Lampang Hospital

Cryopreservation of Asian elephant semen remains problematic with respect to maintenance of both adequate semen quality and fertility post-thaw. The present study compared the effects of the penetrating cryoprotectants glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in the freezing extender, in conjunction with the surfactant Equex STM paste, on Asian elephant spermatozoa during freezing and thawing. Eight ejaculates from three mature bulls were used for this study. Semen was diluted with Tris egg yolk-based extender which contained either glycerol or DMSO, either with or without Equex, and frozen over liquid nitrogen in straws. Sperm motility, membrane, acrosome, and DNA parameters were assessed over 2 h incubation post-thaw to evaluate the cryoprotective capabilities of each freezing extender. Spermatozoa frozen with glycerol resulted in higher total (P < 0.001) and progressive (P < 0.05) motility compared to spermatozoa diluted with DMSO, regardless of Equex inclusion in the freezing extender. When in the presence of Equex, Asian elephant spermatozoa demonstrated higher proportions of viability (P < 0.001) and intact acrosomes (P < 0.001) post-thaw, regardless of the type of cryoprotectant. A large variance between individual bulls was noticed when assessing sperm DNA integrity, nevertheless freezing extender with glycerol plus Equex showed the highest proportion of spermatozoa with intact DNA after 2 h post-thaw (P < 0.05). Altogether, these results indicate a Tris egg yolk-based freezing extender containing cryoprotectants glycerol and Equex should be integrated into current Asian elephant semen cryopreservation protocols to yield the best sperm quality post-thaw and thus improve fertilising potential.

BackgroundSuicide is a significant public health concern globally, with disproportionate impacts in low- and middle-income countries. Thailand’s suicide rate has risen steadily, particularly in northern provinces such as Lamphun. In response, the Lamphun Provincial Health Office developed the “Four Pillars,” a community-based, multisectoral suicide prevention strategy. This study evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of the Four Pillars using the RE-AIM framework.MethodsA convergent parallel mixed-methods study was conducted across three districts in Lamphun Province. Quantitative data included suicide surveillance reports from 2020–2022 and a community survey of 600 adults. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews (n = 36), three focus group discussions (n = 21), and document reviews. The RE-AIM framework guided tool development, data collection, and analysis, evaluating the strategy across five dimensions: Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and MaintenanceResultsReach: A total of 2,876 individuals at suicide risk were identified and received integrative interventions. Effectiveness: None subsequently exhibited suicidal behavior. Suicide rates in Lamphun declined modestly post-implementation, though not significantly (p = 0.331). Adoption: Adoption varied due to cultural beliefs, resource limitations, and stigma; survey findings revealed lower suicide literacy and persistent stigma in ethnic communities (p < 0.01). Implementation: Community-based surveillance was successfully adapted across contexts (e.g., via local language dissemination, engaging monks and street vendors as gatekeepers) with high fidelity to the model’s core principles. Strong partnerships were critical.ConclusionsThe Four Pillars strategy is a feasible and promising approach to reduce suicide risk through a community-based integrated surveillance and response system. Strategic local adaptations enhanced its feasibility without compromising core components. Addressing stigma, improving literacy, and strengthening multisectoral capacity are critical for broader scale-up and sustainability in Thailand and similar settings.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-25502-1.

Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as emerging contaminants in aquatic environments; however, their occurrence and fate in tropical wastewater treatment systems remain poorly understood. This study provides the first inland–island comparison of MP removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor. Influent and effluent samples were collected from six WWTPs, encompassing five treatment types: oxidation ditch, aerated lagoon, stabilization pond, aerated tank, and sand filtration combined with reverse osmosis. Polymeric composition and size distribution were examined in parallel with conventional water quality indicators. Across all sites, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene dominated influent MPs, together accounting for 57–92% of total abundance. Inland plants received heterogeneous municipal wastewater, including domestic inputs and agricultural runoff. In contrast, island facilities consistently showed PE-enriched influents (45–60%) in site F, reflecting tourism-driven reliance on single-use plastics and personal care products. In addition, several minor polymers were identified, including poly (vinyl stearate) (up to 26%), polyamide, polytetrafluoroethylene and ethylene–butyl acrylate, highlighting overlooked pathways of MP entry into WWTPs. Fine MPs (100–300 μm) comprised over two-thirds of influent particles, with stabilization ponds reaching 16,000 MP m−3. Removal efficiency ranged from 86.0% to 98.5%. Spearman’s correlation and multiple linear regression analyses revealed strong positive relationships between MPs and both total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity. Suspended solids parameters emerged as the most reliable predictor of MP abundance (adjusted R2 = 0.91, p = 0.001). This finding highlights TSS coupled with turbidity as a practical, cost-effective indicator for monitoring MPs in tropical WWTPs. To achieve greater accuracy, a larger dataset should be built and further analyzed.

