bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The changing of south Korea's international economic policy: a geopolitical economy perspective
Authors:   , Chindakul Sahatas
Published: September 2023

Since the success of rapid economic growth, South Korea, as a foreign-traded dependent economy, has initiated several policies to liberalize its outward direct investment (ODI) in order to maintain its competitiveness and drive its economic growth. The liberalization process of South Korean ODI helps promote South Korean capital abroad to various areas serving its needs of lowering production costs and securing natural resources and raw materials. As the world entered the 21st century with the acceleration of globalization, the global geopolitical situation has changed over time, especially in Asia, the rise of China has become real and threatens the hegemonic position of the US and its allies in East Asia, particularly South Korea.

This research aims to examine the relationship between geopolitical factors and the change in the international economic policy of South Korea that facilitate the flow of South Korean ODI. This research studies both external and internal factors of South Korean governments from Kim Dae-Jung’s until Moon Jae-In’s presidency, based on the Geopolitical Economy approach. To fill the gap in mainstream economics, this study discusses economic literature related to determinants that pull South Korean firms to invest abroad.

The findings reveal a relationship between Geopolitics and South Korea's international economic policy.  For example, there was a changing international economic policy of South Korea to Kaesong Industrial Park in North Korea as a byproduct of the Sunshine Policy under both Kim Dae-Jung and Roh Moo-Hyun administrations, changing international economic policy under Global Korea of President Lee Myung-Buk that focus on nuclear energy development in the Middle East, and the New Southern Policy of President Moon Jae-In which facilitate South Korean investment throughout the ASEAN in response to China’s aggressive stance in the region and the simmering US-China geopolitical competition.
Elastic bending behaviour of sandwich composite structures with abs cores by using additive manufacturing
Authors:   , Wannarong Dechawat
Published: September 2023

Maintaining the lightweight performance of sandwich structures while achieving good bending strength and stiffness is difficult. Core materials for these programmable sandwich constructions are 3D printed with hexagonal honeycomb, re-entrant honeycomb, and circular honeycomb topologies with varying core densities. The bending stiffness and strength of these sandwich structures are determined by a three points bending test including an Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene core and a unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced polymer face sheet. The sandwich composite with the greater relative core density displays greater bending strength and stiffness than the composite with the lower relative core density. The sandwich composites beam with re-entrant honeycomb core exhibit the strongest bending strength and stiffness due to negative Poisson’s ratio. The findings were compared with experimental data using finite element analysis. Experiments and finite element analysis reveal that designed core structures can be used to regulate bending qualities. These results provide fresh light on the design of sandwich composite structures with exceptional mechanical characteristics for a broad variety of industrial and structural applications.
A numerical study of flow past arrays of cylinders at low Reynolds number
Authors:   , Wannaviroj Woraphon
Published: September 2023

Coastal erosion along shorelines has increasingly been prevalent. A popular method for alleviating this problem is to use breakwaters, made of bamboo, known as “bamboo fencing". The thesis numerically investigates steady, low-velocity flow past several geometrical configurations of bamboo fencings, modelled as array of cylinders using the ANSYS®-Fluent software. The Reynolds number based on incoming flow velocity (U∞), cylinder diameter (D), and fluid kinematic viscosity is Re = 100. Validation is done for mesh convergence and time-step size for the two-dimensional flow past a circular cylinder. For a pair of side-by-side arranged cylinders, it is found that the effect of traverse gap (T) between the cylinder becomes negligible at about T/D = 15. For the staggered arrangement of array of cylinders with 3 to 13 columns, cylinders located at any position experience similar value of drag coefficient except for those located at the last column whose drag coefficient is much smaller. For the aligned arrangement with 3 to 5 columns, cylinders at the first column experience largest drag while the drag forces of cylinders for the rest are of similar, lower value. The pressure drop across the fence of cylinders is found to be directly proportional to the combined drag, as suggested by the theory. The summation of drag force and pressure drop increase linearly as more column is added but the increasing rate is larger for the staggered configuration. The investigation also considers other types of arrangement, found in the real world.  It is found that the zigzag arrangement has drag summation and pressure reduction that are only slightly larger than the 5-column staggered arrangement, while consists of a larger number of cylinders. For the triangular and diamond modules, cylinders at the far left and far right in the lateral direction experience largest drag. The summation of drag force and pressure drop of the diamond module are approximately twice as much as those of the triangle. For the T-shape and line-shape, the drag summation and pressure drop are significantly smaller relative to the zigzag, the triangular, and the diamond modules.  Lastly, the tail of the T-shape does not significantly alter the summation of drag force and pressure drop.
The role of neutrophils against Pythium insidiosum
Authors:   , Sriwarom Apichaya
Published: September 2023

