• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.15-32
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• 2024

This study aimed to investigate the perceptions and preferences of foreigners residing in Korea towards K-fashion. It sought to provide suggestions for the future development of K-fashion targeting this growing demographic. The results revealed that the longer foreigners had lived in Korea, the more positively they rated Korean fashion, shopping, and culture. The majority of foreigners purchased K-fashion items online, with popular choices including T-shirts, jackets, shirts, and jeans. Both men and women identified shoulders as a common problematic area when wearing clothing, with some issues also reported in the lumbar region. In terms of preferences, younger males (teens and twenties) were more inclined towards fads and celebrity wear compared to older males (thirties and forties). Similarly, younger females (teens and twenties) showed a higher preference for functionality and celebrity wear compared to older females (thirties and forties). These findings suggest that men tend to prioritize aesthetic factors when choosing K-fashion, while women prioritize practical considerations. To better cater to foreign consumers, suggestions for the development of K-fashion include promoting it through K-pop stars, considering dimensions related to foreigners' shoulders when designing top items, diversifying colors, sizes, and patterns, and providing English versions of online shopping platforms.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8905-8910
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• 2014

Background: Coverage of cervical pap smear test in Nepal is below general global values. One of the reasons may be that cervical cancer prevention policy of Nepal has 'Visual Inspection of Cervix with Acetic Acid' as the only screening tool. The focus of present study was to find out association of demographic factors, knowledge and attitude regarding cervical Pap smear test with its practice by women in Nepal. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional analytical observational study was conducted between February 1, 2013 and April 30, 2013. Participants were interviewed with the help of a structured questionnaire. Chi square and multivariate logistic regression tests were used to detect associations of variables with pap smear practice. Results: Chi square test showed that practice was significantly associated with knowledge about pap smear test and cervical cancer, having favourable attitude towards the test, urban residency and 36-50 years age-group. Pap smear utilization was not associated with age-at-marriage, parity and age-at-first-child-birth. Multivariate logistic regression showed favorable attitude towards pap smear test as the only variable which significantly influenced pap smear practice (p= 0.006, OR: 2.4). Conclusions: Pap smear coverage has been found to be 15.7% which is lower than global average and that for developing countries. Health education programs which are effective not only in increasing knowledge about cervical cancer and pap smear test but also effective in positively changing attitude towards the test should be organized to increase pap smear coverage.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3403-3406
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• 2015

Background: Skin biopsy is the method to assist clinicians to make definite dermatological diagnosis which further helps in holistic management. Skin cancers are relatively rare clinical diagnosis in developing countries like Nepal, but the prevalence is on rise. Objectives: To investigate the profile of skin biopsies and frequencies and pattern of skin cancers in a tertiary care centre of Western Nepal. Materials and Methods: The materials consisted of 434 biopsies (1.37%) out of 31,450 OPD visits performed in the Department of Dermatology, Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal, during the period of Dec 2011-Nov 2014. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS-16 with reference to incidence, age, sex, race and clinical and histopathological features. Results: The commonest disorders observed in biopsies were papulosquamous lesions, skin tuberculosis of different types, benign skin tumors, leprosy, collagen and fungal diseases. Viral diseases were rarely seen, probably due to straight forward clinical diagnosis. Dermatological malignancies accounted for 55/434 (12.67%) of biopsies. Skin disorders in general were commoner in females 280/434 (64%), including malignancies 32/55(58.2%). Mean age of patients with skin cancer was 54.5 years. Facilities for proper laboratory investigation of dermatological disorders will improve the quality of life. Conclusions: The most prevalent lesion in skin biopsies was papulosquamous disorders followed by skin tuberculosis of different types. Dermatological malignancy constituted 55/434 (12.67%) cases. The prevalence of skin malignancy is on rise in Nepalese society probably due to increase in life expectancy and better diagnostic services.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2149-2152
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• 2012