Restoring femoral offset (FO) and equalizing leg lengths are essential for optimal outcomes and preventing leg length discrepancy (LLD) in bipolar hemiarthroplasty (BHA) for femoral neck fractures (FNF) in elderly patients. However, evidence on the benefits of digital templating remains limited. This study evaluates the accuracy of a smartphone-based digital templating method for equalizing leg length and FO in BHA compared to the conventional intraoperative method. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 210 patients aged ≥ 60 years with FNF who underwent BHA between June 2018 and May 2023. The templating group (n = 70) used preoperative digital templating with Keynote presentation software on an iPhone, incorporating femoral prosthesis templates. The conventional group (n = 140) relied on intraoperative visual estimation, palpation, and the shuck test. Postoperative LLD and FO differences were assessed radiographically. The mean patient age was 74.9 ± 7.3 years (range: 60-95), with 180 (85.7%) women. The templating group achieved a mean LLD of 1.8 ± 3.5mm (range: -5.6 to 10.2mm), significantly better than 3.5 ± 5.5mm (range: -10.9 to 18.4mm) in the conventional group (p = 0.023). LLD within ± 6mm was observed in 87.1% (61 cases) of the templating group versus 59.3% (83 cases) in the conventional group (p < 0.001). FO differences averaged 0.8 ± 2.6mm (range: -7.2 to 6.1mm) in the templating group, compared to -0.8 ± 3.7mm (range: -9.8 to 5.7mm) in the conventional group (p = 0.005). FO differences within ± 5mm occurred in 92.9% (65 cases) of the templating group versus 82.1% (115 cases) in the conventional group (p = 0.038). The smartphone-based digital templating method using presentation software enhances the accuracy of leg length and FO equalization during BHA for elderly FNF patients, offering significant advantages over conventional techniques. III.

This study explores the impact of a vocational training program aimed at enhancing the digital health literacy of Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) in rural Thailand. The program, conducted at Lamphun Hospital, focused on three key areas: digital transformation in healthcare, IoT applications, and AI tools for healthcare. A total of 26 participants who completed the training were assessed using pre- and post-tests to measure knowledge acquisition. The training combined lecture-based and workshop-based learning methods to provide both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. Results showed significant improvements in understanding IoT and AI, with participants demonstrating enhanced confidence in using wearable devices and AI tools. However, mixed results were observed in the digital transformation section, indicating the need for more interactive or focused approaches.

Previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating Botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) for treatment of hemifacial spasm (HFS) have primarily focused on symptom relief and quality-of-life improvement. However, head-to-head comparisons of different BoNT-A formulations, particularly in terms of onset, duration of action, and efficacy, remain limited. We conducted a 12-week prospective, randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of 33.33 units of Neubotulinum toxin A (Neu-BoNT-A) with 100 units of Abobotulinum toxin A (Abo-BoNT-A) in the treatment of HFS. A total of 87 patients were enrolled between September and December 2024. Neu-BoNT-A and Abo-BoNT-A exhibited similar onset and duration of action [5.0 ± 0.9 vs. 6.2 ± 0.7 days, respectively (p = 0.33)]. After 12 weeks of treatment, Neu-BoNT-A demonstrated superior efficacy in reducing the daily duration of HFS (2.00 ± 0.06 vs. 1.42 ± 0.10 h/day, p < 0.001) and improving sleep duration (1.37 ± 0.01 vs. 1.06 ± 0.01 h/day, p < 0.001). However, Abo-BoNT-A was associated with significantly lower absolute daily disability time compared to Neu-BoNT-A (11.4 vs. 1.2 min/day, p < 0.001). No serious adverse events were observed. Both Neu-BoNT-A and Abo-BoNT-A were safe and effective in treating HFS. However, Neu-BoNT-A was more effective in HFS with minimal symptoms without disability and Abo-BoNT-A more effective in HFS with greater duration of disability.

