impairments, and socioeconomic and mental health impacts, often exacerbated by social stigma. The WHO 2030 road map calls for integrated, person-centred care; community-based groups (CBGs) present a community-led solution. However, evidence is limited and CBGs are not consistently being operationalised across health systems. The UPLIFT study is developing and piloting a harmonised CBG tool. This scoping review aimed to identify preferred practices in existing skin-NTD CBG models and recommend a holistic framework for best practice. We searched four peer-reviewed databases and key organisations’ websites, for terms related to CBGs and skin-NTDs. Eligible studies explored community models and skin NTDs and were published in English from 2000 onwards. Studies with quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method approaches, and secondary analysis or evidence synthesis were eligible. Studies failing to fulfil the criteria, opinion pieces, cross-sectional surveys, editorials, and case studies were excluded. Outcomes on key CBG domains were thematically identified and explored from literature and discussions with subject matter experts: self-care, mental health, livelihood, and governance. Data were compiled in Excel and charted according to CBG domain and other key information (e.g., outcome and method of measurement), before writing up findings thematically. Fifty-four eligible citations were identified, including 38 peer-reviewed papers. Most studies were pretest/posttests conducted in Asia, targeting mainly leprosy, with heterogeneity in study designs and evaluative measures. Only four studies explored all CBG domains, with few CBGs including formal mental health support, livelihood activities and advocacy and awareness activities. Current research on the burden of skin-NTDs is predominantly focused on leprosy, leaving a significant gap in research on other skin-NTDs, particularly in the African region. Most CBGs are failing to integrate into health systems and mainstream important programmatic components such as sustainability and gender considerations. To address these gaps and work towards a harmonised CBG approach, we present a framework of best practice and recommend further research, targeting multiple skin-NTDs in unison.

C. Băcilă, G. Marcu, B. Vintilă et al.

Background/Objective: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique with growing relevance in psychiatry. Its ability to measure cortical hemodynamics positions it as a potential tool for monitoring neurofunctional changes related to treatment. However, the specific features and level of consistency of its use in clinical psychiatric settings remain unclear. A scoping review was conducted under PRISMA-ScR guidelines to systematically map how fNIRS has been used in monitoring treatment response among individuals with psychiatric disorders. Methods: Forty-seven studies published between 2009 and 2025 were included based on predefined eligibility criteria. Data was extracted on publication trends, research design, sample characteristics, fNIRS paradigms, signal acquisition, preprocessing methods, and integration of clinical outcomes. Reported limitations and conflicts of interest were also analyzed. Results: The number of publications increased sharply after 2020, predominantly from Asia. Most studies used experimental designs, with 31.9% employing randomized controlled trials. Adults were the primary focus (93.6%), with verbal fluency tasks and DLPFC-targeted paradigms most common. Over half of the studies used high-density (>32-channel) systems. However, only 44.7% reported motion correction procedures, and 53.2% did not report activation direction. Clinical outcome linkage was explicitly stated in only 12.8% of studies. Conclusions: Despite growing clinical interest, with fNIRS showing promise as a non-invasive neuroimaging tool for monitoring psychiatric treatment response, the current evidence base is limited by methodological variability and inconsistent outcome integration. There is a rising need for the adoption of standardized protocols for both design and reporting. Future research should also include longitudinal studies and multimodal approaches to enhance validity and clinical relevance.

J. Viana, A. Roza, Stéphanie Vaz et al.

Background Lucidotini is a diverse tribe of lampyrine fireflies present throughout the New World, Europe, and Asia. Most of the over 30 genera have overlapping diagnoses, largely due to a lack of revisionary and phylogenetic studies. Widespread convergence in sensory morphology, traditionally used in genus-level diagnoses, further compounds the taxonomic issues surrounding the Lucidotini. Recent work has cast light on the value of terminalia and genitalic traits for Lucidotini taxonomy and called for a more thorough screening of morphological characters. Of special interest are basal outgrowths of the phallus (i.e., ventrobasal processes)—currently only known in Alychnus Kirsch and Photinus Laporte–that can be quite informative at the species level, but its variation within Lucidotini remains poorly studied. Most Lucidotini species remain only superficially described, while internal characters—including those of terminalia and genitalia—which could inform species identification and phylogenetic relatedness, remain unknown. Upon studying eight Lucidotini species superficially looking like Photinus and Photinoides McDermott—all of which bearing long ventrobasal processes–we raised the hypothesis that they belonged to a genus yet to be recognized. Methods Here, we analyzed 97 morphological characters of 32 lampyrid species spanning 17 of 30 Lucidotini genera under Bayesian Inference. Results We found evidence for the recognition and description of Saguassu gen. nov. to include seven new species (Saguassu acutum sp. nov., Saguassu grossii sp. nov., Saguassu manauara sp. nov., Saguassu rebellum sp nov., Saguassu roura sp. nov., Saguassu serratum sp. nov. and Saguassu sinuosum sp. nov.), in addition to Photinus dissidens Olivier ((transferred herein, thus generating Saguassu dissidens comb. nov.), for which we also designate a lectotype and two paralectotypes). This previously neglected lineage of Lucidotini spans four South American biomes: Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, Cerrado, and Pampa. Interestingly, Saguassu species span a gradient of morphologies related to signaling: from Lampyris-style ventrally bulging eyes, tiny antennae and no lanterns; intermediate eyes and antennae, with complete lanterns as in Photinus; to small eyes and long antennae and small lanterns as in many Lucidota Laporte. Saguassu gen. nov. was consistently found closely related to the three other Lucidotini taxa with ventrobasal processes (i.e., Alychnus, Photinoides, and Photinus). We provide an occurrence map of and a dichotomous key to Saguassu species, thoroughly compare this genus with co-occurring Lucidotini genera, and suggest steps towards a revision of the Lucidotini tribe.