Pythium insidiosum (P. insidiosum) is an oomycetes fungus-like microorganism causing pythiosis infection in humans. The zoospores (infective stage) of this pathogen contaminate aquatic environments such as moist soil and swampy area, which is a natural habitiat. Humans are infected with P. insidiosum via cutaneous route which is the main entry of the zoospores. Recent studies have shown that patients with pythiosis shows high morbidity and mortality rates particularly those with hematologic diseases. As neutrophils are the first line of immune defense during fungal infections, this study therefore investigated the activity of neutrophils in response to P. insidiosum. The neutrophil killing activity, phagocytosis, and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation were determined. Zoospores from six different strains of P. insidiosum were randomly selected and incubated with isolated healthy neutrophils (n=6).  The results showed that human neutrophils significantly decreased number of zoospores as observed in both colony counts on blood agar and live/dead cell staining (p < 0.001). Phagocytosis measured by flow cytometry showed only two strains of zoospores (pHrodo-labeled) were significantly phagocytosed by neutrophils (p < 0.01). In contrast, all six strains of heat-killed zoospores significantly induced NETs (p < 0.001) detected by immunofluorescence staining and picogreen assay. Our findings suggests that human neutrophils produce NET formation as a main mechanism rather than phagocytosis in response to P. insidiosum.
Mechanisms of colistin resistance and the antimicrobial effects of antibiotic and adjuvant combination on colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors:   , Shein Aye
Published: September 2023

The prevalence of colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (ColRkp) has progressively increased globally. The purposes of this study were to characterize the molecular mechanisms responsible for colistin resistance among ColRkp clinical isolates in Thailand, to determine the expression levels of virulence factors associated with ColRkp clinical isolates, and to evaluate in vitro and in vivo synergistic activities of novel combination of antibiotic and adjuvant against ColRkp clinical isolates. A total of 165 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae clinical isolates were obtained from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital between 2016 and 2021. We discovered a rising trend of ColRkp displaying extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and pandrug-resistant (PDR) characteristics, with a prevalence of 28.5% (n=47). Both chromosomal mgrB, pmrB, or phoQ genes mutations (91.5%) and plasmid-mediated mcr-1.1, mcr-8.1, or mcr-8.2, alone or in combination with R256G PmrB (8.5%), were responsible for colistin resistance in these ColRkp isolates. Several independent insertions, deletions, or substitutions in mgrB (85.1%) associated with increased expressions of Ara4N-related phoPQ and pmrK transcripts were observed to be crucial in establishing colistin resistance in our isolates. Since mgrB, pmrAB, and phoPQ are involved in supporting bacterial virulence, we observed a significant association between XDR ColRkp and increased biofilm production (p<0.0001). Moreover, significantly altered bacterial virulence factors expressions were found to be associated with XDR ColRkp clinical isolates. A novel colistin-EDTA combination exhibited potent synergistic activity in both planktonic and mature biofilms of all tested XDR and PDR ColRkp isolates in vitro. A combination of colistin and EDTA also exhibited significant therapeutic effectiveness in eradicating ColRkp catheter-related biofilm infections and eliminating the risk of recurrence both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, colistin-EDTA combination demonstrated its significant therapeutic efficacy and safety in decreasing bacterial loads in internal organs, reducing serum creatinine, and enhancing animals survival in vivo. This is the first in vitro and in vivo study to highlight that a novel colistin-EDTA combination is a promising therapeutic strategy for successfully overcoming colistin resistance in ColRkp catheter-related biofilm infections.
Endotoxemia from NSAIDS-induced gut-leakage enhanced lupus characteristics in Fc gamma receptor iib deficient lupus mice
Authors:   , Bhunyakarnjanarat Thansita
Published: September 2023

High dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the common analgesia, might induce lupus activity through NSAIDs-induced gastrointestinal permeability defect (gut leakage) that causes endotoxemia. Indomethacin (25 mg/day) was orally administered for 7 days in 24-week-old Fc gamma receptor IIb deficient (FcgRIIb-/-) mice, an asymptomatic lupus model, and age-matched wild-type (WT) mice. The severity of indomethacin-induced enteropathy in FcgRIIb-/- mice was higher than WT mice as demonstrated by intestinal injury (histology, immune-deposition and intestinal cytokines), gut leakage (FITC-dextran assay and endotoxemia) and serum cytokines. In addition, higher responses against endotoxemia in indomethacin-administered FcgRIIb-/- mice was also supported by the prominent responses of FcgRIIb-/- bone marrow-derived macrophages toward lipopolysaccharide (LPS) compared to WT macrophages. LPS induces the expression of both activating-FcgRs (FcgRIII and FcgRIV) and inhibitory-FcgRIIb in WT macrophages, while enhanced only activating FcgRs in FcgRIIb-/- mice cells. In conclusion, gut leakage-induced endotoxemia is more severe in NSAIDs-administered FcgRIIb-/- mice when compared with WT. Due to a lack of inhibitory FcgRIIb expression, cytokine production from FcgRIIb-/- macrophages were more prominent than the WT cells. Hence, lupus disease activation from NSAIDs-induced gut leakage is possible through NSAIDs enteropathy.
Tuning the wettability of metal surface with electrodeposited porous copper and graphene coatings
Authors:   , Eltigani Husam
Published: September 2023

