• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.40-48
• /
• 2001

The vertical distributions of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, chlorophyll, and primary production were investigated within the top 200m water depth in the south Pacific Ocean in February,2000. The study area ($24^{\circ}-41^{\circ}S,\;81^{\circ}-168^{\circ}W$) can be hydrologically divided into two regions. Upwelling was actively occurring in the eastern region of the $110^{\circ}S$ line, meanwhile it was not active in the western region. Accordingly, chemical properties in the surface waters were different between the two regions; nitrate+nitrite and phosphate concentrations were much higher in the eastern region than in the western region due to the active upwelling, but silicate concentration was higher in the western region. Among the nutrients, the major element influencing primary production was also different between the two regions; silicon would be a major element influencing primary production in the eastern region, but nitrogen may act as a major element for primary production in the western region. Primary production showed similar values in the two regions in spite of the large differences of nutrient concentrations in the surface waters, but the total chlorophyll integrated within the 200 m water depth was almost twice as much as in the western region than that in the eastern legion.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.11
• /
• pp.4449-4454
• /
• 2014

Aim: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) have been considered as a risk factor for many cancers. We conducted this meta-analysis to clarify the association between H. pylori infection and the risk of pancreatic cancer. Methods: We searched the Medicine/Pubmed and Embase databases, studies about the association between H. pylori infection and pancreatic cancer published up to Jan.2014 were included. Finally, a total of 9 studies were used for this a meta-analysis. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of H. pylori infection on pancreatic cancer with respect to control groups were evaluated. Two authors independently assessed the methodological quality and extracted data. This meta-analysis was conducted using software, state (version 12.0) to investigate heterogeneity among individual studies and to summarize the studies. Using the fixed-effects or random-effects model, depending on the absence or presence of significant heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the influence of each individual study on the pooled ORs by omitting a single study each time. Publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot, using Egger's and Begg's tests. Results: There was no significant association between H. pylori infection and pancreatic cancer risk in the summary ORs,(OR=1.06, 95%CI: 0.74-1.37) through the random-effect method, but heterogeneity among studies was significant ($I^2$=58.9%), so we put the studies into two subgraphs (eastern and western). The results about western (OR=1.14 95%CI:0.89, 1.40) showed heterogeneity among the western countries of $I^2$=6.6%, with no significant association between Hp+ and pancreatic cancer, but the eastern countries (OR=0.62, 95%CI:0.49, 0.76), $I^2$=0, suggested that decreasing pancreas-cancer risk in subjects with Hp+ infection. Simultaneously, 7 studies examined CagA+ strains was (OR=0.84 95%CI:0.63, 1.04), $I^2$=36% with the random-effect method, subgraphs indicated that CagA+ could decrease the risk of pancreatic cancer in the eastern subjects (OR=0.66, 95%CI:0.52-0.80), but the association was not statistically significant in the western subjects (OR=0.95, 95%CI:0.73, 1.16). Conclusion: Hp+ and CagA+ infection are associated with a decreased risk of pancreatic cancer in eastern populations but have no significant associations in western countries.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.2835-2838
• /
• 2013

Background: Prostate cancer features a substantial incidence and mortality burden, similarly to breast cancer, and it ranks among the top ten specific causes of death in males. Objective: To explore the situation of prostate cancer in a healthy population cohort in Eastern Nepal. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery at B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal from July 2010 to June 2011. Males above 50 years visiting the Surgical Outpatient Department in BPKIHS were enrolled in the study and screening camps were organized in four Teaching District Hospitals of BPKIHS, all in Eastern Nepal. Digital rectal examination (DRE) was conducted by trained professionals after collecting blood for assessment of serum prostatic specific antigen (PSA). Trucut biopsies were performed for all individuals with abnormal PSA/DRE findings. Results: A total of 1,521 males more than 50 years of age were assessed and screened after meeting the inclusion criteria. The vast majority of individuals, 1,452 (96.2%), had PSA ${\leq}4.0$ ng/ml. Abnormal PSA (>4 ng/ml) was found in 58 (3.8%). Abnormal DRE was found in 26 (1.72%). DRE and PSA were both abnormal in 26 (1.72%) individuals. On the basis of raised PSA or abnormal DRE 58 (3.84%) individuals were subjected to digitally guided trucut biopsy. Biopsy report revealed benign prostatic hyperplasia in 47 (3.11%) and adenocarcinoma prostate in 11 (0.73%). The specificity of DRE was 66.0%with a sensitivity of 90.9% and a positive predictive value of 38.5%. The sensitivity of PSA more than 4ng/ml in detecting carcinoma prostate was 100% and the positive predictive value for serum PSA was 19.0% Conclusions: The overall cancer detection rate in this study was 0.73% and those detected were locally advanced. Larger community-based studies are highly warranted specially among high-risk groups.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.237-258
• /
• 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the risks of an over-concentration of supply chains in one country. It has motivated stakeholders to pursue diversification strategies. However, a paradox exists. Stakeholders have shied away from a complete decoupling and preferring to selectively enhance economic ties with China. This article explores this paradox by examining supply chain concentration in China as a form of asymmetric interdependence and the countermeasures from the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India to minimize vulnerabilities. It argues that while the COVID-19 disruptions have brought to light the risk of supply chain overconcentration in China, countermeasures are also driven by coercive diplomacy and the deepening U.S.-China rivalry. The paper also examines the feasibility of diversification efforts by focusing on the capacity and capabilities of alternative supply chain hubs. It finds that while states are actively seeking ways to prevent China from using asymmetric interdependence of supply chains and trade to gain political leverage, there are structural limits to the degree of diversification in the short to mid-term.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.18
• /
• pp.8059-8065
• /
• 2016