T. Teofilova, Nikolay Kodzhabashev

Carabus hungaricus Fabricius, 1792, is a protected Natura 2000 species included in Berne Convention and CORINE. In Bulgaria, it is listed in the Biological Diversity Act and Bulgarian Red Data Book. It is included in the standard form of only one protected area (BG0000322 “Dragoman”) with an ‘unfavourable’ status. This study shows a part of the results from the development of an Action Plan for the protection of Carabus hungaricus in Bulgaria. Data were obtained between 24 May 2021 and 10 December 2023 with the help of 252 pitfall traps from 42 plots. Carabus hungaricus was established in only seven of the sampling sites, with a total of 198 specimens. In those sites, we found 56 other carabid species belonging to 18 zoogeographical categories. The European–Asiatic steppe complex prevailed (30%). The European–Neareastern (17.5%), Palaearctic and European–Central Asian (10.5% each) zoogeographical elements were the most represented. The known range of the species in Bulgaria is limited to the karst steppes of the small mountains around the Sofia Basin. We add four new localities to the distributional map of C. hungaricus and update its altitudinal limit, elevating it to 1200 m. The species is highly vulnerable, strongly attached to the steppe biome and is stenotopic in relation to environmental conditions, thus requiring full conservation of its habitats.

Muhammad Salman Khan

Tommaso Previato

This paper examines gender- and species-inclusive notions of community as reflected in the origin myths, animistic beliefs and practices of a few Tibeto-Burman minorities in the uplands of China’s southwestern province of Yunnan. Among these minorities, culture-specific views of descent and cosmocentric attitudes toward sentient nature showcase women’s social standing and role in enhancing relational empathy with non-human actors or species, as well as with a pantheon of deities who are believed to (co)inhabit or own the physical landscape. Integrating sources of knowledge from environmental history, comparative mythology and anthropology, the paper presents a selection of case studies on the Mosuo, Naxi, Yi and other minority cultures, demonstrating how relations with multiple non-human selves can be genealogical and how rituals aimed at influencing them can have positive effects on community well-being.

Edgar Sucar, Zihang Lai, Eldar Insafutdinov et al.

DUSt3R has recently shown that one can reduce many tasks in multi-view geometry, including estimating camera intrinsics and extrinsics, reconstructing the scene in 3D, and establishing image correspondences, to the prediction of a pair of viewpoint-invariant point maps, i.e., pixel-aligned point clouds defined in a common reference frame. This formulation is elegant and powerful, but unable to tackle dynamic scenes. To address this challenge, we introduce the concept of Dynamic Point Maps (DPM), extending standard point maps to support 4D tasks such as motion segmentation, scene flow estimation, 3D object tracking, and 2D correspondence. Our key intuition is that, when time is introduced, there are several possible spatial and time references that can be used to define the point maps. We identify a minimal subset of such combinations that can be regressed by a network to solve the sub tasks mentioned above. We train a DPM predictor on a mixture of synthetic and real data and evaluate it across diverse benchmarks for video depth prediction, dynamic point cloud reconstruction, 3D scene flow and object pose tracking, achieving state-of-the-art performance. Code, models and additional results are available at https://www.robots.ox.ac.uk/~vgg/research/dynamic-point-maps/.

Fabien Le Floc'h

We present closed analytical approximations for the pricing of Asian basket spread options under the Black-Scholes model. The formulae are obtained by using a stochastic Taylor expansion around a log-normal proxy model and are found to be highly accurate for Asian and spread options in practice. Unlike other approaches, they do not require any numerical integration or root solving.