Electrodeposition of porous copper is an interesting type of coating that is emerging for various applications. However, the understanding of the relationships between copper surface wettability control and electrodeposition parameters and post-electrodeposition storage conditions is quite limited.  Furthermore, it is worthwhile to explore how nanomaterials such as graphene would interact with porous copper to provide surface wettability modifications. This work therefore aims to develop a framework for the relationship of copper and graphene deposition processes, storage conditions, and the wetting behavior of copper surfaces. The research work performed in this study is divided into 2 parts: (i) effects of plating and storage conditions on the wettability of electrodeposited porous copper surfaces, (ii) tailoring the wettability of copper surfaces by dropping of graphene solutions.  From a wide range of characterization methods and analysis to investigate the microstructure of porous copper and graphene, and corresponding wetting properties of their surfaces, the key findings of the study are that the concentration of copper electrolyte and current density largely influence the microstructure of the porous copper which subsequently lead to the variations of contact angles in the hydrophilic regime.  Furthermore, whereas the air storing condition promote hydrophobicity, the water and saline storage conditions are found to induce hydrophilicity.  Finally, deposition of graphene using a solution dropping technique allows tuning of the surface wettability in a wide range, spanning superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic, depending on copper surface porosity and graphene solutions’ concentration and dispersing level. Graphene is thus demonstrated as a promising top-coat layer to tune the wettability of copper surfaces
Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Thai version of the neurophysiology of pain questionnaire
Authors:   , Pasangkayo Pichet
Published: September 2023

Background: Pain neurophysiology knowledge is hypothesized to influence pain beliefs and physical performance in individuals with chronic low back pain (LBP). Valid and reliable measures of such knowledge is important to evaluate the pain treatment on this domain as well as to understand its role in both physical and psychological functions of individuals with chronic pain. This study aimed to culturally adapt the revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire into Thai (T-rNPQ), using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) methodology, and to evaluate its reliability and validity. Two hundred sixty-three individuals with chronic LBP completed the T-rNPQ and seven health and function domains of Thai versions of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29. Forty-five lecturers in musculoskeletal physical therapy completed the T-rNPQ. A subset of 95 individuals with chronic LBP completed the T-rNPQ again after an interval of 7 to 15 days. Internal consistency for the total score and two subscales that emerged in the current analyses showed marked variability (Cronbach’s alphas = .82, .82, and .63). Test-retest reliability was poor to good (ICC’s(2,1) = .71, .40, and .65). Known-groups and discriminant construct validity of the T-rNPQ total score and subscale scores were satisfactory. The findings indicate that the T-rNPQ measures two knowledge domains, i.e., ‘Neurophysiology Knowledge’ and ‘Pain means Harm’. The psychometric property assessment of the T-rNPQ indicated that using the scale in Thai individuals with chronic LBP should be undertaken with discretion.
Electrochemical synthesis of methoxide for transesterification of palm oil
Authors:   , Juntuma Apiruedee
Published: September 2023

Sodium methoxide (NaOCH3) is commonly used as an alkaline homogeneous catalyst in transesterification to produce fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and glycerol as a by-product. However, this conventional process requires a few steps to remove the homogeneous catalyst from the products by neutralization and washing, creating waste salts to be treated with additional cost. This study investigates the electrochemical synthesis of methoxide. Amberlite IRA402 anion exchange resin is used to adsorb the generated methoxide and subsequently as a heterogeneous catalyst for transesterification to observe its catalytic activity. In contrast to many other similar works, this synthesis was performed with anion-exchange resin as the only electrolyte in the cathode compartment where methoxide is synthesized electrochemically and stored in the resin without any other additives such as sodium chloride (NaCl) or water needed, eliminating the need for neutralization and washing. Platinized titanium fiber felt was used as electrodes. Methoxide ions can be generated with the presence of an anion-exchange membrane at a constant current density of 8.25 mA cm-2 for 4 h. The hydroxide equivalent of electrolyzed resin was 0.00039 mol cm-3, compared with that from ion exchange of 0.00029 mol cm-3. The results of the experiment suggest that hydroxide ions as base in the resin could better catalyze transesterification than methoxide ions; therefore, electrochemical regeneration did not restore its catalytic activity. The response surface methodology (RSM) from a central composite design (CCD) of experiments was conducted to analyze the effects of the catalyst loading, the methanol-to-oil molar ratio, and the reaction temperature. Statistical analysis suggested that only the catalyst loading, the reaction temperature, and the interaction between the catalyst loading and the reaction temperature affected the FAME yield significantly.
Electroless CuNiSn electrocatalyst supported on carbon fabric for electrochemical reduction of CO2
Authors:   , Hongmeuan Atikom
Published: September 2023

In the present work, tri-metallic alloy electrocatalysts containing copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and tin (Sn) supported on Pd-catalyzed carbon fabric substrate were prepared through a simple electroless deposition method. As-deposited Cu-Ni-Sn electrocatalyst was employed in the CO2-ERR in an H-cell type reactor. For the effect of electroless deposition time (15, 30 and 45 mins) on tri-metallic alloy electrocatalyst, the result showed that there is no significant difference for all samples based on the XRD pattern, indicating the deposition time had no effect on the crystalline structure of all catalyst. In addition, the evaluation of the ability of the CO2-ERR on trimetallic alloy electrocatalyst at different times was investigated using LSV. CuNiSn/CS_30 has a higher catalytic activity than CuNiSn/CS_45 and CuNiSn/CS_15 respectively. Furthermore, the Faradaic efficiency and H2 production of the Cu-Ni-Sn alloy electrode was lower than that of the monometallic and bimetallic electrocatalysts, suggesting  Cu-Ni-Sn alloy electrode was active in the CO2-ERR. The CO2-ERR using the Cu-Ni-Sn alloy electrode was studied at the applied potential -1.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The gaseous products were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) but an undesired by-product, hydrogen was also produced. For, CuSn/CS_30 and Cu/CS_30 produce gas products with CO other than H2 compared to other electrocatalysts. Thus, most of CO on CuSn/CS_30 and CuSn/CS_30 can be easily converted into formate, C2 product and C3 product. Overall, this work provides new insights into the further development of low-cost non-noble electrocatalysts by a simple electroless deposition method.
Vietnam-India security relations: extrapolating India’s potential role in the maintenance of balance of power in Aasen
Authors:   , Jantz Felix
Published: September 2023

The thesis examines why and how Vietnam-India security relations have deepened significantly in reaction to the shifting geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific. 