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common tumor in southern China and south-eastern Asia. Effective strategies for the prevention or screening of NPC are limited. Exploring effective biomarkers for the early diagnosis and prognosis of NPC continues to be a rigorous challenge. Evidence is accumulating that DNA methylation alterations are involved in the initiation and progression of NPC. Over the past few decades, aberrant DNA methylation in single or multiple tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) in various biologic samples have been described in NPC, which potentially represents useful biomarkers. Recently, large-scale DNA methylation analysis by genome-wide methylation platform provides a new way to identify candidate DNA methylated markers of NPC. This review summarizes the published research on the diagnostic and prognostic potential biomarkers of DNA methylation for NPC and discusses the current knowledge on DNA methylation as a biomarker for the early detection and monitoring of progression of NPC.

• ALGAE
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.105-115
• /
• 2016

The genus Pterosiphonia includes twenty-one currently described species of red algae that occur in temperate to tropical regions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Pterosiphonia spinifera was originally described as Polysiphonia spinifera from Peru and later transferred to Pterosiphonia. Pterosiphonia spinifera has been reported from Peru as Pterosiphonia pennata, which was originally described from the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, Pterosiphonia arenosa was described based on specimens of P. pennata from Korea. We collected P. spinifera along the coast of Peru and P. arenosa near the type locality in Korea. We compared them with the isotype specimens of P. arenosa using both morphological and molecular data. Our morphological observations and our phylogenetic analysis of rbcL sequences demonstrate that P. spinifera and P. arenosa are conspecific and indicate that P. arenosa is a later synonym of P. spinifera. Our study confirms the wide occurrence of P. spinifera in the western and eastern Pacific Ocean.

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
• /
• 2002.04a
• /
• pp.159-160
• /
• 2002

Soil dust particles transported from loess regions of the Asian continent, called Asian dust, highly influences the air quality of north-eastern Asia and the northern Pacific Ocean. The effects of these dust storms, on the chemical composition of atmospheric aerosol particles with different size, was investigated. Measurements of size distributions of total aerosol and major ion species were carried out on Jeju Island, Korea. (omitted)

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.325-329
• /
• 2002

Concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd in two seaweed species (Sargassum miyabei and S. pallidum) from different areas in Amursky Bay near Vladivostok were determined. An assessment of heavy metal pollution in this bay was made and the results were compared with those from some localities in the world ocean.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.697-702
• /
• 2016

Background: The Asia-Pacific Breast Initiatives (APBI) I and II registries were established to collect safety data for patients with early stage breast cancer receiving adjuvant docetaxel-based regimens in the Asia-Pacific region. Materials and Methods: Data from the two registries were combined to perform a safety analysis. Participants in the registry were women with early stage operable breast cancer with an intermediate or high risk of recurrence. These women received adjuvant chemotherapy that included docetaxel between 2006 and 2011. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded and analyzed. Results: Data were collected from 3,224 patients from 13 countries. The mean dose intensity of docetaxel was 24.1, 22.7, $25.1mg/m^2/week$ among patients receiving docetaxel-based monotherapy, combination therapy and sequential therapy, respectively. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was given with docetaxel to 41.8% of women and 20.6% of women receiving prophylactic antibiotics. Adverse events were reported in 86% of patients (anthracycline-containing regimens vs. non-anthracycline regimens; 87% vs. 80%). The most common adverse events were alopecia, nausea, neutropenia, vomiting, and myalgia. Adverse events NCI CTCAE ${\geq}$Grade 3 were reported in 45.4% of patients. Serious adverse events were reported in 13% of patients, of which 2.5% led to study discontinuation. Forty-six deaths (1.4%) were reported, with no significant difference between regimens. Conclusions: The safety parameters of adjuvant docetaxel therapy used to treat sequential Asian women were comparable to those reported in clinical trials evaluating the role of adjuvant docetaxel. No unusual adverse events linked to Asia-Pacific region patients were observed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.4 no.5
• /
• pp.17-17
• /
• 1995