Objective: This study was performed to assess prostate biomarkers with reference to body mass index and duration of prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: A hospital based retrospective study was undertaken using data retrieved from the register maintained in the Department of Biochemistry of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal between $1^{st}$ January, 2009 and $28^{th}$ February, 2012. Biomarkers studied were prostate specific antigen (PSA), acid phosphatase (ACP) and prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (${\gamma}GT$). Demographic data including age, duration of disease, body weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were also collected. Duration of disease was categorized into three groups: <1 year, 1-2years and >2 years. Similarly, BMI ($kg/m^2$) was categorized into three groups: <23 $kg/m^2$, 23-25 $kg/m^2$ and >25 $kg/m^2$. Descriptive statistics and testing of hypothesis were used for the analysis using EPI INFO and SPSS 16 software. Results: Out of 57 prostate cancers, serum level of PSA, ACP and PAP were increased above the cut-off point in 50 (87.5%), 30 (52.63%) and 40 (70.18%) respectively. Serum levels of PSA, ACP and PAP significantly declined with the duration of disease after diagnosis. We observed significant and inverse relation between PSA and BMI. Similar non-signficiant tendencies were apparent for ACP and PAP. Conclusions: Decreasing levels of prostate biomarkers were found with the duration of prostate cancer and with increased BMI. Out of prostate biomarkers, PSA was found to be significantly decreased with the duration of disease and BMI.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 1994

Nepal, with its unique geographical and ecological features due to its abrupt rise in altitude, plays significant role in biological evolution. Existence of numerous wild relatives of the present-day cultivated agricultural crop plants in this small Himalayan nation may serve as a potential source of several yet unidentified desirable genes that are needed for future incorporation in the improvement of cultivated crop plants. This report includes 82 different wild relatives of 41 genera under 19 families of 37 agricultural crops of Nepal(Table 1). It serves as the sample of the glossary of these wild relatives of crop plants in Nepal. Under food grain crop plants of gramineae, leguminoceae and polygonaceae families, 16 different wild species namely wild rices(7 species), wild relatives of wheat plant(3 species), wild arhar(3 species), wild fingermillets(1 species) and wild buckwheat(2 species) have been identified in different parts of the country. Similarly, under vegetable crop plants of Araceae, Amaranthaceae, Crucifereae, Cucurbitaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Labiteae, Leguminosae, Liliaceae, Malvaceae, Polygonaceae, Solanaceae and Umbellifereae, 37 different wild species-wild colocasia(1 species), wild amaranths(3 species), wild leafy vegetables(2 species), wild gourds(3 species), wild cucumber(1 species), wild yams(4 species), wild mints(3 species), wild fenugreeks(4 species), wild pea(1 species), wild beans(3 species), wild garlics(2 species), wild spinach(3 species), wild lady's finger(1 species), wild spinach(3 species), wild eggplants(2 species) and wild carrot(one species) have also been identified. In case of wild relatives of cultivated orchard plants, 11 different wild species namely wild mango(one species), wild banana(one species), wild strawberry(one species), wild pear(one species), wild cherries(2 species), wild apple(one species) and wild grapes(3 species) have been identified, Among 19 different wild species of economic crop plants, five wild species of sugarcane, one species of wild sunhemp, two wild relatives of cotton, three wild relatives of rose, two wild species of tobacco, four wild species of turmeric and two wild species of tea have also been identified. This report includes only sample of the total wild species of the present-day cultivated agricultural crop plants. Further exploration on this economic botany will help the country in cataloging the wild relatives of cultivated crop plants and their future use in crop improvement.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.51-64
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• 2014