As Vietnam has to date been the ASEAN state that has engaged most deeply with India’s potential to be a regional security partner, the thesis focusses on ascertaining the factors that have led these two countries to develop a deeper security relationship than other states in the region. Following the analysis of the big geopolitical shifts that drive the two partners’ willingness to cooperate more deeply, the progression of bilateral security arrangements is analyzed, both in terms of the diplomatic tier that they are engaging on and the extent of realized cooperation on the ground. The thesis then concludes by evaluating some of the obstacles and limits that affect this bilateral from reaching its full potential for insulating Vietnam against the pressures of polarized big-power competition.
Effects of blood flow restriction training combined with rehabilitation program on neuromuscular function and balance in athletes with chronic ankle instability
Authors:   , Werasirirat Phurichaya
Published: September 2023

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training has been advocated as an alternative approach for improving muscle strength  in patients undergoing clinical musculoskeletal rehabilitations. However, to our knowledge,  no evidence examining the effectiveness of BFR training combined with rehabilitation (R) program on clinical outcome measures in athletes with CAI has been found. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of  supervised rehabilitation program with and without BFR on muscle strength, cross-sectional area (CSA), EMG activity, dynamic balance, and functional performance in athletes suffering from CAI. A total of 28 collegiate athletes with CAI (male and female) voluntarily participated in this study. They were randomly assigned either to the BFR+R (n=14) or the R group (n=14). Both groups underwent a supervised rehabilitation 3 times weekly for 6 consecutive weeks. The BFR+R group was applied with a cuff around the proximal thigh at 80% of arterial occlusion pressure in addition to R program, while the R group received the sham-BFR only. Before and after 4- and 6- week of intervention, isokinetic muscle strength, CSA, EMG activity, Y-balance test (YBT), and side hop test (SHT) were measured. The results demonstrated that both BFR+R and R groups displayed significant improvements in concentric peak  torque  of hip extensor and abductor, eccentric peak torque of ankle evertor,  increased EMG activities of gluteus maximus and  gluteus medius  in all directions, fibularis longus in posteromedial and posterolateral directions, and tibialis anterior in anterior directions during performing YBT, along with improved SHT timed performance over a 6-week intervention, compared with baseline (all, P<0.05). In addition, the BFR+R group produced superior benefits over the R group for all above variables examined. Nevertheless, there were non-significant differences in reaching distances and COP measures observed between groups during post-intervention. The present finding indicated that including BFR training to traditional rehabilitation over 6 weeks appears to be more effective in improving muscle strength, CSA, muscle activation, and functional performance, but does not further enhance dynamic postural balance, compared with the tradition rehabilitation alone. This information could be alternative implications for physical therapists and sports medicine practitioners when designing rehabilitation program for athletes with CAI.
Synthesis of molybdenum-based catalysts on carbon support for partial hydrogenation reaction of biodiesel
Authors:   , Jaruwat Dolrudee
Published: September 2023

Nowadays, biodiesel is a renewable energy, which can decrease fossil fuel. It helped reducing air pollution. Partial Hydrogenation is one process which improves the biodiesel quality. In this research, activated carbon was produced from cattail leave via hydrothermal carbonization and chemical activation. The activated carbon was treated with 4 M of potassium hydroxide at 900oC, which exhibits 1323.38 m2g-1 of SBET. Several type of catalysts (Mo, Ni, Ci, Fe, MoNi, MoCu, and MoFe) were studied in this research, which were prepared using a rotary evaporation technique. The experiments reveal that MoNi/C catalyst indicate the highest dispersion of metal particle. The catalyst performance was evaluated by partial hydrogenation of soybean FAME,100oC and 4 bar. MoNi/C catalyst provided the best activity, which exhibits 19% conversion of C18:2 and C18:3 with less trans-C181 and C18:0. The oxidation stability was less after the hydrogenation of reaction, it was found to increase by 14.56 h. Moreover, the cold flow properties were determined in which the cloud point was 13 oC and the pour point was 10 oC.
Factors influencing consumers’ purchaseintention towards products endorsed by Korean boy bands on Youtube
Authors:   , Tiwari Wanthida
Published: September 2023

The objective of the study is the understand the factors that influence consumer purchase intention of products endorsed by Korean boy bands on YouTube and identify the weight of the attitude towards source characteristics, YouTube engagement, product involvement level and YouTube advertisement formats amongst each other and with purchase intention. The study was conducted in a quantitative approach from 408 respondents who have been exposed to YouTube ads in 2022. The results are as followed: (1) attractiveness was the highest scored sub-variable of source characteristics, along with clicking like for engagement, product placement for advertisement formats and low involvement product types in relation to the sample having moderate intention to purchase. (2) In regard to the correlation between source characteristics and engagement, a negligible positive association was found. (3) Thirdly, it was found that Korean boy bands’ attractiveness had a higher influence on the purchase intention of the sample group. (4) Lastly, the results showed that advertising format, namely product placement (B= 0.267), and online engagement on YouTube (B = 0.108) of the ads have a positive influence on the purchase intention of the Thai audience. Multiple regression shows a positive influence from the product placement variable on purchase intention. The finding of suggests the endorsement of Korean boy bands is efficient for low-involvement products to young Thai female students with a bachelor’s degree and are fans of Got 7.
Effects of types of arylamine based benzoxazine binders in brake pads on thermal degradation kinetics
Authors:   , Wangrangsimakul Juntasak
Published: September 2023