The Open Science and Innovation Vision included in ESA&amp;#8217;s EO Science Strategy (2024) addresses 8 key elements: 1) openness of research data, 2) open-source scientific code, 3) open access papers with data and code; 4) standards-based publication and discovery of scientific experiments, 5) scientific workflows reproducible on various infrastructures, 6) access to education on open science, 7) community practice of open science; and 8) EO business models built on open-source. EarthCODE (https://earthcode.esa.int) is a strategic ESA EO initiative to support the implementation of this vision.&amp;#160;EarthCODE (Earth Science Collaborative Open Development Environment) will form part of the next generation of cloud-based geospatial services, aiming towards an integrated, cloud-based, user-centric development environment for European Space Agency&amp;#8217;s (ESA) Earth science activities. EarthCODE looks to maximise long-term visibility, reuse and reproducibility of the research outputs of such projects, by leveraging FAIR and open science principles and enabling, thus fostering a sustainable scientific process. EarthCODE proposes a flexible and scalable architecture developed with interoperable open-source blocks, with a long-term vision evolving by incrementally integrating industrially provided services from a portfolio of the Network of Resources.&amp;#8239; Additionally, EarthCODE is a utilisation domain of EOEPCA+, contributing to the development and evolution of Open Standards and protocols, enabling internationally interoperable solutions.&amp;#160;&amp;#160;EarthCODE&amp;#8239;will provide an Integrated Development Platform, giving developers tools needed to develop high quality workflows,&amp;#160;allowing experiments to be executed in the cloud and be end-to-end reproduced by other scientists. EarthCODE is built around existing open-source solutions, building blocks and platforms, such as the Open Science Catalogue, EOxHub and EOEPCA. It has additionally begun to integrate platform services from DeepESDL, Euro Data Cube, Polar TEP and the openEO federation on CDSE platforms, with more being added annually through ESA best practices. With it&amp;#8217;s adopted federated approach, EarthCODE will facilitate processing on other platforms, i.e. DeepESDL, ESA EURO Data Cube, Open EO Cloud/Open EO Platform and AIOPEN/AI4DTE.&amp;#8239;&amp;#160;&amp;#160;The roadmap for the portal includes the initial portal release by end of 2024, followed by the capability to publish experiments in Q1 2025 (including development, publishing, finding and related community engagement), and by mid-2025 to have a further release with reproducibility capabilities around accessibility and execute functionalities.&amp;#160;&amp;#160;Collaboration and Federation are at the heart of EarthCODE. As EarthCODE evolves we expect providing solutions allowing federation of data and processing. EarthCODE has ambition to deliver a model for a Collaborative Open Development Environment for Earth system science, where researchers can leverage the power of the wide range of EO platform services available to conduct their science, while also making use of FAIR Open Science tools to manage data, code and documentation, create end-to-end reproducible workflows on platforms, and have the opportunity to discover, use, reuse, modify and build upon the research of others in a fair and safe way. Overall, EarthCODE aims to enable elements for EO Open Science and Innovation vision, including open data, open-source code, linked data/code, open-access documentation, end-to-end reproducible workflows, open-science resources, open-science tools, and a healthy community applying all the elements in their practice.

Abstract Limited access to healthcare in remote areas poses a significant challenge for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability ofHealthD, a telehealth platform enabling Community Health Leaders (CHLs) to screen and monitor NCD risks in rural Thailand. From June to November 2023, a prospective study was conducted in Chiang Mai, Thailand, involving 120 adults (aged 30–70 years) with no prior NCD diagnosis. Trained CHLs performed risk assessments for diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using theHealthDsystem. Participants were categorized into four risk levels and received tailored teleconsultations at two- and four-month follow-ups. Satisfaction surveys were conducted among CHLs and participants. At baseline, 73% of participants were at risk for DM (21% high-risk), 3% for CVD, and 10% for COPD. Over follow-up visits, DM risk fluctuated (63% at two months; 76% at four months), while CVD (4% to 6%) and COPD (6% to 8%) risk levels remained relatively stable. CHLs demonstrated significant competency improvement post-training (mean score increase: 8.4 to 9.3,p= 0.010). High satisfaction levels were reported among CHLs (92%) and participants (97%), indicating strong acceptability of theHealthDsystem. TheHealthDtelehealth platform is a feasible and well-accepted solution for community-based NCD screening and monitoring. Its integration into Thailand’s healthcare system could enhance early disease detection and improve health outcomes in remote communities.