Strategic bundling of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices among themselves works together as an entire HRM system rather than individual HRM practices to achieve organizational objectives. The bundles of HR practices support the effectiveness of one another assuming the effectiveness of any practice depends on other practices in place. It is said that the greater the total degree of bundling among the various components of HRM policies and practices, the more will be the organizational outcomes. Realizing these facts, this study aimed to explore the level of strategic bundling and examined the impact of such bundling on organizational performance to the publicly listed companies of Nepal. This empirical study is based on description and exploratory design for which data collected through the questionnaire based on 5-point liker scale. Total population of the study at the time of data collection are 234 organizations publicly listed in Stock Exchange of Nepal. Questionnaire is distributed to all organizations listed, response received from 105 organizations, as a unit of analysis, which is fairly good response. The study of strategic bundling of HRM practices perhaps the first study in Nepal, found that only 32 percent organizations have followed high bundling HR practices and these high bundling organizations are significantly different with low bundling organizations. Business organizations are trying to practice being close association of HRM policies and practices within them except labor relation with employee participation and business strategies. Supporting to the international literature, strategic bundling of HRM practices among themselves shows statistically significant effects on quality of product or services, labor productivity, financial performance, employee satisfaction, rate of innovation, employee commitment and market share.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5385-5388
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• 2015

Background: Gastric cancer is the most common gastrointestinal cancer and a leading cause of cancer mortality in Nepal. Survival of gastric cancer patients depends on the stage at which diagnosis is made. The aim of this study was to analyze the presentation and outcomes of gastric cancer patients treated at a tertiary care hospital in Nepal. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 140 consecutive histologically proven gastric adenocarcinoma cases managed at the Department of Surgery, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal for the period of January 2009 to December 2013 was carried out. Results: One hundred forty out of the total 186 patients with histologically proven gastric adenocarcinoma, were admitted for surgery. The mean age was $59.6{\pm}12.4yrs$ (range 29 to 78 yrs) and the male: female ratio was 2:1. Sixty three (45%) patients featured Tibeto-Burman descent though this ethnic group accounts for only 18% of the Nepalese population. Two-thirds or more patients presented with abdominal pain, anorexia, weight loss and/or vomiting. In 86 (61.5%) of the patients the tumor was located in the lower $3^{rd}$ of the stomach and in only 15% of the patients the tumor was located at the upper $3^{rd}$. Early gastric cancer was diagnosed postoperatively in only 4%. In 54%, the disease was locally advanced and metastatic lesions were found in 14% of the patients. Subtotal (73) or total (11) curative gastrectomies (D1, D1+ or D2) were performed in 84 (60%) patients with average lymph node retrieval of $16.6{\pm}8.2$. Palliative gastrectomies or procedures were performed in 23% of the patients and no intervention (open & close/biopsy) was employed in 15% of the patients. Perioperative morbidity was seen in 10% and mortality in 4%. Three, four and five year survival rates up to the recent follow-up were 17.9%, 11.9% and 8.3%, respectively. Conclusions: Gastric cancer in Nepal is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and has a poor prognosis. Thus, early detection is the key to improve the survival of gastric cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3447-3453
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• 2016

Background: Gall bladder cancer (GBC) is highly fatal disease with poor prognosis, with a 5 year survival rate of <10%. It is relatively rare cancer worldwide; however it is the sixth cancer and second most common gastrointestinal tract cancer in Nepalese women. The study focused on associations of certain demographic, lifestyle, dietary, and reproductive factors with gall bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: We conducted a hospital-based matched case control study on newly diagnosed cases of primary GBC at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences and BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital. Controls were healthy non-GBC relatives of cancer patients, matched for age, sex and marital status (in case of females) with cases at a ratio of 1:2. Data were collected between April 2012-April 2013 by semi structured interview from both cases and controls. Analyses were carried out with SPSS. Conditional logistic regression was used to find odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results: A total of 50 cases and 100 controls were enrolled in this study. On bivariate analysis, factors found to be significantly associated with gallbladder cancer were illiteracy (OR=3.29, CI=1.06-10.2), history of gallstone disease (OR=27.6, CI=6.57, 115.6), current smoker (OR=2.42, CI=1.005-5.86), early menarche <13 years (OR=2.64, CI=1.09-6.44), high parity more than 3 (OR=3.12, CI=1.25,7.72), and use of mustard oil (OR=3.63, CI=1.40, 9.40). A significant protective effect was seen with high consumption of fruits at least once a week (OR=0.101, CI=0.03-0.35). On multivariate analysis, history of gallstone disease, early menarche, current smoker and high consumption of fruits persisted as significant factors. Conclusions: History of gallstone disease, cigarette smoking and early menarche were associated with increased risk of gallbladder cancer while high consumption of fruits was found to have a protective effect.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5095-5099
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• 2013