This research aimed to investigate the effect of the alkyl-substituted aromatic amines of polybenzoxazine resins used as binders in the non-asbestos friction composite materials on their thermal degradation and stability. The effects of BA-35x polybenzoxazine resin used as a binder of the brake pad were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) under nitrogen atmosphere at various heating rates of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 25 °C/min by applying the model of Advanced iso-conversional method. For the friction composite system using BA-35x as binder, the derivative thermogram exhibited six stages of thermal decomposition reaction. The activation energies of six stages were determined by Kissinger method, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method and Coats-Redfern method to be 244, 286, 224, 108, 357 and 526 kJ/mol, respectively. Furthermore, from the calculation by Criado method, the thermal degradation mechanism was proposed to be the appropriated type of random nucleation with one nucleus on the individual particle (F1).
Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide on copper-based cathodes in electrochemical tubular fixed bed reactor
Authors:   , Janya Kanjira
Published: September 2023

CO2 electrochemical reduction reaction (CO2ERR) has been investigated with an aim to eventually become a means to decrease the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere to hydrocarbons by proton and electron transfer. The product distribution strongly depends on cathode materials. Copper is a unique metal in its ability to catalyze the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to various hydrocarbons including ethylene, but the main problems are the poor solubility CO2 in aqueous solutions. In this study, the performance of CO2ERR is improved by increasing pressure. The ionomer copper foam is used as a cathode in the electrochemical tubular fixed bed reactor for continuous conversion of CO2 to ethylene to observe the selectivity of CO2 pressure. The result show faradic efficiency (FE) of ethylene on 10 bar is 2 and 6 times higher than 5 and 3 bar, respectively and FE of CO is decreased for C-C coupling to ethylene production. Moreover, The effect of cell voltages are studied by potentialstat controlling. the results show FE of ethylene and CO are decreased because protons reduce intermediated CO on the cathode surface and lead to suppress CO2 reduction while cell voltage and current are increased.
Vacant shophouse buildings in Bangkok: the root causes and strategic options
Authors:   , Imam Nabila
Published: September 2023

Since the old-fashioned shophouse buildings cannot act in response to the urban sprawl and changing lifestyles of Bangkok, progressively they are converting into partially vacant buildings or sometimes they go off entirely unoccupied for an indefinite period of time. A noteworthy number of fully or partially vacant shophouse buildings can be found in every nook and corner of the city. These vacant shophouses act as the "voids" in the neighborhood, posing a threat to potential housing community development, economic opportunity, environmental health, and public safety within the city. However, these so-called "voids" might offer a great opportunity for the city as well if they are utilized wisely. To ensure that shophouses are properly utilized, the root causes of vacancy must be identified. The intention of this thesis was to explore the root causes relating to the phenomenon of Bangkok’s vacant shophouse buildings in a structured manner, considering architectural design, quality of life, financial viewpoint, urbanization, people’s culture & behavior, governmental laws & regulations perspectives using a very well-known methodology: Fishbone analysis in combination with the 5-Whys analysis technique. Appropriate reactivation strategies were also proposed for these vacant shophouses in order to develop a sustainable neighborhood in the city. Qualitative research has been conducted based on literature reviews, interviews, and surveys. The findings conclude that the main root causes of vacancy are a few issues associated with obsolete architectural design, lack of parking facilities, aplenty of modern housing and shopping choices for people, and outer migration of the younger generation, closely followed by lack of effective regulations for vacant properties and financial support for the renovation process. An analytical framework of the Fishbone diagram was used to demonstrate the causes of the vacancy categorized under the different perspectives. The underlying causes behind the vacancy are important in strategizing the reactivation process of these shophouses. Considering different aspirations of the shophouse owners as well as the potential urban demand for these shophouse buildings, several realistic strategies are proposed. These strategies are about thoughtful planning, innovative programs and practices, creative financing, and targeted code enforcement for the shophouses. It is expected that the findings of this thesis will provide valuable knowledge and solutions for reactivating these vacant and underutilized shophouse buildings and preventing further vacancy.
Spatial distribution of Bangkok city government’s expenditures on infrastructure investment
Authors:   , Anandarangsri Sitanun
Published: September 2023

The investments in infrastructure and services help spur Bangkok’s economy to faster growth. All the public facilities and services stimulate Bangkok’s economy to strong competitiveness among the Southeast Asia regions which helps increase employment opportunities. Generally, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) gets the largest portion of the national government's financial support among other local governments, as the city is the primary engine of national economic growth and the center of the country’s economic activities. Although the city is facing a net registered population decline situation, in these past years, it is obvious that Bangkok Metropolitan Administration keeps its interest in providing infrastructure projects far and wide under the Bangkok boundary. The proof is that the annual budgets distributed to the city building and services-related departments value a large portion of the total annual expenditures. Also, the annual budgets distributed to 50 district offices tend to rise over time. This paper attempts to take a study of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration infrastructure investment and the reasons impacting the budget allocation considering the spatial pattern of the budget distributed. Budgeting statistics are analyzed every two years throughout thirteen fiscal years from 2008 to 2020. This study involves content analysis together with integrating statistical and geographical tools. It solely focuses on the expenditures of Bangkok city which belongs to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The findings indicate that the BMA’s long-term development plan serves as the basis of the factor determining annual expenditure.
Evaluating the impact of vertical accessibility performance to Bangkok mass transit stations on the travel behavior of elderly passengers
Authors:   , Kyaw Yoon
Published: September 2023

