• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.361-367
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• 2016

We have reported a high prevalence of breast cancer in light-polluted areas in Korea. However, it is necessary to analyze the spatial effects of light polluted areas on breast cancer because light pollution levels are correlated with region proximity to central urbanized areas in studied cities. In this study, we applied a spatial regression method (an intrinsic conditional autoregressive [iCAR] model) to analyze the relationship between the incidence of breast cancer and artificial light at night (ALAN) levels in 25 regions including central city, urbanized, and rural areas. By Poisson regression analysis, there was a significant correlation between ALAN, alcohol consumption rates, and the incidence of breast cancer. We also found significant spatial effects between ALAN and the incidence of breast cancer, with an increase in the deviance information criterion (DIC) from 374.3 to 348.6 and an increase in $R^2$ from 0.574 to 0.667. Therefore, spatial analysis (an iCAR model) is more appropriate for assessing ALAN effects on breast cancer. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show spatial effects of light pollution on breast cancer, despite the limitations of an ecological study. We suggest that a decrease in ALAN could reduce breast cancer more than expected because of spatial effects.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.589-594
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• 2014

Few studies have examined reasons why those with low socioeconomic status do not adequately receive cancer screening. We therefore conducted a qualitative study to assess the barriers to cancer screening in people with low socioeconomic status, and to examine the reasons why Medical Aid Program (MAP) recipients do not participate in the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP). A focus group methodology was used. Participants included MAP recipients (men aged 45-79 years, women aged 35-79 years) who had been invited to cancer screening at least twice based on the NCSP protocol, but had not been screened for any cancer from 2009-2012. We recruited participants living in the cities of Goyang and Paju. A total of 23 MAP recipients participated in four focus group discussions, including 12 men and 11 women. In this qualitative study, we identified six barriers to screening: lack of trust in the NCSP and cancer screening units; fear of being diagnosed with cancer; discomfort or pain from the screening procedure; lack of time, lack of knowledge about cancer screening or lack of awareness of the existence of the NCSP; physical disability or underlying disease; and logistic barriers. Interventions such as individualized counseling, letters and reminders, or other individually-targeted strategies, especially for those with lower socioeconomic status are required to increase participation and reduce disparities in cancer screening.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10603-10605
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• 2015

Background: The Prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cancer worldwide for males, and the 5th most common cancer overall, with an estimated 900,000 new cases diagnosed in 2008 (14% of the total in males and 7% of the total overall) aim of this study was to assess some of the most proposed environmental factors influencing the incidence of prostate cancer among Iranian men. Smoking, opioids, occupation and living location were considered as studied risk factors of the prostate cancer in this research. Material and methods: Two groups of affected men with prostate cancer and controls aged 50-75 years referred to medical clinics were subjects in this case-control study. Living and working place, smoking and drug consuming habits were assessed for any associations with prostate cancer. Results: The largest number, of patients, in order, belonged to Tehran, provincial capitals, major industrial cities, small towns and villages, respectively. The disease showed links with smoking and drugs with a significant difference between controls and patients (P value <0.0001). Conclusions: Our recent evidence duplicates previously done researches confirming the serious adverse effects of smoking and drugs on the prostate cancer occurrence in Iranian men. Living place bearings some hazardous behaviors which increases the rate of diseases as well as advanced chance for associated cancers like prostate.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.14-25
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• 2008

Benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and m-, p-, and o-xylene, the most influential aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), were measured in Bangkok, Thailand, one of the most rapidly developing urban areas in Southern East Asia. The purpose of this study is to characterize the ambient air quality with respect to above mentioned aromatic compounds. The data were monitored in ten sites which cover roadside area, residential area and background area. Canister technique was used to obtain air sample at 24 hour interval per a month during April-August in 2007. GC/MS with three stage preconcentrator was used to analyze these samples. The average concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene m-, p-xylene and o-xylene are 5.8, 36.1, 4.1, 11.0 and $3.7{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. They were observed to be distributed in a log-normal form. Moreover, o-xylene and m, p-xylene exhibited a very good correlation (r=0.976). The slope of the regression equation between them was 3.07 which consisted with a previous reported value. The average ratio of toluene to benzene was 6.4 in April, May June and August. This value was comparable to the ones measured in other Asian cities. Two types of statistical analyses, cluster and factor analyses, were applied to the data in this study. Well characterization was made to understand the air quality of Bangkok area.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.481-487
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• 2014

This study examined microbiological contamination of street foods(kimbab, fish cake, Korean sausage) by microbiological analysis. A collection of 360 samples of street foods was obtained seasonally in four major cities(Seoul, Daejeon, Busan, Gwangju) in Korea. Aerobic mesophilic counts ranged between 1.0 and 9.9 log CFU/g, with the highest count recorded from Kimbab. Counts of psychrotrophic microorganisms were as high as those of mesophilic microorganisms. Total coliform populations between <1.0 and 7.5 log CFU/g were found in 53.6% of samples. Escherichia coli 4.4%, Staphylococcus aureus 7.8% and Clostridium perfringens 3.3%. Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were not detected in any of the samples. Kimbab purchased in spring and summer showed higher S. aureus and Cl. perfringens contamination rates. Microbial contamination levels determined in the present study may be used as the primary data to execute microbial risk assessment of street foods.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.263-297
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• 2010