Background: The overall incidence of breast cancer in South Asian countries, including Nepal, is low compared to Western countries. However, the incidence of breast cancer among young women is relatively high. Breast cancer in such cases is characterized by a relatively unfavorable prognosis and unusual pathological features. The aim of this study was to investigate clinico-pathological and biological characteristics in younger breast cancer patients (<40 years) and compare these with their older counterparts. Materials and Methods: Nine hundred and forty four consecutive female breast cancer patients, admitted to the Department of Surgery, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal between November 1997 and October 2012, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Out of the 944 female breast cancer patients, 263 (27.9%) were <40 years. The mean age was $34.6{\pm}5.0$ years among younger patients compared to $54.1{\pm}9.9$ for those ${\geq}40$ years. The mean age at menarche was also significantly lower ($13.5{\pm}1.5$ vs $14.2{\pm}1.5$ years p=0.001) while the mean duration of symptoms was significantly longer (7.6 vs 6.5 months p=0.004). Family history of breast cancer was evident in 3.0% of the young women versus 0.3% in the older one. Mammography was performed less frequently in younger patients (59.7%), compared to older (74.4%), and was of diagnostic benefit in only 20% of younger patients compared to 85% of older ones. At diagnosis, the mean tumor diameter was significantly larger in young women ($5.0{\pm}2.5$ vs $4.5{\pm}2.4cm$, p=0.005). Axillary lymph nodes were positive in 73% of younger patients and 59% of older patients. In the younger group, the proportion of stage III or IV disease was higher (55.1% vs 47.1%, $p{\leq}0.05$). The proportion of breast conserving surgery was higher in young patients (25.1% vs 8.7%) and a higher proportion of younger patients receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (9.9% vs 2.8%). The most common histological type was ductal carcinoma (93.1% vs 86%). The proportion of histological grade II or III was higher in younger patients (55.9% vs 24.5%). Similarly, in the younger group, lymphatic and vascular invasion was more common (63.2% vs 34.3% and 39.8% vs 25.4%, respectively). Patients in the younger age group exhibited lower estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positivity (34.7% vs 49.8%). Although statistically not significant, the proportion of triple negative tumors in younger age group was higher (22.4% vs 13.6%). Conclusions: Breast cancer in young Nepalese women represents over one quarter of all female breast cancers, many being diagnosed at an advanced stage. Tumors in young women exhibit more aggressive biological features. Hence, breast cancer in young women is worth special attention for earlier detection.

• Journal of Practical Engineering Education
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.163-176
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• 2020

Promoting job growth and quality has been central to developing countries to reduce poverty for decades. In this regard, Nepal is not unique in its need to develop effective TVET programme as it is considered showing positive association with workforce development and productivity. While the copious academic literature has highlighted upon staff training programme in general education, it encounters lack of adequate attention in the field of TVET education. The purpose of the study is to identity and prioritise the professional development needs for the teachers of TVET sector in Nepal. A sample(N=317) of Nepalese teachers from seven provinces were asked to answer the scale. The Borich needs assessment model was employed to assess the perceived level of importance and present preferred training modules among 29 teaching subjects. Moreover, a quadrant analysis using 2×2 matrix was used as a diagnostic tool to denote overriding training topics. The result shows that following competence skills constructs were perceived to be in high need of enhancement as well as in existence of discrepancies: 'occupational characteristics of TVET trainer', 'training needs analysis and curriculum development', 'curriculum development based on national competence standard(NCS)', and 'Institution management evaluation'.