The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) sky-train is one of Bangkok's primary public transit modes to alleviate traffic congestion among many daily users. Regarding urban mobility, inclusivity is crucial. According to a 2016 World Bank report, by 2040, more than a quarter of the Thai population will be 65 or older. If the elderly could move around the city with greater ease, they would be able to participate more in society and have access to health care regardless of their age. However, news and reports demonstrated the BTS sky train's limited accessibility for persons with limited mobility. In this study, lifts and escalators are regarded as the primary alternatives to stairs for vertical circulation in stations. In terms of vertical egress and access to each station level, the performance of BTS stations in elderly passengers' accessibility was measured. The impact of station facilities' performance on the travel behaviour of the elderly was analysed using a quantitative approach. Three types of stations are categorised according to the dependability and functionality of their equipped facilities. The assessment revealed that nearly half of the stations are conditionally or limitedly accessible. They often use BTS for visits, shopping, recreation, and healthcare-related activities and mostly ride the BTS at non-rush hours. In addition, their choice of station is influenced by its closeness to their residence or its more accessible. Many older passengers who ride BTS alone stated that the seniors independently use the transit. Escalators are the most common means of accessing the station on all levels, while stairs are used to exit the stations. Although the chi-square test reveals that the ease of access to station platforms via escalators and elevators has no significant effect on the travel behaviour and satisfaction of elderly transit users, older people who do not own a private vehicle are more likely to use BTS if all stations have completed facilities. Despite this, findings indicate that age-friendly transit services and policies should consider seniors' well-being, travel convenience, and safety using a holistic design approach.
Genetic characterization and strain differentiation of feline Calicivirus among cat population in Thailand by high resolution melting analysis
Authors:   , Phongroop Kannika
Published: September 2023

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is wildly known as one of the significant causative viral pathogens causing self-limited upper respiratory tract and oral disease in cats. In the last decade, severe FCV form, as named a virulent systemic feline calicivirus (VS-FCV), has distinctly emerged worldwide even though commercially available vaccines for FCV are typically used in Thai cats. However, the data of either prevalence or molecular characterization has never been officially noticed in Thailand. Thus, this study aimed to provide molecular epidemiology and characterization of the FCV circulating in Thai cats during 2016-2021. Moreover, the high-resolution melting analysis (HRM) is utilized for simultaneous detection and strain typing. Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) were also performed for viral localization in tissues. Our results demonstrated FCV incidence circulating in Thai cats as 46.7% and associated with gingivostomatitis lesion with an odds ratio of 9.02 (95% CI: 2.61-30.46; p<0.001). The FCV Thai strains (FCV-THs) were clustered in genogroup I without any viral recombination evidence. One of our cases had shown clinical signs, likely VS-FCV, and became sudden death, and we could complete the whole genome coding sequence of these samples. Moreover, our study successfully validated the HRM technique that could segregate between two commercially available FCV vaccine strains and five wild-type FCV Thai strains within a single PCR reaction. Furthermore, the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) disclosed positive results in various organ tissues in one VS-FCV dead cat, which represented related clinical signs of virulent strain. Afterward, IHC, ISH, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were performed to confirm the localization, distribution, and existence of viral pathogens. As known that target cells of FCV are epithelial and endothelial cells, interestingly, our findings represented FCV antigen either protein or genomic signal in the neuronal cells. This was confirmed the existing intranuclear virion by TEM. In conclusion, we suggested that FCV circulation in Thai cats is still on a big scale, even though the vaccination is wildly used. So, monitoring emerging vaccine breakdown strains and possibly influencing the evolution undergone positive selection is still needed. Lastly, the insight study about FCV-associated neuropathy should be more investigated in further research
Monitoring and characterization of colistin resistant Escherichia coli in pig farm and environment following the cessation in use of colistin
Authors:   , Khine Nwai
Published: September 2023

The growing cases of colistin resistance due to plasmid mediated mcr genes family in Enterobacteriaceae is catastrophic to public health. In this study, our team performed the nation-wide surveillance of mcr-positive Escherichia coli (MCRPE) in healthy pigs across Thailand. Then we monitored longitudinally over the representative pig farm after colistin was withdrawn and genomic characterization was carried out. Among the 696 samples collected from 49 provinces of Thailand, the low carriage rate of mcr-1 or combination of mcr-1 and mcr-3 (4.45% and 0.43%) were detected. MCRPE isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR) against 3–14 types of antimicrobial and enterotoxin genes were largely found. For the longitudinal monitoring, 170 samples were collected from farrowing sows and suckling piglets, wastewater, and farm workers from 2017-2020. The results showed that mcr-1 were recovered from pig carriages for 3.5 years after withdrawal, but in a declining trend. From DNA fingerprinting methods, diverse E. coli clones were distributed on the farm and showed MDR traits. From whole genome sequencing data of 6 selected MCRPE, mcr-1.1 was located on the high stability IncI2 and IncX4 plasmid. Whereas, mcr-3 variants (mcr-3.2 and mcr-3.5) were found on IncFII and IncHI2 plasmids which either contained MDR region, bacteriocin or efflux pump. Identical plasmids were discovered between pigs and environment from different investigation years. MCRPE isolates showed both phenotypic and genotypic MDR characteristics as well as antiseptic and biocides resistant genes. Our study concluded that in the absence of colistin selective pressure, the persistence or elimination of the mcr-bearing E. coli varies depending on the plasmid background and co-selection by other antibiotics usage such as aminoglycosides and cephalosporins as well as farm management.
Active and passive immune responses and protection of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) immunized with tilapia lake virus inactivated vaccines
Authors:   , Mai Thao
Published: September 2023