Pavel V. Pfander, Vasiliy Fedorenko

Previously, hybrids between the Long-legged Buzzard (LLB) (Buteo rufinus) and the Upland Buzzard (UB) (B. hemilasius) were not recognized as such; therefore, existing maps depicting extensive zones of sympatry do not correctly reflect the distribution of these forms. In this study, the tarsi of 555 buzzard individuals from 441 localities were analysed; their occurrence points were classified according to a newly developed morphological scale and plotted on a map. On this basis, a distribution map of the LLB, UB and their hybrids in Central Asia was created. A complete series of transitional forms extending over approximately 1,000 km excludes the possibility of drawing a boundary between the LLB and the UB either on morphological grounds or geographically. The proportion of UB features in hybrids increases from south-west to north-east and from lowlands towards mountains. In connection with climate warming and landscape aridization, a general shift of the breeding ranges of both species towards the north-east is observed. The authors propose to change the systematic position of LLB and UB in such a way that it is clear to the researcher that buzzards cannot breed sympatrically and that at each particular locality only one form may breed.

Anthony Boanada-Fuchs, M. Kuffer, Jota Samper

Slums are a structural feature of urbanization, and shifting urbanization trends underline their significance for the cities of tomorrow. Despite their importance, data and knowledge on slums are very limited. In consideration of the current data landscape, it is not possible to answer one of the most essential questions: Where are slums located? The goal of this study is to provide a more nuanced understanding of the geography of slums and their growth trajectories. The methods rely on the combination of different datasets (city-level slum maps, world cities, global human settlements layer, Atlas of Informality). Slum data from city-level maps form the backbone of this research and are made compatible by differentiating between the municipal area, the urbanized area, and the area beyond. This study quantifies the location of slums in 30 cities, and our findings show that only half of all slums are located within the administrative borders of cities. Spatial growth has also shifted outwards. However, this phenomenon is very different in different regions of the world; the municipality captures less than half of all slums in Africa and the Middle East but almost two-thirds of all slums in cities of South Asia. These insights are used to estimate land requirements within the Sustainable Development Goals time frame. In 2015, almost one billion slum residents occupied a land area as large as twice the size of the country of Portugal. The estimated 380 million residents to be added up to 2030 will need land equivalent to the size of the country of Egypt. This land will be added to cities mainly outside their administrative borders. Insights are provided on how this land demand differs within cities and between world regions. Such novel insights are highly relevant to the policy actions needed to achieve Target 11.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (“by 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrade slums”) as interventions targeted at slums or informal settlements are strongly linked to political and administrative boundaries. More research is needed to draw attention to the urban expansion of cities and the role of slums and informal settlements.

Roland Seib

Raymond Yamamoto

For Japan’s former prime minister Abe Shinzō, security cooperation with Southeast Asia was central to preventing the South China Sea from turning into a “Lake Beijing” – completely under Chinese control. This paper explains why Abe’s security engagement in the region focused mainly on providing Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) to Southeast Asian coast guards agencies to counter China’s maritime assertiveness. Answers are provided by looking at not only international but also domestic factors. Based on key variables of post–Cold War Japan’s foreign policy, namely the US-Japan alliance, the dominance of economic tools, and normative and institutional constraints on the use of force, the analysis concludes that CBA was an ideal response to the complex demands and restrictions of Japan’s security policy. In particular, the economic benefits of providing CBA are an important finding of the analysis and one that has not yet received much scholarly focus.

Sarah Holz, Andrea Fleschenberg, Wikke Jansen et al.

This editorial introduces the special issue "Researching Asia in Pandemic Times," which reflects on the impact of digital transformation on academic research during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to online and digital research methods, presenting researchers with both opportunities and challenges. These included ethical dilemmas, methodological adaptations, and structural inequalities amplified by the reliance on technology. Early career researchers, particularly those navigating disrupted fieldwork, played a central role in exploring these dynamics, contributing valuable insights into the interplay between online and offline research spaces. The articles in this issue document grounded experiences from diverse contexts in Asia, examining topics such as digital inequalities, research ethics, and methodological shifts. They critically explore how digital tools reshape data collection, relationships with research participants, and power structures, while raising pressing questions about the location of "the field" and the implications of online methods in volatile contexts. The contributions presented in this special issue underscore the urgency of developing ethically sound and adaptable research approaches in an increasingly digital academic landscape.

Aditya Perdana

Dan Pirjol, Lingjiong Zhu

We derive the short-maturity asymptotics for Asian option prices in local-stochastic volatility (LSV) models. Both out-of-the-money (OTM) and at-the-money (ATM) asymptotics are considered. Using large deviations theory methods, the asymptotics for the OTM options are expressed as a rate function which is represented as a two-dimensional variational problem. We develop a novel expansion method for the variational problem by expanding the rate function around the ATM point. In particular, we derive series expansions in log-moneyness for the solution of this variational problem around the ATM point, and obtain explicit results for the first three terms. We give the ATM volatility level, skew and convexity of the implied volatility of an Asian option in a general local-stochastic volatility model, which can be used as an approximation for pricing Asian options with strikes sufficiently close to the ATM point. Using numerical simulations in the SABR, Heston and an LSV model with bounded local volatility, we show good performance of the asymptotic result for Asian options with sufficiently small maturity.