• Title/Summary/Keyword: South Pacific Region

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Association of Breast Cancer with Sleep Pattern - A Pilot Case Control Study in a Regional Cancer Centre in South Asia

  • Datta, Karabi;Roy, Asoke;Nanda, Durgaprasad;Das, Ila;Guha, Subhas;Ghosh, Dipanwita;Sikdar, Samar;Biswas, Jaydip
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.20
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    • pp.8641-8645
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    • 2014
  • The rising trend of breast cancer both in developed and developing countries is a real threat challenging all efforts to screening, prevention and treatment aspects to reduce its impact. In spite of modern preventive strategies, the upward trend of breast cancer has become a matter of great concern in both developed and developing countries. Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute is a premier regional cancer institute in eastern region of India catering to a large number of cancer patients every year. A pilot case control study of fifty breast cancer patients and 100 matched controls was conducted during 2013 to evaluate the effects of habitual factors like working in night shift, not having adequate sleep, and not sleeping in total darkness on breast cancer of women. The study revealed that not sleeping in total darkness was associated with higher odds of outcome of breast cancer of women. This positive correlation can play a vital role in formulation of preventive strategies through life style modification.

Survival and Prognostic Factors of Different Sites of Head and Neck Cancer: An Analysis from Thailand

  • Pruegsanusak, Kowit;Peeravut, Sumet;Leelamanit, Vitoon;Sinkijcharoenchai, Wattana;Jongsatitpaiboon, Jaturong;Phungrassami, Temsak;Chuchart, Kanyarat;Thongsuksai, Paramee
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.13 no.3
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    • pp.885-890
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    • 2012
  • Background: Head and neck cancers are prevalent in Thailand, in particular in the southern region of the country. However, survival with a large data set has not been reported. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the survival figures and the prognostic factors in a cohort of patients treated in a university hospital located in the south of Thailand. Patients and Methods: Consecutive new cases of primary carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharyx, hypopharynx and larynx, treated at Songklanagarind Hospital during 2002 to 2004, were analyzed. The 5-year overall survival rates were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were identified through multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results: A total 1,186 cases were analyzed. Two-thirds (66.6%) of the cases were at advanced stage (stage III & IV) at presentation. The five-year overall survivals for the whole cohort, oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx were 24.1%, 25.91%, 19.2%, 13.4%, 38.0% respectively. Stage and treatment type were strong prognostic factors for all sites. An age ${\geq}$ 80 years was associated with poor survival in oral cavity and larynx cancer. Conclusions: The results revealed remarkably poor outcomes of the patients in the series, indicating a strong need to increase the proportion of early stage presentations and maximize the treatment efficacy to improving outcomes. Very old patients are of particular concern for treatment care of oral cavity and larynx cancer.

Gastric Cancer in Asian American Populations: a Neglected Health Disparity

  • Taylor, Victoria M.;Ko, Linda K.;Hwang, Joo Ha;Sin, Mo-Kyung;Inadomi, John M.
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.24
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    • pp.10565-10571
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    • 2015
  • Gastric cancer incidence rates vary dramatically by world region with East Asia having the highest rate. The Asian population of the United States (US) is growing rapidly and over 17 million Americans are of Asian descent. A majority of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese Americans are immigrants. Americans of East and Southeast Asian descent experience marked gastric cancer disparities and the incidence rate among Korean men in the US is over five times higher than the incidence rate among non-Hispanic white men. Randomized controlled trials have provided evidence for the effectiveness of helicobacter pylori identification and eradication in preventing gastric cancer. Additionally, Japan and South Korea have both experienced improvements in gastric cancer mortality following the implementation of programs to detect early stage gastric cancers. There are currently no clear US guidelines regarding the primary and secondary prevention of gastric cancer in high-risk immigrant populations. However, it is likely that a proportion of US physicians are already recommending gastric cancer screening for Asian patients and some Asian immigrants to the US may be completing screening for gastric cancer in their native countries. Surveys of US primary care physicians and Asian American communities should be conducted to assess current provider practices and patient uptake with respect to gastric cancer prevention and control. In the absence of clinical guidelines, US health care providers who serve high-risk Asian groups could consider a shared decision-making approach to helicobacter pylori identification and eradication, as well as gastric endoscopy.