Tilapia tilapinevirus, also known as tilapia lake virus (TiLV), is a contagious viral pathogen, resulting in mass mortalities and economic losses for tilapia industry. Here, we developed two simple cell-culture, heat-killed and formalin-killed vaccines (HKV and FKV) aiming to prevent this disease. The vaccine efficacies were evaluated by intraperitoneal injection in juvenile tilapia with each vaccine containing 1.8 × 106 TCID50 inactivated virus, followed by a booster dose at 21-day post primary vaccination (dppv) in the same manner. At 28 dppv, the fish were challenged with a lethal dose of TiLV. Expression of five immune genes in head kidney and spleen of experimental fish was assessed at 14 and 21-dppv and again 7-day post booster. At the same time points, TiLV-specific IgM responses were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that both vaccines conferred significant protection, with relative percentage survival of 71.3% and 79.6% for HKV and FKV, respectively. Significant up-regulation of IgM and IgT was observed in the head kidney of fish vaccinated with HKV at 21 dpv, while IgM, IgD and CD4 expression increased in the head kidney of fish receiving FKV at this time point. Both vaccines induced a specific IgM response in both serum and mucus. Then, we run the same vaccination regime on broodstock including four male and eight female fish per treatment with the double vaccine dose. Mating was performed one week later. Broodstock blood sera, fertilized eggs and larvae were collected from 6–14 week post primary vaccination for measurement of TiLV‐specific antibody levels. Meanwhile, passive immunization using sera from the immunized female broodstock was administered to naïve tilapia juvenile to assess if antibodies induced in immunized broodstock were protective. The results showed that TiLV‐specific antibodies were generated in majority of both male and female broodstock vaccinated with either the HKV or FKV and these antibodies were transferred to the fertilized eggs and 1–3-day-old larvae from vaccinated broodstock. Moreover, passive immunization proved that the antibodies elicited by TiLV vaccination were able to confer protection against TiLV challenge with RPS of 85%-90% in naïve juvenile tilapia. In conclusion, immunization of tilapia broodstock with HKV or FKV might be a potential strategy to reduce the risk of vertical transmission and protect the tilapia fertilized eggs and early stage of larvae from TiLV.
Low-flow assessment for ungauged sub-basin in upper ping river basin, Thailand
Authors:   , Man Sokseyla
Published: September 2023

Water scarcity has become one of the most remarkable problems in Thailand. An assessment of low-flow may lead to better water resources management and reduce the risk of water scarcity. The assessment of low-flow in gauged basins where the flow time series are available is straightforward. The challenge exists in ungauged or poorly-gauged basins where the flow data are unavailable or of low quality. Due to the studies of low-flow assessment in ungauged basins are of limited, this study aims to address the low-flow assessment in 25 sub-basins in the Upper Ping River basin in Thailand with available data from 1995-2014 by defining an applicable regionalization method for extrapolating beyond the limitations of observed flow data. Three regionalization methods namely regional regression method, sub-basin similarity method, and climate adjustment method are investigated for the selected sub-basins. The regional regression method is based on a stepwise regression procedure as the relationship between low-flow characteristics and basin physical characteristics. The sub-basin similarity method considered the weight of donor basins according to a combination of physical similarity and spatial proximity. The climate adjustment method considered the distance, choice of record augmentation technique, and the length of overlap period between the subject and the donor basins. Ninety-five-percentile flow (Q95), baseflow index (BFI), and the annual minimum 7-day moving average streamflow with a 10-year recurrence interval (7Q10) are selected in representing the low-flow characteristics of the sub-basins. The result indicated that the three regionalization methods are applicable to predict low-flow in the Upper Ping River basin but with a different predictive degree. However, the comparison further indicated that the climate adjustment method performs well in predicting 7Q10 and Q95 while for BFI it yields a moderate performance when there are available flow records of at least 5 years. Alternatively, applying the regional regression method with Q95 is more recommended than the sub-basin similarity method or with 7Q10 and BFI when there is no flow record available or available with a period of fewer than 5 years.
การเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพของแผงโซล่าเซลล์ด้วยระบบฮีทไปป์คูลลิ่ง
Authors:   , ลาภวุฒิพจน์ ธนกฤต
Published: September 2023