The relics of the Southeast Asian civilizations in the first phase are found with the relics from India, China, and even further West of Persia and Rome. These relics are the historic marks of the ancient interactions of various continents, mainly through the maritime trade. The traces of the indic culture, which appears in the historic age, are represented in the textual records and arts, regarded as the essence of the India itself. The ancient Hindu arts found in various locations of Southeast Asia were thought to be transplanted directly from India. However, Neither did the Gupta Hindu Art of India form the mainstream of the Gupta Art, nor did it play an influential role in the adjacent areas. The Indian culture was transmitted to Southeast Asia rather intermittently than consistently. If we thoroughly compare the early Hindu art of India and that of Southeast Asia, we can find that the latter was influenced by the former, but still sustained Southeast Asian originality. The reason that the earliest Southeast Asian Hindu art is discovered mostly in continental Southeast Asia is resulted from the fact that the earliest networks between India and the region were constructed in this region. Among the images of Hindu gods produced before the 7th century are Shiva, Vishnu, Harihara, and Skanda(the son of Shiva), and Ganesha(the god of wealth). The earliest example of Vishnu was sculpted according to the Kushan style. After that, most of the sculptures came to have robust figures and graceful proportions. There are a small number of images of Ganesha and Skanda. These images strictly follow the iconography of the Indian sculpture. This shows that Southeast Asians chose their own Hindu gods from the Hindu pantheon selectively and devoted their faiths to them. Their basic iconography obediently followed the Indian model, but they tried to transform parts of the images within the Southeast Asian contexts. However, it is very difficult to understand the process of the development of the Hindu faith and its contents in the ancient Southeast Asia. It is because there are very few undamaged Hindu temples left in Southeast Asia. It is also difficult to make sure that the Hindu religion of India, which was based on the complex rituals and the caste system, was transplanted to Southeast Asia, because there were no such strong basis of social structure and religion in the region. "Indianization" is an organized expansion of the Indian culture based on the sense of belonging to an Indian context. This can be defined through the process of transmission and progress of the Hindu or Buddhist religions, legends about purana, and the influx of various epic expression and its development. Such conditions are represented through the Sanskrit language and the art. It is the element of the Indian culture to fabricate an image of god as a devotional object. However, if we look into details of the iconography, style, and religious culture, these can be understood as a "selective reception of foreign religious culture." There were no sophisticated social structure yet to support the Indian culture to continue in Southeast Asia around the 7th century. Whether this phenomena was an "Indianization" or the "influx of elements of Indian culture," it was closely related to the matter of 'localization.' The regional character of each local region in Southeast Asia is partially shown after the 8th century. However it is not clear whether this culture was settled in each region as its dominant culture. The localization of the Indian culture in Southeast Asia which acted as a network connecting ports or cities was a part of the process of localization of Indian culture in pan-Southeast Asian region, and the process of the building of the basis for establishing an identity for each Southeast Asian region.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2019

This study is to explore the relationship between the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the environment using the big data methodology. We scrutinize the trend of the Fourth Industrial revolution, in association with the environment, and provide implications for a more desirable future environmental policy. The results show that the Industrial Revolution has been generally perceived as negative to environment before the 2010s, while it has been widely regarded as positive after the period. It is highly expected that the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be capable of functioning as a new alternative to enhance the quality of the biophysical and social environment. This study justifies that the new wave of technological development may serve as a cure for the enhancement of the environmental quality. The positive linkage between the new technological development and the environment from this study clearly indicates that the environmental industry and environmental technologies will be key economic factors in the next-generation society. They should be of critical importance in shaping our cities into clearer and greener spaces, and people will continuously depend on the development of new environmental technologies in order to correct environmental damages.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.11-20
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• 2014

Recent changes in the dynamics of national economies, market liberalization, changes in technologies and movement of capital have had a major effect on the Asian Pacific region since the early 1990's, as there has been an increasing role for foreign housing developers in those countries that experienced economic liberalization, high urbanization rates and reforms in the housing sectors. Recently the cosmopolitan cities of Indonesia attracted a global interest due to its rapid economic development and great potential of population and natural resources. New town development emerged as one of the solutions to reduce urbanization problems in Indonesia. This study aims to explore the contemporary planning principles of new town developments in representative new town projects supplied by of major housing development companies in Indonesia. We conducted case study on the new town named Kota Baru Parahyangan, which is located in outskirt of Bandung, the third biggest city in Indonesia and supplied by PT. Belaputra Intiland. As a result of this study, we can identify unique characteristics of new town development in Indonesia.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.12-21
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• 2015

Air pollution is a challenging issue in some of the large cities in developing countries. In this regard, data interpretation is one of the most important parts of air quality management. Several methods exist to analyze air quality; among these, we applied the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and Radial Basis Function (RBF) methods to predict the hourly air concentration of benzene in 14 districts in the municipality of Tehran. Input data were hourly temperature, wind speed and relative humidity. Both methods determined reliable results. However, the RBF neural network performance was much closer to observed benzene data than the MLP neural network. The correlation determination resulted in 0.868 for MLP and 0.907 for RBF, while the Index of Agreement (IA) was 0.889 for MLP and 0.937 for RBF. The sensitivity analysis related to the MLP neural network indicated that the temperature had the greatest effect on prediction of benzene in comparison with the wind speed and humidity in the study area. The temperature was the most significant factor in benzene production because benzene is a volatile liquid.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2015

Increasing ozone concentrations are observed over Japan from year to year. One cause of high ozone concentration in the Kanto region, which includes areas inland from large coastal cities such as metropolitan Tokyo, is the transportation of precursors by sea breezes. However, high ozone concentrations are also observed in the morning, before sea breezes approach inland areas. In this point, there would be a possibility of residual ozone existing above the nocturnal boundary layer affects the ozone concentration in the following morning. In this study, we utilized the Weather Research and Forecasting model and the Community Multiscale Air Quality model to evaluate the effect of regional precursors and residual ozone on ozone concentrations over the inland Kanto region. The results show that precursors emitted from non-metropolitan areas affected inland ozone concentrations more than did precursors from metropolitan areas. Moreover, calculated results indicate downward transportation of residual ozone, resulting in increased concentration. The residual ozone was also affected by precursors emitted from non-metropolitan areas.