The Recent Increase in the Heavy Rainfall Events in August over the Korean Peninsula

  • Cha, Eun-Jeong;Kimoto, Masahide;Lee, Eun-Jeong;Jhun, Jong-Ghap
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
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    • v.28 no.5
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    • pp.585-597
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    • 2007
  • The characteristics of the rainfall events on the Korean peninsula have been investigated by means of regional and global observational data collected from 1954 to 2004 with an emphasis on extreme cases $80\;mm\;day^{-1}$. According to our analysis, long-term annual rainfall anomalies show an increasing trend. This trend is pronounced in the month of August, when both the amount of monthly rainfall and the frequency of extreme events increase significantly. Composite maps on August during the 8 wet years reveal warm SST anomalies over the eastern Philippine Sea which are associated with enhanced convection and vertical motion and intensified positive SLP over central Eurasia during August. The rainfall pattern suggests that the most significant increase in moisture supply over the southern parts of China and Korea in August is associated with positive SLP changes over Eurasia and negative SLP changes over the subtropical western Pacific off the east coast of south China. The frequent generation of typhoons over the warm eastern Philippine Sea and their tracks appear to influence the extreme rainfall events in Korea during the month of August. The typhoons in August mainly passed the western coast of Korea, resulting in the frequent occurrence of extreme rainfall events in this region. Furthermore, anomalous cyclonic circulations over the eastern Philippine Sea also promoted the generation of tropical cyclones. The position of pressure systems - positive SLP over Eurasia and negative SLP over the subtropical Pacific - in turn provided a pathway for typhoons. The moisture is then effectively transported further north toward Korea and east toward the southern parts of China during the extreme rainfall period.

Atmospheric Circulation of Pacific-Japan (PJ) and Typhoon-induced Extremes in the Nakdong River Basin (PJ 대기패턴과 태풍에 의한 낙동강 유역의 수문학적 극치 사상의 지역적 특성 변화 분석)

  • Kim, Jong-Suk;Yoon, Sun-Kwon;Moon, Young-Il;Lee, Joo-Heon
    • Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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    • v.45 no.12
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    • pp.1309-1319
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    • 2012
  • The East Asia (EA) region including China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea are especially vulnerable to hydrometerological extremes during the boreal summer (June-September). Therefore, this study pursued an exploratory analysis to improve better understanding of the potential impacts of the PJ pattern on WNP Tropical cyclone (TC) activity and TC-affected extremes based on the Korean Nakdong River Basin. The results show that during the positive PJ years, the large-scale atmospheric environments tend more favorable for the TC activity than those in the negative PJ years. KP-influenced TCs during the positive (negative) PJ years are likely to occur more southwestward (northeastward), recurve at more northwestward (northeastward) locations, and indicate increase (decrease) in frequency over Korea and Japan. Consequently, TCs making landfall are more exhibited over the southeastern portions of South Korea during the positive PJ years.

Modelling of Tides in the East Asian Marginal Seas (동아시아 해역의 조석 모형)

  • 최병호;고진석
    • Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.94-108
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    • 1994
  • As satellite altimetry is being progressed to apply with higher precision to maginal seas. it is necessary to improve correction procedures for tidal signals in altimetry with more accurate tidal model than the well-known model of Schwiderski for studying marginal sea dynamics. As a first step, tidal regime of semidiurnal tides (M$_2$, S$_2$, $N_2$, $K_2$) and diurnal tides (K$_1$, $O_1$, P$_1$, Q$_1$) were computed with finer details of formulation of tidal model over the East Asian Marginal Seas covering the Okhotsk Sea and South China Sea and part of Northwest Pacific Ocean with mesh resolutions of 1/6$^{\circ}$. Computed results were discussed with observations, previous tidal charts and Schwiderski's tidal map of the region.