งานวิจัยนี้เป็นการศึกษาการเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพของแผงโซล่าเซลล์ ด้วยระบบฮีทไปป์คูลลิ่ง ในการทดลอง ใช้แผงโซล่าเซลล์ 2 แผง คือ แผงโซล่าเซลล์แบบปกติ ใช้เป็นข้อมูลอ้างอิง และ แผงโซล่าเซลล์แบบติดตั้งฮีทไปป์เพื่อใช้ลดอุณหภูมิแผง   ตัวแปรติดตามในการศึกษา ประกอบด้วย ความเข้มแสงอาทิตย์ กำลังไฟฟ้าที่แผงผลิตได้ อุณหภูมิของแผงโซล่าเซลล์  อุณหภูมิท่อฮีทไปป์ และ อุณหภูมิอากาศภายนอก  ในการศึกษาทดลองครั้งนี้จะเก็บข้อมูลทุกๆ 15 นาที ตั้งแต่เวลา 8.00 ถึง 16.15 นาฬิกา เป็นเวลา 14 วัน ท่อฮีทไปป์ที่ใช้เป็นท่อทองแดงกลมมีเกลียวภายในทำหน้าที่เป็นวิก ท่อฮีทไปป์ใช้น้ำกลั่นเป็นของไหลใช้งาน และฮีทไปป์ทั้งหมด 7 ท่อถูกติดตั้งที่บริเวณด้านหลังของแผงโซล่าเซลล์  จากการวิเคราะห์พบว่า แผงโซล่าเซลล์แบบปกติมีอุณหภูมิเฉลี่ย 52.5 องศาเซลเซียส  และมีพลังงานต่อปี  199.7 kWh    ส่วนแผงแบบติดตั้งระบบฮีทไปป์ มีอุณหภูมิเฉลี่ย 51.1 องศาเซลเซียส และมีพลังงานต่อปี 222.3 kWh  ดังนั้นแผงโซล่าเซลล์แบบติดตั้งฮีทไปป์ ช่วยลดอุณหภูมิได้ 1.44 องศาเซลเซียส หรือร้อยละ 2.7  และ มีค่าพลังงานต่อปีมากกว่าแผงแบบปกติ 22.6 kWh หรือร้อยละ 11.3
การพัฒนาเว็บแอปพลิเคชันสำหรับการจัดการเรียนรู้โดยใช้กระบวนการการวางแผนทางการเงินร่วมกับระบบบริหารเงินแบบหกโหลเพื่อส่งเสริมพฤติกรรมทางการเงินของนักเรียนมัธยมศึกษาตอนต้น
Authors:   , เลิศรัศมีวงศ์ ฐิติรัตน์
Published: September 2023

การวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อพัฒนาเว็บแอปพลิเคชันสำหรับการจัดการเรียนรู้โดยใช้กระบวนการการวางแผนทางการเงินร่วมกับระบบบริหารเงินแบบหกโหลเพื่อส่งเสริมพฤติกรรมทางการเงินของนักเรียนมัธยมศึกษาตอนต้น โดยมีวัตถุประสงค์ย่อยในการวิจัย ได้แก่ 1) เพื่อศึกษาสภาพความเป็นจริงและสภาพที่คาดหวังของการพัฒนาเว็บแอปพลิเคชันฯ 2) เพื่อพัฒนาเว็บแอปพลิเคชันสำหรับการจัดการเรียนรู้ฯ 3) เพื่อศึกษาผลของการใช้เว็บแอปพลิเคชันสำหรับการจัดการเรียนรู้ฯ 4) เพื่อนำเสนอเว็บแอปพลิเคชันสำหรับการจัดการเรียนรู้ฯ กลุ่มตัวอย่างคือ นักเรียนชั้นมัธยมศึกษาปีที่ 2 จำนวน 30 คน โดยใช้วิธีการคัดเลือกแบบเจาะจง เครื่องมือที่ใช้ในการทดลอง คือ เว็บแอปพลิเคชันสำหรับการจัดการเรียนรู้โดยใช้กระบวนการการวางแผนทางการเงินร่วมกับระบบบริหารเงินแบบหกโหลเพื่อส่งเสริมพฤติกรรมทางการเงินของนักเรียนมัธยมศึกษาตอนต้น ใช้ระยะเวลาในการทดลอง จำนวน 9 สัปดาห์ รวม 81 ชั่วโมง วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลด้วยการใช้ค่าเฉลี่ย ส่วนเบี่ยงเบนมาตรฐานและการทดสอบค่าที (t-test)

ผลการวิจัยพบว่าเว็บแอปพลิเคชันสำหรับการจัดการเรียนรู้ฯ ที่พัฒนาขึ้น ประกอบด้วย 1) ลงทะเบียน 2) หน้าแรก 3) บันทึกรายรับ-รายจ่ายตามรูปแบบการบริหารเงินแบบหกโหล 4) รายงานผลการบันทึกรายรับ – รายจ่าย 5) แหล่งการเรียนรู้เพิ่มเติม  6) การเปรียบเทียบราคาสินค้า 7) การขอคำปรึกษา และจากการศึกษาผลการใช้เว็บแอปพลิเคชัน ฯ พบว่า กลุ่มตัวอย่างที่เรียนด้วยเว็บแอปพลิเคชันสำหรับการจัดการเรียนรู้โดยใช้กระบวนการการวางแผนทางการเงินร่วมกับระบบบริหารเงินแบบหกโหลมีผลการเปรียบเทียบค่าคะแนนเฉลี่ยพฤติกรรมทางการเงินหลังเรียนสูงกว่าก่อนเรียนอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติที่ระดับ 0.05 (t = 11.36)