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Simplified Numerical Model of the Wind-driven Circulation with Emphasis on Distribution of the Tuman River Solid Run-off

  • Vanin, N.S.;Moshchenko, A.V.;Feldman, K.L.;Yurasov, G.I.
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.22 no.2
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    • pp.81-90
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    • 2000
  • Supposed construction of a large port in the mouth of Tuman River requires careful examination of possible unfavorable ecological consequences for the Far Eastern Federal Marine Reserve. Since the Tuman River is the largest source of suspended material and possible contaminants flowing into the sea, and in order to understand how this material is allocated in the coastal zone, analyses are needed to check possible pathways of water transport and circulation system in the region. Linearized shallow water equations were used for numerical simulation of the wind-driven circulation to the north off the Tuman River mouth. The model results satisfactorily agreed with in situ data. The model circulation patterns are largely dependent on the wind direction and are conformed by the distribution of bottom sediments, and by the location of organic carbon and some pollutants accumulation zones. The most unfavorable situation for the Marine Reserve is the case of the southwesterly wind; even with quite moderate wind, the waters polluted by the run-off from the Tuman River can attain the south section of the Marine Reserve during the diurnal period.

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Characteristics of AS9100 Rev. C Quality Management System and Its Implementation (AS9100 Rev. C 규격의 특징과 적용 방안)

  • Yeo, Eung-Mo;Byun, Jai-Hyun
    • Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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    • v.39 no.4
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    • pp.516-526
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    • 2011
  • The AS9100 standard builds upon the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system requirements(in their entirety) and defines additional quality management system requirements for the aerospace industry. The 9100 standard on quality management system requirements is intended to be used at all levels of the supplier chain. The International Aerospace Quality Group has released a revision to 9100 for the aviation, space and defense industries. This change aims at improvement on quality, schedule and cost performance by adopting new requirements based on stakeholders' needs. This paper is to review how the AS9100 QMS Requirement has been established and improved, and to communicate the significant changes from AS9100, Rev. B to Rev. C focusing on reasons for revisions. The proposed schedule and considerations on the transition of the changes to Rev. C are also dealt with in this paper.

Food Allergy, a Newly Emerging Food Epidemic: Is the Current Regulation Adequate?

  • Lee, N. Alice
    • Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.325-331
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    • 2012
  • Food allergy refers to an immunologically mediated adverse reaction to food, mainly to proteinaceous constituents. Health implications vary between those individuals who experience mild physical discomforts to those with fast-acting, life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. The prevalence of food allergy is higher in children than in adults, estimated around 4-8% and 1-2% respectively in developed countries. Food allergy has no effective cure at the present time and total avoidance of causative foods is the most reliable prophylactic method currently recommended by the medical community. To help food allergic patients to make informed choices of their foods, mandatory labeling of selected food allergens has been introduced in several countries. All food allergen labelling provisions specify a set of allergens common to the regulated countries. Policy divergence, however, exists between countries by inclusion of additional allergens unique to specific countries and enforcement of specific labelling requirements. Such variations in food allergen labelling regulations make it difficult to manage allergen labeling in imported pre-packaged food products. This paper addresses two current issues in food allergen regulation: 1) an urgent need to determine true prevalence of food allergy in the Asia-Pacific region. This will enable refinement to the food allergen regulation to be more country-specific rather than simply adopting CODEX recommendations. 2) There is an urgent need for harmonization of food allergen regulation in order to prevent food allergen regulation becoming a trade barrier.

Integrated QR Payment System (QRIS): Cashless Payment Solution in Developing Country from Merchant Perspective

  • Nathan Eleazar Rafferty;Ahmad Nurul Fajar
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.630-655
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    • 2022
  • This paper examines the integrated QR code payment service (QRIS) adoption by retailers in Indonesia. Indonesia started its cashless journey in 2017 by using electric money in card form. As the country keeps developing, Indonesia has planned to integrate its payment towards a cross-border payment using QR codes by 2025 in the South East Asian region. Facing government vision, MSMEs that act as the significant economy wheel in Indonesia was required to be prepared to face the multi-cultural, multi-currency, and the new tech innovation for doing transactions. However, as a developing country, Indonesia faced significant problems with its infrastructure, which made it hard for merchants to access digital payment. As infrastructure was a common problem for developing countries, Indonesia also faced financial inclusion, lack of digital knowledge, a high amount of cash use, and socialization that made low digital payment penetration. Therefore, as there was a need to increase digital payment penetration for ASEAN integrated payment, this study found that merchant compatibility, facilitating conditions, trust, and relative advantages are drivers for MSMEs using this payment method. Further, this research provides propositions for banks, financial institutions, and governments to develop and evolve towards a cashless ecosystem, especially for a country lacking infrastructure.